How To Choose the Perfect Lipstick

• Wearability - Is the color right for you? Do you like the texture, taste and smell? Sure, matte gray lipstick is a current fad but will you really wear it? Let me give you an exapmle... I'd been wanting Kat Von D's Poe for months, but it was so popular my Sephora couldn't even keep the tester on the shelf. When I finally saw it my first thought was "YES, I must have it!" My second thought was "Where on earth am I going to wear a sparkly violet/blue lipstick?" My third thought was "Nowhere." I left it there.  

• Tube Appeal - How cute will it be sitting on your vanity? This sounds silly, but it’s really important. If you have more than 3 tubes of MAC lipstick on your vanity you know what I'm talking about. There's something SO special about neatly arranged sleek and elegant tubes of lipstick. I really, really, REALLY, want a tube of Burberry lipstick just so I can just look at it. Seriously...I just want to look at it. #DontJudgeMe

•  Availability - Is it limited edition? Has it been on back order? You’d better get it while you can. Mac has taught us all this lesson. The people who buy their limited edition products and once they're sold out, sell them at a ridiculous markup should be put in jail...or at least banned from the site Damn limited edition Ebay selling makeup hoarders...they irk the hell outta me. UGH...
  

• Recommendations, Reviews, Rants & Raves - There are a trillion places to find makeup reviews online. My favorites are ulta.com, sephora.com, temptalia.com, and makeupalley.com. If EVERYONE gives it five stars, it must be special. If everyone hates it, you probably will too. You can take your chances, but don't say I didn't warn you.

• Obsession - Have you been thinking about it for days? Weeks? Months…? Put yourself out of your misery and get it.

• Lasting Power - Reapplying lipstick throughout the day is not fun, and faded lipstick is not cute.Sometimes (but not all the time) you'll have to spend a little more money to get a lipstick that lasts, but it's worth it. The tube will last forever and you'll actually wear it. But...cost doesn't automatically mean it will last longer. I've worn a $45 lipstick before that only lasted 15 minutes on me. I was NOT happy.

• Finish - If you know for sure you only like mattes, leave the sheer sheens alone. And vice-versa.
  

• The OMG factor - When you try it on does your heart skip a beat? Buy it!

• Dupelessness - If you know there’s not a match for it, don’t waste money looking.Most lipsticks have a color dupe (duplicate), but when you combine color, undertone, texture, and finish it can become harder to dupe. I bought 10 tubes of red lipstick because I was determined not to buy Ruby Woo.

• Packaging Quality - Because ain’t nobody got time to be losing the tops of tubes in the bottom of your purse getting lipstick all over the last stick of orbit gum…

What's important to you when you look for lipsticks? What's your absolute favorite lipstick to wear? Let me know in the comments below! 

Foundation Brushes 101

1) Concealer Brush
2) Foundation Brush
3) Flat Contour Brush
4) Flat Powder Brush
5) Flat Kabuki Brush
6) Domed Kabuki Brush

Let's talk about brushes. 

There are SO many brushes out there that it is hard to keep up with what's what. Today's post will cover the basics of foundation brushes- What each brush is called, what type of products it can be used with, and what in particular it each brush does. 

1) Concealer brush
$10 Ulta (discontinued) $4 BH Cosmetics 
The concealer brush has short, compact bristles that appear curved when looking at the brush from the front and flat when looking at it from the side. It is used to apply concealer to small areas (under the eye, around the mouth, hyperpigmentation spots) with precision. I also use mine to "clean up" my brows with concealer after filling and shaping my brow with brow pomade. 
This concealer brush by Ulta has been discontinued. Here is a substitute. 

2) Foundation Brush
$5 Amazon.com
The foundation brush looks like an overgrown concealer brush. It has long, tapered bristles (they get longer towards the center of the brush). The foundation brush should be soft and fluffy in order to apply foundation smoothly and evenly. It can be used to apply liquid, cream, and cream to powder foundation. I was extremely impressed with how nice this brush is and how well it works. It's a steal at $5...it's easily worth 5 times as much or more. 
This concealer brush can be purchased here. 

3) Flat Contour brush
$15 Amazon.com
This is my favorite brush right now. I've never been one for a lot of contouring and highlighting, but a few weeks ago I decided to give it another try. With this brush and Ruby Kisses 3D Face Creator in Level 16 I can create just enough of a shadow to accentuate my cheekbones without being too heavy handed. This brush has a long narrow head with very short very densely packed soft bristles. The shape of the brush allows for maximum control, only applying my contour color where I want it in a clean soft line. Some higher end cosmetic lines make comparable brushes, but I can't imagine that them being any better than this one. 
This flat contour brush can be purchased here. 

4) Flat Powder Brush. 
$3 e.l.f.
This might be the holy grail of makeup brushes. The flat powder brush has densely packed soft bristles that are flat on the top. This brush gives a very even "airbrushed" finish on the face. I use this brush to blend in my foundation after applying it with my foundation brush. I've also used it to blend stick foundation, to apply pressed powder, loose powder, liquid foundation, cream to powder foundation and bronzer. This brush is so awesomely inexpensive it's worth picking up a few of them to use with different products. 
This flat powder brush can be purchased here. 

5. Flat Kabuki Brush
$25 Ulta (discontinued) $10 e.l.f. (substitute)
Like the flat powder brush, the flat kabuki is flat (redundant, much?) and compact. The kabuki has a very short handle (usually an inch or so, but some are longer) and the head is larger than the flat powder brush. The flat kabuki is amazing as a buffer and gives an even better airbrushed effect. This is currently the only brush I use to apply pressed powder. The finish is AH-MAY-ZING. I've also used it to blend out stick foundation with the same results. 
This flat kabuki brush by Ulta has been discontinued. Here is a substitute. 

6. Domed Kabuki Brush
$6 e.l.f.
The domed kabuki brush is similar to the flat kabuki brush. It is short and compact with a short handle. The difference is that the top of the bristles is rounded into a domed shape. This brush is the ultimate of softness and fluffiness. It applies powdery products with perfection. This brush is best used for pressed and loose powder application, finishing powder application,HD powder application and bronzer application. 
This domed kabuki brush is available here. 

What are your favorite foundation and face brushes? Answer in the comments section below. 

Red Lipsticks in Every Budget for Women of Color (Part 1)

I love wearing red lipstick! I wear it almost every day and I always get the same reaction from women:

"I LOVE that color on you!"
followed by
"I could NEVER wear that color..."

Well, I'm a believer that EVERY woman should be rocking red lipstick! I'm here to share with you my favorite brown-skin-friendly reds in every price point, ranging from $3 to $23. I'll also share some of my tricks for a flawless red lip.

First things first. Do NOT attempt to wear a red lipstick without a liner. It will be uneven and the color might "bleed" or move past your natural lip line, and that ain't cute.

My go-to liner is NYX (pronounced "nix") retractable Lip Liner in Dark Red found here. It's a deep, rich red that shows well on brown skin and kind of tones down red lipsticks.

This is the retractable liner, not the pencil liner 

I only line the outside of my lip but you can also fill in the entire lip with the liner. It will make the color last longer.







Now on to the lipsticks! 

$5 and less

e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Color in Rich Red 

$3

buy this lipstick here

Yep, $3. The only difference in this lippie and the higher priced ones is that you'll have to reapply it more often throughout the day. The color is beautiful, the application is smooth, the texture is a soft matte. This one is definitely a winner, especially for the price!

$5-$10

Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Best Red 

$5.49

buy this lipstick here

This is a pinker red than the others. It leans towards fuchsia. The finish is a little more sheer, too. The application is ok, not as smooth as the others. The texture is a soft, moisturizing matte. Overall it is a good lipstick, it's a good starter if you're not ready for a really bold red. 

$10-$15

Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in Always Red

$13

(my lighting changed, sorry)
buy this lipstick here

THIS IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE RED LIPPIE EVER! This is a true "pin-up girl" red. It goes on like a lip gloss (less is more until you get used to applying it) and dries to the most perfect, beautiful, matte red EVER. It is a true matte with a dry-looking finish, but it isn't drying at all! The best thing is that it lasts for hours and hours, maybe even all day! 

$15-$20

MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo

$16

Buy this lipstick here

The reigning queen of the red lippies, Ruby Woo is a long time favorite and the go to red for many, many women. It is a beautiful red and true matte that wears well on all skin tones. The only bad thing about Ruby is that she is as dry as the Sahara Desert. If there is any dry or chapped skin on the lips, Ruby will magnify it ten times. This can be avoided with proper exfoliating and moisturizing before application. 

$20+

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in F-Bomb

$22

buy this lipstick here

The Urban Decay website describes these lipsticks as "Creamy, badass luxury". Personally, I call this lipstick "sex in a tube." This is the sexiest, most sensual, "look at my mouth" pout you can get. It is smooth, creamy and rich with just a slight gloss. It's a little pricey at $22 but it's worth every penny. 

Do you wear red lippies? What are your favorite colors? Let me know in the comments section below!