How to get fuller looking lips!

Make-up... is pretty much magic. Today I'm going to show you how to enhance the lips that you already have... with make-up that you may already have, and without surgery that's painful!

I'm going to describe a nude-coloured lip in the steps, but you can use this technique to make your lips look fuller in ANY colour! See the bottom of this post for colour modification recommendations.

For this 'nude' look you'll need: 

- A lipliner that matches the colour of YOUR lips (I own a great cheapie lip pencil from Rimmel that I love)

- A light pink eyeshadow

- Light shimmer shadow of some type

Step 1: Use the nude lip liner to line your lips - but draw the line right on the edge of your lips - almost outside. Or, go a little bit outside the lines on your bottom lip in the middle. 

Step 2: Using the same lip liner, fill in your lips a little bit, using the liner kind of like a lipstick. 

Step 3: Blot a tiny bit of translucent powder over your lips to increase its stay-power.

Step 4: Swirl your finger in some of that lighter pink eyeshadow and dust it all over your lips, concentrating less on the outside, and more on your inner lips

Step 5: Use the 'highlighter', or colour that is even lighter than the pink to dab just on the pout of your lip and on the cupid's bow

Step 6: (optional) Add your favourite gloss. This can really finish the look- but a matte lip will last longer. So, for a full day of colour, skip the gloss.

Basically what you've done is contour your lip to look DARKER ON THE EDGES and LIGHTER ON THE POUT AND INNER LIP. This creates the illusion of fullness!

A face chart from MAC that illustrates perfectly the lips that I'm describing :)

*For a brighter punchier look: Use a cherry red liner to line and fill your lips. Follow by bright pink liner. Blend the colours well into eachother. Highlight pout with light pink eyeshadow. This look ends up looking fushia-ish. Quite bright and very in!*

EcoTools Brushes

In desperation, and tight for cash I recently purchased a blush brush from Walmart. I've been rather committed to purchasing the full set of Quo brushes, but I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered this Walmart gem! The brand also boasts that their brushes are particularly good for applying mineral make-up. 

Blush or loose powder brush

The bristles on these brushes are extremely gentle and soft. (although this is the only one that I've tried so far) EcoTools also carries small brush sets with some fairly basic brushes, but if they're anything like this one, they'd be worth adding to the collection. Check EcoTools out at http://www.parispresents.com/EcoTools_s/70.htm. I think I payed $7.50 CAN for the blush brush. 

Z-Palettes

If you have a lot of shadows, or blushes, here's a great way to organize them! Magnetic strips are attached to the back of the shadows and then they go into these clear-lid, magnetic boxes. The great thing about these palettes is that you can take the shadows out of the box and re-arrange them as you like. Great find! They retail at $14 for the small size, and $20 for the larger size. 

The Mac palettes, in comparison come in sizes of 4 or 15 shadows, or 6 blushes. The eyeshadow palette with space for 15 shadows costs $16.50, so pretty comparable. 

Check out these very useful make-up organizers at http://www.zpalette.com/

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Voila, cheekbones!

Have you ever thought that you would really love to have chiseled sexy cheekbones like many models and runway models do? The great thing is....YOU CAN! If applied right, make-up can emphasize or de-emphasize almost any feature on your face. You can make your nose look thinner, your lips look fuller, your skin look more tan,  your eyes bigger or smaller, etc. It's simply amazing! I've decided to share some tricks and tips in the next many posts, and we'll start with cheekbones!!

To give yourself a more defined cheekbone look:

1. Use a 'kabuki' brush or pinch your normal blush brush into a wedge-like shape with your fingers.

2. Choose a blush colour in more of a dirty brown colour. Pinks and roses that are brighter wont do as well, because you're faking a shadow on your face. You can even use an eyeshadow if that's all you have!

Mac Blush in 'Blunt'

3. If you're using a kabuki-type of brush, dip one side of the brush into the blush/shadow and apply the colour starting at the top of your cheek by your ear and sweeping down, almost curling around the apple of your cheek. If you've applied too much, simply use pressed or loose powder to dust over and lighten the look.

4. When you're happy with effect, apply a rosier blush colour starting on the apple of your cheeks and gently sweeping up to your ear - usually a really light bubble gum pink will look quite natural on most faces. It'll just be that little pop of colour that you need :)

5. If you contour your cheekbones, take a moment to also contour around your hairline and temples if you like. It'll make the contoured cheek bones look more natural.

This contouring makes a HUGE difference, but can also be done with a cream and applied in the same areas with a wedge sponge, or your fingers. I like to use the Lise Watier wheel - the darkest colour to do this.

Lise Watier Concealer Wheel (which has multiple uses!)

Just an example of the effect we're aiming for 

Cassia

The trick with this green smokey-eye is making sure that the green pigment is bright. The best way to do this is to apply eye primer before the base green shadow is applied. The primer acts as an adhesive and makes the colour more vibrant, longer lasting and prevents the loose pigments from falling on your cheeks. Here are the before and after ...actually the before is just one that I snagged from Facebook ;)

Fabulous multi-purpose-ing product!

I've been using this bronzer for years. I love these Physician Formula bronzing strips because they are so multi-functional and can be used in so many different ways.

As a bronzer: For a healthy glow, use a blush brush to sweep across your cheek bones, temples, hairline, chin, nose and neck. 

As eyeshadow: Use your fingers to do this! It seems to pack on the most intense colour with these palettes. First, use the lightest colour at the top of the bronzing strip under the arch of your brow as a highlighter. Then use the middle-tone bronze to cover your lid. Use the darkest colour in your crease and the contour. Then, go back and highlight the inner corner of your eye with the lightest colour. 

I was at the Mac store at The Bay going to buy the bright red lipstick that I wore at my wedding, and the lady at Mac commented on my gold-coloured eye...and asked me where I got it! Such a great summer look (though I tend to wear it through the Winter too)