Allegro Sketch Artist Purse Kit ($4.99) from Target
Back to School Makeup Bags: What do you need?
Now, I know all of us aren’t going back to school in the next few weeks, but I hope that some of the suggestions and advice below are useful for those who carry makeup bags or touch-up kits with them no matter where life takes them!
OIL BLOTTING SHEETS. There are several different brands out there, but my favorite is Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets ($5.99 for 50 sheets). I’m have normal-to-dry skin, but I always find that a blotting sheet can help makeup look fresher after five or six hours of wear. MAC Blot Powder/Pressed ($22.00) is also helpful with blotting and absorbing excess oil throughout the day.
CONCEALER. Keep a tube or pot of concealer in your makeup bag for quick touch-ups or to conceal that pimple that’s just waiting to strike. If your eyeliner has smudged, a little concealer on top will help camouflage and blend it out better than just using your finger. You may find that you don’t wear foundation to school most days, but a little concealer on hand helps combat any surprises that pop-up (ha, ha) during the day. Or if the cutest boy/girl in the school asks you out for a malt at the ice cream shoppe. (What, they don’t do that any more? Well, a girl can dream.)
FAVORITE LIPSTICK/LIPGLOSS. Either carry the lip products you’ve chosen to worn for the day or one or two lip products that you know work well for you. I like carrying around a single lipgloss in a flattering, semi-sheer shade with lots of peach/gold and maybe a bit of pink in it, because I know it’s a shade that brightens my face but is minimal and natural (Cle de Peau #2 Lip Gloss at $48, for those curious). Lip balm is also a nice thing to keep in your bag!
Charlotteover atLipglossiping had an excellent post on five things she learned from beauty blogging. I absolutely loved it, and I tweeted out five of my own – and then I asked for people to share theirs… and it was amazing to read all the answers. Would love to hear yours, and I’ve included five more of mine!
You learn to see shades of color you never knew before. 2 colors are identical, but you will see the nuance that makes them different. Your boyfriend will look at photos of five red lipsticks and say they’re all the same, but you will see that one is a little bluer, one isn’t as opaque, while two have a sheen.
You learn that no matter how perfect your makeup looks, macro mode will always show you something different! Eyeliner might look on point in real life, but then you see it in high-res and it’ll tell a totally different story.
You learn to forget about price tags. $14 used to be expensive, $20 used to be your “max,” and now $60 doesn’t seem outrageous. And it gets easier to justify an indulgence. “But it’s for the blog! For readers!” Even if it’s really because you just want that bad boy…
You learn the art of micro-organization. How to store and store and store. And re-do it all. And get sick pleasure from it! The Container Store will become your best friend.
You learn that products actually have “good sides” and “good angles” to photograph. And that some products are divas! You’ll love to photograph some products and loathe others. You’ll look at them and just know they’re going to be difficult on the set.
You learn that there are some really weird products on the market. Like the Vajacial. And hair dye, post-Vajacial. You will even consider testing one of these really weird products all in the name of blogging.
You learn that you can’t play ultimate frisbee becauseit will annihilate your swatching hand! NOT THE SWATCHING HAND! (No, seriously, I broke a bunch of nails on the hand that I use for nail swatches. Sucked!)
You learn that there are fifty different ways to describe a finish, texture, color, etc. And you’ll still opt for generic words like beautiful, stunning, pretty, gorgeous.
You learn how to do five things at once… and get them all done on time. Sometimes with the help of ample amounts of caffeine.
You learn that until you can get your grubby little swatching paws on a product to swatch it for yourself, promo photos are pretty to look at but don’t tell the real story.
Here are lessons learned by some friends on Twitter! Would also love to hear yours (As readers or bloggers!) Continue reading →
Keeping it light is always a favorite way to do school or work-safe makeup. It’s flattering, effortless, and you’ll never look overdone.
Brighten up tired eyes with pops of shimmery peach on lids. School can be exhausting–from extracurriculars to studying to hanging out with friends–so camouflage any tired peepers by using light, shimmery shades all over the lid!
Darken the creasefor a bolder look that’s still not overdone or too smoky. It can give your eye more definition!
Soft and subtleis easy to do once you have a set of go-to neutrals.
Try softer crease shades for your natural looks–you’ll still get the definition and depth you want, but it will be more sophisticated.
Try subtly darker neutrals for a more intense version of the natural eye. You’re still not going full-frontal with color, but you’re punching up the color a little bit.
Add color on the lid in shades that are noticeable but not neon, and you’ll be able to dabble in color without feeling like you’re wearing too much.
Go bold or go home! I know we have to have some readers who are going to wear the brightest shadow no matter where they’re going, so this is one of my favorite looks for something ultra bright!
Cute and fun and just right. It’s colorful, but it’s not neon – this always reminds me of ice cream, but it’s also very youthful.
Renee Rouleau’s Video Debut: The Five Worst Skincare Mistakes
For several years, Renee Rouleau has been my go-to skincare expert. Her advice is practical, reasonable, and always knowledgeable. I’ve learned so much about my skin and skincare in general from her. It is very exciting to see her in action (since I haven’t met her!) for me!
Skincare Tips from Renée Rouleau: 5 Reasons to Wash Your Face at Night
Savvy, smart, and always knowledgeable, Renée Rouleau is my go-to for all that is skincare. She’s a celebrity esthetician with her own line (I love her AHA/BHA Cleansing Gel!), and she also regularly updates her blog with skin care tips and tricks.
What’s the #1 reason someone will go to sleep without washing their face? Exhaustion. I certainly understand the discipline and effort it requires to perform your nighttime Skin Care routine, especially when you’re exhausted. But, you really must do it.
Here are five reasons why:
1. Touching your face all day long, without intentionally doing so, is making your face one of the dirtiest parts on your body. It’s important to clean the skin to avoid the spread of acne bacteria that can cause increased blemishes.
2. Cleansing your skin at night will reduce oil and the ability for acne-causing bacteria to thrive inside the pores. This means less break outs!
3. Your skin repairs itself at night, so removing makeup gives your skin a clean palette for applying your night time performance products for maximum absorption.
4. While you sleep, your skin is at rest allowing regeneration to occur. For the best anti-aging results, clean your skin with a gentle sulfate-free cleanser like Luxe Mint Cleansing Gel or AHA/BHA Cleansing Gel and use a high performance serum and moisturizer.
5. Moisturizers evaporate when on the skin all day, so washing your skin and applying moisturizer at night ensures it will stay moist and hydrated.
Skin Tip: Too tired to wash your skin at night? Perform your nighttime skin routine at 7:00 or 8:00. Earlier is better than never!
The ever-insightful celebrity makeup artist Brett Freedman is back with a video just for Temptalia readers — this time on bronzing and how to get that summer glow. As a bonus, Temptalia readers can get free shipping @ vanitymark.com with code “TEMPTALIA.”
($18.00). For something lighter, I like MAC Select Moisturecover
($16.50). For drugstore options, try Maybelline Cover Stick Corrector/Concealer ($4.69) or CoverGirl Fresh Conmplexion Concealer ($5.29).
(As readers or bloggers!) 
