8 MAKEUP RULES I SWEAR BY.

When it comes to makeup I love to experiment. I'm definitely the girl who can spend hours on the weekend watching YouTube videos trying to master the perfect contoured cheekbone. 

Teaching myself new makeup techniques is a lot of fun but definitely comes with a lot of trial and error.  I've taught myself how to do a lot of things but I've definitely had a few failed attempts. Okay, many failed attempts like, the time I over highlighted and face ended up being two shades lighter than the rest of my body. Or, the time I tried to highlight my eyebrows and ended up looking like I had  two outline Nike checks on my forehead. Not cute. Ha!

I'm not much for following the appointed "beauty rules" when it comes to makeup but these are the eight beauty mantras I've grown to live by through trial and error.

N°1
Only use foundation where needed. 
Your foundation is meant to even out your skin tone and give you a "blank canvas" to apply the rest of your makeup. Everyone has a different preference when it comes to applying their foundation but I've noticed that I like my overall makeup look 10x better when I only apply foundation to the areas where I need it. I've also noticed that when I only apply foundation in key places I'm a lot less oily at the end of the day and my makeup looks a lot more natural. I have a bad habit of touching my face throughout the day.
Using foundation as needed has helped keep my makeup on my face and off my clothes and keyboard.

The Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick is one of my new favorite foundations. Well, that and the Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Liquid Foundation. PS. Don't forget to bllllleeeeeeeeennnnddddd like crazy!

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N°2
Less is more.
I'm definitely guilty of applying way too much makeup. My "dime size" amount of product is more like a golf ball amount. Okay, so I'm exaggerating a little but, when you use so much product that it no longer blends in...it becomes a bit of a problem. Ha! I've started paying more attention to the amount of product I use and once again, my makeup looks a lot more natural and I run out of product less often. Win, win.


N°3
Pat concealer under eye.
For a long time I was using a brush to blend in the concealer under my eyes. However, I recently learned from a Sephora Beauty Class, that patting your concealer in is a much better way to do it. For one, the skin under your eyes is really sensitive and the slight tugging at the skin from the brush can cause wrinkles in the long run. Secondly, when you use a bush to blend in concealer, the concealer isn't completely blending into the skin but is instead just being moved around on top. This could be why you under eye makeup creases or cakes up. (Using too much product can also cause creases and caking. See point above.)

Using a Beauty Blender or, a less expensive dupe like this one, or this one is great for getting the job done without the creasing or the tugging. The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer is my favorites for eliminating dark circles and brightening up my under eye. The packaging is also great for not applying too much product.

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N°4
Translucent powder is life! 
When I was first introduced to makeup I didn't understand the importance of using a translucent powder. It seemed like just another step and just another product to buy. Girl, using a translucent powder makes all the difference. For one thing, it sets your makeup in place which means by the end of the day, your foundation and concealer aren't all over the place. Another thing translucent powder does is matte your makeup and help to eliminate shine.

I've used a few powders over the years but the Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder is by far my favorite. I've also heard a lot of great things about the Nars Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder. I really like Nars products so I'm thinking about giving that one a try as well.

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N°5 
Start at the arch when filling in brows. 
I'm still working on mastering brows that are arched to the gwads (ha) but, I've found that when sculpting and filling in my brows, if I start at the arch, the results are a lot more natural. When I start at the front I find that my brows end up being too dark and really messy.

The Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz is hands down my favorite product for natural defined brows. The formula is smudge proof and the mechanical pencil makes it super easy. AND, when you use up all the product, you can still keep it for the spooly on the other side.

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N°6
Exfoliate lips every night. 
Exfoliating my lips nightly is something I've started to do recently that I really love. I wear lipstick six out of seven days a week. I mix a little bitt of brown sugar and coconut oil and guys, it's worked wonders! There's nothing worse then a pretty lip color on crumbly, peeling lips. Not cute!


N°7
Wash hands. 
This might sound obvious, but I can't tell you how many times I've been in a rush and forgot to wash my hands after doing my makeup and ended up with foundation all over my clothes, desk and anything else I touch. Save yourself the headache and wash your hands every time you apply makeup. There's nothing worse then staining your favorite black and white dress with foundation, trust me, I've done it.


N°8 
Go somedays without makeup. 
As fun as it is to play in makeup and create different looks, it's really important that you go a day or two without makeup every now and then. Yes, it gives your skin a break from all the products but more importantly, I believe it's good for your mind. Sometimes, myself included, we can get so used to seeing ourselves with makeup on that we begin to equate our beauty with how we look like with a face full of makeup. And sometimes, that can make it hard to see beauty in your natural appearance . I think it's important to be just as confident with makeup on as we are without and to always remember that makeup is meant to enhance our natural beauty and that we are beautiful even without the contour and highlight.

What are some beauty/makeup rules you live by? Share in the comments below! 

THE EDIT // 

Image by Candace Molatore for Brittany Siierra.