To get your perfect winged liner: Gel liner is the easiest to work with. It gives you the precision of a liquid, without the mess. It has staying power. (I’ve had liquid liner just run down my face before when my allergies acted up, but it usually takes a little more for gels to go anywhere.) You can smooth out the edges with your brush without worrying that evidence of the cup of coffee you had beforehand is going to show up on your face (shaky hands, much?). But you still get that intense, opaque color you want when you’re doing the winged liner (or any style, really).

To fill in your brows: This is tricky because there’s not a whole range of gel liners out there designed for matching your hair, but if you happen to find a cream or gel liner that gets pretty close, you will love this tip. First, comb your brows. With just a tiny amount of product on an angled brush, use short, upward motions to fill in any sparse areas. Start in the middle of your brow and work your way toward the edges so you will have less product on the brush when you get there. A good gel liner will last and last, but if you’re skeptical, you can always set it with a matching powder.

As the base for a smoky eye: Sure, you could use a regular old eyeshadow base or your concealer. BUT using a dark cream or gel liner as a shadow base will add depth to the colors that you didn’t expect. If you have shimmer or a duo-chrome effect you want to play up in your shadow, the black base will make that “pop” more, as well. Apply a thick line near the lashes—don’t worry about getting it perfect—and then smudge it up to or just above the crease. When you’re done smudging, the top of the color should be barely-there and there should be no obvious line. Blend, blend, blend, for a perfect smoky shadow base. Apply your shadows on top as you normally would.

Face painting: Sometimes, you just need a little face art. A swirly line here, a flower there, a team logo over there… Using a pointed brush and a little creamy gel liner will give you perfect control so you can get the look you’re going for. You can dust a little translucent powder over the top for additional staying power. Or, as in the image above, you can use it to draw shadow shapes to fill in when you want a crisp edge for dramatic makeup looks.

Let us know if you find a new way to use a cream gel liner. We’d love to add to the list!

Yagolicious Smooches Lipstick Palette in Take a Bow is perfect for customizing your special shade.

Click on the link above to read the review!

Yagolicious Cosmetics makeup sponsor for couture metal jewelry designer LaurelLuxe BK Fashion Weekend segment. (Right) Model wearing Drama Queen Lashes in Cleopatra

If You Want to Play Up Your Eyes

If you want to play up your eyes and you’re wearing just a little shadow, liner, and mascara, you can fix it right up before you dash out the door. You can even do it in your car as long as you’re sitting still. In a parking lot. No holding up traffic at a light because it was red when you started your liner and then it turned green and you just. need. one. more. coat. Nah, make sure you’re in the parking lot, for safety’s sake.

Anyway, all you’ll need is a base color (maybe the one you’re already wearing) and either one or two darker colors—one medium and one dark, or just a dark one. Once your base color has been refreshed, you can touch a tapered, fluffy brush into the deep color and then tap it just at the outer corner of your eye. Feather the color in so that it blends with the shadow on your lid. If you’re using a medium shade, apply that to the crease with windshield wiper motions to blend the color up and out while contouring. Line the outer half of the lower lash line with the dark color.

If you have a shimmery shade that’s lighter than your skin tone in your palette or purse, apply that to the inner corners of your eyes to brighten them up.

Use your liner to create a line on the top lash line that gets thicker toward the outer corner, then smudge the dark shadow on top to diffuse the line and get a smokier look.

Apply chapstick and a creamy or matte nude lipstick. Top it with gloss if you’d like, or just wear gloss alone for a hint of color and shine. Don’t overpower the eyes with the lips, but you knew that already.

If You Want to Play Up Your Lips

Use a small brush to line your lips with concealer so the color will pop and any red tones in your skin will be cancelled out. This will ensure that your lip color is attention-grabbing and nothing is standing in its way. Line your lips with a liner that complements your lipstick, then blend the color inward with your fingertip. Depending on how you feel most comfortable, apply your lipstick straight from the tube or use a brush for a more precise application.

Eyes are easy. You don’t want too much here. Keep your base color from before and just add a medium shade to the crease in windshield wiper motions. A little eyeliner to freshen up the previous line after that, and you’re done. You do want a little definition on your eyes when you wear bold lipstick colors so you don’t look washed out, but a little goes a long way.

When you’re trying to transition from day to night, you don’t have to lug around a ton of products or spend a long time redoing all of your makeup. Palettes make things easy, especially when you can customize your own. Be sure to keep some baby wipes for sensitive skin on hand (in your car, perhaps) so that if you do make a goof, it’s easy to fix, even on the go.

Curl Your Lashes

Curl those babies up so your eyes look wider. Anything you can do to lighten the load on your lids, go for it. Curling the lashes will show more of the whites of your eyes and give them a lift at the edges that will hopefully ward off a few of those, “You look tired!” comments. (Hate those!)

Apply False Lashes

These can add the drama you need to look completely put together at the drop of a hat. Make sure you curl these, too! Choosing a strip of deep black lashes and positioning them next to your eyes will create a stark contrast between the whites of your eyes and the lashes surrounding them. That will make your eyes look brighter and more awake.

Sparkling Liner

Add some light to your eyes with sparkling liner. You can layer this kind on top of a regular gel liner if you’d prefer, either right above it or directly on top. Some glitter liners don’t have an opaque base, but when they’re layered on top of one, the result is fantastic.

Use a Shadow on Your Lids That Matches Your Skin Tone

This is easy and an instant brightener that won’t overpower your face. If you’re going for the no-makeup look but just want something to make you look a little more alert, this is the trick to use. A shadow that catches just a hint of the light will make you face glow without being too obvious. It’ll also cover up any redness or darkness on the lids that would normally be a dead giveaway that, hey, that girl isn’t getting enough sleep these days (you’ll want concealer under the eyes, too, of course)!

Glossy Lips

More light reflection. More gloss. If you’re tired and dehydrated, give the illusion of plump, healthy lips with a shimmering gloss. Matte, opaque lips are beautiful, but may not be the best bet for those mornings when you’re overworked and just waiting for a chance to catch up on your sleep. That’s not to say you can’t use a strong color—just make sure the formula’s creamy. Plus they take a little less concentration and time in the mornings, so you might be able to sleep in, well, a minute.

Don’t feel like you have to try all of these tricks together in order to look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. In fact, some of them would be too much when paired together, like glitter liner and fabulously shimmery gloss. Start with your favorites and work up from there.

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By ShiokDeal.com (flickr.com)[see page for license via WikiCommons

• Line your upper lid with black cream,gel, or pencil liner before and after application so the lashes will blend in.
• As soon as you remove the lashes from the package, hold each end of the strip—one end in each hand—and roll it up and down in an upside-down U shape. This will make it flexible enough to adhere easily to the shape of your eye.
• Trim from the outer edge (I know, you hate to see that length go…) to fit the lashes to the width of your eye. If you were to trim from the inner corner, the lashes there would be too long and obvious.
• Apply a dot of lash glue onto a piece of foil and hold the lashes with tweezers or fingers, then drag the band through the glue. Hold onto the lashes for about 15-20 seconds, until the lash glue is tacky. If it’s not tacky yet, it’s not time to get them anywhere near that eyeliner you’ve already applied. They’ll slip right off and leave a trail of liner in all the wrong places.
• Put the strip of lashes in place and press down with the handle of the tweezers to lock the glue into place across the lash line.
• Curl your lashes—both real and false–and use a mascara designed to give a natural look (great use for those incredibly promising mascaras that couldn’t live up to their claims) to blend your natural lashes with your falsies. One coat should do it. Just make sure the glue has completely dried before you

Voila!

A light dusting of translucent powder between layers of blotted lipstick can hold the color in place so you don’t have to worry about it wearing off during the day or during a big event when there won’t be time or a convenient place for retouching. Be sure to apply a layer of lip balm on before you put on that first coat of lipstick. Let the balm sink in and then layer one coat of lipstick (liner first if you prefer), blot, powder through a tissue, layer another thin coat of lipstick on, blot again, and finish up with gloss if you’d like.

Another way to use powder on your lips doesn’t involve much product at all and makes your lips look poutier than ever. First, choose your lipstick. Then choose a shimmery shadow in a complementary, but lighter, color. If you’re using red lipstick, you can use a pearly pink or gold. If you’re wearing hot pink, a violet-toned pale pink will look fabulous. Tangerine? Melon? You could choose pink or gold again to get that 3-D effect, depending on your lipstick’s undertones. This tip isn’t reserved for only the bold lips, though. If you love your nude toned lips, you can make them look even sultrier with a pale beige, pink, peach, or even white. Just make sure it’s a shade that reflects light (no mattes). Use your fingertip or a brush to press the color into the center of your bottom lip and then seal it all in with a coat of clear gloss on top.

Gotta love those multi-purpose products (especially when you didn’t even know they were going to be multi-taskers)!

A bold lip isn’t “just” a bold lip. It says something, based on the color you choose. But what?

Red

You love classic glamour and don’t like to blend in. If someone calls you sophisticated or tells you you “always look so put-together,” it makes your week. You can pull off leopard print with class, and simple silhouettes are your best friends because they’ll always be in style—just like well-defined red lips.

Coral

You like to stand out as an offbeat babe who’s always ready with a good joke to tell. You love to laugh and put people at ease without even thinking about it. You’re most likely an excellent hostess and event planner. You love to take care of others, and it takes a lot to make you stress out.

Purple

Girl, you like to walk on the wild side and have no fear of having all eyes on you. You’re bold and confident, funny and maybe even a little loud. You’re incredibly loveable when people get to know you, but your style has a bit of an edge. You know what’s new in fashion, makeup, and music before anyone else.

Hot Pink/Fuchsia

You’re a total girly-girl, but you appreciate classic fashion choices just like your friends with the red lipstick do. You’re just more likely to put a delicate, feminine spin on those chic styles with a ruffled cardigan, pastels, or florals. Some of your fashion choices may veer into the bohemian style, as you’re a bit of a free-spirit.

Watermelon

You’re quite a chameleon and you probably have a closet full of eclectic clothing. Your mood and style change from day to day, but you always manage to pull it off somehow. You’d be just as comfortable on the streets of New York as Los Angeles, and everywhere in-between. You’re open-minded, ready for anything, and you’re usually sporting a huge smile.

Another secret: Changing up your lipstick shade can give you a sneak peek into someone else’s life. Want to feel more grown-up and glam for a day or just while playing around at your vanity? Channel those Hollywood starlets (and Gwen Stefani while you’re at it) by carefully lining your lips and filling in with an opaque red lipstick (I recommend using a brush for accuracy). Dying to feel like you can flirt with anyone in the room? Gather your confidence and conjure up that girlish charm with a tube of fuchsia lipstick. Makeup has a way of transforming us into different versions of ourselves—each color can bring the focus to a new facet. Play around and find out what you’re capable of, but always be true to yourself.

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By Thamizhpparithi Maari (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Not only can aloe work in concert with skin care products to heal dry, troubled skin, but it can also work as an anti-aging ingredient, according to AloeVeraPlant.org. It may also soothe and heal irritated skin.Yagolicious Cosmetics Lips and Cheeks Scene 2 offers a blend of moisturizing properties including aloe. Lips and Cheeks Scene 2 is double-duty product that is versatile in building pigment and can be applied as blush and a lip stain.