The Real Girl Makover, Part I: Make-Up

I'm not a make-up artist and I didn't go to the Paul Mitchell hair school, but I can take myself

And if I can do it, you can too -- no cosmetology license, hair extensions or false lashes needed (although any of those things wouldn't hurt). 

1. 1st Base. I use Bare Minerals or Laura Mercier Primers and on the eyes I use theBalm eyeshadow primer. Priming is an important step that is often overlooked; it will help your make-up application last longer and it gives you an even skin tone to work with. You wouldn't paint a beige wall white without first priming, would you?

Highlight & Contour

2. Foundation. I don't wear foundation, especially since we live in a hot city and I don't want something heavy on my face. Instead, I reach for Bare Minerals Foundation, which is light and gives all over coverage, or on nights when my skin needs to be flawless, I use a BB Cream. BB Cream provides a good coverage, a hint of color and a light reflecting quality that gives the illusion of perfect, glowing skin.

3. Cheeks. Start with a cream blush or an iridescent blush stick and use only on the apples of your cheeks. I like to smile when I do this to help me find the apples! Next, swipe bronzer in a 3-shape from your forehead, to your cheek, to your chin and repeat on the other side. Finally, sweep a pinky color over your apples with a powder blush, I like MAC's Peachykeen.

4. Highlight & Contour. I love when I see those "Did (insert celebrity here) get a nose job?!" in magazines. Most of the time they didn't, they just used H&C! Follow the photo to the right as a guideline on how to H&C; your face maybe a little different, so you may have to try it a few times to decide what best highlights your features; for instance, most H&C faces will teach you to contour the sides of your nose, but I like to highlight my nose. It depends on your face shape. I also use a number of products for this. I use highlighter, concealer and bronzer and sometimes I also use a white pencil.

Almost Done!

5. Eyes. Start with three colors, like a smoking charcoal, grey and light pink or dark brown, bronze and light gold. Sweep the lightest color over the entire eye from lash to brow, then the middle color over the lid and finish with the darkest color in the crease and around the bottom lashline.

Apply your eyeliner. I like to begin mid eye, where my pupil is and extend out from there; others like to start at the inside corner. This is another one that depends on your eye shape and preference. I also like to line the inside of my upper eyelid with the same color.

After applying the dark liner, I take my white pencil from the inside corner to to mid pupil to meet the dark liner. I also curve it around the inside lower lid. Next, swipe a highlighter like theBalm's Marylou-minizer over top of the white liner. Finish with mascara.

6. Lips. Use a liner that's almost the same color as your lipstick, this is not How to Look Like the Cast of Jersey Shore. I also like to balance dark, smokey eyes with a light lip like a pink or nude.

Products used: Boscia BB Cream, Bare Minerals Bronzer, E.L.F Cream Blush, MAC Blush in Peachykeen, MAC and Stila eyeshadows, theBalm's MaryLou-minzer under brow and on top of cheekbones, MAC lipstick, lipglass and lipliner and Clinique Mascara.

Stay tuned for the Hair How-To in The Real Girl Makeover, Part II.

Put Your Best Face Forward - Part Deux

WHAT'S IN MY BAG? 

Cosmetic Bag by Tory Burch

Part II of Put Your Best Face Forward features my make-up bag! I'm not a professional makeup artist, so I'm not going to try to sell you on all the reasons you need every color of the rainbow in eyeshadow. These are my beauty basics -- the must-haves for all make-up bags.

1. MAC Cremesheen in Japanese Maple 
The BEST Nude. Perfect for day-to-day or for a great smokey-eye/nude lip evening look. (Mac Stores - $14.50)

2. theBalm® Mary-Lou Manizer 
If you learn ANYTHING makeup related from me, please let it be the wonders a good highlighter can do for your face (...and your legs... and your collarbone...) honestly, this is a make-up must. I like Mary-Lou Manizer's gold tint for the Summer, but now that it's FINALLY starting to feel like winter in Austin, I'll be switching to MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Highlighter in Soft Glow, which has pink tones. (Birchbox - $24)

3. ModelCo Fibre Lash Extend
I received this in my Birchbox and fell in love instantly. It's not just the awesome length and volume I get from this incredible formula, but also the attached mirror -- making this product the easiest to use in ALL situations. Remember that little overnight bag we talked about?? Yeah, ModelCo Fibre Lash Extend would be a good addition. (Birchbox - $24)

4. Boscia BB Cream
If you saw my last post, you know my love for Boscia. First off, in addition to being cruelty free, they're also soy free which is great for we soy-allergy sufferers. (Side note: did you know your adult acne could be a soy allergy? Oh yeah...check into it). If you have yet to hear of BB Cream, allow me to revolutionize your makeup world. BB Cream (Beauty Balm) is an all-in-one tinted moisturizer, providing nutrients to minimize pores, even skin tone, treat acne while hiding it and reduce the appearance of sun and age spots. And it's a makeup. That's right, BB Cream gives you a flawless, air-brushed appearance, while also fixing some of your skin care woes. I have tried a few BB Creams, but Boscia remains my favorite for it's weightlessness and it's color-match technology. (Boscia - $38)

5. bareMinerals Warmth All-Over Face Color
I'm a fair-skinned gal and I love me some bronzer. I would also suggest Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder and NARS bronzers. However, bareMinerals is what's in my current bag. I love the all-over glow it gives me, without looking orangey or made-up. It's such a natural, soft bronze, that keeps me looking healthy in the winter. (Sephora - $19) 

6. MAC Plushglass in Ample Pink
This is a must, must, must - a true, everyday gloss. I also wear it over my MAC Japanese Maple lipstick. MAC Plushglass line comes with a little tingle to give the lips a lil lift; we're not talking Lip Venom kind of plump, just a little extra oomph. (Mac Stores - $18.50)

7. Mary Kay Mineral Cheek Color in Shy Blush
Move outta the way, NARS Orgasm, this old gal's got new tricks. Why spend almost $30 on a blush, when you can get the same color for $10! That's right, Mary Kay's Shy Blush is a great dupe for less, and if you buy it through one of your local MK reps, you're also helping out a friend or family member! Double score! Ps. They also have a GREAT matte pink, too. You really should have both... (Mary Kay -$10)

8. Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner  
This eyeliner is by far the fastest and most efficient way to put on liquid eyeliner. It gives the most perfect line every time, and I'm not talking about just your Gma's cat-eyed look; Eyeko's eyeliner can be worn every day, as it dries in a much more subtle way than most liquid eyeliners. Simply a must.
(Sephora - $15)


SEE PART I: SKIN CARE MUST-HAVES HERE