Since I've gotten a few requests for makeup tips, I figured I would finally do a post for you, and I'm including a couple non-makeup related things as well

First up: Always use primer! What I use is actually a product intended for a completely different purpose, but contains most of the ingredients in Smashbox photo finish primer. It's Monistat Relief Chafing Powder Gel. Here's a blog post (not mine) that goes into a bit more detail. A little goes a long way with this stuff, so a tiny pea sized amount should be enough for your whole face, and you can apply this to your eyelids as well. You want to smooth it all over evenly, but don't try to rub it in. The first time might feel strange, as it makes your skin feel super soft. It works amazingly under foundation, or even alone if you have oily skin and want to achieve a more matte look.

Lipstick as blush! I never use powder blush anymore, I don't like how it looks. And cream blushes can be expensive, so I use lipstick! It's great because there are so many more shades available, and you can customize the look easily. Plus it wipes off or can be blended with concealer if you go a little too gung-ho on it. This is another thing that goes a long way, so a tiny bit is usually enough. My typical method is to use a peachy-goldish-pink in a fairly large circle all over my cheeks so that they have a "glow", then apply a darker pink or red in a much smaller circle on the apples of my cheeks, or sometimes in the hollow, depending what look I'm going for. It's a similar effect to blending blush and bronzer, if you're familiar with that technique. Oh, and this is all done with my fingertips. You could use brushes if you wish, but then you'd have to wash them more often, and I just don't have time for that. And my lipstick of choice is the cheap 99c Wet N Wild stuff. It's super pigmented, and has lots of variety available.

Next up: HAC! Highlight and contour - I don't do this every day, but it's a great tool for playing up your features when you have an extra few minutes. For contouring, I use a grayish taupe powder and for highlighting I use shimmery eyeshadow. I don't think I could explain it well, and how you apply depends on your face shape, so I'd recommend a google search. The important thing is that your contour powder is not bronze or orange. You are mimicking natural shadow from light, so you want it to have a gray cast to it.

Eyebrows! I don't leave the house without filling in my brows. They are super fine, thin and very light, so without this I feel like my face just disappears. Every few months or so I'll trim them with tiny scissors too, and that is always my favorite look. There are TONS of methods for this, and again it depends on your face shape and brow hair type. I personally use a soft pencil to fill in lightly, then brush it out a bit. Sometimes you will need to clean up the edges with a bit of concealer if the pencil or powder gets free of your brow hairs. When my hair was it's natural color, I had the hardest time finding a brow pencil that would work, until I found - again cheap stuff - a Wet N Wild pencil in Bronze. What I use now that my hair is dyed is a totally different color though.

Last - Shiny, healthy, strong hair! My hair has been extremely healthy the past couple years, and I attribute it to a few things. 1 - I only wash it once every 4-7 days. This means that I only blow dry it that often as well, and rarely use heat styling tools on it. I also do an overnight deep-conditioning treatment about once a week. I slather my entire head scalp to tip in a combination of pure coconut oil, regular conditioner (any kind will work), and a bit of honey. Twist hair up into a high bun on the very top of your head (otherwise it's hard to sleep), and put an extra pillowcase on to protect your pillow from the oil. The next morning, it may take two shampoo lather and rinse jobs to get it out, but you'll be amazed at how soft and shiny your hair will be. Over time, you'll have fewer split ends too. The one drawback to this is that making your hair stronger makes it resistant to heat styling, so you'll have to adjust for that. I'll post a specific tutorial on that some other time. Coconut oil is one of the very few oils that can actually penetrate the hair shaft, and because it has proteins in it, will actually repair and strengthen hair strands from the inside out.

I hope you enjoyed this, and I look forward to feedback and comments!