Step 1: Start with conditioned lips. The key to applying lip gloss (and lipstick too for that matter) is to start with smooth, conditioned lips. As a general rule, you should apply Vaseline, a lip balm or a moisturizing Chapstick to your lips before bedtime each night to help maintain soft, smooth lips. Protecting your lips by using products with SPF is key since sun exposure leads to dry, chapped lips.

Step 2: When your lips are conditioned and moisturized, if needed, use a toothbrush or a cotton swab to gently brush off any excess dry skin that can make your lips look rough. When you are more consistent with keeping your lips conditioned, you won’t need to do this step much at all. Your lips will stay smooth and soft if you continually protect and care for them.

photo credit: Jenah Crump Photography

Step 3: You may want to apply lip liner before you apply lip gloss. You can use lip liner first, or simply skip this step, depending on what kind of look you are going for. Lip liner will help keep a little color on your lips in between the times you touch up your gloss. It can also help add definition to your lips, help make them look a little fuller, or even out any flaws. When using a gloss on top, you should choose a soft, neutral shade or one that is very close to your natural lip color. You don’t want the liner to be obvious since your lip gloss will likely be somewhat sheer and will require reapplication from time to time. Next week we will be posting extensive details on how to apply lip liner for a wider range of lip makeup looks.

Step 4: Apply the gloss. Glide the color over your lips. Depending on the brand of lip gloss you’re using, the container will most likely either be a squeezable tube or a tube containing a brush or sponge tip attached to the container’s lid. If your gloss is in a squeezable tube, simply apply it by placing a bit of gloss on your forefinger and gently swiping the gloss across your lips. If your container has a brush or sponge tip, simply pull the lid out of the tube and sweep the brush or sponge tip across your lips. Be careful not to start with too much gloss. You can always add a little more, but if you start with too much at first, it can end up looking goopy and messy.

Step 5: Use a q-tip, cotton swab, or your finger to wipe off any gloss that may have gone outside the edge of your lip line.

Step 6: Lastly, be sure to bring your gloss with you in your bag. Gloss is one of our very favorite makeup products, but it does come off easier than other lip products and will need to be reapplied or touched up every so often. In our opinion, the extra lip gloss applications are worth it since lip gloss provides that shiny look that is unmatched by anything else. Enjoy!

Read some of our additional lip makeup tips.

Concealer is a cosmetics life saver. Nearly everyone can benefit from concealer – even if they’re not planning on applying a full face of makeup. We all have little imperfections that we want to hide and concealer does a great job of this when applied properly. If you’re just starting out with this product, learning the proper concealer tips and application techniques is the key to using concealer makeup without it being obvious and drawing even more attention to your trouble spots. As with any cosmetics product, learning how to apply makeup products the right way will help you get the best look possible.

Step 1: Always use moisturizer first. Concealer can accentuate any dry, flaky spots. This is particularly important if you have been spot-treating pimples because the treatments tend to dry out the surrounding skin. Putting concealer onto flakes only makes the blemish more obvious and the concealer will simply eventually flake off. For best results, you may want to use a mild facial scrub prior to moisturizing. Some cleansers even contain a gentle exfoliating ingredient that is safe for everyday use, like Neutrogena’s Fresh Foaming Scrub.

Step 2: If you are wearing liquid foundation, it should go on first or you risk smudging or removing your applied concealer. On the other hand, if you are using a powder or mineral foundation, it is usually better to apply that after the concealer.

Step 3: Make sure the color you use is an exact match to your skin. It may be necessary to mix several shades together or add some of your foundation in order to achieve the desired color. If you are covering up noticeable skin problems, you may benefit from using a concealer with a slight corrective tint. Reddish blemishes or other skin conditions like rosacea can be canceled out with a concealer with a greenish corrective tint to it. Purplish or bluish under eye circles or veins near the inner corner of your eye or eyelid can be corrected by a yellowish tinted concealer. Keep in mind that these tinted concealers will be best for more noticeable problems. These concealers also require practice and precision to avoid looking funny once applied. For smaller blemishes, a regular concealer will be easiest to use.

photo credit: Allshots Imaging

Step 4: To apply concealer, use a tapered concealer brush and dot a very small amount of liquid or cream concealer directly on top of the blemish or discoloration. Blend outward. Apply more if needed, a little at a time, until you are satisfied with the level of coverage. Be sure to blend the outside edges of where you applied the product so that there are no noticeable lines.

Step 5: To cover areas of discoloration or uneven skin tone, spread a small amount of concealer over the entire area using your finger or a concealer brush. Then blend the perimeter to avoid obvious transition lines.

Step 6: If you are using concealer under your eyes, apply a few dots onto your dark circles and blend the concealer in lightly using your middle or fourth finger. A patting motion will give much better results than rubbing. Some women also apply a bit of concealer to the inner corner of their eyes (near the side of their nose) to help cover up bluish tints that sometimes appear there too. These eye concealer tips can help your eyes look brighter and help you look less tired.

Step 7: Apply some loose powder to set the concealer in place. Mineral foundation will also work well for this purpose.

Learning how to apply concealer correctly can help you create an even finish (even before you apply your foundation) which will help you achieve that coveted, flawless looking skin.

However, airport security has gotten so stringent these days that many of us are tempted to not take anything with us and just shop for whatever we need when we get there. But there’s one thing that is going with us, like it or not: our makeup! Who wants to get on a plane for several hours knowing they’re never going to be able to refresh their lipstick? Forget about it.

Here are some great travel beauty tips for your next jet setting adventure:

Keep It Small and Keep it Few

Airline regulations allow you to carry one personal item onboard a plane, plus one quart-sized clear Ziploc bag with liquids inside. Don’t think you’re going to get that giant bottle of hairspray in that bag – the airline rules out anything larger than 3.4 ounces.

Anything larger than this is going to have to be packed with your suitcase and you know what that means. You’re not going to be fixing your hair or make-up until you land and (hopefully) reclaim your luggage.

photo credit: pic fix

Keep your solid items in your purse. Things like lipstick, facial powder and blush will do just fine. Buy travel-sized bottles of liquid make-up and perfume, but here’s a tip: hold off on using that perfume until you land. Airplanes are small and crammed with people. Three hundred different perfumes at high altitude is liable to make everyone sick.

Travel-sized bottles of hairspray are widely available, too. Lotions and creams, even acne cleanser, are going to have to follow the airport rules and regulations. If they don’t fit in the suitcase they’ll get the boot.

Keep It Simple

When you’re traveling, take the opportunity to go a little light on make-up. Stick with a nice lip gloss, blush and a few coats of mascara. Wash your hair and style it simply. Forget about teasing or curling. The thinner atmosphere often plays havoc with hairstyles anyway. Leave it free and flowing, or tie a colorful scarf around it. If you’re flying coach, forget the ponytail. It will drive you mad rubbing up against the back of the seat.

Airlines will let you break the liquid rule only if you have a medical condition to do so, and since no one has ever died from not being able to apply concealer (that we know of) you’ll just have to be patient. Wear a pretty pair of shaded glasses to give your cleaner look a little more color and indulge in some bright earrings. You’ll be landing soon… and looking fabulous doing it.