Here's a perfect example of a gloss versus a creamy lipstick. The swatch on the left is the L'Oreal Infallible red shown which looks like it would be super bright in the tube, but because it's a gloss it sheers out when you apply it making it a less intense choice over the traditional creamy lipstick.

Fire Engine Red Doesn’t Have to Be the Goal 

Sometimes a perfect red lip isn’t red at all. Maybe you’ve already tried different reds and the look just isn’t for you. The idea behind wearing red lipstick isn’t to see how red of a color you can wear, it’s to wear a color that’s special and make a fun statement. Maybe your ‘red lip’ is really a deep wine or a bold pink. The idea is to create a stand out pout, don’t wear anything you aren’t totally excited about or the whole confidence thing is blown.

See the variations in reds? Wine, cranberry, poppy, and traditional reds are all fun ways to liven up your look. Find a shade you love and feel great in. 

Application Is Key 

The thing about wearing a deeper lipstick shade is that you have to put in a little more effort in applying it than with a nude gloss that you can casually sweep on without even a glimpse in the mirror. To get a clean application, start by applying a thin layer of concealer to the lips for a blank canvas that also gives the lipstick something to hold on to. I like applying the lipstick first, then going over your lip line with a liner to give the color more of a barrier to help with bleeding out. The liner doesn’t have to match exactly, and you don’t even have to use one. Don’t worry, it will all blend together and look great.

I keep Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer in my car so when I need to moisturize my dry, winter lips I’m getting a boost of sheer color without any extra effort. A little color on your lips instantly makes you look more pulled together — especially if that’s the only makeup you’re wearing.

Showing women how to look their best in minutes has always been a passion for me. Trust me — you don’t more time in the morning, you just need to choose products that will work hard and perform double duty to get you out the door on time and looking great.

Here's a glimpse of the palette, they're creme shadows so applying them is easier since you can use your fingers.

A before shot of a blank canvas ready for some color.

I started by using my fingers to apply the white all over my lids.

Using my finger again, I put the lime green on my upper lid stopping at the crease.

I used the Electric Blue shade to line the inner corner until about a third of the way in under my eye. I then used the Navy blue underneath to line from the outer corner in to meet the lighter blue. Black liner gave some definition, so I added it to my lower waterline and upper lash line. It's important to create a barrier of color with the black liner or else the look can lean toward 80's.

I wanted to add another barrier of color, so I used a matte bronzy shade in my crease so the lime didn't flow right into the white. Again, important to add colors form outside the wild ones to calm the look down.

A little mascara and there you go.

To choose a blush, you need to figure out if you like pinks or beiges better, it's all about preference but if you tend to get red easily, or have natural pink to your cheeks and face, go with brown tones so you can contrast that. Palettes like CoverGirl's Tru Cheeks give you two lighter shades you can use all over your cheek bones, and a darker shade for the apple part of the cheeks which gives a pop of color. Using 2 blush shades is something Makeup Artists do to add dimension to your cheeks, give it a try it's especially easy when all of your colors rest in the same palette.  

My recent discovery of a magical thing called BB Creams has me totally obsessed. I use one every day instead of a traditional moisturizer or foundation. I’ve tried about five of them now and, while I don’t love them all, I do love the benefits they offer.

BB creams have been incredibly popular for years in Asia because of how beneficial they are for the skin and how easy they are to use as an all-in-one skin treatment. You wear it in place of your moisturizer or foundation and the formulation contains SPF 15, hydration properties, antioxidants, and skin brightening ingredients to help even out the skin tone, ¬all in one easy application. It’s a product like no other – a treatment for the skin that gives you an immediate healthy glow while also improving your skin’s look over time.

BB creams, given their popularity and vast benefits, often carry a hefty price tag to match – but not Garnier’s. At just around $12, their version is literally a fraction of most BB creams with all of the benefits, plus one huge advantage that leaves the others in the dust: an offering for deeper skin tones.

You see, a BB cream is usually offered in one shade that is supposed to morph into whatever your skin tone happens to be. Of course we know that this isn’t possible, and people with very light or very deep skin tones are left out. Garnier has a light/medium and a medium/deep, both with the same great BB benefits and both with invisible coverage that’s a snap to apply. Just use your fingers like you’re blending in a moisturizer and add more where you need. It somewhat magically melts into your skin, making it look better instantly and over time. It’s so easy to use and good for the skin that I’ve been recommending it to everyone, from teens to moms in a rush and anyone in between. It’s the ultimate moisturizer.

Budget: Neutrogena 3-1 Hydrating Acne Treatment Oil-Free
Acne treatments don’t have to be harsh to work. Gone are the days of the thick, white spot treatments that cause peeling and redness – you know, the ones you could only wear to bed because they were so heavy? I like this treatment that uses salicylic acid to unclog congested pores while also hydrating the skin, so you aren’t trading one annoying skin problem for another.

Top Value: Zeno Hot Spot Blemish Clearing Device
If you get those deep underground pimples that take days or even weeks to go away, invest in a Zeno. Let it warm up for about a minute and put the heated metal tip on the blemish to kill acne-causing bacteria on contact. You can use it daily or even twice a day because it’s gentle and causes no skin peeling or irritation.

Budget: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Fresh White Lily Gentle Exfoliating Facial Scrub
For healthy looking skin, the key is exfoliation. Use a scrub a few times a week to buff away dead skin and reveal a brighter healthier tone. Regular exfoliation also helps your moisturizer penetrate the skin and your foundation blend more naturally. Palmer’s version uses ground cocoa beans with shea butter to scrub and moisturize at the same time. It errs on the gentle side, but if you find it to be too harsh just mix it with a dab of face moisturizer to thin out the scrub’s granules.

Top Value: Olay Thermal Mini Peel
Olay’s Thermal Mini Peel exfoliates the skin, but in a different way than a traditional scrub. It’s a creamy glycolic acid-based formula that actually heats up with just a splash of water to relax pores so they can release stubborn congestion. It feels like an amazingly indulgent spa treatment that brightens and tones instantly.

Budget: VEET Spray On Hair Removal Cream
When it comes to quick hair removal I’ve tried them all, and Veet’s Spray On formula is the one I have the most luck using. It’s gentle and doesn’t have that strong scent that many do, plus it’s so easy to spray on so I don’t even have to touch it. Use the included plastic scraper to remove the cream and loosen hair before showering, and your skin will be better-than-razor smooth for weeks.

Top Value: Gillette Venus Breeze
I’ve tried so many razors and this one is my favorite. Its sleek easy-to-use handle and cushiony gel bars keep me free from razor burn and knicks, and the triple blade design lasts a long time. The refills are a little pricey, but for me it’s worth it because it’s something I use every single day.

Budget: Garnier The Ultimate Cleanser 3-Way Clean
This little tube houses a super effective 3-in-1 formula that you can use as a cleanser, as an exfoliant, or as a mask for all skin types. When left on as a mask it digs out dirt and impurities and leaves skin feeling tingly and fresh.

Top Value: Yes to Tomatoes Clear Skin Mask
Yes to Tomatoes combines the power of lycopene (found in tomatoes) with dead sea mud to clear skin of impurities while brightening it at the same time. It’s a paraben-free, 99% natural formula, ideally for normal to oily skin but also great for those who like that really clean, almost tight feeling you get from a great clay mask.

Budget: Olay Original Active Hydrating Cream
Women looking for a regular moisturizer without all those fancy ingredients will love Olay’s original-formula cream for all skin types. It softens the skin without feeling heavy or greasy and it’s great for day and night.

Top Value: Olay Pro X Smoothing Cream
Olay’s Pro-X line has won all kinds of awards and gained a loyal following from women who traded in their more expensive creams and serums. Their new Wrinkle Smoothing Cream delivers a big dose of moisture along with softening fine lines and improving skin’s overall texture.

Budget: Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
For just around $5, you could make this light lotion your daily SPF for face and body. It gives a high SPF of 50 and because it’s formulated to be gentle for baby’s skin, it’s known to work well for sensitive, breakout-prone, irritated, and otherwise intolerant skin types too.

Top Value: Dermalogica Ultra Sensitive Face Block SPF 25
Dermalogica also has a formula for sensitive skin using natural titanium dioxide for its sunscreen instead of a chemical one. Green tea, lavender oil, and citrus extracts are used to calm and protect the skin from environmental damage, and the slight tint balances out your skin tone before you even reach for your foundation.

Because most sunless tanning lotions sell for around the same price, I broke out this category a little differently: what works best for the face and which to use for a full body glow.

Face: Jergens Natural Glow
I’ve found Jergens gradual tanner to be the most natural on the face, like a beautiful hint of sun without the slightest artificial look. It’s also the lightest in feel so even those with oily or breakout-prone skin can use this non-comedogenic formula to get their glow on.

Body: L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Gelee
I’m highlighting the gelee formula because I love the ease of use and how light it feels, but all of L’Oreal’s self-tanning lotions for the body are a home run. I’ve tried several and have never been let down by their quick intensity, streak-free formula and lasting wear. Yes, they do have that slight self-tanning scent, but it fades, and besides, I think it’s worth it for the realistic tan they consistently give.