How to Apply and Use Lip Liner #doyourmakeup

How to use lip liner

A couple of weeks ago I did a guest post for my pal Jamie over at Blonde Mom Blog (she’s Nashville’s finest, y’all!) Check her out!) on how to use lip liner. And the whole time I was writing it I was like, I really need to share this with MY readers too!

Now, the Google gods don’t like it when you duplicate a post, so I am going to give you the same information in a different way. And without all the background info I gave Jamie’s readers about how awesome I am, since you already know that.

I think lip liner is the one cosmetics essential that is most overlooked by the ladies! I always, always, always wear it under my lipstick, but there is a right and a wrong way to do so. The right way to wear lip liner is to fill your lips in completely with the liner and then put the lipstick on top of it. If you do this, it will make your lipstick last all day (if it’s a half-decent lipstick, and I’ve tested quite a few so next post is going to be a brand comparison, I think!) Behold this explanatory visual:

Lip Liner Yes No

Trust me ladies, lip liner is your friend! Not only does it help your lipstick stay on all day, but it can also change the color of your lipstick. You can get different looks out of one lipstick tube by using a different liner underneath. See?

lipstick and liners text

Here I’ve chosen one of my very favorite go-to lipsticks, Copper Star  by Mary Kay (who, sadly, does not seem interested in paying me to say so) and two liners – netural on the left and cappucino on the right.

Before I go on, let me just say that it is not necessary to be shamefully well liner-endowed like myself. One or two colors is really plenty. If you’re going to do just one, get a neutral! You’ll be sooo happy you did. I have yet to buy any drugstore lip liners to try, but Revlon’s “nude” and “natural” are on my list of good potential neutrals.

Below you can see how using the same lipstick color atop a different liner color really changes the look.

liner lipstick collage textSpecial thanks to my clone for helping me with this photoshoot

So now you know how to use it and some fun benefits of using lip liner,  but I have one last rule of lip liner to share with you. That rule is this: Don’t buy the pencil kind! Get a retractable lip liner that you don’t have to sharpen. The wood shavings, finding a sharpener, and accidentally stabbing yourself in the mouth with a splintery liner make pencil liners more trouble than they’re worth. Please trust me.

Well, that’s my sermonette on lip liner. Are you a lip liner girl? If so, what’s your favorite kind! If not, go out and treat yourself to a neutral today!

To see what makeup I’m wearing every day (and how I’m wearing it), don’t forget to follow my #doyourmakeup hashtag on Twitter and Instagram!

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#doyourmakeup Tip: Why You Should Use Eye Makeup Primer

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I do a lot of different things with my eye makeup, but one thing I always do every day is wear eye makeup primer. Two reasons: it keeps your shadow and liner on longer and it shows allows the true color of the product to come through without being affected  by your skin tone. It’s a product I can’t live without! Recently I’ve been using this L’Oreal Paris Magic Decrease primer and I love it. Less than $10 at the drug store, and it’ll  help you get the most bang for your buck out of your eye shadows. Don’t believe me? I’ve put together this two-minute video with a demonstration to show you what I mean! Check it out, and don’t forget to check me out under the hashtag #doyourmakeup on Instagram and Twitter. Hashtag your own daily makeup and join in!

Got makeup questions or tips? I’d love to hear them! Leave them in the comments!

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Jenny’s Lands’ End Loves from the Mom 2.0 Summit

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Yesterday Emily got to show off her lovely Lands’ End looks from our time at last week’s Mom 2.0 Summit 2013, and today it’s my turn! Yay! I promise we’ll eventually post about what we actually did there and all the stuff we learned and cool people we met. Eventually. But for now…more fabulous clothes and accessories! I know Em is going to love this post because it will include So! Many! Pictures! OF ME!! Here goes:

Thursday travel

Thursday I hit the airport bright & early (our flight left at 6:25 a.m., OUCH!) in this cute and comfortable ensemble. The sleeveless pattern tee was so soft, in my absolute favorite fabric, cotton modal. I paired it with a matching cardigan cause I’m always cold on airplanes. The slim leg jeans I wore with this outfit are awesome; so comfortable and they dress up or down really easily. I cuffed mine for a more casual look. On my feet I wore my favorite casual shoe, the Gatas canvas slip-on. I still have two pair from last year and they are in great shape and so comfy! The linen and leather tote bag I carried was perfect for travel. It fit my iPad, my precious makeup bags, my wallet, and all my essentials with room to spare!

Thursday night the conference opened with an Endless Summer Beach Party! Woohoo! I chose a Lands’ End Canvas sundress that was perfect for the occasion.

beachpartydress3

I absolutely loved the dress, it was so comfortable and flowing. Not to mention cute!

beach party accessoriesI accessorized with this belt, also from the Canvas line. I loved the way it looked with the dress! I wore the beach earrings and multi-strand beach bracelet which also matched perfectly, and these simple but fashionable leather Tia t-strap sandals on my feet.

On to Friday! During the day, I wore this pink stretch pique empire waist dress. I L-O-V-E it. It might be my favorite, I felt so good in it. And, it has pockets! So convenient when one is being handed business cards all day!

Friday day dress

The Cara espadrille shoes I wore with it just made my day every time I looked down!

Friday day

I took a risk with the dark blue beaded cluster bracelet and necklace, but I absolutely loved the way they looked! I’m so glad I chose them.

Friday night we had a big party to attend – a CVS ExtraCare party! Can you believe it? Y’all know how I LOVE CVS! But I digress…I went more casual and fun for this party.

Friday night

I adore the slim leg white jeans. So comfortable and crisp – I’m going to wear them all summer long! I went with a black heritage rib tank from the Lands’ End Canvas line, and these adoooorable leopard-print Bianca ballet flats, which made the whole outfit! My gold coin necklace, bracelet, and earrings really made this outfit stand out, too.

Friday night accessoriesSaturday we were up ready for another great day at the Summit. I was feeling great in this black & white floral shirred linen sheath dress.

saturday day dress

This dress was SO comfortable, and it also had pockets! I love the shirring at the neckline (which is hard to see in the photo), which is so elegant and flattering.

saturday day accessories

The black Parker knotted espadrilles I wore on my feet were the most comfortable heel I have EVER worn. I want them in every color! I didn’t want to take them off. And the pearl cluster necklace and bracelet? My favorite accessories of all. I felt like such a lady in those. They are just so beautiful and I know I’ll wear them again and again.

The conference culminated in a fabulous Kentucky Derby Garden Party thanks to Whirlpool. For which I knew I wanted something bright and floral! This floral pique sleeveless dress did the trick.

derby dress

This dress, like the others, was so darn comfortable I could’ve worn it for two days straight. And again, with the pockets! It was so nice to just put my room key and business cards in my pocket when heading to the party. I also am in deep, fashionable love with the Ashby nude patent-leather pumps Emily and I both wore that night. I wish I’d gotten a better picture of them – they are so, so chic. I wore a triple set of Lands’ End pearls from last year’s Mom 2.0 around my neck, and since it was a GARDEN party, a big, beautiful flower in my hair from the client I work with through my job, Girls Crochet Headbands.

Sunday, we were anxious to get home to our families but sad to leave the idyllic beach setting and the lack of having to clean up after ourselves at the Ritz-Carlton! But at least we got to travel home in style!

travel home

A loooong day of travel called for some pieces from my beloved Lands’ End Starfish line. I tried their new Starfish slim leg pant and I ADORE them. They are so comfy and the slim leg is super-flattering! I paired them with my (have I mentioned??) FAVORITE cotton modal short-sleeve scoop tee and matching scarf. To keep warm on the plane I chose the Starfish elbow-sleeve terry cardigan which is *adorbs* as well as super-comfy. And speaking of comfy, these cute flower flip-flops were so cushy and did my feet a lot of good! Sadly, it appears they are no longer available (clearly I must’ve sold them out with my trendiness, right?)

Finally, I must mention my super cute and functional striped tote I carried all throughout the conference.

toteDon’t you love it? It was perfect for holding  my iPad, conference schedule, snacks, water bottles, and all the goodies from sponsor booths we picked up all day long. I know I will get great use out of it for years.

I am so privileged to have all these wonderful outfits to remind me of the great weekend spent at Mom 2.0 2013! Emily and I were beyond proud to represent Lands’ End – it’s really what I live in ALL year long. Hope you find something you liked amongst our outfits! Which was your favorite?

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