AitU♔

Nothing is more in style in beauty this decade than liquid lipsticks- other than maybe Instagram Brows. However, the formulas can be very tricky, and sit differently on everyone. Dry lips, beware: you'll need a good round of lip scrubbing and moisturizing before giving them a go.

   I actually really enjoy the doe foot applicators commonly used in liquid lipsticks, like lipglosses. They allow you to fill in lip corners and bows with more detail than a lipstick bullet, and have more control than a lip brush. They take a bit of getting used to, but once you do, you may end up really liking them.

  The formulas of liquid lipsticks themselves are very unique: going on like a creamy lipgloss, and often drying partially or completely depending on the finish. A good formula will last most of the day with needing only small touch-ups, and won't flake off or cake up.

  This past year I've tried several different kinds to see what I like best. I myself have dry lips, so very dry formulas can be difficult. Here's what I have so far, swatches, and mini reviews.

How you place eyeshadow can make a big difference in how your eyes and their shape look, and knowing what you're doing is the best way to do exactly what you intend. Hooded eyes or eyes with a heavy crease fold have a tricky way of definitely not accepting eyeshadow shapes the way they look on big or non-hooded eyes; this is one of the main reasons people get frustrated trying to copy looks they see in photos online or tutorials. It may not be you, it just might be your eye shape! A girl with big, round eyes with tons of mobile eyelid space is definitely going to be able to do different looks than smaller, hooded, or monolid eyes. Neither way is wrong- it's just a matter of knowing what suits your eye shape, just like face shapes and body types. You might do a super clean, sharp cat eye then open your eye and look straight on and it looks awful and droopy- see? Not always an error in skill.
   Also, sometimes people have eyes that aren't totally symmetrical- most commonly they have hooded eyes that are drooped slightly different, and monolids can have the same problem. The best way to help even them out is through tactfully done eyeshadow.

   I've collected some images of my eye looks and categorized them into different shapes. I hope that my hooded/heavy lidded eyes can serve as a better reference point for those with similar eyes.

Using a mid-tone eyeshadow; on the top, blended past my crease. On the bottom, blended under my crease.