STICK ‘EM UP: DIY MAGNETIC MAKEUP ORGANIZER

Magnetized makeup boards (not to mention magnetic palettes like Z•palette!) are a dream solution for those of us who want to streamline and simplify our routines. Unlike an overstuffed makeup bag, a magnet board allows you to keep your favorite and most-used products easily reachable and organized. And you can make one yourself! We loved the idea so much we decided to give it a whirl. We found the perfect frame at a second-hand shop, and our local hardware store was happy to cut us a piece of sheet metal to fit perfectly inside. The fun part was customizing the piece with fabric to coordinate with our living space!

While we could never fit all of our makeup onto one board, it still made our morning routine fast by putting our best-loved products right within reach. We recommend whipping one up for yourself on a rainy afternoon.

You will need

hanging frame with a snap-in back (no glass)
sheet of metal cut to the measurements of the frame (any hardware store can do this)
Mod Podge or a similar brush-on glue
decorative paper or thin fabric
heavy-duty magnetic dots

Steps

1: Brush Mod Podge over the surface of the sheet metal.

2: Carefully lay your decorative fabric or paper over the wet glue and smooth the material across the surface, making sure there are no bumps or air bubbles. Fold the excess fabric or paper around to the back of the metal sheet and allow to dry.

3:  Press the covered metal sheet into your frame and snap the frame’s back into place.

4: Stick magnets to the board and attach each of your favorite cosmetics. Arrange them on your new makeup board! (For makeup in plastic pots, you can get adhesive metal plates from our Z•Palette shop).

5: Hang it up in your bedroom or bathroom for a decorative main makeup attraction!

SHARING = MORE FRIENDS = AWESOME!

CONTOURING AND HIGHLIGHTING FOR DARK SKIN

One of the essential techniques to learn for any makeup application is contouring—and although it seems intimidating at first, it’s actually fairly easy to master. We recently covered contouring basics, but now we have remixed that article to share some tips and product recommendations for those with darker skin tones.

“When you contour, the underlying idea is the same, no matter what skin tone you’re working with,” says Los Angeles–based makeup artist Brande Bytheway. The end goal? “Contouring is all about playing up your natural features,” says Brande, who recommends practicing and playing around to discover what works on your particular face.

To recap, there are two main techniques in contouring: lowlighting and highlighting. Lowlighting refers to using a darker color wherever there’s an area of the face or feature you want to recede or de-emphasize. Highlighting is the opposite: using lighter colors on areas you want to emphasize or bring forward.

Here’s how to perform basic contouring and highlighting on the cheeks, eyes, and nose, plus product picks! As Brande notes, AJ Crimson’s line of makeup offers a really wide range of foundation shades and BBs to fit most any skin tone. 

Cheeks

If you’re a beginner, try out the technique on the cheeks first—it’s really simple. For this look, we started with a clean base using AJ Crimson BB+D cream in Shade 7. Then, using a medium angle brush, we applied Inglot Eye Shadow #63 AMC, a matte shade, on the hollow of the cheeks (or right underneath the cheekbone). That’s the lowlight, and every time you do a lowlight, you want to balance with a highlight. In this case, we used Inglot AMC Multicolour Bronzing Powder #87 along the cheekbones to bring them forward.

If you’re adding luminizer on dark skin, Brande suggests a bronze-based product like this, rather than something pearl-based. “This will give you more of overall natural glow. If you’re color is too pearly, on dark skin, it can look like you have a line of frost,” she says. Brande also noted AJ Crimson’s wide range of foundation and BB shades. “The range is wide enough that almost any skin tone will find something that works,” she says.

Nose

Here, we did light contouring on the nose, using the same lowlight and highlight shades we used on the cheeks (see above) Starting at the inner corner of the brow, we brushed a small amount of the lowlight shadow along both sides of the nose. Then we applied the highlight down the bridge of the nose. To finish, we blended the two together with a clean brush.

Eyes

Contouring and highlighting the eyes can really make them pop. For this look, we started with Inglot Eye Shadow #327 and Inglot AMC Pressed Powder in 68 as the lowlight, applying it into the crease and blending well. Then, we countered that with a highlight brushed right along the brow bone—we used blended two shades here, Inglot Eye Shadow #312 and #405. We finished the eyes with Anastasia Brow Wiz in Ebony on brows. 

For darker skin, Brande suggests choosing a highlight shade that has yellow or orange in it. “If you pick a product with too much of a cool undertone,” she explains, “it can look ashy once it oxidizes, as though it’s floating on top of the complexion. A peachy shade like Inglot’s #312 works well on dark tones, because it will blend in and give you a nice bright pop,” she says.

Finishing Touches

To complete the look, we added cream highlighter (Luminize from Too Faced’s Natural Face Palette) to the higher plans of the face—the cheekbones, brow ridge, and down the bridge of nose. Lastly, we layered Inglot Lipstick #410 under Too Faced Summer Sun Shines Lip Gloss in Papaya Slushie on the lips. Done!

SHARING = MORE FRIENDS = AWESOME!

THE EASIEST MESSY BUN IN THE WORLD!

Celebrity hair stylist Creighton Bowman showed us a simple way to put your hair up into messy bun that's pretty and full. We love undone updos— don't you? 

You Will Need

• Hairspray
• Mousse or a volume-boosting product
• Shine spray or leave-in conditioner
• Dry shampoo
• bobby pins, clips, and a comb

Steps

1: Before you get to it, you'll want to give locks some texture to get the best results. Bowman recommends combining products that will give your hair a piece-y look. Here, he combined René Furterer VOLUMEA Volumizing Foam with René Furterer FIORAVANTI Detangling Spray to add shine. If your hair is really fine, don't use too much product. If it's thick or naturally curly, use a little more. Put your product on before you dry, either by air or with a diffuser.

2: Start by pulling your hair through a ponytail holder. On the last loop, instead of pulling the locks all the way through, leave the ends sticking out toward your face. You'll use this to create a loop of hair over the elastic.

3: Grab the ends that are sticking out of the elastic, separate them, and pull them toward the back, around the base of the ponytail holder. This will create a bun shape around the top loop of hair.

4: Pin the loop on top so that it sticks to the head and holds its shape. You may need to play with it a little to get the look you want. Use hairspray to hold it all in place. 

5: Tuck the ends in or let them stick out—whatever looks good to you. Once you get the basic move down, you just pin and shape until you like what you see. Super easy!

SHARING = MORE FRIENDS = AWESOME!

HOW TO PREVENT (OR CONCEAL) THAT LITTLE RED SUNGLASSES MARK

In the summertime, most of us don’t set foot outdoors without a big pair of sunnies. But nothing undermines all that glamour and sun protection (not to mention a perfect makeup job) like that telltale red patch that often pops up on the bridge of your nose! Depending on your facial structure and the shape of your glasses, there may be little you can do to avoid those red patches, says celebrity makeup artist Julianne Kaye. Here are her best camouflage tips.

Let Skin Recover

If you can, try removing your sunglasses a few minutes before your arrival (to a meeting, dinner, wherever). That’ll help any indentation or redness subside.

Touch-Up When You Arrive

Another easy trick? “Don't powder that area of your face until you reach your destination,” advises Kaye. This helps keep your makeup from getting cakey. Instead, leave the bridge of your nose bare during your morning routine, and then after you get where you’re going, gently pat on concealer with your fingertip.

Bring Portable Products

“Urban Decay makes a concealer pencil that's creamy but dries matte, so it's perfect for this situation on the go!" says Kaye. The ultra-portability and precision of this pencil makes it an ideal everyday makeup bag staple. Finish with a quick press of translucent powder or powder foundation with the included puff or sponge (try Too Faced Amazing Face Powder). If you’re feeling a little too “made up,” spritz with a setting spray for a more dewy complexion (try Evian Facial Spray or MAC Mineralize Charged Water Skin Hydrating Mist). Voila! Keep rocking those shades, and nobody will be the wiser.

MONDAY DIY MANI, INSPIRED BY THE PRABAL GURUNG SPRING 2014 RUNWAY

Can we talk about Prabal Gurung SS14? The collection that hit the runway last week at New York Fashion Week was like a pastel-Barbie look back at the 1950s, complete with brightly dyed satins cut into high-waisted skirts and fitted jackets. What really blew our minds, however, were the cat-eye sunglasses shown with several of the looks—each bright-white pair trimmed in a vibrant color to coordinate with the clothes (a favorite is this red ensemble!). Inspired by the colors and shapes of these way-out shades, we came up with this easy DIY nail art. If you, like us, can't wait until spring, it's a little way to seize the runway now.

You will need

• quick-dry base coat and top coat (we like Get It On and Wicked Fast from Cult Nails)
• Scotch tape
• paper hole reinforcement labels (available at office supply stores) 
• nail polish in white and black, plus bright accent shades: cherry red, lilac purple, yellow, electric blue, neon green

1: Start with clean nails, and apply base coat. Let dry completely.

2: Apply a paper hole reinforcement label to the center of each nail. Using the white nail polish, paint 2 coats on the tip of each nail along the top of each reinforcement sticker to create a french tip. Peel reinforcement labels off carefully and allow white polish to dry completely before moving on to step 3.

3: Place a piece of scotch tape at alternating slants on each nail, creating a space at the end of each nail. Using a different color on each finger, paint the tips green, yellow, red, blue, and purple. Repeat on the other hand.

4: Remove scotch tape and finish with top coat to lock in the look.

Have you done any nail art inspired by NYFW runways? Post pics in the comments!

HOW TO SCULPT YOUR FACE LIKE KIM KARDASHIAN

When it comes to the Kardashians, you either love 'em or hate 'em. But if there's one thing most people can agree on, it's that Kim K. has a team of top-notch artists working on her look. Known for having some of the most sought-after smokey eyes in the business and perfectly contoured cheekbones, Kim's glamorous makeup is always on point. Even if you don't have her budget, you can recreate similar effects at home. Here, Wayne Goss, the makeup artist turned YouTube star—whose line of makeup brushes is launching exclusively in our shop this month—shows us how. This tutorial finds Goss sharing a customizable face-sculpting trick he learned 12 years ago.

Have you ever wondered if, depending on your skin tone, it makes more sense for you to contour or highlight? Find out at 2:47 in this tutorial, which happens to be one of Wayne's all-time favorite videos.

Don't forget to check out the lookbook and pre-order your brushes here. Wayne Goss, The Collection launches September 24, exclusively on Beautylish!

CUTICLE TATTOOS! A NEW WAY TO DRESS UP YOUR NAILS

Remember the days of plain–color manicures that chipped in less than a week? Yeah, neither do we. We're now in an era when the term "nail art" is searched 2.5 million times a month on Google. The nail industry has come a long way since then—celebrities are embracing nail art and blogs, showcasing innovative designs that have popped up across the web. While celebs and bloggers and Instagram have all had a major impact on the growth of the industry, we can't give them all the credit. Nail products themselves have also been improving, with brands releasing polishes in new formulas and every texture imaginable at a breakneck pace (some 50 brands now offer a version of gel polish, for instance).

It's an exciting time for nails! But with that said, the nail art market has become a little crowded. So when something original comes across our desks, we take notice. One recent example: cuticle tattoos! Rad Nails, a popular online nail decal shop that has already partnered with Zooey Deschanel, recently released cuticle and nail "tattoos."

Essentially, they're temporary tattoos designed to fit your cuticles and nail beds. The effect is cool and eye-catching—if you have a polish color you really love, the tattoos are a good way to draw attention to it and show it off. There are four different shapes, each available in 20-packs that go for $6. Here we used "Your Point" (pointy nested triangles).

Rad Nails Beyond Cuticle with RGB Nail Polish in Pool

The tattoos are fairly easy to apply. After trimming them to fit and peeling off the plastic, you place the decal on your finger (paper side up), add a dab of water, press it into the cuticle area, and that’s it! The only tricky part is that the paper the decals come on is thick, so it can be difficult to see through and get them center-aligned perfectly. Still, after trying them on both the cuticles and inverted onto the nails, paired with some of our favorite nail colors of the moment, we're on board! We love the final effect and think they're a great option for changing up your mani in an unexpected way.

What do you think? Would you try cuticle tattoos?