The Neapolitan

The Neapolitan is Infinite Pretty's personal guide for beginner contour-ers. It's a simple combination that even the most inexperienced makeup artist can master. It's designed just like your favorite neapolitan ice cream!

Vanilla Highlighter: use a highlighter to line the peak of your cheekbone above the apples of your cheek to the tops of your ears, do this without smiling, like you would blush, it will make for a more fluid natural look

Strawberry Blush: apply your blush starting by swirling it on the apples of your cheeks & then sweeping it up towards the temples for a more youthful look, if you apply the blush too low on the face it will make you cheeks look droopy & aged

Chocolate Contour: using a contour powder, or even a bronzer, brush along the lower cheek line diagonally up to the lowest point of your eyes, going any further will make the definition seem unnatural & silly looking

There are other facial features that can be contoured & highlighted such as your brow bones, the jawline, the nose & a couple others. Always start simple when it comes to defining you face. Get the feel for defining the cheeks before you move to any other prominent features & soon you'll be a contouring pro!

Repurposed Makeup

Eye shadow, bronzer, eyeliner, lip gloss, cheek tint? They're all just labels! Labels that limit what your expectation of the product. You assume lip gloss is only good for glossing your lips & eye shadow for shadowing you eye! Wrong! These labels limit your expectation of the product but not the many functions of the product.

Blush → Eyeshadow: certain shades of blush can make appealing eyeshadow colors, usually they tend to be on the pink side, you can apply blush the same way you would regular eyeshadow

Mascara → Eye Liner: if you're ever in a bind & find yourself without eyeliner, you can use a gel eyeliner brush dipped in mascara as a makeshift eyeliner 

Lip Gloss → Cheek Tint: warm up your cheeks by squeezing a small dot of lip gloss onto the tip of your finger & rubbing it into the apples of your cheeks

Bronzer → Brow Powder: use bronzer precisely how you would regular brow powder, but be sure if you do this to NOT use the bronzer all over your face or you brows will just blend in

That's not all!

Concealer → Eye Primer: it's the same color as your skin & is used to hold powder on your face anyway, why not on your eyes too?

Eyeshadow → Highlighter: use a light shadow (preferably with a little shine) and use a contouring brush to sweep the eyeshadow slightly above where you apply blush 

Lip Balm → Cheek Highlight: rubbing clear lip balm on the apples of your cheek with reflect light and make for a quick highlight

There are so many uses for each type of makeup! Don't let labels tell you the limit to their use!

Hide Your Hangover

2013 is coming! It's the time for fresh starts, new beginnings & renewed confidence. This is definitely going to be your year! Don't start it off by looking like you just went to the party of the year (well last year) even though we both know you did.

Wash Your Face: Duh! Get all that dirt & glitter from last night off your face from last night so you can face the new year with a fresh face

Banish Under Eye Bags: Use a cooled gel eye mask to reduce swelling under your eyes, or if you don't have a gel mask simply use the old spoon in the freezer trick

Get Rid of the Headache: It's hard to focus if your head is pounding, take some aspirin, drink lots of water & place a cold compress on you forehead

Get Some Exercise: I know it sounds like the last thing you would want to do but exercising will cause your body to sweat out the leftover alcohol and you will feel better quicker

Wear Pink: I'm sure you do this anyway, but pinks in makeup, such as blush & eyeshadow, have shown to brighten the face & make you look more awake & lively

Drink Your Water: Don't drink coffee! Coffee will just make you more jittery, it won't cure your hangover, water replenishes you body & helps significantly with rehydration (which is what you REALLY need)

Eat Something Light: Nibble on some saltines or eat some toast, it may seem unappetizing, but eating something small will help settle your stomach & soak up excess alcohol

Break Out the Shades: When all else fails nothing hides a hangover like oversized sunglasses!

New Year, New Hue

New Year means new trends, new styles, new fashion but why not keep it classic this New Year's Eve by sporting these classic combinations with a little twist!

1) Red lips paired with a smoky eye! The twist? Silver eyeshadow!

A classic sultry party look. Mix this look up by adding some sparkle to your smoky! Begin by covering the base of the eyelid with a silver eyeshadow, create the smoky effect by lining your crease with the black shadow as well as the outer corner of your eye. Finish off with a red lip!

2) Emerald eyes with a nude lip! The twist? Glitter eyeliner!

An elegant way to add a pop of color. Why not go further with the pop and add a glitter eyeliner for a real eye popping look! Sweep the green shadow over the base of the eyelid and add some highlight to the brow bone & inner corners. Add a nude lip & some winged glitter eyeliner to finish!

3) Rose eyeshadow with a dark lip! The twist? Gold false eyelashes!

A classic good girl with a dark side. Brighten up the dark side by adding some fun gold falsies! Sweep the rosy color across your lid, so that it peeks out behind the lashes. Carefully place the full false eyelash across the tops of your lids. Do not put mascara on the bottom lashes, instead try a gold eyeliner or solid black for definition. Finish off with a dark lip!

4) Champagne shadow with a pale pink lip! The twist? Smoky eyeliner!

A sweet and simple party look. Harsh it up with a smoky rim around the eye! Start by applying the shadow all over the lid of the eye and add highlights to the brown bone & inner corners. Take a pencil eyeliner (one that you have to sharpen) & put the tip over an open flame for 2-3 seconds (let it cool for at least 15 seconds), this will make for a smudged, less precise line. Use it to line the top of your eyelid & your lower water line. Finish with a pale pink lip!

Now you can start the New Year with a classic look with a modern twist!

Glamergency Kit

Anything and everything a glamour girl on the go should carry on her!

Pain reliever: you never know when a random headache or menstrual cramps will surprise you

Lip balm: can help relieve chapped or dry lips and alleviate cold sores

Dental floss: can you imagine anything more horrific than being caught with food between your teeth?!

Eyeliner: eyeliner can smudge easily, instantly taking your look from chic to shabby, touch it up every so often to keep your eyes looking fresh

Bobby pins: stray hairs come and the worst times, keep a couple bobby pins handy for a quick pin up

Mints: since you can't always excuse yourself to brush your teeth, mints are quick way to freshen breath after a meal

Safety pin: broken purse handle, ripped bra snap, loose shirt straps, tattered belt loop, frayed jeans hem, the possibilities are endless

Perfume sample: go to the department store and ask around for samples of your favorite scents to keep in your emergency kit

Stain remover: don't risk ruining your clothing by leaving an unsightly spot there all day

Hair ties: putting your hair up can be an automatic relief when your hair begins to feel unruly

Cover-up: avoid an embarrassing mishap by carrying a little liquid magic

Bandaids: injuries rarely happen when it's convenient, better prepared than sorry

Feminine products: sometimes life comes unexpected & you don't have $.50 for the dispens

Look Polished

Smudge Quick Fix: if you smudge a nail while it is still wet you can wet your finger slightly and rub it along the length of the nail gently (you can even use saliva)

Cooking Spray Finish: spray your freshly painted nails will cooking spray to prevent smudging and increase drying speed

Vaseline Prep: rubbing vaseline around your cuticles before painting catches the excess nail polish and can be easily rubbed off after nails are done drying

NO Fans: many people will hold their hands to a fan to speed up the drying process, however, fans will promote air bubbles in the polish

Paintbrush Clean Up: dip a small paintbrush in nail polish remover and sweep it across the cuticle line to clean up the excess paint and create a sharp line

Lashing Out

Lashes are an important feature of the eye. They surround and define the eye to give a more feminine appeal, but sometimes our lashes lack the extra oomph we desire. Simple drugstore products such as vaseline & baby powder can give our lashes the perfect definition.

1) Vaseline ($5.99) rubbing vaseline on and around the lash lines the night before has shown to protect your lashes during makeup removal and promote hydration leaving l o n g e r and thicker lashes over time

2) Baby Powder ($3.99) apply a thin coat of mascara and then cover lashes (using a cotton swab or your finger) with a layer of baby powder & finish off the lashes by applying a final coat of mascara until no powder is visible. This is a quick & instant way to get fuller and thicker lashes

3) L'Oréal Lash Serum ($14.99) using the applicator, apply the serum directly to the natural lashes to promote healthy growth, strength and protection during makeup removal. It may take up to 4 weeks, but you will see fuller and l o n g e r lashes