Beauty guru tips: featuring cruelty-free beauty products!

As anyone who’s read my ‘about’ page knows, I’ve spent a fair bit of time scoping out the beauty blogosphere.  In honor of beautyforgood.net’s ‘monthiversary’ (YAY!), I wanted to share a few of my favorite tips I’ve learned along the way, and give a shoutout to the beauty gurus from whom I learned them.

Lip liner does NOT have to be worn like this

I spent a long time avoiding lip liner like the plague.  But, I’ve noticed as I’ve aged that the border of my lips is getting less distinct and using a natural-colored lip liner is a great way to 1) re-establish some boundaries, 2) help my lipstick last longer, 3) create a long-lasting stain by filling in the whole lip

Waterlining.  No one is more eeked out by this than I am. To this day I still have to turn away when I’m watching a beauty guru lining the infamous waterline (that inside part of your eye between your lashes and your eyeball).  But, the fact of the matter is, using a light liner on the water line can really brighten tired eyes.

Speaking of brightening, another tip I’ve learned is that it is possible to find a lipstick that is brightening, without having to wear a lipstick that is bright. If you’re into brights, I say go for it, but, I’d like to avoid ever again hearing from my husband  the phrase, ‘Isn’t that lip color kind of young for you?’.  (He reports he meant, like, 7).  What will be brightening is SO individual to your tastes, lip, and skin tones, so you really have to experiment (yay for drugstore makeup return policies).  A favorite of mine is the Milani color statement lipstick in plum rose

Have you ever put on blush that was darker than you thought it was or used a heavier hand than you meant to?  Well, I have.  And trying to wipe it away not only is completely ineffectual, but will mess up all your base and concealing handiwork.  A great tip is to use the brush or sponge you used to apply your base, with whatever bit of product is still on it, and tap around the boundaries of your blush. It will help blend it and blur the edges, and will take the intensity down a few notches.

Now for the shout-outs!   I am grateful to each of these top blogger/vloggers for teaching me these tips and so many more…. In the order in which I discovered them.

• Beautybroadcast- honest, informed, thoughtful reviews with a positive message
• MakeupbyTiffanyD- has yet to demo a look I wouldn’t love to be seen in
• Pixiwoo- talented, funny, imminently watchable
• Lisa Eldridge- style. elegance. sophistication. cool.  All the words to which I aspire wrapped up in one beauty legend.  Plus, I swear I could listen to her narrate paint drying
• MakeupDelight 2009- gorgeous, vivacious, and I get to practice my Italian
• MakeupGeek- a business woman on a mission I really respect
• Sharon TheMakupArtist- great skills, great attitude, great accent, great name
• ClioMakeup Blog- a quick-talking Italian phenom, my latest guru discovery

I acknowledge that these gurus do not necessarily always feature cruelty-free products, but they’ve helped inspire my search for cruelty-free beauty.  For cruelty-free beauty bests, don’t forget to check out the resources in my blogroll!

Which are your favorite tips, bloggers, and products?

*These are only my opinions, formed through my personal experience as a consumer.  I am not a medical doctor, an aesthetician, or a health/beauty professional.  There is no guarantee what effect, positive or negative, these products may have on anyone else.

**All products were purchased by me from brands that, to the best of my knowledge, are cruelty-free.