Ever have this happen to your eyeshadow or powder or blush or…the list goes on and on…Turns out it wasn’t as safe as you thought in your bag or you accidentally knock it on the floor and…  

Ugh. This drives me nuts! I used to just use what I could and toss. Then it occurred to me that I could just crush it up and put in an empty jar as a loose powder product (um duh, why did I ever toss anything?)…but then an even more amazing solution presented itself…

Makeup surgery! Hand me a spatula and bottle of alcohol stat!

 Gather up all of the broken pieces into the container you want it in. Spray the alcohol onto the product generously. Use the spatula (or knife etc) to spread the alcohol into the product, smoothing the product and eliminating seams in the process. It’s very important That you do not touch the product with your fingers, as the oil from your skin may transfer to the product and begin to break it down and disturb the “surgical” process! Let dry for the necessary amount of time (depends on size of the product). 

I let this guy dry overnight before touching since it was big! The alcohol evaporates out and…Voilá! 

Makeup is once again usable and the color is not affected! Give it a shot next time you have a makeup accident!

 

Cheers to Powders, Spatulas, and Mending what’s been Broken,

I’m sure you’ve all seen this trend…whether in hair or clothing it’s seems that ombré is everywhere!

Well tonight a little bit of boredom forced me to try the trend on my nails! I’ve definitely seen this done before and always thought it looked lovely but never sat down and tried it…as I was staring at my huge vase of nail polishes (that’s how I store mine…how do you store yours?) I realized I had a ton of yellow, coral, and orange polishes…

So I picked the 5 that seemed to show an ombré progression…

And voilá!

I’m quite happy with how it turned out and now wishing I had tried it sooner! It only took me a few minutes and I love that it’s a nail trend that takes no skill! Ha ha! As you know, nail polish is one of my biggest beauty loves and it seems new fancy ideas and trends with nails pop up daily! Love that!

So what do you think? Would you give this trend a try?

Cheers to Nail Polish, Ombré, and Boredom fixed by Beauty,

Not washing your makeup brushes regularly: this is a super common mistake that even I am guilty of! This is so bad for a number of reasons…oils and bacteria from your face attach to the brushes you use and can affect the quality of your skin!

Many times when I break out I look at the area of my breakout and ask myself what brushes do I use on that area? When was the last time I deeply cleaned my brushes? More times than I care to admit poor brush care is to blame! Also, the better you treat your brushes, the longer they’ll last. And the cleaner your brushes are, the less likely the oils and bacteria from your face will break down the products you use.

Washing your brushes every other week at least with something antibacterial will have a huge payoff! Make sure you lay them flat to dry so the water does not creep up the handle and split or damage the brush!

Want to know what to wash your brushes with? Watch the tutorial below for a DIY brush cleanser recipe! Want to expand your brush collection? Me and fellow artist Lindsey will give you the low down on where to splurge and where to save when it comes to brushes…

 

Cheers to Brushes, Brush Cleanser, and Breaking those Bad Beauty habits,

Part of what makes a wedding special is putting in little personal touches or unexpected details…I especially love it when a bride decides to throw in an accessory that’s more on the fun side or even a little trendy!

A few things I see fitting in with bridal trend during the cold seasons…

What better accessory for a chilly weather wedding than a pretty coat?! Definitely a good idea for some cute pics outside before you walk down the aisle! DIY Tip: this coat is from the juniors section in Nordstrom…every year they sell peacoats in all colors for around $50 (sometimes cheaper if on sale!).  They come with basic buttons that looked very casual so I went to the craft store and found these gorgeous antique inspired pearl buttons. A quick button swap and voila! A fancy-shmancy coat!

Are you a lipstick or vintage loving gal? Opt for vintage earrings, layers of pearls, or a punchy lip (or as in the case of our model all 3! Ha!)! A bright peach is a great way to rock the vintage look while still being current (bright lips are huge this fall in makeup trend!) and is a nice change from the usual red. Upswept hair with a little texture completes this look (styling compliments of Ashley B!)

Sparkly heels! Who wouldn’t feel like a million bucks in these glittery gold colored babies?! I’ve seen versions of these all over the place and they can be pretty pricey. Our lovely model Ashleigh snagged these at Target! I would have never guessed…they were stunning!

Another cold weather accessory: a scarf! Snag one in a shade like your wedding accent colors. Avoid bulky knits and opt for more of a pashmina or a chiffon or silk scarf. Looks cozy while still being classy! Love trends and fun bold statements? Go for an animal print! Again this can be for pics before or after the ceremony or better yet: before you enter your reception lose your veil and wrap a gorgeous scarf around your neck to change up your look!

A classic smokey contoured eye is always in style! To learn how to do this makeup look click HERE. Ashleigh looks absolutely lovely don’t you think? Thanks for the amazing pics Lydia Photography!

While classic is always nice, there’s nothing wrong with your wedding or your bridal style reflecting who you are at the time you get married! Don’t pass up on something you like because you’re afraid it’ll look “dated” later in pics…guess what, it still will no matter what! So don’t be a fashion victim but enjoy the time you live in and capture it!

So Cheers to Style, Class, and maybe even a little Leopard Print on your big day!

We’ve all been there…one more swipe of mascara, or a quick dab of blush, and you would be out the door but then the unthinkable happens: the uncontrollable urge to sneeze, a slip of the hand…Ugh!! No need to fear, take a deep breath…

 

 lydiaphotography.com

Here are a few fast fixes that have helped me!  I hope they help you too!

I got a little excited over my creme (or liquid) blush!

If it is still wet and has not set, then use a cotton ball to wipe off any excess.  Next grab your foundation brush and blend another layer of foundation on top.  Then set with translucent powder.  This will not only tone down your blush but create the illusion of that “lit from within” natural flush that we all want!

My lashes touched my eyes/face while my mascara was still wet! 

This blunder is SO common! Trying to clean it up can potentially ruin your look but it has a VERY simple solution…seriously folks, this changed my life…Wait and let it dry…Yup you heard me right.  It’s instinctual to wipe it off but that will onyl smudge and rub it in more, and using removers will break down your makeup beneath it and ruin your look!  After it dries use a clean eyebrow brush (or unused/clean mascara spool) and gently brush it off!  This is one time you will be thankful that mascara flakes! It will flake right off and your makeup underneath will still be intact!

I bumped my finger nail while it was still wet!

Ok, so this trick may not work for those HUGE smudges, like when you swipe off half of your polish.  But for those smaller smudges and marks this will do the trick…spit on one of your fingers (Um why are you grossed out? It’s your OWN saliva for crying out loud!)…so like I was saying, spit on a free finger (be generous!) and gently rub over the nail with the smudge, repeat as needed, all the while moving the polish back to it’s original place.  It’s very important that you do not press too hard or you’ll only make a bigger smudge! Finish by either an additional thin swipe of your color and/or a clear topcoat!

 

Any other Beauty Blunders you need solved?  Or do you have a Fast Fix that works great for you?  Let me know!

 

Cheers to imperfections…and being able to improve them,