They say that a carpenter is only as good as his tools. Similarly, your makeup job is only as good as the brushes you use. And, just as a carpenter must care for his tools if he’s to produce quality work, you need to take proper care of your brushes if you want a flawless makeup application every time.

But too few women actually clean their brushes in the right way, and fewer still do it as frequently as they should. So here’s what you need to know about caring for your brushes.

When?

Your powder brushes should be washed at least once a month. However, you should soak them once a week to prevent product buildup. Brushes used around the eyes need to be thoroughly washed even more frequently—at least twice a month.

What?

It doesn’t take anything special to clean your makeup brushes. While you can use a brush cleaner, a gentle soap and some water will also suffice.

How?

Cleaning your makeup brushes takes only 7 very short and simple steps:

1. Wet your brushes with warm water.
2. Place a small amount of soap or cleaner in the palm of your hand.
3. Gently swirl the bristles in your palm to lather up the brush. Be sure to keep the base of the brush head away from the soap and water. If this part of your brush gets too wet, it can cause the glue to disintegrate, and the bristles to come loose.
4. Rinse with warm water.
5. Use a clean towel to squeeze out the excess water.
6. Reshape the brush head into its proper shape.
7. Place your brush on the edge of the counter with the bristles hanging over the edge to allow the bristles to dry in the right shape. Do not place them on a towel, as this can cause mildew.

That’s it! It doesn’t take much time, doesn’t require any special materials, and only takes a few minutes!

Why?

What makes cleaning your brushes regularly so important? Not only do clean brushes apply makeup more evenly, but they also waste less makeup. Dirty brushes lead to spotty application and difficult blending. Additionally, your brushes can pick up trace amounts of bacteria and redistribute them all over your skin. Regular cleanings prevent bacteria buildup, which can lead to breakouts and other skin troubles.

With so many reasons to clean your brushes, there’s really no good excuse for not cleaning your brushes on a regular basis. So break out the soap and spend a few minutes giving your beauty tools the TLC they need to help you shine!

There’s no “one-shape-fits-all” answer when it comes to shaping and styling your brows. Just like your hair, your eyebrows should be styled in a way that’s flattering to your face shape, the shade of your brows, and your own personal tastes. But regardless of the exact shape you choose for your brows, there are always a few “don’ts” that you’ll want to adhere to.

Don’t Do Initial Shaping Alone

If you’ve never had your brows shaped before (or if it’s been long enough that they’ve lost their shape completely), don’t try to find the right shape for your brows all on your own. Odds are, you’ll overpluck or over-wax, and end up with a look you are far from loving. Instead, invest in a visit to a professional for your initial shaping. Once they give you that perfect arch, you can work on maintaining it at home.

Don’t Tweeze Above the Brow

When plucking your brows, don’t pluck any hairs above the arch. This can leave you with an odd shape that is far from the initial arch given you by the cosmetologist. Pluck only stray hairs below the arch to maintain the shape.

Don’t Fill Brows with Darker Colors

If you need to fill in your brows with powder or pencil, don’t use anything darker than your hair color. Typically, you want to fill with a pencil or powder that is one shade lighter than your hair. Taupe works well for most people, but you may want a darker shade if your hair is very dark brown or black. Never use a black pencil, unless both your hair and your skin are very dark.

Don’t Pluck Lighter Hairs

Whether you just have some odd, light-colored patches in your brows, or you’re getting a few grey hairs in there, don’t ever pluck them out. It may seem like a fast solution, but eventually, this can leave you with sparse-looking brows. Instead, cover the lighter hairs with pencil or powder.

Don’t Fill in Everything

When using your chosen brow filler, you may be tempted to just swipe it across the entire brow. Don’t. Use short strokes and focus on filling in the sparse areas. This keeps the look natural, as well as preventing you from wasting product on fuller areas of your brows.

Don’t Skip the Daily Grooming

Finally, make sure that eyebrow care isn’t just something you do when your brows need to be reshaped. For a truly perfect brow, you should groom your brows every day. Brush your brows for a smooth, well-groomed look, and use a brow gel to keep them in place. Even if you don’t need to fill your eyebrows, these two simple steps will keep your brows looking fabulous every day.

We know that cosmetics aren’t cheap, and the last thing anyone wants to do is toss out even a single application’s worth of their favorite products. So when your makeup reaches its expiration date, you might be tempted to hang onto it for as long as you can. So is it okay to keep your products for longer than marked? Or do you have to toss them right away? Well, here’s the truth.

What the Date Means

The truth is, the date on your makeup is important, but you might not have to toss it out right on that day. Cosmetics tend to retain bacteria more easily than most other kinds of products, which is why the expiration date is so important. You don’t want to be putting bacteria-laden products around your eyes or lips, do you?

But the date on the packaging is based on the assumption that you’re going to be opening and using the product right away. So if you store the makeup for a while before the first use, then you likely don’t need to dispose of it on the expiration date. So, how long can you actually keep your products?

Product Shelf Life

Here are the general guidelines for how long you can keep various cosmetic products, measuring from the time that you first use it:

• Foundation: 6 months to 1 year
• Lipstick, liner, and gloss: 1 year
• Brow pencils and eyeliner: 1 year
• Mascara: 3 months
• Liquid eyeliner: 3 to 4 months
• Blushes and other powder: 2 years
• Cream blushes: 12 to 18 months
• Eye shadow: 3 to 6 months

Generally speaking, the more moisture a product contains, and the closer it is applied to your eyes, the sooner it needs to be thrown out. Moisture-laden products will retain more bacteria, and of course, you don’t want a bacteria-filled mascara wand or eyeliner pencil to be right next to your eye.

Signs It’s Time to Toss It

Of course, you probably don’t write down the date that you opened your current cosmetic products. So how do you know when to toss them out? Just keep an eye out for signs of change in the product’s composition. Changes in color, texture, or smell are sure signs it’s time to toss it. If it’s drying out, starting to separate, or getting goopy, you need to throw it out--not just because it’s probably getting bacteria in it, but because you’re no longer going to get good application out of it.

How to Help It Last Longer

If you want to help your cosmetics to last longer, there are a few things you can do. First, always apply your makeup with clean hands (for the sake of your products and your face). This will help keep bacteria and germs off the packaging and out of the product. Second, whenever possible, don’t touch your fingers directly to the opening or the product. For example, when applying liquid foundation, squirt a small amount onto the back of your hand instead of wiping the opening with your fingertip.

And finally, never share liquid cosmetics with anyone, especially the products that you apply around your eyes. Not only can the germs from other people make your products go bad more quickly, but they can lead to eye infections and other problems. So do yourself and your products a favor, and be a little selfish in this regard.

By treating your products properly and ensuring you don’t use expired products, you’ll get a better application and a more flawless look from your makeup.

Everybody has those days. You just don’t have the time or the energy to go through your fully fledged makeup routine, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look your best. Our products are designed to help you shine, whether you’re applying every product in your bag, or just a few. And for those days when you’re not in the mood for a full face of makeup, try these fast, fabulous products that can help you look your best with minimal effort.

BB Cream

A beautiful look starts with a smooth canvas. But applying heavy foundation and a finishing powder (not to mention dealing with bronzer and/or blush) is just too much some days. Shine’s BB cream goes on smooth and dries to a powdery finish for a natural, smooth look. You can apply it with a sponge or brush or, if you’re really in a hurry, it can even be smoothed on using just your fingertips. BB cream gives you flawless-looking skin in a matter of minutes.

Fiber Mascara

Even on lazy days, who doesn’t want stunning eyelashes? If you’re skipping out on most of your other cosmetics for the day, make sure you’re keeping Shine’s Fiber Mascara in your daily lineup. Whether you use just the first step for darker, fuller lashes, or you take that extra minute to go through all three steps, this product will give you beautiful eyelashes quickly. And those lovely lashes will last all day too, through rain or shine.

LipLast

Finally, before you head out the door, swipe on a touch of LipLast in one of our beautiful, highly pigmented colors. The color glides on smoothly and easily, just like applying lip gloss, but it sets to a rich, lipstick-like tone. So it takes just a few seconds to give your lips a beautiful layer of color. And, as the name implies, LipLast will last for hours on end while also hydrating your lips like a lip balm. No matter how lazy your day may be, you can’t pass out on the simple elegance that LipLast provides.

So there you have it. Keep these three products on hand for even your most laid-back days, and you’ll be able to look your best without spending hours in front of the mirror. After all, who says you can’t look fabulous while hanging out in your yoga pants?

Spring break is about kicking back, having fun, and enjoying the simple things in life. And when you’re traveling and spending your days at the beach, you’ll want to travel light and get down to the basics. So if you’re packing for spring break, here are some of the travel beauty basics to bring along with you to ensure that you look your best, without weighing yourself down on your trip.

BB Cream

A flawless look starts with a good base. But when you’re out in the sun (especially in humid areas), the last thing you want is a thick coverage of heavy cream that’s going to melt away in a few hours. Our BB Cream provides you with that smooth canvas you need for your beauty routine, but without any of the heaviness. It dries to a powdery smooth finish, so that you can have flawless-looking skin while feeling like you’re going bare-faced on your trip. Plus, the SPF 15 built into our BB cream will help to protect your skin from the harmful effects of sun damage while you enjoy your time at the beach or by the pool.

Bronzer

You’re probably hoping to get a nice, healthy glow while you’re on your spring break trip. But until you get a few days of sun on your face, Bronzer can really help to give you that post-spring break glow, even if it’s the first day of your trip. And after you’ve gotten a bit of your own sunglow going on, bronzer is still perfect for contouring and giving yourself a high-fashion look for a night out on the town.

Fiber Mascara

Mascara is an essential tool in every girl’s makeup bag. With just a few seconds of application, you can totally transform your look and make your gorgeous eyes stand out. Shine’s Fiber Mascara takes this to the next level, allowing you to get longer and more luscious lashes when you want to up your lash-fluttering game.

Fiber Brow

Don’t let your lashes have all the fun! If your want to have perfectly manicured, well defined brows on your spring break trip, don’t forget to add our Fiber Brow product to your makeup bag. This simple product will give you perfect brows all day long, whether you’re heading to the beach or to the club.

Lip Gloss

Of course, you want to have a perfect pout all spring break long. But you don’t need to bring a full bag of different lipsticks and stains. If you want to travel light and keep your look sweet and simple, lip gloss can really go a long way. Our long-lasting Lip Glosses can add some color and shimmer to your lips without the stickiness of other glosses. With simple, one-swipe application, you’re ready to go in a matter of seconds while still looking your best.

Remember, you don’t need dozens of products to look fabulous. Whatever cosmetics you choose to take on your spring break trip with you, remember to always let your own incredible beauty shine through!

There’s a lot of information and advice out there pertaining to makeup. With tutorial videos on YouTube and advice in beauty magazines—much of it conflicting—it’s hard to know what the best beauty tips really are. Of course, there are some tips that seem to work their way into being norms in the makeup world, but that doesn’t mean that they’re right.

So here are 5 makeup tips that are widely accepted, but which you should totally ignore—and one tip you need to follow.

Get Light Coverage by Mixing Powder with Moisturizer

This is a rumor that’s been floating around for a while, and that rears its ugly head again every few years. The story goes that by blending your powder with a facial moisturizer, you can essentially create your own tinted moisturizer, allowing you to get smooth, natural-looking coverage. But most powders just aren’t made for this kind of thing, and they don’t mix well with lotions.

Plus, who has the time to mix just the right amount of powder in with just the right amount of moisturizer for the right coverage every morning? We don’t. Instead of playing makeup chemist, just invest in a real BB Cream, or use a light covering of our pressed powder for a smooth, natural look.

Use Deep Shades of Blush to Contour

Contouring can really upgrade your look, but you need to use the right products to do it—and dark-tinted blush is not that product. Applying dark rouges to your cheeks will really date your look, and doesn’t achieve the same effect as proper contouring. Instead, make sure you’re using a high-quality bronzer in the hollows of your cheeks, and blending that with the blush on your cheekbones.

Use Darker Foundation to Look Tan

You won’t fool anyone by going a shade darker with your foundation. Instead of looking like you just got back from a Caribbean vacation, you’ll look like you simply bought the wrong shade of makeup. It is always best to match your foundation color to your skin color.

Use Art Pencils as Cheap Eyeliner and Lip Liner

This supposed makeup “hack” promises that art pencils can be used to line your eyes and your lips for a fraction of the cost of makeup. Sounds like a good idea, right? That is, until you’re visiting the optometrist to have him look at your scratched eyelids. Art pencils aren’t made to be used on delicate facial skin like lips and eyelids. Our eyeliners and lip liner pencils, however, are made to go on smoothly and prevent painful scratches on your delicate skin.

Lipstick Makes Your Look Seem Outdated

Thankfully, this rumor is slowly fading away. But in case you’re still following this bit of advice, stop! Lipstick is not something that is only for women over a “certain age.” Women of all ages can look absolutely stunning in a bold, red lip, or in a more neutral lip color. While lip stains like our LipLast product line are fabulous, don’t let anyone tell you that lipsticks are out of style.

Always Do What Feels Right for You

Now that you know what to ignore, here’s one piece of advice you should always follow: Regardless of the rules, styles, and advice you may hear and see, always do what feels right for you! There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to beauty, so don’t be afraid to throw every rule out the window and find a look that is totally and completely you.

So, I’ve been writing blogs for Shine Cosmetics for a while. Right away, I loved their message and the way they are striving to empower women to take control of their own beauty. But I have a confession to make: I had never used the products before. That is, until today.

Today I received 4 products from my friend at Shine: Fiber Mascara, the pressed powder, and Lip Last in Honor and Eternity. I’m not someone who wears makeup a lot, but I was excited to try out these products for a company that I felt like I was a part of. So, what did this makeup novice think?

Fiber Mascara

This is probably the product I was most excited about. I know other companies sell similar products, but I had never tried one before. So it was with great anticipation that I pulled out these two little tubes. As a makeup novice, I was a bit intimidated by the fact that my eyelashes suddenly needed a 3-step process. But the end result was worth all that effort. (I’m being a little sarcastic here. It was incredibly easy.)

My lashes were incredibly long and full compared to the other mascara I’d been using, and I got compliments from multiple people on them. I’m now considering wearing this every day, just so I can flutter my eyelashes more often.

LipLast

So I got the LipLast in two different colors: Honor and Eternity. I wore Eternity today, which was a bit of a style stretch for me. I’m conservative with my makeup, so trying something with a copper-and-coral color to it was going out on a limb. But after about 3 seconds of wondering if I could pull this off, I loved it. It went on smoothly and simply, like a lip gloss, but left a long-lasting, rich color behind. We went out to dinner, and the color was still beautiful afterwards.

Not wanting to wait to see how Honor looked, I loaned the color to my sister for the evening. It was a stunning color. Deep, rich, but not overpowering. I can’t wait to try out this color myself. While it may be darker than most lip colors I wear, I get the feeling this is one product I’m going to wear pretty frequently.

Pressed Powder

Powder is a very important product for me, and the one cosmetic that I wear almost every day. That’s because I’m not comfortable with my skin. I had bad acne as a teenager, and it’s left me with some scarring and discoloration, so I’m just not comfortable going completely bare-faced in most cases. But I’m also the mom of a toddler, so I don’t have time to be putting on layers of makeup.

Shine’s pressed powder was absolutely perfect. I loved the little compact that it came in with the mirror—ideal for touchups on the go. But more importantly, the product helped to even out my skin tone and give me a light coverage in under a minute. I felt fresh-faced and more confident in my appearance, without having to put on any heavy foundation or concealer.

While I’m just beginning to get my exposure to Shine’s products, I’ve had plenty of time being exposed to their beautiful message. Working on Shine’s blog has helped me to look at beauty in a whole new light. And using their products has helped me to look at my own beauty in a new light as well.

Other Happy Customers

Of course, I’m not the only one who has come to love Shine and their products. Here are some reviews from other women who have tried this makeup and loved it.

“I absolutely love Shine, not because I sell it but because the makeup is AMAZING! I am the pickiest when it comes to makeup and I replaced all my old products with Shine products. I can't really comment a favorite product because I love them all but I will say the BB Cream is at the top of my list. The makeup is lightweight and gives my face a nice glow. The shadows are gorgeous too. My wish for the future is adding more shadows with more sparkle but either way the products are AWESOME and the Shine staff are the best! You won't get any better than Shine!” -Shelly Stitely

“Where do I start?! I am just glad I found this company through a friend! Every day when I wake up I look forward to putting makeup on. Their message to bring beauty back and to help and support women of any age is amazing!” -Carol Mckendrick

“Shine is it for me. I have so many allergies that I have searched all high-end makeup products that won’t make my skin break out with rashes, burns, acne or redness BUT I found Shine! Their products have fit all my needs and wants. I love that Shine offers products that are free of so many chemicals and is natural. From the price to the quality of the products, you will have a hard time trying to find something so pure. I also love the story and message of Shine and how and why it was created. Every product surely has touched and uplifted my life. Honestly, with Shine not only will you be uplifted inside and out, it will surely make you SHINE!” -Joey Johnston

“I have gotten so many compliments on my make up since I started wearing Shine! I also am grateful to know that it is lead, paraben, SLS, and cruelty free. My friends with sensitivities have worn it with no issues. The BB Cream and LipLast in Timeless are my everyday go to products. Plus, I love the positive message of Shine and the women behind it!” -Jilynn Bradshaw

I LOVE, LOVE all the Shine Cosmetics! I have super sensitive skin and can use all the products with no problems. I love that when I use the BB cream it gives me full coverage without feeling like I am wearing anything at all. I could go on and on about each product because I truly love it all.” -Tawnya Nelson

But you don’t need to take their word for it—or mine. Give Shine a try for yourself.

Ever look in the mirror late in the afternoon and find that your makeup looks very different than it did when you left the house this morning? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. This happens to all of us. Throughout the day, your makeup is going to fade a little. It’s incredibly frustrating, but luckily, there are a few things you can do to help your makeup last a lot longer, so that you look as incredible walking out of work as you did walking in.

Exfoliate Regularly

The first step to long-lasting makeup is not related to your makeup at all—it’s all about your skin care. Your makeup will go on more smoothly and last a lot longer when it’s applied to smooth, healthy skin. So make sure that you’re taking good care of your face and exfoliating twice a week. This will polish away dead skin cells and leave a nice, smooth canvas for your makeup. Plus, with beautiful, glowing skin, you may be able to use less makeup to begin with!

Use a Primer

Long-lasting makeup begins with a good primer. Primer provides a smooth and even surface for your makeup, and keeps the makeup from absorbing into your skin, which helps it to last longer. Just make sure you’re using the right primer for your skin type—use an oil-free formula if you have oily skin, but use a hydrating primer if you find yourself battling dry patches. You may also want to invest in an eyelid primer to keep your eyeshadow flawless throughout the day.

Use Light Layers

You’ve probably heard that wearing several light layers of clothing will keep you warmer than one heavy coat. Well, a similar concept applies to your makeup. Lightly layering your makeup on will help it to last a lot longer, as well as looking more natural than a single heavy layer. This rule applies to your lipstick, eye makeup, and your base makeup.

Use That Liner

The key to long-lasting lip color lies with the liner. Learn to use your lip liner to “map” your lips and create a frame for your lipstick or lip stain. You’ll want to frame your lips, especially the corners and your cupid’s bow, to give your lipstick grip and structure. Apply your lipstick or lip stain in soft layers, then finish it with a coating of lip liner to set it. We currently carry five different shades of lip liner to complement a wide variety of lip shades.

Try a Setting Spray

If you do all of the above and still find your makeup vanishing by the end of the day, look into a makeup setting spray. This is the makeup equivalent of hairspray, allowing you to set your look for the entire day. A quick mist of setting spray before you leave the house can help keep everything in place for many more hours than without.

Hands Off

The final key to long-lasting makeup is about your face-touching habits. We all habitually touch our faces throughout the day, but every touch removes makeup from your skin and adds oils to your face—not to mention spreading germs and viruses. No matter how great your makeup us, or how persistent you are about the above steps, if you are constantly touching or rubbing your face, you might as well not bother. So keep your hands off your face, and your makeup will be that much more likely to last throughout the day.

All of the makeup from Shine is made for long-lasting wear, helping you to shine throughout your day. By using high-quality products and following the steps above, you can keep your makeup beautiful for hours longer, and go through your day with unshakable confidence.

You take extra care with your makeup every day. You watch makeup tutorials, meticulously apply every part of your makeup, and take pride in looking incredible. But no matter how particular you are with your makeup routine, you can’t achieve a truly perfect look with shabby tools. The brushes and other tools in your makeup kit require very specific care, and failing to provide that care can lead to a number of problems: makeup clumping in the bristles, dingy color for your eyeshadow, spotty application, difficulty blending, brushes wearing out too soon, etc.

So how do you properly care for every tool in your makeup kit? Here is a detailed guide for every brush you use.

Bristle Brushes

From foundation brushes and blush brushes to every size and shape of shadow brush, here’s how you care for every bristle brush in your makeup kit:

• How Often? Any brushes you use around your eyes should be cleaned twice a month. All others can be cleaned once a month. However, dermatologists recommend that you soak your brushes at least once a week to prevent product buildup.
• What to Use? If you have a brush cleaner, that’s the best option. However, you can also use any gentle soap. Make sure it’s the gentle variety, as regular soap can dry out the bristles.
• How to Clean? Wet the bristles in lukewarm water, and place a small amount of soap or brush cleaner in the palm of your hand. Gently massage the bristles of the brush in your palm, then rinse. Use a clean towel to squeeze out any excess moisture, then reshape the head and lay the brush with the bristles hanging over the edge of the counter. This allows the brush to dry in the proper shape, and prevents mildew.
• When to Toss It? If your bristles are fraying, shedding, or losing their shape, it is likely time to replace your brush.
• Extra Tips? While cleaning, keep the base of the brush head out of the soap and water, and never let your brushes dry vertically. This can allow soap and moisture into the ferrule (the piece connecting the bristles to the wand), which can cause the glue to degrade and the bristles to shed.

Sponges

Here’s how to care for all the sponges in your kit, including foundation sponges and eyeshadow sponge brushes:

• How Often? Sponges should be washed after every few uses, or once there is no longer a clean section to use. You may also want to rinse after every use to prevent buildup of bacteria.
• What to Use? You can use any mild soap or gentle shampoo.
• How to Clean? Fully soak your sponge under running water. Apply a few drops of soap or shampoo to your fingers, then use your fingers to work any product out of the sponge. This may take a while if you haven’t washed your sponges for a long time. When you’ve gotten the product out, rinse the sponge until the water runs clear and all the suds are out. Wring the sponge out (or squeeze it out, for sponge brushes) then pat with a towel and allow to air dry.
• When to Toss It? If your sponge is beginning to degrade or is permanently discolored from product, it’s time to toss it.
• Extra Tips? If you’re worried about the sponge growing mold, cut it in half and check for mildew growth. If it’s clean, you can continue to use the sponge pieces. If you find mold, toss it out.

Metal Tools

For your metal makeup tools, including tweezers, eyebrow trimmers, and eyelash curlers, use the following care tips:

• How Often? Because many of these tools are used around your eyes, you should wash them with soap and water with very use, and thoroughly sanitize every two weeks.
• What to Use? For washing, you can use an antibacterial soap and warm water. If sanitizing, use a cotton ball soaked in an alcohol solution like isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.
• How to Clean? When washing, apply a small amount of soap to your fingers and rub down the tool thoroughly. Rinse and pat dry with a towel. If sanitizing, after you’ve washed the item, wipe it down with your alcohol-soaked cotton ball and let it dry a few moments. Then give it another rinse to remove any lingering alcohol solution.

When it comes to achieving the look you desire, the tools you use are just as important as the makeup itself. So give your brushes the care they deserve, and store them properly using one of our brush boxes, or the storage box included with our brush set. And if you find yourself in need of a new makeup brush—or are simply looking for a higher-quality tool—Shine carries every brush you need, as well as a full brush set so that you can truly shine.

Why do women buy makeup? Is it really all about making ourselves more appealing to others? Is it only because we’ve been fed false images of beauty, and been baited into holding ourselves up to unrealistic expectations? Or is there something more behind our love of makeup?

Women have had a love affair with makeup for centuries. So let’s explore that relationship and learn a little more about the love story between women and their cosmetics.

Ancient Cosmetics

Ancient Egyptians (both male and female) are credited with creating the first cosmetics. They used a combination of copper and lead ore, among other ingredients, to paint their eyes. In fact, you can see the evidence of cosmetics in many pieces of Ancient Egyptian art. The bust of Nefertiti, for example, is over 3,300 years old, and any woman will recognize that this powerful queen is wearing eyeliner.

But the Egyptians weren’t the only ones wearing makeup thousands of years ago. Ancient Greeks and Romans used cosmetics like kohl to line the eyes, and skin creams made of rosewater, olive oil, and beeswax to keep their faces smooth.

Makeup Over the Years

Over the centuries, makeup continued to develop in many ways, becoming symbolic in some cultures, and a sign of beauty and affluence in others. Many different materials were used, including natural ingredients like berries, safflower petals, and even bird droppings. Many women even risked their health for the sake of beauty by using dangerous products like white lead paint, which contained arsenic, in order to try to lighten their skin for a more aristocratic look.

For a while, makeup actually fell out of style, and during the early 1900s, women hardly work makeup at all; it was mostly reserved for stage and movie performers, and was typically only available for purchase in theatrical costume stores. But the influence of those movie stars began to take its toll, and women soon wanted to mimic the starlets on the silver screen. By 1910, makeup was quickly becoming the fashion in America and Europe, and women were falling in love with it all over again.

Our Modern Love of Makeup

According to a recent article from People, women spend an average of $15,000 on makeup in their lifetimes. This includes:

• $3,770 on mascara
• $2,750 on eyeshadows
• $1,780 on lipstick

The rest goes to foundation, bronzer, rouges, eyeliners, and more—the exact division varying greatly depending on the woman. So who can we blame for this giant hit to our bank accounts over our lifetimes? While our modern love affair with makeup does have roots in Hollywood, it’s hard to blame the media for our makeup obsession when Cleopatra herself took the time to put on eyeliner in the morning.

In reality, women’s love affair with makeup comes down to one simple thing: It’s less about looking good, and more about feeling good. However much time you may take applying your makeup in the morning, that time is all about you. It’s almost a therapeutic experience, helping you to mentally prepare for the day as you take those few precious moments to pay attention to nobody but yourself. And when you give of yourself all day, those few minutes mean a lot.

Plus, when you’re finished with that morning routine, you feel confident, empowered, and beautiful. Regardless of where our love affair with makeup truly began, what matters most is how this love story ends—with a deeper love for ourselves. Now that’s what we call a happy ending.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. But we don’t think the Day of Love should be all about finding the perfect guy. It should be about falling in love with your own beauty, and treating yourself the way you deserve on this special day. So this Valentine’s Day, make your look about defining your own beauty, and not about pleasing someone else. With that in mind, here are a few makeup trends that you may want to consider trying to give yourself a new, stunning look that is entirely your own.

Go for Gold

We believe that a woman’s beauty is worth more than gold. But that doesn’t mean gold can’t be a part of your makeup routine! This Valentine’s Day, try adding a bit of shimmer to your look. We recommend trying our Strive lip gloss over your favorite nude lip color. Or, layer it over a soft pink lip color for a rose gold effect that will have you falling head over heels in love with your new look.

Roses Are Red

Rosy colors don’t have to be limited to your lips and cheeks. This year, rosy eyeshadows have become extremely popular. Why not give it a try yourself and see if this new look helps to capture your true beauty? We carry several rose-toned eyeshadows, including Harmony, Grace, and Hope.

A Lasting Kiss

If you happen to be sharing Valentine’s Day with a special someone, the last thing you want is to end up sharing your lip color. More and more women are switching from lipsticks to long-lasting lipstains that don’t smudge or fade. Our LipLast line provides a smooth application and long-lasting finish that’s perfect for a romantic night filled with stolen kisses.

Berry Beautiful

Red is a traditional color for Valentine’s Day, but the bold red lip is not for everyone. If your unique beauty calls for something else, consider trying a berry-toned lip color. With a variety of hues—from the bold to the bashful—berry lip colors work beautifully with many skin tones. Our favorites include Genuine and Intent, from our LipLast collection, and our Beloved lip liner.

Make this Valentine’s Day less about looking for love, and more about falling in love with your own, unique beauty. We hope these makeup trends can help you to explore your look and find a definition of beauty that can truly let you shine.