Makeup Tips/How To

Name: Taylor Leigh
Location: New York, NY
Day job/current gig: Full-time dog mom

Hangouts online: mylucitedreams.com, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Current favorite product: RMS Beauty Oil. NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer is a very close second.
Beauty inspirations: ’60s mod, late ’60s and ’70s rock and roll, the ocean and the runway
One word that best describes your outlook on beauty: Natural

What makeup/beauty products can’t you live without?

I cannot live without an antioxidant-rich, natural and organic facial oil and serum. I am currently obsessed with RMS’ Beauty Oil. Other absolute musts are the Shiseido Eyelash Curler paired with L’Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara, the only two products that add definition on my otherwise invisible lashes. It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye concealer is the absolute best at concealing my dark under-eye circles with a natural finish. MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Liner in Mat Black for my signature cat-eye.

When did you start getting into makeup?

I have always loved makeup, along with painting, and I found a similarity between the two. I didn’t start wearing makeup until I was 14, and it was just mascara. At 16, I discovered black liquid liner and started to draw a cat-eye, which later evolved into the one I wear today.

What’s your best beauty time-saving trick?

Tinted moisturizers and BB Creams are huge time savors for the ease in which they apply, but I never use either as a substitute for skin care or SPF. Also, a multi-use cream blush for both lips and cheeks and everything applied using your fingertips. I recommend spending the most time defining the eye area with mascara and liner.

What’s your favorite beauty tool?

The Shiseido Eyelash Curler.

What’s the best beauty advice you ever received?

Wear your SPF. I have diligently worn sunscreen and kept my face out of the sun since I was 18. I am thankful that I did so.

What’s your skincare routine?

I have a natural approach to skin care, using only products with natural and organic ingredients. For me, a natural skin care routine has been the most effective. I never, ever fall asleep with makeup on and always properly cleanse and hydrate my skin, no matter what.

In the mornings, I cleanse with Shea Terra Organics Moroccan Argan & African Wild Honey Cleansing Elixir. I use One Love Organics Active Moisture Vitamin B Enzyme Cleansing Oil & Makeup Remover twice in the evenings, one time to remove makeup and again to thoroughly cleanse. I use a Clarisonic 2-3 times a week with the Honey cleanser. After cleansing, I tone with the Toning Mist from Kahina or Sanita’s Moisture Mist. I keep both toners cool in the refrigerator. I then apply RMS Beauty Oil both day and night. For a serum, I use One Love Organics Active Moisture Vitamin C Serum, and if I need additional moisture I use Kahina Argan Oil in the evenings. For weekly treatments, I alternate several different masks and exfoliating treatments. I adore the Detox Mask and Protein Masks from Osmia Organics. I also use Kahina’s Antioxidant Mask, May Lindstrom’s Clean Dirt, and Origins Plantscription mask.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve tried in the name of beauty?

I’ve done some strange DIY beauty treatments when I was younger, like mayonaisse in my hair, egg white facials, and I added some very colorful streaks to my hair using Kool-aid.

Do you have a trademark look (hair/styling/makeup)?

I like to play around with new looks and trends but I definitely maintain a defining ‘look’. My look is long straight hair, side-parted to the right, black winged-liner, a nude lip and a dewy complexion.

Are there any beauty decisions you’ve made that you look back on and ask yourself, “why?!”

There aren’t too many, but there certainly are a few. I once cut my hair very short, my inspiration being Gwyneth Paltrow in ‘Great Expectations’. It wasn’t a look that worked well for my naturally curly, frizzy hair. I thought I could somehow maintain the look but you can’t really straighten really short hair well. That was the year of the bandana. I also wore the shade Bubbles from MAC for a good amount of years that gave me that “white lip” look.

Where are your favorite places to shop?

For beauty, I love Sephora, Barneys, Neiman Marcus, spiritbeautylounge.com and beautyhabit.com. For clothing and accessories I frequent Century 21 Department Store, Bloomingdales, a number of small boutiques in Soho, and online at asos, shopbop, and revolveclothing.com.

Anything else you want to share?

I have many hobbies, including making jewelry, playing guitar, drawing and painting. I also have a great passion for alternative medicine, aromatherapy, and herbs. I believe that dogs are people too and this includes my 9 y/o Maltese Blu, whom I love to spoil.

Name: Tiffany Nguyen
Location: Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Day job/current gig: Pharmacy student
Hangouts online: willworkformakeup.blogspot.com, Twitter and Instagram
Current favorite product: Guerlain Terracotta Light Sheer Bronzing Powder in 04 Sun Blondes. Instantly believable sun-kissed skin? Yes, please.
Beauty inspirations: My best friends, clear blue skies, tropical beaches
One word that best describes your outlook on beauty: Ever-changing

What makeup/beauty products can’t you live without?

Armani Master Corrector in 1 to neutralize under-eye darkness, Urban Decay Primer Potion, Dior Matte Bronzer in 002 Honey Matte (bring it back, Dior…or else!), Shu Uemura eyelash curler, Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Volumizing Mascara, and C.O. Bigelow My Favorite Night Balm, for the softest lips ever come morning.

When did you start getting into makeup?

I’ve been enamored with makeup for as long as I can remember, and I think my mom not allowing me to wear it during my teens just made me obsess over it even more. It had become a full-blown addiction probably by the time I turned 16.

What’s your best beauty time-saving trick?

Skip the foundation. Instead, I like to dab liquid concealer liberally on any spots and hyperpigmentation, and blend it out using a big buffing brush, so that it kind of spreads the concealer all over like a foundation, while still being concentrated in the areas where I need the most coverage. In a time crunch, a good full-coverage liquid concealer like NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer can serve as a foundation, spot concealer and under-eye concealer, all in one. I like to think of it as a one-stop shop for all of my complexion perfecting needs.

What’s your favorite beauty tool?

Hands down, my Shu Uemura eyelash curler. My lashes are nothing without them, regardless of what mascara I use.

What’s the best beauty advice you ever received?

Makeup comes off. For this reason, I don’t really care if in 30 years I look back and think I looked ridiculous with neon pink lips or glitter on my cheeks. To me, makeup is a form of self-expression that requires little to no commitment. 


What’s your skincare routine?

In the morning, I just wash my face with the Pai Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser and moisturize with Embryolisse.

At night, I remove my makeup with Shu Uemura Fresh Cleansing Oil (it takes off waterproof mascara like nobody’s business!) and cleanse with Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm. Then, I followup with a chemical exfoliant like DDF Glycolic Toning Complex and a hydrating serum (I love Vichy’s Aqualia Thermal Serum) before topping it all off again with a healthy dose of Embryolisse.

Once a week, I’ll use my Clarisonic with some Cetaphil cleanser and maybe throw on a mask or two.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve tried in the name of beauty?

Surprisingly, nothing I can think of off the top of my head! Makes me feel like I need to venture out more.

Do you have a trademark look (hair/styling/makeup)?

Not really. I’m not particularly attached to my hair, and I’ve had it short, long, and every length in between, one day loving it and the next day hating it. I’m pretty boring when it comes to hair — I usually wear it straight, down and unstyled….due to laziness, not preference!

As for my makeup, it really all depends on how much time I have. If I’m not running against the clock, I like wearing winged liner and making sure my lower lash line is defined with some shadow or soft liner. I just think it makes my eyes stand out more. There are, however, three things that are non-negotiable: 1) under-eye concealer, 2) blush, and 3) something on my lips, although it doesn’t necessarily have to be the three specific products pictured below.

Are there any beauty decisions you’ve made that you look back on and ask yourself, “why?!”

For my 8th grade Awards Night, my best friend and I wore turquoise eyeshadow with matching turquoise loose glitter patted on top…from lash line to eyebrow. Let me just tell you, there is no amount of blending in the whole world that could’ve made that not look cray cray. But, you know what? We had fun and loved how we looked that night. Though I don’t regret it necessarily, I wish I could’ve told my 13-year-old self that loose glitter is not eye safe!

Oh, the horror.

Where are your favorite places to shop?

For makeup: Sephora. If I’m buying products from a luxury brand not available at Sephora, I’d rather just buy online. I hate makeup counters. Too much pressure. For clothes: H&M and Nordstrom Rack. For anything and everything: Target.

Name: Celia San Miguel
Location: New York, NY
Day job/current gig: I’m a freelance writer for a number of magazines (mainly LATINA), and I’m also a social media manager for a leading digital agency in NYC. In addition to that, I’m also an on-air style and beauty expert, working mainly with Telemundo here in NYC.
Hangouts online: sickathanaverage.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Current favorite product: Make Up For Ever Aqua Rouge lip color and Ouidad’s Moisture Lock Leave-in Conditioner
Beauty inspirations: Markets, flappers, can-can dancers, Chinese hibiscus flowers, pink peonies, parakeets, butterflies, Mick Rock’s glam rock photographs, Brazilian samba dancers, punk fashion…. The list is endless!
One word that best describes your outlook on beauty: Exuberant 😉

What makeup/beauty products can’t you live without?

The list of products is endless! Starting with the basics, I can’t live without my Clarisonic Mia 2 for a really deep and thorough cleanse. I’m always testing different facial cleansers, but I tend to come back to the Korres Wild Rose Daily Brightening Cleanser, the Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash, the Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser, and the L’Occitane Immortelle Precious Cleansing Foam. As far as moisturizers and anti-aging products, I like using the Caudalie Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid SPF 15 over the Estée Lauder Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator during the day and, at night, I apply the Clarins Double Serum and then add my nightly moisturizer (either Caudalie’s Premier Cru or L’Occitane’s Immortelle Precious Night Cream). And that’s just skincare!

As a makeup junkie it’s so hard to pick just a handful of products! For the face, I love Tarte Cosmetics’ BB Cream, Make Up For Ever’s Pro Finish Foundation, Hourglass Cosmetics’ Veil Fluid Makeup, Tarte’s Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation, Hourglass Cosmetics’ Ambient Lighting Powder, and NARS’ blushes (Orgasm is still one of my all-time fave shades). For eyes, I swear by Urban Decay’s eye shadow palettes (the Naked 2 palette is so fantastic!) and Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Shadow pencils. And, since I’m all about bright lips, I tend to gravitate to Illamasqua’s lipsticks and Make Up For Ever’s Rouge Artist lipsticks or, for a more liquid, slick look, I’ll use Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Rouge lip colors or OCC Makeup’s Lip Tars.

When did you start getting into makeup?

I think around the time I was five or six! I remember watching my grandma getting ready in the morning, and she had this ritual that seemed so glamorous to me as a wide-eyed little girl. I still remember the facial massages she gave herself while applying her Pond’s Cold Cream and the way she’d blot her lips after smoothing on her favorite shade of lipstick (a wine-ish red from Estée Lauder). It was magic to me.

What’s your best beauty time-saving trick?

A healthy, glowing complexion and a bright lip goes a long way. When in a rush, I’ll typically reach for one of my favorite tinted moisturizers (I adore Hourglass’ Illusion Tinted Moisturizer, NARS’ Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer, and Tarte’s Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer), and then I’ll mix that with a drop of luminizer, like the NARS Illuminator or one of Make Up For Ever’s Uplight shades. When you apply the mixture to your face, you’ll get that nice bit of coverage with an added glow that makes you appear lit from within. Add a nice, creamy lip color in a vibrant shade and you’ll be good to go!

What’s your favorite beauty tool?

I’m currently obsessed with the TRIA Hair Removal Laser. I always suffered from ingrown hairs on my legs and, since I started using the TRIA a year ago, it’s ceased to be a problem (and, of course, there’s less hair growth overall, which cuts down on shaving time). Given how costly in-office laser removal treatments tend to be, this tool is as an absolute lifesaver.

What’s the best beauty advice you ever received?

Hmmmm… So many things come to mind! I think some of the greatest advice I received involved the art of using concealer. For example, to cover a reddish patch or a blemish, you want to use a concealer with a mint-y, light green tint so as to neutralize the redness and then, afterward, dab on a neutral shade that matches your skin tone. Similarly, to cover purplish or blue under-eye circles, you’ll want to reach for an orange-tinged concealer and, again, dab the neutral shade above this one. It’s all about make up color theory and learning which hues neutralize each other, which complement each other, and so forth.

What’s your skincare routine?

Check out the answer to the No. 1 question. 😉

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve tried in the name of beauty?

There were several peels that were a bit scary (to say the least), but I think some of the weirdest things have involved at-home, DIY treatments that I attempted (like coffee scrubs and hair masks with egg yolks and mayonnaise and avocado). I’ve learned over the years that I’m not particularly gifted at whipping up these all-natural beauty remedies and treatments, so I pretty much steer clear, since having to clean up the mess afterwards is never fun.

Do you have a trademark look (hair/styling/makeup)?

Not really! I love to experiment with different looks — it’s part of the fun for me. That being said, I love color, so you’ll usually find me wearing either bright eye colors or vibrant lip hues.

Are there any beauty decisions you’ve made that you look back on and ask yourself, “why?!”

Of course! I wore acrylic nails as a teen and twenty-something and I thought I looked so fly but, really, it was a hot mess! And then, of course there is the plethora of botched hair color experiments, which include a jet black color that left me looking like Wednesday Adams and a bright, orange-tinged red that was Carrot Top all the way.

Where are your favorite places to shop?

I love Sephora, of course, as well as Ulta, but I also love going into drugstores and roaming along their beauty aisles — whether it’s Duane Reade, CVS, or Walgreens.

Anything else you want to share?

For one, I own over 50 perfumes, and I wear them all since I firmly believe in switching up scents depending on your mood, your outfit, and your destination. What else? I have tiny feet, so even my 11-year-old stepdaughter wears a larger shoe size than me (it’s kind of embarrassing). Oh, and you’ll never catch me without earrings on — I even wear tiny studs when I sleep! What other random factoid can I give you? Oh yeah: some kids used to call me Punky Brewster as a kid, which I secretly loved since I always thought she was so scrappy and funky. Oh, and I used to have the hugest crush on Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest when I was a teeny bopper, and I still get hype every time “Scenario” comes on!

Name: Xiao Lim
Location: New York, NY
Day job/current gig: I work in the marketing division of a start-up company.

Hangouts online: messywands.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+
Current favorite product: RMS Luminizer (one-stop highlighter for all skin tones)
Beauty inspirations: Keira Knightley, Tao Okamoto, Michelle Williams in that recent Louis Vuitton ad, and Gong Li
One word that best describes your outlook on beauty: Experimental

What makeup/beauty products can’t you live without?

My Shu Uemura retractable brow pencil in Seal Brown. It’s not available in the United States anymore, so I have to buy it in bulk when I visit home (Malaysia).

When did you start getting into makeup?

I was 18 years old when I *really* stepped into a MAC store for the first time…

What’s your best beauty time-saving trick?

Use fingers. You can blend out eyeshadow in the crease with your fingers if you want it badly enough!

What’s your favorite beauty tool?

Oh, dear. I suppose if my apartment were burning and I could only save one thing I’d say my brushes (it took years of shopping on different continents to amass my current lineup), but skincare is more essential to me.

What’s the best beauty advice you ever received?

My mom told me not to put on so much makeup. I still disagree with her when I want to have fun with my face, but I try to remember that behind her gentle admonishment is a reminder that I should take good care of my skin so it’ll last me through, oh, forever hopefully.


What’s your skincare routine?

In order: Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist, Ole Henriksen Truth Serum, Tatcha Ageless Revitalizing Eye Cream, then it’s a choice between Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil, Tatcha Ageless Enriched Renewal Cream, Tatcha Camellia Beauty Oil, or Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve tried in the name of beauty?

I racked my brain and couldn’t think of anything that’s truly out of this world. I’ve actually managed to enjoy facial extractions?

Do you have a trademark look (hair/styling/makeup)?

Arianne of The Glitter Geek fame coined my trademark blog photo pose as “deer in headlights,” which is pretty accurate. As for makeup, I go from no-makeup makeup to full on 1920s excess in the space of a single post.

Are there any beauty decisions you’ve made that you look back on and ask yourself, “why?!”

My batwing eyebrow phase, though that’s less a “decision” than an unfortunate (and unfortunately well documented) period of my life when I just didn’t have good eyebrow drawing technique.

Where are your favorite places to shop?

I love Nordstrom.com and Sephora.com for their great testing (otherwise known as return) policies. I try not to return products unless I absolutely have to, but the ease of shopping through those two places is the reason why I’m increasingly relying on e-shopping. As for clothes and shoes, Shopbop.com and Zappos.com have similar policies!

Anything else you want to share?

Puppies are adorable, too!