5 Hair & Makeup Tips for Easter

Photo from Fashion Meets Food

Remember when Easter meant searching for eggs, eating tons of chocolate, and wearing your adorable Easter bonnet?  For better or worse, grown up Easter now means sipping mimosas, chatting with family, and looking fabulous - of course!

Why not use your Easter fete as an excuse to try a new makeup look?  Step out of your comfort zone of neutral eyes and a touch of mascara.  Elevate your Easter from everyday to extra special.  Here are five fabulous ideas for making the most out of your Easter makeup:

1.  Punch up your eyes with pastels.  Lucky for us, pastel colors are all the rage right now.  We're seeing eyes swathed in lilac purples and pretty blues, even mint green.  Just stick to one or two complimentary colors to avoid looking like an Easter basket yourself.  Swipe a bright color on your whole lids then blend up into a light neutral by your brows.

2.  Embrace colored eyeliner.  A little pop of color on the liner of your lids can make your eyes stand out.  Switch from regular black to a fun color like blue, green, or purple.  A swipe of green "can be ethereal if it's left alone or more dramatic when followed by a few coats of mascara" says Allure Magazine and purple is universally falttering.  If you want to tone down the color a little bit, apply black or brown eyeliner first then layer a bright color on top of it.  You can also apply a shimmering eye shadow color with an eyeliner brush dipped in water as an alternative to eye shadow.

3.  Be Blushing - make sure to apply a brilliant and shimmering blush.  You'll want to look great in all those family photos, so opt for a color that pops but doesn't distract from the rest of your look like the ever popular Nars Orgasam.  Remember, your blush should always be a graceful transition from your eyes to your lips.

4.  Paint your nails!  There's no better reason to break out all those pastel nail colors than Easter.  Opt for a grown up manicure in a pretty purple pastel like "Play Date" from Essie or try the two tone nail trend or pick two complimentary colors like a pastel pink and pinkish beige, then alternate the two colors on your nails.  Of course if you're feeling especially playful you could pick five different Easter egg inspired shades and paint each nail a different color.

5.   Pick a spectacular hair style.  Easter is a care-free, relaxed holiday, so make sure your hair has the same feeling.  There's no wrong way to wear your hair long and flowing - opt for loose waves, sleek strands, or bouncy curls.  If you need extra volume, make sure to check out Big Sexy Hair's What a Tease Backcomb in a Bottle.  You'll be amazed at how much volume you can get without ratting your hair.  Pick up your bottle at the Styling Studio.

Above all though, don't forget your smile!

How will you be styling yourself for Easter this year?

~Kirsten

Pretty Product Picks for Spring

We'll be the first to confess, sometimes we like to pick out our products by the bottle or color.  So here are some of our favorite products we'd pick just because they're pretty.

For Eyes
Rimmel London Union Jack Eye Shadows in collaboration with Kate Moss - makes us want to fly our flag, although we're also in love with the super easy smoky eye palates from Almay, Intense i-Color Satin - i makes creating a colored smoky eye as easy as 1-2-3-literally.  To try the colored eyeliner trend with ease, try Tarte's Aqua-Gel Eyeliner in a rainbow of glide on colors.

For Lips
This perfectly pink shimmer gloss looks gorgeous in or out of the bottle: M.A.C. Dazzle Glass in Extra Amps.  If you want smoothness without the color, Maybelline Baby Lips is the way to go.  These bright poppy colors would look good in any purse, plus they come packed with spf!  Another perfect for the spring/summer transition is the newest line from Mary Kay - The Art of Nature Limited Edition Dual Lip Glaze in warm coral or glistening sand, the tube contains color and clear gloss all in one.

For Everything Else
This Philosophy 4 in 1 is perfect for on the go touch ups and saving space: Philosophy Divine Color Tint.  Don't ignore your nails, Essie has a fabulous new Resort 2012 collection featuring pretty purples with fun names like "No More Film."

Do you use pretty packaging as an excuse to buy new makeup?  What are your favorite spring makeup products?

~Kirsten

Spring 2012 Beauty Trends to Try

Spring always brings a bevy of new styles, colors, and trends to try.  We see inspiration from the fashion week shows around the world as well as the blooming flowers and warmer weather!  Here are my top three favorite beauty trends for Spring 2012.

Bright Bold Colors

Neons are back!  Kids of the 80s have no need to fear though, these bold colors are matte this time around and without the metallic sheen of the 1980s.  Look for stand alone hues with deep saturated pigments and wear them on only one part at a time.  If you're sporting bold eyes, keep your lips and cheeks subtle whereas extra bright lips call for a neutral eye.  I love the look of a bright, poppy eye colored paired with a pinkish lip color.  Neons are on trend for nails too!

Products I like: Cover Girl Eye Enhancers in Purple Pop applied with a wet eye shadow brush and paired with a neutral like Lancome Seasonal Effects Eye Shadow Smooth Hold in Daylight.  OPI Nail Lacquer in Pink Flamingo or Essie Spring Resort 2012 Collection in No More Film.
Photos from: Glamour Magazine, Bella Mumma, Cover Girl, Lancome

Pastels

Pastels usually make a spring appearance, but this year they're in more concentrated hues including lots of lilac, ice blues, and even green lip gloss that got beauty blogger buzzing.  When wearing pastels stick to one or two colors to keep from looking like an Easter egg, and definitely stay away from matching your makeup directly to your outfit...you don't want to be mint green from head to toe.

Products I like: Lancome Color Fever Lip Gloss in  Green Petal, Tarte Cosmetics Aqua Get Eye Liner in Green and Plum,
Photos from: Elle Magazine, Case Collective, Love LipGloss & Pumps, Tarte Cosmetics

Bold Brows

I've always been an advocate of defining your brows!  Now the trend in brows is straying away from delicate and over plucked but rather embracing the strong, bold brow.  You'll need a good Lash & Brow Groomer Brush paired with a good eyebrow tint or gel.  Pair this look with neutral eyes and a nude lip to make the biggest impact.  2012 is all about the state of the brow.

Products I like: E.L.F. Studio Eyebrow Kit, EcoTools Lash & Brow Groomer, L'Oreal Paris Eye Shadow Quad in Desert Sunrise
Photos from: Our Vanity, E.L.F. Cosmetics

Which one of these trends are your favorite?  Wearing another spring trend?  Have you tried them all?  Leave me a note and let me know!
~Kirsten