Top 10 Makeup Hacks.

While I may have shared a lot of makeup and beauty tips over the years, I don't think I have ever shared my top beauty tips or hacks that I most often use. As it's a top ten day, I'm going to share the top makeup tips and tricks that I have learned and used over the years (some a very long time) that are real time, and in some cases, money savers.

Top 10 Makeup Hacks to Save You Time and Money

My top ten makeup hacks:

1. Mix concealer with eye cream to help concealer from settling into fine lines. It helps to further brighten up the eye area too.

2. Warm up your pencil eyeliner with a lighter. I’ve been doing this since high school! It turns the eyeliner into a gel-like formula and helps it apply and smudge easier too.

3. Make your own BB Cream! Mix an equal amount of your favorite moisturizer (with SPF of course) with your favorite liquid illuminator — about the size of a nickel of each will work. Then add about a pea-size amount of your favorite concealer to that. I swear by this in the summer months.

4. Use concealer in the center of your lips to make them appear fuller. Simply dot a bit of concealer in the center of your lips then blend it in with the warmth of your fingertip. Top with a pearl or nude lip gloss for a perfect plump pout.

5. Make your own custom tinted lip balm by mixing Vaseline (yes, good ole’ Petroleum Jelly) with your favorite loose pigments.

6. Add a few drops of saline solution to mascara that is dry or clumpy to thin it out. Don’t mistake this for extending the life of your mascara — you still need to throw it away after three months — but this helps with drier or more clumpy formulas.

7. Forgot all those fancy contour tutorials! Simply apply bronzer in the shape of a number three (or a backwards three) on your forehead, cheekbones and jawline for an easy contoured look.

8. For a quick, smoky eye look, after you apply your shadow, use your ring finger to apply a dark shadow right at the upper and lower lash line. Smudge the lower lash line again with your finger. I almost always apply my shadow to my lower lash line with my finger and smudge; it’s so routine that it took me a few minutes to realize it was probably unconventional and a makeup hack.

9. Use a nude colored eyeliner on the inner rims of the eyes (otherwise known as your waterline) to open up the eyes and make eyes look larger.

10. Get an instant eye lift! Add a dab of liquid highlighter above the arch of your eyebrows and blend over the outer part of your brow - simple!

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Teri Cosenzi

I'm Teri, your resident beauty expert. While I'm not playing with beauty products, painting my nails or shopping for makeup with my daughter who loves trying products with me, you will probably find me sneaking off to Florida with my husband of over 25 years or cheering on one of my three sons. I like baking, re-decorating, drinking tea, fussing with my flowers and facials.

MAC Zac Posen.

MAC has teamed up with womenswear designer Zac Posen for a makeup collection featuring his name, MAC Zac Posen. It's a classic collection, just like his trademark designs. From the packaging to the shades, the makeup and shades are exquisite.

"After dazzling women with his modern but timeless designs on the runway and red carpet for 13 years, New York designer Zac Posen presents his debut colour collection for M·A·C. From the iconic packaging to the square-handled contour and buffer brushes that boast the designer’s mark, every loving detail that Posen adorns on the female form takes on new shape for the face."

I rarely post photos of boxes or packaging, but I was really impressed with everything about this.

MAC Zac Posen
MAC Zac Posen

I love the simplicity of the products. The bronzer and blush are my favorite (shocker) with the 6 pan shadow palette being a keeper as well. I simply love how wearable the shades are. Worn together, they leaves eyes with a soft, everyday look that can be kicked up just a bit. The mauve and gray together are always on point, and yes, classic. The surprise is the orange lipstick.

MAC Zac Posen
MAC Zac Posen
MAC Zac Posen
MAC Zac Posen
MAC Zac Posen

The complete MAC Zac Posen makeup collection:

Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder - $27

  • Transparent pressed powder

Lipstick - $18

  • Sheer Madness - Sheer nude (lustre)
  • Darling Clementine - Bright orange (matte)
  • Dangerously Red - Blue fuchsia (matte)

Eyeshadow X 6 Eye Z You - $43.50

  • Cozy Grey - Soft white pearl (veluxe pearl)
  • Phloof! - Frosted off-white (frost)
  • After Dusk - Deep lilac (veluxe pearl)
  • Performance Art - Soft lilac w/multi-pearl (veluxe pearl)
  • Palatable - Deep frost-grey (satin)
  • Mauve Over - Soft mid-tone mauve (veluxe pearl)

Fluidline Pen - $23

  • Retro Black - Solid flat black

Zoomlash Mascara - $18

  • Zoomblack - Rich black

Powder Blush Duo - $29

  • Haute Contour- Matte neutral brown/pink coral w/pearl

Brushes
182 Buffer - $54
168 Large Angle Contour - $36

The MAC Zac Posen collection will be available beginning February 25th. Buy it at all MAC stores, counters in Nordstrom, Macy's, etc. and at maccosmetics.com.

Top 25 Mascaras.

Today is National Lash Day!

They have a day that celebrates just about everything these days, but I'm certainly not going to argue with one that's celebrating all things lashes.

If you've been following me for awhile, you know that I am mascara obsessed and I have compiled quite a few top 10 mascara lists already, so for today I thought I would go all out and run down my favorite all-time mascaras — 25 of them.

Top 25 Mascaras — From drugstore mascara to department store mascara, this list has the top mascaras to keep in your makeup bag!
Top 25 Mascaras

This mascara from NARS gives even the wimpiest of lashes major length and volume with no clumps or flakes. What I really like about it is that it works in one swipe.

Top 25 Mascaras

If your lashes lack curl, Roller Lash is the mascara to try. It not only help to curl lashes, the formula holds the curl really well. 

Roller Lash is not a big volume building mascara, but it gives great length and separation. 

15. COVERGIRL The Super Sizer by Lashblast Mascara

16. IT Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara

17. Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara

18. Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Mascara

19. L'Oréal Paris Double Extend Beauty Tubes

20. COVERGIRL Bombshell Volume Mascara

Top 25 Mascaras

If your lashes need extra help in the volume department, this is a good one to try. It is two steps to volume and two steps to HELLO I have lashes!

21. bareMinerals Lash Domination Volumizing Mascara

22. Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara

23. YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils

24. MAKE UP FOR EVER Smoky Lash Mascara

25. COVERGIRL LashBlast Volume Mascara