Category Archives: Tutorials & Tips

Our IMATS 2010 Trip

IMATS Ben NyeIf you follow us on Twitter, you already know that we went to IMATS on Saturday November 6th. (IMATS stands for the International Make-up Artist Trade Show.) Anyone can attend as long as you purchase a ticket – you don’t have to be a makeup artist. Fiona and I aren’t makeup artists, but we went because of our passion for (heh, or addiction to!) beauty products.

At IMATS, there were lots of booths offering huge markdowns on cosmetics from brands like NYX, Ben Nye, Stila, Crown Brushes, and Make Up For Ever. And you could also watch competitions and attend seminars where professional makeup gurus dished some tricks of the trade. (Scroll down in the post for tips we picked up from Koren Zander (aka EnKore). There was a lot to see and do! Continue reading

Share

The Ongoing Debate – Is Toner Necessary?

** This post was written by Fiona. She no longer blogs for Swatch And Learn. However, Mary still continues to blog and will be happy to reply to your comment. **

Let me start off by saying I’m not a licensed beautician or dermatologist. I’m just someone who has always wondered: is toner really necessary? Unfortunately, I don’t have a straight-forward answer, but I do have some information I’d like to share with you. Continue reading

Share

15 Tips for How to Make Your Manicure Last Longer

Nail PolishesMy obsession with everything nail polish started a few years ago, and I’ve picked up some tips and tricks for how to make your manicure last.

Now whenever I paint my nails, colors last 7 days on average before I see a single chip.

You take great care applying nail polish, so it sucks big potatoes when it chips after only a day. Find out some easy things you can do to get more manicure mileage! Continue reading

Share

8 Beauty Uses for Cotton Swabs

** This post was written by Fiona. She no longer blogs for Swatch And Learn. However, Mary still continues to blog and will be happy to reply to your comment. **

There are so many beauty helpfuls out there that make applying products easier or allow you to achieve that professional finish. One of my favorites: cotton swabs. It’s so versatile and useful!

.

Continue reading

Share

The 2 Essential Eye Brushes You Need

Money doesn’t grow on trees. Neither do eye brushes.

Stepping into the world of makeup can make you feel like Dorothy Gale opening that door and trading in her grayscale universe for a Technicolor marvel. But as beautiful as it is, you may feel overwhelmed. MAC, Sigma & Everyday Minerals BrushesWhich eye brushes should you get if you’re a beginner?

You don’t have to splurge and go all out for an entire brush collection if your piggy bank’s squealing for you to bring home the bacon. There are just 2 essential eye brushes every starter kit should have, and I’ll tell you what to look for and I’ll provide some specific recommendations for each type. Continue reading

Share