The holiday season is upon us and that means holiday parties and taking plenty of photos to cherish the memories made with friends and family. To avoid doing an endless number of retakes before getting a picture you like follow our top ten tips for looking photo ready:

1. Mask It: Treat blemishes or dull skin prior to your holiday party with an acne busting or brightening mask.


2. Prime It: Applying primer to your skin prior to your foundation application will smooth lines, minimize pores and help reflect light giving you the look of flawless skin.


3. Conceal It: The flash of a camera can bring attention to imperfections so be sure to use a concealer on any blemishes or dark spots.


4. Sculpt It: Want to look thinner for the holidays? Contour under your cheekbones and along your hairline and jawline to create the subtle illusion of a thinner face.


5. Dry It: Oily skin happens so keep a stash of oil absorbing sheets in your purse to dab along your t-zone before posing for the camera.


6. Shine It: Use a shine spray in your hair to give your locks luster and dimension in your photos.


7. Tame It: Take charge of flyaways with an on-the-go sized silicone based serum.


8. Highlight It: Draw attention to your eyes in a photo by highlighting your brow bone, waterline and the inner corners of your eyes with an eye brightening pencil.


9. Pop It: Add a pop of color to your face with a bright lipgloss or lipstick. May we suggest a firey and festive red?


10. Brighten It: Everyone loves a beautiful smile in photos so be sure to keep yours sparkling. Didn't plan ahead and whiten your teeth before your holiday party? That's okay, there are teeth whitening strips that can do the job in just two hours!

My favorite makeup is eyeliner and I am obsessed with cat eye makeup. I l-o-v-e it. However, I rarely do my makeup this way because I have such a hard time making both of my eyes look symmetrical. At least I used to until I came across this handy trick—scotch tape. Yes, scotch tape isn't just for wrapping gifts. All you need is two pieces of tape for each eye and volia—purrfect cat eyes.

How to Be a Girl: Cat Eyes By Magic! from The Hairpin on Vimeo.

Do you have any tricks for creating the perfect cat eye makeup look?

1. Smashbox Photo Finish Primer: I always apply this primer before putting on my foundation. I use this formula in the green tint because I have redness in my skin and I like that it makes my skin feel smoother and doubles the lasting power of my foundation.


2. Borghese Makeup Brushes: This set has every brush I need (it includes 10 brushes) and it came with a convenient travel size case.


3. Make Up Forever HD Foundation: This foundation offers great coverage. I have redness in my skin and have acne scarring but you wouldn't know it after I apply this.


4. Benefit Benetint: The color from this stain is the perfect shade of rosy red. I use it on my cheeks and lips.


5. Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner: I am a liquid liner addict. After trying dozens of brands from high end to drugstore I have found my match with Revlon. The formula applies smoothly, doesn't flake, run, and the brush has yet to dry out.


6. Blinc Heated Eyelash Curler: This curler gives me perfectly curled eye lashes with every use. I have some stubbon lashes that love to stick straight out or point down into my eye but the heat from this curler puts them in their place.


7. L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara: This mascara is amazing. I used to live by a very expensive brand name mascara until I got my makeup done for a wedding I was in. The makeup artist was using this mascara and I ran out an bought a tube the very next day. I've never had longer, thicker looking lashes with a drugstore brand before.


8. Sephora Collection Colorful Palette: I have blue-grey eyes and use the taupe palette on a daily basis. The range of neutrals can go from day to night and the quality of the shadow is great for the price.


9. Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment: I use this tint everyday the color is subtle, the formula is very hydrating and it has an SPF of 15. Everything a girl needs.


10. Nars Lipstick: When I'm wanting a little more color on my lips than what a tint can offer I reach for my Nars lipstick. This lipstick goes on smooth and matte so I can layer gloss as needed and I love the range of colors Nars offers. My current favorite color is Red Lizard.

What is currently in your makeup bag?

Choosing whether to splurge or save on makeup can be a tough decision. Will a drugstore product work as well as a department store brand? Is the department store brand truly worth the higher price? I've considered all of these and have chosen to both splurge and save depending on my budget and makeup emergency needs (sometimes running out of liquid eyeliner is an emergency). To help out my fellow thrifty gals and those who want to indulge in a name brand, I have compiled a list of my favorite products that are comparable in performance but not in price:

Moisturizer:

My makeup routine is a total bust without moisturizer. I need it, I love it. That being said I cannot always afford a fancy brand and sometimes forget to pack it when traveling and will need a trusty backup. For moisturizer, my picks are:

Splurge: Philosophy Hope In a Jar

Save: Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer

Primer:

If you want to minimize the look of your pores then you'll want a good primer. Trouble is, not all primers are created equal. I have found that these two get the job done no matter what your budget may be.

Splurge: Benefit's POREfessional Primer

Save: Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer

HD Powder

If you need to be camera ready you'll want an HD powder but you don't want the difference between looking picture perfect and camera shy to be your lack of quality makeup. These two products work, big wallet or not.

Splurge: Makeup Forever's HD Powder

Save: E.L.F. Studio High Definition Powder

Liquid Liner

I am a sucker for a good liquid liner. However, my budget doesn't always allow for a liner splurge. Are my eyes going to suffer because I can't get my hands on my favorite brand? No way. Spend or save, these liners will have you covered.

Splurge: Stila Stay All Day Liner

Save: Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner

Mascara

My desert island makeup choice would be mascara. It's that important to my makeup regime. That being said, I've tried a lot of brands and these two pack a powerful punch. One is a high-end brand with sky-high lash results and the other is budget friendly and was spotted in the cosmetic bag of a professional makeup artist.

Splurge: Dior DiorShow Black Out Mascara

Save: L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara

Cheek/Lip Stain

I am a big fan of lasting color and a product that can keep both my cheeks and lips rosy is a winner in my makeup bag. These two products handle both flawlessly.

Splurge: Benefit's Benetint

Save: Sephora Collection Lush Flush

Do you have powder blush that you no longer wear in your makeup bag? Put it to good use by turning it into a custom tinted lip balm.

How To Make Your Own Tinted Lip Balm

Supplies:

• Powder Blush (or pink/peach/red tinted powder eye shadows)
• Vaseline
• Contact Lens Case
• Paper Plate
• Spoon

Steps:

1. Start by putting a dollop of Vaseline on your paper plate.
2. Add a small amount of your blush to the Vaseline and mix well with a spoon.
3. Test the color on your lips, add more powder if you want a darker balm or add more Vaseline to make it lighter and more like a gloss.
4. Once you have your desired color, scoop up your balm using your spoon and put in it your clean contact lens case.

Now you have a new lip color that can travel with you. Take advantage of the contact case having two caps and experiment with the depth of the colored balm so you can carry two shades in your case—one for day and the other for night.

 

 

Make your eyes pop with these simple makeup tricks:

Larger Eyes:

If you are wanting your eyes to look larger try a highlighting your eyes in a pearly white or soft champagne shade of eye shadow. Apply the shadow to your lids and the inner corners of your eyes. You can also trace the inside rim of your lower lids with a white eye pencil for extra widening.

Close Set Eyes:

If you want to make your eyes appear to be closer set try applying a shade of shimmery brown to your lids. Swipe this color on your lids and blend into the inner corners of your eyes. A sable brown shadow will help draw your eyes together while also catching light and brightening them.

Lifted Eyes:

If you want to make your eyes appear to be more lifted apply liquid liner to your top lash line only. Create a cat-eye at the outer corners of your eyes to fake a lifted look. Finish by curling your lashes and applying a lengthening mascara formula.

Ever been on a date or at a job interview and had a beauty blunder with no makeup in your purse to fix it?

We've been there too and learned some stealthy tricks along the way. Anyone can become a Beauty MacGyver and these tips can help you nix any imperfections with everyday items:

Zit On The Way. Feel a zit coming on and don't have a spot treatment handy? Grab that bottle of hand sanitizer and dab it on your emerging blemish. The alcohol in the hand sanitizer will help dry out the zit and keep that whitehead at bay.

Melting Mascara. Have mascara or eyeliner everywhere except where it's supposed to be? Don't rub it off, the skin around your eyes is very delicate rubbing can cause redness or irritation. Instead, use a dab of hand lotion on a tissue and gently swipe away the excess makeup. Your lotion works as a cream cleanser and erases any mistakes‐just be sure to not get it in your eye.

Food In Your Teeth. Got a piece of food in your teeth with no floss or toothpick in sight? Use the corner of a business card or pinch a drinking straw together to create a sharp edge and dislodge the offending food.

Wine Stained. To prevent a wine stained smile rub a very thin layer of lip balm over your teeth. The balm will help create a barrier and not allow your smile to become tarnished. Got wine stained lips? Mix a sugar packet with a bit of water in the palm of your hand to create an exfoliator and gently buff the sugar water onto your lips to work away the stain.

Grease Zone. T-Zone feeling greasy? Excuse yourself to the restroom and use a toilet seat cover as an oil blotting sheet.

Have any beauty tricks? Leave us a comment, shoot us an email, find us on Twitter or Facebook and let us about your beauty trick that saved the day!

Summer may be coming to a close and as you're off to escape the norm at the beach, remember not to ditch your routine entirely—your beauty routine that is. We like to tone down our beauty routine while soaking up the sun but there are some essentials you just can't skip. These are our beach bag beauty essentials:

• Sunscreen. Don't ever think of spending a day in the sun without it. We recommend using a sunscreen that is waterproof so you'll be protected while you're in and out of the water.


• Waterproof mascara. Sometimes all you need is a bit of mascara to look put together and if we were to only have one piece of makeup with us on a deserted island a great waterproof mascara would be it.


• Wide tooth comb. You may lust over beachy waves but all the salt water and wind can cause major tangles. Keep a wide tooth comb handy to help smooth out any knots without pulling and snagging your hair in the process.


• Lip tint with SPF. Your lips can burn too. Keep them hydrated, protected, and looking rosy with a lip tint. We like Fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment.


• A hat or head scarf. Have you ever had a sunburn on your scalp? Not pretty! Putting sunscreen on your part or in your hair line can make a greasy mess, so to stay protected without having an oily mane put on a hat or tie your hair in a scarf. You won't have to worry about getting burned and you'll look chic in the process.

 

Know when to hold ‘em, know when to toss ‘em out because they’re old.

 

 

 

Okay, the song doesn’t go exactly like that but it should when it comes to the life of your cosmetics.

Here is a quick guide to know when to let go and start anew:

Mascara: Typically mascara lasts about three months. Around this time you may notice that your formula will become dry or clumpy which will make for a messy application. If you get an eye infection toss out your mascara—using it will only cause a reoccurring infection.

Facial Creams: These can last up to one year, which is great news for those of you who are feeling iffy about spending money on expensive creams. But if the cream is in a jar you should toss it out sooner because your fingers can introduce bacteria in the jar each time you apply the cream.

Nail Polish: Polish should last for about 12 months. Once you notice a change in color and consistency it’s time to toss it. If it doesn’t go on smoothly it does not belong on your nails.

Perfume: Over time, each spray of your favorite fragrance allows air into the bottle which will speed up oxidation that may change the scent. The change will be slight so you can count on your signature scent being fresh for 2 years.

Do you suffer from the "too much blush" syndrome? You know the feeling you get when you catch yourself in the mirror and you're seeing red? No, you just didn't run into your ex, you overdosed on blush.

Have no fear, it can easily be treated.

Use a makeup sponge & a dab of your foundation (liquid or powder will do) and brush the sponge down your cheeks until you've gotten an optimal balance of natural color.

On the go with no makeup sponge? Improvise with a tissue or your fingers (clean, of course). No makeup to cover up all the red? Dampen a tissue and gently swipe across your cheeks.

Crisis adverted and no one will be the wiser to your overzealous ways.