during fashion week the term "creative" takes on an entire new meaning.  in the hustle and bustle backstage, we have done just about anything to create the PERFECT look!  and one thing we do often is mix products.  mixing can create the ideal look or save time - depending on what we need at the moment.  while you might not be backstage with us, it's easy to add some creativity to your makeup.  and we thought the best place to begin was with our new beauty balm.  here are some tips for making this product work in nearly all scenarios...

-mix beauty balm with foundation or tinted moisturizer.  this is great if you are in a hurry or looking for a less steps with a similar result.

-use beauty balm as a finishing touch to fine tune your skin.  sometimes applying it last - where needed - can create that flawless finish you are looking for.

-mix beauty balm with one step correct if you want a little glow to the skin, but still want the HD effects.

-layer beauty balm.  this can build coverage and create airbrushed looking skin.  start small and build the product.



***the idea is to think outside of the box and remember that makeup is as individual as your signature...   
xoxo, stila

stila fans...

red lips are a hot trend right now. after all, who can resist a red hot lip. plus, it seems like an easy way to spice up your look. however, it's not always that simple. the application process alone can be a struggle. and figuring out what to pair with your red lip is another issue. don't fret. here are some helpful hints to help anyone achieve the perfect red lip.

-what shade? the orange-red looks great on fair and deep skin tones. a blue-red is perfect for medium to dark skin tones. and a true red like lover long wear lip color will work on anyone!

-for a defined red lip, begin with a lip liner. if you prefer that pouty lip look, opt out of lip liner

-need your lipstick to stay? dust stila's hydrating finishing powder on the lips in between lipstick layers!

-clean up mistakes with perfecting concealer. apply it to the outside of the lips with the #11 brush.

-smile when you apply your lipstick. this makes it easier to coat every part of the lips and helps you achieve a precise line.

-tired of your red lipstick bleeding? try our long wear liquid lip color in fiery. this lip color wears all day and will not move or bleed! no more worrying about your teeth or your chin!

-lastly, keep the lips the focus of your look when wearing red. we recommend adding some bronzer and lots of mascara!

rosacea is a common skin problem today. those who suffer with this issue deal with skin irritations and often have redness and/or inflammation as well. fortunately, makeup can help. it’s simply a matter of knowing the right makeup to use. here are some suggestions.

-less is more with rosacea. this can be difficult because you are trying to cover redness. however, too much product can irritate the skin.

-look for products that are oil free and will neutralize redness. if you prefer a liquid, we recommend stila’s new perfect & correct foundation or our tinted moisturizer. Both are lightweight products that correct redness in the skin.

-for the fullest coverage, try using stila’s cover up stick to conceal redness. then set with our illuminating powder foundation. the two together are long wearing and simple – great for anyone with rosacea.

-lastly, to add shape to your face, skip blush and try a bronzer instead.

as makeup artists, we understand that doing your own makeup can be overwhelming.  we even struggle with it at times.  many of us feel that its hard to see our own faces the way we see someone else's.  perhaps you agree - you stare at the beauty of others around you failing to notice the beauty that is your own.  in an effort to end this negativity, we have a suggestion.  pick a feature and go with it.

pick the feature about yourself you like the most, and enhance that when you are doing your makeup.  it could be your lips, your eyes, your cheekbones, your brows.  whatever it is - make the most of it.

not sure what your best feature is?  ask a friend.  they will tell you.  they look at you and are the best judge.

focusing on a feature is a good makeup technique as well.  it ensures that your face is not overwhelmed with lots of makeup.  instead, balance is achieved.

lastly, remember, there is beauty in everyone.  one of the things we love most about beauty is that it has no set rules.  there is not one "kind" of beautiful.  so, everyday let your true beauty shine through.

we are thrilled to introduce you to our shining stila star, christine.  she is an artist working in the canada region.  christine’s passion is evident in her work.  she loves educating people about her favorite products, and she is always open to sharing experiences she’s learned doing makeup backstage at fashion week.  in fact, her enthusiasm for fashion is what makes her unique as a makeup artist – she easily combines fashion and makeup trends and is always in the know.  to learn more, read her q & a below.

with award season officially over, we thought it was only appropriate to give our very own red carpet wrap up.  the last few months were full of fun trends and beautiful makeup.  it's always so exciting to take part in.  and the greatest part about red carpet makeup is that those trends live on throughout the year.  they can be easily recreated on a daily basis.

here's some fun face charts to give you an idea of the looks sarah demoed on E! news in case you missed the segment.  both are perfect looks on and off the red carpet!

• "i love to use topaz kajal liner in the inner well of the eyes to brighten all my clients eyes.  they always seem to need it because they are tired during award season!" -viviana

• "try layering a cream and powder blush on your cheeks for a nice glowy effect.  apply this after contouring with bronzer or a powder/cream foundation 2 to 3 shades darker than your natural skintone for an amazing sculpted look." -jason

• "i use illuminating tinted moisturizer on my clients' bodies!  it creates an airbrushed finish on the body that is fantastic for any event.  it's perfect for the red carpet."  -lindsey

• "i've been using pearl kajal liner as an eye shadow base to make shadows more pastel.  i love this trick and it's perfect for spring!"  -dominick

if you watched the oscars yesterday, then you definitely saw a lot of lashes on the red carpet.  like all makeup junkies, we love lashes.  and sometimes we even "lash out" in a good way and add in some extra lashes for drama.  a good strip or a couple of individual flare lashes are always a nice additive for that special occasion.  here's some tips to help you make the most of your lash look.

-apply one coat of mascara first before applying the lashes.  glamoureyes mascara is a great option for this because the brush allows you to easily coat every last lash.

-measure the strips to fit your eye.  for many people, strips need to be trimmed so they do not make your eyes look droopy.

-tilt your head up and look down when applying the lashes.  if you are using a strip, try pressing the lashes into your lash line.  for individuals lashes, set them on top of your own lashes with your fingers or tweezers.

-use stila's liquid liner to create definition at the lash line where the lashes have been applied.  tightly apply the liner almost as if you are painting the lashes.

-not sure what lashes to use?  we like ardell lashes!

how much do you love people stylewatch?  it's a great resource to help you stay on trend.  and in the recent issue, stila's very own sarah lucero offers some amazing beauty advice.  we thought we'd share her tips with our readers as well.

regarding natural makeup... "it's about defining your features in a soft way.  you want people to say, 'you look great!' not 'your makeup looks great!'"  in need of some great products?  try peony convertible color and kitten eye shadow!

unsure about color...  according to sarah, "vivid shadows have such a cheerful vibe.  they're perfect for spring!" this is why we love our fun eye shadow shades like cassis, azure, wisteria, copper, jade, and pigalle.

what compliments a colored eye?  "try a peachy lip color and blush if you're fair, or go with a caramel-colored gloss and blush if you have medium or darker skin."  not sure what colors to choose?  we recommend gerbera convertible color and kitten lip glaze if you are fair.  try camellia convertible color and mocha lip glaze if you have medium or darker skin.

sarah receives lots of emails from stila fans like you, and one of the top asked questions is, "how can I make my eyes look bigger?" your eyes are a key feature on your face - arguably the most important. therefore, the bigger and better they look, the more beautiful you will look each day. fortunately, you don't need to be a pro to enhance your eyes. instead just follow these simples guidelines.

use a shimmery shadow in your lid to pop and open up your eyes. the smaller the eye shape, the lighter the color. and for the most natural look, select the shade closest to your skin tone.

apply a matte shadow slightly above the crease to contour. when you apply it above the crease, it visually lifts the eye. try keeping your eye open when you do this and avoid a banana looking stripe. the contour should be subtle.

coat extra mascara in the right areas. for many people adding more coats to the center eyelashes will achieve that doe eyed look, helping to make the eyes look bigger and less slanted. try it!

• sheer color tinted moisturizer
• convertible eyeliner
• glamoureyes mascara
• convertible color
• lip glaze

• stay all day liquid eyeliner
• smudge stick eye liner
• smudge pots
• lash visor mascara

• sheer color tinted moisturizer
• bronzing tinted moisturizer
• pomegranate crush
• cherry crush