Unlike the trend of highlighting and contouring, or HACing, the trend of liquid lipsticks is pretty doable for anybody. With HACing, you really have to have some kind of idea of what you’re doing, what you want to bring forth or set back, blah, blah, blah. And yes, I don’t have it totally down either, just parts of my face.

With the liquid lipstick trend, it’s basically lip color on steroids so if you can apply lipstick or lip gloss, you can apply liquid lipsticks!

It seems to have started out as just a handful of brands a few years ago with MAC (I even have theirs in my Hall of Fame), Korres, Addiction NV (who I don’t think is around anymore), Make Up For Ever and L’Oreal and it wasn’t even called liquid lipstick; not even sure when the name liquid lipstick started surfacing with these.

I’m a fan of all the aforementioned brands but just in case you were wondering, I think the OG liquid lipstick brand has to be LipSense by SeneGence. Thoughts?

But now, this seems to be a full-on trend with whole brands being built just on it like Jeffree Star’s new collection, Pretty Zombie Cosmetics and I’m sure others I just haven’t caught up with just yet.

So just what is liquid lipstick anyways? Click after the jump to find out!

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It never fails, I always find myself needing something beauty-related when I’m in the car going somewhere, so over the last year, I’ve put together a small kit that I keep with me in the front seat, so I’m never without ... anything. Here are 6 of my must-haves in the car. 

1. Nail Clippers, Nail File - REVLON Deluxe Nail Clippers ($2.49 @ bedbathandbeyond.com) – these clippers have been my favorite brand for years. The cutters are always sharp and it never falls apart. Of course things don’t last forever, so glad these are inexpensive. And for a nail file … I have my favorite that I keep in the house, so for the car, I just use the cardboard ones like these Beauty 360 Emery Boards from CVS ($1.99/10 pack @ cvs.com).

2. Tweezers – there’s always a stray brow hair that needs-a-pluckin’ and I’m in a serious relationship with ones from TWEEZERMAN. They’re strong, always there for me and I’m really attracted to their Pink Perfection Mini Slant Tweezers. $14 @ sephora.com.

3. Nail Polish Remover – L.A. COLORS Nail Polish Remover ($1.59/32 pads @ lacolors.com) these handy removers come in 6 different fruity scents and the grape-scented ones I have are actually able to mask the strong scent of the acetone.

4. Floss – I keep floss picks everywhere! In my purse, my car, my desk, hidden in a box on my coffee table. I’m not married to any particular brand but these Complete Clean Floss Ultra Strong Shred Proof Floss in Fresh Mint ($4.29/125 flossers @ target.com, amazon.com) by DENTEK work well.

5. Face Wipes - wipes are soooo handy to have in the car and they’re great for so many other things! After using one, I find myself using it afterward to clean parts of my car interior when I’m stuck in traffic. In my car now is BURT’S BEES Facial Cleansing Towelettes with White Tea Extract ($2.99/30 wipes @ walgreens.com).

6. Clear Nail Polish – great for touching up a run in a stocking, a loose thread on a shirt button and I don’t have a favorite brand. I just use whichever one I’m using on my nails that’s starting to run out. One I like is MAYBELLINE NEW YORK Show Nail Lacquer in Clear ($4.29 @ target.com).

Now when it comes to makeup, yes, a makeup palette will do but remember, we are talking about a very small stash of items for an e-m-e-r-g-e-n-c-y. I found a really cool 2 ½” x 1” x 3” tall kit that houses 4 swippers of eye shadow, a small eye liner, lip liner, mascara and lipgloss. White the products are not your Lancome kind of quality, it will get you by and I so feel like this kit was made just for this story!

It’s called the Majic Kit and is put out by MAJIC BEAUTY. Choose from Golden Peach and Healthy Nude for $19.99 @ amazon.com.

Do you have anything else to add to the Car Emergency Kit?

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided for review purposes. Some I bought.

I’ve tried different versions of the below items in their categories and here are the ones I have found to work best. Yes, some may seem trivial (a nail clipper, really??) but only when I’ve used one that’s crappy, do I actually think about it. And now, you don't have to!

Do you have any beauty tools that you stand by? Do share in the comments!

Best Foot Exfoliator and Nail File - FAN OUT Foot Scraper (small $35, large $42) and Nail File ($42). Both @ fanout.com – when did I write about both of these? Wow, back on September 7, 2011 and both are still going strong and I use them quite regularly! Now that’s proof in the pudding.

Best Nail Clipper - REVLON Deluxe Nail Clipper - $2.49 @ ulta.com and bedbathandbeyond.com - I’ve tried a lot of different nail clippers over the years and these from Revlon truly are the best. They're always sharp and never break. I keep one in the house, one in the car, one in my purse. I think I own about 6 of these total!

Best Tongue Cleaner - BREATH RX Gentle Tongue Scraper - $6.99/3 scrapers @ amazon.com – I know, I know, who wants to talk about something as sexy as cleaning your tongue? Food can get caught in there and simply using your toothbrush to clean it just doesn’t do the job so invest in some of these scrapers and really get that tongue clean.

Best Hair Styler - INSTYLER 3-1 Rotating Iron ($99 @ kohls.com, ulta.com) – a great tool for quickly taking out bedhead kinks in the morning. And they just came out with a new MAX version. Details coming soon!

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided for review purposes. Some I bought.

Unless I get the most perfectly applied prep, an at-home manicure never lasts past 3 days without chipping or peeling off. It’s frustrating! That’s why I’ve thrown out all my regular polish and become a full-time gel-polish convert. When they first came out a few years ago, they were only available in salons (the CND brand). Then, brands started making at-home versions that included a lamp to cure the polish. Ok, getting better, but now we have a handful of brands that have gel polishes that don’t require a UV lamp to cure. Some need a topcoat, some do not , so I put an asterisk next to the ones below that require you to use more than one product, like a base coat/primer and/or top coat, with it.

Are you going to join the “throw-your-regular-polishes-out” movement?

1. SALLY HANSEN Miracle Gel Nail Color shown here in Throwing Shade - $9.99 @ ulta.com.

2. *L’OREAL Extraordinaire Gel-Lacque 1-2-3 Nail Color shown here in Decadent Indulgence - $7.99 @ lorealparis.com. 

3. COVERGIRL XL Nail Gel shown here in Rotund Raspberry - $7.49 @ covergirl.com and walgreens.com. 

4. *CND Vinylux Weekly Polish shown here in Pretty Poison - $9.95 @ ulta.com.

5. NAILS INC. LONDON Gel Effect Polish shown here in Kensington High Street - $14 @ nailsinc.com.

6. *REVLON Colorstay Gel Envy Nail Enamel shown here in Wild Card - $7.99 @ ulta.com. 

1. MOTIVES Mavens Sculpt Series - $35 @ motivescosmetics.com

2. IT COSMETICS My Sculpted Face Contouring Palette - $38 @ ulta.com

3. MAKE UP FOR EVER Sculpting Kit - $48 @ sephora.com

4. REVLON PhotoReady Sculpting Blush Palette - $12.99 @ amazon.com

5. ANASTASTIA BEVERLY HILLS Contour Kit - $40 @ macys.com

I read last week that texture on nails was one of the big buzz words backstage at the shows a few weeks ago. It reminded me of something I achieve totally by accident the last time I wore artificial nails and was taking them off. So I decided to do it again to see what happens.

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The GRAMMYs were last week and wow, what a long week it was. Here’s a video of me in the backstage lounge showing off what the celebs on the show are going home with. It’s not about beauty but it’s part of my day job.

Two products that got me through the show were these:

REVLON Fantasy Length False Eyelashes in #91128 Lush ($5.49 @ amazon.com) – instead of one long band, these have a few clusters per section so they are super easy to put on and get close placement to the lash line. And were these a lifesaver. Because I had to be down at the show at 9:30am each day, I didn’t have time to fiddle around.

NEIL GEORGE Refresh Dry Shampoo ($18/3.7oz @ amazon.com) – because the hair is always such concern, it just had to look good every day but again, time was an issue and this one saved the day, each day! This one contains a triple botanical complex to absorb excess oil and really helped my blowout last longer than it would have.

And be sure to check back on Monday for a GRAMMY-related contest!!

Disclosure: The following items were provided to Cybelesays.com for review purposes.

I’ll admit it, most of the false eyelashes we’ve covered in the past have been a little over the top, however, there are some great everyday ones out there. Ones I wore over the weekend were 'Fantasy Lengths' Maximum Wear Glue on Eyelashes from REVLON in Chic. They really looked real so maybe they should call them Natural Lengths? As you know the lashes come in an array of styles and lengths and the other one I recommend for daytime look is Flirty.

They also have lashes that are self-adhesive aka require no glue, but I find the glue ones are easier to handle, but that’s the beauty of beauty, what works for one might not work for another but it’s nice to have options. $5.49 @ amazon.com.

I can’t even begin to express the elation with this latest discovery. I’ve complained quite a bit the last few months that my nails don’t grow. They peel and are just generally blah, when it comes to cool and lady-like. I envy Scrangie and All Lacquered Up. They can apply, remove, apply and remove yet again and still have nice looking nails in the end. What is my discovery that has me simply giddy? Artificial nails as in the press on kind! And have they come a long way from the Lee Press On Nails from many moons ago. And with the economic climate, who can afford a weekly manicure at the salon. And the styles are a lot more realistic with most making short and sporty lengths to medium lengths. And the glue they use really adheres them on nicely so pop-offs are pretty rare. I’ve done quite a bit of research on the topic and here is what I can tell you.

• Most packs contain anywhere from 24 to 48 nails so there are a lot of sizes to choose from. You WILL find your sizes.
• Prices run between $4.99 to $7.99 a pack.
• Like makeup, quite a few brands seem to do seasonal collections.
  
• You can wear them from seven days to ten days.
• Tip shapes range from roundish to squoval and you can get short or sporty length to a medium. Gone are the dragon claws!
• Best variety of nails seems to be found at Rite Aid stores.
• There was no glue that stuck out as better than another.

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I’m getting better at it, really. It has taken a long time and I only think I get just a little bit better with each try. What am I talking about? Apply false eyelashes, of course! And these REVLON Fantasylengths Maximum Wear Eyelashes are worth trying in order to get the finished look. Now more than ever, long lush lashes are in and you just can’t achieve it with mascara alone. Choose from Flirty or Intensifying styles, and the Defining style has adhesive strips that you apply to the lash strip. I have not figured out those ones yet, so for now, just gimme the ones that use glue. And for $6.59, you just can’t go wrong practicing! Get ‘em @ walmart.com.
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And for the glue? I’ve read a few places that like the small application wand that comes with eye shadows that the experts say to throw out? These little glues that come with the lashes are the same kind of quality. So toss ‘em and get SHU UEMURA Eyelash Adhesive ($9 @ shuuemura.com). The masses swear by it.
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