Steal or Splurge: Lip Liner

{I’m wearing Urban Decay on the left, Palladio on the right}

We are 100% in love with lip liner lately. We realized if you cover your entire lip with liner and then either – a) leave it plain b) put gloss over top or c) apply lipstick over – it lasts all day long! It just stays on really well and defines the lip. So, after trying lots and lots of different kinds – we wanted to compare cheap vs. expensive.

We tried out very similar lip liner – the only difference is the price.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil $20

Palladio Waterproof Lip Liner $4.99 (certain colors are $2.99)

Our final takeaway – they work the same! Both stayed on all day and held their color. So for this one, we say definitely go for the steal!

You can watch the video below for the full story – just click expand to make it full screen.

How to accentuate your best facial features in photos

Britt and I are often asked what makeup is best for TV or photos. After more than 6 years of trial and error on TV we have found our time-tested favorites. Today I am sharing the products that help accentuate your best features. It’s important to note that foundation is a must when you are in front of a camera. It evens out your skin tone and makes it so you don’t look washed out. We’ve shared our foundation favorites in a previous post here. The three features I like to accentuate in photos tend to be: eyebrows, lips, and cheeks.

Lips: After years of being a lip gloss girl I have discovered the benefit of lip liner. Don’t worry, this is not the brown lip liner of the 90’s. My very favorite is made by Butter London. The color is “Sweet Something” and can be used under practically any other gloss or lipstick. However, I really love it plain. The key is to line your ENTIRE lip, not just the outside. It has a matte finish that looks great on camera and is not too shiny.

Brows: Eyebrows seem to be the name of the game in 2016. Everyone is making theirs bigger and bolder. I like to keep mine looking semi-natural by using a brow gel. Fiona Stiles has created a product that helps separate your eyebrow hairs while enhancing them. I use it every single day!

Cheeks: Since learning how to apply blush properly (only on the apples of the cheeks) I have loved the little pop of color it can add to my face. Powder blushes are great for this but can fade quickly. For longer lasting wear, especially in the summertime, I like to use Tarte Fearless Cheek Stain.

Britt and I plan to continue our makeup tips throughout the summer by sharing our favorites!

Finding the Right Lipstick Color

We go through a lot of lipstick around here. When you have to dress up like a drag queen for TV every day, it’s easy to go through makeup like water! One thing that Brooke and I both love to change every day is our lipstick. It is an easy way to spice up any outfit. We are always trying to find the perfect color with the perfect texture.

Trestique just came out with a new lip crayon that has gloss on the other end – genius! Plus, the whole thing is magnetic. Our favorite colors are “Nammos Pink” and “Nantucket Nude”. I like to do the crayon first and then put gloss on top, but if you like to have a more sheer finish, you can apply the gloss first. I have never really understood people who loved nude lip color, that is until I tried “Nantucket Nude”. I wore it for my birthday dinner because it made me feel sophisticated and summery.

Trestique makes crayons for all different types of makeup: eyeliner, blush, and even foundation. We loved all of them because they are compact and you can easily throw them in your purse without damaging them. I just get so excited when makeup companies come up with something new! What lipsticks have you loved lately?

{cheesy birthday date selfie}

Long Staying Makeup

{pic taken by the amazing Travis J. Photography}

We have been scouring makeup counters for makeup that stays on for more than 2 hours. In preparation for Brooke’s big day TOMORROW, we want to share all of our favorites that we have found. They have made a significant difference in not only how our makeup looks, but how long it stays on our faces!

– Too Faced Primed and Poreless Face Primer: We actually mix this super soft formula with our foundation and it creates a perfect texture. This makes a huge difference for how your entire face absorbs makeup and gives it a much smoother finish.

– Tarte Cream Blush in Fearless: The perfect pop of pink. We’ve always been scared to use cream blush, but once Vivian used this makeup on Brooke for her bridals, we knew we had to have it. Instead of adding a matte pink pop to the cheeks like powder blushes do, this one adds a natural looking flush.

– Anastasia Pro Pencil: This is a game changer in the makeup world. This tiny pencil has SO many uses! We use it for under eye concealer, eyebrow definer, and overall face perfector. You can apply it anywhere you want a little highlight. Extremely easy to use and just brightens up the face overall.

– Urban Decay Chill Makeup Setting Spray: This is like hairspray for your face (minus the stickiness). It is amazing and makes your makeup stay in place. We noticed when we used it our makeup stayed looking pretty perfect for about 8 hours! That is a long time! It also is super refreshing and feels great when you spray it on your face, but leaves no kind of residue.

We got all of the products at ULTA because it is just too darn convenient with how many new locations they have in the Salt Lake valley. Well we are off to do some last minute prep for the wedding tomorrow! Be sure to follow us on Instagram for all of the fun pictures from the big day 🙂

No Light Needed Gel Nail Polish

{picture found here}

Britt and I have bragged about Red Carpet Manicure for a couple of years now. It is long lasting, has cute colors, and you can do it at home. However, we may have found a replacement! Sally Hansen released a new gel nail polish that you apply just like old school polish. No base coat, top coat, sealant, etc. And here is the major difference… a Red Carpet Manicure kit is around $50.00 while the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel is only $7.99! You can get the Sally Hansen polish at most grocery and drugstores. Of course, Red Carpet is more long lasting but the Miracle Gel lasts a lot longer than average polish. The best part of our Sally Hansen discovery is that it can be removed with regular nail polish remover, which means way less damage to your nails!

VERSUS

Best Fake Tanning Products

Most of you know Brooke and I love a great faux glow. Our favorite is usually a personalized spray tan, but those can be pricey so we save them for special occasions. With all of Brooke’s wedding festivities happening (wedding showers, engagement photos, etc.) we wanted to find something she could use at home whenever she needed. We finally found three products that have great results and great SMELLS without the high price!

BRONZE GLOW TINTED SUNLESS CONTINUOUS SPRAY $9.99

This is literally a spray tan in a can, but you can use it dozens of times instead of just once. The light liquid spray easily rubs into skin and stays on SO well! Even if you shower, it will stay on your skin for 3-4 days. We loved the warm color it added and most importantly, the lack of smell it has. At less than ten bucks, it is definitely a must have!

MARACUJA RAINFOREST GLOW INSTANT MATTE WATERPROOF BODY PERFECTOR $39

This is for those mornings when you forgot to put on sunless tanner the night before and you need INSTANT results. It is like a nice warm bronze concealer for your arms and legs. It does go on matte, but you can easily see where you are applying it because of the dark, instant color. I’m a huge fan and even used this on my face and loved the results. It is a little more on the pricey side, but a little bit goes a long way and this should last you dozens of uses. The best part of this one is the scent, it is so subtle and does not even smell like a fake tanner.

HONEY BRONZE SHIMMERING DRY OIL $22

This stuff is unlike anything we had ever seen before. It goes on your skin in a shiny liquid form and then dries in about two seconds. If you’re wondering how celebrities get those tan, shiny legs, this is how! This stuff is very easy to apply because you can see exactly where you are putting it. It also is very moisturizing because of all of the natural oils in it, but it does not end up looking greasy. We loved the scent of this one, it is really natural and light.

So there you have it! How to get a fake tan three different ways. We got all three of these products from Ulta. You can click on any of them for a direct link to buy them on www.ulta.com. Have you tried them? What is your favorite fake tanner?

Twin Tested: Laser Hair Removal

Like all girls, we hate shaving our legs. Britt and I decided to put laser hair removal to the test to see if it actually works. Britt tried the low end version while I went to a cosmetic surgeon for treatments. My results are AMAZING! Britt, not so much.

She picked up the “As Seen on TV” laser tool for $10 at Walmart. It is actually quite comical when you open it up. It looks more like a laser pointer than a hair removal tool and it is just about as effective as a laser pointer. She did not see any hair loss and therefore said it is 0% effective.

I went to Portica, owned by Dr. Jennifer Allen. First off, she is the most stunning, sweet, and personable doctor on the planet. You can tell she wants to deliver great results. I met her after coaching her adorable daughter on a running team. I went in for 6 treatments on my lower legs and am so happy with the result. I shave about once a week now and the hair is very fine and soft. You can always get more treatments depending on the result you are after. As you can see in the video Dr. Allen knows her stuff and explains why it is important to get laser hair removal at a professional office instead of at home. I would highly recommend her to everyone!

Now to answer some common questions:
-Does it hurt? Not if you go to someone licensed that knows what they are doing. They use cooling gel or air to keep pain at bay.
-Who is eligible? Anyone can get laser hair removal. It is most effective on people that have darker hair and lighter skin.
-Is it expensive? When you add together the cost of all those shavers and shaving cream over the years (plus the headache of shaving in the shower) it really balances out.

Portica is located in Foothill Village.

1400 S. Foothill Dr., Ste 101
Salt Lake City, Utah

801.438.4892

Best Smelling Hair Products

{photo by Kyle White, find him on Instagram @hikylewhite, model: Nicole Lier, styling: Michelle Lier}

These are all hair products that we have used and been asked what perfume we are wearing. They really are that good. We’ve been testing them in triple digit heat and amazingly, our hair still smells awesome by the end of the day. Plus, they all do the job they advertise really well. We got all of the products at ULTA.

#1 Not Your Mother’s – Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray: It’s the perfect spray for when you really don’t feel like blow drying your hair but you don’t want it to look like complete crap. It adds really nice texture, but is still nice and light, and of course smells amazing. (It’s only $5.99! As in, you can buy this or a cupcake)

#2 Alterna – Bamboo Beach Summer Sunshine Spray: Best Invention Ever! You spray this delicious shine spray on and it protects your hair from the sun, while also making it sparkle. And it smells like a pina colada.

#3 Tigi – S Factor Smoothing Lusterizer: This is the one you want to put on damp hair right out of the shower. The texture had us nervous at first, but it did not make our hair greasy at all. And you guessed it, makes your hair smell fresh as a daisy!

#4 Catwalk by Tigi – Curls Rock Amplifier: Tried this one in heat + humidity and it worked so well! Usually our hair gets that gorgeous uncontrollable frizz in any kind of remote humidity, well this kept our curls looking like actual curls. I also thought it helped hold the curl for longer than normal.

Drumroll please….

We have a new favorite hairspray and dry shampoo!

#5 Kenra – Platinum Dry Shampoo: It smells like you just landed in a field of flowers on a Spring day. So yummy. I maybe might have also used it as body spray.

#6 Living Proof Control Hairspray: This is everything. It’s light, but it holds amazingly well, it’s not sticky, it’s not alcoholy smelling, you can use sparingly and it still does the job…. and you guessed it, it makes your hair smell so so so good!

You can buy all of the products at ULTA right now! Plus, did you know you can get $3.50 off every purchase over $10? All you have to do is go to their website and grab a coupon or sign up to receive their catalogue. Plus if you order online, they always throw in some free samples, how can you not love that?

Twin Tested: What is Oil Pulling?

The nature lovers in our lives introduced us to coconut oil. So we started cooking with it, using it as moisturizer, etc. Then they told us to put in our mouths and use it as a mouthwash…. for 15 minutes at a time. It’s a new way to clean your teeth called oil pulling. I have to admit, the first time I did it I gagged. There is just something incredibly unappetizing about having oil swashing around your mouth for that long. Our friends (and the internet) claimed that it would not only whiten teeth, but also clean out our mouths. We decided to put it to the test against our tried and true favorite teeth whitener, Crest Whitestrips.

Then, we asked an expert to judge the process. We went to see Dr. Tom Broadbent at Pioneer Valley Dental.

Pros of Oil Pulling:

– it truly removes bacteria from your mouth

– it works on sensitive teeth

– it is an all natural option

Cons of Oil Pulling:

– it is pretty gross swirling oil in your mouth, definitely something that takes some getting used to

– it takes 15 minutes a day. the dentist said if you spend 15 minutes/day brushing and flossing your teeth will be better off

– it only whitens teeth very slighty, bleach works much better

Would you try it? Have you tried it? We want to know what you think!

Big thanks to Dr. Broadbent at Pioneer Valley Dental for helping us with this Twin Test!

Twin Tested: How to Look Good in Photos

How to Look Good in Photos

We all want better photos of ourselves, right? Britt and I know next to nothing about photography so we decided to call up one of our favorite pros for some tips. If you are in SLC you have most likely heard of Jessica Janae. Jessica is a super talented photographer that has a way of making everyone look their very best. She pointed out six guidelines for taking a good picture, these include in front of the camera and behind. Britt and I volunteered as her good example/bad example in the pics below so that you can see the contrast. Shout out to Britt for looking super awkward in most of these and taking one for the team! 🙂

1. Flattering Face Pose:

As girls, it seems like we all get a weird urge to tilt our heads once a camera is in front of us. In the pics below you can see how much better (and normal) it looks to be straight up and down. Resist the tilt! Jess also recommends keeping your chin down.

2. Flattering Full Body Pose:

Thanks to Jessica having tons of experience shooting fashion she was able to teach us some flattering full length poses. We quickly found out that popping your hip forward makes your whole body look bigger. Jessica encourages clients to do the foot crossover for a universally flattering pose that everyone looks good doing. No more hip popping!

3. The Rule of Thirds:

We had no idea how this worked, but it is amazing to see the difference in the rule of thirds composition! This is what Jessica recommends the next time you are snapping a picture of a specific subject – your dog, baby, etc to try and use the rule of thirds. Jess put some diagrams on her pics below to show how to align your photos.

4. Switch Up The Light:

Jessica has a GORGEOUS downtown studio with amazing natural light streaming through the windows as you can see in these pics. However, if you aren’t a professional photographer with a perfectly lit studio you can still get good photos. Try to create an atmosphere of natural light that is not too harsh in your natural surroundings. She also recommends taking photographs at dusk and dawn for the perfect outdoor lighting.

5. Movement:

Jessica encourages movement in her photos. Why? Because you automatically feel less awkward when you are moving. It brings out natural smiles and personality a lot better than a static pose. In this one, she had Britt pose with her arms folded standing still and you can see how different it looks. It can feel a little awkward, in the beginning, to be twirling around but you will love the end result. It is human nature to be more relaxed when our minds are focused on doing something instead of staring straight into the camera.

6. Different Angles:

Try to move around while taking a photo. Jessica is not scared to lay on the ground or squat to get the right look. Give it a try and see all the different perspectives you can come up with!

We had so much fun at her studio – we wish we could hang out there every day. Jessica truly creates beautiful work and we are so glad she was able to sharpen up our photo skills. Make sure you check out her site!

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31