Make-Up Tips and Spring Cleaning

I just visited my favorite cosmetics shop, a little place in my town called rouge. That visit reminded me of some tips I have picked up along the way:
1. Wash your makeup brushes when you first buy them. Use warm water and shampoo or anti-bacterial soap. This will help to reduce molting. Re-wash at least once a month.
2. Have at least two sets of makeup: day wear and night. Day should be more neutral and earthy, night bright and bold. With two "sets" you can mix and match when you feel daring.
3. Figure out if you are warm, neutral, or cool toned. With my auburn hair and pinkish cheeks, I am a warm. Neutrals have a "yellow" tone to cheeks and cools have no colored tone, or a rare "bluish" undertone. When in doubt, think about what colors look good on you. If you can pull off wearing yellow or orange, you tend toward warm.
4. Test before you buy. This is easy to do at cosmetic stores and department stores. The ladies at rouge love to do my makeup and I (admittedly) love it too. By trying colors on, you can get tips from the artist and see how the colors look. When you recreate at home, it probably won't be as incredible but you will gain the confidence to make it so.
5. Be a hunter, not a gatherer. Go in with an idea of what you would like so you can control the experience and your spending. Don't buy a lot at once because a. it can overwhelm you and b. you'll feel the need to rotate through things more than mastering one at a time.

With all of that being said and spring on the way, it is time for a gentle reminder: clean out your makeup bag. If you haven't worn it in the last six months, it is probably time to dump it. (Mascara should be replaced more frequently.) If you can, trash the powders inside and recycle the container!