YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has smart tips for making life easier. This week, Michelle tells us her top lip gloss tips for Summer:

Is there anything worse than dry or burnt lips after a day at the beach? Well, spending too much time in the sun is definitely part of the problem, but your favorite shiny pink lip gloss may also be to blame . . .

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Wearing lip gloss in the sun is like putting baby oil on your lips; it does the opposite of protecting and hydrating your lips by attracting the harmful sun rays! (Think about how tanning oils and reflective surfaces work under sunlight). Also, just like the rest of your body, your lips require hydration and moisture both during and after time spent in the sun, and not all shiny glosses contain those elements.

Instead, protect your lips at the beach by wearing SPF lip balm. There are a lot of awesome tinted lip balms out there now, too, so you don't even have to sacrifice any of your signature color. If you can't find one you like, click here to learn how to mix in your own color at home.

You can still rock the gloss if you really want to, just make sure it has SPF. Your lips will definitely thank you later . . . and besides, gloss looks best on healthy lips, anyway.

What's your favorite lip balm for the Summer?

<3 Mish

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YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has smart tips for making life easier. This week, Michelle tells us how to decode the differences between eye shadow brushes:

There are number of different shadow brushes out there, so how do you know which ones to choose? Depending on your desired look, different shapes and sizes of eye shadow tools will yield different effects on your eyes.

The two that are most important would have to be the fluffy brush for blending and the contour brush. But for more precision in your eye shadow application, take a look at the various types of brushes and their intended uses below:

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Large, fluffy brushes with a rounded edge are great for larger areas of shadow that is applied between the crease and brow. These brushes are good for blending different colors and for highlighting the brow bone.

Contour­ brushes are the most important! Brushes with smaller and shorter bristles are perfect for smoothing out specific areas and contouring blended colors, especially around the corners of the eyes and on the eyelids themselves.

Flat, straight-edged brushes work great when you want to contain shadow to certain areas along the crease or edge of your eyelid. Like a paintbrush, the bristles are less fluffy and more compact, which allows for better accuracy.

Flat, angled brushes are for even greater precision around the edges of the lids, creases, and corners. Since they have a tapered tip, angled brushes will help you apply detail to specific areas and can also be used for eyeliner application.

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YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has amazing tips for making life easier. This week, Michelle tells us how we can make our own illuminator at home:

What makes tan skin look so beautiful isn't necessarily the color, but the glow. Illuminators are awesome and a great substitute for a tan in the Summer. If you're looking to create a natural glow in your under-eye circles and cheekbones, or if you're extra cautious about fair skin in the sun, then you can create a glow effect with illuminators instead. The best part: you can buy illuminators or make your own from a few key ingredients you already have at home!

Tips for wearing bright lips

DIY Illuminator

Take a little bit of your liquid foundation and add a nice shimmering eye shadow to it. I recommend a light gold because it will bring more warmth into the illuminator. Loose powder will work for this too. All you do is scrape a small amount — about the size of your pinky nail — into the foundation. Be careful not to overdo the shimmer, because this will lead to your skin looking oily. Too much glow isn't a good thing!

If you'd rather buy an illuminator to test out first, then here are some of my favorite brands:

• Lancôme Éclat Miracle ($37)
• Neutrogena Glow Sheers ($12)
• YSL Touche Éclat ($40)

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YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has a new tip or two for making life easier. This week, Michelle tells us how we can pull off the bright lip color trend:

Summer is the perfect time to experiment with fun colors, especially when it comes to lipstick. If you want to master the art of bright lip color, then there are two key things you need to keep in mind: undertones and balance.

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Knowing which colors are right for your skin tone is the first element to consider. You want to stick with undertones that best complement your skin: If you have a cooler skin tone, then try working with berry shades and bright pinks, but avoid oranges. If you have a warmer skin tone, then it's the opposite; you should totally play with oranges, but probably avoid the super hot fuchsia pinks.

This is the most important part of the process. Once you've established that, finding great colors is a lot easier and you're free to experiment a little more. Get the second bright lip color rule when you keep reading.

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has amazing tips for making life easier. This week, Michelle tells us how we can get the best sunscreen coverage this Summer:

Hi everyone,

Even if math isn't your favorite subject, there are some numbers that we just can't miscalculate. Sun protection factor (SPF) is one of them and is extremely important for our skin, and should be at the forefront of our Summer health practices. Here are some essential sunscreen facts to keep in mind while you bathe:

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1. Believe it or not, SPFs don't add up like a simple math problem. For example, if you apply SPF 10 and SPF 30, you won't magically have SPF 40. Sunscreens don't work this way because their active ingredients do not add on top of one another. However, using two SPFs would increase your overall coverage and lessen the chance that you missed a spot while applying.
2. It's weird, but different sunscreens also have different levels of protection against UVB rays, which means that they don't increase proportionally as some people believe. Just because you bump up your protection from SPF 15 to SPF 30 doesn't mean you'll be rewarded with double protection. A higher SPF does provides greater protection from those damaging short waves, so think big!
3. SPF makeup can dilute the SPF in your moisturizer and actually decrease your skin's protection factor. So if you're going to use an SPF moisturizer first, then make sure to apply makeup without SPF in order to prevent reduction of your sun protection.

Discover the other key sunscreen rules to follow when you read more.

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has a new tip or two for making the world of makeup easier. This week, Michelle tells us how to choose the right mascara wand for your lash look:

Hi everyone,

Not all mascaras are created equal, and mascara wands are just as important as the actual formula inside the tube. With so many different shapes and sizes to choose from these days, it's useful to know what each wand does. From big to small and combed to curved, this Beauty School post will go over a few of the key differences in wand anatomy to help you get the most out of your mascara.

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Brush Shapes

• Straight wands: Most mascaras come with a standard straight wand. This is the basic shape and is the most natural to use.
• Curved brushes have the arc of your lashes and eye shape in mind, and are meant to give you an easy, all-over application.
• Heart-shaped brushes are a combination of the different shapes. They start out as standard brush heads, and taper in to form a narrower point at the end. This design is meant to give you precision when you need it, as well as a normal brush when you don't.
• Round mascara heads are relatively new. The small, spherical shape is supposed to allow you to reach each and every lash easier than if you were using a larger brush.

Learn more about the different bristle types when you read more.

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has a new tip or two for making life easier. This week, Michelle tells us how we can ward off breakouts by cleaning a major bacteria culprit: your cell phone:

Hi everyone,

These days, our phones go everywhere with us — the bedroom, the bathroom, the classroom, the nightclub, the grocery store, the gym, and just about everywhere else. Think about all those places for a minute . . . and then think about how these phones aren't just attached to our wrists; they're attached to our faces. Shudder.

Because of all of the environments and germs that they are exposed to, our phones accumulate a lot of germs. Add in the fact that we use our hands to operate them, and it's one big, nasty germfest. Now think about how every time you talk on one of them, you're pressing these substances against your beautiful, delicate skin. Unless you're using an earpiece or speaker, you've basically just applied a film of filth on your face. Yuck!

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It's obvious, then, that phones can pose a very real problem for your skin. This isn't news to anyone, but it's a really good reminder. Our parents and grandparents probably never thought to associate phone care with skin care! Now, though, you gotta. Here are some tips on how to wipe that baby down and help reduce breakouts on your face:

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has a new tip or two for making life easier. It happens to the best of us, even with the best of intentions, and this week, Michelle tells us how we can alleviate a painful sunburn:

Hi everyone,

Each day it's getting a little sunnier and little warmer outside. It's nice to spend this time outdoors, and while it's also nice to get a little vitamin D for your skin from Mr. Sun, what's not nice are those painful sunburns you're often left with as souvenirs.

Great makeup starts with a good foundation . . . brush, that is

Sunburns can be annoying, painful, and peel-y, and once you have one, they tend to be hard to forget about until they fade away. Your skin needs a little TLC when it's burned. Find out some of my sunburn soothing tips to help out when your golden glow is more of rosy red when you read more:

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has a new tip or two for making life easier. This week, Michelle tells us how we can choose the right makeup brush:

Hi everyone,

There are some key differences between synthetic and authentic hair makeup brushes, not just in terms of where the hair originates, but in terms of how the hair functions. It's a really fascinating topic and one that I've spent a lot of time working on lately. So in this post, I want to put all ethical debates on the subject aside, and focus strictly on the fundamental difference between these two different kinds of brush hairs, because I think it's something that not a lot of people know about.

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The main difference between a brush made with synthetic hair and a brush made with real hair is its ability to pick up pigment. Brushes made with real, authentic hair pick up pigment and distribute it in fewer motions than brushes made with synthetic hair. That's because the hair follicle of an actual living thing has tiny little porous holes in it. So when you have a bunch of these hairs brought together and you try to pick up a powder or a substance, the tiny porous holes can actually hold onto and cling onto the pigment. It just picks it up that much better because there are these little spaces where it can be absorbed. Then, once you apply it, it kind of shakes off of the bristles. To learn more about synthetics, keep reading.

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has a new tip or two for making life easier. This week, Michelle tells us how we can take the mess out of mascara application:

Hi everyone,

After all of the mascara and eyelash talk last week, I thought it would be useful to revisit one of my favorite tips for better mascara application: using a business card.

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The business card mascara trick is a classic. It's effective, easy to master, and will help to shield your eyelids from mascara smudges. All you need is a pencil, a pair of scissors, a business card (or index card), and your mascara! Here's what to do:

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has a new tip or two for making life easier. This week, Michelle tells us how we can start building a makeup brush collection:

Hi everyone,

You may not think about your makeup brushes as often as you do the type of foundation or color eye shadow that you use, but that doesn't mean that your brush collection isn't every bit as important to your makeup collection as the individual products that you swear by! Your brushes are an essential part of your makeup collection . . . you can have all the best cosmetics in the world, but without brushes, your application and finished look will suffer.

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A lot of times people aren't sure what kind of brushes they should buy. If you have a relatively small makeup collection, are on a tight budget, or don't have any makeup brushes to begin with, it can be confusing. I thought we could focus on these necessary tools — from how to maximize your brush budget as a whole to the detailed descriptions of each individual brush! Check out my brush necessities now.

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has a new tip or two for making life a little easier. This week, Michelle tells us how we can create our own natural makeup remover:

Hi everyone,
Makeup remover doesn’t have to be expensive or come with a label. In fact, I actually prefer this gentle version that you can make at home on the cheap. It’s non-irritating, easy to make, inexpensive and highly effective.

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I recently uploaded a video on how to make this perfect makeup remover, but here is a step-by-step guide to have on hand when you try it out for yourself.

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan always has a new beauty tip for making life a little easier. This week, Michelle's got a brilliant way to make your lashes look fuller without mascara:

Hi, everyone,

Tightlining your eyes is an easy way to give the illusion of fuller, darker lashes. The idea may scare some people, but it's really quite easy. Here's how:

When it comes to tightlining, I prefer to use gel liner, because it’s not as tough or abrasive as regular liner. So begin by warming up your gel liner to melt the product down a bit for easier application. Gently pushing your eyelid back, line your upper waterline. All you are doing is simply applying liner to the underside of your lash line, as opposed to over it.

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To form a perfect and accurate line, practice your brush strokes ahead of time. I recommend practicing on the inside of your forearm where the skin is the smoothest. Once you are ready, create a precise line with your eyeliner brush through a series of many short, thin brush strokes. That's it!

Do you ever tightline your eyes? What are your tips for doing so?

<3 Mish

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YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan is passionate about making women feel and look their best, and she always has a trick or two up her sleeve. This week, Michelle helps us with tips for reducing acne scars:

Hi everyone,
Acne scars are more than just difficult to cover up; they can be very personal for many people. If you struggle with the appearance of acne scars, you are not alone! Acne scars are just as common as they are tricky. Since I know this is something a lot that of you are dealing with and have questions on, I wanted to share my recommendations.

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Unfortunately, we've yet to discover a magical, one-size-fits-all treatment for acne scars, so keep in mind that the effectiveness of each of these will depend on the severity of your scars and your individual skin needs. See the best fixes below.

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan is all about beauty, and she always has a trick or two up her sleeve. This week, Michelle helps us make raccoon eyes a thing of the past:

Hi everyone,
A reader named Anastasia recently asked me the following question: "I'm from Singapore which is pretty hot, so how can I keep my eyeliner from smudging? I don't want to look like a panda!"

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Eyeliner that won't stay put over time — whether we're talking over the course of the day or just a few short hours — is a common makeup mishap. This usually happens as the result of long wear time, using the wrong products, or being in hot and humid environments. Since we all encounter this problem every once in a while, I thought it would be helpful to share my answer, along with some of my favorite tips for keeping your liner in place.

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan is all about beauty, and she's here to help you start your year off fresh. This week, Michelle admonishes us against six bad beauty habits we should all break in the new year:

Hi everyone, Whether it's not always washing your face or not always washing your brushes, we are all guilty of a few bad beauty habits that we know we ought to break. What better time than the start of a new year?

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Here is a list of the six bad beauty habits that I challenge everyone to break in 2012. And yes, I am guilty of some of the things on this list. (Hey, nobody's perfect! We all need to try harder!) See them all below.

YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan knows makeup, especially when it comes to the holidays. This week, Michelle shares five great holiday-perfect ways to repurpose one lipstick:

Hi everyone,

No holiday look is complete without great lip color! With a single shade of lipstick, you can create a variety of beautiful lip looks fit for the holidays; all it takes is a little technique.

Here is a step-by-step guide to each of the looks in my Holiday Lips tutorial: sheer, simple, "velvet glimmer", matte, vamped, and glossy. Consider this your holiday lipstick guide!

We're excited to continue our partnership with YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan! Every other week, we'll be bringing you the best from her website, MichellePhan.com. This week, Michelle has the lowdown on making your lips kissable just in time for that holiday party:

Hi everyone,

Mistletoe is tricky. You can’t really avoid it, since you never know when it will reveal itself. You also can’t run to the bathroom and freshen up when it finally does, because that would ruin the moment, and it’s really more of an on-the-spot kind of thing.

Your best defense is to just be prepared for the possibility at all times. Here are some tips to keep your lips mistletoe-ready all season long, no matter what the weather or circumstance. Check them out now.

We're excited to continue our partnership with YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan! Every other week, we'll be bringing you the best from her website, MichellePhan.com. This week, Michelle reveals why your nail file's not as clean as you think:

Hi everyone,

The condition of your nail file is probably something you don’t think of too often…but it should be.

According to cosmetics research, “nail problems compose about 10 percent of the conditions dermatologists treat,” and “fungal infections cause about half of all nail disorders.”¹ That's a lot of issues caused by germy nails, and that's only on the dermatological side of things!

A lot of nail and dermatological problems can be easily avoided through fungal and bacterial prevention with our hands, but washing them after a trip to the restroom isn't enough; ensuring nail tool sanitation could save you a lot of trips to the doc down the road. To see how you can stop the fungus among us, just keep reading.

We're excited to continue our partnership with YouTube star and beauty guru Michelle Phan! Every other week, we'll be bringing you the best from her website, MichellePhan.com. This week, Michelle has a great trick for making sticky lip gloss less tacky:

Hi everyone,

There are a few things that we ladies can all pretty much agree upon (such as the power of chocolate, a shared love for shoes, and the need for hair conditioner, to name a few). Add to the list: How insanely annoying it is when your favorite lip gloss is sticky. (This particular annoyance is actually probably universal, since I'm guessing the gentlemen out there aren't fans of it either!) Sticky lip gloss can mess up your hair, smear onto your face, and repel a cute boy . . . and it only gets worse with the weather. But it looks so good!

So here's my de-stick trick for you: Next time your lips are too sticky, run an ice cube on top of your gloss to smooth it out. This should help dilute some of the goop. Problem solved! I hope this helps! Do you have any other tricks for this makeup dilemma? Share in the comments below!

<3 Mish

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Source: Flickr User Jenah Crump Photography