I have this lipstick for a while and I don't think I talk enough about it. This is, without a doubt, one of the prettiest shades of pink that I have ever encountered, at least for my complexion. It has a retro matte finish, which means it is extra dry.

Flat Out Fabulous is described as "bright plum matte". It is super long-wearing and highly pigmented. It is relatively opaque, but for more evenness I like to apply a second layer. This formula is absolutely stunning. It's quite drying on the lips, but it looks gorgeous. You need to exfoliate your lips beforehand, and make sure to apply a little bit of lip balm for a smoother application.

The only issue I had was, when removing it stained my lips and trying to rub the stain with harsh makeup remover was an impossible task. It took at least four hours to completely erase all traces. Despite that, I really love the color and the matte finish, so for that reason I would look away from the fact that it stains, which sometimes can look kinda cute.

Overall, this lipstick is incredibly unique. It's very feminine and fun. I love the shade and the texture. It looks beautiful on all skin tones. This is the perfect choice if you like bold lip colors, but isn't ready to wear green or blue in public.

What do you think of this retro matte formula?

When I first started my blog I had no idea what a flat lay was, although I was familiar with this kind of picture. This became the "trendy" way to take photos for blogs and of course, Instagram. I compiled a few tips and tricks that will help you take your flat lays to the next level.

LIGHTING
Usually for blog photos I use natural lighting. However, if you can't rely on a natural lighting source, you might want to consider investing on artificial lighting. Good lighting is key to an aesthetically pleasing image.

CHOOSE A COLOR SCHEME
You could opt for using many colors. But I like to choose from two to five. Complementary colors are always a good option. Don't just throw a bunch of random colorful products together, make sure you have a vision of what you want to create.

LAYERS + TEXTURE
This adds a lot of dimension to the picture and it looks incredible when done well. You can add magazines, colorful papers and flowers in one photo with the products you're trying to showcase.

DEFINE THE MAIN ITEM
What do you want people to see first when they look at your picture? Put it in the center, or make it the most colorful item out of the bunch. There are many ways you could position the object to capture people's attention.

EDITING
I strongly believe that you can fix almost every photo with editing. You can always sharpen, correct lighting issues, the saturation and even make it more vibrant. Nowadays, I use Photoshop CS6 to edit all of my pictures. This software has allowed me to do a lot of things that I couldn't before. As some of you already know, because of a blog post I made a few months ago, I used to use free programs, like Paint.NET and PicMonkey. Those are pretty awesome if you are starting out, but if you want to improve your work I highly recommend Photoshop.

Overall, everyone has their own style when it comes to photography. I like to have a colorful background, but you can find a lot of white and marble frequently being used by other people. Make sure to find your own "identity" and not simply copy someone just because you like their style. Creativity is everything and it will definitely make you stand out from the crowd.

What are some of your tips for the perfect flat lay? 

You have no idea how happy I get every time I see one of these lip colors. Like I mentioned yesterday, on my 5 lipsticks you need this spring, I live in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore I'm going through spring right now, however, I know a lot of you live in the Northern Hemisphere. So I wanted to share my favorites for both seasons. As you can see, this is not quite my five favorite lipsticks, because one of them is a palette that comes with four lip colors. So I decided to count this quad as one lipstick, if that makes any sense. I'm kind of cheating by calling this my top 5, but at least you guys have more options, right?!

• MAC Dance With Me - Hands down, my absolute favorite red lipstick. It's such a beautiful shade and it makes my teeth appear more whiter.
• Sigma Beauty Own It - If I'm feeling daring, this is the lipstick to wear. It's a glossy pigmented purple, that will keep your lips moisturized for a while.
• MAC Sin - Is a burgundy lip color with a drying matte finish. But of course, not nearly as drying as a liquid lipstick. I love how it applies and stays on my lips.
• MAC Antique Velvet - This deep brown matte lipstick looks gorgeous on any skintone. It is highly pigmented and it will last a long time.
• Sleek Makeup Havana (Cookie) - Is the perfect 90's lip color. It's a light brown with a hint of mauve. Also, it's highly pigmented and long lasting.
• Sleek Makeup Havana (Crème Brulee) - Is a dark brown with a red undertone. It's super pigmented and it stays on for many hours. It's soft and moisturizing.
• Sleek Makeup Havana (Rum) - Is a beautiful burgundy and the most stunning dark gloss I've tried.

What are some of your favorite colors to wear during fall/autumn?

If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, like me, spring has finally arrived. To be honest this is not my favorite season, but I do enjoy wearing some vibrant colors once in a while. When I think about spring, I instantly think of several shades of pink. All of these lipsticks are beautiful and unique in their own way. Which lip color do you think is perfect for spring?

• MAC Lady Be Good - This is my perfect nude lipstick. This product is very pigmented and opaque. Also, it's incredibly long lasting.
• MAC Kinda Sexy - Is a peachier nude. This is a really versatile and flattering shade. It has a matte finish, but it's creamy at the same time.
• Sleek Makeup Birthday Suit - This is my go-to lipstick. It is the most stunning mauve with a hint of pink that I have seen.
• Smashbox Pink Petal - Is by far one of the creamiest lipsticks I have swatched. It is a very pigmented pink and it has no shimmer.
• MAC Flat Out Fabulous - This is such a fun shade. It's super bright and opaque. It's quite drying, due to its retro matte finish, but I don't find it uncomfortable to wear.

If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, tomorrow I'll share my top 5 lip colors for fall/autumn. Which I'm super excited about, because it includes a lot of gorgeous vampy lipsticks.

One of the biggest misconceptions about blogging is that it requires a huge investment and basically you can only do it if you're wealthy. Even though it's very expensive to drastically improve your blog's quality. If you're just starting out, you don't have to buy a ton of makeup or the most expensive camera and artificial lighting. If after a while, it turns out you really love blogging, you can gradually upgrade your equipments. Keep in mind, "bigger" bloggers do get products sent for free, so a lot of the things you see been reviewed are not necessarily purchased with their own money.

When I first started, I used my phone to take the pictures and if you look back you can tell they weren't the best. But the problem wasn't the fact that I was using my phone, I just had no knowledge about lighting. Understanding how to use natural lighting will definitely help improve your photos. I have a post fully dedicated to blog photography, where I talk about cameras, lighting and even backgrounds.

REVIEW WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE
You don't need to buy every single new product release. You can start by reviewing the products that are already a part of your collection. It doesn't matter how long it's been since they have been launched. With the exception of limited edition items, because there is no purpose to talking about a product that your readers can't buy.

TALK ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE PRODUCTS
I love finding out more about other people's favorite makeup. This is a great way to find some amazing products and just like me, I know a lot of people like these kinds of posts as well. They are very helpful and I'm sure that you have at least one holy grail product to share.

GET THOSE DISCOUNTS
If you're going to purchase something, the smartest thing to do is to use discount codes and/or wait for sales. By doing this, you will be saving some cash.

POST IDEAS
Besides the following affordable ideas, I have two more lists with 25 last minute blog post ideas and 25 beauty blog post ideas.

• Favorite products from the drugstore
• Affordable dupes to high end makeup
• Best products under $10
• Favorite nude/pink/red lipsticks
• Monthly favorites
• Skincare routine
• Go-to makeup look
• What's in your makeup bag
• Products you would repurchase
• Your favorite brushes

I really hope some of you found these tips useful. If you're a blogger, what are some of your top tips for blogging on a budget? If you're not a blogger, what are your favorite types of blog posts?

A while ago I shared 3 eyeshadow brushes that everyone needs, so I assumed it was about time to talk about my absolute favorite face brushes. I've tried many different brands and types of brushes, but these are excellent quality and definitely worth checking out. They are incredibly soft and dense. Also, they haven't shed any bristles when I washed them. Which is pretty awesome, considering shedding is normal and expected.

• Sigma Beauty 3DHD Kabuki* - I don't usually like using brushes to apply my foundation, mostly because it tends to leave an uneven texture to the skin. However, this brush makes my skin actually look like skin. The unusual shape allows you to easily apply the product around the nose and other areas.
• Real Techniques Core Collection (Contour) - Finding the ideal contour brush can be quite difficult. It needs to fit perfectly under your cheekbones and not drag your foundation while you blend it. This one is incredible and you can create a sharp or soft contour, depending on your preference.
• Sigma Beauty Spotlight Duster F37* - This is the softest brush I've ever touched. It applies and blends my highlighter like no other. The size and tapered shape are just perfect to achieve a diffused highlight.

These are my go-to brushes. What are some of your favorites?

*Products marked with an asterisk are PR samples. For more information read my full disclaimer here.

This cut crease look is perfect for fall and winter. I went for something quite vampy and dramatic, but if you would like to make it more "wearable", you can pair it with a nude lip instead of this dark brown shade. Also, I explain step by step on how to achieve this duo-chrome glitter cut crease for hooded eyes and beginners.

A big thank you to my cute dog for blessing us all with her presence in this video. 

Products:
MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot
Sigma Beauty Warm Neutrals Palette (Sugar Milk, Cozy and Cinnamon)
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
Makeup Geek Insomnia Pigment
Avon Black Flash Liner
Benefit They're Real Mascara
Kiss Au Naturale 02 Lashes
MAC Whirl Lip Pencil
MAC Antique Velvet Lipstick

Brushes:
Sigma 3DHD Precision
Sigma E55
Sigma E25
MAC 217
MAC 210
Sigma E30