Author

Andreea Sandu

Andreea Sandu is a working makeup artist based in Bucharest. She's been doing makeup professionally since 2010, across bridal, editorial, film, commercial work, and runs Lipstick Queen. She started writing on the site after fielding the same questions from clients and friends often enough to just write the answers down: which red won't turn orange on a warm undertone, how to keep lipstick from feathering into fine lines, why a "12-hour" formula rarely survives dinner. Every review on the site follows the same rule she uses with paying clients: wear it first, then decide if it's worth recommending.

422 articles Writing since 2024
How to Apply Highlighter on Mature Skin Perfectly
Basic Application Techniques
How to Apply Highlighter on Mature Skin Perfectly

Whether highlighter flatters a mature face mostly comes down to finish and placement. A cream, stick or liquid with a…

March 7, 2026 14 min read
How to Apply NARS Tinted Moisturizer for Light Coverage
NARS Tips
How to Apply NARS Tinted Moisturizer for Light Coverage

NARS's own method for Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 comes down to four steps. Dispense a small amount, warm…

March 7, 2026 13 min read
Latina Makeup Looks: Bold & Beautiful Styles
Makeup Looks
Latina Makeup Looks: Bold & Beautiful Styles

Most people searching for Latina makeup looks want the full-glam version: thick arched brows, winged liner, lined lips and bronzed,…

March 6, 2026 12 min read
Vintage Makeup Looks: Timeless Glam Inspiration
Makeup Looks
Vintage Makeup Looks: Timeless Glam Inspiration

Brows date a face faster than anything else on it. A single thin plucked line points to the 1920s or…

March 6, 2026 16 min read
How to Use Highlighter Makeup the Right Way
Basic Application Techniques
How to Use Highlighter Makeup the Right Way

Laura Mercier and L'Oreal Paris print opposite instructions for where highlighter sits relative to setting powder, and both are right.…

March 6, 2026 14 min read
Clean Makeup Looks for a Fresh, Polished Finish
Makeup Looks
Clean Makeup Looks for a Fresh, Polished Finish

Most people overcomplicate their makeup. Ten products, forty minutes, and a finish that looks like it took exactly that long.…

March 6, 2026 15 min read
How to Sharpen NYX Eyeliner Stick Without Breaking It
NYX Tips
How to Sharpen NYX Eyeliner Stick Without Breaking It

NYX eyeliner pencils trip people up right out of the packaging. It's a wood-cased pencil, and once the tip goes…

March 5, 2026 16 min read
How to Apply Cream Blush for a Fresh Glow
Basic Application Techniques
How to Apply Cream Blush for a Fresh Glow

Cream blush goes on over a finished base. Put 2 to 3 small dots on the apples of your cheeks,…

March 5, 2026 15 min read
Elegant Makeup Looks: Sophisticated & Chic
Makeup Looks
Elegant Makeup Looks: Sophisticated & Chic

Elegant makeup mostly comes down to holding back. The eyes or the lips get a single featured area, and the…

March 5, 2026 18 min read
How to Do Makeup for an Interview with Confidence
Makeup by Occasion or Style
How to Do Makeup for an Interview with Confidence

For an interview, keep the coverage light and the colors neutral. A tinted base, matte neutral shadow, groomed brows, mascara…

March 5, 2026 16 min read
How to Clean Makeup Sponges Without Damage
Tool Care
How to Clean Makeup Sponges Without Damage

Most makeup sponges never get washed properly. In the Aston University study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology in…

March 5, 2026 12 min read
Natural Makeup Looks: Effortless Beauty for Any Day
Makeup Looks
Natural Makeup Looks: Effortless Beauty for Any Day

Most natural makeup looks rely on sheer, skin-matched products that bring out the skin, brows, eyes and lips instead of…

March 4, 2026 18 min read
How to Layer Makeup Without Caking
Basic Application Techniques
How to Layer Makeup Without Caking

Makeup goes on in order of texture. Liquids first, creams next, powders last, so every layer has something to cling…

March 4, 2026 17 min read
Makeup Looks for Red Hair: Stunning Complementary Shades
Makeup Looks
Makeup Looks for Red Hair: Stunning Complementary Shades

Most advice aimed at redheads treats "warm-toned" like it explains everything, and it doesn't. Copper eyeshadow gets recommended on autopilot,…

March 4, 2026 19 min read
How to Clean Makeup Palettes Without Ruining Them
Tool Care
How to Clean Makeup Palettes Without Ruining Them

Scrape the top layer off each pan and mist it with 70% isopropyl alcohol. Then leave the palette open until…

March 4, 2026 13 min read
How to Do Makeup for a Photoshoot Like a Pro
Makeup by Occasion or Style
How to Do Makeup for a Photoshoot Like a Pro

A base can look perfect in the bathroom mirror and come out gray in the first flash photo. Usually the…

March 4, 2026 18 min read
Korean Makeup Looks: Flawless & Trendy Beauty
Makeup Looks
Korean Makeup Looks: Flawless & Trendy Beauty

Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety reported that lipstick exports jumped 42.9% in the first half of 2025, with…

March 4, 2026 14 min read
How to Use NYX Color Correcting Concealer the Right Way
NYX Tips
How to Use NYX Color Correcting Concealer the Right Way

Dab a thin layer of corrector onto the discolored spot and blend the edges until the tint fades. A complexion…

March 4, 2026 11 min read
Makeup Looks for Brunettes: Gorgeous & Bold
Makeup Looks
Makeup Looks for Brunettes: Gorgeous & Bold

Hair color gets most of the attention in brunette makeup advice, but the skin's undertone and the eye color carry…

March 3, 2026 16 min read
How to Do Soft Glam Makeup Step-by-Step
Makeup by Occasion or Style
How to Do Soft Glam Makeup Step-by-Step

I want you to rewrite the following text so that it doesn't look like it's been written by ai. return…

March 3, 2026 17 min read
How to Use Concealer Like a Pro
Basic Application Techniques
How to Use Concealer Like a Pro

Under-eye darkness rarely has a single cause. In a clinical analysis of 65 patients, 78% of dark circles were mixed…

March 3, 2026 15 min read
How to Remove Waterproof Makeup Effectively
Cleaning
How to Remove Waterproof Makeup Effectively

Soak a pad in an oil-based or dual-phase remover, hold it against the closed eye, wipe once, then cleanse with…

March 3, 2026 16 min read
Soft Summer Makeup Looks Perfect for Warm Days
Makeup Looks
Soft Summer Makeup Looks Perfect for Warm Days

Most "summer lipstick" lists lump warm corals in with cool pinks like they belong in the same drawer. They don't,…

March 3, 2026 15 min read
Makeup Looks for Brown Eyes: Best Shades & Styles
Makeup Looks
Makeup Looks for Brown Eyes: Best Shades & Styles

Brown eyes don't need eyeshadow that matches them. What actually works is color that pushes against the brown, purple against…

March 3, 2026 24 min read
How to Cover Hyperpigmentation with Makeup Effectively
Makeup by Skin Type
How to Cover Hyperpigmentation with Makeup Effectively

Color correcting before concealer is the step most people skip, and it's usually why a covered spot still shows a…

March 2, 2026 18 min read
Makeup Looks for Blondes: Flattering & Chic
Makeup Looks
Makeup Looks for Blondes: Flattering & Chic

Blondes look best in makeup that adds depth, mostly at the eyes and brows, with the lips finishing it off.…

March 2, 2026 16 min read
The Best Way to Remove Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink
Maybelline Tips
The Best Way to Remove Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink

To remove Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink, press an oil-based remover such as coconut oil or a cleansing balm (olive…

March 2, 2026 11 min read
Makeup Looks for Blue Eyes: Stunning Contrasts
Makeup Looks
Makeup Looks for Blue Eyes: Stunning Contrasts

Blue and orange sit on opposite sides of the color wheel. That's the whole reason copper eyeshadow keeps showing up…

March 1, 2026 16 min read
How to Remove Eye Makeup Gently and Quickly
Cleaning
How to Remove Eye Makeup Gently and Quickly

Most eye makeup removal goes wrong at the very start, when people begin wiping before anything has dissolved. Hold a…

March 1, 2026 16 min read
How to Apply Makeup on Dry Skin for a Smooth Finish
Makeup by Skin Type
How to Apply Makeup on Dry Skin for a Smooth Finish

Most of what decides how makeup looks on dry skin happens before any makeup goes on. When the outer skin…

March 1, 2026 16 min read