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.

481 articles Writing since 2024
How to Sharpen NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil Easily
NYX Tips
How to Sharpen NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil Easily

That crumbling tip is not your fault. Most people have no idea how to sharpen a NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil…

March 6, 2026 15 min read
How to Use Highlighter Makeup the Right Way
Basic Application Techniques
How to Use Highlighter Makeup the Right Way

Knowing how to use highlighter makeup correctly is the difference between a stripe of shimmer and an actual glow. Most…

March 6, 2026 16 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 is one of those products that looks effortless on everyone else and inexplicably patchy on you. Sound familiar?…

March 5, 2026 19 min read
Elegant Makeup Looks: Sophisticated & Chic
Makeup Looks
Elegant Makeup Looks: Sophisticated & Chic

Elegant makeup looks have nothing to do with wearing more. They have everything to do with knowing what to skip.…

March 5, 2026 21 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

You have seven seconds. That is how long it takes for a hiring manager to form a first impression, and…

March 5, 2026 23 min read
How to Clean Makeup Sponges Without Damage
Tool Care
How to Clean Makeup Sponges Without Damage

Your makeup sponge touches your face every day, and most people never clean it. Research published in the Journal of…

March 5, 2026 17 min read
Natural Makeup Looks: Effortless Beauty for Any Day
Makeup Looks
Natural Makeup Looks: Effortless Beauty for Any Day

The best natural makeup looks take more effort than most people think. Looking like you're barely wearing anything requires better…

March 4, 2026 22 min read
How to Layer Makeup Without Caking
Basic Application Techniques
How to Layer Makeup Without Caking

Most makeup that breaks down, pills, or looks cakey by noon is not a product problem. It is a sequencing…

March 4, 2026 22 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

Your eyeshadow palette looks fine. That doesn't mean it is. Every time a brush touches a pan, it deposits skin…

March 4, 2026 20 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

What looks great in the mirror does not always survive a camera lens. Knowing how to do makeup for a…

March 4, 2026 24 min read
Korean Makeup Looks: Flawless & Trendy Beauty
Makeup Looks
Korean Makeup Looks: Flawless & Trendy Beauty

Korean makeup looks are built on a philosophy most Western tutorials never teach you: the skin IS the makeup. Everything…

March 4, 2026 22 min read
How to Use NYX Color Correcting Concealer the Right Way
NYX Tips
How to Use NYX Color Correcting Concealer the Right Way

Dark circles, redness, and uneven skin tone do not always disappear under regular concealer. That is exactly where color correcting…

March 4, 2026 19 min read
Prom Makeup Looks: Stunning Looks for the Night
Makeup Looks
Prom Makeup Looks: Stunning Looks for the Night

Your prom dress is picked. Your shoes are sorted. Now comes the part that ties everything together, and honestly, the…

March 3, 2026 20 min read
Makeup Looks for Brunettes: Gorgeous & Bold
Makeup Looks
Makeup Looks for Brunettes: Gorgeous & Bold

Not every makeup look is built with dark hair in mind. And that gap shows. The best makeup looks for…

March 3, 2026 23 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

Most people own a concealer. Far fewer know how to actually use it well. Knowing how to use concealer correctly…

March 3, 2026 19 min read
How to Remove Waterproof Makeup Effectively
Cleaning
How to Remove Waterproof Makeup Effectively

Waterproof makeup is built to survive sweat, tears, and humidity. Removing it with the wrong products just moves it around…

March 3, 2026 18 min read
How to Use NYX Contour Palette for a Sculpted Look
NYX Tips
How to Use NYX Contour Palette for a Sculpted Look

Most contour tutorials skip the part where things actually go wrong. Learning how to use the NYX contour palette correctly…

March 3, 2026 19 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 Clean Spoolie Brush for Better Brows
Tool Care
How to Clean Spoolie Brush for Better Brows

That tiny spiral wand in your makeup bag is touching your lash line every single day. And most people never…

March 2, 2026 15 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
Gold Makeup Looks: Radiant & Luxurious Glam
Makeup Looks
Gold Makeup Looks: Radiant & Luxurious Glam

Gold eyeshadow has this weird ability to make any face look expensive. One wash of shimmer across the lid and…

March 2, 2026 23 min read
How to Apply Cream Highlighter for Radiant Skin
Basic Application Techniques
How to Apply Cream Highlighter for Radiant Skin

Cream highlighter does something powder cannot: it melts into skin instead of sitting on top of it. Knowing how to…

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

Most makeup advice wasn't written with blondes in mind. Fair skin, light brows, and blonde hair create a low-contrast base…

March 2, 2026 22 min read
The Best Way to Remove Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink
Maybelline Tips
The Best Way to Remove Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink

Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink does exactly what it promises. That's also the problem. Knowing how to remove Maybelline SuperStay Matte…

March 2, 2026 19 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