Hey, friends!

I can’t believe I’m already thinking about Back-to-School… it seems like summer just started.

For me, high school volleyball tryouts start in less than two weeks, and then school starts two weeks after that. NOOOO!

Some of my friends will be seniors this year, which means they’re getting ready for Senior Portraits. This can be totally overwhelming as there’s a zillion different things to think about: choosing a location, what to wear, how to pose, and most importantly HAIR AND MAKEUP.

Being the super-helpful friend that I am, I took it upon myself to check out some local photography studios for some senior portrait tips. (After all, no one wants to look back on their senior portrait and cringe .)

In addition to the basics of 1) wear solid colors to keep the focus on you and not your outfit, 2) schedule outdoor photo shoots during the hour before sundown for the best lighting, and 3) relax and be natural–I also learned a few makeup tips for looking your best in pictures:

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• As much as you’ll be tempted to go all Prom with your makeup, please refrain. If you don’t normally wear blood-red lipstick and feather-tipped-falsies, it’s not a good idea to wear them in your senior portrait.
• Powder is your best friend. While natural, dewy skin is lovely in real life, it can translate to OIL SLICK in pictures. Not good. I like CoverGirl Clean Pressed Powder .
• Shimmer and sparkles can reflect light and cause the same I-didn’t-wash-my-face-today look. Step away from the sparkles!
• Too much gloss can look as if you’re drooling. Ew. But a little blue-tinged gloss like Benefit California Kissin’ Smile Brightening Lip Shine can make your teeth appear whiter. (This one also has a minty fresh scent!)
• Lightly dust the apples of your cheeks with peach blush. (If you’re like me and my friends, you probably don’t take the time to wear blush, but trust me–it makes a HUGE difference. Try L’Oreal Light Softening Blush in Charmed Peach.)

So there it is. Simple, easy, natural.

Happy posing!

From “Supermodel in a Bottle” (High Beam) to Dandelion, we have always counted on Benefit to give our complexion a pretty boost in times of need.

This summer at Benefit counters nationwide, a new brightening primer called “That Gal” is making its debut. Worn alone or under foundation, this silky primer smooths skin and gives a brighter appearance.

While we must wait until August to get That Gal in the stores, it’s already available at Benefit.com for $27.

We’ve never been a big fan of lip liner for fear of looking like Kim Mathers or worse.

With lip liner, if you don’t stay on top of freshening up your lipstick, the dreaded “outline” is bound to rear its ugly head.

Not anymore. The genius girls at Benefit have introduced D’finer D’liner, a CLEAR lip liner that keeps lipstick from feathering by creating an invisible barrier.

We put D’finer D’liner to the test with a lipstick we love but hardly ever wear because the formula tends to bleed on us (and regular liner is too risky!). The results: IT WORKS.

We lined the outside edge of our lips with this invisible liner and our lipstick stayed put. No feathering or bleeding, and no dreaded outline. Now we can wear our favorite lipsticks with abandon—watch out boys.

We had to smile when we received this email the other day. Witty, no?

We’re only slightly disappointed that our all-time favorite Benefit product, Brow Zing, didn’t make the cut. Maybe next year.

With any $65 Benefit order, get FREE US Standard shipping (promo code: FRESHP65) and with any $85 Benefit order, get FREE International Standard shipping (promo code: INTLFRSH).

See our other favorite Benefit products here.