A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a master class with Emmy award-winning makeup artist Melanie Mills. And it was amazing. So this week, I want to share some of the top things I learned (I took pages upon pages of notes!) that will help you add a little - or a lot, let's be honest - of glamour to your everyday makeup.

The master class was held at my hair salon, Sylists @ North (the cutest salon with the most amazing service!) and they did a top-notch job hosting - check out the scrumptious treats:

After we had some time to chat, we all sat down to take in the gloriousness that is Melanie Mills. Personally, I am 100% on board with her makeup philosophies because she's all about looking glamorous, false lashes, and glitter. In fact, she wrote a book called Glitter and Glam that I highly recommend if you want to know more about how to do your makeup like a pro.

Our gorgeous model, Laura Rose (@lauraroseyoga), arrived bare-face, but left like this:

Melanie started with a daytime look, then bumped the look up for nighttime. In case you're wondering why you need to do that, take a picture of yourself in daylight and then at night with a flash. It's darker at night, which means you need bolder colors so they show up, plus there's usually a flash which causes you to look washed out unless you have more color on your face. It's worth the extra 15 minutes!

The top three things I learned:

Baking = Caking

I HATE baking. So much. I appreciate it for stage makeup, but you have to take your time and you have to do it right. When you see everyone on YouTube and Instagram baking every day, you start think you're crazy because you really hate the trend. Thankfully, sometimes it takes someone who's won an EMMY (!) to set you straight. Melanie said, "Baking equals caking, especially on mature skin...it's called baking because it looks like flour" While there is a time and place, it's certainly not necessary for every day makeup.

Keep Lashes Intact

This is a two-for-one tip! To get a really great curl, sometimes it's fun to curl your lashes after applying mascara. The problem is that method can rip out your lashes. The solution? Powder your eyelash curler first with a light dusting of translucent powder. And for false lashes - this one blew my mind - Melanie suggests not trimming them to fit your lash line because it messes with the integrity of the lash. Instead, use individual or cluster lashes, or find strips that are already a good fit.

Don't Forget Body Makeup!

"Completion is key!" Melanie mentioned a famous late night talk show host (*cough* whose last time rhymes with mole bear...) who hates having makeup applied to his ears. The problem is that, especially under TV lights, this makes his ears look super red compared to his face. The same thing happens when you do this gorgeous makeup on your face, but neglect your neck and chest. One of the best solutions is to invest in good body makeup, especially now that we're headed into the warmer months. Melanie has an insane line of body makeup, called Gleam Body Radiance, that tightens and brightens your skin. It can be used as a primer and illuminator, too. I purchased the Disco Gold shade, but will be heading back to purchase Rose Gold as well!

For more of Melanie's tips and tricks, make sure to order her incredible book and follow her on Instagram @Gleam_MelanieMills. Thanks for joining me this week, and let's stay in touch on Instagram @ElectraLane. If you like the blog, please let your friends know so they can join the fun!