There are several tie knots out there to try, such as the Windsor knot, Eldredge knot and Balthus knot. If you’re just starting to learn how to tie a tie you should stick to a basic knot, and the four-in-hand knot is about as basic as they come. If you only learn one tie knot, this is a good choice.

Get the Length Right

Make sure the wide end of your tie is longer than the narrow end. You might have to experiment depending on how tall you are, but the narrow end should normally end a few inches above your belly button.

Wide Over Narrow

Pull the wide end across the narrow end.

Around the Back

Wrap the wide end around the back of the narrow end and across the front once more.

Come Up From the Back

Pull the wide end up through the back of the knot in the space between your neck and the knot.

Thread Through the Loop

Pull the wide end through the front of the knot by making a small loop with your fingers.

Pull and Tighten

Gently pull down on the short end while moving the knot up towards your collar.

Adjust

Adjust as needed and make sure the wide end comes down to your belt buckle, but not past it.

One of the most exciting parts of The Oscars (and any award show, really) is seeing what the celebrities are going to bring to the table (or carpet). This year, at the 86th Academy Awards at the Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, California, that took place yesterday, March 2, fashion critics and fans were overall pleased with the fashion that hit the red carpet.

While there were some celebrities that made us think “What were you thinking?” others were so stunning that we couldn’t help but put our televisions on pause and stare at them.

Celebs like “12 Years a Slave” star Lupita Nyong’o, “American Hustle” star Jennifer Lawrence and “Gravity” star Sandra Bullock awed audiences with their gorgeous gowns on the Oscars Red Carpet.

Luckily for some of the stars and best-dressed of the Red Carpet, like Blanchett, Bullock and Nyong’o, they were able to show off their flawless dresses when accepted awards for some Academy Awards. All 86th Academy Award winners are:

• Best Picture – 12 Years a Slave
• Best Actor in a Leading Role – Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)
• Best Actress in a Leading Role – Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
• Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave)
• Best Animated Feature – Frozen (Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Peter Del Vecho)
• Best Cinematography – Gravity (Emmanuel Lubezki)
• Best Costume Design – The Great Gatsby (Catherine Martin)
• Best Directing – Gravity (Alfonso Cuarón)
• Best Documentary Feature – 20 Feet from Stardom (Morgan Neville, Gil Friesen, Caitrin Rogers)
• Best Documentary Short – The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life (Malcolm Clarke, Nicholas Reed)
• Best Film Editing – Gravity (Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger)
• Best Foreign Language Film – The Great Beauty (Italy)
• Best Makeup and Hairstyling – Dallas Buyers Club (Adruitha Lee, Robin Mathews)
• Best Original Score – Gravity (Steven Price)
• Best Original Song – Let It Go – Frozen
• Best Production Design – The Great Gatsby (Catherine Martin, Beverley Dunn)
• Best Animated Short Film – Mr. Hublot (Laurent Witz, Alexandre Espigares)
• Best Live Action Short Film – Helium (Anders Walter, Kim Magnusson)
• Best Sound Editing – Gravity (Glenn Freemantle)
• Best Sound Mixing – Gravity (Skip Lievsay, Niv Adiri, Christopher Benstead, Chris Munro)
• Best Visual Effects – Gravity (Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, Dave Shirk, Neil Corbould)
• Best Adapted Screenplay – 12 Years a Slave (John Ridley)
• Best Original Screenplay – Her (Spike Jonze)

The show, hosted by the very funny and overall loved Ellen DeGeneres, was claimed to be an overall great show, with very deserving Academy Award winners.

A set of artfully arranged brushes caked with remnants of makeup will kill the aesthetic of even the most beautiful display of makeup products. Without regular cleaning, makeup brushes can become a breeding ground for bacteria and, consequently, cause nasty breakouts. “We should all thoroughly clean our brushes once a week,” advised Janeena Billera, national makeup artist for glo minerals. With proper cleansing, a set of great makeup brushes can last for a lifetime of flawless, bacteria-free makeup application.

Wet Your Brushes

Gather your brushes and run them under lukewarm water with the brush head facing downward. “It is very important that the brush head is facing down so water does not get into the ferrule, the metal band that binds the bristles of a brush to the handle,” said Billera. Over time, water can loosen the glue that holds the brush together.

Apply Cleanser

Once brushes are thoroughly moistened, apply a small drop of mild shampoo to the bristles on each brush. Billera recommends baby shampoo because it’s gentle and doesn’t have a strong fragrance.

Lather

“Create a lather by swirling the brushes against the palm of your hand,” instructed Billera. Make sure you reach all the bristles, not just those on the outside. You can also use clean fingers to massage the soap into the entire brush.

Rinse

With your brush heads facing downward again, rinse the bristles thoroughly under lukewarm water. Continue rinsing until there are no traces of soap or residue left — just as you’d wash your own hair.

Pat Dry

“After all your brushes are rinsed, use a clean towel to pat dry them,” said Billera. You can gently press the bristles between a towel to soak up excess moisture. It’s important to pat them dry as soon as they’re completely rinsed. Never let your brushes soak in water as this will make them fall apart.

Reshape Brushes and Dry

Once you’ve finished patting dry, reshape the brush heads and lay them down on a clean, dry towel for six to eight hours. “Do not put brushes right-side up in a cup or blow-dry them,” noted Billera. Laying them flat helps them maintain their original shape and keeps water out of the ferrules.

Daily Spray Cleansing

In addition to a weekly deep cleaning, you can perform a daily cleanse on each of your brushes with a water-free cleanser, available in cosmetic stores and online. “Just spray a couple of spritzes on a tissue and swirl the brush gently until there is no longer residue,” advised MLR makeup artist Kelly Morezak. “A lot of brush cleansers are anti-bacterial, which is great if you have acne-prone skin. Talk about the easiest way to prevent pimples!”

Conditioning Synthetic Brushes

“Synthetic brushes tend to get hard over time,” noted Morezak. “Every other cleaning, I use a hair conditioner on them.” She recommends selecting a conditioner with as little scent as possible. Follow the same steps you use when shampooing your brushes.