Easy Holiday Makeup

  It's finally DECEMBER and I am READY for Christmas this year. At least I'm going to try and be in the spirit...And for those of you who don't want to go all out this year on holiday makeup here is an easier but light flashy look for you to try. I wore a similar look to my fiancé's Christmas party for his work.

Face

• Mary Kay Foundation Primer
• Maybelline Dream Velvet Soft-Matte Hydrating Foundation (75 natural beige)
• Mary Kay Under Eye Corrector
• Covergirl Invisible Concealer (light)
• Wet n Wild PhotoFocus Pressed Powder (821 warm light)
• Benefit Hoola Bronzer
• Palladio Matte Blush (peach ice)
• NYX Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator (gleam)
• NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray

Eyes

• NYX Lid Lingerie (sweet cloud) as the base of the eyelid
• NYX Lid Lingerie (night glow) on the outer corner of the eyelid
• NYX Collection Noir Matt Black Liner for the upper and lower water lines
• Milani Stay Put Matte Liquid Liner (black matte) for the wing liner
• Maybelline The Colossal Big Shot Mascara (blackest black)
• L'Oréal Brow Stylist Sculptor Eyebrow Pencil (dark brunette)

Lips

• NYX Lip Liner Pencil (natural)
• Milani Amore Matte Metallic Lip Crème (chromatic addict)

HERE is another Holiday makeup look I did a couple years ago. :)

"Basic Witch"

  HAPPY HALLOWEEN, WITCHES!
  I honestly wasn't going to post this look because I don't feel like I got the BEST feedback on Instagram. But what the hell, I haven't had much time to create another look. I'd rather post SOMETHING than NOTHING. Ya know!?
  I was watching Atleeeey on YouTube and she posted a witchy makeup and I thought I would do a my "basic" spin on it. I wish I had foundation that was a little lighter than what I used but I just wanted to use what I had. So this is a Halloween witchy makeup look using only products that I already had. Would have LOVED if I had some false lashes! But anyways,  Enjoy!

Face:
~ Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation (natural beige)
~ Covergirl Invisible Concealer (light)
~ Wet n' Wild Photo Focus Pressed Powder (warm light)
~ NYX The Rock Nudes Palette (grey shades) for contour
~ Maybelline Master Strobing Stick for highlight (duh!)
~ Milani Stay Put Matte Eyeliner for dots (black)
~ NYX Matte Finishing Spray

Eyes:
~ NYX Love in Paris Merci Beaucoup Palette (dark brown/purple color down eyes and onto cheeks)
~ Mary Kay Rose Colored Palette (all over smokey eye)
~ Miliani Stay Put Matte Eyeliner (black)
~ Maybelline Colossal Big Shot Mascara (baddest black)
~ Loreal Paris Brow Stylist Sculptor (365 dark brunette)

Lips:
~ Wet n' Wild MegaLast Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick (Nudie Patootie)
~ NYX Lip Lingerie (Confident-Muted Plum)


Choker from H&M

Sexy Valentine's Day Makeup

  It's that time of year! Time for a Valentine's Day look! I've done one other Valentine's Day makeup post, view that here, but this time I wanted to go a little sexier, a little darker. So I did this!! I decided not to go too sharp and bold with the eyeliner like I normally do. This time I used a little bit of brown and greys for a softer/smudgier eyeliner.
  Below are a few pictures of my look and below it are all the items that I used.

Face

• Sephora Color Correcting Concealer(01 green)
• Mary Kay Creme-to-Powder Foundation(beige3, I also used a Bh cosmetics foundation brush to apply)
• Mary Kay Undereye Corrector(applied with a beauty blender)
• Covergirl Clean Invisible Concealer(fair, applied with beauty blender)
• Maybelline FITme Powder(130buff beige, this is used to set my foundation and mostly concealer)
• Mary Kay Bronzer(light/medium, applied with real techniques contouring brush)
• Maybelline Master Strobing Stick(100light, applied down the nose and on Cupid's bow)
• NYX Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator(LIo2 gleam, applied on upper part of cheeks)
• Palladio Matte Blush(peach ice, applied with eco tools blush brush)
• NYX HD Blush(hamptons, this was mixed with the lighter blush just to give a little more kick, also applied with eco tools blush brush)

Eyes

• NYX Love in Paris Palette(merci beaucoup, both red colors, and two darkest brown colors, applied with Bh cosmetics fluffy eye shadow brush)
• **I also used the darkest browns as part of my eye liner, and used the Bh cosmetics eyeliner brush to apply
• Sephora Eye Contouring Palette(blonde ambition color, applied towards lower parts of the eyebrows, applied with Bh cosmetics crease brush)
• Sephora Contour Eye Pencil(blonde ambition, applied on my lower lash line)
• Maybelline Colossal Chaotic Lash Mascara (if you know of any other great mascaras PLEASE let me know..lol)
• LOreal Brow Sculpter Eyebrow Pencil(dark brunette)

Lips

• Covergirl Lip Perfection Lip Liner(225 beloved)
• NYX Intense Butter Gloss(toasted marshmallow)

I definitely used a lot more makeup in this look than I'm used to. But it's a special occasion, right!? ;)

"Mesmerizing Mermaid"

 Hey you guys! It's one of my favorite times of the year, FALL! And with that comes HALLOWEEN! You obviously know I love to play with makeup and I like to do things for Halloween that I don't normally do throughout the year. 

  This year I decided to try a pack I found at Target, just to see how well it could come out and basically do a review//how-to makeup look. It was only $5-$7 and was by Wet N Wild. Normally I don't purchase much Wet N Wild products the quality isn't that great. This one was called "Wet N Wild Fantasy Makers 'Mesmerizing Mermaid'" It wasn't crazy expensive so I thought I'd give it a try. It came with stencils, paint, and eyeliner.





 Here is what I came up with. Now, I sent a picture to a few friends and I had one come back saying I looked like a lizard rather than a mermaid. So, I'll be optimistic and say it's versatile. If you'd like to go out as a reptile instead, HERE YOU GO!

 
All I really did was use one of the stencils that look like scales on my forehead and the upper part of my cheek bones, where highlighter would normally be applied.  I only used the gold, green and white colors. I also used the eyeliner that was in the pack on my lash line, upper and lower. This is actually a great eyeliner that I may use for other occasions. :) But other than that, I'm not the GREATEST when it comes to costume makeup, but I think it turned out okay. :) Be honest and tell me what you think!

Here is everything else that I used to complete the look.

FACE:
Maybelline Coverstick Corrective Concealer(green)--I used this before ANYTHING
Maybelline FitMe Foundation (222)
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (vanilla)
Covergirl TruBlend Pressed Powder(translucent medium)
NYX Cheek Contour Duo Palette(chcd01)
Palladio Matte Blush(peach ice)
Maybelline Master Strobing Stick
NYX Matte Finish Spray

EYES:
Covergirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil (335 green)--This is the majority of what's on my eye lids
Maybelline The Rock Nudes(greenish glitter color)
LOreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara (midnight black)
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner (trooper)
Fright Night Shimmering Lashes

LIPS:
Covergirl Colorlicious Gloss (melted toffee)
Gold Glitter from the makeup pack



PS..I did have to edit the pictures a little bit so that you could actually see a little detail. I only have an iPhone and use natural lighting. I'm looking into a better way to get better quality pictures. So bear with me!

Sun Kissed

So it's about damn time I write something new! Sorry guys, I would throw out the excuses of being busy, which is true, but I've also been lazy and I apologize. So I wanted to do a makeup look for the Summer. A natural eye with a bold lip. Great for during the day or going out to dinner with your man or girlfriends!

Face:

Maybelline FITme Foundation (matte+poreless 222 true beige)

NARS Cream Concealer (light 2 vanilla)*

CoverGirl TruBlend Pressed Powder (translucent medium)

PÜR Contour/Highlight Powder Duo

NYX HD Blush (hdb11 amber)

NYX Liquid Illuminator (born to glow)

Eyes/Brows:

Sephora Colorful5 Eyeshadow (pale to rich taupe)*

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner (trooper)*

L'Oréal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara (midnight black)

NYX Eyebrow Pencil (ep05 dark brown)

Lips:

WetnWild Mega Slicks Lipgloss (548D berried treasure)

**So I did kind of go against my brand and used a couple of higher end products, that you can't get from Target, Ulta or a drugstore. But in my defense I got them for my birthday and had to use them. Plus they are easily replicable with different products!

I also suggest using a little more illuminator(highlighter) than I did. I had a good amount on, but of course with my wonderful iPhone camera quality it just doesn't show up as well. :(

What do YOU want to see?

 Hey ladies(and gents)! I am sorry I haven't been posting much, just been really busy with work and personal life. I wanted to take the time out to ask YOU GUYS what you want to see me post more of for the Spring and Summer! I have a couple things in mind, just haven't been able to get around to getting the pictures taken. Do you want me to post more on skincare? Hair care? Makeup looks? Need advice on anything? What would you like me to review?

  Message me on here or just send me an email. I'll take ANY type of advice. :)

Photo done by the very talented and beautiful Anna Lamm.

Holiday Look #2 - Party

  The second look to my holiday makeup inspired looks is a little more festive. I thought this one would be fun to do for a party, whether it be for Christmas or New Years, it's really classic and pretty and it involves gold and red! What more could I you ask for!?? ;)

  I have also used a couple new products that I have not mentioned in any other post before so I thought now is the time!

Face

Maybelline FitMe Foundation Matte+Poreless (120classic ivory)

Covergirl+Olay Concealor (710light)

ELF Undereye Concealer and Highlighter

Covergirl Advanced Radiance Pressed Powder (105ivory)

ELF Contouring Bronzer(used Real Techniques sculpting brush to apply)

Eyes

Covergirl Brow and Eye Makers Eyebrow Pencil (midnight brown)

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil (630cashmere)(smeared over eyelid)

NYX Love in Paris Eye Shadow Palette (merci beaucoup- 2,3,5)*

NYX Matte Black Liner (bel02)**

Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes (blackest black)

Lips

Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner (057ravish)***

MAC Lipstick (retro matte, all fired up, A35)****

*I pressed the gold color on top of the creamy cashmere color to make the gold pop. I then added the other brown colors in the crease to define it.

**Smudged the eyeliner to make everything blend better and not look so harsh.

***I got this lip liner a LONG time ago. You may not be able to purchase it anymore. But any red lip liner will do.

****I know the whole point of my blog is to not use any overpriced makeup products. But I was given this lipstick for my birthday by one of my best friends and I REALLY wanted to showcase it. Also, any red matte lipstick will do.

QUICK TIP - Elongating Eyes

  I just wanted to share a quick tip that I may or may not have shared in a previous post. If I did, well here it is again! It's a tip on how to elongate your eyes, maybe give them a more natural cat eye, without the eye liner. 
  First, grab your favorite mascara. Waterproof helps hold curl a little better! (Just FYI) Now all you have to do is brush your eyelashes, upper and lower, towards the outer part of your eye rather that brushing up, towards your eyebrows. What this does is just makes your eyes appear longer, feminine, sexy, and cat-like! Meow.
  Take a look: Can you tell which eye I tried to make look larger/longer?

**SORRY for the crazy facial expressions.

The BEST Shave

  Hey guys, so  it's Spring time and that means Summer is also around the corner. It's about time to break out those high-waisted shorts, summer dresses, and bikinis. But you know what that means...no more hibernating those hairy legs! I've read a few things and even threw in a little bit of personal experience to put together the best shaving routine to get the silkiest, smoothest, closest shave ever! Well maybe not ever, but the easiest routine that even I can do. This is good to do on a night that you want to pamper yourself, before heading to a pool party, beach gathering, or just a night with your man.

Step One: Exfoliate.
     The best thing to use to exfoliate is a sugar scrub. Ulta has a great selection and they're not too expensive. Just put a decent amount into the palm of your hand and rub your skin in circular motions. It's a great way to get the blood circulating under your skin and to get rid of any dead skin cells on your body. Rinse off and you'll already feel the difference with your skin and body hair. Your hair will feel not as course. This makes it easier for shaving. 

Step Two: Shave.
     It's best to use a shaving cream. I know I have gone many a times shaving without it, but I can tell you that it definitely isn't the same as using a shaving cream. I love the Venus with Olay shaving cream. Smells amazing and helps get a close shave. 

Step Three: Cleanse.
     Self explanatory. Just go about showering with your normal body wash. 

Step Four: Mist.
     This step is optional. Target has a great after shave mist called SheaMoisture Shave Skin Healing Elixer. It smells amazing and helps with any type of razor burn and is supposed to help your body hair grow at a slower pace so you don't have to shave as often. Great to have for this time of year when shaving is more frequent. 

Step Five: Moisturize. 
     Use a lotion that helps keep the skin hydrated and moisturized throughout the day, or night. St Ives and Suave are a couple good options. Nivea also makes an "in shower lotion" that is pretty interesting and works great, as well. You just put it on while in the shower like your regular moisturizer and then rinse it off your body and pat dry with a towel. I love it! 

                                 Sorry for the quality of this picture.                                 

Flirty Valentine's Day Look

  Yay! I'm finally posting something BEFORE the actual day/holiday so it is useful. I have decided to put together a Valentine's Day date look. I thought it would be fun, flirty and a little pouty. I decided to copy Kylie Jenner with the Botox overdrawn lips too. Take a look!
  I wanted it to be soft and cute on the eyes with a light shimmery pink and then bring out the lips with a sultry reddish/pink. I also overdrew the lips to make the look a little more sexy. I have noticed that if you want to over draw your lips, the best type of lip product to use is matte. Anything glossy will make your upper lip pop out and make it obvious you're wearing lipstick past your lips. 

                                                   
FACE

-L'Oreal Magic Llumi Light Infusing Primer

-Ready, Set, Gorgeous Covergirl Foundation(210)

-Covergirl Smoothers Concealer(710 light)

-NYX HD concealer (CW01)

-Covergirl Smoothers Pressed Powder(715 translucent medium)

-PUR Minerals Bare It All Contour/Highlight Powder Duo

EYES

-Maybelline Define-A-Brow(dark brown)

-Covergirl Brow and Eye Makers(midnight brown)

-Revlon Colorstay Shadowlinks Eyeshadow(candy)

-NYX Infinite Shadowstick(07 flushed)

-Revlon Colorstay SKINNY Eyeliner(black out)

-Maybelline Colossal Volume Express "Cat Eyes" (glam black)

LIPS

-Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner(057 ravish)

-Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm(225 sultry)

**ALL products can be found at most Targets and possibly even Walmart. ;)

QUICK TIP-- Innovative Blush

  I definitely did not come up with this idea, but I have always thought about how creative it was. If you are low on blush, or just need some because you don't have any, like me, then here is another way to find some. USE EYE SHADOW! I don't usually have blush because my cheeks are pink by nature, but the other day, I wanted to wear some to a little party, get together I was going to. I used my Almay Intense I-Color(for blues). It is a very pretty shimmery peach color. I just dabbed my finger in the product and lightly tapped the apples of my cheeks and up to my hair line. I thought it turned out nicely. So if you are in need of a quick fix blush, try your eye shadow, works perfectly!

  

  Try it out and let me know how it works! Especially with Christmas parties coming up. Blush is always a nice touch!

Not Your Typical Smokey Eye

  Hey guys, so I thought it was about time to do another makeup look! This time taking the smokey eye to a more work appropriate version. Having the heavy black and grey eyeshadow and packed on eyeliner is not exactly something you can wear in some work environments, but I have found another super simple version of this eye make up that is fast, easy and something I can wear to work all the time! What's also fun about this look is that you can change subtly change the base color and still rock a smokey eye!

  First, I used a fluffy eye shadow brush and applied Almay's Intense Smokey I-color(for greens) Medium color on the lid.
  Second, I mixed the Base color in the same Almay palate with the Medium color in Almay's Intense I-color(for blues) on the crease of my eye to add depth.
  Third, I used a little more of the first color on my lid to darken the color up just a bit.
  Fourth, I used a highlighter color. Either a highlighter used in contouring, or a lighter shade of eye shadow(usually a pearl, or cream) along my brow bone. This gives the illusion of an eye lift!
  Fifth, instead of using a liquid eyeliner I used NYX's Matte Black Liner halfway along my lower lash line(from the outside in), along my upper lash line, and to tighten my water line along my upper lid. After applying, I went back and smudged it up a bit. This is what makes me feel like I've accomplished a smokey eye without doing too much.
  Finally, I used my Revlon eyelash curler and applied Maybelline's Colossal Volume Express(Cat Eyes) Mascara on my upper and lower lashes. (If your eyes are prone to watering or smudging through out the day, I suggest a waterproof mascara along the lower lashes. This helps from making it look like you gained a black eye during the day, or night!)

           

Thanks guys! Sorry for the chapped lips. It's just that time of year. Yikes!

Alternative Eyeliner/Smudgey Eye Makeup

  So I know how I've gone on about winged eyeliner, which I will show how I do it soon, but lately I've been trying something new.  This is an alternative for winged eyeliner but also gives a good dark, yet subtle, eye.  I love a dark edgy look so I tried to use regular 'ol black eyeliner, not liquid, and then smudged it up and made it look messy.  Here is what I did. 
  I used Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in black and lightly lined my lower lash line/water line and did my upper lash line as well.  Then, I went through and put on a thin layer of eyeliner along my eyelid.  I took my ring finger, since it is the softest and gentlest finger, and rubbed in my eyeliner on both my eyelid and lower lash line.  This gives the simple smokey effect and also the dramatic eye.  
  That is all I'm wearing in this picture.  Wanted to get this post up for you guys today, since it's my day off this week.  But I will also pair this eye liner with nude or shimmery eye shadows, as well.  Makes your eyes just POP!

  I love doing this now for work or if I'm in a slight hurry to get out the door and don't have time to do the dramatic winged eyeliner.  So, try it out and let me know how it works for you!

Luscious and Long Lasting Lips

  Over the past few months I have been obsessed with lipstick and tinted lip balm sticks.  I used to hate wearing anything other than regular chap stick on my lips, until one day I tried a little color and I LOVED it.  Now I practically wear something on my lips every day.  Whether it be a deep purple, red, pink, or a nude.  I want my color to last for a long time during the day.  I don't get too much time to stop and do touch ups while I'm at work. 
  No one wants their lips to lose their color an hour after wearing lip gloss, or their lipstick wearing off half way through the day.  SO, I have put together four easy steps that will help keep the color stay in tact for a long day, as well as, making your lips appear full and luscious.

Lip Liner: Rimmel London Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner in 057 Ravish
Lipstick: Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in 045 Raspberry

Step 1: Use your toothbrush to lightly exfoliate.  Just use water and light circular motions over your lips.  This gets the blood rushing up to your lips making them look and feel fuller.  This also gets rid of dead skin that your lip liner and lipstick would hold onto.

Step 2: Use lip liner to outline.  If your lips are uneven like mine are, this is how you would even them out to perfect the shape.  This is also just an outline so your lipstick doesn't go outside of the lines.

Step 3: Using your lip liner, color in your lips.  Work from the outside towards the middle but don't fill everything in.  By doing this, this helps the color become bolder and stay longer during the day.

Step 4: Apply your lipstick.  Do one or two strokes across the top and repeat on the bottom.

VOILA! Easy way for your lips to look full and luscious and to keep your color lasting for hours!

**Just a side note. I used my phone to take these pictures and to edit the process. So don't judge on the amateur quality!