A couple of weeks ago we went downtown to The Church nightclub to see one of my very old friends Tower DJ. He seamlessly blends old school punk & goth with newer indie & electroclash, so of course he's one of my favorite DJ's & always keeps me dancing.
I wanted to keep my outfit a little more casual but still fit with the night.
I know that it is very easy to get double or even triple booked for events this time of year. I wanted to do a look that was in the holiday spirit & glamorous but toned down for work or family events. I also wanted it to be easy to transition this look into something for going to hang out with friends without having to go home & completely change everything. I wanted to be able to do a quick transition with minimal stuff that could be done in a car or small bathroom.
Here is a quick outfit I wore the other day when we went to dinner at the Paris on the Platte. It's a local coffee shop that I've been going to forever. They have excellent unique coffee & tea drinks, plus amazing food. We got the artichoke heart & spinach pizza to share. I got my favorite, Cafe Viennese with almond syrup & almond syrup, Matt got a spiced apple cider. I forgot to take pictures there, sorry, but hopefully I'll get in the habit of taking pictures when I'm out & about here soon.
PS- I know the pictures are kind of crappy. I'm doing the best I can for now & will hopefully have something better figured out soon.
Finally got a hankering to wear my Revlon Starry Pink & I love it so much! It is such an embodiment of girly pink princess nails!
Without Flash
With Flash (sorry but, you guys know my camera sucks)
These pictures do not do it justice at all. It looks so much more like a princess paradise on your nails in real life. It even makes you feel more girly just wearing it!
This is 3 coats over Sinful Colors Beautiful Girl but, I think that I could have skipped the base. It just made it slightly more of a baby pink instead of a milky pink.
I have been doing some miscellaneous shopping lately & thought that I would share what I've been getting with all of you. Most of it is just random winter clothes & some new accessories (not that I need anymore).
I didn't do a whole lot of shopping for Black Friday but, there was 1 deal that I had been waiting for & that's Bath & Body Works candle sale. Their candles are 2 for $20 every couple of months & this is the only time I will buy them.
I'm sorry that I haven't done many tutorials this month. I have had a lot of issues that have caused problems with my schedule, I've been an emotional mess, & due to the stress my skin is a wreck. Hope that you all understand. I am defiantly trying to get everything back together & hopefully will be filming regularly again soon. I am also going to try to catch up on a few request that I just never got around to doing.
Most of the stuff that I picked up this month was either on clearance, due to a sale, or part of a holiday collection or promo.
ELF 3 Piece Liquid Eyeliner Set- Target $3
ELF 5 Piece Nail Polish Set- Target $5
Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Nail Color in Save The Date & Lilac Chantilly- Walgreens $3 (clearance)
Nails Inc. The Wyndham Collection- Sephora $20
OPI Muppet's Collection Polishes in Meep-Meep-Meep, Excuse Moi!, & Designer... De Better!- Ulta $9
Wet N Wild I <3 Matte Palette- Walgreens $5
Wet N Wild Color Icon Baked Eyeshadow Palette in Baking A Cake- Walgreens $5
Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Carnation- Walgreens $4 (clearance)
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Abstract Orange- Ulta $7
Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes Liner in OL Black- Sephora Free Gift (full size is $18)
Sinful Colors Extra Shiny Lipgloss in Catch Me If You Can, Wink, & Sultry Flame- Walgreens $2
ELF Never Too Much 144 Piece Eyeshadow Palette- Target $15
Milani HD Advanced Lip Color in Vivacious Fuschia- Walgreens $4 (clearance)
I have heard about these for a while & have always wanted to try them. When I was looking through the colors they seemed rather bland or really light, except for this one. This is a sheer jelly/balm type of lipstick which is not what I tend to really like, especially when I'm buying such a bright color. I can't say that after that I really even gave this a chance to tell you anything else about it.
Maybelline Dream Mouse Blush in Pink Frosting- Walgreens $4 (clearance)
This is another item I have been hearing about & decided to try because it was on clearance. Talk about shimmer! There was so much glitter in this that a slight ray of direct light & your cheeks will look like a disco, & not in a good way. The formula was nice though & I wish Maybelline would stop putting glitter in their damn blushes, we are not 12!
Urban Decay The Revolution High-Performance Lash Curler- Sephora $20
This was one of the first things to go on my shopping list when I got my Sephora 20% off mailer. I was so excited to try this & guess that I should have read a few reviews first. I have tried quite a few open ended lash curlers but, they are always straight up & down & plastic. This thing is a death trap waiting to happen. I pinched myself, pulled on my lashes, & could only manage to get a strange crimp in them. Now, I'm not an idiot, I know how to curl my lashes. So I figured that there must be some trick to using this thing. NOPE, all you are going to accomplish is injuring yourself & having weird crimped lashes. I'll stick with my $1 ELF one.
Wet N Wild ColorIcon Ice Baby Glitter Nail Polish in Back Alley Deals- Walgreens $3
I saw these & was instantly drawn in, without even really thinking. Something dawned on me once I got it home though, I already have this; twice! Once I was over the initial love of super glitter polish I realized that these are a total rip off. You can get each of these colors in a full sized polish, & most of them for $2 from Sinful Colors. The others are available from Sally Hansen, Ice, OPI, & various other brands that have better quality & more quantity. Don't be pulled in by the glittery overload like I was.
As I mentioned in the video I am planning on moving my Love It or Ditch It's to my blog starting January. I figure that this will make it easier for you to just see the reviews on the stuff that you're interested in & not have to sit through a 20 minute video. You can subscribe to the blog for updates or I will be posting them on my facebook as well.
This is something new that I am thinking about trying out with my blog, so let me know what you think of it..
I have been looking to take my blog further then just post to accompany videos that I do on my youtube channel for a while now. I asked on facebook what you would like to see & Megan had suggested "a day in the life" style blogs. I still wasn't really sure where I would take that until I saw Xiaxue's Blog. She does great picture post with short captions & I thought it was the perfect way to do these. I didn't take as many pictures as I had wanted, because I forgot my camera at home & my phone one is all wonkey), but I think that I did ok for my first post like this!
I have been seeing tons of these neutral metallic's lately & thought that they would be perfect for a simple, glammed up, everyday fall look. The neutral, one toned color palette really grounds this look. While the metallic nature of the colors makes it look a little more classy & glamorous.
Products Used:
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
CoverGirl LiquilineBlast (purple)
High Definition Duo Brush (blending & pencil)
Revlon Satin Eyeshadow in Polished Bronze
Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush
Revlon Perle Eyeshadow in Sunlit Sparkle
Rimmel Eyeshadow in Backstage
Rimmel Eyeshadow in Spicy Bronze
Studio Basics Eyeliner Brush
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Gel Cream Liner in Glam Green Eyes
This month there were a ton of great sales, so I was able to try out some things that I've been wanting for a while. Also, there were quite a few neat limited edition collections coming out this month.
Products Mentioned:
Urban Decay Naked Palette- Ulta $48 [this palette really did exceed my expectations. despite seeing it in a ton of videos I was amazed at how beautiful the colors are. they are not your typical neutral browns & this becomes even more apparent the more you use the palette!]
Revlon Diamond Lust Eyeshadows in Plum Galaxy, Starry Pink, Neptune Star, & Night Sky- Rite Aid $5
Revlon Perle Eyeshadow in Sunlit Sparkle- Ulta $3 (40%off)
Revlon Satin Eyeshadow in Polished Bronze- Ulta $3 (40%off)
Rimmel London Eyeshadow in Spicy Bronze & Backstage- Ulta $4
Physicians Formula Shimmery Quad Eyeshadow in Metallic Canyon- Ulta $4 (40%off)
Physicians Formula Matte Quad Eyeshadow in Quartz Quartet- Ulta $4 (40%off)
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Eye Enhancing Gel Cream Liner in Glam Green Eyes- Ulta $7 (40%off)
Revlon Nail Enamels in Facets of Fuchsia & Starry Pink- Rite Aid $5
Essence Holographic Eyeshadow in Lil@c- Ulta $3
Rimmel London Lasting Finish Bendable Blush in Tickle Me Pink- Ulta $5
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup- Walgreens $9 (40% off) [I also picked up the 3in1 eye concealer & ended up taking it back the next day. It was ridiculously expensive ($7), even though it was on sale 40% off, & didn't work hardly at all. I put on 3 layers before I gave up & put my ELF concealer on over it. Now, I do have incredibly dark under eye circles but, this just went on so sheer I doubt it would even cover normal discoloration.]
Physicians Formula Mineral Correcting Powder- Ulta $9 (40%off)
Maybelline Lipstick in Madison Mauve- Ulta $5 (40%off)
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Creme Primrose & Pearl Gentlemen Prefer Pink- Ulta $5 (40%off)
Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss in Strawberry, Hot Pink, & Peony- Ulta $3 (40%off + $2off coupon)
Ulta Lipstick in 219 (super dark red) & 214 (dark pearl berry)- Ulta 2 for $6 (sale)
Holiday Collections start coming out this coming month & I'm super excited to see what everyone's coming out with. To know what I'm getting before my monthly review, check out my Twitter!
Thanks so much for the request Megan! I'm so glad that I got to do this look! It turned out so beautiful, I hated that I had business stuff to take care of & had to wash it off afterwards. Of course you can change the colors up to use this for other costumes as well (maybe black & gold for a tiger or cheetah outfit)
Products Used:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Studio Tools Crease Brush
ELF 100 Palette #11
Ms. Makeup Eye Shading Brush
Essence Eyeshadow in It's Up To You
Sleek Dare Devil from Primer Palette
Rimmel Exxagerate Eye Definer in Noir
Ms. Makeup Angled Eyeliner Brush
Loreal Eyeshadow in Raven
Maybelline The Falsies Black Drama Mascara
LA Splash Glitter Splash in Starlight Red
Sally Girl Loose Glitter in Gold Digger
Hard Candy Show Girl's Secret Glitter Glue
Generic stiff flat shader brush
Simply Simmons Fan Blender (this is from the craft store &
is the best brush I have ever found for dusting away fall out)
Love & Beauty Blush Brush
NYC Cheek Glow in Cherry Blossom
Revlon Mineral Finishing Powder in Brighten
Sephora Retractable Lipliner in Raspberry
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Matte Really Red
This look is simple & classy but has a sexy edge to it with the graphic liner. You can completely customize this look to fit your outfit with the color you use on your lid & lipstick.
Products Used:
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Greed
Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush
Revlon ColorStay eyeshadow quad in In The Buff
Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer in Noir
Sephora Smudge Brush
HIP Crystal Shadow Duo in Precious
Sephora Eyes Pencil in 505
Ms. Makeup Angled Eyeshadow Brush
Kat Von D Eyeshadow in Lucifer from Metal Orchestra Palette (any richly pigmented black shadow will due)
Maybelline The Falsies Black Drama Mascara
Gotta B' Urban Powder Brush
Ulta Cheek Color in Afterglow
Sephora Nano Lip pencil in Pinup Pink
CoverGirl Lipstick in Eternal
Revlon ColorBurst lipgloss in Hot Pink
Thank you for the request! I look forward to seeing everybody's Halloween costume.
Breast cancer is a very real threat for woman today & effects a great many people's lives.
This feminine & classic look is perfect for dinners or events you may have coming up. It is simple enough that you can even just wear it to show your support everyday!
Products Used:
Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer in Noir
Sephora Smudge Brush
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Studio Basics Retractable Eye Shading & Detailer Brush
Ulta Eyeshadow in Twilight
Milani Brow Fix Kit in Light- highlight
ELF Eye Transformer- pink shade
Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue
Revlon Diamond Lust eyeshadow in Starry Pink
Sephora Eyes Pencil in 505
Physicians Formula Eye Booster Eyeliner in Ultra Black
Loreal Double Extend Mascara in Blackest Black
Gotta B' Urban Powder Brush
Maybelline Blush in Pressworthy Pink
Sephora Nano Lipliner in Pinup Pink
Maybelline lipstick in Fifth Ave. Fuchsia
I hope that you girls enjoyed this look & take just a little bit of your time to support someone effected by breast cancer this month.
I love doing historical looks like this. You can tone up the theatricals & stylizing of this look by doing slightly deeper colors with slightly more pronounced highlights.
Finish off this look with a beautiful rose scented perfume to keep with the era.
Titanic & My Fair Lady are great movies to watch for more stylized ideas.
Foundation- Revlon Colorstay or Makeup Forever Mat Velvet +
Mixing Founation (to make your foundation easier to blend)- Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse (Porcelain Ivory adds a great pink tone & creamy texture for fair to light medium skin) or Makeup Forever HD Foundation (adds a nice luminosity)
Palladio Rice Powder in Translucent
Real Techniques Blush Brush
Maybelline Expert Wear brow pencil in Blonde
Milani Bow Fix Kit in Light
High Definition Dual Brush
Ulta Professional Eye Primer
Studio Tools Medium Shadow Brush
ELF 100 Palette #41
Physicians Formula Eyebrightener in Natural Eyelight
Too Faced Lash Injection
Generic Lash Spoolie
NYC Cheek Glow in Cherry Blossom
Gotta B' Urban Powder Brush
Physicians Formula Mineral Glow Pearls in Translucent Pearl
Lipsticks- Revlon Just Bitten in Crave, Maybelline Colorsensational in Bitten Berry, CoverGirl Lip Perfection in Eternal,, or Revlon Matte in Really Red (I don't suggest this one, even though it's the one that I used, I always forget that this color comes out much more orange then it looks in the tube)
Generic Lip Brush
If you find that blending in the lipcolor gave you a smudgy lip line, run a brush with a bit of concealer around the edge of your lip. This will give you a nice crisp edge.
If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you know that I have been on the hunt for some perfect neutrals lately. Out of the blue my makeup tastes & perspectives have slightly changed, leading me to expand my horizons. I also got to try a few things that I have been wanting for some time now.
Butter London Nail Lacquer in Queen Vic, Victoriana, Lady Muck, & The Full Monty-
Ulta $14 (buy 1 get 1 free)
Sally Hansen Hard As Nails in Heart of Stone & Nail'd It- RiteAid $1 (clearance)
Hard Candy Glamoflauge with concealer pencil in Light- Walmart $6
Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue- Ulta $9 (sale)
Jordana Lip Out Loud in ASAP- Walmart $2
Ulta Eye Shadow in Electric Lights, Organza, & Toast- Ulta $4 (sale)
Wet N Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Single in Nutty & Kitten- Walmart $1 (sale)
Maybelline Lipstick in Fruit Punch (High Shine), Rockin Fuchsia (Gem Collection), Make Me Pink, & Peachy Scene- Ulta $5 (2 for $10)
Maybelline Limited Edition Blush in Pressworthy Pink- Ulta $7
Tarte Soft & Smokey 5 piece Collection- Ulta $40
Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Tint in Moody- Ulta Free Gift
Tarte Deluxe Mineral Bronzer in Park Ave Princess- Ulta Free Gift
This video ended up being quite a bit longer then expected simply because I talked about some of the products in great detail. I will try to make sure that my next one is shorter.
There are tons of videos like this out there & it's always so frustrating to me. It's not that they do a bad job. The girls always do a wonderful job & their liner looks great.
The problem is that it looks great on them.
Everyone's eye's are different & this often gives girls the wrong impression. The'll do it exactly like the girl does in the videos & then it won't look like it did on the girl that did the video. Because of this they think that they just can't wear winged liner or that it just looks bad on them.
This, of course, is not true. You simply have to work with your eye shape & may need to do it in a different shape to achieve the style & shape you're looking for.
So it's not that I'm against these videos, it's just that I think that they need to be renamed to something like "How I do my winged liner".
So how do you know how to do winged liner on your eye shape?
Practice & lots of it!
I suggest sitting in one night, taking a cheap black eyeshadow with an angled brush (my favorites are Raven eyeshadow by Loreal & the ELF Angled brush, I find that a small angled brush is easier to control then a bent or pointed liner brush when you are first starting out), some baby wipes & going to town. Try it out & wipe it off until you find something that works for you. Then, when you get it to a point that you like it, take a picture (with eyes open & closed) & post it in the area that you do your makeup. This way, you have your very own little cheat sheet next time you go to do your liner.
So, where do you start?
There are a few different techniques to figure out the general line that you can follow. Each will give you a different shape & pronounce your eyes slightly different. Most of it comes down to personal style & what comes more naturally to you.
#1- Put on a pair of false lashes that have a long curved outer corner. Open your eyes wide & follow along the outer edge of the lashes. This technique is best suited for people without a deep set crease or that naturally have a large lid space. This gives you a traditional 50's-60's type of look.
#2- Extend the line from the natural curve of your lower waterline. Place your brush on the corner of your water line & just follow where that would naturally go if it extended towards your brow. I find that this technique works on all lid shapes & will give a upturned look to the eye.
#3- Place a cream product along your lower lash line. Then take the side of your index finger, place it along your lower lash line & drag your finger along the lash line to either your temple or the corner of your brow. Now just follow your liner along the inside of the smudge. I find that this technique works the easiest for those just learning where they should place their liners outer edge.
#4- If you like more of a triangle elongated effect, take the line from the middle of your bottom lash line up towards your brow or temple. This technique is much harder to master & really is dependent on eye shape as well as personal preference.
#5- Take a piece of paper, line it up from the corner of your nostril to the corner of your bottom lash line. Make sure the paper extends to your hairline & follow along it with your liner. I find that this technique works the best for people with mono-lids, deep set eyes, or hooded eye lids because it extends the line beyond the crease which can distort your wing. This technique also elongates the eyes.
Now that you have the bases of your outer line (which is definitively the hardest part) it's time to bring it towards your top lash line.
If you want a more dainty look, start about half way up your outer line. Pull it in a sweeping motion to a forth of the way into your top lash line, accenting a deep curve. Then blend the liner into your lash line. Keep building this line until you are happy with it. You can build it up higher on your outer line as well as further into your lash line. Remember to build slowly & alternating between both eyes, making sure they are even (nothing sucks worse then having one eye perfect & then trying to get the other to match).
If you want a stronger look, pull your line over from just below the top point of your outer line. Drag it in a straight line towards your lash line. You can pull it to about a forth of the way in for a modern pin-up look, half way for a dramatic effect, or almost all the way to the edges of your lashes for a great rock chic look.
Of course, either of these techniques can look more subtle or stronger depending on how high you take the initial outer line.
Now for the liner against your top lash line. This comes down mainly to personal choice & how you want your eyes to look. The top liner greatly effects the way your eyes will look shaped.
For a sultry Marilyn Monroe type of shape, start at the inner corner of your lashes (just at the very start of your tear duct). Make a straight angled line to about a forth of the way into your lash line, it should be about a 45 degree incline. Now round out the corner into a straight line across your lash line to your outer corner. Make sure to round out the edge before your wing as well.
For a dramatic, rocker type of look start at either the edge of your tear duct or just a little bit into your lash line. Now do a straight angled line to your outer wing. The higher you take this, the more dramatic it will look. I suggest starting by taking it just a little bit less the 1/4th of the way up & then building it from there. This will give your eye a very lifted elongated shape. I think that this works best when your initial outer line is more angled away from the crease (techniques # 3, 4, & 5)
For a rounded baby doll look, do a line tightly against your lash line. Now, slowly build up a dome in the center of your lid pulling it down towards the corners. You may have to even out the angle or sweep between the outer edge of your dome & your wing depending on how steep or wide it is. Work with it until it flows the way you want it to, this may take a little time & practice so be patient.
I know that this was a rather long blog post with a ton of information. I tried to explain things as clearly as I could but, if you have any questions at all or would like a short video on a specific technique please feel free to comment below. Hope this helps you figure out a few new tricks to winged liner!
While I can't really say that I've ever watched Wonder Woman, I still think that she's awesome as hell!
I've always been attracted to her look & outfit more then anything else. So everything was kind of based around that.
For the nails I really wanted to pull the whole look of her outfit together. I decided to go with a gold base to pull all of the colors together. Then added accents of red, blue, & white
Products Used:
Nail Savy Enamel (I don't know what color this is or even if it's available anymore, I've had it forever & was given it as a gift. I just used this as a base as all my other polishes were completely sheer. Any golden yellow or even a light brown or peach would work.)
Sinful Colors in This Is It (this is a beautiful golden shade but is pretty much sheer)
Wet N Wild Fast Dry in The Gold & The Beautiful (I highly suggest this polish to top off any other gold you decide to use. It is a beautiful brassy gold shimmer/glitter. This will look beautiful over the deep fall nail polishes that are coming out!)
Sinful Colors in Under 18 (I think this is going to get a ton of use this winter)
Sinful Colors in Midnight Blue
Sinful Colors in Snow Me White
For the makeup I really wanted something that was a little bit disco & a little bit classic pin-up. I'm extremely happy with the results & think that the blue, gold, & red look great together. It's kind of just a step up from an everyday look. I seemed to be having one of those days that nothing wanted to work when I filmed this tutorial. I decided to put it up anyway because I felt it was important to show that everyone has those day where things just don't go as planned & you just have to work with it.
Products Used:
Revlon PhotoReady Foundation
Real Techniques Stippling Brush
Revlon Cream Blush in Berry Flirtatious
Real Techniques Blush Brush
High Definition Small Powder Brush
Cover Girl Loose Powder in Translucent
Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer in Deep Ocean
Sephora Smudge Brush
Forever 21 Concealer Brush
Ulta Professional Eye Primer
High Definition Large Blending Brush
ELF 100 Palette #69
Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush
ELF 100 Palette #79
ELF 100 Palette #62
Urban Decay Baked Eyeshadow from The Fun Palette
Electric Blue Eyeliner (Sephora, Urban Decay, & Makeup Forever all have great ones)
Too Faced Lash Injection
Sephora Eye Pencil in 505
Cover Girl Liquid Line Blast blue (this doesn't have a name on it but there's only one blue)
Sephora Nano Lipliner in Real Red
Loreal Infallible Lipcolour in Cerise
Gotta B' Urban Powder Brush
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips in Miami Strip
Loreal Infallible Never Fail Lipgloss in Rebel Red
Thanks for all the feedback for this series. I've really enjoyed reading all your comments. If you have an idea for a series or have anything you'd like to see let me know.
(It was extremely difficult for me to find pictures of the Mystique that I like from the 90's X-men cartoon,
so sorry for the crappy pictures.)
While most girls admired their fairy tale princesses, I was in front of my TV every single Saturday morning hoping that Mystique would be on this episode of X-Men. She was my idol & I don't think that I could have had a better one.
Mystique is the ultimate woman. She can be anyone & yet chooses to be herself (except for the occasional time when it benefits her master plan to be someone else), even though it made her an outcast. She is strong & powerful, yet has a deep emotional side. It seems that she can sway anyone to her will, which I'm sure you'll agree is something we all admire from time to time. She is incredibly sexy & completely un-reachable unless she chooses you. She is the definition of female empowerment!
She taught me to be strong & independent & to be yourself, even if it's different.
As soon as I thought about the nails for Mystique I knew that I wanted to do a gradation with blue & white. To me it just speaks to the essence of her. The beautiful tone of her skin & her flowing white dress, the effect of her transitioning, it all just seemed to fit together perfectly.
Now, I have never done anything like this before & found it to be quite easy to do. Plus I really like the end result & have been getting compliments on my nails non-stop.
Products Used:
Sinful Colors in Snow Me White & Why Not
Foundation Sponge
Toothpick
Lovely Cuticle Pusher
Wet N Wild Fast Dry Clear Coat
For Mystique's makeup I once again wanted to go with blue & white, but I also wanted to add a touch of yellow to bring in her eyes. I wanted something that was bold but still wearable & not too over the top. Mystique's makeup is very simple with classic red lips & slight liner. This kind of left me on my own with coming up with something. Hope that you girls like what I came up with.
Products Used:
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer in Noir
Ms. Makeup Eye Blending Brush
ELF 100 Palette #41 (use #61 if you're darker)
Studio Basics Crease Brush
Too Faced Blending Brush
Wet N Wild Fly Me To The Moon Trio (bottom blue)
Love & Beauty Concealer Brush
Revlon Illuminance Cream Shadow in Electric Pop (white)
Wet N Wild Fly Me To The Moon Trio (top white)
Studio Basics Eyeliner Brush
Femme Couture Cake Eye Liner in Cobalt
ELF 100 Palette #31
Maybelline One By One Mascara
Gotta B' Urban Powder Brush
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips in Miami Strip
Studio Basics Concealer Brush
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Matte 006 Really Red
I got a fairly wide range of products this month & was happy with most of them. I also tried out quite a bit of Maybelline stuff this month due to the buy 2 get 1 free sale at Ulta. Most of it was ok but nothing spectacular. However, I did notice that the prices on Maybelline have drastically gone up & the products just weren't worth the price. The lipsticks are pretty comparable to the CoverGirl ones that I love & have a great color range that is completely different then the CoverGirl ones. They recently release a jewle toned lip collection that has some amazing colors (I stumbled across it at Ulta by mistake, so I'm not sure where you can get them or if they're limited edition)
My Sleek purchase is not included in this because I wanted to do a separate review & have yet to use a few of the products enough.
Products:
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color in Speedy Sunburst & Grape Going- Ulta $5
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Model Behavior- Target $5 (on clearance)
A few products that I didn't mention in the video (because I left them in my bathroom).
The Suave Dry Shampoo Spray is AMAZING!!! I have tried several brands from all over the place & don't like any of them as much as I like this cheap little $3 one. It has a wonderful fresh citrus sent, doesn't leave some weird film texture on my hair, & doesn't leave a white residue. There can be a minimal white residue if you over-spray but, it brushes out really easily. Would definitively suggest this over all others! I got mine at Target but, I know they sell it at most drug stores.
The other thing is my new straightener. After a few months of trying to deny that my crappy $20 was dying I finally took the plunge to buy a little bit better one. I am not one of those people that feel it is at all necessarily to spend $200 on a straightener but, I did want something a little nicer then what I had. After looking at tons of them, I finally decided on the Ion Ionic-Ceramic 1" Styling Iron in the awesome silver & black zebra print. There was another one that I liked just a little better but, the print was so awful I just couldn't get it (I would have gone crazy looking at baby pink & lime green tiger print every day!). I really like the flexible plates on this & it seems to just glide through my hair. I also like that the plates don't go all the way to the edge so you can get it right up to your scalp without burning yourself. Plus the rounded off design comes in real handy to curl under the ends of my hair. The only thing that I don't like about this is the temperature controll dial. My old one had buttons & a little display on top. This one has some turning wheel on the inside (between the two tongs). I always find myself nudging it & turning it up really high on accident.
I got mine $10 off at Sallys for $50.
If you have any suggestions for products let me know!
I read each & every comment that you leave & reply every one.
I know that normally my Love It Or Ditch It's are product reviews but, this is going to be something a little bit different. It is still going to be a review of sorts, however it won't be on a product.
For the past few years I have been seeing tons of people boast about putting foundation on with your fingers/hands instead of a brush. They say that it blends better & that your fingers help warm the product into your skin .
Well, first of all I don't like things on my hands to begin with & think that it would be all too easy to spread bacteria by using your hands (unless you thoroughly scrub under your fingernails & don't touch anything that isn't sanitized afterwords, which I doubt most people do). So basically, I just think that the idea of it is gross in general. Second, your hands aren't generally any warmer then your face. So I'm not entirely sure how it warms the makeup anymore or melts it into your skin.
I have always used some sort of tool to apply my foundation. Even when I very first started out, I used sponge wedges. However, I have used my finger to pat on a little under eye concealer from time to time. I don't personally see a difference in blending or anything & it actually seems to give me a lighter coverage when I do this.
So, with all the hype going around, I figured I should give it a shot & see how it goes.
It was a train wreck! The foundation just smeared all over. There was a ton of streaking & I couldn't get an even coverage no matter how hard I tried. Blending down my neck was impossible & I had an obvious distinction around my ears & hairline. I also had tremendous difficulty getting it into any type of crease (like around my nose). When I put my powder on afterwards, it caked up in some areas & made my skin look really dry in other areas.
I had to wipe it all off & start all over.
After that, I will never be using my hands to apply my foundation again. I will continue to use my fingers to apply creams to small areas (like doting on concealer under foundation or eyelid primer) but never again in a larger area.
My favorite foundation brushes are the Real Techniques Stippling Brush & the Sephora Collection I.T. Natural Foundation Brush. The Real Techniques allows me to build a fuller coverage where as the Sephora Collection I.T. gives a slightly more airbrushed effect. There isn't really one that I like better then the other & generally just switch between the two. These always give me great coverage & a nice blended finish.
If you use your fingers to apply your foundation & have any information or tips, please comment below & let me know.
Poison Ivy has always been my absolute favorite Batman girl. First of all, the whole mother nature theme about her is awesome. That aside though, she has a very classic look but a bit of sexy wildness seamlessly mixed in. She can wear next to nothing & never look slutty & is the only girl I know that can pull off green lipstick! Poison Ivy is by far the most alluring & intriguing of the Batman girls.
The nails I decided to do were inspired by Uma Thurman's gloves in Batman & Robin. I loved the red tips on the green base. I wanted to keep it looking from too much like Christmas, so I went for more of a springy green. I also added some beautiful vines with flowers to tie in more of Poison Ivy.
Products Used:
LA Colors Color Craze Green (this doesn't have a name on it)- I used 2 coats of this as a base because my spring green polish was a bit too sheer
Sinful Colors in Happy Ending- You want a light gold based green. Anything too blue base or dark will make it look like Christmas with the red.
Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen in Red- I really do not suggest using this! I had to constantly redo them because it would wear off the tip & streak from the top coat. You can get stick on guides for french tips & just use a red polish of your choice. I chose to make my tips a little thinner on the sides & wider in the middle.
Kiss Nail Artist Flat Stickers set 55772 NS26- I think that these are a perfect match for Poison Ivy. The black vines with flowers are flowy, girly, earthy & just a bit dangerous looking. When using nail art stickers it is best to paint your nails the night before & let them dry overnight before putting on your stickers & top coat. If there is even the slightest bit of moisture left on one of your bottom coats the sides of the sticker will pull up & cause all kinds of problems.
For Poison Ivy's makeup I just kind of went with the flow of what came to me at the time. I didn't really have a set plan or a distinct inspiration. I did try to keep her classic elegant sexiness in mind though. So I guess you can say it was kind of based off of her as a whole.
Products Used:
Urban Decay Primer Potion in Greed
Too Faced Blending Brush
ELF 100 Palette # 69
Wet N Wild Kohl Eyeliner in White
Sephora Shader Brush
Wet N Wild Bright Idea Trio Crease Shade (ELF #14 & #73 mixed)
ELF 100 Palette #2
Wet N Wild Dancing in the Clouds Trio Eyelid Shade (ELF #42 & #47 mixed)
Wet N Wild Dancing in the Clouds Trio Browbone Shade (ELF #62)
Ms Makeup Eye Shading Brush
Urban Decay eyeshadow in Mildew from The Dangerous Palette (ELF #93)
Ulta Smudge Brush
ELF 100 Palette #83
ELF 100 Palette #27
Urban Decay Glide-On Eye Pencil in Stash
Urban Decay Glide-On Eye Pencil in Graffiti
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Dark Brown
Gotta B' Urban Powder Brush
NYC Cheek Glow in Cherry Blossom
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips in Miami Strip/Healthy Glow Bronzer
Revlon Pro Lip Pencil in Berry
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Matte in 006 Really Red
Studio Tools Concealer Brush
Let me know if you would like to see more neutral looks like this. Also, was the numbered ELF 100 palette easier to follow then my normal directions on which colors I used?
(Just as a note, I am specifically talking about Duo lash glue in this post. I have not used some of the new brush on lash glues that are coming out, so this post does not reflect those)
When 99% of people use clear eyelash glue, you may wonder to yourself why they even make a dark one or what the purpose for it is. I mean if it dries clear why would you want to put something dark on instead? It could smear & leave ugly dark smears everywhere, right?
I used to think the exact same way. I only used the clear Duo & didn't get the purpose of a dark lash glue at all.
Then one day I came across > this < blog post by Makeup By RenRen. One sentence changed my life " If you use clear glue, make sure to go over any shiny spots with black liquid liner. " This was something compleatly foreign to me. I hadn't really thought about the fact that clear lash glue was shiny before. The next day I searched my local beauty store for dark lash glue & it was not as easy to find as I thought. Even though many stores carried Duo, few carried the dark one. Eventually I found it at K-mart (of all places & for a far better price too). I went home & tested a small patch on the back of my hand. It dried to to the most beautiful light grey satin finish. It changed my life forever.
So long story short, dark lash glue doesn't leave you with the high shine that comes from traditional clear lash glue. It's great for when you want to add a little bit of extra volume or length with false lashes but don't want to add liner on the top lid to cover up glue patches. It also works great for blending in those pesky shiny clear lash bands that are sometimes hard to cover. It is so much easier to blend over with a little bit of eyeshadow as well. I also find that it makes it much easier to place false lashes right on top of your own lashes & blend them together nicely.
Now, I do use a slightly different technique to putting on my lashes (both on myself & clients), which may make it easier for me to use dark glue to begin with. I will put a link to the video below that shows how I do it (I use disposable eyeliner brushes so I can just toss them instead of trying to get out the lash glue)
All in all, I almost exclusively use dark tones lash glue now & find it to be a much better option in so many different ways.
I hope that this helped some of you & that you give the dark lash glue a second look now. If you have any suggestions on a What's the Difference or just have a question about a product in general, please let me know.
I think that Catwoman has had more costume changes & overhauls then anyone else on the comic book world. I have always been particular to her grey & purple suits with black boots & gloves though (left top & left bottom). The only real action Catwoman I ever truly liked was Julie Newmar. Everyone else just seems to be too risque & fall short everywhere else, either over or under playing it.
Catwoman was never a true villain in my eyes. I mean sure, she stole a few gems here, & there & always gave Batman a run for his money but, she never really tried to hurt anyone or take over Gotham or anything like that. Besides, what girls doesn't want to be chased by a hot guy with a great body & drench themselves in something sparkly? Doesn't seems so bad to me.
For Catwoman's nails, I really wanted to do something that brought out the sparkle. Something that looked like I just stuck my hands into a jewelry case. I came up with a gradation of sparkly glitters & random gems. It came out exactly how I wanted & I really love them. They are so glamorous & eye catching; I think Catwoman would be proud to sport these babies!
Products Used:
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri nail polish in Blazing Blue
Petites nail polish in Night
CoverGirl Boundless Color nail sparkle topcoat in City Lights
Nicole by OPI nail polish in One Less Lonely Glitter
Pure Ice nail polish in Cheatin (this is sold at Walmart,
Sinful Colors in Frenzy is very similar but has more blue in it)
Sally Hansen No Chip Acrylic topcoat
So Easy Rhinestone Box A (I got this a Sally's. you can use any rhinestones that you want, I just liked all the different shapes. make sure to use gems meant for your nails or they won't shine very well. if you don't have a little stick like I do, you can use tweezers or I hear a q-tip works well too)
My main inspiration for Catwoman's makeup was the cover of Julie Newmar's new book. I love the deep wing & the purple & grey tones. I just wanted to make it a tad bit more extreme.
Products Used:
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Real Techniques Base Shadow brush
Jane Eye Zing in Hi Ho Silver
Stila Smudge Stick in Purple Tang
Sephora Smudge brush
Forever 21 Angled brush
Loreal matte eyeshadow single in Raven
Maybelline Eyestudio in Amethyst Ablazed (this little palette is quite overpriced @ $11 but the colors & texture are stunning. you can use any royal purple color & just add the sparkle. Hot Topic makes one of my favorite royal purple colors & it's only $3 [you may have to apply it wet to get the most color though])
Loreal HIP Crystal Shadow duo in Charming
Physicians Formula 2in1 Eyeliner in Ultra Black
Maybelline The Falsies mascara in Black Drama
La Femme blush in Mulberry
Gotta B' Urban Powder brush
Ulta Mineral eyeliner in Plum
Ruby Kisses lipstick in Lavender (I picked this up at my local beauty warehouse so, I don't know where else to get it. Revlon has a similar color called Iced Amethyst, if you are a little more daring you can use their Va Va Violet! Maybelline also makes some beautiful purple shades)
Generic lip brush
I hope that you all liked the Catwoman nails & makeup.
Thank all of you for your support on my videos & blog. I really do appreciate every comment & view that you girls give me.
