Retro Pink: A Makeup Look

Hi everyone,

I decided to put together a little guide to re-create this makeup look.  Hopefully you'll like it, especially if you love pink!  I feel like this look is very flexible because you do not necessarily have to choose pink as the main color; because this look is very monochromatic you can substitute it with any color you like.  Personally super-pink makeup (especially lipstick) doesn't look right on me, so I would substitute pink with another color.

Never the less this look is very cute.  If you are feeling playful and/or you are feeling that retro vibe complete the look with a bandana or hairband.

Get the look: Classic Makeup

Hi everyone,

Here is a look that is perfect for many occasions from a date, to a cocktail party, to anytime you want to feel fancy.  If you want a timeless and flattering makeup look, look no further!

Get the Look: Blue on Blue

Hi everyone,

It just occurred to me I have never done a "Get the Look" post (per-say).  Anyway here is a nice monochromatic look that doesn't look too Summery and not too fall like; which is perfect for right now!  Also I love how this look is monochromatic without being too boring.  You can change it up if blue isn't your thing you might do the same look with another subtle shade like lavender/purple or pink (if you choose something too bright you'll give it more of a summery look).

Have you ever worn one shade/color before?

Things I'd Like to Try/Buy #2

Hi everyone,

It's been a while since I did a post like this so here we go.

1. Signature fragrance.  I'd like to get a new everyday skin fragrance... not too light... not too dramatic.
2. Get a mineral foundation.  I know, I know.  What kind of beauty blogger doesn't own a mineral foundation?  ME.  Well I've tried one before and it was discontinued; I never recovered (just kidding).  I want a mineral foundation because I very rarely wear liquid foundation and I really don't want to break out.  Anyone try bare minerals?  I might invest in that.
3. New everyday makeup.  Since high school I have been doing a simple cat eye and running out the door.  I really think it is time for a change (especially since my favorite eyeliner was discontinued).  Maybe I'll wear more eyeshadow on a daily basis; something natural looking of course, so I don't get lazy half way through the semester.

Any suggestions/advice?

Beach Beauty

Hi everyone,

If you didn't know, I love the beach!  Do you?  I can't understand why people don't like the beach... but to each their own I guess.  Everyone knows what to bring to the beach but here is a little list of beauty products you might want to toss into your beach bag.  Don't forget these essentials.

1. Hair ties.  Don't forget them!  Bring more than one because one usually is lost at sea.
2. lip balm.  Nothing dries out your lips like sea water except maybe sucking on a lemon.
3. Pressed powder.  I never bring this to the beach but if you aren't planning on setting foot in the water, you can bring this.  If you want to take some pictures and don't want to look shiny, bring this little guy with you.  To be completely honest, you really shouldn't worry about shine at the beach...everyone is shiny.
4. Reapply sun screen.  (Duh)
5. Hair products.  Although I don't bother with any sort of makeup I may bring along some type of hair product.  Sea salt can be so drying and a moisturizing conditioner may be just what you need.  If you are going to go rinse your hair out immediately this may not be necessary but if you are planning a long day you might want to bring this.   Bonus: you can put some conditioner (more than you would usually put) in your hair before going out into the sun to give yourself a deep conditioning treatment.

Where is your favorite beach?

Nailed it!

Hi everyone,

Personally I think Summer time is the best season for nails.  During the Summer you get to try out fun colors and designs.  Although I am usually quite reserved with the colors I prefer on my own nails I am trying to break out of my comfort zone a bit  at least for a little while.  I have also changed up my nail shape from soft square to round.  I have been itching for a bit of a change and even a small change in nail shape makes me smile.

One unpleasant thing about painting your nails often is that they may become stained.  Nails usually are quickly stained as a result of using red bright pink and especially orange and yellow.  Blush tone and neutral colors rarely stain ( if they do it is barely noticeable).  This shouldn't make you run with fear as you chuck your favorite red polish out of the window, just be more careful.  It is no big deal really!

• You can prevent staining (without buying extra products) by painting a thin layer of clear underneath the nail color of your choosing.
• If your nails are stained you may try lightly filing or buffing the top layer (stained layer) of nail off.  Don't go overboard with the filing--you are thinning out your nail a bit.  

Here is some nail inspiration for ya:

What is your favorite nail color/design?

Coral Lips!

Hi everyone,

I'm really happy you enjoyed my last post.  Almost everyone who commented expressed their love for the Tory Burch lipstick.  Because of all of your comments you have inspired me to make a post focusing on a shade of a very versatile variety- say that five times fast (I'm feeling kind of silly today so just bear with me).  And that shade is... coral!  Ok I'm pretty sure that you have heard of coral colored things before and I have mentioned it a couple times on my blog.  But what on earth is a coral shade anyway?  The words coral lipstick are almost as ambiguous as nude lipstick, in the sense that everyone has their own definition.  Well I am going to show you the two shades that come to my mind when I think of coral:  The mild kind and the hot kind (kind of like hot sauce).  I guess that is the best way to describe it because after all, there is a mild shade (less orange and a bit more pink)  and and intense (orange-red) shade.

Coral is perfect for Summer and it can be worn by all skin tones.

Here is how to wear the shade:
If you are planning on going for an intense lip try to keep your eye makeup on the more subdued side unless you are going to a party.

Below are inspiration for Light, Olive, Medium, and Dark skin tones:

Which shade do you prefer mild or intense?

Thanks everyone who inspired me to make this post!

That reminds me.  If you have any suggestions or post ideas don't hesitate to share!

Preppy Nautical

Hi everyone,

I've been really busy with the semester coming to an end and all.  I've been faced with a ton of work and haven't really gotten around to posting (not that I don't want to).  The good news is that after all of my finals, I'll finally get a break and I'll get back to my normal posting schedule.  I will return to my normal posting frequency soon.  Just hang in there! I'll be trying to do the same thing as I brace myself for the incoming finals week.  

I'll leave you with  this random little fashion collage, inspired by the nice weather we have been blessed with in NYC these past couple of days.

Still Looking for a New Look: Makeup (New series)

Hi everyone,

I know many of us have been there where something gets so routine it's not fun anymore; when this happens to our beauty routines we must do something because makeup and hair shouldn't be such a boring chore.  Here is a little mini series I made to help you get out of that rut!  And the first of this series will be about makeup (the others will be about hair and clothes)!  Hope you find something inspiring!

• Soft vs. Statement making:  I know I don't really go all out in the lipstick department on the daily so if I am wearing any lipstick (I usually wear gloss), it would probably be "soft", but maybe I'll change it up. :) And if you are up for it maybe you should too.   Above I have a "nude" lipstick and a "coral" lipstick.  Why all of the quotation marks?  People have hundreds of different definitions of nude and coral.  Here is an example I've heard that nude is a color close to your natural lip, a soft pink or a color close to your skin tone (I'm not sure what to believe).  I'll let you pick your definition. :)
• Neutral vs. Neon: If you usually head out the door in brown or black eyeliner and want to get extra sassy try lining either your top or bottom lash line with a different color.  If you are very used to brown or black this may take a bit of getting used to.
• Earthy vs. Vibrant: If you wear earth-tones try bright spring colors or if your feeling bold go for a vibrant color.  Choosing a vibrant color can be tricky, but if you are up for it... blend the vibrant color in with a neutral color  (use the vibrant color on the lid and neutral on the crease).  Go have fun with your eye shadows, the most playful part of makeup.
• Blush vs. Bronzer:  I'm going to be completely honest and say that I have never set foot in the world of bronzer but I may be giving it a try soon.  If you are un-experienced in wearing blush and rely on bronzer it may be time to switch things up as well!
• Delicate vs. Daring:  I know nail polish isn't really makeup but hey, if that's something you want to change up go ahead!

Well I hope you found this post helpful.  You don't have to change everything up just because it is a new season.  If you are like me then you will probably not recognize yourself  after all of these changes and prefer gradual change; but if you are up for it great!  Also don't feel pressured into doing something because it is trendy if you are comfortable and set in your ways then so be it. :)

Also keep an eye out for the next two posts in the series!

Are you willing to change up your makeup for Spring?

Why I Love Leave in Conditioners

Hi everyone,

I am always one for simplifying my beauty and hair routine.  Although my hair is what I consider high maintenance (very curly), I long to make my life easier and minimize styling time.  That being said I never really saw the use for leave in conditioners.  I thought to myself can't I just "leave in" some of my conditioner?  Well I did try that out for a while and it was all good.  However a couple of weeks ago I started using a leave in and I have noticed the following differences:

• My hair has stayed moisturized longer (more days).
• My curls are much softer
• My curls last longer (more days) before they frizz.

 Well I have to admit that those results are great and I can't really argue with success.  So my hair routine is about 1 minute longer than it used to be, no big deal.  Also although my hair is curly leave in conditioners are not only for curly hair!
Here are some great leave in conditioners:

 Do you use a leave in conditioner? What is your favorite?

Snow Day

Hi guys,

I've been inspired by the persistent snow-y conditions here in NYC this season, well it looks like the worst of winter is behind us (but I may be speaking too soon).   Here is a nice makeup look it is borderline a "no-makeup makeup look" but with the use of a soft light color for eyeshadow.

Are you inspired by the weather?

The Importance of Cleaning Makeup Brushes

Hi guys,

I know a lot of you know about this, but I find this topic so important that I decided to make a post about it.

Everything you put on your face should be clean, this includes your makeup brushes.  The last thing you want is to use a dirty brush (that looks clean) to apply makeup to your freshly cleaned face.  This can lead to acne.

I don't know about you but I find cleaning makeup brushes fun.  :) For those of you who don't really like cleaning, cleaning brushed are quick and easy.
Here is how I do it:

1. Run brushes under water
2. Use a hand soap  or baby shampoo and work it through the bristles 
3. Rub the brush on the back of your hand, as if you were painting (now you should see all of the makeup coming off).
4. Rinse the brush until the water that comes out of it is completely clear
5. Store with the brush up and handle down. 

If you follow these steps your brushes should be dry in about 8 hours so it is best to do this before bed.  I clean my eye makeup brushes once a or twice a week and my face brushes every other day.

Valentine's Day

Hi guys,

There is a storm going on outside the MTA is messed up and I decided to stay home.  I'm also trying to get over a cold so going outside in the snow storm won't help me much in the stuffy nose department.  So here is a post for all of you lovely readers, before I try to get on top of some work. :)

DIY Lipgloss

Hi guys,

Woohoo, this is the first post of the new year!

Have you ever wanted to make your own lip gloss? Not only is this a cheaper alternative to buying lip glosses/butters it is fun; and because you are making it yourself, it is completely customizable.

 I made my own lip gloss out of:

• bright eyeshadow (that I never used)
• Cocoa butter 
• Vaseline

Here are the steps I took:

• In a small bowl I mixed cocoa butter and Vaseline.  At this step you can choose just how glossy you want your lip gloss to be by using varying amounts of Vaseline.  If you do not want your lip gloss glossy at all you may want to skip Vaseline all together.  On the other-hand if you want a very glossy lip gloss I suggest leaving at least some cocoa butter in because it helps hold pigment
• Heat the mixture until melted.
• Pour in eyeshadow until the mixture is one uniform color.  Here you get to choose how pigmented your gloss is by choosing the amount of color you add. 
• Pour the mixture into an empty lip gloss pot (you can use and old one or purchase them).  If your mixture has solidified by this point, you may want to reheat it just a bit to make getting it into the container easier.
• Allow mixture to cool.  At this point you may want to name your lip gloss.  My friend came up with the name "Passion Fruit Spice", and I just went with it.  

If you do not have a bright eyeshadow to use as your pigment you may want to use:

•  lip stick (maybe one that is already broken)
• food coloring

Another idea: if you want your lip gloss to be flavored  you may want to add a bit of a food extract such as vanilla.

Have fun!

Coconut Oil

Hi guys,

I have been hearing buzz about coconut oil for a while now.  I have used products that contained coconut milk and oil, but about two months ago I purchased my first jar of virgin unrefined coconut oil.  I absolutely love this stuff.  Unlike other oils, coconut oil has a low melting point which means it also has a low freezing point.  This is great because when coconut oil is at room temperature it is a solid, making it easy to apply (just by scooping it out), unlike other oils.  The low melting point allows it to be melted in without leaving clumps!  It is perfect, and it smells great!

• If your skin is dry you may want to apply coconut oil to your skin and lips.  This is especially important with the colder weather months coming.  

• If you wish to use this on your face use it sparingly because you don't want your face to appear too oily.  

• You may want to apply this around your eyes if the skin is dry.  This can be also used to condition your eyelashes (that's right I said condition and eyelashes in the same sentence).  If your eyelashes fall out it may be because they are dry. 

• This can be used as an oil-based makeup remover.

• To apply to hair you do not need much.  Coconut oil will add softness and shine to your hair.  Remember it will melt in quickly so don't worry about the clumps.  

• You can also use coconut oil to shine leather.

• You can use this to clean paint brushes (instead of using mineral spirits).

The great thing about coconut oil is that considering all of the uses it is relatively cheap!

Do you know any other uses or recipes with coconut oil?

Lets Chat #5: Minimalistic Beauty

Hi guys,

I was thinking of doing a post like this for a while now and decided to make it into a "Let's Chat", where I usually express my opinions.  I know a lot of you may disagree with my opinions in this post and you are entitled to your own opinions. Wow this is a super long post, so I have decided to put my points in bold (for all of you who don't like reading).

If you haven't figured out what this post is going to be about yet this post is going to be about daily makeup.  I think that daily makeup should be on the minimalistic side.  It's nice to be able to change your look up on special occasions; but on the day-to-day you should keep your makeup a bit more simple.  I think for the most part makeup, should highlight your features and not change them up.  For example, if your favorite feature is your lips why not highlight them with a nice lipstick and keep everything else on the simple side.  I feel you should choose one thing to bring out and keep everything else simple.  (I chose the two photos above to illustrate these points).  You can also go for a completely natural look and decide to go all out on special occasions; I completely understand wanting to express yourself.

Another reason you may want to keep your makeup on the natural looking side on the day to day (other than saving time and money) is the fact that you may feel good about yourself.  If you are used to wearing a full face of makeup and go all out everyday you may feel worse about yourself when you wear less.  In other words, wearing makeup is a slippery slope; the more you wear the better you look but the worse you feel when you are not wearing any.  If you don't feel this way and can sport a full face of makeup and au natural with the same confidence, God bless, you are rare! 

The last reason to be minimalistic is the fact that makeup especially foundation can clog your pores.  If you don't buy high-end brands, this is even more of a concern.  If you don't give your face time to breathe your pores may get larger to compensate for this. I know the use of foundation is a pretty touchy topic foundation for some people.  I'm an advocate for using foundation only when necessary.  If you have acne and want to cover it up, go ahead.  I know how acne can affect a person psychologically.  Just be mindful that you have to put in extra effort to remove it and clear your skin.  If you do have acne and decide to wear makeup this does not solve your problem (acne), put effort into clearing your skin and not just cover it up.  I do not have perfect skin by any stretch of the imagination and I prefer to cover up problem areas as opposed to covering my entire face.  

Bottom line: Do what makes you happy and be aware of what you are doing.  Makeup should make you feel good about yourself when you wear it and not worse when you don't.

October Makeup

Hi guys,

Going as a cat, or witch this Halloween?  If you are a great smokey eye can take the look up a notch.  For some costumes makeup can be your best accessory.  Since Halloween costumes usually call for dark makeup, now is the time to start mastering the smokey eye.

This is my first post in the #bloggoween series which is going to be a blast.  A good number of bloggers are participating in the series so keep an eye out.  I'm going to be featuring a couple Halloween costumes in this #bloggoween series; so stay tuned! Even if you aren't celebrating a good smokey eye is perfect for cooler months.

Review: Sephora Collection: Ultimate Dual Exfoliating Face Brush

Hi guys,

For a while now I have been using toothbrush to exfoliate.  Although this technique is great it takes a while to cover your entire face.  The toothbrush is perfect for small areas such as around your nose.
I decided that I needed to treat myself and step it up a notch.  I was not going to shell out all of that dough for a Clarisonic (I'm a student afterall).  When I am going to buy something I make sure I shop around for the best deal that suits my needs.  In other words, I am not an impulse buyer.  So after some hunting around on the internet I found and decided on this...

I bought this handy-dandy tool at Sephora $18.  The tool has 2 sides, one side is a brush while the other is a silicone pad.

The brush side: The brush is what I call medium firmness.  You may want to use it less often especially if you have sensitive skin. Maybe if you have normal skin every two days and every week if you have sensitive skin.  Do what you feel your skin can handle. (That is always the key).  Also a little product goes a long way; you only need a pea size amount to get crazy suds!

The silicone side: This is interesting.  I can honestly say I haven't seen a silicone scrubber before.  The claim of the pink side, is to "deeply invigorate" the skin.  When you use this side it kind of feels like someone is rubbing your face with a latex glove.  It does not really feel like there is any invigorating going on, but it may still be working.  I feel that it is a bit cumbersome to put such a delicate scrubber on such a big tool.  Unlike the bristles it can not contour around your face because it is basically flat.  I think the pink side would work much better if it was detachable or separate. 

Pros:

The brush side is great for exfoliation.

The pink side may be great for those with super sensitive skin.

Comes with a cover for the brush bristles (to keep things sanitary).

Maximizes product usage (you don't need to use much product).

Cheaper than other alternatives.

Cons:

Brush may be to harsh for some.

Pink side may be too delicate for some.

Cumbersome at times.

Overall: I think this is a great product for those of us on a budget.  Although using the pink silicone side in small areas is difficult to impossible, the brush is great.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♡ (4 out of 5)

Fall Makeup

Hi guys,

Bring back the deep rich earthy tones and jewel tones because it's time for fall makeup.

Do you have a favorite fall makeup trend?
I'd love to hear about it!

Review: Milani Lipstick

Hi guys,

I recently purchased two lipsticks from the Milani brand.  I have never been much of a lipstick wearer and have always been more into lip glosses; but when I saw the shiny-bright-golden packaging I gravitated toward this product like a moth to a flame (good job with the packaging Milani). 

 I bought two colors Nude Creme and Fruit Punch.  

Pros:

Price 
Very-pigmented color

Non-drying

Wearable colors

Build-able colors

Great to put a lip gloss on top of

Cons:

Not very long lasting

May have to moisturize lips before using for a better application

Overall:  I would recommend this product especially the Nude Creme because it is perfect for mixing with another lipstick or lip gloss.