Holiday Gift Guide 2015!

Hello my lovely stars, I hope you are enjoying your holiday season.  I know it's a little late, but I wanted to share with you some things that are on my gift guide for this year. I mean, this is my first year doing one, but it's better late than never- right?  Let's get started shall we?

Birchbox Vs. Ipsy Bag April 2015

I have been getting Birchbox for the past two years but recently I decided I would like to try the Ipsy Bag and now, inspired by eleventhgorgeous, I'm going to do a Birchbox vs. Ipsy match! Keep reading to see my thoughts on the products and who wins!

 In my Ipsy Bag (pictured above) is:
1. Hey Honey Good Morning - Honey Silk Facial Serum
2. Hikari Cosmetics- Blush in Tango
3. the Balm cosmetics- Nude Dude eyeshadow single in Fit ( a shimmery copper)
4. Starlooks- Satin Finish lip gloss in Cuddle
5. Jor'el Parker- Femina Perfume with notes such as  Meyer Lemon, White Grapefruit, Satsuma Mandarin, Summer Forsythia, Pink Plumeria, Wild Verbena, Tahitian Vanilla, Sensual Musk.
Response: I was so very pleased with this bag, especially since it was my first! A full size blush, a ROLLERBALL perfume sample, a High End (or what I consider high end) shadow sample, a sample lipgloss larger than my finger nail, and an awesome (review coming soon) serum for during the day.  This was such an amazing thing to receive in the mail, and I am so so so glad I signed up.  If you want to sign up and try Ipsy, click this link and sign up! Click this and sign up today!!!

1. Number 4 Hydrating Shampoo
2. Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator
3. Whish Shaving Cream (not pictured)
4. Harvey Prince Hello Liquid Loofa
5. Jelly Pong Pong GLOW GETTER highlighter.
Response: I really wasn't pleased when I opened my box and saw the Whish shaving cream, I've gotten it so many times in my box and I absolutely hate the brand.  I don't know what it is about it exactly, I just really don't like it- so I gave it to my dad.  I am excited though, to try the other things. Especially the Harvey Prince face wash and the Jelloy Pong Pong highlighter.  I love Harvey Prince and you guys know I love my highlighters.  I finally have a travel sized shampoo to go with my travel size conditioner in my travel bag and the face rejuvinator I'll have to be careful about because my skin is quite sensitive now.  Big bonus though, no foil packets from Birchbox, yay!!!
All in all, I think Ipsy won hands down because the products were nice and they were very generouns trial sizes instead of foil packets or itty bitty lip glosses the size of my finger tip (yes I'm looking at you Birchbox)  I'm very pleased with my bag and shall continue my subscription.  As for Birchbox, I may not renew it when the time comes. Sorry. 
Do you get these boxes/bags? Which do you prefer and what did you get this month? XOXO

IMATS 2015 Vlog!

Hello my lovely Stars! As many of you may or may not have known, I had the honor of being able to go to LA IMATS this year at the Pasadena Convention Center.  I shot a quick vlog while I was there and I wanted to share it with you guys here.

It was such an amazing experience and there's so much to do besides shopping! I went to a talk about how to get an agent and how to build and make your portfolio presentable to potential clients and possible representation.  I saw so many cool things while I was there- amazing makeup looks going on some of which you see in this vlog, but I'll also put some pictures down below of some of the cooler makeup looks they were doing.  They were doing everything from body painting at MAC to full on monster prosthetics.  Speaking of MAC, guess who finally got her MAC Pro card? This blogger!  When I got onto the floor for the first time I saw there was absolutely no line to get to MAC so I made a bee line to their booth and got the process going as soon as I could and about fifteen minutes later I was holding my temporary MAC pro card (I should be recieving my actual one any day now).  Now, it wouldn't be a makeup convention if I didn't buy things, or is that just me? LOL I got stuff for my personal makeup and collection but I also got some things for my kit like a blush palette and a contouring palette that is technically for both myself and my kit.  I had a lot of fun with my mom too, you'll get to meet her in this video.  I also had the opportunity to hand out my business card to a few makeup companies and I looked at every school they had there (except the Ruby Makeup Academy. No. Just, no) I hope you guys enjoy this video and go to my channel (linked below) and subscribe and maybe give the video a thumbs up if you like it? That'd be super swell! I hope you are all well and enjoying your new year! XOXOX

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Stila 'Eyes Are The Window' SOUL palette REVIEW

During the Sephora VIB sale, I purchased two things- a foundation by Makeup Forever and the Stila The Eyes Are the Window to the Soul palette.  I love that all of the colors are neutral and all of the colors work together with each other so there are endless options for how you could use this palette and use it. 

Can we just talk about this packaging? I mean, isn't it gorgeous?! It's so pretty and looks so high end, I just love it! The S's are a gold, rose gold, and a silver-ish type of color and then is surrounded by gold, albeit not real gold.  It is a magnetic open and close palette but it's a very sturdy casing and could take a beating and your eyeshadows would still be just fine.

The colors for the palette are are neutral and smokey colors, which makes the transition from day to night with one palette very easy.  There are 4 matte shades (there may be five, but I'm still debating on if it's actually matte) and the rest of the colors have a shimmer to them.  Not really a glitter shimmer but just a nice shimmer shimmer to it.  I have not had any problem with fall out with this palette, which is great.

This palette was released alongside three others in honor of Stila's 20th Anniversary.  They cost $49 each, which is a bit steep but I did get it at the sale so that is how I justified it.  Do you have any of these palettes? Which do you like best? Would you buy this palette if given the chance? I would love to know! XOXO

Beauty Blog Weekend Link Up- BLUSHED ON A BUDGET

This weekend I'm linking up with Nikki over at Blushed on a Budget, I would highly recommend you all go on over and link up! Be sure to follow all of the instructions and let the party begin! :)

Come to the theater with me!

 Today, I had the great honor of watching some amazing actors perform Peter and the Starcatcher at the Ahmanson Theater in L.A. and I wanted to share my matinee look with all of you.  Being a theatre major, I see every live performance as a time to look your best and put your best foot forward.  So even though this show was a matinee, which is generally casual attire, I dressed up- pearls and all.

Outfit

Shoes- Black, kitten heel, 50's style shoes. Payless

Dress- Black with peep front and three quarter length sleeves. Target.

Belt- Bright purple. H&M

Sweater- Black with sequins. H&M

Now onto my hair and makeup! For my hair, I used my flat iron and sectioned my hair off and then curled each piece to create a full curled look.  I wanted my hair to look quite curly, so I didn't run a brush through it.  Instead, I ran my fingers through my hair and then sprayed the heck out of it with Aqua Net hairspray.  I then lifted my hair and spritzed a bit of Got 2B volumizing mousse into my roots to give my hair that extra little lift.

My foundation was my usual Revlon Photo Ready foundation, topped off with my Rimmel Stay Matte powder.  For my blush I used the Stila color adjusting blush in Coral, the highlighter I used was Benefit's High Beam, and for contour I used Too Faced's chocolate bronzer.  I used my Napolean eyebrow powder to help define my eyebrows and give them a bit more of a shape.

 For my eye shadow, I used Maybelline's color tattoo pigment in Breaking Bronze and then used the darkest bronze color in my BH cosmetics Day to Night palette.  For my liquid liner, I used this mini liner I have called Pocket Denim liquid eyeliner.  It's a felt tip liquid eyeliner and goes on like a dream, the felt tip especially makes it easy to create a nice wingtip.  I then, of course, used my Rimmel Scandaleyes Curve Alert mascara on my lashes because it makes them look ahmazing.

Finally for my lips I used the Revlon Color Stay Overtime lip color in Constantly Coral.  Sadly, it doesn't show up well in pictures but it's a mix of red and coral so it's not overly orange or red.  This stuff really stays, I mean really really stays- through eating, drinking, whatever, it's still there.  I have to use makeup remover to just get the darn stuff off which, I guess, is a good thing come to think of it.  The good thing about it not wearing off easily is the fact that you don't get that ugly ring around your lips of lip product that was there but has disappeared and you didn't notice.

As for the show, in case you were wondering, it was wonderful.  I just had to stop trying to compare it to the book because they are vastly different.  I see it as they are each their own beautiful piece of art and should be appreciated for what they are and not compared because there is no comparing a book to a play, same as there is no comparing a book to it's movie.  If you do that you'll just wind up sad and disappointed but I did not because I saw it as a different story with the same basic outline.  How have you guys been? XOXO

Ulta Haul!

I went to Ulta the other day to help my mom pick out a new foundation and blush and picked some things up for myself along the way.  Here's a video of what I got, expect to see reviews of these products in the next couple of weeks.  Happy Holidays, all, cheers! xoxo

L'Oreal Color Riche lipgloss stain review!

 I love lipglosses but I HATE when the smear off in the first ten minutes, but this lipgloss is different.  It's a gloss but it's also a lipstain.  It keeps a hint of the shiny-ness of a lipgloss but doesn't get everywhere when you eat something.  The color is a light pink rose, for me it's one of those 'my lips, but better' lip colors.  I like the little doe foot applicator that it comes with.  It's not too heavy or sticky on the lips and it's really easy to apply.  The tube itself is not very big but that's great because I can take this with me when I travel and have it work with everything I wear.  For me, this is a two thumbs up product- it's really fantastic!

Have you tried this gloss/stain yet or another brand?  If so, what did you think of them? XOXO

The Weekend Post #8: The #1 product I'm excited for this Spring!

It's been a week since my last post, Ahhhhh! Bad blogger, bad blogger.  In my defense, we start tech week this week so last week was scramble time and we had auditions this weekend.  Weak excuse, but trust me, totally valid. So here is what I'm looking forward to coming out in drugstores this spring!!

These, right here! *Edit; I do not own this picture* These are Revlon Baby Sticks- Blush in a twist up tube! They come in three colors; a baby/coral pink, a fuchsia/bright pink, and a bright shocking red. These are a part of their Spring 2013 collection.  They definitely mirror the lean toward chubby stick lip colors and eye colors, which I have to admit, is one of my favorite makeup fads.  I have three different twist up chubby sticks lip color, one Clinique and two that are by *shocker* Revlon. Obviously, I have no swatches of these cheek sticks but I'm really excited to get my hands on the baby/coral pink.  I'm hoping they're sheer but buildable.  These would be great to keep in your backpack, purse, or on your carry on for a pick me up on the plane. I love the colors, so bright and spring like! I have high hopes for these, so I hope they do not disappoint. I am beyond excited for these to hit shelves.  I asked the official Revlon facebook page when they would be available and they said they will be on sale in April, so look for a post once I've gotten my hands on one (or maybe two ;D)
Are there any makeup trends you're looking forward to trying this spring?

February Favorites VIDEO!

Hi guys! So, I'm more than a bit new to the whole 'video' blogging and this is my very first so please excuse the double hello in the beginning! This is actually up on YouTube but it's under a different e-mail, so it won't let me upload it from there so straight from my computer it is! Here is the link to my new YouTube channel just for makeup things: https://www.youtube.com/canvasofaface

Anywho!! These are things that I have been constantly using this month so it is apply titled February Favorites! There have been recent blog posts about the Stay Matte Powder as well as a post on the Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara. If you want to check them out, I've just linked them! Anyway, short but sweet for this post- I hope you had a fantastic weekend! Have you ever done a YouTube video like this before, how would you change what I did? XOXO

A new holy grail product!!

I have always sworn by my Pur Minerals foundation in Fair/ light.  It's a powder, goes on easily, and doesn't cake up.  Yet after hearing many a blogger rave about the Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder, I decided I NEEDED (okay, wanted... but those words are interchangeable, right?).  I went to Walmart with a friend on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to get more printer ink and how can I not pass up going by the beauty section.  It was at that moment I caved and bought it in the first color that comes after Translucent, I chose color 003 Natural.  It was pale because I am a Paley McPale Face.

I have to say, I really really like this powder!!!  It doesn't have too bad of a powdery smell, the product is easy to get out of the pan, and it lives up to it's Stay Matte name.  I'm tend to have oilier skin, but not to the point where I could poach and egg on my face, just a tiny bit more than someone with normal skin.  I'm technically classified as combination.   With trekking all over campus, being in the theater so much, and working out any powders that I wear come off and *poof* makeup is all gone and I seem oilier than I did in the morning.  YET, with this it doesn't come off as easily throughout the day and it does keep my skin looking matte and nice.

 The only qualm I have with this product is the packaging.  It's got a clear lid that I keep trying to twist off, but after about thirty seconds I remember that you just pull it off.  The case is just two pieces of plastic that I'm sure that if I carried it around in my bag, I would have a broken powder case and powder by the end of the week.  I love this product, and have deemed it holy grail materiel.

Do you have any drugstore powder brands that keep your skin matte without looking cakey or breaking the bank? XOXO

NOTD: Teal, teal, teal!

Hi guys! Today is my first NOTD (Nail of the Day) post, so bear with me! We enjoyed a second snow day today, so a friend came over and we watched movies, trecked to dinner, and painted our nails :) I chose the teal nail polish I got a few years ago to match my Junior Prom dress.

The brand of this nail polish is China Glaze and the color is Custom Kicks (721).  I would think that it's still available but don't quite me on it.  I really like this nail polish.  It's opaque after one coat and there is a slight shimmer to it but it's not overpowering.  The color is a lot deeper and much more green than the picture makes it seem.  The actual polish itself is pretty liquidy and gets onto the brush really nicely and you can do two or three nails without having to re-dip the brush.  I would definitely recommend this brand to anyone, they have a wide selection of colors and don't cost you an arm and a leg.
Have you ever bought nail polish just to match a piece of clothing? XOXO