June Jubilee Day 3: BH Cosmetics Forever Nude Sculpt and Glow palette: REVIEW!!

The Sculpt and Glow palette was the first ever sculpting palette I owned, I got it at IMATS for a discount and I'm so glad I did! It taught me how to contour without the daunting task of doing it with a whole book of contour shades to pick from.  To see my whole review, please keep reading!

The Palette Roundup!

Hello my bright shiny Stars! I'm getting back to the regular posting whether it's a blog post or a video review or collection. This is my palette collection and, disclaimer time, in no way am I trying to brag or be like 'oooh look at all my palettes'. No. I bought all of these palettes with my own money except for one, which was my first palette. Disclaimer over.  I made this video to show that you don't have to be palette loyal to one brand nor do you have to have every single palette, I know I have a lot but I don't own every palette out there.  I hope you guys enjoy this video and don't forget to give it a thumbs up if you liked it and to subscribe for more videos! 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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Inspired Look: Black Widow

This picture is just to show what I look like without makeup, so you can see some differences in the posts where I am wearing makeup.  Once again, today's look is another Marvel inspired style.

Palette's Galore!

I have always talked about the palette's I use, but I've never showed you just how many palettes I own.  Now, I'm sure this is nothing compared to bigger bloggers who have a whole ton of palettes but I'm getting there.

The Wedding Series: Au Natural

The next few days is going to be dedicated to good wedding looks for the bride as well as for the guests.  I chose to do this series because summer is a big wedding season.  This first look is inspired by the natural beauty that is inside the bride and allows her natural features show through, so I kept it light and airy with a neutral color palette. Enjoy!

Here we have a very bare faced me, so you have an idea as to what I'm working with.

Go Bold or Go Home

I love crazy bright colors, especially when it comes to makeup but the other day I went to Lawrence, Kansas to see Combichrist (headliner) and William Control (one of the opening acts).  The only concerts I had been to were rock and roll, i.e. The Who, so wild and crazy makeup was never needed and for everyday I like to go for a more natural, glittery look.  So, when this metal concert came up and I decided to go, I knew I wanted to wear some crazy bright eyeshadows and luckily the clothes I borrowed from my friend was my favorite color combination.  Here's what I did!

 Everything minus the shorts is my best friend's clothes.  But I did pink and green through my hair and on my eyes.  I, luckily, happened to have pink and green hair clip ins and so that worked out perfectly.  The biggest thing about me pulling off this look was confidence and bravery so if you want to try bold colors, just go for it!

Senior Portraits

This past weekend I had my senior portraits done by one of my lovely Stephens Sisters and I wanted to share some of them with you as well as share my makeup tips for a photo shoot!

A Valentine's Day Look

Happy Valentine's Day, or Singles Awareness Day, whichever you celebrate.  Either way, it's a time when I can wear pink, pink, and more pink.  Please excuse the sad state of my hair in this photo.

Valentine Sweetheart

This is my best friend Taylor, who became a (willing) model for a Sweetheart Valentine look I had been playing around with.  Like me, she is a Paley McPale Face but even more so, so the colors I used on her eyes really popped against her skin tone.  Here is the final look:
I used a light  pink wash all over the lids and then took a light purple/orchid color and did the crease and out to the eyebrow.  I then took a red and put it on the inner corner of her eye.  The final touch was a little bit of pink glitter from a NYX palette I own in the center of her eyelid.  On her cheeks I used my Napolean Pardis (NP) mosaic blush and swept it along the apples of her cheeks and up to the hair line.  One reason I really like this color is because it can either be sheer, like I did here, or be built up to a nice rosy flush.  The mascara I used was the Maybelline Rocket Blast mascara, which I've never used before.  I had read mixed reviews about it so I was a bit apprehensive to use it but was then pleasantly surprised when I put it on her lashes!  For her lips, since her eyes were so bold, I used a peachy sheen color from NYX gloss and it gave her a 'my lips but better' look.
This look is definitely meant more for night time partying or dates, but if you're bold- wear it whenever you want! That's the fun of makeup, if you can think of it- you can try it! XOXO

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

FOTD: A Holiday Look

Hello everyone! I hope you had a wonderful and happy Christmas.  Today I bring you  a holiday look that's easy to do and is done with a color that compliments every skin tone- bronze/gold!

For my foundation I used my favorite Revlon Photo Ready foundation in Ivory and then topped it off with the Rimmel Stay Matte powder.  For blush, I used my new E.L.F. HD blush in Superstar and, wowza, do you need a light hand and very little product! This blush is highly pigmented and the most minuscule dot goes a long way and gives you a nice flush.  Just be careful or you could wind up looking like a clown!  For my eyes, I used the Color Tattoo pigments in Breaking Bronze and then for my crease I used the darkest bronze color in my BH Day to Night palette.  For my eyeliner I used Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in Purple (personally I think it's more an eggplant color but whatever) to line both my upper and lower lids.  I then used my Rimmel Scandaleyes Curve Alert Mascara to get my eyelashes nice and big.  For my lips, I used the new Revlon chubby stick lip color in the second to lightest pink, sorry I can't remember the name of it.  Have you used any of these products?  Would you like to see a video tutorial of how I do my makeup? XOXO

FOTD: Commercial Style

No, I mean commercial style as in a commercial audition.  I kept my face and eyes simple, with a nice bold lip and big lashes.  I used my BH cosmetics 2nd edition eye shadow palette to create a nice, subtle, champagne colored eye.  That way, it doesn't look too bold but there is something there that creates a pop in my eyes.  I LOVE BH cosmetics, especially their eye shadows.  They are highly pigmented (especially used with a primer before hand), have very little fallout, the palettes are expansive and inexpensive, and they have a great color pay off.  I own the second and third edition, as well as the Day to Night palette, and love every color and have not been disappointed with it.  For my mascara I first put on a layer of Rimmel's new Lash Accelerator Endless and then put on a second coat of Rimmel Scandaleyes mascara and boy oh boy did they make my lashes look good.  I used the NYX kohl liner, since my Urban Decay eye liner is down to a little nuby.
For my cheeks, I used NYX blush in pinched and then a NYX highlighter.  I used Too Face's chocolate bronzer for contouring because it is a matte bronzer.  I'm still learning how to contour, so it's a process.  My foundation was, surprise surprise, Revlon Photo Ready Liquid Foundation in Ivory and then topped with Rimmel Stay Matte powder in fair.   On my lips I used the new Revlon chubby stick lip color that is in the same tube like the Just Kissed Lip Balm Stain but it has a glossy finish.  I am in love with this lip color and product line, it all has a nice minty smell, stays on really well, and doesn't dry my lips out.
Stay lovely, my girls. XOXO

Welcome to Gilligan's Island!

The other day, Dawn Wells came to Stephens to film part of the 50th anniversary documentary for Gilligan's Island.  She played Mary Ann on the tv show, but she is also a Stephens woman who was a part of our theatre department.  Before she started filming the first few interviews with the three people who volunteered first she was just chatting with us, and SHE COMMENTED ME ON MY EYE SHADOW AND MAKEUP!

I did very simple base makeup, so I won't go into that. Even though my eye shadow isn't as bright and colorful as usual but it still used some colors that I had never tried before.  I used a peach color all over my lid that had just the slightest hint of sparkle in it and then for the outer corners, half the way across the crease, and right up against my top lashes until half way I used a coppery color.  It wasn't as coppery as copper pots and pans, but it is in the copper family.  Plus, it's FINALLY becoming spring/ summer and I thought these colors really helped to wrap those two seasons into one.  The eye shadows I used were from the BH Cosmetics 120 Color Palette 3rd Edition.  I tried to keep my eyes simple, but still with a pop, and to look professional because in this business- Appearance is one quarter of landing a job, two quarters is your connections, and then one quarter is your talent.  The theatre majors who went to this event looked nice and professional, so as to be taken seriously.

What do you guys think of this look? Yay or Nay? Would you try something in this color family like this? XOXO

Another opening, another show!

Last night, I had the honor of going to the opening night of Stephens College Performing Arts Department presentation of Legally Blonde: The Musical.  It was a beautifully done show with amazing talents performing which I am so lucky to call my friends and classmates.  I did my makeup all nice and pretty for the show but not in pink!! Instead I chose colors that matched the water color pattern of the skirt of the dress I was wearing.

For my lips, I used my ever loved Revlon Just Been Kissed balm stain in Sweetheart because it really does stay put and it's a lovely bright color.  On my cheeks I used the brand new Revlon Baby Sticks color for lips and cheeks in the lightest color, which is a mix of a light baby pink and  a coral- it's really lovely and goes on really nicely, expect a review soon!  For my foundation I used my new Revlon Photo Ready foundation, and I've totally fallen in love with it.  I think I may have fallen in love with the whole Revlon line, at least the Photo Ready section of it!

Please excuse the icky eyebrows, I hadn't groomed them in a little over a week!  To create this eye, I used my BH Cosmetics Eye Shadow 88 color palette, #2.  I first primed my eye with Revlon Photo Ready eye shadow primer, I'm still on the ropes about the packaging but the product is great!  I put a base of a light teal/ocean green blue non shimmer all over my lid and then took a light forest shimmery green and put it on the inside half of my lid and then on the outside and the crease I used a bright, shimmery blue.  Up into my arch I dusted a yellow/gold shimmer color as a brow highlighter as well.  I finished it all of with a few swipes of my Covergirl Lash Blast mascara.
I love getting to play around with bright eyeshadow colors and designs, do you have any makeup that you love to try new things with? XOXO