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How to: Make Your Own Glitter Sunglasses

16 May
Nothing to disclose

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I got this tutorial from my newest fellow bloggie friend, Suma.  She is The Fashion Beauty Junkie (TFBJ for short) living in the one and only NYC!  GF is crazy gorgeous and stylish.  I encourage you all to check out her amazing blog {here}!

I loved Suma’s purple glitter sunnies so much that I wanted to make my own.  The only reason why I committed to this DIY craft is:

  1. Glitter is involved.
  2. It’s easy.

So, with that in mind… lets get started!

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  • Sunnies ($12.99 from Target)
  • Mod Podge ($4.99 from Hobby Lobby)
  • Glitter ($2.99 from Hobby Lobby)
  • Foam Brush (I got 8 of them for $1.99 at Hobby Lobby)

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Start with a clean surface to ensure that the glue will stick properly.  I wiped down with a cotton ball and isopropyl alcohol.

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Apply a generous layer of the Mod Podge.  I just swiped it on to each side of the frame.

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My glitter came in a container where I was able to just shake it over the glue (similar to a salt and pepper shaker).  I did this set over a piece of printer paper so I could pour the excess glitter back into the container.  Wait 15-20 minutes for the glue to set.

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Apply a generous layer of glue over the glitter to seal it.  I used more of a patting motion to do this so I wouldn’t remove the glitter particles.  I packed this on pretty thick because I didn’t want the glitter to come off when wearing them.  Let it set for at least 12 hours before wearing.
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Reusing False Lash Strips

15 May
Nothing to disclose

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I’m a false lash loving gal.  There’s just something about having long and perfectly curled lashes that make me feel so glamorous.  I don’t wear them every day, I wear them about 2-3 times a week.  So when you wear lashes as often as I do, you definitely don’t want to have to purchase a new pair every single time.  Even if you don’t wear lashes very often, you can still reuse the same pair of lashes.

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  • Isopropyl alcohol
  • Cotton swab
  • Used falsies

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Saturate one side of the cotton swab with the alcohol and simply rub it against the strip.  You may need to do some “picking” at the glue (it stretches and pulls right off of the lash).  The alcohol helps break down the glue and also sanitizes the strip for the next use.  The last thing you want to do is put germs and bacteria next to your eyeballs!
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Beauty Blogazon Weekly Roundup, 5/12/13

12 May

BeautyBlogazonWeeklyRoundup

Happy Mother’s Day!  I’ll be spending the day with family (something tells me mimosas and Summer Shandy’s will be involved).  My mom and my grandma are my entire life, I have no idea where I would be without them!  I’m so lucky to have so much love in my life :)

The life you live is the lesson you teach.

Drink water. Wear SPF.

Poll: Where do you apply your makeup?

11 May

WhereApplyMakeup

{via}

I say. . .

I do my makeup gypsy style (as my girl Suma would say), sitting Indian style on the floor by a widow.  I used to always do it in my bathroom (which has atrocious lighting) until about two months ago, I just started sitting by this window and there I have stayed.  I spread my makeup all over the floor then throw it back into a makeup bag when I’m finished.

I hope you’re having a fabulous Saturday!

Drink water. Wear SPF.

Friday Favorite: China Glaze, Diva Bride

10 May

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Wedding season is in full swing, and lucky for me my weekends have been booked with brides!  I feel incredibly blessed to do my job, being a makeup artist is hard work but it’s so rewarding and so worth it :)

Seeing that I’ve been around so many brides lately, I wanted to find the perfect wedding mani.  My latest stop at Sally’s led me to this lovely shade from China Glaze called “Diva Bride.”  How cute is that?

It’s a delicate pale pink, I could see it being the perfect color for “the big day.”  I needed 3 coats to get it to be completely opaque, it still looked streaky after 2 coats.  The color is pretty, but easily dupeable (there are several pale pinks out there).  However, the name of the polish is cute and might strike a chord for some brides to be.

Where: Sally’s, Amazon. Price: $7.00/0.5oz

For additional pictures and swatches, (more…)

Battle of the: Sock Bun Stylers

9 May

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Bun2Up until recently, I only knew how to do two things with my hair.  1: wear it straight, 2. Kardashian curls.  And anything in between is completely foreign to me.  That is, until I discovered the sock bun.

Buns are nothing new to me, I am a dancer and have done my fair share of ballet classes.  But the buns I remember are small and look like a dog turd on my head.  The buns nowadays are big and fancy!  And best of all… easy!

I know that you can create a sock bun using an actual sock {tutorial}, however, that method does not work for me.  I’ve tried it numerous times and it just frustrates me to no end because I can’t get it to work.   I like to use a “styler.”  That’s where today’s battle comes in:

The Whril-a-Style Hair Styler VS. The Sephora Collection Bunette

*Iron Chef voice* Let the battle begin!
Bun5 Sephora says: An innovative and easy-to-use hair bun styler for creating an array of impressive looks. Twist and turn your hair into glamorous, head-turning styles with this versatile tool. Simply slide in hair at the ends, roll up, and then fold into a perfectly chic shape.  $7.00/Sephora

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Real Techniques Duo Fiber Collection

7 May

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Real Techniques says: Create buildable color and add texture to look pixel perfect for any occasion and in any light with this first and only duo-fiber set. Duo-fiber face brush: for lightweight application. Duo-fiber contour brush: for controlled contouring and sculpting. Duo-fiber eye brush: for finishing touches to the eye. A true multi-tasker – duo-fiber bristles work with cream, liquid or powder for an unbelievably air-brushed finish. Ultra-plush, synthetic taklon bristles are hand-cut and 100% cruelty-free. Extended aluminum handles are light and easy to use.

Real Techniques makes some real good brushes, for real.   Created by the beautiful and ever so talented Sam Chapman of Pixiwoo, these brushes are high quality for an exceptionally affordable price.

Duo fiber face brush:  I’ve been using this with powders, loose and pressed.  It does a nice job of picking up just enough powder to set my foundation .  While it wouldn’t be my choice if I wanted to apply a fuller coverage powder foundation, it’s ideal for setting powders.  You could also use this for a light application of blush (cream or powder), however it is a little large for my taste.  It also wouldn’t be my first choice for applying liquid foundation.  Because the brush is so soft and the duo fibers are sparse, application is slightly streaky.

Duo fiber contour brush:  The shape is similar to their original contour brush.  The large dome shape fits perfectly into the hallow of the cheek.  The duo fibers build soft layers onto the skin.  This wouldn’t be my first choice if I wanted to do a strong contour.  However, it would be ideal for every day use.  This also works really well with cream blush.  I tap the flat side along my cheek to dispense the product, then use the pointed end to blend out.  That’s my personal favorite use for it!

Duo fiber eye brush:  This one is a bit stiff.  Like the other brushes, it allows you to create soft layers.  The shape fits nicely into the orbital bone, creating the perfect crease.  This can lightly apply color or you can use it to blend.  I like to use it with a dark color on the outer V of my eye to create a soft natural contour.  I used it to apply concealer under my eye and it’s a bit pokey.  Meaning… it hurts!  I mentioned before that the fibers are a bit stiff.  While the shape was ideal for a great concealer brush, the white fibers poked my under eye area too much for my comfort.

I also compared these to MAC duo fiber brushes, pics are in the post.

Overall
The face brush works with both loose and pressed powders for a light application (like setting foundation).  The contour brush is great for applying a soft layer of bronzer into the hallow of the cheek, but my personal favorite use is to apply cream blush.  The eye brush lightly applies color, allowing you to create soft layers.  However, it’s a bit stiff for under eye concealer application.  This set would be great for anyone who loves multitasking brushes!

Where: Ulta, Real Techniques, Amazon. Price: $20.00
For additional pics, (more…)

Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream, Review

3 May

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PTRCC
Sephora says: An all-in-one antiaging treatment, sunscreen, complexion corrector, moisturizer, and tint.  This multifunctional complexion corrector is formulated with arbutin and camu camu, an Amazonian superfruit that has 30 times the vitamin C of an average orange. Vitamin C evens out the skintone and supports natural collagen, creating the appearance of firmer, brighter, younger-looking skin over time. It instantly minimizes the look of imperfections, while broad spectrum SPF 30 protects skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Antioxidant vitamins C and E help fight free radical attack and keep skin healthy, radiant, and beautiful.

BB creams, CC creams, DD creams, PooPoo creams… seriously I can’t even keep up.  BB (beauty balm) creams made a huge splash in the US this past year.  The average American woman uses 2 products a day, and since BBs claim to be your skincare, primer, and makeup all in one they were (are still are) a huge hit.  So what’s the difference between BBs and CCs?  CCs still prime, hydrate, and protect the skin.  The difference is in the name, CCs are “color correcting,” so they have a few different ingredients that target lessening the appearance of dark spots, sun spots, and post-acne marks.  Is one better than the other?  No, they are just different.

I apply this on a freshly cleansed face with my fingers.  The first thing I noticed was the color, I have the color light to medium (it comes in 3 shades, this one is the lightest) and it’s too orange and dark for my NC30 skin.  I was really surprised by this, while I’m not a dark skinned girl I wouldn’t be considered to be fair skinned.

The coverage is much like a tinted moisturizer (it reminds me of Laura Mercier’s).  It’s a dewy finish, so if you have oily skin set this with some powder (I use the Bare Minerals Ready Foundation over it).  When I used the product without powder on top, my face was shiny within 15 minutes.  It gives enough coverage to give my skin some color, but a concealer is still needed if you have any major imperfections (dark circles, blemishes, etc).  If you prefer a lighter coverage foundation, you may want to consider checking this out.

Since it made my face orange, I wanted to mix this in with a moisturizer to thin it out.  I mix with the PTR Camu Camu Power C X 30 Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer (half and half) and the two work nicely together.  It does take away some of the coverage, but I use concealer and finish with a medium coverage powder.

The product does what if promises, which is minimize imperfections.  I’ve been using for 2 weeks so I can’t really speak for it’s long term claims (firmer, brighter, younger-looking skin).  Another thing that I love about this product is that it contains mineral/physical (as opposed to chemical) SPF.  Neither type of SPF is better than the other, they just work differently.  Sensitive skin types are less likely to be irritated by mineral SPF.

Overall
The product has a lot of stand-out ingredients that are beneficial to any skin type.  On its own, it gives light coverage but still enough to help even out the complexion.  Any skin type could use this (you can use it as a primer as well), if you have oily/combo skin finish with a powder to set and reduce shine.  My biggest complaint is the color, the lightest shade is too dark and orange for my NC30 skin.

Glitter Rating: 4 / 5

Where: Sephora, Amazon. Price: $48.00/1.7oz
For additional pics, (more…)

What I’ve been up to, April 2013

30 Apr

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I sure hope April showers bring May flowers, because the weather this month has been insane.  Sunny one day, sleet the next day.  And lots and lots of rain.  I’m ready for spring!

April has been all about stepping out of my “beauty comfort zone.”  I’ve been wearing new makeup combinations, experimenting with glitter lips, and doing different things with my hair.  I’ve been living on the edge, people.

Here’s my month in Instagrams:

Biggest news of the month….

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I did my first successful sock bun! *please hold your applause* I never, ever, ever, ever wear my hair back so this is a big change for me.  What do you think?

Oh yeah, and this happened…

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Ladies and gents, after a year of schooling and 4 months of filing paperwork, taking a written test, and performing a practical examination, I’M OFFICIALLY A LICENSED ESTHETICIAN.  Even though I graduated in January, the process just didn’t feel over with until I had this piece of paper.  When it came in the mail, I actually teared up!  I want all of you to know that if you really want something, you can make it happen.  Determination goes a long way! {Questions about my experience?  Feel free to contact me}

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I had a few weddings this month!  Working my makeup magic on some beautiful bridal parties! {booking inquires}

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Get ready to be jealous… my BFFs and I went to see the one, the only, WEIRD AL YANKOVIC in concert.  For the second (that’s right, second) time in Kansas City.  That man puts on a good show.

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Fancy Shoe Friday, Vol. 29

26 Apr
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{via}

I’m a girl on a budget, the majority of my wardrobe is from Forever 21 and I only shop Dillards clearance for shoes.  I love a good deal, but sometimes it’s nice to just pretend that I could spend 2 grand on a pair of shoes.  At this point in my life, if I actually did that, I would also have to move in to those shoes.  And then end of selling them to pay off my student loans.  *sigh* oh well, a girl can dream.  In today’s edition of FSF, ever shoe is over $1000.  Enjoy!

Can you guess which one is the most expensive?

FSF1

Christian Louboutin Noeud

FSF2

Christian Louboutin Daffodile

FSF3

Jimmy Choo Kendall

FSF4

Nicholas Kirkwood Satin Pumps with Bejewelled Platform

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