Smackages!

Everyone loves free products right? I know I sure do. If you like free stuff as much as I do, you definitely need to check out smackages. Smackages is a new website that will allow you to get free samples of makeup sent to your house. It hasn’t fully launched yet, but they’re taking sign ups still. I was one of the first 50 people to sign up, so I got a free Sigma F80 synthetic flatbuki brush. I was so excited to get it in the mail yesterday. I love how it came with a hand written note congratulating me. Little personalized touches like that are so nice to see. So far, I love this brush. It’s great for stippling on my liquid foundation. I get great coverage without using a ton of foundation. Love love love this brush.

Peace Love & Lipgloss

It’s Not Scary I Promise: Red Lipstick for Beginners

I love lipstick. I love lipstick almost as much as a love coupons. I think it glamorous and beautiful The thing is so many girls my age see lipstick as something for old women. They’re terrified of the stuff. I’ll never forget the first time I wore red lipstick to school. People look at me like they had just seen their grandmother in a string bikini. Their eyes would get as big as baseballs and I just didn’t understand it. Looking back on it, my application may have been a little sloppy but it wasn’t horrifying. But I’m so excited because I’ve found a new way to introduce beginners to lipstick in a not so scary way. It’s really quick and easy and not at all intimidating. So I’m going to show to do pretty not petrifying red lips.

The first step is to exfoliate your lips. There are a number of ways you can do this. Some people like to use a wet washcloth or a lip scrub. Personally I like to use a wet toothbrush. All you have to do is gently buff it in a circular motion all over your lips to remove all the dead skin. The reason for this is, well…have you ever seen a woman with lipstick on and nasty flaky lips? Not cute. Then I like to put on a lip balm to moisturize the lips. Some lipsticks can be drying, and dry chapped lips covered in red lipstick, also not cute.

Next we’re going to get a little bit of lipstick on our fingertip, AFTER you’ve washed or sanitized your hand. I can’t stress this enough, if you’re going to touch your makeup make sure your hands are clean. I don’t care what you wear on your lips, but nothing goes well with cold sores. Then you’re going to apply the lipstick using your finger. You can use patting, rolling, or swiping motions. Do whatever you’re most comfortable with. The result is a soft pretty flush of color. It’s like a lip stain but better.

You can leave it like that or you can top it off with a clear gloss for a cute, fun, glossy lip. See, I told you it wasn’t scary!

Peace Love & Lipgloss

Out With The Old In With The Nude

Generally when it’s time for me to remove my makeup, I immediately reach for makeup wipes. But when I have to take off an extra intense smokey eye or a hard to remove product, Clean and Clear Soothing Eye Makeup Remover. Serious this stuff takes off everything. I have really sensitive eyes so it being fragrance free and safe for contact lens wearers was a big plus. It makes removing my eye makeup so easy. But sadly it’s all gone. It was good to me to the very last drop. Dare I say it, I liked it better than the infamous Lancome Bi-Facial makeup remover. So RIP Clean and Clear Soothing Eye Makeup Remover. You’ll be missed.

Swatch of Revealing on top, High Tea on the bottom

But don’t worry I’m not too crushed. I’m in product love with a new product. I recently bought a new mac lipstick in High Tea. Oh sweet Jesus, it was love at first application. It glides on so smooth and it’s not drying at all. It’s a sheer golden color. On its own it provides a really pretty gold sheen that is perfect for when I want to keep things light and simple for the hot Sacramento days. I also like to pair it with a gloss. High Tea + mac Love Nectar makes a pretty baby pink with plenty of gold shimmer that looks amazing with bronzey eye. Or when topped with Revealing Lip Glass, you get a creamy nude that looks great with a smokey eye. If you want to keep things simple just slick any clear gloss over it and it will look great with just about anything. Typing this post makes me want to go experiment with even more combinations. With that said, I hope you all are have a fabulous day.

*The clean and clear soothing eye makeup remover was sent to me through a BzzAgent campaign, but my review was in no way influence by this

Peace Love & Lipgloss

My Makeup Staples

I’m a big believer in if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So when it comes to my makeup, I find myself returning to my same favorites over and over. These are items that I use pretty much every day.

Maybelline Eyeshadow in Nutmeg
As you can see, I’ve clearly hit pan on this baby because I love her so much. I love using this color to blend right above my crease. It really pulls everything together and completes my look. My true favorite is Maybelline Cream de Cocoa, but unfortunately, mine shattered at cheer camp =( For a similar effect, just get any matte eyeshadow that’s similar to your skintone.

EOS Lipbalm & MAC Lipglass in Love Nectar
You can just look at these and tell how much I use these. EOS lipbalm is super smooth, smells yummy, and is natural. It’s my favorite lipbalm ever. Love Nectar is such a pretty pinky peach color with little gold shimmers. If you’ve never had a MAC lipglass, its like happiness in a tube.

MAC Mineralize Blush in Gentle
This was my first MAC blush, and I’m hooked. MAC describes it as a raspberry with gold pearl. It looks slightly purple in the pan, but it’s gorgeous on. The gold acts like a highlight and really makes your cheeks pop. I’ve been wearing it every day since Christmas. I feel naked without it.

L’Oreal Extra Intense Liquid Pencil/Stila Eye Kajal
I use these two pretty much interchangeably. They’re both really dark and creamy. If you’re looking for an intense black eyeliner, I’d suggest getting one of these.

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous
This is my mascara of the moment, and it’ll probably change in a month or so. I really want to try CoverGirl Lash Blast Fusion, but this one does a nice job of volumizing and enhancing my natural curl.

Foundation
My foundation at the moment is Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Your Skin Makeup, Inspired By Carmindy. Goodness do you think they could have thought of a longer name for some makeup? I’m testing this one out for a couple reasons. 1. It was on clearance for like 2 bucks at Ulta. 2. I enjoy me some what not to wear. 3. It has a pump. Now as much as I love my favorite foundation, Revlon ColorStay, it lacks a pump. But no foundation I try seems to be able to make me fall in love like Colorstay does.

Urban Decay Primer Potion & Translucent Powder
I have extremely oily eyelids, and when I say extremely oily I mean my eyelids eat eyeshadow for breakfast. If I don’t properly prime my eyelids, I can start creasing before I’m even finished doing my makeup. I’m so serious guys. I wouldn’t be saying it if it hadn’t happened before. I had tried the infamous UDPP before and even that wouldn’t do the trick. I had given up all hope until someone on Specktra told me to set it with a powder, and I’ve been in love ever since.

Tape
My last staple may seem a little strange to some of you, but I love my tape! I use scotch tape to get really clean edges when I do my eyeshadow. Some people think its too harsh, but I absolutely adore my tape. If you’ve never tried it before, give it a shot.

Peace Love & Lipgloss

My Latest Goodies!

I just got a new camera, so I decided to break her in by showing you guys some of my latest purchases! I can’t wait to thoroughly try out some of these products.

I’m always looking for cheap but good skin care products. I bought this Formula 10.0.6 Daily Foaming Cleanser and Mattifying Oil Free Moisturizer from Ulta Buy One Get One half off. 2 products for 11 bucks? Not too bad in my book. I haven’t gotten to use them too much, but the cleanser smells sooo good and it does a really good job of removing my makeup. The moisturizer is kinda ehh so far.

Having straight hair in the summer is no fun. This gel lets me wear my natural curls on a daily basis without having to deal with frizz or poof. And the best part? It was only $1.99. I’m definitely going back for another tube or two…or three.

And finally my makeup goodies! After nearly 2 weeks of going eyeshadowless, I finally went out and picked up another Urban Decay Primer Potion. While I was on senior trip, I made my first trip to a CCO. I picked up the cool set of mac pigments from the holiday collection. I’ve got grape, fuschia, deep blue green, kitchmas, and reflects transparent teal. Grape and Fuschia are my favorites because they’re so bright and pigmented. I went to Sephora with my friend Rotce, and she talked me into buying the Stila Eye Kajal used by YouTube Guru MakeupByTiffanyD. It’s so creamy, but I think I may have a found a drugstore dupe. I should have a comparison out by the end of this week.

Peace Love & Lipgloss

Zodiac Series: Cancer the Crab

Cielo asked me to do the makeup for a zodiac themed shoot, and this was our first zodiac sign, Cancer. Seeing as cancer is a crab, she asked me to use red, black, and white. It’s been a while since the shoot, but I’ll do my best to remember what I used. There will be more to come!

Eyes
Maybelline Voluptuous Mascara
Wet N Wild Liquid eyeliner in black
NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk
White Wet N Wild Eyeshadow
Red eyeshadow from Coastal Scents 88 Shimmer palette
C5 from CS Creative Me Palette
Urban Decay Perversion

Peace Love & Lipgloss

I got shot.

So Cielo shot me! It was so much! The photos aren’t edited yet, but I love them! More to come =)

Peace Love & Lipgloss
Miss Jay Fab

Introducing Ophelia Cox

So I wanted to just kinda fill you guys in on some things that I have coming up. I’m so excited about things I have coming up! This weekend I’m doing a photo shoot with my friend Jamie and his friend Cielo. We’re working with two lovely ladies and doing some fun zodiac things. Maybe if I’m lucky, Jamie will let me put him in drag. We’ve been having far too much fun picking out drag names. Mine is Ophelia Cox. I like it =) So of course I’m going to be posting those photos once they’re edited. Be on the lookout.
I’ve also got some very exciting plans for this summer! I’m going to be assisting Lacy aka TheBlondeBunny on some of her photo shoots. I was flipping out when she offered to let me come on some shoots. She’s gorgeous and I love her work. I think it will be a great experience.
I will also be volunteering for an organization called Look Good Feel Better through the American Cancer Society. It’s an amazing organization that teaches cancer patients how to do their hair and makeup in order to boost their self-esteem. As I don’t have a cosmetology license, I can’t actually put makeup on the patients, but I will be assisting the makeup artists. It’s good to know that there’s a place where makeup can be put to such good use. I used to think that makeup would never happen for me and that I’d be doing looks in my bathroom forever. The thought that this is actually happening is so surreal. Who knows how far I can go?

Peace Love & Lipgloss

Brand New Brows and a Lash Fiasco

My school’s prom was yesterday, so of course I had to do the necessary primping and pampering. I was not too happy about getting up at 8am on a Saturday for a hair appointment. I mean come on mom who schedules things that early on a Saturday?! And for whatever reason, my body decided it wanted to wake up at 5:15. Yes that’s am. It was like so cruel joke.
I wanted my hair in a half updo with curls. It’s one of my favorite hairstyles, and I think it’s soooo cute for prom. It took 3 hours, but it turned out nice. I only wish my hair was longer to really complete the look. I ended up missing my makeup appointment at mac, so I figured what the hey let’s have my stylist just do my lashes too. Oh. My. Goodness. Never again. Theses were like the longest, thickest, New York from Flavor of Love lashes in the world. I looked absolutely ridiculous! One blink and I could start a tornado. And imagine my horror when she said “you have to wait for the glue to wear off before you take them off. so in about 2 weeks to a month…” What?! You mean I have to look like this for prom, senior trip, and graduation! I was mortified. Thankfully, the glue hadn’t set by the time I got in the car. I couldn’t rip those puppies off and fling them out the window fast enough! And to think she wanted to do all of my makeup! This is why I’m terrified of people doing my makeup. The only person I trust with my face is me!

Immediately after my lash horror story, my mother suggested that I get my eyebrows waxed. Fun Fact: I’ve never plucked, waxed, tweezed, shaved or threaded my eyebrows in my life. But I’ve heard plenty of tales of brows gone wrong. I was so nervous! What if she ripped off my skin right before prom? What if I hated them? So we went into the nail salon and Janet told Mimi I needed my brows done. “I know. I saw when she came in”. Gee thanks Mimi I wasn’t self conscious about my brows until now. Before I knew it, I was laying on my back while a woman with a thick accent applied warm wax to my face. It wasn’t so bad until I heard my aunt ask why she had taken the hair off of a certain part of my brow. I automatically assumed the worst. I’m lying there thinking that this woman has ripped off a chunk of my brow. Thankfully it was just a tiny little corner.

It was an interesting experience to say the least. I don’t think I’d do it again. It’s nice to have more space to do my eyeshadow, but I was fine with my brows to begin with. When I got to school however, I saw a girl who clearly didn’t have as nice as an experience as I did. Poor thing. It looked like she had a Texas Longhorn logo branded on her forehead. Ladies it just goes to show you, ALWAYS do your brows at least a day before the event. And if all else fails, ice and concealor are your friend.

Peace Love & Lipgloss

Eyeshadow For Your Eye Color

Time and time again girls ask what color eyeshadow looks good with brown eye? Or I have green eyes, what color eyeshadow am I supposed to wear? What eyeshadow goes with blue eyes? The real answer is whatever you want!

I know it can be confusing when you first start wearing makeup. You walk into Sephora (or Walmart) and there’s a million colors and a million different brands and products, you have no idea what to pick! Here’s my advice, find a color you think is pretty and try it on. Sound simple enough? You’re going to look best in what you think is pretty. Don’t limit yourself to a certain family of colors because Seventeen Magazine or some commercial on TV said it was going to enhance your eyes.

Yes navy blue eyeshadow does look nice with brown eyes. Purples look pretty with green eyes. Brown eyeshadow looks lovely with blue eyes. But so does every other color! Companies that sell “perfectly coordinated quads to compliment your eye color” or whatever are just trying to get your cash. If you have green eyes and you like the blue eyes kit, buy it! The best eyeshadow to compliment your eyes is the one you love the most.

Peace Love & Lipgloss