Today I will share with you the current products of my cosmetic bag. (pictures and minimal review of each product will be given). I have recently been making the switch to cruelty-free products; but I don't see the point in throwing away the current products I have that aren't empty or expired. So for that reason, some of these items will not be cruelty-free.
Skin
First for my skin I have a primer by Maybelline. This was the first primer I bought, I admittedly don't have much experience with primer but this primer seems to work fine. I do plan on trying others after my current tube is used up because this product is made by a company owned by L'Oreal as well as I am not completely satisfied with this product.
Next I have two concealers. I have a concealer by Physician's Formula that has two concealers in one tube. There's a green concealer for reducing areas that are especially red which then goes under the nude colored concealer. Physician's Formula is more on the expensive end of "drug store cosmetics" but it's because their products are high-quality. The other concealer I have is just a basic nude concealer by CoverGirl which is reasonably priced as well as cruelty-free. It get's the job done but I wouldn't say it's the best concealer for long-wear that I've ever had.
I've already blogged about the foundations I have- "Stay Matte" by Rimmel London.
Eyes
For eye shadow I currently have two palettes. Both of them are very great and are basically the high school student's budget version of any of the Naked palettes from Urban Decay. One is a nudes palette from Profusion that I bought at T J Maxx of all places for only five dollars. It's a really great palette! The colors last all day and I can blend them well together. My favorite is the milk chocolate colored shimmer shade. The other palette is The Nudes palette by Maybelline New York Eye Studio. This palette is well worth it, it has plenty of nude and neutral shades to just complete your eye makeup and set off your eyeliner.
For liquid eyeliner I have a liquid eyeliner felt tip pen from the Rimmel London Scandaleyes collection. It's black. It does a good job and is easy to apply just as most felt tip eyeliner pens. The one thing that I don't like about it so much is that by the end of the day or about 8 hours after application, the liner is pretty faded. Other than that I really like it. I also have a brown liquid eyeliner classic pot and brush by e.l.f. that is actually a lot better than I was anticipating it to be. The one thing I don't really like about it is that it's more challenging to apply and you have to wait for it to dry. For pencil eyeliner for my water lines I have a black pencil from Profusion that came with my eyeshadow palette and it works great- hardly any smudges or runs.
The mascara tubes I have in makeup bag are not cruelty-free but they do work great if you're not really wanting to put the effort into going all cruelty-free. I have three tubes of mascara currently. One is Mega Plush by Maybelline which is a good base coat mascara. The others are both by L'Oreal Paris- one is Million Lashes and the other is Butterfly Intenza. Intenza is good for lengthening and Million lashes is great for volume. The Maybelline and Million Lashes are good for no clumps but be wary of clumps with Butterfly Intenza.
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
The Body Shop
It is kind of shocking and somewhat horrifying to just simply go through your home and scan all of your products you use every day that you have come to know and love are acting against the very ideals you stand for. I scanned the lotion and even the vitamin supplements I take to sleep at night and they were both made by companies who tested on animals themselves or the company of that product is owned by another company or group of companies that tests on animals. This is important because really your money is all going to the same place in the end. Even if I don't directly buy from L'Oreal, if I buy from The Body Shop, that money, or a portion of that money, still goes to L'Oreal who owns The Body Shop.
I am very conflicted about the issue of buying from the body shop because on their website they explicitly say "cruelty-free". But how can a company committed to the safety and protection of anmals allow themselves to be owned by a company who has drastically different goals?
I am very conflicted about the issue of buying from the body shop because on their website they explicitly say "cruelty-free". But how can a company committed to the safety and protection of anmals allow themselves to be owned by a company who has drastically different goals?
Monday, April 20, 2015
My saving grace: The steamer
One of my biggest pet peeves in the entire world is wrinkly clothing. I would almost rather wear a mismatched outfit than a wrinkly outfit. So it's a good thing I have my steamer. My steamer, for those of you who are not familiar, heats up water until it turns to steam and lets the steam out to take the wrinkles out of the clothes.
The best thing about my steamer is that it's kind of more like a steamer and an iron in one machine. What sets mine apart from others is that along with it letting out steam, it has a small metal triangle-shaped section that acts as an iron. The steamer came with a pad you put over the door and hang the garment on so after you heat the water you press the steamer against the wrinkled areas of your clothing and it lets up the wrinkles almost instantly while the iron part applies pressure and heat and any smaller creases are let out by the steam. I can honestly get a whole garment steamed in a matter of about 2-3 minutes.
This method isn't really for everybody because honestly I don't even know how much my steamer cost it could have been pretty pricey- mine was a Christmas present from my mother who is incredibly amused by my obsession with clothes without wrinkles. Also, it takes up a lot of storage space in your house because you need a place for the door mat and a place for the steamer itself which is a little taller and bulkier than a traditional iron-but hey at least there's no ironing board. It is important to note that STEAM BURNS ARE REAL AND PAINFUL and just as you would with a traditional iron, be careful not to burn yourself. Lastly, it's kind of an energy sucker... this basically means I wouldn't advise plugging this and the flat iron in at the same time as it could make the lights go out in your house which we all know is just a pain in the butt to take care of and not to mention a real time-sucker out of the time you have for your morning routine.
Maybe the reason I run into wrinkly clothes so much is I have the tendency to let my pile of clean laundry sit for a while before being folded, hung up, or otherwise put away. I know I can't be the only one that does this. So if you're like me, maybe consider that this could be why you leave the house wondering why it feels like you forgot something. You did, you forgot to steam your shirt.
Some people say "who cares about if your clothes have wrinkles? It's not that big of a deal." I care, okay? And your future boss will probably care too. Or your future husband or wife. So yeah if you're going to a job interview or on a date rather than just out to get groceries it's extra important that you think of me and STEAM/IRON YOUR DAMN CLOTHES IT'S NOT THAT HARD.
The best thing about my steamer is that it's kind of more like a steamer and an iron in one machine. What sets mine apart from others is that along with it letting out steam, it has a small metal triangle-shaped section that acts as an iron. The steamer came with a pad you put over the door and hang the garment on so after you heat the water you press the steamer against the wrinkled areas of your clothing and it lets up the wrinkles almost instantly while the iron part applies pressure and heat and any smaller creases are let out by the steam. I can honestly get a whole garment steamed in a matter of about 2-3 minutes.
This method isn't really for everybody because honestly I don't even know how much my steamer cost it could have been pretty pricey- mine was a Christmas present from my mother who is incredibly amused by my obsession with clothes without wrinkles. Also, it takes up a lot of storage space in your house because you need a place for the door mat and a place for the steamer itself which is a little taller and bulkier than a traditional iron-but hey at least there's no ironing board. It is important to note that STEAM BURNS ARE REAL AND PAINFUL and just as you would with a traditional iron, be careful not to burn yourself. Lastly, it's kind of an energy sucker... this basically means I wouldn't advise plugging this and the flat iron in at the same time as it could make the lights go out in your house which we all know is just a pain in the butt to take care of and not to mention a real time-sucker out of the time you have for your morning routine.
Maybe the reason I run into wrinkly clothes so much is I have the tendency to let my pile of clean laundry sit for a while before being folded, hung up, or otherwise put away. I know I can't be the only one that does this. So if you're like me, maybe consider that this could be why you leave the house wondering why it feels like you forgot something. You did, you forgot to steam your shirt.
Some people say "who cares about if your clothes have wrinkles? It's not that big of a deal." I care, okay? And your future boss will probably care too. Or your future husband or wife. So yeah if you're going to a job interview or on a date rather than just out to get groceries it's extra important that you think of me and STEAM/IRON YOUR DAMN CLOTHES IT'S NOT THAT HARD.
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Beauty on a Budget
Today I will share with you, some products I have picked up throughout the years on a low budget that have come to find to be of great quality for their price. Disclaimer: since this is a list compromised of over the years, not all (and probably most of these products) are cruelty-free.
- The Nudes Palette- $9.99
Ten dollars seems like a lot for eye shadow considering not everybody wears eye shadow but this palette is well worth it, it has plenty of nude and neutral shades to just complete your eye makeup and set off your eyeliner.And honestly, eye shadow isn't cheap. Unless you buy e.l.f. but then it all ends up in the crease of your eyelid anyways and that't no good. All the colors are long-lasting and non clumping. Consider it an everyday essential- I do.
2. E.l.f. eye pencil- $1.00
Yes one dollar. No, it's not THE MOST amazing pencil I've ever used, but for waterlines, it gets the job done if you're planning on not doing too much crying or sweating that day. It goes on smoothly but does have some smudging throughout the day. As far as liquids go, those just run more higher-priced too like eye shadow, but I suppose e.l.f. liquid is alright if you're cool with a pot and brush instead of a felt tip pen. (but, hey, on the bright side, e.l.f. is cruelty-free.
3.Rimmel London Stay Matte liquid mousse foundation- $4.99
Rimmel London Stay Matte pressed powder foundation-$3.99
This duo of products is what I would call the diamond in the rough. They have it all. They are made by Rimmel London so they're cruelty-free, they're very inexpensive, and they're high performance, all-day matte wear. There is nothing more to say than that. It should go without saying that I highly recommend this product. I might also add as a tidbit that these are the foundations I use on a daily basis.
4. Baby Lips by Maybelline- $2.99
I used to be an incredibly strong and avid user/supporter of Baby Lips and have purchased many of their colors including some of their "special collections" now, I personally use just a plain balm made by EOS but if you're looking for something with with a tint or color, Baby Lips will not dissapoint. The product is good as a balm and as a lip color with a good scent. All around, a good product for health and beauty of your luscious lips.
Update: L'Oreal Lab Testing (Buycott)
For those of you who were/are as passionate and enraged as me about the fact that L'Oreal uses animal testing in the production of their products, I give you... Buycott. Buycott is an app to help you boycott certain products from companies whose production processes you don't agree with. For example, I choose not to buy from L'Oreal because they test their products on animals.
It is kind of shocking and somewhat horrifying to just simply go through your home and scan all of your products you use every day that you have come to know and love are acting against the very ideals you stand for. I scanned the lotion and even the vitamin supplements I take to sleep at night and they were both made by companies who tested on animals themselves or the company of that product is owned by another company or group of companies that tests on animals. This is important because really your money is all going to the same place in the end. Even if I don't directly buy from L'Oreal, if I buy from The Body Shop, that money, or a portion of that money, still goes to L'Oreal who owns The Body Shop.
I think that even though at first it may be hard to find substitutes for the products you're so used to using on a daily basis, but it's important that you do it. For the longest time, my lotion, my eyeliner, and my mascara were all products that according to Buycott, I should be avoiding. I've found substitutes, and you can too. The substitute I found for my eyeliner may not be as luxurious and high-performing as what I was used to, but it's less money being put into the hands of cruel and careless corporations. In all honestly, the new eyeliner, ScandalEyes by Rimmel London isn't even that much worse, it's just a little more faded by the end of the day, which is something I can deal with (especially since it's almost $4 cheaper).
It is kind of shocking and somewhat horrifying to just simply go through your home and scan all of your products you use every day that you have come to know and love are acting against the very ideals you stand for. I scanned the lotion and even the vitamin supplements I take to sleep at night and they were both made by companies who tested on animals themselves or the company of that product is owned by another company or group of companies that tests on animals. This is important because really your money is all going to the same place in the end. Even if I don't directly buy from L'Oreal, if I buy from The Body Shop, that money, or a portion of that money, still goes to L'Oreal who owns The Body Shop.
I think that even though at first it may be hard to find substitutes for the products you're so used to using on a daily basis, but it's important that you do it. For the longest time, my lotion, my eyeliner, and my mascara were all products that according to Buycott, I should be avoiding. I've found substitutes, and you can too. The substitute I found for my eyeliner may not be as luxurious and high-performing as what I was used to, but it's less money being put into the hands of cruel and careless corporations. In all honestly, the new eyeliner, ScandalEyes by Rimmel London isn't even that much worse, it's just a little more faded by the end of the day, which is something I can deal with (especially since it's almost $4 cheaper).
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Fashion Donts
In all honesty, you can wear whatever you want..... even fedoras I suppose.
but there are some things that I see people wearing that really make me cringe and serve as a reminder for me that I should really maybe not care so much about what other people wear. Allow me to highlight some of the few shining and stellar examples
I'm sorry to anyone whom I may offend when I say this, but.... Fedoras? No... just, no. You're not Frank Sinatra, you're not from the New York press in the nineteen fifties, and you're not Bruno Mars either. Who, I might add, is mystifying the whole world at this very moment as to how he can still wear fedoras and seem slightly acceptable. (or write songs about how he'd catch grenades and jump in front of moving trains without concerning his mass audience about being suicidal)
All Camo...
Look I get it, the deer you're hunting in the woods aren't gonna call up Joan Rivers' ghost and tell on you for being such a fashion disaster. But at school? I see you. The deer don't see you, but I do. Even though you think I can't see you, I CAN SEE YOU AND IT LOOKS BAD.
Pajama pants in public...
you know, to be quite honest, I don't even know why I'm writing this for you; you obviously don't care. You know how I know you don't care? You're wearing clothes that are meant for sleeping and lounging in the house, where minimal amounts of people are supposed to see you IN PUBLIC. I must give you props, it takes a lot of self confidence to do that; I can't even send a selfie-snapchat to my best friend if I have too obvious of a pimple or greasy hair. My favorite part about the people who choose to make every day pajama day? Their true self-expression. I get to see what things you're really into by what print is on your pants. It is now public information how much you love Christmas by your fluffy, fuzzy snowman pajama pants. Thank you. It's usually "Family Guy" or Xbox which gives me just a tad of insurance because I kind of had a speculation that you were a type of person that sat around and played xbox all day, but now I know for sure.
But scarves? Okay seriously, here's the thing. Picture yourself in the year 2003, Hollywood's red carpet. there's a lady. Gwenyth Paltrow, wearing a light and flowy strip of fabric wrapped around her jugular. She looks great. This is an instant trend. Stores are selling these long tapestries for women and men everywhere to strangle themselves with, like sheep following behind the rest of the herd, yet somewhat lion-like with their brightly colored manes. Flash forward 12 years. It's 2015. three proposed raptures and 2 expected apocalypses came and went, yet the one thing to remain? Scarves. WHY?
Like I said, wear whatever you want, it's your civil liberty, but with great freedom comes great power.
but there are some things that I see people wearing that really make me cringe and serve as a reminder for me that I should really maybe not care so much about what other people wear. Allow me to highlight some of the few shining and stellar examples
I'm sorry to anyone whom I may offend when I say this, but.... Fedoras? No... just, no. You're not Frank Sinatra, you're not from the New York press in the nineteen fifties, and you're not Bruno Mars either. Who, I might add, is mystifying the whole world at this very moment as to how he can still wear fedoras and seem slightly acceptable. (or write songs about how he'd catch grenades and jump in front of moving trains without concerning his mass audience about being suicidal)
All Camo...
Look I get it, the deer you're hunting in the woods aren't gonna call up Joan Rivers' ghost and tell on you for being such a fashion disaster. But at school? I see you. The deer don't see you, but I do. Even though you think I can't see you, I CAN SEE YOU AND IT LOOKS BAD.
Pajama pants in public...
you know, to be quite honest, I don't even know why I'm writing this for you; you obviously don't care. You know how I know you don't care? You're wearing clothes that are meant for sleeping and lounging in the house, where minimal amounts of people are supposed to see you IN PUBLIC. I must give you props, it takes a lot of self confidence to do that; I can't even send a selfie-snapchat to my best friend if I have too obvious of a pimple or greasy hair. My favorite part about the people who choose to make every day pajama day? Their true self-expression. I get to see what things you're really into by what print is on your pants. It is now public information how much you love Christmas by your fluffy, fuzzy snowman pajama pants. Thank you. It's usually "Family Guy" or Xbox which gives me just a tad of insurance because I kind of had a speculation that you were a type of person that sat around and played xbox all day, but now I know for sure.
But scarves? Okay seriously, here's the thing. Picture yourself in the year 2003, Hollywood's red carpet. there's a lady. Gwenyth Paltrow, wearing a light and flowy strip of fabric wrapped around her jugular. She looks great. This is an instant trend. Stores are selling these long tapestries for women and men everywhere to strangle themselves with, like sheep following behind the rest of the herd, yet somewhat lion-like with their brightly colored manes. Flash forward 12 years. It's 2015. three proposed raptures and 2 expected apocalypses came and went, yet the one thing to remain? Scarves. WHY?
Like I said, wear whatever you want, it's your civil liberty, but with great freedom comes great power.
Friday, March 20, 2015
L'Oreal Lab Testing
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't buy anything from L'Oreal.
I have recently found out via the social justice elite of Tumblr that L'Oreal does horrible and cruel testing on animals in order to perfect their products. It almost goes without saying that the less people buy from them, the less animals are harmed.
They lose their fur and their eyes become horribly irritated. They use innocent animals to test on and the poor little things can't do anything to stop them from hurting them. Because of this, it will continue to go on until people demand it to stop. Would you want your pets to be tested on and used as someone's toy to mess around with and purposely hurt?
People are under the misconception that lab testing is just simply putting lipstick on a bunny or mascara on a monkey. It's nothing like that.
I strongly believe that animal testing is unnecessary and down right cruel. There are plenty of companies that create perfectly good products without testing on animals.
picture creds: https://www.pinterest.com/hannahkandil/activism/
picture creds: https://www.pinterest.com/hannahkandil/activism/
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Waxing
It would be an interesting factoid to know how many thousands or even millions of dollars per year are spent on facial waxing, body waxing, and other means of hair removal. Given that there's home remedies, DIY kits that are sold and cosmetic stores and supermarkets, and professional salon waxing, its probably a lot more than someone would estimate.
People use waxing as a way of hair removal to get the look of completely clean and hairless skin and to avoid stubble. So if you didn't know, that's why girls don't just shave their eyebrows and lips like guys do. This is because waxing completely removes the hair from its follicle where shaving just cuts it short.
It is important with any waxing to always make sure to melt the wax completely and that it is completely adhered to each hair so when you pull the wax off, it takes off every single hair in the applied area. This can be done by simply rubbing the wax strip on the applied area for a while until you feel it get warm. It is also always important to pull the wax off in the opposite direction of hair growth.
I've tried Sally Hansen, other brands from Ulta including the $3 vanilla scented stocking stuffer type brand, and Nair. I used Sally Hansen for the longest time just because I liked the nail polish that company makes and the wax strips got the job done sufficiently. But then, one day I decided to try Nair brand wax strips and they actually work a lot better in my opinion. The Sally Hansen brand strips are clear colored wax on plastic sheets, where as the Nair brand strips are a pale green colored wax on a sort of paper that I believe to be more suited for the wax. I like the fact that the Nair brand strips have colored wax and opaque backing which makes it a lot easier to go back and look at all the hair you actually picked up. I also think the Nair strips' wax is a lot easier to melt but that might just be total false speculation.
... All of the above are tricks and tips of information taken from the instructions on many different types of hair removal kits I've used over time (and the expertise of my mother). Many of which are usually looked over by most when trying these kits at home.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Leggings, tights, and yoga pants
Leggings , tights, and yoga pants seem to be clumped together in today's society as "lazy pants". Some people even go as far to call them "provocative" or "revealing". These pants all have elastic waistbands making them not only comfortable, but effortless, therefore "lazy". All these types of pants also can be tight and contour the body or be slightly to moderately opaque, making them "provocative" in some people's opinions. Love them or hate them they're back to stay for now, but I don't hear many complaints from girls about it.
In the last 5 years or so, leggings have made somewhat of a comeback since their last big boom in the fashion world in the 80s when they were paired with leg warmers and oversized sweatshirts. Leggings can usually be seen paired with long blouses or sweaters and sweatshirts. If you can think of a pattern for leggings, they probably have a pair out there. I personally have even seen leggings with sharks on them and a pair with a design from the popular Disney movie, "Frozen".
Nowadays tights are quite popular for more everyday fashion than they have been at other times and are most commonly worn with dresses and skirts. Not only black and nude tights either- crazy colored tights and tights with patterns are highly popular and can be found almost anywhere nowadays. Sometimes girls wear tights with shorts for fashion. An example of this would be corduroy shorts or some other type of shorts, usually high-waisted and a crop-top or other top. A winter trend, mainly for warmth is to wear tights under leggings or yoga pants. This can also help your yoga pants or leggings from possibly being see-through.
Yoga pants are worn more than just for doing yoga these days so their designs have grown with the rising demand for yoga pants. They can be found in capri length, long length with fitted ankle cut, or long with flared leg cut. They also come in more than just your standard black anymore and are really known for have cute patterned fold-over waist bands that make each pair stand out from the others.
With more types, colors, patterns, and styles than you could possibly imagine, all three of these types of pants are a must-have for your winter wardrobe.
Word count: 381
Word count: 381
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Blush
Blush can be a great makeup essential for some, especially for people in theater, show choir, and the Hollywood. But, simply put- not everyone needs blush.
I don't wear blush- I never have. Maybe someday, after my teenage years when my face doesn't look like it has craters comparable to those of the moon and I've lost my young glow, I might find a use for blush. Certainly not now, though.
Blush is just one of those things that looks great... if you apply it right. Too much and you look like a clown. The wrong color and you look like you have some concerning skin disease.
Blush is the thing that gives singers and actors that beautiful and lively, rosy freshly-pinched-cheeks look. Since I, and I'm sure many others don't live in a TV show or movie, that's just not necessary for us. I get enough color in my cheeks from being winded by walking down a big flight of stairs or embarrassed by accidentally spilling my coffee.
There are people that should thank their lucky stars that have naturally smooth skin with maybe one pimple residing on their chin once in a while. These people are truly blessed. They save money on four layers of foundation. They also can use blush. Don't get me wrong, blush isn't bad. I might just be a bit bitter about not being able to use it without looking like I have Rosacea.
It's also quite easy to look like what we'll call a tart if blush is not applied correctly. Traveling back to the nineteen eighties has never been so close as just one palette and brush away.(except of course unless you're counting blue eyeshadow).
In case I am so fortunate as to have a person that meets the qualifications for blush-wearing, application is plain and simple. Don't let anyone see you apply blush as they might give you a dirty look- make a "fish lips" face to start. Apply blush in an extremely light layer, and preferably a light shade for best results. Powder is probably the most common form of blush and should be fairly cheap as well as last a long time.
With blush, the best thing to keep in mind is always "Less is more."
I don't wear blush- I never have. Maybe someday, after my teenage years when my face doesn't look like it has craters comparable to those of the moon and I've lost my young glow, I might find a use for blush. Certainly not now, though.
Blush is just one of those things that looks great... if you apply it right. Too much and you look like a clown. The wrong color and you look like you have some concerning skin disease.
Blush is the thing that gives singers and actors that beautiful and lively, rosy freshly-pinched-cheeks look. Since I, and I'm sure many others don't live in a TV show or movie, that's just not necessary for us. I get enough color in my cheeks from being winded by walking down a big flight of stairs or embarrassed by accidentally spilling my coffee.
There are people that should thank their lucky stars that have naturally smooth skin with maybe one pimple residing on their chin once in a while. These people are truly blessed. They save money on four layers of foundation. They also can use blush. Don't get me wrong, blush isn't bad. I might just be a bit bitter about not being able to use it without looking like I have Rosacea.
It's also quite easy to look like what we'll call a tart if blush is not applied correctly. Traveling back to the nineteen eighties has never been so close as just one palette and brush away.(except of course unless you're counting blue eyeshadow).
In case I am so fortunate as to have a person that meets the qualifications for blush-wearing, application is plain and simple. Don't let anyone see you apply blush as they might give you a dirty look- make a "fish lips" face to start. Apply blush in an extremely light layer, and preferably a light shade for best results. Powder is probably the most common form of blush and should be fairly cheap as well as last a long time.
With blush, the best thing to keep in mind is always "Less is more."
Books for Beauty, Health and Fashion
Many people look for all their beauty tips from pinterest or cosmetic store consultants- the book has generally somewhat died out in this modern age, unfortunately. This doesn't mean that it can't still be a good source for finding beauty and health tips.
I have two books personally that I really enjoyed reading and have gotten some good ideas from. These books are written by Lauren Conrad- who is a fashion designer and author; and Lea Michele who is an actress and beauty/fashion icon.
Lauren Conrad's book is called Style. It is her first ever book that was not a fiction novel, and is just a great flat-out fashion guide, including makeup. Lauren gives great advice on how to stock and organize your closet. Not only that- she then shows you example outfit combination ideas. She also does the same thing with hair and makeup. All of these show off how she coordinates her style. This is great because "Yay!" now you can basically be a Lauren Conrad look-alike. Who wouldn't want fashion tips direct from a fashion designer herself?
Lea Michele's book is called Brunette Ambition. This book is basically like all of Lea Michele's pinterest boards combined if she had a pinterest. It has food recipes, health recipes, fashion ideas, and exercise routines- combined with a lot of back stories about her life. I'm quite a fan of Lea Michele and her work on Glee so I don't mind the content about her child life and career, but for those that really don't care too much about that, there's still plenty of valuable content concerning beauty, health, and fashion. I personally like her information about facial care and try to abide by her regimen as much as possible.
So, next time if you're looking to get new ideas for your closet and cosmetics, support one of your favorite celebrities by purchasing a book or style guide and see what they have to tell you.
Word count: 327
I have two books personally that I really enjoyed reading and have gotten some good ideas from. These books are written by Lauren Conrad- who is a fashion designer and author; and Lea Michele who is an actress and beauty/fashion icon.
Lauren Conrad's book is called Style. It is her first ever book that was not a fiction novel, and is just a great flat-out fashion guide, including makeup. Lauren gives great advice on how to stock and organize your closet. Not only that- she then shows you example outfit combination ideas. She also does the same thing with hair and makeup. All of these show off how she coordinates her style. This is great because "Yay!" now you can basically be a Lauren Conrad look-alike. Who wouldn't want fashion tips direct from a fashion designer herself?
Lea Michele's book is called Brunette Ambition. This book is basically like all of Lea Michele's pinterest boards combined if she had a pinterest. It has food recipes, health recipes, fashion ideas, and exercise routines- combined with a lot of back stories about her life. I'm quite a fan of Lea Michele and her work on Glee so I don't mind the content about her child life and career, but for those that really don't care too much about that, there's still plenty of valuable content concerning beauty, health, and fashion. I personally like her information about facial care and try to abide by her regimen as much as possible.
So, next time if you're looking to get new ideas for your closet and cosmetics, support one of your favorite celebrities by purchasing a book or style guide and see what they have to tell you.
Word count: 327
Ways to apply foundation
For foundation application, there are many different ways to apply foundation. This includes brushes, sponges, disposable foam wedges, or just their fingers, and probably some others. Since I've personally used most of these methods at one point, I'll share with you the pros and cons of each.
I personally currently use a sponge to apply my liquid foundation. I purchased mine at Ulta. It's an initial cost of at least five dollars, but can really pay off in the long run. What I like about sponges, first and foremost is that you don't have to touch the makeup with your fingers and get them dirty. Another great- and my personal favorite advantage of the sponge- is that it can be great for contouring and getting the liquid foundation evenly spread out even in places with creases like around the nose and the eye area. This is because the sponge is dual sided. There is a pointed side for fine contouring and a flat side for blending areas like your jawline and chin. You just can't get this kind of definition with a brush. The downside to the sponge is that it is hard to clean and if you don't clean it, you can get extra clogged pores and acne from it.
Next, in order of my most favorable application techniques, is the brush. I used the brush for a long time before I recently switched to the sponge. It has almost all the same advantages as the sponge in that you don't have to get your hands dirty. When I started using a brush to apply my foundation, I mistakenly was using a brush that was big and fluffy shaped. I found out that those types of brushes are actually for bronzer or blush. When I switched to the correct type of brush, I was actually disappointed. It is a lot smaller and I found myself using a lot more product. Maybe this is because I didn’t start of with the right kind of brush to begin with. Just as with the sponge, if you don't clean the brush periodically, it can be harmful to your skin. I also find it harder to clean a brush than a sponge.
Then there is the disposable foam wedge. They are one time use and come in a package similar to cotton pads. Since they are one time use, you don't have to worry about clogging your pores like you do with sponges and brushes. The wedge is similar to the sponge in feel and the fact that it has a pointed side for contouring, but not as defined and the flat side is not as big. Another downside is cost. One package of wedges is obviously cheaper than a brush, but since they are one time use, you usually go through a package fairly quickly, especially if you put on foundation every day.
Lastly, there's the plain and simple way of just getting your hands a little dirty and applying it straight with your fingers. The upside is no cost for applicators, but the downside is not as much definition and it's really just a huge mess. For me, this makes the cost of a sponge worth it.
I personally currently use a sponge to apply my liquid foundation. I purchased mine at Ulta. It's an initial cost of at least five dollars, but can really pay off in the long run. What I like about sponges, first and foremost is that you don't have to touch the makeup with your fingers and get them dirty. Another great- and my personal favorite advantage of the sponge- is that it can be great for contouring and getting the liquid foundation evenly spread out even in places with creases like around the nose and the eye area. This is because the sponge is dual sided. There is a pointed side for fine contouring and a flat side for blending areas like your jawline and chin. You just can't get this kind of definition with a brush. The downside to the sponge is that it is hard to clean and if you don't clean it, you can get extra clogged pores and acne from it.
Next, in order of my most favorable application techniques, is the brush. I used the brush for a long time before I recently switched to the sponge. It has almost all the same advantages as the sponge in that you don't have to get your hands dirty. When I started using a brush to apply my foundation, I mistakenly was using a brush that was big and fluffy shaped. I found out that those types of brushes are actually for bronzer or blush. When I switched to the correct type of brush, I was actually disappointed. It is a lot smaller and I found myself using a lot more product. Maybe this is because I didn’t start of with the right kind of brush to begin with. Just as with the sponge, if you don't clean the brush periodically, it can be harmful to your skin. I also find it harder to clean a brush than a sponge.
Then there is the disposable foam wedge. They are one time use and come in a package similar to cotton pads. Since they are one time use, you don't have to worry about clogging your pores like you do with sponges and brushes. The wedge is similar to the sponge in feel and the fact that it has a pointed side for contouring, but not as defined and the flat side is not as big. Another downside is cost. One package of wedges is obviously cheaper than a brush, but since they are one time use, you usually go through a package fairly quickly, especially if you put on foundation every day.
Lastly, there's the plain and simple way of just getting your hands a little dirty and applying it straight with your fingers. The upside is no cost for applicators, but the downside is not as much definition and it's really just a huge mess. For me, this makes the cost of a sponge worth it.
Word count: 535
Monday, January 19, 2015
ModCloth
Everybody has their fashion secrets. Where do they always find such great deals? How do the avoid deodorant stains? Who cuts their hair? Today, I am going to share with you one of my biggest fashion secrets. I believe that the website I am about to introduce to you toady is one of the sole reasons I am able to find such unique and fairly priced clothing on somewhat of a budget.
The site I hope you're dying to hear about is called ModCloth.com.
They offer so many things it is mind boggling. Oh yeah and the clothes. There is an endless amount of clothes in an endless amount of styles for an endless amount of people. Yes, ModCloth carries, women's fashion. women's plus size fashion, and men's fashion. There are probably more dresses in the store's stock than people in the city of Cedar Rapids.
Prices can range from eight dollars to three hundred and eight dollars for just a single item. This is because they offer products from a vast variety of designers and also sell great vintage scores. My hunch is the reason it is called ModCloth, is because it sells vintage clothes via a modern form of sale as well as actual modern clothes (which, if you have read my last blog post, I believe is sort of mixing together anyways).
ModCloth really cares about their customers. They offer stylists that post style ideas to go with any clothing item you buy. They also always update reviews if many buyers say the piece seems to run too tight, loose, short, or long as well as advice as whether to size up or size down. They do this because they get products from designers from North America and Europe, so sizing can vary a lot. They give you free shipping if you spend more than fifty dollars. If you sign up as a member, they send you frequent valuable coupons. Also, if you're a member, you can unlock a lot of great features such as an option where it suggests items to you based on your favorited items as well as picks items for you it thinks would look well on you if you give them your height, weight, and bra size. The best part? Being a member is free. A unique and pleasant experience is that ModCloth offers a service where people write honest reviews and post pictures of their items in real life so you can almost feel the garment in your hands and really don't have to do all that much guessing of what your product is going to be like. I order from this website quite regularly and usually never have a problem. Once, I bought a glass candlestick with other items in a purchase of multiple Christmas gifts. I opened the box and the candlestick was shattered. It was two days before Christmas Eve. Within a matter of 5 minutes, the helpful customer service had placed the order for a new candlestick with rush shipping at no cost to me.
I believe that this website is truly the best clothing website one could ask for. If I hadn't known about this website, I don't know where my wardrobe would be.
The site I hope you're dying to hear about is called ModCloth.com.
They offer so many things it is mind boggling. Oh yeah and the clothes. There is an endless amount of clothes in an endless amount of styles for an endless amount of people. Yes, ModCloth carries, women's fashion. women's plus size fashion, and men's fashion. There are probably more dresses in the store's stock than people in the city of Cedar Rapids.
Prices can range from eight dollars to three hundred and eight dollars for just a single item. This is because they offer products from a vast variety of designers and also sell great vintage scores. My hunch is the reason it is called ModCloth, is because it sells vintage clothes via a modern form of sale as well as actual modern clothes (which, if you have read my last blog post, I believe is sort of mixing together anyways).
ModCloth really cares about their customers. They offer stylists that post style ideas to go with any clothing item you buy. They also always update reviews if many buyers say the piece seems to run too tight, loose, short, or long as well as advice as whether to size up or size down. They do this because they get products from designers from North America and Europe, so sizing can vary a lot. They give you free shipping if you spend more than fifty dollars. If you sign up as a member, they send you frequent valuable coupons. Also, if you're a member, you can unlock a lot of great features such as an option where it suggests items to you based on your favorited items as well as picks items for you it thinks would look well on you if you give them your height, weight, and bra size. The best part? Being a member is free. A unique and pleasant experience is that ModCloth offers a service where people write honest reviews and post pictures of their items in real life so you can almost feel the garment in your hands and really don't have to do all that much guessing of what your product is going to be like. I order from this website quite regularly and usually never have a problem. Once, I bought a glass candlestick with other items in a purchase of multiple Christmas gifts. I opened the box and the candlestick was shattered. It was two days before Christmas Eve. Within a matter of 5 minutes, the helpful customer service had placed the order for a new candlestick with rush shipping at no cost to me.
I believe that this website is truly the best clothing website one could ask for. If I hadn't known about this website, I don't know where my wardrobe would be.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
High-waisted Pants/Vintage Resurfacing
High-waisted pants have made a major comeback in even just this past year alone. There was even a popular song out in 2k14 mentioning them. Fashion blogs all over tumblr and pinterest posts are/were plastered with what could be said as Summer's hottest pop look coming seemingly out of nowhere.
Are high-waisted pants just a summer trend with shorts of the style? Certainly not. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, high-waisted jeans! They flatter almost every body shape! With such a high rise, it can help suck in unwanted "pudginess" (which is my favorite thing about them) and can give you a long looking body. To show off your sometimes up to triple-button fly, girls have been tucking their shirt in partially to their high-waisted pants and are able to wear those crop tops without fear with high-waisted shorts in the summer months.
This trend of the high-waisted bottoms seems to coincide with the overall trend in pop culture of vintage that is surfacing. Antique shops are getting busy and one of the eerie cool things sometimes you can find an outfit in a store or on a pinterest modern fashion board that would show incredibly strong resemblance to an outfit you would see in a photograph from the ninteen-fifties, find in a decades museum display, or in an antique shop.
Personally, I am a fan of the vintage trend. Most things are stylish, classic, and modest. The thing I admire most about vintage clothing like button-up cardigan sweaters, babydoll dresses, and circle skirts, is that they show off and celebrate femininity without having to basically expose the parts of your body that make you feminine.
Are high-waisted pants just a summer trend with shorts of the style? Certainly not. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, high-waisted jeans! They flatter almost every body shape! With such a high rise, it can help suck in unwanted "pudginess" (which is my favorite thing about them) and can give you a long looking body. To show off your sometimes up to triple-button fly, girls have been tucking their shirt in partially to their high-waisted pants and are able to wear those crop tops without fear with high-waisted shorts in the summer months.
This trend of the high-waisted bottoms seems to coincide with the overall trend in pop culture of vintage that is surfacing. Antique shops are getting busy and one of the eerie cool things sometimes you can find an outfit in a store or on a pinterest modern fashion board that would show incredibly strong resemblance to an outfit you would see in a photograph from the ninteen-fifties, find in a decades museum display, or in an antique shop.
Personally, I am a fan of the vintage trend. Most things are stylish, classic, and modest. The thing I admire most about vintage clothing like button-up cardigan sweaters, babydoll dresses, and circle skirts, is that they show off and celebrate femininity without having to basically expose the parts of your body that make you feminine.
Going Out Of Business
The store known as Deb is going out of business. There is a Deb in my local mall as well as an online store. Currently, the online store only serves as store locator, as all their clothing has been shipped to their stores.
So, far this sounds like a downer all around. In some parts it is; the store is very popular in the fall and spring for Homecoming and Prom because of their variety of formal dresses. They also cater to a larger audience of teenage girls as they offer regular and plus sizes in trendy everyday clothing.
The thing that is most disappointing about this situation is that the whole entire company is shutting down and products won't even be available online. It would have made sense as to why the location in our area was closing because it had a lot of competition in the same mall. Rue 21 and Maurice's sell the same types of clothing and are directly across the Deb store in the mall. With the only thing setting them apart being their formal dresses, it would have been understandable as to why it would not be able to stay afloat.
The positive that comes out of the store going out of business, is that they must get rid of as much stock as they can. This means sales and discounts like no other. Most of the time, when clothes are discounted at these rates, the clothes can be out of season. The store has no choice but to discount the already in season clothes if they have any hope of making profit.
If you're wondering, I got two new pairs of jeans, a cardigan sweater, two pullover sweaters, and a dress. This only cost me about one hundred dollars. Normally, that would have cost somewhere between two hundred and three hundred dollars. I was able to purchase in-season and ready to wear items that I would not have normally purchased at the original ticketed price.
Since this doesn't happen often, it is always a great move for your wardrobe when you take advantage of going out of business sales.
So, far this sounds like a downer all around. In some parts it is; the store is very popular in the fall and spring for Homecoming and Prom because of their variety of formal dresses. They also cater to a larger audience of teenage girls as they offer regular and plus sizes in trendy everyday clothing.
The thing that is most disappointing about this situation is that the whole entire company is shutting down and products won't even be available online. It would have made sense as to why the location in our area was closing because it had a lot of competition in the same mall. Rue 21 and Maurice's sell the same types of clothing and are directly across the Deb store in the mall. With the only thing setting them apart being their formal dresses, it would have been understandable as to why it would not be able to stay afloat.
The positive that comes out of the store going out of business, is that they must get rid of as much stock as they can. This means sales and discounts like no other. Most of the time, when clothes are discounted at these rates, the clothes can be out of season. The store has no choice but to discount the already in season clothes if they have any hope of making profit.
If you're wondering, I got two new pairs of jeans, a cardigan sweater, two pullover sweaters, and a dress. This only cost me about one hundred dollars. Normally, that would have cost somewhere between two hundred and three hundred dollars. I was able to purchase in-season and ready to wear items that I would not have normally purchased at the original ticketed price.
Since this doesn't happen often, it is always a great move for your wardrobe when you take advantage of going out of business sales.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Sally Hansen's "Miracle Gel" Polish- Truly a miracle
The amount of nail polish available on the market today could probably fill an entire ocean. And with all these new innovations in creative nail art and technology, how do we ever know what's good and what's not so good? I can share with you a nail polish that is definitely a front runner for one of the better nail polishes out there. This polish is called "Miracle Gel" by Sally Hansen.
Miracle Gel is a gel-based polish which is becoming increasingly popular over the regular liquid nail polish. The best part about it Miracle Gel and what makes it stand out from the rest of the gel polishes is that unlike most gel polishes, it doesn't require a UV light. The problem most people have with gel nail polishes is the fact that you have to have a UV light to set the polishes. This means either going to the salon, or buying a home kit including a UV lamp which can get pretty expensive. Miracle Gel sets without the UV light- automatically cutting close to twenty dollars off the price of getting your nails done.
The polish costs $7.99 a bottle, which is a very fair price. Some high-end brands like OPI and Essie cost that much or more for a bottle of polish that isn't even gel based. If you're starting off, you're going to have to buy your chosen color and the top coat. For an initial price of $16, the end product is incredibly impressive. The company's website says up to 14 days of wearing, but who actually believes what the companies say about how long a product lasts? I personally have found that I can wear this polish for a week or beyond with only minor chips. This is including the fact that I do dishes a lot at work which can incredibly shorten the wearing length of your manicure. I have yet to find a nail polish that can give me better results.
The application is quick and simple. It only requires two coats of the color of your choosing and one coat of the top coat. No base coat needed! The polish and brush is really nice because it is smooth and a little thicker than regular polish. I've even found that for whatever reason, the drying time seems to be a lot faster than other polishes.
The colors that it is available in are quite contemporary and vast. I personally have 4: A fashionable lavender-like purple, a coral/red, a light aqua-blue, and a mint green. I already have 4 shades and I've only just discovered the product a couple months ago- that surely says something of how great of a product it is.
Miracle Gel ranks high in qualities of variety, price, and ease of application, There's almost no reason not for you to try it.
Miracle Gel is a gel-based polish which is becoming increasingly popular over the regular liquid nail polish. The best part about it Miracle Gel and what makes it stand out from the rest of the gel polishes is that unlike most gel polishes, it doesn't require a UV light. The problem most people have with gel nail polishes is the fact that you have to have a UV light to set the polishes. This means either going to the salon, or buying a home kit including a UV lamp which can get pretty expensive. Miracle Gel sets without the UV light- automatically cutting close to twenty dollars off the price of getting your nails done.
The polish costs $7.99 a bottle, which is a very fair price. Some high-end brands like OPI and Essie cost that much or more for a bottle of polish that isn't even gel based. If you're starting off, you're going to have to buy your chosen color and the top coat. For an initial price of $16, the end product is incredibly impressive. The company's website says up to 14 days of wearing, but who actually believes what the companies say about how long a product lasts? I personally have found that I can wear this polish for a week or beyond with only minor chips. This is including the fact that I do dishes a lot at work which can incredibly shorten the wearing length of your manicure. I have yet to find a nail polish that can give me better results.
The application is quick and simple. It only requires two coats of the color of your choosing and one coat of the top coat. No base coat needed! The polish and brush is really nice because it is smooth and a little thicker than regular polish. I've even found that for whatever reason, the drying time seems to be a lot faster than other polishes.
The colors that it is available in are quite contemporary and vast. I personally have 4: A fashionable lavender-like purple, a coral/red, a light aqua-blue, and a mint green. I already have 4 shades and I've only just discovered the product a couple months ago- that surely says something of how great of a product it is.
Miracle Gel ranks high in qualities of variety, price, and ease of application, There's almost no reason not for you to try it.
Lip Color
Lip color can accent a person's natural facial features, give flair to a makeup look or outfit, or be a way to express personality. It helps if you pick a color that is "your color". This usually means it compliments your skin tone and/or your lip shape. There are plenty of lip colors sold everywhere from high-end places like Sephora, Ulta, and cosmetics counters at department stores, as well as more common places like Target, CVS pharamcy, or Forever 21. The evidence of their popularity can certainly be found in fashion magazines, Tumblr, and Pinterest.
People with thinner or average shaped lips and porcelain or light complexions usually pull off the more bold and vibrant colors more easily; colors like bright or crazy reds, oranges, pinks, and purples. People with olive skin tones usually look better with more natural tones like peaches, pale pinks, and browns. People with very dark or tan skin tones are well complimented with deep colors like plums and dark purples, dark browns, and deep and dark reds.
The bigger or fuller your lips are, the less they tend to need a lot of lip color. If this is your, clear and pale glosses and balms are a good way to go if you still want to wear lip products. (in fact, balms are good for anyone- no matter if they're clear or pigmented, as it is most important to always keep your lips hydrated).
A good time to use an especially bold or bright lip color is when the rest of your makeup is more toned down. Another good time to bust out that tube of crazy color is when your outfit might just need that extra little pop of color to top it off.
Lip color should not be left in the dust behind all the new trends in eye shadows and eyeliners, but should be taken into some discretion. It's totally okay to try that bold cherry red once in a while for fun, but not all colors are for everyone. Take into consideration the above tips for the perfect compliment to your ensemble.
word count: 352
People with thinner or average shaped lips and porcelain or light complexions usually pull off the more bold and vibrant colors more easily; colors like bright or crazy reds, oranges, pinks, and purples. People with olive skin tones usually look better with more natural tones like peaches, pale pinks, and browns. People with very dark or tan skin tones are well complimented with deep colors like plums and dark purples, dark browns, and deep and dark reds.
The bigger or fuller your lips are, the less they tend to need a lot of lip color. If this is your, clear and pale glosses and balms are a good way to go if you still want to wear lip products. (in fact, balms are good for anyone- no matter if they're clear or pigmented, as it is most important to always keep your lips hydrated).
A good time to use an especially bold or bright lip color is when the rest of your makeup is more toned down. Another good time to bust out that tube of crazy color is when your outfit might just need that extra little pop of color to top it off.
Lip color should not be left in the dust behind all the new trends in eye shadows and eyeliners, but should be taken into some discretion. It's totally okay to try that bold cherry red once in a while for fun, but not all colors are for everyone. Take into consideration the above tips for the perfect compliment to your ensemble.
word count: 352
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