Sunday, September 11, 2011

new hair. awesome makeup. adult time.




Hi all! Long time no see. No need to be upset, I haven't left you for good. Life has just been absolutely crazy. If you don't already know, I started working as a preschool teacher over the summer, a nannying job a month ago, two night classes two weeks ago, and frequently babysit other families for date nights. I am slightly busy to say the least. I have a huge haul coming up on my youtube channel soon and will possibly be doing a tutorial for this look as well. What do you think?

PS. My mouth is salivating like crazy right now because we making homemade/homegrown pizza including the tomato sauce and pesto. YUM!

PPS. I don't have much "adult time", so when I do, I seem to go all out with my style.

PPPS. New hair, dur. You like?



This look was a little to detailed to write out each step, so I'm pretty sure I'll be making a tutorial. I used a little bit of everything. The two main colors are Inglot, I've also got some ELF, NYX, Wet n' Wild, and MAC in there as well. My lips are a beautiful shade from Dior that I just received from Makeup Insider. I also used the mascara and translucent powder I received from him as well. Not sure what else to add, but I hope you like it!!




I was also really digging my outfit. Simple, edgy, and made me feel bad ass.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Rainbows on Acid



Yes, you're seeing this correctly... This IS the Acid palette from Sleek.

Now, if you watch xsparkage, you know why this palette is so amazing and rare, or at least in the US. Sleek is based in the UK, and this specific palette is actually not USDA approved. Not sure why, don't care. My family from England was visiting the US, so I asked my aunt if she could pick one up for me. They are sold at SuperDrug and are $10 each.




Review:
- great pigmentation
- can get chalky or streaky
- must pack on color
- very soft
- great variety of colors

Suggestions:
- make sure you have a good base on, especially a white or light color
- use a small brush to pack on color
- pat, don't swipe, shadow on




Saturday, August 6, 2011

va va voom: red lips

OCC Lip Tar: NSFW




before: lined and filled in with NYX lip liner pencil in Red Hot.



after: 3 hours, eating pizza, and drinking lots of water.




It has even been 2 more hours since the last pictures. Although the color has slightly faded more, I am impressed with its wear. Instead of flaking or looking blotchy like other red, especially long wear, lipsticks do after very little time, OCC Lip Tars have more of a fading effect that ends up looking like a lip stain. This is a much more preferred look than flaking and blotchy-ness.

Other reasons why I am newly in love with OCC Lip Tars:
1. minty smell/taste
2. VERY little product goes a VERY long way
3. get your money's worth
4. highly pigmented
5. smooth, not sticky (at all!)
6. vegan
7. cruelty free

I am signed up to get a makeup artist discount, so each one is a little over $10. Otherwise they are $13 a piece, which is still very affordable, especially for what you get.

So... ya! That's that. I hope you enjoyed and will try out OCC and maybe even a hot red lip!

Friday, July 15, 2011

wedding attire.

So, I just got the invite to a high school friend's wedding... that isn't until September. What's the first thing I do after sending in the rsvp? SHOP!!!

I already had my eyes on a pair of Betsey Johnson silver glitter shoes, but found more comfortable ones for less money at DSW. I also found these slightly padded socks made specifically for peep toe pumps. I let you know if they do the trick after wearing them a few times.

Next on the list is/was (because I haven't actually purchased it yet) the dress. I really didn't know exactly what I was looking for except that it be affordable, adorable, and not black or white. I searched ideeli, hautelook, modcloth, macys, and nordstrom's online store with little to no success. Then, after posting on facebook, a fashion friend mentioned ruche. There were SOOOO many adorable, affordable dresses, but it came down to one. A navy, floral lace cap, knee length dress. I love wearing navy. There's something about red hair and navy that makes my light skin and blue eyes glow.

Of course, next on the list is hair and makeup. Simple. Classic pin up makeup and simple wavy hair either all down or some pinned back.

and here is what you get... or at least an idea of what it will/should be...






Thursday, July 7, 2011

Couldn't have said it better myself...

I use stumbleupon a lot... A LOT... when I'm bored, and I came across 10 Things Every Woman Should Know About Makeup. Basically, I couldn't have said this any better myself.





Makeup possesses magical powers. I’ve used it to transform myself and others into creatures both beautiful and bizarre. As a professional makeup artist, I’ve taken waif like models and made them mock warriors, brides and fairies for magazines, television and music videos. I’ve worked with celebrities, politicians and Fortune 500 executives.

From nearly a decade’s worth of experiences with color, brushes and people, I’ve learned a few things about what makeup does, what it doesn’t do and how to use it responsibly.

1. Makeup won’t change your life, but it can lift your mood.

Consider the allure of a perfectly done red lip; the mystery of a smoky eye. Nothing can transform a woman from a scrub muffin to a video vixen as quickly as the right makeup applied well. And nothing lifts your mood like seeing that gorgeous creature you’ve become staring back from the other side of the mirror.

If you’re ever feeling frumpy and unattractive, grab your favorite night time lip color and an unexpected eye shadow shade and let loose your inner vixen.

2. Lasting self esteem is not found in a bottle, tube or jar.

I know this one sounds a bit cliché, especially coming from a makeup artist. But the truth is that spending money on beauty products won’t resolve things if your head’s a mess. A little mood lift from a beauty product (see point #1) is totally fine. But like alcohol consumption, beauty consumption can take over your life.

If you can’t answer the door for UPS without a full face of makeup (and false lashes), put the blush brush down and ask yourself what the real issues are.

3. Beauty products will rarely make you look like the girl in the ad.

I hope with the recent criticism aimed at the fashion and beauty industries, you’re well aware that most of what you see in magazines and on TV commercials is a blatant lie. Those lush, full lashes in that mascara ad? Fake. The model’s perfectly smooth skin in the glossy foundation ad? Photoshop.

I’m not one of those haters protesting against the young, thin models. And I love admiring beautifully presented ads. But I am careful to view all of this as art – not reality. The sooner we, as women, understand this, the better.

4. Paying exorbitant prices for makeup does not guarantee a better product.

In my heyday as a celebrity makeup artist, I received products from almost every brand on the market. Some were wonderful and others were…not. But price wasn’t always the determining factor in my assessment.

I’ve found beauty gems on Etsy.com for $5-$8 while I’ve bought $90 eye cream from Neiman Marcus that flopped terribly.

5. People will judge you based on how you wear your makeup.

Over the years I’ve heard women talk about the impact clothes and hair make on their career image. But these same women will walk into their office with makeup applied like a video tart.

Wear whatever you like and do your job well, but understand that image, including makeup application, plays into the overall view others have of you – even if it’s subconscious. It’s still there.

6. Makeup will not “makeup” for crappy eating and late night martini binges.

We all like to party now and again. No harm in that. But if you’re prone to trashing your body with booze and high fructose corn syrup-laden snacks, understand it will show up in your skin at some point. You may find a wonder concealer for your under eye circles, but the overall health of your skin will not be good.

Getting proper sleep, drinking (and eating) in moderation along with washing your makeup off at night will all work in your favor for a more beautiful you. Then makeup becomes an enhancer, not camouflage.

7. Makeup, unlike tattoos, washes off.

We all know a woman who’s been wearing the same eye shadow or lipstick for the past 17 years. I have personally staged interventions for clients who would not let go of their trusty nude lipstick or taupe eye shadow.

Yes, taupe was all the rage in 1991 when Bobbi Brown introduced her palette of “neutrals,” but let’s move on now. Even Bobbi has added some flare to her line. Live a little. Buy that red lip stain. If you hate it, it’ll wash right off. I promise.

8. Permanent Makeup is Creepy.

Permanent makeup should be classified as a beauty “don’t”. First of all, the concept, like Jell-O (sugared animal collagen, anyone?), is just wrong. Makeup isn’t supposed to be permanent. It’s supposed to be frivolous and fun; changing with our outfits and our moods.

There’s something disturbing about a woman who has perfect red lips alongside bad breath and bed head at 7 AM. And I didn’t want to point this out, but I suspect I should. Permanent makeup, especially on eye brows, turns that weird green color we see in old tattoos. Not a cute look.

9. The Internet is booming with wonderful, niche beauty brands.

The Internet has opened up a whole new world of beauty possibilities – at great prices. Chic, women-created beauty brands that offer a wide range of colors and textures are available at the touch of a keyboard. And many of them cater to special concerns and preferences like gluten-free and vegan options. Two of my faves? Gluten-free Beauty and Ecco Bella.

10. Makeup isn’t just about beauty. It’s about health.

I’m sure you’ve heard about the growing demand for healthier makeup choices. That’s because there’s some scary stuff lurking in your beauty bag – from chemicals that mimic estrogen in the body to known skin irritants. When buying products, it’s important to read the ingredients.

If you aren’t sure what those 25-letter words on your shampoo mean, go to the Skin Deep Database and type in your chemical of choice. You’ll get a safety rating along with possible side effects instantly.

Be beautiful and informed.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Sigma Discount Code!!

Tiffany D on youtube is doing a contest to win $100 gift card for Sigma! She has two new videos; one is a review on the new Sigma palette, releasing June 24, and the second is describing the contest. She has also included a Sigma discount code (TIFFANY2011)!

To order from Sigma, click HERE!

Review:


Contest Rules:


discount code: tiffany2011
sigma link: here

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Smokey Purple

You'll love this video because...
1. there's a really dorky but totally awesome intro
2. the music is awesome
click HERE to check out the Never Never
3. purple + smokey = awesome.