Long time no talk, but I come bearing gifts--the gift of knowledge that is! LOL. I love MAC as much as the next girl, but sometimes my budget does not allow me to splurge on $16 lipsticks. When I want my beauty fix on the low, off to the drug store or the beauty supply store I go. I have found some great lipsticks in rich, pigmented shades perfect for creating your Fall beauty looks. Best of all, each lipstick is under $7! Check them out below:
Recently I had the opportunity to try out the BA Star Holiday Red lip pencil. I am a huge fan of a bold red lip, but I have never tried to get the look using only a pencil. To my surprise, the BA Star lip pencil worked great!
I may talk a lot about hair and fashion, but I am a sucker for a good eye shadow palette. I love the convenience of complementary colors that fit right into my make-up bag or into my purse for some grab-and-go action. I recently received a smoky eye shadow palette from BA STAR, a company that specializes in performance make-up products for cheerleaders and dancers. Cheerleaders make a living by looking perfect, so I knew right off the bat that I had a quality palette on my hands!
It arrived in the mail well packaged with the actual palette sealed in plastic, wrapped in some fun zebra print tissue paper, and sealed in a plastic baggie. I was happy to see that there were no broken shadows and no loose powder within the palette!
I received the Natural Shadow Palette that includes 3 mineral shadows (bronze, cocoa, nude) and 2 gel glitter shadows in gold and crystal.
The mineral shadows were a dream to apply--smooth, highly pigmented, and blended very easily. The three colors complement each other well and created a nice neutral, bronzed eye look for me. I'm not going on the stage anytime soon so the glitter shadows are not my taste, but just from applying the glitter shades onto my arm I could tell that it only took a light swipe of the applicator brush to pick up a ton of glitter. The glitter shades really "popped" and the gel provided good staying power so they would definitely be perfect for the stage!
This palette really impressed me and has seriously become one of my go-to palettes for a quick, everyday neutral eye. Using my Urban Decay Primer Potion, I was able to wear the eyeshadows a full workday with only a little creasing by the end of the day, but the colors still popped! Interested in getting this palette for yourself? Check out the BA STAR website for eye shadow palettes, other makeup products (including lashes, bronzer, and lip pencils), head bands, and much more! *Use the code BBSMOKY for 50% off your purchase*
*Disclaimer: I received this product complimentary from BA STAR via BrandBacker. The opinions expressed in this post are my own, and are in no way influenced by the brand or by BrandBacker.
Leather Jacket. Every girl needs a fab moto-style leather jacket. I love this Kenneth Cole option because of the added details on the shoulder and the stand-out hardware.
Urban Decay Naked Palette. I may be one of the only beauty lovers that do not have this palette. Instead of testing a bunch of different brands with hit or miss results, it's time to finally time to get this palette which has rave reviews.
Infinity Scarf. I don't like wearing big, bulky coats so I usually opt for accessories like scarves and gloves to keep me warm. A nice, chunky infinity scarf would be the perfect addition to my winter wardrobe.
Watch. I want a new watch in a gorgeous rose gold tone, like the Fossil Stella watch pictured above.
Facial Brush. Facial brushes can provide a deeper clean than a wash cloth alone so I definitely need one in my beauty arsenal! I've seen much praise over the Clairsonic brush, but paying over $100 for a beauty item is not in my budget. Queen of the Jungle Necklace. I've been wanting this Melody Ehsani necklace for months now. It is an edgy piece that can spice up a classic outfit, or be the perfect complement to a rock chic Rihanna inspired look.
Leopard Clutch. I love animal print accessories to elevate what would be an otherwise boring look. I have a leopard belt, bracelet, and leopard shoes, so now I want a leopard clutch!
In the world of never-ending to-do lists, high-speed everything, and the feeling that you have to be Super Woman to juggle all of your responsibilities (work, school, family, and looking good), it seems like there just aren't enough hours in the day. I realize this the most as I lie down after a long day, and after what feels like only a brief nap (that was actually 7hrs) I'm up, scrambling to get myself together before rushing into work--hopefully on time.
While the amount of time we have each day is fixed, we can make little adjustments to our daily activities to make better use of our time. Think about your morning routine; how long does it take you to make it from your bed to your commute? Do you find yourself sacrificing your looks or your health just because you feel you don't have enough time to put forth the effort? Let's change that way of thinking ladies. Here are some tips to help you speed up that morning routine while preserving your sexy (does anyone else remember that P. Diddy Proactiv commercial? lol)
Speed Up Your Morning Routine: Face
Develop a beauty regimen. A regimen is a set of steps that you do everyday. For example, you may start by brushing teeth, then washing your face, applying toner, then moisturizing. Once you have this routine set you can begin going through the motions on auto-pilot even if you’re still half asleep. To speed up the routine, line your products up in the order that you use them so you can just go down the line without having to stop and think about it.
Use multifunction products. Think you don't have enough time to apply makeup? Well switching to a tinted moisturizer allows you to combine the moisturizing and foundation step in one. Products like the Stila Prime Color Set (shown in this post) can be used to provide color on your cheeks, eyelids, and lips, saving you from having to fumble around for that lipstick at the bottom of your makeup bag!
Keep it simple. Take care of the bare necessities, then focus on activities that provide the biggest payoff for you. If just a little eyeliner and a swipe of mascara is all that it takes to make your eyes pop, then skip the eyeshadow. Also, if you get your eyebrows professionally shaped and just do a little clean-up on your own every week or so, you probably can get away with just brushing your eyebrows into place with a clear brow gel instead of having to fill them in each morning.
Want more tips? Check back next week where I'll cover your morning hair routine.
Have you heard of HauteLook, aka my new best friend? HauteLook is a website that hosts sale events by top brands in apparel, beauty, and home, and even offers travel deals. I've seen deals discounted anywhere from 30-75% off of retail price, but most of the beauty products have been at least 50% off. In the past few weeks, they have featured events by Urban Decay, Stila, Luminess Air Beauty, Too Faced Beauty, and NYX Cosmetics. Here are a few items I scooped up:
For as long as I can remember, I've been a fan of TLC's What Not To Wear. Although I love Stacy London's sass and Clinton Kelly's wit, my favorite person on the show was the make-up artist Carmindy. Besides having a fabulous name, Carmindy had such a positive energy, looked flawless, and made makeup appear simple, as if anyone could do it. Her signature is the "5 Minute Face," a quick, beautiful every day look that even the laziest and most sleep deprived ladies could find the time to create.
Now, in my quest to be more Ladi Like, I want to start wearing makeup more regularly, and there's no better way to do it than to create my own 5 Minute Face!
Here are some pics of my first attempt:
I applied my foundation (L'Oreal True Match in Caramel Beige/Warm 7) mixed with moisturizer.
Applied E.L.F eye shadow primer on my lids.
Used a pale, beige shade from the Coastal Scents 88 Original Palette along my brow bone, and swiped a shimmery brown color from the same palette across my eyelid.
Applied some black eyeliner.
Used the E.L.F Wet Gloss Lash And Brow Clear Mascara wand on my eyebrows and eyelashes.
Last but not least, a swipe of clear lip gloss.
I didn't time myself, but it didn't feel like it took much time to put this look together. I'm going to play around with some different shades in the palette and tinted lip gloss and keep trying!
What defines your style?
Is there a signature style element that you find yourself drawn to, or a
particular item in your closet that you find yourself always working into your outfit?
We can learn a lot from celebrities about the importance of
a signature style. To be famous, stars
must have a style that is unique to them, making them instantly recognizable
and looking effortlessly put together.
Take Janelle Monae
for example. When I think about her, the image that pops into my
mind is that of a perfectly tailored tuxedo and a fierce natural pompadour.
Nicki Minaj is another example; no matter how crazy her look
gets, most of the time she still rocks her signature hair (i.e. a blunt
bang).
Finally, the queen herself Beyoncé is no stranger to a red lip. She rocks it
often, and she wears it well!
One of my goals for 2012 is to develop my signature hairstyle. I want it to be quick, easy to achieve on a daily basis, and can work for all occasions from the office to happy hour.
Do you have a signature style? Share in the comments what makes up your signature look!
I have to confess: I'm a beginner when it comes to makeup. In addition, I'm also on a budget, which means that most of my beauty supplies come from the drugstore or an affordable online retailer. The way I see it, there is no reason for me to spend $20 on a single makeup brush or $40 for an eyeshadow quartet when I barely know how to use the stuff!
With that being said, I bought a 15 piece makeup brush set on Amazon that had pretty good reviews:
It was only $18. Also, I bought 88 Original Eye Shadow Palette from Coastal Scents. It usually costs $18.95, but I got it on sale for about $15.
For the price, the eye shadows seem to be really pigmented and there are so many colors that I can create a ton of different looks. Once I get the execution down pact, maybe I'll save up and experience the wonder that is MAC : )
What's your favorite makeup product/brand? What are some must haves for the beauty beginner? Let me know in the comments!
