Christmas Eve Tutorial

Well, hello there!  After what feels like eternity, we're finally at Christmas Eve!  I'm so excited about this holiday that I feel like the only proper way to express my excitement is to flail and make strange squeaking sounds.  I just love Christmas so much, guys.  Anyway, here is the look I'll be wearing this year with my party dress!

Stress-Free Holiday Shopping

As much as I love the holidays, there are times where it can get incredibly stressful.  I recently got a job in retail and was having a discussion with one of the customers about how she was feeling overwhelmed by the amount of people she had to buy for.  We talked about how you want to show the important people in your life how much they mean to you by buying them a gift you know they will appreciate and love.  Sometimes, that's not so easy.  There's the friend who has everything, the father who wants nothing, and the cousin who is disinterested.  I have run into all of these problems before, and they all present their own challenges.  Here are my tips for minimizing stress while shopping for presents!

Color of the Season: Green

Hello, everyone!  Now that it is finally December I can start getting excited about the holiday season!  Last year I did a red color of the season post around this time.  I thought it was only fitting that we do the other color that seems to pop up all the time this month: green!  Here are a few of my favorite green items that will help get you in the holiday spirit.

Empties Part 3!

Well, hello everyone!  The satisfaction I get from finishing a product is a little silly.  It's a moment of pride; almost equivalent to finishing a Chipotle burrito in one sitting.  (Don't judge, that's a big deal for me.)  This week my little bag of empty products has been overflowing.  As soon as I ran out of my body butter, I knew it was time to photograph these babies so I can finally move on.  Unlike my last empties post, I did not run out of all of these at once.  They were all several weeks apart which I, along with my wallet, were extremely thankful for.  Since I have a lot of products to get through, I will keep their reviews brief.  As Mario would say: "Let's A-Go!"

Review: Sugarpill Eyeshadows

It all started by not being able to sleep.  I started to peruse the internet for new beauty brands to try, when I stumbled upon Sugarpill's website.  I have seen various YouTubers and Instagram gurus use these shadows in such versatile ways.  They seemed like a fun product, so I decided to give a few shades a whirl.

Purple with a Pop Tutorial

Well, hello there!  The past few days where I live have been so dreary.  It's cold, raining, gray, and all I want to do is stay at home. Unfortunately, life doesn't stop moving just because the weather is the antithesis of productivity.  

I have been gravitating towards matte eyeshadows recently, probably due to the dull weather.  However, I can never completely stay away from glitter and shimmery shadows.  Unlike most of my tutorials, this look wasn't planned.  I knew I wanted to pair mauve and rose gold, so I improvised until I got a look I liked.  If you want to know how to get this look, read on after the jump!

A Mask for Every Occassion

Well, hello there!  Since the Halloween season is officially over (brb, crying), I decided to give my skin a break.  Several of the Freaky Friday looks involved what seemed like more than a full face of makeup.  Although I properly cleansed every time I wore makeup, I still found my skin needed something extra.  These are the masks I tend to go for if my skin needs a little boost.

Freaky Friday: Poison Ivy

"If you are strong enough, you will survive.  That is the law of the jungle."

Hello, my lovely roses!  Welcome to the last Freaky Friday of the season.  I thought it was only fitting to end this series with my costume reveal for this year.  Batman is, by far, my favorite super hero.  I loved the show as a kid and even watched all the cheesy movies.  One of my favorite things about Batman is the villains.  They are interesting, complex, and a joy to watch torment the city of Gotham.

My favorite villain has to be Poison Ivy.  She has the logical mind of a scientist, making her a challenging opponent for Batman.  She uses her sex appeal in the most methodical way possible, poisoning people with kisses and pheromones from plants.  She's the siren you would gladly crash your ship for just to get a little closer.

Okay... so I have a little bit of a crush on her.  Can you blame me?!

For this look I decided to do my own interpretation.  I knew I didn't want to make my whole body green and definitely did not want to replicate her look from the unbelievably bad "Batman and Robin."  I wanted this look to be just like a rose: beautiful and sharp.  If you want to find out how I got this look, read on after the jump! 

Halloween Movies

Hello there, everyone!  To kick off my Halloween week, I thought I would go through some of my favorite Halloween movies.  Nothing gets me in the spooky spirit faster than a good spooky movie.  I have compiled a list of my top ten Halloween films: half of which are scary, half are not.  If you’re having a night in or need something to watch with your friends, read on to see what I’d recommend!

Freaky Friday: Amaterasu

"You spend all your life wishing you were special.  And then you find out you are..."

Well, hello everyone!  On this week's Freaky Friday, I decided to do one of my favorite graphic novel characters: Amaterasu!  Amaterasu is a character in The Wicked and the Divine series that is based off of the Japanese sun goddess.  I talked about the series in this post and it was hard for me to not talk about her the whole time.  I love her design and her hippie (yet not silly) personality.  I knew I had to take a stab at her 80s/David Bowie-esque vibe for this series.  So, for all my comic book and graphic novel friends, this look is dedicated to you!

Review: ipsy Glam Bag October 2015

Well, hello there!  At the end of last week I got a package I look forward to every month: my ipsy Glam Bag.  I talked about this beauty subscription service before and I am so happy I've continued the service.  It's a great way to be exposed to new products and brands no matter how familiar you are with makeup.  Read on to see what I got and what I think of the products this month!

Freaky Friday: Oh, Deer!

Hello, my deers!  Welcome to the next installment of Freaky Friday!  I was having a conversation with someone on Twitter a while back for looks I should put up for this series.  She suggested a cute animal and I thought it was a brilliant idea!  I have seen a lot of interpretations of this look, so I thought I would give it a go and add my own twist to it.  So, if you want to go on the cuter end of the spectrum for your costume this year, read on to find out how I achieved this look!

A Cozy Night In

Today I had my first cozy night in of the season.  Instead of socializing or studying I took some time to unwind.  I'll be honest, last Thursday and Friday were pretty stressful.  I had academic obligations piling up, my research project ran into more problems than I care to count, a family member is going through serious health issues, and my car was giving me grief.  I see now that all of this isn't so bad, but when all of it was happening at once it was pretty overwhelming.  I decided that I should give myself a night to recuperate.  

Freaky Friday: Luminous Mermaid

Well, hello there and welcome to Freaky Friday #2!  This week, I give you, the Luminous Mermaid!  Last week I had fun with the intense smokey look, but I was feeling pretty girly this week.  I wanted bright shadows, a lot of shimmer, and pearls all over mah face.  I really wanted to push myself as an artist, so I decided on a design that was more abstract and artistic.  The inspiration for this came from the amazing NYX Loose Pearl Eyeshadows  I picked up and some very creative pinners on Pinterest.  So, if you want to inject a bit of summer into your costume, read on to see how I did this look!

Recent Obsession: Rebecca Minkoff Collin Camera Bag

Well, hello there!  You might be surprised to hear, but I have a new obsession that isn't Halloween related.  I promise I'm not ill, I'm just totally enamored with this purse from Rebecca Minkoff.  If you want to check out my last recent obsession post, click here!  Otherwise, keep reading to see what I think of this purse.

Freaky Friday: The Witch

Double, Double toil and trouble;

Fire burn and cauldron bubble...

Well, hello there ladies and ghouls!  Happy first Friday of October!  Halloween is, without a doubt, my favorite time of year.  I love seeing all the costumes, watching scary movies, and eating copious amounts of candy.  This year I decided to share my excitement for Halloween with all of you on this blog.  So, welcome to the first installment of Freaky Friday!

Every Friday this month, along with my regular posts, I will be posting a Halloween tutorial!  I'm incredibly excited and have been preparing these looks for weeks.  I'll also be posting hints on Twitter in case you want to chat with me and have a guess or two. ;D

This week, I thought we'd start off with a pretty classic look: The Witch.  This is for all my readers who need a look in a pinch.  Everything I'm wearing, including my makeup, I already had somewhere in my house.  Keep reading if you'd like to find out how I created this beWITCHing Halloween look!

(I'm sorry about the pun.  I had to.)

Autumn Arsenal

This week so far has finally felt like autumn on the east coast.  The weather is below 75⁰, leaves are starting to change colors, and the pumpkin spice lattes are everywhere.  The drop in temperature makes me want to switch out my bright summer makeup for the darker tones of autumn.  While rearranging my makeup bag, I noticed I was gravitating towards specific shades for my lip products.  The pinks and bright reds were replaced by dusty roses and plums that are irresistible this time of year.  Here is a list of the types of colors I'll be wearing this autumn.

This and That (Haul)

Well, hello there!  Over the past few weeks, I have visited Ulta, Sephora, and Walgreens a few too many times.  I usually have a legitimate reason: restocking a product I've used up, replacing an expired product, seeing something I absolutely cannot live without for one more second.  Well, maybe not that last one, but I did say I usually have a good reason.

So, here are all the tempting products I've accumulated.

Books with Pictures for Grown-Ups

Well, hello there!  Over the summer I got into a huge reading kick.  I have this horrible tendency to start a book, get anywhere from a quarter to halfway through it, and then stop.  It's a problem, I know, I'm working on it.

The only exception to this rule is graphic novels.  Beautiful art paired with a page turning story is better than combining chocolate and peanut butter.  (Coming from me, that means a lot.) I have read a few graphic novels in the past, but this summer I went a little nuts.  I was asking around for recommendations and before I knew it, I had a huge stack of books friends had loaned to me.  So, if you want to try something different, here are a few recommendations I have.

Short Hair, Don't Care

A few weeks ago, I finally took the plunge and got my hair cut.  For months I have been staring at pictures of Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lawrence, and Emma Stone, and falling in love with their shorter cuts.  My hair hasn't been this short since early high school and I was extremely hesitant to go this short again.  What really made me go for it was my hair dresser.  I went into the salon with a few pictures on my phone of what kind of cut I wanted.  I asked her if she thought it would be feasible with my hair type and if it would look good with my face shape.  She looks at the pictures, then me, then says, "Sure, why not?  It's just hair, it'll grow back."

After she put the color in my hair and I was alone with my thoughts, that statement really stuck with me.  If you want to do something badly enough, you should just do it.  Don't worry about consequences, the dangerous "what if?" cycle, and put down that pros and cons list.  There are plenty of things in life that don't need justification.  

So, my challenge to you is to go out and do that thing you're too scared to try.  However big or small you feel the change may be, try it.  You never know what could happen.

Is there anything you've been too afraid to try?  Let me know in the comments!

Until next time,

Rachel

The Essie Addiction

I have a confession to make.  It's something I have known for a long time, but couldn't really bring myself to admit it.  I... I have an addiction to Essie nail polishes.  There!  I said it!

I knew this was an addiction when I had to have a separate basket for just Essie polishes.  It doesn't help that my mom also suffers from this condition.  It's gotten to the point where we have almost memorized the names of the shades we have so we do not buy duplicates.  Now that that weight is off my chest, let me go into some of my favorite Essie shades!

Summer Makeup Essentials

Summer is in full swing which means a drastic change in my makeup routine.  The full coverage, dark makeup has been replaced with the lighter coverage tinted moisturizers and warm, golden bronze tones.  Instead of talking about my entire summer makeup bag, I thought I'd talk about the products that I cannot go a day without in the summertime.  

Fresh Spring Makeup!

Well, hello there!  Since the warm weather is in full swing, I've been adding more color to my makeup routine.  I've been particularly obsessed with purple hues.  I think warm purple colors are a great way to incorporate spring without going over the top with color.  This purple obsession all started when I bought the Nars Duo Eyeshadow in Kuala Lumpar and it's been all downhill from there.  This is a look I have been wearing a lot this past month or so.  If you want to know how I got this look, keep on reading after the jump!

Ulta Haul!

A few weeks ago I went to the always tempting Ulta.  I say "always tempting" because I never stick to my list of products to purchase.  Gordon will tell you, I have no self-restraint when it comes to beauty products.  Ulta is one of my favorite places to shop because they have such a wide variety of products that can suit anyone's budget.  There's always a sale or deal of some kind going on allowing you to stretch that dollar even further.  I went during there 21 Days of Beauty and had a 20% off coupon.  Yaaaay deals!  If anyone out there needs some shopping inspiration, here are the products I picked up!

Empties Deux!

Well, hello there, everyone!  I'm so sorry for the absence.  School has been insane these past few months with projects, papers, and tests oh my.  I'm going to make it my mission these next few months to be more regular so you don't have to wait two months between posts.

Despite being absent on here, beauty products have remained a huge part of my life.  (Let's be honest, they'll always be a big part of my life.)  It seems that I never run out of products a little at a time; it's all or nothing.  I ran out of all of these products within a day or two of each other.  It was a bit insane that week, let me tell you.  So, as you might have guessed from the title, here is my second empties post!

Breaking the Makeup Comfort Zone

Foundation, Corrector, Concealer, Powder, Mascara, Brows, Lips 

There are many parts of our lives where we develop a routine.  From the moment we wake up to the second we can finally shut our minds off, routines are there to guide us.  Routines are great because they can make even the most stressful and hectic of days organized and calming.  But, there are times when I get incredibly bored of my schedule.  I find this occurs the most in my beauty routines.  I get very comfortable with doing one look and I do not deviate for weeks, sometimes months.  Then when I want to change my look, I'm apprehensive.  I'm comfortable with the one I have been doing for months, so why change? 

Over the past few weeks, I have made it a goal to try more looks with as much confidence as possible.  Here are a few tips that have helped me:

1. Try it at home.  The great thing about makeup is that you can wash it off.  Try that crazy purple lipstick and see if you like it before wearing it out.  I do this the most with drugstore products.  I can't swatch drugstore lipsticks, so I just take the plunge at home.  It removes a lot of anxiety knowing no one will see me if it looks terrible.

2. Give it some time.  There are times where you will try a new look and be disappointed.  But, wait, put down that makeup wipe!  Do you not like it because you really don't think you look good or because you're not used to seeing yourself like that?  I know it was the latter when I started wearing bold lipsticks.  Test drive the look while you're at home and make up your mind at the end of the day.  If you feel so-so about it, try it again another day and see if you're feelings change.

3. Phone a friend.  If I'm really unsure of something, I'll ask a friend about it.  It's great to have someone give me an honest opinion without making me feel silly for trying.  Sometimes you need that extra boost of confidence to keep experimenting.

Aaand, that's it!  Do you have any tips?  Leave me a comment and tell me what they are!

Until next time!

Rachel 

I Can't Stop Playing... Animal Crossing: New Leaf

Hi, everyone.  My name is Rachel and I'm addicted to Animal Crossing.  

Since Christmas, I have been playing this game nonstop.  I love it because it's a very stress-free, calming game.  It's great to come home after a day of work or class, switch on my 3DS, and play this for an hour or two.

If you're not familiar with the Animal Crossing setup, it's basically a "life and community simulation game."  This means you, as the player, control the life of your character and the relationships it develops.  This isn't a game where you're given a grand mission to save the world and you have to fight incredibly intimidating monsters.  Instead, you get to know your neighbors, do favors for them, and customize your house.

You're probably wondering why this game is any fun.  Sounds pretty mundane without some grand purpose to fulfill, right?  Wrong.  So, totally wrong.  The thing I love about the Animal Crossing series, especially New Leaf, is how customizable it is.  Every player's experience is going to be different and you can make your experience in the game totally your own.  

In New Leaf, you are mistaken upon your arrival to your new town that you are the new mayor.  With the help of the townsfolk and your adorable secretary Isabelle, it is up to you all to make your town a better place to live.  There are public workers projects that can be funded or ordinances to help maintain the state of the town even when you're not playing.  As with the other Animal Crossing games, there is no main plot.  You go about your day as mayor, building relationships with the townspeople and trying to make your town the best place to live.  I would really recommend this game to anyone, at any age, no matter the experience level of the player.

Is this a game you would play?  Are there any other video games you enjoy?  Let me know in the comments!

Until next time!

Rachel 

Last Seen Wearing

Hello there, everyone!  The past few weeks I've noticed I'm gravitating towards the same types of things in my wardrobe.  Plaid, oxfords, big sweaters, and statement jewelry are things I wear everyday.  Sometimes when I'm feeling crazy, I'll wear them all at once.  All of these pieces are easy to dress up, down, or whichever direction you prefer to dress.  

The plaid shirt is a little more tailored, which emphasizes my curves in the best way.  I received this as a gift recently and it has been incredibly hard to not wear it constantly.

The sweater was the best purchase I have ever made from Urban Outfitters.  I can't tell you how many times I wore this last year.  I even wore it during the summer!  It is so big and cozy and I just love wearing it alone or over a denim shirt.  I also like pairing it with my leather leggings (also from UO) for a more edgy look.

The shoes are a great way to make a plain outfit a little more fancy.  I'm never worried about comfort in these shoes either.  I can stand and walk in them for hours without worrying about getting those pesky blisters.

Finally, the necklace was bought from Francesca's a year or so ago.  I love wearing necklaces like these with collared shirts.  It's a great way to add some bling without it becoming overwhelming to the rest of the outfit.

Here are all the links to the items pictured above (or things that are similar): Shoes, Necklace, Shirt, Sweater. 

What have you been wearing recently?

Until next time!

Rachel

Simple Valentine's Day Makeup

Hello, everyone!  Valentine's Day is next week.  Whether you have a date with Mr. (or Ms.) Right or a night in with friends, dressing for the occasion is necessary.  Gordon and I aren't doing anything fancy this year, which I'm really happy about.  Even though we're staying in and cooking a bad ass meal, I still want to look nice on the day.  Here is a simple makeup look that I'm planning on wearing.

Base

I applied the Nars Sheer Matte Foundation to even out my skin.  I've been experiencing some increased redness, so I desperately need this to balance that out.  For concealer I used Maybelline's Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer.  I finally picked up one of these and I'm so happy I did.  My semester started a few weeks ago, and with it came my dark circles.  This concealer does a great job of cancelling out those dark spots.  To set everything I used the Coty Airspun Loose Powder.  I added a bit of The Body Shop's Honey Bronzer to my face as well as MAC's Sea Me, Hear Me blush.  For a bit of a romantic glow, I swept a MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle on the high points of my cheeks.  This stuff is amazing.  I've been on a huge highlighter kick and I use this every day.

Eyes

I kept it simple with the eyes by not using any eyeshadow.  I just used Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Liner for a nice thick cat eye.  There's something so classic and sexy about winged eyeliner!  I extended the wing a tad more than I normally would for a slightly more dramatic effect.  I curled my lashes and used Marc Jacob's O!Mega Lash Volumizing Mascara.  This mascara makes my lashes look so thick and full and ohmygosh I just love it.  For my brows I used my trusty Anastasia Brow Whiz.  I didn't do anything fancy to them since my fringe covers them (also I'm lazy), but I still wanted them to look polished.

Lips

Ahhhh, my favorite part of this look.  I used Urban Decay's 24/7 Lip Liner in 69 to line and fill in my lips.  I went over the liner with MAC's Ruby Woo.  This is the perfect matte red for my skin tone.  My mom was so sweet and got it for me as a "Congratulations on not dying your first semester of grad school."  It was the best little surprise and I have worn it constantly.

And that's it!  I hope you all like this look.  Do you have any Valentine's Day plans?  Tell me what you're getting up to, no matter how boring you think it may be, in the comments!

Until next time!

Rachel

Tools of the Trade: Base

Makeup brushes are something I didn't really get into until the last year and a half.  I would paruse the aisle in Sephora with all of these amazing looking brushes but have no idea what I needed.  I found foundation/base brushes particularly intimidating since there is so much variety.  This past year I have done some research and bought a few sets to try out.  Having the right brush can make the process of doing your makeup so much easier and (in my weird case) more enjoyable.  Here's a list of my favorite base brushes and what I use them for.

Zoeva 102 Silk Finish Brush
First of all, can we just talk about how disgustingly beautiful this brush is?  That rose gold detailing is stunning!  Besides looking pretty, this brush is perfect for blending foundation.  Because of its round shape there are no streaks left behind as you buff away your foundation for a natural looking base.

Real Techniques Contour Brush
Spoiler alert: I don't use this for contouring.  Despite the name of the brush, I actually find it best to use for concealer.  It's fluffy, tapered top is perfect for the delicate eye area and blending the product in hard to reach spots.

Real Techniques Duo Fiber Stippling Brush
This is the perfect brush for cream blushes.  Since the fibers are different lengths it gives a very light application of product.  I also like that it is on the smaller side so I can have more control over where the product is applied.

Zoeva 110 Face Shape Brush
Now, this is what I use for contour/bronzer.  I find slanted brushes make bronzer and contour application so much easier.  The (mostly) flat surface helps apply the product right in the hollows of the cheeks.

Real Techniques Duo Fiber Face Brush
I have ignored pretty much all of my other powder brushes for this one.  Again, the different lengths in fibers help give a light application.  This is incredibly necessary for powder because the last thing you want is cake face.  You cannot mess up applying powder if you use this brush.

Sephora #59 Pro Precision Powder Brush
I have had this brush for such a long time (3+ years) and it still performs beautifully.  I mostly use it for powder blushes, but it also works nicely for normal face powder.  I like the size of the bristles and how it barely tapers off at the top.  You can see in my Fall Everyday Makeup Post how I like to hold the brush on its side.  I find this method applies the blush in a very precise and natural looking manner.

I absolutely adore all of these brushes.  What brushes do you use?  Any I absolutely need to get?  Let me know in the comments!

Until next time!

Rachel

Recent Obsession: Alien by Thierry Mugler

Hello, everyone!  I decided to start a series of posts about things that I'm loving and cannot wait until the end of the month to write about.  There won't be any particular schedule to these.  I'll just write about the products that I cannot get enough of.  To kick off this series, I'll be talking about a perfume that I have been dousing myself in since I got it for Christmas.

Before I get into the perfume, let me mention the way I stumbled across it.  I was in Sephora with Gordon over the summer and we were browsing the extensive collection of perfumes.  I'm always curious as to what scents he likes so we were giving a variety of things a sniff.  I saw this perfume and my first reaction was to laugh.  "Alien?!  What kind of a name for a perfume is that?!"  I have seen some silly perfume names, but this one was just too much.  I was still laughing and joking with Gordon about the absurdity of the name as I sprayed it on one of those sample paper things (anyone know what those are called).  Let me tell you, I stopped laughing as soon as I inhaled this perfume.  It was love at first scent and I was lusting after it for months.

If I had to describe Alien by Thierry Mugler, two words come to mind: warm and sexy.

The most fragrant notes in this perfume are vanilla and amber.  They blend perfectly together creating a very sultry scent.  A big factor for me when it comes to perfumes (especially ones that have a hefty price tag) is the lasting factor.  This perfume lingers throughout a long day at work and dinner with a friend beautifully.  It doesn't stay as potent as when you first put it on, but it settles nicely into your skin and clothes.  I think this scent is great for this time of year when all you want is a warm drink and someone to snuggle up with.

What type of scents do you look for in perfume?  Do you have any recent obsessions?  Let me know in the comments!

Until next time,

Rachel