Where Have I Been?

Hello... it's me.  Sorry, I couldn't resist the Adele reference.  It has certainly been a long time since I've posted on this little corner of the Internet.  I thought I would give a little explanation as to why I've been gone and what I've been doing since December.

First off, nothing bad has happened.  In fact, I've had a great start to 2016!  I'm officially used to having a retail job.  I really enjoy working with my coworkers and helping customers that come in.  Leaving my previous job in August was completely necessary because of school and I definitely do not regret my decision.  But, I have to admit, I missed having money coming in my wallet instead of just going out.  

At the beginning of January, I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish this year.  Some are very specific, such as finishing my research project and reading certain books.  Others are a lot more open-ended.  One that I have been working on a lot the past few weeks is learning to sew.  One thing I'm sure most of you do not know about me is that I cosplay.  I have several cosplays that I have worked on and finished, but none of them I have made entirely myself.  Most of the time I would thrift for things I needed and edit them once I got home.  With the help of my wonderfully patient friend Lauren, I have made the dress that Sybil Reisz wears in the game Transistor.  I'm so happy with the way it turned out and I can't wait to debut this cosplay at a future convention!

Finally, I wasn't sure where I wanted to take this blog.  I found that I was being pulled in several different directions because there were (and still are) so many things I want to do.  I have been exploring SFX techniques and avant-garde makeup.  My day-to-day choices are becoming bold and distinct.  I want to share what I've learned, but felt hesitant since I don't see that very often in the blogging world.  Over this next year, I will try and put that hesitation behind me.  The whole reason I started this blog was to share my knowledge and enthusiasm for the beauty industry.  I will continue to do that through a variety of posts.  There will be conventional makeup tutorials and reviews sprinkled with the weird and the (sometimes) ugly.  

So, thank you, dear readers for being here.  Let's enjoy and learn this next year together.

Until next time,

Rachel

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!