Holiday Makeup Look

One of the best parts about the holidays is being able to get all glammed up! It has got to be a special occasion to break out the red lipstick. Here is a look I created for my Christmas festivities. I'll let you in on all the details on how to achieve this look!

1. Primed my eyes with Macs paint pot in painterly. This primer is going to keep your eye shadow on for hours helping it last throughout the day!
2. Used Makeup Geeks shadow in Beaches and Cream. OMG. Love using this as a transition shade. This will help blend all your shadows together so they don't look choppy. I put this color all over my crease. Occasionally while adding shows into my crease I will go back in with this shade to blend.
3. The rest of the shadows are from Urban Decays Naked Palette.  I used the shade naked and buffed it into my crease, then repeated the same thing with the same color.
4. Then I took Buck and did the same thing I did with the
Naked color.
5. I used my finger to put Half Baked all over my lid.
6. For the winged liner I used my favorite eyeliner ever, Maybelline gel liner. 
7. Lastly, the lips! This really makes the look 100x more glamorous and adds a Christmas touch! The lipstick I used is Macs Ruby Woo. 
Happy holidays everyone!

Mac's Pigment Melon

 Mac Cosmetics has the best eye pigments. They are absolutely stunning in person and on camera. The shimmer is picked up just beautifully by the light. These pigments are of course high quality and long wearing. Also, the pigments do not require a primer!

Shade: Melon 

My Favorite part about Mac's pigments is that you are able to build the intensity. 

As you can see the swatch on the left is much more intense than the swatch on the right. This is great if you're feeling extremely glamorous one day and not as much the next. 

Top 5 Lip Products

    Before applying any lipstick, lip gloss, or lip pencil to my lips I always exfoliate and moisturize. Exfoliating is important because it gets rid of the dry flakes and keeps them looking smooth and soft. Moisturizing is important because lips do not produce oil, therefore lips easily become chapped and dehydrated, leaving any lip product you applied looking cracked and dry. 

    My favorite lip scrub is the Bubble Gum lip scrub by Lush Cosmetics. The scrub exfoliates the lips by removing any layers of dead skin. I find that this product has helped my lipstick to look much smoother and it also tastes amazing! The scrub also comes in two other flavors. 

    My second favorite lip product is the Josie Maran Argan Lip Treatment. This amazing potion is filled with Argan Oil, Vitamin-E and is known to be naturally age-defying. This intense moisturizer fills in any tiny lines and acts as a primer so your lipsticks glides on easily. 

    Finally after prepping my lips, it's now time to add some color. The three swatches on my hand are my absolute favorite lip colors. The first swatch is a beautiful pink, nude color that looks beautiful on just about every skin tone. The lipstick is part of Urban Decay's revolution lipstick collection in the color native. You can wear this color with any look whether it's a smokey eye, neutral eye, or just some mascara, i promise heads will be turning girl. 

    The second swatch is a lip gloss from the one and only Color Your Smile glosses in the color Raspberry Sherbet. I will admit these glosses are pretty pricey but totally worth it. Not only is it extremely pigmented and creamy but the gloss has a mirror and lights for when you apply it! These glosses are defiantly worth their price. The color I swatched is great for summer or spring. It is a bright candy-like pink and also has products in it to make your teeth appear whiter. 

    The last swatch is my favorite lipstick. Nude lips never go out of style and can be worn with any makeup look. This lipstick is by Mac Cosmetics and is in the shade Japanese Maple. It is a creme sheen so it is extremely creamy and moisturizing. I love rocking this with my everyday look because it is not too nude and will look beautiful on anyone pale or anyone with a nice tan.

Filling In Your Brows

 Filling in your brows makes a huge difference and can change your look completely. There are so many techniques and products to help you achieve the brow you're looking for. For me this is the best way I've discovered to fill in my brows! 

Before and After 

Excuse my natural brows. They haven't been waxed 

    First it is important that you follow this chart. You want your brow to start at the inner corner of your eye and to end at the angle of the outer corner of your eye. Also, the arch and end of your brow should be filled in the darkest and the inner part of the brow should be filled in the lightest, this will look the most natural. 
    Start by outlining your brow the shape you want by using concealer. The brush i use for this is the E15 Flat Definer brush by Sigma Beauty. Be sure to blend out the concealer! Next you can use either a pencil, powder, or pomade to fill in your brows the way you desire. I prefer a pomade because it is the most precise and stays on the longest. I use Anastasia's Dipbrow Pomade in the shade soft brown. This stuff is waterproof and will not budge! 
     If you have light hair you want your brow product to be a shade darker than your hair color. If you have dark hair you want your brow product to be a shade lighter than your hair. Using any angle brush (my favorite Sigma's E65 Small Angle) I dip it into the pomade, only picking up a small amount. Anastasia's pomade has intense pigmentation to it, so you don't want to pick up too much product. Start off by applying the product to the arch of your brow because that's where you want to concentrate most of the color. Move the brush in strokes rather than dragging it so it looks more natural than drawn on. Using less and less product continue filling in your brow by moving more towards the inner corner. Once you reach the inner corner do not apply any more product to the brush. Use what's left over on the brush and fill in the inner corner. 
    Once you've achieved your desired shape apply a clear mascara or brow gel to tame your hairs so they stay in place all day. I always use Anastasia's Clear Brow Gel! 

Real Talk

Changing yourself for a guy
Let's be real, some guys out there hate makeup. They want their girls to be all natural, which there is nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, most girls will change themselves for the people they care about. They'll stop wearing their favorite lipstick or mascara. Girls, never ever change yourself for a guy. If wearing that lipstick makes you feel confident. If your mascara makes you feel beautiful. If you just love putting different products on your face. Don't stop because a guy tells you he doesn't like it. Chances are he isn't the right guy for you anyways. Express yourself and find someone who is going to love you for it.

Who is makeup for 
Sorry to disappoint you boys but makeup isn't to impress you, it's to impress ourselves. Of course as women we love to impress our significant others and look nice for them. But in reality our makeup is for us, I'm sure I am speaking for almost all girls here. Besides the fact that makeup is a form of art, it is also a confidence builder. There's nothing wrong with accentuating the beautiful parts of yourself.

Does makeup make you fake 
ABSOLUTELY NOT. Unfortunately I see a lot of these posts on twitter. One of the worst posts I've seen is pictures of girls before and after their makeup is done with the caption "This is why I have trust issues".  First let me say, these girls are beautiful with or without makeup.

Also, makeup does not make up a person on the inside. I'm actually a huge fan of both these women, they have beauty Youtube channels I am subscribed to. Both these women are super sweet and inspiring and don't deserve to be used as an example of being fake. So guys, next time you see a woman with makeup on, never assume that they are fake. Makeup doesn't determine who you are as a person.

Top 5 Makeup Products To Own

Knowing what products to buy can be overwhelming. Isles and isles of endless products can be intimidating. Here are five beauty products every girl needs, no matter your experience!

1. Urban Decay's Naked Basics Palette

This product is 100% worth your money. For starters, the palette is far from basic These neutrals are beautiful on any skin tone. Just these six shadows can create so many looks, daytime or nighttime. The first shade on the left is shimmer, the rest are matte.
Tips on how to use the colors

• First shade- Looks beautiful on lid, inner tear duct, and brow bone
• Second and third- Great transition shade for blending. Can also be used on lid and for brow highlight 
• Last first- Beautiful for crease shades 

2. Anastasia Beverly Hill's Clear Brow Gel 

Tame your brows with this brow gel. It holds your brows in place all day. Literally, for hours. No more always worrying about smoothing them down. This product is pretty pricey so, another alternative is clear mascara. Works the same! 

3. Concealer

Probably most peoples best friend. Concealer is magical, It covers any discoloration, bags, scarring, acne, or flaws on your skin. Now who wouldn't want that? Sometimes you just need a little touching up without caking the face. This product is great for that. My favorite drug store concealer is Maybelline 's Instant Age Rewind Concealer.  This baby can go a long way. 

4. Urban Decay's Makeup Setting Spray 

One of the worst things is spending time on your makeup and then hours later noticing that it's faded, Kiss those days goodbye with this product. When you finish your makeup just spritz it over your face, feels nice and cooling, and your makeup wont budge for hours! 

5. L'Oreal's Voluminous Butterfly Mascara 

One of the best mascaras I've ever used. This means a lot coming from a girl who has no eyelashes. I love this mascara because my lashes don't get clumpy. The bristles make it easy to apply.

Morphe Eye Shadow Review

I recently purchased the Morphe Multi-Color Shimmer Palette. After swatching all the shadows, I've fallen in love. First let me just say, the prices are amazing! For individual shadows they are just $2! For a palette they range from $19.95 to $22.99. The quality is just as beautiful as a Mac shadow, which run for $10 to $15 for an individual shadow.
There are 35 beautiful colors included inside this palette. You could create over hundreds of looks with this palette!
Unfortunately, my pictures do not do the shadows justice. They are absolutely gorgeous!
The shadows give off great pigmentation. When I was swatching them I noticed some fallout because of the shimmer. If you were to use these shadows I would recommend doing your face makeup after your eyes,

Most swatches look similar but I promise you that each eye shadow is unique.

Swatches 

Find Your Perfect Foundation

When buying a foundation there are certain things you should look for. Here is a list to find your perfect foundation!

1. Matching 
It is important to find the perfect shade to match your skin. No one wants a orange face and pale neck or even a tan neck and pale face. You want your makeup to look as natural as possible. It is important to get as close to your skin tone as you can. 

2. Are you cool toned or warm toned? 

Cool Toned
 

•  If you look better in silver and blue 
• Pale with no color in your cheeks 
•  Pale with pink undertones  
•  Light blue or grey eyes 
• Blonde or light hair
• The veins in your arm are blue 

Neutral

• Skin is blend of warm and cool
•  Olive toned
• No obvious overtones of olive, swallow, or pink

Warm Toned 

• The veins in your arm are green 
• If you look better in gold or orange 
• Very dark brown hair, brown hair, or medium hair 
• Pale with peach or gold undertones 
•  Amber, golden brown, hazel, or green eyes

After figuring out which one you are you now need to be aware of it when selecting a foundation. Usually the foundation shade tells you. An example would be if a foundation says W23. Then that means the foundation is warm toned in the shade 23. Same with cool toned except it would be C23.
3. What skin type do you have?
If you are someone with dry skin you would want to pick a foundation that is moisturizing and gives a dewy finish. This will help your skin look beautiful and hydrated so your skin isn't peeling off, looking dry, and flaky. That doesn't mean you can't wear a foundation with a matte finish. Just make sure you're prepping your skin with a moisturizer before applying your foundation.
For those with oily skin you might want to stay away from a moisturizing or dewy finish foundation. Your skin will look extra oily and you might look like a greasy chicken. You can wear a moisturizing and dewy foundation, but be sure to set with a powder to avoid looking greasy. You may need to touch up throughout the day.
If you have normal skin then you don't have to worry about what finish to a foundation you need.
4. How much coverage?
Full coverage- You want your skin looking as flawless as possible! Also could be for those who have acne, pigmentation, scarring, or uneven skin tone. Full coverage foundations are usually heavier than others because they are meant to cover every imperfection. There are foundations that are full coverage, but feel very light like you're not wearing anything.
Medium coverage- In between, not too much but not too little. Usually build-able meaning you can build it up to a full coverage foundation.
Light Coverage- Probably something for when you just need a little covering up. Usually in the summer or if you're going to school. Some light coverage foundations can be built up to medium and full coverage. 

Importance of Skin Care

Taking care of your skin is important because you're stuck with it forever. The way you treat your skin when you're younger will show up when you're much older. Here are some important tips you should know for a good skin care routine.
First, it is important to know what skin type you have. The three basic skin types are dry, oily, and combination. Once you've established what skin type you have, you now need to base your routine and products off of it.
1. Cleanse
The first step you need to take for healthy skin is cleansing. You should wash your face every morning and every night. This is important because, bacteria lies on your skin everyday. It's important to wash it away so your pores don't clog, which causes breakouts. Your skin goes through a lot throughout the day such as, pollution, the transfer of bacteria from your hands to face when you touch it, and more. Even when you sleep your skin can pick up bacteria. Especially if you don't wash your pillow case often. To avoid this wash your pillow cause every two weeks.

Another tip for healthy skin is to get a good nights sleep. Beauty sleep is necessary because lack of sleep can cause bags and dark circles under your eyes and you can look tired, sad, and possibly mad. While you sleep your skin renews itself. New skin cells grow and replace older cells. It's repairing, restoring, and re-balancing. You should be getting seven to nine hours of sleep for well

rested looking skin. 

Picking the right cleanser for your skin type is key. Also, don't over wash because the skin loses it's natural lubrication. Bar soaps can be harsh and drying to the skin on your face, so you should use something that is specifically made for just the face. If you have dry skin, use something gentle on your skin. For those with oily skin don't use any creamy cleansers because that will cause your skin to become more oily. Use something meant for oily skin. 
2. Moisturize 
The second step is moisturizing, which is a must for dry skin. When buying moisturizers, important ingredients to look for are Glycerin, Hyaluronic acid, and Dimethicone. If you have oily skin you probably won't need to moisturize. If you prefer to, then find a moisture that is  "non-comedogenic", which means it won't clog pores. Also, only moisturize the necessary places. I would recommend not moisturizing your nose or t-zone because those are the most common places to get oily. 
3. Exfoliate 
Exfoliating is important because it washes away the dead skin on your face. Exfoliating is great because it cleans out your pores and helps your skin look healthy and alive. Only exfoliate once a week if you have dry skin, twice for oily. Over exfoliating can lead to break outs. Exfoliating is rough on the skin, which is why you don't want to do it too often. It can cause irritation, breakouts, and even small cuts that looks like scarring.

If you follow these steps I guarantee you will notice a difference in your skin! Taking care of your skin at a young age will show when you are much older. So, when your friends are old and wrinkly you'll still look young and alive :).

Makeup Brush Guide

Makeup brushes can be overwhelming. There are so many brushes for different things and it can be hard to figure out what their purpose is. Here is a guide to the top makeup brushes you need to achieve the flawless look you're looking for.
Foundation:

There are many techniques and brushes for applying your foundation. The most popular one is the flat top brush. Using a flat top brush with synthetic hair will give you a natural looking finish, which i'm sure is what everybody is aiming for. Every makeup artists favorite, and mine personally, is Sigma's Flat Kabuki. The synthetic hairs are going to grab all of the product and place it onto your skin, instead of soaking up most of it and wasting a ton of foundation. The brush makes it super easy to blend so you aren't left with you streaks on your skin. You will be left with naturally beautiful looking skin, fooling everybody that you have it!

Another technique for applying foundation is with a beauty blender. A beauty blender is one of the easiest ways to apply foundation or concealer. The beauty blender is a sponge that is going to hydrate your skin while applying, which is amazing for those with dry skin. All you do is put the sponge under running water, squeeze it about five to ten times until it grows, and then squeeze out the excess water with a towel. The beauty blender will blend out your concealer and foundation beautifully and make you look nice and hydrated!

Eyes:
There are so many different eye brushes but i'm only going to mention the two that I believe everyone should have in their kit, whether you are a beginner or professional.
Everyone should own a angle brush for eyeliner. An angled brush is for gel liner, which is the easiest liner to apply and has the best finish to it. The brushes small bristles are going to make your eyeliner go on smoothly and easily because you will be able to get right at the lash line. The angle of the brush is going to help you if you want to do a wing. Angle brushes are miracles when it comes to wings because the brush does almost all the work for you. My favorite is small angled brush by Sigma.

Another brush everyone should own is a blending brush. It is so important to blend out all your shadows so they don't look choppy. Blending out your shadows will give it a smooth natural look. My favorite brush for this is Sigma's Tapered Blending Brush.


The last brush is Sigma's Large Angled Contour . This brush can be used for blush and bronzer. It picks up the perfect amount of product and makes your skin look like you're blushing or like you got a nice natural tan, depending on what you're using the brush for.

Sigma brushes are high quality and are always compared to Mac Cosmetic brushes.

The best part about Sigma brushes are that they're half the price of Mac's brushes! If you're someone who doesn't do their makeup often or doesn't want to spend a lot of money, real techniques also has amazing brushes for a much cheaper price!