Yay! So here is my share of beauty tips.

Do’s

Apply lip balm before or right after you prep your face for makeup. It should give enough time to seep into your lips- your lips will love you for it! No matter what the weather, you should always apply lip balm. :)

For day to day makeup, always…

(Source: )

// from thebeauty-blog

New palette from The Balm “The Balm and the Beautiful”

Before:

After:

Great color. Super blendable. Highly pigmented. Worth the buy !

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Holiday Blog 2011

Okay lovies, I’m just going to keep this one short and sweet!

Around the holidays everyone starts to freak out, and can’t think of anything to get for anyone, so I’m going to try to give you a little help by providing you with affordable Holiday Gift Ideas for your “girlfrans”.

F.Y.I. I have trouble just buying someone one singular gift, my gift is usually a gift combined of mini gifts, so if you are like me, this will work for you too.

One cute idea for a holiday gift is a stuffed cosmetic bag.

You can usually get cute affordable cosmetic bags from marshall’s or online at stores like forever 21. Then, you can stuff this cosmetic bag with lots of cute fun stuff, like either makeup, nail polish, jewelry, underwear, or whatever. Here are a few examples:

In the picture above everything is from forever 21, and the whole set will cost you less than 10 bucks. I suggest to dress it up by buying some ribbon and tying little bows around the necks of each polish to make it more personalized.

This set consists of a Betsey Johnson make-up bag which are very prevalent right now at marshalls for $12.99, a bangle cuff from forever 21, and an eyeshadow trio and matte lipstick from NYX cosmetics, which have a widespread variety of cosmetics that a super wallet friendly this set would set you back about $33.

Makeup bag from forever 21, and three pairs of panties. To dress it up, I’d say roll the panties individually and tie a bow with ribbon around each pair then place them into the bag. F.Y.I if you haven’t checked it out yet check out marshall’s or TJ Maxx’s intimates section they normally have a good selection of cute and brand name panties for cheap including honeydew, aerie, calvin klein, and sometimes betsey johnson. Aerie also has cute cheap panties. This set could cost you anywhere from $10-$26.. or more..depending where you buy the panties from.

Oh and just one last tip..

I don’t know if it’s just me or what, but I have noticed I normally accumulate alot of body wash & lotion sets over the holidays, so many it’d take me months, a year to use them and by then I normally forget all about them, so what I do if I find that I do not really care for the consistency of the body wash, I LOVE BUBBLE BATHS! so guess what? I don’t have to buy bubble bath for the next few months.. I use the unwanted shower gels and body washes I get for very much wanted bubble bath soap, and it always works fine, of coarse the bubbles don’t last as long, but that way it gets used not wasted. And as far as the lotions, if I get to many, I keep the favorites and give the others to my friends [: Just an easy way to somewhat be green I guess [:

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Beauty Rant 11.21.11

So after a few weeks of neglect, I am here to tell you about my current favorites! These favorites include: Nyx Candy Glitter Liner in “Mocha Latte”, Yes to Carrots chapstick in Carrot, Clinique Chubby Stick in Super Strawberry, and The Balm Overshadow Sexpots in “If You’re Rich, I’m Single”.

Nyx Candy Glitter Liner in “Mocha Latte” - under $5; Nyxcosmetics.com, Ulta.com, other sites

This liner is long lasting and super sparkly. Great to give your eyes a “pop”. The color I have has copper glitters and surprisingly is pretty dense with glitter, but not to the annoying part where they chip off in your eyes. It stays put. Nyx offers this liner in 18 colors. Also, the tube is decorated by a cute black tassel. Can’t go wrong for the price!

Yes to Carrots chapstick in Carrot- less than $3-$5; drugstores, Walmart, online

I don’t even like Carrots, but I like this chapstick..it smells..well..healthy! Dumb description I know, but this keeps my lips from chapping and i keep it in my purse to throw on in class or under lipstick to keep my lips moist throughout the day.

Clinique Chubby Stick in Super Strawberry $9-$15; online and clinque retailers

I have been wanting a chubby stick ever since Clinque introduced them a few years ago..yes I am quite the procrastinator I know, I know. This stick though, I just can’t get enough of! It’s a sheer, but good color, and it slides on easy, lasts pretty well, and seems to keep lips hydrated as well. I would definitely recommend this one.

The Balm Overshadow Sexpots “If You’re Rich, I’m Single” $9-$20; online

I love this eyeshadow. It’s a loose shadow, in a shiny/sparkley mocha color. Good pigment, good wear, nice color, easy to apply, buildable, and can also double for brows.

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False Eyelashes..The Whole Shebang.

Okay, so this post is obviously going to be all about false eyelashes, from how to apply them, to style preferences and reviews.

Alright, so first of all I guess I will start with how to apply false eyelashes, or this is the way I do it at least.

Applying

First you want to remove the lashes from the packaging, and remove any globs of the packaging glue left on them from where they stick them on the package..be careful to lightly pluck it from the lash line, not misforming/bending it.

Next, take the each set of lashes to the corresponding eye and sized them up for fit, determine where you want them to begin, and see if there is any access, that goes past the edge of your natural eyelash line, past the outside of eyelid. If there is any access you want to carefully take a pair of scissors and snip them down to size. Make sure when you do this, that the false lash line lines up with the last set of false eyelash hairs on the strip, basically for your own comfort, because if you have a bit of free lash line with no lashes on it, it will poke you eventually, and become quite annoying.

(Meanwhile, You may also prime your lids, and apply any eyeshadow, or eyeliner, especially eyeliner if you line the tops of your eyelids. DO NOT MASCARA YOUR LASHES YET.)

Now for the glue. For me, I use Andrea LashGrip waterproof, and I apply the glue from the inside to outter corner of the lash strip, this way the glue on the inner corner of the strip dries faster, so I can place that part of the lashes first, at the inner corner of my eye, where I want them, and the glue on that side will be tacky enough to keep them anchored while I position the middle to outter part of the eyelash strip. The goal is to get the lash strip as close to your natural lash line as possible, without it being on your eyelashes (trust me if you glue them to your natural lashes, you will know later when you go to pull them off) Each brand and type of eyelash glue takes a different amount of time to dry. With this particular glue, it’s like a eggshell color, and starts to become transparent as it dries, you want to start placing them, when the glue is not quite the color it came out as, but before it turns completely transparent, sometimes I check by lightly dabbing the glue with a finger before I go to place the lashes, if the glue has no stickyness give it some more time, if it starts to stick to your finger, then it is ready for placement. ..If the glue sticks completely to your finger, and pulls off the lash strip and remains stuck to your finger after you test it, you waited too long, lightly pull the glue off and start again.

After you place your lashes, and have them lined up correctly and evenly, I then take a mascara and sweep it through my natural lashes upward, blending them into the false lashes. For mascara, I recommend A lengthening or thinner mascara, you do not want to use a thickening mascara, because it will just clump everything up, especially if you plan on reusing the lashes.

Now your done, and look fabulous [;

Removing and Storing

For reusing, and false eyelash care. After you remove your false lashes, gently remove any glue that you can from them, by lightly pulling it off, if it gets tangled in the lashes, I would probably just leave it because you are going to do more damage than good by trying to pull it out. You want to try your best NOT to bed the false lash line the lashes are attached to. Do not get your falsies wet, because they will look a mess, trust me I messed up a pair by doing so. As far as storing them, I have a small tin I keep mine all in, because they are so light, they are really easy to loose.

Glue Reviews

I do not have a whole bunch of experience with different glues, I have tried two different types of eyelash glue, however, by the same brand.

The first is the one I always use:

Andrea LashGrip water proof

I believe this glue is latex based, it goes on as I said before, like an egg shell color and dries clear. I will warn you up front, and if you use it you will definitely notice before it dries it has a very fishy odor. After it dries it’s not really noticeable, so don’t worry you won’t be walking around with fishy eyeballs all day or night. This glue has a pretty strong hold and normally lasts me all day, but whenever I wear my falsies, I normally make sure to take a bottle with me for touch ups just in case an end comes loose.

Andrea ModLash Brush On Adhesive

I am pretty sure this glue is latex free, but please, if you are allergic, double check before you try it. Honestly, I do not like this glue. I got really excited a few months ago when I bought it because the whole brush on thing makes it sound way more easier than the glue tube, however the glue is just a pain. It dries way faster than the latex glue, and it made me feel super rushed to get the glue on the lash strip and position it before it dried. This glue, I will say doesn’t smell as the other one does though. Moreover though, the wearability isn’t as long as the latex either, and it doesn’t hold the lashes as long as the latex based, I am assuming because the latex glue has more give and flexibility due to the latex in it. Also, if you plan on reusing falsies, as do I, this glue is a pain to get off of false lashes as well, whereas with latex based, the latex based is more cob webby right after removal so most of it peels right off.

Overall, I would definitely recommend latex based glues over non-latex based just because in every aspect except for smell they win. Obviously if you are allergic to latex though, go for latex free.

Lash Styles and Reviews

These are based entirely off of my preference and opinion and what I have found that works best with my eye shape.

Lash Strip Bands: I personally prefer a clear band or a thin black band compared to a wide black band. This is because I find with the thin bands, the lashes appear more “curled” and girly. The clear band would also be my first pick if you do not line your top lid with eyeliner, just for the fact that it will be less noticeable, but they can work with liner as well. From my experience, lash strips, with a thick band only work to make your lashes appear thicker, not necessarily longer or curlier. With the thinner bands you can adjust them when you place them on your eyelid so that the lashes point more up and out so that they look longer not just fuller.

thick band:

thin band:

Lash Style:

My favorite style of false lashes would have to be varied length, the middle being the longest and fading out to shorter lashes on both ends..it’s sort of hard to explain they look like this:

These lashes give a doll baby looking eye, but with a more natural feel due to the change in pattern.

Obviously, different eye shapes are going to have different lash styles that look best on them, so just try different ones and see what you like best. The thicker lash pattern, or longer the lashes you get the more likely it’s going to appear fake.

for instance:

vs.

Most of that part is common sense along with trial and error. Try something new.

Eyelash Brands

I have mainly only used 3 brands of eyelashes, or at least that I can remember at the moment…not counting all the random halloween lashes I have bought..I never kept track of the brands to those.

These brands being Ardell, Kiss, and most recently Nyx, and I also tried Forever 21 lashes..which I wouldn’t really consider an eyelash brand but I am including them here as well.

Ardell eyelashes

Ardell lashes are what I started with and what I still regularly use, they are convenient to find, at drugstores and big stores like walmart and target. I think I mainly sticked with them because of their convenient, affordability, and the fact that they are mainly made with thin clear bands.

Ardell also features a starter kit, complete with a pair of falsies, a trial tube of glue, and eyelash placers. I believe in stores they usually either come with the 110, or 116 style lashes. The trial glue tube is nice, because it’s actually resealable unlike most glue tubes that comes with lashes, however I do not personally like the lash applicator or what I referred to earlier as the lash placer, to me it adds more hassle and I would rather just do it by hand. These kits are nice for someone who has never tried falsies before though, just to let them see what it’s all about, and more than likely they will become addicted.

Kiss eyelashes

Kiss eyelashes are falsies that come with there own type of applicator; two red strands. Honestly, the red strands are super useful and make it pretty darn easy to apply the lashes without messing up, just be careful when you go to remove the new lashes from the packaging though, because they are glued more secure than most lashes, and my first one I snatched one of the red applicators off from trying to remove the lashes from the packaging. The lashes are very high quality, however, I didn’t particularly like the specific style I had tried because I bought a pair with a thick band, which as I stated earlier I am not a fan of, but otherwise, Amazing lashes.

NYX eyelashes

Honestly, I was disappointed. I ordered these lashes hoping for success, when I placed an order with NYX cosmetics about a month or so ago. Don’t get me wrong, I like NYX cosmetics, and this has been my first disappointment in them, and it could be just the style of lash I ordered, who knows. ..The lashes haven’t even made it onto my face yet. I have made two attempts to wear the lashes I ordered, in the style “secret” and both times my Andrea LashGrip glue, wouldn’t seem to dry as it usually does on them, it was taking forever, and just wouldn’t gain it’s stickiness so I gave up. I have never had this happen with any other lashes before, so it was odd. I still have yet to try the brush on glue with them, but that’s mainly because I do not care for the brush on glue. Also, the lash strip was made out of like black construction paper feeling material, making the band thicker than I had thought from the online image. blehhh.

Forever 21 eyelashes

As I said before I wouldn’t really consider this an eyelash brand, but I bought a pair of lashes similar to the NYX ones from forever 21 around the same time, and was surprised to say that they work better than the lashes from NYX. They will actually stick to my face! These lashes are you could say cheap, and they are synthetic, but they are also super $ cheap, so I wouldn’t mind buying them again, matter of fact I did a few days ago. I think they give you what you paid for them, maybe a little more.

Welp, I think that wraps it up loves, so I hope maybe some of you found some of this information useful, no go have some creative fun with some falsies!

rachael marie<3

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Just got my shipment of NYX products in today, look forward to the review on them next week!

(see in high-res)

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10.6.11

Loreal HIP pigment in Rebel-

I love the Loreal HIP pigment pots. Currently I own them in 3 different shades and they are awesome. The pigments are very rich in color and they last a decent amount of time over top of an eyeshadow base. I own rebel, which is featured in this blog and it’s a lime green pigment, then I also own visionary which is a deep gold, and also intrepid which reminds me of an oil slick, it is brown but changes colors with a blue/purple tint. ..However I will warn you, if you are really pale, like mwah, then intrepid can make you appear that you have a black eye if you do not use it in the right way.

NYX ultimate pearl shadow in Black Pearl-

This shadow is more like a darker gray than it is a black put it is very smooth and blends well, and lasts a long time.

Physicians Formula Le Velvet Film make-up in Ivory-

This is actually part of a concealer kit I got a while back by Physician’s Formula, but it was to dark of a color to use as a concealer, so I used it as an eyeshadow base here.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in 170, Coral Reef-

I don’t really care much for this gloss, mainly I think because when I bought it I thought the color would be more bold, I guess like a lip paint. If your looking for a sheer gloss with a thick feel though then you will like it.

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Quick Fixes

Hello lovelies,
Sorry for always taking huge gaps inbetween posts lately, my apologies! Here are a few quick beauty fixes that I have been pondering over the last few weeks, hope you enjoy them and find them quite useful!

1. Home-made Tinted Moisturizer

I usually make this if I forget my liquid foundation or I run out, but still have some powder. Okay, So first you are going to dispense a small amount of lotion/facial moisturizer into your palm, I would start out with probably about the size of a quarter. Then, if you have loose face powder, gradually shimmy some of that into your palm with the lotion, mixing it together with your finger or a brush handle until you achieve the color desired, then just apply the mixture to your skin. If you have pressed powder, just gather a good amount of the powder on the end of a kabuki brush and use the edge of your lotion hand to tap the brush handle so that the powder falls into the lotion.

2. Cheap Hair De-Frizzers

Dryer sheets. Plain and simple. Ever pull a hoodie or sweater off and all of a sudden your hair is sticking off all over the place? Yay, one of the only downfalls of fall & cold weather. You can easily solve this problem by carrying a few dryer sheets with you in your bag, and whenever you get the “fly aways” just take a sheet out and brush it over your hair like you would a comb, roots to ends.

3. Lipstick as Blush

I first saw this from an elderly lady I was taking care of during my clinicals in school. It’s basically brilliant though, getting double use of one item. First apply the lipstick to your lips, then apply some to your fingertips and blend it into your cheeks where you would apply blush.

<3rachael.marie

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