I CAN WEAR MAKE-UP!!!!!!

Hello Lovelies!!

HAPPY FRIDAY! And happy YOU CAN WEAR MAKE-UP day to meee! Yaaay!!

Ok so I recently found this AMAZING make-up artist who has videos on YouTube and she is positively fantastic--- and I have been dying to try this look~

Oh happy day =)

Here is her info:
Her website is www.makeupgeek.com -- she is hardly a geek though! Beautiful girl with lots of talent!!
She has lots of wonderful reviews and also extremely good videos-- not annoying 15 minute ones like some on YouTube =\ -- but there are lots of videos on her website to check out!

The one I am playing with today is her video with the Kardashian make-up how-to... yay!

Here are her pics:

















































And here are my pics!:
























I'm trying to be all Sexy-Kardashian-Like... not working so much, lol.















Here is a close-up of the eye--- it was actually quite shadowed.. you can't really see it in the picture =( An example of how make-up for photos is different than make-up for real life! Uggh...

























So I tried without flash so you can see it is indeed smoky =)













Another angle.



Not so much Kardashian on me-- though, I really don't think I have an "exotic" bone in my body lol... all German here, baby.

It is still a REALLY gorgeous smoky eye look! I will definitely do it again. And it's very nice with any eye color. Sometime before you go out, play with this! It's so fun and flattering-- really sultry! Ow Ow!

Check out MakeUpGeek~ she's so fantastic! A fun website for the weekend =)

Until Next Time~
Beauty Maven

Traveling tips!

'Allo!!

Ok, so I forgot to post this earlier-- but I recently had a trip to the glorious land of COLORADO!! Mmmm...

But I only took a carry-on. And, I don't know if you know this, but packing all of my liquids into a little 1 quart bag was SO ANNOYING because I am a liquid gal. Not powder. Uggggggh.

So I learned a few things from the trip:

1. The little mini section at Wal-Mart is your FRIEND. Here is what I found:
- Clean&Clear face wash mini
- Jergen's body lotion mini
- Pantene Pro-V for Medium hair shampoo and conditioner minis
- Mini toothbrush (it folds!)
- Mini toothpaste

2. However, the little sample bottles of lotion are NOT enough to lotion your legs for 4 days. I would recommend getting the little 3 oz. bottles and filling it up with your fave lotion instead.

3. Also, for some reason I used the body lotion as face lotion (to "save space") but um... body lotion is NOT the same as face lotion. And I have preached for YEARS about this! So why did I do that? I don't know.. seemed smart. Ugh my face hated me. Too too greasy for comfort. =\ You can put your favorite into these little travel jars Wal-Mart has for like, $0.49. DO IT.

4. So when your lotion starts running out, I found that if you mix it with a teensy bit of water in the palm of your hand, it helps in reducing the amount you have to use by thinning it just a bit. It also makes it not so greasy for your face. Hooray!

5. I brought a mini shampoo (my short hair can go without conditioner for a bit-- but! if you bring the 3 oz. lotion bottle then lotion can double as conditioner for the ends of your hair in a pinch!) but let me tell you what I think I'll do next time:

*Dove bar soap truly is your BEST friend.
It can triple-task as body wash, face soap, AND shampoo.
(For a limited amount of time-- I wouldn't use it always, haha.)
Yes. Believe it. Dove soap is so gentle and has enough moisturizers in it to be used as all three.
(Another product you can use is Johnson's Baby Shampoo, but it can really dry your hair.)

Also, to me it was worth it to buy one of the little travel bottle kits (not the ones with products in it, just empty bottles) from Walgreen's simple for the super-sturdy top zip bag. My Ziplock bags always tend to rip =(

Anyhow! Just wanted to share some of that with you all. =)

Any other travel tips? I'd love to hear them!!

Until Next Time~
Beauty Maven

Operation: Self-Tanner

Hello Lovelies!

I have a fun Wednesday Hump-day project for you all.... hehe.

This summer I have been on a mission to find the best self-tanner and also the best method of application. I think I have somewhat figured this out, and I will share my experiences! Better for me to be streaky and splotchy than you, no? ;)

Best gradual tanner: Jergen's Natural Glow Foaming Moisturizer, about $8 at Walgreen's.
-- Pros: Gives good color and doesn't streak easily since it's gradual and dries quickly.
-- Cons: Isn't incredibly moisturizing. That's about it!

Best Self-Tanner: Victoria's Secret Sunkissed Bronze Instant Self Tan Lotion with Tint, Victoria's Secret, $12 in stores.
-- Pros: Doesn't have an overwhelming smell, and the tint helps to not miss spots.
-- Cons: Haven't found any, yet..

Best Self-Tanner that delivers the greatest color change: L'Oreal Body Expertise Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Gelee, $10.79 at Walgreens.
-- Pros: Dries quickly, makes you a few shades darker in just one application.
-- Cons: Need to be careful with blending since it dries so quickly, has the typical odor.

APPLICATION:

*First of all, most self-tanners claim to develop in 2-4 hours... this is a lie! Be prepared to have it on all day-- don't apply it the same day you want to be tan, be sure to use it the day/night before.

1. Apply a normal moisturizer to dry spots-- ankles, knees, elbows (all the way around), and wrists.
2. Work either from top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top, so you don't lose your place, and also so you can blend the sections together.
3. Work in sections to make sure you really rub and blend the product in.
4. Be sure to WASH YOUR HANDS.... with soap!!!!! Dry thoroughly between fingers and ALSO your wrists. I've found that my wrists absorb self tanner like craaaazy.

To get hands/wrists and feet I use different products than I do for my body.

- For hand and wrists, I use the Jergen's foaming gradual tanner because it's gradual and deposits just enough color for your hands to not look WHITE against your body. I have yet to have it look weird on my knuckles, so yay!
- For my feet, I use L'Oreal's Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Mist -- just hold it about a foot away and spray generously. Since it's a spray, the dry spots on your feet don't absorb it like they would a cream/gel.
*You can also try using the spray on your hands, either has worked for me =)

Also, depending on how sensitive your skin is, you can either use the self-tanner you used for your body on your face, or purchase one made specifically for the face. Just experiment! But on your face, BE SURE to get up to the hairline (so you don't look weird) and be very light-handed near your eyebrows--- they can pick up the color and make you look weird, too. Eek! This hasn't happened to me, but I have heard horror stories.

SELF-TAN CARE:
Just like if you get a spray tan, you have to baby your skin to extend the life of your faux tan.
- Take the heat down a notch. When you shower, don't use hot-hot water... you can still be warm, but the hotter the water, the more the tan fades.
- Pat, don't rub! Out of the shower, don't scrub your skin. Avoid scrubs of ANY kind.
- Hydrate! After you gently pat down out of the shower, apply moisturizer to seal in the tan for a bit longer!

Just keep in mind-- the product essentially dyes the top layer of skin, so the longer you can keep the skin there (aka hydration!) the longer your tan will last.*

Now, what you've been waiting for: Before and after!

Face:
1. Before
2. With Victoria's Secret self-tanner with tint
3. After washing my face later in the day:








































Well, hello shiny forehead! Hahaha!


Before and after body:
I used L'Oreal's Gelee
















































Now go-- be bronzed!!

Any other tips that I missed? Or any other thoughts?

Until Next Time~
Beauty Maven

Nail Polish-- Tiffany Blue!!!!!

Hello all!!

Hope you had a lovely Monday =)

I know I did... because I discovered the PERFECT Tiffany Blue nail polish! AHHH!!!

Why yes, this IS another nail post ;) I've been having fun!!

First of all, in remembrance of my fabulous mascaras, here are some old pics I found of my Maybelline Falsies mascara that I'd like to share because they make me happy:


















Siiiigh. Oh Mascara, how I miss you.

Anyhow! On to TIFFANY!!!!!

The color is by Essie-- Turquoise & Caicos

After 2 coats:

























The only complaint I have with Essie polishes is that they are so dang thin! Ugh.
But! They do have pretty impressive staying power. So good job, Essie. I guess.

So here it is after 3 coats (and I might even do a 4th, ugh):
With and without flash--


































Holding my Tiffany ring book... mmm!
(And Yes, my cat decided she wanted to be in the pic, too! Haha!)

It is the PERFECT Tiffany Blue! Is is just more or is there something about Tiffany Blue that just embodies all that is happy? Mmmm, I love it!!

Another good bet is "For Audrey" by China Glaze-- I couldn't find this at my local Ulta though... sad day.

I have to admit-- though the color is dead on, I'm not so sure how I feel about it on me... I'll give it a few days...

What do you think? Do you love Tiffany Blue? Indifferent? And how do you feel about blue as a nail polish?

Until Next Time~
Beauty Maven

Nail Polish-- Purple!

Hello!!

Hope everyone had a nice weekend!!

With my Lasix being done recently and thus NOT being able to wear make-up, I've resorted to playing with my nails. =)

This weekend I put on OPI's Louvre Me Louvre Me Not.

Here are some swatches:













































OMG I LOVE this purple!! Mmmm =) I'm not a fan of purples that lean toward Royal, so I love this one and how is has more fuchsia in it.

C'est parfait!! ;)

Please recommend some polishes for me =) What are your faves? Any other good purples? Let me know, please! All I can do it paint my nails, haha!! =P

Until Next Time~
Beauty Maven