Nail Evening Wear

Here are 3 sophisticated looks for your nails using subtle hints of glitter.  These looks are great for a night on the town with your friends, a dinner date with that special someone or a formal event.  

This look is effortless, because you only have to put glitter on the ring finger.  I used glitter that was the same color of the nail polish.  But you can mix it up by using a different color of glitter than the nail polish.  This look is sweet and flirty.

This one is pretty easy as well.  First start by applying an opaque cream polish. Then add silver glitter nail polish to the tips for a glitzy take on the french manicure.  I love this one because its so elegant looking!





                                              

This look is a little more casual. I love the navy blue with the silver glitter; the two colors really compliment each other.  The trick to this design is to keep the silver glitter polish on one side of the nail while sweeping it up and across the top, like the example below:

This one is very similar to the one above but instead of the glitter sweeping up and across, it just sweeps straight across.  The trick to this design is to have the silver glitter polish start on one side of the nail. Then as you brush it across the nail, you want the glitter to gradually diminish as shown in the example below:
 
 

Pop! of Color

Here are 4 new funky eyeshadow looks you must try. They each have a pop of color which is what makes them so fun!

                                                   
                                                                                  Aqua   
  
 









Putting aqua in the corners of the eyes is a unique and flirty way to add some color   

What I used: Jemma Kidd Pencil Liner in
Style Icon from Target  $14








                                       Bright Yellow   
This look was inspired by Hayley Williams, the lead singer of                                                     Paramore

 

    












Put it over top of black winged eyeliner, add some red lipstick and you're ready to go

 
What I used: NYX Eye Shadow in Mellow Yellow $5

 

                                         

                                                  Hot Pink/Fuschia 

                                          If you're feeling daring then this look is for you

 

      












Hot pink is a daring color but applying just a little bit in the corner of the eye, adds just enough color without being over the top

What I used: This eyeshadow palette from Hot Topic,
which unfortunately is no longer available
 

However, I found this Urban Decay hot pink eyeliner (right) from Sephora for $20.  It is also available in a liquid liner 





                                           Lime Green

This look was inspired by Katy Perry from her "Hot and Cold"
                                               music video     

 

Add some darker green eyeshadow on the outer edges to give your eyes depth

  
What I used: Cover Girl Eye 
Enhancers Eye Shadow in Lime
Alive which again unfortunately 
is a discontinued product

                                                       


BUT I found this similar color from Ulta called Going Green for only $3.50!


 

                        

              

Facial!

This post is about an at-home facial that I have been using for years.  I do it once a month but you can do it as often as you like or whenever you need a pick-me-up.  I love the results I get from doing it and wanted to share my regimine with everyone.  Here's what you will need:


A scrub glove (from the dollar store), washcloth, cotton balls 

Lumene Arctic Touch Deep Cleansing Peat Mask (from Walgreens),  Sea Breeze Original Formula Astringent, Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips (not pictured), a facial cleanser of your choice, and a facial lotion of your choice 

                                                                    Total cost of everything: $37 (includes cotton      

balls and scrub glove)     

                                        

Step 1: 

Wet face and scrub glove with warm water.  Put glove on and gently scrub face all over for about 45 seconds.  Make sure to scrub problem areas well.  For me, that includes my cheeks and nose because I have a lot of blackheads there, your problem areas might be different 

 Step 2:

Now that you've scrubbed off all the dirt and dead skin, its time to use the Biore pore strips.  Wet the nose and cheek area with warm water.  Peel off the nose strip and place on the nose.  Press firmly to make sure there are no bubbles.  After about 7 minutes it should feel tight and dry to the touch.  It's time for it to come off.  Gently peel the strip off your nose. I love these strips because they allow you to see all the gunk and blackheads that they pulled out

Step 3:

Now its time to open up those pores!  Turn on the faucet as hot as you can stand it.  Wet your face with the hot water.  Soak the washcloth in the hot water and gently wring it out, but not completely.  Then place it over your face and hold it there for about 30 seconds.  Soak the wash cloth again and place over your face for another 30 seconds.  The steam and hot water will open up your pores so that the products you're going to apply can get deep down into your skin

Step 4:

Apply the mud mask to your entire face and leave it on til it feels tight and is dry to the touch

Step 5:

Now that the mask is ready to come off, gently wipe it off the wash cloth and warm water

Step 6:

Once you have wiped off the mask, pour a nickel size amount of astringent onto a cotton ball and rub all over your face.  This may burn and tingle a little bit, but that's how you know its working!

Step 7:

Now its time to wash your face with a facial cleanser,  I use Clean and Clear's Foaming Facial Cleanser, but you can use whatever you prefer.  This step will wash away any residue left behind by the products

Step 8:

Once your face has been washed and dried, evenly apply a facial lotion of you choice.  I use Neutrogena's Healthy Skin facial lotion but again whatever you prefer is fine.

*Well how does your skin feel and look?  Clean, refreshed, tingly, bright, shiny, smooth?  I hope so because that's how my skin feels after I do this.  I love the feel and look of it.  I hope you feel the same way.

Product of the Month: February

This month's featured product is the Matte Lip Cream by NYX.  My best friend turned me onto this amazing product.  I love the matte lipstick look but it tends to dry my lips out.  However, this matte lip cream does not dry my lips out or make them flaky, simply because it is a cream and not a lipstick.  I love this matte cream because it gives the look of wearing a matte lipstick.  The shade I use is called Stockholm and it's a mauve pink.  I really like this shade because it's very close to my natural lip color and it provides just the right hint of color to my lips.  There are many shades of the lip cream available including coral, nude and pink shades and there's a dark red shade if you're feeling daring.  My advice is, if you've been wanting to try the matte lip look but have been afraid about how it might look on you, this is the way to go.  The shades are all so subtle and despite being very creamy, they still give the look of wearing a matte lipstick.  Plus, if you like how the matte lip cream looks on you then you can gradually move up to an actual matte lipstick.

              Before                                                       After
You can see in the "after" picture how subtle and natural the lip cream looks                                   

Eyebrow Tutorial

Want to know how to shape the perfect brow? And believe me I need all the shaping I can get because I have very sparse, short eyebrows.  Well look no further, here is a tutorial on how to do that:

Here's What You Will Need:

A brow pencil

An eyeshadow brush (or toothpick works fine too)

An angled brush

An eyeshadow that matches your brow pencil color




*Some people like to use eyebrow gel or eyebrow powder but I find eyeshadow works just as fine and is cheaper*



Step 1: 
Using the back of the eyeshadow brush or toothpick, place it against your skin starting in the middle of your eyebrow. Use the pencil to draw a line at a downward angle from the middle to the end of the eyebrow. Draw the line just past where your eyebrow ends, this will give the illusion of your eyebrow being longer

Step 2:
Do the same to the top.  You can free hand this part if you'd like by following the bottom line you drew

Step 3:
At the top of the eyebrow draw a straight line starting just past the front of the eyebrow until it connects with the other line you first drew

Step 4:
Now do the same on the bottom, except you will be drawing a line at a 45 degree angle from the front of the eyebrow to the middle

You should have something like this:

Step 5:
 Fill in your eyebrow with light strokes of the eyebrow pencil, but not too heavy

Step 6:
Using the angled brush with the eyeshadow on it, fill in the rest of the brow and your done!

Here's what the finished product should look like:


                            Before                             After

First Post!

This is my first post and I want to say that I am so excited to be blogging about the things I'm so passionate about a.k.a. fashion, beauty, hair and makeup!  I really hope you find this blog to be useful, helpful and refreshing; a place where you can go to find new ideas and product recommendations. Feedback and discussion is much appreciated.  In this blog you will find:

• A trend of the month 
• A product of the month  
• Hair and makeup tutorials/trials
• Pictures of new looks that I will test on myself and then share the outcome with you
• Beauty DIY tips and remedies 
• and so much more!

Lets get started!