Favorite Lip Products for Autumn

No matter what trend is going on, fall lips tend to lean more on the darker side with purple, red, and mauve toned shades. These are some of my favorites that I love to wear during this season. The ones I chose are also very wearable, not so in-your-face as some fall lip colors can be.

(from left to right) Nars Dolce Vita, MAC Viva Glam V, Nivea Kiss of Flavor in Cherry, Loreal Lip Jelly in Succulent, NARS All Night Long, ELF Red Carpet

Dolce Vita, Viva Glam V, Kiss of Flavor Cherry

Nars Dolce Vita- This is a berry red shade. Goes on very sheer, but is buildable (similar to a lustre finish from MAC) This would be a very wearable way to wear a red lip, without it being so dramatic. It is very moisturizing and silky on the lips.

MAC Viva Glam V- This is my absolute favorite lipstick to wear in the fall. This is a berry mauve shade with golden shimmer that does show up your lips and gives them a nice golden sheen. Lustre finish so it's very moisturizing and can be sheer to build-able opacity. 

Nivea Kiss of Flavor in Cherry- This is actually a chap stick, but is surprisingly pigmented for one which is why I included it in this. For those who want to wear a darker lip, but don't want the intensity of a  lipstick and lipgloss, this is for you. It gives your lips a reddish tint. I love Nivea Kiss Of chapsticks; they're very moisturizing and creamy. I use the Milk and Honey flavor on a daily basis.

Succulent, All Night Long, Red Carpet

Loreal HIP Jelly Balm in Succulent- I LOVE these. I've heard they're similar to MAC Tendertones, which have been discontinued for years. They're a thick, jelly gloss consistency. They aren't sticky at all and feel amazingly conditioning on the lips. This shade is a hint of berry on your lips. It's perfect for people who don't wanna go full out with their lip color. For an everyday lip, I like to use this over a nude lip and it gives a nice hint of subtle color.

NARS All Night Long- This color is like the exact color your lips would be stained after eating a whole bunch of cherries. It's a berry wine color. I also like to use this with a nude lip, to make the dark color more subtle.

ELF Red Carpet- ELF Lip Stains are super pigmented and creamy. They are a matte finish but come with a gloss on the opposite end to make it super glossy. Red Carpet is a blue-based matte red. It's perfect for a night out. I used both the stain and gloss in my True Blood Inspired Makeup. Click here to see that.

What is everyone's favorite lip colors for fall? Let me know below in the comments!
xoxo.

What's In My Phone Tag!

I saw this tag on youtube by NGuerriero19 and I believe it was started by her. She basically just did a video showing some pictures that were in her phone. I just thought this was so interesting and wanted to do it as well, blog style :) 

Keep reading to see the rest!

True Blood Inspired Makeup

This makeup look is inspired by different aspects of my favorite show in the whole universe, True Blood :) I did this for a contest entry for a giveaway by ThatGirlShaexo on youtube, but I thought I'd share it with all of you as well! :) Instead of doing a look based on a character on the show, I combined different aspects and formed a look from that.

• I did a black and navy cut crease to represent that vampires can only be out at nighttime or else they burn in the sun.
• Glitter on the lid to represent Sookie being a faerie.
• I used a lighter foundation than my skin tone because vampires are said to be pale.
• I kept the cheeks bare, except for a cream and powder highlight for glowy cheeks since in The Sookie Stackhouse series that True Blood is based off of, Sookie describes the vampires to be "glowing".
• And of course, glossy, red lips to represent TrueBlood and real blood- what vampires live off of.

READ MORE, if you dare ;)

REVIEW: Boots7 Intelligent Balance Mousse Foundation

Recently I've been wanting to try a new foundation. Before I was switching back and forth between Revlon Colorstay and Revlon Photo Ready. Honestly though, I was getting sick of liquid foundation. For some reason, I just cannot stand the way it feels when I apply it to my skin. It just makes my face feels wet, so I always have to make sure I soak it all up with powder. 

And then, like a calling from God (I swear I heard angels sing..), came CityandMakeup's video on her 'Favorite Products of All Time' and she mentioned this foundation. See video here!

I bought it literally the next day :)

KEEP READING FOR MY REVIEW AND SWATCH

NOTD: NYX Pistachio and Under The Moon

I am in LOVE with this nail polish combo. These two polishes go perfectly together. 

Pistachio is a light aqua and Under The Moon is a blue base with multi-colored glitter.

The formula is very creamy, not streaky at all, and dries fairly quickly. The glitter polish takes longer to dry. Very opaque as well. 1-2 coats of Pistachio would do to the trick, but I applied 4 because I wanted this color to look bolder. On my ring finger, I applied 2 coats of Pistachio and about 3 layers of Under The Moon so that the glitter would cover the whole nail and not be splotchy.

NYX Nail Polishes retail for $1.99 at cherryculture.com, which is a steal for the quality. These were the first NYX nail polishes I've ever owned, but I am definitely impressed with the colors I got and will be buying more in the future.  

Have any of you ever tried NYX nail polishes? Let me know what your favorites are!

LORAC Haute Couture Palette in Sand Tropez

For those of you who have never heard of Hautelook, you're missing out on some great deals. Every week or so they sell new brands of clothing, furniture, vacations, etc. for a discounted price. They also have a beauty section, which is my favorite. They sell Urban Decay, Rock and Republic, Michael Todd, Fusion Beauty, and LORAC frequently. A couple weeks ago, they were selling two Hautelook exclusive LORAC palettes. This one caught my eye and I just had to have it.

KEEP READING FOR MORE PHOTOS AND SWATCHES

NYX Haul

I got all these items from cherryculture.com. For NYX products, I usually either order from there or beautyjoint.com. Both sites have NYX products for a lot cheaper than retail price. I got all of these products for around $50. So if you are looking to try some NYX products, definitely check out one of those websites. 

NYX Cream Blush in Golden and Glow-

These were the first cream blushes I've ever owned. I've heard that they are comparable to the MAC Creamblend Blushes, but for a fraction of the price. I'm having some trouble figuring out how exactly to apply them, but I love the colors I got. Golden is a natural peachy beige and Glow is a nice medium pink.

NYX Megashine Lipgloss in Sugar Pie- This is a light pinky nude. I really like these glosses and I tend to be really picky when it comes to lipgloss because I hate sticky ones that sink into the fine lines of your lips. These are perfect.

NYX Lipliner in Nude Beige- I got this to go with MAC Honeylove lipstick which is one of my favorite nudes and they are pretty much identical in color. That combo paired with Sugar Pie over top is the perfect nude lip.

NYX Round Lipgloss in Doll Pink- I love this. It's a fuschia shade and is soo pigmented. Not sticky at all either, which I love. This would go perfect over top of MAC's Show Orchid, which is the next MAC lipstick on my wishlist :)

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Addis Ababa- These are AMAZING. They are so soft and silky, they don't dry out your lips, and the color is a beautiful dark fuschia. I'm in love with the smell too. It has a strong vanilla smell that is to die for. I plan on getting some more of these soon.

NYX Round Lipstick in Narcisuss- This is a cool, barbie pink shade. I got this color because NYX's lipstick range is HUGE and I had no idea what shade to get. I chose Narcisuss because it one that has been raved about a lot. It's such a pretty color but it does not flatter me at all. But if you're one of those girls who can pull of cool lip colors, definitely give this ago. It's definitely Nicki Minaj-esque :)

(in order from swatches starting at top right to bottom left) 

NYX Eyeshadow in Highlight- This is gorgeous. NYX shadows are super soft and pigmented. Highlight is a golden sheen that almost looks similar Nars Albatross Blush. 

NYX Super Long Eyeliner in White and Brown- These aren't super pigmented and are not soft at all, so it will take a little pressure to apply. The NYX Slide On Pencils are a better choice because they're comparable to the Urban Decay 24/7 liners. 

NXY Jumbo Pencil in Brown- Just a basic brown. Very creamy and blend-able. I plan on using this as a base for brown smokey eyes or even to amp up a neutral look.

NXY Eyebrow Pencil- I got mine in Dark Brown and it's a perfect match for my hair color. I really don't need to much filling in, I mainly just use this to define the shape.

NYX Candy Glitter Liner in Crystal- This is a multi-colored glitter liner with a white base. I got this to use on my lower lashline with neutral looks to make them stand out.

NYX Glitter Powder in Crystal and Purple- Fail swatch above (they barely show on up their own). You definitely need a good sticky base for these. The colors are beautiful but they are very gritty. Below are swatches of them over top of Urban Decay Primer Potion and used wet. I would recommend L.A. Splash Eyeshadow Sealer, eyelash glue, or Too Faced Glitter Glue underneath.

NYX Eyeliner Brush- I love this brush. It reminds me of the MAC 210, but for about a fourth of the price. Since I have hooded eyes, I have to make sure I can get my liner as close to my lashline as possible. I also do winged liner almost every day and I have such a hard time getting it perfect. This brush helps me do all of that. I definitely recommend this.

NYX Girls Nail Polishes in Under The Moon and Pistachio

Disclaimer: I bought all of these products with my own money and in no way was this sponsored by the websites stated above.

NOTD: Sally Hansen Hard as Nails in 'No Hard Feelings'

(excuse the chipping. i tend to pick at my nail polish)

I absolutely love this nail polish. It's a cream finish and the consistency is great. Two to three coats is perfectly opaque. I would describe this color as a medium lavender shade. Great shade for fall if you're not into dark, vampy colors that are usually in style this time of year. 

 Great nail polish for a great price. Sally Hansen Hard as Nails polishes run for about $3-4 at your local drugstore.

Favorite Beauty Youtubers & Bloggers

I always find it so interesting to see who everyone likes to watch on youtube or what blogs they love to read. Sometimes you can even discover new people that way. So I thought that I would make a list of people I love to watch (and there is a lot!) . Some are well known, but I hope that you all find someone new to inspire you!<3

Youtubers:
-MakeupbytiffanyD
She's one of the more famous beauty gurus and it is well deserved. She's flawless, very talented, and easy going. I also extremely envy her makeup room- it's perfect. She has a good mix of natural makeup looks as well as dramatic ones, but they stay very wearable and work/school appropriate, which is always helpful.
-Makeupbyleinabaaaby
Here is another famous beauty guru. She is absolutely gorgeous and I love re-creating her looks. She is so so talented at what she does. She's got a real knack for doing dramatic looks that are very wearable, which I love.
-Lette76
So beautiful. Her makeup looks are amazing- they are among some of my favorites. I love her 'Getting Ready With Me' videos. She's got so much talent and a great personality.
-Ciaoobelllaxo
I seriously get so envious of this girl, it's ridiculous. She's so naturally gorgeous. We're also the same age so it's easy to relate to her. Her personality is very fun and it definitely puts you in a good mood watching her videos.
-Fashionista804
This is a youtuber that I've recently discovered. She is sooo fun to watch. Not only does she have talent that goes on for miles, but she makes each and every video interesting and fun. She also does a lot of OOTD's which are amazing. Her everyday look has become MY everyday look lately :)
-Sethakins7
This is another youtuber that I've recently discovered. I never thought I'd find another guy beauty guru that I love as much as the famous, Gregory Gorgeous, but he has definitely stepped up to the plate. He is absolutely stunning and adorable and has such an incredibly sweet personality that shines through in his videos.
-SamanthaSchuerman 
This girl is an absolute sweetheart. Her makeup looks are amazing and she is so fun to watch. I also love watching her daily vlogs and have fallen in love with her cute little family. She is such a glamourous mommy :)


Bloggers!
-Cheryl's Beauty Blog
She usually has such flattering neutral FOTD's, which are the looks I do the most. She is so sweet, sooo stunningly beautiful, and she keeps her blog interesting. She has such a variety of posts, but her FOTD's and hauls are my favorite because she has such great taste!
-Miss Natty's Beauty Diary
I'd kill to look like this girl. She's gorgeous! Her blog never gets boring and she has a great mix of FOTD's, hauls, reviews, NOTD, jewelry posts, and much more. She has such a cute style and personality.
-Clara's Beauty Blog
Best. looks. ever. Her FOTD's are amazing. She is so naturally beautiful and makes even the most dramatic of looks wearable and flattering. I love to re-create her looks, but usually I fail because they're so damn good!
-MakeupbyLacy
I love her personality and style. This girl is the definition of 'hot blonde' haha. Her looks are always dramatic, which are my favorite to re-create.
-Zoella
I'd kill for this girl's accent. Her hair, too! She's so so gorgeous. The photos on her blog are always so amazing. She also has a youtube channel and she is absolutely hilarious and fun to watch.

Just a side note, those were in no particular order. I am addicted to watching videos and reading blogs and these are the girls who always catch my attention and the ones I look forward to see new posts/videos from! I hope some of you could discover someone new to check out from this list as well.

Have a good day!

xoxo.

Dramatic Cat Eye Makeup

I'm baaaack! Today I decided to do something fun and dramatic. I had so much fun coming up with this! Enjoy!

KEEP READING FOR MORE PHOTOS!

Sorry!!

Hey everyone. I just want to apologize for not putting up any posts in the last week. I've been at war with the worst head cold ever :( On top of that, I've been so busy with school this week and ridiculous amounts of homework. But I  have a bunch of ideas for posts this week to make up for it! I'm also been wanting to do my first picture tutorial. So if anyone has any requests for the kind of look I should do for that, let me know!

Also, welcome to all of my new followers. I've gained so many this week, thanks to the lovely, Cheryl.
I hope you all enjoy my blog and if you have any questions or requests, I'd love to hear them!

Hope you all had a good Labor Day weekend as well! I went to Six Flags :)

xoxo.

Makeup Tips for Hooded Eyes

For anyone who doesn't know, people with hooded eyes (nicknamed "bedroom eyes") have little lid space and the upper lid covers it almost completely. I have hooded eyes myself. I hated them, I still do. I find that applying makeup on hooded eyes is much more difficult than any other eye shape, because the lid is practically unseen and it's very easy to make your eyes look closed off or like you haven't gotten any sleep.
But I've come to terms that I will never have my ideal eye shape, so here are some tips I've acquired that have helped me emphasize my eyes and make them stand out.

1. Placement: 
When you have hooded eyes, putting dark colors on the lid isn't always ideal.

• Start out by putting a light color on the lid and inner corner will make your lid stand out. Also, extend the lid shade across the whole ball of your eyelid and not just underneath where the crease is. 
• Next, use a medium toned shadow with a big fluffy brush like the Sigma E40 and sweep this into the crease and above the crease (pretty much over the entire hood) staying below where your highlight should go. This makes the illusion that the hood of your eye is farther back. A good shade to use for this step is MAC Wedge or Soft Brown. These shades also work well as transition colors, so it's like a 2-in-1 step :)
• Lastly, Put a darker shade in the outer corner and into the crease about a third of the way in. This gives more definition in the outer corner and recedes the hood even more. Put on a highlight shade and you're good to go!

2. Eyeliner

• Eyeliner with hooded eyes can be very tricky. Too much can close off your eye and make it look smaller than it already does. A good substitution for lining the upper lid, is to line your upper waterline. This has the same effect of defining your lashline, but giving you more lid space to work with. 
• Also, lining the lower lashline can also make your eyes look closed off. To fix this, use a dark eyeshadow to line underneath your bottom lashes and use a flesh-toned eyeliner in the waterline to make the eyes appear more open.
• Winged liner can also be difficult on hooded eyes (I still mess up 9 times out of 10). Try to keep the line along your lashline as thin as possible. Finding a precision liner brush like a MAC 210 works best for this. When doing the wing, extend the line slighly more downwards than a normal wing, so it doesn't get covered by the hood.

3. Eyebrows:

• Having a certain shape to your eyebrows also can make your hooded eyes stand out more. I find that brows that arch up on an angle give you more space to "fake" a higher up crease and gives you more space to work with. 

Here's a chart I found on google of different eye shapes and shadow placements for each one.