Wedding Look Experiment #1

So I thought i'd play around with some makeup and hair looks for the big day (90 days away from today!), just to sorta get an idea of what look I am going for....I definitely want something romantic. :)

I bought this birdcage veil with a huge ivory flower (and comb) at Forever 21 for $6.80 (can you say bargain steal!??), I just curled my hair and sprayed some gel (Tresemme Spray Gel) to give it more texture and makes everything stay in place without making your hair feel "crispy". I just put my hair up in a loose, messy bun, and just applied the veil; pinning the actual veil down with bobby pins so it stayed in place. I actually liked how it came out, the whole vintage glam vibe is definitely classic.

For my makeup (not gonna wear red lipstick on my wedding day, but thought it'd be fun to use Ruby Woo since it was Christmas day after all!), I used:

- MAC Ruby Woo lipstick
- MAC Pro Longwear Foundation in NC35
- MAC Careblend Pressed Powder in Medium Dark
- MAC e/s in Bisque and Bamboo all over the lids
- MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack
- L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara
- Ardell Lashes
- MAC e/s in Chocolate Brown to fill in eyebrows
- Milani Blush in Cherries on Top on cheeks

Ruby Woo looks great on all skin tones (in my opinion), it has a blue undertone that just looks amazing because it doesn't look like a true red on, so it definitely draws attention to the lips. It's really matte/dry, so I apply a tiny coat of Vaseline on my lips before applying to help it go on smoother. 

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Argan Oil From NumeStyle

I recently had the opportunity to try an Argan Oil from NuMe (www.numeonline.com, 4 fl. oz $59.99) which is described on their website as "Argan Oil is rich in Vitamin E and other beneficial fatty acids. Specially formulated for rapid absorption and penetration our pure Argon Oil brings a whole new level of shine and luster to even the most ravaged and damaged hair."

Often times I dye my hair, or use a lot of hot tools like curling irons, flat irons, and blow dryers; which overtime, can damage my hair or make it feel dry and brittle. I have heard so many positive things about Argan oil as an aid to help moisturize the skin repairing damaged dry skin and rough spots, or to add in foundations; so it's no surprise that that it's making it's way in the market to help dry or damaged hair.

After I shower, I apply a tiny bit of the oil (the size of a quarter) in my palms and rub my hands together to sort of warm it up, and then I apply it evenly all over my hair, concentrating on dry spots such as the ends of my hair, and then comb it through to ensure it's evenly distributed. You can immediately notice how shiny and healthier your hair looks and feels. This oil is great at restoring moisture in your hair.

The bottle itself is roughly the size of your palm (4 fl oz) and made of glass, since you don't need a lot of product to begin with, this bottle will definitely last you a long time (and I have really long hair!). The only thing I wish it had was a pump or some kind of stopper to avoid any leaks or spills, or even excess product (although the cap screws on pretty tight so I personally have not experienced any leaks).

 

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Happy Halloween! (Zombie School Girl Look)

Happy Halloween everyone! Freaky huh? I was inspired by Petrilude's look he did on YouTube from the MAC Face Charts a few years ago, and thought it would be a fun way to incorporate it in my Zombie school girl look at work for more texture.

Every year at work we dress up and have a fun lil party and costume contest, I usually never go all out for Halloween, but I do love holidays in general so I do tend to get festive for the sake of it; so this year I decided to go crazy with makeup and do a zombie look (and then added the school girl flare). The contacts really make the costume in my opinion. :) It was pretty funny getting weird and fearful looks, and scaring my co-workers! LOL!

It's always cool seeing the other costumes too, and above all, seeing all the creativity involved. There was Jack Sparrow (I loved his costume!), a cowgirl, a cute sumo wrestler, Jessica Rabbit, a Rubik's cube, Audrey Hepburn, Lara Croft, a gypsy, Black Swan, a devil, Steve Jobs, a pirate, and a referee.

Here are the products I used:

- Ben Nye Scar Wax (for the forehead wound), applied it with Ben Nye Spirit Gum
- Used Ben Nye Cuts and Abrasions Wheel for all the "bruised" areas to add more depth
- Added fake theatrical blood on the wound (forehead)

- For the eye, I used a zipper from Jo-Ann's and cut it to size
- Shaded it in with a red Sephora chunky pencil, then the red color in the Ben Nye Cuts and Abrasions Wheel. I shaded the bottom with MAC e/s in "Carbon", then put a tiny bit of fake blood on top.
- Used MAC l/s in "Fleshpot" for dead looking lips
- Stitches tattoos from Walmart

- For Zombie teeth, I used Ben Nye Tooth Paint in Zombie Rot (Green color) and Black

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Halloween Look: Pop Art Inspired

Outlined everything with black pencil eyeliner and liquid eyeliner, shaded tears with Mehron Creme Blend stick in White (also used it for the dots and powdered MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder in "Medium Dark" on top to tone it down and not make it stark white), and Mehron Aqua Paint Pastel Palette as well as a few MAC eyeshadows.

To cover my real eyebrows, I used Kryolan Eyebrow Wax to cover my real eyebrows, and powdered it on top and drew them in using a black eyeliner. Also used the White Mehron paint to give that reflection look on my lips, and used the black eyeliner again to line my lips. Lipstick used is MAC's Mattene lipstick in "Immodest".

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Wedding Planning Progress!

I know, I have been terrible with blogging lately. I wish I was super woman and can do it all. With 155 days left until the big day, I have been so busy planning, gluing, taping, and basically trying to get everything together (without any papercuts!). Since I am pretty much doing a lot of things by hand- it's 150+ of each thing, it's taking up a lot of my sleep time LOL. But I know it's gonna be worth it!

We still have a lot more things to do (can't wait to do some cake tasting!), but I am confident we can get everything done in time, even though there are times I ask myself "why did I think it was a bright idea to make everything myself?" haha. We are also thinking about making our own centerpieces. But I can happily say I finally got my dress! I love it and I cannot wait to wear it. I plan on wearing it to the grocery store, when I sleep, etc. LOL. Hey, gotta make use of it!

About to do more wedding and halloween errands (since we are having our yearly halloween contest at work), so I will make this short, have a great weekend everyone!

Here are some pics of some of the progression so far....

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Paw Palette (www.crystalpowder.com)

Calling all makeup artists! The "Paw Palette" is an adjustable strap-on palette to fit any size wrist (www.crystalpowder.com); allowing you to mix and apply makeup as you work your magic on your client. It keeps things sanitary as opposed to applying makeup to the back of your hand, and you can use it your palm if that's more comfortable. The palette itself, is a white nonporous board and it's reusable and easy to clean. And the straps are made of durable elastic band and is easy to adjust.

You can also inquire if you need extra long straps or a special size, but it definitely fits most sizes! I like that you can efficiently and quickly work on clients since you can put on swatches of concealer, foundation, lipstick, etc all on the palette and have everything within reach.

You can purchase this palette for $14.95 at the Cinema Secrets store in North Hollywood, or at www.crystalpowder.com

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Sedona Lace Vortex Brush Set

This Sedona Lace Vortex Brush Set was designed by the gorgeous and talented MakeupbyRenRen for Sedona Lace; and I had the wonderful opportunity to try it out!

First of all, let me say that I absolutely admire Ren and Sedona Lace for putting in a lot of thought and quality into this brush collection, and for picking out really good basic and handy brushes, because you definitely get your money's worth, you will not be disappointed! The brush belt is super soft, feels like real leather, and not the cheap plastic kind (I have one and I can feel a major difference!), and fits tons of brushes, not just only the ones in the kit. Also has a cute tiny pocket where you can probably fit a few business cards. The brushes themselves are also of high quality- they are super soft, sturdy, and not scratchy at all. You can get BOTH the brush belt and brushes for $79.95 or get them separately, the brushes only for $69.95 and the brush belt for $19.95, definitely a good bargain though if you get the entire set.

And right now you get free shipping off of $50 or more by using code 50FREE.

My favorite brushes in this collection are the Jumbo Fan Brush, because it's great for removing fallout eyeshadow or to sweep on a little powder, and the pointed crease brush which makes eyeshadow application easy, even for beginners, especially in the outer-v. I specifically love how this is a unique collection that caters to makeup artists or beginners because it has everything you need. I have not seen too many brush kits that offer a brush belt with a variety of quality brushes.

From their website, www.sedonalace.com:

The brushes included in this set:
	Jumbo Fan Face Brush Everyone needs a fan brush in their life. This multi-purpose brush is large and luxurious and can be used with a number of powder products. Use it with loose powder and pack it under your eyes to catch fall out. It’s also great for setting your foundation with powder. Use it on an angle to get a nice, even distribution of blush, bronzer or highlight. The large shape also makes it great for applying body shimmer.
	Tulip Contour Face Brush The tulip cut makes this a great contour brush.  Use it on its tip and it fits perfectly into the hollow of the cheeks for contouring or onto the tops of the cheekbones for highlighting.  From the pointed tip, the bristles taper off to help with blending.  In a pinch, this brush also works great for applying bronzer, blush or setting powder. Tip:  Try using this with cream foundation.  The tulip shape will make blending a dream.
	Dome Contour Face Brush For some serious contouring, this compact, dome shaped brush comes in handy.  The bristles are tightly packed giving the density needed to really buff in contour powder into the cheek bones, temples, and jaw line.  You can also use this brush for liquid or cream foundation as the dense bristles help to blend out the product and apply it with maximum coverage. Tip:  Use a light amount of pressure when using this brush to avoid shedding.
	Flat Top Buffer Face Brush A flat top buffer brush is everyone’s best friend when it comes to foundation.  The compact, flat top helps buff in powder, liquid, or cream foundation for an airbrushed finish.  No need to worry about liquid or cream foundation staining these brown, synthetic bristles.  You can also use this brush on its side to get a precise, contoured edge on the cheekbones. Tip:  Dampen the brush bristles slightly to make foundation application a breeze.
	Universal Blender Eye brush This is the universal blender because it can do everything.  Use the brush flat on its side to pack on eyeshadow, and use it on its tip to apply crease and contour color.  This is also an amazing brush for applying all over lid color in a snap. Tip:  Keep an extra Universal Blender around to help with blending out colors – it will correct any over application or mistakes instantly.
	Flat Synthetic Eye brush Synthetic brushes are ideal for cream and liquid products as they prevent soaking up of excess makeup.  The large head of this brush makes it perfect for applying creamy eyeshadow base or concealer in seconds.  The dense, smooth bristles also make it ideal for packing on shadow – both cream and powder. Tip:  Use this brush on its tip and you’ll get the best application of brow bone shadow ever.
	Synthetic Blender Eye Brush This brush is not only great for eyeshadow but concealer as well.  Makeup artists have been using crease brushes for years to help blend out creamy product like concealer or eyeshadow base.  This brush was formulated with synthetic bristles to apply the perfect amount of product.  The bristles are also nice and dense to for easily blending out darker crease colors.  Tip: Use this as brush for contouring the nose.  The shape and tapered bristles will help you blend out hard lines easily.
	Pointed Crease Eye Brush The best thing about this crease brush is that it comes to a nice point at the top.  This is perfect for even the smallest eye spaces.    Tip:  Use this brush to help you blend out cut the crease looks – the pointed tip will prevent over blending and keep colors where they’re supposed to go.
	Brow Spoolie Duo Eye Brush The key to better brows is having the right tool set.  This duo is perfect for applying brow color effortlessly and then blending it out to look completely natural.  The angled brow side has more stiff, textures bristles so that you can really get it there with your brow color.  After that, use the spoolie side to blend out harsh lines and create consistent, even color. Tip:  Use the spoolie brush to blend out mascara clumps – its multi-purpose!
	Bent Liner Eye Brush If you have problems applying liner, this bent brush will solve all your problems.  The ferrule is conveniently angled so that you can apply gel or liquid liner without having your view obstructed by the brush head.  The tip of the brush was created to be dense and pointed to give you a clean line. Tip:  Dampen the bristles of the brush before you apply liner to always have a super clean line.
	Detailed Shader Eye Brush For advanced eyeshadow application, a small shader brush is essential.  Use it to fit into all the nooks and crannies of even the smallest eyes.  This is great for getting into the tear ducts with a highlight color or even onto the lash line for smudging out color. Tip:  Use this as a crease brush for smaller eye shapes – draw the outer v and crease on its tip and then blend.
	Angled Detail Eye Brush This angled brush was created specifically to have extremely thin bristles and a deep, diagonal cut.  You’ll never have a problem with applying the perfect winged liner with this brush. Tip:  The thinness of this brush makes it amazing for creating a cut the crease look.
	Capped Lip Brush A lip brush is essential to get a clean lip line.  This style was formatted with a cap to keep your brush sanitary when not in use.  Snap it onto the end of the brush while using it and you have a full sized lip brush that’s easy to handle. Tip:  Think you’re out of your favorite lip stick?  Don’t throw it away.  Use the lip brush to scoop out extra product inside the bottom of the tube.
	Brush Belt Having a brush belt on a gig keeps you organized and professional looking.  Use the brush belt at home for storage and easy access.  The upgraded material is smooth, durable and easy to clean. With this belt, you can store dozens of brushes with room to grow. Tip:  When traveling, fold the belt together with brushes on the inside and then wrap the straps around the belt.  Place in a baggie and your brushes will stay protected and won’t fall out of place.

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KIMBrushes.com

I recently had the opportunity to try out KIM Brushes (www.kimbrushes.com), where you can not only order brushes individually at such a great price (as low as $5), but can get pre-designed sets (Basic ($68), Full ($84), and Pro ($118)). And they come with cute nifty zipped bags called Baggu!

I received a blue Baggu bag with 3 brushes: E121- Flat shader brush, F251-Stippling round brush (great for wet foundation application!), and L311- Narrow lip brush.

I like that the brush sets come with a zip up bag for storage, however at the moment it seems you cannot buy the Baggu itself if you just wanted the bag. BUT it comes free with a $50 purchase. :)

The brushes itself are really soft, I used it for a few weeks and didn't notice any hardening of the bristles or any crazy shedding of the hairs. The brush handles are good quality, they seems sturdy and have a nice frosty coating to prevent any dents or scratches that you normally would see on wood handles. The flat shader brush worked great for applying pigments wet to give a more vibrant look.

The only con I can say is that it may be a bit pricey for some, particularly the sets, but keep in mind you can buy the brushes individually as well as an alternative option. Check out the sets below!

Disclaimer: All product reviews and honest opinions on this site are solely that of my own and I am not endorsed, affiliated, or paid for this review unless otherwise specified. This product was given for review consideration.

The BASIC is comprised of 4 brushes chosen for their versatility. Each can operate in a variety of applications. A perfect, basic set.
FACE: Flat Dome [blush] F202
FACE: Taklon [all purpose] F231
EYES: Eye [basic] E112
EYES: Small Angle Eye/Eyebrow [detail] E131

The FULL is a versatile set with specialized brushes for concealer, blending, smokey eye, and detail work.
FACE: Flat Dome [blush] F202
FACE: Taklon [all purpose] F231
EYES: Eye [blending/smoke] E142
EYES: Eye [basic] E112
EYES: Small Angle Eye/Eyebrow [detail] E131
EYES: Eyeliner [fine tip] E101

The PRO is a complete kit including a duo-density foundation brush [f251] perfect for wet/dry application, including use with an airbrush. Set also includes blush, blending, multiple detail brushes. A professional set.
FACE: Duo Density [foundation wet/dry] F251
FACE: Flat Dome [blush] F202
FACE: Taklon [all purpose] F231
EYES: Eye [blending/smoke] E142
EYES: Eye [basic] E112
EYES: Narrow / Extra Firm [fine detail] E152
EYES: Small Angle Eye/Eyebrow [detail] E131
LIP: Narrow lip cream/gloss [detail] L312
EYES: Mascara [precise] E171
EYES: Eyeliner [fine tip] E101

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