Marc Jacobs Beauty - Review

I was so excited when I finally got my order in the mail from the limited time preview on Sephora.com of a few select products in the new Marc Jacobs Beauty line! Upon opening the package (after I caught my breath), I immediately thought; sexy, seductive, provocative and playful. I think they really have something good here.

Click through to see images and swatches of everything.

Boy Proof Your Makeup

Oh boy. Date night. Hmmm... what to wear? What to do with my hair? Damn, I forgot to paint my nails. Should I shave my legs? Uh, maybe I'll just wear pants. So many things to think about! 

I wanted to share with all of you a few tips on how to make your makeup "boy proof". And just making sure you're paying attention to the right things when it comes to your beauty routine. I personally always find it's best to keep yourself looking as natural as possible. Less is more. You want your date to be looking at you, not your makeup. But, at the end of the day; if you're the girl that wears liquid liner and red lips everyday, just go for it. I think it's more important to be yourself and if that's how you feel comfortable looking, then who cares about anyone else! Anyways, I'm no expert, but these are the things that I've come to learn:

Lipgloss. As much as I love lip gloss and want my lips to be shiny and lustrous, too much of anything aint a good thing. Like when it looks like you're melting. Yuck! If you're going to wear it, be sure not to over apply. If I'm going to wear a lipgloss, I also won't reapply after that first initial wear off. Why? Because if you want to reach in for a kiss or even a peck on the cheek at the end of the night, that is not the feeling you want to give off. Sticky! Avoid the gloss and your boy with be thankful. 

Chanel Bag Obsession - Inspiration

For almost as long as I can remember, I have been in love with Chanel handbags. Most specifically, the 2.55 which was named for it's date of creation. February of 1955. I look at this bag and just swoon! So beautiful, so classic, so... exactly what I want! It's the epitome of Chanel. Effortlessly cool. Practical and chic. I could spend hours talking about it, but pretty much anyone who hasn't been under a rock has seen this bag and knows how iconic it is. I think it's also really fun to see how much history is in the design of this bag. Coco Chanel herself designed it based on her essential needs at the time to keep her hands free. One of my favorite little features is the small front pocket that was said to have been added for Coco to store her love letters. So risqué! Funny thing though is that the double C closure that we all are used to seeing on this bag wasn't actually part of the original design. Although the double C logo was around from the beginning, the original closure on this bag was actually a rectangular closure. It was Karl Lagerfield who placed them on this bag as the closure and introduced it as such in the 80's!

There's no denying this bag. I wish I owned one! It's the kind of bag that would last you forever and look good til the end of time! You can wear it with ripped jeans or with an evening gown. I look at that picture above and just think - I want to be her! The casual striped shirt, headphones and the mini Chanel just tucked into her hand. Like "yeah I'm cool. I know it... and what?!". 

One day....

p.s. Don't you think every guy should be taught that quote?! haha. (All boys go running in opposite direction)

Inspiration image source unknown - I pulled this off of Pinterest with no origin for it. As much as I love Pinterest I hate that sources are lost in the abyss of repinning. Would love to give credit if anyone knows where this came from. 

Quote by RueLaLa

Drawing by muah as always

Cream Blushes

I remember trying my first cream blush ages ago. It was such an awful experience. I can't even remember what brand it was, but I just remember it feeling sticky and yucky. It didn't blend well and it rubbed off all the makeup I had on underneath it. Terrible! I thought to myself, 'Never Again!'.

It's now been a few years since that sticky situation and about six months ago, I decided to give them another go. How brave am I?! So, I picked up the Illamasqua one and then a YSL and so on and so on. Each of them impressing me more and more. Changing my perspective and making me fall in love and prefer cream blushes (not to say I don't still use powder because I do). You're probably wondering now "what's the big deal of cream instead of powder?". When using a cream product, you can make your blush look more natural. Cream products can be buffed into your skin making it look as though it is part of your skin, not sitting on top of it. They also tend to have more natural looking finishes of satin/velvety or dewy. Much more 'skin-like' than a powdery product. And they're actually quite easy to apply. I love love love using the Real Techniques Buffing Brush for this. I dab it into the product lightly (you generally won't need much at all) and tap it onto my cheeks. Then just blend it out. It makes it so easy by doing all the work for you. I also find that using my fingers is quite a simple and quick option.

Contouring v. Bronzing

So.... my cousin has been asking me to show her how to contour for months now. And because I'm awesome, here it is! I thought I'd combine it with how to bronze your face as well. I've noticed that a lot of people seem to get confused with the difference between bronzing and contouring. Probably because many people use bronzers to contour and so it all gets a little mixed up. I'm going to try to take you through the difference between the two, what products you can use and how to place the product in the right spot. Here we go!

Contouring is all about creating dimension to your face. It's literally using color to shade your face and give the appearance of shadows. When something is darker/shadowed, it will appear to recede. You can use this illusion to make it seem as though your face is slimmer, more chiseled, etc, etc. Although you can use some similar products to bronze your face, this is a completely different concept. Bronzing up the face is all about looking like you've been in the sun. As though you've been sun-kissed and you're all bronzy and glowy like a Victoria's Secret model. Hopefully that clears up a few things. Let's get into products and the nitty gritty. Contouring up first!

Review - Maybelline Color Tattoo Pure Pigments

Recently, Maybelline released pigments as part of their Color Tattoo line. As a huge fan of their Color Tattoo Cream Shadows, I knew I definitely wanted to give these a try. I picked these up from Ulta a couple of weeks ago. Luckily, they actually had one of every color at the Ulta I visited. But, by one of every color, I literally mean just one of each color. Only a few shades had multiples left! My first instinct was to buy all the neutral shades, but I decided to venture out and picked up an assortment of colors. They're priced around $6-$7 depending on where you buy. Maybelline was on sale that day so I got mine for around five bucks. Woohoo!

OK, onto what you're really wanting to know. How does the quality compare? I have to say that I have mixed feelings about these. Below are dry swatches of the colors I picked up. My first thought upon opening was that the powder is very very fine. These are quite messy and you have to be careful when working with them. The second thing I noticed is that the pigmentation varies from shade to shade.

25 Random Facts About Me

Happy Friday everyone! I thought I'd take a breather and just do a little post to get to know me better :)

1. I'm a scorpio

2. I love Pepsi (sigh)

3. My favorite color is purple

4. I love lemons

5. I don't like pizza crust

6. I'm obsessed with ice cream. Thrifty's rainbow sherbet. Mmm

7. I paint my nails about twice a week (sometimes more)

8. I like to draw

9. I have one older brother. He keeps me grounded ;)

10. One of my favorite comedy films is Romy and Michele's High School Reunion

11. I can't cartwheel, handstand or dive

12. I'm quite shy

13. If I'm comfortable with you, I will talk your ear off

14. I love to sleep!! (!!!)

15. I'm afraid of the dark

16. I love shopping for pens

17. I'm kind of clumsy. I trip, fall and drop things often enough that every 

time someone hears a bang, they yell out to make sure I'm OK

18. I have my degree in Interior Design

19. I wish I could spend a year freely traveling the world

20. One of my all time favorite films is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

21. If I could sing, I'd definitely be jamming out to a sold out 

crowd somewhere. I'm most certain of it.

22. I love to dance when I'm alone (which mostly consists of me 

jumping up and down and twirling in circles - feel free to
laugh. I won't take offense.)

23. I love to read my horoscope. Thank you Susan Miller

24. New moons get me excited

25. My mom is my best friend

Dior Glow - Review

I feel like I rarely hear people talking about Dior products. Chanel has a cult following with their cream bronzer and foundations, everyone loves the NARS blushes, people are obsessed with YSL lipsticks and touche éclat. What about Dior?! I personally love and use a lot of their products. Don't even get me started on their 5 color eyeshadows! A while back (maybe a few years ago?) I picked up the Dior Addict Lip Glow (left) and was obsessed! It was all downhill from here. Oh boy.

The Dior Addict Lip Glow Balm (left) is a lip balm, but no ordinary lip balm. It reacts with the your lip chemistry and forms a custom color on the lips. It is sheer and will look different on everyone depending on your lips. For me, it goes on like any other lip balm and looks like nothing special. Just feels moisturizing, smooth and has a slight cool/minty feeling and smell. After a few minutes though, you'll notice the color adjusting. For me, I end up with a brighter more pink color than my natural lips. Really pretty and sort of just looks like that's the color your lips really are because it's just brightening and enhancing your color. Cool! I've gone through a few of these and my mom is addicted to it. Ooo, and it has SPF 10 - always a plus!

Summer Night Out Look

My favorite part of going out is getting ready to go out. I swear that's half the fun! I put together a look for a summer night with shimmery gold eyes, peach flushed cheeks and a fun bold coral lip. I've walked through everything step by step below if anyone wants to recreate it.

Face

I started out with applying the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer. A primer is really helpful when going out so that your foundation with last longer (through walking, dancing or whatever else you get yourself into!). Second, I applied NARS Sheer Glow Foundation using clean fingertips. I find this foundation gives excellent medium to full coverage, but has a very thin, light consistency so it doesn't look or feel heavy. It has a beautiful satin finish to keep you looking glowing and gorgeous. If you need any concealer, now is the time to apply whichever one works best for you. And lastly, I dusted on a small amount of the Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder in Translucent. I think this is essential for oily/combination skin, but also helpful to powder at least the T-zone for anyone when you're going to be out. It'll make your skin appear velvety in photographs!

What's in my Make up Bag - Current Favorites

One of my favorite things is seeing what people keep in their makeup bags (so nosey!). But, if it's in your makeup bag, it more than likely means you're truly enjoying the product. Mine is constantly changing, but this is a snapshot of what I'm loving at the moment. I'm always in a rush to get to work on time so for everyday I need products that work great and are super fast/easy to apply. With the exception of bronzer, I can pretty much get everything on without having to ever pull out a makeup brush (yay for fingers). Here's everything I've been using lately to create a simple, pretty, everyday summer look.

M.A.C Mineralize Skinfinish Natural - Medium: I'm not the biggest fan of M.A.C face products, but I have to say they really got it right here. I've been using this powder off and on for about 8 years. It's the most natural looking powder. Doesn't look cakey and is great for touch ups.

Garnier BB Cream - Light/Medium: This BB Cream honestly rivals higher end ones. It has a light coverage and blends into the skin effortlessly. Also helps you look radiant and the hyaluronic acid in it is great for keeping you hydrated all day long. 

Diorskin Nude Tan Healthy Glow Enhancing Powder - Sunlight: This is my favorite bronzing powder ever and it has gorgeous packaging! I held off buying this because I kept telling myself "you don't need another bronzer". I'm so glad I didn't listen because this one is different. It does as the name says, it gives a 'Healthy Glow'. I use it in the shade 'Sunlight', but they also have a darker option in 'Sunset'.

YSL Volupte Sheer Candy - 09 Cool Guava: This is a sheer tinted lip balm. I've been using the Cool Guava shade which is a light baby pink with a slight hint of shimmer running through it. To be honest, my favorite thing about this is the packaging. The silver and gold casing with the YSL logo around the center band. Beautiful. I love whipping this out of my bag for touch ups. I feel so fancy! (If you don't want to splurge, the L'Oreal Colour Riche Lip Balms or Maybelline Color Sensational Color Whispers are similar in concept and feel.)

Quick Tip - expiration dates

Am I the only one who didn't know this? I'm always wondering when it's time to throw out makeup and skincare products. Who knew the answer was right in front of me the whole time?! Ever seen that symbol (left)? It's printed on most cream/liquid products indicating the amount of months the product is good for from the time it is opened. Duh!

HALL OF FAME - Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil (& Skincare talk)

Amazing! That's what I would say if I had to sum this up in one word. And to be frank, I never, ever, ever thought I would say that about an oil that goes on my face! My skin is definitely on the oily side. I will get shiny throughout the day, but I had come to a point where I found myself using a lot of products geared towards oily skin that would strip my skin. I would be left with skin that was tight and didn't look supple or hydrated. What was I doing wrong?!

So, I'm definitely not a skincare expert. I actually have little understanding of how it all works. Recently though, I've been reading and reading up on the subject because I want to have gorgeous skin (who doesn't?!). Let's face it. The better your skin is, the less makeup you need and the better the makeup you do use will look. Anyhow, one of the things I've come to find in my research is that oily skin can also be dehydrated. Wait, what?! How is that possible? It made so much sense though. I would see that my skin didn't have radiance and it didn't have that supple/plump look of super healthy skin. It kind of looked sad and dull, with oil on top (ew, that sounded worse that I thought it would). I've now found that the more you dry and strip oily skin, the more oil it will produce to compensate. Not good.

Bangs and so on and on

I guess this is all really about changes. What I've always enjoyed about makeup is being able to play around and change things up without having to commit. Hot pink lips today, smokey eyes tomorrow, bronzer for the beach. I'm so indecisive that I love it when I can change things up without a care. But, I've been trying to make a few more lifestyle changes. If you can't let go and just take a plunge into new things, who knows what you will be missing out on!

A couple of months ago, I had a stroke of boldness and got bangs! What?! My hair stylist sectioned them off, opened her scissors, looked at me and said "are you sure?". I can't believe I said "yes"! Since getting them, I've been through every emotion in the book. I hate them, I love them, they're so cool, I look like I'm 5, they look so edgy, I don't have time for this! I'm now in the weird phase of growing them out. So, I'll wear them to the side or center part them for that french girl look. I have to say though, that after all of that, I have no regrets about cutting bangs. Yes, I'm growing them out, but it's challenged me to try new hairstyles (which I never do) and figure out different ways to work with my hair. I've also realized how much I love having hair to frame my face when I pull it back into a bun or ponytail. It looks so cool. So, I've decided to keep bangs, but long. I'm waiting to grow them where they're about nose/top lip length. This way, they'll blend into the rest of my hair, but if I want to pull them down when the rest of my hair is back, I'll still be able to do that too.

Long story short? Don't be afraid to try new things. What's the worst that can happen? I've had some ups and downs, but I've learned a lot and found out things I like that I'd have never known if I hadn't tried this out. It's all about being versatile, creative, not taking yourself too seriously and not being afraid to make a change. Be bold!

Starting to blog is part of my "being bold". Trying something new and seeing what happens. It's really fun to start something different that you know has potential, but don't know where it will take you. I'm looking forward to continuing drawing, photographing and writing more for next week. I have a lot of ideas in store (a forever long list, actually).

Until then.

p.s. I recently picked up the new Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balms and I'm thoroughly enjoying them. They're affordable, moisturizing, have a perfect tint of color and best of all is that every single one smells amazing! The Limited Edition Electro collection is out now and they're in black tubes which is cool. They are fun brighter colors than those in the permanent line. If you're around a drugstore, you should check them out! And if you've never tried Baby Lips, what are you waiting for?!

Quick Tip - Contact Cases for travel

Since we're talking about travel today already, I thought I'd share my favorite travel tip with you all. I can't tell you how many times I've stayed one or two nights somewhere and my cosmetic bag looks as though I'll be gone a week. Best thing I ever discovered are contact cases! Yes, that's right. I'll use them for liquid or cream products. Just pour or scoop whatever you want into the individual sides and seal tight. So easy and compact! I'll even do this for nights out to put foundation and cream blush on either side and pop it into my evening bag for touch ups.

LORAC PRO To Go - Review

I can't tell you how often I find myself packing a bag whether it be for one night or one week. Honestly, it's all the same when it comes to packing your makeup. If you want a full face, you'll need eye shadows, liner, blushes and so on and on. I end up with more cosmetics than clothes! That's why I'm always looking for things that will give variety in a compact way. So, when I spotted the LORAC Pro To Go Palette, I knew it was the sort of thing I'd want to give a try and glad I did.

I've used this palette a few times now and it's so wonderful. The palette folds out like an accordion so you can have it all the way open displaying the mirror, shadows and blushes all at once (as photographed in the above image on left). Or, you can flip one side open at a time which is easier to maneuver if you don't have surface space. As you can see, the top portion has a mirror. Very practical for being on the go. The next section has six eye shadows, then below those are two blushes and one bronzer.

The quality of these powders are amazing. If you've ever tried LORAC shadows, you'll know what I mean. Highly pigmented (you can sheer them out though if you want it more subtle), easily blendable and velvety smooth. Because they are so soft and pigmented, I do suggest tapping off your brush before applying so you don't get drop down on your face. Another great thing about the formula is that the shadows can be used both wet or dry. So, if you want a more intense pigment, just dampen your brush before dipping into the shadows. I personally love this because I like to use the black as an eyeliner and using it wet gives me a crisper, deeper and cleaner line.

I've swatched all the colors below (dry swatches - no flash). That is just showing the color with one swipe. No building up necessary to get to that intensity. For the eye shadows, the top three are shimmery. I think Chai is my favorite. It's a beautiful intense shimmery golden brown. The bottom three  eye shadows are more matte (although Shell and Cafe have a slight very fine glitter running through them). The coral blush is shimmery while the pink blush and the bronzer are both matte. All beautiful colors and diverse enough to give you multiple day or night looks. Loving it.

If you travel often and like to have versatile easy makeup, I would highly recommend this. It's really just the kind of thing that takes out all the guess work. Without having to think twice, you can just toss this into your bag with foundation & mascara and you're good to go. I had the LORAC Pro Palette and love it so I knew the To Go version wouldn't disappoint. (BTW - if you haven't checked out LORAC Pro Palette, you should. It's got a combo of half shimmers and half mattes, has a good variety of color for many looks, has great pigmentation and is really thin in size). I believe the LORAC Pro To Go palette is exclusive to Sephora, so you can check it out there. The price is also reasonable at $38 for what it includes. Nice!

Talk soon.

MARC the Moment

What?! No f*%$ing way! Please excuse my language, but I'm just too excited to contain myself. I know I've already posted today, but I can't wait any longer to talk about this! About a year ago I heard a rumor that Marc Jacobs was working on a beauty line and I was thrilled, but it's been such a long time, I wasn't sure if the rumor was true. Then, out of the blue, a friend of mine sent me the Marc Jacobs Beauty link and I flipped.

Yes, it's true. He is launching a large range (122 items I believe) of beauty products that are exclusive to Sephora and select Marc Jacobs stores. OMFG! I cannot wait for this to come out so I can see it and get my hands on some things. WWD published an article about the launch and went into more specifics. It sounds like it will be a colorful range with variety. It's not about looking au natural, it's about having fun and getting creative. Hopefully the quality will live up to expectation too!

I seriously cannot express the amount of jittery happiness I get from the thought of this happening. Marc Jacobs was my first true love when it comes to fashion designers. I remember going into Barney's when I was in college to 'visit' Marc Jacobs shoes and clothing. I had been eyeing a pair of heels for months and would go to see them every now and again. Try them on and imagine what my day would be like if they were mine (crazy, I know). Those shoes were the first Marc Jacobs item (first designer item, really) I ever owned. I didn't have the money to buy them, but on my birthday, I received them as a gift from my mom. I remember opening the box and feeling like I was about to pass out. My mom had driven to Melrose (which is kind of far from our house), hunted down the Marc Jacobs store (which she'd never been to or heard of) and picked up these shoes just for me (yes, I'm so lucky. - for the shoes and my mom!). This was years ago, but I still have them. They hold a special place in my heart. Marc Jacobs just makes me happy. His incredible talent and no holds barred attitude is so awesome and you know it's taken him a lot to get there. I have a lot of respect for that. I will definitely be at Sephora when it launches on August 9th. As you can see from the image above, you can go to MarcJacobsBeauty.com to watch the countdown.

Yay! Can't wait!

Review - Chanel CC Cream

A few weeks back I ordered the new Chanel CC Cream. I have to say that Chanel bases are amongst my favorites. So, when I saw that they were releasing their own CC cream, I had to give it a try. Let's get the 'not-so-good' out of the way. For one, it's Chanel so yes, it's a luxury product and you're going to pay for it. $55 for 30ML to be exact. And to be quite frank, the shade range sucks. As in, there is no shade range. I've only seen it on Chanel.com in 20 Beige which, lucky enough, just so happens to be my color. If you're fair or medium fair in skin tone, this color will work for you. It's sheer enough and has neutral undertones so multiple skin tones in that range can get away with using it. Unfortunately, if you're deeper in complexion, you're out of luck. I'm not sure if they plan to come out with more shades, but I wish they would!

OK, enough of the bad stuff, let's get to the beauty of this product! If you like products that are easy to apply, lightweight, sheer and non greasy, you have to sample this out. It has a creamy consistency out of the tube, but as you apply (I use clean fingers to work it in) it just melts into your skin, smooths over it masking pores and/or uneven texture. Once it's worked in and sets, it leaves you with a velvety finish. Almost feels like a cream to powder product which is quite unique. It looks very natural. Like your skin but better. You can't even tell you have anything on (major plus). It definitely has the potential to be built up slightly by applying a few thin layers in areas that need more coverage, but this isn't going to cover any blemishes or hyperpigmentation. I feel that it will just enhance your skin, give it radiance, even out tone and texture, and blur (not cover) blemishes or spots. What I do if I have a blemish is apply the CC cream to even out my skin and I'll just add concealer in the areas that need it. If you want, another option is to use this as a primer/tinted base to layer beneath your usual foundation. It will help even out texture and tone so you will need less makeup. Plus, the radiance it gives your skin will still show through which is nice.

HALL OF FAME: Lollia Hand Cream

Am I the only one who's beyond picky with hand creams? Ugh, I hate it when they're super greasy and you feel like you want to wash your hands or rub it off. I have to admit that when I came across this Lollia hand cream, I only bought it because it looked so pretty. I'm a sucker for nice packaging - don't judge. The hand painted florals and the pretty paper box. I had to have it. Now, this isn't the most expensive thing on the planet, but for a hand cream, it's on the pricier side at $25. I have repurchased this repeatedly nonetheless because I haven't felt a better hand cream yet. It's so luxurious feeling and sinks right into your skin leaving it feeling moisturized, but not greasy (happy dance!). And, a little goes a long way so the tube usually lasts me quite a while. They have a few scents, but 'Breathe' is my favorite. If you want to take a leap of faith and just trust me on this one, you can find it online at Lollia. As for finding it in person I've only ever seen them in Anthropologie so if you happen to be around one of them, sample it out. You won't regret it. If anything, you'll have soft hands for the rest of the day thanks to me. You are most welcome.

Image via www.lollialife.com

Talk soon.

p.s. This is the first in an ongoing series I'm starting called "Hall of Fame" where I talk about products that I absolutely love and have repurchased several times. My "I cannot live without you" products.

Quick Tip - Layering Mascara

Did you know that you can layer your mascara? Have you ever wanted to get your lashes looking like falsies? Sometimes one mascara doesn't make the cut. Try using a lengthening mascara and then layering a volumizing mascara over top of it. Great for special occasions when you want your lashes to be extra awesome!

Summer Must Haves

Continuing on with the theme of summer, I wanted to share some of my favorites for these warmer months. Things I tend to love during the summer are products that are light weight and easy. I'm all about no fuss. Let's be real, especially in LA, it's too hot to care. So, I tried pulling some of my go to products to share with you. 

Origins VitaZing SPF 15 - I love this stuff. To start, its a great moisturizer. Not too heavy or greasy and it has SPF which is essential for being out in the sun. The best part of this though? It has these little magic beads (not literally, but you know...) that disperse a small amount of pigment to create an even glowing complexion. It's very light weight. Much lighter than a tinted moisturizer, but it really perks up your skin and makes you look healthy. It's marketed for all skin types - I personally would say that if you're any extreme (very dry or very oily) that this probably isn't best for you. Otherwise, I'd definitely give it a test run. Great for a foundation base or to wear alone on casual days. 

Favorite Summer Nail Polishes

A few weeks ago I went to visit my lovely cousin on the east coast (Hi Soph). Upon my arrival there, I had some time to spare before meeting up with her and found myself wandering through Duane Reade. Honest, I was just trying to kill time. Plus, I still had my luggage in hand so I was just going to do a little perusing. 30 minutes later, I was literally spilling all over the place and ended up at the register solely because I ran out of hands and arms to carry everything! Way too much money later, amongst other things, I walked out with some of my new favorite nail polishes. I seriously cannot stop wearing them. I picked up three Essie polishes from their 2013 Neons collection and they are to die for.

DJ Play That Song - Bright neon plum

Bottle Service - Neon fuchsia pink

Boom Boom Room - Bright neon pink

If you haven't already, you should definitely check these out. They are already pretty bright and neon, but if you want to be uber shocking, put a coat of white nail polish down before applying these and woah! Good stuff. Talk soon.

Electric Lashes: Anastasia Hypercolor

Summer is the perfect time to experiment with bright/bold color. I have never tried colored mascaras before. I'll admit, the thought of blue or green lashes slightly frightens me (OK, really frightens me). I love black mascara, the blacker the better. Hands down. But I'm always up for something new when it comes to makeup. It's the easiest way to try new things because at the end of the day, you can wash it all off. So, I came across the Anastasia Hypercolor(TM) Brow & Lash Tints and had to give them a go. I picked up two of the three colors - Electric Blue and Ultra Violet. They looked the most wearable. I have to say that I wasn't disappointed. These are so much fun!

The Electric Blue comes out just as you'd expect. Electric Blue! Personally, it was a little too bold for my everyday use so I used my regular mascara on top lashes and this blue on my lower lashes - no eyeshadow. It's such an easy way to inject color in a really cool unexpected way without being 'in your face' about it. Although, my brother did tell me I looked like I was going to a rave, but what do boys know anyways?!

The Ultra Violet is actually much less vibrant. In a good way - I think. My lashes are quite dark, so this came on like a deep plum color. I think this one is great if you want a hint of color, but nothing too extreme. It could be also be good for subtly enhancing your eye color if you have brown or green eyes.

Overall, I think these are super fun. Note that they can be used on brows, but that thought is a bit too far out there for me. As a mascara, I would say that it really isn't super volumizing or lengthening. It's really more for adding a pop of color. Chanel came out with some colored mascaras for summer. YSL and Estee Lauder also have colored mascaras, but I think these by Anastasia ones are fun and less expensive which I think is good for something you won't be using everyday. So, if you're looking for a little makeup change, check these out. I picked mine up from Sephora. Until next time!

Images via www.sephora.com

Hey, it's me. Jesenia!

Hi there. I'm Jesenia. 

OK, I got the hardest part out of the way. Now that we know each other, we can be best friends and talk about all things beauty 24/7. Too fast? OK, we'll take it slower. Let me tell you a little more about myself. I'm in my mid 20's and ever since I was a tiny lady, I've loved coloring, creating and all things artistic. I have always loved painting and drawing, making things beautiful, etc. So, naturally as I grew up, my love of crayons and finger paints turned into a full on love affair with cosmetics. It's like grown up girly version of colored pencils, markers and paints. I quickly began collecting. It was like an addiction. Oooo... I don't have that color. I was the crazy girl who had three purple eyeshadows and insisted I needed another. My mom would say "don't you already have that color?" to which my response would be "No. I have a warmer toned purple at home with no shimmer. This one is cooler and has flecks of blue glitter". Soon I had a case full of makeup! Although I really didn't start wearing makeup until college. I loved it. Trying out new colors and playing around with everything. As years have passed, I've since graduated from college and am working in a field that I love. But makeup has also stayed a constant love of mine, I love to read blogs, books and watch videos to learn techniques and of course to learn about new products. Although this isn't my profession, I often find myself talking and answering questions about makeup so I thought maybe it was time to start writing down all of those things. I want this to be a place where I can spend time talking about something that I enjoy and start a creative space for myself online. I love my day job, It's a creative environment and I couldn't be more grateful to be doing it for a living, but this can be a space just for me and if I can help one or two people along the way, cool. As I said, I'm not a professional makeup artist, but I will share with you what I've learned and things I like. You know, from my 20 plus years experience of being a girl :)