The New Shoe Craze!

There is one country in particular that I always look to for new and upcoming fashion trends, the U.K. I love all of the different trends that they introduce every year. It is always exciting and usually a modern twist on some retro trends. I think the British have a wonderful way of reinventing past fashion statements. One trend in particular that they have recently introduced is the thick chunky platform. If you were a girl who grew up in the 90's then I am sure you owned a pair of white, chunky Steve Madden sneakers. It was the most important part to any teenage girl's outfit. Who would have thought this trend would come back?? Of course, the new styles have been interpreted to better suit the current fashion styles.

I recently purchased a pair of chunky heels from a website called http://www.my1stwish.co.uk and I was blown away by all of the unique and versatile styles they had! As I went through the site I came across a pair of shoes called Harper Nude Suede High Heeled Cleated Sole Platforms. My jaw dropped and I knew I had to have them. I purchased these beauties and have to say it was the best decision I have made. These shoes are so light and comfortable, they make you feel like you are walking on air. I was able to match these shoes with so many different outfits and honestly felt very European when wearing them. Fashion is meant for people to take risks and continually reinvent themselves. I can honestly say these new shoes have done that for me and something as simple as cleated sole platforms can ignite a spark to reinvent oneself.

Summer Fashion Inspiration Board!

As each season comes and goes, so does the current fashion trends. There is always a high level of anticipation for me when the new seasons begin and we are captivated by all of the new beautiful colors and fabrics. I know we are halfway through summer but I am just in love with the boho chic trends that are everywhere I look. I think it is so creatively genius how the fashion world reinvents old fashion trends and makes them tailored to the current times. I have put together my own personal inspiration board for this summer's fashion trends in hopes that others are inspired by it as well.

I love going through these photos and gathering ideas to piece together for my own outfits. Inspiration boards are personally my favorite thing to piece together because it heightens your motivation towards a specific goal! Enjoy :)

Benefit Porefessional

Pores....what a headache. No matter how hard you try to make your foundation application look flawless, some time later those pores just tend to sneak up on you. Whether you have big pores or small pores or uneven skin, this product will change the way your makeup looks.

In the past I was always apprehensive about primers or any silicone products because my skin breakouts so easily. The primers that I did find that worked with my skin ended up making my skin feel oily. After much research I found the Benefit Porefessional and decided to give it a shot. Thank goodness because this product is now one of my holy grail products.

The most amazing thing about this product is that it really does fill in every pore, every line, and every imperfection. The Porefessional has a slight tan tint to it which I personally like because it also evens out my dark spots. It glides on so smoothly and literally makes your skin feel like velvet. I was shocked by how different my skin looked after applying it and I hadn't even applied foundation yet!

The next test was to see how my foundation applied on top of it and how long they would stay on my skin. I went on to apply my foundation and all the other face products I use on a daily basis. After a couple of hours I was really shocked by how flawless my skin looked and that the product wasn't sliding around on my face. This is what sold me because in the past so many primers would kickstart my oily skin and my face makeup would just slide off.

I never broke out from this product and I have extremely sensitive skin. Porefessional is on the more pricey side but I can honestly say that it is worth every single penny. I use this product every single day and will be a lifelong purchaser of the Benefit Porefessional.

Ciao!!

Spring 2014 Makeup Trend: Orange Lips

This year's makeup trend is one of my favorites and really makes a lot of makeup looks POP! If you've looked through recent fashion and beauty magazines you can see all the different ways people are wearing orange lips. The most amazing thing about wearing an orange lip is that it is flattering on so many skin tones. It is such versatile color and creates a warm and glowing touch to your final makeup look.


Here are some looks from the runway and from fashion magazines to give you a better idea of how versatile this lip color really is:

When wearing an orange lip my personal recommendation is to find a moisturizing lipstick. Sometimes very vibrant colors look best with a little sheen to it instead of appearing matte. Here are some brands that I have personally used and loved:


MAC - Morange
Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids - Electric Orange
Bobbi Brown Lipcolor - Orange
Kat Von D Painted Love Lipstick - A-Go-Go

Ciao!!

Tips on How to Get a Flawless Foundation Application

I have been long overdue for a blog post and I send my deepest apologies. Lately I have been trying out many different techniques to figure out which application of foundation leaves my skin looking flawless. Starting out there were many different things I had to keep in mind. For example, my skin is oily, I have dark marks and scars, and some areas have uneven skin tone. These are things you need to think about before your foundation application because this will require different types of foundation, makeup tools, and the way you applicate it onto your skin. First things first, I will make it very clear that we are trying to avoid the infamous "cake face". So don't get discouraged when you can't figure things out right away.

After trial and error here is my personal guide on how to apply foundation flawlessly:

Step 1: Make sure your skin is clean by using warm water (this is important because it will soften your skin making it easier to moisturize)

Step 2: Gently pat your daily moisturizer all over your skin. Once it has dried and settled into your skin you can now gently pat your primer into your skin. I use Benefit's Porefessional and it not only fills my pores but lightly evens out my skin tone. Now let this settle into your skin as well.

Step 3: Now you can choose which foundation applicator you feel the most comfortable with. I use a damp beauty blender because it deposits the foundation evenly onto my skin and works well with my chosen foundation. Depending on the type of foundation you are using will also make an impact on which type of foundation applicator you will use. There are many different options like flat foundation brushes, stippling brushes, makeup sponges, or the old-fashioned way by using your hands.

Step 4: After dampening my beauty blender I then take my foundation, MAKEUP FOREVER Matte Velvet foundation, and I place little dots all over my face in an even placement. I start on my cheeks and slowly dab the sponge onto my skin. I work in small sections and once I feel like the foundation is even I move onto another section.

Step 5: Once you have dabbed your entire face and your foundation looks even, let the foundation settle into your skin. This is important because sometimes foundation can oxidize and change colors. This is important to fix with a powder especially if it becomes a different color than your neck.

Step 6: At this time you can use concealer to cover any areas that need a little extra coverage. My favorite concealer is MAC Prolongwear. Its extremely durable and full coverage. I tend to use my fingers because it leaves a more natural finish.

Step 7: I usually recommend using a translucent powder because most powders with coverage in it can leave your skin looking "cakey". I use Rimmel Stay Matte powder in translucent. Take a big fluffy powder brush and dab the brush into your skin with the product. By doing so you will be setting the foundation in it's place instead of moving it around.


I hope you were able to learn something new and that these steps can help you in your foundation application! Ciao!

Night Out Outfit Ideas!!

The winter is a brutal time to get dressed and go out at night. It's cold, icy, and just impossible to be comfortable in cute clothes. But as girls we must take those chances because there is no way that we are going to go out in something baggy and unflattering.

I have come up with some outfit ideas that I have personally worn out this winter and also outfits that I feel were fashion forward and kept me warm and covered in the right places. Remember....it is always about class ladies!!

 

 Outfit Details:

Bodysuit: ASOS

Skirt: Forever21

Tights: ASOS

Heels: Charlotte Russe

 Outfit Details:

Romper: Dijon Boutique, NYC

Heels: Charlotte Russe

Outfit Details:

Shirt: Forever21

Skirt: Forever21

Socks: ASOS

Heels: Charlotte Russe

Belt: Forever21 

Outfit Details:

 Dress: Kardashian Kollection

Heels: Bakers

Outfit Details:

Dress: Missguided

Heels: Lolashoetique

Belt: ASOS

All of these pieces that I have selected are all flattering to my body shape, but also appropriate with the weather. Create fun flirty pieces, like skater skirts and knee high socks. Keep it fun and make sure that you are comfortable in your outfit because if you aren't then you won't be able to focus on having a good time out. Let your own personal fashion sense stay alive in the winter. Keep your clothing fitted to your body even if you are trying to stay warm. Fitted clothing is going to pull your outfits together and create a structured look.

I hope you all enjoyed and hopefully my past outfits can be a fashionspiration to youu!!




Ciao!!

Anastasia Contour Kit

First things first, this palette is absolutelyyyyyy amazing! I seriously am so happy with the color payoff and how beautiful the different tones are. I am the first person to say that contouring is an extremely important step in putting makeup on. Lets be real, our faces are not flat surfaces so we want to accentuate all of the different curves and lines on our faces. Creating depth and light on the face, will transform a makeup look. Anastasia has made it possible to contour with the most flattering shades.

There are 6 colors in this palette: Sand, Vanilla, Banana, Java, Fawn, and Havana.

This palette is $40, but it is worth every penny because keep in mind that there are many different products you are using for contouring and by buying this product you have them all in one. I used to to many different powders to set my contouring, and since they were different brands the payoff wasn't always flattering. I personally love how this powder is light and sits on the skin beautifully without looking cakey. The color vanilla is the only one with a slight shimmer and looks gorgeous on top of the cheekbones. All of the other colors are all matte and will compliment any skin tone.

The only thing I am not crazy about is the size of the pans. I thought they would be a little bit bigger, but they are rather small. Since I contour everyday I have a feeling I will go through this rather fast, but on the other hand I could be wrong. Either way my only suggestion would be that the pans be made a bit bigger. At times it is rather tough to get enough powder evenly deposited on a big brush, but I guess it could be worse!

I highly recommend buying this palette if you love to contour. I have put all my other contouring products to the side thanks to this palette now. For people who contour with creme products, this palette compliments the creme products very well and they blend together nicely. Again, absolutely beautiful color payoff and this is worth every penny.

Ciao!!

Full Face Makeup Routine & Neutral Smokey Eye!

So I finally got around to creating my very first YouTube video and it's not the greatest video but it's a start! I decided on doing my full face makeup routine because this is one of the easiest routines for me. This soft smokey eye is also very natural and something I like to wear everyday. After so many years of figuring out which makeup looks suit me best, I realized that a nice smoked out eye is never a bad choice.

I have put all of the products that I used in the video in the description section of the video. Here is the link to the video as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l41Png_H7S4

I hope you enjoy and I am so excited to film my next video, most likely a review of one of my most recent makeup purchases :)

Ciao!!

Smokey eyes for a night out

My go to makeup for a night out is something smokey and sultry. I just always lean towards a nice and smoked out eye because it pairs nicely with a simple nude lip and a strong contour. For my smokey eye the steps are pretty easy and your main focus is blending like there's no tomorrow. 

The products I used on my eyes:

- Naked palette

    - naked (all throughout crease)

    - buck (outer crease)

- MAC espresso (pat onto lid)

- black eyeshadow (pat onto lid)

- Revlon liquid eyeliner

- Whispie eyelashes

- Lorac mascara

- Rimmel waterproof kohl black eyeliner

The key is to get colors that are all varying shades and they work well with each other. Everytime you place and eyeshadow on your lid, always remember to blend.

Ciao !!

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer

A couple of weeks ago I came across a product called Sensual Skin Enhancer by Kevyn Aucoin. I had never heard of this makeup line before, but I saw a beauty guru on YouTube talking about it. So like every other new makeup I hear about, I began doing my research. First thing that made my eyes pop was the price! Yes, it was more than I anticipated but I sat back and said, "let's see what the big deal is about". As I read more about the sensual skin enhancer I began to learn about some pretty important points.

Not only does this tiny jar of product last you forever, the pigmentation is unbelievable. I have suffered from cystic acne my entire life so dark marks and scars have been hard to cover up for me. I hated having to pile on foundation and concealer just to cover those marks, with the end result being cake face (which is grotesque). The most difficult part was finding a color that matched because unfortunately this product isn't sold in any stores near me. I know that Nordstrom's carries it, but mine only had it online. So I went to trusty Amazon and began reading reviews for color matching. I couldn't decide between the SX07 or the SX08. I have a very olive skin tone so both of these were good color matches but apparently the SX07 was significantly lighter than the SX08. I ended up buying the SX08 and it is definitely darker than my skin but nothing drastic. Once the summer comes it will blend no problem, but for the time being I definitely have to blend and mix colors.

Overall, the coverage is amazing and the tiniest amount covers huge sections. I don't use it as a foundation because it is very thick. I only use it for spot coverage and this tiny jar will last me forever. This product is worth every single penny and is now my holy grail product. I cannot believe I haven't heard of this sooner and that it's not more well-known. Maybe this blog post will help push it's success ;)



Ciao!!

Anastasia Dipbrow Review!

It's finally here! The highly anticipated Anastasia Dipbrow. All of the top beauty gurus and makeup artists have been raving about this product. I began looking up different video reviews and trying to see what made this eyebrow pomade stand out from the rest. I have been filling my eyebrows in for years for a couple of reasons. First off my eyebrows have been hacked away at from my poor decision to get them waxed at a young age. There are just some areas where the hair won't grow back anymore (which makes me cringe just thinking about it). Also filling in your eyebrows changes your entire appearance and adds that perfect finishing touch to your makeup.

So here is some background information on the product I have been using on my brows forever. The Anastasia Brow Wiz pencil has been my favorite brow product for awhile now. The only issue that I have had with it is the fact that it starts to wear off when my skin gets oily. Setting it with powder didn't make a huge difference either. So when I heard the Dipbrow is waterproof, my eyes lit up! 

I purchased mine through Nordstrom's website and bought the color Chocolate. It was a little hard to color match online but obviously I had no patience to wait until they were in stores!

So the very first time I filled in my brows, I didn't realize how thick and pigmented this product would be. So the first application was a bit of a fail for me. I definitely recommend using a light hand with this product! My eyebrows looked like caterpillars :o !! I have switched back to using my Brow Wiz in the mean time because I will have to practice more before wearing the Dipbrow out in public. It might seem like a small amount, but I can see how this can last a veryyyyyyy long time. So, overall I think it is a great product and does what it says, but use a light hand when applying it and make sure you have the right angled brush.

Ciao my loves!!

My Winter Must Haves

I feel like my winter must haves changes every year, but it's usually because I'm trying new products. Personally I go for products that provide a lot of moisture and vitamins for my skin. I have very oily skin but I've noticed in recent years that my skin has started to become a combination of oily and dry throughout the winter months. So of course I begin to change my routine up. 

When it comes to using face wash in the winter, I actually rarely use a face wash. I've started to use Pond's Evening Soothe face wipes and it has been so much better for my skin. Sometimes using an actual face wash causes my skin to get dry and tight. Using the face wipes not only removes all of my makeup, but it also gently exfoliates my skin at the same time.

After I clean my face with the wipes I use Dr. Dennis Gross Extra Strength Alpha Beta Peel. It is a two-step process with medicated wipes that reduce fine lines, even out skin tone, and helps with breakouts. This is great to use in the winter when your skin starts getting dull because it brings back a beautiful glow to your skin. This is safe enough to be used daily and you feel a slight burn when you use the first wipe but nothing unbearable.

In the winter I usually use CeraVe PM moisturizer. It's great for my sensitive skin and it also helps keep my skin moisturized for hours on end. I personally use the PM moisturizer because it doesn't contain sunscreen like the AM moisturizer which can make my skin look greasy.