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October 2014

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Happy Halloween…Meow!

 

Are you like me and you waited till the last minute to decide what you are going to be for Halloween? This look is super simple and inexpensive to achieve. I must admit, growing up my Mom made us the BEST Halloween costumes on the planet, which means I have pretty high standards when it comes to Halloween costumes. But, this year, I waited till the very last minute and needed a costume quick! I quickly raided my wardrobe and pulled together my favorite black, over the top pieces and then set out to hunt for cat ears. This actually became quite the task. I already knew I wanted to attach lace to the front of the headband but to make my life easier, I wanted to find ears so I didn’t have to make those as well. I was super excited when I found this leopard pair. I then took the vintage french lace I had in my closet left over from my clothing line and sewed it to the headband. I did my usual makeup routine complete with KISS lashes and then decided to keep my cat look super simple. I applied the nose and whiskers with my heavy duty black liner by E.L.F. I do realize this look is super simple but with the right accessories, ears and of course RED LIPSTICK ( I’m wearing my favorite matte red by NYX ) You’ll surely be the Cats Meow-

KISS Halloween Lashes

 

For the LOVE of lashes…I simply can’t get enough! Halloween is the one time of year that the fake lash selection gets even bigger. When I ran across the Halloween collection of KISS Lashes at my local Walgreens, I actually got a little too excited. The lashes are packaged as Masquerade Masks and I honestly wanted to buy them all. They are definitely a bargain at $3.99 a pair and they range from over the top, like the pair I’m wearing here, to the understated but flirty pair I normally wear (pictured below). I love the way these lashes look with the ball detail on the ends of the overly exaggerated lengthy lashes. I must admit, they took a bit of getting used to because they are slightly heavier than my usual lashes, but they would be perfect for Halloween. After all, there’s no better excuse to go overboard with your makeup than Halloween!

Amazing Cosmetics Anti-Aging Primer

 

Beautiful makeup starts with perfectly primed skin. I will tell you, this aging thing is not fun! Those pesky fine lines just need to go away…NOW! I have always had dry skin, and with dry skin comes an entirely different host of issues when it comes to prepping your skin. I have been an avid user of primers for the past ten years. A great primer makes all the difference in the world. My makeup lasts longer, looks better and does not settle in fine lines with the perfect primer. Of course I have my favorites, but when I had the chance to try Amazing Cosmetics Anti-Aging Primer, $34 at Ulta.com, I immediately wanted to put on my makeup. What I LOVE about this primer is that it does not contain dyes, parabens or sulfates. I love the texture and consistency of this primer and It also provides my skin with a good dose of hydration. My makeup looks flawless for at least twelve hours. This is one primer that is truly AMAZING! What more could a girl ask for?

 

He-Shi Dark Foaming Mousse

 

Have you ever stumbled across a product by accident and loved everything about it? Well, that is exactly what happened here. I recently ran out of my beloved favorite self tanner of all time my Xen Tan Dark lotion. I love Xen Tan so much but it’s hefty price tag sent me on the search for something a little less expensive. I headed to TJMaxx. I’ve had some luck in the past finding some of my favorite products for a lot less money at TJMaxx. Well, low and behold at the end of the aisle was this self tanner by He-Shi. Since I had never heard of this brand I quickly Googled it on my iPhone and found rave reviews. I scooped us this bottle of He-Shi Dark Foaming Mousse for $7. Yep, that’s right,$7. I had very low expectations because I’ve never been able to find a tanner that’s better than my Xen Tan, but let me tell you, I was blown away. It went on super easy ( I used a mitt, this is a must!) the color was instant and a beautiful deep bronze color, it dried very quickly and had absolutely no smell. The color stays true for days and it also didn’t transfer on my white sheets like most self tanners. It seems that He-Shi is a very popular line in the UK but they do have a website where you can order all of their products. I do realize it’s Fall and it’s okay to say goodbye to that Summer glow, but there’s something about bronzed skin that just makes me happy!

 

Hello FALL: Bring on the Smokey Eyes!

 

First and foremost I’d like to apologize for the lack of posts this past week. My life has been consumed by work and I’ve encountered extremely long days! The life of an overly ambitious perfectionist definitely has it’s drawbacks…Ugh. Well on to more important things, like makeup! You all know my obsession with red lipstick. My main reason I usually grab the bold colors is to draw attention to my mouth instead of my tired eyes. (reference above sentences). I don’t wear a smokey eye as often as I used to, but every time I do, I fall in LOVE all over again. I am quickly reminded of why I wore this look for almost five years straight! True story. With Fall here, I love to lay things on thick. Including my eye makeup. I started by priming my eyelids with my Urban Decay shadow potion. Primers are ideal when using dark shadows because it helps them stay put and true to their color. I then applied Limitless 15 hour wear cream shadow by Smashbox in Stone as my dark, metallic base. I layered one of my favorite eye shadows by Edward Bess in Duskon top. I lined my entire upper and lower lid with Rimmel’s Sandaleyes eyeliner in Black. Then I took the Dusk shadow and smudged my lower lash line. Last but not least, I applied my lashes by Kiss and  layered two coats of my blackest mascara on top. Eyes this dark can only be worn with a nude lip and of course I paired it with my favorite by Dolce & Gabbana in Nude. Eyes are the first thing to connect even when words aren’t spoken. You can lock eyes from across the room and feel as though you’ve had an entire conversation without saying a word. So lay it on thick ladies, and let your eyes see the beauty in the world-