How to achieve a natural glowing look

It feels like I haven't written a post in forever! But I'm back! I figured I would do a post on natural glowing skin. As some of you already know I am a huge fan of radiant, dewy skin. Not only does it look youthful but it truly accentuates your features. I may have said that before so forgive me lol. I used very few products for this look, sometimes less is more. I typically achieve a glow by using powder highlighters which are known to appear slightly heavier, but for this look I'm using a liquid highlighter. Reason why I chose this specific liquid highlighter is because it blends into the skin in a way thats not too noticeable. It still gets the job done without leaving a trail of makeup or looking cakey. I really love this Gerard Cosmetics BB plus illumination creme. I do suggest mixing it with your foundation or even just a moisturizer. If you mix it with your moisturizer it will give you a beautiful healthy glow, if you mix with a foundation it will offer coverage with the addition of the glow. Its totally your choice but I still wanted some coverage therefore I used my Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. Ok so first I applied my moisturizer, I didn't include it in the photos but feel free to use your own daily moisturizer. Then I sprayed my face with Mac's Fix+. I applied my foundation with a damp beauty blender as shown in the photo above. I then applied a fair amount of the BB plus illumination creme on my Morphe Brush M436, I started stippling the product onto my cheek bones, bridge of nose, cupid's bow, brow bone, décolletage and a hint above the brow. Finished the look with another spray of Mac Fix+. Applied my favorite mascara, (Too Faced "Better Than Sex") and a lip balm. And there is this! I actually really like this look because its so effortless and soft, let me know what you guys think!

Recent purchases....

I said in a previous post that I would review the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter "Opal" when it came in and its here!!! Along with some other makeup goodies I recently got. I included two palettes from Too Faced and three shades from the Nars Audacious Collection. Ok let's just dive in. First impression of the Becca highlighter is HOLY PIGMENT. Its definitely more pigmented then any other highlighter I own. I have wore it a couple of times already and I do like it, pleasantly surprised at how great this product is. I would definitely recommend it, it is available for purchase and is not limited edition. On to the Nars lipsticks. I am in love with these! They're a tad pricy but let's be honest I would pay any amount for makeup lol. The packaging is very chic, and its actually magnetic. Pigment is amazing, comes on with one swipe. The finish is sort of like Mac's Satin lipstick. There is a wide variety of colors, but I didn't want to purchase too many without testing a few first. Now that I've tried them I will definitely be getting more colors. Last but not least, Too Faced palettes. I looooove their packaging, they always have the cutest concepts. Also been using these for the past week and I love them. Only thing I wish they had was a matte crease/transition color. Other then that THUMBS UP!

OPAL

OPAL

                                                            À LA MODE AND CAT EYES

St. Tropez, Cannes, Soleil
Riviera, Jardin, Cote d'Azur
La Croisette, Monaco, De La Mer

Purr, Tiger's Eyes, Leopard
Meow, Pussy Cat, Jungle Love
Kitten, Kitty Glitter, Panther

JULIETTE, LIV, LANA

JULIETTE, LIV, LANA

Shine bright like a disco ball!! Highlighter GALORE

Where do I begin? Most of you know I am obsessedddddddddddd with highlighters!!! Its my favorite makeup product to use. I actually collect them. Nothing I enjoy more then glowing, it gives such light to the face and brings out your features. I was never a fan of matte looks. Even when it was "in" a couple of years ago, I always wore highlighters. Bring on the DEWWWW hunnyyyy.  I'm also expecting another highlighter that was recommended by a friend but its not listed in the photos. Its the Becca shimmering skin powder highlighter in "Opal". Will do an updated review on it when it arrives. Ok back to the ones listed. One of my first favorite highlighters is Mac "Whisper of Gilt". Its a bright golden shade. I used to wear it alllllll the time, before I discovered Estee Lauder "Heat Wave". "Heat Wave" is like "Whisper of Gilt" on crack. They're almost identical in color, but "Heat Wave" is more pigmented. I've had the Mary Lou Manizer for a while and never used it, somehow I ended up losing then seen it on a friend and repurchased it. Its a gorgeous highlight and it adds a champagne golden glow.  If you like pink or peachy tones, Mac "Superb", and "Lightscepade" are great options. If you prefer more of a silvery highlight then Mac "Soft and Gentle" would be essential. My newest discovery is the Diorskin Nude Tan Transat Edition. It might even be more pigmented then Estee Lauder's "Heat Wave", which is SHOCKING. I didn't even think that was possible considering "Heat Wave" is incredibly pigmented, but the Dior one might be my new favorite. The only bad news is its limited, I know I know I am always wearing products that are discontinued but unfortunately those are the best ones. The Dior highlighter was part of their Summer collection. I do also like the Charlotte Tilbury Scult and Highlight compact, the sculpt shade isn't dark enough for me but the highlight is beautiful. Its not as strong as the others but still offers a really soft golden glow.

(In order from Left to Right)
Estee Lauder "HEAT WAVE" (Limited Edition)
Charlotte Tilbury "FILMSTAR BRONZE AND GLOW" 
Mac "WHISPER OF GILT" (Limited Edition)
Mac "SUPERB" (Limited Edition)
Mac "LIGHTSCEPADE" 
Diorskin Nude Tan TRANSAT EDITION (Limited Edition)
Mary-Lou Manizer 
Mac "SOFT AND GENTLE"

Estee Lauder "Heat Wave"

Charlotte Tilbury "Filmstar Bronze & Glow

Mac "Whisper of Gilt"

Mac "Superb"

Mac "Lightscepade"

Diorskin Nude Tan Transat Edition

Mary Lou Manizer

Mac "Soft and Gentle"

Gerard Cosmetics Review

So first impression of these lippies is the packaging!!! Its everythingggggggg!!! As some of you may know I am a gold fanaticccc!! The packaging looks so luxurious, I'm in love. There is a wide range of colors as you can see in the photos. Gorgeous pinks, sexy nudes, spicy reds and some in between colors. As far as coverage goes, it's the right amount of pigment. They can be worn with or without lipstick. Personally I would apply them over a lipstick because I like the intensity. They don't feel sticky like most glosses do. They come with a mirror on the outside, which is super convenient for someone who doesn't carry a mirror in their bag. When you unwind the top there is little flash lights to help you see while applying the product. They're not only pretty to look at it, but they're super convenient to use. With the addition of the flash lights and mirror your application will be much easier. Now lets jump into lipsticks. I almost don't even want to use them because they're so beautiful, like I said the packaging completely won me over. If I had to describe the finish its kind of like Mac's Satin/Matte. What's good about them is they dry matte but still have moisture, so they won't leave your lips feeling cakey. They're super pigmented and the color selection is gorgeous. As far as the price goes, Lipgloss $24 and Lipstick $19. Will list swatches down below :)

Seduction, Wild Orchid, Fiji, Raspberry Sherbet, Sugar Mama, Summer Of Hope, Butter Cream, Nude, Rose Hill, Salmon, Cocoa Bean, Pink Frosting, Summer Sun, Candy Apple

Nude, 1995, Fire Engine, Tequilla Sunrise, All Dolled Up

    All dolled up, Tequilla Sunrise, Fire Engine, 1995, Nude

Fall Vibes....

As you all know Fall is approaching, and it's actually one of my favorite seasons. There's just something about it I enjoy, makes me feel happy. I also love fall fashion especially (leather jackets, boots, hats etc). But what I really wanted to discuss was makeup duhhh lol. I'm all about a dark vampy lip. It pretty much goes with anything and it gives you edge. I typically pair a dark lip with warm eye shadow tones to compliment the look. I want to go over some of my favorite deep lip shades and give you guys options for the upcoming season. Feel free to suggest others I didn't list, I'm always on a hunt for new makeup :) I included lipsticks, lip pencils, a gloss and some liquid lipsticks.

LIPSTICK
Mac "Diva" - One of my favorite shades of all time
Mac "Sin" - Very similar to Diva but slightly deeper
Wet N Wild "Sugar Plum Fairy" - Cant beat a $3 lipstick!
NYX "Melot" - Not as deep as the others but a more natural plum shade
Lorac "Dominatrix"- Love the intensity of the pigment

Diva, Sin, Sugar Plum Fairy, Merlot, Dominatrix

LIP PENCIL
Nars Jumbo "Train Bleu" - I loveee this product because you can actually substitute it for a lipstick
Mac "Nightmoth" - One of my go to's when applying deeper shades
Mac "Vino" - Also a great shade although its very similar to Nightmoth
Mac "Currant" - Love to mix this one with deeper reds
Makeup Forever Aqua Lip "12C" - Very smooth and rich in color

    Train Bleu, Nightmoth, Vino, Currant, 12C

LIQUID LIPSTICK
Doseofcolors "Berry Me" - Super long lasting and an overall great shade
Limecrime "Wicked" - More on the red side but can be made deeper with lip pencil
GLOSS
O.C.C Lip Tar "Black Dahlia" - This is one of the most unique gorgeous shades I've ever tried

                                                      Berry Me, Wicked, Black Dahlia

Drugstore Products

So I have been getting numerous requests on drugstore makeup, so I gathered some of my favorite products to share with you. Now most of the products shown are either lip or eye products. I didn't include a foundation/concealer because I have not found any that is even remotely comparable to Armani Luminous Silk foundation/Makeup Forever Full cover. Drugstore foundations don't seem to make my color, I'm not yellow or pink I'm typically neutral and none of the shades match me whatsoever. So lets start with the eye products. I love the L'oréal Smoledering Eye Pencil!! Its super black and can be easily applied to the waterline or eye lid. I personally use it on the waterline. As far as the Maybelline Master Kajal Pencil I would use it only on the lid, its also super black but doesn't go on as dark as the L'oréal pencil. NYC Liquid Liner has been one of my favorite products for years now. I have tried every liquid liner known to mankind haha and I still end up going back to this one. Its very black, doesn't peel like others and stays on all day. If you're on a budget or are lazy to go to a makeup department store Maybelline EyeStudio Gel Liner is a great alternative. Its affordable, lasts all day and easy to use. Totally forgot to mention the mascaras so I had to go back and include this in the post lol. I included two of my favorite mascaras (as listed in photo) they not only give volume, but they separate don't clump and lengthen the lashes. Swatches of liners are in order of the picture (Left to Right)

Also I really like the Maybelline Color Tattoo cream shadow. You can literally apply them with your finger, all over the eye lid and on tear duct. They feel super soft, go on easy and love the metallic finish. I recently picked up some L'oréal infallible shadows and I have to say they are superrrr pigmented! So rich with color although I wish they had more of a selection. I listed my three favorite colors that I chose so check out the swatches. If I had to describe how they feel I would say kind of like a pressed pigment minus all the sparkle. I would definitely recommend these!

Maybelline Color Tattoo (Bad To The Bronze, Barely Blended,  Inked In Pink)

                           L'oréal Infallible (Amber Rush, Eternal Sunshine, Glistenting Garnet)

Now lets jump into the lip products. I've been loving the Revlon Colorburst Matte Lipbalm. I have listed two of my favorite shades "Unapologetic" and "Audacious". They're perfect if you're on the go, the color pigmentation is surprisingly good and theres many shades to pick from. They feel super soft on the lips, not cakey or drying. I also included my favorite hair tie product. I go through a pack every two weeks and somehow always end up losing them haha :) If I find other gems at the drugstore I will be sure to an updated review! Let me know your thoughts. What are some products you like? 

(LEFT TO RIGHT) Unapologetic, Audacious

Selfie Secrets....

I get asked very frequently on what camera/lighting I use, and how I edit my Instagram photos. Taking selfies isn't as easy as it looks, there is an art to it. As I previously stated in an earlier post I have always been into photography and editing. I remember having my Myspace page hooooooked up! Haha I'm dead serious my page looked like an official website. Graphics everywhere, picture slideshows, music and videos. I mean if you haven't noticed Im over the top! Ok so let's start with the camera. I use Sony Nex 6, that came with the original basic lens. This camera is everything!!! It has a softening effect which makes the photo look airbrushed so it needs very little editing. As far as lighting goes its always best to go with natural sunlight. It will offer the best result and color. Indoor lighting helps when its nighttime or if its a cloudy day, but I definitely prefer natural light over indoor lighting. Now if you are interested in indoor lighting you have a couple of options (soft box or ring light). Both will do but they give off different lighting. I personally have both, because I can't always depend on natural sunlight due to weather and time of the day. Photographs with a ring light literally leave a ring of light in your eye. Now depending on the makeup look it can tend to look weird. Sometimes I prefer the ring light and other times a soft box. So what I like about the soft box is the light is spread throughout your entire face, not just the center. It definitely offers more exposure then the ring light. Lighting equipment is essential to a good photo, without lighting you have basically have nothing. It is the main key. The ring light I own is "Diva Ring Light", and the soft box actually didn't have a brand, its from Ebay. Now lets jump into editing apps. I am an app junkie, I loooooove finding newer and better ones. Currently my go to app for majority of my photos is Facetune. I believe its one of the most advanced apps I have yet to find. It basically does everything you can imagine. For filters I often use Moldiv, Camerabag2 and Instagram ones. Moldiv is also great for pic stitching. Some other favorites are PhotoWizard, Camera+, PicsPlayPro, Lenslight, and Linecamera. I hope this review helped let me know your thoughts below :)

Love For Makeup....

I feel like this is the perfect platform to open up about my background in makeup. Hmm where do I start? Well Ive had a passion for makeup since I was in high school. I decided to take the first step by attending M.U.D beauty school in Soho, NYC. Sadly I didn't learn much, I took the main beauty course which lasted a month and 15 days. They mostly taught us how to do stage/tv makeup, which wasn't very beneficial to me considering that wasn't the direction I was heading in. So for about a year I was really scared pursuing a career in makeup. I wasn't too confident and I kind of held off looking for a job. Until one day I randomly walked into my local Sephora to actually shop, and I coincidentally asked one of the managers if they were hiring. She said yes and I got the job two weeks after. I was super nervous working for them because I had no professional experience in makeup. Little did I know a lot of their employees didn't know much about makeup either. So I felt at home. Working at Sephora opened up a whole world for me, there was so much to learn about and it was the best place to practice my skills. The more I did makeup the better I got. I eventually left Sephora to go work for Mac. That's where I grew the most. Working around so many skilled artists was amazing. After so many months of working for Mac, I reached a point where I felt I needed to quit. Reason why is because I knew I wasn't meant to have a boss, my only boss was me. I have never been one to follow, and taking directions was not my strong point. So I knew I had to move on to the next chapter. I freelanced for a while until it wore out. Instagram started to open so many doors for me, and I was excited for new opportunities. I discovered that my next venture would be blogging on Instagram. Ive always enjoyed taking pictures, not just of myself but of anything I found interesting. I'm a very visual person, and with Instagram I was able to combine all the things I enjoyed (Makeup, Fashion, Photography, Design) My life has changed drastically due to Instagram and I am thankful for all the people that supported me. I just want to say don't ever give up on your dreams, as cliché as that sounds. Go for what you want and don't let anyone stop you. Life is too short to settle for anything less.

Doseofcolors Liquid Matte Lipstick

So who doesn't love a matte lip? I know I do. These four new shades just released on Doseofcolors.com. There will be two more additional shades added to the collection but for now I will obsess over these four. As some of you may know reds are my favorite lip color to wear, and I love both of these shown in the picture. The dark berry color is perfect for fall, and the purple has the most prettiest blue undertone. Purple shades are hard to find in lip colors so for all those searching for a cool shade this is it! They're extremely pigmented and a little goes a long way. Very long lasting which is probably the best part considering we do so much throughout the day (eat, drink, lick our lips haha) They retail at $18. I also included swatches :) Colors listed as shown in picture (Left-Right)


               Purple Rain      Berry Me      Kiss Of Fire       Merlot