Giving Thanks

This post is for my family and friends that have reached out to congratulate, encourage, and share the love of this blog with me.  Even though this is only the very beginning of my blogging journey, I feel the need to thank you and let you know that I owe any success of this blog to you.

Success?  What success?  The fact that this blog exists and that I have (sort of) overcome my fear of sharing my opinion with the world is success enough for me.  The fact that a few people like it and a couple hundred have clicked on it is an added bonus.

I need to thank my sisters Lauren, Kristen, and Nicole for being my biggest cheerleaders.  Thank you for making me feel as though I am an authority of some sort, even though I'm the baby and I don't have any authority whatsoever in our family hierarchy.  Thank you for faithfully sharing my posts and reminding me that you're proud of me and you believe in me.  It's easy to lose sight of those things even though they are the most important.

Thank you to my friends, old and new.  To those who knew that this blog is a real representation of who I am and to those who are pleasantly surprised that this side of me exists.  Your response has been overwhelming and motivating beyond belief.

And to my husband Jeremy, who has absolutely no interest whatsoever in the things I have been blogging about as of late, yet continues to read, share, and support this thing. You are my best friend (I'm not just saying that because you're my husband - there is no one I would rather watch movies, veg out, and giggle with) and I love you.

Maybe this is premature or maybe this is too late - I don't know, and I don't care.  My timing with these things has historically sucked.  What matters is that my gratitude and appreciation exist in time and space and this post will live in the infinity that we know and love as the Internet.

With that, lets get gorgeous!

Power Products Series. Part II.

Eye Shadow "Primer."

Ever notice when putting on eye shadow that the color that ends up on your eye looks nothing like the color on your palette? Me too.  The reason behind this is simple: the color of your skin is added to the color of the eye shadow.  It's science.  In my case, I have fair skin with pink undertones.  The skin around the eye is so thin and delicate that you can also see veins, so factor some blue and purple into this equation.  So, say I want to apply a beige eye shadow.  What color will I get?  Beige (shadow) + pink (skin undertone) + blue/purple (veins) = not beige.

The solution?  Some will tell you to buy a good primer.  I will tell you to buy a M.A.C. Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Soft Ochre ($21, maccosmetics.com).  This little pot of gold will act as your concealer, your primer, and your base shadow.

To prove my point, I've taken Urban Decay's "Foxy," which is a matte sort of vanilla color ($18, Sephora.com).    It's a gorgeous color in the container.  Out of the container and blended onto my bare skin, though - now that's a different story.  Mixing it with my skin tone takes away from the integrity of the color, which is a sin!  I owe it to my Urban Decay eye shadow to provide it with a platform to be the best it can be and do what it's supposed to do (make me look awake, not old).  I owe it some Soft Ochre.

Don't see the difference?  I'm limited here by the pixels in my iPhone camera.  Look closer or just take my word for it!

What's fabulous:

• Multipurpose concealer, primer, and color in one.
• This pot will last you a year.  I'm not kidding!
• Twenty-three shades to boot.
• So easy to apply - no tools needed!  Just use your finger.  If you want to get fancy, use a concealer brush.

What's not:

• Nothing, really.  I will use this opportunity, though, to disclose that this stuff dries fast and once it does, your look isn't going anywhere.  Make sure you have a plan for color before you apply; otherwise, have some makeup remover handy.

Technique: 

Apply all over the lid where you intend to apply color.  Try applying a shimmer like MAC's Naked Lunch ($16, maccosmetics.com) below the brow and watch that shimmer come to life!  

Stay hungry.  Stay foolish.  Stay beautiful.

Power Products Series. Part I.

BB Cream.

So you're looking for hard-working products that do what they say they're going to do? Perfect!  You've come to the right place because that is precisely what this series is all about.  Why should you spend hundreds of dollars finding products that work when I already have?

While the rest of the world has moved on to CC and DD creams, I'm still reveling over beauty balm.  Ever since it's inception circa 2011, I have been obsessed.  I love all things makeup - I love applying makeup, I love wearing makeup, I love playing with makeup.  One thing I don't love is the fact that I have zero time to spend getting ready in the morning before work and unfortunately this means I have mere minutes to spend painting my face.  That's where BB cream comes in.  It's fast, it's low-maintenance, and it's life-changing.

I have tried many BB creams, from the least expensive to the most luxurious.  For me, this is an investment category, meaning you get what you pay for and, therefore, you better pay up.    With that, I present to you: Dior Hydra Life BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 ($56, Sephora.com).  

Dior - I love you, I love you, I love you!  You changed my life.

What's fabulous:

• Full coverage.
• Fool-proof application.
• SPF 30.  I love it when SPF is built in - one less step for me!  
• Unmatched dewy finish.  Trust me - nothing makes you look more fresh and awake than a dewy finish.  Learn to manage it to avoid looking greasy.
• Lasts forever.  This one 1.7 fl oz bottle typically lasts me six months.  Lets do some math just for fun: 6 months * 30 days per month = 180 days. $56 per bottle / 180 days = about $0.30 a day to get gorgeous! Now that's a bargain!

What's not:

• I suppose I have to list price point, but come on - this is Dior.  Haute couture, not ready-to-wear.
• Only three shades available. Sigh.

Technique: 

You can use a brush to apply, but I don't.  Two squirts in the palm of your hand, rub together and apply. Yes, it's that easy!  Please, please, please do us all a favor and remember to blend onto your neck, decollete, and - here's a trick - your earlobes. Nobody needs to know that you're wearing makeup.

And there you go! You can thank me later.