It Ain't Easy Being Green

Hello again, minions!

 I usually qualify my UD Naked Palette as one of the best makeup purchases I've ever made but I have been glued to it pretty much ever since. The rest of my makeup feels neglected, so I've been trying hard to incorporate other colors in to my looks. I have them, but when I'm in a hurry, I turn to Naked. 

Here's my look from Wednesday...

I used my Naked palette for most of this look.
I can't help it...I love this damn palette!

This look was fairly simple, and I wasn't planning on doing a tutorial for it, but since a few people on facebook asked...here it is!

1) Ok, so after I primed my eyes with ELF's eyelid primer, I used my finger to apply Nyx's Eye Shadow Base in 'Skin Tone' and blended it up to my brow bone.
2) Using a fluffy brush, I applied UD's 'Naked' to my lid and blended it into the crease.
3) Next, I took 'Buck' onto an eye shadow brush and applied it into my outer corner and into my crease. I went in with a clean brush and blended.
4) Taking a sort of stiff, domed brush, I picked up 'Darkhorse' and put that onto the outer v. Be careful not to bring this color in too far, we want most of the focus for this look on the bottom.
5) Blend, blend, blend!
6) Now, I took 'Smog' on a clean eye shadow brush and applied that over the 'Busk' and 'Darkhorse', this is to help blend all those neutrals together even better.
7) Go back with your clean, fluffy brush and blend the edges of 'Smog' ("blend and blend and blend....blending it the secret")
8) To highlight, I used 'Virgin' on the brush that came with the Naked palette, and popped that right under my brow.
9) I used Sephora's Long Lasting Liquid Eyeliner to create my usual winged liner.
10) Use a makeup wipe to clean up and shadow fallout and/or liner mistakes then apply foundation, eyebrows, etc.
11) I wanted a LOT of attention on the bottom so to really make the color pop, I first applied Nyx's Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in 'Milk' to my lower lash like and blended (gently!) with my finger.
12) I used another stiff, domed brush and took the shade 'Pagan' from MAC and put that right over the 'Milk' and blended.
13) Taking that same brush, I used 'Swimming', also from MAC, and put that right on top of 'Pagan' for added depth and sparkle.
14) Unfortunately, I have no idea what the next two colors are, they're in a giant Sephora palette I have. Sorry 'bout it =/
Anyway, I took another shimmery green on an angle brush and put that on the outer corner; heavier on the outside and feather it in. Make sure this stay concentrated on the outer corners.
15) I used 'Milk' to line my waterline to create a base for the next green. I took a different, slightly lighter green on the same angle brush and carefully patted that over the 'Milk'
Be careful doing this because it sucks getting eyeshadow in your eye. Don't want to mess up all that pretty work!
16) Final step is mascara and I used Sephora's Lash Stretcher, and that's it!

I hate not knowing the names of the colors I use, but hopefully this will help give you an idea of that the colors look like. The picture doesn't really do them justice...

I had a lot of fun with this look, it was something different with me since I use greens almost as often as I use blue. It's all about expanding your horizons and trying new looks, I like to challenge myself.
Oh btw, I paired this look with a clear gloss to make sure the focus stayed on the fun lower lash!

Thank you so much for reading! Have a spooky day!
^v^



Currently listening to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yud6TmNJWhY&list=PL856B0E9497EBCC96

Nocturnal Blues

Ahoy again, Minions! 

Today brings another makeup look! Yay!

I recently reorganized my makeup collection and I realized two things:

First: I almost have too much lipstick (emphasis on almost)

Second: It has been much, much too long since I messed around with my True Blood palette from Tarte!

The fact that I was getting caught up on True Blood last week probably doesn't hurt either, but still. I was looking for something creative and different to do today when I finally decided on a blue look. Doesn't sound like much, but I rarely use blue in my day to day makeup routine, so I figured 'what the hell?'. 

Here's what I came up with.....

I had a bit of fun with this one today, AND I got a compliment on my eye makeup from a girl at Starbucks (yay!). Anyway, onward to the tutorial!

1) Okay so after my ELF eyelid primer, I applied Nyx's Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in 'Milk' and blended it all over my lid with my finger (I like to use my ring finger as it's your weakest finger, so it tugs on that delicate eye skin less)

2) Taking a big, fluffy brush, I applied the shade 'Nocturnal' from the True Blood palette on the outer corner of my lid (usually referred to as the "outer v"). I pressed the shadow on to reduce fallout.

3) I wiped the excess 'Nocturnal' off my brush then used a bright blue shade from a little Tokidoki 24 Karat palette, and applied that on the middle of my lid and on top of the 'Nocturnal'. Sorry, I don't know the name of this shade, but any bright blue will do.

4) Blend the crease a bit with a clean, fluffy brush

5) Going back to my True Blood palette, I added 'The True Death' on the inner portion of the lid and blended it a bit on to the bright blue.

6) Blend some more!

7) Next, I used the shade 'The Light' (also True Blood) to highlight my brow

8) For this look, I used my Sephora Long Lasting Eyeliner in black to create my usual winged liner

9) Clean up any fallout or other mistakes with a makeup wipe

10) After I applied my foundation, I filled in my brows with BrowZings by Benefit in 'Dark'

Again, my apologies for the barely visible lower lid, but here's what I did anyway...

11) I applied 'Nocturnal' on my lower lid with an angle brush and took it about half way in

12) With the same angle brush, pick up your bright blue shade again and take that from the inner corner and a little over 'Nocturnal'

13) Blend the two with your fluffy brush

14) I went in again with 'The True Death' and put that in my inner corner with a very small, domed brush. Make sure you overlap your bright blue and blend a little so it looks cohesive.

15) I used Sephora's Lash Stretcher Maximum Extension mascara on my upper and lower lashes.

16) Now, you can stop here if you want to, but since I'm a drag queen at heart, I wanted some extra sparkle. I took that small dome brush again and added a little of 'The True Death' underneath the wing of my liner.

17) Last is lips and again, I wanted to go subtle because the eyes are dark and smoky. So I used Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in 'Sugar Violet'

That's it! Pretty simple, huh? 

This gloss looks a little scary in the tube( it's extremely bright!) but it goes on quite sheer. It has enough sparkle to make me happy and I like this sort of cool pink it comes out, I felt it complimented the look.

So that's it, I hope you enjoyed this look!

<3

P.S. Unfortunately, the True Blood palette was limited addition when I bought it *cry* 

However! You may be able to find one on Amazon or Ebay, those site are great for this sort of stuff =)

Listening to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZDgOo4prlo

Makeup Monday!

Ahoy kids!

Today is my first post with my own makeup! Wee! That being said, I went with a relatively simple look, bright and fun but still completely wearable.

 Sorry I didn't get any full face shots, my eyes were super irritated. Thanks a lot, allergies. Anywho, here's how you get this look!

1) First I primed my eyes with ELF's eyelid primer

2) Apply Nyx's Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in 'Milk' to the eyelid and blend with your finger so it creates a nice base for your shadow to stick to.

3) I applied Mac's 'Parfait Amour" all over my lid, pressing in on instead of swiping as to decrease fallout. I did this using a sort of flat eyeshadow brush.

4) Next, I took Urban Decay's 'Freelove' on a fluffy blending brush and buffed that into my crease. Be careful not to bring it too low or else it will cover the purple.

5) Blend a little using a clean fluffy brush.

6) For my brow highlight, I used UD's "Skimp" on a stiff brush.

7) For my liner, I used Sephora's Smoky Cream Liner in 'Must Have', I used a small angle brush to apply my usual winged liner.

8) After I cleaned up any fallout with a makeup wipe, I went through my usual skin routine.

9) To add a little sparkle to the inner corner of my eye, I used my Tarte True Blood palette in the shade 'Dawn'

10) I filled in my brows using Benefit's BrowZings kit in 'Dark'

11) You can't really see the lower lashline in the picture(sorry!) but I used Nyx's Nude Matte Eyeshadow in 'Haywire' and blend that, no harsh lines!

12) I applied Nyx's Pinup Tease mascara to my upper and lower lashes

13) Since the eyes are a little bright, I wanted to go a little simpler for the lips, so I used Nyx Mega Shine Lip Gloss in 'Copper Penny'

And that's it! Easy huh? Of course you can use any kind of purple and peach shadow combination to recreate this look for yourself. It's easy to make it more intense with a brighter purple, or whatever tickles your fancy! I hope you all enjoyed the tutorial!

Currently listening to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgq6HGAbJQo

My Beauty Inspiration

So I was sitting here thinking about what my next post should be about and I started thinking to myself 'what inspires me?'. Well, I pull inspiration from a ton of places; music, magazines, people I know, etc. I've always been really consistent with what catches my attention. Music is a HUGE source of inspiration for me, it has the power to change my moods and I tend to let my imagination run wild when I've got something good playing in the background. But enough about that, I figured to better show a little bit about my personal style, I would share some of the lovely ladies that have had an influence on my style over the last few years....

First up, Bettie Page

That smile! That body! Them bangs! I shamelessly rocked myself a serious set of Bettie bangs for many years and I still contemplate going back to them. She's simply gorgeous.

Next up, Zooey Deschanel

So cute it hurts, and a funny gal at that. We have things in common, haha. She doesn't need much elaborating, look how cute she is!

(don't you just wanna pinch her?!) 

Moving on to Amy Lee, of Evanescence

She's a force, such unique style and talent. I adore her! 

Dita Von Teese!

What else is there to say about Dita except, DAMN! She's like some porcelain pinup that's engineered to perfection. Her body is out of control, and yet she always seems to carry herself with a grace that's not of this century. Bravo Ms. Von Teese *clap*

Now, Katy Perry

Whether you love her or hate her, Katy's a pretty bitch. Her hair and makeup is almost always amazing, hence how she made this list

Who loves Lucy? This girl! I love me some hilarious ladies, especially when they're redheads.

I'm sensing a pattern here...I seem to have chosen women that remind me a lot of myself. Inspiration is good, just as long as you always remain true to who you are. No matter how loud, inappropriate, neurotic, foul mouthed, drag queen stuck in a woman's body you may be. Just for fun, this is what I've done with this inspiration...

This is an older picture but I feel like it captures who I am perfectly. 

I hope you enjoyed this post! Who are some of you inspirations? Tonight, I leave you with the eternally fabulous, Freddie Mercury ;)

Mustache primped to perfection

<3

Currently listening to:

William Control- Funeral of Hearts(HIM cover)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2Lmmj947dU&list=PLV0Lw8f53MsxbYlU4ExiqWd1VdWOZgBjY

Advice from your friendly neighborhood hairdresser!

Let me start by saying, I LOVE what I do. I get to make people look good and feel good about themselves. When a client just starts smiling and saying "oh I wish I could bring you home with me!" it really gives you a sense of accomplishment. Dare I say it's rewarding. However, there are (and always will be) times where I become frustrated with a particular client in my chair. Sucks, but it happens. So, I'm going to let you, the potential client, in a few things...
Here are a few things your hair stylist might think, but certainly will not tell you:

1) Saying things like "Oh, I just don't know, you're the professional, do whatever you think," or "Just cut it," give me NOTHING to go on. Just cut it, you say? Ok, I will give you a 4 all over (ladies, this is equivalent to about a half inch of hair). A buzz is quick and easy for me, and you did say just "cut it". Please, please, PLEASE at least have some semblance of what you're looking to achieve with your stylist that day. We love when you ask us for our opinions, but you know what you like, so guide us in the right direction.

2) "Well, (insert your regular stylists name here) does it like this," This is perhaps one of the things I dislike hearing the most from clients. Why, you ask? Because I, clearly, am not your normal hair stylist. You're in my chair for some reason; couldn't get an appointment with your regular stylist? Couldn't wait? I don't know, but I do know that every stylist, ALL of us cut differently. We can come up with similar results but please don't sit there and scrutinize every snip I make because "well _____ does it like this,". If you have a stylist that you absolutely adore, go to her and stick with her(or him!). Both you and your stylist will be happy.

3) Have realistic expectations! I can't tell you how many people I've had in my chair say "It doesn't look like the picture". Everyone's hair texture/density is different. If you have curl but want a haircut like Jennifer Aniston, you're going to have to do a good amount of styling (IE: blow drying and flat ironing) to get the look you're going for.

Also, if you come in a salon with black in your hair and want to leave that day being a platinum blonde, please understand it's not going to happen. Well, at least with your hair attached to your head.We see this a lot, people come in with a picture of a color they want but it may not be possible to achieve that exact result. It depends on the history of your hair and the result you want.

Oh, and please don't look at me like I'm a loony when I tell you that to correct your color may run you anywhere between $100-$150. If your hair is splotchy, at home color and you want it fixed, it takes time, effort, and sometimes lots and lots of product. That steep price tag is the result of DIY products like Feria. Best advice? Don't color your hair at home.

4) Men! Listen up lads! Believe me when I say that I just adore my male clientele. They're always so fun and easy going, very nice guys. But men, barbers and hair stylists have different licenses, we go to different schools and learn different curriculum. Barbers don't learn about skin, nails or haircolor like we stylists do; and hair stylists don't learn in depth men's cutting or the art of the shave. Most of us get maybe 2-3 hours of cutting in the 1600 of them that we're in school, and we're not licensed at all to do the fancy straight blade shave that barbers are able to do. So if you're a man and you normally see a barber, but for some reason end up in a salon chair, understand that your result is going to be different. 

5) Gratuity is always appreciated. Although we may love what we do, hair styling is a job, a means of an income. Is it necessary? Nope, but if your stylist spends two hours high lighting, cutting and styling your hair, she deserves a little something extra, especially if you're thrilled with the results. Below is a link with a few good tips(HA!) for gratuity.

                                http://www.ehow.com/how_2214695_tip-hairdresser.html 
Also:

There you have it, a few tips to keep in mind next time you hit the salon. I hope it makes your next appointment go a little smoother =)

Review: Urban Decay Naked Palette

So I recently gave into the hype(which I don't normally do) and purchased the original Naked Palette by Urban Decay from Sephora. I'm so damn glad I did. Let me just say, I never EVER sing the praises of something that doesn't deserve it and UD has me  in tunes of glee over this pallet.

First, let's start with the packaging. The first Naked palette came in a sleek container, wrapped in a brown velvet with gold lettering. It makes the product feel sort of rich, yet it's sturdy like it's not going to break or tear with repeated use. Because if you purchase a palette such as this you will use it tons. There is also a mirror on the inside of the lid when you flip it open. This palette is completely portable to a mirror, as every girl should know, comes quite handy for on the go touch ups.

Next, what you get with this palette. In addition to the 12 eye shadows, you get UD's cruelty-free Good Karma eye shadow brush and a mini bottle of their best selling eye shadow primer potion. Considering how one, yes only one, eye shadow brush runs for about $24, this is a great deal for the $50 you would spend on the palette. The brush is ok, not amazing, I have a plethora of other brushes I prefer. I do, however, like to use it to apply a highlight to my brow. I darken my brows so to have a precise brush is quite nice. I would recommend getting something different for application and definitely something fluffier for blending. The primer...I've used it before and I'm sort of on the fence about it. I know it's one of their best selling products but I have used it and have had creasing in my eye shadow towards the end of my day. I wear a lot of dark and colorful eye shadows so this is a no no for me.

And now on to the main event, the eye shadow. The Naked palette brings 12, yes 12 0.05 oz. eye shadows to the table, and all the shadows are neutrals. Glorious neutrals, I say! I have read other reviews on this palette and some have said the shadows look "too warm" or are described as "ashy looking" in the palette. I don't think this could be further from the truth. Upon opening the palette, I saw an amazing variety of shadows; shimmer, glitter and matte, a texture for every occasion. The colors range from two shimmering highlight shades all the way down to a gunmetal grey and a sparkling black with plenty of browns and taupes in between. Observe:

*sparkle sparkle*

This is a palette that can take you from the office to a club in one fell swoop. Shades like 'Toasted' and 'Buck' are more than work appropriate, while 'Darkhorse' and 'Gunmetal' are darker(and sparklier) and can be easily added to the other shades to take your look from day to night. 

Overall, I LOVE this palette, and this is coming from the girl that wears a different bright eye shadow every day. Naked is just too versatile not to have in your makeup arsenal. The nice thing about palettes is that it allows you to get multiple eye shadows to play with so you can figure out which ones you love and which ones....not so much. Kudos to UD for an amazing product and for even coming up with the idea to create not one, but two completely neutral palettes. Brilliant.