Monday, May 25, 2009

Can I Have Both Please?

It would be really nice to find a guy that is able to carry on an interesting, intellectual (two sided!) conversation AND is attractive. Sometimes it seems that they are either one or the other. You may realize at the end of a relationship that you were completely wrong for each other, but you got together because of lust. Lust can have such a strong pull. After all, it's built into our bodies from the caveman days to find potential mates based on healthy physical attributes.

Or, you have a really good friend who you know would be the best boyfriend ever... but you could never bring yourself to that point because you're not sexually attracted to them. If you really like them enough the attraction can grow. But sometimes, you just can't even go there. Even if you wish it could work out, you can't force yourself to be with someone who you have zero attraction to. On a scale from 1 to 10, if the attraction is a 6 or 7, it may grow if they are the most amazing person. If it's at a 2, it's pretty hard. I've tried once, it ends horribly. Now that is awkwardness. 

I want someone who has both. Sometimes I wish I could combine people. A lot of times I'd like to be back together with the last guy I was with, who I loved deeply. He was everything I wanted. I was attracted to him, but not in a way where it's so overpowering that you're self conscious. We had deep conversations but we were able to sit in silence without any awkwardness,  just enjoying each other's company. I wanted to be with him physically, but I also wanted to hear what he had to say about life. If he wanted to be with me, I would have done the long distance thing when I moved to another state. Unfortunately, it ended before that.

Being in love  can make life so much more fulfilling and interesting. And sometimes it just helps to pass the time pleasantly. Being in a relationship with the right person allows you to be totally comfortable and completely yourself. You could be locked in a room with them for 72 hours straight and never get bored. I miss it. I miss him. 

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Makeup: How much is too much?


I know what you're thinking...you can never have enough makeup! But really, when it gets to the point that you use a product once every two months, not because you don't like it, but because you have so many products that you almost forget you have it, then it's a bit much.


The thing is, why spend so much money and effort buying new makeup all the time if you don't actually use it? Except, when you see something pretty and shiny and new it's like "Who cares if I don't need it...and even if i might not use it that much...look at it! It'll make me feel happy!...for 2 seconds." I know I do that. And then I get something, and try it out, and if I don't like it gets cast aside and I'm disappointed and the excitement goes away.  I realized I wasted money on something useless. Even if I do like it, I might not wear it that much because I'm having a lazy week or I'm not going anywhere or I'm using something else.

If you think about it...one doesn't actually need any makeup at all. But if it's art and expression and fun for you, then you want it. But having 20 lipsticks (myself included..and in bright colors I got just to try out but don't really wear) means that you might wear each color once a month. Or more likely, you'll just stick with a color you like and the rest of them will be forgotten. And then they'll get old and you'll never have used it.

The reason for this post is because is when I moved I thought I couldn't bring all my makeup. When it's a choice between dishes and sheets or makeup, hopefully one would choose makeup.  When I was sorting through and picking out the stuff that I would use the most and would be the best use of space, I felt sad to leave it behind because of the time and money that took to create that collection.

But then I felt relieved. Because it wouldn't take up a ridiculous amount of space and I would actually get good use out of the products. I had the idea that if you just have a few things that you really like then you can alternate them back and forth and actually get good use out of them. When you run out of one or want to try a new color you'll be able to appreciate it because you'll actually be using it. 

On the opposite side,when you're deciding which out of the million to choose to wear nothing is really special. Or maybe you'll have those couple that you alternate between and the others were just impulse buys that just sit there. It's retail therapy if buying something one day and buying something else the next just for the sake of buying and having  a little thrill, while a day later it's buried in the drawer never to be used after that first try-out application.

For me it kind of seems like the less there is in the collection, the more appreciative I am of what I have, because I'm actually able to use the things more. You can say that you have a giant collection and still use your makeup, but if you have 1000 eyeshadows it's not possible to use every one all the time.  No matter if you have enough things to fill up an entire room, there will always be something you don't have, and if you're buying for a pyschological reason like you feel sad or you think material objects will fill a gap, then it will never be enough.

The reason I write this is because I find that sometimes when I buy things or look at my collection I feel guilty. I think, money could have gone for necessities (though I've never bought things in place of necessities). I think, I bought yet another color I don't need and will use twice. I worried that if people saw all the makeup I had while moving in, they would think I had too much or I'm spoiled or shallow, even though I've bought things before and it was never enough because s0-and-so bought more, or so-and-so got the whole collection. The point is, if after the residual excitement of a buy wears off, if you feel guilty or like it's never enough
then it's time to lay off.

So my advice would be to buy things you actually like and want to try, not because someone else wore it or it's a trend. If you genuinely like it though, then go for it of course. But if so-and-so-prettiest-girl-ever used this new lipgloss and liked it and you don't have the money for it, you don't need to feel bad that you don't have it! Because when you get it you'll be excited for a second, untill the next new thing comes out and then you feel like you have to get that too. It's about spending within your means on things you want. And will actually use.

To be worthy of buying it should either do something different or be different in some way than what you already have. Unless you want 25 of the same black eyeshadow or pink lipgloss to clutter your space, then go ahead.

When I first wrote this, I still had that pull of wanting to the drugstore and getting that new lipstick because it looks pretty and it could brighten my day just a bit.It came with the territory of following about 500 beauty blogs, I suppose. So just try to do what makes you feel the best. Experiment with walking by that annoying sales lady one day, and letting her talk you into buying a random product another day. You'll know what to do next time based on how you feel.

I ended up being able to  bring all my makeup here. No one said I had to much or has even noticed. But since being here, I haven't used all that much. Now that I have an actual life with friends and things to do and places to go, I'm not spending 5 hours a day on beauty blogs doing research. When I see an article about something new I pretty much skip it now because getting it would just mean an extra trip somewhere to buy something I don't need. I have morning classes and usually all I'm up for is some foundation and mascara. I might do a full face or makeup a couple days a week, but definitely not every day. I'd rather spend that half hour hanging out with my friends than applying a mask of a million products. I'll just do it when I feel like it and it would be fun. Before I was obsessed with it and the study of it because I didn't have anything else to do.

It doesn't mean I won't walk into a Nordstroms and feel like I'm in a candy store, but the change in my life really has me reevaluating my interests. I still love makeup and beauty and am studying fashion marketing, but it's so much more important to focus on friends and fun and school work and life. That's just me though. It would be really cool to work in the beauty industry because I would be getting paid for something I enjoy. But it's not something I'm going to waste too much money on or time thinking about what I could collect just for the sake of having, when that reflects boredom and a need for retail therapy rather than being able buy something when you'll actually use it. And I'm not quite sure if spending 20 bucks on a lipstick just to swatch it once online really counts. 

Thursday, May 21, 2009

What To Do..?

I'm pretty exhausted so this probably won't be the best quality, but I have that nervous sick feeling where you need to get your thoughts outside of you.

I'm having conflicting feelings about this guy. There are plenty of red flags that literally say "Stay the hell away and create strong boundaries even for a friendship." He's not dangerous or anything, he's the sweetest guy, but he's just...complicated, to say the least. But I love spending time with him. I don't think he's particularly gorgeous, but we have so much fun. We talk and laugh and do things and see things. 

 I have the logical part of my head that tells me to stay away from the "more than friend" thoughts, because he's still a new-ish friend, and it would be a bad idea to ruin something that could end up being a long lasting friendship. I really don't want to make the same mistakes I made in the past where I ended up dating people and crossing that line that shouldn't have been crossed.

And then there's those damn feelings. If he talks or hangs out with  another girl, I get that feeling in the pit of my stomach that wants to reject what he's saying and ask, "What about me?" I want to be the one that he's paying attention to. When I am that one, I'm happy. If I get that all day, I'm happy. At the end of the day if his friend wants to take him aside to have a conversation, I have that instant jealousy instinct and then I get sad. 

I need to not get attached. I need to be independent. Maybe I don't even like him in that way and it's just that I'm looking for someone to hold onto in a new place. Or maybe I just don't know where to create the boundaries, and talking about sex and not having it for a while makes it something that's more prominent in my mind. But I am not even sexually attracted, more emotionally. Or, they say for girls words are porn; it's sort of like that.

I'm confused. I just want to spend time with him, but when I look at him I couldn't really imagine being physical with him. But I hate that right now he's out hanging out with another girl. Even though it's his friend.  It makes me want to cry.

Whenever I decide I will not think of him in that way and not get so attached so soon, the thoughts creep back into my head. I know if something happened it probably wouldn't be for the best. I know that in the past when I had warning thoughts, or even small reasons that should have kept me away, I always went for it anyway, and always feel that if I would have listened to myself I could have avoided bad situations. So that's what I should do. I should actually learn from my past, and just enjoy the time we spend together. And try not to care who he talks to or what he does, and maybe to spend so much alone time together. 

All of this stuff can be way too complicated. Maybe when it's actually right, it won't be that way. It's natural to want a relationship, I suppose, though. And have feelings like that. So I just need to relax and see how it goes. 

Monday, May 18, 2009

How Soon is Too Soon?

I've been reading Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey. While he makes many good points in his book, something he says should be a rule in relationships got me thinking. It is called the 90 Day Rule. This completely throws out the "Should I have sex on the first date?" question by saying that once you start dating someone you shouldn't have sex for 90 days, which is about 3 months.

I totally get this. In a perfect world, it's good advice that everyone could follow. It would mean that people would sort through a lot more of the bad relationships before giving up that part of yourself, which can cause intense feelings and more drama. Is it realistic for everyone though? No. For someone who's waiting till marriage, no big deal. It would actually be way too short. Some might think it's a good idea to wait 6 months, or untill you're absolutely sure they'll be around for very long time.

For many sexually active women today, they would say no way in hell. They might wait 5 dates or one or a couple months or whatever. But if they were forced to wait 3 months some would definitely be trying to get a little somethin on the side, depending on the person. So instead you're supposed to actually date. Go places. Have fun outside of the bedroom. Meet the family. 

But I would say the rule doesn't apply to everyone because some people aren't looking for a relationship either. If a girl is looking for a one night stand or someone to just mess around with (realizing there is the risk of losing some self esteem or facing complications aka "I love the guy who's using me for sex" or vice versa, or an STD), then she wouldn't need to wait that long figuring out all the details of his life.

For me I learned that I have to get to know them enough to trust them, and date them long enough to know that they'll be around for a while. I mean it's an intimate, special thing. If you don't know them that well, it's invasive. That's your insides for god sakes. There's your health at risk. But I know in the past there were times I definitely didn't wait 3 months. Or one.  And when I look back on that I think jumped into some things really quick, but with some I still ended up having long rleationships after. But sometimes that can turn into an unhealthy relationship if it started because of pure lust, rather than waiting to take that step and getting to know them. And possibly realizing you just don't like them that much. 

Another situation where the rule doesn't fit into is if you've been friends with someone forever. If you've known them for say, 6 months or a year as friends, but only decided recently that you wanted to take it to that next level, then even the first date could be the right time to step it up physically. It's not like you don't know them. You might know already that you can trust them and they're a great person. In my experience it is a good idea to take some time to see if you're compatible romantically before you jump right into bed with someone who was "just a friend" in the past. Cause if it ends up not feeling right...can you say "awkward?"

It really depends on what you're looking for and how you want to be treated. I think you have to stop for a second and think about the aftereffects though, because something that feels good in the moment might not turn out to be the best for you. You have to ask yourself:


♦Will this be worth it if it doesn't work out?


♦Will I look back on this and regret it?


♦How long are they going to be around and how long do I want them around?


♦Do I know them well enough, or does it not matter?


♦Am I willing to share this part of myself with this person?


♦And will I deal with the repercussions if there are any?


What do you think?

: )

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Wow...

Okay, so I am here in a different state, starting at a new college. There's things I love here, and things I don't. 

I've been here just over a week and I've already made great friends. People here are really nice. That said, being here in a big city, you have to be careful. No matter what you wear, guys will yell things at you. Homeless guys will say "Hey gorgeous, spare change?" and guys will come up to you and go "Damn, how you doin?" 

I actually had this really scary situation happen to me where I was inside a restaurant and this crazy guy came up super close to me saying nonsense about 2 inches away from me. That freaked me out. The owner had to literally push him out of the restaurant, screaming "Fuck you, get the fuck out." So...that was the downside of my time here. And strangely, other people say they haven't had any problems other than homeless people asking for change.  And that situation was horrible. Someone invading your space who will not leave even if you physically push them. Being a girl/woman automatically has you fear for your safety more than guys do and situations like that scare the shit out of you.

But, besides that, it's been fun. In this city everything is close either by walking distance or public transportation. It's also really green here, so even though you have the city, the streets are lined with trees and 10 min outside the city there's forest. 

Another thing that I have to get used to is relying on myself for food. Either going to the grocery store or picking it up or making it, and I am so not a chef. But I am hypoglycemic so I NEED to eat every few hours, and need to eat protein, otherwise I will be really weak and feel sick. But when I get stressed, it's hard for me to eat, so sometimes I can't eat, and then I feel more sick, and it's a vicious circle. I'm used to family being there for me to help cook or pick up something or go out to lunch with. Actually tonight I made food with friends, so that's a good strategy.

And, there's two close guy friends I've made, and a girl friend.My school is an art/design school...so lets just say it's filled with artists/nerds/computer geniuses, and then people like me who are studying fashion. It's a pretty funny mix. Right off the bat you can tell if someone's major is Graphic Design or Animation versus Fashion Design or Marketing. So these guys are into computers, film, art, etc...are tall and skinny, and when you see them you definitely wouldn't think "OMG THEY'RE SO HOT!"

But they are SO nice. And funny. And really there for me so far. And I have trouble between being able to differentiate if someone should be a friend or not. Because I like to be close to people. But, it would be a horrible idea to date someone in your dorm (in case you break up), and  I wouldn't want to ruin any friendships. Plus I kind of like both of them...haha. But one has a girlfriend. Plus, I miss the other guy. Whenever I hear songs, I think of him. I still hate him for ruining something amazing. So no matter what, I have to remember that I have to restrain myself from anything untill I am completely over that.

I probably won't be writing about too much makeup anymore, because I don't really have the time to upload a bunch of pictures anymore. So I might go back and delete those and make this a personal blog/journal, or create a new one. I'm not sure...what do you think?

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

The Phone Call...

It sucks when, two days before you're moving to a different state, your ex calls you up because he wants to see you. Even though you haven't talked in over in month, and if you weren't leaving, it wouldn't have made a difference and he wouldn't want to see you. The games people play. It would be a nice gesture, but he knows how emotional I am; our break-up conversation was like 3 hours long of me crying hysterically, so...it's really not fair. I'm not going to see him because I can't afford to get all emotially messed up before I travel and have to change my whole life. But talking to him did that enough for me because the wound is still fresh, I loved him more than anyone, he understood me more than anyone, I thought we had a future together. I still have that part of me that hates him for ruining a good thing and thinks that we could have made it through, and untill that part of me is gone, any "reunion" will just be a big crying mess for me. It's only been a month and that's too soon for me be friends and pretend like nothing ever happened.

I've been fine this whole time about leaving, but then I went to sleep after talking to him and had this weird dream about telling all of my friends good bye and for some reason it made me feel strangely. I can't explain it better, other than this dream just made me feel doubtful because I'm saying goodbye to people I love. Which is true, but that doesn't change the fact that we've grown so much apart that they wouldn't have noticed me being gone if I didn't tell them. They have their lives and I have mine and for so long they haven't been intertwined. But, there's that part of me that wished I could have maintained a good relationship with them, that I stuck it out at a school I hated so that I could still be apart of the group and be graduating with them and see them everyday so I wasn't just cast aside (I graduated early from a different school).

But it hasn't happened that way. I had the courage to do the right thing for me, and again that's what I'm doing. To say goodbye to what doesn't work and be open to new opportunities and experiences that will be good for me. I'm just scared to tell my old friends tomorrow, maybe they'll be mad and feel like I'm abandoning them a second time? But real abondonment is forgetting about someone just because they make a change in their life that means they won't get to see you everyday. You don't forget your true friends. And they basically did that. Maybe they think I did that to them. Maybe no one will care that I'm leaving.

I have to tell them so last minute because the entire thing was so last minute. I've been good and ready untill an hour ago when I had this weird feeling, but I guess that's to be expected after I talked to the person I loved who isn't in my life anymore. It doesn't change the fact that my entire material life is on a truck up north ready to be delivered to my new place, so I have no choice anyway. And that's for the best. I think it's going to be the right thing for me, and even if it turns out it's not yet the right fit, it will help me continue to find the right fit and I will have experienced and learned something new. That's basically what life is; using what didn't work to figure out what will work by taking with you what you learned along the way.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Makeup: Victoria's Secret Lipgloss

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss. $7 each, 2 for $12, 6 for $25, at least for now. Looks good on, and a great price for something similar to something another company might sell for more money. I also like their eyeshadows and lipsticks. I wouldn't get too many because they look pretty similar on because of the sheerness. Some of them have a little sparkle if you like Mac Dazzleglasses but don't want to spend $18 on a lipgloss. I like products packaged in tubes because you can make sure you get all the product out and it's more hygieneic.

In Honey Do and Cherry Bomb.




Eating Disorders

Most important in life is to be healthy and happy. When you have an eating disorder, you are neither. It truly takes over your life. You will not be able to stop thinking about food, your self confidence will go down the drain, and you might lose weight but most likely will just become weak and ill.

A person might develop an eating disorder because of stress, societal expectations, influence by thethe media, kids teasing them, etc, really any number or combination of things. Television practically endorses them by glorifying super skinny people, though thankfully they are also slowly letting shapely, curvy bodies into the spotlight as well. On the internet there are websites that literally do endorse them. Anorexics go to get encouragement for their fast and a congratulations when they didn't eat for 5 days, but recieve a "bad you, do better next time" when they eat a sandwich for lunch. Seriously, watch what your 13 year old does on the internet, and if you visit this kind of thing, do not get sucked in! Just because some people abuse their bodies and want to be 95 pounds and think that being skinny is the be-all end-all in life, doesn't mean that you have to do the same. You are so much more than your body, because after all, no matter what you do it will grow old and you will leave it behind.

Constant weighing/dieting/focusing on your weight fluctuations enables the disorder. You can claim to be healthy by working out and eating well, but if you weigh yourself daily and feel bad when you gain .5 pounds, you still have symptoms of a disorder. If everyone thinks you're thin and in shape but still think you need to lose weight, that's a symptom of a disorder. Because you're making everything about one thing that you want to obsess about and control; weight, instead of how you feel in yoru body.

Anorexics/Bulimics freak out about every pound. They have strangely specific goal weights like 104 or 123 and feel happy when they lost 2 pounds of waterweight but might start crying if they gained 3. They will document that their weight on Monday was 108. 2, their weight on Tuesday was 107.5, but their weight on Wednesday was 111.5. It's really like that, every pound matters to them, even though you will naturally be heavier at night than in the morning and fluctuate throughout the day/week/month. A normal normal person might actually go up and down within a ten pound range within a given month. A sick person will fluctuate when they starve and then binge, or expect to lose 10 pounds in a week by not eating a thing. If you lose 10 pounds in a week then that is most likely due to water weight, or starvation, and in which case you will instantly gain it back becuase it was lost so fast.

When people compliment someone who has a disorder on their weight, that enables the disorder as well. They will think "But so and so said I looked good, but I gained 2 pounds, so I need to lose 5." They might ask the sick person why they are thin, and the answer is diet and exercise, but also an eating disorder. Stopping eating/restricting and then bingeing/throwing up/exercising for 10 hours a day is not glamorous, it is not healthy, it is not fun, it is not a quick way to get in shape and look good. It is a quick way to screw yourself up, become obsessed, and land yourself crying in therapy for 5 years. I'm not exagerating, I'm not making fun of it, I'm serious. I know.

I referred to the person with an eating disorder as sick because they are. If the physical aspects like weight loss, weight gain, weak hair, weak teeth, weak bones, a weak immune system, etc haven't taken their toll yet, it doesn't matter becuase being sick in the head is still being sick. Depression, anxiety, and even just chronic negative thinking and low self esteem are serious issues that if ignored will persist for possibly an entire life.

You can not be cured until you stop the focus on weight. You can't become fully healthy physically and mentally if you weigh yourself 3 times a day and have the mind set that you are only okay if you eat a certain amount of calories a day and work out for 14 hours a week and fit into a certain pair of jeans.

True happiness and confidence comes from loving yourself no matter what, but loving yourself enough to be healthy and take care of yourself. It is healthy to eat balanced, nutritious food and give yourself a treat sometimes. It is not healthy to restrict calories and make yourself weak, beat yourself up if you don't work out for 3 hours daily, and then throw up when you feel fat or sad etc.

When you recover from an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia, you will probably gain weight (because you're actually taking in calories that your body needs). Maybe 10 pounds. But you will be happy for once because you can focus on other things. You will be healthy because you stop being weak or dizzy from not eating and then depressed and sick when you binge. 10 pounds is huge to someone with an eating disorder, but to someone healthy who isn't overweight, it's maybe a size up and just means you're a little curvier. I'd rather have ten extra pounds and curves than only be able to think about food all the time and have a heart attack when there are cookies around. Plus, you should want your body to be strong. Muscle is heavy...so you can want 6 pack abs but if feel bad when the number on the scale goes up a little because of muscle you gained that's just not logical.

You have to know that it's not about how many hours you exercise or how many calories you take in or even how much you weigh, or even how you look. Most important is how you feel about life and yourself. You will actually survivie if you don't exercise for a week or a month and eat some cookies. Cookies are good! Restricting them will make you want them more and turn them into a big poisonous entity that haunts you while you sleep, when it's just an inanimate object. If you get a little lazy, well, everyone does. Many anorexics can't even exercise because they're too weak. Eating disorders aren't about being too fat, they're about body image, negative feelings, depression, low self esteem, feeling helpless, wanting to have control over something, etc.

I just hope for everyone that they can be both healthy, confident, and happy. Life isn't about the way your body looks unless you make it that way. It's about having fun, learning, doing things that make you smile, feeling good, and taking care of yourself. For those with eating disorders I hope that one day you can be completely healed of it and be able to get to a point where you don't care about that number on the scale, where you can eat a piece of cake and be okay about it, and not make yourself physically and mentally sick.

If you have a problem, seek help immediately. It will be so hard to beat it on your own. You can't trust yourself because you probably have an unhealthy thought pattern by now. Plus, you got yourself into this mess in the first place, for whatever reason. You might not want to sit with a therapist and whine about your problems, but if you need help then you need help. It is brave to admit it. It is okay to go to therapy for 2 months or 2 years and then stop when you have the tools to help yourself , but you need a professional to at least show you how to change your negative thought process to a healthy one. You're only alone if you make it that way.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

My Kitty

Meet my kitty. Her name is Kitty. I've had her for 7 years now. She stayed pretty small, but is very fluffy. She scratches on the furniture, chews on plastic bags and then throws them up, and wakes me up by scratching on my matress, but I love her anyway. She likes to sit on my lap while I'm typing, lay on my tummy while I read a book in bed, and sit beside me while I watch TV or do my work.



Unfortunately, she has to stay with my mom because I'm moving into a dorm. A pet can be like a friend that's always there for you...except they don't talk. Which is better sometimes. Ha. I'm going to miss her.

: (

Just a quick random post, I'm getting all my stuff together to move. To a new city. Where I don't know my way around. Alone. It'll definitely be something to get used to but hopefully I'll learn a lot, further my education, make friends, and be happy there.

Makeup Look: Green eye/Sheer coral lip





Here I:

Applied a medium green shadow (Urban Decay's Green Goddess) to the whole lid
Smoked it out slightly by adding some black (Urban Decay Zero) in the crease
Brightened it up a bit by adding a bright green shadow to the middle of the lid, the area above the iris (Urban Decay Graffiti)
Used a frosty browbone highlight color (Mac's Frost pigment)

I paired it with a sheer coral lipstick (Urban Decay's Indecent). This lipstick is moisturizing, but for how sheer it is, I wouldn't recommend paying the $22 for it. It basically just gives a little shine and a tiny bit of color which you can get from any cheap brand, but I wanted to try out .


: )

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Makeup: NYX Round Lipsticks

Because of the price (like $2, but depends where you get them) I got a ton of NYX Round Lipsticks. I would recommend getting these if you want to try out different colors without spending a ton of money. You could try out 11 of these for one NARs or Urban Decay lipstick.

I do have to say that the matte lipsticks can be a little drying on the lips, not very long lasting, and definitely accentuate the lines (on me at least...some people love them), except for the red one (Chaos). They do carry gorgeous reds. The frosty and shimmery colors are more moisturizing and last for a while, but don't expect them to last all day (none really do anyway). You can always get these just to see how a color looks on you and then purchase a similar color from a higher end brand. I'd do that more for mattes because sheer lipsticks of any brand seem to wear pretty similar, but it's harder to find a moisturizing matte lipstick.

In order:

frosted flakes, ceto, cinnamon sugar, cream, summerlove, vitamin.


And these:


watermelon, narcissus, strawberry milk, harmonica, chaos




: )

Nails: Acrylics vs Press Ons

Acrylics:
♦Last a long time
♦Have to go back for a fill after a week or two or the growth looks weird
♦Done by a professional
♦ Have to go to the salon to get them done (30 min-1 hour)
♦Have to pay the salon price ($20-50)
♦If you have sensitive nails it can hurt when they file them down
♦Different colors/designs
♦Hard to take off by yourself
♦Usually painful to take off regardless of if you go to the salon to do it
♦To have the removal process be pain free you would probably have to soak them in acetone for an hour
♦Damages your nail, either slightly or severely (makes them weak, leaves weird indentatoins)

Press Ons (with glue, not strip):
♦Can get these at any drugstore
♦Can do them yourself
♦Looks like salon nails
♦Much cheaper (around $8 usually)
♦Lasts a long time
♦No nail damage
♦Can take off quickly and pain-free by soaking in acetone for a minute or less and poking underneath with a nail tool (they pop right off)



These are press-ons. I definitely prefer them to acrylics. Cheap, easy to apply and take off, and
they have the same look as acrylics without damaging your nail, having to go into the salon, and spending the extra money.

Some people don't like them because they get air bubbles. I don't get bad ones, I just apply the glue directly onto the nail and press for a few seconds. If I get a tiny air bubble, it's barely noticable and still worth paying so much less without damaging the nail. Plus, most likely no one is going to be staring at them that hard. You might get some glue on your skin, but it rubs off usually within an hour. Just try not to get glue on the finger you press down on the nails with or it will take them off if the glue is still wet.

I wore these on my birthday, and painted a silver line above the white part with my nail art polish (the kind with the really thin brush). They can actually end up looking better than this; I accidentally got the wrong kind and had to file it down to fit my nail better. But for $8 and ten minutes I think it's a pretty good job. Just hold your nail up to the package to see if you get a good fit. They make them with longer or smaller nail beds, different sized and shaped tips, and even in different colors and with different designs, etc.

If you get sick of them after a few days you can take them right off without feeling bad that you spent a ton of money on them. You don't have to bite at them and rip them off painfully untill they come off tiny piece by tiny piece.

For the money and look they're so worth it, especially because you won't have to wait 3 months for the indented line on your nail from the acrylics to grow out! Or for them to get back to normal after being filed paper-thin at the salon. A lot of people don't even think of trying them, but they're definitely worth at least a try.

: )