Shows: Taking the Stage!

Taking The Stage (On MTV) is probably my favorite show right now. Whenever I watch it, it puts a smile on my face because of a cool dance performance or a cute relationship, and then I'll cry too because someone will break up (I don't care who it is, it makes me sad because I know how much breakups suck!) or because a song someone sings is really beautiful. Now, Gossip Girl is usually at the top of my list, but in my opinion it's been lacking a little. And by the 12th or whatever season of America's Next Top Model it doesn't even keep my interest when I have nothing to do. Scrubs is hilarious and another one of my favorite shows, but in the 8th season I think the writers are running out of ideas, plus doing strange things with the characters. I still watch Gossip Girl and Scrubs faithfully, but look the most forward to Taking the Stage.

This show isn't one of those "reality" shows about spoiled rich bitches who have nothing better to do than go to a club and start drama or complain about their so called "problems" (You know who I'm talking about!). Rather, it's about people that seem so genuine, like you would want to befriend them, who deal with the everyday issues just like us. Sure, they are all extremely talented. But for me it's not something I watch and think "Those people are so annoying and bratty." I really admire them for the courage and dedication they have to practice what they love and go after their dreams. I"ll admit, I am a little jealous of people who have danced since forever and can do amazing things with their super flexible bodies (while I feel like it's almost too late for me because I'm not one of those people who have taken dancing lessons for 15 years!--ridiculous, but sometimes a little true with things like ballet--for a beginning class you would probably have to take it with 3 year olds).

I love the friendships, I love the relationships, I love watching people sing and dance inbetween. I love that the show portrays a gay couple as what they are; a real couple going through all the ups and downs that any other couple does. No one considers them "weird" or "bad" and it's not a big deal that they're two guys; it's just what it is, love.

Tonight Tyler finally broke up with Jasmine and actually cried (aww!), but seeing that it seemed that they didn't get along the entire time they were together it's probably for the best (plus he cheated on her..hello?!). Even though it was super cute at the beginning when they met and were teaching each other dance moves.

Mia finally got over Tyler...so she says...after having this screaming match. I actually think their fight was sexy. Is that weird? Because you could tell it wasn't out of hating each other or jealousy or any of that bad stuff it was because they want to be together but couldn't at the time. You know, one of those passionate arguments that are supposed to end with a make out session? Of course Tyler shouldn't just go running to her right after the breakup though, but I bet they would be good together. But, it doesn't matter, because Mia is "over him." And when she was singing "Heartless," you know who it was about.

Mia might give her best-guy-friend-who's-always-been-there-for-her a chance. So basically she'll have to choose between the two stereotypes: the "bad" boy who is interesting to her, but might not be good for her because if he cheated on one girl, who's to say he won't cheat on her? Or, or the "best friend" who loves her and is perfect, but maybe isn't more than a friend and if they get together it could ruin the friendship (been there, done that! it's all good..untill it's over and you lose your best friend!)

So even though Mia's supposedly done with Tyler, you know she'll probably go after him once she finds out he's single (and probably annoy the crap out of Aaron, the best guy friend). So will that be all fun and games, or will she realize he's kind of a player? Will she give Aaron a chance? We'll see.

: )

Makeup Look: Glitter Liner

I love glitter eye liner. It can make any look more interesting with either a lot or a little sparkle, and because the glitter is in the liner you don't have to worry about it getting all over the place.

For a more intense "look at me" look, you could use glitter liner to create something like this:


Or for a more natural, "normal" look with just a bit of sparkle, you could go for something like this:
On the first look I:
♥Created a cat eye with a slight wing with black pencil liner and lined around the entire I
♥Then added blue glitter liner on the top (Mac's Peacocky)

And on the second eye, I:
♥ Applied a nuetral golden color on the whole lid (Mac's Honeylove shadow)
♥Lined the top lash line with gel liner (Mac's fluidline) and put a gold glitter liner on top of that (Too Faced's Stalkerazzi)

Tips and tricks:
♥I like to apply black liner first becuase it will make the glitter stand out more.
♥You can also apply glitter liner over eyeshadow to look like glittery eyeshadow, but make sure you have a base that sticks on really well (even something like Mac's Fluidline) because otherwise the liquid can rub off the shadow.

A bright pink ligloss would compliment either one of the eye looks.

♥This one is NYX's Round Lipgloss in Doll Pink

Thanks for Reading.

: )

Makeup Look: Violet/Turqoise Eye

To do this look, I:

♥Applied a violet shadow (Mac's Creme de Violet) on the inner eye, about 1/3 of the way in.

♥On the other 2/3rds of the way out, I applied a turqoise color (Mac's Aquidisiac).

♥On the crease, I applied a dark smoky blue (Mac's Contrast).

♥I used a felt tip liquid liner (Maybelline's) and winged it out slightly, lined the bottom lash line with a pencil liner, and added mascara.

Pretty simple.

To match the violet on the eyes you can finish the look with some lavender lipstick if you want.

Above is Mac's Lavender Whip in the Creemsheen formula. Mac comes out with bright unique lip colors that go on smoothly and aren't too much money compared to other high end lines.

Below is what I used.

: )

My Rules for Breakups

Rules are never 100% applicable to everyone, , I'd say these are pretty good ideas to follow for after a breakup.

♥Cut off all contact for at least a few months if not permanently. You need time to think for yourself without their influence. Delete their number from your phone (sucks when you have it memorized though!), don't show up randomly at their house or places they usually go (stalker alert), and even delete them from Facebook/Myspace etc. You want to resist the urge to check up on them, because once you see they're out partying or have a new girlfriend, you'll feel bad. So why not avoid that if you can?

♥If you absolutely have to see him (school, work, kids, etc), don't be mean to him but don't go out of your way to see what he's up to. If you have to speak to him, be courteous but keep it to a minimum. If you pass him on the street/in the office etc say a "hello" and be on your way. You don't want to get sucked into the emotional drama roller coaster when the feelings are still fresh. If you throw out that "How are you, what's up?" rope, do you really want to know who he's hanging out with, what he's doing? You might think you do, but if you get an answer you don't like it will just upset you more. Don't fuel the drama!

♥Give yourself time to cry and cry and cry (and eat as many doughnuts as possible in short periods of time) and mourn the loss so that you can sort through your feelings. Then, once that stage is over, let the sadness come and go when it needs to, but allow yourself let that sadness pass so that you can feel good again. And then lay off the doughnuts and get your hot ass in to shape so you can feel confident for yourself because...

♥Food, alcohol, drugs, meaningless sex, etc will only mask your feelings temporarily. To heal them you have to actually face them and then let them go.


♥If it's over then it's over; if it ended once it'll end twice; don't sleep with the ex! Sleeping with him won't bring the relationship back, but it will bring the pain back. Even if you're on a "break" or you think you might get back together in the future, take time completely away from them to figure out what you want and need. Don't blurr the lines of ex/friend/friend with benefits unlesss you want to deal with that drama and hurt feelings.


♥Give yourself plenty of me-time to relax and pursue activities that are healthy for you. Take up exercise or engage in a creative outlet. Try pursuing something that you always wanted to try but neglected because you put so much energy into the other person.


♥Talking about it at first is healthy; complaing about him for months is not. Your friends can only hear his name so many times before they will want to strangle you. Plus, they probably won't completely get the situation anyway and then you'll end up feeling even worse because "they just don't understand." Gossiping about it and having that empowering girlfriend talk where all your friends go "Screw that bastard, he was lucky to have you and is a useless piece of shit anyway" is fun at first, but eventually it'll just make you feel more pathetic for dwelling on it. Because of he's so useless, you don't need to talk about him or even let a thought the memory of him pollute your happiness.

♥Eventually you have to just let it go. No matter how you feel in a given moment, life will go on and change. Things will get better. And then worse for a little bit. And then much better again


♥Only get into the next relationship not only when you're over your ex, but when you're ready for one. You have to be in a healthy place mentally for a relationship to work out becuase no matter how much we would like them to, no one else can ever "fix" your issues. And never get with someone to get over someone else; it never works, it just gets more confusing! Wait at the shortest a few months, but 6 months to 1 year or more is much safer.

♥Know that while you may have loved him, enjoyed your time with him, or even depended on him for everything etc, you are your own person and you will be okay on your own. It's something that you need to learn to really be confident about yourself, to be independent, and to really appreciate when someone good and worth it comes into your life.

Thanks for Reading

: )

Makeup Look: Bronze Eyes, Red Lips

Bronzey-gold shadow is my go-to color. It's so versatile because it can be subtle enough for a conservative work environment, but you can also glam it up for any occasion. It also looks great on most skin tones, in my opinion, though you have to watch out for orangey-ness in some shadows if you don't like that.

♥Here I applied the lighter golden color all over the lid (Mac's Gold Mode pigment, applied the darker brown pigment in the outer corner and lightly in the outer crease (Mac's gold stroke pigment), and put the frosty white pigment (Mac's Frost pigment) on the browbone and in the inner corner of the eye. I also added a touch of black eyeshadow in the outer corner (I used Stila's). I used the pigments with a mixing medium though you don't need to. These particular pigments all have shimmer to them.

These pigments were included in the holiday pigment set, which is a great value. Individually they're about $20 and include a huge amountm but it's pricey for one color you probably won't use up, so I would recommend getting the holiday sets (I think somewhere in the 40s for 5) or getting samples because you won't have to use much anyway.The powders are very, well, pigmented. I love Frost because you can use it as a lid color, a browbone highlight color, a cheek bone highlight color, or on top of other shadows to give them a little glimmer.

♥ Finish the eye with some mascara (I used L'oreal Telescopic), any black liquid liner on the top lash line, and any black pencil liner on the bottom lash line.

♥You can do anything you want with the lipcolor. For a glammed up look, try bright red lips.

♥ Above is NYX's round lipstick in Chaos.

♥This is what I used:

Thanks for checking out this look.

♥

Shows: The Hills and Their Geniuses.."Fornification" and "Putting That Down Like a Dead Dog"

Because I have such a busy, interesting life right now, I also watched the Hills. And I have a few questions for you. A few of them I even answer myself.



♥ Don't you like how these people have the money to just decide at the last minute that they feel like going to Hawaii to stalk their friends? Similarly...just showing up on someone else's vacation uninvited? At their hotel?


♥When Spencer and Heidi have this awkard and hilarious dinner with Heidi's ex and his girlfriend, she says something like "Oh Heidi you look so different than in the picture I saw. Like a different person!" Heidi stares at her and goes..."Oh should we order drinks?" Why didn't she just confidently reply "Yeah it's either the new boobs, nose, lips, or weave"?


















♥ Stephanie's suggests that maybe Audrina should hook up with Brody so she can get Justin back? Good reasoning girl, good reasoning. Good for the self esteem. And for avoiding drama. Cause no one on this show likes drama.

♥Spencer informs Heidi's ex Colby (who is waiting untill marriage) that if there was an earthquake and he died...in the earthquake?...he would die a virgin. And that if Spencer was still a virgin he would be so bored and wouldn't know what to do with himself. He then asks that if the dude dies in the aforementioned earthquake, would he be able to have sex once he got to heaven? I too, would like to know.

♥Did Heidi's ex's girlfriend (waiting till marriage cause the bible says so) really say that sex is called "fornification" in the bible ( meaning "fornication") while reading the actual bible..right in front of her? Why yes, yes she did. Maybe they should have taught her just a little bit more about "fornification?" And, giving his full attention as usual, Spencer showed his respect during the bible reading by texting the whole time.

♥Who is more mature, a 13 year old boy or Brody Jenner and his friends discussing who is getting "laid" while putting Hawaiian leis on each other?

♥ Gosh, this is so romantic. Wouldn't you just jump right into bed with someone who gave you this proposal (or whatever it was, maybe a declaration?) : "If we decided, one night, when nobody's around, late at night ... feelings are feelings?" Well, Audrina did.

♥How many times on this show can they show back and forth takes of people with these er..meaningful and intense stares that seem to just bore into one's sole? Or maybe just at someone's shoes (editing).

♥Referring to Audrina practically laying herself on a platter, Brody's friend goes "I would've put that down like a sick dog." Really??? Classy. Not sure what to think about someone who compares sex to euthanasia. But the best part is that when Brody confesses to cheating, his friends, well, they clap. Even more classy.

♥ And finally, did Audrina actually compare Jayde coming after her for sleeping with her boyfriend to "starting a war?" War. As in..you know, Iraq? Or say, WWII with the Nazis. Hmm..good metaphor.

Too harsh?

Thanks for reading anyway.
♥

Shows: Tonight's Gossip Girl

On the latest episode of Gossip Girl we found out Gabriel is up to something with Poppy. I have to say I'm not that interested. More importantly:


♥Serena wears this outfit where it looks like she forgot her jacket. And maybe her shirt. It's kinda like a bustier, but with a high waisted skirt (unfortunately I can't find a pic of it yet). So there's one of Georgina's hair.

♥I love Georgina's long hair. Serena's is now shorter and more boring. Serena kind of is boring. But I love Blair.

♥I prefer Chuck and Blair over Nate and Blair. Much more interesting.

♥Georgina got "saved." I don't even remember the whole Georgina drama. But apparently she roofied Serena? Anyone else remember?


♥Why did Serena wait to figure out if Gabriel was lying or not until after she slept with him? (And why does her mom let her sleep at a guy's house?)


♥In case anyone was wondering, the show is still not at all like the books (though I don't remember too many details from them from when I was like 14. Or 17...whatever.) From what I do remember, it's nowhere near similar. In them, Chuck is not a big character. And is gay. And has a monkey. Jenny is supposed to be this short brunette with giant boobs. Vanessa is this artsy alternative girl with a shaved head. Dan and Serena date for like a day but Dan and Vanessa date the entire time.


♥Speaking of, when are Dan and Vanessa gonna make out?


Check out Blair's red lipstick from a few episodes ago.

Thanks for Reading.

♥

Makeup Look: Sparkling Silver Eyes/Pink Lips

♥ After using my eyeshadow base I applied a silver eyeshadow (NYX's platinum silver) on the whole lid.

♥Next, I added a darker silver color in the crease (NYX's midnight) and a pearly white highlight color on the brow bone (NYX's white pearl)

♥Then for the glitter I wet my eyeshadow brush with Mac's mixing medium (or a mixture of water and glycerine), dipped it into my loose silver glitter (NYX's), and applied it heavily all over the lid.

♥After that I applied black liquid liner to my top lash line (Maybelline's), black pencil liner on my water line (Urban Decay 24/7 liner in zero), and mascara (L'oreal's Double Extend Beauty Tubes.)

♥ I did my face afterwards so that I could wipe away any excess glitter that got on my face. I applied make up forever cream concealer under my eyes, Revlon colorstay liquid foundation on my skin, and Bare Escentuals bare minerals over that where I needed a little more coverage. I used Nar's orgasm blush under my cheek bones and my white pearl eyeshadow above that to highlight my cheek bones.

♥Finally, I used a bright pink lipstick (Mac's Strayin' from the Hello Kitty collection) topped with a clear gloss (NYX's clear).

You can use any products you have. Below is what I used.

Thanks for reading. Do you like makeup looks better than product reviews?

♥

Memories

When you have a memory of a happy/happier time, does it make you smile to think about it, or does it make you sad because you may not have it anymore? "It" being what was in the memory that made it so good.

Sometimes it makes me sad when I think about a happy time, because it might be about a person in my life who's not there anymore or I might remember having such a good feeling and it seems like I won't be in that place again. Not that I won't actually ever have it again, but sometimes you feel that way.

A more optimistic person might think "Oh I'm glad I experienced that. I hope I feel like that again soon." I'd say it's hard to be optimistic 100% of the time. So then you put on a pretty lipstick or destract yourself with an episode of Gossip Girl.

♥

Nails: Frost Bite

This dark electric blue called Frostbite, by China Glaze, is an interesting color. The shade is bright yet dark at the same time, and the blue is something that isn't seen as aften as say a nude or red. You might not want dark blue nails if you're working at a conservative company or something like that, but otherwise I think it's fun to play around with different colors. People will definitely notice and compliment "louder," more unique colors more than the more common ones.

Thanks for reading.

♥

Makeup: The Concealers I Use

For me, concealer is essential. If I don't sleep my usual sleep (and I require A LOT) I get dark purple under eye circles. No amount of concealer will get rid of the fact that the bones under our eyes create a dent where our eye socket is, or that EVERYONE has tiny wrinkles under the eyes (at every age) so that when we smile both are emphasized, but if you get rid of the purple/blue/brown undereye circles that many of us have, you won't have that sickly, I-haven't-slept-in-days look. And then of course there are the blemishes/spots/acne scars/redness, etc.

If you want the most coverage, go for a cream concealer. These are harder to blend than liquid concealers, but they effectively neutralize and cover everything you need while lasting for a long time. I use Prescriptives Flawless Skin Total Protection Cream Concealer ($17) and it is probably my favorite so far.


I also use Make Up forever Camouflage Cream Palette No 1 (they come in darker colors and are $36). It has 3 concealor colors and 2 color correctors, this one has orange and green on the left, I saw a darker palette have peach and lavendar. These palettes are good if you are a make up artist, like color correctors, or need a few different colors for different parts of the face. For example, the lightest one covers up this weird scar-thing that I have, but the 3rd one from the left works best for my under eyes. I personally don't use/like color correctors that much, but the range does come in handy for me.

I haven't actually tried Mac's Cream concealers, but theirs is called Studio Finish ($16). They also have a newer one called Studio Sculpt but is a "gel" formula which some think blends easier ($17). I have, however tried their liquid Select Cover Up, which is works well and is good for if you want something lighter than cream, and it blends easier. Whenever I squeeze the tube though, a little too much always comes out so then it goes to waste. Some people don't lik sticking their fingers in pots, but with pots you can get the right amount you want, it's quicker, and plus you can use a brush (and only dip once or use a spatula if you're a make up artist).

You'll need to set it with a powder so it will last.

Thanks for reading!

♥

One of the Worst Things Ever Are..

...breakups. You give your whole self to someone, they become your best friend and so much more, and then all of a sudden they're just gone. It's almost like when someone dies; they're there all the time and then all of a sudden they disappear. If you didn't meet through school, work, etc then this can definitely happen. You could never see them again. Which is so weird. One of the most confusing things to me is how you can share so much with one person, and then two years later you might not even think of them. Or they might not think of you, but you'll think of them. It's probably worse though when they're around.

In high school I dated a guy for a year who was in my group of friends. Not only that, but he sat right in front of me in first period. Then we broke up. How do you avoid that? I had to sit for an hour behind the guy I was in love with but could never have again (even though I initiated the breakup, there's always breakup remorse, like buyer's remorse). Needless to say, I cried before second period. That guy actually said to me "After a while of us not being together and you seeing me you'll get used to it and we can be friends again." Bullshit. It never went back to normal (my fault for dating a guy in my circle of friends). I had to stop hanging around them because it hurt too much to be around him.

Anyway, a couple weeks ago the guy I had been seeing for eight months decided it would be best if we stopped seeing each other. This was a person who became my best friend and the only person I spent time with because I had grown apart from all of my other friends (not because of him). I thought he would always be there. He said he would always be there. Don't they always, though? Why do guys say things if they don't mean them? Well, once I asked an ex why he told me he loved me one day when the next he ended our relationship. He said, "because I meant it then." Right. I guess things change?

So this guy...how I loved him. Of course I still do. His reasons for not wanting to see me probably won't make any sense to anyone (they don't really to me either), so there's no point in really sharing that part. Plus, it doesn't matter because if it's over then it's over so why go over the details. Of course there's always the whole "oh hey i dropped by just to... you know...talk...and stuff" option, but ex-sex is not a good thing. In the moment yes, but in the next many moments after that you'll be in tears and whining something incoherent between guteral sobs that sounds like "But I loved him and then he left and then I thought I had him back and he said he wouldn't leave again but he did and he used me but I love him but he doesn't want me/we can't be together but I love him" etc.

So, here I am. I'm past the crying daily stage. I think that stage is actually really important, cause if you avoid it then it will sneak up on you later. But god, it sucks horribly. You cry so hard and literally feel like it might kill you. You wonder how it's possible to go on without them. This time though, I decided to not dwell on it. I've had exes that took me a year or years to get over. I don't want that. I want to be happy. So once I was past the crying daily stage (not that I'll never cry about it again) instead of reliving those weak, angry, sad, disappointed feelings over and over, I try not to think about it. Or if I have a thought, I think it and then move on. I won't dwell on it.

I thought that it was so unfair, though. I mean, how could he do this to me? We had plans and I had ideas. We spent every day together. He understood me more than anyone else. No one that I know is as similar to me as he is. When you have an actual deep understanding of each other, that creates such a deep bond (for me at least), because I had boyfriends and friends that just never got me. So when I had my crying stage, it was for the loss of the person that I depended on and shared my true feelings with. But I felt like I needed him, so that was the unhealthy part. Instead of facing my feelings and dealing with my life, I would just go be with him and use his company as protection. So the real problem was that now not only did I have to face my depression and things that I percieved as failures, but I had to do it alone.

Instead of wasting my time with going back to my old friends who I have nothing in common with anymore, trying to have rebound sex with people I don't care about, drinking, etc, I'm taking this time to build myself up. I'm writing, and that's so important. For me it's the way that I express myself and honestly..cleanses my soul. I'm actually excercising, and I hadn't for so long. When I'm with someone I tend to neglect myself. Instead of taking the time to work out to look good for my significant other like some people might, I would just spend a lot of time with him, and when I wasn't I would feel so heavy. After we had the whole "this is the end" conversation on the phone, I hung up and actually felt free for some reason. Then of course the tears started. Breakups are really some emotional roller coasters.

But now I feel alright. I'm taking me-time. I realize it's good that we're not together because I'm going to school in a different state soon, so now I don't have to worry about how that would affect us. I don't really have any attachments here, besides my parents, because I've drifted apart from most of my friends. I'm glad though, because when I go away it will be easy. I'm ready for it. I don't feel lonely or that I'm a loser (thought you might think I am, ha) because this is what I need to do. I don't feel that I need to go be around people I won't have fun with just to be "social." I have a limited amount of time to spend with my family and they are the only ones who always have and always will be there for me.

At first I felt like I had nothing, though, and was so angry that he took away the only thing that I was holding on to. But then I started creating something for myself: me again. I think people, me included, tend to go through a re-invention after breakups, which can be good. You focus on yourself and realize what you had given up or compromised because of the other person, and that one day you'll find someone who you don't need, but want, and will fit in perfectly with your life. I did think that we were perfect, but I did choose to ignore some things that, in retrespect could have been deal breakers, but other things were going so well so I ignored them.

I used to think that relationships weren't worth it because going through the pain when they end hurts to much, especially because I'm super sensitive and when I go through a breakup I take it really hard. I experience such a sense of loss. I realized though that eventually, once the hurt heals (and it will) what will remain is what that you learned. You will have learned qualities that you like in a person, and what you don't. They may not be what you expected, but once you have experiences with people you can create your checklist of what is really important to you.

Like with that old highschool boyfriend, I realized that I needed someone to really understand the way I was, and with the most recent guy I got to experience how great that can actually be. You learn about how you want to be treated, and what you won't tolerate. Once you know what you want and what you don't want you won't have to waste time with people who aren't right for you. Even if you date someone for a short period of time you can learn little things, like, say, never date your friends' exes or sleep with someone who's an ass even if they're hot.

And of course, post-breakup is usually when you look the cutest because you take extra time to look good for either the ex or the next (doing it for the next is healthier, though).

What do you think about breakups? How do you get through them?

Thanks for reading.

♥

Makeup: L'oreal Mascaras

Not only are drugstore mascaras up to 20 dollars cheaper than some department store mascaras, but I like them a better. Plus, it is recommended to throw them out after 3 months of use because of bacteria growth, so why waste the extra money on something that will probably won't make your lashes look as good anyway? At drugstores mascaras usually run under $10, around $8. Plus there are always new ones to try.

L'oreal is probably my favorite brand for mascara. I have about ten mascaras, but I use these the most. I like all of the ones I've tried by this brand. I do have pretty long lashes naturally though, so it might be easier for me than others to get mascaras to work right, but still I think these are the best. Here are the ones I have and like. First is L'oreal Voluminous. Great for lengthening and thickening, though slightly clumpy if you put on too much. Check out how it looks on my lashes below.

I also really like L'oreal Telescopic. It is more lengthening than thickening, but if you put an extra coat it can thicken more as well.

I really, really like the Double Extend Beauty Tubes. This is another one of those love/hate things, because it works differently than most mascaras, but I love it. Just check out how long I can get my lashes to look. First you apply a white base coat that both thickens and lengthens, and then the top coat that is supposed to wrap around the base and your lashes to create "tubes." It really does a great job of lengthening lashes more than just your normal length, it's not a gimmick. I also like how they come on. There's no streaking, running, or mess, because when you wash your face you just wet your fingers with warm water and gently rub your lashes between them, and it comes right out in little tube-type-things. Some people thing this is weird, some people don't like this product, I think it works great.

For me, mascara is one of those instant-pick-me-ups for my face. As soon as I put it on I notice the difference and feel prettier. If I'm having a lazy day but still want to wear a little makeup, I go for a little concealer/mineral powder and some mascara, but those few steps will still make you look well put together.

Definitely pick out one of these mascaras if you have a chance.

What are your favorite mascaras/mascara brands?

Thanks for reading.

♥

Makeup: My Top 5 Favorite Eyeshadow Brands

The following are my top 5 favorite (pressed) eyeshadow brands, in order from the cheapest to the most expensive.

First on my list is NYX. Their eyeshadows are really good quality at a good price, about 3 to 5 dollars for the singles, 5-7 for the trios, depending on where you get them. Some drugstores, beauty supplies, and random boutiques sell NYX products, but usually not a huge range, so it's a little strange. But for the price and quality it's worth getting them online if you don't have access to them. nyxcosmetics.com, cherryculture.com, and nonpareilboutique.com all sell them. I've ordered from Nonpareil Boutique, which has some of the best prices, and I got my perfectly intact products in 2 days since I live close to the mailing site. Be sure to check out real swatches of these shadows on makeup forums and sites because the "swatches" on these sites aren't true to the color.

These shadows are soft and really pigmented, comparable to MAC and high quality shadows. Some people think they can be a little powdery/chalky, but most shadows can be like this, since they are powders after all. If you pat them on with a brush it'll be fine. I think it's best to apply any eyeshadow before foundation just to be safe, so that you can wipe away any stray shadow before you start on your face. That way you don't have to keep reapplying foundation in places you have to wipe away shadow. Sorry these swatches kind of suck, but the next are much better. I didn't realize my camera would suck so bad at taking swatches!

These colors, from L to R, are Daffodil and Eggplant, and on the bottom is the trio called Lake Moss. The swatches are in the same order.

Now, to be honest (no one kill me please), MAC shadows aren't at the very top of my list. I think they are so popular because they come in a wide range of colors, the executives there have their marketing technique down with all of the new limited edition collections, gearing their products towards makeup artists (hence the name Makeup Artist Cosmetics), and being of mid-price range compared to other high end brands. They do come out with many products in unique colors that are of good quality, and it's fun when they have new collections that incorporate an interesting idea or someone widely admired in the industry. For example, I really like their range of lip products and they happen to be cheaper than other high end brands. When it comes to eyeshadow, though, I think NYX has just the same, if not better, pigmentation, are much cheaper, and also have a large selection of colors (even hard-to find ones like yellows and reds).

But, MAC is such a favorite and so widely used that I had to include my pallette. The only reason I really have this is because I got it with a few colors in the kit from the makeup course I took, so I thought I might as well fill it up. The shadows are $14.50 for the pots and $11 dollars for the refill pans below. It might end up being equal once you factor in the price of the palette. I just swatched the middle ones because the row on the right is self explanatory and the row on the left barely shows up on my skin and are pretty similar.

Colors from L to R, Top to Bottom:
carbon, contrast, greensmoke, amber lights, rice paper

brun, creme de violet, sumptuous olive, electra, naked lunch

cork, aquidisiac, juxt, honey lust, vanilla.

The weird pokes in the middle green shadow are there because at first I didn't know how to properly de-pot shadows, and the second to the left on the bottom randomly cracked today when I opened it. My favorite is honey lust, and I don't really like amber lights because it shows up super orangey on my skin tone. You can easily find a similar black to carbon for a cheaper price, and I prefer my NYX white brow highlight color (called white pearl) than any of these because it shows up better. Buy Mac products at Macy's, Nordstrom's, and free standing Mac Stores or online at maccosmetics.com.

Next is Urban Decay. These eyeshadows are super pigmented, have a nice texture, and blend very well. They are on the expensive side at $18 dollars each, but if you buy one of the palettes it will factor out to getting each shadow at a highly discounted price. The Deluxe Shadow Box below was $36. You can get Urban Decay at Sephora, Ulta, or urbandecay.com. I think these shadows are more pigmented than Mac's and blend better, though they are more expensive. But only if you buy them in singles. If you buy a palette, each color comes out to $4. Even less because it came with some eye primer.

These may have shown up the best. From L to R:

Fishnet, Honey, Ransom

Graffiti, Zero, Peace

Shag, Scratch, Underground

The Two Faced shadows are very similar to Urban Decay's, and the cheaper-in-a-palette-than-in-singles applies here too. Great quality. This palette, called Eye Shadow Insurance Policy, is $35 and comes with a full sized tube of Shadow Insurance which is Too Faced's eyeshadow primer that works really well. That on it's own is an $18 dollar value. Both Urban Decay and Too Faced have many great (and cute!) palettes available.

L to R, top to bottom:
full frontal, glamazon

socialite, boy toy

skinny dip, lucky charms

At the very high end and most expensive side of the spectrum is Chanel's shadows. These quads are so much cheaper than buying a single. A quad is about $50 (48). That's similar to buying 4 Mac shadows. But if you buy a single Chanel shadow, you're going to spend $30! Crazy. The quad below is called Beiges de Chanel and with it you can create perfect nuetral-bronze eyes.

And this next one is called Smokey eyes. I love that they come in coordinating shades, perfect for a lighter and darker lid color, a crease color, and a highlight color. Great for a sexy smoky eye with a sparkley silver twist. The shades in the top left corner have non-chunky glitter that adds just the right amount of shimmer.

Swatches of both of the quads below. Department stores carry Chanel cosmetics.

And there you have it. Hope you enjoyed it or maybe learned something. There's plenty of other brands out there though, but these are what I personally use and like the most. If you have extra cash, Nars is another good quality, highly pigmented brand, but pretty expensive. narscosmetics.com

What shadow brands do you like?

Thanks for reading.

♥

Nails: Pink Flame

I found this color at a random beauty supply store, on sale for only $3.99. I love it because is pretty but unique, because in real life it actually looks a little bit more purple-y. A lot of brands have a lot of pink colors and a lot of purple colors, but not a lot of in betweens, so I really like this.



The brand is called Color Club and the color is Pink Flame. As you can see my nails are pretty short right now. I grow them long every now and then because they grow quickly, but if one breaks I'll cut them all off cause I like them to be the same lenghth. Shorter nails are definitely easier for contact lense wearers like me, though. And safer. I also like to file them in a square shape.

Thanks for Reading.

♥

Nails: No More Issues with This Quick Drying Topcoat

Pretty nails are a great way to make your overall look seem a little bit more polished. Nails that are taken care of show that you have good hygiene, and a little color or design shows you took a little time out of your day to pamper yourself or show a little creativity.

The problem when doing nails yourself, though, is that when you're at your house you're tempted to go do things before they're all the way dry. Or you might forget about them and go do something, and then notice your work is ruined. To me it is soo annoying to take the time out of one's day to polish your nails, and then within a few minutes to an hour there are smudges, wrinkles, or chips already. And this would happen to me 9.5 out of 10 times. So I would either redo it a hundred times (I'm kind of a perfectionist) or just leave it looking crappy, only for it to chip within the next day or two. But since I am a perfectionist, once it starts to chip I feel compelled to compusively peel off the polish wherever I am, untill I can get home to remove it. So this could happen the day of or after the application.

No matter what, polish seems to chip really easy on me. Most people love China Glaze, OPI, and Essie nail polish, some even say it won't chip for a whole week, but on me, regardless of whether I use a base coat, my polish usually chips within a few days. If I don't use a base though, it peels off in a few hours. I use Seche Clear Crystal Clear Base Coat. The chipping within a few days doesn't bother me now though, because I was used to it smudging within the day, but If ound a product that helps dries nails almost instantly, so redoing my polish isn't a big deal. It just takes a few minutes.

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat will dry your polish within 10-15 minutes (not the usual 1/2 hour to an hour). Since your polish will actually be dry, and quickly, your polish won't chip or smudge within that first day of application. Have you ever left a nail salon after waiting a 1/2 hour for it to dry, and then you realize it's chipped a few hours later anyway? And you think "Great, so for it to fully dry I would have had to wait like 3 hours? And I even spent all that money to get it done. Ridiculous. I'm never doing my nails again."

But now you can do your nails while you're watching TV, or online, or whatever, then wait a few minutes and they will be completely dry and won't chip. Seriously. I'm one of those people who would always have to redo my nails or even take off all the polish and give up because they would smudge super quickly (even if I built up the patience to wait a long time for them to dry before doing anything which is especially annoying). I do my nails so much more now because the process is so much easier/quicker/less annoying. Like I said though, for me, regardless of what brand I use they tend to chip within a few days, but I really don't mind because redoing them is super quick. (To be even more efficient you can you use pure acetone to remove polish, but be careful, it's super flammable and chemical-ly).

You can purchase both the Seche products Sally's, other beauty supply stores, and Ulta. You can get acetone at both those places and at drugstores, though it usually comes in a small round tub used for removing acrylics.

Do you use a quick drying top coat? Or any at all?

Thanks for Reading.

♥

Makeup: Foundation

This post will cover my favorite foundations. Foundation will really set the "canvas" for the flawless look, to really even out skin. Foundation might not cover bad acne (although the foundations I have listed should), though it will definitely even out the skin tone, discoloration, redness, etc. If I'm in a rush or just want to enhance my face with the bare minimum, I'll use some mineral powder foundation and mascara.

Below, Revlon Colorstay "Makeup with Softflex" is my liquid foundation of choice. It runs at around $12 dollars, which, for it's quality, is a great price. Many high-end foundations run in the range of $30-$40 and might be of equal or even worse quality than this foundation. I use it when I want a lot of coverage, though you can apply a small amount or mix it with moisturizer for light coverage. I usually use about 2 layers for full coverage. I apply it with a sponge, and you can dampen it with some water if you want it to absorb less product. Personally, I don't think brushes blend foundation very well, but you should use whatever you think brings about the best result for you. This product is a good price, high quality, and has a great range of colors. You can get it at any Rite Aid, Walmart, CVS, Target, etc.

It can be tricky, though , to find the right color match without being able to test it or have someone to match you, so I would recommend either splurging once on department store foundation or getting a sample from a makeup counter and then taking it to the drugstore to match it. People rave about Makeup Forever's foundation , $40, and at a similar price Prescriptives makes foundations specifically for sensitive skin and custom blended foundation, though I haven't tried these products.

Revlon Colorstay can be compared to Mac Studio Fix Fluid liquid foundation, but I think it's even better because Mac foundations tend to break people out or can be irritating for those with sensitive skin. The packaging is even similar. Speaking of packaging, I do wish this came with a pump or in a tube, but i just turn the bottle upside down and pour some on the sponge, which works okay because I usually use a good amount. I have tried Mac Studio Sculpt foundation, which I liked at first, but then once I took pictures my skin looked like a mannequin's and it broke me out. Mac's foundations are usually $25-30$.

If you use liquid foundation you still need to set it with a powder so it will last through the day. My favorite powder/mineral foundation is Bare Minerals by Bare Escentuals. When I want a lighter feeling I use it alone, though it still gives great coverage, and went I want super full coverage I use it over the liquid foundation. It can give you full coverage on it's own with a few layers and will keep your face looking matte (non-shiny) for a long time, and is supposed to be all natural and non-irritating (you can never be 100% sure though).


The thing with this product though is people seem to either love or hate it. For some people it has completely cleared up their skin, for others it may irritate it. So you probably just need to try it out for yourself, and you can always return it if you don't like it. I apply it with a kabuki brush, an expensive one is not necessary. The small size (below is the Bare Escentuals "handy buki") is really good for when you want to concentrate it in a certain area. For application, you pat out some powder into the lid, swirl it around, and then "buff" it into your skin by brushing in circles so it really adheres to the skin. It does tend to be a little messy though, so I would recommend opening it over a paper towl/the trash etc. and before you have your outfit on so it doesn't get all over you. This runs for about $25.

If you end up putting too much on you can either spritz your face lightly or a brush (and then dab gently on your face) with either water, Mac Fix+, or a glycerine and water mixture with a few drops or up to 1/3rd part glycerine (which can be purchased at some drugstores/Walmart type places). This will get rid of the powdery look and help it adhere to your skin. Glycerine is also in Fix+, but Fix+ has some extra ingredients like cucumber extract. I don't own this because I'd rather just mix my own for a cheaper price . Fix+ is about $18. Glycerine is what is used in mixing mediums that you use to apply eyeshadows wet so that the pigment mixes together and sticks to your lid, so it's a similar premise.

Pressed Powders are great to set a liquid foundation with a lighter powder, or for light coverage on its own. It's best not to try to get heavy coverage with pressed powders because it will just look obvious and too powdery. Below is Mac Pressed Blot Powder. I recommend this over Studio Fix because Studio Fix is heavier and tends to cake easier, at least on me anyway. But it might work with a light hand.

I also like Jane Iredale's pressed mineral powder, though this is on the expensive side. It's $50. Wait...what? I don't remember spending that much. The products are good quality (the concealers are very good as well), but I'm sure drugstore pressed powders work well too (I've read good reviews about L'oreal True Match), I just don't own any at the moment. Or at least another "higher end brand" like MAC, Estee Lauder, or Prescriptives who sell their powders usually for around $25-$30.

So, my top two are Revlon Colorstay and Bare Minerals. It's important to note that products can work differently for different people and on different skin types, and that people need to test products for themselves to really see what they think. That said, I have combination skin (oily forehead, dry nose) and these products work well on both of those areas and these products are widely recommended. Although, as I said before, Bare Minerals is kind of a love/hate thing. Hope this was informative, if I decide to post pics of my whole face I'll show how each of the products look on my skin.

What foundations/powders do you like? Which have you had a bad experience with?

Thanks for reading.

♥

Politics: Republicans and Their "Tea Parties"

Okay, so it's probably not politically correct to start off this blog with a post about a political party, especially because regardless of someone's politcal views I would like them to check out my beauty tips and musings about life, but too bad. It's important and interesting and makes you go "seriously?" Maybe personal blogs should be seperate from beauty blogs? Sounds like a lot of work. I'm extremely lazy.

Anyway, last week on tax day, Conservatives/Republicans/Extremists held rallies to protest rising taxes and Obama's economic stimilus plan (because adding more money to the economy totally won't stimulate the flow of money which totally won't create more jobs and help companies get back on their feet). I'm talking thousands of people. MSNBC says 10,000 in Sacramento, CA, for example. These demonstrations are called "Tea Parties" because Republicans are likening the rise in taxes (for the wealthier) to the extremely high taxes on Tea (and other basics like stamps) that caused the Boston Tea Party in 1773.

To protest, they threw around Tea Bags, used them as accesories to hang from their clothes and hats, and in DC bought a million to dump in the park. And then realized, oops, they didn't have a permit so they had nowhere to...wait for it...Teabag. As in the verb. As in, if you don't know what that implies look it up on urbandictionary.com. And they are serious.

That's the funny part. And you heard the Republicans want to teabag Obama, and you're like, but they're against Gay Marriage? Yes, bad joke, but in any case you hear that they're "teabagging" and you laugh. But then you have to cry. Because this is the unfunny part:

(It says Barack Hussein Obama: The New Face of Hitler)
And this:




And again, you're like seriously? But not because of sexual innuendos, but because of the fact that they are comparing our President raising taxes to help the economy to someone who killed 6 million Jews and 6 million other people of different religions/ethnicies. Some of the taxpayers are probably Jews because the taxes were raised for the higher tax bracket, but they are not Jews for Obama's oven. Is anyone dying? Is a millionaire going to combust into flames because they have to pay extra so that our economy can get back on track?

Some are saying Obama is being compared to Hitler because of his stance on abortion. Even though he doesn't condone abortion and go around saying "Hey everyone abort your unborn child!" he thinks it shouldn't be illegal. So obviously he wants babies dead and therefore wants...people dead? There is a difference between extracting a fetus of a few weeks which is just a few cells, and killing a baby. Obama is not killing anyone. He is not Hitler. For someone to even compare any American President to Hitler is beyond me, is so offensive, and completely horrendous.

Hitler's nazis shot and killed my grandmother's entire family in front of her face. He killed 12 million people. Obama is trying to help the American Economy. He won't illegalize abortion. Maybe in case a 12 year old gets raped and doesn't have the means to take care of a kid or the psychological capacity to see the product of their rape every day? Maybe to protect the freedom to make one's own choices?

I'm not saying every Republican/Conservative feels this way, just extremists. And wow, they are extreme.

Sorry for getting all heavy, next post will be more fun. But I think it's important to be knowledgeable of what's going on. Thanks for reading.

If you want to read more on this topic, you can check out thehuffingtonpost.com, msnbc.com, or of course just google and search "tea parties."

Images: thehuffingtonpost.com.

♥