{Take a Stand} Online Bullying

I thought I would say a little something on my opinion on the recent online bullying dilemma.

Blogging is a way for people to share their passion with others and it is also a community where we can learn from one another. But recently, blogging has become competitive and full of cruel comments and harsh, unnecessary negativity. It is a shame that someone can be so cruel as to say such hurtful things to people when all they are doing is sharing their passion with the world. No one should ever be criticized for their words or posts and even more disappointing are the recent cruelty-based forums that exist  to specifically pick on beauty gurus on YouTube. I checked it out to do a little investigating and find out exactly how bad this problem has gotten and to be honest, it just completely sickened me. Not only were there comments making fun, criticizing and bullying these "gurus," but they actually went as low as to make fun of them based on physical attributes and the way they look. From acne scarring, to the way they talked, to hair styles. It is really unbelievable that people can be absolutely so cruel and I for one am disgusted and outraged.

I am writing this so that people can be aware of the cruelty floating among the blogging community and more importantly to spread the word to prevent future online bullying, especially with the recent teenage suicides.

We should learn from one another and share our passions and keep the community going, because it is just that: a community. A community involves respect, and I hope from writing this that more people realize how important it is to treat each other with kindness. I know this might sound a tad bit corny, but it's true. Because without kindness or respect, then why have a blog to share with the world? Why have followers, or in turn follow other blogs? Why do you follow a blog? There is no need to put down other bloggers. If you feel you won't learn anything from them or it isn't your "thing," then don't follow them, or don't read their blog. It's just that simple. There is no need to bully them or make them feel bad about themselves just because you don't care for them as a blogger or guru.

This post is not necessarily directed towards those who follow this blog, as thankfully you have all had such kind words to say, but it is merely to spread the word and to ask you to take a stand with me against online bullying in the blogging community. I recently came across the blog Em Jay & Me and she has created a lovely pledge called the "The Kind Hearted Pledge" as well as a badge that you can place on your blog to show that you have taken the pledge. So I encourage all of you to check it out and add this to your blog or Website to try and stop these unpleasant acts of cruelty.

You can click here to check out the pledge on Em Jay & Me.

Thank you.

{Face of the Day} Smokey Satin Taupe Eyes

This was from a little while ago, but I'm a big fan of this look so I figured I'd post it anyways.

 

Face of the Day

{Products Used}

FACE

MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC25

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC20 

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium

bareMinerals Well Rested Eye Brightener

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Sunny by Nature (LE Colour Craft)

MAC Blush Ombre in Ripe Peach (LE Spring Colour Forecast)

MAC Beauty Powder in Shell Pearl (LE Give Me Liberty of London)

EYES

MAC Paint Pot in Painterly

MAC Eyeshadow in Vanilla

MAC Eyeshadow in Shroom

MAC Eyeshadow in Satin Taupe

MAC Eyeshadow in Carbon

MAC Eyeshadow in Typography

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack

Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Mascara in Blackest Black

MAC Brow Pencil in Spiked

e.l.f. Wet Gloss Lash and Brow Mascara

LIPS

MAC Lipstick in Jazzed (LE In the Groove)

MAC Lipglass in Nymphette

{Tutorial} How to de-pot MAC eyeshadows

You will need:

MAC Eyeshadow (MAC)

Eyeshadow Palette (MAC, Stars Makeup Haven, e.l.f.)

Straightening Iron

Tweezers

Scissors

Small Magnets w/ sticky back (Michael's Craft Store, Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts, Stars Makeup Haven)

.......................................................

Let's begin.

Step 1: First, turn on your straightening iron and set to medium heat. Grab your MAC eyeshadow and open the lid (I'm using Sweet & Punchy eyeshadow from the limited edition To the Beach Collection, which is why the container is green, not black). Take your tweezers and using one pointy end, try and stick it in between the small crack in the front of the black plastic part (see picture below). Pry the tweezers in that small slot and try and wiggle it around slightly until the black plastic part pops out, then carefully lift out.

Step 2: Take the black plastic portion with the eyeshadow and place on top of the heated straightening iron. Let sit for a few minutes. Put aside the empty eyeshadow container; it will be used towards the end.

 Step 3: While the eyeshadow heats up, take the small magnets and cut into a circle either the same size as or smaller than the empty slots in the eyeshadow pan.

Step 4: Pick up the eyeshadow from the straightening iron with your tweezers (DO NOT USE YOUR HANDS! VERY HOT!) and check the bottom of the plastic part. There is a small dot in the center and the plastic should look slightly sunken in on the middle dot and will appear shinier due to the melting. If the center does not appear to be sunken in a bit or the middle dot is not visible, let it sit for a few minutes longer on the straightening iron.

If it is ready, pick it up and use the tip of the tweezers to poke through the center. Be very careful when lifting it up! If it is too hot to pick up with your hands, let cool for a few seconds until it is safe to touch. By poking the tweezers through the middle, the eyeshadow pan should lift away from the black plastic portion. Lift the eyeshadow pan out with your tweezers (the pan will be especially hot since it is metal, so please don't lift it out with your fingers) and place down on a paper towel to cool off eyeshadow side down. There will be melted glue on the bottom of the pan, but you can leave it on to help adhere the magnet to the pan. Also, leave the straighting iron on. There is still more heating to be done!

 Step 5: Take the empty eyeshadow container and place on the heated straightening iron. By doing this you will loosen the glue that is holding the eyeshadow label to the container. This should only take a minute or two and periodically check the bottom of the container to see if the label has lifted at all.

Step 6: Take the magnet that you cut into a circle and remove the paper backing to expose the sticky side. Stick the magnet onto the back of the metal eyeshadow pan. The leftover glue on the pan and the sticky side of the magnet should hold the two together.

Step 7: Take the eyeshadow container off the straightening iron. If the label has lifted a bit from the container or appears to have loosened up, use your tweezers to carefully and slowly remove the label from the container and place on top of the magnet that was placed on the bottom of the eyeshadow pan. The melted glue on the label will adhere it to the magnet so no extra glue is needed. If the label has not loosened up or does not appear to have lifted at all, place back on the straightening iron for another minute.

 Step 8: Now, all you have to do is pop the completed eyeshadow pan into an empty slot in your eyeshadow palette and you're all done!

Tip: Place the black plastic portion back into the eyeshadow container so that it is basically put back together. If you have six empty MAC containers you can take them to any MAC counter or free-standing store and "back-to-MAC" them for a free lipstick. MAC is technically no longer allowed to take back empty eyeshadows that no longer contain the metal pan or label, however there are a select few locations that don't check the items you take back very well, so they will count them as part of your six empties. Hint: Place all six of your empty items in a MAC plastic bag and they are less likely to notice because the bag is a bit darker and not as visible as just a clear plastic bag. You can also purchase the empty metal eyeshadow pans from places such as Stars Makeup Haven and just glue back into the eyeshadow container to make it look complete. Although, be weary because some MAC locations have caught on to this scheme. But it doesn't hurt to try! (Wow, I sound like such a con artist lol!)

 I hope this tutorial was helpful!

{Nails of the Day} OPI My Private Jet

This is hands own my new favorite nail polish. OPI's My Private Jet is an amazing color. It is a brownish-grey with lots of glitter, yet it doesn't look like you borrowed you 9-year-old sister's nail polish. Think of it as grown-up glittered polish. It's gorgeous, and the perfect shade for fall.

{Haul} More NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencils

I'm almost there! I only have five more colors to get to complete my NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil collection. Ulta had them on sale for 40% off so I figured it was a great time to pick some up. Plus I had a $3.50 off coupon! Score! Who doesn't love a great deal? I also picked up another pencil in Slate since I ruined it in the "depotting" process (tutorial will be up soon).

Now on to the swatches. . .

From left to right: Dark Brown, Slate, Yogurt, Strawberry Milk, Oyster, Lavender 

{Organizing} Kardashian's Acrylic Makeup Storage + Cheaper Alternatives

So I don't know how many of you watch "Keeping up with the Kardashians" on E! Network- it's my guilty pleasure- but in this most recent season, an acrylic makeup storage is shown in almost every episode on Kim, Kourtney, Khloe and Kris' bathroom counter. I am always searching for the perfect storage solution and I'm always re-organizing everything so every time I see this makeup storage I stare closely trying to examine it and find out how big it is, what it's made of, basically as much information I could grab from a glance and then I went on a Google hunt.

Here is a clip from the show where the storage was first shown (it is 25 seconds in if you want to fast forward):



It is the perfect makeup storage solution. Makes for easy access and you can see everything, yet it still looks great sitting on a counter. Much better then those awful, cheap plastic drawers. So after a long search I was finally able to find it, only to discover the bad news. This five-drawer clear acrylic storage "cube" is $290! Ridiculous. But possibly worth it? I have yet to decide.

*Image via Clear Cube

It is exclusively sold through a Website called The Clear Cube and this is the only product they make and sell. The five-drawer "cube" is 12" wide x 12" deep x 15" high and each drawer is about 2" deep. It has five drawers and a top compartment with a hinged lid. So technically you have 6 compartments and they are pretty large compared to most storage solutions. It really is perfect. However, a bit too pricey. Click here to check out the infamous "cube." They also ship internationally for all you lovelies outside of the US.

There are a few less expensive alternatives, and although they aren't the exact same thing, they are still pretty close and are just as great. Here are just a few I came across:

Deluxe Clear 7-Drawer Chest- $139 (Amazon)

Acrylic 10 Drawer Clear Tower Organizer- $29.19 (Amazon)

Acrylic Case 5 Drawers- $23.95 (Muji)

3-Drawer Clear Box- $9.99 (The Container Store)

{Sale} Sephora Friends & Family 20% Off Sale

Sephora Friends and Family Sale is going on now!

Enter FF2010 at checkout in the coupon code box to receive 20%  off your entire purchase.

Shipping is free when you spend $50 or more online.

(Before taxes; discount factored in.)

Sale ends November 3 and only applies to the US.

Click here to shop now.

Happy shopping!

{Review} Essence of Beauty Control Powder and Kabuki Brush

I'm starting to really love the Essence of Beauty brush collection at CVS/pharmacy. They are excellent quality and incredibly affordable. I have yet to be disappointed and the two brushes I've recently added to my collection definitely did not fall short of my expectations.

The Essence of Beauty Control Powder Brush, available for $9.99, is an angled powder brush and is very dense. It makes the perfect contouring brush because of its slanted shape and when used lightly, does a great job at blending out the powder. However, because it is so dense, you have to use a light hand, otherwise you're liable to smudge your foundation leaving you looking patchy. It isn't very fluffy so exact color placement, such as contouring in the hollows of your cheeks, works best or using it to lightly dab color where needed on the cheeks also works pretty well. I prefer to use a fluffier brush such as the MAC 168 or the Essence of Beauty angled brush (they are almost identical) to blend out any harsh lines or to soften the color after using the control powder brush. 

It also works great to apply highlight above the cheekbones or even to apply bronzer to contour the face. Overall, this is a pretty versatile brush and is worth adding to your collection. I noticed it is no longer on the CVS Website, however they may still have some available in store. But I would move quick because I believe it has been discontinued.

I also purchased the Essence of Beauty Kabuki Face Brush for $9.99. Not that I needed another kabuki brush- this is officially my fifth one- but I heard great things about this brush so I figured I'd give it a go. And although it looks like it would be rather scratchy in the packaging, it's actually incredibly soft. I love using it with my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural or MAC Blot Powder to set my foundation. 

If you're looking for a great kabuki brush, but don't want to pay a lot of money for one, give this one a try. It does shed quite a bit, but after washing it once or twice the shedding wasn't as frequent. Overall it's a good quality kabuki brush at only a fraction of the price of most other kabuki brushes. Plus, the little rhinestones on the handle are a cute touch.

Check out the Essence of Beauty brush collection at CVS/pharmacy online or click here to find a CVS closest to you. 

Betsey Johnson Tweezers for Tweezerman

How cute are these tweezers?! 

*image via Betsey Johnson

Betsey Johnson was commissioned by the beauty tool expert, Tweezerman, for their second designer series; the first was with Agatha Ruiz de la Prada.

The collection includes three designs: the Betsey Bud, Betsey Babe and Betsey Bones. The tweezers are $25 each and sold exclusively on the Betsey Johnson Website and at all Sephora locations. 

I'm a huge Betsey Johnson fan, not to mention a sucker for anything with skulls, so the Betsey Bones Tweezers are definitely at the top of my list.

Which one is your favorite?

{Look of the Day} A Glimpse of Fall

The weather is finally starting to cool down here in Southern California and I am so excited that it's boots season! Fall is my favorite time of the year and I love fall/winter wear: boots, scarves, coats, etc. So today it was about 63 degrees (Fahrenheit) , which is the coldest it has been so far. Just a glimpse of fall weather, and a perfect day to pull out my favorite boots.

Look of the Day

WEARING:

Over sized sweater- H & M

Black cotton leggings- B.P. Nordstrom

Silver large chain link necklace- H & M

Sterling silver venetian link bracelet- Tiffany & Co.

Black leather kitten heel boots- Prada

(Purchased at Off 5th for under $300; originally $1200!! Score!)

  

Face of the Day

FACE

MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC25

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC20

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light

bareMinerals Well Rested Eye Brightener

MAC Powder Blush in Harmony

MAC Powder Blush in Cantaloupe (PRO)

MAC Beauty Powder in Shell Pearl (LE Give Me Liberty of London)

EYES

MAC Paint Pot in Painterly

MAC Eyeshadow in Soft Brown

MAC Eyeshadow in Espresso

MAC Eyeshadow in Vanilla

MAC Eyeshadow in Shroom

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack

Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Mascara in Blackest Black

MAC Brow Pencil in Spiked

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Clear

LIPS

Chanel Glossimer in Giggle

{Obsessed} Black Wedges

I don't know what it is about this shoe style, but I absolutely love it. Lately I've been obsessing over these funky black wedges. Here are just a few I've got my eye on:

Steve Madden Annton Black Leather Wedge- $129.95

 Ami Club Wear Black Faux Leather Cage Strap Wedge- $30.99

Ami Club Wear Black Perforated Lace-Up Bootie Wedge- $12.99 (<---Crazy, right?!)

Jeffrey Campbell "99 Tie" Black Lace-Up Wedge- $114.95

Jeffrey Campbell "So Smart" Black Cut-Out Wedge- $99.95

Steve Madden "Watchout" Black Wedges- $109.95

Now which ones to choose???

{Haul} OPI Nail Polish

Ulta recently had a buy one, get one 50% off sale on all high-end nail polishes, so I decided to finally give in and pick up a few OPI Nail Polishes since I only had one in my stash. I picked up four polishes that I had been wanting to try.  

From left to right: Black Onyx, My Private Jet, Barefoot in Barcelona, Bubble Bath

 Black Onyx

 My Private Jet

 Barefoot in Barcelona

Bubble Bath

Nothing too exciting, except for maybe My Private Jet which is a gorgeous gray-ish brown color with glitter. I needed a good basic black polish, it's my usual go-to color, so Black Onyx needed to come home with me. Barefoot in Barcelona is a subtle clay-pink that is a good neutral color without looking too "blah." And Bubble Bath has been dubbed as the best pink polish in multiple polls for magazines so I figured I'd give it a whirl. 

You can expect to see these polishes in future Nails of the Day posts.