Whaaat? Where'd I go?

I was with out a computer for some time so I haven't really been able to post up on here in some time. My first post back is going to be showing off my contest entries for Regis Glam 2015. I entered into two different contests, Avante Garde and Womens Makeover.

 To win the contest we have to get into the finals, and to get there it is based off how many likes a photo receives. If you go to Regis Glam 2015 Womens Makeover  and 'like' my submission and then share it with your friends it brings me one step closer to winning for that portion of the competition! 

The second contest that I entered was an Avante Garde contest. What is Avante Garde? Avante Garde is about drama, it's high fashion, it's that feeling of 'what the fuck' when you watch a runway show. It was a team effort. Me and one of my coworkers entered this one and if you goto Regis Glam 2015 Avante Garde facebook page and 'like' my submission and share it with your friends it brings us that much closer.

I really think we have a good shot to win. So much effort was put into BOTH creations. It's my first year working for Regis and I just think that it would be amazing to make such an accomplishment.

A reunion and a new friend.

(Before and After)

I decided to repurchase an old favorite foundation, and to try out a new product. Revlon's Color stay foundation is fantastic. I use the whipped in the cooler months and the liquid in the Spring and a BB Cream that isn't at all related in the summer when it feels like Hell out. 

The whipped is a medium-full coverage foundation. I have oily/combination skin and it works wonderfully. I apply it with either a paddle brush or my fingers, generally my fingers I feel it blends it in better. It covers my redness, my acne scars, and my dark circles. I still wear a concealer with it just to humor myself. 

The foundation lasts all day with no problems. I do recommend pairing it with a powder if you have an oilier t-zone as it does have a "dewy" finish.. 

The NEW product that I tried was ELF's face primer. Just the regular one in the white tube. And it honestly surprised me. It's about $6 at Walmart and it did the things a primer is supposed to do. Filled in my fine lines, smoothed my skin etc. It allowed my already long lasting foundation to not budge. I recommend trying it! 

As sad as it is fall is right around the corner, and the hethans are going back to school. With this lovely 90 °F there is no signs of fall, except that lingering crispness in the air before bed. With fall comes the obligatory "Back To School" makeup looks, because I guess the beauty community feels everyone in the world is going back to school. Or maybe it's they assume the only people that watch makeup videos are people between the ages of 13-17. 

But what about the people who have graduated? Or have been out of school for years? Well I decided to create a look that may not be...office appropriate, and might be a bit bold for day to day use. For me it was about creating a darker, vampy look for fall that wasn't a back to school look. I wont say I'm not going to make a back to school look, because I may do just that. 

This eyes were very basic, and could be done easily for an everyday look. It was the lips that 'vamped' it up or made it a bit more daring. I was experimenting with brow shapes so ignore my less than perfect brows. But here's what I did.

 It was a lot of fun doing this look. My mom panicked when I purchased the black lipstick she even asked if I was going through a goth phase  I giggled because it was far from that. Teehee. Hope you enjoy.

Roasted Balsamic Vinegar Vegetables with Wild Rice

For lunch today I cooked up one of my favorite dishes, and for Food Friday I thought it was perfect that I share it.  

I had balsamic roasted vegetables and rice. Yum! I absolutely LOVE  roasted vegetables. I don't know why I didn't know about them sooner in life.

Crank up the oven to 400 degrees, roll vegetables in oil, salt, pepper and whatever flavoring throw in that hot oven for 15 minutes, and then toss them for another 15 minutes and serve it up hot with your favorite grains. And if you're me you ad some malt vinegar.

Recipe...ish. 

1lb of Brussels sprouts 

20 mushrooms

1 Zucchini 

1c of Wild Rice

2TBS of Balm Vinegar

Oil

Salt& Pepper 

Pin Curls--Old and New

Pin Curls are simple, beautiful and have found themselves back into the hearts of many people. The "vintage" style is after your bath is to roll your hair and pin them, covering them in a scarf and going to bed. When you wake, TADA curled hair. 

And it really is that simple, you can use a waving lotion or setting spray when you go to sleep to make a stronger curl, but they don't need it. Pin girls can either be done flat to the head for less volume or they can be done standing up for a much fuller (fluffier) appearance.



The vintage feel is very popular, from barrel rolls to finger waves (did they ever really go out of style?). It's very feminine. And the base of many of these looks is the pin curl.

There are videos that scatter the web showing different ways as how to set these but they all come down to the same thing. And I have to say from personal experience they make my mornings much quicker when I set my hair at night and wake up to my hair basically done! You have to style them but that isn't such a big deal.

Another ever growing popular way to do pin curls is with a hard set. Hard sets have been gracing runways for years because they last. They give volume and the curls are not going anywhere. A hard set is when you curl the hair with a hot iron (with waving lotion) and pin it to the head for them to cool. The cooling process allows the curl to set similar to if you were to use a hot rollers. 

The hard set does take much longer to do as you are curling and pinning each individual section but it is worth it in the end. I'll be doing a post in the coming days on how to do both of these in more detail. 

Just goes to prove, do styles really every go out of style? 

In a previous post I talked about the Blue Lip trend. And I'm pretty sure my interest of it was very obvious. I really like it, my parents on the other hand were anything but impressed.

The blue lipstick that I purchased was "Blue Velvet" from NYX Cosmetics, which I showed in my haul. I also used a blue lip liner because I was wearing the lip color all day and I felt that it needed the extra...support to keep it alive longer. The blue lasted for about 5 1/2 hours in 75+ degree weather while talking my ass off to a Guinea Breeder.  The pay off is nice.

But there might be a question, how do you wear it? It's such a strong color, it must be hard to wear. Nope! 

I felt a bold lip decided a smokey eye. It was a bit dramatic for everyday but, I was feeling a bit punk rock. 

I used the Coastal Scents 88 palette. (The original) which I hadn't used in a really long time, I forgot how much I really loved it. 

With a wing, and strong brow it was pulled off really well. I should have done a photo tutorial on the look but it really is a basic smokey eye.

I went light on the blush and I gave it a strong contour to bring out the cheekbones I don't have. Haha. 

Back to the 1928!

The revolution begins today with my first model. This was a fun one to do. She had to come on an earlier day because her mom had plans for her on the 16th, and she is leaving for college in England (wow!) soon. So it was now or never and I had a look specifically for her. So I HAD to have her face! 

It turned out lovely and I think that it will make an amazing first addition into my portfolio.

The look was meant to gear more towards the later 1920's it could easily cross into the 1930's even! With the deep lip and the extended brow and the...'lazier' finger wave. 

Products Used:

Eyes: 

BH Cosmetics 120 palette.

UD Naked 2

Brows: Buck

NYC Kohl Liner

CG Mascara

Lips:

NYX Cosmetics Pum and black berry liner

MAC Vivaglam Rihanna

Cheeks:

E.L.F Candied Coral

Face:

Dinair "Alabaster"