Wearable Color: Sparkling Sapphire

Hey there! When writing my Spring Trends post, I had it in the back of my mind to recreate and show some of them on my face. Navy eyes is a trend I mentioned and this is how I wear the trend to work better for me. 


This eye look was super simple to achieve. I used a brighter blue to keep it light for daytime, and because I tend to look like I've gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson when I use really dark colors. 


On my eyes:
Wet N Wild single eye shadow- Brulee (a matte cream color), blended across the entire eyelid, up to the brow using a flat eye shadow brush.
Coastal Scents hot pot eye shadow-M16 (a matte mid tone brown), blended through the crease using a fluffy blending brush.
Maybelline master drama eyeliner - Sapphire strength (bright, navy blue), drawn across the upper lash line and smudged with a q tip. 
Tarte Lights! Camera! Lashes!- mascara
Maybelline define a brow- Dark Blonde lightly fill in and define brows.

On my Face:
Sonia Kashuk luminous foundation in Bisque- blended all over face, to even skin tone.
Benefit erase paste- blended on under eye circles.
Sonia Kashuk hidden agenda concealer palette- conceal spots not covered by foundation
Neutrogena mineral sheers powder foundation- to set liquid foundation and concealer.

On my cheeks and lips:
NYC cheek glow powder blush in Sutton Place Peach (a light bronze) - blended underneath cheekbones, jawline, and temples for subtle contouring. 
Tarte airblush maracuja bouncy blush in Poppy (bright coral)- blended onto apples of the cheeks.
Benefit high beam- blended on tops of cheek bones and under brows for highlighting. 
ELF studio lip liner in Nude Pink- drawn and blended across entire lips. 
Maybelline baby lips in Quenched (clear lipgloss/balm)

Do you wear color on your eyes? I admit that it isn't often that I stray from my tried and true neutrals. I know that navy isn't exactly a bold color, but I think it's an easy color to use to ease yourself into wearing more color. Navy eyeliner is as wearable (in my opinion) as brown or black, but is a little more interesting. 


If there are any specific trends from my Spring Trends post (or any other trends that scare you :)) that you'd like me to create, just let me know and I will get to work on it! 

Banish Under Eye Circles! Part 3 Concealer Application

Finally, here is the final part to my Banish Under Eye Circles series! Read part one Here and part two Here. 


I would say that the key to good concealer application is to moisturize! Using an eye cream will hydrate the skin, making it 'plump'  up a bit thus reducing the appearance of fine lines. It will also reduce the chances of your under eyes looking cakey or creapy and in general improve the appearance of your eye area. Take care to be gentle around your eyes, as the skin is very thin and delicate.


These are the steps I follow to cover my under eye circles. When it comes to applying concealer or foundation first, it really is a personal preference. I prefer doing concealer after foundation because I find that when I do it before, it rubs off when I am blending my foundation. Do what works for you! 

Banish Undereye Circles! Part 2: A Concealer Smorgasbord

Read part one here. :) 


Something that I learned after writing that post is that vitamin K is effective in battling under eye circles. Vitamin K helps with blood circulation and coagulation. Poor circulation can increase the appearance of dark circles. Eat foods rich in antioxidants and vitamin K such as; broccoli, carrots, cabbage, spinach and strawberries. Or take a vitamin K supplement. Apply vitamin K topically as well. Eye creams that contain at least 5% of vitamin K strengthen capillaries and make blood vessels less visible through the thin skin under your eyes. A retinol cream can be used in conjuncture with the vitamin K to make it more effective.


Sometimes there is no amount of sleep, water, or cucumbers that will help my under eye circles. Enter concealer. 


There are a few things to consider when shopping for a concealer.


Texture- is mostly personal preference and may depend on your skin type. Concealers generally come in one of three forms. Liquid, gel, and cream. A liquid can be more moisturizing and better for dryer skin types, while gels and creams can work better for normal/oily skin types. 


Shade- Choosing the correct shade of concealer can be a trial and error process, especially if you are shopping at the drugstore. Many stores return opened makeup with a receipt. Be sure to check out the return policy when purchasing your make up and return it if it doesn't work for you! It is helpful to look at a color wheel when deciding which shade you need. 

Look for your skin's  undertones, specifically under your eyes, on the color wheel. For most, tones of blue and purple make up our under eye darkness. To find what shades will counteract the blue and purple look directly across the color wheel. If your under eye circles are more blue choose a orange or pink toned concealer. If your circles are more purple try a more yellow toned concealer. Some suggest using a shade that is one or two shades lighter than your skin tone. Be careful to not go too light as that will only emphasize the problem.


Corrector's- For very dark circles you may want to try a corrector concealer. Corrector concealers for under eye circles are highly pigmented peachy, salmon shades or there are also yellow toned correctors. Some apply the corrector and then put a regular concealer on top, and some only use the corrector. Use trial and error to learn what works for you. You can also try applying it underneath your foundation.

Banish Undereye Circles! Part 1

Under eye circles. My arch nemesis. Not only do I have darkness under my eyes, but my entire eye area is dark! What's a girl to do? 


What causes dark circles? Most of us know that lack of sleep causes under eye circles.  Age, genetics, allergies, and diet also play a role. It is also thought that dark circles may be caused by leaking capillaries in the eye area. This is a normal occurrence in which a capillary leaks a blood cell, the body breaks it down, and in doing that, creates a blackish blue appearance to the skin. The process is similar to what happens when we get a bruise. Because the skin around our eyes is so thin, the darkness is more noticeable and lasts much longer.




To help prevent under eye circles get your beauty sleep, drink your recommended amount of water each day, and eat a balanced diet.
 There are natural remedies that may improve the appearance of your under eyes.


To perk up tired, puffy eyes place cooled cucumber slices over your eyes for 10 minutes.













Or use cooled tea bags. The tannin in tea bags reduces discoloration and inflammation. Use brewed, cooled teabags (refrigerate to make them cold.) and place on the eyes for 10 minutes. 
 Lastly, you could also try using an uncooked potato. Puree the potato and take the puree and carefully apply to your eye area. Leave on for 30 minutes.

To wear this season's bold lips you need to start with smooth lips.

Tips for smooth lips:
1. Stay hydrated! As the weather turns colder and we crank up the heat, the air gets dryer. Drink plenty of water. Try to limit caffeine and alcohol or for every caffeinated or alcoholic beverage you consume, drink a glass of water.


2. Do not lick or bite lips.


3. Moisturize lips with lip balm. My favorite lip balms are from EOS and nivea.


4. Try an overnight lip treatment. Mix together a small amount of honey and olive oil. Smooth onto lips and leave overnight.


5. Exfoliate your lips occasionally by gently rubbing them with a soft bristle toothbrush or wash cloth. Or try a homemade lip scrub!

Sugar Scrub- mix together in a small dish 2 tablespoons of brown or white granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Apply to lips with your fingertip gently rubbing in small circles. Gently remove with a wet cloth. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator.

Minty Scrub- For a minty treat use the Sugar scrub recipe above, and add a couple of drops of peppermint oil. Apply to lips  with your fingertip gently rubbing in small circles. Gently remove with a wet cloth. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator.

Honey treatment- warm 1-2 tablespoons of honey in the microwave. Take care to not get it too hot! Smooth onto lips and let stand for one minute. Gently remove with a warm wet cloth.

Baking Soda scrub- Sugar may be too harsh for super sensitive lips instead try this mixture. Combine 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and a couple of drops of oil. Apply to lips with your fingertip gently rubbing in small circles. Gently remove with a wet cloth. Leftover of this one do not store well.

After any of these treatments gently pat your lips dry and apply your favorite lip balm.

I hope you give one of these scrubs a try! Your lips feel so soft and smooth afterwards and they taste yummy :)

How to Clean Makeup Brushes

A few days ago on the Beauty Broadcast facebook page, there was a discussion on how often you clean your makeup brushes. I admit that I don't deep clean my brushes nearly as often as I should. In fact, it wasn't until I began watching makeup videos last year that it even occurred to me that they needed to be cleaned. Gross, I know.

This is how I deep clean my brushes. I did not invent this method. I got it from youtube :) You will need:

Baby shampoo, dirty brushes, olive oil. and a clean towel. Glass of wine optional :)

The olive oil works at drawing out the makeup and conditions the bristles while the soap cleanses.

I put a small pump of baby shampoo and a small drizzle of olive oil in the palm of my hand 

Then wet only the bristles of your brush and swirl it in the palm of your hand. Some brushes will leave a lot of product in your hand and some won't. Take care to not get water passed the ferrule (metal part) of the brush. If water gets in there it can cause the handle to warp and/or rot.

Keep swirling until the brush no longer leaves makeup on your hand and the water is clear when you rinse it. For really dirty brushes you may need to rinse your hand and add more shampoo and oil and swirl a second or third time.

Once your brush is clean squeeze out the excess water and lay flat to dry. Do not stand upright to dry, as water can get down into the ferrule, and let dry overnight.  

I try to deep clean my brushes once a month, but in reality do it every couple of months and spot clean with a cleansing spray weekly or as needed.  I like the daily brush cleaner from ELF.

How often do you clean your brushes?

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!