Makeup Starter Kit Gift Idea [Drugstore]

I came up with this gift idea for my mom for Christmas. Of course it can be used for any occasion. And I liked it so much, that I thought I should share. 

My mom was always asking me to borrow little things here and there. But our skin tones are different and what works me doesn’t always work for her. She didn’t have many of the basics in her kit and she would always say one of these days she wanted to get herself some new products and that she needed my help to pick things out. But I knew she would never go and buy herself all this, so I took it upon myself to put this gift together for her. 

When doing this it was a bit difficult to judge the skin tones, so I just tried my best. I looked at her old makeup that I knew she was using at that time, to get an idea of the shade. I also kept in line with the brands I know she likes to use. 

When it comes to colors I went with Dark Brown for eyeliner and Brown/Black for mascara, because she doesn’t like full black. So you can customize to the person’s preference. I know she doesn’t usually do lipstick or eyeshadow so in order to nudge easily toward the transition, I kept the colors natural/neutral in the Beige/Brown/Mauve family. Nothing too bold. A tinted lip balm in always a safe bet too. 

Last but not least- presentation. It was Christmas so I just wrapped each item in wrapping paper, so it was fun for her to open all the different items one by one. You could easily have put everything in the makeup bag and then into a nice gift bag. Or you could set it all up into a nice basket. The choice is yours. Get Creative!

Now let’s chat pricing. I tried to grab some things that were on sale. At the time, I remember there were some makeup brands on sale. But some things I knew I had to pay full price for. The whole kit probably cost around $80. And to me that is a lot for drugstore makeup. But I use drugstore makeup and for the most part, I don’t mind the quality. It does the job for my everyday look. If I would have went to Sephora and tried to get that much for $80 that would have been impossible. So I thought it worked out rather well. My mom was happy. 🙂

Each makeup starter kit can be color customized to whoever you are giving the gift to. 

 

Items Included (Left to Right):

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Makeup Starter Kit

Eye lash curler

Blush brush

Tinted lip balm

Lipstick

Eyeshadow palette

Blush palette

Cotton square pads

Ponds face cream

Small makeup bag

Peel off mask 

Face sheet mask

Face astringent 

Blending sponge

Eyeliner 

Tweezer

Extra makeup foam sponges

Mascara

Compact- translucent pressed powder

Instant Age Rewind Eraser- Concealer (for Dark Eye Circles)

Tinted Moisturizer

 

These are just all the basic things, I feel like a woman can use to create simple, clean, beautiful everyday looks. But quick DISCLAIMER- I don’t believe we NEED to wear makeup. I believe in choosing when and where and why you want to wear it. I love to play around with makeup and have fun with it. I love knowing that I can cover up my dark circles, lol. And I also love throwing on some face mist, lip balm, and moisturizer and giving my face a break too. It’s all about how you feel. I am in NO way saying, woman NEED makeup. You do you boo! 🙂 

 

What would you include in your starter kit?

 

-<3-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bratz Challenge- Yasmin Inspired Look

 

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The Original 4 Bratz Dolls- [2001] Jade, Sasha, Chloe, and Yasmin

PLAY as you read! Bratz Theme Song

There has been this trend on YouTube, where people are transforming themselves into a Bratz doll, through the wonders of makeup. I grew up playing with them. Granted they came out when I was around 10, so I was starting to phase out of the doll playing phase. But I definitely loved them, and played with Barbies and Bratz, and even My Scene and Diva Starz, when I was older than most who were still into dolls. However, dolls held such a special place in my heart. It was kind of my first introduction to storytelling.

“Bratz is an American product line of fashion dolls and merchandise manufactured by MGA Entertainment and created by Carter Bryant. Four original 10-inch dolls were released in 2001—Yasmin, Cloe, Jade, and Sasha. They featured almond-shaped eyes adorned with eyeshadow, and lush, glossy lips.”- Via Wikipedia

Yasmin was my favorite, so I decided to try and transform into the original Yasmin doll look.

 

Here’s how the look turned out…

                                           Before                                                  After

The Comparison


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Quick Disclaimer: Compared to the many Bratz Challenges out there, this is a very small attempt. Some may even call it a fail. I call it a more Wearable Bratz Inspired Look.  I am not a huge makeup girl, sure I love to play with makeup and pick up techniques and get dressed up. But I don’t really buy fancy brands and the quality of my makeup isn’t the best. So the slick painted crease lines and perfect differentiations of color in the eye shadow kind of didn’t go over too well here. At some point even though I tried to do so, the colors all blended together. Well that and the images don’t completely show all the color variations either.

Breaking Down the Look:

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Foundations/Powder/Bronzer/Blush/Highlighter– create as much of a Flawless finish as possible. The Highlight looks mostly focused on the cheek tones, the tip of the nose, the center of the lips and the cupid’s bow. 

Sculpted Brows– brush them in place and fill them in.

Lavender-White (on the outer eyelid)/Lavender-Purple (on the browbone)/Mauve-Pink (inner corner and the crease) eyeshadow colors

Black eyeliner on the top and bottom water lines and Yasmin has two wings going on, one of the top and one on the bottom. 

Mascara on the top lashes, it appears she doesn’t really have top lashes, LOL!

Blue eyeliner of the inner corners of the eye, and the upper outer corner.

Beauty Mark by the cheek/under the eye ( I just used a brown eye pencil to create one, Lol) [OPTIONAL Step of course.]

Big Full Lips– you can over draw them or stick to your actual shape, whatever vibe you desire. But as for the colors, her lips is basically lined in a darker wine/burgundy and then filled in with a pink/mauve. 

The outfit/Hair– I just stuck with similar colors, a top in a blue shade, and a brown bandana/handkerchief head piece. I also added a little braid like she has just for fun. 

 

I feel like I just kind of threw this together on a whim, and thought it’d be a fun post. I definitely think had I had more time to plan and create an outfit and use better makeup, I could have done a little better. Even so, it was fun to play around with for a bit. And even though I may not look like exactly like my Bratz girl- Yasmin, I did kind of like how the inspired look came out. Although this was my first time trying out liquid eyeliner and it was quite terrifying. My wings are so sad. LOL!

So…did you love Bratz as a kid? Who was your favorite?

 

*I do not take credit for the Bratz [Yasmin] images/logo/theme song.*

 

-<3-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#BLOGTOBER Day 28- Purple/Green/Black Rocker Chic Witch Costume Idea

This year is my niece’s first time Trick -or- Treating so I am going to be going with her. So naturally, me always down for a reason to dress up- after many laps around Spirit Halloween I walked out with a witch hat and a spider ring. 

I figured I just needed a few accent pieces, because I knew I had enough black clothing at home, and I knew I could make something creative with fun makeup and nail art.

So the creative wheels started and I decided on a Purple/Green/Black color theme. When I think of witches I think of those three colors. Their tights are usually purple and green stripped, their faces green. So I figured why not make it a funky witch theme.

Let’s start with the basics…

The Black Base- I wanted this to be more of a Rocker Chic Witch Look

So we have to have the leather jacket, the black pants, and the combat boots. These two clothing pieces have been so well worn! I feel like I go for them ALL THE TIME. Every girl has those one pair of black pants that she feels like she can conquer the world in. #BootyLookGoodPants  😉 

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I will probably just wear a black long sleeve or black t-shirt. Depending on the weather. If I had more time I would have searched for a purple & green stripped tee. But all black with color accents is always super cool, if you ask me. So that’s the way I’m choosing to rock this glam rocker witch look. 

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The trusty old combat boots, I’ve had for years.

The Witch Hat & Spider Ring [Sprit Halloween] 

Hat- $14.99 

Ring- $7.99 

^ I tried to link these items for you guys, in case you wanted to pick them up for your own witch look for next year, but I couldn’t find them on the site. But they had a bunch others, click and browse the site!

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They had a huge witch section- makeup, jewelry, brooms, costumes. I’m not a fan of costume Halloween makeup. I have sensitive skin, so I know it’ll probably mess with my face. Besides, everything was so expensive. As it is I walked out spending about $25 just for a hat and a ring!

But I really do like this hat, its got these really cool black feathers that glisten a green/purple hue, and it has a veil that hangs over the face with a bunch of spiders all over it. The spider ring was an impulse buy near the register. I was looking for an extravagant spider ring but I didn’t see any in the witch section, then I found this one on the way out and loved it. 

So with these two pieces in mind, I set out to researching the fun stuff Makeup & Nail Ideas. I wanted a really fun glam witch look. No full green face for me! 😉 

Makeup Inspirations- [via YouTube Tutorials] 

Links Below: 

GREEN & PURPLE LOOK FULL FACE

PURPLE LOOK 

^I really like the ombre lip look

LIME GREEN & PURPLE LOOK

GREEN SPIDER WEB EYE LOOK

Nail Art Inspirations– [via Google & YouTube] 

 

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Makeup & Nail polish I bought to complete this look-

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NICKAK NEW YORK lipsticks in Violet & Lime BRUCCI Nail polish in Sylvia’s Pretty In Purple & Stephanie Go Lime 

Accessories I had, that I plan to use to spruce up this witch look-

 

 

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I have some lace gloves, some various bracelet and choker necklace options. Some Silver hoops, some black sunglasses. I also have a silver bracelet/ring piece with a moon on it which I thought was kinda witchy so we’ll see if I want to rock that. And not sure yet if I want to throw on this spider web scarf too.  

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This ring has the colors in it, but I may not want to wear any other rings, because that spider ring can be a stand alone piece! LOL. We shall see how it all gets pulled together. I usually end up making something work! 😀 

Hair-

I was also going to curl my hair and add in some purple and green hair extensions, but I couldn’t find the right color shades, and I didn’t really want to buy any sprays. So I decided that I’m going to just use the eyeshadow I have and just dust some on like hair chalk. Or if that doesn’t work, I can just use real sidewalk chalk. Its basically the same crap. HAHA. I’ll throw some hairspray to hold the color and boom!

COSTUME NOTES:

So what I usually end up doing is gathering inspiration and then I put my own spin on things and make up my own look. 

I’m sure if you didn’t want to rock a full witch hat you can also find a cute little hat clip, hat headband, or create a paper hat on your own. YouTube is full of tons of tutorials.

I chose pants, because I wanted to be comfortable, but you could totally do a black skirt or dress and find the striped tights, or a pair of fishnets. It’s totally customizable. Do your thang!

Honestly you can be really creative with a witch costume, you can even do all black, or red and black, or orange and black. Basically as long as you have a witch “hat” on, everyone will know what you are! 

Follow michelleleighwrites_blog on instagram for a full look costume reveal on Halloween! 

Happy Trick-or-Treating!

 

*All images are my own except the screenshots from the makeup and nail inspirations.* 

*I do not take credit for any videos used.* 

-<3-

 

 

My No Make-up Routine

There are some days (usually on the weekends) when I will go makeup free. I used to never wear makeup to school all the way up until college. Here and there maybe lip-gloss and eyeshadow, but rarely on an everyday basis. If I had a party or something, that was a different story. 

But now that I am working everyday I just feel I need to do a little something everyday. So I like to give my face a break on the weekends. If I don’t have to be anywhere special I will go all natural the whole weekend.

I can’t say that I always feel super confident when doing so. I used to be fine without wearing makeup, because I was so used to it. But now I’m used to having some makeup on during the week, so when I don’t I feel like my insecurities can arise. #BAGSUNDERMYEYES

However, I think it’s important to give your face a break. And I have actually gotten some compliments when using this little routine.  There was actually one day I did these few small steps. I threw my hair up in a messy bun and some hoop earrings on, and went to my aunt’s to have dinner and my sister in law was like “Do you have any makeup on today?” and I was like “No. none. Actually like zero.” And she just looked at me with a face and was like “Ugh, I hate you. I’m looking at you saying, this girl looks so pretty today.” Lol.

That was such a crazy sweet compliment that it made me feel really great. I was feeling insecure that day and I was just like cool, I can do this no make up thing. I do it no matter what, because I think it’s super important for allow your face to breathe, but now I can have a little more confidence going makeup free.

So I thought I’d share what I do on the days I decide not to wear any makeup. Like zero makeup.

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STEP 1:

First, I take my morning shower and I wash my face with a facial cleanser. I usually use Simple products, but then I switched to Cetaphil, and now I’m currently using Neutrogena.

Quite honestly, I think I’m going to be switching back to Simple or Cetaphil. I don’t care for the smell of the Neutrogena face wash. I really liked the Cetaphil one the best out of the brands I’ve tried so far.

STEP 2:

After I get dressed I do my skin routine- splash some cold water on my face. I don’t know why I do this. I know I just showered, but for some reason it’s just like a boost. And I feel like it preps my face for my face lotion.

STEP 3:

After I dry my face, I apply my Simple Moisturizer, I’ve been using this for a while and I like it. Accept I recently bought the wrong one by accident. So currently I am using the Rich Moisturizer. But I like the Light Moisturizer with SPF in it. It’s light texture, not greasy, and smells good! I think I’ll be switching back to the light. (it’s the one with the yellow sign on the front.)

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*This is also the time when I brush my teeth, clean my ears and blow my nose and all that jazz. You know usual human things.

STEP 4:

Apply chapstick or lip balm. I use my holy grail- the old school blue tub Blistex.

STEP 5:

Apply a little bit of Vaseline to my eyelids. I can’t remember where I saw this. I feel like it was in a beauty guru’s no make up routine. I just think it gives you a little natural shine.

STEP 6:

This next step is a bit weird and unconventional, lol. But I usually pinch my cheeks a bit just to get some color. HAHA.

STEP 7:

I curl my eyelashes with my Revlon eyelash curler, and brush my eyebrows in place with my elf eyebrow brush.

STEP 8: (OPTIONAL)

Rock the messy top knot or side bun and add some statement earrings for flare if your looking to spice things up.

 

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This is a selfie I took after doing this routine.

 

And there you have it. That’s about it!

I don’t always do this on my no makeup days. If I’m just home, I won’t do anything! If I have to go out and don’t want to wear makeup then doing these small little things can make me feel a little more confident. What do you do on your no makeup days?

 

*Most images are my own.*

-<3-

 

 

5 Struggles Every Girl Can Understand

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Shaving on the regular for the summer…we all dread it, am I right ladies?

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Let’s be real in the Winter, we don’t give it a second thought. But now we actually have to care. What an imposition! Lol. #DangAnkles #AlwaysKnickingMyself

 

Cramps that crimple you…but why is there a war going on in my uterus?

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Seriously though, sometimes I can’t move from my bed and I don’t even want to. #Zombie #WheresMyChocolate #LeaveMeAlone #IllRipYourHeadOff

Rushing to get ready and then this happens…

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Clean up on aisle- I ain’t got time for this! I’m rushing as it is and now you wanna play games.

Breaking out the spanx…Tight dress…You know what you gotta do.

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#CurvesForDays #SmoothItOut #BreakingASweat

Ran sacking your closet for an outfit and coming up with nothing.

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#LifeStory

Ah the trials and tribulations of being a girl. It’s wonderful isn’t it?

We all have our struggles and we all know what a pain they are, but at the end of the day the show goes on and we pull through. #GirlPower #Sweats #MessyBun #NoBra #NoMakeup #Netflix #IceCream #DoYoThang

* I do not take credit for any of these photos.*

-<3-

Yellow. Blue. Red. Look

You ever have an event coming up and instinctively begin planning an outfit to wear for it in your head? Sometimes it’s based on pieces you already have in your wardrobe. Sometimes it’s based on inspiration you come across. And sometimes it’s completely fictitious and you basically think of it out of thin air. And then- the hunt begins.

For me the hunt is the worst part of fashion; the worst part about being a woman. Because you hop from store to store trying to look for pieces that fit this fashion vision. A vision that doesn’t necessarily exist.

I’ve wanted to try this yellow, blue and red color scheme out in an outfit for a few years now. And I finally got the chance to play!

My vision was to wear a yellow dress, with blue heels and red accents; nails & of course lips. (You guys know I LOVE a red lip.)

The dress was a surprising find. But I gave up hope on the blue shoes for a while, until recently one day I came across a pair of ankle strapped sandals and I instantly fell in love.

The heels were actually bought and worn for an entirely different outfit and I actually wore the yellow dress once before styled differently. But as the pieces of my dream outfit slowly began piling in place, I finally took my latest invite to wear this dream outfit of mine.

Let me break it down for you. *In crappy, edited cell phone pics. :/

Full Look all pulled together:

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Close-ups of my makeup:

I basically used a lot of bronze colors, golds, whites and browns, filled in my eyebrows, applied mascara, and I used a navy blue eyeshadow as eyeliner on top and bottom. Then I used a red lip pencil (with a berry undertone) and a matte bright red lipstick over top. Bronzer, Blush and highlighter were also in effect in this look.

(How flawless does my best friend look??? #BrightLipsOnPoint #BrightLipSistas)

My accessories:

I love gold accessories. I think they complemented the pale yellow color of the dress nicely. I also chose the mirrored “diamond” rings to complement each other. And now that I think about it all the detailing in my outfit was silver; my zipper up the back of my dress, my shoe buckles and my purse zipper. So the mirrored accents on my jewelry tied all that in.

I skipped a necklace this time and went for some really cool funky peacock feathered earrings that hung down and dressed up my hair in the process. I love how the greens and blues of the feather complemented the yellow and the red.

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Ignore the after hours makeup mess. lol. I was just trying to get the earrings in. haha.

 

I also added a blue clutch to match the shoes and a taupe cardigan to match the underlying layer of the yellow eyelet dress.

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My clutch is actually double sided. The other side is black, which I didn’t mind too much even with such a bright outfit, because the soles of my blue heels are black. So it all tied in. And let’s be real I made sure the blue side was on display to match the blue heels.

Clutch Essentials:

I’m a big purse kind of girl. On a regular basis, I usually carry a huge purse or bag. My purse is essentially my life in a bag. So how does a girl like that downsize her sack bag, into a clutch? Here’s how I did it.

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*First choose a decent sized clutch, and just take the basics.

Money

ID

Keys

Lip products (for touch-ups)

Hair ties

Hand sanitizer

A mirror

Pill case with Tylenol & Tums 

Packages of Pepto Bismal & Claritin

Granola bar

Emergency Pads/Liners (#girlprobs #noshame)

Oil absorbing sheets

Gum

Band-Aids

Tissues (not pictured)

My Catholic saints, rosary and pray rock- treasures that come with me wherever I go.

*Tip: Leave the flats or flip flops and sunglasses in the car.

* I know this seems like a long list, but I fit everything and had a little wiggle room. #missionaccomplished

My Hair: 

For my hair style I went pretty simple. I washed my hair, and left it in a top knot after applying products; curling serum, curling mousse and hairspray. I let those products take and dry a bit as I did my makeup. When I was ready to start my hair, I took it down and found it dried in a scrunched formation. Which is what I wanted. Then I blow dried it and added some dry shampoo to the crown for volume along with more hairspray before curling my hair with my curling wand. After that I shook the curls loose by tipping my head over and running my fingers through my hair. Then parted my hair on the side, swept my curly hair to the side and used an clear elastic to put it into a side pony tail. I opted for the clear elastic, because you couldn’t see it, and my curls didn’t get squashed by a big old hair tie. After curling a few front pieces to frame my face, I secured any bumps or flyaways with some bobby bins and Voila! Done.

**I really loved how this look turned out. The dress was a pale yellow, with a unique eyelet detail and so I opted for a neutral taupe cardigan this way the bold red lips and bright shoes didn’t clash. There is certainly a variety of color here, but when blocked a certain way, I really think a look like this can work.

So is there a certain look you’ve been wanting to try out, but haven’t. 

Three words. Go. For. It.  

*All photos are my own.*

-<3-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Birthday Money Drugstore Haul!

QUICK BLOG NOTE: I just want to quickly apologize for not posting to schedule. I’ve been a little all over the place and I just started my new job, so I am just trying to settle into a new schedule. Things will get figured out SOON! 😀 Thanks for reading!

***Read my last Drugstore Haul HERE.

Hola my drugstore makeup lovers!

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Last weekend was my 25th Birthday. I celebrated by dressing up and going out to my favorite Mexican restaurant with a large group of some of my favorite people; some close friends and my family. I ordered a chimichanga (my favorite dish there,) and flan for dessert, while I sampled both pitchers of white and red sangria. *Spoiler Alert: The red was better. *Spoiler Alert #2- There was also salsa, homemade guacamole and tortillas as an appetizer. #Yes #Bliss

Oh and my parents got me the huge numbered balloons in GOLD…which I asked them for! 😉

As you grow older gifts tend to come in monetary form…and you know your girl is not complaining! So as the responsible “Adult” in me plans to put some in the bank, the blushing birthday girl full of excitement set aside a little fun spending money for some beauty products. Now as we get further into the prices and the products, I want to inform you that I understand that not everyone has the opportunity to be able to spend $50 on makeup in one shot. And trust me when I say I looked for the cheaper stuff because I wanted more bang for my buck (for lack of a better saying). I would not have spent that money if it wasn’t a gift meant to buy what I wish. With that being said let’s get into the haul!

I think for the most part, I bought some great items, which I will show you now… via crappy cell phone pics. #TakeMeAsIAm 😉

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TOTAL AMOUNT SPENT: $50.20

I set aside $50 of my birthday money to allow myself to splurge on some fun makeup and skin care products. Now even though this is drugstore makeup, it isn’t always super cheap, but I think I got a pretty good amount of stuff for $50. I visited my local Rite Aid first; gathering some new Simple skin care products. I have their foaming cleanser which I like and find really gentle on my skin. So being that I needed a moisturizer I figured I’d continue along with the brand. I’ve also heard loads of rave reviews about their Micellar Water so I picked that up as well, along with some Rite Aid brand cleansing pads for application purposes.

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**For my guilty pleasure buys- meaning lip products and nail polish we kept it simple-

Sinful Colors- and LA Girl.

Sinful colors is my jam; cheap line and has a variety of colors.

In fact at my birthday dinner one of my friends was wearing the color “Let’s Talk” on her nails (the deep electric purple color pictured above) and I made a mental note to pick it up because I was obsessed, it’s a color you can just spot from across the room.

The LA Girl pick is a first for me trying out this brand, but it was there and I thought this shade GNL842-“Extra! Extra!” could pair well with the lighter frosty purple color “Let Me Go” or just by itself for the upcoming Spring season.

I also picked up this wet n wild eyeshadow palette in the Shade A229-“Coming In Latte.”

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How gorgeous are these colors?

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I have really been into the golds and browns lately, and this is just a gorgeous Palette and I am so excited to try it out!

Last but not least lip products were my last splurge items which I found in Walgreens. I featured a wet n wild Velvet Matte Lip Color in a prior post, which you can see how I styled the look HERE. And so I picked up this more muted berry color for a more natural look in the shade A366- “Berry Tales.”

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What a nice neutral pink to pair with the eye shadow palette!

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And I paired it with wet n wild’s megaslicks Balm Stain in the shade 161A- “Made You Pink”

So here’s to my exciting new adventure into trying out these new products. I can’t wait to try them and create fun new looks. And thank you to my Aunt Linda for the generous birthday gift, I certainly put it to good use and only had to add 20 extra cents. Now that’s impressive! 😉 #ShopSmart #LookForTheDeals

 

*All crappy cell phone pics belong to yours truly.*

-<3-

 

 

Mini Drugstore Haul-Products Getting Too Expensive?

So I’ve never really done a makeup haul of any kind on this blog. I’m not one to shop for name brand makeup, I’m a drugstore makeup buyer. I keep my makeup routine pretty simple, if and when I choose to wear it on a daily basis, it’s just the basics- Under eye Concealer, Coverstick, Powder, Lip Balm, Brows, and maybe mascara. Sometimes I won’t even use mascara, I’ll just curl my lashes, and lightly pinch my cheeks for some color, instead of adding blush.

So when I noticed the products that I use everyday started to finish and some were a bit old, I went to pick up a few key products from my local Rite Aid.

Products:

prices for haul post

Facial Cleanser- (was originally $8.29…so I was happy to catch this product on sale, I love that it’s a foam facial cleanser.)

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Make Up Wipes- (I buy the cheap ones! But still it only has 15 wipes, which is a bummer.)

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Cover Stick (in Medium 802)- (I happen to like wet n wild products, and I needed a new cover stick and didn’t feel like breaking the bank.)

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Under Eye Concealer (in Medium 130)- (I love this stuff, but wish it was cheaper, the applicator is really the perfect size and function to roll it onto those dark under eye circles.)

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Mascara (Mocha 034)- (this mascara is pure hypoallergenic and volumizing and suitable for green eyes. I have hazel eyes but depending on the day they can look green. So I went for this one. I also have sensitive eyes so hypoallergenic is a must for me.) 

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Liquid Eyeliner- (This is a new purchase for me, I’m trying to strengthen my wing game, because it’s pretty non-existent. As they say practice makes perfect, so being that this is a test run product, I went for the cheapest I could find. Thank you wet n wild.)

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So I know these purchases are mostly pretty cheap, but the few that weren’t just kind of anger me. $9.49 for that tiny tube of concealer. Seriously. I paid $33.14 in total and only walked out with 6 items. Thankfully I had a $25 gift card so I didn’t have to add too much on, otherwise I probably would have gotten one or two things and left. In fact if I would have gone with my plan to purchase a new covergirl lipstick from their Oh Sugar line (which was $8) my total would have been in the $40 range FOR MAKEUP in a DRUGSTORE. It’s nonsense if you ask me. Which is why I steer clear from brand names. Drugstores should be ashamed for charging so much. Who’s with me?

What do you think of Drugstore prices on makeup?

*All photos are my own* #crappycellphonepics

-<3-

How I styled Lilac lipstick…

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Products used, & and a little bit of Tori Kelly fangirlin’ #herfirstmagazinecover

MAKE-UP & HAIR:

This eye shadow trio from wet n wild is called “I’m Getting Sunburned.” I thought these colors were so gorgeous and it was only about $4 in the drugstore, so I thought why not? The application was pretty self explanatory- the goldish/copper color is for the eyelid, the darker brown color is for the crease, and then the purple/pink color is for the brow bone. I basically just followed that guideline. I also dragged the copper gold color under my lower lash line and placed some in the inner corners of my eyes to brighten up these sleepy eyes of mine. Then I added some mascara, bronzer, blush and filled in my eyebrows. Lastly I added the staple…wet n wild’s velvet matte “Lie Lack” lip color crayon. I actually really like this lip pencil, and the quality of it. I paid about $4 for it in the drugstore as well, and I was pleased with the wear ability of it. I also think you can layer this and get more color out of it. I just did a light layer but it seems like it would build nicely into a darker shade.

I was running late for church and let’s be real my hair was going on it’s second day so it was a bit ragged so I did what any lazy girl in a rush would do, threw some dry shampoo in it and threw it up in a messy bun. I like to pull out some baby hairs on the sides of my face to add more of a messy look to it.

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OUTFIT OF THE DAY:

The makeup look was pretty bright, so I wanted the outfit to be a contrast of light and dark pieces. So, I wore black combat boots, black jeans, a black graphic t-shirt, a thin black cardigan, a leopard puffy vest, and a polka dot scarf. I love mixing patterns, I think it works because the colors are similar. Some people may not dig the mix and match vibe, and hey that’s okay. We’re all unique. I was just going to hang out with some friends from high school -a mini reunion of sorts- so I wanted a really comfortable, laid back look.

outfit edit

Would you rock a Lilac lip?

If so, how would you style it, what would you wear it with?

*All images are my own.*

-<3-

How I styled Blue lipstick…

A few days before New Year’s Eve I remember thinking “I want to wear a really obnoxious color lipstick.” I thought a bright blue would be really, funky and fun for New Years. And I saw this YouTube video and thought, hey why the hell not?

I was just going to hang out with some family, I wasn’t really worried about feeling strange. In fact, I just embraced the freedom the bold color gave me, to strike up a conversation. In fact my grandfather was like “Oh is this a new thing? You look beautiful.” in his heavy Spanish accent. It was kind of hysterical.

This make-up look is very bold and so I thought it needed an edgy outfit to accompany it. I also think this look can work for a night out with friends. You can even swap it out for a funky black dress and some heels to make it fancier.

Here’s my New Year’s Eve look (in mostly crappy cellphone pictures) 😉

MAKE-UP & HAIR:

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Blue lipsticks and hair jewels. Fun Fact: The iron ons were $1 in Mandees. And when they say they last for a week, believe it! I had to fight to get those suckers out, I washed my hair thoroughly 3 times and still had to brush them out with a comb and some conditioner once I got out of the shower. Got my dollars worth that’s for sure. AND the lipsticks were $3 each in a local beauty store. NOT BAD! (I’m dying to go back and by all the other funky colors, like Green and Purple!)

PLEASE EXCUSE– the abundance of weird selfie faces,  you are about to endure, this blue lipstick went to my head. 😉 #alterego

 

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My attempt at a winged eyeliner. Eh. My shadow is made up of a lot of bronze, gold, brown colors, with some black liner on the top and bottom water lines. I layered some gold glitter on top of the black liner on the top water line too. Also some silver glitter for the outer portion of my eyes.

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Silver iron on hearts on one side of my hair- I just used a flat iron for this. The directions are included in the package, it’s pretty self explanatory. Although I had curled my hair, so when I had to flat iron the hearts onto my hair, it kind of lost it’s curl. And it was a bit difficult to try and curl it again, while the hearts were in. So I kind of just sprayed it and scrunched it up with my hands, just to get the body back.

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Gold Hair Jewels on the other side. These were very easy to apply and to remove. They were just stick ons.

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Gosh. So sassy. #missthangovahere

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FULL OUTFIT SHOTS:

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Basically I wore black skinny legged pants, a black and white mesh/lace shirt with a cross on it, a black sparkly sequined cardigan, and my funky pair of black and white boots. I paired my outfit with some gold jewelry to accessorize and I don’t know if you can tell by my nails were basically silver, and gold, with gold glittery sparkles.

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So I know this isn’t exactly a tutorial. I don’t really put a lot of emphasis on brands, I use what I have and just make it work for me. So you guys can totally do the same. And I don’t really tell you exactly how I did my make-up because I think everyone develops their own style and I’m not even close to beauty guru status, so I’m going to stick with doing things this way. I just watch tutorials on YouTube for tips and tricks. Some of my favorite beauty gurus include Carrie Rad, Ingrid Nielsen, Rachh Loves, Sierra Furtado, LaurDIY, Michelle Reed, TalkBeckyTalk, FleurdeForce, and of course the beautiful Bethany Mota.

This look is just to spark some inspiration for those looking to spice things up for a night on the town or for wherever you choose to go, or whatever you choose to do. Trust me, my parents were kinda like whoa, ok. And, my brother has issues with change, so he had something to say. But I didn’t let it bother me- it was super fun, and I felt kinda extra cool, because I knew it wasn’t about me doing it for attention. It was about me doing something cool and funky for me. I’ll admit I went a little overboard on the makeup and hair, but hey if I’m going to overdo the sparkly on any day, let it be New Year’s Eve, right?

I like to be different. I like to do things that are out of the box when it comes to fashion. I love experimenting. I love dressing up, and being festive for the holiday season. Every holiday you will find me in some kind of festive head dress. It’s fun to be weird, to be funky. I was always the shy girl as kid, and although I’ve come a long way, that still is a part of me. Regardless, I also think I’ve always had this attraction to strange trends and strange patterns, and things like that. I feel like I have a gypsy soul of sorts. I dance to my one drum, that I create the beat for.

Dare to be different. Turn a few heads.

Make 2016, your year to *sparkle*

****QUICK NOTE****

I will say the lipstick held up, and definitely had staying power. But if I ate or drank anything instead of just gradually blending off like regular lipstick, this matte finish kind of streaked and lingered, to the point where I either had to reapply or just take it off completely by wiping it off with a tissue. That was kind of frustrating to be talking and feel like your blue lipstick was all wonky. But never the less, its the price you pay for cheap lipstick, no biggy. I still enjoyed rocking my blue lips. When can I wear them again? 😉

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So would you rock blue lips?

*All images are my personal images…(although I stole some from my dad’s camera ;))*

-<3-