Showing posts with label the beauty files. Show all posts
;
Showing posts with label the beauty files. Show all posts

The Beauty Files: share the beauty (week eight)


Last week got the best of me and I had to skip over 'face beauty', but I'm back and I'm catching up with our series by sharing some favorite products for my smoocher! 

To catch up on Share the Beauty posts go here, and don't forget you can link up with Lauren, Leonora and myself each week for one more month before this series is over.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MOISTURE

For a nice moisturizing lip stick I LOVE BabyLips by Maybelline.  I actually only just tried it when Heather gave me a little gift bag at Snap and this was in there.. I'm hooked.  I've just been using the moisturizing one (blue), but they do have tinted ones.  I love how smooth and non-sticky this stuff is.


Before using BabyLips I was obsessed with any and all of the C.O Bigelow lip glosses.. these things are fantastic.  I'm pretty sure if you were stranded somewhere with no food then consumption of one of the lip glosses would get you through-- aka they are yummy. 



COLORGLOSS

I'm a huge fan of something with a little bit of color and not much stickiness.  A great tip to get more color out of your gloss (& to get it to hold longer) is to lightly sweep on some blush over your lips right before the gloss goes on.  

I have a couple of grocery store brands that work fine and dandy, but when I want something special my fav's are Lipstick Queen, Nars Original Lip Gloss,  Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments or Paul & Joe.


STAIN

I only own one lipstick and for me they are a little old school (some people pull them off beautifully though!), so I usually stick with a stain and some gloss if needed.  What's great is that most stains can be used on your cheeks and lips.. my most favorite is by Benefit.. if you are nervous about stains try something more subtle like a balm/stain in one like TokiDoki.


NOW ITS YOUR TURN!

PARTY RULES
Make sure you link to your Share the Beauty Post NOT your blog domain
 Please have the post you link up to be about "Sharing the Beauty" 
not a giveaway or a product promo. 

Please do not post anything that is unrelated to this weeks topic of:
 FOUNDATION

Anyone linking posts that are not related to our party will be deleted.
You can link up here, with Leonora or Lauren and your link will show up on all of our blogs!
You can also grab this button and share the love!


NEXT WEEKS PROMPT
Week 9- Make Up Brushes

We thought you guys would like to know ahead of time what prompts you can contribute to! Here is the list of future Share the Beauty Party Topics! We will be going in this order:

Week 10- Scents: Deodorants, Perfumes, Body Splashes etc
Week 11- Body Care: Razors, Shaving Cream, Body Lotion, Sunscreen etc
Week 12- Nails: Nail Polish, Nail Polish Remover, Clippers, Techniques etc 

what is beauty to you?


For over a month The Beauty Files has been a great way to learn some tutorials, hear stories and link up your own favorite beauty products. Today Kelsie McNair from with lavender and lace is sharing a really sweet and inpiring post about finding beauty in confidence.


BEAUTY! What is that, even? Who is that? How do I get it? How can I become that? In my experience of this ever changing emotional and physical roller coaster that I like to refer to as life, I'm constantly bumping into questions like this. So I've put together a little guide of what I believe keeps you feeling beautiful inside and out: it's just a bit of confidence! I hope some of these tips can inspire you to take a few extra steps in your life to keep yourself happy and confident . . . keeping you beautiful!


Being confident in your work.

We all have to work because we all have to make money. With that being said, we don't all have dreamy jobs that make and keep us happy. My best advice to you all is to stay positive in your work! You've got to make the best out of what you have because some people can't find jobs at all! I think it's important to find a few little things that you do enjoy within your work and do them as best as you possibly can. Also, you need to be spending time doing something you enjoy outside of work too, like a hobby or craft (knitting, photography, drawing, running,  singing, baking, dancing, writing fantasy novels, twirling, blogging, creating, etc.). Section out time of your busy week to spend working on a project that makes you happy; something you love to do and are good at doing. This little bit of time that you get to spend doing something you love each week will help you feel refreshed and will hopefully provide some comforting relief if your work environment is stressful. Also, if you've been tossing around ideas of moving onto a career that might make you a happier person, my advice is to study and work hard for it, but start taking steps now! You'll never know if that job or career could be yours until you begin to chase it down! Stay positive and know that if you work hard enough and want something enough. You can get it!


Having confidence in your friendships.

Some of my best advice to keeping yourself sparkly and happy would be to have a seriously sweet support system. People come and go in your life always but there are just a few that make their way into your heart and live there forever. When you're down or having a rough patch or just barely surviving in a "funk," let it loose to a close friend. Ask for advice, ask for help. Reach out to the ones you love because they love you too and want you to be happy!  Spending quality time with people you genuinely admire and support is a great way to unload negative energy and rebuild confidence. Sometimes, they know exactly what you're going through and they might have the greatest advice in the world to offer! I like to have hilarious friends because laughing is something that keeps me constantly happy, and this shows!


Staying confident in your own shoes.

Staying confident in your own shoes. Take a step back and look at your present self—the YOU that is YOU right now. Recognize that this person has been through a lot to get to where they are and they are on their way somewhere else. Each moment is significant and it is really important to think about the future, however, don't forget to think about today. Every experience you have and make for yourself helps you become the person you want to be, take the time to realize each day is special and try to get something out of it, even if its something small. You will look back on today years from now and ask yourself about accomplishments and success, so make the best of it. Be confident that this person you are now wont always exist in this way, we all are constantly changing little by little and soon you will be onto the next thing, thinking with a different mind than before.

As far as appearances go, I'll be the first to tell you how fun I think clothes and make up are, and how they can be confidence boosters. I love dressing up for my shop and posting photos of outfits and styling things. If I had any advice for this, I'd have to say you've got to give up what other people are thinking about you. If you manage to let this go, you can look and dress and play however you want without pressure from anyone. As long as you love it and show that you love it . . . well what else could make a person more beautiful? You'll be a shining star simply because you know you are one!

I know, this stuff sounds like it is so far from the idea of beauty, but I don't really think it is. I believe that if you feel wonderful—you will look wonderful. Appearances only matter for a small part of our relationships and memories, but feeling happy will keep you positive and beautiful for as long as you let it. And hey, if none of these things work for you or help make your life a little bit more smiley: go buy some new panties and eat chocolate covered berries. That always helps me when I need it!

with lavender and lace

The Beauty Files: double wing eyeliner


We are 4 sisters that grew up stealing each other's clothes, hogging the bathroom, laughing till wee hours of the morning, and doing projects together. We have since grown up and moved away and we started our blog as a project to do together again despite the distance. We have a love for fashion, crafts, recipes, and just making beautiful things.


Hey there all! I'm Jamie from The Letter 4 and I am beyond thrilled to be here on one of my absolute favorite blogs! Lately, I've been diggin all these intense eye-line styles that seems to be all the rage everywhere I look. My sister and I stumbled on a double wing tip look and I knew I had to try it myself...








It's actually a lot simpler than I had anticipated it being. A few tips: draw on the lower wing first, and also (at least for me) a thicker base seemed to look and work better than my normal skinny base.








1. Start with a cleaned, primed lid. 
2. Draw on your base line as usual. 
3. Draw in your bottom wing tip. 
4. Draw in your upper wing tip 
(have some makeup remover and q-tips handy for your first try!) 

And last just polish it and make sure your overall shape is good! Afterwards I applied a dark pink shimmer to my whole lid and highlights next to my tear duct and under my lid. Just a little because I wanted the main focus to be the liner :)


And there you have it! Practice makes perfect! 
You can see more tutorials, fashion, recipes, and a ton more over at our blog. 


Thank you so much again Heather! The sisters and I adore you!    -Jamie@theletter4


BLOG // FACEBOOK // TWITTER


The Beauty Files: share the beauty (week four)


Another week and another topic for our Share the Beauty party that I'm taking part in with Lauren and Leonora is here!  Have you had a chance to link up? Let me tell you straight up.. you should!  You get to share some of your favorite beauty products with us each week based off chosen beauty themes we have conjured up. Plus linking up gives others an opportunity to find you when maybe they woudn't normally aka potential new blog traffic for you!


Having PCOS has probably been one of the hardest things I've faced over the years.  Let's just put the whole 6 years of trying to conceive aside and get real.  Pretty skin + PCOS = good luck, not gonna happen.  As a woman that not only suffers from the infertility & weight symptoms of this condition that can genuinely affect my day to day life, let's throw in skin issues just to make it fun mmkay?

For those of you that have a little blemish here and there and you think its the end of the world, I can only wish that was my world.  So please count yourself lucky that you do not suffer from acne.  Not only has it affected the way I get ready everyday or even to the places I go -because of the lighting- it also makes me think about the way I hug people -leaving powder marks on their shirt is embarrassing!- and even the way my day to day mood will be... yep if I'm not having a good skin day then pretty much my day is crap.

I guess I could thank having skin issues for giving me good skills with makeup, not having a single wrinkle on my skin (thanks oily tzone?) and finding amazing lighting for when I take photographs.  You might not see blemishes in my photos & I very rarely edit them out.. but believe me they are there and I'm conscious (every minute, every hour, every day) of my skin.. and its not fun.
{it might not look like much, believe me this was a good day with my bff concealer helping out! and my friends and family in real life know exactly how hard and how real this struggle is.  I really don't want to share the no makeup photos!}

It's not fun when you know you wash your face and treat it, but people think that because you have skin issues that you might not.  Its not fun when you are having a great day and a Mary Kay or Avon rep comes up to you and tells you they want to give you free products (aka that means they want to help you with your ugly face), thanks that great day is now shot.  It's not fun to have to tell people that you can't control it because PCOS is causing it and then having to explain what PCOS is. <-- I linked that on purpose in case you had questions! It's not fun to look around a room full of girls and realize that clear skin is a normal thing to have and that you will never in your life know what that feels like.  Basically this not fun list could go on & on...you get the idea, yeah?

I've tried lots of different things and really I actually have found that for me, occasionally switching up my routine with things I know work actually helps.  So I'm going to share a few products that have helped and that my dermatologist actually approved of.

CLEANSER


I would classify my skin type as oily t-zone & super sensitive jawline/cheeks.  The best cleansers I have found for my skin are actually bar soaps and depending on the time of year (summer/winter) I use either Dove Sensitive Skin or Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing.  Because my skin is so sensitive and I still use makeup the cleansing needs to be as gentle as possible so that I don't get burnt or dried out.

MAKEUP REMOVER
This is some old school stuff right here!  I only use Albolene to remove my makeup before washing my face when my skin is super dry (like during winter) because it provides lightweight moisture.  Its rad for removing mascara too!  Dry skin on elbows, heals or even cuticles can benefit from this.  Also I'm a huge supporter of having no makeup lines so before makeup I occasionally will dab a tiny bit around my neckline just so my makeup blends more evenly.

BLEMISH BANISHER


Personally my skin goes through phases where Benzoyl Peroxide, Salycilic Acid or Sulfur tend to work best, lately I've noticed that the sulfur creams have been better so I'm using Adult Acnomel on the spots that need help.  What sucks is that the acne I do tend to get sometimes never comes to the surface, they end up being a nodule (cystic acne) then they just go away.. its horribly annoying and so very noticeable =(

Believe me I have tried everything under the moon from internal cleanses, water diets, vitamins, prescriptions, cheapie stuff, natural therapies and expensive luxury brands.  Some things help and some have caused disasters, right now this is what works for me.  I occasionally use toners, I do not use sunscreen and because I have higher levels of testosterone (another pcos lame-o symptom) the breakouts I do get are very irregular. 

Since this is such a sensitive subject, if you suffer from the same thing I would love to know how you handle it.  Its a emotional roller coaster that I wish more people understood about me, but they never will.. and thats ok because I would never wish this upon anyone else!  Thanks for letting me share something that affects my self esteem everyday, it's something that no matter how hard I try to control it I can't and now I just sort of adjust my life around it and make the best of what I have.. which is awesome boobs! Ha jk =) or am I?

NOW ITS YOUR TURN!

PARTY RULES
Make sure you link to your Share the Beauty Post NOT your blog domain
 Please have the post you link up to be about "Sharing the Beauty" 
not a giveaway or a product promo. 

Please do not post anything that is unrelated to this weeks topic of:
 FACE CARE

Anyone linking posts that are not related to our party will be deleted.
You can link up here, with Leonora or Lauren and your link will show up on all of our blogs!
You can also grab this button and share the love!









NEXT WEEKS PROMPT

We thought you guys would like to know ahead of time what prompts you can contribute to! Here is the list of future Share the Beauty Party Topics! We will be going in this order:

Week 5- Eye Make up: Eye shadow, eye liner, eye primer, mascara etc
Week 6- Foundation: Concealer, Powder, Liquid Foundation etc
Week 7- Face Beauty: Blush, Bronzer, Face Primer etc
Week 8- Lip Beauty: Lip stick, lip exfoliator, chap stick, lip gloss etc
Week 9- Make Up Brushes

Week 10- Scents: Deodorants, Perfumes, Body Splashes etc
Week 11- Body Care: Razors, Shaving Cream, Body Lotion, Sunscreen etc
Week 12- Nails: Nail Polish, Nail Polish Remover, Clippers, Techniques etc 

what's in your makeup bag? {gussysews}

Maggie and I have been chatting lately about how we need to collaborate more often, so I was excited when she said she would love to contribute to The Beauty Files.  She came up with a cute post that now after seeing it I sort of want to start asking other bloggers -whats in your makeup bag ?- like a spin on the what's in my purse posts I see occasionally.. wouldn't that be fun? 




hi everyone! i thought it would be super fun to share WHAT'S IN MY MAKE-UP BAG!, 
since i'm always interested in finding out about + trying new make-up.  i've been wearing make-up for for almost 15 years, so crazy! i started with a jet black mascara and slowly started wearing eyeliner, eyeshadow, foundation, blush + lip gloss.



for me, a "natural" look is my favorite. if zack and i go on a fun date i'll apply another coat of mascara, add another swipe of blush and maybe some lipstick, but that's about it! i haven't braved RED lipstick yet although it sounds like it would be fun!!!

maybe that'll be next on my list ;D

before i share what's inside my bag i thought it would be helpful to share more about my skin type, since i know that plays a huge role in selecting make-up. my skin is a little bit oily and definitely problematic! if i'm wearing foundation it absolutely has to be high-end. basically, anything that can be bought at Target or a drug store is a no-no. within hours these low-end products irritate my skin causing me to breakout. 

however, the rest of what i wear is inexpensive, thank goodness!


as for my cleansing routine, every morning + night i wash my face. i love this foam wash for the morning and these wipes for the evening. i use astringent 2x/day and follow-up with 
a light moisturizer 2x/day. something else i've learned that has played a huge role in my make-up + cleansing routine is this: anything with SPF in it causes me to breakout as well. it's so weird, but instead of focusing on this i just move forward with what i've learned and make sure to not spend too much time out in the sun. i also love these oil blotting sheets and use 1-2 daily {is that TMI?}.

OK, so now that i've shared about my skin type + my morning routine 
let's get to the fun part, the MAKE-UP i wear!

i wear make-up just about every single day and am faithful at washing it off at night. i'm a dork, but i can't sleep if i know i have foundation or mascara on, hah! here's what i wear on most days, in order of application...

* MAKEUP FOREVER HIGH DEFINITION PRIMER {NEUTRAL} -- i just started using primer, and i know it sounds a little bit silly BUT it totally works and has helped my foundation stay put for a few extra hours. it feels a little cool upon application and it's a little bit relaxing to "paint" it on with my make-up brush.

* SONIA KASHUK RETRACTABLE MAKE-UP BRUSH -- one end is for my foundation, the other is for my blush! and i love that there are caps for both brush types so they stay clean a bit longer.

* LAURA MERCIER SILK CREME FOUNDATION {CREAM IVORY} -- this is my new favorite foundation! it has lovely coverage, ranging in light to heavy depending on how many applications you apply. it covers redness, blemishes, and gives me a nice base for applying bush :)

* NARS BLUSH {MADLY} -- did you know when you color your hair you should also change your make-up?! this was news to me! in february i went into sephora looking for a few new items and told the cosmetologist i felt like my make-up made me look washed out. i was with a friend who reminded me i had recently colored my hair {from blonde to reddish/brown}. the cosmetologist found me a new blush and YEOW! my life has been changed forever! ;) this specific color {Madly by Nars} is fantastic!!!

* COVER GIRL EYESHADOW {CHAMPAGNE} -- such a pretty, light, shimmery color ~ it's been a favorite for many years :)

* EYE SHADOW BRUSH -- the brush i use is similar to this. it's simple + provides a quick application.

* MAYBELLINE DEFINE-A-LINE EYELINER {BROWNISH BLACK} -- again, an all time favorite for many years. BONUS: if you need to wipe it off and start over {because seriously, sometimes i need to do that!} it comes off clean! no need for make-up remover.

* MAYBELLINE THE COLOSSAL VOLUM' EXPRESS MASCARA {GLAM BLACK} -- i've been wearing mascara for years... since i was like 12! so that's about 15 years now ;D my theory is to match your mascara wand with what your lash type is. so for me, i love a fat, dense mascara wand. i've tried using something thinner but my eyelashes get all clumpy and weird. i have naturally long, thick, curled lashes - DON'T HATE ME! - so two coats of mascara is all i need.

* NAIL POLISH -- my favorites are Essie, Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear + Sally Hansen Diamond Strength (top coat)

so that's it! thanks for peaking inside my make-up bag :]

XOXO,
Gussy
SHARE WITH ME BELOW: 
what is YOUR favorite make-up item? do tell!


The Beauty Files: beauty on a budget



Hi! I'm Kim from the blog and shop, Oh, Sweet Joy!. I live in colorful Colorado with my husband, and besides being a shop owner & blogger, I'm also a Personal Shopper for Anthropologie. I love DIY, handmade, fashion, and baking. I'm excited to share my beauty post with y'all today! It's nothing fancy, but hopefully I can save ya a few dolla dolla bills ((y'all))!

I've never been much of a make-up girl. Apart from using too much glitter in High School Cheerleading, I've always kept it pretty natural looking. In fact, I've used the same eye shadow since high school -- I've bought new ones, of course -- but the same colors.

There are a LOT of make-up products out there. It's overwhelming, especially for someone like me who doesn't really know the first thing about application. I want to preface, however, with this: things that you are putting DIRECTLY onto your face need to be a higher quality for your skin's sake. I'm talking base/foundation, powder, etc.  I promise the more you spend on this, the less you'll have stuff to cover up. I use "No Zit Sherlock" Skin Treatments and BareMinerals Makeup for primer, concealer**, foundation, bronzer, etc. That way, problem areas aren't having those extra yucky ingredients caked on them every day.

-I say, with the money I save on these items, 
I can afford to buy the more expensive and higher quality for my face-

HOWEVER, for the other parts of my limited makeup routine, I use "drug store beauty."This means, the items I use are really inexpensive and can be bought at Target, Walgreens, CVS, RiteAid, etc. Most of the time, I can stock up on all of them a couple times a year for under $25. Baller! Here's what I buy:


I buy brown eyeliner and mascara and I swear by this eyeshadow. I mean, obviously...I've been wearing it since 2002. Yowza. I don't wear eyeliner every day, so that's why I can go with the cheap stuff and be okay with it. As for the mascara, I think I'm just a creature of habit, as with the eyeshadow. It's the most expensive of my drug store beauty products, but I think it works wonders for my thin eyelashes! Here's the cost breakdown.

**Sometimes for major spots that need to be covered up, 
I use a cheapo concealer with great coverage before using BareMinerals.





SO tell us, what's your favorite drug store beauty product? 



The Beauty Files: snip snip!



I'm Tera Rae Stephens, mom of three and California hair stylist for 12 years.  I started my blog to promote my business but am having a blast sharing before and after stories, product reviews, styling tips and most recently a series called The Style(ist) where I show an outfit I wore to the salon.

Today I'm sharing with you a video on how to cut your bangs 
so they can be worn THREE ways!!! 


And here’s how you cut it yourself…


You can buy a Feather razor like the one in my video right here.
Make sure to use the blades with the guard on them!!!

blog // facebook // twitter

The Beauty Files: share the beauty (week three)



Have you been catching up with our Share the Beauty posts? Not only can you review, share and link up your own posts to your favorite beauty products, but the true product love reviews from Lauren, Leonora and myself will probably help you in searching for your new beauty buys!  This week we are talking about hair products, what are some of your favorites to use when styling your hair? 


I truly believe that how your hair turns out from day to day is a combination of what you wash/condition it with and what products you put on to style.  Now my shower is full of different brands ranging in price and fragrance, and in all honesty however I feel that morning is how I choose which one to use!  When I get out of the shower I usually mist a light leave-in condition like It's a 10 or Miracle Treat along with some sort of serum for my ends.  Then I usually part my bangs to the side with a bobby pin, put all my hair up and do my makeup.  Not only does this let my hair air dry a bit, but I hate doing my makeup after I'm all hot from blow drying!



When I'm about to style I like to shoot a little bit of a protector on my strands, one of my favorite products is the Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist by Alterna.  You can use this on wet or dry hair (I also occasionally use after all styling is done for a bit of shine) and it just cuts back the frizz and amps up the protection from the heat styling.


On days when I want more volume and know I will be blow drying I LOVE using Small Talk by Bedhead.  I have thin hair and this makes my hair feel fuller with out feeling full of product.  I use just a tiny dab and put it into my roots before shooting them with the dryer.  I also love to mix a little bit of this in with some serum when I wear my hair naturally curly, it seems to define and hold them just a bit better.


I actually don't like hairspray that much and have been on a search for what seems like forever to find the perfect spray for me.  Since I was a stylist I was able to find and try a bevy of products, but that didn't mean that they were right for my hair type.  I absolutely adore the Tresemme Tres Two ultra fine mist spray, it is light weight but provides just enough of a styling agent to finish off my look.  I never feel like I have hairspray in my hair as its touchable, brushable and movable.  Nine times out of ten its the go-to spray for me and with a price tag of around $3 you can't beat that.

If I'm looking for a substantial hold, but not quite an Aqua Net look then I reach for S-Factor Vivacious by TIGI (the makers of Beadhead), sure its a bit pricier.. but I also don't use it all the time.  Its perfect for days when I want my style to stay put and look pretty.  The one thing I love about both of these sprays is that they smell amazing, you never get that hairspray alcohol aftermath!

This is just another favorite product of mine that I wanted to mention, its totally a drug store brand (I have no shame!) and I just adore it.  Garnier Fructis Nutrient Spray is made up of super good oils for your hair.  On days when I need a refresher and my hair just feels dry or limp, even on beachy wavy hair days or seriously just right before bed I love just spritzing my locks with this.  It smells great, makes my hair feel clean and healthy and provides a bit of health (with the oils) while styling. I also love using this after I curl all my hair, it seems to just calm everything down and make my hair feel happy.

{images found via google shopping}


NOW ITS YOUR TURN!

PARTY RULES
Make sure you link to your Share the Beauty Post NOT your blog domain
 Please have the post you link up to be about "Sharing the Beauty" 
not a giveaway or a product promo. 

Please do not post anything that is unrelated to this weeks topic of:
 HAIR STYLING PRODUCTS

Anyone linking posts that are not related to our party will be deleted.
You can link up here, with Leonora or Lauren and your link will show up on all of our blogs!
You can also grab this button and share the love!
 






NEXT WEEKS PROMPT
If you missed this weeks linky then no worries! 
Next week we are talking about "FACE CARE" in other words, what types of products
 do you use on your face to help your skin look all glowly and dreamy and awesome? 
Some examples are:  Moisturizer, Face Wash, Make up remover, exfoliator etc. 
(Psssttt don't get next week's prompt mixed up with "face make up" 
We will be talking about our favorite make up on another time! Thanks loves)



Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)