Hey everyone! I am writing this blog entry in Boulder, CO which is the first stop on my roadtrip out to LA. The mountains are absolutely beautiful here and this little mini-vacation reminds me of my trip to Paris last year with Sigma Beauty.
As many of you know, the Paris Palette was just released which is so exciting because I had a hand in developing it. I shared more pictures and swatches in this post but now I can share with you a makeup tutorial and vlog video as well! Today's look is a "pop of teal" which is a mostly neutral look with a bright eyeshadow that is framed on the lid. It's actually a very fun and surprisingly wearable look for Spring and Summer so I hope you enjoy the tutorial!
Click below to see the Behind the Scenes and Tutorial as well as more photos!
Hey everyone! It seems that prom season is already upon us. When I stayed in a hotel last week there was actually a prom going on that night in the banquet rooms and I'm not gonna lie, I get a big grin on my face every time I see high school kids getting dressed up for the dance.
Each year for prom, I try to do a makeup look that will work for many types of dresses since I know each prom will have a flurry of colors and styles that'll be popular. Last year's tutorial was a two-toned shadow with voluminous lashes, a look that I am still in love with now. To bring something different but still appropriate for every dress, I turned to this basic smoky eye using a blackened dark green shadow as the focal point.
Video tutorial, pics, and a look back at my own prom below!
Since I already did a very vibrant look using green in my Turquatic Inspired Look, I decided to do something a little bit different. One of my favorite ways to wear eyeshadow lately has been to do a smudgey winged line so I thought I would translate that into a vibrant kelly green befitting the holiday.
See the video (with a cameo by Cherry, my chihuahua) and more photos below!
I know that a lot of us who watch Youtube makeup videos and read beauty blogs are fans of really extreme makeup but are hesitant to wear it out in public. I personally love bright colors but I usually default to my neutrals for work days.
Still, I think it's quite beneficial to conjure up a nice Pantone-bright look every now and then. If you can make bright shadows flattering for your eye shape, you can pretty much do any less-bright look and pull it off easily. It's all about the right shape and blending, blending, blending! ;)
Products mentioned:
Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ in 40
Urban Decay Primer Potion
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
Sugarpill Cosmetics eyeshadow in Buttercupcake
Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette (Deep End, Evidence)
Sugarpill Cosmetics eyeshadow in Midori
NYX Slide On Eyeliner Pencil in Esmeralda
Urban Decay 24/7 Liquid Eyeliner in Siren
Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner Pen in Black
NYX Slide On Eyeliner Pencil in Sunrise Blue
Shu Uemura Lash curler
FAIRYDROPS Scandal Queen Waterproof Mascara
Lioele false eyelashes in #12
Kiss lash adhesive
Lioele Artist Auto Eyebrow Pencil in Grey Black
Panasonic Heated Eyelash Curler (similar here and here)
Rock & Republic Blush in Spank (similar to Mac Well Dressed or perhaps NYX Angel)
MAC Blot Powder in Medium Dark
Urban Decay Lipstick in Naked
For this look I was inspired by the amazing packaging from the MAC Turquatic perfume collection. Check out these promotional images. Gorrrrrrgeous, right?
So for my particular almond-shaped eyes, since they aren't super huge and I don't have a defined crease or eye socket, I didn't want to bring the color super high up on my lid. When I do that I tend to look a bit like I got punched in the eye. I just bring it gently above my lash line which makes the look a lot more wearable.
For those who are wanting to recreate this look, my biggest tips are these:
1 - Eyeshadow primer is key! It helps colors to stick to your eyes and not crease
2 - The white base really makes shadows pop, especially yellow
3 - Start with a little and add bit by bit
4 - Check the overall shadow shape with your eyes open as you go
Like I said before, if you can get your own "perfect" shape with bright colors, it's much easier to tone the same shape back to neutrals and have it look very flattering. Feel free to try out this look with other colors as well!
I hope you enjoyed watching and let me know if you enjoyed seeing a bright, colorful look. Should I do more of these dramatic eyes? I know they are less wearable but it's really fun to do. Let me know in the comments! ^_~
Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links. Thank you to NYX, Urban Decay, and Pretty & Cute for generously gifting some of the items in this post! This post and video are not sponsored.
Still, I think it's quite beneficial to conjure up a nice Pantone-bright look every now and then. If you can make bright shadows flattering for your eye shape, you can pretty much do any less-bright look and pull it off easily. It's all about the right shape and blending, blending, blending! ;)
Products mentioned:
Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ in 40
Urban Decay Primer Potion
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
Sugarpill Cosmetics eyeshadow in Buttercupcake
Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette (Deep End, Evidence)
Sugarpill Cosmetics eyeshadow in Midori
NYX Slide On Eyeliner Pencil in Esmeralda
Urban Decay 24/7 Liquid Eyeliner in Siren
Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner Pen in Black
NYX Slide On Eyeliner Pencil in Sunrise Blue
Shu Uemura Lash curler
FAIRYDROPS Scandal Queen Waterproof Mascara
Lioele false eyelashes in #12
Kiss lash adhesive
Lioele Artist Auto Eyebrow Pencil in Grey Black
Panasonic Heated Eyelash Curler (similar here and here)
Rock & Republic Blush in Spank (similar to Mac Well Dressed or perhaps NYX Angel)
MAC Blot Powder in Medium Dark
Urban Decay Lipstick in Naked
For this look I was inspired by the amazing packaging from the MAC Turquatic perfume collection. Check out these promotional images. Gorrrrrrgeous, right?
So for my particular almond-shaped eyes, since they aren't super huge and I don't have a defined crease or eye socket, I didn't want to bring the color super high up on my lid. When I do that I tend to look a bit like I got punched in the eye. I just bring it gently above my lash line which makes the look a lot more wearable.
Seriously, I tried out different poses with my hand just to show off my matching nails. XD
The color is Sally Hansen HD in Lite. :)
Close-up of the eyes. You can really see the outer-v contouring in this shot well.
My reference pic while I applied the makeup. I usually print it out but I <3 my new ipad! So handy! :D
Obligatory silly pics
Showing off my nails again and being mysterious. Ha!
Finger mustasche GO!
Jazz hands aka extra mysterious. I take myself very seriously. Also, #whalenecklacewin.
For those who are wanting to recreate this look, my biggest tips are these:
1 - Eyeshadow primer is key! It helps colors to stick to your eyes and not crease
2 - The white base really makes shadows pop, especially yellow
3 - Start with a little and add bit by bit
4 - Check the overall shadow shape with your eyes open as you go
Like I said before, if you can get your own "perfect" shape with bright colors, it's much easier to tone the same shape back to neutrals and have it look very flattering. Feel free to try out this look with other colors as well!
I hope you enjoyed watching and let me know if you enjoyed seeing a bright, colorful look. Should I do more of these dramatic eyes? I know they are less wearable but it's really fun to do. Let me know in the comments! ^_~
Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links. Thank you to NYX, Urban Decay, and Pretty & Cute for generously gifting some of the items in this post! This post and video are not sponsored.
Hey guys! I was originally planning on recording a green St. Patrick's Day tutorial but somehow my weekends always seem to be busy busy. The good news is that I did the second best thing, a "face of the day" from the actual morning of March 17th to show you how I really did my makeup. I feel like it's been a long time since I did a good 'ole FOTD without a video, am I right?
Here's a second little preview of my ombre hair which I am really loving so far. It's not too intense in real life that I feel uncomfortable with it, and it looks nice even when I don't do anything at all to it like in these photos.
Here's one with eyes closed so you can see the shadow. Although I actually do this a lot, it's actually a technique that I haven't used in a video yet so I might go ahead and show it in a video anyhow in the future. As you can see, the concentration of shadow is pretty horizontal as opposed to the rounded shape that I did in my smoky pink eyes tutorial.
Colors used:
Inglot shadow in AMC Shine 15 (orange-gold) for inner lid
Inglot shadow in Pearl 418 (dark green similar to MAC humid) for outer-v/contour
Teal shadow from Josie Maran Natural Wonders Palette in center of lid (looks bright green when layered)
When eyes are opened you see just a hint of color on the lids. It's a pretty effect when you are blinking.
I also used the NYX Mosaic Powder in Highlight for the browbones, inner eye corners, and tops of cheeks. Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Lucky is on my lower lash line. Lashes are Pretty & Cute Korean High Fiber Lashes in M146 which look nice and fluttery. I just have Blistex Silk & Shine lipbalm on my lips.
Here's a close-up of the eyes. You can click to see it larger.
Since I was totally kidding in my last post about talking about my hair here, I will do a hair post VERY SOON for real, and also have a review and swatches of both my Inglot palette (thank you sis!) and a few Josie Maran items including the one I used for this look.
:)
Here's a second little preview of my ombre hair which I am really loving so far. It's not too intense in real life that I feel uncomfortable with it, and it looks nice even when I don't do anything at all to it like in these photos.
Here's one with eyes closed so you can see the shadow. Although I actually do this a lot, it's actually a technique that I haven't used in a video yet so I might go ahead and show it in a video anyhow in the future. As you can see, the concentration of shadow is pretty horizontal as opposed to the rounded shape that I did in my smoky pink eyes tutorial.
Colors used:
Inglot shadow in AMC Shine 15 (orange-gold) for inner lid
Inglot shadow in Pearl 418 (dark green similar to MAC humid) for outer-v/contour
Teal shadow from Josie Maran Natural Wonders Palette in center of lid (looks bright green when layered)
When eyes are opened you see just a hint of color on the lids. It's a pretty effect when you are blinking.
I also used the NYX Mosaic Powder in Highlight for the browbones, inner eye corners, and tops of cheeks. Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Lucky is on my lower lash line. Lashes are Pretty & Cute Korean High Fiber Lashes in M146 which look nice and fluttery. I just have Blistex Silk & Shine lipbalm on my lips.
Here's a close-up of the eyes. You can click to see it larger.
Since I was totally kidding in my last post about talking about my hair here, I will do a hair post VERY SOON for real, and also have a review and swatches of both my Inglot palette (thank you sis!) and a few Josie Maran items including the one I used for this look.
:)
So, this look may or may not have been from St. Patrick's Day. We are just going to pretend that I regularly match all-green on any ordinary day because that's what reasonable, ordinary people do and obviously I am a reasonable and ordinary person. Ahem.
Green is one of those colors that I think everyone can pull off. It's especially nice on those with green, hazel, or brown eyes and it's much easier to have it not clash with Asian skin than, say, blue or other cooler colors. If you think about nature and how nice trees look then it's not so hard to imagine the same colors working well for makeup, right? ^.^
One of my favorite ways to wear bright colors is using it as a "pop" of color on a more neutral lid which is exactly what I've done here.
Here's a close-up of my eye. I did a basic neutral lid, MAC Fluidline for the eyeliner, Sugar criss-cross lashes, and a nice dose of Urban Decay's green 24/7 liners with Graffiti on the waterline and Covet smudged underneath. I skipped any black liner on the bottom lashes and instead had a nice long coat of mascara to open up the eyes.
For base makeup, I used Lioele's Beyond the Solution BB Cream which has great coverage but I have since stopped using since Skin 79's Super Functions (hot pink) BB matches my skintone better. One effect that I do find interesting looking at the photos where I used the Lioele is that it gives that really flat, almost mannequin-like perfect look to the face. Maybe it's just how it reacts to my skin but this is definitely something to keep in mind for those interested in purchasing. This is high on the coverage-scale and low on the glowy-scale. I'll have to do a review and comparison soon on the BB's that I currently own which are only Lioele Beyond the Solution, Skin79 hot pink, and Skin79 DermaRX.
I'm also using Lioele's Cushion Touch Blusher which I still love. The matte baby pink looks more peachy here since I'm wearing the Canmake Maxi Volume Rouge in 22 Peach Beige that I got as a gift from Eki. Thank you for the lippy babe I love the color sooo much! I'm very much obsessed with peach shades lately. ^.^
I know this is terribly late and I had already posted this color in my last nail post but I wanted to show how my NYX Las Vegas polish matched the eye color and also my shirt. I LOVE MATCHING OKAY? We should all have our own club called "matchers anonymous" where we can commiserate about how our lives aren't color-coordinated enough.
And this shot I think came out a bit artistically so I just wanted to share. My lovely Lioele Princess Mirror which I <3 a little too much. Speaking of which, yes, the coupon code frmheadtotoe still works at prettyandcute.com for a free princess mirror for orders over $30. You can choose baby pink or hot pink, just write frmheadtotoe in the comments at checkout. I was getting a lot of questions about it. :)
Time for dinner and editing more videos! Love you guys and hope you have a fun, fantastic, amazing weekend! I'll just leave you with one question to answer in the comments: If you color-coordinated an entire outfit from head to toe (har har) what color would you choose?
xoxo
Disclaimer: Lioele products provided by Pretty and Cute, and the pegasus necklace is mix-matched DSK Jewelry.
Green is one of those colors that I think everyone can pull off. It's especially nice on those with green, hazel, or brown eyes and it's much easier to have it not clash with Asian skin than, say, blue or other cooler colors. If you think about nature and how nice trees look then it's not so hard to imagine the same colors working well for makeup, right? ^.^
One of my favorite ways to wear bright colors is using it as a "pop" of color on a more neutral lid which is exactly what I've done here.
Here's a close-up of my eye. I did a basic neutral lid, MAC Fluidline for the eyeliner, Sugar criss-cross lashes, and a nice dose of Urban Decay's green 24/7 liners with Graffiti on the waterline and Covet smudged underneath. I skipped any black liner on the bottom lashes and instead had a nice long coat of mascara to open up the eyes.
For base makeup, I used Lioele's Beyond the Solution BB Cream which has great coverage but I have since stopped using since Skin 79's Super Functions (hot pink) BB matches my skintone better. One effect that I do find interesting looking at the photos where I used the Lioele is that it gives that really flat, almost mannequin-like perfect look to the face. Maybe it's just how it reacts to my skin but this is definitely something to keep in mind for those interested in purchasing. This is high on the coverage-scale and low on the glowy-scale. I'll have to do a review and comparison soon on the BB's that I currently own which are only Lioele Beyond the Solution, Skin79 hot pink, and Skin79 DermaRX.
I'm also using Lioele's Cushion Touch Blusher which I still love. The matte baby pink looks more peachy here since I'm wearing the Canmake Maxi Volume Rouge in 22 Peach Beige that I got as a gift from Eki. Thank you for the lippy babe I love the color sooo much! I'm very much obsessed with peach shades lately. ^.^
I know this is terribly late and I had already posted this color in my last nail post but I wanted to show how my NYX Las Vegas polish matched the eye color and also my shirt. I LOVE MATCHING OKAY? We should all have our own club called "matchers anonymous" where we can commiserate about how our lives aren't color-coordinated enough.
And this shot I think came out a bit artistically so I just wanted to share. My lovely Lioele Princess Mirror which I <3 a little too much. Speaking of which, yes, the coupon code frmheadtotoe still works at prettyandcute.com for a free princess mirror for orders over $30. You can choose baby pink or hot pink, just write frmheadtotoe in the comments at checkout. I was getting a lot of questions about it. :)
Time for dinner and editing more videos! Love you guys and hope you have a fun, fantastic, amazing weekend! I'll just leave you with one question to answer in the comments: If you color-coordinated an entire outfit from head to toe (har har) what color would you choose?
xoxo
Disclaimer: Lioele products provided by Pretty and Cute, and the pegasus necklace is mix-matched DSK Jewelry.
I'm not gonna lie, I'm especially excited about this tutorial. Remember that whole Facebook doppleganger thing where you'd choose the celebrity who is your lookalike as your profile photo for a week? I chose 2NE1's Sandara Park since she is the celebrity I'm most often told I look like. In fact, a sweet girl even private messaged me to tell me that someone else was stealing my photo to use as their facebook photo (but it was actually that I was using Dara's photo! hehe...)
2NE1 is one of my favorite Korean pop groups and I've always had a soft spot for Dara so I'm totally flattered to have people think we look alike! Most times when people tell me I look like someone I don't see it but for Dara I can somewhat see the resemblance as with Narsha from Brown Eyed Girls.
Check out their Try To Follow Me video here:
And my tutorial here:
What do you think? Do we look alike?
Some screencaps I took. Love her rainbow shadow!!
Products used:
Skin79 Hot Pink BB Cream
MAC Blot Powder in Medium Dark
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
NYX Single Eyeshadow in Olive Green
NYX Single Eyeshadow in Wildfire
NYX Single Eyeshadow in Hot Pink
Stila Barbie All Doll'd Up Palette (turquoise and champagne shadows)
MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack
Pretty and Cute synthetic lashes in Victoria
Shiseido Eyelash Curler
Lioele Up & Down Waterproof Mascara
Lioele Artist Auto Eyebrow in Gray Black
Lioele Cushion Touch Blusher in Cutie Pink
Revlon Fantasy Lengths lashes in Lush (lower lashes)
YSL Rouge Volupte #1 Nude Beige
Kevyn Aucoin The Celestial Powder in Candlelight
And here are my shots. Plz to appreciate my hard work in curling my bangs like this. I am no hairstylist. I swear, Sandara's must have been an actual tube inside or fake hair or something because this was NOT EASY! I'm pretty sure I used an entire can of hairspray. Don't ask me to do a tutorial cause I swear it will be soooo bad. XD
My best Dara impressions. She does lots of silly faces!
And just having some fun with the light. Ooooh, backlighting~
Let me know what you think in the comments!! What should I do for my next "inspired" look?
xoxo
Hey hey everybody! As you can see, I've had a new layout up the last few days. I've mostly worked the kinks out and fixed some of the pesky problems with the old layout such as the crazy long page and comment problems. I know this looks very similar to the old one, but TRUST ME it is a completely different format than before. I've actually moved everything onto the blogger layout and off of my domain! This is why I was having so many loading issues the last couple of days. I still think Google is blocking my site from certain ISP addresses...Boo. I know I must sound like Charlie Brown's teacher right now though! *wah-wah wah wah* Hopefully, that will just resolve itself soon. ;)
I really like reflecting the mood of the layout to the seasons and how I'm feeling. Green and yellow for Spring and Summer, pink and purple for Fall and Winter... I'm sure I'll have to do a bigger layout change sometime in the near future (with help, hopefully!) but for now I think this'll work. I was actually going to wait and do a big change soon, but the site was acting up so while fixing it I just thought OH WELL why not just make a new layout now? I live such a dangerous and spontaneous life. Ha. :P
Anyway, today I have some super fun things to share with you. Jewelry!!! Everyone who loves jewelry raise your hand. Everyone did? Okay, good!
WARNING, SUPER PIC HEAVY!!!
I think one of the easiest ways to spice up a simple look is to add some nice bling like a sparkly necklace. It's SO simple but it does make a big difference. I recently got these DSK Jewelry necklaces from her K-Drama series and they are perfect for matching with everyday clothes.
Autumn Story Necklace
K-Drama Snowflake Necklace
Here's me being a thug with the Autumn Story necklace. It's just SO CUTE. I think it has more charm than most necklaces, don't you think?
I tried to be all artistic. This is with Maybelline Pink Please lipstick and Dior lipgloss in Clutch Pink 517. My nails (a friend's OPI, not sure on the color) match my lips!!! XD
You can really see the color and sparkle here. I don't own any other necklaces this color, and it looks so nice as a pop of Fall color!
Me and my silly hat. It was getting colder outside, DON'T JUDGE ME! (aka, bad hair day)
See how it pops even from far away? I love it! (the necklace, not the hat >.<)
This is my thug button.
And here is my gorgeous snowflake necklace on an 18" chain. This crystal is foiled in the back so it REALLY SPARKLES!
Wearing it with my Moonlight Heart necklace. The Snowflake reflects blue and gold while the Moonlight reflects blue-purple.
Looks fun together, I think! It matches my eye makeup. I love unintentional matching, can you tell? :D
And here is my eye look for the day. I used the Ben Nye Palette with the green, blue, and yellow colors. Lashes were from Sugar Cosmetics, really nice and natural-looking!
And here is everyone's favorite thing, BATHROOM PICS! Makeup, accessories, and clothes always look so different in the bathroom. :P
My outfit. Much more weekend-casual than my usual outfits. I'm all bundled up for the snowy weather. ^.^
Cobra Starship Hoodie - American Apparel printed hoodie bought (and signed! :D) at concert, Layering tanks - Old Navy, Waffle long-sleeve shirt - Forever 21, Acid-wash jeans - PacSun, Sweater boots - Stevies
Okay, that's all I have for you guys today. If you want, you can head on over to vote in The Body Shop's vlogger holiday look competition for one final day. Voting ends tomorrow and, well, I hadn't even considered the possibility of winning. I never want to jump the gun and try to hope for the best and expect the worst but I have been so blown away in shock and awe at the support that I've received through my first competition so far. I still can't even believe it. Not to say that I will win, but if that possibility occurs, I don't even know what I'd do with myself. Cry, probably. We'll see what the final results are in a couple days!
Now that I have rendered myself speechless, I think I will go join Hubs in a rousing game of Lego Rock Band. \o/
Are you guys in Thanksgiving thankful mode yet? I am!!!
Love you all! Thank you!
<3
I really like reflecting the mood of the layout to the seasons and how I'm feeling. Green and yellow for Spring and Summer, pink and purple for Fall and Winter... I'm sure I'll have to do a bigger layout change sometime in the near future (with help, hopefully!) but for now I think this'll work. I was actually going to wait and do a big change soon, but the site was acting up so while fixing it I just thought OH WELL why not just make a new layout now? I live such a dangerous and spontaneous life. Ha. :P
Anyway, today I have some super fun things to share with you. Jewelry!!! Everyone who loves jewelry raise your hand. Everyone did? Okay, good!
WARNING, SUPER PIC HEAVY!!!
I think one of the easiest ways to spice up a simple look is to add some nice bling like a sparkly necklace. It's SO simple but it does make a big difference. I recently got these DSK Jewelry necklaces from her K-Drama series and they are perfect for matching with everyday clothes.
Autumn Story Necklace
K-Drama Snowflake Necklace
Here's me being a thug with the Autumn Story necklace. It's just SO CUTE. I think it has more charm than most necklaces, don't you think?
I tried to be all artistic. This is with Maybelline Pink Please lipstick and Dior lipgloss in Clutch Pink 517. My nails (a friend's OPI, not sure on the color) match my lips!!! XD
You can really see the color and sparkle here. I don't own any other necklaces this color, and it looks so nice as a pop of Fall color!
Me and my silly hat. It was getting colder outside, DON'T JUDGE ME! (aka, bad hair day)
See how it pops even from far away? I love it! (the necklace, not the hat >.<)
This is my thug button.
And here is my gorgeous snowflake necklace on an 18" chain. This crystal is foiled in the back so it REALLY SPARKLES!
Wearing it with my Moonlight Heart necklace. The Snowflake reflects blue and gold while the Moonlight reflects blue-purple.
Looks fun together, I think! It matches my eye makeup. I love unintentional matching, can you tell? :D
And here is my eye look for the day. I used the Ben Nye Palette with the green, blue, and yellow colors. Lashes were from Sugar Cosmetics, really nice and natural-looking!
And here is everyone's favorite thing, BATHROOM PICS! Makeup, accessories, and clothes always look so different in the bathroom. :P
My outfit. Much more weekend-casual than my usual outfits. I'm all bundled up for the snowy weather. ^.^
Cobra Starship Hoodie - American Apparel printed hoodie bought (and signed! :D) at concert, Layering tanks - Old Navy, Waffle long-sleeve shirt - Forever 21, Acid-wash jeans - PacSun, Sweater boots - Stevies
Okay, that's all I have for you guys today. If you want, you can head on over to vote in The Body Shop's vlogger holiday look competition for one final day. Voting ends tomorrow and, well, I hadn't even considered the possibility of winning. I never want to jump the gun and try to hope for the best and expect the worst but I have been so blown away in shock and awe at the support that I've received through my first competition so far. I still can't even believe it. Not to say that I will win, but if that possibility occurs, I don't even know what I'd do with myself. Cry, probably. We'll see what the final results are in a couple days!
Now that I have rendered myself speechless, I think I will go join Hubs in a rousing game of Lego Rock Band. \o/
Are you guys in Thanksgiving thankful mode yet? I am!!!
Love you all! Thank you!
<3
