February Beauty Wishlist

 

Woah, hold the phone. Can you believe January is already coming to an end?  It seems like we were all just rejoicing in the festive Christmas activities and now we are already one month into 2016.  Madness.  Now, I can write a whole blog post about how quick time is flying by; but that's not what this post is about.  Let's dive in, shall we?

One thing I wanted to do in 2016 was up my makeup game.  Because I'll be 100% honest...I don't put enough effort into my makeup.  However, that's not to say that everyone has to wear makeup. Trust me, I'm not saying that at all.  But I've always been interested in makeup and could spend hours watching makeup tutorials and wishing my makeup collection was as big as other girls'.  That being said, for a girl who is utterly obsessed with makeup, I'm definitely lacking a bit. 

Being February is my birthday month (February 5th to be exact!) I know I'll want to treat myself to some new beauty products to bring my makeup game from a level two to a level ten.  After hours of narrowing down my beauty wish list to just a few products so that this post wouldn't be miles long, I decided that these seven products were the ones I've been wanting for a while.

 

Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation: I have heard so many great reviews of this foundation and it's been on my wish list for a while.  Yes, it's a higher end product, but I'm starting to find that the foundation I had been using is a little too orange for my pale winter skin.  Plus, it's starting to look a bit cake-y on my face as I have more redness and spots to try to cover up.  I'm hoping that this foundation will be the answer to my wishes and provide me with optimal coverage without looking like I mistook foundation for my evening skin mask.

 

Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner: If you follow me on Snapchat (gabby_autumn) and/or Twitter (@gababoutlife) you'll have seen that I have finally mastered the perfect winged eyeliner.  Sure, it took about twenty tries and a lot of makeup wipes, but I am proud to say that I have finally mastered this art.  That being said, I was using a gel liner that was far too dried out so I think it's time to upgrade to a new and improved gel liner that will make me look like I've been doing winged eyeliner for years.

 

MAC Lipstick in Myth: Okay, the excitement for this product is far too real.  For years (yes, years) I have been searching high and low for a perfect nude lipstick that doesn't make me look like I am wearing concealer on my lips.  I've tried every brand and every shade of a "nude" lipstick; however, none of the lipsticks I've tried are that perfect shade of nude that I am looking for.  They were either too pink, too pale, or too shimmery for my liking.  I came across the MAC Myth lipstick in Sephora one day and cringed at the price.  There was no way I was paying that much money for a lipstick when I could go to Target and get a similar one for a fraction of the price.  But after trying at least ten different so-called "dupes" of this lipstick, I was ready to give up and give in.  I spent a good hour and a half searching reviews of this lipstick to see if it was worth the hype and price, and I was sold.  This baby will (hopefully!) be mine soon.

 

Benefit High Beam Highlighter: Okay, I know I'm a good few years behind on this one, but when you're only fourteen and you ask your mom to buy you a high end highlighter, she is going to look at you like you are insane. As I am approaching my 17th birthday, I think it's appropriate now to splurge with my own money on this higher end product.  I am such a huge fan of the way highlighter looks on the skin and now that I am finally starting to branch out more into the world of makeup, I think this old gem is worth a go.

 

NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray: For a while, I never understood the point of setting spray.  To me, it was a waste of money and I would always think to myself, "Okay, but isn't that going to make your face look shiny?"  Well, now I understand that it won't.  Hence the name, "Matte" Setting Spray.  After going back and forth between which setting spray I would add to my makeup collection, I decided to go with this one, which I found out about through the oh-so-stunning Carli Bybel. 

 

Benefit POREfessional Primer: Again, face primer was never really a product that made sense to me.  Now, I understand just how important face primer really is if you want long-lasting makeup.  This primer seems to be a hit among beauty gurus and bloggers, so I'll definitely be adding this one to my basket.

 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow: Now, I don't typically like to admit it, but my eyebrows are a mess.  Take one look at any of my previous posts and you'll be able to see what I'm talking about.  Nevertheless, I am admitting it to you all now because I want to be honest with you guys, even if it is a big insecurity of mine.  The evolution of eyebrows has completely changed and I love it...except for when you're own eyebrows don't want to cooperate. My eyebrows have a non-existent arch as they literally go straight across my face.  In the meanwhile, you have gorgeous girls with arches as high as mountains! If you're one of them, consider yourself lucky. To help combat my arch-less eyebrows, at the moment I am trying to grow them out a bit in hopes that I can go to a professional who can help me out.  Until that time comes, I'm hoping this brow gel can give my brows a helping hand.

February cannot come soon enough!  I'm really hoping these products will be worth the money and give my makeup routine a boost for the better.  If you would like to see reviews of these products after I purchase them, make sure to leave me a comment so I know if I should do them or not!  Thanks for reading!

 

Much love,

Gabriella xx

A Beginner's Makeup Collection

Ah, makeup. An undeniable guilty pleasure for the majority of the female population.  That being said, I know I can't be the only girl who gets overly excited when I get to take a peek inside other peoples' makeup collection, right? However, as a new makeup fanatic, I can't say my makeup collection is as impressive as other makeup goddesses. But, we all have to start somewhere, right?  In this post, I'll be sharing my current makeup collection as a newbie in hopes to guide others who are also starting out with makeup in the right direction.  All the products I mention are products I recommend using if you're a beginner in the world of makeup!

So, here's my baby makeup collection! She is about 5 months old and is growing at an exceptional rate. (Need to work on my jokes!) In the future, I really want to explore different makeup brands and branch away from my comfort zone of Maybelline and e.l.f products (Not saying I don't love these brands! I totally do!). I would really love to try out different brands such as L'Oréal, Benefit, Nars, and of course, MAC! Now, I've never owned a MAC makeup product, so that's definitely high on my to-purchase list.  But, enough rambling about what I want; because we all want things.  Rather, let's focus and appreciate what we have.

 

First up is face products.  I'm still trying to find what face products work best for me as I have very sensitive skin and many products make my skin break out. Nevertheless, here's my current face favorites:

• Maybelline Fit Me
• Rimmel Match Perfection
• Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder (My all-time favorite powder! Goodbye shiny face!)
• Maybelline BB Cream (This makes me skin breakout *pouty face*)
• Rimmel BB Cream (Not suitable for my pale winter skin)
• Maybelline Fit Me Concealer
• elf Bronzer
• Bronze Booster Glow-Boosting Pressed Bronzer (Again, too dark for my pale skin)

Next up: brushes. I'm a total beginner when it comes to brushes so I typically go for the most basic ones (which will be changing soon!) So for now, my brush collection is just your basics:

• Powder brushes from elf
• Foundation brushes
• A knock-off Beauty Blender (Sorry, I don't have $20 to spend on a sponge haha)
• An angled brush (used for my eyebrows)
• Two blending brushes and two flat brushes for eyeshadow

When you're just starting out with makeup, it can be quite daunting to go into a store and see a wall filled of different makeup brushes for every use under the sun.  If you're just starting out like me, I recommend getting your basic brushes that I listed above.  This way, you'll be able to perform your basic techniques for your face and eyes without being too overwhelmed.

 

I'm quite ashamed at the fact that I have only three lip products (chap-stick doesn't really count).  Lipsticks are something I've always struggled to branch out and try. I never thought I could pull off a bright red or coral lipstick.  However, that's where confidence comes into play.  Confidence is something I've only struggled with in the past few years, so I'm determined to get my self-esteem back up as it's so important.  Confidence plays a role in everything from the way you carry yourself to the way you talk to other people. If you look down at the ground when passing other people, you send off negative vibes.  This is something I need to work on myself; so we're all in this together. Hey, if you want to wear a deep red or dark burgundy lipstick, do it! Here's my miniscule lipstick collection:

• Chanel lip gloss in Levres Scintillantes-#164 (This was a gift. I could never afford anything Chanel!)
• Wet n Wild in Dark Wine
• L'Oréal in Jennifer's Nude

I think the perfect colors to start out with are nudes and a deep red because they are quite common colors so you feel like the whole world is staring at you!

 

My eye products consist of your typical mascaras, eyeliner, and brow products.  Here's what I currently have:

• Maybelline the Colossal Volum Express
• e.l.f. Eyebrow Kit (This is what I use everyday!)
• e.l.f. Liquid Eyeliner (2016 goals include upping my winged eyeliner game!)
• Avon waterproof mascara
• e.l.f. Cream Eyeliner
• Avon Darkest Black Eyeliner
• Covergirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil in #345

 

 Now, for the best part...eyeshadows! Since beginning to expand my makeup collection, I've fallen in love with different eyeshadow palettes.  I love the creativity you can put into your eyeshadow with different colors, which is a skill I'm still trying to master!

• 21 Eyeshadow Palette from Forever 21 (Totally obsessed with these shades!)
• Maybelline Expert Wear Eyeshadow in Hushed Tints
• e.l.f. Flawless Eyeshadow in Golden Goddess
• Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze
• (The last palette has no label on it, sorry!)

I wanted to write this post as a guide to starting up your own makeup collection.  It can be very confusing and daunting when first starting out with makeup especially when you have girls who are absolute professionals at makeup with a whole room filled with products.  For beginners like me, I recommend starting off with your typical drugstore makeup brands such as Maybelline, e.l.f., and L'Oréal.  This way, you're not spending a paycheck's worth of money on one lipstick and mascara at Sephora!  If you follow my guide, you'll be able to perform the basics of makeup and be able to work your way up from there!  I'll keep you all updated on my growing makeup collection and if you'd like to see individual reviews on some of these products, leave a comment below!  Thank you for reading and I hope some of you found this guide helpful. 

 

Much love,

Gabriella xx

Golden Girl Makeup Tutorial

 

Christmas is in five days and 2016 is coming upon us rapidly.  All of this festivity and happiness can only mean one thing...parties! Whether you'll be dropping it down low at your friend's party or just chilling with your family, parties are a part of the holiday season.  That being said, I've created the perfect makeup tutorial that will be sure to turn heads when you walk through the door.  It consists of golden tone colors and dark neutrals that look beautiful with any skin tone or eye color.

Gorgeous eye makeup isn't complete without a flawless base, so I've already applied my Maybelline Fit Me foundation to even out my skin tone and give me a glowing finish without feeling like I'm wearing a ton of product.

 

I have quite oily skin if you remember from My Everyday Makeup post, so here I've applied my favorite Rimmel pressed powder.

After I've filled in my (atrocious) eyebrows, it's time for the fun to begin.  Are you ready?

Throughout this tutorial, I will be using the e.l.f. Flawless Eyeshadow palette in "Golden Goddess". I'm starting off with applying a light shimmery base to my lids. This helps cover up any redness or veins on my eyelids.

Starting from the outer corner, I am applying the next color in this palette through my crease, making sure to blend it out to get rid of any harsh lines.  To apply this, I used a soft blending brush from e.l.f. (Tip: apply tape on the outer corner of your eye for a clean, crisp finish!)

Next I am taking this insanely gorgeous rose-gold color and popping in right over top of the previous color.  By using both colors throughout your crease, it softens the look a bit and I love the way these colors accent one another! Don't forget to blend!

Taking the darkest color in this palette, I am applying it to my very outer corner of my eye and dragging it through the outer "v" to darken the look up just a bit. 

Remove the tape (careful you don't pull your skin too hard- I learned that the hard way!) and apply your favorite mascara.  I used the Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express mascara in classic black.  This step is optional, (especially if you get a bit squeamish applying product to your waterline) but here I've applied a black eyeliner to my upper waterline to make my lashes appear fuller.  If you skip this step, feel free to add false lashes or winged eyeliner to make this look more intense and dramatic!

To finish this look, I took a white shimmery color from this Maybelline palette in "Hushed Tints" to my brow bone and inner corner to brighten up the eyes.  I also took that same dark brown shade from the e.l.f. palette and dragged it on my lower lash line.

Voila! I am totally in love with this look.  It looks so flattering on any eye color and is the perfect way to smoke up your look without going too dark or intense, which is important if you're just starting out with eyeshadows like me.  This look is perfect for the holidays because of the golden and shimmery colors. I will definitely be wearing this look on Christmas and even New Year's!  I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. I had so much fun taking these photos but I'm hoping I'll be able to save up enough money for a new camera that can take videos so I can do a proper video tutorial.  Thanks for reading!

Much love,

Gabriella xx

My Everyday Makeup Routine

I'll admit it, I have never been the girl who could go to Target and spend a load of money on makeup.  I was always more of the apply-some-mascara-cover-up-any-pimples-and-call-it-a-day kind of girl.  However, that has changed since I've started reading more blogs and watching YouTube videos.  All of the sudden, the girl who couldn't care less about the best lipstick or prettiest eyeshadow palettes asked her mom to drive her to Target so she could pick up foundation and a nude lipstick.  I'm still working on getting more creative with eye shadows and bold lip colors, but we all have to start somewhere, right?

My everyday makeup routine is pretty standard.  Considering the only place I go to on a daily basis is school, I don't see the point in getting all dolled-up to sit in a classroom for seven hours. Well, let's get into it, shall we?

 

I start off with a fresh, clean face and tie my hair in a ponytail. Hello no-makeup face! Yikes! But my blog is all about confidence, which is why I wanted to include these photos, bare-faced and all. 

 

Moisturizer is a must for me, especially in the winter as my skin gets extremely dry. I use the Neutrogena oil-free moisturizer which I adore because a little goes a long way and it's very hydrating.

Next up is foundation, which, to be honest, scared me at first.  The thought of completely covering up my skin with product was daunting, and I thought I would hate the feeling.  But once I tried it, it wasn't bad at all, not to mention it made my skin look amazing!  I swear by the Maybelline Fit Me foundation because it provides amazing coverage but feels really light on the skin.  I also need to invest in some higher quality brushes, but this Elf powder brush (that I actually use for foundation, oops!) will do for right now. 

 

 

 

I don't always have to use concealer depending on how bad my skin is at that moment or how much sleep I got.  If needed, I use the Maybelline Fit Me concealer and apply it on any blemishes and under my eyes.  And by the way, the bags under my eyes are in fact not designer ;)

 

I have naturally oily skin (thanks mom, love you!) so a pressed powder is always necessary. The Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder is my absolute favorite and I've been using it for years.

 

 

Eyebrows are so important.  A strong brow is like the star on top of the Christmas tree; it just completes your whole look. Unfortunately, I have not been blessed with a beautiful high arched brow, so I just work with what I have.  After brushing out my eyebrows, I lightly outline the natural shape of my brow and try my best to create a natural looking arch using the Maybelline Brow Precise eyebrow pencil. 

 

 

Ah, mascara. Another look completer, I feel almost naked without mascara.  I have tried quite a handful of different mascaras that all claim to give the impression that you are wearing falsies, but the Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express mascara delivers.  The second picture above shows the difference between my eyelashes with and without mascara.  And that's only one coat!

 

 

That's it!  Very simple and quick, this routine takes me only five minutes in the morning, perfect for those rushed school mornings.  I hope you enjoy my first beauty post on my blog and I can assure you there will be many more to come!  Thanks for reading!

Much love,

Gabriella xx