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

How To Look Festive Without Overdoing It

 

Now most people will refrain completely from wearing red and green together in fear of looking like Christmas threw up on them, but not me!  Paired the right way with subtle tones, red and green could actually look quite cute paired together.  This outfit would be perfect for a Christmas party as it is super festive yet comfortable at the same time. 

 

 What I think works best when pairing these two colors together is the tones of these colors.  This romper features a dark, olive green color and pops of white, so the green isn't too overwhelming.  Had this romper been bright green, it probably would look like Christmas had an accident. To incorporate the red color of the famous festive duo, I chose a red handbag rather than another clothing piece.  By doing this, the colors are more broken up and don't look too intense.

 

 

As for shoes, these H&M black ankle boots are SO comfortable.  I'm quite a newbie to heels, so chunky boots are my go-to until I find the courage to wear proper heels.  Obviously tights are a must being it is December, so black tights help to balance out the colors of this outfit.

 

So there we have it! Finally an outfit that you can wear during the Christmas season without looking like a total nut.  If you're not rocking an ugly Christmas sweater, definitely try to use this outfit as a guide to looking festive and fun for your next Christmas event.  Don't forget to snap, tweet, or tag me on Instagram a picture of you strutting your festive outfit for this jolly season! And comment below what you are most excited for this holiday season!

Much love,

Gabriella xx



 

Romper: http://www.charlotterusse.com/product/Lace-Up-Long-Sleeve-Romper/302705.uts

Shoes: http://www.hm.com/us/product/56999?article=56999-A

Bag: http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product2.aspx?BR=F21&Category=ACC&ProductID=1000096037 (Couldn't find the exact, but I love this one as well!)

 

 

Three Ways To Style a Suede Skirt

This black suede skirt from Forever 21 has been a staple in my wardrobe ever since I bought it.  Stylish and versatile, you can pair this skirt will a ton of different outfits to create an outfit suitable to your style.  And if you ask me, that's what every piece of clothing in your wardrobe should be if you are on a budget.  Here, I styled this skirt three ways: casual, chic, and classy. 

 

Casual and comfortable is the way to go when you can't bother to wear and that requires too much effort.  Here, I paired the skirt with a black leather jacket, a black crop top, and (of course!) my Adidas Superstars. As for jewelry, this multi-metal braided necklace really stands out against the all black outfit.  This look is (almost) as comfortable as jeans and a tee but much more put together.  I love the whole rocker-vibe of this outfit because if I'm going to be honest, I felt pretty bad*ss in this.

 

 

 Over-the-knee boots are my newest obsession. They are so flattering and look great with nearly any outfit.  I opted for a cobalt blue sweater for a pop of color to the all black bottom half of my body and you can never go wrong with a statement necklace!

 

 

Outfits with class and sophistication can never be overlooked in my book, so I chose a collared blouse and cut-out ankle boots for this look. I stuck with the minimalistic vibe of this outfit and added a simple silver bar necklace. 

 

 

If you're working with a budget but still want to look stylish, my best piece of advice is to find versatile pieces that can be paired to make a dozen different outfits.  Trust me when I say that I would love to own cobalt blue ankle boots or a bright red trench coat, but unfortunately those pieces aren't in my budget at the moment, so I just have to work with what I have!  Thanks for reading and tweet, tag me on Instagram, or snap me a picture if you recreated these looks to your liking!

 

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