Fall into Autumn

Fall is definitely my favorite season. From pumpkin spice latte's to a crisp in the air on a sunny day, I love everything about it.

One of the things I am most excited for this Fall, in addition to pumpkin ice cream and pulling out my riding boots, is the exceptional range of beauty looks.

The three beauty looks I'm lovin' for fall are:
1. Rosy cheeks and full brows: this look is perfect for lounging around in leggings and a chunky sweater on the weekend. Get the look by using a cream blush or gel cheek stain that is easy to blend and will give you a natural look. You want the color to be similar to the color your cheeks naturally turn when you're flushed after a good workout. If you don't have full brows, fill them in lightly with an eyebrow pencil one shade lighter than your eyebrows.

Perfectly rosy.

2. Plum lips: I just love this look because I think almost anyone can pull it off-- it is so strikingly gorgeous. If you're a lipstick-phobe like me, try a stain (my fave) or tinted gloss/balm with a dark plum color. Make sure to go easy on your eye make up so there isn't too much going on at once. Wear this to a fun event, such as a cocktail or even just dinner with your friends.

Kate Bosworth always gets it right. Photo from http://magazine.amiclubwear.com/rock-those-plum-lips-this-fall/

3. Black winged liner- I'm so glad the classic cat-eye is making a comeback, but it always has been and always will be a "go-to" for me regardless of the trends. Draw a thin black line as close to your lash line as possible; slightly wing out the end by angling it towards an invisible line that connects the outer corner of your eye to your eyebrow then fill in the line to make it one smooth line. Go neutral on the rest of your make up. To make it more dramatic for night, make the line thicker-- otherwise you could do a thin line and totally rock this during the day!

A little more dramatic than what I'm going for, but still super-cool.  Photo from http://www.qcmakeupacademy.com/news/article.php?article_id=22

What are your favorite beauty looks for Fall?

stress no more

Stress sucks. Not only does it make you feel bad, it can make you look bad too. Pimples, under-eye bags, you name it.

I've been SO stressed lately and realized that my beauty routine had an effect on how stressed I feel. On days where I tried to cover-up the way stress had effected my face, I looked even worse.

Lesson learned-- instead of wearing dark colors and piling on the makeup to mask my stress only made it more obvious. It can draw attention to the things you're trying to hide, and can make you feel more frazzled when you're not happy about how you look on top of everything else you're worried about.

This girl knows how to do it right

During stressful periods, wear simpler makeup. Go for neutral colors and soft lines to look more relaxed, and feel more relaxed when you look in the mirror. I would do a tinted moisturizer, a small dose of blush, bone-colored eye shadow, a thin line of eyeliner, and a single coat of mascara. This is not the time to try out the new false lashes you got or bright teal eyeliner!

Does your makeup affect how you feel when you're stressed?

be easy

Flat, frizzy, sweaty, stringy, faded, dull and parched.

Wearing your hair down in the Summer can be anything but pretty. For those days you spend outside, or even normal days when you just don't feel like doing anything with your hair, it is possible to have a low-maintenance and pretty look. I have 3 go-to Summer hairstyles that I wear when I don't feel like blow-drying and straightening my hair (too hot), which ends up being every day. You can wear it to the beach, to work, on a date, pretty much wherever your heart desires.

1. The braid: my favorite.

If you have long hair, go for a single braid, whether it be regular, french or fishtail. Do a side braid if you're going out for a more dressed-up look. For girls with shorter hair like me-- do a single, 1-inch thick french braid on your hairline, pin, and wear it down or pull it into a ponytail/bun 

My braid/low bun combo: on left

2. The topknot

My version of the topknot + 15 bobby pins

Whether it takes you 20 bobby pins or 0 bobby pins, this is a look pretty much anyone can do. I love the topknot because it actually works better if your hair isn't clean (or brushed or dried, for that matter), and once it's up, it's up. I'll do my bun in the morning then wear it all day and out that night and it'll still be in tact the next morning on the way to Bojangles. Awesome.

3. Waves

barely wave-y, so low-maintenance

Only Victoria's Secret models can truly claim to have perfect "beachy waves," but for the rest of us there's help. Depending on your hair texture just towel-dry your hair out of the shower, pool, ocean, etc., add your product of choice (scrunching gel for straight-maned girls, de-frizzer for curly-haired girls) and leave it. My hair is straight so I usually touch up my waves with a straightener and a little hairspray but it takes 5 seconds and the best part: the messier, the better.

What are your favorite warm-weather hair styles?

orange crush

Photo courtesy of Allure.com

This summer I am dying to hop on the bright lip bandwagon.

I usually avoid putting any color on my lips. For some reason, lip stick and lip gloss aren't big players in my make-up routine so the only product I remember to put on my lips on a regular basis is chapstick.

I want to try a bright mouth this summer to change my look up a bit. I have seen countless pictures of the colorful trend with stunning lipstick shades of fuchsia, orange and fiery red.

Orange is one of my favorite colors to wear, especially with tan skin, so tangerine-tinted lips are the perfect compliment to a care-free summer mood.

I'm going to try an orange-tinted gloss or balm before diving into a more highly pigmented lipstick, and pair it with tinted moisturizer, coral blush, a touch of bronze liner and black mascara so the focus stays on the mouth.

Clinique's Chubby Stick in Two Ton Tomato is more of an orange-y red, more flattering on warm skin tones, or Milani's Color Perfect Lipstick in Mandarina will be perfect layered under regular chap stick.

I can't wait to try it out this weekend paired with jean shorts and a casual white top!

Have you ever tried a bold lip?

My Dirty Little Secrets

Swollen, puffy, and red eyes with blue undereye circles. Washed out face. Dull skin.
These are some of the common symptoms women experience the morning after drinking too much, eating salty foods, having temporary insomnia, and hormones just doin' their thing. Yep, we've all been through this too many times to count but it is still frightening to look in the mirror and face your own face. Some mornings when you look not as great as usual like shit, there ARE some ways that you can semi-conceal to the world that you had one too many Pink Panty Droppers or stayed up past your bedtime having an awesome, uh, conversation with a lucky guy.

Garnier's eye roller contains caffeine

First, wash your face! Even if you washed your face the night before, it won't hurt to make yourself feel more awake and refreshed. Next apply moisturizer (preferably one with SPF of at least 15!) to hydrate your thirsty skin (I use Cetaphil for both face wash and moisturizer on mornings like these to avoid irritating my skin even more). Unless you are perfect and don't get bags under your precious eyes, then invest in an undereye serum that contains caffeine because it will diminish puffiness and the dark cast under your eyes. I love Clinique's All About Eyes and Garnier's Anti-Puff Eye Roller.

When you aren't looking your best it can be tempting to slab on a bunch of makeup to attempt to conceal what is going on with your face, butin this case less is more. DO NOT over-apply your makeup!

Almost every single morning I use a couple drops of Visine or Clear Eyes in each eye, even if they're not terribly red, because it clears up my eyes and moisturizes them so they feel more refreshed too. It only takes a couple seconds to drop this miracle-worker into your eyes and the results are totally worth it. If you are not super comfortable putting drops into your eyes, then get comfortable or walk around with unbeautiful eyes.
Dab concealer under your eyes and blend it, going towards the inside corner- not outward (this is because it is 'going against the grain' similar to when you shave your legs the opposite way the hair grows...you'll get more coverage this way). I prefer to use my fingers, as long as they are clean, to do this because it's easier and gives a more natural look. Apply your concealer to blemishes and other red spots such as your eyelids and under your nostrils.

 

Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup

Go light on your foundation, or use tinted moisturizer, so you get a more natural finish and your skin can appear less matte and more moisturized. If you use powder foundation like me, use a big fluffy brush to apply it to avoid applying too much. My absolute favorite foundation is Pur Minerals foundation because it contains SPF, looks completely natural, and is better for your skin since it's mineral makeup.

Best lip/cheek stain ever!

 Use a cheek stain as blush to liven up your skin so it doesn't look washed out. A cheek stain looks more natural and contributes to the "moisturized and refreshed" appearance we're going for here. My absolute favorite cheek stain is the berry color from The Body Shop- it looks so natural, like I just finished a light workout, and literally stays on the entire day. If your face needs extra brightness, apply a small amount of the stain to your lips as well.

Do not wear any bright eyeshadow! This will draw attention to your blah eyes when you want them to look fresh and like you did not wake up looking gross. If you feel naked without eyeshadow, wear a flesh colored one. I love Bobbi Brown's eyeshadow in Bone and Benefit's Cream Shadow in R.S.V.P. I wear R.S.V.P. almost every single day because it has a little bit of shimmer, but is still very natural looking.

This little pot does wonders for tired eyes.

Finally, curl your eyelashes and apply black mascara! My all-time favorite mascara is Covergirl's Lash Blast in blackest black. If you feel that your eyes still look too tired, apply a little bit of eyeliner right next to your lashline to give a natural look. The best colors for a day like this are black, dark blue, and dark green to counteract the redness in your eyes. Avoid purples and browns and any colors that have a warm tint because they will bring out the redness in your eyes and make you appear more tired.

This process should only take about 5 minutes and voila- you are gorgeous and refreshed!

"What's an es-o-u-tion?"

Less than one day is left in the year 2010 and not only am I wondering how time flew by so quickly, but what in the world I am going to "resolve" in 2011: The New Years Resolution (dun dun dunnn). 

When I was four years old (see attractive picture above) I was concerned and questionable about a lot of things such as the dripping chocolate on my arm and, what exactly a resolution was. That year on new years eve, my sisters and I put on a play for my parents (huge audience, I know) about new years resolutions. My only line, which I consider to be a sililoquy, was "What's an es-o-u-tion?" Translate to: "What's a resolution?" It was cute at the time, but I really wondered why everyone always became excited to begin the new year. As far as I was concerned, my birthday wasn't until March so what was all the fuss about?
With every approach of the new year, millions of people vow to change some aspect of their lives, but how many people actually commit to their resolution? Mad props to people who have the determination to lose those 15 pounds, spend more time with their families, and cut back on spending, but what about the rest of us who, year after year, allow our resolutions to get ahead of us? I feel as if I'm doing a disservice to myself by even making a resolution that I know I'll forget about or give up on after a few weeks.
The false hope I have towards my resolutions doesn't come from a lack of caring or an inability to commit, but bad timing. While still riding on my Christmas high I don't have enough motivation to change something just yet. I'll just save that for Lent (and cheat then, too) and put it off until I eventually forget that I even wanted to read more novels or be more fashion-forward in the new year. I'm all about a "fresh start" but when I'm bummed about going back to school and it's cold outside and gets dark at five I'm not exactly in peak motivation mode.
This new year, instead of being annoyed by the overabundant weight-loss commercials, I am going to write my resolutions (and pictures of Victoria Secret models) on sticky notes and post them next to my bed so that my chances of straying from my plans are substantially lower, although this makes me feel like a pathetic loser really cool kid. I am also going to stay realistic and reward myself for taking steps towards my goal (lattes on Sundays?).
Now all I have to do is brainstorm for realistic resolutions, just in case I need backups for my lofty goals, and get a pack of sticky notes...
First things first, find an outfit and makeup look for tommorrow night! ;)