Contouring...an important makeup 101!

Quick check in today...but very important one that is!!!

Contouring is very basic...you can get very detailed with it..or not! Depending on how much time and effort you want to put in it. Personally, I don't do nearly as much as the picture I'm posting below (or the Kim Kardashian picture) but I do use my bronzer as my contour buddy! :)

And...Miss Fabulous: Kim Kardashian! (Isn't she beautiful?!). Very, very helpful picture!!!

Thanks loves! :)

Makeup Brushes

Hey all!

So the overall idea of applying makeup starts with the most basic, yet vital tools...BRUSHES! I found the perfect picture to give you an idea of which ones are the most important brushes to own when applying makeup. Of course, I've pinned it to my makeup board on Pinterest! But here it is:

From the top down:

1. Blush/Bronzer brush: I love my kabuki brush for that! I bought mine at Target (E.L.F for $3)
2. Highlighting/Concealer brush: Also a great crease brush.
3. Eyeshadow brush
4. Lipliner/lip brush
5. Eyeliner brush
6. Shadow brush (which I love to apply my eyeshadow base with.
7. Eyebrow/Comb Brush

I would add to this list a Blending Brush: to blend your eyeshadow and make it look natural. My personal favorites are the E.L.F brushes because not only are they soft, they are only a $1 (find them in Target or Walmart).

My "must-have" brushes are: my kabuki brush, blending brush and my crease brush. With these 3, you can do wonders!!!

If you want a more extensive list, check this website out (they sell these brushes too...but I have not tried them).

Thanks for stopping by!

~Vanessa

Outfits

My friends usually come to me for outfit advice...and me, being the makeup/fashion lover I am, can never say NO!

Here's 3 outfits that I have put together per their request & based on the colors they gave me (and an idea of what they already had!).

 

Click here to see it on Polyvore (and you can shop for what I chose)

See "Blue/Gray/Black" outfit here on Polyvore

See "White" outfit here on Polyvore

Feel free to send me outfit requests!!!

Fresh Look: Fool Proof Look

Today while I was getting ready for work... I was thinking about my daily morning work routine. I thought to myself, "Well, I feel like I use the same hues for my make up everyday". And I do. I stick to neutrals for almost every occasion... I think brown tones are just fool proof. They look good with everything and it looks professional, classy, and pretty!

I took a picture of the look this morning (stay tuned..I'm uploading it soon!).

I love Pinterest (Follow me!) & I have a board dedicated to hair and makeup, but today I found a couple of looks that I really liked. All you need is brown tones/nudes and you are all set!

 This is one of my favorite looks (found it on Pinterest and you can see it on my board): Bronze & Brown! Easy and Quick....yet perfectly classy!

You can start off with a small palette... Sephora has a great selection that will do the trick (see links to my two favorites below!). (I will say this: the Sephora brand offers amazing quality products for a lot cheaper than some of the brands they sell themselves. I loveeee everything they sell! It's hard to stay away from it when I go to the mall...)


"In The Nude" (Moonlight Baked Palette by Sephora)


"In The Night" (Moonlight Baked Palette by Sephora)

It has been a while...

My fellow viewers,


I know it has been quite a long time since I have posted...I apologize for being so long and for letting my passion be overpowered by my life! So many things have happened and experiences that I could have never imagined: both good and bad. While I realize this is not a venting box about my personal life, I will wrap up this quick check-in to say this:

Everything in life, and I mean everything, is a lesson. These past two years have been a HUGE learning experience and have taught me so many valuable things. I am thankful for the good, the bad and everything in between... but most importantly, I am happy about the present and the fantastic things that await me!

Keep checking in because you will keep hearing from ME!


Until then,



Vanessa

Update is IN! :)

I am sooo sorry I have not posted much this week. I have been kind of busy taking care of things before I start school (I'm in college).

Buuuuut, I do have GREAT news: I got my E.L.F package on Friday!!! I took a couple of pictures to do a "haul" on what I bought and to show you the FREE SPF kit I received with my purchase. I didn't do a review on anything right away because I had been out of the house; I actually just opened the package yesterday! However, those will be coming soon. Don't you love getting things in the mail? It feels like you got a gift (except you paid for it yourself). It makes me very excited! As for YouTube, apparently my camera is too advanced for my computer; the files are in HD and I can't convert them without buying more software. So, I am going to hold off on the videos until I either buy a video camera or I fix a way to convert those videos...I'm soooorry!

About my E.L.F package, I ordered it last weekend (on Saturday I think) and it took 5 business days to arrive (it got here on Friday). Everything was neatly packed and the gift was placed in a different bag from my actual order so I could see my freebies! I loved that. I finally have a Kabuki brush! I ordered more brushes, mainly to give them a try and because my other set of brushes is in storage (and in another state). I was basically living on the main brushes I use: crease brush, eyeshadow brush, smudge brush, eyeliner brush and a blush brush. All the previous can take you long ways though, if you do not want to spend more money on brushes. Though the brushes from E.L.F are particularly soft and good quality for the price!

On the next post that I'll be working on today, I wish show my E.L.F SPF kit and talk about each of the products it brings. I am very excited about it!

Please please please, if you have any questions, suggestions or new ideas--let me know--I'm all ears =)! If you can, please pass the word about my blog. I'd really appreciate it! Thanks for following me!

Love,

Vanessa

E.L.F. Cosmetics

Hello!

So, I have to rave about my trip to Target the other day. I wasn't looking for anything in particular but being the make-up addict that I am, I decided to browse. To my surprise, I came across this line of make-up that I had never really seen before. Maybe because it's only sold in particular stores, like Target, and not all of the Targets have E.L.F. To my surprise, their make-up was incredibly cheap. Most items were $1... Yes, ONE DOLLAR! I was shocked by the price because, seriously, who sells good make-up for a dollar (and it's not the dollar store...)? Personally, I am usually skeptical about buying make-up that is low price because 1) either I am allergic to it or two: it makes me have dry skin and 2) ends up leading to an allergic reaction anyway. I decided to start out small and I bought eyeshadow in butternut (click on "eyeshadow" and it will take you to the eyeshadow page) and I also bought some of their "Hypershine Lipgloss" in honey.
I have four words to say: I....fell....in....love! To be honest, I thought I wouldn't get much out of a product that sells for a $1. But, whatdaya know?! Their Hypershine Lipgloss is amazing! I love the applicator it brings. It is so fast and easy to apply and it does not dry out my lips! The lipgloss in "honey" looks very natural yet gives a slight caramel shine to your lips.
The eyeshadow is a mini palette that brings 4 different shades (of brown in my case because I bought 'butternut'). When trying them out, the colors blend smoothly on your skin and give a soft & natural look. For a quick look, I used the lightest shade (yellow tone) as base, then used the brownish-bronze color for my crease making sure to blend well.
After this, I felt the urge to run to their website (this past weekend) and take advantage of their amazing deals! I couldn't believe my shopping cart! I had purchased a ton of things that I cannot wait to try out and review! I bought nail polish in tons of shades, bronzers, more lipgloss, eyeshadows and so much more!
I want to share with YOU a deal that ends TONIGHT @ midnight! If you buy a minimum of $30, you can choose to get FREE SHIPPING......or, you can choose to receive a FREE SPF KIT with your ORDER (aka--more make-up!) with a minimum purchase of $25. (You cannot use more than 2 coupons...sorry!).

I am so pleased with E.L.F. Not only did their products NOT give me allergies or rashes (and believe me, I am allergic to everything. I can't even use regular toothpaste anymore...), they are cute, unique and CHEAP! What more can we ask for?

Once I get my shipment in, I will post reviews on the products! Remember to post requests for reviews or tips!


Love,


Vanessa

Company and Then Some...

So my family had some friends over today from Brazil so we ate Brazilian Steakhouse (aka-Churrascaria) style with Pao de Queijo...(cheese rolls). Woooo! It was scrumptious and delicious! It was nice to have company over.

Now, I want to talk about some GREAT and AMAZING websites that will offer YOU deals that will drive you INSANE! I must mention that I am not getting paid or being compensated in any sort of way by any of these sites. Let me show you amazing STEALS you can get online. You will find these useful and for every taste!

• XXI: http://www.forever21.com/ has amazing, chic clothes for all body types and sizes (like their line Faith21 with gorgeous clothes in extended sizes). Not to mention the great deals and prices they have. You can definitely dress for less and get your money's worth! They have an immense amount of Accessories from jewelry to make-up (and it's good stuff!). I'd recommend their LA Colors brand for the make-up, especially the eyeshadows which sell at $3.80 each and it brings 5 shades. You can choose from warm tones to more scandalous ones... You can never go wrong with Forever21. They have great clothes for every taste... =)

• Lulu's: www.lulus.com is another site where you will find FABULOUS pieces that will help you complete your dream outfit without breaking the bank! They have CHIC shoes and cute tops! There are so many different things on their accessories page: scarves, leggings, handbags, clutches, hair, etc. Go check it out and look at the variety they offer. If you want even cheaper stuff, make sure to check out what's on SALE.

• eBay: www.ebay.com What won't you find in eBay? Honestly, this is the place for the cheaps! Just watch out for scams...and look at the seller's feedback. I usually don't bet and use their "buy now" feature because I'm that kind of shopper :P. If you're good at betting then you can probably get better deals! Not only do they have clothes, make-up, beauty items, electronics, and furniture, you will surely find collector's items, cars, and brand names! I'd recommend paying through PayPal as it is the safest form of payment.

• Amazon.com: www.amazon.com is my eBay for books (and MORE). You can easily find textbooks and any type of book here= used or new. But...don't think Amazon only offer books! They also offer beauty items just for YOU! You can find the New Crest Whitestrips for a better price than at the store and their shipping is very reasonable. Sometimes they have GREAT deals on their magazines...so you can read about Fashion in magazines like People InStyle, InStyle, Marie Claire, Vogue, Allure and more! You can even get a discount on some of them during check-out ($5-$10 off). Amazon.com is the place where you can also find a lot more that you'd think!

• HauteLook: http://www.hautelook.com If you love to splurge but like to save a bit on expensive brands... Hautelook is calling your name! While you do have to sign up and become a member, there are no fees or any credit card #s required in order to become a member. They e-mail notifications about the events they are having or will have... One that is worth mentioned that they've had in the past is Gucci Saturday. You can find Chanel clothing, Balenciaga, Missoni...and even new designers you may have not heard about. All in all, this site is a must to visit to splurge...or buy your first splurge =) Go to HauteLook to learn about upcoming events and blowout sales!

If you want to learn more about sites like these, please comment below! There are endless websites where you can find great deals and still look your best!

Keep checking my blog for more tips and reviews to get your Overall Beauty.

Love,

Vanessa

Hello & Welcome!

Hi everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying their week...after all, today is HUMP DAY =). I cannot believe that another week of the summer has practically gone by and before we know it, August will be in front of us.

I wanted to introduce my blog, a blog about reviews of products that I personally own, buy and/or use, about health, tips, and ways to take care of yourself and your body. It's very important to feel harmonious and have what I like to call "Overall Beauty".

I am inspired to create this blog thanks to the numerous other bloggers, who are soooo talented. I will recommend favorites later on for almost all tastes! I am a big fan of YouTube make-up gurus, those girls who are total experts in beauty and post tutorials and hauls. I may be doing some videos and I will let you know as soon as I post one. First though, I am going to start slowly and build up on the idea I have. I think sometimes people don't have time to watch the videos but would like to read something brief and shorter. I would love to hear what you have to say and what you'd like to see. Feel free to post comments and feedback! I am open-minded and I hope you are too! I looooooove the Beauty & Fashion Industry...I am still editing my blog so I will tell you more about myself later =)

Love <3

PS: You can follow me on Twitter & on Pinterest!