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Winged liner is one of the trickiest makeup techniques that people struggle with. Totally understandable! I've found over the years that there are SO many ways to do it and so many "techniques" that can actually make it more difficult than it has to be. I've found that a lot of people get caught up with having to make this perfect wing in one fluid motion. Yeah, that can be tricky.
If you've been here a while, it's no secret that I'm a fan of liquid liner and a winged look. I've tried SO many different liners and techniques and currently, this one is a winner. Sure, I'm used to "winging" liner and can do it pretty quickly with good results, but this technique is just pretty foolproof.
Not to mention, it's super long-wearing and makes your liner look SUPER dark. It's a winner in my book.

So check out my video below with a ton of tips and a tutorial for this look and simple technique. I hope it's helpful for you!



Here are the products I used for this look...



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 **COME MEET-UP WITH ME AT IMATS LA!! I'll be at the Sigma Beauty booth from 10:30am-12:30 pm on January 18th (Saturday's show). Be sure to stop by and say hi! I'd love to meet you!!

Well, I guess we survived the 2014 "Polar Vortex" around here. I still laugh a little inside every time I hear it called that considering we got ZERO snow that actually accumulated, but we had TONS of ice and frigid temperatures. It stayed in the low single digits for a few days... So 30's and 40's now (which we normally consider freezing cold in Georgia), now feels like a heat wave.

But seriously, I hope you all made it through ok. I realize that while tons of our neighbors and friends suffered busted pipes and property damage, I'm thankful that we made it out ok. All the stories of property damage, living with no heat and water, and all the other horrible things extreme and sudden cold weather can cause is always terrible to hear about.

But on a lighter note, I decided to do a look with a "Warm & Cozy" theme to help a little with these winter blues. So I filmed a more informal "get ready with me" type of tutorial and also shared my more realistic and cozy, winter-appropriate outfit that is still fun and fashionable.
I hope you all love it!!








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**COME MEET-UP WITH ME AT IMATS LA!! I'll be at the Sigma Beauty booth from 10:30am-12:30 pm on January 18th (Saturday's show). Be sure to stop by and say hi! I'd love to meet you!!

So I decided to do a type of video I've never done before... What's in My Current Makeup Rotation. Similar to a "What's in My Makeup Bag" video.  I tend to go in phases where makeup is concerned. I usually go a month or two sticking with a few different products from each category that I'll choose from. For example, a few go-to foundations, a few eye shadow palettes that I'm using the most, all the way to lip colors and mascaras.  Every single category where makeup is concerned.
I decided to share because lately, I've been keeping this little group of go-to's in a makeup bag that I can take back and forth to my vanity table in my closet (where I film), to our bathroom where I also like to do my makeup day-to-day. Our bathroom has sort of a built-in vanity area with great lighting, as well as a ton of natural light.
So here she is... A full list of my current products in my rotation! I'll share my most-used specific makeup brushes soon as well!






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Can you all believe another year is upon us?? 2013 has been such a blur! ...a wonderful blur! :)

So as always, I'm replacing my monthly favorites for December with a more comprehensive favorites video for the ENTIRE year.  I can't believe how many awesome new things we discovered this year together in this little beauty world of ours.

Check them all out in my new video below! Hope you all love it!




I mentioned this in the video as well, but in case you don't make it all the way until the end (totally understandable... it's a loooong one!), I wanted to again say thank you to you all for hanging out here with me another year! I appreciate all of your support and I SO value all of our conversations, interactions, and all the kind words over this past year. I always say this, but YouTube, this blog, twitter, Instagram, etc, are all such fun and happy places. Nowhere else could you find literally thousands of people coming together to support one another, build each other up, and offer so much kindness. You all make this such a wonderful place! I cannot tell you how thankful and happy I am that I am able to do this and share my life with you all!
Love you guys!


*Not a sponsored post. Post contains my genuine recommendations and opinions. Post contains affiliate links.

O.M.G, you guys... Christmas is in 2 DAYS!! I can't even believe it! So before the holiday celebration gets officially underway around here, I wanted to share with you all one of my "go-to" party makeup looks, perfect for New Year's Eve! This would also be gorgeous for a Christmas Eve dinner celebration, or just any party in general, really. It's one of my favorite looks, and best of all, is super simple!

I also put together sort of an effortless and fun party look that works especially well in our neck of the woods, where it can get pretty cold on New Year's Eve.
Not that wearing a slinky little dress that covers a quarter of my body can't be fun, but seriously, I like to dress season-appropriate for where I live. I've always been like that.  So definitely don't feel like you have to go the typical sequined mini or tiny dress route for New Year's if it's freezing out.
You can definitely dress party-appropriate, fashionable, and be season-appropriate.
There's so many awesome options!

So check out my full video at the bottom of the post for a step-by-step tutorial on the makeup look as well as more info on the outfit. Hope you all love it!

But first, here's all the details...





This outfit reflects my personal style perfectly... I'd like to say my style is effortless (not like I tried too hard or too trendy), classic, and with a bit of an edge.
Most of the elements are simple and chic (fitted blazer, silk top, leather tassel clutch), with one pretty trendy element.... the slouchy, tapered pant.  Oh, and a few edgy elements: the necklace, and spikes on the back of otherwise classic pointed-toe shoes.

So let's talk about these pants...

I'm a little obsessed with them. They're slouchy, tapered, and in a gorgeous crepe-y fabric that looks and feels really nice.
I also have them in black. They seriously go with whatever you put with them. They're just so easy.  The nicer fabric gives them much more versatility than a typical cotton knit style.


The bright fabric (these are in the shade "carnelian") provides a little pop for the outfit. That's a big tip of mine where New Year's Eve is concerned. Don't get lost in a sea of black clothing. Black is such a popular pick for New Year's. Stand out with a pop of unexpected color. Whether it's with fun shoes, a bag, or in my case, fun pants.

Last week, Sigma Beauty launched an all-new,  gorgeous, makeup collection themed around warm neutral shades. I've had mine for a few weeks now and couldn't resist digging in.
Let's just be honest, they kind of had me at "warm neutrals".


The collection consists of one eye shadow palette (twelve shades), three eye shadow bases, three lip glosses, three eye pencils, and three eye brushes.

So as I usually do, I really wanted to use the products and wear them at least a few times before writing this post.
Well, turns out, I've been wearing the eye shadows every day (other than when I do specific videos wearing certain products I'm talking about).  I'm super impressed with them.

Ok ok, so before I get ahead of myself, here's all the eye candy! Keep reading for more of my thoughts on the particular products.




These have INSANE color payoff and blend so smoothly, with very little effort.  It seems that right now, I have a ton of these "warm neutral" palettes to play with. From Naked 3, to Unzipped, now to Warm Neutrals.  I know, it's been a crazy month for palettes for me. But I'm really loving the variety in this one. It has such an awesome mix of matte and frost shades with perfect crease and blending shades, as well as nice highlight and lid shades to create tons of variety.  I've loved every look I've created with this and can say it's becoming a fast favorite.





It's no secret that I've been a fan of the Sigma bases since they first came out. I'm really excited about these three new shades. These are super pigmented, and work just as well as the originals- staying creaseless (with my super oily lids, which not many bases can do), and holding up well over time. By that, I mean they haven't dried out in the pots. Most cream shadows similar to these begin separating from the edges and shrinking up in as little as 6 months of having them. None of mine have and I've had my original ones for over a year. Definitely some of my favorites.  I can see the pink being in my daily rotation for a while.





By looking at these, you can probably tell which ones I'd recommend as a highlight, contour, and actual blush.  These blend really smoothly and hold up well throughout the day.  As far as the actual shades, I think they'd work for a very wide range of skin tones. Especially the Serene shade (the rosier, actual blush shade). It has a ton of color payoff and can actually build very dark. However, you can apply it lightly and make it work for someone with a lighter skin tone as well.





I'm really impressed with these. I actually really prefer these to the other Extended Wear liner pencils from Sigma. These sharpen easier and actually wear longer.  These shades are super versatile as well. The formula isn't quite as soft as the Extended Wear, but sometimes I actually prefer that in a pencil liner because typically they hold up better. I just warm them up on my hand a bit first before applying them.





To me, these are actually a really great consistency. I've always said that sticky lip glosses do not bother me in the least because they typically last longer. These actually hold up similar to a stickier gloss, but they aren't super sticky.  I'm pretty sure there isn't an exact scale for gloss-stickiness, but I'd say these fall somewhere right in the middle. Not super sticky, but definitely not that watery slick feeling of some. I guess it's just all a matter of personal preference. I'd describe the scent as very sweet. Think cookie dough or cake batter-ish.

So what do you all think? To me,  the stand-out products are the eye palette and the eye shadow bases. Those are definitely worth checking out.

As always, you guys can save 10% with the most current Sigma Beauty discount code (current one is always posted in the sidebar of my blog), DEC2013.

If you guys want to see these products in action, look for a new tutorial coming up later in the week!





*Products provided for consideration by Sigma Beauty with no agreements or obligations to feature or review. All opinions and recommendations are genuine. Post contains affiliate links.

...yes.

The first time I used this stuff, I knew things just got real, as they say.
Well that's technically not exactly how they say it, but you get what I mean.

No, this is not a sponsored praise-fest (if you've followed me for a while, you know that basically goes against everything I stand for), just probably the best beauty purchase of my year.

I knew when it came time to review this stuff for you all, (which I've been dying to do since the moment I used it and witnessed its awesomeness) it would be hard to do a typical review where I don't really tell you my thoughts until the end. Yeah, I realize I'm basically shouting from the beginning that it's awesome.
Part of the reason I'm extra excited about this besides the fact that it has totally changed and simplified my whole skincare/makeup routine, is because perfecting your skin is so important. To me, it's probably the most important aspect of a makeup routine. If your skin looks good, you can pretty much get away with anything else.
Because it is so very unique and amazing, there is lots more to share beyond my love it or hate it verdict.
So I created a video below allll about this stuff to share all the details about it (what makes it so unique) as well as a demo so you guys can see how well it covers. So be sure to check that out because it's so much more info than I could ever put down in words.
Well, we all know I could, but you'd still be reading well into next week. ;)

So a description in a nutshell... It's the most multi-tasking bb/cc product I've ever tried. It has the same coverage as a full-coverage foundation, yet looks really natural. It has taken the place of my moisturizer in the morning, as well as my foundation, so to say it has simplified my routine would be an understatement.
Here's a few facts about it:

• Full Coverage
• SPF 50+ (physical sunscreen, non-chemical)
• Anti-Aging Serum (peptides, niacin, algae, vitamins A, C, B, E, hylauronic acid, and hydrolyzed collagen along with anti-oxidants and exotic natural botanicals)
• hydrating moisturizer

For tons more details (and a demo), check out my full review video below!






Not a sponsored post. Post contains my genuine recommendations and opinions. Post contains affiliate links.

So after sharing my thoughts on the new Naked 3 palette last week (in this post), I wanted to actually show you all how I make it work for me with this really easy soft and smokey eye look. I think this palette is super versatile. From really natural looks to the more sexy and dramatic, it's really easy to create so much variety with this one.  I would say this look falls somewhere in-between.
I LOVE using darker shades and making them soft and wearable, while keeping a little bit of drama. I could honestly make this look work for any occasion. Definitely a go-to look for me, especially around the holidays when lots of parties, outings, and events are on the calendar.
So be sure to check out the video tutorial below to see exactly how I created this one, step-by-step! I hope you all love it!

Products Used:
Lorac Behind the Scenes eye shadow primer
Naked 3 Palette
Nars Larger Than Life eye pencil in Via di Martelli 
Too Faced Sun Bunny Natural Bronzer
Covergirl Lashblast mascara
Chanel lipstick in Radieuse
Chanel #2 angled brush (contour/cheek)
Sigma Brushes
not shown in video:
Urban Decay Brow Box in Honey Pot
Hourglass Immaculate Foundation
Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Undereye Concealer
Nars Light Reflecting Setting Powder





*Post contains affiliate links. Post contains my genuine recommendations. Not a sponsored post.

So I've found that when a new Naked palette comes out, the general question is, "How does it compare to the others?" 

"...and can I make this decision quickly before they inevitably sell out 4 or 5 times when I know good and well they're anticipating this madness and have got plenty to go around??"

K, that second question is a whole other story, but I wanted to wait a bit and review and swatch this palette after the initial first few weeks of madness died down a bit. Just because to me, nothing is worse than seeing all these reviews on a palette only available ONE place online that is sold out 95% of the time. 
So I'm happy to announce that these are finally available at Sephora.com HERE now! 
...Although, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they sell out there a few times as well.
When the first one came out, I thought they were pretty much done. I LOOOVED it and really didn't see how they could make another one equally as great. Turns out, they had 2 more complete Naked palettes up their sleeves as well as a small "Naked Basics" palette. Since that one is totally different (half the size with all matte neutrals, you can't really compare it to the others and I don't really consider it a part of the whole "Naked palette" line. I guess they don't either, or this one would be Naked 4. So I don't count that one here. So there are 3 we'll be talking about.

Let the Holiday looks begin!

So I figured since the first few days of December are upon us, it would only be appropriate to roll out the Holiday makeup tutorials. I have another planned for the month as well that is a bit different so keep an eye out for that too!

This one is very classic. Glamorous and glowing with a bit of sparkle, yet using natural tones.  It's definitely my go-to look for holiday parties or when you just want to shine a bit while still looking elegant and put-together.

I hope you all love it!

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving!
Today is seriously one of my favorite holidays. Second only to Christmas. This day is a special day for so many reasons. It's wonderful to be able to get together with family, stay cozy inside, and just relax with yummy food and celebrate all of the blessings we have to be so very thankful for.

So I'm posting this and signing off for day.
...and tomorrow, because to me, Black Friday is all about staying cozy inside, wearing comfy pj's, and eating leftovers.

But today also marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season!
So to officially welcome the madness week of a thousand sales,  I'm bringing you my COMPLETE Holiday Gift Guide!
In this post, I'll share with you all my list of go-to gifts for both guys and gals, some store-specific sale info, and some of my go-to shopping tips and sites.

Hopefully you've already checked out the accompanying video on my YouTube channel (check that out here if you haven't). In that video, I share more general tips for holiday shopping. All of my best tips to make holiday shopping less difficult. Because we all know and love a few people who may be a bit difficult to shop for. So check that out for some specifics and tons of tips that won't steer you wrong.

But as promised, here I'm sharing my more complete, specific guide for all the actual gifts I recommend and would definitely pick up for my loved ones.
These are the gifts I'm loving to give this season.








As always, there will be tons of different sales online at TONS of different stores. Here are a few worth mentioning...




**Not a sponsored post. Post contains my genuine recommendations and opinions. Post contains affiliate links.**

So begins another week...
However, because this week contains lots of turkey and yumminess, this Monday is a little better than usual, right? ;)

So you may remember my recent post and video all about the Sephora VIB sale. In that one, I mentioned some of my recommendations as well as a little wish list of my own of items I was thinking about getting.  Well my order came (and smashed, as my Instagram followers may remember), and I got some great stuff.
I also made a little trip to Ulta this past week.
Oh, and the drugstore.
Somebody stop me.

So I decided to put together a little video to give you all a peek at all my new goodies! I hope you all enjoy it!







Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and look for 3 more new videos coming up this week! Happy Monday!




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So last week I brought you two tutorials on everyday things: My current foundation routine (check that out here if you missed it) and a tutorial on how I fill and shape my eye brows (yup, you can see that here too).  So to round it all out, I felt it only appropriate to do an updated tutorial on the full makeup look I've been wearing most lately.

This look is one of my favorites because it's easy, not too fussy, and is appropriate to wear anywhere. It's one of those "go-to" looks for me that I can do easily without really thinking and works no matter what. I love it!

I also love that it's also a bit different and not the typical more "natural" colors you'd think of most often for a more everyday look. The taupe-y purple makes it a bit different, but still just as wearable.

So check out my video below and get ready with me! I hope you guys enjoy it!





I also did a little OOTD in this one. I LOVE this jacket. Well, that and this whole look in general. I love that it looks put-together, but not too put-together, you know what I mean? Do you see a pattern in this post?
That's what I like to always go for both with beauty and fashion.  So I took some quick pics of the look to share (my photographer wasn't home). ;)
You can get a better look at it in the video!


While the top is no longer available, I found a super cute option below that I just might have to pick up myself...


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