Storage For Your Makeup Brushes

If you are like me, you probably feel like you can't get enough brushes.  Half of my mornings used to be spent sifting through my makeup bag looking for that one brush I had to use for that one portion of my eyelid or face.  It got to be too time consuming for me, so I decided to instead just display it all out in a unique way so that I would not have to waste my mornings again.

Voila!

The solution was to stick my brushes in a planter! Just kidding, but you kind of get the concept, right?  Now, if I need to find any brush, I have them all out and ready for me to grab.  How did I make this you ask?  See the steps below!

STEP #1: BUY COLORED SAND

I went to my local Michael's store and found this finely ground decorative sand.  They came in different colors, but since they didn't have hot pink, I decided to go with a classic black color.  You can't go wrong with black!  I loved the way the black would sort of sparkle in the light.  This 2 pound bag of sand cost less than $5.

STEP #2:  GET A GLASS CONTAINER

 At Michael's, you can also find glass containers in all shapes and sizes.  I decided to go with this rectangular one so that I could place this against my wall.  Also, the more brushes you have, I suggest getting a bigger container so that you can accommodate all the brushes and have them evenly spaced out.

STEP #3:  POUR THE SAND IN AND GET TO STICKING

After you have poured the sand in, get ready to start sticking those puppies (brushes) in the sand.  Don't they remind you of little plants sticking up out of the soil? :)

 Here is a side view!

And there you have it!  Your own planter of brushes! :)

XOXO

Michelle

Curly Eyelashes

Holiday season is the best because every store seems to be handing out some sort of discount.  Sephora had a sale a couple of weeks ago where their V.I.B. members were given a 20% discount on their entire purchase.  So, I took this opportunity to finally get a good quality eyelash curler. 

I was already a fan of the Shiseido line and read some really great reviews about their eyelash curler, so I ordered it with my 20% discount.  

You can read reviews and more details of what this eyelash curler provides here:

http://www.sephora.com/eyelash-curler-P244437

The Shiseido Eyelash curler retails at $19 and it comes with a replacement rubber pad. 

I really enjoyed the nice Titanium look and the black rubber pads. 

 The first thing I noticed was that it has a broad curve, which is perfect for Asian eyes because it gets super close to the root of your eyelashes and curls then perfectly.  I used to use the Loreal eyelash curler and my eyelashes would bend at a 90 degree angle no matter how hard I tried to maneuver the curler around my eyes because the curve of the eyelash curler wasn't as broad.

And here goes nothing!  This is the finished product.  To get a more long lasting curl, you can always place your eyelash curler under a warm blowdryer for a few seconds and then curl your lashes.  It sort of acts as a hair curler for your eyes! :)

Don't believe me? Here is the before and after shot of my eyelashes!  From pin straight to happy and curly!  I don't know why I waited so long to make the purchase, but I can't go a day without using my amazing eyelash curler now. :)

XOXO

Michelle

Coral

Oh summer, why so you have to go?

This summer, I have been inspired by the coral color.

As usual, my target stop to pick up one item turned into my target stop where I picked up SEVERAL items.

Here, I got the color Tart Deco from ESSIE - the perfect coral color nail polish. A bottle of ESSIE nail polish will cost you about $8, which I think is priced fair for the quality of the nail polish.

In the pictures, my nails look more orange, but on your nails, it has more of a pastel orange shade which I love!

Enjoy!

Spa Day With The Ladies!

I don't always get the opportunity to pamper myself, but when I do decide to treat myself to a spa day, I go to Laguna Salon and Nails Spa.  

I have been to my fair share of nail salons throughout the years, but I always seem to find my way back to Andy's (aka Laguna Salon and Nails Spa).  I have been coming here since I was in high school and there has been nothing but consistent improvements since I have been here.  Business is good too as it seemed like every single spa chair and every table was filled with a customer.  Not only that, but they open new packaged nail tools in front of you.  Yay for my germ-a-phobe self! :)

Two of the best things about this place are the service and the variety.  I love the pink glitter powder and the different gel colors, glitter designs, rhinestones, etc.  It seems like anything you would want or could conceive of, they will try to do, which is why I love it!  

First thing you will notice when you walk in is Andy! He is the best and will always make sure you feel comfortable and get the best experience.  Also, call ahead for your appointment! This will minimize your wait time because they seem to be pretty busy!

Ladies - this is the best tip I can give you - get to be his BFF and you will be treated like a princess here.  

What design did I go with?  I decided to go with pink and white acrylics and I tried out the gunmetal glitter on my fourth fingers with rhinestones.  The finish was a layer of clear gel coating - which will get your nails to glisten longer! Love the shine!

If you ever do get your nails done - whether it be acrylics or just a regular manicure - get the clear gel coating on top.  I used to be really hesitant about spending that extra few bucks thinking that it wouldn't make a difference, but it really will make your color last and stay shiny for an extra few weeks! 

One of my girlfriends, Khuyen, was inspired by watermelon colors and wanted something summery, bright and eye-catching.  

She went with green seashells on the tip (these are real crushed seashells on her nails- super cool!) and then went with pink glitter powder.  I loved the way this looked afterwards and the green minty color is such a happy color for the summer.

My other girlfriend, Marisela got inspired by these coral nails that she saw on Pinterest and brought the picture into Andy's to see if they could recreate the same look.

This was the look Marisela found on Pinterest:

Although they did not have the exact Matte coral color, the girl working on her did her best to try to match the color and recreate the look.  I love that the staff here is so open to your ideas.  Whatever you want, they will do their best to try to do it.

Below, here are Marisela's nails and the re-created look!

If you are interested to learn more about this place, click on the Link Below for the Review on Yelp (my review will only be on here b/c I still want this gem to be my little sanctuary) :)

http://www.yelp.com/biz/laguna-salon-and-nails-spa-laguna-hills

XOXO

Michelley

Summer Shoes!

It seems as though I can never get enough of shoes!!! 

I can pretty much talk myself into getting a new pair of shoes because it is "necessary" to complete a look for an outfit :D

Some of my favorite shoes that I will be rocking this summer are found below!

Shoe #1:  Steve Madden Pumps

I INSTANTLY fell in love with these shoes the moment I laid eyes on them.  The color was just so unique that it immediately caught my eye while sitting among rows and rows of shoes at the Macy's shoe department.  It was a jungle in there, but somehow, my eyes were immediately drawn to this pair.  

I loved the silky satin finish and it would be PERFECT for a night out. These shoes would look great with a black or white outfit.

An extra bonus are the heels! Can we just talk about this for a second?  It looks as thought it is oozing with candy!  I had Ren try these on at the store and every time she would take a step, the jewels on the shoes would catch the light and it would sparkle like crazy!  

And to top it all off - these shoes are COMFORTABLE!  It was so easy to walk in and my foot didn't kick out from the back when I would walk, so I know that it would be great dancing shoes or maybe I can even bring these puppies along to walk around Vegas!

Shoe #2: Mary Jane Black Pumps

When searching for shoes, I always try to look for comfort coupled with style. I noticed that if I am wearing shoes that have straps around the ankle, the comfort level of my feet go up instantly! The leopard print in the inside of the shoe are also super cute!

I got the shoes below from Foreign Exchange for just $20!  I love a good deal whenever I see one!  Plus, I purchased these during the Memorial Weekend day online sale and the delivery was absolutely free!

These high heeled Mary Jane shoes had double straps which meant double the comfort for my feet.  It has a black velvet finish so it is appropriate for the day or the night time.  

The one thing I have also learned about smart shoe buying is making sure the heels I get also have the platform in the front of the shoe.  This is so important because it minimizes the incline of your feet when you walk which makes for a more comfortable walk.

Shoe #3: Red Velvet Heels

While perusing through the Foreign Exchange website, I also came upon these super cute red velvet heels for $20 as well. I wanted to get a pair of eye catching shoes for when I go out at night and I thought that these were just the shoes to do it!  I loved this red cherry tomato color of the shoe.

Again, I was also looking for comfort and I loved that they had the platform in the front of the shoe.  The velvet finish on the shoe also makes it look classy for day or evening wear.

Unlike the black mary jane pumps above, the straps on this shoe form a criss cross in the front.  With the criss crossed look, it makes it look a bit more edgier and of course, my feet will be locked into the shoe and I won't have to worry about my feet getting kicked up out of the shoe.

Along with the red velvet heels purchase from Foreign Exchange, I got this Fedora along with it.  

The red lining on the fedora would be a great match with these red heels.  I could pair this outfit with a nice white tank top with some black tights or skinny jeans along with this fedora and red heels.  To give you an idea of what I was thinking, here it is:

Shoes #4 & #5: Sandals!

Summers are never complete without sandals!  

I found these black sandals below at Target. Surprisingly, Target has cute selections of sandals perfect for the summer weather.  I actually saw these black sandals at Forever 21 for $21.99 and was happy to know that Target sold it for a few bucks less: $19.99!

I have been rockin' these sandals almost every other day because of the cute black rhinestone detailing and the comfort!  They match almost any outfit I throw on.

The turquoise sandals are my all time loves right now. I got those at Foreign Exchange for $10!  It has this cute hot pink lining on the bottom of the sandals and this vibrant turquoise on top. 

Both the turquoise and the black sandals are my favorite.

What will you be rockin' this summer?

XOXO

Michelle

Dark Brown Eyeshadow

Sissy and I did some perusing through the mall today and we came upon NARS makeup.  She got 3 different eyeshadows and one of them was this dark brown you see below that was absolutely delicious looking! 

The color below is called "Mekong" from NARS.

Brown eyeshadow is my go to every day look.  Since I am at the office during the day and at school during the night, I like using dark browns because it still keeps me looking professional.

Look below for a close up look at "Mekong".  It jam packed with tones of browns and golds for a very rich look once applied to the eyes.

My one big tip for wearing brown eyeshadow is to make sure you apply it on with a blending brush. Why use a blending brush?  Well, it will blend the eyeshadow color more naturally from your eyelids to the highlighting eyeshadow color that you use on your brow bone.

Any blending brush will do.  Sephora has a few different kinds of blending brushes which range from $15+.  Or, if you are looking for something a little cheaper, look for the Elf blending brushes at Target, for example, for just a few bucks.  The brush I used on Ren's eyelid was one that we got from Sephora for $15.

The fluffyness of the blending brush allows for more color to get onto your eyelids with a more even application.  Does a blending brush really make that much of a difference? The answer is yes!  So much so that I put aside my one blending brush to solely apply on my dark brown eyeshadows.  The finished look that you get when you apply on your eyeshadow with a blending brush just looks more natural.

What products did I use for Ren's look below and how to get the look!

1) I started with Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion and applied it all over Ren's eyelids.


2) Then, I used the color "Jest" as seen in the far left above.  You can find the color from MAC makeup stores.  I use "Jest" just about everyday. If you have a more olive skin tone, "Jest" seems to boost your natural skin color, giving you a more dewey look.  Apply "Jest" on your brow bone or the area right underneath your eyebrows.


3) Grab your blending brush and apply the "Mekong" color generously over your eyelids.  The eyeshadow color should not exceed more than halfway up your lid.  Before you apply on the eyeshadow, make sure you tap off any excess eyeshadow.  Apply the color on in a circular motion and keep blending!


4) I sprinkled just a smidge of the gold eyeshadow powder from Micabella in the corners of her eyes and lightly brushed it over the "Mekong" color.  I finished up the look with some black eyeliner and black dior mascara.

And voila! There you have it!  For a daytime look, apply on a lighter layer of the color and of course you can easily transition the color into a nighttime look by applying a few more layers for a night out with your friends!

XOXO

Michelle

Spring Nails

Spring is here!! The bright colors of Spring gave me some inspiration for my nails.

I found some very bright Spring-ish colors while shopping the other day and decided on the color combo below.  Every time I see my nails, I get happy! :)

I bought the Sally Hansen colors below from Target.  Why did I choose Sally Hansen?  Out of all the brands at the store, Sally's looked the most vibrant and for $2.97 per bottle, they were also the cheapest.  Color and quality? I like!

 

^ THE BEFORE!

Here are the 5 colors I chose in detail:

THE AFTER LOOKS!!

Happy coloring! :)