Thursday, June 27, 2013

London Looks!

Whilst in London last month, I purchased many, many drugstore makeup items that aren't easily accessible in the States.  After wearing some of the products on the trip, a few girls asked if I would go to Superdrug (a UK drugstore) and show them what I bought so they could get their hands on the same great products.  Later in the week, they asked me to do their makeup for a Medieval Banquet we attended on one of our final nights in London. I snagged a few pictures:




Top:  Killian, with and without flash.
Bottom:  Katy, with and without flash.

Featured products:
  • Sleek - Storm Eye Shadow Palette
  • Sleek - Naturals Eye Shadow Palette
  • Rimmel London - Scandal Eyes Kohl Kajal in brown
  • Maybelline - Color Tattoos
I also mixed a few shades from my Urban Decay Naked Palette that I brought on the trip with me.  Stay tuned for a blog with all the products, accessories, etc. that I purchased on my trip.  I only mentioned two trips to Superdrug... I didn't mention Boots and maybe some additional trips here and there. ;)

"Without makeup, women are pretty, but with makeup they can be pretty powerful."
 -- Bobbi Brown

-J

Monday, June 24, 2013

My Favorite YouTubers: Beauty & Wellness

In a spirit of simplification, I have gone through my YouTube subscription list and determined my favorite beauty & wellness beauty vloggers. I thought I would share who my top 11 girls are and why I love their channels.  For the last three years I have been obsessed with the hauls, tutorials, reviews and more on YouTube.  Here are the girls I just couldn't unsubscribe!

Most Recent Discoveries
  • Dani Austin - www.youtube.com/daniaustin2  |  Dani is one of my newest subbies.  I found her via her brother, Landon Austin, who is a favorite YouTube musician.  Dani is young and adorable.  She is studying exercise science at the University of Texas which infuses her channel with helpful tips for healthy living.  Her style is trendy and inspiring, while her makeup and hair is simple and stunning.  
  •  Carly Cristman - www.youtube.com/carlycristman  |  Holy fashionista!  Carly is a model and stylist, so naturally her videos are mostly fashion centered.  She does have tutorials and product-based videos, but you can't see Carly's true passion until you hear her talk about style.  She describes clothing so beautifully and mixes on-trend pieces with basics.  As a bonus, she has a super cool Chicago accent.  
 Favorites from Across the Pond
  • FleurdeForce - www.youtube.com/fleurdeforce  |  Fleur is the first beauty YouTuber I subscribed to.  She has a classic style and really knows her stuff.  When she describes products (her blog is also a fave) she is so eloquent and thoughtful.  She doesn't sugar coat bad products meanwhile her excitement about the gold-mines make you want to rush to Superdrug or Boots to pick it up. (While she obviously reviews products that are UK-based, she also uses many products readily available in the States).
  • Tanya Burr - www.youtube.com/pixi2woo  |  Tanya is by far my go-to channel when I want a beautiful and achievable makeup tutorial.  She is a formally trained makeup artist with a very sweet spirit about her.  All of her tutorials are very helpful and offer step-by-step instruction. 
The Original Pair 
  • Blair Fowler - www.youtube.com/juicystar07  |  I deem these two ladies as "the original pair" because they are the first YouTubers in the beauty community that I found and subscribed to.  Blair was the very first that I watched after a random Tumblr post lead me to one of her tutorials.  She is very upbeat and excited about the little things.  Something about her is just very likeable.  
  • Elle Fowler - www.youtube.com/allthatglitters21  |  Elle Fowler is, you guessed it, Blair's sister.  Elle started on YouTube when she was in college and throughout the years has grown into a sophisticated young lady.  Her sophistication is exemplified on her channel.  These days she focuses on higher end products and skin care with extra videos all about home decor.  The cameos of her precious deaf kitty named Pinecone are also a big plus.  
California Gurls
  • Ingrid Nilsen - www.youtube.com/missglamorazzi  |  Ingrid is a ball of nerdy sunshine, and I mean that in the best possible way.  As one of my all-time favorite YouTubers, Ingrid is not afraid to be herself.  She dabbles in everything: makeup, skincare, hair, fashion.  She takes her experiences and infuses her wisdom into her videos.  She also has an awesome kitty-cat who peaks his head into videos, named Nugget.  And for a final fun fact: she rocks the David & Goliath "I Heart Nerds" hoodie and featured where she bought it in London in a vlog.  I definitely made a point to go to Covent Garden on my trip and buy the same hoodie - no shame, it's fantastic. 
  • Allison - www.youtube.com/amarixe  |  Allison is sweet and sarcastic.  Her humor makes me laugh, especially when you catch her laughing at her own jokes.  She has a simple style and blush fetish.  She recently moved to LA, but you would think she's lived there all her life.  Allison has a laid back essence, but won't mess around when she's on the hunt for new makeup lines. 
  • Nikki Phillippi - www.youtube.com/NikkiPhillippi   |  Nikki is so positive and encouraging.  It is obvious that she genuinely wants to help people!  I love her "healthy junk food" videos and passion for comfort in fashion.  I wish this girl had her own reality show because she is just a joy to watch.  Her vlog channel is also a favorite - her relationship with her husband Dan is inspiring.
  • Rachel Talbott - www.youtube.com/checkinthemirror  |  Rachel worked for many years in the skincare industry which leads to super informative videos.  I am always learning interesting facts about skin and hair from her.  She is also very fashion forward, which is fun and inspiring to watch.
Nail Tutorials
  • MissJenFabulous - www.youtube.com/missjenfabulous  |  Jen is a licensed cosmotologist and can offer many tips and tricks in her videos.  However, my favorite videos are all her nail art tutorials! She is very helpful and has an array of videos using dotting tools, stripers, and everyday household items. 
Hope you enjoyed learning about some of my favorite beauty & wellness YouTubers! I hope you check out their channels and enjoy them as much as I do. 

With love,
-J

Monday, June 17, 2013

ON MY NAILS: Glitter Accent Nail!


NAIL POLISHES:
  • Gelly N' Shine Nail Paint by Barry M - Blueberry
  • China Glaze - Pelican Gray
  • Essie - Set In Stones
I bought three of these gelly nail polishes from Barry M whilst in London last month and LOVE them! They are high gloss and very opaque.  I also love the glitter accent nail with a similar color as a base - learned this trick from MissJenFabulous on YouTube.  All in all, this is a simple and fun look for the summer months.

My summer goal is to blog A LOT more.  I may even dabble in some video blogs while I'm at it. Stay tuned... I promise this time. :)

Have a great day,
Jenae