Get the Look: Smoky Neutral Eye for the Holidays

November 10, 2016

Today's shop has been sponsored by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible!
#MyPureRelief #CollectiveBias

After Halloween, there seems to be this full throttle push into the holidays. If we were able to put it on hold until life felt a little more balanced I’m sure we would. Instead, we have to ride out this crazy wave!

It can get a little hectic with the errands and parties (so many parties!) but think of it as a chance to dress up and glam out. And being the makeup fanatic I am, I'm going all out until January 2nd hits. The key to maintaining your sanity and while looking flawless is conquering a smoky neutral eye. Trust me, it's a lot easier to do than it sounds and the transitional look can take you from work to play.

As a contact lens user with a bad case of dry eyes, I always prep my eyes with Clear Eyes® Pure Relief™ Multi-Symptom. It moisturizes my eyes and gets rid of redness associated with wearing lenses and slight makeup irritation. Lucky for us in the states, the preservative free eye drops come in a multi-dose bottle and make it easier to use. It’ll also make your eyes look brighter which is always a nice plus!

If you're anything like me, I highly recommend adding these eye drops into your beauty routine so the focus can be kept on your makeup and clear eyes (pun intended).

Now for the full-on tutorial

FIRST
Prep your eyes with Clear Eyes® Pure Relief™

SECOND
Apply an eyeshadow base over your entire lid and above the crease, I’m using a shimmery nude color

THIRD
Apply the next eyeshadow, I’m using a light copper shade to shade the lid under the crease and blending

FOURTH
Blend a darker eyeshadow into the crease of your eyelid, I’m using a light brown color

FIFTH
Now blend until obvious harsh lines from your eyeshadow are gone

FINAL/OPTIONAL
For a little more ‘tude, I love lining my top lash line with a shimmery dark brown eyeshadow and relining it with a black or dark brown eyeliner

Don't forget to fill in your browns and apply your favorite mascara to frame your face

As for the rest of your face, finish up with CC cream, a peach-like blush, and a pale pink nude lip color. Hopefully, the pictures helped tremendously, but if you rather see a video tutorial next time – let me know!

Keep in mind that Clear Eyes® Pure Relief™ provides up to 12 hours of soothing relief so depending on how long your days go during the holiday season it may be beneficial to carry a spare in your purse.

And being the thrifty shopper I recently turned into I figured I share the best place with the best deals. I found Clear Eyes® Pure Relief™ line at my local Target which was conveniently located near my favorite drugstore makeup brands. It’s like they knew! Combine Target’s Cartwheel offer (25% off) with this $3 manufacturer coupon on your next purchase.

Have you ever used Clear Eyes as part of your beauty routine before?

TSB: September Rack Up

September 29, 2016

This felt like the shortest month ever! Probably because I spent most of it celebrating my best friend's birthday - one day is never enough. And In a few weeks, I'll be in Oregon watching another best friend marry the love of her life. I feel the tears already welling up inside of me!

No big Buzzfeed article to share this time around but I will say I challenged myself to dress more for the office than before. You know, grown up looks haha.

Sunglasses: The Row Sweater: Express (old, similar here) Skirt: boohoo.com Clogs: Swedish Hasbeens Purse: Rebecca Minkoff (& under $90!!) Lipstick: Glacé via Bite

Shirt: J. Crew Jeans: Bond via Mott & Bow Sunglasses: The Row Backpack: Tumi Boots: Modern Vice Lipgloss: Coral Sands via L'Oreal

Shirt: Wilfred Pants: J.Crew (similar here) Jacket: Joe Fresh (similar here) Sneakers: Adidas Necklace: Nashelle + Athra Luxe Rings: Assorted Lipgloss: Wolfie via Colourpop

Shirt: Banana Republic Skirt: Banana Republic (similar) Heels: J. Crew Purse: Rebecca Minkoff Bracelet: J. Crew + My Own (similar eye bracelet) Watch: Q&Q Smile Solar (similar) Lip Stain: Red My Lips via YSL Beauty

Sunglasses: Nordstroms Bodysuit: Wildfox Jeans: One Teaspoon Clutch: Ora Delphine Rings: Assorted Bracelets: Banana Republic + The Sak Shoes: Ego Lipgloss: Coral Sands via L'Oreal Foundation + Pressed Powder: Both Maybelline's FIT Me!

Top: Outdoor Voices Pants: Outdoor Voices Sports Bra: Sweaty Betty Tote: Baggu Sneakers: Brooks Lipgloss: Coral Sands via L'Oreal

Dress: Dezzal Boots: Ouigal Bangles: The Sak Rings: Assorted Earrings: Links of London Necklace: Athra Luxe + Baublebar Purse: Shana Luther Eyebrow Pencil: Billion Dollar Brow Pencil Lipgloss: Riot via Lime Crime

Photos by Adrianna Naomi, Lauren Adriance, and Lydia Hudgens.

No-Fail Guide to Hydrated, Soft Skin

September 27, 2016

Today's post was created in collaboration with Aveeno and #WeAllGrow Latina Network. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible!

It happened. At about 3:12pm yesterday I gave into a Starbucks's seasonal offering - the Pumpkin Spice Latte. So it’s officially official, fall is here and with that comes a few things: bearable city walks, autumn weddings become rampant, and my beauty routine doesn’t feel complete without a deep burgundy lip.

As for my short skirts and mini dresses – those tend to stay in heavy rotation until the weather gods have deemed them inappropriate. As Eva Chen once mentioned, once the stockings come on they stay on for a solid six months. Thankfully, the brisk mornings in New York City are known for being nothing more than a charade for humid afternoons. Choose the thickness of your sweaters wisely my friends!

As for me, I’ll continue to bare my legs in all of the pretty dresses; some of them may even have pockets! Plus, it’s the best way to share all the hard work (and killer calves) I’ve been putting in for the New York City Marathon. And one of the best ways to flaunt the gams is with moisturized skin.

My say-no-to-ashy routine in the summer lends itself more to oils, but once the temperature dips my skin does a better job at soaking up hydration with rich, creamy lotions. As of late, I stepped up my skin drink to include A veeno Daily Moisturizing Body Yogurt Lotion, rotating both their Apricot & Honey and Vanilla & Oats. Their formula is enriched with ACTIVE NATURALS Oat and nutrient-packed yogurt, which leaves my skin feeling velvety soft all day long.

But before I slather on the lotion, the real work begins in the shower. Their Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Yogurt Body Wash is the perfect partner to their lotion. Their rich and creamy wash gently cleanses my skin without stripping skin of moisture. Being a hot shower kind of gal, it also turns my bathroom into an oasis for the senses.

Smelling all that goodness in the AM tends to give me a hankering for homemade oatmeal topped with berries and honey, which I happily oblige with.

After using this hydrating duo, my skin feels so amazing it’s only right I upgrade and share the rest of my skincare routine on how I achieve maximum softness:

Exfoliate! I do this twice a week with an all natural sugar scrub.
Elbows, knees, and your feet need love too. I use a salve on my elbows and knees right before bedtime. My feet get a little more special treatment. I generously slather on Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Yogurt Lotion and wear thick socks to bed for soft soles.
Pat dry! After each shower, I pat my skin down instead of aggressively rubbing the towel on my skin. The tugging of a towel’s fabrics can whisk away all of the lotion and moisture you just worked in.