Summer Beauty

Summer is all about being carefree and having fun, about trying new things and seeing where life takes you, about experimenting with colors, styles, and products...most importantly, summer is about owning you! This summer, trends are very noticeable, easy to try and easy to make your own. Here's to hoping you find something new in this blog post that's worth a try!

*To the left I am sporting the Pop of Color and to the right mom is sporting the Peek-A-Boo. Also modeled is a version of the beachy waves featured in this article.


Make Up:

Seeing as I work at a makeup store, I am constantly seeing "this season's hottest trends" and learning new color combinations that are always a sure hit. This season's color to try for eyes is blue. My favorite thus far in my search for the perfect blue is Glacier by Merle Norman.

There are always so many different ways to apply eye shadow, especially with such a vibrant color. Here are a few tutorials for you to try:

The All Over Color
          The colors used here are Glacier and Cloud 9 by Merle Norman, but any brand in similar shades can be used. Apply Cloud 9 to the under part of the eye almost as an eyeliner, along the brow bone to highlight, and fading from the inner part of your eye to the middle. Next, apply Glacier by blending through the crease and outer corner of the eye into the middle, opposite of what was done with the Cloud 9. To finish, apply black eyeliner to only the upper lid (another popular trend right now) and two coats of black mascara.

Peek-A-Boo Color
                The colors used are Glacier, Ebony and Ivory, and Oyster. Start by highlighting the brow bone with Oyster. Next, pack on the color by covering 3/4th's of your lid below the crease with Glacier. Blend Ebony and Ivory in your crease, be sure to blend well between the three colors until you reach the desired effect. Complete this look with black eyeliner and two coats of black mascara.

Pop of Color
           This is my personal favorite, and what I wear most of the time. The colors used are Oyster, Glacier, and Ebony and Ivory. Start by highlighting the brow bone with Oyster, then blend Oyster from the inner corner of your eye to the middle. Next, blend Ebony and Ivory into your crease and from the outer corner in toward the middle. Finally, for a pop of color, blend Glacier right above the crease toward the brow bone. I complete this look with Teal Soft Touch eyeliner by Merle Norman, but you can use any color you like. Follow through with two coats of your favorite mascara!

*If blue eye shadow is to far out of your comfort zone, you can always opt for a blue eyeliner or mascara for a more mild and subdued pop of color.

Eye make up is just the tip of the ice burg this season. To continue any of these looks, follow through with bright and colorful lip color. Some of my favorites include A Flare To Remember, Romance, and Bistro Berry by Merle Norman, and Diva by MAC.

Hair:

For summer, I tend to keep my hair light and flowy with beachy waves. The best part about light and loose beachy waves is that they can easily be dressed up with a headband or a little tease at the crown of your head. The best way I have found to obtain these high demand beachy waves are as follows:

1. Wash hair the day or night before you want to style it. If this is not possible, be sure to "dirty" your hair and give it texture with a mouse or dry shampoo.
2. Section hair into three layers.
3. Lightly hairspray each layer.
4. WRAP HAIR AROUND CURLING IRON BARREL. This step is crucial! By wrapping your hair around the curling iron you are getting more of a wave vs. a ringlet.
5. Only hold your hair around the curling iron for 10 seconds as anything longer is just burning your hair.
6. Brush out with finger tips and hairspray all over.
7. Complete the look by adding a head band or any other accessories if your heart desires.

For a different effect (such as what I sported in the picture at the top), make the bottom two layers bigger, and don't curl the top. The key is to just have fun with it and see what works best for you!

Good Luck My Lovelies!
Ashley

Holiday Beauty Looks

With the holidays here, we all have an event or two we'd like to glam up for. With tutorials on sites like Youtube and Pinterest, mastering new looks is easier than ever! Below are a couple of my favorite tutorials for this holiday season. They work for every skin tone or hair color, and can be tweaked to complete every look from a simple family Christmas dinner to a wild New Year's Eve night out on the town.

First is a gorgeous holiday makeup tutorial from the lovely Allison Anderson. This look has a soft and rosy skin, a neutral, shimmery eye with a slight cat-eye liner. The focal point that really makes this look pop is the bright red lip.

• TWEAKS:
• Lighten or darken the eye shadow
• Add dark or black shadow to the crease line to add drama
• Change lip color (bright red isn't for everyone)
• Leave off the false lashes

The next look is for the hair and it's by my favorite Youtube beauty vlogger, Nicole Guerriero. Big, Kardashian-esque curls are all the rage right now, and this is a nice holiday twist on that look. The curls are a little more like ringlets and give a more formal look and it can be worn up or down.
Click here to see the video

• TWEAKS
• Without extensions
• Curl hair with a curling iron or straightener instead of a wand
• Hold hair around the iron less than 10 seconds for looser curls
• Spray hair with product before beginning or spray each strand as you go
• Leave hair loose rather than setting with pins for looser curls
• Leave hair as is at any point in the tutorial
• Tease the crown for a bigger, more voluminous look

It's also important to remember that often times, the women in these tutorials get lots of courtesy goodies for the brand promoting they do. Many also work for cosmetic companies or as licensed cosmetologists. We don't all have pockets or connections as deep as theirs, and cannot always afford the high end cosmetics they use and THAT IS OK! Use whatever you have or whatever you want to get the look you desire!

Above all else, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The point of makeup and hair tutorials is to make yourself feel good and confident in yourself. There is no right or wrong way to do any of it. So glam up, go out and, most of all, enjoy yourself this winter! Happy Holidays!

xoxo Melissa