Tutorial: My Anniversary Look (Smokey Eye and Winged Liner Combo)

Hello Loves!

I am very excited to be posting this! I went to my Instagram to ask my followers to vote on their favorite of four trial looks that I would be doing for my anniversary. This one was the most liked, so I went ahead and did it. As a little bonus for my lovely followers participating, I wanted to make a tutorial for the look! After doing my trial looks, I actually loved this look the most and am really glad others thought the same :)

Here's the final look:

From the anniversary dinner <3

Tutorial after the jump!

Tutorial: How to Use Color - Neutral and Mint Cut Crease

Hello Loves!

This is the second tutorial that I have done for my IMAM (Indiemakeupandmore) exchange partner and this tutorial is to help introduce her to color! One of the best ways to use color is to pair it with a neutral. The looks are a bit more toned down whenever you use a neutral with a color. I know this look may be a tad dramatic (I am ALL about the drama) but the beauty of makeup is that you can modify it to your liking. The world is your pickle (Laura Vitale got that stuck in my head...)! I would recommend adding black winged liner to this to complete it a bit more. I was trying to get something done before I lost sunlight to take photos, which still happened. That is the worst thing about winter, the fact that you wake up when it is still dark and it is dark soooooo early. Also, the cold. The winters are harsh were I live. Anyways...

Here is the final look!

Tutorial after the jump!

Tutorial: Simple Duochrome Smokey Eye

Hello Loves,

Today I got a tutorial for you! I haven't done one in a long time cause I've been so busy with class! I did manage to get some time to do tutorials. I actually made this and the next tutorial for my IMAM exchange partner to introduce her to rainbow of colors and duochrome. Colors can be intimidating and it takes time to get used to using them. I used to be strictly a neutrals girl but now, I LOVE color! :)

Today, I am doing a simple smokey eye using ONE eyeshadow. Yes, one eyeshadow was used for this whole entire eye look, but if desired, you can add a transition color and a highlight to the inner corner and browbone. The trick is when and when not to use your brush wet because it changes the intensity of the duochrome shimmer. If you want something quick, simple, yet still sultry, this is for you. I recommend using any darker duochrome colors you want but the eye product I used is Diggy, Diggy Hole by Shiro Cosmetics.

Here is the final look:

Tutorial after the jump!

Review: KoKo Lashes in Iris

Hello Loves!

I know... it has been 2 months since I have done a post of any kind on my blog. I have been extremely busy from the combination of work, school, and maintaining a LDR (aka long distance relationship) that I have not had much time to do much makeup related. I still keep most active on my Instagram (which you should most definitely check out, click the stuff on the side) if you want to follow my makeup journey of mine. My Youtube channel is a different story; I basically post a video once a month there. There is a recent haul there if you are interested in watching :)

ANYWAYS, stop babbling Elle.

So this style, Iris, is the last pair of Koko lashes that I will be reviewing from the set of lashes I got ages ago from Lady Moss Beauty. I want to try more of the newer styles whenever the lashes go on sale and am really eyeing Misha, Bella, and Goddess. 

Ok, onto the review!

Review and Swatches: Glamour Doll Eyes Eyeshadows in Ahoy Sailor, Courageous, Arrogant, Tawdry, Spikes and Pearls, and Pretentious

Hello Loves,

Today, I finally got to try some Glamour Doll Eyes (GDE) eyeshadows! I have been really wanting to try them for a while, especially some shades from their matte squared lines, Matte Squared Feminine and Masculine. More generally, I just wanted to try their matte shades. I have been wanting to try almost every matte formula I come across because I am trying to find the best matte formula. Matte is my favorite finish, if I haven't already said that before in a blog post. I'm putting all six shades to the test and seeing how they perform. As a disclaimer, all products are press samples but all opinions are my own.

The shadows I will be reviewing and swatching are Pretentious and Tawdry from the Matte Squared Feminine collection, Courageous and Arrogant from the Matte Squared Masculine collection, Ahoy Sailor, and Spikes and Pearls.

Close ups, swatches and review after the jump!

Swatch and Haul: NYX Cosmetics 4th of July Sale with First Impressions

Hello Loves!

I bring you guys the makeup that I bought from NYX for their 4th of July sale (as the title suggests). Before I get onto to the goodies I have to tell you guys a story... a story about how insanely difficult it was for me to make a purchase not only during their sale but off their website in general. I guess this is my first impression for their customer service as well.

ORDERING/CUSTOMER SERVICE
Alright, so NYX was holding a 40% off sale during the 4th of July (which is USA independence day) and I have been wanting to pick a few different things for a while. However, they did not prepare their web servers the for the mass influx that is savvy shoppers. I would try to buy what I want whenever I got home and went for this for maybe an hour at a time. No luck during the sale and it ended. Thankfully, NYX was awesome and provided me with a 40% code whenever I emailed them about having difficulty purchasing off the site. All things seem good, right?
NO. Ugh, I tried for at least a week to buy online and every single time I had an "invalid request," which I assume means my card does not want to process. I call NYX and they tell me to give it a day to try again because they are fixing their website. I try again the next day with no luck. What happened is that everything worked perfectly over the phone and my computer basically does not like the NYX website. This steers me away from ordering off the website because of how difficult it was to place an order.

Not related to customer service or ordering of NYX but... (prepare for a mild rant) FedEx takes FOREVER to get your packages to you. Grrrrrrr, dammit I want my stuff.
Alright, end rant. Let's continue.

THE STUFF:

Left to Right: Taupe Blush, Macaron Lippies in Orange Blossom, Earl Grey, Pistachio, Violet, and Lavender, Velvet Eye Pencil, and African Queen Mega Shine Gloss

Closeups and all sorts of swatches after the jump!

Review: KoKo Lashes in Risque

Hello Loves!

Another lash review. I have been really enjoying going through my lash purchase from... almost two months ago and gradually reviewing it for you. I have been loving wearing the lashes and really using what I have purchased. On the note of using what you purchased, have you ever bought something and then just forgot about it? I have a really bad tendency to do that with nail polishes. I will use them once and forget about it for a while. Ok Elle, don't go off on a random tangent.

Before the lash review, I recently purchased lash glue from House of Lashes and have plans on reviewing it. If I am wearing all these lashes, why not test lash glue? So look out for that sometime in the future.

ONTO THE LASHES!

Review: KoKo Lashes in Koko

Hello Loves!

More lashes! This pair that I am reviewing may be my favorite so far. I have Eylure lashes that I ADORE that are very similar to this style I am reviewing. However, the Eylure ones have a little bit of color depending on the style so its nice to have a basic black of this wispy pair of lashes. Because I have been meaning to use the KoKo lashes each time I do a makeup look to review them, I am growing to feel like a lot of my makeup looks are incomplete without lashes. Guys, once you try false lashes, you will get hooked! The pair of KoKo lashes I will be reviewing today is the "Koko" style.

ONTO THE LASHES!!!

Tutorial: Blown Out Smokey Eye

Hello Loves!

Today, I am going to be doing another tutorial! I haven't done one of these in a while so, it's kind of nice to be doing one again. I am currently doing a series of smokey eyes called "rainbow smoke" on my Instagram (which you can check out on the side). I am basically doing smokey eyes but of different colors and adding an element of uniqueness to each one. While I have not posted anything about this here, I will be doing a summary post on it once I finish it (which may take a while...).

Anyways, here's the final look!

Pictorial, full product list, and more after the jump!

Review: KoKo Lashes in Ariel

Hello Loves!

More lashes! I have been growing to love false lashes lately. I am not genetically gifted in the lash department so sometimes some enhancement is appreciated. But I digress...
In my last post, I mentioned how I purchased 5 different styles of Koko lashes from Lady Moss during their Memorial Day sale and will be testing out style as I wore them. Well, today, I wore the style in "Ariel" and will be reviewing those for you today!

ONTO THE LASHES!!!

Review: Koko Lashes in Foxy

Hello Loves!

Today, I have a review of a pair of false lashes that I purchased off of Lady Moss during their Memorial Day sale. Why did I purchase these lashes? Well, I have been wanting to try House of Lashes but didn't want to pay their prices. So, I stumbled upon these lashes just casually browsing the website and I really wanted to instabuy the lashes. I had enough willpower to wait until they had a sale, which thankfully wasn't too long. I purchased 5 styles of lashes in Foxy, Ariel, Iris, Risque, and Koko. I will be reviewing Foxy today.

ONTO THE LASHES!!!

Swatch and Haul: Shiro Cosmetics Anniversary Sale with bonus FOTD

Hello Loves <3

It has been way too long since I last posted some goodies for you guys! Today, I finally got my Shiro anniversary sale purchase. It has been a long time coming (took about a month to ship out). Not only did I get the sale order but I got my false lash order from Lady Moss in at the same time! I came back from work and arrived to two packages. I was too excited for the packages that I forgot about the food I brought home, and I was pretty hungry. Makeup is pretty important y'all. Anyways...

ONTO THE GOODIES.

Game of Thrones Makeup Collaboration

Hello Loves!

I am so excited to post about this! I asked my MUA friend Josephine (most known as /u/juntaoren on Reddit or @juntaoren on Instagram) to do a few Game of Thrones looks with me. I really wanted to do the main houses as everyone is familiar with them and they have the most characters on the show. I can definitely say that I am obsessed with the show. I don't know how I should feel about finishing 3 seasons in a week (not consecutive days). It's SOOOOOOO utterly addicting. Guys, if you haven't watched it, you should. When you do, you will be hooked. Hooked I say.

Anyways, onto the collage!

Closeups and product lists after the jump!

Tutorial: Mermaid Inspired Teal Eye

Hello Loves!

I am so glad to posting a bit more often now. And by often, I mean once or hopefully twice a week. I am glad to be done with finals and moving onto my summer. Hopefully having a job will not prevent me from posting but I guess we shall see.

Today, I wanted to do a teal eye look with glitter. Upon swatching several products, I actually came up with something that turned out well!

Here is the final look.

Video Tutorial!

Pictorial, more pictures, and full product list after the jump!

Swatch and Haul: Little Sparrow Cosmetics

Hello Loves!

I am so excited to show you my latest indie makeup purchase! This time, I ordered from Little Sparrow Cosmetics, which is a cosmetic shop on Etsy that is owned and operated by Jessica Randolph. She makes a variety of products such as blushes, a "lip jelly," eyeshadows, and much more.

A little on the shipping, customer service, and all that jazz before the goodies.

SHIPPING:
I got my items during a sale, so everything was 15% off, but what surprised me was the shipping fee. The first item I got had a $2 shipping fee and an additional dollar with every item after that. So, if any of you, like me, do not enjoy paying larger shipping fees, just a heads up. Since I did order during a sale, it is to be expected to wait a little more time before getting the products. Her TAT mentioned on her Facebook page was 1-2 weeks. I got my items shipped out within a week and a half after the order date and received it shortly from USPS. Everything was packaged in a bubble mailer and was then enclosed in cute little bags. The products have shrink wrap with perforations as a safety seal. Only one product had damage, which was small crack on the lid.

The bags products were wrapped in

CUSTOMER SERVICE:
I also want to commend Jessica on her customer service. She was very prompt whenever I did email her. I would definitely say I was excited to receive her items and emailed her towards the end of week on the status of the package. She let me know when it was expected to ship and a day or two afterwards, she sent it out and emailed me when it did. Another thing, which you will soon see, is she is VERY generous with samples. I was astonished with the size. She sent me a mini blush and FULL-SIZED lip jelly. I don't know if this is standard but I am very happy with the generous samples. I don't know what samples you will receive when ordering but this is what I got.

Time for the goodies :)

Before removing safety seals

The samples are Carnation and Oh My Papaya.

Closeups, swatches, and first impressions after the jump!