March 13, 2013

DIY: Personalizing Your Makeup Brushes!

I have two of the exact same makeup brushes, one I use for blush, the other for bronzer, and I am always getting them mixed up! So i've done something to them so that i'll be able to tell which is which!

For this project you will need: 
  • Tape
  • Your favorite nail polish colors (one for each brush)
  • and your brush! 


That is all! Once you have those things, we can begin!

Step 1: Cut off a piece of tape about an inch and a half long (longer if you have a thicker brush).  Then take your makeup brush and wrap the tape around the tip so that you have left a small section on the end. (As shown in the photo below)

Step 2: Take your favorite nail polish color and paint the end.  It's okay if you paint some of the tape because you'll take that off later! 

Step 3: Let the first coat dry and repeat if the brush color is still showing.  To let my brushes dry, I rest them next to the sink with the wet part of the brush hanging off the edge so that it doesn't get on the counter! 

Step 4: Once both coats are dry, it's time to remove the tape! Be careful removing the tape because the polish may still be a little wet! 

Step 5: Once you've removed the tape, you have a nice clean line, and voila! You will be able to tell which brush is used for which product! 

A photo of my two finished makeup brushes!

Enjoy! 
xo, 
Em

Smart Shopping: Headbands

Headbands can make any outfit look so much more put together, with such little effort.  They can add a pop of color, or a touch of sparkle, that can make a huge difference in an outfit. Headbands can sometimes be pricey, but have no fear, my latest discovery will allow you to keep buying headbands while saving some money!

Some of my favorite headbands over the years have come from J.Crew.  But, recently, I haven't really been loving any of the latest styles.  Never the less, I still end up buying one or two from time to time.  At my local J.Crew they had some crewcuts (J.Crew Kids) headbands mixed in with the Women's.  One day, I fell in love with one of the headbands, and little did I know, it was from crewcuts! I thought it was weird that I actually liked a headband that was made for children, and that a headband made for children actually fit me! I ended up buying the headband (The one with the gold bow later pictured) and have had no troubles with it!

So what are some of the benefits from looking at/ purchasing crew cuts headbands?

  • The crewcut headbands are usually a little bit cheaper that they would be from the normal J.Crew headbands! The women's headbands typically are priced somewhere between $15-$20 dollars, sometimes even more.  Of course most headbands eventually go on sale, but the original price is somewhere near there.  Crewcut headbands go from anywhere between $10-$16! Those headbands sometimes go on sale also! 
  • There's more options! Sometimes I feel like the women's headbands can be a little drab! The crewcut headbands are more fun (considering they are for children) so it's nice to be able to chose between something fun or a little more serious.



The crewcut headbands that i've purchased

Now, I wouldn't say that every headband sold in the crewcuts line would be appropriate for someone over the age of 10 (for example the ones with huge flowers), but some of the more simple headbands could definitely pass as something from the women's headband line! 

I know what you're all thinking, aren't the crewcut headbands so much smaller than the normal ones? My answer for you is, surprisingly, no! I checked one of the crewcut headbands (white) against a j.crew headband (red), (pictured below), and the difference is almost non existent! Also, I noticed while comparing my gold headband with the red one, that the gold one (crewcuts) was actually bigger than the red one! After wearing a headband a couple times it well stretch out which is definitely what happened with my gold headband! 

Overall, I feel like buying headbands from crewcuts is a great way to save a few extra books while still looking cute! They are practically the same, and sometimes come in cuter styles,  so why not save a bit of cash? 

Below i've linked some of my favorites from the crewcuts line! 

I also really like this cute hair clip! 



xo, 
Emma



March 8, 2013

Friday Five: Mascara!


I get questions all the time on my tumblr, and in real life, about my eyelashes! People will ask what mascara i'm wearing, or if i'm wearing false lashes.  So, I thought i'd share my favorite mascaras as well as my tips and tricks on applying mascara to make your eyelashes look as good as they possibly could be!

I've sorted through my makeup to narrow down my top 5 mascaras.

1.  Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara I have never seen a mascara wand as large as this one, ever! This mascara claims to lengthen and volumize your lashes to their full extent, and that's really what it does!

2. Lancôme Hypnôse Drama I really love this mascara because it really adds volume to your lashes, making them pop.  It makes them look very thick and full, making your eyes standout.

3. Clinique High Impact Mascara  I feel like this mascara stands out against the others texture wise.  The consistency of the formula appears to be a little more wet.  I usually don't love mascaras that have a wet consistency but this one does great things! Like the Lancôme mascara, this one definitely makes your eye lashes pop because it defines them very nicely.

4. Buxom Lash This mascara has been one of my favorites for a very long time now.  A lot of my friends use this one too! The brush on this mascara is very big, not as big as the brush on the Smashbox mascara, but still bigger than the others! It definitely makes your eyelashes appear longer and fuller, which I love!

5. Urban Decay Supercurl Curling Mascara This urban decay mascara is awesome for separating  and defining your lashes! Even if I use a different mascara and end up with some clumps, i'll go over my lashes a couple times with this one and they all go away! (It can be a lifesaver sometimes!). When I use this mascara I don't even bother curling my lashes because the wand and formula form and hold the curl all day long!


All of the mascaras mentioned specialize in doing different things for your lashes.  But, what if you want it all? Well, then i'd say use them all! I don't necessarily recommend using all 5 at once, but layering 2 or 3 can do wonders for your lashes! I hardly ever wear just one mascara! Building up your eyelashes can make them look very long and very volumized!

Happy Friday! :)
xo, Emma


 

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