5 Beauty Tips For When Your Skin is in a Hormonal Blender

Hey Ya'll!

To say that my skin has completely changed since my pregnancy began would be an understatement. Not to toot my own horn or anything but I've always had pretty great skin (even as a teenager). Sure I have experienced the occasional breakout from hormones but very rarely and they never lasted long. I have also had really great tolerance to different skincare products and makeup. Now that I am in my 4th month of pregnancy, everything has changed. I mean, I even have blackheads on my boobs now...like WTF?

Over the past few weeks I have researched and tried some things personally that have really gotten my skin to tone its cray cray down a tad bit. I am also going to be trying the Oil Cleansing Method again which worked for me a few years back to see if that will help as well (I will be doing another post on that). I can no longer use regular skin care products and I rarely wear makeup now because of how bad my skin gets afterwards.

These tips are great for not only pregnant women like myself, but will also help just about anyone with hormonal skin issues.

8 Beauty Products That Will Give You Cry Proof Makeup

Hey There!

I have kind of been absent here in the blogging world the past week and it just plain sucks. I am currently dealing with the stresses of a move and it is taking up all of my time. I am also really bummed out about it. I am moving from the town I have lived in since I was 8 (so about 15 years) to the town I lived in before that. I will now be about 45 mins from my family, boyfriend, and friends. I know 45 mins isn't very far away but I am still pretty upset and nervous about it. Although this move will save me so much time and money as it is about 10 mins from where I work during the week, I am still scared and I honestly don't know what I am going to do. My boyfriend works most weekends as do I for makeup so we are going to really have to work hard to see each other. We are going to go from seeing each other almost everyday to once or twice a week if we are lucky. Needless to say I am an emotional wreck.

Fall bridal season is right around the corner and just like me this weekend, there will be many tears shed from brides and their friends and families (hopefully happy ones though)! In honor of my current emotional state and my much happier brides I have decided to give you guys 8 makeup products that will give you cry proof makeup because lets face it, raccoon eyes and tear lines on your cheeks just aren't cute. Be sure to let me know what you think or leave some of your tips to cry proof makeup in the comment section below!

Face Primer - Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
A good face primer is the perfect way to give your makeup a solid base. This will help hold everything in place as well as keep oil production at bay. It also helps makeup go on much smoother than without a primer.

Eye Primer - Nars Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
An eye primer is a must even on a regular day. period dot com. This will keep your eye makeup on long past the tears and sweat. The Nars eyeshadow base is my favorite. I have some pretty oily lids and I never have an issue with my eyeshadows creasing or rubbing off.

Waterproof Mascara - Greatlash Waterproof
Call me old fashion but when it comes to a quality waterproof mascara that doesn't cost you an arm and a leg, Maybelline Greatlash Waterproof is the way to go. No one wants raccoon eyes and this stuff works. If you have a particular mascara that you love but want to avoid mascara all over your face, coat a layer or two with this mascara to make it waterproof.

Waterproof Eyeliner - Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner
Eyeliner can run and smudge just as bad as mascara. Find a good waterproof eyeliner to avoid a hot mess on your face. The Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner is a gel liner that goes on beautifully and lasts all day and night.

Eyeshadow - Maybelline Color Tattoo
This range of cream eyeshadows really do last forever. Now they claim to last 24 hours or something like that and I wouldn't stretch it that far but combined with a great eyeshadow primer you won't have to worry about your eyeshadow during the day. I love this stuff!

Waterproof Concealer - Nyx Waterproof Concealer Stick
I love the Nyx cosmetics line. Their waterproof concealer stick is no exception (especially for the price) For just a few bucks you have a beautiful concealer that will hold up through just about anything!

Waterproof Undereye Concealer - MUFE Waterproof Full Cover Concealer
Makeup Forever has a beautiful line of products that are very water/sweat proof. When applied very lightly under the eyes and down to the cheek area, this concealer will not only cover up dark circles and pigmentation but it will also help prevent those ugly lines down your face created by tears.

Foundation - Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Full Coverage Foundation
It is so hard to find a truly long lasting foundation. Tarte also has a range of waterproof cosmetics and their full coverage foundation really does the trick. This stuff has amazing coverage and won't budge. It is definitely worth the money! It also has spf in it so you get a little extra sun protection!

Happy Monday + Weekend Recap

Happy Monday Ya'll!

 I had quite an eventful weekend this past weekend. On top of two trial runs this weekend, I also helped coordinate a fun little surprise party for my Mom's 50th birthday on Saturday. Although I am super busy right now and sometimes it seems like I just want to give up and take a nap I really am so lucky. My fall wedding makeup season is filling up and I'm already starting to get inquiries for the 2015 spring and fall wedding seasons! This means two things: 1. My 7 day work weeks will be continuing 2. My business is actually growing! How cool is that??? Although I still have far to go, I am already proud of where I am at with everything.

How to Start a Career as a Makeup Artist

Hey There!

I am a huge supporter of anyone who follows their dreams. Whether if it is to be a doctor, lawyer, or a makeup artist ;), the people who decided to fight all adversity and work day and night to make their dreams possible have my utmost respect.

Making the decision to follow my dreams and go against the more traditional career route was a very difficult one. It takes a lot of guts and faith. I have been asked by quite a few people why I am a MUA, how I decided to do it, and how in the heck did I make it happen. So many future MUA's and beauty makers in general get stuck on where to start and how to make this decision. Here are a few things to ask yourself when deciding if this is really what you want to do for the rest of your life:

Confessions of a Beauty Blogger

So I was doing my usual twitter creep routine and I came across a beauty blogger, Caledonian Kitty, who decided to start a "Confessions of a Beauty Blogger" Tag and it seemed pretty cool so I decided to join in! Side note that has nothing to do with anything: Am I the only one who, when hearing/reading the word confessions, is graced by the musical styling of Usher for the rest of the whole dang day??? I can't be the only one! Usher isn't bad or anything, he is just not my first choice when faced with a song stuck in my head ya know. 

Okay, back to the point...

Q1, How long have you been a Beauty Blogger?

1.5 months. I am a baby blogger I know. I actually use to do youtube videos about 4 years ago but I had to give them up due to going to school full time and working full time at the same time. No spare time whatsoever. I missed spreading my love for makeup and beauty so I thought blogging would be a better alternative for me :)

Q2, Do you ever get to the point where you want to delete your Blog, if so, why?

No, not yet. This is still very new and exciting for me so I really haven't gotten to that point in my blogging where it becomes a hassle. I'm sure there will be a few moments along the road that I will contemplate it but not any time soon I hope.

Q3, What's your most annoying habit?

This is a loaded question lol It honestly depends on who you ask. I don't know if it is really considered a habit but more of a personality flaw that has been complained about by multiple people in my life. I'm kind of really introverted in real life. Weird profession for an introvert to choose huh? I just like to be alone sometimes (more than most people) and I can be really hard to get in touch with. It's not that I don't like the person calling me (most of the time) or texting me that I don't answer/call back/respond to...it is that sometimes I just don't want to talk to anyone. I like to be alone in my thoughts. There are times that I need solitude and silence to recharge my mind, body, and spirit and that is super hard to do when you are trying to hold a conversation with someone. My boyfriend gets so annoyed with me because I absolutely hate talking on the phone for the most part. If I'm having my me time and you call and I actually answer...you've got 5 mins tops and you better talk fast lol

Q4, Do you get annoyed that brands/companies will often go to more popular Beauty Bloggers to review their products? 

Not really. It's just business. If you had a product you wanted to promote, you are going to go for the blog that is going to reach the most people and make them the most money. Of course I would like to see them promote the smaller blogs more and give them a chance but if you think about just the $$$ and business aspect, its totally understandable. 

Q5, Have you been to a Bblogger meet up?

No I have not. I live in GA so if anyone knows of any going on, I would love to go!

Q6, What brand would you say was overrated? 

AHHHH this is a hard one. I have 2 brands. One is understandable and the other is considered the holy grail of makeup. 1.Benefit, I have never really found anything from that line that hasn't already been done and/or has a better substitute from another brand. There is honestly really no need for it. 2.MAC, okay go ahead and hate me but MAC is overrated in every sense of the word. Do they have a large variety of colors with good color pay off? Yes, but so do another 100 brands out there and they are usually cheaper. Why spend $14 on one eyeshadow when you can spend $5 and get the same or even better quality? You are paying for the name people. Don't even get me started about what it does to people's skin. I refer to MAC as MACne because that is exactly what it gives you. Do I hate MAC? No. Do I think it is overrated and not worth the money b/c you can totally find something better most of the time for a fraction of the cost? Yes.

Q7, What brand would you say is underrated?

Wet n' Wild. It is known for the cheap prices but I don't think many people really appreciate its the quality to price ratio. 

Q8, What are your phobias?

Snakes. I hate them. 

Q9, Which parts of your body are fake? (ie lashes, extensions)

Nothing really, I have a few highlights in my hair and I wear false lashes occasionally but for the most part I am pretty natural.

Q10, Least Fave part of your body?

My stomach. It's not nearly as toned as it should be and I honestly could stand to loose a few or more pounds.

Q11, Do you find keeping your blog up to date expensive?

Not really. I am still pretty new so I haven't gotten to the point of really spending money on it. My products I review are bought with my money but I was going to purchase them for myself anyways so I don't really count them as an expense. I have paid for one sidebar ad and It was super cheap and has actually gotten me some new followers. totally worth it.

Q12, Do you think some of the more popular Beauty Bloggers are overrated (not mentioning names)?

There are some that are very popular and I don't necessarily see why but I'm sure someone will eventually feel the same way of my blog. It is just how the world works

Q13, Are you an honest reviewer? 

Yes. I take pride in what I do. Whether I am giving my opinion of a product to my clients or on my blog I will not lead any of them in the wrong direction just for personal gain. My clients and followers trust me and to lose their trust would completely ruin my goal to spread beauty and knowledge.

Q14, What attracts you to reading a Blog Post?

I am usually drawn to the subject manner of the blog. If the title of the blog is about something I am not interested in, I usually skip over it.

Q15, Who's your Male/Female crush at the moment?

My boyfriend. He's the cutest :)

Q16, Is there a product that you have bought recently that you won't be buying again?

I bought a concealer from loreal that was way too dark for my skintone. Usually this would not deter me from not trying out another shade but this happened to be the lightest shade in the line. Also, I just didn't like how heavy it sat on my skin. It was the visible lift blur one. I was really disappointed in it so no repurchase for me.

I really like this tag. Be sure to check CaledonianKitty out and link back to her if you do this tag! Also, let m know too. I would love to see your answers :) Feel free to use my graphic I made for it if you would like!

Let's #backthatazzup with Whitney from I Wore Yoga Pants and jam out to Usher's Confessions b/c it is still stuck in my head!

"Summer-Proof" Your Makeup in 3 Easy Steps!!!

Hey There!

But First...
So I know I have been pretty silent the past two weeks which I feel super bad about. Life has happened and I just needed to take some time to focus on it I guess. I have also been working on learning how to code a template for my blog. The new template is coming along nicely and I can wait to get it up and going. Between life, learning to code templates, and also completely revamping my business website...I've just had no time to blog. I am way super sorry!!!

And now for the good stuff!

Achieving long lasting and flawless makeup during the summer months is a struggle most of us can relate to. It's just not cute to look like your face is melting #thestruggleisreal #wickedwitchofthewest . I've got a few tips and tricks for you to keep your makeup in place and looking fresh! Have no fear...Jordan is here!!!

How to EASILY Contour and Highlight

Hey There!

It seems like every wedding I work these days, I am approached about Contouring and Highlighting. What is it? What does it do? I've tried it a million times but I just end up looking crazy, how do I do it right? Well, today I will answer these questions and hopefully you will be a pro at it in no time.

In layman's terms, Contouring and Highlighting basically sculpts the face, brings out the parts of the face in which the sun naturally reflects, and recedes the parts of the face that you want to make less noticeable. Contouring utilizes darker colors where as highlighting utilizes light colors. Its actually pretty simple.

Light N' Easy Summertime Makeup using only Drugstore Makeup!!!

Hey There!

Today I thought I would give you a quick makeup tutorial. Summer is in full swing here in the peach state and heavy makeup looks just arent cutting it. I decided to do something light n' easy for the summer months using ONLY DRUGSTORE MAKEUP!!! I feel like there are a lot of amazing tutorials out there that although beautiful, can be quite intimidating to those of you who are just starting out with makeup or really just want something quick, easy, and affordable. Sure those makeup looks we see on pinterest are great for a night out or special occassion but in all actuallity, who goes that in depth with their makeup every single day besides the Kardashians and the other celebrities or professionals? ***Sidenote: If you are one of those people who find the time to do this every single day and still manage to have a life and full time job please contact me and tell me your secret. I'm a professional and I still can't find the time!!!***

Product Review - L'oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara

Hey There!

So I decided to do a little product review on a mascara I purchased recently. L'oreal released their new Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara. I picked this up on a whim and was a tiny bit hesitant. The packaging seemed a little cheap and unlike most people, I am not a huge L'oreal mascara fan. I decided to take the plunge and give it a chance.

Miss Manga is advertised as giving "oversized, over-the-top volume" with a cone shaped 360 degree flexor brush. The idea behind the mascara is to give the appearance of a manga character's eyelashes. Manga eyelashes are both long and thick on the top and bottom lash lines to make the eyes look "wide-eyed".

 

I have very fair lashes so naturally I grabbed the "blackest black" one. I love really dark and extreme lashes! I decided to do a little before and after so you guys can see the difference for yourselves. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

Here are my lashes without any mascara or product on them. As you can see, they are really fair and I am in desperate need of some eyebrow tweezing. Don't judge.

This is after just one coat of the Miss Manga Mascara. Now you can see why I was pleasantly surprised!!!

This is after a quick 2nd coat. After wearing this mascara for a few days, I have come to the conclusion that I can probably skip the 2nd coat all together. This is huge for me because I am a 3 coat kinda girl.

Needless to say, this mascara is totally living up to all the hype I've seen on twitter, youtube, and beauty blogs. By the end of the day I did notice a little flaking but nothing out of the ordinary. This mascara is definitely not waterproof but for a nonwaterproof mascara, it does hold up pretty well. I have virtually no smudging at the end of the day as well. 

I think I have found my new mascara ya'll!!! This has regained my trust in L'oreal mascaras again and all is well in the world. Have you tried the Miss Manga mascara? Let me know what you think. Be sure to follow me on bloglovin for some more awesome sauce reviews, tutorials, and other fun things.