Behind the Scenes - Wedding Makeup Edition Volume 1

Hey There!!!

So last weekend I had the privilege to do the makeup for the now Mrs. Gilbreath. I am a tad late on getting this posted but I was on set all day Monday and I have been pulling extra time in the office to make up those missed hours. I was lucky enough to have my assistant, Marisa, take pictures of the day for me and I thought you would like to see a little behind the scenes action along with some bomb.com before and afters! Marisa did a wonderful job at taking these pictures. I'd love to link you to her blog but she doesn't have one *rolls eyes* (but I'm working on getting her to start one).

I gave a little sneak peak on Monday's Weekend Recap but I am super excited to show you more!

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.

Weekend Recap!!!

Happy Monday!!!

I've been really into finding new blogs to follow and different link ups to participate. They are really fun and a great way to meet new people in the blogging community. Today, I decided to do the "Weekend Recap" link up hosted by Dateless in Dallas and Showered with Design.

This weekend was a long one...let me tell you. It was filled with good music, makeup, good food, and a lot of driving. I also learned that I am physically capable of staying up for 36 hours straight. (I wouldn't recommend it though)

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!!!***

#9to5TotalSocial

Hey Guys! I decided to participate in my first #TotalSocial with Helene in Between and Venus Trapped in Mars. This month's topic is "My 9 to 5". #total social is a monthly linkup that any and everyone can join in on via twitter, instagram, facebook, and blogs. This is such a fun and cool way for bloggers and social media fiends like myself to connect!

My 9 to 5 situation is quite unique. I am a Licensed Esthetican and Makeup Artist in the beautiful, and unbearably hot and humid, state of Georgia. I have worked in salons and spas but I've always had a dream to be my own boss and start my own wedding makeup business and eventually one day have my own makeup line. Most salons and spas require weekend availability which threw a wrench in my dreams of  being able to focus on wedding makeup. Now, being 22 at the time and living on my own, quiting my spa job to focus on starting a business that is primarily focused on weekends was just not going to happen. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Follow my dreams or pay my bills. Not an easy decision let me tell you.

Fast forward to April of last year. My dad has worked for a landscaping business as the sales manager for quite some time. He started with this company when they were just starting up and he decided to stick with them in order to help the company grow. It wasn't always easy for him but by April of last year, the company had more work than they knew what to do with. With a flourishing company comes a busy and sometimes unreasonable schedule. He could not keep up with his work load and was finding himself working 7 days a week and sometimes 15 hours a day just to get everything done. He knew he needed help and had interviewed a few people for the position. Suprisingly I was not his first choice...thanks dad.

I was working at a spa full time that was ran by a crazy unique colombian massage therapist who was also quite vocal. Needless to say, I was misearble. I was once yelled at for purchasing a birthday balloon (using my money and gas) for her client that did not have enough helium. During that 15 minute rant on how disappointed she was that I did not meet her balloon purchasing expectations, I decided I wanted out. I called my father when I left that day so frustrated. I didnt know what to do. I was done dealing with crazy spa and salon owners. He offered me the opportunity to come in to the office and work on a few things for him to see if I would be a good fit.

He offered to let me fill the position for what I was making before I left the last spa, I had weekends off for wedding makeup, and in the event I needed some time during the week for my wedding makeup business I could have it as long as I made up my work/hours. Pretty sweet deal huh? Go ahead and slap a cape on my dad and call him Superman because he definitely saved the day. Naturally I took the offer...I mean DUH who wouldn't. It's an amazing feeling knowing that I have an amazing father who will do anything he can to make my dreams obtainable.

I work full time in his office doing and managing estimates, taking apart complete landscape designs and pricing them out, keeping up with his schedule, helping with sales, and anything else I can do to make his life easier. Right now I work Mon.-Fri. 9 to 5 (and sometimes more) and I focus my weekends on doing wedding makeup and extra in the occasional tv show or movie. I rarely have a day off these days but it is SO SO SO worth it. I'm a long way from being able to "quit my day job" and only do what I love but I am getting closer and closer every day. I am way beyond blessed.

Moral of the story, I am one lucky/busy girl with an awesome dad and the world in my hands.
That is my 9 to 5 story. Lengthy I know but I hope you enjoyed it. Be sure to follow me on bloglovin for some awesome sauce beauty related tutorials, reviews, and posts.

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.

Awesome Product Alert: LAY/N/GO COSMO BAG

Hey There!

I recently picked up a new item that I think is pretty dang awesome! I'm always on the go and my makeup bag is usually right there with me. We all know the pain it is to search through our black hole of a makeup bag trying to find your favorite eyeliner but it's so packed in there, it takes you completely emptying it out piece by piece to find it. This particular product allows you to comfortably fit the makeup you travel with, but completely opens up to make it 100% easier to find what you are looking for.

It comes in a nice drawstring bag and is super compact.

The LAY/N/GO is 20" in diameter and is completely washable. It even has a pocket inside for discrete storage!

There are also nifty elastic brush holders as well as a "lip" around the bag that keeps everything from falling out of it. The picture really does not do it justice because there is room for PLENTY of makeup and beauty products.

Once you're done, you just pull the drawstring and the bag closes up. Simple as that!

If you want to get one of these bad boys for yourself, go here.

Do you already have one??? Let me know what you think of it!

p.s. i purchased this product myself. these opinions are my own.

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