My Wedding Makeup!

Hey Beauties,

Today I wanted to share with you the tutorial that inspired my wedding makeup look, and share the products that I used! But first, a little backround:

I was having such a hard time choosing my wedding makeup look. The main reasons were A) I would be doing it myself, and B) I needed a look that would translate well. I searched hundreds of photos and tutorials looking for looks that fit my personality, the message I wanted to send, and something with in my capability level. As I mentioned in my Wedding Things post about makeup, it can be really tricky to find the right look. Alot of websites and professionals suggest minimal makeup because you "don't want to look like a whole other person", but if you're like me, I wouldn't look myself with bare minimal makeup on. I love playing up my eyes, so I wanted to find a look that was smokey, but not overdone. I wanted it to be bold enough to show up well on camera, but no racoon eyes! About 2 weeks before the wedding, I found this tutorial, and it was perfect:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx8cGodgONs&list=PL302355F434506208&index=23&feature=plpp_video

I did tweak it a little to match up to my personal preferences, and I did add some steps to ensure that the look would last long. Instead of the pink lipgloss that Laura uses here, I did a berry-pink-roseish lipstick. I also used setting spray to hold all of my face makeup, and used a dark brown pencil liner on my lower lashline. The products I used (including face) were:

Cliniques Superbalanced Makeup in Petal
UMA Cosmetics Face Powder in Light
UMA Cosmetics Blush in Romantic Rose
Biju Cosmetics Sun Powder (bronzer)
Rimmel London's Fix and Perfect Foundation Primer
Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl Highlighter
Astor Cosmetics Concealer in Sand
NYX Eyeshadow Base in Skin Color
Benefit's Eyeshadow in Pink Fancy
MAC Matte Eyeshadow in Charcoal Brown
Benefit's Eyeshdow in Posh Amethyst
Rimmel London's Kohl pencil in Panama
Maybelline's Master Drama Kohl Liner in Ultra Black
ELF Liquid Liner in Black
Maybelline's Falsies Mascara in Black Waterproof
ELF Makeup Setting Spray
Rimmel London's Moisture Renew Lipstick in Vintage Pink

I used an assortment of brushes.

This look photographed beautifully, and was not way too overdone. It also held in place really well throughout the hot/ humid weather, kissing, and dancing. I think you could customize the lips to day or night, etc.

I hope you all enjoyed this look!!
X's and O's,
Amanda

Wedding Things: In Case Of Emergency

Hello Hello!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday! Wedding season is here, so I plan on doing alot more "Wedding Things"  posts. One topic that has been on my mind is wedding emergencies, and how to cope. Although I certainly hope nothing goes wrong on mine, or anyone else's wedding, let's face it; it's bound to happen. Normally it's something minor(i.e. your flowers aren't exact, a member of your wedding party is late for beauty appointments, etc) Or, it could be a more complicating situation. Here are a few tips for how to deal, along with a emergency check list for your emergency kit!
Tips:
~ Try not to stress too much. Sure, you want everything to be absolutely perfect, but if the flowers aren't EXACT, what is it hurting? Your guests probably won't take notice, and there's no use stressing over things beyond your control.

~ Accept help. It's totally ok to ask your maid of honor or other bridal party members to deal with mini dillemas, or just help out. You should be happy and care-free today. Ask for help when things get crazy.

~Have a back-up plan. Planning for the worst can help ease our mind the day-of. Planning an outdoor wedding ceremony or reception? Have an indoor venue in line, just in case. If there happens to be rain, you won't be stuck outside figuring out what to do. Same goes for entertainment, etc.

Next, and very importantly, every bride should have a Bridal Emergency Kit. This kit should contain all essentials you might possibly need. From fashion emergencies, hair emergencies to falling ill, all brides should be prepared. Here's what you need:

~ A bag for all of your essentials. You can give this to your maid of honor or other VIP. It should be easy to access throught the day.
~ Stain remover pen
~ Bobby pins
~Hairspray
~blotting sheets
~ makeup, for touch ups
~ Tissues
~ Gum, dental floss
~ Mini sewing kit, including threads that match your dress, and your bridal party's dresses
~ Pain reliever
~ Saftey pins
~ fashion tape
~ tampons, pads, pantyliners
~ bandaids
~ perfume, deoderant
~ hand creme
~ clear naill polish for stocking runs
~ the nail polish you are wearing for touch-ups
~ cash (just in case)
~ a cell phone
~ A list of all vendors, and phone numbers
~ easy to pack snacks
~ makeup remover wipes and q-tips
~ your moisturizer, and other essential skincare products

I know it sounds like alot, but if any emergency occurs, you'll be thankful you brought these things.
Bonus tip: learn the basics of your hairstyle with your stylist, and bring someone with you. That way , you can fix your hair if something goes wrong! Same goes for your makeup!

Hope this was helpful! Anything I left off of the list?
X's and O's,
Amanda

*photo courtesy of google*

Brand Review :E.L.F

Hey there, Beauties!

Today, I want to review the brand E.L.F. I was originally going to review products from the brand, but there were so many, I thought I would review the brand as a whole. So here it goes...

The biggest attraction consumers have to this brand is very clear: the ridiculously cheap price tag on all of the items. Now more than ever, people are always on the hunt for the best bargain they can get. Especially with beauty products. With tighter budgets, alot of drugstore makeup is considered expensive. And don't even talk about department store brands. When a 8 dollar drugstore foundation is expensive to you, you'd fall over at the sight of department store prices! So women are looking for the best deals they can get at their local drugstores. E.L.F has been the most inexpensive brand I have seen to date (you can get a 100 piece shadow pallete for 10 dollars). But is it really a bargain? Are you getting what you pay for?

I have mixed opinions. Sure,  it's awesome that you can buy makeup brushes for a dollar each. But just how good of quality are those brushes/lipglosses, etc? Here are some mini review on various products:

Brushes: In my experience, it's really a hit and miss with elf brushes. I have some brushes from the brand that I have had for a while now, and are still going strong. On the same token, I have purchased brushes that lasted for a week, or fell apart after 2 washes. I bought 2 of the same shadow brushes, and one was flexible and soft, the other was stiff and a little rough. I will say that the brushes from their studio line are awesome quality, and I have never had an issue.

Shadows: I own the 100 piece palette from the brand, and I do like it. It was 10 dollars, which was stupidly cheap. I feel like the palette contains a good mix of matte and shimmer shades, and while it has every color you could imagine wearing on your eyes, alot of the colors are very wearable for everyday. The pigmentation is also pretty good.

Eye Primer: I wasn't overly impressed with the eye primer, but for a dollar, I couldn't complain. It does work, however I found that my shadow started creasing around the 4th hour . Will it work for a long day? probably not. But it does its job of saturating shadow colors and helping them last. I reccomend Using a powder on your lid to set the primer before you apply shadow. This will help prolong the primer.

Lipgloss: Personally, not a fan. The colors are nice, but the formula is awful. Very thick and VERY sticky.

Cream Liner: The cream liner is good, however the angled brush they provide is poor quality. I  defintely reccomend using your own brush. Also, they don't last long. Mine hardened after a few weeks with the lid tightly secured. Hmm..

Mascara: WORST.MASCARA.EVER. ok, so it is probably ok for a 12 year old who is starting out with makeup, but I was not a fan of the brush or formula!

Conclusion: All in all, I think the brand is a good one. Is it stellar? I wouldn't say so. However for the price you pay, it's pretty decent. Some products were really good, and others not. I would suggest checking out the line to younger girls who are just begining with makeup. It is affordable, and the products are more appropriate for people who are younger. But I also suggest everyone try it for themselves, because let's face it, if you buy a product for a dollar and you hate it, it's no biggie!

What do you think of this brand? What is your favorite product by E.L.F? Let me know!
X's and O's,
Amanda

Wedding Things: Makeup

I'm bacccckk! :)
Thank you to everyone for being so understanding while I took some time away to focus on my wedding. I appreciate it, and got alot done! Still a lot to do, but I will be resuming regular posting again. My wedding is in 43 days! AHHHH!:)

In today's Wedding Things post, I wanted to discuss bridal/bridal party makeup. For brides especially, choosing your makeup for your wedding day can be so hard! I've been looking into makeup for my wedding day, and I was suprised at the advice I found online. There seems to be no consistent answers when it comes to bridal makeup! One thing I noticed is that many people advise brides to wear very natural/ bear minimum makeup. Ok, true you don't want to look like a clown or a whole other person, but I think it depends on the person. I change my makeup daily, but I go for smokey, or more complicated eyes than natural looks. So why should someone who likes to rock bolder eyes all of the sudden be wearing next-to-nothing eye makeup? In my opinion, it doesn't make any sense! When choosing your makeup, consider your personal style, wedding colors/theme, time of year, and make sure to choose a look that photographs well. My wedding color is purple, so I hope to be incorporating that into my eye makeup. Nothing too heavy, but a little smokey. Stick within your comfort zone. I have friends who were upset that they weren't wearing enough makeup on their wedding day, and I have heard of people who cry because it's just way too much! Also keep in mind that this is a long day! Don't choose anything that will smear or fade quickly. Of course you'll need to touch up at some point, but too much makeup on the eyes can leave you looking like a raccoon. Here are some more universal tips for bridal makeup:

1. Prime and set. Use a face primer and eye primer. This will make the makeup not only look better, but last longer. After makeup is applied, set with powder, and then a finishing spray. You want to really lock everyhing in. Hint:If you're using creamy or pencil liner, set with a matching eyeshadow color.

2. Contour. Contouring provides definition and dimension to your face. It's especially important to have this because you will be photographed more than ever on your wedding day. Flash photography can wash out your features. Contouring counteracts this.

3. Highlight. Highlight your cheek bones, brow bones, and center of the face for a beautiful glow. Highlighting also adds dimension to your face, and brings more light in.

4. Waterproof. Even if you don't cry, you never know what emotions are going to creep up on you on the most special day of your life. Not to mention, you might sweat a little from all the dancing! Waterproof mascara is non-negotiable. Use waterproof or liquid liner if you can too.

5. Bring a touch up bag filled with your essentials to eep your makeup fresh throughout the day.

6. Smile. That's the most beautiful thing you can wear on your wedding day.

I hope these tips were helpful!
X's and O's,
Amanda

Summer Beauty Kit Essentials

Hey Pretties!

The weather is warming up! Who is stoked for summer?

Summer brings hot weather, and if you're not careful, raccoon eyes! Today I want to talk about some must haves for your summer beauty kit. Personally, these items are things that are ALWAYS in my kit and I use almost all of them daily. But if you are missing any of the following, defintely get them for summer!

1.Face and eye primers. I use primers daily, but they are crucial during the summer. Eye primer will help your eye makeup last longer, and reduce the smearing and smudging. Face primer is awesome because it fills in your pores, evens out your complexion, and gives foundation and concealer something to adhere to. I like to just spot conceal when I can in the  summer, and face primer evens things out! Plus, the concealer isn't melting off of my face.

2. Waterproof mascara. Summer activities call for this beauty essential. Sweat, water, 'nuff said.

3. Liquid liner. A liquid liner stays put much better and longer than a pencil. It is also less likely to run!

4. Sunscreen! Honestly, this should have been first, and you should use it everyday. I use it daily, no matter the weather, but especially in the summer! Protect your skin from sun damage. You'll thank your sunscreen when you are older and virtually wrinkle free! Make sure that the product can be placed under makeup. Some formulas can be placed over makeup as well! Be sure to re-apply every 3 hours if you're in the sun.

5. Lightweight skincare. The last thing you want in the summertime are products that are heavy on your skin. I reccomed a light cleanser, and a very lightweight moisturizer. Olay Beauty Fluid is my fave lightweight moisturizer.

6. Translucent powder. This is necessary for blotting excess oil on the skin, and setting foundations and concealers so that they don't slip and move around!

What are your beauty kit essentials?
X's and O's ,
Amanda

Getting Ready: Time Savers

Hello Gorgeouses!

One of my favorite parts of every day is getting ready. Getting ready is thereputic for me and I really enjoy it. But like alot of people, I don't always have alot of time to spend getting ready for the day. That doesn't mean you have to comprimise looking great! Here are a few of my tips to save you time getting ready, without sacrificing the glamor!

1.Plan your outfit in advance. Sounds pretty obvious, right? But alot of us spend so much time trying to decide what to wear when we are getting ready. My advice is to pick your clothes out the day before, so you just have to throw your clothes on and go! Set the outfit and accessories out so you don't forget anything. Another piece of clothing advice? Have a few go-to looks, and ditch things you don't feel great in. Having a few go-to looks for a variety of occassions will give you an option when all else fails. Go to options should make you feel confident. Sometimes when I am getting ready, I avoid clothes that I percieve to make me look "fat". I would spend time going through your wardrobe, and get rid of anything that you aren't 100% confident in. That way, you'll only own clothes that make you feel beautiful.

2.Practice with your hair. Spend time on a weekend or lazy afternoon practicing some fast, yet stylish hairstyles for your hair. Look up youtube tutorials, etc and get 3 or 4 hairstyles down that you can do in just a few minutes. This way, when you're running late, you just have to pick one!

3. Practice with your makeup. Like your hair, get a few quick makeup looks down that can be done in a flash, or on the go. Usually fast makeup is more natural, but if your daily routine is a little more complex, you can still do it fast. The more you do a routine, the quicker you become.

4. Shower the night before. Most people I know take their showers in the mornings. I have always been an evening showerer, and it saves alot of time. I also feel like it is more hygenic. If you're out and about all day long, working out, etc., waiting until morning to shower is...gross in my opinion. Think about it: you are sleeping in your own ickyness. Showering the night before also saves time. You don't have to wake up extra early to shower and then blowdry your hair, etc. You can either sleep in, or use time you would normally shower to get fancier with your hair or makeup.

I know. All of this is so obvious, but so many people don't consider these things! Trust me, they have saved me more than once! :)

X's and O's,
Amanda

Spring Makeup Trends!

Hey Beauty Babies!
Today, I really want to talk about Spring makeup trends that I am just loving! Spring is definitely my favorite time of year: the blooming flowers and trees, the awesome weather, and of course, fashion and beauty!

My number one favorite makeup trend this season is the Bright Pink Lip. I can't get enough of this look! I finally got the guts to purchase a bright pink high-shine lipgloss about a month ago, and it is my favorite! I think it is really pretty for spring. Another cool thing is that when rocking bold lips like these, you can( well, you should) keep the rest of your makeup simpler, so that the lips stand out. I love being able to keep the eyes to a minimum, then throw on the hot pink lipgloss! A bold lip makes you look like you put alot of effort into your makeup; it's the quickest way to look more done-up. I like to wear brown shadows and eyeliners while sporting these lips. It really makes the color pop!

The other trend I cannot get enough of is the pastel colors for eyes! Especially shades of lavender. I really think it compliments most eye colors really well. It is soft, but gorgeous, also perfect for spring. I love wearing the purple shadows with a dark brown liner. It looks nice for a night out, and I am sure I will wear purple eyes for my upcoming Spring wedding!

What are YOUR favorite spring trends? Comment below!

X's and O's,

Amanda

Review: Clinique's Superbalanced Makeup

Hey Cutie Pies,

So today, I am going to do  a review on Clinique's Superbalanced Makeup. This is a foundation that I use daily, and I am completely in love with it!
I cannot say enough good about this makeup. It gets its name because it absorbs excess oil where there is, and moisturizes dry patches on your skin. Superbalance! I like to call it "Smart Makeup". The formula is creamy, and blends like a dream. It is good for dry, oily, normal, and combination skin! I think the colors are beautiful as well. The coverage is light, and does not feel heavy whatsoever. I have combination skin, and I am really impressed. It NEVER shows patching(sighhhh of relief!), and I never look greasy. It is foundation perfection!

The only downsides are that it is a light coverage, and depending on your budget, pricey. Light coverage is perfect for me, but if you need a heavier coverage, this may be too light for you. A bottle costs $21.50. This bottle usually lasts me about 3 months or so, and I feel like it is worth the price. I have heard beauty gurus say foundations are "inexpensive" at this rate. While I personally don't find it to be too expensive, everyone's budget is different. I defintely remember when I was younger and didn't have much money- $12.00 drugstore foundation seemed like a lot to me. However, if this is within your budget, I defintely reccomend giving it a try! I adore it, and use it every day:)
Now to do the fun stuff, like iron my boyfriends laundry and unload the dishwasher:p
X's and O's,
Amanda

New Year's Resolutions!

Hellloooo:)
Although we are halfway through January, I thought I would share with you some of my New Year's resolutions. I love New Year's. It's a chance for a clean slate, for new beginings. I am blessed to have a COMPLETELY clean slate this year, since I moved out of the country. I don't know about you guys, but 2011 wasn't exactly my golden year. I have high hopes for 2012 though! My resolutions are:

1. Try my absolute hardest to not judge others. Everyone has a story, and nobody is better than anyone else.

2. Learn a totally new skill. Who knows? Maybe I am a champion skiier or something ;)

3. Try more daring makeup looks. And share with you of course! :)

4.  Take skincare more seriously. I didn't really have a solid skincare routine until this past summer. Now I have learned so much, and I need to maintain my skin!

5. Try out some new recipies. I love cooking and baking, but I rarely step outside of the box, because I am unsure if it will taste good. I need to have more confidence in the kitchen and go a little crazy sometimes! :)

6. Use forgiveness, and let things go.

7.  Become involved in a cause.

8. Be more creative with fashion! And again, share !

9. Stop comparing myself to others. Nobody is perfect, and nobody else can be me!

10. Count my blessings and realize how lucky I am for all of the things that I have, and remember that love will ultimately set you free

11. Have a totally crazy/ epic night with Andre( The boyfriend)

What are your New Year's resolutions? Any you think you might have a hard time with? Let me know!:)

Side note.... I have been tracking, and realize that I get quite a bit of viewers, but no comments! quit being so shy people!!!! :) I don't bite. ;)

X's and O's,
Amanda

Intro To my Blog :)

Hello Everyone!
My name is Amanda Christine, and this is my blog. What's up with my blog name? Glad you asked...
   I am a makeup, beauty, fashion, travel enthusiast who has just moved overseas to Germany from the good old United States. My blog is going to contain alot of makeup/ beauty advice, reviews, etc, as well as me blogging about the lifestyle in Germany, and other random stuff that happens in my daily life.
  As an intro to my blog, I thought i'd fill out a "get to know me" quiz:

1. Favorite food as a child: Mac and Cheese( still up there on the favorites list!)
2. Favorite quote: " A girl should be two things: classy, and fabulous"- Coco Chanel
3. Favorite outdoor activity: being at the beach!:)
4. What chore do you absolutely hate doing?: Taking out the garbage! It smells gross.
5. Favorite time of day: I don't have a favorite. I love something different about every time of day.
6. Favorite Color: Pink. Almost everything I own is pink. I live in pink.
7. Least Favorite Mode Of Transportation: Subways. They're dirty.
8. Favorite Sound: Waves crashing against the shore at the beach.
9. Favorite Indoor Activity Shopping. Shopping and getting ready. It's my therapy.
10. If you had a chance to change your name, would you? : No, I am rather fond of mine. :)

A picture of the boyfriend and I in Koeln Germany :)

Please leave your answers to the questions in the comments, as well as suggestions for future posts! This is the begining of a beautiful friendship, I can tell :)
X's and O's ,
Amanda