Anyone who's followed me and my blog for the past few years can testify that I've made several questionable makeup choices that turned into full blown phases... phases that were often the subject of derisive comments from beauty elitists and miscellaneous instagram haters. My eyebrows are a particularly contentious topic. I used to darken and enlarge them severely. Click on any link from December 2012 in my blog archive and you'll see EXACTLY what I'm talking about. People really don't like it when I challenge beauty standards by tremendously exaggerating features. They get angry (not realizing that such a corrosive attitude doesn't serve them) and harangue me about how I don't look attractive -- and isn't that the point of makeup?? To look attractive? In my opinion, absolutely NOT. Makeup is a tool for change, not standard rectification and reinforcement. But that's a conversation we can have privately on ask.fm. Today, I'm indulging the elitists and doing an eyebrow tutorial that (hopefully) fits right into the 'natural but improved' beauty principle. SO, if you're one of those people who'd rather look beautiful than weird and opinionated, you'll benefit from this brief course in ~eyebrow enhancement~ brought to you by Billion Dollar Brows. It's my first time working with a eyebrow kit and, as the haters will tell you, GOD KNOWS I NEED ONE. Not just an eyebrow kit, but an eyebrow makeover, an eyebrow paradigm shift. I need something, anything to save me from my self-imposed proportion crisis. Well, Billion Dollar Brows happens to be the Jesus Christ of kits for heathens like me. It saves. Here's how my 4-step baptism went down. I started out like this. Naked brows in desperate need of reinvention. First, I applied the "Brow Duo Highlighter" pencil above my brow bone. BROW BONE?? If it weren't for the pamphlet that came with this kit, I wouldn't have known that blending in a light matte cream accentuates the shape (especially arch) of my eyebrow. Second, I rubbed in the pencil marks with the smudge brush to keep it clean and cohesive. Noticeable highlighter and concealer is a no-no... everything about the eyebrow should appear effortless. Third, I used the brown mechanical "Universal Brow Pencil" to make hair-like strokes, just as the pamphlet advised. I didn't draw outside the lines as per usual and I tried to keep the coloring conservative. The crayon looks extremely realistic and doesn't just 'fill in the empty space' like the dark powdered shadow I formerly used. Next, the brush attached to the other end of the crayon smoothed out the rogue hairs and showcased the natural, youthful shape of my brows.
Finally, the clear brow gel. It looks like translucent mascara... and that's exactly what it is. Not only does it hold the brow hairs in place so I can maintain my look all day without having to worry about fading, it makes the entire eyebrow POP. The finished product is bold and firm.
FINISHED. And with a little extra glam... this is my final form.
For such a transformative makeup kit, I'd expect to pay the big bucks. But Billion Dollar Brows is available at Kohl's for only 35 dollars, not the billion it's worth. $35 is an affordable price -- but not SO affordable (read: cheap) that you question the quality of the goods. Every tool I used, from the highlighter/concealer duo crayon to the brush tip for smoothing hairs, felt top notch and proved itself with top notch results. I hope this review/tutorial was illuminating for some of you! Surely many of my readers will wish that I had this makeover opportunity years ago... but better late than never. Pick up a pack of Billion Dollar Brows Best Sellers at Kohl's if you're still in your December 2012 phase. Take it from me... that shit saves. Everything is infinite, Bebe
Happy Monday, y'all! I originally wanted to debut my Billion Dollar Brows tutorial today, but I ran into some 'technical difficulties' and had to reschedule the post for tomorrow. Which is totes okay because it means I get to seduce you with collages of Sheinside's seasonal new arrivals instead! There are HUNDREDS, maybe even THOUSANDS of new products on the site, so I narrowed down my favorites and organized them into two sets for your viewing pleasure. Do something practical with your lust for shopping and, I don't know, actually buy something new and fun for autumn. Hope you like!
I know the title "rock stud" has already been squatted by Valentino and respectively dispersed by upper echelon fashion bloggers, but how else can I describe my look? I'm a stud. Who rocks. I'm a rocker who wears studs. My pants are studded. My shirt is rockin'. I see no problem here. This top is identical to the mint mischief muscle tee I posted on day two -- but this time in a more slimming color (or lack thereof). Glamour Kills affords the opportunity to order two or three of any shirt in varying styles/colors/graphics and work it into your closet's staple section. So I got two tees, diff colors, diff days. Same hot rod rock stud. My pantalones are perfecto for a minimal black and white theme. Remember the Tantra faux leather shorts I blogged about last month in Plaid To The Bone? Well these bad boys are blood related -- they both hail from my favorite jeansmith Cult of Individuality. This pair is called the "Teaser Skinny" and retails for $150. That's the minimum I would spend on a pair of pants! Any less and you're dealing with some brokeback disposable denim. This outfit will propel me through September, October, November and onward... so long as I throw on some quality leather and maybe a pair of spiked earmuffs. You don't even want to know what kind of craziness exists in my fantasy winter collection. And with a resounding THANK YOU GLAMOUR KILLS I conclude this week of cute tops and summer-fall-winter transition wear! Tune back in on Monday for the new new.
Depending on your definition, I may or may not be an actual human being... which makes this polyblend muscle tee terribly fitting. In the figurative sense. The way it physically fits isn't terrible at all, it's flattering and designed for desert heat and shows off my toned upper arms (holla new gym membership). But back to my main point: I'm only like 1% homosapien. I say this because all of my behaviors suggest that I am actually a sloth-bat-possum hybrid. Extremely lazy, live in a cave, play dead when intimidated. That kinda thing. So the graphic "bearly human" is suspiciously spot on. Glamour Kills inspired me to channel my grunge goddess spirit animal (probably a bear) and pair this tee with faded denim and a plaid flannel. Like the good old days. And good new days to come. ^_^
Glamour Kills Bearly Human muscle tee, 80s Purple sunglasses, secondhand shorts and boots, Ralph Lauren plaid flannel Everything is infinite, Bebe
Floral prints and ripped-all-to-hell jeans are just the juxtaposish' I'm looking for. Today's outfit says "honor the abject with luxury." Huge holes at the knees of your secondhand acid bleached paint stained pants? Slip into a pair of heels. The raglan tee I'm sporting needs absolutely no sprucing -- it speaks for itself in the laidback language of softball practice. And reflective sunnies... to remind you of yourself while at eye level with me. One word for Glamour Kills day three: SLAY. Trying to do exactly that with these hair flips and poses. You can't see all the movement that goes into photographing an outfit like this. But trust me. It's a death metal dance party.
Not every summer-fall day has to pay homage to bohemian sunsets. This look is unapologetically rock n' roll, a theme I haven't explored too often these past several months! Could it be that I've secluded into the shells of shier personas? Identities that don't wear leopard and leather? Perhaps this outfit is evidence of extroverted progress. I'm getting my swag back. It's been a year (or two) but rest assured. Swag levels will return to standard. Glamour Kills murders the muscle tee game with graphic basics in colors I trust. This aqua is cool and versatile -- packs all the punch I need to get away with my bad girl role. I used to don looks like this on the daily and now I feel so out of my element! What's happening?? Has middle parting my hair pacified my inner rockstar? Thank god for the side swoop. Side swoops and guitar practice. They're doing wonders for my confidence.
During this confused summer to fall transitional stage, I couldn't be any hungrier for inspiration that marries leisurely California beach vibes with the mystery (and mystique) of American autumn. Glamour Kills nails it no matter the season, so I'll be wearing one of their tees every day of the week to showcase their recent collection. It flows 'seamlessly' into my wardrobe and can 'top off' any theme, any occasion. Today my inspiration is clearly puns, Palm Springs, and a convertible parked somewhere untraceable between indistinguishable desert acres. Peach sky stratum stroked with cumulus wonder match the pinks in my shirt and kimono. Gold shades to guard my eyes from uninvited gaze. Shoes that only speak when spoken to.
Glamour Kills, thanks for the opportunity to not only live the dream but dress the part.
New season, new opportunity to amp up the wardrobe with denim, sweaters, and prints suggestive of me going through "just one of my autumnal art phases." I selected all of these musts (because I think in imperatives, not options) from a website called DressVe, a contemporary fashion hub for discount prices. You're familiar... so get crackin'. All the product links are featured below!
