How To: Fix Broken Makeup

We've all had it happen: by some horrific act, our favorite pressed eyeshadow or powder crumbles before our eyes. But have no fear, it can be salvaged! Only a few things are needed to make your powder as good as new. You'll need Isopropyl Alcohol (the higher the concentration, the better), your powder (I mixed a bunch of leftover bronzers that I had into one), and something to crush the pigment up with.

Start by crushing up the rest of the powder. Make sure all of the big pieces are broken, and that the powder has a pretty finely milled texture.

Next, add enough alcohol so that the powder absorbs it and it forms a paste. It shouldn't be too watery, but easily malleable, almost like clay. 

Once the mixture is evenly spread around, gently press a paper towel over the mixture to absorb excess alcohol. You can also use this time to press down on the mixture through the paper towel in order to give it a more uniform appearance.

Finally, let the powder sit. You can leave it overnight, or use a blow-dryer to expedite the drying process. 

Here is the finished product! All ready to use again. 

I hope this tutorial helped, and I look forward to doing more! Let me know in the comments below if there are any others you'd like to see.

xoxo,

Gabrielle

Transformation Tuesday: Eyebrow Edition

When I was in high school, I got wax- and tweezer-happy. I didn't realize how thin they were until I started looking back. Yikes! To this day, they're still pretty thin, but I'm learning to fill them and shape them how I want.

xoxo,

Gabrielle

Crown Brush Haul and Review!

I have always heard awesome things about Crown Brushes, but I hadn't bitten the bullet and gotten my paws on them yet. Finally, I saw that HauteLook had a special on them, and I couldn't pass them up. I was torn between the 23-piece pro set and this gorgeous pink set. I decided on the pink, because I don't have any pink brushes and I am a sucker for pretty things. These did not disappoint!!

They came in this cute little pink patent-leather brush roll. It seems to be really good quality, and even though I don't usually use brush rolls, I think I'll keep this around. There's a little guard flap on the inside to keep them from falling out during transport, which I love.

The brushes are gorgeous, with light pink handles that have the brush function written on them, and a darker pink-lilac ferrule. The bristles are white with pink tips. The quality is AMAZING. The bristles are appropriately stiff, and allow for excellent product pickup and blending. I literally can't praise these enough, they are absolutely the best brushes I have ever used. I can't wait to try more from Crown Brushes and build my collection! 

What are your favorite brushes, and have you ever tried anything from Crown?

xoxo,

Gabrielle

The Liebster Award and my nominees!

The Rules

11 facts about yourself

11 questions as specified by the person who nominated you

11 bloggers with fewer than 200 followers tagged to do the Liebster Award

Include the Liebster Award in the blog post

11 facts about myself 

1. I am a 4th year college student, studying Neuroscience and Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. 

2. I also love cars and working on them, it's probably tied with makeup for my first love.

3. I'm 5'11" tall.

4. I hate eating steak. It makes me want to puke. 

5. When I need to clear my thoughts or can't sleep, I will go on a long night drive on the backroads. I live in the midwest so there is an abundance of them.

6. I went to an all-girls high school, and surprisingly it was the best 4 years of my life. I miss it dearly.

7. I'm adventurous, and I will literally try anything once.

8. I love TV documentaries, like True Life and pretty much anything on the Discovery/History channels. I also love really crazy hospital shows, like Untold Stories of the ER and Monsters Inside Me. The freakier and gorier, the better. 

9. I love to read. Old, new, whatever. I've been on a Jonathan Safran Foer and John Green kick.

10. I am in love with Lawrence Krauss, and I think he is brilliant.

11. My favorite food of all time is sushi.

11 QUESTIONS

1) What's the most money you've spent at one time? Ummm I honestly have no idea. Buying my car? Or maybe Christmas shopping.

2) If you could look like someone else, who would it be? Lana Del Rey or Ellie Goulding. They're both gorgeous.

3) Have you ever been in love? Yes.

4) Favourite song? It changes constantly, but right now it's Glitter in the Air by Pink. 

5) Best Childhood memory? Sledding with my brother and neighbors in their yard every winter, dodging trees.

6) A beauty product you couldn't live without? Mascara. If nothing else, I will put on mascara.

7) An item of clothing you couldn't live without? I love boots. I can't imagine my wardrobe without different boots. They just change up an outfit so much.

8) Who is your role model? Pretty much any woman in science. Because that's where I'm trying to go.

9) What's your live goal/ what inspires you to meet that goal? I want to go to medical school and be a neurologist. It's tough, but my family and friends support me to reach that goal every day.

10) Guilty pleasure? Beauty magazines, trashy reality tv, and Kraft Mac n cheese.

11) Favourite lipstick / lip product? Lime Crime Velvetine in Red Velvet. Sooo perfect.

Nominated Bloggers

Abigailbunny.blogspot.com
askkaymarie.blogspot.com
babblingbrigid.blogspot.com
cofcorals.blogspot.com
dollhouse-beauty.blogspot.com

Spring Wish List!

Untitled #3 by darkbluexo featuring a blush brush

Guerlain face powder
saksfifthavenue.com

Smashbox matte eyeshadow
nordstrom.com

Too faced cosmetic
beauty.com

LORAC cheek bronzer
nordstrom.com

Nars cosmetic
nordstrom.com

Becca blush brush
sephora.com

MAC Cosmetics lips makeup
macys.com

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics lips makeup
sephora.com

Hourglass cosmetic
barneys.com

Nars cosmetic
bloomingdales.com

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder
sephora.com

Sick Season: How I Look Alive With a Cold.

Flu season came late this year--well, cold season I guess. I got hit HARD with it this week. I realized when I was grabbing all of the things that I rarely use that my regimen is very different when I am suffering from an ailment like this. Therefore, I decided to put together some product reviews and how-to's for how I try to look alive! Because when I'm sick, my skin dulls, and I tend to look absolutely miserable. 

The first products are targeted at making sure that your skin doesn't suffer. These are my holy grails during winter and especially when I'm feeling under the weather:

• Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel Cream for Dry Skin: This stuff is AMAZING. I use it in that awkward area between my mouth and nose when it's all red and raw from blowing my nose. It clears it up almost instantly, and leaves my skin feeling moisturized and soft. It has a rather strong scent, so if you're sensitive to fragrance, I would tread with caution. But as a whole, it locks in moisture better than anything I have found.
• Aquaphor Lip Repair: Another holy grail of mine. I struggle with chapped lips year-round, but they tend to get exponentially worse when I'm solely breathing through my mouth because my nose is so stuffed up. This coats my lips and keeps moisture in, without being too sticky or annoying. It doesn't have any fragrance that I can tell, and it's super long-lasting.
• Boots No. 7 Beautiful Skin Rapid Spot Rescue: I generally don't suffer from acne, but when I'm sick, the random spot tends to appear to add insult to injury. This takes the tiniest bit, and doesn't smell super gross or burn when I dab it on. The best thing about it is that it doesn't dry out my skin to the point where it starts flaking. And it seems to cure spots overnight!
• Meijer Elements Under-Eye Rollerball Serum: Let's be real: I'm a broke college student. And this shit works just as well as the Garnier brand without destroying my wallet. It is the most wonderful thing, I put it on at night and in the morning. It seems to visibly reduce puffiness and dark undereye circles, and it feels amazing. There's a cooling sensation that just makes me feel instantly more awake. 

These second products are in lieu of my normal makeup products. I generally don't feel like putting on a full face when I'm sick, and if I do, I end up looking like I got chewed up and spit out by Sally Beauty. These are the products I use to keep from looking like that:

• Skin Food Salmon Dark Under Eye Concealer: Holy eff this stuff is amazing. It will cover the darkest of circles and will not budge. It goes on so smoothly, and lasts all day. It instantly makes me look more awake and not dead.
• Benefit Posietint: I'm not the biggest cheekstain person, but I do like this for an effortless, fresh look. It's very pigmented and actually stains your cheeks so it will last all day. The light pink color is perfect for making you look like you have a little bit more color, especially if you're looking extra pale. 
• Skin79 BB Diamond Pearl: Heavy foundation can look flakey and dull on sick days where skin isn't up to par. This goes on weightlessly and adds a dewey glow to skin, while still providing coverage and evening out skin tone. 
• LORAC Multiplex 3D Lashes: While I tend to skip heavy eye makeup when I'm sick, I think that mascara can definitely play a huge part in looking more awake. I like to stick to a waterproof formula in case my eyes are watering, and apply it to the top and bottom lashes for an instant eye-opening look.

That's about it! I hope these tips and products helped, and if you are sick, feel better soon :)

xoxo,

Gabrielle

Brush Cleaning 101!

A few tips for cleaning:

• Clean your brushes often! Bacteria and gross particles can build up in your brushes (especially the ones that you use with oil-based products!) and can clog your pores. It's nasty.
• Find a brush shampoo that works for you. I like Pink Soap, which you can get at Michael's or Hobby Lobby. It's made for art brushes and oil paints, and has a conditioner in it so it doesn't dry out the bristles like a lot of shampoos do.
• Dry your brushes upside-down, so water doesn't get into the ferrule (metal part) and soften the glue. This will ensure that excess water runs out of the bristles.

Happy cleaning!

Graduation Photo Makeup!

I can't believe graduation is coming soon! I wanted to do some classic makeup that wouldn't look trendy or caked on, so I definitely toned down what I normally do.

Products used:

• Benefit POREfessional
• Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer
• Revlon Colorstay Normal/Dry in Buff Beige
• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• Sonia Kashuk Matte shadows
• Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Perversion
• Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper
• Ardell lashes in #117
• SkinFood Salmon concealer
• Dermablend Camo Powder
• NYX Highlight/Contour Duo
• NARS blush in Orgasm
• Anastasia Dipbrow in Brunette
• Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer
• Rimmel lip liner in East End Snob
• Laura Mercier gloss
• Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray

As usual, I am always interested in feedback!

xoxo,

Gabrielle