Pastel Polish: A Different Take on Color Blocking

Chances are, if you've been flipping through the latest edition of your favorite fashion magazine, then you've heard about the huge trend that is Color Blocking.  This trend is one to be carefully executed, for fear of looking like you belong on a teaching mat in a kindergarten classroom.  I find the best way to work into this trend is to incorporate one solid color and work into adding up to four other colors.  Balance and accessorize with a neutral color, black, or white, and stick to one type of metallic with your jewelry.

Now, because it is getting into spring, I decided to experiment with my own fresh take on color blocking.  Instead of sticking with basics from the color wheel, I used pastels!  And here's how:

First, I picked my five colors for the base:

• Pastel Purple: Revlon (325 Gum Drop)
• Pale Pink: Fresh Paint (Pom Pom)
• Mint Green: *obscure polish from Israel that my friend has*
• Light Yellow: Pure Ice (Excuse Me)
• *Goal was Robin's Egg Blue*: Sally Hansen (The Real Teal)

Next, I found a neutral to act as the constant that ties together all of the nails:

• H&M Nail Polish (Beige)

My extra thin detail polish brush is missing, so I used a black sharpie for the definition.

Here's how you can achieve the same look:

1. Prep nails: file, buff, smooth, and wash hands
2. Apply one base coat of clear nail polish and allow time to dry
3. While that is drying, decide the order in which you'd like to paint your nails (organize the bottles so that you maintain your decided pattern
4. Apply one coat of polish in your decided order (for fun, I did the opposite order on each hand)
5. Allow your nails enough time to dry (this will depend on your polish)
6. Apply a second coat of the polish to your nails
7. Allow the second coat time to dry
8. Very carefully, use the neutral to create a semicircle along the cuticle so that the flat side is against the base of the nail
9. Now, allow the nails to dry completely (this may mean a few hours, so make sure you have a nice book to read or homework to type!)
10. Once the nails are completely dry, use a fine tip polish brush with black nail polish (or, if yours has gone missing like mine, use a black Sharpie!) to outline the beige semicircle, but only along the rounded edge (not the edge against the cuticle)
11. Allow the polish/Sharpie time to dry completely
12. Apply two coats of your favorite clear, sealing top coat to help your look last!

Please let me know what you think, if you've tried it, or any other questions/comments/responses that you have  in regards to this post and color blocking by writing in the box below

Thanks ~ Bisoux!

Winged Eyeliner

 Recently, I had the extra time (and extra sleep!) to be able to do this look: the winged eyeliner.
For this look, I used the BH Cosmetics gel liner in Onyx, and N-Y-C pencil liner, and a little Rimmel Mascara.
After doing my foundation/coverup routine (to achieve a slightly dewy look, while controlling the shine), I applied the gel liner with a liner brush, starting with a narrow line at the inner corner and gradually thickening towards the outermost corner of the eye.  Next, I use the liner brush to make a small line making about a 120degree angle away from the nose and on the horizontal line of the eyes.  I then connected the tip of that small line to the center of the top lashline and filled in any open space within the triangle.  Once the gel line was complete (touchup with a moist Q-tip or moist wipe/tissue folded to a sharp point) I used the black N-Y-C pencil liner to trace along the waterline of the lower lashes- all the way to the innermost corner of the eye.  And last, with the mascara, I applied one coat to the top lashes and a gently pressed the bristles of the mascara wand to the base of the outermost lashes on the bottom lashline.  Of course, after I was done applying makeup, I touched up any areas around the eye where things might have smudged, made sure my foundation was still in tact, and applied chapstick.  And voilà: my best winged eyeliner yet!




If you would like to see a video tutorial for this look, or have anything to say/questions to ask in response, please share it in the comments section below.
Thanks!


Bisoux <3



**because the makeup is so glam, I decided to do fun hair as well: a sleek ballet bun on the top of my head fastened with bobby pins and flyaways kept in place via my eyebrow brush and a teensy weensy spritz of hairspray ;) **

Rehydrating Your Skin

Here is how I like to do a hard-core rehydration of my skin. I it is really a problem, do this before bed and apply your favorite richer hydrating cream instead of daytime face lotion, and preferably one that contains natural oils and lipids as opposed to being mainly chemical-based.

Quick Party Nails

I am in love with the quick-glam crackle nail polish!  It is perfect for a self-done mani before going out at night when you are busy and running around on a university-life student schedule!

My Makeup Brushes

Here's a little video from my YouTube channel (Aloha26Bear) about what my staple makeup brushes are- and how I take care of them.

(Plus, a little mirror reflection to show you my "high tech" recording station haha)

http://youtu.be/RMAd0FnKqOs

How To Handle The August Rush

For many of us, August is a scramble to get all that one can out of the last few weeks of vacation, the starting of a new school year, stocking up for fall fashion, the end of all that summer sun, digging out that bag of no-goods for you fall yard sale, or one of the many other grand tasks that can make life seem that much more hectic.  And, to top it all of, it's as humid as the God above could make it.
So, while you're busy in that hot, heavy August air that seems to weigh you down and keep you indoors, here are some things to remember:

• Pack only the essentials in your purse!  No one wants to lug around a sack of bricks.  All the better to accumulate some nasty underarm stains, my dear.
• A packet of tissues and face wipes (such as Ponds) are perfect and easy to carry with you to tackle the worst of your smudge and fudge make-up drama
• Keep a hair tie and boby pins handy, just in case your hair can't stand up against the level of humidity.  If you know their may be some level of endurance put to the test (even doing your groceries on foot counts in this weather!), bring a cute headband or more decorative hair clip to fasten to your pony tail, so that you still look put together but your bangs aren't sticking to your face...because that's not cute
• Don't forget to drink los of water!  Even with all that moisture in the air, it's hot and heavy and making your own body cool itself off by means of perspiration.  Sooo, replenish what you're body is releasing and drink up! (drink up your H2O, that is)  When you stay hydrated, your body feels much better and stepping outside won't seem like such a crazy idea.

Hope these tips help!  Tell me: how else do you handle the August heat?

Tips Before You Tweeze

1. Before anything else, wash your hands and make sure you are using clean tweezers!
2. Use a gentle face wash around the eyebrow area before (to remove excess oils n the face) and after (to keep newly exposed pores/follicles clean and clear) tweezing.
3. Mark the shape/area that you want to tweeze with a white, chalky make-up pencil.
4. Avoid tweezing the topside of your eyebrow (aside from a single hair that may grow from much higher than the rest), but rather use that shape and natural curve to tweeze the underside.
5. Tweeze hairs one at a time to avoid accidentally removing too many and being left with an awkward bare patch.
6. Do not tweeze too close to the mirror!  You ar more likely to overpluck and, because you are focused so cloely on a single brow, are also very ikely to pluck two different shapes.  This will only cause you to have to stress about evening and how you will cover up your mistakes- so take a step back!
7. Having trouble getting rid of some of those smaler hairs?  Try dipping the tips of your tweezers in baby powder or your mineral make-up powder o provide a stronger grip.
8. It's silly to have to say this, but there are some people who don't know that you should never try to shave or use a razor to "remodel" the shape of your eyebrows or if you are a first time tweezer and have a lot of work to do.
9. After tweezing, if the eyebrow area is red or irritated, rest a cold compress, cucumber slices, or chilled green tea bags on he irritated area(s) to soothe and reduce irritation.