Tutorial: Glamorous Gunmetal

I posted this video awhile ago, but it's still worthy of posting a blog about it because it's the last tutorial in my Original Naked Palette Series! Whoohoo! ;)

Deep, sultry navy colors are a fun way to switch up your regular going-out smoky eye!

Review: Influenster Summer Beauty Vox Box

*Drumroll please* I have finally come to the point where I can have an honest opinion on ALL the products sent to me from influenster.com and give feedback to you all!

Tutorial: Darkhorse Desire

Hello loves! Anddd here we go again with overdo posts;) I already had this tutorial up awhile ago on my youtube channel, but I haven't had the time to acutally do a post on it! Anyway, here we go! This is the third look I came up with using the Original Naked Palette:)

Review: L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream

So I decided I would pick up this lovely new item in the drugstore! It was a BOGO at walgreens, so I didn't mind spending a little extra cash to try out a new product! I've been on the hunt still for a US company made BB cream that I can easily pick up in a drugstore when I run out, and I was hoping this was the one...

Love this packaging!

My Hair Story & Weave Addiction

Ok so those of you that don't me are probably think I'm a crazy person with the photos being revealed in this post... but I promise I'm not... it's just an afro people ;) This is my hair story/journey and my progress!

My 3rd Weave taken right after I got it installed! :)

Review: Sigma Paris Palette

So I was lusting over this palette for awhile now... Weighing my options... Is it worth it to buy? Do I really need it? Don't I already have colors like this? All of those thoughts went out the window one day once I realized it was limited edition and this has turned into one of my favorite palettes ever! If you have been religiously following this blog, then y'all know how much I love the Sigma Paris Palette by now! But I still think it's worth it to give a full review with detailed swatches!

The Sigma Paris Palette

Tutorial: Half Baked Beauty

Alright beauties, here is another Original Naked Palette tutorial! I never could figure out how to use Half Baked, but I really like how this look turned out. It's totally different from something I would normally wear, but still pretty neutral! :)

Nail Polish: "Shocking Pink (Neon)"

I'm holding on to all I have left of summer - including these gorgeous neon colors that are in right now! This one was quickly becomming one of my favorites... And I mentioned it in my Favorite Summer Nailpolish video/post because what could be better on a hot summer day than to look at a hot pink manicure? ;)

July 2012 Favorites

Alrighty loves! I already uploaded this to my youtube channel last week, but I might as well make a blog post about it! I am honestly in love with the products I used for the month of July... not sure if I will even do an August favorites since my favorites are basically going to be the same unless I discover something amazing in the next few weeks... hahaha

Tutorial: Sidecar Sparkle

Here is another Naked Palette tutorial! I love love loveee this look and I've been wearing it pretty often ever since I did this tutorial! It's the perfect nude look with a pop, and it works for my busy lifestyle because it's really fast in the mornings!

☼ Favorite Summer Nail Polishes ☼

Hello lovers! Can you believe it's already August?!?! I can't! I feel like 2012 is flying by so fast! While it's still summer, I wanted to go ahead and share my favorite summer nailpolishes with you all! I have been loving minty greens, brights, and sparkly colors... And of course, I had to hop on the neon-bandwagon! Haha!

"Blue" by Love & Beauty
I love this color... it just reminds me of the deep blue ocean and perfect summer days spent by the beach!



June 2012 Favorites

Ooooops! I'm a horrible blogger, forgive me? These favorites are still very relevant, since I use them all the time still! Go ahead and take a peek! ;)

Tutorial: Tempting Triomphe

Hello loves! I went ahead and did one more tutorial for the Sigma Paris Palette... soooo in love with this Palette it's not even funny. Full finished review will be posted THIS WEEK, promise promise! Swatches included! For now, go ahead and let me know what you think of this look! ;)

Nail Polish: "Lovie Dovie" & "A Cut Above"

Let me let you in on a little secret... I don't discriminate against pink nailpolish! Lately I've been loving Essie polishes, especially this color combo!

Tutorial: Coral Paradise

Hello loves! ! I was totally inspired by the first day of summer and came up with this summer coral paradise look. I've been loving coral this whole spring/summer and it's definitely become a staple in my life:)

Face of the Day: Birthday Makeup

Ok... so this post is LONG overdue since my birthday was in May... but hey, better late than never, right? LOL! I just loved how I did my makeup for my birthday, and I think it's super fun and girly, so I finally found the pictures I took that night and wanted to show y'all what I did.

Smoky eye with glitter, peach cheeks, natural lips!

Outfit & Face of the Day: 7.7.12

Hello beauties! Here is a sassy outfit and face of the day for you all! Today I wanted to have a sexy outfit that I was able to wear during the day with a girly touch... I love that flowers are in, so I wore my flower-printed espadrille wedges, a bright pink dress with a black slip for a bit more coverage, and a rose ring to match:) The video at the end of this post includes this OOTD and a "What's In My Purse" tag as well!

☼ Summer Collaboration Giveaway! ☼

I have very very exciting news! I'm doing my first collab giveaway with these gorgeous girls! Thought I'd let all my blogging beauties know about it just in case you want to enter! ;)

Nail Polish: "Plum Seduction"

Hello beauties! I wanted to share with you swatches of "Plum Seduction" - a Revlon color that I have really enjoyed wearing during the summer... It's bright and fun, but still classy. Definitely perfect for wearing to the office during the summertime! I've always been a really big fan on Revlon nail polishes too. They dry quickly, have great pigmentation, and don't require alot of maintenance throughout the week. Normally I don't even get any chipping for at least 3-5 days!

Tutorial: Smokey Seine

 I feel like I'm whoring out this Sigma Paris Palette, but honestly, I'm in love. Full review to come! My other tutorial was more on the bright side... so I went a little more neutral on this one;) 

One of my favorite looks I've ever done!

Outfit & Face of the Day: 7.5.12

So here is another bright, fun outfit of the day! This was the first time I actually filmed an OOTD and I've decided I really like doing them! I was always intimidated because I feel like I have a really simple, sophisticated style not worthy of showing outfit of the day posts! But turns out there are other simple folk out there too who enjoy them ;)

Face of the Day 6.8.12

Here is another face of the day that I meant to share forever ago... Sometimes you just gotta do a pop of color! I used to be so afraid of wearing colored eyeshadows, especially during the day! I don't have that same fear anymore though... In fact, when I wear bright shadow I seem to be in a happier mood throughout the day - it makes me smile! :)

Outfit of the Day: 6.11.12

Here is another "catchup" outfit of the day! I had to share this one, it's featuring one of my new favorite dresses for the summer! The print is so bright and fun -- and although I may be wearing it to work, I can at least feel like I'm on vacation on a tropical island somewhere thanks to the vibrant colors! ;)

Tutorial: Parisian Peacock

Hello beauties:) This is the first look I came up with when fantasizing in my head how I was going to use all the amazing colors in the Sigma Paris Palette! I really wanted to do a play on the different colors of blue featured in the palette, so this is the finished product.

Outfit of the Day: 6.10.12

Hello loves! Summer is finally here in the Pacific Northwest, so this means I can finally bust out the dresses in the back of my closet! I love this particular dress because it is the first maxi dress I've ever owned! I honestly used to hate how maxi dresses looked on me and I felt like they didn't flatter my body... but over the years I've realized they actually look pretty good and you can cover up while still looking cute. I really enjoy the high-to-low trend going on right now too! Just an FYI, if I was able to find the item being shown online I linked the site for your convenience in the captions of the photos!

Face of the Day: 6.7.12

Hello loves! So as you know, I'm playing catch up with my blog... hope y'all don't mind a million posts at once! Here was my face of the day feauturing the Sigma Paris Palette back in the beginning of June. Love this look and I'm obsessed with this Palette in general! Go pick one up if you haven't already! :)

Outfit of the Days: Playing Catchup

Ok, so I originally wasn't going to post these outfits because it seems rather repetitive to someone who follows me here and on instagram, but hey, why not? This way I can list where I actually got the items! I'll be doing more detailed OOTD's from now on too! Hope you enjoy! :)

Outfit of the Day 5.18.12
Shirt - Express
Bracelet - Express
Pants - Forever21
Flats - R2



Nail Polish: "Flip Flop Fantasy"

So it's FINALLY summer in my neck of the woods! ! Seattle is known for Juneuary... January weather in June! We have had rain rain and more rain... but come July 4th, the weather usually clears up. Lucky for us, that is what happened! Just because the weather sucks though doesn't mean I haven't been pretending it's summer... I mean, why not, it'll get here eventually right!? LOL! I have been painting my nails with China Glaze's Flip Flop Fantasy since the beginning of June... and it truly has become my favorite summer nailpolish!



A Summer Must-Have!



Lusting After Beauty Goods...

Hey there! So I have been thinking of a few products I want to try lately... And they are swirling around in my head... Instead of trying to remember them all, I decided to do a blog post and share! :)

The Sigma Paris Palette

My First Weave

Hello loves! So a long long time ago (about a month ago lol), I told you in a video that I would do a video about my first weave! If you've been following me for awhile now, you'll know that I used to experiment with wigs, and before that I used to use clip in extensions ALL the time... Well, you know what? Those methods get old. I hated spending forever trying to blend the clip in extensions in with my natural hair or how unnatural the wigs looked. It was time to invest and move on to bigger and better things also known as: the weave!

My 1st Weave Straight

My 1st Weave Curly - This is usually how I wear it!

Advocare 24 Day Challenge Check-In: Day 24!

Hello loves! So, this post is overdue, but hey... life happens right?! Anyway, I wanted to give you an update on my results with the Advocare 24 Day Challenge! I'm wayyy past day 24, but I thought I'd do this post anyway so you can see my progress! I'll probably continue to do vlogs from here on out, but they probably won't be every week, more like every other week;)

My Thinspiration! ! LOL!

Advocare 24 Day Challenge Check-In: Day 18

Hellllllllo loves! ! Woke up Saturday morning feeling amazing, and I decided I needed to measure myself since it's been an additional 7 or 8 days since I measured last! Wow, was I in for a surprise... These Advocare products are my saving grace!

This MNS system is working it's magic!

As promised, here are the measurements from Saturday:

My Current Wishlist: Spring 2012

Hello ladies! ! So... I have a confession to make... I have a personal wishlist of items that I've been eyeing. Sometimes I buy the things off of my wishlist, and other times I end up realizing that I dont *really* want them that badly. I think it's healthy to wait it out and make educated decisions instead of impulse buying items I don't really want! ! ;) Here is a list of the current things I've been trying to justify buying! LOL!

Classic Black Canvas Toms

Advocare 24 Day Challenge Check-in: Day 10

So... I told y'all I would be doing check-ins on my journey to better health! The 10 Day Cleanse on the AdvoCare program is now complete as of today! I already have more energy, I have the motivation to get into the gym even after a long day of work & school, and I feel cleaner!

Veggies & fruit are your friends during this cleanse!

Keep on reading to see how much I've lost so far! !

Advocare 24 Day Challenge

Hi loves! ! I have been extremely busy lately, and let me tell you why! I have decided to embark on a physical, mental, and emotional journey of transitioning to a healthier lifestyle. For years I have been content with my appearance, but not happy. I used to be at a very healthy weight for my age and height, but over the past few years, I have gained a significant amount of weight. No matter what kind of diet I tried to do, I couldn't succeed. My friend Mary approached me about a product that aided her husband in a weight loss of 55lbs, and I was instantly intrigued! !

The AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge

Tutorial: St. Patrick's Day Look

Helllllllo loves! It's St. Patrick's Day this Saturday if you didn't already know... so show your Irish Pride and wear some green! I personally don't own much green in the clothing department, so I'll be wearing green eyemakeup! ;)

Tutorial: My Everyday Makeup

I have a weird obsession with wondering what other people wear on a daily basis makeup-wise... I mean, does everyone really get all dolled up? Do they have a basic routine? I love watching "everyday makeup" tutorials on youtube... weird? Maybe so. Don't judge! haha Anyway... I decided I'd share my go-to look that I wear most days during the week! Of course, I switch is up for going out, date nights, and other special occasions, but at 7am, who wants to "get creative" with their makeup? Not me!

My typical day-to-day look:)

NYX Haul! !

Hey loves! So... cherryculture.com got the best of me the other day... and I was in the mood for opaque, pigmented lipgloss... so I placed an order for my favorite NYX lipglosses! The lipliners were just a little extra something something since I had never tried them before;)

Quality Product Alert: eBay Lashes

Hi y'all! I will rarely say this about a product, but I am so happy that I insist that you MUST go buy these! You will not be disappointed, and if you are? Well, you're only out $1 for the product and $1 for shipping.

eBay False Eyelashes

Face of the Day: Simple But Pretty

Soooo I have recently received my fake lashes from eBay in the mail, and I have been loving them! So far, they are GREAT quality and they are only $0.10 a pair! !! No, that was not a typo: I said TEN CENTS A PAIR! They are amazing. I recommend that everyone orders some right now! Anyway, I decided to wear them on a pretty typical day of work & school, and here's the look I came up with!

Outfit of the Day: Classic Blazer

Hey loves! I was inspired the other day by a video on youtube from CristinaSaays here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT_ZTpgZ2eU for this outfit of the day! I put my own spin on it with the suede boots, since it's still freezing in Seattle! Thought I'd share with you guys :-)

Tutorial: Valentine's Day Red

Ok, can y'all tell I LOVE holidays?! I clearly need to stop. This is becoming borderline sick... I mean, who does THREE Valentine's Day tutorials?! Well, apparently I do! :) 

Nail Polish: "Siberian Nights"

Hi lovelies:) I am sharing with you another one of my favorite nail polishes today! This OPI color is absolutely gorgeous! I always find myself reaching for it during this time of the year...

Thank you! !

Hi y'all!

I just wanted to quickly reflect about my experience blogging & creating videos so far. It has only been a few weeks, but I have overwhelmingly feel the support within the beauty community to keep on going!


I may only be at 100 or subscribers on my YouTube channel, but for 100 people to be watching my videos consistently is amazing to me! I have wanted to do videos & a blog for years but didn't have the courage to do so, and now that I have finally found that, I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm feeling really thankful that you all are supporting me. I have had great support from friends, family, and acquaintances I hardly speak to... and that means the world to me! This is definitely a passion of mine, and I just wanted to say that I appreciate all the support!


Xoxo,
Carlene

Tutorial: Valentine's Day Purple & Pink

Here's a fun look I did for Valentine's Day! It's a simple pink & purple with a bit of glimmer in the inner corner of the eye... Perfect for going out that night or during that dinner with a special someone! ;-)

Tutorial: Valentine's Day Romantic Look

Looking for a soft, romantic, feminine look for a date on Valentine's Day? Here it is! :-)

Tutorial: Everyday Purple Look

Hey y'all! Here's an everyday, wearable purple look to make a typical day a little more fun ;) Hope you enjoy it! No need to pick purple, you can interchange the colors to match your outfit!

Tutorial: Kim Kardashian Dramatic Look

You either love her or hate her, but we all have to agree that Kim Kardashian's makeup is flawless and breathtaking! ! It's a bit much for everyday, but I love channeling my inner Kim while hitting a night on the town!

Nail Polish: "Pink Forever"

Like I've said before, I'm NOT a fan of painting my nails. Some people find it soothing, I find it annoying. But its a necessary evil, since I do love the look of a good manicure... Here's one of my favorite pink polishes that you can find at a local drugstore! 

My First Tutorial: Naked Palette Smokey Eye

Hey Loves! This is my first step-by-step makeup tutorial using only eyeshadows from the Urban Decay Smokey Palette. Hope you enjoy!

Dramatic Yet Simple

Review: Ulta Eyeshadows

I have another product review for you all! I feel like this is an undiscovered amazing product -- and not many people seem to use them! 

Ulta Eyeshadow

Alllll the pretty colors ;-)

Review: Maybelline Babylips

So I was at Rite Aid the other day (and by the other day, I mean a good 4 months ago...) and saw pink and blue packaging and was immediately drawn to it. I debated buying this lip balm since I have so many already, but went for it... Damn the cute packaging! !

Maybelline Babylips Lip Balm

Fun packaging! !

I thought that this lip balm would impress me. I had high hopes. I am a big fan of Labello/Nivea and the egg-shaped EOS balms, so I was hoping Maybelline would have mimicked their formulas. Turns out that this formula goes on like the balms I previously mentioned, BUT over time, it actually dries out my lips! I'm sorry, but if a product is suppose to make my lips feel softer for 8+ hours, why are mine dry again within 30 minutes of using it? I continue to use this product, only for the sake of finishing it, but I will not be repurchasing. Bottom line is: if you want to get a good lip balm that goes on slick but moisturizes for a long period of time, go with Labello (in Europe) or Nivea (in the States)! This is one of those products that I fell for because of the hype in the beauty community, and it just didn't do it for me. Have you tried this product yet? Did it work for you? Let me know!

$3.99: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?skuId=2232640&productId=xlsImpprod3800003&navAction=push&navCount=1&categoryId=cat80066%20cat90012%20cat80178

Xoxo,

Carlene

Image Courtesy of huffpost.com