Neon Crazy!!

I'm starting to become obsessed with neon makeup.. even though its not necessarily the season for it!

In my book its always the season for a little craziness (even if its just for going out!).

Now the real question is, how can we pull off neon makeup without looking ridiculous??

The first thing that is pretty obvious is being careful to NOT go overboard. Stick to one thing on your face, whether that be neon lips, neon eyes or neon-ish cheeks.

See, all three may be a little much...

This look is awesome for high fashion shooting, but not for everyday wear. Stick to simple, and then you  don't have to worry about looking like a hot mess.

If you want to focus on your eyes, for example, make sure to choose a color that somewhat compliments your skin. If you are fairer skinned, for example, don't choose a neon yellow or orange. It will only  make you look washed out. Opt for a neon pink, green, blue or purple like this girl:

With this look stick with a VERY nude lipstick and if you want some color on your cheeks, stick to something closer to your natural flush. 

If you are darker, you can pull off brighter neons like green, yellow and oranges, like this:

Some neon eyeliner and eyeshadow finds are from Urban Decay and BYS in a LOT of different colors!!

If you want to focus on lips, it is a lot easier to pull off (I recommend this over anything else). Take a look at Alexis Bledel and Katy Perry.. 

They've kept their eye makeup clean and simple, but WOW'd with their lips. I love this color on both of them!!!

Some of my favorite neon lipstick finds are from MAC. The first is MAC's Fusion Pink lipstick. 

Another one is MAC's Neon Orange Lipstick.

They are both limited editions so snatch them up soon!!

Now neon cheeks is a little bit tricker. Unless you think you can really pull this off, I'd steer clear of this look. I still wanted to include it because it is totally awesome and Lily Allen really rocks it!

Again, keep the eyes and lips simple. The eyes I recommend to be even more simple than the lips, because you can do lips in somewhat the same family as the cheeks (so a more pink-y nude, for example). 

A great neon blush is Smashbox's Blush Rush in Radiance.

This color is REALLY intense, but so pretty. :)

Don't be afraid to rock these neon looks! I know I'm going to!!

XO Alicia

Just Brow-sing

I've found that so many people forget about how important your eyebrows are! Their color, their shape; if you don't have it perfect your whole look can be thrown off.

Thick eyebrows are making a comeback, and if you want to channel your inner Audrey Hepburn..

... go for it!

Whatever you do, though, do NOT rock the over-plucked look like Pam's...

... I beg you!! It just looks awful.

When plucking, if you really want to avoid shaping them and go for the natural fuller look, just pluck the strays and try and maintain the brow's shape. Nature is an amazing thing; usually the shape of your natural brow is the best for you!! But still, you should clean up the stray hairs to avoid looking like Bigfoot.

Haha.

Here is a great tutorial that I use when I want to shape my brows a little bit. (I love Lauren Conrad!)

Now here are some of my thoughts on how to approach and prep your eyebrows. 

1. Flaunt what God gave you! Like I said before, cleaning them up is a good idea but don't go too overboard.. natural is sexy.

2. Use clear eyebrow gel, a brush and pencil to clean them up and fill them in to give them shape! You don't necessarily have to make them super dark, just shape them so that they can do what they do best: define and conquer!

For these steps I was recently given the Diorshow Brow Styler Ultra-Fine Precision Brow Pencil for Christmas by my best friend. It is AMAZING and is a color that is universally flattering with a built in comb on the end. 

The tip is SUPER fine and won't fill your brows in too much. It's magical.

3. As far as color goes, keep it close to your hair color and try and compliment your skin color. Defining your brows can really frame your face but if you do them too dark for your skin or hair color it can look ridiculous. Just keep these things in mind!

4. Don't ever let your brows go too far past the side of your nostril.. If your brows are too close together or too far apart your face will just look weird.

5. It's okay for your brows to be long! Short brows just look creepy.

6. Keep the hair on your brows groomed with scissors. When trimming, comb your hair up and cut horizontally (but not too much!!!) like this!!

If you ever want your brows professionally done, I really suggest threading. Waxing is great, but threading is actually more precise and is usually cheaper!

Once they are done, though, you can usually maintain them yourself with information given in this post. My favorite tweezers that I splurged on are Tweezerman and are the best investment. They grab every single hair and are my life saver.

AND they are pink! 

So now you need to rock those full brows like Crystal Renn does, ladies! (And look at that liner and lip color.. HOT)

<3 Alicia

Fake It!!!!

To follow up on my post about Mascara, I want to include a secret that so many celebrities swear by; if you aren't born with it, fake it!!!

Look at Kim Kardashian, for example.

Just LOOK at those lashes. Sure, she was born with very nice ass-ets, (pun intended) but there is no way those lashes are real.


There is a way to put on fake lashes to actually make them look natural, without looking like this...

These are pretty cool, but not necessarily in real life!

... and the trick is in the lashes themselves. For a daytime look and even for night time if you aren't trying to go SUPER dramatic, opt out of getting a full set of lashes like these: 

... and get these instead.

To get a more natural look a-la Kim Kardashian versus the other two women I featured, the trick is strategic application. Using individual lashes will allow you to place lashes where you need them most like, say, the outer corners of your eyes for a more flirty look.

I understand that individual lashes can be a little intimidating and time consuming to apply. If you REALLY want to use a full set of lashes to avoid all the work, I am going to share a few tips with you to make it look as natural and feminine as possible!

Tip #1: Don't go TOO dramatic! Try and find a pair that are nice and natural looking like the ones I featured above (avoid peacock feathers unless you want to go for that look!).

Tip #2: Do all of your makeup (eyeliner, mascara and everything) before putting on your lashes. This way you don't have to work around the glue after you've applied them, and the glue will dry clear so you don't have to worry about messing up your makeup.

Tip #3: Before applying the lashes make sure that the lashes actually fit you. When they come out of the packaging the lashes are usually REALLY long. If the lashes are too long on you they will really irritate you throughout the day or night. Put them up to your eyes, see if they are too long and snip the ends with a pair of scissors. 

Tip #4: After cutting the lash to the appropriate length, wrap it around the end of an eyeshadow brush (or pen.. or anything circular) to get it flexible and easier to work with. Putting on stiff lashes is really hard and won't look good on your eyes. 

Tip #5: Apply the glue with a Q-tip to avoid putting on too much glue or too little glue. 

Once you've put the glue on hold the lashes up as close as you can to your natural lash line for 25 to 30 seconds to allow the glue to dry. Once the glue turns clear and is dry, go over your lash creation with mascara once more to really blend them with your natural lashes. 

Now that you've got gorgeous come-get-me lashes you need to work them! As Tyra always says on ANTM (America's next top model), flirt with your eyes ladies!

<3 Alicia

Black Light Bombshell

EVERYONE check out this stuff that I found a while back.. its called Fluo Night by Makeup Forever Professionals (the same company that makes my favorite HD Foundation from Sephora!) and it is pigment that glows in the dark under a black light.

 This.Is.So.Cool.

For everyone that I have mentioned this to before, I am ACTUALLY going to find out how to buy this... I'm having trouble finding out how to purchase it but when I do I will post about how awesome it is. :)

Happy Monday!

XO Alicia

Something I came across...

I am always on the internet looking for inspiration, whether that be in photography, makeup or even clothes.

Going back to my Italian roots I decided to stalk the actress Monica Bellucci and came across this picture and HAD to share it,

I wish I was her. No joke.

She is the sexiest woman alive and I just love everything about this shoot for GQ magazine. The vintage lingerie, the rocks, the cigarette... (smoking kills.. but I'm pretty sure Monica causes more damage in this picture alone) EVERYTHING is so sexy.

What I found interesting about her makeup in this shoot was how they did her liner. They clearly used a liquid, but went over the cat eye with a powder to soften the edges. GENIUS!!!!!! And the neutral lips and face.. I'm in heaven.

LOVE it LOVE it LOVE it. :) Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

Mascara Madness

If there is any one product that I could NEVER go without in my life it would be mascara. Even on days where I am SO lazy, I just throw on some mascara and I feel a lot more put together.

Mascara is a godsend and can really change your look. This is only if you know how to utilize it to its full potential, though!

There are many different types of mascara - volumizing, lengthening, thickening - how do you figure out what to buy? The only way to figure out what is best for you is to do some shopping; test some out at the drugstore, buy the small versions of the designer kind at Sephora and ask around to see what peoples favorites are.

In this post I am going to share some of my favorites and how to use them correctly. It isn't enough to just put one coat on and walk out the door. There are ways of applying mascara that really make a difference!

What Color Is Right For Me?
Mascara comes in  a LOT of different colors; from "Blackest Black" to purple and green, how do you know what color to use? When deciding for myself, I thought about my hair color, my skin color and the look I wanted to achieve. Because I tend to be darker normally with darker hair, I know I can handle a really dark black mascara. I've tried brown, and it doesn't really make my eyes stand out that much.

Kim K. has the right features to pull off dark black mascara!

Those of you who are very fair and have light hair should be careful when picking mascara and should keep in mind that black might be overpowering. I would try a dark brown for everyday, and maybe a lighter black for night.

Cate is really fair, so a dark brown mascara would work well with her hair and skin tone.

As for colored mascara? It is totally your call! If you want to change your look up a bit, I suggest it. If I did give any advice, though, it would be to treat it like you would eyeshadow. Try to accentuate your eye color, so those of you who have hazel or green eyes, a darker purple mascara would look amazing.

Tyra has GORGEOUS hazel-green eyes, and here she uses purple mascara perfectly. If you did buy a purple mascara for a more-than-one-time use, I would get Benefit's BADgal Plum Mascara. Not only is BADgal one of my favorite mascaras, the plum is purple enough to accentuate the eyes, but dark enough to not be too over-the-top colorful.

How Do I Apply It?

First, before applying anything, you need an eyelash curler. I know these things look scary and people don't use them because they don't know how, but PLEASE please buy one. They make all the difference when applying mascara and they make your lashes look AMAZING.

This is a splurge but so worth it; the Shiseido Curler at $19. 

A tip for using an eyelash curler is a three-step process. The first step is curling the lashes as close to the lash line as possible to get all over curl. Then, move to curling the lashes in the middle, then finally curl the very ends of your lashes. This is like curling your lashes TIMES THREE and allows your lashes to really open up your eye area.

The trick with curling your lashes is not to hold the curler (when curling) as tight as possible to get the 'best curl.' If you do it too hard, you may damage your lashes. Instead of holding tightly, pump your curler 7 to 10 times applying slight pressure. Do this in the three step process and you will get amazing results AND take care of your lashes for future use. :)

Now for any kind of mascara, I recommend putting on a lash-building primer first. It is usually white in color and coats your lashes to condition and soften them so that your mascara can work its magic properly. The worst is using mascara on dry and brittle lashes because then when you go to take off your mascara at the end of the night you run the risk of damaging your lashes!

Some of the best primer is from Urban Decay (as you can tell by now I LOVE Urban Decay's primers!) called Eyelash Primer Potion.

After applying your primer, let it dry for about a minute, then move on to the mascara application.

A tip I  picked up from getting my makeup done at MAC is that do really get the product on your lashes, close your eyes slightly or look down and use the mascara wand to pull up on your lashes. This doubles the work that the wand is doing and will coat your lashes more.

 This is sort of what it looks like!

This also prevents you from getting those annoying black smears on the top of your lash line after you apply mascara! 

The trick to really letting mascara look good is by coating ALL of your lashes, even the small ones on the inner corners of your eyes. Not only do I recommend first coating your lashes while holding the wand horizontally, but also turning the wand vertically and pulling up to coat all of the lashes. Use the wand as it is supposed to be used! Use the tip of the wand to work on individual lashes, and if you want some extra drama coat your bottom lashes with the tip of the wand. 

Personally I do not coat my bottom lashes to avoid getting under eye circles at the end of the night. I've found that by just coating my upper lashes I will eventually transfer mascara to my lower lashes while blinking throughout the night.

Let your mascara dry for about a minute and then put another coat on in the same way you put your first coat on. Waiting any longer will give you clumpy lashes, and any less will not allow another coat to stick  over the first coat. 

Whatever you do, though, do NOT attempt to curl your lashes after you have put mascara on. If you curl your lashes after the mascara has dried (even a little bit) and are not careful you can actually break your lashes. The mascara makes lashes brittle and if you curl them too forcefully they will snap in half!

The Best Mascaras

There is an ongoing debate over whether or not designer mascaras are actually better  and better for you than drugstore mascaras. I used to believe that drugstore mascaras would damage my lashes and make them brittle overtime. 

Through experimentation I discovered that this is not true. You can find some mascaras that are really good in drugstores and I am currently using a drugstore favorite as we speak. 

My favorite mascaras, though, are designer. Call me crazy, I can just notice a difference when I use my Benefit BADgal Mascara. Now there are many different brands of mascara and their applicators are all really different. I  have heard that smaller applicators are better because you can be really precise and coat every lash. In my opinion, it is all about personal preference. I prefer big bulky wands, whereas some other people prefer small skinny wands. 

My favorite mascara that has a small circular wand to manually coat every lash is Givenchy's Phenomen'Eyes Waterproof Mascara, shown below. 

This wand is CRAZY precise and is really fun to apply. It is rather expensive, and because you really should wear mascara as much as possible and throw away mascara every three months or so, the price is somewhat high. BUT if you are willing to spend money I would consider it.

Another favorite that is very similar to Benefit's BADgal mascara is Dior's Diorshow Mascara in Black.

I got this in a sample size as a gift and completely fell in love. It has the big wand that I like and goes on so smoothly without clumping. The price, like Givenchy, is a lot though so keep that in mind!

Another mascara that I have been told about is Buxom Lash Mascara by Bare Essentials. 

 A friend told me this was the best mascara she had ever tried, so I think my next mascara buy will be this one. I'll keep you posted on how it does (my friend says it compares to Diorshow in that it doesn't clump) and if anyone else buys it give me a review!!

Now I know we can't all spend a ton of money on mascara since we go through it so quickly, so I am also including some favorite drugstore finds.

The one I am currently using is a cult classic; Maybelline's Great Lash Mascara in Blackest Black has been around for over 40 years and is always on the top of beauty lists. It is a great find when your budget doesn't support $20 mascara and really competes with some of these other brands!

Another favorite from the drugstore is Covergirl's Lashblast and Lashblast Fusion. I have not tried them but have only heard good things!!! 

I am really excited to try these and if you already use them or have tried them please leave a comment about them!!!

Lashes are really important to accentuate because they frame the eye area. They can really make a statement, especially since lashes have gained the reputation of being "flirty." Therefore, we have a lot to learn from them!! :)

So stay flirty with these tips ladies and good luck mascara searching!! 

XO Alicia

Red Lip Romance

Okay so I have gotten some requests about how to wear a red lipstick (Sabrina!!) so I am excited to go into the perfect vixen-red lip that will have men all over wondering "who is that gorgeous bombshell?!"

This picture is GORGEOUS!

A red lip will ALWAYS be in style; the shades of red, though, you really need to be careful about. It ultimately depends on the look you are going for. 

There are the coral reds that are lighter and more playful, al-la Megan Fox in this picture:

There are cherry reds that Taylor Swift has made a staple, such as in this look:

And finally deeper burgundy reds that are SO HOT this fall and winter:

Michelle really nailed this one!! I love it.

Wearing red lipstick is really a statement. Unless you are SUPER dark, you can pretty much pull off a lot of red tones depending on the clothes you wear and how you do your eye makeup and blush. 

In order to REALLY make your lips look natural and sophisticated, though, you should stick to shades that work well with your skin tone. 

Fair Skin

Coral-y reds work best with your fair skin and aren't too overpowering. Try:

Thanks Glamour.com!

1. A cult classic! Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire and Ice

2. Gorgeous Color! YSL Rouge Volute in No. 16

3. The best lipstick ever! (not actually #3 shown above, but I wanted to include this instead!) MAC Lipstick in "Lady Danger"

Medium Skin

Medium skin tones can do anything from true reds to cranberry-pink shades without looking overpowering. 

1. Rouge Dior Lipstick in "Favori Red" (not shown above.. this has a more cherry red color)

2. CoverGirl TruShine Lipcolor in "Valentine Red"

3. Chanel Rouge Allure in "Audace"

Dark Skin

Dark skin can really pull off the deep reds, dark brick and burgundy that I talked about earlier.

1. Lancome L'Absolu Rouge in "Smoky Rouge"

2. MAC Lipstick in "Dare You" (doesn't match the picture)

3. Bobbi Brown's "Burnt Red" (again, doesn't match the picture but is still a good one!)

Now, tricks for applying a dark lip color!

1. ALWAYS use a liner. Try to get as close as possible to the color you plan to use. This will prevent mistakes as well as make the color stand out more. I recommend not only lining the lips but also filling in the lips with the liner before applying the lipstick.

2. Get a lip primer! Like eye primer and face primer, lip primer will prevent your color from going all over the place and make it stay longer. Try Urban Decay's Lip Liner!

3. Don't over do your hair or clothes when wearing red lipstick. Crazy funky hair will only make you look ridiculous and overdone, and fishnets are a DEFINITE no (unless you somehow find stockings that are super classy). Keep everything simple, and this includes eye makeup..

4. Don't do dark eyes with dark lips! This is KEY. Please don't do a smokey eye with red lipstick. It will only make you look like a prostitute/disaster. If you want to do red lipstick (or any funky color for that matter) please do a very simple eye, like this girl:

She has little to no eyeshadow on and paired her red lips with simple black liner. SO SEXY!

Also, don't do a lot of blush either, or you will look like a clown. 

Now, the final trick to wearing red lipstick!?

CONFIDENCE

You need to OWN that color, and pair a sexy grin with it. Have confidence and you will ROCK it. :)

XO Alicia