Lookin' Spring Fly

Monochromatic style is a hit from head to toe this upcoming spring. My very favorite Russian fashionista, Miroslava Duma, is rockin' the one color look below.

 For those who like bolds and brights, floral patterns and exotic prints have a popular appeal as well.

Above all the trends and and looks from the runway, the style that I love the most is street style. It's a type of fashion that is personal to you that exhibits your unique personality.

Beauty and fashion have always gone hand in hand. After getting dressed, most people don't know how to pair their makeup with their lovely ensemble. I believe the right makeup look will complete the magic and the mood of your style. Check out some of the makeup looks I posted here recently.
In the next post, I'll share with you guys how to exfoliate your lips! 

Beauty Trends from NYFW

            As fashion week in New York comes to an end, fashion enthusiasts are raving about the upcoming trends for the spring and summer, however I'm fawning over the beauty looks that aided in completing the magic and the mood at the runway! Three wearable looks that captured my attention were from Valentino, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Marc Jacobs.

Feminine Flush | Valentino

This simple look is incredibly fresh and beautiful. It certainly balances the brights and patterns that come with the upcoming spring/summer trends. Valentino's makeup artist, Pat McGrath, did a great job making the models' makeup look natural and effortless. 

How to:
Brush a taupe colored shadow into the crease of the lids, blend the eyeshadow past the outer corners and along the lower lashline. Apply foundation and concealer. Then, apply pink blush onto the apples of the cheeks and highlighter on the cheekbones. Lightly dust powder to finish off the "feminine flush."

Poppy Pink | Diane Von Furstenberg

Lipstick can make all the difference. Some say that it can even benefit your health..weird, I know. According to a L'Oréal survey, 75 percent of women believe that lipstick boosts their confidence. Moreover, this poppy pink color celebrates the arrival of spring! The shade of pink is not overpowering, and it adds the right amount of color to the face.

How to: 
Exfoliate your lips and apply your favorite pink lipstick!

Modern Muse | Marc Jacobs

If you're into pop art, the first artist that comes to mind must be Andy Warhol. Francois Nars, Marc Jacobs' makeup artist for NYFW, turned to Andy Warhol's modern muse, Edie Sedgwick, to influence his monochromatic makeup.

How to: 
Apply matte foundation and fill in the brows to create a graphic, sharp shape (Use your discretion to how bold you want your brows to look). Line the top eyelashes and smudge the lower lids with black liner. Blend a dark shadow, preferably black, into the crease and add black mascara on lashes. Finish off the "modern muse" look with nude lips.

Although I'm not a makeup expert and I may not have explained these "how to" looks thoroughly, I hope you can enjoy these fun and simple makeup styles from NYFW.

Thrift Shoppin

"Beauty is pain" is such a relative phrase, especially within our society. Well, I beg to differ. The price of beauty doesn't always have to make you wince as you pull out those fresh bills from your wallet. In fact, beauty products can actually be cheap and pain-free for your pocketbook. 

One place you'll see me thrifting on a regular basis is at the Skylark Nail Supply, a cosmetics and beauty supply store, located on Brookhurst in Garden Grove.

There are extensive assortments of cosmetic and nail products that you would probably lust over at Sephora or at your favorite nail salon. There is also a wide array of my favorite product in the entire world...false eyelashes! 

Renowned nail polishes such as Essie, OPI, China Glaze, and Zoyas usually retail for around $8, but can be snapped up for $3 to $4 at this gem. One pair of eyelashes you will see at your local drugstore vary from $5 to $7. False lashes at Skylark are sold for $6 for a set of 10 pairs! What a jaw-dropping deal!

Saving money can feel just as good as spending it.

I advise you to take cash because the store doesn't accept card, and you will almost certainly be exhausted because of the overwhelming steals you will encounter. If time permits, you can make a pit stop to The Boiling Crab located just next door!

Clean Yo Brushes

            If you find yourself constantly in the bathroom, pressing loose powder on your face and noticing your clogged pores and breakouts are getting bigger, it probably means you are not cleaning your makeup brushes. Right now, beauty offices are brimming with all kinds of makeup brushes and brush cleaners. It's the stuff beauticians live for, and a painter friend developed the ultimate brush cleaner, which is a cheap and effective alternative to killing the bacteria harbored on the bristles of your brush: extra virgin olive oil and antibacterial dish washing soap.

           These two products will clean and recondition your brushes so well that you will notice a difference on your skin and your brushes will last longer. Most brush cleaners you will see at your local drugstore or at your nearest Sephora vary from $10 to $30, and they only last for about a month or two. Extra virgin olive oil prices vary as well, but you can get a bottle for $5 and a bottle of dish washing soap for $2. These products last longer because you only need to use a small amount. 

             
           Cleaning is important for the quality of both your brushes and your skin. There is so much oil, dirt, and bacteria trapped in an unclean brush, and unless you clean it, you're rubbing all that dirty junk onto your skin. Therefore, washing your brushes should be a permanent part of your beauty routine. Here are the steps below to using the ultimate brush cleaner!

Steps:

1) Pour about 2-3 spoons of oil onto one side of the plate and pour the same amount of the antibacterial dish soap onto the other side. I like to use Dawn because it smells great (Palmolive was the first dish soap I saw in my home). 

 2) Take your first brush and stir it in a circular motion.

 3) Wipe the brush on your hand to release the dirt and makeup from the brush. This removes most of the pigments and kills the bacteria.

 4) Rinse your brushes in warm water until all the pigments are removed.

5) Once your brushes are clean, gently wipe them with a paper towel and blot out the excess water.

6) Dry your brushes upside down using a brush guard or even a DIY brush stand. Drying them with the bristles facing up will ruin them. Water will drip down to the brushes and loosen the glue holding the bristles together.

This technique has been used by oil painters for years, and I've adopted this method from a favorite makeup guru who paints as a hobby. Enjoy your clean brushes. Your skin will thank you!