Turning 22: A Reflection

Have you even been asked by a relative, “How is it like to be a year older?” It’s kind of hard a hard question to answer, right? I mean just 24 hours ago I had the same worries and happiness as I did this morning. I don’t see the world any differently than I did over the weekend. My priorities are still in the same order as they’ve been for the past couple of months. Why would I feel any differently?

Nothing has really changed about me at all.

But, I guess the best way I can even begin to answer the question is that you don’t really change overnight. I DID go through a lot of obstacles and victories when I was 21. And I KNOW I grew a lot over the past year, which is the reason why I am the person today at 22.

21 was filled with joy, laughter, love, sadness and discovery. Throughout every event I went through, I learned a little more about myself and made me realize my self-worth. Most importantly, I learned the power of forgiveness and moving forward, which is easier said than done. Trust me. But, I understand that it’s not worth it to harbor negative energy revolving around certain situations and people when I could put that same amount of effort into things that I could contribute to in a more productive way that would enhance my life. I mean it takes practice and patience. It took a really long time to be able to forgive the people and make peace with the situations that occurred in the past, but that’s just it. It’s the past. There’s nothing I can do to change it, but I can take what I learned and apply them to future situations.

In the end you can’t let these people and situations cast a shadow over your light. I'll always remember what happened, but I don’t regret it because through it I learned how to love myself more and understand what's worth fighting for.

Today, I wanted to go for a look that was a little bit more natural. I made sure to prep my skin first using MD Solar Sciences Mineral Creme Broad Spectrum SPF 50 UVA/UVB Sunscreen on my skin. My skin tone isn't completely uniform on my face, so I used two different foundations for a more seamless finish. I used Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Truffle and applied the color on the deeper areas of my face including around my mouth, forehead, and the side of my face. I then blended in the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation in 11 Dark on the lighter areas of my skin including my t-zone and underneath my eyes and cheeks into Estée Lauder foundation so there weren’t any harsh lines. For my brows, I used Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown to fill in the area from my arch to the end of my brow. I filled in the sparser areas at the beginning of my brows with Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse. 

For my eyes, I decided that I wanted to do a soft cut crease that was smokey towards the outer corner of my lid. I used Embark from M.A.C.’s Burgundy Times Nine palette and really defined both of my creases. I then covered my lid below the crease with Mugshot and dabbed Dust on the inner corner of my eyes from the Naked3 palette. To make the look a little more dramatic I used Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner in Blackest Black on my upper lid to line my eyes and smoked out the line at the outer corner to create a soft cat eye. For my highlight, I used BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal down my nose, cheekbones and chin. For my lips, I lined it with Pitch from Colourpop and filled in the center of my lips with Make Up For Ever Aqua Rouge Lipstick in Light Rosewood. To set my foundation and concealer, I used Clinique Perfectly Real Compact Makeup in 144 (N).

Saturday Swatch: All Glowed Up

So, I’m a little bit late to the highlighter game. I only recently nailed contouring this past December and already thought that my highlight and contour was already on point. I didn’t think I needed an extra highlighter at all. If anything, I would just go into my Naked 2 palette and take one of the shimmery pink shadows and dust it along my cheekbones. I just never thought it was necessary. But, then I saw this Instagram video of Kamila Bravo using the Benefit High Beam liquid highlighter and every preconceived notion I had about highlighters became completely irrelevant. I’ve never seen someone’s skin glow as prominently as her’s did after she put it on. I mean just look at that execution.

Top: BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal. Bottom: Benefit High Beam Liquid Face Highlighter)

Of course after watching that magic happen, I skipped over to Sephora and I bought it on the spot. The Benefit High Beam Liquid Face Highlighter is a beautiful pink liquid highlighter that leaves this beautiful icy silvery glow after blending it in. I would have to say that less is more if you're going to use this highlighter especially if your skin is deep like mine since it could make you a little bit ashy. I think it blends a little bit easier and gives a more natural finish if you use a damp beauty blender. When I first used it all I could remember was wondering why and how did I ever underestimate the power of highlighters? It gave me the Victoria Secret Angel glow. I was hooked.

I’ve been hearing a lot buzz surrounding BECCA’s highlighters, specifically the Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop. I did a swatch of it in the store and thought it was a beautiful color, but I found myself more drawn to Opal. It wasn’t until I went home to try it on that I immediately understood what the hype was about. BECCA’s highlighters are extremely pigmented and rich so again, less is more in this situation. But, my goodness. When I swiped this on my nose and cheekbones with an angled brush, I just wanted to cover my whole face with it and walk around snapping selfies of my skin’s glow. Of course, I probably would never do that because I would look like a vampire from Twilight, but you get what I’m saying.  I really loved the golden tone for this one because I have golden undertones in my skin, so it really complimented my complexion really well.

Needless to say, both of these highlighters will do wonders for your complexion and really take your makeup (and selfies) to the next level.

Do you have any products that changed the game for you?

Experimenting with My Look: Balayage Edition

I used to be the type of girl that liked to blend into the background. In some ways I guess you can say that I still am only I’m very comfortable with speaking up especially in front of a large group of people. I was very cautious about experimenting with my look because I didn’t like being in the spotlight at all. In some ways I found comfort in it. No one was really paying attention to me because I was the quiet girl that had her head buried in her books and didn’t run into any problems. I loved it.

It wasn’t until high school when I became more curious about fashion and beauty and started experimenting more instead of adhering to the status quo. My style became more girly and chic. I loved finding pieces that were unique and dressing in a way flattered my body. I delved into makeup during a class I took when I was in middle school and nailed down the basics of foundation, concealer and mascara, but I became more comfortable with wearing more statement eyeshadows and lipsticks during my junior year of college. I was always inspired by the beauty gurus on YouTube who could make such a creative statement through their makeup. It always reflected their vibrant personalities and I knew I wanted to have that same outlet to express myself.  So, I started to learn and practice more advanced techniques and haven’t turned back since.

I’ve always thought about doing something with my hair whether it was chopping it off or getting it colored, but the thought of changing it so dramatically terrified me. Also, I thought that coloring it or getting highlights would do more damage than good. Ironically, I was still getting relaxers done every three months at the time, which was probably doing things a lot worse to my locs. It wasn’t until March 2015 that I stopped getting relaxers and switched to getting keratin treatments twice a year. Even then, I knew I wanted to do something more, but I wasn’t sure what.

When the new year rang in, I admitted to myself that I’m not brave enough to cut my hair just yet, but I think I will experiment with color and look up how to keep it healthy with masque treatments and deep conditioners.  Also, I was looking for a release at the time and I really wanted to change up my look for my last semester in college. I might as well end it with a bang, right? I made an appointment with my hair stylist in January and she did a single process color, which originally lightened it up to this blondish brown color that terrified me, but after re-dying it darker about three times (I really felt bad for making her do that) we agreed on a color that looked right.

    (Without lighting)

(With lighting)                

Now, I was feeling the color for a while because it was this nice reddish brown that changed colors depending on what type of lighting I was in. My hair was basically a mood ring. But, then my roots started to grow out and it was getting painful to watch. Spring break was coming up and I knew that it was absolutely crucial for me to get my hair dyed again because I didn’t want to look like a skunk for graduation. I always flirted with the idea of getting balayage done, but it was on the pricier end and I wasn’t really sure about how it would look on textured hair. But, since I had a little more money at the time I was able to afford it and decided why not? The balayage is actually a better technique if you’re not the type to get your roots touched up so often since the hair is dyed in a specific way where growing out your roots looks more natural. When I got to the salon and showed my stylist a photo of what I wanted, she said that since my hair was close to the cinnamon color in the photo, she said that it would be best to dye the top of my head a darker color and transition it seamlessly into the hair that was already dyed the cinnamon reddish color. Then she would add a few more highlights to really bring out the color. Thankfully, I didn’t have to pay for the full price of balayage to do it and I’ve been really happy with my hair ever since. I literally feel like I’m giving off some supermodel vibes from this hair and you better believe that I’m doing the Beyoncé hair flip at any chance I can get.

What are some ways that you have expressed yourself through beauty?

Transitioning My Skin Care From Winter to Spring

When the temperature changes abruptly my skin likes to do a 180 and gets out of control. On Saturday night, after washing my face it looked like Elmer's Glue dried onto my cheeks and forehead ready to be peeled away by a five-year-old me. I thought that my Clarisonic would exfoliate off the dead skin, but it made it worse. Probably a lot worse than I originally thought. I didn’t have my Foreo Luna with me to use as an alternative since I find it less abrasive to the skin than the Clarisonic, so understandably I needed to retire it for a few weeks and go back to using my good ol' fingers.

Usually in this situation I would use an exfoliator to slough off the dead skin, but I was on spring break at the time and didn’t bring it with me. Luckily I had some jojoba oil with me and it somewhat help with healing it, but not completely. Also, I am using retinol in my routine, which can reek havoc on your skin especially when it's trying to adapt to the changing weather. Of course, this signals to me that it’s time to change up my skincare routine for the spring and bring out my beloved products that I am going to use through the summer months.

I tend to put less products on my skin once spring comes around because my skin is extremely oily and can’t handle too much at what given time, which is why I try to look for skincare that can solve multiple issues at the same time. I always make sure that I drift towards moisturizers that have gel consistencies rather than cream especially since the temperature is getting warmer. Even when I use creams that are suitable for oily skin, during the summer it ends up melting off my makeup, which is so unattractive. Seeing my face sweaty and disoriented is not a pretty sight. Trust me. Also, I like to use face oils that feel lighter on my skin while making sure that when I come home at night I use a clay mask at least two to three times per week to absorb the excess oil that my skin produces throughout the day. 

How are you changing up your skincare routine this season?

Saturday Swatch: Spring Time Hues

Okay. I admit it. I’m a complete lipstick addict. It’s very difficult for me to go anywhere without wearing some form of lip tint or lipstick and not feel exposed. It’s not that I would completely cry and break down without it, but I love when I am able to put on my NARS Audacious Lipstick in Charlotte and feel like the baddest chick in the room. It’s a confidence boost and an aesthetic that I believe brings my look together even when I’m wearing minimal makeup (that and doing my eyebrows). 

Spring is around the corner, which is completely laughable, anyone from the Northeast would understand, because the weather for the past few weeks have been completely unpredictable. But, that’s not going to kill my lipstick vibe for this upcoming season. I love to dabble in bright lipsticks particularly pink hues to bring out my feminine vibe that also brightens up my complexion. 

(From the top: Coffee Bean (Revlon), More Chocolate (L'Oreal), Chocolate (Revlon), Chilly Chili (Colourpop),  14 Light Rosewood (Make Up For Ever), Mink (Revlon))

Since I have dark skin, I look for pinks that have brownish undertones to compliment my skin tone. Many of my pinky hues are drugstore brands from Revlon and L’Oreal that I absolutely adore. There’s something about Revlon’s Mink and Coffee Bean lipstick that just gets it right. I originally saw the Mink color in a video of a YouTube couple I watch regularly, Jamie and Nikki. If anyone watches their vlogs, you know that Nikki has such this beautiful deep, poreless and radiant skin. In one of her videos, she spoke about how she wore Revlon’s Mink lipstick and I immediately raided every Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid for that lipstick because it looked completely flawless on her. I love Colourpop’s Chilly Chilli and Make Up For Ever’s in 14 in Light Rosewood, which are gorgeous colors that are a little bit deeper that I absolutely love. These are matte lipsticks, so I always make sure that I use a sugar lip scrub and lip balm before I put on these lipsticks otherwise every crack and peel is going to show up. Trust me. You don’t want to have a Goldmember moment.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/hefe88/goldskin.jpg

Revlon's Chocolate and L’Oreal's More Chocolate lip liners, which are on the brownish side with pink undertones that are completely gorgeous. They’re a little dark, but I don’t mind wearing them as liners for my lighter pink lip colors or by themselves. 

What are some of your favorite spring time lip colors? 

The Review: Is the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation Worth the Hype?

Foundation hunting is by far one of the hardest and the most frustrating shopping experiences I’ve ever endured. I’ve always had to take matters into my own hands and match myself based on YouTube personalities whose complexions are similar to mine since my experiences being matched at the mall has been well…disappointing. I was always matched to a foundation that either made me look orange or way too light for my skin tone. Over the past few years through trial and error, I noticed that I can achieve a more seamless complexion by using two foundations: one for the lighter areas in the center of my face and another for areas that are bit darker.

I saw a review of the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation on The Cut in February saying that it was the foundation of the year. It was written by one of my favorite beauty editors who I’ve been following for a while when she was a beauty blogger and have always trusted her judgement. So, that was already one check in my book. I went to Charlotte Tilbury's site and saw that one of my favorite YouTubers, Jenny Jenkins, was a model that Charlotte Tilbury tested the foundation on in a tutorial. Another check. With all of the information I gathered, I placed my order and received the package about two weeks ago. 

The foundation comes in 15 shades and retails at $44 (plus tax and shipping) at CharlotteTilbury.com. I ordered mine in 11 Dark. What drew me to the foundation was the integration of the skincare properties that was infused in the makeup. I'm a huge product junkie and love the ones that can do it all at once. The main ingredients it has is mushroom extract that tightens the skin giving it a firm finish, hyaluronic acid to plump up and hydrate the skin, vitamin c to fight free radicals and reduce dark spots and sunscreen to protect your skin from UV rays. 

I originally applied this foundation with a flat brush, but realized that a buffing brush was better since I wanted to achieve a more full coverage look. In addition, I use a sunscreen before applying the foundation that is SPF 30. I understand that the foundation already has sunscreen in it, but I usually don’t rely on the sun protection in foundations since the amount you put on your skin isn't enough to  give you the full protection your skin needs from the UV Rays. 

The foundation is definitely buildable, but wasn’t enough to cover my dark spots, so I had to use a concealer for a little bit more coverage. BUT, it's virtually weightless and felt as though I had on a fresh layer of skin, which is probably the reason why my dark spots didn't get completely covered up. It has a slightly watery consistency, which is different from the full coverage foundations I’ve used in the past, which tend to feel heavier. It gave my skin a seamless, dewy glow leaving me with an airbrushed finish. In terms of its' wearability, I've worn it for over eight hours and it stayed in place ever time with minimal touch ups. Of course, using a pressed powder after applying your makeup is ideal to prevent oiliness and to keep it in place. 

Midterm Week Facial

This week I had nine assignments due, it was 10, but my professor thankfully saw that our class was on the verge of a mental break and pushed our assignment to be due after we come back from spring break. Even then, just the thought of all of those papers, case studies and tests was a bit overwhelming and of course my skin took an L because of it. I feel as though all of the moisture was sucked out of my skin and whitehead meteors crash-landed onto my cheeks. Since I’ve been going non-stop since last week with doing work and studying, I thought it was time for a bit of me time and do this facial that I oh so needed.  But, this wasn’t going to be a facial that I would do in one shot. I decided that during my breaks, I would spend some time focusing on different concerns that I know my skin wanted to be addressed. Check out my schedule below and let me know if you have any midterm or finals week facial rituals you use to calm your skin.

8am- Wake up. Brush my teeth. Fill the small circle of my Clarisonic Mia 2 ($149) with Kiehls Ultra Facial Cleanser ($10) and feel the vibrations of the brush massage my face into oblivion.

8:10am- Put one drop of Desert Essence Organic Jojoba Oil ($7.79) on to both of my cheeks, nose, forehead and chin and pat into my skin. Then using small circular motions, massage my face for about two minutes.

8:15am-Eat breakfast.

8:30am- Work on my six-page paper on Wuthering Heights.

10am- Take a break.

10:20am- At this point the bags under my eyes are no longer acceptable to look at anymore. Put Tony Moly Ferment Snail Eye Mask ($8) on for about 40 minutes and get back to the paper.

12pm- Lunch.

12:30pm- Study for my Management midterm.

2pm- Break. The stress is starting to settle in and my skin is started to feel a little tired. I put on my Farmacy Hydrating Cocounut Gel Mask- Soothing ($24) sheet mask onto my face and took a quick nap for about 30 minutes. It says to leave the mask on for about 20 to 25 minutes, but I like to leave it on a bit longer.

2:30pm- Work on my 3-page paper on Abu Ghraib.

4pm- Eat a snack and take a break. Reflect on the important issues like Flint water crisis, presidential election and on an invention I can create to make my pores not look like giant soup bowls.

4:30pm- Work on critiquing a published case study.

7:30pm- Make dinner.

8:30pm- Wash my face.

9pm- I’m getting tired, but I don’t want to neglect putting on my retinoid tonight. I take my Tazorac 0.1% retinoid cream (I was prescribed this by my dermatologist. An over the counter retinoid would do as well) and squeeze a drop size onto my finger and dot on my skin. I then rub the product in until the cream disappears.

9:20pm- Massage my Josie Maran Pure Argan Milk Intensive Hydrating Treatment ($56) onto my face.

9:30pm- Read The Tennant of Wildfell Hall.

11pm- Put on Lush Lip Service Lip Balm and go to bed dreaming for an A.