Saturday, May 28, 2011

DIY Tutorial: Petticoat or Tutu-like skirt

Hey guys! So I'm back with a tutorial. This is to make a petticoat skirt. Errr, I forgot to take a picture of the final product... so sorry... >< I have a half finished product which basically looks like the final product. I just don't have it on a person. Sorryy >< I'm also not going to say that this is "upcycling" old skirts because that's just dumb and I don't like saying it.

Items Needed:
  •  A few skirts of different sizes. You'll need a skirt that actually fits you, and in sizes much larger than your size. It also helps that the skirt that fits you be ruffled as well. 
  • Sewing things. 
  • Embellishments if you want
Instructions:
  • First off, for the skirts that are too large for you, take off the waistbands. You just need the "skirt" part. Also, cut apart a seam so it's basically a rectangle
    • Take the skirt that is the smallest (of the large skirts) and gather the top. You can do this by hand (ugh) or by sewing machine (also ugh). If you use the sewing machine, you want to basically set the lower bobbin tension to really loose, then pull of the bottom thread after. It'll gather. Or you could google this. You know, either is cool. 
      • Then, you want to pin the gathered part to right underneath the waistband of the skirt that fits you. Picture below: 

      • Okay, so now we want to attach another layer. Take it and ruffle it as well. We will attach this one inch below the waistband so you might not have to ruffle it that much.We're doing this because that way, it isn't THAT much bulk up in the waist area. It's distributed a little. Picture below:
        • Cool. So now, we want to sew up the part that's open. Basically, sew it up so it's in a skirt form again. Picture of what I'm talking about below:

        • Okay, this is the final product basically. Errr with one layer. Picture is above.
        Some useful tips:
        1.  When choosing your skirts, you want to try to choose skirts that are about the same kind of material. You don't want to attach a chiffon to a wool skirt right? If you are going to do heavy and light materials, always attach the light to the heavy. You don't want the heavy skirt to rip the lighter one right?

        I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial!

          Tuesday, May 24, 2011

          EOTD: Blue and Silver.

          Err, sorry for the really boring title. I'm kinda in a hurry now lol. So here is a EOTD. 

           Items Used:

          1. Strip by UD- inner half
          2. Teal blue from a Sephora Palette (Dupe of Venetian Blue by Revlon which is a dupe of electric eel by mac (?))- Outer half
          3. Dk blue with sparkles from same palette- outer corner
          4. L'Oreal Voluminous and a mascara by Jafra. 
          5. Antique silver- Back to the Earth (discontinued brand)- inner corner
          6. Black eyeliner by Jafra -lashline. 
          Yay kk have a nice day ladies!

          Wednesday, May 18, 2011

          Review: Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow and Mood Boosting Blush

          So I KNOW that i've been posting only reviews lately, but it's because I don't have anything else to post about! I mean, I really haven't been wearing "outfits" besides my PJs and stuff. I haven't done any makeup because I need to still unpack it. I still have to unpack my jewelry and makeup stuff and blehhh. It's going to take a while. I'll get it done by Monday b/c my BF is coming up to see me that day... I also need to wash my makeup brushes and also get a new storage system for le makeup and le perfumes. ugh. 

          Anyway. I bought this blush recently from CVS (yay.) b/c it was 6 dollars off and it had a 3 dollar off coupon. Actually, I ripped the coupon off another product (but it's okay because it was still good for my blush!). K, I'm actually a thief and a bad person. Not really. But okay. 

          What They say: 
          • Ultra-soft and blendable blushing powder features a fresh and vibrant mix of blushing tones infused with a pop of color to create a healthy glow.
          • Multi-reflective pearls provide a soft iridescence to highlight contour and add radiance to cheeks.
          • Infused with our Happy Boost Blend, featuring Happy Skin and Euphoryl, natural plant extracts which have been shown to promote a feeling of happiness by mimicking the effect of Endorphins and helping protect the skin from environmental stress.
          • The sweet scent of Violet provides a feeling of joy each time you apply.
          Swatches/Packaging: It's a D/S product so bulky packaging is eminent. I mean, it's a monstrosity. It's like an inch thick while the product itself is like a 1/4 inch thick. The weird "brush" thing is dumb and unnecessary. I mean it's cute, but dumb. It would be really great if they didn't sell the blush with the dumb little brush things. 




          built up with 2 heavy swatches

          No foundation or powder on. So bottom cheek color near the dimple is my natural skin pigmentation and the pink stuff is my blush. 

          Errrr... It's not THAT pigmented. The pink is pretty light. Again, this is a recurring problem with Physicians Formula. Their face products seem to be geared more towards lighter skinned people. I mean, I'm an NC35. Do you think that someone like NC40 or NC45 or higher would be able to wear this? I found that it's pretty sheer on me. 

          Texture: The blush is firmly pressed so when you swirl your brush in it, it's not going to fall apart. You do get color (I mean obviously; look at the swatch above) so it's not like you have to use a drill hammer to get some pigment. Excellent. 

          Wear: Few hours tops. I find that if I apply this at 10:00 am or so, it'll be gone by 6:00 pm. It does have some "shimmer" but it's not very noticeable. I'm not a glitterazi kinda person. I actually like satin finishes better. It didn't break me out, but I'm also not a breaking out kinda person on my cheeks. I'm not a breaking out kinda person in general. Unless I'm under a lot of stress. 


          Weird misc stuff: It smells nice. It also doesn't make me happier when I apply it or use it. 


          Price:  An extravagant price for a not-so- luxe product. PF is one of the more "HE" d/s brands. It retails on the website for 11.95 while at CVS, its 14.50 (uhh wtf?) It averages around 12 dollars most places. 14.50 is too expensive for a d/s product. Anything over 10 dollars is too expensive for a d/s product. It's the drugstore goddamnit. This isn't ulta. It's CVS. So I'm glad that I picked it up for 5.50. 


          Recommended: If you happen to see it on clearance or at a low low price and your skin is of a vampiric quality, go for it. For people whose skin tends to be more coffee or mocha like, skip it.

          Sunday, May 15, 2011

          Double Trouble Review: Jafra Cosmetics Oil Controlling Makeup SPF 15 & Pressed Power in Medium

          Wheeee! So finally blogger got it's stuff together and is now letting us post! I'm also FINALLY home so you know, I'm going to be sewing a lot so you'll be seeing a lot of sewing projects. So I've been meaning to post about this face stuff from Jafra. So let's start with the oil controlling makeup.

          DISCLAIMER: I GOT THE PRODUCTS FOR FREE BUT THESE REVIEWS ARE STILL HONEST. 

          What They Say: Provides flawless, shine-free coverage. Contains witch hazel, cucumber extract, aloe leaf extract. Helps provide smooth, even application.

          Ingredients: Hamamelis Virginia (Witch Hazel) Extract, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativas (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil
          A custom blend of special botanicals that collectively address the needs of oily skin with Tea Tree and soothing benefits of Cucumber and Aloe.
          Zinc Oxide/CI 77947
          Help absorb excess oil and provide a shine-free, long lasting matte finish.
          Ipomoea Digitata (Fingerleaf Morning Glory) Extract, Withania Somniferia
          (Winter Cherry) Extract, Vigna Radiata (Mung Bean) Extract
          A blend of Ayurvedic plant extracts to help moisturize and soften skin. Provides antioxidant benefits.
          Silica
          Spherical silica microbeads glide easily upon application and provide a smooth appearance. Octinoxate
          A pure form of UVB sunscreen.
          Cyclopentasiloxane, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
          Silicone grafted copolymer film former to help create a flexible protective film for uniform finish upon application and long wear.
          Lecithin
          Soybean derived skin conditioner.
          Panthenol
          Provitamin B5. Provides skin conditioning and helps moisturization.
          Tocopheryl Acetate
          Vitamin E derivative which acts as an antioxidant and moisturizer.
          Titanium Dioxide/CI 77891 and Iron Oxides
          Micronized pigments for even application and blendable color.

          Shade: Bisque which matches NC35 very very very well. Swatches below: 

           Texture/Smell: It's really smooth but it tends to get a little flaky on my skin. It's because I have dry skin, not oily skin. It's really light and creamy and feels more like a tinted moisturizer. It smells kinda chemical-ey but it's not very strong which is fantastic

          Effectiveness:  I use this only as a under-eye concealer because I'm not a kind of girl who likes a lot of stuff on my face. This is SO much better than MAC studio finish for my under eye circles because it's very creamy. Again, it's "oil controlling" so it's drying on my very dry skin. I extrapolate that it will hold your oil back like crazy. I also have a great moisturizer so.. yeah. Cool. I find that the coverage is more like medium-full. It covers very well for me. I mean it looks natural. 

          Price: 17.00 for 1 fl oz. Quite expensive. Since i ONLY use this for a undereye concealer, it's not going away anytime soon. If you want to use this for reals, Could get pretty expensive quickly.  

          Recommended: Absolutely. I mean the price is expensive, but it's worth considering as a nice under eye concealer or a quick foundation kinda thing. You can buy this stuff on Jafra cosmetics. com but it's like avon, where you need to get a consultant. 

          So onto the next product. I changed the color so that it's easier on your eyeballs. I mean this is 2 reviews rolled into one. This is the Pressed Powder: 

          What They Say: 
          Micro-fine pressed powder diffuses light, minimizes the look of fine lines, wrinkles. Provides smooth silky application, a natural finish. Vitamins C and E fight free radicals.  

          Shade: Medium, which is NC35 for me. 

          Texture/Smell: NO SMELL YAYY. I hate it when powders smell like... idk, retirement homes or something. Not that they always smell bad... But sometimes they just smell gross and yucky. This has no smell. However, it's very very loose and powdery. When you tap your kabuki or whatever into the powder, like you get powder on your brush, but there's like a little pile of powder in the pan. It's pretty wasteful and there is no way to avoid it. 

          Effectiveness: It's pretty thick for a powder. I feel like it has medium coverage and when I layer it over concealer, it feels really... doll-like. My skin looks fantastic, but I don't feel natural. I mean, that's great for some people, but I like it to be more natural, more flawed. So, I use this on my forehead without anything else and it covers pretty well. It also keeps my face nice and not greasy. I sweat a lot and I find that this doesn't run when I sweat! yayyy! 

          Price: Damn, 16 dollars for .3 oz. Expensive. 

          Recommended: Yes, it's pretty expensive, but if you have the money, go for it. 
          Okay ladies, so I'm happy that I finally reviewed these products. Also, I have a BN Jafra nail polish if you ladies want it, so just shoot me an email and I'll get it sent to you!

           

          Monday, May 9, 2011

          Review: WEN by Chaz Dean Pomegranate 16 oz Cleansing Conditioner

          So it's been forever since I last posted. I've been busy with finals, but FINALLY I'm done. SIGH. So I've been meaning to do a review on this for the longest time. Let's get started. 

          Disclaimer: I received this product for free, but still honest reviews. 
          What they say: What is it: A revolutionary step toward beautiful, healthy, shiny hair. This cleansing conditioner replaces shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, detangler, leave-in conditioner, and even shaving cream.

          Who is it for: All hair types.

          Why is it different: This pomegranate cleansing conditioner is formulated to add moisture without weighing hair down. It effectively cleanses and hydrates hair without stripping or robbing it of its natural nutrients and oils.

          How do I use it: Rinse hair thoroughly and completely with cool water for at least one minute. Cleansing conditioner should be applied in four sections--the crown of your head, the nape/back of head, ends to the left side of your hair, and ends to the right side of your hair. Add a splash of water to help evenly distribute through the ends and massage vigorously into scalp for two to three minutes. Comb through with a wide-tooth comb and clip hair up for the remainder of the shower. Leave on for at least three to five minutes The longer you leave it on the better for maximum results. Rinse with cool water thoroughly for one to two minutes by massaging your scalp and running your fingers through to the ends. While hair is soaking wet, apply one to three pumps as a leave-in conditioner starting from the back of the head through to the ends.

          For hair above your ears, use a minimum of 16 pumps (4 pumps per section). For hair above your shoulders, use a minimum of 24 pumps (6 pumps per section). For hair down to your shoulders, use a minimum of 32 pumps (8 pumps per section). For hair past your shoulders use a minimum of 40 pumps (10 pumps per section). For hair to your mid-back use a minimum of 48 pumps (12 pumps per section). For thicker/coarser hair, increase amount of pumps in order to thoroughly cleanse the scalp and hydrate ends. If you choose to rinse and repeat, use half the amount of suggested pumps for each cleansing.

          What I say: 

          Geez that's some description. Phew. 

          Smell/Texture: It's strangely light for a conditioner. It's creamy and it kinda looks like lotion. Like, it doesn't just gush all over your hand like V05 conditioners. Also, it's pretty scary to see "USE 300000000000 PUMPS FOR YOUR HAIR". It's because it comes in a pump thing so one pump is like a pump of handsoap in public bathrooms. I have medium long hair and I found that 10-12 pumps is fine. This one smells like... fruit and mint. Ew. I like fruit, and i like mint, but not together. 

          Effectiveness: I've been using it for 3 weeks without anything else (like biosilk... yes i use shampoo lol) and my hair is pretty shiny. It's softer, but not amazing. At first, I was worried that when they said to rub it into your scalp and head that it would make my hair really oily and gross. Usually I use conditioner only on the ends because if I don't then my hair needs to be washed in like a day. It's pretty light but moisturizing. If I had fine/thin hair, i wouldn't use that much. It might prove to be TOO heavy then. 

          Price: 28 dollars. What the fuck. Geez. It's the same size as a v05 bottle at the drugstore. I'm already 1/4 of the way through in like 3 weeks. It's expensive. 

          Recommended: Even though the price is borderline extortion, I still will recommend this. It's useful. I like it. I mean I can't afford to buy this again, but if you have money to spend, get it.

          Monday, May 2, 2011

          Checking in

          Hey i know that i havent posted in forever, but it's because of finals and I'm just super stressed! I'm going shopping on saturday so I'll start posting then! Over the summer i'll be a regular visitor on your blogs :)