VS Fashion Show 2011 Top 10

Some may say they shamelessly admit to things, but actually I am not sorry to say that the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is one of the things I always look forward to this time of year. So, I could not help myself...I had to write some kind of blog post/list/memo to get all my thoughts (or most of them) out there. So agree, disagree, share your own "love" moments from tonight's show. Here are 10 of mine:

1. The runway....hello, it was literally paved with glitter...love and love.
2. All the sweet moments between the angels and their men, haha. Orlando Bloom's endless applause for Miranda Kerr (who just had a baby, dang), and then Adam Levine's little kiss to Anya while he was performing with Maroon 5. Little "awww" moments, I dig.

3. 

   Adam Levine and his angel girlfriend Anne

   The hair and makeup...duh. It's fabulous as alwaaaays!! My dream job (legit) is to do hair and makeup for this show!!
4. The clothes, in general.
5. THE WINGS, in general!! Ugh, I could write allll day about the wings. Love.
6. Adriana Lima...she's my fave and she looked killer tonight!!! (Miranda Kerr a close second and Alessandra Ambrosio in 3rd....they all looked amazing though).
7. 
   

   

   Adriana Lima in the "I put a spell on you" walk.

   The music...good this year, Jay-Z and Kanye, Maroon 5 and Nicki Minaj...and of course the runway tuneage was on point.
8.  The themes! Always genius. This year my favorite was "I put a spell on you"...loved all the cameo jewelry, it was just incredible!
9. Looking for other celebs in the crowd! Who did you spot? I caught Orlando Bloom (duh), Beyonce (duh) and Joe M....the dude that plays the yummy Alcide on True Blood, Tyson Beckford...just to name drop a few.
10. The awe inspiring work of all the talented people that worked behind the scenes to make the show a success. Their work is truly impressive. Lots of whimsy (and you know I love whimsy) mixed with classic pieces. It doesn't get much better. I'm inspired, for sure.



Miranda Kerr rocking the multi-million dollar bra

Not only am I inspired by the esthetics, but by the bodies of those model. Let's face it, no matter who you are, at some point you thought "I want to be her" about one, if not all, of those gorgeous ladies. Adriana Lima is my girl! So, I got my coupon on deck for the free VS show undies tomorrow and I have already added the pink backstage robe to my Christmas list. What was your favorite part of the show/your favorite set/your favorite ensemble/wings/model, whatever? Comment below....sharing is caring!

XOXO,

J.

Breaking Dawn Top 10

*Potential minor spoilers*
Ok...so I finally dragged my husband to see Breaking Dawn today and I am more in love with that sparkling vampire Edward than ever. And being the Twilight fan that I am I was, in true nerd fashion, on the edge of my seat for the whole film, and I am not sorry. I think my husband thinks its actually funny to watch me watch the movie. I fall for the Edward-Bella storyline every time! So, being said nerd, here's my top 10 things I loved about Breaking Dawn on the big screen, in no particular order.

1. Bella's wedding dress (particularly the back)
2. The flowers and lights dripping all around the wedding ceremony (ngl, I cried, haha)
3. The fact that Iron&Wine's "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" was played during the ceremony (the same song from the prom scene in the first film!)
4. Edward's toast to Bella..."no amount of time is enough, so let's start with forever", total awww moment.

5. Bella's wedding makeup...she looked her best ever! tied with her makeup in the blue dress after her transformation.
6. Jacob picking Bella up while dancing (umm, yeh, I am a hopeless romantic...Twilight placates that in me)
7. Jacob imprinting the baby.
8. Jasper and how he always looks so dapper, regardless of what he's doing.
9. Edward Cullen...just in general, that counts as one.

10. Edward breaking the bed with his hands...hot damn, yes.

So, obviously I can't wait until Part II!! I am so excited I can't even talk about it.

I realized though that we all have our Edwards and Jacobs, like Bella...who is your Edward and who is your Jacob??

XOXO,
J.

Review: Palladio Eye Pencil

Wow, I can't believe I haven't posted anything since the first of last month!! Well, as Jay-Z says "I got my swagga back". I have been so busy with school and freelancing and much needed family time but I decided I needed to jump back on here and pick up the slack. I'm basically starting my portfolio over again, working with professional photographers to have professionally taken images in my book and not just a picture taken by somebody's aunt or cousin or whoever at an event. So, I have a smaller book now but it's quality work, but since they supposedly say you are only as good as the worse picture in your book then I guess I'm cool with that.

Anyway, I thought I'd come back with a product review! This one is on Palladio's Eye Liner Pencil.

I am writing this review based on using their eye liner pencil in "black"; I only mention that because sometimes colored liners will review differently even if they are from the same product line.
What I like about this liner specifically is that is so much easier to apply than your standard issue wooden liner pencil. The texture is creamier, which not only helps with application but with blending as well. I'm always able to attain that smooth, precise line, and the pencil sharpens without splitting or breaking at the tip like other liner pencils.

The color also doesn't fade as fast as other mid-end pencils I've tried have done. I've been using a felt tip liner and other liquid and gel liners, and I initially picked this liner up in black to use as a guide, or foundation, for my liquid liner. However, this penicl liner has become a must have for both my kit and everyday use. Another plus is that the texture of the liner is not harsh on the water line--it glides on smoothly without feeling stiff or irritating. (just make sure you keep it sharpened to a nice, rounded point for that smooth application).

Price wise, the Palladio liner is totally affordable (as is the rest of Palladio's product line), retailing for about $3 at stores like Ulta or Sally's. It also comes in a variety of colors: sky blue, silver, expresso, taupe, midnight blue, white, charcoal, dark green, brown, black, lavendar and light brown. I like the black, personally, because it is really dark and pigmented; a deep hue almost like a kohl color.

The creamy quality to the product itself is what helps it glide so smoothly along the lash line but the pencil is also firm enough that you have good control when creating a line. I will say, there are liners that claim to have and do have a longer lasting power but I've tested Palladio's to work about 6 or 7 hours before I noticed any smudging...but for the price of this liner it's a great deal. If you want more lasting power you can of course set it with powder or setting spray and extend it's wear. But, like I said I use this on both myself and clients and it's a win in my book.
Have your own review on another eye pencil or Palladio product, share your comment or link below!
XOXO,
J.

Flawless Foundation.

Busy. Busy. Busy. I've been staying that way lately, good thing right?? I thought so too, but being so busy with this cosmo school venture has cut into my ability to work on set with photographers, or consult with brides, all at the peak of my profesh portfolio building. I can't wait to be licensed and be a triple threat: hair, makeup, and awesomeness! I haven't even had time to blog, but since I have a 3-day weekend laying at my feet here's my chance. Today's topic: flawless looking foundation!

Everyone has facial flaws, everyone. There's really no denying it. But with today's market offering a virtually endless variety of facial products, the proper techniques can give you that flawless finish to your foundation, all while evening out your skin tone, covering blemishes and correcting dark circles that like to hang out under our eyes.

Before you begin your foundation routine, first make sure you have selected the right shade and formula for your skin type and tone. This means testing your foundation before purchasing. There are a couple of ways to do this: If you're at a department store/makeups store/makeup counter then select 2-3 shades you think may match. Swatch the colors along your jawline to see which shade best matches and blends into your face and neck. However, if you're at the drugstore (Walgreens, CVS, Target, etc), things are a little different since you obviously can't open up packaging and swatch away. So, first decide what category your skin tone falls into: pale, medium, dark. If the foundation is liquid it will most likely come in clear packaging, so you can hold it up next to your wrist for comparison. SN: some stores even have swatch charts that hang next to their foundation line so you can place your hand under the chart and compare. However, if you aren't able to see the foundation in it's container, there are a few other tricks you can try: Pale skin tones should avoid any foundation with a pink tone, rather they should look for colors containing the words "beige" or "buff". Medium skin tones should look for labels that contain the words "warm", "medium" or "golden". Darker skin tones should look for colors like "tan", "sable", or "chestnut".

My current foundation picks: Revlon Colorstay and Rimmel Stay Matte (I prefer liquid foundations, and as a rule, always make sure your face is nice and moisturized before you begin applying any of your makeup). A lot of people ask me why I don't use MAC foundation since I use MAC in my kit...well, it's nothing against MAC (love them), but Revlon Colorstay is highly comparable to MAC; I've done a blog post in the past on this and so have many other makeup gurus..so, that being said...

Before applying your foundation I reccomend applying a primer (My recc: Smashbox Photo Finish). Primer prepares your skin for foundation and gives you a nice smooth base on which to apply your makeup; not to mention it also adds that staying power to your makeup.

Applying:
When doing my own makeup (not a client's) I like to use my fingers to apply my foundation. The warmth of your fingers helps the foundation blend easily into your skin. Sponges are also good for blending thicker foundations (and for working on client's if you're a MUA). Tap the foundation into your skin instead of rubbing it around on your face so that you achieve an even finish (this tip comes from Jemma Kidd). Even if you apply your own foundation with your fingers it's good to switch and use a sponge every now and then to avoid breakouts caused by the oil transfer from your fingers. A third option is to use a foundation brush. Celebrity makeup artist Bobbi Brown reccomends this method for a more polished look because it gives a heavier velvety finish since your literally painting on your foundation.

Which comes first, the foundation or concealer?
Answer: Foundation. Your foundation is your base for everything (aside from primer). So after applying it you'll be able to then see if you actually need concealer or not.

Note: If you don't need the full-coverage effect of a foundation, opt for a tinted moisturizer. This is basically a moisturizer that contains some pigment and SPF, for a more sheer coverage. You can either buy a tinted mositurizer or make your own by mixing equal parts foundation and facial moisturizer together.

Now that you've applied your foundation and have your flawless face you're ready to move on to the rest of your makeup application.
Note: After finishing my foundation application, I like to take a large fluffy brush and dust a light layer of translucent powder or mineral skin finish to my face to set my foundation.
Here's to gorgeous faces and an awesome weekend!!
XOXO,
J.

P.S. I can't believe in 2 months I will have been married for 4 years. OMG. Just a little Bonus Jonas, FYI for ya.

Review: Urban Decay All-Nighter Setting Spray.

Happy Sunday!! I have had this review written for some time now and finally deciding to post it. Who would have thought Cosmo school was going to keep me this legit busy! But it is, and we're learning haircuts, which I know is one of the most important elements of the program, and I don't want to jack up anyone's hair of course, but I'm a color fan! I love haircolor, and of course, I love makeup, so without further adieu here's my review (totally didn't want that to rhyme, haha).

I have tried several setting sprays and thus far Urban Decay's All-Nighter is my fave. Now, a lot of people always ask me "What's wrong with MAC's Fix Plus?" Well, my answer to that is : nothing. I like MAC Fix Plus for applying glitter and sparkly pigments to my eyes (you know, spray the brush with fix plus, dip in the glitter, apply). This is just the setting spray I'm using and loving right now and I will tell you more about it and why I think it's a gem.

Should I use bullet points?? Let's use bullet points, haha...

• I like that after you mist your face you are left with a pretty, dewy look and nothing greasy or oily look. It would suck to have perfect makeup, spray your face and then look all greasy, right. Yes.
• It keeps your makeup in place and looking amazing all day! I can't say that any simpler. I've tried some sprays that almost over hydrate my face (and no, not because I used a heavy concentration of the product) and my makeup was smearing! A setting spray should never cause your makeup to smear, it's purpose is to "set" everything in place, lock it in.
• You can buy the sample size (.34 oz) for like $10 (get mine from Ulta) and the full size is about $28 (4 oz). I have already gone through my bottle since I actually first wrote this review so I need to re-up! And the $28 is actually worth it. It may be a little more than Fix Plus, but with all this hot summer heat trying to beat us up we want something that works and gives us our moneys worth.
• UD All-Nighter is good for all skin types and hasn't irritated my skin or anyone else's that I've applied this product on.
• It's not sticky! You might think that spraying something on your face will make it sticky (kind of like when you get hairspray on your face and your face just gets that ick feeling), but this product does not, which is always a plus for anything you put on your face.
• Another plus: it prevents your makeup from flaking, which is especially beneficial for anyone with dry skin.
• Oil free. Paraben free. Vegan friendly. Enough said.

• Ummm, the bottle is pretty! Haha, what can I say, I am such a sucker for pretty packaging!!
• You only need 2, maybe 3, sprays to set your look. So you do get your moneys worth, like I touched on before.
• Your makeup will be left looking fresh for like 16 hours. Now I personally haven't worn my makeup that long recently, so I can vouch for a good 10 hours. If you've used this and made it to 16 hours, leave a testimonial in the comments, haha.
• All-Nighter is a moisture resistant formula...so don't worry about crying, sweating, water splashes at the beach/pool/hot tub. I'm not saying go swimming and you will surface from the pool like a beautiful sea nymph, no. But, all the the little things, good to go. Urban Decay gave this product a "cooling technology" so your skin feels refreshed--personally I like cool mist feeling the spray gives and I think it's what adds to that dewy finish most of us love.

So, have you read all this and still wonder, um, "What is a setting spray?". Let me tell you...
It hydrates and refreshes your face while keeping your makeup in place. All you do is hold it about 10 inches or so from your face and mist 2-3 times (make sure you don't scrunch up your face! The spray will dry in like 60 seconds, then you are good to go. If you have the full-size at home, it's always good to maybe carry the trial size version in your bag in case you want to refresh your face throughout the day. You can pick this up at Ulta, Sephora, or on Urban Decay's Website.
Do you agree that UD's All-Nighter Setting Spray is the best?? Disagree? Let me know in the comments.
XOXO,
J.

Hall Pass.

Okay, so I've totally meant to blog way before now, and I have tons of beauty posts waiting to go up, I just find myself either busy or sidetracked. Yeah, so, mini-update...still in cosmo school everyday, we're starting our unit on nails now so hopefully that's fun and exciting. Random: Danielle and I were in the bathroom the other day and discovered that when you look at the door of one of the stalls, where it was wiped down the wipe marks resemble Jesus, no joke!! Bathroom Jesus, yep! and you read it here. We also did some karaoke over the weekend, no one else that was supposed to come did so we just sang on our own and it was amazing. Got a text message saying we were instantly nominated for a Grammy, and that we are winning that Grammy, and that Will Ferrell, Fergie and Jesus in special form will be presenting it to us for our rendition of Bonnie Raitt's "Something to Talk About" as seen in the movie Stepbrothers. (If you aren't aware that I am kidding about the Grammy thing, then, wow, what a dream world you must live in). Let's see...I have been thinking about my Dad a lot lately, especially with the passing of my sister-in-laws Dad a couple days ago. It's the unexpected that shakes my core, and I don't even want to talk about the bonds between a father and daughter right now because I know for sure I'll cry. A go to quote for me right now is "If love could have saved you, you would have lived for ever". How poignant. How true, now let's move on...
...Do you all know what the Hall Pass "game" is???  You know where you and your significant other each pick 5 celebs that if you ever had the opportunity to you could hook up with no questions asked and so on and so forth (remember on Friends when Ross and Rachel did it and Ross laminated his list, haha)...well, my husband and I came up with our lists, so I thought for fun I'd share mine!:

1.  Nick Hexum

For real, he is my end all be all as far as celeb crushes go. I dig his music (he's the front man of 311 if you didn't know), and I dig his style in general. He's gorgeous!!!!!!!!! He can sing to me anytime and I can't wait to see 311 w Sublime next week. Ahhh, Nick Hexum. He's married too though, haha. With a kid and another one on the way. But please believe, I would have this man's love child. ;)

2. John Mayer

Another song-man!  And yes, his body is indeed a wonderland. And check those tattoos. Rawrrrrr. Everyone says his attitude is kind of jerk-ish lately, but look at him. I would spend some time in that bed, hahahaha.

3. Adam Levine

Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine. Again, another singer (I see the trend, huh). Musical talents and tattoos. And his new song, "Never Gonna Leave This Bed"....he is quite delicious. That's what I have to say about that.

4. John Krasinski

Surprise, surprise, it's not a singer!! I love JK though...I mean, really, who doesn't love him as Jim on "The Office"...he's just so dapper. He's married to Emily Blunt too, who I adore! Just saying...he's more charming then anything, so that puts him on the list.

5. WILD CARD!!!!!!

Seriously, I change my mind a lot, so I have decided that my #5 spot is a wild card, because let's face it, you never know who you are going to run into where. I mean, if Alexander Skarsgaard was wodering around Starbucks for whatever reason, and I had Kelly Slater locked down as my #5 I would be out of luck! Or Josh Duhamel, or Justin Timberlake, or that one guy from Big Time Rush, haha! So, Wild Card it is.

Well, I hope everyone is having a rad start to their weeks, and I will do my very best to get on here with some actual beauty posts! I have a review on Urban Decay setting spray so I will probably put that up there next!! Lots of Love.

XOXO,

J.

Just Beachy.

OMG....It feels like forever since I've sat down and wrote a post. I never thought I would be as legit busy as I have been. So, the beauty blogging will soon resume, but I thought I would use this post to just play a little catch up.
I went to the beach for a week last month and it was a delightful little get away; I mean, who doesn't love a beach vacay?? Seriously, I want names. I get back from the beach on a Saturday and that following Monday I started cosmo school. So it's been 2 weeks of school so far and I'm loving it: I've lerned a lot and made some new rad friends. Glad we are having a 3 day weekend though, because I needed a little break. My Nana's 93rd birthday was on June 30th so we had a celebration for that...sn: my Nana rocks. My niece turned 3 yesterday so we had a big Hello Kitty birthday party for her. Kudos to my sister for pulling that all together! So my plans for the rest of the weekend? I don't know...I'm enjoying the a/c right now, and the fact that there's a new episode of True Blood tonight...ugh, last week's episode...ending with Eric fangs out...looooove. I love me some Eric Northman. Bill Compton is not on my hot list though, I already sense something is wrong with him this season.
Okay, so I'm also having like one of those hair issues, ya know, when you're growing it out but it's in the middle stages, so it's not short like the original cut but it's not all gorgeous and Blake Lively wavy. Yeah, that's me.  I''ve been wearing my clip in extensions but they are getting all dry and I want soft flowy beautiful hair...I legit need a hair fairy.
So, that's where I am right now. I got some product reviews coming up and some how-to's as well, so look out for those.
XOXO,
J.

Bonus Jonas:
(you know there had to be one!)
"Things I learned at the Beach"

• A pelican pooping on you will induce vomiting (don't ask, that's pretty self-explanatory)
• Every little old lady in a cover up and sun hat begins to look like your own grandmother.
• You have to look out for "summer runners" (I'm coining that phrase)...you know, the people that you see out running along the beach or wherever and you can tell that they only are out in the heat running because they are on vacay. It's obvious who they are.
• Sharing a bathroom with other people is no good. I like an abundance of bathroom counter space.
• The hot tub rocks....sitting in there, with a starlit sky above your head and the sound of waves crashing on the beach is totally rad.
• Being tan rocks...sunburn, eh, not so much.
• You don't need to go out and spend money to have a good time....helllloooo, the beach is free.
• Ne-yo and Pitbull will inevitably convince you to "grab somebody sexy" and tell them "hey".
• Along those same lines, your husband/sig. other will eventually learn all the words to Katy Perry's "ET" if heard often enough.

That's just a short list of fun facts I came up with. I will add others if I think they are note worthy.
Have a happy and safe 4th of July everyone!!