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millenniumfae · 2 years

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Get Their Makeup Look! Ft. The Chocobros of Final Fantasy XV

Gladiolus Amiticia - Spicebomb Extreme eu de cologne by Viktor&Rolf, Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer (’23.5 Medium Amber’ - for warm undertones) by IT Cosmetics, Burt’s Bees ‘Rose’ Tinted Lip Balm, Josie Maran’s Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter

Ignis Scientia - Invictus Platinum Eau de Parfum by Paco Rabanne, Luminous Silk Foundation (‘4.5′ - light to medium, neutral) by Armani Beauty, ‘Rosewood’ Maximizer Plumping Gloss by Dior, ‘Taupe’ Brow Wiz® Pencil by Anastasia Beverly Hills

Noctis Lucis Caelum - Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme by Chanel, Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Perfector (‘2W1 Natural’ - light warm) by Laura Mercier, ‘Rasperry’ Glow Oil by Dior, Ouai Finishing Crème

Prompto Argentum - Old Spice ‘Wolfthorn’ Stick Deodorant, Lock-It Concealer Crème (‘Light 13′ - light bisque with cool undertone) by KVD Beauty, Covergirl’s ‘Sassy Mauve’ Outlast Lip Stain, Bed Head Manipulator Texturizing Putty

Why these picks? Well, check out my explanation below!

Gladio almost never wears makeup or perfume. Most days, he’s the ‘take a shower, throw some random sport deodorant on’ sort of guy, and actual cosmetics are only in his possession for fancy, Crown-related events. If it wasn’t for his family putting their foot down on a teenage Gladio, he’d attend dress parties with not even a splash of aftershave.

He used to resent wearing any sort of makeup ‘cause he grew up sort of forced into it, but as he got older (and thanks to Iris’ passive influence), he re-discovered the magic of concealer and tinted lip balm. So now he’s got some products he falls back on, if he’s feeling it. Not all of them bought on his own dime, either; some were gifts from friends and family. You can tell which he bought himself, ‘cause he never does any research into brands and just randomly buys whatever salon/boutique product off the shelf whenever he stops by the mall Sephora after splurging at Fontana.

The Spicebomb Extreme eu de cologne by Viktor&Rolf was 100% a tongue-in-cheek gift by either Ignis, or a cousin. They took one look at the - frankly, ridiculous - grenade-shaped bottle and thought it was the perfectly “hhh manly” thing for his 20th birthday. (And they made sure to get the version with ‘Extreme’ in the name.) But scent-wise, it matches Gladio pretty well, with warm spices, lavender, and the grapefruit/vanilla lends it a surprising amount of sweetness. And it’s a strong scent, too, very long lasting, so if he spends all day swinging his sword, it’s still gonna stick.

His old tube of Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer (’23.5 Medium Amber’ - for warm undertones) by IT Cosmetics is one makeup item he bought himself, after a morning spent hemming and hawing over this huge zit until a 14-year-old Iris shut him up with some borrowed concealer. He was so impressed, he’s been using concealers ever since, if he wants to hide some blemishes or dark circles. He just grabbed the same brand Iris was using at the time, using the little square on the package to guesstimate the color match, and it took three years before a kind sales associate actually found a concealer with his exact skintone. But even still, he’s not particularly aware (or caring) that his summer/winter skintones don’t quite match the concealer either. He doesn’t use any tools, just haphazardly patting it on with his fingers, which sometimes makes it blotchy. But hey, it’s waterproof, which is a huge help to a sweaty guy like him.

As far as lips go, his family is one of those that grew up insisting their kids always moisturize. So he’s always been using lip balm, and if he wants to add a bit of color onto his lips to hide the greyness, he uses his Burt’s Bees ‘Rose’ Tinted Lip Balm which he not only thinks smells and feels really good, it does indeed swatches the perfect amount of pink. He grew up in a world where guys are wearing makeup all the time (fantasy Shinjuku-Tokyo), and there’s lots of lip tinting products geared for subtle pinks and reds, but he doesn’t want to wear a sticky lip gloss that doesn’t moisturize or provide SPF.

For those who have no idea what kind of present Gladio would like, fancy lotions are your best bet. Especially after he got inked and the extensive aftercare involved careful moisturizing, Gladio got hooked on making sure all his skin is forever smooth and hydrated. In fact, he’s got so many moisturizers as gifts, he hasn’t had to buy any himself for a while. His Josie Maran’s Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter is one of his favorites, even if there’s not a lot in the pot; there’s a very light but clean scent, it dries fast but lends a lot of moisture, and it’s delicate enough for his face and hands, too.

Ignis actually does make an effort to spend his hard-earned money on luxury cosmetics. And he owns more than I showed here - translucent powders, eyeliner pencils, contour kits, setting sprays, etc. And that’s not even getting into his skincare products. He had horrible acne as a teen (you can still see the icepick scars if you look closely), but being a pizza face doesn’t mean he could skip his retainer-in-training duties, so he’d coat his face with cheap drugstore foundation before heading to the Citadel. Little by little, he learned better cosmetic techniques, and before long, he was a true connoisseur just like me, hehe.

He doesn’t wear every product daily, but he won’t walk out the door without something on. He’s been wearing makeup for so long, people’d notice if he didn’t at least conceal his under-eye bags, or apply pore-minimizing powder. Unlike the other boys, he’s actually very ambivalent about how he looks with makeup, not any better nor worse than barefaced - when you wear makeup as long as Ignis has, especially with his uneven skin texture, wearing makeup tends to look like exactly what it is; creamy, powdery stuff. The Ignis we see in-game actually isn’t wearing makeup most of the time, ‘cause he doesn’t have to worry about representing the prince to nobles and council members.

Invictus Platinum Eau de Parfum by Paco Rabanne is ‘his’ cologne. He almost never wears anything else (aside from some unscented deodorant/aftershave), ‘cause 'professional adults’ don’t switch between perfumes every day. It’s minty and citrusy with a twist of absinthe, and an underbite of the lighter, more pine-adjacent cypress wood. He takes that extra step to ensure that all his bodily scents match this perfume, such as his hair pomade and moisturizer, so there’s no clashing. And at 14,000¥ for 100 ml, you bet he’s gonna make sure the cologne is what you’re smelling.

As any blemish-prone person will tell you, the right liquid foundation is a make-it-or-break-it deal. Luminous Silk Foundation (‘4.5′ - light to medium, neutral) by Armani Beauty is not the only foundation he owns (just his go-to), and definitely far from the only foundation he’s ever tried. A medium coverage - applied with a brush and sponge - is best for textured skin like his. Its natural finish means his skin’s not gonna look like linoleum after the powder and setting spray. The pump component means he can deposit product onto a clean brush to minimize contamination and therefore more acne breakouts. And its bougie brand means he feels dignified whenever he sees it on his bathroom counter.

‘Rosewood’ Maximizer Plumping Gloss by Dior is amongst the few makeup items he usually doesn’t wear. His lips are naturally pigmented and full, but if he wants to emphasize them even more, he’s gonna go all out with a very lightly tinted gloss that has just a tiniest bit of glitter, and that numbing effect that’ll swell your lips slightly. It’s also hydrating and contains very little agents that can harm sensitive skin. And when he does wear it, it’s only a minimal swathe and not the full gloss. You can catch him with it during fancy balls.

If I had to only choose four makeup items for Ignis, I had to skip over all his skincare stuff, hair care/styling products, his concealer, his powder, sprays, mascara, etc, and include his ‘Taupe’ Brow Wiz® Pencil by Anastasia Beverly Hills. In his firm belief, well-groomed eyebrows frame the entire face, making it all looked that much more manicured. With an eyebrow pencil, he can make the hair look darker, or change the general shape, or add the illusion of extra hairs for a fuller look. He also likes how the creamy texture of the product means he can use it on his lashline for a subtle eyeliner, too.

Noctis is more like Gladio; not gonna go out of his way to use makeup, but doesn’t hate it either. Most of the time, his makeup is done for him by the royal Citadel makeup artists for certain public events, or photoshoots, etc. Any makeup he does actually own are haphazardly kept in some dusty desk drawer, lightly leaking and possibly expired. He knows he looks especially good with makeup, he’s just a lazy boy who can’t be bothered unless it’s not him making the effort.

His makeup artists, in fact, cake a lot of makeup on him, ‘cause his skin can take tons of product without looking too artificial. On his own, though, he rarely throws on even a tinted moisturizer before going to hit the town. That’s not even getting into his skincare routine, which is to say, is nonexistent. He’s lucky for having good genes and slightly-oily skin, otherwise he’d be a pimply, ashy gremlin. But his makeup artists actually have influenced him a bit, he uses the correct tools and trusted brands ... when he decides to wear any at all.

Allure Homme Sport Eau Extreme by Chanel is a cologne he keeps at his desk. His makeup artists usually just hand him a bottle of whatever in the middle of painting his face, and he’ll obediently spray it on without even looking at the bottle (if he accidentally sprays his clothes, he gets an earful from the wardrobe department). This bottle was just unceremoniously given to him by his lead makeup artist after it was discovered he didn’t have any proper perfume. He doesn’t even remember if he ever wore it, since, for some reason, the makeup artists seem to spray a different cologne every time they attend him. Despite its name and weird packaging, its a pretty generic, ‘luxury man’ scent, like if Abercrombie And Fitch was less headache-inducing.

Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Perfector (‘2W1 Natural’ - light warm) by Laura Mercier is a sheer, protective liquid foundation he picked up on his own. He wanted something to use whenever he felt the urge to pursue that pretty ‘doll look’ his makeup artists aimed for, so the boutique clerks helped him find something casual, but full of protectorates 'cause no one wanted to be the sales associate that gave the prince a face full of whiteheads. And as said before, he applies it properly, with a stiffer-bristled brush to properly manipulate its lightweight, slightly oily consistency. Except he doesn’t clean his brushes ever, which is gross but hey, it’s Noctis, what did you expect.

If there’s any part of his face that shows his lackluster skincare, it’d be his ashy grey, chapped-as-all-hell lips. Like his cologne, his makeup artists one day kindly asked if he’d like a lip tint recommendation, and he just shrugged, so they handed over a ‘Raspberry’ Glow Oil by Dior. It’s not quite a sticky gloss, not an actual thin oil, it’s something in-between. There isn’t a whole lot of color (which was a smart move on the makeup artist’s part ‘cause you can’t trust a 17-year-old Noctis with lip color intensity) but its definitely moisturizing. He doesn’t usually wear this one not just ‘cause he’s lazy, but also because it has this really strong, minty-vanilla scent right under his nose all day.

Ouai Finishing Crème is the only hair product he’s ever bought, and he actually does like it a lot. Benefits of having access to a celebrity beauty team means he’s got a haircut that looks good no matter what, but adding this cream to his wet hair makes it look extra lively after it dries, and gets rid of all his minimal frizz. He’s got that Asian hair texture which requires different hair styling products, anything too wet or slick just weighs it down and makes it look even more like low-budget Sasuke. He also likes its strong, romantic, gardenia flower smell, which is so strong he claims he doesn’t need his fancy cologne if he’s wearing this.

Prompto’s a lower-middle class, paycheck-to-paycheck boy, so most of his makeup is from the drugstore. Even his boutique brands are on the cheaper side - instead of La Mer and Pat McGrath, he buys Makeup Forever and Colourpop for his splurges. The only non-drugstore items he buys are those he doesn’t particularly trust to be cheap - foundations and concealer. And even then, he feels guilty so he rations them out, sometimes mixing the product with a cheaper alternative to stretch it out.

He wears makeup more often than people might think, and more of it than you might assume. But because of its low quality, no matter how much finessing he does, he ends up looking no better afterwards. Which, if you ask those who know him, is because he’s darn cute already, but according to him its because he just sucks at applying it. His insecurities always pushes him to look his ‘best’, which means concealer for his eye bags.

Despite its hardcore packaging and weird ‘Mountain Man’ name, Old Spice ‘Wolfthorn’ Stick Deodorant is actually a very sweet, tangeriney scent. Prompto enjoys cute things more than ‘manly’ things, and he actually likes how artificially sugary this deodorant is. He wears it religiously, ‘cause with how anxious he gets, without an antiperspirant he’ll quickly smell like an old taco truck. During the warmer, shorts-wearing seasons, he’ll apply it between his thighs just in case.

Lock-It Concealer Crème (‘Light 13′ - light bisque with cool undertone) by KVD Beauty is one of the cheaper boutique makeup brands, boasting high coverage without the luxury price. Prompto’s so pale, very few cheaper brands carry his skintone without looking orange, this being one of them. He’s got a drugstore-bought sponge to bounce it around his eyes and blemishes, ‘cause its so thick and matte, fingers only smudge it unevenly. You can tell if he’s wearing this if some of his freckles mysteriously disappear one morning. When he learned about the controversial drama surrounding KVD Beauty over Instagram, he had a dilemma over whether to try to find another cheap-but-has-pasty-white-skintone brand. When he finishes this tube, he’ll consider buying from Fenty instead.

Covergirl’s ‘Sassy Mauve’ Outlast Lip Stain is a water-based product that is truly a stain, unlike those named the same but are more like lip glosses or liquid lipsticks. It goes on slighty silky, but quickly mattes down to a more natural finish. Problem is, being water-based means it looks very natural, but it also smudges and fades very quickly from natural mouth moisture. Prompto thinks that’s why they made it taste so good, ‘cause you’re gonna be eating most of it within a couple hours. But as a stain, it’ll still deposit some more permanent color for the rest of the day. It gives him a cute, peony pout.

There’s a lot of hair gel in the world, but Bed Head Manipulator Texturizing Putty is Prompto’s go-to for shaping that scene-kid quiff. His fine blonde hair takes to putty-based formulas the best, and this one is the least sticky, oily, and sweat resistant for his dollar. It’s still not the best, it smells pretty bad (it’s supposed to be ‘tropical fruit’ but more like ‘expired rubber’) and it won’t last more than seven hours, god forbid its humid or raining. If any of his richer friends wanted to buy a cosmetic gift for him, the best choice wouldn’t be makeup but a proper hair putty. If he didn’t use so much in one sitting, Prompto’d be very willing to splurge on salon-quality hair putty. As of now, though, he’s got at least two pots in his bathroom at all times - and in his locker at the Glaive training wing, to use after showering.

#ffxv #final fantasy #final fantasy xv #noctis lucis caelum #ignis scientia #gladiolus amicitia #prompto argentum #final fantasy 15 #ff15

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dragonmuse · 2 years

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@cutestcloud - now im just imagining lucius buying chapstick in bulk from costco

So that would be the sensible thing to do, but this habit of Lucius' is only half-conscious. He does know he's doing it, but he also sort of forgets he's doing it. Basically, he'll realize 'oh hey, it'd be convenient if Pete had this on him' and put his extra into Pete's pocket. Then a week later it's 'huh, can't find my lip balm, I'll buy another'.

He just individually buys a lot of Burt's Bees (tinted sometimes cause why not? It's for moisture and cuteness).

The only person he hasn't managed to plant one on directly is Izzy. Izzy isn't even fully aware he's stopping him, in a fun 'neither of us are fully involved in a ritual we've constructed' way because Izzy dodging touch is second nature. If he doesn't see it coming, he's more likely to sidestep it or somehow just not be where you thought he was.

Pete does buy him a bulk pack one year when Stede has the van going and Lucius loves it and they all disappear within three weeks. Pete doesn't even ask where they went.

#leda house and the kraken verse #ask answered #lucius black #reverse pickpocketing his way through life

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robbieinterviews · 5 years

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On Beauty: Margot Robbie, 2016

She has played the sassy wife of Leonardo DiCaprio's character in The Wolf of Wall Street, the instantly recognisable Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad and none other than Jane herself in The Legend of Tarzan, and Margot Robbie doesn't look like she's stopping anytime soon. Film roles aside she is now the face of Calvin Klein's Deep Euphoria fragrance, as well as being able to call herself a Londoner now she's lived in the capital for three years. Here she talks to Vogue about her favourite products, her ultimate places to eat in London and her secret for getting into character on set.

On skincare

I always start by cleansing in the shower – I don’t do too many steps because I genuinely don’t have that much time, but I’m anal-retentive about having really clean skin. Especially with my job, where they just layer make-up on and on and on. One brand I’m obsessed with right now is this brand Skin111, which my make-up artist Patti Dubroff got me hooked on. They have these sheet masks, they’re made out of a jelly sort of stuff and the serum they’re soaked in is so good. So when we’re getting ready for an event she’ll put one of those on while she’s doing my hair. At the moment at night I’m using a Dr. Lancer cleanser and a La Prairie moisturiser. No matter how drunk I am I absolutely will not go to bed with my make-up on, I will not.

On make-up

For everyday I use either Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser or Ellis Faas Skin Veil Foundation mixed in with some moisturiser, or if I go to events I use Suqqu Foundation. That shit doesn’t come off. It looks like skin, but it doesn’t budge. I haven’t found another foundation that stays on like that without looking heavy. Patti also taught me that on your bottom lashes you should use eyelash tint rather than mascara so I’ll do that if I’m out for dinner with friends or whatever. And I’ll always brush my brows, sometimes I use pencil too. Then it’s just mascara and a bit of cream blush. For a little lip colour I’ll just use the tinted lip balms by Burt’s Bees.

On travel beauty

You have to wear make-up when you’re going through the airport annoyingly, because there are often paparazzi there. But then when I’m on the plane I’m pedantic about getting the make-up off, so I use wipes - usually Johnson & Johnson - and then Peter Thomas Roth Complexion Correction Pads to tone. I can’t live without them. I was backpacking last year and I ran out - I was in the Philippines like: “do you have Peter Thomas Roth?” I also really like Aesop Immediate Moisture Facial Hydrosol and the Caudalie Beauty Elixir, I have either one in my bag all the time. Everything from Aesop smells so good. And the Klorane Dry Shampoo, that’s another thing I can’t be without. I have a beauty bag for the plane packed all the time, so I can just grab it. The products are all the right size so they can’t take them off me. I have that system down.

On fragrance

I genuinely wear Calvin Klein Deep Euphoria, which is great! Sometimes when I see a celebrity endorsing a product I’m like: “you don’t actually use that” - so it’s nice that I genuinely do. It’s my first campaign so I hadn’t done anything like that before. But once the director, Francis, told me the idea I thought: “ok I know what to do”. Every time I do a role I pick a fragrance for the character, and when we did the Deep Euphoria campaign it coincided with a new film I’m doing, Terminal. My character is strong and quirky and dangerous and cool, and when I put the fragrance on I was like: “ooh that works for Annie”. For Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad I wanted something sickly sweet, so I went to a strip mall and bought a cheap, grimy, in-your-face smell. It’s a really strong sensory trigger. Once I get in my costume and hair and make-up I spray the scent and then I’m ready.

On the advice she’d give her 16-year-old self

Wear less make-up, for sure. I remember hitting that age and thinking I needed to wear tons of make-up because I was old enough to wear it. I think it’s a confidence thing, you have your mask on all the time. As I’ve got older I’ve got more confident to wear less. Now I’ll happily just go for dinner wearing tinted moisturiser. It was an older friend of mine – Kelli Garner, she played my sister in Pan Am – who said one day when I was about 20: “you wear too much make-up”. She said: “All the colours you’re putting on your face are already there. You have purple veins on your eyelids, that’s your eyeshadow. Your cheeks go really red when you’re warm or giggling, that’s your blush. You have red lips..." I was so taken aback by that but I really took it on board and it’s true.

On London

Because I don’t know London that well – even though it’s my third year here – I ask my friends, Suki Waterhouse and Cara Delevingne, when I need a good beauty treatment. We have a conversation thread on our phones and I’m like: “ok, little black book question, I need a facial now,”, and they’ll give me a number. They’re my resource for all London beautifying things. My latest foodie find is La Bodega Negra. On the outside it looks like a strip club. My friend took me there and it was about five in the afternoon, so I was like: “ooh, it’s a bit early for a strip club isn’t it? Let’s see where the night takes us?” But it’s a wicked little Mexican joint - great margaritas. I also love Gordon’s Wine Bar. It’s underground and literally has moss everywhere and water dripping from the walls – but naturally there, not placed there to look chic. And you just get wine and cheeseboards, but they’re real cheeseboards - I hate getting a cheeseboard where there’s a tiny slice and eight people to share it between. It’s the best little spot.

On Australia

Oh it’s a totally different lifestyle. It’s just like everyone imagines Australia – it’s so outdoorsy. I miss waking up and being like: “what are we going to do today? Let’s go out to the rock pools or let’s go to the beach or ooh, someone’s having a farm party!” And I miss the weather for sure. The sun, but I also miss the thunderstorms – in the summer, every afternoon there’s a wicked thunderstorm. I don’t get to go back as much as I’d like – it’s just so hard to get the time off. Sometimes I'll go for one day – so a day of flying, one day there, a whole day back – but now I’m getting a little older I am not bouncing back from that journey as easily...

On her career highlight

I mean, probably working with Martin Scorsese is pretty high up there. The first chat I had with Marty on set he really spoke to me as an equal. It wasn’t like: “oh she’s the new kid on the block, let me impart some knowledge”. He was conversing with me like a colleague he’s had for 25 years. When he was asking me about films he wasn’t presuming I hadn’t seen them because I was young. He was like: “you know that German film that was made in the Twenties?”. And I was like: “how on earth would I know?” but that meant the world to me that he showed me a similar respect to that he’d show people he had worked with for decades.

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greaterthannine-blog · 7 years

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Quarter-Annual Favorites: July, August & September 2017

A Richer Take on "The Favorites"

You probably know the term "favorites" from the plethora YouTubers and beauty bloggers of past and present plastering their half-formulated opinions on a monthly basis. Those dodeca-doses of diluted opinions more often than not have about as much substance as an unfilled cream puff; decadently appealing on the outside, but wholly disappointing in their entirety.

I believe those sorts of monthly reviews are too time and money consuming to be sustainable. A month just isn't enough time for me to purchase, use and adequately evaluate things I want to use regularly. For me to be thorough, I need more time. Plus, I don't want to scour retailers and internets just for the sake of producing "monthly favorites" content. That's a fuck-ton of cash and I don't want to gain readership based on displaying exorbitant consumerism. That just doesn't feel genuine.

Altogether, those factors considered, I'm going to do Quarter-Annual Favorites! Every quarter or three months of the year, I'll publish a collection my favorite things. A year will be divided into quote-on-quote "seasonal" quarters with the first being January, February & March, followed by April, May & June, then July, August & September, finishing with October, November & December. Since I didn't launch this site until August, I missed the first two quarters, so I'm just jumping right in with the summer one.

Style

Tom Ford Grace Cat-Eye Sunglasses in Brown & Tan:

If there's an accessory that I love most, that would be sunglasses. I'd been on a hunt for these Tom Ford's when I stumbled upon a pair for sale on my favorite website ever: The Real Real. These sunnies retail for $480 but I copped them for $95. They have been sitting on my face or top of head ever since.

Printed Scarf:

While we're also on the topic of the head, I have to mention this lil' cherry & pear print hair scarf that I snatched from my mom's closet (I honestly couldn't find an equivalent for the life of me, so here's a lovely Hermès scarf). This is a perfectly sized small scarf that I either wrap a French-girl-esque manner snugly around my neck with a lil' knot or tie it around my hair to frame a ponytail.

Dr. Martens Valentine Arcadia Shoes:

While I've had these shoes for many months now, I've only been wearing them regularly as of the past couple months. They're leather and have a English school-boy feel, which gives them quality yet quirky character.

Riveted Leather Bracelets:

I love consignment (and if my love for The Real Real doesn't show that then I don't know what would) and a while back I purchased these genuine black leather studded bracelets (a not-quite-so-similar similar) at a local consignment shop for $12. Adorned with denim rivets, these bracelets are a chic and spunky wrist accessory.

"Tomorrow Will Be Better" Strap iPhone Case:

I'm a sucker for phone cases, and this one has been horribly useful. The strap on the back has a velcro strip on that allows you to strap the case (and your phone) to almost anything. Because I like to use my phone as an activity tracker, being able to attach my phone to my belts is ingenius.

Miscellaneous

Tod the Succulent:

In one of my many farmer's market excursions, I purchased a succulent for $1. His name is Tod and he's great. If you want a Tod, please go to your local nursery.

Bonsai Care Set:

Speaking of plants, I began a grand plant-care experiment by purchasing three bonsai trees. I am determined to keep these high maintenance shrubs thriving and this has aided in my quest with tools to move soil and trim.

J. Herbin Roller-ball Fountain Pen & J. Herbin Éclat de Saphir Ink Cartridges:

The allure of fountain pens is real, but I could never get used to their somewhat scratchy writing. Then I found this J. Herbin roller-ball one that I use with cobalt blue ink. The roller-ball nib makes writing graceful, smooth and scratch free. It's honestly the only pen I've used all summer.

Duck Silver Duct Tape Regular and Mini:

This is silver duct tape, and not the regular-duct-tape-silver, it's chrome. I've been using it to tape photo prints and paper into my sketchbook and journal to add a dash of reflective dimension to pages.

IMG Fashion Camp:

I attended this camp at IMG Academy campus in Bradenton, FL and boy was it fan-freaking-tastic. I talked bunches of amazing people in the industry, my favorites of which were Bon Duke, Jimmy Moffat, Ivan Bart, and Brooke Wall as well as IMG WME peeps Rachel Fleitell, Jibran Siddiqui and Peter Knell. I also made some great buddies, Alexandra, Shawn and Ian, at the tennis courts. I'm going to make an entire post or two about this camp and my experience, so keep a look out for it.

Now for the Actual Favorites

I now present to you the first Quarter-Annual Favorites for July, August & September 2017. There are five categories for this first post. If I ever have the time or desire to expand for more than five areas per edition then I will, but for now five non-exclusive categories are the way to go. This quarter's categories are:

Style: which encompasses clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, etc.

Photography & Tech: which is exactly what it seems.

Beauty: which is very self-explanatory for today's day and age.

Media: which includes books, magazines, films, TV shows, podcasts, YouTube, other blogs, websites, you get the gist.

Miscellaneous: which is a complete mishmash of things that don't fall under one of the other categories.

For each thing I mention, I've written lil' tidbits that I recommend you read because information is important and all that snazzy-jazz. Plus, I imagine you want to know why I like these things above others, right?

IMPORTANT:

item links are attached to their names, so to go to that thing's page, just click on the name in this black typeface.

Beauty

Fresh Vitamin Nectar Moisture Glow Face Cream:

Brightening, whitening, radiant, glow are the four adjectives plastered all over my top shelf. So, when I laid eyes on this moisturizer I knew it was love at first glance. It smells of citrus-y creamy candy and evened my complexion in a couple weeks. I swear I will never use another moisturizer. Ever. Go buy it.

Glossier Balm Dot Com in Cherry:

My lips are about as dry as a prune buried for multiple millennia under 50 feet of Sahara Desert sand. So, in short I need some heavy duty moisture for them, even during summer. This Glossier one hydrates without seeping into the face flesh surrounding the lips (which is a real and legitimate problem people) and gives a lil' pop of cherry red tint. It does smell of cherry medicine or Icee, but I can ignore that.

Burt's Bees Lipstick in 502 Suede Splash:

For as long as I can remember, I have been an advocate for very light or "no-makeup makeup." Luckily, there lip colors that aren't matte and are formulated to look like your lip color. This one is my lip color but better, and elegantly fades with time. And it's cheap. Perfecto.

Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in 55 In Love:

I love blush. A nice flush of a peachy beige nude suits my skin best and this Chanel blush has been my go-to this summer. It possesses a barely detectable smidge of in-pan shimmer that brings just a tad of definition to the cheeks. The only issues are it's price and it smells of old fancy lady. But then again... It's Chanel.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Nude Bronze Light:

My issue with bronzing and contour is it makes people look like they've smeared sparkly dirt on themselves and have been burnt to a crisp. And for those reasons I've disliked bronzer. That is, until I discovered this Hourglass one. It produces a light sun-kissed shade that hardly looks like a contour. It looks ultra natural; a criteria that makeup must meet for my approval.

Photography & Tech

Olympus 35 RC Point & Shoot Camera:

Out of my two metal-body point & shoot cameras this one works best. It has a nifty-ass manual rangefinder focus which allows you to focus (albeit limitedly) on the subject in frame.

Kodak Professional Ektar Color Negative 100:

Typically I reach for AgfaPhoto Vista Plus 200 but that has recently become difficult to acquire, so I've branched out a bit. This Kodak is slightly more saturated and the temperature is minutely warmer than the cool-prone Agfa.

Nintendo 3DS XL & Pokémon Moon:

I've been a Pokémon fanatic since I was seven and only recently have I had time to get back into the games. The 3DS I bought two years ago and Pokémon Moon have been a wonderful get-to-know-you-again experience this summer.

Aukey USB-C to USB 3.0 Adapters:

For graduating high school I received a new laptop from my Paw-Paw (grandmother). However, it only has USB-C ports so these adapters have been lifesavers to connect anything to my laptop.

Media

Vivi Magazine October 2017 Issue:

I know that October isn't a month in this quarter of the year, but because this is fashion, this issue was available in August and plus it featured one of my three role models Kiko Mizuhara (who funny enough is a professional model). This is a very vibrant and stylish magazine that I pretty much buy every month. I purchased my copy from Magazine Café and requested in the comment box the October 2017 issue, but you can also order it here.

her. magazine v. 04 spring/summer 2017:

Another favorite magazine! This mag was created by The New Order founder James Oliver, a native New Zealander. It features Asian women in creative and artistic fields. I love reading about how these ladies started out, made it to where they are now and what they currently do in their craft. Terribly inspirational for a lil' hapa like myself.

Ready Player One by Earnest Cline:

I brought this book with me to IMG Fashion Camp in August. Some good ole science fiction was the perfect escape from the social-media obsessed teenage girl demographic surrounding mefor the week I was down in Florida, and I believe this book lives up to the hype. While it had a fairly predictable plot, it was a very interesting and detailed read. And the protagonist, Wade Watts is the ultimate lovable nerd-geek.

Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew:

If you didn't know, Pokémon is the best thing ever. And accompanying my game-playing revival has been a resurrection of watching Pokémon the series and especially the movies. Getting to sit back and rewatch one of my favorite films (no joke this is one of my Top Ten Favorite Films) has been exceptional, especially since it features Lucario, one of my favorite Pokemon.

The Grand Tour Season 1 (Not Pictured):

Top Gear was one of my all-time favorite TV shows. That is, until the departure of the best and most nincompoop-ish hosts in the world. And now it has become terrible. Fortunately, the three British Stooges have made a deal with Amazon to produce The Grand Tour. It's not quite as good as Top Gear used to be, particularly regarding the weird-ass Celebrity Brain Crash segments. But regardless of it's oddities, it is still hilarious. Go watch it. Now.

Hope that this Quarter-Annual Favorites: July, August & September lives up to some already sky-high standards.

Tell me your quarterly favorites in the comments! I really would love some recommendations and feedback!

And as always,

Thanks for popping by.

Toodles.

Abe

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kickoffme-blog · 7 years

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10 Weirdly Awesome Tricks to Get Dewy Skin

New Post has been published on http://www.kickoffme.com/10-weirdly-awesome-tricks-to-get-dewy-skin/

10 Weirdly Awesome Tricks to Get Dewy Skin

Ah, that elusive lit-from-within, dewy skin glow. We all want it, and we’ve all—at some point or another—tried to get it by slathering on glitter-filled makeup products that promise a J.Lo glow, but end up making us look like a disco ball, a Las Vegas showgirl, or an amalgamation of both. Not cute.

The truth is, there’s a good reason for craving dewy skin—it not only looks feminine and natural, but plump hydrated skin is a marked sign of youth—something we all want. The good news: You don’t have to be a 16-year-model, have Jenny From the Block’s makeup artist on speed dial, or chug 100 liters of distilled water a day to get a perfectly dewy visage—there are cool tricks you can use to amp up your glow.

Of course, mastering these tricks requires a solid foundation, which means you shouldn’t skimp on exfoliating, moisturizing, and drinking (a reasonable) amount of water. Once you’ve done that, read on for 10 tricks that really work to achieve enviable dewy skin.

MORE: To Get Perfect Skin, It’s All About the Best Finishing Powder

10. Here’s a fun trick that beauty obsessives swear by: Burts Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil is a miracle product when used on your cheeks. Yes, really! Its subtle pink tint adds a natural flush to skin, while the natural oils give off a hard-to-replicate dewy glow. No need to add a lot—just a tiny swipe on each cheek, then blend. It also works wonders to break up an excess foundation or powder, if you applied too much.

9. The MVP of dewy skin? That would be coconut oil, ladies. This stuff works wonders as a non-comedogenic highlighter thanks to its semi-solid makeup. Coconut oil solidifies when it’s room temperature, so dabbing a little on your cheekbones, brow bone, and across the bridge of your nose adds a dewy, hydrated finish that’s not runny or overly oily.

Photo: ImaxTree

8. Keep a spray bottle filled with two parts water and one part Marula oil (which is sold at any health food store, and every Whole Foods.) After you’ve applied your makeup, give your face a spritz or two. In case you’re unfamiliar, Marula is one most powerful antioxidant oils in the world, and both softens skin and balances moisture levels.

Replacing Marula oil with pure coconut water, jasmine oil (the main ingredient in Rodin’s culty Olio Lusso oil), sweet almond oil, or lavender oil also does the trick.

MORE: Meet Skin Boosters: A New Customizable Product That Fixes Literally Every Skin Issue

7. Don’t dab liquid highlighter on after your foundation—mix a drop into it, and apply with a damp BeautyBlender, or another high-quality sponge.

6. Get familiar with Royal Jelly. It’s a honey bee secretion (yes, made from actual bees), that in-the-know women swear by thanks to its intense amount of complex B vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, enzymes, natural antibiotic properties, and antibacterial properties. While you can buy products made the Royal Jelly, we suggest picking up a $15 tub of the stuff in its pure form—meaning, no added chemicals—and slathering it on bare skin before bed and before you apply makeup.

5. Blend two shades of lipstick together—one creamy but matte and one with a little shimmer—then pat onto your cheekbones. Voila—customized blush that stays put and gives you a sexy glow.

4. Add a drop of cold-pressed avocado oil to cream or gel blush—it’s thick enough to not make the color run, but will add a dewier finish.

Photo: ImaxTree

3. If you’re not a fan of runny liquid highlighters, grab a small pot of peach, gold, beige, or white eyeshadow. From there, press with your finger on to your cheekbones for a subtle dewy finish. If you’re really in a DIY mood, crack the shadow and mix with a little coconut oil for an instant highlighter.

2. Don’t discount the power of good old petroleum jelly—aka Vaseline—for a model-ready glow. Using a light hand, apply on your lids, cheeks, and lips, with or without makeup.

1. Dampen your BeautyBlender so it swells to three times its normal size, then dab it in a water-based gel foundation (Chantecaille’s new Future Skin formula is brilliant—it’s oil-free but contains 60% charged water and seaweed), and start blending. The wet sponge will thin out the makeup, which already has a high component of water, so your skin will quite literally look dewy.

Originally published February 2015. Updated June 2017.

June 29, 2017 10:38 pm (Source)

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nicolemcaruso-blog · 7 years

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Super Mama Series: Kristy Malik

Welcome to the Super Mama Series! I created this as a way to showcase actual messy-but-beautiful lives of women who are mothers and live creatively. By no means are any of us perfect, but we are striving to do our very best. Super Mamas are women who mother sacrificially, love deeply, and acknowledge their weaknesses gracefully.

Meet Super Mama Kristy Malik. Kristy has been happily married for 11 years to her college sweetheart and doing her best to raise (4, soon to be 5) little humans to love others and live the life they were created for. She is a wanna-be photographer, coffee and dark chocolate lover. She is also the Regional Area Coordinator for Walking with Purpose women's ministry.

ON MOTHERHOOD

"I find myself thinking how everyone is someone's son or daughter in this world. It helps me to empathize and be more compassionate towards others when I find myself feeling not so inclined. Being a mother has taught me that I am capable of more than I thought I could ever be. It has also taught me that the more I think I know, the less I actually know.

Seeing things "click" in my children's hearts and minds [is so rewarding]. I love when their world opens a little more and you see their horizons widen in front of you. Whether it's a new song my preschooler has learned, my Kindergartener learning to tie his shoes, my 5th grader finally grasping decimal division, or my 2nd grader finding her love for books and wanting to read nightly to her little brothers.

[Before becoming pregnant, know that] you don't have to let strangers touch your belly. Have no shame about asking for help. If you need it, ask. And, yes, you will need it. My best advice-- when in doubt, go with your gut. Worst advice usually begins with "back in my day..."

Best baby item purchase I made: a baby wrap! I only discovered them with my 4th and wish I had one for my previous babies. It was so much more comfortable and natural to wear than our other baby carriers and my son loved it. When I couldn't nurse for as long as I wanted with him, it really helped us to bond, especially while I was chasing after his 3 older siblings. I had the Moby wrap with him which was perfect since he was born in late fall. For this baby, I got the lighter Sollybaby wrap. Sure there are common items that lots of moms love and swear by (Baby wraps! Portable swing! Tommie Tippee bottles! Mamaroo (so I've heard)!) and I always love hearing what other moms love. But at the end of the day, every mom has different needs, and different babies. And really, babies don't need that much "stuff." If it looks like something that will help you and your baby, then go for it. If not, don't sweat it!"

ON THE WORK LIFE JUGGLE

"We got pregnant with our oldest within our first month of marriage. We were the first couple in our group of (mostly unmarried) friends to get married, let alone have a child. I always felt like it was right for us though, and my husband and I were always supportive of each other when we each felt we needed a coffee break with friends or a night out. I also continued to work part time from home after our first child so always felt connected to "the outside world" those first few years. I've been able to work part time from home since then, most recently with a women's ministry that is amazing. I love everything they are about and find the work very fulfilling. It's only a few hours a week but helps me feel connected to other women, and with a cause that I'm passionate about.

My husband and I have been through various seasons of managing responsibilities. Depending on his job situation (long hours/traveling) or my situation (whether pregnant/sick, working part time etc.) we communicate where we need help. Our responsibilities are primarily stereotypical, it just works for us. He enjoys helping the kids with their homework at night which I love, and does some of the after school activity driving, which I also love! Oh and he always does the bills. Always. We learned that the hard way very early on in our marriage. (Not my gift!)

"Communicate communicate communicate."

During this season of pregnancy #5 I've been particularly sick and tired. I've found that going over my calendar with him for the week and identifying potential times when I know I'll be tired and may need help is great. As a Type-A worrier, I need to talk through everything and he likes knowing how he can help specifically. He's also a wonderful problem solver. It's a win-win.

I currently love the BabyBump app, but also my Instagram, Facebook, The Target Cartwheel app, and the Waze app. Twenty20 is also a fun photography app I love.

A current challenge would be making time for myself amid our busy schedule and working part time from home. I got a new planner for Christmas and I've found that sitting down to carve out down time has been instrumental. I'm a much happier and a better mom when I leave myself some margin!"

ON SELF CARE

"Nowadays, [I spend alone time] sleeping! But usually reading up on news with a cup of coffee or tea, or calling a friend to catch up.

[Amidst chaos I stick to] daily prayer for sure. My day doesn't go as well if I don't! After that exercise for 20 min if possible (lately that happens only 2-3x/week).

[My beauty routine] consists of doTERRA's Verage skincare line, Bareminerals foundation serum, Honest Company Eyeliner and mascara, and Burts Bees tinted lip balm. Usually [wearing] leggings and a tunic dress, sometimes with a long vest or sweater, suede booties."

ON FAMILY TIME

"[We loved] travelling to Southern California. We've been there to visit our family a few times and each time flying with kids gets easier. The jet lag is always a challenge but we've learned to let the kids stay up as late as they want that first night so we aren't all up at 4 am the next day. (Even late night ice cream trips to keep them awake!) We love exploring different neighborhoods and areas. The kids love the beach. Having family there lets us feel like locals while still getting to play tourists.

On a perfect Saturday, we all sleep in until 8 or 9. My husband makes pancakes while we stay in pajamas for the morning. Then we either go out for lunch, to a park, or a movie as a family, or visit a winery or brewery with friends or neighbors. In the summer, having friends/family/neighbors over a for a nighttime fire pit with s'mores and good food!

Every night at dinner we go around the table and share "High/Low" where everyone shares the best part and worst part of their day. It almost always starts off great conversations with our kids about things we otherwise wouldn't know.

[Kids books we're loving]: Secret Pizza Party (only recently- my preschooler laughs hysterically every time), One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, and White Rabbit's Color Book.

[This week] we FaceTimed my husband during dinner so he could participate in "High/Low" while he was traveling for work."

#SUPER MAMA #SUPER MAMA SERIES #KRISTY MALIK #WALKING WITH PURPOSE #CATHOLIC #CATHOLIC MOTHERHOOD #CATHOLIC FAMILY

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unwrittenksm-blog · 7 years

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Hi My Luvs,

So until early last year I wasn’t really into makeup at all. Even now i’m not into it but I love a good gloss or lipstick. My collection literally went from Burts Bees Tinted Lip balm to MAC products in a matter of months.lol!! I definitely thank my best friend Niecy for her influence in this. She’s the one who encouraged me to come out of my shell a little and try different lip products. Now I’m definitely addicted. My obsession is so bad that I promised myself that I won’t be purchasing any lip products till May or June!! I seriously don’t need anything at the moment.

Although I don’t need any new ;ip products for my birthday I did get two new must- have products in my opinion. Both products happen to come from MAC Cosmetics. The first product is called “ MAC SCRUBTIOUS”, which is a tinted lip scrub that comes in five different shades. It’s a sugar- based exfoliator that gently buffs away the dry and flaky skin from your lips. The flavor that I have is called “ Sweet Brown Sugar”. It smells too good leaves my skin nice and smooth!!! MAC recommends using it at least three times a week. I personally use it two -three times a week, and when I know i’m gonna use a dark or creamy lipgloss/lipstick. Overall it’s an amazing product. Now the second product is actually a lipgloss that is part of Caitlyn Jenner’s collaboration with MAC Cosmetics. Now before you guys judge my reasoning I have solid reasons for this purchase. So, let’s discuss....

Over the years MAC has collaborated with A variety of celebrities to create limited edition collections. To the world’s surprise they decided to collaborate with Caitlyn Jenner.Now, I’ll be honest when I first saw it I had no intentions of purchasing anything because I was ignorantly thin “why would they do this?” Then I literally slept on it and I came to the conclusion of “ Why not do this”Caitlyn Jenner as we all know is formally known as Bruce Jenner, the world famous track star! He’s also Kris Jenner’s ex- husband and the man of the family. Now, anyone who knows me, they know about my love for the Kardashian/Jenner family. So, I watched this transition that Bruce made to become Caitlyn very intently. And, I have to say I commend her for doing so publicly. She could've hid and done this without anyone knowing. The family could've decided this was simply too much for them to handle and cancel the show. But, instead they proved to the world that they are human.

With that being said I decided to purchase something from the collection. I decided, who am I to judge another human being for living life thew way they best see fit. That’s not my place or anyone else’s to be honest. We are all entitled to our own opinions about transgenders or even Caitlyn personally. But, let’s be honest most people are afraid of being who we truly are in our everyday lives so, could you imagine the strength it takes to be brave enough to live in your true self in front of the world!! I’ll wait lol...

We live in such a judgemental time and people are so harsh without ever putting themselves in that person’s shoes. As a people, we have to do better because while being judgmental i could've missed out on an amazing gloss! The gloss i purchased is called “Beautifully Bare”, it’s a creme sheen glass in a midtone beige shade. I absolutely love this for the spring/ summer season! It looks perfect on all skin tones which is the best part about MAC glosses. I may even get a second one since it’s limited edition!... All in All MAC Cosmetics has made an awesome choice in collaborating with Caitlyn Jenner. I admire her bravery, her courage to go through this with the world watching and most importantly, her living her life unapologetically!!

So, take a trip to MAC for some amazing treats including these two products!!

XOXO, Kyana M.

#MAC Beauty Bravery CaitlynJ LipScrub

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