Mrs. Brunette Beauty

HOW TO: Build a Makeup Kit for CHEAP!

2022-07-20T11:29:00.001-04:00

Are you just getting into the world of makeup and don't want to drop two hundred dollars at Sephora or Ulta before you even know what you'll use most? Or perhaps you are traveling and your makeup bag is lost and you need EVERYTHING replaced but only temporarily... I GOT YOU! I've curated a full-face makeup kit that anyone in the USA should be able to whip together, even when on a tight budget. I'm talking drug-store makeup hidden gems bay-bee! So get ready to test drive this low-cost yet full-face makeup kit! All of these items are priced as of 2022 from online retailers Target, CVS, and Ulta Beauty. You should be able to assemble a Low-cost Makeup Starter Kit for less than $50! Here is the breakdown:

MASCARA — $3.29 Wet n Wild Mega Length Mascara.

EYEBROWS — $3 e.l.f. Instant Lift Eyebrow Pencil

EYESHADOWS & LINERS —$4 e.l.f. Bite Size Eyeshadow Palette in Truffles or Cream & Sugar. This gives you a dark brown for eyeliner, a shimmer for lids and brow highlight, as well as a medium shade for smoking the bottom lash line or crease shadowing. It's a powerful little thing!

FOUNDATION — $6.99 Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation. It has great coverage and is also one of the largest ranges from dark to light shades.

FACE POWDER — $5.99 L.A. Girl Pro Setting Powder.

CONTOUR & CONCEAL— $4.29 Wet n Wild Contouring Palette Beige

BLUSH & HIGHLIGHTER — $4 e.l.f. Cosmetics Baked Highlighter & Blush

LIPS — $4.99 Rimmel Stay Matte Lip Liquid. When opting for a super-opaque liquid lipstick, you cant skip the lipliner altogether!

TOOLS — $0.99 Wet n Wild Essential Brush - Eyeshadow Brush, $0.99 Wet n Wild Essential Brush - Brow & Liner Duo Brush to easy use your darkest eyeshadow shade as a subtle but powerful eyeliner, $3 e.l.f. Multi-Use Face Brush, $1.19 TRIM Deluxe Eyelash Curler and 2 Replacement Pads, $4.99 Real Techniques Miracle Powder Makeup Sponge comes in a two-pack and has a unique angled shape to blend foundation into the tight corners around your nose and eyes.

Sephora's Minnie Mouse Collection

2016-02-07T11:55:00.000-05:00

Are you as excited as I am about the spring 2016 Minnie Mouse Collection coming to Sephora? Just take a look at how cute these pieces are! Seriously, though.... HOW CUTE ARE THESE BRUSHES?!

With the most adorable packaging to be seen in a long time, who can resist those black and gold polka-dots? And how clever is it that the eyeshadows and mirror pop out of the compact so it can be used as a stylish clutch?! *swoon*

Here are the pricing to be launched in April:

1. Black & White Felt Liquid Liner Duo Set $20 2. Inner Glow Luminizer Blush $22 3. Six-piece brush set (includes that precious stand I hope) $58 4. Lip stain set $265. 20 Shade Eyeshadow Pallet $45 6. Compact Mirror $26 7. Red Lipsticks $15

A Signature Look

2016-01-27T14:18:00.000-05:00

For some reason the fact that Mark Zuckerberg wears the same looking clothes everyday makes me so happy. Anyone else entertaining the idea of a signature look? I work in a creative field and always find it so interesting when others adopt a signature outfit – even in the fashion industry! Not just as a means to simplify your life, also establishing yourself as a brand.

Some examples that come to mind: President Obama, Apple co-founder Steve jobs, pop-artist Andy Warhol, fashion designer Michael Kors, Vogue fashion editor Carrie Donovan, Channel CEO Karl Lagerfeld, and iconic Vogue creative director Grace Coddington. Hey, if it's good enough for the President to adapt, it's good enough for me, right?

My Pinterest boards are filled with lies – things I will never buy or wear!

I am basically almost there. It's essentially the same silhouette and similar pieces (in variant colors) everyday. Skinny-legged pants, solid tops, ballet flats and long-sleeve button-up cardigan – year round.

As a young lady, I took pride in assembling a variety of outfits from my eclectic wardrobe, but as I grew up, I discovered what I truly enjoyed wearing and focused my creativity on my tasks at hand in my workday (and also my makeup – let's be honest.)

I find it effortless to swap in and out pieces of a uniform daily, rather than the same-exact look everyday. A wardrobe that is minimal yet versatile in practice will always appear put-together and fit right. I aspire to simplify my look more each year; maybe by the time I am as old as Michael Kors, I will have an iconic style worthy on note.

Please let me know, do you have an iconic daily style?

What the Heck is Oil Pulling?

2016-01-13T06:34:00.000-05:00

Oil pulling sounds more like something to do with how gasoline is made than it does a health or beauty regimen. For the longest time I swiftly scrolled past it until I searched "how to prevent my gum-line from receding." Since I had coconut oil on hand, I thought I would give it a try. For the first time since I've been having gum issues, I was able to floss without a bloody mess! So what is oil pulling?

Oil pulling is a mouth cleansing alternative to mouthwash. The idea is that instead of vigorously swishing chemicals around ones mouth to kill germs and bacteria, an oil sits in the mouth as most of the toxins are slowly pulled out of your gums, teeth, tongue and cheeks and are trapped in the oil that you spit out. I hear it's a great bad-breath remedy, which makes sense when you think about how it's working. It also has other benefits such as strengthened gums, less sensitive teeth – which are the few that I have experienced!

It is however, kind of gross waiting around with a mouthful of oil that continues to expand and more is drawn into the gooey mess. My first time I made the mistake of using too much oil to start with and I foamed out of my mouth after 10 minutes. I then took the opportunity to floss, and did so with such ease, and tried the oil pulling again with a smaller amount. My gums felt so healthy even immediately after, I had no issues flossing. My teeth felt stronger and felt cleaner longer. Normally I build plaque quite quickly after brushing/flossing and it felt like I could go to the end of the day before I felt the buildup return.My gum color also perked up a bit, looking healthier (more pink less dark red).

Just make sure if you are using a semi-solid oil such as coconut that you dont spit it down the drain. As it cools, its going to solidify again and gunk up the pipes, so it's best to spit into the garbage bin.

Most Reached-for Products in 2015!

2016-01-06T17:30:00.000-05:00

Here is the list of my most reached-for products in 2015!

1. Tarte Rainforest After Dark Pallet – The blush and contour were used on the daily!

2. MAC False Lashes Mascara – Gifted late in the game but I've honestly never been able to cake on such thick layers of mascara without it looking clumpy until I found this gem.

3. IT Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Celebration – Shades specifically used the most are: Cozy, Gingerbread, Wonderland , Spice and Snow Angel. If you haven't experienced the interesting texture of IT Cosmetics shadows do yourself a kindness and test drive it!

4. Maybeline Fit Me Matte – Porcelain of porcelains! I finally found something fair enough to get decent full-medium coverage at the drugstore! Not to mention it's kind of an oily-skin cult fave at the moment.

5. Sonia Kashuk Duo Fiber Brush – Girl, this is my dedicated blush-bush and I'm not even going to tell you how great it is just try it.

6. LORAC Pro 2 Pallet – Most used shades are Nectar, Cool Gray, Lt Brown, Buff and Rosé. (Gee! I really should try more on the right side!

7. Revlon Colorstay Matte Lip Balm in Sultry – era'day

BONUS: LORAC Pro to Go Pallet specifically in "Shell" – This is the perfect highlight shade that gives the skin a brightness and glow without any sparkle, shimmer or glitter; it's witchcraft is what it is! I reach for that as my highlight pretty frequently year after year.

What products did you gravitate towards the most? Let me know!

Life Update Vlog

2015-11-18T11:57:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! I'm back, did ya miss me? If you've been wondering why I took a 9 month hiatus, heres an update video:

Until next time,

Mrs. Brunette

2015 Wellness Voxbox Review!

2015-08-30T22:05:00.000-04:00

I was very excited to have been chosen by Influenster to test out some very nice new products and I decided to share them with you!

Colgate Enamel Health

I have never tried this until now. Normally I am not drawn to mouthwashes because of that "sting" but i can tell you firsthand this mouthwash doesnt give you that feeling. It left my teeth feeling great and i would purchase in the future! It tasted great and performed way better than expected!

Olay Active Botanicals Cleanser

I am going to admit i would have never tried this or picked it out for myself. Snow mushrooms just doesn't sound like something I would want to rub into my face. But it made my skin feel so clean and soft without drying and it made my painful cystic acne pain go away. It is the strangest thing! I enjoyed how the gel foamed when I lathered it in my hands and I look forward to continuing this as part of my morning beauty routine.

Jergins Wetskin Moisturizer

The idea is: take a shower and before you dry off, you lock in the moisture by putting the lotion on first and then lastly, pat dry. This is another product that i wouldn't have been drawn to in the store. I am not a big lotion person, mostly because the hydration doesn't last or feel deep enough, so i usually opt for balms and body butters. I really liked the way this made my skin feel like a young dewy skin. I really don't see how it helps you skip any step like advertised, if anything it makes the process longer because you are now slowly patting dry instead of rubbing a towel quickly. Its a cool product and worth testing out to see if it works for you.

Attitude Shampoo

This shampoo also came with a coupon for target although it may be available other stores as well. It made my hair feel soft and gave my natural curls great shine and body. However my scalp was not a fan. I normally dont have any dry scalp or dandruff issues but i developed some itchy scab things so unfortunately this product wont work for me. 😫 But my hair looked so good!

Attitude Dish Soap

I love the idea of cleaning my dishes and my sons baby bottles with all natural cleaner but usually the price tag prevents me from trying new ones. I was pleased with this soap. It wasnt too fragrant, didnt leave a soapy aftersmell like the cheap stuff I usually buy and it worked great!

Ache and pain relief to-go

I currently cannot take this pain relief but i am excited to try it soon!

Disclaimer: I received these products complimentary of Influenster for review purposes. The opinions written are my honest thoughts and experiences with products.

Screenshot Crush: Once Upon A Time's Cruella DeVille & her Striking Makeup

2015-04-24T08:42:00.001-04:00

Can we just talk a moment to talk about the powerful eyebrows and overall fabulous hair/wardrobe for this character? While watching the last 3 or 4 episodes of Once Upon a Time I couldn't take my eyes off Ms. DeVill every time she was on camera. Not only does the actress Victoria Smurfit have an amazing makeup, hair and wardrobe team, it's also her presence on camera that has a charm which demands attention. This woman looks just like the cartoon, even down to her posture!

Girl's got some serious brow game! She actually has the facial bone structure to be able to pull off such a strong brow, and paired with those eyelashes and red lip?! Perfection. And don't even get me started on her gorgeously square jaw and sharply chiseled cheekbones! I'm obsessed with her overall striking makeup.

REVIEW: BB Cream Matte by Rimmel London

2015-03-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

Lately I have found myself in need of a faster foundation routine and have been testing all sorts of unfortunate BB Creams to hydrate my crackled but oily winter skin. It's always disappointing when the lightest shade available for a BB cream is the medium shade for the same brands foundation and you end up looking like you've had a bad spray-tan. This one is a perfect neutral balance between pink and yellow undertones and it's the fairest I've tried at the drugstore. I have never found a bb cream that works like this.

A dramatic swatch (blended on top but left bottom line harsh for comparison)
to show the coverage over the veins on my see-through fair skin. No edits besides crop.

It covers redness, blemishes and dark eye circles super well for a BB cream! I love the clean feeling it has on, and how wonderfully real skin textured it leaves my skin. It also has a great clean scent. It lasts about 6-8 hours before my face oils completely dissolved it. But it looked shine free and had blurred pores the whole time it lasted. I am excited to wear this in the summer for a quick coverage while I'm balancing how to be a new mom! The only downside is that it is only an SPF 15 and it will oxidize to a darker color on the skin slightly if layered on thick.

A "glamours" before and after comparison with no other makeup (no edits)

This product claims to do 9 things:

1. Minimizes the appearance of pores
(actually did! I wish I had an up-close pic of the pores)
2. Evens Skin tone
(Very nicely)
3. Mattifies
(yup! without drying out skin)
4. Controls Shine
(c'mon -that's the same thing as mattifying... but still true)
5. Smoothes
(yeah!)
6. Soothes
(It does feel refreshing on the skin and not in a tingle way)
7. Conceals Dark Circles
(See photo, I feel like it did enough for me, but mine weren't that bad)
8. Helps prevent Blemishes
(doubtful, the very last ingredient is salicylic acid so very small effect)
9. Gives All Day Coverage
(what's with all the redundant claims? But yes, it does last all day. See pic below)

At the end of the day!

Empties!

2015-02-08T13:51:00.000-05:00

Watch this video to find out what products I have used up completely or tossed out early. Mini-product reviews included and whether or not I'd repurchase! Most of these beauty products are skincare, hair care and makeup from the drugstore.

Question & Answer Time!

2015-01-16T08:44:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone! Today I have a special video for you all. You asked questions on Facebook and here are the answers:

Influenster: 2014 FrostyVoxBox Review

2015-01-12T07:30:00.000-05:00

Here's what was in the FrostyVoxBox from Influenster! This was kind of a random box full of treats, makeup, skincare, and hair tools. Take a look! Read about it below or keep scrolling to find my full video review.

1. My favorite thing from this box so far was the Candy Cane Lane tea from Celestial Seasonings. Because my acid reflux/sour stomach has been amplified with pregnancy, I've had to skip out on the candy canes and peppermint tea - but this I can have! Maybe I can handle it because it's green tea with a tiny bit of peppermint oil to create the flavor, but either way - it's the best!

2. McCormic Thyme is by far the most random thing I've received to review. It's kind of what I would consider a trusted brand so was expecting it to be top quality. It did not disappoint. Upon first opening the container it smelled really fresh and I decided to top a cheap freezer pizza with it. It was great and this spice container is huge and should last me a very long time.

3. This No.7 Perfect and Perfect Intense Advanced Serum was the most luxurious feeling moisturizer I have ever felt. It even felt great on my neck which is always so oily it's hard to find anything that goes on without feeling greasy. The smell was horrific, and reminded me of a chemical fire - but maybe that's my pregnancy messing up smells again (apple juice smell like beer to me right now so don't take my word for it!) Unfortunately I am still on the hunt for a perfect face serum for my skin because I woke up with 3 new pimples from this. The ingredients are all safe for sensitive skin and shouldn't cause a breakout, so I will be trying this out again when not pregnant.

4. This Eco Tools Sleek & Shine Finisher Hairbrush is so neat. It's bristols are very flexible but not so much that it can't push deep enough through my hair while wet and also it's designed very nicely for faster airflow. I was able to get a nice frizz-free blowout using only this brush and my hairdryer with a shorter amount of time than my trusty go to large paddle brush.

5. I was also sent the Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner to review. This eyeliner had me very excited because it's well known for being creamy, smooth and long lasting even in the waterline. It's hard for people with oily eyelids to find an eyeliner that doesn't easily get broken down by the oil and get messy, but these stay put. The first day I used it over no primer (something that's a bit of a requirement for oily girls) on all day without budging, even through a 3 hour nap and watering eyes!

6. The Rimmel Gentle Eye Makeup Remover was kind of a dud product for me. It couldn't get off my mascara, let alone my stay-put all-day waterproof eyeliner. It just kind of felt like using water as far as effectiveness for removing eye makeup. It claims that it gives no oily residue but it felt greasy to me.

7. I don't usually get candy products in my VoxBoxes but this time around I had the pleasure of trying out the Fruit Vines Bites by Red Vine. This was interesting, but definitely not something I would purchase on my own. Even though I didn't like the flavor, I kept on eating these soft fruity chews until the bag was empty.

8. Last of all was the NYC lipstick in the shade Sugarplum. I wasn't a fan of the thick feeling texture and the strong scent to this lipstick. It claims to be longwearing, but i couldn't test it long enough to find out for you.

I hope you all enjoyed these box review. If you have any product suggestions for me to try out, I wanna hear about it in the comments below!

Until Next Time,
Stay Happy. Stay Healthy. Stay Beautiful.

*These items were sent to me for free in return for my honest feedback shared on social media*

Put on your Friday Face. 🎀

2015-01-09T10:54:00.001-05:00

Lately I've had a long string of unproductive days and I'm trying my hardest not to feel guilty about it. While I am still trying to get back into the swing of things from the excessive amount of holiday traveling (three trips and 9 visits!) the amount of things on my to-do list is stressful in itself. So much housework to catch up on, phone calls to make, Dr.s to contact, a car to sell, overall baby preparation, video editing and blog writing to do. I know I cant physically get it all done in one day, or week even, and it breaks my own heart that I can't. However, I am so grateful for the reason why I cant do too much in one day, being pregnant. It's such a blessing, one that was wanted and hoped for. I just have to keep reminding myself of that if I made healthy life choices, then today was a successful day in which a lot was accomplished.

So today, I'm putting on my Friday Face and making a plan. Maybe I can only do housework for 45 min and sit at the computer to edit for an hour today. Thats OK because this is my new standard. When our little boy comes the blog and youtube may slow down even more, but I chose quality content over quantity every time because YOUR time is valuable too. 💋

Products Used
Lorac Pro 2 Pallet using the shades cool grey, nectar and buff.
Benefit's Pore-fection Primer
Revlon's Colorstay foundation in 110
Sweet Minerals Blush is Apricot Tart
Covergirl's Get Set Gorgeous Consealer
Nars lip gloss in the shade Turkish Delight
Revlon's Grow Luscious Mascara (reg)

Until next time,
Stay happy and healthy!

Easy Mascara Hack!

2014-12-21T07:30:00.000-05:00

Hello, Beauties!

Have you ever had your mascara dry out on you before you purchased your next tube? Of course you have, mascara is a makeup necessity that frequently lets us down by running out or drying out too fast. So what did you do? Did you skip makeup for a day or two until you hit the drugstore or tough it out and scrape on that painful clumpy last bit? Well next time you are in this situation, your decision making process will be a whole lot easier with this no-brainer third option.

Adding eye drops!

As long as you have eyedrops or an old bottle of contact solution laying around, you can extend the life of your mascara by 3 days-2weeks! All it Takes is a couple drops, a swirl of your wand and your formerly solid mascara is in slick liquid form again, ready for application.

Depending on the level of dryness, it may take more or less hydration to get it to your desired consistency so play around. I found that the formula was (shocker) not an exact replica of the original mascara formula, leaning a little more thin and slightly less "Blackest Black" shade. But it definitely gave me three days that I did not have to choose from the other 2 unbearable options, going without or using it in its painfully "expired" state.

Have you tried this hack? I used this "Clear Eyes Redness Relief" in my Almay's Get Up & Grow, Revlon's Grow Luscious and Benefit's They're Real mascaras successfully. If any of you tried contact solution or used a different mascaras, comment below how it turned out for you!

As always,
Thanks for reading!

FOTD & Natural Wavy Hair

2014-12-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hello Beauties!

Today I'm showing you what products were used to get the natural everyday look! Please ignore the puffiness of my water-retaining pregnant face that I didn't even contour today (what WAS I thinking?) and my un-styled hair.

Products Used:

Tarte Rainforest After Dark Pallet for Blush, and neutral EyeShadows.

ELF Flat top Pro Kabuki Brush and Domed Eyeshadow Brush.

Sonia Kashuk Pencil brush and Duo Fiber Stippling Brush.

Real Techniques Blush Brush.

Estee Lauder Flat Shader Brush.

Neutragena Shine Control Foundation.

Revlon Kissable Balm-stain in Honey.

Revlon Lipstick in Soft Nude. (such a classic everyone should own!)

NYX Brow Cake Powder in Ash (if most eyebrow pencils or powders show up red-toned on your brows compared to your skin/hair color than go with this inexpensive powerhouse!)

Until Next time,

Don't forget that your inner beauty needs to shine as well. SMILE.

Blogmas: Week 1 in Instagram Pics

2014-12-08T11:22:00.003-05:00

Here is Day 1-7 of My Instagram pictures. This year instead of doing Vlogmas, I decided to an Instagram photo challenge everyday of December with my Facebook group Bound by Beauty. Here is the first week!

The tag for this challenge is #BbBDecemberPhotoChallenge if you want to search for the other participants or jump on in mid-way! Find me on instagram @MrsBrunetteBeauty

Until next time!

Blogmas: It's A Boy! - A Pregnancy Update!!!!

2014-12-03T06:36:00.000-05:00

We Are Having A Boy!

19 weeks pregnant and my vertical
bump is starting to fall forward.

Josh and I are very excited to announce that we are having a son! Currently I am 23 weeks and 2 days already. Im extremely thankful that I've been blessed with such an effortless pregnancy that's nothing like the media portrayed. Maybe that is in part due to my prior lifestyle being so similar to that of a pregnant woman; severe GERD(acid reflux), ridiculous vivid dreams, peeing every half hour, eating every couple hours, craving foods, and waking up feeling famished were all just normal occurrences for me.

Cravings

I can't say that I had a lot of cravings, but more food aversions.

First Trimester: Mostly ate burgers and drank a ton of juice. The one thing I absolutely-had-to-have, woke-up-in-the-night-longing-for was Gatorade. I didn't want any vegetables(not even potatoes), sugary foods, or anything processed.

21 Weeks and the Bump is here!
(along with my messy counter LOL)

Second Trimester: Last week I woke up craving brown sugar and maple syrup. I started liking the smell of milk (very strange for me) and eating SO MUCH DAIRY. I'm living of pizza, and still can't eat my veggies. I no longer can eat anything peanut-butter heavy or a lot of sweets, but I'm able to eat some.

The media really portrayed a "worst case scenario" of what could happen in pregnant life. I had so much to learn:

Morning sickness. It only happens to roughly half of women and thankfully I'm not one of them (this pregnancy.) And even less than half of those who are ailed by it don't have it very often. I think my strict hobbit-like eating schedule preventing any nausea from becoming an issue.
I was also expecting to be a basket-case emotionally. As a women who normally rarely cries, I was kind of looking forward to re-watching some sappy movies and letting those tears out. So far no crying at movies or commercials, but I've had one breakdown and that was at 3 weeks, my "I need to take a test because I'm scaring my husband" moment.
As far as the extreme fatigue goes, I was really expecting that to be a result of lugging around the weight of the baby at the end of my pregnancy. It was here from the start. Who knew growing a human and their tiny organs would be so exhausting? I should've known
I've actually noticed that I'm peeing less often than before - maybe that's due to water retention which is most definitely present but not at all problematic. Either way I'm glad that I've made it past my halfway mark without any of these three things being an issue for me.

I also thought that I would start packing on the pounds immediately. My Dr. expects me to gain 30 pounds, I was up for the challenge since I've always struggled to gain weight. She then began to explain to those who gain 30 pounds and have an average size baby, only 7 lb's will be maternal fat gain. Here is a nifty chart on what gets heavier inside you during those 9 months that's similar to the chart my Dr gave me but much prettier. It's so weird to think that 4 lbs could be just an increased blood volume and another 4 lbs of water retention!

My Pregnant Hair on a "good" day

At 23 weeks I have already gained 17 lbs and I think less than 5 lbs of that is fat. Mostly, I've gotten bigger around my entire torso. My ribs have expanded 4 inches (without any fatgain there) to make room for all my organs being squished upwards for my long-legged boy whom I've been carrying quite vertically and not very forward. The bigger my bump gets, the bigger my entire torso width gets evenly so it hardly looks like I'm getting more obviously pregnant, just a bigger normal person - but I have the measurements to prove it!

Although this is such a beautiful and easy experience, I have struggled with my new unruly hair texture and pretty dramatic fatigue. The no-more-shedding part of my hair change was fantastic, but it was very strange to have all this new growth at the same length about 4 inches have such a drastic texture difference than my hip-length hair. My hair is fine, and theres a good amount of it, and it's right in-between smooth/curly/wavy/with a tendency to poof making it fairly easy to straighten or curl with the right products. My pregnancy hair growth is thick, coarse, curly and very wayward. I had to use a 200º different temperature on the top than the bottom when straightening. I basically ended up doing a topknot daily and securing these curious strays with a whole lot of gymnastic clips.

Can't wait to have my
brain-power back!

No amount of sleep was enough. After adding up the hours I spent eating and sleeping during my average first-trimester day, I had about 4 hours total of being awake. Not my most productive months. And those four short hours I had, I hilariously suffered from pregnancy brain. One time at my 3 month mark, I was scrolling through Facebook being jealous of everyones cute newborns thinking "I want a baby!" only to later remember that I have one on the way! Another time I almost prepared my oatmeal in my teacup and my tea in a square bowl. Luckily I caught on right before I began to pour out the hot water so I snapped a pic - because with pregnancy brain, you can't remember all of these funny moments.

Soon I will be outnumbered by the men in my life! It's going to be much different for me; I grew up in a household with 4 girls and one dude. A change I'll gladly embrace. Wether or not this ends up being our only son, I can't wait wait to meet him in March!

November Favorites & Secret Sneak Peek Announcement!

2014-12-01T13:11:00.002-05:00

Hi there, Beauty!

Today is the first day of December, and you know what that means! Time for a new monthly favorites video - November Edition! What are some things or experiences you were grateful to have be a part of your November?

Secret Sneak Peek Announcement!

Please don't forget to subscribe to this Youtube channel or you might miss my Pregnancy Vlogmas series starting tonight! Yes, you read that correctly, I am expecting a little one in March! Here is a quick cell phone picture from our first ultrasound at 13 weeks:

Love you all, thanks for being a part of the Brunette Beauty family!

EOTD

2014-11-24T06:40:00.000-05:00

Hey beauties! I have an eye of the day for you. Don't you just love fall colors for hazel/brown eyes?

Products Used:
Nyx Eyebrow Cake Poder in "Taupe/Ash"
Urban Decay Eyeshadow in "Trick" from Naked3 pallet
Tarte Eyeshadow in "Plum Away with Me" "Champagne" and "Up to no Gold" and used blush "unleashed" as eyeshadow all from the Rainforest After Dark Pallet.
Almay Get up and Grow Mascara.

Until next time, stay gorgeous!

How to Make Your Brushes Last Longer

2014-11-21T06:30:00.000-05:00

Hello Beauties! I have a video for you today on some tips and tricks to getting the full life out of all your makeup brushes. Have you ever wondered if there was a way to prolong the life or a special way to care for your brushes? Today I bust some of the myths that have been costing you money and damaging your brushes. If you have any other ideas I didn't mention, please leave them in the comment section on here or on youtube so other can know too!

Please try to enjoy this video I made while I was still recovering from a cold.

Thanks so much for all my loyal followers. I love you all! Remember to stay confidant and you can't help but to stay beautiful :)

Tarte Rainforest After Dark Palette Review!

2014-11-12T06:30:00.000-05:00

Hello gorgeous friends! As you may have heard, Tarte has a beautiful limited edition palette for fall 2014 that includes 6 eyeshadows, a matte rosey blush, matte bronzer/contour, and a shimmery champagne highlight. As captivating as the packaging and products themselves appear, I must honestly say that it took me a good long while of playing to figure out how to get a nice eyeshadow look. That may be in part to this being my first Tarte purchase.

FACE

I'm amazed at the quality of the blush, bronzer and highlight and fell in love at first sight. This soft rose blush was the kind of shade that was missing from my collection, so I was excited it was a part of this pallet. The bronze is a PERFECT matte contour shade for pale/cool-toned skin or anyone looking for a nice fall appropriate bronzer. The highlight, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THIS HIGHLIGHT. Oh goodness gracious, it's a perfect sheen of champagne and gold without the chunky glitter or sparkles. Never have I seen a more elegant highlight in the gold spectrum.

SHADOWS

I will say that the shadows are not all very pigmented or bold, but they can be built up nicely. The purple is gorgeous in the pan but looks completely different once applied. The shimmer isn't very apparent and the shade hones in on a more cranberry color than plum. The gold is basically a perfect definition of a gold foil shadow, and the dark and light brown are staple basic neutrals for any look. The dusty pale rose and grey-ish lavender were the trickiest to get to show up on my pale skin, and I'm convinced that these shades are intended to be worn sheer.

PACKAGING

It's glamorous in a very dark and mature style. It truly feels like a luxury item - solid, giant mirror, and very unique large, round packaging. I just adore the dark wood, that doesn't feel ridiculously fake or cheesy at all. Somehow this gold foiled snake emblem on the front of this oversized compact makes me feel a sense of power and importance.

OVERALL

I'm really digging this palette, and I'm glad that it released in time for me to get it for my anniversary (August). Although only the face products get daily use, I was very pleased at the chance to try out this brands face and shadow products for a low price together.

Fall DIY Home Decorations

2014-11-02T13:40:00.000-05:00

I hope you are all enjoying pumpkin spiced lattes, busting out the scarves and sweaters and baking homemade apple pies! To get myself in the autumn spirit I did a bit of home decor DIY projects. My plan was to minimize the amount of brown, cream, khaki and tan that has infested our belongings with especially our collection of take-it-because-it's-free-furniture we have accumulated throughout the years most of being in college. So when thinking about Fall decorations I realized I needed to go with purples instead of the surplus of neutrals that have already taken over my home.

Fall DIY Decorations

For light colors I tried to stick with very pale creams and for my darks I went for juicy purples. I had some time to put together about 4 of these bouquets for a touch of fall colors around the kitchen, dining room, and living room.

At some point along the way in our home projects we all lose steam. Sitting on the couch one day, drinking cinnamon apple tea, I decided that all my living room needed was a splash of color on the shelves. No detailed fall paintings or preserved leaves, just colors. I put my unfinished paintings up on the wall for display, and I have to tell you – I love the unfinished look. It's very "impressionist movement gone minimal." Anyone can paint a canvas a solid color, or a streaky monotone shade. SO EASY. Let me know if you tried it!

And with the leftovers I was able to create a nice indoor wreath for our apartment door and patio door.

How do you decorate for fall?

October Favorites

2014-10-30T11:15:00.002-04:00

Hey there beauties! Today I have a video for you! All the beauty products that I've been loving for October.

My camera was just a touch out of focus during this video - such a short depth of field! But I posted it anyways because It's not that distracting.

Makeup Monday Linky Party & FOTD

2014-10-27T11:04:00.004-04:00

Hey there, beauty! I've got a FOTD / MOTD for you. I'm loving these Fall faces, don't you?

Today I'm attending a link party at Agape Love's wonderful blog. Please head on over and explore all the cool beauty bloggers that have participated, you never know who you'll find!

To join the party click here –>

Is it just me or am I not the only one who has one angry eyebrow all the time?

Until next time, my beauties

Makeup Storage & Organization

2014-10-26T11:12:00.000-04:00

Hey there Gorgeous! Today I'm letting you all have a sneak peek at my makeup vanity table! See how my makeup is organized and stored this year! I hope this inspires you and helps you come up with some creative ideas.

Click to watch from youtube!

Where I bought my vanity table

My fold-away vanity desk was purchased from the Target website about 4 years ago. I just checked online and it looks like right now they don't carry it. :( First I bought this one that comes with a black and white patterned stool that they cary now, and I broke it at the hinge the very first week, so we exchanged it for this nicer one. Below I have linked soem similar ones!