Glow All Year Round: Tips, Tricks, and a DIY {ft. ALOHA}~!

Hey Guys~!

We all like having a nice, healthy glow to our skin. I used to have a problem with my skin looking dull, but through a lot of trial and error, I have developed a few tips and tricks to achieve a natural glow. Today, with help from ALOHA, I'll be sharing those tips as well as a DIY with you guys. So let's start~~!

Picture Day Tips~!

Hey Guys~!

For a lot of things in life, school ID, driver's licences, passports, etc, we need pictures taken. Today I'll be sharing some makeup and fashion tips to help you take the best picture possible. There won't be anything here about angles or lighting, because sometimes you have to take pictures head on. So let's start~~!

Makeup Tip #1: Don't Use Any Foundation or Powder with SPF 20 or Higher

This will cause your face to appear lighter than the rest of your body. It will look like your face doesn't belong to your body, and if you're pale like me you will look like a ghost. Instead, use something with either no SPF or low SPF, that way your face won't reflect light and look too light.

Florida Vacation Haul~!

Hey Guys~!

Recently I came back from my vacation to Florida and of course I did a lot of shopping.

So I thought I'd show you guys what I got. If you want a full review on anything, please leave me a comment telling me which item or items you want to know more about. I went to Ulta, Forever21, Tjmaxx, and a Flea Market while I was there, so let's start~~!

♣ ♤ ♥♠ Makeup ♣ ♤ ♥♠

In Ulta, I saw a lot of NYX products. I'd never tried the brand before so I purchased a lot of products from them. First one was this NYX Concealer in the shade #01 Porcelain. It's a creamy concealer and feels very light weight on the skin. 

The next product from NYX I got was the NYX Wonder Pencil in #01 Light. Basically it's a multipurpose pencil that can be used as an eye brightener, a concealer, and a reverse lip liner. I really like it so far, but I've only used it as an eye brightener so far. 

I'd heard a lot of good things about the next NYX product I bought, so I'm really excited to try it. It is the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in the shade Milk. It's a white eyeshadow stick, but I'll probably use it to line my waterline for cosplay makeup. 

The last NYX item, but certainly not the last makeup item, I got was the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in the shade Antwerp. It's a natural reddish pink color and it smells really sweet, like candy. I really want to try more shades of this product.

Also at Ulta I got a product, not from NYX, that I've really wanted to try. It is the Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray. I got the 1.0 fl oz sized bottle, but there are larger sizes. It's a spray that you can apply before or after your makeup to keep it lasting longer.

The mascara I brought with me was mostly empty, so I decided to buy a new mascara to try. It is the Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara and I got the waterproof formula. I like it so far and I now want to try layering it with other mascaras to get thicker looking lashes.

The last beauty item I got was this mini Wet Brush. I got a purple one cause it was the only color they had it in, besides this gross shade of green. I like that it doesn't rip out my hair, like some other brushes do.

♣ ♤ ♥♠ Fashion + Accessories ♣ ♤ ♥♠

I kind of went dress crazy while I was in Florida, almost all the clothes I bought were dresses. The one non dress thing I bought was this navy cardigan from Forever21. It's just a basic cardigan. I got it for layering as a transitional piece from winter to spring, also it isn't a bold color like all my other cardigans. 

Like I said, I got a lot of dresses. The first one I got was from Forever21 and it's this little black dress. It is made of a stretchy cotton, which feels really soft. I like that it can either be casual or dressy depending on what I wear with it.

The other dress I got from Forever21 is this cute floral dress. I love wearing floral in the spring, and this dress is perfect. It is a white dress with red and fuchsia roses with black stems and leaves. I really like how it fits me and I can't wait to wear it.

This next dress I got at Tjmaxx. It is a red dress with black detailing. I really like the cut out in the back and the fit of the dress. It's very flattering and I really like it.

Front                                                Back

The last dress I got is this one, also from Tjmaxx. It is this edgy black dress with faint yellow roses. The neckline has this cool netting with studs along it. Also it has a petticoat built in, making it nice and puffy. I do have to alter it slightly since it doesn't fit perfectly.

The only accessory I got was this ring from Forever21. It is a pair of angel wings with little fake diamonds in them. I'm obsessed with this ring and have been wearing it constantly. 

♣ ♤ ♥♠ Perfume ♣ ♤ ♥♠

Okay, so this is something I've wanted to buy for years. Part of the name has something important in it to me and having this makes me remember how happy it made me. Alright so what this thing is is the Lolita Lempicka Eau de Parfum Spray.

The bottle is absolutely gorgeous and it has a nice light licorice scent. It does contain other scents in it too, and all of them smell nicely together. I got it in a flea market and the lady who I purchases it from gave me a great deal on it, which made me really happy. 

So that was everything I got in Florida. Please leave me a comment telling me what product(s) you want a review on. I'll see you guys at my next post.

xo

Alyss

What's in my Travel Makeup Bag~!

Hey Guys~!

Right now I'm in Florida for February vacation. I'm really happy cause it'll be so nice and warm here ☀ I'm just sick of all the snow I've gotten where I live ❆ So for today I'll be showing you what I took with me in my makeup bag, plus a little review on each of the products. So let's start~~!

Here's the bag I took. It's a medium sized green bag. I don't know what brand it's by since I got it at a local store. The inside is a black material that reminds me of a rain jacket. Also I added this cute little charm along the zipper just cause I felt like it.

Alright so let's jump inside~~!

First thing I brought with me is my travel brush roll. I'm not sure which brand it is, but there are many different brush rolls available.

This one has seven brushes; an angled blush brush, a foundation brush, an angled liner brush, a flat concealer brush / eyeshadow brush, a sponge applicator, a lip brush, and a lash/brow comb. A lot of these brushes have multiple uses, making them all useful to have. Also they're all really soft.

Onto actual makeup~~!

I brought my Skin79 Super+ B.B. Cream. It has SPF 25 so it will protect my skin from the harsh sun and it gives my skin a natural dewy finish.

I forgot to pack a concealer so I'll probably buy one here in Florida.

For powder I brought my L'Oreal True Match Powder. It has light coverage and it keeps me matte. Also it has a mirror built into it.

I brought one blush and it is the ELF Studio Blush in Candid Coral. It's a peachy coral blush with gold shimmer. It looks really nice and warms up my complexion.

For all my eyeshadow needs I brought my Naked Palette from Urban Decay. It has a huge variety of colors and finishes, making it very versatile.

I brought two eye liners with me, both are from Rimmel. They are the Rimmel Scandaleyes liners, which I love cause they're waterproof. I brought a black one and a nude one since they're both versatile when creating Day and Night looks.

The mascara I took with me is the Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara. I brought the waterproof formula so it doesn't melt off me in the heat. It can look natural, but it can be built up in volume to look more dramatic. Also the gel formula doesn't make my lashes feel heavy. 

Because I get chapped lips easily I decided to bring one of my favorite lip balms. It's the Carmex lip balm. I don't know what to really say about this cause it is a basic lip balm, but it does heal/moisturize my lips really well.

I wanted a variety of lip colors with me. First one is the Almay Liquid Lip Balm in Blooming. It's a natural pink color and it gives my lips a natural glossy look. Also it smells like candy.

The second lip product I brought with me is the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous. It's an orange but when applied lightly it gives my lips a coral color, which I really like. It's moisturizing and sometimes I do like having a bright lip color so this is great. 

The last lip product I brought with me is the Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in Big Bang. It's a bright red and I'm bringing this in case I have a special occasion to attend and cause I kind of like red lips on me now.

So that was everything in my makeup bag~~!

Leave me a comment if you enjoyed this and tell me what some of your travel essential beauty products are. I'll see you at my next post.

xo

Alyss

Things to Do when You're Single on Valentine's Day~!

Hey Guys~!

So I don't know about you, but I know that I'll be single this Valentine's Day. However that's not a bad thing. You have an excuse to do anything for yourself now and you don't need someone else to make you happy. So I'll be sharing some ideas of things you can do for yourself on Valentine's Day. Let's start~~!

•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥

 Spoil Yourself

  

You don't need your significant other to do things for you. If there's a purse you want, go buy it. You haven't had a manicure in months, go get one. You want some chocolate, buy yourself a box. Do whatever will make you happy, just try not to go broke. 

 •♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥

 At Home Spa

              

Who doesn't enjoy a bit of pampering? Love yourself by trying a new facial or paint your nails. Anything works as long as you relax and feel great about yourself. 

•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥

 Spend Time with your Celebrity Crush

You have a favorite actor or actress? Rent out a ton of movies they star in and make your own cinema / movie date. Get all the popcorn, candy and soda you can find and treat yourself with some eye-candy. 

•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥•♥

Hang out with your Friends

Spending time with your friends is a great thing to do. You'll cheer each other up and you don't have to worry about looking nice for them. You can do just about anything with your friends; see a movie, go shopping, etc. 

So those were some suggestions for things you can do on Valentine's Day. I'll be spending my Valentine's Day alone on a plane so that'll be fun ;_; See you guys at my next post.

xo

Alyss

Common White Girl Tag~!

Hey Guys~!

My friend has wanted me to do this tag for a while now. I've always thought this tag was kind of stupid, but it's a three day weekend and I have nothing to do {except study for exams ;_;} so . . . yeah I'm just going to start~~!

Favorite Starbucks drink? 

I don't like coffee, so I'll say Strawberries and Cream Frappucino with whipped cream on top. I get it any time I go to Starbucks even if it's winter. I just love strawberries ♡❤♡

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? 

It depends on what I'm doing that day. If I'm going to school maybe 20-30 minutes.
 
How many selfies do you take on a daily basis? 

None~~! My phone can't take selfies

How many IG followers and pics do you have? 

Zero and Zero. I don't have an Instagram and I don't really want one

Do you ever say "LOL" or "OMG" out loud?

No. . . who says 'LOL' out loud~? 〈(゜。゜)
 
Do you wear the same clothing item more than once?

Yes. I have six or seven over-sized sweaters and I wear them constantly. 

Are you racist? 

No
 
How many tweets do you have?

Ten. . . I haven't used twitter in months, but if you guys follow me I might get back into it
{Click here to go to my account} 
 
Instagram, Twitter, or Tumblr?

YouTube~!
 
What do you spend most of your time doing?

Either doing art{drawing, painting, sewing, etc.} or homework

 
 


Who are your favorite YouTubers?

If we're talking about beauty gurus some of my favorites are: Michelle Phan, KlairedelysArt, and Bubzbeauty

If we're talking in general some of my favorites are: albinwonderland, TheMostPopularGirls, ShadowACS, iiSuperwomanii, and BanzaiPro 
 
How often do you do your nails?

Two or three times a week, it depends on how much work I have to do
 
Are you a shopaholic?

. . . yes . . . 


How many times have you watched Mean Girls?

Five or six times, I'm not sure
 
Do you own a lot of clothes?

I have a good amount of clothes, most of it I don't wear anymore and I need to donate it
 
Do you take pictures of your food before you eat it?

No. . . that's kind of weird (◎-◎；)
 
Do you wear makeup everyday?

No, I wear it to school, but not on the weekend
 
 




What are your average grades in school?

A's and B's
 
How do you usually style your hair?

I just leave my hair natural, I'm too lazy to fix it up
 
Do you always look presentable?

No~! If I'm just hanging with friends, I'm a mess. 

So those were all the questions. I'm not going to tag anyone to do this, but feel free to answer these questions either in the comments or on your own blog. Link it here and I'll check it out. I hope you guys enjoyed this and I'll see you at my next post.

xo

Alyss 

☆★2014 New Year's Resolutions★☆

Hey Guys~!

Now that 2014 is here, I'm going to once again try to make new years resolutions. 2013 had its ups and downs, and 2014 hasn't been too nice to me right now. But I'm hoping it'll get better. And maybe I'll actually keep my resolutions this year ヽ(゜∇゜)ノ

I just thought this looked cute, it has nothing to do with this post *:･ﾟ✧

 ★ Do better in school

 ☆ Go to at least 2 Anime/Comic conventions

★ Work more on my blog and get 50 followers

☆ Lose weight

★ Do more drawing and painting

☆ Finish writing my book

So those were my new year's resolutions. Comment telling me what some of your resolutions are. See you at my next post~~!

xo

Alyss