Oooh Baby I Like it Raaaaaaaaw

Hey y'all, it's been way too long since I've updated my blog!  I lost my camera charger and it took me about a month to just say screw it and buy a new camera all together...and then I've just been slacking!  But enough with the excuses -- I have a new obsession and her name is Kombucha. 

Kombucha is a type of fermented tea.  It apparently detoxes your liver, supresses your appetite, helps with your skin, increases your metabolism, is anti-aging, helps with digestion, basically puts your body back in balance and has even been used to treat cancer! I tried green tea mixed with kombucha back in the winter and it was okay, but after many recommendations to try this kind, (a raw, organic brand, called GT) I'm totally hooked. Because the tea is fermented, it has a very small amount of alcohol in it, and sort of tastes like a wine cooler.  It's carbonated, healthy goodness.  I have definitely noticed an increase in energy and a decrease in my appetite.  And, because it's good for me, I'm all over it -- it's not often you find a healthy addiction!

This brand has two kinds of kombucha -- one, the Synergy kind, is 95% of the good stuff and 5% fruit juice, as shown in Gingerberry here --

And they also have their regular organic kind, which has no added juice to my knowledge...I've had both of them and I can feel a little bit more of a kick to the regular, non-juice kind, but I love them equally!  They're both super tasty and make me feel great.  My body is super sensitive to caffiene -- so anything that gives me energy and doesn't make me feel sick afterwards is amazing. 

Another thing that's fun about this drink is that you can actually see little strands or blobs of the "culture"  in your drink -- this is common only in the raw stuff, and apparently this is where all of the "good for you" stuff hangs out.

I've had so much fun grossing people out by showing the bottle to them and seeing the horrified looks and exclamations that occur -- "UMMM what is that?? Did someone spit in your drink?!"  That comedy is worth the price of the tea alone!

So now that you've met my new addiction, I suggest you go out and try some for yourself.  And don't blame me when you're pacing around, waiting for Whole Foods to open, waiting to get your fix! ;) 

Before and After -- Melody

My good friend Melody, recently tied the knot with her sweetie in January.  I did double duty at her ceremony, as a bridesmaid and as her makeup artist.  It was so fun to do her makeup; she's naturally gorgeous, and she rarely wears makeup, other than eyeliner.  I was excited to glam her up and make her feel like a princess on her big day.  Her photographer, Amy Jeanchaiyaphum, took amazing pictures of Melody throughout the day and was kind enough to let me use her images on my blog. 

Here's a quick picture of the bride without makeup (there weren't any pictures of her before on her actual wedding day, so this one will have to do!)

And after

Credit: A. Jeanchaiyaphum 2010 www.eyelovephoto.com

Look of the Day

When it comes to makeup, I'm always learning new things.  One of the things that has helped me to get better, is taking pictures of my "looks".  I like to see my technique and to focus on any mistakes I've made.  It helps me to be more aware of  mistakes I can avoid in the future.  Here's a look I did yesterday:

Not that most people's makeup will be absolutely perfect on a daily basis, but I tend to make the same mistakes (like not blending my eyeshadow out evenly, and getting my false lash crooked, as you'll see above).  This might sound super nit-picky to some, and most of you might have not even noticed those inconsistencies, but it has really helped me over the years to really analyze what I've done and look for improvements.  So if you're looking to improve your skills, taking a picture is an easy way to see if there's anything you might need to work on!

Brows -- Rachel Weisz

So, it's been forever and a day since I've posted anything, sorry about that! I've definitely been inspired by things, I guess I just haven't had the follow through to share them with you. I hope to kick my laziness in the behind and keep up with my blogs from here on out!

Anyway, this has been another celebrity brow change that has been in my mind for YEARS.  Anyone remember the movie The Mummy?  I loved this movie back in the day and I remember thinking Rachel Weisz was so beautiful!  Flash forward a couple of years -- I remember seeing her, thinking, "hmm, she looks familiar....", and when someone informed me that indeed, that was Miss Evelyn from The Mummy - I realized she looked a bit off to me, and what do you know, it was her brows!  In The Mummy, her brows are super thin, much like a Jean Harlow/Marlena Dietrich look; and now she sports full, thick brows, making for a completely different appearance. 

The Mummy was recently on TV, reminding me of my long standing obsession with this woman's brows. 

As I was looking up pictures of her, I saw a lot of pictures of her with quite a few different shapes.  It's like Goldilocks and The Three Bears -- here we have too thin, too thick and just right!  See for yourself!

Lash Control

Ah, mascara, how I love thee.  Just when I thought I'd tried everything under the mascara sun; out comes Lash Control.  The concept behind this product, is that you actually squeeze a flexible "wiper" in the middle of the tube, while you're taking the mascara wand out, and it takes off all of the excess product!  So now you don't have to scrape the mascara wand against the side of the tube, or use a kleenex to take off the clumpy, unwanted overflow anymore.  Not only is this much cleaner, it's going to save you time AND you won't be as wasteful with your mascara - genius!  Even the Lash Control website says, "think about it for a second - this makes sense."  And truly, it does.  I can't wait to try it!

Images courtesy of:  lashcontrol.com

What's That White Powder On Your Face??

This has been all over the internet, so I'm sure this isn't totally new to anyone, but I had to share.  This is why you should always do a final check before you leave the house - especially if you just happen to be leaving  for your big movie premiere in New York!  Looks like someone's makeup artist forgot to brush off the excess loose powder on Nicole Kidman's face. Such a shame, Nicole's skin always looks flawless!  Next time darling, next time....

The Dark Side

Winter has most definitely arrived full force here in Minnesota, and this year I decided to switch it up a little bit and take my blonde hair back to its roots.  My hair is now a light brown with some highlights, and I love it!  It's so nice to do something different, and my hairstylist did such a great job getting the right shade that it  warms my skin up nicely. My pale self can use all the help I can get in that area! ;)

A few people have been asking me if I've felt the need to do my makeup differently with the darker hair color.  I almost feel as though I can get away with wearing less makeup, because of the added contrast between my skin and my hair color, but one thing that I especially love about having darker hair is how much it makes my eyes stand out. I've been having fun playing that up, and a good tip for making them really pop, is to think back to your art classes - whichever color is opposite on the color wheel will enhance them the most.  My eyes are a blue/green/gray mix, so I like to stick to oranges or even venture into the red/purple areas for something fun.  I did a purple smokey eye in the above picture and I think it turned out rather nicely!  :) 

Image courtesy of realcolorwheel.com