My coming out story

In honor of national coming out day.. I decided to share with all of you.. my coming out story. 

Growing up in an Italian Catholic conservative family, there were certain things that you just did to make your family happy. It was an assumed thing that I would marry a nice boy, move out of the house, have babies, and live a perfect little life with my husband. I tried that. I tried really hard. And it just didn’t work. Everyday it just was a struggle, and I slowly just became closed off and felt so uncomfortable in my own house, that I would find reasons to never be home.  As nice as a guy as he was, and as much as my family didn’t know or couldn’t  understand what I was going through and tried to “help me” fix my unhappiness, they just couldn’t. I would cry at night and hope that I’d wake up feeling better the next morning. That was my reality. 

One day I decided I was tired, I was tired of living a lie, I was tired of pretending to be somebody and something I was not. Seeing (my now wife) Jen live her truth everyday without reservation was so clear to me that that’s what I wanted. I wanted to be me. Be happy. Be authentic. I’ve always been very lucky to like people for people, not for their gender, it never mattered to me. But as I got older, and  had more adult interactions with people,  I realized that my scale tipped more one direction, so severely, that I couldn’t deny it anymore. 

So one day, after many many months of preparing for this, talking to friends, asking for advice, crying, going through every scenario in my head I could come up with as to how this would all go, I crawled into my Moms bed while she was still sleeping, bawling my eyes out, I finally choked out the words “I’m gay”. 

I didn’t know how she was going to react, (although I knew she loved me unconditionally) I didn’t even know how I would feel about saying those words out loud, and yet it was freeing. She told me to stop crying, it was ok, and gave me a big hug. While she wasn’t exactly thrilled that I waited so long to tell her, as any mother would be, she told me she loved me and she was here for me. My Dad, and my Brothers the same. Even when I told my then husband, he was supportive as well. 

I’m so lucky. 

I’m so lucky to have such a supportive family, and friends that love me unconditionally. 

I’m not going to lie and say it was an easy transition because it wasn’t. Not everyone along the way is going to be supportive. There are still some very close minded people who will try to bring you down, especially in the scary world we live in today. I’ve had people tell me I’m a “waste to men” and that “something went wrong somewhere along the line” and many other things. It still hurts, but you have to remind yourself that you’re living for YOU not other people. 

I’m not perfect in any stretch of the imagination, but I’m perfectly me. And that’s all that matters. 🏳️‍🌈

Mom on the go!

Hi everyone! Sorry I've been gone for so long, so many new and exciting things have been happening, which brings me to the topic of this post! I'M A MOMMY! I was blessed with a beautiful 8 lb 1 oz baby girl early July and couldn't be happier :) Isn't she cute??

 

 

As most of you know, and definitely if you're a Mom yourself, it's nearly impossible to get yourself ready and out of the house, with a newborn or baby at home that needs attention. Or, if you do, chances are you probably look like you've been run over by a bus. A very small , crying, up all night bus! I can very much relate to that, and honestly most of the time don't really mind, but sometimes you just want to feel a little normal! Well over the last 5 weeks I have compiled a list of quick, easy fixes to looking and feeling somewhat normal when you only have 5 minutes to yourself before running out the door!

 

1. Nothing says healthy glow like a good tan

 

I know when I first come back from a warm vacation, skin nice and tan with that just bronzed glow, I go sans makeup for days! You have this natural shine to your skin that makeup most of the time isn't even necessary! The fastest, safest, product out there is St Tropez tanner from Sephora. It gives you the most natural looking tan and is safe. The main tanning agent they use is dihydroxyacetone, which has no known toxicity, and isn't absorbed into your blood stream. Meaning, it is safe to use if you are breastfeeding! ( I wouldn't recommend using on your chest if you are feeding as well just to be safe) Before you go to bed at night, apply a thin layer using the glove provided on face and neck, and let sit overnight. In the morning just wash your face and neck and you're good to go! www.sttropeztan.com

 

2. Easy updo's

 

We all know that getting out of the house with a perfectly done hairdo, or even a shower for that matter is hard to come by.  That's why this tailored pony is perfect for those who want to look like they spent the time doing their hair, but actually only took them about 5 minutes to do! ( And bonus, actually works better with dirty hair!)

 

First, take the top layer of your hair and separate it from the rest of your hair pulling it forward. Spray a thin layer of hairspray and let set for 1 min. Using a comb back tease your roots until full. Then pull the rest of your hair up around it into a pony and secure! Using the comb fix a few loose pieces, and pull down any little wispy pieces you like to add a little texture and spray! There you have it! It really is that simple!

 

 

 

3. Bronzer and Mascara

 

Last but not least, if you have no time to do step 1 or 2, but you still don't want to look like the walking dead, mascara and bronzer will be your best friend! Find a bronzer that doesn't have shimmer in it or you will just look unfinished. My favorite is Bare Minerals matte bronzer in deep end. It will give you a nice glow on your cheeks without that heavy bronzed look. Then finish with a few coats of a lengthening mascara such as They're Real by benefit. These two items will give you an awake look, without actually being awake haha.

    

www.bareminerals.com   www.benefitcosmetics.com

 

 

There you have it! These are my 3 favorite tricks to getting out of the house quickly, without looking completely exhausted!

 

Thanks for coming back! Keep those ideas coming on what you would like me to blog about, and I'll be sure to get to all of them!

 

Stay beautiful ladies :)

 

 

 

 

Would I advise those dark set eyes??

So I am asked pretty regularly how a smokey eye is done, and if it needs to be as dark as some of the current stars like to wear it. The answer to that question is simple.

 <===== No!

No not everyone needs to wear a a raccoon dark eye a la Taylor Momsen. It's overdone and almost nobody looks good using an extra thick sharpie as their eyeliner. There are so many ways to rock a liner and smokey eye without getting into that territory!

1. Use a liquid pen.
    When using a liquid liner or a pencil, it is easy to go a little overboard. We all have a hard time keeping a steady hand, myself included, so we end up over-lining and then you end up with three times the line than you actually need. My favorite that I have spoken about before is Kat Von D tattoo eyeliner. It has a nice long pen handle and a dainty tip, making it easy to approach the area with a steady hand. Sweep quickly across the top of your lid, slightly pulling out and upward, and you have yourself an easy cat eye!

2. Choose a color instead of black
   Girls have a tendency to think a smokey eye has to be done with dark blacks but that couldn't be farther from the truth. The definition of a smokey eye is a crease smudged lid that accentuates your eye, while also pulling in a lighter color in the corner to add drama to your look. This can be done with browns, purples, greens, blues, and everything in between! Use the darkest color in your crease in a sideways V shape, then your light color swept across the lid pulled to the corner and there you have it. I would recommend browns staying with greens and purples, and blues staying with more grey's and peaches to avoid a multicolored lid.

3. Tight filling
  A lot of the time the clients that I have, will ask me for a natural look. They don't wear eyeliner, they don't want a smokey eye, but they want the accentuated eye look still. Tight filling is the best way to achieve this look! It may seem a little tricky but once you get the hang of it, it will be easy! Lift your lash line upward and apply the liner UNDER the lid closest to the lashes. It will give the appearance of darker lashes, without having to have an actual thick line! This is perfect for a daily look as well.

So ladies, whenever you have that urge to try something different with your eyes, but your scared that you are going to look overdone, or don't know how to achieve that perfect smoke you've been looking for, just remember these 3 easy tips and you will be on your way to look you always wanted! :)


Please comment and like below for more blogs just like this! 
   

Girl.. you got lashes for days!

So let me start off by break down my usual Facebook usage. I sign on, take a scroll through to see what everyone is up to, skim past the hundreds of  "you HAVE to try my product" posts, throw up a fun status, and then call it a day. I've never taken much interest into all of the products people on Facebook claim to be the next "big thing", and I never felt like I really ever wanted to try anything.
Until now...

Today's review and blog post is brought to you by the lovely Lauren Davis and her fiber lashes from Younique! I have seen a few friends posting about these new "magic lashes"and how you can throw away the falsies, and just use these. I was skeptical to say the least, however the more pictures people posted, the more it intrigued me. I'm always looking for a nice, easier way to lengthen clients lashes, and I've become quite the "falsies" pro on what works and what doesn't. But a lot of brides are skeptical on wearing false eyelashes, in fear of looking too "overdone". Well girls, i'm telling you right now as a makeup artist who has tried every lengthening mascara out there, I HAVE FOUND IT. Thanks to the kindness in Lauren, who sent me this product to try, (I think she knew I would love it..;) I now can bring you this blog post on the best lengthening mascara I have ever worn!

Younique Fiber Lashes

When I opened up the package it looked like I had been sent a pair of sunglasses! The mascara comes in this heavy duty, very cute little container to hold them together, and an instructions manual. The instructions were so easy to read and follow, any makeup experience levels could follow the steps. The first step tells you to apply a first coat of you favorite mascara. I tried this step the first time I tried them on myself, and I have to be honest, unless there is a reason for doing this in particular, I don't think you need it! When I tried it the second time without a first coat of generic mascara, I felt it actually clumped less! (Trying both and seeing what works for you is always your best bet)

The next step is to apply the transplanting gel. (The longer tube) This I noticed you have to be very careful with because it is such a dark black, and stays wet a little longer than normal mascaras so you can attach the fibers,so it will get on your skin easier, so just be careful. Use this step the same way you would with normal mascara, but be prepared with the fibers tube open so you can apply them immediately before it dries. ( Do each eye individually as well, so you can apply the fibers before it dries too)

The next step is to attach the fibers. This part threw me off a little at first. I wasn't expecting what I saw when I opened the tube! It looks like small little feathers on a mascara wand! We joked that it couldn't be organic the way it looked, but to our delight they are made of Green Tea Leafs! You don't get much more organic than that!  I worried that these would clump and look a little spider eye when applied, but totally the opposite. You are applying these fibers directly to the areas that you think need lengthening. So if you prefer your outer lashes to be longer, then just apply there. If you like full, long lashes then apply all over! Be sure there isn't a ton of clumping by not applying the way you would a normal mascara coat, and apply more with the wand pointed downward. That's the way I found it the easiest to apply evenly. 

Then the last step is to coat with one more layer of the transplanting gel. This will set the fibers and turn them into the lashes that will be sky high when you are done! I like to do 2 applications of fibers for the longest lashes possible, but you can do as many as you see fit!

I of course have to not only try this on myself, but also on my lovely wife who doesn't really wear a lot of makeup. I needed to see how much they lengthen shorter lashes than my own, for an extra opinion and boy was I impressed! 

This picture was taken immediately after the lashes were applied, before combing out for even less clumping. (I'm a perfectionist, they don't need to be fully brushed out, just look a little nicer after) I couldn't believe how long they looked! I was sold at that moment. I then went on to try on my Mom, and my Sister in Law and both looked amazing as well! 

Lauren also was nice enough to send me some samples of eye pigments that I haven't had a chance to try yet, so I will be posting about those soon! Please contact Lauren Davis for Younique and let her set you up with these amazing lashes and some today! You won't be disappointed! :)

Lauren Davis

www.lashesbylolo.com 

www.facebook.com/lauren.davis.18488

Arbonne Skincare review!

Hi Everyone! I'm back! I'm so sorry it has been so long since my last post, but between it being wedding season, and my own wedding in May, I have just been so busy! But now that wedding season is slowing down, and I am a married lady, I can get back to beauty blogging!

Today's post is based on a recent interaction I had with the lovely Jolene, an Arbonne Representative that I met at a local Vendor Fair back in April! I was just checking things out, walking around with my Mother and Nephew, not particularly looking for anything, when I came upon Jolene at her booth. Anytime I see makeup or skin care I stop to peak, so that's just what I did! Well, to my delight, not only did I stumble upon a wonderful product, but a very knowledgeable, kind young woman. We began talking about the products, and I was very interested based on the information I was given, so when I mentioned that I was a makeup artist and beauty blogger, Jolene was wonderful enough to give me a sample kit of the whole RE9 Advanced Skin care line!

I went home and started the am/pm routine immediately,  and I was very impressed! The products all smell of citrus, and go on so smoothly. You only need a small amount of each so I was lucky enough to be able to stretch the whole line out past my wedding day! My skin had never felt better, and continues to feel wonderful even after a few months have passed! The trial line consisted of the Intensive renewal serum, Restorative day crème, Night repair crème, Smoothing facial cleanser, Regenerating Toner, and the Corrective eye crème.
To be a little more specific, Here's the break down on how I felt about each individually!

1. Smoothing Facial Cleanser

 

I noticed right away that this wasn't a typical facial cleanser, as it did not lather. I normally don't feel like my skin is really being "cleaned" when there isn't a bubbling affect from my face wash, but I never felt that way with this product. You don't need very much, and it gives you that clean feeling without the "soapy" residue. The only thing I noticed about this product for me, is that I needed to pair with a tougher cleanser for my eye makeup, but that wasn't something that I would consider an "issue" with the product, its just a more gentle cleanser, which I like more than rough grainy face washes anyway. On it's own this full sized product will run you $40.

 

 

2.  Regenerating Toner

 

 

When I spoke with Jolene, she mentioned to me to be careful with the toner, because it's liquid and will come out very fast, when you only need a small amount. She was correct! The first time I opened this bottle, I poured out way more than necessary, so it kind of cut my trial of the product down, but it was not an issue! This toner worked so fast at minimizing my pores, and smoothing out my skin that the few weeks I got to use this product was well worth it! This product is meant to be smoothed over your entire face and neck after using the cleanser, to be sure it gets into your pores before any other products do. I would highly recommend this toner, for its smooth, non alcohol based liquid like most toners tend to be. My face didn't feel overly dry after using, and it minimized the size of my pores very quickly. Product on it's own $35

 

 

3. Intensive Renewal Serum

 



 

This serum you apply immediately following the toner, and is meant to renew the condition of your skin. When I applied this to my face, I immediately felt a cool, smoothing feeling across my whole face. It almost had a menthol type feeling on my face the way it felt cold and soft across my cheeks and nose. You only need a small amount of this product as well, and it spreads out so evenly you will notice you use less and less every day. This product helped me a lot with my dry skin on and around my nose that has been an issue for me, so this is a thumbs up product in my book! Product on it's own $58.

 

 

4. Corrective Eye Crème

 

 

 This product I REALLY liked a lot. I have always had an issue with deep circles in the corners of my eyes and this product helped A LOT. You apply this with your ring finger all under your eyes and on top of your lids. You don't need very much of this either, so it will last you quite a while. If you have fine lines, or deep circles under your eyes I highly recommend this product.

(That being said, I'm a younger woman, so I don't know how well the product works on older eyes, so I would love anyone who uses this product over the age of 50+ to please comment below with your opinions as well!)

Product on it's own $55.

 

5. Restorative Day Crème

 

 

The Day Crème I can honestly say is probably my favorite piece of this skin care line. It is so hydrating, smells delicious of oranges and lemons, and keeps my skin feeling soft all day. You also need so little, and goes on so smooth. There were days that I would just wear this and call it a day! After only a few days of using this, my skin felt younger, smoother, my break outs were minimized, and my wife loved smelling my face after applying! If you are going to pick just one piece of this set, I highly recommend this being the one! Product on it's own $50.

 

 

6. Night Repair Crème

 

A lot of a the time after washing our faces at night, and applying a face cream, we don't realize the difference between day creams, and night creams. Day creams usually have SPF, and other light blockers with lower moisturizing qualities to avoid oiliness, whereas night creams do not contain SPF's, and usually are more hydrating. They also usually have properties in it that help repair your skin without being covered in makeup while it works. This is an excellent product in the category of night cream's because of how soft and hydrated my face felt, even when I woke up the next morning. I have tried a few other night creams, and I usually wake up with an oily t-zone, however this product did not do that! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who also has an oily face after applying night creams, but also wants to improve the condition of their skin. Product sold alone $85.

 

 

 

 

So, now that I have broken them down individually for those who may just need specific products, how did I feel about the product as a whole line? WONDERFUL. I couldn't say enough good things about this line. It is all organic, smells great, made my skin softer than it ever has been, and gave me great skin for my wedding! The only con I can even say, to not pick up the phone right now and contacting Jolene immediately, is that it is a little on the pricier side. The entire line I just spoke about will run you about $323. I know what you're thinking if you're anything like me. OMG. That is a lot of money just for a skin care line I will have to continue to buy every few months!!!

BUT!

You have to remember, this is the ADVANCED formula, and is more for extremely needed skin repair, and will also last you probably 6+ months from one order. Arbonne also has a clear skin line that will only run you about $85 for the entire line, as well as other lines that are less expensive.

(They also have a Men's skin line, specifically formulated for a mans face guys!)

 

So would I order this line? In a heart beat. If you like a soft, organic, skin care line, that will give you great smelling and feeling skin, don't wait do it now.

Contact Jolene Foster on Facebook, and get started on your Arbonne journey today!! 

 

 

 

 

If you would like me to try your product, and blog about it with your contact information please feel free to email me at Beautigirl1@gmail.com or contact me on Facebook @ Krysta Gallagher. I have quite a few requests coming in, so if you don't see your product featured immediately, it will be up soon! Thanks :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



New page!

For those of you who haven't had a chance to check it out yet, I have moved my blog! It will now appear at www.krystapelc.weebly.com. I plan to move all of the posts from this page so you can continue to go back and read them when you like! Please continue to post and comment on my new page of what you would like to read about! Thanks everyone so much for all of your support and I hope for a bigger and better blog in 2014!! :)

-Krysta

A prime example

Hi everyone! Today's blog post is a question requested through Facebook from the beautiful Shauna! :) Her question reads..

"To use or not to use..Primers!"

This is actually a commonly asked question, and the answer can vary depending on who you speak to! Most makeup artists won't even open their kits without first priming your face, and I am one of those ladies as well! Primers are there to prevent creasing in your makeup, and to keep a look of a flawless application. Some girls use primers as a moisturizer as well, but I believe in applying a good lotion base before you do anything makeup related. Now the question I am asked the most is, what is the difference in primers? Some have a tint of foundation, some are green, pink or white, and some are clear. There are eye shadow primers, lip primers, skin primers, and even for super primer lovers, eyelash primers! Phew! Sounds like a confusing jumble of options, and how do you even know what's right for you??

Lets start with basic face primers. The key here is to find one that works the best for you. Some girls swear that if you don't have a really good primer, then you're wasting your time, but cost of the product doesn't necessarily mean it's the best product. (Something I constantly am saying in my blogs ladies!) I have tried it all. I have had a more expensive primer and a less expensive primer and I have to say, the less expensive primer I liked better! It was softer, smoother, and dried fairly quickly. My favorite primer right now is NYX photo loving primer. It will run you about $12.00 and will last you a few months.  www.nyxcosmetics.com

 

 
If you are really new to the makeup world, or if you're looking to spend less than $10.00 on a basic primer, then NYC brand Smooth skin primer should be your choice. It's only about $4.00 at Wal-Mart, Target or any large comparable shopping center. This will give you the same basic coverage, but probably won't hold up as long with thicker makeup choices.

 

 



 

 

Now that we have talked about basic skin primers, lets move on to a primer I think that every girl should have in their makeup bag, eyelid primer. Eyelid primer is a product that every girl can use, from those who just wear a basic nude shadow, to girls who wear a dark, or colorful eye. No matter what kind of eye shadow you wear, matte, sparkle, liquid, or cream, it will crease or wear off  if not primed first. Some creasing is normal, and will happen no matter what, especially if you have a large hood, or excess skin lids, but you will be so surprised how much longer and better your eye makeup will look if primed first.

 

Now this one case that I truly believe you should spend a little more money on your eyelid primer, because the higher quality products will be better for such a sensitive, and thin area of your skin. My favorite eye primer is Urban Decay's Primer potion. It comes in a cool little bottle with a wand attached to the handle. Take the wand and rub some product on the back of your clean hand, applying lightly with your ring finger. (Using the actual wand, and applying too much pressure will stretch the already thin skin. When your lid, and under eye skin is stretched out, there is no way to retighten without surgery) This will run you about $24.00, which is definitely on the higher side, but I swear is worth every penny when you see how long your eye shadow stays in place without creasing! www.sephora.com  www.urbandecay.com

 

 

 

For those of you that have kept up with my blogs, (Thanks to all of you!!) you know that I always give a cheaper alternative to my more expensive likes. Even though personally I do believe in spending a little more money on a better quality eye primer, there is nothing wrong with spending a little less on something you don't believe is as important in your own makeup routine. An inexpensive eye primer, that does work, is from Elf. I used this years ago when I was building my makeup kit, more on natural makeup applications because it's a thinner base so doesn't tend to hold the thicker eye shadows, but I never had a single complaint! This also has a wand applicator, but yet again, apply with your ring finger not the wand itself. The mineral primer is a steal at only $3.00 and the eyelid primer is only $1.00! I would say that's worth your money even just to try, for those who are skeptical !  www.eyeslipsface.com 

 

 

On a small side note, and I can touch on this more at a later time if you like, but I think just as important as a primer is to keep your makeup in place, a setting spray will keep your face from melting or sweating off. It also prevents those mascara smears on your under eyes, and will keep you looking fresh all day. My favorite is All-nighter from Urban Decay. 2-3 spritzes, holding it 6-7 inches away from your face, spray, then don't move your mouth or eyes for a min or so until it dries and voila! Perfect set makeup all day! www.sephora.com ($29.00)

 

 

 

 

I hope I answered your question and even gave you a few good options to try! I personally think primers are a good investment in your daily makeup routine, and you will notice the difference at the end of the day when your makeup stays put!

 

 

Be careful ladies if you have a silicone allergy because a lot of primers tend to have a silicone base. Do your research like I always say, and if something bothers your skin, itches, or causes a rash in anyway, discontinue use immediately!

 

 

 Thanks for your input everyone! You make blogging fun, and I hope to continue to do so for a long time with all of your help and support! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Great skin is always a win

Happy New Year everyone! It's a new year, a new day and a whole new start to anything you want! We wiped the slate clean, and we get to start over in many ways. We all know the standard New years resolutions;
1. Lose weight
2. Create a budget
3. Find the man/woman of my dreams
etc and so on, and while they all are terrific goals to shoot for, most of the time they are hard to stick to, or are out of your power. Women everywhere forget something on a regular basis, that's so easy and necessary to fix, and yet bypass it without a second thought. It's really as simple as this..

 TAKE BETTER CARE OF MY SKIN.

This goes for men too! It's such a simple thing and yet we all, myself included, still go to bed with our makeup on, forget to moisturize daily, and layer on products that clog our pours without a second thought. Girls ask me all the time, how can I know I'm using the right product for my skin? Well this answer is very similar to my answer regarding picking a foundation.
1. Know your skin type.
Am I oily, dry or combination? The easiest way to know this is after you wash your face at night, what does your skin feel like in the morning? Is it dying for lotion, or could you fry an egg on your forehead? Take your finger and wipe across your T-zone (The area across your forehead and down the middle of your face forming a "T") is it oily, or does your skin flake? If you're oily, stay away from any skin care products that are "extra moisturizing" and pick and oil free face wash. If your skin is dry, find a face a lotion that is thicker, and water based if possible.
2. Am I prone to acne, or already have blemishes?
If you are a girl, (guys too) you have a pimple here and there. I wouldn't consider that acne prone skin. People are under the assumption that the best way to avoid acne, is using an acne wash daily. That couldn't be farther from the truth! Acne washes main ingredient is salicylic acid, which is intended to dry out acne, so imagine what it is doing to your natural skin? You are stripping your face of all of the natural oils, therefore causing dry, cracked skin. (And not always just visible on the outside.) If you do breakout regularly, find a gentle exfoliate, and an oil free acne wash, changing every few days. Even if your face is completely covered in blemishes, scrubbing with a harsh acne wash isn't good for you either. Use a gentle wash, a water based lotion, and keep your hands off of your face. (Changing and washing your pillow cases often is a good idea, and well as staying away from washcloths. They just spread bacteria around your face, and when using hot water, your pours are open and allowing those towel germs to fill your pours, causing even more pimples.
When picking a face regiment,  remember the fad skin care lines aren't always the best, so do your research before finding what works for you.

Taking care of your skin seems like a lot of effort, but its really not! Men this goes for you too, your significant other would rather smooch a smooth, soft face so take care of your skin as well! Wash your face with a good face wash everyday, and apply a moisturizer (They even have male skin care lines) and you'll be amazed at the difference!
Ladies because of what we put our faces through daily wearing makeup, your skin care routine should be slightly more involved but still simple. Remember the four R's. Rinse, Renew,Retract Regenerate.
1. Rinse.
Be sure you are wetting your face with warm water first to open your pours! Warm water makes your pours expand, making it easier for your face wash to penetrate the bacteria within them.
2. Renew.
Using a face wash, scrub all of that daily bacteria, makeup, and oil off of your face, bringing it back fresh and renewed. (Add a gentle exfoliate to your regiment 3 times a week to get rid of dead dry skin cells that can build up.)
3. Retract.
Because your pours are open from the hot water, we need to make them retract back to their original size to prevent letting germs in, so when your face is all clean, splash your whole face with a little cold water. This will make them shrink back down and close.
4. Regenerate.
Find a good face lotion, whether it be a wrinkle cream, moisturizer, dark spot corrector, or even acne prone face lotion, and apply liberally. Be sure you go down your neck as well, and that you're careful when applying underneath your eyes where skin is the thinnest. Everyday we can help renew our skin cells by keeping them moisturized, and well maintained.

Do this in the morning, and before going to bed. It seems like a lot of steps, but it really only takes about 5 minutes and you won't believe what a difference it will make with your skin!

Take care of your skin ladies, because without a good canvas, your painting will never be complete :) Happy 2014!





You're not a Kardashian, and your skin is happy.

I have noticed lately a very large spike in girls attempting this "Kim Kardashian" highlight and contour ridiculousness. Sure, I love a nice contoured nose, cheek bones, and a highlighted face, but not at the overdone level this "look" has become.

 

 

Anyone that owns a TV, computer, smart phone, or has eyes or ears for that matter, has been exposed to the Kardashian craze. Young girls, and even older women have been whipping out the panstick, bronzer and white shadows lately to try and achieve this look. Well I have news for you ladies...YOU LOOK RIDICULOUS. Foundation, contouring powder and highlighter are not meant to be rolled on with a paint brush. No significant other has ever said "I love when my girlfriend/wife wears a ton of makeup!" Unless your day to day life involves hundreds of flashing cameras, or HD lenses inches from your face, put down the paint. Your makeup is meant to accentuate your face not make you look like a Barbie doll. I would be lying if I said I didn't layer makeup sometimes, or do an overly heavy eye on occasion, but not to the degree that these Kardashian makeup tutorials tell you to do. Hey don't get me wrong it's ok to experiment with looks sometimes, even a heavily contoured face, but the key is to know when enough is enough. Here are a few ways of knowing when you are wearing too much makeup.

1. Does my makeup make my skin crease when I smile? Particularly under the eyes, smile, and forehead?
2. Do my eyes look like I was laying out in the sun with sunglasses on after I apply my highlighter?
3. Do the tiny little hairs on my face and nose look extra noticeable after setting with my powder?
4. After I use my phone, what does the screen look like? Do I have to wipe it off before putting it back into my purse?

If you relate to any of the following, then the answer is probably yes!

Contouring and highlighting can be a great makeup trick when known how to do correctly, so here are some tips on doing it the natural way!
1. After you apply your foundation and concealer, apply your highlighter stick (I like Prep & Prime from Mac or Neutrogena salmon highlighting stick) in a down word sweep on the edges on your face near your nose, and out onto under you under eye near the apples of your cheek. Using either a sponge, brush or beauty blender, blend well into your skin by blotting and swiping up your entire cheek and all under your eyes.

 



 

Area to use highlighter pen

 





2. Using a soft setting powder, set your makeup to get rid of all of the shine and keep it matte. But don't over do it or you will be back to seeing those tiny little hairs on you nose!
3. Using either a contouring color, ( Many brands including Makeup forever, MAC, Sephora and Benefit sell kits) or a dark matte brown eye shadow, using a smaller brush, lightly swipe the line from your ear, down your cheek bones, almost all the way to your outer lip. Blend as well as you can with the brush but don't rub in. Repeat the same step on the outer part of each side of your nose, and forehead hairline.
4. Using a large brush with just a light layer of bronzer blend that area all together until you can only barely see a contour line
5. Using a soft rose colored blush, just apply lightly to apples of your cheeks swiping up your cheek bones, until it all looks blended and natural.
6. Optional step- If you like a little more highlight, using either a highlighting powder, or even just a white eye shadow, apply with your ring finger, dabbing lightly, from the highest point of the apple of your cheek, all the way up your cheek bone. Repeat on the cupids bow of your lips, and in the center of your nose.
7. Using the same brush you used to apply your setting powder in step 1, without adding any more powder, give a quick sweep over your whole face, making sure it's all blended.

There it is! Seems like a lot of steps, but not NEARLY as much makeup is used this way, and you will notice a huge difference in how your skin looks and feels!

For more tips, and tutorials please follow me here, and on Krysta Pelc through Facebook. Also keep an eye out on YouTube for Bellafina's Beauty Makeup Tutorials after the New Year! Thanks for reading!

Gift card win, or gift card waste??

I'm back! It has been a long time since I have had a chance to share my thoughts and tips with all of you, and I'm so excited to be back! Special thanks to my Mom for the new laptop for Christmas allowing me to get back to it!!

Now that Christmas time is over, and your pockets are looking like an empty post holiday clearance rack, now is the time to put those gift cards to good use! We all either ask for money, or gift cards, or we have that one relative that doesn't know what to get you, so they just throw some money on a gift card and call it day. Well thank you to them! Now is the time to buy yourself something that you wouldn't necessarily deem a "responsible purchase", and spend that money on something that you really want! Well ladies, if you're anything like me, that is makeup! Even being a makeup artist myself, I have a hard time convincing myself, my wallet, and my fiancé for that matter, that $40 for a tube of foundation is a reasonable purchase. With that being said, getting a Sephora gift card to me is like getting a big shiny diamond. You may not have a Sephora near by, or your gift card may be to Walmart, Ulta, or any other comparable location that sells makeup or makeup accessories, but all these locations can be equally as tricky when picking the right things for yourself.  Now the trick to spending this gift card smartly, and not just blowing it on the next "big thing" that everyone has can be tricky. You don't want to end up wasting your money, when you realize that that same new "it" foundation you just bought, comes along with a lovely face full of blemishes. Keeping that in mind, here a few tips to avoid all of that.

1. Have a general idea of what basic products you want, or need.
Unless you have a full makeup bag already, filled with all of your basic essentials and products you love, your best bet is start at the beginning. Ask yourself a few simple questions, Do I have a good base? aka primer, concealer, foundation etc? Do I wear makeup on a regular basis, or just on special occasions? Do I prefer a good lip or a good eye?  All of these questions can help you answer where you should start.
Do I have a good base?- If you don't already have a good foundation, or primer that probably where you should spend the most of your money on. For lack of better words "You can dress up a pig but its still a pig" Not to say that anyone looks like a pig without makeup, haha, what I mean by this is if you have severely uneven skin tone, or skin imperfections, dark circles or any other skin issues (that we all have ladies!) if you don't even it out, and just throw on some eye shadow and lipstick on, your face isn't going to look its best. So why waste your money on an expensive eye shadow pallet, before starting with a base? You wouldn't bake the cake before mixing the ingredients??
Try out different foundations, and see what works best for you and start there! (See my blog about picking the correct foundation for extra help!)
Do I wear makeup on a regular basis? - If the answer to this is no, then I definitely would think about investing first in just a good skin care routine. If you plan to go sans makeup regularly, then your skin should be your #1 priority. There are a lot of gimmicky skin care lines out there that will cost you an arm and a leg, and most of the time do less than a bar of dial soap, and a generic face lotion. I've been sucked in before too ladies, it hard not to be! Do your research, read reviews from real customers, find what fits your skin needs best and go from there. Always make sure there is a good, gentle and course exfoliate, (round exfoliate beads, not made from nut shells!) a brightening cream, and a good moisturizing lotion.
2. Keep in prospective cost vs quality.
Just because Dior came out with a new lip shade at $59 a tube, doesn't mean that it's the best quality, or will work the best for you. We as consumers have a tendency to be drawn towards name brand products, assuming that they are the best, when in most cases, they aren't. I dealt with this exact moment last year, when my main stream fashion magazine, convinced me that Diorshow eye shadow was something I needed, when in fact after spending $30 on this, I was not very impressed with, ended up returning, for a lesser expensive brand, that I still use to this day! So just be careful ladies and do your research!
3. If you absolutely love it, get it!
If you are a makeup pro, or you just want to go for it, and try out a new lipstick, or eye shadow pallet etc, and you're feeling daring, I say buy it! But be sure to try out every single thing you're thinking of purchasing before doing so. Sephora is definitely in the pricier realm of makeup, but every single thing is able to be tried, and even a Makeup Artist that works there, will show you how to apply for free! Test out eye shadows on the back of your hand. How are the pigments? Are they shiny or matte? What is more important to you when wearing lipstick? Do you prefer bright shiny colors? Or a matte long lasting color? All of these things are good to take into consideration before purchasing any sort of larger makeup purchase.

Everyone, myself included, has the tendency sometimes to "follow the trends" and purchase the "next big thing". And I think as long as there is Cosmopolitan, Elle, and other trendy magazines we all will continue to do so, unless we let our knowledge be our guides, instead of our eyes! So good luck with spending those gift cards ladies, and remember, you are your best fashion icon! :)

(All opinions on products within my blogs are just that, opinion and are not meant to sway anyone away from an specific products they may like)