Countless Reasons to Smile

Countless Reasons to Smile

                      I personally have been submerged deeply into the depths of depression lately.

              The cause of this gloom, however, can be blamed by nobody else but me... yes! I admit that this pessimistic attitude is all attributed primarily if not completely to me. We all have the choice of whether or not we're going to be in a cheery or a bitter-drenched mood... it all depends on how we look at things. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu-rLA4POkI     <----------------------- Listen! Listen! Listen! <3
                

                Sure! We fall here and there... it's definitely not a rare thing for one to have their down days... it merely depends, however, on our choice of whether we plan on getting back up with an even more determined attitude than before or if we want to settle upon moping deep in the pit in which we have fallen. 
               Perhaps, the second description best describes my situation this previous week, however... after ridding myself of any pessimistic notions, and cluttering my mind with nothing but a positive outlook on life... I am more ready than ever to keep on going!             
"Most importantly, keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing, and there's so much to smile about." ~ Marilyn Monroe.

            With this said... lets always remember to take into consideration all of the beautiful things in life that we ALREADY have and seem to become blind to whenever clouded with the fog of unfortunate events... (which, like storms) will never cease to plague us. 
                 Keep looking up, my dears, and always remember the rainbow and sunshine that is bound to come AFTER the storm. So, with all this said, keep on smiling and never cease to count your blessings and remember that there's "always tomorrow for dreams to come true". <3 xoxoxo 

Old Hollywood Makeup Tricks

Old Hollywood Makeup Tricks

                

                  There's always been something about that Old Hollywood beauty... and the excessive amount of glamour and irresistible charm that is tied to it as well, is vastly unfathomable! So, in this article, I shall share with you a few of the golden era of Hollywood's favorite and most practiced beauty tricks, so that you too may let off your inner Marilyn or Rita! Enjoy, my dolls! <3 

1. Eyes: They say the eyes are the "windows to the soul", therefore I have, and I'm sure many others as well, grown to deem it as my favorite facial feature! A factor that makes the dressing of the eyelids with vibrant shadows and caressing the lashes with a thick layer of ebony mascara all the more rigorous and exciting! It's what I would go so far as to consider as the "icing on the cake". 

            The eyes are, in my opinion the main focal point of the human face, and deserve to be adorned in a most detailed and careful fashion. No crumbling mascara, uneven lining, mascara stains on the eyelid caused from an unsteady hand, or tacky tastes in eye-shadow or eyeliner colors! 
            Now, let's take our eye look back and use a subtly glamorous look like Marilyn Monroe's for example. Amid the 50's, Marilyn primarily used neutral eye-shadow colors... (that was basically all there was to choose from in that time period anyways) and her makeup artist Whitey, always endeavored to blend the eye-shadow evenly in hopes of nearly having the shadows disappear.The shadows were used merely to act as a definer, the dark shades in the crease (usually rich chocolaty browns) to shape the eyelid, the blue-based whites used to highlight her brow bone and act as a brightener that would easily compliment and show off her beautiful  brown eyes. Along with some white liner on the waterline, a dot of red lipstick was also stamped onto the inner corner of her eye to brighten her sparkling eyes as well.
                As for her lush lengthy lashes, those were enhanced and made to look longer by a faded line that extended from the bottom of her eyes in parallel to the top line. Her eyeliner primarily consisted of a wet angled brush and brown eye-shadow as opposed to the black that most would presume she'd use. Also, for the effect of having slanted eyes, her makeup artist would only use the outer corners of false eyelashes, to make the look of her lash-line all the more angled, as the lashes were made to look fuller at the ends. Also, between the two lines, the bottom and upper ones of her lash-lines  there was lightly shaded a feint hue of white to make the top and bottom liner all the more distinct, which had been primarily in hopes of accentuating her lash-line as well as the increasing the illusion of the length of her lashes.

2. Lips: The second of my favorite "Old Hollywood" inspired makeup looks is that of the lips. The lips were often lined to be bow shaped and richly adorned with vibrant hues of red in that time period. Marilyn was known to wear layers and layers of various shades of red... the darkest color starting at the outer part of her lips, the lighter increasing the further it went into her lips. As lip-gloss was quite scarce in that time period, Vaseline was used on Marilyn's lips to achieve that shiny glossy look that we now have such easy access to in this day and age. 







                   So, with these tips, my dear and beautiful readers, I hope you find yourself apt in achieving that glamorous Monroe or Harlow look you've been longing for! Below, there will also be a few links with MY personal favorite blogs and video tutorials that should aid in obtaining the look as well! <3 Kiss Kiss ; )


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpRIEiw6his

http://getglamorous.blogspot.com/2007/07/how-to-do-marilyn-monroe-makeup-step-by.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DljIivw3KM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl-Ye52XDRA

http://getglamorous.blogspot.com/2007/08/audrey-hepburn-makeup-step-by-step.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UHPNGL6MZw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKHLeel62t0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJHv0coU_tU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFHKRLdlrdk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0N0iyuYVNI

A Kiss From the Sun

A Kiss From the Sun

                  Summertime, to me, and I assume this perspective can relate to most others, is the time of year where we find ourselves caught amid the splendor of a seemingly endless Holiday, a Holiday of an estimate three months, at that! School-free, and the perfect timing for a blissful vacation off to the Bahamas for a good couple of weeks! 

              Besides the thousands of other people the season offers its joy to, this time of year seems to remain favorable to most young beauty obsessed women as well, as the season has proven generous in providing the perfect lazy-friendly beauty maintenance by the touch nature's very own hand!

              For example, no more hours sandwiched between that overbearing old tanning booth, but the perfect opportunity to obtain your summer bronze from the source of our very own (easily accessible and at "no cost" ;)) daily acquaintance, the sun! 
              

              It's beaming rays that can be obtained from the stare of the tangerine-stained sphere as it hovers over the ocean-tides, letting off a pool of iridescent sparkle, easily act as the perfect aid in gently browning any tired and pasty complexions. The way the sun kisses one's person, offering a comforting warmness as well as increasing one's desire for the cool and refreshing effect of the ocean's waves caressing one's ankles, ah! there's no better way to get your tan on! 
            Oh! And I shan't even mention the horror attached to those ridiculous bottled products for tanning and darkening skin. Ay! Ay! Ay! The streaks and unevenness of color that they leave behind, should they be not properly applied! It just looks so artificial... and sometimes even reminiscent of an Oompa Loompa from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"!

              Anyway (less you should be very cautious with the selection of your product ;)), that is. Plus, it also seems to let off an artificial impression... the kind that natural sunlight doesn't! 
             So, what have you got to lose?!? It's free, it's just outside of your front door, it won't make you look like you've just been drenched in an ocean of mango dye... why not just take advantage of it and stay clear from any temptations towards the artificial techniques, jut for immediate, wait-free effects that'll end up providing many negative results in the long-term. 
             So, pull out your favorite ray-bands, sunscreen lotion, bathing suit, etc., etc., and get ready for that flawless and natural-looking tan we all desire! ;) 

                    Oh, and go out and have some fun beneath the summer sun and enjoy a "Pina Colada" while you take in all that outdoor beauty! ;) *Sigh* Perhaps, we shall daydream for the remaining months of spring, however, those sun-glazed days will be here before you know it, and don't forget to take advantage of them! xoxoxo <3

The Evolution of Womanly Curves

The Evolution of Womanly Curves

                Now, I know that I have been very adamant in promoting every HEALTHY body type (meaning that we shall exclude both that of any starved size 0 frames that are only achieved through very health risking tactics as well as the types that comes from too many donuts, soda pops, potato chips and ridiculous amounts of time strewn over the couch doing nothing) however, I feel that sometimes, the once celebrated size of  a woman... a healthy one of approximately a size 8 to a size 14 seems to be neglected in appraisal primarily in the fashion industry. 

              Maybe its the constant force for us to behold such ghastly thin models, models that appear to be suffering from the final stages of starvation gracing the runway and so consistently as well, as well as the admiration the earn for their so called "beauty" that makes the curvier ladies out there feel sort of self conscious and well... not pretty. However, I am here to reassure y'all curvy beauties out there, that healthy (and not bone thin frames) are definitely making a major comeback in both the runways and Hollywood. Besides, there's always the fabulous old forties and fifties there, acting as a reminder of the true beauty of curvier women. 

           I just want all of my lovely readers (who were not made a size 2 or smaller) to know, that with your curves... the things that you so often label as "flaws" you are usually made to look all the more womanly and beautiful! So, the next time you pass on that chocolate cake for some birthday celebration with the hopes of chipping away at some of your curves (which many woman so oftentimes regard as flaws), take a moment and just realize that you are beautiful and that you deserve to celebrate with a plethora of goodies every now and then! 
           Don't punish and deprive yourself for no reason, just as long as you've been dedicated in staying healthy with a veggie and fruit-filled diet during the week! There's no reason to feel even the tiniest bit of guilt for just enjoying yourself a little here and there, life's too short to worry about such shallow things!

               Besides, learn to celebrate and fall in love with your body type... so, what if you'd rather be ruler-thin like an Audrey Hepburn... learn to fall in love with your Marilyn curves if that's the way you were built and meant to look! My mom has always told me that you'll only look the most beautiful at your true weight, meaning that you ought not strive to drift any slimmer or heavier than the size that God has intended you to be! Just stay and love the way you are and were meant to look! So, with all this said, shall we raise a glass to all of my beauties with healthy curvaceous figures out there? Have a lovely Wednesday... and if you've deprived yourself, set a day for you to enjoy even just the tiniest bit of your favorite candy bar (in moderation, as that is the only healthy way ;))

 
         So, enjoy that Banana Split that you should happen to crave every now and then... and stay clear from any sense of guilt just so long as your other days are filled with all of your healthy food groups! 

Take care, dolls! <3 xoxoxoxo ~ Erin