Holiday Gift Makeup Sets / / 2015

Hello! Happy Holidays, I hope everyone is doing great and just as excited for the Christmas season as I am! There have been a couple of things that I've been looking at since the holidays began, and a lot of them were makeup and beauty related, so I decided to make a short post featuring each one. Hope you enjoy!

Tarte Stroke of Midnight Brush Set ($44)

If I could have anything in this list, it would be this beautifully extravagant brush set from Tarte. The set comes in a beautiful sequin zip up bag that matches the details in the other holiday sets from this brand. I personally only own a couple of brushes and none of them are high end. The reason I never just go out and get good brushes is because I always figure my cheap ones will do the trick, but I've been missing a blush/contouring brush for forever. I did visit my local Sephora today to pick up this set, but, unfortunately, they had been sold out for weeks. 

Too Faced 

You can't mention 2015 holiday makeup set without bringing up Too Faced. They went above and beyond this year with their holiday sets, creating elaborate 3D pop up designs that feature some of the most beautiful eyeshadows, blushes, and bronzers. Le Grand Chateau ($49) is a set that not only includes three separate eyeshadow palettes, but a Better Than Sex mascara as well.

Le Petit Tresor ($29) includes three full sized lipsticks in popular shades (one that's brand new) in an adorable mini sequined blue bag. 

Benefit

This San Francisco brand always seems to kill it with their packaging from eclectic pop art to neon graphics. This year, their holiday sets feature a very pop art kind of design with bold colors and polka dot/stripe patterns. 

The party poppers makeup set ($32) (shown above) comes with 12 different "doors" where a different mini product is hidden. Each product is a popular item that Benefit tends to have as best sellers, such as the Porefessional face primer and the they're real! mascara.

The REAL cheeky party blush palette ($30) contains three face powders (in different colored finishes), a blush, a highlighter, Benefit's award winning bronzer, their mascara, and an eyeliner. The set contains everything you need to create a beautifully glowing face. The only real problem I can see with the palette is that it doesn't have a mirror. 

The life of the party! makeup palette ($36) comes with lots of similar products as the first set, but features larger sizes of the products. This set focusses more on keeping your makeup in place, but also provides tester for each item that you might not have bought the full sized version of. The fun packaging has a beautiful look to the palette, but again, could have been better with a mirror.

Another super cool thing Benefit is doing is allowing YOU to create your own holiday set! If you go here or simply visit their website and find the "Choose your kit" section, you can pick from two options: the Best of Benefit ($75) or All About Eyes ($50). Although these prices seem hefty, each item in the set comes full sized, meaning you're getting around $30 off if you were to buy them all separately. Both kits even come with a makeup bag to hold all of your goodies and a full sized free sample.

Colourpop

This brand blew up this past year with their Ultra matte lip pens. This holiday season they've even included small sets that have popular and brand new lip pens as stocking stuffers.

The mini kit Kitty ($20) has five brand new shades shown on skin shades below.

Even though Kitty comes with new shades, the set that I'm mostly hoping to receive this year is Foxy ($20).

This is mostly because I feel like there's more of a variety of colors, and the nudes are a lot more darker and browner than the peachy ones in Kitty. I tend to look very very pale and a little sickly when I wear peachy nudes.

That's it for the products that I was most interested in for 2015 holiday sets! I only included brands that are cruelty-free (although Benefit's cruelty-free policy is a bit iffy) because it's an important thing to me that makeup companies prohibit themselves from testing their products on animals.

Anyways, I hope you guys managed to snatch up some of these goodies before they sell out where you live too! Hope you guys have a happy holidays!

xx

Liz

[Actually Good] Scary Movies

I see a lot of FaceBook links to things like "12 Celebrities You'll Have No Idea Are Related" or Why Pitbulls are the best pets!" and, now that Halloween is coming up, "12 Terrifying Horror Films" all the time. I'm not going to lie, I click on all of them, even if they're tacky Buzzfeed articles with weird undertones of trying to relate to the millennial population, without actually being a millennial. And, honestly, more often than not, the recommendations that the scary movie lists give are sub par to boring when it comes to the genre they're supposed to be in. 

I always used to get too scared to watch "scary movies", so I would read the films' synopsis online and study it's scripts. I did this with both American Psycho and The Shining, because I was too terrified to watch them. Now that I've kind of gotten over being too scared, I love watching scary films and getting that intense feeling of anticipation in my stomach whenever I do.

Most lists, though, tend to mention cliche movies that either hardly scare at all or just have terrible actors/plotlines. (For example, You're Next is a movie that features a slightly scary thumbnail on Netflix, but ended up being predictable and mostly annoying.)

I haven't seen too many good horror films, so I'll only be able to recommend a few that I found actually chilling and thought provoking. (Each photo/gif/video of the movie links to the trailer!) Any other movies that I haven't seen, but that were highly recommended to me, I put in honorable mentions.

The Exorcist

This horror classic is a cult staple in every single list for scary films. Even to this day, where CGI and studio effects have far surpassed that of films before the 2000's, it still, not only manages, but succeeds in surpassing most horror films in degree of terrifying. The image of Regan stabbing her genitals with a crucifix is the one that sticks with me the most when I think of this film.

Dogtooth

This foreign film comes from Greece, where three adult children continue to live with their parents, who teach them that they cannot leave home until their "dogtooth" falls out. The movie isn't as scary as it is hauntingly creepy. The children have these odd mannerisms about them, from being caged in their home their entire lives. There's an undertone of uncomfortable that comes from watching the film-never a sense of being able to know what's going to happen. The slow paced scenes compliment each other so well, that the odd lives of the main characters almost seem to become a normal reality. It leaves you feeling tense and disgusted.

The Taking of Deborah Logan

Although the film starts off with the same kind of predictability you get from most Netflix "thrillers", it doesn't take long at all for it to turn from a dramatic piece about Alzheimer's disease to a horrific account of supernatural possession. It's fast paced with subtleties of gore and mystery that add to the terror of the mockumentary.

The Poughkeepsie Tapes

I'm not going to lie, this film isn't the best when it comes to cinematography or acting (especially acting), but there is an underlying haunting feeling that comes from watching this film. It's in the perspective of a serial killer, who films his acts of stalking, murdering, torturing, etc. What's scariest, to me at least, is the scene where the killer slowly walks on all fours, with a mask on, to his prey. The ending scene with Cheryl's interview is also one of the most creepy, simply because of what's implied from her words (and physical appearance).

It Follows

This movie actually came out very recently and has a super interesting concept: an unexplainable curse that follows a person until it kills them, with the only way to get rid of the curse being to pass it on to someone else via sex. What's chilling about this film is the fact that if the curse kills the person you passed it on to, it comes right back to you, meaning you have to constantly keep looking over your shoulder in case, somehow, it had crawled it's way through suitors to reverse it's way back to you.

Honorable Mentions: Trick or Treat, Begotten, Poltergeist (1982), The Blair Witch Project, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), The Birds, When a Stranger Calls (1979), Under the Skin, The Strangers, Let the Right One In (2008), Wishmaster,

Also, for the sake of me feeling like I didn't waste my time watching these terrible movies, a list of a couple of really bad scary movies (most of them on Netflix): You're Next, ATM, Leprechaun, Amusement, The Nightmare, Would You Rather?, Knowing, American Psycho 2, Sorority Row

xx

Liz

Dream Christmas Wishlist

Although it's still a while until Christmas decorations seem even plausible and socially acceptable, it's always exciting to start compiling a wishlist of christmas presents early on. I'm actually a December baby with my brother, so Christmas has always been a hectic time for my parents. Because of this, they tend to ask us early on what we want for the holidays, so I've always planned ahead of time for the festivities. 

I've compiled an aspirational wishlist so as to tide me over until the season begins, and this is it:

Thigh high faux suede boots in black

This is a fashion staple that I've seen all over the place recently. I was actually on instagram when I decided to create this list because of this photo that Gigi Hadid had posted after the H&M Balmain party:

The boots feel like a modern twist on the classic Pretty Woman look that Julie Roberts portrays as Vivian. I've seen suede all over the place: in runway shows, on celebrities, as skirts, pants, crop tops, etc., and I think the fabric is amazingly comfortable and chic. The only thing is that I'm against wearing fur or leather of any kind, and suede is basically leather with a different finish. This is my personal preference, but I do think that even when individuals wear real suede, it still looks fantastic.

Artwork

I still haven't gotten any real artwork for my apartment, but some pieces that I have been looking at are the Badly Drawn ones. I'm not sure who the artist for these are, but if I figure it out, I will post it here.

These are from an etsy shop called BadlyDrawnArt:

Another artist that I love is Leah Goren. She did a cover for frankie magazine, and one of her pieces I especially love is the alphabet girl one:

Lastly, for artwork, I love these simplistic film posters from etsy shop MinusculeMotion:

The shop includes a bunch of different posters including a handful of Wes Anderson films as well as cult classics like Juno, Grease, and Back To the Future. 

I imagine hanging up the BadlyDrawn drawings on one wall, maybe above the couch across, and then having the film poster(s) around the entertainment center. The Leah Goren piece I can imagine placing in my bathroom or even beside my closet.

Onesie

I had a phase where all I watched was Miranda Sings youtube videos, and became a little obsessed with getting a onesie. The thing is, they're kind of really sort of expensive (some are more than $50!), and I wouldn't really be down to spend that much on myself. Christmas is a perfect time though!

I love the animal onesies that have lots of parts to them and aren't just one color.

Face Primer

I bought myself that super famous POREfessional Face Primer from Benefit Cosmetics, because so many Youtubers had promoted it and featured it in their tutorials. What I didn't realize when I got it, though, was that my pores weren't what I was most insecure about. I'm most insecure about my redness when it comes to getting coverage on my face. I want to get a new face primer: I just don't have the budget right now. I was looking into either getting the Smashbox Color Correcting Primer in green for redness or the Touche Eclat Blur primer from YSL. Both correct color while still enhancing your face's natural brightness.

Victoria's Secret bombshell bra

I know I mention Kylie Jenner a lot, but it's true: her boobs look amazing. She revealed in one of her app videos that she wears Victoria's Secret bombshell bras to create a more hourglass figure in proportion to her waist. I personally don't have a bra that really fits me that well, so I might just go out and treat myself by picking up one that actually fits my body. 

Netbook

I'm not entirely sure this is still the correct name for what I'm looking for, but basically, I just want a smaller laptop that I can do some homework on and take to my boyfriends place when I'm sleeping over. Every time I go in between places, I'm carrying around my backpack, filled with my homework, makeup, extra set of clothes, and my laptop. Even my boyfriend was beginning to say it was way too heavy. It sounds like a stupid thing to complain about (trust me I know) but it'd feel so much better to just carry around a tiny little laptop. I'm in between just getting a cheap, possibly refurbished tablet with a keyboard attached or a cheap, small laptop.

Puppy

I've been searching Craigslist, Petango, and the humane society for the perfect little puppy to take home. I don't know if it's the independence of being able to get myself my own pet or possibly the motherly nature in me that wants to take care of something or (most likely) the fun possibility of having a little puppy around, but I've been begging my boyfriend to come with me to get a dog from the shelter for so long now. Ideally, I would get a dog for Christmas, but, with my budget, I don't exactly see it happening. I want a small pet, that I can carry with one hand, just because, from previous experience, it's too difficult for me to earn larger dogs respect. They'll run away from me no matter what.

As far out as some of these items are, I do hope I can get at least the onesie and bra (even if I just have to splurge on myself for them). I'll post another blog soon hopefully about Halloween!

xx

Liz

A Few Things

First and foremost, I'd like to apologize for not posting in a while! The whole moving process, starting college, and working at an internship has been incredibly hectic, and I haven't had the time to do really anything! But it is still my fault, so I thought I'd share a simple list today of things that I have been enjoying these past couple of weeks that I have been MIA.

Few Things

DrawAdrianDraw on Instagram

I love this particular artists' style on how he creates this sort of realistic cartoon of fashion icons, legendary artists, and famous celebrities. The texture of the artwork is so adorable and his characters always look so detail oriented, while still remaining very simple looking. I first found his work when one of the real housewives regrammed a drawing he did of her. I especially love when there is a beautiful background in the drawing. His form of fashion oriented artwork is almost like a modern version of 20s American illustrator J.C. Leyendecker, who focused a lot of his art on the details in the fashion of that time.

Jeremy Scott Spring/Summer 2016 Ready to Wear @ NYFW

Real Housewife Yolanda Foster's prized, current model "It Girl" of the summer, Gigi Hadid opened the 60s inspired show that featured lots of bright colors and shiny textures. The show is very Stepford Wives mixed with sexy, intense Moschino looking pieces, which makes sense since Scott is the creative director for the vibrant brand. 

I have to say that Hadid definitely had my favorite looks of the collection. Her makeup and hair seemed as if she came right out of a 60s cartoon book. Here are some of my other favorite looks from the show:

If you want to see the rest of the show, you can click here to visit the Vogue page for it!

Barbie

Representation of POC in fashion dolls has always been minimal, if not nonexistant. For the entirety of it's existence, Mattel (the brand behind the creation of Barbie), has lacked a diversity in it's dolls that is only now getting completely addressed by the company. Popular singer/actress/spokesperson for black culture, Zendaya, has become immortalized as a Barbie in her 2015 Oscars look, that was the topic of interest in the media when E! News reporter Giuliana Rancic criticized the look by defining it with a racist stereotype.

The doll features the locks that Zendaya wore to the event, which she mentioned were inspired by Lisa Bonet from The Cosby Show. 

This isn't the only important thing that Barbie has done to try and become more diverse in it's dolls. They've created a brand new line of dolls, celebrating the different women of the world. Although it's a long time coming for children to have dolls of their skin tone, it is definitely a progressive step for the company.

xx

Liz

Moving

So, I'm nearly finished packing all of my things for my move to college. This includes my plush Ferb doll (which matches with my best friends Phineas-she's going to Boston), my brand new Target full sized bed sheets, and every single cardigan I own (too many). The process of moving is so foreign to me. I've only ever moved twice in my life, once when I was a toddler, and another time only about three years after that. I've lived in this same city for almost 15 years now, and it's a very strange feeling to try and become accustomed to the idea of living somewhere brand new.

I will be posting a couple of blog posts about moving. One about all the things I purchased for my apartment and another that will be a haul of all the clothes I've gotten recently.

I hope I won't be too busy to post!

xx

Liz

California

There's a part of California that has nothing. Here are some photos I took this past spring break of that nothing:

I just wanted a place to put the photos, so I decided why not here. These were taken in Spring Valley, CA, where my dad did a 50k marathon. The nature was beautiful during the two mile trek I did to meet him at a water tent, but it was so hot that my mom and I drove a car back.

xx

Liz

(PS I am by no means a professional photographer/editor of any sort. But it's a hobby that I like to engage every once in a while, because why not and it's fun to do. Professional photographers that actually understand how aperture works intimidate me)

My Style // inspiration // part 2

As cliché as it sounds, I'm inspired by everything around me. When I was younger, I couldn't care less about style. I sought comfort and jackets/pants that covered my hairy arms and legs. I wore Limited Too tracksuits and Gymboree hair clips. It wasn't until middle school that I started caring so much about my appearance, that I tried to change it. I began regularly shaving my arms in the seventh grade, an experience that I remember making me feel like I was a different person. I was still insecure as fuck, but at least I could wear t-shirts without thinking everyone was glancing at my gorilla arms. Unfortunately (or perhaps very fortunately) I was required to wear a uniform to school until I entered ninth grade. So when high school began, I had no idea what the difference was between things I liked and things that looked good on me. Now that I've sort of grown into my own, I've begun to develop a sense of style that I feel is both contemporary and eclectic. Here are a few of the inspirations behind that:

Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot, and Vivien Leigh

Sexy, timeless, and talented.

 Sophia Loren was often typecast as a European bombshell in her films, a sex icon that was glorified for her naturally curvy physique and sultry doe eyes. When she was first beginning in the film industry, producers and managers would tell her that she needed to get plastic surgery, because her nose was "too long." She refused and soon after began doing American movies, where she was blown up to international stardom with her beautifully ethnic features and her slight Italian accent. 

Brigitte Bardot is classified in her documentary as being a "symbol of uninhibited desire." Her voluminous blonde hair and lush lips created an unforgettable appearance, only to be eroticized by her sexually fueled French films that quickly became insanely popular in America. She helped create a much more sexual theme in the movie industry that had previously been banned, with roles like sex kitten Juliete Hardy in ...And God Created Woman and estranged wife Camille Javal in Contempt.

Vivien Leigh is most popular and well known for her role in Gone With the Wind as the saucy, incredibly charming Scarlet O' Hara. She is remembered for being an insanely beautiful woman, often times being referred to as the most beautiful woman in cinema. 

Leigh's public affair with Laurence Olivier catapulted her sex appeal; their erotic letters to each other proved she was an undeniably alluring temptress. Olivier was obsessed with her. He wrote "I woke up absolutely raging with desire for you my love...Oh dear God how I did want you. Perhaps you were stroking your darling self...I am sitting naked with just my parts wrapped in your panties. My longing for you is so intense."

Other Golden Age bombshells of inspiration are Rita Hayworth, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Judy Garland and Grace Kelly.

Style from this era almost nearly created contemporary. The big luscious hair and the bright mod colors created a canvas for future style. Often times when I find myself struggling to achieve any type of look, I go to the past for inspiration. 

xx

Liz

(Next I will feature modern style that inspires me, beginning with Brooke Shields' Calvin Klein commercials and settling into the era of bold brows and Instagram iPhone shoots)