the witching hour
In honor of Halloween, I have a throwback post for ya. This is a post I mean to hit "publish" on last Halloween, but because I was just getting used to the whole idea of "blogging", I forgot. Rookie mistake! I wanted to choose a "costume" that was both functional and fun. I used my flat iron to achieve the beachy waves and took all of the items straight from my closet. To spice it up, I popped on a nice blood red lipstick color.
I hereby promise to never forget to hit "publish" on another blog post again!
x Alicia
Utilitarian
A Feminine Touch
Throwbackish
Shirt - XXI | Pants - Gap | Shoes - adidas | Jacket - Zara |
Staying Organized Part One: Workspace Woes
New In: Ulta Beauty Edit
After a long, grueling quarter, I decided to treat myself to a few goodies at Ulta. Admittedly, the quarter isn't quite over just yet (it officially ends on Friday for me) but it is never too early to reward yourself for hard work! I picked up a mud mask, top coat, bronzer, highlighter, setting spray, and some face wash. I needed a bronzer refill, so I went with my tried and true, NYX Matte Bronzerin the shade Deep Tan. I wanted to give myself a few hours of R&R, so I bought Freeman's Charcoal & Black Sugar Mud Mask to use while I gave myself a a nice and much needed pedicure (that I topped off with my new Seche Vite top coat). I have been meaning to buy a setting spray since I haven't owned one since the beginning of the summer, and snagged the mini size of Urban Decay's De-Slick Setting Spray. It's been doing its job so far! My Dermalogica facial cleanser will soon be seeing its last days, so I picked up one of my staples: the Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash. This stuff is amazing for sensitive skin, and leaves your skin feeling super clean. Finally, I splurged and bought the full-size version of Benefit's Watt's Up Highlighter - my absolute favorite one ever! After using my mom's mini version for the past two years, it was time I bought my own. I think this product gives such a beautiful natural glow, and is great for that "new" trend, strobing. I honestly don't get why using a crazy amount of highlighter needs a name, but if that's the case I've been "strobing" ever since I started highlighting. Believe you me, I will definitely do a product spotlight on this highlighter in the near future.
That's all for now,
x Alicia
How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes
I admittedly don't clean my makeup brushes as often as I should. When I think about it, it should really be a priority since those things are always touching my face. Well, that sounds wrong. Ha!
Anyhow, I watched this video from BeautyosaurusLex on YouTube and she spoke about how she cleans her brushes in her June Favorites video. I love favorites videos and I ran out and purchased the exact soap she uses to clean her brushes: Mrs. Meyers Dish Soap in the scent Basil! It smells like spring. Such a fresh scent that I won't get sick of (especially considering the frequency of which I wash my brushes).
I don't have any snazzy brush pads or mitts, but I do have these trusty old things called my hands. I put a drop of soap onto my palm and run the brush under warm water for 0.3 seconds, then swirl the brush in the palm of my hand until I see the burnt copper color of old makeup run down the drain. I then proceed to rinse the brush, then put a drop of soap directly on the bristles then massage it in until it lathers nicely. I repeat this until the soap remains a nice white foam as I'm massaging the brush, then rinse until the water runs clear. I shape the brush heads then leave them on a clean hand towel overnight, or until they dry. The next day I have fresh-scented brushes that are clean and bacteria-free! Woo!
What's your favorite way to clean your brushes, and what products do you use? One last thing - how often do you actually wash your brushes?
x Alicia
Alessandra Chiolo: Albertine Shoes
With this product, the Head Designer, Alessandra Alberta Chiolo herself, wants to unify her passions, fashion and travels, with the aim of guaranteeing to women the possibility of being themselves in any circumstance.
Upper, heels, and plateau compose the Albertine: combining different models of these last two elements it is possible to customize the shoes. There are two models of uppers, heels, and plateaus, each are available in 30 different colors, for a total of 3600 combinations.
The hooking system is incredibly easy to use, with simple gestures allowing a seamless combination of the different elements.
The Albertine is 100% made in Italy and guarantees absolute attention to details, choice of the best materials and use of the most advanced technologies. Check out the video below to see the shoes in action!
I really love that Alessandra is working hard to see her dream come true, and that she is totally on the same wavelength as me regarding the reason behind her company. Individuality is important. It's critical that you remain true to yourself, even when it comes to fashion.
If you want to get involved with this campaign and help Alessandra bring the Albertine to the U.S., check out her Kickstarter campaign!
Kate Spade x Her Campus Shopping Party
Teen Vogue Back To School Campus Trunk Party
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