Makeup Starter Kit: MAC Eyeshadows

My goal for the new year is to keep this blog up and running.  I've really missed sharing my new beauty finds and makeup tips with you and I've realized I miss being a part of this awesome community.  So without further ado here's a new blog post!


Makeup Starter Kits: MAC Eyeshadow

MAC eyeshadows are some of the best on the market and it can be overwhelming choosing shades to try since they seem to have a million!  Starting out with a quad can be the perfect solution.  With four eyeshadows you can create several different looks both for daytime and night!

 

MAC Quad $57.00

 

 

1. Charcoal Brown (Top Left): This matte medium brown is perfect for filling in eyebrows and a crease color.  The matte color makes it perfect for daytime use and a good color to add in to a brown smokey-eye.

2. Omega (Top Right):  If you have lighter eyebrows then you could mix this light brown shade with charcoal brown for the perfect look. This is a great all-over color and a great shade to have if you're in a hurry and want light definition around your eyes. Just these two (Charcoal and Omega)  matte browns alone could create a basic daytime look. 

3. Petina (Bottom Right):  This shimmery golden brown is perfect for an allover lid color but even better when paired with Omega and Charcoal Brown for definition.  This color is perfect for the palette because it can jazz up the matte colors already in the palette but also work fine on it's own. 

4. Naked Lunch (Bottom Left) :  This is a pale pink shadow with gold shimmers in it. This shade is perfect to sweep across the lid if you're wanting a naturally bright look.

Get Yours Now!

Fuschia Lip Tutorial

I've posted a new makeup tutorial on YouTube! It's a trend I saw on a lot of the stars at ComicCon  this year.  

I hope you enjoy this look!

Hair Rescue: No Heat Necessary

Needing some inspiration for your summer look?  Check out a hairstyle that is perfect for beating the heat.

 No Heat Necessary Hair Style

This look is incredibly simple to achieve and lasts for days without needing to damage your hair with heat. 

The benefits of this look come from the fact that you aren't damaging your hair by using tons of heat products and it gives your hair natural body and texture with very little effort!  Also, unlike styling with heat products, this look will last longer because your hair has naturally taken hold of the style. 

Step 1: Apply a homemade sea-salt spray or your favorite curl enhancing product to wet hair. 

Step 2: Start at the front of your hair (I usually start with a section close to one inch wide) and begin braiding away from the face. Tip: If you want tight waves then braid small, tight sections.  If you want  loose waves braid thicker, loose sections. 

Step 3: Tie off braid with a small hairband.

Step 4: Continue braiding sections of your hair, some starting below eye-level and some from the crown of your head to add volume. 

You will probably look absolutely ridiculous at this point with braids all over your head but trust me it pays off!

Step 5: Once you've braided all of your hair into sections and tied them off, allow your hair to dry overnight as you sleep. 

Finish the look:

Once your hair has dried, remove the bands and gently pull apart the braids.  Once the braids have been undone, spray your hair with a light-weight hairspray.  To add volume spray your hair with your head turned upside down.  Use your fingers to gently comb through the hair and apply a smoothing serum if your hair is prone to frizz. 

I have been wearing my hair like this for days and I absolutely love it! I hope you enjoy it.

M

YouTube Channel

Hi guys,

I want to let you all know that I've started a YouTube channel called the MakDiaries where I will be posting a mixture of videos from makeup tutorials, product reviews, monthly favorites, outfit of the day posts and sharing a new and exciting chapter of my life -my traveling adventures in England- with you all! I would love it if you would subscribe to my channel. The videos posted currently are with my low-quality equipment but I've just gotten hold of a videocamera and some lighting so I can't wait to debut the new look on the new channel!

The link to the channel is: http://www.youtube.com/user/MakDiaries?feature=mhee

Love,
M

MakePeaceMonday: 6 Week Challenge- Sleep

Hi guys,

I just want to update you on the week since I posted my intro video for the Make Peace Monday Six Weeks to Your Best You Challenge.  This past week I have tried to be more aware of my habits and make a conscious effort to choose healthier options and to take better care of myself. I focused overall on all six changes shown in the video and realized that it really has to start with sleep.  I have noticed in the past two years I have really let sleep as a priority fall to the wayside.  Actually, sleeping has never been a priority for me and while I've been in college I've really noticed the negative effects of getting inadequate amounts of rest. 

Here's the thing, leading a healthy lifestyle takes a lot of focus, patience, energy, and will power.  To be prepared for the difficulties of changing your lifestyle you need to be well rested.  Not getting enough sleep will sabotage your efforts because your body will crave foods that give instant energy like sugar and carbs which will make it more difficult to eat healthily.  Also, you will not have the energy or willpower after a long day or bright and early in the morning before work to do a workout if you are dead tired.

Another negative side effect of lack of sleep is the fact that it doesn't give your body time to repair.  Mainly, I'm talking about the damaging effects this will have on your skin.  I think you all know what it feels like to wake up after an all nighter in the library (or elsewhere) and look in the mirror- really, it can just be horrifying.  If you notice, no amount of makeup really helps this as your eyes will still be tinged with redness and puffiness and your skin will look dull. Also, every person you run into seems to say, "Oh...you look...tired."(Which I tend to take as, you look pretty rough). This happens because your skin uses sleeping time to make new, bright, fresh skin cells and if you cut that time short then you will be stuck with the dead skin which will leave you with a dull complexion among other things.

The amount of sleep you get will probably play a big role in whether or not you can accomplish this six week challenge.  Now, I will say that there is no magic number of hours you need to sleep to guarantee you wake up feeling well rested.  Every person is different.  I can feel great with seven hours of sleep (although I'm pushing for 8) but some people really do need ten, so figure out what your body needs to feel great!

Now, if you are staying up until two in the morning every night and waking up at eight to go to work don't be surprised if you can't get to sleep at a decent time the first few nights.  Changing a sleeping schedule is really difficult but try to train your body and I promise you will feel happier, healthier, and even more beautiful!

PS.  I tend to get really anxious at night and I've heard from a lot of people that before bed they start planning their next day or they replay the events of the current day.  This causes restless sleep or your anxiety can make it impossible to actually fall asleep. (Trust me, been there!) The best tip I can give you is to count backward in your head from 20 taking deep breaths with each number.  I used it all this week and it has worked like a charm!

Need a refresher on what our six goals are for the next few weeks? Check out Six Weeks to Your Best You

Until next Monday- Get some sleep!

M

Flawless in Six Minutes

Its getting warmer outside, the sun is shining and its vacation season.  This means one thing- you don't want to spend too much time in front of the mirror fussing with your makeup.  I have created a tutorial for a naturally flawless look that only takes about six minutes to apply!

If you create this look, I'd love to see it so post a picture on the Facebook page (you  can comment on the corresponding post), in the comments below, or in a video response on YouTube!

Also,  I've just started using an HD camcorder and a backdrop so the quality in tutorials is going to increase soon :)

Hope you enjoy this look.  If you have any request for other makeup tutorials be sure to let me know via the comment section or Twitter @madeleine0113.

Trend to Try: Harem Pants & Summer Scarves

Source: fashionfinder.asos.com via Madeleine on Pinterest

Spice up a pair of comfy harem pants with bright accessories for a fun, summertime look!