Gardening in High Heels

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Brow Tales – The Makeup Mix-Up

No lie, this prompt for The Makeup Mix-Up is terrifying to me. I don’t do my brows. I barely remember to pluck them. Excuse me..tweeze. A friend’s mom corrected me ages ago by saying, “You pluck a chicken but you tweeze your eyebrows,” and that’s all I think of when I think of anything involving eyebrows.

Doing your eyebrows can be terrifying but this product that she used is awesome, it's the NYX Brow Cake Powder and it looks so natural and it lasts!

Anyone else know what I’m talking about here..so one day you go to bed and your brows are looking pretty good. They may be a little rough, but they’re passable. And then next morning you look in the mirror like, “Where the hell did this cavewoman come from??” That’s me and my eyebrows. One day they’re fine, the next is just like BAM hot mess.

Like everything in my life.

I’ve had my fair share of brow drama. I even shared one of the more horrifying stories with you earlier this year. So I try to keep it to the minimum. I’m lucky to have thick, dark Italian brows so filling them in daily feels unnecessary.

I guess how some people would feel about dark lipstick is how I feel about doing my brows. I don’t know how to do it or really want to. And it’s scary.

I did feel vindicated when I purchased the NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder and the girl at Ulta said it was the best drugstore version she’s tried. I’m not gonna lie, in person, I feel ridiculous with these filled-in brows, but they look great on camera. Very polished and professional.

The Makeup Mix-Up : Great product for bold brows

Doing your eyebrows can be terrifying but this product that she used is awesome, it's the NYX Brow Cake Powder and it looks so natural and it lasts!

The Makeup Mix-Up : Great product for bold brows

Instead of going through the list of face stuff used, I’m just going to stick to the eyes. Products used:

  • Urban Decay Naked 3 shadow palette
  • NYC New York Color Angel Lash Mascara
  • NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Brunette
  • Sumita Color Contrast Eye Pencil in Raina

Maybe I’ll try to be more comfortable with the brow stuff. I prefer a pencil to gentle shade in, but the powder version isn’t bad. And what’s the story with the wax that comes in every brow kit? I’m not detailing a car here.

When it comes to brows, do you use a pencil, powder, or go au naturel?

I’m joining in on the Makeup Mix-Up with Making Mrs. M and Miranda Writes.
Wear to Where logoIf you haven’t had enough of me yet today, check out today’s Wear To Where post! The ladies are styling and sewing date night in looks.

Cranberry Eyes – The Makeup Mix-Up

It’s finally November, which means it’s finally time for me to abandon any hope of summer weather returning. But that doesn’t mean your eyes can’t be bright. This week for The Makeup Mix-Up, Cranberry Sauce is being served up. It would be way too easy for me to find a deep shade of lipstick and call it a day, but I wanted to do something more with my eyes.

The secret (I think) to keeping cranberry eyes from looking red and sickly and instead bright and vibrant is starting with a good base. It will keep everything locked in and even instead of patchy and “was that intentional?” Because “sick” is not a word I’d use to describe this cranberry eye look. Unless you mean it as in “totally awesome..”

Fall sunset eyes with golds and rusty cranberry shadows. | Gardening In High Heels

Just like when I tried the vampy look, I had something else in mind entirely, but changed my mind halfway through. I was thinking about a smoky eye with deep rusty shadows, but instead went for a fall sunset look. I want to call it cranberr-eyes.

I love how unforgiving dSLR cameras are. They pick up everything. But aside from foundation and concealer, this is my skin. For better or worse. And tomorrow I’ll be totally makeup free for #RFGoNaked Day. For every selfie posted, Rodan + Fields will make a donation to empower students in need through service and education. If you want to jump on board with me and go naked (office-appropriately of course) – this isn’t an ad, I just wanted to share a good cause.

Plus it’s good to let your skin breathe. I’ve been using Rodan + Fields on and off and I really enjoy how it makes my skin look when I’m on it.

Fall sunset eyes with golds and rusty cranberry shadows. | Gardening In High Heels

Fall sunset eyes with golds and rusty cranberry shadows. Perfect for fall! | Gardening In High Heels

Fall sunset eyes with golds and rusty cranberry shadows. Awesome look for fall! | Gardening In High Heels

Fall sunset eyes with golds and rusty cranberry shadows. | Gardening In High Heels

Products used:

  • Naked Skin Foundation
  • Sephora Baked Sculpting Trio in Sassy
  • Ulta Eyeshadow in Chianti
  • Ulta Eyeshadow in Yogurt
  • Urban Decay Matte Eyeshadow in Perversion
  • Lorac Unzipped Palette
  • NYC New York Color Angel Lash Mascara
  • MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Bare Again

What’s your favorite way to wear cranberry makeup for fall?

I’m joining in on the Makeup Mix-Up with Making Mrs. M and Miranda Writes.

Have you entered my You Guys Totally Rock so Here’s a Bunch of Things I Like and I Think You’ll Like, Too Giveaway? You should probably check it out. Like, now.

Pin-up Inspired Look – The Makeup Mix-Up

I was feeling pretty good about this Makeup Mix-Up post. I had a solid idea of what I wanted to do thanks to Emily’s comment last week. So I tested the look and I was like yeah..this is it. And I did the makeup for real, shot the photos, and was getting ready to transfer them to my computer when I saw a tweet that was like, “12 Halloween looks that only require makeup!” and the photo attached was this insane iridescent mermaid scale look and that’s just going to blow my pin-up inspired look out of the water.

No pun intended. Well, maybe a little.

Anyway.. Emily mentioned that Halloween is all about being playful and sexy and suggested something like a pin-up girl. Any look that allows me to rock a red lip is cool by me.

Pin-Up Inspired Halloween Look for The Makeup Mix-Up | Gardening In High Heels

In my mind, a pin-up girl is flirty and fun and doesn’t take herself too seriously. But her lips are always on point and her eyes are bright. Instead of just a plain black cat eye, I decided to go one step further and add a little color. I chose purple because it doesn’t compete too much with the lips and it complements my eyes. I can also see this working with gold, blue, green..really anything as long as you do it with confidence.

Pin-Up Inspired Halloween Look | Gardening In High Heels

Pin-Up Inspired Halloween Look | Gardening In High Heels   Pin-Up Inspired Halloween Look | Gardening In High Heels

As much as I love makeup, I can’t do my hair to save my soul. I would have loved to rock some victory curls, but lord knows that wasn’t going to happen. So I went with a big bouffant. It totally goes with my polar-bear thermal shirt.

Pin-Up Inspired Halloween Look | Gardening In High Heels

Products used:

  • Naked Skin Foundation
  • Benefit Hi Beam Highlighter
  • Revlon Colorstay Bronzer in Bronzed & Chic
  • Sephora Baked Sculpting Trio in Sassy
  • Revlon Brow Fantasy in Brunette
  • Lorac Unzipped Palette
  • Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 Hour Metal in Painted Purple
  • Mary Kay Liquid Eyeliner in Black
  • Benefit They’re Real Mascara
  • NYC New York Color Angel Lash Mascara
  • Forever21 Love&Beauty Lipstick in Brick

What are you being for Halloween?

I’m joining in on the Makeup Mix-Up with Making Mrs. M and Miranda Writes.

Have you entered my You Guys Totally Rock so Here’s a Bunch of Things I Like and I Think You’ll Like, Too Giveaway? You should probably check it out. Like, now.

Vampy Vixen – The Makeup Mix-Up

Playing with makeup is great fun for me, but I tend to do the same thing over and over. I’m definitely stuck in a makeup rut. So I thought I would join in on the Makeup Mix-Up with Making Mrs. M and Miranda Writes. This week’s challenge: Vampy Vixen.

Vampy Vixen Makeup for the Makeup Mix-Up challenge using Urban Decay Naked 3 and Urband Decay Smoked palette | Gardening In High Heels

Now I’m not one for dramatic smoky eyes every day. I typically wear the same two styles: one all-over shadow or a simple smoke for daytime with purples/golds. So to jump in with this on Vampy Vixen is kinda like, “If I’m going to do this, I’m going to go balls to the wall.”

When I think Vixen, I think a strong cat-eye, lots of lashes, and bold lips. But when you throw in “vampy,” well, you gotta kick it up a little. When you do a Pinterest search for “vampy makeup,” it’s all dark, smoky eyes and blood red lips. That’s where I first went with this, but then I decided to do things a little differently.

To me, a vixen carries her power in her eyes. If looks could kill, you’d have already died. So I really wanted to focus on the eyes and bringing a lot of drama with a smudged out smoky cat eye.

True story, I had an entirely different look planned out, but it ended up being too dark. I need to have a little brightness to get the power in my eyes to stand out, so instead of dark all the way up to the lashes, I focused some gold on the inner corner and really smoked out the corners.

Vampy Vixen Makeup for the Makeup Mix-Up challenge using Urban Decay Naked 3 and Urband Decay Smoked palette | Gardening In High HeelsVampy Vixen Makeup for the Makeup Mix-Up challenge using Urban Decay Naked 3 and Urband Decay Smoked palette | Gardening In High Heels

Talk about if looks could kill…I’m throwin’ some serious shade here.

Vampy Vixen Makeup for the Makeup Mix-Up challenge using Urban Decay Naked 3 and Urband Decay Smoked palette | Gardening In High Heels

Vampy Vixen Makeup for the Makeup Mix-Up challenge using Urban Decay Naked 3 and Urband Decay Smoked palette | Gardening In High Heels

Products used:

  • Urban Decay Naked 3 / Smoked palettes
  • Pop Cat Eyes in Black Dahlia
  • Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Uzi
  • Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 Hour Metal in Barely Branded
  • ColourPop Lippie Pencil in Tootsi
  • Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in 215 Shameless
  • Urban Decay Naked Skin
  • MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Light Year

What does “vampy vixen” makeup mean to you?

Next week’s look for the Makeup Mix-Up is Halloween Tease. I have no idea where to even begin with that. Any suggestions?

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