Aubree Bee

The Beauty Blog of a Cosmetics-Obsessed Chica Aubree Bee var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-35090015-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); .ig-b- { display: inline-block; } .ig-b- img { visibility: hidden; } .ig-b-:hover { background-position: 0 -60px; } .ig-b-:active { background-position: 0 -120px; } .ig-b-32 { width: 32px; height: 32px; background: url(//badges.instagram.com/static/images/ig-badge-sprite-32.png) no-repeat 0 0; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and (min--moz-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and (-o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2 / 1), only screen and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and (min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and (min-resolution: 2dppx) { .ig-b-32 { background-image: url(//badges.instagram.com/static/images/[email protected]); background-size: 60px 178px; } }

[aubreebee]

As I took these pre-Superbowl pictures, I was thinking I would be ready to unveil these as my Bronco badge of victory over those little Seabirds up north. Alas, I am totally S.O.L and really have no basis to defend myself if football is the name of the game. 

That's why I am changing the name of this game and calling it, "How Peyton Manning and the Broncos Sucked Holy Marshmallows and Still Made My Face Look Better Than Usual". 

While I do have a bit of grasp on color theory and knew (theoretically) that orange-toned colors bring out blues (because they are opposites on the color wheel), I never really felt the urge to put bright orange on my lids. But a Superbowl is a Superbowl and as I always say, the best way to show your enthusiasm and support is on your face. Click here to get some tips on facial patriotism. 

The results, however, were inspiring and I am now rocking copper-toned lids on the regular. Along with my odd and foreshadowing facial expressions above, you can also see how applying color theory to your make-up can really play up your best assets. 

For all my blue-eyed beauties, any copper is going to be an amazing way to bring out your eye color without looking like it is Halloween or a Nickelodeon theme party. I am wearing a gorgeous MAC pigment in Copper Sparkle, but any orange-toned or warm color will do. I also accented with a blue lined lash-line to really let everyone know that Eric Decker is my homeboy. 

Another way to bring out the blue, but keep it real, is to wear a slightly warm shimmery brown or bronze eyeliner on both your upper and lower lash lines. This enhances but is not as "scary" for some people. It's maybe also good for Seahawks fans (just so their allegiance is not mistaken). 

If you don't have blue eyes, well...that's just too bad! 

Just kidding. I will keep the color combos coming (and the alliterations) in the next few weeks to help all of my gorgeous friends draw attention to their windows to the soul. 

For my friends and family in Denver, I hope you emerge from your mourning period soon, and continue to rock the ole orange and blue (maybe even on your face). Nobody likes a fair-weather fan. 

Love you, mean it. 

Aubree Bee

[aubreebee]

Winter Skin Care: De-Frost Your Face

As most of the country sits in sub-zero temperatures and has kids sleeping in school buses (I'm looking at you, Georgia), I am enjoying the brisk 66 degrees that southern California has dealt today. If this statement makes you angry at me, maybe you should redirect your anger towards financing a move to the west coast, or towards the much more feasible task of loving on that frozen façade of a face. 

There are two products this winter that are saving me from all sorts of winter monstrosities. Here I am using one of the products, the Kate Somerville ExfoliKate, and pondering the struggles of living in a temperate climate: 

Exfoliation is my mantra, and if you are a consistent reader of this blog, you know that (and are already over it). BUT SERIOUSLY. If there is any time to exfoliate, it is now. Dry/dead skin is building up and blocking those pores as we speak. Free your pores and they will thank you. Benefits include looking like an angel-goddess, preventing breakouts (from dead skin that builds up in pores and causes blemishes), and allowing your skin to soak in all of that moisturizing goodness you are attempting to give it when you slather on the lotion. Your serums and lotions and potions are much more efficient when they can actually reach the place they want to go! 

So, after that lecture you are probably conceding “Okay AubreeBee. Okay, I will succumb to your powerful persuasion and exfoliate.” Great. Now go pick up a tube of this dynamite. The Kate Somerville ExfoliKate, besides having a cheeky name, is an amazing treatment that will help you through these winter months. It is powerful, and comes in many variations such as gentle, acne-clearing, and for your whole body! This is great news since I continually am tempted to slather this all over myself! To use, massage this green goop on your wet, and freshly washed, face for about 30 seconds and then let it work its magic for a few minutes and rinse. The end result is glorious, and leaves you with smooth and sumptuous skin that is ready to be moisturized!

I can liken this treatment to the Philosophy Microdelivery Peel, which I am also a huge fan of. I do believe the Kate Somerville product it is easier to use because it is one step (versus two with the Philosophy product) and you can get the small size of this treatment, which will probably last you through the winter if you use it once or twice a week, for $22. Of course there is always the traditional scrub which is much more affordable and gets the job done but does not, in my experience, give as great of results. The baby smooth skin you will experience after using these this treatment is crazy - try it and you will be hooked. Note: If you have sensitive skin or do not do well with intense exfoliation aka a little burning/tingling, I would try the gentle formula. 

 On to my second gem of the season, the Clear Days Ahead acne treatment pads from Philosophy. As I mentioned above, the dry and cold weather can leave you with some serious blemish problems. Don't take this as oversharing - it really is just for the entertainment and furthering knowledge of my lovely readers - but all those sweaters and scarves I wear here in the tropics can really clog up some pores. These are the first things that have worked with me to clear up looming or existing breakouts, and I have tried multiple drug-store acne-spot treatments. They have salicylic acid as their active ingredient, as do many of the other treatments, but somehow seem to garner results when others don't. I do not know how they do it, and I do not care. They are expensive ($40 a jar), but for these results I, again, do not care. I also re-use the pads multiple times, which drags out the lifespan of each jar. I do not recommend this as a full acne regime, but as a savior for those who tend to get occasional breakouts and want to clear them up fast. They do have other products in the line that could help with consistent break outs and chronic acne, such as a liquid spot treatment and a acne-clearing moisturizer, but I have not tried any of them. 

The one positive all this cold weather brings is Snow Days. If you are one of those lucky individuals cozying up at home, I hope I have inspired you to use your time wisely and do some online shopping to combat the trauma of being snowed in. 

Love you, mean it.

Aubree Bee

[aubreebee]

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette - A Picture Book Story

Since every word seems to be the hardest word at this moment (thanks for the inspiration, Elton), today's blog is going to be a short story, picture book style. 

There once was an amazing palette....

It had equal parts glitter and matte eyeshadows, and became this beezy's everyday savior when Santa left it under her tree. 

As she stared off into the distance, she thought, "How easy was applying my eye makeup today?"

The beautiful warm browns and the perfect glittery slate colors complimented every outfit she owned! That day, she packed the second darkest brown glitter onto her eyelid, took the deepest chocolate matte color into her crease, and highlighted her inner corner with the middle frosty champagne color. And she looked good. 

She gave an "Oh heck yes" look to the left...

And a "thank the stars for this palette" gaze at the sky...

And then knew she was ready for her biggest challenge of the day. Getting dressed. 

The End.

Ps, no, I was not a creative writing major but I'm sure many of you were wondering. 

Love you, mean it.

Aubree Bee

[aubreebee]

A Cocktail Guide to NYE Makeup

Hello all my fabulous readers! I hope you are all gearing up for a night of high expectations and mediocre results. I know at least few people who are chugging the water and Emergen-C in preparation for one of the most anticipated and fun nights…at least in the world of make-up. Like many other holidays, tonight is an excuse to wear things we wouldn’t, take risks, and be an overall sparkly badass. I thought the best way to recommend some looks for tonight was to list the key ingredients for a perfect New Year’s Eve Cosmetics Cocktail. 

1. First step: Pick Your Poison. This would be the hard stuff - the focus of your look/cocktail. My recommendations are:

A Colorful Smokey Eye - Unlike super colorful cocktails, this will not give you the hangover of your life, but instead set you apart from all those other sparkly hoes with black eyeshadow strewn all over their lids (apologies in advance to the sparkly hoes). My favorites are a dark purple, or as I showed in a prior tutorial, a dark blue smokey eye. Both are gorgeous and will bring out your eye color much more than a drab neutral. There are some wonderful color options in this Urban Decay Vice 2 Palette, which is full of neutrals and brights to ensure a balanced and chic look. 

Metallic Eye - Because if not on New Years Eve, when? I personally gravitate towards golds and coppers but silver is just as gorgeous and can really scream, “It’s New Years, Bitch!”

A Bold Lip - Most of you will not go for this tonight since colorful pouts are notorious man-repellers. For you brave and celibate souls, go for hot pink instead of the usual red. 

2. Pick Your Base. Whether you are a more matte/full coverage girl or a dewey natural lady, you want a foundation that does not have SPF in it (since it will give you a pasty look in all of your pictures) and a formula that lasts. Be sure to also put some powder on to set your makeup, and some setting spray. This Givenchy powder I got for Christmas is so amazing and smells like roses…literally!

3. Lashes. Yes, they are a pain in the butt. Yes, they will probably get peeled off two minutes after midnight. Are they worth it? Duh. Lashes somehow always complete a glam look. If you have not perfected the craft of lashes, then find a friend who has and beg her with champagne in hand. It always gets me. 

4. Add Glitter. Glitter is like salt on the rim of your margarita, or sugar on your martini. It might even be half as good as hummus is. Life is always better with glitter. You can add it on top of your metallic or smokey eye (like right here), or sprinkle it all over your body to blend in with the decorations. If you are rocking the bold lips, glitter lip gloss on top is also an option. If you want to take a shortcut, the glittery eyeshadows in this Smashbox Full Exposure Palette are stunning and hit two birds with one stone. 

4. Shake It All Up! Go out and dance your butt off. It’s New Years! 

I hope this has helped with your inspiration for tonight’s shenanigans. Even if the night does not end well, you will still be looking like a hottie. Be safe!

Love you, mean it.

Aubree Bee

[aubreebee]

Perfect for NYE! Brown/Copper glitter eye!

[aubreebee]

One of the many reasons I am not a fashion blogger. Although, red still is my favorite color. #needthisoutfit #christmassweatsuit #matchingscrunchie

[aubreebee]

A Blue, Blue Christmas

If you are more than annoyed with the circular limbo of applying red lipstick, half-assed applications throughout the night, and then waking up with red-stained lips that necessitate a good scrub or another day of red lipstick, join the club. Just because it is the holidays does not mean you have to confine yourself to a bold, but sometimes high maintenance, look for going out. I took this sentiment to heart this weekend when I attended our annual family Christmas party. This event requires me to talk to 100+ people in one night, giving me a slight case of lock-jaw and no time to keep checking on or reapplying a bold lip color.

That is why I decided to celebrate my inner Hanukkah and wear a sparkly, beautiful blue smokey eye this year. Unfortunately, and I’m going to be real with you here, the pictures are not great. Here I am telling my boyfriend “The pics are not great.” 

If you want to recreate this look, (which I’m sure you might not considering the photographic evidence), keep reading. 

I first started with a big navy blue jumbo eye pencil (Cobalt NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil) on my eyelid, below the crease, and then added a gorgeous blue (occupy) that shows a bit of a slate color and glitter from the Urban Decay Vice palette. I then blended a light brown and a warm almost orange- toned brown into my crease to create a bit of warmth in the look. Then, I blended a dark navy blue into my crease and moved the color upward and outward with small circular motions to create some depth.

 To finish the eyes, I lined my upper and lower lash lines with black liner, added a dark shimmery brown color over the liner on my lower lash line, and packed on the mascara. A peachy blush was the perfect compliment to the cool blues on my eyes, and I stayed neutral with the lips. 

I love this look because it is very festive without being outwardly Christmas-y, and is perfect for a holiday party or just a winter night out. 

Love you, mean it. 

Aubree Bee

[aubreebee]

Hello lovely readers! I would apologize for not posting for you at Thanksgiving, but I am not sorry that I was clearly enjoying stuffing my face and watching football in familial solitude. I even spent some time at my favorite place in the world...the cosmetics department of Nordstroms.

While I started out with generous intentions of shopping for others, I abandoned the effort when a lovely make-up artist from Trish McEvoy made my face her canvas for 20 minutes. I loved a few products that she used on me (I got a sample of the BB cream that I am currently loving and using up), but the product I walked away with was the 24-hour Eyeshadow and Liner in Smokey Quartz. I loved how easy it was to apply with just the tube (it is in a stick form) or to smudge with your fingers and the color is unbelievably gorgeous! It is a sparkly taupe with very light hints of purple in it, and is festive enough for a holiday party and subtle enough for the office when you smudge it. It stays on all day which is impressive with the amount I rub my eyes, and my new friend at the counter swore it was waterproof. So when you're crying because of an insensitive relative at your family gathering this holiday season, you'll still look like a billion dollars. Speaking of a billion dollars, I was a little shocked when it rang up for over $30! But at that point I was already sold, so I went on my merry way and am pretty pleased, since I haven't looked at my bank statement. 

My recommendation: It is definitely an awesome investment for the girl who only wants one step a day for your eyes as well as some simple glamour. It is so easy to slip into your purse on the go, and the colors, especially this one, are gorgeous and highly pigmented, as you can see in the picture above. If you love the look but do not want to pay that much, there's another option. And his name is Santa. 

Love you, mean it. 

Aubree Bee

[aubreebee]

An Ode to Blush Series, Day 4 - When You Eff Up

The day is finally here - the last installment of my blush series. I know some of you are thanking your chosen deity that this is all over with and that you can now live your life in a peaceful and blush-less existence. And that is fine with me, you can just take my stares in stride next time I see your botched blush application. 

Today is a great day to learn about what to do when you eff-up. Not in real life, which is like all the time, just in blush (you're on your own for the real world eff-ups). Realistically, it is very easy to screw up blush. Just look at my eff-up via age 4. Are you sure you want to take blush advice from me?

"Whoops, that gel blush dries a lot quicker than I thought!" Or, "oh wow, I really didn't turn on my bathroom lights when I did my make-up this morning" are very easy mistakes to make! Do not fret...there are a number of ways to cure these wrongs that are easy and quick. 

The first thing to try is to take a tissue and try lightly rubbing it in circular motions onto your cheeks where you have messed up. You can also try blending a little more with a clean blush brush or beauty sponge. Hastily wiping away the blush like you remove your red lipstick after a night out is not the answer...it irritates your skin, which gives it more pigment and leaves you with a blush-less yet red face. You won't win! 

If that is clearly too amateur for this eff-up, add some of your foundation on top of your cheeks if you have over-applied or applied in the wrong places. Using a brush or a beauty blender to add a little bit of foundation to the places it is either too dark or should not be is going to be fine, since you already have some foundation on your face (I'm assuming). It will blend in with what you already got going on, while muting the shock of excessive pigment. 

If this is still not quite cutting it, add a little bit of translucent powder and some highlighter to your face. This can detract from the extra pigment, but I also feel it sometimes makes it look and feel a little cakey so I leave this as a last resort. If it is still effed-up, it's time to wash your face, girlfriend. I usually just take a make-up remover wipe and use it just on my cheeks, re-apply a little bit of foundation where I wiped off my make-up, and then get real focused for this next round of fake flushing. 

This time when you reapply, make sure you are in bright lighting, tap the excess off of your blush brush (or wipe off the excess from your fingers if it is a cream or gel blush), and blend it in so you see no distinguishable blush "lines" on your face. 

I hope you all learned at least one way to redeem yourself when you eff up. Who knew all it took was a tissue, foundation, powder, highlighter, or a second attempt at keeping your dignity? 

Love you, mean it. 

Aubree Bee

[aubreebee]

An Ode to Blush Series, Day 3 - Application

Mastering the application. For years and years I, and every other girl out there who had a subscription to Seventeen magazine, have been told “brush this on the apples of your cheeks”. This, for me, was almost as anatomically confusing for me as puberty. Where the hell are my apples, and why the hell do I have to get a period!?! Well, I still haven’t answered the latter question, but I have decided that those apples are not exactly where I wanted to put my blush anyways. To thin out your face, which is always my goal, you want to brush upwards and outwards. Start your application with a nice fish face (I know you know how to do this if you are female and have ever taken a selfie…here’s mine. I had a lot to choose from). 

Then using light, shorter strokes to apply the blush directly above the indented/concave part of your cheek, starting horizontally below where your pupil is and working your way up towards your hairline diagonally. This looks much more natural, to me, than having a patch of color rubbed into the middle of your cheek. Some of those luck betches who want to widen a thin face should indeed apply blush directly to the middle of their cheekbones. The key for both of these techniques is to blend blend blend! Visible lines or "patches" of blush make you look like you are wearing a lot of makeup. 

If you want to pair your blush application with some contouring or highlighting, please check out my other posts on those because they are like a peanut butter, jelly and banana sandwich when combined. Keep your eyes peeled for my next batch of tips on how to correct a heavy-handed blush application!

Love you, mean it.

Aubree Bee

[aubreebee]

An Ode to Blush Series, Day 2 - Getting Colorful

People get really wigged out about finding the "right color" of blush, which should not be a huge concern because people look good in all kinds of colors, and it is more about the other elements of blush (like formula and application, which you will learn about verrrrry soon!) If you want to be well rounded for in your blush selection, I think everybody needs at least a pink and a peach shade of blush in your arsenal to fit every look.

To find the "best" colors for you, we look at two things: your skin shade (lighter colored blushes for fair skin, deep tones for dark skin), which is the most important, and your undertones (warm or cool), which is not as crucial. There are many other things that go into the right blush color than your undertones, and by sticking to your cool or warm tone stigma, you are missing out on some wonderful blushes. If you are still set on figuring out your undertones, the best way/explanation I've encountered so far is from DailyMakeover.com: if your veins in your wrists look blue, you are cool toned, and if they look green, you are warm toned. Bam. 

Examples: Blushes 1,3, 9, and 10 are cool, Blushes 2, 4, 7, and 8 are warm. 5 is debatable. It's hard. Just have someone do it for you, or forget this whole warm cool BS and do what you want to like Miley!

No matter what skin tone you have, do not be intimidated by shades that seem too bright or possibly clownish. Test them out! I love the subtle pop of a hot pink blush on a fair face, or an apricot cheek on an olive skin tone, but they will never make you look like a goddess BAMF if you don’t try the product out! It is about formula, and how you put it on. 

I hear you ladies who are saying, but I have pink/reddish skin, why do I want to add more pink on top of it to bring it out? I understand your concerns, but by using a foundation to even skin tone and picking a cool-toned blush that is more of a tan/brown based color, you will come out looking flawlessly blushed. 

Get ready for tomorrow my beauty minions for some of the most important tips - applying the actual stuff! 

Love you, mean it.

Aubree Bee

[aubreebee]

An Ode to Blush Series, Day 1- Picking the Best Formula

If you are anything like me, you are loving fall and the dipping temperatures that come with it. And if you are feeling under the weather this cold/flu season, it is a great time to learn some blush tips that will have your peers ignoring the hacking, and just staring at your beautifully glowing face. Fake it till you make it! I am a blush addict year round, and believe that it is pretty much the cure all for any ailment, medically recognized or not (loneliness, bad hair days, being cold, failing at anything, etcetera). I can honestly say that it is the one product that makes such a huge difference for me on a daily basis, and would tie with mascara in the "what would you bring to a desert island" dilemma.

Because I have so much to say about blush and such a short attention span, I'm going to make this into a series this week. Please tune in every day this week for new blush tips, and become a blushing beauty expert. We'll take it from the start today, and focus on which form of blush is best for you. 

My personal favorite and number 1 on our list is good 'ole Powder Blush. I feel l have the most control on where/how much product goes on with a powder blush, I feel its more polished, and I find that the color assortments are much broader than with any other type of blush. If you are slightly oily, the powder can also absorb some of the excess. Con: You pretty much have to apply this with a blush brush, and know how to use that blush brush. This is totally attainable when you are in the comforts of your bathroom while dancing in your fuzzy robe, but if you need a touch up on the go, we might need to move to another option. Also worth mentioning, if you have very oily skin, the powder blush can have some movement on the face, and may change colors during the day because of the interaction between the product and the oil on your skin. This can be tamed with some translucent setting powder and oil-control setting spray, but you also might want to consider bringing another formula in the mix. 

Cream Blush gives you a dewy and fresh look, and is easily applied with clean fingers (or very slightly bbq-sauced fingers work too...) For some people cream blushes last longer, and I find the super emollient formulas are great for dry skin to minimize flaking. They are also really good for very pale or very dark skin, because they let your skin color show through a bit which makes the blush itself look much more natural. Layering powder blush on top of a cream blush (I like to dust translucent powder on between the two layers) is also a way to guarantee that your blush will stay all day - just be sure to not overdo it. I like to use a more pigmented cream blush and top it with a shimmery nude-colored blush, or vice versa. Putting the bright on top of brighter can produce some interesting results...

Liquid Blush, Gels, and Stains. These are perfect for people who have no patience for reapplying, want a realistic flush, and are fast with their hands (they dry/set really quickly, requiring you to blend very quickly!). This is also probably not the best option for those with very dry or patchy skin since these are very reactive to moisture levels in the skin. I.E. if you have a dry patch you might be accused of having a very mild hemangioma since the extremely dry skin will absorb all that pigment and it will appear darker than the rest of your cheek. This is good for those who are on the oily side of life, and could also be used in conjunction with a powder blush. 

Hopefully you all have a better idea about the differences in formulas, and are now ready to further your expertise! Tune in tomorrow for some color theory and how to find the right color blush for you!

Love you, mean it.

Aubree Bee

[aubreebee]

Aubree Bee Travel Edition: Beauty Lessons from India

1. You are never too young to start wearing eyeliner. 

Gosh, if the 5 year old version of myself could see this, she would be outrageously jealous! As a girl who asked her Kindergarden teacher why it was not acceptable to wear lipstick to elementary school, I am particularly envious of the smokey eyeliner and henna hands these girls are rocking. These children are most likely wearing this eye-defining look to ward off the evil eye, a tradition in certain Indian cultures. I am in full support of any evil eye warding, and will likely continue this tradition for myself almost every day from here on out. 

2. Taking photos of your hands is hard. 

You can't imagine how difficult it is getting a shot, of your entire hand, that doesn't look like a salute of the third reich or an air high-five to absolutely NO-one. I did have to capture the amazing henna going on in some capacity so hope you do not mind looking at the floor of the Taj Mahal instead of the actual structure. The floor is almost as amazing as you might think the Taj Mahal is. Almost. 

On a different note, henna is absolutely beautiful and intricate art that definitely mirrored the intricate beauty seen all over India. Once I stopped getting peripheral glances and thinking that my hands were dirty, it was so fun and had me wishing it was not as temporary as I had planned. 

3. Flowers. Lots and lots of flowers. 

One thing I noticed all over this country is the amazing number of flower and flower vendors. Petals were strewn all over, all the hotels had amazing arrangements in every crevice. Although I'm not sure I could afford to re-create the effect at home, the vibrant oranges of the marigolds, the smell of plumeria (I thought these were only in Hawaii!) and the lovely lilies inspired me to embrace florals in all ways. On my budget, that probably means a spritz of Gardenia perfume and farmer's market flowers for special occasions. 

4. If you are having a bad hair day, throw on a scarf. 

Just kidding. But it would be nice if cultural norms in the US let you just walk around with a scarf on your head? Obviously, many around the world cover their heads for religious purposes, and as long as you do it of your own free will, and not due to gender oppressive regimes, I’m down with it.  Not to mention how this woman is absolutely rocking all those bright colors. I love love love it. 

5. Inspiration is everywhere. 

Our tour leader's wife was one of the most beautiful women I've ever met, and if I lived in India, she would seriously have been my shopping guru because her style was effortless and elegant. On the first night I met her she was wearing this amazing teal eyeliner. So what did I do the next morning? Copy her. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, and I am sincerely obsessed with how beautiful this woman is! 

Another woman I met was a flight attendant on one of our flights. She had just gotten married and her photos from her wedding day were so stunning, I wish I had had whipped out my phone to take a picture of the picture on her phone. Despite not capturing her wedding look, she had already intrigued me and inspired me with her makeup she was wearing. Her eyelids were literally the color of marigolds and her orange-red lipstick complimented her skin tone perfectly. (Sorry about the lighting, these were taken in the 2 seconds I had between getting off the plane and onto a bus)

6. Be bold. 

This is a group of pilgrims visiting Varanasi, the holiest city for Hindus, to bathe in the river Ganges. There are many reasons these ladies are bold. One, it was literally the butt-crack of dawn, and they had to have traveled from far and wide to bathe in a river that contains holy properties as well and a lot of mysterious properties (think chemical pollution from upstream and pieces of people's partially cremated bodies). Two, just look at their outfits! These women choose to dress in these amazing bold colors pretty much every day. Three, if you look around at the male company they are keeping, I would say that's pretty bold. Especially the man up the stairs...talk about getting caught with you pants down! But, all worth it for the pilgrimage. 

I hope you all enjoyed this, and I am so excited to share my travels with you guys! Despite the many jokes I make, I had such an incredible adventure in a place that is unlike any I have ever seen! I saw so much beauty in this country and am so excited to integrate it into my own life. 

[aubreebee]

Wide Awake - A Trick to Looking Better Than You Actually Do

Sometimes, when that Katy Perry song comes on and she is continually throwing in my face the fact that she is "wide awake", I want to punch someone in the face. Luckily I have found a form of revenge that doesn't involve assault and battery charges, which is assuming I actually had good enough aim to hit someone in and around that area.

Using a cream-colored eyeliner on your bottom lashes will give you a brighter, more wide-eyed appearance than you are feeling on the inside, and I promise it will not turn you into the scowling beauty in some of the featured photos above. Instead you will feel like you have just been born out of the lion's den, you don't have to pretend (sorry, I had to). So, if you are interested in having bigger looking eyes that brighten your whole face and make you look like you did not just work a 14 hour day, read on. 

The Theory:

By adding the liner to your bottom waterline, you are visually extending the whites of your eyes down, making them appear bigger. You are also bringing more light to your eyeball area, putting the focus on that instead of the bags going on right below. Hallelujah. In these photos, I have nothing on my eyes except this and mascara. Hopefully you think I look slightly awake. 

Why Cream-Colored?

While you may think the whites of your eyes are white, you have been fooled. They are really the creams of your eyes, and this is why you should use a cream-colored liner. Using a truly white pencil can be too noticeable and make you look more like a doll than a spunky lady. 

The Pro's?

Clearly you can see the bags under my eyes from squinting at the computer all day (this was taken after a particularly strenuous day at work that involved the Department of Indian Affairs). But if you take a look at the less up-close-and-personal photos, and ignore my mug shot pose, the liner is extending the whites of my eyes (which is great because I have small eyes) and attracting light to the area above my bags (a distraction!). In my book, those two aspects are amazing benefits from something as simple as eyeliner. 

Products to Use:

The liner I used here was the NYX Wonder Pencil in Light 01 ($4.49 at Ulta, comes in 3 shades). They also suggest that you can use this as a spot-concealer, and lip liner, which might possibly work. Another good option is Merle Norman's Inner Liner in Nude ($14.99, only one shade). 

Hopefully I have convinced you to add this easy step into your routine when you are feeling a little sluggish. It's never fun to be told "you look tired" by peers, parents, retail associates, strangers....(never happened to me, but I've heard) so try this out and avoid feeling ugly AND tired. Love you, mean it. 

PS I started out taking pictures with one eye done and the other without...and it looked pretty creepy. Hence why I only included two, the last one and the one where I'm trying to convince you that I'm not clinically depressed, with the difference between the eyes, just for your viewing pleasure. 

AubreeBee

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[aubreebee]

Empties!

This week, I thought I would enlighten you all with the products that I have run out of, because nothing says I love you more than squeezing the absolute last possible life out of product in despair. I'm going to keep this as brief as is sincerely possible for me since there are a fair amount of products. 

Perfekt Body Perfection Gel in Exotic: I first bought this in NYC about 4 years ago. It makes your skin pretty much feel flawless (and as in so many other instances in beauty, we have silicone to thank). Unfortunately this shade was bought by mistake, and I would highly recommend to those fair-faced beauties to pick a lighter shade since this shade of Beyonce is not entirely believable on me. 

NARS Bronzer in Laguna: It's a classic. Not too much shimmer, no orange tint, and a glow that will make you go wow. 

MAC Dazzleglass lipgloss in Baby Sparks: MAC lipglosses tend to have a polarizing effect...you either love the sticky sweet vanilla concoction, or you would rather just not feel like you stuck your lips into a bowl of honey. Either way, this stuff is a girly girl's dream. Pink? Check. Glitter? Check. Shiny stuff on yo face? Check. 

MakeUp Forever Full Cover Concealer: This is just a step below in coverage to the Kat Von D Tattoo concealer. It is not super creamy, but can cover like no other (partially because of its no-slide texture) and will be in my makeup bag for the foreseeable future. If you want to make it a little easier to blend or a little more malleable, try mixing it with primer, or eye cream, but don't expect it to wear as long as it normally would.

Frederik Fekkai Perfectly Luscious Curls Shampoo and Conditioner:  Oh boy, is this luscious! The softest my hair has ever been is when I was using this shampoo/conditioner combo. It is a home run on pretty much all fronts. It gives your hair that perfect texture for an amazing curl, without compromising softness (which I prefer over the crunchy curl). Tied for first is the insanely gorgeous grapefruit scent. Curly girls rejoice. Wavy girls too. 

MAC Fix + Finishing Spray: If I could make the scent of this product a perfume, I would. There is just something entirely alluring yet refreshing about this smell, and although I'm not entirely sure that the spray makes my makeup last any longer, I will continue to spritz to my heart's desire. 

Supergoop Antioxidant Sunscreen: If you don't already know my thoughts on this, continue to explore the blog to find out. 

Sun Beam by Benefit: This is the perfect color of highlighter. I find it to be the most natural because it has a golden/beige tint that goes quite well with light/medium shades all the way to deep skin tones. It is shimmery but not too frosty, if you catch my drift (ie you won't accidentally turn into the sugar-plum fairy after using it). 

On another note, I am so sorry I left you all without a dope beat last week. I was in Oklahoma on the search for the perfect wind-blown, big hairdo. It was a partial success, just in case you were wondering.

[aubreebee]

Summer Lovin' with Supergoop!

If you had been with me at any point this summer, I am almost positive that I would have one of these three products on my person. If you are new to this blog, here is your introduction to my obsession and love affair with the ole SP of F. And with these multi-purposed products, it is super easy to protect yourself without exerting a significant amount of effort. I'm not in love with everything, so read on to hear the pro's and con's of each product. And on a side-note, a big pat on the back goes out to me for making a slightly androgynous blog post. Snaps for Elle. 

Let's start with the biggest and the baddest of the three, the Antioxidant Sunscreen SPF 50. I like the feel of the product when it's on because it is definitely moisturizing, and doesn't feel sticky or stiff like other products can (since it has 30% less alcohol than other sunscreens do). The scent is a little more of a "sunscreen" scent than I would like, but it has a hint of citrus in it and is much better than some on the market. I love this for the summer because it gives you a definite "glow", but I would probably not continue use into the fall, only because I feel that people would be able to detect that I was wearing a sunscreen-scented product. I also got three bottles of this on sale for $50 at the Nordstrom sale, which makes it only a couple dollars more than a bottle of regular spray sunscreen these days (Neutrogena is running $13-$15 a pop!). Otherwise, it is $19 a bottle, which is a little too much for every day use for me. This means I will be back to my chem-lab ways of mixing baby sunscreen, lotion, and some shimmer/bronzy product all together to create my perfect, non-scented trio of goodness. 

Now, for my favorite, and most expensive product of the three, the Eye Cream SPF 37. There are too many things that I love about this. First and foremost, it is super moisturizing, and protects a very delicate area that most people miss when wearing sunscreen or products with SPF in them. If you are younger, this is probably one of the best anti-aging products to be using since it is preventing sun damage in one of the most age-identifying areas (under-eyes, crows feet, eyelids). I'm not super convinced that the oatmeal peptides in the product are turning back the clock for me, but hey, it's worth a shot! On top of all this, I love the fact that the white pigment of the cream gives my eye area an "awake" look and brightening effect without looking chalky or opaque. The brightening effect is almost comparable to the Touche Eclat from YLS, but I use it under my makeup. The product is $45, which seems steep, but I have been using it almost every day this summer, and it is still not even half-way empty. 

Puppy Break:

Finally, the City Sunscreen Serum SPF 30 rounds out the crowd. I decided to get the travel version for around $25, since I had not sampled it before. I think that this is definitely rich enough to be your day moisturizer and sunscreen/serum, and I found at times that it was almost too much when paired with my regular moisturizer. I like to wear this with a SPF-free foundation as opposed to a BB cream since it is already moisturizing enough and has SPF. I will usually use a setting powder every time I use it so I don't get too oily by the end of the day, but wearing it by itself on a more "natural" look day does not give me any issues. The pump on the travel size sometimes has some issues, and I need to shake it around most days for the product to come out. That said, this has a very nice consistency and leaves my face looking very fresh, and most importantly, protected. I'm not sure if I would repurchase since I feel the benefits could be reaped from other, cheaper sources, but I enjoyed trying this and will use up what is left in the bottle. 

I hope this helps you in your sun-care endeavors, or at least inspires you to have some sun-care endeavors. The Eye Cream will definitely be making its way into my year-round routine, and I encourage you to continue to use SPF even in the chilly days of fall. Sun's out, SPF guns out. 

Love you, mean it.

AubreeBee

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[aubreebee]

My Favorite Birchbox to Date!

As you know, I'm always a fan of trying out new products and this month's Birchbox just really set my pants on fire. I am so excited to try each and every one of these products. So excited that I'm going to share with you my brief, but intense, interactions with them. 

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel: First of all, it's pretty much a mask, which really ignites my dance pants because I have a Mask & Merlot Monday ritual. It does not have an overpowering scent, and is organic, thank the heavens. I tested it on the back of my hand (which is my usual routine when trying out exfoliants/potentially-irritating products), and it was left super smooth. It did tingle a bit with a very slight burning sensation when I put it on my face, which are both good signs of a nice and gentle enzyme sloughing. 

Miss Jessie's Rapid Recovery and Super Sweetback Treatments: I have a love affair with Miss Jessie's Products, and I am so excited to whip my hair back and forth after these little packets of heaven. The Rapid Recovery treatment is "for repairing dry brittle curls", while the Super Sweetback is for "growing out naturally curly, kinky and wavy hair". I am equally pumped up for both, since I have been flattening my hair to the point of brittle lately, and because my hair will never grow past my boobs. And I'm hoping this product over a plastic surgery intervention is the way to get me there. 

ModelCo Party Proof Lipstick: Yes. Yes. That is is all I have to say to this. How in this universe Birchbox found a way to send me the perfect shade of red to my doorstep without even asking is beyond me. I love the pigmentation, the finish (it is more of a natural finish than a matte in my opinion), and of course, the color. It is super hydrating and does not require you to be looking/reapplying in the mirror every 5 minutes! This is such a win, considering some of my other red lipsticks have set me back a pretty twenty-dallah-bill. 

Whish Coconut Milk Correcting Gel: I'm not sure what this is supposed to be correcting, but at the moment it is my odor. But seriously, this stuff is smelling like the pure definition of summer, aka coconut. The scent is fresh and pretty potent, and is making the back of my hand feel nice and pampered. They say to put this on your face twice a day, and while I might use this before a nice session of suck-face, I'm not sure it is the going to be my go-to for everyday. I actually think I would like it more on my neck and chest as both a treatment and a scent. Two birds, one correcting gel. Ba-bang. 

Last, but not least, they gave me a "Beauty Extra", a Whish Hair Inhibiting Deodorant Swipe. I'm going to throw this in my gym bag for when I'm in need of a real "refresher". 

I hope you all enjoyed this lovely review. And if you are looking at the pictures and wondering, no it is not your eyes. I have decided to step up my game, join the big leagues (with names such a JuicyStar07, Miss Glamourazzi, and All That Glitters), and invest in a camera. I hope your eyes and my subscribership both benefit from this change.