Tips and tricks: all about LASHES! #Throwback to my first anchoring days

I'm turning today into a #TBT #ThrowbackThursday because I found this photo from my first anchoring gig, back when I was the morning anchor at KTVE/KARD in my hometown of Monroe, Louisiana.

Maybe it doesn't show in this poor quality picture... but when I see this, the first thing I think of is, "I LOVE eyelashes extensions!" LOL! Standout eyelashes make your eyes really pop, especially on air or in photos.

I have tried sooo many different types of lashes, and I have my favorite styles and looks. If you have the money, I recommend that you go for a professional eyelash extension application. That's what I was wearing in this photo from a salon-- the lashes were individually applied, so they looked PHENOMENAL and they lasted for WEEKS. Worth it if you can afford it!

But if you're like me now, you're all about saving $$$, so you want the cheaper, easier and quicker version of great lashes. So here are some tips and tricks that could help you in your quest for amazing lashes:

1. Choose your preference of which lash enhancement you want to try. Whether it's cluster lashes (my personal favorites for at-home, easy application and a natural look), or even the more challenging but more dramatic and effective strip lashes,  don't be intimidated-- practice until you feel comfortable applying them. Also don't forget that you can do fiber mascara, which are not really false eyelashes but are a great "bridge" between regular mascara and false lashes.

2. Get a glue that matches-- I recommend Duo, the brand I linked to here: if you are blonde, you can get away with clear adhesive, but if you are brunette like I am, go with the dark adhesive. 

3. Instead of attempting to apply the glue directly on the lashes themselves, try putting a glob on the back of your hand or on a piece of foil on your countertop. Then drag the base of the lashes through the glue to achieve a thin, even line of adhesive. 

4. Here is the MAGIC TIP: wait at least 30 seconds for the glue to become tacky! I wish I had known that years ago. All that wasted time trying to manipulate it to stick on my lashes, haha.

5. When the glue is sufficiently sticky, use your fingers (or tweezers or an eyelash applicator if you have a steady hand) and gently rest the base of the false lashes on the base of your natural eyelashes. Try not to blink, and let it set.

6. Repeat on your other eye, and then let the glue dry completely for at least 3 minutes. The glue will disappear when it's completely dry.

7. I recommend going over the base of the false lashes (where you applied the glue) with some dark liquid eyeliner to kind of "hide" the blobs of glue. I just think it looks better.  :) 

Viola! LOVELY LASHES! 

In the below photo from one of my recent videos, I was wearing strip eyelashes. I haven't been wearing them lately in any other videos, and I think this look makes my eyes stand out WAY MORE. The difference is noticeable!

Hopefully these tips can help you-- comment below with your favorite types of lashes to wear, and why! 

First impressions/demo Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette

Check out my latest CruzTube video, featuring the Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette, exclusive to Sephora. I already love it! Find out why...

Pros:

--Super-blendable shades with great color payoff.

--Consistency is excellent-- not clumpy, very finely milled.

--Nice big ol' mirror! Very helpful.

--More colors than most palettes-- other palettes would typically give you only four shades instead of the six here.

--My favorite thing about it is how NATURAL the contouring shades look! Not too bronze-y, not too gray, not too warm-- just PERFECT like natural contouring shades would be.

Cons:

--Pricey, although it's about average for a contouring palette

--I wish at least one of the highlighting shades were pearlized-- they're all matte! But I do love love love me some mattes, so I guess that's not really a big con or anything.

--Does not come with a brush-- must buy separately. But I think it's not typical to get a brush with a contouring palette, so again I should HUSH MY MOUF.  ;) 

Final assessment:

--WORTH IT for an investment in contouring. The darkest shade, "subconscious," absolutely made my wide nose look thinner. At least, I think it did! Did you watch my video? What did you think? Did it slim my Filipina nose? :) 

Natural makeup routine for teens!

I just finished uploading the last in a series of videos I did featuring my cousins, Mary Anne and Leanna. Mary Anne is my "Ate," which in the Philippines is a term used to address an older female relative as a sign of respect.  :)  Leanna is Mary Anne's 15-year-old daughter, and I wanted to feature her as a guest face on my channel because she's so beautiful-- and she loves makeup! 

I went with a natural look for Leanna, since she's so young. Hopefully you like her final look!

Products used: 

*Bare Minerals foundation

*Maybelline The Nudes eyeshadow palette

*Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Express brow kit

*Burt's Bees lip shimmer in Peony

Throwbacks to Mary Anne's videos: contouring and highlighting with the Anastasia Contour Palette, and an easy daytime glam makeup look, featuring The Nudes eyeshadow palette by Maybelline.

Contour/highlight, smokey eye, easy glam daytime makeup-- all in two new beauty videos, featuring my Filipina cousin!

Do you want to learn some face contouring tricks, a simple smokey eye, plus an easy daytime glam makeup look? This is for you! I posted a couple of new videos on my CruzTube channel, and I would love for you to check them out! They feature my Filipina cousin, Mary Anne, who visited me last week from San Francisco. She is naturally beautiful, and it was so much fun to get to feature her "guest face."

She requested a video doing an easy daytime glam look, as well as a smokey eye look for evening.

Watch the smokey eye look, featuring the Naked 2 palette by Urban Decay and contouring using the Anastasia contour/highlight kit:


Watch the easy daytime glam makeup look, featuring The Nudes eyeshadow palette by Maybelline:

I'll be coming out soon with a video featuring her teenage daughter, Leanna, who also happens to be my goddaughter! Stay tuned and subscribe to my channel so you don't miss it.  :)  Thanks for watching, see you in the next video!

Dupe or Dud? Maybelline The Blushed Nudes vs. Urban Decay Naked 3 - swatches/comparison/review/demo

Just how much does Maybelline's new eyeshadow palette, The Blushed Nudes, compare to Urban Decay's Naked 3 palette? Watch my comparison review to find out!

Click HERE to watch the CruzTube video!

I did my right eye with Naked 3 and my left eye with The Blushed Nudes, so you be the judge of how well they compare. I show swatches of both palettes near the end.

The Blushed Nudes:

Pros--
*Super-affordable!!!
*Pretty range of colors
*Pinks and rose-toned shadows are stylish right now

Cons--
*Way more powdery, so there was more fallout than the Naked 3 palette
*You have to use more pressure when digging in to these shadows and applying them to achieve a similar look as Naked 3

Naked 3:

Pros--
*Legendary for the texture and consistency of the shadows-- creamy and highly blendable
*Excellent color payoff
*Will last a long time (I suspect, based on my experience with my Naked 2 palette-- still haven't hit pan although I use it regularly)

Cons--
*High-end price tag may not be worth it for some people
*Many of the shades are remarkably similar, like, why even bother having two of these shadows? I would have preferred a wider range of colors

Wrap-up:
My preference is for Naked 3 for the quality, but The Blushed Nudes for the price. My wallet just can't justify the higher price tag, even for the better Naked 3 shadows. I personally think my eyes looked nearly identical at the end, so what's the point of paying more?! Save the extra $44, people!!! Just go with The Blushed Nudes, LOL. :)

Pretty NEW Maybelline The Blushed Nudes eyeshadow palette

Check out my latest CruzTube video by CLICKING HERE! It showcases the latest eyeshadow palette from Maybelline.

New Eyeshadow Palette Review/Demo/First Impressions/Tutorial

Pros:

--Unbeatable price! 

--Small, slim, lightweight size is good for traveling

--Shades in this palette seem to be universally flattering
--Rose-toned shadows are very trendy and on-point for Spring!

Cons:

--Low color payoff (I had to apply over and over to get some of the shades to even show up)

--A bit chalky texture

--Some of the shades had a lot of fallout

Final assessment: Worth the low cost if you are looking for a trendy palette that's pretty fool-proof. This is a great beginner palette because the shadows are so easily blended and non-intimidating.

Fiber mascaras - they are NOT created equal

So many people have been posting on Facebook about Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes by Younique, that I went ahead and bought some of my own and did this video review about a $5.95 version of fiber lashes.

I was a fan of the product, and I preached about how much money I was saving using that mascara instead of the more popular, expensive product by Younique. But when a high school band buddy, Jessica Sisk (a Younique representative), sent me some of the fiber lashes for free, I was curious how they would compare.

I started using them and was impressed-- there's really no comparison between the cheaper version and the Younique product. The Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes gave me a much more fuller set of lashes. I like the cheaper product more than regular mascara because it gives you LENGTH, but I love the Younique mascara more than the cheaper fiber mascara because they give you VOLUME AND LENGTH. Does that make sense?

Breakdown:

Regular mascara = good, better than lashes with no mascara

Cheaper fiber lashes = much better than regular mascara

Younique 3D lashes = MUCH better than the cheaper fiber lashes

Now I've done a video review/demo of the Younique fiber lashes with my mom as the model, since she has Asian lashes that are short, sparse and straight. They are the most difficult natural lashes to show up. Since the Younique made her lashes look so much better, you can clearly see the impact they have in the video... and notice my lashes in the video, I'm wearing Younique and I am obsessed with how good and thick they look. The product also helps your lashes hold curl, which is great for me since I'm half-Asian and my lashes grow straight. 

Watch the new video by clicking HERE!

One last note -- I recommend using Rapid Lash to grow out your lashes. That's why mine are so long. I bought Rapid Lash at Bed, Bath & Beyond using a 20% off coupon there or you can also order it on Amazon. Thanks for reading!

CruzTube video: Review & swatches of Maybelline's "The Nudes" eyeshadow palette

Hey there, beauty junkies! I review and swatch Maybelline's The Nudes palette in this new CruzTube video. The website dares you to go nude, with this reason:

Why You'll Love It

Our first 12 shade collection curated to create infinite looks with bold beiges, sultry sands, brazen bronzes, and over the top taupes.

I purchased my palette for only $9.98 (not including tax) at Walmart, and I think that's a STEAL! Watch the video for my full review.

PROS:
I heart this palette for the price and compact size! The shades are buttery smooth, buildable and blendable. :) There's also brilliance in the way the back of the packaging lists ways you can combine the shadows, so it's great for beginners who are looking for easy eye combos and simple methods (the back also shows where to place the shadows on your eye).

CONS:
It lacks a good champage-colored inner-eye highlighter color, in my opinion. The two lightest shimmery shades don't show up enough on their own in my inner eye corner. That's a minor flaw, one that I'm willing to give it a freebie pass on, since this palette gives you so much bang for your buck, it can't be beat!