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!

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.

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!

CruzTube video of a smokey eye makeup tutorial featuring the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette

Check out my newest CruzTube video of a smokey eye makeup tutorial, featuring the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH!!!

I wish I had blended better, but I'm always so impatient that I don't sit there and work the shadow brushes back and forth like I should. Next time I'll try to do better! :) Meantime, just a quick line to say that I am aware that "smokey" in this usage should really be spelled "smoky," but nobody on YouTube seems to realize that, LOL! #NerdAlert

I simply CANNOT WAIT for the Naked 2 Basics palette to come out! It's supposed to go on sale August 19, 2014. I adore this first Basics palette for traveling since it's so versatile. I also have the Naked 2 palette that my bestie Rachael gave me as a Matron of Honor gift when I was in her wedding (love ya, Raych!) and I use it all the time.

Products used in this CruzTube tutorial, which are all part of my travel makeup kit:
--L'Oreal Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner in Black Noir
--Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black
--Cheap plastic travel eyelash curler
--POSH mini brush set

St. Patrick's Day green

I celebrated St. Patrick's Day by sporting my favorite green dress from (of course) Old Navy. Jewelry is from New York and Company.

Eye shadow is from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette and the Coastal Scents 88 Original Palette. I have been using the heck out of the Coastal Scents Palette lately... I rediscovered it after not using it for more than a year.

Where I work at the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society, I snapped this photo of this military macaw who is mostly green, because I figured he was an appropriate representative for St. Patrick's Day. :)

One good deed of the day was when I rescued this fledgling mockingbird, who was dropped off at the Zoo and needed to be transported to the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter, FL. This bird had probably fallen out of its nest, and wouldn't make it on its own. Once the Zoo's veterinary technician fed it, I took it to Jupiter and dropped it off. It didn't make a peep! It was a happy, full bird. Cross your fingers it does well and makes it back into the wild.

Last animal photo of the day-- my dog, Mogwai, looking cute as normal, all cuddled up on the top of the couch. He is a leucistic Pekingese, which is a form of albino but with a bit more pigmentation.

New Old Navy clothes/jewelry, new shadow style, new lipstick! Plus SNORKELING adventures :)

Today and yesterday I've been rocking some new clothes I bought online for sale at Old Navy. They did take about 9-10 days to get to me, unfortunately, but I was just glad to get them finally.

My "look" today

Today I'm wearing this crepe shift dress which I bought for only $11.97 PLUS 20% off! The necklace and earrings are what I blogged about in a past post at the Old Navy outlet in the Sawgrass Mills mall. So far one co-worker has complimented me on it. :) 

My eyeshadow look lately has been naturally contoured, with just a hint of orange-y shadow as a transition color just above the brown-taupe crease color. I think with my skin tone it works! 

Yesterday I wore this embellished collar shirt recently featured in "O" magazine. It was $19.97 with 20% off, and I was so happy with the jewels at the collar. Three co-workers complimented me on it!! That's a win, LOL. 

Also notice the lipstick, it's a dupe for Mac's "Angel," which is a pink shade made famous by Kim Kardashian. It's Maybelline's Color Whisper in "Lust for Blush," and I think it gives a nice neutral, not-too-made-up look to my makeup. A little on the paler side than I typically go for, but hey, it's good to shake things up a bit every now and then!

Now, I know it's not fashion/beauty/health, but I absolutely have to share a SNORKELING video after my husband and my adventures on Sunday at the Riviera Beach snorkeling trail. It is my absolute favorite place to snorkel/free-dive, and it never disappoints. I've seen an octopus, tons of exotic fish, eels and more there-- and this Sunday, we swam by a MANATEE!!! It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It's prohibited to touch them, but I was the first to spot it and I'm so glad the divers right behind us captured it on tape so I can share it with you on this video. 

This is the manatee I was swimming 5 feet above! DO NOT DISTURB, LOL

Also, the spotted eagle ray (stingray) you see at the beginning hung around all afternoon, I kept swimming after it and it was a fast little thing. Looks like they're flying the way they flap their "wings." :)