Things to ALWAYS carry with you

My makeup evolution began with my first blac eyeliner crayon...I think it was probably maybelline haha

and now, I have so much stuff its hard to choose my favorites and my necessities that I take with me everyday. Well, in my experience these are some things you should have at the ready, because you never really know where your day may lead you.


1. Eyeliner pencil

everyone has one, I have probably 18 of different sizes and brands. but of all of them I carry Uban Decay 24/7 glide liner in ZERO---it stays on and is super creamy so no pokes in the eyes

use this when the elements wear down your makeup. Or when just leaving the club. line the waterline to keep your eyes looking intense and fabulous :)

2. Lipstick and lipliner
Unless you have a superstay lip color, you will need to re apply some. This goes for lip liner too. your lip color needs to be outlined to make sure you dont get that "washed-out" look. 

This is my FAVORITE lipstick. Rimmel has colors that are comparable to high end brands. I bought this to do a Kim Kardashian lip. Its a soft pink with a little shimmer. To get the look, I color the center of my lip with SEPHORA's CANDID CANDY lip liner (5$) I also line the outer edges in a nude/light brown liner (I couldn't read the label on my own--i use it too much!)

3. Chapstick
The saddest thing ever is to find the pefect lip color and have dry and cracked lips that add creases in it. These are two of my favorites.

Carmex Lip balm

This is like the cheapest thing in the drugstore and it is the best thing in the world. I always end up losing my tube halfway through the summer. But its as addicting as Burt's Bee's

EOS Lip Balm in Summer Fruit

This is becoming the new trendy item. But although the container is fun, it takes up too much space in my travel makeup bag, and it will melt in hot weather ( I have lost a few to the Florida climate)

4. Q-tips and Eye Drops

In a makeup meltdown Q-tips are your best friend. I love these more than pineapple chobani. when your makeup runs (especially under the eyes) Drop  some Eye drops on a Qtip and wipe the excess makeup from under your eye. it makes day-old makeup look fresher.

I just thought this picture was really funny, everyone has a "thing" about Qtips...admit it

5. Oil absorbing wipes
Unless your skin is impervious to oil, you need to maintain shine through the day. I have an issue with adding more powder, because it makes everything look unnatural, and it will dry your face (which your skin will counteract with more oil) And plus, its just another thing to carry.

I love oil absorbing sheets. The rice paper ones are good, but sometimes they remove my makeup too. I love the drugstore blue ones, they will not wipe away my foundation, and they are pretty cheap. your face will look so fresh and clean!

I will upload a how to on surviving second day makeup (admit it, you have slept in your makeup) Using only a few items that should be on hand no matter who's house you end up in.


Off to buy more Q-tips! haha

Mina

In love with simplicity

You dont need a 20 person entourage.

You dont need celebrity makeup artists.

You dont need thousands of dollars worth of clothes

All you NEED is great friends, and a little enginuity

And maybe some photographer friends

Here is some pics of my friend and I, models in training, and soul mates in life, being as fashionable as Florida will tolerate

This is a picture of my friend, in forever21 in downtown Gainesville. taken by our friend and professional photographer Alex Kinsely

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And this is in my back yard. Shot with my cheapo digital point and shoot 

This was done with a point and shoot---in a field behind a gas station

And this was done by a professional wedding photographer.

All you need for a beautiful photograph is to let your beautiful personality shine through. I cannot tell you how gorgeous people look when they are happy and comfortable in their own skin. No makeup or fancy clothes required. And yes, professional photo shoots are fun, but you can create the same beauty in your own backyard.

I am such a fan of low or no budget. Why buy a new dress when you can jazz up an old favorite? I will put up some videos soon on creating your own accessories, and revamping old faves.

Love who you are, and Live life the way you want to!

New photos of my makeup coming soooooooonn!!!

Your valentine
Mina

Olive--Your Skin!

Everyone has come across olive oil....the little green bottle is in most people's kitchen pantry...but how many people thought that this stuff can do so much good for you!

Ancient Greeks have used olive oil as far back as 5000 B.C! They thought of it as liquid gold, and used it everywhere! Olympic athletes would even rub it on their skin for its supposed magical properties. It was only recently that it has become a staple in the cooking industry.

Olive oil is the most digestible fat that nature has given us...I mean you wouldnt want to put bacon fat in your hair right?? It also contains high amounts of Vitamin E, it slows the aging process and it is good for your liver, and pancreas...come on! This stuff is fabulous.

So what the heckles can we do with this stuff???

Well......
1. makeup remover

It is soo good for your skin, especially the thin sensitive area around the eyes. I will take a small cotton ball lightly saturated with olive oil and gently apply it to where you have makeup, then i will go over with a plain old cotton ball and all that makeup comes off!

Because it is not a manufactured makeup remover, it is not going to hurt your eyes, it is perfect for all types of skin, AND it is not tested on cute little bunnies.

I will usually leave some of the oil on my face so my skin can absorb what it needs. :D


2. Warm oil treatment for super dry hair:

Warm one cup olive oil in a microwave safe dish and let it rest (it has a high burn point so it will not smoke up in your microwave) I will have a buddy pour it over my hair to saturate it completly, and clip your hair into a bun. Wait 15 minutes and rinse with warm water until almost all the oil is rinsed out,

I will usually do this the night before I shampoo, this way your hair has a few hours to absorb any remaining oil. Your hair will thank you

3. Body Scrub:

I <3 anything I can make in my kitchen. And this is a simple recipe for a great scrub you will want to use over and over----Makes a great gift!

1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Sea Salt---Or kosher salt (you will want a very thick grain salt for the scrubbi-ness)
3 drops of the essential oil of your choice ( I like sweet orange, or lavender)
wide mason jar and lid

Put the salt in your jar and the oil on top, add the essential oil of your choice. I will use this after a hot shower or bath, while your skin is still warm, but not damp. Scrub over legs arms and stomach to loosen dead skin cells and moisturize your skin :D

This is so much better than mineral oil or baby oil (which contains mineral oil) and although I am quilty of using both of these, Olive oil is a much better alternative, as it is not a petroleum product (which is a no no!) but it will still moisturize your skin

4. Shaving

If you are out of shaving cream  and don't want to use a drying bar of soap...coat the skin you are shaving with the oil, and go for it!
Remember to apply after shaving for a soothing moisturizer

Oliveyou all!

 Mina

We have been gone....but we stay FASHON!!

Sorry it has been forever since out last blog post.
We have been busy with everything going on. School, work and more work. But we have been keeping up our lives as fashion and makeup stylists and artists

Fashon- is a term we coined a few years ago. our language we speak with one another is a mix of making fun of us trying to make fun of our accents and just being plain crazy. But it means to be fashionable and fabulous with everything we do and letting your inner light shine through. Usually you will hear us yelling it to each other---JOO SO FASHON!

Okie dokie, getting back to what we have been doing. Andrea recently modeled for a fashion show highlighting Asian-American designers such as Jay Nicholas Sario

Here is my love in one of my favorite dresses from the night....

This is the third or fourth fashion show that Andrea has been in. One of my favorites was Gainesville Fshion Week. She was in one of our favorite local designers, BobbyK's amazing--Lady Gaga themed fashion shows, and one of my high school friends, Kenneth McCraney

Look!! My friend Kenneth-A featured Designer of GFW!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andrea was in Kenneth's, Bobby, Sironna AND Mesh's fashion shows!! I was a proud wifey

Andrea stomping for Mesh Boutique--I had front row seats!!

Sironna--A Latin American designer from Miami- She had the hottest hand-sewn bathing suits

 So, we may have been gone, but have been busy. We work all day, and we either continue working on our makeup or fashion styling, or we are resting. I promise I will upload a video for a great fall look. And we will also try and do a post about dressing for the fall and winter in fashionable and affordable clothing.

Much love and hot chocolate kisses
Mina y Flaka

Five things worth your moolah

There are so many commercials that claim a lot more than what is being advertised, I CANNOT tell you how many times I have bought something and it was not worth it.

but here are a few products that are well worth your time, and money.

1. Maybelline Falsies Mascara:

Okay, I am kind of obsessed with huge doll-like lashes, and something that promises this without having to deal with eyelashes and glue? I am so in.
I have achieved a great result from this, if you use eyelash curlers, it gives you THE most big and beautiful lashes...EVER and its only like 8$??? I approve.

2. Loreal Infallable Lipstick in Beyonce(red)

 

This is the most amazing lip color for those who need something to last. I have done everything from eating, drinking and kissing with this color and NOTHING has made this come off!! I died.....

It comes in two parts, the color: which needs two minutes to dry for each coat. And the moisturizing gloss which you should apply when your lips start feeling dry. I love the Beyonce red color, it is great for a nude eye look, or winged-eyed pin up look. 11.99 at most drugstores.

3. Milk Thistle Cleanser from Bath and Body Works

As the fall weather approaches and my skin gets drier and drier, I turn to this amazing cleanser. It goes on like a moisturizer and is so light and beautiful, I have no idea how I lived without this....my skin feel soft and smooth all day.

4. Starbucks Via ready brew in Vanilla

Okay, So this may not have anything to do with beauty, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE this stuff. You see the cool commercials about people loving these little pouches, and in a recent impulse I have purchased a few flavors of these and I am finding that I have fallen in love with this stuff...

It is about 6 dollars for a box of six of these, and they come in decaf and caf, and four delish flavors.They are already sweetened (but I am usually adding a bit more sweetness :0) And I have even put these in brownies for coffee choco treats! This is the only coffee I drink black, and it is a cheaper alternative to 5 dollar sugary overload coffees. <3

5. Eco-Tools

Okay, for anyone needing some brushes for a bargain, you MUST buy these. The packs are usually 11 dollars and you can find them in Walgreens and Target. I use these all the time, for both my personal makeup and also working on clients. They are all natural bamboo wooden handles and synthetic hair, and they work amazing. I have almost every pack, and I can treat them just like my expensive brushes.
Yay for bargains!!

Wishing you love, luck and all things beautiful

-Mina