Small Changes Can Be Good

23 Saturday Aug 2014

Posted by Meagan Sean in Cosmo-Girl, Human Interest

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My sister, her husband, and their two little boys have been staying at my parents house. In case you didn’t know, I live in that house as well, so it’s been quite a full week thus far considering the amount of people in the house has doubled, and I’ve been working some long shifts. It’s been very cool though, and I have enjoyed getting to spend time with the boys as well as Cait.
This past Wednesday was my day off and my sister’s wedding anniversary. I had already asked her if I could do her makeup sometime while she was home, so when she found out that my parents had arranged a date night for her and her husband she said I could do her makeup for it. The date would be taking place on a sailboat going around the portland harbor, so I immediately thought of a classic cat eye with black gel liner. Little did I know, this girl with the perfect eyes for liquid liner had never actually done a classic winged line!As a side note, you can see there is different lighting in the pictures, so that’s why the skin looks dramatically different.
The first thing I did was apply a small amount of Garnier BB Cream to her face. I didn’t bother with foundation, since her skin is doing really well and with her tan the BB Cream just evens everything out. I decided to try this BB Cream myself because of an article I read, but it’s too dark for my pasty skin. I then applied a concealer under her eyes and blended it into the BB Cream. I didn’t touch her eye brows because they are pretty much perfect right now. I applied some eye shadow primer to her lids and swept a light bone color all over the lid. I then put some gel liner from my Benefit They’re Real! Push Up Liner on my Paw Palette (excellent investment for makeup artist type people) and used an eye liner brush to apply the liner. I kept the liner close to her lash line as possible, taking it into a little wing at the outer edges. I then used a fluffy brush to put a little bit of brown shadow into the socket. I let her apply a few coats of mascara herself, then used Makeup Forever HD Microfinish Powder to take down any shine and to set the BB Cream. I used a bit of Too Faced bronzer to brighten up her tan around the edges of her face and her cheekbones and swiped on L’Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire Lip Color in a very pretty light pink on her full lips. She actually liked it so much that I let her borrow it for the night, and didn’t expect to get it back! And since this was her first time with that kind of makeup I was happy to know that her husband Kyle liked it, which he informed me of by pointing at her face and nodding. We have very unique communication styles. When my sister was 16 she saw a boy at youth group and felt God telling her that he was the man she was going to marry. Three years later in a tiny service on a beach in Hawaii I was the family representative at their elopement. My sister and her husband had a wedding that very much suited them: it was how they wanted it, when they wanted it, and without distractions from what they were doing. They are suited well for each other in that way.
From what I can tell it takes a lot of sacrifice to make a marriage work. My sister has been sacrificing parts of her life since she decided to marry Kyle, mostly when it comes to where she lives, since they live so far away from their families. She has also given up some of her passions over the years, waiting for the right time to see them fulfilled. She has sacrificed her time with her husband, as he is a marine and has spent a few long deployments over seas. She has given her parents and in-laws two wonderful grand-boys, and has been a part time worker and full time mom to help ends meet. She has done many things that I could not imagine doing at the moment, because I am simply not in the position to do so. And I respect her for it. Nine years later my sister and her husband still make a handsome couple, a team that depends on each other, a force to be reckoned with.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Summer Makeup Review: Lip Color

29 Sunday Jun 2014

Posted by Meagan Sean in Cosmo-Girl, Style

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cosmetology, make-up, style

My current favorite daily makeup look is so simple it hurts me to not do more. Seriously. I can’t be bothered to use more than 4 or 5 products, and the focus ends on eyebrows and lip color. I can’t even explain how strange it is to realize I can do my makeup quickly in the morning. It’s liberating and disturbing!
That being said I have been playing with a few different drugstore lip products because I have certain expectations of my lip wear. The top things I look at are: Price, Longevity, Pigmentation, Moisture. Price because I’m cheap, longevity because I can’t be reapplying my lip color all day just so I don’t look like an idiot! Pigmentation, which is the saturation of color, because I prefer something that will deliver a strong, bold hue. Moisture because my lips get really dry and I look like a monster. So, here are the products I’ve reviewed over the past few weeks.

1. Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick, 12 – $5.49
I picked this product because I have read some really good things about the collaboration that Kate Moss did with Rimmel, especially when it comes to the lipstick. Kate loves a classic red lip, so it makes sense that she would want to make a long lasting but smooth product. I picked a color that is a little more orange than red, because, color. The way that this lipstick goes on is so true to the color, and the finish is slightly matte. I’m not fancy about applying lip color, I put this on straight from the tube and guess what? It sort of tastes like sweet tarts. I’m not a huge lipstick fan because of how dry my lips get and how the lipstick looks after a few hours, but this one stayed on with only moderate fading during a long shift at work. I think I touched it up once, patting on a little more color with my finger. The one drawback was that when I would touch my mouth the color would come off on whatever I was touching; finger, straw, tissue. It does wipe off easily at the end of the day. For the price I would say that Kate and Rimmel are winning at brand/celeb collaborations.
2. Covergirl Wetslicks Lipgloss, 345 Peaches ‘n Gleam – $5.99
I found this particular lip gloss shade in high school and it has always been my go to for a nude lip. Yes, it’s not a bright lip shade, but I still believe everyone in the world should know about it! It’s a perfect shimmery pink that sheers out to let your own lip color show through. Since it’s just a gloss it does need to be reapplied more often, but I’m telling you it’s perfect on every person. It’s seriously so pretty.
3. L’Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire Lip Color, 201 Rose Symphony – $9.99
I read about this product in a column that Mandy Moore did for Byrdie and I had to try it. Mandy Moore is my favorite, forever. I considered buying the colors she had named as her favorite, but ultimately I went with one I thought would be bright and look good on me. The color is really nicely pigmented without being opaque to the point of weird. The texture is glossy, but it feels almost more like a balm. And as for staying power, it lasted through a walk on the beach, through shifts at work, and while doesn’t always look glossy the color does have surprisingly good staying power.
4. Revlon Lip Butter, Lollipop, Peach Parfait, Berry Smoothie – $8.99
Good Lord I love this product! I’ve been using it for a few years, after I saw Emma Stone in an add in a magazine because I love copying people I admire. I have three colors because I’m an avid collector, and I seriously wouldn’t buy another product for a while. Let’s begin by saying that the colors all have a little shimmer/glitter in them. Also, they feel like a dang chap stick. Seriously, it feels like you’re just putting on your chap stick and then you realize that your mouth is a different color. Speaking of color, it’s super pigmented. It’s possible to sheer it out, but I don’t bother. I swipe it on and feel like a bajillion bucks. It does tend to come off a little on things, like tissues, but it has a solid mid-range staying power. Plus, it moisturizes your lips! It’s so nice! I love this product so much that I used to buy it as graduation presents during beauty school.
5. Maybelline Color Elixir by Color Sensational Lip Color, Petal Pusher and Hibiscus Haven – $8.99 each
I was disappointing in the lighter pink color of these because it is so pretty at first but then it looks like I have clear lip gloss on. It’s like, hello I wanted color! So I decided to give a different color a chance and was happy to find that though it does still tend to sheer out the color is a lot better. It feels like a gloss, but not a gloppy sticky one, a smooth and clean one. I prefer to layer this product over others, because it gives them a bit more shine and a little more of a pop of color.
6. Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain, New York Scene and Cannes Crush – $9.99
Currently this is the product I use almost every day. I got the red one a while ago, like during gloomy May weather, and was hoping it would be darker and bolder so I put it in my drawer until a few weeks ago. I whipped it back out after buying the same product in this glorious melon shade and realizing that it’s Ah Mah Zing. It goes on super smooth, it sheers out but can be layered to deliver more color. Because it feels like a gloss but stains I apply some to my lip then use my finger to pat/smooth it on and it stays. All. Day. For real, this stuff doesn’t go anywhere until you want it to. Oh, and did I mention it’s moisturizing? Because it is! It’s well worth the 10 bucks.

Style Inspiration: For Summer 2014

09 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by Meagan Sean in Inspirations, Style

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style

Two parts childish, two parts kitsch, one part trash, one part fun. Pepper in Americana, irreverence, color, brand names, and retro. Withhold all care.

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How To: Fake A Blow Out

14 Wednesday May 2014

Posted by Meagan Sean in Cosmo-Girl, Style

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hair, my work, style

Sometimes I think I should have been born in the South, because the only thing I love more than New England is big hair. Sadly I was not blessed with thick hair, and have spent years developing my own ways to boost the volume. This is the tutorial I use when I don’t want to blow dry my hair, in fact this hair starts out as having been slept on. In fact, when my hair was shorter it would turn out even bigger!
But that was a few years ago, so let’s start with today’s slept on hair.Would you look at that? Pathetic! It’s got a little bit of texture, since I put some mousse in it before bed, but there’s not much going on there. I was way too tired to bother blow drying my hair!The tools: a nice hot flat-iron, got2be Powder’ful volumizing styling powder, Garnier Fructis hairspray, and a boar bristle brush. Using too many products will weigh fine hair down, so I try never to use more than 3 products including hairspray.1. First things first, giving your hair a liberal douse of hair spray. It’s OK to use the hairspray before using heat tools because it helps the hair hold the heat style. You also want to use a heat protection spray, but sadly I don’t have one handy.
2. You want to brush out the hair after you hair spray, so that the hair will lie smoothly for the iron and so the product will be distributed evenly through your hair.
3. Section the hair. I usually start with a section straight across below my ears, afterwards making a section across from the top of my ears, then another across at my temples, leaving a horseshoe at the top of my head. That’s a pretty essential part of the process.
4. I prefer to flat-iron my hair a few inches from the roots on the bottom layers, and curling the ends under. I try to angle the sliding of the iron away from my head, at a 45 or 90 degree angle.5. When you get to the horse shoe start sectioning the hair straight across, using fairly thin sections. It’s OK to use the boar bristle brush to smooth the flat ironed pieces out before and or after flat ironing them.
6&7. The key to getting some volume here is to keep your hair at a 90 degree angle and to start close to the roots, pulling the iron up straight and backwards, curving the ends back. If you tend to find your hair creasing you can try running the iron over the hair a few times quickly before taking your time with the final flick.
8. Well look at that! Shiny and ironed, but still lacking what I yearn for… volume.9. Give your freshly ironed hair a light spray, just for kicks and giggles.
10&11. Ah, the love of my hair’s life: got2be Powder’ful! This stuff does magic. I swear. It’s a fine powder that you rub between your fingers and palms, and…
12. Massage it into your crown and anywhere else you want some volume! (If you don’t have this stuff, spray your roots with some dry shampoo and massage it in, then brush it through. Even if your hair is clean it gives some great volume and texture, plus there are a lot of great drugstore options out there.)Powder’ful is available at drugstores, which is basically awesome. It’s inexpensive, under 10$, and I’ve had this particular container of it for… a few years. That’s pretty sweet! I highly recommend it for my girls who have thin, flat hair. It’s seriously my miracle worker. It doesn’t just add volume at the roots, it gives a thickening effect through the mid length as well, which is essential to that illusion of thick hair. Maybe it’s the Southern Belle in my trying to get out, but since I figured out how to do this to my hair I’ve been loving the results. It’s a little bit Kelly from Saved by the Bell, a little bit news anchor blow out, and all me.
Do you have a go-to way to style your hair? I’d love to hear any tips and tricks my readers might have… or any questions they might have!

Style Inspiration: Kate from Fairly Legal

02 Wednesday Apr 2014

Posted by Meagan Sean in Inspirations, Style

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celeb, style

Two seasons were not long enough for me to enjoy all that Fairly Legal was. The main character, Kate (Sarah Shahi) was a former lawyer turned mediator, and managed to make it look like the kind of job I want. The pilot episode revealed that, among other things, her father had just died, his young widow was in charge of his firm, and Kate herself was in the process of getting a divorce while still sleeping with her husband occasionally. Drama drama drama, sure, but also very interesting, funny, and compelling television.
But one thing I could never, ever get enough of was Kate’s wardrobe. She had the perfect blend of classic and eclectic, and used her clothes to reveal her personality while maintaining professionalism. The only problem that I have with trying to write this post is that there are so many perfect outfits that this character wears, and I want to include them all! But I won’t, because I have self control sometimes. I will try to break down what makes her style (from season 1, season 2 will have to wait) so memorable and fantastic.
She has a uniform BUT gives her self room to play: Most of the first season what we see Kate wearing is some mix of a blouse and pencil skirt or a dress with a cardigan or blazer, or a blouse and slacks. She always has a functional and super cute purse, as well as a trench coat of some kind, and usually a belt. Classic pieces, yes, that are easy to throw together and accentuate her hourglass figure without being to revealing or too stuffy.

She gives herself room to play with her separates, usually with the different colors and patterns she adds to different pieces. Generally one piece is black and the other is colorful, and her coat is always a different color… seriously, how many coats does this woman have? I’ll take one of each please. She finds interesting ways to stick to her uniform without repeating, like the sweater over blue shirt with a skirt on the left above, which looks similar to her shirt and blazer with pants on the right. Not the same though, but if you were to switch around any of these items her outfits would still work.

Another way that she gets to play around is by wearing fun jewelry. In the first episode they overdid her necklaces, but after they found her staples of thin chains with small pendants, chunky rings and thin bracelets that can stack right up.
This kind of style wouldn’t be difficult to put into practice in your own life, which I’m sure every fashion magazine in the world has told us all at least a bajillion times. I’ll reiterate though: figure out what shapes of separates look best on your figure. For Kate it’s pencil skirts and blouses that meet at the smallest part of her waist. Then figure out what dress shape works for your body. For Kate it’s a shift or an A-line (flaring out after the hips). Then find some good pieces in different colors and patterns and pick out some fun accessories to give it your own feel. Oh, and don’t forget a fantastic coat.