Best Brushes for Beginning That Smoky Eye

I think I've finally gotten a handle on the perfectly blended smokey eye, something I've been trying to achieve for a while. While choosing shadows is a whole different story, I've come down to three brushes I think are great for getting the look:

Blending Brush: (Step 1-left brush) I think this is a great brush for any eyeshadow look, but even better for blending that darker shadow in the crease and under the eye to get a good gradience in color, rather than a line of light color and a line of dark. The Mac 217 brush is a great option, with cream or powder shadows. A more budget friendly brush is the Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush, which is very similar in size and density of bristles. 

Large Crease Brush: (Step 2-right brush) I think this is great for getting that smudged darker shadow in the crease, and creating that initial smoky look, without getting to precise that its hard to blend, and ends up being wiped off and starting over. My favorite for this is the Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush (part of the same set as the base shadow brush), which is oversized, and starts of light, but can really be built up. Another great option is the Hourglass Crease Brush, both which are very similar in shape, density, and feel.

Medium Precision Brush: (Step 3-middle brush) This brush is perfect for adding that last bit of dark shadow straight into the crease right at the corner of the eye, or right under the eye in the corner. It's not too small where it looks like you're drawing eyeliner, but not too big where the powder gets lost when blending. It's a perfect middle ground, which is why I called it a medium precision brush. I always reach for Sephora Precision #61 Brush, which is precise, but also gets that perfect amount of blending that is signature for that smoky eye. 

Bite Agave Lip Mask Review

I'm a sucker for lip products that say they are miracle moisturizers. The Bite Agave Lip Mask was no exception, reaching it's way right into my Sephora basket. I picked up the champaign color, thinking it would be a subtle way to get major moisture while preventing the "I have petroleum jelly smothered over my lips and it shows" look I sometimes wear. I can officially say that after a month of use, I am extremely pleased. The color is a light sheer pink with golden shimmer, which makes it look like a high end gloss (Nars Orgasm anyone?). And while I normally try to stray away from the excess sheen, this just looks gorgeous and natural. Now besides the beauty bit of it, it really works well as a moisturizer. It's extremely thick and sticky, which is to be expected, but works like magic. I instantly feel a difference, and it keeps my lips moisturized far longer than the EOS balms, or regular ol' lip balm. The price is absolutely worth the product, because a half-a-pea-size amount sets me for the whole school day (and I'm talking about small peas here). I 100% recommend it if you hate dry lips. I want to try the other color too, which is a brighter fuchsia pink, but for now, I say go for the champaign.

Why do we struggle with confidence?

A while back, a friend of mine who was in a long term relationship told me that they best way to get a person to like you is to show them that there is something that gives you confidence. For her, it was her jack-of-all-trades personality, in which she was on varsity soccer, one of the smartest students, and totally outgoing and personable. The type of person who never got acne, the ones we envy our whole lives. And I kept thinking, I'm never going to be that person. 

But at the time, I completely missed the point. I was still comparing myself to her. I was still saying, I'm terrible at sports, I'm an average student, there are people who are being far more successful than I. I never really looked at my own accomplishments in comparison to my own accomplishments. I only looked at others. 

I'm not the only one who's asked why I feel like I need to compare myself so much, which drains my confidence, and overall, my self-esteem. But whenever they ask, I never had an answer. 

Why do I struggle with confidence?

Because I compare myself so much. I never looked at my own growth, which when putting it into perspective, has been far greater than I could ever imagine to achieve. I suck at sports, I'm not the smartest, and I'm the girl who always sticks with the dog at parties, rather than try to be social. 

Also…

I got into university. I take college level photography classes. I have an amazing family, amazing friends, and you know what? Some pretty cute dogs around town love me. 

Is this my absolute switch to total badass confidence? Absolutely not. It's an uphill battle that very few people have seen the peak of. If you struggle with confidence like me, and yes, the rest of the world, I want you to at least know two things. One, you are there with 7+ billion other people. And two, look at one small achievement that you've had in your lifetime. It can be as simple as you finished reading a book. You've said a kind word to someone, or held open the door. Find something simple, and build on that, and you'll realize that there has been far more accomplishments in your life than you thought. 

Quick Movie Review #3

The Theory of Everything: Absolutely adored this movie. The story it captures is one I don't think many people actually know about, and it's not exactly for the light hearted. But the cinematography and Eddie Redmayne are absolutely brilliant, and being the science nerd I am, I have an even greater respect for Stephen Hawking and the barriers he pushed past. I especially liked how it kept flowing with the different conflicts, such as university, then love, the disease, and trying to continue the work he wanted the world to see. A+ in my book. 

Throwback- Star Wars Films: Well this just pretty much set my nerd level to new precedence, but anyways, I watched all six movies over a week. Some are better than others, but I honestly love the quirky world and not so great graphics that make up Star Wars, and I think you should see them at some point in your life if you haven't! Am I excited for the 7th movie? I'm very wary, but I do think it has potential. I'll get back to you on that one. 

As part of a class assignment, we are also watching The Matrix, which is so far very intriguing. I haven't watched much, but I will give a quick update on that later. Have a good week!