Holiday Makeup Resolution

This year went by so fast - I can hardly believe December is already here. Since I’ve been working so hard, I want to take it easy this month, enjoy the party season and go out more. 

Dressing up comes natural to me, but due to my line of work I’ve actually become more and more interested in makeup and beauty too. That and the fact I’m getting older I guess.

It’s not like I don’t know how to wear makeup - I can do a mean cat eye in my sleep. The problem is I have a few everyday makeup looks that I always use and never really try anything different. I collected a ton of brushes, color pallets, blushes, lipsticks that I don’t even use all that much.

With the Holidays approaching fast I really want to try some new looks and go full glam. The two main problems are: the lack of time and my inability to decide what looks to go for. 

Not to mention there’s a different approach to putting on makeup every day for work, running errands and casually getting together with your friends and then getting ready for the office party at the end of the year or even more glamorous situations. For those who dabble extensively in makeup tutorials and products, knowing what to wear can be simple (just like I find it super easy to put together a really cool outfit in minutes). But what if makeup isn’t your cup of tea?

Really understanding the difference between looking natural and fresh for a family dinner and creating a striking look for New Year’s Eve is a matter of practice. Knowing to use makeup in your favor can be actually empowering. 

It’s all about skills and thankfully skills can be learned. It’s just a matter of practice and even beginners can get amazing results with their hair and makeup. Unless you want to be a doctor, you can pretty much become an expert by teaching yourself – that’s the beauty of internet – you can just Google it.

I rely heavily on my Pinterest boards and You Tube videos for inspiration. What colors should I use for a cool smokey eye and how can I apply and blend them to get the perfect result? What shade of lipstick would be better with that and my skin complexion? What hairstyle should I wear with my new glittery dress? Should I wear my hair in loose curls, try and updo, do some braids?

I find infographics very helpful when choosing a look to try out. The one below is one of the best when it comes to what makeup looks to wear for tthe Holidays and which are suitable for casual settings or more formal affairs.

Angelic Faces: Holiday Makeup Looks Infographic Provided by TEMPTU

Are you guys into makeup or not really? Are you any good when it comes to applying it?

 Facebook / Bloglovin / Instagram / Pinterest / Tumblr / Twitter

How to stack & layer your jewelry for summer

Some people are into minimalism and the less is more approach. I am not one of those people. I like excess and colors and layers. I appreciate minimalism on other people, but that’s not me. It’s like they say: You do you and I’m going to do me.

This summer I’m really into the bohemian style with lots of jewelry. I think they look really cool. There’s something magic about having lots of rings stacked on your fingers and bracelets dangling on your wrists. It gives me this wonderful feeling of having a superpower – like I can do things I couldn’t normally.

Moving through people with your own sound (the clinking and chiming of all your jewelry) it’s just like leaving an audible perfume trail. It’s going to turn heads. Not that I’m particularly aiming for that. It just happens :))))).

Stacking rings on your fingers it’s an art in itself. You have to make sure they look good together. The stacking of jewelry needs a balance. How to wear multiple pieces of jewelry at once without looking like you pilfered a costume jewelry store or your grandma jewelry box is not easy. It’s all about geometry and proportions. Otherwise you'll end up looking like an extra in a rap video.

 EXPECTATIONS

 REALITY

This is how you do it!

Here’s a few tips and tricks on how to stack your rings, bracelets and necklaces that I learned by trial and error through years of layering jewelry on myself:

-      When in doubt stick with one metal color. Pick either gold or silver and go from there. Either of them work great with contrast colors, bohemian pieces with gemstones and jewels. Silver jewelry and blue stones are a classic. Gold with black or green is a sure thing too.

-      If you feel confident, ignore the first rule and mix metals and textures for a personalized result. Different shades of gold can play off one another, pick up the light differently and look really beautiful mixed with colorful stones and different ring settings.

-       Center everything around one or two statement pieces. Right now I’m particularly obsessed with this ring so I would pile and anchor any other pieces I’d choose starting from and around it. This also works if you have a piece that you never take off, something that has sentimental value.

-     Mix and experiment with shapes, lines and different sized rings. Combining small, delicate rings with massive pieces, knuckle rings, or girly, feminine rings with rock&roll rings, always looks cool. Piling up horizontal and vertical rings will create the illusion that you didn’t go overboard and added one too many pieces on your fingers. Anything that involves a contrasting effect will work.

-      Combine vintage pieces with trendy rings, retro or classic pieces with modern jewelry, the mix of old and new will look interesting

-       Wear more of the same: I really love the Wonder Woman look – two identical bracelets worn on each of your wrists. Multiple, identical slim rings on different fingers can look really good too. Those midi rings are especially stackable and great to mix in with more elaborate jewelry.

-       If you’re not sure how to keep a balance between proportions, keep it simple by only mixing the same size rings: either slender rings with delicate stones or big, statement rings worn together. This works especially with necklaces. I feel that wearing delicate necklaces of different lengths with simple but interesting details looks amazing. Combining big statement necklaces can get sloppy really fast unless you’re a pro.

-       Juxtaposition is key – I like to leave some of my fingers bare or adorned with something really small and simple, while stacking multiple rings on other fingers. It’s all about creating that effortless feel – like you didn’t try too hard. The negative space will keep things from getting too symmetrical and boring.

-       You can add rings and bracelets to both your hands (I prefer that because I’m all about go big or go home) or stack your jewelry on just one of your hands (if you’re not there yet :)))).

-       Add a watch into the mix when piling on your bracelets

-     Try different combinations of rings and move them around your fingers until you are happy with the results

Photos and gifs:1, 2

How do you feel about jewelry? Are they important for your look or not so much? 

 

    Facebook / Bloglovin / Instagram / Pinterest / Tumblr / Twitter

Prolong the Life of your Pearls: How to Properly Care for Pearl Jewelry

You all know I’m crazy about jewelry and I’m always fixated on something in particular, right? Well, my latest obsession are pearl jewelry of any kind. Lately I’ve been into everything classic and pearls are just so timeless and elegant (simple pieces like these here too - https://www.lagunapearl.com).

That’s why I’ve been digging everywhere for them and I was lucky enough to find quite a few vintage piece that are really beautiful. But only a few weeks ago I really hit the motherload and I got my hands on 4 stunning pearl jewelry items that are the real deal: two necklaces, a brooch and a bracelet. Don't need to tell you how excited I am about that.

They were just delivered and they don't disappoint, but I really have to clean them up since they are a bit dusty - to say the least. I know that caring for your pearl jewelry is very important in order to preserve them for years and I plan to transform these into some kind of family heirlooms. 

I don’t want to be one of those people that ignore taking care of their jewelry and end up destroying them forever. That’s why I started doing some serious research on the subject and I’m going to show you the result once I’m done with them. 

I read that overlooking the cleaning of you pear jewelry will not only affect the way they look, but also diminish their lifespan and we don’t want that, do we?

After shifting through a lot of information, I think I found the most relevant caring and cleaning tips that will keep your pearls looking amazing for generations to come:

• Pearls should be kept in a safe place away from extreme cold or warmth. You can wear them with other jewelry, but don’t store them in a shared box because they scratch easily. Put them away in a separate box with a soft, pillowy interior or just wrap them in linen.
• Make sure the pearl necklaces are untangled and laid flat in their casing to avoid the pearls rubbing against each other
• Don’t wrap your pearls in a plastic bag – they need contact with moisture to maintain their luster and thickness
• Only use cleaners and solutions that are specially meant for pearl jewelry. Most cleaners are way too rough and coarse for pearls and, instead of helping, will only damage them
• The thought of using clothes or dish detergents, bleach of any kind, cleaners containing ammonia, powder cleaners or even baking soda, shouldn’t even cross your mind
• You can use warm water and soap to clean them, but stay away from the toothbrush or any abrasive pads. Instead, wipe them out with a clean and soft fabric that can be either slightly damp or dry. If you used water, make sure the pearls are dry before you deposit them safely. A final wipe with a delicate cotton towel will do the job.
• Using just a bit of olive oil on the fabric you clean them with, will help your pearls keep their shine
• Be careful not to wet the pearls' string. If you do, make sure it’s dry before wearing them, otherwise it’s going to stretch and gather dirt that’s not going to be easy to get rid of without replacing it all together
• Believe it or not, acetone can be used to remove stains from pearls so you can do that with your acetone nail polish remover
• Pearl earrings should be laid flat after cleaning on a soft cloth and not hanged to dry
• Pearl jewelry should not, under any circumstances, be steam cleaned.
• If you’re thinking about using an an ultrasonic cleaner on the pearls, don’t!
• Don’t wear the pearls while applying perfume, lotion or moisturizing cream. They shouldn’t come in contact with substances that can damage their luster and color.
• Avoid wearing your pearl jewelry over clothes made out of harsh fabrics: rough wool, other accessories made of metal or wood layered in a way that can scratch the pearls
• Don’t bathe, shower or swim with your pearls on
• Have your pearl necklaces restrung by someone who knows what he’s doing once in a while (especially if you wear them all the time). 

Once your jewelry it’s clean, you can work on maintaining it that way. Wiping the pearls with a chamois or soft cloth every time you take them off after wearing them it’s a great idea. This way you will avoid dirt and debris building up and also remove any perspiration that might have gotten in contact with them from your skin. Perspiration is more or less acidic and can affect the nacre coating (natural luster) of your pearls.

If you think you won’t be able to clean them properly because they’re in such a bad shape, you can always take them to a professional jeweler to do it for you. If you do have a special solution created to clean pearls you will manage for sure. Don’t forget to dry them off after cleaning by laying them flat on a slightly damp towel – once that is dry, your pearls should be dry too.

I hope this article was helpful because that pretty much all the useful advice I could gather from around the web.

Photos and gifs:1, 2

How do you feel about pearl and jewelry in general?

    Facebook / Bloglovin / Instagram / Pinterest / Tumblr / Twitter