Seventeen Social Club Update // August 2016

Hi beauties! As you may have seen on Twitter I am a member of Seventeen Magazine's Social Club which has been so much fun.  I love being able to test out and give honest reviews on a wide variety of beauty products.  Check out the images below to see the last few posts I've done with the Social Club.

Cover Girl Clean Matte BB Cream

Feria Smokey Pastel Hair Highlights

Nair Wax Strips, Garnier Fructis Hair Products, Scunci Hair Tattoos 

                      

                            

                                             

Natural Beauty Essentials

It's so easy to get lost in the beauty world today with the latest trends and beauty products.  Loving the skin you're in and achieving natural looking makeup is something I always aim for.  Beauty brand Glossier's mantra is “skin first, makeup second, smile always.”  After reading that and looking more into the brand I was inspired to create a post about my favorite natural beauty essentials. 

Like Glossier says, beauty should be fun, easy, imperfect and personal.  I love products that enhance my natural beauty without completely covering it up.  First, I love super light foundations and especially BB creams. I have a lot of freckles and I don’t like to completely cover them up! My favorite way to even out my skin tone without completely covering it up is by using the Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream.

Before applying a foundation in the morning, I love testing out and trying different face masks to rejuvenate and brighten my skin.  Boscia's Luminizing Black Mask is one of my favorite peel off masks to detoxify my skin.  Glossier's Moisturizing Moon Mask is next on my list of of masks to try.  It says it will brighten, hydrate and even out your complexion.
  
Another one of my favorite products is Dior Lip Glow.  The product applies sheer and then reacts to the unique chemistry of every woman's lips to give lips a custom pink that matches the skin tone perfectly. It’s a perfect product to naturally enhance the color!

Be sure to check out some great Glossier products here! You won't be disappointed.

xx

Allie 

Seventeen College Beauty Blogger: A Gorgeous Prom Makeup Look You Can Do In Under 5 Minutes

Prom is a night many high school students look forward to all year! Whether you plan on hanging out with your favorite gal pals all night or you have a cute date, prom is the perfect excuse to get dressed up, put on fancy makeup, and have the best night of your high school experience. For the full tutorial on this gorgeous prom look click here, seventeen.com!

Seventeen College Beauty Blogger: The Perfect Braided Hairstyle for Days You Just Can't Deal

Spring is here and that means it's time to try out new fun hairstyles! This cute braided look is a great way to get the hair out of your face without throwing it all up into a ponytail. It's a great mix of cute and casual, perfect for a warm spring day. 

For the full tutorial be sure to check out the post on Seventeen.com!

Hair Hack: Dry Shampoo to the Rescue

There are some beauty products that are real time-savers. Dry shampoo is one of my favorite go to products for those days when you are rushing through your morning routine but hair just needs that extra lift!

What It Is
Dry shampoo is a type of powder that can be sprayed on or sprinkled on the roots of the hair to clean it and prolong day old (or a few days old) hair. There are several types of dry shampoos with variable ingredients; however, the basic concept is to soak up excessive oil on the roots of the hair so that the hair does not have to be wet-washed. 

The Benefits of Dry Shampoo

The benefits of dry shampoo are many. For starters, you’ll save your hair a lot of damage. Regular shampoo tends to cause the hair to become dry and brittle. Years back, everyone said that your hair and skin had to be thoroughly removed of oil for it to be clean. The bad news is that this leads to acne, premature wrinkles and frizzy hair with split ends. The good news is we have learned a great deal about sebum and its benefits. Regular shampoo strips the hair of all of its oil, which causes the body to produce an abundance of it, which leads to more shampooing. Dry shampoo does not overly dry the hair, so some amount of oil is left behind. The hair appears healthy and fresh, and you will lessen the amount of washings you will need in the future. 

Dry shampoo creates and maintains lasting volume. Hair stylists will use it on freshly cleaned hair to add volume to pre-styled hair. Hair can become limp when it has an excessive amount of oil in it. When dry shampoo is used, it removes this binding agent, and hair is easier to style. 

Dry shampoo saves a lot of time. Washing hair, blow drying it and applying hair products can take a large amount of time to complete in the morning. Imagine rolling out of bed, applying dry shampoo and completing the rest of your routine. You can expect to save upwards of 40 minutes in your daily routine. That can be a lifesaver for late mornings or for those days you need some extra sleep. 

What to Look For

There are many formulas, but you want to look for one that is made without synthetic dyes, phthalates, Triclosan, GMOs and sulfates. Keep in mind that certain dry shampoos should be used for darker hair colors, as some have been known to cause the hair to look gray. These same dry shampoos will make blonde hair look blonder and hide dark roots. 

Dry shampoo is a real lifesaver. If you’re considering a dry shampoo, check out http://www.reviews.com/dry-shampoo/. They looked at over 50 dry shampoo brands, comparing them and making recommendations for the best dry shampoo just for you.

Oscar Sunday: Saoirse Ronan's Gorgeous Gown & Makeup

"Brooklyn" star Saoirse Ronan wore a beautiful Calvin Klein Collection emerald green bedazzled gown this Sunday.  The plunging neckline was daring, yet romantic looking.  For jewels, she wore mismatched dangle emerald and diamond earrings, bold move Saoirse.  Her hair was tousled in loose curls and for makeup, she went with a nude lip and a classic smokey eye with a Chanel eye-shadow palette done by makeup artist Mai Quynh (check out her Instagram, so cool!) Although Saoirse didn't take home an Oscar for her adorable role in "Brooklyn", she definitely takes the award for best dressed on the red carpet.

10 Beauty Essentials Every Girl Living in a Dorm Needs

If you are currently living in a dorm at college then this is something you need to check out; my list of 10 beauty essentials for all girls living in a dorm room that was posted on Seventeen.com!

I'm still blogging online for Seventeen so be sure to tweet me @MissGlambition1 and let me know what kind of tutorials and posts you would like to see next.

Seventeen College Beauty Blogger: Easy Valentine's Day Makeup Tutorial Anyone Can Do

One of my favorite makeup trends over the past few months has been berry-colored lips.  After finding the perfect shade of berry lipstick for your skin tone, pulling an entire makeup look together is simple.  To keep the main focus on the lips, use natural shadows and colors on your eyes.  Try out this easy makeup tutorial for a look that will def wow your crush on Valentine's Day but works just as well for an amped-up everyday look too.  

1. After priming your eyelids (so your shadows stay on),  apply a natural rose gold shade to your entire lids.

2. Add a dark green shadow to the outer corners of your eyes.

3. Blend the shadows together and into the crease of your eye.

4. Using a dark brown pencil or gel eyeliner, line the top of your lids.  A brown eyeliner appears much more subtle and natural than a true black shade.  

5. Coat your lashes with your favorite mascara.

6. Finally, apply the berry-colored lipstick.  I applied a few light coats of MAC's "Rebel" cream plum lipstick for this tutorial.

Cozy & Cute Outfit Idea

Happy New Year everybody! I'm excited to be back to blogging.  I'm usually not a fan of unrealistic New Years resolutions, but I am being positive and hoping in 2016 I will be able to bring much more content to my readers. 

So, here is my first post of 2016! Who doesn't love a good cozy JCrew sweater (with bonus leather elbow patches).  I decided to pair the sweater with a navy skirt, also from JCrew.  I paired the skirt with a pair of brown leather boots and some fun boot socks.  For accessories, I kept it simple with a bold gold watch and a leather cross-body bag from Fossil.