Reevaluating your life

I think this time of year has most of us thinking about the changes we want to make for the new year.  Whether it be to lose a few pounds or to re-establish relationships it is important to keep in mind what's real.  I typically hear of people making new years resolutions and then later falling off the wagon.  Do what you know you'll be able to achieve.  I think when a person can be honest with themselves they will realize much more success.  It isn't realistic to set unrealistic goals.  I'm all about reaching for the stars and going beyond your limits, but you have to admit, sometimes it just isn't realistic.  I think what helps is to set little goals that will lead you to your bigger goal.  If you want to lose 50 pounds, it might seem really overwhelming and daunting to think of how much you will have to do to lose that weight.  Instead keep that in the back of your mind and focus on just losing 5 pounds to start with.  Then focus on the next 5 pounds.  That way you will eventually reach your ultimate goal, but you won't feel so overwhelmed all the time.  Setting little goals keeps us feeling successful and when we feel that way we are more likely to do more and achieve more.

Now when it comes to people I apply the same philosophy.  If you feel like over the past year you've been losing some of your friendships or it feels like maybe your friends could use a little more attention.  Well try to find that balance.  Sometimes it's easy to overdo an action because you think that will help.  I believe gradually getting to your goal is key to making it stick.  Keep the reality thing in mind.  If you can be honest with yourself and accept that maybe a particular thing is not meant to be, you may not feel so hurt at the end of it when things don't go your way.  This applies especially to people.  Sometimes you feel like you really put your whole heart and soul into a relationship only to have it crumble and fail. That's ok, you're not the only person involved.  The other person has just as much responsibility in the relationship so you should never feel like it's all your fault if you've genuinely tried your hardest.

I hope this helps when you're considering your new years resolutions and the changes you would like to make in your life.  If you take anything away from this, please remember to always ALWAYS be honest with yourself.  If you start lying to yourself, who is left to trust?

Eyebrow threading

So since middle school my mom has threaded my eyebrows for me.  I always got tons of compliments on my eyebrows, but never really appreciated the technique until I was in college.  This happened mainly because  moved away from home and had nobody to do my eyebrows.  I tried waxing them, but the shape just isn't the same.  If you've never had your eyebrows threaded, you must!  If you're dealing with over-plucked or over-waxed eyebrows, just grow them out for a few weeks and find yourself someone who can thread them.  You'll be amazed at how much it changes your face.  All of a sudden it will look like you have really sharp features, it will bring out your eyes like you've never seen before.  My mom still does my eyebrows even though I live about 1500 miles away.  I wait for her to visit and have her shape them and then I just keep touching them up as they grow until she visits me again, or I visit her.  It's just incredible how much of a difference it makes when you get them threaded.  Now I've never paid for the services, but I do know that it's roughly anywhere from $5-$30.  It depends on how much experience the person has and how fancy the salon is.  A lot of Indian women will do threading in their home and charge less.  BEWARE though!  Just because it's really heap doesn't mean it's a really good deal.  Most times, you WILL get what you paid for.  You will walk out with cuts on your face and eyebrows that don't match.  It's tricky picking the right person to do threading.  The problem is that some women learn the technique but have no understanding of what they do.  Everyone has a unique face shape and so they need unique eyebrows to frame the eyes.  Some Indian women will do the same shape on every girl they come across.  The best way to go about this is to see if one of your friends may know of someone.  Or if you see an Indian girl with really nice eyebrows, don't be shy, ask her where she gets them threaded.  Most Indian girls do get them threaded.  It's tradition, and well...we just know better!  Even if you're happy with the shape you're getting from waxing, consider the amount of tugging happening on your face.  Eventually the skin beneath the eyebrow will begin to sag and wrinkle.  This is avoidable!  So take my advice and get them threaded!  As far as the pain goes, it really doesn't hurt very much.  At most you might sneeze a few times and shed a few tears, but overall it's benefits outweigh the cons.  If you live in Houston near the Sugarland area I can recommend my mother's salon.  But anywhere else...go with word of mouth.  If you have any questions please write!

Fix + a good buy or not?

So I finally got a bottle of Fix + not too long ago despite the negative reviews I've been reading.  Now that I've used it for a bit, I'm ready to give you my opinion.  I love it!  I read on a lot of people's blogs that it's just glorified water in a bottle.  However, I think, like a lot of MAC products it contains a lot of natural ingredients and is not harsh on the face.  Ofcourse there are the MAC foundations that make people break out constantly, but those are made for stage and cameras and not for everyday all day wear.  If you'vehad this problem use the lighter foundations and mineral powders that they offer, much better on the skin.  So anyway, I've been putting Fix + on my face after I wash it, and I have noticed a more even tone and less break out.  I'm pregnant right now and my skin is freaking out a little because usually I never break out, but this little baby has my oil glands in overdrive.  I put two sprays on my face each time I wash my face.  It smells wonderful and makes my skin feel nourished.  I also use it to wet my eyeshadows for a deeper color, but I think I can stick to water with that.  Fix + for the average buyer can be a little pricey so use it as part of your skin regimen.  Skip using it to wet your eyeshadows, it really doesn't differ much from using water.  Also, I use it to set my make up.  Now it's no model in a bottle, but it does give my makeup a nice finish.  Sort of dewey.  I use mineralize powder from MAC and the fix + helps it from looking too powdery.  The problem with having olive tone skin and using powders to set makeup is that it ends up looking a little grayish.  There's naturally a nice glow to olive skin and setting powders take that away.  I recommend Fix + as a remedy.  A couple of sprays on the face after you've set with powder and it's dewey and glowing again!  Give it a try.  Let me know what you think.  If you already use it or have been please let me know about your experience.

xoxo,
Karma B

Announcement!

Hey Dolls!  So I wanted to update you guys on what's going on with me.  I started making videos several months ago and then abruptly stopped.  I had every intention of keeping a steady flow of videos coming out.  I love make up and natural skin care and I wanted to share that love with everyone.  There's so many things I've learned over time and want all of you to know so that you can benefit from my knowledge/trials.  Anyway my last post before the recent ones was about a migraine.  Well that day I found out I was pregnant, turns out the migraine was because of the change in my hormones!  Yay!  We have been trying and it's just so exciting.  I'm about half way through my pregnancy right now and I feel great.  I've been eating really healthy and drinking tons of water.  This blog is not about my pregnancy, but I just wanted to let you guys know.  It's been a fun sharing this experience with the handful of beauty gurus that I look up to and are also pregnant right now.  Anyway, so this explains why I look chubbier in the videos!

xoxo,
Karma B

Plum Smokey Eye!

Hey Dolls!  I am a huge fan of smokey eyes, but is it just me or has it gotten really boring with the regular blacks and browns?!  I decided to do a plum smokey eye for the holiday season.  It's a look you could easily wear to a party, or a night out.  Don't restrict it to the holidays though!  It's a beautiful combination of colors that's great for a date night any time of year.  Here's a list of the products I used:

MAC Painterly Paint Pot

MAC Beauty Marked

MAC Beautiful Iris

120 Manly Palette 

Too Faced Lava Gloss Eyeliner in Black

Sephora Mascara

MAC Blunt

MAC Fleur Power

Lancome Juicy Tubes

Hope you guys enjoy the video!  I think my macbook just doesn't do the colors justice!  So I've put a picture in from a better camera.  I've been having some set up issues with my other HD camera so bear with me while I sort it out.  If the location works the lighting doesn't and vice versa.  I will find a place in my house to make these videos!!  Still with these pictures, it just doesn't do it justice.  Take my word, it looks better in person.  Get the colors from MAC, they're so pretty!

Here's the video:

And if you've gone to my youtube channel you may have noticed a little contest going on!  The password is "Fleur Power".  Watch the contest video and you'll know just what to do with it and how to enter.  

with lots of plum kisses and MAC pan shadows,

Karma B.

Migraines!

I woke up with a migraine the size of Texas this morning!  It's completely debilitating because you can't get up or open your eyes, much less talk.  I had to call in, I couldn't help it.  I absolutely avoid calling in sick because it makes me feel unreliable and then I feel bad that there's people counting on me at work and now I'm not showing up, but today was one of those days.  There was no way around it.  Anyway, how many of you suffer from migraines?  What kinds of remedies do you use to feel better?  I've tried taking Advil and just sleeping it off, but sometimes that doesn't work.  Any advice?

Take it easy!

Hey Dolls!
So lately I've been noticing my friends and coworkers have seemed extremely stressed out.  Many of them are quite a bit younger than me so they haven't gotten to the point in their life where they learn how to pick their battles.  I just wanted to touch on that.  I know it's really frustrating to have a friend do something or say something that isn't very friendly, but sometimes it's not worth the heartache.  Simply put, you have to figure out if it's even worth fighting for.  Imagine your desired end result.  If you pursue this fight, is everything going to end up the way you imagined?  A lot of times, it isn't even worth your energy.  For example...

My friend is dating this guy and neither of them are committed to each other.  It's supposed to be a relaxed situation, because neither of them is in a position to commit.  However my friend has a friend that is now interested in this guy.  Let's give these guys names so it won't get confusing.  My friend is Leslie and she's dating Brad.  Leslie's friend's name is Stacy.  So Stacy met Brad through Leslie and has now started to call him and hang out with him when Leslie is not around, often times not even informing Leslie that they will be hanging out.  It seems that Stacy has developed a crush on Brad.  This is not a quality you would want in your friends, right?  Everybody knows not to go for a guy that a friend has claimed.  Anyway, Leslie feels there is no reasoning with Stacy and although she is jealous and feeling threatened she can't necessarily stop Brad from talking to Stacy either.  What a dilemma!

Here is what I'm talking about.  In my opinion this is fight that is not worth it.  Yelling at Brad or demanding he doesn't speak to Stacy will only make Leslie lose credit with Brad.  She will come off possessive and jealous.  She is not in a relationship with Brad so she cannot get into it like that.  If she feels like Stacy is not going to listen to reason then it's not worth the fight because Stacy will only fight and become defensive.  I think it's time Leslie re-evaluated her friends.  If a person does not respect your emotions and desires, than there is really no reason to be friends with them.  Why would you set expectations on someone so unreliable?

Think about it, dolls.  Do you have a similar situation in your life?  Just take it easy!  Don't stress out.  In the end, things always work out in your favor, but you have to allow for positive changes in your life.  If you surround yourself with negative people and negative situations, you will never find your way out!  Just breathe, take a step back, and think about the whole situation.  What will you lose by picking the fight and getting involved in it?  What could you gain by just letting it pass?  Are the people in your life bringing happiness and positivity to you or are they holding you back from your true calling?

After I learned this lesson, I feel so much peace.  I have come to terms with the fact that not all people are meant to be in your life in that close and special way.  Some people are just not cut out to be friends, and the most unlikely people, sometimes, are.  Just try to see the whole picture and not let your emotions blind you.

xoxo,
Karma B

Daily Foundation Routine Video

The video is up!  Go check it out.  I had to do it in two parts because Youtube has that dumb 10 minute rule.  But it's all worth it to get flawless looking skin for an everyday look.  I wear this pretty much all the time if I'm out and about.  It's so quick and easy, only takes 5 minutes!  The video is longer because I'm chit chatting with you guys, but otherwise, once you got the skill down, it's QUICK!  Stay tuned and subscribe because next up is liquid and gel liners!

xoxo,
Karma B

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15blXs-KAC4
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqrithqB9ts

25 Question Tag

I’d love to get to know you guys better, so please comment back answers or, even better,  do a video response on youtube!

1. do you have any pets?
2. name 3 things that are physically close to you.
3 whats the weather like right now?
4. Do you drive? if so have you crashed?
5. what time did you wake up this morning?
6. when was the last time you showered?
7. what was the last movie you saw?
8. what does your last text message say?
9. Whats your ringtone?
10. have you ever been to a different country?
11. do you like sushi?
12. where do you buy your groceries?
13. have you ever taken medication to help you fall asleep faster?
14. how many siblings do you have?
15. do you have a desktop computer or laptop?
16. how old will you be turning on your next birthday?
17. do you wear contacts or glasses?
18. do you color your hair?
19. tell me something you are planning to do today.
20. when was the last time you cried?
21. what is your perfect pizza topping?
22. which do you prefer hamburgers or cheeseburgers?
23. have you ever had an all-nighter?
24. what is your eye color?
25. can you taste the difference between pepsi and coke?

Here are my answers:

Natural Skin care Routine

Hey Dolls!

Alright so wrapping up on this whole skin care bit.  Here it is all put together in one routine.  The lemon facial, green tea facial, and a moisturizer using honey and milk!

Start out exfoliating your face with lemon and sugar.  There’s various ways to do this.  I like to just mix lemon juice and sugar in a bowl, but you can also just dip a lemon half in sugar and scrub that on your face.  Whatever works for you!  Rinse that off and then apply the green tea facial.  Rub the ice cube on your face to cool it down and minimize pores.  Next just mix together honey and milk (more honey than milk) and then apply to the face.  Leave on for 10-20 minutes and then rinse with cool water and pat dry.  Viola!!  Beautiful, glowing skin.  Here is my video where I do the whole routine so you can see the methods.

XOXO,

Karma B.

Here's the video:

Lemon Exfoliator

Hey Dolls!  Exfoliating your skin is so important if you want healthy young looking skin.  Once you enlarge those pores, there is no turning back so it really helps if you start a regimen and stick to it.  Here’s a list of exfoliaters I have at home that I love.

My absolute favorite is St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub Invigorating!  I have a giant tub that I use in the shower every day.  It’s great for face and body to scrub away dead cells that tends to dull the appearance of your skin.  The one that I have has apricot, corn meal, and ground walnut shell.  All of these ingredients contribute to the exfoliation, but also add nutrients and antioxidants to the mix.  We all know how important antioxidants are!  St. Ives also makes another type that has 2% salicylic acid in it and it is called Blemish and Blackhead control.  I used to use this in my teens years to help battle acne.  It smells a little different, works harder, but feels the same.  Another I have at home is the Proactiv solution Renewing Cleanser.  I love this stuff.  I use it usually twice a day and alternate between this one and St. Ives.  Proactive has Benzoyl Peroxide in it which neutralizes bacteria and really helps clean out those pores.  There is 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide in the Renewing cleanser which is a low concentration.  There still might be slight irritation for those with sensitive skin, but keep at it because your body will become tolerant.  Sometimes it helps to build that tolerance then slide up to a higher concentration of Benzoyl peroxide, get used to that, and then come back down to the lower concentration.  It makes the cleanser much more effective because your tolerance has built up and your irritation will not interfere.  Neutrogena has a advanced solution set which comes with n exfoliater.  It’s much lighter and only contains .5% salicylic acid so it’s not as harsh.  It smells like bathroom cleaner, but does a sufficient job.  An option that is all natural is to use LEMONS!!  Lemons are a wonderful source for beauty!  You can squeeze a little bit of lemon juice into a bowl add some sugar and a little bit of water.  The consistency should be thick and grainy.  Rub it on your face and leave it on for a bit.  The lemon has Alpha hydroxy acid and beta hydroxy acid which is great for cleaning out and exfoliating your skin.  It also has Vitamin C which aids in repair and the lemon will lighten the skin, hair, and any dark spots on the face.  Beware of cuts and burns on the face because it will sting!  If you have some acne put some raw honey in the mixture and this will add an antibacterial component.  It will also moisturize the skin because using the lemon exfoliant or any exfoliant can tend to have a drying effect on the skin.  Hope this helps you guys!  Please let me know how it works out for you or if you suggest any other exfoliants.

XOXO

Karma B.

Here's the video:

Vegan Green Tea Facial

Hey Dolls!  So I want to share a beauty secret with you!  I’ve always been in love with green tea, it’s so wonderful for your skin and body!  It has antioxidants in it which battle free radicals.  If you aren’t familiar with these terms then here is a little lesson on what free radicals do to us.

The human body is made up of many different types of cells. The cells inside are different than the cells you see on the outside.  Cells are composed of many different types of molecules. Molecules have one or more atoms of one or more elements joined by chemical bonds.  Some of you might be familiar with the periodic table and all the different elements on there.  To keep it simple those elements have electrons which carry a negative charge, protons which carry a positive charge, and neutrons which carry no charge.  Every atom wants to be stable and so it hunts for a pairing that will make it stable.  Much like dating.  Atoms love when their electron shell is full so it will go out in search of an atom that it can fit with so that both end up with full shells.

Free radicals are formed when weak bonds split and a molecule is left with an odd number of electrons.  This isn’t normal.  Sometimes our body will actually create free radicals to combat viruses, but this type of free radical does not harm the cell’s function.  So, when weak bonds split and create these unwanted free radicals the molecule begins to attack other surrounding molecules that are just fine and stable and steals electrons to become stable.  Imagine this as the boyfriend stealer.  A girl who just can’t hang on to a man and steals your man to be happy.  So now the molecule that just had it’s electron stolen has become a free radical and there is the beginning of a vicious chain reaction.  Once this process gets going it can disrupt a living cell and cause damage.

So what causes this reaction?  Pollution, radiation (suns rays), cigarette smoke and herbicides can spawn these horrible unstable molecules.  You can combat these guys with antioxidants.  How does that work, you ask?  Simple!  Vitamin C and E are the most popular antioxidants.  These act like superheroes by giving up an electron to stop the chain reaction.  This is ok because the vitamin is stable in either form.  Here is the catch though!  Vitamin E and C are essential vitamins meaning that they are not naturally occurring in our body, which means we have to CONSUME them!   So if you’re not getting enough vitamins in your diet then you could be contributing to this chain reaction and there is damage happening all over in your body.  So eat your fruits and vegetables or take a daily vitamin!

Now with all that being said…here is my recipe for a facial that will combat those free radicals.  All you need is:

Green Tea

Water

Vitamin E oil

Ice cube tray (optional)

All you have to do is brew the green tea like normal.  Let it come down to room temperature, mainly because you don’t want to damage the vitamin E oil.  Add in about 5 drops or so of the oil, mix vigorously, and pour it into the ice cube tray.  You should fill it about half way and then let it freeze.  That’s it!  Just pop one out rub it on your face.  The cold will shrink pores while the Vitamin E and green tea together will fight free radicals.  The vitmain E also evens the skin tone and repairs damage.

Now I mentioned that the ice cube tray is optional.  You can brew some green tea for yourself and then put a little aside.  Drink your green tea to get those free radicals in your system and with what you put aside, put a little bit of Vitamin E oil in it, mix it up, and use a cotton ball to apply to your face.  It works the same.  That’s an option if you don’t want to make ice cubes.

If you want to put some toothpicks in it so that you can hold the cube like a popsicle, just set it to freeze and wait about an hour then go in and poke toothpicks through the top layer of ice.  Let it freeze all the way and they should be good to go!

Let me know how this works out for you.  You should see a noticeable difference in about a week or two.

Here’s the video I made related to it:

120 Manly Palette review

So I finally decided to get the 120 eyeshadow palette and I chose to go with the Manly version of it. It was the cheapest out of all of them! I bought it off ebay and it got to me in about 2 days. This palette is the same one the other companies like coastal scents and bh cosmetics are selling. Some guy basically came up with the formula for it and sold it to all these different companies to market it. So find the best deal and buy it. Don’t worry too much about the brand. Try your luck with ebay because the sellers throw in free gifts and free shipping.

The colors are highly pigmented but the shadows are extremely fragile. It’s basically pigment lightly pressed. I’m happy with it so far. I wouldn’t use it for professional clients, but for a little make up fun it hits the spot. I think it really helps to start with a primer. My favorite is Urban Decay Primer Potion (of course!) and like any other shadow it keeps it from creasing but it also helps get more color out of it. I will be working on some tutorials for some different looks as soon as I can get them up. Stay tuned dolls!

Here's my review video: