Beauty Trends for Fall: Nails Edition! ♥♥

Hey guys! Today I'm coming at you with this fall's nail trends, which I'm super excited about!

Fall is my favourite time of year. Not only is it my birth season (October 25th!), but I love the weather and beautiful colours, and I love getting all dressed up for fall! I think I have a better fall wardrobe than anything else.

But hey, we're not talking about clothing in this blog! Let's jump into it!

Stripped Down Nudes

This year's palette involves a lot of natural beauty, as we can see in makeup and style trends as well. Nudes are huge this season- They make your nails look longer, your hands more feminine, and pull more attention to your outfit. It may be hard to find your perfect nude, but once you do, it's worth it!

Personally, since I ALWAYS have nail art on my nails, I have yet to find my ideal nude colour. I've tried two- Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure in Iced Coffee and Naked Ambition. They're nice shades, Naked Ambition has a nice sparkle to it but it's very light, and Iced Coffee is very close to my skin tone, but it's a very flat colour.

Innocent Pastels

Pastels are really nice for fall, they're not intrusive in appearance and they add a subtle pop of colour to your outfit. I don't own too many pastels, I prefer vibrant, true colours, but I do have OPI's What's With the Cattitude?, a very light sky blue, and I do really like it.

Shady Characters

This is the trend I'm excited for. Deep shades are totally fall. The big colour being seen on the runway lately is crimson but any deep shade will put you right in line with fall 2011. Shown in the picture are (from left to right):

-OPI's Pamplona Purple

-ORLY's Lunar Eclipse

-OPI's Flashbulb Fuschia

-Rimmel 60 seconds polish in Night Before (love!!)

-Revlon Nail Polish in Get Reddy

I'm super excited to give Get Reddy a try, I just bought it yesterday in anticipation for fall. It's more of a ruby than a crimson, but it's still a deep, beautiful red.

Greyed Expectations

Greys and gunmetals are huge this fall as well. I've only got one in my stash, Rimmel 60 seconds in Grey Matter, a very mid tone grey. I think I would prefer something a tad darker, but that doesn't mean it won't work for you!

Stop Shining You Crazy Diamond!

There's a new sensation going around about matte nails. I'm not so sure about it. It's not something I've tried yet, but you can get mattifying top coats pretty inexpensively, so I'm going to end up trying it out at some point.

Picture was found at www.thefreshfiends.com

So that's it for my 2011 nail trends forecast! Thanks so much for reading, be sure to follow, subscribe to my youtube and like my facebook page! (:

Lots of love comin your way!

Dylan ♥♥

Beauty Trends for Fall: Makeup Edition! ♥♥

Okay, it's not THAT cold, but admit it,

 your sweaters are starting to look a lot more friendly!

Now, I'll start this blog off by saying that personally, I tend to not look to trends for how I style myself entirely.

So what IS trendy this fall? 

Give 'Em Some Lip

Warm colours are always a hit for this season. This year, however, crimsons and dark berry tones seem to be making a big impact on the scene. Dark, strong lips are the absolute must have. Think MAC's lipsticks in Kittenish, or Cyber (picture right).

Dark lips like this are being combined with minimalist face makeup and eyes, along with rosy cheeks for that wind-blown flush.

Alternatively, if you're not into giving that kind of lip, you can always give it a go with a darker version of your preferred bright lip. If you're into the pinks, try a darker fuchsia, and so on. Anything the creates a strong focus on the lips is big this season.

The Eyes Have It

If you're not a lip person, like myself, you can always tone it right down for the minimalist look and focus on the eyes. Grey tones are being seen a lot for the fall season as usual, being used in conjunction with pastel colours to make for a very toned down, wearable look. There should always be one point of focus on your face, so if you're doing a deep grey smokey eye, for example, be sure the lips are not going to overpower. MAC came out with a lovely grey toned shadow quad with their latest collection, "MAC Me Over", which is a dead ringer for this season's trendy shadows.

High Brow Style

Another thing I saw quite a bit in my researching was a nice, full brow. A thicker brow can communicate youthfulness and vivacity, whereas a thinner brow will make for a very mature visage. If you've got em, grow em! If you don't, you can always try thickening yours up with a shadow or pencil that matches your brow tone.




So that's my input for this year's fall season trends! Let us know in the comments what trends you might pick up on this year or if you've seen any ones that I've missed in this post! Stay tuned, I'm going to be doing a fall style trends blog, as well as hair and nails, in the near future. Thanks so much for reading, be sure to subscribe and check out my youtube channel!

Lots of love comin your way!

Dylan ♥♥

NOTD;; Mondrian Grid Inspired Nails! ♥♥

Hey there! Here's that NOTD I promised using my new favourite white nail polish, Sally Hansen's Xtremewear in White On.

If you don't know who Mondrian is (Don't feel bad, I didn't know his name either! =P) He's the artist who was famous for painting black grids on white backgrounds with vibrant colour blocking. Google him, as soon as you see his work you'll know it right away!

So using that as inspiration, here's what I came up with:

Fun, right? I'm really pleased. I wish you could see, but my camera wouldn't pick up the blue and yellow sparkles I used over top of the white. It really finishes the look and makes the nail more unique, and not just a carbon copy of the artwork.

Alrighty, here's the breakdown:

-Sally Hansen's Xtremewear nail polish in White On (!!)

-Red: OPI's Colour So Hot it Berns

-Blue: Sally Hansen's Xtremewear nail polish in Blue Me Away

-Yellow: Silkline nail art pen in yellow
-Orly's Instant Artist nail polish in Jet Black

-Sparkles : Sally Hansen's Xtremewear polish in Disco Ball

These nails are really fun for the tail end of summer, I'm trying to keep it light and bright for as long as I can, but I'm still excited to dig into my fall polishes! Thanks so much for reading, be sure to subscribe for more fun blog posts and check out my rivuletsbeauty youtube page!

Lots of love comin your way!

Dylan ♥♥

My Epic Quest: The Search for the Whitest Nail Polish! ♥♥

For the longest time, I was on the hunt for the perfect white nail polish. I know, I'm kinda late on the trend, but I've taken my time on this! I bought one Essie white nail polish in Waltz (shown right) because I wanted it mainly for zebra print nails ( :D ) but it turned out to be not what I expected.

Here's a shot of the zebra nails I did using Waltz. You probably can't see due to the black lines, but the white did not fully cover my natural nail colour, and some of the nails were streaky.

Overall? Not a fan.

So I resolved not to buy another white polish before I did my research. I wanted a really true white, and most of the whites I found were more of a light bone colour, on top of not being too pigmented.

Finally, I found this beauty:

Sally Hansen's Xtreme Wear nail colour in #300 White On.

I think I'm in love.

Two good coats of this baby and it looks like I've put white out on my nails (Oh, high school.) and I love it. I've always love the Xtreme wear line from Sally Hansen, it also completed my quest for the perfect blue with Blue Me Away. What'll they do next?! :D

I'm so glad I've finally completed my Quest for the Whitest Nail! I'll be posting a Mondrian grid inspired nail of the day soon using this white, I'm really excited! Stay tuned, and be sure to follow my blog or subscribe on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/user/RivuletsBeauty (:

Lots of love comin your way!

Dylan ♥♥

New Youtube Video Up Today! Also, Facebook! ♥♥

Mermish Gradient Nails Tutorial!

I simply HAD to do a video on these nails, everyone was requesting one and I was getting so much good response! Besides, this is a really cool new technique for me that I've heard whispers of but never tried. I'm glad I did though! :D Be sure to check it out, thanks so much if you do! 

Also I just started out a facebook fan page, be sure to check it out and like! (: Lots of love comin your way!

Rivuletsbeauty on Facebook!

Dylan ♥♥

Rivu of the Day;; Urban Decay Primer Potions! ♥♥

I've been using urban decay primer potion in the original formula for at least 2 years now, it's been a staple in my makeup routine for its amazing staying power. Now, not only have they fixed my one pet peeve about the packaging, but they now have primers in three new colours for us to play with!

(I know, I'm a little late on this product, but better late than never, right?)

So, this is the old packaging for the Urban Decay Primer Potion...

As you can see it's beautiful, but not very condusive to getting product out of the bottle. Thank god Urban Decay rectified this with their new packaging:

This packaging is SO much better than the latter, the squeezey tube actually allows you to get as much or as little as you want (You really only need like a teeny tiny dab), and you can really use all of the product in this tube.

These are the four colours that the urban decay primer potion comes in, from top to bottom:

Original (Translucent)

Eden (Matte Nude)

Greed (Gold shimmer)

Envy (Champagne shimmer)

I've been using the potion in Eden lately for my entire eye area, and it's really changed my makeup routine and how much makeup I need to put on. Because of its yellow undertoned nude colour, it really helps to counteract and conceal purple and darkness in the eye area, at the same time as priming my eye for shadow. Because of this, I also like to use this product on my under eyes to help brighten and conceal.

Any cons? I've heard a lot of people who've own this product in the new tube for a while that after six months you really have to regard the expiry date (Yes, makeup expires!), due to the new packaging the product apparently dries up a lot easier.
I've also heard that this product can go on a lot thicker than the original formula and because of this can tend to crease and smudge throughout the day. I haven't experienced any of this, so I'm thinking those people who said that were just putting too much on. You literally need one itsy bitsy dab to do both of your eyes!

So overall I give this product super thumbs up, as if you guys expected anything else! =P This product is a cult favourite that definitely deserves its title. Thanks so much for reading guys, be sure to comment and follow to keep the good stuff coming! I'm going to be doing a nail tutorial for my latest NOTD over the weekend with any luck, due to popular demand!

Have a fabulous day!
Dylan ♥♥

NOTD;; Mermish Gradient Nails! ♥♥

I asked my fellow beautylish subscribers some of their favourite colours, and took three of them to create this nail look! Check out these pictures (I really need a new camera! D: ) :

You can view the video tutorial Here!

-The turquoise/light blue colour is OPI's What's With the Cattitude

-The green is Sally Hansen Xtreme wear in Ivy League

-The yellow is a silkline nail art pen

I love this, it's very fresh and watery, it made me think of mermaids! And I'm loving the technique I used for the first time to do this. I used a sponge to blend the green up into the turquoise! Super fun!

Thanks for takin a peek at what's on my fingers! (: Hope you enjoyed! If you guys wanna see a tutorial on this new technique or have anything to say really, let me know in the comments! Lots of love!!

Dylan ♥♥

My First Youtube Video! ♥♥

Neon-Tastic Nail Tutorial!

^^^Click here! :D^^^

Yay, I'm so excited! Finally, after days of trying to upload this video on youtube, I managed to get it up! I never thought it would be so challenging! I hope you enjoy!

Dylan ♥♥

Rivu of the Day;; Bourjois Elastic Mascara! ♥♥

This mascara may be a bit of a stretch on the budget,

but did it meet my expectations?

I simply had to buy this mascara. Wouldn't you? I mean, look at it! The packaging is just too unique to resist. And 130% more length in my lashes? To me, this was worth the $20 I paid. Let's get to the pictures:

This is without any mascara, just curled lashes.

This is with one coat of Bourjois Elastic mascara.

And this is two coats.

This mascara claims that its elastic formula enchriched with hevea (latex derivative) stretches to form extensions beyond the lashes to provide 130% more visible length.

I do like this mascara, for what it is. I already have long lashes so I usually go for mascaras that promise volume and thickness, so this was a bit of a departure. It definitely lengthened my lashes, and it lasts all day easily. I think that because of its elastic formula it flexes better and stops the mascara from flaking.

Any cons?

Well, I found that the more I worked with this mascara, the more my lashes began to stick and clump up. Other than that, I'm very pleased with this product.

So overall, a good purchase! If you're looking for a lengthening mascara, this is definitely one to consider. Plus it looks pretty in your makeup drawer!

Lots of love in pretty packaging,

Dylan ♥♥

Maybelline FITme Foundation- Does it FITyou? ♥♥

I've been using this foundation for quite a while now, mostly because I had run out of my L'oreal true match. This product claims to give you natural coverage that leaves your skin natural, breathing and fresh. Overall, I found that this foundation is okay for a drugstore foundation, gives good natural coverage, but it may not be for everyone. Let's jump in, shall we?

Packaging

Personally I'm not a huge fan of this packaging. Yes it looks nice and classic, but when you take the cap off you'll find that there's no pump or dispenser, which can prove quite unsanitary, making this foundation less than desirable for makeup artists. It's also really not conducive for travel.

Colour Matching

FITme comes in 14 shades going from a light porcelain to a mid tone dark colour. That's okay, taking into consideration that L'oreal true match foundation comes in 17 shades. Since this foundation is sheer, these colours should match a wide array of skin tones comfortably. Anyone with a very dark skin tone may be out of luck, however.

I bought shade 125 in nude beige, because I was deciding between 120 and 125 and I was anticipating getting a little darker during the summer. It was a little more yellow based than I may have liked, but it warmed up my skin and blended down really naturally, as it claimed.

Application

This foundation is water based, so it is very easily blended. My issue with this, and the reason ity may not work for people with oily skin, is the consistency. This foundation is fairly thin and watery, so it tends to streak a little bit and it does not dry or settle until you set it well with a powder. I had to use a powder puff to get my desired semi-matte finish that wouldn't crease. It gives a sheer light-medium coverage does not layer too well, in my opinion, since it's watery and tends to slip around until it's set.



Performance and Wear

I wore this foundation fore quite a while, so I saw how it lasted at work, under extreme heat, so on so forth. It wore fairly well on my normal/combination skin, but where I get oily in my t-zone it tended to slip, streak and oxidize in the heat. with primer, setting powder and setting spray, this foundation lasted about six or seven hours without touchups.

Overall

I give this foundation a 7 out of 10. It does what it claims, gives you sheer, natural cover and letting your skin shine through. Personally, I don't think I'll repurchase- it's just not for me. It's a nice foundation for somebody with drier skin that wants a sheer coverage, which is not what I want. I really had to make the rest of my face routine work around this foundation to get the look I aim for.

So that's my take on this foundation! If you had a different experience please feel free to let me know in the comments. Just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for you! Thanks so much for tuning in, have a great day!

Dylan ♥♥

NOTD;; Neon-tastic! ♥♥

Hey guys! This is a style of nail that I've done once before and i just loved. I realized I hadn't taken any pictures or blogged about them, so I did them again so you all could see! Breakdown after the picture (Sorry, I need a new camera...) (:

You can view the video tutorial Here!

Alrighty, here goes nothing, colours from pinky to thumb:

-Silkline nail polish in Yellow

-OPI nail polish in Pamplona Purple

-Sally Hansen's Xtreme colour in Blue Me Away

-Orly Nail Lacquer in Orange Punch

-OPI nail polish in Colour So Hot it Berns

-Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro nail polish in Black Satin on every half nail

-Orly Instant Artist Polish in Crisp White

-Revlon Extra Life No Chip Top Coat

-OPI Drip Dry

I'm going to be doing a video for this nail look, I have to redo because there are little things about it that bother me. Everyone's their own worst critic, right? Stay tuned for that and much more though! I've got reviews on the way and lots more fun stuff as well! Thanks so much for following and all the love, have a great day!

Dylan ♥♥

What Does Your Face do for You? ♥♥

Makeup is such a personal thing. Everyone has different reasons for wearing theirs, the amount they wear, what they wear, how they wear it. Is it a form of self expression? Is it an insecurity? Is it a cry to break out from the norm and the abundant blatancy of everyday life? Who knows! Only you do. I'm going to share with you my reasons that I love my makeup.

I just love who I can make myself into with my cosmetics. It's almost like putting on a new personality at will. It's not that I feel that I need to hide behind it, it's that I can express myself through it. Yes, I do usually keep it pretty natural, but I have to keep it that way for work days. Usually when I finish work I'll come home, sit down at my vanity and play with colours for an hour or two (: It's the fun of the creative aspect that I adore. The amount of looks and effects you can achieve with makeup is endless, so why not explore the possibilities?

Don't get me wrong, I most certainly do feel that I need basic amounts of makeup for my every day. Coverage is a must for me, if nothing else for my eye area. I just feel like I'm not exuding my true self if I look tired and red, that's just not me. I like to describe myself as having a vivacious personality, and dark circles just don't communicate that!

So tell me, what does YOUR face do for YOU? Does that red lip make you feel like a rock star? Does that smokey eye turn you into a smoldering temptress? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading beautiful, sending you lots of love! Stay fabulous!

Dylan ♥♥