Failures, Faces, and Favorites

So I suppose the first thing to address is the failures, right?  Haha!  Well the first would be keeping up with this blog.  You would think that because I'm failing at being a normal and functioning person because I've been consistently ill for almost 2.5 solid months I could have updated this thing...but nooooooo...(I had a DVT in my leg, I also just had the worst asthma flare up I've had since I was diagnosed with it when I was 12...UGH!)

Really, that's all the failures...and I don't see them as failures but rather...this thing we call life.  Basically, shit happens and you deal with it. Right? Right.

So then that would lead me to the faces portion - aka just makeup pictures...because, well, it's a beauty blog after all and I do remember what most of the products on these photos are!  That's a plus!

Complexion:

Algenist Pore Correcting Primer

Sephora Collection 10H Wear Foundation #20 (Cream)

Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow #M548 (Pink Gray) - contour

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush (Fearless)

Eyes:

Smashbox Double Exposure palette

Sephora Collection Dramatic Line Pen Liner

Lancome Grandiose Mascara

Lips:

Mint Rosebud Salve

Complexion:

Lancome Teint Visionnaire Foundation #210 Buff N

Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow #M548 (Pink Gray) - contour

Kat Von D Everlasting Face Shaper Blush (Belissima)

Eyes:

Anastasia Dipbrow (Dark Brown)

Urban Decay Electric Palette

MAC Eyeshadow (Chrome Yellow)

Tarte Aqualilies Cream Liner (LE/DC)

Lips:

Sephora Collection discontinued color (sticker missing)

Complexion:

Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Liquid Foundation (Light/Medium)

Sephora+Pantone Universe Blush Palette (Marsala)

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter Pressed (Opal)

Eyes:

Still Stay All Day Pen Liner (Pink)

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette

Lancome Grandiose Mascara

Lips:

I *think* it was a Bite Beauty lip? This was a while ago so I don't remember...

And then of course, there are always favorites, right?  So in no particular oder here are things I'm loving!

First thing up is my new obsession website - I'm on it all the damn time -- and for the sake of disclosure before anyone thinks anything, I am not an affiliate with them so feel free to click away :)

If you're a book lover (like I am!) check out www.bookoutlet.com -- I always tell people you need to want to have to dig around on the site but the deals cannot be beat!  I have ordered from them three or four times already and have loved everything I ordered and their service is pretty fab too!

I don't know if I ever mentioned that I'm a huge Star Trek fan...so next up on the list are a couple Trek related things -- my complete series of Voyager (which I am going through in order...I'm pretty sure I've already seen 75% of the series, but I want to see 100%! hehe!)

And then on the heels of Voyager, it's only appropriate to mention my favorite book (so far!) of 2015 -- Kate Mulgrew's memoir, Born With Teeth (seriously, just read it...even if you don't like Star Trek...which is featured only briefly in case you're wondering)

featured with my prized Captain Janeway teddy bear that I got out of Quark's Bazaar many many years ago in the Star Trek Magazine....

 And then there was makeup...

First up is the Smashbox Double Exposure palette.  So many choices and so many good colors!  I love the texture of the shadows (not too powdery and not too creamy....they're just right!) and you can use them all wet or dry so it's like having 28 shadows in a 14 pan kit!  My personal favorite colors are the muted silvery blue (top L), the shimmery golden tone (top 3rd in from R), and the reddish brown (bottom 2nd in from R).

Then there is a shoutout to my NARS books.  I got a new bookshelf recently and was reorganizing and so of course I sat and flipped through them...so many great images for inspiration!  If you haven't yet checked these books out, I highly recommend you do.  There are photos of the model's naked face on the left side, and then a clear overlay saying what products were used and where that lies on top of a photo of the finished face.  GREAT for learners or seasoned pro's alike! 

So that's what has been up...hopefully I can get some great content put together for you guys soon because I do miss doing this a lot!

Xo

-A-

Disclosure:

In addition to the products I purchase, I receive a lot of product as GRATIS through my job.  I know I say this all the time, but it cannot be repeated enough in a social media dominated world -- It is up to me (and me alone) to feature what I feel are good products that I can stand behind 100%.  I always take the utmost care as I write my posts to give you, the reader, the best information that I can about my experiences.  If I love a product, I'll say so.  If I hate the product, I'll tell you why.  It's equal opportunity on my blog in all aspects.  I am in NO WAY a spokesperson for my job when writing on this blog.  No company, including the one I work for, has any influence on what I say or what I feature on the blog.

Working and Theater and Life, OH MY!

Oh heeeey.
Again...Long time no blog - but I suppose you're used to that by now, yes?  I haven't posted since...JANUARY?!  Seriously?  Woah.  Ok, quick catch up.

March:  Traveled to San Francisco for another training...was so much fun (someday, I will move there, I swear...)
 
April: Performed as Ronny/WhiteBoys Lead Soloist for a local production of HAIR (so much fun!)

 

April was also World Book Night and I got to be a giver for the 2nd year in a row.  It's a fabulous thing, but as the adage goes, all good things must come to an end and sadly, they are not going to be holding this AMAZING night of book giving in the United States going forward as costs were too high.  I cry a little every day knowing that next year I can't do it (although, I may start collecting books throughout the summer/year at yard sales and things and give them out myself next year without the organization - keep the tradition going!)

 

May:  Performed as Doatsey Mae in a production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas - this was quite possibly one of the best roles I've ever had, and I loved every single moment of giving life to Doatsey.  This is the kind of role you SHOULD want when you do a show :)

  

 

 June was full of WORKWORKWORK and now it's July and I'm in a production of Songs for a New World (as Woman #2), and I'm gearing up to leave next week (21st) for yet another trip to San Francisco (sneak preview of the reason for this trip: Beauty Classes will be coming to our store in the fall!)

Sorry I've fallen off the radar yet again, but hopefully I can put together some amazing posts for you to go through the end of the year, because I miss blogging!

Xoxo,
-A-

MUSIC: Summer playlists

*some of my current favorites*

So with summer in full swing here in Maine (hey, the A/C is in the window...it's legit!) I have begun to craft my summer mix!  With an hour drive each way to work and countless days spent at my mom's pool, I need to have a good selection of music...something most people don't realize is that I simply cannot have what we as a society call "silence" (as a music major I do not believe that silence exists) around me.

So I thought as something fun, I would share my work in progress with you guys, and hope you guys share some awesome suggestions as that's what makes a mix more fun!

Head past the jump to see what's going on in my playlist right now!

(pictured in the photo:  Jefferson Airplane "Surrealistic Pillow", Steely Dan "Aja", The Who's Tommy, Scissor Sisters "Magic Hour"

Where The [beep] Have You Been!?

Hello!  Hello! Hello!

Before you chastise me for not being around on virtually ANY social media outlets for the past month, let me just explain haha!

I got a phone call back in...March? from a director asking if I wanted to step into a local community production of The Who's TOMMY as they had lost a few cast members.  Um, heck yes!

Side note:  if you don't really know me, or are new to my blog...I have a degree in musical theater performance!

Being that I came into the process almost an entire month late, I've had my work cut out for me...full time at job #1, part time 2 nights a week at job #2, and then rehearsals 2 night a week until April when I went to one night a week (so I could go to 3 rehearsals) and then the 1st week of May where I put my 2nd PT job on hold for a couple weeks so I could go through hell week and performances...*deep breath*  so as you can see...social media took a back burner.

The show IS currently still in production :)  We close this upcoming Sunday and I am utterly devastated already.  This has been such a welcoming and phenomenal cast, pit, and crew...and I love them all dearly.  Many I've worked with in the past, and I've made so many new colleagues!

Hopefully I'll be back in full swing sometime in June <3

Missed you all!

xo

-A-