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yolauralikesbeauty

Beauty

Swim Week Miami Bloggers Happy Hour Blogger Meet-Up Recap

July 24, 2018Beauty0
I attended my first ever blogger event. It was a blogger meet-up hosted by Miami Bloggers. If you’re on Instagram, you’ve probably seen their page. I was pretty nervous for this event, but I had my blogger pal Jenn @budgetgirlife to accompany me.
w-miami-hotel-brickell-50-floor-friday-night-miami-bloggers-blogger-meet-up

Deetz

The event was located at W Miami in Brickell. I don’t really like going to Brickell, so it was important to have a friend with me. We parked nearby and took an Uber over to the hotel. The hotel staff was really nice so they gave me a good impression. When I walked into the event, the panel already started. However the room they used was really unorganized. The layout didn’t feel appropriate because there was too much going on. You had models in swimsuits on one side, speakers on one end and a bar on the remaining ends. People were talking over the speakers, so it was hard to hear what they were discussing.

The panel felt unorganized. I found out that the speakers were not given the questions and topics of the panel prior, so a lot of them are just talking on the spot. If they had some guidance before the panel, they would’ve been able to give much better answers. I met a girl there that just moved to Miami and she was interested in the beauty industry. For someone like her, it would’ve been cool for the speakers to have provided more specific and relevant information and insights.

Plus, you had to purchase a ticket online to enter the event, and no one actually checked for them. The ticket was about $15, so it didn’t bother me. However, the organizer of the event claimed that the proceeds will go to Nicaragua. I didn’t hear any mention of the status of the proceeds and neither did the speakers I spoke to afterwards. That’s a little unsettling because that was a huge selling point for the tickets, and all the bloggers on the panel are Nicaraguan.

Um….

After the blogger meet-up, I also found out that the owner and founder of Miami bloggers is not even a blogger… This bugs me a bit because if she’s not a blogger, how was she supposed to know what bloggers want and need? Miami already has a reputation of having a lot of stuck up people, so these poorly planned events don’t make it better. This was my first event for bloggers, and I don’t think I would attend another one hosted specifically by Miami Bloggers.

Most of the networking have done in the Miami blogosphere has been through Instagram. I happened to meet a few cool girls through there, and we like and comment on each other’s posts. That’s pretty rare because all of these bloggers want to make it big and just do blogging full-time. I understand their motivations, but I can’t sympathize with them because we all deserve a space in the blog and community.

I guess some perks of this blogger meet-up was the fact that we got some free champagne LOL, I was close to The Wharf and I made a new friend. If you want to know more about my experience at The Wharf, check out Jenn’s post. I also met another cool girl and followed her on Instagram as well. The rest of the bloggers didn’t really wanted to vibe with anyone or they just kind of acted like they were celebrities lol. I know that’s not entirely the fault of the company, but the environment they cultivated didn’t give a opportunity for more people to interact with each other.

Swim-Week-Miami-Bloggers-Happy-Hour-Blogger-Meet-Up-Girls

Our new friend!

An Alternative

If you’re looking for another organization that hosts a blogger meet-up, I suggest you follow SFL bloggers. My friend Jen that attended the event with me runs it with her best friend. Their events are more intimate, but you have a chance to really talk to everyone and build meaningful relationships.

Have you been to any Miami bloggers events? How did you feel about them and would you recommend them to a friend or another fellow blogger? What are things you expect an event to cater to you? Let me know in the comments below!

Be sure to share your thoughts on my posts with me in the comments below or on my social media pages: yolauralikesbeauty on Instagram and Facebook; yolauraisfierce on Twitter.

Thanks for reading! ?

Makeup for Movie Dates | Avengers Infinity War

April 30, 2018Beauty, Fashion, Makeup looks, OOTD + OOTN0

Last night, I saw Avengers Infinity War. No worries, there’s no spoilers in my corner of the internet. I just want to talk about my makeup for movie dates!

Makeup Deets

Foundation: Too Faced Peach Perfect in Nude

Brows: Anastasia Beverly Hills Micro Brow Pencil in Dark Brown

Eyes: Tartlette Toasted eyeshadow palette

Lashes: Violet Voss (I forgot the name, but I think they’re Wispy My Name)

Highlighter: Urban Decay Afterglow Powder in Sin

Contour: Maybelline FaceStudio Master Counter Face Contouring Kit in Light (a tongue twister!)

Blush: Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso

Lips: Wet N Wild Megaslicks Lipgloss in Rose Gold

gold eyeshadow-dramatic-eyelashes-makeup-for-movies-date-avengers-infinity-war-side-profile

My skin has been going through it (more on that later!) so I haven’t worn a full face of makeup in a minute. I decided it was time, so I popped out my Too Faced Peach Perfect Foundation. Its coverage covered up my fading blemishes.

I usually like to keep my makeup for movie dates heavy on the eyes and light on the lips. I wanted minimal eyeshadow to match my accessories, so I amped up the look with dramatic false eyelashes.

For everyone loving these lashes, I’m sad that I don’t know the exact name. I think they’re Wispy My Name liked I mentioned. When I first bought these in Ricky’s NYC in SoHo, they were sold out online when I wanted to find a backup pair. These are so damn similar that I think these are the same ones! Woo-hoo!

Outfit Info

And for movies, I like to try and match the theme. If it’s a superhero movie, I’ll always dress the part. For other movies, I just dress cute lol. Superheroes movies are my favorite kind of movie to watch. For Avengers Infinity War, I bought a Groot shirt from Amazon! MY boyfriend said I have all of these moods lmao.

i-am-groot-mood-black-shirt-amazon

Click the picture for link! Only $19.95

Did you watch Avengers this weekend?! (No spoilers please!) Do you dress a specific way for the movies, or not really because it’s just a regular date and it’s in the dark lol?

Be sure to share your thoughts on my posts with me in the comments below or on my social media pages: yolauralikesbeauty on Instagram and Facebook; yolauraisfierce on Twitter.

Thanks for reading! ?

Physicians Formula Organic Wear BB Cream Review

March 30, 2018Affordable, Makeup Product Reviews0

Greetings, friends! My life somewhat makes sense again, so now I can get back to reviewing lots of products and spilling some tea! I got a new job, and I gotta tell ya, it’s breathing some new life into me. I have time to do my makeup for work now, so I’ve been using a lot of the Physicians Formula Organic Wear BB Cream.

I’ll be honest – I never jumped on the organic and natural makeup craze. I know many YouTubers transitioned their makeup to reflect their new lifestyle choices – veganism, vegetarian, cruelty free, etc. Personally, I can’t afford that, but kudos to everyone that can. The most I can pick and choose is between brands that violate my morals for future purchases.  My mom gave me 2 tubes of Physicians Formula Organic Wear BB Cream, so I figured I’d use ‘em and write a review!

Here’s the product breakdown:

  • Price: $14.99
  • Size: 1.2 oz
  • Claims: 100% of the ingredients in the Physicians Formula Organic Wear BB Cream are of a natural origin and 70% of the ingredients are organic. Revolutionary formula combines the benefits of a BB cream with skin-nourishing natural and organic ingredients with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help keep skin looking and feeling healthy, hydrated, bright and smooth. Ultra-lightweight, multi-tasking cream delivers all your skin needs for natural perfection: hydrates, smoothes, protects, nourishes, conceals, repairs, evens out, preps + primes.
  • Instructions: Precautions: For external use only. Do not use on damaged or broken skin. When using this product, keep out of eyes. Rinse with water to remove. Stop use and ask doctor if rash occurs. Keep out of reach of children. If product is swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.

If I’m wearing this daily, you can tell right off the bat that I love it! I’m not a fan of BB creams in general because I feel like they don’t do anything for my skin. They don’t really have a tint or help powder products adhere to my skin. Foundations felt more comfortable, so I never really owned any BB creams.

The Physicians Formula Organic Wear BB Cream is the exact opposite! It’s my perfect color, so I can easily apply it without worrying I look like a cast member of Jersey Shore. I wear this with the Cover FX Illuminating Setting Powder on top, and it lasts alllll dayyyyy. It also has good enough coverage to cover some minor blemishes and make my face still look like skin.

However, my only qualms with this BB cream are the price and shade range. It’s $15+ with tax….why lmao. It’s a great product, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not a foundation. The BB cream has light to medium coverage, so it’s not ideal for someone with several skin issues. It brings little over an ounce of product, but it’s not enough to justify the price point. I know that Physician’s Formula is one of the most expensive brands at the drugstore, but I’m just not on board the price. And that shade range though…my mom is brown and all of the shades look ashy on her. The beauty market is extensive and isn’t comprised just of 3 shades of white and fake tan. Tbh, I could tolerate the price if the shade range were inclusive. Get with the program, PF!!

I give the Physicians Formula Organic Wear BB Cream a 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’m now interested in trying Physicians Formula’s new foundation, and the shade range is a huge improvement (but it’s not enough)!

Have you tried this BB cream or any for that matter? Have you tried any other Physicians Formula face products?

Be sure to share your thoughts on my posts with me in the comments below or on my social media pages: yolauralikesbeauty on Instagram and Facebook; yolauraisfierce on Twitter.

Thanks for reading! ?

My Top Favorite Beauty Products in 2017

March 12, 2018Beauty, Makeup Product Reviews0

Who else feels like 2017 was yesterday? I was looking at my makeup a few days ago, and I realized that I scored so many gems last year. Some of my favorite makeup to date was released last year, and I never really shared my favorites. It’s March ? but it’s not too late to share my top favorite beauty products in 2017!

Concealer:

Wet N Wild Photo Focus Concealer in Light Ivory

This is great for dry under eyes because the creasing isn’t intense. Said to be a dupe for the Tarte Shape Tape concealer!

Foundation:

Maybelline Dream Cushion Fresh Face Liquid Foundation in 20 Classic Ivory

This is my fave light coverage foundation. Love popping this one for a fresh faced (hehe) look!

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation in 170

You know I have to show support for Rihanna at all times. This foundation is literally a filter!

Powder:

Cover FX Illuminating Setting Powder

Powders are dry skin’s worst enemy, except for this one!

WNW Photo Focused Pressed Powder

Best. Drugstore. Powder. Ever.

Mascara:

L’Oreal Lash Paradise

For that fluffy lash look without the lash glue or annoying bands!

Benefit Roller Lash

Probably the only high-end mascara worth splurging on.

Eye Shadow:

Dose of Colors Marvelous Mauves

Mauvey goodness!

Too Faced Peachy Mattes

If I were a palette, I’d be this one.

Lips:

Okay, so I have a slight obsession with lipsticks…

MUFE Artist Liquid Matte

THROW AWAY ALL OF YOUR LIQUID LIPSTICKS. This is the only one you need.

Urban Decay x Jean-Michel Basquiat Vice Lipstick in Abstract

This lipstick feels delicious on the lips. That is all.

Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb

No one can deny this is the best gloss of all time. Bet.

WNW MegaLast Matte Lipsticks

Tbh my lifetime fave matte lipsticks. I’m in love with the other formulas, too!

Bronzer:

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer

Get that tropical tan and scent with ease!

Urban Decay x Jean-Michel Basquiat Gallery Blush Palette

As if the Basquiat aspect of this weren’t great enough, this palette has become my fave cheek palette.

Highlighter:

Smashbox Spotlight Pearl Palette (Collaboration with Casey Holmes)

This is my fave highlighter formula on this Earth. I own manyyy highlighters, jus sayin’.

Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Highlighter in Sin

Ugh in the best way.

Setting Spray:

Milani Make It Last Setting Spray

I’m strongly convinced this is God’s saliva. It’s too good to just be man made.

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray

Someone please tell Wendy to call this the For Life setting spray.

Brows:

e.l.f. Lock On Liner & Brow Cream in Medium Brown

This trumps Dip Brow.

L’Oréal Brow Stylist in Brunette

The fact that I’ve bought this pencil 5 times and took it to study abroad with me should be enough praise.

Brushes:

Sigma

The hype is REAL.

Wet N Wild

Affordable and beautifully blends eyeshadow and blushes, she’s Miss Wet N Wild Brushes.

Primer:

Becca First Light Priming Filter Face Primer

What are you waiting for if you have dry skin??

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden

Your eyeshadow deserves this.

*****

I’m going to be making individual blog post reviews for each of these products once a week. I have a few series planned to go live first, so stay tuned (wink) I want my blog to become a makeup review resource for popular and indie beauty products. Is there anything you enjoyed in 2017 that wasn’t on my top favorite beauty products in 2017list? Let me know in the comments below so I can try it and review it!

Be sure to share your thoughts on my posts with me in the comments below or on my social media pages: yolauralikesbeauty on Instagram and Facebook; yolauraisfierce on Twitter.

Thanks for reading! ?

Beginner Couponing Tips | 6 Items for $20 + 2 Free Wet N Wild Products!

February 21, 2018Beauty0

Once you’re a broke college student, you remain one for life. Money is always on our mind and we’re always learning. That’s great though because our good spending habits will come in handy when life gets too expensive. I apply this to makeup and stumbled across couponing. My mom and I started watching some YouTube videos on beginner couponing and got some makeup for the low!

Beginner couponing is a great way to build a makeup collection. You can get many good deals on skincare, hair care and beauty products. Household items can be scored for good prices too — my mom basically got Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent for $1. If something is on sale, there’s usually a good offer attached to it with coupons so you can save even more! Watch the channels I recommended; they’re super helpful!

Here are our tips:

  1. Sign up for CVS and Walgreens cards. The app lets you add digital coupons and see the weekly ad. CVS lets you rack up Extra Bucks Rewards depending on what you buy. For example, the current weekly ad has an for offer for $5 Extra Bucks when you buy $15 worth of e.l.f. cosmetics. It’s basically cash back for you to spend at CVS on almost anything (alcohol, gift cards and cigarettes are excluded).
  2. Download Ibotta and Flip. Ibotta allows you to scan the receipt to receive some cash back. You can only cash out when you reach $20 and you can link it to PayPal.
  3. Get the Sunday newspaper (yeah, that’s still a thing lol). It costs $3 at easily accesible places like Walgreens, but the amount of coupons you get basically makes it free. And once a month, P&G releases a bundle of great coupons. Act fast; the newspapers run out fast!  x
  4. Watch couponing YouTubers. These YouTubers also give additional tips for beginner couponing and make it easy for anyone! They’ll tell you all the coupons you need and in what order to give them to the cashier to scan.
  5. Elaborating on the last point, be mindful of the order of the coupons. Dollar off totals (e.g. $3 of $12 of  cosmetics at CVS) go first. Percentage off coupons (if you have them) go next. Lastly, coupons for individual items follow!
  6. If you have coupons that give you a gift card based on a purchase amount (e.g. $5 gift card at Target for a $20 beauty purchase) give it first if its a print coupon. Places like Publix need it first because the cash register won’t recognize it at the end even if the total purchase amount before coupons met the requirement. If it’s a digital coupon, the cash register will automatically apply it.
  7. Coupons don’t waive taxes. Even if your order is totally free, you will still be required to pay for taxes. P.S. CVS Extra Bucks can’t be used to pay for taxes!

 

My Coupon Hauls Hehe

Keeping these beginner couponing tips in mind, I was able to get 6 items for $20 about 2 weeks ago at CVS. I got 2 Garnier Sheet Masks, 2 Garnier Skin Active Face Washes, L’Oréal Lash Paradise and L’Oréal Brow Stylist. First, I used a $4 off $12 of L’Oréal Cosmetics and the whole brand was buy one get one 50% off. Next, I used a $2 off $7 Garnier Skin Active purchase. Lastly, I used a 20% off total purchase coupon that was mailed to me.

garnier skin active moisture bomb sheet mask loreal lash paradise loreal brow stylist flat lay

Aaaaanddd when my mom bought the Sunday newspaper, it brought some Wet N Wild coupons. I got their Lash Renegade Mascara and new cushion foundation for only 84¢!!! I used a $4 off $10 of Wet N Wild coupon, a 50¢ off any Wet N Wild product coupon and $2 off any Wet N Wild foundation. Luckily for me, Wet N Wild was buy one get one half off! Also, I used $5.50 in CVS Extra Bucks. My order was free so all I had to pay for was tax ?

wet n wild cushion foundation-wet-n-wild-lash renegade mascara flat lay on table


Let me know if you like these kinds of posts! I can share my mom’s and I’s mini coupon hauls as they come up.

Be sure to share your thoughts on my posts with me in the comments below or on my social media pages: yolauralikesbeauty on Instagram and Facebook; yolauraisfierce on Twitter.

Thanks for reading! ?

4 Reminders to Help You Practice Self-Love

February 14, 2018Beauty0

Happy Valentine’s Day, friends ?

Yes, it’s a happy day. Feels like everyone on Instagram is sharing flowers, candies, their amazing outfits, their lovers and sweet gifts. Feels like it’s an exclusive club for people that got lucky. Anyone that mentions other forms of love is seen as bitter. As someone in a long-term relationship, I’m here to let you know that you’re not bitter. Even when you’re happy with someone else, you have to remember about love for YOURSELF. Even if all you have are friends, you can’t forget about YOURSELF. All love is celebrated on Valentine’s Day, but the important love today and for the rest of your days is love for YOURSELF.

Self-love is complicated. Our biggest critic is ourselves. The person that knows us the best is ourself. We’re the one that cares about ourself the most. We make the decisions for ourself at all times, and we are the one person always there for ourself.

It took me a long time to learn to love myself, but now that I do, I’m my biggest fan. I always think of ways to improve, and I try to embrace myself at all times. However, the one thing I seem to struggle with is accepting things about my appearance. It’s silly. I feel ugly over stupid lil pimples on my face lmao. I get sad when I can’t zip up my stupid Fashion Nova jeans when they were only made for Instagram baddies (direct quote from Reyna Noriega). I also feel insecure when my hair doesn’t reach my waist when in reality, I love short hair.

To deal with my qualms, I made a checklist for self-love. These are my mantras and processes for feeling like the fierce woman I am. I created it based on the order of my biggest insecurities. This is my V-day gift to you all!

  1. Pimples are little reminders that you gotta slow your roll and chill out, you gotta eat better or die, or you have another bodily issue and they’re kindly telling you to get it checked out. Pimples aren’t evil; they’re just like the naggy TAs in class helping out your very busy body. Appreciate them before the semester ends!
  2. Stop comparing yourself to other girls. It’s not healthy, and I should be rooting for them. They either got lucky with their genetics, afforded killer surgery or worked out hard for it. The human body is a vessel for your own life and maybe another life one day. Do your best to take care of it and slowly work towards reaching the ideal body you want.
  3. Your hair crowns your lovey head full of knowledge and every other amazing thing in your mind. You don’t have to have curly hair if you don’t wanna; it’s a lot of work anyway and you’re busy conquering the world. Besides, your hair doesn’t define you; it’s dead lol. You control your destiny AND your hair!
  4. The mirror mirror on the wall doesn’t have to remind you that you’re the fiercest of them all. Beat that lovey face of yours, rock your comfiest outfit and strut into the word as confidently as you can!!

I hope you enjoy the rest of your night!

Happy Birthday, Mom! | My Mom’s Beauty Tips, Thanks Mom!

January 10, 2018Beauty0

I’m lucky enough to have been introduced to makeup, YouTube and fashion by mother. She was more stylish and iconic than Kim Kardashian before she was even born and made her notorious rise to fame. Coincidentally, today is her 21st birthday ? I thought it was appropriate to share my mom’s beauty tips as a way to honor her.

If it weren’t for my mom, I wouldn’t be writing this blog post! She actually pushed me to write my blog because she thought I was a talented writer.  Here’s a toast to the woman that fueled my love for beauty and the start of my career ?

My mom’s beauty tips are:

Drugstore makeup is good. Don’t feel pressured to spend money.

My mom would buy makeup at the flea market in Dominican Republic because there just wasn’t enough money to be wasting on makeup. My mom remembers that all makeup was pretty bad back in her day anyway. She has seen the evolution of drugstore makeup’s quality.

Never throw away makeup – use it differently or pass it along to someone else.

I’ve had many products that I didn’t like on the first try. I took a break and approached it different way. To my surprise, I ended up falling in love with those products and becoming borderline obsessed. If a product just wasn’t meant for me, I would pass it to my mom or hold onto it until I had someone else to give to. Now, I can just donate it if someone I know doesn’t want it. There’s no need to be wasteful and get rid of products so easily! Check out Project Beauty Share!

Be creative with it.

My mom doesn’t experiment much with makeup looks, but she does encourage me to be bold with it. She tells me that virtually any color looks good on me. She even sends me makeup inspo pictures. She’s actually the one that showed me how to use Pinterest. Mom, what would I do without you?!

Don’t be so harsh with your eyebrows!!

I can’t tell you how many times my mom looked at me and straight up told me that my eyebrows look awful lmfao. She’s very honest and I appreciate that. I could think my brows look amazing and my mom would bring me down to reality. She’s told me that brows are one of the first things people see on your face. I made it my personal goal to improve my eyebrow skills. It’s safe to say that my mom hasn’t pulled me aside for the talk in a while!

Take care of your skin.

My mom has been telling me since birth that I look like a porcelain doll because of my skin lmao. She introduced me to face wash and moisturizer. Her compliments about my skin really got me into taking care of my skin and I can’t thank her enough for it. Strangers compliment my skin often, too. Of course, I have her genetics to thank ? thanks for inspiring Skincare Sunday, mom!

What are some things your family taught you about beauty? How have trends changed?

Be sure to share your thoughts on my posts with me in the comments below or on my social media pages: yolauralikesbeauty on Instagram and Facebook; yolauraisfierce on Twitter.

Thanks for reading! ?

Don’t Police My Face! | Collab with Reyna on Beauty Standards

November 30, 2017Beauty, Makeup tea0

When in the creation of mankind did we get the idea that we were put on this earth to determine how others would live? Where did we get the idea that we needed to seek acceptance from anyone but ourselves? This is what beauty standards do to us.

But that’s the world we live in. We want to control others bodies and preferences and every detail down to what opportunities the other is worthy of.

I write, a lot. On an ongoing basis, I write blogs that encourage others to find inner peace, happiness, and self-love. I urge others to let go of all the negativity that comes with focusing on the wrong things. So that’s what this piece for yolauralikesbeauty will focus on. I’m no makeup expert by any means. I know the difference between fleek eyebrows and not so fleek eyebrows, and I know when makeup isn’t blended right but that’s about it. I’ll leave Laura to teach you all the good stuff ?

I am an artist and I respect art in all forms. I considered make-up artistry right up there with the rest. Though I wouldn’t spend more than 10 minutes of my own, I appreciate it and it pains me when other choose to tear it down rather than celebrate it or at the very least, focus on their own face.

Bye Alicia

I was annoyed when the Alicia Keys situation blew up. So she decided to stop wearing makeup, it seemed to bring the connotation that she was BETTER than other celebrities for choosing not to.  I wanted to respect it as a bold move for female empowerment and a positive change in beauty standards but the media found a way to spin it an ugly way. Of course, Alicia Keys with her smooth tan skin was an acceptable display of “natural beauty” and often I noticed light traces of “natural” make up on her and I wondered, how would the narrative change if she sported blemishes, dark circles, and barely-there eyebrows.

You are not the epitome of goodness for being natural. I have always been a firm believer that nothing should define the person you are beside the person you are. Not your skin tone, not your sexual orientation, not your body size, not your bank account and DEFINITELY not whether or not you wear makeup.

If I am good at doing makeup, and enjoy it why should anyone else have a say? If I’m not as talented at applying make-up as some of the gurus I see on Instagram, should I feel less beautiful?

Love the skin you’re in and don’t let anyone determine how you feel about the way you choose to live your life and express yourself.

My Face, My Rules

Sometimes we fall into this pattern with significant others. Most men will say they prefer their woman natural, most women would tell you we don’t wear it for the men! I don’t think there’s something wrong with a man loving the natural you and celebrating it, but attempting to police my image will only make me resent you.

I change my look a lot and it feels good when my significant other opens their eyes a little wider in awe at the switch up. I also appreciate when I look a mess and he tells me that is when I am at my best.

But I have been through situations where a guy would try to police my choices and my style based on their own ideals. I would feel guilty when putting on makeup and try to wear as little as possible to avoid the crude remarks. Or I feared what they’d think if I cut my hair or tried something new. It didn’t make me feel any more beautiful in my natural state; instead, it made me want to hide parts of myself from them.

Instead, when I am shown unconditional love, I am more inclined to feel good in my skin, with or without my winged liner.

It’s a tough habit to break through. Judgments sometimes seem to just roll out. “Why is she wearing so much makeup?” “It’s like a mask.” “She could use some concealer and eyeliner honestly” Unfortunately those words have come out of my mouth in the past and it took some self-reflection to break that habit. The habit of feeling superior to other women based on different choices we may make.

We have the right to self-expression however we please. So natural faces and makeup gurus alike, celebrate you, celebrate each other and lets uplift those around us, even if they aren’t the same.

Follow my girl Reyna! @reynanoriega_ on Instagram. Be sure to share your thoughts with her in the comments below or on Instagram. Tweet her, too! @reynasnoriega.

Thanks for reading! ?

Photoshoot at Wynwood with Alexa | Things to do in Miami, Florida

November 8, 2017Beauty, Glamshoots, Things besides the glam, Travel0

I’ve gotten super into photography lately! By lately, I mean for a few months now lol. Study abroad pushed my interest. I wanted to capture my trip well, so I can look back to these images and relieve my experience. I went to Wynwood with my cousin Alexa a few weeks after my study abroad trip and ended up having a small photoshoot with her.

For those that don’t know, Wynwood is a poppin’ lil art district in Miami, Florida. Think of it as an outdoor museum. Several galleries are housed in this area. Many local artists showcase their art in these galleries, getting their first big break. The Walls have stunning art that periodically changes. It’s a hot spot for street artists. Iconic artist Shepard Fairy even left his mark there. If you study, make or even simply appreciate art in Miami, chances are that you’ve taken a trip to Wynwood.

There are many small business and creatives contributing to the grandeur of Wynwood. The most popular businesses happen to be restaurants and food trucks. Among some of the most popular are Kush, Coyo Taco and Panther Coffee. If you want a good taste of this lil district, visit when the Art Walks are taking place the second Saturday of every month. Or stop by during the week of Art Basel. Wynwood is a place you must visit on a trip to Miami despite what locals think!

The Glam Photoshoot

Hope you enjoyed this lil photoshoot! What are other cool places great for photoshoots in Miami? If you live outside of Miami, what areas near you that are similar to Wynwood?

Be sure to share your thoughts on my posts with me in the comments below or on my social media pages: yolauralikesbeauty on Instagram and Facebook; yolauraisfierce on Twitter.

Thanks for reading! ?

Hair is a Wasteland of Boredom So Let’s Dye it | Collab with Carolina

October 31, 2017Beauty, Don't Touch My Hair0

I thought I’d kick off my hair care series with tips and a story from my friend Carolina Saco! She dyes her hair often, so I thought it’d be cool to get her feedback on what her hair means to her and how she takes care of it. Plus, she rocks literally every haircut and color she has. Enjoy her collab!

Hair AF

Hair is simply dead cells growing out of the scalp for some people. It represents beauty and tradition for others. They form a connection to their flowing locks. Hair is a wasteland of boredom to me. I love to dye my hair. I don’t think there’s anything more refreshing that dyeing my hair a new color when I’m feeling down. My hair just needs to match my moods. I feel blue some days and some days I feel pink.

Girl with bright pink hair

This may be a difficult concept for some to grasp. Public opinion towards unnatural hair colors has shifted in a positive direction, though. It’s not as positive as it should be, though. I still get stares all day and every day. I don’t care because I love my hair.  Even bleaching my hair and seeing it fall off and having to shave my head doesn’t make me hate it. I even loved it when its color has faded into 100 different shades.

However, I feel like I’m an expert after all of these terrible experiences. I found all kinds of helpful tips and tricks to maintain these colors, or fade them out when I’m tired of them. Plus, I also discovered how to keep my hair from literally falling off my head. I wish I had known earlier, but that’s why I’m here today to share.

Just Dye It

At-home hair treatments and box dyes might seem scary, but I haven’t died yet. That’s a testament to the fact it’s not scary at all, but you need to know what you’re doing. A common misconception is that you must completely damage your hair to dye it a weird color. It’s not true at all.  For example, you can actually only lighten your hair to about a bright orange for a vibrant pink, purple, or red color.

Unnatural shades normally come in semi-permanent dyes. They’re meant to eventually fade back to the shade you bleached it to. I tried various brands and my all-time favorite has to be One n Only Argan Oil. I usually pick up at Sally’s for under $10; prices matter when you switch colors as often as I do.

My Hair Isn’t that Big, But It Still Has Secrets

The trick to getting the most out of semi-permanent hair dyes is leaving them on for way longer than directed on the packaging. This is totally safe because they are completely natural, free of chemicals and actually more akin to food coloring than anything else. Of course, there are brands that cater to those who do not what to bleach their hair but produce a subtler result.

I usually leave the dye on for about 2-3 hours. I’ll sometimes leave it on overnight if I want to ensure that the color will last a couple months. I love using One n Only Argan Oil Hair Dye because the argan oil in this brand leaves your hair feeling great. It feels better than it was before being bleached.

Let’s Be Real

The secret to switching between multiple shades and not damaging your hair is to simply avoid bleach as much as possible. You don’t really need platinum blonde hair unless you are going for a more pastel vibe.

Aftercare is truly important. You must make sure to wash and condition your hair with products designed specifically for colored hair, or else, it will wash right out. Hair masks with avocado or coconut oil left overnight can also help diminish the damage created by the bleaching process, as well.

Ok Next Color

Fading out a color that you put so much effort into making last can be horribly annoying, but it’s easy. Just switch to a regular shampoo. This can take a couple weeks or sometimes months. If you want to rush the process, you can enlist the aid of dandruff shampoo to help dilute your hair color. The Vitamin C method works well, too. Just use Vitamin C to strip the color from your hair as much as possible.

In the end, it’s just hair. It’ll grow back and we’ll still look cute – even if you have to shave your head and cry about it a lot. But in the meantime, use your hair to make a statement, match your mood, match your outfit and match your keychain.

Carolina with blond hair in In-N-Out

Hope you enjoyed this collab!

Be sure to share your thoughts on my posts with me in the comments below or on my social media pages: yolauralikesbeauty on Instagram and Facebook; yolauraisfierce on Twitter.

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Anniversary Date Night Outfit + Makeup | Date Night Outfit Idea

October 25, 2017Beauty, Fashion, Makeup looks, OOTD + OOTN0

I made 3 years with my boyfriend in the first week of October. Can’t believe we’ve been together for so long! I thought I’d share my anniversary date night outfit and makeup to give some inspo. It was a struggle to find an appropriate outfit because I wanted to look good enough for the restaurant we went to without overdoing it. I wanted to feel comfortable and elegant, ya know?

Outfit

Dress: Laura’s Boutique

Shoes: Charlotte Russe:

Necklace: gift from my boyfriend ?

Purse: Amazon

I picked up this lil dress from Laura’s Boutique a few weeks ago. It’s beautiful and so comfy! It’s very flattering, even while I rock my food belly lol. One thing to keep in mind is that the quality of Laura’s Boutique is decent. It’s a little pricey for what you get sometimes, but she has discount codes ranging from10 – 20%. I usually get good results with the durability of her clothes if I machine wash it cold and let it air dry. Also, her clothes usually run small, so size up! This dress is a medium.

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Makeup

Eyes: Urban Decay Naked 3 and Inglot Gel Eyeliner in #77

Lashes: Pur Cosmetics Diva

Lips: Jouer Cosmetics Lip Topper in Rose Gold

Face: Becca Backlight Priming Filter, Fenty Beauty Pro Filter Foundation in 170, Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer in Bronzer, Fenty Beauty Killawatt Highlighter in Fire Dust/ Lightning Crystal and BH Cosmetics 10 Color Blush Palette

I used my trusty Urban Decay Naked 3 palette for this look. My boyfriend gave me this for our first anniversary lol. I love this palette and it matched my anniversary date night outfit perfectly!

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My biggest tip for date night is to ultimately feel comfortable, confident and beautiful. If you have simple outfits, play it up a little bold with accessories. if you want to rock a bolder outfit instead, simple makeup glam can do wonders. you can obviously do both bold eyes and a bold outfit; just feel yourself doing it!

If you’re interested in more date night looks, check out my Pinterest board.

Be sure to share your thoughts on my anniversary date night outfit + tips and other posts with me in the comments below or on my social media pages: yolauralikesbeauty on Instagram and Facebook; yolauraisfierce on Twitter.

Thanks for reading! ?

My Experience at Miami Makeup Expo 2017 | Worth it or not?

October 24, 2017Beauty0

I went to my first makeup show!! I attended Miami Makeup Expo 2017 on Sunday Oct. 22. I’ve been dying to attend one ever since I saw beauty YouTubers go to LA, NYC and Vegas for them. They look super cool and fun! They also seem like a great networking opportunity. As my blog keeps growing, I’ll try to attend larger shows!

Miami Makeup Expo is an annual makeup show held in Miami. It premiered last year. YouTubers like Viva Glam Kay and local brands selling discounted products made created some buzz. It was the start of something beautiful in Miami. Miami has the potential to become a hub for creatives, not just beauty ones. Miami Makeup Expo is paving the way for larger, well-renowned shows in Miami.

I wasn’t sure to expect. The whole event occupied maybe like ⅙ of the convention center. Here’s a video. No more than 10 companies were present. Macy’s and The Makeup Club FL were the most distinguishable companies there.

The smaller brands I enjoyed and bought products were DNA Cosmetics, G4E Beauty and Sophy Cosmetics. The people at these booths were so sweet and eagerly spoke about their products. It was nice seeing people so passionate about their brands. I picked up at foundation stick from DNA Cosmetics, glitter from Gorgeous 4 Ever and a highlighter from Sophy Cosmetics! Check out videos of them in action on my Instagram.

DNA Cosmetics

The girls at this booth were super nice! Their demo video made all of their products so tempting. I only picked up the stick foundation in creamy beige. Their liners also looked promising. They were very creamy and are blendable enough to be used as stand alone eye shadows! Also, the foundation stick is very full coverage; I’m excited to use it!

Gorgeous 4 Ever

It was cool how the owner was present at this booth. Her partner at the show (I’m not sure about his exact role) was soooo passionate about the brand. He eagerly spoke about every product. Swatches were available for every product. He won me over when he demonstrated how awesome the glitters were. I bought a glitter and my mom bought a satin lipstick.

Sophy Cosmetics

Sophy, the brand owner, was also present. She introduced herself and excitedly told my mom and I about how great her highlighters are. I enjoyed how confident she was about the performance of her products. She shade matched my mom and I to her highlighter shades that’d suit us the best. Her highlighters were stunning.

*****

Interacting with every company and shopping took about an hour. Some people may not like that. Some booths left early because the event wasn’t like exciting last year. DNA cosmetics left first. I was able to buy a foundation stick right before they left. They were a bit disappointed with the event turnout. It was their first year, too. Booths agreed that the event poorly marketed. Miami Makeup Expo was only advertised for about 2 weeks.

Unfortunately, I agree withe everything I heard. I attended Miami Makeup Expo with an open mind. It’s a young event. The logistics may not be totally sorted out yet. Nonetheless, I like supporting small businesses and interacting with people in the beauty industry. I would’ve been heavily disappointed this year if I went last year. I got a good taste of the event, though. Also, the show’s pow attendance made it less intimating for me. I was able to have more personal  and comfortable experiences with each booth.

Miami Makeup Expo’s organizers should learn from their mistakes and make the event better. The lack of foot traffic and small size of the event was noticeable. I’m sure they’ll receive complaints from the participating businesses. The ticket was only $20 and I think it was very worth it. I’d definitely go next year. it’s important to note that the even took place on a Sunday; last year it was on a Saturday.

By this time next year, I’ll have more followers! I’ll share information about the event and confirm my attendance. I really want this event to grow!

Be sure to share your thoughts on my posts with me in the comments below or on my social media pages: yolauralikesbeauty on Instagram and Facebook; yolauraisfierce on Twitter.

Thanks for reading! ?

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