Holiday Shopping Bazaar

Fellow New Yorkerers, check it out! A bazaar featuring clothing, accessories and pottery. you will even be able to decorate your own pottery ornaments and learn how to make a bowtie!

Alcone NYC and Sephora Black Friday Haul

clockwise: naked cosmetics eye shadow base, Ben Nye Banana Powder, Ben Nye Lumiere Luxe Powder "Bronze", Ben Nye Lumiere Luxe Powder "Iced Gold", La Femme blush "Mulberry", Ben Nye Contour Powder No 2

The best thing about NYC is you have access to almost anything you want. If it is not within walking distance, it is a train ride away. I fell into the whole Ben Nye Banana Powder hype, but this a product that I'm glad I fell into the hype for. So while searching for places where I can purchase it, I came across Alcone. Alcone is a store that specializes in theater and professional makeup for MUAs. They have all the well-known professional brands (Ben Nye, Kryolan, Eve Pearl) as well as special effects makeup. The shop itself is tiny but the staff is pretty friendly and knowledgeable. I ended up getting a few goodies during two trips I made (I work blocks away from it, hurray!).

 Ben Nye Lumiere Luxe Powders in "Bronze" and "Iced Gold"

naked cosmetics eye shadow base (review coming soon)

Ben Nye Contour Powder and La Femme blush in "Mulberry"

 swatches (the La Femme blush is crazy pigmented!)

All the items were of decent price. The best deal was the La Femme blush. It is a really good quality blush with excellent color payoff. For only four dollars! I also purchased a z palette which I will feature in a depotting post.

I also work around the corner from a Sephora and I got these two items on black Friday for ten dollars each. The three colors in the bite palette are lovely and I'm especially loving "Tannin" for the upcoming holidays.

Bite lip luminous palette

Bare Minerals bronzer and face shaping brush

Thanksgiving Outfit Ideas

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday after my birthday! A great day to spend time with your family and stuff yourself with delicious food. With all that eating, a not so flattering belly often accompanies it. I have created three outfits to give you guys inspiration for "fat" outfits that aren't dowdy. They are flattering and stylish. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Outfit Ideas by beautywithbrainss featuring an embellished tee

H&M , $20 / River Island embellished tee, $19 / Black legging / Michael Kors high heels / Antique Embroidered Box / Iittala - Kartio Vase, $57 / Black Velour Clutch, Vintage Clutch Purse, 80s Purse, Black and Gold,...

Leggings have an elastic waistband which means you won't have to go through the struggle of buttoning up your pants after stuffing your face. The sweater adds a bit of color and slims down your middle as well.

Thanksgiving Outfit Idea by beautywithbrainss featuring a ponte jacket

AX Paris tall t shirt, $21 / Ponte jacket / Forever 21 skinny leg jeans / Dorothy Perkins flat shoes / Silver Dollar Spray - Set of 3 - Gold / Pier One Fall Cornucopia Floral Arrangement / Art Print - Fall In Love - 8x10 / Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is that quiet voice at...

Mix up camel and maroon for a nice neutral way to color-block. Comfy oxford flats add a tomboyish edge to this outfit.

Untitled #25 by beautywithbrainss featuring lace up booties

Chiffon top / River Island long maxi skirt, $40 / Charlotte Russe lace up booties / Red jewelry

This teal is such a pretty color for Fall. Belt it and wear with a white chiffon top to hide a bloated middle. The watch and boots are fun accessories to liven up this outfit. This would go great with a topknot, everyone's favorite lazy girl hairstyle.

Rich, Fall Colors

Simple outfit for a late dinner with friends. I've had this eggplant top in my closet for a while and wanted to get some wear out of it. I wore it with a simple black body-con skirt and added combat boots. The sheer top keeps the outfit more on the feminine side. It's easy to turn an outfit tomboyish with combat boots.

What I Wore:

F21 top and socks

H&M skirt

Wanted boots

assorted accessories on my wrist

And a closer look at my makeup. One of the few times that I did highlight and contouring on my own face. I haven't worn a lot of makeup lately because I've been breaking out like crazy. I started a new skin regimen and have been trying to let my skin breathe until it clears up some. Leave a comment if you want details on my skin regimen. 

my ultra-glamorous cowlick!

Products Used:

FACE

NYX Studio Perfect Photo Loving Primer

Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + Foundation No 30

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer No 25 

Ben Nye Banana Powder

Ben Nye Contour No 2

Revlon Mineral Finishing Powder "Suntan Matte"

MAC blush "Stubborn"

EYES

TFSI

Maybelline Color Tattoo "Pomegranate Punk" (lid)

TooFaced "Stiletto" (outer v)

Urban Decay "Twice Baked" (crease)

NARS bronzer "Laguna" (to blend out crease)

Urban Decay "Half-Baked" (inner corner)

Revlon Colorstay Liner "Black" (upper lashline)

Maybelline Falsies Mascara

Milani Easy Brow Automatic Pencil

LIPS

MAC "Rebel"

Aaliyah "We Need a Resolution" Makeup

 I was feeling a bit nostalgic and was watching videos from the late 90s/early 2000s. I saw "We Need A Resolution" and was inspired to the look. The look itself is fairly easy to do. It's a black smokey and in the video you can see there is a hint of blue whenever Aaliyah looked down which I liked. The whole makeup/wardrobe in this video is great, this is when Aaliyah was becoming a little more sexier. She still managed to be tasteful as well. I kind of miss the days when female artists didn't have to be outrageously sexy in order to sell records.

This is my interpretation of the smokey eye and red lip she wore. Hope you enjoy!

Products Used:

FACE
Clinique Even Better Makeup "Toffee"
Coastal Scents Concealer Palette
Ben Nye Banana Visage Poudre
Ben Nye Contour No. 2
Ulta Cheek "Girlie"
Revlon Age Defying Face Primer
EYES
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil "Black Bean"
Wet n Wild "Blue Had Me At Hello" Palette
LA Splash Loose Pigment "Nude Diamonds"
L'oreal Smoldering Eyeliner "Black"
Red Cherry Lashes #505
Ardell Lash Glue "Dark"
Milani Easy Brow Automatic Pencil
LIPS
Revlon lipstick "Fire & Ice"
Flirt! Squeeze Me Super Shiny Lipgloss "Moonlight Spice"

And as always if you would like to request more celeb-inspired looks, email me at Hav@abeautywithbrains.com.

Beauty Blogger VoxBox

I received a Beauty Blogger VoxBox from Influenster after qualifying for it due to my beauty blog and vlog. 

About Infleunster:
"Influenster is a free-to-join community of invited trendsetters who live to give opinions of products and experiences. Influenster creates links between brands and members to reward participation and influence future products." (Influenster.com)

Here are the goodies I received:

From left to right: Kiss Ever Pro eyelashes; No 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion and Night Cream; Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream, NYC Individual Eyes palette, EBoost Daily Health Booster 

I received the palette containing dark shadows. I will be doing a look with this palette to test the shadoes as well as the Kiss eyelashes.

I don't think I'll be using this much since I wear my hair straight most of the time. I'll have it saved for one day when I let my curls out.

Not pictured here are Goody Spin Pins and A Bath and Body Works Candle in "Pumpkin Cupcake". I love the spin pins! I have been using them everyday for my messy buns but I do often need to use extra bobby pins but that's because I have tons of hair. The candle smells divine! I lit it to give my room life and it was just perfect. This has been my favorite VoxBox so far.