Festival Makeup: Glittery Crystal Teal, Cobalt, and Opal Look 

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If I could live at Coachella, I might. Music, fashion, an excuse to go all out with your outfit and makeup, Beyoncé, I mean.. What more could you ask for?! 

For my festival look I was inspired by desert tones, cacti, and starry skies. For those reasons, I used e.l.f’s Mad for Matte palette in Summer Breeze, Wet n Wild’s single eyeshadow in Bleached and Moonchild and Nyx’s Pigment, which is straight up glitter in peacock. 

Wet n Wild’s single glitter eyeshadow in Bleached. $1.48 at CVS, etc.

 Though my festival look may not be as outlandish as other you might’ve come across, I feel that it’s more important to consider what will outlast the heat best and go with the most outfits, thus being the most versatile yet festival-ready look I could muster. 

Nyx’s Pigment in Peacock. $6.49 Ulta, etc. 

I considered going the bejeweled third eye route but I’m not sure how well this would outlast the heat, though of course, it would surely make for good photos. 

I wanted to focus on implementing color and sparkle to the look becauseI was inspired by bright festival colors and the sunset and dusky summery tones of the desert and starry nights, so I went with teal and navy and lots of opalescent glitter. 

Wet n Wild’s single eyeshadow in Moonchild. $1.48 at CVS, etc.

I began by priming my lids with foundation, and used L’Oréal Pro-Matte founation. I normally don’t do this, and instead opt for either primer or an eyeshadow base, but I’ve seen others do this step, so I thought, why NOT? 

I was blown away by the Mad for Mattes palette. Its peachy shade is gorgeous and called out to me from the moment I saw it. I seriously love every shade in the palette and every one of them is creamy, blendable, and very useful. 

e.l.f’s Mad for Matte palette in Summer Breeze. $10 at Target, etc. 

I used the peachy apricot shade as my transition shade. I then dipped into my Lisa Frank bronzer to deepen up my crease and outer corner.

I patted the single glitter eyeshadow in Bleached on my entire lid. This has a sticky petroleum-jelly like consistency but is permeated with glitter in every way. The glitter is iridescent and reflects gold, blue, etc. I softened the edges of my crease and the transition between the glitter and warm tones with a gorgeous pinky peachy shade in an e.l.f Best Friend Eyeshadow duo called Peach Squad. 

e. l. f’s eyeshadow duo in Peach Squad. $3. Ulta, etc.

I love this shade and like the shadows in the made matte palette, it was creamy, blendable and dreamy as a crease shade. It lools much more salmon and pinkier n person than it does above, in my opinion. 

I then tapped some of the loose teal glitter pigment in Peacock from Nyx on my palm and grabbed some on a flat shader brush. I stuck it on to my lids pretty easily because the sticky Wet n Wild glitter was underneath.

Lastly lined my lower lashline with the cobalt blue single eyeshadow shade Moonchild by Wet n Wild and lined my water line with Nyx’s Faux Blacks Eyeliner in Blackberry.

I loved the final result and though it wasn’t exactly the looking I initially envisioned, I’m happy with it. 

Thanks so much for reading and I hope I helped inspire some festival / summery looks of your own. 😊🌵💞

Have a beautiful fun-filled weekend, whether you’re at Coachella or not. 😉💕

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My 5 Essential Jackets for Spring 

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The checkered blazer

Paris Fashion Week. Spring 2018.

I’m eternally in love with a well fitting blazer, especially for spring. As a girl who’s constantly cold, I find that blazers don’t cut it in the winter for keeping me warm enough in the morning and at night, but they’re ideal in the spring. 

Plaid blazer by Fashion Nova. $24.98.

I’m in love with the plaid/checkered blazers I’ve been seeing on cool girls everywhere. 

Hermès Spring 2018.

I especially like them with t shirts, black pants, or distressed jeans or jean skirts. 

From cottonon.com. $59.95.

The classic denim jacket

Icon denim jacket by Gap. $69.95.

You just can’t go wrong with a classic denim jacket. You can throw one on over almost anything and tie an outfit together. I love denim period, and I think there’s something effortlessly cool about a nice denim jacket. It’s nice that most are 100% cotton as well, which keeps you cool and is way more breathable than gross polyester, rayon, etc.

Ex-boyfriend Trucker jacket by Dvf.com. $89.50.

I will only actually wear any iteration of these jackets if I find one that happens to be cotton and yeah I know, I seem exaggerated, but anything else will screw me in terms of sweat stains and BO, especially in LA’s warmer months. Sorry to get real with you, but part of fashion is dealing with our bodily concerns and issues as stylishly as possible. It sucks because that leaves out a ton of beautiful clothes, but denim jackets have never done me wrong. 
The army jacket

I wear army jackets during every season almost every day, not only because they’re cotton, but because they go with everything, keep me warm on cool mornings and nights, and are adorable. 

Army jacket by Madewell. Madewell.com. $88.50.

Though the awesome jacket above is $88.50, I found literally the same thing at Goodwill for $5 from Forever 21. Sometimes the hunt is worth it. 

Source: Superdry UK.

Honestly I’ll never get sick of these. I’ve been wearing them for months and I couldn’t be happier. I have around 5. As  a person who walks to work in the morning, and sometimes walks around at night, these are ideal. If you live somewhere colder or hotter than Los Angeles, these may be too light or too thick depending on where you are situated. 

Margaret Howell, a UK designer makes  gorgeous army coats. 

Margaret Howell. Spring 2018.

You don’t have to spend a lot to get a functional gorgeous army jacket that you’ll use time and time again though. As I’ve mentioned before, I highly suggest checking out your local thrift stores and then washing your finds sufficiently. 

These are super cute over floral dresses or little black dresses as shown above. 

The blazer with a pop of color

From shesawstyle.com.

When it comes to spring and summer, I like to go all out with my pops of color. Once again, we’ve seen plenty of brights and pastels on runways spring and summer. 

Victoria Beckham. Spring 2018.

For spring/summer 2018, I’d pair a neon, primary colored, or pastel blazer with a neutral or black romper or jumpsuit for a sexy yet put together look. 

Source: Pinterest

Of course an entire pastel suit is always a do and was all over 2018 runways. 

The lightweight trench coat

Valentino Spring 2018.

Though the trench coat has been done in every iteration imaginable, I’ll never stop loving the outerwear staple, and neither did designers for spring and summer 2018, apparently. It was redone and revamped, revealing intriguing results.

Chloé. Spring 2018.

I love the shape of a good classic trench coat, and your money will be well spent on either one of these or a revamped version.

Loewe. Spring 2018.

Thanks for reading! I hope you’re having a beautiful week and enjoying your spring so far. 

Fire Music Friday: Mavi Phoenix’s ‘Aventura’ 

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I am so happy you lovely readers enjoyed my first Fire Music Friday post last Friday! It makes me very excited that you’re as into new music as I am, as in fact, I’m a self professed music nerd.

Mavi Phoenix

This week’s pick comes to you all the way from Austria and let me tell you, it is pure fire. I found Aventura due to Spotify’s Release Radar feature. 

Source: medium.com.

Sometimes I come across new music, or music which is new and in exciting to me, though it may not be a new release, through pure chance. It’s fun finding a gem that way and it seems special almost, sort of like the feeling sorting through a bin in a yard sale and finding Chanel, or sorting through an old forgotten table in a record store and finding your new favorite album. 

Source: last.fm

Sometimes l just don’t have time for treasure hunting, fashion-related, music-related or otherwise, so Spotify has come in handy. I currently have two jobs and counting and I’m at my wit’s end and almost at a point where I can’t physically keep up. Caffeine is my productivity elixir. 

Source: Twitter

My first impression upon hearing the song was that the intro draws you in right away and the chorus is infectious, as is the rhythm and unexpected beat, which borrows from music from all over the world. The title, “Aventura”, is in Spanish, and means adventure. The lyrics are sprinkled with Spanish words which add a layer of intrigue and cryptic mystique as she uses them in an off-kilter sometimes non-sensical but totally cool way. Can someone really be an aventura? Maybe. 

Source: Last.fm

Who cares though? I give her bonus artistic points for using Spanish words in a wholly unique way. Besides, I’d like to be an aventura. The intro is sung by what sounds like a chorus of children in an African tongue.
As noted in Wonderland Magazine,

“Growing up listening to David Bowie and Queens of the Stone Age, Mavi Phoenix is claiming her place as the edgy Austrian pop artist that we’ve been waiting for. First finding a love for guitar, urban rap was where the pop star found her stride, and she’s been making waves ever since.” (Wonderland magazine)

In borrowing Kanye West’s infamous lines,”They mad they ain’t famous”, in the track, she not only alludes to American pop culture, but sort of assumes the myth of celebrity. I could see how Mavi could quickly rise to the ranks of other indie pop giants and get radio play all summer. 

YouTube.com

The track was practically made for summer with its danceable catchy feel. I found it hard to dance the first time I heard it but I was at work in a peope intensive predicament. Of course, I’ve been listening to it on repeat every since, and dancing my heart out.

Source: Wonderlandmagazine.com

I’m not exactly sure what the track aims to say other than that Mavi doesn’t really care what haters have to say about her and that it’s a good thing to just be yourself. Mavi definitely embodies that ethos. Her attitude is confidently carefree and it seems she could take on any genre because of that. Her perspective is fresh and I’m al here for it, having heard more than my share of hipster folk. I want something new on music and I’m glad to see women taking the lead in terms of new musical ground. 

When reading Mavi’s interview with Austrian Music Export I was thrilled to know how much thought she put into her music video for the single. She totally nailed the effortlessly cool rapper thing and you should totally go watch it it btw. Aventura is on Mavi’s new EP, “Young Prophet”.  In the article and Mavi went over her thought process in regards to the making of the EP and its title. In it she states, the title originally came from a song that didn’t make it onto the EP, but it was also chosen because it was so extreme and cheeky. The first question that comes to mind is why I can be so arrogant to name my EP ‘Young Prophet’. ‘Who is that and who does she think she is?’ 

Source:Wikimedia.com

But ‘Young Prophet’ has another, completely different meaning for me. I have the feeling that in the last couple of years I have learned more about the world and the various scenes. That was my actual approach!”

 That approach is quite intriguing to me. She doesn’t necessarily see herself as the savior of the world but perhaps an interpreter of music, through whom various genres will flow through? It seems that’s already happening and I can’t wait to hear what else Mavi Phoenix comes up with next.

Thanks for reading! What artists are you listening to who are new to you? 

Classic Red Lip Two Ways

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Sometimes you just need to don a good red lipstick. I like to pick one up and/or wear red lipstick when I’m feeling kind of blah or just need some extra courage. Red lips are my suit of armor. What’s yours?

My favorite way to wear a red lip is with simple eye makeup and a fresh glow complexion. Here are my three favorite red lipsticks at the moment:

  • Wet n Wild’s Megalast Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick in Flame of the Game ($3.99 at Target & elsewhere) (I’m wearing it above) 
  • Smashbox’s Be Legendary Matte Lipstick in Bing ($21 at Ulta & elsewhere) 

Smashbox’s Be Legendary

    • Besame Cosmetics’ Rip-roaring Radiance Lipstick in Cherry Red ($22 on modcloth.com & elsewhere) 

          A red lip is easy to wear and pairs well with almost anything. You can wear it during any season and almost any occasion. If your skin is warm toned I recommend a blazing fire engine red or cherry.

           If your skin is cool, a blue toned red is gorgeous against your undertones. However, there are blue toned reds that work with all skin tones and make teeth look whiter which is awesome. Patrick Starrr X Mac Lip Glass in Patrick Woo is one of those intense beautiful bluish reds. 

          Patrick Starr X Mac Lip Glass in Patrick Woo. $17 at Mac,  Ulta and elsewhere

          For the look below I used Colourpop’s Yes Please palette. I’ve been shying away from the yellow, but I have no idea why because I’m now a huge fan of yellow in the crease.

          Yes Please Palette by Colourpop. $16.

          I began by priming my kids with concealer of course. A matte full coverage one works best. I then simply brushed ivory matte ivory color onto my whole lid, worked the peachy color and the yellow into the crease, and then intensified the crease with the warm tan sienna. That’s it! I love how the golden yellow pairs with the fiery red. 

          For the second look, below,  I wore Nyx’s Soft Matte Lip Cream in Transylvania. As I was headed to a place in LA called Vampire Lounge, I thought it was apropos.

          Nyx’s Soft Matte Lip Cream in Transylvania. $6.49 at Ulta & elsewhere.

          For some reason on my skin tone it looks way brighter than it does on the bottle, but I’m happy with the end result. As you may know, I’m typically not the biggest fan of matte lipstick, but when it comes to a red lip, liquid lips look the best and last the longest.

          This look was also super simple but understated eye makeup is pretty much a given in my book when it comes to burgundy or red lips. I used Makeup Shayla X Maybelline’s City Mini Palette. After priming my eyes, I dusted the ivory shade on my lids, then proceeded to work the brown into the crease. I placed the lighter gold shimmery shade allover the lid with my finger. I then created a slight gradient from that gold to the brown with the darker gold. Lastly, I intensified the outer corner with more of the brown and a touch of the black and lined my lower lashline lightly with the brown. 

          The City Mini Palette by Makeup Shayla X Maybelline. $7.89 at Target, etc. 

          I hope this inspired you to rock red lips this spring and summer. They’re a timeless and foolproof accessory.
          “Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick.” – Gwyneth Paltrow

          Too true. 

          Love you all and hope you have a fabulous weekend and lovely Easter! 

          Sabor a Latina

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          Sabor a Latina

          Topshop mini skirt
          nordstrom.com

          Chanel purses crossbody
          vestiairecollective.com

          Nars cosmetic
          lordandtaylor.com

          Tarte blush
          dermstore.com

          Lipstick
          $27 – harveynichols.com

          Chanel perfume fragrance
          bergdorfgoodman.com

          Fire Music Friday: León Bridges’ “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand” 

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          Hello and happy Friyay! Welcome to my new series, Fire Music Friday. If you haven’t realized it yet, I’m heavily into music. If I haven’t told you and you’re not psychic, I do apologize. I’d like to start integrating all of my interests into my blog and therefore create more of a true magazine vibe. If you’re new to my blog thanks for stopping by! Let me know what artist you’d like me to cover next in the comments. 

          Source: genius.com

          If you like classic soul and R&B music and you haven’t heard of Leon Bridges, first of all…where have you been, under a rock?! Also, just go listen to him now. You won’t be disappointed. His new single, “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand” has me swaying and swooning almost as hard as the first time I heard Otis Redding’s Try a Little Tenderness or I’ve Been Loving You Too Long, two of my all time favorites. 

          Source: clashmagazine.com

          The groovy and scintillating break up song is one of both lament and happiness, for what could’ve been and for what was. After all, those wise words almost turned cliché are true:


          “‘Tis better to have loved and lost
          Than never to have loved at all.” 

          Alfred Lord Tennyson

          The single off of Bridges’ LP
          Good Thing suggests the obvious sadness surrounding the occasion of saying goodbye, yet a bittersweetness hangs over the tune. It discusses those romances that don’t survive due to bad timing or the wrong circumstances, those sometimes too sweet for our own good. 

          “I got it bad

          I think you know
          You’re everything, you’re beautiful
          But my life is fast, can’t make it slow
          We’re here right now
          Kiss me before I go, but you got to let me go” “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand” by Leon Bridges

           Those words are so powerful and I feel the pain in leaving someone you actually like behind the crooning vocals and expert instrumentation. It also somehow manages to be sexy and danceable as well, a triumph for a break up song in my opinion. 

          Source: miojoindie.com.br

          This trend in music is something I’ve been enjoying lately. The groovy breakup song theme also exists in Tame Impala’s “The Less I Know the Better” another recent favorite of mine.

          As noted in Pitchfork’s review by Marc Hogan, 

          “The track is a swooning ballad, with delicate orchestration out of the 1970s Chicago or Philadelphia molds, and his vocals rise to a tender falsetto reminiscent of Smokey Robinson…”

          -Marc Hogan (pitchfork.com)

          Due to obvious comparisons to 60s Soul and R&b giants Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, some have criticized Bridges for not using his platform for greater good. I say, those people don’t understand the plight of the artist trying to get his first big break and Grammy. 

          Source: Vogue

          Yes, he’s received moderate acclaim for his expertly made 2015 debut album Coming Home, a Grammy nod and he performed on Saturday Night Live and on the opening slot of Harry Styles’ tour, but this is still an artist in the beginning stages of his career. 

          After all, the Beatles’ first hits were cheery boy-band-ish pop tunes and they had little to do with the political statements their music made in their late and great years, both as a band and as individuals. It’s clear what levels of musical greatness they were capable of reaching, given time. I’m sure any artist would like to gain traction before experimentation both musically and in political messages ensues. Still, there’s nothing wrong with good pop songs about love, and I’m here for them all day.

          Source: Billboard

          I hear the beginnings of a political stance in Bad Bad News, in which Leon insinuates that some people didn’t expect much from him, but he insists on proving those people wrong:

          “Let me come through (Let me come through)
          I’m tired being in the back (Aight)
          I’m just tryna move up front
          A lil more of this, a lil less of that, yeah

          They tell me I was born to lose
          But I made a good good thing out of bad bad news” Bad Bad News by Leon Bridges 

          This and ‘Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand’  comprise upcoming LP Good Thing. 

          I couldn’t be more excited, and can’t wait to listen to these songs all spring and summer long and beyond! 


          The Only 3 New Accessories you Need for Spring & Summer 

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          Disclaimer: this post isn’t sponsored by anyone, I just shop a lot. However (!);

          As you might know, I’m all about reusing and recycling, and even though spring is upon is and summer is down the road, don’t feel like you have to go out and hunt down a whole new assortment of accessories, shoes, and outfits every time a new season rolls around. If you notice, fashion recycles looks and trends from season and decades past all the time. 

          You really only need three to four new accessories every season. Here are my current favorites for spring / summer:

          A CUTE HAT

          Not only will a cute new hat protect your skin and guard your youth against the sun’s rays, but it can make or break an outfit. A floppy hat can take a blah outfit to another level. I’m all for the floppy hat, especially during sunnier days, which is every day during the summer in Southern California. This one below by Asos goes with everything. There are so many iterations of the floppy wide brimmed hat, but the Panama Hat is one of my faves. I like the ring on this one too, because I’m into rings lately for some reason. 

          Felt Panama hat by Asos. $35.

          If you’re into the super beachy cute straw ones with funny sayings, these below by Etsy shop Sprinkled with Pink are up your alley. You can customize the lettering too, which is awesome. 

          Customizable beachy hat by Etsy shop Sprinkled with Pink. $19+

          Newsboy/conductor/fishermen caps are my new thing. I find that they frame the face nicely and they’re just unexpected and cute. The one I’m wearing at the top of the page is by Urban Outfitters and I scored it for $6 because of my app and as it was already on sale for $10. It was one of my happiest moments last week. I’m not entirely sure why it’s $24.99 online though. I’d check your local UO if you want it. 

          Striped Chambray Fishermen’s Hat by Urban Outfitters. $24.99 online.

          It also comes in ivory, which I totally need.

          SUNNIES THAT POP

          Slim Retro Cat-Eye Sunglasses by Urban Outfitters. $16.

          I’m so into translucent colored lenses on my sunnies lately. What they say about rose colored lenses isn’t so far off after all. 

          Slim Retro Cat-Eye Sunglasses in pink. UO.

          These are the same ones I’m wearing above. $16. UO.

          I’m also into aviators with colored lenses as I think they add a sexy 70s vibe to spring/summer outfits. I wish I could splurge on Desi x Quay Sahara sunnies below. 

          Desi X Quay Sahara aviator sunglasses. $65.

          These below are too cute and a fraction of the cost. 

          Aviators by Pretty Little Thing. $12.

          Prettylittlething.us

          STATEMENT PURSE

          When fashion people say ‘statement’ or ‘it’ purse I’m not sure if that’s just a marketing tactic, or if they actually attempt making statements with their purses, or consider some as fashionable as an ‘it girl’. Either way, I’m going with it for spring and summer. I’ve been into bright or pastel purses combined with neutrals, or vice versa as of late. 

          Source: glowsly.com. The pastel bags were all over SS2018. Versace, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Valentino. 

          The purse below, by Chloé has been on my fantasy wish list forever. I think it may be where my obsession with rings started.

          Faye medium leather and suede shoulder bag by Chloé. $1950. 

          Net-a-porter.com

          This is literally one of my paychecks though, so every time I glance at the price my fashion daydreams float back to reality.

          Aliexpress. $7.19.

          This one above by Ali Express is $7.19 and honestly, the way I treat my everyday purses, I have no business spending more than this. I probably will splurge on the Faye bag by Chloé eventually, but I’ll probably store it on a velvet pedestal and take it out once a year.

          Source: Getty images. 

          The super cute pastel bag seen on the Adeam SS2018 runway is so easy to pair with any outfit and super spring-forward. It’d  perfect with a camel colored dress. Here are two affordable pastel bags below, by H&M, from their new spring line of purses.

          Baby pink bucket bag by H&M. $35.

          Shoulder bag in lilac by H&M. $18.

          Another trend in bags I’ve been loving lately is the wicker bag, and even though this trend has been going strong for three Spring/Summer seasons, as noted in Refinery 29, I can’t stop fawning over how classic and summery they are. 

          Straw Structured Crossbody Bag by UO. $49.

          The one below by Etsy shop Lake of Life is adorable.

          Wicker purse by Etsy shop Lake of Life. $25.33.

          These bags make me want to go on a picnic on some idyllic hill with a checkered blanket. 

          Wicker handbag by Zara. $45.90

          I hope you find some hidden treasures in whatever you already have as well. I can bet that some of the outfits you’ve amassed are still trendy this season. What accessory are you crushing on?

          Love you all!

          Love & Light 💞💞⚡⚡