lifestyle

I’m Freaking Out Over Magnetic Lashes

This style is from Glamnetic and it’s called Lucky. It worked better for my eye shape after I trimmed a section from the inner corner.

This style is from Glamnetic and it’s called Lucky. It worked better for my eye shape after I trimmed a section from the inner corner.

I’ve never been able to successfully apply falsies with lash glue. The targeted Facebook ads came at me hard this year and I dropped too much money on an order from Glamnetic, hoping they’d change the game. Reader, they did.

The styles I purchased were all very different and it opened me up to a whole new world of glam, for real. Since winged eyeliner has been my go-to makeup style since middle school, there was no learning curve for me. I splurged on their felt tip eyeliner pen to ensure an easy application and to set me up for success. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

I didn’t realize that there were anchors with each pair I purchased. If that was clear to me, I wouldn’t have bought a whole pack of them separately. Anchors are very small little clusters to place under lashes. They’re designed to magnetize with the strip, sandwiching your natural eyelashes and providing more security. Supposedly, they also give the option to not even need liner (I was never able to successfully use them so I don’t really buy it).

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I Need Things To Be Quick & Easy

I’m a mom. I’m lucky if I get 10 minutes to apply some makeup.

Here I am with the reason for my time limitations. I’m wearing the Glamnetic style Wish here, which I purchased because their site suggested it’s good for hooded eyes. My toddler matches the joy I felt when I realized how easy magnetic lashes are.

Though they claim each set can be worn up to 60 times, it was closer to 10 times on average for me. Their site helps shoppers select eye shapes to find the styles best for them, which I super appreciate as I have hooded lids.

I almost bought more but they’re kinda pricey. That’s when I noticed Target also carries some options! I purchased the Kiss brand magnetic strip lashes and liner set for about $20 and thennnn found them on Amazon for closer to $5! The price difference is due to buying with liner or not. I’ve got all this Glamnetic liner left so next step is to see if I can use it with different brand lashes. Wow. You can get a different style than I did and the liner for less than $13 here.

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Charm by KISS

Truly charming as these lashes are a fraction of the price of Glamnetic and I honestly like them more. They’re lighter and natural-looking.

The Glamnetic strips are too dark and thick, if that makes sense? They’re way denser than the KISS styles and not in a good way. If you spend any time reading the reviews, folks with lighter hair can’t really pull off the Glamnetic lashes because they’re too dark. I also think the strip itself is super bulky. TL;DR go for KISS if this is your first magnetic rodeo.

Skip Target’s EyeLure option. I was excited to get the clusters they sell but the eyeliner burned my lids. That was a first. The formula was super watery, too, so in addition to burning my upper lash line, there was transfer when I looked down. I might see if I can salvage them and use one of the other liners instead.

I guess there’s gonna be a part 2! Have you tried magnetic lashes yet? Anything you’re curious about?

Mom Life: First Photoshoot & Partnership

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It’s been a minute. So much has happened! I’m a mom. This is my first blog in over a year. I moved out of San Francisco. And I’ve got this cool partnership with Thinx (period panties I’ve been using for YEARS).

To get set up, they required some headshots and all of mine are dated. Therefore, I did what I usually do—called my girl Ella and asked her for a quick in-home mini session.

Y’ALL. I’m SO thankful that she’s one of my best friends, patient, and incredibly creative because the photos almost didn’t happen. I couldn’t even get much makeup on due to a certain someone.

My attempt at getting camera-ready was comical.

My attempt at getting camera-ready was comical.

If it was anyone else taking my photo, I’m certain I would’ve been super frustrated and embarrassed that this tiny human required so much from me in such a short period of time. Writing that last bit hurt my heart a little. Of course he needs a lot from me! He’s only two months old. I miss working and the freedom to go places, but I need to savor this season. Ella’s professionalism and warmth made a potentially stressful situation into a super fun shoot. And yes, he was on my lap the entire time, for every photo. (It’s his favorite place to nap and I’m part of camp Never Wake A Sleeping Baby).

She makes me laugh like this a lot.

She makes me laugh like this a lot.

It feels great to ease back into work, especially with a brand I’ve used for so long. If you’re in need of some period-proof underwear or know someone with incontinence issues, there’s Thinx Speax for bladder leaks and BTWN, for tweens and teens. Shop here and save $10 on your order. There’s also a money-back guarantee, so you’ve got nothing to lose!

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What else should I write about?

Leave a comment and let me know!

Femme Fair 2018

This was my little piece of Femme Fair. All photos in this blog taken by the talented Jess Onesto.

This was my little piece of Femme Fair. All photos in this blog taken by the talented Jess Onesto.

If you follow me on Instagram, you know all about the very fun, very full day I spent at Femme Fair. This was just their second year and it was a really amazing event. In addition to networking, this was a day full of shopping, learning, and serious pampering.

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I've been to The Archery before, but seeing how Claire and the team transformed it was a real treat. Our day started off with yogurt parfaits and delicious coffee for fuel. After the first amazing panel discussion, groups broke out for mentoring and shopping.

I'm so glad that there were women interested in my previously loved pieces. It was my first year participating, and I'm so grateful I had this opportunity.

Sustainable fashion is really important to me. With each huge life shift, there have been numerous trips to consignment stores, thrift shops, and participation in clothing swaps to responsibly make changes in my closet. This was a new way for me to continue the life of pieces that no longer serve me.

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My size range was pretty big due to my new body and gaining weight over the past few years. Thanks to some of the women who stood by me at Femme Fair, I've learned to love and adorn my body like never before. 

The past two years in the Bay Area have involved a huge change in style. For starters, I no longer have to deal with harsh winters that require gloves and hats and rubberized soles to prevent from slipping on ice.

I've started to incorporate a lot of color back into my everyday looks and even bought a bikini for the first time in years! 

If you get the chance to attend next year's Femme Fair, you should totally treat yourself. There was a lot I didn't even get to partake in, like the Dyson stylists and makeup artists who were doing mini makeovers. It's a feel-good, femmetastic time you won't regret.

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EVENT BY

Founders Stacey de León, Christina Chinn, Melissa San Vicente Event design Claire Xue Coordination Ashley-Victoria Graphic design Nailah Ali Editorial Weekend Creative

Venue rented through Peerspace

Photographer Jess Onesto

Videographer Marco Bercasio

SPEAKERS

Arnelle Lozada, Chloe Elisa, Mandana Ansari, Melissa San Vicente and Shahida Zareef

BLOGGER PARTICIPANTS

Ashleigh Reddy, Angie Hilem, Chandamheer Stacker, Chantelle Tankson, Christine Yun, Daisy Hernandez, Eden Davis, Emma Ribeira, Gabriella Seviya, Gomada Leone Thomas, Jayme Sy, Julianne Cronin, Kelsey Kaplan, Monica Cruz-Hernandez

DECOR

Macrame wall hangings Lise Silva Hanging undies Pansy Event florals Freckled Floral + Claire Xue Booth florals Landeau Furniture Archive Rentals + Stacey de León

FOOD

Desserts The Jen Project Girl power cookies XO Bakes Yogurt and cheese plate Kite Hill Foods Granola Nana Joes Granola Fruit Snacks Bare Snacks Coffee Lady Falcon Coffee Club Wines Anna de Codorniu and Windsor Vineyards Cocktails Purity Organic

ACTIVITIES

Skincare Lounge DHC Skincare Hair, Makeup & Mani’s Stylebee Blowout Bar Dyson Lip Bar NARS Floral DIY Le Bouquet

POP-UP SHOPS

And.Comfort Candid Art Dopp City Shoes Mandana Blvd Saje Wellness

GIVEAWAYS

Peerspace, Bumble & Bumble, Cocokind, Dyson Supersonic, SoulCycle, Oui Shave and T3 Micro

GIFT BAG GOODIES

Browology, DHC Skincare, Bare Snacks, Bite Beauty, CreativeLive, Charlotte Russe, Dyson, Greetabl, IBY Beauty, Fat and the Moon, Hush Dotti, Iris and West, Nutri-Rich Vitamins, Lilah Beauty, MGS Accessories, Miss Patisserie, Navitas Organics, OLLY, Pacifica Beauty, Passion Planners, Posh and Wild, Pressed Juicery, SmashMallow, Sunglass LA, TCHO, WinkyLux

You Must Go To Whole Foods Market THIS WEEK

Beauty Brunch @ Filoli & An EPIC Sale

Y'all. A few weeks ago, I got to experience a wonderful, experiential event at Filoli. I'd heard of this beautiful, historic estate before but truthfully don't leave the city very often, so it was my first time. It's only 30 minutes south of San Francisco,  and it won't be my last time visiting the grounds.

The garden house is simply enchanting. Beautifully kempt grounds boast impeccable gardens like I've never seen. Many kind, fashionable women were treated to brunch provided by Whole Foods San Mateo. Before we chowed down, there was a WFM Beauty Bar set up for us to indulge in other ways—I'm talking on-site manis and facials.

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Don't Miss This Sale

It's incredibly challenging to detox your vanity. There are a lot of shiny, tempting beauty products that seem to be the answer to your makeup routine struggle. Many times, they've got a long list of ingredients that are hard to pronounce and very effing bad for you. There's also the fact that some products that are free of harmful toxins are $$$. Thankfully, Whole Foods Market just started their Beauty Week. All facial care, hair care, and cosmetics are 25% off from March 21st  - 27th. I'm personally running low on facial cleanser, so the Brilliantly Brightening Facial Scrub from Acure which was in my brunch goodie bag is coming in very handy. As is the Evan Healy Face Care Kit.

Pass Me The Booch

What if I told you that the most stern talking to I got from my spouse about budgeting had to do with my obsession with kombucha? I realized years ago that the effervescent drinks are a powerful match to any indigestion I suffer. But I was buying a bit too many per week... Imagine my delight when I rolled up to see a KOMBUCHA BAR! I tried several different Health-Ade flavors in delicious mocktails with Instagram-worthy garnishes.

He's honestly one of the main reasons why I care so much about what I put into and on my body. We are very mindful of how we source our food, homegoods, and especially body care. 

This Is What I Plan to Buy

What will you stock up on this week? I personally use the Lavender + Aloe soap by Everyone. It's 3in1 and I've been using it as a shower gel for years. That will be added to my shopping cart, as well as a new facial cleanser, and maybe a bright, spring-inspired nail color from Pacifica, whose products are 7 free, which means they're formulated without parabens, phthalates (dibutyl phthalate), toluene, xylene, camphor, formaldehyde, resin, and animal testing.

Huge thanks to Whole Foods San Mateo for pampering and nourishing us with the most beautiful brunch. Use #wfmbeautyweek when you share about your beauty finds! I just followed the hashtag so I can see what you share because, yes, I'm nosy but I also love connecting with like-minded individuals like you