What I'm Loving for Fall!

PHOTO CREDIT: NICK SOLONINKA 

The Casual/Go To Outfit: I'm LOVING leather this year as you'll see in these different looks, but dressing down leather in a Varsity Jacket style is definitely my kind of thing. I love my neutrals but adding a pop of color makes the outfit!

Red Leather Jacket: OBEY Propaganda

Black Leather Front Paneled Pants: H&M 

Red and Black Online Exclusive Zip-Up Sk8 Hi Slims: Vans  

PHOTO CREDIT: NICK SOLONINKA

Let's Talk Makeup: Again, I gotta have my neutrals but for Fall, I really like to darken up my makeup in a Vampy way. For this particular shoot, I did do a little bit of a smokey eye, but not too dramatic because I wanted my eyes and lashes to really stand out. I'm not gonna lie, I went heavy on the foundation, concealer and contour just because I did want the "porcelain skin" look. I wanted my skin to look flawless so the rest of my makeup had a nice canvas to work with. 

Here's the Products I Used To Achieve This Look: Before I put ANYTHING on my face, I made sure to exfoliate with my St. Ives Apricot Scrub while I was in the shower followed by doing the same skincare routine after I get out of the shower which is, use my Proactive Face Toner, moisturize my face with the Avon Firming Moisturizer and also layered my Proactive face lotion over the Avon moisturizer just because my skin was looking a little dry that day.

Okay, now let's really get down to the makeup game!

So, after I had a clean canvas to work with I used my Revlon Beyond Natural Smoothing Primer, which honestly I'm not quite a fan of but I needed something to fill in my pores and have something for my foundation and concealer to stick onto without caking up. (I have yet to find a primer that is life changing.)

Foundation Time: I've used the same foundation for years now which is the Mac Studio Fix Fluid Foundation that I swear by. For all over my face I used NW13 because one, I am quite pale and I've found that the Mac Studio Fix Fluid Foundation does tend to oxidize a little bit on my skin so currently NW13 is my perfect match! I swear by this foundation because it literally covers all my face demons but can also be sheared out if you desire a less full coverage foundation. Luckily for this shoot, I only needed one pump for my whole face and stippled it on with my Sephora Duo Fiber Stippling Brush from the Luxe Brush Set that I've had for a couple of years and gave me a nice full coverage, airbrushed look that evened out my skin tone since I do have some hyper pigmentation from when I was a teenager. 

Contour and Highlighting Part One by Using Liquid and Cream Products: On a daily basis I don't contour quite as heavy as I did for this shoot. I wanted my face to be very chiseled out with sunken in and defined hollows of my cheeks to stay with the Vampy Edgy look. To countour, I used my Neutrogena Shine Control Liquid Makeup that's a good few shades darker than my actual skin color and the shade that I used was in Natural Beige and applied it on the hollows of my cheeks but stopped where it lined up vertical to the pupil of my eye.  I also applied it along my jaw line to define it and on my temples to warm up my complexion. Tip: Don't know what the hollows of your cheeks are? Make a fishy face and where your cheeks are sucked in, those are the hollows of your cheeks. It's that straight line from your temples to your lips!

After applying the foundation that I was using to contour, I blended it all out with a dense flat top Kabuki brush by Sephora so I could control where the product was being displaced and that gave me that nice straight line under my cheek bones without getting it all over the place. 

Highlighting: Highlighting isn't really my strong point in makeup, but I did really need to hide those darn eye bags so, I used my Avon Ideal Flawless Concealer in the color Fair to brighten up my tired eyes using the infamous Kim Kardashian upside down triangle technique to highlight. This concealer is great for under the eyes but needs to be set as soon as it's blended out because it does crease quickly, which I'm not a fan of. (I set it with my Rimmel Stay Matte Powder with a fluffy blending eyeshadow brush from Sephora.) I also hit the concealer in between my eyebrows and the middle of the forehead in an upside triangle yet again and blended it out. Now here comes the reason why I'm not a huge fan of this product, I applied this concealer down the bridge of my nose, blended it out and then when I got up close and personal to the mirror, I realized it caked up, accentuated my pores; making them look freaking huge, made my nose look dry and patchy and that's not cute. So, I wiped the makeup on my nose, reapplied the foundation on my nose and left it alone. 

Contouring, Highlighting and Setting My Face With Powder: This all seems like it's a lot but during shoots I need my foundation and every cream product to be locked into place so it's not sweating off or sliding off from being an oily monster. So, to set my whole entire face I used my trusty old Rimmel Stay Matte Powder which is definitely a cult favorite in the beauty community because it's cheap, you get a lot of product, it's finely milled, smooth and literally takes all the shine away and makes your foundation and concealer look flawless throughout the day! After setting my whole face, I go in with my Avon Mineralized Baked Bronzer, that got discontinued where I put the darker foundation was placed to warm up the look a little more. Since my face was so incredibly matte, I needed to put some more dimension back into my face, I used my Mac Mineralized Skinfinish in Lightscapade right on top of the highest points of my cheekbones that really accentuated my cheek bone structure. 

PHOTO CREDIT: NICK SOLININKA

The Eyes: I wanted my eyes to be the focal point of this look along with the lips. But, to not be so overdone since I was rocking dark and bold lips. I kept the eyes neutral but in a sultry way and making the lashes be the statement of the eyes. I used an Avon Palette that I've had for ages because I can create so many looks with just this palette. So, I applied the dark brown in my crease as the transition color before I applied anything else. I then put a matte cream color all over the lid, hit my outer V with black and sat there blending to create a smokey effect and then to put more dimension into the eyes I used a dark burgundy color to intensify the very outer edge of my eye. It's pretty easy, I must say! Alright, liner time. I used my Maybelline Eye Studio a Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black to create a dramatic cateye and lined my lower lash line to make the look darker 

Mascara, my lashes best friend. Before, I touched my eyelashes, I curled them because my lashes are super straight. When I was done curling my lashes, I went in and used generous amounts of my Smokey Extravagant Mascara by Makeup Forever in Black to fatten up my lashes to prep them for falsies! But for my lower lashes I hit them with Benefit's "They're Real?!" Mascara also in Black.

The Brow Game: My brow game needed to be on point since I had a ton going on with my eyes. To fill them in I just used my Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Duo in Brunette and set them in place with the Anastasia Clear Brow Gel.

I'm almost done, I swear! So, because I did fatten up my lashes, I wanted more volume and length so I applied the Ardell Fashion Lashes 113 in of course Black because I wanted DRAMA. 

The Lips: The lips complete this look and is super on trend! I used MAC's Lip Pencil in Nightmoth and MAC's Cyber Satin Finish Lipstick! AND WE'RE DONE :)

PHOTO CREDIT: NICK SOLONINKA 

Outfit: Forever 21 Meshed Sleeved/Neckline Bodycon Dress (Unavailable)

OBEY Propaganda Quilted A Symmetrical Leather Jacket with Gold Accents

Gianni Bini Kyley Sandals (4 inch heel.)

PHOTO CREDIT: NICK SOLONINKA 

Red Leather Jacket: OBEY Propaganda

Black Leather Front Paneled Pants: H&M 

Gianni Bini Kyley Sandals (4 inch heel.)

PHOTO CREDIT: NICK SOLONINKA 

Outfit: Forever 21 Meshed Sleeved/Neckline Bodycon Dress (Unavailable)

OBEY Propaganda Quilted A Symmetrical Leather Jacket with Gold Accents

Gianni Bini Kyley Sandals (4 inch heel.)

Don't forget to follow me on Social Media!

Instagram: katielafleurr

Twitter: kallmekatiee 

YouTube: ItsKatieLaFleur

Facebook: Katie Marie McBride

Where Have I Been!? Photo Shoots, Tattoos and More :)

I can't believe I'm saying this, the long awaited and well anticipated launch of my shots from GKR Photography.

Photo Credit: GKR Photography

Photographer: The Amazing and Ever so Talented GABBY RUDDICK!

THIS IS WHERE I've Been!

The "GKR Photography" on the top picture basically says it all! Gabby Ruddick, the photographer asked me to come shoot with her at The Art Institute of Colorado in Denver in a studio! Now, I have minimal experience in a studio environment and honestly I learned so much from Gabby since she's also a model! I was nervous, I'm not gonna lie. But, we literally had so much fun and I'm glad that I got to meet Gabby and become a homie. This is probably the most positive post and debut ever but I do need a good outlet to talk about some new things on my body! *gasp*

So, this is new! Honestly, I'm a big believer of expressing yourself with tattoos and Peter Quinones at Imperial Tattoo Studio did amazing on this. It's not done yet by any means I'm still working on the shop as much as I can between working for Vans, which will settle down when the studio is completely 100% done and divide my time between Imperial Tattoo Studio and Vans, ya know what I mean? If you live in Colorado you gotta come and check Imperial Tattoo Studio when the opening launch happens! You can find the studio on Instagram at "imperialtattoostudio" just search it and you'll find it! 

Meaning Behind it:

The meaning behind my tattoo is really personal but I'll tell you anyways since my viewers need to know why I've gotten a big skull and roses growing out of it. I know it looks a little intimidating and that's just my look and the tattoo is beautiful. So, the skull means like "the death of all the negative things that I had and am still going through" yet it still has something beautiful. The roses and random leaves growing out of the skull mean "that out of every negative that kicks you down something positive and beautiful can come out of such a horrible experience." This is literally the most meaningful tattoo to me. Of course I'm gonna sleeve it out with roses but that will come in another blog post!

I hope you enjoyed these little "Where I'm at and What I'm Working on post! There will be more posts talking about my Summer Beauty Essentials, How I achieved my Photoshoot Makeup, meaning behind my other tattoos and the most important one CYBER BULLYING!

Don't Forget to Hit Me Up on Social Media!

Instagram: katieImperial 

Instagram: imperialtattoostudio 

Twitter: kallmekatiee 

Like Me on FaceBook: Callmekatie

Love You Guys!

More Posts Coming Soon, I PROMISE ❤️

XOXO,

Katie 

Hair, Makeup and Outfit of the Night for the Opening Night of the Second 300 ❤️

Get Ready With Me To See That Special Someone And For The Opening Night of The Second 300! ❤️

Hair:

Let's talk about the hair first, since it's the easiest! To achieve my hair today, I washed my hair with the Clear Strong Length Shampoo, rinsed immediately to condition my hair with Clear's Intense Hydration Conditioner since I do have bleached hair and let it set in my hair until I was done with my shower routine and then completely rinsed it out with COOL water, leaving my hair silky, smooth and smelling great! After, I towel dried my hair for about ten minutes, let it down and then putting my CHI Silk Infusion on the ends of my hair and spraying all of my hair with my It's a 10 Spray! Letting all the products set in after doing my makeup, I blow dried my hair UPSIDE DOWN to get some extra volume. Here is my end result!

I love having texture to my hair so I don't brush it out too much and tease the crown of my head and front fringe so my hair doesn't fall completely flat! 

I don't take a ton of time on my hair, just because I'm lazy, but I do believe in putting great products in your hair to keep it healthy! 

Let's Talk Makeup, My Favorite Part of this look:

Today, my makeup was based around flawless looking skin, easy eye makeup and a bold lip!  

Flawless Looking Skin:

Now, today my skin was NOT in the best of shape, it's had it's better days let's put it that way, I have a small breakout along the lower right side of my cheek due to that awful time of the month! My main focus was to feel confident about my skin and not worry about the breakout as a focal point on my face because that ain't cute! To achieve better looking skin, I started off with my Clean and Clear Daily Moisturizer (it's not my favorite but it does the job,) I prepped my skin with my Garnier BB Skin Renew Cream in the color light/medium since I did have some redness and a breakout, it evened out my skin tone and covered up a little bit of the breakout, I then went in with my Holy Grail Foundation, MAC's Studio Fix Foundation in NW15 using one full pump on the back of my hand, then dotting the product all over my face and blending it with my Sephora Prestige Luxe Stippling Brush using dabbing motions to avoid sheering out the product and then going in with a tad bit of the foundation on my CLEAN finger and patting it over my breakout. After, I set my foundation in place with my current favorite setting powder, the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Translucent, I get oily on my nose and chin so I absolutely have to set my foundation. In general I love having a matte face because it photographs well and I don't like being an oil monster! When my whole face is set, I go in and countour the hollows of my cheeks, temples and jaw line and then my face looks flawless! 

Eyebrows and Eyes:

Besides having flawless looking skin, doing my eyebrows has to come in second to really transforming my face! For today, I kept my brows looking natural and filling them in with my Anastasia Brow Duo in Brunette and using the lighter side to fill in the body of the brow then using the darker side to fill the tails of my brows in and defining the bottom of the brows for a cleaner edge, then setting it with my Anastasia Brow Gel in Clear!

The eyes tonight, I kept very simple, I don't think guys like a dark intense smokey eye for just hanging out and going to a movie!

It's honestly so easy to achieve this look it hurts! All I did was use my Rimmel Stay Matte Powder on my eyelids to prevent getting oily and doing a basic winged eyeliner in black using my Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner in Black on my top lid making sure the wing, lined up perfectly with my bottom lash line! After the gel liner was done, I switched to my trusty old Avon Waterproof Glimmer Stick in Blackest Black connecting the wing to my lash line, stopping halfway because black can really close my eyes off especially having almond shaped eyelids! After, I set all the black liner with a black eyeshadow from Cover Girl on a crappy ELF Eyeliner Brush just to have a little more precision versus a pencil shaped smudger! The eyeshadow also intensified and mattified the black liner for both the top and bottom liner, which is what I love! When all the blackness was all done and over with I really needed to brighten up the inner half of my eye because it was looking a little lifeless, I must say. So, I used a yellow based nude Avon Glimmer Stick on the inner part of my bottom lash line and on my inner tear duct as a base for where I wanted to my Victoria's Sevret white with gold shimmer in it so it wouldn't budge and it automatically brought some light into my eyes!

For my eyelashes, I didn't to anything crazy, I just curled them and put two coats of my Benefit's They're Real Mascara in Black on my top lashes and one coat of The Falsies Big Eyes in Blackest Black lower lash side for my bottom lashes and that's all! 

Lips: 

I absolutely LOVE a bold lip, but sometimes it can get a little tricky! To achieve the perfect dark lip, I started off by putting some very hydrating lip balm on as soon as I started my makeup so my lips would be nice and moisturized and prepped! After doing my whole face of makeup and hair, I always do my lips! After I knew I wouldn't be drinking anything or eating and felt like my lips were moisturized enough, I lined my lips with a Cover Girl lip liner in natural and then began to do my lips that took the longest out of this look because precision is key to a dark lip! For my dark lip, I chose my favorite dark plum color which is Mary Kay's True Dimensions Lipstick in Mystic Plum and I love it because it's dark, edgy and compliments my skin tone! Anyways, I always start off with using a brush when I'm working with a dark lip, it ensures precise lines and an even application, the brush I use is a lip brush I got in a random Victoria's Secret Brush Kit for Christmas a couple years ago, it's easy to work with and the brush tip is little and narrow which is perfect for me since I do have smaller lips! I first line my lips with my brush the desired color, go back in with the same brush to fill it in evenly and then use the tube for application to build up my desired opaqueness and show the true color! After, I'm at my desires look, I take a square of toilet paper split it in half if it's two plied, set it over my lips and use my Rimmel Stay Matte powder with my powder brush and dab it over my lips to ensure a longer wear! :) 

Beauty Pointer: From what I've heard, everything matte is totally on trend this Spring season! :)

Here's The Final Look ❤️ 

My Outfit I Wore For The Night:

Brandy Melville's FANCY AS FUCK Crop Tee

Victoria's Secret Basic Black Leggings

Gilly Hicks Burgundy Hoodie

Vans Leopard/Black Sk8Hi Wedges

Love you guys!

XOXO

Smack down Monday! Benefit's They're Real?! Mascara vs. Maybelline's The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara Review!

Top Picture: My Eyelashes with Benefit's They're Real Mascara

Bottom Picture: My Eyelashes with Maybelline's The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara (it doesn't even look like I have mascara on!) :(

Hello Loves! ❤️ 

Welcome to my new series "Smack Down Mondays" where I compare a higher end product to a drugstore product and see which one holds up better! 

The Back Story: 

Benefit's They're Real Mascara is one of my Holy Grail products for sure and have been using it for over a year now! I have seen a lot of raving over Maybelline's The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara and was being compared to the Benefit mascara, so I wanted to see if it was worth all the hype and a good cheaper dupe for Benefit's They're Real?! Mascara since it is a higher end product and sometimes you don't want to use your expensive mascara every single day! 

Let's dive into the Smack Down of these two products!👋

First Impressions: I'm not going to lie, I am a HUGE sucker for packaging, I love for a product to feel luxurious, good in my hands and also durable! With Benefit's They're Real Mascara in Black (Non-Waterproof Formula), that's exactly how I feel when I pick it up, it has a nice weight from the tube and overall I think it's really just pretty! I like that it comes in a box with the statistics of the overall difference it makes on lashes, the matte black back drop is sleek and the pop of orange and white writing makes it appealing to look at and is definitely an attention grabber! With Maybelline's The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara in Blackest Black (Waterproof Formula,) it is different! I like the purple and black color theme that also carries onto the mascara tube! I mean I'm a sucker for anything purple! But, the weight of the mascara feels kind of "cheap" compared to the Benefit mascara, it is a drugstore product so I feel like you get what you pay for sometimes! 

Product Comparison: I honestly do not like The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara, the product weighs heavy on my eyelashes, uncurls my lashes and tends to clump together with two coats and with one coat, it's not noticeable at all. With the formula, I find that it's kind of sticky and sticks to my bottom lashes and I find myself throughout the day tugging on my lashes just to get the mascara off because it drives me nuts! To me, this mascara is just kind of okay, it doesn't do a lot for me. That being said, I really like the smaller applicator side because it really makes my bottom lashes look like I have a little something going on down there! I think if you are blessed with naturally long, thick and curly lashes, this product could really enhance your beautiful lashes! With my Benefit's They're Real?! Mascara, the formula really works for my lashes since they're thinner lashes, not very long and grow straight out! When I curl them, the product isn't heavy and doesn't uncurl my lashes. The formula is a little on the wetter, moussey consistency which is probably why it performs and executes the way I want my lashes to look. I go for the super black, long, thick and curly lash look because I wasn't blessed with those traits! 

Final Conclusion: Now, I'm not hating on Maybelline in any way, I think they have some really awesome products and other great mascaras, just this particular product did not benefit me in anyway, it didn't perform the way I wanted it too, but maybe I had too high of hopes for this mascara! Overall, I do not like The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara. With my Benefit's They're Real Mascara, I really believe that it's totally worth the splurge instead of wasting $6-7 on a drugstore mascara that will end up being thrown away.

Ratings:

Maybelline's The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara

4.5⭐️ out of 10⭐️

(Ten being the best mascara I've ever used) 

Benefit's They're Real Mascara

9.5⭐️ out of 10⭐️

I hope you all like this series I'm starting! Tell me what you all want me to smack down next Monday!

XOXO

Let's Talk Fashion.

Photo Credit: Divineskye Photography Photographer: Megan Lunsford
Outfit: Dress from Macys, Belt is from Target, and of course my staple Sk8 Hi Wedges from Vans
Makeup: MAC's Studio Fix in NW15, Revlon's Whipped Foundation for Contouring, Mabelline's Translucent Powder, Avon's Mineralized Bronzing Powder, MACs Mineralize Skin Finish in Porcelain Pink, Avon's 12 in 1 Pallete, Mary Kay's True Dimension Lipstick in Mystic Plum, Maybelline's Eye Studio Fix Gel Eyeliner in Black and Benefit Cosmetic's They're Real?! Mascara in Black.


I feel like my style is EVERYWHERE. Anything from really girly, to extremely edgy like in this picture is where my personal style is. There's no doubt that my style changes on an everyday basis, because that's what I think fashion is. Fashion to me is about expressing yourself and owning who you are as an individual. Getting inspiration from others and making it my own is in my opinion, the best thing you can ever do. What makes this particular outfit ME is the fact that I rock those leopard Sk8Hi Wedges by Vans because I absolutely love them. Loving new things that are different and that are set apart from the rest is individuality and that's what makes me I think, a "Vans Girl." Embracing what I have, being confident in myself, believing in myself and expressing myself through what I wear is true fashion and style. It isn't about having everything designer branded or anything like that. Being able to model what I seriously love is one of the biggest honors I have! Tell me what you think fashion is and what you think of this outfit! Don't forget to share this blog and follow me on Instagram @callmeekatiee

Holy Grail Product: Benefit Cosmetic's They're Real?! Mascara Review!!

I'm going to be real honest here, I've NEVER in my life have tried a mascara so life changing! I've tried Maybelline's The Falsies and pretty much every mascara on the drugstore market and they have always made my lashes droop and clump which is not my desired look or style. I'm a regular at Sephora and Ulta and I finally gave in about a year ago and have tested this mascara out for an entire year to give my personal review of it. Now, let's start from the beginning about my lashes. I was not born with long, thick, curly and beautiful lashes. My eyelashes are thin and grow straight down, which is so annoying, but it is very typical for Asians. I wouldn't say they're sparse... but they are fragile so, I definitely don't curl them everyday. In fact, Benefit's They're Real Mascara in black, does everything for me with two coats. It curls, lengthens and makes my lashes way more voluminous which is PERFECT. In this picture my eyebrows are only filled in and all I have is mascara on. Looking put together in a minimal amount of time for everyday is my kind of deal. I hope to review way more of Benefit Cosmetic's products on here and be 100% honest with all of you! I hope you guys have a great day! Don't forget to follow my Instagram @callmeekatiee it's my favorite social media site! :D

All About Me.

(Outfit: Vans baseball tee and Victoria's Secret leggings. Makeup products used: Mac Studio Fix in NW15, Maybelline's Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black, MAC eye shadow in Tissue Weight, Anastasia Brow Duo in Brunette, Benefit Cosmetic's They're Real Mascara in Black and Mary Kay's True Dimensions in Mystic Plum)

Well, let's start off with a formal introduction, shall we? My name full name is Kaitlin Marie McBride, but you can call me Katie. I was born on September 11, 1994, which makes me nineteen. I was born in Denver, Colorado and adopted into a family September 20, 1994 in Colorado Springs, Colorado and shortly after moved up into the mountains 15 minutes outside of Woodland Park, Colorado. I can say I've had a pretty "normal" life I guess. Growing up, my interests were gymnastics, gymnastics and gymnastics and was my world for about eleven years. It ended quickly from a knee injury and I didn't know what to do with myself. When I was around five years old, I learned how to read music, but never really thought of it until gymnastics ended and I discovered that it was something I could excel in besides academics. From 6th grade all the way through high school, I made it known that music was something that was a big part of me performing in symphonic band, wind ensemble, jazz band 1&2, a Christian band called Higher Ground and my favorite...marching band. Through the years I've learned to play piano, clarinet, tenor saxophone, guitar and bass guitar which is something I've become to appreciate. During school, I was never the "popular" or "cool" kid, quite frankly I was incredibly awkward and didn't fit in whatsoever. I found my passions for what I wanted to do in life after graduating high school and being hired from one of the most iconic brands, Vans. I've felt behind in life compared to my peers and that my interests weren't "right" and wasn't anything I could make a career out of until I discovered Bubzbeauty on YouTube. I wasn't interested in being in college and working a 9am-5pm for the rest of my life and still am not interested. What I love is working for Vans, fashion, beauty, make-up, music, modeling and showing the world I'm not like everyone else and still be "successful" in life without the things society makes out to be "the things you have to do in order to be successful."