How I got my Eyelashes to Grow.

My Lash Hack:

My lashes have been wimpy my whole entire life, they're sparse and grow straight down and even though I curl my eyelashes and put multiple coats of mascara every day, when I take my mascara off my eyes. I realize how little and stumpy the lashes are. 

My secret is to simply moisturize the lashes with Tea Tree oil and gently run my finger across my lashes for an even coat, then massage it into the lashes for 1-2 minutes.

You can purchase tea tree oil pretty much everywhere but I purchase mine at Sally's Beauty Supplies. I'll insert a picture below  if you'd like to purchase the same brand as me. Some people recommend to put Vaseline on the top of the lash line and even though it does hydrate your lashes, Tea Tree oil in my opinion is safer versus Vaseline chemicals being put on your eyes. Oh! Please do this before bed, you don't want to look like an oily grease monster!

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

How To Get My Signature Eye look

This is my all time go to eye look for when I have let's say a date, an event or anytime that I want to just feel pretty! It's all about flawless skin and sexy eyes! It doesn't take too long to do either! All you need is a tinted moisturizer, your favorite medium-full coverage foundation, a bronzer for contouring, a face highlighter, a setting powder, eye primer, eyebrow powder, black gel eyeliner, a black retractable black eyeliner, a champagne colored eyeshadow, an eye shadow that is closest to your skin color and black mascara! Now, I prefer to use brushes and the brushes that I'm absolutely loving and use everyday are the SEPHORA COLLECTION Prestige Luxe Brush Set and use all of these to achieve my look! 

Okay, now that you know what you need, let's jump into it! 

Step one: Make sure you're working on a clean canvas! 

Your skin needs to be squeaky clean and moisturized! Before I start, I always make sure my skin is exfoliated with the St. Ives Apricot Scrub, toned with the Neutrogena Anti- Acne Stress toner to prevent my breakouts and follow up with my Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream in light/medium to even out my skin tone since I do have some scarring from when I had acne when I was younger.

Step two: Flawless Looking Skin Time! 

This is my favorite part! Making my skin look absolutely flawless gives me that extra boost like a good bra! I go in with ONE pump of my MAC Studio Fix in NW15 on the back of my hand, dot the foundation all over my face to ensure an even application, dip my Sephora Stippling Brush from the Prestige Luxe Set in what's left on the back of my hand and start from the center of my face blending out with a stippling motion until it's completely blended down to my neck!

Step Three: Contouring and Highlighting!

Since I do have higher cheekbones I like to enhance it with contouring, giving me that really sunken in hollows of my cheeks! I don't do a ton of contouring since I want the focus point to be my eyes. All I do is dip my Sephora Angled Brush into my Marbalized Bronzer in Peach Bronze from Avon and apply it to the hollows of my cheeks aligned with where my pupil is, dragging it back to my ears, making sure it's blended very well! I also contour my jaw bone and under my chin to have a very defined face! Now, using my MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in Porcelain Pink with the Sephora Buffing Brush patting it right on top of my cheeks. This brush picks up just the amount of product and gives me precise precision of where I want my highlighter placed. 

Steps four-ten: It's all about the eyes right?!

Alright it's time for the most time consuming part of this look! We gotta prime those eyes so you don't look like a raccoon and get greasy so use your favorite eye primer! I use Urban Decay's Primer Potion in original! Now since, your eyes are primed it's time to work some magic on your eyebrows! The Anastasia Brow Kit in Brunette is my favorite eyebrow powder and gel I've ever used! For my brows, I like to keep them fairly bold when I have a dramatic eye and fill them in with an old ELF Eyeliner Brush, brush them out with a spoolie and set them in place with the Anastasia Brow Gel in clear! 

Now we're ready to move onto my signature cateye look! I use Maybelline's Eye Shadow in Champagne patting it all over my lid with Sephora's Flat Shader Brush, blending it out a little bit with my finger and placing MACs Brule with any blending brush I have that's clean into my crease to tone the shimmer down, I don't like looking like a disco ball ;)

The hardest part is the eyeliner and that's what it's time for. I start with my Sephora Angled Eyeliner Brush with a tiny amount of my Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner in black, marking where I want it to end on my top lid, making sure that both eyes are even! Once I'm happy with each eye, I pick up more product and with highest point of the brush I place it where the very end of my tick mark is and start to drag the brush into my inner tear duct stopping about half way, pick up more product, turn my brush the opposite way starting in the inner part of my eye connecting it to my established line, then touching up where I feel is needed. When I'm satisfied, I go in with a regular retractable black eyeliner on my lower lash line connecting it with the winged liner on top! Then going in with a smudger pencil brush and smudging it out to give me a smokier look! When all the black eyeliner is done, it's time to come back in highlighting the inner tear duct with the Maybelline Eyeshadow in Champagne and this is what ties the whole look together! After I take a step back, look at myself making sure it's all even, it's time to curl and coat my eyelashes two times with Benefit Cosmetic's They're Real Mascara in Black making my eyelashes look perfect! 

Step eleven: Don't let your hardwork slide off your face!

Sliding makeup isn't cute for anyone so let's set it all in place with powder! I use Rimmel's Stay Matte Powder in Translucent to keep me from getting oily and my foundation from transferring! 

Step twelve: Add a little bit of color back into you!

This is optional, but I love pink lips so I put some color back into my face with NYXs Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Beige to add a little bit of girlyness into the darker eye look!

Now you're all done loves! Tell me what kind of an event you'd wear this look too!

XOXO 

Relationships

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd talk about a few things that can possibly help some of you out there! I'm not a relationship professional or anything like that, but I do I have some useful advice and tips to keep a healthy relationship. I haven't had a "real" relationship in a VERY long time and have been "single" for a few years now, but it's not something that is made the number one priority in my life. So, here is my how to keep and have a healthy relationship from day one or maybe even save your relationship!

Step One: LOVE YOURSELF FIRST! Now, I believe you have to love yourself first before you can love anybody else. You ask why? Because I find when someone doesn't love themselves and aren't happy with who they are on the outside AND inside, they become insecure about not being good enough for their partner. Jealousy also comes in the way with the relationship, when the significant other isn't happy with themselves and causes controlling of the other person, no one likes being controlled. Stop looking at others that you feel like you have to compete with. That's not sexy or attractive you guys!

Step Two: BE HONEST ABOUT EVERHTHING!

You both need to be open books with one another and any kind of relationship in general. It's key. If you build up a relationship on lies, who are you kidding, is that living life? If you're on a bed of lies and have to keep lying, that's stupid  honestly. You can not sneak around being shady, that's the worst kind of trait a person can have and that's the truth. If you can not be honest and comfortable telling the truth to a significant other, you shouldn't be with them. Relationships are about being comfortable and honest with one another. The more you lie, the more you hurt the other person and that's not fair.

Step Five: RESPECT EACH OTHER! 

If you don't have full respect for that person, your relationship isn't going to be all smiles and love. Being disrespectful obviously leads to arguments. Respect each other's property, decisions, morals and everything you can think of because being disrespectful is one of the worst things a person can do, in my own opinion it's horrible and I have learned that from experiencing it.

Step Four: HAVE COMMON INTERESTS AND OUTLOOKS ON LIFE!

I feel like this is common sense but, I've seen people get into a relationship for the solo fact that they think a person is attractive and have nothing in common with them. What I find happens when this comes into play, is constantly arguing and fighting because the couple does not see eye to eye on anything. I'm not saying a couple has to have everything in common, I'm asking how can you have a true conversation if there's no common interest about anything on any subject? What I also find what happens is that the relationship is extremely awkward and a lot of tension is caused between the two people because of the fighting and not understanding one another. Seriously, how can that make you happy when you can't even talk about something you're interested in and the other person doesn't even care? It's unhealthy in my opinion, not to mention shallow and frustrating! I think having common interests and similar outlooks can really make a relationship strong, since the couple understands from where one is coming from and can talk about what they enjoy and not having a hard time trying to find a topic to talk about.

Step Five: DON'T BE ATTACHED TO THE HIP LIKE CONJOINED TWINS!

Now, I'm guilty of doing this and I think a lot of couples are. Being an individual is something that you need to embrace every once in awhile, that's for sure. Of course if you're married you are going to be around that person for maybe forever, but this applies to dating, marriage a domestic relationship, etc. Getting some space for yourself, maybe going out with some friends for a weekend, going to the spa by yourself or anything that separates you from your significant other, I believe is healthy. When you're constantly with someone 24/7 chances are, you're going to get annoyed, fight, meltdown and could potentially lead to a break up. Y'all aren't conjoined so go out and do something that doesn't involve the person you are with! It's okay! You gotta do you sometimes!

Step Six: DON'T BE CONTROLLING!

No one likes being controlled. Being told what to do, what not to do, making your significant other your pet is something that no one should ever have to put up with. That falls in the categories of disrespect, jealousy, not loving yourself and maybe even being attached to the hip. You see, your significant other is NOT your dog, so don't treat them like it. Treating them like that is stupid, you're not their parent. Don't ever let anyone control you. Do what you want and be the individual you are! 

I think these six steps can really make a difference in a relationship or even save a relationship! I hope one day someone buys into my mess of a life but until then, I hope I can help others with my advice from personal experiences and reach out to help someone's "love life," and being there for all of you!! I don't think I'm an expert one bit, but I think these few things can help! 

Modeling Advice

Photo Credits: DivineSkye Photography and Sharon Arnoldi Photography

Photographers: Megan Lunsford from DivineSkye and Sharon Arnoldi from Sharon Arnoldi Photography

Modeling has been something I've been interested in my entire life. I remember being little, going outside and making my Mom ALWAYS take pictures of me. It's something that I love and really have a passion for and that's what my blog is about, right?! My first "real" photo shoot was when Sharon approached my Dad about doing my senior pictures. She featured me on her website and stated that I "was fun, easy to photograph, comfortable around a camera and photogenic" which really sparked my interest even more. I thought to myself  "Huh, this is something that I think that I can actually do that's not music and being a total nerd playing the infamous Call of Duty!" I definitely know that I am NOT a Runway Model because I'm not an almost 6ft tall woman, unfortunately I'm only about 5ft 3ish. Although, I'm pretty little I am really interested in being a Print Model. Seriously, how cool would it be to be in a magazine for Vans or even Young and Reckless, I mean come on...that would be HUGE. From my experiences with the photo shoots I've had, I take all of them as a learning experience! I ain't no professional model ;) But, for the girls who are looking into it or want to experience what a photo shoot, here are some of MY personal tips that work for me!

1. PRACTICE IN FRONT OF YOUR MIRROR AND TAKE SELFIES! It sounds totally weird, but it's something that I think you really need to do to get comfortable with yourself changing your poses and faces. You absolutely need to have a flow when you're working with a photographer. They don't want to be telling you what to do every step of the way! Getting in front of the mirror and posing will really help to get you to know your "angles." Knowing your good angles and sides are so important for a picture to come out great! For example, my best side is my right side with my chin slightly tilted down with my neck a tad bit elongated depending on the pose. I feel like it's my "signature" kind of picture are all of those things with my mouth a tad bit open and relaxed, which is what really works for me.
2. WORKOUT and EAT HEALTHY! I mean come on, you have to be in shape in my opinion. If you want to look good in pictures you absolutely need to keep your body toned. Eating healthy and drinking a ton of water is very important, you don't want to have pimples all over your face,  no do you?!
3. ENHANCE WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE WITH MAKEUP! This is one of my favorite things about photo shoots, is that I get to experiment with makeup or have someone do my makeup for me. But what I love when I do my own makeup, is that I get to use great products that enhance my features and I don't need to cake it up because I do eat healthy, resulting into having healthy looking skin and fortunately I don't struggle with acne anymore. The things I do for my face when I do my own make up is, use any BB Cream I have on hand, use Benefit's Porefessional face primer, use one pump of MAC's Studio Fix in NW15, contour my face with Revlon's Whipped Cream Foundation that's about three shades darker than my NW15, set it with a translucent powder, go over my contouring with Avon's Marberlized Bronzing Powder in Bronzed Peach and then my favorite part...highlighting with either MAC's Mineralize Skin Finish in Porcelain Pink or the sample that I have of Benefit's Watt's Up highlighter which is so on point! Now, it seems like a lot for someone who doesn't have problematic skin, but it I like having my face look flawless on camera! For my eyes, I really don't do a lot besides swipe Mac's eye shadow in All That Glitters all over the lid, blend it out with Mac's Esperesso in the crease, highlight my inner tear duct with any white shimmery eye shadow, wing out my eye liner with Maybelline's Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner in black, smudge black eye shadow under my lower lashes, curl my eye lashes and use a couple coats of Benefit's They're Real Mascara in black, maybe slap on some false eye lashes and always do my lips either nude, pink, or dark! 
4. FIND THE PERFECT OUTFIT! It's all about fashion and looking good, it doesn't matter if it's uncomfortable or not, you have to make sure your outfit is on point and fits the theme and desired look for the photographer!
5. SMILE! There's nothing prettier than a genuine smile and confidence! 

So there's my Modeling 101 and story! There's not a lot that beats the feeling of having a photo shoot and looking hott!! I hope it's useful to some of you and that y'all can learn a little something from someone who's had a few amazing experiences! You guys can see more pictures from shoots on Instagram @callmeekatiee :)

 Good luck <3

XOXO,

Katie