A New York City Health and Beauty Blog

Review: Maybelline The City Mini Palette

480: Matte About Town

I received this sample of Maybelline The City Mini Palette from Influenster, thanks guys!

From Maybelline:

Make a lasting impression with Maybelline’s six-shade mini eyeshadow palette, The City Mini Palette Downtown Sunrise.

Benefits:

  • Perfectly curated shades in a miniature six-color eyeshadow palette
  • Pure color pigments melt onto the eyelid for dramatic impact in a single sweep
  • Create your own amped-up look in an instant
  • Super-saturated color pigments deliver a long-lasting finish

Maybelline is a drug store favorite, always easy to find and reasonably priced. However, Maybelline is unfortunately not a cruelty free brand.

I found the colors to be quite beautiful, these are all neutral shades that are very flattering. I found the acutal shadow to be quite powdery and not that buildable. But the shades do apply smoothly, which I liked a lot. The shadows are not as pigmented as some other brands but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you’re not into the heavy eyeshadow look – I’m not.

influenster review

Swatch #2

Overall the palette is quite beautiful but requires a bit more effort than other eyeshadow palettes. There was more time spent on blending and there’s the eyeshadow fall out to consider as well as the pigmentation but if you prefer a softer eye look then you may love this palette.

Have you tried The City Mini Palette?

Wedding Hairstyles 2017

Wedding season is here. From choosing your dress and accessories to your makeup and hair, planning for the numerous weddings you may have to attend this year can be pretty stressful! We believe hair can make or break you outfit, which is why we’ve come up with our hot hair guide to give you a few ideas. Now, you should never upstage the bride or bridal party, but if you want to wow the crowd this year, check out these easy to achieve hairstyles!

Make a Wave
Leave your waves down, add a few braids, or accessorize with a sparkly clip, no matter how you wear them, beach waves are perfect for a summer wedding. This style also suits both short hair and long locks. This sweet romantic special day look with can be easily achieved with a hair waver!

Style Tip: Add hairspray to keep those waves in place so you can spend more time dancing and less time worrying about your hair!

Pump It Up
Go big or go home! Voluminous curls are in style this summer. You can spice up a plain and simple dress with accessorizing with big hair.

Style Tip: Keep your big curls in place with some hairspray and bobby pins. Think about adding a cute headband or a couple of braids to jazz it up a little.

Knothing Average
Looking for something sweet and simple? This sleek top-knot bun is the perfect go-to! This look requires minimal effort and minimal maintenance. Dance the night away on your friend’s big night without having to worry about fly-aways and frizz. This look so super simple, yet elegant!

Style Tip: With all of your hair out of the way, a statement necklace is the perfect way to accessorize this look.

 

Sexy and Sleek
Sometimes less is more. If your dress has a lot of pattern, bling, or even sparkles, think about keeping your hair simple and sleek. Straight hair can make any unique dress elegant! If your dress has a lot going on, you don’t want to outshine the bride so keep it simple with your hair. Whether you part your hair in the middle, leave it to the side or wear it half up half down, you can never go wrong with this sleek look that is easily achievable with a flat iron!

Style Tip: Use a bit of hairspray to keep any fly-aways down to ensure your hair is sleek from root to tip.

 

The Classic Up-Do

For traditionalists, there is nothing more classic for a formal event than an up-do! This classy and elegant look can be achieved a simple curling wand and the right hair accessories. Whether you’re rocking a sweetheart top, a halter style or even a one-shouldered dress – these romantic curls are perfect for any style!

Style tip: Leave a few loose strands around your face to soften the style and frame your face. Complete this look with a little, subtle bling.

 

Simply Innocent
Braids are all the rage in 2017! The unique thing about braids is that you can make them look as chic or as edgy as you want. This look is cute and innocent without being too overwhelming. Whether you decide to rock a big braid or incorporate a few little ones into your hairstyle, you can turn this simple hairstyle into something elegant.

Style Tip: Finish off this look with a bright lip color or a few messy curls!

Remember, wedding pictures should last forever! Your hair can make or break your entire look for the night. Achieve any of these looks with the right, easy-to-use hair tools and accessories! Dance the night away and look absolutely stunning while doing it.

Things To Do For An Awesome Girls’ Night

Things To Do For An Awesome Girls’ Night

Everyone loves a good time with friends after a hectic week. Spending some time with friends not only reduces stress but also makes it easier to tackle another busy week. So why not go ahead and invite your besties for a girls’ night? We have come up with four things you can do to make it even more fun!

1. Cocktails and Crafts: Have a craft party where everyone sits together drinking cocktails and makes something interesting. Make sure the object you are making is not too difficult or time consuming as you still want the freedom to be able to talk to each other. If you are out of ideas, visit Pinterest or any of your favorite craft blogs for instant inspiration.

2. Sleep Overs: Sleep overs were so much fun when we were younger. Relieve those moments by inviting your friends to your house. You can put on a chick flick and get some wine and pizzas to seal the deal!

3. Play Bingo: This enjoyable and easy game will help you relax and socialize. You can play games online for fun or get some bingo cards and start calling the numbers yourself. It is a great idea to have a themed bingo night where you can have decorations and cocktails on the bingo theme.

4. Wine and Cheese Party: Ask your friends to bring along their favorite bottle of wine and some of the delicious cheese of their choice and you are ready to have a wine and cheese party. This is a great way to spend a relaxing night-in. You can indulge in this delicious pairing as you laugh and chat with your friends.

Add Variety to Your Straightened Hair with these 7 Hairstyles

Once you have pulled out your trusty Vibrastrait flat iron and straightened your messy hair to silky smoothness, you will be tempted to keep your hair down most of the time. However, after a while it can get quite boring to carry the same look everywhere you go. Besides, what’s the point of having beautiful hair if you don’t try out something new every once in a while?

In order to keep things interesting and trendy, check out the following list of hairstyles that are simply perfect for straight hair.

Sleek Pompadour

One of the easier ones on this list, the sleek pompadour is perfect for medium long, straightened hair, but even if you have shorter hair it will work just fine. Back brush your hair first and then use bobby pins to secure a half pony tail with a section of your hair. There are multiple variations of the pompadour that you can try out.

Braids

We admit that this one is a generalization rather than a specific hairstyle, but that’s the thing about having straight hair; you can try out as many braided hairstyles as you want, without too much difficulty or hair damage. We recommend the two-way Dutch braid or the woven braid-on-braid crown if you are feeling particularly majestic! A piece of advice, though; braids work best when your hair is long, or at least medium-long.

Unkempt Up-do

Deliberately messy and sexy at the same time, the unkempt up-do gives your hair that wild look, which you can accentuate with some beautiful flowers.

Tucked and Twisted

Take a portion of your hair and divide it into at least four sections with two on each side. Now interlace them at the back in a beautiful tucked in design while the remaining portion of your straight hair hangs down loose. Use bobby pins and hairspray as required.

Braided Headband

You have seen this one in the old Hollywood movies or classic book covers, but the plaited headband is still beautiful for women with lustrous long, straight hair. It’s basically just one braided headband with the rest of your hair hanging loose. Make sure that the braid doesn’t leave any loose hair sticking out at the front.

High Ponytail with a Crown

Inspired by Ariana Grande, this one differentiates itself from the usual high ponytail by cascading down from a braided crown of your own hair. Be sure to make the braids first and then use those braids to act as a royal hair band.

Sleek Half Up-do

Often worn by celebrities at red carpet events, the sleek half up-do is particularly easy to make if you already have straightened hair. Back brush your hair and then insert a portion of the hair that usually covers your ears behind the top layer of the hair at the back. Secure it with bobby pins and use hair spray as necessary to add shine and volume.

Admittedly, straight hair looks better if you have medium to long hair, as you have more styling options. This is not to say that you have no options if you have short straight hair; it’s just that the options become limited. Nevertheless, this list has a bit of something for everybody.

Monday Morning Favorite Reads

Favorite Blog Posts

This weekend, I spent my time relaxing in bed, enjoying Mother’s Day. My boys cleaned my house for me and that was one of the best presents that I could get!

One of my favorite ways to relax on the weekend is to read some of my favorite blogs. This week there were a few blog posts that really caught my eye and my heart. Five Easy Ways to Grow Meaningful Friendships by Lara Casey really spoke to me. I’ve been drowning in the friendship pond of disappointment and guilt. As an adult, we sometimes feel that we have to get this “friendship thing” perfect or at least we should by now. This blog was a real comfort knowing that I’m not alone in this struggle.

Do you struggle with putting other people first? The read Why I Stopped Helping People And You Should Too, very eye opening perspective on making yourself a priority and giving to those who deserve your love. As a mom, I always out my children first, but this behavior has seeped into all of my relationships. Sometimes I’m a bit of a people pleaser and this has come back to bite me.

Stress, we all deal with it. But do we truly understand the impact of stress on the body? When we become overwhelmed by stress we hold it in our bodies. Personally, I can always tell when my body is overloaded, my shoulders hunch, my jaw clenches, and my body gets tense. Learn Where Stress Gets Stuck in the Body—And How to Release It.

What are some of your favorite blog posts?