Tag: amwriting

Top Christmas Card Ideas for 2017

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*This post was sponsored by Basic Invite

In just a few short weeks we will officially kick off the holiday season with trick-o-treating and all the haunted houses we can handle then it’s off to the holiday races! So, before you get too consumed with baking cookies and doing your holiday shopping get your holiday cards created and ready to send out so you can be on top of the game and ahead of the curve!

Since it’s still October you may have some Christmas cobwebs blocking your festive creativity so we have taken care of all the inspiration for you by teaming up with online stationery design company, Basic Invite, who is bringing us all the Christmas card ideas you’ll need to get your cards designed, ordered, and out the door asap!

Upload a Photo
Choosing a photo holiday card design is an especially good idea if you live far away from family and friends or if you have had a too busy of a year to catch up as often as you would have liked. Anyone who opens up a card to familiar faces will be ecstatic to see how old the kids are and how happy everyone looks. Another photo design option is a collage. This way you can choose a few of your favorite moments from the past year to display or create a timeline with your photos!

Add Gold, Silver, or Rose Gold Foil
Foil is always a good idea! Typically people associate the holidays with a bit of sparkle and shine so the addition of gold, silver, or rose gold foil to your holiday cards will not go unnoticed! Gold and silver are a classic choice, but rose gold foil is so gorgeous and can add an element of uniqueness which is sure to get displayed proudly on the mantel.

Think Outside of the Box
Traditional holiday greeting cards are a go to choice, but if you want your Christmas card to stand out try thinking outside of the box this year. Choose a fun and informal design and jazz it up using bright colors and a fun font rather than sticking to the typical red and green with a fancy font. Pair your modern card with a colored peel and seal envelope so it stands out from the start!

If you are planning on sending out holiday greeting cards this season head over to Basic Invite and customize your today! They have over 250 Christmas and holiday card designs which are all completely customizable. Don’t forget to take advantage of their address capturing service, too! All you have to do it share a link, request addresses, and get recipient printing free!

If you haven’t heard of Basic Invite you have been missing out! They are the custom card company and are currently offering 30% off all holiday cards with code holi30! Check them out on all their social media channels to keep up with their newest products and all the stationery design inspiration you didn’t know you were missing!

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Review: Wet N Wild Megalast Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick

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What It Is: Pigmented Matte Liquid Lipstick

Distinguishing Features: Intense Pigmentation without drying out lips, Smudge-Proof for hours, and Lightweight Formula

Verdict: For the past year I’ve been in L-O-V-E with liquid lipsticks, in particular with Jeffree Stars Liquid Velour Lipsticks. So, when I noticed that Wet N Wild had come out with their own version of liquid lipsticks for half the price, I couldn’t help but pick up a few to see how they compared to the others that I own (L’Oreal, Jeffree Star, & ColourPop). What I can say is that I’m pleasantly surprised by the extraordinary quality of these liquid lipsticks! Their packaging is very similar to Jeffree Stars’ lipsticks, and although I love his very much, these lipsticks are quite comparable and even more lightweight than his! Your lips do not feel burdened by the lipstick, you actually forget that you even have it on, it’s that light! Not to mention that for me, these lipsticks have lasted from 7a.m.-9p.m. Without drying out, cracking, smudging, or drying my lips out! Once these babies are on, you’re set for hours of intense pigmentation! I was blown away! And for just under $5 a pop, you can grab 4 for the price of what it would cost you to buy one liquid lipstick from Jeffree Star!

Price: 4.99

Where To Buy It: Target or http://www.wetnwildbeauty.com

Colours Reviewed: Coral Corruption (a flattering peach shade), Video Vixen (an oxblood hue that makes me feel dangerously sexy like Fairuza Balk in The Craft), and Nudist Peach (a pinky nude best for pale complexions)

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*If you haven’t entered my Cosmetic Giveaway, do it now HERE! Amazing cosmetics from brands like Marc Jacobs, Benefit, Too Faced, Philosophy, and many more!

By: Azzurra Nox

Launching a New Weekly Series & Other News

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Happy October! This is my favourite month of the year!

I’m going to be launching a new weekly series (I’ll still write reviews or tutorials once a week) but in lieu of “Throwback Thursday” I’ve decided to start a series called “My Bad Romance” where I share stories about the people I’ve loved, lusted after, been crushed by, and inspired by. I’m gonna try to keep these stories in chronological order for better clarity.

My first ever giveaway is happening right NOW: So mosey on over to the previous post for more details on how to enter and what amazing beauty products you may have a chance of winning. Did I also mention that this giveaway is WORLDWIDE? Cause it totally is.

I feel as though I don’t follow enough blogs and that’s entirely my fault for lack of time. So please! Share me some of your favourite blogs for me to follow so that I can get to know more of you wonderful people!

Also…..the anthology I edited MY AMERICAN NIGHTMARE – WOMEN IN HORROR ANTHOLOGY is coming out OCTOBER 31st! Please check it out and the book trailer!

By: Azzurra Nox

 

Fashion: DOLLS KILL Haul

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Trying to define my personal style is kind of difficult, but I’d say that it leans more towards a punk Lolita with some glam thrown in here and there. In other words, imagine Joan Jett’s and Marc Bolan’s lovechild, my fashion look would be the outcome.

Now, I know how many love their designer duds, but I often find a lot of runway designers to lack the certain edge that I wish they’d have.

But there’s a San Francisco boutique that seems to embody every aspect of my fashion sense and I’m so thrilled that they have an online shop as well, DOLLS KILL.

Now this site isn’t for the fashion faint of heart. These are for girls who dare to look like they’ve spent all night dancing to house music and drink their ex’s tears mixed with their coffee and booze.

They recently had a sale on their site and I grabbed a few items.

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I love this plain white Los Angeles tee, you can either dress it down with some ripped jeans, or give it a punk edge when worn with shorts and black fishnet stockings!

I also purchased a pair of white ankle socks, cause….I’m a sock addict, and another pair that are black and white.

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Nobody is happier about the 90’s making a comeback, than yours truly. I LOVE, L-O-V-E…velvet tees! I had a brown and a red one back in the day, and I wore them so often they ended up getting holes and my mother gave them away (sob!), so when I noticed they had an emerald velvet tee I hit the cart button faster than Speedy Gonzalez on amphetamines. If I could wear just one shirt this whole autumn it would be this, but ya know, it’s not socially acceptable (unless you’re a rockstar), but I love this shirt so hard it’s ridiculous.

What new fads are you liking and what online shops do you love? Share with me your finds or sites!

By: Azzurra Nox

 

 

Makeup Tutorial: Life is Peachy!

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I’m a huge fan of peach hues when it comes to makeup, but finding the perfect shade of peach can be quite daunting! So when I saw that Colour Pop had a few shades of peach, I jumped right on it and ordered several shades. This look is quite simple, but at the same time very fresh and chic and I could see it being used for a day-time cocktail party or ya know, just glamming it up as you binge-watch American Gods cause ya gotta be one fancy beyotch as you stuff your face with Captain Crunch berries.

Base

As usual I prepped my undereye area with Smashbox’s Photofinish Primer, and although there may be other cool primers out there, I’m really happy with this one, so I’ll usually stick to what I love before I branch out to others. Now, I’ve been looking for a new concealer for months to BLOW ME AWAY, and seeing that Allure lauded Colour Pop’s concealer so much, I knew that I just HAD to try it. So I ended up getting Colour Pop’s No Filter Concealer in Fair 5. Well, let’s say that in photos, the concealer looked amazing, but in real-life not so much (can anyone say, crease-much?). By the end of the day I felt like Steven Tyler and his million wrinkles. Not cool.

I set everything with Makeup Forever’s Ultra HD Pressed Powder in Transluscent and used a pretty peachy hue blush from Clinique called Peach Pop (I believe this was a limited edition).

Using a tiny beauty blender I added some highlights to the tip of my nose, brow bone, and cheeks using L’Oreal’s True Match Lumi Liquid Glow Illuminator Prime & Highlight in C301 Ice Glace.

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Eyes & Lips

For my brows, these days I’m sticking to Brow Wow Wow from Medusa’s Makeup. I just LOVE this so much, and the angular brush that Medusa’s Makeup sent me with this is absolute brush heaven.

For the lids, I applied Colour Pop’s Super Shock Shadow in Kennedy and placed Colour Pop’s Super Shock Shadow in Bandit in the crease and lower lash line, while applying Wet N’ Wild Creme Brullee eyeshadow along my brow bone. I used Revlon’s Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen in Black to make a simple winged liner. I then applied Clinique’s lash building primer after curling my lashes, and let the primer set for a few seconds before applying a generous amount of Clinique’s High Impact Mascara in Black to both my top and bottom lashes. To brighten up the look I lined my waterline with Lancome’s Khol Crayon in Blanc.

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I finished off the look with Colour Pop’s Kathleen Lights’ collab Ultra Matte Lip in Alyssa. This shade is the perfect pinky nude that you simply need in your life right about M-E-O-W.

Let me know what you think of this look!

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By: Azzurra Nox

Colourpop Haul & Review!

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For months I’ve been hearing such amazing things from this brand. From beauty gurus on youtube to Allure magazine, everyone has been raving about this brand. So of course I decided to take the plunge and try it out myself to see what the hype is all about.

I received 12 items in all, plus an eyeliner add-on because of the delay in shipping. I thought that was really nice of them, so kudos Colour Pop!

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No Filter Concealer in Fair 5

I was truly hoping for a miracle with this concealer because everyone raved (especially Allure) how amazing it is at masking undereye circles and blemishes. Maybe my hopes were too high for this, but I didn’t think this was an absolutely amazing concealer. The colour match was perfect, I’ll admit that, but the consistency of the product made for a somewhat stranger and cakey effect that I only managed to fix by applying another concealer (the Wet N’ Wild one) on top and blending the excess away with a beauty blender. Maybe paired with another concealer this does its job, but alone it’s not that great. Although, I must admit that the results on camera look amazing (but in person up-close you can see where it creases).

Peachy Keen Super Shock Shadows in Crimper, Kennedy, Cornelious, and Bandit

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Palette Pressed Powder in Outta Luck, Say I Do, Issues, and The News

Again, I’ve heard amazing things about their shadows and have been on the lookout for the best peach toned shadows, alas, while these shadows DO pack a lot of colour, both the Super Shock Shadows and Pressed Powder shadows wouldn’t really glide on the lid how I wish they would making for a somewhat patchy application. The consistency of these products felt somewhat chalky and I don’t know if that’s the reason why they didn’t apply as well as they should. However, they seemed to work better if I “packed on” the colour instead (which was more time-consuming for someone who’s always running late in the mornings!).

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Super Shock Shadow in Party of Five, Super Shock Cheek in High Five, Eyeshadow Brush in #11, and Creme Gel Liner in DTLA

I really love the feel of this flat, eyeshadow brush. It truly picks up lots of colour so that you can apply your shadow in one quick swoop! The blush was a gift, and whilst it wasn’t a fit for me colour-wise, it was very pigmented and blended beautifully. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I’m a eyeliner affectionado. The Creme Gel Liner glides on amazingly well, and does set like a normal gel liner. Since it was a free item, they sent me DTLA which is a dark navy shade (I would’ve preferred either brown or black) but it’s a dark enough shade that it could almost pass off as black AND it was a gift so I’m not complaining!

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Ultra Matte Lip in Take Five and Alyssa

For the past year I’ve mostly been using Jeffree Star’s Liquid Velour Lipsticks every single day. I was a bit reluctant to try a liquid lipstick from any other brand just because I really, really love his a lot. BUT…I must say that I’m truly impressed! I picked the shade Alyssa which is a pinky-nude collab that Colour Pop did with youtuber Kathleen Lights, and it’s a very flattering shade for pale or fair skin! Take Five was sent to me for free, and it’s more of a pink shade but haven’t had a chance to try it yet. Overall, I truly love how the lipstick lays on my lips. It’s not cakey, nor drying. It’s actually very hydrating for being a liquid lipstick!

This was one massive haul and I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know if you’ve tried any other products from Colour Pop or which ones are your faves! Would I re-purchase items from this brand? I’ll probably pass on the eyeshadows, but I’m going to definitely check out more of the liquid lipsticks and eyeliners!

By: Azzurra Nox

Review: The National – Sleep Well Beast

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Sleep Well Beast is The National’s seventh studio album, and much like their previous albums they’re here to deliver us sadness by way of dreamy, layered music and moody lyrics. Many people either find this band brilliant, or utterly boring. And the easiest way for you to find out where you fall on the spectrum is to ask yourself this, “Do you like The Smiths?” Because if you do, then you’ll love the melancholy found in The National’s songs, but if you don’t, then you may feel like the suicidal-charged baritone of leadsinger Matt Berninger to be too much to deal with.

Usually all of The National’s albums are compared to Alligator because it was considered brilliant, and so subsequent albums have always had to try to outdo that one.

Like most successful bands, The National have found their winning formula, and it’s the following: Berninger’s tragic baritone voice half-singing half-murmuring anxiety-ridden lyrics over soft guitar chords, piano, rhythmic drumming, with a dash of strings and horns thrown in the mixture.

Now, Sleep Well Beast sorta sticks to this same formula as the previous albums on pretty much the majority of the tracks. Although some tracks have been amped up a little and feature a faster tempo with some subtle shouting ala Mr. November or Available, especially on the track Turtleneck where Berninger candidly let’s up know that he keeps the weed next to his bed.

Some of the strongest tracks from the album are Carin At The Liquor Store, The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness, Walk It Back, and Day I Die. To say this is record is dark and bleak is an understatement. It’s almost like watching the dissolving of a relationship, but trying not to be outwardly destructive about it, although you’re feeling like vomiting your heart as a way to get rid of your weakest organ.

This album is best for those who don’t mind drowning in sorrow and befalling some serious dose of emotion sickness. If you’re looking for something to cheer you up, look elsewhere. You’ll only find sadness in its purest, most beautiful, and bleakest form here.

Life is sad, and The National are here to remind us of that. But there’s a strange beauty in the sadness. We almost don’t mind feeling so depressed.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

By: Azzurra Nox

Review: Caudalie Instant Detox Mask

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What It Is: Instant Detox Mask

What It Does: Purges pores from oil, makeup, blackheads, and grime undoing any damage to your skin that could be caused by pollution and stress.

Distinguishing Factors: Unlike any other detox clay masks that leave your skin feeling dry and mega-tight, this one actually moisturizes your skin with the help of some soothing oils such as lavender.

Verdict: I’m a huge fan of face masks and any time I take a bath I’ll do one cause it’s the only time I have the patience to wait out the full time you need to keep a mask on to reap its benefits. This one has a minimum staying time of 5-10 minutes. I left it on for about 30 minutes. Having said that I LOVE that this mask did indeed unclog my pores and lifted dead skin cells and oil from my face without making my skin feel uber dry. The botanical oils used in this mask leave your skin feeling moisturized and refreshed, but also very, very clean. This is definitely going to become one of my staples to use at least once a week. This mask is perfect for all skin types (even oily like me! The hydrating oils DO NOT make you breakout in any way!). You’re left with beautiful, supple refreshed skin as though you had gone to get an expensive facial or ya know, slept for ten hours. And we can all get onboard with that.

Price: $39

Where To Buy It: Us.caudalie.com or Amazon.com

By: Azzurra Nox

Review: Covergirl Total Tease Mascara

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What It Is: Lengthening and volumizing mascara.

What It Does: Creates full, long, refined, sexy teased lashes.

Verdict: Let me just say that I’ve always been a huge fan of Covergirl cosmetics. In fact, they were the first brand I turned to when I began my venture in makeup at the tender age of twelve, with their Covergirl Lipslicks Lipsticks (not sure if they still have this line, but it was a line of lipbalm glosses that offered sheer colour for the lips). Now, having said that, this product is simply AWFUL. The lashes barely get coated with enough product to lift them, and the bristles themselves aren’t sturdy enough to lift and coat the lashes, so it makes for a weird application. Once you do turn the wand over to use the teasing side of the brush, it doesn’t do much but create a mess because since the bristles aren’t sturdy enough they never truly define nor separate the lashes. The best place for this product? In the trash. If you happen to have this product and it works for you, then kudos, but it seriously did nothing for me and it was so terrible that I just couldn’t see myself using it again.

Price: $7.94

Where To Buy It: https://www.covergirl.com

By: Azzurra Nox

 

Unboxing Medusa’s Makeup August Beauty Box!

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I’ve only recently subscribed to this beauty box (two months to be exact) and it’s become my favourite! What makes this box different from the others? Well first of all all the products in it are cruelty-free AND vegan. And secondly, all the products in the box are FULL-SIZE products, not dinky tester/sample sizes, and each month you receive 3-5 full size products. How amazing is that? And last but not least, what sets this beauty box apart from all the others is the fact that it’s got some seriously edgy products and colours. If you’re one who wishes to play it safe, then this may not be the best beauty box for you, but if you love glitter and makeup with some serious attitude, then this is the brand for you!

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What I got this month:

  • Metal AF Lipgloss in Cherry Pie (retails for $11)
  • False Eyelashes in Heavy (retails for $9)
  • Totally Baked Eyeshadow in Whatever (retails for $9)
  • Eye Dust in Ultra Violence (retails for $8)

Total value of the box: $37

Actual price of the beauty box: $15.95

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Metal AF Lipgloss in Cherry Pie

I was really hoping to get this lipgloss (which is odd since I’m usually NOT a fan of lipgloss), but the colour is absolutely GORGEOUS (it kind of reminds me of Urban Decay’s Gash lipstick), but unlike other lipglosses, this one isn’t tacky, sticky, nor does it fade. Oh, and did I mention that it’s highly pigmented, cause IT IS.

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False Eyelashes in Heavy

I’m not a fan of fake lashes because I often find little use for them in my everyday life, but I do like to use them on occasion if I’m doing a photoshoot. These look absolutely pretty without looking trashy.

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Totally Baked Eyeshadow in Whatever

This eyeshadow is truly pigmented and very blendable. I also love this shade cause it’s good to use as liner or in the crease for a smoky eye-look.

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Eye Dust in Ultra Violence

This shade is so pretty and the sparkle is subtle, not too heavy. This is the lavender shade that Wednesday Addams would reach for if she was trying to feel girly but still wanted stick to her edgy goth roots.

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Which of these products would you love to try out? I’m very pleased with this month’s selections and can’t wait to see what Medusa’s Makeup has in store for September!

Check out Medusa’s Makeup here: https://medusasmakeup.com/

By: Azzurra Nox