Go-To Summer Makeup with essence

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #essenceEssentials #essenceAtTarget #CollectiveBias

I teamed up with essence at Target to bring you all my go-to summer makeup look. I love a good bronze cat eye and a pink lip! So if you want to see how I created this look, check it out below!

First, I headed to Target to pick up a few of my favorite essence products. If y'all haven't used essence before, you are missing out! They have incredibly high quality products and prices that will make your jaw drop. So affordable! If you can't pick up these items at your local Target - you can check them out here!

Products Used:

1. All About Eyeshadow Palette in Bronze ($5.49) which is SERIOUSLY pigmented, and has the perfect amount of shimmer. It has a variety of colors, so it works well on any skin tone. 

2. I Love Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara ($4.99) - which has quickly become my new favorite mascara. This mascara does exactly what is in it's name, like...serious lashes. 

3. Blush Up! Powder Blush ($3.99) in this gorgeous ombre pink.

4. Eyeliner Pen Waterproof ($2.99) - super easy to use, and you can't beat the price. 

5. Longlasting Lipstick in Get the Look! ($2.99) which is the perfect "mod" pink.

I already went ahead and applied my foundation, concealer and powder - so we can move straight to the eyes! First thing I do is use a small piece of tape (put it on the back of your hand before you put it on your eye) and line it up from the lower lashline up to the end of your eyebrow. This creates the perfect outline for any cat eye.

Then you can start in on the shadow. I used the color on the bottom row (3rd from the left) and worked that through the outer corner and into the crease. I also used the darkest shade (bottom row, 4th from the left) to define the outer crease in a triangular shape. Finally I mixed the first shade on each row to create a light highlight to put in the inner corner and under the brow.

Once you have the color built up to your desired level of smokiness - you can take the tape off. I then use the line we created with the shadow and draw a little cat eye. After the flick is done, I line the rest of the eye. (PS - this eyeliner comes in marker form, so it is SO easy to use).

Then add on loads of mascara. The best thing about this mascara is that you really only need 2 coats to get lashes that are crazy long (seriously, they looked better than falsies!).

And last but certainly not least - add in some pink! I mixed the two shades in the blush and generously applied that to my cheekbones. And finally I topped the look off with that gorgeous pink lipstick! I also put on a bit of essence Sheer & Shine Lipstick in Sparkling Miracle to add a little plum to it.

And voila. Summer ready.

PS - how cute is the tote from essence? "Every makeup bag should be this big" - totally agree. I never seem to have enough room in mine! And I have some exciting news for y'all! You can enter to win your very own mega haul from essence at Target here!

Happy Shopping!

How To: Beachy Waves with Headbands of Hope

Recently the inspiring company, Headbands for Hope, reached out to me for a collaboration. If you haven't heard of this company yet - you MUST check them out. Not only do they have the cutest hair accessories (included the head chain you see above), but the best part is that for every headband sold, one is donated to a child with cancer. Headbands of Hope is providing hope to children with cancer in hospitals all over the U.S. one headband at a time.

But being slightly accessory challenged - I teamed up with my amazing stylist Lauren Treat. Lauren is ridiculously talented with color, so of course I had her give my hair a little touch up before we started. I mean...check out that bayalage.  If you're in Conway or NWA, be sure to make an appointment with her at her salon. But if you want to see how she gave me this gorgeous style, check out the tutorial below!

First Lauren prepped my hair with Hold Me Tight Finishing Spray by Paul Mitchell to add shine and flexible hold before she curled it. Once that was worked through the hair, she sectioned off the top half and clipped it aside.

She then wrapped small sections around a one inch curling wand. She loosely wrapped varying sized sections horizontally around the barrel, and tilted the barrel vertically on the last loop so the curls fall softly from the scalp. Continue this all the way around your head (and don't forget the top section!).

To finish it off, Lauren used Aveda's Control Force Hairspray. Lauren said this is her all time fave hairspray for serious hold (even in humidity) because it dries hard initially but is easily combed through with no sticky residue left behind. It's the perfect hold especially for styles with long/heavy hair like mine or setting an updo that needs to stay in place for hours! Then she gently ran her fingers through my hair to get a nice beachy wave. Tip from Lauren - only run your fingers through the top portion, don't go all the way down the curl!

Then she attached this Pearl Head Chain by first inserting the comb forward (towards my face) to anchor it and then flipped it and pushed it backward.

Side note - I felt like a fairy princess in this head chain. I've never worn one before and I'm officially obsessed. Such a fun accessory and it looks so gorgeous on!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Tag me if you decide to recreate it! I absolutely adore this head chain from Headbands of Hope - but I love their mission even more. So definitely head to their website and check out all the gorgeous hair accessories they offer! For each headband you purchase, one will be donated to a child with cancer - so it's a win win! And use code "ginahope" for $1 off!

And you can check out Lauren on her Instagram or Pinterest!

Surviving The Heat - Summer Updo

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #StyleByGoody #CollectiveBias

I teamed up with my friends over at Goody to bring you all a hairstyle tutorial today! If you're like me, you've got TONS of summer weddings coming up. And if the current weather trend continues, it is going to be seriously hot this summer. So I decided to share my favorite summer updo with y'all!

This look is super simply to do - but you will need a few things! I picked all of mine up at my local Walgreens (who just so happen to be running a BOGO "buy one get one" offer - it's a win win! Offer valid from 5/1 - 6/4)

1. Good Clean Radiance Brush - the base to any hairstyle is smooth, untangled hair and this brush does the trick! It has copper bristles which reduce buildup and leaves hair healthy and shiny.

2. Goody SlideProof Silicon Clear Ponytailers (they come in a pack of 30) - these are perfect because they're thicker than most clear elastics so they securely hold your hair but still aren't very noticable.

3. Goody Simple Styles Hair Spin Pin (they come in packs of 2) - I just used these for the first time and seriously, they each do the work of 20 bobby pins!

4. Your favorite hairspray!

First step is to thoroughly brush out your hair. Make sure you don't have any tangles! I went through and straightened my roots to make sure I have a nice smooth base before I start. But this style would look gorgeous with curly hair as well! And if you want to add any extra volume - now is the time to get out that teasing comb!

After all of your tangles are out, gather your hair to the side you want your bun on (you could even do this in the back) and start a normal 3-strand braid.

Braid all the way down and then secure with one of the clear ponytailers.

Once tied off, go through and loosen a braid the bit. The more you pull - the messier your bun will get! I typically pull mine out quite a bit to make it as thick as possible.

Once you have it loosened to your liking, simply roll the braid up and under.

Once you've reached the base of your head, use the spin pins to secure the bun. Finish it off with some hairspray!

And that's it! Heat-proof for all those summer events coming up and it literally takes less than 10 minutes!

You can even add a flower crown or whatever embellishments your heart desires! You can find all of the products I used here.

Braided Crown Tutorial

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WholeBlends #CollectiveBias

I have had SO many of you ask me about my "signature curls" - well, it's finally here! If you want to find out how I get my curls (and this easy crown braid), check out the tutorial below!

Healthy hair is the foundation to any look. I've been battling frizzy hair for as long as I can remember. I recently started using the full Garnier Whole Blends Smoothing Hair Care line and have been loving my results. It's made with coconut oil and cocoa butter extracts which helps to control my frizz! I picked up the entire line (shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner and smoothing oil) at my local Walmart. And bonus - it makes your hair smell divine.

Before I start styling, I always prep my hair. I used a little bit of the smoothing oil and added on my favorite heat protectant.

Next, I started the braid. I started at my part and began doing an inverse french braid. So basically a normal french braid, but instead of taking the outside strands over the middle, you'll take the strands under the middle. 

I did this all the way around my head. The back part is the trickiest, so once I get past my ear with the braid, I reposition my hands to continue the braid all the way around. Once I've braided to the end, I tie it off with a clear elastic band and then go through and loosen the braid to make it look fuller. 

Once I pulled the braid apart to the thickness I like, I pull the end of the braid up and lay it over the braid on the opposite side of my head. Then just tuck the ends in and bobby pin away!

Now onto the curls. I use a 1-inch curling iron - but I use mine as a wand. I just grab a small section of hair and wrap it away from my face. Now the trick - when you're wrapping, simply grab onto the end of your hair and wrap. Your hair will naturally start to twist as you do this. This is what gives me those nice, mermaidy waves. 

And my main secret. I ALWAYS set my curls with flat metal clips. This allows your curl to cool in the shape you want it. Not only does this make your curls last 3 times as long, but it also makes them full and bouncy. So I set all of my hair in clips and then allow them to cool for around 10 minutes. Then once you take the clips out - add a little hairspray, give it a tease (if you like extra volume) and voila. That's it!

I hope you all enjoyed this! You can check out the entire Whole Blends line here. Which blend do you want to try?

xoxo

Contouring with Maybelline

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MNYLooksToLove #CollectiveBias

With Valentines Day just on the horizon - I teamed up with my friends over at Maybelline to create a look to love. Y'all know I'm a makeup junkie - so I can't wait to tell y'all about my contour-highlight routine! Having flawless skin is key to any makeup look, so I always perfect my base before I do anything to my eyes and lips. Without further ado, here we go!

I headed to Walmart to pick up a few new products from Maybelline. I love getting makeup at Walmart because it's super easy to run in and out - AND I can get all the items I need without breaking the bank. You'll find all of the products I mention in today's post at the end of the Maybelline aisle in the makeup section.

First things first. You HAVE to have a good foundation. I used Maybelline's new Dream Velvet Foundation in 15 (Ivory). It's a hydrating, matte foundation with a gel-whipped texture. And just as important as the foundation, is the tool you use to apply it. Maybelline just came out with their own sponge - the Dream Velvet Blender! If you keep up with the makeup world, you know that makeup sponges are the new it item. They apply foundation super smoothly and keep the "cake face" away. To use the sponge, simply get it wet, then dry it with a towel so it's a little damp.

To apply the foundation, I squeeze a little bit of the product onto the back of my hand, pick up a little with my sponge and bounce the sponge on my face. I use the sides of the sponge for the broad parts of my face (cheeks, forehead, chin) and then use the tip to navigate smaller areas (around the eyes, nose and mouth). After I finish my foundation, I take a little bit of concealer under my eyes, around my nose and anywhere I need extra coverage. I have SUPER oily skin - and although I love the finish of this foundation, it's a little moisturizing for my skin type. So to keep my foundation and concealer in place all day, I set everything with a translucent powder (and I went ahead and did my eyes since today we're focusing on the contour).

Next, I start in on the contour. If you noticed the picture of the Maybelline Master Contour Palette earlier, you'll see that it comes with a contour shade, blush and highligher. It's the perfect all in one kit! It's also available in two different shades so it will work for any skin tone (I'm using the light to medium palette). I LOVE a good contour. It literally shaves 5lbs off your face and makes everything look better. I take a medium sized tapered brush (this gives you more control) and swipe a little bit of product right under my cheek bones (yes, I make the kissy face), then take a little on my jaw line and on my temples. Just make sure that it's all nicely blended. You don't want lines on your face. The whole point of contouring is to enhance the natural shadows of your face, so you want to make sure it's really feathered into the rest of your makeup to avoid looking like a clown.

To finish it off, I took the blush included in the palette along my cheekbones (right above the contour shade) and a tiny bit on the tip of my nose. Then I took the highlight shade on a fan brush and dusted it on the very top of my cheekbones (right above the blush), down the center of my nose, under my brow bone, on my cupids bow and in the inner corner of my eye. The final touch - setting spray! And voila, that's it!

I hope you all enjoyed this tutorial and I can't wait to bring you more makeup tutorials in the future! You can get all of the products mentioned here!

xoxo