SEPTEMBER Favorites (Finally)!

It has been so long since I wrote a post or uploaded a video. My new job has consumed most of my free time lately (which I love), but I've been missing the blog/YouTube world. Here is my latest video where I feature what I loved all September long. Enjoy :)

OH! Just to remind you, when I reach 500 subscribers I will be hosting a nice little giveaway to celebrate the milestone -- so spread the word and subscribe-away!

xoxo

Nude Glam | Get Ready With Me

The most recent video I posted on my channel featured an every-day nude glam look. I kept both the eyes and lips nude and used velcro rollers to achieve the bouncy, casual curls you see in the picture above. This is usually my go-to look for daytime and can be easily altered to be more or less dramatic. I used my two FAVORITE shadow palettes of the moment -- the Lorac Pro Palettes (both the original and the newest one), my Anastasia brow products, and my Clinique Acne Solutions foundation, just to name a few.

>> I started this look by prepping my face with the L'Oreal Revitalift Miracle Blur (amazing), then went ahead and put my hair into velcro rollers. I always do the rollers first so they have time to set and cool while I do my makeup.

>> Moving onto my eyes, I primed them with Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind concealer in the shade neutralizer. Next I used a few different nude shades from each of the Lorac Pro Palettes, then lined my eyes with my favorite L'Oreal liquid liner. Once my eyes were complete I applied my foundation using my Sigma F80 brush and concealed my under eye area with my Maybelline concealer, blending in with my beauty blender.

>> To set my makeup I used an NYC pressed powder under the eyes and MAC's Pressed Blot Powder all over the face. Then I went in with my contour and blush, finished the wings of my liner and filled in and set my brows. I topped off my lashes with mascara then moved onto lips.

>> For lips I used a nude liner from Clinique and MAC's Myth all over. I used my Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray to lock in my makeup, let my hair down and my look was complete!

You can see a complete list of products that I used by clicking the 'read more' button below. To see how I got this look sit back, relax, and enjoy the video! :)

Coconut-y

I have a deep love for coconut oil. I am obsessed with it.

Months ago I read an article about oil pulling and I was hooked. For anyone who is not familiar with the technique, oil pulling is done by taking a spoonful of solid coconut oil and swishing it around in your mouth for approximately 20 minutes. Done first thing in the morning -- before eating or brushing teeth -- oil pulling pulls out the bad bacteria that lives in our mouths that gives us bad breath and causes other issues. This practice can also help those of us with jaw pain due to clenching the teeth, and it can actually whiten your teeth as well. 

Coconut oil also has healing benefits -- it can help scrapes and burns heal up faster. It is also an excellent moisturizer. I love using it on my lips as well as on the heels of my feet to soothe and hydrate dry, cracked skin. 

But one of my favorite things to do with coconut oil is to use it as a hair mask. If you are a regular on the beauty blog/YouTube circuit I am sure you have heard of other women using coconut oil in their hair. 

In my opinion, it works best when it is applied to damp hair, after the oil is microwaved for about 10-15 seconds to allow it to liquefy slightly. I apply it all over, leave it on for an hour or two, then shampoo and condition as normal. It's also great to use overnight -- just be sure to wrap your hair in a towel or an old t-shirt to prevent this miracle oil from getting all over your pillow.

My hair always comes out silky smooth, shiny, and just healthier looking every time I do a coconut oil treatment. I filmed a video the other day of how I go about this process -- I hope you check it out and enjoy!

Oh, and you can find coconut oil at nearly any grocery store. Opting for organic, extra-virgin, unrefined coconut oil seems to be best for hair masks, oil-pulling, and the other various uses it has!

Back At It...

Life sometimes gets in the way of the things we enjoy most. The past several months have brought some unimaginable ups and downs. It wasn't until a few weeks ago I got back into filming YouTube videos, and I think I am ready to jump back into blogging again. With that said, I want to share my most recent video with you!

In February I decided to ditch my dark locks for my usual blonde. I loved having dark hair but I'm so used to being blonde that I actually missed it. Now I feel like me again. In the video I explain exactly what I did, how I did it, and what products I used. Going from such a dark color to a much, much lighter color is no joke. If you're about to make the move, do your research! If you're a first time hair dye-er I'd recommend just heading to a professional. It took me hours of research, several trips to Sally's, and a TON of patience to get back to my usual blonde -- but is absolutely do-able. If you have any questions please feel free to leave them below or holla at me on twitter @glamcandyxo 

Hope you enjoy the video :)

PS -- It feels great to be back!

Monday Must-Haves #1

I have been fighting a nasty cold since Saturday morning so despite my high hopes of filming some new videos, I can't seem to sit in front of the camera without sneezing, hacking, or blowing my nose. I have been itching to get something on the blog lately, so I figured I'd give this new series a try. Every Monday I am going to attempt to share, describe and/or review a product or two that I feel is a must-have -- whether it be a makeup, hair, skin care, or any other random product I own and truly love. Once I'm feeling better I definitely plan on filming videos for this series! Let me know your thoughts! :)

This Week's Must-Haves:

Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush

If you have seen any of my makeup tutorials since Christmas, you know I am obsessed with this makeup brush. To be honest my foundation application has been forever changed since this heavenly little tool came into my life. My foundation goes on smoother, looks flawless, and I feel like I use less product with it. I will most likely purchase multiple F80s in the near future so I can have some on hand when I wash the one I currently own. The $21 price tag is worth every pretty penny -- I can just about guarantee you won't be disappointed; I have yet to meet a foundation brush that compares to Sigma's F80 and have no desire to search for another brush to do the job. I am so obsessed and so in love with this brush it's almost comical. I just cannot say enough good things about it. I would highly recommend this tool to anyone and everyone and consider it one of my top must-haves in my entire makeup collection. I could go on and on about this brush but I will spare you what would become a mushy love letter/ode to the Sigma F80 (and just so you know, this post is entirely my opinion and not sponsored by Sigma or any other company. I received the brush as part of a gift from my parents or else I would have purchased it with my own money).

Teasing Brush

Hellooooooo if you want voluminous, Texas-esque hair on a daily basis (or even just every so often), you MUST get yourself one of these little guys. Teasing brushes have SAVED my thin, fine, lifeless hair. Unlike some of you lucky ladies out there, I was not blessed with a thick, beautiful, voluminous head of hair, so I have to fake it on a somewhat daily basis. Cue the teasing brush. I think I started purchasing teasing brushes about two years ago and I don't know why I never did before then. They bring LIFE and volume and just overall sexiness to my hair that I never thought possible before. Currently, I'm using a brush from Goody, but I've also purchased some from Sally's prior to the one I own now. I realize teasing is not the best for your hair in general, but my hair would be lost, limp, and lifeless without my teasing brush! I bring it with me almost every where I go, and regardless of the hairstyle I wear, I always find a way to give my hair a little bit of a tease.

Do you use either of these products? What are some of your must-haves?

xoxo

2-in-1 | Holiday Hair & Gold Glammed Up Eyes Tutorial

I've been loving this gold eye look lately that I created using the original Urban Decay Naked Palette. It is so incredibly easy and versatile -- definitely one of my favorite looks for the holidays. I also included a holiday hair/retro wave tutorial in the video. Watch below or read on to see how I did it :)

Holiday Hairstyles | 3 Tutorials for This Season

I was just thinking about how I wanted to wear my hair for Thanksgiving and decided to sit down to play around with some ideas, so of naturally I decided to film them. They are relatively easy and quick to do. Watch the video below to see how I got these three looks! :)

xoxo

How I Wash My Hair Extensions

Most days I rock my fake hair. I just clip it right in and I instantly have long, beautiful locks that I miss so much. Since I wear my extensions so frequently, I like to wash them every one to two weeks just to keep them looking semi-normal and not so much like a rats' nest that they can sometimes resemble. Watch the video below to see how I wash my extensions or read on for more information! 

Update & Wavy Hair Tutorial

First, let me address the elephant in the...blog? I decided to change the name and design of my blog. I simply liked the sound of Glam Candy much better than The Queen Life and I found this amazing design at Mlekoshi Playground. I love it! I switched my Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube accounts over to Glam Candy as well, and links for those are in the side bar in case you were wondering! :)

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Now for the hair tutorial:

Blonde to Brunette!

I've been wanting to change up my hair lately so I made the bold, brave move to go brunette! I haven't had my hair dark in over 6 years so this was a huge change but I'm absolutely loving it! To see my transformation using L'Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Hair Dye in 5AR Medium Maple Brown, watch the video on my channel or read on for more information and to see my before and after picture! :)

Easy, Pretty Hair with Rollers!

Remember that post I did on velcro rollers a while back? Well this time I filmed a video and didn't have in my extensions. Watch the video below or click the link here to refer back to my original post! Enjoy! :)





xoxo