[Try This] The Pro Makeup Artist's Tip for Creating A Bomb Cat Eye

About a week ago, I was browsing through  online magazines and ran across some quick tips from professional makeup artists.   I quickly read through the various snippets of advice before landing on one that would ultimately change my life.

You may have noticed from recent articles that I'm in the process of perfecting my eye makeup look.  In my quest for knowledge, I've stumbled upon a tutorial on how to create the bold cat eye reminiscent of Beyonce herself.  Then we took things one step further by learning Charlotte Tilburry's  mascara application technique for the perfect winged eye.

Now comes the third cat eye tip that, for me, is the best one yet!

The Exfoliating Body Lotion that gives you Summer Skin All Winter Long

It's officially fall.  And although I haven't technically noticed a change in weather yet, I'm already making plans for what's ahead.  Last year, fall and winter were horrible for my skin.  Sure, I complain about the humidity all year, but once it's gone, I miss it dearly.

The drier air wreaks havoc on my skin.  It's itchy, flaky and very uncomfortable.  Thank goodness  I discovered the power of humidifiers.  But this year, I want to take it a step further.  I'm including a new product in my regimen that seems like the perfect solution to combat dry winter skin.

Toned Abs in 7 days? This Youtuber Shows Us How She Did It.

via @GlamFun

In last year of high school I started a ritual that I wish I would have maintained.  Essentially, before bed, I would do around 100 sit ups.  Since I don't have a long torso, my midsection can easily become a problem area. So I decided to do regular ab work to keep that problem in check. I don't quite remember the outcome of my diligent efforts, but I do recall engaging in horse play with a class mate in biology.  When he tickles my tummy, he quickly commented, "whoa, you have a strong core, what are you doing?"  That's when I revealed my nightly ritual.

Years later, I picked up the habit again. I was working at my dad's shop at the time. And when business was slow, I use his little ab machine to a few core exercises every day.  My husband (boyfriend at the time), caught a glimpse of my tummy one day and commented on how toned it was.  Because I chose to do ab work when I was bored, I got to enjoy a bikini ready body at all times.

Monday Motivation | What to do When Your Actions Produce No Results

Over the years, I've communicated with countless women via email, on the phone or in person, seeking advice about how to start their next venture.  Some have wanted to launch their own blogs, others had great business or product ideas.  They all seemed to have high hopes in the beginning but, in the end, rarely do they reach the level of success they could have.

This weekend, I exchanged a series of texts with a friend who is struggling to grow her business.  Weeks prior, we had a long conversation discussing her strategy for the next 30 days.  In her texts, she expressed her challenge of being stopped by fear.  After I asked some clarifying questions, she admitted that her "fear" was really frustration of her lack of results.

[SELF CARE SUNDAY] How Sauna Sessions Promote Longevity & Incredible Skin

Last year, I went on a "self-care spree" where I experimented with several rituals meant to nurture the body.  Of all of my experiences, my favorite (by far) was the infrared sauna.  My local gym has a sauna as one of its amenities and I enjoyed spending 10-15 minutes getting in a good sweat after a workout.  Then, one day, I eavesdropped on a conversation a fellow gym member who boasted about her sauna experience.

She told the other sauna-goer that she came to the gym solely to utilize the sauna.  She then described her chronic back pain & spinal issues.  According to her, using the sauna daily was the only thing that alleviated her pain. It was at that point that I realized how beneficial the sauna experience could be.

[The Invisible Contour] Beyonce's Makeup Artist Demonstrates His Natural Contouring Technique

I have to admit, I've never really been a fan of this whole contouring craze.   While it can look amazing in pictures, I often dismissed it as not practical for everyday life.  But, in the same token, I know that contouring does add a little extra oomph to the finished look.

So how do we create the wonderful dimension that contouring gives without going overboard?

Beyonce's makeup artist, Sir John seems to have the answer.  And he's preaching the merits of his new technique - the invisible contour.

via Sir John's Instagram

[STYLE OBSESSION] The Cropped Men's Shirt

Every once in a while, I like to pop into a local thrift store to see if I can stumble on some unique finds.  Next time I swing by, I'll head straight to the men's section in search of an oversized shirt.  The inspiration for suddenly wanting to purchase men's clothing comes from an outfit post that showed up on my Instagram feed.

She appears to be wearing a men's dress shirt that's been altered into a crop top.  I love everything about this ensemble.  The formality of the shirt perfectly balances the casual nature of the denim shorts.  I also appreciate the length of the shirt.  Short enough to be considered a "crop" without being over-revealing.

I can see this top working well with pretty much any pair of trousers.  It would also look amazing with a leather pencil skirt for fall.  This is certainly a piece that's wearable in any season.   I'm pretty sure that finding a cropped dress shirt will be darn near impossible. Which is why I'd rather have one altered to a perfect fit.  Plus it will be nice to own some unique pieces that aren't readily available in stores.

Be sure to follow @serrabellum for more visual inspiration & style ideas.  

[BEAUTY HACK] Instantly Lighten + Detox your Underarms with this Simple Mask.

It seems like only yesterday that I was inviting every one to try this mascara trick for bolder lashes using activated charcoal.  In the past I've encouraged everyone to use charcoal in many ways including as an ingredient in your DIY facial mask and as a teeth whitener.

Today, I might be sharing the most awesome activated charcoal application ever!

[Monday Motivation] Create Your New Normal

Sometimes I feel like there's an invisible barrier between where I am and where I want to be.  It seems like, no matter how hard I want it, my reality is just out of my reach.  The vision I have of my life doesn't really match up with what currently exists.

As we head towards a new year,  I realize that to truly enjoy a real shift in reality, we must master the art of creating our new normal. Fundamentally, when we aren't experiencing our desires it's because we see ourselves as separate from it.  For us, this new outcome doesn't fit into our current reality.  Although we say we want it, we don't really believe we can experience it.  This only causes us to feel even farther away from our end goal.

Is Your Metabolism Really Slowing Down or Is it You?

I've had conversations with friends lately about managing the extra pounds that seem to magically appear once we hit our 30s.  When we were younger, we were told "once you turn 30, you'll put on weight."

Worse, yet, it's expected that we'll gain even more once we celebrate our 40th birthday.  And it's all downhill from there.  It seems inevitable and there's nothing we can do.

Getting older = Weight Gain 

But, after reflecting on this phenomenon, I've come to the conclusion that there's one important contributor to those extra pounds that we overlook.