HALLOWEEN 2015

I know, I know... Halloween is over. But before getting into my fall looks I figured I would get back to blogging and do one last Halloween post with all of the looks I created this year! I will posting more on my blog now that I finally have some time to get back to my creative side. Keep an eye out for new looks SOON, and, as always, comment any looks you would like to see.

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Drum roll, please...

Look #1 - My first half-skull look inspired by one of my favorite YouTube/makeup artists, +Chrisspy.

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Look #2 - I loved creating this fun look! I was inspired by all of the Pop Art makeup and decided to try it out.

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Look #3 - "Jane Doe" as I like to call her.. had so much fun creating this deer look. I wish I could have gotten a better picture, I used a lot of white iridescent glitter on the spots and my nose which really added another dimension to the look. I think this one turned out super cute!

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Look #4 - Last, but not least, the makeup that I actually wore for Halloween night! I loved this one because it was the perfect amount of pretty and creepy. There was a group of three of us that went with this kind of face paint, it turned out very cool for pictures!

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That's all for now, hope you enjoy! Stay tuned for some fall looks coming soon.

XO, Shelby Jo

ORANGE LIPS

 

Gotta love a bright orange lip! My mom had been looking for the perfect shade of orange for an event she has coming up but just couldn't find it anywhere. I decided to try to make my own so I mixed a few different lipsticks and voilà.. ended up with just the right color! This will definitely be one of my top picks going into Spring and Summer. I think I might try to do an all-orange look soon but for now here are the details on how to get this lip look:

 

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1. NYX Cosmetics - "Hippie Chic" (#MLS03)

 

Ulta - $5.99

 

 

This color gives a nice pigmented base to start with. It's a very bright pastel pink color so it really brightened up every color that I layered on top of it.

 

<< Buy it here! >>

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2. MAC Cosmetics Lipstick - "Tangerine Dream" (#A24)

 

MAC - $16.00

 

 

Love this bright orange shade, unfortunately, it was just a little too sheer so I ended up layering on a little bit of a brighter orange just to give it that final orange touch.

 

<< Buy it here! >>

 

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3. Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids Lipcolor - "Electric Orange" (#880)

 

Ulta - $7.49

This one was darker than the rest so I only applied a little bit over the other two colors, it was just the right shade to create the perfect bright orange!

 

<< Buy it here! >>

 

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Enjoy!

 

xo Shelby Jo

 

GINSMAKEUP INSPIRED LOOK



As promised, here are the details on how to get the look I posted on my Instagram yesterday.. so sorry for the delay!

 

 

 

I loved this look so much and it really was super easy to recreate. It's a sort of dusty red-toned smokey eye, perfect for a night out. Also, because the colors are pretty neutral you could really pair it with any lip. I, of course, chose red because it's one of my favorites and I loved Gina's bold red lip in the original photo.

 

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First, I started with my foundation & powder.

 

 

 I received a free sample of the Diorskin Nude Air Serum so I thought this would be the perfect time to try it out.. I LOVED it! It goes on so smooth and gives and airbrushed look, I will be purchasing some in the very near future. I apply my foundation with a flat foundation brush and then blend out any imperfections with my Beauty Blender.

My favorite powder right now is Neutrogena's SkinClearing Mineral Powder. I usually use a large powder brush to apply my powders but this one comes with a great little dual-sided applicator that is perfect whether you want a lot or a little coverage.

 

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Next up: conceal, set, contour & highlight!

 

 

I always like to apply concealer after my foundation & powder so that it really brightens up my face. Maybelline Age Rewing concealer is the BEST, I recommend it to anyone that asks me what concealer they should use! I will apply it under my eyes, on my forehead, nose & chin then blend it in with my Beauty Blender. I usually don't, but for this look, I applied a darker concealer on the hollows of my cheeks, my forehead & my nose to begin my contouring; I also blended this with my Beauty Blender.

To set the contour I like to use a regular, matte, bronzer which I apply with my Nars Ita Kabuki brush. If I decide I'd like the look to have a bit more dramatic contour, as I did with this look, then I will take the same brush and use my Anastasia Beverly Hills contour palette and apply a little more on top of the bronzer. I usually just mix all of the darker shades together because they all make one perfect shade for me!

Once I've finished contouring I like to go in with the highlighter from the Anastasia palette and lightly brush it onto the top of my cheekbones. I then add a little bit of my MAC Soft & Gentle Skin Finish on top of that. As if that wasn't enough highlight, I went back and put a little bit of my MAC Irridescent Powder in Silver Dusk just to give a little bit more of a pink-tone to my cheeks.

 

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Onto eyes...

 

 

I ordered this bhCosmetics 120-color eyeshadow palette a few weeks and I absolutely love it. Their colors are so pigmented, go on smooth & are very easy to blend. For this look I mixed a few of the dark red/pink colors and applied that to my crease with a blending brush. Then, I mixed a little of the darker grey and green colors and applied them to my lid with my MAC eye shader brush. I then apply my favorite MAC eyeshadow in Mylar to my brow bone and the inner corners of my eyes to highlight those areas and make them pop. To finish it off I used my Loreal Telecopic Carbon Black Liquid Eyeliner to create the winged liner.

 

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Last, but most certainly not least is....RED LIPS!

 

 

I used my favorite NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam and then applied a little of Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry just to darken it a bit.

 

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Here's a close-up!

 

 

There you have it, that is how I recreated the look from ginsmakeup's post on Instagram! If you'd like to see all of her fabulous looks you can do so HERE! Also, be sure to check out my Instagram here.. I'll be posting more looks soon.

 

As always, thank you all for reading!

 

xo Shelby Jo

 

VALENTINE'S DAY BEAUTY FAVES & TREATS

  
 

Thought I'd do a quick little Valentine's Day post with a few of my beauty faves! Pulled out some pinks, reds & purples - some old favorites as well as some new products I've recently purchased and have been loving! I also included a few pretty little goodies I got today.

 

 

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First thing's first...I received some awesome gifts from my family this Valentine's Day that gave me inspiration for this post! The beautiful, colorful roses are from my dad, the acrylic "S" and "J" are from my mom! I actually bought the gold vase last week but it was so pretty I had to throw it in the mix.

 

 

 The acrylic letters can be found at TJMaxx; my mom bought me the "S" and "J" for the blog...ShelbyJo, of course! The Beauty and the Beast book and the vase are both from Anthropologie. I absolutely love their home decor and books, they have so many great things for any style.

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On to beauty products. First up...MAC!

 

MAC is by far one of my favorite brands, their products are great quality. If you're looking for beautiful, pigmented eyeshadows I highly recommend MAC Pigment...any color will give you an instantly vibrant look. The pigment I have pictured here is called "Melon" and is one that I have had as long as I can remember. It is a beautiful peach-y pink color with high shine! One of my newly discovered favorites is MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish in "Soft & Gentle"...ladies, if you're looking for the perfect highlighter THIS IS IT! I adore this color, it looks great on any skin tone and is perfect for giving your cheekbones a nice pop of highlight. Both of these products can be found in MAC stores or on their website!

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Nars!!

 

 Another long-time favorite brand of mine! Their lip gloss in "Turkish Delight" is one that I have been using forever...it is a beautiful soft pink color that goes on very pigmented and lasts all day. Now, let me tell ya bout my new best friend y'all... the "Ita Kabuki Brush"!! I have seen this brush around for a long time but never wanted to spend the money on it. Recently, I decided to splurge and I am SO glad I did! This brush is fabulous for contouring, it gives such a flawless, blended look. I have tried a few different brushes that are said to be similar, but was left quite disappointed with each. I highly recommend this brand, they have so many great products and brushes. You can pick up Nars lip gloss at any Sephora store or online, however, this specific brush can only be ordered on the Sephora or Nars websites.

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Oh, Anastasia.....

 

 

Anastasia Beverly Hills is a fairly new brand for me, even though it has been around for quite some time, but I have fallen in looove! Although I only included these two products in this post there are so many great products that I use from the brand. Her new powder contour palette is so beautiful and perfect for any skin tone. I have used the clear brow gel for quite some time and I have found that it's the only one that keeps my brows in place all day and doesn't clump or feel sticky! If you follow me on Instagram you probably saw the post of my new liquid lipstick in Vintage...it is so incredibly beautiful! Both of these products can be found online on Ulta, Sephora or Anastasia's sites, however, the brow gel can also be found in Ulta or Sephora.

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Beauty Blender!

 

The original Beauty Blender is the definition of love, this little miracle sponge can blend anything out to a smooth finish! I love to use it when I am using cream contour products but I use it mostly to blend in concealer and even out my foundation. Just get this baby a little bit damp and it will give you a flawless face! You can find them all over the web and in several stores, just give it a quick Google and find your closest store! I haven't tried any of the other beauty blenders yet but I will be ordering them soon so I will give you guys an update when I get them.

 

 

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NYX Cosmetics!

 

 

NYX is definitely one of my favorite cheaper alternatives to the higher end brands. Their products are great quality and are perfect if you're on a budget. I bought these two together about a month ago and have been loving them! I was looking for a really good matte lip so I decided to try one of each. The Matte Lipstick in Hippie Chic is such a bright, beautiful color that will be the perfect pop for any summer look. I have also been loving this Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam, it is such a perfect red and goes on so smooth. I also love that neither of these products dry my lips, as most matte lip products usually do. You can pick these up at your local drugstore or order online!

 

 

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Last, but not least, one of my loooong time favorite beauty products...Tweezerman!

 

 

I know, it's kind of a silly thing to add in but I couldn't resist because they're PINK! I'm terrible at going to get my eyebrows waxed, I prefer to just pluck the strays away when I have time. I have had these tweezers forever (in fact, it's probably about time I got a new pair) and I love them! Tweezerman makes the best tweezers that are great for getting all those stubborn little brow hairs between waxing. I picked these up at Ulta, but you can find them in just about any drugstore or beauty store!

 

 

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So, those are just a few of my favorite Valentine's-themed beauty products! Comment below with any suggestions or requests, I love any feedback or new ideas. I hope everyone had a fantastic Valentine's Day filled with love! As always, thanks for reading.

 

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xo Shelby Jo

AMREZY INSPIRED LOOK

Hello beauties!

So, tonight I decided to do a look inspired by one of my favorite makeup artists on Instagram...AMREZY! She is absolutely beautiful and always has fun, creative looks on her page. 

Here is the look I was inspired by:

GORGEOUS...right?

It's a fairly simple look, but I love the way the liner flares out on the bottom!

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To begin this look I first applied moisturizer and primer which really helps to keep your skin looking flawless once you apply the rest of your makeup. This is definitely a step you don't want to forget!

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Next, I applied my foundation, powder, contour and highlight! I love using a light contour and highlight because it adds so much depth to the face and allows you to give shape where you may be lacking. For me, I have a really round face, so I like to really emphasize my cheekbones and make them POP!

Amrezy always has flawless skin and beautiful contour and highlight!

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I then went in and did my brows, eyeshadow, eyeliner and lashes. I recently got my Carli Lashes for Velour Lashes and am absolutely IN LOVE with them! They really are the perfect lash. 

Here's the final look:

This is definitely a night look as it is very dark and heavy, but I really enjoyed recreating it!

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A little comparison:

I forgot to apply my lipstick in the original photos so, of course, I had to go back and take some with the lips!

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Hope you all enjoyed this look! I will be putting up another IG recreation next week, let me know if you have any suggestions!

As always, thanks for reading!

xo Shelby Jo

MY FAVORITE FACE PRODUCTS

Hello loves!

So today I thought I'd post about all of my favorite products that I use for my face routine! Not all of these are everyday products for me, it just depends on what I'm doing and/or where I'm going. For this post I'm going to give a little bit more detail on the brushes I use, because I know a lot of people are confused on which brush is used for what! I hope you enjoy!

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First up are these wedge sponges by MAC Cosmetics:

(MAC Cosmetics - $10)

I use these to apply my foundation because it keeps my face from looking "cakey" and gives a nice even finish. I also prefer using these because then I'm not having to touch my face with my hands!

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Another MAC product that I looove is the foundation sponge:

(MAC Cosmetics - $10)

Although it was designed for foundation I prefer to use it for blending in my concealer and under eye brightener. I apply the product directly to my face and then blend it in with the foundation sponge. These sponges are similar to the Beauty Blenders, however, I prefer these for the value.

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I have quite a few brushes that I like to use, with brands varying from MAC to Walgreens!

First up is my EcoTools powder brush:

(Walgreens - $6.79)

I love to use this brush because it applies the perfect amount of product and is very soft. Some brushes tend to have rough bristles and will pick up too much or too little product, this brush allows you to determine how much coverage you get. 

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Another great powder brush is the Sephora Classic Multitasker Brush #45:

(Sephora - $24)

I don't use this brush very often because it is definitely a full coverage brush. I will use this only when I have a spot I'm trying to cover, or if I feel that I need a little more coverage than my everyday makeup.

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For light contouring I like to use MAC #109 Small Contour Brush:

(MAC Cosmetics - $35)

For more precise and dramatic contouring I love the MAC #163 Flat Contour Brush:

(MAC Cosmetics - $35)

Both of these brushes are great for contouring but give very different results. The small contour brush is perfect for adding a slight shadowy look that can be worn every day; the flat contour brush gives a more dramatic, precise look that I prefer for an evening or night out.

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I have always had very fair skin so, of course, bronzer is a favorite of mine. I use the Sephora Pro Bronzer Brush #48:

(Sephora - $36)

I have used this brush since I first started wearing makeup and have not found anything that I like better! It does pick up a lot of product so you have to be careful and tap off excess product before applying, but it is great for getting that glowing, bronzy look. Another great quality about this brush is that it blends very well; I like to add a little bit of bronzer over my contouring so it's not as obvious and this brush helps achieve that! 

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Another brush that I have had since I began wearing makeup is an angled blush brush. I've had it so long that the brand has worn off and I can't even remember where I got it! But for this post I found one as similar to mine as I could, the e.l.f. Studio Angled Blush Brush:

(e.l.f. - $3)

I prefer having a brush that is angled rather than rounded because it is a narrower brush that makes for perfect application along the cheekbone, which is the look I prefer because I have a rounder face. If you are someone who prefers to apply blush to the apples of your cheeks you will probably prefer a regular rounded blush brush!

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The last face brush in my collection is the MAC #188 Small Duo Fibre Face Brush:

(MAC Cosmetics - $35)

This is another one that I don't use too often, but I love it for when I apply my iridescent powder (which I will list later in this post). This brush is ideal for many applications, however, I like it because I can get a soft layer of the powder without looking like I'm crazy shiny!

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Onto foundations, powders & concealers, OH MY!

One of my most recent discoveries is the Rimmel Stay Matte Primer & Foundation...I am in love with these! They keep my face from getting too oily throughout the day, and you can't beat the price!

(Walgreens - $5.49)

(Walgreens - $6.99)

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My favorite concealers are hands down MAC's Select Cover Up for any spots or redness and Bobbi Brown's Tinted Eye Brightener for under the eyes:

(MAC Cosmetics - $19)

(Bobbi Brown - $31)

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Along with the foundation, Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder has become a staple in my makeup bag, it keeps me looking fresh all day! I also love to use the MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder for a fuller coverage look.

(Walgreens - $5.29)

(MAC Cosmetics - $26)

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I don't always contour, but when I do I use MAC Sculpting Powder in the color Sculpt. This color is perfect for my skin because it's not too light or too dark, it blend into my skin perfectly!

(MAC Cosmetics - $17)

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I have two different bronzers that I alternate between, Rimmel Natural Waterproof Bronzing Powder and Wet n Wild Color Icon Bronzer #739:

(Walgreens - $5.79)

(Walgreens - $3.99)

The Rimmel bronzer is one I use everyday, it is a matte pressed bronzer so it gives a very natural glow. The Wet n Wild bronzer is one that I prefer to use for evenings because it is a little bit more pigmented and has a bit of sparkle in it.

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I have a million different blush colors that I use for all different occasions, however, there are three colors that I absolutely love and use the most. Bobbi Brown's #6 Apricot Blush & #9 Pale Pink Blush, as well as Wet n Wild Color Icon Blusher #832E Heather Silk:

(Bobbi Brown - $27)

(Bobbi Brown - $27)

(Walgreens - $3.19)

Apricot has a little bit of a sparkle to it and appears to be more of a coral pink color, while Pale Pink is a matte, bright pink color. I prefer to mix these and wear them for daytime look. Heather Silk is a deeper pink/purple tone but don't let the color fool you, it is a beautiful color that blends well for an evening look. Wed n Wild blushes are very pigmented, so if you decide to try one use it sparingly and be sure to blend!

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Last but not least...MAC's Loose Iridescent Powder in Silver Dusk:

(Macy's - $26)

I love to use this powder to finish off an evening/night out look, it gives the perfect shimmer to brighten up your face and really make your cheekbones pop! I like to use my MAC Small Duo Fibre Face Brush to apply this over my blush, right above my cheekbones! I will say, I have not seen this on the MAC website lately, so I have been getting it at my Macy's MAC store!

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Okay, I hope I have given you some great tips and hopefully haven't overloaded you with information! Although these are the products I love they may not be the right ones for you, but I found all of these products through plenty of trial and error, so just keep playing with products until you find what you love! I buy most of my products in the store so I can see the colors in person rather than a picture, however, all of these items can be purchased online as well. If there are any products that you'd like me to test out and review I'd be more than happy to, just comment below and let me know what it is you'd like to see. Thanks again for reading y'all!!

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