For Christmas, my friend Jami surprised me with this palette.

Because she's the best.

Because she seems to have this knack to know what colors would look great on me.

Because she firmly believes that some of the best makeup you can find is at the drugstore.

I agree with her on that one...only because I've never bought expensive makeup to compare. #Cheap With the vast amount of makeup knowledge she has, I'll take her word.

Ain't this purdy?

I've worn no other eyeshadows since opening the package. I'm sold. I'm committed. Give me these colors for the rest of my life and I won't sway from them.

I considered doing make up videos using this palette on my channel, but for whatever reason, I can't seem to motivate myself.

Actual Reason: The past makeup videos I have done I've been grossly unimpressed with how I portray myself.

I come off sloppy, unintelligent, distracted...even though those three words make great adjectives to my day-to-day life, that doesn't mean I need to be like that on camera, for crying out loud. 

#MotherOf3

(#WasLikeThisBeforeChildren)

But then another part of me is all, "Well, you're being REAL, so."

...so, in other words, I may do these makeup looks in the future, on my channel.

#TheStruggleIsReal

But for now I'm going to show you how to make a subtle, but sexy, smoky eye, using three colors from this palette.

If you'd like to see a video of me with this exact look, click here! In this video I talk about how I create the perfect eyebrow color to match my red hair; answering my most frequently asked question.

Do you have this palette?

What are your thoughts?

What are your favorite colors?

A sweet friend of mine gave me this palette.

"You mentioned in a video that you have struggled finding the perfect gray eye shadow and well...this one has two," she said with a smile.

This has easily become my most favorite drug store palettes.

If you follow me on YouTube, you'll see that I've been trying out different eye shadow palettes from the dollar store (Dollar Tree) and so far have been pleasantly surprised.

But this past week I've found myself running to this palette more than any other. I am also wearing it in my most recent video (at the end).

Since I've been trying out different dollar store eye shadow palettes, I feel as though I've been walking around with many-a-color on my eyes.

And then bring on the Fourth of July when I sported this eye look:

I mean, c'mon, when can I wear bright red and bright blue on my eyes together and not feel silly? Confession: I was going to do one eye all red and the other eye all blue when, just as I was about to apply the eye shadow, my husband walks into the room with, "Hey, can you make a run to the store for me?"

So I chickened out and did this.

(Follow me HERE on Instagram!)

Needless to say, I needed a break from the bright/bold/deep colors. 

I found myself craving the more natural look, the more nudey colors. 

Here is a mini-demo on how I acquired that. You don't necessarily need this palette, just a cream/white and a neutral/light brown eye shadow will do!

Sooooooooo.......let's get started:

A couple of examples below. Very natural, very serene. Very much a "no makeup makeup" look (LAWLS, that is, for someone like me who loves a good drama on the eyes and wears it on the regular).

 

Here's how I created the look. Like I told ya, super easy. The liquid liner is optional. You can replace it with a pencil liner, or no liner at all. But since I've been sporting "wings" for five years now, I literally feel naked without them and will end up not being able to look myself in the mirror, no matter what time of day it is, until I put them back on. Even if it's bedtime (but I never last that long). #pathetic

Here's a close up. I placed the cream eye shadow on brow bone and then on my lid. The brown I put on the crease and blended it upward towards my brow bone (for a smooth transition between colors and because I have hooded lids--#blessed--and if I don't do that, my lid will look heavy and I'll look tired). I also applied the brown toward the outer corner of my lid before dragging it along my lower lid and although it's not too noticeable, it's subtle enough for me to like it better than without.

Oh and that white that is under my eye that looks like the eyeshadow on my brow and lid, that's concealer because 30 happened and if I don't cover my bags, those 6 hours of incredible sleep I got, will show up as a lie.

Here's a breakdown of the products:

Milani Smoky Essentials: between $8-$10

L.A. Colors Brown Liquid Eyeliner: $1 at Dollar Tree (I freakin' LOVE this stuff)

Maybelline Falsies Push Up Drama Mascara: $8 at Walmart. This stuff is BOMB.

Elf Bronzer and Blush colors Turks & Caicos: $3 at Walmart

So let's say you still want a more "nude" look with warmer, perhaps deeper, all-around more inviting colors AND with a cheaper palette?

I've got you covered!

Welcome L.A. Colors Haute Palette

(Source. I also adjusted the colors to be more true to the palette in real life.)

Here's the look I created with this. While Milani is my favorite drug store palette, Haute is my absolute favorite dollar store (Dollar Tree) palette.

(Potential thumbnail for a recent video. Girl needs to sit up straight!)

Here's how it's done (below). If you are interested in seeing a mini-demo of me using this palette, let me know in the comments! I'm more than likely recreating this look at least twice a week anyway and--as you can tell by the picture below, I already beat this palette up quite a bit before saying, "Oh yeah, maybe I should take a picture of the palette now before I hit pan (which I did a few days ago)."

I love creating these looks! Are there any palettes you enjoy to use for the more "natural", "no makeup makeup" look? Please let me know in the comments!

Have a great one!

I love Christmas.

It's my favorite time of the year.

I love the excited atmosphere it brings. I love the happiness it brings to my kiddos. I love all the treats and goodies and the joy we experience having our family to hold close as well as sometimes having the opportunity to go see our extended family.

I love how we realize how much our close friends have also become our family.

I love how much we do for each other during this time, to help "make the spirit bright".

I love the little "hush-hush" secrets that are kept to make sure that our special someone has no clue they're getting the gift you're giving, especially when you know they're going to love it.

I love dressing up all Christmassy during this time. I love that while red and green are opposites on the color wheel and should honestly be avoided being placed together, especially on an outfit, that this is my opportunity to happily break that unspoken rule and wear colors that only happen to look cohesive during this time of year.

I love that Christmas colors are more than just red and green. I've found that turquoise and light blue work as well. Christmas last year I painted my nails with these colors and if my memory is correct, I put a picture of it up on Instagram.

Yep, a poor filter was placed on it because it was taken in poor lighting. But you get what I was going for.

Needless to say, I took all opportunity to get my Christmas on and show it off to you.

Now I went simple on my makeup as I worried the outfit looked "loud" enough. But in looking at these photos, I could've gone with a more dramatic eye. Not too dramatic, but maybe a darker color eyeshadow and bolder wing.

I also kept the accessories on the simpler side. I wanted the outfit to speak and the accessories to enhance the colors I'm wearing.

What's your favorite Christmas outfit?

Outfit/accessories/makeup details DOWN BELOW.

The Outfit (all prices are an estimation, but pretty accurate)
Shirt: ALLEN B, from a friend.
Sweater: New York Company, from same friend who gave me the shirt actually. LOL!
Skirt: Mossimo, from Target, on clearance for $9
Belt: Thrift store, $2
Nylons: Leggings in Nude, $5ish from Walmart

Jewelry
Earrings: Brash, from Payless Shoe Source, $3 clearance
Chevron bracelets: Gift from friend
Turquoise bead bracelet: Gift from my son
Watch: Walmart, $7, bought a year ago.
Thick leather band on wrist: bought in Mexico a year ago $5
Thin leather band on wrist: a birthday gift from one incredible friend. I love you, Rebecca!
Floral bands that are hiding behind the leather bands: hair ties, can't have enough hair ties. From Walmart, came in a huge pack, the floral ones where the bonus, extra ones. $3
Oh, and on my right wrist I have a long, black ribbon tied around it. Because I like it. From off the floor LOL.
White beaded necklace: Walmart, bought years ago, $5

Nailpolish
Revlon Colorstay in 290 Midnight, $8 (PRICEY, but too good to pass up)

Rings
Left hand thumb: gift from friend
Left hand ring finger: wedding ring, from Mr Hunter, 13 1/2 years ago. $His drum set

Shoes
Boots that I bought new a couple years ago, for $7, at the thrift store.

Hair Dye
L'Oreal Preferences Intense Red Copper #RR07. One bottle was used, put all over the roots and then pulled the product towards the ends of my hair, creating an ombre look. I did a tutorial of this on my YouTube channel. $9

Makeup (most bought from Walmart)
Primer: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm (yep, aftershave--I'm serious folks, this is the best primer OUT THERE) $6, go get you some.
Foundation: Revlon Colorstay 24 hr in 110 Ivory (oily/combo skin), $12
Concealer: Maybelline Cover Stick in White, $4
Powder: Physicians Formula in Translucent Light $12
Contouring/Highlighting powders: Wet n Wild Contouring Palette in Dulce de Leche, $3 AND NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Powder in 701A Translucent to target my under eye bags, $3
Eyebrows: NYC eyebrow pencil in Rich Girl, $1 AND the warm tan eyeshadow in the Wet n Wild Birthday Suit palette, $6
Eyeshadow: The white used on brow bone and lid is the white eyeshadow in NYC's Queen's Boulevard palette. The light brown shade is the camel-colored eyeshadow from NYC's Blue's Camel palette, each about $3
Eyeliner: NYC's black liquid liner, $2.
Blush: L'Oreal's True Match Blush, C5-6 Rosy Outlook, $8
Maskara: Maybelline's Mega Plush in Brownish Black, $7 (ridiculous price, IMO)
LIPSTICK: I put my foundation over my lips when putting it on my face and then used L.A. Colors lip gloss in Coral Crush, from the dollar store! $1

I absolutely love the Fall.

It's always been my favorite season.

I must confess I was quite thrilled when I realized that of all colors, autumn colors look the best on me. And I frequently question why, in heavens name, have I thought it best to avoid those colors my whole life.

I remember this realization catching me by surprise. I grew up wearing sweet pinks, soft blues, modest tans, whites and dainty floral patterns; anything that reeked of simple, sweet, and plain only to switch it up for greys, blacks, and deep cool colors when I tired of looking so "girly"...but never felt truly like I was wearing a piece that best represented ME.

I remember feeling like I was living on the wild side back in high school when I bought a pack of wacky-colored socks. I was then introduced to toe socks and found my life would never be the same. ;)

After that I branched out and bought more clothing with brighter colors and wilder patterns, things my friends wore and rocked in, but never anything AUTUMN colored.

I could never understand why I couldn't seem to pull off neon yellow like my close friend could. After band class we'd walk up to put our flutes away, catch our image in the full-length mirror that hung on the wall and I'd cringe over how my skin always looked splotchy.

I'm still uncertain if the cause was because I was wearing the wrong colors, the wrong makeup, or standing under the wrong (florescent) lighting in the band room.

Probably all of them.

Imagine my surprise when I realized how easy it was to wear autumn colors. How simple it was to wear makeup, to always have on hand the perfect color of blush and eye shadow. And how much I felt like my truest self in them.

But in all honesty, I rebel. I can't be confined to just some colors on the color wheel...

While autumn colors are a guideline, all colors I will wear.

And then I wear outfits like these and am reminded as to why I choose to wear anything thing else.

Details of my outfit listed below.

The Outfit (all prices are an estimation, but pretty accurate)
Shirt: Long-sleeved and thick, brand is Faded Glory and was a gift from a friend who did like how it looked on her.
Sweater: LOFT, from a friend who was cleaning out her closet and knew this sweater would fit me.
Scarf: Charming Charlie, gift from a friend.
Jeans: Old Navy Diva skinny jeans-$25 I think? I bought them a couple summers ago.
Belt: Thrift store, $1
My socks! LOL, I think I got them from Target, in a pack of 6 for $9 or $10. ;)

Jewelry
Earrings: Walmart, called "Accessories" $2.88
Turquoise/orange/white beaded bracelets: Gift from my daughter
Watch: Walmart, $7, bought a year ago.
Thick leather band on wrist: bought in Mexico a year ago $5
Thin leather band on wrist: a birthday gift from one incredible friend. I love you, Rebecca!
Floral bands that are hiding behind the leather bands: hair ties, can't have enough hair ties. From Walmart, came in a huge pack, the floral ones where the bonus, extra ones. $3
Oh, and on my right wrist I have a long, black ribbon tied around it. Because I like it. From off the floor LOL.
Black beaded necklace: Bought at the thrift store years ago. Probably $1 or $2.

Nailpolish
Sally Hansen's Insta-Dry in 340 Cinna-snap. $4 at Walmart.

Rings
Left hand thumb: gift from friend
Left hand ring finger: wedding ring, from Mr Hunter, 13 1/2 years ago. $His drum set
Right hand middle finger: ring I bought on eBay for $5.

Shoes
Converse in a dark blue-grey. I wear these 99% of the time. Even at church if I can make it work with my outfit. Bought new a couple years ago for $45??? Can't remember.

Hair Dye
L'Oreal Preferences Intense Red Copper #RR07. One bottle was used, put all over the roots and then pulled the product towards the ends of my hair, creating an ombre look. I did a tutorial of this on my YouTube channel. $9

Makeup (most bought from Walmart)
Primer: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm (yep, aftershave--I'm serious folks, this is the best primer OUT THERE) $6, go get you some.
Foundation: Revlon Colorstay 24 hr in 110 Ivory (oily/combo skin), $12
Concealer: Maybelline Cover Stick in White, $4
Powder: Physicians Formula in Translucent Light $12
Contouring/Highlighting powders: Wet n Wild Contouring Palette in Dulce de Leche, $3 AND NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Powder in 701A Translucent to target my under eye bags, $3
Eyebrows: NYC eyebrow pencil in Rich Girl, $1 AND the warm tan eyeshadow in the Wet n Wild Birthday Suit palette, $6
Eyeshadow: Revlon Colorstay in 584 Surreal, the soft turquoise and white colors.
Eyeliner: ELF liquid liner in Coffee, bought at the dollar store but originally is $2.
Blush: ELF Contouring blush and bronzer in Turks Caicos, $3
Maskara: Maybelline's Mega Plush in Brownish Black, $7 (ridiculous price, IMO)
LIPSTICK: I put my foundation over my lips when putting it on my face and then used L.A. Colors lip gloss in Coral Crush, from the dollar store! $1