Update: Where Have I Been?

So, I've been MIA for like the past week. Truth is: school is a lot more work that it seems. When I made this blog, I wasn't stressed for time or cramming for the 5000 tests I have. Basically, I am extremely sorry for my absense on my blog!

I really can't post new stuff right now- with school, going to and from school to visit the fam, and a social life- my blog has been on the back burner. I will try to post in the next couple of days... but I can't make any promises!

NOW FOR THE EXCITING, HAPPY NEWS :)
- Next weekend, which is like May 5th or 6th (?), wanna know where I'm going?? LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY!! Some of you might have just been like "lou...whaaatt?" (lol, I was too at first)! One of my roomies in my apartment is from Louisville and her family invited all of us from the apartment to Oaks and Derby.
-So, I will be watching some awesome horse racing and from what I heard, hopefully seeing some celebs!! It's a huge deal- like around the world! The Today show covers the whole event, so if you're still lost, just tune in to that Friday and Saturday :)

....To get to the point...LET ME KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING TOO!! I would love to have a "meet up" for everyone!

Just let me know if you're in by doing one of the following:
-comment below
-e-mail me at MakeupBySerena@aol.com
-be my friend on Facebook (just leave me a message when you send the request, so I don't think you're some stranger... my facebook profile picture is the same as the one here- me with the white dress! Just look up Serena Bosworth and there I should hopefully be!)
-like my Facebook page and write on my wall (just type in Makeupbyserena on Facebook and my page should come up :D)

So, I'm like super excited to go to the races and hope you join me and my roomies :)

Also, send me any blog post requests you have and I'll do my very, very, very best to write them!!

~Serena

TAG: 11 Most reached for Items

So, Missglamorazzi on YouTube did a recent tag video of her 11 most reached for items. I wanted to do one and honestly, I had a pretty hard time limiting it to 11, but here they are! **Note: these are not in any specific order because I love them all so much :)

1) Benefit R.S.V.P. creaseless cream shadow/liner : I love this stuff! It's very comparable to MAC's Vintage Selection, but that was limited edition. This is perfect alone or as a base under any look. I use this all the time when I'm running out the door going to class- it's a life saver!

2) MAC Malt Lipstick (Satin finish) : I love this color because it's like my perfect nude with a slight bit of color! I wear this alone or with a shiny gloss on top and I'm good to go! I definitely recommend this one!

3) NARS Rose Gritane Lipgloss : I bought this during the holidays for my mom, as she is a NARS-aholic, and she loved it! I saw how great it looked and picked one up for myself. Honestly, the reason why I love it is because it is so buildable! You can have a very sheer red or a BAM-yeah-I-have-red-lips red! I love it!

4) Benefit High Beam : I love this!!! I have naturally pink cheeks and because of this, I wear small amounts of blush, but this really helps! It brightens wherever you use it (I use it on my cheekbone) and provides a gorgeous glow. For me, it really compliments my already pink cheeks. I don't go a day without this!

5) Too Faced Natural Eye Palette : This is my favorite eye palette! I've done a whole blog post about it because it's so amazing! The colors are absolutely gorgeous and you can easily go from day to night :)

6) Sheercover Extra Length Mascara in Black/Brown : I have been using this stuff for years! It lengthens every single lash and never clumps! It's got an awesome formula that doesn't ever seem to dry out :) I recommend a lot of Sheercover products... do you guys want a review on the like bazillions of Sheercover products I have? Comment below!

7) Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow in Bone : I love this when I want either a simple base or a highlight color for my brow bone. Either way, it looks great and as you can see... I've hit pan on it and NEED to buy a new one!

8) Sheercover Base Perfector : Another Sheercover product :) This is their version of a face primer and I gotta say...it's amazing! It makes your skin feel silky smooth and makes your foundation glide on so much better. It also helps a bit with controlling oils and also with making makeup last. It's a white color, so it's very comparable to Smashbox's Photofinish Light primer! I love this and if you guys want, I can do a review on this and many other Sheercover products, just let me know in the comments below!

9) TIE! So I wanted to include a perfume, but couldn't decide between my Chanel N 19  and my Ralph Lauren Romance. The Chanel one is so classic, but so is the RL perfume! I love both brands, but usually prefer my RL perfumes over my Chanel perfumes. They both have a feminine undertone, so they are very wearable, without being floraly like omg-she-just-walked-through-a-flowerbed! Definitely recommend you try these scents! Let me know which one you guys like better or just tell me your favorite perfume in the comments below :)

10)  Aussie Mega Hairspray : I love this stuff because not only does it hold all day and night, but it smells fabulous! I've never had a fruity hairspray before this one! It makes you smell like fruity and fun and I love it :) It also holds so well- hence the "Mega" on the label. I used this for all my highschool dances and my curls lasted forever (which was amazing because my hair NEVER holds curls). Truly, and amazing product!

11) L'Oreal Sublime Glow Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Lotion : This is my absolute favorite self-tanning lotion- it's inexpensive and it works! I look brown after using it- NOT orange :) I've written an entire review on it, so if you haven't read that, go check it out! I love this stuff so much and definitely recommend you guys try it!

So these were my most reached for items, at least for the time being! I hope you guys enjoyed this post and leave any questions, comments, or blog post requests in the comments below! Or e-mail me at MakeupBySerena@aol.com !

 FTC: I purchased all these products with my own money. I'm not being paid to review any of these products and all opinions expressed are my own.

~Serena

New posts soon :)

Hey everyone! I can't wait for this weekend...why? Well because I'm putting up new product reviews but most importantly- lots of tutorials! I have recently tried so many products that I'm loving! Ahh, can't wait to post! So, I just wanted to apologize for the delay in posting, just been busy with school :/ anyway, I'll be posting very very soon my lovelies! Thanks everyone for reading!

~Serena

Blog Update

Hey everyone! So just a quick update! So sorry about not posting on Sunday, I've just been a little stressed for time lately :/ Anyway, I tried posting like 4 new reviews today, but they wouldn't post, so I'll try again tomorrow! I hope you guys can wait until then haha :)

And my other little update, thank you SO much to my first follower! I can't believe I have my first follower! I'm so thankful for everyone who reads my blog, I really am! I can't even explain how much you guys mean to me!

Another thing I've noticed is you guys don't comment... It's fine if you just don't want to, but I would love to talk to you readers out there, so please please please comment! If for privacy reasons, you chose not to comment, please feel free to e-mail me at MakeupBySerena@aol.com ! I love all questions! Even if you're embarrassed to ask them, go ahead because it's completely anonymous unless you tell me about you!

So thanks again to my readers and followers! You mean the world to me and I hope everyone chooses to follow my blog and comment/e-mail me!! Truly, thanks you guys <3

~Serena

Toms Shoes

So I live in Los Angeles and Toms Shoes are huge here! I've been wearing them for a couple years now and they're surprisingly comfortable!! I know this isn't beauty related, but I had to show some love for the great people at Toms Shoes. For every pair you buy, Toms donates a pair of shoes to a child a need... this is called their One for One program. I love this idea and I wear my Toms everywhere! I have 3 pairs (red, navy, and black sequin) and I love all three pairs! I'll include the Amazon link, as Toms aren't sold everywhere. I used to be a Sperry fanatic, but Toms are 1) way cheaper 2) more comfortable 3) support a great cause! Here's the link and I hope you'll help me support Toms One for One compaign! Gotta <3 Toms :)






Also, check out this snazzy gold... these are going to be my next purchase! Or maybe the pink sequins?? What do you guys think?




~Serena

March Favorite Beauty Gurus

So, kind of a twist on March Favorites. I was asked by one girl who reads my blog, Kelly (she asked me not to use her last name), to do my March Favorites: Beauty Gurus edition! I'm so excited to do this and hope that everyone else does this too! Just remember if you do this tag on your blog, to link back to my blog :)

1) Allthatglitters21 / Ellesglittergossip

--She is my favorite guru of all time- so sweet, and has so much knowledge on makeup! She also lives in Los Angeles, like me! Above is her Glitter Gossip: On the Go! video.

2) TmaraCo / Centered28

--I love these two because they're both Aussies...oh, and best friends! They have a cool take on the beauty guru scene, as they are still in school (like me), but know a ton about beauty! Above is their video on their new contest, be sure to participate in that!

3) Macbarbie07 / BethanysLife

--She's one of the more popular gurus, but she is still amazing! Her videos are inspirational, and she's gorgeous! Above is her must have spring jewelry pieces- love her style!

4) Leighannsays

--She is not a very well-known beauty guru, but she is so funny! She constantly does blooper/outtakes videos and they make my day so much better! She's from Texas and brings the attitude (a good one!) as well as the big hair with her! Above is one of her funniest outtakes videos, watch until the end!!

5) Shellx85x

--She's brand new onto the YouTube scene, but she is so sweet and her reviews are fabulous! Above is her MAC haul! It's a huge haul, btw!!

I have so many more favorite gurus, but I can't include them all or else this post would take forever to read! If you guys have other favorites (MissJenFABULOUS, ImperfectionsBeauty, etc), post them in the comments below!


Also, check out my favorite makeup brushes (I buy them from Amazon)... the very popular Sigma Makeup brushes! Here's a link to where I buy them from :) Enjoy and comment on anything below!!


~Serena

Coco Chanel: Coco Mademoiselle Perfume

Hey everyone! So I was just flipping through my Nordstrom magazine and found one of my oldest favorite perfumes (did that make sense? hopefully haha..)! I used to use Coco Mademoiselle all the time in highschool and even last year, but I ran out of it and never repurchased it...so dumb! I love this perfume and when I smelled the sample in the magazine, I was reminded why.

It smells like a little bit of heaven mixed with everything that smells great! The perfume lasts all day and the bottle is totally classic Coco Chanel! I just bought 2 off of Amazon and I'm like dying waiting for them to come :) I mean... what girl doesn't love Chanel?

I've included the Amazon link because right now, from this seller, you can buy it for..... GASP.... $50! This is an amazing deal, and I couldn't wait to share it with you guys. Just click the link above and you can buy it directly there! So simple, so easy, so Chanel <3 ! I hope you guys love this perfume as much as I do! Leave your thoughts and comments below!

~Serena

How to Make Eyes Pop! Make Your Eyes Look Bigger!

Here in Los Angeles, the weather has been great and it feels like summer is right around the corner. Personally, when summer comes, I attend a lot more parties and such- so I'm always doing my makeup and looking for new ideas. One thing I always focus on is my eyes. I have bright blue eyes, but I always try to make them pop... by making them look bigger! Here are some tips I've used in the past that really do make my eyes pop!!

1) Probably one of the most popular tips, apply white eyeliner near the tear duct area. Even though this is used to brighten your eye, it can also be combined with other tips and will make your eyes appear brighter and bigger!

2) False eyelashes!! Don't be afraid to use false eyelashes! They really do make a difference if you want your eye color, especially, to pop :) If you really prefer not to use them, try Maybeline The Falsies mascara - I love this stuff and the brush is curved so it coats every lash!

3) Curl your lashes! If you're not using false eyelashses or a special mascara, just curling your lashes before applying mascara can make so much of a difference! Try to find a good curler, though, because some cheap ones really don't work. I'll post my favorite eyelash curlers in a blog post coming up soon, so check that out!

4) Maintain your eyebrows! When you let your eyebrows get bushy and disregard them, it can really detract from your eyes and close off your eyes- making them look small. Make sure you keep them clean and pretty, so your eyes always pop!

5) Use contrasting eyeshadow! When I say contrasing eyeshadow, I mean if you have blue eyes (like myself), use browns, gold, and light pinks. Colors that contrast your eyes- it makes a huge difference!
--Blue Eyes: browns, golds, pinks...NO BLUES!
--Brown Eyes: pinks, purples, but be careful of dark browns as they may wash out your eyes
--Green/Hazel Eyes: purples, maybe some browns/golds, but NO GREENS!

Overall, these quick tips can help you achieve that stand-out eye! I hope this helped and keep following my blog for my updates on makeup and beauty, and my reviews/tutorials!

~Serena

March Favorites

So, as it is already a week into April, I thought now would be the perfect time to do my March favorites!

March Favorites:

1) Bondi Rescue [Many of you probably just did a little questioning glance when you read those words. But, yes, I am a Bondi Rescue fanatic! If you've never seen Bondi Rescue, it's because it's an Aussie show. Basically, it follows the lifeguards at Bondi Beach around as they save lives  throughout the day. Sounds boring, but it's actually one of the most interesting shows I've seen. I have it all recorded at my parents' house (on a channel called Fuel TV) and my friends I have legitit Bondi Rescue watching parties. Don't make fun until you've seen it. Those lifeguards are amazing! If you're an Aussie and reading this, comment below if you watch it or not, or comment even if your not an Aussie because I want to know if you've ever seen it!]

2) Benefit Hoola Bronzer [I actually bought this as a mistake one summer...those sales girls, they're good at what they do... and I really wanted to return it. Fortunately, I waited too long and was no longer able to return it! I love this product because it's simply brown- not orange, not a shimmery mess, but an actual bronzer. I use this a lot in the summer (I sometimes even replace my foundation with it when I'm just running out to Ralph's or something) and use it for contouring in the winter. Overall, I love it... 5 STARS!]

3)NARS Orgasm Blush [I kept hearing about this product and finally decided to buy it. My mom and sister both use this daily, and after purchasing it, I can see why! It has an awesome shimmery pinky coral color that looks good on tons of skin types.]

4) L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Lotions [I love this for the time of the year when I don't have natural color to my skin. I wrote a whole blog post about it, so check that out for more information on this product!]

5) Too Faced Natural Eye Palette [I can't say enough good things about this product! I just wrote a blog post on this product, so check it out. I love this product so much and recommend to every single person reading this!]

6) Ralph Lauren Hot Perfume [I recieved a huge Ralph Lauren perfume sample set for my birthday maybe a year ago and I loved so many of them! Ever since, I've been a HUGE Ralph Lauren perfume junkie, but my favorite one is Ralph Lauren Hot (although Ralph Lauren Rocks came in a close second). Please go buy this perfume like now! It smells so great, and the bottle is so cute!]

7 and 8) Lush Cosmetics Candy Fluff Egg and Hippy Chick [If you don't know what bath bombs are, go to the nearest Lush store and buy some- I promise you'll be in love! I just bought these two bath bombs from their new Easter collection and love them! They smell so amazing and are adorable!]

~Serena

Too Faced Natural Eye Palette

So it's the beginning of April and spring is in the air, so all of the girly, sparkly, pretty makeup is coming back in style. In the winter, I seem to neglect my makeup collection as it's "cold" (for a Californian, cold is best described as any time of the year when something with sleeves must be worn). Not only that, but when spring comes, the sun is out, so naturally I feel a bit more energized and therefore, I put more effort into my look.

One of the best purchases I've ever made has been my Too Faced Natural Eye Palette.

I love this palette because, as I am blue eyed, the colors are super complementary to my eyes. Blue eyed people often lean toward browns, golds, and light pinks. This palette has just that! This isn't just for blue eyed people though, this palette looks great on all eye colors. I'm often doing my friends' makeup and all I bring is this. It seems to work on everyone. Now, there have been about a bazillion posts/reviews/tutorials using this palette, but I wanted to share my thoughts as well.

So, as seen above, there are 3 looks one can create: Day, Classic, and Fashion. For more everyday looks, I use an assortment of colors.

--MY BASIC EYE LOOK USING THIS PALETTE:

1) Prime eyes [I like the Stay Don't Stray Primer from Benefit].

2)Apply Silk Teddy to only your lid.

3)Apply Push-Up to your crease.

4)Apply Cocoa Puff to the outer V of your eye.

5)Apply Heaven as a highlighter underneath your brow bone.

--FOR A MORE DRAMATIC LOOK:

1)Prime eyes.

2)Apply Nude Beach all over eye area.

3)Apply Erotica in your crease.

4)Apply Sexpresso in the outer V of your eye.

5)Apply Silk Teddy into the inner corner of your eye.

6)Apply Heaven as a highlighter underneath your brow bone.

There are so many different looks to create using this palette, I love it! It also comes with an angled brush and sponge eyeshadow applicator, which are great for when you travel.

Overall, I give this product 5 STARS and have already repurchased it I think two times (but maybe even 3...)because I ran out of the colors. I abosolutely love this and use it almost everyday. So yeah, I hope you guys enjoyed this review and keep reading my blog for more reviews and tutorials!

~Serena

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Lotion

Everyone seems to be picking up some color lately....well, except me. I live in Southern California (or SoCal as we call it), but I have basically no time to just chill at the beach. What is a girl to do? My solution: self-tanner!

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Tinted Self-Tanning Lotion (long name, but great product) works miracles! Now personally, I do tan when I'm in the sun, but who has hours and hours to spend in the sun? Not me! I picked this up at my local Ralph's (the basic grocery store in California), but you can pretty much get this at any drugstore. It was only $7 or $8 (I bought the shade Medium Natural Tan) and so far, it's some of the best money I ever spent.

Now, to walk you through how it works (because I know self-tanners can be a bit scary for first-time users). First off...EXFOLIATE! Remove all of your dead skin cells, so that the tanner can really sink in to your skin. Then, apply it to your skin. I recommend doing sections at a time (for example, start with your forearm, then move the upper arm/shoulder area, on to the stomach, etc...). By doing sections, you can take your time and prevent streaking. It says it's streak free, but trust me, you still have to be careful. So, when you first apply it to your skin, it's basically orange (see picture above).

Don't freak out! Once you begin to apply, the color is muted and only shimmery sparkles appear!   Personally, I enjoy the shimmer because I know where I have applied it, but some beauty gurus hate it. The shimmers are actually only visible to you, as no one will be staring at your arm as closely as yourself (plus, they wash off in the shower). After application, wait for it to dry completely-which is not that long at all-and you're good to go. It doesn't rub off on clothing, sheets, etc. 

It says the color will develop in less than an hour, but I honestly can't say because I do this at night and don't even stay up to see if it develops. All I know is - when I wake up, I have a tan. 

As for the smell, it's honestly not too bad. If you've ever smelled Jergens Natural Glow, it's NOTHING like that! This one has a faint tanner smell that easily comes off in the shower. This brings me to my next point, does the tan come off in the shower? No! The better you've exfoliated before applying, the longer it will last. I apply mine for a few consecutive nights (until I reach my desired tan level), then I only need to use it once or twice a week to maintain the color. I honestly love this product! 

My only cons to this product are that when the bottle says to wash hands throughouly, they mean it! I woke up after my first use with orange hands (it went away eventually, but that wasn't so cute while it lasted).

Overall, I would give this products 4 STARS and recommend you purchase it!

~Serena

                

My Skincare Routine

So, I have been asked a lot about my skin care routine, and decided to finally share it with you! Oh, and I have combination oily skin (oily T-zone, dry/comfortable cheeks).

In the morning:

1) Clinique Liquid Facial Soap-Oily Skin Formula [I use about a

half pump of this with warm water and massage it into my face for about a minute, rinse it off, then pat dry.]

    

2) Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3 [Again, this is for oily skin. I just apply some to a cotton ball, then all over my face. I let it sink in for a minute or two before moving on to step 3.]

3) Clinique Acne Solutions Clearing Moisturizer [I only apply this to my T-zone. It helps controil oil, but I've found that it's too drying for my cheeks. I apply it all over my T-zone following my toner from step 2.]

4) Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel [I LOVE this stuff! It's great for people with oily skin that have sensitive areas (mostly my cheeks). I apply this first to my cheeks, then all over, on top of my T-zone too. I think having two moisturizers on my T-zone has actually helped! My skin looks clearer, it always feels cleaner, and I would definitely recommend that to anyone who can't find a balance in their skin. Steps 3 and 4 are crucial in my skin care routine.]

At night:

1) Almay Makeup Removing Towlettes [These are perfect for me, as I travel back and forth from school to home (I'm in college, so I do have a bit of a drive). I don't like having to carry liquid bottled makeup remover, so this is a life saver! They have a faint smell, but barely noticeable and they remove EVERYTHING. Another plus- they're cheap (maybe $5)! I use them to remove all my foundation, concealer, bronzer, eye makeup, everything... and they remove it all. I have the 25 pack and if you use 1 per night, it'll last almost a month!! I love these and definitely recommend them.]

2) Clinique Acne Solutions Cleansing Foam [I like this because even though it targets acne, it is somehow gentle. I don't currently have acne, but I love this because it prevents blemishes from forming. I wet my face first, then use about one pump (sometimes 1 1/2 or 2) and massage it in for about a minute. Then, I rinse it off and pat dry. It does dry out your face if you don't follow it with or toner and/or moisturizer, so even though it says FOAM, it does deep clean.]

3)Clinique Acne Solutions Clarifying Lotion [Another favorite of mine. When you want to use this, you have to shake it up first because there is a layer of powder (not sure what kind) at the bottom. I love this toner because it does a great job with oil control, yet it cleans very well. I sometimes use this in the morning instead of the regular Clinique toner, but only when my skin feels really dirty. I just apply this to a cotton ball, then to my face, and let it sink if for a minute or two.]

4) Clinique Acne Solutions Clearing Moisturizer [Again, I only apply this to my T-zone and let it sink in for a minute or two.]

5) Clinque Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel [Same as in the morning, I apply this all over my face and that's it!]

So that's my entire skin care routine and it has been for quite some time! I absolutely love Clinique (as you've probably figured out). If you have any questions regarding my routine or in general, you can comment below or e-mail me at MakeupBySerena@aol.com

I'll try to answer every comment and e-mail I can, so don't be shy to ask me questions!

~Serena