False Lash Fabulousness

Oh false lashes, they will forever have a special place in my heart. As one who is, what I like to refer to as 'lash impaired' I can truly value a good pair of falsies. I practically praise the mascara gods when I put on my make-up in the morning for creating such a magnificent product. 

However, I wasn't always like this, believe it or not I used to fear the stuff.  Being a little dancing nugget myself, every June meant a recital which equalled stage make-up. I could handle the red lipstick, blush, eye shadow & the glitter(of course); but having my mother come at me at age 4 with a smelly wand of black goop and waving it in front of my eyes was all but traumatic. (not to mention the eyelash curler which can only be described as a steel death trap)  I think I was like 7 when I finally insisted on learning to do it myself for that years recital. Well sure enough once I got going, I fell in love.

 Then just a year later I was placed on a competition dance team where they upped the stage make-up anti with fake eyelashes. These suckers blew my mind. It was like the eyelashes I was born to have were suddenly glued on my face! (If only the glue could last forever...) Now while this was acceptable make-up for dance time, I wasn't quite sure how I could pull off such a dramatic change to my everyday make-up (which at the time consisted of roll-on scented body glitter, lip smackers, & clear mascara). 

So fast forward a few years & now I actually have somewhat of an idea of how to wear make-up outside of a dance performance, but I still yearn for those long luscious lashes. I will admit to wearing a full set out on the weekends with a dark smoky eye, but the weekend just won't cut it, I want more! So when I came across this trick on 'what not to wear' I practically did a fan kick for joy. This will allow you to wear your false lashes out in daylight without giving the impression that you work on street corners. 

Ok so here is what my actual lashes look like after being curled with one coat of mascara.  Not horrible, but pretty pathetic if you ask me. 

Ok so first things first, look at your eye lashes, notice their natural thickness 

& length. This trick requires a natural blend between false & real lashes; we're not going for Vegas showgirl, just the (smokin' hot) girl next door. 

When you get to the drug store, try to find a pair that suits your needs, I picked ANDREA's mod lash in Black 21, because it has just enough thickness & length comparable to mine. I've found that Black 53 also suits me well. If you're not sure pick up 2 pairs & experiment. 

You're also going to want to pick up some sharp scissors & waterproof Lash Grip Adhesive. (I prefer the kind that is a white glue that dries clear vs the dark drying glue because I'm partial to plum eye liner.)

Next thing is to cut the lashes. You can either go from the half way mark or I prefer three fourths of the way down. You want to use the inner section with the smallest part to the widest. You can save the little end piece that you cut off & place back on the holder. 

(At this point you should also apply your eye make-up especially your mascara & eye liner.)

Then add a thin layer of glue, & I like to blow on the glue so it gets a little bit tacky. You do not want a gluey mess dripping onto the corner of your eyes. Trust.

 Then starting from about the center of your eye going outward, gently place the false eye lashes along your natural lash line. 

Now whether your going for a outward &/or upward look you can gently press on the lashes while the glue dries to get the shape you want. (Yes the glue with dry clear, I PROMISE!) 

Then I like to go in with my mascara & add a second coat to those inner lashes. Pulling my mascara wand in an up motion will concentrate the mascara to help add length and definition. 

& that's it! A nice soft full lash perfect for your next lunch date ;) 

Here's a few more shots with the flash on, so you can really see the subtle definition the false lashes can add. 

Again, a pre-lash shot. 

With the cut lashes on.

And for comparisons sake, here is the full set, before I cut them.

Hope you enjoyed my little lash trick!

On Pinterest? Repin here!

Charmed Chopsticks

Got a hot sushi date, but your chopstick challenged? Don't worry you're not alone. 

I have never been one to master the fine art of using chopsticks. Perhaps its because I spent more time focusing on how to paint my nails, or using a hot glue gun to bedazzle everything (& anything) that I never developed the hand muscles to gracefully eat a meal with two overgrown toothpicks; either way I prefer a fork & knife any day. 

However, there does come a time when I too like to fit in with my sushi fabulous friends. Because lets face it, no one wants to be the neanderthal of the table eating your shrimp tempura roll with your fingers.....totally hypothetical scenario.   

Then one day while dining out at my favorite Chinese food restaurant, I was goofing off trying to eat some rice using the chopsticks when one of the waiters saw me failing miserably & showed me a trick that I have never forgotten. So I guess its time for me to pay it forward to all you chopstick impaired friends. 

What you need:

Chopsticks w Chopsticks Wrapper w Hair tie/Rubber band

Remove the chopsticks from their wrapper & flatten it out. Rub your chop sticks together to remove any flakes of wood that may be left on them. 

Take your wrapper & fold it in half. Then fold it in half again.

repeat this process about 4-5 times

When you've folded your wrapper up till you can't fold any more take it & place it towards the end of the chopsticks.

Pinch together the ends of the chopsticks creating a 45° degree angle & making the folded wrapper become a wedge. 

Take your hair tie/rubber band and wrap the ends of the chopsticks together, be sure to wrap once at the open end of the wedge to make sure your wrapper stays secure.

You want majority of the hair tie to be at the end of your chopsticks so the lever can open easily.

Test out your chopsticks, they should spring open after you press them together.

Then give them a try! I promise you wont be disappointed! 

Now there are more permanent alternatives out there that come pre-fashioned & have a cute little designs on the ends, but this is much more affordable & you don't have to cart your chopsticks around with you.

I pulled this fortune out of the cookie & found it to be very fitting. :)

On Pinterest? Repin here!