Monday, January 11, 2016
I Wanted To Write
I really have been wanting to keep writing and keep posting entries, and I want to share my story to anyone who will listen. It may not be an amazing tale of adventures or exciting journeys, but it will always be one of perseverance and encouragement. It will be real, and it will be filled of days of happiness and joy, others of sadness and anger that gets the best of me. When I hear about someone who looks up to me for whatever reason, I feel at a loss for words because I am truly a wreck. I am the last person that anyone should look to, but it is humbling to know it happens. It's an awakening to keep pushing through the bad days, to "cover up for the rain" as the band Lydia sings.
Waking up today, I like a lot of the world found out about the death of a musical icon, a theatrical genius, and a truly unique mind. David Bowie has gotten me through so many days of feeling just lost, feeling so down on myself for being so different from the rest of the world. Those days were long before I grew into loving myself for my differences. This man put all of himself out there to be criticized and hated by some, but the ones who loved him loved him with everything. There is no middle ground when it comes to him. It's either you loved him or you just didn't understand.
I loved hearing the bits of his music I did throughout the years, but my first time of really experiencing all of him was in high school when we watch Labyrinth in the auditorium for theater. Watching him dance around with these puppets, singing so gracefully to a song that was truly just silly, how could the young me not fall in love with all that he was?! I remember diving into his music and loving every bit of it. Seeing him play one of my favorite scientists throughout history in The Prestige, I almost didn't recognize Bowie as Nikola Tesla. It was such a different role to see him as this sophisticated, normal looking man. I admired him for all that he was and all that he could do and bring out with even just a small role in this random movie. It became a favorite, and I am watching it now. He will always be a man of extremes that stood against the world, and damn it, I love him for it.
"Heroes" being in The Perks of Being A Wallflower is one of the reasons I love that movie and book. Hearing it play through the tunnel...
"And in that moment, I swear we were infinite."
RIP David Bowie. Dance among the stars as we continue to gaze upon your infinite beauty, infinite genius.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Pale Lady Alert - Product List
Product List:
Eyes:
Too Faced Shadow Insurance Eye Shadow Primer
Kat Von D Interstellar Eyeshadow Palette
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
Too Faced Bulletproof Brows in Universal Taupe
Sephora Collection Single Eyeshadow in Red
Nars Highlighter in Albatross
Face:
Too Faced Hangover Primer
Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + in 15
Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil in FBI
Besame Cosmetics Face Powder in Ivory
Too Faced Bronzer in Pink Leopard
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light
Lips:
Too Faced Lip Insurance Primer
Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick in Vampira
Monday, June 22, 2015
Media Monday: Grand Romantic by Nate Ruess
Can I just start with the fact that I adore Nate Ruess, and I have loved him since long ago, back when he led The Format straight to my heart?! His music will always hold a special place in my heart as it got me through so many years of teenage angst and sadness turning to a hopeful lust for love. When I heard his work with Fun, I knew the voice and immediately bought everything I could find from them. Both of their albums were played on repeat for months, and I just stopped listening to anything else. This album from Nate has been nothing less.
This man is so incredibly talented vocally and lyrically. His falsetto always amazes me, and his voice always sends chills down my back. His music is so different from anyone else's in this theatrical and emotional manner that I will never grow tired of. Every song, every word is sung with this power that reaches the deepest parts of my heart and soul. His voice is so unique and has these little imperfections, details really that make it that much better to listen to.
I love that he ties certain songs back to other songs that he has written. I love that the music makes me smile while listening, but my heart just wants to cry out. I remember hearing him say that he was excited to roll out some songs that provided this hopefulness instead of the sad songs he has written in the past. This album definitely shows his romanticism. While I still can hear the sadness, there is hope.
Lyrically speaking, "Grand Romantic" is definitely the song that resonates with me. But, "It Only Gets Much Worse" is the song that I can't stop thinking about and could play over and over and over.
All you'll become may all go to waste
So I can't stand to hear you say it hurts
When it only gets much worse
It only gets much worse"
I guess I just think about how much I go through with my depression, how much I know it can hurt and how it always feels like it will always continue down the spiral of pain and bitterness. Even with such lyrics, singing them still brings hope in some strange way.
All in all, I love this album. I am impressed with his ability to do all that he does. He is someone I look to for inspiration in my own music and vocals. Nate Ruess is someone that I want to tell everyone about, but I still want to keep him all to myself. He truly never ceases to amaze me. Check out his album, Grand Romantic, and please tell me what you think!
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Review: Arctic Fox Hair Color
One of the features I am most known for (like most of my kind) is my bright red hair. It is a major upkeep, but I love my color, and I refuse to really change it at this point. I've done different varieties for the red that I typically do, and I have my set routine or method to keep it fresh. It is a hassle, I will admit. So, I am always looking for better options or easier ways to go about it. After being a redhead for about 3 years straight now, my hair is much better at holding the dye through the ends. However, my hair grows way too fast to keep up, so I end up needing to dye my roots every 2-3 weeks. (If only you could see the cringe on my face right now.)
I am a licensed esthetician and not by any means a hair stylist! My last roommate, who was my best friend for a very long time, is a hair stylist, and when she did my hair, she clued me in as to what products we were using and how much of what. I also kind of gave my suggestions of things I wanted to try and what mixes to do. When I became licensed, I was then able to go pick up my own dye and have her do it for me whenever. It made it a lot cheaper and easier for me to grasp what to do for myself when I ended up moving out and cutting that relationship off. I won't give away exactly what I used, but I used Redken on my roots and Pravana Color Vivids through the ends. This gave a very subtle ombre that always looked fresh and got me plenty of compliments! I've used this method for years now, and I probably will continue to use it for the most part. I've gotten tips on refreshing from the Pravana stylists online, and although I miss someone else doing my hair, I can't afford to have someone else do it every 2-3 weeks.
On Instagram, I was scrolling through and saw a comment on one of the gorgeous ladies I follow referring to this dye used by Kristen Leanne.
Arctic Fox Hair Color is a vegan, cruelty free brand that donates a certain amount from your purchase to an organization fighting animal cruelty. After seeing this one comment, I kept seeing this brand pop up everywhere and hearing great things. So, I ended up following them on Instagram, checking out their website, and I felt like this would be a great product to try out. I'm pretty used to only using high end professional products from beauty supplies where only licensed professionals can shop to be completely honest, so I was a little nervous about this. I bought the small bottle (4.0oz) of their red color called Poison, so I could at least try it out. Turns out, Hot Topic is now selling them. Had no idea! So, anyways, I dyed my hair today. I used about half the bottle I purchased, which is about the same amount I use with the other dye to complete my head. Typically, you would want to pre-lighten your hair, but I just wanted to see it put on top of what was already there first. Like I said before, I have a routine with my hair, and it isn't quite time to use lightener before dying yet. I will be lightening my hair the next time I dye it, and that is when I plan on using the remaining product from the bottle of color on top of it. Now, for this dye, it says to shampoo your hair first, and then apply to damp hair. I believe this is the same with Pravana, but I have never done this on wet hair before. I have always had my hair dry when dying. Trying this whole new world out! As for the coloring process, it was the same as any other time. I poured a little less than half the bottle into my mixing bowl, and I used a hair dye brush on my hair in sections. I ended up leaving the dye in my hair for about an hour. There is conditioning in it, so I figured why not. Usually, I would only leave it for a half hour or so. I ended up just throwing my hair into a bun for the evening as I don't like to use too many heated tools on it, and I will wait for my hair to dry overnight. From what I can tell so far, the dye comes off your skin and counters super easy. I've become pretty well with not leaving too much a mess when dying my hair lately, but I also have a Color Stain Remover that works pretty well, I suppose. The color looks refreshed and vibrant again, not too different from the color it was before. Without lightening, it really is only meant to work as a tint anyways though.
After drying and curling my hair, it looks like it took pretty well to the color. It is super bright and gorgeous red again. I will have to wait some time to see how it holds up as far as washing and all that goes. I typically only wash my hair 1 or 2 times a week because I don't need to do so more than that really and also because I don't need my color washing out even quicker. My only complaint about this dye is that it has rubbed off on my hands all day as I touched or moved my hair. It happens with the other dyes as well, only on the first day after. I will give it some time and update on how well the color stays, and I will also have to review how it goes when I lighten my hair as well. All in all so far, I like it!
I am a licensed esthetician and not by any means a hair stylist! My last roommate, who was my best friend for a very long time, is a hair stylist, and when she did my hair, she clued me in as to what products we were using and how much of what. I also kind of gave my suggestions of things I wanted to try and what mixes to do. When I became licensed, I was then able to go pick up my own dye and have her do it for me whenever. It made it a lot cheaper and easier for me to grasp what to do for myself when I ended up moving out and cutting that relationship off. I won't give away exactly what I used, but I used Redken on my roots and Pravana Color Vivids through the ends. This gave a very subtle ombre that always looked fresh and got me plenty of compliments! I've used this method for years now, and I probably will continue to use it for the most part. I've gotten tips on refreshing from the Pravana stylists online, and although I miss someone else doing my hair, I can't afford to have someone else do it every 2-3 weeks.
On Instagram, I was scrolling through and saw a comment on one of the gorgeous ladies I follow referring to this dye used by Kristen Leanne.
Arctic Fox Hair Color is a vegan, cruelty free brand that donates a certain amount from your purchase to an organization fighting animal cruelty. After seeing this one comment, I kept seeing this brand pop up everywhere and hearing great things. So, I ended up following them on Instagram, checking out their website, and I felt like this would be a great product to try out. I'm pretty used to only using high end professional products from beauty supplies where only licensed professionals can shop to be completely honest, so I was a little nervous about this. I bought the small bottle (4.0oz) of their red color called Poison, so I could at least try it out. Turns out, Hot Topic is now selling them. Had no idea! So, anyways, I dyed my hair today. I used about half the bottle I purchased, which is about the same amount I use with the other dye to complete my head. Typically, you would want to pre-lighten your hair, but I just wanted to see it put on top of what was already there first. Like I said before, I have a routine with my hair, and it isn't quite time to use lightener before dying yet. I will be lightening my hair the next time I dye it, and that is when I plan on using the remaining product from the bottle of color on top of it. Now, for this dye, it says to shampoo your hair first, and then apply to damp hair. I believe this is the same with Pravana, but I have never done this on wet hair before. I have always had my hair dry when dying. Trying this whole new world out! As for the coloring process, it was the same as any other time. I poured a little less than half the bottle into my mixing bowl, and I used a hair dye brush on my hair in sections. I ended up leaving the dye in my hair for about an hour. There is conditioning in it, so I figured why not. Usually, I would only leave it for a half hour or so. I ended up just throwing my hair into a bun for the evening as I don't like to use too many heated tools on it, and I will wait for my hair to dry overnight. From what I can tell so far, the dye comes off your skin and counters super easy. I've become pretty well with not leaving too much a mess when dying my hair lately, but I also have a Color Stain Remover that works pretty well, I suppose. The color looks refreshed and vibrant again, not too different from the color it was before. Without lightening, it really is only meant to work as a tint anyways though.
After drying and curling my hair, it looks like it took pretty well to the color. It is super bright and gorgeous red again. I will have to wait some time to see how it holds up as far as washing and all that goes. I typically only wash my hair 1 or 2 times a week because I don't need to do so more than that really and also because I don't need my color washing out even quicker. My only complaint about this dye is that it has rubbed off on my hands all day as I touched or moved my hair. It happens with the other dyes as well, only on the first day after. I will give it some time and update on how well the color stays, and I will also have to review how it goes when I lighten my hair as well. All in all so far, I like it!
Monday, June 15, 2015
New job. New adventure.
Today, I started a new job here in Phoenix. I am working for Facebook, which is pretty awesome so far. It seems like a company where I can grow and really begin to enjoy a good work-life balance.
I am still working as an esthetician and as a freelance makeup artist as well. I decided that I will no longer be modeling, however. It just isn't fun for me anymore, and I will have way too much going on to focus on much more than what I will be doing. For the next month or two, I will continue working all three jobs only to catch myself up financially and get into a new apartment. After that, I will be leaving one of those jobs. I start school full time in August, and I will be taking care of my daughter more at that point as well.
Right now, I spend a lot of time looking st apartments and being completely unsatisfied with the results. There is always something that I am not happy with. I may be acting a bit more picky than what most do. I just know how I am, and if I am not completely happy with where I am, I end up leaving rather quickly. I want a place where I won't have to think about moving again for a year or more. Moving every couple months is tiresome and becoming more and more aggravating. It is time for my own place, though. I look forward to it.
I'm still organizing a schedule for my posts as well on top of everything else. I'm hoping to have some of that a bit more organized tonight.
Off to the rest of my day!
Friday, June 12, 2015
Review: Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick
When I saw posts about the new liquid lipsticks from Anastasia Beverly Hills, I have to say, I was a little skeptical about how "fantastic" they would really be. Then, I saw everyone going crazy for them. I decided to wait to get them. My favorite liquid lipsticks are Kat Von D's and some of the Melted line from Too Faced, and I just couldn't bring myself to order the colors that I wanted to try from Anastasia. Fast forward a few months later, I planned my weekend vacation to California. I knew that I would absolutely have to go to the physical store to get a few of these lipsticks to try. So, first thing I did after the hotel was drive over to the store, sat there for about 10 minutes, swatching all of the colors on the back of my hand. I felt like I was at work or something with how much product was on my hand.
The colors above are the original colors that came out, and since then, there have been two new colors that were released (Craft and Unicorn). I wish I would have grabbed Craft because it is a gorgeous purple-ish pink color that I don't really have in my abyss of lip colors. However, I probably would never wear it. I am almost always wearing red. I LOVE my red lipsticks. So, I ended up buying American Doll, Potion, and Pure Hollywood. I really want Heathers, but it was out of stock. I almost bought Bloodline, but I thought why not do something a little different for my reds. I wore them each throughout my vacation.
Not only do I absolutely love all the colors that I purchased, but I absolutely LOVE the formula. They are not at all drying on the lips, and the colors wear a really good amount of time. I still feel like the Kat Von D ones last longer throughout the day, but my lips don't feel at all dry and chapped like they sometimes do with the Kat Von D ones. I really just need to get a good lip conditioner to wear while I sleep with how much lipstick I wear.
American Doll is such a different red for me. Outlaw from Kat Von D has always been my go to, which is similar to Bloodline from ABH. I still want to order Bloodline, but I will have to wait until all the colors I want are back in stock. It seems when looking online, they are constantly out of stock of a ton of colors. Proving even more that these lipsticks are just as good as everyone says. I did not realize that you could get them at Macy's as well, so I may just go ahead and order from them instead. Vamp is the other color that I really loved. There are just TOO many fabulous colors.
I love that Potion is such a dark color that has this gorgeous purple tint to it. I feel like Too Faced were going for that with Villain in the Melted line, and don't get me wrong, I love my Melted colors, but Potion is exactly the color I want when it comes to going almost black. I always get compliments when I wear Villain, but I feel like that is one of the colors that I have to keep reapplying throughout the day where I can apply Velvet once and be good all day long.
Then, there is Pure Hollywood. I absolutely love this color. I have never been a fan of nudes for lips. Agatha from KVD is a favorite, but it does not stay on like the liquid lipsticks do. Pure Hollywood is what I have been going for on a daily basis since purchasing. Part of it is that I really want to find a better lip liner for American Doll. The other part is that I actually really like how simple it is. However, with all nude lips, the color just does not stay on me all day like other colors do. I don't know why, but that is just how it is with all nude colors.
Is it fair to say that I have a new favorite brand for liquid lipsticks? ....Not quite. I love Kat Von D and her line too much to say that much for the Anastasia colors. However, I do love these lipsticks. I would rather sacrifice a little bit of drying on the lips for as long wear as I can possibly get. But, I will definitely be buying more as soon as possible. Just keep an eye out next month for the new colors launching with Kat Von D. I will probably go product crazy and just buy them all. =D
The colors above are the original colors that came out, and since then, there have been two new colors that were released (Craft and Unicorn). I wish I would have grabbed Craft because it is a gorgeous purple-ish pink color that I don't really have in my abyss of lip colors. However, I probably would never wear it. I am almost always wearing red. I LOVE my red lipsticks. So, I ended up buying American Doll, Potion, and Pure Hollywood. I really want Heathers, but it was out of stock. I almost bought Bloodline, but I thought why not do something a little different for my reds. I wore them each throughout my vacation.
Not only do I absolutely love all the colors that I purchased, but I absolutely LOVE the formula. They are not at all drying on the lips, and the colors wear a really good amount of time. I still feel like the Kat Von D ones last longer throughout the day, but my lips don't feel at all dry and chapped like they sometimes do with the Kat Von D ones. I really just need to get a good lip conditioner to wear while I sleep with how much lipstick I wear.
American Doll is such a different red for me. Outlaw from Kat Von D has always been my go to, which is similar to Bloodline from ABH. I still want to order Bloodline, but I will have to wait until all the colors I want are back in stock. It seems when looking online, they are constantly out of stock of a ton of colors. Proving even more that these lipsticks are just as good as everyone says. I did not realize that you could get them at Macy's as well, so I may just go ahead and order from them instead. Vamp is the other color that I really loved. There are just TOO many fabulous colors.
I love that Potion is such a dark color that has this gorgeous purple tint to it. I feel like Too Faced were going for that with Villain in the Melted line, and don't get me wrong, I love my Melted colors, but Potion is exactly the color I want when it comes to going almost black. I always get compliments when I wear Villain, but I feel like that is one of the colors that I have to keep reapplying throughout the day where I can apply Velvet once and be good all day long.
Then, there is Pure Hollywood. I absolutely love this color. I have never been a fan of nudes for lips. Agatha from KVD is a favorite, but it does not stay on like the liquid lipsticks do. Pure Hollywood is what I have been going for on a daily basis since purchasing. Part of it is that I really want to find a better lip liner for American Doll. The other part is that I actually really like how simple it is. However, with all nude lips, the color just does not stay on me all day like other colors do. I don't know why, but that is just how it is with all nude colors.
Is it fair to say that I have a new favorite brand for liquid lipsticks? ....Not quite. I love Kat Von D and her line too much to say that much for the Anastasia colors. However, I do love these lipsticks. I would rather sacrifice a little bit of drying on the lips for as long wear as I can possibly get. But, I will definitely be buying more as soon as possible. Just keep an eye out next month for the new colors launching with Kat Von D. I will probably go product crazy and just buy them all. =D
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Get To Know Me
I always think to myself when looking through blogs, "Who are these people?" While I'm sure I won't have too many viewers or followers, I like the idea of giving those that want it an opportunity to know a little bit more about me. I found this 20 Questions Tag, and I wasn't tagged. I just think it is a fun way to go about giving some more detail as to who is sitting in front of the computer screen.
1. Are you named after anyone?
I am not named Anya after anyone. My parents heard the name in a movie and liked it. My middle name, Carol, is after my Mom's sister and my Dad's mother, though.
2. When was the last time you cried?
I cry a lot. It isn't a big deal. It's just how I express most emotions. Last time I cried was as I was walking around in the Batman Exhibit at Warner Brothers Studio Tour. Yes, this should show how much of a weirdie I really am. I got most excited when I touched the jacket Gary Oldman wore as Gary Oldman.
3. Do you have kids?
I have a four year old daughter, Dahlia.
4. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself?
Hmm....I would. I don't typically hang out with too many girls quite honestly. But, I would hang out with myself.
5. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
I don't think I will as I write out posts. But, I am pretty sarcastic in person, sometimes even witty!
6. Will you ever bungee-jump?
Never! I am beyond terrified of heights.
7. What’s your favorite cereal?
Hmm....I actually love Cheerios. Every now and then, I want Lucky Charms.
8. What’s the first thing you notice about people?
With women, I look at eyebrows and makeup. I'm a makeup artist, don't judge me. I also tend to relate everyone to animals depending on their face shapes. It's another weird thing I do. I try to figure out if I would get along with someone within the first few minutes. It's sort of a bad habit.
9. What is your eye colour?
Green, athough they do change quite often.
(Photo by Tate Hemlock)
10. Scary movie or happy endings?
Game of Thrones.
11. Favorite smells?
Hmm...I do love honeysuckle and rain. My favorite male fragrance is either Versace Eros or Gucci Made to Measure. My current perfumes are Jean Paul Gaultier's Classique and Versace Eros for Women.
12. Summer or winter?
13. Computer or television?
Computer, hands down.
14. What’s the furthest you’ve ever been from home?
I have been all over North America. I have been to Vancouver and Seattle for a visit. I went to Springfield, MO for a semester of school. I traveled back to the east coast to visit family and to go to Disneyworld. Seattle is still my favorite place.
15. Do you have any special talents?
I have been playing piano for a good, long while, and I have been singing since I was really young. I'm pretty good at those. Besides that, I guess makeup artistry could be seen as a talent.
16. Where were you born?
Baltimore, Maryland.
17. Do you have any pets?
No pets. A daughter is enough for me to handle.
18. Favorite movie?
There are just way too many to list! However, my top favorites are The Raven and all of the Batman movies.
19. Do you have any siblings?
I have 5 siblings. I have an older half sister, two older brothers, a younger sister, and a younger brother.
20. What do you want to be when you grow up?
At 25, I still don't feel very grown up. I just want to be happy with whatever I am doing. I've already got a ton of different certificates and licenses, but I am most excited to go back to school in August and work towards getting a degree in Forensic Investigation.
If you have other questions, you would like for me to answer, please let me know! I would love to hear back from anyone who pays attention to my ramblings!
1. Are you named after anyone?
I am not named Anya after anyone. My parents heard the name in a movie and liked it. My middle name, Carol, is after my Mom's sister and my Dad's mother, though.
2. When was the last time you cried?
I cry a lot. It isn't a big deal. It's just how I express most emotions. Last time I cried was as I was walking around in the Batman Exhibit at Warner Brothers Studio Tour. Yes, this should show how much of a weirdie I really am. I got most excited when I touched the jacket Gary Oldman wore as Gary Oldman.
3. Do you have kids?
I have a four year old daughter, Dahlia.
4. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself?
Hmm....I would. I don't typically hang out with too many girls quite honestly. But, I would hang out with myself.
5. Do you use sarcasm a lot?
I don't think I will as I write out posts. But, I am pretty sarcastic in person, sometimes even witty!
6. Will you ever bungee-jump?
Never! I am beyond terrified of heights.
7. What’s your favorite cereal?
Hmm....I actually love Cheerios. Every now and then, I want Lucky Charms.
8. What’s the first thing you notice about people?
With women, I look at eyebrows and makeup. I'm a makeup artist, don't judge me. I also tend to relate everyone to animals depending on their face shapes. It's another weird thing I do. I try to figure out if I would get along with someone within the first few minutes. It's sort of a bad habit.
9. What is your eye colour?
Green, athough they do change quite often.
(Photo by Tate Hemlock)
10. Scary movie or happy endings?
Game of Thrones.
11. Favorite smells?
Hmm...I do love honeysuckle and rain. My favorite male fragrance is either Versace Eros or Gucci Made to Measure. My current perfumes are Jean Paul Gaultier's Classique and Versace Eros for Women.
12. Summer or winter?
13. Computer or television?
Computer, hands down.
14. What’s the furthest you’ve ever been from home?
I have been all over North America. I have been to Vancouver and Seattle for a visit. I went to Springfield, MO for a semester of school. I traveled back to the east coast to visit family and to go to Disneyworld. Seattle is still my favorite place.
15. Do you have any special talents?
I have been playing piano for a good, long while, and I have been singing since I was really young. I'm pretty good at those. Besides that, I guess makeup artistry could be seen as a talent.
16. Where were you born?
Baltimore, Maryland.
17. Do you have any pets?
No pets. A daughter is enough for me to handle.
18. Favorite movie?
There are just way too many to list! However, my top favorites are The Raven and all of the Batman movies.
19. Do you have any siblings?
I have 5 siblings. I have an older half sister, two older brothers, a younger sister, and a younger brother.
20. What do you want to be when you grow up?
At 25, I still don't feel very grown up. I just want to be happy with whatever I am doing. I've already got a ton of different certificates and licenses, but I am most excited to go back to school in August and work towards getting a degree in Forensic Investigation.
If you have other questions, you would like for me to answer, please let me know! I would love to hear back from anyone who pays attention to my ramblings!
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