Places to Check Out: Vasquez Rocks and Agua Dulce

I had a great time hiking, climbing, caving, and exploring in the Vasquez Rocks today. 

The Vasquez Rocks are part of a wilderness park a bit north of Los Angeles. Many movies and TV shows have been filmed there for decades. 

The park includes hiking trails, wonderful rock formations, caves, rock climbing opportunities, old house/town ruins, Native American pictographs, and a visitor's center.

You better believe I got all up in dem caves. I love the outdoors. I love hiking, caving, and rock climbing... this was definitely a great place to go.

In the above picture you can see some of the Tataviam Native American pictographs located on site. On the far right is some kind of bird, and on the far left- a snake.

 

 

  I was so mesmerized by all of these pictographs. I love anything relating to or concerning history and culture. Let me tell you, this place was FULL of all that and more. I am seriously so happy with the time I had today.

 

I took the above two pictures to try and show you what the landscape looks like up close. I took these from the top of some of the rock formations. Of course, it is much more breath-taking in person.

I am hoping I can do a photoshoot in this area soon. Everything about it inspired me artistically and revived me culturally. 

BKL 

Valentine's Day Makeup

 

Yay for Valentine's Day! I thought I'd take the opportunity to do my makeup love themed, especially since I'm working in the salon all day today.

My face makeup is simple... my regular routine of NARS concealer and Laura Mercier setting powder. I used a light sparkly pink blush and my regular Opal highlighter from Becca.

My lips are a Wet n' Wild matte stay forever lipstick thingy. It comes in a lip gloss type container because it's a liquid lipstick. It's highly pigmented and dries matte. It also DOESN'T BUDGE. I love it because I can eat with it on and it lasts all day. It's one of my favorite lipsticks and it only cost $3... IF YOU HAVEN'T TRIED WET N' WILD, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO. It's a fabulous brand.

 

 

I filled in my brows lightly with a little Anastasia dip brow in Chocolate.

I used Lancome Grandiose mascara. 

My eyeliner is actually two Makeup Forever Artist Shadows, applied with a damp angled brush.

I started with the bright pink on the inner corners, and used the red for the outer corners and the wings of my eyeliner. I used Sugarpill Charmy (WHICH IS ONE OF THE NEW SHADES THEY RELEASED AND THE ONE I BOUGHT AT IMATS) on my lids and into my crease a little. It's a very pretty soft shimmery peach color.

I drew the little heart by hand using the same pink eyeshadow I used for my eyeliner. I used the same damp angled brush. I topped the heart with Urban Decay glitter liquid liner. 

Much love and Happy Valentine's Day!

BKL

 

My New Year's Resolutions: Where Are They Now?

New Year's Resolutions: you can't live with 'em, and you can't live without them.

Remember that post I made a while back about my resolutions? Well, this post is going to review where I am with those resolutions... if I've stuck with them and what I have to work on.

The highlighted statements are the exact statements I said before, and the black afterwards is my comment on it.

• Become fully vegan: I have been vegetarian for almost two years now, and the longer I go on without making the plunge to vegan the more unhappy I become. So, I want to finally make that switch over to full veganism this year. It will take a lot of money and determination, but it's worth the happiness and peace it will bring me. I am happy to say that I am actively working toward veganism. I am cutting out a lot more dairy and egg products and focusing on avoiding unnecessary processed foods etc. So far so good. I want to do this slowly and in a way that's healthier for my body.
• Get fit and work out more: Okay so I know this is something almost everyone says they will do at the beginning of every year, but I truly want to do this. This isn't a wish for me, it's something that will happen, and something I've already been working on. I've already lost about 5 pounds (yes, even through the holiday feasts) and I don't plan on stopping any time soon. I've been walking more, doing yoga, hooping, hiking, and eating better. I plan to carry that into 2015. I've now lost a total of 13 pounds. I have to be honest, I am very proud of myself. I've continued to eat better and smaller portions. Unfortunately I am so busy with my job that I haven't really been exercising. I hope I can change that soon. I still go hiking every now and then when I have time.
• Blog and Vlog: I want to continue blogging! My life is going to be crazy busy this year but I want to write at the very least one blog post a month... and continuing on that note, I want to start vlogging. Yes, people, YouTube. I want to start making YouTube content. I don't care if that means only one video up this year, I just want to start.Well, I am holding up the blogging part of this resolution just by making this post. I have so many ideas for blogs and vlogs... they only keep growing each day. I wish I had more time to write! As far as YouTube goes, I am making huge progress toward finally having content to upload. I can't wait to start.
• Work and Career: This year is going to be huge for me career-wise. Last month I finally got my cosmetology license and I am working on getting an assistant job in a salon in Hollywood. I want to really put everything I've got into furthering my career. I want to work full time. I want to continue working with Mikaela Phillips on her photoshoots. This year is really going to be a game-changer for me and my career. I got the job! I am now working full time as a hairstylist in Hollywood, and a salon assistant in Santa Monica. I get free education too. I am so overwhelmed with everything that is happening for me right now. I also just got confirmation that I will be involved with doing some type of makeup for the Oscar's. I can't wait to see where all of these opportunities take me!
• Conventions galore: This is going to be the year of conventions for me! I've already attended quite a few conventions in my lifetime, but I want this year to be full of them. I am going to make every effort I can to attend as many as possible. I want to do this partially because it's fun, and partially because conventions are a huge platform for education in my career field. I plan on attending IMATS LA, ISSE Long Beach, The Makeup Show LA, VidCon, BeautyCon, PHAMExpo, ScareLA, and any other cons I can get my hands on. IMATS and ISSE Long Beach down, lots more to go! I'm not sure if I will be able to attend VidCon... that one is still up in the air for me, but I am planning on going to The Makeup Show. That's the next one on my list. 

That's that! I plan on continuing with these goals and resolutions throughout the year. You guys will definitely continue to hear from me on how everything is going!

Lastly, remember: Take it easy on yourself... you're doing the best you can. If you haven't stuck with your resolutions or you haven't started, it's no big deal.

It's never too late to start something or make a change. January 1st isn't the only day that change is allowed. Make tomorrow your day. Make every day your day. Take your life by the reigns and do what you want to do!

BKL  

Guest Blogger: shannanigins

Hi! My name is Shanna, and I'll be guest blogging on Brittany's blog!

I'm currently a student and assistant to makeup-artist Linh Tran. I've been working for her for about 2 years and have learned so much about makeup and the technicalities regarding different types of makeup for different people.  

I am Asian, so my eyes aren't huge (lol). I have hooded eyes so when I open I have little to no lid space showing. So, makeup can be a bit tricky since nothing really ends up showing. 
 
On a day out this is how I would typically do my makeup-- smokey bronze.


I like to use bronze tones because it doesn't look too dramatic (i.e. black smokey eye) so it's easy to wear through the day and going into the night. Bronzes are also super complementary on all skin tones. An upward smokey (dark at the base and gradients upward) also helps to add depth, which is desired for hooded/smaller eyes. 

 
Step by step how to:
1. prime with urban decay matte primer (I have really oily skin so this helps my eye shadow stay throughout the day)

2. apply matte beige tone all over the eye (used Mac shadow in Brulé) I find applying a skin tone color over the primer helps to seal it and make it easier to blend shadows later  

3. apply dark bronze tone all over the lid with a flat brush (Smashbox chestnut from the headshot trio) and with a clean fluffy brush, blend the bronze upward stopping at the crease 

4. take a matte light brown shade and beginning in the crease, blend the bronze and the matte light brown together in back and forth motions, and lightly a bit upward above the crease (used MAC shadows in soft brown and bronze mixed together) 

5. take another blending brush with a darker bronze shade or any warm dark brown color and apply right above the lash line and blend upward (used MAC shadow in embark) 

6. apply false lashes--I used Luxie Berry Wendy Lashes in Desirable. (if you have long lashes you can just apply mascara and eyeliner if desired) 

 notes: 

-I have little to no lashes so i don't apply mascara at all. 
-because my eyes are already almond shaped and hooded, I don't like to apply eyeliner because it won't show and winged liner elongates eyes, which I don't want because my eyes already taper out at the ends and winged liner would only make them appear smaller. False lashes also help to open up the eyes and make them appear larger. (look for lashes longer in the center rather than just at the ends)  

7. apply black eyeliner on the bottom lash line (half way) and smudge with brown & bronze shadow. 
note: smudged liner on the bottom lash line helps to make eyes appear wider. applying liner on the WATER line will make eyes look smaller. 

I hope this helps anyone looking for an easy to wear light smokey or anyone with hooded/smaller eyes !!

xoxo,

Shanna.