Tuesday, September 30, 2014

The Wet 'n' Wild Comfort Zone Palate Challenge


Hello all!~

Sorry it took me a bit longer than I initially wanted to get this post up here, but here it is!

I nominated myself to do what I am calling "The Wet 'n' Wild Comfort Zone Palate Challenge". I have not seen a lot of looks created with this Drug store palate in my many months of YouTube and Pinterest Makeup perusing, and I thought that this would be a fun and easy way to incorporate this palate into my eye shadow usage regimen.
I created 5 different looks with the 8 earthy-toned, shimmery shades, all a bit different from the next.
The 5th look I did was my "Friday-night" inspired look, so this one is a bit more dramatic as you will see.



Too Faced - Shadow Insurance
For all of the looks, I used my tried and true Too Faced Shadow Insurance as my eye shadow primer. I literally live by this stuff. I use it every single day, whether I am wearing eye makeup or not, and I see amazing results every day. My eye shadow lasts ALL day, no matter how much I have on, and it brings out the best pigmentation in each shadow I use.
I have been using this guy for over a year and he is probably still half full. I use about half-of-a-pea-sized amount for both of my eyes and it just does wonders every single time. I LOVE IT.

I did all of my blending with a MAC - 217 brush and my lid shading with a Rite Aid - Domed Shader brush. (unfortunately, this brush has no official name) In all of my looks I used the Rimmel Scandalize Brown Kohl Eye Liner to smoke out my lower lash line. 




Here are swatches of all 8 colors on the back side of my arm. (photos taken WITH primer and WITH OUT flash)
I have also numbed each color as I reference them in each of the 5 looks.

















Look 1: Wednesday

Casual - Smokey


Shadow #3 in the crease,
Shadow #8 in outer half of crease and outer V
Shadow #2 all over lid (applied color twice to get pigmentation I was looking for)
Shadow #8 again to deepen outer V
Shadow #1 to highlight brow bone and inner tear duct
















Look #2: Thursday

Flirty and Bright

This was my favorite look so here is a full on selfie :)

#6 in crease (light handed to keep the color controlled) (this is my FAVORITE shadow in the palate - I LOVE it!)
#8 in second half of crease and outer V
#5 all over lid (applied color twice to get pigmentation I was looking for)
#8 again to deepen outer V
#1 to highlight brow bone and inner tear duct
















Look #3: Friday

Simple and Classic 


#3 all over crease
#5 all over lid
#1 to highlight brow bone and inner tear duct

















Look #4: Saturday (morning)

Weekend Glamour


#6 all over crease (concentrating most in the outer crease)
#3 in outer crease over #6 to create a gradient from green to brown
#2 all over lid (second application with finger over top- I use my finger to make the color appear more pigmented. I don't know why, but it always works for me!)
#4 in outer V







Look #5: Saturday (night)

Sultry and Fun

#8 all over crease (this is my 2nd favorite shadow in the palate)
#5 all over lid
#7 in outer V
#5 blended under my lower lash line
#1 to highlight brow bone and inner tear duct
(I added a tiny winged liner using the Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner. I also lined my upper and lower waterline with a black kohl liner to make it look a bit more dramatic.)













Well, guys, that's it! I am so glad I stuck with this and found so many different ways to use this palate. I enjoyed some looks more than others, and I, unfortunatley, did not have the best lighting or camera to work with for the photos, but I hope this post gets the point across that these Wet 'n' Wild palates are NO JOKE! They are absolutely worth the $5.00, and when combined differently, the shades can create very different and unique looks.

Hope you enjoyed!! Thanks for reading :)

xo Dana



To order Wet 'n' Wild - Comfort Zone :
 http://www.cvs.com/shop/product-detail/Wet-N-Wild-Eyeshadow-Collection-Comfort-Zone-738?skuId=854619

To order Too Faced - Shadow Insurance : 
http://www.amazon.com/Too-Faced-Cosmetics-Shadow-Insurance/dp/B0013CSGBE/ref=sr_1_1/192-3636107-3543634?ie=UTF8&qid=1412090115&sr=8-1&keywords=too+face+shadow+insurance

To order Rimmel - Scandal'Eyes Waterproof Eye Liner : 

http://www.cvs.com/shop/product-detail/Rimmel-ScandalEyes-Waterproof-Kohl-Eyeliner-Brown?skuId=908044


Friday, September 26, 2014

Happy Friday!! and what I have been working on for you guys...

Hello all!~


Happy Friday!! So the Giants won last night, my Bangerang Fantasy team got off to a GREAT start for this week, I have an anniversary luncheon today with others in my company celebrating a milestone anniversary, and tonight I am planning to go out and get some margaritas with my man and some friends!; needless to say, I am pumped for today!! (I am also quite tired, but that's OK!)

I wanted to let you guys know what I have been working on for the past few days..My very first makeup blog entry :) :) I am calling it, "The Comfort Zone Palate Challenge"

Photo of the Comfort Zone Palate
So I was rummaging through my makeup collection, as I do probably too often than I should, on Tuesday night, and I came across one of the first eye shadow palates I ever purchased: the Wet N' Wild - Comfort Zone eye shadow palate.

This palate consists of 8, earthy toned, highly pigmented, fairly shimmery shades of shadow, all for only $4.99 at your local CVS.
One of the first YouTube makeup videos I watched was a Glam Life Guru video, where Tati was talking specifically about great drugstore makeup. She kept going on about how great and how ultra pigmented the Wet N Wild eye shadows were now that they had changed their formula. She specifically mentioned the Comfort Zone palate and the Petal Pusher palate (Both the 8 shadow palates that Wet N Wild offer as a permanent collection.) I went out, that same week, to find the palates and I brought both home and had a swatchtastic time! Literally each of the 16 colors I swatched were so beautiful and I could tell would compliment my eye color. (I have on-the-green-side-of hazel eyes)

Soon after I purchased the Wet N Wild palates, I began purchasing other shadows, lots of other shadows. Because of that, unfortunately, the palates kind of sat by the way side and I did not used them too much. I occasionally break the Comfort Zone open to use the green all over the lid, but for the most part, I really have not experimented with it.
Well, just for fun, I got to swatching each of the shadows again this past Tuesday, and I said to myself that I could use this palate every day of the week if I wanted to. I literally was thinking up looks to do for each day just by seeing the colors on the back of my hand.

That is how this challenge came to be. I have done 3 looks so far, and plan to do the other 2 over the weekend. (one for every day of the work week) I will post photos with swatches of each of the colors and photos of the brushes I used I used to create each look throughout the week.
I am really excited about this one! Look out for the official post this Sunday night :)


For now, I will leave you with this:

Too true, your E-cards, too true...


Have a wonderful weekend my dears! Be safe and have tons of beautiful-weather-filled fun!


xo Dana



Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Fantasy Football - from the Perspective of a Supportive Girlfriend..

Image found via simplejourns.com
The days are getting shorter, the air is getting chillier, and football season is underway. It is Fall my friends, whether we have totally accepted it or not. I, myself, love the fall- the sweaters and boots, scarves and hats, football and, well, football.

I only really started watching and following football when I began dating Greg back in 2010, but I have always known which teams I liked and didn't. I had always been a "Giants fan" ever since I can remember. My dad liked the team, so I liked the team.
I bought my first Eli Manning jersey right before I started my freshman year of college. I loved the way I felt in the jersey. It was comfortable and I felt like I belonged in the group of people that cares about "their" football team.

Since then, I have become a much "better" Giants and football fan. I watch at least 1 full game every Sunday with Greg (not including the Giants' game. I ALWAYS watch the Giants' game), and then bits and pieces of other games that I get caught up in while he is watching. I actually know who a bunch of the Giants' players are, and am able to recognize their faces and player numbers. I know and understand a lot of the football language and can actually participate in the occasional football conversation. Overall, I  have been quite satisfied with my involvement in the sport of football. (I think Greg appreciates it as well.)
We are all Giant's fans in our little family! image via my instagram
Last year, when Greg and his buddies were planning their Fantasy Football league, and drafting their teams, I couldn't help but be interested in the entire process. What team is that one on? Whats his position? Why are you choosing to play him instead of him? Why would it matter what team they are playing? Those are just some of the questions that would cross my mind each Sunday that Greg was glued to the TV and to his Fantasy iPhone App.

In the second week of the official football season, I downloaded a free Fantasy Football app on my phone where I was able to participate in an entire live draft. I remember it being after 11PM one night when I finally opened up the app and explored my options. It took about an hour to go through the entire draft process, but at the end of it, I was incredibly satisfied with my team picks.
Needless to say, that team did not do well in the season and I finished with a losing record of 6 - 7. Despite my losing record, the fun I had through out the entire football and fantasy season was entirely worth it.

There really is a lot of fun to be had in being a part of Fantasy Football. You get to pick a (hopefully) clever team name, you get to chose from any players you want to, and you get to be actively involved in the football games each and every week during the season. I can understand where none of that would be appealing to some people, however I genuinely enjoy the process and it allows for me to share in my boyfriend's love (and obsession honestly) with Fantasy football and football in general.

This year, I handled my Fantasy Football much differently than last year. I drafted two teams this time around, and I chose some pretty clever team names if I do say so myself . I recruited my boyfriend, Greg and one of my other guy-friends, Frank, to help me in my picks, and I am really staying active on my team throughout each week. So far, both of my teams are doing significantly better than my team was doing last year and I am pretty darn proud of it. I'll keep you guys posted on how the season turns out for my beloved Fantasy teams :)

Screenshot of the ESPN Fantasy Football App - My Teams
One of the most exciting parts of free Fantasy Football, in my opinion, is choosing a team name. I thought long and hard about what I wanted my team names to be, and each has a special and creative meaning to me. My first team is Eat Phresh. (you can deduce the meaning behind that name) My second team is the Bangerang Ballers - this team name is in honor of the late, and great, Robin Williams. In the movie Hook (1991), Robin Williams plays Peter Pan. Throughout the film, he and the "Lost Boys" use the phrase "BANGERANG". I look at the word as a term of happiness and confidence- something I think anyone would appreciate in a Fantasy team name. (The "Ballers" part of the name is just a corny addition that I got a kick out of.- not to be confused with "ballas", as I do not roll that way.)

FX's The League - Image found via xfinity.comcast.net
If you are still unsure about the thought of participating in Fantasy Football, you may want to check out "The League" on FX. Despite what I may make Greg think, I find the show HILARIOUS, and it is entirely based upon a group of friends and their Fantasy Football League. (It does help if you knew some of the actual NFL player names, as they are referenced often, but it is not necessary to enjoy the comedy of the show) (It would also help if you enjoy raunchy, inappropriate humor, as there is A LOT of that in the show. It's-Always-Sunny-In-Philadelphia-Raunchy humor. If you are not into that, beware.)





Love you guys! Thanks for reading :)
xo Curly Hair and High Heels  (aka Dane)



Sunday, September 21, 2014

My Harry Potter Story

I am not sure how old any of my readers are (the ones that aren't my mother or couple of friends that know about my blog), but no matter your age, you should know what, who, and how Harry Potter is.

I actually began reading books from the Harry Potter series toward the end of 6th grade (2002). The moment my mother found out that the entire series takes place in and has all to do with a magical world, she did not want me to have any part of it.  My mother did not like the thought of me reading a book that takes place in a primarily magical world, especially at such a young and impressionable age, so she asked that I not read them. I always loved reading, but I didn't have much interest in the books when they first came out in 1998, so I did not protest to my mother's wishes.

Towards the end of my 5th grade year, Mrs. H, the mother one of my good friends, began to read to our class for about 30 minutes, once a week. What book was she reading to us? Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone.

I remember listening to her read the book, knowing that my mom was not entirely thrilled with the idea of the series. I truly enjoyed hearing Mrs. H read the story, and genuinely looked forward to each time she was in our class. I literally remember being so excited when we heard that she was coming that day to continue reading. We, unfortunately, did not get through the entire book before school ended, and I guess I forgot about the series for a little while after that.

The first movie came out in 2001, that was the time when everyone in class started talking about the books and how great they were. I was in 6th grade and one day towards the end of the year, I went to the school library to see if I could yoink a copy of the first book to read. The first movie had already come and gone from the theater, but I figured I could rent it soon after if I decided I liked it.
Well, in middle school, kids still used the library for fun, and because it was such a popular series, there were no copies of the first, or even the second book, for me to take out. I was disappointed, but I saw that they had one copy left of a different book, the third installment of the series: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
I remember thinking the cover looked really cool and being excited by the way the illustrations were drawn and colored. Against my mother's original wishes, I took the book and brought it home. I literally think it took me 2 weeks to get through the entire book (That was fast for a me, a 6th grader). I remember being fascinated, and at the same time frightened, by the thought of Sirius Black. I loved the relationships between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I also think Professor Lupin was my favorite character at the time.

Once I finished reading the book, I couldn't help but to tell my mom that I read it and just how great it really was. By this time, she had loosened up at the thought of Harry Potter, so she just told me that it was fine that I read it but just be wary that it is made-up and magic is not real. I had no problem with that, I was just happy that I could read the books in front of my mother.

With the third book finished, now I had to read the first and second book! I still had not seen any of the movies yet, so I had no idea how it all started, up until what occurs at the beginning of the third book. I borrowed the first and second book from one of my friends, Hannah. (Mr.s H's daughter). After that, there was no stopping my new-found love for Harry and the entire book series. I was able to read books 3-7 entirely before their movies came out, so I did not miss too much of the Harry movie-madness at all.


Books 1-7
Since then, I have purchased each book in soft cover (6th and 7th I was able to buy as a hard cover), each book in CD-audio form, and each book in eBook form. (I also have both of the Lego Harry Potter games for the Wii, and I was one of the first members of Pottermore..)
Needless to say, I have read the series in its entirety 4 or 5 times, and I never get sick of it...never. I always look forward to breaking it open for however long I can throughout my busy days. I always pick out new things that I may not have realized in the past, and I find myself picturing the scenes, places, and characters in my mind like it is the first time reading the story.
I have had crushes on almost every actor that plays the characters in the movies, Dan, Rupert, Tom, the guy that plays Oliver Wood.....(oh yes.)  I envisioned J.K. allowing me to play Lavender Brown, so that I could date (and 'snog') Ron (Rupert) in the movie, but be with Daniel in real life. (On a good day, I have been known to pull off a mean British accent.) In a nutshell, I went through all of the classic, and wonderful, reading-Harry-Potter-as-a-teenager phases. Within the past few years, my mother has come around to the stories and movies as well. Way around; she hasn't read the books, but  now she watches the movies more often than I do.

Two weeks ago, Greg and I took a lovely, week-long vacation in Orlando Florida, to visit Disney World and Universal Studios. I did eventually get just as pumped for the Disney, but all I initially cared about in the planning of the park-going was seeing Harry Potter World. In May or June, I decided I would begin the book series again to freshen up my Harry Potter mind and be fully prepared for the amazingness that I knew HP World would be.
What with work and being a young twenty-something woman, I only got through the first two books before we left on September 7th. On the plane ride there I read the first 5 chapters of the third book, and got to chapter 7 before the official day we were going to Universal.
We waited until the last part of our day to go to Harry Potter World-which is on the Islands of Adventure side of Universal Studios. I don't know why, but I feel like I was nervous to go. Like maybe it wasn't going to live up to my incredibly high expectations or something, but as our last stop of the day, we finally approached the gates to Hogsmeade. It. Was. AMAZING. The entire Hogsmeade-half of the park is exactly what I had pictured and thought it would be. The street and the shops are perfect, the Butterbeer and the Hog's Head menu are perfect, the castle and the rides are perfect. The entire village is just exactly what I would want it to be. (the ride in the castle did make me quite a bit queasy, but the walk through the Hogwarts castle, and what I was able to look at during the ride before closing my eyes, was SO worth it.)


One of the first views I saw when entering Hogsmeade Village at Islands of Adventure in Orlando, FL!
We decided to save our visit to the new part the of park that is on the Universal Studios for our second, and last day, of park going. We walked back to Hogsmeade and to the train station to board the Hogwarts Express "ride" back to the other side of the park, where the "London" and Diagon Alley part of HP world is. The train ride was perfect, everything and more than what I expected.
I will not spoil the excitement for any of you who have not yet visited the new, or old, parts of HP world, but the new part was even better than the old. It was all just like the movies and just like the books. I should also add that I bought the Elder Wand in Ollivanders.. I couldn't resist! Alright I said it. And I don't regret it!


I just HAD to get a mug of Butter Beer!



After riding the Hogwart's Express



















Although my Disney/Universal trip was over, I still read the third book on the plane ride home, and am still now reading it whenever I get the chance. I think reading the Harry Potter book series is an escape for me. An escape to an entirely different world. A world that, through the imagination and skills of author, directors, producers, architects and park designers, I can read, watch, and be in any time I want to. (Another trip to Universal Studios may not come as easily, but it is possible...I'll have to talk to Greg...)

The Hogwart's Castle and Greg and I in front of the Hogwart's Express
I will end this post by saying a BIG FAT THANK YOU to J.K. Rowling, and each and every person involved in adapting the books and making movies and parks from them. You all have helped me continue a part of my childhood that will never leave me, no matter how old I become or where my life brings me.




Thanks for reading!
xo Dana


(I used Google images for the image from the movie and the image of the books- I do not claim to own them.)


Friday, September 19, 2014

a little bit about me and what I see for this new blogging journey...

Greetings, friends!
First off, thank you for visiting! Welcome to my page :)

My name is Dana never-blogged-before Chouiki. Nice to meet you!
I have been craving a creative outlet lately, and figured this was a great place to start.

I graduated University a couple of years ago and now work full-time in the headquarters of a well-known restaurant company in my hometown. I have been involved in the company since I started college, and it is a great job for me at this point in my life, but I have bigger dreams for myself in the near future. 
This is me...looking professional and put-together.. a rare occurrence. 

This is me in front of the Hogwarts Express! I love anywhere where I can be a kid and no ones says a darn thing!
Currently, I live with my best friend in a humble apartment filled with candles and comfy pillows. It is my happy place at this point in my life.


Only thing missing is my amazing boyfriend and my lovable pup!

Here they are! The main men in my life..one a bit more hairy than the other. 

Greg and I have been together for almost 5 years, (Max joined our little family a little over 2 years ago-he is a Wheaten Terrier) We do not live together yet, but plan to in early next year. More on both of my boys in posts to come..

I wanted to give you guys an idea of what I think I plan to write about in this here blog..

I believe most of my posts will be related to makeup and beauty, as that is one of my main and most enjoyed hobbies at the moment. Makeup is my main creative outlook currently. I enjoy every moment of the entire process of applying my makeup each morning..the planning of the look, the preparation for the look, and the actual application. I have come to a point where I genuinely feel I have advice and helpful tips to offer to people as well, and what better way to share than a blog?!

Things you may also see on here may relate to books I am reading, activities I may be doing, crafts, shopping thoughts, quotes that spark my attention, and anything else I see to be "blog-worthy".

Thank you for visiting!
Well then, my friends... Here we go!

xo Curly Hair and High Heels (Dana) :)