I’ve always been pretty preachy about self-love. And it’s because I think it’s genuinely the most important factor in growth as people. Having a strong sense of self-love has kept me from toxic relationships, kept me authentic in my journey, and optimistic about my future. I do this thing, where I fuss at my friends and family if they speak down on themselves. And I would like to believe, my gruff encouragement has helped them. But it has come the time that I take some of the advice I have been forcing on the world.
I am a confident gal. I can wear green lipstick without shying away. Because I love color. I can wear short shorts and be completely comfortable. Because thickness is the wave and my juicy thighs are life. I can smile a flirty smile at whoever I want. Simply, because I am fly and I am the only one who needs to believe that. But there is one thing that I have had an exceptionally hard time with….my cute lil tum tum. See…if I speak positively about it, it can only help me get to a good place.
It is time for me to practice all that I preach. I understand that we all have our insecurities, but what I won’t accept is my fear holding me back from what I want. And what I want is to look like a stylish angel. ESSENTIALLY, I want to wear a crop top. They fit so well into my personal style (lookbook coming soon), that I don’t want to miss out on slaying because of an ounce of self-doubt. I have bought two, and only had the courage to wear one. Step in the right direction, and I have only kind of worn it. I wore it to take photos and shamelessly share with the world wide web. I do have plans to wear it out, but it’s kind of a going out look…and I rarely go anywhere. So once I find somewhere to go, I am going to pull that crop top on and prance about proudly.
I, of course, took some eye-catching photos courtesy of my BFF, Alexis Schwallier.
Thank you all for reading, I really feel encouraged to love myself boldly because of this blog. Until next time!
Just because I haven’t been posting, does not mean I haven’t been buying. I’ve never had self-control, in practically any aspect of my life. I am not bragging about the characteristic, I just choose to call it “living in the moment”. So I lived in the moment all over Beautylish, Sephora, and countless brands’ sites. I don’t really browse. Honestly, what usually happens is I will be on Instagram or Youtube, follow a link, add to cart, and wait for the shipment to arrive. I have no control over the clicking, no other thoughts enter my mind besides “PRETTY…I WANT. It truly resembles a blackout moment. And when I have it in my hands, I swatch it, rub it on my face, snap a picture for the ‘gram, and repeat the cycle.
I am quite happy with the majority of my purchases. I bought a number of items. Quite a few, never too much. I am only gonna hash out a few of them in this post. Nothing like a deep review, I just want to share a few thoughts of my purchases with other makeup lovers and collectors.
I like, every brown girl beauty blogger had an obligation to try the Laura Mercier Medium Deep Translucent Powder. My thought on it ….yayayayayayayay! It just melts so beautifully and perfectly into the skin. I purchased the CoverFX Matte Setting Powder in Deep at the same time. And it has just been sitting in the corner chilling. I cannot even bear to try it because I do not believe anything will ever be comparable to Laura. I have a collection of setting powders, new and old, and I am planning to do a post on all of them. One post to review them all! But for now, for a more concise review on the Laura Mercier, watch Jackie Aina’s video on it.
Laura on the left. Cover Fx on the right. See how much cooler toned the Cover Fx is. Now looking at them side by side, I may try and mix the two. Hmmm…
More high praise goes to Jouer. Their Long Wear Lip Creme Liquid Lipsticks are comfortable but not the most long wearing. They do happen to wear away beautifully. For the spring, they introduced two new colors. A lip topper and a matte lip creme, both of whom are named Rose Gold. And both of whom are stunningly beautiful. The eyeshadow palette that was launched for the spring boasts some incredible colors. The Springtime in Paris palette has bold, bright colors but also enough flexibility to make everyday looks. My one major critique of the palette is there is not a deep enough crease color for everyone. That is honestly my biggest gripe with most eyeshadow palettes, I end up having to make my own Z Palettes to get a cohesive palette that works for me. I am not sure if I have ever mentioned it here but Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Modern Renaissance palette is truly the most versatile palette in my whole collection. I find the formula and the color story simply breathtaking…and that is not hyperbole.
Rose Gold Lip Creme, Rose Gold Lip Topper, Stila Rose Gold Retro
Jouer Palette, the colors read a bit deeper in this picture.
This look was courtesy of the Jouer palette. Nothing too extra but a splash of dazzle!
I just want to quickly make note of two more products that had fairly recent launches. Stila Magnificent Metals Liquid Shadows.…CHILE! I got the color Rose Gold Retro. I only bought one to start, tried it, went to add more to my cart, and it was sold out. Stila. Like I just want to take this moment to personally thank you for making it so easy to slay. It forreal looks like, there was so much effort put into any look where this product is used. I’m…I’m…lost for words at the pigment and beautiful simplicity of the product. Just go buy it…please, and tell me how it worked for you.
Lastly, Makeup Geek launched some lip products a few months back. I hadn’t gotten my hands on any of them, so I finally committed and went for the Showstopper Creme Stains because I read that they were limited edition. BUT it’s not really seeming that way. I feel like some brands say limited edition and the product is around for a whole year. But whatever…I got my hands on three shades. I knew the opacity wasn’t supposed to be crazy because they are a “stain”. The lasting power is great and they are comfortable. And my favorite part of the formula is that it’s a creme, so it doesn’t emphasize or settle into the lines into my lips. In order to get the best payoff from the pigment, I put foundation and powder on my lips. The lipsticks are definitely buildable, I would suggest letting the coats dry in between layers. Jackie Aina and Ckey did some good swatch videos!
MUG Creme Stains. Grapevine, Twerk, Salsa. Twerk definitely needs more building up than the other shades.
I’m a collector. So, like, I need all of these products. Like…duh. It’s funny because as I am writing this post, the Sephora VIB Rouge sale is going on. And I was like, “Tori, you don’t need anything, please STOP”. But I, of course, didn’t. And bought three new face products and then went right over to Morphe…ended up with a new foundation brush that will act as surplus. But again, I am a collector…and that will always be my stance.
We have all heard it. I seem to be constantly dragged by my friends and family for how my makeup application delays their lives. But would they want me to follow behind them looking like a barely attempted to slay…absolutely not. They don’t want me to look like a bumpkin. And I definitely don’t want that for myself. I also do not believe in barely there makeup. If I am not gonna pound on the cake, I am going to go barefaced. So, y’all will never get a tutorial or post from me about “No makeup, makeup”. Not that there is anything wrong with a simple slay, just not for me. So in this post, I am going to come at you with some tricks for a complete slay that can be achieved quickly.
My normal makeup application takes upwards of an hour and if glitter is involved or my brows aren’t cooperating it can take longer. I do not want to half ass my makeup look, so I have come up with a few steps to guarantee a slay and not compromise the look.
Do not try new things. At all. New techniques. New products. New brushes. None of it. Go with what you know. There is nothing worse then trying a new foundation and thinking it is gonna be wonderful and match you perfectly but you end up looking like a floating head on a body.
For your eyes, make it simple. Three colors max. The way to ensure that is, to take a statement shadow. I usually end up using a Colourpop shadow and applying with my finger on my lid to simplify application. The other two shadows are for your crease and outer v. Get a nice transition color and blend everything out and place a darker shade in your outer v for definition and it will look like you spent tons of time getting that makeup look together.
Three of my favorite Colourpop shadows. Boy Band, Weenie, Sunset Blvd. They can all stand alone.
Wear a nude. I of all people know bold lips can be fun. But a statement color can get messy and run out of your lip line. Usually, I would say “oh, fine…fix it with concealer” BUT there is no time for that.
Contour and bronze at the same time. Generally, I go in with my contour first and then soften up harsh lines with the bronzer. But to make it quick and easy I dip a fluffy brush in whatever contour and bronzer I am using that day. Usually my Morphe M180 and I fluff it all about my contour/bronze places.
If you are like me and color correcting is a must, do it after you apply your foundation. The blend is seamless and preps your under eye beautifully. You won’t have to worry about moving around the product and having uneven application.
I followed all the steps I listed above for this look. Took me about 35 minutes, not bad for a full on beat. And I was super psyched because my brows never twin that well! AYYY-OOO! Thanks for reading, until next time.
Before last year, the only month I cared about was April. I like the spring and more importantly its my birth month. April 28th more precisely if anyone wanted to send me an egift card…but now I love February. February was the month I decided to make the leap and write this blog. I didn’t know if I would be received or if my tone and voice would come across. At this point in my journey, I have realized a few things. Mainly, I love this blog and myself and am writing it for me but I welcome all who want to read. Secondly, my tastes and makeup style have changed and a good pair of lashes can upgrade a look and my spirits. Lastly, I will not force inspiration. I will let it come to me. I believe that is how my good auntie, Viola Davis, does things and I trust her implicitly.
This month is going to be so so much fun, y’all. I am going to post quite regularly. And I my wit and beauty is incomparable so that’s gonna be a blast for all of us. This is known. Watch out for the last post of the month, it is going to come with a bomb ass photo shoot. AND a cute lil giveaway.
SO after that lengthy but beautifully phrased intro, lets get into the meat of the post. I want to chat about my change stylistically in my makeup choices. At first I was like, “Tori, you cannot change your style…your started this blog to be a voice for those that wanted to slay on a lesser scale”. But then I discovered lashes and stopped being so shy with my highlighter and could not turn back. There was no fighting it once my own selfies were shaking me to my very core. But growth requires change and development. And that is exactly what I am doing and loving every moment of it.
Here is a lovely example of my slay development. Lashes. Matte full coverage foundation. Vampy lip. And an cute nose highlight.
With all that being said, my “mission statement” has changed a tad. I want to create an environment for any and everyone that loves makeup to come and join in on a productive discussion. I am not going to just talk about makeup, and never have… I have a lot to say about quite a bit. I am super proud and happy to be the owner of InconspicuousGlamour! Thanks for reading, until next time!
Here we go. Skincare. New year, Same me, Better skin. I have oily skin, by the grace of God, my skin has not been acne prone. I do have a crop of pimples pop up every once in awhile, usually on my damn chin. And when those nasty zits rear their ugly heads they decide to hang on for what feels like years. And because of these super disrupting inconveniences, I am launching an attack on my pores in the form of mud masks. I have of course inserted some fun photos of myself in each mask. Oh, sidenote. And this is an especially timely post as my best friend and roommate, Alexis, pointed out to me that today is Friday the 13th. So this post is like in honor to Jason Voorhees or something and the mask that he wears. I am not super knowledgeable of horror movie type things because I am what you call a scaredy cat.
So I tried three masks, varied in pricing. So let’s talk about the one I liked the least, which happened to be the most expensive. The Peter Thomas Roth Irish Moor Mud Purifying Black Mask. A long pointless name for a pointless product. It definitely made my skin feel softer but I didn’t notice any difference in my pores or enhance any dullness. I tried this mask three times and it didn’t dry down at all, which is something I find essential for a mud mask. This mask retails at 58.00. The brand carries several masks and I have tried two others. The 24K Gold Mask Pure Luxury Lift and Firm Mask, which was also pointless but kinda cute because it was gold. Now they do have the Pumpkin Enzyme Mask, which works beautifully, smells strong, and basically, polishes your skin. Love it. Seems like the shorter the name the better the product. These masks can be found online at Sephora.com or in stores.
Next is the one I liked moderately but wasn’t head over heels with. The Pixi By Petra Glow Mud Mask. I like this mask because it deeply cleaned my pores and left my skin feeling supes soft. This mask is 22.00 and definitely a great starter mask. It works well and is worth its price. I would suggest this mask to anyone with oily skin, big pores and on a budget. This mask can be found at Target.
Last. And certainly, the most effective mask is the Pur Dirty Girl Detoxifying Mudd Masque with Pascalite Clay. Pur calls themselves the complexion authority and they are DAMN RIGHT. This mask tingles at first and dries down completely. I mean my face stalled. I could not react to anything. I am actually wearing it as I write this and usually I laugh at my hilarious prose but I am totally incapable of that at this moment. This could be irritating to some but you get such wonderful results. Your skin will tighten, your pores will close, and your skin will be exfoliated. Honestly. I cannot find a downside to this mask. It retails for 29.00, but with shipping and everything I paid 23.00 for mine with a discount code. The code is Jackie, after my constantly mentioned fave Jackie Aina. Get this mask and be blessed. This mask can be found on Pur’s website or at Ulta. Online and in stores. ALERTTTT, do not wear this mask longer than the 20 minutes the bottle suggests. You will be in a pickle. Promise.
Thanks for reading! I will update you all with the glorious wonders that this Pur mask has done for me in future posts. Comment with some good masks you have found for your skin that you would suggest for me! Until next time!!
I am not gonna even bore you guys with that whole thing where I apologize for my absence and try to explain it. I am just slack and busy. But I was not too busy to get my hands on that Jackie Aina x Artist Cotoure collab. Meaning, I made an elaborate plan to purchase it. I had two eyes watching it, and we got it done! Amen.
Jackie is incredible. Her Snapchat’s are like a feature film with the baddest, wittiest woman alive. She is basically the beauty world’s Rihanna. No fucks to give but slaying us one selfie at a time. OH, aaaannnnddddd she just hit one million subscribers on youtube. I am proud to be among that number. Congratulations Jackie!!!!
For the collaboration, Jackie created a true rose gold highlighter and named it Labronze. Witty name for a witty woman. Labronze is also her twitter and snap name if anyone wants to follow. Jackie stated in her video that she made Labronze bc she was missing a true rose gold highlight. There are far too many “rose gold” highlights that are more on the cool/ silver tone. This shade will work on ANYONE. The only requirement is to not be afraid of a glow because the highlight is a loose pigment and packs a wallop of shine. I choose to use a Morphe m510 when I am not playing any games and a fan brush when I want a more subtle beam. Extra tip! Spray a setting spray on top of the highlighter after you initially apply it, wait until its almost dry and then add some more. If you do that, you will need sunglasses for your own selfies.
I documented my order and obsession on Snapchat.
The people were not ready for this sheen!
She was too happy!
The collaboration is limited edition and sold out within the hour. They did bring it back, but that sold out too… Maybe, fingers crossed…they will bring it back one more time. The collaboration also includes Jackie’s four favorite Diamond Glow Powders in a cute mini form. Those are Illuminati, Conceited, Sugar Daddy, Double Take. And they are all incredibly beautiful. The collaboration is 49.99. I am sold on Artist Couture and even more in love with their CEO, Angel Merino.
If this collab launches again, those that don’t have it should definitely try and get their hands on it. Again, I want to congratulate Jackie on her one million, LaBronze, and honestly her life. Stay tuned for the next post…hopefully, it won’t take me two months. Until next time!
UPDATE! The last time to get it is tomorrow at 10 am PST!
Wayment (Wait a minute). Yall. We still doing that thing where Non-Black people try to rock Black hairstyles? I am really ready for this trend to die out. Sadly, that trend is racism….sooooooo we are kinda at an impasse. Unless there is some simultaneous switch where everyone suddenly acknowledges their privilege and the events of the past five centuries. But since that is super unlikely to happen in my lifetime, I’m just gonna go ahead an address on my blog.
It should be simple. Sample conversation with a Non-Black person: “Hey Tori, I really like your dreadlocks. I am thinking of getting some, what do you think?” To which I would respond, “Thank you, don’t do that. Cultural Appropriation.” At this point, the conversation ends with the other person graciously thanking me for saving them from an outward expression of racism AND endless roasting by me and other members of the Black community. Alas, it’s never that simple. Sally Anne Margaret usually claims reverse racism (it doesn’t exist), does a whole bunch of whining, and goes and gets her hair locked-resulting in her looking like a sad fool. Now, before we get any further. I want to make sure the term “cultural appropriation” is understood. The Oxford Dictionary defines culturalappropriation as “the adoption of elements of one culture by members of a different cultural group, especially if the adoption is of an oppressed people’s cultural elements by members of the dominant culture”. There are some key words here I want us to pull out…OPPRESSED and DOMINANT. So in my world, the White culture is the dominant one and Black people are those being oppressed due to the hundreds and hundreds of years of systematic and institutionalized racism.
Alright. Moving on. To break it down further. If that explanation isn’t thorough enough for you, check this out. Black people are constantly crucified, judged, and called derogatory names for the same styles you are wearing and being praised for. And simply put. That’s not fair. Next. We aren’t getting any recognition for our ingenuity and creativity. Rihanna wore Bantu Knots and no one uttered a peep. Some white chick in a fashion magazine TRIES to do Bantu Knots and the whole world stops breathing because it’s the coolest thing they have ever seen. Like, what?! And the last thing I have to say about it is, Black people wearing straight hair or wigs or weaves is not the same thing. Eurocentric beauty ideals have been shoved down our throats since the day we opened our eyes. AND Furthermore, the dominant culture cannot be oppressed.
I am blessed to be Black and find so much beauty in it. So I can understand the desire to want to be able to experience it just a bit. Just experience it without exploiting it. Have open conversations with the Black people in your life about it. Recognize our struggles and praise our successes. And who knows, you may get invited to a Sunday dinner at a Black friend’s house…that’s pretty much a like a golden ticket to the Chocolate Factory.
Two of my favorite black women! My sister and mom. Their crowns are beautiful.
Here I am. Bringing another challenge created on Youtube to my blog. Jaclyn Hill created the “Ride or Die Makeup Challenge” and I saw a couple of my favorite YouTubers create the challenge on their channels. Alissa Ashley’s was super cool, and she made it into a tutorial.
I loved doing this! As a makeup lover, I am always exploring new products and trying them out. But there is always a favorite, one that sticks out. When I began my blog, I mentioned my favorites so this is an excellent time to update my favorites and explain to y’all while I LURVE them.
First things first. The base.
Foundation: NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in New Guinea. This foundation is EVERYTHING. It is so incredibly light weight and pigmented, I can hardly stand it. It lasts all day and the match is perfect.
Concealer: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC45. This is the concealer I use to highlight. I have only been using it for a little more than two months, but the use has been religious. Generally, one pump of the concealer covers all of my highlighted areas and my sad, sad dark circles.
Bronzer: Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Deep. Bobbi Brown, girl! You did that! I searched high and low and side to side for a bronzer that actually brought color to my face. I love this bronzer, and I fear the day I hit pan.
Contour: Makeup Geek Contour Powder in Half Hearted (Warm Medium) and Koyvoca’s Contour Stick in Aphotic. If I am going full tilt I cream contour and set it with the Makeup Geek Powder. I love the effect of cream contouring and feel slayful when I do it.
Setting Powder: Sacha Buttercup. NEED I SAY MORE. And for the rest of my face I use Mac Studio Fix Powder in NW45 and that adds more matte coverage for me.
Eyes.
Shadows: I always go to my Morphe 350. I know its famous upon the blogger community. But I adore a 3 step nude eye look with a wing.
Liner: For the aforementioned wing I use Kat Von D tattoo liner. Enough said, I will never use any other liquid liner.
Mascara: I am devoted to Too Faced, Better than Sex BUT in recent weeks I have stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara has captivated me.
I am not sure this is what Jaclyn Hill intended but I felt like a badass all day. There is something about wearing products that you know work for you that makes you feel like the shit. And I mean that is usually how I feel anyway, but I digress… I took some cute pics of myself on the way to work! Here they are!
I will save my brush favorites for another post, AND I was thinking of doing the “How I Did My Makeup in High School” Challenge. I think that one will be hella funnnnn. Thanks for reading, until next time!!!!
This post is a bit of a departure for me, and I maybe mention makeup once. But I wanted to share my feelings with you guys and this is my platform…so like…why not?
Women often feel the need to apologize for their confidence. Society tells us we are supposed to be meek and to be small; to not stand out. But listen here, I REFUSE. I don’t intend to spend my days apologizing for who I am, and how openly and completely I love myself. This love; it took work. It took a mantra, daily reminders that I am the shit, and lots of reprogramming. I am proud of who I am. Every part. Being black has become so much of my womanhood. My melanin is rich and I bask in it.
This post is inspired by a Nikki Giovanni poem, “Ego-Tripping (there may be a reason)”. I adore the poem and love every single line but my favorite line has to be “I am so perfect so divine so ethereal so surreal, I cannot be comprehended except by my permission”. The entire poem means so much to me and my blackness. Being a black woman isn’t always easy. We get hate from outside our community and within our community. Black men aren’t always our allies. When we need them, they don’t always stand for us. But in turn, we are expected to be there for them. When they call for our voices, we are not hushed or quieted. We are heard. Leslie Jones just received a full racist attack on twitter because she is a black woman. But like all bad bitches she bounced back, she is currently having a blast at the Olympics and documenting it on her Snapchat (LesDogggg). And it is not to say, just because she bounced back there was no pain caused. You can be strong and still get hurt. It’s human.
Recently, there have been so many women that are brazen and bold with their self-love. It’s inspiring. It fuels me and lights a fire to my already enormous ego. Beyonce, Serena Williams, and Michelle Obama are just a few of my well-known favorites. But my mama, she gave me the confidence to laugh and to enjoy my own company. I mean a gut busting, head rolling silent hiss kind of laugh. My sister, she knows just when to boost me and just when to tell me to have a seat. I have the right kind of women in my life. My aunts, cousins, and family friends give me the juice too.
Yesterday, I texted my sister that my makeup was so good that I had to Dab on ’em. Her initial reaction was to tell me to “STAHHPPP”, but then I told her “If I don’t boost myself, who will”. She hit me back with “You’re right! Positive self-talk!” It was a brief moment of my day, but it made me smile and had me feeling myself ALL DAY.
Snap of me dabbing because I looked so damn GOOD. (taevans18)
Thanks for reading, I know this post wasn’t necessarily makeup related but I wanted to share my thoughts with all of you. And if you want to read the full poem by Nikki Giovanni, here’s the link. Until next time!!!
I have been all over blogs and youtube searching and searching for dupes for two of my most coveted beauty products. I am doing this for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I want to find cheaper options that work just as well. Secondly, I need to expand my makeup repertoire. I am the queen of grabbing the same products day after day. AND THATS NOT HOW YOU LEARN AND DEVELOP SKILL.
I know. I know. I am ranting and I haven’t even mentioned the products. The first one is NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Biscuit and Amande and the second is Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liner in Trooper. Those two products are almost always involved in my glamour. If I am going to rock a wing, you better believe I am grabbing Trooper. That applicator makes it so so easy for me to get a precise wing. On days where I haven’t gotten enough sleep and my dark circles are as deep as the night sky and as sunken in as the grand canyon, I reach for the NARS. This happens fairly often, because there is always something to marathon on Netflix OR I got caught up watching Youtube videos. The concealer is so hydrating and it is as equally full coverage.
Now for the Dupes, I am trying the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer and the Maybelline Master Precise. I learned about the NARS dupe from Jennie Jenkins on Youtube. And I am not sure where I saw the Master Precise, but I won’t claim it as an original thought. Both of these products “claim” to work the same as my holy grails. I am not really that skeptical, I just don’t like changing up my routine. (I am writing this before I try it, I will check in after)
Ok guys, I tried it. Verdict is in. I really enjoy the Maybelline Concealer. It isn’t as full coverage as the NARS, but I don’t mind that on my more chill makeup days. It’s really really creamy. And it hydrates and lifts my under eye. I wouldn’t call it a dupe but I am a fan and will continue to use it.
For the Master Precise. I am not such a fan. I don’t mind it, but I definitely won’t ever pick it up before my Kat Von D. Its really black and pigmented so thats a plus. BUT its stiff and not as easy to use as the Tattoo Liner. And it skipped a little for me as I was creating the wing, KVD Tattoo Liner’s tip is always saturated.
NARS is on the left and Maybelline on the right. KVD on the left and Master Precise on the right. The doe foot applicator on the Maybelline is a bit smaller but that didn’t really matter in application. The applicators on the liners were very similar. But like I previously mentioned, the tip of the drugstore liner was way more hard to work with.
ANDDDDD here’s a selfie for good measure.
Alright, guys! Thanks for reading! Comment below with any good dupes you have found. Until next time!
toriandrea 