A few days ago I went to Target to pick up some new makeup. It's been a while since I got new makeup, so I was looking for a neutral colored palette. I didn't feel like investing in one of Urban Decay's coveted Naked palettes, so I was hoping to find a drugstore alternative! 

While walking through what felt like an endless amount of makeup, I came across L'Oreal's Nude Palette 1. This is essentially L'Oreal's dupe of the Naked palette. I've seen L'Oreal's palette advertised a lot in magazines, so I thought I'd give it a try!

Here is the eye look I did with it. 

Before applying eyeshadow, make sure to apply a primer all over your eyelids to ensure your eyeshadow stays on all day long. 

1. Take the eyeshadow labeled 1 and apply it all over your lid. 

2. Take the eyeshadow labeled 2 and apply it in your crease.

3. Apply the eyeshadow labeled 3 on the outer corner of your eyelid and blend it into your crease.

4. Apply the eyeshadow labeled 4 on your brow bone. Use this color to blend the top of your crease shadow; this will get rid of the harsh line. 

5. Use any liquid eyeliner to make a thin line on your top lid. Create a wing at the end it your want.

6. Next, apply your favorite black mascara!

7. To complete the look, apply a pink lip color. I used NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in the shade Milan.

The finished look:

This palette is really nice! I love the colors because they're great for everyday use, and you can build them up for a smokier look. The palette includes shades of shimmery and matte eyeshadows. I think it's very important to have a palette that includes both types of eyeshadows. Due to the variety of looks you can create, an eyeshadow palette like this is a staple for any makeup collection. The eyeshadows in this palette are very similar to the Naked Palette, and you can't beat the price for only $15.99! I definitely recommend trying out this palette! 

Interview: Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger Ceci Salas

Ceci is a fashion and lifestyle blogger from Orem, Utah. When she's not sewing her newest creation, you can find her painting, or taking pictures of the world around her. Ceci aspires to be a fashion designer and journalist. I met Ceci at Teen Vogue's Fashion University last March. She was kind enough to take time out of her day to answer some questions about her blog for me!

Caitlin Reddington: Why did you decide to create a blog?

Ceci Salas: I decided to create a blog because I wanted a place where I could share all of my creative projects and outfit posts. I wanted to share different ideas that were interesting to me, and to other people too. I also wanted to have a way to meet people from different places who share the same passion as I do.

CR: How would you describe your style?

CS: This is a really hard question because it's difficult to describe my wardrobe in a few key words. In fall, I would say my style is very practical and laid back. I wear a lot of oversized sweaters, short skirts and sweater tights. I end up wearing plaid and corduroy almost everyday! I don't like wearing jeans very much, I only own a few pairs. In the spring and summer my style is very whimsical and clean. I wear a lot of white. I own too many white dresses, but I can never have enough! I wear dresses and skirts almost everyday, and I love wearing hats and statement necklaces!

CR: Who do you look up to for fashion inspiration and why?

CS: I get most of my inspiration from Tumblr. I follow a lot of aesthetic blogs; I tend to really like they're style! I get a lot of inspiration from my favorite artists, such as, Taylor Swift and St. Vincent.

CR: What are your top three favorite pieces in your closet?

CS:1. My short, forest green skirt from Zara. I love this because I feel very feminine in it.
2. My gray T-shirt from Madewell. This shirt fits perfectly, and I can wear it a lot because it goes with everything.
3. A white lace dress I have from Free People. I'm in love with white dresses. In the spring and summer, they're a staple piece for me. I love the half circle skirt and little clasps on the back of it. The clasps are such delicate details, it is much prettier than a zipper.

CR: Who is your favorite designer?

CS: Elie Saab! I adore how feminine and classic his designs are.

CR: What sparked your interest in fashion?

CS: I have always been interested in art; both making and the history behind it. I never saw myself going after a creative career because it's not what my parents had in mind for me. I started an Etsy store when I was sixteen as a way to make a little extra money. I sold kids clothing and headbands. I really loved being able to sew garments for people, and getting to see pictures of them wearing it. Throughout high school, I was always sewing, I even made my own prom dress! I entered sewing competitions and it was very exciting for me, but I still didn't think I would go to school for fashion. After my first semester if high school, I realized I was only happy when I was sewing or painting, I knew I had to go after a creative career. I found out about Teen Vogue's Fashion University when I started looking into fashion schools. TVFU is a weekend full of seminars with some of the top people in the fashion industry. After that weekend, I knew I needed to pursue fashion design!

CR: Do you have any tips for people who want to start their own blog?

CS: 1. Make sure you have enough time. I have found out it takes up an entire afternoon or evening, but you don't have to work on it everyday.
2. Don't copy the style of another blog. It's hard to come up with unique content, but you have to be yourself because that is what people want.
3. Take pictures of everything. Trust me, you will need them.
4. Find a pretty template for your blog. Make sure it looks professional, especially if you're putting a resumé on it.
5. Comment on other blogs and start social media accounts that are specifically for your blog. This will help you get more readers.


To stay updated on what Ceci is creating next, be sure to follow her lovely blog, Simply Ceci!

#AerieREAL

In the media, girls are constantly bombarded with pictures of Photoshopped and over edited models, whether it is on Instagram, Twitter or in magazines. We see so many "#goals" pictures, which pressure us to feel like we need to look a certain way. If we don't have extremely toned abs or a "thigh gap" like the girls in the pictures we feel bad about ourselves, which can ultimately lead to a negative cycle in our lives. In reality, even the models on Instagram in those #goals pictures don't look like that. I have always thought of Photoshop only being in magazines, but it has extended into our Instagram feeds too. The model you see while scrolling through social media has been retouched, she doesn't even look like that in real life. It is important for girls to realize that Photoshop creates unrealistic expectations for everybody, even the models in those pictures!

To combat this growing problem, American Eagle's spin off intimates brand, Aerie, has created the 'Aerie Real' campaign. Announcing the start of the campaign in January 2014, Aerie decided to leave behind the Photoshop and start the New Year off right. Their campaign features models that have not been retouched at all. In an interview with PR Newswire, Jennifer Foyle, the Chief Merchandising Officer for Aerie explained, "The purpose of 'Aerie Real' is to communicate there is no need to retouch beauty, and to give young women of all shapes and sizes the chance to discover amazing styles that work best for them. We want to help empower young women to be confident in themselves and their bodies." Even though there have been some improvements, the fashion industry highly publicizes stick thin models; whether it be during fashion week or through the use of retouching. It is refreshing for young women to see models who are a variety of shapes and sizes, and most importantly not retouched wearing the clothes they will be buying.

Aerie's newest season of the 'Aerie Real' campaign kicked off earlier this month with the launch of their ballet inspired collection. Dancer and actress, Sonoya Mizuno is the spokesperson for the collection. Mizuno states, "I am Aerie real because my look isn't defined by a particular place or country. When I first found out that you guys don't retouch I went into kind of what about my this or that. After I got over that, I think it's a really empowering thing." Seeing a strong female, like Mizuno is inspiring to young women because she demonstrates you don't have to fit into a particular mold to be beautiful. 

In addition to their extremely cute and comfortable clothing, the 'Aerie Real' campaign is just one of the reasons I'll always support this company. In today's society when social media plays such a huge role in dictating how young women should look, what Aerie is doing is extremely powerful. The acceptance of all body types is beginning to increase throughout the fashion industry. 'Aerie Real' is a step in the right direction, and I hope to see more campaigns like this in 2016. 

Next time you're scrolling through your Instagram or Twitter feed and see that "#goals" picture, remind yourself that even the model in the picture doesn't look like that. You shouldn't feel pressured to look a certain way because everybody is beautiful and #AerieREAL in their own way! 

Confidential Closet Tag

As an avid Youtube watcher, I've seen a variety of tag videos. Tags are a series of questions that relate to a specific topic. The Confidential Closet tag was started by Fleur DeForce, a fashion/beauty Youtuber! I have always thought of tags as being a type of videos Youtubers film, but I came across the Confidential Closet tag on another blog and thought I'd give it a try!

1. What is the oldest item in your wardrobe/closet?
     A Juicy Couture tracksuit zip up from 8th grade.  

2. What is the newest item?
   A sweater from the store Garage. 

3. What is the most expensive item?
     I don't like this question because it makes me sound like I'm bragging, but I would say either my Hunter rain boots or my Athleta zip up. 
     
4. What is the most affordable/cheapest item (that you use a lot)?
    The most affordable item in my closet that I use a lot would be a $5 H&M t-shirt 

5. What was the biggest bargain?
    The biggest bargain is a $3 dress from Macy's, which was originally $70. 

6. What was the biggest waste of money?
    A shirt from Forever 21 I wore once because it came out of the wash looking atrocious.   

Bonus Question: 
7. Show us your 3 favorite items right now?
    1. Blanket scarves 

     


























2. Plaid Poncho

     




















3. Super soft cardigan from Garage 

New Years Eve Outfit of the Night

Hello Everyone! While I was sitting here deciding what my next post should be about, I realized that I never posted my outfit from New Years Eve. So, here it is!

Do you ever think of an outfit in your head, then it doesn't work out when you try it on? Well, that is what happened to me with my original outfit for New Years. I planned on wearing the same turtleneck and shoes, but instead of the printed skirt I wanted to wear my leather circle skirt. The problem with that outfit was that the skirt didn't fit right; I had to quickly come up with a new outfit. Instead of thinking of an entirely new outfit, I swapped skirts and it ended up working!

Turtleneck- Old Navy
Skirt- I made it
Booties- Macy's
Purse-Kate Spade

Favorite Clothing and Accessories of 2015

It's January 2nd, 2016, a brand new year. The start of a new year can only mean one thing: it is time to make room for new trends! Whether it be in fashion or the media, trends come and go quicker than we can blink. One of my least favorite trends, culottes, emerged for a brief period of time, but later died down as fall rolled around. Two of my favorite trends would have to be plaid ponchos/scarves and suede skirts, which were seen all over this past fall and in to winter! 1970's inspired clothing dominated the runways and store throughout the entire year! I thought I would share my favorite clothing and accessories from 2015!

1. Blanket Scarves

I love these types of scarves SO much! All of them are from Aerie, except the top one which is from Forever 21. These scarves are just so warm and cozy, perfect for the fall and winter!

2. Ankle Booties

These are my suede booties I got about a month or two ago. They're a great staple piece because they can be worn with dressy and casual outfits. The height of the heel is perfect! The best thing about them is that they're super comfortable even with a heel! 

3. Suede Skirt

This is a burgundy suede skirt I got a few weeks ago from Hollister. I have seen suede skirts everywhere this past fall and going into the winter, so I'm really happy I finally got one. This skirt fits perfectly, and it will be great to wear throughout the winter and next fall too!

4. Kate Spade Crossbody 

I got this crossbody purse for my birthday back in November. I love it SO much! I fits my phone, chapstick and keys perfectly. I love that it's black and white because it matches every outfit possible. 

5. Floral Romper

I bought this over the summer and it was a steal, I paid $7.00 for it! This was my go to outfit this past summer because it was so easy to put on one garment and have an instant outfit. This is also very lightweight, so it kept me cool during the summer.

6.  Floral Dress

I did a post about this dress back when I got it. I bought this dress over the summer. It's from a store I went to when I was in Boston called The Stone Flower.  This is different than any other dress I have, it is definitely my favorite!

7. Bracelets

These are my two favorite bracelets. I got the one on the left when I was in N.Y.C this past March and I got the one on the right from Charming Charlie. I love these bracelets because they fit my wrist and don't feel like they're going to fall off. I also really like how they look when I pair them together.

8. Cropped Mock Turtleneck Sweater

This would have to be one of the softest sweaters I own, it's from American Eagle. The coloring isn't the best in this picture, but it's a light pink blush color. This sweater is very warm, and I love wearing it with high waisted jeans.

9. Headbands

The headband on the left is one I got for Christmas, and it's from The Stone Flower. The headband on the right is from Icing. Both of these match a lot of my clothing, and I love the rhinestone and pearl details on them!

10. Plaid Poncho

This poncho is from Forever 21. I got it for Christmas last year, but I've worn it so much this year! Plaid ponchos were a big trend this fall and going into winter. They're a great wait to easily look put together because you can wear it over leggings and a long sleeve shirt, and it'll look great! 

What were some of your favorite clothing, accessories and trends from 2015?