Happy New Year!

words

Hello, my lovelies! I know, I know, you're probably all wondering about my strange disappearance. It was a hectic month, and I made the decision that rather than erratically write irrelevant posts every so many days, I would stock up on good posts and save them for publishing in January.

But I didn't want to end the year without telling all my fantastic readers how much I love and appreciate you. You know celebrities always say, "Oh, I love my fans," but I never really knew what that meant until I realized... You're the whole reason I blog. Yeah, passion for makeup and beauty has a part, but without you, I'd be blogging to myself like a weirdo in a cave...

On that lovely note, Happy New Year. Er--almost New Year. Since I've made you wait long enough, I'll let you know what stocking stuffers you have in store in January... 10+ product reviews, new Youtube videos (but my camcorder needs a new memory card so they might look weird), 5+ fashion/beauty pictorials, and new 2013 surprises!

While you're waiting, I'll be updating on +Aisles of Beauty Official, Bloggers, and my email is always open, so talk to me whenever! (aislesofbeauty@gmail.com) Aisles of Beauty will be back to regular posting on January 2nd, 2013. See you then!

Stay beautiful!

The NEW Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette!

The New Urban Decay Naked Basics

Hello, my lovelies! If you were wondering, I've been out for a while with a strange illness (with the oddest symptoms), and I've been spending all week trying to catch up on school work. But I simply HAD to tell you all about the newest Naked Edition in Urban Decay!

The Naked Palette by Urban Decay was released in the summer of 2010 and has become one of the most legendary modern concepts in the makeup world. The nude colors with a POP changed the industry, and since then a Naked 2 Palette was released, and now the new Naked Basics!

This new palette features 6 naturally nude matte nude colors including four never before seen shades (from left to right); Venus, Foxy, W.O.S., Naked 2, Faint, and Crave. This new Naked Palette is $27.00, and you can find it on Urban Decay's website and at my favorite store, Sephora!

Click: Urban Decay to check out the palette and buy Urban Decay's products!

Stay beautiful!

Winter Fashion: Puffer Coats

Hello, my lovelies! Happy December! It's time for cold winter days, and a great way to keep warm is by wearing a puffer coat. Puffer coats are stylish winter coats with a bubbled frame. Warm, trendy, and perfect for winter weather!

Autumn's on iMakeupGuru!

Hello, my lovelies! Remember a few months back, when someone called Fashion Guru listed me as one of her favorite beauty blogs on her website? You can call her Zoe Fields, and for the past few months she's been working on a major project, the launch of iMakeupGuru. It's a community of beauty bloggers that collaborate on one site to give readers beauty and makeup advice, tips, reviews, and tutorials.

I just happen to be one of those featured bloggers. So go to imakeupguru.blogspot.com to read iMakeupGuru for even more beauty blogging fun! I'll be taking old posts from Aisles of Beauty and sharing my advice with a broader audience, and you can read posts from the other bloggers too.

Stay beautiful!

Hello December!

credit to tumblr

Hello, my lovelies! It's finally December, the most festive month of the year! It's finally time for corny Christmas movies, crowded days at the mall, hot cocoa and fireplaces, and winter fashion trends!

December is one of my favorite months of the year, and I have a warm, fuzzy feeling that this December is going to be a special one. So let's get to our monthly reflection:

Last month, November, Aisles of Beauty did a lot of great things. It was Aisles of Beauty's 6-month anniversary! Yippee! I didn't meet the 25 post goal for the month, but I posted Aisles of Beauty's first Youtube Video: Sweaters and Smokey Eyes, plus a Bloopers video!

That plus our November Surprises makes a pretty great month. But December's going to be even better. This month's goals:

• 20+ posts
• 3+ Youtube Videos
• 2+ product reviews

Get ready for a great December, lovelies!

Stay beautiful!

Fall/Winter Fashion: Oversized Coats

Hello, my lovelies! Today's the last day of November, and I wanted to end the month with a post with a fall/winter fashion trend; oversized coats. I first saw this trend in the Dec/Jan issue of TeenVogue. My Abuela thinks it looks crazy, but I think if you wear it right, it might be flattering... Here are some more pics, and let me know what you think of it!

Stay beautiful!

America's Next Top Model: Cycle 16

America's Next Top Model Cycle 16

Hello, my lovelies! So these last few days I've been suffering from a horrible cold, and I've been home from school, and I've missed the first rehearsals for Young Frankenstein! (I got Elizabeth!) The biggest problem is I can't speak! But at least I'm somewhat well enough to get some work done on ye ol laptop. 

All day I've been watching an America's Next Top Model Style-a-Thon on the Style Network. Style-a-Thon's feature old seasons of fantastic shows all day long.

If you've never heard of ANTM, it's a televised modeling competition created by Tyra Banks, one of my ultimate role models. The challenges in cycle 16 are exciting, and each is unique. You'd think after watching it for 4 hours I'd get a little bored, but every episode has its own drama, surprises, and fun! 

My favorite model is Jaclyn Poole, she is the sweetest, fiercest southern belle I have ever seen! Unfortunately for me, I already know my least favorite model, Brittani Kline, becomes America's Next Top Model. She's a real meanie. 

Jaclyn is on the left, and Brittani is on the right. There is no worse feeling than watching your favorite model get eliminated, especially when Jaclyn in particular did well in every other challenge. And she's so sweet, yet so versatile! *screams silently because I have no voice* Oh my gosh I'm like the little mermaid.

So, this is the best I could come up with as I'm lying sick in bed watching reruns of ANTM and drinking orange juice. Bare with me till my voice returns... 

Stay beautiful!

Monday Weekly Poll

Hello, my lovelies! I wanted to try something new this week... You see I've been wanting to do a consistent weekly bit every Monday, so today we're trying the Monday Weekly Poll. All you have to do is answer the poll question! ... Let's see how this goes. 

Stay beautiful!

Quiz: What's Your Holiday Style?

Hello, my lovelies! I was thinking about how routine Aisles of Beauty seems lately, and I wanted to mix things up a little bit, you know? How about November Surprise #3? I created a cute little quiz for you lovelies to try out, and you can find out what your Holiday Style is! Just answer the questions, and before you hit submit, write down a, b, c, or d for each question on a sticky note. Then hit submit and scroll below to see where your answers match!  Now remember, this is my first try at a quiz, so bare with me!

Mostly A's

Mostly A's - Your holiday style is chill. You prefer to relax at home then be a part of all the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Festive winter sweaters paired with comfy jeans are a perfect look for you! You can rock a soft eye, perhaps pastel eyeshadow, flushed cheeks, and peach or pink lip. There will be a lot of pinks and peaches in your makeup. If you want to spice up the look, contour with a bronzer for a stronger face with the soft features.

Mostly B's

Mostly B's - Your holiday style is carefree. You know how to make any occasion a fun time! Loud, unique colors and prints are perfect for you! Tuck a plain top into a funky skirt, and accessorize with some chunky fun jewelry! A little cat liner on the eyes and tinted gloss on the lips, and you're set! Want to spice it up even more? Colored mascara is perfect for you, swipe a few coats to match your funky skirt, and you're ready to go!

Mostly C's

Mostly C's - Your holiday style is adventurous. You like to create gifts with your imagination and try new things and travel to destinations unknown. You need a look just as imaginative and creative as you are. Winter lace is bold, but elegant, and you can rock it easily. Give your hair a windswept style and wear a bold, red lip. This look is simple, yet exciting, and you can personalize it in more ways than one! Pair faux leather with your lace or add a glittering purse for more adventure.

Mostly D's

Mostly D's - Your holiday style is glamourous. You love the shopping and hustle and bustle of the holidays, and this is your time to shine. The first four letters in glamourous spell glam, and that's a great way to show your holiday spirit! Wear a glitzy, glam dress, and you can keep the rest of your look minimal. Simple black heels, a nude clutch, and a smokey eye are perfect complements to the dress. Create a smokey eye, swipe on a bit of mascara, and you're set for the night!


You don't have to be adventurous to rock a red lip, or chill to wear your favorite sweater. Match up these ideas with your personality, and what you think is fun, and look great for the holidays, which are just around the corner!

Stay beautiful!

Fall Fashion: Cozy Sweaters

A cozy, slouchy sweater is perfect for fall!

Hello, my lovelies! Did everyone have a fabulous Black Friday? Well, today is Small Business Saturday, so go and support your family and friends and neighbors that own their own businesses!

An Aisles of Beauty reader asked me recently what type of sweaters she should wear with her smokey eye. For those unaware, Sweaters and Smokey Eyes is a gorgeous, classic fall look, and its also the name of my first Youtube video. I teach you how to create the perfect smokey eye to match your fabulous sweaters. Watch it here.

In addition to the sweaters you see in my Youtube video, I thought I'd compile some pics of cute fall sweaters than can easily be paired with a smokey eye... My favorite is the pink sweater you just saw. Here are some more, credit to Tumblr:

As long as you feel comfortable and stylish in the sweater you're in, it's perfect. Enjoy your Small Business Saturday, and get ready for Cyber Monday! 

Stay beautiful!

Happy Black Friday!

Black Friday 2012

Hello, my lovelies! Happy Black Friday! For those of you who've already ventured out to the mall at 3 am for doorbuster deals, congrats to you. Go ahead and get your Christmas shopping done, maybe you can buy me a few things too.

Unfortunately for me, my mother is refusing to let me out of the house, because she's worried I'll get run over by wild civilians or worse... Spend money. Gasp! House Arrest again... Deja vú.

So here I am blogging to you, hopelessly awaiting Cyber Monday, when maybe I'll get lucky and catch a deal or seven. I have so much Christmas shopping to do this year, and I'm stuck going to Five Below with my younger sisters a week before Christmas when all the good stuff is gone. I suppose its tradition. =(

On a happier note, my Thanksgiving was wonderful, I stuffed my face with turkey and stuffing and macaroni and platanos (fried plantains)... I hate cranberry sauce, so I had none of that. With a wave of fatigue I helped a bit with the dishes and headed upstairs to relax. Did you know, countless people have been asking for help with their blogs and websites after seeing the success of Aisles of Beauty. =) All because of you guys!

Enjoy your Black Friday everybody, and don't worry if you don't get everything you need. There's still Cyber Monday, and a lot of stores are extending their deals to get "in the black."

Stay beautiful!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I found this on Google... Fell in love with it!

Hello, my lovelies! Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers in the USA! My mother spent the last three days slaving over a hot stove and oven trying to cook this turkey for dinner tonight. We have 6 people coming over tonight. That plus the five of us in the house (plus two dogs) equals... 13 mouths to feed! OK, the dogs will be eating kibble or something... 

Haha, kibble is a fun word. :)

I hope you all have something to be thankful for! I know I do. A fantastic blog with so many fantastic readers, a laptop that actually works... (My dad wiped out my hard drive three times in case you were wondering why I hadn't been posting recently), and of course, my family and friends that make life so sweet. <3

Happy Thanksgiving again, and come back ASAP for more posts!

Stay beautiful!

Happy 6 Month Anniversary, Readers.

Hello, my lovelies! Can you believe it? Last night marked the 6 month anniversary (183 days because it's a leap year) of Aisles of Beauty's first post! Remember? I told that story about Mother Nature and color and makeup? Read the story here. Aisles of Beauty has really grown since then, huh? I remember when I was 12 and just wanting to start a beauty blog... I wasn't sure what I'd do... So I just dove right in. And here I am, with posts recognized all over the world, linked by other sites (I love when that happens), with my official Youtube Channel released and starting partnerships and guest posts and... Wow. It's been a pretty successful six months. 

Did you know 6 is my lucky number?

I'd like you all to know that no matter how many times I get writer's block, or how many times something goes wrong with this old Macbook, I still love you guys. You're the best reader's a teen blogger like myself could ever dream of, and just keep reading. Keep sharing my blog with your friends and sending me emails and giving me ideas. And I'll keep posting and making videos and taking pictures and buying products to review. 

Cheers to another six months!

Stay beautiful! 

Reader's Look: Blue Hair

Maya from Mexico dyed her hair blue in honor of me! I love this girl!

Hello, my lovelies! This weekend has been particularly irritating, because after two amazing nights of The Curious Savage, karma just had to catch up with me and break my computer. I didn't spill anything this time, it just won't let me log into my account! But I had to write an essay for Spanish, so we pulled some strings and here I am on my mother's computer, blogging to you about the highlight of my weekend since Friday.

Today I received the most amazing email from a loyal reader in Mexico named Maya. Talk about Universal Beauty. =) Technically, I already know her personally... She's my Secret Twin! We have the same birthday, June 10, and we keep in touch. Here's the email:

Well Secret Twin!

As you know, I die my streaks quite often! I've had them purple, teal, pink, blonde, and then I died them back to brown for a while. But I got bored with that, and I decided I wanted to die them again. So, in honour of my Secret Twin's debut with blue hair, that's the color I picked for mine as well! How did your play go, anywayz? Are you going to post it on your bloggity blog blog?

Yup. Check out her gorgeous blue locks in honor of my dyeing MY hair blue for the play! Love you Maya! {Want to email me your pics? aislesofbeauty@gmail.com!}

Stay beautiful!

Youtube Requests

A glimpse of my Youtube Channel. Subscribe today!

Hello, my lovelies! Tomorrow and Friday are production nights for The Curious Savage (Want to see it? Visit cbktheatre.org for more info.), and that means I'll have much more time to devote to Youtube. 

I'm planning on filming something this weekend, but I want to know what you want to learn. This is your time to make requests for any Youtube videos you want to see from me! Comment ideas below, send me an email {aislesofbeauty@gmail.com}, or comment directly on my Youtube Channel! 

My Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHvaT5OzBSaNM0dCnIeiuTA/videos?sort=dd&flow=list&view=0

Don't forget to subscribe to my channel, share my videos with friends, and let me know what you want to see!

Stay beautiful!

November Surprise #2: Behind the Scenes

Hello, my lovelies! Have you seen my first ever Youtube video yet? It's called Sweaters and Smokey Eyes, and features a fantastic tutorial on how to create a beautiful bronze smokey eye. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do0V_ZMdQgA&feature=plcp.

Would you like to see a compilation of my oddest, strangest, and funniest moments while working on the video? Oh yeah, I know you do: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufOHi0CnVko&feature=youtu.be

Oh, how I enjoy the Benny Hill Theme. =)  Hope you enjoy November Surprise #2, and stick around for more surprises this month! And don't forget to share the video with your friends, family, neighbors, cousins, cousins of neighbors, friends of cousins of neighbors, family of friends of cousins of neighbors, and--- Well, you get the point.

Stay beautiful!

6 Friendly Tips on Dyeing your Hair

Hello, my lovelies! This weekend was busy, I had nonstop rehearsals for Cedarbrook Theatre's Fall Drama, The Curious Savage. (Live in eastern PA? Come see the show! Visit cbktheatre.org for more info.) For those who have never heard of it, it's a hysterical comedy about an elderly widow named Mrs. Savage who was left with 10 million dollars, and she wants to do good deeds with it. Her stepchildren, however, have different, more selfish plans. I play Mrs. Savage, and that requires my hair to be blue. Yes, blue. 

I had to dye my hair blue for the show, and I thought I'd give you a few tips on dyeing your hair. Keep in mind these tips are all from my experience, and I used a temporary rinse blue dye.

1. Pick a good brand. The quality of the dye you choose all depends on the brand you buy. I went to a place called House of Beauty, and the employees helped me find a good brand for my hair.

2. Dark haired girls, beware! For girls with dark hair like mine, bleaching is often necessary to get the color you want. But bleaching is unhealthy, and can mess up your hair permanently. Talk with a professional for other options... Unless you plan on dyeing your hair permanently...

3. Get some help. Whether you're getting it dyed in a salon, or dyeing it at home like I did, you'll want an extra set of hands to help. My mom helped me get all the blue coloring in my hair, and help me do all the rinsing and such.

4. Read the directions. This is an obvious step, but different brands have different methods, it isn't the same process... Especially with how long you leave your hair under the dryer. Some brands say 10 minutes, others say 30. Pay attention!

5. Avoid the skin. Most hair dyes will tell you to use cream or petroleum jelly to guard your hairline, and that's important. I spent 20 minutes with a bottle of rubbing alcohol trying to get blue spots off of my face and hands. Cover up and wear gloves!

6. Know what you're doing. Woops! You accidentally got permanent dye rather than semi permanent! Now you're stuck with pink hair forever! Oopsies! Yeah, don't let that happen. Talk with professionals (employees at beauty stores, your hairdresser, your neighbor that just happens to be an expert dyer...) before doing anything you're unsure about. This is changing your hair color we're talking about!

I'll tell you in detail about my experience dying my hair blue next time.

Stay beautiful!

Sweaters and Smokey Eyes: My First Youtube Video!!

OMG! I'm on Youtube!

Hello, my lovelies! This past week has been particularly inspiring. Because of disastrous feats of nature (cough cough Hurricane Sandy), I've been given more time to devote to working on my blog. And in that time I've done something wonderful. Remember in my Fall/Halloween Nails post when I mentioned a BIG surprise? Something you've been waiting for a very LONG time? 

Oh yes, if you're thinking MY FIRST YOUTUBE VIDEO EVER, you're spot on! Just minutes ago I uploaded Aisles of Beauty's first Youtube Tutorial: Sweaters and Smokey Eyes. Be the first to learn how to create a beautiful bronze smokey eye in this classic fall look on my Youtube Channel! And this is just the first of a string of surprises to be revealed; November Surprise #1 is complete.

Click here to view the tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do0V_ZMdQgA&feature=plcp

Like it, leave comments, share it with your friends, and help me go viral! 

And now that this lovely surprise is revealed, it's time to get started on November Surprise #2.

Stay beautiful!

November Reflection

November in 10+ different languages! 

Hello, my lovelies! Today marks the first of November, and it's time for yet another monthly reflection post.

Just so you all know, Hurricane Sandy struck hard this week, and our power is still out, and apparently won't be fixed until tomorrow night. At least we've gotten a week off of school for it. I'm at my Ti Ti's house {we slept over... got sick of no heat & electricity}. So.. Happy belated Halloween! Anyway, it's November, and that means Thanksgiving, Black Friday, oh, all the shopping! It's giving me chills.  =)

This month's goals:

1. Release Aisles of Beauty's first official Youtube video
2. Post 25+ blog posts
3. Write more product reviews (that seems to be the most popular feature)

Hold me to it, lovelies, I want this month to be Aisles of Beauty's best month yet!

Stay beautiful!

How to Conceal a Zit

Yikes! That's a big one!

Hello, my lovelies! Because of Hurricane Sandy, my parade was rained inside all day, but I got a lot of work done, thankfully. Of that work includes this photo tutorial on how to conceal an unsightly blemish. Every teenager gets zits, pimples, blemishes, whatever you want to call them. How to conceal them is a lifelong skill you'll want to know forever.  ;)

Because I have an HD Camera, you can only see the difference slightly, but in person, there's a dramatic difference. Try it out, and you'll see!

You'll Need: Concealer, Foundation, Foundation Brush, Concealer Brush (optional)

I used: Too Faced Flexible Coverage Concealer (but only because it was the only one at my disposal at the time), Sephora Mattifying Foundation, BareMinerals makeup brushes.

Stay beautiful! 

Fall/Halloween Nails

Fall Leaves in Halloween Colors! 2-for-1 bonus!

Hello, my lovelies! How's Hurricane Sandy treating you? School's out for the day (precautionary purposes), and I'm spending the day prepping for a BIG SURPRISE for all you wonderful readers, something I know you've been waiting for a long time. Feel free to let the mystery drive you crazy. =)

Whether you're out of school or not, I decided to start up the week with some Halloween themed nail art. I personally hate Halloween and all the scares that come with it, but it's a great time for costumes, candy, and nail art! So, I combined the beauty of fall leaves with the colors of Halloween to make a 2-for-1 special!

All you have to do is paint your nails like you regularly would with orange polish, then with a detailing brush (or a toothpick), use black nail polish to create the veins of the leaves. Simple, right? Let me know what you think, and send me your nail art to aislesofbeauty@gmail.com.

Stay beautiful!

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream Sample

Hello, my lovelies! Last week, at about 4pm, an idea struck me. I'm well into my Sephora Mattifying Foundation, but because winter aka the season of dry skin is coming up, I've been thinking about switching to a more moisturizing foundation. Then I thought: BB Cream. If you haven't heard of this widespread phenomenon, then you must live under a rock on planet Jupiter, because BB Cream is HUGE. Originating from Asia, BB Cream stands for Beauty Balm, and combines skincare with makeup to create the ultimate 1 step beautifying solution.

Every major makeup brand has its own BB Cream, but I tried Maybelline Dream Fresh, because their marketing team consists of geniuses. In the latest issue of Seventeen Magazine, inside a Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream ad was a packet with a free sample of it's light/medium shade and a coupon for $1 off until the end of the year! As a subscriber, I get every issue a month early, but when I first saw the sample I didn't think I'd like it, so I didn't even bother.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream is an 8-in-1 Skin Perfector. It claims to:

• Blur imperfections
• Brighten your complexion
• Even skin tone
• Smooth
• Hydrate
• Enhance
• Protect with SPF 30
• and it has 0% oils and heavy ingredients!

So, I tried it. Nothing to lose, right? I washed my face with a gentle cleanser (that's the before shot) and didn't apply any moisturizer or anything. My face was completely naked (besides some lip balm). Then I applied the BB Cream.

*** Disregard the fact that my face is several shades lighter in the after picture; the light/medium tint was too light for my skin color, and SPF in foundation washes faces out in photographs. If I bought the product I'd get the next shade or two up.

Four words for you: I love BB Cream. I could rave about it for hours, but just look at everything I listed. It did everything it said it would, and you couldn't even tell anything was on my face! Well, besides that it made me look lighter than normal.  =)

There was enough in the sample for 2-3 days, a little goes a long way, so I tried using both with and without my Sephora Mattifying Foundation over it. Because the BB has such sheer coverage, my mattifying foundation helped me get medium to full coverage overall. But I'm sure you could layer it and get enough coverage. A great duo, though!

Overall, I'd score this beauty balm 9.5 out of 10 stars, only because it's so good, it's not fair. My ladies with dark skin can't jump on the Dream Fresh bandwagon, because the color choices are so limiting. Only 5 fresh tones!

This BB cream sells for either $7.44 or $8.99 in the US depending where you buy (I recommend Walmart or Target for the cheaper buy), which I'd say is reasonable for all the benefits it gives you!

That's all for now folks!

Stay beautiful!