Two Natural Looks for Summer: Natural Nude and Bold Red

*I was able to review these beauty products as part of a sponsored post through Collective Bias. As always, all thoughts and opinions are authentic and my own.

 I'm always looking for great quality beauty products at low affordable prices, however, I'm a little skeptical of all make-up until I've personally tried it out. I was thrilled to find a great selection of Rimmel London cosmetics available at Walmart for only $3.97 each (see my shopping story here). These Rimmel products are all perfect for creating a fresh and natural look for summer. Since I live in humid Florida, I especially want my summer make-up to be light and understated.

I used these Rimmel products to create two summer styles: natural nude, and bold red.



This natural nude look is my all-time favorite look. I highlighted my favorite Rimmel products above that were essential to this look: The quad eye shadow, the natural mineral bronzer, and the stay glossy lip gloss.

Tips for this natural look

1. Don't overdo your foundation. If you feel like your foundation is leaving lines or looking unnatural, use one shade lighter than you usually do. You can then add color more naturally with the bronzer. If you still want a lighter look, mix the liquid foundation with a little bit of moisturizer on your hand right before you apply it.

2. Use neutral tones for your liner and shadow. I used brown eye liner and the quad eye shadow. I used the different shades of brown to create subtle shadows and add dimension to my eyes, without making it especially noticeable.

3. Apply a little bronzer to your forehead, nose, and cheeks (basically the places where you naturally get sun). Then apply a light layer of pressed powder (in the same shade as your foundation) to the rest of your face.

4. Don't forget lip gloss. This pink gloss is subtle, but is the perfect finishing touch. I love this Stay Glossy lip gloss, because it feels like a cross between lip stick and lip gloss, and it doesn't feel too sticky.

I have to confess, red lipstick makes me nervous. I see other people wearing it, and I love the look. However, I sometimes shy away from bold looks, plus, I hate the thought of it smearing or rubbing off. But now, red lips is a new summer staple for me, thanks to the Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick.

Tips for this bolder summer look:

1. Stay with the light and fresh make-up look from above to keep the focus on your red lips. You also want to avoid too many bold things at once.

2. Use neutral tones for your eye shadow. I would stick with shades of brown, gold, and gray, according to your skin tone.

3. Scrub your lips with a wash cloth before applying your lipstick for a smoother and more polished look.

4. After you've applied your red lipstick, add a little bit of a lighter shade of lip gloss to the middle of your lips for a little dimension.

5. Pair this bold look with a neutral colored shirt (maybe even one with a bold geometric pattern). I added a coral headband and sunglasses to compliment the red lipstick, and to help pull my bangs back.

Check out this summer lifestyle magazine that features tips and looks from Rimmel London:

What is your favorite summer make-up look? Are you more of a natural nude or a bold red? 

Enjoy Natural Beauty this Summer with Tree Hut

This post brought to you by Tree Hut. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I first started doing jewelry and nail tutorials, I noticed something about my hands. My close up pictures showed just how dry my hands were, and once I could see it I started to really feel it too. As a creative person, and a mom of a 2 year old and a 3 year old, I wash my hands a million times a day, which of course really dries them out. It feels like my regular lotion just isn't enough to fix it.

That's why I was thrilled to get to try out these Tree Hut products: The Tree Hut foot scrub, the Tree Hut foot cream, and especially the Tree Hut hand cream. These products are great. Not only are they high quality, but they are made in the USA, not tested on animals, and parabin and DMDM free! Plus, they are available all over the country conveniently at Walmart and other stores.



The Tree Hut Renewing Hand Cream is AMAZING. With organic shea butter and natural Moroccan argan nut oil, it helps heal your overworked hands. I love how this lotion feels. It doesn't leave my hands feeling sticky after I use it, and my hands are smoother and more naturally beautiful than ever. The Moroccan Rose scent is also amazing, but subtle
.
I also got a chance to treat my feet with the Tree Hut Exfoliating Foot Scrub, and the Peppermint foot cream. I absolutely LOVED the strong peppermint scent, and really enjoyed these products. Plus, the peppermint oil is a natural moisturizer. Other natural ingredients like organic shea butter and real sugar make this foot scrub an excellent exfoliator, moisturizer, and healer. My feet felt so good (and looked good too) after my little home pedicure.

The Tree Hut Foot Cream also has that strong peppermint scent that I love. I've been using this on my feet all the time lately, and I love how my feet feel. The natural formula also makes it not greasy, which is a must for me.

These Tree Hut products have my feet and hands ready for summer, so I wanted to share a fun summer outfit idea inspired by the idea of natural beauty. The idea is that you can wear the same accessories to either dress up a casual outfit, or dress down a fun summer dress. The natural pinks and brown leather accents are perfect for summer, and are beautiful in an understated but powerful way.

Made at Polyvore

Have you tried any of these Tree Hut products before? What does natural beauty look like for you?

If you want to keep up with Tree Hut, you can follow Tree Hut on Twitter or like Tree Hut on Facebook.

Runway Inspired Lace Tip Nails

There are so many fun trends in fashion this spring, from bold shapes and patterns, to black and white, to lace. When I was given the opportunity to create a runway inspired nail tutorial with Sally Hansen nail products for the spring, I knew I would have trouble choosing just one. When I went to Walgreens to look at the collection, my decision got even more difficult. There were so many gorgeous colors and styles of polish that were beautifully displayed. You can see my Google+ shopping album here.

I love the pink and gold metallic nails in this Walgreens display! There was also a beautiful section of Sally Hansen nail polish called "Colors of the Season" with a great selection of trendy colors. #ILuvNailArt

(P.S. There is a BOGO 50% on Insta Dri and Salon Effects at Walgreens that runs until 3/30/13. If you buy 2 between 3/10-3/16, then you will receive 2,000 rewards points.)

After a LOT of deliberation (and a few weird looks from other customers), I finally narrowed it down to just a few products with a design in mind. I made sure to use my Balance Rewards card for extra points and discounts. I ended out choosing one of my favorite trends right now, black lace, which is both classic and current.

(Source, Source) 

Here is a trendy spring outfit I put together that would look great with these black lace tip nails. It features two of the Pantone spring 2013 fashion color report, poppy red and linen.

1. Salvatore Ferragamo Lava Juliette Tote  2. Valentino Couture Lace D'Orsay  3. Freshwater Pearl Earrings  4. Romantic Luxe Twill Skinny Jeans  5. Lipsy Tunic Top  6. Allure's Top 8 Spring Make-up Trends  7. ASOS Nude Round Sunglasses  8. Pearl and Bead Bracelets  9. River Island Black Leather LOVE Bracelet  10. Black Lace Tip Nails (Sally Hansen Nail Effects)

HOW TO CREATE THIS LOOK

What I used:

1. Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear "White On"

2. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri "In a Flash"

3. Sally Hansen Mega Shine Top Coat

4. Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

5. (Optional) Sally Hansen No More Mistakes Manicure Clean-up Pen

What you do:
1. Paint your nails with 1-2 coats of white paint. A lot of light and neutral colors are pretty transparent and the white base gives your nails an even and brighter look. For a more see through look, you can skip this step.
*Make sure to let each coat fully dry before applying the next one. 
2. Paint on a coat of your colored nail polish. I used the Insta-Dri polish (which dried quickly, hooray!) in the color called "In a Flash". A darker nude shade would also work well.
3. Touch up any nail polish spots or edges with the Sally Hansen No More Mistakes Manicure Clean-up Pen. This pen was amazing and SO easy to use. It really allowed me to paint right up to the edges to my nails with a straight line.
4. Prepare your nail polish strips. Choose strips that are the right width for each nail, and cut them to cover the top halves of your nails. Make sure they fully cover past the top of your nails. (These fun strips are made of real nail polish so they don't look or feel like stickers. They come right off with nail polish remover.)
5. Follow the instructions for the strips. Basically, peel off the front and backs from the strips, press them against your nails (you can stretch them a little bit if you need to), then use the provided nail file to file the ends. Be careful to not file off too much of the strip.
6. Make sure you are happy with how everything looks and that everything is smooth and even.
7. Add a coat of Mega Shine Top Coat, making sure it covers the front end of your nails. I LOVE this top coat, plus it extends the life of your manicure and prevents chipping.
8. Let it dry and enjoy!

You can keep up with Sally Hansen on twitter or check out the I Heart Nail Art app where you can submit your own nail art for a chance to win $500, a trip to NYC, and a $2000 grand prize. (Check out the app for more details.)

 I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and COTY. All opinions are my own. #cbias #SocialFabric