Product spotlight: ColourPop Cosmetics

 So as many of you can tell from reading my blog I love to try out new products, especially if they are affordable and today's post is no different!!

I had heard and seen some stuff about colourpop for a few months and it was a line that I hadn't tried before, so a few weeks ago I decided to buy some stuff.

The products range from 5-20 dollars and if you sign up for their newsletter you will automatically get 5 dollars off your first purchase!!

I bought 3 of their lipsticks, an eyeliner and eyeshadow...
Lips

 Satin lipstick in the color Brooklyn ($6)

 

This is a hot pink tone with a satin finish

 Ultra matte in 1st Base ($6) 

 A muted pinky/muave tone

They also came out with a new formula for their lippie sticks called Matte X ($5)

 Chateau which a deep red/wine color

Eyes

Creme gel eyeliner retractable pencil in Get Paid ($5)

Super shock eyeshadow in envy ($5) 

Violet purple with cooper and purple sparkles

. 

I rate each:

 Ultra satin- 7/10  

 Pros

-Super pigmented

-Not drying

-Glides on easy

-Long lasting

Cons

-Not smudge proof

Ultra Matte- 8.5/10

Pros

-Super pigmented

-Smudge proof

-Dries instantly

 Cons

-Can get flaky Tip: mosturize lips before applying

-can feather 

Lippie stick- 6/10

Pros

-Great color pay off 

-Not drying

 Cons

 -Not smudge proof

-Can feather over time

Eyeliner- 9/10

Pros 

-Glides on easily

 -Doesn't move

Cons

-Does need a few applications to get good color pay off

Super shock shadow- 9/10

Pros

-Very pigmented

-Lasts all day

Cons

-Glitter does scatter

The picture on the left is when I just put on the look (líp satin, eyeliner, eyeshadow) right- 5 hours after heat, food and drink

As you can tell the eyeliner and eyeshadow did stay on pretty well. There is still a faint stain on the lips so it needs reapplying (which is a little annoying because I love the color) 

Overall I was impressed with how pigmented these products were, especially for the price of the products!

I will definitely buy more of their eyeliner, eyeshadow and ultra matte lipsticks in the future!

If you have tried out any colourpop products tell me which ones are your favorite? Comment down below! 

I hope you guys liked this review or found it helpful! 

-Lupita ❤️

Product Spotlight: Tarte's Greatest Glitz Collection Set

Happy 2016! I hope you all had a wonderful time during the holidays and ate a lot of great food!

Now that it's a brand new year, it only means that there are new things in the world of beauty! 

For the first review of the year I bought this gift set from Tarte on the ulta website (Now unavailable) They were having a deal the day after Christmas and I thought I'd buy myself a little belated Christmas gift!

As you can see it's very glitzy and sparkly (hence the name).The top is made out of sequins and it looks like it would make a great clutch bag for a night out if it was a bit smaller.

Once you lift the top it reveals the three different palettes along with a mirror, which I thought was a nice plus. There is also a drawer that had a lip butter and  Tarte's bestselling mascara as well.

There are 8 shades and a blush in each a palette! 
The colors range from gold, dark and silver tones with mate and shimmer finishes

Here are some swatches from each one:

*Note: I realized the lighter shadows didn't show up as I expected on camera, sorry 

Gold Palette

1.Toasted Marshmallow *

2.Vixen

3.Dipped In Chocolate

Blush: Warmhearted

Rose Gold

1.Joy To The Pearl *

2.Glitzy Blitzen

3.Evening Affair 

Blush: Impress

 Silver

1.Jingle All The Grey

2.Bedazzled Spruce

3.Black The beauty

Blush: Bubbly

I have to say overall I was happy with how pigmented the eyeshadows were, especially the darker shades. The shimmering ones had the right amount of glitter, perfect for a night out! 
'
Out of the eye shadows, I couldn't choose because they were all so pretty and I had literal heart eyes looking at them!

Out all the blushes, bubbly was my favorite because I could use it as a blush or a bronze highlighter.

 I hope you enjoyed this review and I will see you soon! 

-Lupita

The Continuous Journey to Redefining The Standards Of Beauty

Hi everyone!

So if you've been following this blog you may have read my posts on how the fashion industry has made a major change by incorporating more diverse people in their work such as people with disabilities.

See Previous posts:
 2014: Changing The View On Diversity
New York Fashion Week Open It's Arms To Diversity

Well this movement is becoming even bigger now with the addition of Madeline Stuart of Australia

According to her mother,Madeline or Maddy as her family calls her,a lifestyle change to become active and healthy helped her become more confident and reach her dreams of becoming a model. 

Like most girls, Maddy had struggled with her weight, but thanks to dance, swimming and cheer leading she has lost weight and is more confident with herself.

 Other than raising her confidence Maddy also hopes her new found career will change society's look on down syndrome and look past her disability and see the beautiful person outside and in.
“People need to see how she shines, how her personality just bursts out.” her mother says.

Side Note: That swimsuit is cute! Werk it girl!


Maddy is currently looking for an agent, but I have a feeling she will find one in no time!

 Site


Another trend I am seeing is the advertising of plus size models and as a plus size girl it makes me very happy!

I've always struggled with my weight and seeing ads with skinny models didn't help with my confidence as a teen, but as I grew up I learned to love my body and curves. I know I'll probably never be a size 0 because I love to eat, but sometimes going to the mall and trying to shop can be a bit of downer when everything I like is not in my size. I have boobs, a butt, hips, thighs and might be a bit wider than other girls. And even if a certain store says it's for a plus size women it might only cover a few of the problem areas you have and it's just like "Ugh do these manufactures actually think people are all the same size? Do they not know us curvy girls like to look cute too?" 

But as of recently the media has brought models who aren't a size 0 to light and it 's making me want to embrace my curves more!

 Meet the curvaceous  women who are changing the fashion game...

Nadia Aboulhosn

She has been called the Kim Kardshian of the blogging world and has thousands of followers on her social media accounts who love her edgy street fashion shots.  She has also been featured in Vogue and has her own plus size line called Nadia Plus for the fashion website Boohoo.
 
  "Don't listen to what other people think and say about you because ultimately the way you feel about yourself is what's important"

Instagram | Blog

 Tess Holiday

Tess has had a trailblazing year by becoming the first model of her size to be signed to a major modeling agency and  this past month, she made heads turn by becoming People Magazine's covergirl. Not only is she modeling, she is also founder of the #effyourbeautystandards movement that empowers women to love themselves as they are.    

"There is no such thing as a perfect body and the hardest barrier for women to overcome is themselves,"


 Instagram | Site

Gabi Fresh

 

Gabi not only is a fashion blogger/ model she also has her own swimsuit company called Swimsuits For All. She also came up with the campaign #everyBODYisflawless by posting a lip dub of Beyonce's hit ***Flawless with fellow plus size bloggers Nadia Aboulhosn and Tess Holiday encouraging women to love their bodies no matter what shape or size they are!

"You don't have to be a certain size to claim your confidence. Fat is not a flaw. This video is dedicated to the mainstream media, to the fashion industry, to internet bullies, and to anyone else who thinks it’s their right to try to make us feel less than because of their insecurities. #everyBODYisflawless"

- See more at: http://gabifresh.com/2014/05/everybodyisflawless/#sthash.H4luiARA.dpuf

you don’t have to be a certain size to claim your flawlessness. Fat is not a flaw. This video is dedicated to the mainstream media, to the fashion industry, to internet bullies, and to anyone else who thinks it’s their right to try to make us feel less than because of their insecurities. #everyBODYisflawless
- See more at: http://gabifresh.com/2014/05/everybodyisflawless/#sthash.H4luiARA.dpuf

you don’t have to be a certain size to claim your flawlessness. Fat is not a flaw. This video is dedicated to the mainstream media, to the fashion industry, to internet bullies, and to anyone else who thinks it’s their right to try to make us feel less than because of their insecurities. #everyBODYisflawless
- See more at: http://gabifresh.com/2014/05/everybodyisflawless/#sthash.H4luiARA.dpuf

Blog | Instagram

Ashley Graham 

Back in February she made headlines by being the first plus size model to be in sports illustrated as a part of the #curvesinbikinis campaign. Ashley's modeling career started at age 12 and is most notably known for modeling lingerie for the plus size clothing company Lane Bryant. She also recently gave a TED talk about her struggle with her body image and learning to embracing her body while working in the fashion industry.


“I felt free once I knew I wasn’t going to fit the narrow mould that society wanted me to fit in. I was never going to be perfect enough in an industry that defines perfection from the outside in and that's okay! Rolls, curves, cellulite, I love every part of me!”


Instagram | Site

Denise  Bidot

 Denise is the newest model to make waves in the media by being a part of the new campaign Beachbody Not Sorry for Gabi Fresh's company Swimsuitsforall  in which the sultry ads shows her in a bathing suit untouched which sadly is very rare in the media. The campaign aims for women to be confident with their "imperfections" and stop apologizing for them.

“I agreed to be part of this campaign because it’s about sharing your story with others and opening up the conversation about beauty,”

Instagram | Site

 I have to say is ladies keep doing what you're doing and keep flaunting it, us curvy girls appreciate!

And in the words of Beyonce herself...

-Lupita

1 year blogaversary!

I can't believe it's been a year already!

I just wanted to write a quick post and say thank you to all who have read and followed me on this blog!

I really appreciate the positive feedback and all the kind words that have been said and also to anyone who has shared my posts as well!

Looking back over the past year I've grown a bit of confidence since starting this blog because I was too hesitant to even start writing and I'd never thought I'd get so much positive comments, especially sharing parts of my personal life such as my disability.

This blog has become a fun passion of mine and I've enjoyed making posts for all of you for you to read :)

I promise I have more to come in the next year and I hope you continue to keep reading!

So here's to the next year!

Anxiety and depression awareness week!

In honor of this week I've decided to share my personal experiences with both these mental illnesses because feel this is very important to talk about and I haven't spoken about it publicly, but for the past couple of years they've been part of my life.

Just because someone doesn't look like they have a mental illness and it may not show on the surface, but it doesn't mean they don't have it and it's something I  and many people strive with on a daily basis and that's the thing about these illnesses you may not know a person has it until it may be too late. 

Like any other illness some people may show signs, some may not. This epidemic is effecting more teens and adults than ever before. 

Many things can trigger these illnesses:

• Stress 
• Family issues 
• Sudden loss of someone close to you
• Relationship issues

In recent years I have been dealing with both these illnesses and I have felt how it can change a persons state of mind and the physical toll it can have on the body.

First I'd like to give a little back story on how I found out I had depression.

For one thing the loss of my dad was a big factor. The weeks after were a blur, he passed away on July so obviously the weeks after  were close to the start of school, so I kind of had that to distract me. I also was suggested to see a grief couselor  and join in an in-school support group and that helped a little.

Then Summer came around and I noticed a change in me, I'd get these bouts of sadness and disinterest in things I wanted to do and feel horrible.

But it was just the beginning because two years later I graduated high school and took a gap year from going to college because of some stuff and in that year my depression increased.

It was a rough time where I didn't do anything, but sleep and stay in bed all day not even bothering to eat or do things I liked to do, all that was just gone.

The real scary part when I was struggling, I'd go into this dark place where I questioned if staying alive and living was worth it, that I actually did think that hurting my self in hopes  that just ending it all would be the answer to everything that was happening at the time.

 It was those voices in the back of my head telling me I'd be better off doing it. It was very scary not having control of my own thoughts and feelings that I thought I'd never be as happy and normal again.

But luckily I was medically diagnosed and put on anti-depressants for over two years and I've progressed a lot, but even so I still have my bad days.

 When I told some of my close friends about my depression some were understanding, but there are some that just don't understand the concept. I feel that people, especially teenagers should know more about the signs and realize they aren't the only ones who suffer from it and that there are ways to treat it so they can have a better life.

 Depression isn't something you can just get rid of. There are many treatments and ways you can help subside it, but it is something you have to live with everyday and even with those treatments you can still slip into it every once in while so you need to do your part to overcome it and take control.

Statistics  show that depression:

• Effects 1 in 10 Americans and 131 million people around the world
•  70% of adolescents have depression by the age of 18
• 14% are adults
•  Women are more prone to depression then men, suffering from post postpartum depression after having a child.
•  10% show symptoms, but are left untreated 
• 60-80% of all cases can be treatable 
• About 50% of people get  properly diagnosed by a doctor
• 2/3 of people with depression commit suicide 

 Signs of depression are:

• You feel hopeless
• Loss of concentration
•  You feel numb of all the the feelings and emotions 
• Having negative thoughts you can't control
• Loss of appetite or over eating
• Can't sleep or over sleep
• Disinterest in doing things you enjoy 
• Thoughts of suicide (This is a major sign that you need to seek medical attention right away)

 Now I'd like to share my experience with anxiety and panic attacks.

Some of you may not know this but both of these things are a side effect of depression, well I didn't know that either until I experienced it for myself about a two years ago.

First of all I'd like to point out that I am a very anxious person as it is, but this magnified my anxiousness.

I first experienced my first bout of a panic and anxiety attack in school right after I'd come out of my adviser's office trying to map out what classes and credits I needed to get my degree (I was set to major in journalism and communications) and after he wrote it out and explained to me what exactly I needed to do. I left and I looked at it and realized I needed to take about 3 math classes and I had already dropped one class because I just couldn't handle it (math is a struggle with me ever since I was young) and now I needed to take 3 when I couldn't even do the simplest level.

Suddenly my mind was racing and I started over thinking everything!

"What am I going to do?
"I can't do this!"
"I'm never going to be able to graduate at this rate!"
" I'm never going to get anywhere like this!"

 After I called my mom to tell her she was like "It'll be fine, you can take your time, there's no rush anyway" and she was right about that, but my brain was thinking otherwise.

So much that I started to feel like I couldn't breathe and rushed to the bathroom, locked myself in a stall and just broke down crying. I finally collected myself and splashed water on my face and went back to eat something, but when my friend saw me and he clearly knew something was wrong I broke down again.

But after he took me outside and gave me a little pep talk I was feeling so much better.

It was months after that first episode, that I had another one and this time it was much bigger than the first one and definitely the scariest one.

I was on vacation visiting my mom's family and there was just this one day where I didn't feel like myself, so I laid down thinking it would help, but it made it worse.

Now let me just explain something first, my mom has a pretty huge family under one roof. Everyone is buzzing around, kids are playing, there is no place to be alone and it can get pretty chaotic. Where as in my family, it's just the 3 of us in and we all pretty much have our own space if we need it.

So coming from  some peace and quiet to this noisey, chaotic place kind of overwhelmed me, which was weird because I had been there two years prior with no problem at all, but I knew something was wrong with me.

I suddenly felt lightheaded, dizzy and I found it hard to breathe. It kind of felt like the walls were closing in on me and I needed to get out.

I told my mom I wasn't feeling well and broke down crying again. She took me outside and just let me cry and breathe and I felt so guilty that I was being this way, not being able to be with my family without freaking out, but they seemed to understand.  

Like I said before, when you have no control over what your brain and body do, it's terrifying. When having a panic or anxiety attack you can also worry and panic about having one especially when you're in public which makes it even worse. 

You worry that everyone thinks you're weird for freaking out for no apparent reason and then you start to panic when they start looking at you and ask you if your okay or need anything because you know they are just trying to help you.

It took awhile for me to get the help I needed. It wasn't until having trouble focusing in class, I was feeling restless and tired, I felt like I couldn't do the things I used to do and that would make me so anxious that I'd come home crying that at one point it went on for a week, so finally my mom suggested I talk to my doctor about it and that's when I knew I suffered from panic attacks and anxiety, so she put on anti depressants and after about a month or so I saw some improvements and I felt like myself again.

Signs of an anxiety or panic attack:

• Shortness of breath or hyperventilation
• Heart palpitations or a racing heart
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Trembling or shaking
•  Sweating
• Nausea or upset stomach
• Feeling unreal or detached from your surrounding
• Feeling dizzy, light-headed, or faint

If you or anyone you know suffers from anxiety or panic attacks here's some tips that may help:

• Try to take deep breaths.

• If you can try to separate yourself from the thing that is making you feel this way and go Somewhere quiet and if you feel better you can choose to go back if you're comfortable
• Talk to someone about it.

• If you feel like you need a little more help talk to your doctor and they may choose the best treatment for you.

If you know someone who may suffer from one:

• Try not to crowd around them (I.E asking them too many questions)
• If they want to be alone let them

They may just need to clear their head for a bit so just stand by

• Ask them if they want to be alone
• If they are comfortable enough with you they may want you to stay just for support
• Remind them to take deep breaths

Hope this post was informative and helpful!

 If your experiencing or someone you know are suffering any of these or any other mental illnesses/ disorders  and need help please contact:

Call: 800-273-8255 or text ANSWER to 839863 
Online help:  https://www.imalive.org/ 
For LGTBQ youth: http://www.thetrevorproject.org/


Remember you aren't alone and people are willing to help you get through this because your mental health and life matters!

-Lupita

Product Spotlight- April 2015

This  months product spotlight are actually two things!

So as a belated birthday present to myself I decided to as Donna Megale and Tom Havaford would put it "Treat yo Self!" and go to Sephora to splurge a bit!

First thing I bought was Benefit's Rockitude Lips and Cheek set in rose gold! ($28)

Now I have been loving the rose gold trend for a while now and this kit did not disappoint!

What caught my eye obviously was the packaging because if you can't tell already I love pink.

Also love that it comes in like a jewelry box, with a mirror included and it's portable so you can take it anywhere!

Once you open it, it will include:

 Benefit's lip and cheek tint and high beam highlighter

Blush in the color Rockature

Rockature  lipgloss

 All you have to do is follow the instructions and steps that are numbered, and you have your look for spring and Summer!

Also worn with Bella Pierre Eye shimmer in Celebration, Maybelline Butterfly mascara and Boutique kohl eyeliner

 I actually love that the lip tint also works as a cheek tint and it's very pigmented so a little goes a long way!

The second thing I purchased is something I've been wanting for a while now and that's the Beauty Blender. ($20)

It's probably the most I spent on a beauty tool, but I kept hearing it was the holy grail of beauty products, so I was like what the hell I'm going to treat myself today!

And I have to say it's the best decision I've ever made!

It's light weight and very easy to use.

I love that you don't need to use a lot of product on it and it will give you an effortless look rather than a cakey feel.

(left)Before foundation (right) After foundation using beauty blender

All you have to do is put your favorite liquid foundation (I find it easier to dab the foundation directly on m my face) and use the beauty blender and  just swiftly dab it (using the bottom side) around your face and for the smaller places, use the pointed side (this is also good for concealer).



Overall, I'm very happy with my purchases and I hope you found this helpful!

-Lupita

New York Fashion Week Open It's Arms To Diversity

Back about two months ago I wrote a post called 2014: Changing The View On Disability all about how some parts of the entertainment industry were letting people with different disabilities be apart of their campaigns and breaking the stereotype and assumptions of what people may have had about what a person with an impairment can and can't do.

Well I'm happy to say that in 2015 we are still continuing that fact!

It all started when American Horror Story actress Jamie Brewer was announced to be the first model with down syndrome to walk the run way at the biggest week in fashion in New York.

Brewer walked for designer Carrie Hammer as part of her "Role Models, Not Runway Models" show.

The initiative of the show was to empower working women, no matter how diverse the are.

Another person who wants to make a change in the entertainment industry is  Katie Driscol founder of Changing The Face Of Beauty, the foundation campaigns how beautiful people are and helps to include everyone in advertising no matter what they look like.

 Her only daughter Grace has autism and any mother knows having a little girl means playing dress up and that's when Driscol, a photographer created her blog 5 Boys and 1 Girl Make 6 which features Grace modeling for her mom. With the help of social media she began to post pictures of her daughter and reached out to vendors in hopes to use her daughter in their advertisements. That's when she decided to make a difference for her daughter and others like her.

"We're a society that's all about inclusion for children, but when you look at imagery, you almost never see children with disabilities of any kind." Driscol told People Magazine.

The main reason she started this campaign to bring awareness that people with disabilities are more then their diagnosis.

And recently she and Grace joined Jamie to be apart of Carrie Hammer's show at New York Fashion Week.

Katie Driscol, her daughter Grace, with Actress Jamie Brewer and designer Carrie Hammer

But that wasn't the only show that was incorporating diversity, Antonio Uzi’s show included many people with disabilities.

  

The show titled "FLT Moda Loving You" had a partnership with an Italian research foundation for Spinal Cord injuries.

There is also a model with a rare skin condition named Winnie Harlow.

 Harlow, who's real name is Chantelle Young-Brown has vitiligo, a skin condition that is responsible for killing skin cells that cause skin pigmentation. 

 She may seem familiar because she has been featured in the 21st cycle Tyra Banks' wildly popular modeling competition show "America's Next Top Model".

 She didn't win the show, but that didn't stop her from quitting her modeling dream and breaking the view of how a model should look and it was recently announced that she has landed 2 major campaigns for Diesel's new Spring/Summer 2015 campaign and in Spanish brand Desigual's 'Say Something Nice' campaign.

Harlow on the runway for Desigual at New York Fashion Week.

Diesel's Spring/Summer 2015 ad.

 Both campaigns promote diversity and positivity.



I'm so glad that these high profile fashion companies are realizing that there are more types of people out there than what has been put out into the world as the ideal look a person should have. 

Only time will tell how far this will go, but it's a start...

-Lupita