How To Remove Pin-Up Makeup + Product Reviews

m.beautifulshoes.org

Kind of a while back, I wrote a post about applying pin-up makeup which you can view HERE! Yet, with every makeup tutorial there is the oh-so dreaded makeup removal process. At least it's a process I used to dread before I discovered the right products.

The first thing you should know about me is that I have extremely sensitive skin, as in I went to a dermatologist and they confirmed this. Because of this I need products that are gentle on the skin and fragrance-free. But first and foremost...

My Steps for Removing (Pin-Up) Makeup

1. Remove lipstick - I do this first because otherwise you risk getting lipstick all over your hands if you remove your eye makeup first (maybe I'm just messy!). I use my CeraVe cleanser (reviewed below) for this step. I usually use a cotton pad for this step.
   
   
2. Remove eyeliner and eyeshadow - I use Neutrogena Hydrating Eye Makeup Remover Lotion for this step (reviewed below). I first use a cotton pad for the general area and then I'll use a cotton swab along the lash line because I don't like to tear at my eyelashes.
   
   
3. Remove fake eyelashes (I don't wear fake eyelashes so I don't have any advice here, but I did find THIS nifty article about the matter).
   
   
4. Now, I typically shower at night so this is where I would jump in and let the steam and water take care of the rest! While in the shower, wash your face using a gentle cleansing scrub, like the CeraVe cleanser.
   
   
5. Then once out of the shower, remove any mascara that ran. Once again, I'll just use a cotton swab with a little bit of the Neutrogena Hydrating Eye Makeup Remover Lotion.
   
   
6. If you find you have dry skin after removing makeup or if your skin is typically dry, this is where you would apply a light moisturizer to your face.

Products Reviews

(Note: I am in no way being compensated to endorse these products. I just really believe in them and I want to spread the word!)


CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser

www.drugstore.com

To remove all dirt, oil, and makeup at the end of the day, my go-to product is CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser. I usually slab it on in the shower every night and bam, you're done! The steam opens your pores right up allowing the cleanser to soak deep into your skin. But I typically don't wear a lot of makeup every day so all my makeup comes off pretty easily.

PROS

• Gentle on skin
• Moisturizing
• Fragrance-free
• Softens skin
• Non-greasy
• Award-winning
• Recommended by dermatologists

CONS

• Expensive (a 12 oz. bottle will run you about $10-12)

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser is available at Walmart, Target, Amazon, Ulta, Walgreens, CVS, and many other retailers!

Neutrogena Hydrating Eye Makeup Remover Lotion

www.drugstore.com

When it comes to specifically eye removing makeup, this stuff is MAGICAL. Seriously, I can't stress it enough! I've tried so many other similar products and nothing works as well as this stuff! I most commonly use it on a cotton swab throughout the day to touch up any mascara or eyeliner that smudges. At the end of the day, I'll just smother it all over my eyes with my fingers and then wipe with a cotton round, and the best part is, it won't sting your eyes at all! It's absolutely wonderful. I also use this product to touch up lipstick around the edges, also using a cotton swab.

PROS

• Gentle on skin
• Lightweight
• Non-greasy
• Fragrance-free
• Hydrating
• Removes waterproof mascara
• Contains cucumber & aloe extracts
• Relatively inexpensive (a 3 oz. bottle costs $7-8 depending on where you purchase it from. I consider this a good price because a little goes a long way! I've been using the same bottle for about 2 years now.)

CONS

• None that I can think of! I mean, if you use it repeatedly in the same spot and press too hard with a cotton round, then yeah, it'll make your skin raw...

Neutrogena Hydrating Eye Makeup Remover Lotion is available at Walmart, Amazon, Ulta, Walgreens, and others!

Another note... Because this stuff works so well, if you have any little bit of it on your face and then try to apply makeup over it, your makeup up will smudge with the lightest touch, so if you use it and then plan to reapply makeup, rinse the area well with water.



Well, there you go! I hope this information has helped you in some way! Let me know in the comments below if there are products that you like to use to remove makeup, especially heavy pin-up makeup!

Retro Play of the Week: "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" by Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons

So this retro play has been inspired by the recently released "Jersey Boys" film in theaters. I love this song and actually karaoked it at Relay for Life once where I received a standing ovation from a 70-year-old woman. Sadly, there is no proof of any of this... Aw well.

But there is good news! This song does appear on Just Dance 4 and not that it's a super hard dance, but let me tell you, it will make you sweat. Also, it's a cover of the song because they speed it up but, it's still super fun! Give it a try!!!

Vintage Finds from Hartville Flea Market!!!!

I went antique shopping a few weeks ago at Hartville Flea Market and walked away with some pretty nice vintage finds! I bought all the pieces separately, as in I bought the chains and created these two necklaces myself!

Here's a close-up of the flower pendant/brooch which I payed $4 for. The piece is indeed a pendant, however, the chain I purchased didn't fit through the hole so I added two large jump rings and put the chain through that way. You can purchase jump rings at any craft supply store, but I've actually had very good luck with ones I purchased at Walmart. They are high quality and super cheap.

The chain was purchased at a permanent vendor inside the building at the flea market. The vendor had thousands of vintage jewelry items, including about a hundred vintage chains. This particular chain cost me $5. Not too bad considering it matched the brooch perfectly! Personally, I love having an almost entirely (besides the jump rings) vintage piece as opposed to just buying a chain at a craft store with a faux vintage patina. 

And here's a tip! Use a few drops of clear nail polish to seal the pin shut so you're not unexpectedly stabbed in the throat if the pin opens.










The reason I used two jump rings to assemble this piece is so the pendant faces forward when the necklace is worn - basic logic! However, there are times when pendants are stubborn and they just don't seem to want to face forward. In that case, try what I've done below with a new (meaning non-vintage) owl pendant and chain I purchased a while back and assembled myself. Basically, use jump rings to form a triangle! Easy peasy.

This next flea market find consists of a vintage key and another vintage chain from that same vendor. Note: A chain with this patina is RARE. This is the only one I have seen in all my years of antique shopping and it was the only one out of those one hundred chains the vendor had. So if you see one, buy it! You'll regret it if you don't. Both the key and chain costed $4 each. I only needed one jump ring to assemble this beauty!

My last find at the flea market was this darling little ring. Yes, I already have four rings in this style, but they're all different colors and fit on different fingers so it's okay I bought another one, right??? None of the rings I have like this are gold so this one's special! (This is an example of a shopaholic trying to justify her purchases...)

Overall, I enjoyed my day at Hartville Flea Market. This wasn't my first time there and I really do enjoy it every time I go there!

Here's my advice for going to Hartville Flea Market:

1. GET THERE EARLY!!!! I cannot stress this enough. Many of the outdoor vendors start to pack up around noon or possibly sooner (they get there at 6 a.m. or earlier so you can't really blame them). If I see something I'm interested in buying at a vendor, I've gotten into the habit of asking them how long they'll be there so I could always go back for the item later if I decide I want to buy it.
2. As with any flea market, bring cash. It just makes things easier.
3. If you want to shop hardcore, go on a holiday/special event. I went on Memorial Day once and it was absolutely insane. Not only were there significantly more vendors than usual, but there were many unique items that I hadn't seen before at the market.
4. Stock up on produce. The produce in my experience is of great quality and prices are competitive with the West Side Market. Also, the crowds are smaller at Hartville compared to the West Side Market.
5. Don't be afraid to negotiate for vintage items, especially if it's a big-ticket item. The vendors expect it; you're not being rude, I promise!
6. Shop smart. My tactic when shopping anywhere is to look at everything first, then go back and buy items that are still on my mind, because if it's something I can't stop thinking about, then it's probably worthwhile. However, I do buy items in a heartbeat at times if all of the following conditions apply...
• It's the only one of it's kind at that vendor/market
• It's something you've been specifically searching for and it fits your vision exactly
• It's a good price
• It speaks to me!! If I have any doubt at all, then whether or not I buy the item depends on the three aforementioned factors. But as a wise friend said to me recently, it's better to buy a few things you love than many things that are just okay.
7. By shop smart, I also mean you can literally use your smartphone to see if you're getting a good deal. Antique stores where it's one vendor who owns the store and all the merchandise usually know what their items are worth. Antique stores that consist of vendor booths & vendors at flea markets sometimes know what their merchandise is worth - it depends on how much the vendor cares about what they're selling. Thrift stores in my opinion are the best place to find valuable items because the seller has no attachment to the items and they get such a large amount of goods that they don't have time to go through every item and see what it's worth. For example, I bought a book at a thrift store for 25 cents. As it turns out, the book is worth about $55 according to Ebay. A caveat though - just because an item is listed at a certain price online doesn't mean it will sell for that. Find out what the item actually sold for or how much it or a similar item has been appraised for.

Good luck and have fun!!!!

Click HERE for more information about Hartville Flea Market!

Retro Play of the Week: "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by the Eurythmics

Heard this song while driving the other day. Essential to any 80s mix I think! Interesting music video though... You just never know what you're gonna get in anything that comes from this sweet strange decade.

And now, everytime I hear "Sweet Dreams", I naturally think of this amazing video... AND Jay Leno was so impressed with the couple's impromptu karaoke performance that he invited them onto the show! The lesson here? Any time you are given the chance to karaoke, you sing your heart out! Because you never know who could be watching ;)

Pin-Up Makeup Tutorials

Okay. Confession time. I know very little when it comes to makeup. I know enough to get by and I'd like to believe I know enough to not look ridiculous. However, there is one look I've mastered and it'll come as no surprise to you, I'm sure ;)

Here's the tutorial I used to perfect the pin-up look! Enjoy!!!

Daytime Pin-Up Look

Nighttime Pin-Up Look

For more tutorials, check out ModCloth's YouTube channel HERE!


Furthermore, what kind of blogger would I be if I didn't share some of my favorite makeup hacks with you! Courtesy of Buzzfeed...

Eyes

Follow this simple tutorial to turn any ordinary eyeliner pencil into a rich gel eyeliner.

thebeautydepartment.com

nicolakatemakeup.blogspot.com

Now, some tricks for creating that point! Try creating an outline first using your eyeliner pencil and then fill it in. This technique is good for someone with a steady hand, but if you've never tried this look before, you might want to start with the tutorial below.

youtube.com

Moving on... Want to create longer, thicker eyelashes? Straight from the Buzzfeed article where I discovered these hacks and which I will share at the end of this post, "Between applying each coat of mascara, dip a Q-tip in baby powder and run across your lashes, focusing on the tips. The second coat will attach to the powder for a longer, fuller look."

images.google.com

fitnessmagazine.com

Use a business card or old credit card to pull up your eyelid so you can apply mascara right at the roots.










To make your eyes just a little brighter...

buzzfeed.com

I also apply shimmery white eyeshadow to the corners of my nose and to the insides of my eyebrows at the very top of my nose. My skin is fairly red in those areas even after applying foundation and concealer and I find the shadow helps conceal the redness while also making my features appear brighter.


Lips

To set your lipstick so it lasts all day, after lipstick has been applied, take a two-ply tissue and pull the two halves apart. Then place the tissue over your lips and lightly dust translucent powder over the tissue.

laurenconrad.com

You can also make your lips look shimmery and POP by applying frosted eyeshadow to your lips using your finger.

thebeautydepartment.com

For more amazing can't-live-without beauty hacks, check out this article on Buzzfeed.com!

Retro Play of the Week: "Gimme Shelter" by the Rolling Stones

I've been very very busy lately, but I promise it'll get better soon and then I can post more! Yay!!! As always, here's the Retro Play of the Week!

A few days ago, I watched this absolutely amazing documentary on Netflix called "20 Feet from Stardom" about the world of backup vocalists. It's so cool to see the faces behind the iconic backup voices that we so often take for granted, one of them being Merry Clayton, the female singer in this Rolling Stone hit. Sure, the song would've been good without Clayton's killer vocals, but with it, it's inarguably phenomenal. Learn more about Merry Clayton HERE!

And here's the trailer for that documentary. I highly recommend it!!!

Retro Play of the Week: "Timber" by Ke$ha, covered by Postmodern Jukebox

Mixing it up this week! This song is not actually from back in the day, but it sure sounds like it with this cover by Postmodern Jukebox! I positively adore this singing group. They do vintage covers of today's most popular hits, like "We Can't Stop", "Talk Dirty to Me", "Wake Me Up", and "Call Me Maybe".

However, their version of "Timber" is hands down my favorite song they cover. I could literally listen to this song all day! Enjoy!!!

Check out their YouTube channel HERE!

Want the style? Here are some similar ModCloth dresses featuring my favorite fruit, cherries!

• You Are Cherry Welcome Dress
• Pull Up a Cherry Dress in White
• Drupe Dynamics Dress

And some on Amazon!

• Dress #1
• Dress #2 (might be the actual one the singer is wearing...)
• Dress #3
• Dress #4
• Dress #5
• Dress #6
• Dress #7

Another Vintage Find!!!!

I recently went antique shopping and I found this little beauty of a necklace for just $1!!! The piece features a 1/2 inch long pale pink daisy pendant on a 16 inch gold chain. Sadly, this is the only vintage item I bought for a whole day's worth of shopping, but my new way of thinking is that I rather buy a few things I love than many things that are just average. :)

Retro Play of the Week: "You Belong to Me" by The Duprees

Getting sappy this week with the retro play... What can I say? I'm a romantic!

Now, this song was not actually written by The Duprees... They're just one of many musical artists who covered the song. According to Wikipedia, the song has been credited to three writers: Pee Wee King, Chilton Price, and Redd Stewart.

"Price, a songwriting librarian at WAVE Radio Louisville, had written the song in its virtual entirety as "Hurry Home to Me" envisioning the song as an American woman's plea to a sweetheart serving overseas in World War II."
                                                                                      -- From Wikipedia

Awwww, how precious! 


Here is a list of the most famous covers of "You Belong to Me":

• Sue Thompson (1952)
• Patti Page (1952) - Peaked at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard charts
• Jo Stafford (1952) - According to Wikipedia, this is the most popular version of the song, reaching No. 1 on the UK charts. Not really my cup of tea though...
• Dean Martin (1952) - Peaked at No. 12 on the U.S. Billboard charts
• Patsy Cline
• Bing Crosby - This one puts me to sleep...
• Bob Dylan (1992) - Umm... NO.
• Jason Wade (2001) - I LOVE JASON WADE. His voice sounds like brown sugar and honey. For those of you who don't know, he's the lead singer, main songwriter, and guitarist of the American alternative rock band Lifehouse, which I also love!
• Tori Amos (2003) - Not my most favorite version, but I had to put it on here because it's part of the soundtrack for one of my favorite movies of all time, Mona Lisa Smile, a film about questioning traditional social roles featuring the ever so lovely Julia Roberts .

Less famous versions:

• Paul Anka
• Bruno Mars - I don't really like Bruno Mars...
• Michael Bublé - Haters gonna hate, but I really really don't like Michael Bublé...
• Rick Astley - I'm not even sure how to comprehend this... I can't believe this is a thing.
• Petula Clark
• Judy Garland
• Jerry Lee Lewis
• Johnny Mathis
• The Misfits - This version will make you weep for humanity.
• Ringo Starr
• Rod Stewart
• Gene Vincent

Which version is your favorite? Let me know!

Recent Vintage Finds!!!!

So I went vintage clothes shopping a few days ago and here's what I found...

Fab Find #1: Loose mid-thigh length blue and white pinstripe shorts. Cute, right?!

Here's a good example of how shorts like this should be styled to capture that retro look.

Taken from www.chictopia.com

Taken from www.etsy.com

And just to show you that I'm not making this stuff up, here's a pattern from the 80s featuring shorts like the ones I found. Similar, no?










Fab Find #2: Navy blue/red/white patterned scarf

Personally, I love to wear scarves as headbands, but a thin, brightly colored one like this would also look great with a blouse or if the scarf in long enough, you can even use it as a sash around your waist. 

Here's the first look that came to mind when I saw this scarf while shopping. For this vintage hairstyle and more, check out this web page! 












For other ways of how to use scarves in your hair, check out these two videos!

Taken from www.alittledashofdarling.com

This is probably my favorite way of wearing a scarf with a blouse.










Wanna learn how to tie the perfect bow? Watch this video!

Fab Find #3: Blue scarf with daisies. Because what's more vintage than daisies?

Please let me know if you have any questions or need styling advice!
I'm here for you!! ;)

Always,
Beth

Retro Play of the Week: Everybody Lay Down by Pat Benatar

So I've been super busy lately and haven't had much time to post... But I can still give you guys my Retro Play of the Week!

I recently made a Pat Benatar/Blondie driving mix and it was one of the best decisions of my life. Driving in the summer cannot get much better while listening to these songs! This particular song has a nice beat and sounds wonderful blasting from my car's speakers! Now if only I had a convertible... ;)

Here's the full tracklist for my Pat Benatar/Blondie driving mix:

1. Heartbreaker - Pat Benatar
2. Le Bel Age - Pat Benatar
3. One Way or Another - Blondie
4. Fire and Ice - Pat Benatar
5. Maria - Blondie
6. Hit Me with Your Best Shot - Pat Benatar
7. Call Me - Blondie
8. We Belong - Pat Benatar
9. Heart of Glass - Blondie
10. All Fired Up - Pat Benatar
11. Dreaming - Blondie
12. Invincible - Pat Benatar
13. Union City Blue - Blondie
14. Ooh Ooh Song - Pat Benatar
15. Sunday Girl - Blondie
16. Treat Me Right - Pat Benatar
17. Shadows of the Night - Pat Benatar
18. Hanging on the Telephone - Blondie
19. We Live for Love - Pat Benatar
20. Love Is a Battlefield - Pat Benatar
21. Everybody Lay Down - Pat Benatar

Retro Play of the Week: Sugar Town by Nancy Sinatra

So in honor of "Throwback Thursday" and because I used to have an oldies radio show on Thursdays, I thought I'd post one of my favorite retro songs every week!

This song seems to always be stuck in my head, especially when the weather is nice. I think it's just perfect for summer driving!

AND... There's a fabulous cover by Zooey Deschanel!!!

Vintage Sneakers

For those who know me, you know I'm a Keds girl all the way. No Converse. No Vans. Just Keds. They're super comfortable and of course, adorable! Keds has been around since 1916 and with such a classic look, they've never gone out of style!

Here's a pair of beautiful teal Keds from the 1960s being sold on Etsy for $48.

My grandma actually had sneakers quite similar to these that she handed-down to me, but alas, my feet are too big. Knowing this, I've been looking for something similar for quite some time now. 


However, Keds today can be rather expensive... Just your basic Keds (Champion Originals) will cost you $45 I'm afraid.

Example of the modern-day classic Ked.
Taken from www.keds.com.

But... there's good news! I just got this pair of adorable retro-style white sneakers at Walmart for $5.97. That's right! Just $5.97!!! Can you believe it?! Compared with the similar sneakers shown above, I think I got a pretty good bargain.

Just to compare the two brands...

• Both don't have arch support so if you have high arches like myself, either way, you're going to need an insert if you plan on wearing the shoes for an extended period of time.

• The basic Keds come in five colors (Red, Navy, Stone, Black and White); the Walmart brand comes in three colors, at least that's what was available in the store where I bought them (Pink, Denim, and White). At Walmart.com, however, it seems you can only get pink.

• The Keds come in half sizes, with sizes ranging from 4 to 13. The Walmart brand only comes in whole sizes, ranging from size 6 through 11. Both are available in wide width.

• I can't speak much on quality because I just got the shoes so I don't know how durable they are. I can tell you that with regular wear, the pair of Keds I do own lasts about a year (I have bought roughly the same design of Keds every year and they each prove to last about a year).

My advice??? If you're looking for a quality shoe in a specific size and have expendable income, go with the Keds. If you're just looking for some cheap retro-style sneakers to capture the vintage look, go with the ones from Walmart. 

The Great & Powerful Flexi Hair Clip

So I went to a craft show two days ago where I signed up to become a Lilla Rose consultant! Lilla Rose specializes in hair accessories, in particular an item called a Flexi Hair Clip. It's basically a hair clip that comes in different sizes and is flexible enough to accommodate any length and type of hair.

This is the one that I got...

As you can see, it certainly has a vintage look to it AND can be used in vintage hair-styling. For example, I did this hairstyle not too long ago and a Flexi Hair Clip would have been perfect to use in place of the bows! I didn't quite have anything that would hold so I ended up using a gazillion bobby pins which wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world...

There are dozens of hair styles that can be accomplished using Flexi Hair Clips, everything from the very simple to slightly more intricate.

Here's an example of how to secure a french twist in a matter of seconds! And let me tell you, I attempted to do a french twist for my Audrey Hepburn Halloween costume you'll see on my "About Me" page, and using a Flexi Hair Clip would have been much easier than once again, using an absurd amount of bobby pins.

Watch the video HERE!

Taken from www.sarahsheartshome.com

And for the 11 percent of the population that is left-handed like myself, you can even have the Flexi Hair Clips that dangle and have to go a certain way made for left-handed use!

And if you order online and then need a different size or maybe the item just isn't for you, then you can return the item within 30 days from the date of purchase for a full refund. You can also exchange an item within 90 days from the date of purchase and it's one year for defective items.

Just check out my store at www.lillarose.biz/bethk and happy shopping! Also, let me know if you have any interest in becoming a Lilla Rose consultant as well!

I'll be sure to keep you guys updated on all the different styles I try using my Flexi Hair Clip!