Spooky Scary Skeletons: My 2019 Halloween Decor + Matching Costume!

Spooky Scary Skeletons: My 2019 Halloween Decor + Matching Costume!

So if you haven’t yet figured it out, I love any occasion that gives me a reason to dress up. Holidays, Theme parties, visual puns- I’ve got a costume for that. So it should come as no surprise that Halloween marks the start of my super bowl. Like every year before it, this year had to be even bigger. So to day Im partnering with Walmart and decided share a new interest of mine- festive home decor. Ah! The benefits of no longer living in a tiny shoe box.

I enlisted the help of my family to create ultimate spooky wonderland and even dressed up as the Queen of my crypt, aka apartment, to celebrate. Now I’m sharing some fun tips to turn your home and yourself into spooky season legends.

3 Tips for Setting the Perfect Spooky Scene

Pick a Theme, Color + Tone: Decorating for a holiday can be super overwhelming. If you’re like me, you want to put everything in the cart. Resist the urge, and instead think of a simple theme and color palette to work with. For this set up our theme was skeletons, our primary colors were purple, white and black and our tone was spooky. This helped us eliminate a variety of items because they just wouldn’t work.

Play with Lighting: Lighting can make a basic table scheme come to life in a new way. For example, we placed small electric candle lights in skulls to make them glow. We waterproofed another light to sit at the bottom of our cauldron, making our punch have a spooky blood red glow. We used pieces like this stacked skulls sculpture and the this candelabra to add dimension and height to the layout.

Have A Sense of Humor: I find the best halloween displays have a sense of humor to them. We added a touch of fun to our display by carving a pumpkin, filling him with sweets so it look liked he was throwing up candy. We also played with the skeleton, constantly changing what sweets he had in his hand or having him wear costumes. Now we can dress the skeleton all through the halloween season and keep the fun new and fresh.

Shop Items in My Spooky  Skeleton Table Scape

Note: Some decor items are only available in-store. Also, there are tons of other exciting halloween stuff, so I I’d visit the general halloween decor page in case you need some inspiration.

Turning Myself into Queen of the Crypt

So to create this perfect companion spooky skeleton look, I employed one of my favorite halloween hacks- where whatever over the top look you want and declare it your costume. I got inspired initially by this spider skeleton ( yes I know spiders don’t have skeletons, but who cares).

For my base I used Maybelline Fit for Me Foundation in my normal color but mixed in some white face make up. This allowed me to lighten my face but still keep a nice tone to my skin. I used the darkest purple shade in the NYX Ultimate Palette to Contour my Face. I used a purplish chrome highlight from Maybelline to really chisel my cheeks.

For my eyes I worked with two colors of the over all table scheme- purple and black. I used  Maybelline Tattoo shadow in Knockout to draw exaggerated eye shadow shape. Then I used a small amount of concealer over my eye lids to serve as a base for the darkest  NYX Palette purple ( the same color I used for my contour.)  I then used Tattoo Shadow in charcoal to darken the corners and the same purple highlight to brighten the inner corners of my eye. Then I blended. I blended a lot.  I lined the entire eye in the knockout tattoo shadow and used my regular daily mascara. I had these amazing purple and black faux lashes I wanted to use, but my seasonal allergies were not playing along.

I added a bright purple lip using NYXs Glitter Goals in Amethyst Vibes topped with their glow on lipgloss in Violent Violet.  I then drew spider webs around my eyes and down my neck using an eyeliner pen. Lastly I put on a black wig and a grand crown I made out of flowers and a my original inspiration- the spider skeleton.  I am obsessed with the final look. OBSESSED.

Shop Items Used in My Queen of the Crypt Look

Note: I earn affiliate commissions on some of these links. This post was sponsored by Walmart.

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Expressing My Inner Pumpkin Spice Princess

Expressing My Inner Pumpkin Spice Princess

The Make Up Haul

I literally had so much fun shopping for this beauty transformation- Walmart beauty literally has everything you need to get creative. Plus they use diverse beauty models, which I feel I need to bring up every possible opportunity I have because it matters.  I just love fall make up. Oranges, browns and deep reds are my jam! I bought several things I didn’t end up using because I didn’t need them, but better safe than sorry!

How I Created This Look

Hair: I did a natural  side part and curled my hair by wrapping it around the iron and then brushing out the ringlets once cools.  I used  Batiste dry shampoo to add volume to the roots. The crown was comprised of wiring together leaves and autumn mums into a head piece.

Face: I used Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Liquid Foundation in Classic Ivory and for stubborn spots dabbed a bit of Maybelline infallible concealer.  I used a light coast of Drew Barrymore’s Flower Beauty heatwave bronzer in sunswept to add an ethereal glow and  slight contour; I like it because it has a slight shimmer built in. I topped it with Maybelline Master Chrome rose gold highlight which I still use almost daily since I got it last time I did a Walmart Beauty project; its amazing.

Eyes: I used the COVERGIRL Her Majesty Revolution Eyeshadow Palette to create the festive look on my lids.  I used  brazen as a base, did my creases and a bit of my corners  in Get It and showdown, and added a slight smokey eye with Dare. I then used my finger to apply commotion on the center of my lid for a bit of sparkle. I used day one on my tear ducts and under my eyebrow ow a gold pop of highlight. I then used  a L’oreal eyeliner in burgundy ( which I am now obsessed with) my upper and lower lash line. I used my mainstay NYX Brow Gel to give shape and color to my brows and my lashes are a new magnetic eyeliner which I love because they were far easier then glue to use (available in store only).

Finishing Touches: To add some sultry autumn realness to my lips I use NYX glitter goals lipstick in Shimmy. It’s such a cool twist on a matte lip.

Shop This Make Up Look

This post was generously sponsored by Walmart.

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How To Be A Beauty Babe On A Budget

How To Be A Beauty Babe On A Budget

There’s this belief that you have to spend all the money you have and agree to name your first child “setting spray” in order to get a glamorous look. False. Many every day brands are just as good- sometimes even better- than the high roller cosmetics. One of my favorite places to shop affordable make up is at Walmart. Also, I love supporting a brand that has taken steps to increase the diversity in their beauty products and imagery. I also adore their new messaging- they want to be Here for Every Beauty.

Rose Gold Glam: Snag This Look

This entire look Im going to walk you through was was created using products purchased at Walmart. I stuck to affordable, every day items- many of which are mainstays in my every day kit. (Here’s looking at you Lash Paradise, Impress Nails + Batiste Dry Shampoo).

Hair: I created a an intense side part and loosely curled my hair. I used the Batiste dry shampoo to add volume to the roots and to make my soft waves more dramatic and full

Face: I used a tinted moisturizer from Neutrogena, with acne cleansing built in and for stubborn spots dabbed a bit of Maybelline infallible concealer.  I used a swipe of L’Oreal Summer Belle Bronze Please  to add a sun glow over the cheeks and topped it with the deliciously sparkly Maybelline Master Chrome rose gold highlight for the perfect summer glow.

Eyes: I Used the NYX Ultimate Palette– truly one of the most affordable and versatile neutral palettes ever- for my eyes. I used light gold in the upper right of the palette as a base over my whole lid. Then I used the light metallic red shade to cover the lower lid and blended it up into the crease. Using the warm dark brown matte shade, I smoked out the corners and lined the under portion of my eye. To bring the rose gold to life i used the same rose gold highlight I used on my face under the brows and in the corners. I them blended it  into the exiting reddish color on the lower lid. Lastly, I added a little Rimmel black liner, defined my brows with NYX Brow Gel and topped of my make up with a coat of L’Oreal Lash Paradise.

Finishing Touches: To add a rose gold touch to my lips, I used one of my go to lip colors-  L’Oreal Paris Infallible Metallic Lip Paints in Moon Lust. I also popped on my long time Walmart addiction: Impress Nails in a bright pink shade.

Shop This Look

Thank you Walmart for sponsoring this post. I earn affiliate commissions on some of the links in this post. 

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It’s Business Time, So Here’s to Never Shutting Up

I haven’t written on this blog in what seems like ages. I suppose its because I’ve been in a bit of rut. Writing A Life Full of Glitter took more out of me than I originally realized. On top of that, life has been hard to the ones I love and I’ve made it a priority to be there for them. That’s the rough spot about being in the position I am, my energy is asked for in so many places and sometimes I just burn out because I’ve spread myself too thin. It’s the people pleaser in me. I just want everyone to be a little bit happier.

One of the things that was 100% holding me back was my silly belief I could actually make everyone happy with what I create. That if I worked really really hard and put all my heart into it that eventually I would unlock some secret formula to the perfect piece of prose and imagery. However, the comments and engagement on my content only got more polarizing, I only became more and more distraught.

My content creation became backed in fear. I would get anxious every time I posted something. What would they hate about me today? How would I fail to deliver? Sometimes it was the fit of my pants. Sometimes it was misunderstandings. Sometimes it was the color of my shirt. Some days it was my make up. Every day there was a new reason for people to be disappointed in me. This was all I could see. The failures.

So i began to take my heart out of the work, and I wasn’t as me as I have been before. I’d never really had anxiety and I didn’t know how to deal with it. I had to learn new skills and evolve my coping mechanisms. It sucked. It’s great to be popular on the internet, but the mental demands it creates on you are intense. I had to recalibrate and learn to live in this new state of affairs. I have over 800,000 followers across channels. I will not and cannot please them all everyday and I would lose my ability to be happy if I keep trying to.

I am still working on it, being ok with where this has all grown to. I am tremendously uncomfortable with quasi-internet fame. However today while shooting I mentioned to my photographer and long time friend Joey I was considering leaving influencer work behind. He looked me in the eyes and said confidently, ” What you create is needed and I know you don’t feel strong enough, but you are. You were meant for this. You get to be the voice for people who aren’t always heard. That’s a gift.” As we walked into the sun to shoot I thought to myself, “here’s to never shutting up.”

                Outfit Details: Lane Bryant forest green blazer and pants, Eloquii penguin print blouse,

Sperry grey loafers, Asos plaid beret

( I earn affiliate commissions on some of these links.)

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Simply Be USA Makes A Splash with Editorial Style Plus Size Shoots

This post was sponsored by Simply Be USA. Let’s have a quick chat about them, shall we?  One thing I have always loved about Simply Be USA, is even though they are size inclusive (offering clothing in UK sizes 8 – 32 and US sizes 6 – 28) they have always made sure to feature plus models at the forefront.  Not many brands do that, so you already know I have some love for the Be that is Simply. Simply Be is originally UK based, size inclusive fashion house, and they are re-launching their US  brand this month. And they plan to enter this market like just like giant inflatable Godzilla on the beach, by making a statement.

As they re-launch the brand here in the good ole U. S. of A, they’re going digital first baybay- no more catalogues, just sweet sweet technology user experience action.  As a certified tech geek this makes my glitter heart swoon. They are going to start making special collections just for the US market (yesss), and also push us to reimagine how plus women are shot in campaigns. This means more ambitious editorial style content for plus size ladies to be inspired by (hell yeah). As you can see from this first campaign, these are not your average plus fashion images. Also props to model, Natalie Nootenboom for being able to hold both a sultry look and a giant inflatable dinosaur at the same time.

Rich Storer, Simply Be’s US V.P. Of Marketing shared this quote, We have a responsibility to empower women and this comes in many different forms…so our new image is an assertive step away from the often-vanilla campaign images hitherto used in the US curve market. These images convey confidence, sass, verve, sex appeal and energy and beautiful curves in a more editorial manner. “ Did we just go to church, because I just want this man to keep preaching. I’ll be over here in the choir with a tambourine and a bedazzled robe.

Simply Be USA will also celebrate this relaunch by hosting pop up events throughout the country starting off this summer in NYC. That means you’ll be able experience the clothes in person, try them on and the recieve fresh un-stranger-mangled items at your doorstep. These stores will also feature brand fit experts to help shoppers find clothes that are a perfect fit for their body. The only way this could be better is if the brand fit experts were also really attractive men with accents who really hated wearing shirts.

I am super excited to see more from Simply Be USA  over the next few months. From the looks of it they are likely  to win over our American, apple pie loving red, white and blue hearts with their sexy accents and even sexier fashion. Now I am going have some tea, crumpets, and surf through all the new plus size items  that Simply Be just launched. If you find something you love  save a sweet 30% valid today through April 16th by using the code GLITTER30.  Toodle pip, mates!

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