How to do hard things:

we CAN do hard things...
life is hard.
things go wrong.
your heart will hurt.
we will get sick again.
someone will make us mad and hurt our feelings.
and frustrated.
if you watch the news all the time you will get angry or depressed.
(mostly likely both)
there really isn't an EASY button for anything worthwhile.

Hard things, difficult things, things that hurt...
these make us stronger, they make us into people that say, "you know what? I've been through a lot, and these little problems are not going to stop me."
We can DO hard things.
We can survive painful situations and come out even more beautiful for having been broken into tinier, smaller, and more light reflective little pieces. Remember my disco ball saying- it's like the shattered mirror that is more sparkly because it's been broken.

You can either sit and dwell on all the hard things in your life and keep re-living all the awful things in your life OR
you can learn to say, this isn't gonna get me down...instead of dwelling on problems or all the bad stuff, I'm going to stop and start thinking about all my good stuff.
because:
WE CAN DO HARD THINGS.

WE CAN. WE ARE IN THIS WORLD TOGETHER.
We can survive.
We can choose to let ourselves love someone new and not people that hurt us, cheat on us, or try to hurt us.
We can leave an abusive relationship.
We can heal from wounds by people that have hurt us.
We can grow stronger and more understanding from the hard things we've been through.
We can grow better, not bitter.
We can find a way to take care of our family.
We can choose to forgive people- it frees you from walking around with the pain of what they've done to you.
We can  choose wisdom and stay away from those that have hurt us.
We can be the change in our families.
We can spread light to a dark world.
We can love someone and forgive them for awful things they've done.
We can smile more.
We can give people compliments more -just watch what happens when you do.
We can be happy and dance with joy.
We can cry out to God to help us and hold us up when we can't go on.
We can realize that we have the power to have an imperfectly, awesome life.
And we can realize that the most beautiful lives aren't the perfect ones...
the most beautiful lives are when people had, have or are going through hard things and they become the coal...the coal that goes through so much pressure, it turns into a diamond.

Live like you mean it.

Just like when we work our and our muscles get sore...they tear, the very muscle fiber gets torn..but after it heals, the muscle become bigger, stronger...ready to do "harder" things than it did before.

We are like that too....we are going to have bigger hearts and stronger minds for all the tears in our heart...
We are in this together, you're not alone. Know that even though things seem hard, tell yourself:
WE CAN DO HARD THINGS! Bring it on baby! We can do it! Nothin's gonna stop us, scare us, or make us give up.

We Can do it. You can do it! I'm cheering you on, sending you love, and a whole lot of you are not alone-ness.

I love you AND We Can Do Hard Things. Decide today to live like you mean it.

love, hugs, and if no one told you you're awesome today and they they love you:

"You are so awesome and I love you soooo muchy much!"... love kandee

Trend Spotting: Paper Eyelashes

“The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” - Marcel Proust

And you will definitely have new eyes when you glue on some paper eyelashes!
London based designer Chunwei Liao, and his company, Paperself is creating these paper lashes. 

 these are like intricate pieces of "paper-lace-like" art for your eyes...

have you ever wanted horses to run wild on your eye lids...

 or how bout these little dainties..they remind me of Alice in Wonderland...(the Disney one, that is)

 and look at the "under the sea" small lashes...look at the detail...these are incredible.

check out the rest, there are:
*deer with butterflies
*peacocks
*a full strip of an under water scene
*peach blossoms
go to:                www.paperself.com


what do you think...would you wear the paper lashes? 
or what might be an awesome idea for paper lashes?


-I think if they did famous city skylines...the Eiffel tower on your eyes, NYC skyline on your blinkers, maybe paper feathers!


blinking and winking at you.... kandee

leopard pants and sunglasses

(shirt: chaser collection- I scored this at Marshall's.  leather cuff: I made it- tutorial to come! horn necklace: Forever 21 leopard pants: Forever 21 shoes: Steve Madden Sunglasses: Sabre in Runaway
Gold Spike Ring: BCBG, I snapped it up for $9 on super clearance at Dillard's)

(somedays it's too hot to feel hair on my neck and I think of when I had shaved my head to a pretty much, shortness that only boys wear. My neck was always cool and I got ready really fast.)

where: I wore this to my friend's baby shower....realized when I got there, it was a good thing I brought my flip flops. It was outdoors in a hilly, wobbly, grassy, beautiful backyard. 15 steps into the baby shower I realized I would be headed to the emergency room with a broken ankle if I took another step in these babies. I went barefoot in the grass until I put my flip flops on to trek back to the car.

I am in love with these leopard pants from Forever 21- I only wish they were less rust-orange-brown and a wee bit cooler colored...like more tan-camel brown.

I once read someone wrote that leopard print never goes out of style it's always a classic...and I quite agree.
Maybe my next hair do should be leopard print.

Do you own a favorite leopard print item? what is it?

leopard print love....your kandee walla bandee

CLICK this if you wanna see more pictures from my adventure in baby showerness.

We have a winner!

wow! out of nearly 200,000 comments...
the random winner...
and I prayed that the winner would be someone who would really need it...before I began the random selection.

the winner is:

ForeverHope36
(Please email me ForeverHope36, at the email address I messaged you with on youtube- do not message me on youtube, I'll never find your message, I get way too many on there! hee hee)

after she was selected, I wanted to read all her comments, as I began to read each one of her comments I wanted to cry...(and some of her comments were just about loving the palette and then I read the comments that she battled cancer and would watch my videos on the hospital) and I  discovered just how much she deserves this!  Her story is on youtube...she has battled cancer and has been through so much and I think she is amazing and so brave! I am so excited that she won.

(And no, people with tragic stories are not how I pick the winners! You don't have to have a huge story to win, but this was awesome that I learned of her story as I read all her comments after she had been chosen!)...but this was just an incredible selection. I'm sure many of you have stories that would bring tears to my eyes too. You all are so precious to me! I am sending you hugs and prayers for each one of you going through something hard, painful or scary. My love is being sent right now from my heart to yours!)

I love guys so much...each one of you is so precious to me! Tonight I met two girls in Whole Foods that came up and asked "are you kandee johnson?"...
It is such an honor to be a part of each of your lives...I can't put into words what it means to me to know that for any part of your day, that you share your precious time with me, I am beyond honored and so very blessed to be a part of your life and you guys are all my greatest blessing.

Just like when I got to meet the 2 sweet girls in Whole Foods tonight, the second they say hi, I hug them, learn their name...it's like we are dear old friends that I've always known. I feel your love and I thank you for your comments...you encourage my heart so much.

I really wish I  had hundreds of thousands of these palette to give to each one of you! And I am so proud to see how awesome you all are...you guys are excited for the winner and congratulate them! I just love you guys and how awesome you all are!


Each one of you is a part of this page, a part of the kandeejohnson channel on youtube...you are the reason I do this, the reason I started on youtube...and please my love coming off this page.


I love being able to offer you a little something from me...
comment below if you'd like it if I made more regular "love giveaways"....maybe once a week or once a month I could do a give away from my heart to yours. Maybe cool stuff like this palette or maybe just fun stuff from my closet! ha ha ha

I love each and every one of you reading this...and you are all "my" winners...each one of you is a prize to me! God has blessed me with a greater treasure than money could ever buy, with the love each of you give to me...
I love you all...your kandee

Nars Make-Up Tutorial & a HUGE CONTEST!!!

Smokey eyes are in for fall (well at least one of the things hot for fall)...and when aren't smokey eyes "in" anyway...

so NARS asked me to recreate this look from the book for their website...

I said "yeah, that'll be fun!"...

(side note: Nars didn't pay me a penny, and doesn't even know I made a video or this blog about it. I'm just so excited I want one of you guys to win!)

then when I went to go look at the site, I saw that NARS is giving away a FREE trip to NYC for Fashion Week! 

*FREE airfare *FREE fancy hotel *FREE dinners at the coolest restaurants *FREE consultation at the NARS flagship store and YOU GET TO GO BACKSTAGE TO THE SHOWS at FASHION WEEK!!!

Yes, please do a cartwheel of excitement right now, with me!

I am not entering the contest so you guys don't need to vote for me, but you can go see the picture I uploaded to the NARS website HERE. Go and recreate ANY of the looks on their website and upload your picture so one of you guys can win!

www.makeupyourmind.com

I was so excited to tell you guys about this...I totally forgot to do my other eyebrow in the video! ha ha ha

I didn't even realize it until I went to take the picture to upload after I made the video! ha ha ha ha

So come and watch the tutorial..this look is so gorgy-beautiful! I love it! And for any of my girls with brown eyes -this look sets brown eyes off like nobody's business. It looks great on all eye colors - but this is a double thumbs up for us chocolate chip eyes!

Now get comfy in your seat, chair, bean bag, bed or hammock...and let's get ready to hang out and I'll show you how to do this look:

PLEASE BE WARNED again: I was so excited I DID NOT fill in my right eyebrow...be warned in case you are scared of my un-defined eyebrow! ha ha ha

h
oh here's the list of what I used:
NARS eye duos in
TZARINE (shimmery butter color & shimmery grey-taupe)
MISFIT (ecru- beige off white & teal-emerald green)
CAMARGUE duo cream (light green gold and brown gold)
black eyeliner
black mascara from MAC Optimum Opulash
lips-
Illegal (brown-pink)& Wicked (rose-pink) lipliners from Urban Decay
NYX frosted pink lipliner in Flower
Frosted Pink from Korres lipstick in Frosted Pink (ha ha ha)
Turkish Delight lipgloss from NARS (it's a pale bubble gum pink)

your one-eye-browed make-up pirate.... love you with both my eyebrows, kandee

ps. please guys post the links to your picture on the makeupyourmind site or your picture in the comments below so we can all vote for everyone...I really want one of you guys to win this awesome contest!!!

DIY- Excellent Skin Eggs-cellent Mask

Want younger, clear skin that looks and feels as smooth as porcelain?

Time to head to the kitchen with me!

We're gonna cook up an "egg-cellent" egg mask recipe that will take your skin to "your-skin-looks-amazing" town.

 What you need to get from your kitchen:
1 egg (you will be separating the white and yolk)
1 teaspoon Honey (I used organic honey)
1/4 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar (I used Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar- got it at Whole Foods)
*you can NOT use regular vinegar.

A fast little lesson on why Apple Cider Vinegar is so great: pardon me while I put my learning glasses on and type this: beauty class in now in session:
Vinegar has a tonic action that promotes blood circulation in the small capillaries that irrigate the skin. It is also antiseptic, preventing the proliferation of bacteria, viruses, or yeast that trigger infection. It can dissolve excessive fatty deposits at the surface of the skin and reduce scaly or peeling conditions. Lastly, vinegar regulates the pH of the skin.

HOW IT'S MADE:  The best quality apple cider vinegar is made with fresh organic apples that have been crushed and allowed to mature (aka ferment)  in wooden barrels. The good kind (like the Bragg ACV)  retains the “mother,” which is a natural sediment on the bottom of the bottle and it should be a little cloudy and sort of honey colored.

Why you're gonna want to put on your: I HEART APPLE CIDER VINEGAR SHIRT...

It  has a tonic action that increases blood circulation in the small capillaries that help keep skin clean and flushed from toxins. It is also antiseptic, stopping the growth of bacteria, viruses, or yeast that trigger infection. It can reduce scaly or peeling conditions on the skin too! Lastly, vinegar regulates the pH of the skin. (watch the video as I explain)

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR contains natural enzymes, vitamins and minerals and is rich in antioxidants.   It has Vitamins A, B and C, beta carotene, bioflavonoids, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, copper, iron, sulfur, iron, fluorine, silicon, boron and pectin. How's that for super vinegar! It naturally balances the pH balance of the skin, fight bacteria, infections and is a natural anti-fungal, AND it reduces inflammation. It is an awesome astringent (toner), for sensitive and oils skin. Vinegar can even do wonders for acne and itchy skin conditions due to eczema and sunburn and can help blast fungal infections, warts and even skin tags!

Honey, I love you, let me count thy ways:

 The natural occurring acids in honey acids are very safe to use on skin and can loosen bonds between the dead skin cells junking up your skin, making it easier to shed the dead layer and reveal your smoother  more glorious skin underneath! These acids also increase elasticity, balance out oily skin, stimulate collagen production, and minimize lines and wrinkles (woo hoo!) making you look younger and more "new and improved"!

And honey is safe for the most sensitive skin...honey has even more awesome qualities, but after all I'm sure you don't want to spend all day readin my blog! ha ha

Totally Eggs-cellent dude: (why eggs are "egg-ceptional"...pun totally intended):
An egg mask is one of the best natural remedies for irritated skin. Eggs contains amino acids that help in reduction of any inflammation. Eggs not only smooth and tighten the skin, but help shrink pores. Even put it on your neck to tighten any skin that isn't a tight as you'd like!

*watch for my favorite part: grandma kandee in the video! tee hee hee
Now let's get crackin'....eggs!
Come on, let's go head to my bathroom:
com

j

yay egg mask! eggs in a basket and on my face....your kandee

Urban Decay 15 Year Eyeliner Collection- WINNER Update!!!

WINNER of the URBAN DECAY 15 Year ANNIVERSARY EYELINER PALETTE, out of over 26,000 comments (which took me a long time to go through, and just make sure everyone followed the rules! ha ha ha) IS:

CAMILLE BRADBURY

this was one of her comments, (this was not the comment that was randomly selected to win, this is one I lastly checked to verify all her "one-per-day-comments")she did follow the rules and post her favorite color in her other comments, but after I went through all the comments to verify she had just posted one post per day, I ended up on this comment and couldn't find the one with her favorite colors again in all the 26,000+ comments, so I just posted this comment! Sorry if that was confusing, it's my fault for not screengrabbing the winning comment with her favorite colors in it!(side note: I didn't go to bed until 4am because of this contest!) Don't worry her winning comment that was randomly selected was her favorite colors,  this is one of first when the contest first started and the comment that I last verified:
(next time I'll only post the winning comment and remember to take a screengrab of it! This is why I don't like contests! ha ha ha)

All winners are randomly picked, i had picked several, but making sure everyone played fair and followed the rules..oh man, I wanted to pick them, but I think a few people forgot to read all the ruley rules. 

Camille Bradbury please email me to confirm it's you and to give me your address so I can ship this baby to ya!

(please if you DID NOT WIN, do not send an email to this address, as only the winners name will be safe to read, yours will most likely go to junk mail and won't be read..so sorry, thanks guys!)


AND to ALL the people that created fake accounts as CAMILLE and emailed me that they are the winners- that was not nice....I already have identifying info on her that I just needed her to verify and confirm. 

BECAUSE I'm really bad at picking just one winner...
and my heart wants to love everyone...

JEFF BERGRAN (i think I spelled that right)
as I was verifying all Camille's comments I read this 

 sweet comment, that he wanted to win this for his sister who had brain cancer to bring some "color" into her world...

even though you weren't the random winner...I read your comment and I don't have any more of the eyeliner sets, but I will ship out a special "goodie bag of urban decay things" for your sister to add some "color" to her heart! 

Don't forget...there's still time to win the Urban Decay Palette! CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

wishin' I had 26,000 eyeliner sets to give to everyone, love from your kandee

Remember these contests are for fun! Let's all be happy for the winner -the next contest winner could be you!

I love seeing how awesome you guys are..you guys are the true definition of "good sportmanship"! I love seeing you guys soo excited for the winner. You guys are so awesome that you are so happy for the winners and appreciative of me even offering a contest...i love you guys!

Shoe Attack: would you wear?

are you ready for the next big trend besides the Jeffrey Campbell Lita? 

Not sure if these will beat the Lita's popularity....but as I learned in high school, just because it's popular, doesn't make it cool (insert me wearing white leather, pointed toe Doc Martens and a gigantic pair of bright red baggy jeans. How I wish I had  a picture to show you! And  insert me, sometimes eating lunch by myself...oh mean high school you!

 I just want to try these on to see what it's like to walk in them! This is the Delilah by Sensa...and these shoes are ready to kick some "average shoe-ness" out of their way for sure! Now this is like taking an art gallery with you on your feet. People did comment it was a little tricky or impossible to get these bad boys on. I'd just put them in a shadow box and hang them on my wall. And you can even think pink in these clompies too!

 On a more whimsical note: May I introduce you to the Jeffrey Campbell Saturn 2 shoe - I kinda love this shoe...i reminds me of a suede-fairy-candy-drop and paired with some black leggings, long layered tank dress and maybe a funky blazer, these shoes could dazzle!

 Here's another Jeffrey Campbell dandy...the Zup Fur. Me loves the side corset action on this shoe! NOt sure how well I could walk in it though!
Not loving the spotted look....
the  comes in black with fun neon colored laces....like neon green...it comes in neon pink too!

 Is this a shoe you may be asking, well, that you can walk in? Yes Sir! This display of heights and architecture is made by some beyond creative folks at FINSK and these babies are SOLD OUT on the SOLESTRUCK website!

 And look at this....modern design....I think Jeffrey Campbell shoe designers are amazing..look at this shoe! It's the Right On by JC...I just want to try it on!

Lay it on me...comment below...would you wear any of these?

How would you wear em?

Let's share some creative ideas!

typing in bare feet, but wishin' I still had those white doc martens... your kandee

How I store my make-up: Lipliners edition

I remember back in the day when I had a hot pink and black Kaboodle or Caboodle (I don't even remember how to spell the name is was so long ago)...and it fit my one mascara, a  pencil eyeliner, my fav liquid liner from L'Oreal that smelled weird, my Coty face powder and a small collection of Bonne Bell chapsticks and  Covergirl pearly frosty lipslicks. My how many Caboodles I'd need now to hold all my make-up.

And really I need something way more practical than a tackle box type thing or an ugly plastic tupperwear looking set of drawers (which believe me I have and they are not cute)...

So I got an a really cool white wooden, pen and pencil holder at Marshall's. The best is, it spins too! So with a slight spin of the "wheel", I can grab a lipliner from the cool corner or spin again and get a red from the reds and darks corner!

Yes that is my lipliner collection...I've got everything from MAC, Ben Nye, Illamasqua, Make-Up Forever, Urban Decay, NYX,  to Kevyn Aucoin, maybe even a Lancome and some Sephora lip liners. (I'm sure I may have forgotten a brand or two.)

Anyway, to control and separate ans easily see all your colors. I like, or at least I dream of my make-up being stored and displayed like in a store. And yes I bought a couple other pen/pencil holders to store my make-up brushes and eyeliners too!

Hope this jump starts your creative-organizing side! If you have any awesome make-up beauty storage tips, please comment below and share them with us all!

huge love and lipliners, your kandee

Grand ol' Urban Decay Give Away!

 Yes, the latest and most artfully designed eyeshadow palette from urban decay is up for a giveaway!
15 ALL NEW eyeshadow colors from neutrals to metallic colors which are all the rage for fall...to a new matte, inky black....and the packaging turns into a cool keepsake box when you're done with your shadows! How cool and glam is that for recycling your packaging!

I got two of these. One for me and one for one of you!
I know not everyone can win, but it's fun trying and I will try to do more giveaways...it's my favorite to be able to give you guys something fun from me! Yes, it will come packaged and mailed by yours truly!

AND DON'T FORGET I'm also doing a "BLOG" only give away for all my loyal blog family...

CLICK HERE TO ENTER to win the totally sold out 15 year Anniversary Eye Pencil Collection going for twice it's retail price on Amazon and crazy bids on ebay!!!

NOW for the RULES for the

 URBAN DECAY 15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EYESHADOW PALETTE:

You must be a  SUBSCRIBER to me on Youtube

You must enter a comment below the contest video on youtube.

You can live anywhere in the world - I'll ship it to you!

You can comment multiple times, bu each comment must be different. (No copy and pasting of the same comment over and over, it will get marked as spam by youtube)

CONTEST BEGINS 8-23

and will end midnight (my time, PST) on Saturday 8-27

Winner will be announced on Sunday 8-28 on this blog.

Have fun, and now watch the video for extra rules on commenting if you missed them already!

Disclaimer alert: Urban Decay did not pay me a penny, toothpick, or anything to do this giveaway. And lil' ol' me will be packaging and shipping this to the winner!

I can't wait to see who wins!!!
palettes of hugs, kandee

It's time for an "I love you!" Giveaway- with URBAN DECAY's hot new stuff!

Happy Monday! It's been a while since I had a giveaway...and since I was sick and didn't upload a video last week, and everyone sent me sweet get well comments... I wanted to thank everyone for sending me love...so I thought I'd do a love giveaway!

I got the super duper Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil  15 Year Anniversary Collection (say that 5 times fast)...and it is so awesome....15 eyeliner in every color!!! And I got another one to give one of you! These are sold out everywhere and very hard to get...they originally sold for $92 (great value considering it would cost $264 to buy them separately with the grindhouse sharpener)...
but they are selling on Amazon and ebay for over $229 now!

The 15 shades (And there's 6 new shades in the set, which are in pink and bold):

• Stray Dog – shimmery brown taupe

• Corrupt -  dark metallic brown with silver sparkle

• Bourbon – brown with teeny gold glitter

• Midnight Cowboy – beige with gold sparkle

• Baked – bold bronze

• Stash – dark green/gold

• Mildew – deep green

• Perversion – blackest carbon black

• Electric – bright aquamarine

• Binge – navy blue

• Ransom – bright iridescent purple

• Asphyxia - pinky iridescent purple

• Rockstar - darkest eggplant

• Zero – zealous black

• Uzi – gunmetal with grey sparkle

RULES: (easy peezy)

Answer this question below: (only one entry per day, until contest ends)

Which color do you love the most? 
(answer in the comments below this post only - please if you see anyone commenting on facebook or twitter...please let them know that the only comments that will count are the ones below this post on my blog...thanksie!)

Contest will end August 25, Thursday (no comments after midnight, my time PST, will be counted)

winner will be announced by friday.

and to win you can live anywhere....I'll ship this bad boy wherever you live!

and I doesn't matter too me how old you are..winners can be 7 or 97.

(and no urban decay did not pay me to do this...and yes I will also be shipping it and paying for all the shippin' myself too. Before anyone starts thinking all weirdy.)

Wait til you see what else I'm gonna give away on youtube!!

Happy Monday...hope this makes the week a little more fun!!!
lovesicles, kandee

Beauty for your Teeth: Teeth Tattoos?

(source: JapanTrends)

As you know....

I try to bring you guys the most cool, up-to-the minute,

 most practical beauty and style tips around...

and if "Tooth Tattoos" doesn't say practical...

I don't know what does?!?

Missing that certain something with your smile?

BLAM! Add a lady bug to your lateral incisor.

You've whitened your teeth to a level "blindingly white" and still not getting the sparkle you want?

BLIM BLAP SHAPOW! Add a bling to your bicuspid or cuspid.

ok, this is not new, nor is it a tattoo, but it's from the same Japanese creators that are setting trends in Japanese temporary teeth tattoos - a temporary tattoo is placed with special glue, said to last a few days.

Or say you are a real devoted fan of  Prince William and the princess, formerly known as Kate Middleton:

(source: randomization)

The real deal is:

Teeth Tattoos are not a new Trend (note the British guy above, did that months go in the UK)- And Steven Heward, the Tooth Artist, has been tattooing teeth for 30 years, here in the USA. Look at these! He is amazing- these are paintings on teeth! For tooth-crying-out-loud!

(Source: the tooth artist)

Say you want to get a picture of your boyfriend (horrible idea, just an example) or the next best way to one-up your Justin Bieber fan-friend...

get a picture of the "Beebs" permanently "tattooed" on your tooth by the Tooth Artist, himself.

 Take that everyone that said teeth tattoos are a new thing.

 Maybe you only want to dazzle up your choppers for 24 hours-
 a pair of red lips on your front tooth or maybe a smiley face emoticon anyone?

 www.smileshop.com has been selling these babies too!

They say the "teeth tattoos" will stay in place for 24 hours, depending on your oral habits. Pen chewers, this may not be for you.

I think you have to have this done at the dentist.

What do you think? Is there anything you'd get tattooed on your teeth?

This is one tutorial I will NOT be doing.
your plain ol', boring toothed, Kandee

Ombre Hair: Ombre YAY! or Ombre NAY?

Just say Ole' it's time to Ombre!

Ok...so Ombre isn't that new...it's been around for a while now, I know.

And if you're were like "Om-what?!?"...

OMBRE HAIR is like "recessionista hair color:

no need to touch up your very often if you just highlight the tips!

WHAT IS OMBRE REALLY?:

(insert bit from a chat about hair color trends now and what's in the future, with my homey, the famous Mr. Kim Vo. Wait til you here my post on what's in the future...I LOVE it!)

The Ombre look, looks (for the most part) like a natural sun-kissed look...like you're a beach babe that lives in the sun, which has lightened the ends of your hair...but your "new, darker roots" and grow-out haven't really kissed the sun yet. That's the basic idea of the look.

Reccessionista-lights baby!

Low Maintenance...Wallet friendly..and even though most celebs and the fashion world already showcased this look last year....I still think it's got a more "not too much work" look too it that I still like.

HOW DO THEY DO IT?

The darker roots to light effect is done useing  a French hair technique called balayage.  Balayage is painting hair color or lightener right onto the hair with a brush, which give a natural, more "done by the sun" look. Instead of the old conventional method of using foils, which most times creates a lovely line of demarcation (hence you have stripes or spots in your highlighted hair). The highlights are painted straight onto the hair with a brush, which give a more natural sun-bleached look; instead of the conventional foiling method used for highlights which often leave a line of demarcation or as some would say, "what the leopard spots did they do to my hair?"

Who's ROCKED the Ombre?

 Alexa Chung said "Hip Hip Ombre!"

Drew Barrymore said "Ombre Ole"..last year.

and Sarah Jessica Parker said "Ombre in the City"...
So what do you think?
 Do you love or loathe the Ombre? Or do you just think the Ombre is so passe?
or maybe you say: "what the hay, I'll try Ombre?"

 good hair days..your kandee

ps. if you want to see a picture of me with my very first DIY highlighting experience, and I was 16 CLICK HERE! ha ha ha enjoy that one...

Glamour Magazine's: Kandee does Katy Perry Make-Up Look

I was so excited I was inside the September issue of Glamour Magazine....
I forgot to tell you guys they have a special "Glamour Kandee Exclusive Make-Up Tutorial Video"!

Glamour asked me to create a special look for them...and I was inspired by this sultry look that Katy Perry had here:

(please note I could not replicate her soft lighting..mine came out a little more harsh and shadowy, photo lighting is not my forte....but you'll see in the video  I wasn't standing in direct sun light....like in my picture...ha ha ha)
-Katy Perry's make-up always includes her classic black pin-up eyeliner, but this look is softened my the golden-taupey shadow
-and there is always something both delicate and a little sexy about a pale nude pair of soup-coolers (aka lips)

So have fun watching this "you-won't-see-this-on-youtube" make-up tutorial!
Yeah! Yeah it's make-up time!

OR CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT ON GLAMOUR.com and you'll get to read the article that they wrote for the Glamour website about yours truly!

lots of love and heaps of GLAMOUR....your kandee

The next wave in nails: 3D nail decals!

 "what's on your nails?!?"....I got asked that all day! hee hee
It is the Sephora Nail Bling - in the white basket weave, which name doesn't match...
they look like little diamonds on your fingers and sparkle like liquid silver on your nails.

These don't even compare to the Sally Hansen Nail Stickers...these are wayyyy better. These babies are great. They went on super easy, no drying time, because they are just nail decal-sticker polish. Even the sales girl at Sephora, where I bought mine said these were amazing and wayyy better than Minx!

They kinda remind me of diamond plate, you know that stuff that tools boxes are made of:

Pictures don't do these babies justice.
They feel like they are are as strong as this tool box too. And when I took them off, my nails felt stronger and sturdier too! They lasted for days, and would've lasted longer but I took them off. I've heard when applied to the toes they've lasted for up to 3 weeks!

I got tons of compliments on them....everyone stopped and asked, "what is on your nails?", "where'd you  get those?", "how'd you do that"...because they are like having 3-D nails...they feel so cool and textured- so not like, flat ol' polish!

If you wanna give them a try my other favorite was the gold bubbles...

bling-it-on...nails...bling it on....
these nails are so fun!!!
love love love, kandee

make-up in the car...

(and no I'm not driving...ha ha, I'm just a backseat-make-up-applier)
what had happened before this picture was taken in the car, after landing at LAX airport at 8:20am...
(what lipliner is that you ask? It's a bright orange lipliner from Make-Up Forever, Aqua Lip liner in 17C...it's been my "fun color" MUST of mine,  for months now. It is ridicuoulsy long-lasting, water-proof, saliva proof, doesn't transfer onto anything - even little babies foreheads you kiss. They use this on the artists that perform in Cirque Du Soleil that need to be waterproof.)

midnight-3:30am
type blogs, pack  and still trying to "create" outfits, and keep putting a little baby that's teething -back to sleep every half an hour, shower and do my hair and make-up until 3:30am
(yes...notice how no sleep fit into that schedule...ha ha ha)
load up the car and little traveling guests

4am- to the time this picture was taken at about 9am
check bags, go through security, fly on a miniature plane,
land, get bag with all the outfits I spent hours preparing, find person driving us to set (for the show I was working on, can't wait to tell you....some days I just want to jump up and down and tell God, "thank you soooooo much for blessing me!!!!!"...only God knew all those days I felt so down and depressed in my past, and could never imagine that my life could or would ever get better...that He had this in store for my future! If things are bad right now...please just keep waiting...you have a sparkling, jump up and down day waiting for you too, you can't see it, but it's there! I promise...just keep resting in that hope!

i had no mirror...so I was so glad I brought the new 15 year Urban Decay palette that has mirrored packaging (see above picture-roonie) and the mini-mirror in the NAKED palette helped out too!
I must say, I was quite impressed with how well my lipliner came out despite applying it in crazy stop and go traffic!

 leaving LAX airport on the way to the set...my make-up had already been on for hours and hours, except my lips...I save those for very last. (they get messed up the easiest and I was doing a fun bright color)

Good thing I know how to cover up bags and rings under my eyes...I was tired on the inside but didn't let it show in the outside! When I got to set I had no time to do any  touch-ups, just throw my outfit on, spray some weird hairspray on, they had in the bathroom...and run.

I feel yucky...off to go drink lots of water, hope my eyes stop hurting and that my sinus pressure takes a hike...
giant airplane cargo size amounts of love... your kandee with a box of tissue close by

Click here to see what I did as soon as we wrapped filming...yay!