Fabulous Tip of the Day: Testing Lipstick Shades

Today's Fab Tip:

Sometimes it's difficult to tell from the tube or a picture if a lipstick color will actually work on you. Just because it looks fabulous on a professionally photographed model doesn't mean it will suit you when you apply it using the dim light over your bathroom mirror. Here's an easy trick to test out lipstick colors before dropping the cash -- and without the risk of germs from applying a tester to your mouth.

"Test lipsticks on fingertips. The color and texture of the skin on your fingertips if closer to your lips than the back of your hands, says celeb makeup artist Moani Lee."
--Taken from People Style Watch magazine, May 2015, page 153.

Very useful, especially when trying to decide on an expensive shade. Saving money is definitely fabulous!

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul

Movie Review: Unfriended

I went to go see Unfriended this past weekend, and I have to say that it was really interesting. I was very intrigued by the concept: the entire movie (except for like three seconds) is on a laptop screen. Just one laptop screen. A MacBook, actually. Set in real time (you can see the clock on the upper right hand corner of the screen), the story unfolds over Facebook, Skype, IM, YouTube, Chrome, Spotify-- all internet and social media-based forms of interaction that people (especially teenagers) use to communicate on a daily basis. 

Unfriended takes several overdone horror tropes: the vengeful ghost, the teen slasher where characters are killed off one by one, the sins of the past come back to haunt the characters, and found footage; and it presents these clichés in a new format. Even though you know people are going to die -- it's a horror movie, duh! -- there's still so much suspense in just seeing "..." on screen, so much suspense in wanting to find out just what will happen next. When a Skype video freezes and you can't see clearly what's going on, you just know something bad is going to happen. 

The movie makes good use of gore discretion shots, too. Even though people die in very bloody and violent ways, the webcam's cutting in and out reduces the amount of gore being seen, which makes it more terrifying than an in-your-face gross-out the way some horror movies *cough* Saw sequels *cough* rely on. 

The primary message of Unfriended is about cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is very real and very painful and dangerous. People hide behind the mask of anonymity the internet offers and say terrible things. I remember more than a year ago there was this post on Tumblr. I can't find it anymore, but it was a gif to promote awareness about how negative comments, online threats, and cyber bullying can lead people to commit suicide. The original post said to reblog to raise awardees on this issue, and added comments emphasized how important reblogging this message was. Then the comments degenerated to things along the lines of "Reblog this you piece of shit!" and "If u don't reblog this I'll fucking kill you!" thereby essentially becoming what the post warned against. Cyber bullying exists, and we need to be taking more of a stand against it. 

Additionally, I'd like to give a big shout out to actress Shelley Hennig. She's the one who plays Malia on Teen Wolf, and in Unfriended she does an excellent subversion of the Final Girl horror convention. As Blair (whose laptop we are viewing), she might pretend to be a pure, innocent, good little virgin, like the typical Final Girl, but the truth comes to light. It hit me a day later what the Facebook message "I GOT HER I GOT HER I GOT HER" that Blair receives was actually referring to, and ugh, that still gives me shivers. 😰

One final little detail that I loved: on Blair's browsing history and tabs we see pages on Teen Wolf. Awesome little Easter egg there. 

Have you seen Unfriended? What did you think of it? Do you think it'll be even better to stream on a laptop than it was in theaters? Let me know your opinion in the comments, or tweet me @ak_gossipghoul!

XOXO

Gossip Ghoul

Fabulous Tip of the Day: Retro Lashes

Today's Fab Tip:

Seriously, '60s and '70s-inspired trends are huge right now. I blame American Hustle. And X-Men: Days of Future Past. And Mad Men.  Whatever, it's really big. The easiest way to incorporate any trend that's not your usual style and that you're not willing to splurge on is to go for an accessory or a little beauty trick. Spidery mascara can give you just the right amount of retro without making it look like you're trying too hard and without putting in a ton of effort. Always a plus. Here's how to get that look:

"An extra coat of mascara on top and bottom makes lashes look spidery and retro-sexy."
-- Taken from Lucky magazine, May 2015, page 95.

A lash comb can help you separate lashes for a little more spiky look, and a mascara like L'Oreal's Miss Manga Rock (my current favorite mascara) will make that even easier. The important thing, though, is to do lots of coats on both sets of lashes. Don't skip the bottom lashes, or it won't look balanced or retro-chic enough, k? Super simple.

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul.

A Day In The Life

Mornings are always filled with big decisions which, in my half asleep, zombie-esque state, always seem so incredibly difficult to make. Do I use my argan oil conditioner or my intensive hydration treatment? Do I carry my big SPN backpack or my small SPN backpack today? Do I wear my Metallica shirt or my AC/DC shirt?

Seriously, do I wear the Metallica shirt or the AC/DC shirt?! How can I choose between them? 😰

Gif from Tumblr. If only wearing both were that simple.

XOXO

Gossip Ghoul

Fabulous Tip of the Day: DIY Scalp Treatment

Today's Fab Tip:

This is a great DIY hair rinse when you have lots of product buildup preventing your hair's natural shine from showing. Just wash your hair as normal and then do the following:

"Add shine with club soda. Pour it on the scalp and let it drip to the ends right after you wash, says celeb stylist Ryan Nickulas. The bubbles remove the product buildup that dulls strands."
--Taken from People Style Watch magazine, May 2015, page 155.

Like I said, simple and a great substitute when you don't have a clarifying shampoo available. Enjoy your shiny locks!

XOXO

Gossip Ghoul

Daredevil: About Seven Hours

Netflix is releasing a few series that are canonically part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Daredevil is the first of these to come out. I haven't finished it yet, but so far I absolutely love it. Frank Miller's run on Daredevil was my favorite part of the comic books, and this certainly has the same dark and gritty feel of, you know, almost everything Frank Miller has done, it still feels like part of the MCU. The destruction of Manhattan during The Avengers has a direct impact on what's happening in the show especially in regards to the Kingpin's rise to power. Additionally, the cast is freaking awesome, especially when playing the bromance of Matt and Foggy, which, honestly, was always the best part of the comic books anyway.

Here's a brief little clip from the first episode that definitely showcases just how this brOTP interacts onscreen:

LOL. It's just so, so Foggy and Matt. Foggy is definitely the best part of the show, not gonna lie.

All gifs from Tumblr

Have you guys watched any of Daredevil yet? What do you think? Let me know your opinion in the comments, or tweet me @ak_gossipghoul.

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul

Fabulous Tip of the Day: All Day Bedhead Waves

Today's Fab Tip:

An easy hairstyle I love is bedhead waves. It's simple. You just wash your hair before bed and, when it's mostly dry, braid it, and then sleep in the braids. A little salt spray can give it a piecey texture. Unbraid the next morning, and instant waves. Easy and fabulous. The problem is that the waves don't always last all day. The weight of my super long down to my knees hair causes the waves to straighten themselves out after a while. That's why I'm very happy to have found this little tip.

"If your waves fall quickly, finish with a texturizing spray instead of hairspray-- it'll lock in bends."
--Taken from Seventeen magazine, May 2015, page 52.

Not Your Mother's Double Take, L'Oreal's TXT It, and Garnier Fructis's De-Constructed (the last of which is the one I use) are all great finishing texture sprays you can use. Try it out with volumizing mascara and a little gloss for a sexy but very wearable everyday look.

Stay fabulous!

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul

A Day In The Life

Ok, I say to myself, it's past bedtime, and I've got a lot of work to do tomorrow, both at my job and with writing my book. It's time to turn off the light and go to sleep.  Therefore, I turn off my laptop, switch off my lamp, and lay down in bed.

After maybe two minutes, I immediately grab my phone, turn on wireless, and start screwing around on the internet. Well, since I haven't fallen asleep yet, I might as well just stay up and see what I missed on twitter in those last two minutes. 

And I wonder why I'm always so sleep-deprived. 

Gif from Buzzfeed.

XOXO

Gossip Ghoul

Fabulous Tip of the Day: Mixed Textures

Today's Fab Tip:

"Mix finishes for a stunning look. Layering textures makes your outfit more interesting, and the same goes for your makeup. Pair matte lips with glossy lids-- it's so modern, says Sarah Lucero, global artistic director for Stila Cosmetics."
--Taken from People Style Watch, May 2015, page 150.

Usually I do matte eyes with shimmery lips, so mixing it up like this is a nice change. Put something metallic or glittery on your eyes, and with a matte lip, your eyes will pop even more.

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul

Fabulous Tip of the Day: Easy Tie-Dyed Nail Art

Today's Fab Tip:

I've mentioned before that I kinda suck at nail art, so I'm always happy to find an easy hack for a lazy girl like me to have adorable nails.

"Swirl pastels for a tie-dyed look."
-- Taken from Glamour magazine, May 2015, page 110.

Seriously, it's that simple. Take two pastel nail polishes and swirl them together on your nails to make it look tie-dyed and artsy. Plus it's a way to use two fun colors at once when you can't decide. ;-) Just dip a q-tip in nail polish remover and clean up around your nail bed if you accidentally color outside the lines. Personally, I'd love to pair a mint and pale petal pink together for this kind of look. If you want to get a little more complex, add in a third polish.

What colors are you going to use together for tie-dyed nails? Let me know in the comments, or tweet me a picture of your mani @ak_gossipghoul. 

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul.

Fabulous Tip of the Day: Nail File Hack

Today's Fab Tip:

"How to fix a chip: ...
Grab a matchbook. If you didn't pack a nail file, use the striking strip of a matchbook to fix a small chip. Lightly move it in one directly (away from your nail) until you don't see the chip."
-- Taken from Allure magazine, April 2015, page 71.

This little hack is great for when you're out and don't have a nail file. Of course, if you don't have access to a matchbook, but if you're at a club or a hotel on vacation, it could come in handy.

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul 

Song of the Week: In Your Grave

When I haven't been listening to Metallica and Motley Crue almost non-stop, In Your Grave by James Bullet has been the song in my head this week. It's the first track off the soundtrack for the Vampire Academy movie, which is an awesome soundtrack, btw. Listen to it here:



I can't help but dance when I hear this song.

What song are you listening to right now? Let me know in the comments!

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul

Fabulous Tip of the Day: Curled Lashes

Today's Fab Tip:

Curled lashes open up your eyes and add drama. They're a fantastic way to make you look more awake by day and more sultry by night. Here's how to get them:

"For wicked curves, clamp down your eyelash curler for a count of 20, then immediately apply mascara to lock in the shape."
-- Makeup Artist Scott Barnes in Cosmopolitan magazine, April 2010, page 75.

Simple. Just repeat on the other eye, and bam, instant bombshell lashes.

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul

Writing Carrie Bradshaw-Style, Somewhat

I have a confession to make. Lately I've been craving McGriddles, those McDonalds breakfast sandwiches made with pancakes instead of an english muffin or biscuit or bagel. There is no way in hell McGriddles can possibly be good for me, yet I can't stop thinking about eating them.

It's like the quesarito from Taco Bell. You know, the burrito inside a quesadilla filled with that disgusting fake nacho cheese, and it's so terrible and so good at the same time!

Why do we always crave things that are bad for us? Like fast food, french fries, chocolate. Like how All Girls Want Bad Boys (or Bad Girls in my case). Like how I always seem to fall for straight girls who are completely unavailable?

There. That's the closest I'll get to a Carrie Bradshaw-style question. Now excuse me while I go back to eating this McGriddle while marathoning Sex and the City season 2.

All pictures and gifs belong to HBO.

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul

Fabulous Tip of the Day: DIY Tinted Sunscreen

Today's Fab Tip:

It's starting to get warmer, which means spending more time outside, yay fun! But that also means needing to wear a higher SPF and reapplying sunscreen more frequently (not as fun). Here's a tip by makeup artist Carmindy, formerly of What Not To Wear, from the archives to keep your sunscreen from whitening your skin a little too much:

"Tint your SPF: It can sometimes look too white on skin. To nix the Casper cast, mix in a drop of foundation before applying."
-- Carmindy in Cosmopolitan magazine, April 2010, page 75.

There you are: a DIY way to give your face protection and minimal coverage without adding too many layers. Perfect for these days when the humidity is rising. Replace the foundation with BB cream for added moisture and benefits.

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul

A Day In The Life

My Wednesdays in a nutshell:

Wake up. Think about Destiel. Dry my hair while rewatch ing last week's episode of SPN. Tweet and reblogg Destiel moments. Go to work and think about Destiel. Come home, watch SPN, and live tweet about Destiel. Spend the rest of the night reading about Destiel and reblogging gifs. Go to sleep and dream about Destiel. 

Both gifs from Tumblr

Destiel: it's more than an obsession. It's a lifestyle. 

XOXO

Gossip Ghoul 

Fabulous Tip of the Day: Grunge Lower Lashes

Today's Fab Tip:

Going along with the grunge inspiration from earlier, here's another fab tip from the Charlie XCX beauty shoot from March Cosmo:

"Channel your inner Kate Moss (after a long, rowdy night with Johnny Depp) by rocking liner that's deliberately smudged below your lower lash line. Easier than pulling a bender: Use a soft pencil... to rim inner eyes, then sweep a smudge brush dipped in charcoal shadow back and forth at your lash lines for a worn-in effect."
-- Taken from Cosmopolitan magazine, March 2015, page 164.

Applying a cream or kajal pencil to your waterline might be easier for a beginner, and if it isn't smudgy enough, use a q-tip to really give it that lived-in look. Don't forget to apply mascara on your lower lashes as well to really emphasis the liner and make the look pop! Honestly, this is one of my everyday makeup looks.

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul

Makeup Inspiration of the Week: Michelle Phan's Grunge Look

This week's fabulous makeup tutorial pic is the Gunge Beauty look by Michelle Phan! This is a gorgeous look which showcases a great way to do very dark lips paired with not too bold eyes. I personally would prefer something more smudgy on the eyes, but that's just me. Smudgy kohl eye makeup is my go-to these days.




I just love this look so much. Today I'm wearing it paired with black jeggings, ankle boots, and my grey Nirvana sweatshirt, along with messy fishtail braids in my hair. It's definitely a look that's both comfortable and alt-chic.

What makeup look are you inspired by this week? Let me know in the comments!

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul

Fabulous Tip of the Day: '90s Brown Makeup

Today's Fab Tip:

"Think of brown makeup as the Taylor Swift of the '90s-- it was everywhere. Now, it's back in a far more face-flattering way. For the monochromatic look, concentrate matte bronzer in the hollows of your cheeks, then use the same powder in the crease of your eyelids. Top lips with a creamy lipstick in a matching tone[.]"
-- Taken from Cosmopolitan magazine, March 2015, page 165.

Using the same color on your eyes, lips, and cheeks (think NARS Multiple style) gives you an instantly pulled together look. Plus it's a lot easier and quicker than using a ton of different products. Great for a '90s throwback kind of day while still being very right now. Have fun with it!

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul

A Day In The Life

So get this.

It's around 6 pm, and I think to myself, I'm just going to see what's on Tumblr for a few minutes before getting to work on writing the next chapter of my novel. I log onto Tumblr and start reblogging. The next time I look at the clock, it's after 8pm. How can I lose track of time so quickly doing nothing but scrolling through gifs and blurbs and reading bits of Destiel fanfics? Sigh. This is why I tried to avoid Tumblr for the better part of a year: it's just so addicting, even more so than Twitter.

This leaves me the ultra important question: do I turn off wireless and get to work on my writing, or do I refresh my dashboard?

XOXO
Gossip Ghoul