Video: OneUpMakeup's Bag of Holding

Hello, unicorns! It's been a few weeks and for that I apologize. I just became way too overwhelmed with the holidays - responsibilities, traveling, end of year projects, abusing my liver... it was hard to find time to do outfit pics, and on top of that I'm feeling pretty chubby so photographing myself was not the most appealing thing in the world!

I'm going back to the gym tomorrow and will hopefully get to feeling better about myself. Time to give up the cookies and pizza and get sexy for cosplay season! I'll try to get back into the outfit pics swing, but in the meantime I'll post more beauty reviews and tutorials as I can.

Speaking of  beauty, myself and the other five lovely ladies of OneUp Makeup have made a "Bag of Holding" video about our favorite beauty products of 2012! There's some really awesome product suggestions in here and you should definitely check it out... (and watch at the very end for a cameo appearance by my dog, Sushi!)

How was everyone's holiday season?

OneUpMakeup: Black Circles Begone Makeup Tutorial

Oh hello there, unicorns! I'm a couple of days late on posting this, but since I don't have an outfit pic for you today because I had a HORRIBLE allergy attack this morning, here's the latest OneUpMakeup tutorial.

This time, Mallory did makeup on me. I am afflicted with genetically pre-determined black circles under my eyes, something I have always hated about myself. Mallory demonstrates how to easily conceal black circles under your eyes with a few simple makeup tricks. Bonus: you get to see me with no makeup! (cower in fear, it's not a pretty sight)

As always, if any of you have any suggestions for tutorials you would like to see OneUpMakeup tackle in the future, let me know!

OneUpMakeup: Zombie Makeup Tutorial!

Two posts in one day - aren't you lucky little unicorns! I'm really excited for this one - I have my first makeup tutorial up with OneUpMakeup... and in it I make Tara (The Geeky Hostess - GO TO HER BLOG RIGHT NOW!) into a brain hungry zombie!

Zombie makeup is something I completely self taught myself and a skill I have honed over the years through a lot of trial, error, and zombie walks. I am very non traditional in my zombie makeup application, as I kind of do whatever I feel like, and I use a lot of eyeshadow rather than actual stage makeup. I go all animal crazy with my fingers! Here's three different zombies I did for the Red White and Dead Zombie walk this year here in Seattle - yes, one of them is me:

As you can see, I experiment with colors even when I am doing conveyer belt zombie makeup!I find it really fun and rewarding and I love fucking up people's faces with liquid latex and toilet paper, tehe. ANYWAY, so when the ladies of OneUpMakeup suggested we do a zombie makeup tutorial, I was on that shiz like white on rice. See it below!



What about you, unicorns? Do you have experience with zombie makeup? How did you fare?

ANNOUNCEMENT: OneUpMakeup

Oh my goodness, my unicorns. This is probably the most exciting announcement I am going to make all year.

I'm a geek. I've always been a geek and I always WILL be a geek. Along with this territory came the cliches: I used to be socially awkward, no self esteem, incapable of dressing myself with little to no knowledge of how to apply makeup. Thanks to a lot of self perseverance and a determination to prove the bullies wrong, I am where I am today. But not all girls have been as lucky as I am. There are still geeky women out there afraid to embrace their femininity and inner beauty - and there's where OneUpMakeup comes in.

OneUpMakeup is a group of six inspiring, creative, beautiful, geeky women - myself included. We have gathered together to create a makeup-centric YouTube channel that is an idea and a lifestyle just as much as it is a place to house our makeup tutorials. We aim to inspire other women to irrevocably embrace themselves - and feel good in the process.

The awesome ladies I am so lucky to be working with are as follow:

Tara Theoharis - You may remember this gorgeous, statue-esque creature from my "Geeky Fashionista" post on her a couple of weeks ago. She is a fellow blogger, domestic goddess extra-ordinaire, and one of the sweetest people I have ever met.

Mallory - She is a Disney princess embodied, a super talented makeup artist (she worked on the web series Job Hunters - which we have all been involved in in some way), and has the most infectious giggle of all time.

Kristina Horner - YouTube personality and wizard rocker, she's hilarious and inspiring. She has her own whacky brand of colorful style and is one of the most fun people to be around - ever.

Meagan Karimi-Naser: Actress and funny lady, Meagan makes me laugh so hard I can't breathe (which will certainly be reflected in our videos). She is going to be a leading indie movie star some day and we will all be able to tout that we knew her "back then".

Me. You all know me. Weird, recovering goth, cosplay obsessed, wears too much dark lipstick, ridiculously outspoken little ol' me.

And finally, Liz Leo - she is the mastermind that runs OneUpMakeup, the glue that holds us all together, the producer of Job Hunters, a talented graphic designer, loyal friend, and absolute sweetheart.

I'm so excited to be working with all these extraordinary women - they are all so strong and inspiring. I hope that you come and subscribe to us over at our YouTube channel, because I assure you - it's going to be a wild ride.

Geeky Fashionista Profile: Tara Theoharis

Tara Theoharis is an incredibly talented, statue-esque goddess of a woman. Despite being one of the most gorgeous people I have ever met, she is somehow one of the kindest and warmest people, as well. She blogs, models, acts, and generally embodies awesomeness and grace in every possible way. Her most noteable endeavor is perhaps playing Tiffany in the fantastic web series Job Hunters, or her involvement in the YouTube channel Satire - most of their videos go viral!

She is well spoken, interesting, kind, gorgeous, and has a classically chic style edged with geekiness that I feel most women should attempt to emulate if they want to infuse femininity into their geeky personality. That's why I'm absolutely thrilled that Tara is this week's Geeky Fashionista!


Molly: Tell me a little about yourself and why you're a geek?

Tara: I run the blog "The Geeky Hostess" and find it my mission to create the coolest geeky parties, find the neatest gifts, bake the tastiest cupcakes, and add a bit of feminine flair to the geeky community. I feel most at home at conventions, love board games, and spend a large part of my time watching awesome shows. My faves include Battlestar Galactica, Doctor Who, Dexter, the original Twilight Zone, and comedies like Arrested Development, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Community. 

When not catching up on shows and blogging, I spend my time in front of the camera modeling and making web content such as Job Hunters and videos for Satire. I'm a huge fan of memes and online culture (my day job is in marketing and social media) and have had a few different things go "viral," including one of my wedding pictures. 

Molly: How would you describe your personal style?

Tara: My personal style is classic with a hint of geek. I choose outfits and styles that flatter me and my body over what's the most trendy.  

 

Molly: What inspires you, fashion wise?

Tara: Seattle inspires me. I dress in layers year-round--you can almost always see me in a tank top, sweater, jeans, and boots. Plus, you can tell a true Seattleite by the amount of black and gray in their wardrobe.   

Molly: Who's your fictional fashion icon?

Tara: Ooh, that's a tough one! When the movie version of "The Devil Wears Prada" came out, I had just cut my bangs very similar to Anne Hathaway and got a lot of comparisons to her. Let's just say if I had the money, I'd totally wear all of her outfits. Hathaway rocked another great wardrobe in The Dark Knight Rises, and I'm doing my very first official cosplay as her Catwoman. So can we just say any fictional character of Anne Hathaway?  

Molly: Have you always been fashionable?

Tara: I've always had an interest in fashion, but you can find your options pretty limited when you're super tall all your life. Finding jeans that fit was a nightmare, and I couldn't find any shorts/skirts long enough to be able to wear to school without getting glares from the security guards. I'd say I became a bit more fashionable when I discovered a hair straightener at the age of 16.   

Molly: In Job Hunters, your character dresses very "preppy". Does this mirror your style at all? Was it challenge to portray this style?

Tara: Although I've always been a goody-goody and fairly preppy, Tiffany is definitely more preppy and girly than I am (and wears a whole lot more makeup!). However, many pieces of her outfits came from my closet, they were just pieced together in a way I never would have worn them. It was a challenge to wear them in the sense that I wouldn't wear them in real life, but the costumes themselves helped transform me into that character. I wasn't fully perky until I was in those clothes.   

Molly: You've modeled a lot. Did modeling affect your fashion sense at all? Do you feel more pressure to dress well as a model?

Tara: Modeling has definitely affected my fashion sense. You learn to dress in a way that is flattering and rich--you must balance the line between trendy and classic, and as a high school and college student, I needed to have a fashionable, designer look to myself that wouldn't cost much money. You learn which clothing lines fit you best, and you invest in a few more expensive pieces that are classic and flattering. For anything trendy, I add to my wardrobe from places like Forever 21. I find I dress in a lot more black and slimming pieces since being a model, and I've learned the importance of nude strapless bras and thongs! I definitely feel pressure to dress well when I'm at go-sees and jobs--it takes me forever to find the perfect outfit!   

Molly: As a particularly gorgeous girl who also happens to be geeky and fashionable, do you ever experience backlash or disbelief from the geek community? (ie: You're too pretty to be a geek, etc)

Tara: Yes. I could talk circles around this subject, but I try to stay away from controversy, and have found many other woman have already said what I wanted to. I try to show that it's ok to embrace your femininity and your geeky side. I shouldn't be embarrassed that I love to go shopping, and I shouldn't be embarrassed that I play Dungeons and Dragons. No one should tell you what you can and can't like.

Molly: Why do you think people have this sort of attitude towards pretty women who like nerdy things?

Tara: Companies have realized that geeks are a huge market to appeal to, and they know that similar to any other market, sex sells. It makes sense that attractive women would be hired to promote and sell geeky things. Because of this, an attractive geek in the wild can be seen as a marketing ploy or a gimmick. Guess what: there are a LOT of attractive geeks out there. And a lot of them are genuine! 

Molly: Do you think being fashionable while being a geeky professional is important?

Tara: Yes! As a professional, I like to give a pulled together appearance, but still put a bit of "geek" in there. A lot of men in my industry wear geeky t-shirts with a blazer, so why can't I? I incorporate geeky tees with blazers or skirts, or wear a more "normal" outfit with a piece of geeky jewelry. It serves as a great conversation starter without being too distracting or unprofessional. 

Molly: What's one article of clothing and one beauty product you couldn't live without?

Tara: I always have to have a pair of great fitting, designer jeans. They're the thing I spend the most money on, because I wear jeans almost every day and it's the only way I can find jeans that fit me!

For beauty products, I'm a lip balm/lip gloss junkie. The one I can't leave the house without is Philosophy's Kiss Me lip balm. It has the perfect consistency and leaves a nice natural shine. 

Molly: Any tips for geeks who want to be more fashionable?

Tara: Focus on finding items that fit you and flatter your body. No matter how awesome that geeky t-shirt is, if it's super baggy on you, it should be left at the convention. Don't be afraid to mix feminine with geeky, and wear items that make you feel confident. Everyone looks their best when they're confident and comfortable!

Make sure to check out Tara's amazing blog, which teaches me daily how to be a domestic geek.

Review: Beauty Box Five

It's official: I've caught the subscription box bug. I've been lurking around beauty websites for a few months now, stalking what people received, salivating wildly or "hmphing" in collective disappointment when they got a dud box. I finally took the plunge and got on the waiting list for Birchbox ($10 sounds like the right price for me!), but I haven't received it yet. I've been awfully curious about all of the other boxes too, but with how scatter brained I am I was a little hesitant to sign up to a bunch of them to try them out because I would probably forget to cancel memberships and then end up with hundreds of dollars worth of sub boxes a month!

That's why it made me super excited when the nice folks over at Beauty Box Five offered me a box for review. As a commitment phobe and a horrible decision maker, having someone hold my hand and throw a box of beauty samples at me sounded like just the thing I needed.

I think the major appeal of the beauty boxes for me IS the fact that you can't make decisions. I'm super non committal at times, and I know when I walk into a beauty store like Sephora I get a little bit of sensory overload: I want EVERYTHING and I second guess my purchasing decisions about five times before I hit the register (and then afterwards, too!) So once a month you get a lovely box full of lovely brands you may or may not have heard of/used before... and to me that essentially sounds like Christmas!!

It arrived (crazy quickly!!) in a lovely little box, which I immediately liked because it was just big enough for the beauty supplies that eagerly awaited me within. My biggest gripe with the one other beauty box I have tried out (Julep Nail Polish, which I will review soon... when I have time to paint my nails, ACK!) was that the box was HUGE compared to the products within. It just feels like a waste to me!

The packaging inside was simple and lovely. I like the pleasing but no nonsense aesthetic in the way it was packaged. Now to see what I got!

My "haul"

The only gripe I have so far is that there was no card detailing the products that I received. It made me have to go poke around the internet for more information, but I like internet sleuthing so it wasn't that big of a deal.

2 Samples of "It's a 10" Miracle Hair Mask

I don't do TOO much to my hair because I kind of like it to look a little ratty (and I wear a lot of wigs), but with all the dying I do to it I'm a little excited to try these hair masks.  Especially because it says they "restore color vibrancy".

3 Samples of "La Fresh" Waterproof Makeup Remover

This makeup remover is AWESOME. It doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy at all and does the trick pretty effortlessly (even on the red lipstick that honestly leaves my lips stained most of the time!)

1 Vat of "Evie Evan" Hydrating Vitamin Creme

This product feels very lovely on my face, with no greasy feeling residue. The smell if very non invasive and it feels quite lovely. I've been trying to get back into taking better care of my skin (I kind of just leave it alone, which I know I shouldn't do) and this is probably a product I would consider buying. And oh yeah: The mini vats go for $13.00 bucks on the Evie Evan website, so this itself costs most than the Beauty Box Five box. Awesome.

1 Two Ounce Vat of Tree Hut's Brazilian Nut Shea Body Butter

Oh my god this is my favorite thing that I received in the box. It feels INCREDIBLE, and holy shit the SMELL. You guys, it smells so good I wanted to lick it. It's like the most heavenly frosting in the entire world, except your nose is on drugs and it is smelling the best thing ever. Seriously, it smells like that. I'm not even usually a fan of sweet smells and I am DYING over this. You can buy the same product for $7.49, so this alone nearly pays for the box.

1 Vat of "Everyday Minerals" Girl Friday Blush

I also love this!! It's light, easy to apply, seems to be long lasting, and the color is perfect with my incredibly fair skin tone. It's the perfect size to keep in my purse to keep myself with a rosy glow all day. Absolutely love it.


Overall, my experience with Beauty Box Five was awesome. The products were high quality and in generous portions, it arrived quickly, the communication I had with the company was quick and easy, and it was packaged nicely. Also, at the crazy cheap price of $12.00 a month, it's kind of hard to beat. Other beauty boxes are going to have a hard time topping this one, for me!

Geeky Fashionista Profile: Janna O'Shea

Recently I was thinking about how I seem to be treated like a unicorn for being a huge geek but also dressing to the 9s and never leaving the house without makeup. I am confronted with the attitude that I couldn't POSSIBLY be a geek (I look too put together); I'm "trying too hard"; or I'm the only geek of the fairer gender who cares about her appearance. Um, what?

I know a ton of super incredible, geeky, intelligent, GORGEOUS women who have unique and incredible styles that should be looked to as trendsetters in our rapidly expanding sub culture. Women who are on fast tracks in their careers; high powered: the sort of people young women should look to as role models. So why not feature these incredible ladies and their unique style?

Once a week - every Tuesday - expect to see a profile on one noteable geeky fashion icon, with their words and images attached.

We begin this series with Janna O'Shea, twitter's comic book sweetheart and the Social Engagement Strategist for Disney. She has an adorable Mad Men esque style with delicious geeky elements, and is by far one of the most genuinely sweet and wonderful people I have ever met in my life.

Molly McIsaac: You're definitely a high powered, gorgeous, fashionable and geeky lady. What makes you geeky?
Janna O'Shea: I'm geeky about all sorts of things, but it all leads back to my love of reading. My parents taught me how to read when I was 2 1/2 and I haven't stopped since. My reading obsession wasn't limited to prose, I was also a big comics fan! Living in Europe opened me up to some amazing characters that weren't really popular at that time in the US. Asterix & Obelix, Tintin, and Lucky Luke were a big part of my childhood. Not only that, my brother and I were utterly obsessed with Archie Comics. I didn't start reading mainstream comics until a few years ago, but once I did, I was completely in love.

I'm currently working as a Social Engagement Strategist for Disney out in Los Angeles. Disney is a truly wonderful company to be a part of, and I love working on representing my favorite characters. My last job was representing Marvel Comics as their Social Media Coordinator in New York. I am a Marvel girl through and through (especially in regards to the Punisher) but my one true comic love will always be Concrete.

Thanks to reading all sorts of genres I became interested in many different areas of geekery. I'm a huge sci-fi fan, and eat up shows like Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica, and Stargate. My crime/noir obsession (which I inherited from my dad) rolled over to TV and movies. Historical biographies, fantasy novels, action and adventure tales, they all contributed to the interests that I have today.

Molly: Do you think it's important to be fashionable in a sub culture that at times turns its nose up at women who dress well?

Janna: For those of us who enjoy being fashionable, yes. Every woman has a vision of how she wants to represent herself to the world. Some women could care less what about what they wear, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Others like showing off their geeky interests, whether it is in their clothing, accessories, or hairstyle. Shaming women for how they look has been a problem for too long. If a geeky woman wears sweatpants and no makeup, she is told that she doesn't try hard enough. If a geeky woman wears a dress and pretty nailpolish, she's trying too hard. The list of insults and assumptions goes on and on. There are many definitions of a geek, but I have a personal description that I like to use. A geek is someone who loves something so much that it becomes an integral part of their life. ANYONE can be a geek. It is not an exclusive club, and making it one goes against all of the values that we hold dear.

Molly: On that note, WHY do you think the geek community seems to collectively shun its fashionable members? 

Janna: Many people believe that fashion and geek just don't go together. When you think of a stereotypical geek, what comes to mind? Glasses, some sort of obscure t-shirt, sitting at a computer? Sure, there are (awesome) women like that. But there are also women who wear lipstick, high heels, and write code that you can't even begin to understand. Fashionable geeks are shamed because their interests don't mesh with the stereotypical viewpoints of what a geek is.

Molly: Do you think you've always had good style?

Janna: Not at all! I still don't consider myself fashionable, I really just throw things together. I had a lot of trouble deciding how to represent myself as I was growing up. One day I would wear sweatpants, the next day, a skirt, the day after that, pajama pants. I just couldn't settle on what I wanted to look like because I wasn't comfortable in my own skin.

Molly: What do you think made you become fashionable?

Janna: A few years ago I realized that I really liked the way I look in dresses, and didn't like how I looked in everything else. That's when I decided to stock my closet with dresses and cardigans!

Molly: So, how would you describe your style?

Janna: I pair geeky jewelry and/or pearls with dresses, black stockings, and a cardigan.

Molly: What are some of your favorite places to get clothes?

Janna: I am a big fan of Pinup Girl Clothing and Bettie Page Clothing! Pinup Girl Clothing is an utterly fantastic website with a huge inventory. Whether you want a skintight leopard look or a demure black dress with a circle skirt, Pinup has the dress for you. My closet is mess of different stores that I've shopped at over the years, but these two are at the top of my list.

Molly: Who's your fashion icon? 

Janna: I absolutely adore Bernie Dexter's style. The hair, the dresses, everything is just gorgeous!

Molly: What comic book character has the best fashion sense?

Janna: Definitely Medusa of the Inhumans. She always looks flawless, whether she is decked out in royal finery or battling to save her people.

Molly: And that hair...! One article of clothing and one beauty product you cannot live without?

Janna: Black opaque control top stockings. I wear them every single day no matter what the weather. As for my beauty product, it would have to be red lipstick. The right shade does wonders for every woman!

Molly: Any advice or tips for geeky ladies who are looking to become more fashionable?

Janna: Find your own style and don't worry about what everyone else is wearing! You have to be comfortable in your own skin. I am the last person to know about fashion trends and I never have any idea what is considered fashionable. Your clothes should never make you uncomfortable or nervous. Wear whatever makes you happy!

Thanks, Janna! <3

Make sure to check her out on her amazing twitter, where she is always dropping lots of geeky news and insightful opinions: Janna's twitter

Fragrancenet.com goodies and $50 Giveaway!

I'll admit it: I'm a perfume fiend. I have an entire shelf dedicated to the stuff. Something about the bottles, the pure femininity of it... I just love it. I wear perfume constantly, carry samples around in my purse, spritz it in my hair when I have gone way too crazy with the hair spray. It's odd: I was never a stinky adolescent, but I am absolutely petrified of ever smelling of anything but unicorns and puppy kisses.

That's why when the always awesome FragranceNet.com offered to send me some goodies, I did a little dance, spun around with my dog, and went "HOORAH!" They're a super legit, really fantastic website that sells discounted perfume and makeup.

I eagerly anticipated the arrival of my package, and I was not dissapointed. They sent me a perfume - Anna Sui's Forbidden Affair - and a lip balm - Yves Saint Laurent baume d'ete tinted lip balm in plum.

The perfume is all I could have ever wanted and more. I've always been a huge fan of ANYTHING Anna Sui - from her clothing to her perfume to her makeup - but this is possibly now my new favorite fragrance of hers. It's very intense - something good for a late night, sultry wine date.

I've never been much for lip balms/gloss, as I have rather small lips and if I want to stick goopy stuff on them I use carmex (I am slightly addicted to the stuff). But I generally have classic red lipstick practically tattooed to my lips.

Despite my distaste for most glosses, this YSL one isn't particularly bad. Though I was quite let down that the color wasn't as deep/dark as I would have liked, it actually feels like it's hydrating my lips and doesn't feel too sticky or like it's going to get all over my sleeves. The only complaint I really have with it is that the taste is very odd - I have no idea how to describe it. It's very... chalky? Who knows.

But now for the fun part: FragranceNet.com was nice enough to offer me $50.00 in store credit for one of you lovely unicorns to win! Just enter the necessary information into the Rafflecoptor form below! Giveaway runs from the 13th to the 20th, and is international.

a Rafflecopter giveaway