The Clunkster

The Lovely Miss Ella Lopez

Beauty, StyleKristenComment

During quarantine, I found a new favorite show: Lucifer on Netflix! I had seen people talking about it a lot, and I was unsure of what to watch one night, so I decided to give it a try. I became obsessed. 

The show is about the Devil taking a vacation from Hell to Los Angeles. He meets a detective named Chloe, and they start solving murders together. Lucifer doesn’t hide the fact that he’s the Devil. In fact, he’s known for never lying. 

Every character, mortal and immortal, is extremely complex. The storylines are creative and fascinating, with stories and characters woven in from the Bible. I can’t get enough! When I read that Season 6 will be the last, I almost started crying. I guess all good things must come to an end.

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One of my favorite characters in the show is forensic scientist Ella Lopez. Even though she has a pretty morbid job, she’s always in a great mood. She’s optimistic, caring, funny, and protective. And she kicks ass at her job. Seriously, everyone at the LAPD would be lost without her. 

While I was watching the show one night, I realized that Aimee Garcia and I have pretty similar features. I decided that Ella would be the perfect cosplay! 

Ella is known for her witty graphic tees (while I’m quite the opposite), so I ordered this Heavy Metal shirt she wears off Amazon (to be honest, I actually really like it). I wore a light jacket like she does and grabbed some blue gloves. Thankfully, I have more than enough due to the pandemic.

I tried a completely different hairstyle: a high pony with some hair left out in the front. My friends at The Introvert Room said I looked great in it, but I think that style belongs to Miss Lopez. I did some light makeup, put on my cross necklace, and perfected my side smile.

Overall, I am SO happy with how this look came out. Lucifer fans, what do you think?! 

Fenty Beauty's Match Stix Contour Skin Sticks

Beauty, Beauty Review, Cruelty-FreeKristenComment

A couple months back, I went on a journey to find some new contour products. I’d been using Too Faced’s Cocoa Contour Palette for years now, and there’s nothing wrong with it, but I was getting tired of using the powder. I had seen so many videos on Instagram of people using liquid or cream formulas for their contour. It looked so much easier than powder, and I figured it was time for a change. 

Since I fell head over heels in love with Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r Foundation, I figured Fenty would be a good place to start. Most of the videos I had seen used Fenty, and I trusted them. I was between the Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Concealer, Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Bronzer, and Match Stix Contour Skin Sticks.

The Match Stix seemed like the “just right” amongst all of them, but my next hurdle was that I had no clue which shades I needed. Going off the Instagram videos I had seen, I knew I had to go a couple shades down and up, but I didn’t know how by how much. I bought these during the height of the pandemic, so I wasn’t able to go to Sephora and swatch the actual shades. Thankfully, Fenty had a Match Stix Trio available on their website. I could have purchased the trio with shades I picked, but because I was so confused, I decided to go with the Light 100 pack. It seemed to be the best match for my skin tone.

Though these shades work for me, they could be a lot better. Linen, the light shade, is basically my exact skin color, so it doesn’t make a good concealer. Amber, the dark shade, is a bit too dark for me. And Starstruck, the highlighter, just doesn’t complement my face. 

Aside from the shades, I wasn’t super thrilled about the formula. From what I had seen on Instagram, it should have been as simple as swiping the sticks on the desired areas of my face and blending with a makeup sponge. I thought it would be a little softer and easier to blend, but I had a really tough time. I had to pull the sponge across my face to really make a difference.

Next, I tried a buffer brush, which made things a little easier. I was still disappointed with the look of the harsh lines. I knew that it would look a little sharper, which I wanted, but not so sharp it looked like I didn’t know how to blend. But the more I use the sticks, the more easily manipulated the formula is. I’ve seen some people rub it on the back of their hand before they use it, which I also tried, but I didn’t see much of a difference. 

I’m really on the fence about these. They get the job done, but not in the way I want. I purchased Fenty’s Match Stix because I thought they were high quality and convenient. I wouldn’t say they’re low quality, but definitely not what I expected from Fenty. 

But it’s also important for me to point out my own naivete with watching those videos. Obviously, makeup artists put a ton of time and work into the looks they share on social media, and that includes editing. There’s a lot missing from those fifteen seconds you see on your phone. Just because it took them two seconds to get a snatched face with contour sticks doesn’t mean it was actually that easy. 

So unfortunately, I’m not sure if I’m leaving you with a recommendation, dear reader. All I can say is, don’t believe everything you see on Instagram, and if you’re buying a shade-specific product, just go to the store in person.

Act + Acre's Essentials

Beauty, Beauty Review, Cruelty-Free, WellnessKristenComment

Once upon a time, I stepped out of my shower and smelled something disgusting. I had just washed my hair and body, so it couldn’t have been me, right? Wrong! My hair smelled like a bottle of expired Nair. 

I quickly started Googling: “Why does my hair smell?” “Smelly hair after a shower” “My hair smells bad after shampooing.” 

Well, it turns out that my night-showering lifestyle had caught up to me. I knew that sleeping with wet hair could cause breakage, but it turns out that it can also cause *drumroll* mildew! 

Yes, you read that right! If you sleep with wet hair, there’s a good chance that you’ll grow mildew in your hair. In! Your! Hair! 

Now, it’s not confirmed that I was actually growing mildew in my hair. But the thought was enough to scare me into switching up my routine. I remembered a brand I used to sell at Naked Retail: Act + Acre. The focus of their products was all about scalp health. I knew from reciting my shpiel to customers that they were truly an amazing brand. So, I ordered a pack of The Essentials and excitedly awaited my ticket to non-smelly hair.

Act + Acre is a brand created for all hair types with the Earth in mind. Usually, shampoo and conditioner are made by mixing all the ingredients in a huge vat and using lots of heat. This method boils out all the nutrients in the ingredients that are essential for your hair. 

Instead, Act + Acre uses a cold-processed method, which involves - you guessed it - cold water and high pressure. This consumes 90% less energy than the typical heat method. It’s better for the Earth and better for you and your hair. 

The cleanse (aka shampoo), conditioner, and scalp detox that I purchased smell freakin’ amazing. It’s a very subtle, natural scent of ylang-ylang and basil. Of course, their ingredients are as high-quality as their eco-friendly ideals.

I was most excited to try the Scalp Detox because I had never heard of anything like it. It’s made to get all the product buildup out of your scalp. This helps your hair grow more since your hair follicles aren’t clogged with the crap in dry shampoo and other products. Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp! 

On the days I wash my hair, I start with the Scalp Detox. I section my hair off and apply the oil directly to my scalp. Sometimes I put some in my hands and rub it on harder to reach areas. 

I leave the Detox on for about twenty minutes. In that time, I’ll do my skincare routine, brush my teeth, take my vitamins, and scroll through Instagram for a bit. By that time, I’m all set to jump in the shower and wash it out of my hair with the cleanse.

The Cleanse works like a normal shampoo, but it’s really important to rinse and repeat. The first application doesn’t suds up as much, but the second time around, holy moly, do you feel clean. And that’s without sulfates, which is usually what makes a product suds up! 

The Conditioner is pretty standard as well: apply it mid-shaft to ends and leave for five minutes. I’ll usually wash my body and shave my legs while it’s setting. 

Across all the products, a little goes a long, long way. I’ve had all of these for around six months and I’m barely a third of the way through all the bottles. Moderation is key with the Detox, since using too much may make your hair oily. But for the Cleanse and Conditioner, all you need is a quarter size and a lot of water. An added bonus is that your hair stays cleaner longer, so you wash less. I typically wash my hair once a week, but I’ve been able to let it go a little longer while using Act + Acre. 

I can confidently say that my hair is twelve times healthier after using Act + Acre. No exaggeration! Sometimes I’ll look in the mirror at my hair and I’m actually amazed at how good it looks when I haven’t done anything else to it. It’s wild.

And the best part? My hair doesn’t smell anymore! Act + Acre is for a sure a ride or die brand for me. I highly recommend it!

Quarantine, But Make It Fashion

KristenComment

top. pants (similar). sneakers. lipgloss (in Bow n Arrow).

Happy Labor Day, babes! I hope you celebrated today safely and socially distanced. Could you imagine reading that sentence a year ago? Pandemics are wild. 

Pre-pandemic, I had an amazing job at Naked Retail, a collaborative retail space full of amazing brands that I usually spent my entire paycheck on. Since I’m returning to work next week, I’m reminiscing on some brands we’ve had in the past. And it just so happens that one of my favorite looks includes two of them! 

The first is Don’t Tell Mama, a brand that makes some awesomely comfy graphic tees. You all know how I feel about graphic tees, but all of these are adorable and super soft. I loved the fit of this one. 

Next is Naked Cashmere, which makes some of the most beautiful cashmere pieces out there. I didn’t know anything about cashmere before working at Naked, but I fell in love with these joggers. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: if you have never worn cashmere pants, please try a pair on, because they will change your life. 

Put both of these pieces together and you get a fun, comfortable look that’s perfect for laying on your couch or dining on the sidewalk. Just make sure you’re wearing your mask, of course!

Danessa Myricks Beauty's Waterproof Cushion Liner

Beauty, Beauty Review, Cruelty-FreeKristenComment

I have a love-hate relationship with eyeliner. I used to wear a lot in high school (didn’t everyone?) but as time went on, I realized that it made my eyes look a lot smaller than they already are. So I ditched it for a bit.

Recently, I’ve hopped back on the bandwagon. Sort of. I use black eyeshadow on my lower lid, and sometimes some liquid liner on the top. I’m still getting the hang of getting the look I want. I get uncomfortable with the way I hold the eyeliner, what angle I’m coming at it from… I have to get extremely close to my mirror to be somewhat satisfied. 

I bought some white liquid liner when everyone else was using it to recreate the “Rain On Me” looks. I really liked the way it looked on everyone else, and I figured it would help elevate my ~makeup game~ just a bit. So I decided on Danessa Myricks Beauty’s Waterproof Cushion Liner in Cloud Control. 

Danessa Myricks is pretty fucking iconic. Just take a scroll through her Instagram and you’ll understand why. Her looks are the epitome of artistry. She even teaches other makeup artists at Danessa Myricks University. And her line of makeup is elite. 

Basically, I’m obsessed with this eyeliner. I absolutely love the formula! It goes on flawlessly, it’s buildable, and perfect for creating graphic liner looks. I like to use it as a base since it really makes the colors pop. I apply it to my lid and go over it with the eyeshadow of my choice.

The angled brush that comes with the eyeliner is also amazing. At first I was a little nervous using a brush to apply liquid liner since I never had before, but I was blown away by how effortless my wing was, largely due to the brush. I felt like I had a lot of control over where the liner was going. 

The only con, at least for me, is how quickly the liner dries. Its product page boasts that the Waterproof Cushion Liner is “immovable when dry,” which is 100% true. It lasts forever and doesn’t smudge at all. However, this makes it harder for me to fix my mistakes. But like I said before, the angled brush makes mistakes few and far between. 

So if you’re looking for some new liquid eyeliner, Danessa Myricks Beauty is the way to go. I’ll definitely be buying the Waterproof Cushion Liner in more colors!