SOFTEN UP

Tutorial + Photography by Amy Nadine, Graphic Design by Eunice Chun

Some of us get stuck in the mind frame that we only use liner to line. A few months ago I showed you how to use Liner As Shadow, now I want to remind you of (or teach the newbies!) the simple and oh-so pretty smudging technique. It's actually the genesis of the smoky eye before eyeshadow came along! Anyway, there's something very modern and soft about a smudged liner. Here's how:

TOOLS:

• Your Favorite Kohl Pencil - I used my favorite, Chantecaille Gel Liner in Jet, because it glides on with ease and with an angled brush on the other end to smudge with. I also love the Covergirl Liquiline Blast Liner in Black Fire.
• Smudge Brush - I'm obsessed with Sephora's Smudge #11 Brush because it really presses and works the liner into the skin.
• Nude Eye Shadow - whenever you use a non-waterproof liner, it's best to first powder your lid with powder or eyeshadow so the pencil doesn't transfer onto the crease.
• Mascara - pick one that really separates and coats each lash. I used Eyeko Skinny Brush Mascara, an iconic line from London that coats each lash with fibers.
• Nude Shimmer Shadow (Optional) - I highlighted the inner corners with the classic Stila Eyeshadow Kitten.

STEPS:

1. Sweep the nude shadow all over the lid and crease.
2. Line the upper lashline with the pencil. Don't worry about it being perfect.
3. Start with the smudge brush on the inner corner and sweep incrementally in short strokes as you work your way across to the outer corner.
4. Now turn around and go back from the outer corner to the inner corner. Take a quick study and see if you need to repeat.
5. Line the lower lashline however you choose (I did only 3/4 s from the outer corner, but you can certainly line the entire lashline).
6. Smudge the line like you did the upper lashline with short quick strokes.

You can leave it as is, or to finish the look, continue with an inner corner highlight and a couple coats of mascara. Then if you really want extra drama, go back and rim the inner waterline with the gel liner.

CONAIR DETANGLING BRUSH (GIVEAWAY)

Best news ever! We were on vacation in Palm Springs this weekend and we hit the JACKPOT! We found a whole bunch of those brushes we always preach about (which I'm sure you remember from here). Our hearts exploded in the middle of the store because we were terrified this gem was discontinued. We've had such a hard time locating them and apparently you guys have, too! Since we found a whole bunch of them, we're giving 10 of them away to you gals. The first 10 people to correctly guess where we found these in the comments below will get one mailed to them! Only one guess per comment, please! Contest will end tomorrow night Wed Sept 4, 2013 at midnight (PT). Winners will be notified Thursday Sept 5, 2013.

Good luck guessing! Please don't make multiple comments! Only your first one will count.

5 Ways to enjoy a snowy Winter

Why do we always complain about the cold, the snow and the slush. Why does winter get a bum rap? It doesn't take that much effort to enjoy this season. Here are five ways to make the best of winter.

1. Go Outside
Experience your own hometown while it's covered in snow and under gray skies. It's easy to take beautiful pictures on lovely spring days. Try to find the wonder when things look their bleakest.

2. Head to the Mountains
Skiers and snowboarders love this weather. Don't enjoy throwing yourself down a mountain? Try snowshoeing. It's essentially winter hiking and it's an amazing workout. Or, just take advantage of the apr s-ski scene with a few beverages and a dip in the hot tub.

3. Be Productive
Simply hate the cold and snow too much to go outside? Take advantage of that by being productive inside. Edit those summer trip photos that you've neglected. Read those guidebooks that you bought for your upcoming trips. Heck, book and plan some of those trips! If you're going to stay inside and avoid winter, you might as well have something to show for it when the thaw arrives.

4. Cook
Nothing warms up a home like a hot oven (except for maybe a furnace or a fireplace). You know all of those foods that you've loved during your trips? Try to recreate those dishes in your own kitchen. No matter what the wind chill is, a bowl of homemade .."pasta with pesto" is sure to warm you up and remind you of that trip to " Italy".

5. Enjoy Being Home
Summer will surely bring road trips, weekend getaways and more destination weddings than your bank account would care to discuss. Use winter to recharge your batteries and reacquaint yourself with your own bed. There's nothing wrong with being home for a stretch. Your friends have probably missed you...and your homemade pasta.

Blog borrowed from www.mikebarish.com

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, Italy, Lake Maggiore, Piedmont, Travel, weather

For Chocolate Lovers

For Chocolate Lovers everywhere. An easy to make recipe for Individual Lava Cakes that is sure to impress.

GHIRARDELLI INDIVIDUAL CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKES
Centers:1/2 bar (2-oz/60grms) 60% Dark Chocolate Baking Bar
1/4 cup/2dl heavy cream
Cakes:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 bar (4-oz/120grms) 60% Dark Chocolate Baking Bar
1 stick /125grms unsalted butter
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup/40 grms sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup/30 grms self-raising flour
To make the centers:

• Melt chocolate in cream in the top of a double boiler. Whisk gently to blend well.
• Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
• Form mixture into 6 balls.

To make the cakes:

• Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit/200 Celcius.
• Spray 6 small paper custard cups with the nonstick cooking spray or rub with butter or margerine.
• Melt chocolate and butter in top of a double boiler. Whisk the mixture gently to blend.
• With an electric mixer, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla on high for 5 minutes.
• Fold the chocolate mixture and flour into the egg mixture until combined.
• Spoon mixture evenly into the prepared custard cups.
• Place a chocolate ball center in the center of each custard cup of batter.
• Bake 15 minutes or until firm to the touch.
• Let stand 5 minutes before inverting onto dessert plate.

Remove paper custard cups.I hope I have converted the american measures correctly. I am not sure how much butter a stick is!!Photo: H. Lacorte / Author: Linda WilsonPosted by Better Living NY in Blog

Tagged: Castello Dal Pozzo, food, Home and Garden, Kitchen and Dining, Wine & Food

Sabi’s Cover Of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” From Her ’0 To 60′ Mixtape: Idolator Premiere

Sabi Channels Stevie

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from onetime Britney Spears and Cobra Starship collaborator Sabi , but the singer is back with a new mixtape, titled 0 To 60: Love Sounds, which is “hosted” by Power 106's Yesi Ortiz and DJ Carisma. Look for it to be made available on HotNewHipHop.com on November 13. Ahead of that, Idolator is premiering Sabi’s cover of “Dreams,” a Fleetwood Mac classic that originally topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977 and appeared on the band’s legendary album Rumours.

Sabi’s rendition is more of a stripped down affair that transforms the song into a moody - or at least moodier than the original - slow jam. G.O.O.D. Music's Ryan McDermott took up production duties here, and you can head below to listen to the mixtape cut ahead of its release tomorrow.

Get an eyeful of even more pop music coverage, from artist interviews to exclusive performances, on Idolator's YouTube channel.

Lily Allen Saves Pop Music With New Single “Hard Out Here”: Watch The Brilliant Video

She Makes It Look Easy

Just when everyone thought that there was no hope left for pop music in 2013, with generally lackluster releases from all the best divas in the game, Lily Allen comes through in a pinch to rescue all of us from abject desperation: Without any formal announcement, build-up or fanfare, the songstress has just unveiled the music video for her new single “Hard Out Here” online - and it’s effortlessly brilliant, as sharp and dynamic as any of us could want.

Allen has always been one of the few pop stars who’s capable of solid social satire without compromising her songcraft, and “Hard Out Here” doesn’t disappoint to that end: It’s a withering takedown of body image pressures and misogyny in the entertainment industry, making its point flawlessly with just a few choice lines and images. “Hard Out Here” is self-conscious and self-deprecating but stops just short of being caustic, built around an earworm of a chorus hook with typically smart, funny lyrics in the verses.

The video opens with Allen, in full glam-chav style (looking like Jessie J, frankly) getting liposuction, and it just gets better from there, borrowing imagery from rap videos to ingenious effect. (It’s not far off from Jewel‘s “Intuition” video, but dangerously more effective.) In particular, her take on Robin Thicke‘s “Blurred Lines” video - with balloon letters spelling out “LILY ALLEN HAS A BAGGY PUSSY” - is laugh-out-loud funny.

“Hard Out Here” is maybe her most damning song yet - and it’s all but impossible to dislike. This is how you make a comeback.

Watch up top.

Get an eyeful of even more pop music coverage, from artist interviews to exclusive performances, on Idolator's YouTube channel.

MR. Dannijo Eye Spies

A little shy of eight months ago, a revolutionary fashion blogger and a New York jewelry powerhouse created one of the most memorable collaborations in blogging history. Now The Man Repeller and Dannijo are joining forces yet again, proving that neon, tassles, eyeballs and The Fifth Element have a definitive home in luxury jewelry.

Judging by the Rocky-esque trailer Danielle Snyder masterminded, I think it’s pretty obvious that she along with her sister Jodie and their Man Repelling counterpart Leandra Medine are expecting another epic turnout for their second collaboration. Having fallen in love with the Mona Lisa, the umbilical and Loolee, I’m partial to agreeing with them.