Makeup Looks

Posted on October 26, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Happy Sunday Everyone! It’s been a while since I have done a makeup post so I decided to photograph the looks I did on mis mejor amigas before a casual night out. I am also working on my application skills and what a better way to do it right? Lets take a look at these beauties…

L-R Cinthia, Lucy & Emily

First one up is Cinthia: She has really great skin and normally doesn’t wear any foundation. She asked for the “jlo glow”. Here’s a closer look at what I came up with:

Face: Hourglass veil primer, Covergirl Outlast 3 in 1 foundation shade #857 (golden tan) mixed with Gerard Cosmetics BB plus illumination. MAC prep and prime in bright forecast (undereye brightening), Anastasia Contour kit Shade Fawn and Havanna. BH cosmetics blush palette (peach shade) Mary-Lou- Manizer for highlight.
Brows: Anastasia brow wiz in Dark Brown
Eyes: MAC paint pot in layin low, shadows: Amber lights (Entire lid), Texture (crease) and naked lunch (brow highlight). Revlon matte shadow in Rich Sable (outer corner).NYX jumbo eye pencil in white (base), E.L.F false lashes and Sephora Rio nights gel liner
Lips: Limecrime lipstick in Cosmopop and Gerard Cosmetics gloss in the shade nude.

Next up is Lucy: She and I can talk makeup for hours upon hours! She too has great skin and loves defined brows. Here’s what I created on her:

Products used:

Face: Becca Ever matte primer, Tarte Amazonian clay in the shade tan-deep sand mixed with Bare Minerals Bareskin Foundation in the shade Bare Caramel. Mac pro long-wear concealer in the shade W35 & W30 Anastasia contour kit in the shade Havana, MAC prep and prime in the shade Bright Forecast. BH Cosmetics blush palette (berry shades to the top right) Mary- Lou- Manizer for highlight.
Eyes: MAC paint pot in layin low. NYX jumbo pencil in white. Buff (brow highlight) Rose (lid)from Lorac Pro Palette 2, Revlon Matte shadow in Rich sable (crease) and Makeup geek’s Bitten (outer corner). Loreal voluminous mascara, E.L.F Lashes and Sephora Rio nights gel eyeliner.
Brows: Anastasia brow wiz (dark Brown) and dipbrow pomade (medium brown)
Lips: Rimmel Lip Liner in Cherry kiss, Too Faced Melted lipsticks in the shade Berry.

Last but certainly not least Emily: Doesn’t she have great lashes? (no falsies used). Emily loves bold lips which is why I wanted to give her a softer eye look, Here’s what I came up with:

Products used:

Face: Hourglass veil primer, Neutrogena nourishing long wear foundation in the shade warm beige, MAC prep and prime in Bright forecast, Anastasia contour kit in the shade Fawn, MAC blush in peaches, The Balm Mary-Lou-Manizer for highlight.
Brows: Anastasia brow wiz in the shade chocolate
Eyes: MAC paint pot in “layin low” Naked 3 palette in the shades Dust (lid), Nooner (crease), Mugshot (outer corner) and Strange (brow highlight), Sephora Rio nights gel liner, Mascara Loreal Voluminous
Lips: Rimmel in Cherry kiss and MAC Fashion Revival lipstick

There you have it guys. Hopefully these looks can be of inspiration to you.
If anyone has any makeup looks you would want to me try please let me know down below.

Thanks to these silly girls for letting me experiment with them

Hasta Pronto!
-Gwen

“Fall” into the 90’s- Clueless Edition

Posted on October 9, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

What could be better then the weather cooling down? I say continuing to rock those summer 90’s trends straight into the colder months, saving time and money in your pocket! I decided to start a mini 3 part post series called “Fall into the 90’s” so I could get the most bang for my buck and wear some of my favorite pieces from the ongoing 90’s trend straight into the fall season. Here is my attempt at recreating an iconic look from the movie “Clueless” starring Alicia Silverstone as the fashionable Cher Horowitz. This classic cult film inspired me to get creative and reuse some old items I had in the back of my closet. The v-neck long-sleeved top is a basic from target, while the jumpsuit is from the brand “Max Rave” purchased ages ago. For this look the accessories say it all, the knee-high socks with frill detail, sun flower choker, combat boots, and clear clutch all give the look the 90’s aesthetic without being to gimmicky or overpowering. Links to similar items below!

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Awesome video by “Worn Fashion Journal”

Similar Overall Dresses- Here, Here & Here

Sunflower Choker

Similar Socks- Here & Here

Boots- Here & Here

As if!

-Ari

How to: College Football Makeup

Posted on September 26, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Graduating in 2012 from the University of Central Florida was one of the proudest moments of my life. In looking back at my college experience, I wish I had participated in more “college” activities when I had the chance. In comes football games and tail-gating! I attended my first game ever this past weekend and like most people could not wait to don my colors and rep my school (even though Im an alum now). I decided to go all out and finally break out this beautiful gold pigment from NYX I had been waiting to use for some time. It is so sparkly and intense and can easily liven up any look.The “bondage weightless makeup adhesive” from Urban Decay was the perfect choice & worked so well at holding the pigment. No heavy feeling on my lid as I yelled and cheered throughout the evening!

I first prepped my eye for all that color with NYX skin tone primer all over the eyelid, crease, & brow bone
I then used a yellow shimmer shadow from the NYX Mysterious Brown Eyes Color palette all over the eyelid (as another base to make the yellow glitter pop even more)
I then used Urban Decay Eyeshadows “Tyranny” as a transitional color in the crease & “Vengeance” in the crease up to the brow bone for more depth. Remember to blend!
I applied Urban Decay Bondage Adhesive to my eyelid (straight from the tube) and covered the entirety of the yellow.
With a clean flat shader brush, I patted the NYX glitter pigment on the entire lid. I kept adding more and building the intensity until I reached my desired effect.
Optional-Finally, I used black gel liner to create a cat eye and finished off with loads of mascara!

Make sure to clean up afterwards thoroughly seeing as I had a lot of fall out (not after once it was already dried on my eye) I am just messy during my process! These steps can be replicated with any of the variety of pigments depending on your team colors (blue or purple would look spectacular). Links below!

urban decay, nyx, glitter, pigment, cat eye, glitter glue, ucf, college, football, makeup

***On my lips I am wearing Gerard Cosmetics in the color “1995”, also both my Anastasia contour kit and Loreal telescopic mascara were used.

Nyx Pigment

Urban Decay Pulp Fiction

Nyx Primer

Go UCF Knights!

-Ari

Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit For Her

Posted on September 20, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

How freaking cute is this Pinch Provisions minimergency kit! I saw this baby at the Sephora check out line (don’t they always get you) and knew I needed it in my life the moment I laid eyes on it. The small packaging is genius and they offered a variety of colors to choose from besides the leopard print. I am someone who likes to be prepared for any catastrophic events that can occur (especially having to do with my wardrobe). It often happens that when I need that safety pin, or tide stick for example…I never have it! This little bag keeps everything you could possibly need in one convenient location that is easy to throw in any purse. 17 items for any and all malfunctions that could possibly occur, from tape, breath refreshments, bandaids,wipes and earring backs you are pretty set for any emergency you may face. It even had enough space for me to add even more bandaids and also a small tiny sample AVON lipstick that could be used for lips or cheeks. I love it and feel prepared when I step out the door now. Links below!

Yes all 17 items fit perfectly in this tiny pouch! I personally added more (normal sized) bandaids and the tiny lipstick sample.

Pinch Provisions Minimergency Kit For Her

-Ari

Stay Hydrated in Style- Nasty Gal Unchained Water Bottle Holder

Posted on September 9, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

WARNING: This post might alienate some readers that aren’t into “frivolous” things a.k.a AWESOME things! I was doing my usual perusing online and came across this tailor-made for me item on NastyGal.com. Not only does this water bottle holder serve its … Continue reading →

Designer Spotlight: Rebecca Minkoff

Posted on August 7, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

I felt this second designer spotlight post (check out the first here) should belong to yet another woman making waves in the industry. As of lately Ive been intrigued by the design and aesthetic that the Rebecca Minkoff brand has … Continue reading →

Minimale Animale X Nasty Gal

Posted on July 29, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

A little side boob never hurt anyone! Or at least not in my opinion. I have been on the hunt for a top that exposed “side boob” for quite some time now. Obviously this look is not for the faint of heart and requires confidence and if I may say balls to rock. It’s not an easy task to expose yet cover vital parts when you have particularly bigger girls to work with. In comes this awesome top from Nasty Gal. The Minimale Animale swimwear collection is one I’ve been coveting for ages now. They are all uber sexy and on trend. This suit is the product baby of both brands collaborating and I couldn’t be happier with the result! Since it’s an actual bathing suit it is lined fully (wont show up see through even with flash) and its tight enough on the sides to prevent any accidents (although for a night out on the town some would suggest boob tape for extra security). I love the high cut and the cute square pocket detail. It is so versatile worn as a regular bathing suit or as I did for a fun night out on the town with some high waist shorts and booties. As always check out the links below for this number as it is now on sale (typically this brand can run anywhere up to $300) so check it out while its discounted!

T-Kini- Swimsuit

Toodles

Ari

Chiquita Banana

Posted on June 28, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

What a long over due post from me! After coming back from Puerto Rico my sister Gwen has been putting in so much work and has posted so many amazing things. Keeping with that momentum here is an outfit of … Continue reading →

Modcloth: Day and Night

Posted on June 27, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Modcloth is one of my absolute favorite websites, not only do they have a great selection of clothing, accessories and shoes they also offer a wide range of sizes making it a super easy one stop shop for just about everything you need.
I believe I have mentioned before that I absolutely love striped clothing! Modcloth’s Coach Tour Dress in navy stripes is definitely right up my alley. Check out 2 looks I’ve created down below, the left side is more day time appropriate while the right side can lead you to a fun night out on the town.

Modcloth Day & Night by gwendolyn-pena featuring a leather charm

The Coach Tour Dress has a fold-over collar along with gold buttons on the side which gives the dress a polished look. It also has a cinched waist, perfect for those of us who need a little extra help in that department.
Day look: I think this dress is super casual and perfect for some vacation fun. I added a bright yellow flat sandal and a turquoise crossbody bag to give the outfit a little pop! (who doesn’t love a little color!) I decided to keep everything else a bit more neutral by adding some all black sunglasses, a tan leather strapped watch and some small yellow flower earrings.
Night look: Although this dress has a casual feeling to it changing up a few key accessories can make a beautiful transition into an evening look. I still kept some bright colors in mind but I switched the yellow flat sandals for a yellow peep toed wedge, more evening appropriate yet, still comfortable. For the bag I went with a smaller neutral colored clutch, I feel this gives the look a very soft and feminine touch. Accessories are also key in making an outfit, I opted for a rose gold watch and super cute anchor stud earrings, making the dress appear a bit more nautical. Last but not least, a nice red lip really adds a touch of sophistication to this look.

If stripes aren’t your cup of tea Modcloth has so many other styles and patterns to offer. Check some of these out:

Polka Dot Dress
Solid Print Dress
Floral Plus Size Dress
Maxi Plus Size Dress

Xo,
-Gwen

Gwen packs for Puerto Rico

Posted on June 13, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Hey Everyone! So as you previously read my sister and I are going on a very much needed trip. We are so excited to see each other and will hopefully be able to snap a few photos of us together.
Although my packing technique is not as organized as Ari’s I’d like to believe that it is also a good method when trying to figure out what to bring along with you on a trip. So what I generally do is look at all of my products (hair, skin, makeup) and say to myself “will I really use this?” if my answer is no I obviously keep looking, if my answer is yes I place that item aside. Now another thing to consider when traveling is the climate of your destination as well as the duration of your stay. I snapped a few photos of what I will be taking for this trip (Sorry they are not tucked in neatly in my suitcase, I still haven’t officially packed Yikes!)

Suncare

First order of business is of course suncare! Sunscreen/Sunblock is very much needed when out and about in the sun all day.

Personal Hygiene

I know that most hotels and resorts provide lotion, shampoo conditioner and all that good stuff, but I personally like to bring my own things. I normally just buy small clear bottles and pour the product in.

Hair Care

Because we are going to be in the pool or beach most of the time, curly hair will be the way to go.

Skincare

My skin hasn’t been behaving lately so I am taking a small bottle of acne cleanser and of course can’t forget my dirt, oil and makeup removing wipes.

Makeup

This may seem like a lot of products but I did add a few items for the nights when we get all dolled up for a night on the town. My daytime essentials will most likely be my cc cream (which has spf), mascara, my brow wiz, a peachy blush and a lip butter or stain. Also check out a great travel piece for storing small items (like makeup) that Ive mentioned in a previous post from Sonia Kashuk. It is affordable and available at any target near you in varying prints and styles.

Hopefully this helped all of you traveling this summer to get an idea of what you should or shouldn’t bring with you.

Puerto Rico here we come!
Hasta Luego
-Gwen

*If you are curious about any product I posted or would like a review please comment down below. Thanks a bunch!
Xo