Coastal Scents 36 Smokey Palette!

Hello there Beauty Broadcast family! It's review time! Today the subject is the 36 Smokey Palette from Coastal Scents. The cost is $22.95 on the Coastal Scents website. I mentioned it in my latest Shopping List Ideas video- but wasn't really able to elaborate on the different shades. Here goes!

I love the concept of this palette- the six different clusters of color really make it user-friendly. You can obviously mix and match outside of the different color combos, but this gives you a great starting point! It's like carrying around six different mini-palettes with you in one! So that's a fantastic thing for travel, when you want to have lots of color options but don't want to fumble around with zillions of containers. Size-wise, this is definitely smaller than the 88 palettes (more portable).

SWATCHES!

(same positioning as the color groupings in the palette- it all matches up)

Neutrals...

compared to the eye-popping brights in this palette, this grouping is a bit under-whelming. Not bad for neutrals, but not my favorite bunch in this palette.

Greens...

Not my personal favorite shades to wear on my eyes, but still- the matte shades in this section are wonderfully pigmented. I like that you get varying shades... from turquoise, to emerald, to yellow.

Purples...

One of my favorite parts of this palette. These colors really POP! While I love the dark purple & plum colors, even the mid-toned shades really stand out. It's hard to pick up on in the picture, but the lightest color actually has a unique opal sheen!

Smokey tones...

My other favorite part of the palette. I gravitate toward colors like this a lot, but because I have tried so many brands & shades, I'm pretty critical when it comes to my blacks & charcoals. I like that you get the classic matte black, as well as a rich shimmery charcoal. You also get an interesting taupe-rose, which I love. And that silver in the middle is to die for. Love it!

Blues...

Calling all bright blue shadow lovers! This part of the palette holds nothing back. From rich turquoise to light sky blue, you get a pretty good range. Although it would've been nice to have a navy shade. I do appreciate the center shade on the right with its gorgeous golden undertone.

Pinks...

This is a really fun bunch of colors. The black in this set actually has subtle pink sparkles. The varying matte pinks are very rich, and of the 2 lightest shades, the frosty pink is clearly the best. When applied with a light touch, you can take any of the bright pinks and warm up the border of a dark smokey look.

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While colors in the 88 palettes are about the size of dimes- these are larger... nickel-sized. From matte to satin to shimmer- there's a nice variety in finishes. Some shades are super bright, but you have enough deep tones to create contrast and "bring the look down a notch"- as I like to say. My swatches are shown with no primer... and just so you know, I never use primer for swatches. While I WOULD use a primer on my lids- I don't want to feel like you must have a certain primer to make them work. So I just show them without so you can truly see how the shadows perform with no other variables.

Quality-wise, this palette is very similar to the other Coastal Scents palettes- so I give it high marks. It makes a good "try me" item if you've never gotten anything from CS before... because you're getting a sampling of lots of different colors and finishes.

Have a great day!

♥

Emily

Daily Nuggets...

• Tyler is still sick... but since his visit to the doc today, I think he'll be on the upward swing. I joke that I will buy him Sparkling Apple Juice (has anyone seen the SNL skit?) for New Year's Eve.
• Today I started a Tumblr page... does anyone else out there do this? My friend Alba had one posted this morning & I was inspired.
• Black Cherry Propel water is quite good.
• Cupcake has gotten over the thrill of us coming home after traveling for a couple days. She's acting like a bit of a diva.
• My nails are painted GOLD and I love it!
• I'm anchoring the newscast solo tomorrow. Topics include- how to avoid a hangover.

Have a great day everyone and a Happy New Year!!!

My first Swap! Thanks Abby! :)

Hi everyone! Sorry for the recent lull in blog updates- It's been a busy holiday season with lots of problems in terms of uploading videos. Until just recently, I have struggled for hours with every video upload... now I've changed internet providers (last effort to help the situation!) and things appear to be working better. Anyway, all the stress and time that the situation required has kind of kept me away from my blog. Not anymore though! I'm excited to share with you- my first ever swap! For a closer look at a few of these products and other Christmas/Birthday gifts I received- check out my YouTube Christmas & Birthday Haul 2010 video!

For awhile now, I've been chatting back and forth on Twitter with Abby, who also has a blog, and a YouTube channel called Color Swept Beauty. She asked me about doing a Christmas swap, and I thought it sounded like lots of fun! We set our price limit at $50... (which she clearly didn't stick to- LOL) and in the days before Christmas I received this amazing package of items! Not only did she send me mountains of makeup, but she had them wrapped in little bundles- and with the package came a series of cards. They instructed me on which part of the gift to open, and why she chose those particular items. It was probably one of the most fun gift-opening experiences ever! :D Not to mention super creative and thoughtful.

Just for a closer look at some of the items- one of the stars of the show was this Smashbox Eye Wish palette! It's a gorgeous gold palette packed with shadows, cream liners, a mascara, and a primer. I love Smashbox, and after trying this palette, I can tell you that it's classic Smashbox quality! Abby has great taste!

Abby also picked out gift sets from Target from a couple of brands she enjoys- Pixi and Jemma Kidd. These are sort of the "high end" portion of Target cosmetics, and something I haven't yet tried. I'm excited to dig in to these sets and see how it works for me.

She also threw in a number of individual makeup products that are either favorites of hers, or something she thought I'd enjoy. There were mascaras, eyeshadows, lipsticks, lip glosses, lip balms, pencils... everything!! Amazing!

Also in the package- some fun spa items! Many of the products she sent were placed in the cutest little makeup bags. I just can't get over how thoughtful and generous Abby's gift was. I'm so thankful to have met wonderful friends like Abby through the online beauty community. She is a real gem, and I hope you can get to know her as well through her blog and videos! Thanks again Abby, you went above and beyond!! :)

I hope everyone continues to enjoy the holiday season, and have a great day!

♥

Emily

Daily Nuggets...

• I've had 2 days off following the Christmas weekend, and I have been enjoying myself tremendously.
• Tyler and I went out to eat last night at Applebee's for my birthday! I am a chronic chicken-strip orderer.
• My obsession over things that smell good (bath products, air fresheners, etc.) is growing.
• I took a bath yesterday and Cupcake fell in the tub (2nd time she's done that!)
• I don't plan to take down my holiday decor until after New Year's... I feel like we're still in the "holiday season".
• Pajamas and slippers have been my favorite things to wear lately.
• I was given several seasons of Mad Men on DVD for Christmas. Just got started on it last night- I think it's gonna be good!!

What's in my Z-Palette?

Hello Friends! You'll notice a couple of blog posts ago- a friend from the Beauty Broadcast online community sent me this lovely Z-Palette! It's basically an empty magnetic palette that you can fill with all your favorite products of any shape/size. Well, now I have it all filled up, and this review is posted on my YouTube channel! To really see how the palette works & why I love it- watch this video.

Just for fun, I thought I'd share the various shadows that I love, and have decided to add to my new zebra print Z-Palette! Keep in mind, there will probably be more Z-Palettes in the future (there's also a leopard print one, OMG), and this configuration may change... but this is what I'm enjoying right now! (By the way, it's already freeing up more space in my makeup storage!)

(FYI- I didn't have to add magnets to any of these shadows, but keep in mind, for some colors- you will. You can find little magnets that adhere to your pans at any craft store.)

CS= Coastal Scents...available here

Top row (across):

-Stila Kitten... light pinky-nude shimmer

-CS Hot Pot M-09... matte cream

-CS Hot Pot ME-19... shimmery salmon/peach

-Stila Mystic... shimmery soft turquoise

-CS Hot Pot S-26... light silver shimmer

-CS Hot Pot S-10... charcoal shimmer

Middle row (across):

-Stila Wheat... light neutral shimmer

-CS Hot Pot S-37... peach with subtle sparkle

-CS Hot Pot ME-23... metallic gold

-CS Hot Pot S-14... shimmery royal blue

-CS Hot Pot S-17... shimmering rosy red

-CS Hot Pot M-06... matte deep charcoal

Bottom row (across):

-CS Hot Pot M-22... matte brown

-Stila Golightly... shimmery taupey-bronze

-CS Hot Pot S-30... deep plummy-brown shimmer

-CS Hot Pot ME-15... burgundy shimmer

-CS Hot Pot S-06... shimmery pinky-violet

-Makeup For Ever Diamond Shadow... sparkly black (shade name wore off)

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So what's in your Z-Palette?

If you want more information on this product, head to http://www.zpalette.com/

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Daily Nuggets:

• It's absolutely freezing outside. Hard to even feel warm inside!
• Wondering why I'm wearing a tank top right now. Likely part of my problem.
• Today Cupcake tried to scare me when I came out of the bathroom... she jumped into the air and her body hit the wall! She stumbled around for a few seconds- I was worried! Then she went back to normal.
• Laura Geller cracks me up on QVC! I love watching makeup demonstrations.
• I bought a pink lego set for my niece for Christmas!
• I am so frustrated about how hard it is to upload to YouTube. I really don't have time for the repeated upload attempts! But I'm trying!
• A co-worker bought me the cutest zebra print hat. Love it!!

Build a Drugstore Makeup Gift Bag!

Hey everyone! If you follow me on Twitter you've probably heard enough of my complaining... but this week has just been a big pain when it comes to uploading on YouTube! I'll spare you my sob story, and just say that I've been trying since Monday to get this video posted, and at 3:15 this morning (gave it a try while I was getting ready)-- the thing finally uploaded! I almost had to slap myself to believe that there wasn't another error message.

Anyway, I hope you get 10 minutes or so to watch this video, because I was SO excited to make it! It's all about creating a fun, thoughtful, personal gift for someone in your life! Many of you shared some great ideas in the comments section of this video- like using something like this for a gift swap! Or keeping it as a gift to yourself! You know what would also be so fun? If you create a DMGB (Drugstore Makeup Gift Bag, of course), shoot a quick video & post a video response! Or snap a picture & post it for the Beauty Broadcast Facebook Family to see! They're the nicest bunch!

As captain obvious, I'll point out that a key part of any DMGB is the BAG. I mean, you could definitely wrap everything and do it that way, but I think it's extra enjoyable when your products are nicely housed in a makeup bag! So I thought I'd take this opportunity to show you some cute ones that I LOVE.

I'm kind of in love with this makeup bag. It's the Sigma MAXBag in this gorgeous Violet shade. (it also comes in black). It's 14 1/4 inches x 11 inches. So it's a rather large makeup bag, and at $29 bucks you're obviously adding some extra cost to your gift. But perhaps that's what you want to do! This bag is like nothing else I own. It's sort of flat, but has a large zippered pocket inside, and some open pockets as well. This will totally accommodate a brush roll. AND- if you're thinking about giving a larger-sized makeup palette- this is a great fit! You can also toss your hair styling tools in here if you want! The side pockets are great for smaller makeup products. The metallic-quilted pattern is lovely. Terrific for travel! Here's a look inside:

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My flash went a little wild with this one, but this hot pink bag is another great looking, functional makeup bag! This won't fit your larger palettes, but it's a great size for traveling with makeup. It goes with me whenever I travel- sometimes I use it for jewelry & other accessories too! Comes in other colors as well, so check the Sigma website for details on these.

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These other bags (the top one was featured in the video), are more here as examples than something that's available for purchase right now. They're both from past seasons gift-with-purchase promotions- the top one is from Clinique, and the bottom is from Lancome. Just wanted to remind you that if you haven't used those cute bags, why not use them for a DMGB for someone else? Sometimes they have sort of a seasonal look to them- so I could see the top one as a spring birthday gift, or the bottom one as fun gift for the bride during her bachelorette party!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today everyone! We're almost to Friday, so I hope you have a wonderful weekend! :) Talk to you soon!

Em

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Daily Nuggets

• I have been watching a lot of QVC lately. I find it relaxing & entertaining.
• Some of the items on my makeup wish list for Christmas are from brands seen on QVC! Like Mally Beauty, Laura Geller, and Philosophy. QVC.com has some nice gift sets!
• Big Christmas party for Tyler's law firm this weekend.
• I'm enjoying fruit-flavored herbal tea in the evening.
• I bought Wheaties this week for the first time in a long time.
• Cupcake has the loudest purr. It's sooo cute.
• I'm doing the morning show by myself tomorrow. My co-anchor Kevin has a much deserved day off.
• Just realized I need to be taking my shower right now.
• I have Softsoap shower gel that smells like Christmas Cookies!

My Happy Monday Morning Story

There's no use candy-coating it. Arriving at work at 3:30 a.m. on a Monday is not my idea of fun. I roll out of my warm, cozy bed at around 1:30 a.m., leaving a sleeping Tyler and a sleeping Cupcake. I get my makeup on, find an outfit, do my hair, give Cupcake a treat, get my lunch & coffee together, and I'm out the door. I love my job and I love my co-workers (very grateful for that!), but it seems that on Mondays, there are more chances for bad things to randomly happen than good things. Today, however, was different.

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**Please note: I am not telling the following story to make anyone think they need to send me something. I simply want to say thank you, and I hope that this person will inspire you to exhibit generosity in your everyday lives.**

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When I got to the station today, there was a box sitting on my desk. I always think getting mail is fun (unless it's bills), but getting mail at work is especially thrilling! I opened it up, and inside was a lovely zebra print Z-Palette! It's a magnetic palette I can use to house all kinds of eyeshadows (any size or shape). I've never had one of these before. Definitely my kind of gift! What accompanied this palette was an incredibly heart-felt letter, stating that I had touched her life during a rough time. This whole thing brought tears to my eyes.

Lucci wanted to thank me for the ways I've helped her through my makeup channel. This went far above and beyond. But it made me realize just how much those random notes and thank-you's can mean. How far a simple compliment to someone can go. Often times, you don't know exactly what kind of circumstance someone is in, or what kind of day they've been having. Just making a nice, out of the blue gesture can make more of a difference than you realize.

So thank you, Lucci. Not just for sending me nice gift- but for being such a great example to me and others about what it means to be selfless. We are living in a fast-paced world, where, from time to time we all get caught up in our own problems and needs. I would challenge everyone to learn from Lucci's example, and try to do a good deed for someone. When you catch someone else in a bad mood and find yourself starting to make a judgement- stop and realize that you may not know exactly what they're going through. Always be kind, and if you have the opportunity to go above and beyond for someone, take it.

I realize this is a non-makeup related post, however it does apply to becoming a more beautiful person on the inside. So thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!


♥


Emily

Cupcake's Colorful Claws

Hi everyone! You all know I'm all about the girly things in life... but no, I didn't paint my cats claws. She's wearing a product called Soft Paws, an alternative to declawing, recommended by my veterinarian.

Soon after we got Cupcake, she got purple ones, and now she has them in pink. Yes, they're cute, but that wasn't why I got them. You see, months before we adopted Cupcake from the shelter, we bought a new house... and quite a bit of new furniture to go inside. An expensive leather sectional is something I don't want to get damaged, as it would cost too much to replace! My vet said Soft Paws would be a good thing to try. They aren't permanent, but might lessen a cat's tendency to claw.

I've received lots of questions on Twitter about the Soft Paws- so I thought I'd answer those that involve my personal experience with them, and let the Soft Paws website do the rest. The site also has a pretty extensive "Frequently Asked Questions" section that may help you, if this is something you're considering for your pet. They are something anyone can purchase online & apply themselves, however my vet happens to offer the service too.

Cupcake's Experience:

One day when I was taking Cupcake in for some shots, I also got Soft Paws done. First the vet clipped her nails. Then they applied Soft Paws with a glue that's pretty much like glue used for artificial nails. It took about 10 minutes... one person held Cupcake while the other applied the hollow tips (glue on the tip, and then put it on cupcake, and held it there so it would stay- much like fake nails except it surrounds the claw). Soft Paws come in a variety of colors & sizes to fit your pet (dogs can wear them too). My vet charged $10 for the Soft Paws, and $10 for the application. They're $18.95 on the website.

Cupcake walked around for a bit, probably thinking... what's on my claws!? She did a lot of licking on her claws (probably getting rid of any glue residue). Soon after you get these done, I recommend giving your cat something to eat... So the Soft Paws can continue to dry. Soft Paws are supposed to last for about 4 to 6 weeks. I believe this will vary, depending on how much you cat messes with them (and depending on your cat's nail growth). It's very likely a few may come off sooner. Cupcake did lose a couple before her 4 weeks were up. But as I said, these aren't permanent, so it's to be expected. I can re-apply them myself if I want, or wait for the vet to do it at a future visit. Whoever applies them really needs to use the same principles for applying glue-on nails-- make sure they have the right fit (kitten, small, medium, large) and press & hold them on.


My Thoughts:

When Cupcake's Soft Paws are on all of her front & back claws, she can't scratch my leather couch. She can have full access to the couch, running and bouncing around- and she won't leave a mark. Does she love having these put on? No. Does she mess with her claws, trying to get the Soft Paws off? Sometimes. Has it caused her to act differently overall? No. She's still VERY playful and still has all her usual habits. So, as with almost everything, there are pros and cons. I'm not sure how long I'll continue to do Soft Paws, but someone at the Vet's office told me that after her cats used these for several months, it lessened their tendency to claw. I'll keep you posted on that!

Overall, I think these are a pretty good alternative to declawing. They're not perfect, but there are also advantages to the fact that they're not permanent- perhaps Cupcake eventually won't want to scratch, and won't need anything on her claws to keep her from it. I like that the claws & glue are non toxic, and are a much less traumatic experience than de-clawing. As I said, if this is something you might be interested in, there is much more information on the Soft Paws website.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!

♥

Em

Crazy Nails with Hard Candy Beetle!

Hey everyone! So it seems whenever Tyler has the Rams football game on TV, I can't just sit here and watch it. I mean I like football and all, but I have to have something else to keep myself occupied. Like my laptop, or in this case, my nails. Yesterday I picked up a couple of new nail polishes from Hard Candy (available at Wal-Mart). I have to admit, the brand has been sort of hit and miss for me... probably more hits than misses though. This nail polish in "Beetle" is the first polish I've tried from the brand... but for me, it's definitely a hit!

As you can see, this is a very multi-dimensional nail polish. (Don't you love how I've photographed this fantastic nail polish atop my dull grey sweatpants? LOL). Depending on how the polish catches the light, it can look green, gold, purple, or pink. In these pictures I'm wearing 2 coats, and hadn't yet applied a top coat. The first coat went on surprisingly thick, and looked more greenish. (could've stopped at one coat) Then with the second coat, the purple came out more. I love how smoothly it went on, and how dense the sparkle is. It's not a big chunky glitter, but rather, a fine shimmer that is so pretty. It didn't try super fast... pretty average in terms of drying time.

♥

Hard Candy polishes also come with cute heart-shaped rings!

Will the quality of a creamy shade be just as good as this sparkly one?

Next time I do my nails, I'll try "Sky"- pictured below.

DAILY NUGGETS

• Cupcake is laying on her back, arms outstretched, on my lap- as I type this.
• Cupcake fell into the bathtub today. I don't think she's as excited about water as she once was!
• I spent most of yesterday evening/night trying to upload my latest YouTube video. Turns out there were issues with my Macbook Pro & our old wireless router. Got a new one today & it's all good now!
• The Rams are going to lose the football game.
• Had a blast with the twins (Tyler's sisters) when they stayed the night Friday. Going to attempt a "twin tutorial" over Thanksgiving weekend if there's time.
• I'm pretty awesome at Wal-Mart's self checkout
• I plan to leave my fall/Thanksgiving decor up until Thanksgiving is over. That's just how I roll.

Have a great week everyone & thanks for stopping by!

♥

Em

Festive Fall Snacks!

Hello friends! Hope you've been having a relaxing weekend! I've been getting lots of questions lately about what I like to cook or snack on. I'm considering some sort of video that would address all that, but in the meantime, I've been sort of inspired to make some things I've never attempted before. Last year, my sister Kelly gave my this cookbook- Hungry Girl 200 under 200... it includes lots of recipes that are low calorie, and many of them don't require a lot of ingredients. Right up my alley!

So in this blog, I wanted to share a couple of recipes from this book that I just tried this weekend. I thought they might be fun to work into upcoming Thanksgiving or Christmas celebrations. Both would work well as snacks or desserts! Tyler and I both give them 2 thumbs up! :)

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Red Hot Apple Pie in a Cup

per serving: 140 calories... double the recipe below for 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium Fuji apple, cored and cubed
• 15 Red Hots (cinnamon flavored candies)
• 1/2 sheet of cinnamon graham crackers, crushed
• 2 tablespoons Fat Free Reddi-wip
• Dash of cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

• Place apple cubes in a microwavable cup or mug & top with Red Hots. Cover and microwave for 2 minutes. Stir it up, and Microwave for an extra 30 to 60 seconds if the apples aren't soft. (Em's note: as the apples cook, they shrink. So fill your cup to the top!)
• Allow the cup of apples to cool for 10 minutes (Em's note: or just 3 to 5 minutes. I like mine warm/hot)
• Top with half of the crushed graham crackers, followed by the Reddi-wip. Sprinkle with remaining grahams and a little cinnamon.
• Em's note: Tyler likes to keep the Reddi-wip handy so he can continue to top it off as he eats. This is SO yummy and when those grahams get warm & saturated with the cinnamon/apple juice- it's indescribably delightful.

♥

Chewy S'mores Snack Mix

per serving: 109 calories... recipe below makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups popped 94% fat-free kettle corn microwave popcorn
• 1 cup Golden Grahams cereal
• 3/4 cup Cocoa Puffs cereal
• 3/4 cup mini marshmallows
• 10 Tootsie Roll Midgees

DIRECTIONS:

• Chop Tootsie Roll Midgees into very small pieces (Em's note: The texture of the tootsie rolls is amazing with this snack mix!)
• In a sealable plastic bag or airtight container with a lid, combine all the ingredients and shake it up.
• Em's note: This is SO tasty. I try to get a bite with a little of everything in it. If you're making this in advance of an event, don't pop & add the popcorn until you serve it. Otherwise it gets a little "chewy". The mildly salty flavor works great with the sweet stuff though. Perfect for a fall party!

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So there are a couple of my fall recipe ideas! I would really recommend that Hungry Girl book- there are many more recipes that I want to try. What are your favorite things to make as the weather turns cold? Let me know! :D Have a great day!

♥ Em

I Want *FAT-TASTIC* Hair

Hey everyone! So... you all know I don't necessarily like EVERY beauty product I try. But it's not usually hard to get me to try them! For example- look at the picture above. This is from the ad for the Got2b Fat-tastic hair products. When I saw this ad in a magazine not too long ago, I thought- I MUST have that hair. I'm not going to make any bones about it, I like big, voluminous hair! And with the weather turning colder and the humidity becoming less of a factor, I believe it's actually attainable with some decent products! And could a girl holding an adorable mini cupcake really steer you wrong?!?

Needless to say, over the past few weeks I've purchased ALL of the fat-tastic products (available in drugstores for $6 or so)... the mousse, non-aerosol hairspray, and root-boosting spray. All of these products claim to give your hair in "instant collagen infusion". And according to the website, they'll give you "scrumptious body". I have not tasted the product to be able to confirm or deny that claim. :) This is not really a full review, but more of a status update on how I'm liking these products....

• The non-aerosol hairspray was featured in my most recent Shopping List Ideas video. It's not so much a strong-hold hairspray, as something I just spritz on before styling to add some texture and lift. For that purpose, I'm still loving it!
• And the mousse... I've been putting a small amount (I've learned it only takes a little) in mostly dry hair (you could do it on wet hair too), and then blow drying upside down. I really do notice INSTANT body, and it makes my fine, often static-prone hair much easier to work with as I use a curling iron or other styling tools. And maybe it's just the lack of humidity in the air... but my hair has been holding a curl and staying "fat" -- with less teasing than usual!
• As for the root-boosting spray... I really haven't tried this enough to tell you anything for sure. It's very likely this is a product that you could use in place of the mousse (or vice versa)... the spray would be more lightweight, so if you felt the mousse was too much product- this may work. But, like I said, I need to try it more. Probably tomorrow!

I will keep you posted on my quest for "Fat-tastic" hair!

For now, a new blog feature that you'll find quite random.... my Daily Nuggets!

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Daily Nuggets...

• I've posted a blog, a video, and went grocery shopping today. And went to work. Feeling productive!
• I'm sure this phase will pass eventually, but I'm kind of obsessed with buying Cupcake the tastiest-sounding Fancy Feast cat food possible. Today she ate "White meat chicken and cheddar cheese souffle with garden greens." Sounds better than anything I've had lately!
• Been feeling extra grateful for Tyler. He's been super supportive of my online beauty endeavors & jokes that he'll one day be my "manager" LOL
• Healthy Choice Chicken & Rice soup is one of the few really healthy soups that is actually delicious.
• I think fall is becoming my favorite season.
• With an array of different shampoos at my fingertips, I've been reaching for Tyler's giant bottle of Green Apple Suave, of all things. It smells good!! Do I need to justify this further?
• It's always hard to leave a warm bed with Tyler & Cupcake in it at 1:30 freakin' AM... but this week it's been tougher than usual. Not sure why.
• I have a major urge to go shopping this weekend.

♥

Have a great day & thanks for stopping by!!

Em

Sharing the Love: Co-Worker Style

A portion of the News 3 This Morning crew after our Halloween Show.

Click here for the crew's entertaining Halloween JibJab video! :)

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Hey everyone! Happy Halloween! Often times we see "Share the Love" videos on YouTube, highlighting someone's favorite channels (I plan to do a video/blog about this sometime soon), but what first occurred to me, was how many of my morning newscast co-workers and friends have taken their interests and hobbies online in some way. Many of them were so helpful in getting the word out about the YouTube contest I'm in, so I want to return the favor. I'm lucky to work with such multi-talented people! From bluegrass to wrestling- chances are, you or your significant other might be interested in my co-workers online endeavors! :)

Kevin's Wrestling Write-ups!

Blog, Twitter

My co-anchor Kevin is a huge wrestling fan! He's been watching wrestling for 25+ years and his blog- "My 1-2-3 Cents" is packed with pictures, opinions, and past encounters with wrestlers. Since I've been on the morning show, he has booked several wrestler interviews, and they are always quite entertaining! I know a love for makeup and girly things has brought you to my blog, but if you like wrestling or have a boyfriend or husband that does, head on over to Kevin's blog! Tell him Emily sent you! :)

Ross the Racing Superfan!

YouTube, Blog, Facebook, Twitter

Ross is an associate producer and "Racing Superfan" on News 3 This Morning! He does segments pertaining to local racing and/or Nascar 2 times a week. It's definitely his passion! He has a YouTube channel showing his segments and additional video (Ross has applied to become a YouTube partner!), and he also has a brand new blog! He also updates a special Racing Superfan racing page. Whether you're a Nascar fan or a racing novice- you can learn a lot from Ross!

Weston's Bluegrass Band!

Website, Facebook

Not only does he work the craziest hours of us all, but he also performs in his bluegrass band, Beaucoup Creek! Weston's group has been together since August of 2007. Their music is described as a mixture of traditional bluegrass, folk, and gospel with a modern twist. The band has a nice website, along with a Facebook page to keep their fans updated! There's also a neat feature on the Facebook page where you can sample the band's music. Nicely done, Weston & friends! :)

Scott & Laura's Economic Insight

YouTube, Blog, Twitter

Scott is an associate producer on the morning show, and he and his wife have recently developed several online offerings that pertain to precious metals and the economy. Laura is a copywriter, journalist, and precious metals investor. I had a great chat with Laura last week... she's developing a lot of the content and Scott uses his editing skills on the video side. This channel is in its early stages, but has lots of useful info. If you want to learn more about gold and silver, check it out!

♥

Hope you have a wonderful week!

Emily

On the Rise!

What it is:

On the Rise is a new contest hosted by YouTube. Beauty Broadcast is one of 4 growing channels selected to take part! The channel with the most votes gets a special feature on the YouTube home page! What an honor!

What I need:

Your votes!

How to vote: 2 CLICKS.

CLICK HERE, and in the poll in the upper right- click beside "emilynoel83".

No registration or sign-ins necessary! Easy!

NEXT STEP: SPREAD THE WORD!

Here is a short & sweet link to post to your Twitter, Facebook, wherever you want!

http://bit.ly/Vote_for_Emily

Hope you enjoy my little video to let everyone know about this competition! There are still 4 DAYS LEFT, and I would greatly appreciate your support! Thank you SO MUCH to those who have taken the time to spread the word to friends and family.

Beauty Broadcast is a VIEWER-DRIVEN channel and it will only continue to be that way with any continued growth! It's my passion to make beauty videos, answer your questions, and take your requests. Your support for my channel has made it what it is today....

Let's keep it going!

New Series: Revved-Up Reviews!

Hey everyone! Let's face it... one of the nice things about YouTube is that you can do exactly what you want! You can talk about any given topic for as long as you want (within reason) and then post your thoughts to the world! I enjoy that, and will continue to "take my time" with many of my videos. But yesterday, while laying on the couch brainstorming video ideas, I thought- what about putting some limits on myself for a special series? Keep the videos short & sweet, yet very complete... sharing the info you need about certain products. It seems like doing a rambling 10 minute video is easier than keeping it short and concise... but sometimes don't you just want a quick review? Just some solid info, focusing on one product, without sorting through a haul or a favorites list or a ton of rambling?

That's what I'm going to give you in my periodic

Revved-Up Review Series...

in under 5 minutes.

♥

Check out the videos I've posted today!

Maybelline Shine Sensational Lip Gloss

Sigma Travel Brush Kits: Standard & Premium

Physician's Formula Concealer Twins

College GameDay Makeup Tutorials!

It's football season... so why not try a makeup look inspired by your favorite team! I love watching college football, and most Saturday mornings, ESPN College GameDay is on in our house. For this tutorial series, I have a weekly poll. Each week you vote between two teams that will actually be facing off on Saturday. Whichever team gets the most votes is the team that will "inspire" that week's tutorial! You find the poll in the right sidebar of this blog, just scroll down a bit.

Of course these looks are great for fans or cheerleaders, but they're definitely appropriate for a night out or just a day you feel like adding a pop of color! Feel free to customize the looks to include your favorite colors! Below are links to all of the GameDay looks I've done so far!

Girl Confessions Tag!

Hey everyone! Hope you enjoy the pathetic pic of me on the couch with my good 'ole Cepacol "Maximum Numbing" throat lozenges. Saw this survey on The Cupcake Cartel's blog & thought I'd give it a go! She's super sweet & also has a YouTube channel you should check out! I tag everyone to do this tag on their blog as well! :)

1. What color is you hair?: Dark Brown

2. Drama?: It creeps in from time to time, but I'm happy to say my life is largely drama-free

3. Are you a girly girl?: Yes, when it comes to makeup & fashion. But I always enjoy a ballgame & a hot dog & hanging out with guys.

4. Who was the last person you hugged?: My husband, Tyler

5. Small or large purses?: Both- depends on the occasion. I take a large purse with my whole life in it to work, but clutches are nice for a fancy dinner.

6. Are you short?: Um, yeah. 5'0".

7. Do you like somebody: I like many more people than I dislike

8. What would you do if someone smacked your butt?: Depends on the smacker.

9. Do you care if your socks are dirty?: I wouldn't want to wear dirty socks. Once they're in the laundry basket, they really aren't a concern anymore.

10. Do you dress up on Halloween?: Yes

11. Are you double jointed?: No, but I do have very flexible thumbs.

12. Where is the weirdest place you have slept?: Can't really think of anywhere unusual. I will say that I hate sleeping in vehicles & find it very difficult.

13. Has anyone touched/smacked your butt in the past 24 hours?: For the past 24 hrs. my butt has been pretty firmly planted on this couch due to sickness, so butt smacking opportunities have been few & far between.

15. Do you call anybody by their last name?: Yes. I use nicknames often as well.

16. How many guys will read this just because it says “Girl Confessions”?: maybe a few?

“X” Marks the Spot:

[X] I do wear make up
[X] I have cried at a movie theater.
[X] I can put mascara on without opening my mouth.
[ ] I get jealous.
[ ] I think Johnny Depp is sexy.
[X] I love to laugh.
[ ] I like death metal.
[X] I like rap.
[X] I like country
[X] I carry a purse.
[X] I’d be lost without my computer.
[ ] I own a Spice Girls CD.
[X] I own a Britney Spears CD.
[X] I own a boy band CD.
[ ] I get bored watching football.
[X] I’ve never been called a spoiled brat.
[ ] Guys are confusing.
[ ] I’ve been called a bad influence.
[X] I have/had a piercing other than my ears.

17. What color is your bra that your wearing?: Gold

18. Do you prefer light or dark haired guys?: Either

19. Are you currently frustrated with a boy?: Nope

20. Do you have a best friend(s)?: Yes- a short list consisting of friends & family

21. Have you ever had your heart broken?: Not romantically, but have had heartbreaking circumstances in life.

22. What size shoe do you wear?: Depends on the designer and style, usually a 8-9

23. Do you like your life?: Yes. Very blessed with a variety of opportunities & good people

24. Has one of your friends ever stolen a boyfriend from you?: No

25. Have you ever jumped in the pool with your clothes on?: Don't think so

26. Do you have more friends that are girls or boys?: More boys, but it's probably close to equal

27. Do you wear extensions? Clip-in extensions- occasionally

28. Have you ever slapped a boy in the face? : Yes. I'm pretty sure I apologized though.

29. What are your biggest fears?: Losing a loved one.

30. Have you ever cried yourself to sleep?: yes

31. Have you ever not been able to get someone off of your mind?: yes

32. Do you believe in the saying “once a cheater, always a cheater”?: I can see why people might think that... but there are always exceptions.

33. Have you ever had a good feeling about something?: Frequently

34. Do you ever wish you were famous?: Yep, I told mom I was going to be famous one day

35. Are you currently missing someone? A lot of people
]

***This guy or that guy?***

Punk/Goth or Gangster?: neither one sounds appealing right off the bat.

Preppy or Cowboy?: Either one

Face or Body?: Both, mostly face

Sweet or Sexy?: I'm stealing Cupcake's answer--- Sweetness is sexy

Armani or Abercrombie?: Either

City-slicker or Rural Guy?: Either, leaning toward rural

Blue, Green, Grey, or Brown eyes?: I'd love Tyler regardless of eye color, but I like his blue eyes

Contacts or Glasses?: Doesn't matter

***Your pick...***

36. Eyeliner or Mascara?: Mascara

37. Louis Vuitton or Dooney & Bourke?: Louis Vuitton i guess. I'm not big into brands.

38. Heels or flats?: Heels

39. Skirts or pants?: Both (not simultaneously)

40. Socks or leggings?: leggings. or jeggings!

41. Sweatshirts or jackets?: Jackets

42. Flip Flops or sneakers?: Flip flops

43. Straight or curly hair?: I like it both ways!

44. Hoop or dangling earrings?: Both

45. White or black?: Black

46. Victoria’s Secret or Bath and Body Works?: Bath & Body Works

47. Smoothies or lattes?: Lattes

48. Diet or regular sodas?: Diet

49. Orange juice or Apple juice?: Orange

50. Pearls or diamonds?: Diamonds

51. Vintage or boho?: whichev.

52. Mary-Kate or Ashley Olsen?: Whichever one is keeping herself out of trouble

53. Lindsay or Hilary?: Is that even fair? I'll go with Hilary.

54. Ipod or cell phone?: cell phone... but i love my Shuffle

55. Friends or family?: Family & friends that become like family

56. Lip gloss or lip stick?: Both, sometimes together, sometimes separate

57. Manicure or pedicure?: I'll take both. I always do them myself though!

58. Tiffany’s or Chanel?: let's go with Chanel

59. Love or peace?: Love, and hopefully that creates peace

60. Sunglasses or purses?:There are times when you can't do without either one!

***In a guy…***

Funny or Serious?: Funny, with the ability to be serious.

Romantic or Daredevil?: Romantic

Cute or Hot?: Either

Dark Eyes or Light Eyes?: i like light

Long Hair or Short Hair?: short

Curly Hair or Straight Hair?: striaght. curly is ok too.

Good Dancer or Good Singer?: Either is fine, though I don't tend to have musical requirements

Basketball Player or Football Player?: Football

Jock or Rebel?: jock i guess. But this question is basically 2 stereotypical categories.

Smoker or Non-smoker?: non smoker

Druggie or Clean?: clean. seriously?

Has a Motorcycle or Has a Sports Car?: I'd be cool with both!

Beard/Mustache or Clean-shaven?: I usually like a little scruff

Younger or Older?: my age or older. Though Tyler is technically a month younger. oops!

Player or Loyal?: Loyal! gotta love the no-brainer questions.