OOTD: Under My Umbrella

As a born-and-raised Pacific Northwestern-er, I've always firmly taken a stance against umbrellas. They take up too much space and a hooded waterproof jacket does the job just as well. I completely changed my tune when I saw this umbrella, though. I love the bright pop of pink and the fact that it's clear: it's super unique. I haven't had to use it in a while, but it started raining for the first time in weeks the day I took these pictures. I took that as a cue to bring out the umbrella and go for a walk.

DIY Review: Succulent Cork Planters

I love succulents. They are so cute and easy to take care of. Unfortunately, I've killed a couple of them on accident. So, I was on the lookout for an easier way to plant and have succulents in my place. This cork planter DIY from Upcycle That seemed like the perfect solution. So, I had a couple friends over to put this tutorial to the test.

Materials:

• Wine, prosecco, or champagne corks (as many as you want!)
• A screwdriver, small knife, or Swiss Army knife
• Soil
• Succulent clippings (one or two per cork): we cut ours from succulents growing around the neighborhood, so don't feel the need to go out and buy an entire plant to use for this project.

Step 1:

Carve a small hole in the top of the cork. It needs to go about halfway down so you have enough room for soil and a succulent clipping. The original tutorial has more details about how to make this hole; we kind of just freehanded it.

Step 2:

Fill the hole with soil. 

Step 3:

Plant your succulent! Make sure to pack down the soil around the succulent so it doesn't fall out and is able to grow roots.

Voila! The tutorial includes attaching magnets to the corks, but we didn't want to do that. Instead, we left some of them to stand on the windowsill, and wrapped wire around others to make little hangers that can hang from the wall or the ceiling.

This was by far one of the easiest and most rewarding DIYs I've ever done. I strongly recommend it to anyone looking for a craft to do or an easy DIY gift.

OOTD: I Scream for Ice Cream

It's ice cream season again! To be fair, I've been eating ice cream all winter, but now it's seasonally appropriate to indulge in something cold. This shirt and skirt are both items that I've purchased in the last couple weeks, but I had to wait until the weather cleared up to finally wear them. I feel so chic wearing dark colors with blue hair, but it's not exactly super practical in Seattle in the summer.

9 Essential Makeup Products

1. e.l.f. Brightening Eye Liner in "coffee": At only a dollar apiece, this is the perfect everyday eyeliner. I wear it under almost every makeup look. It looks great smudged or applied in a clean line, and lasts forever!
2. e.l.f. Eyebrow Kit in "medium": Another inexpensive product that I completely rely on. It comes in three colors (unfortunately, blond and red are not among them) and is super easy to use. I've only gone through two in the last three years even though I use it every day!
3. Benefit Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain: I've been using this since I was 11 years old and I snuck into my mom's makeup drawer to see what all the fuss was about. It's the perfect red lip tint and even comes with a matching lip balm that makes the color last all day. A little bottle goes a long way because it's so pigmented!
4. Benefit High Beam Complexion Enhancer: I use this on my cheekbones as highlighter. Again, a little bit goes a long way, and a little more creates the perfect translucent sheen. 
5. New York Color City Proof 24 Hr Eye Shadow in Brooklyn Mocha: I've written about this product in the past, and I've only fallen more in love with it. I use it on my eyes almost every day and on my cheeks to better define my cheekbones.
6. New York Color City Proof 24 Hr Eye Shadow in Murray Hill Champagne: This product is $2-$4, so getting more than one was a no brainer. I use this lighter color in the inner corner of my eyes to make my eyes look bigger.
7. Maybelline Eye Studio Master Precise Eyeliner in Black: I spent a lot of years using a thicker liquid eyeliner pen, so I was surprised when I loved this thin one so much. It's super easy to use and stays on really well.
8. Benefit Roller Lash Mascara: I've spent a long time trying to find the perfect mascara. This is my favorite so far! Even though it's a little spendy, it's totally worth it. It stays on all day and comes off easily with makeup remover, and is lightweight enough that it makes a very noticeable difference but doesn't clump or smear. Plus, the wand curls your lashes as you apply, eliminating the need for an eyelash curler.
9. NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in literally any color available: I own this product in six different colors and I use all of them regularly. It's so soft and goes on so easily, but you don't even feel it once it's been applied. Some colors require reapplication throughout the day, but it's a lot longer lasting than most lipsticks I've worn.

Background photo by Ian Oliver Walsh

OOTD: Goddess Dress

When I bought this dress, Emily deemed it the "Goddess Dress." As much as I love it, it's gotten a little small, so I'm selling it right now on Poshmark. I especially feel like a goddess in this dress with my hair color, so I decided to play it up with a dark lip and this low-drop choker necklace.

Tutorial-Free Contour Video

You heard it here first, folks: Broke & Fabulous is now making videos! My first video features my roommate and good friend, Carolyn, who graciously let me try to contour her face despite never having tried contouring or having seen a tutorial before. Watch the video below and let me know what videos I should make next!

Header photo via Wendy Nguyen.