Beyonce Inspired New Year's Eve Makeup Look

By now you probably have your plans set for tonight and finally figured out what to wear, but the icing on the cake may yet to be planned out. If you're like me and tend to recreate the same makeup look over and over for nights out, why not leave 2013 with an unexpected twist? Beyonce is the queen of glam, so who better to look to for inspiration? Try recreating the look above by

How to highlight and contour your face (Tutorial)

http://youtu.be/iX2nD75rojY?a

Checkout the video above of me demonstrating how to highlight and contour then read my detailed instructions below!

Products Used:

-Maybelline fit me BB Cream in Dark
-Make up Forever Full Coverage
Concealer Shade 18
-Lisi powder blush in "Maldives"
-Sleek Contour kit in Dark
-Revlon Liquid Eyeliner
-Mac "Suspicion" eyeshadow (applied to crease only)
-Mac lipstick "RiRi Woo"

Directions:

Start off with a clean face, apply bb cream or foundation all over the face. I like to use a flat kabuki or dome shaped powder brush.

Next take a small amount of liquid concealer and apply under the eye and all over the eyelid with a fluffy tapered blending brush.

From here, apply the eyeliner of your choosing to the top and lower lashline.

Then get a powder brush and apply blush to the hollows of the cheek (feel free to make a fishy face if it helps).

Using a large fluffy face/powder blush to lightly apply your highlighter color directly above your blush. It's better to start off light and go back to add more if necessary. Once finished, take the excess left on the brush and highlight down the bridge of the nose, center of the forehead, and chin.

Next take your contour color and a tapered face brush or blush brush and lightly apply your contour directly under your blush, carefully following the hollow of your check bones. Once done with both sides, take the excess on the brush and carefully contour the sides of your nose starting from right below the eyebrow to the tip.

From here take an eyeshadow blending brush and apply the dark contour eyeshadow only to the crease of your eyelid. This helps to make the eyes appear larger in a natural and subtle way. Apply mascara to the top and lower lashline once done.

*For a more defined nose contour, take a small fluffy blending brush and apply your contour color to the sides of your nose. Follow up by applying your highlight color to the bridge of your nose again with another small tapered brush.

Apply the bold lipstick of your choosing to add some color (and sass) to the very subtle and natural looking overall face.

And there you have it, a natural looking contour perfect for everyday! Comment below and let me know if you contour certain areas of your face?

xoxo,

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What to Wear to Your Work's Office Holiday Party

 

 

Keep things festive yet classic at the annual office holiday party by wearing a work appropriate ensemble with fun and decorative details. In this look, the classic work shift dress gets a holiday update with the help of sequins sleeves. This look is perfect for the office since it can easily be toned down by pairing a blazer on top during the work day.

Having the annual holiday party at someone's house this year? Working at a startup with a super relaxed dress code? Keep things simple yet festive with this easy to put together outfit. Wear a leather skater skirt and pair it with a classic cable knit sweater and glitzy accessories to glam up the look.

 

Comment below and let us know if your office as an annual holiday party? Is it a more formal or casual affair?

xoxo,

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Pinterest Inspired DIY Holiday Gifts

As the saying goes, it's the thought that counts and while we are all for DIY gifts, it's great when you can give something that the person will actually use (extra points if it looks so professional you have to tell them it's homemade). After browsing through the inspiration holy grail Pinterest, we came up with two delectable crafts, that are easy to make and perfect for gift giving.

Lavender Fields Body Scrub

Lavender has been said to help with relaxation, so why not give the gift of stress reduction with this lovely DIY scrub. Sea salt scrubs are great for use as all over body scrubs, hand softeners, or spa pedicures.

Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup sea salt
- 1/4 Cup Jojoba oil or Olive oil
- 3 Drops of Lavender Essential Oil
- 1 Tbsp dried lavender buds

Directions:
- Add jojoba or olive oil to sea salt in a sealable jar.
- Mix in dried lavender buds until the mixture forms the desired texture.
- Add in lavender essential oil drops to create the perfect lavender scented scrub.

How to wear a leather skater skirt

This season leather is just as popular as it was last year, making it a great choice for holiday parties, nights out, or a casual weekend outfit. Leather is great because it is extremely versatile and can be dressed up or down. A few weeks ago we talked about styling a leather pencil skirt, so for this week we wanted to show how to dress up or down a leather skater skirt. We already showed how to wear a skater skirt and dress, but styling a leather skater skirt can be a bit tricky. Keep reading to see how to style a skater skirt during the day or night.

2014 Pantone Color of the Year: Radiant Orchid

Pantone, an X-Rite company and the global color authority, today announced PANTONE® 18-3224 Radiant Orchid, a captivating, magical, enigmatic purple, as the color of the year for 2014.

“While the 2013 color of the year, PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald, served as a symbol of growth, renewal and prosperity, Radiant Orchid reaches across the color wheel to intrigue the eye and spark the imagination,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “An invitation to innovation, Radiant Orchid encourages expanded creativity and originality, which is increasingly valued in today’s society.”

“An enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid inspires confidence and emanates great joy, love and health. It is a captivating purple, one that draws you in with its beguiling charm.”

What's Trending Now: Velvet Touch

 

Velvet is a trend I've been into for a couple of years now. For the past few winter seasons velvet has been making a comeback and this winter is no exception. This year in particular, velvet clothing and accessories can be found in all the top fast fashion stores such as Topshop and even more traditional stores like Ann Taylor.

Velvet is a great trend to try because mixing and matching textures is an easy way to make an outfit more interesting.

In addition, velvet is great for Fall and Winter because it is a warmer fabric that has a classic feel.

Below are a few of my favorite velvet pieces that can be incorporated into any outfit to add a touch of velvet!

 

1.Black tee /2.Blazer /3. Gray fitted top / 4. Silver skater dress /5. Flared Skater Skirt /6. Black cocktail dress / 7. Black mini skirt / 8.  Red strap dress

 

xoxo,

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*Images in this post are not property of Fancy Francy

How to Style a Leather Skirt

Probably my favourite way to wear my leather skirt, which is a lovely pencil skirt, sitting on my waist and then skimming over my hips to just above my knees, is to layer it up with textures. Here I’ve tucked in a blue fluffy jumper and pulled on my black fluffy cardigan for extra warmth and fluffiness. Paired with this lovely faux animal head warmer, I’m all set for winter!



If you’re looking for a more monochrome, rock chick look, then pair up your skirt with a leather jacket and a chunky necklace for good measure.  Either slip on some converse or chunky boots. These Topshop platform tie ups are perfect to add a bit of interest to the outfit and detract from all the leather.



Dressing up for the evening? The coloured strappy cami’s that are all over the place at the moment are perfect for tucking into a leather skirt for nights out. Choose a bright one to add a pop of colour like this blue one here. They add a feminine touch too which helps remove the stereotype of leather being boyish and for biker styles.

I’ve worn all of these outfits with thick black tights too for those chillier days when bare legs would get you more judging looks than you’d like. There are all different cuts of leather skirts available including the skater style, which is particularly flattering for pear of hourglass figures.

So have I convinced you to dive into the leather world? If so, shop a few of my favorite leather skirts below! Also, be sure to comment and let us know if you plan on trying this trend?!

 

xoxo,

Sophie

This article was written by Sophie of simplesophie.com. For more by Sophie be sure to check out her blog and follow her on twitter @simplesophie_ .

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Five Nail Colors for Fall

Nail color trends change with the seasons just as much as clothing does. This past summer we showed you five colors to flaunt your fingers in for summer and now we've picked out our favs for Fall. Keep reading to see our top picks for nails this Fall and tips on what to pair them with!

Cocotique Beauty Box Unboxing

Recently I did a review on my Cocotique beauty box after using the products for some time. This month I decided to do an initial unboxing on my YouTube channel to show my first impressions of the products before using them.

Check out the video above to see my thoughts on the latest Cocotique beauty box and leave any questions you have below! Interested in trying Cocotique out for yourself? Use this link to purchase a Cocotique subscription: http://www.cocotique.com/subscribe/the-box and use my code FANDF20  to get 20% off. Also, if you haven't already, be sure to check out my review of my previous Cocotique beauty box.

Have you tried or do you plan on trying this beauty box? What has your past experience with beauty boxes been like?

xoxo,

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Francy Answers: What to wear to a casino

Spending the night out on the town can be a lot of fun. However, for some women ensuring the night’s success starts with being selective about what she will wear. Certain activities or venues necessitate a certain manner of dress. Take playing roulette at a casino as an example. This is a particular place that requires a certain level of dress. If this fails to be achieved, it could result in being denied access to the casino. Also, overdressing can make one stick out like a sore thumb. Therefore, properly dressing for a casino night is incredibly important.

Fall Style Essentials

Fall is upon us, and for many (including myself) it's our favorite season for fashion. Each year the dip in temperature allows us to experiment with layers and stylish cold weather accessories. This season I found seven pieces that are essential for every woman's wardrobe.

How to wear red lipstick

Fall is here and amongst the sultry lip colors that are in style for the season, red lips are definitely the most iconic. A bold red lip is a classic fashion statement, which effortlessly dresses up any look. I myself have recently fallen in love with red lips and consider it to be my signature look. With that being said, I haven't always been a fan of red lips. I like many other women, struggled with "pulling off the look" for years. It wasn't until I did some research (not to mention LOTS of trail and error) that I finally got the hang of the look. Ready to take the plunge?? Here are three tips to help you get it right!

How to get moisturized skin year-long

Now that the weather is starting to get chilly many people may feel the affects of the change in weather on their skin. Here are three tips from the pros on how to keep your skin moisturized year around.

1. Use a different moisturizer for colder seasons.
As the weather turns cooler, swap a daily lotion for a rich cream or ointment, as recommended by makeup artist Carmindy, from TV’s What Not to Wear. Carmindy also recommends switching from powder foundation to cream formulas, which are less likely to dry the skin. She also advises using a moisturizing foundation if you are still feeling the drought.

2. Know what’s in your moisturizer.
A good moisturizer shouldn’t be judged by its price tag. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends looking for ingredients such as lactic acid or urea, which help alleviate dryness. Hyaluronic acid, dimethicone, glycerin, lanolin, mineral oil, and petroleum have all been recommended to help hold water to the skin (i.e. trap moisture). Also wear sunscreen everyday, even when not in the sun. The AAD reminds us that even in the winter, exposure to the sun’s rays speeds up the aging process of the skin, increasing the risk of dryness, wrinkles, and age spots. Use at least SPF 15 and be sure it’s broad spectrum, which protects from both UVA and UVB rays.

Francy Answers: How to Make your Perfume Scent Last longer

The only thing harder than finding the perfect scent, is making it stick! We all want to smell like our favorite fragrance throughout the day (without the aroma being overwhelming though please). Below are our favorite tips on how to keep your perfume scent lasting all day (and even night).

Francy Answers: How to transition your dresses into Fall/Autumn

Dear Francy,
I'm more of a dress and skirt kind of girl and now that the weather is getting colder, I was wondering if you have any tips for how to wear dresses in the Fall. This is my first Fall up north and I'm nervous about the transition. Thanks so much!

1. Tights are your best friend. Don't even attempt to wear a dress without tights (or a similar contraption for those into retro guarders and things) once the weather starts to get chilly. For some ladies the thought of wearing tights and stockings may cause them to conjure up images of their mother (or even grand mother) but these accessories are definitely not a thing of the past. These days tights come in thousands of styles, looks, and forms: all perfect for younger (and older) generations alike.

Makeup Monday: Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick

I recently fell in love with Stila's Stay all day liquid lipstick after I was introduced to it at Birchbox Local during this past NYFW. Unlike traditional lipsticks or lipgloss, this baby goes on like a lipgloss but drys like a matte lipstick, making it up there with sliced bread and cronuts. Stila's "Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick" is a godsend for woman with fuller lips such as myself, who struggle with getting lipstick to adhere to the inner portion of our pouts. Because it starts off as a gloss like consistency, it's easy to get a nice, even, full application over the entire lips.



Currently I've been rocking the shade Fiery, a beautiful red with a blue base and can't get enough! This is definitely one of my favorite shades and a must have for everyone's collection.

Comment below and let me know if you've tried Stila before or plan to?!

 

xoxo,

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How to Use OCC Lip Tars

I'll be honest, when I first came across Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) lip tars, I was excited!...but confused. I was familiar with them from hearing numerous beauty bloggers and YouTube gurus gush and rave over them but few had ever mentioned how they use them. I (like I would imagine most people would) assumed they were simply used like lipgloss and generously slathered on lips unbridled (yes, it's possible to use them that way but remember a little goes a long way). So imagine my surprise the first time I used a tube and ended up with globs of brightly colored high pigment lip product all over the general area of my mouth. Determined to not give up until I found the land of "milk and lip tar" every other beauty addict seemed to have found, I did some research as well as trial and error until I finally found three amazing uses for these products (and right in time for the launch of their newest Fall collection).

Francy Answers: How to Transition Your Wardrobe for Fall

Fall has finally, finally arrived, and I for one couldn't be happier. Some time back in July I started daydreaming about the days when I would once again be able to venture out of the house without my face instantly turning into a sweaty mess and the subways feeling like Dante's Inferno.

Now that those gruesomely hot days have past, our closets needs a little time and TLC to get it in gear for the Fall days ahead. Below are a few tips on how to get your wardrobe transitioned into Fall.

Werk it Wednesdays: How to wear overalls

A few weeks back we mentioned that overalls are once again back in style. If you didn't get a chance to try out the shorts variety this summer, now is the perfect time to get a jump start on this trend for Fall. Below are a few tips and tricks on how to style denim overalls.