A Notably Notable Christmas!

Hello,

It's me.

WOW. Where has the time gone? When did we all get so busy? 

It is not a Thursday, but I just watched Zoella's "A Very YouTube Christmas" tag, and I thought it would be fun to answer the questions as if we were having a NotablyNotable Christmas Party!

Here's the video for anyone interested:

Questions -

Who would bring the best dessert?
Monica! She's the Pinterest Queen <3

Who would carve the turkey? 
I'm going to go with Jayme, lol. Would we have turkey, though? Probably not.

Who would take the best photos?
Brian, hands down. Have you seen http://instagram.com/unicornhairflips ? Oh look, a shameless plug.

Who would look the most glam?
Our own little Beauty Guru, Sharmaine.

Who would have the tackiest Christmas jumper?
People would get on my case if I didn't say myself for this one.

Who would make the worst Christmas jokes?
I think I'm the winner for this one as well. Worst jokes in general.

Who would fall asleep first?
No contest. It would be Jayme.

Who would be the last one dancing?
Sharmaine. She's the youths.

Who would bring the worst gift?
I would bring the worst gift on purpose.

Who would be in charge of Christmas music?
I'm going to delegate this task to Monica. She picks all the jams.

Who would be in charge of Christmas dinner?
If it wasn't me initially, it would probably end up being me. 

Who would make the best snowman?
It doesn't snow here, but I'll give it to the boys.

Who would win at all the games?
Not Jayme! lol. I don't want to jinx it, but I have a history of winning party games.

Who is most likely to knock over the Christmas tree?
Sharmaine, if she's had one too many drinks lol

Who would be the best Santa impersonator?
I want to say me just because I think I am the one with a Santa jumper, but it would have to be one of the guys. 

We promise to be up and running again in 2016! I hope you enjoyed this quick, cheeky little post. We hope you have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year! 

Look out for a Motivational Monday post on January 4, 2016 :)

Trendy Tuesday || Sharmaine's Guide To Back To School Fashion

So if you're anything like me, you take your outfit for the first day of school seriously. "I have no clothes," you say. That is a lie. You have plenty of pieces you could put together to create something fabulous. These are my suggestions for how to shop for back to school and outfit ideas for the first day!

SHOPPING SUGGESTIONS

• Go into it with an idea of what you want to buy. This is a no brainer, people are aware of their style and people like what they like. If you have a dress code, just follow it. Once you get into college or out of high school, dress codes are no longer a thing. Just be patient, we've all had to go through our dress code days.
• I would suggest sticking to simple pieces because that is more my personal style, but I also think simple pieces can be styled in so many different ways and accented with different accessories, etc. You could create a bunch of different outfits with the same black shirt! This isn't to say you shouldn't add trendy pieces into your back to school wardrobe. I encourage being you and being different! It's just nice to fall back on simple pieces to create multiple outfits.
• Get a couple pairs of new shoes. Treat yoself! Honestly, shoes complete a look. Get a new cute pair of boots for fall, or those cute sneakers you've been seeing all over Tumblr. If you're anything like me, shoes are an addiction, so you already know you'll be completing this step anyways.
• Be bold, but don't forget to set a budget and limit yourself. You'll be okay without those $80 jeans unless you absolutely need a new pair of jeans. Go to Value Village or Goodwill and be thrifty! You can find the best pieces for your wardrobe at thrift stores. It will be different and one of a kind and it's always fun to go thrifting if you have the patience for it.
• If your parents are the ones who will be spending money on you for back to school shopping, don't forget to thank them, okay? They work hard for their money, to put a roof over your head and make sure you're fed, happy and healthy. This is an extra step they're taking to make sure you're taken care of and to remind you that you're loved. Do what you can in return for the sacrifices they make for you on the daily.

OUTFIT IDEAS

• So, I'm in college. There is no dress code and you can get away wearing whatever you want. But since I'm so simple, the perfect outfit for me would be a nice pair of jeans, a cute flowy top and flats, or some sort of variation of this. Modest is hottest in my opinion! Add a statement or long chained necklace to jazz it up, or a different pair of shoes and you'll have my perfect back to school outfit!
• If it's a little chillier outside, I love wearing a pair of riding boots and then revolving an outfit around them. A pair of jeans, maybe some knee high socks or leg warmers peeking out at the top, a sweater and a trench coat or a rain jacket. You'll look very put together in this outfit, I promise!
• And for those days where it's warm outside, which it never is here in Washington, I would fancy the combination of a dress and a pair of booties. I've been into the paisley prints and the long sleeve dresses with the dainty stitching lately, so I would gravitate towards something of the sort. Throw on your favorite pair of booties for an instant boost, tying the entire outfit together. I would also put on a cardigan or a leather jacket just in case!

So there you have it! My suggestions and outfit ideas for back to school. Now I know everyone is different and I'm not saying you have to follow anything I've said. I just wanted to put my ideas out there to help anyone who needs some inspiration! 

With school coming back around, I hope you all have an amazing school year! Join clubs, meet new people, stay on top of your schoolwork and study hard! In the end all of your hard work will pay off. 

Cheers to a new school year!

Trendy Tuesday || Get Ready With Me - One Direction Concert! (And a cheeky little Summer Lookbook)

HI GUYS! I'm so sorry for missing last week, but I'm here today to make it up to you! The reason why I missed last week is because I was in Seattle for the One Direction concert at CenturyLink Field! Tuesday was a crazy day for me, as I was out and about and at a hotel with not the best wifi... Excuses aside, I wanted this post to be about how I got ready for the concert, so let's get started!

MAKEUP

Primer: Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer 

• For events like these, we want our makeup to stay on our face all day long. Also, I'm pretty sure this is my new holy grail primer - I've fallen in love with it.

Base: BareMinerals Complexion Rescue - Spice

• This tinted moisturizer is perfect for color correcting and it's not as heavy as foundation! I used my beauty blender for application.

Concealer: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer - Ginger

• I applied this generously using my beauty blender underneath my eyes, the center of my forehead, the bridge of my nose and my cupid's bow for a brightening effect. I went back in with a concealer brush afterwards to get anything my beauty blender didn't.

Powder: MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation - C5

• To make sure my concealer stays in place, I set with this powder using a Real Techniques powder brush. This powder is a winner in my book because it locks my makeup in place while adding more coverage.

At this point I sprayed Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray to ensure my base wouldn't budge throughout the day.

Bronzer: Too Faced Dark Chocolate Soleil Bronzer

• My favorite! Using a Real Techniques blush brush, I applied this all over my face to warm my skin because bronze goddess = goals. Ya feel me?

Contour: Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit - Medium/Tan

• Using the Real Techniques Bold Metals Flat Contour Brush I mixed Macchiato and Nutmeg and placed the product in the hollows of my cheeks to give the illusion of a slimmer face.

Highlight: BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfecter - Opal

• My other favorite! Using a Sonia Kashuk fan brush, I applied product to the tops of my cheekbones, the center of my forehead, the bridge of my nose, my cupid's bow and my chin to give my skin that sun-kissed, dewy look.

Eyebrows: Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade - Medium Brown

• You know the drill with eyebrows. Using the spooly/angled brush made specifically for Dip Brow, I filled in the brows and set them in place using Elf clear eyebrow gel.

Eyeshadow: Lorac Pro Palette

• Literally the easiest eyeshadow look ever and I was so happy with the end result! Taking "Cream" on a fluffy brush I placed it all over my eyelid and then using a crease brush I put "Mauve" in my crease, adding more product to the crease until I was satisfied with the depth of the color, and that's it!

Lashes: Maybelline Lash Sensational & Ardell Lashes - Demi Whispies

• Since I'm fancy like that, I decided to put on fake lashes and after I applied them I added mascara to blend the two together.

Eyeliner: L'oreal The Super Slim Infallible Liquid Eyerliner

• I applied this over the lash band to hide any eyelash glue that didn't dry clear.

Lips: MAC Lip Liner - Spice & L'oreal Collection Exclusive 610 - Eva's Nude

• Seriously the BEST lip combo ever. Lined and filled my lips with Spice and put Eva's nude on top and honestly I've found my new favorite nude lip combo. And it lasted all day long!

Add a few more sprays of the setting spray and that's the makeup done!

HAIR

Suuuper easy, I just massaged Not Your Mother's Dry Shampoo & Lush No Drought Dry Shampoo into my roots and straightened my hair using a Chi Flat Iron. In the end I chucked on a hat from Urban Outfitters to add more to my look.

OUTFIT

Top & Skirt: Topshop

Boots: H&M

Hat: Urban Outfitters

My outfit!

 Makeup!

 Rhonda & I being silly before the show!

The completed look featuring my posters :)

Thank you guys for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed this blog post! I'll see you guys next week!

XO

PS - I recently uploaded a summer lookbook on my YouTube and it would be amazing if you went on over and checked it out :) (youtube.com/sharmainemiranda)

Trendy Tuesday || En route to San Diego!

I'm sitting at my gate waiting to board my plane at 3:35, which means this is going to look a little bland for awhile.  I'm sure you know what traveling is like and I'm feeling the stress and anxiety of it, which isn't much of a surprise to me. I will be updating this later tonight when I'm relaxed and at ease. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but don't worry, I will be posting today :)

See you in a few hours, San Diego! I cannot wait to be on holibobs, as Zoella likes to call it.

--

Fail on my part for not updating yesterday... Let's just say 20 minutes into my trip we were stopped on the side of the road searching up phone numbers to various tow truck companies.

Don't worry, all is well and I am now resting comfortably in Roxanne's San Diegan abode. As I was brainstorming ideas for what I wanted to blog about this week, it hit me that I would be traveling and I always love watching YouTube videos or reading blog posts about what others pack in their makeup bag when traveling.

So that is what I will be doing, because I'm sure you're all curious to know... What I have in my travel makeup bag and how I go about choosing what products to bring and how I stow them in my makeup bag.

Also, keep your eyes peeled for a more-detailed What's In My Travel Makeup Bag video on my YouTube channel in the near future ;)

When sitting down and beginning to rummage through all of my makeup, I found it easiest to pack things in the order of how I do my makeup on an everyday basis. So I got my hands on a few Ziploc baggies and went to town.

*Each category was placed in a Ziploc bag*
1. The Base - Since I haven't ventured into the world of foundation yet, I chose to bring my favorite primer, BB cream, concealer and powder. I have normal-to-dry skin, so I only use powder wherever I use concealer.
2. Cheeks & Contour - Bronzer is my life and easily my favorite part of doing my makeup, so you already know I packed some. Then I packed an everyday, natural looking blush.
3. Eyes & Brows - This means all four tubes of mascara since I couldn't decide on one... My favorite eyebrow pencil/gel, eyelash curler, tweezers.
4. Lips - Rose salve is a must. And staying true to my nature, several types of pinky-nude lipsticks/glosses I thought I would get a use out of.
5. Brushes - Probably the most problematic for me, since I wanted to bring every brush I own. I narrowed it down to my beauty blender, powder brush, blush brush, contour brush, concealer brush, eyebrow spooly... You know, the essentials.

Once I had everything in their appropriate Ziploc bags, I tucked them away into my trusty makeup bag and threw it into my suitcase!

It's as easy as that :)

Make sure to stop by my YouTube channel (youtube.com/sharmainemiranda) if you're interested in seeing the products I've brought with me on holiday!

Thank you for being you and I'll talk to you soon!

Sharmaine

Trendy Tuesday || My latest obsession...

Okay, so we all have that one staple that wins our heart time and time again. So much that whenever we're out shopping we say "I don't need another one of these," but we end up buying it anyways. Some of us may regret it afterwards, but if you're anything like me, you laugh because you know you didn't need it, but you're totally happy and stoked to add to your collection.

And if you disagree with my last statement, you're lying to yourself and lying isn't good.

Personally, I believe in doing things that make you happy and treating yourself. This is totally a dangerous combination - but we only have one life, so why not make the most of it? Now this isn't to say I'm a material girl who cares solely about all things materialistic, but when your passion is for fashion, beauty and the latest trends, materialistic ideas and views is just what ends up happening.

Now I know you want me to cut to the chase because all of this build-up is driving you nuts, so I'll tell you: I'm obsessed with sunglasses.

I seriously can't get enough. They're the perfect outfit completer. I keep telling myself I don't need another pair because honestly, I don't. My collection is rather large, I can't fit another pair into my desk drawer because if I tried, it wouldn't shut. When you're in college and live in a different city than your family and a different room than the one you grew up in, you don't have much space to scatter your belongings, so my sunnies call my desk drawer "home."

I justify in my head that I need different styles to go with different outfits. Don't worry, I'm not the type to purchase lavish sunglasses because I don't have that type of money to blow. Shout out to the parents for the Ray-Ban's this past Christmas, they're everything.

If you're ballin' on a budget, my favorite places to find super cute, affordable, quality sunnies are Urban Outfitters and Forever 21, if you have the patience to look through everything...

Here's my advice to you: when you're trying to find the perfect pair of sunglasses, don't forget a few tips and tricks to make sure what you're trying on is the one.

1. Put them on and see how they look and sit on your face. This is crucial because you'll immediately know if it's a hit or miss.
2. Make sure they don't cover your brows completely. That's not cute. You want to make sure your brows are visible, especially the arches! You don't want to lose what's framing your face.
3. Turn to the side. ALWAYS turn to the side. Both sides is even better! If you like the way the frames look from the side, they're a winner. People are always going to be at your sides, so this is what their impression of you and your sunnies will be.
4. Last but not least, the smile test. If your sunnies are hitting your cheeks when you smile, they might not be a match. Some people hate when their sunglasses touch their cheeks when they smile, I personally don't mind it. It's all about how comfortable you are about the size of the frames. I gravitate towards the bigger framed sunnies because I think they suit my face shape better. If the sunglasses don't ride up too high when you smile, they're meant for you.

If you are successful in all of these, take your sunnies to the cashier and buy them right away. I promise you won't regret it.

And we must not forget, everyone is different and has their own style. Instead of bashing on each other for our choices in eyewear, let's appreciate each other for being bold and choosing something out of the ordinary. Fashion is spontaneous - it's always changing and it's fascinating. That's why I love it so much.

So there it is. Now you have what it takes to find your perfect pair of sunglasses.

As for me, I'm in my last two weeks of school! Finals are next week and by next Thursday I'll be done with my second year of university! And did I mention in exactly two weeks from today I'll be paying my team a visit in sunny San Diego? I couldn't be more excited for this trip.

IN N OUT. Need I say more?

But since I'll be in San Diego, where it's sunny and hot, I'll probably be bringing my entire collection...

I hope I've made hunting for sunnies a little less stressful and a little more exciting! I'm literally this close to buying a pair of ShayxQuay sunnies, and I'm trying to tell myself no... But like I said, it's always good to treat yourself ;)

I hope my wallet doesn't hate me forever these next few weeks...

Sharmaine

Trendy Tuesday || Billboard Music Awards

Where our favorite celebrities gather to celebrate music, something we all share a love for.

Where Niall gives a thank you speech only for Liam to chime in at the end and give credit to their brother, Zayn. So presh, I actually died.

Now, while the whole idea of the award show is to pay tribute to artists and their music, we all know the kinds of lengths attendees went to to choose the "perfect outfit" for the Billboard Music Awards.

So let's talk fashion.

Honestly, I was really into the simplicity some people chose to sport on the red carpet. For example, Meghan Trainor. Her Badgley Mischka emerald green sequined dress had me so pleased, I couldn't get enough. When her performance with John Legend came around, she added a black top over her dress, giving the illusion that she was sporting a cropped sweater with a beautiful emerald green sequined skirt.

Then we have Jennifer Lopez, who I honestly don't think will ever age the rest of her life. She looked gorgeous, no surprise there. I love how she rocked a Charbel Zoe dress with mesh right in the good-good area, I know you know what I mean, and she STILL made it look classy and elegant. You go J-Lo.

Now the fashion police inside me wants to come out to play. Hailee Steinfeld, star of Pitch Perfect 2. Great girl, I was pleased with her performance in the movie. So pleased, I saw it twice. While her voice is very pretty and nice to listen to, I was a little disappointed in her outfit. Wearing a Givenchy dress, you would think it would be amazing and I think it could have been amazing if she ditched the black crew socks, the belt and chose a different hairstyle. Weird neckline too. Still love you, girl.

Sooo, I gotta get to class now. But I look forward to discussing more fashion with you lovelies soon!

Sharmaine

Trendy Tuesday Introduction

First of all, I would like to say hello and thank you for checking out Notably Notable! It means a lot to the team for you to be hanging out on the blog!

I think it's probably a good idea to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about who I am since you will be spending part of your Tuesday with me! I'm Sharmaine, it is very nice to meet you :) I live in Washington State, the beautiful Pacific Northwest to be exact. I'm 20 years old and wrapping up my second year of university. With that being said, I'm a Communication Studies major/Journalism - Public Relations minor and I plan to be an event coordinator someday.

In my spare time you can find me lost in the world of fashion and beauty, two of my passions in life. It is true to my nature to keep up with the latest trends, test the boundaries of my own fashion choices and as any fashion blogger would describe themselves, a total shopaholic. Don't worry, I know what you might be thinking, but I (most of the time) know when to put my foot down. You gotta do what you gotta do to have a good wardrobe, am I right?

And this is what Trendy Tuesdays will be all about! I'll tell you about all the things I'm loving, what I'm not loving, what I think is "in" and what needs to be thrown into the fashion trash forever!

As a normal human being, I will be the first to say that I'm not perfect. There will be times where I'll be swimming in homework, or late nights studying for exams or crying over them, whichever comes first to be completely honest, but I'm confident that this will be my outlet from all the stress of life, and I can't wait to talk about fashion and makeup AND One Direction with you ;)

Again, thank you for taking the time to check us out! Enjoy your week and I'll see you next Tuesday!

Sharmaine

It's Finally Happening!

Welcome to Notably Notable!

First, we would like to thank you for somehow stumbling upon our little area of the internet. Feel free to explore and possibly stick around :)

We are a group of five friends who love a lot of different things. We don’t want to get into too much detail; you’ll get the chance to hear from everyone this week (although the tags might give you guys a few hints--told you we're all over the place). Just know that we’re here to share our passions with you, and we hope you enjoy!

We are also aware there’s a Twitter handle and Instagram username that already exists for NotablyNotable. Unfortunately, we did not know about it / failed to check if this name already existed. We only researched if the domain was available. 

Just to clear the air, we are not affiliated with the aforementioned social media outlets. Each author has their own individual social media outlets that they will share if they wish :) 

Monica will kick off Introductory Week, so swing on by tomorrow for Motivational Monday!

Thanks again <3

The Notably Notable Team

Monica, Sharmaine, Jayme, Rox, and Fury