BESTOPE & e.l.f.: Inexpensive Brushes Review

If you've been searching for good quality, inexpensive brushes, then you've more than likely stumbled across the brilliance that is BESTOPE. If not, then you're about to be let in on one of beauty's biggest secrets. BESTOPE brushes are a line of brushes sold exclusively through Amazon (trust me, I've looked for other vendors and all I could find is Amazon, not to say that you won't find someone else selling the brushes that they received on eBay). These brushes have often been referred to as Sigma dupes, and while I- not having a wealth of experience/knowledge with Sigma brushes- cannot exactly backup that comparison, I can say that these brushes definitely give you a bang for your buck. Surprisingly, the most popular set from BESTOPE is the 8 piece brush set; however, after some digging, I found that they also carry a 10 piece set that is identical to the iconic 8 piece one. Naturally, I opted for the 10 piece, because not only was I offered more brushes- they were also $3 cheaper than the 8 piece! Now, prices may vary with these brushes depending on when you buy them- the brushes went up $1 from when I bought them a few weeks ago- but they won't break the bank and the quality is durable and pretty impeccable for the price. The only downside would be that there is a faint chemical/paint smell when you receive these brushes- something many have complained of. I immediately remedied this by deep cleaning the brushes. As well, one or two may have a hair or two out of place. Light and gentle trimming and resolve this as well. Again, for less than $10, having to somewhat trim a single hair on a brush and wash the before use is really no trouble at all.

In the 10 Piece Set, the brushes you receive are:

• 1 Round Blending Face Brush (Large)
• 1 Angled Blending Face Brush (large)
• 1 Flat Blending Face Brush (Large)
• 1 Tapered Contouring Face Brush (Large)
• 1 Angled Contouring Face Brush (Large)
• 1 (Small) Tapered Contouring Face Brush
• 1 (Small) Flat Blending Face Brush
• 1 (Small) Round Blending Face Brush
• 1 (Small) Angled Contouring Face Brush
• 1 (Small) Angled Blending Face Brush

Now, e.l.f. brushes are far more known, as they are drugstore and beauty staples for many. They offer a variety of brushes and makeup, and were in fact the very first brushes I ever purchased when I first started wearing makeup. Personally, I love e.l.f. brushes. Yes, some are better than others, but the overall quality is pretty great. Again, another bang for your buck. This time around, I ordered from their original line, while my originally purchased brushes hailed from their studio line. I must say; however, that I am particularly impressed with the quality of these brushes- especially the blending brush. The fact that these brushes were $1 each which came to a whopping total of $3 and no shipping fees, let's just say I was in makeup heaven when they arrived.

If you're on the market for some new brushes, or perhaps your first set of brushes, definitely go for these. I think a good collection of BESTOPE & e.l.f. brushes can really help you to get a good kit started either for yourself or your business if you're starting off small and need to make more money so you can splurge on more expensive items. I've gotten to create looks I only dreamt of since purchasing these brushes and I feel so much more confident in my makeup collection as a whole. An added bonus? They are absolutely gorgeous and will look great sitting with your other makeup.

Smudge Brush, Eyeliner Brush, Blending Brush

*Another bonus of e.l.f.? They're online support is amazing. They get back to you with shipping issues in a flash & are incredibly helpful.

Smudge Brush

Blending Brush

Eyeliner Brush

 I may not be a makeup artist, but I know good brushes when I see them. Definitely head on over to Amazon & e.l.f.'s websites and check these out! You won't regret it.

-xoxo Jae

Tall, Dark, and Mysterious: Black Soap

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well."

- Psalm 139:14

You may have heard about it, but perhaps you never truly took the time to look into and discover exactly what the mystery of the black soap is. It is certainly tall in the sense that it is perhaps the biggest/largest bar of soap that I have ever seen and is honestly too large to close into my soap case. Dark? Well, that's just a given. It is called "black soap,"' after all. The soap was, indeed, a mystery to me as first; however, with the help of my beautiful aunt that introduced me to this soap and a little research of my own, I have debunked some of the mystery of this soap and what makes it so amazing.

 Now, the brand of black soap that I use is called Dudu-Osun from Tropical Naturals. The box explains that the soap is made with pure, natural ingredients and on the back, it lists just what those ingredients are. Something to note is that there are various brands of Black Soap, and all of them are made with something a little different.

 Now, we before we enter into the ingredients of the soap, let us first kook at the rich history of it:
Black Soap comes from Africa, it is an African made and created all-natural product that has been used for centuries in various African cultures. It's skin care benefits were immediately recognized, as it not only combats the usual things that soap is used for: dirt and order, but it also softens and soothes the skin and combats anything from discoloration, rashes, and psoriasis. (Personally, I have myself witnessed the amazing work that it does in evening out my skin tone.) As well, it's properties work to control oil levels on the skin which in turn prevent breakouts and other issues related to both oily and dry skin.

Personally, since using the soap, I cannot say that I have not experienced any break out at all, but I can say that my breakouts don't last as long as they used to- especially when my lovely Aunt Flow comes to town. As well, the amount of blackheads that i once had on my face has decreased significantly. It is important to notice that everybody is different in their chemistry. What one person may need, another may not. Personally, I need to add a bit more of an exfoliant and an extra amount of moisture to get the full effects of my new facial regimen. However, I can personally attest to how amazing and beneficial this soap has been to me. It genuinely feels as though my face is glowing nowadays. Even on days when I have barely gotten any sleep, I wake up with a glowing and lively face that only comes even more to life after my morning pampering session.

                                    And now, the ingredients:

*A quick note about Dudu-Osun: It is made with NO artificial colors,
preservatives, and is biodegradable.

• Pure Honey
• Shea Butter
• Osun (camwood)
• Palmkernel Oil
• Cocoa Pod Ash
• Palm Bunch Ash
• Aloe Vera
• Lime Juice
• Water & Fragrance

If you're on the hunt for a new facial regimen, do yourself a favor and check out Black Soap, Find out if it's right for you!

Further helpful links:
http://multiculturalbeauty.about.com/od/Global/fl/African-Black-Soap.htm
http://duduosum.com/order/shop/dudu-osun-black-soap/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVBo-UGb3KM

Balloon Festival 2015

"Whatever you do in this life, it is not legendary unless your friends are there to see it."

- Barney Stinson, How I Met Your Mother

(c) JaeBella

About two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the 2nd largest Hot Air Balloon release in the United States with two of my amazing friends. It was completely last minute, decided upon a mere few days prior, and it was extremely hot- something we did not quite prepare for. However, it was amazing and easily one of the best memories of summer for me. I had these moments when we were all just driving along or listening to music, or simply watching the balloons in which I just truly appreciated how much I love my life and the people in it. I don't quite know what brought about this sentiment, but it has truly stayed with me. In all of life's ventures, I've always been extremely blessed- even when things seemed to be at their absolute worst, something always catapulted things to their absolute best. 

My mother said something to me the other day, "Find something to laugh about. In all things, even when they seem really hard, just find the funny in it. Laughter makes everything better." I truly believe that and I know that I laughed and laughed and laughed during this little adventure. I hope that all of you have a similar happy memory tucked away in your back pocket so that you can go to your happy place and those moments of laughter when things get hard. 

xo,

Jae

P.S. I wanted to share some photos from the Balloon Festival. Check them out below!

(c) JaeBella

(c) JaeBella

(c) JaeBella

(c) JaeBella

(c) JaeBella

(c) JaeBella

(c) JaeBella

(c) JaeBella

                    

(c) JaeBella

Coming Back to YouTube

Hello lovely friends,
I'm sure that it has been quite obvious that I have been extremely absent from my YouTube life as of late. Outside of occasionally updating my blog here and there, I honestly have not been very active. I realized recently two things:

1) That I miss doing YouTube. I make the videos because I love them, I love filming and editing them. I love the community of YouTubers, and I just enjoy the confidence and growth that one gains from putting oneself out there and finding their "thing."

2) That I needed to take a break from YouTube. My biggest issue when I first began my channel was that I really had no idea who I was. I was learning, as I still am, but I was so far from where I am now. Not only in skill, but in emotion. I needed the time to adjust to my new life, city, and school. I had to figure out just who I was and where I was in the world. And now, as I've crossed many thresholds on my journey, I feel quite ready to come back out and share my story with the world.

I guess this post was just my chance to address all of those out there that support me and follow me, and to allow them to know that I'm back. I took a soul-searching and warranted break. However, I've returned and I am more excited and prepared than ever. I can't wait to see what the rest of this summer brings!

-Jae

Whatever Will Be, Will Be

“In both life and theatre, always remember that whatever is meant for you won’t pass you by. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen.”

                I received this piece of advice recently from a friend after a particularly hard week. I received some disappointing news about a show that I was in, and it somehow brought me to fears about my future and down a path that I truly did not need to be on. However, with the help of some excellent friends, a lot of faith, and just overall positivity, I came to discover that things were not nearly as bad as I’d once believed. The particular words quoted above have stuck with me throughout these past few days, and have brought me to a new place on my journey of self-awareness/ self-love.

                So, in the spirit of staying positive, I have created a list of 10 lessons that I have learned on this journey, 10 little lessons that I believe are beneficial to just about anyone and everyone:

1. Life is short and unpredictable, don’t let it pass you by. Live it to the fullest and longest.

2. Sometimes, it’s okay to just stop and breathe it all in. I like to remind myself to “breathe it all in, love it all out.”

3. There’s nothing quite like a good playlist to set a better mood after a particularly sucky day. Music, tea, and a good book or play- ah, these are just beautiful.

4. Treat yourself, even if it means sitting in your room and watching the goofy show for 20 minutes. Take the time to show yourself some love. Don’t just get caught up in taking care of everyone else, and neglect yourself.

5. Smile and laugh as often as possible. It just makes everything better.

6. Don’t take your friends for granted. If there is something amiss between you and a friend, especially a true friend that has stood beside you at your worst, talk to them and work it out. Friends are some of the greatest blessings that we receive in this lifetime, don’t neglect them.

7. Take the time to tell/remind yourself how beautiful you are. Man or woman, you are beautiful and golden. Treat yourself as such.

8. Don’t let someone else dictate or devalue your feelings. You are entitled to that freedom. They are YOUR feelings.

9. Your best friends will be the ones that stand beside you when you are at your lowest and lift you back up to your highest. Don’t settle for the toxic people in your life that keep you at your lowest. Remember, the reason that you take toxic people out of your life is because they were making you sick.

10. Find beauty and a reason to smile in everything. The world can be a horrible, awful place if you can’t find the amazement and wonder in it. No matter how hard the search is, find it and cherish it. Hold it close to your heart. And never let go of that bit of humanity that you have found amongst all of the monsters and destruction.

And a bonus: my friend's words are true. Whatever will be, will be. You have to remember that and not dwell on things so much. For most of us, including me, it is not at all an easy task, but it is a necessary one. Find the joy, believe in the journey. 

                                                                                                                                               xoxo Jae

The Journey

“You are nature. You are already perfect, peaceful, and powerful. You don’t need to become anything. You simply need to remember yourself.”

-Vironika Tugaleva

At the beginning of this year, I -along with two of my best friends- embarked on a journey of self-love. It was a decision borne out of a particularly hard summer for all of us that involved a lot of tears, wanderlust, and introspection. We realized that we needed to reach a point of inner-peace, rather than simple trying to measure up to what society or those around us felt that she we should be. We chose to choose ourselves and our happiness for once. It sounds simple, but the truth is that it was not. It is not easy to go from a place of self-hate and self-doubt, and then enter into a world where you have and choose to look at yourself with love. It is not easy to be confident in your choices, when only days before you questioned all of them. However, no journey that's worthwhile is ever easy- that's what makes the journey so bearable and beautiful. 

In September, when school started, my journey began by doing something that I truly hadn't done in a very long time: I was completely myself with a group of people that I didn't know. I allowed everyone to see all of the weird and silly sides of me. I didn't care if I got weird looks or judged, I was happy to just live in the moment and be free. I think that's what I fell in love with the most: I was free. This freedom launched me into a stronger desire to become more in tune with nature. I began to take more walks, listen to more music, read more and write more. More than anything, because of the school I attend, I began to act more. I felt myself growing into the happiest version of myself, even with my various struggles and fears. I found this happiness that I just loved too much to let go.

 Then, my 20th birthday rolled around, a day that I will remember for the rest of my life. One of my best friends planned an extremely detailed and special day for me that filled me with such love and adoration for all of those around me. It was on that day that it hit me, I'd changed. I looked into the mirror that day and realized that for a while, I'd been seeing a beautiful woman smiling back at me. I found that I loved the person that I was, and that she was loved by many, as well. It was amazing and shocking, and very much overwhelming. It was beautiful. 

All of this brings me to today, to this very moment when I am sitting at home on my spring break, thinking about how blessed I am and about how happy I am to have such amazing people and experiences in my life. I didn't eat as healthily as I normally do over break, nor was I as productive as I tend to be and like to be; however, I'm sitting here writing this post. I am still learning new things about myself and to grow a deeper love for myself everyday, but I love myself. It is a never-ending journey, and it isn't always easy. But I love myself. And I am happy to say so. 

I hope that you, whoever you are, are learning to love yourself, too. 

- xoxo Jae

All of these photos belong to me and my friends. They were taken by one or the other. 

A New Chapter

Hello beautiful internet friends! It has been quite some time since I have uploaded both on YouTube and on my blog. In truth, many things have happened. One of the many things was my huge transition from my small liberal arts school in Virginia to art school in Savannah, Georgia at the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) where I decided to go to truly pursue my dream. At the time of making the decision, I was quite afraid of making the wrong choice or going to a place where I wouldn't make friends or grow. However, after my audition weekend, I truly knew that I was headed to the right place and that I would enter into a new and exciting chapter of my life. What I couldn't have possibly predicted was the complete and total joy that I would experience from the first moment that my feet graced SCAD's soil as a student. I remember during orientation that everything just hit me and I became so overwhelmed by the fact that I was actually at the school of my dreams, and I began to cry. Ever since that moment, I have been the happiest that I can remember. I've entered into a place of self-love and self-acceptance, a stronger and deeper place as an actress, and I have even come to greater understand myself as a blogger and who I want to be as a performer. After a lot of thinking, I realized where I want this blog to go and what I truly want JaeBella to be all about.

I want to write and talk about the things that inspire me: people, experiences, poetry, music, makeup, theatre, etc. There are so many things that I draw inspiration from and I truly want to create a forum to share these interests with the world. If you're new to my blog, welcome. There isn't too much right now, but expect more frequent posts about...well, just about everything. Thanks for stopping by, and please check back again for the newest posts and updates!
                                                                                                                                                     xoxo Jae