On day 2 in London, England after studying abroad in Paris, France, Michael and I spent most of our day at Camden Market. I'd say Camden Market is one of my favorite places in London because of the SHOPPING. You can find fun clothes and accessories for cheap and there's also a lot of great food to try! It's known for the "different" crowd it attracts and for offering unique items you can't find anywhere else! There also a booth wear this man bends words into wire for accessories. He makes everything from wire necklaces to bracelets to rings. I get compliments on the necklace I got made there all the time!

After walking around Camden Market for a while, we went and visited Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and St. Margaret's Church. There are landmarks we obviously had to visit because they're staples of London!

BIG BEN!

Once we had visited all these places in London, we walked along the Thames River and people watched until the sun went down. We returned to our apartment for the night and went to bed!

Have you ever been shopping in Camden Market??

xoxo, Morgan

Avril Lavigne "Hello Kitty" Makeup and Hair Tutorial + OOTD

Avril Lavigne's new music video "Hello Kitty" has created a lot of backlash for the Canadian rockstar. However, I personally loved the style of the video and the colorfulness of it. So I decided to recreate her look in this video from head to toe! First...her makeup and hair in the Hello Kitty music video!

Here's detailed pictures and more information about the products I used in the video! 

I started off my obviously priming my eyes. I made sure to prime under my eye really well because we will be smudging a ton of eyeliner and eyeshadow along our lower lash line. Next, I took a lighter and warmed up the eyeliner. This made it more smudgy and easier to work with. *Be sure to test the liner on your hand before you put it directly onto your eyelid! You don't want to burn yourself!*

This is the dark eyeshadow I used to pack onto of the eyeliner I put all over my eyelid and along my lash line. This is the Kat Von D eyeshadow in "Motorhead". 

I took this silver color from the Tarte "Art of Giving" Pallete and put in on the inner corner of my eye. This particular color is called "Staci's Charm Bracelet".

Taking this Stila eyeshadow in "Heather", I used my finger to pack this on my eyelid. *It's ok if it's messy! That's the point :)*

Once I lined my eyes, I applied my mascara. I used Revlon's Lash Potion in the video. 

 I put my concealer on after I'd finished my eye makeup. I did this because this look has a ton of fall out. Be sure to brush the fall out away before applying concealer. I recommend a liquid concealer under the eye because it overs good coverage but doesn't get cakey in the little fine lines :) 

To finished off the rest of my face, I applied MAC's "Pink Swoon", which is a sheer pink blush. For her nude pinky lips, I used Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in "Demure" and put this pink Tarte lipgloss on the center of my lips.

All done with the makeup! For the hair, be sure to watch my video!

Now for her outfit! These are just pieces I'll pulled from my closet, no purchasing necessarily! :) 

To replicate her look, all you'll need is...

A cropped black jacket...mine just happens to be leather! This one is from Forever 21. 

Avril Lavigne rocks pearls throughout her Hello Kitty music video. This necklace I got from Forever 21 a couple years ago too but any pearl necklace works :) 

Combat Boots! So comfy and they toughen up any outfit! Even a Hello Kitty one!

 Last, but not least, a pink tutu :) Avril Lavigne has cupcakes on hers in the Hello Kitty music video but you get the point!

Let me know what you think about this makeup + hair + ootd video and blog post! I had a lot of fun working on this and would love to hear you feedback. As always, don't forget to tell your friends (send them the link! It's quick and easy!) and subscribe to The Beauty Breakdown! See you next time :)

xoxo, Morgan  

The Travel Breakdown: London; Eurostar, London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Oyster Cards

So as promised, here's the continuation of my study abroad series! After completing our program in Paris, France (study abroad posts start here) Michael and I boarded the Eurostar at the Gare du Nord and travelled to London! We arrive in London at 12:30 pm, and took advantage of the fact we still had almost a full day left! We dropped out stuff off at the flat we were staying in (we rented a room through Airbnb! This website is great for people on a budget who don't really want to stay in hostels) and immediately hopped onto the Underground and went to the London Bridge. We just wandered around this area until we stumbled upon an organic farmers market in the area. This was fun and interesting to look at, and it was nice to finally speak to other English speakers (you almost take it for granted being able to speak English until you are somewhere you must speak another language for a prolonged period of time!) From here, we walked all the way to Buckingham Palace! (yes, lots of walking!)

London has such pretty architecture!

Near the center of London!

Buckingham Palace! As you can see, it was a perfect day to walk around because it was overcast so it wasn't too hot!

After walking all over the city, we decided to take a break and ride the bus for a while. It's nice riding the bus in London because you can do some sight-seeing without having to walk! The fact that the buses there are double decker buses make them great for sight-seeing and tourists!

Travel Tip for London: Be sure to buy an Oyster card when you get there! (I believe they cost around 10 pounds) They are reloadable cards that you can buy in the Underground (their metro system) and you use them on the Underground and on the buses in London. It makes traveling much easier and when your done using it, they'll refund you your 10 pounds! Just make sure to look up a place that will exchange the Oyster card back into pounds for you... I believe we exchanged ours at Heathrow airport?

Where's you favorite place in London?? Did you use a lot of public transportation like us? As always, I love your feedback and comments. If you have any questions, leave a comment! :)

xoxo, Morgan  

Kara Pandora Look ♥ Gyuri K-POP Inspired Korean Makeup Tutorial ♥ 구하라

Hope your week is going well! Here's my video tutorial on how to recreate the look Park Gyuri from Kara wore in the music video "Pandora"! It's a simple look that focuses on heavy, edgy eyeliner. What I really love about this look is that it really opens up the eye and makes it look bigger, without the obvious use of fake eyelashes or a heavy under eye highlight. Be sure to subscribe so you'll be updated on my next K-Pop or Korean Beauty video! I'll be making a lot more videos :)   

Don't forget to check out the other videos/posts related to Korean Makeup Trends! I'll show you how to get Korean Style Straight Eyebrows like another popular K-POP group (2NE1) and how to get a Korean Style Gradient Lip!

xoxo, Morgan 

♥ Korean Style Ulzzang Straight Eyebrow Tutorial ♥ 자연스러운 일자 눈썹 투토리얼

Here is the next video in my Korean Makeup Tutorials series! Right now, I'm focusing on the Ulzzang look, which in Korean literally translates into "best face". This look focuses on appearing youthful, fresh, cute, and innocent. Straight eyebrows are consistent with the Ulzzang appearance because straight eyebrows soften your face and make the features on your face look less harsh. The fuller look of the brows also make you look more youthful. However, a lot of Korean women shave their eyebrows in a straight line in order to achieve this look, which for some, is not a realistic choice. Instead of having to shave your eyebrows, I'll show you how simple it is to achieve the Korean Ulzzang Straight Eyebrows without having to actually shave them! :)

It's that simple! Lots of Korean celebrities rock this look including the girls from the K-pop group 2NE1! (AKA my favorite K-pop group of the moment!)

Here's CL rocking the straight eyebrow look. Here's have a little more arch, but are still soft and natural looking. No wonder why she's the baddest female!

You can see Dara's eyebrows also look nice and natural. Instead of looking harsh, they frame her face while maintaining her "innocent" look! 

 Try out this look and be sure to tweet me a pic! :) I'd love to see your rendition! @morgansbbd

xoxo, Morgan 

Battle of the Bronzers: 4 of the Best and Worst Physicians Formula Bronzer Review

I think my favorite makeup items are bronzers. I love the beautiful, luminous glow that bronzers give your skin and how they can make your skin look healthy. Because of this, I'm always on the hunt for a nice, affordable bronzer. When combing through the isles of the drugstore looking for bronzers, I always seem to stop by Physicians Formula. Not only do they have eye-catching packaging, but their products are also organic and cruelty-free, which is ALWAYS a bonus in my opinion. However, even those these bronzers can be found in the drugstore, they're a little on the pricier side and usually range from $12-$18! In this post, I hope to save you the hassle and money by providing a comprehensive review comparing 4 of their bronzers. Let's get started with today's BREAKDOWN.

Bronze Booster Glow Boosting Airbrushing Bronzing Veil Deluxe Edition 

What a mouthful! This bronzer claims to give you a skin perfecting finish, melt into the skin providing a glow-from-within, extend the life of your tan glow, and improve the skin's clarity and radiance. So given this description, I had somewhat high expectations. Overall, I feel like this bronzer does make my skin look more radiant and it's pretty but boy is this bronzer shimmery! This product did come with a glittery overspray when I first bought it, which does go away, however you're still left with a pretty shimmery cheek product. This is not my go-to bronzer for the day time, since in the sun I look like a disco ball with this on, however, it gives a nice glow when I wear this at night. This bronzer is also a bit on the orange-y side, so I'd recommend going with the lighter shade of this bronzer if you have a fair complexion.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

You can see that in the swatch on my wrist, the shimmer does transfer.

Happy Booster Glow and Mood Boosting Illuminating Bronzing Veil 

According to the Physicians Formula website, this bronzer contains their happy boosting blend of HappySkin and Euphoryl, which mimic the effect of endorphins. Although I don't necessarily believe there is some type of chemical change in my brain that makes me happier when I apply this product, I do like the fact it's shaped like hearts. That, in itself, makes me happy. It also has a nice, light smell of Violet which I find pleasant. As far as the actual product goes, this is also a shimmery bronzer, however, it's not as shimmery as the bronzer above. This bronzer has a nice, light shimmer that gives a glow to the skin. It's also a little light on my skin tone, so I have to apply this with a heavy hand. This is nice for those days I don't want to look like I'm wearing a ton of makeup, but I just want to warm my skin up a little bit. 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 

Les Botaniques Botanical Face Powder Bronzer

Out of all the bronzers I have from this brand, this one is my least favorite. It claims to warm up the complexion with a natural glow, which it does... however I have to apply a ton of it to even show up. The pigmentation is so light! It also claims to have sunflower extracts which protect from free radicals. I don't know if I necessarily believe this because at the end of the day, it is a just a bronzer. However, if it is protecting my skin from free radicals, that's great! I just won't depend on it doing that. Overall, this bronzer just sits in the back of my makeup collection. I'll probably give it to someone who has a lighter skin ton than me and see if it works for them.

Rating: 1 out of 5

pH Matchmaker Powder Bronzer

This is my favorite bronzer out of all 4. I reach for this almost every day and love the effect it gives my skin. It applies very evenly and makes my complexion look warm without looking like I'm wearing a ton of makeup. It's perfect for everyday use. It does have some shimmer, which doesn't transfer heavily to the skin. I'm not sure if this bronzer will look differently on everyone because it is supposed to adjust to the pH of your skin, however, if you're in the market for a new bronzer, I'd definitely check this one out!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Here are the swatches of the bronzers on my skin! From left to right: pH Matchmaker Powder Bronzer, Les Botaniques Botanical Face Bronzer, Happy Glow Boosting Bronzer, Bronze Booster Glow Boosting Airbrushing Bronzing Veil. 

Conclusion: My favorite is definitely the pH Matchmaker Bronzer. Although I do like the first two bronzers, they are a little shimmery and for some people, that might be a deal breaker. They're also not must-haves, but something I like to keep around and wear when I feel like wearing a bronzer with a bit more glow.

But Morgan...is it worth the money?

For how long these last, Yes. I would definitely try to buy them when they're on sale though. Ulta always has promotional coupons you can use on these products and I've noticed every once and while, CVS will have a 40% of Physicians Formula makeup. So keep your eyes open for those! Also, Physicians Formula products sometimes have a coupon right on the packaging that you can use when you buy it!

Have you ever tried any of Physicians Formula Bronzers? Do you have any other personal recommendations of other Physicians Formula products?

xoxo, Morgan 

Korean Ulzzang Style Ombre Gradient Lip Makeup Tutorial - 얼짱

In lieu of being half Korean and half "white", I'm going to start making more posts/videos of Korean inspired makeup looks and trends that are going on in Korea right now! Korea is know for having very advanced makeup and skincare (some say they're possibly 10 years ahead of the United States!) so whatever is trending in Korea right now is likely to become popular in America. So in today's post/video, I'm going to BREAKDOWN the concept of a "Korean Ulzzang Style Ombre / Gradient Lip".

By the way, if you're wondering what the heck "Ulzzang" is...Ulzzang is a term that literally translated means "best face" or "good looking"...which hey, we're all trying to achieve that right? This style is the very cutesy, fresh, and youthful look that is really popular in Korea right now for women of ALL ages!

First, you want to start of by exfoliating your lips if you have dry lips. Then apply a nice conditioning balm. This will make a nice base for all the product we will be layering onto our lips. *Fave Alert* I'm using my Nuxe Reve de Miel Baume Levres.

This product is something I picked up in Paris, France while studying abroad! Have you checked out my Study Abroad series yet?!

Next, I applied a liquid concealer around the edges of my lips. It's really important you chose a liquid type concealer because if you pick anything drier, it'll emphasize all the lines and cracks in your lips...not what we're going for here! I used my Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Medium.

Once I've got an even layer of that around the edges of my lips, I took a hot pink lipstick and put that on the inside of my lips. I did a dragging motion from the inside of my mouth, out. (watch the video above to see a demonstration of this!) I used my MAC lipstick in Big Bow. So sad this was limited edition :( who doesn't love that packaging?!

After I've got a good coat of the hot pink color on, I took a bright red color and layered that on top. Be sure not to cover the hot pink color completely! We want a nice gradient effect :) The red I used was Revlon's lipstick in 740 Certainly Red. 

Now just use your finger and blend till you get the desired effect! So simple :) Now go rock those ombre lips you Ulzzang girl! :) 

What do you think of the Ulzzang look? Let me know I'd like to hear your opinion!! Also, be sure to check out the next tutorial in this series.... Korean Style Straight Eyebrows! :) I also just uploaded a video featuring another Korean style makeup tutorial...Park Gyuri's Makeup Look from the Kara Music Video "Pandora"! 

xoxo, Morgan 

My Top 5 Essential / Must Have Starter Kit Eyeshadow Makeup Brushes

When you first get into wearing makeup, it can seem overwhelming. So to make it easier, I made a video on my the 5 eyeshadow brushes that I use the most, and the ones I consider are essential eyeshadow brushes! Hope this is helpful! :)

Like I stated in the video, most of my brushes are from Coastal Scents or Crown Brush. These are perfect for me because they are pretty good quality but don't cost a fortune...and as college student, I can't afford to spend a ton of money on makeup brushes alone. Here are the brushes I discussed in the video:

1) Paddle Eyeshadow Brush

• If you're just starting out, this will be one of the first brushes you own. Great for packing on eyeshadow on your eyelid, running eyeshadow underneath you lower lash line, and applying a brow bone highlight. These are one of the most inexpensive brushes and pretty much every brand makes them. 

2) Angled Liner Brush

• Angled Liner Brushes, for me, have several purposes. You can use them to fill in your eyebrows to make them look crisp and defined, you can use them to line your eyes (obviously haha), concealing underneath your eyebrow to get a really clean edge, and you can line your lips with it if you're wearing a bright color (I demonstrate how to do this in the video!). 

3) Domed Blending Brush

• This is one of my favorite domed blending brush because of the size. It's large enough and not too dense so it blends out colors nicely in the crease, but it's not too large and too sparse where it overwhelms my eye area.
• Its great for softening any harsh lines, applying concealer on pimples or under your eyes, applying setting powder in certain places like on top of your concealer, and applying highlight on the tops of the cheeks and on the bridge of the nose.

4) Pinched Dome Blending Brush

• This brush gets a lot of attention because it's similar to MAC's famous 217 blending brush. The nice thing about this brush is that it's wayyyy cheaper! Although, I will say it's definitely not as soft as the 217. 
• This brush does an excellent job of applying color right into the crease and defining the crease, applying eyeshadow on the outer "v" area of the eye, running eyeshadow underneath the lower lash line, applying and blending out cream eyeshadow, and applying a wash of color on the lid.
• It's also good for applying concealer onto targeted areas like pimples or scars, but I'd say the domed brush above does a nicer job of applying concealer underneath the eyes. 

5) Fluffy Angled Eyeshadow Brush 

• I use this brush pretty much anytime I apply color to the outer "v" of my eye. It just takes the guess work out and makes it really simple. 
• I also love this brush for smudging out eyeliner, applying my brow bone highlight, applying color into the inner tear duct area of my eye, and applying eyeshadow underneath my lower lash line.

So these are my top 5 essential / must have eyeshadow makeup brushes! I use all of these pretty much everyday, and if you're just starting out, I'd recommend these brushes as a starter kit. They're also super inexpensive too.. you can purchase all of these brushes for under $15 (not including shipping!)! (Click on the title of each brush for a direct link to where you can buy them!) Let me know what you guys think and if you'd like to see a similar type of post/video for face brushes! Be sure to follow this blog, and subscribe to my Youtube Channel, The Beauty Breakdown, for my great videos and tips like this!

xoxo, Morgan

P.S. Don't forget to check out my latest look! A gorgeous gold, bronze, and copper smokey eye!