<![CDATA[JHONI LOCRAN - on the Blog 🌷]]>

<![CDATA[JHONI LOCRAN - on the Blog 🌷]]>Thu, 01 Jun 2023 04:07:37 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Givenchy Gtote!]]>Wed, 31 May 2023 00:36:42 GMThttp://www.jhonilocran.com/givenchy/givenchy-gtoteBY JHONI | May 30, 2023 | Givenchy Gtote | FASHION

Can we discuss this gorgeous handbag I bought??? Before you read on, this is a total luxury purchase. This bag was pretty expensive, so if you're not someone who believes in spending alot of purses, this may not be interesting to you. However, if you're one of my luxury gworls..keep reading!

So first of all, this purse is beautiful. This is the medium sized Gtote, priced around $1600 with tax and delivery. This bag features the G logo print all over the bag, as well as the signature "Givenchy Paris" across the front of the bag. It has a detachable shoulder strap, as well as flat top handles. Its open top- no closure ,but there is a zip closure pocket on the inside. The inside of the bag is lined with cotton. This beautiful bag is light, but sturdy. It maintains its shape no matter what you put in it, which is sensational. It fits a laptop, so it can double as a purse and a work bag. I have a lenovo thinkpad that I use for work and it fits in there perfectly with all of my personal items. All in all, this bag is a 10/10. I also am newly loving Givenchy. Their bags are great quality!

]]><![CDATA[Guess who's back?!]]>Tue, 07 Sep 2021 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.jhonilocran.com/givenchy/guess-whos-backBy Jhoni | September 7, 2021 | Guess who's back?!

I've been gone for a minute, now I'm back with the jumpoff!

Angels, I've miss y'all so much! I haven't posted a blog in months...but I have a good reason. The last couple of months, I have made some major transitions in my life, coupled with some regular life difficulty. All of this has occupied my time and my mind...but now it's time to get back to work. I need to spill my tea!
First things first. I got married!!! I know, I can't believe it either. My husband is Kayo Bracey (rapper and marketing specialist). I've known him for about 16 years...we reconnected and its been magic ever since. He proposed in October and we eloped in January. I wanted to plan an elaborate wedding, but Covid was (and is) too unpredictable. Honestly, I have no regrets. We're happy. In love. I married my best friend. (Babies are gonna come eventually...I just don't know when lol)

The next thing I want to update you on is my career! Without naming names, towards the end of last year, I have been increasingly unhappy with my job. Have you ever worked with someone who had it out for you for no reason? That was my situation. For those of you who don't know, I am a biomedical researcher. The lady who worked beside me had a difficult time with failure. Anytime she would have to account for a missed deadline to the Principal Investigator (PI), guess who she would blame? You got it, me. The frustrating thing to me was that I had been at the job slightly longer than this other lady, but my PI believed her over me. Well, needless to say, that created a hostile work environment for me and I started to pursue other employment. Well, let me say this; I am a woman of faith and God is good! I applied for a career at a MAJOR pharmaceutical company and after a few months of waiting.....I GOT THE CALL! This is an amazing opportunity because of the prestige of the company as well as a MAJOR pay increase. I now work making gene therapy and I love it!

Last but not least, my locs. I still have them. I still love them. For those who want to know, the previous color was "ruby red" by Adore. I absolutely loved the color, however, let's talk about the issues with red hair dye. It is HIGH MAINTENANCE! It looks really good for a few months, then it fades drastically. The color that it fades to isn't your natural color...its a light copper color. So either you have to dye it again or you have to let it be. I am going to let this faded copper color rock for a while. I need to make sure my hair is as healthy as possible before I color it again. Also....the locs are getting long!!! I cant believe how fast they are growing. I'll be at 6 years at the end of October. I can honestly say I truly love my locs and I have no regrets about loc'ing my hair! Here's a picture of the color and length for reference...

]]><![CDATA[What I wish I knew in my 20s pt 1]]>Tue, 27 Oct 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.jhonilocran.com/givenchy/what-i-wish-i-knew-in-my-20s-pt-1BY JHONI | OCTOBER 27, 2020 | WHAT I WISH I KNEW IN MY 20'S

Before you ask why I'm writing this....I'm 35. Let's just get this out in the open. Clear the air. Come to an understanding. I am that old😜. So I feel like since my 20's ended over 5 years ago, I'm old enough to do this blog (and a bunch of other things)...So let's chat!

1. If you want to switch careers...DO IT NOW
This is easier said than done. I know that most of the time in your twenties, you don't know you want to switch careers until you're in your 30's (ie. me), but if you feel like this might not be the career for you...SWITCH. It is much easier to do it younger. You won't have to account for as much dead time (time when you're not working). You also probably have less responsibility in your 20s (no husband/wife or child) and you are free to explore careers!

2. SAVE YOUR MONEY. PROTECT YOUR CREDIT
There isn't a whole lot to say about this because the title speaks for itself. You'll thank your younger self later.

3. Live with your parents for as long as possible.
This doesn't apply to everyone, I know. However, those of you who are blessed with parents who will let you stay for free or a fraction of what you would pay if you had your own place, DO IT. I know we rush to have freedom and our own place, but you have your whole life for that. Unless you have to leave...I would suggest you stay for as long as possible and save up as much money as you can.

4. Everyone is not going to like you.
I used to be one of those people who cared when someone had an issue with me. I remember wanting to figure out 'what I did' or 'how I can make it better. Let me tell how much I don't care about that at 35. As I have reached this ripe old age, I realize that many people aren't going to like you out of jealousy over who loves you and over what you've accomplished.

5. Don't be in a rush to settle down.
Now, if he/she is the one, then they are the one. However, don't get caught up in your own timeline..you know...the "I want to be married by 25, first baby by 28..blah blah blah. Having your own timeline tends to cause you to rush and marry the wrong person. Don't make a bad decision in your 20s that you will be paying for in your 30's...or any age for that matter. Trust me! I know plenty of people bound to the "wrong person" forever, through a child or just for a long time for financial reasons.

6. Get over a breakup as fast as you can.
The truth of the matter is this...VERY, VERY rarely, do you miss the guy or girl from your 20's into your 30's. You usually realize that the guy or girl was never the one and you thank God for blocking that relationship. Trust me..I miss no man from my 20's and no man from my early 30's either

7. Relationships shouldn't be that hard...
People take the idea that "relationships are work" to justify staying in bad relationships. Yes, it may take a bit of work for 2 people in a marriage to stay together for years, but things like "respect" are not work. Don't stay in situations where you are not respected. If you find that that is the case, get out before you get married. I promise these things DO NOT get better, they only get worse. Get out before you get married and get out before you have a baby.

This was fun. What are some of the things you wish your younger self knew??

]]><![CDATA[Media Press Kit]]>Sat, 10 Oct 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.jhonilocran.com/givenchy/media-press-kitBY JHONI | OCTOBER 10, 2020 | MEDIA PRESS KIT

What is a media kit? Why do I need one?Simply put, a media kit is visually appealing and convenient way to show a brand why they should work with you. A great way to look at a media kit, or media press kit, is the same way an employer views your resume. It should condense all of your qualifications and accolades into a central document that is fully representative of your brand as an influencer. Think about it this way, does your media press kit answer all of the questions a potential employer would want answered?

If you want to work with brands as an influencer, you need a media kit!

What should I put in my media kit?1. A brief bio.
Talk about who you are. Where are you from? How long have you been an influencer? Talk about the things that you are into and the things that are true to your brand. If you are into makeup, this is a great place to include that you are a beauty blogger. If you are heavily into video games, this is where you would include that you are a youtube gamer, for example. Talk about things that give people an idea of what type of content you are prone to putting out.

2. Information about your platforms and followings.
This is where you need to mention all of the platforms that you are active on. Let me take this time to reiterate that you should only mention platforms that you are CONSISTENTLY active on. It actually might make a brand second guess you if you say you are active on Instagram, but the last time you posted was 1 month ago. This is also where you should talk about your following. Brands need to know the demographics of your followers, as this will determine how beneficial to them you can be. Mention where a majority of your followers are from, their age ranges and whether they are male or female. This is important!

3. Scopes of work you are available for.
This simply means 'what kind of jobs can a brand contract you for'? Include things like social media posts or blog posts. I go into more detail on this in a previous blog called 5 ways to make money as an influencer. It is important for brands to know what options they have have to use your influence! This could determine if a brand wants to work with you. Some brands may specifically be interested in in-person bookings, so to see that this is one of the things you offer would definitely be in your favor.

4. Previous work and accolades.
Let me be clear, here we need to see what you have done thus far in your influencer career, but keep certain detail proprietary. This would be a great time to mention that you worked with department store X or Brand Y, but be careful not to release any contact information or any monies you were paid for the contract. However, a great place you can go into detail is with your personal accolades. Talk about any awards you've received and any publications that you have been in. This is the "portfolio" part of your media kit. Highlight the BEST aspects of your career. Really make this section look good. Include the best campaigns and collaborations you've been in...you don't have to include every one.
5. Your contact information.
This is so important, I can reiterate this enough. A brand can't pay you if they can't contact you. Include your address, your phone number and your email address. Make sure that the email address you include is one that you check often and respond to quickly.

6. I made my media kit...now what?
Ok. This is a great question. Don't go emailing your press kit to brands you want to work with all unsolicited. The press kit should be given to brands that request it. This usually happens at the beginning, when you are in the negotiation phase before a brand says they want to work with you. It is also beneficial to get your press kit to the influencer agency you work with!

]]><![CDATA[5 ways to make money as an influencer]]>Fri, 02 Oct 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.jhonilocran.com/givenchy/5-ways-to-make-money-as-an-influencerBy Jhoni | October 2, 2020 | 5 ways to make money as an influencer

I'm back. So let's just hop into it. Everyone aspires to be an influencer to make money, but I think that most people have a 1 dimensional view of how influencers are making money...but I'm here to give you the true tea- Keep reading..

1. Sponsored Social Media posts

The first way influencers make money is the most common way...sponsored social media posts. I think this is the way most new influencers think a majority of their money is going to be made. This refers to brands paying an influencer to post an advertisement on their Instagram or tik tok, etc. This is probably the basis for influence marketing. Generally speaking, some brands will solicit anyone with a large following to post their products. This is usually why it is difficult to leverage a ton of money from just sponsored posts. Combine ALL of the tips I'm about to give to maximize that coin!

2. Affiliate Marketing

The second way influencers can make money is through Affiliate Marketing. I'm sure you all have heard this term before. Affiliate marketing is when you get a specialized link from a company, and you make a commission off of every sale made using your link. This is a great way to make passive income if you like to sell (which all influencers better love) and if you can think of creative ways to make someone click a link! Here is the gag with some affiliate links-they are open links. If you're doing affiliate links correctly, you can make great money. That's because open links stay tied to you for up to 30 days (roughly). This means once a person clicks your link, anything they buy within the allotted time period from that site earns you a commission. They don't even have to buy what you were advertising! Imagine having a bunch of active links working at one time....I'm just saying....

3. Brand Ambassadorship

Another way you can make money as an influencer is through Brand ambassadorship. What is it? Brand Ambassadors should have a strong interest in the product and they advocate and sell the products from the brand to their followers. They are often, if not always, given a promo code to give to their followers. The influencer then gains a commission from each sale made using their promo code. Brands love these relationships because an influencer with a loyal following will generally garner a huge response to the products. Think about it, how many times have you purchased a product because your favorite celebrity used it? I have...plenty of times.

These last 2 ways I am going to discuss with you are soooooooooo underrated. Have a seat...edges are going to be snatched...
4. Blogging

The extent of your influence should not just be instagram..or tik tok. Why? Because you don't own that. If Instagram decides to delete your account today because you used a wrong hashtag or someone hacks you...that's it....your influencer career is over. If your tik tok gets deleted, and tik tok is the only platform you have...your influencer career is over. So I know you're asking "what's the alternative". A YouTube...a blog...a website. Please don't forsake blogging or personal websites. They are both still very relevant. Not only do you own blog content, but a blog post can stay relevant in search engines for 6 months or longer...your Instagram post usually loses relevance after a few days. Brands know this, so a brand will pay more and you can leverage more money for a sponsored blog post (especially if you have a ton of monthly page views). Think about it....

5. Email lists

The last way I am going to talk you about is what you're reading right now....email lists! I promise you, nobody thinks about this but brands will absolutely pay for an email blast about their product. If you work your email list up to a decent amount of subscribers, you can leverage that for money.

I hope you got something out of this blast and discovered some different ways to earn money as an influencer. I want all of y'all to win! 🌹

]]><![CDATA[Planet Gold Gaucho Pants]]>Thu, 24 Sep 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.jhonilocran.com/givenchy/september-24th-2020By Jhoni | September 24, 2020 | Planet Gold Gaucho pants | Fashion

I need to discuss these pants I wore in a recent photoshoot. They 100% put a huge smile on my face. They're gaucho pants by Planet Gold. This is a popular department store brand, so they are definitely affordable!

High waisted with a bit of a flare around the waistline...so gorgeous..The bottom hem of the pants comes to just below the knee, ending with a giant cuff. The fabric is most definitely cotton. I love them because they are versatile and great for multiple seasons. In this current photoshoot, I'm rockin' these pants with some Chuck Taylors, ideal for summer. However, I know that fall is upon us and you can still wear them with some knee high boots.

You can also dress them up or dress them down. Of course, in these pictures, I dressed them down. I went with a sporty crop top and some sneakers. But these pants can be worn with a pair of heels and a white top and you're off to work!

I love them. I plan on wearing them in a few different ways, so look forward to seeing them again! Yeah..I said it .

]]><![CDATA[How to hear more yes's]]>Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.jhonilocran.com/givenchy/how-to-hear-more-yessBy Jhoni | September 13, 2020 | How to hear more yes's

I made this Blog pink to soften this blow...snatching edges...but I love y'all...So many small business owners or even influencers just getting started do a ton of “reaching out” and they either don't hear back or hear a no. I have a feeling I know why. Let’s talk about it. This may feel like redundant material, but I think it is so necessary to understand if you want to utilize influence marketing. Lets dive right into it with 4 major points.
1. Business is conducted via email. I know in this social media generation, we tend to think that a DM is the new email. It’s not. If you are attempting to secure any major campaigns with an influencer, it would behoove you to find this person’s email. I’ll use my instagram account as an example. I get, easily, 20 DMs per day. Most of them are spam or men shooting their shot. I don’t view my instagram DM as a place where business gets conducted, so if you send me a DM, my reply will be to send me an email. The second reason is that I WILL be discussing budgets...I don’t do free promo, so the kind of money I will be discussing needs to happen via email. Influencers pitching brands, the same thing applies. Do not dare DM a major company asking to work together. I guarantee you’ll get ignored. With that said, I'm sure you can DM some influencers and get a response...usually when you are offering free product for an IG post or shout-out. As people grow in their influencer journey, the prices they require increase, contracts are now necessary and business will be conducted via email.

2. Give soooooooo much more than you ask. Let me say this another way..Offer value to a person before you do a cold reach-out for a favor. One more way....offer something 100 times before you ask once, HEAR ME. These cold reach-out’s via DM are NOT IT. If you send a message asking someone to post your product, shout you out, listen to your song and you get no response....it’s probably because the influencer said “who is this?” and deleted it. Your ask should not come out of nowhere and it should definitely not come with no discussion of budget. If you have no budget, that makes point number 2 that much more important for you. If a company cold reaches out to me and they are talking money, they're going to get a different response from someone cold-reaching out to me asking me to work for free. And yes, an influencer posting to their IG or Blog is their work. It's also important to understand that "sales" is more emotional than anything else. If I like you, I'll buy what you’re selling. If I like you, I'll listen to your song. If I like you, I'll post you to my story(probably for free). Understand the importance of relationships and the importance of being liked. In business, in general, people network and build relationships. Those relationships provide recipricol benefit to the two parties involved. RECIPROCAL- Its not just one party asking for a favor. It's two people providing usefulness to one another. Influencer marketing is no different. When I say “offer value”, this does not have to cost you anything. It doesn’t . You can give out free advice (like on a blog😉). You can post this person consistently to your blog or instagram. You can engage with their content. The key to this though, is not to just do it once or twice. I believe earlier I said “way more”...I said "100 times". Be consistent in your offering of value before you reach out. Don’t take from this that you just need to like one post and then ask...
3. You’re probably not hearing yes from an influencer because you have no budget. It's the elephant in the room." Influencer" is short for "influence marketer". It's a job. The difference between an influencer and someone with a lot of followers is that influencers have a business. We don't advertise for free. We don't post for free. Sometimes we post for free product, but eventually we need to discuss the coin. Oftentimes, after an influencer does promo for free product, the company comes back again offering free products and no money. This message is to influencers: Don't be afraid to bring up money. If a company does not have a budget, don't be afraid to decline the offer. To companies approaching influencers, if you are hearing a lot of "No's", it could be because you are not offering money. I understand that start up companies oftentimes have no budget, but please make it a priority to get a marketing budget. I promise it will make all the difference in the growth of your business. Even if you don't have the budget at that time, it may be a worthy conversation to mention to an influencer the potential for a paid campaign with your company.
4. Be professional. I can't stress this enough. When reaching out to an influencer or a brand. Use the person's name and spelt correctly. No pet names. I get plenty of offers that start with "hey gorgeous", "hey girl", "hey boo"....Automatic no from me. I'm going to be talking $$$$, usually people who "hey girl" me, are about to ask for something for free. I've had conversations with large-scale companies, and those conversations are always emails that begin with "Hello Jhoni". Be professional. I know we tend to think that social media marketing is casual, but it's not casual when you start talking money.
Thats all I have for you today. Love y'all 🌹

]]><![CDATA[Q&A with Jhoni pt 2]]>Mon, 07 Sep 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.jhonilocran.com/givenchy/qa-with-jhoni-pt-2By Jhoni | September 7, 2020 | Q&A with Jhoni

New Month. New Q&AOk. As my follower count grows (I love y'all for that), I get new questions. For those of you new to my blog, I do a monthly Q&A. So feel free to email me or DM questions you would like answered. Now let's get into it.

Are you single?
No. Lol. Its evident if you look at my social media..but I keep getting this question anyway.
Are you going to color your hair again?
Yes I am! Y'all been getting me together about my color fading lol. You have to remember that coloring your hair is a delicate process. The idea is balancing the beauty and the health. With that said, I can't color my hair as soon as the color isn't as vibrant. I have to make sure that the moisture is there, the protein is there and that my hair is happy first. So, I will be coloring it very soon! I'm happy with the moisture level of my locs. I'm also working on some sponsorship behind this next dye job..because..well...Im an influencer lol.

Do you do free promo?
This is a great question. For the most part, businesses want to give free product in exchange for promo through an influencer's page. Influencers have to be careful, though, to not keep accepting free product for deliverables that they want to be paid for. There are certain deliverables I will accept free product for, however, for the most part my services require a budget.

How do I get in contact with you for business?
EMAIL. EMAIL. EMAIL. EMAIL. Let's make sure we go through the proper channels for business inquiries. If you DM me to talk business, I will direct you to my email.

Do you do engagement pods or follow for follow?
Absolutely not. Following should be AUTHENTIC. Follow people you want to follow. I want all of my followers to want to follow me, that way you engage in my content and check out products and services I point you to. This goes for buying followers too. DON'T BUY FOLLOWERS. Instagram will make you pay for that with the algorithm and if you're trying to sell product as an influencer...(do I even need to finish this sentence)?

How long are you going to let your locs get?
I think I am going to stop at tailbone...I want them long, but I don't want to be sitting on them...I don't want them to fall into the toilet or anything.

Can you do my locs?
I love y'all...I promise I do...but no. I'm not a loctician.
Ok guys. I think that's all for this months Q&A. I expect to see y'all back here soon because I have more blogs coming!

]]><![CDATA[Dos and Dont's]]>Wed, 26 Aug 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.jhonilocran.com/givenchy/dos-and-dontsBY JHONI | AUGUST 26, 2020 | DOS AND DONT'S

've been wanting to do this blog since I started my influencer career. I want to talk about marketing to influencers. First, let's define the term "influencer". An influencer is short for "influence marketer". Influencers use their online influence to market products for companies and brands. With that said, companies also need to market TO influencers to get them on board with their product...this is where the problems begin.
There are several things that often happen to influencers in an attempt to get them to endorse certain products that, frankly, don't work. Lets break it down...

I used the term "spamming" on purpose. This means it was an unsolicited interaction. I can honestly say that I get a link of some sort sent to my DM at least 3 times a day. Every time, I delete the message. This is why. I don't know you, therefore I don't trust you. With the amount of cyber scams happening on a daily, even on instagram, why would I click a link from a stranger? Think about this, between the people spamming about graphic logos, sugar babies, and getting a blue check, why would a message from someone else I don't know be different. The take home message is to offer value and build trust FIRST. Follow me, like some posts, show support for something I'm doing....(in my case, show me that you visited my blog 😏)...then when you turn around and say "hey can you check this out for me", I'll do it. I'll feel like there is a real person on the other side of the keyboard.

There's that word again..spamming. People can tell when there is a copy & paste message. This tells me that you're just shooting your shot blindly. How seriously am I going to take your brand or your product when you send the same message indiscriminately to everyone. This is the part that gets me. Sometimes I get messages about products or services that don't apply to me. For example...today...I got a message from a gentlemen telling me that he makes beats. I don't make music 😐. It's not a good look when I know you didn't take the time to even check to see if I make music. It also looks really bad when you don't check the location of the person you're spamming. Today, also, I got a copy/paste message from a photographer in Virginia. I'm not in Virginia. Now, I know people reading are thinking "well no harm, no foul"...like what did he lose from messaging me. I'll tell you what he lost...my recommendation. Had the interaction been one where value was offered first, I may have recommended him to Angels in Virginia in need of a photographer...

This is the one I get worked up about. Most Influence marketers make money through promotional posts. This is when brands pay the influencer to post on their story or main feed advertising or reviewing a product or service. The process usually involves reaching out to the influencer and a discussion of budget happens at that point. (Most companies will attempt to only exchange free product for promotion, but thats another topic.) When people post about their business in an influencers comment section, this is their attempt to circumvent paying this influencer. I had a women leave, no exaggeration, a full iphone XS max screen- long comment advertising her business. Nothing about me or what my post was even about. I truly felt like this person took my platform and said "Im going to use your influence with or without your consent and I'm not paying you". Don't do that. Anybody who has this happen to them, feel free to delete the comments. Make sure people pay you for your influence and pay you for the audience you took time to build.

...My issue with this is similar to number 3. First I'm referring to actually tagging someone not @'ing them. I mean when people search this influencer's tagged pictures, your post shows up. See, same thing...you're essentially highjacking this influencer's influence. Not cool. Now, tagging someone in a post actually related to them or something they've done...totally fine. @'ing them in a post you want them to see..thats fine too..tagging them so that your post shows up linked to this person..not fine. I actually had to block someone because he tagged me in his workout videos everyday. Now, if you wanted me to see a workout video of yours once or twice..ok. But this was creeping up to 6 or 7 times he was tagging me..and keep in mind HE DIDN'T EVEN FOLLOW ME. At all...never liked a pic..never shouted me out...nothing. I was literally just getting tagged in an instagram strangers posts every couple of days. It wasn't until post 6 or 7 that I realized he was just tagging me to have his video show up as one of my tagged photos. And it wasn't just me, it was a few other influencers as well. Since influencers use their pages to market for companies and TO brands, the photos that show up as apart of their tagged photos are important. If I am trying to appeal to a beauty brand..when they search Jhoni's tagged photos, I don't want a ton of unrelated posts to show up.
I hope this makes sense. The take-home message from this is not that influencers can't be marketed to or even talked to. As a matter of fact, it's just the opposite. Talk to them. Follow them. If you don't want to follow, like a few posts, and leave a few comments. Go check out their blog, their youtube, visit their website. Show influencers that you are more than just a person looking to use them, but rather someone offering reciprocal value. I hope this helped. Start doing some of these things and I guarantee influencers will start responding better to you. 🌹Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter! I promise I'll soon be dropping exclusive influencer content if you're a new influencer looking to monetize!

]]><![CDATA[My Everyday makeup routine]]>Wed, 19 Aug 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.jhonilocran.com/givenchy/my-everyday-makeup-routineBy Jhoni | August 19, 2020 | My Everyday Makeup Routine | Beauty

This is the part where I say that sooooooo many people have been asking me for my makeup routine. Believe it or not, that's actually mostly true (haha). The title of this blog might be slightly misleading. I call it my "everyday" makeup routine, but my eyes in the thumbnail look anything but "everyday". This brings me to my first point...
Let's let go of the idea that "everyday" makeup has to look natural. Your everyday makeup can be WHATEVER you want it to be. If you're someone who likes to wear a smokey eye everyday, then thats YOUR everyday make up routine. Now let's get to it..
There are youtube videos and blogs that focus on achieving amazing looks with drugstore makeup and cheaper brands...this is not that. Total transparency, I use mostly designer makeup brands. Thats simply because I feel like they agree with my skin the best. I'll tell you all what I use but feel free to substitute it with your favorite products.

1 So, I do not wear foundation usually. My routine is concealer and powders. With that said, I do own foundations (for when my skin is not happy with me). My favorites are Mac studio tech and, of course, Fenty. We stan Rihanna at jhonilocran.com. Lol, but I've digressed. The first thing I do when I'm trying to look like something, is my eyebrows. I use an angle brush and Anastasia Beverly hills Brow Powder Duo in chocolate. I take the angle brush with a little of the darker color on the brush and begin to trace the bottom of my brow..not the actual bottom, but where I want it to be. I then flick the brush upward from the line I just drew, blending the product into my brow. I then take a tiny bit of the lighter color and fill in the fronts of my brows and trace the top of my brows (where I want it to be). Don't worry if its not perfect...because this next step is going to make it all better.

2 Concealer. My favorite thing in the makeup world is concealer. I use Mac Pro longwear concealer in 2 different shades. The first shade is NC45, this is my true matching skintone. Then I use NC42 as a hightlight shade. Ok, I take the highlight shade and a different angle brush, and trace the bottom of my eyebrow to the shape I want. I then take the natural shade and trace the top of my brows. Then, I take a blending brush (I use the mac 224) and I blend, blend, blend, then blend some more. Don't be that person with the visible eyebrow-concealer line.

3 This next step makes all the difference. I then take that same blending brush, (I'm not buying another brush) and add some bronzer in my crease and on my brow bone. The bronzer I use is Bobbi Brown Bronzer in deep. Blend it out as smooth as you can.

4 The next step is to add some eyeliner on the waterline if I so choose. Also, this is the time where I would do a winged liner, or eyeshadow if I wanted to. I do the eyes first because I don't want any loose eyeshadow to fall on my face if its already beat..OKURT! I use Nars eyeliner for my waterline and whatever liquid liner I happen to have at the time. I'm not committed to any one.

5 Next, I add the concealer to my under-eye with a stipple brush in a circular motion. It buffs it really nice and creates a porcelain appearance. Depending on whether I want a more high-lighted appearance or not, I use either my NC45 or NC42 concealer. Usually I use the NC45, as I want a more natural look for the daily.

6 Ok. Brows are done. Eyes are done (except for lashes...that comes later), under-eyes are concealed. Time for powder. I use 2 different types of powder to set my face. I take the Mac mineralize Skinfinish Natural in medium deep and pat a generous amount under my eyes with a big fluffy brush. This is the lighter shade. Then I take the Skinfinish Natural in deep, my natural shade, and set the rest of my face: forehead, cheeks, chin...everything else except under my eyes...y'all know me by now....same brush...

Then, I take that 224 blending brush from earlier and the bronzer, and snatch the sides of my nose.

7This step makes all the difference. BLUSH and HIGHLIGHT. I take the, say it with me, "same brush" as step 6 and add my favorite blush to the apples of my cheeks and temples. I then take a fan brush (no thats not the real name for it) and I apply my favorite highlighter! I add the highlighter to the tip of my nose, and to my cheekbones. My favorite highlighters and blushes change...but currently Mac desert rose is my favorite blush and Mac mineralize highlighter in Global Glow and Fenty Diamond Bomb are my favorite highlighters..I add them both.

8 Ok. I'm just about done. This is where I add some lashes and mascara to my bottom lash line. There is no particular lash or mascara that I love. I honestly just use whatever.
I then give my self a few healthy spritz of setting spray And there you have it Angels! I am by no means a make-up artist. I just practiced on myself and learned what I liked. Hopefully this provided some guidance and answered questions for those of you who were curious. I included links for the products that you can get from rewardStyle in case you see anything you like. Love ya! Until next time Angels 🌹

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