March Favorites!

Holy Moly! Can you believe it is April already? That is nuts! Time is zooming by! Slow down life!

I am doing a video on this tonight, but for those of you that prefer reading, instead of  watching me babble, then I figured I would do a post covering all of the fun products that I enjoyed for the month of March!

I love trying new products! Even if they aren't brand new to the world, they are brand new to me! Some of you may have discovered these things months ago--- or maybe not!

So here they are, in no particular order:

MARCH FAVORITES

Fekkai Technician Color 3 Minute Mask

I got a sample of this in the mail from Target. I figured I would give it a shot, and it happened to be the night I needed to wash my hair. So I gave it a whirl. To say that I was amazed by this is an understatement. I have thick, course hair, which is color treated with blond highlights, so my hair can be dry at times. This 3 minute mask restored my vibrancy, I had bounce and tons of body and volume! I was blown away! It is like I just stepped out of a salon and got my hair blown out! Awesome. You use it on damp hair, int he shower, and then let it chill for 3 minutes, and then rinse it out and blow dry/style as usual. It is kind of pricey. I got mine at Target for $35.00. Yikes. But its a really good sized tub-- 7 ounces, and it will last a long time. It says to use 1-2 times a week. And I will look forward to those days:)

L'Oreal Hydra-Renewal Moisturizer

Okay-- since fricking Proactiv jacked my face up, I was in the market for some heavy duty moisturizer to repair the damage that was done to my purty little face. I should have realized that Proactive was the devil after I saw what it does to my towels. If it bleaches towels--imagine what it did to my skin. Yup, it dried the crap out of it! :( To the point that it hurt to laugh---I only used it every other day even. Then I broke out like a mo' fo'. I can go into more details about Proactiv, but this is not that kind of post.   Anyway-- so I hadn't done any research on moisturizer, but I knew that it needed to be heavy duty moisture, non-greasy, and long lasting. I found this. And it restored my moisture. And made me happy. My dry skin cleared up in 1 day. I only use it at night though, because it does leave my face with a bit of a shiny moist like dew on my face. I wake up in the morning, and even after rubbing my head all over my pillow, my face is still moist. I still am needing a daytime moisturizer, so for now, this will do for at night--- but I am still in search of a good one for the day time. So any recs, let me know:) Oh, and this was about $6, and it's in a cute little glass jar, which makes me feel fancy when it sits on my bathroom counter.

Sahag Revitalizing Drops

Here is another product for my hair. After I had mah babeh, my hair changed a lot. It got all weird on me. My ends decide to get all strange and frizzy, and it used to not be like that. Tear. But luckily there are products for that. And my hairdresser told me about this one, and I really like it. It can be used on dry or damp hair. I really like it. It smells kinda manly, but like a good smelling man, and it helps tame my frizzy ends. It's light weight, and not greasy. I prefer using it on my dry hair, before I heat style. It does not leave it greasy. You only use a tear-sized amount, which is like one pump of it. It was kind of pricey, but it will go a long way. I paid $27 at my salon, which I am sure you can get this for cheaper online.

Stay Matte but Not Flat Powder Foundation

I got this to use for photo shoots on my models since it was for High Def film. I love it! I got Soft Beige, which is a good color, and then I got one for contouring as well--- Caramel! I even loved it so much when I used it on my models, that I went out and bought some for me! This is by NYX, and it's about $10. And very much worth it. I use a brush to apply it, not the sponge. Using a brush gives this almost like a mineral veil type effect. Shiny skin goes away, and it set's the makeup in a flawless finish. If you use the sponge that comes with it, it's more of a powder foundation finish. Very nice product!

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo

I really love cream shadows--sometimes. At times I am not impressed. But these I was pleasantly surprised with! I have 4 colors: Too Cool (White), Pomegranate Pink (Mauve) Tough as Taupe (Taupe) and Tenacious Teal (Teal Blue). I love them. I will be getting all of these. They are great to do more edgy looks. Or good for neutral. By far the Taupe is amazing! And I pair it with Tease from my Naked 2 palette. And its great! These can be used alone. They go on creamy, and blend well. They take a bit to dry, which makes it fun to play with. They stay all day, and don't crease or budge! They can also be used like a primer. They are less then $6 so no breaking the pocket book if you want to try it. I really enjoy all of these colors. The Taupe was the hardest to find--seems that it's a fast seller. If you can find that one, I say get it! The purple and the green one's are next on my list to purchase.

Lip Magnet Primer

I had never heard of Pop Beauty. But it was on sale at Haute Look, and my mom was in the market for a lip primer to fill in her wrinkles on her lips, and to decrease feathering of her lipstick. I was pleasantly surprised by this. It goes on silky smooth, and really felt great and smoothly. My lipstick stayed, and my mom really liked how it filled in her wrinkles on her lips to give them a more youthful appearance. The only downside, was if I had a day where my lips were chapped or dry before I put this on, it clumped in the flakiness. So I make sure to exfoliate my lips really well before I put this on so that doesn't happen. I got this on sale for $4--but it looks like the going rate is $15. Worth a shot if you are in the market for a lip primer:)


NYX Jumbo Lip Pencil

I love jumbo pencils, for my eyes, and my lips! They just are really fun to work with! I got this one, not in the color of the pencil I have pictured, called "Pink Brown". Which is more like a coral pink, shimmer.  A go-to for all the coral lover's out there! And a great color for summer! These pencils go on silky smooth, and last a very long time! Wonderful color selection also:) And only $4.50!


So there ya have it! All of the wonderful products that I tried out for the month of March! Looking forward to what April will bring in the wonderful world of beauty:)

XO!

Concealed with a Kiss!

Hi my sleep deprived, over worked, busy friends!

Those bags and circles under your eyes are making you sad, and frazzled! And you are an amazing woman, that wants to appear rested, even when you aren't! No one wants to look tired. It is such a challenge to find good concealer. There are a ton out there. You need to ask your self a couple questions when looking for concealer. How bad is the under eye area? Are you needing concealer to just even up your under eye area, or are there some serious baggage that is staking claim? Are the dark circles minor, or major? Do you like a concealer to be thick and creamy? Or more liquid-y and sheer? Understanding your needs is the most important factor when heading out to make a concealer purchase.

My needs for concealer are more to brighten my under eye area, and give it a glow, awake like look. I don't get very bad dark circles. On occasion my eyes will be puffy. But that is the extent. So I find that the Cover Girl Smoothers Concealer-Neutralizer works well for me. It goes on easy. Is on the thicker side, yet still creamy and blend-able. No matter what type of concealer you choose, the way you apply it is going to make the biggest difference in the results.

Most of us can get away with just focusing on the under eye area, patting gently and lightly. But there are the other extreme cases, and with extreme cases, an extreme technique should be used! You can even use this same method that I show in the video, without as much concealer, but using the same shape of the technique which is fabulous!

If you want to see this extreme concealer technique, then take a look below, to see what I mean. Like I said, you don't have to do as much concealer that I apply in this video, but I want you to understand that applying concealer does not have to be confined to just the little half moon under your eyes. It's not always the best method for some. I used Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser Concealer for this video.

Check it out, and let me know your thoughts, or if you know of any other application techniques that work for you!

I hope that this has opened your eyes to trying a new way of keeping those bags and circles at bay!

I also hope that you have a super fabulous Friday!

Kiss, Hug and Makeup!

XO

Singin' in the RAIN! And Dancing in it, and Loving IT!

Rain Cosmetic's that is! Have I told you lately that I love them? NO! I haven't, because I was a fail-er, and have not written a review on them, or done a video in a while, but guess what? I have now! I did a video last night, and it's up for all to enjoy! It was almost a month that I left you in suspense of seeing my purty little face! My bad! :)

For those of you that may recall, I have been on the search for the best blush in the universe. And I have found it! My search is finally over. And it makes me happy. It's like discovering a new best friend. It completes me. It is by Rain Cosmetics. Never heard of them.  I discovered them on Haute Look a couple months back as one of their featured events. Let me just say that my only regret is that I did not know how awesome their products were, and I should have bought more while all of their products were 1/2 off!

Rain Cosmetics is based in Las Vegas, NV. All of their make-up is heat, and humidity resistant. So they have staying power! Another fun thing, all of their names of their products are very "Vegas-y". For example a lipstick named "Prailine Dion" or "Berry Manilow". Or a blush named "Peepshow" and "Striptease". Fun! Plus their packaging is super cute! Their Glowing Blush is amazing! All of my needs have been met! High pigment? Check. Blend-ability? Check! Build-able color? Check Check! Staying Power? Oh heck YES! It stays put, and looks great all day!

Next I bought their Blood, Sweat and Tears lip gloss set. AWESOME! It is a really cool lip gloss trio.  Too much to rave about, just watch my video so you can see what I have to say:)



I realllllly hope that you try one of their products, because this company needs to be known for their great product! I think you will be sold on it as well! Next I will be buying their primer and I really want to try their concealer!

Here are some pics for you to enjoy!

Glowing Blush in Burlesque
Peachy/Coral/Bronze

Glowing Blush in Fantasy
Rose/Pink/Mauve

Blood, Sweat & Tears Lip Gloss
Blood-Red Tint/Stain
Sweat-Champagne Shimmer
Tears-Clear Gloss

Well kids, it's time to resume my day! I hope that your day is fantastic!

Kiss, Hug and AMAZING BLUSH!
YAY!



*All of these opinons are my own, and I bought these products with my own moola:) BAM!

Time to Spring into ACTION!

Hi my lovely friends!

*Crawling out of hibernation*

We made it! To Spring! Up here in the "Mitten" it feels more like summer! I was not ready for this 80 degree weather, nor were my toes:( Eeeeek. But the weather, it's a changin' and I am thrilled! I have already started my summer-ifi-cation-ness. Yes, I made that word up. But what I mean is, I am starting to get some golden color going, getting my toes prettified again, changing my skincare routine, and setting out to spruce up my Spring/Summer wardrobe.

First things first, my skincare routine needs to merge into something else. Like the weather changes, so does our skincare needs. The foundation that I normally have been using L'Oreal Smooth Absolute Visible Lift Foundation which is a full, all-over coverage, will not be my go to foundation. Instead I will be using my Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer. Which delivers sheer coverage, refreshing moisture, and an SPF, all in an effortless, and light-weight application. My eye makeup routine becomes minimal, and natural with more peaches, corals, pinks, coppers and bronzes! And this summer I will add a pop of turquoise. And tangerine! Just for fun:)

On the horizon, I have lots in store for you for videos:

Rain Cosmetics Review: This is going to be on the 2 blushes I have, which are amazing! And also their Blood, Sweat, and Tears lip gloss set!

Different Ways to Apply Your Concealer: I will show you a couple different ways that you can apply concealer that will give you a whole different view on concealer, and this may even help you revive a concealer that you aren't crazy about! :)

How to Contour your Face: I will teach you how to contour your face to give you a slimming, sculpted look. I will even show you how to contour your shoulder and decolletage for all of your summer tops.

Summer Makeup Tutorials: I will show you a couple pretty summer looks that are gorgeous! I will have a beachy/coral look. A "mermaid eye" look which everyone can pull off! And a natural look, with a pop of color! FUN, FUN!

Pretty "Mermaid" Eyes!

Now I have all of these ideas, so I just have to find the time in between enjoying this gorgeous weather, bbq'ing, and enjoying the outdoors!  :)

Oh, and on a side note: Who else is excited for the HUNGER GAMES movie debut? Meeeee! If you haven't read the books, do! If I can find time to read them, you can! They are quick reads, and very entertaining:) Maybe I will be inspired to do another tutorial on some Hunger Games inspired makeup!


Have a gorgeous day my friends!

Kiss, Hug and Makeup!

TOP 5: Mascaras!

Hi y'all!

I know I promised you a video review on my fave blush---but I ordered more products from them yesterday, so I am going to wait to do the video review on my secret fave cosmetics once those arrive! So excited to share it with you! I was inspired by this post from a good friend that posted on my wall on FB. She wanted to know what my favorite mascara was. So that sparked my post, since I do have a lot of faves! And then I think I am going to do a post like this every week naming my "Top 5" products! Oh happy day!

I want to share with you my top favorite mascaras of all time! (well to this point in my life) since I am sure there will be a plethora of mascaras I will try. I have long lashes. Yes, lucky me. But they are not as voluminous as I would like them.  So when I set out to find mascara these are the qualities that I prefer, which may not be what you seek--- I look for a mascara that thickens without clumping, does not flake, feels natural and not ooey gooey, or dry, and that is buildable and just plain awesomeness. Oh and I only want to put on 1-2 coats of mascara. So the one's that I favor all do those things.

Here they are in no particular order:

P.S. I never buy waterproof mascara, but if that is what you prefer, then all of these mascaras offer the waterproof version. Also, all mascara's I buy are about $6-10 in price range:) I'm cheap like that. I also wear contacts, and all of these are suitable for contact lens wearers.

1. L'Oreal Voluminous Volume Building Mascara

Choosing a mascara formula is similar to choosing nail polish in my opinion. You know when you get a lower brand of nail polish, and you end up having to do a million coats for the color to pop--since the formula is so thin? Not cool. That is why I love this mascara! 1 coat is all you need, and you have great lashes that are thick and long! Consider it like the OPI of mascaras! It is not an ooey gooey formula, so it doesn't feel all clumpy, and my lashes look amazing! And it's my all time favorite!

2.  Maybelline "The Falsies" Volum Express in "Black Drama"

This mascara works wonders for making your lashes fuller and longer! It contains fibers too that really "plump up the volume" and give you the illusion of "fake lashes", but without looking too dramatic. The brush on this is curved, and it really helps you get to the base of your lashes with ease. I really liked the formula for this one. It is buildable, but if you put too many coats on, you can look a smidgen clumpy, so stick to only 2 coats of this one. Wonderful mascara!

3. Maybelline Great Lash Mascara

This was the very first mascara I ever owned. My mom had it in her makeup bag, so naturally it was my first one I purchased. They have come a long way with it since it first came around. This mascara has so many wonderful qualities! The applicator is an awesome size to get those little lashes that are hiding. The formula is silky smooth. And the blackest black color is great! Plus my favorite part of this, it is so easy to remove and wash off. A lot of mascaras are not the easiest to remove, but this one is! Also, this one is good for the girls out there that want more of the natural, less thick lashes, and are looking for a good coating, with length. If this mascara had a motto it would be "Simplicity is Genius".  :)

4. Maybelline Intense XXL Volume + Length Microfiber Mascara

This mascara is super cool! I like this for special occasions where I really want to wow people with my peepers. The first step is to apply the "white microfiber coat". Then step 2 is to apply the intense color top coat! I actually put 2 coats of the white, and then follow up with 1 of the black. Talk about thick and dramatically awesome lashes! This one is also non drying, and very easy to wash off as well. The only downsize is if 1 of the 2 steps runs out before the other, then you tend to not want to finish the product. But other than that this one is a fun one to use, but I don't use it every day.

5. Rimmel Glam Eyes Mascara

Whenever I try Rimmel products, I am pleasantly surprised by the product, especially for the price! Plus they have cute packaging. I am a sucker for marketing, and when I saw this, I thought about black kittens wearing pearls, and sitting on a pink tufted chair. So of course, I had to purchase the mascara, due to this vision. And I was so happy with this mascara! Looks cute, and is purrrrrfect.  ;) I loved how teeny tiny the wand was. Because that part makes a big difference. You can get all up in there to those small lashes, and get really close to them! It separates them nicely, and is not drying. It's buildable too for daytime, and simply throwing a coat on for the evening!  Very great mascara, and a very great price!

So there you have it folks! Those are my Top 5 Mascaras that I highly recommend to you!  If you have any other ideas for the Top 5, let me know!

Have a wonderful day my lovely friends and fam!

Kiss! Hug! and Luscious Lashes!

xo

Outfit of the Day!

Hi Friends!

Want to see what I wore today? I know you live your whole life waiting to see what I wore? Don't you? No? Well, shoooooot. I will still show you anyway!  :)

Here it is! Look at how scrumptious I look!

This was one of the shirts that I got from Charming Charlie! I love that it has pockets! And fun sleeves too. Its a neat giraffe-ish print. I paired it with my skinny black pants, and my tall black pumps. Yay for cuteness!

ANYWAY--

Next up, I have found the world's greatest blush! Finally, my search is over. I am soooo happy that I have discovered it. I will be telling you all about it's amazingness in a video I will be doing, hopefully this weekend! So excited for you to know about it, since it is NOT from a well known company, but it's amazing, and I will be buying all of their colors of blush! I will save some for you, promise--- lol  And since their blush was so amazing, I will be trying more of their products as well. I feel so complete now that I have found this blush, and I can't wait to share it with you:)

SO that is what is coming up next! I bet you can't wait!!

I hope you all have a lovely day!

Kiss-Hug and Makeup!

Yours truly--Michelle :)

Puttin' on the Lips!

Hi my lovely people!

It's been too long since I have made a post. Sorry about that. I have been busy, busy! I did a great shoot recently with a talented photographer, Color Impact Photography/Jim Toreli, and a model who was so talented and sweet, Stephanie Lynn! It was so much fun! I got to do 3 looks on her. Look one was more natural, look 2 was more of a fun look, and then 3 was a smokey eye look!

Check out the pictures here on my Model Mayhem Profile: My Model Mayhem Profile

I love photo shoots! It is so fun to work with other creative people collaborating on different looks. It really makes my soul happy:)

So anyway, back to my post.

This post is brought to you by the letter F. For frustrating! You know what's frustrating? Finding that perfect shade of nude, or pink, or red lipstick! I, still to this day, have picked the wrong shade! Gasp! I know your pain! I wanted to share a few tips and tricks to finding your perfect shades, and also ways to remedy a not so perfect color you may have gotten stuck with!

First thing that will start you on your path towards lipstick enlightenment...choosing the store that you will be buying your lipstick from. If you are budget minded you may head to your nearest drugstore. TIP: find out their return policy on makeup. For example Rite Aid lets you return makeup even if you have opened the package to try it, same with Ulta. Since drugstores or other stores that sell makeup, like Target, don't allow you to try before you buy, knowing the return policy will help you, and your pocketbook, feel less sad if you end up buying the wrong color!

If you are one to want to shop at Sephora, Ulta or a fancy department store with higher end makeup, you can sample shades, or even seek the assistance of a friendly worker! Sometimes you can even get free samples! Then you can go find a similar version of the sample for cheaper! Lol see how that works? So choosing a store when buying lipstick can be a factor in getting you that much closer to the lipstick color that rocks your socks!

I could sit here and type to you how you can determine your skin tone and undertones, but let's face it. I can't see you. And it can be hard for people to tell what color category they fall in, especially if you are one of those people that are in the neutral category, that can go either warm or cool. UGH. Makes anyones head hurt trying to figure that whole, "am I cool, or warm,or neutral?" BLAH. Frustrating.
So instead of guiding you towards that, I am going to change your opinion all together. I am going to tell you to go choose a color that you LOVE. That's it. Go right now, to the aisle with all 8,513,437 different lipstick shades. And find out which color is speaking to you. Too many? Okay. Start with this. I think each lovely lady needs to have these 3 colors:  Nude, Pink and Red. Basically there are a billion variations of these. But if you have at least 1 of each of these 3 color categories, you have done well.

I am giving you a homework assignment. Here it is:

Buy 3 different lipstick shades. 3 is the magic number. Buy a light nude one, that matches your lip color. Next buy a more pinky colored one. And lastly, buy a red one that you think rocks. If you are at a store where you can sample before buying, then sample the 3 shades:) You can determine your colors by process of elimination. Say you try on the nude, and it's too light-- find one that is 1 or 2 shades up from that. And vice versa if it is too dark, then find 1 or 2 shades down from that.

Say you just have no energy to go back out and rid your self of the bad lipstick choices, then to salvage these colors, pair it with a lip gloss with some color to change the look of it! No need to toss it out! Too much pink in that lip color? Tone it down with say a light pink shimmery gloss. Voila, you have turned it into another color!

Oh and another tip! Lip liners are waaaay cheaper! Buy a couple lip liners in shades you like. Apply them all over your lip. See if those work. If yes, go find a lipstick that matches. If no, back thee to the drawing board:)

In a nutshell, do NOT be afraid or discouraged in selecting the wrong shade. You did not just tattoo color to your lips, so it comes off, and if you chose the right location to buy your lipstick from, and saved your receipt, you can take that lipstick right back to the store, no feelings or pocketbooks hurt.

Makeup is FUN! And you can experiment! And it should not give you a headache. The more you try to add scientific research to it, the less fun it seems! Don't put yourself into a little color box, where you think you are warm, so you can only wear this color, etc. Those are tips for starting you in the right direction, yes, but the path can be all swervey! And twirly! And it's okay that you buy a funky color! It's all good in the hood:)

And when all else fails, and you give up, just throw some leopard print lips on lol. Or not! ;)

Have fun, and if you feel overwhelmed still--- just contact me, and I will guide you more!

Kiss, Hug and LIPSTICK, the good ones hopefully!

My What BIG Eyes You Have!

Hello there!

This post is for all of my lovely peeps out there that wear glasses, especially the nearsighted kind. If you are nearsighted (can't see far away), you know that your biggest drawback when wearing your glasses, is that your lenses make your eyes look small. Booooo.

I made a video showing a couple tips and tricks for making your eyes behind your lenses appear large and in charge!

So put on your glasses, and watch the fun!

I hope you all have a fabulous day!

Kiss, Hug and Larger eyes behind those glasses, and Makeup

XO!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to all of my family and friends, and blog followers, who I love so very dearly!

Even if you don't celebrate this holiday, make sure to take time out of your day, no matter which day it is, to tell your loved one's how much they mean to you! Life is so, so short, and love should not to be taken for granted. Don't forget to give lots of kisses and hugs, and cuddles to those that you could not imagine your life without! People mostly will remember the way you make them feel, rather then  each of the words that you say to them. So if you make them feel loved, that will matter most, and they will get all warm and squishy feeling when they think of you! It's like them sipping a big, warm mug full of hot chocolatey goodness, with marshmallows! Mmmmmmmm. 

Love Filled Kisses, Big Squishy Hugs, and Lovely Makeup!
XO I love you all!

Happy Valentine's Day!

P.S. If you are wanting to see some of the jewelry that I found over this weekend, that I LOVE, then I have a treat for you! I made a video of them! So check it out!

P.P.S. I am also working on editing a video for all of my peeps out there that wear glasses!  Tips to make those nearsighted eyes appear beautiful and large behind those lenses! So stay tuned!

Paint Me Red and Call Me Sassy Pants!

Friday! How I love thee! You are here!

Yesterday, when I arrived home, I had a box on my doorstep! My husband was like, "What did you order now?" I said, "not sure", since it could be 1 of 4 things! LOL So he decided to open the box, and squealed with delight as he pulled RED PANTS from the box! He was so excited! Because they were just what he always wanted! And then I crushed his dreams, because I told them they were for me! Wah wah wah... HA.

Later on when I had a spare moment, I played with the pants. I tried a plethora of shirts and shoes on with them and made many outfits! I was feeling snazzy in these pants. They are hip, colorful and fun!  Love.

Here is me wearing them today:

Look at that face! That is the face of pure excitement! LOL Or not. But they are fabulous! This isn't even my fave outfit I came up with to wear these with, but it will do.  :)And darn these shoes---these are basically sitting shoes. One should not spelunker around the office in shoes like this. Hand me my slippers!

If you are contemplating to get pants in a new bright, pretty hue for the upcoming Spring season, here are the hottest color palettes for 2012:

Clearly I am all set on my "Poppy" pieces. I think my next color I am aiming for will be "Canary"! I love yellow! It's so happy! I don't think you can have a bad day if you are wearing yellow. I am pretty sure that is a rule. Plus it looks great with a tan---If you don't have a tan yet, then I suggest the "Geranium", which is a Coral color pretty much! Hint: "Coral" is a universally flattering color! Meaning it looks GREAT on everyone!

I wonder what kind of day wearing red pants will bring for me?

Well kids--- I hope your day is great! And whatever color clothing you are wearing, I hope it makes for a great Friday for ya!

XO!

Outfit of the Day!

Hi friends!

I know I said I only get spruced up on Fridays, but today, I was feeling ambitious! Plus my new red blazer was calling my name while hanging in my closet! It was like "Michelle, I want to come out and play!" And so I obliged the cool piece of clothing, and plucked it from it's hanger, and put it on! And we were both happeh.

So this is one of the pieces I mentioned that you should make one of your Spring pieces of clothing goals! I am so happy I found this at H&M. I will wear the crap out of it. 

Here is little ol' me wearing this darling jacket:

What is on my lower half you ask? I will give you 2 guesses-- DING! That is right! My black leggings. HA! But don't you worry my little pretties, because my new red pants are en route as we speak! And I will be wearing the crap out of those as well. And when I get them, you will know! Oh yes. Oh yes!

Just wanted you to see the awesome red blazer in all of it's glory! Isn't it rad?

Well carry on with your day, my friends! I will be working on another video soon! On what? Not sure! But I have a list that I have going, so I will close my eyes, point, and pick one out:)

Kisses and Hugs, and AWESOME RED BLAZERS! wooooooooot

Top 5 Spring Pieces to Buy Right NOW!

Hi Everyone!

Today I wanted to discuss the top 5 Spring pieces to purchase right now, and how to incorporate them into your current Winter wardrobe!

It's always great when it's freezing cold outside, and you are shopping in your favorite store, and low and behold a rack full of Spring clothes, and bathing suits, are right there in front of you! You think to yourself, "Why the heck are these things out now?" and "Why does this store taunt me with these floral prints, breezy sundresses, and sleeveless tops when it is snowing out, and I am in a parka with chapped lips?" But I am here to say, that the early arrival of these items can be bought right now! And even worn right now! YES folks, there is a method to this madness!

P.S. It is already Spring in my head when I spot the first package of Cadbury Mini Eggs! MMMMMMMMMMM

Here are the top 5 Spring pieces you should add to your closet, and how you can add them to your current wardrobe right now:

1. Navy Blue or Red Blazer
This is essential to your Spring Wardrobe! I got mine in Red. But if you are not as adventurous as that, find it in Blue, or even a Nude color! You will be amazed at how many things you can pair a blazer with!



2. Strapless Dress-in a fun print!
You can wear this dress with your blazer, and leggings, and boots for right now! And then in the Spring you can wear it with a cool pump and your blazer! And then it flows right into summer with a cute sandal! If you don't want to bare your arms, there are plenty out there with sleeves!



3. Floral Printed Tank Top

This will be great paired with a blazer, or a cozy cardigan! You can wear it with jeans, leggings, or even those bright colored jeans. And of course is an essential piece for Summer too! You can get a lot of miles out of this! Buy it in whatever print, or floral print you'd like!

4. Flowy Charmeuse Blouse

Besides being super comfy and figure flattering, this is a great piece to have in your Spring collection! You can pair it with so many things! Leggings, pants, skirts, oh my! You can get it in black or white, or a fun bright color! I got one in black with fun white polka dots! 

 

5. Bright Colored Jeans/Pants

Consider these pants your new black leggings! You can find them in many bright colors right now-Royal blue, Red, Magenta, and Yellow!

Those are the top 5 Spring items to purchase right now. They will carry you through this season, and the next as the weather changes! I have found these items in a ton of different stores! Old Navy, H&M, Target, Marshalls/TJ Maxx, JC Penny and Kohls. I am sure you can find things similar to these in whatever stores you fancy!  Happy shopping!

Kiss, Hug and warmer weather approaching!

I.Must.Share.This!

Guys!

One of my favorite YouTube Beauty Gurus/Facebook peeps, sscastaneda/Sonia Castaneda, recommended this site to me!

It's called Haute Look. Check it out here: HAUTELOOK 

It is FREE to sign up! It offers tons of name brand deals for super cheap! Designer items/clothing for the home, men, women, children, electronics, shoes and makeup! I just bought the Urban Decay Book of Shadows for $29! It is normally $64! PLUS the primer potions, in all colors, are 1/2 off! That is right folks--- only $9! Plus the 24/7 eye pencils, and more!  That.Is.Amazo.  New deals every day/week! So jump on the deals fast! 

Go! Go now! 

XO

Love is in the Air!

Hi my lovelies!

I thought it would be fun to play with a little Valentine's Day look---one look for the daytime, and then by just a couple steps, transforming it to a night time look! That way you will be ready for any love that comes your way on Valentine's Day!

Check out the video below to see;)

Love you all!

Kiss, hug and Valentine's Day makeup!

Cargo Cheek Activator Review

Hi my people!

Here is a quick review on the Cargo Cheek Activator that I mentioned in my Ulta Haul post, just incase you were wondering how it turned out! Enjoy!

Xo and new products!

OUTFIT OF THE DAY!

My people!

What is up? Happy Friday! I am going to do outfit of the day every Friday, as well as take some pics of my outfits on the weekends, since those are the days where I spruce up a bit:)  So yeah, just wanted to let you know that I will be making sure to show you my outfits!

Here is my outfit today, which I will call Girly Man lol. No-- I won't call it that. I will call it Spring Biker Chick. HAHA.  Basically I wanted to wear my new floral drapey tank top that I picked up on clearance at Old Navy. I love it! But since it is still winter, I had to wear it less "Spring-ish" like. So I paired it with my black leggings. (I swear I DO wear jeans). And a little bit of my bad girl flare, my faux leather jacket.And since I wanted to keep my chest area warm, and a tad covered since I am at work, I added a white infinity scarf.  The look went perfect with my "fauxhawk" that I did today.  I will do a tutorial on it, since it is super easy! Plus it makes my hair look longer, just by using 2 pony tails, instead of 1! Look at me being all sneaky :)

Outfit of the day!

Fauxhawk

Can't look all sweet with a floral top and a fauxhawk! Right? There ya have it folks! My outfit of the day! Girly with an edgy twist. 

I hope you all have a glorious Friday and weekend! Love you all!

Kiss, big girly hugs, and edgy hair! XO

Homemade, Smoochable, and Lickable LIPS!

Hi Y'all!

Happy Groundhog Day! I can't believe it is already February! 2012 has been wonderful so far for us-- I hope it has been wonderful for you too.

Love is in the air. Valentine's Day is only a couple weeks away! Valentine's Day is fun, because I get inspired to make homemade cards, or little gifts. And my new addiction, Pinterest, has totally opened the flood gates with inspiration! So many neat ideas from organizing, cooking, to hair and makeup, and crafts! GAHHHH! Love all of the creative ideas, right at my fingertips! (For those of you that do not know what Pinterest is, it is an online "pin board" where you can organize all of your ideas that you want to use or make in your life. You can share with others, and also others can share with you! It is super great. It is by invite only right now, so if you need an invite, let me know. But I have to warn you, it is addicting. And you will want to try everything you see on there. But it's fabulous.

One of the things I was inspired to try out was homemade lip gloss! It only uses 2 little ingredients. Vaseline and Crystal Lite. Inspiration at it's finest. 

Here is my step by step guide to making this yummy, delicious, and uber moisturizing lip gloss:

Supplies needed:

-Microwave safe bowl and a spatula
-Lip gloss containers (I found mine at a Five Below store-if you don't have one, they are just little travel containers)
-Vaseline (I used about 1/4 cup, and it FILLED 2 of the little containers--you can use less or more depending on how many of these bad boys you are making)
-Crystal Lite "to-go" packets. I used 2 raspberry flavored packets, and I also used an off brand since I had it handy. You can also use red/pink colored Kool Aid, however since it is unsweetened you would need to add a smidgen of an artificial or natural sweetener to it.



Scoop the Vaseline into the bowl. It will look lovely. The clean up of it, is not as lovely, so I suggest using a bowl that you don't have warm and fuzzy feelings towards.

Now stick the bowl in your microwave. Make sure your microwave is set to HIGH and nuke it for 1 minute. CAREFULLY remove molten Vaseline from microwave and stir it.
Repeat the heating step a total of 4 times to get your Vaseline to the liquidy consistency that is needed. Since all microwaves are different, you may need to do this step more than 4 times. The Vaseline consistency should almost be "pourable".





Pour the drink mix of your choice into the Vaseline.



Stir the Crystal Lite into the Vaseline. Crystal Lite is a smidgen harder to dissolve the crystals, so just stick the container back in the microwave for another minute, and then stir the heck out of it. Now the lip gloss is ready to be placed into the cute containers.

Ready to go to it's little container home.

Lip gloss in the cute little container home.

Try it out on your lips. MMMMMM Tasty.

XO! And there ya have it folks!

Give it out as a gift, or hoard them all for your self! Super easy to make, and tastes yummy. Experiment with colors, or flavors! Make sure if you are making this with children to supervise them, since the Vaseline can get a bit hot, and we don't want to injure anyone in the name of beauty.


Homemade Kisses, and Hugs, and Makeup!

Have you "Scene" it?

HIIIII!

Last night after the men folk in my life went off to sleepy land, I decided to have a little fun with my makeup. I have always appreciated the Scene look, and thought it was kinda spunky, and fun! In fact, I always end up bringing a picture of "scene" type hair to my hair salon appointments. I love the short bob type hair on top, with the long hair as well. Almost mullet-ish. And holy giant volume! Love it! The makeup is always all about the eyes. And the more extreme, the better! Lots of fun colors, and very dramatic liner for the eyes. Where the cheek is usually bold, or not. And the lips are usually nude or a light, barely-there, shimmer.  So yeah. I am 30 years old, and I know that if I were to be back in middle school or high school, I would be spending hours in front of my mirror, playing with my hair and makeup, and I know I would be all about that "scene" look.

Well, back to my story--- I opened up my makeup kit (aka the Box O' Fun) after the wee lad was in bed, and decided to "play" with my makeup. And from that, I was inspired, and I made another video! This video making is addicting! 

Here is a close up of my eyeball for you to admire:

But if you want to watch the "Scene" unfold---check out my video-- complete with kissy faces, and eye rolls of course:) LOL No--seriously, I had fun-- and it's a really fun look to try, even if you aren't brave enough to leave the house with it!-- p.s. I don't talk in the video-- you just get to watch my fun skillz and hear fun music. Sooooooo cool I am. Yup.

The joys of makeup :) Put it on, take it off! Play some more! Try this. Try that! So.Much.Fun.

Whatcha think my peeps?  Oh and let me know if you like videos more where I chat along the way, or do you like the whole watch me do my "thang"? Let me know!

Kiss, Hug and SCENE Makeup, y'all!

Cat Eyes & Red Lips!

Guys!

I am alive and well! Last week was a doozy with all the sickness that decided to mingle with our immune systems. First the flu, and then a round of colds! OY VAY. But we are feeling much better. I am so happy to be back and with a new video as well!

Guess what else? I learned how to edit, thanks to iMovie! It was super easy and fun! The look I did was inspired by Angelina Jolie's look on the red carpet recently, at the Golden Globes. If you missed it, here is a pic of her look:

Very simple, elegant and glamorous! And I am loving how the look right now is very simple eye makeup, with the pow wam bam of red lips!

So here is my version of this look--it's pretty basic, I could have jazzed it up a bit, but I was too excited to start editing:)

Watch my video! Ready, set, GO!

Let me know what you think of my editing skills:) I added some fun sound effects too lol

Also, feel free to let me know what looks inspire you!

Kiss, hug and makeup!

Ohhhh Honey, Honey!

Hi everyone!

BRRRRRR! It's been so cold here in Michigan! Winter is not my favorite. That is for sure. It's cold, my skin is dry, my lips get chapped, and I just want to hibernate. But no. Life must go on, and I must get my face moisturized and looking all cute, all without leaving my house. And you can! Well as long as you have honey in your pantry, that is.

I am introducing you to the wonderful world of honey. My sister actually got me hooked on this. And at first I was like, hmmmmm. But then I was like yahhhhhh! This is a wonderful treatment, that makes my skin feel moisturized, my blemishes to not feel so blemishy, and just wonderful. In 2 weeks time, you will see an amazing difference. All it takes is 10 minutes a day. And I hope you can find that little chunk of time to do this, because you will see a big difference.

HONEY FACE:
What you do:

Buy some organic, raw, unpasteurized honey (even if you don't find organic, make sure it is raw and unpasteurized)

Tie your hair back, so it is out of your face.

Make sure your face is clean, and all makeup is removed.
Note: You can have your face slightly damp since this makes the honey easier to apply, but you do not want your face wet, since this will dilute your honey.

Take about a teaspoon of honey and lightly dip your clean fingertips into the honey and lightly dot this on your face. (I dot it first on my face to get the honey on there, and then gently rub it into my skin)

Leave the honey on your face for 10 minutes. Honey adheres very nicely, so don't be afraid to go and do some chores, or start some dinner, or read a book.

Rinse your face with warm water, and lightly pat dry. The honey comes off very easily!

Voila! Beautiful and moisturized skin! Like I said, do this once a day for 2 weeks, and you will see a wonderful difference in your skin!

Try it out!


P.S. I will be uploading a video soon on a really fun "pin-up" retro-ish, glamor-ish, look that was very popular on the Golden Globes Red Carpet--as seen on the lovely Angelina Jolie:

So purty! I will be back with a video on this look! YAY FOR YOU!



Kiss, Hug, and Honey!

Ulta Haul!

Hi my beautiful friends!

I forgot to post my video regarding all of the neat things I purchased yesterday from Ulta! I love that store. And for those of you that are not blessed to have an Ulta by you, I am sorry:( Cause it is the fruit to my loom. It is like a beauty store mecca! I could spend an hour in there or more, easily.  I set out to Ulta, and I had a list in hand, I needed lipstick (I was looking for a specific shade, but they were out of it.) Apparently everyone was looking for the same shade. BOO. I was also on a mission for more foundation, concealer, face treatment, and blush! So here is a video of the things I purchased!

 

I forgot to mention in my video, that while I was there looking for blush-- I almost bought one for 28 bucks---yikes. It was from Tarte, and it was their 12-hour clay pot one. But I wasn't thrilled by the price. And I really hadn't heard much about it, in terms of if it was fabulous or not. So I asked the girl that worked at the Benefit Brow Bar at Ulta, which is the spot where you can get your brows done--ps, on your birthday you get a free eyebrow awaxing ;0. She recommended this cream blush in a squirt tube It's called Cargo Cheek Acitvator for 32 bucks. Hmmmmmm.

This brand is more on the professional makeup end of the makeup world. They specialize in "High-Def" makeup. Which gives a very flawless almost air-brushing look. I will be trying these out for sure! So this tube she showed me squirts out. And comes out white. I tried this on the back of my hand. You start rubbing the white lotion, and like magic, it turns pink! And the more you rub, the more intense color it can get! It blends easily, and the color looks really natural! It amazed me! So here I have this awesome liquid/cream blush on my hand. Hook, line and sinker! I was thisclose to buying it, because I was thrilled by what it did, and the color looked really good. But I was like nooooo. Not this time. But in the back of my head, I really, really wanted to buy it. Well, later on at night, when I was going to wash my face for the evening, guess what was still on the back of my hand? (I swear I washed my hands multiple times after this lol). That is right, folks! The cream CARGO blush!! I was like holy moly! It is still there! And still looked good, and felt smooth. SOLD! Needless to say, I went on to Ulta this morning, and I purchased it:) It also came with a free gift set with a couple more of their products to try, so I am quite happy about this. And when it arrives, I will be doing a video on it, so you can see too! Now I just hope this little 32 dollar tube lasts me a while!

And here are links to the items I purchased: (minus my spot treatment and hair thingy)

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss
L'Oreal Smooth Absolute Foundation
L'Oreal Age Reversing Concealer
ULTA Spray Brush Cleaner
Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush
L'Oreal HIP Eyeshadow Duo's

If you haven't watched my tutorial on the Smokey Eye yet-- check it out! It's a couple posts down:)

Kiss and Hugs, and Long Lasting Makeup!

WOOOOOOT!

How to: Smokey Eyes!

Hi everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Mine was great! We had nice a nice visit with the hubby's family, and yesterday had a very uplifting day at church, and then I played bingo with my wonderful friends, who I consider like family:) HI GUYS!!  :) No luck at bingo, but it was still fun!

Anyway! Let's get to some makeup, since that is what you all are here for!  One makeup look that I think everyone should master, is the "Smokey Eye".  I am here to show you that it does not have to be so scary!

Here I have done a makeup tutorial on how to tackle that Smokey Eye, without making it look like you were tackled in a fight!  I swear to you, its EASY! You can do eeeet! So here you go, a video:

LOL Love when You Tube really captures my best moments as the opening picture! Rock ON, You Tube!

Well, off to Ulta to get some makeup! I will be back later today with a "HAUL" video! So fun!!

XO and Smokey Makeup!

Outfit of the day!

This week I spent half of the week in my jammies, since my wee-lad was sick, so it was nice to get dolled up today for work, plus who doesn't like looking cute on Friday's? I figured I would share what I am wearing today!

The Piece's:

Black Blazer: bought at H&M many moons ago
Blue Shirt with studs, and the arms are actually open, but I covered it with the blazer for work appropriate-ness;)--This was bought from JCPenny, many moons ago-- by Arden B
Black Leggings--I have no recollection of where I purchased these from
Black "chain" booty shoes-I bought these from Kohl's a couple years ago, and they are by Simply Vera
Earrings: Long silver chains--these make me feel like a rock star! They touch my shoulders:)

The Look:

XO, and cute outfits on Fridays!

Now go to the next post to see my video's peeps!  ;)

Lesson learned, and taught:)

Well, I did it! My first makeup tutorial! Actually, it is more of a walk-thru, rather than a tutorial, since I am mostly showing you what I do for my "basic" face. Although I do teach a couple things, and I have learned too from this! 1. Don't film my entire makeup routine (it's way to long of a video to upload to You Tube). I had to post it in 2 separate chunks.  So next time I will just focus on one "event" at a time. Like a quick video on each step or something. 2. You can edit on You Tube! I will be learning how to do this--since I really need to. 3. Making videos is fun! YAY!

So here they are, Part 1 and 2-- there may be a slight overlap in the 2 as well. OOPS! Enjoy! And please, please if you want to learn something, let me know! My next video I will be doing is a really neat smoky eye, with a pop of color! LOVE IT! So check these out YO!

Kiss, Hug, and slightly shorter videos on makeup:)

BYE Y'ALL, AND HAPPY FRIDAY!!