Just Another Manic Monday

Have you tried liquid lipsticks?  I never heard of this lip product until I purchased it during this month's haul. [link] I've been wearing Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Aria all month.  I love the product and color so much that I picked up another one in Fiore.

The concept behind the liquid lipstick is interesting and may or may not be for everyone.  This subtle cotton candy scented lip product is denser than a lipstick and not as glossy as a lipgloss.  In my opinion, it's a better version of a lip stain which tends to be watery (at least the ones I own).  These liquid lipsticks are weightless, highly pigmented and leaves a matte finish (at least these 2 colors do).  They don't leave my lips dry and are not sticky at all.  The soft sponge tip applicator is softer than any lipgloss I own.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Aria

Aria is a magenta plum color.  I highly suggest lining your lips with a lip pencil.  The pencil helps create a border and you have a lesser chance in messing up.  The lip pencil I use is NYX Deep Purple.  When applying the liquid lipstick, you only need one application.  It blends smoothly over your lips.  Give it a few seconds for it to stain onto your lips and you're set for the day.  No need to touch up at all!

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Fiore

Fiore is a hot pink color.  I remember while swatching a few colors at Sephora, I knew I wanted my second liquid lipstick to be a bright color for summer.  This color is perfect where it's not too "Barbie" pink.  Yet it reminds me of Reese Witherspoon's "Legally Blonde" outfit in the courtroom towards the end of the movie.  Again, line your lips with a lip pencil before you paint your lips for the day.

Have you tried liquid lipsticks before?  I don't own a lot of Stila makeup items, but so far I love these.  One downside about this is you see all the fine lines and dry skin on your lips.  Don't forget to exfoliate your lips and/or wear a lip primer so your lips don't look wrinkly.  Other than that, I'm absolutely in love with these and highly suggest you try these out!  These retail at $22 at your local beauty store.

I'm considering whether to test these against YSL glossy stains and L'Oreal wet shine stain.  All 3 lip brands have the same brush applicator (at least that's what it looks like).  I've heard great things about the YSL glossy stains and mixed reviews about the L'Oreal lip stains.  I think this will be a great future blog post if I compare all 3 brands.

Let me know what you think!  Enjoy your day :)

Get Ready With Me! [ Winter Edition ]

Here's my go to look for this winter season.  My signature look is simple eyes and face with a bold red or berry lip.  My lip collection has doubled since the holidays with the bountiful amount of dark lip colors that I've purchased nonstop.

Check out my YouTube channel [link] for the tutorial.  Don't forget to thumbs up and subscribe so you are up to date with my latest videos.

- Mary Kay Timewise Matte-Wear Liquid Foundation (Beige 8)
- Maybelline Define a Brow
- Maybelline 24HR Color Tattoo (Barely Branded)
- Urban Decay Naked Palette (Sidecar, Buck, Darkhorse)
- Lorac Front of the Line Pro
- CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara
- Maybelline Rocket Mascara
- MAC Eye Kohl Pencil (Powersurge)
- Maybelline Lash Discovery Mini-Brush Mascara
- NARS Bronzer (Casino)
- MAC Blush (Small Vanity)
- MAC Prep+Prime Lip Primer
- MAC Lip Pencil (Soar)
- Tarina Tarantino Lip Conditioning Sheen (Floriculture)

NOTD: OPI Euro Centrale Collection

You know that I'm a big OPI nail polish hoarder so this comes as to no surprise that I have a couple of new polishes from their latest collection.

This collection showcases colors that are playfully named after a few cities throughout Europe.  Two colors that I picked up are Can't Find My Czechbook and Polka.Com.  The first color is my first ever turquoise polish.  It's vibrant and is a true turquoise color.  You need 2 coats to make it opaque because 1 coat will leave streaks on your nails.  The second color is a top coat with big and micro glitter chunks of blue, magenta and purple.  Layering this color on top of the turquoise makes the blue glitter really stand out.

(L) Can't Find My Czechbook; (R): Polka.Com

After reviewing a few swatches from other bloggers, I think I might pick up a few more colors.  You can purchase these at any local beauty store at $9.  Have you tried any of these?

DAILY GRINDS

♥ What drew me to this specific collection is the name of the turquoise nail polish.  I had the privilege to travel to Europe during my senior year of high school.  One of the cities I went to was Prague in the Czech Republic.  The city is absolutely PHENOMENAL!  It's a city that I want to go back to with my husband and daughter some day.

Prague, Czech Republic 2005

♥ Lately I've been busy trying to be a productive Mary Kay consultant.  I started this adventure back in October and I'm starting to take advantage of the makeup products as a makeup artist.  I challenged myself to do 30 makeovers in 30 days which I was just short of my 30 makeovers.  Outside of my family and circle of friends, I hope to create a bigger clientele pool and maybe get some wedding/engagement gigs for the summertime.  It isn't easy taking care of a 3 person family with only 1 income.  Maybe I should look into how to become a successful salesperson...

♥ My moving countdown is now at 9 days.  Time is flying!

NOTD Valentine's Day ♥

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

How appropriate is this day to share my nail art from new nail polishes I picked up for spring.

(L) Mariah Carey by OPI in A Butterfly Moment
(R) CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant in Tickled Pink

Mariah Carey and OPI partnered up to create a new collection inspired by the singing sensation herself.  This is limited edition and comes in 8 beautiful shades that seem to reflect Mariah's personality.  When I visited my local Ulta and saw MC's new polish collection, I was immediately drawn to this color called A Butterfly Moment.  This is a beautiful pearl pink with a noticeable gold sheen.  The formula is a bit thick, but I can't complain about how lovely it looks on my complexion.  This is a great neutral color perfect for spring.  If you have olive skin tone or warm undertones, I think this will work great for you.  Two coats is perfect enough for smooth coverage.

I was watching eleventhgorgeous review a couple of CoverGirl products recently. (watch here) The girls had a high review of the nail polishes that I had to pick up one color.  The one I have is Tickled Pink which is a hot magenta.  These trendy polishes allow you to skip the top coat because the formula leaves a long lasting shine.  I'm surprised by the price of these polishes; it definitely blew my mind.  I don't own any drugstore polishes so I'm really happy with this one.  The packaging is similar to Dior polishes where the top is removable.  The same goes for the Butter London polishes.  I definitely want to purchase more from CoverGirl.

Even though my nails look simple, the heart on the ring finger is a perfect touch for today.  I also have a video posted on my Youtube channel for you guys.  It's all about my favorite lip products that are suitable for today's holiday.

Enjoy your Valentine's Day everyone! Sending lots of cyber love ♥♥

Valentine's Day Bold Lips

Still stumped on your Valentine's day look which is just a couple of days away?  Make your look simple but top it with a bold lip color.  Doesn't a red lip scream stereotypical for Valentine's Day?  Opt for something different like magenta or fuscia.

Check out my Youtube channel for the tutorial.

Sorry I have no pictures for the look...

- Benefit Cosmetics Porefessional
- Maybelline Define-A-Brow (Medium brown)
- Mary Kay Timewise Matte-Wear Liquid Foundation (Beige 8)
- Maybelline 24Hr Color Tattoo (Barely Branded)
- Inglot Freedom Palette (Matte 390, Matte 363, DS 502, AMC Shine 30)
- Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner (Intense black)
- MAC Eye Kohl (Powersurge)
- Maybelline Volum' Express The Rocket Mascara
- Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles (Medium)
- MAC Studio Fix (NC40)
- NARS Bronzer (Casino)
- elf Blush (Mellow Mauve)
- MAC Lip Pencil (Soar)
- Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick (Aria)

Valentine's Day Smokey Look

Valentine's Day is just next week and I bet you're looking for the perfect look if you're going out with your significant other or a group of friends.

Check out my YouTube channel for this tutorial.  It's smokin' hot and will keep your date's attention at your eyes and not anywhere else (if you know what I mean). Enjoy!

- Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
- MAC Taste Temptation Eyeshadow Quad
- Jouer Eye Definer (Noir)
- Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Liquid Eyeliner (Black)
- CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara
- Ardell Lashes 105
- Tarte emphasEYES Inner Rim Brightener
- Mary Kay Timewise Matte-Wear Liquid Foundation (Beige 8)
- Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles (Medium)
- NARS Bronzer (Casino)
- MAC Blush (Pinch Me)
- NYX Lip Pencil (Natural)
- Bare Minerals Lipcolor (Parfait)
- Benefit Cosmetics Ultra Plus Lipgloss (Sugarbomb)


DAILY GRINDS

♥ My little princess has made her modeling debut in a toy supplier's annual catalog.  Her "diva" moment definitely shines in her picture.

♥ Have you ever Google searched yourself?  I did recently and check out the Images tab.  I don't know why photos of Kristen Stewart would come up as a result to my name.

♥ 3 weeks till the big move!

Makeup Review: Maybelline Volum' Express The Rocket Mascara

The latest mascara from Maybelline claims explosive looking lashes that look 8X longer and clump-free volume.

The patented Supersonic Brush with micro bristles delivers smooth application on every lash and volume instantly.  The brush is rubber and the wand is stiffer so you have more control when applying the mascara.  The Rocket mascara comes in different colors: brownish black, very black, and blackest black and also comes as waterproof.  The one I have is blackest black and is not waterproof.  When testing out this mascara, I did not curl my lashes as I wanted to see my natural lashes reach to the sky.  My lashes aren't short, but stick straight out.

After applying my first coat, my lashes looked spidery at first until I worked on the second coat which made a huge difference.  With much wiggling from root to tip, my lashes started to really separate and volumize in the middle of my eyelid.  It's hard to tell from these profile pictures, but I noticed a difference in my lashes.  Overall, I really like this mascara.  My One-by-One has to move over as my favorite volume mascara has arrived into my makeup collection.

Featured in this month's Allure magazine on shelves today!

Have you tried this mascara?  You can purchase this at any drugstore or makeup provider store.

Just Another Manic Monday

I have a shoebox full of nail polishes from OPI, butter London and other brands that mostly have a black handle (weird obsession, I know) and do not contain the "toxic trio".  The "toxic trio" is the nickname for dibutyl phthalate (DBP), toluene and formaldehyde in which these ingredients have been known to cause side effects. [link]  So, when purchasing any nail polish, I always read the finely printed ingredients to make sure they're considered "toxic free".

I'm introducing a new nail polish brand that fits perfectly in my "toxic free" black handle world.  I purchased these Julep beauties a while ago and have only used 2 out of the 6 polishes pictured below.  I'm wearing one of the colors today and I must say it's a good "waiting period" color between seasons.

From L to R: Viola, Felicity, Hoch, Donna, Stefani, Keira (Hello Ladies!)

Donna is beautifully painted on my nails and is a true peacock blue.  Two coats is more than enough as the color is very rich and leaves no streaks from the brush.  The polish dries quickly and with a good top coat, you won't see any chipping for a few days.  You can say that Donna is my girl of the week.

Julep Donna paired with Spoiled Good Karma

Have you tried any Julep nail polishes?  Let me know and happy painting!

DAILY GRINDS

♥ Pictures from the Beer Expo over the weekend

February Beauty Makeup Haul

The beaming sun through my window is giving me energy to start my day on the right foot.  Also, it reminded me to post my latest beauty haul on my YouTube channel.  This is a massive haul of makeup products that I purchased towards the end of January.  The purpose of these items is to replace the makeup that I have finished or tossed out which turned out to be a lot.  Isn't that a reasonable excuse to purchase more makeup? LOL... Anyway, I'm starting to reach into my makeup caboodle (yes, I store a majority of my makeup in my leopard print case) and pull out items I haven't used in a while.

So, don't judge me for these purchases!  I already returned a couple of items because I have a duplicate from a previous purchase and/or its twin has been stashed away in my closet.  And others have turned out to be a disappointment or I just wanted my money back because buying into the label wasn't worth it.  Don't forget to check out the video!

DAILY GRINDS

♥ My husband and I are going to a beer convention tonight with a few friends.  I figured I'd be DD since I'm not a heavy drinker.  But later realized it'd be pointless for me to go if I go as DD.  So tonight we'll be sipping on beers from around the world.  Cheers to Beerfest!

♥ I'm constantly searching for a makeup vanity for my new house.  I've stumbled upon different kinds from a simple desk to very ornate ones that are over the top.  I want one that has a decent size mirror, a drawer under the table and maybe a side drawer so I don't have to purchase a lot of storage units.  Where can I find a decent vanity???

♥ I'm rooting for the Baltimore Ravens this weekend!!!