Jules' Makeup Style

FOTD and VASELINE

2012-01-08T16:14:00.001-05:00

Hi! Tomorrow is my first day for the school spring semester. I am excited but at the same time I feel like I'm ill prepared. I have 5 chapters that I keep glancing over but have failed to actually read. It's not really that I'm procrastinating, I think I'm just in utter disbelief that I will be graduating this July. Yes, that's right I refuse to subject myself to any lingering doubt that I may or may not graduate. This 2012 new year, my one main resolution is to keep positive and not even leave space for any negative thoughts, doubts or feelings.

Above is a picture of my FOTD from yesterday night. I went to a family shindig and this was my look, simple neutrals! I apologize in advance for the poorly lit photo but I was in a rush and just had to get a quick snapshot.

I am wearing MAC eye shadows, soft brown (on crease), shroom (on tearduct, brow bone, and middle of lids), espresso (outer v), and cork (outer v). For my lips, just some good ol' EOS lip balm. I am using the Subtle Breeze blush by the way!

I have been applying Vaseline each night on my lips and have woken up to super moisturized lips. Another use for Vaseline, aside from it's moisturizing attributes, is that it works well with skin cuts. Yesterday, my daughter Mia was fussy as ever and decided to bang her face on the wood floor...I freaked out at first because I saw that she had a big cut on her bottom lip but then I remember UFC fighters...yeah I know weird but I thought about what they use on such cuts...VASELINE of course! so I slathered some on her lips and voila...all better now. She woke up today with a puffy bottom lip (hubby said she's sporting Angelina Jolie's bottom lip) but all is better.

Anyways, I hope you had a wonderful holiday break with your loved ones and that your new year has been nothing short of amazing, happy and full of glee.

<3 Jules

MAC Haul in the Mail...Waiting

2012-01-06T14:46:00.003-05:00

Waiting for my lil' MAC haul to come in the mail today! I am so excited...I haven't bought any MAC makeup for a while because I haven't hit pan on any of my current MAC products. I'm trying to be so good but the recent collection that came out was so tempting. I narrowed it to two products! I will update this in a few...(heart pounding, perspiring, fingers tapping, hahaha I'm kidding...=)

Can't wait for the package to arrive!

It's here!

So here's my lil' makeup loot! I got a lipstick (to add to my army of lippies) and a mineralized blush (yay for blush addiction!)

MAC Subtle Breeze Mineralized blush ($22 for .10 oz)

My first reaction after opening the package and seeing the blush is that it's completely different from all my other mineralized blushes from MAC. Without flash and under more natural lighting this blush is deceiving in that it actually looks more like a matte and reddish in color. It's highly pigmented too and has more of a semi-satin to matte finish (in my opinion). There's nothing "subtle" about the color pay off, in fact it can be intimidating to use because too much can be disastrous!

MAC A Perfect Day lipstick ($14.50 .10 oz)

I have a feeling that I am going to love this lipstick! It will be a love at first wear type of thing for sure. ^_^ It's a beautiful, elegant peachy color. It is unlike any of my other lipsticks so that's always a good thing. I love the finish, creamy and opaque. I would pair this with my Frankly Fresh lipglass from MAC.

Here are the swatches (top Subtle Breeze blush & bottom A Perfect Day lipstick)

Hope you enjoyed my lil' haul!

HAVE AN AWESOME DAY!!

Lancome VS Belo Skincare

2012-01-03T16:05:00.001-05:00

Hi there! So as promised, I am back with a new skincare review/comparison blog post. For today's review I have two products to highlight and compare, Lancome's Gel Radiance cleanser and Belo Essentials Pore Minimizing Whitening Face Wash.

Lancome Gel Radiance cleanser is $25 for a 4 Fl. oz tube. The product itself is of true gel consistency but is thicker compared to the Belo face wash ($9 - $10 for 100 ml). The Gel Radiance cleanser develops more suds (reminiscent of using a bar of soap to wash) so you only need a small amount, whereas the Belo one is clumpy and a lighter gel consistency.

The Lancome Gel Radiance cleanser starts off clear and suds or gets activated with water. The Belo Essentials face wash is a gel cleanser with a tinge of pink hue to it.

One thing I noticed is that my face feels tighter after I use the Lancome Gel Radiance cleanser compared to the Belo. However, I also feel like my face is much cleaner and smoother after using the Lancome cleanser.

As far as the Belo's pore minimizing and whitening powers, well it's a dud (to me). I didn't really notice any whitening or pore minimizing reactions after using Belo essentials face wash. So that was a bit of a disappointment. I do like the fact that compared to Lancome's cleanser, it has a lighter scent. The Lancome Gel Radiance has a very obvious scent which might be a turn off for some people. I know that lots of times, people with sensitive skin tend to stay away from scented face products for fear of irritation or breakouts, but my face didn't have any adverse reactions (thankfully!).

The winner....

Although Lancome Gel Radiance has some cons (price, scent, and tightening effect), I really like that it cleanses my face thoroughly and leaves it feeling smooth. I also like that it only takes a small pea size amount to cover and cleanse my entire face.

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T17:36:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year! 2012 bbbbbebii!!

I hope you had a wonderful New Year's eve and are having an amazing New Year's day! The holidays went by fast and one thing I can say about it is that I am so happy to have such a wonderful family of my own. My daughter turned 1 and I finally came to terms with the fact that I truly have become a mom. It didn't hit me until my cousin's gf pointed out after I displayed such preparedness when she was hungry (handed her a granola bar), when there was no toilet paper in the public restroom (handed her a face tissue), offered her (and everyone else) in the car hand sanitizer and gave some mint (after eating pizza). She said, and I quote..."You've really become a mom!"

Funny right? Well when I think about it, I just can't help but smile! So enough with the random rambles. I wanna let you guys know that I will be posting more beauty related stuff soon. I've been lazy about it because school has really grilled my bum last semester and I literally was a nursing school student ZOMBIE! I ate, breathe, slept with nursing in my brains.

So what's your New Year's resolution? Mine is to have no New Year's resolution! Yep that's right I'm going to just try my best this year to be the change I want to be or improve on areas I want to improve on. Life is short and living it as if resting (lightly swinging) on a hammock is the way I will be approaching life this year (and hopefully for the rest of my living years).

See ya later! Mia's being fussy now...^_~

----Jules

Foundation Face Off

2011-10-06T01:29:00.000-04:00

Now I know it's been a while and there's really not much I could say about me being a mushroom (popping out every now and then) except that I've just been really busy with my studies. I won't bore you with the details of my grueling, migraine evoking school stuff, so let's go on with this exciting, hopefully entertaining post shall we!

We all know how difficult it can be to choose the right foundation. There's just so many to choose from and let's face it, finding the right one can be discouraging especially for a makeup newbie. I was once in that situation and trust me when I say that having to shell out so much money to play foundation guessing game was tough and I would never wish anyone to go through it.

If I could break down what I think is the best kind of foundation, I would say to just be aware of some key factors when choosing the right one.

1) Know your skin type. (Oily, Dry, Normal, Combination)

2) Let the seasons guide you.
Now I know this may sound funny and at this point you are probably thinking, "What the heck does this girl mean?" Well it's actually simple. Foundations come in different formulas and consistencies (like matte or one with a dewy, glow effect) so you want to match it up according to the seasons, all while keeping your skin type in mind.
If you are oily and it's summer...you want to steer clear of oil based foundations and go for mattifying ones instead. If you already have dry skin, you can imagine how much dryer your skin will be during winter time so choose a foundation that is oil based or a hydrating kind.

3) Swatch baby! Swatch!
Drug stores, department stores, and makeup stores (like Sephora and mac) will actually let you or help you swatch foundations, but make sure you don't apply foundations prior to coming to the stores and if you forget, no need to despair because they can remove it for you too! Also keep in mind that some foundations will oxidize (get darker) after a while so be sure to stick around for a little bit or swatch one shade lighter.

4) When in doubt, ask for a sample
Although the sales person may be the nicest, most helpful one...no one knows what you like other than yourself so try not to get pressured into buying something unless you are 110% happy with it!

5) Don't be afraid to read the label
There is nothing wrong with being concern of what you are putting on your skin. If the label doesn't say, animal-cruelty free or no animals were harm/tested in the process then odds are they were. If you don't know what a word means, look it up or ask a makeup salesperson. It doesn't hurt to ask...remember knowledge is powerful and in many cases beneficial in the long run for saving you time and money.

Now to highlight some foundations that I've tried and have been happy with (at least at one point in time).

Ah my first foundation love, MAC Studio Fix Fluid.

I like this foundation. It has great coverage that is buildable and delivers a natural (semi-matte) finnish. I have combination skin but I have used this for both the summer and winter. It does not come with a pump but you can buy one.

The optional pump also has a small tip cover. The container itself is a clear, heavy glass. The only issue I have with this foundation is that it makes me break out.

NARS Sheer Matte Foundation

It is exactly what the name says, sheer and matte. I wasn't too crazy about this foundation to tell you the truth which was kind of a bummer since I paid so much for it. Nowadays, it collects dust but I am hoping to one day find a primer that might make it work better for me. I use this one for the summer, when I get oilier than usual.

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra

This is another great foundation. It's pricey but works pretty well. It doesn't feel heavy at all and goes on smoothly. It's an oil-free formulation so I don't get break outs at all whenever I use this. This foundation dries quickly so be sure to blend it right away. You won't need much powder with this either, so you can skip on piling on powders. The coverage is also buildable. It comes in a frosted glass bottle with a pump and a cap.

Last but definitely not least is Makeupforever HD foundation.

This reminds me of MAC studio fix fluid but with a smoother, more liquid consistency which is hard to believe because it's actually OIL-FREE! This is a foundation that was specially designed for flash photography. It looks great in real life however, it does leave a white cast in pictures which I am not too crazy about. I don't breakout with this foundation but it is also on the expensive side. I like to use this foundation during the winter because it hydrates. The only issue I have with this is that, if I have dry flaky areas on my face, it can settle in those areas and you actually see a separation in my skin color and the foundation color. Therefore, I would almost always use a foundation primer with this one.

Other foundations that I've used and loved are (left to right) MAC Studio Sculpt, Laura Mercier Silk Creme, and Cover FX Total Coverage cream foundation.

MAC Studio Scuplt is another hit foundation for me. It's great for the summer because it's waterproof and it feels cooling to the skin because of it's gel consistency. It also gives great buildable coverage and it's not too pricey. Another great thing about it is that it's in a sanitary-conscious tube.

This Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation (click link for more info) is also one of go-to summer foundations. It's compact, great for travel which also makes it costly for the size. It is also waterproof and doesn't break out my skin.

Cover FX Total Coverage cream foundation

This to me is the one foundation that gives me the FULLEST coverage I have ever had so I actually try not to use it as a foundation. Instead, I use it to spot conceal my acne scars and redness. It's a great foundation, especially for people with acne-prone skin. Cover FX products are formulated by dermatologist and skin specialists. Once applied, you may get a dewy medium to full coverage.

It comes in a compact, with a mirror and a sponge. The sponge is encased in a hidden compartment in the compact and is reusable, washable and antimicrobial.

I hope you find this post helpful and informative. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below or e-mail me. Thanks for stopping by!

(wearing Lancome Teint Idole Ultra foundation)

Take care!

Penny Pincher Tuesday: Protein Box

2011-09-13T02:57:00.004-04:00

I have been going to Starbucks for breakfast since school started. I love their Peppermint Mocha with a shot of expresso. However, I really hate the fact that I spend almost $15 on breakfast alone. It sucks but what can I do?

Well I will tell you what I can do! I can go to good ol' Costco and buy the ingredients to a Starbucks Protein Box and put it together myself. Did you know that our body is made up of mainly protein? Protein is important for our bodies to heal and it is a natural source of energy.

Here is my version of a Protein breakfast box but minus the packet of peanut butter. The only thing I did was slice the apples, slice the flat bread, and boil eggs. I don't have school today so this one is hubby's healthy, hearty breakfast!

This is such a great way to save money and eat healthy. Pair up with a good drink and you've got yourself an awesome breakfast worth smiling about for the rest of the day. =D

Happy morning!

2011-09-06T15:35:00.001-04:00

Hey there! So I know I haven't blogged in a while but I've been busy with nursing school. The last couple of weeks have been stressful, mostly because of the transition I've been force to make from being a stay at home mom, to a mom that goes to school and drops off her baby at the baby sitter's. She was having separation anxiety as well and it was really difficult knowing that she was crying so much and I wasn't able to console her. People have been telling me that it's all normal and that in a few more weeks, Mia will be used to her sitter and she won't feel so anxious anymore. Well all I can do is hope for the best. Funny thing is, I actually feel more motivated to finish school because I want it to be worth it you know..worth the separation and the tears.

Enough with the sad talks, I don't want to put a gray cloud over your day. After all, this is a makeup blog, so lets talk makeup. =) I have been hauling a lot lately. I guess the stress is really getting to me and I've decided to cope with retail therapy. The weather has been changing so quickly and in some cases drastically. I'm sure you've all heard about the earthquake that originated from a place in Virginia (30 minutes from where I live) and the recent Hurricane Irene, which by the way did not affect my city as much. In fact, the hurricane just seemed like a typical rainy day with some winds.

I have now switched my makeup to Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Foundation, which covers up nicely I may add! I love this foundation but it is pretty pricey. I can't give too much away because I do intend on making a review about this foundation so you guys can look forward to that.

My first Sephora package came first and it included Lancome Teint Idole Ultra foundation in Bisque 4W and Sephora OPI nail polish (can't remember the name).

I also bought a couple of Cover FX products because I have been breaking out due to the stress (before even testing out the Lancome foundation). I got the Cover FX creme foundation that comes in a compact, but I intend on using this as a concealer. I swatched it today and it's really creamy and easy to blend. This is an obvious full coverage but it doesn't get cakey once applied. Since it is a full coverage foundation, I would really prefer to use this as a concealer, but I have yet to really use it so I will let you guys know how things pan out.

I also got the Cover FX Clear Prep. This is a Matte Foundation Primer and Anti-Acne treatment Gel. I tested this out on the back of my hand and it is very similar to the Lancome La base pro primer except this really gets absorbed into the skin. My face is not super oily but from time to time, it gets oily on the t-zone area so this will help with that. I really like that this brand is made by actual dermatologists and that this makeup is really for those with sensitive, acne prone skin.

Hmmm...what else...oh yeah! I have switched my Clarisonic Mia brush head from sensitive to the deep cleansing one (the one with the blue center). I did this because I have been getting a lot of peeling and dry skin on certain areas of my face. It always gets like this once it gets colder. Also, I am trying out this Cetaphil moisturizing lotion. It can be used as an all over lotion but I decided to use it as my face lotion. So far...eh, not really liking it too much. It does a great job at moisturizing my dry skin but it's reminding me of that thick lotion feeling. I think maybe I just put too much, but if it doesn't work out, I might just use this as a body lotion instead. I like that it's fragrance free though.

Now for some food pon. . .

Avocado Bubble Tea at Song Que Vietnamese Restaurant in Eden Plaza

Chili Dog at Ben's Chili Bowl in DC (was featured at FOOD channel!! and President Obama came here after he won the election)

Japanese treats from Hana Japanese Market in DC

Well that's it for now. I will try my best to keep updating you guys and do some reviews on the products that I've purchased. Take care and have a great week!!!

August Birchbox & Etc.

2011-08-19T09:37:00.002-04:00

Hey there! I know I've been a bit MIA but I'm going to try to update as much as I can. So here are the contents of this month's Birchbox minus a couple of items...Stila Tinted Moisturizer and Twistband.

After reading the card listing all the box contents, it dawned on me that I am missing an item...the twistband! and trust me it can easily be overlooked and chucked in the garbage.

This is a wonderful elastic band that is simple and sturdy to tie your hair with yet fashionable enough to wear on your wrist! What a versatile item!

Now here is a brand that I have never tried before. I'm all into natural, organic products these days so I will most likely give these items a go and let you guys know how I like it.

I recently went on a family weekend trip to Kings Dominion water park and although I missed out on using these towelettes, these would be perfect as a skin refresher after being in a public pool or beach. No more worrying about sunscreen coming off when you use these babies to take off impurities and put on a fresh application of SPF 30+ sunscreen!

I used the small tube of Stila tinted moisturizer right away and it was a typical tinted moisturizer, nothing extraordinary
.

I rarely rave about a product as it is rare for my hubby to notice a new product that I am using but these...well these he loved! After one of my workouts, I took a shower and used both the shampoo and the treatment and not only did my hair look it's best and healthiest, but my hubby couldn't stop smelling my hair!

The treatment is like butter on my hands but once I applied it to my wet hair, it started to change in texture and consistency. It was as if my hair was drinking it up or something! I'm usually not into floral scents as much as I like clean, fresh scents but this treatment is like a merger of both in my opinion. You can get about 3 applications out of this small container too.

(I apologize for the upside down pic >_< )

So this one is the shampoo. It has a stronger floral scent but the scent is not as long lasting as the treatment. It's really just like any other shampoo I have tried before, goes on smoothly and lathers nicely.

Aside from getting my birchbox, I went to my fave nail polish store at the mall and purchased some nude, basic colors for my growing nail polish collection.

Alpine Snow, Sweetheart, Sparrow Me The Drama, and Dulce De Leche

**Swatches**

On another note, I have lost 14 lbs and month one of my Insanity workout regimen is ending this Saturday. I have come such a long way and I've noticed a lot of difference. Yesterday, I went shopping for basic clothes to wear for school, which will begin on Monday. I'm excited but at the same time nervous about leaving my baby daughter for the first time, but I have to finish my studies.

Anyways, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. TGIFFFFFFF!!!

Oh and by the way...I have a review coming up on my new Lancome cleanser...and no it's not the Clarifiance Gel cleanser that broke me out like crazy.

Can you guess which Lancome cleanser has stolen my heart?

Insanity Progress 15 Days

2011-08-09T19:31:00.000-04:00

So as promised, I am letting you guys in on my progress (so far) with the Insanity Workout. Above is a picture of my Fit test results from Day 1 (first day) and Day 15 (yesterday). As you can see, there is much improvement.

Above is a picture of the more challenging exercise moves. In day 1, I couldn't even do a single push up jack! It may not seem like a lot but doing at least a couple more than before is great! It's really all about the form when doing these exercises. If you don't do it the right way, it won't matter how many times or how fast you do it.

The following are pictures of my progress so far, from Day 1 to Day 15....this is a 60 Day program.

You will notice that I have a lot of stretch marks due to the pregnancy. I tried to be as diligent as I can when it came to slathering stretch marks prevention creams and oils but it wasn't as effective, but I did carry an 8 lb 6 oz baby in my tummy so yeah...you can imagine. Besides they are normal during pregnancy and symbolize motherhood. =)
Right now, I am using Bio Oil which has plenty of Vitamin E and it's helping fade out the stretch marks. Drinking plenty of water and toning up through exercise helps get rid of them as well.

I have lost 11 lbs in 15 days

This is a lifestyle change and no, I am not doing this for vanity's sake. I am doing this to get healthy and most importantly for my daughter, Mia. She motives me to better myself and try my best everyday.

Feel free to ask me any questions that you may have. Take care and have a wonderful rest of the week!

Quick Shoe Haul at Nordstrom Rack

2011-08-07T08:12:00.004-04:00

Look what I purchased yesterday at Nordstrom Rack! I've always heard and seen Nordstrom Rack but I've never actually set foot inside this alien of a store, so yesterday was the first of many trips to come! I dropped off hubby for his soccer game and began my drive by shopping journey. Initially, intending to head to the mall...I noticed a plaza on my right and decided to go ahead and make a not so legal, abrupt turn. There I found curiosity beckoning my name at the sight of the huge lit up words...Nordstrom Rack.

After literally 5 minutes of just stepping inside, store closing was announced. Having had a chance to work in retail, I knew that once that announcement is made it is almost always customary to kindly leave the store as a gesture of consideration for the store employees aching to go home.
As I made my way out of the store, nonchalantly glancing about the shoe racks and particularly paying attention to the flats...I saw these gunmetal colored shoes that I knew I just had to try.

Ooooo Anne Klein....Size 8...nice...$49.90 even nicer! It was such a great deal in my opinion because these are probably the most comfortable, fashionable flats I have ever seen and tried out.
I didn't even notice the style name right away but it is AK7 JULIE <<<< My name! Clearly a sign that I was meant to have it.

It fits me like no other shoe and I love the rubberized outer sole that was also intricately designed with what looks like sunflowers. I also love that it has a little heel unlike most flat shoes out there.

I really appreciate all the detail that went into making and designing this shoe. The inner sole has small glitters, the outside glistened in that wonderful gunmetal color and the chain style on front gives it a more modern, edgy look.

I love my new shoes!

My feet are happy ^_^

You know what else makes me happy. . . .

Lychee flavored Pocky! Delicious as they were, I had to eat this stuff with restraint because it had 760 calories in one box! In fact, they are currently sitting in my fridge. (^_^)

How about you...what's your favorite snack?

Here's some pics of my Mia as we wait for our bubble tea...

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend so far.

B&BW Haul & FOTD

2011-08-05T01:40:00.001-04:00

Hey there peeps! So here I am again with a haul. I went to to B&BW (Bath and Body Works) the other day, on a mission to find some nice smelling, moisturizing body butters that I can actually stand. I am very finicky when it comes to scented products that I put on my skin because I have sensitive skin. That and the fact that it certain scents just irk me period!

I love going there for the liquid soaps that come in an array of scents that each come in 3 forms; moisturizing, foaming, and deep cleansing. I got 5 for $15 but you can buy 7 for $20 as well. I was ecstatic when I saw that they had a new Mint Chocolate one. I smelled it and it was spot on the scent of real mint chocolate.

I purchased some body products as well, 3 tubs of my new fave body cream. I also got this Peach Citrus Body was for free after getting a coupon for it from the salesperson.

At first, I was ready to just go ahead and settle with the warm vanilla, sweet pea, and twilight woods body butters but lo' and behold I found my perfect scent! It's from the True Blue Spa collection and it is called Shea Cashmere Body Cream.

According the the website, the scent is a creamy vanilla and it contains African shea butter with luxurious cashmere extract.

It's thicker than a regular lotion, as you can see from the peaks, but it's not too thick that it would be hard to blend or be absorbed by the skin. It goes on smoothly and feels like heavenly goodness! The scent is described as a creamy vanilla, but to me it smells like yummy cake batter.

I had a doctor's appointment today so I wanted to look fresh but not overly done up. I used a lot of my lancome products to achieve this look.
For my eyes, I used my Lancome Le Crayon Khol pencil in Black Coffee on the outer half, top lash lines. I then curled my lashes and applied Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara, my ultimate fave mascara!

It is a very minimal look, but I love it! It looks and feels like I have no makeup on. Since my skin is continuously improving with each day of using Lancome Genifique, I was able to apply a small amount of Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation. I used a damp sponge to stipple and blend the foundation for a more natural look.

I then applied a little bit of salmon colored concealer under my eyes (Makeupforever/MUFE 5 Camouflage Cream Palette).

My t-zone tends to get oily during the summer so I used my MAC 189 brush to lightly sweep and press my MSF Natural powder.

For my cheeks I used MAC Mineralized Blush in Love Rock. I usually use my 129 or 187 brush for blush application but this time I decided to use my big, fluffy face brush-- MAC 150. I think by using a fuller brush like this, I was able to disburse the blush pigment nicely, giving me a more natural looking flush.

To add some ethereal glow on my tired looking face, I dabbed a little bit of Lancome's Eclat Miracle --- Serum of Light Complexion Illuminator on top of my cheek bones (orbital bone area), my brow bone, inner corner of my eyes, bridge of my nose, and cupids bow.

For my brows, I lined the top and bottom with my MAC eye brow crayon in Spiked and then filled the sparse areas with two shades of MAC brow powder....Cork on the inner brows and Espresso on the midway to outer part of the brows. I then applied Ardel brow sculpting gel.
For my lips, I moisturized first with my EOS lip balm and then topped it with my Lancome Juicy tube in Berry Bold.

Well that's it for now! Take care and have a wonderful rest of the week. If it's Friday for you, then Happy Friday!!! TGIFFFFF ^_^

Love Me Some Lancome & Feeding My Nail Polish Addiction

2011-08-01T06:16:00.003-04:00

Hey there! Happy Monday everyone. I know that usually we say TGIF (Thank God it's Friday) but I think if you start the week with optimism then you might just end up having a great week that will go by faster than if you were dreading.

So I went and had a great shopping day at Nordstrom yesterday. I was determined to get my Genifique and good thing I did because it was the last day for the GWP (Gift with purchase) if you spend at least $39.50 on Lancome products.

Ah my 1.7 oz beauty in a bottle...aka Genifique! After trying a sample of this stuff, I was hooked! Although, I've managed to clear up my acne and diminish my acne scars, I still had underlying bumps, large pores on certain areas, and uneven skin tone and texture. Then after almost a week of using the sample (I even cut it open so I can really get the rest of the product) I noticed a huge difference in my overall skin appearance and texture. My skin was smooth as a baby's bottom and my pores had visibly diminished!

The only downer on this product is that it's uber expensive! I shelled out $98 and this is the biggest bottle. Oh and by the way, I went to Macy's before going to Nordstrom (since it is conveniently a few blocks across from where I live) but they didn't have a GWP at the time. They did, however have a new product called Vissionaire and it is supposedly even better than the Lancome spot corrector. Sadly, Nordstrom is yet to carry this product so I might just purchase this from Macy's soon.

Okay, so this one was an unexpected purchase for the day. I was using my Clinique Wash-away Gel cleanser for the longest and although I really like it, I'm not in love it so I decided to try this one out. Lancome's Clarifiance oil-free foaming gel cleanser is ideal for Normal/Combination skin types.

This is $30 at Nordstrom but it can be purchased at a CCO depending on availability. It's a very basic gel cleanser, nothing fancy. It removes makeup and impurities. I was able to try this last night prior to applying Genifique and it didn't dry my skin at all. I used it with my Clarisonic Mia.

I love shopping at department stores especially whenever I can score GWP.

I got two GWP bags and sets of goodies...yay! The bags come in purple and black with a metallic sheen to it, but feel rubbery to the touch! Good quality considering they are free.

This was my first Lancome purchase so it's nice to get new stuff to try out.

Lancome High Resolution Refill-3x 0.5 oz

$75 for a 1.7 oz and $90 of 2.6 oz

This is a Day/Night Anti-aging moisturizer

Lancome Eclat Miracle

This is an illuminating serum that is used as a makeup base but can also be used as a highlighter.

Lancome La Base Pro

Oil-free makeup primer

Le Crayon Kohl Eye Liner in Black Coffee, Hypnose Drama Excessive Black Mascara, Maquiacomplet Complete Coverage Concealer, Juicy tube in Berry Bold (taste and smells like berries!), and Color Design Cream lipstick in Love It

Also got a 1.7 fl oz. Bi-Facil makeup remover (pic got cut off)

Lancome Color Design Lipstick in Love It

Cream dusty pink color

Lancome Color Design

Sensational Effects Eye Shadow quad

Style Section | Drape

Ciel Du Soir | The New Black

I can't wait to use this quad. It looks like the eye shadows would work for a great smokey eye effect!

I also bought a couple of OPI Nail Lacquers. I really like their creme finish nail colors.

I Lily Love You (Gorgeous pink sparkly nail color that I had ordered and finally got a chance to pick up) and In The Spot-Light Pink (a creme finish light pink that will probably be my go to color for the year!)

The winner of my OPI Katy Perry Mini Nail Polish set giveaway is Jenny<3

Please send me your shipping info via b3bkoolit@gmail.com

Thank you!

Insanity Update Day 3..or 5?

2011-07-28T08:20:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I really wonder...will I ever love myself completely or will I end up never satisfied with how I look? I'm sure that many of you have asked yourself this question at least once in your life. As far as I can remember, my weight has fluctuated since my high school senior year. Before that time I considered myself bony and skinny. My lowest weight was around 110 but for some reason, I still didn't like how I looked. Then I reached a nice 125 lbs which in my opinion is really the more optimal weight for me.

With that being said, I want to update you guys on my Insanity workout program. Yesterday was Day 5 but on my Insanity calendar (which I taped to a wall in my living room) it is considered Day 3. I started on Thursday, the day I received it in the mail. However, the calendar starts off Day 1 on a Monday so I decided to do two of the exercise videos twice! I guess I was so eager to try it out and see if I would even be capable of handling this insane workout.

I admit that it hasn't been easy because you're handed a new type of workout each day. A day of workout is about 45 minutes which consists of warm ups, stretches, and short workout intervals that you are encouraged to do at an increasingly faster rate with each set. Also, within each set is a 30 SECOND break where you can take a swig of water or lay on the floor to catch your breath. I have never cherished and longed for a half a minute break until now.

What I've noticed so far....
I have a definite boost in energy. I feel tired but at the same time I feel like I can actually wake up early in the morning and go to sleep early as well. Since I am still breastfeeding, I wait at least one hour before nursing my daughter because the rigorous workout causes my body to produce more lactic acid. There are different viewpoints on whether this can be harmful for babies during nursing but I would rather not take that risk so I wait it out.

Other than feeling sore, I have pain on my shin and knees. A lot of people who do Insanity workout experience this. I'm almost certain that the culprit for this pain are my shoes. The best shoes for these types of workout are cross trainer shoes, like Asics. I tried using three different nike sneakers (all are for running) and Puma sneakers...it was epic fail!

For the first few days, I stopped plenty of times to take a break and to prevent myself from throwing up. Yes, it was that intense! I drink plenty of water and those water breaks are like heaven trust me!

As for how I look, I feel like my tummy has gotten flatter already but I won't take a picture until the end of week 1 to compare with my first picture. I really want to surprise myself! This is also a great motivation. I am learning that setting short goals are better in warding off the pressure and anxiety.

My workout gear....
Sneakers, workout shorts, two sports bras (for extra support), a tank, a workout watch, good socks, and bottle water.
I also bought an exercise ball for me to stretch on and do crunches and a yoga mat, but you don't need any of these things to do the actual Insanity workout.

What I am eating now...
Brown rice instead of white rice. Gluten free, wheat bread. Delallo whole wheat organic pasta. Oatmeal. Boiled/poach eggs, fish and chicken for protein. Lots of veggies. Water, water, and more water.
For my snacks, I eat a Cliff bar (protein bar), greek yogurt, a fruit, peanut butter, or a granola bar.

I no longer eat/drink...
Soda, white rice, white/potato bread, chocolate, cakes, cupcakes, high sugar foods, ice creams, high fat/high cholesterol fried foods, artificially flavored juices, regular pasta.

I started dieting two weeks ago and I noticed how moody I became. I didn't even notice it until my husband asked me why I was so moody, then I realized that the only change I have made was going on the diet. Ugh! after realizing this, I felt even more compelled to focus and get healthy.

Insane In the Membrane...

2011-07-23T04:26:00.001-04:00

Hey there! It is now almost 4 AM in the morning. Yesterday was Day 2 of Insanity. For those of you who don't know, Insanity is a 60 day workout that involves a lot of cardio and core training. Like always, I do my intensive research before purchasing and committing to something so you know that it took a lot of soul searching to finally get this "insane" workout dvd program.

I ordered it online, despite having seen the infomercials on t.v. and I paid $136 ($119 without shipping) which includes a 5 - 7 day shipping. It arrived a day early of the estimated delivery date. You also have an option of doing a 3-month flex pay. If you want more info you can go to Teambeachbody.com or the Insanity workout site.

So far, my thighs are in pain which according to my sister, means it's working. I do sweat a lot and feel more energized after the workout. During the workout, however is a whole different ball game. It's really intense with very little time to rest, about 30 seconds to be exact. You pop in the DVD according to the handy-dandy calendar (maps out which workouts to do on which day of the week) and it starts you off with jogging as a warm up. As the workout progresses, the workout gets faster and faster...and faster! well at least you are encouraged to do it faster anyways. There are also important stretches that you must do. Doing the stretches are key to preventing muscle injury so they are a must!

Included in the package are a set of DVDs, plus one bonus 20 min DVD workout, a calendar to keep you on track, a nutrition booklet that contains information on caloric counts and which foods to eat (also how to prepare them), and a little insert with an encouraging message from Shaun T.

I've seen a lot of people drink Shakeology during Insanity but I'm going to try my best not to have to go that route. Although there a lot of fellow moms who say that their doctors approve of them taking Shakeology while breastfeeding, I'm not too sure about it. Oh and by the way, in case you are also wondering.."what in the world is Shakeology?" Well it is basically a nutritious shake packed with vitamins and natural ingredients that combine to give you a boost in energy, curb your appetite, and serve as an optional meal replacement. There are two flavors, Greenberry and Chocolate and you also have an option of ordering both or one flavor as well as in bulk or in packets. The 30 month supply is $119 (not including shipping).

I will update you guys on my progress and yes I have taken the before pics already so stay tune for that. Most likely, I will post my one week progress. Aside from that, school is right around the corner. It's going to be a crazy year but I am ready and pumped to do this! Are you???

By the way, for those of you who have joined my giveaway, I forgot to mention that it ends next weekend 31st of this month. Good luck!

FREE Katy Perry Nail Polish Set

2011-07-17T19:08:00.000-04:00

TIME FOR A GIVEAWAYYYYYYYYYYYY

You can win this OPI Katy Perry Limited Edition Mini Nail Lacquers set which includes The One That Got Away, Teenage Dream (always sold out), Last Friday Night, and Not Like the Movies. You will also be getting face masks and other SURPRISE goodies!

First, you must answer this question ----What is you're ULTIMATE MOST FAVORITE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT nail polish color? Answer this question by commenting below.

Second, you have to follow my blog

Third, follow me on Twitter (Julesmakeupstyl)

This giveaway is open for anyone to join but if you are under 18 year's of age, make sure you get permission from your parent/s or guardian/s before joining because you will need to provide me your address for shipping.

Let's Catch Up!

2011-07-13T02:28:00.002-04:00

Hey there! I know it has been a while since I last blogged but a lot has happened.

For starters, I received my July Birchbox today in the mail. I was really excited, just like on all the days I get one of these pink boxes in the mail. I opened up the box and here are the goodies...

I received a Redken hair spray, a Philosophy purity cleanser, a mini Zoya nail polish, a multi-purpose oil from Nuxe and a KIND Almond & Apricot bar.

It was good timing too because I needed a snack. This was delicious and I might just get some at Costco.

The Zoya nail polish color is Pandora and it's a beautiful, sleek color that I would definitely wear.

I haven't tried any Redken hair products so I'm looking forward to trying out the hairspray sample.

I'm also going to use the Nuxe oil, but mostly for my hair (it can be used on the skin as well).

I've had the purity cleanser before and I'm not really too crazy about it. I don't know what all the hype is about. After I stopped using the cleanser, the color changed to a much deeper yellowish color which frightened me a bit to tell you the truth. I've also used other Philosophy products, Hope in a Jar with SPF moisturizer and the On A Clear Day Oil-Free Foaming Acne Cleanser. The Hope in a Jar with SPF was also a big turn off for me because the oils separated and settled on top of the cream. It was kinda like curded milk...except oily. The On A Clear Day cleanser was okay. I have to be honest, I can't remember how it was but I just threw it out today since it has been collecting dust in my drawer.

I love the smell of this product Baby Oh Baby Organic Shampoo and Body Wash. Although, I strongly believe this is just the same exact liquid concoction but just labeled differently as a marketing ploy of some sort. The scent is strong from just catching a whiff from the bottle but once you start using it, the scent is less overpowering. These were the last two bottles at the Vitamin Shoppe.

Yes, yes I have adopted a new obsession! I'm painting my nails as much as I can now with these vibrant colors because once Fall semester starts I won't be able to go to the hospital and do my clinicals with these type of colors. I really like this set because it's such a pretty combo but can also be worn on it's own. Servin' Up Sparkle is just like Teenage Dream but the silver version.

I'm really loving peachy/coral lips these days. I'm also trying to give peach cheeks a rest and trying out pink or mauve color blushes. For my eyes, I like to do simple colors but more on the golden apricot and bronze shades. I think this type of makeup is great for the summer. As for my foundation, I wear MAC Studio Sculpt with SPF 15.

Monday was my two year wedding anniversary with my hubby. We went to my favorite Japanese Restaurant, Sakura.

Food was delicious as usual!

I had my Pina Colada drink in this cool ninja cup. =D

After dinner, hubby and I went to the movies to watch Horrible Bosses. It was soooo funny! It's great to go out once in a while. Hubby and I try to go on a date at least once a week. I think it's important in any relationship to have time for each other.

Our baby daughter Mia....

started crawling last night! She is now 6 months, 3 weeks and 1 day old! We are so happy and proud of our lil' munchkin. She's growing so quickly and I feel like it was just yesterday that she was in my tummy. Time to baby proof the house now.

Please let me know if you have any questions! Good luck!

Sparrow Me the Drama

2011-06-21T17:32:00.000-04:00

So as promised here is my NOTD: OPI Sparrow Me the Drama from the Pirates of the Caribbean collection.

This is a beautiful pink color with a cream finish. It dries really fast so it's great for people on the go or needs their manicure done within minutes.

I really like this type of finish and I think it's perfect for the summer. I also love the fact that it's glossy even without a top coat. The picture above is with two coats. One coat is good enough but two coats gives it true cream finish.

That's it for now! I will post again soon! Take care. ^_^

OPI Nail Polish Haul

2011-06-20T10:21:00.002-04:00

Hey there! I am officially hooked on copping OPI nail polish! I did two trips to the Beauty Supply store at the mall just. I finally got a chance to get some shatter style nail polish.

I got 6 shatter nail polish, I'm just missing red (based on store inventory).

Blue, Turquoise, Black, Navy, White and Silver

Here are the only two regular OPI nail lacquers that I got. They are both satin finish.

Cozu-Melted in the Sun and Aphrodite's Pink Nightie

I also got these mini sets, the Pirates of the Caribbean set are cream finish and the Katy Perry set are more extravagant with lots of glitter and a high gloss satin finishes.

The one non OPI nail product I purchased...Zoya in Danii. It's such a pretty purple color!

On Stranger Tides, Planks a Lot, Sparrow Me the Drama, Skull & Glassbones

The One That Got Away, Teenage Dream, Last Friday Night, Not Like the Movies

My nail polish army!

I honestly didn't even think that I've collected this much already until I took them all out. I usually do not shop for more than 2 colors at a time but since I haven't shopped in a while, I decided to treat myself and update my collection with the infamous shattered style nail lacquers. SWEET!

For Father's Day, Hubby, our daughter Mia, and myself went out to a restaurant and just spent some time together. He got all the Call of Duty play time that he wanted with little to no interruptions, which is his only simple Father's Day wish. So how did you spend your Father's Day weekend?

Despite all the OPI thatI hauled, the irony of it is that I'm leaning towards using my first ever Zoya nail polish in Danii. It's just such a gorgeous hue of purple.

That's it for now! I will post a Nail of The Day (NOTD) picture soon.

June Birchbox, Baby Bullet, and Mia's Christening!

2011-06-16T23:17:00.013-04:00

Wooohoo! Finally I get to blog! It's been soooo long I feel like I grew two white hairs while I was away from the beauty blogging world. A lot has happened, but I won't overwhelm you by going through all the details. Instead I will slowly give you snippets of all my little adventures.

First off, I received my June birchbox. For those of you who don't know, birchbox is basically a box full of sample goodies that you sign up for via their website birchbox.com! You can either pay a monthly fee of $10 or pay for the whole year. Either way, you will get a box each month. If you like any of the products, you can easily and conveniently purchase the full size versions at the website.

For this month, I was lucky enough to receive one full size product and a bunch of other sample sized products!

Here are the products that I received.

I was super excited when I got my box in the mail because I actually forgot about it. I usually check online and eagerly wait in anticipation but I guess this month has been really busy for me, so it was a nice little surprise.

For my full size product, I received a brand new Laura Geller blush n brighten in Honey Dipped!

I love the packaging. It is a compact with a convenient half moon shaped mirror.

This reminds me of MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in Gold Deposit

This is an interesting hydrating face product. One that I can honestly say, I am intimidated to try out. I think it's due to the word molecular and other funky words that somehow makes me think of Chemistry or something high tech. =P We will see!

When I first saw this bottle of shampoo, I thought...what an interesting name! Hmm...with a name like that it's difficult to prevent the mind from wandering into the gutter. This sort of controversial branding/marketing is notoriously done by NARS (like their provocatively named blushes --Orgasm, Deep Throat and so on) and other cosmetic companies.
Anywayyssss...the cap wasn't on the bottle and some of the product was spilled on the tissue paper. Luckily, I was able to salvage the situation and put the cap back on and voila!...good as new!

Ah...the famous deborah lippmann who makes those awesome nail polishes. When I saw this I was ultimately excited. My nails are in need of some major dose of TLC so this will definitely come in handy. Plus, lavender is a relaxing scent that I adore.

When I hear the name Kate Spade, I think of purses and bags galore! twirl is such a cute fragrance name.

I had mentioned before that I ordered myself the Magic Baby Bullet set (I took the guess work away from Hubby as he was figuring out what to get me for Mother's Day). I remember all those nights that left me awake till 5 am in the morning, taking care of Mia. I remember how I felt like a brainwashed zombie after watching the infomercials repeatedly shown, like a broken record on the t.v., but yes I did succumb to it and for once let myself fall victim and I've never looked back since.

What I love about it is the fact that one...it's GREEN! two...it's a complete set of everything you need to make food for your baby...and three....buy one set get one free (but you have to pay a second shipping on the other set)...although I honestly think that I really just paid $70 something dollars for each set.

So here's what you get in one boxed set. You get one short cup and one batch size container which you attach to the power base with your choice of either a milling blade or a baby blend blade. You also get a spatula, a batch tray, a lid for the short cup, 6 Date-Dial storage cups, a storage tray, a user manual & cookbook, a pocket nutritionist, and a stay-fresh tiny tote.
A word of advice, do not use the spatula for the sweet potato, it will stain it orange! I also recommend using an orange bowl for the sweet potato instead of a light colored bowl (=*( oh my poor green bowl sniff* sniff*).

A Date-Dial storage cup stores about the same amount of pureed food as one of those Gerber baby food jars. You store these in the fridge and will stay fresh for three days.

Currently, I only use a set of the dial-date storage cups and two of the batch trays. The batch trays are stored in the freezer and stays fresh for a month. My daughter eats one to two baby bullets per day and she loves it! So far I have made her pureed apples, avocados, bananas, sweet potatoes, and carrots.

This is a batch of pureed pears. I boiled the two small pears with the skin still intact and removed the skin once cooled. You can use breast milk or formula to adjust the consistency of the pureed foods but I just use good ol' water that I buy at the store.

Here's a batch of sweet potatoes. I boiled one whole sweet potato/jeweled yam (skin on). Then I removed the skin and cut it into three, then blended awayyy. Again, I added water to get things moving.

I buy the veggies and fruits at Whole Foods to ensure that they are au natural aka organic!

The great thing about making your own baby food is that you know exactly what date you made them and what goes into them.

On another (more important) note...Mia was christened last Sunday ^_^

Mia is turning 6 months this 20th but her teeth started coming out at 4 months. Is that odd? I know a lot of my friends claim it is highly unorthodox, I for one think it's wonderful!

That's all for now ^_^ I will try my best to update some more!

Take care

Coupons and Catch Ups

2011-05-10T11:56:00.006-04:00

Hey there! Hubby, baby Mia and I went grocery shopping yesterday. It was a tiring day but it was well worth it because we saved sooo much money!

I went to Target and bought some stuff because they had some great deals.

Did you know that you can use a Target coupon (printed from their website) together with a manufacturer's coupon? So for instance, I purchased a John Freida hair coloring mousse that retails for $11.79. I had a $5 Target coupon and a $5 Manufacturer's coupon, so I ended up paying only $1.79 out of my pocket.
All of items you see above were purchased with coupons that can be found in your local Sunday newspapers.
I am definitely not an "extreme" couponista but I do keep my eyes open for any extra savings that I can get. Besides diapers and wipes aren't cheap (=^_^=) ya know!
Anyways, I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. Hubby took me to eat at this really nice Vietnamese restaurant.

The food was delicious! For our desert...Bubble Tea & ice cream! I usually get the Taro one but these days, I'm finding the Avocado one just as satisfying. The lychee ice cream was good too!
Hubby gave me the Baby Bullet set (which I've been wanting for soooo long) and a Wii game--Karaoke Glee Season 2!!! I love it!

I also got my Birchbox yesterday.

I don't know about you, but I love getting packages in the mail! It feels like Christmas, especially if it's unexpected.

If you have never heard of Birchbox, it is basically a $10 a month membership that allows you to receive deluxe beauty samples. It's great because you get to try out new products without feeling too bad about shelling out the money in case you end up not liking the product. Each box has 4 to 5 deluxe samples and comes in a pretty pink box with pink tissue paper.

So here are the goodies that came in the beautiful box.

STILA full size eye shadow pan in Mambo (retails for $18 for 0.09 oz)

BULGARI Mon Jasmin Noir fragrance ($80 for a 50 ml)

ARCHIPELAGO Pomegranate soap ($12.50 for 6.8 fl oz)

AHAVA Mineral Hand Cream ($20 for 3.4 oz)

a special "treat" of a Tiny Prints card

The STILA Mambo eye shadow is a gorgeous purple with blue and pink iridescence.

The Archipelago pomegranate soap smells soooooooooo GOOOOOD! It has white tea and pomegranate and is infused with antioxidants.

The Ahava Mineral Hand Cream has a semi-thick consistency and a clean scent. It's a perfect purse size hand cream too!

The Bulgari Mon Jasmin Noir fragrance sample is ugh...not my cup of tea. It's too strong for my liking.

What's coming up...more haul posts and a makeup collection video. I was initially trying to do a picture post of a break down of my makeup collection but these days time is of the essence and sometimes even against me. I would be lucky if I can have time to do my nails or put a mask on my face. So I think a video would be a better way to show you guys how I organize my collection.

My daughter Mia is teething and her two bottom front teeth came out almost two weeks ago.

Does anyone have some advice about stopping a baby from biting while breast feeding?

Help a mommy out and tell me about it. ^_^

My mom-in-law told me to pinch her ear every time she does it but whenever I do that she just stops and smiles at me.

4 months and 21 days old

If you're wondering what's coming...

Baby Bullet Haul

Clarisonic Mia

Blog giveaway

and Makeup Collection Video

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

A Mother's Day Giveaway $250 Gift Card!!!

2011-04-29T08:36:00.000-04:00

Hello there! As you all know, Mother's Day is soon to come so in celebrating all the awesome mothers out there (including myself), SkinCareRx.com is having a Beautiful Mom Mother's Day giveaway. To enter all you have to do is click Beautiful Mom and follow the instructions. The best stories will receive a gift card worth $250 and the runner ups will also receive some amazing prices. The giveaway will be ending on May 5th so be sure to enter by this date.

On another note, I was watching William and Kate's wedding this morning and it was such a beautiful, elegant ceremony.

I apologize for not being able to write anything lately but I'm having final exams at the moment. One later on this afternoon and one on Monday, so I will try my best to blog as soon as I can. Here is a teaser picture of my next blog post. . . .

Well take care and I hope you have a great day! Happy FRIDAY!

Mask-querade Haul + Others

2011-04-25T16:16:00.001-04:00

Hey there! I was ecstatic when I heard a thud at my door today but I sincerely didn't expect it to be my package from Imomoko.com. I love their lightining speed package delivery! Yay Imomoko! You made this tired mom's day.
I put in my order just last Friday because there is currently a 10% OFF sale for certain facial masks in their website. The code is "THANKMOTHER2011"

Here's the loot!

Click the name of the masks for more details.

My Beauty Diary White Truffle Fantastic Whitening Mask

$15.99 (4 Sheets)

FaceQ Masks: Red Pomegranate and CoQ10, Grape Seed and Green Tea, Ocean and Aloe

Each box contains 10 Sheets and are $15.99 each.

You can go to Eki's blog to find reviews on these masks however, I will be reviewing them as well.

Red Pomegranate and CoQ10 Mask

Grape Seed and Green Tea Mask

Ocean and Aloe Moisturizing Mask

These are the masks I currently own aside from the tubed kind. I purchased the Charcoal Mask pack from H-Mart and the Mandom Barrier Moisture Mask is from Mitsuwa.

Ah..the start of my mask collection. ^_^

I purchased these at Sears last Saturday.

Nicole by OPI Love Your Life ($8) and Essie Sand Tropez ($8)

I went to Mitsuwa this past weekend to visit my sister, Grace. We had a great mini-vacation despite the 5 hour drive and the little sleep. We treated ourselves to some awesome foods and treats at Mitsuwa. I finally got a chance to repurchase a bottle of Mandom Cleansing Express Moist makeup remover. I love this makeup remover to pieces!
I hope you all had a great Easter weekend and are having an awesome start to your week.

I will soon be posting another collection entry. Can you guess what it is? Here's a word hint...apples

Feeling Pinky & A Lil' Bit Yellow

2011-04-20T02:15:00.003-04:00

Hellooooo there! My lil' munchkin Mia is still awake so I'm up blogging. She turned 4 months today! Wowwww I'm so proud! I love my daughter so much and I can't believe how time is just flying.
So anyways, I went to the Outlets on Sunday with hubby, his dad, and of course my darling daughter, Mia. We actually met up with my hubby's family because he wanted to help them buy some soccer shoes. I took advantage of our little trip there by stopping by the CCO (Cosmetic Company Outlet). If you've never heard of the CCO, it's basically a store that sells Este Lauder products and products from the companies affiliated with them such as, MAC, Clinique, Bobbi Brown, etc!

I bought three things since I'm trying to stay on course with this whole budget thing. I'm really trying my best to refrain from buying things that either A) Doesn't suit my skin tone but just looks cute and B) I have no actual use for but I bought just for the sake of collecting.
So here's the loot! Shift to Pink Lip Gelee, Band of Roses blush, and Golden Lemon pigment.

Lip Gelee in Shift to Pink

This is a gorgeous, shimmering pink color! It kinda' reminds me of the dazzleglass lip glosses from MAC except this is a bit stickier. I'm not too crazy about sticky glosses but I can make an exception (at least just this once) for this cute pinkness of a gloss! LOVE IT!

Golden Lemon Pigment

This is another lovely, super pigmented...errr Pigment? haha Anyways, I don't really own anything yellow or gold so I had to get this. Plus it'll be perfect for the summer! Yeeaaaahhhh bring on the sunshine baby!

Band of Roses blush

I'm trying to open my eyes to more dramatic colors and like I mentioned earlier, I am a repeat offender when it comes to picking blushes that are either too light for my complexion or just doesn't compliment my skin tone. This is a beautiful rosey duo of colors.

Here are the swatches

This duo blush is great because if you blend it well, it can give that perfect flush. I think I will use to darker pink for the winter and use the lighter one for the summer. ^_^ Good plan!

Now for my next blog posts---You can look forward to these upcoming collections....(in no particular order)

Blushes

Pencil Liners

Conceales

Lip Glosses & Other Lip Products

Perfumes

Face Powders

Nail Polish

Eye Bases

Primers

Well I hope you all have a great rest of the week! Take care

Makeup Collection 1: Foundations

2011-04-17T20:44:00.004-04:00

Hello there! So here it is...the beginning of my makeup collection. I know you're probably thinking, "Why so many foundations Jules?" Although it may seem like I just made a mistake too many with picking my foundation shade, I really didn't! These are different types of foundations and yes maybe different shades as well.
Like many women out there, I too was lost in the vastness of makeup foundations. I honestly had a hard time picking the right one. Rest assure that I did not purchase all of these foundations at one sitting (just like my other makeup products).
Well, let's get started shall we? I hope you guys will find this post useful in warding off any future mistakes and please don't hesitate to ask me anything about the foundations.

Drugstore Foundations

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty, Revlon ColorStay, and Revlon PhotoReady

You can purchase these at your local drugstores and stores like Walmart or Target. The prices for each range from $13 - $14. Sometimes CVS holds a sale for the Revlon products where you can buy one get one free or at 50% off.

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty: Medium to full coverage. Didn't break me out but felt a little heavy on my face. Has a thicker than usual consistency compared to other liquid foundations. Comes in a frosted bottle complete with a convenient pump.

Revlon ColorStay: This gives medium to full coverage. Does not have a pump. Has different formulations; Normal, Dry, Oily. Even though it comes in a number of colors, I was unable to find the right match for my skin. I also noticed that this foundation was difficult to wash off completely whenever I used my synthetic foundation brush.

Revlon PhotoReady: Often compared to Makeupforever HD foundation. This is a great foundation. It didn't break me out. I have combination skin and this made my t-zone a little oily after some time. This is also gives a medium to full coverage.

Clinique Acne Solutions

Available at Macy's department stores and online at Clinique.com

$24.50

12 shades available

Good for Oily, Dry Combination, and Very Oily

This foundation is lightweight and gives light to medium coverage. Stays matte all day.

MAC Hyper Real SPF 15 (?), MAC Mineralized Satinfinish SPF 15 ($29.50), MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 ($26.50), and MAC Studio Sculpt SPF 15 ($29.50)

MAC Hyper Real: It's a good foundation but has too much shimmer. Medium to full coverage. No pump.

MAC Mineralized Satinfinish: I love the dewey look that this foundation gives me. My skin looks healthy. This didn't make me break out at all. Has a pump.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid: Full coverage makeup. Makes me have break outs but I come back to it every now and then because I like the coverage and the finish. This is actually my second bottle. Does not come with a pump but you can purchase the pump separately like I did.

MAC Studio Sculpt: Water resistant and gel based. Gives a medium to full coverage. One of my favorite foundations from MAC. Does not break me out. Comes in a tube.

NARS Sheer Matte Foundation (15 shades) $42

Chanel Vitalumiere Foundation $54

Make Up For Ever HD Foundation $40

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation $42

NARS Sheer Matte: Great foundation but too sheer for me. This gives a truly matte finish and controls oil through out the day. It's good for people with normal to oily and very oily skin types. Does not have a pump.

Chanel Vitalumiere: I LOVE THIS foundation! I'm halfway through. If I'm having a really good skin day, I reach for this foundation because it gives me a really natural, healthy glowing skin. It has a light to medium coverage. This does not break me out at all. It goes on really smooth whenever I apply it. Has a pump and a cap.

Make Up For Ever HD: Oil free! Medium to full coverage. Does not break me out. It has a semi-matte finish but is NOT great for flash photos. Has a pump and a cap. I like this foundation a lot because of the great coverage. I get a lot of compliments about my skin whenever I wear this. A lot of people think I have naturally flawless skin whenever I have this on my face.

Laura Mercier Silk Creme: Another great foundation in my book. Gives medium to full coverage. This is a long-wearing, waterproof foundation. I like this foundation a lot because it makes my skin look luminous and dewey. It comes in a tube but it's liquid. The only thing that irks me about this foundation is the fact that you get very little product for so much money. I mean $42 for about 1 oz!? That's bananas!

Graftobian Hi-Def Glamour Creme Super Palette $63.99
3 Palette in Warm, Cool, and Neutral
18 shades in each palette
I purchased this at Paint and Powder Store because it's cheaper there and I've never looked back since! This gives full coverage but does not look cakey. It can also be used as a spot concealer. This is a creme foundation but you can use a mixing medium or a MAC fix plus spray to thin it out to a liquid foundation or for under eye concealer. I recommend this foundation for people starting out as a makeup artist. I have the Warm and Neutral palettes.

Well I hope you guys like my mini reviews of these foundations. If you have any questions, ask away. I'm always happy to help and answer any of your questions.

I went to CCO today and I bought a few things from there. I will share my newly hauled goodies with you guys tomorrow. I gotta go take care of my little munchkin for now so I'll talk to you guys later.

Waterproof Foundation & Peach Blush

2011-04-16T03:30:00.008-04:00

Hey there! So I took a break from posting but here I am again with another haul. I'm very excited to share these products that I purchased from Sephora. I wanted to get at least two things so I can take advantage of the FREE shipping if you spend $50 or more. I also wanted to get the birthday gift since I am a beauty insider member! Plus, I've been doing much research on a GOOD waterproof foundation.

It's hard to believe that this Limited Edition Korres Poyz blush is on sale for only $10 when it is normally sold for $24. This along with 3 other colors are available for that price but they do have a wider selection of colors being sold at regular price.

Peachy Orange blush described as a golden peach.

The texture is really smooth and soft. Not powdery at all. I'm so sorry but I forgot to swatch this. No worries though, I have an FOTD at the end of the post where I am wearing the blush.
However, if you still want me to swatch it, just let me know.

I'm in love with this foundation! I think it's definitely a must have for the summer. If you are looking for a GREAT, TOP NOTCH WATERPROOF foundation..trust me when I say that this is THE ONE!

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation 1.18 fl oz

It's a bit on the pricey side for $42 but in my opinion, it is definitely worth the splurge because it has a natural finish to it and it doesn't look cakey once applied.
It has medium coverage but you can build it up too for a fuller coverage.

It is a small tube containing 1.18 fl oz of product but a little goes a long way. The directions say to apply with a sponge but you can use whatever method you're more comfortable with.

There's only 8 colors to choose from which is a downside for such a great product.

I'm an NC 40 to 42 in MAC so I picked Cashew Beige.

When I first saw this sticker that says "Shake Well" I was in disbelief because I was thinking, "how on earth can I shake something that's in a tube?!" Usually, when a product is in a tube container, the automatic way of dispensing the product is by squeezing it. However, this tube is made of hard plastic so it's not something you can squeeze. You will need to remove the thin aluminum covering the opening of the tube because it acts like a vacuum seal. Once removed, then you will be able to hear the liquid moving around as you shake the container.

I decided to test it out. It looks a little bit darker on me but I think it's okay because my skin will darken anyways during the summer. It has a creamy liquid consistency and is easy to apply. It does not have any shimmer but does give a healthy looking finish.

I decided to test it out and see if it will smudge with water.

As you can see the water just glides off! AMAZING

This is how I look with just the foundation on my face (no powder or concealer)

I am wearing the foundation and the blush in this picture. If you are wondering what I have on my eyes, it's basically three eye shadows & the black eye liner from the Urban Decay Naked Palette.

On another note, I know I've been telling you guys how I will post a video or a picture heavy blog post regarding my current makeup collection and organization but I've decided to break it down because there's simply too many pictures and I don't want to over load you guys with pictures!

Tomorrow, I will post my Foundation collection and do a quick compare and contrast and mini review for each!

I hope you guys have a great weekend! Take care!

MAC Quite Cute Haul

2011-04-13T01:47:00.002-04:00

Hello again! So I am currently watching "Maid of Honor" on T.V. and finally having some "me" time. I've been feeling anxious lately due to a certain acceptance letter that I'm waiting for. Anyways, I've resulted to doing some retail therapy. I have to admit, back then, whenever a new MAC collection would come out, I would buy all if not most of the products in the collection.

Since the new year, I have been practicing much restraint and have been making wiser purchases.

Now on to my mini MAC haul!

The newest MAC collection that came out recently is called Quite Cute. The name pretty much describes what the collection is all about. I bought two things from this collection; Miss Behave blush and Bubble Tea Plushglass.

The colors are neutral but can be worn for a day or evening look.

Miss Behave blush is GORGEOUS! The texture of this blush is unbelievably smoother compared to any of the MAC blushes I've ever owned, swatched, or touched!

The colors are subtle yet pigmented.

Bubble Tea Plushglass. This is a lip plumping gloss. Once applied on your lips, you will feel a cooling sensation. Plus, it tastes and smells minty. It has a doe-foot applicator and the actual cap is made out of a rubber type of material, similar to the NARS blush containers.

The gloss is creamy and has a milky sheen to it.

MAC kindly sent me a pack of four super cute pins (despite only ordering a couple of things). I use to have a fixation with pins and would attach them on my bags, but I think I will keep these babies as keepsakes.

Next month will be my 3 year anniversary here on blogger.com so I will be having a giveaway! Please subscribe if you haven't done so and if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions just email me at b3bkoolit@gmail.com

Jules

Some Fresh Air

2011-04-12T17:11:00.004-04:00

Hey everyone! So this post is going to be somewhat unorthodox but it will be TOTALLY worth reading on about! Promise! ^_^

Do you remember back when you were just a kid and you and your family would take summer vacations? I know summer is fast approaching and everyone is making their own special vacation plans but what about those kids whose families do not have the means or resources to have a vacation let alone plan for one?

Sara from the Fresh Air Fund organization has personally contacted me in hopes of getting the word out regarding their organization and what it's all about. They are in need of volunteer host families that can give wonderful city kids a 2 week summer vacation.

To find out more please visit The Fresh Air Fund by simply clicking on the banner below. Please extend your support and spread the word.

My Current Skincare Regimen

2011-04-09T23:32:00.003-04:00

Hi again! I'm on a roll blog readers! So here is my current skincare routine. If you have been reading my skincare blog entries you will know how much I've dealt with as far as skin is concern. You can go to my before & after pics by clicking here. I have acne prone, uber sensitive, combination type skin.

The above picture are the MAIN products that I CURRENTLY use. These products are what works for me and like many products out there, this may or may not work for you.

I currently alternate between these two cleansers but I mostly use the Boscia Makeup Breakup Cool Cleansing Gel (on the right). You can click here for my review on this amazing product! I use this to remove my face makeup.

The other Boscia cleanser on the left (Purifying Cleansing Gel) is the one that use for regular cleansing. I use this during my showers if I feel like my skin needs that extra oomph.

I also use the above pictured products to remove eye makeup and face makeup. The POND'S makeup removing cream is AWESOME and inexpensive. It works great for removing eye makeup, including waterproof mascara. If your like me and you don't have the time to apply eye cream every night, this product is great in adding some moisture to your delicate eye areas. I just put a little bit around my eye area using my clean fingers or a cotton swab and then leave it for a little bit. I massage the cream and gently remove it with a cotton pad or cotton ball.

The Kirkland face cleansing towelettes are great for quick face makeup removal. However, it does not remove eye makeup completely. I just like it because I feel like it refreshes my face.

As you can see, I've used up a good amount of this POND's makeup removing cream, so you know it's my go-to eye makeup remover.

I must admit that I still do have the occasional break out every now and then, so having these Clinique products are a staple for me. If my skin is having an off day, I simply substitute my Boscia cleanser to the Clinique Acne Solution cleanser (left) and then use the matching toner (right). You can purchase these at Macy's counters, Macys.com, Cosmetic Company Outlet Store, and Clinique.com.

I cannot rave and rant enough about this little miracle in a tube pimple zapper!

Just apply a little bit at night and the pimple is soon to vanish.

My night and day moisturizers.

My previous night time moisturizer from Clean & Clear had reached it's expiration date so I had to chuck it. Unfortunately, it is discontinued so I opted to try out this Belo Essentials Night Therapy Whitening Cream. For my morning moisturizer I use my second tube of Boscia's Vital Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15.

The Belo Essentials Night Therapy is great. It has antioxidants, fights against free radicals, has a clean scent, and doesn't leave the skin greasy.

It had a scooper but it was more annoying than helpful so chucked it.

As far as whitening powers...I see my skin looking brighter.

I love products with expiration dates printed on them. It's even better when it's actually printed on the container instead of the box.

Oh yeah I got a hair cut today. My daughter is starting to pull my hair and it was just too long so it had to be done. At first I wasn't too crazy about it but I'm starting to like it. It's kinda like a long bob with bangs and layering in the front.

Thanks for reading! ta-ta for now

Product Review: EOS Everyday Hand Lotion

2011-04-09T03:19:00.001-04:00

Hey there! If you like the lip balm from EOS then you might like this!

So this is my review on the NEW EOS (Evolution of Smooth) Everyday Hand Lotion, available at Walmart for about $3.50 each. There are two types available, the light green colored, "refresh" which has a light cucumber scent and the aqua colored, "nourish" which has a more fragrant, stronger scent.
There are also body lotions available for about $2 more than the hand lotions and they are significantly larger in size. You can't get the hand lotions out of the box without looking conspicuous so I suggest catching a whiff of the body lotions instead.

As the packaging says, these lotions are not tested on animals and does not contain any animal by-products.

The directions are "cutely" written if I may add.

Yay the expiration box is conveniently imprinted on the back of the box so no guess work needed here.

It reminds me of a stone that you throw to a lake to make rippling effects.

The packaging looks really sturdy and definitely a step up from the usual squeeze tube containers.

The texture of the lotion is nice and non greasy. It goes on smoothly and disappears on your skin.

I like the cucumber scent one better because the other one smells like grandma's perfume, which is too fragrant for my liking.

Aside from that, I would definitely buy this product again and I hope you will give it a try too!

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

A Year Older & Some Food Pon

2011-04-07T07:51:00.001-04:00

Hey there! I always try to be as enthusiastic as I can here on blog, despite feeling a bit under the weather lately which I know is unfortunate given the nice temperatures we've been having lately. I turned another year older last Saturday, April 2nd to be precise.
My sister Grace came for a visit which is always a wonderful thing. Life gets more brighter whenever she's around.
I wanted a more laid back birthday celebration, but in all honesty, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to celebrate it at all. Usually, I would have fun reflecting on what I've accomplish so far in my life and I would get a sense of fulfillment. However, this time I wasn't exactly too proud of myself for some reason. Aside from going through my first pregnancy, there's really not much else I could think of.

Anyways, hubby, Mia and I went to pick up my sister in DC. Then we ate at this AWESOME restaurant called Matchbox (the one in Capitol Hill). Here's some pics from that lil' trip!

We ordered their infamous sliders and they were delicious! You get a choice from three types of cheese or without any cheese.

We also tried their Fire & Smoke pizza. This was too spicy for my taste but I did try a slice and it was really yummy. We ordered another pizza...hmm..but I can't recall the name. LoL I guess that means it wasn't that good. =P

For the dessert, we ordered this chocolate chip banana bread pudding with bananas and caramel sauce.

My sister Grace holding my daughter Mia. ^_^

The day before my birthday, we decided to start an early drinking celebration at home.

Grace was the bartender for the night

Cute colored drinks!

I took half a shot of Bacardi 151 in this.

We had some green and orange jello shots.

Goldilocks Chocolate cake. This pink lotus looking candle is actually very innovative! You light up the middle and it becomes almost like a straight shooting firework! Then the candles get lit up and the flower opens up, twirling to a happy birthday music. You can get this at Party Co.

I cooked some pancit. When I was young, my dad use to always cook pancit and pinakbet whenever someone in the family had a birthday.
On the day of my birthday, hubby, my sister, hubby's two cousins (Danny and Sandro) and I all went to play pool at Fast Eddie's. It was a great night despite feeling some separation anxiety from my daughter.
The next day, we dropped off my sister so she can catch her bus back to Jersey. Hubby took me to Georgetown Cupcakes. I've always wanted to go there and try their cupcakes ever since I saw their show DC Cupcakes.

There was a long line and the wait was about 45 minutes to an hour.

The inside of the bakery wasn't as shabby as I thought it would be. In fact it looked kinda cramped.

The cupcakes ARE delicious! This was their strawberry cupcake.

Cherry Blossom cupcake

My faves from the dozen that we ordered are the chocolate ganache, cherry blossom, strawberry, and peanut butter. YUM!

My sister took me shopping for my birthday. I got some clothes and a bag.

Tyler Rodan Zebra print green bag

The inside is leopard print and it comes with a matching umbrella.

Kat Von D Palette/book, frog washcloth, frog bathroom sticky thingies, and Sephora Urban Decay Box

I love this gift from my sister. I didn't even know it existed and my sister almost kept it for herself lol because she wanted one too but it sold out so quickly!

The eye shadows are gorgeous and highly pigmented! I will be doing a review on this palette as soon as I can get myself to actually use it. I'm really skeptical about using the eye shadows because it's a limited edition palette and the packaging is so intricately made. I feel like I want to preserve it!

High voltage eye primers!

Roller ball perfume

I have been lemming to try the other Urban Decay Primer potions and now I get to finally do so!

Lovely

A New Home for Your Brushes

2011-03-29T01:39:00.000-04:00

Hey there! So here I am with another post for you guys. This time I want to show you how I organize my brushes. I have about 6 different brands of brushes and I know...gasp! but seriously I love me some brushes! I have NARS, MAC, Stila, Sephora, Everyday Minerals, and Kirkland. Now, although most of them came in sets and the prices for each brand varied, I find that my top go to brushes are mostly MAC.
Although the Sephora brushes were in a set, sadly not all of the brushes get love from me. A few of them actually became defective after much use.

Anyways, today it's not really about the brushes, but more about where I store them. As you can see from the picture above, I use to store my brushes in these metal pencil holders that I purchased from Marshals. These containers are actually good but because they have holes on the sides, sometimes the smaller, thinner handled brushes would poke out of those holes or slip out. This didn't really bother me that much so by all means, if you like these type of containers then kudos to you, but today I found this. . . .

It's a spinning container! It was around $14 at Office Depot. It houses both my face and eye brushes perfectly. I also like the fact that it matches my vanity table because it has glass on the front of each triangular divide. Another cool thing about this baby is that it spins, so you can easily pick out which ever brush you want to use.

Here it is with my everyday brushes in it.

On another note. . . .

This is nail polish is my love at the moment. I adore this color! It's a metallic gray color with a purple-pink iridescence to it.

It's from the OPI gLEE collection at Sephora.

This is my nail 2 weeks after application. I know I need to redo my nails right. What's interesting about this color is that although it appears to have tiny green glitters, it actually gives off this purple-pink sheen at certain angles of lighting.

I will be celebrating my 26th Birthday this Saturday so that should be fun. I can't wait! My older sisters are going to come and celebrate with me.

Now I leave you with my pink domo. . .meet Lil' Rawr

Study, study, study

What the??!....Eh????! MATH?!

Whyyyyyyyyyyy

Well hello there Mr. Calculator....I like yer green color...so sexaaay! XOXO

Have a great rest of the week! ^_~

FOTD Sexy for Spring! Chyeaah

2011-03-24T22:09:00.001-04:00

Hi there! So I decided to play with some cool toned colors today. I love the color pink but it can be a challenge to use it as eye makeup especially if you mix it with blues and purples. It's a "black eye" waiting to happen!

I decided to play it "cool" and just give it a try! I mean why be intimidated by these colors. The outcome is simply GORGEOUS!

I used purple, pink and teal on the lids. The outer corner highlight is a matte white eye shadow and the brow bone highlighter is a white eye shadow with blue-violet iridescence.

MAC Eye shadows: Gesso (tear duct area), Sunset B (middle of lid), Sushi Flower (outer third of lid), Climate Blue (outer V & crease), Cool Heat (outer half of lower lash lines), and Vellum (brow bone highlighter and inner half of lower lash lines).

Line eyes with Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Zero.

Mascara is Cover Girl Lash Blast

FACE: NARS primer, MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation, Graftobian HD powder

CHEEKS: MAC MSF Soft & Gentle, MAC blush in Pink Swoon and Shy Beauty (mixed)

LIPS: MAC lipsticks in Angel and Win Win

Hope you guys like this look. I'm organizing my makeup at the moment so I will soon be posting my collection pictures and how I organize everything.

What do you see as the perfect Spring makeup?

FOTDs

2011-03-19T01:11:00.000-04:00

I use to shy away from wearing red lipsticks because I thought it made me look overdone, but with a boost in confidence and curiosity, I began my journey to find the right red. I had a chance to do Back 2 MAC, which is a MAC recycling program. You need to have 6 empty MAC containers and each 6 containers can be traded in at either a MAC freestanding store or a MAC department store location. If you go to the MAC department store counter, you will get a lipstick and if you go to the freestanding store, you have a choice between an eye shadow, a lip gloss, or a lipstick (if I'm not mistaken).
I am wearing MAC Red and it's gorgeous!

I've been practicing (or experimenting) with colors lately, especially since getting the Flirt! palette from the Cosmetic Company Outlet store. It's great because I get to use it as much as I can without as oppose to using my more high end brands. I have 4 Coastal Scents palettes, but they are sadly collecting dust within my makeup stash. I broke out pretty badly when I started using one of the palettes. Plus the texture of those eye shadows are sometimes chalky to me.

If you will look closely...yes I did forget to put mascara on that is why my real lashes are not blending with the faux ones. Haha. Silly me. I'm wearing Darkness eye lashes that I got from H-Mart.

I wore this look today while I was out with my hubby and our daughter Mia.

We stopped by a few dress stores to drop off my business card. I have a few gigs lined up so I am super excited!

I used my Urban Decay Book of Shadows NYC palette to get this look but you can definitely substitute with a different brand. The colors I used were a shimmery purple, a matte black, a shimmery brown, and a satin finish light pink to high light.

I lined my water lines with black eye liner and lined the bottom lash lines with a purple eye liner.

Hope you guys like these looks! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Have a great weekend!

Awesome Finds!

2011-03-17T04:17:00.002-04:00

Don't you just love it when you have time to actually shop. No, I don't mean browsing...I mean really looking through the items and displays. I had about an hour of free time at the outlet today and of course I went straight to the Cosmetic Company Outlet.

I purchased a MAC Upstarts: Flawless pack. It had a MAC MSF in Soft and Gentle, a Cleanse Off Oil 1 fl oz., and a Revitalizing Energy Charge Water 1 fl oz. for $21.50. I also got another one of the MAC lip gloss in Frankly Fresh because I lost the one that I previously purchased when the collection came out. I love this lip gloss because it's such a nice neutral color. Last but definitely not least, I purchased a 40 eye shadow palette by this brand called Flirt!...actually you can purchase this brand at Kohls but it is also from Estee Lauder, the same company that makes MAC, Clinique, and many other cosmetic brands.

Soft and Gentle MSF

swatched

Flirt! 40 eye shadow palette. The packaging was pink and it had a magnetic closure on the side.

The quality of these eye shadows are AMAZING! The palette is Limited Edition and each eye shadow is the same size as the MAC eye shadow so it can fit the MAC eye shadow palettes perfectly!

The palette retails for $30 but was available at the CCO for $21. Although I liked the outside packaging, the actual container that the eye shadow pans were glued on was pretty cheap looking so I decided to depot them...

I transferred the eye shadows onto my Z. palettes and they look fab!

The eye shadows are very creamy and highly pigmented. The quality is definitely comparable to MAC. There are a few matte colors but mostly satin and shimmery colors.

I didn't have time to really look through the eye shadows but right away I found a close dupe!

The left eye shadow is from Flirt! and the other right eye shadow (Amber Lights) is from MAC.

I love this Flirt! palette and I paid $21 for 40 eye shadows which is about the price of two MAC eye shadows in pan form. It wasn't difficult to pry each eye shadow out of the plastic (flimsy) container either. I did, however, had to place a magnet on the back of each eye shadow. I bought these magnet sheets from Walmert for $2 for a pack containing 2 sheets and then I just cut them accordingly.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week.

MAC Wonder Woman MSF

2011-03-16T05:37:00.001-04:00

A lot has happened these past few days. Most of the things I went through recently are more personal so I'd prefer not to divulge into it. On a lighter note, I have finally succumb into purchasing at least one thing from the latest but not the greatest collection from MAC. The Wonder Woman collection that was released some time this month was had some okay colors, that in my opinion, can easily be duped given the effort.

What really caught my attention is the gigantosorous sized packages. So yes MAC you did do your thang in that perspective!

I purchased the MAC Wonder Woman MSF in Pink Power. It is $35 for 20 grams of product. Compared to the norm msf, this has twice as much product for $7 more than you would usually pay for. Sweet deal!
Now for the not so sweet aspect of it...

The powders inside the compact are a trio that are meant to be applied separately. I can understand packaging them this way if the trio can be applied all together, but they can't. As you can see from the picture, the powders are all right next to each other which means the colors can easily get mixed together even when you are only just trying to use one of the colors. Also, can you imagine how the powder will look as a whole if you end up hitting pan on one color?

Another down side to the packaging is the lack of a nice mirror. The compact is big enough, so why not add a mirror?

Aside from those two things, the colors are very NICE. I love this trio. I mean the blush and the highlighter are gorgeous. I love that they are not made of chunky glitter, but instead it has fine shimmer. The bronzer is also beautiful and does not look muddy.

The powders are actually creamy and not chalky at all. They stick right onto the skin very smoothly.
If I could get another product from this collection it would most likely be the MAC blush in Mighty Aphrodite because the color pay off is great and it's not too over the top looking.

I can't wait for MAC's Quite Cute collection to come out on April 7th! It's my birthday month so I'm very excited to get some stuff from the collection. I particularly like the blushes, the quad, and a couple of lippies!
If you want more info on the Quite Cute collection go to Temptalia.

EOTD: Smokey Eyes

2011-03-09T17:04:00.000-05:00

What do you picture when you think about the perfect smokey eyes makeup look? Intense liner, browns, blacks, and gray eye shadows, muted lip colors, dewy skin, bronzy cheeks, and subtle highlights.
Well that's what I did for this look. I was actually inspired by my cousin Carrie. I will be visiting her soon and she wants to know how to do a smokey eyes look.
If you want to go for the quick and simple route, you can simply apply black or dark brown kohl liner on your top and bottom lash lines and then smudge it out with a pencil brush. Instead of using eye shadow to seal the smudged out liners, use a little bit of blot or translucent powder. Doing so will make your eye makeup last longer. As for foundation, go with a tinted moisturizer and dust on a bit of bronzer. For the lips, you can use a concealer and/or a nude lip gloss.

To achieve this look. . .

Apply a brown base. I used MAC paint pot in Quite Natural.
Apply a brown eye shadow on your crease. I used MAC eye shadow in Soft Brown.
Sweep a dark grey eye shadow with a brownish undertone on your lids. I used MAC eye shadow in Smoke & Diamonds. Using a pencil brush, apply this on the lower lash lines as well.
To add depth, I used MAC eye shadow in Show Stopper and applied it on the outer corner & outer crease of the eyes. This is a great dark brown eye shadow.
Highlight the brow bones by sweeping a light beige eye shadow. I used MAC eye shadow in Chamomile. It has a satin finish, but you can definitely opt for a matte highlighter too.

Line both your water lines and lash lines with a black kohl liner and then smudge it out. Top it off with a dark brown eye shadow so that your eye liner doesn't melt off through out the day.

For the brows, just lightly fill it in with your favorite brow powder. I use MAC eye shadow in Espresso.

For my face I used . . .

Sally Hansen Inspired by Carmindy Face Primer (this has shimmer and you only need a tiny bit)
MAC Studio Fix Foundation NC 37 (applied it with a wet sponge and then using another clean wet sponge, I blotted off any excess foundation. It gives a nice airbrush finish)
Sephora Concealer/Corrector quad (for under eyes and to conceal any redness)
Graftobian HD powder palette (for setting the foundation and for contouring)

Lips - MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 lipstick and lipgloss.

Hope you guys liked it!

Upcoming posts. . .
Sephora Brush Belt
Makeup Collection
Makeupforever VS Sephora Concealer/Corrector palette
Graftobian HD Foundation Palette Review

NEW Makeup Train case!

2011-03-08T14:57:00.001-05:00

I decided to venture out and finally just go for it with my makeup freelancing. After doing much research, I've discovered the main items that I'm going to need...a makeup train case, business cards, makeup brushes, makeup (of course, what's an artist without paint right? ^_^), and a camera (so you can take before & after pictures for your portfolio!)

So I got my train case from Yazmo Model# TS-47 for $169.95 but there's a 10% OFF coupon Renren that I was also able to use. It comes with 2 sets of keys to securely lock your train case.

It came with a free brush set...which, I'm sorry to say, was not of very good quality.

There was only one brush that was good and it was the large eye shadow brush. The brush set includes a powder brush, a large eye shadow brush, a smaller eye shadow brush, a lip brush, a sponge tip applicator, and a brow brush/comb. Everything came in a faux leather case that had a very obvious plastic flap.

The top train case has an optional shoulder strap and can be carried by itself instead of being attached to the bottom compartment. The dividers are detachable and can be adjusted to your liking.

One side comes with two layers of containers. The bottom layer slides out and the top layer swivels out.

On the other side is just one deeper layer that slides right out.

This is the bottom compartment. It comes with a top layer that you can take out completely. The top layer is deep and also has the detachable dividers.

You can rest the top layer of the bottom compartment on the fold down shelf.

I discovered the extra lid in the bottom compartment.

You can attach the extra lid in case you only want the bottom rolling train case.

The bottom compartment comes with locks on each side for added security.

The "cavernous hole." It has elastic straps to hold spray bottles.

Unfortunately, my train case came with little tears on each side of the fold out self and I don't blame the shipping process because it was snuggly packed in a box full of Styrofoam.

I figure I'll just deal with it for now because I don't want to have to go through the ordeal of trying to ship back a big train case.

As far as stability, this train case is OKAY. It's not as sturdy after you put all your makeup in there, but then again, my makeup all in all probably weighed over 40 lbs.

I also don't like the handles on the back. Grant it, the handles do adjust in length and lock in place, but once you actually use to pull the train case (with all it's heaviness) the handle wiggles screaming unsteadiness.

Well that's it for now. I will take pictures of my actual freelancing kit some time this week and post the whole shabang for you guys to ooggle.

Thanks for stopping by!

Professional Website is Up!

2011-03-06T22:48:00.000-05:00

Hello world. So I have some exciting news *dot* *dot* *dot* I now have my own professional website Julesmakeupstyle in conjunction to my makeup freelancing. SWEET right?
I still can't even believe it but yes, it's up and running! I hope you will all support me and visit my new website by clicking the link above. Oh and don't worry, I will still be updating this website with all the fun stuff. ^_^

I just got back from eating Korean BBQ and it was yum. My daughter is getting fussy now so I gotta hurry up with this short update and then straight to the bathroom to wash up. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!
By the way, I have an exam tomorrow, but as soon as that's over I will be taking pictures and maybe a video of my ever growing makeup collection/organization.

That's it for now..tah tah! Oh and please don't forget to visit my website at http://www.Julesmakeupstyle.com

Makeup Hauls

2011-02-27T16:40:00.002-05:00

I rarely take many pictures and post them up here on my blog, but I have acquired some nice makeup goodies over the week. My sister from PA came to visit on Thursday and she stayed till Saturday. I haven't had the chance to go shopping in a while, since having my daughter last December so this shopping week was a much needed therapy for a recovering shopaholic like me. We went to a couple of malls and the outlet. It was a lot of fun hanging out with her. I can't wait to do it again!

I ordered a bunch of Pop Beauty makeup goodies from Beautycrunch.com last week because they had a 70% Off Sale on Pop Beauty products and it came this week. I only got about 50 dollars worth of stuff, but after swatching the goods I kinda wish I ordered more! Please refer to Beautycrunch.com for the prices on each item.

Lip Pastel

You can click the blue link above or on any of the next pictures to get more info on the product.

I got three eye shadow palettes. Lid Neon, Lid Silver, and Lid Gold.

These colors are vibrant but you can definitely control the intensity depending on how much you apply. I was a bit skeptical about getting this palette because I thought it would be too over the top looking but it's really wearable and fun!

Some swatches (without base)

All the palettes come with a dual ended sponge tip applicator that's a bit difficult to pry out of the cardboard-ish palette container. The lid can be securely closed because each end has a small circular magnet.

Some swatches (without base)

I was excited about these cheek tints. No. 1 Rouge (deep red) and No. 2 Au Natural (soft red glow)

It has a slanted, rubbery tip. You turn the end of the pen to get the product out (think Stila lip gloss).

Swatches of No. 1 (top) and No. 2 (bottom)

This is a cool eye makeup primer and highly pigmented! I can't wait to use it.

You have to turn the end of the container to dispense the product.

Brush tip applicator

Now on to the MAC goodies!

MAC Viva Glam 2 Lady Gaga

Viva Glam 2 Lipstick (left) and Viva Glam 2 Lip gloss (right)

Tah-tah for now!

Review: Boscia MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil

2011-02-18T12:14:00.002-05:00

The Product: Boscia MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil

The Price: $25

The Size: 150mL/5 fl. oz.

Pros: This is a very gentle cleanser yet it removes makeup very well. I love the minty scent and the cool green color. I like how when I initially put it on, it's of an oily consistency but once I put water on my face it emulsifies (turns from clear to white). It has a slight cooling and calming effect on the skin because of the peppermint and eucalyptus. I apply this all over my face, including my eye areas and it doesn't sting even though it contains peppermint and eucalyptus.

On the side of the box, you will see the expiration date of the product. I don't know about you, but this particular feature is impressive and convenient for me. I think all cosmetic companies should adopt this because it surely takes away the guesswork in figuring out a product's expiration date.

I love the fact that this product is Preservative-free, dermatologist tested, non-comedogenic, etc. (see box picture above). This is especially vital for me to know since I have sensitive skin.

The packaging is great. It comes with a "small locking clip" so you can put it in your bag without having to worry about spillage. I threw mine away because I only use it at home.

Cons: It can be considered pricey compared to a drugstore makeup cleanser but I think it's worth it since it does remove makeup well and it's made from natural ingredients.

To Repurchase or Not to Repurchase: Yes! Definitely! This is a staple to my skincare routine.

The Verdict: I LOVE THIS MAKEUP CLEANSING OIL. I've been using it for over 3 months now. After washing it off, my skin feels smooth and moisturized. I definitely recommend this to anyone who are looking for a good cleansing oil that won't leave their face feeling greasy.

Sally's Haul + HK nail polish dupe!

2011-02-15T11:12:00.002-05:00

Hey there! I hope everyone had a beautiful Valentine's Day with your loves. Hubby and I celebrated by first going to lunch at Tony's NY Pizza restaurant for brunch.

We ordered our usual Steak and Cheese sandwich and calamari. We like to eat our steak & cheese with mustard (and also mayo for him).
After our lovely brunch, we went to Marshalls. Hubby needed to pick up a few things there and I went to Sally's beauty supply store which was conveniently next to it.
They are having a sale on Seche Vite top coat and base coat. If you buy a top coat, you get the base coat for free. I also picked up a China Glaze nail polish, which was a dollar off with an in-store coupon.
I came home and realized that it is the perfect dupe (except with better formula) of the Sephora HK nail polish that I bought online.

The color is in Re-Fresh Mint

It's seriously a gorgeous mint green color. This is how it looks with the Seche Vite base coat and top coat.
Hubby had to leave for work so I decided to cook chopseuy and bake a chocolate mousse cake with toffee bits. When he came home he surprised me with red roses and a box of chocolates. I didn't expect it because he already bought me a new wok. Yes that's right...a wok because I love to cook!

Tah-tah for now! Have a great week!

WLKTHRU: Pink and Black

2011-02-09T07:29:00.000-05:00

Hey there! I'm on fire this week! I can't believe I've actually updated at least twice this week so yay. Anyways, here's a new makeup look. I hope you guys like it.

So before you get started, you want to prep your skin. You want to moisturize your face with at least an SPF of 25 (even if it's for night time). Wait till the moisturizer settles into your pores, then you can proceed to applying a makeup primer. If your in a budget, a good primer to use is Monistat chafing gel. If you're iffy about using this as your primer you can go to this link to find out more about the pros and cons of using it.

EYES

I used a light pink eyeshadow as my base color (MAC e/s in Da Bling)
then I used a matte black eyeshadow (Urban Decay e/s in Perversion) on the outer and inner corner of my lids
used pink eyeshadow (MAC e/s in Sushi Flower) on my crease, and a white shimmery eyeshadow on the center of my lid, as my brow bone highlight, and on my tear duct areas (MAC e/s in White Frost)
I also used MAC eye kohl in Smolder to line the inner rims and lash lines of my eyes (sealed that with the same e/s in Perversion)

FACE

For my face..I used MAC strobe cream as primer
Chanel Vitalumiere foundation (skipped on concealer)
MAC blotting powder to set
NARS blush in Sin
MAC msf medium natural duo but only used highlighter part to highlight cheekbones, nose bridge, temples

BROWS

I used MAC brow shader in soft charcoal.

LIPS

Prepped my lips with EOS lip balm in Honeydew (do this in the beginning when you're prepping your face)
I applied my MAC Viva Glam Lady Gaga lippie and topped it off with my Dazzle Lipstick in Win-Win.

I used my T3 straightening iron to curl my hair a bit and used a medium sized velcro roller on my bangs.

I will be putting up a new makeup collection video as soon as I get my camera some time next week. The nerd in me is still diligently doing my research on the best digital camera that will best suit my needs without putting a huge hole in my pocket.
I am still working on my Boscia product review but I am hoping to post that up before this week is over. Tah-tah for now ladies! Have a great rest of the week.

WLKTHRU: Bronze With a Hint of Purple

2011-02-06T07:44:00.000-05:00

Hey there! I just wanted to share this look that I did a couple of nights ago. One thing that I'm learning as a new mom is that mom's don't have a lot of time to get ready, hence the infamous tag line "on the go mom." Even if you're not a new mom but just want a quick makeup look that's both fun and edgy at the same time, then you should definitely try this out for yourself.
This is the first out of many future "walkthrough" tutorials.
Anyways, let me ask you this....when you think of "mom" what do you see her wearing as far as makeup goes? Plain and simple, nothing too out there right? Well, I think that that's a misconception especially with young moms. However, not all makeup looks are acceptable for certain occasions. If you're a mom just going for a night out with your hubby or even a lunch date with your girlfriends then this look is appropriate.

Apply moisturizer and face primer all over your face. While you let the primer settle on your face, you can go ahead and apply eye makeup.

EYES

Prime your eyelids. I used Too Faced Shadow Insurance and MAC paint pot in Rubenesque.

Apply your base color. In this case I used a bronze eye shadow (used Urban Decay Book of Shadows NYC eye shadow in Suspect). I mainly focused this on my lids.
High light your brow bone with a beige or yellow tone eye shadow (used MAC eye shadow in rice paper). Also apply this on your tear duct area.
Apply a matte black eye shadow on your outer corner, blend it but focus on the outer third part of your eye lid.
Make sure to blend with light sweeping or swirling motions.

*TIP* Tap off any excess eye shadow especially if it's a dark color. You can always put some more later rather than having to start over because you put too much to begin with.

Line your water lines with a black eye liner. Water lines or inner rims of your eyes are the fleshy part of your eye lid (usually whitish in color).
Take the same eye liner and line your TOP lash lines. Lash lines are above your top lashes and then below your bottom lashes, hence the name "lash lines."
Seal the top lash line with the same matte black eye shadow (Urban Decay eye shadow in Perversion) you've used before.
Then for your LOWER lash lines, line it with a purple eye liner and seal that with a purple eye shadow (Urban Decay eye shadow in Psychadelic Sister).

FACE

Apply foundation (I used NARS Sheer Matte).
Apply concealer but only on the areas that need extra coverage (spot conceal)
This is optional but I applied MAC Mineral skin finish in Medium
Often, it's hard to decide whether or not you should put setting powder on first or blush. I think that if you are using powder blush that is very pigmented, you should apply the blush first then the powder so you can tame the color a bit for a more natural flush.
If you are applying cream blush (like I did and I used Sephora Hello Kitty Apple Cheeks blush in Blushing), I suggest patting it on first with your finger tips and then lightly blending it in, then set everything by lightly tapping on the setting powder with a face brush (make sure to also tap off any excess powder before application).
Curl your lashes and apply mascara the last so that you can avoid powder on your lashes. One of my pet peeves in regards to makeup is having to look in the mirror and seeing (under good lighting) that my setting powder is all over my eye lashes.

BROWS

I usually sport thinner brows but my natural brows are more spread out but sparse and light at the same time. I know that thicker brows make you look younger as oppose to having thinner brows, but you also have to consider what works better for your face shape or just for you in general.
I really don't have time to pencil in my brows and make those tiny strokes to fill them in so I opted to just fill them in lightly with a brow powder.
Another option is to use a brow filler that sets and grooms the brows all at the same time. A good one is MAC brow set.

LIPS

For this look, I just kept it simple with my EOS lip balm in Honeydew.

So that wraps up this simple, on the go look. You can skip on the purple eye liner if you want a more tamed down eye makeup.

Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!!!

Sephora Hello Kitty Haul

2011-01-31T17:40:00.000-05:00

The loot

I purchased three HK Liquid Nail Art, 2 in the color Minty and 1 in Banana Cream. Each are $10 and are pretty small in size. The colors I picked out are opaque because I don't really own any opaque nail polish colors. The only downfall to the HK Liquid Nail Art is that the consistency of the polish is streaky and it takes a few coats to get a nice, true opaque finish.

I also purchased one of the Apple Cheeks blush sticks in Blushing and the price is $22. This was surprisingly bigger than what I expected.

I really like this peachy color for my olive-medium complexion. The blush is very creamy and buildable. It gets lighter as you blend it but not to the point of erasing the color completely. If you want a subtle hint of flush then this would be perfect for you. I can foresee that this blush would be lovely with dewey looking skin.

I had points on my Sephora card so I used 100 pts to get this .25 fl. oz. HK perfume. I wanted to get the full size of the perfume but I didn't want to take a gamble because I may not like the "fruity" scent that other people are describing the scent to be. However, after smelling the perfume, I actually like it. I know it has a mix of notes but I can really smell a strong mandarin scent above all the others.

The bottle is cute too!

It's about the same size as the nail polish.

The only thing I don't like is the bottle cap. I wish they upgraded it to a spritzer cap instead.

Well that's pretty much my loot from the collection. Out of all these items, I really like the blush, perfume, and then nail polish (by order of "glad I bought it to I could go without it!")

UPDATE

2011-01-27T10:03:00.000-05:00

Hey you guys! So I know it's been a while but I'm backkkkk! It's been 5 weeks since I gave birth to my beautiful baby girl Mia. She's growing so fast these days and yesterday she actually smiled at me (gums and all). She usually only smiles during her sleep (my mom says she's playing with angels), so it was pretty special to see her beautiful brown eyes wide open and smiling.

I could watch her sleep all day! I'm seriously enjoying mommyhood and I can honestly say that I am at my happiest point of my life. On another note, I will be doing my reviews on the Boscia products that I purchased a few months ago from Apothica.com. I also have some hauls coming up so definitely be on the look out for that. Well tah-tah for now.

Welcoming Baby Mia Angeline

2010-12-26T18:27:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! So I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday with your loved ones. I gave birth the Monday that passed 12/20/10 to a beautiful baby girl, Mia Angeline. She weighed 8 lbs 6 oz. I had a c-section scheduled because we found on last Thursday that she was in frank breech position and I was already 39 weeks at the time. My midwife suggested doing an aversion, a procedure in which the doctor will turn the baby from the outside. There are many risks involving this technique, like the baby's placenta detaching or hemorrhaging so I obviously opted not to do the procedure. Plus, I also imagined the baby being turned with not much fluid or room. I also did research online and they said that aversion is best to be done before week 38, so it was definitely too late.

I've never been in a hospital nor have I ever had to go under the knife, so you can imagine how nervous I was when I found out I had to get a c-section. However, my nerves were the least of my concern when I found out that if I wait till I go into labor, my baby's head could get stuck which could be fatal for her. After finding this out, I was even more stressed and panicked. Being a first time parent/mom, all I could think about was my baby's safety.

Anyways, what matters is that my baby is here now. She is healthy, happy, and eats plenty! Here are some baby pics...

I will try to post again as soon as I can, although I cannot promise that it will be makeup related. Happy Holidays!

Dramatic VS Simple FOTD

2010-11-18T12:56:00.000-05:00

Hello! Just wanted to post up some pictures of a couple of looks that I've done lately...

This look was actually the result of boredom =D. I was just playing around with my L'Oreal HIP duo in Platinum 906 and this was the outcome. I really like this look but it's definitely more dramatic than my usual makeup.

You can add a little bit of vaseline on the center of your lids to give it that wet look too, but make sure you apply a bit of eye shadow or in this case, MAC reflects pearl. I put some of the reflects pearl on the middle of my lips as well.

This look is what I wear when I go to school or just to chill with family and friends. I don't really like to put too much but I do like to put just enough to brighten up my otherwise dull looking complexion and eyes.

For this look, I used my L'Oreal HIP duo in Foxy 808. This particular eyeshadow duo is my favorite one from L'Oreal HIP, because I think it's versatile enough to work for a day or night look. It comes with a matte dark brown and a pale salmon pink color.

If you want to use this eyeshadow duo for a night time look, then I suggest applying the matte brown on your lids and your lower lash line to give a smokey effect. Then take the pale salmon pink color and just add a bit to your crease.

As you can see, I simply tight lined my upper lash lines and added a bit on the outer half of my bottom lash lines (then smudged it). If you're doing a night time look, then you would definitely add more definition by lining both the lash lines and maybe even the inner rims.

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Are you going to do some shopping for Black Friday? I know I am! Gotta get some stuff for baby Mia. Speaking of baby, I am 35 weeks pregnant today! Hoooray! Just a few more weeks to go!

Apothica Haul & Products to Help You Relax

2010-11-16T12:37:00.005-05:00

Hello there! So it's been a long time since I did a post about a haul. To be honest, I barely have the energy to go to the mall these days (since being preggers) so when I do get a chance to haul, I prefer online shopping.

Last Friday, I ordered some products from Apothica.com and it arrived yesterday (Monday!). I am so impressed with their fast, FREE shipping.

Included with my order were a couple of freebie items, a Mario Badescu Hyaluronic Eye Cream and a Tocca perfume sample (smells great too!).

I can't wait to try this eye cream. I don't really use eye creams, but it's definitely a must have in any skincare routine because the skin around the eyes are sensitive and prone to signs of aging.

As you guys know, I am all about skincare these days and one brand that my skin has been loving is Boscia. I use the Boscia cleanser and Vital Daily Moisture (w/ SPF 15) as part of my daily skincare regimen. Since using Boscia my skin has improved dramatically and you can check out how well it has helped my skin improve by going to my previous blog post.

Anyways, I purchased the Clarifying Detox Mask, Balancing Facial Tonic, and the MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil. (Boscia products does not contain Parabens, Preservatives, Alcohols, Fragrance, and colors. Nor does the company test their products on animals. The products are 100% NATURAL). Also, on the side of the box you will see the "Best if used before" date.

Boscia Balancing Facial Tonic
PRICE: $24
SIZE: 150mL/5 fl. oz.

Boscia Clarifying Detox Mask
PRICE: $25
SIZE: Net Wt. 2.8 oz/80 g

Boscia MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil
PRICE: $25
SIZE: 150mL/5 fl. oz.

I will do a much more detailed, in depth review on each of these products later on. So far, I have used the cleansing oil and the facial tonic and I LOVE THEM.

Unlike most toners, the facial tonic is actually applied by spritzing it on to your face (much like a MAC Fix+) but you can also spritz it on a cotton pad/ball and then apply it on your face. The product has a cooling effect on the skin and leaves the skin feeling moisturized.

The cool cleansing oil is amazing! It did such a great job removing ALL my makeup (including my waterproof mascara). I basically just applied a good amount on my palm and then massaged it throughout my face. Then I rinsed it off with water. I thought it would leave my face with a greasy feeling since it is OIL but it did not do that at all. It appears like oil but once you massage it on your face it becomes a milky consistency. It has a slight minty scent to it which is relaxing to the skin.

After using the cleansing oil, I spritzed on the facial tonic. I skipped using my Clean&Clear moisturizer to test out the hydrating/moisturizing properties of this product and it held it's own! I am telling you...this tonic is very hydrating.

Speaking of mint scented products.....my sister and I went to the mall last Saturday and aside from the yummy cupcakes we purchased at Cuppies & Beans...I fell in love with these two peppermint scented products by Origins.

I can't recall exactly how much this product was (I believe around $20 something). It comes in a small pump container and has .5 fl oz. This product smells so minty. You only need to dab a little bit on the back of your neck, earlobes, and temples. It makes those areas feel cool and once the scent hits your nose, it just opens them up and you feel so relaxed and calm. I'm planning to bring this with me to the hospital when I go into labor. Hopefully, it will help me relax or distract me from the anxiety.

Another great Origins product that I got was this Salt Suds Foaming body wash ($10). This is a must have for me as well because it really helps with my swollen ankles and feet.

This is also great for those who have muscle aches.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading my post and if you have any questions, feel free to ask me through e-mail (b3bkoolit@gmail.com) or by simply commenting below. Have a wonderful week!

My Skincare: How I Healed my Acne and Scars PIC HEAVY

2010-11-09T13:30:00.005-05:00

Hello there! So before I start, I just want to say that you are about to see my bare face, without ANY makeup whatsoever, so please be kind.

I am doing this blog post because I want to tell you guys how I cleared my skin after YEARS and YEARS of struggling with acne and the scars they leave behind. I really hope this helps those of you who are having issues with your skin.

There are many factors that can lead to break outs, just as there are many names used for acne. After using sooooo many different skincare brands, I've finally found what works for me. I've struggled with acne since I was a teen. It started with having them just because I was going through puberty. I use to have bangs as a teen but I grew them out because I kept breaking out. To be honest, I actually wanted to grow my hair out and style it in a way that will hide my face.

I didn't start wearing makeup until I was 20 years old. I used it as a mask to cover the scars and blemishes that would randomly sprout from nowhere. I hated the heavy, cakey feeling that the foundation, concealer, and powder gave my face. Plus, my makeup just didn't look great in general because the little acne bumps were still showing.

Now, I won't bore you any longer with my sappy acne story, but I will show you the pictures of my gradual skin rejuvenation and give you tips along the way.

The number one tip I can give you is to drink plenty of WATER. Water hydrates your skin and is key in overall wellness.

Try not to touch, rub or scratch your face. The more you touch your face the more likely it is that you are introducing germs and bacteria to your pores, which leads to breakouts. If you must touch your face, make sure you cut your fingernails or wash your hands before doing so.

Hygiene is such an important factor in keeping your skin healthy. If your hair is dirty from a long day out, you should take a shower. Think of all the pollutants outside that can cling to your clothes. If they can cling to your clothes, then they can cling to your hair as well.

Clean what you use. Washing your bed linen is important because sleeping on dirty pillows can also cause you to have pimples the next day. If you use makeup, it is imperative that you wash your brushes and sanitize your hands before applying makeup. Bacteria likes moisture so it is very important to particularly wash those foundation brushes and if you're feeling lazy then just use a sponge and chuck it after each use.

Try not to panic and experiment with so many skincare products. The hype is not always true. You just have to think logically when trying out a new product. Research the ingredients if you must and read all the reviews about it and pay attention to the negatives just as you would with the positives.

You should treat yourself with an at home facial once in a while. The Laneige strawberry yogurt scrub, Mint Julep Mask, and Grape Seed Mask are my favorites.

When choosing a product, I have learned to avoid the following..anything that contains harsh ingredients like alcohol, scrubs like St. Ives Apricot (the shape of the seeds in this product can cause your skin to scar and break), and SKINCARE products that have shimmer.

I wash my face DAY and NIGHT. Never sleep with makeup on your face because your pores need to breathe through the night. A clogged up pore will only lead to a breakout the next day.

Natural olive oil is also a good makeup remover, especially for your eye makeup. When picking a good makeup remover, I recommend going for one that does not have oil (unless olive oil) in it. Instead, pick out one that has a lotion type of of texture. This way, you not only remove your makeup but you are also moisturizing your delicate eye areas.

Use a makeup primer before applying your foundation. Not only does this help your foundation last and prevent it from oxidizing, but it also creates a barrier between your foundation and pores. I like using my NARS primer (without SPF) because it helps improve the skin.

I currently use the following products...

DAY: Boscia Cleanser, Boscia Vital Daily Moisture w/ SPF 15, NARS Primer

NIGHT: Boscia Cleanser and Clean&Clear SOFT Oil-free moisturizer (the one specifically for Night)
I use vaseline for my lips.

As soon as I get home and if I have no where else to go for the day, I remove my makeup with my Kracie Naive Makeup Cleansing Milk w/ Rose Hip and then I apply my Clean&Clear moisturizer.

I do not use any toners at the moment but I will soon try the Boscia toner since the brand is working so well with my skin.

Also, once in a while (due to stress or hormones) I do get a pimple or two, so what I do is apply ZAPZYT on that particular blemish at night and the next day it will either be gone or will diminish in size. This is my HG pimple healer and it has never failed me. I think it is better to concentrate only on the problem rather than applying the product all over your face. This way you can avoid drying up your entire face, especially if you have combination skin.

I hope you all find my tips useful and if you have any questions feel free to just leave them on the comment box below or e-mail me at b3bkoolit@gmail.com.

Also just to add...I use to think that makeup is the solution and that all I have to do is put it on and voila! no more imperfections. However, this old mindset of mine changed and had to change because having a good "canvas" is essential to GREAT makeup application. It's also better in the long run because you save a lot of money. If you need less coverage, you will need less products.

So finally, I leave you all with this one tip that is a must to follow...

LOVE YOURSELF!

No matter what imperfection you may have or even if you have the softest, smoothest skin...

BEAUTY IS and WILL ALWAYS BE SKIN DEEP.

FOTD: Fall Inspired Makeup Look

2010-11-03T16:30:00.000-04:00

Well hello there! I am just now getting home from school and this was my look for today. I wore my green Hollister scarf (my fave) and decided.."hmmm...I'm going to put a pop of green in my eye makeup today instead of the regular neutrals that I wear to school."

So first I primed my eyes using Urban Decay Primer Potion (UDPP).
Then as a second base I used MAC paint pot in Moss Scape.
Using a flat brush, I applied UD e/s in Suspect (from my UD<3NYC BOS palette) as the main wash of color on my lids and crease.
From the same palette, I applied Kush e/s on my lids (only).
To add depth and dimension, I took the e/s Buck from my UD Naked palette and applied it on my crease.
I also applied a bit of the e/s Perversion (UD<3NYC BOS Palette) on my crease.
I tight lined using my MAC power point pencil in Engraved and used this to line my upper and lower lash lines (halfway).
For my lower lash lines, I used UD e/s in Loaded and just smudged this halfway from the outer corner.
I used UD e/s in Virgin (UD Naked Palette) as my brow bone and tear duct highlighter.
I curled my lashes and then applied my CG lashblast fusion mascara.

I used MUFE HD foundation and concealed my under eyes with my MAC studio sculpt concealer. I normally skip concealer whenever I go to school, but I've been having really bad insomnia lately due to my pregnancy. I have so many emotions running through me every day and the nights are the worse because that's when my baby kicks and does her little acrobatic stunts. LoL

For my blush I used MAC Peachykeen and to set everything, I used my Chanel powder in 30 Naturel. Lastly, I applied my EOS lip balm and jetted out the door!

I hope you are all having a wonderful week, if not then it's good to know it's halfway over right?! ^_^

Take care and thanks for stopping by!

Demo & Review Kracie Naive Makeup Cleansing Milk Rose-Hip

2010-11-02T17:28:00.006-04:00

The Product: Kracie Naive Makeup Cleansing Milk Rose-Hip

Quantity: 250 mL

The Price: $7.55 (online), though I believe I purchased it for a higher price at Mitsuwa super market.

PROS:
Rose-Hip is great for treating and healing from...

Scars, including acne scars and old scars
Dry eczema
Skin burns, including sunburn
Rehydrates dry skin
Repair damaged skin cells of all sorts
Reduce wrinkles
Benefit for dry, mature, aging skin

For more info on Rose-Hip

CONS: It's rather difficult to find this product. I had to really search for it online but I found only one place that sells it.

To Repurchase or Not to Repurchase: Yes, I would repurchase this product again because it is not over priced and still effective in removing makeup.

The Verdict: This product is great because it removes waterproof makeup without being too harsh on the skin. You can pretty much skip using eye makeup remover because just washing the face thoroughly with this cleansing milk is enough to remove even waterproof mascara. After using this product, my skin felt clean with a bit of tightness but not dry. It's very gentle and has a mild rose smell.

DEMO

I used the following products to test out the makeup removing abilities of the Kracie Naive Cleansing Milk...

1) Make Up For Ever (MUFE) HD Foundation

2) MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer

3) Covergirl Lashblast Waterproof Mascara (notoriously known for not being easily removed)

4) Stila smudge pot

Here are the swatches

I applied water

Look at how silky the product looks on the back of my hand

You can see that the makeup was coming off efficiently. Click the pictures for a bigger view

I love how the foundation looked like it was just melting off.

The makeup was removed easily with only a tiny bit of residue from the CG lashblast mascara leftover.

You can see that there was still a hint of that mascara left.

I used my KOSE Softymo Super Point Makeup Remover (purchased from Mitsuwa or online here) to see if there was any makeup left

Well...other than that little bit of mascara, everything else was removed.

I hope you all enjoyed reading this review and if you have any questions feel free to send me an e-mail or simply leave it as a comment to this post. Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T18:36:00.001-04:00

Hi there! I present to you my Happy Halloween Happy Face Belly Pumpkin!

So as you can see I decided to make my belly look like a happy pumpkin to get into the spirit of Halloween. I know my baby is not born yet but it doesn't mean she can't celebrate with everyone else. Anyways I hope you guys like my happy pumpkin and that you all have a safe, wonderful Halloween!

I used a bunch of my NYX Jumbo eye pencils. Coastal Scents 88 palettes, and MAC Melon pigment.

Well till next time! Take care! Hope you all get lots of candies. =D

Demo & Review Face Secrets Professional Oil Absorbing Blotting Papers

2010-10-27T19:29:00.002-04:00

Hi there! So here I am again, presenting you with information on a product that is truly a diamond in the rough especially for those with oily skin! Above is a picture I took of myself around 10 am this morning. I had just finished getting ready for class and my makeup is freshly applied.

Now, 9 hours later (7 pm Eastern Standard Time)...you can see that I have become oily enough to fry an egg! Yucky!

The Product: Face Secretes Professional Oil Absorbing Blotting Papers

Quantity: 150 blotting papers

The Price: $2.99

Coming to the rescue is my Face Secrets Professional Oil Absorbing Blotting Papers that I purchased at Sally's Beauty Supply for $2.99!!!! You get 150 blotting papers contained in a sturdy, plastic (purple) container.

PROS: The product promises to remove excess oils and dirt without disturbing makeup, prevents oxidizing of makeup (turning orange), and overall it keeps your makeup looking fresh! I love how the papers come in a convenient envelope-style packaging. Oh and the price for the quantity is simply a STEAL in my opinion!

CONS: Null! I can't possibly think of anything negative to say about this product (except maybe that the product's name is too long! haha). It does what it's suppose to and does a good job at it.

To Repurchase or Not to Repurchase: uh...yeahhh!!!

So here is a quick picture demo of me using this product. I must warn you that I get really oily soooo....yeah....you will be surprise at the amount of oil that is absorbed by these magic sheets!

Ewwwwwww!!! Look at all the oil..it actually made the paper transparent! I told you this stuff is great!

Excess oil (aka sebum) is bad because it acts as a plug to your pores. This combined with dead skin attracts bacteria and thus a blemish is conceived!

The paper was actually sticking to my cheeks! lol

Gurrrllll....that's a lot of oil!

Ah...now my pores can breathe! As you can see my makeup remained intact. My foundation did not smear at all or rub off and transfer to the blot papers.

Hope this review was helpful! Until next time....adios amigas!

FOTD: Dramatic Fall Look

2010-10-26T19:58:00.000-04:00

So here is an in yo' face pic!!! Gosh my face has gotten so chubby lookin' which comes to no surprise because I am currently carrying a growing baby in my belly...hahahaha

Anyways I really like how this FOTD turned out. It's very far from the looks that I have been sportin' these days. I guess I got a little bored and went makeup crazy! So much makeup so little time! to add to the crazy I was feeling hyper after devouring a bag of m&m's.

Products used are. . .

FACE: MAC Strobe Cream, MUFE HD Foundation Shade# 153, Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre in 30 Naturel - Translucent 2

EYES:
I used NYX Jumbo e/s pencil in Rust as my base for the lid area and then used MAC Beig-ing shadestick for my brow bone and tear duct area.

1) MAC Idol Eyes e/s for the inner corner/tear duct area

2) MAC e/s White frost for the inner half of bottom lash lines and also for the brow bone highlight

3) Urban Decay e/s in Toasted for the middle eye lid area

4) Urban Decay e/s in Hustle for the outer corner/crease area/outer half of bottom lash lines

5) Urban Decay e/s in Perversion on the outer v.

I used MAC fluidline in Blacktrack for my top lash lines (dramatically winged out) and also for the outer half of my bottom lash lines (which was set with the UD e/s Hustle)

CHEEKS: I used The Body Shop Blushing Daisies 01 to highlight my nose bridge, top of of cheek area, forehead, chin, and a bit on my cupid's bow. For my cheeks I used The Body Shop Blushing Daisies 02.

LIPS: MAC Tricolour Lipglass in Just Dessert

BROWS: MAC brow shader in Soft Charcoal

I gotta do some homework today and study for my exam tomorrow. I really don't feel like doing it but oh well no point in procrastinating the inevitable...Ta-ta for now ladies! Muahs!

Simple FOTD & Belly Shots!

2010-10-22T23:00:00.000-04:00

So today I did a very simple makeup look...just using a few products and keeping it very low key.
I look very tired these days which is normal because YES I am proud to say..that I am only 9 more weeks away from my due date (although I feel like I may be delivering by the 37th week). My baby is currently moving as we speak! It makes me so excited and at the same time I am anxious to see her.

As for my uber minimalist look today..I just used the following products.

FACE: Bosia Moisturizer w/ SPF, NARS Makeup Primer, & MUFE HD Foundation #153
I skipped on setting powder because I wanted a more dewy look and I currently have some dry areas on my face so skipping the powder really helped to avoid any cakeyness.
I also opt out on using any concealer because although I have redness, the MUFE HD Foundation has enough coverage to even out my skin color.

CHEEKS: Tarte Cheek stain in Flush
I really like this cheek stain because it gives a nice, naturally flushed cheeks. Every time I use it, my husband always compliments on how rosy my cheeks look (on those cold days). I highly recommend this product!

EYES: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Zero
I used this for my upper lash lines and for tight lining. It really gave my tired eyes the umph that it needed, making them look naturally vibrant and awake. I extended the liner a bit towards the outer corner, but not flicking the line or making it like a cat eye. I skipped on mascara because the tight lining already made my lashes look fuller.

BROWS: MAC Brow shader in Soft Charcoal
Filling in my brows is a MUST for me. I very rarely leave home without doing this one particular makeup routine because it really defines my eyes, especially when I'm wearing my glasses.

That's pretty much all I did for my super easy, on the go makeup today. Now here are a couple of belly shots just for you! Enjoy! ^_^

Take care and I hope you have a great weekend!

Clinique Even Better Review

2010-10-19T19:41:00.006-04:00

The Product: Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Corrector

Size: 1 Fl. Oz.

The Price: $49.50

Back in March 22, 2010, I purchased the Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Corrector. I finished the 1 Fl. Oz. container within 3 months, applying it twice a day, once each morning and night. This product was a bit pricey, retailing at $49.50 and promises a significant reduction in acne scars.

PROS: Comes in a hygienic pump container. Works well with other Clinique products.

CONS: I have combination skin. I have dryness on certain areas of my face and I do get oily on my t-zone area. I noticed that using just the dark spot corrector does not provide my skin with enough moisture so the moisturizer was a must have for me. The price is not practical for something that may take one or two bottles to work. It does not contain SPF.

The Verdict: For a product that costs $49.50 (before tax) you want it to deliver results. I am sad to say that after finishing the whole container of the Even Better Spot Corrector, I HONESTLY did not see any improvements in the appearance of my acne scars. Perhaps, it takes more than one container to do the job but for the $50 spent I really expected to at least see a smidgen of difference.

I used the Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Corrector along with the Even Better Moisturizer that I received as a GWP (gift with purchase) in hopes that it will add an extra boost of effectiveness towards diminishing my acne scars.

As you can see I barely finished the small tub of moisturizer because a little of this goes a long way. If you put too much, it does leave your skin a bit greasy so be cautious of the amount you put on. This moisturizer does not have any SPF either so I suggest using another product with SPF to put on top of this, if you are going outside.

To Repurchase or Not to Repurchase: No, I would not. I am an avid Clinique user and believer but this just didn't do it for me. This is probably one of those products that I would definitely put on the shelf labeled..."Don't believe the hype." I really wanted this product to work for me because of the money spent but it was definitely a lesson learned that you don't always get quality just because the product is a little pricey.

One thing that I want to emphasize is that everyone is different so my experience may be completely different to yours. Just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for you. I suggest trying to get a hold of GWP or maybe just asking a Clinique representative if they can give you a free sample.

A similar product that I've tried is this Proactiv Skin Lightening Lotion. I'm not sure how much this would retail if purchased on it's own because I got this along with my Proactiv kit. QVC is selling it for $21.75.

It has 2% hydroquinone which is the active ingredient. Hydroquinone was actually banned by FDA back in 2006 because they found some evidence that it can act as a cancer causing chemical. After finding this out, I completely stopped use right away that's why the tube still looks new with about 90% of product still remaining in the tube. I can't do an in dept review on this product since I barely used it but there are mix reviews of positives and negatives about this product out in the internet.

I hope this review helps out many of you who are curious about any of the above products. Please feel free to comment or ask questions.

The Brown Box

2010-09-29T21:37:00.001-04:00

Hey peeps! So today's weather was pretty gloomy and all sorts of bad happened to me today. Firstly, I woke up from a really bad nightmare of my little brother's body being separated from the torso by wild forest animals (this is what happens when I watch scary/gross shows before going to bed...hubby was watching this show 1000 ways to die). To make matters worse, as I was getting ready for school I found a long white hair on top of my head! >_< I don't even dare pull it out because 2 white hairs might grow in it's place. So I thought, "okay it can't get any worse..." but it did! During my break from class, I found out that the cafeteria was being completely closed off due to a mace that spilled or was sprayed. Luckily, no one was hurt but the mace was airborne and quickly made it's way to my class room since it was located next to the cafe. I started getting an itch in my throat and my professor decided to relocate us to the 4th floor library. I didn't feel well for the rest of the class period.

Finally, I got home from school and a brown box encased in a plastic clear bag was waiting for me by the door!
I was really excited because I knew that my Sephora order finally came! I only got one thing and it was the Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 3 (BOS 3). Available at Sephora.com for $54.

The colors are beautiful and vibrant and completely exceeded my expectations. Personally, I think these colors are perfect for fall because not only does it come with neutral colors but you have a choice of adding a pop of blue, green or purple. The colors are not too overpowering and definitely not intimidating. The only color that I would have preferred to be omitted from this palette is Uzi because to me it's too glittery and gives you lots of fall outs when used. Aside from that the rest of the eye shadows have either frost/metallic finishes (with the exception of one matte which is Perversion). BOS 3 also comes with two 24/7 Glide On eye pencils in Ransom and Zero, along with a mini Urban Decay Primer Potion to boot! Personally, I think it's a sweeter deal to get eye liners rather than eye makeup brushes/applicators.

I love the palette's design! I'm originally from Jersey (now in VA) but I go to NYC whenever I get a chance, so this was definitely a must have palette for me. The LED lights definitely adds life to the pop up NYC art, but I wish there was a way to shut it off so the battery doesn't get wasted.

This is the 4th Urban Decay palette that I own but it is my first BOS palette. The only eye shadows that I already have from this palette are Uzi, Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, Last Call and Smog. I'm sorry I can't provide swatches for you guys but there are already many swatches for this palette that are available online as well as videos on Youtube.
On another note, I am trying to do a "project 10 pan" which is basically a plan to use up 10 things (any beauty related product) before you make any future purchases. Some of the things, I've hit pan on are makeup removers, eye liners, mac msf, and a couple of face products. I know that's not exactly 10 but I'm almost done with a few other products and just didn't feel like waiting for this palette to get sold out again, so I just went ahead and made the purchase. Plus, I think that this purchase has become an incentive to keep going with my project 10 pan plan. =P

REVIEW: Nars Makeup Primer

2010-09-21T00:25:00.002-04:00

The Product: NARS Makeup Primer

Size: 1.75 Fl. Oz 51mL

The Price: $33

The Verdict: Great for reducing redness prior to applying the foundation. It is not only a primer but it is infused with natural botanicals that gives skin that added bonus, acts like a skincare product rather than just part of a makeup regimen. This primer has a gel-cream consistency and applies smoothly onto the skin. I have sensitive, acne prone skin and this primer does not make me break out at all! My skin does not get oily and my foundation stays put for the whole day.

PROS: Unscented, not irritating, you only need a small amount, reduces redness, has ingredients good for the skin, lasts all day, skin absorbs the product in no time, and have not reacted to any of the moisturizers that I use prior to applying this primer (I've used Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer, Clinique Gel moisturizer, Boscia Oil Free Daily Hydration SPF 15). In addition, you can use this with other foundations not just NARS foundations. I have used it with MAC, NARS, Clinique and Makeupforever HD foundations. There is a version of this primer that has SPF 20 and it comes in a black tube.

CONS: It is on the pricey side especially for the size but like I said you only need but a small amount. If you have dry skin, you cannot use this primer on its own because it does not provide enough moisture to the skin. Although the product is packaged in a tube, it is flawed because every time I remove the cap, there is always product on the tube's opening. I don't know if that is a convenient thing or not but I guess I don't mind it so much since it's not causing the product to overflow and actually spill out of the container itself. Plus if you think about it, you can save yourself the trouble of squeezing the tube because it's already out and ready for you.

To Repurchase or Not to repurchase: Yes I would definitely repurchase because it reduces the redness on my skin which means I can skip on corrective concealers or products. I also like the fact that it's a multi-purpose type of product. Men can even use this as an after shave to help soothe irritated skin.

REVIEW: Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment

2010-09-18T18:19:00.002-04:00

The Product: Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment with SPF 15

The Price: $22.50

The Main Ingredients: Real sugar, blackcurrant oil, grapeseed polyphenols, and Vitamins A, C, and E
It DOES NOT have parabens, sulfates, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, phthalates, GMOs, and Triclosan.

The Product's Purpose: Hydrates, plumps, and protects against UV rays

The Verdict: Amazing lip treatment that definitely moisturizes and hydrates the lips. It has a sweet/citrus scent that fades away later in the day. It's like using a lip scrub with sugar without the grainy feeling. It's not sticky and it goes on smoothly.

PROS: The lip conditioner comes in a frosted pink metallic container which is chic and stylish. What's convenient about the packaging is that it locks as you twist it so you don't have to worry about the cap accidentally coming off in your purse and leaving the product exposed. It's much more sanitary than having to dip your finger in a jar of lip balm. You can control the amount of product you are putting on your lips because it is in a twist in-twist out type of container. Delivers a nice sheer tint of pink to your lips that looks natural and non-greasy or oily. It does not come off after drinking a beverage so no need to constantly reapply.

CONS: The product is softer compared to your typical chapstick so you have to be very careful not to press it on your lips to hard, just simply glide it on. I don't think it plumps my lips at all like it claims to do.

Would I Repurchase?: Yes. I would definitely repurchase this product again because even though it is pricey for a lip product, it works very well and lasts all day (even after drinking).

Some Baby Clothes & My Vanity Setup!

2010-09-17T22:01:00.002-04:00

Hello hello! I hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday or day in general. So above is a picture of three outfits I pick up for baby Mia. I am now 26 weeks and 1 day along my pregnancy. Every moment has been filled with every type of emotion thinkable. I've been feeling anxious, happy, overwhelmed, and nervous but I know that it will all be worth it once I am holding my daughter.
Anyways, I wanted to share some pics of my new vanity setup. I utilizing our guestroom as a vanity room because our baby's crib will be in our bedroom until she is comfortable enough to sleep in her nursery.
Here are some pix...

The desk is from Ikea and it's called Malm vanity table. It was a bit pricey but definitely worth it. It's sturdy and has a glass top so the actual wood doesn't get scratched or stained.
The pink office chair and the black/gray/white drawer are from Staples.
The "windows logo" mirror, flower desk lamp, vase w/ orchid, pink candle, dudero floor lamp, and bookshelf are from Ikea as well.
The brush containers, the swivel container (w/ paint pots and pigments) and Marilyn Monroe picture are from Marshals.

If you have any questions about storage please let me know as I will be more than happy to answer!