Vacation Time!

By the time you read this, I will be sailing the world!  Not really, but we'll be on our Western Caribbean Cruise.  I will get back to my regular posting schedule upon my return!  Love y'all!

Manicure Mondays-Essie Carousel Coral

I've had Essie Carousel Coral on my nails for the past week.  It is the perfect coral for my skin tone!  Unfortunately, the formula left a lot to be desired.  It was streaky and I had to use 3 coats for opacity.  I honestly don't know if it was user error or the actual polish itself.  Either way, it's still a gorgeous color.  It just screams summer to me!  As usual, CND Stickey base coat and Diamond Dry top coat were used.

MAC Surf Baby-My Paradise Blush

The only thing I wanted from the MAC Surf Baby collection was the My Paradise blush.  What can I say, I'm a blush whore!  It was just too pretty to pass up.  It is a super pigmented orangey coral with a gold hibiscus flower embossed on it.  I mean, how can you not want that?!  The gold is more than just an overspray.  It won't actually come off with just a swipe of your brush.  I think it adds a nice highlight.  As expected, it sold out with in hours on MAC's website, so I stalked Nordstrom.com for it.  I was able to get it and I love it!  Check out the arm swatches:

Coral, Gold, Mixed

It was $28 and you get 12 grams of product.  That's twice the size of a regular MAC blush!  Get it if you can!

MAC Blot Powder-'O How I Love Thee

It's no secret that I have oily skin.  To combat my mid-day disco ball-ness, I purchased the much raved about MAC Blot Pressed Powder.  It is a pressed powder that is supposed to absorb oil and keep the shine away.  I purchased mine in medium dark.  Although the powder appears to have a color to it, it shows up on the skin as translucent.  It comes with a cosmetic puff, however, I use my Ecotools retractable kabuki to buff it into my skin.  I can honestly say it works great for me and I wish I would have discovered it sooner.

It retails for $23 at MAC counters and maccosmetics.com.  Have you tried this product?  Do you like it?

Manicure Mondays-China Glaze White Cap

This week I have China Glaze's White Cap.  It was released with their Spring 2011 nautical themed collection.  When I first saw swatches online, I was instantly in love with its gorgeous golden shimmer.  It is a sheer white with gold glass flecks in it that can flash also green.  This color is so hard to capture in a photo, even with the new camera!  So Frustrating!  Since it is sheer, I put a white base of GNP french manicure white down first, then 2 coats of White Cap.  I love it, especially when the sunlight hits it.  It is sparkly goodness!

Clothing Haul-Gap, Forever 21, Sak, & More!

It's My 1 Year Blog Birthday

 

It's the blogs 1 year birthday!

1 year ago today, I wrote my first blog post.  Now 120 posts later, I'm still here.  I was and am still really shocked that anybody wanted to read about what I had to say about beauty and fashion.  I am grateful to all of my followers and readers and you guys are the reason I keep on posting!  I thank you all and I really appreciate all of your support!  Here's to many many more blog birthdays!

Outfit Of The Day-Business/Work Attire

Manicure Mondays-10 Professional Moonlight

I've been wearing 10 Professional's Moonlight for the past week.  It is a "greige" color, you know a beige and grey mixed together.  It is a nice neutral color.  This is a relatively new brand that is sold at CVS for about $4.  I started seeing their displays last summer and finally broke down and picked up this color.  The formula on this one was thick and a tad bit hard to work with but manageable.  It needed 2 coats for opacity.  This was with CND Stickey base coat and Diamond Dry top coat.  I was pleasantly surprised how long this lasted.  I applied this last Sunday and it didn't start chipping until Saturday.  I am impressed with this line.  I may have to try other colors from them!  Have you tried this line? 

Tarina Tarantino Sparklicity Bronze Palette

It all started as a typical Saturday morning.  I woke up, groomed myself, and ate breakfast.  I check my phone and what do I have?  An email alert from Sephora about some new products.  I click the link to see this beautiful palette staring me in the face.  Sold!  I'm going to Sephora today and I must have this..STORY OF MY LIFE!

Well I'm glad I gave into my impulses.  If you have not tried Tarina Tarantino eyeshadows, you must.  I'd already had a single eyeshadow by her that really impressed me.

This palette consists of 8 full size shadows (!) and costs only $38.  Considering that a single full size shadow goes for $20, this is quite a deal.  The palette is made up of summery, albeit neutral colors with a pop of color in the turquoise shade.

Top Row

Bottom Row

They are highly pigmented and buttery smooth.  And they blend like no other.  There is no fall out, even with the shimmery dark brown shade.   They come in various finishes of pearl, matte, and shimmer.

The packaging comes with a large mirror in a sturdy cardboard casing.  The palette is rather large, but that is ok. The only drawback is that there are no shade names on the packaging.  I had to rely on Sephora's website in order to get the shades.

Shade Names (From Sephora.com)

- Pearl

- Pearlized Nude
- Shimmering Bronze
- Matte Brown
- Pearlized Pink
- Taupe
- Turquoise
- Shimmering Brown

Bottom line, if you don't get this palette, you should at least experience a Tarina Tarantino eyeshadow sometime in your life.

P.S.  I got a new camera :-)

I Did A Photoshoot

I have a very talented friend who has a photography business called Lydia's Vizions and she was running an amazing special, so the Mr. and I took advantage.  These are our photos...

I had a little disaster with the makeup.  I went to MAC to get it done, ended up hating it, and redoing most of it myself.

If you are in the Houston area, pay a visit to http://www.lydiasvizions.com/.  You won't regret it! 

Manicure Mondays-OPI Parlez-Vous OPI?

OPI Parlez-Vous OPI is dusty violet from the France collection from Fall 2008.  I really liked this color but I felt like it was a cameleon.  In some lights it would be dusty lilac, in others lighting, it would be a darker violet.  The formula was superb, needing only 2 coats for opacity.  It wore for 4 days before chipping but would have lasted longer if it weren't for those pesky crawfish I just had to have :)  I used my usual CND Stickey base coat and Diamond Dry top coat.

Fitness Update!

I am down 4.2 lbs and almost to my goal.  I have been doing the Dukan Diet, which is a low carb, high protein diet.  Check it out at http://www.dukandiet.com/ .  I have incorporated my favorite workout, Zumba, with this diet and it is really working well.  Our vacation is in a few weeks, so if I stay focused, I should be bikini ready by then!  Hope you're having a great Saturday!

Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer Is My New BFF

UPDATE:  Since the temperature has risen above 100 degrees, I have cut out putting the Neutrogena moisturizer on first.  I now just apply the Laura Mercier directly to my face.

I don't have many BFF's in the world but I just found another one in Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer.  I decided after having a super hot summer last year, that I was going to look for a tinted moisturizer.  Lets face it, the summer is not nice to foundation.  I wanted something light but would also even out my skin tone.  I got a sample of a few and decided upon Laura Mercier's.  I went with the oil-free version, as I have oily skin.

I settled on the color Caramel which actually matches nicely.  I find that this product just blends right into my skin, leaving a nice satiny finish.  I also like that it contains SPF 20, which is great for UV protection.  I found that this actually gives really great coverage for a tinted moisturizer, similar to a light coverage foundation.  It feels very light on the skin and doesn't feel like I'm wearing anything at all.  I do layer this over my Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture because it acts like a primer and helps the tinted moisturizer blend better.  I then set it with MAC Prep + Prime ttranslucent setting powder or MAC blot powder.  I find both give me a nice flawless finish.

You can pick this up at Laura Mercier counters or Sephora (like I did).  It retails for $42 but I had a 15% coupon that I took advantage of.  Do you like tinted moisturizers?

Manicure Mondays-Barry M Berry Ice Cream

This week I have for you Barry M Berry Ice Cream.  Barry M is a UK drug store brand and I received this and one other Barry M polish in a swap with Jennie of Beautybyjj.  I love this color!  It is a gorgeous lilac.  The formula was outstanding and applied like butter.  I only needed 2 coats for opacity.  I used my usual CND Stickey base coat and Diamond Dry top coat and it lasted for 6 days.  I really did not want to take this color off, it just screams Spring to me!  You can order Barry M polishes from their website, but shipping costs to the US is a stinker.  Jennie and I have plans to do more swaps, so I will definitely be asking for more shades from Barry M.