Tricia loves Makeup

MAC Pro Haul

2012-01-24T22:53:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends!
Earlier this week I went to the MAC Pro store in Orlando, Florida. I love going in there! It's like my candy shop. I had to contain myself and only bought what I really needed. My husband was very proud of me. lol

Here's a quick haul video on what I bought:

Thanks for watching!

MAC Pro Haul

2012-01-24T22:50:00.001-05:00

Jacksonville Fashion Week announcement

2012-01-10T20:00:00.004-05:00

Hi friends!! Sorry I've been MIA, but I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I have been working my tail off.

I just received amazing news today and am so excited that I can finally share:

I was asked to be on the makeup team for Jacksonville Fashion Week!!

I am honored to have been asked back to JFW, as I worked is last year as well. The ladies I am working with are such talented artists, I can't wait.

Here is a link to our profiles: http://jaxfashionweek.com/about/jfw-makeup-team/

I'm sure I'll have lots of pictures to share after the event in March.

P.S. I have lots of makeup looks to share and maybe even a few giveaways.....STAY TUNED!

Climb every mountain....

2011-11-19T12:40:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, hubs decided we should climb Camelback mountain....with S in tow. He said, it'll be fun. I think he means to say "funny" bc of the expression on my face. Ha!
I gave in and we went. Can I just tell you, my legs were shaking at some parts. Not bc I'm out of shape (which I am) but because I was so nervous that S would fall. I think my muscles were worked more from the shakes than from the climb. Lol

In the end, we only made it up about 1/3 of the way. S was tired and starting to get clumsy.

Even though I was scared for most of the trip, it was beautiful up there and I'm glad we did it.

Here are some pictures I took with my phone.

Have a good weekend!

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Happy Friday!

2011-11-04T08:43:00.001-04:00

Y'all, I was laughing so hard this Jimmy Kimmel live challenge. Had to share

What happens when you're not watching...

2011-11-03T09:13:00.001-04:00

S was a little too quiet this morning.

YouTube Video

Guess this is what happens when you're mom is a makeup artist. Hahaha
Not sure if hubby will like this...

Happy Thursday!

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{Semi} Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-02T10:38:00.001-04:00

Looks like we have a little athlete on our hands. We spent the entire afternoon outside because it was SO nice.

And one last one because it was just too cute. He's working on his wind up...maybe a pitcher
In the works???

YouTube Video

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{Semi} Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T08:43:00.001-04:00

Happy Boy at the pumpkin patch!

He loves his pumpkin. Ha!

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2 on Tuesday- Favorite Photos

2011-10-25T10:20:00.006-04:00

Hi friends!! I'm participating in Andrea's 2 on Tuesday again today.

This week's topic:

What are your two favorite pictures of yourself?

I think I'm going to have to cheat and show you at least 3, because these are all important pictures in my life. They have made me who I am today.

My family. I am the oldest of 6 children. Can you tell which one's are the twins?

My husband. We have our ups and downs (as every marriage does), but in the end, we complete each other (cheesy, I know).

Probably the best thing that's every happened to us: our precious little boy. Words cannot describe the happiness he's brought to our lives. And it's true when people say, a child will change your life. He definitely did, for the BEST!

What are your favorite pictures?

Oh em gee...

2011-10-19T13:45:00.001-04:00

Did y'all watch Rachael Zoe last night? It was the episode where she had her sweet baby boy, Skylar.
Side note: I thought it was so funny that she refused anyone to film her while she was waiting for
Skylar to arrive.

So can we talk about the absolutely fab push present she received! Almost 10 carat cushion cut diamond! Hellloooooo

(Sorry for the crappy picture. Blogging from my phone)

I think the diamond was as big as the baby's head! Ha

Husband, take note...

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Yep, I jumped on the bandwagon

2011-10-13T14:46:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago, if you were on twitter, as soon as you opened your twitter feed, all you could read about was the Erin Condren life planner. It was a frenzy!
I didn't get the whole frenzy about a life planner. No less one that cost $50! No way was I about to spend that kind of money on a planner.
A few friends of mine ordered it because they were able to get the Plum District coupon. I forgot to hit send when I had my coupon, thus missing out.
I saw blog after blog blogging about how great the planner was. In the back of my mind, I still wanted to order one. Fast forward a few weeks, and my sweet friend, Melissa, sent me a discount code. Now I was finally able to order one!
Yesterday, I finally received it in the mail! Seriously, I love it! I've already written important dates for remainder of the year in it. Plus other work dates.

Here are some pictures of mine. I believe my print is called "Fleur Feliz."

This may be one of my favorite pages on the planner. Need a lift in my day, I'll turn to this page.

Every week it has a section for you to write goals and a to do
List. Perfect for this mom
On the go!

They even included some Extra labels for me to use. Aren't they cute? Think I may order some.

So yes, I jumped on the bandwagon. But I'm loving the planner so far!

*planner was purchased with my own money. Not a sponsored post.

Happy Thursday y'all!

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2 on Tuesday

2011-10-11T21:11:00.005-04:00

Hi Friends! I'm linking up with Andrea from My Chihuahua Bites for 2 on Tuesady.

This week's topic:

Tell me your two biggest fashion mistakes. Shoulder pads? Bike shorts? Banana clips? I want to hear it.

I went to Catholic school from 4th grade to 12th grade, so I had to wear a uniform most of the days. But, this did not save me from the disaster fashions of the 80's and early 90's. HA!

I will openly admit that I wore bike shorts with the shirts that had the banana type clip on the side. I also wore the shirts that doubled as a skirt because they had the extra little ruffle at the bottom. Oh wait! What about the skirt/bike shorts. Not skorts, the actual skirt and shorts in one piece.

I went through a phase, I clearly remember this, I think I was in 7th/8th grade, which I thought boy clothes were way cooler than the girly clothes. I'm sure my parents were wondering were this was going when I pleaded with them if I could wear rugby with jeans and then roll the ankles. Oh how I wish I had the pictures to show y'all.

Speaking of rolling the ankles on jeans...after making sure the jeans were rolled so tight that my foot was numb, I'd go back and scrunch at least two different colored socks underneath.

I can't say that I ever wore banana clips in my hair, because I had such fine hair back then, that it would fall out. My hair still is pretty fine, I just have a lot of it now. But that sure didn't stop me from layering 3 scrunchies in my hair to the side.

Okay, not that I've probably dated myself and can't believe I'm admitting to all this, what fashion mistake have you made? Come on, TELL ME!

Makeup Monday

2011-10-09T22:17:00.002-04:00

Happy Monday friends! Hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was spent being busy, busy, busy.

Here are some of the looks from this past week:

Yesterday was a relaxed day. Most Sundays I wear more comfy makeup look. I decided to do a bold eyeliner (bright purple) just in the top and that's it.

Products used:
MAC Orb eyeshadow
MAC Rich Purple Chromographic pencil
MAC Graphblack liner in upper waterline
MAC Dainty mineral blush
MAC lipliner in Dervish
MAC Syrup lipstick

Purple is one of my favorite colors! Especially in green eyes, talk about popping!
Light purple smokey eyes:

Products used:
MAC Stars n Rockets eyeshadow
MAC Graphblack liner in waterline
MAC Dame blush
MAC Show Orchid lipstick
MAC Magenta lipliner

This is one of my favorite looks for Fall. I wish I would've gotten a better pic of just the eyelid (sorry for the creepy close up).
I call this look "Leaves of Fall". The colors used were gold, brown and orange. Just like the colors of leaves right now.

Products used:
MAC Goldmine eyeshadow
MAC Embark eyeshadow
MAC Saffron eyeshadow
MAC Powersurge liner on bottom
MAC Graphblack liner in upper waterline
Not pictured for this look:
MAC Sunbasque blush
MAC neon orange lipstick

So what did you wear this past week?

Feeling blue...

2011-10-07T12:50:00.001-04:00

Not really, but it goes with my nails. Ha!

Essie "Midnight Cami"

And yes, I painted them myself. I already touched up the messiness.

Happy Friday!

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{Semi} Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-05T08:50:00.001-04:00

Cutest cousins ever.

Three sleeping babes. (flash obviously bothered her a bit, oops)

S trying to walk in his uncles shoes. Haha

Have a great Wednesday!

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Makeup Monday

2011-10-03T10:28:00.001-04:00

I thought I'd start a new series on the blog. Makeup Monday! Maybe we can do a link up of what you wore the week before? I received a few emails of people that were interested, so we'll see.

Here are some of my "looks" from this past weekend:

Smokey eye with blues:

Sorry for the crazy look on my face (ha!), I was trying to show the color a bit more.

Need a way to color block on your eyes? Use different pops of color.

Use a liner subtly in the bottom lashline:

And if you really want a pop if color, use it a bit more intense on the bottom lashline.

Another view:

You can't really see in these pics, but I'm wearing an indigo purple on my eyes.

So, what did you wear this past week?

If you have any questions regarding products used, feel free to email me.

Happy Makeup Monday!
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Running Fail

2011-09-29T08:23:00.001-04:00

I've been running off and on for the past few years. I go through a period (like right now) where I run regularly, then I'll go through a time that I loathe it.
So I've been on a great running streak lately. I mean, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. The runs range anywhere from 2-4 miles. That's it. I have mixed in a few small bridges in there and some sprints (thanks to my husband) at the end.

{After my 4.5 mile run with a bridge. See happy! Ha!}

So what's the point of this story, you ask. Well, this is it:

Yep. This is what my night looked like last night. Icing both knees. My right knee was super swollen. I haven't had this happen since college ( where I ran ALL the time). WTH!?!

Just when I'm getting into it! Looks like I'll be taking a few days off. Otherwise, according to my trainer husband, I'll be getting the swelling drained from
My knee. Uh, No Thank You!

Anyone have this problem too? Or recommend anything?

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{Semi} Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-28T07:14:00.001-04:00

Last week before M had to leave for work, when we went to pick up S from school, he said, let me go pick him up from his class. Of course! I just thought it was SO sweet.

And this was just too cute not to share. Apparently S was thirsty. Ha!

Have a great Wednesday!

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2 on Tuesday- Cancelled Shows

2011-09-26T16:29:00.009-04:00

Hi friends! It's Tuesday, so time for 2 on Tuesday. I'm linking up with the sweet Andrea from My Chihuahua bites.

So this week's topic is

What two television shows that have gone off the air do you miss?

I'd say the first one is definitely The Cosby show. Now the earliest recollection of this show was when I was in 4th grade (maybe earlier, but I don't remember if it was on or not). The reason I remember this is b/c our bedtime at that time was 8 pm. And the Cosby show came on at 8. Our parents WOULD NOT let us stay up to watch it.
Anyhow, I loved the show because it showed what real life was like. And what parents really do (discipline, disappointments, family, etc). I feel like now the shows just aren't as wholesome as The Cosby Show was.

My husband and I loved watching King of Queens. We still watch re-runs because it was just SO damn funny. The relationship between Doug, Carrie and Arthur is absolutely hilarious.

I know we're only supposed to have two, but I have to also add these to my list:

Will and Grace. I mean come on, WHO didn't love this group?

The original 90210. I mean come on! Who didn't love this bunch?

Rich Girls on MTV. Do y'all remember this one? It starred Ally Hilfiger (Tommy's daughter) and her best friend, Jamie Gleicher. I think this may have been my first glimpse socialites.

I feel like I'm leaving out a few, but that's it.

What are you favorite past time shows?

Happy Happy Birthday!

2011-09-25T15:58:00.004-04:00

Happy Birthday to the love of my life. I thank God every day for having me sit in front of you that semester in college. Thank you for all that you do for our little family. I hope one day that S is as great of a man as you are.

The way you make S laugh is so adorable. The fact that you will do anything to make him laugh, no matter how silly you look, is even more perfect.

You are so proud to show off your little boy to everyone. I melt every time that look comes over you. You are such an amazing dad!

I just love looking at this picture of S and you at your birthday last year. My two boys, so cute and so sweet!

I hope you have the best birthday today. I can't wait to continue to celebrate all the days God gives us together. We are truly blessed.

We love you!
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New Kate Spade lipsticks

2011-09-22T11:00:00.004-04:00

Have y'all seen the new Kate Spade lipsticks. Such pretty colors! I haven't had a chance to try them yet, but I can't wait to. Although at $24 a pop, I'll have to see if they are truly worth the money.

Here are my two favorite colors:

Fuschia Fete

Pop Art Pink

Have any of you tried them yet? If so, which is your favorite?

{Semi} Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-21T08:39:00.001-04:00

S saying bye-bye when we left the Lion King movie. (he picked his lion outfit to wear to the movie)

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2 on Tuesday

2011-09-20T09:13:00.004-04:00

I'm linking up with my sweet friend, Andrea, for 2 on Tuesday. Today, we have the option of two questions:

Many fall shows are starting up again this week. What two shows are you most looking forward to?

AND/OR

What two cleaning products make your life easier?

I think I'll answer both, just for the heck of it.

We don't have cable, so most of my every day shows are on the main stations. {Yes, I do love me some Real Housewives, but I have my mom DVR them for me, ha}

I love Glee! Now, I can't sing very well, but I sure do enjoy pretending to. And this show is my fix!

My other show would DEFINITELY be Modern Family. Y'all this show is just like my family, well, the Sophia Vergara and Ed O'Neill family. The heavy Spanish accent, not understanding what she is saying, saying the wrong thing b/c she's trying to be literal with her English, TALKING LOUD, etc. Yep, this is my family (not me, my mom, her sisters, their friends, etc). I have some hilarious stories of things that were said when they meant to say something else. We are a comedy in the making during family time. So I watch this and laugh because I feel like I'm watching our family on TV.

Now on to cleaning products:

Ever since I was little, my grandmother always mopped the floors with Fabuloso. I love the smell of it and it's amazing at getting my floors sparkly clean. I'm sure I will always use this because it reminds me of my grandmothers as well.

I use kitchen spray with bleach EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. First, I love the smell of a super clean kitchen, and I just love the way it takes everything stain off the counters. Well, I also feel good that it'll kill any bacteria too.

So that's it. What are you favorite shows and cleaning products?

Photo shoot with Brittani

2011-09-19T10:57:00.000-04:00

Today I worked with the fabulous Brittani. Seriously, this girl is a rocking! We've worked on lots of shoots together. She is just SO SO talented. Her love for fashion really comes out in the pictures. Side note: If you receive Parenting magazine, her little boy will be grazing the cover next month. Told ya, she's the bomb.com.

Anyhow, I snuck a few pictures with my iphone (before it died) during the shoot. Brittani's pics will be so much better, but for now, this will do.

Model: Courtney Shea McDonald BMG MODELS
Hair Stylist: Nicole Brown
MUA: Patricia Pabon Kozack
Stylist: Johnakeshia Thompson
Jewelry: Laura Geesey Staley Creative Jewelry Designs by Laura Staley

Nicole putting some last minute touches on Courtney.

Close up of the makeup I did on Courtney. "The look" required me to go with deep tones for everything.

We all melted throughout the shoot, but in the end, the pictures are TDF {I already saw a sneak peek of the real photos}.

Hope y'all had a great Monday!

Sunday Funday

2011-09-18T09:04:00.000-04:00

Today we had a nice lazy (sort of) day.
This morning, we all went out for a nice run. The weather was perfect!

I made lasagna in the crockpot, from Lyndsey's blog. It was delicious! BUT, I will say, you need to add WAY more sauce. I added the amount it called for, but it seemed to be too dry. I like my lasagna a little more saucey. We had my mom and cousin over for dinner. Since my husband's birthday is next weekend, and he won't be here, we decided to get a cake a celebrate it a bit earlier. It was a perfect dinner!

I love Sundays like this. So nice to be home with my little family!

Saturday catch up

2011-09-18T07:49:00.003-04:00

It was a normal Saturday for us.
I worked for a few hours in the morning then spent the rest of the day with husband and S.
While I was at work, M took S to the museum. They were having a special of $2 admission. They had a blast!

I tweeted yesterday about the great sale Bath and Body Works is having a great sale on their 3 wick Slatkin candles. My girlfriend, who works there, told me of the upcoming sale earlier
This week. I stopped by after work and got two of them. They were 2 for $20, which they're normally $19.50 each. Great deal!
When you bought any home fragrance, you also received a reusable bag (love them) and 3 free mini candles.
Anyhow, I bought the Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin and Spiced Cider candles. I already started burning the Spiced Cider candle! My house smells amazing.
Last night we stayed in and had a lazy night. So perfect!

Did y'all have any fun plans tonight?

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2 on Tuesday- Island Essentials

2011-09-13T16:01:00.005-04:00

Hi Everyone! I'm participating with Andrea again for 2 on Tuesdays. Check out her blog and link up for this fun party!

Today's question was:

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what two items would you wish to have with you? (I know you’ll have more than two. I would have one million. It’s ok if you share more than two.)

SO here goes:

Since I'm apparently by myself on this island, I will need this to keep myself in a good mood b/c it has my songs, pictures and movies on it (on my island, the battery will never die). Anyone that knows me, knows I love to dance. And my son seems to be taking after me as he'll break it down anywhere. (ha!)

I'd also need some face cream with sunscreen. As I mentioned in one of my prior posts, I love Bobbi Brown's face cream and it has SPF 25. So I'll be taking that with me!

Since this is a dream, my body is a rocking, so I'll be sporting this bikini as well. (Hey, it's my island, I can do what I want to)

So that's it! What would you bring?

Cooler weather...

2011-09-08T11:23:00.001-04:00

Makes me want to break out some of my Fall staples.
Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves, it's still 80 degrees here, and I'm so jealous of all of you all wearing a light cardigan or sweater.
But I decided it's time to put away the coral and hot pink nail colors. Sniff...
I busted out one of my favorites, Essie Mink Muffs polish. My other favorite is OPI Lincoln Park After Dark, but I'll save that for Winter.

What are your favorite Fall nail colors?

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Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-07T10:03:00.001-04:00

S at the baseball stadium trying on player helmets. (Sorry not so wordless. Ha!)

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2 on Tuesday

2011-09-06T16:15:00.008-04:00

Hi friends!! Today I'm linking up with my sweet friend, Andrea, at My Chihuahua Bites blog. First of all, if you are new to my blog, WELCOME! I can't wait to read your blogs and get to know you all.

One of my absolute favorite things about Fall (the little bit that we get in FL) is the clothing we get to wear. I LOVE boots, sweaters and leggings! That's pretty much my uniform during the cooler months.

My second favorite part about Fall is that my husband has more down time, so we try to travel as much as we can during this time. Here's a picture of my two loves a few years ago in Hawaii.

This picture was taken in the train on our way to the Phillies World Series Game. (GO PHILLIES!)

So, what are your two favorite things about Fall?

ARM CANDY

2011-09-06T15:35:00.011-04:00

I absolutely LOVE bracelets! I'm pretty sure it stems from my mom. Growing up, I remember hearing the clank of her bracelets on her arm. She was stacking before stacking was a trend! I remember when one of her siblings said she looked a bit gypsy-ish b/c of the amount of bracelets she had on her arm (which weren't as many as I've seen people wear now). It didn't bother her one bit, she just kept on going with her style. Go momma!
Where was I? Oh yes, my love for bracelets.....
Can we just say swoon......

These beauties are Ted Baker. Love them!

I'm in the love with the bright colors of these!

Beautiful texture. Would definitely add them to my stack. And on sale, yes please!

Mommy calling cards

2011-09-03T11:16:00.004-04:00

A few fellow bloggers have been talking about the Minted.com Mommy calling cards lately. Since S is now in school, I thought I'd get some.
This is the design I chose:

It was hard deciding which one I wanted, since they have such a variety of designs.

You can order the cards until Sept 23. All you have to do is pay for shipping!

If you do order, I'd love to know which design you chose!

Skin Care Routine

2011-08-31T18:16:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone!
I've received some emails asking me what I do for my skin and what my routine is. So, I decided to film a little vlog for you all.
I hope this answers any questions you may have. If you have more, please do not hesitate to email me, I will do my best to help.

Tuesday Shoooesday

2011-08-26T09:47:00.002-04:00

I find it weird that I am absolutely fascinated by BOOTS when I can only wear them for a few months
a year. For this reason, I try to be reasonable about the amount of money I spend on them. So today, this is more of a "I am dreaming about these shoes" post rather than "these are going to be in my closet" post. Ha!

I just LOVE the detail of this Tibi bootie. I have a secret love for bows and ruffles. So dainty!

Sorry for the iPhone picture.

What do y'all think?

This or That Tag

2011-08-24T17:12:00.003-04:00

Tag: This or That?

I really love this tag! It is such a good idea!!! This way we can all get to know each other a bit more...
So here goes.....

MAKEUP
[blush or bronzer] I LOVE LOVE LOVE blush!

[lip gloss or lipstick] I'm a lipgloss kind of gal. I honestly only wear lipstick when I have to.

[eye liner or mascara] DEFINITELY MASCARA. I cannot leave the house without mascara.

[foundation or concealer] Concealer. I'm a mom and have allergies= circles under my eyes.

[neutral or color eye shadow] I've always been a neutral shadow person. Unless I have to wear a bright color for an event.

[pressed or loose eye shadows] I like the idea behind the loose shadows, but I can't stand how they get everywhere. Going with pressed on this one.

[brushes or sponges] Brushes. There are a few foundations that I prefer a sponge, but for the most part, I like the look a brush leaves on the skin.

NAILS
[OPI or china glaze] OPI

[Long or short] Short. Can't stand long (on me).

[Acrylic or natural] NATURAL BABY! Although, I do like the shellac, it was WAY too expensive for my taste.

[Brights or darks ] I wear brights all Spring and Summer, but I REALLY love dark polishes for fall/winter.

[Flower or no flower] On my nails, uhm, NO.

BODY
[perfume or body splash] Perfume.

[lotion or body butter] Body butter in the winter (I have really dry skin), but lotion for the Summer. I don't like it feeling so heavy in the humid months.

[body wash or soap] Body wash. Soap is drying.

[lush or other bath company] Lush is ok, but I find other products that cost less.

FASHION
[jeans or sweat pants] If I go out, jeans. When I’m home, sweatpants.

[long sleeve of short] Long sleeve for winter only, short for all other times.

[dresses or skirts] Dresses. Love them!

[stripes or plaid] Hmmm...depends on the season, I guess.

[flip flops or sandals] Flip flops. Especially Havianna’s! But then again, I love my Bonano's sandals, so maybe BOTH?

[scarves or hats] Scarves. Love how they can complete an outfit.

[studs or dangly earrings] I wear studs on a daily basis. I only wear dangly earrings if I'm going for a certain look.

[necklaces or bracelets] Bracelets! Hello stacking!

[heels or flats] Heels for work and going out. Flats all the other times.

[cowboy boots or riding boots] Riding boots, duh, haven't you seen all my posts about my never ending search for the perfect pair. HA!

[jacket or hoodie] Jacket! I live in FL, but have a closet full of them.

[forever 21 or charlotte russe] F21

[abercombie or Hollister] Neither.

[saks 5th or Nordstrom] NORDSTROMS!!

HAIR
[curly or straight] I would say wavy. My natural hair is somewhat wavy

[bun or ponytail] Definitely pony tail. Classic and easy.

[bobby pins or butterfly clips] Bobby Pins.

[hair spray or gel] Hair spray. I think the last time I used gel was in 6th grade?

[long or short] Oh definitely on me, long. I've tried short and wasn't for me.

[light or dark] I guess dark, b/c that's what my natural color is. Dark blonde/light brown

[side sweep bangs or full bangs] I've tried both, but for me, I think side sweep looks best.

[up or down] I would like to wear it down all the time, but I do wear it up sometimes.

RANDOM
[Rain or shine] I love rain when it's at night or during a nap time.

[Summer or winter] Winter! (U was married in Winter)

[Fall or spring] Fall

[Chocolate or vanilla] Chocolate ALL THE WAY!

[East coast or west coast] Well, I live in the East coast, but LOVE the West coast.

Okay, so now I tag all of you.

What do you think?

2011-08-23T17:13:00.002-04:00

I'm thinking of doing a makeup OOTD or as I call it, MOTD. I honestly don't wear makeup every single day, GASP, I know, but the days that I do have to work or have makeup gigs, I obviously do. So I was thinking I would start a new section here taking pictures of my look of the day and describing what I'm wearing.

So, what do you think? Would you follow along? Maybe we could even do a link up, because I know you ladies love you some makeup!

Tuesday Shoooesday

2011-08-23T09:24:00.003-04:00

Happy Tuesday y'all! This week's Tuesday Shoesday is a lovely pair of Mary Jane's by Vince Camuto. Such a classic shoe, but my favorite part....the pink platform and heel. How cute are they? Adds just a little color and something interesting to your outfit.

What do you think?

No boots for you....

2011-08-17T17:26:00.002-04:00

Sad to report that the Tory Burch store in Orlando did not have the Selma boot. I honestly am not sure if they would fit me anyways, so it's ok. Onward with the search for the perfect riding boot. (You know b/c I live in FL and boots are a necessity, ha!)

All natural lip sugar scrub

2011-08-10T08:25:00.003-04:00

Last weekend I was doing makeup for a bride and her bridal party. I remember when we were doing her trial run, her lips were SUPER dry. Unfortunately, my lip scrub I normally keep with me must have fallen out of my kit, so I had to improvise to make sure her lips were kissable (hee hee) for her wedding.
Good thing we were at her house, because I was able to whip up a quick scrub. It left her lips so nice and smooth that a few of the bridesmaids decided they needed to try the scrub as well.
Here is what I used:
a dab of MAC Lip treatment (amazing conditioning lip balm)
tiny bit of sugar

Rub the two together between your fingers and apply to the lip area. Rub the lip treatment into your lips, you can even blot your lips together. This will help disperse the treatment all over.
Do this for about a minute.
Take off the lip treatment with a wet cloth, then apply a moisturizing lip balm to contain the moisture on the lips. I used the MAC lip treatment, but another great one is Aquaphor.

Try this next time your lips get a bit dry and let me know what you think.

Tuesday Shoesday

2011-08-09T19:45:00.001-04:00

It's still 100 plus degrees here in Florida, but my mind is yearning for the Fall/Winter weather. So today's shoes are in my Fall wish list. These are the Tory Burch Selma riding boot.
Unfortunately, I have a hard time with riding boots bc I have bigger calves. Even when I was at my thinnest, my calves were bigger. I guess it's from years of playing soccer and volleyball.
So I'm going by the Tory Burch store next week in Orlando to see if they have them and if they fit. And, you better believe, if they do, they'll be in my closet. Ha!

(Sorry for the iPhone photo of my email, my computer battery is dead.)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Planning out my days

2011-08-05T09:13:00.006-04:00

S will be starting school in less than 2 weeks!! Okay, so it's not full time school, he's only going 3 days a week for half days, but it's still a huge milestone in our family. Oh, and the best part, my husband will actually be home to take part in it. When he told me that he is going to be home for a few days and it just happen to be on his first day of school, I shed a tear and had chills. It's not often that he gets to be a part of these milestones b/c of his job. I'm sure I'll be like the paparazzi on that fun day, so pics will be posted....
Anyhow, here is where I need your help. With S starting school, I feel like I need to plan things out now that I will have a few hours to myself (GASP!). So friends, what kind of planners do you recommend. I always carry a big tote purse, so size isn't an issue.
I'm off to work today. Have a bride coming in and a mom having her makeup done for a family photo shoot.

Have a wonderful day!!

ELF mini haul

2011-08-01T16:16:00.001-04:00

Hi loves! Hope everyone had a great weekend!
I was in Target in Tampa the other day and they had an amazing variety of ELF products. I had to snag a few items that I hadn't seen at my normal store back home.
These are my honest opinions, but please try them out for yourselves. For only $1-$3 per item, you won't break the bank trying them.

I know I've mentioned on this blog before how much I love cream blush, so when I saw these two, and only $2.50, I grabbed them.

The first one is the Golden Peach. It's a beautiful coral bronzy color. I've been in love with coral blushes this season, so I was super excited to try this.
Well, even though it was only $2.50, I wish I would've bought something else. The color doesn't even come off coral. It looks more like a highlight color. It's very frosty (blegh), definitely not a good cheek color.

Unfortunately, I won't be using it as a cheek color, but I may use it as a highlight.

The next color I picked up was Pink Lemonade. It's a beautiful bright pink color. Pink is such a gorgeous color on most people, again, I was so excited to try this on. I will say, of the two, this was definitely my favorite! The color pay off was amazing! It's also a matte blush, my favorite. I used this all of my cheeks for a perfect pink flushed look.

This will definitely be a keeper!!

The last thing I bought is a cuticle oil pen. It was only $1, and I love it!

So that's it. Hope y'all are having a great Monday!

P.S. You like my new nail color? It's not ELF, but Isn't it cute? It's Sally Hansen "Time to Shine."
Love!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tuesday Shoesday

2011-07-27T10:57:00.001-04:00

I saw these shoes on the Cupcakes and Cashmere website the other day. Seriously, I die! They're soft pink patent leather Miu Mius. So gorgeous!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mini Forever 21 Haul

2011-07-23T09:59:00.001-04:00

Anyone still following? Sorry for the lack of blogging, but I have some goodies to share!
I found this super cute top at my F21 store this past week. It's a great piece for all the seasons here in FL. I can wear it with a tank top in the hot weather and a long sleeve when it gets cooler.

I've been looking at this dress online for the past few weeks, I even had it in my cart. But last week, it sold out. I was so mad at myself. But....I found it in the store!!!!
I know it's a lil 9 year old ballerina (I think the tutu is so
Cute, ha!), but I really am only buying it to wear to work and other makeup gigs. Again, I can wear this in all seasons (think leggings, tights, long sleeve shirts and boots).

So that's is!
Hope you are all having a great weekend!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

May Favorites

2011-06-03T10:21:00.003-04:00

Since I was a slacker and forgot to post my April favorites, I am bunching these two together.

Cream color base.
You want the J.Lo glow that has everyone talking? Use this as your highlight above your cheekbones. It dries down from a cream to a powder and will stay on for 8 hours. Pretty much, it's awesome! Especially for FL weather! You better believe I've been putting it on all my brides since it stays on.

Haviana flip flops.
I have two pair and I feel like I live in them. I've had them a few years now, but I do remember when I first heard about them, I didn't understand the hype behind them. They are some of the most comfortable flip flops ever! I've worn them to amusement parks, or just walking around. My feet don't hurt in them at all.

Stephen Bonanos Sandals
Love these! Just received them last week and am already breaking them in.

Michael Kors Oversize Runway watch.
Yes, I finally got it for Mother's Day. I have the gold one. I will say, it has taken a little while to get used to because it is so big, but I LOVE it!

MAC Surf Baby Collection.
I can't say enough good things about this collection. Of all the collections MAC has come out with, this is by far one of my favorites. The colors are awesome, the bronzers are amazing, etc, etc, etc. Just go look at it! You'll fall in love.

Aveda Hair Care
I've had long hair most of my life. But the last few years, it's been a lot longer than I've had it in a long time. I owe my healthy hair to the Aveda products I use. I was turned on to them a while back and only use their line now. I have gone a few months with a different line, and I could definitely tell a difference.
When I was highlighting my hair, I used the Color Conserve and Damage Remedy line.
Now that I don't highlight or use any color in my hair, I am using the Shampure line.
I religiously use the Smooth Infusion Style Prep Smoother, Smooth Infusion Straightener, and Brilliant Damage Control Spray . Smooth Infusion style prep is used to make sure you hair isn't frizzy in the FL humidity. It's a must here, in my opinion. I use Smooth Infusion straightener for my flyaways. I don't blow dry my hair that often anymore, but I still love to use the damage control spray after I towel dry my hair. I feel like it's helped my hair in the past, so I just continue to use it.

Origins Vitazing
Such a great tinted moisturizer for the Summer! It's a white lotion, but once you work it with your hands, the beads in it change to the color of your skin. It's awesome!
But, as I mention in the video, if you have any type of hyperpigmentation, discoloration or redness in your skin, it's not really going to give you the coverage you may be looking for.

Tuesday Shoooesday

2011-05-17T08:00:00.004-04:00

I am anxiously waiting for these beauties to arrive at my doorstep any day.

Something Borrowed

2011-05-15T22:57:00.004-04:00

Hey dolls!
Have you seen Something Borrowed yet? I went with two of my besties to see it on Friday night. I read the entire series, so when I saw they were making a movie, it was definitely on my MUST SEE list.
I will say, the movie was very light hearted and funny. There were quite a few scenes that were making my cheeks hurt from laughing so much. I won't give away any details in case you haven't seen it, but one of my FAVORITE scenes was the Salt n Pepa dance. I think I was dancing IN my seat.
The movie is definitely a fun movie to go see with your girls.

Oh and by the way, in case you do go see it, make sure you stay through the credits. It's worth it.

Tuesday Shoooesday

2011-05-07T08:31:00.004-04:00

Hi friends! This week's beauty is another wedge. Can you see a trend here? I feel like wedges are so easy for anyone to wear and walk in. Much easier than heels, for sure!

Lily Pulitzer always has the cutest prints and shoes. I mean, how cute are these? And they come in such pretty colors!

Coupon!!

2011-04-30T08:41:00.004-04:00

Remember the Rimmel Foundation from last month's favorites? Well, I'm still very much in lurve with this lil gem. Especially now that the lovely FL humidity has begun. Talk about staying power!
I already ranted and raved about it, so I won't go into it here, but I did want to share a coupon I found for it! There is one coupon for Walgreens and one for CVS, so you can stock up!

P.S. Sorry about the blog looking a little wacky, I'm in the process of updating it. I just couldn't wait to share the coupon

Mini vacation

2011-04-14T14:02:00.001-04:00

Earlier this week, we met up with my husband, who is traveling in Daytona Beach. It was such a much needed mini vacation. We went to a baseball game one night and spent time at the pool and beach with S every day. He is such a little fish and absolutely loves the water. I can't wait to get him started on swimming lessons this summer.
Just wanted to share some pictures from our trip.

Loves swimming with Papi.

At the kiddie pool.

Chasing the bubbles at the beach. This was a genius idea. Wore him out! {read, LONG NAPS}

At the baseball game. Unfortunately, we both were bitten by those stupid gnats. Ugh, can't stand them

Oh, and last, but not least, one of the best meals meals ever! Nutella crepes!

Hope you're all having a great week!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Roadtrip!

2011-04-07T15:30:00.000-04:00

One of my sweetest friends, Natalie, and I went in a day roadtrip yesterday. We went to the Stephen Bonannos factory to order these beauties.
Ever since our girls weekend back in January, we've been talking about how much we both wanted some Stephen Bonanno sandals. Since it will take a few weeks before we actually receive them, {we are both getting monogrammed sandals}, we knew we had to get the order in early Spring so we could sport our lovely sandals the rest of the Summer and Fall. You can pretty much wear sandals in FL most of the year.
There are many boutiques that you cab order the sandals from, but, since it was our first time, we thought it'd be best to go down to Stuart. Good thing we did! I usually wear a size 8.5-9 shoe. I ended up ordering an 8 bottom with a 9 top strap for one foot and a 9.5 top strap for my other {I have a high instep}.
Melanie at the factory was such a doll and was SO patient with us. She even helped us coordinate our colors. Everything is custom made and handmade. You can tell only the finest materials are used to make these sandals.
I may just have to go down there every time to order just to see them again. And the best part, we got to meet Stephen Bonanno! He was the nicest man ever and super sweet. So if you're in the market for some new sandals for Spring and Summer, you NEED to check these out!

How cute is the pink palm tree?

Tuesday Shoooesday

2011-04-05T08:35:00.004-04:00

These lovely shoes will soon be in my closet. I LOVE the green and yellow, but most likely will be getting them in black because then I can wear them to my gigs and work.

Hope you all have a fantastic day!

What I'm reading

2011-03-29T14:30:00.001-04:00

Have any of you read the Hunger Games series? I'm currently on the last book of the series, Mockingjay. I seriously cannot put these down. I'm normally not into these types of books, but after quite a few bloggers and friends talking about the series, I figured I'd check them out. Honestly, it took me a while to get into the first book. But now, I'm hooked. I even got the audiobooks from the library, since I've been traveling a bit this month. So now I can listen as I drive. Best invention ever! Ha!
So now I need a recommendation for another book, as I'll likely be finished with this one towards the end of the week. Read anything good lately?

P.S. Anyone have a good restaurant recommendation in Tampa? I'm trying to Decide where to go eat for my birthday tomorrow.

MAC Quite Cute Sneak Peek

2011-03-29T08:43:00.000-04:00

Hi friends! Here is a sneak peek of the upcoming collection Quite Cute by MAC.

Hope you enjoy!

I'm BACK!! And March Favorites

2011-03-26T10:46:00.016-04:00

Sorry for being such a bad blogger, are you all still even following? Hello...Hello

The past few months have been extremely busy. Between my work and my husband leaving for work, I felt I had to put my family first, thus putting blogging to the side. So, I apologize. But, I am here to stay, so moving forward and on to March Favorites.

I wanted to share a few things that I've been absolutely loving these past few months. These are not all makeup products, but they've made my life a bit easier, so I thought I'd share:

Electrolux Ergorapido vacuum.

Seriously, I'm in love with this thing! It's so lightweight and easy to maneuver. Even my son, S has helped out vacuuming the floor.

Earlier this month, I ran/walked a 15K. Now, let me just say, I am by no means a runner, but I wanted to challenge myself. I did the race 6 years ago, but that was before getting married and having S (oh, and gaining some lbs). I started training for it in January. To reward myself (and part Valentine's day present), I bought myself the ipod nano. I was so excited to get this b/c my iphone was getting very bulky to run with. The night before the race, my cousin and I synced our playlists so that we'd be running to the exact same music during the race. Such a great plan, right? well, it would have been until the nano stopped working around mile 6. Serious nano FAIL! I was so upset! I am the type of runner who has to have music to distract me from what I am actually doing. Otherwise I start thinking about how much time I have left to run, how many miles I have left or I start listening to my breathing and sort of freak out a bit. Anybody else do this? No? Okay, I'm a little bit of a cray cray then.
The next day after the race, I marched right over to the Apple store, told them what happened and guess what, they gave me a brand new one! Nano success! Now that is customer service!!
So now, I'm happy with my lil nano again.

Rimmel Long wearing foundation

I am always looking for something better for my face. I have really dry skin, so I can only use liquid or cream foundation. That being said, during a girls weekend with Natalie and The Pink Owl, I was introduced to this foundation. Pink Owl always finds the best drugstore makeup, so you should definitely check out her blog. Oh, and if you're looking for budget conscious shopping, check out Natalie's blog. Love them both!
Anyhow, back to the foundation...I bought it at Target. I think it cost $6. It comes in a squeeze tube. The one thing I didn't like is that you have to guess what color you are. I guessed, and happen to guess right. I bought it last month after our girls weekend and it's still going strong.
You literally only have to use a pea size for your entire face. And I don't even use a brush..GASP...I know. But the application of this is so easy, that you don't need one. The coverage is awesome! There are even days that I don't use concealer b/c it covers so well. the staying power of the foundation is also amazing. This week I wore it while working Jacksonville Fashion Week and it still was on by the end of the night. And, if you think fashion shows are calm, they are not. I was sweating...whew. So, for $6, it's definitely worth a try! Maybe a little vlog will be coming your way soon on this product...

Bronzer

I love bronzer! Especially in these months between Winter and Summer when I'm getting my faux tan on. I add bronzer on top of my foundation.
Lately, I've been using my MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in either Dark or Deep Dark and Matte Bronze or Bronze as bronzers. But, I also love my Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer as well. Honestly, whichever is within reach when I'm heading out the door is the one I use. Ha!
I also LOVE using bronzer as a blush to give you the bronzed goddess look.

Speaking of faux tanning, this is one of my all time favorite self tanners: Jergens Daily moisturizer

I apply this either at night or in the am before I add my regular moisturizer. The body cream, I tend to add at night only b/c I feel like it sets in easier, and I an likely not sweat at night (sorry TMI, ha).

Did you hear that MAC just revamped and reformulated their cream blushes? Since I have dry skin, cream blushes are my fave!! Not to say I won't/don't use powder blushes. The new formula dries down to a matte, whereas the old formula would stay tacky on your face. So far I've used Posey, Ladyblush and Tea Petal. Posey is a coral color, Ladyblush is a brownie/pink and Tea Petal is a dark pink/almost brown color. Loving all three of them! And they stay on forever!
Since the pollen seems to have taken over Florida (thanks for that Mother Nature), my allergies have been unbearable! This year has been the worst so far. I can usually manage w/out having to take medication, but not this year. Since the allergies seem to love me, they wanted me to feel the full effect of Springtime, cue the puffy eyes and dark circles (okay the dark circles may be from a lil lack of sleep too, but oh well). I've heard a lot of talk about this product so I thought I'd try it out. Garnier's Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller. I bought the one that has some concealer in it. So far, I love it. Here's a little tip, I put this in my refrigerator. The roller has a metal ball, so it provides instant cooling and de-puffing to the eye area.

Okay, last thing and I'm done for today, but have y'all ever used a primer for your lashes? I use a primer on my face and eyes, but I was always a bit of a skeptic using it under mascara. I mean, really, ANOTHER primer to use. Ugh....
But, when I went to a training class for MAC in Atlanta, they let us experiment with all kinds of products. I figured I needed to try this. Let me tell y'all, it's AMAZING the difference this makes. I've been using the Prep and Prime lash for the past 3 weeks daily. Someone even asked me the other day what false lashes I had on! And no, I don't use any lash enhancing serums, etc. So guess what, I'll be using this foreva! Ha!
Seriously though, the Prep and Prime goes on white but forms almost like a hairspray for your lashes. It also lengthens and conditions your lashes. Maybe this is why my lashes seem to be longer lately? I always curl my lashes, add the Prep and Prime lash, then whatever mascara I want to use that day (lately it's been Haute and Naughty).
Okay, so that's it for my March favorites. Have you all tried any of these products? Let me know what you think.

MAC Cham Pale review

2011-01-03T14:04:00.006-05:00

MAC came out with a new collection on the 26th of Decemeber called Cham Pale. I have to say there are a few pieces I totally love and the rest, ehh....
I really am not a huge fan of frosty lips and eyes, and unfortunately, this collection has tons of that. The ligelee's are super frosty as are the lipsticks. Just not for me.
The quad that came with the collection called Caviar dreams is pretty, but nothing I felt I needed to run out and buy. First, it has two eyeshadows which are from the regular collection {brule and retrospeck}. They other two, caviar dreams (a smokey green color) and et tu,bouquet (a pale pink) just didn't do anything for me.

Here are some of the products that I absolutely did love and already bought:

Special Reserve Highlight Powder in Chez Chez Lame.

This highlight powder is absolutely gorgeous! I've been wearing it every day that I've worn makeup right above my blush. I wore it to a party I went to and was complimented on how glowing my skin looked.

Feline Kohl Power Eye Pencil

At first I was skeptical about this pencil. I thought it was just like smolder. I still sort of think it is like smolder. But, I do love that this pencil is SUPER black! You can use this pencil to create a thin or thick black line. I even did an entire smokey eye using just this liner.

Tinted Lip Condition SPF + Lavender

My lips have been super dry and chapped with the crazy weather this year. I just happen to try this one day under the lipstick I was wearing and I will tell you, my lips fell wonderful! I was hooked, and still am. I love that this lip conditioner also gives you a hint of color to your lips. Just enough to feel you have something on, but not too much either.

Have any of you tried the new products?

Mac Tartan Tale Mini Haul

2010-11-05T07:35:00.002-04:00

Hi Everyone! I'm back with another haul (mini) of MAC's new collection A Tartan Tale. This collection came out Oct 28th and some of the products are already sold out. I only picked up a few items because, let's face it, I really don't NEED all of it.
I hope you enjoy the video. Leave a comment on my Youtube page or below if you have any questions.

Happy Halloween

2010-11-04T22:13:00.004-04:00

I know, I'm totally late in posting this, but what can I say, I've been busy????
I just wanted to share a few looks I wore this past weekend while working some makeup events at the MAC store.

Hope you all had a safe and Happy Halloween!

Sigma Makeup Brushes and Discount Code

2010-10-19T14:43:00.005-04:00

As a makeup artist, I have a variety of brushes in my kit. I've used almost every brand out there, if not at least tested them. I came across Sigma makeup brushes last year. I have to say, I love these brushes. They are very similar to MAC makeup brushes. I currently own the Premium professional brush roll and the travel roll as well. I've had them for a few months and seriously LOVE them! The quality is great, and the price is phenomenal! They aren't hand cut, like the MAC brushes, but I've found they are still soft and blend easily with my other brushes.
I'll be doing a review on them shortly.

Sigma is currently having a promotion of $20 off their "Premium Professional brush roll kit." Enter PREMIUM at checkout at www.sigmabeauty.com

You can also get to their website by clicking on the link on my sidebar.

This offer expires October 31st.

Happy Shopping!

Giving your cheeks a pop of color

2010-09-30T21:10:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite beauty products is blush! Seriously, I love it! Blush can transform a persons face from dull to bright instantly.
Don't be afraid to use a bright color. Even the most pigmented blush can be toned down or worn very sheer. Bright pink blush, like the one's in the video (Bobbi Brown Pale Pink and MAC Coygirl) are some of my favorites.
Layering blush is also a great way to keep your blush on throughout the day. First, apply a cream blush to your cheeks with a foundation brush or even a blush brush. On top of that, layer a powder blush.

Hope you all like the video, and make sure you go to my YouTube page and subscribe!

MAC, Sephora and Private Gallery Haul

2010-09-17T08:27:00.001-04:00

Hi Everyone! I'm back with a MAC, Private Gallery and Sephora Haul.

Hope you enjoy my finds. As always, if you have any questions, shoot me an email.

How to properly conceal undereye circles

2010-09-15T09:05:00.000-04:00

I've received quite a response via emails about the video I posted, so I figured I'd do a follow up of the step by step process on how to conceal the eyes.

This is probably every woman's nightmare, especially those of us that have children. One of the many questions I receive from clients is how to conceal the circles under their eyes. We all hate the dreaded gray, ashy look that can be left behind if this is not done properly.

Step 1
Eye Cream
This is one of the most important steps. Apply some type of eye cream day and night. Doing so will allow the concealer to go on smoother and help prevent some of the lines and wrinkles we all cringe to think about. It also helps prep the delicate skin so that the concealer doesn't look "cakey." I personally use MAC moisturelush eye cream.

Step 2
CORRECT
The KEY to erasing dark circles is the proper corrector. I mostly use peachy tones to correct my clients as this will color correct the dark circles under their eyes. There are a few companies that have color correctors. My favorite are Bobbi Brown, Eve Pearl and Makeup Forever.

Step 3
CONCEAL
This step can be optional for most people, but for my clients, I take the time to show them this step.
You will use a concealer about 1-2 shades lighter than your normal {not white please} foundation/tinted moisturizer color. This will help to brighten your undereye area. It will also help cancel out any leftover of the color corrector from the previous step. I use all different kinds of concealer: Makeup Forever HD, Bobbi Brown, MAC Studio Fix, MAC Studio Finish, Eve Pearl, Laura Mercier...the list goes on and on.

Step 4
Set with powder
Don't forget this last step. I think some people skip this step because they are afraid this will cause the lines to show under their eyes. In fact, this will prevent the creamy concealer from settling into your lines. There are many kinds of powders you can use under your eyes. I use a finely milled powder, face powder is not going to do for this area. In the video, I talk about using my MUFE HD powder to set the concealer under my eyes. This is not technically meant forthe under eye are, but I love how it sets the concealer and gives a flawless look to the skin. BeneFit also makes a great highlighting powder for under the eyes called Powderflage. It highlights and helps keep the concealer in place. I will say, though, the Benefit Powderflage, is only meant for lighter skin tones as it has a pink highlighter color. Another suggestion would be to use a transparent powder to set everything. Whatever type of powder you decide to use, make sure you apply it with a brush and not a sponge. This will make sure it'll be a light dusting of the powder.

I hope this step by step has answered some of your questions. As always, if you have any others, please send me an email.

How to Conceal Under Eye Circles

2010-09-08T08:29:00.001-04:00

It's probably every girls worst nightmare....waking up with horrible dark circles under our eyes.
This is also one of the most widely asked question, how do we conceal/correct the circles?

Watch the tutorial below for a step by step instruction:

Products used:
MAC Moisturelush Eye Cream
Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer in Medium
MAC Select Moisturecover NC20
Sigma Makeup Concealer Brush F70
Bobbi Brown Eye Blender Brush
Makeup Forever HD Powder

What do you think? Have you ever used a Salmon color corrector/concealer?

Another mascara review....

2010-08-30T10:20:00.001-04:00

Covergirl came out with a new mascara about a month ago called Lashfusion. What?!? Something new that I haven't tried? You know it was in my cart faster than you could blink. As usual, I got the waterproof version of the mascara. I really wanted to like this mascara, but it didn't happen.
According to the Covergirl website, this mascara is supposed to thicken and extend the look of your natural lashes (isn't every mascara supposed to do that) and add Super Volumizing + Buildable Fiber Strength lengthening to the lashes.

Here's the problem. The brush is one of the plastic bristle brushes. These brushes never do it for me. My biggest pet peeve about this brush is that the tip of the brush, which you would normally use to get either the smaller lashes or the outer lashes, has no bristles!! What is that about?!?
I will say, the formula was very nice, it didn't clump at all. Yes, you could go back after your first coat, add a second coat without the spider looking lashes. I can say, CG is correct in saying it is a buildable mascara.

But, in my book, this mascara is a FAIL for personal use. Since I use disposable wands on my clients, I'll probably use this mascara in my kit since I did like the formula.

Back to the drawing board.....

How long does your makeup last?

2010-08-26T10:10:00.000-04:00

One of the questions I get asked is how long should a person should keep a product or what is the shelf life of a certain product. I figured it'd be best to answer these questions on here. The best thing to do is to keep your products in a dry, cool area, away from the heat. Remember, the heat can also change the consistency of products, like foundation and concealers.

Foundation anywhere from 12-18 months

Mascara 3-6 months

Concealer 12-18 months

Powder 18-24 months (make sure you either clean your sponge or change it out)

Blush 18-24 months ( I think you can stretch this out as long as you take care of the product and it's not cracked or doesn't smell)

Cream blush 12-18 months (again, you can stretch this out as long as it doesn't smell)

Eyeshadow 18-24 months

Eyeliner 18 months *

Liquid liner 6-12 months *

Lipstick 2-3 years

Lipliner 2-3 years

*For any eyeliner or liquid liners, if you've had an eye infection, it's best to throw it out. Also, be weary of sharing pencils with others as you will be sharing bacteria. To make sure you sanitize properly, dip the pencil in alcohol and sharpen them if you are using amongst others.

A general rule of thumb for most products, if it starts to smell, it's time to throw it out!

EOS Lip blam

2010-08-15T14:00:00.001-04:00

Photos courtesy of http://www.evolutionofsmooth.com/products_lip_sphere.html

I've heard a lot of people rave about this lip balm. I was in CVS a few months ago buying some last minute extra lashes for a photo shoot and they had these buy 1 get 1 free. Yes, I snagged them. One for me, one for my sister {lucky girl, she gets all my extra stuff, ha!}. I bought the balm in the flavor Summer Fruit. I have to say, I've had the lip balm a few months and am thoroughly enjoying it. It's not very greasy, and moisturizes your lips.

According to the website:
Eos lip balm is 95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free. Packed with antioxidant-rich vitamin E, soothing shea butter and jojoba oil, eos keeps your lips moist, soft and sensationally smooth.

I like the packing, it twists shut and seems to have a tight seal. The smell is very light, and not overwhelming.

When I run out, which I don't think will be for a very long time, I'll definitely be picking up another one.

Have you tried EOS?

Friday Fashion Find

2010-08-13T14:34:00.005-04:00

I'm sure most of you have noticed the leopard trend lately, it's everywhere! It looks like this trend will transition into fall.
Now, I am not one to wear head to toe in a print. Most likely, I will wear this leopard trend by either incorporating it into a shoe or cardigan. I was at my trusty favorite store {you know, the red bulls eye one} the other day, and I found this jewel. I figured it was cute and I can wear it with jeans or use it with a dress.

photo courtesy of www.target.com

How will you be wearing this trend?

Since we can never get enough...

2010-08-09T18:02:00.008-04:00

Another mascara review is in order!

Thanks to one of my friends and reader of my blog, Jill, who told me about this fabulous mascara.
Since the Falsies was a major fail for me, I had to go try something else and I wasn't in the mood to spend a lot of money on anything. I went to the local Target and picked up this lovely. Maybelline XXL PRO Extensions Mascara

Ladies, seriously, this mascara DOES NOT BUDGE! I tried and reviewed the waterproof mascara for the past two weeks. I use MAC's Cleanse off oil, which takes everything off your face, and this still doesn't come off. Most of the mascaras I use are waterproof, for two reasons: 1) my clients (brides, photoshoots, etc) must have waterproof 2) I need to test the formula to make sure it's actually waterproof. As much as I really like the Colossal waterproof mascara, it wasn't TRULY waterproof. As evidenced by my Lauren Conrad eyes when I went in the pool a few times.

This mascara has two steps to it. The first side, which is clearly marked with a number 1, is white. It's a microfiber basecoat. This is used to tame and control your lashes as well as add volume. {Your lashes will look WHITE after this application} Before the coat is completely dry, you apply Step 2. The second side, marked Step 2, is your colored mascara. You sweep this on top of the white lashes. As I applied the mascara, my lashes definitely appeared longer and more enhanced.

Here are my likes and dislikes of the mascara:

LIKES

Lashes do appear to be more full and voluminous

Basecoat helps to separate individual lashes

With the second coat, you can extend out the lashes

Formula is very creamy, not once has it made my lashes clump

DISLIKES

The handle of the mascara is too short, I know this may sound petty, but for someone who is always working with mascara, I like a longer handle

You have to be quick with Step 2, if the white dries then you have to comb through the lashes a bit. (it happened to me, but the mascara still wasn't clumpy, so it's not really a dislike, just advise, ha!}

Here's a picture of me with the mascara. Yes, I have somewhat long lashes, but this mascara really kicks them up a few notches!

Let me know if you end up buying this and what you think.

Couldn't pass these up...

2010-08-08T08:51:00.004-04:00

I am on a clothes shopping ban, well, sort of. At least until I lose weight, that is. Since I won't allow myself to buy clothes, what's the next best thing? SHOES!
Last week I found these darling pair of shoes at The Gap {I know, I was surprised too}. They are so comfortable, sort of remind me of the Tory Burch Eddie flats. I bought them in black, boring, I know, because I wear a lot of black for my makeup gigs. I'm on my feet a lot and am always looking for the perfect shoe to wear. My feet howl at me the days I decide to be cute/fashionable and wear my heels or wedges.
Anyhow, these lovely flats come in many different colors and are perfect for the fall, which is just around the corner. For the price $39.50 {I got them at an additional 30% off Gap just happened to have that day SCORE!}, how could you pass these up?

La Vie Este Belle Magazine

2010-08-06T08:47:00.001-04:00

A few months ago, I was asked to do the makeup for a photo shoot with an amazing photographer, Brittany Gordon Bowman, in Vilano Beach, FL. The model, Tyler, was gorgeous. She had flawless skin, beautiful bone structure....just a beautiful canvas!
Last month, my work was featured in La Vie Este Belle Magazine. How excited am I that my work is finally getting published?
Here are some snaps from the shoot

Picture courtesy of www.brittaniagarden.com

These last two pictures were taken with my iphone:

July Favorites

2010-08-01T09:34:00.010-04:00

I decided I am going to start a new series on the blog. Once a month I will tell you what my favorite things were from the previous month. It will always include beauty products, but sometimes I'll include other random things going on in my life. Hope you all enjoy this months favorites!

EYES

GO eyeshadow by MAC. I think this may have been limited edition, but it's very similar to their bronze color. Loving this for a beach look. Since summer is almost over, I'm making sure to get the most out of this look. Swept lightly over the eyelid for day, or wet it to intensify the look for night. Subtle, yet gorgeous!

EYELINER

MAC Minted
This color came out with the Back to Beach collection. It's a deep emerald green color. I love mixing this color with browns. My favorite look is a beach look with this eyeliner lining the bottom of your eye to add a splash of color. I did this look when I went to a baseball game and got lots of compliments.

LIPS

I am loving anything nude, but with high sheen {mostly glosses}

Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Pillow Talk

MAC Creemsheen in Boybait

BLUSH

I am still in love with my trusty NARS Orgasm blush. You can't go wrong with this color.

But, when I do want a punch of bright pink on the cheeks, I go for either MAC Mocha, MAC Full Fuschia or Too Faced La Vie En Rose.

BRUSH

This brush was temporarily sold out throughout all MAC stores and I was ecstatic to find it when I was traveling and popped into a MAC store and found one.

I am in LOVE with my MAC 130 brush. This brush is wonderful if you use cream foundation. If you use a cream foundation, this is the brush to use, it's just like the other duo fibre brushes except it has a flat top, which helps smooth out the product evenly on your face. Don't we all want a flawless face?

HAIR

Since I live in Florida, and we have like 200% humidity during the summer months, I use this Aveda product for my hair. I have pretty straight hair, with the occasional wave in it, but this product really helps keep any wave or frizz away.

Aveda Smooth Infusion Glossing Straightener

What were some of your favorite products you've used this month?

Stay tuned this week for another mascara review!

pictures courtesy of MAC website www.maccosmetics.com and Aveda www.aveda.com

Mascara Review

2010-07-28T15:57:00.004-04:00

A friend of mine called me raving about a new mascara she tried recently by Maybelline called Falsies. A new mascara? That I haven't tried? You know this means I got in my car to stalk the aisles of Target.
According the the Maybelline website: This new mascara claims to build your lashes up to 8x without clumping, the unique wand helps to lift and separate the lashes.

I've tried it now for a few days and reapplied it different ways and here is my take on it. The mascara does nothing what the website claims it does. One of my biggest complaints was the clumping. The only way I didn't get it to clump was to wipe clean the applicator, dip it back into the tube and start fresh. It seems the applicator gets too much mascara on it when it initially comes out of the tube.
The applicator is a bit tricky to work with. If you look at it from one side, it's a bit flat, with very small bristles. This is to be able to get any small eyelashes you may have. If you turn the handle a bit, the applicator is a nice fluffy brush.
Their recommendation is to use the flat/small bristle side first and then the fluffy side next to comb out the lashes. This was the only way it did work for me. I feel when I used the small bristle side of the applicator, this is when I would get most of the clumping. If the applicator was made of the fluffy bristles all the way around, I think I would have liked this mascara a lot more.
The one thing I will say I did enjoy about this mascara is the formula. I tested the waterproof formula. It definitely tested true. Much more so than the waterproof Colossal mascara. One of the days I was testing the mascara, I went to the beach with my sun. By the time I got home, it was still in place and I didn't have a smudge on my face or a black eye look. Now that's waterproof!
http://www.maybelline.com/images/products/thumbNails/510VEFW_xl.jpg
So for now, I will be sticking with my Diorshow or Colossal. I do have another mascara review coming up next week, so check back later.

As usual, if you have any makeup questions, please leave a comment below or send me an email.

It's time....

2010-07-06T13:33:00.003-04:00

For the past few years, I've been on a constant fight with my weight. Long story short, it's time to get serious about it. I've been going to the gym, but unfortunately, lately, Sebastian gets hysterical when I leave him in the nursery, and they end up coming to get me within 20 mins. Obviously, 20 minutes of just elliptical is not enough for me. So, I've decided to pick up Jillian Micheals 30 Day Shred. Lots of my blogging, twitter and FB friends have started on this as well.
As of today, I'm on Day 2. I feel if I put it out there in the blogging world, I will HAVE to keep up with it.
So there it is...I'm officially on the 30 Day shred bandwagon!

If you've done this video or struggle with your weight, I'd love to hear from you as well. We can all do this together!

Wedding Day Makeup

2010-06-07T11:10:00.005-04:00

Since we are officially in Wedding season, I thought I would post something for my bride's to be. These same rules apply if you are having professional photos taken or you are in a wedding party.

One of the most important things I discuss with my brides during their consultation is that this is not a day to try something new. You want to look like yourself when you walk down the isle. This is a day to emphasize your features, but in a natural way. You want to wear color, but not too much. Always remember the rule, if you are wearing color on your eyes, wear a nude/blush colored lip and vice versa.

Most important: Creating a flawless face! Do not wear heavy foundation if you are not used to wearing foundation at all. You need to wear some type of foundation on your face. Your makeup artist should be able to achieve a look and feel that you are comfortable wearing.

Stay away from glitter. In photographs, it looks like you have specks on your face. Shimmer and frost are different from glitter. You still want to use these sparingly.

To achieve the blushing bride look, you MUST use blush. This is critical as photography washes everyone out. I love adding a warm glow of peach or a pop of pink to my brides.

Eyes should look as natural as possible to create a classic and timeless look.

I love to add lashes to my brides. At the same time, I understand not all brides are used to a full strip of lashes. Adding individual lashes or a half strip will do the trick as well. These will make your eyes look bigger.

Last, but not least, lips. To ensure your lip color lasts through your nuptials and reception, use a lip primer first. Then add a lip liner a few shades darker than your natural color. Fill in your entire lip with the liner. After this step, you can either use a gloss or lipstick of your choice.

If you are not hiring a professional makeup artist for your wedding day or event, make sure you practice your look before the big day.

As always, if you have any questions, send me an email. I love answering my readers emails.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2010-05-09T00:35:00.005-04:00

I will be spending my Mother's day with this sweet little man. A year and a half ago I was blessed to become his mom.

And every day I wake up to his little face, it melts my heart. God blessed our family with the sweetest little boy.

Hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day!

The never ending quest....

2010-04-15T13:41:00.004-04:00

I LOVE MASCARA!
Yes, I'll admit it, I am a mascara hoarder. I try all kinds until I find one that I cannot live without. Even once I find one I love, I am still on the prowl for the next great one.
I follow a bunch of beauty guru's on You tube and some of them have talked about this mascara, so I decided to try it out myself.
I will admit, I had my hesitations about it. I just wasn't sure if the quality was going to be there.
To my surprise it was.
I bought the waterproof Colossal mascara by Maybelline when it was on sale at CVS. I have to say, I am totally in love with this mascara. For now, it has replaced my Diorshow, YSL, well.....everything.
The brush is very similar to Diorshow's wand. I, personally, love big fluffy wands. They add more volume to your lashes.
Colossal also has collagen in the formula which helps plump and build up your lashes.
So there it is ladies, this is my new GO TO mascara. And, honestly, for $5-$6 a tube, it's worth trying it. That's why I did.

If there are any other products you'd like for me to review, or if you have questions about a makeup product, email me.

Using cleansing oil to wash your face?

2010-04-08T12:35:00.000-04:00

Most people would not think to wash their face with oil. Well, I am one of them, UNTIL. I heard the rave reviews about these cleansing oils. I have personally been using the MAC cleansing oil lately. I have to say, I LOVE it! Even when I wear waterproof makeup, the oil takes it right off. I have dry skin, and this leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft afterwards. This cleansing oil works for all skin types. Whether you have dry or oily, this will work on you without clogging your pores.
You just rub one pump of the oil onto your face, add a little warm water until it gets to a milky consistency. Then wash off completely with warm water. Your face will now be soft as a babies bum! Don't forget to moisturize as well.

Here is the MAC cleansing oil I use. You can get it at your local MAC store or here

This is another brand, DHC, which I've heard great things about as well. You can purchase this item here

If you use these products, let me know what you think.

Until next time.....

An Award!

2010-03-22T17:00:00.005-04:00

Connie at Living My Glamorous Life has awarded me The Lovely Blog award. Thank you to Connie for following my blog. If you haven't read Connie's blog, please do here
Run over and give her some blog love!

So I am supposed to pass this on to some new blogs I have been reading lately. Since I am pretty new at blogging, most of the blogs I read are new to me. But, here are some of my favorites:

Living My Glamorous Life

Chanel Fashionista

For the Love of Stilettos

Makeup by RenRen

Those are just a few of the new blogs I'm reading. Some of the other's I follow are private, but LOVE them too.

Thanks for following and congratulations to these blogs!

New lipsticks for Spring

2010-03-17T21:28:00.000-04:00

Spring is finally here!
Well, whether you believe me or not (due to lack of sunshine or hot weather where you live), in the makeup and fashion world, it is.

With that being said, it's time to revamp our look. So...out with the dark berry lipsticks and jewel toned eyes, and let's break out the pinks and corals. Yes, you heard me correct, this Spring is all about pinks (in every color) and corals.

As far as lipsticks are concerned, here are two of my FAVORITE colors right now:

MAC in Blood Red
The name is a little deceiving because it's actually not a red color, it's a fuschia. Perfect for Spring!
You will need to check your local MAC store for this as it was part of the D Squared collection from a few months back.

A swatch of the color

Sephora brand

This is a new color, so it should be in stock at your local Sephora. The lipstick shown below is not in the color, but the color you want is called Rosy Frivol. It's a sheer magenta color. I like this one because it looks like a gloss.

I am not a big coral fan, but the new Viva La Glam Lipstick by Cyndi Lauper is really pretty. I didn't purchase it because, honestly, it turned too orange on me, BUT it looked great on the Sales associate.

Remember, when trying on lipsticks, it does change on everyone. It really depends on the pigmentation your lips have. If you want to get the true color of the lipstick, add some concealer or foundation to your lips before applying the lipstick.

So go out and try new colors this Spring!

Lindsay's wedding

2010-03-09T13:07:00.006-05:00

This past weekend, I was asked to do a wedding at One Ocean Resort in Atlantic Beach, FL. If you haven't seen the resort, you should. It used to be an older hotel, The Sea Turtle Inn, and now is completely renovated. It's definitely one of the swanky hot spots to get married here in Jacksonville. You can check out their website here .

My bride to be Lindsay, contacted me a few months ago for her wedding day makeup. Initially, I was very excited, not only to work on Lindsay, but I was also going to be working with one of my favorite wedding photographers, Jennifer DeVore. She has such an amazing eye, that I knew Lindsay's wedding pictures were going to look beautiful.
I set up her consultation and once we achieved the look she wanted, I knew she was going to look stunning. She wanted a very natural look, but wanted to accentuate her blue eyes. She looked amazing on her wedding day! Here's the picture to prove it.

Here is a list of the products used on Lindsay:

Face:
Too Faced Primed and Poreless
Eve Pearl foundation
Eve Pearl Salmon concealer and MAC concealer
MAC Creamblend blush in Florida
MAC Mocha Blush on top
MAC highlighter in Luna

Eyes:
Too Faced Eye shadow Insurance
MAC paint pot in Soft Ochre
MAC Satin Taupe
MAC Mushroom
MAC Mylar

Lips:
Sephora brand lipstick

You can also see some of Wedding by Jen's work here
Photo credit: Wedding by Jen

Must have brushes for your makeup bag...

2010-03-02T23:30:00.000-05:00

As a makeup artist, I have a variety of makeup brushes, all for a different purpose. I also have multiples of each brush, but that's because I usually have more than 2 clients at one time.
The everyday consumer does not need a multitude of brushes, nor do they need every brush I use.
So, I'm here to tell you which one's, in my opinion, are the one's you really need.

The Stipling brush, also know as the Skunk brush

This brush is used only for foundation. If you are looking for an airbrushed look, this is the brush that will help you achieve that look. When on a job, I don't use an airbrush machine, that's because with this brush, I can use the stipling method and provide the same finish.

Concealer brush

This provides you accurate placement of your concealer. I like the pointed brush the best because it allows you to get closest to the eye and nose area.

Blush brush

This brush comes in many forms (angled, pointed, fluffy). Whichever one you decide to use is fine, just make sure you know how to use it. I usually recommend a regular fluffy one. Unless you know how to use the pointy or angled brush, I would stay away from it.

Fan brush

I like to use this brush for bronzer. It adds a very natural bronzy look to the face because the application of the bronzer is very light.

Eyeliner brush

If you want a thin liner on the top lashes, this is your brush! I absolutely love this brush. You can also use this on your bottom lashes to add some eyeliner, smokey eye effect or sparkle to the bottom lash. This brush comes angled or flat. Either will do the job, it's really just preference. I use both in my kit. The important thing is to make sure the bristles are tapered to a point. This will make the liner thin.

Eyeshadow brush

This brush can be wide or thin. Either will provide you will the same look. One may just take a few stokes less than the other.

Smudge brush

I cannot live without my smudge brush, professionally and personally, I use them everyday. You will use this brush in the crease of your eye to provide your contour color.
This is also the must have brush to have in your bag to achieve the ever coveted smokey eye look.

There are many places to buy brushes, but I will say this, you get what you pay for. With this being said, I have paid for some expensive brushes, and ended up not liking them for one reason or another. I have also bought brushes from Sonia Kashuk's line at Target and love them. It all depends on how the brush hair feels and whether or not it will grab the color.
Another tip for your brushes, KEEP THEM CLEAN. Not only for hygiene purposes, but it will also allow the brush to grab more color. If you notice your brush is not depositing a lot of color, you may want to clean the brush.

My personal favorite place to buy brushes: MAC, Sephora, Target and Michaels. Yes, I am talking about Michaels the hobby store. If you use the high quality painting brushes, they do the exact same thing the "makeup brushes" will do. And for half the price, especially if you use the 40% off coupon.

If I have left out a brush you have a question about, feel free to email me.

Hope you like my choices.

Want your eyeshadow to last all day?

2010-02-02T21:39:00.000-05:00

If you've spent time and effort to make your eyes look good, don't you want them to stay that way throughout the day? Well, don't we all. This is one of the many things clients ask me....."How can I keep my eyeshadow on all day. It seems to wear off by the end of the day?" Alright ladies, I haven't found the miracle, but it's pretty darn close. The first thing you need to invest in is an eye primer. There are many eye primers made by many different brands for everyone to choose from (I've tried most of them). For the past 5 months, I have been using one in particular on myself and my clients. It's Too Faced Eyeshadow Insurance primer. This product is AMAZING. When I tell you that your eyeshadow is not going to come off, it's not! Your eyeshadow colors will be more vibrant, cream shadow will not run or crease and you can cry all you want (brides) but this is going to stay on. I've even tried washing this product (with eyeshadow on) with only water and it still doesn't come off. You will need to take off your eye makeup with either eye makeup remover or your face wash.
It comes in a small tube. When you squeeze the product out, you will notice the cream color. It actually goes on clear onto your eyelid. Before applying eyeshadow, allow the cream to dry for a few seconds. Make sure the color you are about to apply is the color you want, because it's not coming off.
I personally wear this everyday I wear eyeshadow.

According to the Too Faced website, here are some of the benefits of Eyeshadow Insurance:

Vitamin E conditions and smoothes eye area

Has anti-aging, antioxidant moisturizers

Can use with powder or cream eye shadows

Anti creasing formula holds shadow in place

Concentrated a rain drop size goes a long way!

You can purchase eye shadow insurance at your local Sephora, Sephora online, your local Ulta, Ulta online or Too Faced cosmetics online

Photo and benefits courtesy of Too Faced Cosmetics

Enjoy!

Foundation I am loving....

2010-01-31T09:43:00.000-05:00

I've had quite a few questions lately relating to what foundation I am currently using (on myself and clients). I feel I am very lucky in the sense that I get to test makeup. So, here are my picks on foundation. Please know, these are more full coverage foundations, since this is what is appropriate for my clients (brides, photo shoots, fashion shoots). With that said, here are my suggestions....

Makeup Forever Mat Velvet

According to the Makeup Forever website, this foundation will hide skin's imperfections, evens out skin tones and matifies with a non-oily finish. I can truly attest to this. Mat Velvet leaves a flawless, velvety finish to the skin. This foundation is also water resistant, so it will stay on all day.
When you first try this foundation, you will notice that it is a thicker than most foundation. This allows for the full coverage. Since it is thicker, you will use less foundation, so one bottle will last longer than most.

You can purchase Makeup Forever at your local Sephora store, the NYC Makeup Forever store, or at www.sephora.com

Eve Pearl HD Foundation

According to the Eve Pearl website, this foundation provides a full coverage with a non-greasy texture. I can attest to this as well. This foundation also evens out skin tones and hides skin imperfection. The main difference is this foundation leaves more of a dewy finish to your skin, where the Mat Velvet leaves a matte finish.
In case you haven't heard of Eve Pearl, she is the makeup artist for the Today show.

You can only order Eve Pearl products through her website at www.evepearl.com

Hope one of these work for you all. If you have any makeup questions, or a product you would like for me to review, let me know and I'll do a post on it.

Banana Republic coupon

2010-01-26T19:56:00.000-05:00

Over the holidays, Banana Republic was giving out 40% off coupons for each Wednesday during the month of January. So far, this month, I've only missed one Wednesday coupon. I have carefully laid out my plan as to which full priced item I am going to get the next week. So, here is the beauty I plan on purchasing tomorrow.

I think what I like best about this necklace is that it has both gold and silver intertwined, so I can wear it with both colors. Plus, turquoise is one of my favorite colors.

There is also a bracelet to go along with it, but the BR website didn't have a picture of it.

So, what do you plan on buying?

Insider information on MAC pigments...

2010-01-25T12:49:00.000-05:00

In case you all don't know, recently MAC streamlined (and downsized) their pigments. They now come in a new slimmer container. I was speaking with a fellow Makeup artist, who works at a local MAC store, and I asked her what they were doing with the old products. She stated they are sending them to the outlets, AKA "The Cosmetics Company Store." SOOOO, you know where I will be going for some of my new pigments! I called my local outlet store in St. Augustine, FL, and they confirmed they do have some of the pigments in store, although, they would not give me the price over the phone. They did say they are much cheaper than the retail price. These pigments retail for $19.50 a pop. I will definitely be stopping by to pick some up. Now I need to figure out what colors I want......

MAC in Lillyland

2010-01-20T21:59:00.000-05:00

Today I picked up a few items at my local MAC store. Before you all ask, no I do not work for MAC, I just love a lot of their products. In the makeup industry, consistency is key, and with MAC, you can never go wrong (except for their foundation, not a big fan). Here are some pics of the items I bought. I'll be testing these out first and will then do a review for all of you.

Creamblend blush in "Florida"

Creamblend blush in "So sweet, So easy"

I swatched both of these colors while in the store, and the one thing I will say now is they both are very creamy and beautiful colors. The "Florida" color is bright, but actually gives a beautiful glow of pink. The "So sweet, So easy" color gives a gorgeous natural glow.

More of a review to come...

Eye Candy for Valentine's Day

2010-01-17T08:23:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, so I thought I would give you all some eye candy .....

So far, these make my heart melt.....

Tory Burch makeup bag

I wish I could use this in my kit, but it will definitely not hold enough of the makeup I own. I will definitely use this in my purse, though!

Tory Burch tote

One can never have too many totes, right?

Banana Republic necklace

I just LOVE the turquoise in this necklace.

Banana Republic shoes

I know it's still winter for most of you, but here in FL we can usually start wearing open toe shoes again in early March. Gotta plan ahead!

NEW MAC Studio FIX Lash Mascara Review

2010-01-10T11:14:00.000-05:00

As a professional makeup artist, I am constantly trying to new products. Aside from being a Makeup artist, I think every woman out there is on a quest for the perfect mascara that does it all. Well, ladies, I have to say, I have tried most of them.
This past week, MAC debuted their new mascara, Studio Fix Lash.

I went to my local MAC store this past week to check out the Lillyland Collection (review to come soon) and I was introduced to this mascara. According to the MAC store salesperson, this mascara with its new wand was supposed to enhance even the thinnest of lashes into long, voluminous lashes. Well, I decided I needed this for my makeup kit. A lot of my clients need the extra va-va-voom for either their wedding day or photo shoot. If this is such a great mascara, I decided I needed one for my kit and one for myself. I have long lashes, but who doesn't want longer, more voluminous lashes, right?
Yesterday was the first day I tried out the mascara. Well, I have to say, I was a bit disappointed. Yes, it did give me volume, but definitely not the length. The formula was very nice and glossy. Even when I added more mascara, it never got clumpy.
The brush is made from plastic, which is supposed to help enhance the lashes. I have never had luck with these plastic brushes.
So, ladies, if you are looking for a mascara that enhances the thickness of your lashes and adds volume, then this is your mascara. BUT, if you are looking for length, look elsewhere. Right now, I am still loving my YSL Singuilar, Too Faced Lash Injection and Dioshow mascaras. If you are looking for a mascara that is not on the expensive side, but still great, Maybelline Great Lash (the pink and green tube) now makes a BIG LASH mascara which is great. I use this in my makeup kit and have never had a problem.

I hope this review is helpful to you all. If there are any other products that you would like me to review or if you have any makeup questions, please leave me a comment here or send me an email.

January Photo Shoot Modernized Fairy Tales

2010-01-09T16:54:00.000-05:00

This past week, I had the pleasure of working with some amazing photographers for a "Modernized Fairytales" photo shoot at Ottis Castle in Vilano Beach, FL. I have never been inside Castle Otttis before, although, I have driven by it many times. It is gorgeous on the outside, but breathtaking inside. It has three levels plus a rooftop which you can see for miles in every direction. The spiral staircases makes you think of the animated fairtytales we used to watch when we were little. Now, just because I said that this castle was in Vilano Beach, FL, does not mean that is was a warm and sunny day at the beach. It was quite the contrary. This day, the thermometer was registering a windy 45 degrees. It was so cold and windy, that, I, at one point, had to stop myself from applying liquid eyeliner on Stephanie because my hand was shaking so bad. We all got a little laugh out of it, though. As the sun started setting, the day got colder, so we bundled up as best we could and kept a brave face for the poor models that were shivering. In the end, the pictures turned out spectacular. I can't wait to work with these photographers and models again.

Rapunzel

Pocahantas

Cinderella (My model)

All the Makeup Artists and models

It was so cold at the end of the night, that I wore my ski jacket, which I never thought I would be wearing in Florida!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T09:44:00.000-05:00

Good bye 2009...Hello 2010!

This year has been a wonderful year in our household. Here's a recap of our 2009

Learned the ropes of being a new mom.
Experienced being a somewhat single mom while hubby was away for a few months. It was wonderful and scary all at the same time.
Started my own business so I could stay at home with my little man, Thank God it's flourishing!
Have met so many people through my business and blogging. Hope to meet so many more!
Have reconnected with old friends.
Took hubby to Hawaii for his birthday.
Went to the World Series to support the Phillies. They didn't win, but the experience was AMAZING!
Sebastian celebrated his 1st Birthday. It was such an amazing day. I can't believe he's already one. Am I ready for #2? Maybe...
Hubby and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary. I can't wait until we celebrate our 10th, 20th...50th....
We had a great Christmas celebration at our house again.

I feel truly blessed to have been able to spend all of these with our families and friends.

These are just some of the things that made our 2009 so special. I can't wait to see what 2010 and the new decade brings....

What are some of the special things that happened to you last year? What are you looking forward to in 2010?

Holiday Candy

2009-12-21T21:24:00.000-05:00

One of my friends, who I have known since high school, used to make this AMAZING candy but only during the holidays. I couldn't wait until Christmas came around. It's funny, because I never asked her for the recipe, just waited for her to make it. This year, though, I asked her for the recipe. She said it's called Cracker candy. Anyone heard of it? It's a really easy recipe. So, instead of making my homemade Rocky Road fudge, this year I thought I would mix it up and make Cracker candy. Honestly, I will probably end up making the fudge too.

Here's the recipe. It's super easy and smells delicious as you are making it

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 bag semi sweet chocolate morsels
saltine crackers

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Line a cookie sheet that has sides with wax paper or aluminum foil I personally like wax paper because it tends not to stick to the cracker.
Place saltine crackers all along the cookie sheet until cookie sheet is full.

In a small pan, melt the butter and sugar on low heat. Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, keep stirring for 3 minutes. You will have to watch mixture because it tends to boil over. (Almost happened to me)
After 3 minutes are up, pour mixture over the saltine crackers.
Put cookie sheet in the oven for 5 minutes. Make sure the crackers don't burn.
Take the cookie sheet out of the oven.
Slowly pour morsels over the saltines. After about a minute, the morsels will melt. Spread them out over the entire sheet.
The best thing to do is place the cookie sheet in the freezer for a few hours. If you don't have too much freezer room, put them in the refrigerator.
After cool, break saltines and serve.

Let me know what you think!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Our Christmas card 2009

2009-12-20T22:49:00.000-05:00

Thank you everyone for your input. I was actually able to find a card that allowed me to include all of my favorite photos.

Hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Have been sick....

2009-12-20T22:42:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of blogging. We have been a bit of a sick family. In November we went to my brother's wedding in VA, which was beautiful! Well, while we were there, Sebastian got sick with a double ear infection and bronchitis. Since we felt bad for him, he slept in the bed with us. Well, this meant I contracted his bronchitis because he likes to sleep right next to me. So, we were both on inhalers and nebulizer (breathing treatments). We are finally now over everything, although I still have what my friends are calling my sexy voice. For some reason, my voice hasn't come back to normal. Hopefully it does soon.

I just wanted everyone to know why I haven't blogged in a while. Please don't unfollow. I promise I do have some great makeup reviews coming up soon. We all love makeup, don't we?

Christmas time.....

2009-12-01T20:43:00.000-05:00

Around this time every year, Mickey and I try to agree on our Christmas card design. Ever since Sebastian was born (last year) we have decided to let him be on the card sans us. So, last week, my FAVORITE photographer, Jennifer Brum, took pictures of Sebastian for his yearly card. Here are some of the pictures. Now I just need to pick one. How can I pick one when they are all so cute?
I am leaning towards the last two. Which one would you choose?

photos courtesy of Jennifer Brum photography
www.jenbrumphotography.com

What did you make for Thanksgiving?

2009-11-29T21:15:00.000-05:00

I am still very lucky that I have not had to host Thanksgiving at our house just yet. Although, we do host Christmas at our house, but we'll get to that in due time....
This year, we went over to my inlaws for Thanksgiving lunch/dinner. They have a traditional turkey with stuffing, yams, cranberries, sweet potatoes, well you get the picture.
I decided I wanted to add a little Spanish flair to our Thanksgiving feast (yes, I am Spanish) so I made my famous Guava cheesecake. Yes, it is as YUMMY as it sounds, and RICH! I forgot to take a picture of it before we went over to their house.

Here is the recipe, it's super simple and everyone will LOVE it!

2 8 oz packages of cream cheese
1/2 cup of melted guava (I find this in the hispanic isle of the grocery store)
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
pie crust (no I don't make my own)
Cool Whip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a mixer
Add eggs
Pour batter into crust
Bake at 350 for 40 mins or until the cheesecake is firm

Refrigerate for 3 hours. I usually make mine the night before to ensure it's cooled down completely.
When serving, add whipped topping

*If you really want to add a little more richness, I use a chocolate crumb pie crust. It makes a huge difference and is delicious!

So, what did you make for Thanksgiving?

Our baby turned 1. Happy Birthday Sebastian!

2009-11-17T12:26:00.000-05:00

Yesterday our little boy turned 1! I can't believe how quickly time passes. It's as if just yesterday we were coming home from teh hospital with him. He has grown so much in the past year, I know, he's supposed to do that. But, as a first time mom, I just want him to stay this way....all cute and snuggly. So, here are some pictures of him the past year for you all to enjoy him as much as we do.

At his birthday party this past weekend. He loved his cake!

Four years ago today...

2009-11-12T08:57:00.001-05:00

Four years ago today, I married my best friend.

I love looking back at our wedding album and remembering what a great day it was. We got married in Florida, so you never know what the weather is going to be like...even in Novermber! That day, four years ago, it was a PERFECT day! And I'm not just saying that because it was our wedding day. The sun was shining and the weather was perfect, it was as if God had made this day for us.

We started a little tradition, on our one year anniversary, where we watch our wedding video. So, this morning, my hubby and I sat together with our little one and watched it again. It really took us back to how wonderful our wedding really was. So many people came from out of town and out of the country, we feel so blessed to have such great people in our lives. There was so much love in the room, it was amazing. Every time I watch it, I get a little teary eyed, only because it was truly one of the happiest days of my life (I know, it's cheesy because most brides say that) but it's the truth. So, Happy Anniversary to you sweetheart. Here's to many more years (and kids) together. I love you!

I feel so lucky because I really did marry my best friend!

Our Little Pumpkin

2009-11-06T14:40:00.000-05:00

I know this post is a week late, but better late than never, right? We didn't take Halloween pictures because poor little Sebastian was feeling under the weather. We did, though, manage to go to the pumpkin patch by our house and have some pictures taken of him. He LOVED it. Actually, that's an understatement. He was so happy, he didn't know what to do or where to go.

By the way, can you tell we live in Florida? I mean, shorts in October?

First buy of the Holiday season...and yes, it was a bargain....

2009-11-06T10:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I went walking around our local towncenter with a friend, not really "looking" for anything. As we were walking around, Pier 1 Imports had a SALE sign in their window. It called my name. We went in to see what they had. Let me tell you....they already have most of their Christmas items out! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous items!!! I can't wait to pick some of them up, but I will wait until after Christmas. I refuse to pay $20 for an ornament!
While I was looking through some of their fall items, which are on sale, I found this amazing wreath. Now, I have to say, I did see this wreath a few weeks back, but it was $35 and I wasn't in the mood to spend that amount. It has beautiful feathers with gorgeous jewel tones in it. Yesterday, it was on sale for $25. I figured, that is a pretty good price. The manager of the store then came over and said it was the last one and she would be willing to give me a discount on it because it wasn't in a box. Woohoo! I was sold! So I got the wreath for $22. Not too shabby....
Here is a picture of the wreath from the website. Mine has more jewel tones, not so many autumn colors. Either way, it's a great buy because I can keep it up through Christmas. This wreath has officially put me in the Christmas decorating spirit. I can't wait to start!
Have you started decorating? If so, what?

There is a crisp in the air....

2009-11-05T22:44:00.001-05:00

This is seriously my favorite time of the year! I LOVE LOVE LOVE everything about cooler/cold weather. Sweaters, boots, scarves, the new styles of leggings...I could go on and on. Now, I live in Florida, so when I say that I love the cooler/cold weather, I am only talking about 50 degree weather. I know, I know, some of you reading this are like, WHAT that is not cold weather! Well, to us Floridians, it is! Anything to take a sweater and boots out of hiding.
This fall, I have been on the hunt for new boots. I knew I wanted something that was knee high, but I don't think I can attempt the new over the knee boot. As popular as they are, the only thing I can think of is Pretty Woman. Sorry, they are just not for me.
As I was perusing my favorite websites, stores, magazines and anywhere I could think of that sold boots, I could not find the pair I wanted. Well, let's back track a little, I did find a few pairs of boots, but, to be honest, they were out of my price range right now. I usually go to my local Target about once a week, and it's evil! I never leave that place without spending double what I intended on spending. This day, though, I was very happy to spend the double. I found the most amazing pair of boots. They are called the Kandi (top of the pictured boots). I got them in a medium tan/brown color. LOVE THEM! And they were on sale for $29.99. Now I have seen the Loeffler Randall boots which look pretty close to these and retail for about $695 (bottom picture). That is a $665 price difference! Do you know what else I can do with $665 (did I mention we have a son...haha)? I could think of plenty of things....
As I have talked about before, I am always in search for a bargain and I like to share it with my readers.

Happy shopping!!