Ms. Prettyful Girl

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24 Hr Cream Gel Shadow

2012-02-29T22:18:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Happy Leap Year! Did you do anything special to commemorate this only-comes-every-four-years holiday? Not I.

But, I do have my Valentine's Day gift to share with you. I know, 15 days late. Oops. That's been me lately, constantly running behind schedule. But better late than never, I suppose.

I love you, too, baby.

It's so funny that the sweet-tart always puts my gifts in these little "Chinese food" containers. I love them though. When he handed this little box over, I had no clue what was in it. But I knew what I wanted to be inside!

And when I opened it, what I wanted to be inside was NOT inside. I couldn't help but laugh. For weeks I had been telling him I wanted the Maybelline Color Tattoos. He got the Maybelline part right. Instead, there were 10 Maybelline Eye Studio Color Pearls Marbleized Eyeshadows inside. They were nice but not what I wanted.

I had to tell him. I said, "you got the wrong ones!" He said, "you said the marbleized ones. And I got all 10." I said, "not marbleized, MAYBELLINE!" He said, "oooohhh." I thought it was funny. It was the thought that counted, right? He felt so bad and he told me that he would return them and get the right ones the next day.

I felt bad making him return them. I even went on Twitter the next day to ask for advice. Should I keep the gift he gave me or exchange it for something I really wanted? You all said to exchanged them. After all, he was on the right track.

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24 Hr Cream Gel Shadow

So, the next day I finally got something I really wanted! As usual, I'm always behind all the rage but who cares? I got them anyway!

Top: 05 Too Cool & 10 Fierce and Tangy
Bottom: 15 Audacious Asphalt, 20 Painted Purple &
25 Bad to the Bronze

No flash.

Swatches without flash.

With flash.

Swatches with flash.

In this set, I am really loving the Fierce and Tangy and Bad to the Bronze! So bold!

Top: 30 Pomegranate Punk & 35 Tough as Taupe
Bottom: 40 Tenacious Teal, 45 Bold Gold &
50 Edgy Emerald

Without flash.

Swatches without flash.

With flash.

Swatches with flash.

In this set, I really wanted Pomegranate Punk and Tough as Taupe. A month ago I was going to purchase these two but I decided against it. If I couldn't buy the entire collection at once, I'd wait until I could. That's really a bad idea!

But I just wanted to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to my wonderful sweet-tart who is always so thoughtful and giving. He will do anything to make me happy. I adore him. He is my favorite person in the world. I think we have a wonderful love story...

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were gifted to me. ♥♥

Buy & Blog: Kleancolor

2012-02-26T19:58:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

About three weeks ago, I went shopping downtown with my mom and my sister. We walked into this "99 cent" type of store just so the kiddos could look around and maybe pick out a toy or something. The kids didn't get any goodies but I sure did!

I don't remember the name of the store but I do intend on going back. When I show you what I got, you will see why.

Kleancolor Nail Lacquers
Price: 2 for $0.99

I am a fan of Kleancolor nail polishes. They have a huge selection. The price is $3.49 on the Kleancolor website but I usually buy them at the local flea markets around here for $1.00 each. Indoor flea markets price them at $1.75 but 2 for $0.99 is unheard of!

16 Neon Purple

I have done a blog post featuring this shade which I just love and you can see that post HERE.

49 Mocha

This was also another color that I really liked too. I also have used this polish in a blog post already and you can see that post HERE.

90 Madly Matte

While taking the photos for this blog post, I quickly swatched this matte finisher on one nail over hot pink nail polish. I didn't see too much of a difference so I will have to test it out again before I say YAY or NAY to this one.

181 Mix Signal

My six year old daughter picked this one out. No surprise. It's pink. It's sparkles. She's my very own little Elle Woods. I did use this polish on her but not on myself yet. Stay tuned for a Pink Wednesday post featuring this blingy pink!

Kleancolor Hawaiian Rainbow Splendor
02 Cool & Sexy
Price: $0.99

"A touch of paradise is captured in dazzlingly beautiful 12-shade eyeshadow. You will be all dolled up in seconds with this professional palette."

Swatches.
Top 6 shadows.

Don't you just love these shadows! So shimmery. So pigmented! Wow!

Swatches.
Bottom 6 shadows.

The darker shades are even more pigmented, I think.

Kleancolor Multi-Color Blush
02 Brazilian Rose
Price: $0.99

"Accentuate your cheekbone with Kleancolor's Multi-Color Blush and finish with a sensual glow. The blend of 4 blush colors naturally adjusts itself to fit you and boosts your appearance with a flushed look."

Finger tip swatches.

I melted when I saw this. These colors are so beautiful!

Swipe swatches.

Brush included.

I did try the brush to appy the blush and the brush is pure trash. No better way to describe it. It's tough and rough to the touch. It scratches your face and it sheds like crazy. When I finally managed to apply the blush, I had long hairs all over my face. Not a good look. But that's OK, the blush alone is really good.

Kleancolor Multi-Color Blush
01 Blushing Geisha

Finger tip swatches.

The darkest shade in this blush is my favorite. It would make such a pretty shadow. Can I use it as an eyeshadow?

Swipe swatches.

Love Me 365 Gel Eyeliner
116 Mocha Brown and 114 Violet Purple
Price: 2 for $0.99

Now, these aren't Kleancolor but I don't have any gel eyeliners and I just wanted to try them out. I have recently discovered cream liners, which I love, and I just wanted to see how gel liners compare.

Swatches.

I was impressed with the swatches. Especially the brown one is so dark! The only thing was that they felt so greasy. They remained wet for a long time. Even after applying it to my eyes after my eyeshadow, the liner never fully dried. I touched my eye after about 30 minutes and the liner was still wet and transferred easily onto my finger tip. Not good. These I will not be repurchasing and I don't know if I will even be able to use them. Maybe next time I will set them with eyeshadow and see if that helps. I don't know if that is normal for a "gel" liner but I don't think so.

Brush included.

Once again, this brush was not good. It was very hard and not good at all. I liked how it's stored at the bottom of the jar but too bad it was trash.

Kleancolor Loveville Matte Shimmer Duo
02 Alluring Touch
Price: $0.99

I got this palette solely for the fluorescent yellow shadow. It called out to me, I swear.

Swatches.
Top 5 matte shadows.

Swatches.
Bottom 5 shimmer shadows.

I love this palette. As usual, the shimmer shadows were much more pigmented and softer and easier to apply but the matte ones weren't really all that bad either.

Overall, I think I did well with this little haul. I love everything for the exception of the gel liners. Those were a bust but I only lost a buck so I'm fine with that.

I have done an FOTD featuring the Loveville Matter Shimmer Duo palette so stay tuned for that one coming up real soon!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were purchased by me with my own money. These are my own thoughts and honest opinions. ♥♥

Just Another Mani Monday: Kleancolor Neon Purple

2012-02-20T21:45:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I know I failed you all last week when I failed to do my Pink Wednesday post but I am back on track this week with my Mani Monday post.

This nail polish is part of a Buy & Blog post I want to do for you all soon. I went to a store downtown, can't remember the name, but everything I purchased was $1 or less. Cool, huh? This Kleancolor nail polish was 2 for $0.99!

More details on that later. For now, let's take a look at this pretty purple polish!

Kleancolor Nail Lacquer

I have a handful of these Kleancolor Nail Lacquers. They are quickly becoming a favorite of mine. For one, the price is great. I usually buy them for $1.00 each and have paid $1.75 for them at a different store. But now that I found a store that sells them at 2 for $0.99, I am definitely getting some more!

Shade in #16 Neon Purple.

I love purple. I love purple polish. I saw this and I just had to have it. I saw that it was a 'neon' and I already own a few 'neon' shades. You can see my Kleancolor Nail Lacquer collection HERE.

One coat.

Like many nail polishes, Neon Purple was a bit sheer and streaky with only one coat. I did not apply a base coat. I never do. I should!

Two coats.

But after a second coat, and NO top coat, this was the final result. Totally opaque. So vivid. Love it!

Here you can see the slight shimmers.

When I saw this nail polish in the store, I thought it was a creme finish. For the most part it is but there is a slight dusting of tiny shimmers all through out the polish which you can see here slightly. I don't mind the shimmers. They are ultra fine, barely visible actually.

The drying time is great! I love how little it took for this polish to dry completely. The formula is not too thick and not too thin. But I guess if I had to chose one, I'd say it's more on the thin side. The brush, which I should have taken a photo of, is a bit wider than normal but not was wide as the new 'one sweep' brushes. I have small nail beds and it worked well for me.

All in all, I love this shade of purple. Pretty, isn't it?

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were purchased by me with my own money. These are my own thoughts and honest opnions. ♥♥

LFI: Sunday Best

2012-02-19T21:57:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I've been M.I.A. for the last few days...somewhat of a self imposed mini sabbatical, if you will. I was in dire need of a break. I won't go into details. Let's just say I needed a break from life in general.

But, when I take a break, I come back a little bit stronger. Today I have a Look For Inspiration for you. I think this may be one of my best looks yet!

I cannot begin to tell you how much I love this look! This morning while getting dressed and ready to visit my mother, I asked the sweet-tart, "Bright eyes or brown eyes?" Without hesitation, he answered, "Bright eyes."

Bright eyes it is!

As you can see from this photo, I used a shimmery champagne shadow on my brow bone as a high light. A light tan brown went into the crease just to help blend out the bright eye shadows.

On my lid, I first applied a bright and shimmery lemon yellow shadow to the inner third of the eye. Next, I applied a matte green shadow to the middle of the lid. And on the outer third of the eye, I applied a matte hot pink.

On the lower lash line, I added a touch of the lemon yellow to the inner most corner followed by a matte blue to most of the lower lash line. On the outer corner of the lash line, I applied a vivid purple shadow.

And while the rules of makeup say: bright eyes/neutral lips, neutral eyes/bright lips, I say, "to heck with the rules!" My #1 rule in makeup is there are NO rules in makeup!

I was a rebel and did bright eyes with a bright lip. A nice hot pink lip. Grrr, baby, grrr!

I finalized the look with a hint of a bright peach blush and simple black eyeliner to my upper lash line and waterline. A couple coats of heavy black mascara completed the look.

And just to make sure I didn't look at all like a clown, I paired my beautifully bright and bold look with a simple black top and my hair nice and tidy pinned back.

I got so many compliments on this eye look. Even my brother in law said, "Niiiice!"

I don't know about you but sometimes throwing caution to the wind and just doing something that makes me feel pretty makes all the difference to me. While my life hasn't been all wine and roses lately, today I felt like a Froot Loop in a bowl of Cheerios!! I was special.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

PicTorial: Chocolate Covered Strawberries

2012-02-14T22:45:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope your day was as sweet and as wonderful as you beauties are! Mine was good. Had plans to go for dinner and a movie but instead we stayed in and had a delicious homemade dinner with our girls and ate cupcakes for dessert. The sweet-tart got our girls a beautiful pink rose for each of them. I got makeup, of course. More on that in another post. It's quite funny.

Today I'm going to try something different. A PicTorial. This is a makeup tutorial done with step by step pictures. We'll see how it goes!

Today's ingredients.

ELF All Over Cover Stick in Honey
ELF Eyelid Primer in Sheer

I applied the All Over Cover Stick to my brow bone area and the Eyelid Primer just to my eyelids.

ELF Cream Eyeliner in Copper

I used the Cream Liner in Copper as a base. With my fingertip, I applied it all over my lid past my crease.

BH Cosmetics 120 Colors Palette 2nd Edition

Bottom layer of the 120 palette.

On top of the Copper Cream Liner, I applied a shimmery red (H3) but it ended up looking like more of a hot pink. To make it more red, I applied an orange (H6) over the red shadow.

In the crease, I applied a dark brown shade (I5).

And to deepen up the outer "V", I added a shimmery black shadow (A6).

Top layer of the 120 palette.

I only used one color off the first layer of the 120 palette. It is a very pretty cream color with shimmery gold. I applied that shade to my brow bone and in my inner tear duct area and that was my highlight.

Along my lower lash line, I used the Copper Cream Liner once again.

MAC Fluidline in Blitz & Glitz

Blitz & Glitz was applied to my waterline only. It is such a deep black and it withstands the moist area of the waterline perfectly.

mark. Get in Line Hook Up Waterproof Eyeliner in Painted Black

Maybelline the Falsies Flared Volum' Express Mascara in Black

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Baked

I used Painted Black liquid eyeliner along my top lashes. Two coats of Falsies Flared was added to both my top and bottom lashes. And, the Baked Glitter Liner was added on top of the Copper Cream Liner on my lower lash line.

Exfoliating Facial Wipes for Sensitive Skin

I used the makeup remover wipes to clean up the edges of my eyes. Worked perfectly at removing all fall out.

Avon Smooth Minerals Foundation in Medium Beige.
Anew Age Transforming Pressed Powder in Tan Beige.
Avon Smooth Minerals Blush in Blushed.

Full face of makeup is done. All I need are my lips.

Avon Smooth Minerals in Rumberry
mark. Glow Baby Glow Hook Up Lip Gloss in Choco Luxe

I didn't know which color to go for. Full on bright lips like this in Rumberry...

Or more subdued lips like this in Choco Luxe. Not as much difference as I initially thought. Which do you prefer?

I apologize for the hoodie. This was just a trial run I did this morning. And also excuse the messy hair and unplucked brows! Yikes!

How did you all like my first PicTorial? Too many pics?? Borning?? Let me know, please! I know that the pics aren't very good. I am using a new camera and have been for a while. I miss my old one. The old one was much older but somehow I think it took better photos. This is supposed to be a better camera so I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure it's user error!

Hope you all had a great Valentine's Day. A day we celebrate love...love of all kinds that we share with all kinds of people. And don't worry if you didn't have anyone to share this day with. You don't need a date! There is only one person that you should love more than anything and that is YOURSELF! Treat yourself like everyday is Valentine's Day.

Much love, hugs, and kisses to all of you!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were bought by me with my own money. ♥♥

Just Another Mani Monday: Kleancolor Mocha

2012-02-13T22:23:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Happy Valentine's Day Eve!

Tonight I have a Valentine's Day nail tutorial, sort of. Haha. It's not that great, in other words.

Avon Nail Experts Mineral Strength

STEP 1:
I applied one coat of the Avon Nail Experts Mineral Strength nail treatment as a base coat. This helps to keep my nails strong and less prone to breakage.

Kleancolor Nail Lacquer in 49 Mocha

STEP 2:
Next, I applied two coats of Kleancolor Nail Lacquer in Mocha. I just got this nail polish this Saturday and I was dying to try it out. I will show you what else I got on Saturday in an upcoming post!

SinfulColors Professional Nail Polish in 113 Dream On

STEP 3:
The third step is to use SinfulColors Professional Nail Polish in Dream On and an orange stick to dot on some hot pink spots along the nails.

At this point, I wasn't sure about the color combo. LOL. I loved Mocha and I loved Dream On just not sure if the two shades work well together.

Hello Kitty Nail Stickers

STEP 4:
Now, I took my daughter's Hello Kitty nail art stickers and stole a heart. I could have drawn on my own heart with Dream On but that had the potential of turning ugly and this was much easier.

Ta da! See how easy that was!

Quick Dry Top Coat

Directions and Ingredients.

STEP 5:
After applying just one coat of the Quick Dry Top Coat, my easy-peasy Valentine's Day mani was complete!

Whatcha think? Not the best, I know. I have been running around like a chicken without a head (pretty picture, huh) and so much going on that has bummped my blog to the bottom of my to do list. For that reason, I am not sure I will have my Valentine's themed makeup looks up in time for the actual holiday. Sorry! But I will try! If not, I will post it after. But it's not the same, I know.

That is all for now. I wish you all a very Happy Valentine's Day. Whether you are married, taken, single...it doesn't matter. Valentine's Day is a day to love, and there is always one person you should LOVE and honor on Valentine's Day and EVERYDAY...YOURSELF!!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were purchased with my own money. ♥♥

Pink Wednesday: February 8, 2012

2012-02-08T21:06:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Today's Pink Wednesday chosen polish was a fail. Total, utter fail. But, oh, well. I shall share it with you anyway.

I had picked Claire's Cosmetics Nail Polish in Cotton Candy. It is a very cotton candy pink for sure. I'd say it's also very bubble gum pink. I can't remember the price I paid for this but I couldn't have been much. But now I feel like what ever I did pay for it was too much. It's not good in my opinion.

Claire's Cosmetics Nail Polish
Cotton Candy

First off, I had to take the photos without a flash because the flash was too bright and washing out the polish. With a flash, the polish looked like a super pale pink, almost white shade. The true color of the polish is closer to the shade without the flash but brighter. Seriously, it looks like bubble gum.

I didn't take photos of my nails with one coat on. It would have been a waste of time. I didn't even take pictures with two coats on! This is three coats on my nails! Unbelievable.

I mean, look at the streakiness! This is unacceptable. I don't like to apply more than two coats of nails polish EVER! Two coats is my limit because that is average for a nail polish. Maybe, just maybe, if the color is pretty enough and I can see the color payoff improve with every coat, then I will apply a third coat. This polish did not show improvement with the third coat. No way was I going to waste my time in applying a fourth!

This is not pretty at all. You can see little "bald spots" at the top of my nail beds by the cuticles. The nail polish applied to this patch here seemed to disappear with every stroke of the brush. I could not get an even application. And yes, I did let it dry between coats. No, I did not apply a base coat. I never do.

Nail art flower shaped rhinestones by Cutie Beauty.

I had planned to do some nail art with these adorable flower shaped rhinestones but after the crappy application of the nail polish, I didn't want to waste the nail art on this piece of work. Not all the little flowers could save this bad mani.

I am so disappointed.

Sorry, Claire's Cosmetics but this is not OK with me. I don't bash the entire Claire's Cosmetics line because I do have some eyeshadow palettes by them that I adore. This nail polish just isn't worth much to me in my opinion.

Sorry for the bad review on this nail polish. I don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings. I just think that I should share my true feelings about a product and how it worked for me.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were purchased by me with my own money. These are my own thoughts and honest opinions. ♥♥

Buy & Blog: Milani Part 1

2012-02-07T22:34:00.001-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I have so much to show you in this post! I did a YouTube video on this already so if you have seen it, you know what I am talking about. You can check out that video on my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/MsPrettyfulGirl.

In case you didn't know, CVS was having a 75% off sale on Milani items that are being discontinued. I have never tried Milani before so this was the perfect time to get me some. I had been working all week and never made it out to CVS so every night I'd come home to my sweet-tart and complain to him how all my Twitter friends were getting tons of Milani stuff at CVS for really cheap and that I really, really, really wanted some too!

So, after an unusually rough day at work, I was in a really bad mood. But when my sweet-tart got home from visiting with his dad, he told me he had a surprise for me. I turned around and he had a big bag of candy in his hands. Eh, not my favorite candy but candy nonetheless. So, I grabbed the bag and OMG it was makeup! Milani makeup!! Woo hoo!!!

It was a surprise to me that he went out there and did this for me. He is a sweetheart all the way through.

Enough chit chat. Let's get to the pictures!

Earlier that day he texted me the text message above. I had replied with, "Don't worry about it. I'll go later after work." It was cute to me that he even bothered to ask.

All my goodies. 75% off at CVS.

And here is a group shot of all my wonderful little goodies. The only thing that was missing was a blue eyeshadow, one of the singles.

Milani Eyeshadow Runway Eyes
Paid $1.75 each
Saved $5.24 each
Regular price $6.99

I thought these were so pretty! So sparkly!

#04 Coffee Shop

#06 Royalty

#07 Leaf Green

#09 Caribbean Sea

#10 Blue Lagoon

Swatches.

I was happy with these swatches. I have yet to use them on my eyes so I do hope that they will work just as well. Instructions on the package says that these shadows are usable wet or dry. I have never used a shadow wet so it will be fun to see these applied wet.

Milani 3D Glitzy Glamour Gloss
Paid $1.75
Saved $5.24
Regular price $6.99

#44 In Vogue

This color is hott! I love this magenta glossy base with those hot pink glitters.

Milani Infinite Liquid Eyeliner
Paid $1.75
Saved $5.24
Regular price $6.99

#03 Eternal

Product claims to wear for 24 hours, be waterproof, smudge and smear proof, and color intense. The color is intense! Such a bright lime green shade! My sweet-tart knows I love bright eyes.

Milani dual ended pencil sharpener.
Paid $1.49
Saved $4.50
Regular price $5.99

And he got me this because he got me a bunch of eyeliners. The thin and the thick kind. He thinks of everything!

Milani Color Brilliance Eye Pencil
Paid $1.25
Saved $3.24
Regular price $4.49

Swatches.
#02 Aqua
#03 Green
#04 Purple

Milani Black Magic Liner & Eye Glimmer
Paid $1.87
Saved $5.62
Regular price $7.49

I love all my Milani goodies for the exception of these. You will see why when you see the swatches below. And such a shame too. I was really anxious to try these out.

Swatches.
Top to Bottom: (L-R) #01 Blackened Sterling/Sterling Magic
#02 Blackened Blue/Blue Magic
#03 Blackened Green/Green Magic
#04 Blackened Teal/Teal Magic
#06 Blackened Gold/Gold Magic

As you can see, the glimmer side is useless. There is no "magic"! I was so disappointed. I can't even tell you how disappointed. I did love the Sterling Magic. That was what I expected all the others to be like. They weren't. Now I am broken hearted. I had high hopes for these.

Milani Runway Eyes Fashion Shadows
Paid $2.25
Saved $6.74
Regular price $8.99

#02 Fashionista Pinks

Fashionista Pinks swatches.

These swatched a lot lighter than I had hoped for but they are still very pretty.

#06 Beauty in Blues

Beauty in Blues swatches.

In the swatches, it is very hard to tell the difference in the top 3 shades. In the pan, the top shade is more of a pearly white. The second is more of a pearly white-white. The third shade is pearly white with a tinge of blue.

#08 Catwalk

Catwalk swatches.

This is my favorite of the palettes! I guess because it has the most variety of shades. All the shades are so very pretty.

#09 Trendsetter

Trendsetter swatches.

Even though green shadows are not my favorite, I do have to admit that these are nice. Surprisingly nice.

And we have finally reached the end. Whew! I don't know about you but I am exhausted. And did you notice that the title says "part 1"? Hint hint.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were bought by my sweet-tart with his own money. Total price he paid for everything including taxes was $38.80. Total items purchased were 20. Total amount saved was $107.46. What a deal! ♥♥

Just Another Mani Monday: Zoya Adina

2012-02-06T21:31:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Happy Day After Super Bowl!

So, yeah, the Super Bowl was last night. Did you all watch? I did. Well, on and off. Who were you rooting for? I was saying, "Go GIANTS!" all night! I'm not a sports authority at all. I was watching the game because we were invited to my sister's house and there was tons of pizza and soda so I had to go! Yay!!

If you're asking why I chose the Giants, this is my system. First, I always root for the team from Texas (which in this case would be the Cowboys) but since there was no Texas team, I then root for the team with the cutest quarterback. Manning or Brady?? I think they are both cute. So, moving on to the next step in my method. Who has the nicer looking uniform? In this case it would have been the Patriots. BUT...but since everyone in the house was rooting for the Patriots, then comes the last and final decision maker. CHOOSE THE TEAM THAT EVERYONE IS AGAINST. Haha. And viola! My team for the night was the Giants and they WON!! Boo-ya!

So, anyhow, during the game, my sisters and I were polishing our nails. I took my small collection of Zoya nail polishes. Yes, all five of them. My sisters had never tired Zoya but have only heard me rave about them. We all chose different colors which I think suited us to a T.

My older sister chose Alegra, my younger sister chose Faye and I picked Adina. Oh, Adina, how I love you.

Zoya Professional Lacquer in Adina

This nail polish is available from the Zoya website for $8.00. I received this one for free, I just paid shipping with a promo code they were offering.

Color Description:
"Zoya Nail Polish in Adina can be best described as: Violet metallic multichrome. A frosty hint of green and magenta creates a unique look."
♥ Description taken from Zoya.com ♥

Details:
Color Family: Purples
Color Finish: Metallic Duo-Chrome Finish
Color Intensity: 4 (1=Sheer - 5=Opaque)
Color Tone: Cool & Warm
Original Collection: Reverie
♥ Details taken from Zoya.com ♥

To see Adina's page on the Zoya website click HERE.

I cannot tell you how much I love this color. I love the sheer uniqueness of it. I love how in certain lights and angles, the polish looks purple and then you shift and it's green. So gorgeous!

All photos show two coats of Adina. I did not do snap shots of Adina with one coat simply because I forgot. But you're not missing much. It is quite sheer with one coat. Definitely needs two!

I have one other nail polish from the Zoya Reverie Collection and that would be Reece. I chose Reece because of my daughter's middle name (but we spell it Reese) but it turned out to be a beautiful polish too. It's a girlie pink rose color with a gold duochrome. I want more of the polishes in the Reverie Collection. I plan on getting Happi next! To see the rest of the Reverie Collection, click HERE.

So, don't you all think this polish is simply wonderful? I think you do!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

Pink Wednesday: February 1, 2012

2012-02-01T19:29:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Happy February! Yay, it's almost Valentine's Day and this Pink Wednesday polish is the perfect polish for that lovely day!

I got this nail polish for FREE from the ZOYA website as a promotion they were having. You pick out 2 nail polishes of your choice and just pay shipping. Each nail polish is regularly $8.00 and shipping is $6.95 so you can see how this was a deal I just had to take advantage of.

Zoya Professional Lacquer

On Zoya.com, Faye is described as:
"A bronzed mauve with purple and brown undertones flooded with bright gold sparkle. A unique gilded shade that will work in any season."

The following characteristics are from the Zoya website:
Family: Mauves, Purple
Finish: Metallic
Intensity: 4 (1=sheer - 5=Opaque)
Tone: Warm & Cool
Original Collection: Sunshine

This link takes you straight to the Faye page on the Zoya website:
http://zoya.com/content/38/item/Zoya/nail-polish-zoya-nail-polish-Faye-ZP551.html.

One coat.

As you can see, one application is still very sheer. But you can see the potential in this polish right off the bat!

Two coats.

Two coats is a vast improvement! It is almost completely opaque. Almost! The color is lovely. You can see the golden shimmers all through out the mauve base.

Three coats.

And I think three coats is perfection. Full opaqueness. This color is stunning. My love of the moment! I didn't mind doing three coats of this polish. I usually hate doing more than two with any polish but this polish seemed to dry faster than usual. Waiting time in between coats was minimal.

Over all, I adore this polish. It is everything I love. It's pink. It's sparkles. It's perfect for any season. It's a win all around!

Stay tuned for my other free Zoya nail polish which I will be showcasing in my Just Another Manic Monday post next week!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ I received this product for free with a promotion code. I paid the shipping costs. These are my own thoughts and opinions. ♥♥

Just Another Mani Monday: Essie Sand Tropez

2012-01-30T21:57:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I have an idea for a new series!

I haven't been that consistent with my Pink Wednesday posts but I have a new idea for another nail polish series. Mani Mondays! It will be just like Pink Wednesdays but without the pink! I have run out of pink nail polishes!

Mani Mondays will showcase other nail polishes in my collection. Any and every color except pink. I will still do Pink Wednesdays when I have a pink polish to share with you.

And for my first Mani Monday post, I chose my favorite color of the moment. My very first nude nail polish--Sand Tropez by Essie.

One coat.

Two coats.

I am in lust with this color. I've always been a fan of bright flashy nail polishes but when I saw this shade sitting on the shelf, I just new I had to have it. I adore it! I hate saying this but it looks much better in person.

Thanks to Angie of Beauty Fashion Fitness, I used this on my toes for the first time and she was right, it looks fabulous! This color is just so classy. It's work appropriate yet feminine.

So, tell me what you think of my Mani Monday idea? Would you like to see what other shades I have in my nail polish collection??

I think this Monday series will be good for me because it will keep me polishing my nails. I can go weeks without painting them and I'd like to change that. Let's hope this works and I can keep up with it! I have loads of shades to share!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were bought by me with my own money. ♥♥

Empties: December 2011/January 2012

2012-01-29T15:17:00.001-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Just like I skipped December's favorites post, I also missed my December empties post. So, here is my collective post for my December/January empties.

December 2011 and January 2012 empties.

Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut Conditioner

Infused with coconut extract and vitamin E, this is used to the last drop because of it's scent. It's lovely. I adore coconut scented bath products, candles, anything! It did do a good job in detangling my hair. Other than that, it was just meh. No wow factors. It claims 2x more moisture on the bottle but I didn't notice. Probably not a repurchase.

L.A. Looks Mega X-Treme Hold Gel

Since I do wear my hair up a lot, in buns or braids, I need something to slick back my frizzy atmosphere of hair I have going on on my head. This is a 'sport' edition gel because my sweet-tart picked it out since he uses it too. It is a bit sticky for my liking but it gets the job done. This is the sweet-tart's go to gel so I'm sure it will be a repurchase.

Johnson's Baby Lotion

I love the smell of babies! Who doesn't? With two young children in the house, I always try to have this on hand. I use it on my kids and I use it on myself. I love the smell of it and it leaves my skin nice and soft. It's clinically proven to be mild so I even use this on my face too before I apply my foundation and face full of makeup. It doesn't clog my pores and doesn't leave me greasy at all. Repurchase!

Garnier Fructis Leave-In Conditioning Cream
Sleek & Shine

This is geared towards frizzy, dry or unmanageable hair. Frizzy? Check! Dry? Check! Unmanageable? Ckeck! I have hair that is all of the above. I love this leave-in treatment. It's rich and thick and it smells good too. It works. It leaves my hair much more softer and less frizzy. My hair needs a lot of help and this helps so this is a repurchase too.

Dove Ultimate Anti-Perspirant Deodorant
in Nectarine & White Ginger Scent

I am usually a Secret or Suave anti-perspirant deodorant girl but this one was on sale at the time of purchase and it came with a mini body spray in the matching scent. I finished the deodorant but still have some of the body spray left. I loved the scent of this one. It's smells fruity and clean and like summer. The feeling of freshness lasts all day. I do want to try the other scents available in this deodorant. It worked very well for me. Repurchase.

Avon Moisture Effective Eye Makeup
Remover Lotion

I always have this on hand. I am actually down to my last bottle right now. I have been using this eye makeup remover for years now and it gets the job done. But now I want something different. I've tried Mary Kay, Clinique,and Rimmel eye makeup removers and now this one is no longer my favorite. I don't think I will repurchase this anytime soon. I'm still exploring the world of makeup removers and I am having fun trying out new ones!

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Urban Decay Skyscraper Multi-Benefit Mascara
Dior Diorshow Mascara

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion: This is my first tube of UDPP and I really did like it. It goes on well. A little goes a long way. The lasting power is great. It took me a long time to finish this. I usually use my E.L.F. Eyelid Primer which I love to but for the price difference, I will probably stick to my E.L.F. But if I have the money to spend, UDPP is a must have.

Urban Decay Skyscraper Multi-Benefit Mascara: I love Urban Decay and I love mascara but this one was not a pure love. I did like the way this mascara separated my lashes but it seemed too dry for me. I wanted it to coat my lashes more and make them truly black and stand out. It didn't. I would apply another mascara and top off with this one to separate my lashes and that's about it. Not going to be a repurchase. ♥This was a gift given to me by a fellow blogger friend.

Dior Diorshow Mascara: Love it! This is a love! It was a rich black, thickened up my lashes greatly, and added length too. Everything I want in a mascara. I have two complaints. 1-the scent. I didn't care for the overly floral scent it had but after applying it, it was undetectable. 2-price. This is high end mascara. No wonder it works so well! And just for the price alone, $24.50 at Sephora, this will not be a repurchase. Aw. ♥This was a gift given to my by a fellow blogger friend.

And that's all for now, folks! Lots of empties these past two months. Some I plan on repurchasing, others not. I hope my mini reviews on each item helps you in deciding whether or not you'd like to try any of these products.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were bought by me with my own money unless otherwise stated. These are my own thoughts and opinions. ♥♥

Favorites: December 2011/January 2012

2012-01-29T14:26:00.001-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I don't know if you noticed, but I didn't get a chance to do a FAVORITES post last month. With all the hoopla surrounding my birthday and Christmas and preparing for the New Year, it kinda sorta got overlooked.

And even though this favorites post is inclusive of two months, my favorites are few. I have had long weeks of working 10-12 hour days and don't wear makeup that often during the week. If I do, it's just a quick dusting of face powder and some mascara. When the weekend comes around, I only wear makeup if I'm going out and about. Which isn't that often either since my weekends are filled with laundry and Lifetime movies.

I apologize for my lackluster array of favorites but nonetheless, here they are:

Favorites for December 2011 and January 2012.

Victoria's Secret Secret Garden Scented Candle and
Refreshing Body Mist in Pure Seduction.

I included this body mist back in my November Favorites and I'm still using it! I love this scent and I love having the matching scented candle. Casaba Melon, Plum, and Freesia make up this scent and it's wonderful! I'm almost out of my body mist so keep an eye out for that one in February's empties post!

Clean & Clear Advantage 3-in-1
Foaming Acne Wash

This is a 3-in-1 because it 1-cleanses the skin, 2-treats pimples, and 3-helps prevent future breakouts. And it's oil free. I don't suffer from acne prone but my sweet-tart does and that's why we purchased this one. It's always in the shower and so one day I started using it and liked how clean my skin looked. I started using it often, about 2-3 times a week. I don't use it everyday because since my skin is not problematic for the exception of a pesky pimple every so often, the salicylic acid acne medication in this cleanser dries out my skin too much. Using it once in a while keeps my skin clean and prevents any acne from popping up.

E.L.F. Liquid Eyeliner in Black
Avon Healthy Makeup Eyeshadow in Tiger's Eye
L'Oreal HIP High Intensity Pigments in Tenacious
Maybelline Super Stay 24 Color in On and On Orchid

This E.L.F. Liquid Eyeliner is one of my all time favorite liquid eyeliners. It's so black and easy to apply. It dries fairly quickly and it lasts all day without running or fading. And for only $1.00, it's a steal!

I use Avon's Tiger's Eye eyeshadow when I am in a hurry and just want a touch of color to my lids. I apply it easily with the doe foot applicator and the liquid shadow blends out easily and evenly with just my fingertips. The color is pigmented and wears well all day long.

This HIP pigment is my first and it is beautiful! I bought this a while back when CVS was having a 75% off sale and I paid peanuts for it. It is a color unlike anything else I have. It's like melted metal on my eyelids. Sounds painful but it looks stunning!

This Maybelline 24 Color is also my first and I adore it. The lip color actually lasts just about 24 hours. It's amazing, really. This one was given to my by my sweet-tart's aunt who bought it for herself but didn't like the color on her but thought it would look good on me. It does! I love it. I applied it in the a.m. and it stayed on through eating and drinking and even sleep. I woke up the next morning and it was still on my lips. Crazy!

Swatches.

Left to Right:
E.L.F. Liquid Eyeliner in Black
Avon Healthy Makeup Eyeshadow in Tiger's Eye
L'Oreal HIP High Intensity Pigments in Tenacious
Maybelline 24 Color in On and On Orchid

So, there you go my loves, these are the top products I have been using in my life for the months of December and January. Are any of these your favorites too?

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were purchased by me with my own money unless otherwise stated. These are my own thoughts and opinions. ♥♥

YouTube: Show and Tell: E.L.F.

2012-01-27T22:27:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I uploaded my E.L.F. Show and Tell last night and I forgot to include the link in my last blog post.

In case you haven't seen it yet, here it is:

And here is the blog post to go along with it. Just click HERE.

Thanks so much for watching!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

Buy & Blog: E.L.F.

2012-01-26T21:14:00.003-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Last year for my birthday on December 21st, my sister gave me some E.L.F. products as a gift. Here is her sweet little gift.

Eyes Lips Face Ultimate Eyeshadow Palette
Eyes Lips Face Hypershine Lip Gloss Collection
Sunglasses

I was dying for this 144 eyeshadow palette! I was thrilled to see that she had got it for me at Target. Every time I went to Target, they were all out. Being so close to the holidays, they were being used as gifts! The lip gloss collection is really nice too. And just right now that I was trying to find the names of the lip glosses, I noticed that they are not named only numbered and the two on the outside are the same gloss! Weird!! The sunglasses are no name sunglasses but they are cute too.

And this is what the palette looked like when I opened the package. It was broken. A hunk of the lid was missing. I was going to keep it like this because I didn't want to inconvenience my sister but then decided against it because I didn't want my shadows to get damaged.

She tried for a couple of weeks to exchange it for another one at Target but well into January, they still hadn't restocked them. Then I saw on www.eyeslipsface.com that you could get the 144 eyeshadow palette if you order $25 or more. I can pick $25 worth of E.L.F. stuff!

I told my sister and she returned the palette and gave me the $15 she had paid for it. I paid $10 of my own money and combined it with her $15 and this is all the goodies I got!

E.L.F. Essential Tools
Left to Right:
Blending Eye Brush, Defining Eye Brush, and
Eye Crease Brush.

Description on package:
"All e.l.f. Professional makeup brushes have been designed and tested by our professional team of makeup artists.
Each brush has been ergonomically designed to fit perfectly into your hand and facilitates a flawless finish with every application."

Price Tag: $1.00 each.
Left to Right:
Blending Eye Brush, Defining Eye Brush, and
Eye Crease Brush.

Blending Eye Brush: "Expertly blends multiple eye shades while softening dramatic edges and fine lines. Brush can also multi-task, use it to set powder or liquid concealer."

Defining Eye Brush: "The velvety bristles contour in the crease of the eyelid or right underneath the brow bone for added color."

Eye Crease Brush: "This domed bristle brush picks up a lot of eye color and sweeps it onto the eyelid to create bold definition. Blends and contours in the crease and corners of the eye. Great for smudging shadow into the lash line for a smoky effect."

♥♥ Product descriptions taken from respective packaging. ♥♥

E.L.F. Mineral Eyeshadow
NET WT 0.03 oz

Description on Package:
"Bring a touch of natural beauty to your eyes with these soft, translucent shades that add subtle highlights for daytime or increased drama for night. With key vitamins A & B, these eyeshadows hydrate and minimize the appearance of fine lines. Available in an array of light-reflecting color options they can be worn wet or dry, together or alone, for countless shimmering styles and trends."

Price Tag: $3.00 each.

Enchanting: Matte medium brown shade.
Dreamy: Metallic light blue/aqua shade.
Innocent: Matte cream shade.

Swatches.
Left to Right: Enchanting, Dreamy, and Innocent.

E.L.F. Cream Eyeliner with Brush.
NET WT 0.17 oz.

Description on Package:
"Creates smooth lines that are defined and precise. Smudge-proof, budge-proof, water-resistant coverage. Achieve thin or bold lines with ease."

Price Tag: $3.00 each.

Copper: Metallic dark brown shade.
Teal Tease: Metallic teal/turquoise shade.
Punk Purple: Metallic purple.

Swatches.
Left to Right: Copper, Teal Tease, and Punk Purple.

E.L.F. Lipstick
0.12 oz/3.5 g
Left to Right: Gypsy, Posh, and Voodoo.

Description on Package:
"Long lasting color and shine. Hydrates, conditions and softens on contact. Soothes and smoothes lips."

While I was filming my YouTube video on this, I read the name Gypsy and it caught me off guard. The name sounded so familiar. It was because I already had it! LOL. I came home and I checked the invoice and the invoice said Classy, which was what I ordered, but instead they sent me Gypsy. I contacted customer service and got a reply within 24 hours and my Classy is on it's way to me. Free of charge!

Price Tag: $1.00 each.
Swatches.
Left to Right: Gypsy, Posh, and Voodoo.

E.L.F. Brightening Eye Color
Ocean Dreams
0.09 oz/2.5 g

Description on Package:
"Long-lasting easy blending color. Instantly brightens and defines. Eyes look fresh and wide awake."

Price Tag: $1.00.

Shades included are: a shimmery blue/silver, shimmery medium blue, shimmery dark blue with purple undertones, and a shimmery lilac. Pigmentation is great for the exception of the last shadow swatched. It is not as dark as it appears in the pan and it took quite a bit of product to get the swatched result.

E.L.F. Ultimate Eyeshadow Palette

And here is my freebie! It's not in the holiday package but it's the same palette. This one came in perfect conditions. Eeep! I'm so excited!

144 Eyeshadows.
Price Tag: $15.00 (free with coupon code)

Description on Package:
"This ultimate and convenient makeup collection for your eyes allows you to be your own makeup artist whenever, where ever. A great value for any makeup lover! The all-in one compact includes the must have eyeshadow shades for day or night and any occasion. With 144 eyeshadow colors to choose from, create any look that reflects your personal style. The sleek and thin design is perfect for organized storage so you can always look beautiful."

Sleek and thin, yes. Convenient, not so much. Variety of shades wise, yes, but size wise no. It's a monster!

Swatches.

More swatches.

As you can see, not all the shadows are wow worthy but some of them are! I haven't swatched all the shadows yet but the light ones I tried are very light and the dark ones I've tried are very pigmented! I'm happy with it. I cannot wait to try an eye look with these!

So that's my E.L.F. show and tell for you beauties. Did you like it? Is there anything that you would like to try or have tried? What are your E.L.F. favorites?

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items were purchased from www.eyeslipsface.com All package descriptions were taken word for word from their respective packages. ♥♥

Pink Wednesday: January 25, 2012

2012-01-25T21:14:00.001-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I've missed three Pink Wednesdays this year already. January 4th, 11th, and 18th. Today is the 25th and the last Wednesday in January. I had wanted to do a Pink Wednesday post every Wednesday this year but oh well, I've gone and messed that up. Shucks!

Today's pink polish is actually my daughter's. We went grocery shopping at H-E-B and she wanted to buy a toy which I said no to because toys at the grocery store tend to be more expensive than like at Wal-Mart. So, she asked me what she could by and I saw this display of Essence nail polishes for $0.89. I said she could pick one. I'm so cheap.

There were so many colors to choose from and she chose pink. I knew she would. And here is that pink.

Essence Colour & Go
Quick Drying Nail Polish
0.16 fl. oz./5 mL

08 Ultimate Pink

Two coats of Ultimate Pink.

After the two coats of nail polish, the end results look exactly like the color of the bottle cap!

Nail Accessory Stickers

My daughter bought these were tickets she won playing games at Peter Piper Pizza a while back. She bought a pack for herself and one for me. She's so kind...sometimes!

These are more like stickers and not nail decals. They peel off and stick right on to the nail.

My accent nail.

I applied one of the little flower stickers to my ring finger as my accent nail. I topped it off with a single coat of Avon Nail Experts Mineral Strength nail treatment. It was the closest thing I had to a top coat. Since the nail art is more like a sticker than a decal, I wanted to make sure it didn't peel right off.

My Pink Wednesday nails for January 25, 2012.

And there you go. At least I did one Pink Wednesday post in January. I'll try and do better in February. Maybe I should just make a point to do ONE Pink Wednesday post a month. I'm very low on pink nail polishes!

Luv & Luk,

--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were purchased by me with my own money unless otherwise stated. ♥♥

YouTube: Quick Morning Makeup

2012-01-24T21:28:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Here is YouTube video #3! And this one is a tutorial!

I kept this tutorial so simple. I didn't want to overwhelm myself with a complicated look so a neutral everyday, office appropriate look was what I thought the moment called for. And also, I can save the fun looks for later! That way you all think that I have improved a lot!

I recorded this video at my sister's house while I was babysitting my nephew. It was a spur of the moment thing when I was getting ready to leave my house in the morning. I grabbed what I thought I needed for a neutral eye tutorial and I put it all in my backpack. It really wasn't even planned. That's why I forgot my eyelid primer. Oops.

Sorry that I didn't zoom into my eyes while I was applying the makeup. I was recording on my iPhone so there isn't much I can do there. I was impressed with the outcome of the video. Not too bad for being filmed on my phone. FYI, my others were filmed on the same phone too.

Here are a few photos to show you my makeshift set up, products I used, and the final look.

My "set up".

Here is my set up as I was filming. This is in my sister's dining room on her dining room table.

My "tripod".

And here is my makeshift tripod. LOL. Don't laugh! You have to use what you got! It's all I could find to bring up the camera to my face level. A can of Bush's beans holding up a can of Folgers coffee holding up my iPhone which is being help upright by a scented candle in a jar. LOL. Hey, it worked!

Products used.

FACE:
Vaseline Replenishing Moisture Fragrance Free Lotion
Avon Healthy Makeup Mousse Foundation in Medium Beige
Avon Anew Age-Transforming Pressed Powder in Tan Beige
Jillian Dempsey for Avon Sheer Glow All Over Face Powder in Sandy Corals

EYES:
E.L.F. Beauty Book in Smoky Eye Edition
Maybelline the Falsies Flared Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara in Black

LIPS:
Sally Hansen Diamond 12 Hr. Lip Treatment in In Love

Brushes used.

These are my favorite brushes. I used these everyday. I don't have a large brush collection by any means. I have these and a few others and that's it. I have been asked about my brushes of choice lately so I just might do a separate post on these. These were a gift to me from my sister and are Kirkland Signature by Borghese.

And in case you didn't see my video tutorial, here it is:

I promise my videos will get better. The quality isn't great but I do have a Sony camcorder and a brand new Samsung camera that I just need to play around with some more so that I can be comfortable using them. I'm sure the quality of the video will improve drastically.

For now, I'm sorry for being so rough around the edges. Bear with me :)

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were purchased by me with my own money unless otherwise stated. ♥♥

Awards: Versatile Blogger and Cute Blog Award

2012-01-23T21:27:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Here is another awards post!

The next award I received was given to me by Andrea of dreafashionista. It is the Versatile Blogger Award. Thank you so very much, Andrea!

THE RULES:
♥ You must thank the person who gave you the award, including a shout out with a link on your blog.
♥ Share 7 random facts about yourself.
♥ Send the award on to 15 other bloggers whose blog you like to read and let them know about it.

7 RANDOM THINGS ABOUT ME:
Hmmm...to think of another 7 random things about me after the last award will be tough!
1. I have gone to bed with makeup on way too many times. It's a sin, I know!
2. My handwriting changes based on my mood. I rarely write the same.
3. I was failing my math class in college with a 40. Never ever happened to me before!
4. I own perfumes but I don't use them.
5. I haven't polished my toe nails in over a month. That is unusual for me!
6. I wish I was a professional baker like on Cake Boss...sometimes.
7. I am terrified of carnival/amusement park rides. You couldn't pay me to ride a roller coaster.

15 AWARD NOMINIEES:
"15 blogs that I like to read"...well, I read them all. I wouldn't be subscribed to you if I didn't like to read your blog. I will just tag all of you who read this post. If you all want this award, take it, it's yours! I think all the blogs on my reading list are worthy of this award. All of you have different things to offer which is a great thing for me!

And I have one more award to share with you. This one was given to me by Jen of Adventures in Beauty. Thank you, sweet, Jen!

This award is the Cute Blog Award! How cute!!

RULES:
1. Link back to the person who awarded you.
2. Answer the award questions.
3. Tell something about yourself that you haven't told any one on your blog yet.
4. Award as many blogs as you think worthy of this award.
5. Make sure to let everyone you gave the award to know that you awarded them.

THE AWARD QUESTIONS:
1. What is your go-to makeup brand?
Because I sell Avon, it would have to be Avon. I have a lot of it because I can buy it at a discount!
2. What was your favorite fashion trend of 2011?
I'm not for fashion trends. I tend to do whatever I fell like. LOL. But color blocking was pretty cool.
3. What is your favorite dessert?
I said peach cobbler last time so my second favorite would be cherry pie with vanilla ice cream!
4. Favorite color?
Teal. I think. I have so many favorite colors. LOL. But, um, yeah. Teal.
5. What's your middle name?
I don't have one! I'm sad about that. In school they would call me Lisa Marie as in Presley.
6. What's the last song you listened to?
"Home" by Faith Hill on the radio on the way home. "Hello, world. Hope you're listenin'. Forgive me if
I'm young and speaking out of turn. There's someone I've been missing and I think that they could be the
better half of me..."
7. Cat or dogs?
Probably dogs. I love both but I'm allergic to cats. Make me sneeze so bad! I want a puppy and name it
Pupcake!
8. Something you don't know about me is...
I was a victim of domestic violence and while I never thought I would recover from all that, I did. Little by
little but I survived and now I have a better life with someone who truly loves me and takes care of me.
It's not something I talk about but I just want you to know that if you are reading this and are going through
this, there is still hope for you. You can be OK once again. I promise.

AWARD NOMINEES:
1. Cathy of My Pinktastic Life
2. Nicole of NV Beauty
3. Joann of LuckyDuckyLoves
4. Priscilla of MakeupJunkie88
5. Jenny of Jenny's Blog

So that's it! That's all the awards I had received. It's very hard to pick out all these blogs from a list of 300 blogs I follow. Love you all! So if I left you out, I'm sorry. But please, feel free to grab one of the awards or all of them if you want! You know you deserve them!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

Awards: Kreative Blogger

2012-01-23T20:33:00.001-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I have received many blog awards in my short time blogging but it's been a very, very long time since the last time I received one. Lately though, I received 4 within a couple of weeks time!

I apologize to all the beautiful bloggers who gave me these awards since I took forever and a day to accept them and share them.

I didn't want to do multiple blog posts for the awards so I am going to do them in pairs. I hope that this is OK with you all.

First of all, I received two Kreative Blogger Awards.

Thank you Tamyr of IN2GLOSS and Ms. Glitz Glam of Glitz Glam Budget!

THE RULES:
1. Link back to the person that gave you this award.
2. Answer the questions below.
3. Share 7 random facts about yourself.
4. Award 10 other bloggers and let them know you nominated them.

QUESTIONS:
1. Name your favorite song.
"I Kissed You (Good Night)" by Gloriana. If you haven't listened to it, YouTube it. Sweetest thing ever!
2. Name your favorite dessert.
Easy. Warm peach cobbler. It's such a treat--I never get it! Worst kind of dessert too by the way.
3. What ticks me off.
The fact that too many things tick me off! I don't know if it's age or stress in general but boy has my
temper switched over to a short fuse!
4. When I am upset, I...
Go over and over it in my head. I tell whatever/whomever made me upset off in my head. I bottle up my
feelings and shut down for a bit. If it's really bad, I'll cry about it for a bit. Sometimes just listening to
music and singing along helps me calm down.
5. Favorite pet.
That would be our baby boy. He is a Red Niger Uromastyx. We have had this bad boy before our first
child was born. We have two girls so he is our son. He is beautiful. He looks like a tough lizard with his
spiny tail but he is a sweetheart.
6. Black or white?
Black. Has to be black. My sweet-tart is all about the black--clothes, furniture, decorations... I was
never into black until he came along. He rubbed off on me.
7. Biggest fear.
The worst thing in the world to me would to be to lose one of my family members. ESPECIALLY,
LOSING ONE OF MY CHILDREN. Heaven forbid that I should ever lose one of my children to death
before I die, but to think of that happening, breaks me into tiny little pieces. I have struggled with them and
have complained about them but they are my entire world. I love them more than I ever thought a heart
could love and without them, I would not want to exist.
8. Everyday attitude.
Life for me these days has been tough for so many reasons but I always think to myself, "it could be
worse". Which is so true! So many others in this world have a worse life than I do. If I sit and think
about my life, it's really not all that bad at all.
9. What is perfection?
Being happy. That's it. If you're happy, you have it all.
10. Guilty pleasures.
Makeup! Duh! If I have any change jingling in my pockets, you can bet it's going to makeup!

7 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME:
1. I cannot fall asleep until I am laying down on my right side.
2. I used to read my mom's Harlequin romance novels when I was younger. Those are sexy!
3. I was obsessed, and I mean obsessed with Beverly Hills, 90210. Luke Perry, Jason Priestly. Hott!
4. I don't like Mickey Mouse and I feel like that makes me anti-American.
5. I wish I was a teacher instead of a stay at home mom.
6. I am easily amused.
7. I love country music more than any other kind of music.

10 AWARD NOMINEES:
1. Dinah of D.G.S. Beauty
2. Yu of Let's Make Yu Up
3. Khristine of Beauty and the Brute
4. Krystal of Beauty by Krystal
5. Dinorah of Dinorah Baby
6. Jacquelyn of FabDiva20
7. Nancy-Lee of fashionCHICsta!
8. Kawaii Barbie of Kawaii Barbie
9. Lacey of Laceysmile84
10. Jazmin of My Pursuit of Happiness

Make sure you check out these fabulous ladies and their equally as wonderful blogs!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

Beauty Army: January 2012

2012-01-22T22:10:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

The other day, (or was it last night?), I posted my YouTube: Beauty Army: Kit Unveiling January 2012 and I promised that I would do a separate post showing you each of the six samples up close and personal.

So ladies and gents, I introduce you to the Beauty Army January 2012 kit--the inaugural kit.

My kit has arrived! I placed the order for my January kit on January 1st when the website launched and it arrived in my PO Box on January 14th. Only 300 of these first kits were available and I was so thrilled that I was able to receive one. I heard that the site was down for so many people trying to get a kit because of the heavy traffic. So, hopefully, the ones who didn't get a January kit will be able to get a February kit.

Opening the kit for the first time. I was really excited to see this box!

I love the matte black finish with decorative glossy black print with statements such as "the look", "winged liner", "foundation", and "pretty blush". This is a very sturdy box and will make an excellent makeup storage box or storage box period! It reminds me of the old school coloring boxes that we used to have to take to school back in the day. These days there are plastic boxes, which my daughter has, but in my day, they were cardboard. Ah, memories.

I wonder if we will receive this kind of box every time we order a kit. I'd love to get more of these. These are pretty and durable and will function perfectly for storage in my makeup/office area.

I thought the pink camo was the perfect accent to this box. Beauty (pink), army (camouflage). Genius! And right when you open the box, you see this little card.

The little card states:
"HAPPY NEW YEAR AND WELCOME TO BEAUTY ARMY!

YOU ARE AMONG THE FIRST TO CHOOSE YOUR SAMPLES AND DISCOVER THE LATEST, MOST EXCITING BEAUTY PRODUCTS AROUND.

TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR SAMPLES AND HOW TO USE THEM, VISIT YOUR ACCOUNT PAGE AT BEAUTYARMY.COM AND SELECT SAMPLE ORDER HISTORY FROM THE MENU.

WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE MONTHS OF HELPING YOU DISCOVER WHAT YOU LOVE.

WITH BEAUTIFUL WELL WISHES,
BEAUTY ARMY"

And a quote at the bottom of the card reads: "Beauty is not in the face, beauty is a light in the heart." Kahil Gibran

Such a beautiful card. And just FYI, I tried to get into my "sample order history" to learn more about my products to share the details with you but it was just blank. I don't know why. Shucks.

And here are the samples. So cute how each one was wrapped in pale pink tissue paper. It was like opening six tiny little gifts.

Boo-Boo Cover Up

Tiny, tiny little sample! But I did see over on Twitter that a lot of kit recipients were saying that a little goes a long way. I hope so!

I tried it here on the back of my hand where I have a tiny birthmark. It didn't cover it up too well. I can still see it. And I also think the shade I received is a little too light for me. I can see how it is probably the more universal shade but just a tad too light for my skin tone.

I was really excited for this one because I have a huge blue vein that sticks out on my right eye lid and I was hoping this would cover that sucker up.

LaRocca Pumpkin Fleur de Sel Body Polish

This stuff looks like blended up pumpkin pie and smells just like it too. I am a huge fan of pumpkin pie, pumpkin anything, so this is heavenly for me. This is a small 1 oz. sample so I will use it where my skin needs a little softening.

Bling Tone Eyeshadow by Myface.cosmetics

Sp"ice"y

This is a really pretty color. Right up my alley! It's shimmery and it's bronze. What more could I want?!

This shadow was very soft and silky. Swatched very well on my finger tip. Very pigmented.

This is the swatch on the inside of my wrist. No base, no primer, just bare skin. Not bad. Not as pigmented as it was on my finger but that happens with a lot of shadows. The color is still very pretty...and very shimmery! You can see a ton of gold flecks throughout!

Shea Terra Organics
Rose Hips Black Soap

I have no idea what "rose hips black soap" is but it is a deep pore facial cleanser which I need. And it's 100% natural which I love. It claims to be "micro-dermabrasion in a bottle". Sounds promising.

The liquid is a little off putting. It's so dark! But if it does what it says then I'm all for it. Upon opening it, I didn't notice a scent. I don't know. Hmm... Maybe it's just me?

SunFX Body Wash

This is a "silky soft, non abrasive body wash" with Aloe, Chamomile, and Calendula Extract.

"Relax and enjoy the subtle fragrances designed to stimulate and revitalise your spirits." This does have a gentle, clean scent to it. I had seen this on someone else's blog post and they said that it was for people who fake tan as this is supposed to be gentle enough on your skin to that your fake tan lasts longer. I did not see that on the Beauty Army site. Maybe I over looked that. But I don't see that it states that on the tube either.

StriVectin-EV Get Even Brightening Serum

Never have I used StriVectin or even a brightening serum. I just figured that I'm getting older and this might be helpful in evening out and brightening up my 30 year old complexion. Hope it helps!

This is one pump of the serum on my finger tip. I'm always iffy on trying new face products since sometimes it seems like may skin can be a little persnickety and react to harsh products. We will see how this works out for me.

Ah! Finally, the end!

Still not sure what Beauty Army is or how it works, check out their website at https://www.beautyarmy.com/ to learn more about this revolutionary company.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ I did purchase this Beauty Army Kit with my own money. I am not sponsored by Beauty Army. I was not asked to or paid to do this blog post. These are my own photos and opinions. ♥♥

YouTube: Beauty Army: Kit Unveiling January 2012

2012-01-21T22:58:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I actually did another YouTube video the other day. I know, I can't believe I came back for seconds!

This one is more of a Show and Tell video. I received my Beauty Army inaugural kit the other day so this video is all about my reaction upon opening the kit for the very first time.

These are the 6 deluxe samples that I chose:
♥ Shea Terra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap Deep Pore Facial Cleanser (1 oz.)
Full size is 4 oz. and is valued at $18.00.
♥ LaRocca Pumpkin Fleur de Sel Body Polish (1 oz.)
Full size is valued at $38.00. Size unknown.
♥ MyFace Cosmetics Blingtone Eyeshadow in Sp"ice"y (full size)
Full size is valued at $20.00. Getting this product alone made my $12.00 kit worth it!
♥ SunFX Body Wash (2.2 fl. oz.)
Full size is 270 mL and is valued at $12.95.
♥ StriVectin-EV Get Even Brightening Serum (0.25 fl. oz.)
Full size is 1.7 fl. oz. and is valued at $89.00.
♥ Boo-Boo Cover Up (0.01 oz.)
Full size is 0.5 fl. oz. and is valued at $20.85.

All full size products can be purchased from the Beauty Army website.

To learn more about Beauty Army visit their website at https://www.beautyarmy.com/.

I will have photos of all my Beauty Army samples in a future blog post. Stay tuned!

Have any of you joined the Beauty Army?

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ I purchased this Beauty Army sample kit with my own money. I am not sponsored by Beauty Army. I was not paid to do this video. ♥♥

LFI: Cover Girl

2012-01-19T21:42:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Time for another Look For Inspiration!

I named this look Cover Girl because I used only Cover Girl eye shadow singles for this look. I do not know the names of these shadows because the stickers which had the name on the compact have since fallen off.

My last LFI was a smoky eye so this is the opposite. This is a bright and colorful look using more than just 2 eye shadows.

I kept the look simple. I let the colors do all the talking. I used 3 different eye shadows. I used a shimmery lime green shade a long the lower lash line.

I applied purple to the lid and blended blue into the crease. I finished it off with a light shimmery brow high light and simple black liquid liner and a couple coats of black mascara.

This look is colorful without being in-your-face. It doesn't look clown-y. This type of eye look is good for those just starting off experimenting with color.

Also helping to keep the look toned down, is a slight flush of pink blush and glossy pink lips. We want to keep the focus on the eyes.

My favorite part of this look was the lime green on the lower lash line. So fun!

And that's it for this LFI. Will you be recreating this look on yourself?

Luv & Luk,
--L.

YouTube: First YouTube Video Ever!

2012-01-18T23:19:00.001-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

OMG, I finally took the plunge! I did it. I recorded and uploaded my very first YouTube video ever!! I'm thrilled beyond words.

I filmed this while sitting in my car waiting for my daughter to get out of school. Not the greatest place but I felt inspired to do it then and there and I knew if I let the moment pass, who knows when or if I'd ever feel like doing it again.

The more I look at the video, the more I think I look like a toad! LOL. Chubby much?? Haha. So, try and over look that.

Try and over look how nervous I am. I can't look at the camera! LOL. My eyes are all over the place. I say "you guys" a lot. Ugh. Haha. And you can hear the cars and trucks whizzing by. Hello! It's a school zone people, slow down!

Any how, here is the video. I just uploaded it tonight. I didn't know it would go live and spread the news all over Twitter. I got a tweet from @LeticiaLaura saying congrats on the vid and she was watching it right then. I just about died, I swear. OMG squared!!

I had no idea how to upload the vid or what I had to do. I just played with it and that's all. So now it's up for the world to see and critique. Haha. I have such a thin shell and I'm scared of what will be said. But it's OK. I faced a fear and that in itself is pure success.

Take a look and let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is welcome!

And darn, you, YouTube for having the ugliest screen caps to choose from. LOL. Sorry, you guys!

And before I bid you good night, I just want to send out a special shout out to my Twitter Tweeties who did nothing but encourage me and support me in my little dream...

Thank you Letty (@LeticiaLaura), Nancy-Lee (@fashionCHICsta), and Amber (@glossflipflops). You guys did nothing but encourage me today and that is why today was the day that I did this video. Because of you dolls, I felt like I could do anything. There is no greater feeling.

I cannot express my gratitude for all the sweet comments left on my YouTube channel and for the new subscribers I got already. I'll do my best to provide you all with a great channel and I'll work hard not to disappoint you.

Thank you from the bottom, no, thank you from my WHOLE heart for everything.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

LFI: Smoky Eyes

2012-01-17T19:11:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I've have been blogging and documenting most of my makeup looks for a little over a year now and I have never been able to successfully create a smoky eye. That is, until now. Well, maybe.

Here is a Look for Inspiration that I did attempting to do a smoky eye for the 1,000th time.

I have no idea why a smoky eye is so hard for me to do. I've tried it so many times and each time it was a fail. I think this look is the closest I have come to a successful smoky eye. And it still needs some work!

I have a Lorac eyeshadow/eyeliner pencil that is black and sparkly. That is what I used on my lid. I applied it heavily and smudged it out with my finger. I then applied a bronze shadow in my crease and blended it out as much as I could with an eyeshadow brush. My brow high light was just a matte flesh tone with added matte white right below the curve of the arch of my brow.

And here is the point where I come to you for tips on how to create a great smoky eye. What is it that you do? I would love and appreciate any tips or tricks that you might like to share with me to help a girl out.

Wow, this just might be my shortest post ever!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

Buy & Blog: Avon Campaign 02 2012

2012-01-15T23:08:00.001-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

It's time again for another haul post! Yay! This time I have another Avon and mark. post to share with you. This is the second Campaign for this year. If I keep this up, I'll have 26 Avon Buy & Blog posts at the end of the year!

Avon & mark. Campaign 2 Haul

I usually buy just Avon even though I sell both Avon and mark. Lately though, I have been trying to expand my mark. collection.

Avon Moisture Seduction Lip Gloss
Sweet Clementine

Size: 7 g net wt 0.24 oz
Brochure Price: $7.00
Sale Price: $2.99

Avon Ultra Color Rich Lipstick

Size: .106 oz net wt
Brochure Price: $7.00
Sale Price: $3.99

Canela Nacar

I have many of these lipsticks. They are really great! Feel good on the lips, lasting power is decent, and there are tons of colors to choose from.

Avon Perfect Eyebrow Pencil
F102 Medium Brown

Size: 1.14 g net wt 0.04 oz
Brochure Price: $6.00
Sale Price: $2.99

Dual ended with pencil and spooly.

This is my first time purchasing an eyebrow pencil. My brows are so full and thick already that I didn't think I needed a brow pencil. But curiosity took over and I had to get one. I'm trying to work on my brows and make them into better frames for my face.

mark. i-mark Custom Pick Eye Shadow
Gioia

Size: 2.5 g net wt .08 oz
Brochure Price: $6.00

mark. i-mark Metallics Custom Pick Eye Shadow
Goldiluxe

Size: 2.3 g net wt 0.08 oz
Brochure Price: $6.00

I also have a handful of these mark. i-mark Custom Pick Eye Shadows. I love them. They are so soft and buttery and the pigmentation is great. The eye shadow pans are actually pretty big too.

mark. Snap to It Custom Color Palette
Mini

Size: 2 1/2" L x 1/2" W x 2" H
Brochure Price: $5.50

mark. Custom Color Palette filled.

I love these things! These mark. Custom Color Palettes come in three different sizes to accommodate your preferred products--blushes or shadows.

I have one more of these mini palettes but my other one is the first edition one that is clear. I prefer these brown palettes now. Much nicer looking.

Avon Ultra Color Rich lipstick sample
Sparkling Rich Ruby

I always give out samples with every order that I personally deliver. I usually give out lipstick samples because that is what my customers enjoy the most. The lipstick sample can last you multiple uses. I like to keep one for myself so that I can try out some new colors!

Swatches with flash and no base/primer.
Left to right:
Sweet Clementine, Canela Nacar, Sparkling Rich Ruby,
Gioia, Goldiluxe, and Medium Brown.

This time I was really satisfied with all my purchases. The Moisture Seduction Lip Gloss in Sweet Clementine was way more milky looking than I thought it was going to be but it still looks nice on the lips.

The mark. eye shadows are gorgeous! I loved both of the colors which are similar but one is much darker than the other. I think they will look beautiful when worn together and look fab in the mini palette.

FREE Makeup Bag with any $14.99 beauty purchase.

And I love a freebie! In the Campaign 2 brochure, with any $14.99 beauty purchase, from designated pages, you got this makeup bag FREE! It is so cute and big too. I fit all of my new purchases in the makeup bag even with their boxes and there is still a ton of room for more!

So? Do you like?

I'm already starting to make a list for my next Avon/mark. order!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All products mentioned in this blog post were purchased by me with my own money unless otherwise stated. I am an Independent Avon/mark. Representative. This blog was not sponsored by Avon or mark. These are my own honest opinions. ♥♥

Collection: Kleancolor Nail Lacquer

2012-01-15T22:40:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Feel like seeing another collection post? Another nail polish collection post??

This time I have some Kleancolor Nail Lacquers to share with you. As of right now, I only have 5 Kleancolor Nail Lacquers but I do plan on getting more. I am happy with the quality of these polishes and the huge variety of shades to choose from.

Check out the Kleancolor website at www.kleancolor.com. "Trend-setting shades with a top-quality formula long-lasting, chip-resistant nail lacquer."

But before you do that, check out my Kleancolor Nail Lacquer collection!

My Kleancolor Nail Lacquer collection.

18 Neon Yellow

20 Neon Pink

21 Neon Fuschia

153 Neon Amethyst

231 Chunky Holo Scarlet

Oh! I forgot to add one more. This one was the last one I purchased. So make that, 6 in my Kleancolor collection!

160 Metallic Orange

Valued at $3.49, these nail polishes are well worth it. I believe they have 236 different shades to choose from on their website!

Which one is your favorite? Do you own any Kleancolor Nail Lacquers? Any recommendations?

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All products mentioned in this blog post were purchased by me with my own money. ♥♥

EOTD: Punk Funk

2012-01-12T22:10:00.001-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Finally I have an EOTD to share with you. Yay!

I've had this E.L.F. Brightening Eye Color eyeshadow quad for such a long time but never used it. It was still in the wrapper until today.

This is such a fun quad! It is the brightest of the other eye brightening quads and it totally reminds me of the 80s. Totally!

E.L.F. Brightening Eye Color
Punk Funk

Colors included in this quad are white, cobalt blue, purple, and hot pink. All shadows have some shimmer to them.

Directions and Ingredients.

Claims:
"Long-lasting, easy blending color
Instantly brightens and defines
Eyes look fresh and wide awake"

Finger tip swatches.

Swatches with flash.
No primer or base used.

Swatches without flash.
No primer, no base.

White on the brow bone.
Purple on the lower lash line, inner half.
Blue on the lower lash line, outter half.

White on the lid, inner corner.
Pink on the lid, outer half.
Purple in the crease.

Avon Glazewear in Honey Gold.

I think I applied the shadows with a light hand but I like the outcome. This is a really nice quad. And for only a dollar, it's pretty awesome!

You can purchase this quad online at www.eyeslipsface.com.

Do you own this quad? Do you own any of the E.L.F. Brightening Eye Color eyeshadow quads?

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this blog post were purchased by me with my own money. ♥♥

Collection: Essie Nail Lacquer

2012-01-12T20:47:00.002-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Tonight I have a quick post to share with you all. So many of you have requested that I do a collection post or video but that is just not possible right now.

I have no organization to my makeup collection at the moment. It is all pretty much stashed in drawers and boxes in my bedroom. I keep my most used products on top of my dresser in a plastic storage container. I don't have a vanity set up or anything like that. Sorry. *Makes sad face.*

So, at the end of last year I decided to show you some of my collection by showcasing my smaller collections that makeup my massive one. Does that make any sense?

I already did a collection post on my E.L.F. Brightening Eye Color eyeshadow quads which you can check out HERE.

I just recently started really hauling nail polish. I have a lot of different brands but I didn't have any Essie. Back in November, fellow beauty blogger Julie of My Beauty Rate, sent me a package of four different nail polishes. In the package were two Essie Nail Lacquers. My very first ever!

And here they are!

Essie Nail Lacquer
Left to Right:
475 Castaway and 655 Big Spender

To see the original post, click HERE.

Once I tried these beauties on, I needed to get some more! And I did. Here are another four Essie Nail Lacquers I purchased for myself.

Essie Nail Lacquer
Left to Right:
852 Sand Topez
853 Nice is Nice
886 Lady Like
744 Trophy Wife

And there you have it. My entire Essie Nail Lacquer collection. It's not much but I love them all!

Do you own any Essie? Is there a specific one you think I should have in my collection?

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items in this post were purchased by me with my own money unless stated otherwise. ♥♥

To Buy or Not to Buy

2012-01-12T09:40:00.001-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

A few days ago, @BeautyArmy started up a conversation on Twitter starting with the question, "How many beauty products have you bought since January 1st?" My response? Too many to count!

Because my birthday was in December right before Christmas, I received some cash as gifts and of course I spent all my money on makeup. As of right now, I only have $10 left. I think I'll save it for gas.

I bought from CVS, Pretty Addictions, Glamour Doll Eyes, E.L.F., Zoya, and... I think that's it. Way more stuff than I would have ever bought at any one given time.

So, even though my wish list still remains long, I'm all shopped out. Financially, speaking. So now comes the horrid idea of jumping on the no-buy bandwagon. I know I should but I don't wanna! But I should. I really should.

And this is just taking into consideration all the stuff I bought! This doesn't include all the stuff I got as birthday/Christmas gifts.

So far, I have shown you my new BH Cosmetics 120 Eyeshadow Palettes, all 1st through 4th Editions, my sweet-tart gave me. I also shared with you my Ulta 78 Piece Complete Color Collection that my mom gave me. I also did a blog post showcasing my collective gift from Cathy just recently.

I have yet to show you my E.L.F. 144 Eyeshadow Palette and lip gloss set from my sister and my Philosophy Christmas Hugs Gift Set from Dollie. Oh yes, and some makeup, nail, and body gift sets I received from a couple of my friends.

There is so much I want to show you! It's all so overwhelming. But like I said, I intend to go on a no-buy for a few months or maybe even a Project 5 Pan. I tried P5P last year and was only able to finish one item in a time frame of four months. I need to stop buying makeup! I have stuff still unused and unopened. Some of my stuff was only swatched. Others were only used once or twice. I need to learn to shop my stash. I have so much good stuff!

As a full on, self confessed, makeup addict, a no-buy sounds horrific. I buy just to buy. I don't need anything. But like I say, the WANT is so much more powerful than the NEED.

So, I will let you know what I decide to do. But my point is that I might just have to show you all my new goodies over a span of a few blog posts. Especially if I ban myself from makeup buying, I won't have any hauls to share. This is just an idea.

OK, I need to log off. I'm starting to stress out about not being able to buy makeup. All of a sudden, it's getting a little harder to breathe. Gasp! Gasp...

I'll keep you updated on my no-buy/P5P decision. And maybe I'll get a few of you to join me on this torturous journey. Let's suffer together!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

P.S. This is my first blog post using my Blogger App on my iPhone. Let's see how it turns out.

PO BOX Talk: From Cathy

2012-01-07T22:34:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I am still not able to get new photos onto my computer so I've been scouring my archives looking for pictures that I still need to blog about. I came across these! How could I have missed this blog post? It's such a good one!

I got a package from one of my beauty buddies, Cathy of MY PINKTASTIC LIFE, back in December to help celebrate my Birthday and Christmas! It was a miracle that I even received the package!

It all started when she contacted me via Twitter to tell me that she had sent me a (surprise) package and that I should have received it by now but that she had sent it to the wrong address. I was so excited and really surprised that she had sent me a gift that I became panicked when the idea that it was lost forever started to sink in. She supplied me with a tracking number. I called up my sweet-tart at work and told him all about it. He said he would do what he could.

All day I was touched that she thought to send me a gift. Cathy felt so bad that she had ruined the surprise for me by telling me that she had sent it. But, she was worried that I never got it. She thought that my package would have gotten forwarded to my new address. Poor, sweet, Cathy. Her heart was in the right place. And believe me when I say, I was surprised to know that there was a gift out there for me.

At the end of the day when my sweet-tart got out of work, he brought me a batch of Christmas cake balls for my birthday (That's right, the day I received Cathy's package was my actual birthday! Wednesday, December 21st.) and in his hand, he had Cathy's package!

I actually screamed! "Oh my God! You got it!" It was rather funny. He said he was on the phone all day with the post office. They had to track down the package. Then they called him when the found it. He picked it up on the way home! Such a struggle but so well worth it. You wanna see?

A beautiful card for me.

All my surprise goodies!

Hungarian White Rose Mask

Southern France Apricot Mask

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer
Anastasia Beverly Hills Clean Brow Gel

Urban Decay Lip Junkie in Naked
2 Tarte lip glosses (1 creme, 1 sparkly)

Urban Decay Loose Pigment in Baked
Urban Decay Loose Pigment in Yeyo
Urban Decay Urban Defense Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Rimmel London Eyeshadow Quad
City Color Eyeshadow

So, as you can see, it was well worth the wait and the search for it! I am so happy with my birthday/Christmas goodies. Thank you so much, Cathy. You are a best friend come true! Love you, honey!

Do yourselves a favor and check out Cathy's blog at www.mypinktasticlife.com. Cathy is also an intern at Sedona Lace so please check out the Sedona Lace website at www.sedonalace.com and click on the BLOG tab to read Cathy's blog posts!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

INFLUENSTER: Garden Botanika Lash Primer

2012-01-04T22:55:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Even though it is a new year, I am still continuing with my Influenster Holiday VoxBox Series.

Next on this list is the Garden Botanika Lash Primer.

This item was a bonus product. "Based on badges and demographics, some Influensters may receive ONE of the following bonus items: X OUT WASH-IN TREATMENT, GARDEN BOTANIKA LASH PRIMER, GARDEN BOTANIKA HEART FRAGRANCE SAMPLE."

Garden Botanika Lash Primer
Net wt. 7.5 g/ 0.26 oz

This is what the Influenster information card had to say about the Garden Botanika Lash Primer:
"Take lashes from fine to fabulous. Simply brush on bare lashes, let dry, then apply mascara. Lengthens and thickens lashes; conditions them so they're healthier, too. Small brush simplifies application. Use with our application."

There is no label or image on the
primer tube.

Primer is thick and white.

Info and ingredients.

I agree with the details on the package:
♥ "even the skimpiest lashes look longer and fuller" CHECK!
♥ "resists flaking" CHECK!
♥ "will not sting or irritate eyes" CHECK!

Bare lashes.

My lashes have a natural curl to them but that's about all I have going on in the lashes department. They are a bit long but not full enough.

Lashes with Garden Botanika Lash Primer.

After apply the primer, my lashes look the same for the exception of a white substance on them.

Lashes with Garden Botanika Lash Primer
and Maybelline Falsies Mascara.

After the primer and my regular mascara, I like! I have been wearing this primer everyday I wear makeup. I love it. When I saw that the primer was white, I thought it would be hard to cover up. It wasn't. It applied easily and dried quickly. Applying mascara wasn't harder to do with the primer on.

Over all, I enjoyed this goodie in my VoxBox very much!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ Product mentioned in this post was sent to me free of charge for review purposes from the Influenster program. These are my own thoughts and honest opinions. ♥♥

Giveaway: PasionStarButterfly's Thank You Giveaway

2012-01-02T20:08:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I just celebrated my 200th subscriber so I'm feeling lucky! Therefore, I'm going to start off my new year by entering Jessica's a.k.a. PasionStarButterfly 'Thank You Giveaway'!

Here is what is up for grabs!

Enter to win this HERE.

You all know I love my E.L.F. and this 24K 100 Piece Eyeshadow Palette was limited edition and I don't think it's being offered in stores or online anymore. I have my fingers crossed I win this!

You can check out the amazing swatches on Jessica's blog as well. Just click HERE and be prepared to be amazed! You are going to want one too.

Everyone is able to enter to go enter!

Here is the link: http://pasionstarbutterfly.blogspot.com/2011/12/24k-palette-from-elf.html

Good luck to all who enter...especially me!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ Photo of E.L.F. palette was taken off Jessica's website. It does not belong to me. ♥♥

1/1/12: Bloggerversary!

2012-01-01T23:46:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Happy New Year!!!

Oh, my gosh, another year has come and gone. It's no joke when people say times flies. It really does. So much happened last year, some good...some not so good. A majority of it not so good. But the one good thing that did happen to me in 2011 was the start of this here blog. Today I celebrate my BLOGGERVERSARY!

I remember doing my very first blog post. I was so scared and nervous. But I wanted it so bad so I did it anyway! I remember posting it and hoping I had done it right since I had never done anything like it before. I remember waiting to see if I would get a subscriber. And I finally did. Kristen of Kristen for President was my first subbie and first one to leave a comment on my blog. Thank you, Kristen for giving me a chance!

And the same goes to all of you who took the time to read my blog and comment. I know most of you read it and don't comment. That's OK. I write the blog for you. I know I don't have such amazing EOTDs or really helpful tips or tricks or anything like that. I'm always the last to get the "latest in thing" in makeup but you guys don't seem to mind. I don't have a grand collection of high end makeup either but a lot of you seem wowed by the fact that I can create a decent FOTD using dollar store makeup! You guys never judged me or ever threw me aside for the makeup I chose to use or the opinions that I had. Thank you!

My blog still continues to be a work in progress, even a year later. There is so much that I am learning from all of you still. I've seen other bloggies start their blogs after me and surpass me in subscribers and then those become my inspiration to keep pressing forward.

Thank you all for sticking by me through blog post after blog post and then times when I didn't blog at all.

I apologize for lack of experience and sustenance. I'm sorry for less than impressive swatches and unattractive photos of myself. I'm sorry for lack of reviews as well as lacking to use a menagerie of products. But I'll never be sorry for embarking on this fascinating and fulfilling discovery.

You all have given me more support, respect, love, and friendship than I thought I could ever receive from human beings I have never met in person. You guys have been a rock for me. A teacher. A best friend. Nothing is stronger than the bond of makeup addicted junkies! We speak an entirely different language than most of the human race. It is an understanding that is to be admired.

No matter what, you all have made this blog what it is today. You all keep me going every day. You all are my motivation and my inspiration. You all will never know how in debt I am to you for fulfilling a dream come true. I know the word "love" gets tossed around more than is necessary but I will wholeheartedly and honestly say, I genuinely love each and every single one of you for your unfailing support.

And just for fun, I decided to share with you all, again, my very first blog post from way back on Januray 1, 2011. How ironic that the title was On Cloud Nine. Tonight, I am definitely on cloud nine! My wish did come true. As of right now, January 1, 2012, at 11:37 p.m., I have 201 subscribers! You see why you guys mean the world to me!

I promise that I will do what I can to keep you all reading and coming back for more. I will never promise to be the best or better than anyone else, but I will promise that I will do what I love to do for as long as I am able to and try my very best to do the job well.

A million times thank you for being a part of me.

Luv & Luk,
--Lisa Martinez

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T15:59:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Technically, we are 11 hours and 33 minutes away from 2012 here in Texas. But, I know we will all be out and about celebrating and welcoming in the New Year. So, I just wanted to take the time right now and wish you all a very Happy and Safe New Year!

I wish for all of you to have an even better year in 2012 than you did in 2011. I know I need a new, fresh and clean slate. I will not lie, 2011 was a rough and tough year but I do have high hopes for 2012. No pressure 2012!

I have so many goals I wish to obtain in the new year. Whether or not they will be accomplished is only something time will tell. But my main New Year's Resolution is to start making YouTube videos. That is the one thing I want the most and the one thing that scares me the most. That is part of the reason why I need to do this in the upcoming year...just to prove to myself that I can do anything!

And you can too. Whatever your hopes and your dreams may be, if you want them bad enough, I hope they come true for you.

And since I wanted some photos to go along with this post, I decided to post some of my favorite looks I did on myself in 2011. Maybe you can use one of these looks to inspire your New Year's Eve look.

E.L.F. 100 Eyeshadow Palette

E.L.F. Mineral Eyeshadows

Blue Had Me at Hello

Silent Treatment

Perpetual

Red and Blue Make Purple

Wildflowers

♥ All photos include links to the blog posts in which they were featured. ♥

Well, my dears, that is all for this year. This will be my last blog post for 2011. Tomorrow January 1st, will be my one year bloggerversary and I am so excited! Starting up a blog was last year's New Year's Resolution and I think the only one in my entire life that I actually followed through with. I am so proud of myself.

My goal was so have 200 subscribers and 200 blog posts. As of this post, at 3:51 p.m., I have 206 posts (this one makes 207) and 198 subscribers. I hope my wish comes true and there are 200 subbies in the morning when I wake up! Oh, subbie fairy, hear my cry!

Thank you all so, so very much! I cannot find the right words to express my gratitude. You all have made this blog was it is, better than I thought it would ever be! I started this blog for myself and now, I do it for you. Again, thank you all so much for all the sweet comments you have left behind for me to read and for taking the time to view my blog in the first place.

I pray that you all will have a wonderful night filled with friends and family, laughter and love, and most of all, faith and hope for the New Year. Be safe. God bless you all, tonight and always.

All my love and gratitude,
--Lisa Martinez

BIRTHDAY GIFT: ULTA Complete Color 73-Piece Collection

2011-12-31T14:45:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

If you follow me on Twitter, you would know that I lost my camera so I haven't been able to take any new pictures which is driving me crazy because I wanted to do some specific posts before the new year. Oh well.

Such posts that will be missing, will be:
December Favorites
December Empties
Favorite 2011 Products
My Collective Birthday Show and Tell
and more...

I'm not happy about that. But hopefully I will find it soon and get back on track as soon as I possibly can. So, since I can't do a collective birthday haul (I took some pics of my gifts as I got them but not of the later ones I received) I will just show you in detail this one gift I just loved.

ULTA Complete Color 73-Piece Collection

My birthday was on December 21st and it was a big one for me. I turned 30. I was excited at first, then depressed, then excited again. Since I officially became 30, I've been happy. I still feel the same. Just more mature. Like they say in the movie 13 Going on 30, I'm "thirty, flirty, and thriving."

My mom was the one who got this nice little gift for me. She knows I love makeup and I was really surprised that she got me makeup because she always gets me a sweater. Bad thing about having a birthday in the winter, you always gets sweaters!

Opened up.

Here it is all opened up. It's really nice and compact. Up top is the mirror and the brushes are on the bottom. The sides open outwards to reveal even more makeup goodness.

Tools included.

I'm not going to lie, I'm not loving these brushes. I know I won't use them. I have a nice set of brushes that I always use. I might just give these to my daughters who love to pretend to put on makeup. That way, they won't go to waste.

Eyeshadows part 1.

The first part of the eyeshadows are all purples and plums with a couple nice highlight shades thrown in.
Top Row, Left to Right:
Iceland, Sweet, Love, Eye Candy, Impulsive, and Flirty
Bottom Row, Left to Right:
Bloom, Zephyr, Majesty, Wisteria Lane, Heiress, and Plum Noir

Eyeshadows part 2.

The second part of the eyeshadows is larger because it is the part in the middle. This palette includes more earthy tones of browns and reds. Love the cream shadows which can also be used as highlights.
Top Row, Left to Right:
Cocoa Bean, Mystical, Organza, Cafe Latte, Calla Lilly, and Naked.
Middle Row, Left to Right:
Molten, Brown Sugar, Truffle, Camel, Stardust, and Silk.
Bottom Row, Left to Right:
Cherry Bomb, Firework, Flame, Sun-kissed, Sunburst, and Au Naturel.

Eyeshadows part 3.

The third part of eyeshadows are cooler tones of blues and greens and some blacks and silvers to do a smoky eye.
Top Row, Left to Right:
Moonbeam, Seaside, Sapphire, Platinum, Gunmetal, and Galaxy.
Bottom Row, Left to Right:
Key West, Green Machine, Oasis, Sage, Shamrock, and Glamazon.

Lip glosses.

Also included are 18 shades of lip gloss.
Top Row, Left to Right:
Charmed, Princess, Pink Sugar, Bellini, Buff, and Shimmer.
Middle Row, Left to Right:
Orchid, Cosmo, Ballerina, Poppy, Hot Coral, and Radiant.
Bottom Row, Left to Right:
Sublime, Miami Pink, Lovely, Siren, Cutie, and Caramel.

Blushes and bronzers.

I love these cheek colors.
Top Row, Left to Right:
Flush, Infatuation, and Light/Medium.
Bottom Row, Left to Right:
Afterglow, Adore, and Bronzer.

Lip gloss, lipstick, eyeliner part 1.

Lip gloss in Flirtini. Lipstick in Precious Pink. Eyeliner in Black.

Lip gloss, lipstick, eyeliner part 2.

Lip gloss in Mischief. Lipstick in Toast. Eyeliner in Deep Brown.

Now can you see why I love this gift so much! It's really nice. I love the black and leopard trim case. I love how it all folds up neatly into a small cube. The eyeshadow selection is really great. The cheek colors too! I really love how all the makeup has names. I love using makeup with names!

I have yet to try this. I wanted to make sure I took pictures of untouched makeup first! First rule of being a beauty blogger, can't use anything until all photos have been taken first!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were given to me as a gift. ♥♥

INFLUENSTER: Montagne Jeunesse Face Mask

2011-12-29T20:59:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

As you all know, I received my Influenster Holiday VoxBox on December 13th and I have slowly been using the products included in my package. If you want to see my post on my Holiday VoxBox arrival, click HERE.

I will be doing individual posts on all the featured products in the Holiday VoxBox.

INFLUENSTER: Mentos Pure Fresh Chewing Gum
INFLUENSTER: NYC New York Color Liquid Lip Shine
INFLUENSTER: imPRESS Press-On Manicure

Next on the list is Montagne Jeunesse Face Mask.

I have no idea how to pronounce this brand but I do know that this stuff is amazing!

What the Influenster information card had to say about Montagne Jeunesse Face Mask:
"Montagnue Jeunesse's face masks are jam packed with the most delicious natural ingredients and are bursting with luscious juicy fragrances."

Warning label and Ingredients.

Montagne Jeunesse Face Masks are described as beauty treats that are paraben free, vegetarian approved, and never tested on animals. I think we can all appreciate that.

Directions.

This is the sample I received.

Montagne Jeunesse Face Masks are available in:

Cucumber Peel Off
Passion Peel Off
Dead Sea Mud
Fruit Smoothie
Strawberry Souffle
Chocolate Mud
And many more!

Trial Size of 0.17 fl oz.

After my shower and before my mask.

You can see the tiny strawberry seeds!

I cut the tip off the packet and squeezed out all of the product onto my fingertips. This was all that was inside the packet. A very decent amount. The color was the palest shade of pink and scattered through out were tiny strawberry seeds. Oh, and it smelled just like real crushed up strawberries!

Waiting my 20 minutes...

I applied this so fast. It spreads out easily and smoothly. I got it all over my brows! Make sure to stay away from your eye area but if you do happen to get it in your eyes, just flush it out with water.

After a few minutes with it on, I could feel it dry and tighten. I couldn't smile this big once it was fully dry. And the funniest thing, I scared my daughters when I walked out of the bathroom. So funny! "Mom! What is that? Is it going to come off?"

And after.

My skin wasn't horrible before but the after was so much better. My pores were a lot less visible which is my most favorite thing about this mask. And you can't tell from the photo but my skin was silky smooth to the touch.

I had never tried this brand of face mask before and the last time I used a face mask was probably back in high school--11 years ago! I most definitely will be buying this again! And I'm definitely going to try the other masks as well.

You can purchase these Montagne Jeunesse Face Masks at:

ULTA Beauty
Walgreen's
Claire's
Wal-Mart
Kroger
CVS Pharmacies
And other retailers across the US

Remember, these masks are suitable for all skin types so I highly suggest you pick yourself up a couple!

Check out their official website at http://www.montagnejeunesse.com.

Luv & Luk,

--L.

♥♥ All the products mentioned in my Influenster Holiday VoxBox series were sent to me free of charge for review purposes through Influenster's VoxBox program. These are my own thoughts and honest opinions. ♥♥

SWAP: Makeup Swap with JazminHunter87

2011-12-28T23:14:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

Last month, my good Blogger/Twitter friend, Jazmin and I decided that it would be fun to do a makeup swap. It was both our first time so we didn't know what to expect. We didn't set any rules or anything, we just had fun with it.

We sent out our packages the first week of December so that was just another thing to add to my list of things to be anxious about in December--her package, my birthday, Christmas!

I can't tell you exactly what day my package arrived because now it feels like it was a long time ago. She posted her end of the swap rather quickly. I'm just doing it now. I'm so sorry.

But nonetheless, I loved my package and everything in it. Thank you so much, Jazmin!

Add caption

This was the top of the little cardboard box that she sent my goodies in. I loved it at first sight! I mean, she took the time to decorate it for me and personalize it. Now that was sweet.

Here is how it was neatly wrapped up with this berry colored tissue paper and a cute star sticker. I laughed when I saw this because I thought it was so weird how that "berry" color is my favorite color and that I have a thing for stars. We never discussed that and that's why I thought it was so funny that she decorated my package like this.

And here is the sweet little letter she wrote me. I thought it was a nice touch. I appreciate that she took the time to do this. And yes, Jazmin, we should do it again!

I got two perfume samples. Viva La Juicy Eau de Parfum Spray by Juicy Couture and Attimo Eau de Toilette by Salvatore Ferragamo. I've never tried the Juicy Couture perfumes before but I do have a Salvatore Ferragamo perfume which I love!

Left to Right:
Physicians Formula Plumping Lip Color Plum Palette in 2462 Spices: I am new to the Physicians Formula brand and I love their cream liners but have never tried their lip products. The colors in the palette are beautiful and I can't wait to try them.

Maybelline New York Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm in 25 Pink Punch: Finally, I got something that was all the rage on YouTube and in blogs! I've heard great things about this lip balm here and I'm so excited to try it out!

Kiss Nail Dress in pattern KDS04: I have never tried these dry nail polish strips before. Not just this brand but nail polish strips period. And these are so fun! They are black based with multi-colored and multi-shaped jewels scattered about. You can feel the tiny jewels! These are so unique, I love them. Again, I am really excited to try these on.

St. Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub: I have tried this before but such a long time ago. But I do remember loving it! It's oil free and exfoliates with all natural exfoliants. I had forgotten all about it so I'm glad she brought it back into my life.

Left to Right:
Montagne Jeunesse Chocolate Masque for Normal, Dry, and T-Zone Skin: Just yesterday I tried Montagne Jeunesse masks for the very first time in my life thanks to Influesnter and their Holiday VoxBox and I really liked it so now I'm really happy I got some more to try out.
Befine Food Skin Care Single Serve Exfoliating Cleanser: I saw this and at first I thought it was a snack! Leave it to me to always be thinking about food! But it might as well be with ingredients such as brown sugar, sweet almond, and oats. It's natural, paraben free, vegetarian proteins and allergen free fragrance.
Montagne Jeunesse Mud Pac for Normal, Dry, and T-Zone Skin: Now this one is going to be fun! I'm so happy to have received so many face products. I never purchase face products. I should though. I really need to start taking care of my skin and thanks to these goodies here, I will be able to start. I told my sweet-tart, "how cool, I got so much face stuff" and he tells me, "it's because you're 30 now. Maybe she's trying to tell you something." I had to laugh out loud at that one!

Oh and yay! I got some new nail polishes to add to my collection! I got Sinful Colors Professional Nail Polish in 944 Innocent and Confetti Long Wearing Nail Color in 085 Pop the Cork Purple. Such fun colors! I need to try that purple ASAP.

So that's it! I love all my stuff and I just wanted to say thank you to sweet Jazmin for all the wonderful presents she sent to me. I would love it if you would visit Jazmin's blog and show her some love. She's such a sweetheart.

Visit Jazmin's blog, My Pursuit of Happiness, HERE.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All items mentioned in this post were sent to me, free of charge, as part of a makeup swap with a fellow blogger. ♥♥

INFLUENSTER: imPRESS Press-On Manicure

2011-12-27T22:44:00.001-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

As you all know, I received my Influenster Holiday VoxBox on December 13th and I have slowly been using the products included in my package. If you want to see my post on my Holiday VoxBox arrival, click HERE.

I will be doing individual posts on all featured products in the Holiday VoxBox.

INFLUENSTER: Mentos Pure Fresh Chewing Gum
INFLUENSTER: NYC New York Color Liquid Lip Shine

Next on the list is imPRESS Press-On Manicure by Broadway Nails.

imPRESS Press-On Manicure
by Broadway Nails

What the Influenster information card has to say about the imPRESS Press-On Manicure by Broadway Nails:
"Introducing imPress, the recolutionary way to apply nail polish! Featuring advanced technology, you will get a salon-perfect manicure in seconds--simply peel off, press on, and you're done (no drying time!) ImPress comes in 36 colors and patterns, including trendy brights, fun prints, classic darks and animal prints."

The press-on nails sent to me were black and white zebra print nails. D100 Dancing Queen. So cute! And the finish on these nails is so glossy, killer shine!

Before I applied the press-on nails, I had to cut off my natural nails since my natural nails were much longer than the falsies. I got a lot of comments on Twitter asking how I could have done such a thing. I had to review these the right way. They're nails, they'll grow back. The things I do for beauty.

Press-on nails in packaging.

I loved the packaging! Never seen anything like this! I'm a sucker for packaging and this one had me at hello.

Instructions.

The instructions are simple.

Everything included in kit.

24 nail covers in 12 sizes and a prep pad.

Add caption

First, find the correct size for each nail. It is advised to use the smaller sizes for best results. Then lay out the 10 nails in the correct finger order. This makes the application much more quick and easy. Next, use the prep pad to cleanse your natural nails. Make sure your natural nails are free of any nail polish.

After nails have been prepped, take the press-on nail and remove the plastic tab provided which will reveal the pre-applied glue. I will say that removing the plastic tab proved to be quite a chore for me. It was hard to take off. My press-on nails were slightly damaged by the cuticle where the tab is located as I removed the plastic tab.

The photo above is to show you the length of the press-on nails. It's a very comfortable length. And, also, on the tip of the nail is a tiny little number used to identify each nail size which will make it easier to match the sizes for each finger.

Finished hand.

It is recommended that you apply the nails starting with the pinkie and finishing off with the thumb. That worked perfectly for me. From start to finish, the entire process took me 9 minutes. Not bad! Product claims to last up to 7 days! We shall see.

First nail pops off.

Twenty minutes after application, I lost one nail after washing the dishes. I let the glue on the back of the nail dry and reapplied it. It worked! It adhered as if it was a brand new nail.

The next day.

That first nail that popped off and was reapplied held on through the night. All nails feel secure at this time. Now time to start my day and see how they hold on.

By 3:30 that afternoon, I lost 2 more nails on my left hand. I reapplied them and they held on for another half hour or so but then, off they went.

By 5:00 p.m., I lost 2 more nails. This time they did not reapply.

So, 24 hours later, I had lost 4 nails. I did a lot of washing dishes, changing diapers, washing my hands, and the list goes on and on. I am a housewife and mother of 2 small children and I am also a full time nanny for my nephew so I have my hands full all the time. My nails go through a lot any given day.

So, no, these did not work for me. But they might work for you.

I think these would be great for a special occasion you are going to attend such as a wedding, a party, a first date. Why spend $30+ at the salon to get your nails done for one evening when you can spend around $8.00 for a set of these that will hold up nicely if you aren't doing manual labor. I don't think these were designed for housewives to wear while scrubbing toilets and washing dishes.

MY EXPERIENCE:
Nails popped off when I would wash dishes. Maybe wearing gloves would have prevented this.
Nails did last through a shower. Including washing my hair.
My hair would get caught in the gaps at the cuticle when styling and washing it.
Removing my contact lenses at night was tricky. Putting them in, not a problem.

Removal was quick and painless. Did not require nail polish remove. Natural nails were undamaged.

But the designs are excellent. The application is quick and neat. The price is decent.

Would I purchase these with my own money, if I was going to said wedding or party for one night, yes. I spend more money on buying a new outfit, shoes, and jewelry to go to a wedding so adding another $8.00 to that seems harmless.

SIDE NOTES:
Retail Price: $5.99 for colors, $7.99 for prints.
Available in 36 colors/patterns
Available at CVS, Rite Aid, Duane Reade, KMart, Walgreens, Walmart, and more.
For a full list of online and in-store retailers, visit www.impressmanicure.com.

Try and you decided!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All the products mentioned in my Influenster Holiday VoxBox Series were sent to me free of charge for review purposes. These are my own thoughts and honest opinions. ♥♥

Buy & Blog: BH Cosmetics

2011-12-27T20:30:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I have been talking about BH Cosmetics for such a long time. I had been wanting to buy them forever and I kept asking you all for recommendations. I knew December would be the month that I would get my BH order placed because December is my birthday and Christmas only days apart. I was anticipating getting money so that's what I was going to buy my palettes with. Luckily, I didn't have to pay for it. My very generous sweet-tart picked up the tab on this one.

But I was nice enough to place my order when BH Cosmetics was having a fantastic sale. All eyeshadow palettes were 50% off and FREE shipping with a $50.00 order. I cannot say no to anything 50% (or more) off.

I waited for this baby for so long!

I wasn't sure what to get other than the 1st Edition 120 Palette. I had seen that baby so many times on other blogs and on YouTube channels so I knew I just had to have that one!

But you all know me so well. If there is more than one version of a single item available, I'm getting them all!

BH Cosmetics
120 Colors Palette Eyeshadow
All 4 editions!

All of these 120 eyeshadow palettes weigh in the same at Total Net Wt of 5.1 oz OR 144 g.

BH Cosmetics
Standard 1st Edition
120 Eyeshadow Palette

The Standard 1st Edition sells on the BH site for $29.95. I paid $14.98 for mine with the 50% off.

1st Layer

2nd Layer

BH Cosmetics
Standard 2nd Edition
120 Eyeshadow Palette

The Standard 2nd Edition sells on the BH site for also $29.95 and I paid $14.98 for mine with the half off discount.

1st Layer

2nd Layer

BH Cosmetics
Standard 3rd Editon
120 Eyeshadow Palette

The Standard 3rd Edition sells on the BH site for $34.95 and I paid $17.48 after the 50% off promo.

1st Layer

2nd Layer

BH Cosmetics
Ultra Shimmer (4th Edition)
120 Eyeshadow Palette

The Ultra Shimmer (4th Edition) sells for on the BH site for $34.95 and I paid $17.48 after the discount.

1st Layer

2nd Layer

Aren't these palettes exquisite? I love them all! I swatched a few shadows the day I got them and they are so wonderfully pigmented. I tried a red shadow out of one of these palettes on my hand and even after I washed it off, my had still had a red tint. Crazy!

The first 3 Editions are a mix of matte and shimmer shadows. The 4th Edition is all shimmer shadows.

I did want to swatch these for you but there are so many. I don't know if I should just swatch my favorite/more interesting shadows in each of the palettes OR dedicate a blog post to each palette and swatch all the shadows. I don't know. Let me know what you all want me to do for you!

If you only want one 120 palette, then I recommend the 3rd Edition. You get bright colors on the top layer and smoky/neutrals on the bottom layer. You get the best of both worlds!

I placed my order on the BH website on 12/15/11 which I believe was a Thursday. I received it Friday, 12/23/11. And since I spent over $50.00, my order was shipped for FREE via UPS Ground (2-6 days). It took 7 days to receive my package. Not sure if that's their norm since it was my first time buying from them or if it was due to the holidays. Either way, 7 days felt like forever!

All in all, my sweet-tart paid $64.92 for my birthday gift and I think it's worth every single penny.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

SIDE NOTE:
Check out these palettes and more at http://www.bhcosmetics.com.

♥♥ All the products mentioned in this post were given to me as a birthday gift from my boyfriend. I am not sponsored by or affiliated with BH Cosmetics. These are my own thoughts and honest opinions. ♥♥

INFLUENSTER: NYC New York Color Liquid Lip Shine

2011-12-22T23:39:00.001-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

As you all know, I received my Influenster Holiday VoxBox on December 13th and I have been slowly using the products included in my package. If you want to see my post on my Holiday VoxBox arrival, click HERE.

I will be doing individual posts on all the featured products in the Holiday VoxBox.

Next on the list is, New York Color Liquid Lip Shine.

NYC Liquid LipShine

Here is what the Influenster information card had to say about New York Color Liquid Lip Shine:
"Straight from the city that never sleeps, New York Color's Liquid Lipshine is uptown style at a down-to-earth price. With pure pigments that create a 3-D gloss effect and vitamin E that provides shine and moisture, this product is perfect to keep lips looking and feeling fabulous this season. Comes in 10 shades from neutral nude, to berries & fuchsias."

Nude York City

I received the neutral nude mentioned in the information card. Look at it! It's so pretty. It's a very shimmery nude gloss. I am new to nude shades on my lips so when I saw this gloss in my VoxBox I was very disappointed. Never judge a book by it cover!

Flat yet flexible sponge applicator.

After applying the gloss to my bare lips with this strange flat sponge tipped applicator, I fell in love with this gloss! Seriously. I had been wanting to try out the nude lip craze that everyone is so into but I always felt my skin tone was just too dark for nude lips. This shade did not make me look washed out or sickly and pale. It's sparkles and brightens up my face.

Swatch.

Here is a swatch of this lovely gloss. I think this looks wonderful on my bare lips but I can see this being used with a bold lip as a top coat just to warm it up a bit and tone down a harsh dark lip. It has a lot of shimmer to it! Perfect for the holidays and New Year's Eve parties.

Oh, and it's so moisturizing! I love how it feels on my lips. It's not drying or sticky at all. Sticky glosses are a major turn off for me. It's not a very thick formula either. It glides on smoothly and evenly. I can't get over how non-sticky, super glossy, and soft this lip gloss is.

0.24 fl oz 7.2 ml

Oh, and did I forget to mention the way this gloss smells and tastes? Upon first application, I did not notice a smell or a taste because I was chewing my Mentos Pure Fresh Gum at the time. But after using it a second time, I smelled such a sweet scent. Like marshmallows! It smells delicious! And the taste is just as sweet. I don't know how to describe the taste. It's sweet. I'll stick to my marshmallow reference. It's nice. Not to overwhelming at all.

Over all, this is a great gloss. I love NYC products but I have failed to try this one before. Thank goodness for VoxBoxes or else I might have never tried this product. Now, I have to buy the other shades!

SIDE NOTES:
Retail Value $2.49
Available at: Walmart, Target, Rite Aid, CVS, Family Dollar, Duane Reade, Kmart, HEB, and others.
Visit newyorkcolor.com to check out all shades and fun products from New York Color!

Stay tuned for my next Holiday VoxBox product in my Influenster series.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All the products mentioned in my Influenster Holiday VoxBox Series were sent to me free of charge for review purposes. These are my own thoughts and honest opinions. ♥♥

INFLUENSTER: Mentos Pure Fresh Chewing Gum

2011-12-22T23:07:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

As you all know, I received my Influenster Holiday VoxBox on December 13th and I have slowly been using my products included in my package. If you want to see my post on my Holiday VoxBox arrival, click HERE.

I will be doing individual posts on all the products featured in the Holiday VoxBox.

First on my list, Mentos Pure Fresh Chewing Gum.

Mentos Pure Fresh Chewing Gum
with Green Tea Extract

This package contained 15 pieces. And they are big pieces! I love the container itself with its little flip top lid. Easy access to the gum and makes it easier to share.

Fresh Mint Flavor

Here is what the Influenster information card had to say about Mentos Pure Fresh Gum:
"We're sure you know Mentos, but did you know they have a sugarfree gum? Whether it's before a holiday party, date or meeting, pop Mentos Pure Fresh Gum for a quick refresh! The crunchy outer shell conceals a green tea extract core that provides an immediate burst of coolness for long-lasting fresh breath. Its unique container keeps gum protected in your purse!"

The gel in the middle is green tea extract.

This was the first thing in my VoxBox that I tried and I really liked them. Honestly. As soon as you bite into the crunchy shell, you're mouth is so refreshed and cold even! I loved the burst of iciness. So good.

What I really liked about this gum is that the flavor actually lasts. After the initial cooling sensation, the gum itself is sweet but your mouth still has that just-brushed-my-teeth feeling. I promise I will still brush my teeth. I will not use this gum as a substitute.

I have been pushing this gum on everyone. I know people don't usually like to share their gum but I was happy to pass this along. It's nice to talk to or kiss someone with fresh breath!

Ingredients.

Over all, this is a really good product. This is something that I will definitely be buying in the future. Have you tried it? No? You should!

Stay tuned for my next Holiday VoxBox product in my Influenster series!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All the products that are mentioned in my Influenster series were sent to me free of charge for review purposes. ♥♥

Buy & Blog: Avon

2011-12-18T14:16:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I have another purchasing post for you. This time it's Avon.

Avon True Color Eyeshadow Quad
Holiday Edition

I know what I've said about the Avon shadows not being my favorite out there. They're not. But I see the brochure and the eyeshadows pop out at me. I buy them hoping they are going to be better than the last one I purchased.

.20 oz. total net wt.
Brochure Price $9.00

This is the same compact the other shadows came in. I'm not sure if this is a holiday limited edition thing or if this is the new packaging. I like it. Hope they keep it around...in case I buy more shadows.

Glitz and Glamour Quad

Do you see why I had to buy them? The colors are so pretty! Very rich looking. If that makes any sense at all. I like the jewel tones of the purple and blue. The gold is luxurious looking. I had to have it.

Swatches without flash.
No base or primer used.

And this is how they swatched. Not so regal anymore. Gah! Why you no swatch good??

Swatches with flash.
No base or primer used.

I did like the iridescence of the white shadow. Well, it looks white in the pan but when I swatched it, it was a delicate gold. The gold is nice. The purple has a bluish "duo chrome" to it. The blue has a purple "duo chrome" to it.

To be fair, I haven't done an eye look with this quad. I didn't use a primer, base, or anything to help the colors stick and stand out. I'll try that soon and let you know if that made a difference.

Avon Glazewear Summer Sheers Lip Gloss
in Sheer Envy
.135 fl. oz.
Outlet Price $1.99

This was not for me. A customer ordered it but did not want it after all after it had arrived. Instead of sending it back and all that hassle, I decided to keep it. It's not something I would buy but for less than two dollars, I decided I could use it for a top coat over a lipstick.

Swatch.
It's a clear base with rainbow mirco glitters.

Avon Ultra Color Rich
White Gold Lipstick
.106 oz. net. wt.
Brochure Price $2.99 on sale.

I love the Avon lipsticks. I've never had a problem with them. These Ultra Color Rich lipsticks are very creamy and feel good on the lips.

Golden Berry

I sold so many of these lipsticks in this shade! It is so pretty. The description in the brochure makes you want to try it. "Indulge in creamy color infused with real gold, sensuous sparkle and lip-pampering vitamin E."

Swatch.

I must say, it swatches beautifully. Such a pretty berry color and the white gold reflects are visible.

I hope to be able to do an FOTD using the eyeshadow quad and the lipstick very soon and see what they look like when applied to the actual face. Keep your pretty eyes out for that.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All products that were mentioned in this post were purchased by me with my own money. I am an Independent Avon Sales Representative. I am not sponsored by Avon nor was I asked my Avon to write this post. ♥♥

Buy & Blog: mark.

2011-12-16T22:29:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

OK, so I'm trying something new here. I have decided to change the word haul in my "haul" posts. Why? Why not??

Buy & Blog is a good choice, is it not? I buy something then I blog about it. Other choices were Shop & Show, Purchase & Post... LOL.

Anyhow, here are all the mark. products I just purchased recently.

I purchased 3 eyeliners and 4 lip glosses.
All from their Hook Up line.

mark. describes these eyeliners as follows:
♥Get in Line Hook Up Waterproof Eyeliner
"A waterproof liner that lasts up to 10 hours."
♥Metalliner Hook Up Eye Glam
"Electrifying liquid eyeliner shades glamorized with metallic pearl for a sleek chrome effect."
♥On the Edge Hook Up Liquid Eyeliner
"Get a precise, long-wearing finish with this quick-drying, easy-to-apply liquid liner.

My Hook Up Eyeliners.

Left to Right:
♥Get In Line Hook Up Waterproof Eyeliner
3.5 ml (0.123 fl oz)
$6.00
♥Metalliner Eye Glam Hook Up
2.5 g net wt (0.088 oz)
$6.00
♥On the Edge Hook Up Liquid Eyeliner
2.5 ml (0.08 fl oz)
$6.00

I love the tiny brush tips.
You can get a real fine line or make it as thick as you like.

Swatches.

Top to Bottom:
♥Get in Line Hook Up Waterproof Eyeliner in Painted Black
This a very nice, deep, dark, pure black eyeliner. (Available in 4 shades.)
♥Metalliner Eye Glam Hook Up in Blue Chrome
I love this blue! It's so bold and metallic! (Available in 3 shades.)
♥On the Edge Hook Up Liquid Eyeliner in Medusa
This one is a good day time eyeliner. Medusa is a very dark, deep brown. (Available in 3 shades.)

My Hook Up Lip Glosses.

Left to Right:
♥Glow Baby Glow Hook Up Lip Gloss
3.5 g net wt (0.12 oz)
$6.00
♥Pro Gloss Hook Up Plumping Lip Shine
3 g net wt (0.105 oz)
$6.00
♥Lots of Lacquer Hook Up Super Color Lip Gloss
3 g net wt (0.105 oz)
$6.00
♥Glow Baby Glow Luxe Hook Up Lip Gloss
3 g net wt (0.105 oz)
$6.00

Glow Baby Glow & Lots of Lacquer are sponge tipped
doe foot applicators.
Pro Gloss & Glow Baby Glow Luxe are brushes.

Glow Baby Glow Hook Up Lip Gloss
in Girly Girl.

mark. describes this as a "mint-flavored lip gloss" available in 7 shades. This is a clear pink base with very subtle shimmer to it.

Pro Gloss Hook Up Plumping Lip Shine
in Smashing.

mark. describes this as "a special 3D complex helps hydrate for fuller lips" available in 4 shades. This is a clear red extra shiny gloss. No glitter, no shimmer.

Lots of Lacquer Hook Up Super Color Lip Gloss
in Rush.

mark. describes this as an "opaque conditioning gloss featuring glassy shine and a cool spearmint kick" available in 4 shades. This one is extra pretty. More pigmented than the other two and this one has more apparent shimmers throughout.

Glow Baby Glow Luxe Hook Up Lip Gloss
in Flirty Luxe.

mark. describes this as "super-reflective particles create an extra glam effect" available in 4 shades. This is my favorite one by far. It is the most pigmented of the bunch and the silver micro shimmers and tiny red reflects are much more noticeable.

And with every 2 Hook Ups you purchase you get a FREE connector to connect your Hook Ups together. You can customize your own eye/eye, lip/lip, or eye/lip combo!

Hook Up Cosmetic Connector.
Free with 2 Hook Up purchases or $0.50 is purchased separately.

Snap in your desired Hook Up at either end and
you have your own customized makeup.

Just so you know, I sell Avon and mark. too so if you are interested in anything that I showed you today, feel free to check out my eStore HERE.

To go straight to the eyeliners, click HERE.
To go straight to the lip glosses, click HERE.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ All products that were mentioned in this post were purchased by me with my own money. I am an Independent Avon Sales Representative. I am not sponsored and I was not paid by Avon/mark. to do this post. ♥♥

Beauty Army: Join the Beauty Revolution!

2011-12-15T21:30:00.000-06:00

Photo taken from Beauty Army website at
http://www.beautyarmy.com/

Hello, my Pretties!

You will be seeing a lot of this blog post going around today. I promise.

But I am going to join in on the action too.

Join the beauty revolution! Join Beauty Army!! Beauty Army, for those of you who might have been living under a rock and haven't heard about them, is a monthly premium beauty sampling subscription service that allows their members to choose their own samples or have the beauty enthusiasts at Beauty Army choose them for you after completing a short beauty questionnaire upon signing up.

That is the beauty of Beauty Army. You never get unwanted samples because you get to choose your own. And you get to choose up to 6 samples!

The monthly subscription price tag is $12. Or, you can pay $132 for a full year and that gets you your 12th kit free. Yay for free stuff!

Right now Beauty Army kits are only being offered to US residents at this time and ship via USPS First Class and you will receive a tracking number so that's a good thing.

They also have a Rewards Program based on Beauty Badges. There are four Beauty Badges to aspire to.
Cadet Badge: 10% of your first order.
Recruiter Badge: get one month free when you get 5 friends to become members.
Captain Badge: free shipping on your next full size order when you fill out your fifth brand survey.
Major Badge: get 15% off your next full size order when you have gotten 5 friends to join and have filled out 5 brand surveys.

Please, check out www.BeautyArmy.com/join to sign up for this promising program. Once you sign up, head on over to their Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/BeautyArmy and tell them I sent you!

"I just joined the beauty revolution thanks to Lisa of msprettyfulgirl.blogspot.com!"

But hurry and sign up. Launch date is January 1, 2012. And there will only be 300 kits available for the month of January!

Will you be a Beauty Army recruit?

Luv & Luk,
--L.

Pink Wednesday: December 14, 2011

2011-12-14T20:51:00.000-06:00

Hello, my Pretties!

I have a very short and quick post for you tonight. It's Wednesday!

Wet n Wild Wild Shine Nail Color

#461 Lady Luck

My sister gave me this nail polish when she cleaned out her stash a couple of days ago. She gave me a whole bunch of beauty goodies and you can check out that post HERE.

Say hello to my little friend :)

As you can see, this really is a nice pink. It's a hot pink! There are tiny purple micro shimmers integrated into the polish. You can see them in the photos but they are there.

The application was wonderful. I don't know how old this polish is but it applied smoothly and evenly. The formula was not thick at all. Drying time was quick. One coat was pretty opaque but two was perfect.

I need to get some more pink polishes for these Pink Wednesday posts because all my pink polishes are starting to look alike!

Luv & Luk,
--L.