Origins Earth Day Trade In Event at Sephora!

Happy Friday Everyone! I came into work and  checked my email with some good news today. Sephora and Origins are celebrating Earth Day with a special promo, if you bring in any empty cosmetic product container to a Sephora store on April 22, 2012 for recycling you will receive one Full Size Moisturizer from Origins. You get to choose from either the Starting Over Moisturizer or the Perfect World Moisturizer. The email also notes that if you live in Salt Lake City Utah or Paramus New Jersey this promotion with be honored on April 23. Also I'm not sure if it is held outside the country so any of you Babes overseas and elsewhere can weigh in on this. But you can get the free moisturizer by making a $30 purchase online. Happy Earth Day to Us!

My First Award!

Yesterday I found out that Karen from beautyplaylist had awarded me with the One Lovely Blog Award! Thank you Karen. That's really exciting and motivating to me because I recently decided I really wanted to put effort into this blog and share all that I know with everyone and I have been working hard on coming up with some great stuff to share.

Rules of the Award:

• List 7 Things About Yourself
• Award 15 other blogs (I agree with Karen on this being a little much, I'll try to award as many blogs as I can)

Seven Things About Me

1. All of my makeup skills are self taught (I used to spend hours a day reading Kevin Aucoin books and youtubing...actually I still do)
2. I love tea! My favorite is white teas and green
3. I have no sisters and 3 brothers
4. I'm very body positive and follow a lot of blogs on body image and self love
5. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology
6. I was born and raised in Southern California but I'm thinking of leaving soon so if you have any suggestions out of state let me know! :)
7. When I'm really stressed out about something I sleep

Blogs I'm Awarding

• Taylor Tunno 
• The Black Pearl 
• The Beauty Alchemist 
• The Beauty Department 
• Rockalilly 

The blogs I'm awarding are a mix of beauty and fashion so check them out! 

Happy Blogging :) 

Kryptonite Nails

I've had this funky bright green color from Forever 21 for a while but I didn't want to wear it by itself so I made an attempt to obre the glitter on top and I liked how it turned out. First I painted the pale green layer and let it dry completely. Then I used a cosmetic sponge and took one layer of the glitter color up a little more than half way. Then added a second layer on the sponge half way from there, then a final layer on the tip. Add a top coat to make it last and you're done!
China Glaze Nail Lacquer- Zombie Zest
Love and Beauty Nail Polish- Lime
Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

Favorites: Moisturizing Scrubs

As a person with very sensitive skin ( I have occasional Eczema flare ups) I can really appreciate an exfoliator that also moisturizes at the same time. I hate stepping out of the shower and feeling like all the moisture has been washed away from my skin, and it also doesn't help that I kinda don't enjoy putting lotion on, as random as that is. So here are my two ABSOLUTE FAVORITE exfoliators that also do an amazing job of moisturizing the skin.
1. Lush- Buffy, $11.95-$22.95: This bar is my first love when it comes to Lush products. It's a body butter bar, but it has pieces of ground rice, almonds and beans that exfoliate your skin while you are rubbing yourself down with the very moisturizing and delicious smelling bar. When the Lush rep told me about this product he explained that I should step out of direct contact with my shower water, rub myself down, let the body butter sit on my skin for minute, then rinse it lightly with warm water. This is what I do and I come out of the shower feeling so moisturized. But I also make sure to lock it in with some body butter to seal the deal after my shower.
2. Bliss- Body Scrub Velvety-Soft Skin Polish in Lemon- Sage, $39: This skin polish is one of the most amazing products I have ever used. Similar to the Buffy Bar it exfoliates the skin while also leaving it soft and moisturized. Only the process for applying is a little different. You apply this polish all over your body BEFORE you get in the shower. But I would say do it while the warm water is running so the steam in the room can help the product seep into your skin. Then just sort of hang out naked for a few minutes while the polish sets in, then hop in the warm shower and gently rinse off the product. It smells so amazing and will leave your skin feeling baby soft.

What's In My Bag?

Happy Monday Everyone! I know it's be a little while since my last post. I had a pretty eventful last couple weeks and I think that's finally catching up with me. I'm not feeling so well, but I wanted to be productive so here is my first "What's In My Bag" post.

So as you can see I kinda like Hello Kitty...And I have so many accessories so when I use this purse I like to just throw them all in there.

I've been out of the house a lot so I have a few travel friendly items like the mini hairspray can by Treseme. This is the best kind because I've also had the mini aerosol free can but the pump gets stuck and it doesn't do the trick. This one is perfect for quick touch ups. I picked that up at Target and also got a mini pack of makeup wipes. There's also a fold up brush by Sephora that doubles as a compact mirror, then my Conair teasing comb. But lastly I want to talk about this Sephora Head to Toe Hydrator. This is by FAR my favorite moisturizer! You can use it all over your body and in your hair. It's not greasy and it smells amazing. I keep this on me at all times.

Here's some random products I found thrown in there. The CG Lipslicks in Daring is one of my favorite balms. It gives a nice tint of red and it almost an exact dupe for Benetint Lipbalm. The only problem is it doesn't smell too great, but the color makes it worth it. Then a bundle of bobby pins, a NYX gloss in Beige and I just bought this "My Spots are Consealed" concealer in light yesterday. I saw it used on an eyebrown tutorials so I thought I'd give it a try.

My Shades :) The ones on the bottom I found at a surf shop in Huntington Beach and they're probably my favorite pair. And I always carry my Ray Bans in my bag and keep them in the case so I don't lose them, because it's happened before...

I work at a library so I'm really trying to make an effort to read more. I JUST started this book, and I like to keep it on me just in case I run into some down time.

My mom got me this little Hello Kitty pouch and it's perfect for carrying lip products. Right now it's filled with all red because of my weekend at Viva. I have the Prep + Prime, Buxom lip color in Barcelona, L'oreal Infallible Color in Crimson, MAC Lipstick in Viva Glam I (my go-to red) and MAC Lipliner in Brick.

And that's pretty much it. The bag and products vary with my outfits and seasons, but I like to carry this one around just for fun. If you have a 'what's in my bag' post go ahead and link it, because I'd like to see. Have a great week, I'll be posting again soon

Spring Must Haves

It's raining right now in Southern California, so I decided I would post my favorite spring trends and products to lift my mood! Some of these are trends that I have noticed and others are things that I'm just in love with and thought I would share with you all.
1. The Peplum Top: When I first saw this style trending I wasn't too sure about it, but when I tried on a dress from Forever 21 I fell in love! It really flatters all body shapes because the ruffle sort of distracts from my tummy area and it looks really cute.
2. Pink Fragrance Mist: I am seriously in LOVE with this scent. The bottle I have is nearly empty and I always bring it out when Spring/ Summer hit. There are so many floral notes to it, it just makes me feel fresh and clean and ready for a day out in the sun.
3. Buxom Big & Healthy Lipstick- Barcelona: I was talked into purchasing this lip color by a friend of mine while I was working at Sephora and it was seriously one of the best purchases I made there. This lip color is the perfect shade of red that would compliment any skin tone, and the great thing about all Buxom lip products is that they nourish your lips and leave a slight tingle. I personally think red lips are always in season, and this is one of my top picks.
4. Peep Toe Flat: I just purchased these flats from H&M in a coral color and they are so comfortable! I love that peep toes are in so I can show off my pedicure and still look a little more classy than a sandal because I really don't do well in heels.
5. Aveeno Nourish + Condition Leave In Conditioner: So I stole this product from my Mom the other day and I'm in love with the way it smells! But I'm gonna be honest I haven't used it long enough to know if it really helps repair your hair, I'll update on that soon. I just love that it's a mist and not a cream so it's not too heavy for the Spring/ Summer weather.
6. Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream: BB Cream is huge right now and Spring is the perfect time to put it to use. It is a moisturizer, primer, SPF, oil controller and foundation in one. You can buy similar products in a multitude of price ranges. I personally love it because when the weather is warm the last thing I want to do is put on a thick layer of foundation. 

How To: Ombre Your Hair Pink

Ok I'm finally getting around to posting this and now that I see how sort of difficult it is to explain in text, I think I'm going to make a tutorial video about it. But for now I'm just going to do my best to explain it. So if you want your hair to look like this, read on!

Just a disclaimer before I get started with explaining this, I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL! I'm just a broke woman who wanted to change her hair, and because I tend to make these decisions on a whim it's easier for me to just do them myself, and much more cost effective. However this is the first time I've used bleach on my own head and though I like the way it turned out, it was a learning experience. 

Process One: Bleaching The Tips

I began this process with hair that had not been washed in a day or 2. I've been told this helps the color stick, and I would say that's accurate. I mixed equal parts of the bleach powder and developer in 30 volume. From what I've read you should not go above a 30 volume because it will seriously damage your hair. I've even heard using 20 volume, however this slow but steady way of bleaching is more for those who want to bleach their whole head, or in really large portions. Once I mixed the bleach I parted my hair down the middle and divided it into about 2-3 inch sections.

With the ombre technique it's really important that both sides of your head be even, so if I applied the lightener on one side of my head, I IMMEDIATELY did the same to the other side.I applied the bleach first to the bottom 3-4 inches of my hair, then wrapped the ends in foil. For this first process it stated to let it sit for about 30 minutes, but after I checked my hair at that time I saw that it wasn't nearly enough, so for the first round I left it on for about 45 minutes, then rinsed it out. 

Now some people say to apply the second layer of bleach after the hair is still damp, but I personally was more comfortable with rinsing it, drying it completely, then bleaching again. However, this time I took the color about 3 inches higher. I still incorporated all of the hair, even the previously bleached ends, to be bleached again. I then wrapped the ends in foil and let it sit for about another half hour. I also forgot to mention this for the first step of bleaching, but for both sessions I placed a plastic bag over my head to lock in the heat. I also took a blow dryer and inserted it in the bag for my heat to activate the bleach. 

I then rinsed my hair and towel dried it. Because my hair was black when I began, the color was not a true blonde, it came out quite brassy. I anticipated this problem so I purchased a toner in a grey color because I was told grey takes out the brassiness. I placed the toner in a bottle and just applied it directly to my damp hair and left it in for about 15 minutes which turned out to be the perfect amount of time. Because I mistakenly did this a second time and left the toner in longer and it turned a darker color that I did not want. So for future reference, if you are toning with grey, use a lite amount on damp hair and don't leave it very long if you want to take the brassiness out. Here is what my hair looked like after this round... 

Process 2: Adding the Pink (Or any other color you want)

I purchased the Color Jamz Semi Permanent colors in Bubble Head Pink and Candy Apple Red. I did this because originally I wanted to do just the red, but I thought to be a little more daring I'd start with Pink then let that fade and add the red after. So I took the Bubble Head Pink, put on some gloves and just went to town. I squeezed it straight from the bottle onto the blonde tips of my hair and just worked it with my hands. Once every inch of blonde was covered I wrapped my hair in a bun and put a plastic bag over it. I recommend letting it sit for a VERY long time because it takes a while to grab onto your hair. Also this product is vegan so there are no harsh chemicals that will damage your hair if you leave it in too long, and it smells really great. After my first round of hair coloring it turned out looking like the first picture I posted. 

One thing I noticed is that the color does not last as long the first time around, so after about a week I decided to color it once more, this time using the Candy Apple Red. But instead of getting this true red color I actually got a really hot pink, and I ended up really loving it. This is how the color was the second round with the Candy Apple Red...

I like how vibrant and deep the color is and it has lasted much longer than the color did my first time applying. So from now on when I apply the color I'm going to alternate between the Bubble Head Pink and the Candy Apple Red to keep this vibrant hot pink color going. Also I posted the picture of the Dove Conditioner because it is SOOOO IMPORTANT to deep treat your hair when you do something like this. Especially if you're like me and you're going from black to blonde, damage is to be expected, but it can be much less if you take care of your hair. 

And that's really all I did! I'm sorry I know this post is really long, thank you so much for taking the time to go over it. If you have any questions I'd be happy to answer them as best I can, but as I stated before I'm not a pro. 

March Favorites

1. One n Only- Argan Oil: I bought this stuff when I started hearing all kinds of good things about Moraccan Oil, and I have to say this is my go to product to nourish my hair as soon as I get out of the shower. Whether I'm wearing my hair natural which is curly, or if I plan on using a flat iron, this oil leaves my hair smooth and soft. I would only say if you are planning to just flat iron your hair, don't put too much or it will weigh it down and make it look greasy. 

2. Aveda- Be curly: I get a lot of questions on how I manage my curly hair, and this is one of my favorite products to do that. It's more light weight than a lot of other curl enhancers and it smells amazing! I just run about a quarter size through 4 different sections of my hair when it's wet then let it air dry. If you can't let it air dry I would say use a diffuser, because you don't want to disrupt the curls. 

3. NYC Liquid Eyeliner: I LOVE THIS PRODUCT! I feel as if I've been looking for the perfect drug store eyeliner and this is it! The consistency is thick, but not too much, and the color is super black, it doesn't leave an patchy spaces. But my favorite part about it is the wand. It is perfectly long so you can see exactly where you are placing your line without your hand getting in the way. And the brush makes cat liner easy to do. Definitely a must have, and you can't beat the price at about $2.99 depending on where you buy it.

4. Kat Von D Lipstick - A Go-Go: So at first a was a little reluctant to purchase this lipstick because orange just seemed so bold, but I'm really happy I did! I receive so many compliments every time wear it and I like that the color can really stand alone. All you need to compliment it is some mascara and a lil bit of blush. 

5. Dove- Nourishing Oil Care Deep Conditioner: When I started coloring my hair more often I was in the market for a conditioner that would really deep treat my hair, but also wouldn't break the bank, and that is exactly what this does. It's under $4 and since I've been using it I can tell a HUGE difference in the texture of my hair. 

6. NARS Illuminator- Copacabana: I'm a huge fan of adding a highlight to the top of the cheek bones and the eyebrow bone to give the face a youthful glow and this product is perfect for that. I just add a dab above my cheek and on my brow bone, sometimes on the bridge of my nose and it really lights up my face. Plus this bottle is going to last a LONG time, because a little goes a long way

Cross Your Heart Customs

There were so many awesome hand made products being sold at Viva that I could have broken the bank with the purchases I wanted to make. But one particular vendor's products really caught my eye. "Cross Your Heart Customs" is run by Catherine Mejia and her skills are amazing! She makes a ton of hand painted necklaces, sugar skulls, flasks, you name it! I settled on some hair bows at an amazing deal and a very cute skull couple necklace. Her attention to detail is really amazing. My necklace is perfectly painted and I love how the bows are held on hand made holders made from a deck of hards and some Loteria cut outs, nice touch!
I was also really impressed with how friendly and reasonable Catherine was. Her prices were probably the best out of the whole event. Here is her info in case any of you are interested in her products. You can find her at facebook.com/CrossYourHeartCustoms or email her at artgirlcathy@yahoo.com. Thanks Cathy for the great stuff!

Weekend Recap: Viva Las Vegas!

This weekend was a great one, and for the most part it began on on Thursday night when we celebrated my brother's 33 Birthday, Happy Birthday Mario!

Then Friday morning bright and early my cousins and I headed to Las Vegas for the "Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend." It was the 15th annual show and all of our first times going, and based on this experience I will definitely be in attendance next year! The event was actually Thursday- Sunday but those passes sold out pretty quickly so we got tickets to see the car show, some bands and walk the vendors. Overall it was a lot of fun. The ladies were dressed to the nine's ( I can't say the same for the men I saw, but then again I didn't go to all of the events ;). Here are some pictures of my cousins and I and some of the awesome cars we got to look at, some were for sale! So tempting, if only I had money and knowledge on how to fix them haha

We also managed to score tickets to see Tiger Army! They played a show at Mandalay Bay on Saturday night, and it was awesome as always. I think I've seen them a total of 4 or 5 times and they always put on a great show

And here's some pictures of my cousins and I. I was hoping to turn out some awesome victory rolls for the event, but of course I ended up having a bad hair day :/ So i went with curls and a bow

Make Up Forever- Spring Pro Social

If any of you are on Make Up Forever's mailing list you should be aware that their Spring Pro Social is coming up! They are opening it to Backstage card members in the New York and Los Angeles areas to launch some new products which include: Aqua Shadow, 4 NEW Cream Shadows and Eye Prime! They are offering a 50% discount on all the new products and promise a night of fun, mingling and networking with beauty pros, insiders and models. So if you can make it, it sounds like a great night. Here is the info for each location.

NYC Pro SocialCome and meet our East Coast Pro team and view an inspirational display of MAKE UP FOR EVER Alliance artist Roshar’s work at the NYC Studio! You’ll also be privy to the Pro launch of new MAKE UP FOR EVER products: Aqua Shadow, new Aqua Cream shades, and Eye Prime that will be offered at a special 50% discount all evening!

NYC Studio Thursday, April 12th from 6PM - 9PM
8 East 12th Street, NY, NY (between 5th Ave. and University Pl.)
To RSVP for New York, please call 212-377-3836

Los Angeles Pro Social
Come and meet our West Coast Pro team, including David Hernandez, Brittany James, and Joseph Del Castillo and check out the Pro launch of new MAKE UP FOR EVER products: Aqua Shadow, new Aqua Cream shades, and Eye Prime that will be offered at a special 50% discount all evening!

Los Angeles Boutique Friday, April 13th from 6PM - 9PM
132 South Robertson Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA (between Alden and 3rd)
To RSVP for Los Angeles, please call 310-289-1758

Review: Sephora Cleansing Wipes

I don't know about the rest of you but I have serious OCD when it comes to the cleanliness of my face. I remember joking with my friend when I was in Junior High saying, "even on my wedding night I'm gonna break and wash my face before I fall asleep." (clearly a junior high joke...moving on). But sometimes, I'm also really lazy, so I have tried what seems to be EVERY makeup wipe under the sun, and I had yet to find the perfect one until I used Sephora brand.
These wipes are amazing. Plain and simple. My biggest issue with other brands has always been that they leave my skin with a residue feeling, or in many cases my skin was irritated. Some cloths and whatever chemicals other companies put in them were very harsh and irritating. Or the scent was too strong, or they just did not do the job of removing all my makeup. That is NOT the case with these wipes. They leave your skin feeling, fresh, clean and soft. They remove the makeup with ease (even mascara and eyeliner). I now always have at least 2 packs in my makeup drawer because they work so well. If your looking for a good quality cleansing wipe, look no further!
From the Sephora site, here is a list of what they claim is NOT in the wipes:
- Parabens

- Sulfates

- Synthetic Dyes

- Petrochemicals

- Phthalates

- GMOs

- Triclosan

Price: $9.00
Rating: 10/10

Coming Soon! Caviar Manicures

I'm really big into nail art, if I'm not trying something new with my own polishes, I'm going to nail shops that know how to hook it up. So I was super excited to find out about Caviar Nails by Ciate. Here's a tutorial video and their site claims to soon have them available at all Sephora's and Sephora.com. They must be popular because they are now on back order thru the site and have a waiting list. Let me know if you have it already, want to try it or what you think!

and here's the link to the site. If you sign up for their mailing list you get 10% off your order.
http://www.ciate.co.uk/caviar-manicure.html

My New Face Routine

I've been experiencing breakouts more lately and I'm pretty sure I can attribute that to me changing my birth control, because for the most part I have clear skin. But I do wear a fair amount of makeup so it's important to me that my skin is nice and clean before I go to sleep. For a while I had been searching for a cleanser that makes my skin feel clean, but also not too dried out. My skin type is Dry-Normal and I typically have no problem finding a cleanser that takes the makeup off, but most of them strip away my natural oils and leave my skin feeling even more dry and tight. And as of now the products I'm using do not do that...

Cleanser- Kampuku Beauty Bar
I discovered this cleanser when I was trolling thru some makeup up artist's Instagram and she promoted it as a great cleanser that does not over-dry the skin, and I can say that thia is a perfect description! This bar takes all of my makeup off with no problem and even before I apply my moisturizer my skin feels soft and clean. It doesn't have a scent so if you're sensitive to that, this is a perfect solution. It works well for all skin types and you only need to lather it up a little bit to get enough soup to take off a days worth of makeup. Definitely worth the buy. I purchased it at Sprouts market, it's an organic product so it might be sold in similar stores, or you can always get it on Amazon.

Price: $ 11.00
Rating: 9/10

Exfoliating: Beyond Belief ABH Pore Refining Blemish Scrub

I've been using this scrub for a while and I really do feel like it is clearing my skin. The scrubbing beads are super tiny so they're not too abrassive for daily use. But I find myself only using it about every 3 days or so. I'd say the only thing I don't like about it is that it has a really weird smell. Very similar to black licorice, which I don't like at all. But other than that, it does the trick and it a great buy. I bought mine at Sally's Beauty Supply.

Price: $6.59

Rating: 8.5/10



Toning- Oil of Olay Toner w/ Witchhazel

I don't use toner on my skin everyday, just on the days that I feel I need a bit more deep cleansing. And I want my skin to have that fresh feeling. I purchased this toner a while ago, and I like it. It doesn't dry out my skin and witchhazel has so many amazing effects on the skin such as clearing blemishes, soothing rashes, dry skin, and sun burns. Because of this I would also suggest buying straight witch hazel, which can also be purchased at sprouts for about $5.00.

Oil of Olay: $4.00

Rating: 7/10

Moisturizer: Neutragena Oil- Free Moisturizer

I LOVE this moisturizer! I was struggling for a while to find something with the perfect balance of being heavy enough to heal dry skin and light enough to wear under makeup and this is the perfect solution. The only down side is if you get it in your eyes, you're gonna be in some pain so just avoid that. Other than that, it's great

Price: $9.99

Rating: 9/10

I Have Pink Hair!

Just thought I would let everyone know, and also that I went from obre blonde, to this color and I did it all on my own starting with Black hair. So when I get home and am able to gather all the products I used I can give you all a rundown on the process, what I used and what it cost me (under $50). Stay Tuned!

How To: Keep Your Lipstick from Bleeding/ Fading

In case anyone was looking for a solution to lipstick bleeding but did not want to spend the money on a product to prevent it from doing that, here are some tips I've picked up on how to prevent that, and can be done with any product...

Step 1. Apply Lipliner- I personally almost never wear a lipstick without a liner because A. I usually like the liner to be a bit darker to create a contrast, and also because it sets a good foundation on the lips for the color to stay.
Step 2. Apply Color with a Lip Brush- This step might sound tedious but it makes a huge difference, gives you more control and wastes less color.
Step 3. Blot- After your first layer of lipstick, blot it with a tissue
Step 4. Add Translucent Powder (Optional) - This helps set the first layer of lipstick and sets a good foundation for the second layer and will really lock in the color
Step 5. Add a Second Layer of color - With your lips brush put on that final top coat
Step 6. Blot Once More- Blot one last time and your are good to go with color that will last all night!

Review: MAC Prep + Prime Lip

It's kinda funny that my first review of a product after I mentioned working at Sephora isn't even sold at Sephora, but it's definitely worth mentioning which is why I'm bringing it up. And also I'll note that if you're looking for any other product similar to this at Sephora, the only one available is by Too Faced and it's called Lip Insurance. I personally haven't used it, but I haven't heard any great things about it.

The MAC Prep + Prime Lip is awesome if you have trouble with your lipstick bleeding onto your skin or getting on your teeth. It comes in a tube similar to a lipstick and you just glide the product on your lips. I was also given a tip from a woman at the counter that told me to to put the product also around the edge of my lips to really stop the color from bleeding, and that tip really works! I have a serious issue with bleeding and I feel like on many occasions I had product on my teeth. Now since using this I won't wear lipstick without it because I just don't want to have to worry.

Price: $15.00
Overall Rating: 10/ 10

Playing Catch Up

So from the months of December to Februrary I found myself working seasonal at my local Sephora store and from that experience I have gained a great amount of knowledge. Don't ask me why I wasn't blogging DURING this job because that would have made much more sense, but there's nothing I can do about that now...

I'm going to share some tips and tricks I learned along the way as well as give as many reviews as I can because I tested out and purchased A LOT of product while I was working there. So let's get started...