Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Removing Glitter Nail Polish: The end to the struggle!

My last post was about creating a Purple Glitter Mani. It can look amazing while it lasts, but lets be real...removing glitter polish can be such a pain! But let all fears be gone...the battle between you and your glitter polish is over! Here's an easy way to remove it without the endless struggle of rubbing the cotton ball into your nails.



1. Have your materials ready!
- Foil paper: Cut 5 pieces that would be big enough to cover the entire upper part of your finger.

- Cotton balls: Divide one cotton ball into 5 pieces (feel free to use more than one cotton ball if your nails are bigger/longer or if the cotton ball is just too small).

- Nail polish remover

2. Soak one of the cotton pieces in nail polish remover and place it on top of your nail. Make sure the nail is completely covered by it.

3. Tightly cover the top part of your finger with a piece of foil paper so that the cotton will stay in place.

4. Repeat the same process on the rest of your nails.

5. After 10 minutes press your nail while wiggling the foil and cotton from side to side and finally remove the foil/cotton.

6. Voila! The polish will have adhered to the cotton and you have a glitter free nail without the struggle! In the case that some residue is left, just remove it using another cotton ball with nail polish remover.

Using this technique will definitely change your life!...Ok maybe I'm exaggerating but it will surely make it more easier. Now you don't have to think twice when contemplating the idea of rocking some glittery manicure.

Hope you enjoyed this post! Have you tried this technique?!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Purple Glitter Mani



I though I was so over glitter nails...until I saw this beautiful purple glittery nail polish from Victoria's Secret. My re-emerging interest in glitter polish happened all of the sudden, right when the cashier girl called me to pay. A simple head turn and I saw them...nail polishes from VS! And of course my attention was instantly caught by the sparkly purple glitter. I was in love. In an impulsive manner I just grabbed the bottle of polish and added it to my purchase. It was a great choice, just look how beautiful it looks!

I did a little research and found out that this polish is part of the brand new VS nail lacquer collection that was just recently launched in January 29, 2013. Below is a video which features manicurist Yuna Park. In it she shows you some tips on how to do a perfect manicure using the new nail products from VS.

In the pictures, two coats of the polished were used under the base color which is a Wet n' Wild polish in the shade Through the Grapevine (208B) (the same one I used for my Primping Up for V Day post!). I think the combination of the purple glitter with a berry color looks magnificent!

So, what are your thoughts on glitter nail polish?!


Monday, February 18, 2013

DIY Tinted Lips



I love the look of lip stains but sometimes its difficult to find that perfect formulation that will give you the exact color you want, with the exact intensity, and the long duration. So here's a super easy trick to achieve that tinted lips look you crave. The materials: lip balm and your selection of powder eye shadow. To achieve the look:

1. Apply lip balm with your finger.
2. Apply the eye shadow you selected with your finger as well and build up to the desired intensity you want.

That's it! As easy as 1 and 2! You can always mix up colors to create your own, custom made tones. Also play with matte as well as shimmer eye shadow formulations for different finishes. With this technique your imagination is the limit to the amount of lip looks you can achieve. Also if you are not into the matte look, feel free to add a gloss on top. If you forgot your eye shadow at home and want to retouch, use your lip balm and blend the color left on your lips for it to look fresh again. The color wont last 24 hours, but it will last several hours before the color is completely gone.

Hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know what you think of this technique in the comments below. I love to read all of your comments!


Friday, February 15, 2013

Blog Obsession: The Man Repeller


My blog is all about beauty, but beauty many times includes things outside the world of makeup and cosmetics. It is just great to find people who are beautiful just because they are so different and are so outside the box of ''common'' or ''normal'' people. I am subscribed to sooo many blogs relating fashion and beauty but sometimes I find extraordinary people that have amazing blogs and this is definitely one to share. Leandra Medine is the writer behind the fashion blog The Man Repeller. Her blog is all over the world of blogging and fashion, so if you don't know about her, you should go right now and check her stuff out! She recently did a commercial for Dr. Pepper which I posted above. This commercial shows her true self and I just love her! She's so unique, real, and fun to watch. The most fun thing about her blog is not only the fashion but also the way she is so outspoken and writes things in such an un-apologetic manner...I'm obsessed. These are the people I find truly beautiful and admire, those who are one of a kind and decide to live life for themselves and not for others.


Which blog are you currently obsessed with?!

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Primping up for V Day

Valentine's Day is coming up tomorrow and I couldn't be more exited. This is one of my favorite celebrations. It's the celebration of one of the most important things in life: LOVE. Many people hate Valentine's Day because they see it as a commercial tactic to sell products that is focused on couples, but I think everyone should see the big picture. This day you can celebrate love for not only a love partner but for your friends, family, pets, people in need, work partners, and last but absolutely not least, love for YOURSELF. So whether you have a special celebration or just going to work/school, primp up a little more than usual and give yourself a treat!

1. Scrub - Use a nice sugar or salt scrub to exfoliate your skin for it to be extra soft and ready to be touched this special day....even if you are the only one touching it! For the face, try using a more subtle formula with micro-particles instead of an abrasive exfoliator which can bring redness to the skin, and believe me, the only redness you want this day is that from your lips or flushing cheeks. And don't forget your lips! You can use a lip scrub or a toothbrush and water to gently exfoliate them.



2. Moisturize - do this right after you get out of the shower since the skin will still be moist, which will absorb any cream or oil so much better. Try using a body butter! They are the most hydrating and moisturizing formulation of all.

3. Mani/Pedi - eating chocolates out of a perfectly manicured hand is such a great view! So primp up your nails with either a classic red color or in my case I'm opting for a rich berry shade. To make it more interesting, add some nail art like glitter or hearts. And of course, don't neglect your feet, they need care and attention too. <3



4. Makeup! - Go with one focal point on your face. Make either your lips, eyes or cheeks stand out and then leave the other points subtle and neutral. I'm going for lips this Valentine's! And instead of the classic red lips (which I still absolutely love), my color for this Valentine's will be a berry shade as in my nail polish selection. I just think is a more modern, fun, and rich shade that will definitely make an impression!

Here are just the lips, tomorrow I will be adding a very thin liquid eyeliner and some natural -looking false eyelashes ;)

5. Hair - Make a romantic look with barely there curls. To achieve this, use a curling wand to curl your hair. Take hair sections of different sizes, so the curls look even more natural. After you are finished curling, use your hand to separate and soften the curls. To finish it all apply a small amount of hair spray all over to maintain the curls throughout the day and if needed apply some spray hair oil to add shine and make them look smooth and healthy!



6. HAVE FUN! This day is to enjoy love, ANY kind of love. So make it extra special and enjoy any of the mentioned above. Plus you can add some music, strawberries, and wine throughout the process to make it a little more cliche jet enjoyable!

So what will you do on Valentine's?



Saturday, February 9, 2013

Should you Whisper?

I finally got my hands into the so acclaimed Maybelline Color Whisper Lipcolors! Yey! I go mine in the shade Pink Possibilities (65) since I was looking for a wearable everyday pink. The company claims that these are "Pure color pigments suspended in a weightless gel. No heavy waxes or oils. Soft, sexy gel-color". Frankly, I'm not sure were to classify this product: sheer lipsticks? lip stains? Don't know! But I am definitely liking them. So I'll break this down into a Pros and Cons list.

Positives
• The lipstick does feel like a weightless gel and it's not sticky at all which is great for every day use.

• Application is really smooth, again thanks to the gel-like texture.

• After the shine of the lipcolor fades away, it leaves some color in your lips which look like a lip-stain and gives you an extended period of time until re-application.

• Although they provide a sheer color, you can build it up and the color is really noticeable without being extremely pigmented as heavy lipsticks. Again, great for everyday use!

• Packaging wise, these are beautiful! I must admit that one of my major motivations for buying them is the look of them...don't judge me please...I'm a fool for marketing, this people are geniuses...they get me every time...but still I don't care! Job well done Maybelline's marketing team! The Whispers are just so girly, young, and fun looking that there was no way I could resist them.

• They have a nice faint smell and taste to them, you can barely feel it which I appreciate since overpowering odors and tastes can be bothersome for me, specially when I'm eating or drinking something and the taste of the lipstick gets in the way.

• You can feel your lips hydrated while the shine is on your lips, so it can work as a short term/temporary balm (although the company never claims that these are hydrating).

Cons
• Constant reapplication is needed. The shine does go away fast (approximately within an hour, give or take) and although it leaves color on your lips, as mentioned above, the color does eventually fades after some time.

• After the shine is gone, your lips can feel a little dry...although maybe it's my lips which tend to be dry. (This one you will have to just let me know if it's the case with you or not)

• ... I can't find anything else bad to say!

My overall personal opinion is that this product is very nice, specially if you hate feeling a thick layer of lipstick in your lips since the Whispers will glide on easily and give some very pretty sheer color without feeling like you have a nasty sticky product sitting on your lips.

So I want to hear it from you! Will you be Whispering any time soon?




Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Color Makeup Done Right

Source: workithustle

I wanted to do a quick post about this makeup inspiration just because I found it so beautiful. I love how it combines neutrals while providing an added interest with the use of colors . First of all, this look starts up very neutral in the lids with white eye shadow all over the lids and taupe eye shadow in the crease which expands above it and beyond the corners of the eye to elongate them. Then the interesting comes in...a teal-colored eyeliner in the waterline combined with a pop of bright orange matte lips! It just looks amazing. I can't wait to recreate this very cool and fun look. To balance off the colors in the eyes and lips, the face was kept really simple with contoured cheeks by working a matte bronzer into the hollow of the cheeks.

What do you girls think about this look?


Monday, February 4, 2013

Liebster Award


I am so excited since I have been nominated for the Liebster Award! This is an award given from blogger to blogger and it passes on like a chain.

I absolutely have to give a huge thanks to Shobna for nominating me. I really appreciate it and you should defintely check out her blog!

For those like me who didn't have an idea of what 'liebster' meant, here it is (directly taken from Shobna's blog):

Liebster is a German word meaning kindest, nicest, beloved, endearing and welcoming. It's a word which has a positive meaning towards people. This award is given to bloggers by other bloggers. And the most important thing about this award is to share and grow the network and encourage new Bloggers. The blogger who has been nominated should have less than 200 followers.

So how cool is that?! Very exciting for me!

This award has some rules:
1. Each person has to post 11 things about themselves. (Facts about you)
2. Answer the questions the nominator made for you and also create 11 more questions for the blogs you nominate
3. Choose nominations and link them to your post
4. Go to their page and tell them.

So here I go...

11 Things About ME
1. My favorite dessert is ice cream
2. I used to be a girl scout when I was a kid
3. I LOVE movies, I go to the movie theater about once per week
4. I don't remember the last time I went out of my house without nail polish
5. I'm a cat lover
6. I'm a very picky eater
7. I hate public speaking, it's so nerve raking!
8. My pet peeve: cuticle picking...I'm just disgusted by it to another level :s
9. I love Valentine's Day
10. Milk chocolate vs Dark chocolate? Dark chocolate for me!
11. As you may predict, I'm such a girly girl :)

Questions by Shobna
1. What is the reason you start blogging?
Simply to share my passion in beauty with others since there aren't many people around me with that same interest. I though it will be nice to interact about this topic with others and meet new people in the blogging community.

2. Do you have a dream?
I dream of traveling the world throughout my life.

3. What is favorite cartoon (all time)? Why?
I am not a fan of cartoons now, but when I was a kid I remember loving Tom & Jerry.

4. Who is your idol? Why?
Maybe this sounds a little cliche, but my idol has to be my mother. She has been through tough situations and has always managed to come through and find ways to make her life a happier one. She has taught me to see the positive perspective of every situation and to try new things in life that will help you be an overall better and happier human being. I just love her, respect her, and always looking up to her.

5. Have you been nominated before for any awards?
Nope! This is my first. I'm so excited!

6. What is your dream job?
I am studying pharmacy, but really my dream job will be working in the beauty industry, more specifically in makeup artistry.

7. Your favorite websites?
Refinery29
WhoWhatWhere
Real Beauty

8. What are you obsessed in?
Im obsessed with magazines! OMG I have a ton of subscriptions every month mailed to me. Even the mail man calls me the magazine girl :s ...but I don't care...I just love them <3 data-blogger-escaped-br="">

9. What will you do if you found or get $10000?
This one's easy...Eurotrip! I would definitely travel all throughout Europe and part of the money will be spent on clothing and beauty products from there! Oh, now you got me day dreaming about it...

10. Name 5 of your New Year Resolution which you are still keeping up?
This year I didn't make any stablished New Year's Resolutions, but I think in general to always try to stay true to who I am and to always try to be a better person :)

11. Your favorite brand (any)?
Most of my products are drug-store products, so my favorite brand has to be L'Oreal. I came up with this conclusion since most of the products I continuously use are from that brand.

Nominees
1. A Girl Named Nydia
2. Rush and Teal
3. This Please
4. Drops of Elixir
5. The Beauty Board
6. Pinstriped Penguin
7. Tasha Lauren Cleary

11 Questions for my nominees
1. Which is your favorite place on earth?
2. What kind of movies do you like the most? Action, Humor, Romance, etc?
3. Which type of makeup product do you never leave the house without?
4. What is one trait that characterizes you?
5. What topic do you dislike talking about the most?
6. In the case it happened...do you prefer being over-dressed or under-dressed to an event?
7. Which is your favorite skincare product?
8. What is #1 on your Bucket List?
9. Which is your favorite season of the year? Winter, Spring, Fall, Summer?
10. If you had the money, what kind of cause/charity would you give the biggest contribution to?
11. Who is your favorite fashion designer?

Hope all of my nominees have fun doing this!

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Spring '13 Beauty Wish List



I'm already preparing for the next season...I mean, after all you have to be ready on time! Anyway Spring is all that magazines are talking about so why not do it too?! There are so many amazing new products that are coming out, and others not so new that just passed me by but that are still on my mind. But these are the ones which I would love to have and try. Here's my Spring '13 Beauty Wish List:

1. LORAC Pro Powder Sheek Stain in Coral Crush: I'm all about long wearing formulations in makeup and I definetly want to try this one since the company claims that it lasts for 12 hours! Also it is free of parabens, sulfates, and other ingredients that can bother your skin. Plus I've been looking for a coral-colored blush to change things up a little.

2. Maybelline Color Whisper: I've been seeing these all over the blogs and beauty gurus are all talking about them, but they still haven't arrive where I live...so that's a bummer. But they are for sure a product to try since they claim to provide pure pigments of color in a soft gel formulation...jumm...sounds interesting to me!

3. OCC Lip Tar Metallic in Yaoi: Lips Tars have been causing sensation for a while now since they are super super pigmented, but now Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics added a new finish, metallic! Maybe they won't work for everyday use, but I think they will surely turn head on a hot night out on the town.

4. Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation: This product claims to combine primer, concealer, and foundation all in one. Skipping some steps in my makeup routine those days when I have to wake up early and have no time? How amazing this sounds?!

5. Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder: Another product that is creating a lot of buzz! Some say that the powder is very light weight and almost feels like a high-end product. Plus many beauty gurus claim that it leaves your face oil free for the most part of the day so I'm eager to test all these rumors for myself.

6. NYX Makeup Setting Spray in Matte Finish: I have been wanting a setting spray for a long time, but they can be very expensive and definetly not on my "to buy" list for that reason. But NYX released this new setting spray for a fraction of the price of other brands. Plus you can decide whether you like a Matte or a Dewy finish while preserving the staying power of your makeup throughout the day.

7. Color Club Holographic Nail Polish: If you haven't seen holographic nail polish yet, please google it now...it is just so cool! The holographic trend have been popping out throught the runways in clothing and accessories but now you can also display it on your nails which takes your manicure to another level!

So there it is! Are any of these products on your Wish List? Or better yet, what is YOUR Wish List for next season?!

Love to hear from you girls!