Happy Birthday To Me!

Thursday, July 22nd, was my 25th birthday! I orginally had elaborate plans but life got in the way and I settled for a simple day of pampering and a lovely dinner at PF Changs with friends and family.

Just wanted to send a few thank yous!

ONE LOVE to all my birthday cards. Charee gave me my first, my brother Keith gave me the sweetest, Karl gave me the prettiest, Jas gave me cutest, and Segredo gave me the funniest (because I gave my brother the SAME EXACT ONE last week for his birthday lol)!!

ONE LOVE to Sephora for my free birthday gift. It includes a mini Macara lash plumper, Nano Eyes eyeliner in Silver Green, and an eyeshadow in Aspen Summit No23.

ONE LOVE to Charleta for my Victoria's Secret body spray and body wash in Lovespell.

ONE LOVE to Nichole who completely surprised me with all these makeup goodies! She knows I love makeup and snagged me a BUNCH of things. I got:

A beauty book, a cosmetic bag, travel bag w/ brushes, two face sponges, two eyeshadow palettes, four individual eyeshadows, two baked eyeshadows, two blushes, one mosaic cheek powder, one baked blusher/bronzer, one cream cheek highlight, a face primer, a foundation, concealer wand, a face complexion cream powder, an eyebrow pencil, eyeshadow base, two pencil eyliners, a liquid liner, two gel liners/shadows, two mascaras, two lip liners, two lip stains, three lip glosses, and a lipstick...phew!

Most of the products are ybf (Your Best Friend), Ready to Wear, and Global Goddess...all brands that I have NEVER tried which is exiting! Annndd some of the colors/shadows are sooo unique and perfect for tan skin. I am sooo exited to try everything out! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Check her shoe/handbag business Step InStyle where everything is only $20!

ONE LOVE to my brother Keith for watching little man while I got some mommy time out of the house.

ONE LOVE to the 34968456789346983 facebook messages, texts, and BBMs. I reeallly enjoyed my day and appreciated everything!

The Concept of a Break Up Ring?!

Hello all,
So as I wrote in my last post, I have recently gone through a pretty heartwrenching break up...(ouch!). Well, a lot of my friends note buying shoes, handbags, cutting their hair, and doing whatever to make themselves feel better after a break up. Well...I have done a few things, but my most brilliant idea yet has been my concept of the BREAK UP ring!

If I was 'balling' then I definitely would have dropped some serious dough on buying me a lavish piece of jewely...but I'm a social worker and a single parent (nuff said!). I went ahead and logged onto Overstock.com which is my faaavvvoorriitee spot right now and got the two beauties below. The cross ring is a CZ gem and the Ruby ring is sterling silver with 1/10 cut diamonds. Both are fairly simple but look amazing!



The cross ring I wear on my left hand ring finger (where my wedding ring would have gone!) as a reminder to be married to God. God has called me to singlehood at this time in my life and I am working toward building a better relationship with Him. The Ruby (my birthstone) heart ring is worn on my right hand ring finger and is a reminder to be in a relationship with myself.

Too many times when we are in a relationship, we lose sight of who we are. I am not saying that I lost sight of God or myself while in my prior relationship, but these two items serve as a silent symbol of how important staying true to my faith and to myself really is to me.

PS. The color on my nails is Color Club holo polish in Fashion Addict (looove it!)

Have a Broken Heart? Buy Some SHOES!!

In a nutshell, someone whom I really cared about and loved recently DUMPED me! Soooo...a step forward to healing involves doing something I do best...SHOPPING! I got these beauties from shoedazzle.com and I love them! They run a tad bit big but I just slipped in a toe pad and they are fab! The shoes are called "Carolina" and are faux leather roundtoe slate (grey) pumps with black/grey faux snakeskin embellishing the 4" heel with a 0.75" platform. The ultimate cure to healing a heartbreak :-)

LOTD: Neutral w/ a POP of Purple! (28 Neutral Palette)

Hello all! I wore this look to work today. I made it a bit more dramatic than normal for casual Friday but oh well! It is my standard neutral eye using the 28 Matte Palette with a pop of purple liner. Enjoy!

PRODUCTS USED:

FACE:

Neutrogena Oil Free Face Moisturiser for Combo Skin

Laura Gellar tinted under makeup spackle in Bronze

Neutrogena Oil Free Clean Foundation in Tawny (applied w/ foundation brush)

Neutrogena Oil Free pressed powder inh Tawny (with jumbo kabuki brush)

MAC Fix+ to create a dewy look

CHEEKS:

NYC Sun 2 Sun Bronzing Powder in Terracotta Tan (contoured cheeks)

NYX Blush in Pecan

EYES:

Two Face Shadow Insurance as eyelid primer

28 Neutral Palette (light golden color on lid, reddish brown on brow bown and above the golden, and charcoal black in the crease)

Physician's Formula Custom EyeEnhancing Gel Creamliner for Brown Eyes (I used the purple in the trio) on upper lash line

Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer in Deep Ocean directly on top of the purple liner

NYC Eyeliner Pencil in White on lower lash line

Maybelline Volum Express Falsies mascara

LIPS:

NYX Round lipstick in Thalia

NYX Round lipgloss in Real Nude

LOTD: Neutral Blue w/ Purple Lips?!

Once again, my homegirl Latrica didn't think PURPLE lips could be pulled off, lol. While at a soror's graduation barbecue, my line sister was sporting a neutral eye with torqouise eyliner. I loved it, so I decided to recreate her look with an electric blue eyeliner. I had to show Trica how purple lips could work so I paired to the two together! Enjoy..

PS. Don't mind the unruly brows...it is time to get them threaded again!

PRODUCTS USED:

FACE:

Neutogena Face Mositurizer in Combo Skin

Laura Gellar tinted spackle in Bronze under makeup primer

Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation in Caramel Dark 2 (tiny bit)

MAC MSF Natural in Dark (light)

No concealer today

CHEEKS:

Maybelline Expertwear Blush in Potpurri (really pretty berry color)

EYES:

Two Faced Shadow Insurance for primer

28 Neutral Palette (light brown on entire lid, reddish brown on brow bone, dark brown with burgundy flecks in crease)

E.L.F Concealer to cover brow hairs/as highlight

Sephora Nano eyes liner in Lagoon (electric blue) on upper lash

Sephora Nano eyes liner in Glitter Black on waterline and outer corner of lower lash line

Maybelline Volum Express Falsies mascara in Blackest Black

LIPS:

Wet n Wild Kohl Eyeliner in Lilac (think NYX Luxor, Ben Nye Cosmic Violet, or MAC Stars n Rockets eyeshadow in an eyeliner color)..I filled in my entire lips..since it was a kohl eyeliner it was nice and creamy

CQ Lipstick in 262 Mod (lavender)

Sally Hansen Lip Inflation Lip Xtreme in Clear

That is it!

LOTD: Pink Fireworks! (88 Matte Palette/28 Blush Palette)

So this is the look I did for the 4th of July. At first I had on your traditional red, white, and blue but I didn't like my outfit so I changed into a pink and gold shirt with some jeans. I decided to play up the eyes using gold eyeliner and glitter! The pic doesn't pick it up but on top of the gold there is pink glitter...! Enjoy..




PRODUCTS USED:

FACE:
Neutrogena Face Moisturizer for Combo Skin
Milk of Magnesia/MAC Matte mix for primer
Neutrogena Clean Oil Control Foundation in Tawny (just a little bit)
Neutrogena Clean Oil Control Pressed Powder in Tawny (light)
No Concealer today

Cheeks:
The brightest pink from the 28 Blush palette
The pink with silver specks from the 28 Blush palette

Eyes:
Two Faced Shadow Insurance as primer
NYX Jumbo Pencil in Orange as a base
Champagne Pink from 88 matte Palette all over lid
Light pink from 88 matte palette on top of champagne pink
Hot pink from 88 matte palette below brow bown
Pinky Purple from 88 matte palette on top of hot pink
Vanilla color for highlight
Sephora Retractrable waterproof eyeliner on upper lid (thick line)
NYX Glitter liner in Pink on top of the gold liner
Maybelline Lash Stiletto line exact in Blackest Black (thin line below the gold)
Maybelline Volum Express Falsies Mascara

Lips:
Wet n Wild lipstick in 502A (this is pretty cool..it's a pink with gold undertone so it makes your lips look metallic)
Rimmel Kiss Off lipgloss in 700 Addicted (I think..it's kind of rubbed off)

I really need a good camera, people! These Blackberry pics are not doing my eyes justice lol. Anybody have any suggestions for an affordable, dope camera?

LOTD: Orange Sorbet (88 Matte Palette)

Hi all!

My homegirl Latrica said she didn't know how orange lips could be pulled off so I decided to show her! I love bright lips for the summer! The eyes are a golden/orange/brown combo and the lips are straight orange! Of course, I still don't have a high quality camera so BlackBerry pics will have to do. I will say that in person, the lips are much brighter but on camera are appearing more muted and nude..enjoy!

!

PRODUCTS USED:

Face:

Neutrogena Face Moisturizer for Combo Skin

Milk of Magnesia/MAC Matte mixed for primer

Covergirl Clean Oil Control Liquid Foundation in Tawny (I don't like CG normally, but this foundation rocks!

Covergirl Clean Oil Control Pressed Powder in Tawny

No concealer

Cheeks:

NYX Mosaic Powder in Love (it's a mix of orange colors)

Eyes:

Two Face Shadow Insurance as primer

88 Matte Palette: goldenrod color all over lid, reddish orange in crease and lower lash line, plain brown directly on top of the reddish orange, vanilla color for highlight

Ben Nye Lumiere color in Indian Copper on the brow bone

NYC Autoliner in Brown on waterline and lower lash line

Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer in Gold on inner corner

Maybelline Stiletto Line exact in Brownish Black on upper lid

Maybelline the Falsies Volum Express mascara

Lips:

(I wish I had an orange lipliner to fill the lips first..it would probably last longer...but I don't!)

NYX Lip Laquer Pot in Coral-Liscious (I LOOOVEE this stuff..I want to get all of them!)

Jordana incolor squeeze n shine lipgloss in Be Coralful

NOTD: Nails 4 Barbie..

To continue with my recent obsession with pink and Barbie I did a Barbie inspired Nail of the Day. Normally I don't show my nails, but I have had a few people compliment me on them recently so I probably will start doing more nail posts. Enjoy!

PRODUCTS USED:

Nail Magic (my secret to long, healthy nails..post to come!)

Seche Vite nail polish base (kind of sucks..brush sucks..don't recommend)

Sinful Colors polish in You Just Wait (BOGO Walgreens $1.99) for entire nail

Pure Ice in Striptease (Walmart $2.00) on tips

Stripe Rite in White (mini design on ring finger)

Seche Vite Fast Dry Topcoat (hands down..the BEST topcoat out there!)