Tuesday, June 30, 2009

She's a Lush...






Lush: Fresh Handmade Cosmetics

I have passed by the store a zillion times in the mall and have seen countless youtube videos about it, but I never found it in the least bit interesting. Well, something told me to give it a shot..it doesn't hurt to try something new does it? I am in love...!

First let me tell you about Emily...SHOUT OUT TO EMILY at Lush Cosmetics at Brandon Towne Center. This chick is the epitome of customer service. Like I said earlier, I had never been there but I had heard about a few products. I went in there and she created me with a huge smile (she was already with a customer). She was so detailed and really knew about all of the products. I told her a little bit about what I was looking for, about what kind of skin I have, and what smells I like and she tailored my whole experience towards the products that would best suit me and my needs. She demonstrated how things worked and I was beyind impressed with the quality of the products. She also threw in like 5 samples of products she thought I would like. The other customers in there were raving about the products and were so helpful with their input. Even if Emily wasn't the bomb at selling me the products I probably would have bought a lot anyway, just because you can test anything in there and see how you like it right on the spot. Think...Sephora...only with natural soaps and oils and stuff.

I got sooo much stuff and more than half of it was free!!!!!

Ocean Salt:
OMG I am so in love. They had this in the store on display for a demo. It is a face and body scrub that is made up of grapefruit, sea salt,coconut and vodka. This stuff was so gritty and exfoliating and when I washed it off (I did it on my hands), my hands were sooo soft and looked so clear. You can visibly see a difference in the skin..much smoother. This is a must buy!

Big Buffy:
I am also in love with this. A customer in the store was too excited about this product. Emily happily dragged me over to the sink to show me how it worked. It's called a body butter and it's made of up cocoa, shea butter, sweet almond, and essential oils. You use it in the show to scrub your skin and it acts as a moisturizer and buffer. It helps with cellulite, rough skin, and dry patches. The customer that told me about it said that she puts it on in the shower and doesn't even have to put on lotion afterward. She was Black so I knew it HAD to be moisturizing if she was talking about skipping the lotion! I tried it at the sink and my arm felt like velvet. So smooth and soft. I am excited to use this on more than just my arm ;-)!

Coalface:
This is described as a soothing liquorice and charcoal cleansing bar. This is a foaming cleanser. Although not the greatest smell (it doesn't stink or anything!) it is supposed to combat oilies and work well for problem skin. I have heard good things about this too, so we will see how it works for me and my face. I will keep you all posted.

Dark Angels:
This is another face product. This is a combination of Angels on Bare SKin (which looks so yummy to eat!) and Coalface. Since it is clay based, there is not much lather to the product which makes it weird to use. Emily recommended that I don't use this and coalface on the same day together as it may be drying to the skin in combination with one other. She says it works best for her (she uses all of these products herself) when she switches each day. Cross your fingers for me!

I got samples of the following: (Yes ALL of these!)

Tea Tree Water: I heard this is GREAT for problem skin!

Imperialis moisturizer: The cheapest moisturizer they have. Most of them are pricy but this one of the most affordable. It seems lightweight and not greasy at all.

Paradise Regained moisturizer: Expensive! This moisturizer is much thicker and is for more aged skin that is prone to wrinkles. It feels very soft but may be a bit greasy for my taste.

Emily threw in 2 pretty big pots of the following masks...FOR FREE!:
Love Lettuce: I am excited about this. This is a lavender based mask that also has almonds it in for exfoliation. Smells very clean.

Cosmetic Warrior: Again, this is for problem/oily skin. This is a mixture of green grapes and honey and tea trea oil to combat oilies, redness, and inflammation.

This place has everything from bath bubble balls, foot creams and hand creams, face products, masks, toners, soaps, etc. This is not like a bath and body works. Just picture yummy smelling hunks of pure soap on display. Best part...you can get however much you want of it..only want $5 worth??..they will break it off for you. Wanting to try something, ask for a sample! My chick was MORE than glad to hook me up. Obviously I can't just jump in and try all the products at once (I dont want my skin to freak out on me!) but I will be sure to update you all on all of the products once I use them for a few weeks. First impression: I'm amazed!

Check out the website so you know what I am talking about. If you are looking for something new, something different, and something natural then this is the spot for you. You can find Lush at your local mall or www.lush.com. Happy shopping!

UPDATE: If you want to order online order from the UK site: https://www.lush.co.uk/index.php (even if you live in the US).

Even with the conversion fees, shipping, etc. you still save a TON of money in comparison to ordering from the US site or in the store. Check out this youtube video for more info:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCNYiAxMiYQ

Friday, June 19, 2009

M.I.A.!

Hey all,
I know I have been missing in action recently and haven't posted anything of substance in quite a while. I just wanted to drop a life update to all my friends and followers. Basically, things got extremely crazy at work and we had a lot of in house changes. This means my life was a living hell for a few weeks and I am still getting through it. Things should be settling down in the near future so I can relax a bit.

On the downside...I have been REALLY slacking on the gym game. I mean baaaaaaddddd. I need to get back in it because you all know how disciplined I was. So that is definitely a goal for me.

Mikel is just now starting to walk...his slow behind, lol. That monster STILL only has two teeth though. I don't know..lol. We are slowly taking the binky from him because his ear infections have been out of control. I poked holes in one and cut the tip off the other. He looked at my like "WTF is this???" when I gave it to him.

The birthday is next month and of course I have no damn plans. I need a life, for real! But it's all good...we will see what happens.

Still single over here. Nothing spectacular going on with that so we will move on to the next topic...which is..

the fact that I gotta go cuz I have a home visit I need to get to. Thanks for checking up on me!

Love,
T$

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

For Sasha..





Just for you dear...sorry it too so long for me to post it.

Look of the Day: Spunky Monkey...lol. Yellows and Purples..

Face:
Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturizer
MAC Fix+
Laura Geller under makeup Spackle in bronze
Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse in Caramel
MAC MSF Natural in Dark
Rimmel Concealer/Orange Creme blush/Maybelle Pure Concealer

Eyes:
UDPP
NYC Brow Kit in Brunette
NYX Pigment in Chrome Yellow (lid)
NYX Purple (outer lid)
NYX Luxor (above purple)
NYX Eggplant (crease for definition)
Jordana Fabuliner in black (upper lid)
NYC Autoliner in Black (waterline)
L'Oreal Voluminous mascara in Classic Black

Cheeks:
NYX Pecan
ELF in Coy

Lips:
WetnWild Megaslicks in Rose Gold

LOTD: Royal Peach





I know I have been slacking, yall. I have been super busy with training at work and my caseload. I'm baacccckkk, though!

Look of the Day: Peachy Pinks with a Hint of Royal Purple..

Shirt: Forever 21
Scarf/Pants: New York & Co
Shoes (not shown): Traffic (brown woven pumps, cuuuteee!)

Face:
Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturizer (loooveeee this stuff!)
MAC Fix+
Laura Geller under makeup primer in bronze
Revlon Skin Matching Makeup in Deep 250
Tiny bit of Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse Foundation in Caramel Dark 2
MAC MSF Natural in Dark
Rimmel Concealer in Honey Beige/NYX Orange Creme blush
Maybelline Pure Concealer in Dark

Cheeks:
Everyday Minerals blush in Snuggle (lloooveee it!)
::sidenote:: I swatched all the blushes that I had yesterday, including the ones I never wear because I thought they were too light. I am soooo glad I did it because I realized I had some great colors just lying around. Not ONE of them was too light...I was just applying it the wrong way. Woo hoo! Go through your old makeup stash..you might find some hidden treasures.

Eyes:
UDPP
NYC Brow Kit in Brunette
NYX Wild Flower (lid, dupe for Ben Nye below, NYX is just a bit shearer and pinky)
Ben Nye Golden Apricot (on lid, soo pigmented, just like above NYX but is a bit more peachy)
Ben Nye Indian Copper (love it! outer lid)
NYX Eggplant (crease for definition)
NYC Mosaic Powder in Rose Glow (one of my hidden treasures, my new favorite highlight for the brown bone..too light as a face powder or blush for me)
HIP Creme Liner in Black
Maybeline Define a Lash Mascara

Lips:
WetnWild lipstick in 516C (Salmony color)
WetnWild Megaslicks in 566 (same as above with shimmer)
WetnWild Megaslicks in 569A (same as above only more glossy)

Just to note: The pics wash out the golden apricot. In real life, it was much more pigmented. Ben Nye products are awesome yall, I just didn't have time to fix the lighting.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

LOTD: Zebra Neutral



Look of the Day: Zebra Neutral

Face:
Neutrogena oil free moisturizer
Laura Geller under makeup primer in bronze
Maybelline Pure Concealer blemish stick
Rimmel Concealer/NYX Orange Creme blush
Revlon ColorStay foundation in 400 Dark Caramel
MAC MSF Natural in Dark
MAC Fix+

Cheeks:
NYX Pecan
CG Instant Cheekbones in Peach

Eyes:
UDPP
NYC Brow Kit in Brunette
NYX Jumbo Pencil in Iced Mocha (lid as base)
Jane ColorStick in True Original (outer as base)
NYX Champagne (lid)
NYX Almond (outer, crease)
CG Brown Smolder (crease for definition)
CG Trio in Cafe au lait (white color on brown bone)
ELF Quad in Drama (white for highlight)
NYC Autoliner in Brown (waterline)
Physician's Formula felt tip eye marker in dark brown
L'Oreal Telescopic Explosion mascara

Lips:
No name orangy red color from Big Lots
NYC gloss in Pink Sand

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Review: SIGMA Brushes





































So I get home from a looonng day of work to find a lovely surprise! My package from Sigma Makeup arrived!!!!! Woo hoo! I have not had the opportunity to use the brushes yet, so this review will be based on my initial impressions.

1. The ordering process was a breeze. I went only to www.sigmamakeup.com and picked the brushes I wanted. I had it in my hands in 3 days. No issues, no complications.

2. They arrive in this cute little package! Included was my order, a few pamphlets, and my order slip/receipt. The packaging of the products was great. The brush handle had a thin plastic covering and each brush head had a thicker plastic covering for protection.

3. You gotta love free products. They sent me a free ELF eyeshadow quad in Drama (the blacks, silvers, and whites) Check out DulceCandy's youtube because she had a tutorial using that whole quad.

Pros:
The price! These are comparable to MAC brushes. Nobody wants to pay $30-$40 for a damn brush. SIGMA brushes are top quality brushes that won't necessarily break the bank. They list them the same way MAC does..so an SS224 is equivalent to a MAC 224 brush.

SS224 Tapered Blending Brush: $9.00
I can tell that I am going to love this brush! It fits in my crease perfectly and I know color is going to go on smoothly. Dense enough to pick up color too!

SS188 Small Duo Fiber Brush: $14.00
The SS188 (Small stippler) seems like it is going to be great! Just the right size. I have the Sephora Professional Stippler and it is super soft and big, and sometimes I just wish I had a smaller version. This brush is soft, but dense enough to have maximum control over your blush or foundation.

SS 109 Small Contour Brush: $14
I am going to try this with my foundation tomorrow. It is smaller than what I imagined but not tiny. Again, super soft but controllable because of the density.
Overall, I am definitely impressed by the quality. I will give an updated review on what I think after I have tried them out.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

LOTD: Bohemian Business Casual





Look of The Day: Colorful Bohemian with a Neutral eye

Face:
MAC Fix+
Neutrogena Oil free lotion for combination skin/SPF 15
Laura Geller Tinted Spackle under makeup primer in Bronze
Rimmel Concealer/Maybelline acne concealer/NYX Orange creme blush for dark circles
Revlon ColorStay Liquid foundation in 400 Caramel for Oily/Combination skin
MAC MSF Natural in Dark

Cheeks:
Revlon Mineral Bronzer in Deep Bronze
NYX Blush in Desert Rose (very pigmented!)

Eyes:
UDPP
NYC Brow Kit in Brunette/No7 Brow Pencil in Dark Brown
Jane Jumbo Pencil in Mercury Rising (inner/as base)
NYX Flamingo (on top of Jane pencil)
Revlon Illuminating Creme Shadow in Wild Orchids (outer/as base/darkest color)
MAC Gold Stoke (on top of creme shadow)
NYX Beauty Queen (crease)
Dollar store black liquid liner (no name!)
CG Trio in Firecracker (White color as highlight)

Lips:
Rimmel Kiss Off Lip Gloss in The Night Before
Sally Hansen Lip Plumper in Sheer Mocha
CG Lashblast

Monday, May 25, 2009

LOTD: Orange Bronze & Teal





Look of the Day:

Sassy orange bronze and teal

Face:
MAC Fix+
Neutrogena Oil Free lotion for Combination skin
Laura Geller Tinted Spackle under makeup primer (1st time yall!)
Rimmel Concealer/NYX Orange creme blush as concealer
MAC MSF Natural in Dark

Cheeks:
NYX blush in Pecan as bronzer
NYX Moasic blush in Love (orangy)

Eyes:
UDPP
No7 Brow Pencil in Dark Brown (I'm not really feeling this. Good think I found it on clearance!)
NYX Almond (lid)
WetnWild Kohl eyeliner in Turquoise (lined lid and waterline)
NYX Halaiwa (on top of the turquoise)
WetnWild eyeliner in White (inner corner)
Maybelline Define a Lash mascara

Lips:
Sally Hansen moist and matte lipstick in Orange
Sally Hansen Lip Plumper in Sheer Blush

Saturday, May 23, 2009

LOTD...Neutral Blues...





Look of the Day: Neutral with a pop of blue...

Face:
MAC Fix+
DIY Tinted Moisturizer
Rimmel Concealer/NYX Orange creme blush
MAC MSF Natural in Dark

Cheeks:
MAC MSF Natural/Shimmer gold as highlight
NYX Pecan blush for glow
Physician's Formula Mineral Wear blush in Rosy Glow (love it!)

Eyes:
NYC Brow Kit in Brunette
UDPP
CG Queen Hot Toffee (lid)
NYX Jumbo pencil in Iced Moca (lid)
NYX Maui (blue lower lash line)
NYX Jumbo pencil in Baby Blue (lower lash line)
NYC Auto Eye Pencil in Brown
NYC eyeliner in White (highlight)
Maybelline Define a Lash mascara (I forgot how much I like this stuff!)

Lips:
Jordana lipgloss in Peach Sand

Friday, May 22, 2009

LOTD...Green With Envy..




It's Friday yall!

Look of the Day: Greens for casual Friday at work..

Face:
MAC Fix+
DIY Tinted Moisturizer
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Light
Rimmel Concealer/NYX Orange creme blush as concealer
Revlon Bare Natural Skin Matching makeup in Deep
MAC MSF Natural in Dark


Cheeks:
NYX Pecan as highlight
NYX Pinky


Lips:
Jordana gloss in Peach Sand





Eyes:
UDPP
No7 Brown pencil in dark brown/NYC Brow Kit in Brunette
NYX White Pearl (inner)
NYX Spring Leaf (middle)
NYX Wild Fire (I don't like this one...outer)
120 Palette dark hunter green (outer)
CG Queen in Black Tie (v)
Jordana Fabuliner in Black (I LOVE THIS)
L'Oreal Voluminous waterproof in very black