Beauty With Brains

New Wet n Wild Megalast Nail Polish Review

2012-02-07T21:17:00.001-05:00

wet n wild megalast salon nail color in 'I Need a Refresh-Mint' and '2% Milk'

I went to Duane Reade and I saw the display for Wet n Wild nail polishes. I saw immediately that they had had a new look. At $1.99 USD for each, I purchased two shades to give them a try. I got "I Need a Refresh-Mint" and "2% Milk".

old megalast formula in "2% Milk"

I had the shade "2% Milk" in the old Megalast collection and hated it! I wanted a creamy color and it was so ugly on the nail. The formula wasn't good at all; it was thick and didn't apply evenly. The cap was on the brush was short and made it awkward for application. I'm so glad Wet n Wild noticed this and made changes to their formula because the new one is fantabulous! The color is pretty similar to the old formula, perfect for a base color for a French mani. Which is exactly what I did!

I did my own French like a true Reccessionista!

The new formula is way better! And Wet n Wild has added a new wider "salon" brush as well. I found that it made application of the polish very easy. The brush also reminds me of the ones in the Sally Hansen "Complete Salon Manicure" nail polishes. I did a comparison below:

I will be taking photos of "I Need a Refresh-Mint" when I wear it. There are a variety of shades available, some new and some from the older formulas. But they're worth giving a try. For $1.99, you can try a bunch of shades.

Oh yeah, and I won a blog giveaway! I won a Neutrogena micro-dermabrasian kit on PiinkCupcakez's blog. I hardly ever win stuff, so I was pretty excited.

My prize! The kit, 2 boxes of refills (2 month supply in each box) and a eye mask. Pretty neat, huh?

Updates..

2012-01-29T23:42:00.001-05:00

Helloo lovelies!

I apologize for not updating but I do have HUGE haul post that I will be posting, I have just been waiting on all the items. I will also be doing some Valentine's Day looks, I can not promise that they will be accompanied by video tutorials though. I will try to find some time to film. I just wanted to share some updates with you on what's been going on with me.

So what's new with me?

1. I am a pescatarian, which means that I eat no meat except for fish. I have always wanted to be a vegetarian but I just couldn't give up chicken. I was never too crazy about red meat. So I decided to do it by becoming a pescatarian then making the transition to vegetarianism. So far, it hasn't been too hard. I have been making sure that I am getting all the proper nutrients so I won't be suffering from any deficiencies. I have been meat-free for 2 weeks now. I still crave some chicken sometimes haha.

2. I have been doing more freelance work as a MUA. I am so grateful for the people that have been giving me the opportunity to work with them. I will be updating my portfolio so stay tuned!

3. Jeremy is coming back! He was gone for a month and a half. He was on vacation with my mom to DR. It was nice having a break but I have been missing him like crazy! He's coming back tomorrow and I cannot wait to see my little guy <3.

And that's pretty much it. I will be back to blogging about makeup and fashion this week. Keep an out fot Spring trends :).

DUPE ALERT! Avon vs TooFaced Travel Palettes

2012-01-10T14:41:00.000-05:00

I got my younger sister a TooFaced Glamour To Go makeup palette as one of her Christmas presents. I'm trying to get her to appreciate makeup more haha. Then my older sister got an Avon Makeup To Go palette as a gift from our cousin. I saw how similar they were so I chose to do a comparison post.

These two palettes are VERY similar. Same size. Same number of shadows, glosses and blush. However, the TooFaced one contains a bit more product.

eyeshadow swatches of TooFaced Glamour To Go II palette

eyeshadow swatches of Avon Makeup To Go palette

The swatches were taken in natural light. I had to swatch heavier with the Avon shadows so it can show up better. But I still think it's a good buy. The blush on the Avon palette is quite lovely and I believe will look much better on women of color. It's a nice, warm peachy color with shimmer in it.

The Avon palette costs about $10.00 USD on Amazon and I got the TooFaced one for $19.00 USD in Macy's. So if you want a cheaper version of the TooFaced palette, the Avon one is a great choice.

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush Review

2012-01-04T20:26:00.001-05:00

Product Info

Name: Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush

Size: 0.21 oz

Price: I got it for $6.79 USD in CVS but I've also seen it available for $8.00 USD at Walgreens

From The Company: "Feels lightweight like a powder, yet melts into skin like a cream".

This is from the Maybelline Spring collection. I saw the display in CVS and I wanted to try it because they just looked so darn cute. And I'm a fan of the Dream Mousse blush as well. I got the shade "Plum Wine" because I always get obsessed with plum lip and blush shades for colder months.

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in "Plum Wine"

Swatch taken in natural light

My Thoughts: I like this blush a lot, it's very light and easy to work with. It has the texture of a cream-to-powder product. I also like that the color is buildable, so you can control the intensity of color. Like the Dream Mousse blush, it doesn't have a lot of staying power on bare skin (about 4 hours) but it lasted longer after I set my tinted moisturizer with powder. This product is very easy to apply with fingers, which is the best method to use in my opinion. They're just so fun to use! I couldn't stop pressing my finger in because it feels so cool and cushion-y. It's like pressing your finger in a marshmallow or Twinkie.

Me wearing Maybelline Bouncy Blush in "Plum Wine"

"Plum Wine" gave me a nice, natural flush. Out of all the shades, I think this one would work best for women of color. It looks so pretty and not overdone. So I say, give it a try! For $6.79 USD (in CVS Pharmacies) you can't go wrong and it also gives you a chance to try several shades.

Overall..

The Good: affordable, wide range of shades, light, doesn't settle into pores, easy to apply, buildable color

The Bad: doesn't last all day but formula makes it easy to re-apply

Rating: 4/5

My New Year's Eve Look

2012-01-02T20:48:00.000-05:00

Motel "Jet" playsuit (buy it here in the ASOS website)

Forever 21 earrings and bangles

Gold glitter Halston pumps

Happy New Year! Hope you all had fun on New Year's Eve with your loved ones. I sure did!

I don't know about you but I love dressing up every year. It's your last outfit of the year so it has to be fabulous! I always wear everything new to embrace anything new the new year has to offer. And it's also a way to bring in luck to me.

I originally wanted to wear a white dress that I saw on the Nasty Gal website. I ordered it and Nasty Gal decides to tell me THREE days later that my sized was sold out. I was so annoyed by that! So after browsing, I saw this playsuit and fell in love! So it worked out perfectly in the end.

It looked a little different in person. It looked more low-cut on the website and in the picture it has a concealed opening in the front. The one I received wasn't cut as low and there was no opening in the front. I didn't mind it much because it eased any nip-slip worries. It fit me a little loose, so my best friend took it in for me. Then I just scrunched up the sleeves and voila!

time for a closeup

my irridescent French mani using Essie's "Nude Beach"

I accessorized with these super long earrings from Forever 21 and some gold bangles and wore some gold glitter pumps. You might recognize the pumps from last year's Christmas post. I forgot to take pictures of my makeup like an airhead and I'm mad because it was so pretty! It was pretty neutral with some bronze in it but it went with the red very well.

Last Blog Post For 2011

2011-12-31T22:50:00.001-05:00

Dear Readers,

Thank you for all your support and for reading my blog. I hope my posts inspire you in some way and I'm glad you all enjoy it. I would also like to thank you all of those that spread the word of my blog even if it's with a simple Retweet on twitter.I appreciate it a lot.

I hope all of you have a fabulous night and I'm wishing you all the best for 2012.

Purple Glam New Year's Eve Makeup

2011-12-28T14:50:00.000-05:00

There is an accompanying tutorial on my YouTube channel that is supposed to be up but once again, I'm having internet issues. Le sigh. So here are just the pictures for now.

I used NYX Glitter Mania in "Purple" on my lids. To have a tacky base, I applied lip balm to my lids. I had glitter adhesive by Jessie's Girl and I couldn't find it. I looked up several alternatives and someone suggestive lash glue (yikes!) and lip balm. Lip balm seemed way safer for me. I used Green Glam Gloss since it's eco-friendly and unscented to avoid any irritation.

PRODUCTS USED

Latina Bella Liquid Foundation No 10

Maybelline Fit Me Powder Shade 350

TooFaced Shadow Insurance

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil "Milk"

Jesse's Girl Baked Eyeshadow Collection (purple/lavender shade)

NYX e/s "Suede"

TooFaced e/s "Unmentionables"

Maybelline quad "Green With Envy" (cream shade)

Milani Glitter Eyeliner "Purple Quartz"

Physician's Formula gel liner

Jafra black eyeliner

L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara

NYX Glitter Mania loose glitter "Purple"

Green Glam Gloss lip balm

Red Cherry Lashes #38

Milani Baked Blush "Fantastico Mauve"

Rimmel l/s "Vintage Pink"

New Year's Eve Outfit Ideas & Last Year's Look

2011-12-26T23:45:00.000-05:00

These are for the ladies that are frantically looking for an outfit at the last minute. This is me also, my playsuit is somewhere in transit on its way to me. I have yet to shop for any accessories. I don't know, I just can't be one of those people that have an outfit planned one month ahead. I am always changing my mind! With the help of Polyvore, I have created 3 outfits that are very affordable and stylish. Maybe these will give you some inspiration. Enjoy!

Estos es para las mujeres que estan frenéticamente en busca de un traje en el último minuto. Asi soy yo también, mi traje está en su camino hacia mí. Todavía tengo que comprar todos los accesorios. No sé, yo no puedo ser una de esas personas que tienen un conjunto planeado un mes antes. Yo siempre estoy cambiando de mente! Con la ayuda de Polyvore, he creado tres conjuntos que son muy asequibles y con estilo. Tal vez estos le dará un poco de inspiración. Disfrute!

New Year's Eve Outfit by beautywithbrainss featuring stilettos pumps

Oversized top, $35
Sequin skirt, $49
Michael Antonio stilettos pumps, $50
Jane Norman metallic clutch, £12
Cocktail ring, £25
Cluster jewelry, £20

Embrace the sequins trend this season by wearing it in skirt form. It's a safe choice that will complement most body types and skin tones. This is perfect if you aren't ready to go all out with a sequined dress. Neutralize the sparkles with some nude pumps and a white top.

Sumarse a la tendencia de esta temporada por las lentejuelas que lo lleva en forma de falda. Es una opción segura que complementará la mayoría de los tipos de cuerpo y tonos de piel. Esto es perfecto si usted no está lista para ir todos hacia fuera con un vestido de lentejuelas. Neutralizar los destellos con algunos tacones de colores desnudos y una blusa blanca.

New Year's Eve by beautywithbrainss featuring platform high heels

I love the idea of wearing white for New Year's Eve. White is such a pure color and many don't wear it so it's a great possibility that you will stand out. Add a pop of color with a bright colored shoe. I chose purple, because you all know that it's my favorite color. Statement earrings will make this outfit even more glamorous, you can choose to wear your hair up to showcase them even more

Me encanta la idea de vestir de blanco para espera del Año Nuevo. El blanco es un color tan puro y muchos no lo usan por lo que es una gran posibilidad que se destacan. Añadir un toque de color con un zapato de color brillante. Elegí el color morado, porque todos ustedes saben que es mi color favorito. Arretes de declaración hará que este traje aún más atractivo, puede optar por amarrarse el pelo para que se vean mas.

New Year's Eve by beautywithbrainss featuring gold tone earrings

Be vibrant and red-hot! This jumpsuit has a plunging neckline, giving this look sex appeal without making it trashy. A statement necklace will draw even more attention to your decolletage. The ruffled detailing adds a delicate femininity to this piece. Keep it sexy with strappy shoes and a studded clutch. This is my favorite look out of all three just for the fact that it's not a typical look.

Seas vibrante y rojo-caliente! Este traje tiene un escote, dando a este aspecto atractivo sexual sin que sea de mala calidad. Un collar de declaración será llamar la atención aún más a su escote. Los detalles con volantes añade un toquesito delicado y feminino a esta pieza. Mantenerlo sexy con unos zapatos de tiras y un embrague con clavos. Este es mi look favorito de los tres sólo por el hecho de que no es un conjunto tipico.

About Last Year's New Year's Eve Look (Sobre El "Look" Del Año Pasado)..

I've gotten several emails regarding the shorts I wore last New Year's Eve. It seems that the Posh Pants site is no longer up. BUT good thing for you ladies, sequins are very in this season! I browsed around and found several places where you can find some sequined shorts. Just click on the links I have provided below for several low and high-end options for sparkly goodness.

He recibido varios mensajes sobre correos electrónico en relación con los pantalones cortos que llevaba la víspera de Año Nuevo pasado. Parece que la pagina Posh-Pants donde lo vendian ya no estas. Pero una cosa buena para ustedes señoritas, lentejuelas estan muy de moda esta temporada! Me puse a buscar y encontre en varios sitios donde puedes encontrar unos pantalones cortos de lentejuelas. Simplemente hagan "click" en las paginas abajo para varias opciones.

Express

(might be available in Express stores as well)

Free People

Lulu's

Patricia Field

Hope this helps!

Christmas Eve Look (With Spanish Translation)

2011-12-25T21:12:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas to all! I had an okay Christmas, it would've been perfect if I had Jeremy with me though (he's on vacay in DR with my mom). But he's coming back soon, can't wait!

Feliz Navidad a todos! Tuve un bien de Navidad, lo que hubiera sido perfecto si hubieraJeremy conmigo, aunque (él está de vacacion en RD con mi mamá). Pero él va a volver pronto, no puedo esperar su regreso!

Forever 21 sequined cardigan

Forever 21 basic white tank top

Forever 21 bangles

H&M navy skinny pants

BCBG patent leather pumps

As my fellow Latinos know, we celebrate on Christmas Eve. That's when all the festivities take place and we open the gifts at midnight. I spent Christmas Eve with my best friend and her family then spent the rest of it with my younger sister. I wanted to look especially festive this year so I went with this gold sequined cardigan. My sister bought it off of the Forever 21 website and didn't like it so I swapped some shorts I bought off H&M that didn't fit me for it. See how well I'm doing with this no buy? Clothing swaps is another fabulous way to save on shopping.

For makeup, I kept it mostly neutral using warm shades on my eyes. On my lips I mixed a red lipstick with plum colored lip gloss to create a berry shade. Loved the result color!

Hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas! Scroll down for more photos.

Como mis compañeros latinos saben, celebramos el día de Noche Buena. Todas las celebracciones ocurre ese dia y abrimos los regalos a la medianoche. Pasé la Noche Buena con mi mejor amiga y su familia y pase el resto de la noche con mi hermana menor. Yo quería mirar especialmente festivo este año, así que fui con esta chaqueta de lentejuelas de oro. Mi hermana la compró fuera de la página web de Forever 21 y no le gustó, así que cambie unos pantalones cortos que compré de H & M que no me quedaba por ella. Ver lo bien que estoy haciendo sin comprar, no? Los swaps de ropa es otra fabulosa manera de ahorrar en las compras.

Para el maquillaje, lo mantuvi en su mayoría neutrales con tonos cálidos en los ojos. En mis labios me mezclé un lápiz labial rojo con brillo de labios de color ciruela para un color de baya. Me encantó el color resultante!

Espero que todos ustedes tengan una Navidad maravillosa! Desplácese hacia abajo para ver más fotos

PRODUCTS USED:

FACE

Urban Decay Face Primer

Latina Bella Liquid Foundation in No10

MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer in NW35

Maybelline Fit Me Powder Shade 350

Latina Bella Blush "Peaches & Cream" (REVIEW COMING SOON)

NYC Cheek Glow "Park Avenue Plum"

EYES

TooFaced Shadow Insurance

Wet n Wild "Sweet As Candy" trio (brown on lid)

TooFaced eysshadow "Mocha Meteor" (crease, lower lashline)

NYX Bohemian Rhapsody palette (dark brown on crease, beige on browbone)

NYX eyeliner "White" (lower waterline)

LA Girls Eyeliner Pen (upper lashline)

L'oreal "Voluminous Million Lashes" Mascara

LIPS

H&M lip balm

NYX Matte Lip Cream "Monte Carlo" (REVIEW COMING SOON)

Flirt! lip gloss "Plum Delicious)

October/November Favorites

2011-12-18T01:04:00.000-05:00

I'm so late and December/2011 is almost ending so I have to post the favorites up from those months as well. I had very little things for these months since I was working so much, I hardly had time to play with the goodies I have bought. But I will have more exciting stuff for December, I promise!

LA Girls Eye Marker Pen

L'oreal Infallible Eyeliner

Revlon Lash Adhesive

Wet n Wild Dual Eyeliner

Wet n Wild "Pride" Palette

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil "French Fries"

Stila "Trendsetting in Tokyo" Travel Palette

MAC "Bold n Brazen" Eyeshadow

The inside of the Stila palette. I loved the blush/lip color because I wasn't impressed by the eyeshadows. Such a pretty pink and it showed up well on my cheeks.

Essie "School of Hard Rocks" and "Devil's Advocate" nail polishes

Sally Hansen Super Shine Top Coat

Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer

Black Radiance Artisan Color Baked Blushes in "Toasted Almond" and "Warm Berry"

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss "Pink Pop"

NYX round lipstick "Lousiana"

NYX round lipstick "Pumpkin Pie"

Wet n wild Color Icon l/s "Cherry Bomb"

NYX round lipgloss "Real Nude"

I can't believe I'm almost at 200 followers! I will be doing a giveaway in the new year once I reach 200 so be sure to follow :).

Pink & Purple OOTD (Celeb Inspired)

2011-12-15T15:54:00.000-05:00

Inspriration..

I was invited to go to a breakfast and presentation hosted by Cosmo at the Hearst building. You cannot believe how honored I was to be invited, I was so ecstatic. I wanted to look professional and youthful and fun at the same time so I decided to pair pink and purple together after I saw this picture of Peaches Geldof. I couldn't find a pink dress suitable for the occasion so I opted for a pink top instead.

My Version...

Forever 21 purple blazer
H&M pink top
Forever 21 skinny belt
H&M skinny navy trousers
sister's purse
Zigi Shoes leopard print pumps

The full length photo was a horrible attempt of me trying to take a full length picture of myself using a tripod. I took a bunch and this was the best one. The next two pictures show the colors off way better. The blazer is old and I have to admit that I bought new stuff for this occasion. So the top and pants are new (shame on me). I don't think this counts because it was a "special" occasion, right?

The H&M pants are a great fit and are really versatile. I will post a casual outfit with them soon.

Rockstar New Year's Eve Makeup Look

2011-12-13T17:06:00.000-05:00

I love how this look came out! The pictures don't it justice at all. It looks great in person and the glitter shows up better in the video. This look is totally fun and perfect for ringing in the new year. Enjoy!

I decided to use a song by my "hubby" Romeo Santos in my tutorial. It was the only non-Bachata song that I liked off his album. I wasn't impressed by the techno but I like the lyrics a lot. It's called "Magia Negra" (Black Magic) off his debut solo album Formula Vol 1.

Me encanto cómo este "look" salió! Las fotos no le hacen justicia en absoluto. Se ve muy bien en persona y el brillo se ves mejor en el video. Este aspecto es totalmente divertido y perfecto para que suene en el nuevo año. Disfrute!

Decidí usar una canción de mi "esposo" Romeo Santos en mi tutoria. Fue la única cancion que que me gustaba de su álbum que no eras Bachata. Yo no estaba impresionado por el techno, pero me gusta la letra mucho. Se llama "Magia Negra" de su álbum debut en solitario llamado Fórmula Vol. 1.

PRODUCTS USED:

Revlon Colorstay Foundation "Rich Ginger"

Maybelline Fit Me Powder Shade 350

MAC Select MoistureCover Concealer NW35

TooFaced Shadow Insurance

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil "Milk"

NYX Eyeshadow "Sahara"

Black & Grey eyshadows from NYX "Bohemian Rhapsody" Palette

NYX Glitter Cream Palette "Royal Violets"

Taupe eyeshadow from Wet n Wild "Vanity" Palette

L'oreal Infallible Eyeliner "Black"

Maybelline Colossal Mascara "Black"

Black Radiance Baked Blush "Toasted Almond"

H&M Pomegranate lip balm

Revlon lipstick "Pink Sugar"

NYX Round Lip Gloss "Real Nude"

Song: Romeo Santos feat Mala Rodriguez "Magia Negra"

Bright Blue FOTD & Revlon Lashes/Lash Adhesive Review

2011-12-12T20:21:00.001-05:00

This is the look I'm wearing in my OOTD & No Buy Challenge post. This is a pretty bold look and I wanted to share it since I don't do a very bold eye too often. You will most likely see me with a neutral eye and a bright lip since I'm more of a bold lip kind of girl.

For this looked I used the Wet n Wild 8-pan palette in "Blue Had Me At Hello". The colors are soooo pigmented. I love it! It's a great buy for $4.99. I paired it with a lilac lip, one of my favorites. I also used some Revlon lashes and glue that I was sent for reviewing. The ones I have on are the "Long, Volumizing #91169" ones. As you can see they are pretty voluminous. I liked them a lot, they are pretty user-friendly and you can get more than one use out of them. This was my second time wearing these. The Revlon lash glue applied blue and I was pretty creeped out until I saw it dried clear LOL. The glue comes with a wand for application which makes a neater application but I don't think it's very hygienic so I wouldn't recommend it for a MUA to use. They retail at 3.99 which makes them pretty affordable considering that you can use a pair more than one time. I have more pictures below of the look where you can see the lashes better.

Traduccion En Español
Este es el "look" que llevo en OOTD & No Buy Challenge. Este es un aspecto muy audaz, y quería compartirlo, porque yo no uso muchas sombras atrevidas. Es muy probable que me vea con un ojo neutro y un labio brillante. Me gusta muchos los pinta labios colores audaz.

Para este "look" usé el Wet n Wild 8-pan en la paleta de "Blue Had Me At Hello". Los colores son taaaan pigmentados. ¡Me encanta! Es una gran compra por $ 4.99. Lo combine con un labio de color lila, uno de mis favoritos. También usé unas pestañas falsas de Revlon y el pegamento que me habian enviado para revisión. Yo use "#91169". Como se puede ver, son bastante voluminosos. Me gustaron mucho, son bastante fáciles de usar y usted puede usarelas mas de una vez. Esta fue mi segunda vez que me la habia puesto .El pegamento de pestañas Revlon aplicó azul y me asustaba bastante hasta que vi que se secó claro. El pegamento viene con una varita para la aplicación y es bueno para eliminar toyo, pero no creo que sea muy higiénico, así que no se lo recomendaría a un MUA para su uso. Las pestanas cuestan $3.99 USD, un buen precio teniendo en cuenta que puede utilizar un par más de una vez. Tengo más fotos de abajo de el "look" donde se puede ver mejor las pestañas.

PRODUCTS USED:

Latina Bella Liquid Foundation No 10

Maybelline Fit Me Powder No 350

Black Radiance blush in "Toasted Almond"

TooFaced Shadow Insurance

Wet n Wild 8-pan palette "Blue Had Me At Hello"

Jafra eyeliner in "Black"

Revlon eyelashes "#91169"

Revlon Lash Adhesive

L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara

Rimmel lipstick "Vintage Pink"

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss "Lilac Pastelle"

Disclaimer: Some of the items have been sent to me for review consideration.

NEW YEAR'S EVE / Special Spanish-Language CoverGirl Makeup Video

2011-12-09T15:08:00.001-05:00

Warner Bros. star studded film NEW YEAR’S EVE hits today , December 9^th.

In celebration of the film’s release, Luis Casco and CoverGirl created a makeup video inspired by Sofia Vergara’s look in NEW YEAR’S EVE.

You can view the video here: https://rcpt.yousendit.com/1303831440/4829f4896a73d3710b2d4f887dd5dd2e

About NEW YEAR’S EVE:

Director/producer Garry Marshall and a stellar ensemble cast will ring in the 2011 holiday season with the romantic comedy NEW YEAR’S EVE.

“New Year’s Eve” celebrates love, hope, forgiveness, second chances and fresh starts, in intertwining stories told amidst the pulse and promise of New York City on the most dazzling night of the year.

The film’s all-star cast includes Academy Award^® winner Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Jon Bon Jovi, Academy Award^® nominee Abigail Breslin, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, two-time Academy Award^® winner Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel, Zac Efron, Hector Elizondo, Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, Seth Meyers, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Academy Award^® nominee Michelle Pfeiffer, Til Schweiger, two-time Academy Award^® winner Hilary Swank and Sofia Vergara.

Reuniting with Marshall from last year’s hit romantic comedy “Valentine’s Day” are screenwriter Katherine Fugate and producers Mike Karz and Wayne Rice. Serving as executive producers will be Toby Emmerich, Samuel J. Brown, Michael Disco, Josie Rosen and Diana Pokorny. The behind-the-scenes creative filmmaking team includes director of photography Charles Minsky (“Pretty Woman,” “Valentine’s Day”), production designer Mark Friedberg (“The Darjeeling Limited,” “Morning Glory,”), editor Michael Tronick (“The Green Hornet,” “Hairspray”), Oscar^®-nominated costume designer Gary Jones (“The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Valentine’s Day”) and Oscar^®-nominated composer John Debney (“The Passion of the Christ”).

“New Year’s Eve” was shot entirely on location in and around New York City.

A New Line Cinema presentation of a Wayne Rice/Karz Entertainment Production, a Garry Marshall Film, NEW YEAR’S EVE will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. www.newyearseve-movie.com

For downloadable general press information,
please visit: http://press.warnerbros.com

About Luis Casco:

Luis was born in San Salvador, El Salvador and was nurtured from an early age to appreciate the beauty that surrounded his exotic birthplace. The child of a diplomat and socialite mother, Luis had regular exposure tosome of the most glamorous and interesting people in the world. He found his calling after moving to Paris to become

a fashion designer but instead became a makeup artist. In the beginning of his career in Paris, Luis assisted some of the world’s most famous makeup artists including Stephane Marais, Fulvia Farolfi and Tyen. He was fortunate enough to work for some of the most important designers showing in Paris including Jean Paul Gaultier, Sonia Rykiel, Kenzo and Yves Saint Laurent. With his experience and growing reputation, Luis took his work to markets around the world including Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia and Hong Kong. Back in the states, Luis moved to New York where he continued his career working at fashion shows for designers including Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Randolph Duke and Vera Wang. In New York, Luis started collaborating with major cosmetic companies. Since that time Luis has acted as a professional makeup consultant and international brand ambassador for many brands. His duties include television appearances, product development consultations, PR events, creating special makeup collections and speaking to large groups of women all over the world through videos and personal appearances in both English and Spanish.In 2000, Luis moved to Los Angeles and has worked with some of the world’s biggest celebrities and fashion models. The A-list people Luis has worked with include, Cameron Diaz, Heidi Klum, Milla Jovovich, Charlize Theron and Christy Turlington and Hollywood luminaries like Helen Mirren, Blythe Danner and Tina Fey. Staying true to his Hispanic roots, Luis has also worked with many Latin celebrities including Luis Miguel, Roselyn Sanchez, Dayanara Torres, Kate del Castillo and Paulina Rubio.

Luis’s experience includes frequent appearances in front of the camera, as well. No stranger to the spotlight, he has appeared on TV shows as a beauty expert on both English and Spanish language networks. Guest appearances include Good Morning America, MTV, CNN and The Tyra Banks Show. In Spanish he is a regular guest for different shows on both Univision and Telemundo networks which regularly feature Luis offering makeup tips to their large viewing audience.Luis’s editorial work has appeared in fashion magazines like Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Vogue & Glamour. He has worked with well-known photographers like Annie Leibowitz, Victor Skrebnesky, Antoine Verglas, Timothy White, Geoff Kern, Pepe Botella, Robert Jaso and Steven White.These days, Luis spends time writing a beauty column for Cosmopolitan en Español and is trusted by beauty editors in publications all over the world for his ability to communicate current makeup tips and trends for their readers. Luis is represented globally by CloutierRemix.

Disclaimer: This is a PR sponsored post.

"Season's Green-tings" FOTD

2011-12-08T00:30:00.000-05:00

I made a tutorial to go along with this look but I have been having issues with my Internet all week. Trying to upload it has been a hassle. Damn you Verizon! I apologize and will try to have it up as soon as possible.

This is the first makeup look I've done for the Holidays, I will be doing several more.This is a look that's a variation of a smokey eye where I have included some green in it. I like that it is a little different from the gold and silvers you usually see for holiday makeup and is still festive enough for the night time and for holidays parties.

PRODUCTS USED:

Black Radiance Stick Foundation "Hazelnut"

MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer "NW35"

TFSI

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in "Milk"

Wet n Wild e/s single "Envy"

Milani Baked e/s "Runway Eyes"

Matte gray e/s from NYX "Bohemian Rhapsody" palette

Brown e/s from NYX "Bohemian Rhasody" palette

Wet n Wild dual sided eyeliner "Black"

Red Cherry lashes #38

L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara

Wet n Wild bronzer "Goddess"

Revlon l/s "Pink Sugar"

NYX Round Gloss "Real Nude"

Spring Into Fall OOTD (Repeat Offender Series)

2011-12-04T22:09:00.001-05:00

Another outfit where I am repeating a piece that I have worn before. I first wore this skirt in my Splash of Color OOTD post. Can you believe it was the only time I have ever worn it? I have a very bad habit of only wearing some things once. So I needed something to wear to a baby shower and while looking through my closet, I just saw it hanging there and decided to wear it. At first I was weary because it looked a little out of season but I managed to make it more appropriate for wearing in late Fall, don't you think?

The skirt is a tulip shaped skirt from H&M. It's fitted at the waist and bottom and it billows out in the middle. it's a very flattering shape and it helps define your waistline.

The First Time Wearing The Skirt

Wearing it as a repeat offender..

Forever 21 blazer

American Apparel strapless bodysuit

H&M skirt

Jeffrey Campbell booties

necklace from random accessories boutique

I was going to wear the tights with the skirt but I ripped my only black pair so I decided to just go with bare legs. It wasn't that cold tonight, it was in the low 50s so I didn't end up freezing my legs off. This is a skirt that is more for a Spring season. I made it "Fall wearable" by wearing dark colors and wearing a heavier shoe. So you can bring bright colors into the Fall and Winter by pairing it with dark colors and heavier fabrics. And tights are a girl's best friend when being a recessionista. They can easily transform an outfit and are so inexpensive! I have so many colors and patterns that I have been playing with.

Hope you enjoy!

Traducción al Español...

Otro equipo donde estoy repitiendo una pieza que he usado antes. La primera vez que me puse esta falda fue en la Primavera del 2010 (el link para el "look" estas colocado mas arriba). ¿Puede ustedes creer que fue la única vez que he llevado puesto? Tengo una muy mala costumbre de ponerme sólo algunas de las cosas una sola vez. Así que necesitaba algo para ponerme para ir a un baby shower y mirando a través demi armario, acabo de ver colgado allí y decidi usarlo. Al principio yo estaba hesitante porque parecía un poco fuera de temporada, pero me las arreglé para que sea más apropiado para llevar a finales de otoño, ¿no te parece?

La falda es una falda en forma de tulipán de H & M. Es colocado en la cintura y la parte inferior y olas en el medio. Es una forma muy favorecedor y ayuda a definir tu cintura.

Yo iba a usar medias largas con la falda, pero se me arrancó mi único par que eran negra, así decidir ir con las piernas desnudas. Fortunadamente no estabas muy frío, así que no se me congelan mis piernas. Esta es una falda que es más de una temporada de primavera. Lo hice "Otoño portátil" con el uso de colores oscuros y usar un zapato más pesado. Puede llevar colores brillantes en el otoño y el invierno por la vinculación con los colores oscuros y las telas más pesadas. Y las medias son el mejor amigo de una chica al tratarse de un recessionista. Se puede transformar un conjunto muy facil y son tan baratas! Tengo tantos colores y patrones que he estado jugando.Espero que hayan disfrutado!

H&M Makeup Haul and Swatches

2011-11-26T13:51:00.001-05:00

I was at H&M buying a few items for Christmas when I saw their makeup display. I'm so glad that H&M decided to start selling makeup again because they had a few years without selling it. I used to love their shadows when I was in high school.

I picked up a lip balm, a lip gloss duo and an eye-shadow quad.

Their eye shadows are just as pigmented as ever. They are really smooth and not chalky at all. The pictures of the swatches below were taken in natural light. I got the lip gloss because I liked the pink gloss in the duo. The red could be useful over a red lipstick however for the holidays.

The eye-shadow quad was $5.95 USD, the lip balm was $2.95 USD and the lip gloss was $2.95 USD as well.

I did a look using the shadows but like the absent minded person that I am, I forgot to take pictures. I will post an EOTD soon.

Repeat Offender (Thanksgiving OOTD)

2011-11-24T23:11:00.001-05:00

So remember how I said I would re-do some outfits for you guys and show you different ways to wear them? I decided to do it for Thanksgiving with an outfit I wore back in Spring. The first time I wore this outfit was on Mother's Day, I even did an OOTD video on it.

So here is the first time I wore the outfit, May 2011..

And this is how I wore it today for Thanksgiving..

Forever 21 polka dot top
Forever 21 pink shorts
Joyce Leslie over-the-knee socks
Rouge booties

To make the outfit more appropiate for Fall, I added some over the knee socks and black wedged ankle boots. It is very possible to wear shorts in the Fall, most of them look great with tights under them. Just be sure that the material is not too thin. So you don't have to put away your shorts when the weather gets colder ladies, there's still some use for them!

You can view the OOTD for the original outfit here:

Stay tuned for more repeat outfits. Also, if there are any past OOTD you have liked that I did, let me know by email (Hav@abeautywithbrains.com) and I'll do a repeat outfit.

Happy Thanksgiving!

(CLOSED) ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ADVANCE-SCREENING PASSES TO SEE NEW YEAR'S EVE!

2011-11-23T21:38:00.001-05:00

An early Happy Thanksgiving to you all! As a little treat, I will be giving you all a chance to see the highy anticipated movie "New Year's Eve" before it hits theatres nationwide.

A little about the movie...

Film: NEW YEARS EVE
Studio: Warner Bros
Starring: Robert De Niro, Ashton Kutcher, Reed Bennett, Jessica Biel, Zac Efron, Sofía Vergara, Lea Michele, Hilary Swank, Michelle Pfeiffer, Abigail Breslin, Halle Berry, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sienna Miller
Directed By: Garry Marshal
lRelease Date: December 9, 2011
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Rating: PG-13
Trailer: http://www.newyearseve-movie.com/

Synopsis: Director Garry Marshall and a stellar ensemble cast will ring in the 2011 holiday season with the romantic comedy “New Year’s Eve.” “New Year’s Eve” celebrates love, hope, forgiveness, second chances and fresh starts, in the intertwining stories of couples and singles, told amidst the pulse and promise of New York City on the most dazzling night of the year. The film stars Jessica Biel, Jon Bon Jovi, Academy Award® nominee Abigail Breslin, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, two-time Academy Award® winner Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel, Zac Efron, Hector Elizondo, Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, Seth Meyers, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Academy Award® nominee Michelle Pfeiffer, Til Schweiger, Ryan Seacrest, two-time Academy Award® winner Hilary Swank and Sofia Vergara. Reuniting with Marshall from last year’s hit romantic comedy “Valentine’s Day” are screenwriter Katherine Fugate and producers Mike Karz and Wayne Rice. Serving again as executive producers will be Josie Rosen and Diana Pokorny, joined by Heather Hall as co-producer. The creative filmmaking team includes director of photography Charles Minsky (“Pretty Woman,” “Valentine’s Day”) production designer Mark Friedberg (“The Darjeeling Limited,” “Morning Glory,”) editor Michael Tronick (“The Green Hornet,” “Hairspray”) and Oscar®-nominated costume designer Gary Jones (“The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Valentine’s Day”). “New Year’s Eve” will be shot entirely on location in and around New York City.

I wil be giving away FIVE (yes, five!) passes away for screenings in each of the following cities:

Wednesday, 12/7/11 7:30PM
Dallas, TX
AMC
NorthPark 158687 N Central Expy # 3000
DallasTX75225

Wednesday, 12/7/11 7:30PM
El Paso, TX
Cinemark Tinseltown USA
11855 Gateway West
El PasoTX 79936

Wednesday, 12/7/11 7:30PM
Houston, TXEdwards Marq’E Stadium 237600
Katy Freeway
HoustonTX 77024

Wednesday, 12/7/11 7:30PM
Los Angeles, CA
Krikorian Pico Rivera Village Walk
158540 Whittier Blvd
Pico Rivera CA 90660

Wednesday, 12/7/11 7:30PM
Miami, FL
AMC Sunset Place 245701
Sunset Drive South
Miami FL33143

To enter, just leave your name and email as a comment below. Winners will be selected randomly. Winners will be contacted by email and will receive the passes in pdf format so they can print them out. This giveaway ends December 2nd, 2011 at 11:59 pm. Good Luck!

Disclaimer: I was contacted by a PR company to host this giveaway and was provided with the items.

NYX & Essie Haul

2011-11-22T12:17:00.000-05:00

This is a haul of numerous items that I have bought in different places. I bought them all in a course of a week and just wanted to share them as well as my thoughts on some of the items.

"pumpkin pie" lip swatch

I purchased a palette and a liptstick off of Amazon from the seller BeautyJoint. The palette is the ten shadow Runway Collection in "Strike A Pose". The lipstick is their round lipsticks in Pumpkin Pie. I was pleased with the lipstick. It's a nice nude with an orange tone. A nice color for everyday. I will wear a neutral lipliner under it since I have pigmented lips. I was kind of disappointed with eye shadow palette. I already own one ("Bohemian Rhapsody") which I love but this one hardly has any pigmentation. Some colors I had to swatch heavily for it to show up.

"real nude" swatch

"whipped" swatch

I also bought a few NYX items at a beauty supply close to my morning job. I always get excited when I see a store that has NYX because they aren't many in NYC. I purchased 2 of the round glosses in the shades "Real Nude" & "Whipped" as well as a white eyeliner. I've been wanting to try out the round glosses for a while. I really like them! They have good pigmentation and aren't sticky at all. The only thing is that they have a strange pine-sol type smell. It's not a huge deal for me though.

ewww at the sloppy paint job

I also got one of the nail polishes from the Essie holiday collection in the color "School of Hard Rocks". I love it!

Music Review: Formula Vol 1 by Romeo Santos

2011-11-15T11:00:00.000-05:00

Album: Formula Vol 1
Artist (Artista) : Romeo Santos
Release Date (Fecha de Lanzamiento) : November 8, 2011

We all know how obsessed I am with this guy. After all, he's the man that I plan to marry one day. Ok, I'll stop with the creepy devotion. Anyway, I wanted to share how awesome this album is. Romeo Santos is the lead singer of Latin supergroup Aventura. This is Romeo's first solo album, and he definitely nailed it. As always the lyrics are on point and he experiments with different music genres. My personal favorites from this album are "You", "La Bella y La Bestia" and "Mi Santa". A couple of the songs are really personal, where he addresses his insecurities and how sometimes fame isn't always all that pretty.

Aventura is missed in this album. I miss Lenny's production, his beats were always crazy-creative. Formula Vol 1 doesn't have any melodies that had me saying "Wow" but I was blown away with the lyrics. Guess we can't have everything.

For the most part, the album is great. There is one semi-crappy song ("All Aboard"), it was full of corny entendres and I really don't like hearing Romeo singing in English. It just sounds odd to me. I also found the intro a little corny, but that's because I don't find George Lopez funny at all. But skip those and you'll enjoy the album immsensely. And Romeo makes up for it by having Antony Santos, Luis Vargas AND Raulin Rodriguez all in ONE song ("Debate de 4"). He is truly the man for that.

Todos sabemos lo mucho que estoy obsesionado con este tipo. Después de todo, él es el hombre con quien me voy a casar algún día. Ok, voy a dejar con la devociónes peluznante. De todos modos, quería compartir lo maravilloso que es este álbum. Esta es el primer álbum en solitario de Romeo (cantador del grupo Aventura) y él definitivamente lo logró. Como siempre, las letras están en punto y experimenta con diferentes géneros musicales. Mis favoritas canciones de este álbum son "You", "La Bella y La Bestia" y "Mi Santa". Un par de las canciones son muy personales, donde se dirige a sus inseguridades y cómo a veces con la fama, todo no es como parece ser.

Aventura hiso falta en este álbum. Echo de menos la producción de Lenny, sus ritmos son siempre una locura creativa. Fórmula Vol. 1 no tiene ninguna melodía que me había dicho "Wow", pero me quedé impresionado con la letra. Supongo que no se puede tener todo.

En su mayor parte, el álbum es genial. Hay una cancion que es so-so ("All Aboard"), ya que estaba lleno de sentidos cursi y yo realmente no me gusta oír cantar Romeo enInglés. Suena extraño para mí. También encontré la intro un poco cursi, pero eso es porqueno encuentro George Lopez divertido. Pero si ignoras esas par de canciones, vas a adorar el resto del disco. Y Romeo lo compensa por tener Antony Santos,Luis Vargas y Raulin Rodriguez todo en UNA canción ("Debate de 4"). El es verdaderamente el rey para poder lograr eso.

Rating (Clasificacion): 3/4

L.A Girl Mark My Eye Eyeliner Pen Review

2011-11-14T11:01:00.001-05:00

I fell in love with this eye marker when I saw YouTube guru SCCastaneda use it in one of her tutorials. I just had to have it! I had trouble finding it locally so I just chose to order one online. It was sold out on Cherry Culture so I bought it off of Amazon. The seller had it shipped promptly and I received it within a week. I was amazed by how easy this product it is to use. You can control how thick you want your line to come out. The thicker shape makes it easy to use for looks such as a winged eye. It is also long lasting, it stays put with out smearing or fading for hours at a time. I am very satisfied with this product and would highly recommend it especially to makeup rookies and/or those intimidated by traditional liquid eyeliners.

Overall:
Pros: Easy to use, very affordable, smooth application, user-friendly
Cons: not available locally but easy to find online
Rating: 4.5/5

The LA Girl Mark My Eye Eyeliner pen retails for about $7.00 USD and can be found on Cherry Culture or on the LA Girl Cosmetics Main Website.

OOTD and Hav's No Buy Challenge

2011-11-06T19:41:00.003-05:00

This I what I wore last night to my twin niece and nephew's 5th birthday party. I went out with some friends afterward so I needed a transitional outfit as I like to call it. I wore flat shoes to the party then switched into the wedged boots. Can you believe this outfit cost under under one hundred dollars??? I posted the details beneath the second picture.

Esto yo lo que llevaba la noche anterior a la celebraccion de cumpleanos de mi sobrina y sobrino. Son gemelos y cumplieron cinco anos de edad. Salí con unos amigos después, así que necesitaba un equipo de transición, como me gusta llamarlo. Me puse los zapatos planos a la fiesta y luegos cambie a las botas de cuña. ¿Puedes creer que este costo en conjunto menos de cien dólares?? He publicado los detalles debajo de la segunda imagen.

dress (vestido)- Forever21 $12.80

tights (medias)- Hue $6.00

wedged boots (botas)- $30.00

necklace (collar)- Forever21 $5.80

ring (anillo) - Forever21 $6.80

My No-Buy Challenge (Mi Desafio De No Comprar)

I have noticed that I spend too much on clothing and that I could save a lot by cutting back on my shopping. I have decided to go on a no-buy and challenge myself to spend less and be more creative with the clothes I already have. I'm going to be blogging about my journey and also doing posts on any repeat outfits worn a different way. Wish me luck!

Me he dado cuenta de que gastar mucho dinero en ropa y que me podría ahorrar una gran cantidad por la reducción de mis compras. He decidido ir a un no-comprar y desafiarme a mí mismo para gastar menos y ser más creativos con la ropa que ya tenemos. Voy a serun blog sobre mi viaje y también hacer los mensajes en cualquier trajes usados repetir de una manera diferente. Deséame suerte!

2011-10-23T16:55:00.001-04:00

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Olive Pink OOTD + Video

2011-10-23T16:44:00.002-04:00

A dressy casual Saturday night outfit I wore to a babyshower and to have drinks with my girlfriends. My OOTD video is below. Enjoy!

Un elegante traje informal que me puse sábado por la noche para ir a un babyshower y tomar unas copas con mis amigas. Mi video OOTD está por debajo. Disfrute!

Blazer (Chaqueta)- H&M

Top, pants, necklace, clutch (camiseta sin mangas, pantalones, collar y bolso de mano)- Forever 21

Wedges (Zapatos):- Jeffrey Campbell