Gimme that!

2011-07-19T13:32:00.001-04:00

Flower statement necklaces + other accessories :)

2011-07-07T13:58:00.004-04:00

Here are some of the accessories I made after feeling a little artsy. :)

BLUE FLOWER EARRING

DENIM BRACELET

DENIM EARRINGS

DENIM NECKLACE (CURVED)

DENIM NECKLACE (STRAIGHT)

PURPLE NECKLACE

Here are my earring holders I created. :)

Winners!!

2011-05-06T11:55:00.000-04:00

Thank you so much to the people who entered my giveaway! Sorry for the delay of announcing the winners, but I graduate tomorrow and I'm super busy, and unfortunately still a little sick.

I copied and pasted everyone's name into a random name picker online.

The winners are:

1st place: Keianna Johnson (KeeKeeAllNatural)

2nd: Daeuiel

Ladies, please email me your address: bikinibottom08@hotmail.com thanks!

There will be another giveaway really soon, so please don't be discouraged if you didn't win. Everyone will get a chance. :)

Winners will be announced soon

2011-05-02T21:17:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all the ladies who posted a comment on the giveaway. :)
I've learned about a few new products, as well as colors I would like to try.

I will post the winners on Wednesday. Unfortunately I've been terribly sick with the flu and a stomach virus, and I'm still getting over it while finishing up final assignments for classes. Its sucks but I'm pushing through.

In the meantime, this might be a good thing, because I've added more goodies to the bags. lol

Talk to ya on Wednesday!
Toodles :)

Super Easy Giveaway!!

2011-04-23T18:37:00.000-04:00

Super easy, as in it's not a contest. lol!

Just simply leave a comment under this blog telling me what your favorite, nail polish (brand or color), lip gloss (same), or eyeshadow is, and the gift is yours. There will be two winners!

1st place winner will get the blue cosmetic bag filled with goodies, and the 2nd place winner will get the black gift bag with hearts filled with surprise goodies! :)

Deadline is Friday April 29th at midnight. Good luck!

Random everything: Catching up

2011-03-23T12:30:00.001-04:00

So I've been mia for awhile. I recently joined a fitness center on Valentine's Day and I've been working it out ever since. I'll be sure to blog about my weight loss journey soon. Because of that my hair and beauty routine has been suffering a bit, but it's all good.

Here are some pics of my daughter's nails. I gave her the tiny Sally Hansen polishes, so here are the teal and purple colors:

Here is a small haul from Victoria's Nail supply and 8ty8beauty:

Starboard, Sea spray, Belize it or not, Greece Blue me away, and He's my coral Friend

Nirvan and Unicorn

Crackle, Back to the beach peach, Crackle(blue), Apricota Cheatin, Wisteria and Morning Glory, and of course duri

I also tried black crackle polish over sea spray and starboard. I love crackle!

Small Haul-Literally :-)

2011-02-17T21:03:00.001-05:00

,Here are a few items I bought from Sally Beauty Supply. I see these shadows and polishes every time I go in and always overlook them.

Sally girl Baked Eyeshadow

Sally girl polishes with Bubble White

All these items were 99 cents each, and they are usually on the racks at the register. I can't wait to try the Bubble White, after watching a few videos on youtube, it's a fizzy type powder you pour in water, soak your nails for 5 minutes and it will turn your nails super white. :-D

I can't wait to do some shadow looks, and try out the other items, I will be sure to update.

Toodles! :)

Bubble white: http://reviews.sallybeauty.com/6151/SBS-838600/reviews.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj6sjDzNrCA

Quick meal: Salmon in a can

2011-02-10T13:49:00.001-05:00

No don't eat it out of the can...lol (Unless you want too... j/k)

So I love buying salmon in the can, or the bag of salmon from the grocery store. It makes a real quick satisfying meal.

I use any brand salmon in the can and remove the bone, I shred with a fork in a lightly oiled pan and season well. My favorite seasonings are paprika, garlic, onion, black pepper, Tony Chachere's and a few others. I let it cook till browned really well.

If I'm using the whole salmon, I will bake in foil with seasonings.

I usually have over salad with flax seeds, shredded cheese, and as you see in this picture: crispy fried onions. My favorite salad dressing is Marie Calendars or Bolthouse Farms Blue cheese vinagrettes.

In this picture I had it over brown rice:

Salmon cakes are really good too and easy to make, however, I haven't made it in awhile. These are really quick meals, and are usually finished in less than 15 minutes. This is my favorite fish and comes in handy during the times I'm avoiding meat.

Tastebud Edition: Yummy! Licks lips

2011-02-09T00:34:00.001-05:00

Drool.... lol

I just wanted to share some delicious desserts I had over the weekend. Yes, I wish I could say over the past month, but no, over the weekend.

First up we have CamiCakes, apparently very popular here in Atlanta, but I never heard of them before. Maybe that's a good thing, because I would probably visit more than I need too. It was super packed, and they have a menu of delicious cupcakes to choose from. There was one more in the picture, but my daughter attacked it so fast, it disappeared. lol

The cake itself was super tasty and soft, but not light. I cut it in half and I was full, had to save some for later. In the picture you see a chocolate, lemon drop, and a strawberry cheescake I believe. The frosting was delish, not too sweet and very thick. Reminded me of a cheesecake consistency and taste.

Here we have a scrumptious cake that my local supermarket Publix sells, It's an all chocolate cake with chocolate everything! lol Chocolate barks, shavings, and chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate frosting, so you get the point. lol

It does have walnut shavings, but apart from that, this cake is so good.
I'm shamed to say that we had two other cakes that week because my daughter and mother's birthday falls on the same week. So with that said: I will be documenting my weight loss and nutrition lifestyle soon. :-/ LOL!

Eyeshadow looks

2011-01-26T20:16:00.000-05:00

Here are some eyeshadow looks I did over the past few days.

I used Wet n Wild's Snow Sprite for this look, Wet and Wild mascara, and eyeliner.
My friend Nicki, said this look reminded her of fairies. I agree!

This is a golden look using the Wet and wild Golden Goddess, Loreal Featherlash mascara in brown, and Elf brown eyeliner.

Here is a pink purple look using Maybelline Eyestudio in Purple Possibilites,

And Hot Looks Le Amour2. Wet and Wild mascara.

I purchased the Wet and Wild Color Icon palettes over the holidays when Walgreens had their 50% off sale, but never got to use them. I've been trying all my untrieds all week. I got the Hot Looks palette from AJ Wright during the after Christmas sale, and got it for a dollar. It has pretty metallic colors.

Toodles!

NOTD: Rhinestones galore!

2011-01-20T17:38:00.002-05:00

Here is my nail look I did today. I used:

Milani: Tip toe pink, Art Deco in black, Duri basecoat, Nutra Nail strengthener, Poshe top coat, Cina bonder, and Creative Nail Design Solar oil, and of course, rhinestones. :)

Hope you like. :)

Eyeshadow looks & NOTD

2011-01-18T22:51:00.002-05:00

Alright, so here is my eyeshadow look for the day:

Green shadow look using ELF 100 pallette

I really wanted to do a nail design, but didn't have time, so I polished with Duri as base and Nutra nail on top.

I've been experimenting with liners. I have some cheap ones from the beauty supply that I never used, and now I see why. :-/ They hardly showed on my skin, and I ended up using a blue eyeshadow in my ELF 100 palette to make it more pigmented.

I suppose next time I need to blot my eyes for the shininess. Lol!

It's a black liner with my pink eyeliner pencil, and a pink glitter liner on top.

In this one, I used my blue pencil and topped it with a blue shadow from my ELF 100.

I put a brown on my lid, but I'm not sure I will do that again. lol

Queen Helene Mint Julep: The Ultimate Facial Masque

2011-01-14T11:07:00.001-05:00

I remember my mother using this masque when I was a little girl, and when I became a teen, she introduced me to it. Unfortunately I've been suffering from whiteheads on my nose ever since I can remember. Maybe when I hit puberty, but this masque works wonders. It firms, shrinks pores, makes your skin smooth, unclogs impurities from your pores and so much more. I've introduced this masque to almost everyone I know (if they weren't already using it) lol

There were times when I tried to find something better, but nothing can compare to this, and I've been using it for yeaaars.

On left is Queen Helene. Right: Freemans Clay Mask(Avocado and Oatmeal)

You can probably tell from the picture that Queen Helene is very thick, and you get better coverage with this masque, and it dries quickly while tightening skin. Freeman clay mask is a bit more softer and watery, and it takes way more time to dry, it also doesn't firm as great as Queen Helene. It's great to have as a back up though.

Both masques are very affordable and can be found at your local drugstores, Sallys and supermarkets. I paid under $2 bucks for each.

More about Queen Helene from the site:
Mint Julep Masque is the original natural home treatment to help dry up pimples, rinse away blackheads and shrink enlarged pores. Simply apply Mint Julep Masque to your clean face and neck. As it firms and hardens within minutes, it draws out impurities from your pores. After the masque is removed, your skin will feel clean, refreshed and smooth. Even for individuals who are fortunate to be free of skin problems, Mint Julep Masque is a refreshing facial treatment that helps relax tired muscles and ease tension lines on the face and neck.

She has plenty other products such as lotions, scrubs and peel off masque, most of which I tried, but in my opinion, this is the ultimate facial masque. :-)

Eyeshadow looks: The Body Needs

2011-01-12T21:43:00.002-05:00

I found out about the body needs on http://www.longhaircareforum.com/. They have Mineral eyeshadows, Mac pigment and glitter samples and more.
The bodyneeds shadows are $1.79 ea. and their Mac pigment samples range from $1.99 to $3.
They sell other goodies as well, such as fragrant powders, empty jars, and sifters, makeup brushes and more.
According to the girl on the forum who recommended them, they are authentic. I have no idea though, as I don't buy or own any Mac pigments to compare.

However, I did come across a video on youtube from a makeup artist who said that they were fake. Again I don't know how true that is. I was happy with the service, shipping and the products I received, so I don't have any complaints. Just use your own discretion.

This was my Saturday night look using a Mac sample pigment from TBN in Teal:

This is a neutral look I did today with TBN's shadow in Au naturel on lid:

In case you are wondering that is a mole on my eyeball... lol No, it isn't raised. :-p

The TBN shadow was very pigmented and blended very well, I didn't have to pack it on too much and a little went a long way. I got a couple other colors from them as well, but I hope to get some more soon.
I did have to pack on the Teal shadow, but that was fine with me, because I'd rather pack it on than apply too much to begin with.
If you want to try out any Mac shadows or any of their other products, or you want loads of pigments in an array of colors, try out the body needs as an affordable choice.

P.S.: They always have discounts, which is a great plus in my book. :-D

http://www.thebodyneeds2.com/

Wet and Wild 2011 Spring Collection Swatches

2011-01-11T10:16:00.001-05:00

Found these at Walgreens on Sunday. (Actually this was the 5th Walgreens I went to before finding them.)
I know they are limited edition and limited quantity, so when I arrived the associate was just about to unbox everything. I stood and waited. :-D It was not a game. lol!

I think she put out about 2 or 3 of each, and she took one of each for herself, and I took the rest, after that they were gone. 'o'
I Dream of Greenie were all shattered, so I got the duo. They were all $1.49 ea.

From let to right: I'm feeling retro, I got good jeans, spoiled brat, silent treatment and I'm getting sunburned.

I dream of Greenie duo (only thing missing was browbone highlight)

Here are some swatches, not the best lighting, but I hope you get the picture, without the flash.

Silent treatment (very neutral)

I got good jeans

I'm feeling retro

I'm getting sunburned

Spoiled brat

They also had polishes for 99 cents, but most of the colors looked like ones I already had, so I got one that I didn't 'think' I had already:

Blue Wants to be a Millionaire

They also had eyeliners and lipglosses for 99 cents. but I only got what is pictured.

These colors are gorgeous and very pigmented. I can't wait to play with them. If you find them in your area, grab them before they are all gone. Over the holidays, I wasn't able to find Night Elf, no matter how hard I looked.

Toodles!

Eyeshadow bases: Tried and my favs

2011-01-10T09:50:00.000-05:00

If you want your eyeshadow colors to pop and stick even better, eyeshadow bases come in very handy. You can use a primer alone, but using a base in the color family or the same as your eyeshadow color, makes for a rich and popping shadow look!

These are my favorite eyeshadow bases:

Nyx Jumbo Eye pencils

I apply these on top of my primer, and if I'm wearing a gold, brown or neutral look, I stick to a pencil in mocha, or gold.

I use green for green shadow looks, purple for purple...and you get the picture...lol
These bases go on very smooth, and blend very well, you can use as many colors as you want on your lid. I.e. Green for inner lid or black for outer v or crease, or a rainbow look. It all depends on what you like and what look you are trying to create.

These pencils come in a variety of colors, but Milk is the most popular, and usually very hard to find.

This color is very white, and can be used with almost any color. In my opinion, this makes any color extremely vibrant and it will definitely have your lids popping with color. It goes on smooth, and can be used as a shadow base, or as a brow highlight.

Another base I use is Nyx eyeshadow base:

These work pretty good and does the job, nude and white are the colors I have them in, and in my opinion they are similar to Mac paint pots, but I prefer the pencils over these.

Rimmel All over pencils are pretty good, and I have a gold, and champagne colored one that I use from time to time. They are not as smooth, but get the job done if you are in a rush, or if it's the first thing you grab. lol

I've also tried a variation of other shadow pencils, like Loreal shade sticks, and ones from L.A. Colors, and cream shadow bases from Avon, and this one that I got as a gift for Christmas from Maybelline:

I did a shadow look with this the other day, and it was oh so pretty. It made my purple and pink shadow pop so goood. Too bad I deleted the pic on accident. :-(
My shadow was so smooth and did not crease, I want to get these in the other colors available.

A base is not necessary if you don't want to use it, ( I don't use them all the time). However, it's always nice to experiment until you find one you like.

Nyx eyeshadow base

Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencils

You can pretty much find all others mentioned, in your local Walmart, drugstore, Target etc. The Nyx pencils and bases are also available at local beauty supply stores.

Where can I find a cheap eyeshadow primer?

2011-01-09T10:46:00.001-05:00

Someone asked me this question last night, so I decided to blog it.

Based on my experience, you can't go wrong with:

Loreal Decrease

I've been using this since 08. It was the very first eyeshadow primer I used, so maybe I'm biased, but I love it. It goes on smooth, blends well, and it doesn't crease. Shadows stick well if used without a base. It's been so long since I purchased one, so if I'm not mistaken, it cost about $5-6 bucks. (guessing here) I do know it wasn't over $7 at Walmart.

Elf eyelid primer:

I just recently started using this, and for a dollar you can't go wrong at all. The only thing I don't like is when I first apply it, it goes on wet/greasy. You have time to blend it out, as opposed to the Loreal Decrease that you have to blend really fast because it's fast drying. You have to give the elf primer time to dry before applying a base or your shadow. I usually wait about ten seconds, unless you want to fan your eyes dry. lol Apart from purchasing on their site: E.L.F , you can probably also find this at Target, or Walgreens, as I've seen elf in there.

They also have a mineral primer I want to try:

This one is $3. My sis uses this one, and she's very pleased with it.

Just like when preparing to paint walls in a room, or priming your nails before polishing, you should consider using a base on top of your primer. In my opinion, this is what makes your shadow pop, and it really looks vibrant and completes the look. I will do another blog on what bases I use and which ones I love. Basically a review...lol

Toodles

Off course...My gaming history

2011-01-06T18:15:00.000-05:00

Any girl gamers out there?

Hehe, I'm sure there are.

So this is what I'm currently playing: Call of Duty: Black Ops

I'm not too familiar with the ins and outs, specs, lingo etc. But I'm trying my best.

I had a Nintendo game system when it first came out, a gameboy, a Playstation when it first came out, and I played games like Super Mario Brothers (of course! who hasn't? ) Tetris, and what was the name of the game on Nintendo where you shoot the birds with the guns? lol ETA: Duck hunt!! ;-)

I've played, Crash Bandicoot, and felt like I won a million dollars when I passed it. Parasite Eve, Resident Evil (returned after the first day, was too scary for me) and then my homeboys from high school got me into Splinter Cell, Halo, Max Payne and a few others that I can't remember.

I recently started playing Fallout 2, and I watched my boo play and win Uncharted. Now that game was the bomb diggity.

Anyway, I started learning how to play Call of Duty Black Ops. Which I liked waaay better than Modern Warfare, it just seemed boring when I watched the guys play it. Maybe because I like adventure games, and story lines etc. I should be getting my own system in a couple weeks, but for now I am playing Campaign on black ops. I want to play online like him but he said I should play the game first, so that's what I'm doing. Not sure what part I'm on now in the game though...Vietnam...after I flew the helicopter?...lol

The game is very addicting and ladies if you love games good, and if you play with your man even better. But if you don't, get on it. Trust me, let him show you how to play and play together, it is oh so sexy and exciting. ;-)

I definately liked the game at first, but I hated the controller. It was like learning to drive a stick shift. It took me a while to learn, but I got it.

I guess whenever I pass it I will post about it. I would like some suggestions on more fun, adventure, action, strategy games to play. As long as it's not super violent.

Playing games is fun, but in moderation, because if you're not keeping track of time, before you know it you would've played for 8 hours straight without realizing. *whispers* (like what I did a few days ago) Definately don't let the game take you away from the reality of life. lol

I can't wait to get my own, because I have a list of games I want to play.
Here is a list of multi player games I found online.

Elf encyclopedia, and Elf 100 pallete pics

2011-01-06T16:47:00.001-05:00

Here is a purple eyeshadow look using the Elf 100 palette or the Studio Endless Eyes Pro Eyeshadow Palette. I just say Elf 100, easier and quicker. :-) It is very pigmented, blended well, and very vibrant. I am very happy with this palette, and can't wait to try the other colors. I'm actually happier with this palette than I was with Coastal Scents because it isn't powdery, and chalky like like CS was, it also didn't wash me out like some of their colors did. For $10, you can't go wrong with this. :) I also got the mini $5 palette, that consisted of the same colors, just 32 in that one. 32 palette = Endless Eyes Pro mini eyeshadow palette = too doggone wordy for me, lol. However, I gave the 32 palette away as a gift, and she loved that one just as much as I loved the 100. :-)

Here is a look I did with the Elf Encyclopedia. If I'm not mistaken, it was the Sparkle edition, it was a teal and green color. I'm very impressed and although the camera on my phone didn't show it too well, it was very pretty in person.

You can't go wrong for $5, and I even saw them in Target and Walgreens! I believe the only one I don't have is the Smokey Eye Edition, I want that one because it has a blue shadow that looks similar to the shadow Nicki Minaj wears, and I want to try that look one day. :-)
Thank you to my sis Nicki for the wonderful gifts. :-)

EyeShadow Looks:GlamourDollEyes

2011-01-06T15:54:00.002-05:00

Various looks using Glamour Doll eyes shadows. They are very pigmented, easily blendable, and the colors are gawgus! These do not disappoint. I bought samples and can't wait to get full sizes. (I'm sorry I didn't initially!) They have many colors that I haven't seen in other brands.

(I didn't blend the pink well)

Try them out! Here. Free shipping on all samples. Samples are $1.25 or the baggie, and $2.50 for the jar.

Eyeshadow look: ELF Drama Quad

2011-01-06T15:28:00.000-05:00

This was a look I tested out for NYE. I am by no means claiming to be a guru, but I am a makeup lover, especially eyeshadows and glosses, so if you see mistakes, trust me I do too.

All in all, these shadows did not disappoint at all. They are highly pigmented and blended really well. This quad does have glitter in it, (not the white shadow) but it makes for the perfect smokey eye. :)

Currently using...

2011-01-06T14:12:00.000-05:00

So I haven't used Duri for about 5-6 months. No fault of mine, I just didn't order a new bottle. lol So during that time I discovered this:

Well, I am not dissapointed at all. It actually works pretty well. I heard about it on a forum I frequent, and she linked us to a girl on youtube who uses it as a top coat. She said it made her manicures last over 2 weeks. (something like that) So anyway, I never tried it as a topcoat, as I am forever dedicated to my beloved Poshe, so I started using it as my base. I will say in comparison to Duri, my nails are still super hard. They did start to break and chip the last couple months due to me neglecting them during finals, but I am back on track now. They are not as white as they were when I used duri, and they don't seem to grow as fast, (or maybe I'm too busy to notice) but it is very comparable. It's around the same price range depending on where you get it. Actually no, Duri is about $4 a bottle on an online retailer I used to buy it from. And Nutra Nail is about $2 bucks at Family dollar, and maybe a dollar more at Walgreens.

I think it's a cheaper alternative if you are looking for a good drugstore nail hardener and strengthener. Try it out and let me know how you like.

Review: Forever 21's Love & Beauty polishes

2011-01-06T13:57:00.000-05:00

Ok, so here is my review on Love & Beauty's polishes.

Love love love these polishes. they are very opaque in one coat and do not dissapoint. They are currently my fav polish of the moment. Dare I say they wow me even more than OPI (pick up your jaw ladies,lol)

They come in a range of colors, from green, to pink to golds. They are also only $2.80. :-)

Here are some pics:

Cocoa and Jade. I believe these were one coat. Anything more would've been too much. They also last super loooong.
I believe I applied cocoa for thanksgiving, and it lasted over a week, I had to take it off. Same thing with Jade, no tipwear, chip, peeling. Nada. Very impressive.

Let's compare.
This is a pic of Milani Ruby Jewels: (ignore white fingers, courtesy of acetone)

I put ^ on on Christmas day, by the time I was ready to leave it had smudged, and I had tipwear. I didn't do much of anything at all. So comparing it to Love & Beauty, I was dissapointed. I am currently wearing Milani 3D digital polish in pink, this is the 3rd day and each finger has peeled and I have tipwear. Too bad!

So anyway, if you see these brands in Forever 21, and you are contemplating, please do not hesitate to try them out.
You can also find them here. Toodles!

Tastebud edition: Bolthouse Farms

2011-01-06T12:07:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love this drink. A former co-worker of mine introduced me to this drink back in 04 and I've been drinking it ever since.
I fell in love with the Vanilla Chai Tea:

It's a soy protein drink, and it is delicious. It doesn't taste like milk, and it is very sweet and filling. I can easily drink a glass for breakfast and feel full till lunch time.

From the site: Our Perfectly Protein® Vanilla Chai Tea is a smooth blend of soy protein, brewed green tea, and chai spices all naturally sweetened with a subtle hint of vanilla. In addition to energizing the body with a heart-healthy supply of protein, this delicious drink is brimming with nutrients like Vitamin C, B6 and B12, iron, zinc, magnesium, 18 amino acids, and 37 grams of isoflavonoids per serving.

Hazelnut Latte and Mocha Cappuccino are two other great flavors (but will make you use the bathroom something serious)

For those who might not like a milk like consistency, they have other flavors also.

I've tried those and plenty others, they are really good. You can find Bolthouse Farms in your local supermarket.

Bolthouse

A No Go: Wet and Wild Eye Makeup remover

2011-01-05T00:17:00.000-05:00

Purchased this during the Walgreens 50% off sale during the holidays. This will be short because this mess is a definite no no if you want to use your eyes and see.

This mess burned the crap out of my eyes. Usually I can use a makeup remover (for eyes or not) and it removes not only in one swipe, but it doesn't burn. This felt like I literally wiped my eyes with alchohol. Even alcohol probably wouldn't burn this bad. :-/ It's oil free and has aloe vera, but um no.

I can say that it's ok to use if you want to do a quick clean up after a makeup look, under the eyes, or if you want that sharp line/outer v. But to wipe off a full eyeshadow look? No mam. Don't say I didn't warn you.