few of everything

#designinspiration

2015-03-02T13:57:00.000-05:00

*photos courtesy of tumblr, pinterest*

philosophy ∙ loveswept

2014-12-20T19:57:00.002-05:00

philosophy ∙ loveswept
It's been awhile! I'm finally giving blogging some attention lol. It had to fall to the back for a little bit but its getting revived haha. I like blogging, but its always good to make sure everything outside of blogging is in order you know? For awhile now I have been wanting a light fragrance to wear. Most of what is in my collection at the moment is in the medium to strong range, so I wanted something light. I also wanted to try a different brand and change things up. So I paid a visit to Sephora. The sales associate there recommended that I try Philosophy, a skincare brand. She specifically wanted me to try Loveswept, a fragrance in the line considered to be popular with the public. I am familiar with Philosophy, so I said why not lol. Loveswept is a mostly floral fragrance with hidden earthy scents. The notes are Bergamot, Blue Violet, Lotus Blossom, Pink Jasmine, Purple Passion Fruit, Skin Musk, Creamy Amber, White Cedarwood. Overall I'm not sure if I feel strongly about this fragrance. I'm not particularly fond of how the fragrance sits on my skin a while after its been applied. Looks like I may have to check out the other fragrances in their line because this is the last time I will get Loveswept lol. Have you tried Philosopy's fragrances?

sinful colors ∙ graine de poivre

2014-10-17T20:50:00.000-04:00

So another color that I have taken a liking to lately are browns. Especially brown that looks mauve and chocolate brown. Chocolate brown is a hot color this season for nails and I'm glad because if they weren't I probably would not have paid attention lol. I need to stop overlooking these awesome colors lol. For my manicure recently I chose Sinful Colors Graine De Poivre, a brownish mauve. Beautiful color. I can't really find this color on line or anywhere so I am going to go ahead and say it was either a limited edition color or discontinued. "Graine De Poivre" translates to pepperseed in French. I am still reviewing my French so I was happy to see this nail shade was in French lol. It has taken a backseat though as I have been busy. Blogging is taking a backseat a little bit too but I'll be back to give more time to these things soon. Hopefully brown nail polish makes its way into your collection!

odesza

2014-10-05T17:35:00.000-04:00

Just a song I like the moment. The name of the group is ODESZA, a electronic music duo from Seattle, WA consisting of Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight. The song is called "Sun Models" featuring an artist named Madelyn Grant. Happy listening!

ODESZA on soundcloud

*photo/music courtesy of odesza & soundcloud*

opi ∙ what wizardry is this?

2014-10-01T17:10:00.003-04:00

Soooo its the first of the month! October is here! Pumpkin spice, leaves, and Halloween come to mind. Speaking of which I should get some pumpkin spice latte soon. I need to make this coming of fall thing official lol. Lately I have been busy. Just a lot on my plate, but nothing I can't handle. I'm still working on my time management skills. I took some time to do my nails this week and painted them with OPI What Wizardry is This?. It is a blackish gold textured polish with a matte finish. It's really interesting to look at. I like textured polish because it's different. It gives your nails dimension and just makes them look cool overall. This type of textured polish is what OPI calls "Liquid Sand™". Other nail brands have similar versions with different names. The texture is gritty and rough like sandpaper. Because it dries matte and needs to have visible texture, there is no need for top coat. Just base coat and two coats of color. That was actually why I picked it because it meant I could skip the top coat step and save myself some time lol. Hopefully you have tried textured polish. If not, definitely give it a go if you desire something different on your nails. It's a nice and easy way to switch it up.

wise words

2014-09-20T22:36:00.000-04:00

matte glitter

2014-09-14T15:21:00.000-04:00

I'm probably late to the party but I was not aware how awesome matte nails were lol! I mean I've always seen it and knew it was there but did not actually try the effect for myself. I am obsessed now...oh yesss lol. So today I did a matte glitter effect. I used two coats of Essie Chinchilly. Such a lovely color. It is gray with purple undertones. Lately I have been into gray. Not a color I normally put on but I didn't realize how much I liked the color on my nails lol. I could have left it like that but I felt like jazzing up my nails a bit. So I added a coat of L.A. Colors Color Craze Sparkling Diamonds as a topper. I didn't want the glitter to be overly shiny and glittery, so I muted it by adding a coat of N.Y.C Matte Me Crazy mattifying top coat. I definitely like how it turned out. It looks as though the glitter is suspended in the nail color as opposed to just being a topper. I really like the whole "non-shine" thing with a matte finish. Sometimes you just want something other than a glistening look lol. This matte polish was pretty good considering how inexpensive it was. Almost all nail brands offer matte top coats so it depends on your preference. Hopefully you have tried the matte effect on your nails. If not definitely give it a try. Have a nice week!

essie haul

2014-09-10T17:41:00.001-04:00

Essie Too Taboo ∙ Essie Miss Fancy Pants ∙ Essie Don't Sweater It ∙ Essie Spin The Bottle ∙ Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil

Got some new Essie polishes! Not sure what it is about this nail polish brand, but out of all the nail polish I have, it is Essie that I have the most of lol! I think its the bottle design. They are so simple and minimal, and I love the square shape.

Recently I found these polishes at TJ Maxx. Lately there has been this surge of Essie showing up there and also at Marshalls. I find mostly old ones, but strangely I have been finding some from as recent as this summer. Weird how they are getting these that quickly lol. I got Too Taboo (fucshia, Summer 2014), Spin the Bottle (nude, Spring 2014), Miss Fancy Pants (gray/beige, Fall 2012), and Don't Sweater It (mauve/brownish/hints of purple, also Fall 2012). Also found Apricot Cuticle oil at Marshall's for $3.99.

Together, everything was roughly $25(each polish = $4.99). Pretty good deal. If you are familiar with Essie then you know their polishes normally retail in the $8.50-10.50 ish range. I really like their polishes but...I can't deal paying that much for polish unless I have a good reason lol. Had I bought these full price, I would have paid a little over $40. Sorry but no. lol. But definitely hit Marshalls and/or TJ Maxx if you are looking for brand name polish, among other things, for a little cheaper. Amazon is also a nice place to look too. Do pay attention though, as I have heard of fakes floating around. Crazy smh

today last year...

2014-09-06T12:14:00.001-04:00

I've been making a point to make myself do more interesting things and pick up new hobbies when I can.
So far working on this goal has been going pretty well. Maybe I'm a cooler person now that I am doing more interesting things loool. Today last year though, I began this little thing called blogging. Blogging is a world of its own! I've definitely been a lot more enlightened about blogging now that I actually take part in doing it. I haven't really been much of a blogger though. My blog was actually hidden for like six months and I was posting very infrequently, but by this past summer I tweaked it and started posting more often. Blogging has been pretty fun, even therapeutic at times. I like having my own little space on the web. I will definitely will keep doing it for as long as I can.

china glaze ∙ merry berry

2014-08-31T17:51:00.000-04:00

Fall is here! On my nails that is lol. I decided to get a head start on fall colors, even though the weather is still very summer like and will be until fall officially comes mid September. I have China Glaze "Merry Berry" on my nails today. This is a deep red with berry undertones. It appears a bit darker in person. Very pretty shade and applies smoothly. I have never been big on reds, but I do like the deep/vampy ones. They are so sophisticated looking lol. My nails will also get more conservative and less "interesting" for a while, as I have responsibilities. I'll try to make it work though. Have a nice week!

orly ∙ tropical pop

2014-08-23T13:14:00.000-04:00

So I was in the mood for some bright color lol. I think because summer is almost over, I feel the need to get in some more summer colors before I have to revert back to fall colors. Fall nail color tends to be dark, neutral, etc. I'm one of those people that stays with the season, so I don't wear summer colors in fall or anything like that lol. Orly "Tropical Pop" is a neon yellow-orange. It's soo bright and pretty. This appears more orange due to my skintone in person, but I will say the color in these pictures is accurate to how you see the color in the bottle. It dries to this semi-matte/gloss finish, and it's a tad bit goopy when applying but its all good. Can't wait to go back wearing fall colors though lol

lush fresh handmade cosmetics ∙ mint julips lip scrub

2014-08-22T23:40:00.000-04:00

Lush has become a brand that I like going to for skincare products. Lush Cosmetics is a beauty and skincare company based in the United Kingdom. All their cosmetics are made from fresh and vegan ingredients. I appreciate this because I constantly struggle with my skin and prefer not to use chemicals that would irritate it. Since I care about the environment I like that they are aware of how their products impact the planet and make strides to continue producing "green" products.

What I have here is the Mint Julips lip scrub. The name stems from a popular cocktail made in the southern states in the USA. The main ingredients are peppermint and castor sugar, which helps exfoliate your lips. I must say I reallllly like this stuff lol! As you can see I have been steadily using it. What I do is take a bit with my index finger and gently scrub my lips for about a minute or two. The peppermint gives a cooling effect on your lips which I like so much lol. Then I lick off any left on my lips and put on lip balm, in my case eos smooth sphere lip balm, which contains shea butter and vitamin e to for good moisture. Definitely great for keeping your lips in top condition!

nude & yellow ∙ french manicure

2014-08-18T14:02:00.001-04:00

I was feeling inspired by the warm weather and decided to a summer french manicure. The french manicure is my all time favorite type of nail art to do. I don't do a lot nail art, but when I want something simple and chic yet easy to do, I come to this. I have been doing this type of manicure since my high school days and I have yet to tire of it lol.

For my manicure I used a nude as well a a yellow polish color. I chose OPI "Don't Pretzel My Buttons" and Julep "Lexie". I prepped my nails & cuticles as I normally do, and coated my nails with base coat. Then I painted each nail with two thin coats of OPI "Don't Pretzel My buttons, allowing each coat to dry completely. Then with a steady hand, I painted a stripe of Julep "Lexie" across the tips of each nail as neatly as possible and allowed to dry completely. Then I painted each nail with a coat of top coat.

tips:

I did the tips of my nails freehand, and I understand this might be hard for everyone to do. You can use nail art pens and/or french manicure guides, which are supplied by almost all nail polish brands and can be found in drugstores. I have also found sharpies to be useful too. But make sure when using a sharpie that you are using it on nail color and NOT on your bare nail as it may be harder to get off.

imprintafter

2014-08-16T01:03:00.000-04:00

It continues to amaze me how many awesome artists exist that people have yet to discover. Crazy lol. Today I bring to you an artist named Imprintafter. Born Beck Avila, this musician from Los Angeles shows a lot of talent in the R&B genre. Some of his covers of 90's R&B songs by greats such as Babyface are truly stunning. The way he reworks the beats and songs to create his version blows me away. My absolute favorite has to be his cover of Soul for Real's "Love You So" titled "Her". I was definitely amazed how he reworked the beat and used the lyrics to create an epic sound. Some other favorites of mine:

1. "Everytime I Close My Eyes" (cover of Babyface's "Everytime I Close My Eyes)
2. "Tell Me Baby"

Hope you enjoy!

imprintafter soundcloud

(photo and music courtesy of soundclound/imprintafter)

negative space manicure

2014-08-12T17:00:00.000-04:00

Ahh the negative space manicure. It is a manicure that involves leaving your nail "bare" in certain areas while still incorporating color in designs and shapes in others. I don't know too much other than this type of manicure has been a big trend in the nail designs of various models displaying designer collections during Fashion Week. It's pretty cool lol. It's also an easy manicure to do too.

For this look I used Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in "Lingering Spice", a reddish pink color. I kept my design really simple, lining the edge of a piece of scotch tape horizontally across the middle of each nail tightly. On each nail the top half of the nail was painted with 2 thin coats of color, while the other half was left bare or used as the "negative space". I also used base and top coat.

tips:

While you can use any color you want, it seems this manicure pops when using opaque, medium-to-dark polish colors.

minimalism

2014-08-06T11:46:00.001-04:00

I'm really into the minimal aesthetic. I have never really been into bold, flashy stuff and it always showed in many things that I liked or did. I just liked things to be simple. I'm plain I guess lol. It wasn't until much later that I discovered that this approach was called minimalism. Minimalism is a style which involves a toned down look. It essentially is about reducing something to the simplest state possible without completely taking away function and design. Lately I have been really into home decor/design. Like now I watch HGTV more often and get home magazines to look at lol. I think because its because I am a bit of a homebody, so I am really concerned about the comfort and look of my personal space. I find a minimal look relaxes me. Here are some home designs featuring a minimal look. Getting ideas for a future space lol.

(photos courtesy of tumblr/pinterest/google)

l.a. colors color craze ∙ simply

2014-08-03T12:58:00.000-04:00

Went to Walmart one day and right after picking up things I needed, I headed straight for the health & beauty section. As usual. Lol. There I came across the L.A Colors Color Craze collection. At $1 I couldn't resist lol. I also understand they sell these at dollar stores too for roughly $1 so be sure to check for them there as well. I picked up a few brights and a couple subdued colors. One of these colors was "Simply", a light nude. Beautiful color. And the polish formula is outstanding. I put it up there with the higher brands I use as far as application. Don't sleep on cheaper polishes! You will be surprised lol. Hope you all have a nice week!

essie ∙ romper room

2014-07-27T16:36:00.000-04:00

Although I wear quite a few different colors, I normally like to wear neutral, sheer, or understated colors. They are simple yet chic. Today I went with Essie's "Romper Room". It is a pale pink with white undertones. This color is really nice but a struggle when painting your nails. It's a bit streaky and doesn't even itself well. Meh. Oh well. Luckily I have it as a mini bottle. I actually painted my nails several times this weekend trying to get them perfect and used most of the polish up lol. Since it's nearly gone I am going to go ahead and dispose of it. Hope you all have a great week!

mnek

2014-07-18T16:45:00.000-04:00

I don't know what it is about this song. Since this song came out on July 7th, every time I want to play something, I come to this song. Lol. It's a remix of MNEK's "Wrote A Song About You". Oh.my.gawd. The beat's too awesome. MNEK is a Nigerian-British singer/songwriter from England. The song was reworked by Kaytranada, a DJ based in Canada. Hope your ears enjoy!

(photo courtesy of google/mnek & music courtesy of mnek/soundcloud)

rollerball perfume

2014-07-07T14:36:00.001-04:00

I love perfume. Lol. I only buy 2-3 spray bottles at a time, ranging from the mid-size to large sizes. But being the scent junkie I am, I tend to like a lot of different scents and want to try them all! So in comes rollerball perfume. My first rollerball was Calvin Klein Forbidden Euphoria(pictured), a limited edition fragrance. I found it at Marshall's a long while back. So far I find rollerballs to be quite convenient. Sometimes when I want to carry perfume on the go, I take a rollerball, as it is compact and can fit easily in a purse. Also, I like testing different scents. When I can't decide on one, I buy it as a rollerball so that I can avoid wasting money on a perfume I may not feel strong about. Currently I have Calvin Klein Forbidden Euphoria, Euphoria(not pictured), Marc Jacobs Daisy and Daisy Eau so Fresh. Building my collection slowly but steadily lol.

j.u.d.

2014-06-23T21:42:00.000-04:00

Just a song I came across watching youtube and I have been bumping for days now. I can't help it the beat's infectious lol. It is a remix of Rihanna's "You Da One" by Montreal-based muscian J.u.D. from last year I believe.

(photo courtesy of terry richardson/rolling stone magazine & music courtesy of j.u.d/rihanna/soundcloud)

"see through"

2014-06-12T18:24:00.000-04:00

I don't know, I just really like transparent things. I've always been intrigued with being able to "see through" transparent things. It's just so cool to me. I have clear watches, purses, jewelry, etc. I also find that just like white and black, transparent things go with a lot of things. I do limit what clear things I get, for example, I don't think I would be buying transparent pants anytime soon! Lol! I came across this pair of sunglasses by Naturalizer during a random trip through Marshalls. Squarish-circular transparent rims with brown lenses(can't tell from the B&W pics lol). I had to get them. For less than $10 they were a steal so I said why not?! Lol. I will be wearing them this summer.

nails of the week #notw

2014-06-01T17:20:00.001-04:00

I can not believe June is already here. The year is definitely going by fast! I can't keep up lol smh. I bought a mini cube of Essie's Spring 2014 colors a while back. I have on "Hide & Go Chic", described as a "covetable azure blue" on Essie's website. I think it's a really pretty color. I normally don't go for deep blues often, but this blue is definitely my type of blue. Also included is "Fashion Playground" (mint green with silver shimmer), "Romper Room" (pale pink), and "Style Hunter" (bright watermelon pink).

"attitude is everything."

2014-05-22T01:06:00.001-04:00

the skin you're in

2014-05-15T16:05:00.003-04:00

Lately I have been using Neutrogena products on my skin. I'm going to blame Kerry Washington for that. I've used Neutrogena in the past but was not consistent. After seeing Kerry's new Neutrogena commercial, I just had to get back on their products. Being familiar with Neutrogena products and a fan of her show, "Scandal", definitely did it for me. Advertising, I tell you. Lol. She has gorgeous skin though. She and Lupita N'yongo. My skinspirations currently! I'm using Neutrogena's Oil-Free Acne Wash and the Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight & Fade Toner to help my combination skin. So far so good. Giving myself some time to see more results. Have to thank Kerry Washington for reminding me about Neutrogena. Lol