Passion for Beauty

MAGIC Trade Show S/S2014

2013-09-02T20:55:00.001-07:00

This was my first time attending the MAGIC trade show Las Vegas and when I say I was very taken aback, it would be an understatement. I attended as a student with the Art Institute. I didn't expect to see as many vendors there! Granted I knew SOMEWHAT of what to expect, but my expectations were surpassed, tremendously! First, you have MAGIC itself, hosted by WWD (Women's wear daily). They had kiosk, if you will, with laptops so one could "shop the floor" by going online to shopthefloor.com to see what it was they were seeing on the floor ahead of time as well as pointing vendors in the right directions as to who or what they wanted to see first. As a student, I expected to do more observing than interacting just because the vendors there are meant to sell a lot of merchandise and business is business. But some vendors surprised me with their knowledge. Like Chinese Laundry shoes! I was surprised when one of the reps chimed in on my conversation about a shoe is bought last MARCH and knew the name of style just by hearing my description to friends. The seminars were really good too. I got a chance to go to the Marketing seminar, done by a CEO of a marketing firm and a upcoming trends seminar. Both very insightful. Then I went to Project. COMPLETELY different environment! Those were the street wear and trendy vendors. My group was completely overdressed, feeling like freshman a on a first day of school because we were told to dress business casual and seen something different for that portion. Project was my favorite! The difference in vendor etiquette was obvious; MAGIC vendors were more open to speak to students/more tolerable whereas at Project we knew not to ask most vendors questions by their reactions when we approached, so we walked along, getting more and more excited per booth! Inside of Project there was ENK and Pool and initially I thought they were all the same. I even remember them as one event, but they were different and I enjoyed them as well. On the last day, we seen Tents and the menswear was CRAZY!! Everything was so impeccable from the tent itself (having been well air conditioned might I add) to the carpet and displays that adorned the floors! All in all, it was an AMAZING experience! My marketing professors plans to take us again in February, per our request lol. This time, I will blog section by section so as not to be so long. And I will be prepared! Here are a few pics. I chose not to show as much clothing out of respect for the vendors and the hard work they put into those amazing booths.

H&M store in Vegas Caesar's Palace Amazing!

2013-08-19T22:48:00.001-07:00

This is by far THE best H&M I've ever seen. They have "mannequins" (they look life-like) hanging from their ceilings, posing on the balcony on the top floor and disco balls hanging from the ceilings. Not to mention the blue disco lighting that flashes every so often. The music blasts all the way out of store, enticing you even more. They have EVERYTHING your H&M doesn't! And there is ALWAYS an associate walking around doing SOMETHING!

In love!

2013-08-19T22:38:00.001-07:00

H&M pants with Leather knee pads

This ad in the Dior store at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas is amazing! Take a look! And the leather I seem at the forum shops were amazing! Here are a few pics

Dior Menswear ad

Michael Kors Beauty and Fragrances Fall 2013

2013-08-17T23:34:00.001-07:00

Michael Kors just introduced us to his new fragrance and beauty campaign for Fall 2013. With the fragrances retailing at $75 for the small and $95 for the large, he is selling the overall idea and lifestyle of Michael Kors. The nail lacquers are AMAZING! My current personal favorite (also pictured) is the nude nail polish called "Hint". This one, along with five others, is sure to touch base with women of all different age groups, style and profession. Accompany the gold metal plated products are also huge bronzers, 6 lipsticks/lip glosses and 3 different fragrances! My favorite is Sporty Chic which also goes with the nail lacquer that I oh so love! This line is currently exclusive to Macy's so if anyone would like to see it, go check out the amazing displays they have! Enjoy guys!

MAC Quite Cute Collection

2011-04-07T22:50:00.000-07:00

So today MAC's Quite Collection premiered and I fell in LOVE!! I purchased two lipsticks, a lip gloss or plushglass and a mineralized blush. I plan to get a nail lacquer or three, lol, and a lip pencil. The lipsticks that I purchased were Saint Germain, which is a pink, amplified lipstick, and Quite Cute, which is a lilac cremesheen lipstick. I also bought the plushglass boy girl which is also a pink color. Here's a swatch of the lip products. The picture isn't doing the lip products justice just because the flash was getting in the way, paired with the artificial lighting since it's kind of latebut hopefully the bigger picture helps.

Next I bought a Mineralized blush called Sakura. It's predominantly purple or lilac with a pink heart in the center. Mineralized blushes feel so smooth that I just love everything about them! Here's a swatch of the blush as well.

Lastly, here's a full picture of what the entire collection pieces thaty I purchased today look like. The colors you're about to see are true with the pigmentation matching and everything!

Like I stated previously, I plan on buying some nail lacquers which are also pastels and maybe a lip liner. I hope you enjoyed my purchases and hope to post soon!

MAC Wonder Woman Collection!!

2011-02-19T14:58:00.000-08:00

I was stoked about the unveiling of the Wonder Woman collection! So I got the Mineralized Skinfinish in Golden Lariat which is BBEEAAUUTTIIFFUULL!! It's a nice bronzer/highlight and is Mineralized... Need I say more?? Next I got two lipsticks; Satin Spitfire which is a nice, creamy purple color. It goes on very smooth, smells nice and is pigmented nicely. I pair it with the lipgloss, that I'll be speaking of soon, and brown liner. The other lipstick is a Lustre called Marquise'd which is like a peachy, glittery nude and also smell's nice and goes on well. And the last thing I got was the huge lipgloss called Athena's Kiss which is a HIGHLY pigmented purple that I pair Satin Spitfire with. I've been wearing these products all week and they last very good and are very pigmented! I'm so glad I got these from the collection! The packaging is to DIE for!! You all should go out and get you a few things as well!!

Clinique is A-MAZ-ING!

2011-02-19T14:39:00.000-08:00

I recently began transitioning from Clean & Clear cleanser and moisturizer for oily skin, to Clinique's 3 step, particularly #3 designed for oily combination skin.
Initially, I got a sample of their Rinse off Foaming cleanser, which is used to take your makeup off. I fell in love with it immediately, so I proceeded to use the infamous three step. By the way, this foam leaves your face feeling SQUEAKIE clean after the removal of makeup!

At first, I was apprehensive because I have sensitive, yet oily combination skin which means, I am oily in my t-zone (nose, cheeks, forehead and chin), and "normal" everywhere else. So, I get a sample of their three step and low and behold... not ONLY didn't my skin break out, but it completely cleared my skin! Not one product that I have ever used in my life, on my face, have maintain my faces' pH value and kept my hormones in check! So needless to say, I am now a HUGE fan of Clinique! The only downfall to this is that you MUST...MUST USE ALL THREE STEPS in order to have your desired skin! Which, for someone who suffers from oily skin or breakouts, it's really not that bad if it takes away and/or decreases such a problem.

Then, after using those products I even opted for the seven day scrub. Now, I'd stopped exfoliating my face (using Ambi) because I'd immediately break out, so I was DEFINITELY against it and was also weary of trying something different, but Clinique didn't let me down, here, either! the seven day scrub is gentle enough to be used daily and also sloughs off the dead skin one builds up on the face on a regular basis. It even leaves your skin feeling moisturized after. This product is highly recommended by me to those who have oily, oily combination, sensitive and acne prone skin. You'll definitely see a difference in your skin!

Chanel is Giving Me EVERYTHING I Need!

2010-12-30T22:10:00.000-08:00

So I come across a few Chanel items and I must say... IM IN LOVE!! Usually I'd never look twice at a designer like Chanel's nail polish but I recently came across her nail laquer and another color, black pearl, and fell in love! The nail laquer is just a clear top coat that not only lasts but gives you a LASTING shine, unlike other brands that'll state they last long and really don't. The other color, Black Pearl, is a unique, gun metal-like color and beautiful nonetheless so I thought I'd share! The nail polishes run about $23 but honestly, with the longevity that they posess, I'd say it's worth it!

The next Chanel product that I've fell in love with is Coco Mademoiselle Oil. It has a very velvety feel to it and smells amazing! It lasts a long time as well and only at $55, which, compared to the perfume that runs, for a large bottle, $115, I'd say it isn't bad either... So check it out!

Luuux.com

2010-09-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

So I decided to sign up on Luuux.com after finding out that it truly wasn't a scam. So far it seems pretty good, although I'm a novice on the site so I don't know how to do a lot of things, but we shall see the progress of the "earn, add spend" website.

My E.L.F. Haul

2010-09-12T14:10:00.000-07:00

I ordered some products from E.L.F. online and received them yesterday, September 11, 2010. It took about 9 days, including weekends, to get to me with standard shipping. Because I spent over $25 ($26 to be exact lol), I got free shipping and handling, and because I referred three people I also received a free gift in my package as well. So let me get started with the products that I got.
I purchased three blushes from them in the colors "mellow mauve," "blushing rose," and "pink passion." The colors are very pigmented and come in really nice packaging, similar to NARS' blush. I can't wait to wear these colors out because they're a LOT less chalky than my 10 palette blusher from EBay. The next things I purchased were three creme liners in purple, midnight and ivory. The consistency of the eyeliner is very satin like and it comes on pretty nicely. Another item I bought was the eye primer and I don't really care for the consistency too much and would rather continue using their concealer as a primer. The last thing I bought was the under eye concealer/highlighter duo which seems to be pretty good but with all these products I won't really have a full handle on them until I use them for a while to see how they actually compare to my other products. Oh, and the free gift they sent me was the Citrus Shimmering Facial Whip which is more like a soft candy color. It's the equivalent to a face multiple because you can use it on your face, lips and eyes.

Oh and here's a list of the prices for the items:
Face Whip: Free Gift
Eye Primer: $1
Studio Blush: $3
Eyeliner Brush: $1
Studio Creme Liner: $3
Studio Highlighter/Under eye Concealer duo: $3

My Haul from MAC, H&M and Forever 21.

2010-09-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to go to the mall for the Too Faced Naked or Natural eye palette and unfortunately I didn't know it was THAT much glitter in the eyeshadows since some of them, on Sephora' website, say matte! And Sephora wasn't kind to m at all either!! Lol, I was looking for NARS lipgloss and all of them weren't there! UGH!! ANYWAYS!!! Lol, I dd get things from MAC, H&M and Forever 21 *=)*. P.S. I wouldn't usually put on display what I bought but bcause I bought it with my makeup items I decided to share...

The first real destination (as in where I actually bought something) was MAC, of course. In there I decided to buy a paint pot called Fresco Rose, two eyeshadows, coppering and brown script, and brush cleaner. Coppering is such a pretty color that there was no way I could pass it up! Brown script is like a milk chocolate color and blends well with my skin or rather gives it a richer look and i bought fresco rose to make free to be look more vibrant as well as any other pinks I have. Here they are...

My next destination was Forever 21 where I bought a red knitted cap, a double finger ring and a set of like 4 earrings. The red hat looks really nice on and it isn't too floppy so I don't have to worry about it flying off my head once the wind picks up. The double fingr ring is pretty cool! I was also trying to find a cute simpler one but they didn'thave any I wated to buy. And the earrings aren't anything too spectacular because they're just cute studs that you could pick up from anywhere.

And lastly, I went to H&M where I bought two oversized sweaters; a plain but cute grey that fits thearms and a short sleeved grey one that reads "Athletics California Est. 1972." I also got a mauve t shirt dress that rolls up to about quarter sleeve and there's a button latch type of thing to hold it in place. Oh and I got a silver bow ring that has studs on it and a set of three earrings, gold, pinkish pearls and like a turquoise "diamond" stud.

Some of my Favorite 2010 Emmy Looks

2010-09-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

This past weekend the Emmy's were held in none other than my beautiful city, also known as Los Angeles, Ca at the Nokia Theatre. Anybody who was anyone came dressed to impress, and although there were some... for lack of a better word, interesting dresses and suits walking the red carpet, it was overall, a beautiful sight. So I'm going to show you a few dresses that I favored, in no particular order. Oh, I might add that most of the women were decorated Lorraine Schwartz jewelry as well.*Note* All pictures and information on designers and jewelry are accredited to Yahoo!.

The Looks

My favorite, by far, was Heidi Klum. She looked ABSOLUTELY stunning in a black Marchesa micro mini dress, Christian Louboutin Hills and Lorraine Schwartz ruby and diamond necklace. Her hair, although unable to get a back shot, seems to be a textured bun of some sort with neutral yet sultry eye makeup. She managed to look sexy yet classy as well, a tip some of these up and coming's should take heed to.

Another dress I favored was worn by "Mad Men" actress Angela Kinsey. She wore a black lace strapless Romona Keveza dress that was stunning on her. Even in black this dress stood out on its own and wowed me from head to toe! And it made her body look great as well!

Next on the list is "Glee" counselor Jayma Mays, wearing a navy Burberry Prorsom chiffon ruched dress. Her hair and simple necklace, by Neil Lane, compliment this dress perfectly!

Lea Michele from "Glee" also made the list in a spectacular Oscar de la Renta dress! The color accentuates her skin tone marvelously. The sweetheart necline gives just enough sexy that neither distracts from her beauty but rather enhances it.She wore Lorraine Schwartz jewelry to top of this already perfect ensemble.

And lastly, yet another "Glee" member made my list for favorite dresses, and that's Amber Riley! Her white and silver Grecian dress has the perfect shape to it, enhancing her already naturally beautiful curves. Paired with a silver and white clutch and classy updo, she's absolutely faboulous!

These are just a few of the dresses that I found caught my attention right away, but there certainly were many more! But clearly the "Glee" cast, as a unit, took the crown for best dressed cast members!

Fall 2010 Fashions

2010-08-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

I picked up the new People "Style Watch" magazine as well as the new Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazine this week, of course, to see the latest fashions, get inspiration, and to see a different variety of how celebs style their fashions and see runway looks turned commercial. With this being said, here are the latest fashion trends in which I shall be partaking in and/or have seen frequently.
Casual Wear

Accessories
As far as the accessory department goes there is a big demand for the double fingered ring right now. This simple chic piece paired with almost any outfit will give you an effortless appeal.

Then we have the already known, oversized clothing. This trend is actually more like a staple rather than something that'll fade out, expecially in comparison to other trends. It's good for students (like myself) who have those early morning classes, or classes period actually, who don't really want to get too dolled up, and yet want to look casually chic to class as well as moms, who like to take care of themselves as well. Basically women of all ages can enjoy this look lol. Paired with some nicely cut skinny jeans and sandals and a few accessories, this could easily replace the "v neck and go" look that, for example, I wear when I can't find anything to wear and/or am in a rush. This look could also be worn with flats, heels... The possibilities are endless lol.

This collage that I found on the internet demonstrates various ways you can wear your oversized look!

Next we have the slouchy sweater. With Fall knocking on Summers door, this sweater is cute, comfortable and warm which will embody Fall in its entirety! This is when the weather cools, leaves fall and we go from being out actively in the summer time (beach, lake, party, tanning etc.) to going to lunch, work, doing homework... Basically we exchange our flip flops for heels, flats and tennis shoes for a lot calmer atmosphere and social activities and with a slouchy sweater, again, you can be comfortable and stylish all in one. For example, for school you can pair it with yoga pants and jeans with flats or boots, your choice.

Work Attire
This season for the woman with more of a 9-5 agenda, we have the cropped jacket. This polished detail would be suitable for a day in the office and a night out for drinks with your girls. By day, pair it with a skirt to make it look more like the a suit or even a nice pair of fitted slacks... add pumps to spice it up and give that sexy but sophisticated look. By night, pair it with nicely fit jeans and your favorite heels and a clutch to give your outfit a tailored chic look!

The other staple for the Fall season is the pencil skirt. We've seen this look plenty of times and it never goes away! A pencil skirt is on the cusp of sexy yet work appropriate so you'll have no problem feeling and looking nice in a plce that tends to get a little uniform. Pair it with another Fall go to, or a rich toned blouses. One rule with this trend, though, make sure if you want to wear it more often, which most women would, you don't add any embellishments or pockets or at least not too many because the more simple the better. It makes the skirt more versatile so that you may wear it with a cropped jack, rich toned blouses and fitted sweaters!

Shoes
So something that I find is BEYOND major are the rugged boots! Omg I die for these shoes! Lol.But seriously, rugged boots are DEFINITELY in right now. You could wear them with jeans, leggings, shorts... The possibilities are endless!!

And that tops my list, for now, for must haves in your closet! These aren't mandatory but they're some things that I found to be very trendy, classic and chic that would pertain to different women of all age groups! Enjoy!

Smokey Eye Tutorial

2010-08-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

So today I filmed like a billion videos...not! Lol just like three ( and btw I'm having a hard time trying to upload my smokey eye tutorial using onetruemedia.com)... ANYWAY, lol, I used elf's eye concealer as a primer for my eyes, then I used NYX's jumbo pencil in black bean as a base. I then used MAC's carbon on top of the black bean and used N.Y.C.'s eyebrow shader (called brow something I believe) in my crease. Oh, and I primed my lips with carmex and then used fresh brew lipstick by MAC and put elf's clear lipgloss over it. And as a highlight under my eyebrows I used a color from my 120 palette. Here are some pictures of the final look!

My brushes came in today!!

2010-08-12T18:28:00.000-07:00

So I recieved my Sigma brushes today! They came so fast it was unbelievable! They're really soft and nicely made as well. I'd recommend them for anyone who is interested in buying brushes because you get good quality for a GREAT price and with this being a recession (is it still going on?! sheeesh!) you are truley getting your moneys worth and more! I'll be using them really soon and then I'll be able to do a review on them via my you tube channel, mandiezie (did I just write that? lol). Sure there are plenty of review's on these brushes but OH WELL!! Lol... anywho, I'm still t rying to figue this whole blog and you tube business out so I can post pictures and such so please bare with me guys.... Love ya ad see ya soon!

Newbie!!

2010-08-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

So today I, made my very first youtube video (scary, I know!). It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be... I guess I was nervous for no reason lol. The only thing that made me feel a little wierd is that I was conversing with myself but I guess when I'm watching tv I do that anyway (butit's no pressure and people other than my family can't comment lol). Anywho, I'll try and put videos out very frequently since people that I see on a regular basis ask questions as to how I do some of the things I do. So get ready world because Amanda has come out to play!!!