Project: Danielle

Win an item of your choice with eShakti.com!

2012-05-22T17:36:00.001-04:00

Have you checked out eShakti.com lately? They are really going through a transformation. I really love the things I'm seeing. Like...

Now of course I didn't post these just to get you to spend money. eShakti.com has graciously offered to give away one item to one of my readers!!

So how do you win something great to kick off the summer?:

To enter this giveaway use the widget below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

That's it...simple. Contest ends May 31, 2012 at 12 am EST. I will announce the winner on June 1, 2012. So go visit eShakti.com and let me know what you're jonesing for.

Face of the Day: Flat-Out Fab

2012-04-24T15:35:00.002-04:00

Still getting the hang of this iPhone.

I was rushing a bit this morning so I applied my moisturizer with my fingers instead of the brush. I think you see my moles a bit more and I don't look so dewy or as my daughter says "doll-like"

Products used:

Face: Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer in Dark

Cheeks: MAC Blush in Bite of An Apple

Eye Liner (Upper): New York Color Classic Liner Pencil in Jet Black

Eye Liner (Lower): New York Color Liquid Eyeliner in Black

Eyeshadow: NYX Eyeshadow in Oro

Mascara: Sephora Outrageous Volume Mascara in Ultra Black

Lips: NYX Round Lipgloss in Apricot

So I recently got a promotion and I've been trying to dress the part. My little fashionista at home likes to inspect my outfits. Today she told me I looked fab but a bit flat-chested.

Um, me? Flat-chested? The things this kid says.

Dress: Igigi

Haul: Sephora

2012-04-15T21:26:00.001-04:00

I got my birthday gift from Sephora : Fresh Sugar Kisses Lip Balm Set, my Sephora points bonus gift: Sephora Outrageous Volume Mascara sample, and I used a Christmas Gift Card from my cousin towards the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette.

Haul: Jersey Shore Premium Outlets

2012-04-15T21:19:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago, we took a trip to the Jersey Shore Premium Outlets for my birthday. I picked it because it has a Cosmetic Company Store.

Vans (Between you and me, they are not the most comfortable sneaks)

Cluster earrings from Bass (I've been wearing these to death.)

Panties from Lane Bryant (Surprising the outlet store had pretty high prices.)

Travel tote from Fossil (They had really good deals. I would go back to the outlets for Fossil alone.)

Mac Blush (Liberty of London) in Dirty Plum and MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Stereo Rose from the Cosmetic Company Outlet (They didn't have exactly what I was looking for but the Stereo Rose was worth the trip.)

I didn't overdo. We were there awhile but it was a rainy day and it was our first time there. It's laid out well and I'd go back for Fossil and the Lancome outlet which I forgot to make my way back too. They had great deals on lipstick and eyeshadow. I'd recommend a day there. The stores are situated in a square under an awning so its comfortable despite the weather. I would recommend bringing a snack with you and eating lunch when you leave. The food court is pricey and doesn't offer many options. Also, its tiny and it gets packed quickly. Sign up on the website for bonus coupons before shopping.

I'll post swatches for the MAC and the Fossil bag my aunt bought me later.

Haul: Essence Makeup from Ulta

2012-04-15T21:01:00.000-04:00

Before I post what I got from the outlets a few weeks ago, I wanted to post this old haul from Ulta. I believe this was early March.

All Essence Products

Top to bottom, left to right: Essence Eyeshadow in It's Up To You, Knock-Out, and Wild At Heart

Left to right: Essence Eyeshadow in It's Up To You, Knock-Out, and Wild At Heart

Top to bottom: Essence Stay With Me Long-Lasting Lipgloss in Trendsetter and Berry Me, Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in Rock On, and Essence Lipstick in Femme Fatale

Left to right: Essence Stay With Me Long-Lasting Lipgloss in Trendsetter and Berry Me, Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in Rock On, and Essence Lipstick in Femme Fatale

Essence Gel Liner in Berlin Rocks

Review: Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer

2012-04-06T18:21:00.001-04:00

I promised this awhile ago.

While in Nordie's in Short Hills, I inquired about a tinted moisturizer for darker skin. I was steered towards this.

So far so good.

Blended with foundation brush

Bare face

With Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer

I've worn this for the past few days and I have to say I like it quite a bit. The difference is subtle. I look more awake and even. One of my daughter's teachers told me I looked "fresh" as if I had just stepped out of a relaxing bath. That was 6 o'clock in the evening after 11 hours of wear. That says a lot. It also did not oxidize on me as the day went on. The color above is Dark. It's not too heavy also.

Some things I did that may have helped:

In Nordie's the makeup artist used a brush to apply. Normally, I would dab moisturizer on my fingers but I found I like the way it looks better with a brush application.
I still put my Olay Moisturizer on underneath. I think it helps adhere the color better.

I want to try the Nars Moisturizer next but this will hold me till then.

Review: SheScentIt Papaya Curly Souffle and Marshmallow Herbal Hair Cream

2012-04-06T18:02:00.001-04:00

Papaya Curly Souffle

It looks sort of like a creamy gel. Nice scent with medium hold. I used this on top of the Marshmallow Hair Cream for a wash and go with nice results. I will say to be careful how much you use. I thought I would need a lot because it feels so light but you can go easy on this one and still get nice hold. Too much product equals crunchy hair.

Marshmallow Herbal Hair Cream

Yeah, I like this one. I'm mad I didn't get more than one during the sale. It's nice, light, and whipped, the way I like my hair creams. My hair feels soft and its smells delish. This is definitely on the rebuy list. Especially because I think I'll use these 5 oz. quickly.

Yesterday's wash and go using the products above.

Polish Pretty and Review: Julep Maven in Oscar and Marisa

2012-04-06T17:42:00.001-04:00

I saw a deal for Julep Maven's monthly manicure kit. I paid $.01.

Uh oh. Bottle came with spillage.

Nail polish in Oscar and Marisa, Julep Essential Cuticle Oil, and Julep Everyday Hand Cream

The nail polish was quite fudgy. I couldn't use the Cuticle Oil because it contains Ylang Ylang. I will probably throw that and the hand cream sample into a giveaway.

For the price of the box ($19.99/month), I don't see this as a worthwhile investment. You can get nice nail polish in similar colors for a whole lot cheaper. I definitely have these two colors in other brands in my nail closet.

Have you tried Julep? What did you think?

Face of the Day: Smoky and the Bandit

2012-04-03T13:24:00.000-04:00

Really simple but nice.

Products used:

Face: Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer in Dark

Cheeks: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Stereo Rose

Eye Liner: New York Color Classic Liner Pencil in Jet Black

Eyeshadow: Mac Eyeshadow in Hocus Pocus

Mascara: Maybelline Define-A-Lash Mascara in Very Black

Lips: Essence Stay With Me Long Lasting Lipgloss in Trendsetter

Face of the Day: I'm a 90's Girl

2012-03-31T09:53:00.001-04:00

My outfit and hair felt a little early 90s prep so I decided to visit my makeup from that time period in my life. It was all about red lips and black pencil liner. I didn't wear blush back then.

Can I say I looked like this between 16 and 19 years of age? Ha, ha, ha! Probably in my mind I did. The liner was much harder and only in the waterline. The lipstick was brighter and harder on the lips. (If I recall, we wore a lot of mood lipstick and Wet N' Wild back then.) And I definitely had a face full of acne and acne scars. No, I don't miss being a teen.:)

Thoughts about the lipstick used here: Excuse my french, but Beyonce's Red was a bitch to put on. I really should have used a liner. I would advise not only using a liner but dabbing the lipstick on. It's a bit thick and sets up quickly. I had to blot it as I went along. Really L'Oreal you should have had a brush applicator vs. a doe foot. Colors this bright require precision and you can't get that with a doe foot.

Well, I'm off to spend the day at the outlets with the ladies of the family. Have a great one!!

Products used:

Face: Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer in Dark

Eye Liner: New York Color Classic Liner Pencil in Jet Black

Mascara: Maybelline Define-A-Lash Mascara in Very Black

Lips: L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipstick in Beyonce's Red

Back with the new me!

2012-03-30T20:36:00.000-04:00

So I went in the salon looking like...

Half way there!!

She basically did what I asked.

Gave me a solid trim with long, side swept bangs, and layers in the top of the back.

The most she cut was two inches off the bang area.

I definitely have to play with it a bit.

I tried putting it on 1" inch flexi rods for a few hours but it gave me a bit too much curl.

I might get better results by flat twisting before I go to sleep.

Overall, I'm kind of blah about it. Its well done but I feel like I'm looking at a stranger in the mirror. I haven't worn my hair this long since I was in high school. You may also notice I colored my hair again. The color is weird. Some days its brown. Some days its auburn.

But I did have a good experience in the salon. My stylist said my hair is in great condition and I shouldn't relax. It's not needed. Of course, there was one hater in the game. One of the stylists was pushing a relaxer. Ugh! Why are you worried about SOMEONE ELSE having to flat iron my hair. You don't have to. Move on!!!

39 and Fine as Wine

2012-03-30T09:52:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was my 39th birthday and overall it was pretty low key. Today, I'm going to the hair salon for the first time in over 2.5 years. Let's just say I'm looking for somewhere between Reese Witherspoon

and Nicci Gilbert of Brownstone (the super short cut)

Wow, she has a large mouth. Come to think of it, all of them do.

I think that gives me a lot of room, lol. Honestly, I don't know what to tell you to expect. My hair is past my shoulders when straight but I know I have some breakage in the back and my recent bout with permanent color beat my hair up. So the most I'm hoping for is a good cut with some shape that I can wear either curly or straight.

I'm expecting to end up somewhere around here:

See you later with results!

Haul: Stila

2012-03-21T10:17:00.000-04:00

Actually, I picked these up late February - early March.

Stila Lip Glaze Stick in Peach, Stila Glaze Lip Liner in Fuschia and Plum

Stila Glaze Lip Liner in Fuschia and Plum

Stila Lip Glaze Stick in Peach

Stila Glaze Lip Liner in Fuschia and Plum, Stila Lip Glaze Stick in Peach

I can't say any of them are thrilling me. I'll probably toss the Lip Glaze Stick in my purse as a backup to gloss. The liners aren't creamy enough for me.

Face of the Day: Testing 1-2-3

2012-03-02T12:00:00.000-05:00

Just a simple face to test the sample of Smashbox Tinted Moisturizer I picked up last Saturday. I'm waiting for the full size in the mail.

Different lighting

I will do a full review once I get it.

Products used:

Face: Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer in Dark

Blush: MAC Blush in Bite of an Apple

Eye Primer: VS Pro Lasting FX Eye Shadow Primer

Eyeshadow: Orglamix in Espresso

Mascara: Maybelline Define-A-Lash Mascara in Very Black

Lips: NYX Round Lipgloss in Apricot

My hair is in a first day braidout. It hardly lasted two days.

Haul: CVS Clearance, Revlon, L'Oreal

2012-02-25T19:46:00.000-05:00

Revlon Nail Enamel in Black Lingerie, Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Crimson, L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipstick in Beyonce's Red, and L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipstick in Persimmon

Left to right: Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Crimson, L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipstick in Beyonce's Red, and L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lipstick in Persimmon

Word of warning: The Infallible is just that. I washed my hand with soap and water and it wouldn't come off. My mother gave me an alcohol swab and it still wouldn't come off. Two days later, I tried Vaseline and got most of it off. I would definitely suggest you invest in an oil based makeup remover and be sure about your placement before it sets.

Tickets are available for the Hollywood Beauty Event!

2012-02-25T18:03:00.000-05:00

Guess what?

Now you can get tickets to The Hollywood Beauty
Event at a discount price!

Get your tickets before they're gone!

The Hollywood Beauty Event is a two-day hands on
hair and makeup training event that puts you on
the fast track to success, as you will be trained
by Hollywood’s TOP beauty experts as they
teach you exactly how to sharpen skills and build
your business the strategic way so that you book
more clients, and make more money than ever
before!!

Get your tickets before they're gone!

This is the event that you don’t want to miss!

And today when you plug in the code
DISCOUNTGLOW25, you will instantly save
$50 OFF your tickets!

Get your tickets before they're gone!

Tickets are on a first come, first served basis so
reserve your spot to this life changing event now!

Get your tickets before they're gone!

50% Off NYX Cosmetics - $30 Worth of Products for Only $15

2012-02-21T13:23:00.001-05:00

This is a great deal because NYX prices are super affordable anyway. It's worth checking into.

Find the deal at Total Beauty!

2 years in, what can I tell you?

2012-02-20T20:45:00.000-05:00

Wash and go!!!

What lessons did I learn?

Moisture is my friend. The past six months my hair has been super dry. I keep forgetting I have a lot more hair. The little dab I was using ain't working. I can easily go through 8 oz of conditioner now. Also, this weird mild winter has my hair super confused and I've been using the wrong products which brings me to lesson two.
PJism can be the devil. I've tried a lot of products over the past two years. Some good. Some bad. But the main mistake I made was chasing my PJ fix instead of stocking up on my holy grails. I paid for it the past few months because my budget kept me from buying what I needed and I was stuck with a load of unfamiliar products. Worse, I was stuck with glycerin heavy products in winter. (My hair no likey glycerin in the winter.)
Wash and gos also can be the devil. I love the ease of the wash and go but now my hair tangles easily. I used to pop my bonnet on at night when wearing a wash and go. Now, I add a little moisture and loosely braid. My hair stays juicy and detangled. At first I was ignoring the tangles. Big mistake, they caught up with me and I had to do a major trim. (Almost two inches.)
Trim a little or trim a lot. In the natural community, there's a debate about trimming your hair regularly. Whatever! My hair benefits from a regular trim. So I need to go back to them. I've been slacking and those buzzy ends let me know they need help.
You can get decent curls with little or no heat. When I used the InStyler on my hair, I flat twisted it for curl. Surprisingly, I got great curls. When I twisted and braided my hair last week, again I got great curls. Definitely going to play with this a bit more. Next up Curlformers!!!

I could go on and on about different things I've learned this past year but to answer Bella's question, the most beneficial lesson is to listen to your hair. You can follow the hair typing systems, YouTube gurus, bloggers, and different ladies on message boards but in the end you have to take the time to pay attention to your hair and listen to what it likes.

Two years relaxer free!!

2012-02-19T14:28:00.001-05:00

Two years ago today...

One year ago today...

Today...

It's a stretched out twist out.

I plan on doing better photos but wanted to get pictures up...

on the actual anniversary.

More about the Hollywood Beauty Event

2012-02-16T11:01:00.000-05:00

Remember I mentioned a new event coming up?
Well here’s a new video about The Hollywood Beauty Event that answers your questions, and spills the beans about the celebrity instructors you will meet at this one-of-a-kind hands on training event.

Watch it here.

And there’s still time to enter The Ultimate Hollywood Beauty Contest here:
win.hollywoodbeautyevent.com

You don’t want to miss this! Keep an eye out for more details.

Revisiting the Twist Out...with some success!!!

2012-02-14T22:20:00.004-05:00

I normally avoid the twist out like the plague because I can't get good results but I'm tired of the wash and go look. Since my hair is a bit longer than the last time I tried, I hoped for better results. Saturday, I washed my hair and set it wet. I used Donna Marie's Super Buttercreme as a leave-in and Komaza Care's Coconut Pudding for hold. I twisted the hair in small sections, then braided the twists together for more wave. I kept the twists in until Monday morning.

Hmm...what do you think?

Much better than my last twist out. (Hmm...didn't realize its been almost a year.)

Last night, I flat twisted the sections to keep the set. This morning, I was doing a lot of running around so I pulled the back of my hair into a clip.

My hair isn't as separated as yesterday but still looks good.

Polish Pretty: Rescue Beauty Lounge Nail Polish in Frugalista over Wet N' Wild Nail Polish in Black Creme

2012-02-14T22:08:00.000-05:00

Ugh! This was way too gaudy for me. So I gifted to the kid. Now she can be the only kid in 4th grade with $18 nail polish on.

The Hollywood Beauty Event is on its way!!

2012-02-12T20:11:00.002-05:00

Hi there,

I’ve got some big news to share with you:

You’re invited to come experience The Hollywood
Beauty Event, the two-day beauty training event
that will change your life by putting you on the fast
track to success!

Right now The Hollywood Beauty Event is running
a promo where you can win a full all expense-paid
trip to Hollywood to experience the training, along
with a free year’s pass to Universal Studios.

You could win it all, enter the contest here:
win.hollywoodbeautyevent.com

You don’t want to miss this! Keep an eye out for
my next email for the full details.

2012 Vision Board

2012-02-08T09:56:00.000-05:00

I've actually been working on this off and on since New Year's weekend. I decided I had to let it go and stop being a perfectionist.

This is my first time doing a vision board. I normally write goals in a notebook at the beginning of the year but I wanted to try something different. My problem hasn't been determining my goals. My problem has been motivation.

As I started working on this, my plan was to cut out pictures but I found myself gravitated to words and phrases so I went with it. Honestly, I'm surprised to say that it has been helpful. That's part of the reason I had to get it off my worktable and on to the wall so I could look at it everyday.

How are you motivating yourself towards goals?

Haul: Soaptopia

2012-02-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here's where it pays to sign up for all these coupon deals...I got all this for $7 from Soaptopia!!!

Divine Creamsicle - A cool creamy blend of Orange & Vanilla

Ms. Afro D. Sheack - This Sweet Scented Soap is Our Aphrodisiac. Promise & Passion. Citrus & Lavender Essential Oils, Black Tea with dried Wild Flowers

Rozilla vs. Dryskinea - Madagascar Vanilla and Rose Essential Oil with monstrous moisturizing power.

Creme Vanilla - An elegant handmade soap with all natural shea butter and rich Madagascar Vanilla oil

Chai and Catch Me - Cinnamon & Vanilla soap with foamy swirls

Chocolate Makes Me Thorny - Chocolate, Rose and Vanilla Soap with a rich natural scent that smells like LOVE.

Plus two samples!

Now before you go thinking these are some itty bitty bars, let me show you...

Yeah, baby! I need to cut these in half!

How did I score such a deal? I purchased a $40 voucher for $7 on Plum District a few months back. Each of these bars go for about $6.95 so it was a great steal.