February Nail Polish

During the month of January I decided to wear all of my very dark broody nail polish. I realized half way through the month that it would have made a great blog post to share with you. Alas, too late. Although I'm getting a running start for the month of February.

Valentines falls in the month of February. This always seems to coax me out of my broody attitude and makes me excited for more vivacious colors. I'm especially excited about the new nail polish I picked up from the Nick Minaj collection, Pink Friday.

China Glaze (Ruby Pumps), MAC (Bad Fairy), OPI: (ChicaGo Get a Manicure!) (Color so Hot it Berns) (Fair Dinkum Pinkum) (Pink Friday), Orly (Rage)

I paint my nails every week so I would only use four nail polishes. But I can always do an accent nail and that's why I have more than 4 polishes.

See above for name coorspondance

 

 

 

First three

Last four

1. Ruby Pumps: I would use this as an accent nail on top of "Color so Hot it Berns" because the nail polish seems very sheer (I haven't used this one yet). It seems like it would need two to three coats for the color to be opaque. 
2. Bad Fairy: This color is pretty. In certain lights it seems orange and in others it seem red. I thought I would include it because I rarely use it. 
3. ChicaGo Get a Manicure!: This is a beautiful color. It's very pigmented. It's a plum cream. No sparkle and is opaque in two coats. 
4. Color so Hot it Berns: I use this color often. It is a cream and is opaque in one (thick) coat. It's easy to work with. I think every girl should have a bight red like this. It's great for summer and a nice unexpected pop of color in the winter. 
5. Fair Dinkum Pinkum: This is a sweet baby pink with silver shimmer. It's opaque in 3 coats, but it's worth the fuss. It appropriate for any event and looks professional and clean. 
6. Pink Friday: Of course this is going to be my favorite of the month. I've heard it is opaque in one coat. It seems like a blue based pink, but I've heard otherwise. I haven't worn this yet, but I've heard great things. I might also use this color as an accent color with "Color so Hot it Berns."
7. Rage: One of the easiest colors to use. It's opaque in one to two coats. It works as a beautiful accent color. It's so rich on the nails and makes them look healthy. This is a metallic/ shimmery rose gold pink. 

Happy Valentines!

Holy Grail Makeup

For the past year, I have studied the language of makeup. I've made concise purchases and have been able to enhance my makeup stash. Here are a few items that have not been tossed aside but have become a staple in every makeup look I create. 

Urban Decay Naked Palette!

The color 'sin' from the Naked Palette (it's the second one from the bottom). I use it as a highlight on my brow bone and my cheeks.

MAC's paint pot in Bare Study. It's stays on all day without creasing.

I apply Carmex lip balm almost every night before I go to bed so that my lips will be nice and smooth for lipstick application in the morning. I also apply it right before I apply red lipstick.

Tate's Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara and Clinique's High Impact mascara.

Sonia Kashuk's crease brush to apply eyeshadow and Elf's powder brush that I use for face powder as well as blending foundation.

My MAC Lipstick Collection

Without Flash, from left to right: Toxic Tale, Something New, Goes and Goes, Play Time, Angel, Rebel, Ruby Woo, Viva Glam Cyndi, Heartless

With Flash (same as top)

I started my MAC collection around a year ago when I saw the massive set up in the mall for the Venomous Villans Collection. Over the past year I've bought 12 lip related items and for the most part the preformance of each one has been wonderful.

The one lipstick I could have done without is the color Goes and Goes. It's just not my shade.

My favorite lipstick has been Rebel and Heartless. Heartless is such an easy wearable red. Rebel is, at first, an intimidating color. When I was trying it on I was with my mom and she kept pushing me to get it. She likes for me to have statement lips.

The toughest shade to wear, physically, is Ruby Woo. It's applys a lot like a piece of chalk. It's very pigmented and stains the lips.

The easiest shade to wear is Angel. It's a light pink, almost nude. It's a great shade for someone who is young or just getting in to higher end makeup.

My Skin Care Routine

A little about my skin:

• I've had a pretty consistent skin care routine for about a year.
• I have sensitive skin as well as redness.
• I would say I have dry skin but that may only be because of the wintry air.
• During the winter months my skin is very compliant and is less red.
• During the summer months (naturally) my skin is very susceptible to redness.

Night Time (No breakouts or excessive redness):

1. I remove my makeup with Clinique's "Take the Day Off" makeup remover for lids, lashes and lips.
2. I cleanse with Clinique's Redness Solutions soothing cleanser
3. (optional)  I moisturize with Clinique's dramatically different moisturizing lotion or Clinique's Redness Solutions daily relief cream

Day Time:

In the morning I don't cleanse unless I'm taking the shower. I'm currently trying to find a good, cheap, cleanser for the shower. Sometimes I may apply a little of Clinique's dramatically different moisturizing lotion just so my foundation will apply more evenly (usually I only do this in the summer months).

Extra:

1. Each month my skin be comes a little more pimply than usual. My answer to that is Clinique's rinse-off foaming cleanser. It's a little more heavy duty than my normal cleanser.
2. When my skin has decided to rebel against me I bring out the big guns, Clinique's liquid facial soap in mild. This is a little more potent and really strips my face of any oils.
3. If my pimples don't cease and desist I bring out the nuclear weapons... Clinique's clarifying lotion #2. The name is deceiving because toxic concoction is not a lotion. It's used more like an astringent or a toner. I dab a little of this on a cotton pad and I wipe it only on my pimples. I never use this on a regular basis.
4. I use two scrubs (not at the same time), a home made scrub (heavy duty) and one from St. Ives. Mostly I use scrubs when I have a white head or chapped lips. The home made scrub is honey, a little lemon juice squeezed into the honey and brown sugar. I had no idea how heavy duty this was until I use the scrub from St. Ives. The scrub from St. Ives is the Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub. It's said to clear break outs and reduce redness. Well, this is definitely a scrub I would use maybe twice a week. It's very gentle and easy to wash off.
5. Once I wash off the scrub I apply Clinique's mosture surge lotion. This is like heaven to apply. It makes my skin feel so smooth and hydrated.
6. During the summer I always want to use a suncreen. I use Clinique's Redness Solution daily protective base with SPF 15. This product more than anything takes redness out of my face. Of all the Redness Solutions products that Clinique has this one would be the one I would recomend the most.
7.  Last but not least, I use the yoguart mask from the Korres line. It's a velvetty mosturizing mask for oily and dehydrated skin. I leave it on for 15 minutes or so and it completely refreshes and softens my skin.



Top, left to right: makeup remover,  redness cleanser, redness mosturizer, rinse-off foaming cleanser, liquid soap in mild, toner
Bottom: home made scrub, St. Ives green tea scrub, mosture surge, daily protective base with SPF 15



The cats love skincare!

Mom and Pop

I've just recently viewed a YouTube video from Anonymous.  http://www.youtube.com/user/anonymous04210#p/a/u/1/P8izFIkyeEI

It's pretty amazing that this revolution is sweeping the world. I had no idea that this revolution has spread so far. Then I looked up where people were protesting in my state. There is so much information when it comes to occupy wallstreet and how we can make a difference.

The World is controled by money. The stores we shop at, the banks we trust, our debt. I say we brake free! Rase up and break the shackles that we have placed on ourselves by overspending. We have the power to choose better for ourselves and our communities.

In the month of January, I have decided to only shop (as much as I can) at Mom and Pop buisnesses. We need to pull the legs out from under big buissnesses. You don't control us. We control you.

November Favorites!

I felt so tired during the month of November. I think it's the cold dreary weather. Alas, I still put on makeup. Haha

These are some products that have particurarly stuck out in my mind.

From left to right: Kabuki brush, MAC's Bare Study paint pot, MAC's Shale, Smashbox's Ink, Samples of Bobby Brown's Moisture Rich Foundation.

I've come to the conclusion that I enjoy a dewy finish for foundations but everytime I would apply my foundation I would set it with powder and it would look heavy and weighed down. So I decided to use my fluffy kabuki brush to give a light coat of powder.

Also, I've really enjoyed Bobby Brown's Moisture Rich Foundation. It gives a very dewy finish and smells fresh. It's been about a week using it and so far there have been no signs of increased redness or pimples.

Carmex (industrial skincare)

      During the past month I've been scouring my local drugstores to find afordable gifts for the holiday season. Now, I'm not a massive fan of drugstore makeup (althought there are some great cruelty free brands: Wet n' Wild, Revlon and Physicians Formula ect.), but recently I've had fun looking for lotions. I'm trying to replace one of my favorite lotions, and I think I've found a great deal. Carmex has come out with a lotion. It's cruelty free and it smells like fresh baked cookies. It smells nothing like vanilla. I hate the smell of vanilla. I have a really hard time finding products without scents or scents that don't give me headaches. So this smell is very tollerable. The formula is not incredibly thick, but when I apply it I feel like I have a good coat on my hands. I don't feel like it's going to wash right off. It's not greasy or sticky at all. I think this is going to be my new go-to lotion. I can't get enough! Only $5.99 at my local Walgreens.