Lip Of the Day: Just Peachy

I decided to wear a soft but bright color on this day to mix things up a bit.

This is a great color to warm up your face and get airing ready. Wet n Wild lipstick in Peachy is a creamy peach matte shade that lasts throughout the day.

Con: The formula is very dry and can chap your lips if you do not apply a lip moisturizer.

Below is a quick picture and a swatch I did since I made a video on this day and a few of you asked for a swatch of Just Peachy. You can't go wrong with a $1.99 lipstick.

The Beverly Garland Hotel

A few weeks ago I took a trip to California, specifically North Hollywood. It was great to change the scenery and get away for a minute. This trip was much needed as our schedules have been so crazy and it is good to get away especially since the holiday craze is over.

So cozy and perfect location for our stay I loved the fountain and the up lighting at night.

Cozy outdoor touches and many places to sit and drink coffee as well as Decoy Lounge where we relaxed and had a few drinks on the evenings. 

Tula's Cafe had a coffee bar with an extensive coffee menu and a brunch buffet or ala carte menu. The fresh fruit platter was compliments of Chef Raul and the wonderful restaurant staff who made us feel so special.

Then I received this amazing Pink champagne welcome gift along with this centerpiece.

You want to know who this is from? Stay tuned for the second part of this post.

FOTD: Face of the Day using Mac's Faux Lipstick

I recently picked up Faux which is a Satin finish lipstick from MAC. Most of my nude lipsticks are beige, orange hued, or very light to wear on a daily basis. I normally reserve the super nude lip for evening with a simple smokey eye or use it for daytime with a dramatic liner.

This was a very soft consistency lipstick and applied true to its color as I was worried the red of my lips would prevent it from showing so much. I used it after moisturizing my lips and decided to do a flawless makeup look to really showcase the lips. I am surprised that this brown hued lipstick showed up and blended very well for my skin tone. This will now be added to my arsenal of daily lipsticks. Hope you like the swatch I did and showed it on my lips so you can see how it looks on similar skin tone like mine.

Here is how it looked later on in the afternoon without reapplication.

Review: Retro Fashion Swimwear

Hola chicas summer was fast to come and with the rise in temperature it is a given that some of us will be spending time outdoors  by the pool, beach, lake, or just out in the sun.

Swimwear shopping is not my favorite thing to do as most bathing suits are not forgiving and only seem to highlight those problem areas. However when I was offered to participate in 2012 Fashion Collection I was delighted as most good quality bathing suits can run up to the triple digits.

I chose this Coco Rave Halter style as it reminds me of a 50's beach bombshell that I can try to imitate.

• The rushing on the abdominal area is very comfortable, double lined and makes you look slimmer.
• The bra area is my favorite as I was able to select my bra size so the cups and straps are roomy enough without any spillage.
• The ruffle skirted hem is an added bonus as it gives moderate coverage to the rear and thigh area.

Overall I was very pleased with this swimsuit and noticed it was double lined which means it will last me through more washes and more summers.

Courtesy of: Giga Savvy

OOTD: Santa Barbara

The birthday girls weekend continued as we headed up the coast to lovely Santa Barbara. The Hyatt Santa Barbara was so lovely and had a quaint Spanish Style architecture. We had a great view of the beach and also conveniently situated poolside which also included a jacuzzi. The bed was super soft and comfortable as if you had fallen into a pile of feathers.

Myself, Candy, and Jackie.

Candy rocking her Rainbow Pump

Fancy girls reunion

Excited to have a girls weekend

 For my outfit I decided to wear all colors as it is now spring and I wanted to whip out my new mint jeans that I have been dying to wear. I had the perfect blazer to go with this as well and the shoes were an added bonus as Candy let me borrow her shoes. That was the high light of the trip all the girls that went all had the same shoe size so you can imagine the dozens of shoe selection we had in our room.

Blazer: GAP vintage, Jeans: Forever 21, Top: Stylemint Purse: Rainbow

Necklace and Ring: Forever21

Wine Tasting

Wine Heaven we were more than delighted

Review: Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Stress Control Giveaway CLOSED

Hola chicas I received this Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Stress Control product line for review purposes and I have been testing it out for the past 6 weeks.The reason why I have been trying them out for so long to make sure I give you my proper review and experience with this line. I am not a rookie to Neutrogena and have been using their products since I was 12. The last product line I tried was the Oil Free Acne Line in Pink grapefruit which really worked out well for my facial skin as well as for the skin on my body.

Here is the entire line photographed when I opened the box.

What it claims: Neutrogena Acne Stress control is designed to help you fight acne where it starts, while actively reducing the irritation and redness associated with breakouts. Acne stress control is so advanced , it treats acne before it emerges.

What it did:  I started with the cleansing facial pads and they were very moist and smelled like a high content of alcohol. I don't mind the smell of certain products but this reminded me purely of a cotton dipped in alcohol. I removed my makeup with these pads and used two. Instantly noticed a stingy feeling, the next day I also used to remove my makeup at night and had same effect. These remove the top layer of dirt and makeup but my skin did not react well to it. This is to be used instead of cleanser it claims.

Source: Google

The next product I opted for was the Power clear scrub which had a thick consistency. Its beads were not perfectly round they were more like a grounded up rock small minerals. I did not mind and actually liked this as they really sloughed away my dead skin cells around my nose and my chin. I used this twice per week then three times per week I liked it so much.

Source: Google

Next item on the list was the triple action toner. One thing I love it using toner as this is a product that when I started incorporating into my beauty routing in 2009 I noticed a big difference in even complexion. I normally use a witch hazel toner. This toner was very clean smelling and did its job even removed extra hard to reach dirt after cleanser. I experienced no irritation with this product although it contains some alcohol leaves your skin feeling very clean.

Source: Google

I proceeded to use the hydrating acne treatment. This was a very thin consistency and did not feel very moist or greasy as its purpose is to hydrate slightly but not leave the skin dewy or oily to kill the bacteria that causes acne.It felt soothing and dissipates quickly.

On and off in the mornings I would switch off between the foaming cleanser and the cream cleanser which was my favorite as it was a milder formula.Overall this was a good line as it dried up some of the active breakouts I had an kept my skin from getting too irritated and soothed the redness that some acne and oily skin treatments can sometimes do as the alcohol content is high. I would definitely recommend this to people who suffer from mild to severe acne whether adults or teenagers.

Another close up of the line and the bath set it comes with I forgot to take another pic of the detail in the clear bath set pictured here.

Bonus/Giveaway: As an incentive to you lovely readers Neutrogena has this entire line along with the travel bath set as a giveaway not ONE but TWO lucky ones!! This giveaway is valued at $60.00! The winners will be selected by Random.org and announced on this blog. The winner's names and info will be submitted to the company who will then ship you your prizes. Below are the rules:

1. Must be a follower to this blog/ Google Friend Connect
2. Please state if you have used any Neutrogena products or why this line would benefit you.
3. Leave your email.
4. Giveaway closes 09/27/2011 12:00am PST.

Review: Neutrogena Products

Hello chicas! I was sent this line of products for review purposes from  Neutrogena  and I wanted to test them out continually so that I can provide an accurate review in my experience with this.

Over the spring I have been using same skin care regimen as I was in the fall and winter however it was not working for me as my skin started getting oily and breaking out due to the warm weather and increased sun exposure. Another thing I noticed was that I started breaking out around my face and even neck around the same time I increased my use of SPF products. Needless to say I was not happy and figured had nothing to lose in trying this line.


What it claims: Acne fighting cleansing products that contain maximum strength (2%) salicylic acid, micro bead technology to treat and prevent breakouts. 100% derived grapefruit extract plus vitamin C to help eliminate dirt and oil and rinses without over drying.

What it did

 Used the gel cleanser in the morning and the foaming cleanser in the evening to change things up. The cleansers and the facial scrub smells a lot like grapefruit which I was not a big fan of but It grew on me and the scent was so refreshing in the mornings. The gel cleanser makes your skin feel very clean but once you are done rinsing it can make the skin feel a bit tight and sort of "too clean" however when I followed by my toner i did notice less dirt and bacteria leftover.

• The cream cleanser feels milder and once you use it after the facial scrub you get a tingly minty feeling on your face at first I thought it was bad but once I changed things up I knew it was right after using the scrub that the cream cleanser gave that stingy feeling to my face. 

• The facial scrub had bigger micro beads than what I thought that once I was done I would see some lingering in my hair but it really did scrub all the dead skin cells and my skin felt smoother after regular use.

• The Body clean body wash was my favorite product by far from this line. I normally used regular body wash that smells good but did not do much to the skin on my body. But this not only smelled good but really buffed the top layers of my skin on my back, chest, legs, and arms that I can definitely see a big difference and I am tanner now so I have to admit looks great almost like a natural glow.

• The first weeks of using the facial products I noticed alot of dryness around my chin and nose area which is normally the oiliest. I compensated by putting on extra moisturizer. After the dryness subsided I noticed little bumps around my cheeks and even around my nose but these little bumps had blackheads that were NOW VISIBLE!! Ok so I continued with the product and it appeared to me that it overall did a slight peeling at first and brought up all the bacteria from pores to the surface which believe it or not I LIKED!  
• After a month of use I am actually happy with the results my skin is smooth, even, and I now KNOW that the pores are clean and got rid of the junk deep inside without having to do extractions. I am still not done with the bottles and they are still half way so you do get quite a bit of product which is always a plus to get a bang for your buck. One thing though it did dry my skin for the first 2 weeks and I have pretty oily skin so I can definitely see the facial products drying out normal to sensitive skin and perhaps not working for these types. I would only recommend this for oily acneic skin that can handle the high concentration of salicylic acid. 

 Pic of me in natural light

Pic of me in indoor light.

Review:MISSHA M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 PA+ No.31

Hola chicas! I have been searching high and low for something other than reg liquid or cream foundation that gives me med coverage but feels lighter and wont clog pores. The tinted moisturizers I have tried from the drugstores, Ulta ,and Sephora have all been very oily, and extremely light where there is barely any coverage.

BB cream or Blemish Balm creams are very popular in Asia and it is a Korean cosmetic. Originally they only offered shades for very fair to light skin tones but have recently added Shade 31 to their line which suits med-darker skin tones. I am a nc35-40 and this blends into my skin very well.

WARNING: NO MAKEUP PIC AHEAD! I have oily skin, freckles, and recent blemishes from my monthly issues ahem (lol). I came across this on Amazon and decided to buy it.

Pretty good size 1.69 oz.

I am not wearing any makeup just a few minutes after I applied my witch hazel toner. Sorry for the scary pic but wanted to show you girls what I noticed.

This is with barely any product as you can see it evened out my skin tone slightly. It has a grayish cast here as it has SPF 42 which I love since its sunny here all the time.

It is very light and slick consistency but much lighter than a liquid foundation

What It Claims: MISSHA M perfect cover BB cream offers a novel skincare concept with BB cream which lightens skin tone by healing visible wrinkles and blemishes with excellent skin-cover ability and prevents skin aging through effective whitening and anti-wrinkle properties.

Winkle care + UV Proof(SPF 42 PA+++) + Moisturizing + Make up base + Foundation

It provides excellently concealing any types of pigmentation or discoloration area on face including acne, coupe rose, vitiligo, age spots, sun spots and dark circles.

· It can be used as a makeup base or foundation.

· Containing substances for Soothing the skin (Na-complex)

MISSHA M BB Cream Contains natural ingredients that do not damage or irritate the skin. With Continuous use, your sensitive skin will be calm, protected from redness and keep its health.

MISSHA M BB Cream is a natural care cream for sensitive skin, naturally covering the irregularities on the skin as well as improving skin texture. Botanical ingredients, such as mug wort and pumpkin, and the nutritional ingredients.

The result: Overall I like the feeling of this product on my skin. I think with a little setting powder or regular loose powder this will work on those days when I want the no makeup look or maybe even for everyday with a few dabs of concealer on problem areas. Lately I have been wearing it for weekends only. I would definitely buy this product again when I run out but that is my experience with this.

Have you chicas tried any of the BB products? If so which ones and what has been your experience using them?

Review: Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray

This is a product I purchased at the end of October through Sephora. I have oily skin and even with face primer my face looks a bit oily at the end of my work day and that causes my foundation to look darker. I totally dislike this about my skin as it makes my foundation look muddier with the intensity of the oils. I do like a semi dewy look but my preference is a matte face as I can achieve the dewiness with bronzers and shimmers on the cheekbones.

I have tried MAC's Fix + but I do not like it on my face as it creates extra shine and glossiness like a reflective paper.heehe. I mainly use MAC's Fix + for pigments and eyeshadows.

Ok enough of the chatter and on with my mini review and how I used it:

Step 1: I moisturized my face and let the moisturizer absorb, I skipped face primer to really challenge the product and see if it will hold up.
Step 2: Applied my liquid foundation, blush, bronzer, etc.
Step 3: Shook the bottle and misted 2-4 pumps (I do 2-3).
Step 4: Set this with MUFE HD Powder.

The result: I work about 8-10hr days and I must say that my makeup was still in place and I even had blush and eyeshadow on still after the end of the workday with just slight oiliness and this was excluding my face primer. I believe this held up well for this duration but the product claims it lasts 16 hours wow momma! I don't think I have ever worn makeup for that long consecutively without a break or washing my face but this is good enough for me.

Price: $29.00 USD
Size: 4.0 US Fl. Oz.

Mini Beauty Haul (Walgreen's, Sally's and Macy's)

Hello lovelies! I have been so busy with work and school and I finally had a bit of free time this weekend to do anything I felt like 

 These Rimmel lipsticks were buy one get one half price at Walgreen's

 I chose Bourdeaux and Fosted as I have seen several fashion campaigns in magazines with like colors. I also purchased Elf beauty book in Smoky edition at Walgreen's which I have never seen ELF products there. At $5 I had to get it as I already own the other two eyeshadow palletes from them. The eyeliners below are from Jordana and they are hunter green, purple, turquoise they are actually decent quality for $1.99.

 At Sally's I bought Batiste dry shampoo and have used it this weekend and has worked very good and dissipates in my dark hair very good without leaving any residue behind.

Finally the hunnybun and I headed to Macy's and he had me pick out a perfume, love him he is always very generous with me and thoughtful. Of course I had to pick Juicy. I have the other 3 versions and just love their collection. I also got a few gifts with this purchase but they are in my car and I forgot to take them out when I took these pics.