Birthday Face and Outfit of the Day

Yesterday was my birthday and I wanted to thank all of you that wished me a happy birthday on twitter and youtube! I really appreciate your sweet wishes!! I went out with my family and went for a casual yet cute look. I haven't posted my looks since the March and April challenges so I thought it'd be a nice occasion to do one.

Products used:

-Murad Oil Control Lotion
-UDPP (base for undereye concealer)
-Benefit Erase Paste (under eye concealer)
-NARS Sheer Glow in Deauville
-NYC Smooth Skin Powder in Translucent (to set foundation)
-Tarte Park Ave Princess Bronzer
-NARS Madly

Products used:

-UDPP
-MAC All That Glitters (lid)
-MAC Quarry (crease)
-MAC Mulch (outer corner)
-NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk (inner corner base)
-Urban Decay Virgin (inner corner)
-Jordana Fabuliner Eyeliner (upper lashline liner)
-Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliner (waterline)
-NYX Black (to set liner)
-Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara
-L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara

-Top: Express
-Jeans: Levi's
-Flats: Sam Edelman Calypso Flats
-Watch: Guess
-Bracelet: Tiffany's
-Earrings: LV
-Nails: Essie Van D'Go

That's my look for the day! Hope you are all having a great Memorial Day Weekend and please take time to remember and thank our troops =]

Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment Nail Polish Combinations

Since I am currently obessed with the Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment polish, I thought I would show you guys some combinations with this amazing nail polish. Here is my original post on the polish. In this post, I wanted to show you guys how gorgeous the polish looks over a variety of colors and texture.

I am also doing a giveaway with Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment on my YouTube channel and the video is below. Please enter in the video comments only.

left to right: Essie Topless and Barefoot, Essie Lilacism, Zoya Charla, Sally Hansen Black Out

Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment Nail Polish over top: (left to right) Essie Topless and Barefoot, Essie Lilacism, Zoya Charla, Sally Hansen Black Out

This amazing effect is so hard to capture on camera! Feel free to click on the picture to see it up close.

Have you picked up the Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment Nail Polish? What do you think of it?

Free Zoya Summer Polish!! (Today Only!)

Sheesh Zoya has one promo after another! Right now, Tuesday only, they have a promo code for a FREE nail polish from their Summertime, Sunshine, or ModMattes summer collections. To get the free polish, pick one color from those collections, add it to your cart, and enter code SUMMER1. All you pay is shipping.

Fine print:

*Online only, cannot be combined with any other offer, promotion or coupon. US ONLY. Promotion ends TUESDAY May 24, 2011 at 11:59 PM EST. Offer good for 1(one) free bottle of open stock .5 oz bottle from the Zoya Summertime, Zoya Sunshine or ModMatte Collections ONLY. Code: SUMMER1 must be entered in order to obtain discount. Art of Beauty Inc. will not honor promotions that are submitted after promotion has ended - No exceptions. No exchanges. No returns. Worst case scenario please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Comments, videos and pictures posted about this Zoya Nail Polish Offer outside of Zoya.com or zoyanailpolish.blogspot.com are not representative of the opinions of Zoya Nail Polish, Art of Beauty, Inc., Qtica and Qtica Smart Spa and we do not confirm the accuracy of any postings. Customers are responsible for maintaining active accounts. If username or password have been lost we (Art of Beauty, Inc.) are not responsible for restoring accounts or giving out any account information. S/H not included.

 

Last summer promo, I bought Rica and Faye and I love those colors! I am thinking of getting Apple.

 

Will you be participating in this Free Zoya Summer Polish Promo? What polish will you get?

Tips on How To Stay Healthy

I know this isn't on the same topic as my usual beauty/makeup posts but I thought I would share some tips on how to stay healthy! If you follow me on twitter, you probably know that I have joined Weight Watchers almost 2 months ago. I am so happy with my decision and have been thinking of whether I should start a blog or channel focusing on my journey, tips, etc. (Let me know which you prefer please!) I tweeted about a week ago and asked what were your favorite health tips were. I have learned some on my WW journey too so I wanted to compile a list of the responses and my tips. Of course since I have so much to share, I may or may not (ok, I will) add in a bit to the responses I received!


1. emoney429 recommended to "drink lots of water". Sometimes when you are thirsty this feels like hunger. I try to stay hydrated throughout the day and if I am hungry to drink a bottle of water and then see if I was truly hunger or just thirsty.

2. She also recommended "eating a lot of fiber". I definitely agree with this (as does Weight Watchers!). Fiber rich foods help satisfy you longer so you are not hungry an hour later.

3. narsaddict is a fellow Weight Watchers member. She recommended "watch your portions, eat 5 small meals a day, drink lots of water, excerise, and don't deprive yourself." These are definitely things that Weight Watchers teaches and I agree with them. Not only are these things that help you be successful during weight loss, but these are lifestyle benefits too!

Warnings:

Weight loss and staying healthy isn't all about encouragement of good, healthy foods, but it is also important to watch out for things that are not as healthy as they may seem.

1. Meadowlea says, "don't restrict yourself completely! Reward yourself every so often. You'll burn out quick by depriving yourself too much." I completely agree! I think this is why a lot of "diets" fail. Once you tell yourself that you can't have something, that's all you may want! It is important to leave room for indulgences. As a health psychology teacher of mine said, "If I ignore my chocolate craving, a week later I'll eat the whole cake". It's perfectly ok to treat yourself to a small piece once in a while. Just don't treat yourself too much! ;)
 
2. Meadow also claims, "Don't be fooled by "organic" or "natural" labels; do your research! Those labels can be tricksy! ;)" Food labels and claims are not regulated by the government! The companies have to put nutritional info but if they decide to slap on an "organic" label, they can do so even though it's not! I recommend always glancing at the ingredient list and nutritional value.

3. susyxxxx warns, "definitely do NOT skip meals.... 5 small meals a day is ideal - then your body won't go into 'starvation mode' ". This is so important to keep in mind. Our bodies are designed to get nutrients from food, once they see there aren't nutrients coming in, they try to save all they can and not let them go. It may seem like a good idea to skip a meal and then you don't have the calories but in the end, you may end up being hungry and then overeat. The 5 small meals is a great idea! I personally have 3 regular meals and 2 snacks (usually fruit) but the 5 small meals keeps you from getting hungry often.

 

4. narsaddict says, "certain juices have tons of sugar be careful. with crackers make sure they are not high in sugar or salt. also its better to eat regular fruit then dry." These seemingly "healthy" items may be packed full of added ingredients, such as sugar or salt, to "add taste". It is always better to go to the fresh, unprocessed route. Instead of banana chips, go for the actual banana! 

My additions:


All the ladies added great points and I couldn't have said them better! I would add:


1. Be wary of "fat free" items. Usually they may be fat free but other ingredients have been added, such as sugar or salt.


2. Drink lots and lots of WATER! As mentioned, water is great to hydrate your body without adding the sugar or flavorings of other drinks. Your body NEEDS it and will be happy to receive it.


3. Eat more fruits and vegetables. These make great snacks in the middle of the day and have lots of vitamins and nutrients.


4. Lastly, don't look at it as a chore! If you feel like you're forcing yourself to do all these things when all you want is a big pizza, the change won't last long. I view Weight Watchers as encouraging a lifestyle change, rather than a fad diet that is drastic. This is how I view all these tips; it's something I want to implement throughout my life, not just while I hope to lose weight. Once you start eating healthier and being a little more active, this is what you start craving (personal experience, everyone is different, etc.).


Thank you for reading these tips! Please let me know if you like these posts and if you would like to see a health channel/blog. =]


What are your favorite weight loss tips? How do you stay healthy?

Zoya Polish Exchange Haul and Swatches

I recently participated in the Zoya Polish Exchange. Zoya does this every year for Earth Day, here is my post on the details. I like Zoya Polishes overall, here are swatches of my collection (pre-this year's polish exchange). I think this is a great promo that they run and it's for a great cuase, supporting green practices to be easier on our Earth. I also purchased the Zoya Remove +, my favorite nail polish remover, for my mom, and the Zoya Anchor Base Coat.

Here is my haul video (with some other polishes!):

left to right: Dove, Happi, Renee, Crystal, Dannii, Julieanne

Dove- As the name suggests, it's a dove grey. Great application, this was two coats.

Happi- This is such an interesting color, a pink with gold/green duochrome. This was 2 coats.

Renee-A raspberry pink, it dries pretty matte. This was also two coats. I think this would look great on the toes!

Crystal- a gorgeous metallic blue with gold shimmer. This was the sheerest of the polishes I got, it was 3 coats. The color combination makes it look like a night sky!

Dannii- A medium purple with gold shimmer. This was 2 coats.

Julieanne- This would be a nice fall/winter color. It is a deep purple with purple shimmer. I believe it was three coats.

I think I have more Zoya polishes than any other brand thanks to their promos!

Did you participate in the Zoya Polish Exchange? What polishes did you get? What are your favorite Zoya polishes?

Product Rave: Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment

I recently purchased a polish that I have been OBSESSED with! On a Target trip I came across Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment. At first I thought it was just a holographic polish but when I looked at the brush, I saw that it was a sheer, holographic glitter! This is an amazing layering polish and now I just want to put it on top of everything. I will have to do a post with swatches of this color layered over a variety of colors and finishes (I'm that obsessed lol) Feel free to click on the pictures to see the holo close up!

 

Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment

 amazing holo!

Currently, I am wearing this over a sheer, pinky nude polish: Wet n Wild's Sugar Coat. Nouveau Cheap made a post about this being a dupe for OPI's Bubble Bath. Here is her post.

 

Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment over Wet n Wild Sugar Coat

I love this combination of a nude polish with the holo effect sprinkled over it! I can't wait to try the Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment polish with other polishes.

I highly recommend this polish. It's different than any other layering glitter because it has small glitter particles that have a holographic effect. I believe this is a Target exclusive shade. You can find it at Target stores, Target online, Amazon, and Ebay (except it's like $14 with shipping on ebay eek!)

Will you be picking Nicole by OPI Make a Comet-ment up? Do you already have it? What do you think of it?

NYX COSMETICS ANNIVERSARY SALE!! (Today Only!)

I wanted to share with you guys that NYX is having a HUGE anniversary sale in a few hours! This is for only 12 hours, 12PM PST- 12AM PST, starts 3PM EST! I don't want you guys to miss out on the great deals so I wanted to share this BEFORE it starts (better late than never! This sale looks huge and has so many NYX products on sale and I predict people will be scrambling to make their purchases and things may sell out. So many items are only $1.20!

Here's some more info:

Source

My recommendations: I LOVE their single shadows, One Night in Morroco Palette (not sure if that's on sale), and their Mega Shine Lipglosses. NYX has a preview of the sale on their Facebook Page in the "Store" section.

You can shop the amazing sale at http://www.nyxcosmetics.com/ starting 12PM PST. Happy shopping!

Are you excited for the sale? Did you pick anything up? What did you purchase?

I LUV BBW CLUB- Bath and Body Works Freebies!

If you were lucky enough to sign up for the I LUV BBW CLUB back in December, you received a magical freebie card! This card let you get Bath and Body Works Freebies once a month on Thursdays. These freebies included travel candles, pocket bacs, and travel sized signature items. No purchase was necessary! It was a very exciting program that just ended in May. We have all been waiting for another sign up (DUH, who doesn't like freebies?) and I THINK here it is. I'll explain in a bit.

Source
I was so excited when Free Sample Freak blogged about an opportunity to call a number and be put on a list for the renewal of the I LUV BBW CLUB card! As I mentioned, this is a great program of freebies and of course I would not mind more. Here is Free Sample Freak's post. Also, Nouveau Cheap did a blogpost about this. Here is Nouveau Cheap's post.

Here is what Free Sample Freak said about the sign up:

"As of right now the only way to sign up for the next round is to call the following number: 1-800-756-5005, let them know that you are interested in signing up for the next I Luv BBW Rewards Club (it’s FREE)! They will take your name, address, etc. and you will be guaranteed to get an invite for the next round once it starts!"
Source

When I called that number to say I wanted to sign up for the I LUV BBW CLUB, I was given a Customer Relations number and it seems that everyone was transferred to. The number is 1-800-395-1001. Call in and press 0 for Customer Relations. You may have to wait on hold a while, about 15 minutes. When the person picks up, you ask about the Club and they take your name, address, and email.

There is some debate about whether this will guarantee you a sign up, if it is a waiting list, or if there is no promo at all. Different people received different responses. The person I talked to said that this was a list that if there was a renewed club, the people would be contacted by email. Nouveau Cheap and Free Sample Freak talked to people that said there WAS a club and this guarantees you a sign up. I don't know which answer is right but in my opinion, it never hurts to just sign up! Also, I have heard that you get a coupon for giving your info so if anything, you get a discount!

I wish there was a way for us to know for sure if this is a sign up or not but this is all the info I can give you! The club was amazing last time so I HAD to spread the word about anything I heard about a renewal. If I hear more news I will be sure to spread the word!

Did you call the sign up line? What was your experience?

The Makeup Tag!

I was looking for some blog tags to do since I am behind of blog posts and stumbled across this one from Caribbean Beauty Blogger. I guess you can say I tagged myself! I love beauty tags and though this one had some interesting questions. =]

1. How old were you when you started wearing makeup? Around 15 I discovered eyeliner!

2. How did you get into makeup? I picked up a love of eyeliner from one of my friends but I didn't get into makeup as I am now until I discovered the beauty community on YouTube.

3. What are some of your favorite brands? MAC, WetnWild, Revlon, Bare Escentuals. I love so many different products from different brands that I do not have just one favorite.

4. What does makeup mean to you? I think it's a great way to not only enhance one's beauty but to express creativity. I love discovering new products and new combinations. I also love that it's something that unites people all over the world. We all bond and share based on this one thing and I love that we can all meet people through this hobby!

5. If you could only wear 4 products on your face what would they be? eyeliner, mascara, concealer, lip balm

6. What is your favorite thing about makeup? That it's a way to express my creativity.

7. What do you think about drugstore makeup vs high end makeup? I think if I find a great product, it's a great product regardless of brands. There are some amazing products for a low cost (Wet n Wild) and it makes me look at higher end companies like they need to step their game up!

8. What is one tip of advice you can give to a beginner? Find what works for YOU and not necessarily what is a group favorite. There are a lot of products that people rave about that might not suit you and that's perfectly fine. Also, practice!

9. What is one makeup trend you never understood? Drawn on brows, not flattering!

10. What do you think about the beauty community on YouTube? I LOVE IT! I have been making videos for almost 2.5 years and I'm so happy I can share this passion with others. It's a great way for women (and men!) to bond and inspire each other! I have met so many great people through YouTube and am so proud to be a member. =]


Thank you so much for reading! I tag all of you to do this! 

Current Polish: Essie Tart Deco (swatch and comparison)

I am fully ready for spring and have found an amazing spring color! Essie Tart Deco is a pinky orange coral. As I'm sure a lot of you know, coral's a very in for spring and summer. This is definitely a nice polish for those of you that are new to the trend. It has some pink tones in it that keeps it from being plain orange.

 

Tart Deco applied pretty smoothly, this is two coats.

 

I wanted to compare it to China Glaze Peachy Keen but  I think I sold that in a blog sale (and apparently don't miss it). From what twitter followers have said, Peachy Keen is more orange. I have Essie Haute as Hello to compare it to. Haute as Hello is a strange color, as you can see in the bottle is a light peach but on the top where it seems to have separated and is darker, that is the color it comes out!

 

Index and ring fingers- Essie Tart Deco 

Middle and pinky fingers- Essie Haute as Hello

Essie Tart Deco is a nice addition to my collection, especially since I am new to corals/oranges. I bought this at a local beauty supply store but you can also find it online.

Will you be picking up Essie Tart Deco? Do you already own this polish? What do you think of it?

MAC Fashion Flower Collection Haul (Swatches & Comparisons)

I have missed the excitement of new MAC collections! The Fashion Flower had some times that I was excited to get and when it was launched online, I snatched the three items up. I purchased the Fresh Daisy and Groundcover eyeshadows and Ever Hip Lipstick. Here is my haul video and below are some swatches and comparisons:

Hello, MAC haul!

The two eyeshadows I got: (left to right) Fresh Daisy, Groundcover

These shadows have the standard black MAC pot packaging but the actual product is imprinted with a flower design.

swatches: (left to right) Fresh Daisy, Shroom, Nylon, UD Virgin

Swatches: (left to right) Groundcover, Copperplate, Mystery

I also picked up Ever Hip lipstick. This is one of the most popular items of the collection so if you want it, GET IT! It's a gorgeous pinky-coral.

Swatches: (left to right) Ever Hip, Revlon's Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Coral Reef. This shows how pink of a coral Ever Hip is compared to the orange coral of Coral Reef.

Ever Hip Lipstick on the lips (still getting the hang of lip swatches)

I am very happy with my small purchase from Fashion Flower. My favorite product that I bought has to be Ever Hip! It is gorgeous on the lips and I highly recommend it! I am new to coral lips and was afraid it would be orange but it's a ot more wearable if you're like me and used to pink lip colors. My second favorite is Groundcover. It is a grey taupe color and I don't have anything exactly like it. I do love Fresh Daisy but it is my least favorite because it is almost exactly like Nylon.

What did you think of the MAC Fashion Flower Collection? Did you purchase anything? If so, please share your haul!