Coastal Scents Blush Too Palette

Hi my loves!

I hope you are all having a great Thursday and a great week! I know my week has been spectacular so far with the shoots I've been doing and upcoming scheduling going on. My Thursday is a bit bland since I decided to work this week for Estee Lauder today and Saturday (not much fun)...kind of boring, but gotta make that money right?!

Any who, this is going to be a first impressions/ haul of the new Coastal Scents Blush Too Palette!

Yes! I said it...NEW blush palette! I was browsing through my spam mail last week Friday and I happened to find a few of my Coastal Scents emails in there. I didn't plan on reading through the emails as I deleted majority of them, but when my eyes saw "Introducing Our NEW Blush Too Palette!..." I just couldn't resist. Keep in mind that I got the email on the 22nd of January, but I didn't see it until the 25th. I immediately hopped on over to the site and checked it out and I must say I fell in complete love with it; more so than I did with the first palette.

To begin with, the packaging is the same as the Sleek Silhouette packaging. The only thing is that the size of the box and name of product differ, so I do love the packaging. I even like that they switched up the font sizing of the company name and of the palette name as well. Looks more "professional" to some extent.

The pictures they had on the website looked lovely so I opted into getting the palette. Even their description of the product:

Achieve a perfect flush with our highly pigmented Blush Too Palette. These next generation, pressed powder blushes boast a rich, silky formula for a smooth, even application every time. This assortment of ten striking blush hues ranges from soft lavender to blazing orange, allowing you to create your ideal exposure from sheer to intense color. This versatile palette offers both matte and pearly finished shades to create a natural-looking glow.

Why wouldn't any one purchase this palette?! Doesn't it sound like your favorite ice cream with your favorite toppings and syrup?! It did to me!

Now, as far the soft lavender goes...I beg to differ...take a look for yourself:

Tutorial | Valentine's Day Look #2: Bluebirds Are Golden

Hi my loves,

Today's post is actually another Valentine's Day look/ tutorial. I am currently at a photoshoot in NYC, so I decided to create two looks last weekend so that you could get a head start of planning for Valentine's Day. It's the day of love...

The first look was more on the neutral side, click here to see, this tutorial is still subtle while utilizing blues and purples. 

Why blues and purples? When most people think of Valentine's Day they automatically think of red and pink. Me...I think of coral, cobalt blue, purple, fuchsia and black so I figured I make some out-of-the-ordinary looks for those looking for something different.

This look is bright, subtle and flirty. Perfect for a simple lunch date, picnic in the park or family night

xBROWSx

• Lancome Le Crayon Poudre in Sable
• Lancome Brow Expert in Natural

xFACEx

• BH Liquid Foundation in D1-Hazelnut & D2-Mocha
• BH 10 Color Camouflage Concealer Palette
• Lancome Ageless Minerale in Yellow Corrector (highlight)
• Lancome Ageless Minerale in Translucent Bronze
• BH Cosmetics Duo Blush Palette - brown

xCHEEKSx

• BH Cosmetics Duo Blush Palette - pink duo

xEYESx

Tutorial | Valentine's Day Look #1: Golden Kisses

Hi my loves!

I decided to get an early start on Valentine's Day and do a couple of tutorials and videos based on it. This first look is more a golden daytime smoky eye that can be amped up for night by changing the lip color. This perfect for those who are scared to play with color or just beginning with makeup.

This look is simple and quick to do and I utilized my Urban Decay palettes as well. Just to note, I set my makeup with the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray.

xBROWSx

• Lancome Le Crayon Poudre in Sable
• Lancome Brow Expert in Natural

xFACEx

• Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in 320-Honey Beige
• Coastal Scents Camo Quad in Medium
• Maybelline Fit Me Powder in 320-Honey Beige
• NYC Sun2Sun Bronzer in Terracotta-Tan

xCHEEKSx

• Lancome Blush Subtil in Shimmer Mocha Havana
• Lancome Blush Highlighter in Moonlight Rose

xEYESx

Photoshoot | First Beauty Shoot 2013

Hello my loves,

Currently I'm feeling a bit down and out so I decided to get on here and do a post for you all. I do have a set schedule of when I will be doing post from now thankfully so I'm quite excited about that, but any who...

About 2 weekends ago I did a photoshoot with an amazing photographer out here in NJ and two lovely models. I just want to show you all the images from the shoot...

Look #1

For the first look, I pulled inspiration from a beauty shot that I saw an Asian young lady do. I wanted to recreate it with a different feel.

I personally love how the picture came out. The yellow pops, her lips are dark and they eyeshadow looks amazing. I like that her shirt pops as well due to the black background.

Look #2

This is a pretty natural edgy shot. I personally love how the foundation was captured. The idea was an edgy, yet natural look.

I used Graftobian's HD Super Palette in Warm and I must say I am in love. The face has a glow, the under eye area is brightened, the lips are pouty and bright, the cheeks have a hint of color and the brows -- flawless.

Look #3

Inspiration from this all natural look actually came from Kim Kardashian's wedding makeup.

Haul | BH Cosmetics

Hi my loves!

Here is part III of my collective freelance kit haul. You can check out the other parts here:

• Part I - Coastal Scents
• Part II - LeCosmetique

This part is going to contain all of the products I ordered from ... 

I placed three separate orders in because I needed palettes in my life. Personally I hate single shadows and I have a ton of them that I need to depot soon -- may do a post on that someday. Overall, between the three orders I placed I got a total of 24 items. I did get free shipping on all orders as well thankfully!

Tools

I ordered two blending brushes from BH Cosmetics. One of them I got for free and one I paid $3.16. I absolutely like the blending brush...it's fluffy, blends color so well and feels great on the eyes. Can't get enough of them. I plan to purchase a few more of these brushes. They are even perfect for blending concealer and powder under the eye!

120 Palettes

I purchased both the 120 Palette 1st & 2nd Edition in a special for New Years at $25 total. It was called the New Year's Steal #1 as they had two or three different "steals" at the time. I purchased the 120 Palette 3rd & 4th Edition for only $16 and the 5th Edition for $17.

A brief break down of each palette is as follows:

1st Edition - Contains gorgeous, vibrant colors in many hues. Fun for the average makeup junkie that loves bold makeup like myself!

2nd Edition - Similar to the 1st edition with bright colors, but has twice as many neutrals for an even balance of fun. Thinking about keeping this one for myself since I don't need both in my kit.

13 Easy Styling Tips

Happy Monday loves!

Ever wanted to find a sure fire way to style your ordinary outfits or spice up your favorite pieces or outfits? Well today, I am going to give you 13 quick and easy sure fire styling tips that will help you look amazing in the same outfit numerous times!

Here are my quick tips ....

Pippa Middleton in a black Cleopatra dress by Tanya | red Prada bag | Panthera scarf by Alice by Temperly | black Kate Kuba boots *image courtesy*

Number 1 - Accessorize and tie a scarf on it!
A pop of leopard print lends a trendy vibe to a classic blazer and mini dress or that on the go pair of jeans and tank.

Number 2 - Remix a cardigan.
Instead of wearing a cardigan the basic way, pair it with a nice pair of skinny jeans, heels and a clutch. Button it up and belt it with a belt. Your cardigan will feel refreshed and look stylish.

Number 3 - Cuff your jeans.
On printed, colored or denim, a quick roll of the hem shows a bit of skin and your pretty heels too.

Leighton Meester, Solange Knowles and Taylor Momsen in patterned tights. *image courtesy*

Beauty Blogazons | Weekly Round Up - 1/18

• Chickettes.com: Add some glitz and glam your nails for a night out on the town with the Gelish Sizzling Summer Nights collection!
• Beauty Fiends: Curious about mineral foundation? Julia at Beauty Fiends has been testing Ferro Cosmetic's Ultimate Mineral Foundation. Find out what she thinks!
• Emily Hudspeth, hair design and makeup artist: My YouTube channel got a facelift! Now you can find your favorite tutorials and product reviews organized into playlists. Enjoy!
• Adore A Polish: Kristina shares her favorite nail polish picks from 2012.
• Lola's Secret Beauty Blog: Looking for a whole new customizable Beauty Box experience? Then take a look at Wantable!
• Polarbelle: Want to know how to really plump your lips? I'd like to suggest EnvyDerm lip plumping gloss.
• TheFabZilla: TheFabZilla starts a new series- Lips Showcase. What is it? Hop over to her bloggity blog.
• Vicerimus: Like the Suede finish, but not feeling like wearing it as a full mani? Do Suede accent nails!
• Ishah x Beauty: Looking for a YSL Glossy Stain dupe? Check out L'Oreal Colour Caresse Shine Stain!
• Samarium's Swatches: Sarah shows off her LE collaboration piCture pOlish shade Atomic!
• The Beauty Think Tank: Revlon has debuted the new Photoready BB Cream - but the question on everyone's mind... is it obnoxiously shimmery?
• Lacquer Buzz: This week Lacquer Buzz ventures into makeup territory to show you this awesome movie inspired palette by NYX.
• Makeup Demon: Fresh blue and green makeup + photoshoot. Waiting for the Spring...
• Pinked Polish: Holy Holo Stamping Batman!!!!! Stamping with the beautiful Halo-graphic. :)
• Très Beau Glamour: Nay Denise has gotten her hands on the BH Cosmetics Day & Night Palette and used it to create an amazing Turquoise & Purple look. Check out the tutorial she created!
• Beauty by Arielle: Dior 5 Couleurs in Smoky Design Swatchfest & Review.
• Beauty Professor: Completely obsessed with all things Tom Ford, the Beauty Professor swatches the entire shade spectrum of his Traceless Foundation Stick!

Haul | LeCosmetique

Hi my loves!

This is part two to my freelance kit haul featuring all the products that I got from a company called...

The first portion of this collective haul consisted of  Coastal Scents products and there will be three other portions consisting of BH Cosmetics and Yazmo items, so stay tuned for those.

Now, before ordering from LeCosmetique, I did see a few videos by MakeupByLeinaBaaaby years back on them (video one and video two) which made me look into even more. After doing extensive research and weighing my options, I opted into ordering from them. The first order I placed was on Dec 28th, 2012 and my package arrived on January 2nd -- it came a day early (supposed to be delivered on January 3rd). Considering how fast it shipped to me during the holiday I was highly impressed so I placed a second order on January 4th for a few more items and got that order on January 7th.

Overall shipping and packaging with LeCosmetique is amazing and I am glad to be a customer of theirs. I even got accepted into the Pro Discount Program for those in the industry which makes shopping a bit more cheaper for me now (10-40% off).

Now, I'll show the products and give a bit of detail on it and also share with you the price at which I bought it and the original price (if I got the discounted price)...

I got the Graftobian Super Palette in Warm which contains 18 ultra rich shades.  This palette is made for the professional makeup artist or the makeup lover as it contains every shade possible in the warm color range. These cremes are formulated to yield flawless Hi-Def results whether or not you are in front of the camera. I paid full price for this which was $65.95 (prices increased to $70.50). Yes, I have used this already on two clients -- images coming soon.

The Graftobian Ultra-Lites Palette which contains ultra rich color especially designed for Porcelain skin tones. You get two cool shades, two neutral shades and one warm shade which will definitely work for the fairest of fair. I can also use these for extreme highlighting and as eyeshadow bases. Paid $21.95 (price increased to $25.95).

Tutorial | Blueberries Are Made For Royalty

Hey Hey!!!

Today I have a tutorial for you all on a look I did Tuesday. I wore this look to work and got so many compliments that I decided to do a tutorial on it today to share with the world!

Tuesday's look.

The look was created using the BH Cosmetics Day & Night Palette. I purchased it for my kit and with everything that goes into my freelance kit I always test  out the products. Needless to say, I was happy and I plan to purchase another palette for myself.

When I redid the look today.

With this look I stuck to bright colors -- turquoise and purple -- because I haven't done any bright, bold & fun looks in a long time. I was pretty happy with the results. Keep in mind, when I created this look on Tuesday, I did use different products.

TUTORIAL

xBROWSx

• Jordana FabuBrow Pencil - Dark Brown
• Milani Brow Fix Brow Kit - 02 Medium
• Lancome Brow Expert Modele Sourcils - Natural

xFACEx

• Lancome La Base Pro
• Maybelline Fit Me Foundation - 320
• Lancome Maquicomplet Concealers - Corrector & Caramel
• Mineral Elements by Eden Finishing Powder
• Maybelline Fit Me Powder - 320

Haul | Coastal Scents

Hi my loves,

I'm not sure if any of you remember the previous post I did, I stated that I had a large haul coming to you all...well here's part I of that collective haul. The order of the collective haul will go as such:

• Coastal Scents
• LeCosmetique
• BH Cosmetics
• Yazmo

I have been doing a ton of shopping for my freelance kit and I can finally share with you all what I've been purchasing since everything is finally in.

Let's begin with...

I ordered five items from Coastal Scents and spent a total of $67.31 with free shipping. I haven't ordered from Coast Scents since 2009-2010 so it was kind of nice to order from them once more. I must say I am very impressed with the new packaging that they have going on, including their boxes...it's now pink!

You can't tell me that box isn't cute -- it's so girly and sweet. Yes, I'm a pink kind of girl my loves, but to end the babbling, let's get into the items that I got.

Pressed Powder Foundation Set

A set of 8 pressed powders for $34.95 ranging from light to medium-deep. Number 1-5 are all matte finish powders and numbers 6-8 are iridescent powders. The powders are pigmented and milled so well that they blend seamlessly into the skin giving it a flawless look. Impressed with these, but I wish they came in deeper shades as well.

Sleek Silhouette Palette

Behind The Scenes | First Shoot For 2013

Hi my loves,

Just wanted to share with you all some quick footage from my first shoot after about 7 months of not shooting. This isn't that great, but better will come soon. Hope you all enjoy!

To see what I took to the shoot, check out the previous post "Makeup Artist Series | Photoshoot Kit" to see.

Final images coming soon...

2013 Beauty Resolutions

I'm not sure about the rest of you all, but this year I want to make sure I keep my skin up to par and stay clear. For the past few months I've been slacking on a lot of things so I decided to do beauty resolutions for myself.

Here are my beauty resolutions:

1. Wash my face every morning and every night.
2. Do a facial scrub twice a week.
3. I will do a facial mask once a week.
4. I will keep my hands moisturized at all times.
5. Keep my hands and cuticles healthy.
6. Drink more water and less soda.

These are just my resolutions as far as beauty goes -- I do not plan to write things that I won't do because when I do so it makes me not to do even more (hopefully that makes sense). Overall, I'm excited and I will keep you all updated every month.

Do you have any beauty resolutions for 2013? What are they?

Happy New Years & Posts....

Happy New Year everyone!

I'm finally getting home after a short day of work and a night with my boyfriend. I pray and hope you all enjoyed your New Year as much as I did. I truly believe 2013 will bring much happiness to me, my relationship, my job, my company and this blog...I can feel it.

Any who, I wanted to do a few posts this week, but I have to work every day (except Saturday), so it may be a bit hard to do but I'm just going to tell you all what to look out for:

• 2012 Favorites (Skincare, Makeup, Hair & Fashion -- 4 separate posts)
• Lancome collection
• What's in my freelance kit?
• Job update
• Top 5 favorite scents
• Top 10 favorite lipsticks
• Everyday makeup tutorial

If there is ANYTHING that you all want me to do, definitely leave a comment below. Looking for ideas of what posts to create and I need help!

On that note, good night my loves!

Enjoy the rest of your night.