What I'm Lovin' is BACK!

Oh how I've missed compiling some of my favorite items to share with you viewers. I've gotten a few emails requesting that I continue to showcase my favorites. So without further ado, I bring you my lastest list of MUST HAVES...Enjoy.

1. Revlon Whimsical: I spotted this milky mix of baby blue and copper & pink glitter and immediately thought of Deborah Lippmann's Glitter in The Air. The polish is very opaque, so I pair it with a baby blue base. For $3.75 vs $18, it was definitely worth it.

2. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle: To liven and brighten my face this is my go-to item. I especially love this on my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, and brow bone. A lot of my highlighting powders tend to be a little heavy. This MSF is light enough to highlight naturally.

3. MAC Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel: I like to mix a couple of these bronzing drops into my tinted moisturizer for a pretty golden sheen. 

4. Physicians Formula Happy Boosting Blush in Rose: I'm a sucker for adorable packaging so I just had to have this item. This is my very 1st product from them and I am impressed with the pigmentation. This mixture of light & dark pink, and muave give the cheeks a light pink highlighting sheen. It's faint aroma of flowers is what's supposed to cause a sense of happiness, but I didn't notice a change in mood. Overall this is a great daytime blush.

5. Philosophy Falling in Love Perfume: Sweetness in a bottle perfectly describes this fragrance. It's one of my favorite daytime perfumes.

6. OPI Fly: This was my favorite color from the Nicki Minaj's OPI Collection. A true turquoise polish is a must have for the spring.

7. MAC Viva Glam Nicki: Another one of my favorites out of all of the Viva Glam shades. This shade is the most perfect shade of pink.

8. MAC Kissable Lipcolor in Scandelicious: I own other MKLs, but this by far is my absolute favorite. This BOLD and true to color Fuschia is perfect for a lovely night out. The formula is not as glossy as a lipgloss and it has the staying power of a lipstick.

9. Rabito iPhone case: A phone cover this adorable makes every call, email, or text a happy one :0) It comes with a detachable bushy tail that acts as a stand.

(Top to Bottom: Mac Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel, MAC Viva Glam Nicki, MAC Kissable Color in Scandelicious, MSF Soft & Gentle) (Side: Physicians Formula in Rose)

Summerize your Foundation

As the seasons change so should some of your skincare routines and products. Winter skin can bare more products. With heat and sweat from the summer, the skin is more prone to irritation. So your products and applications should be much lighter. If you've ever noticed, a lot of makeup lines advertise tinted moisturizer more in the spring and summer. That is much better than wearing foundation in it's regular form. It's much lighter and healthier. I usually make my own when the hot months hit. Here is what I do:

(left to right: MAC Fix+ Spray, Revlon ColorStay in #400 Caramel, Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer)

I mix a small amount of foundation with an equal amount of facial moisturizer. The moisturizer won't change the foundation tint, it's just changing the coverage. Usually when I apply my moisturizer my face is still damp from the shower or washing it. But since I'm treating this as makeup, I wait until I have taken care of my body and dress, etc. By the time I'm ready for makeup my face is no longer damp. First I lightly spray my face with MAC's Fix+ Spray, which is a skin refresher and finisher. And then I proceed with the tinted moisturizer, and apply a finishing powder in my T-Zone. The moisturizer added will give off a beautiful summer dewy look. Be sure to travel with blot paper and/or powder if you have oily skin.  

**IMPORTANT: If you are shopping for a moisturizer or foundation during the spring/summer I suggest getting one that contains SPF.

**You can make your own facial refresher by boiling a couple of pure green tea bags, refrigerate and place in a spray bottle. Or if you insist on buying a spray, Sephora sells a much cheaper product than MAC. Evian Mineral Spray for $10 here.

The foundation (left) in it's regular form is clearly thick and will provide a heavy coverage. The tinted moisturizer (right) still provides coverage, as well as a nice glow.

Fun & Easy Tattoo Nail Art using Magazine Pages

Save yourself a trip to the salon by doing your own nail art at home using magazine pages.

What you will need:

-Magazine
-Colored Base of choice
-Clear nail base
-50% Rubbing Alchol
-Cotton balls
-Q-tips

-Fingernail Polish Remover

Steps:
1.)Paint nail with a clear base and then coat with your base color.
2.) Allow 3 minutes drying time
3.) Wet your nail with alcohol using a cotton ball
4.) Take a pattern from a magazine page and cover the nail. Wet the page over the nail with alcohol using a cotton ball. Let the alcohol sit over the page and nail for a minute or two.
5.) Peel the page off the nail slowly and coat with a clear base.

6.) Take a Q-tip and polish remover to wipe of any ink that may have gotten on your skin.

I chose to use the pattern of a Balenciaga runway dress

I would love to share your creation with my viewers. Please email an image to davida@oddballdsgn.com.

"What I'm Loving" Friday

1. Maybelline ColorSensation in Fuchsia Fever. If you haven't noticed by now, I love PINK makeup. I'm pretty sure I have several tubes similar to this color, but it is something different about this color. I instantly thought of MAC's matte lipstick Candy Yum Yum, which is sold out. So this Maybelline can be the perfect dupe.

2. Coastal Scents Eclipse Concealer Palette. I needed a nice palette of concealers for my photoshoots. It can get quite pricey buying single containers of concealer in every color, so I ordered this palette. I like the creamy application and the coverage is great as well.

3. Revlon ColorBurst in Baby Pink. Again I can never have enough pink makeup. This color is perfect for that baby doll pink lip. This color can be a dupe for MAC's popular color Angel.

4. LO'Real Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base. A primer is one of the most important products needed to create a flawless face. I have many primers, but this item is one of my favorites. The pores in my nose area can get a little large and exposed at times. This product is great for smoothing out those areas. Remember to let your primer sit for 5 minutes before applying your makeup.

5. MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Creme Cup. I love this nude colored lipstick because it's not too pale like most nudes are.

6. Bow Chain from Asos. One word - ADORABLE!

7. MAC Paint in Sublime Nature. This is a great nude base or can be worn alone.

8. Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System. This is an AWESOME dupe for the expensive Clarsonic. I don't have a Clarsonic but the concept is pretty much the same. This device leaves my skin feeling squeaky clean and it was only $30. Clarsonic devices are $100+

9. Revlon Colorbust Lip Gloss in Strawberry Fraise. This is a very nice drugstore lipgloss. The staying power is great as well as the slight pigmentation.

10. China Glaze Polish in Re-Fresh Mint

(Top to Bottom: MAC CremeCup, Maybelline ColorSensation Fuchsia Fever, Revlon Colorburst in Baby Pink, MAC Paint Sublime Nature. Side: Revlon Colorburst in Strawberry Fraise)

Get the Look: Beyonce Inspired Finger Tip Claw Ring

The highly anticipated video for Run the World by Beyonce has finally been released. As usually, B performed perfectly in this Mad Max inspired video.

What stuck out the most to me were the finger tip rings.

This ring style is nothing new to those who are into a medieval or Gothic style of fashion. Although this trend has been around for years, Beyonce may have revived it's popularity.

Below are a few similar creations conceptually (Click on images to be taken to make a purchase)

Which one will you be putting on your wishlist?

A Cheap Way to Deep Clean your Make-up Brushes

I've tried many make-up brush cleaners and they all seem to leave my brushes feeling and looking the same. If the products aren't getting all of the make-up out, then I know bacteria is still harboring in the bristles. I got tired of buying the cleaner when it wasn't working, so I started using baby shampoo. Baby Shampoo is mild and it leaves your brushes smelling so fresh. I've been doing this method for over a year and so far none of my brushes have fallen apart. Here are the simple steps:

-Squeeze a dime-sized amount of shampoo into the palm of your hand.

-Swirl your brush in the shampoo and watch the makeup wash out instantly.

-Rinse the brush in your hand by swirling it underneath a small stream of water.
-Be sure to keep the brush upside down to prevent water from getting trapped inside.

-Tap or squeeze out water with a towel or paper towel and then lay flat.
I usually let the brushes dry overnight, although the drying time is about a hour.

And Wallah!

MAC’s Haute & Naughty Mascara: Cheaper Alternative

I was so excited when MAC launched their Haute Naughty Mascara. One wand and 2 different styles of mascara. One portion of the top has a larger opening, giving you more mascara and more volume. The other portion has a smaller opening, allowing less product but enough to give great length. I mainly use the top that gives less product on the bottom lashes.

I was getting low on my product and before ordering another one, I noticed that Rimmel London just put out a similar item, Rimmel London Day 2 Night. The wands are slightly different but the end results are the same. And the Rimmel London brand is half the price of MAC. I will finish out my MAC tube, but the Rimmel will become my go-to mascara.

MAC Haute & Naughty $18.00
Rimmel London Day 2 Night $9.00 (Drugstore)


(Top to Bottom) MAC Haute & Naughty, Rimmel London Day 2 Night

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Radiant Touch’s Cheaper Alternative

So I’ve been eyeballing the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Radiant Touch pen for the longest time. But I can’t seem to pull myself to paying $40 for an illuminator. This little stick is supposed to remove any signs of fatigue and shadows underneath the eyes.

Well me being the research Queen that I am, stumbled across a similar product. The Avon Majix Illuminator. This pen promises to brighten the skin and banish any dark shadows, AND it’s $32 cheaper than the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Radiant Touch. The Avon wand comes in 3 colors (light, medium, deep). I purchased the medium and deep because I wasn’t sure which one would work on my complexion.

This illuminator can be worn over or under your concealer or foundation. One day I wore it over my concealer and under my powder, but I noticed it gave me the reverse raccoon look. So I will try it again under my concealer. If your dark circles aren’t extreme then I believe this can be a great concealer as well. It does have a slight shimmer, so be light with the application. I like how it turns into a powder once blended. Also be sure to use a primer under this product. Because of the shimmer it will show all of your pores on the areas that it’s placed.

(left to right) Medium, Deep

(left to right) Medium, Deep

Overall I like this product. I have not tried the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Radiant Touch but I am satisfied with the amount of illuminance that the Avon Majix pen provides.

The Avon Majix Illuminator is $7.99 and can be purchased on the Avon website: http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?pf_id=40924. Please feel free to share your reviews on both brands.