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)

Cover Showcase: Get the Look

With Wife Extraordinaire Returns Part 2 being released this month, I wanted to showcase the makeup look that I did on cover model, Feven.

Face: MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC45
Cheek: MAC Blush in Pinch Me
Lips: NYX Lip Pencil in Fuchsia, Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Fuchsia
Eyes: MAC Paintpot in Blackground. MAC Pigment in Naked.
Brows: MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Stud

Miss Piggy for MAC

Miss Piggy has become quite the businesswoman and Beauty Icon over the years. She has her own polish with OPI and now she has collaborated with MAC in what they call "The World's Most Perfectly Pink Eye Shadow." This adorable collection launched today and is available online only.

Her collection includes an eye shadow in Miss Piggy Pink (frosty midtone blue pink), lashes, and an Penultimate Eye Liner in Rapid Black.

I already own the Penultimate Eye Liner in Rapid Black and it is my least favorite eye liner from MAC. It's great if you like a subtle liner or cat eye. It applies very faintly. If you like a more intense liner then I would suggest MAC's Superslick Liquid Eye Liner. Below is a swatch of both to compare.

(Top: Penultimate Eye Liner in Rapid Black - 2 swipes. Bottom: Superslick Eye Liner in On The Hunt - 1 swipe)

MAC Violetta

MAC Violetta debuted last year in the Disney Venomous Villains Collection as a PRO color. MAC has re-released this Amplified Purple shade as a regular color. It's slightly similar to MAC's Girl About Town, but a little darker. I love the color, and it has a slight shimmer.

NARS Danmari Blush Palette

I almost fell out of my chair when I stumbled across this beauty on Sephora.com. A 6 NARS cheek set for $65.00 was an absolute steal. NARS blush is normally .16oz, this palette contains blush sizes as .12oz.

(Top Row: Hungry Heart Duo (1), Orgasm, Desire)
(Bottom Row: Casino, ,Super Orgasm, Sin)

This palette has one highlight, contour/bronzer, and 4 blush colors. All are super pigmented and perfect for the holidays. NARS Orgasm has been on my wishlist for so long. I'm glad I waited because this palette has Orgasm and SUPER Orgasm.

Hungry Heart: Is a highlighting shade made of champagne and tiny flecks of gold shimmer.
Orgasm: Peachy Pink with gold shimmer.
Desire: True Barbie Hot pink (matte)

Casino: Dark Brown with gold shimmer
Super Orgasm: Peachy Pink (but more pink) with big gold glitter
Sin: Beautiful Mauve/Rose with gold shimmer

Overall I LOVE this palette, I give it 5 stars. I think it will make a great Holiday gift for make-up lovers. Check it out on Sephora HERE. I had to wait a couple of days for the item to restock. So be sure to check back if it is sold out.

MAC's Posh Paradise Swatches

MAC's new collection, Posh Paradise has become one of my favorite Fall collections so far. I ordered 2 Mattene lipsticks in Rare Exotic and Unknown Pleasures, and a paintpot in Hyperviolet.

This is the Rare Exotic shade. I used my camera flash so the color is more bright here than in person. This color is a pretty rich fucshia color. I applied it over lip balm, so it's not as matte as it should be. I am in love with this shade and it is exactly what I've been looking for!

This color is Unknown Pleasures. Again, it's more rich, dark, and matte than what's shown in the picture. It's definitely more burgandy than red, and a tad bit darker than MAC's Diva.

Overall, I love the richness of the colors. The tubes are smaller than MAC's regular lipstick sizes, but the highly pigmented shades allow you to use less product.

The bottom shade is the Hyperviolet painpot, a beautiful and matte eggplant.

Check out MAC Posh Paradise here!

Upcoming MAC Collection: Posh Paradise Fall Collection

Nail Lacquers are lavishly lush, Mattene Lipsticks are light on the lips as lust & Pearlized Paint Pots blend smoothly over lids. Indulge yourself with a plush & provocative collection of hypnotic hues!

Fresh Amour, Naked Bliss, Delectable, Rare Exotic, Eden Rouge

Deliciously Forbidden, Legendary, Unknown Pleasures, Potent Fig, Seeds of Desire

 Fall is my favorite season because of the beautiful rich colors. I've been on the hunt for a matte rich fuchsia lipstick, and hopefully I've found it in the color above (Rare Exotic). I also ordered Mattene Lipstick in Unknown Pleasures and a paintpot in Hyperviolet. I will be sure to swatch each color.

This collection will be available on September 15 (Thursday)

August Birchbox

It's that time of the month when I'm pleasantly surprised with the little pink Birchbox in the mailbox. Here are the items I received:



1. Pangea Organics Cleanser for Combination to Oily Skin: I didn't try this item. If you remember, I did a review for the Pangea Organics Facial Toner that came in June's Birchbox. Although I was impressed with the Toner at the time of the review, I later broke out and discontinued the use. Therefore I was a little reluctant with trying the cleanser.

2. blinc Eyeliner: This watery formula is supposed to stay strong through rain, tears, and sweat. If you are a fan of heavy liners like myself, you will not like this product. It goes on very faint. And to achieve a noticeable line it requires a lot of product.

3. Wei Tibetan Chysanthemum Correcting Eye Treatment Pads: These cloths soaked in natural flower and plant extract are guaranteed to de-puff and brighten the under eye area. I used 1 of the 2 and I didn't see a tremendous difference. I think I was a little too excited to see if it worked. With the next cloth, I will relax and leave it on for the recommended 15 minutes.

4. Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask: This creamy treatment revives dull and dry strands. I'm pretty satisfied with my current hair regimen, so I did not try this product.

5. Twistband Hair Tie: A simply black hair tie that looks just as cute on your wrist. I've seen them in quite a few magazine lately.

Overall, this month's Birchbox was BLAH :0/ I look forward to next month's box.

Upcoming MAC Collection: Seasonally Supreme

Attention Tokyo scenesters, Seoul trendies, Shanghai sophisto-chicks....you've inspired a new collection of Sheen Supreme: twelve cream-or-frost shades that fuse Lipglass' high-shine finish with the saturated colour of a Lipstick.

LAUCH DATE: August 11

Some of the shades will be perfect for the Fall.

Get the Look with Model DaJion

It was a pleasure shooting beautiful model DaJoin for an upcoming book cover. Here is the make-up look that we went for.

Eye shadow: Inglot Cosmetics #450, MAC Pigment in Heritage Rouge (Pro Shade), MAC Saddle
Brow: MAC Stud
Lips: MAC Lipstick in Diva, MAC Lipglass in Clear
Face: MAC Studio Fix in NC50, MAC Studio Fix Powder in NC50

INGLOT Freedom Palette

I've finally decided to try out INGLOT Cosmetics and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. INGLOT has a Freedom System that allows you to customize your own palettes of eye shadow, lip stick, blush, brow wax, and more. My first purchase was a 10-square eye shadow palette.

INGLOT offers 158 eye shadows and 4 different finishes (pearl, matte, shine, double shine). For $5 each pan the shadows were highly pigmented and can easily be compared to MAC. The cost of this palette was $60. For artist building their kits, I highly recommend this brand.

(Left to Right: #450, #375, #452, #420)

#450 PEARL: Rich Burgundy
#375 MATTE: Purple
#452 PEARL: Dark Brown Copper
#420 PEARL: Silver

 (Left to Right: #63, #361, #467, #390)

#63 MATTE: Black
#361 MATTE: Pink/Coral Nude
#467 DOUBLE SHINE: Sparkle Nude
#390 MATTE: Nude Color

(Left to Right: #463, #341)

#463 DOUBLE SHINE: Light Sparkly Nude
#341 MATTE: Light Nude

For more information on INGLOT, visit www.inglotcosmetics.com

My June Birchbox

Receiving my cute little hot pink Birchbox in the mail this month made my day! And the excitement continued once I saw what was inside.

1. Laura Geller Baked Blush N' Brighten: Normally the Birchboxes contain sample sized items, but the blush came as a full size. This swirled blush was perfect for the start of summer. One side is a
highlighter and the other side is a nice pink shade. (Swatch below)

2. Kate Spade Twirl Perfume: I like the scent. However it is very similar to Escada Tropical Punch or Liz Claiborne's Bora Bora.

3. Pangea Organics Facial Toner for Normal/Oily Skin: I literally have been looking for a great toner for weeks. When this came in I was so anxious to test it out. While my face is slightly damp after washing, I sprayed the toner on and then followed with my moisturizer. After trying it out for a couple of days I didn't notice a major difference, but I did like how it makes my skin feel after each use. I'll continue to use it.  

4. Deborah Lippman Stripper to Go Nail Laquer Removers: The packet contains one finger mitt and it promises to remove the polish of all 10 toes or nails. I used both packets to remove the triple coats of polish on both my hands and feet and it delivered its promise.

5. Oscar Blandi Olio Ji Jasmine Hair Serum: I haven't tried this serum yet but I like that it's a heat protectant. I will use it with my next washing and give an update.

Deborah Lippman Stripper to Go Nail Laquer Removers

(left to right: Laura Geller Baked Blush N' Brighten, highlight; blush)

Overall I think this was the best Birchbox so far!

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.

Upcoming MAC Collection: OBSESSIONS

9 lucky beauty bloggers had the opportunity to collaborate with MAC to create a lipglass and eyeshadow of their choice. How DOPE is that! This collection will be online only and sold on the MAC website between June 21-August 21. I am loving every single lipglass color.

Get the Look: Doll Face



( computer screenshot)

It was such an honor shooting with one of the most adorable fashion lines to date, Chocolate Couture. And carrying out the baby doll theme was such a blast. Above is one of the make-up looks.



Products Used:

FACE
-MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer in NW35
-Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse in #4 Dark
-MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in Medium Deep
-MAC Iridescent Press Powder

EYES
-MAC Eye Shadow in Too Dolly
-MAC Eye Shadow in Saddle
-MAC Naked Pigment
-MAC Eye Kohl in Smolder
-MAC Brow Pencil in  Stud (Brows)

LIP
-NYX Lip Pencil in Fucshia
-Maybelline ColorSensation in Fuschia Fever
-MAC Lip Glass in Pink Poodle
CHEEKS
-MAC Blush in Fleur Power
-MAC Blush in Dollymix

"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)

Upcoming MAC Collection: Surf's Baby

The lure of the endless summer starts here with My Paradise Cheek Powder, Pigments, Summer Stash of Crushed Metallic Pigments, Hibiscus Lipstick and Splashproof Lash Mascara that just won't smudge. Journey to a world where feeling the rush means taking a risk. Hang Ten!

OFFICIAL LAUNCH DATE: MAY 26, 2011

Surf, Baby! Cheek Powder ($28.00 U.S. / $32.00 CDN)

• My Paradise Peach pressed powder with gold hibiscus flower overspray (Limited Edition)

Lipstick ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

• Bust Out! Dirty mid-tone violet (Lustre) (Limited Edition)
• Hibiscus Bright orange coral (Cremesheen) (Limited Edition)
• Mocha Peachy yellow-brown (Satin) (Permanent)
• Naturally Eccentric Creamy white nude (Lustre) (Limited Edition)

Lipglass ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

• Girl on Board Pale white gold (Limited Edition)
• Good Lovin’ Soft peachy pink (Limited Edition)
• Krazy Kahuna Warm mid-tone brown (Limited Edition)
• Strange Potion Soft coral pink (Limited Edition)

Crushed Metallic Pigment Stacks ($32.50 U.S. / $38.50 CDN)

• Summer Stash Light pink champagne, light white pearl, light violet with silver pearl, brown bronze with gold pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)
• Surf the Ocean Frosty platinum, light yellow green, gold bronze, dirty graphite with silver pearl (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Eyeshadow ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

• Saffron Deep coral caramel (Satin) (Limited Edition)
• Short Shorts Frosty white champagne (Frost) (Limited Edition)
• Sun Blonde Dirty yellow gold (Frost) (Limited Edition)
• Surf U.S.A. Frosted teal (Frost) (Limited Edition)
• Swell Baby Mid-tone grey (Satin) (Limited Edition)

Nail Lacquer ($13.50 U.S. / $17.00 CDN)

• Hangin’ Loose Dirty pink nude (Limited Edition)
• Ocean Dip Mid-tone creamy aqua (Limited Edition)

Powerpoint Eye Pencil ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

• Blue Noon Teal with gold pearl (Limited Edition)
• Gilded White Yellow white frost (Limited Edition)

Pigment ($19.50 U.S. / $23.50 CDN)

• Naked Fleshy beige with golden copper pearl (Permanent)
• Melon Soft bright golden peach (Permanent)

Splashproof Lash Mascara ($14.00 U.S. / $17.00 CDN)

• Blacksplash Black (Permanent)

Bags (MAC Stores Only)

• Surf, Baby! 1 ($28.00 U.S. / $33.50 CDN) (Limited Edition)
• Surf, Baby! 2 ($32.00 U.S. / $38.50 CDN) (Limited Edition)

Suntints SPF 20 Liquid Lip Balm ($15.50 U.S. / $18.50 CDN)

• Full of Grace Soft sheer rose (Limited Edition)
• Pink Tinge Clean bright yellow pink with gold pearl (Limited Edition)
• Lilt of Lily Soft creamy pale pink (Limited Edition)

MAC Skinsheen Bronzer Stick ($29.50 U.S. / $35.50 CDN)

• Tan-tint Soft suntan bronze (Limited Edition)
• Billinoaire Bronze Warm golden tan (Limited Edition)
• Gilty Bronze Coppery bronze with gold shimmer (Limited Edition)

Bronzing Powder ($24.00 U.S. / $29.00 CDN)

• Solar Riche Mid-tone deep orange brown (Limited Edition)
• Refined Golden Finely spun gold with soft pearl finish (Permanent)

Studio Careblend Pressed Powder ($28.00 U.S. / $33.50 CDN)

• Gold-Go-Lightly Mid-tone golden tan brown (Limited Edition)
• Lush-Light Bronze Mid-tone rosy pink brown (Limited Edition)

"What I'm Loving" Friday

1. MAC Blush Peaches: I love this blush for a nice and calm peach tint.

2. Bed Head After Party Smoothing Cream: I use this cream lightly after dropping my pin curls. This is good for frizz. The cream has an irredescent silver/white color, which adds a lovely sheen to my hair without looking greasy.

3. Bebe Lip Balm: It's nothing spectacular about this lip balm but I am a sucker for adorable packaging. These lip balms are free with a purchase from Bebe.

4. MAC Lipstick Ever Hip: I was sooooo excited when MAC rereleased Ever Hip from a previous collection, Give Me Liberty. I wasn't able to get it before but I immediately purchased it when it returned through the new collection, Fashion Flower. This color is a beautiful neutral peach. I probably have so many colors that are similar, but this one is special lol.

5. BUTTER London 3 Free Nail Laquer in The Full Monty: 2-3 coats of this gives me the perfect Golden nails.

6.  NYX Eye Liner in Velvet: I love this suttle mettalic gold color for my inner v's. Simply beautiful and smooth. The name "Velvet" is very fitting.

7. CHI Silk Infusion: This is definitely a staple in my hair care regimen. I use it on my hair with heat. It's not quite a heat protectant but it strengthen my strands and I've noticed less breakage.

8. MAC All Blending Sponge: I wanted to try out a Beauty Blender Sponge, but I ran across this sponge which is similar and cheaper. I use this sponge to blend out liquids to a nice airbrush finish on my face.

9. LORAC Starry-eyed Baked Shadow: This shadow came in the LORAC Movie Star kit. This is great for a sexy smokey eye.

10. Maybelline Color Sensational in Coral Crush: This has become one of my favorite coral lipsticks for the spring/summer.

11. Hard Candy GLOW all the Way Luminizer: I cannot have enough luminzers. This pinkish illumnizer is so beautiful on my cheekbones, nose, and any other place where I want a nice glow.

(left to right: MAC Lipstick Ever Hip, Hard Candy GLOW all the Way Luminizer, NYX Eye Liner in Velvet, Maybelline Color Sensational in Coral Crush, MAC Blush Peaches)