Favorite Products of 2009

Here are my favorite products for 2009!

(In no particular order)

1.Max Factor 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash mascara: I did a review on this. It's just like LashBlast but without the flaking. It gives volume, length, and separates.

2.Bourgois double sided eyeliner pencil (cream end): I can't remember the exact name but I like it because it looks more natural than white.

3.Rimmel primer: This helps my makeup stay on longer (like it's suppose to ;) )

4.MAC paint pot in Painterly: It's the color of my skin, I use it to mask any discoloration on my eyelids.

5.Vaseline Healthy Hand & Nail conditioning hand lotion: My hands are really dry from all the washing and sanitizing I do all day. I finally found something that's not greasy and that doesn't leave my hands dry again 5 minutes after I apply it.

6.Carmex: I will never get tired of this stuff. It keeps my lips nice and soft.

7.Maybelline lip gloss in Blissful Beige: Great color, goes with everything, very natural.

8.Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion: This stuff will get rid of wrinkles (temporarily). It makes your skin so soft.

9.African Royal Hot Six Oil:I use this on wet and dry hair. It really moisturizes my dry, frizzy hair and it doesn't smell gross.

Castor Oil and the Amazing Lash

A while ago I had a few eyelashes that were broken off.  I'm not sure how they broke but they did and they were not growing back.  Of course I was in a panic.  What if all my lashes started breaking off?  What if I have to wear false eyelashes for the rest of my life?  So I searched various beauty sites and found out about a couple of different products.  Most of them were expensive so I decided to check out Ardell Brow and lash growth accelerator. (I later found it at Ulta) Unfortunately, I couldn't find it, so I decided to try castor oil.  I read that castor oil does various things, among them eyelash growth.  I got a small bottle at my local grocery store.

This stuff is amazing!  Not only did the broken eyelashes grow back but ALL of my lashes grew.  Now, I used the castor oil pretty inconsistently and it still worked.  I used it for the first week every night but after that I only used it sporadically. 

Here's how I use it:  After I take off my makeup at night I take a Q-tip and dip it into the oil.  Wipe off the excess (so it doesn't drip in your eye) and rub the Q-tip along both sides of the lashes and at the root of the lashes on the top side.  That's it.  It's that easy and the oil is inexpensive as well.  Definitely worth a try.

L'oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara

The new mascara (new to the U.S. anyway) is a new take on the mascara wand.  The design is a round ball with spikes all over it.  It's similar to the Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes mascara.  The first time I wore this mascara I was a little annoyed because on one eye I had some really long spiky lashes and on the other eye I had regular looking lashes.  I was not happy but I figured I need to get use to this new wand before I go making any rash decisions.  The second time I tried the mascara, I was much more happy with the results.  Although this mascara doesn't give my lashes great length, (actually it probably does have the potential to since I ended up with a few long spiky lashes the first time) or great volume, I like this mascara because it does get to those hard to reach lashes and it gives a nice no-clump coating to the bottom lashes.  Overall, the look is pretty natural.  I haven't decided if I would re-purchase this but it's definitely worth a try.

Haul

I picked up a few things, some that I have been wanting for a while and others that just look promising.

I got 2 lip glosses from  Maybelline (Bogo).  The first one is Blissful Beige.  It's shimmery nude color.  The second one I can't remember the name of.  It's Raspberry something.  It's a great color.  They are both really shiny and last a decent time. 

I also got the new Carmex Moisture Plus.  I only use Carmex chapstick so I was really excited when I found something new from them.  It smells really good, the packaging is definitely better than the the one in the yellow tube.  Unfortunately it doesn't moisturize the same as the little yellow tube.  It's good just not as good, so I'll stick with the original.

Then I got Angora Cardi and Matte About You from Essie.  As you all probably know, matte nails are HUGE for fall.  Matte About You is a top that you can use on any nail polish to make it matte.

I also got the new 3 minute undo from Garnier Fructis.  It's a deep condition with avocado, olive, and shea oils in it.  

Lastly, I got 2 Chi products I've been dying to try out; the keratine mist and the smoothing shine spray (not exact name).  So many people have said that these are great products.  I will definitely do a review on them.

VMA's, Kanye, Taylor Swift, & Beyonce

OMG!  I didn't watch the VMA's but I saw what Kanye did and I am so pissed.  He has the biggest ego in the  world.  So you make good music, so you've got an opinion.  Yeah and?  Other's people's opinion count too.  Kanye, you have no right what-so-ever to take away someone else's moment like that, no one does.   If you want to tweet, blog, vlog about it later go right ahead.  Kanye has no class, no compassion, no decency, and no common sense.  He has a perfect example of grace and decency right in front of him, hello Beyonce, and still he continues to act like a jerk.  Taylor handled herself wonderfully and Beyonce was so so gracious.  Kayne get a clue!  You're a terrible role model and from what I can tell a terrible person as well.

YouTube

O.K. So I've have been debating whether or not I want to make a video for YouTube and I finally did!  It's a short little haul video.  Check it out and let me know what you guys think.  

http://www.youtube.com/kjv80

Haul

So I did a little shopping.  I bought some stuff that I had been thinking about buying for a while and some new stuff I saw at the store and liked.  Here's what I got:

Revlon ColorStay makeup.  Everyone says this stuff is great.  I've worn it twice now and I agree!  It lasts all day long.

L'oreal Hip Color Chrome Eyeliner in Violet Volt.  This eyeliner is so pigmented and so creamy.  It glides on.  I've only tried it once so I'm not really sure of the staying power as of yet but the color is beautiful.

Maybelline Colorsensational lipstick in Plaza Pink.  I don't usually wear lipstick but when I saw the ad for this new lipstick line I wanted to try it.  So far so good.  I have only worn it once so I can't give an honest answer on it's staying power.  The color is neutral and the texture is creamy and doesn't dry out my lips.

Maybelline eye shadow quad in Seashore Frosts.  I have been eyeing this little palette for quite some time.  I finally decided to get it when I saw a tutorial using two of the colors and I loved it.

Covergirl eye shadow trio in Shimmering Sands.  A lot of people say this is a great trio to have.  I looked at it and thought "Eh.  Nothing special."  I saw some tutorials using it and finally decided to get it since it was pretty cheap.  Normally I don't buy Covergirl eye shadows because I find they aren't very pigmented.  This trio is o.k.  I've used it a couple times and it's o.k. for a light neutral look.

L.A. Splash eye shadows in Nude Diamond and Premium.  I have never seen this brand before so I was excited to try something new.  I also liked the shimmery look of these eye shadows.  Unfortunately, it's not shimmery, it's super sparkly.  They are still really pretty, I just can't wear them for a daytime look.  They are perfect for the club though.

A Complete Guide to Manicure and Pedicure

I found this book at my local library and wanted to share it with you. This book has everything. It starts off by discussing the structure and anatomy of the hand and skin. It talks about the parts of the nail, giving definitions and detailed images. It also goes over problems with hands such as warts, excema, and carpal tunnel syndrom. It offers remedies and hand exercises to keep hands strong and lovely. The book even talks about nutrition and how it effects your skin, nails, and hands. It also talks about hand reflexology and then gets into how to give yourself a proper manicure. The book details all the tools needed and what each one does.

The book offers instructions on how to do different nail designs and techniques on how to get beautiful nails.

The book goes over the same things but for the feet. This is a really informative book that gave lots of great advice.

On Writing

I just finished reading On Writing by Stephen King.  The first part of the book talks about King's childhood, adolescence, and how he grew into the writer he is today.

The next part of the book is geared toward helping the reader become a better writer.  It goes through grammar, structure, editing, and finding a publisher and/or agent.  It also gives advice on what you need to do to be a good writer, or at least a decent writer.  Although King doesn't go into detail regarding correct grammar, he suggests getting the Elements of Style by Strunk & White for a more comprehensive look on grammar and structure which is helpful for those in need.

In the last part of the book King offers a look at a select story (1408) still in the first draft and then shows how he revises it into the 2nd draft.

Overall, King's mini memoir was entertaining and his advice on writing is valuable.  I certainly got a lot out of it.

Sedona

I went to Sedona on Sunday with my family and had a wonderful time.  It was 98 degrees or something like that and it felt amazing. (Compared to 113).  We ate at the most amazing Mexican restaurant and then strolled through Tlaquepaque, the arts and crafts village.  We ended the trip was some yummy strawberry ice cream.

I

Bright Blue using Coastal Scents

Here's a look I did on Sunday.  I used a lime green color on the inner half of my eyes and a bright blue on the outer half and in the crease.  The lime green kind didn't turn out.  You can't really see that color and I'm not sure why but it still looked pretty good.  IMO.

Sally's Haul

So I went to Sally's and got a few things.  I got the Aphogee Reconstructor, which I always use.  I got the Generic Chi Serum.  I can't wait to try this.  I got a sample of Ion Deep Conditioner.  Last but not least, I got Orly RidgeFiller.  I already tried the ridge filler and it works great.  My nail polish went on super smooth and the surface of my nails are super smooth.

Everyone is snogging but Hermione

Ummm, has anyone seen the new Harry Potter movie?  Wasn't there supposed to be a snog between Ron and Hermione?  I didn't see them snog.  I saw Ron snogging Lavender, I saw Ginny snog Harry.  I saw Ginny snog some other guy whose name escapes me at the moment, but I did not see Ron snogging Hermione.  I just need to read the book.  I'm stuck on the 4th one though.  I have seen the Goblet of Fire so many times that it is making me not want to read the book.  I'm reading the books because I know the movies are missing some of the sub-plots and that's what I really want to read about.  I think it's hard for me to read it  because I feel like I already know what's going to happen.  I haven't seen any of the other movies nearly as many times as I've seen the Goblet of Fire so I think that's why I'm tired of it and not the others.  I'll get around to finishing it eventually.  I'm reading something else right now anyway.

Coastal Scents Concealer, 88 Shimmer & 88 Warm palettes

What can I say, I love them!  Practically everyone on the planet already has at least on of the Coastal Scents palettes and I realize that they have been discussed a million times.  I don't care though because I love my palettes.  I'll keep my review short: lots of pigmentation, awesome colors, enough said.

Beauty of Essence Brushes

I was in need of a brush that I could put on liquid foundation.   I have the MAC 187 but I feel that it gives a really sheer coverage and I wanted something to give me more.  I was watching MichellePhan on Youtube and she was using this 2-sided foundation and concealer brush.  I had to have it!  It took a while to find it, and I could only find it in this pack of other brushes but I did, and i love it.  The brush gives a very even coverage and gets into all the small places.  I highly recommend it.  I already owned the concealer brush and it's an o.k. brush.  I really don't care much for concealer brushes because I think they're a little to hard.  I usually pat with my finger or use the foundation side of the brush to blend concealer.  

The pack also included a 2-sided blending & eye shadow brush and a 2-sided blush & powder brush.   As for the other brushes, I have only tried the blush & powder brush.  I used the the angle side and found it worked great for contouring.  These are great quality brushes at an inexpensive price.

Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Concealer

I am always on the look out for the perfect concealer.  I normally wear MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer which I really like because it gives good coverage and is moist. I'm still on the look out for a better concealer though because I feel like I need extreme coverage and although the Studio Sculpt does give great coverage I feel like I need more.   

 I was excited to try the Dream Matte Mousse Concealer by Maybelline because I had tried the foundation in the past and thought it was a bit too thick so I thought the concealer would be thick too.  I think there were 5 different shades and I got Ivory Light 235.  The shade is bit too light but once I put foundation over it you can't really tell.   Unfortunately, the mousse is very dry and doesn't blend easily.  I won't purchase it again but I will try and mix it with some moisturizer or something to see if it is more useable.

Here I am

Wow!  I can't believe it's been so long since I did a blog entry.  I have just been doing all my usual things so I'm not sure why I haven't blogged lately.  Anyways, I've been reading some other blogs and they have inspired me to get back on the horse.

I'm very excited because I finally ordered some palettes from Coastal Scents!  Yea, to free shipping!  I should receive them sometime next week.  I'm a little worried though because it is extremely hot here and I hope the heat doesn't melt or destroy the makeup or palettes.  I'm sure I would freak out if that happened.  I'll be doing lots of looks with the palettes.  I won't promise that I will post all the looks I do, but I will definitely post some.

I will also be doing some reviews.  I have recently bought a few items that I want to share; some brushes from Beauty of Essence, the Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse concealer, and the Maybelline Mineral Bronze Bronzer.  I will do a review on all of that.

NYX look

Here's a look I wore today using the two eye shadows I got from NYX.

Ummm, just excuse the hair.

NYX Haul

My order from NYX came in the mail today!  Here's what I got:

Ultra Pearl loose eyeshadows in:  White, Grass, and Charcoal

Felt Tip Liner in Dark Brown,

and the item I was most excited about...Jumbo Pencil in Iced Mocha!

I am so happy I got the Iced Mocha cause I can never find it at Ulta.

I think I'll do a review on the liner and maybe post pictures of looks I do with the other stuff.

Angels & Demons

This movie was good and bad.  The first 2/3's of the movie was kinda boring.  It was like The Da Vinci Code in that Dr. Langdon was running from place to place with a pretty sidekick looking at symbols and trying to crack a code.  The last 1/3 of the is where it got really interesting.  I think that the last part of the movie makes up for the first 2/3's of it.  It's crazy what happens!  I would never have guessed.  Crazy!  

Ewan McGregor is  amazing!  All of the actors were wonderful and the scenery was beautiful.  It's definitely one of those movies that keeps you thinking even after it's over.  I can't say that it's better or worse than the Da Vinci Code.  I think they are on the same level.  Definitely stick it out to the end cause it's well worth it.

Revlon Double Twist Mascara

This mascara is terrible.  Double Twist mascara claims to volumize lashes.  If  clumpy, smushed together lashes are your idea of volumized lashes then the claim is correct.   The first time I saw the brush I had a feeling my lashes were not gonna look good.  The brush looks like a smaller wand inside of a larger one.  The first time I used the Double Twist it did volumize my lashes and didn't leave them too clumpy.  It didn't separate them or add any length.  (I know it doesn't claim any of that but usually you get some length with mascaras.)  The second time I used this mascara I pulled out the brush and the product was clumped all over the brush!  I'm not gonna lie, I was scared to use it.  If it's clumpy on the brush you can almost guarantee that it will be clumpy on your lashes.  I decided I would  wipe the brush off with a paper towel.  That has worked on other mascaras that I have used.  Yeah, that didn't work at all.  My lashes looked like crap.  I ended up combing most of the mascara off and I didn't even attempt to apply it to my bottom lashes.  This is that worst mascara I have ever tried.

Revlon Outlet

So yesterday I went to the Revlon outlet with one of my friends.  I love this place.  It's kinda in the "trucking district" which about an hour away from my house.  Anyway, they have tons of discontinued and available Revlon and Alamy products, (and I think another brand but I can't remember which), all at a big fat discount.  I use the Revlon Lip Glide Sheer and I am running out.  Unfortunately, the color has been discontinued (and I think the Lip Glide Sheers as a whole have been too).  Well, I thought, no big deal I'll just go to the outlet.  Lucky me.  Nope, they didn't have my color!  It's really discontinued!  Boooooooo!  Oh well, I guess I'm on a quest for a new sheer nude lip color.

Forever 21 dresses

 I love Forever 21.  The clothes are cute, hip, and very affordable.  Here are some really cute dresses that I want to get.  Haha, I guess I'm in to floral prints right now.

NYX Cosmetics 50% off

Yea!  I put in my order for NYX last night.  I hope it doesn't take too long to get here.  I'll post pics as soon as I get it.

Dior Bellucci Look

This look was supposed to look like the Monica Bellucci Dior add but it didn't quit turn out that way.  Oh well, better luck next time.

Hual

I bought some stuff from Sally's Beauty Supply and some lip glosses from Ulta.  At Sally's I gotall Aphogee products: Keratin 2-minute reconstructor, the 2-step protein treatment, and the balancing moisturizer that goes with it.  I've used the reconstructor before and I really like it.  I'm really excited to use the protein cause I've been wanting to try that for a while.  I'm gonna use it this weekend so I'll do a review on it.

I also got 2 really nice lip glosses from Ulta during a buy one get one sale on Revlon lip products.  I got the Revlon Super Lustrous Lip gloss in Pink Pursuit.  It's an amazing light nudy, pink shade with a touch of sparkle.  The second one I got was Raspberry something or other.  I can't find the name of it.  Anyway, that shade is lovely.  It's very pigmented so I just use a hint of the gloss and it makes my lips look like I just ate a juicy raspberry.  

I actually got the Nude Attitude lip stick everyone has been raving about and I hated it.  It was a terrible color for me but the worst was the texture.  It was clumpy and left little bits on my lips. Gross.  

Books! Books! Books!

I just got done reading two really good books.  The first one was Joie De Vivre by Robert Arbor.  It's about everyday life and food according to a french chef.  It's got lots of recipes and gives you a little glimpse inside the everyday life of a French family.  Very well written and entertaining.  Check out amazon.com to read a few pages.

The second book was What the Bleep Do We Know.  I don't really know how to describe this one.  It talks about quantum physics and it's kinda new agey, and it talks about how we create our own reality but it's more scientific than the straight new age stuff.   Some parts are confusing cause I mean damn quantum physics.  Really?  And some stuff is pretty abstract but it's still a really good book and I  got a lot out of it. 

Wedding time

Yea! I'm so excited!  My sister-in-law is getting married today.  I can't wait for the wedding and the dinner afterward.  I love going to weddings.  Hopefully I'll be able to post some pics.

Dress

So I'm going to be wearing this dress to a wedding.  I don't know what accessories to wear with it. I have an idea for the shoes but I'm not sure yet.  What about bracelets, earrings, necklaces, that kind of thing?  Any ideas?  If you can't tell the strip under the black is gold and the colors on the bottom are very bright.  I will also be wearing a black cardigan because the wedding is at night.  Let me know what you think.

Quote of the Week

"Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way."

-Abraham Lincoln

Fast and the Furious 4

So I went to see the Fast and the Furious this weekend.  It was really good.  The movie was very action packed and the original cast stepped right back into character.  Now, I really like the first one and although I don't remember everything that happened the new one is a lot like the first one.  I saw the second one too and I only remember that Paul Walker and Tyrese were in that one.  I didn't see the third one, Tokyo Drift.  I don't even consider that the third one cause none of the original cast was in it (at least I don't think they were).  The newest one is set five years later and Dom and Letty are still doing their thing until...haha, not gonna tell.  Anyway, if you like soupped up bad azz cars and lots of action you're gonna love this movie.  If you love Vin Diesel or Paul Walker, you're gonna love this movie.  If you love Michelle Rodriguez then I don't know if you're gonna love this movie.  Hint, hint.

No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

Has anyone seen this show yet?  If not you should check it out.  It stars Jill Scott as the detective.  I knew she could sing but she can also act.  The show is set in Botswana, Africa and it's about a woman named Precious Ramotswe (Jill Scott) who's father dies and leaves her a bunch of cows.  Apparently in Botswana owning a bunch of cows makes you very rich.  Precious sells the cows, moves to the city, and opens up a detective agency.  She solves everything from kidnappings to lost dogs, to cheating men, to men eaten by crocodiles.  And she does it all with the help of her feisty secretary and a friend who owns a auto repair shop.  I love the plots and all the characters, especially their accents.  The show makes you want to visit Botswana and become a detective at the same time. It's only on it's second episode so there's still time to get in on the ground floor.  Aires Sundays on HBO.

Quote of the Week

"If the creator had a purpose in equipping us with a neck, he surely meant us to stick it out."

-Arthur Koestter

Haul

Here's a few things I picked up recently:

Andrea half lashes and glue-I heard these were really natural.

Almay Intense I-shadow for hazel eyes-I don't have hazel eyes but the colors were are so pretty I couldn't resit.

Rimmel blush in peach

Rimmel Sexy Curves mascara-is crap

Optimum Oil Therapy-can't wait to try this, it smells so good.

Essence of Beauty concealer brushes

Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara

I got a coupon for a free Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara so I decided to give it a try.  I really don't have anything good to say about it.  It clumped.  I have never had a new mascara clump.  That's just ridiculous.  The mascara didn't really do anything for my lashes.  Also, it was really weird cause the second day I used it I had these weird fibers flying around my eyes.  And when I went to pull them off they were stuck to my eyelashes.  So, I don't know what that was all about but whatever.  I'm just glad I got it for free because it was very disappointing.

(The before and after, I can barely tell a difference)

Knowing

I saw the movie Knowing this weekend and OMG that movie was crazy good.  I think this is Nicholas Cage's best movie by far.  The ending was messed up and the whole thing was creepy but somehow it was sort of comforting.  I guess for me if the world is gonna go out then that's a good way to go.  There was a lot of symbolism and allusion in the movie which really made you think.  The acting was great and one thing that made the movie stand out is that there was a woman who had a daughter and then the daughter had a daughter and they all looked alike, which I appreciate because the young version and the old version never look alike and the family members never look alike either.  Of course Nicholas Cage's character and the girl who plays his sister don't look like they would be related but that's ok.  That might be asking for too much.  Definitely a must see.

Quote of the Week

"The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it"

-W.M. Lewis

Max Factor 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper

Here's me before mascara and here's me after Lash Plumper.

A couple of people said that this mascara was pretty good so I decided to try it out.  Extreme Lash Plumper is pretty much the same as Covergirl Lash Blast.   The design of the tube is the same as the Covergirl Lash Blast except the Max Factor mascara is black instead of orange.  The wands are the exact same as well.  I really liked Lash Blast because it made my lashes longer and separated them beautifully.  Unfortunately Lash Blast has one fatal flaw, it flakes all over your face.  (Haha Santonio)  Anyway, Max Factors gives great length and separates just as well only it doesn't flake!  This is definitely worth a try.  

Street Fighter

Do NOT see this movie!!!  It was terrible.  All I can say is Chris Klien you need to find yourself a new job because acting is not for you.  That's it.  It was horrible.  You suck Chun-Li.

SJP and the dress

I don't usually watch award shows but I'm glad I watched the Oscars Sunday night.  I absolutely loved Sarah Jessica Parker's dress.  It was stunning.   I also like Natalie Portman's pink dress.  Hugh Jackman was so funny.  I liked his opening number.

Dead Like Me

If you're a fan of the now cancelled tv show Dead Like Me, you probably already know that the "movie" came out on Tuesday.  I say "movie" because the it's pretty short and it sucked.   George, Roxie, and good ole Mason are the same and they're great.  Unfortunately, the girl who plays Daisy is terrible.  This was not the same Daisy Adair as the one in the tv show.  And the story about the new boss is basically non existent.  They tell you why he's here but that's it.  Dolores and her cat Murray are back!  I loved them.  Reggie is grown up and it was just weird to see. (Although she did a great job)  And of course Joy.  Joy was great too.  It comes down to this, if you loved the t.v show you have to see the move, even though there is no closure.  If you've never heard of Dead Like Me.  You should probably keep it that way.

Youtube- My favorites

I am an avid follower of Youtube and i just wanted to share some of my favorite youtubers:

AbsoluteMakeupJunkie-Very wearable cute looks

Ateyaaa-if you follow her hair regimen you won't be sorry

DRBrooklyn730-She's got skillz

DulceCandy87-love her fashion and hair tuts

emilynoel83-love her reviews and her blog

FloridaSweety-she's so funny and her hair is gorgeous

julieg713-love her nail tuts

MakeupByTiffanyD-she's got skillz

MakeupGeekTV-tons of tuts and they're all great

mayparis-tons of nail art ideas

panacea81-tons of tuts and they're all amazing

stillGLAMORUS-love her "drink if the week" videos and she'll be doing "mommy tips"

xteeener-great reviews, lovely girl

I love watching all of these girls and I can't get enough.  I'm pretty much addicted to Youtube. Check these girls out.

L'oreal EverPure Shampoo

Yea! My first post.  O.K.  I have really dry, frizzy, color treated hair so I'm always on the look out for something to remedy and treat all my issues.  I'v been hearing a lot of talk about sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners so i decided to try one out.  I tried L'oreal's EverPure Shampoo.

It doesn't smell that great but it doesn't smell bad either.  It lathers nicely.  My hair felt clean, free of product buildup, and soft.  I blew dry my hair, like I usually do.  My hair turned out a little dryer than it normally does but I don't know if it was the shampoo or maybe I didn't use enough of my other products I use.   I will definitely be using this product again.