Beating the Hangover

So 2014 is here and I think many of us can agree our sleep patters have been affected by the holidays. As January rolls in, turning on our alarm clocks back again can seem like an annoying little task. Maybe you overslept a little too much in December, or maybe you had too much wine. Feeling blah? Whatever the case is, I've gathered my SOS products to "Beat the Hangover". I'm not a heavy drinker myself, but this post will be helpful to any of you who feel dull, hungover or look sleepy and need to look fresh for work or school. 

Hope you enjoy. 

Empties #1 (Video)

Hi everyone!

I decided to make my empties into a video this time. Enjoy!

Face of the Day (22.05.13): Easy, Natural Makeup

Hi dolls!

"Natural Makeup" to me equals a better you. Something that looks fresh and doable. This type of makeup is excellent for students because the makeup is not over the top-- meaning no crazy bright shadows, nothing too exaggerated. 

If you're interested, continue reading. 

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation Mattifying Oil-Free Review

Hello gorgeous!

If you have combination to oily to very oily skin, you'll love this foundation. Why? Hourglass Immaculate is literally a liquid to powder foundation. If you're interested in it, continue reading!

Face of the Day (16.05.13): Teal and Gold

Hey gorgeous! 

I've been waking up pretty early these days, so I have been experimenting with makeup before going to school. Today I created a look inspired by lots of pictures I have seen on Instagram lately. Basically, you pick two colors-- one added on the inner and outer corner, and the second color should pop on the center. I chose to work with teal and gold. If you're interested in finding out how I achieved this look and which products I used, please continue reading.

Illamasqua Excite Powder Blush Review + FOTD

For those looking for a beautiful matte, peach blush, this post is for you. Illamasqua's blushes are well known for their sleek, modern packaging and incredibly pigmented formulas. This blush is no exception. If you're interested in pictures and a quick review, continue reading.

Face of the Day (03.05.13)

Hola muñecas! (That means "hi dolls" in Spanish).

So my instagram seems to have a bug because whenever I try to upload a picture, it comes out as a gray 

box. I've read online several users experiencing the same thing-- so I'm guessing it is a bug. 

Anyway, just a quick post today to show you my "face of the Early Morning". I got up at six am and quickly got ready for some errands I had to do this morning.

I kept my look soft, subtle and simple. It was raining really hard when I woke up (which is the worst weather to get up in-- I find the rain so relaxing). The skies were gray, there was a lot of thunder and the day was...blah. So I went with a quickie.

On my eyes I used Chanel Illusion D'ombre in the shade Emerville because it is so fast to put on... you just literally dab some with your fingers. After curling my lashes, I applied two coats of Benefit They're Real Mascara. I used Rimmel London Scandal Eyes in the shade Nude to get rid of any redness on my waterline. I groomed my brows with Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo in the shade Brunette. 

Anytime I'm looking for great coverage and a luminous finish in little time, I pick my trusty Dior Hydralife BB Cream. The formula melts into my skin and matches me perfectly. Another plus is the high (30) SPF. I buffed that in with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush (my favorite brush to apply foundation with) and then I applied some under-eye concealer-- Laura Mercier Secret Concealer in the shade 3. I set everything in place with some loose powder-- L'oreal Translucide Luminous Loose Powder in the shade Translucent. For dewy cheeks, I went with Stila Convertible Color in the shade Lillium, followed by Benefit Girl Meets Peal lightly patted on the top of my cheekbones, bridge of the nose and cupid's bow. 

To finish of the look, I went for a shimmery rosy lip color-- Bourjois Lipstick in Rose Pare. 

Happy Birthday, Mami!

Hi my beauties!

Today (April 27) was my mom's 60th birthday... 

She's the reason why I'm obsessed with skin care, and she's one of the sweetest people on Earth. I've got a few pictures for you aside from, of course, my makeup.

My sister wasn't home on her birthday, which was on April 7th, so we celebrated both birthdays. It was very intimate-- only our closest relatives came over, but we had a beautiful day.

THE MAKEUP

You wouldn't believe it after seeing a bunch of products organized together, but I only had about 15 minutes to do my makeup today-- which is nothing to me, since I usually take a long 40ish minutes. 

I used the Make Up For Ever Aqua cream in the shade 15 as a base, which I applied with my ring finger. I have mentioned before how it's important to work with one eye at a time when using Aqua Creams, because they're completely waterproof and once they set, they set. Moving on to eyeshadows, I used the shades in the Givenchy Travel Palette, blending the darker colors into an outer V. I skipped gel liner today and just used a black kohl liner on the waterline-- Rimmel London Scandel Eyes in the shade "Black". After curling my lashes, I applied two coats of Benefit They're Real Mascara. I filled in any gaps on my already super dark eyebrows using the Clinique Super Fine Liner for Brows in the shsade "Soft Brown". 

I then moved to my face, which I primed with Smashbox Photo Finish Light. I mixed a dot of Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in the shade SX 08 with a drop of Fresh Seaberry Face Oil, blended both together on the back of my hand and then applied it on my face using a Real Techniques Buffing Brush. To conceal my dark circles, I used the Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer in the shade "53 Dark Radiance", and then I set everything in place with the Face Powder in the Givenchy palette. I then sculpted my face with MAC Sculpting Cream in the shade "Richly Honed", applied the blush from the Givenchy palette, and highlighted the top of my cheekbones, bridge of the nose and cupid's bow with Benefit's Watts Up. 

I had already moisturized my lips using Lush Whip Stick Lip Balm prior to doing my makeup so they would be smooth by the time I applied lipstick. I used Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in the shade "Dolce Vita".

PS: My nose was peeling due to a mask I had used the night before, and I didn't have time to exfoliate this morning, hence the flaky skin on my nose! If you already know about my OCDness, you then already know that, yes, the flakes are gone by now. 

MY FAMILY

My mom, Zulay, and my sister, Paola

That's it for tonight! Keep your eyes open for tons of reviews this week...

Thanks for reading! Have a lovely night and a lovely morning to my sweet followers on the other side of the world! XOXO

Face of the Day (26.04.13)

I am still in awe over the quality of the Wet N Wild eyeshadows. For $4, you get eight, yes, eight ultra pigmented eyeshadows. Today I used the left column in palette called "Comfort Zone" .

EYES

1. Urban Decay Primer Potion

2. Wet N Wild "Comfort Zone" Palette

3. Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner shade "Deep Black"

4. L'oreal Voluminous Original Mascara shade "Black"

5. Clinique Super Fine Liner for Brows shade "Soft Brown"

6. Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Kohl Pencil shade "Nude"

FACE

1. Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

2. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Compact Foundation shade 30 Beige

3. Estee Lauder Stay In Place Concealer shade Warm Light Medium

4. Benefit Hoola Bronzer

5. Nars Orgasm Blush

6. Nars Orgasm Illuminator

7. Make Up For Ever HD Powder

LIPS

1. Nars "New Lover" Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil

Face of the Day (10.04.13): Pin-Up

Hi dolls!

So today I went for the classic pin-up which is my absolute favorite look (on myself).

Product List

1. Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil (to prep the skin)

2. Smashbox BB Cream shade Light-Medium

3. Mac Studio Finish Concealer NC 30

4. Stila Convertible Color shade Lillium

5. Stila All Day Liquid Lipstick shade Beso

6. Hourglass Ambient Powder shade Ethereal Light

7. Mac Fluidline Eye Gel Liner shade Blacktrack

8. L'oreal Voluminous Mascara Original shade Black

9. Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner shade Nude
10. Clinique Ultra Fine Liner for Brows shade Soft Brown

Tips When Wearing Red Lipstick

• Make sure you conceal any blemishes and redness on your face. You want your lips to be the center of attention. 
• If you're using a lip stain (which I did), the application can be tricky, especially when the formula is liquid. Start little by little. If you make any mistakes, grab a thin brush and use concealer to perfect the edges.
• If you're going with a bold lip color, make sure your eyes are completely neutral. In contrast, if your main focus are the eyes, neutralize your lips. 

Chit-Chat

I went to Whole Foods today and had lunch with my mom and my sister. Then we all wandered around in different directions. I went to the essential oils section which is my favorite. If you're new to my blog,  you now know I love aromatherapy and essential oils. 

I left with three products: A large Herbal Mint Shower Gel from the line Whole Foods itself which was on sale for $4.99. 32FL OZ for $4.99!!! It's not too concentrated though, which is a con for me. But hey, for the price, why not?

I also got Deep Steep Rosemary-Mint Dry Oil. My mom had gotten a lavender one days ago and she found it really moisturizing and the smell was amazing. Since I'm a mint freak, I got this one for me.

Ingredients: Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, punica granatum (pomegranate) seed oil, prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil, squalane (olive) oil, infusion of organic herbs; rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, geranium maculatum (geranium) flower extract, mentha piperita (peppermint) leaf extract, aroma (organic and wildcrafted aroma blend).

I also got a versatile product - one you can use at home to spritz anywhere, in your car or on your body - Aura Cacia Peppermint Harvest Aromatherapy Mist.

Ingredients: AQUA (WATER), MENTHA X PIPERITA (PEPPERMINT) OIL, CITRUS SINENSIS (SWEET ORANGE) OIL, MENTHA SPICATA (SPEARMINT) OIL, CANANGA ODORATA (YLANG YLANG) OIL.

Huge Beauty Haul

Hi dolls!

I have made a video for you about my haul. Initially, it was going to be a blog post, but I felt like making a video. 

Products I didn't mention in the video are the Koh Gen Do Cleanser, just because I have not used it yet and I bought it because I forgot to bring my Bioderma Sensibio. I'm using something else at the moment to remove my makeup, but I got a small bottle of the Koh Gen Do cleansing water to correct any mistakes while I am doing my makeup and my family's makeup for my brother's wedding. 

I also didn't include my new Mac Palette. I got mostly neutrals. I have to depot the ones I have at home when I get back. 

Shades in no particular order: Wedge, Ricepaper, Shroom, Saddle, Soft Brown, Samoa Silk, Beautiful Iris, Stars and Rockets

Onto the video now:

Sweat-Proof Makeup

I typed that title and then I was like ugh.. eek...gross.. why throw in sweat in there? Here's the thing, I'm about to go to a little cousin's birthday party/pool party and it is currently:

Thank you, Wunderground.com. Yes, it's that hot here. We have no seasons in Maracaibo. It is simply, always ridiculous hot. Although I dislike the snow... so.

I'm not getting in the water by the way, I'm just attending. I would not wear any makeup if I was getting in the water. I don't understand why some people do that. 

Anyway! Onto what this post is really about. I want to show you which products I used to guarantee my makeup is not smudging/moving/caking.

I suggest you use as little makeup as possible. Just use it where you really need it. Luckily my skin is pretty clear right now, so I skipped foundation and just applied some concealer where I needed it (undereye, redness around my face).

1. Sunscreen: the most important product of all. I used a two-in-one for this. A moisturizer with SPF. My Vichy Aqualia Thermal Moisturizer which I've reviewed here.

2. Mac Studio Finish Concealer SPF35 in NC30: I picked this because it's not only great for covering my under-eye discoloration, but it's also water resistant and it has SPF.

3. Benefit Boiing Concealer: I dabbed this anywhere else on my face where I needed a bit of coverage. I like it because it's a cream-to-powder formula. 

4. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush shade blissful: it lasts a long time. Great for people with oily skin, or people that are going to be out in the sun. 

5. Make Up For Ever HD Powder: to set everything in place and get rid of shine.

6. Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream Powder shade 15 Taupe: a beautiful wash of color. I've swatched it here. 

I took a quick pic to show you how it looks on the lids:

7. Rimmel London Lash Lycra Extender Mascara: not a fan of it, meh. Just grabbed it because I didn't want anything too special.

8. Mac eyeshadow shade Blanc Type: I applied this below my brows.

9. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo Shade Brunette: doesn't smudge! And it's a powder.

10. Urban Decay De Slick Setting Spray: a setting spray for combination/oily skin that reduces shine and makes makeup last longer. 

11. Dior Creme De Rose Lip Balm: I forgot to include this in the picture, but I like it because it's very moisturizing and creamy and it has SPF10. 

Time to go! I hope this was helpful x

Get Ready With Me!: Dewy Skin

Hi gorgeous!

I've been asking and coming up with different ideas myself for my blog and Instagram. Please feel free to leave any suggestions on the comment section down below. 

I've always thought that healthy looking skin is what stands out the most. Whether you're good or mediocre with your eye makeup skills, what matters is a flawless looking base. It makes no sense to have beautiful eye makeup if your skin looks cakey or dull. 

Which is why I have a pictorial for you on how to get flawless-looking skin. Dewy skin. Yep, even for combination skin! If you're interested, keep reading!

Face of the Day (02.03.13)

Happy Saturday everyone!

Earlier today, I posted a couple of pictures on Instagram showing the eyeshadows I used for today and today's Eye of the Day. 

From left to right: Mac Sunny Spot, Lucky Green, Espresso

Sunny Spot blended along the crease, Espresso blended on the outer crease, Lucky Green pressed on the eyelid.

Onto the whole look now!

Face

Primer: Benefit Porefessional

Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation shade 56 Light Bronze

Concealer: Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer shade 53 Dark Radiance 

Contouring: Mac Pro Sculpting Cream shade Richly Honed 

Blush: Illamasqua Cream Blush shade Brazen

Eyes

Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion

Eyeshadows: Mac Sunny Spot, Lucky Green and Espresso

Eyeliner: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Gel Eye Liner shade Onyx

Mascara: Rimmel London Lycra Lash Extender

Eyebrows: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder shade Dark Brown

Lips

Buxom Lip Tarnish shade Busted