Essie Neons Summer 2014 Collection

Yay nail talk!! So now is the time where nail collections start getting gorgeous. They start launching their summer colors which always are bright colors which are my favorite. +Essie Cosmetics, Ltd. launched their Summer Neon 2014 collection. There is a total of 6 colors and they are all amazing when you see them in the ad. Too Taboo is a vibrant neon pink which looks just amazing. Chills & Thrills is a muted vibrant blue which has a bit of a purple tone to it but still nice. Vices Versa which is one of my favorite ones is a nice neon green. Its the green that you just want to wear all summer long. The money maker color for this collection is definitely I'm Addicted! I don't know what is is about these types of blue. Its like a turquoise baby blue which is what summer should look like. My favorite color in general is pink but for some reason turquoise and blues always call out to me. They are just too amazing for words so naturally I would gravitate towards this color. The next is Sittin Pretty which is a purple that kind of looks like Play Date. Finally the peach is another summer-y color is called Serial Shopper. Again this peach color is something I feel has been done before. Haute as Hello is something that looks just like this, its a peach that has more if an orange color to it. 


I was very excited for this collection. It was something that I just thought I'd buy the whole collection in one shot because I needed them. I went to Duane Reade the other morning and while looking for something else, I came across the display for this collection. It had looked like they had just put them out. To my surprise, I was very very very disappointed on how they looked. The pink wasn't as vibrant as it looks like in the pictures. Its more of a dupe for Splash of Grenadine, so I would say if you have that one, this is not really needed. The blue one is okay in pictures but in person it's even more bland. Nothing I would want to wear in the summer. Its more of a muted color. The purple is definitely something I've seen before like Play Date. I think Play Date is even brighter than this so-called Neon which is why I am so disappointed. The only colors that are even worth looking at is the I'm Addicted and Vices Versa which again, I believe I've seen these before. The I'm Addicted is gorgeous, I think it's prettier in person that it is in the picture but still its something that is definitely dupe-able.


The colors in the picture to the right is suppose to be this collection as well but if you look at this swatch and the above swatch with the names, the colors look really different. Unfortunately, in person they don't look anything like those and they are even more muted than that. To me, they would be a good color to choose if you are going to get your nails done but honestly, I am not rushing to purchase the whole collection as I originally thought which is sad because I had really high hopes for this collections. 

Let me know if you bought these and if you have better experience that I did with them. Tag me on Instagram or you can post them on my Facebook page.

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Sheet Masks-- Face Edition

This past weekend I went into the city to meet up with my bestie +Valerie Suarez and we first went to Sephora which was so much fun. We went through the whole store, tried on different things, looked through different products. Valerie got her skin matched by that Skin IQ thing that +Sephora has so that it will pick up all the Foundations that Sephora has in store for you to buy. I think its great if you are one of those people that are really scared of getting something too light or too dark. If you aren't always sure of what color you should be using, I would say this is definitely something for you. This is a free service too. I believe that not all Sephora's have this but I would just call your local Sephora and ask to see if they have the SkinIQ machine that tells you your skintone.

After that fun time in Sephora we went to get our eyebrows threaded which is always fun. It isn't as painful as you think. I recommend it if you need something quick and flawless. This doesn't leave you red so if you get irritated with wax, this is a great alternative. We then went on to TJ Maxx. I was all for it because the TJ Maxx on 16th street in Manhattan is great for beauty products. I immediately went to that section. I wanted everything. I picked up about 6 different masks. From sheet masks, to mud masks, to under eye masks. I wanted it all. Valerie told me I needed to get myself under control so I picked everything up and then sorted through the ones I didn't want. They were so cheap. The masks were about $4 & $5 which is a steal. 


I am going to have a Facial edition and an Eye edition since I bought too many and it would made this blog super long. Today we are going to talk about the face masks. I'm picking them at random so the first one I chose was Forever Luminous Hydrating Facial Wrap Volcanic Ash + CoQ10. This mask is suppose to help moisturize and renew your skin. The CoQ10 is an anti-oxident and that is the anti-aging component. So you can use this mask both cold and hot. For the cool one, I personally put it in the refrigerator just so that it can get cooler and that will help with any puffiness that I could get. If you want a warm treatment you can throw the individual foil package and dunk it in warm water so that the mask can heat up. Do not put the package in the microwave!! So after you choose what method you want to use, all you do is take the mask out of the package and then put the mask on your face. You wear it for 20 mins and then you can peel it off. I used it and I have to say that I love how soft my face came out after. I put it on for about 30-40 mins because I was taking a nap and fell asleep for a bit longer than I hoped for.

The next mask I got is FY Face Wraps Cucumber & Aloe. This is another 20 minute mask. Its suppose to be soothing and refreshing hence the cucumber and aloe. The cucumber has high levels of hydrogen so this is where the soothing components. The powerful cleansers help sooth the skin and will give you a healthy glow. The aloe vera in the mask will hydrate your skin. If your skin is irritated for whatever reason, aloe vera is really good to put on your skin. Again as the prior mask, you can use this cold or warm with the same instructions as above. I used this one cold and I since I had gotten threading over the weekend, my skin was a bit irritated so this one worked like a charm. 

The last mask I am going to talk about is the Beauty Concepts Clear as Mud Purifying Mud Masks. This mask is suppose to detoxify the skin and minimize your pores, refine texture, balance oils and smooth and refresh your skin. The mud masks come in their own pods and honestly can be used for 2 applications. The first time I used it, I made the mistake with taking it all out and putting it on my skin until I realized I had enough to put on my face, neck and chest. The next time I use it, I will preserve it for 2 uses. But yes all you have to do is spread it on your skin and wait for about 15 minutes. I always wait longer than intended but when I removed it, my skin did look detoxed. I don't know how to explain it but my skin was definitely brighter and prettier after this mask. 

So that is the final review on the face masks that I got and I was happy that I purchased. They all were about $5-6 and they really work. I will follow up with the second portion of these masks and talk more about the eyes. 

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Panda's Dream Good-Bye Dark Eye Corrector

I've been reading a lot of different Korean secrets that are finally making it over to the US. I guess I just figured things that are popular in Korea would be amazing because I've really never seen a Korean with horrible skin or anything like that. I also really like Korean products because culturally, they are big on skin care. They think its very important. Here in the US, skincare isn't as important culturally as lets say weight. I think weight has more importance here in the US. Either way, I am always excited to try things of other cultures. I saw this online once when I was reading an article from +Refinery29 and I was like 'hells yea, I need that'. Once I saw that they had it in +Urban Outfitters I was beyond excited. I immediately grabbed it and told my biffie +Valerie Suarez that she needed to get it as well. Obviously, she knows how much I know about these things so she followed suit. 

That night I read the instructions and basically 95% of the packaging is in Korean, I do not know Korean. From the reviews I've read online, this product is suppose to give you immediately brightening effects but if you use it long enough it can over time give you permanent results. The cream is a bit thick but all you have to do is put a couple of dots on under your eyes and then blot into your skin until its absorbed. I've used mine for at least a week already and I use it day and night. So basically what I do is put a little bit on my finger and then blot it into my skin. I usually out more on at night so that the whitening effects happen over night when your skin is rejuvenating and regenerating the cells. I honestly noticed a different hte next morning. I was already excited about this product so I washed my face in the morning and then put my regular eye cream on which is the Loreal Eye Defense and then I let that absorbed and then added the cream. I use less in the morning because I then put concealer on along with my makeup. Its plain and simple and honestly I see it working. Like I said, it worked immediately and it doesn't feel greasy on your skin. I even started putting them on my dark spots at night.

This retails for $12 and I bought mine at Urban Outfitters. For those of you that do not have an Urban Outfitters close, you can order it online from their website. Let me know if you've used this before or if you use anything else that helps the dark circles. 

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Oil Pulling for Better Health?!

Have you heard of oil pulling? I feel like this is a new craze that I started hearing and reading about so I looked into it further. I saw that there were many benefits not only for bacterias in the mouth but also further than that. The oil while in your mouth is suppose to be able to take the toxins from your mouth so that they do not go into your system. So less bacteria means less bad stuff in your system. This would help with bad breathe and over all teeth health. But again, since this is taking out the bacteria it will make you healthier. The oil has lipids that are able to pull out the germs. They say that doing this regularly meaning once a day, I think would be a good time. This would help the overall health of your teeth and gums, it will help prevent cavities since all the germs are getting removed there is nothing that will be left build up. It also helps with the dryness of your lips and your throat. This would be great to do especially in the colder months when everything is naturally dryer. I saw that you can basically use any type of oils and that for more of a beginner you can use coconut oil. Since I had coconut oil already, I decided to start with that. Its a bit weird since the coconut oil usually is in a harden form until it hits your mouth and the heat of your mouth melts it instantly. Once you swish it around your mouth, try to keep it as long as possible, swishing it around in your mouth making sure it goes through the entirety of your mouth. I started at 5 minutes and then built up to 10 minutes. Once the oil gets a bit thick in your mouth, its time to spit it out because you want to make sure that you don't over do it because your body can absorb the germs again. This is key which is why I recommend 10 mins MAX.

I use coconut oil but after reading around, I have seen that sesame oil is better so I will probably move towards the sesame oil so that I can get all the benefits. I have been seeing that my teeth are whiter. Not sure if this is because of the oil pulling but I had slacked a bit and then got sick right away. Once I went back on track with doing this every night, I felt better right away. Again, I do not know if this is all because of the oil pulling but I will try this for another 6 months and if I see differences for for the other detoxifying benefits like headache relief, hormone balancing, reducing eczema, sinus congestion and hangover relief etc I would definitely continue doing this. I think it can't hurt to try it. 

Do you have any ancient remedies that you use and actually work? Let me know.

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John Frieda Colour Refreshing Gloss

If you've been reading my posts you know that I love +LUSH Cosmetics and I use the Henna hair dye. I use the Caca Rouge color which is a red henna dye. Now in my blog post,  you can see the extent of the process but its a process for sure. I wanted to see if there was something that I can put in my hair that wasn't permanent since I do not want to dye my hair with chemicals anymore. The henna is permanent and its natural so I prefer the henna dye.

I saw a commercial of this colour refreshing gloss and I thought, can't hurt to try it. I saw that they had about 3 or 4 colors ranging from black, brown, light brown and red. I obviously got the red color. Just like all hair dyes, the box shows the "if your hair is this color, this is what your color will be after" so I saw and I figured from a faded red it would be a nice deep burgundy red. So I was really excited to put this in my hair. The instructions say to just wash your hair normally with shampoo and conditioner and then the ring it out to make sure that the excess water isn't there. The instructions do not tell you to wear gloves but the first time I put it in my hair, I wore them anyway. The consistency of this stuff is gel like. Its bright red and smells like berries which is cool. I started to put the color on my ends and my hair is so long that I use more than the recommended dosage to make sure it was all covered. I put it all the way until I hit the crown of my head where they said to just do middle of the hair to the ends. I went up a bit more but not my roots. The instructions say to leave it in for about 3 minutes. I left it in my hair for a total of 10 minutes so I was really trying to get as much color as possible. I wasn't afraid of the color because it wasn't permanent so eventually it would fade out. 

After washing it out, I saw that the color was rinsing out so I really thought that it was

working. I was excited to rinse it out and immediately blow dry my hair. My hair smelled really good and it was definitely softer. Unfortunately, when I finished drying my hair, there was absolutely no difference in the color of my hair. I didn't see anything. I had the red fade faster on the ends because I had ombré but with all that the color didn't change. I had really high hopes for this because John Frieda is usually good. Most products are really good and this gloss retails for $14 so I figured it would work better than just as a good smelling conditioner. After my experience with this, I wouldn't recommend this but if you would like to try this,I advise that you wear gloves. I used it once without gloves and my hands were bloody red. It looked like I was making wine. Side note: if this does happen to you-- you can fix by using baking soda and peroxide. Mix it together and rub into the areas that are stained.

Have you tried this before? Am I doing something wrong? Maybe my hair doesn't work? Any suggestions, let me know!

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Garnier Ultra-Lift Transformer Anti-Age Skin Corrector

Today I go back to just a drugstore product that I saw +Amelia Liana talk about in one of her videos and she said it was definitely a "must buy". She doesn't have to tell me twice. I went out looking for it. I realizes that I bought a wrong one before actually ending up buying this one. I saw it this weekend when I went to Rite Aid. This product is a skin corrector and its suppose to transform your skin. The product is in a cream form and when it comes out its white but the minute you rub it into your skin it turns a skin color. It blends easily and doesn't sit on top of your skin. It automatically seeps into your skin leaving you with a nice finish. This auto-adjusting immediately corrects your skin and also give you a brightening effect. You know I love brightening anything. 

This cream also has anti-aging elements in it since it has Pro-retinol which helps boost natural cell renewal and since its hydrating your skin isn't going to dry out because of the retinol. The retinol helps with the wrinkles and firms the skin. This is obviously

something that happens over time and not automatic but its better than other "bb/cc" creams that are around now. I personally think this is more of a bb/cc cream since it does give you color. Lately, thats all I've been using. I've been taking care of my skin so much lately, not that I haven't done this since forever but honestly I am wearing less makeup because my skin is nice. Since this product has that color transforming feature, I've been using it as a foundation and then I just add concealer since my dark circles are really acting up lately since I don't sleep. Then I add my blush and bronzer but no foundation which for me is a lot for me since I've been using foundation since my highschool days. 

This product retails for around $15 and its not a small size. I think for a drugstore purchase, this is a good product. You can apply it with your hands or beauty blender. There isn't really a "specific way" to apply this and it has SPF20 which is great for these days that its not summer but the sun is actually doing damage. 

Let me know if you've tried this and if you have anything like this that you like using.

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April Ipsy Bag 2 Review

For those who do not know, +ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service. You get 4-5 samples of different beauty products based on a quiz that you fill out at sign up. This quiz can be changed at any time. Also these samples are the small little samples, they are more of the deluxe sample sizes that you get at +Sephora for like the 100 points and 250 points. Every month they have different things like nail polish, eye shadows, skincare stuff. There are a lot of different things that you can try and then if you would like to purchase, you can purchase the regular size with a discount since +ipsy also gives you promo codes. The monthly subscription is $10 if you go month to month or $110 or the year. I get 2 +ipsy bags a month just because. I really haven't found another monthly subscription bag that I really liked so I just get this one twice. If you are interested in getting a monthly subscription to +ipsy you an use this link. This ships around the world, I know because I also gifted my Mom a year subscription to this and she loves it already. 

Every month +ipsy has different themes and for April this #glambag was themed as 'Beauty Rocks'. The bag was really cute. It was purple and has a turn table on it. 

The first item I got was Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in Apple Pink. It's definitely not my color. Its too light for me and its not as "balmy" as the name makes you believe. Its definitely more of a matted tint. I like the actual product its just the color was wrong for me. I would have loved to have gotten the Acid Pink one instead. I am trying to trade it so hoping to at least either get the other color or something that I can actually use. 

Second product I received was the Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eyeliner. I haf a lot of expectations for this product. I love Urban Decay and if I had to chose, I love the prefer the pencil liners to liquid liners. This one is suppose to be gel-like velvet liner so I was very excited to try. This one came in the basic black so it was perfect. I immediately tried it on in my inner lid, I use it to tight line the upper eye and it looks great when it first goes on. Its very easy to apply and it doesn't feel like you can poke your eye out when you apply it. I know the liner is called 24/7 but honestly I didn't expect this to be true. But unfortunately, I did expect it to last more than 45 mins. I would put it on in the morning and not only would it get all over my bottom lid, waterline area but it would also disappear by the time I came to work. I am not sure why this product does this. I use it because I have it, but I would definitely not purchase. 


Third product I received was the City Color White Gold Shadow and Highlight Mousse. This was just one of those products that I wanted to try but not too excited because I do not like cream shadows for anything. The color is great because I figured I can  use on the inner corner of my eye to brighten up but after using this product I have to say that I still do not like the way this applies. Its a mess because its really creamy and it doesn't stay put at all. I personally need to take more time to apply this and maybe add some translucent powder in it to thicken it up so its not such a mess. I don't recommend this product and would never repurchase. 

Forth product I received was the St. Tropez Gradual Tan Plus Anti-Aging Multi-Action Face tanning lotion. This is meant for your face and it has all these great hydrating elements to it. I have not used it yet because I still like my CLARINS Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster so I haven't really tried it yet. I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about the St. Tropez products. Some of their line is a hit or miss type line. I personally do not like that in product lines. I rather a brand be 100% reliable or not but I would definitely try this out this summer and see if it works. Its suppose to give you a nice radiant glow and the Matrixyl Synthe 6 will help rejuvenate the skin.

The fifth and final product I received were the Such a Tease So Seductive eyelashes. I

have naturally long lashes and usually all I really need is a good mascara which at this moment I am totally in love with the gifted Amazonian clay smart mascara and the lights camera lashes mascara both from Tarte. I think they are very similar as they both have the same thin brush but the formulation on the clay one is better since it has stuff inside it that would help your lashes grow and just promote better lashes. Anyway back to the lashes that I received, they are very good for those special nights that you want that extra umph. These aren't too clownish but they are definitely going to give you that something extra. 

All in all, I am okay with my April glam bag. I would have wished I got other colors and maybe some other products but it wasn't a total bust. Let me know if you got your bag and what you loved or didn't love. 

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April Ipsy Bag 1 Review

For those who do not know, +ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service. You get 4-5 samples of different beauty products based on a quiz that you fill out at sign up. This quiz can be changed at any time. Also these samples are the small little samples, they are more of the deluxe sample sizes that you get at +Sephora for like the 100 points and 250 points. Every month they have different things like nail polish, eye shadows, skincare stuff. There are a lot of different things that you can try and then if you would like to purchase, you can purchase the regular size with a discount since +ipsy also gives you promo codes. The monthly subscription is $10 if you go month to month or $110 or the year. I get 2 +ipsy bags a month just because. I really haven't found another monthly subscription bag that I really liked so I just get this one twice. If you are interested in getting a monthly subscription to +ipsy you can use this link. This ships around the world, I know because I also gifted my Mom a year subscription to this and she loves it already. 

Every month +ipsy has different themes and for April this #glambag was themed as 'Beauty Rocks'. The bag was really cute. It was purple and has a turn table on it.

 The first item I got was Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in Apple Pink. It's definitely not my color. Its too light for me and its not as "balmy" as the name makes you believe. Its definitely more of a matted tint. I like the actual product its just the color was wrong for me. I would have loved to have gotten the Acid Pink one instead. I am trying to trade it so hoping to at least either get the other color or something that I can actually use. 

Second product I received was the Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eyeliner. I haf a lot of expectations for this product. I love Urban Decay and if I had to chose, I love the prefer the pencil liners to liquid liners. This one is suppose to be gel-like velvet liner so I was very excited to try. This one came in the basic black so it was perfect. I immediately tried it on in my inner lid, I use it to tight line the upper eye and it looks great when it first goes on. Its very easy to apply and it doesn't feel like you can poke your eye out when you apply it. I know the liner is called 24/7 but honestly I didn't expect this to be true. But unfortunately, I did expect it to last more than 45 mins. I would put it on in the morning and not only would it get all over my bottom lid, waterline area but it would also disappear by the time I came to work. I am not sure why this product does this. I use it because I have it, but I would definitely not purchase. 


Third product I received was the City Color White Gold Shadow and Highlight Mousse. This was just one of those products that I wanted to try but not too excited because I do not like cream shadows for anything. The color is great because I figured I can  use on the inner corner of my eye to brighten up but after using this product I have to say that I still do not like the way this applies. Its a mess because its really creamy and it doesn't stay put at all. I personally need to take more time to apply this and maybe add some translucent powder in it to thicken it up so its not such a mess. I don't recommend this product and would never repurchase. 

Forth product I received which was my favorite was the Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion mask/peel. I love this stuff. I am in love with the Dr. Brandt brand and I have to say that this product is amazing. I've used it before and it doesn't really mess with my skin. Meaning, I do not get red or feel burning or anything. This product is very good for beginners who want to try a peel but a little afraid. I would recommend this one to anyone who has normal skin and aren't ultra sensitive. So you should use this product once or twice a week and just rub it into your skin and then rinse. This should remove the dead skin cells while helping the texture in your skin. I love this stuff. I would definitely repurchase. 


The fifth and final product is the Sexy Hair Root Pump Volumizing Spray Mousse. This is not something that I would normally pick up and honestly, I traded it so that I can get the lip liner pencil. But just to review basically what its suppose to do is, you put it in your hair in your roots and then style as usual and you will notice that your hair has a lot more volume. You can use it on damp or dry hair. When used on dry hair, it adds texture to your hair so that if you need extra grip for something like a fishtail braid then this is a good product for you. 

All in all, I am okay with my April glam bag. I would have wished I got other colors and maybe some other products but it wasn't a total bust. Let me know if you got your bag and what you loved or didn't love. 

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IMATS Review Day 2

Hey hey, thanks for coming back for day 2 of the IMATS review! I decided to go back the second day but not be a door buster. I was up the night before the whole night just playing with all my make up, trying on new different looks and just playing. I couldn't just fall asleep so after I came from church, I decided to go straight to IMATS. The one thing on my mind today was +Lime Crime. This is sort of like an indy brand. They are more "out there" with crazy non-neutral colors and I think they made a name for themselves by being probably the only company that can do matted lipsticks right. They have this products called Velvetines. They started off with a red color which is just your perfect, classic matte red lip. I'd seen a lot about this company on Instagram and how all the girls were just raving about how great the lipstick is so I was like, well I'm here at IMATS and they are on sale because like most other places, they were giving a discount. I was sure I wanted their Velvetine lipstick which is the liquid matte lipstick. They have about 6 colors now but 3 of them include goth colors like black, brown and a maroon/brownish color. I knew I wasn't going to get those. I thought the red velvet one is very dupe-able so I figured I'd go for the Suedeberry or pink velvet.

I arrived at IMATS around 12pm and the Lime Crime line was out the door. I knew from the day before that the line wasn't going to get any shorter so instead of walking in, I went immediately to the like and began to wait. I was on that like for about 2 hrs. I met some really nice girls and we swapped stories and tips of sorts. I finally got up to the register and the girl was very helpful. I told her I wanted the Pink Velvet lipstick and then I also got one of their Opaque lipsticks in the color Geranium which is more of a coral pink type color but not the same formula. Its more of a creamy color but the same gorgeous pigmented color. I now regret not picking up the other 2 wearable Velvetines but I will definitely be purchasing soon. 

After standing in that line, I went back to NYX to get some more blushes and pick up the Wonder Pencil which can be use to prime or highlight anything. I use it specifically for the inner part of my bottom lid which helps make your eyes appear more open and more awake. Another thing that I was able to get was a free Beauty Blender which I ended up giving back since the girl that was there working with them was a total bitch. She was really rude and completely ruined that experience for me. I barely use my Beauty Blender anymore because I don't want to feel like I'm promoting them. Moving on, one of the things I actually did want to talk about was a face sponge that I picked up. It is called

Konjac Sponge for Oily face. This is a face sponge to wash your face. I kept seeing it and I decided hey for $5 what can I lose. It is said to help remove makeup and purify the skin. The one I got is targeted towards people with Oily Skin so this one helped removed excess oil but not stripping your skin to the point where your skin becomes dry. After reading about it online, I've realized that this is a japanese type product. I've been using it for about 2 weeks now and I have to say that my skin is looking amazing. Now, I am not sure if its all because if the sponge but its definitely not hurting it. I like how it feels on my skin. It says you can use it alone but I often like to add a little bit of cleanser so that skin gets some extra benefits from the cleanser I use. 

These are basically all the things I purchased and wanted to share them. If you want me to review any of the NYX stuff I bought, let me know. I am glad I decided to go this year and will most definitely be back next year. I learned a lot of different cool tips about makeup application from the seminars that they were having in the different stages and I was able to meet a lot of different, amazing girls. Hope you enjoyed reading about my experience and if you have any questions, let me know!

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IMATS Review Day 1

For everyone that knows me or follows me on one of the social outlets like Twitter, Instagram or Facebook knows I went to IMATs 2 weekends ago. It was an amazing experience. It was in Pier 92 here in NYC and the weather that weekend was just amazing. It started at 8:30am so I got there around 8am to make sure that I have enough time to do everything. Once the doors opened it was chaos. We got in and all the booths were just all around. I went from one side to another. There were a couple of booths that were like the main ones which were +Sigma Beauty, +NYX Cosmetics, +Lime Crime, and Stila Cosmetics. They were all showcasing a lot of new products and also giving discounts to their merchandise. I immediately went around to scope the place out. I loved everything. I saw a lot of people doing things like body paint art and also movie set cosmetics like the monsters and things of that sort. 

I already knew I wanted to buy certain products so the first day I went immediately to the different products that I'd been wanting but didn't want to buy on Ebay. One of the products I wanted to buy was the Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder. I'm sure you've all seen the +Kim Kardashian picture that she shows how her makeup artist contours her face. Well this was accomplished by using different contouring techniques but one thing he uses to brighten her face is the banana powder. Its sort of like a setting powder and since it has the yellow tint, it reduces the redness and also brightens the skin while setting your foundation. This bigger bottle which would probably last me at least a year or 2 retailed for $15. 


The other thing that I was really gung ho about was a lipstick sealer. I saw a video on +Refinery29  and the makeup artists said that you can use a lipstick sealer to make sure that your lipsticks stays on all night and those types of things. The one that he showed was +Lipchic Lipstick Sealer which when searching was really only available for professionals at a reasonable price. I was able to pick up the normal size bottle for $10 which I thought was great because on EBay I saw it for $30. I've used this several times and I like it.You have to let the sealer dry before you put your lips together but after its set, your lips are good to go. I do think you need touch ups at least once if you are going to use it for like 8hrs but honestly thats more than I can say about a lot of my lipsticks because they usually come off the instant I drink my first sip of coffee.

After those 2 things I really wanted to get a couple of the +Sigma Beauty brushes so I had to stand in line for about 45 mins. While there I was able to meet some pretty nice girls and we swapped makeup tips which was awesome. I got a contouring brush and the flat kabuki brush which can be used for foundation. After I got out of that line, I ran into the best part of IMATS. I ran into Nicole from +Nicole YoungWildandPolished +Young Wild and Polished. I am not a groupie or anything other than for +Ricky Martin but I have to say when I saw her, it was just like "Oh hey girl!! How are you?? So long no speak!" I felt like I had already known her since I'm obsessed with her Youtube videos. It was pretty awesome. She is so nice. I think it was nice to see that she's as cool in person as she is in videos. She's super tall as she says but all in all I think it was a great experience to meet her. I was really happy that she knew who I was as well. I loved it. +Nicole YoungWildandPolished if you are reading this, you are great and I love all your videos! Keep on doing what you're doing! Also remember my invite always stands, whenever you miss NYC too much for comfort, let me know you are always welcomed.

I bought some other things from +NYX Cosmetics like their dark circle corrector which I love. I also got some baked blushes and an eyebrow pencil. Other than that all I did was walk around, meet different people, looked a a bunch of different products to see what's out there in the market. It's really cool to see some things up close and also be able to play, sample and touch products that you've probably been reviewing and looking into but not sure if you'd like them. All in all, my experience was amazing. I'd definitely go back next year. Tomorrow I will be reviewing day two. 

Let me know if you've been to IMATS before, which one and did you love it?

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Facial Masks Review

So many of people ask me what types of face masks do I use. I have to tell you I use a lot. I have a couple that I love and just some that I try in sample packs to see if they are worth buying the larger versions. I will start with some of the drugstore brands that I love. 

One of my favorite drugstore brands is Freeman. You can get these in the larger bottles or you can get the single use ones. This is good so you can try these out in smaller form and then if there is one that you like, you can buy the larger one. From this line, I have 3 in particular that I love. First is the Freeman Feeling Beautiful Clay Purifying Facial Mask: this is a clay mask thats purifies your skin with a mega 8 complex which contains things like acai, mango, pomegranate, and blueberries. These are all natural ingredients that will help with the purification of the skin along with brightening and anti-aging effects. The next

mask I love is  Freeman Feeling Beautiful Facial Anti-Stress Mask Dead Sea Minerals and this one is another clay mask, I am not sure about stree part of it but I do like that it extracts all the oil on my face. It doesn't dry out my skin too much so its just perfect. My last one of the Freeman brand is Freeman Facial Polishing Mask Charcoal & Black Sugar. This mask is less than a mask and more of a scrub that you leave on your face. I love this one the best. It is all sugar so its really gritty and when you put it on your skin, it warms up. I think that helps me believe that its working. You scrub it into your face and then you leave it on your face for about 3 minutes and when you rub it off,

your skin is so smooth. The charcoal in this mask is really good for purifying your skin. You can find these in drugstores and the big bottles range from $4-6. I usually use these at least 3-4 times a week. As I described in my Nighttime Routine post I just put it on after I remove my make up with the facial wipes. 

Other masks that I love to use which I've also explained in blog posts are the Boscia Bright White mask which is a peel mask and I love this one but its not cheap. So I don't use it all the time. Maybe once every 2 weeks but I love the way it smells. Other ones that I use that I honestly don't know the name because they are Korean brands are sheet masks. These are amazing. they have different things like ginseng, green tea and other things that help with anti-aging, brightening the skin and just overall great skin health. Korean culture is really into skincare so they have a lot of products that are really amazing and since they aren't mainstream yet, they aren't expensive at all. I get sheet masks from this dollar store near my house for well $1. 

Are there any masks that you love or have fallen in love with? Let me know, I am always down to try new things.

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NYC New York Color Sparkle Eye Dust

Hey hey!! I am back to doing a beauty makeup review! So today I want to talk about a brand that you see in every drugstore or Walmart/Target/KMart. NYC New York color. This brand is super cheap and a lot of people pass this up because they think since the products don't cost a lot, its not good quality. This is far from the truth. There are a lot of different things I love from this brand. One of the new products that I discovered were the Eye Dust eye makeup. I am not sure when this product was introduced into this line but I saw it reviewed on +Dulce Candy Youtube videos and I really liked the look so I decided to purchase and try them out.

These eyeshadows are like pigment eyeshadows. Pigment eyeshadows are the ones that are not pressed down and are loose powders. When you open these up, you will think that these are a bit messy because the applicator is like a lipgloss wand. I do not recommend using that directly onto your eyes. What I like to do is remove the wand and then put some on the back of my hand. I apply a lot on my hand so that I have enough to put on both my eyes. I then go in with my eye brush and then add the darker colors in my crease and outer eyes and then the lighter colors go in the inner corner. I really like them for everyday type looks. The color is very pigmented and they last all day. I think these are a great value for the price. They are $2.99 and available in most everyday shades like browns, nudes, golds and purple and blues. If you see them in your drugstore, I'd advise you to pick some up so that you can see what I am talking about. They are not a big investment, so if you don't like it, which I don't think thats possible but if for some crazy reason you don't like it, you only wasted $3. 

Anything else in the drugstore that you just love the second you tried them? Let me know!

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CLARINS Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster

Hi Guys! Now that its sort of starting to become spring in NYC, I figured I'd review a self tanner. Living in Puerto Rico, you never really thought of using a self tanner, but remember the sun does a lot of damage and plus for those who work all the time, its not easy to get to the beach every weekend. For those of us who live in NYC or other places that the beaches are gross, this is a great option for you.

I first heard of this on +Sephora's YouTube channel. I like a lot of +Clarins' products even though I don't purchase them. Meaning I usually get samples and they are really good. I saw this on the YouTube channel and I figured I'd buy it since I usually self tan my body but never my face because I am always afraid of turning orange or something. I saw this on Youtube and it was an older woman who was advertising this product. This automatically made me think it was a great product. I figured it wasn't going to turn me orange or anything like that so I would be good to go. I saw that it retails at $30 but Sephora was having their 15% off for VIBRouge members. I picked it up once it was on sale. I got my package and I saw how small the bottle was, immediately I thought I'd bring it back to Sephora to get my money back but you use 3 drops so there is a lot of product. Also, once you get the color you want, you can lower 3 drops to 1 or 2 just to maintain. 

The way that you should apply this is adding 3 drops into your moisturizer and then smooth onto your face, neck and chest. I make sure that I have the whole area covered because even though the color isn't crazy pigmented and you won't go from Casper to +Tyra Banks with one application but I like to make sure its even. This does give you color. It is a hue and its just the right amount of color that makes you look like you are healthy and not dull and drab from these last 5 months of Winter. I even found myself one day not even putting on bronzer which for me is a rarity.

I've been using this for about 2 wks now and I love it. My face has a nice glow tan to it. Doesn't look orange or fake. My face without makeup now matches my body which is always a little bit darker. I haven't broken out which is probably because you just add this into the moisturizer you use on a daily basis so I don't feel like I have to choose between my anti aging moisturizer or tanning my face. I don't have to choose which for me is great. I think I would definitely repurchase. I might get it somewhere like Macy's or somewhere else that I can get a coupon or at least more discounted but other than that I definitely recommend a product like this. 

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Night Time Routine

Since I spoke about my morning skincare review yesterday it's only fair that I give you a rundown of what I do at night. My nighttime routine is a little but more complex but it's still easy and I think once you get the hang of it, you will see that it's an easy routine to adhere to. 

I start off by getting home and using facial wipes to take my makeup off. At the moment I am using Botanics Cleansing Face Wipes All Bright and I just started using them. I know I hauled it a while back but I was still finishing up my other pack of face wipes. So I've been using this now for about 1 week and I can see a difference in my face. Now, I am not sure if all the brightening effects are just coming from these wipes since I've been using other brightening agents in my routine that have roughly started around the same time. I also use a special eye wipe to remove my eye make up. I haven't been able to give a full review in this product but I will soon because I've been using them for over a month now. The eye wipes are the Simple Eye Make-Up Remover Pads. I like these wipes because I use a lot of eye makeup especially with tight lining with waterproof liner or using waterproof mascara. I want to make sure that I am able to remove everything. I also got LASIK last year so I want to make sure that I can take my eye makeup off gently. 

Once my makeup is completely removed, I usually put a mask on. I rotate between around 7 different masks. I can do a review on all the masks I use. At least once or twice a week I use H2O Plus Sea Mineral Mud Mask. This mask is a ocean blue and it tingles on my face which I like because I feel like it's actually working on my skin. This is a clay mask and it stains any wash cloth you use to remove it so beware. Once this mask dries completely, I usually do other things like pick up my house from my morning getting ready, I feed my puppy, Pistachio Francesco or just catch up on emails or my other social media outlets. After this dries I usually just go take a shower and while I'm in there I will wash the mask off and take a cleanser and use my +Clarisonic. I warn you that if you have sensitive skin, a clay mask and then exfoliating daily is probably not the best for you but I have pretty damage free skin so I can so this routine. The cleanser I use is either Borghese Facial soap bar or since I got a sample recently I am using First Aid Beauty polishing cleanser. I used it for the first time last night and I have to say that this cleanser is really good. I already have the full size in my Sephora cart to remember to buy it. It has a menthol effect to it so you can feel you skin cooling. I like that sensation on my skin. 

After that I'm done with washing my face and I let it air dry a bit. Once it's almost completely dry, I mix my moisturizer with a self tanning oil. Okay I know this sounds weird so I'm going to lay it out for you.  At the moment I am using my Dr. Brandt Overnight renewal retinol cream and with that I'm now using Clarins Radiance Glow. I will review this product completely soon but basically it is a an oil and what you are suppose to so is mix 3 drops of the product into your moisturizer and blend it into your face, neck and chest. I just started this into my routine so once I do the full review, I can give you more details but the reviews on this product is ridiculous. It is a new products from Clarins and I trust the brand so I figured I'd give it a try. 

Once I finish with my face, I go in add eye cream to my eyes. I use the same eye cream from Loreal Eye Defense from my morning routine. I probably should get a different night one which has more powerful agents but for now I like this one. I add a lash serum that I found in the drugstore and its from Wet & Wild, nothing fancy and then after that I just put lip balm from Nuxe that I hauled a while back. Other than that I just put some lotion on my hands and go to bed. Now, my bedroom, I sleep with a humidifier, its said that keeping the air humid will keep your skin plump so it will help your skin from wrinkling. Another thing that I sleep with every night is a silk pillowcase. I read somewhere that cotton pillow cases not only wrinkle your skin but that they also break your hair. I sleep with my face to my pillow, I try to sleep with my head elevated and on my back but it just doesn't work. I sleep on my side so this pillow case is suppose to help the signs of aging. My is from Amazon and they have so many different colors, why not try it.

This is my bedtime/night routine!! Hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you do religiously before you go to bed. I'd love to hear from you!!

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Morning Time Routine

Skin care routine!! I know many people have different things that they do but this routine works for me. I've noticed that ever since I've been writing this blog I keep up with my skincare routine even more because I always think about writing what I do and what works. I wanted to give you an insight about what I do every morning to keep my skin looking the way it does. I wake up each morning and drink a glass of water. I brush my teeth and then wash my face. 

I them move on to cleansing my skin. I don't always use the same things for months and months because I've notived that I need to switch up my routine to keep my skin from breaking out. Lately, I've been using the +olay Pore Refining Cleansing scrub in the morning and I make sure my skin is clean from all the moisturizer I put on at night. I use my +Clarisonic Mia brush. The brush head I has is the normal one and I added the Cashmere Satin precision brush around my eyes. I think this helps my moisturiser seap in deeper into my skin so that my eyes can get all the nutrients that my cream has. 

Once I pat my skin dry, I move on to moisturisers. I know a lot of people don't think people with oily skin should be using moisturizers but like I explained in my Beauty Oil blog post, you need to put it on to be able to trick your skin into producing less oil. At this moment, I've been really wanting radiance and glow since we are moving from Winter months and going now into Spring weather. I like to be able to strip my skin of all the winter dullness. For this, I put on Dr Brandt Ruby Radiance Glow day time moisturizer. I go into more detail on a previous blog. But I really do like what the retinol at night and along with this moisturizer is doing for my skin. This moisturizer has illuminating sheen to it and it gives you a nice glow. 

I have to moisturize my eyes a little bit more than the rest of my face because for some reason my eyes are always dry by the end of the day. For now I've been really liking the L'oreal Eye Defense. I didn't really read reviews on it before I bought it but I am glad I bought it. On the packaging it says that it reduces puffiness, dark circles, and lines with Liposomes. I am not that old so I was not looking for something that was going to go crazy on wrinkles. I was sold once it said puffiness and dark circles. This is what I am trying to minimize the most at my age. I used this and I saw results instantly. I like the hydration that this cream gives me. I went on and read some reviews and I saw that you can refrigerate so that the puffiness goes down faster. I did that and I didn't see that much of a difference but I do like the way it feels. 

After I moisturize my face completely, I can't forget about the SPF. I don't really care if for that day I decide to use a foundation with SPF already but just to be careful I add on a sunscreen. I posted the one I personally like to use in one of my other posts. I like the Coola Face SPF 20 with Rose Essence. It has some of a tint to it but I like the absorption it has. It doesn't leave my skin greasy and its great since it has the SPF 20. I also put on a lip balm so that my lips are moisturized by the time I add my lipstick. This is my routine for right now every morning. I add makeup but thats not my skincare routine. 

What do you do to get your skin prepped in the morning? Do you have any special things you can't live without? Anything that you do specifically for the Spring time?

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Beauty Blender Review

I wanted to review the beauty blender so that you guys can get a personal opinion on this sponge craze and why everyone is just going nuts about it. It's definitely turning into a cult favorite so of you were thinking about getting it but still unsettled about the price, this blog is for you.

The original egg shaped sponge is called The Beauty Blender and originally they only came in hot pink but now they added white and black to the mix. Now I know you have probably seen a lot of different knockoffs in other colors or other brands. I usually find them either in the drugstore or in Marshalls/TJMaxx. I personally don't recommend those because for me at least, they didn't work as good as the original one. 

The beauty blender is supposed to be used wet, I know it sounds weird. The packaging says it's suppose to give you a flawless finish when you apply your makeup with the Beauty Blender. I use my beauty blender for everything from foundation to concealer to cream blushes. The packaging says you can use it for everything, even eyeshadows or powder application. Usually, what I do is wet my beauty blender until you see it double in size. It will have a softer feel to it when it's wet. Then I dry it a bit with my blow dryer just because I don't want it to be so wet that my face has to be air dried. I then take my foundation apply it to my face directly and then blot it, using the bigger end of the egg shaped beauty blender while bouncing it on my skin to ensure even coverage. I keep doing this until my foundation is fully blender into my skin, I them move onto my concealer and for this I use the smaller end because it's easier to get into the inner eye area with that end. This helps me dab the concealer without taking too much of the product off and having to reapply to the areas where I need brightening. This blender is able to glide the makeup into your skin to avoid those streak marks that you sometimes get from brushes. After I do my foundation and concealer, when I use cream blush, I do go in with the beauty blender to make sure that application is flawless. There is nothing worse than putting on a whole face of makeup and then having some weird application to the blush that is just all messed up. Its either uneven, or blotchy and just not pretty at all. This blush makes the application more even. This beauty blender is also good to use if you mess up and use too much blush or too much foundation, this can be used to remove the excess and make sure that the application is even and you don't have anything crazy on your face. 

I use this on a daily basis so I clean it with the Beautycleaner solid cleaner. Its their bar soap which is much better than their liquid soap. I don't think the liquid soap works at all. I don't think they should keep selling it. I wouldn't recommend anything other than their cleanser to clean the beauty blender. I do think you should clean it after every use. This will help you stretch your beauty blender longer before you have to repurchase. I've had mine for about 3 months now and it still looks like new. This sponge retails for $20 on +Sephora but I have seen it cheaper on other websites and if you have a coupon, you can get it for even cheaper. 

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