Sephora Haul II

Well Well Well...here we are again **evil laugh** Okay I couldn't pass up another chance for 20% off so I just haaaad to partake but this time it was for skincare. I've been eating horribly and my skin shows it. Eating pizza will surely give me pepperoni face and I am ashamed to say I've been enjoying fried calamari from Legal Seafoods near my job **sad face** I need to detox n get back to clean eating asap becuz when I eat right my face is a radiant glow of sunshine. My holy grails for my skin care routine is Origins and Josie Moran without a doubt. With the colder months ahead I opt for heavier creams to moisturize with, i.e. Origins Perfect World and soak in Josie Moran oil at night.

Sets of anything is the perfect way to try out products before committing to full size (have I said that before?). The Sephora Favorites: Beauty Sleep ($30) is such a winner. Origins Night-A-Mins is what I use pretty much EVERY night and my tub is running low. I have been hearing great things about Sunday Riley's Luna oil n tried a sample a few weeks ago. The only drawback for me is a full size is $105!!! When I seen the Power Couple set ($78) I was like OH YES!!!! I've been using the sample for a week and I like it. It does have an odor when u apply it tho...like a "did I just cut the grass" type smell at first but it quickly fades. I wear it ONLY at night n wake up to a soft, supple n radiant face. It'll definitely get alternated with my beloved Josie Moran oil tho. Another good thing about trial sets would be the convenience when u travel. They are both very good deals!

 

The new or not so new to takeover is Korean skincare products. I totally added this, May Coop-Raw Sauce ($14) to my loves list on a whim. A lot of times I'll go off my gut instinct to try something and research reviews. I've yet to try it but I shall report back when I do. U use this BEFORE ur moisturizer or serums to add moisture n hydration. What really sold me on it, is the built-in toner which allows me to skip that extra step in my routine. I started out with the smaller size cuz the 5 oz is $43....I need to make sure I like it before I go up that high lol. 

Surely you've heard of Glamglow unless ur under a rock!! I've tried the Youthmud treatment in the black jar ($19) and it was too rough n gritty for my face-although I did like it. I stayed away from any of the new ones and started using their cleansers which I do absolutely LOVE!! I just can't decide which one I wanna grab in a full size. Til then I got the mini thirsty cleanse hydrating cleanser ($14) which is mud to foam and definitely more gentle than the treatments. I decided to try a different treatment in hopes it's not as harsh as the first one (and again goin w/my gut) so I grabbed the Powermud Dualcleanse tub ($19) becuz I was drawn to the deep cleansing description AND it's mud to oil which makes me soooo much better so it doesn't feel like I'm rubbin concrete on the side of my face :7

Of course I was press to use it ASAP and I'm happy to report it's goes on smoothly. I spritzed my face with Caudalie Grape Water spray ($10) just to dampen my face after it dried and massaged it around before rinsing it off. After I washed it off I immediately threw on my Sunday Riley Luna oil to soak into my face overnight...mmmmm!!!

Ok soooo can this eye makeup remover count as skincare **cue blushing emoji face**. I grabbed this Lancome Noel eye set ($38) mainly for the mascara's. The full size Grandiose is $32 alone so I'm excited to try this one. The Hypnose used to be a holy grail and this is definitely a good deal becuz it comes with a pencil and liner-oh n almost forgot to mention the mascara primer!

So that's my haul...seeee I didn't do too bad riiiight ;) I am totally good on makeup and I honestly need to destash soon so Sephora will be put on hold for a few months (or until they send me a gift card) becuz there's nothing I need for a minute. With all these new skincare products I'll be carving time out for Spa Day every Sunday! Yeeeessssss :)

smooches

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Sephora Haul

Oh yeeeees **rubs hands like Birdman** this is the most exciting time for me in makeup because the holidays is the best time to shop!! I'm so excited to talk about this haul my fingers aint movin fast enuff to type this EEEEEEK!!!! So let me throw the disclaimer out there off the break:

Disclaimer: This post WILL be long and picture heavy yet filled with tons of info

If you are a beginner (and makeup lovers period) this is THE best time to shop because there are so many brands that offer sets to try. The mini lip sets are always a good deal and the choices of palettes are endless. Sephora is normally my go-to spot especially since they start off with the family n friends sale wit 20% off. No need to fret if u don't have the connect for a special code becuz the following week the VIB sale begins where VIBR's get first dibs then opens up to everyone else. The frenzy is ridick when it comes to these sales and I've caught on to maximizing to really take advantage of the sale becuz let's be real....sephora doesn't do these often enuff if u ask me! Since I'm on the higher end spectrum of shoppin I prefer to make the best of 20% by using it to grab high ticket items. I also browse the sale section but don't make it a top priority cuz after xmas they have an extra sale on that section. Perfumes are also great to snatch up during the sale as well ESP since they come in sets! Sets is just the way to go for me becuz I love the variety of em and u can try em out before committing to a full size. Without further ado...lemme get to my haul:

Guerlain Meteorites Holiday 2015, $80

I wanted to start off with these balls becuz they are THE star of the show and the most anticipated gift EVERYONE has clawed their ways to get-if ur lucky. Despite the price tag-OUCH, they are highly sought after n rightfully so. The balls are so hard to grab and sold out everywhere. I will do a separate post becuz these deserve a stand alone shine! This is by far my biggest splurge for Xmas n sooooo worth it. 

I know what ur thinkin...what in the world is so special bout these balls? I used to ask the SAME thing but once u throw these balls on ur face u will see n notice the difference as subtle as it may be. They are finishing powders and the fragrance is heavenly but this one has a pretty golden sheen to it, not corny kiddie glitter but a luscious glow. These are some pretty pricey balls, i'm guessing becuz of the packaging but to slather these balls on yo face is magical. 

Guerlain Meteorites Pressed, $62/Nars All Day Luminous Foundation, $48

Again Guerlain is another level and once u fall into the rabbit hole there's no return. These are the pressed version of the balls (not the holiday balls) in the Medium shade. It's a finishing powder that blurs imperfections and leave u with a natural smooth appearance. This is my first pressed powder (as i love balls tapped on my face) so i'm excited to give these a go! The Nars foundation has been on my list for a long time. It's been so raved about and i'm a huge fan of Nars so why not. I have the sheer glow n matte in Tahoe but in this one i'm the Cadiz shade. It's definitely luminous but i like how buildable it is. It's light weight with a natural finish. 

Makeup Bag, $24/Viseart (08) Bright Editorial, $80

I have absolutely fallen head over heels in love with Viseart (again this deserves a separate post) and this is my 3rd palette. Pricey? Yes which is why i only get them during these sales but I promise they are so worth it. I am glad I've gone through the good n bad of shadows to get to this point n realize when u come across a gem you feel like you've reached the promise land!! If nothing else the neutral matte palette is a MUST HAVE!! like seriously it's the best matte neutral color palette i own and these joints blend smoother than melter butter...these are just LOVE!!!! freaking LOOOOOVE!! 

I have been very impressed with Kat Von D lately. Her liquid lip stains are top notch and it's no surprise her shadows have followed suit:

Mi Vida Loca Remix Lip Set, $42/Ink Liner Trio, $25/Metal Crush Shadows, $21

Just a quick note: The ink liner trio's can be found inside JCP Sephora's for $15!! I am still tryin to perfect the cat eye. These liners are perfect to practice with becuz u can do the thinnest line n they dry down matte n long wearing. Trooper is the best selling one in black n i honestly need to step out my comfort zone n use em more-i'm more of a gel liner type gal cuz it's easier to clean up mistakes vs when my hands be shakin n i end up wit a charlie brown squiggly line across my lids. The lip set is a no brainer. I've been gettin em since her line came out years ago and always feel like its a good deal. Now these shadows....

Note: The logo is just the reflection from the open top, lol, i was just bein real artistic n thought wow this is cool

I got Raw Power and Doce which i also plan to use  as blushes. The moment i swatched em i just KNEW these would go home with me. I am to the point i dont wanna fuse n fight with my makeup. If it drags, feels harsh, doesn't wanna blend n budge i will NOT keep it. I want drama free makeup as much as possible. These are just a dream! I really hope one day she has mini palette set with this SAME formula to be the cherry on top. They come in different shimmery metallic shades n if nothing else u definitely should grab "Synergy" which looks like mac's pp indianwood shade that i use literally everyday!

Urban Decay Shimmering Powder "Lit", $30

I really don't think these get the shine they deserve-HA! SHINE! I know now n days folks opt for the subtle glow of highlighters but these aren't obnoxious chunky tinkerbell-ish glitter bombs and just OMG standout gorgeous. I have Aura which is a soft pink shimmer w/golden tone sparkle and paired with this bronze beauty is soooooooo pretty!! If you want ur cheeks to be the focus these would definitely do the trick without looking overly done. 

Is this a must have? eeeeh no! I figured i'd take advantage of the sale pretty much plus it kept tugging at my heart to join my team (aka stash). I'm a sucker for anything with a golden sheen and dustin it on my decollete mmmmmm!!!

I went to Sephora in Annapolis and was happy to see my girl, Shar who's always a great help and mind u i always walk in bare faced! I wanted to test out Nars before purchasing so we threw it on n when she did my contour n blush i was like O_O HELLO LOVER!!!!!

The blushes ($32) i got in Lantana (poppy crimson aka orange red) and Nightingale (mulberry aka deep plum). Let me just say....no i will never hit pan nor finish these. You need the slightest tap into these pans becuz they are soooo pigmented. Like Nars pigmented and it applies with ease n settles into a pretty good finish. These have been on my "loves" list since they've came out and plums n oranges always tickle my fancy. The low/highlight palette ($42) i just had to have!! I love dramatic contours of course but i can also do subtle (booooo) n i love how natural it looks. Also it doesn't hurt that the highlighter is Opal. 

Almost done....u still wit me...lol, i did say it was a lot. Ok so as we are nearin the end of my haul, when it comes to these 20% off sales keep in mind the vultures aka makeup addicts WILL grab up the trending, what's hot n poppin items ASAP!! Normally when the sale starts sephora site can get slow n shut down-yes it's that serious! I scope out my loves list with what i've been itching to try the most. If something is limited edition (LE) best believe it'll go first ie guerlain holiday balls. Also, skip the cheap shyt. Now is the time to treat urself to that ONE (or 2) high tkt item u know dmn well u dnt wanna pay full price for whether its a high end lipstick, perfume or bath set (i'm eyeballing this laura mercier one for $75) and most importantly prioritize! I knew i was in the market for a foundation n kept a close watch on reviews for Nars so $10 off...yup i'll take it! Since i pretty much have everything i want on the makeup side, my next go round will be more so for skincare products. I'm very happy n satisfied with my haul from sephora but real quick since I'm on a roll I'll share my honorable mentions from Ulta and Mac:

Is this heart shaped It Cosmetics brush not adorable <3 ($30) it's a LE brush that was released during breast cancer month and i can't seem to find it online but it was definitely goin fast in stores. 

Becca Afterglow Palette ($40) is what i grabbed becuz i don't own any of the highlighters-surprisingly! These are shadow size highlighters but felt it was a good investment becuz it contains the main 2 i've always wanted which is rose gold and topaz. Moonstone could've been swapped for Opal but hey i got it in the other palette so it's cool. The last 2 shades are blushes so again...for beginners-THIS is a good deal and reasonably priced. Last but not least...highlighters u can never have enuff of lol...

Mac's Oh Darling ($33) caused quite a stir n i'm quite sure this baby is also sold out!! It's part of the holiday collection but i mainly got it cuz i love gold n i wanna compare it to my Whisper of Guilt-which i dnt understand WHY mac just doesn't bring it back perm **rolls eyes** the extra dimensions are always a hit n these babies are love!!!

WELP!!! it's dmn near midnight and i'm up actin like i don't have to get up for work in a few hours **le sigh** my eyes are weary n i apologize for any mispellings cuz i'z TIED but this was really fun sharing my haul. Don't fret there's more to come i'm sure and i'll definitely keep yall posted. Happy Shopping and don't be afraid to step out that comfort zone n try something new!

Smooches

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Weekend Recap

Aaaaaah what a lovely weekend it was eh...This year Halloween fell on a weekend (if u love Geto Boys you'd automatically finish that statement) and the weather was perfect. I would love to one year go to a Halloween Party cuz i think its so fun to see people get creative with playing dress up. 

This bamma Mason was a ninja and thank goodness his costume only cost'd a mere $20 but sheesh...am i the only one who notices how expense costumes cost these days O_o i meeeeean what happened to the $10 boxes that had the plastic mask n table cloth poncho's??? Mason doesn't really even eat candy but he goes along with the trick or treatin then candy be left around for months (after i go thru n "test" all the chocolates of course). I was looking back on his past pics and realizing this month he'll be 9 **sniff** i had to pause after taking a pic cuz i realized...DMN...he's getting tall.

Like..waaaaait how is he catching up to meeeee. Then again i AM shrinking :7 Yet i do remind him no matter how much taller he gets i have no problem stepping up on a ladder to come up n knock his block off if need be. So while Mason was enjoying his night on the town....i on the other hand had a different agenda. See it all started just a few years ago when me and my girl Lez went to Kings Dominion **cue harps and wavy lines to flashback**

Redemption Ride
Back in my fat girl days we went to KD for the whole fright fest and stood in line awaiting the roller coaster ride. As we were in line we ended up on the conversation of being too big to fit into the seats for the rides with laughs n jokes. I seen this chick who's thighs was twice as big as mine finish her ride so i felt slightly confident i'd have no problem. So it's our turn, we hop in the seats and my thighs took up every bit of space in what seemed to be made for thin mints. The harness part that goes over the shoulder didn't wanna fasten wit the belt. I'm lookin over at Lez like AYE...i refuse to do the walk of shame to get OFF the ride but as extended as that belt was it was NOT trying to connect n snap to the harness. My heart was beatin SO hard becuz i was holding up the ride AND they had to re-lift the harness to adjust it to the belt like 3 times. Finally i had to take off my jacket n smoosh my boobs together and take a breath deeper than a Maya Angelou quote to fit inside. It was that moment i was like aaaaaawwww hell naw n pushed me to losing weight.

Fast forward to the present...I was back with Uh-Ven-Gence and ready to take on ALL roller coasters becuz i knew dmn well after losin 100lbs i would just sliiiiide up in there wit ease. Lez has her own journey (sans surgery) and we've both come a long way. It felt like such an accomplishment to be able to confidently get on the ride and laugh hysterically at how it went down before and we had a blast!! Revenge on the rides-CHECK!!!!

Now that Halloween is out the way, let's get ready as now the remaining months will officially fly by and with the holidays upon us it's my favorite time of the year in makeup land:

I'll be doing my latest makeup haul from the last friends n family sale from sephora along with my recommendations on what to go for and what u can pretty much pass on. I've been doin this a loooong time now so i can pretty much pin point the needs from the wants so i'm excited to share my haul. Til then...let's get this week on and poppin :)

Smooches

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The Plum Fairy

I am loving Fall. Like I said it's my favorite season besides Spring. I have yet to swap my summer for fall/winter totes becuz my weekends have just been so booked lately. The new job is coming along lovely and I'm just overall excited looking towards 2016. I've been having an abundance of blessings lately with the change of my attitude of being "open to receiving my blessings" and it's amazing what doors will open when u let go n let God becuz I've grown to learn-don't stress over what u have no control of becuz when u have that faith in THEEE LORD **cue church organs** honeychiiiiiild **raises hands n stomps feet** u have to just KNOW he is an on time God-uh yes he is-and I'm gonna leave it at that before I get to catching the holy ghost at the mere thought of how kept I've been these days, yes indeed.

In celebration of the beginning of Fall 2015, I've envisioned this photoshoot and forced my sissy, Najah bring it to life. When you think of fall (in the makeup world) it's time to bring out ur plums n vampy shades. I'm in love with burgundy's, rusty oranges n shades of red. Since I've been in uniforms for oh so long, I've been enjoying shopping to look the part **sits up straight** and Grey's and Mustard is my current love for clothes. 

I grabbed this dress from Tommy Bahamas Outlet (Tanger Outlets, National Harbor) over the summer because they had a sale for $40 for dresses (mind u the price tag is $200) and it's long n cozy. It's an XL which runs big...or maybe I'm running small **sticks out tongue** but nonetheless I love it, prolly becuz I can be Spanx-less haha!!

 

Ok so lemme pause for the cause and say....my sissy did an excellent job n she definitely takes her photography seriously. She hits angles n gets down n dirty to make sure the light catches me just right. Although u see her skills shine I am lookin at these pics while I'm posting them in awe that the makeup is done by ME!!!! Meeeeee. EEEEK!! like seriously. I have definitely been underestimating myself lately and that's just my own personal struggle I've gone back n forth with. Regardless of praises I get from yall, within myself I'm EXTRA critical. Even going thru these shots I would zoom in to take notes on what to improve on for next time. I think I'm so scared to just take the plunge becuz I want perfection...I'll save this rant for another post tho lol...

Now Back to your regularly scheduled program....

Recipe for Face

Serves: The Kids

Ingredients:

YSL Fall 2015 Couture Palette SOLD OUT ERYWHERE

These are my absolutely TOP FAVES for Fall, even tho I technically wear em all year round but hands down these are what I grab the most:

• Mac Gingerly blush (a must for med-drk complexions)
• Mac Breath of Plum
• Mac Soft n Gentle msf
• Mac Lush msf (LE, Temperature Rising Coll)
• NYX Matte Bronzer (dark tan)
• Cover FX cream contour palette (N Deep)

• Kat Von D "Exorcism"
• OCC Lydia lip tar
• Mac Oyster Girl
• Mac Vino liner (not pictured)     

In conclusion to a day off for Columbus Day, I enjoyed gettin dolled up to take advantage of not just finally having time to blog but a day of rest-period. I'm a homebody at heart but I do enjoy kicking it with the fam n friends when I can. I planned a surprise date for my grandma next weekend to take her to see the play called "Things Your Man Won't Do" in Baltimore. I'm always excited to spend time with my grandma cuz she so crazy n we all know old folks have no filter which I love. Til next time...

Smooches

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Closing out Summer

Summer 2015 it's been a blast!!! I feel like it went by fast but also slow...is that weird? I'd like to feel a sense of accomplishment knowing I've accomplished a goal for a new job-CHECK and a vacation spot on a sandy beach-CHECK! One of my girls got married in Cancun a few wks ago and as much as I'd loooove to turn into a golden bronzed goddess and come back lookin like a freshly birthed golden retriever...me n the sun just don't mesh well :( womp womp!! Too much sun for me no matter what SPF sun blocker i use will give me sun poison **cue BBD song** and the heat alone will have me delirious as well, so to bask in some type of glow I hibernate under the shade n peek out every so often to get enuff of a tan so u KNOW I jetsetted somewhere lol. It's always a great time as my girls get together to laugh n cry over memories and making new ones. Like dmn I've known these bytchez since middle school EEEK!!! Although we don't talk often I'm still there to support when needed. 

this is when I peek out for sun

Summer isn't my favorite season but this year it was really fun becuz I got to shimmy my way into old clothes n shop for new ones. I will be honest...I have not been to bootcamp for a good month now **gasp** With tryin to adjust to this new 9 to 5 schedule and a new learning curve of an earlier bed time along with juggling dinner n homework after school-I'm just tryin to find my groove until I add in bootcamp again. But I can't lie...I've felt reeeeal good indulging (and guilty later) with junk food but it's gotten old to me becuz my taste buds are over it. 

This was soooo good goin down!!

Yeeees Cheesecake Factory is my favorite spot, mmmmm!!! The last time I was there was for cheesecake day where they introduced this year's special Salted Caramel cheesecake!! I'm merely drooling just thinkin of it. Although it's a tad too rich for me to finish in one day (this lasted me all week) it totally bumped out my last year's favorite, Smore's #FatGirlTalk But I have to snap outta this fat girl rut n get my head back in the game becuz my weight has been teetering around that 200 mark and I had finally passed the threshold to 197 but due to laziness n lack of exercise n eating horribly I got back up to like 205 **insert ugly kim k cry face** I can only blame myself so I ain't mad. Why does it have to taste so good bein baaaaad :( I know holidays are starting to roll around and I don't want that to be an excuse that my scale ain't moving so for October I'm gettin back on grind mode. Welp!! So loooong summer and hellooooo Fall. Time to turn the AC off, open them windows to let the cool breeze flow in and I'm ready for cuffin season (with nothin to cuff mind u). Can u believe in 3 months it'll be Christmas. I'm officially ready for snow days especially knowing I'm not essential personnel lol.

Til next year Summer...

Smooches

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