So it has been a while...I have been so busy, now that I am moved and got my first summer semester under my belt I now feel in control of my life....which is always a good thing :)

My birthday is write around the corner and we are taking a little trip to Chicago and what do I want to wear......................................

MAC Surf Baby Summer 2011 Collection

MAC Surf Baby Collection, Summer 2011

Nothing says summer like the first MAC summer collection. The Surf Baby Summer Collection is a decidedly summer-ready beauty collection. It looks so fun and I love the packaging! On May 26th, MAC Cosmetics launched the Surf Baby collection, a full lineup of cosmetics inspired by the spirit of the surf. You will find lipsticks in luminous colors such as violet and coral. There is a bronzing powder designed to give you a sun-kissed glow. There is splash proof mascara. There is a full collection of eye shadows in colors such as white champagne and dirty gold. The MAC Surf Baby collection is due in MAC stores, as well as online at MACCosmetics.com, as of May 26. Prices range from $13.50 to $34.

What are your thoughts on this collection?


MAC Surf Baby Collection, Summer 2011
U.S. Launch Date: May 26th, 2011
International Launch Date: June 2011

Blush $18.50 U.S.
My Paradise -Coral orange with champagne gold flower

Lipstick $14.50 U.S.Bust Out! -Soft violet
Hibiscus -Bright coral
Mocha
Naturally Eccentric -Nude

Lipglass $14.50 U.S.Girl on Board -Sheer gold
Good Lovin’ -Peach pink
Krazy Kahuna -Medium brown
Strange Potion -Pink coral

Crushed Metallic Pigment StacksSummer Stash -Pale pink, gray pink, purple, taupe
Surf the Ocean -Silver, aqua, gold, navy blue

Eyeshadow $14.50 U.S.Saffron -Coral
Short Shorts -White champagne
Sun Blonde -Yellow with gold pearl
Surf U.S.A. -Aqua with teal pearl
Swell Baby -Medium gray

Nail Lacquer $13.50 U.S.
Hangin’ Loose -Beige
Ocean Dip -Aqua teal

Eye Liner $14.50 U.S.Blue Noon -Teal
Gilded White -Shimmering off-white

Bronzing PowderSolar Riche

Studio Careblend Pressed PowderGold-go-Lightly

Tan TintBillionaire -Bronze Soft gold
Guilty Bronze -Copper bronze

May Favorites

I have been going for brown mascaras this month. In the summer I want my lashes to be dark but for a summery everyday lash, I love to use brown. I picked up a few brown mascara’s and my favorite was the Almay “Triple Effect”. It is fantastic for sensitive eyes. The formula isn't as runny as other mascaras. I found it to work well adding volume. It removes really well also. The one weird thing I found was the brush I didn’t expect it to look the way it did with the short on one side and the long on the other. So I just used the shorter side for my lower lashes and it worked well J

$7.99 Drugstores

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the MAC eye shadow in “Cork”.  If my house was on fire, I'd grab my cork and let the rest burn. It's the perfect warm (but not too warm) shade of brown, I wear it all over my lid and above the crease then go back through and add more to the crease for extra definition. The finish is great, not too matte but not too shimmery.

$15.00 MAC Counters

Neutrogena Naturals Fresh cleansing + makeup remover – This is my HOLY GRAIL makeup remover out of the bazillion I have tried this is the best. It is 86%natural so it not too harsh on my skin and leaves it soft and smooth. It takes my makeup off really well and doesn't cause me to break out. I use it in the shower and the other day I thought I would switch it up and used as different remover and when I got out I had raccoon eyes so it just shows the difference and quality it has.

$7.99 Drugstores

The scent I have been grabbing lately is the DKNY BE DELICIOUS. It’s the perfect spring/summer scent it’s fresh and fruity but not too fruity. It's perfect for the warm months as the sun helps it exude from the wearer's skin. The notes in this scent are: American Apple, Cucumber, Grapefruit, Candid Magnolia, Tuberose, White Muguet, Rose, Violet, Sandalwood, Tender Skin Accord, Blonde Woods and White Amber.

$58.00 Macys 1.7 oz

Top 10 Summer Products

These are 10 Products that I CAN'T live without in the summer!

Face Product: No 7 Soft & Sheer Tinted Moisturiser I switch from foundation in the summer because with the sun my skin gets pretty clear, but the heat your makeup can have that gross melting of your face look by the time you get into your car. So I still feel that I need some coverage and protection, and with the SPF 15 this has and the sheer light coverage it’s perfect. I blends very well and it’s not greasy in the least bit. ($7.99 Target)

Lip Product: The REVLON Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in “Coral Reef” and you all know oranges and corals are very in for the spring and summer. It is pretty long lasing compared to some others I have tried but then again I’m not one to apply my lip gloss every hour. ($6.99 Drugstores)

Nail: The color I know I will be wearing most this summer is the polish “Hot & Spicy” by OPI. It’s a great coral but it’s a little more on the red side so it looks great with a tan also! ($7.99 Ulta)

Hair: Ferkkai Hair products, in Smooth Hair, Texturizing Balm, and Straight Away. My hair has a lot of natural curl and FRIZZ! So in the rainy humid days I dread what my hair is going to look like. I decided to try the “Smooth Hair” one first because they are kind of pricy and fell in love with it. They are very lightweight and hydrating. ($17.50 EACH B&BW)

Tanning: These two products I always have in my beach bag. The dark tanning oil smells amazing and is the smell that reminds me of summer but before I put the oil on the use the HEPMZ “Black Label” cream it’s just helps boost your color. (Oil $7.99 Wal-Mart, Hempz $40.00 Amazon)

Eye Shadow: In the summer I tend not to use many dark eye shadows so the Urban Decay “Naked Pallet” this was something I had looked at for a long time before buying it because of the price but eventually I caved and bought it the best thing I have ever bought. I use it almost every day and you can create so many looks with just this palette. The colors are very flattering on any eye or skin color in my opinion. The shadows are extremely pigmented and have a smooth, velvety texture. I think there's a fabulous mix of colors for both day and night looks. If I was told I could only ever have this palette for the rest of my life, I would be okay.  ($38.00 Ulta)

Blush: NARS “Orgasm” This blush is my favorite summer blush because it not a heavy blush but gives you that sin kissed look. The shimmer in it gives a very pretty luminous appearance without getting glittery and the color is very buildable. I use only a little bit to get a flushed look  it adds a gorgeous natural color that’s great for daytime. ($27.00 Sephora)

Yes to Carrots!!

8.45 fl oz $7.99

When I saw the lotion my first reaction was GROSS! I can only imagine what that smells like...but to my surprise it really didn't have a smell. l didn't love the scent, but I didn't particularly dislike it. It smells like baby powder. Then again with they’re not being a scent it won't interfere with the perfume you ware either. It was very light and smooth and applied very easily over a large area. It was absorbed quickly, and didn't feel sticky on my skin, which is hard to find a lotion that doesn’t. Afterwards, my dry skin felt very silky usually I like to use liberal amounts of moisturizer so I would like a bigger bottle then this, but then again, this spreads very easily so it's still worth your money. My overall conclusion is that this is great product! I'd definitely try it again. The Company also has Yes to Tomatoes, blueberries, and cucumbers.  The products range from body lotion with SPF to eye makeup remover J

NOTD: Virtual Violet



Virtual Violet 3 coats



I was drawn to this polish because of the way it changed color. It is so amazing. It looks very violet in the sunlight, gun metal color in the darker light rooms, and almost a grayish blue is other light.  The first coat goes on very sheer indeed, but the second coat is amazing! I actually use 3 coats of this one to get a deeper violet color to pop. I have not had problems with the drying either! I usually wait 10 to 15 minutes before applying a top coat with any polish anymore. I have had too many problems with the bubbles w/any brand polish unless I wait to apply a top coat. I love this color! It is so amazing. Unique and stunning!

How To Save At Walgreens

You will need 3 Sunday papers from 5/15, 2 Sunday papers 5/1, 15.94 in cash or previous RR’s and a Walgreens store

This is going to happen in 3 transactions

1^st transaction:

(3)Gillette body washes are 3 for 10 with $3 Register rewards (use (3) 2.00 off body wash coupons in 5/15 paper)

(1) Gillette Pro Glide on sale for $9.49 with 5 dollers back in RR (Use your $4.00 coupon from SS May 1^st)

You pay 9.89 out of pocket and get $8.00 in RR’s back

2^nd Transaction

(1) Gillette Pro Glide on sale for $9.49 with 5dollers back in RR (Use your $4.00 coupon from SS May 1^st)

Pay $5.89 get $5.00 RR’s back

You now have $13.00 in RR’s

3^rd transaction (normally with RR’s I buy things that are not on sale and things that normally don’t go on sale)

Self Magazine $3.99

Nail polish 2.99 (50 cent off coupon in SS 5/15)

Neutrogena lip gloss 5.99

Skinny Cow .69 (FILLER ITEM)

Total is $13.16 (You have to go over 13.00 to use the 13.00 in RR’s)

Pay out of pocket .16 cents!

Together Retails for $56.38

You pay out of pocket $15.94 (ABOUT THE PRICE OF JUST ONE RAZOR!!!!)

RR- Register Rewards

SS-Smart Sourse

Filler Item- A cheap item that makes the total go over the amount in register rewards

“This is done without tax”

NOTD:Teenage Dream Dupe?!?!

I now can officially say that I am into glitter nail polishes. After I put on Rock star Pink.,I wanted to try some others, I fell in love with the “Teenage Dream” from the Katy Perry line by OPI. So I tried that ,but I also saw a polish by Sally Hansen “Strobe Light” they looked like the exact same. They also applied and dried about the same time. So after I put the two side by side, I feel they look pretty darn close. The only difference that I noticed was that the “Teenage Dream” has bigger sparkles it, and a little more of a pink base .What do you think?



Strobe Light 3 Coats



Teenage Dream 3 Coats

NOTD: Nail of the Day

Rockstar Pink 3 coats

This color by Sally Hansen thier Xtreme Wear line and is called "Rockstar Pink". It's amazing glitter polish. Usually I shy away from the gaudy glitters, but I was tempted to give it a shot. I thought it was such a pretty color. It has blue, silver and red sparkles in it. I was also worried about the drying time, but it was 100% dry in about 5 minutes and that is with 3 coats. I wasn’t surprised I had to put 3 coats just because it’s so hard to find a glitter that covers in 1 coat. Most glitters in the bottle look very thick in the bottle and once you start putting them on the nail their very sparse, but this was pretty dense. I would say this covers very similar to the Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream”. It’s a very fun summer color even if you just put in on your toes

May BIRCHBOX!

“If you don’t already know BIRCHBOX is a monthly subscription for $10.00 a month. You get a box delivered to your door with 4 to 5 deluxe high end beauty samples” You can sign up at “birchbox.com”.

I love getting things in the mail, but who doesn’t. So I patiently waited a month for my BIRCHBOX. One thing I love about it is they do such a nice job at wrapping every item in tissue and ribbon. So it’s not just a box with bubble wrap. Its colorfull, girly and fun! The first thing I noticed was when I opened the box a delicious smell came outJ. To start the first thing I unwrapped was a Stila eye shadow. I was watching some others BIRCHBOX reviews before I got mine and many received a black or white eye shadow so I was hoping I got a color because I already have so many black and whites. I got the most beautiful purple shadow. It’s a full size shadow also and it looks almost pink on the skin the color is “Wisteria” I also got a mineral hand cream by AHAVA “Dead sea Water” I love this it’s very creamy and smells so fresh and clean. I will be purchasing it in full size. There was a very pretty hand soap by Archipelago in the scent of pomegranate it smells lovely I haven’t used it yet but I will be putting it in the bathroom for guests. Next was a perfume sample from BULGARI called: Jasmin Noir” it smells nice and fresh very sophisticated it is described as a floral fragrance. The last thing I got was a greeting card  by Tiny Prints and they let you customize greeting cards which I thought was a good idea because sometimes I can’t find cards I like so that might be something I will look into for the future.

Overall I loved the BIRCHBOX, and can’t wait until next month. I would recommend this to anyone who has an “unhealthy addiction to beauty goods” and loves to try new products, but doesn’t wasn’t to risk the money of not liking the product.

REVLON Super Lustrous Lipgloss

Coral Reef, Lilac Pastelle and Pink Pop

Pink Pop, Lilac Pastelle and Coral Reef

So lately I have been going on a lip gloss binge!! I am more of a gloss wearer then a lip stick  wearer because sometimes the color of a lip stick is just too much for me, but the more I try lip sticks the more I tend to used them. I had been watching reviews on the Super Lustrous Lipgloss by REVLON. I loved the way they looked they had that glass look to them and were not to sparkly. I usually buy the Lancôme “Juicy Tubes” and the only thing I have bad to say about them is they are super sticky, but that is hard to avoid with that glassy wet look. When I tried the Revlon they gave the same look but 1/100^th of the stickiness!!! So I decided to get Coral Reef, Pink Pop, and Lilac Pastelle. I love them all they are all so different. They are my favorite lip gloss I have ever tried hands down. You would never think to buy a purple lip gloss but it’s the sheerest out of them all and has a pink tint to it when it’s on and it’s said to be a dupe to the MAC lipstick “Lavender Whip”. These three are in their permanent collection. They are about $7.99 each depending on where you get them and at Walmart I have seen them for $6.24.

Best High End And Drug Store Foundations

I have tried many foundations from Chanel to NYC and I have had a really hard time finding one that blended well and reacted with my skin, I have oily to combination skin and its more on the oily side so after 4 to 5 hours of wearing my foundation it starts to come off and it’s taken me a few years to find what is right for me.

On the more expensive side the best foundation is Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation it retails for about $45.00 and obviously that is a bit on the pricy side, but it’s such a nice foundation it gives you a dewy glow, which I don’t care for I’m more of a full coverage girl but for the summer and when you’re not looking for a ton of coverage it’s amazing it blends so well into my skin it wares on me for a good amount of the day. You just have to make sure you shake it up before you use it though, I do use foundation primer though and set it with NARS loose powder.

Some people were saying this was a dupe for the Neutrogena Healthy Skin and they are simmilar, but I personally don’t care for Neutorgoena’s Healthy Skin because it was just really wet on my skin and “too dewy” for me. I felt like it was never going to dry.

Next is the Revlon ColorStay personally I think this is my “Holy Grail” foundation it melts right into your skin and looks so natural. It's light, breathable and build-able. I don’t use a primer with this foundation and it lasts for a full day. I would say its full coverage and dosent have that cakey look many full coverage foundations have. It lasts all day for me, this you can find at almost any drugstore it retails for about $13.00

Best Self-Tanner Out There!

Its spring and that means getting your legs out and, the hardest thing for me is looking at my white legs……so I have been shopping around for a good cheap sunless tanner while I wait for it to get warm enough to go lay out. Good, cheap and sunless tanner in the same sentence is something you usually don’t find but, I did!!!

After the 15 or so sunless tanners I have tried over the past year or two I don’t know why I hadn’t tried this before. It’s the “Banana Boat Summer Color Self-Tanning Lotion” it’s amazing its has a rich creamy bronzy color when you apply it so you know where’re you are putting it and can blend evenly. It’s very natural looking not that yellow orange color and I even put it on my face and my skin wasn’t irritated in the least bit!

The color builds up so the more you apply it the more color you are going to get I usually apply it at night after  I scrub my legs with a loofah then pat dry and apply. Just make sure to wash your hands after with soap because you will have a good amount of unwanted color on them.

The color lasts for about 3 days so, when I reach the color that I want I then apply about every other or every third day to keep it dark. As it fades it won’t leave your skin blotchy either!!

The best part of this all is that it is cheap. I found mine at Walmart for $6.97. You can find this at almost any drugstore or store such as Target, Meijer, and Kroger etc. They have 2 types of shades one for fair skin and the one I have which is for dark skin. If you have light skin I wouldn’t worry about the dark one because i'm pretty fair right now and its perfect for my skin.

All that being said it’s something I am going to be re-purchasing for the summer  J

NOTD: Nail of the Day

2 Coats

This polish is by Sinful Colors and is called Vacation TIme.I wasn’t so sure of this color at all because I usually go for nudes more in the lighter side, but this caught my eye it was kind of like a piece of shirt that looks horrid on the rack then when you put it on it actually becomes one of your favorite shirts. Another thing that worried me was that it’s a cheap nail polish and by cheap I mean this was on sale at Walgreens for only $1.00! I was fully prepared for it to glob up and never dry but, it was amazing. It dried in a very reasonable amount of time and cover nicely I only had to but on two coats!

What's your scent?

My Top 5 Perfumes

Perfume (English: /ˈpɝː.fjuːm/, French parfum pronounced: [paʁ.fœ̃]) is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, animals, objects, and living spaces a pleasant scent.

Euphoria “Calvin Klein”-

This scent is  mysterious, provocative, exciting the fantasy and surprise of the black orchid creates a captivating oriental fragrance that contrasts exotic fruits, seductive florals and a rich, creamy signature.

Top notes: pomegranate, persimmon, lush green

Mid notes: lotus blossom, champaca flower, black orchid

Base notes: liquid amber, black violet, cream, mahogany

This is my one of my favorites it wares the longest out of any perfume I have. It’s a very heavy sophisticated smell.

Touch “Burberry”-

This to me is a very clean smell, it’s more for daytime. It also wares for a decent amount of time also.

This feminine scent possesses a blend of citrus and rose top notes, with floral mid notes and base notes of vanilla, oak moss and cedar

Gold “GUESS”-

This is a scent hat I have been wearing for years, this is a night time scent it’s heavy and musky.

 fruity oriental fragrance with top notes of citrus, golden apple, and pineapple; a heart hyacinth, pink pepper, water lily, jasmine, and rose with a base of vanilla, musk, sandalwood, patchouli, honey, and amber

Guilty “GUCCI”-

This tends to be more of a sheer, fruity oriental than a floral oriental; it opens with a bright citrus accord, dusted with a pepper note that gives it some bite and a suggestion (but just a suggestion) of dirtiness. The top notes give off a nice glow. The heart of the fragrance has a very soft hint of lilac, still layered under the golden fruit notes, and the geranium adds a sharp greenish note while continuing the peppery effect.

Very Hollywood “MICHAEL KORS”-

I love this scent it’s a very fruity and light. I normally don’t go for fruity flowery scents but this for some reason caught my eye maybe it was the bottle because it my favorite perfume bottle. It’s a great fun spring scent.

Notes of sparkling mandarin, gardenia, and vetiver that are suited to a silver screen siren

Travel Much?

20 Items That You Should Always Have When Traveling

Whether is for a weekend, 2 weeks or a month there are always items that you are always going to want to have with you. Weather you hands are dry or you needing to get that dreaded coffee stain out of your shirt. Here are my 20 items that I keep in my travel bag. These items are bought for this bag so I don’t have to take my full size items and chance leaving them where I stayed. There is nothing worse than going to get ready and realize you have left your favorite perfume of makeup remover 16 hours away. Another good idea is to make one for you boyfriend/husband/etc, because if yours is anything like mine he would bring just the toothpaste and leave it there :)

1.       PocketBac anti-bacterial, Bath & Body Works (5 for $5.00)

2.       Travel size Neutrogena make-up remover cleansing towelettes, Wal-Mart ($1.97)

3.       To Go Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, Wal-Mart, ($1.00)

4.       Kleenex, Wal-Mart, (6 for $1.99)

5.       Colgate Wisp’s, Wal-Mart, (2pk $1.00)

6.       Colgate toothpaste travel size, Wal-Mart, ($.97)

7.       Toothbrush “With Case”, Wal-Mart, ($2.00)

8.       Tide To Go stain remover, Target, ($2.99)

9.       Burt’s Bees Lip Balm, Walgreens, ($3.49)

10.   Secret Deodorant “travel size” Wal-Mart, ($.97)

11.   Olay Total Effects Body Wash, Free Sample

12.   Lancome High Resolution Refill-3x, Macys, (2.6oz $90.00)

13.   Crest Mouth Wash, Wal-Mart, ($.97)

14.   Contacts case, Wal-mart, ($.97)

15.   MAC Lipstick “Equality”, MAC, ($14.50)

16.   Viva La Juicy Body Loiton “Came in Set”

17.   Juicy Couture Perfume Roller Ball, Macys, (Set  of 6 $90.00)

18.   EOS Hand Lotion, Walgreens, ($3.97)

19.   Lancome Juicy Tubes “Pure”, Macys, ($18.00)

20.   Bobby Pins and Hair Tie



NOTD: Nail of the Day



2 Coats

Nail Of the Day: Sally Hansen, Xtreme wear “Pacific Blue”

When I think of blue nails I think of blue eye shadow, and blue eye shadow can be disturbing, although this color caught my eye. It’s a really pretty spring blue without being a baby pastel blue. It’s a rich cobalt-periwinkle. It’s very fun and unique. It covers really well also you could definitely get away with putting on one coat if you were in a hurry. Another perk with this color is that there is no shimmer its pure cream.

Are You Feeling Guilty?

I collect perfumes, they are something that I feel bare without, in other words I can’t leave the house without spritzing myself with one…My latest perfume was given to me by my boyfriend and it’s the GUCCI GUILTY it’s my favorite scent that I have . I am not big on real sweet flowery scents. I love the original Juicy Couture but that is about as sweet as I will go. The Gucci Guilty is such a clean smelling fresh musky scent…the only thing down fall is that it doesn’t ware long at all.

If you like the scents Euphoria and Guess Gold you will fall in love with this. It’s a very sophisticated scent there is nothing juvenile about it.  I got the 2.5 oz and that retails for about $110 at Macys.

The notes are mandarin, pink pepper, peach, lilac, geranium, amber, and patchouli.

Burt's Bees Milk & Honey Lotion

I have found the best lotion no need to search anymore!

Its 99% natural!

Smells Amazing!

Leaves you hands feeling silky soomth!

None of that afterword greasy feeling!

Affordable $8.99 (6oz bottle)!

Easy Cheesy Potatoes

Who dosent love Cheesy Potatoes? No one!

This is super easy and cheap recipie!



Recipie in picture doubled



Pret time- 10 min

Cook time- 30 min

Ingredients:

(2) lbs of Frozen hash borwns

(1) can of cream of chicken soup

16 oz of sour cream

(2 )8oz packages of shredded cheese

(1/3) cup melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Combine the hashbrowns, soup and sour cream, one packet of cheese. Mix well and pour into 4 quart casserole dish.
3. Top with remaining cheese and butter; bake for 30 minutes or until all cheese is melted and hot.

Save At Wallgreens On Nail Polish

"902 Craving Coral"

"092 Blue Lagoon"

Spring is my favorite season for new nail polish colors, there for my trips to the drugstores become a little more frequent so, in order to keep it all in my budget I find ways to cut costs, The best store to do this is Wallgreens. They are really good about coupons, register rewards, and in store soupons you can practicaly get them for FREE!!


Example: You have a manufacture's coupon for $1.00 off any revlon cosmetic....you go to the store and all revlon cosmetics are on sale "which they usually are"This spring Wallgreens has a in store coupon for $1.00 off any Revlon product in thier " Spring Beauty Guide". This can be found at the beauty counter. Wallgreens lets you use both coupons!!!



Spring Beauty Guide "Free"

 So with the savings right there you have saved $2.00 not including if the polish was already on sale.Usually the Revlon nail polish retails for about $3.49. With coupons you have saved 50% .  With the Remaining Blanace of about $1.49 you can use the "Register Rewards" you have previously recieved from purchases to use on the nail polish....at that point you have gotton it FREE!


So with all of that being said I urge you to go to your local Wallgreens and find a polish that will add a burst of color to your day :)