Sally Hansen's Time to Shine

While watching one of my favorite fellow make-up artists on YouTube the other day, I was distracted by how much I liked her nail polish! Luckily, when I was at the grocery I scooped up what looked like to be a dead ringer for it. Sally Hansen's Extreme Wear in Time to Shine.{Worth noting- it's quite a steal at $1.99}

Though I do love the color & think it will be adorable on my piggies- I'm not so confident in the Extreme Wear portion of the title. I did use a cuticle oil prior to painting my nails & thought I had completely removed any trace from the nail bed with polish remover. That might be the culprit to my polish chipping pretty promptly. It might be better suited for a pedicure, since I'm so tough on my hands at the spa. But since the khaki gold color is so fun, I'm definitely giving it another chance!

Peace. Love. Polish. M

Fabulous Finds Friday

So I have a feeling this weekend is going to be costly...yes I'm worried about possible damage to my house due to Hurricane Irene which is headed our way. However I'm also concerned about the credit card damage I'll probably be doing online shopping, since I will not want to be leaving the house! This happens during blizzards & storms for me, in addition to carb & cocktail overload. You might say I'm crazy for already having holiday shopping on the brain, but I do! It also makes sense for me to spread my holiday purchasing budget over a few months so I don't weep when my January Visa bill comes. I always say the gift of good skin is invaluable & the Clarisonic is a great cleansing tool. While it is an investment, here's a sneak peek at tomorrow's TSV on QVC! This entire system normally retails for $318 & has a one day price of $196.80. So since the holidays are only 4 months away, by the time they come around you would have only one more payment of $39.36 since who wouldn't take advantage of easy pay.


The cherry blossom motif is so cute- I think the pink is my favorite, though it also comes in the blue shown above & purple. This collection comes with 2 face brushes & one for the body. But let us not forget the Lemon + Sage Bliss trio that it comes with! I'm obsessed with verbena-Lemon + Sage is one of my all time favorite scents, it is so clean & fresh. The trio includes one Bliss Lemon +Sage Soapy Suds Body Wash, one Bliss Lemon + Sage Body Butter & one Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash. I gave my sisters & my mom Clarisonics two years ago for Christmas- they were a big hit, but I wish they were as adorable as these! What do you say to getting a little holiday shopping on?

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Files From the Brow Whisperer

So at first sight, these brows don't look so out of whack. I would say that they are out of balance, though. This bride to be has what I call a semi colon brow shape, where there's too much bulk or almost a 'bulb' at the beginning of the brow. This shape also can make the 'tail' of the brow look very sparse.
A simple slimming at the beginning of the brow helps the brow have a more streamlined appearance. Subtle, but it opens her eyes & strengthens the appearance of the ending 'tail.' Her eyes will look lifted & lovely on her big day. So worth it!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Must Have Make-Up Monday

I'm soooo trying to show restraint this morning, because there's a great Smashbox TSV on QVC! I have more than enough make-up to last me a lifetime due to the fact that I'm an beauty addict- plain & simple. However {let the justifying begin...} I do heart Smashbox Cosmetics & this really is a steal of a deal! All this loot could be mine for $74.94 & it has a retail value of $209! There's even their HALO foundation in this kit {I've been dying to try}, that has a cult following due it's ability to hydrate while minimizing the look of fine lines & wrinkles! I'm also gravitating to their Red Carpet Radiance Palette in VIP- since I shun the sun I turn to collections like this to get my glow on! Also included in this Today's Special Value is the Waterproof Shadow Liner To Go in Luminous Fig, Photo Op Eyeshadow Quad in On Stage & Lip Enhancing Glosses in Hot Shot & Idol. So what do you Beauties think- must I have it? I'm waiting on you guys for the go ahead!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Giving Back

If you're an early bird {make that an Oriole bird- because you'll have to live in Baltimore} please be sure to keep a look out for moi on WBAL TV tomorrow morning. I should be on around 5:45-6:30AM talking about the fundraising event we're doing for the Maryland SPCA this month! We're donating 10% of all of the 'fur removal' A.K.A. waxing that we do at La Papillon during the month of August to our furry friends back at the Maryland SPCA. It's a fun campaign, but one that's very close to my heart- everyone should experience the unconditional love & devotion of a rescue. So I hope you'll tune in & please say a prayer that I'm coherent- ha ha. I will be getting up around 3AM to get myself beautified & anyone who knows me, knows I'm sooo not a morning person. Hopefully I will be entertaining & not overly caffeinated!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Fabulous Finds Friday

This beauty addict loves a great steal & deal. I especially love when they're friends & family events on lines that I love. Now until August 15th, you can save 30% off Tarte products using coupon code FFAUG {excluding their super fun TrueBlood collection} + if you spend $40- there's a free gift plus free shipping! Can I get an Amen?

Here's a little make-up artist trick: lining your waterline(the inner lower lash line) with a peachy nude color instantly makes the whites of your eyes whiter, while it also makes you look more refreshed. Also because it's nude, as it wears off there's no mess like there would be if you were using black liner.

I love Tarte's LipSurgence Matte Lip Tint in Exposed- in the morning I swipe on this very soft & neutral shade. I'm a very 'nude' lip girl, if you are too, than this is the shade for you. It looks exactly like your own lip color, but with a little bit more oomph. So shop away girleens!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Make-Up Must Have Monday

So on a recent weekend getaway to the Eastern Shore, there was a lot of lounging around. It was so hot that days were spent in the pool & nights were about Bravo marathons while sipping frozen Mojitos. Our one excursion out & about was to Walmart to stock up on some more SPF. Of course I can't ever leave an establishment that sells make-up, with buying some!
I scooped up 2 of Hard Candy's Eye Def -high def glittering cream eyeshadows. It comes in 8 different shades- from a wild magenta & vivid cobalt blue to some 'safer' options like what I went with. I ended up getting Liar (top) which is an army fatigue green with gold flecks & Ditch (bottom) which is a great summer bronzey gold.

Here I am sporting Liar. These tubes are all about super easy sparkle. And what girl doesn't want a little sparkle in their life at times? You have about 30 seconds to get the product where you want to go before it sets. You can also build it's intensity. I love that it's no fuss & no mess- most of the time glitter ends up everywhere. The doefoot makes it super easy to place the product, then I blended it out with my finger. It stays really well, but you don't need an industrial strength solvent to get it off- it broke down easily with my basic cleanser. An added plus- it's a steal at around $6! I'll definitely be grabbing some more...I just can't help myself!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

NXY

No beauty store is safe from me, I can sniff them out. I got lost the other day & not in the best area- but then like a beacon of light I saw one. I love hopping into different areas since you can discover different brands. I've used & loved some NYX products in the past & of course had to scoop up these pretty Loose Pearl Shadows to cope with getting lost! Shown left to right: Nude Pearl LP 01 ,Sky Pink Pearl LP13, Mink Pearl LP 19, Mocha Pearl LP20.

How pretty are these in the daylight? Here the shadows are from the image above except instead of left to right, swatched top to bottom. There is something about loose pigments that just optimizes shimmer & sheen. I will say that whoever decided to put the powder in the little vials must have been a man, who obviously doesn't use make-up. They're too small to reach into with a brush, so you have to dump it out. Needless to say I felt like Penelope Cruz struggling with vials in the movie Blow!


Here I am using some of the bronze shades for an easy summer look:
LP 01 on the brow bone & lid, LP 19 in the crease.
There's that beautiful Sky Pink LP13 on the lid- I rarely use pinks on my eyes, I usually feel that it can make the whites of your eyes look bloodshot, but it is stunning! LP01 was used on the brow with LP20 in the crease to finish off the look. These are a steal of a deal at only $3 a piece & tiny enough to justify scooping up a bunch!

Peace. Love. Pigments. M