Hey there friend!

BLAST FROM THE PAST!

I had every intention of posting this, but somehow I never got around to it. Hard to believe it's been sitting in my drafts for almost a year. Since everything is still current I thought... better late than never, right?

ENOJY!

I saw this tag on Jump in my Sidecar and thought it was too cute to pass up!

1. Is it cute when guys kiss you on your forehead? I think so
   
2. A big poofy dress or a short party dress? Short Party Dress, I like to be able to move... you never know when you may need to high tail it outta somewhere LOL
3. Are diamonds a girl's best friend? I'd personally like something a bit more... shall we day... EDIBLE =)
4. Is your hair up or down today? Up in a bun... It was too hot for anything else
5. Do you straighten your hair? Ocassionally
6. Favorite mascara? The Curling by Kevyn Aucoin
7. Do you get your nails done? Nope
8. Small or large purses? I'm a mommy so LARGE 
9. Jeans or sweats? Jeggings... best of both worlds!
10. Do you wear clothes/shoes/jewelry that's uncomfortable? Nope... I refuse to spend money on things I'll dread wearing.
11. Do you text message a lot? I sure as heck do, sometimes I don't feel like talking
12. Whats your favorite color? Green
13. Heels or flats? Heels
14. Would you ever leave the house without makeup on? Yep
15. Walmart or Target? Walmart because it's open 24 hours 
16. Do you think lip gloss is the best!? Not really, I prefer good old fashioned lipstick (no sticky feeling)
17. Do you own any big sunglasses? 2 pair
18. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? About 15 minutes, but 45 if it's me and the little one
19. Gold or silver? I LOVE Rose Gold
20. Do you like to wear dresses? When it's hot out
21. In the last 48 hours have you hung out with a guy? Yeah buddy
22. Do you like to hold hands? I sure do
23. What do you notice when you first meet a guy? Eyes, they say a lot if you take the time to read them
24. Do you like making eye contact? I always do
25. Would you kill for chocolate? No sir
26. On a scale from 1-10 how fun is shopping? I'd give it a solid 8, 2 if it's around Christmas time
27. Do you yell a lot? Depends on who I'm talking to
28. Do you wear sweatpants/pajamas to school/work? Oh heck yes!
29. Have you ever dressed unlike yourself to impress a guy? Nope
30. What makeup could you not live without? EOS Sweet Mint lip balm
31. Do you fall in love easily? I sure don't
32. Do you have cramps? Nope, but thanks for asking 
33. Do you think you have the bestest friend ever? I most certainly do! Love ya!

MAC Saigon Summer lipstick

Don't you love when you stumble across old gems in your makeup drawer!?!

Saigon Summer

I picked up this baby when the Cremesheen + Pearl lipsticks came out awhile ago, but never got around  to using until a few days ago... and it was instant love. I love and own a plethora of lipsticks in various shades, but I tend to stick towards nudes and coral for the working days, so Saigon Summer was a no brainer for me when I saw this collection. And the fact it was a Cremesheen lipstick was the cherry on top since it's my favorite finish from MAC. It is like more wearable Morange in my opinion, and can work through all seasons despite it's more summer-y tone. It kind of reminds me of Jazzed too, but  when I first saw it Vegas Volt jumped into my mind. Yet when I swatched a few other coral-esque lipsticks to compare... they all look PINK next to Saigon Summer... kind of weird.

MAC Saigon Summer

L-R: MAC Vegas Volt, MAC Lollipop Lovin', MAC Saigon Summer, MAC Sock Hop, MAC Richer Lusher

Anyhoo, anyone own saigon Summer, or any other lipstick from this collection? What's you're favorite Coral/Orange lippie?

 -Miss Brina

A decision must be made....

Aldo Luongo- "Monday Morning" c/o Gallery 280

We've all been there before, running late for something... work, school, a date or some other equally important event in our lives. In the midst of all the chaos involved with getting ready, you're re-vamping your prep plan from the night before... because let's face it, something isn't going to get done. 

For me, I wouldn't care if the sky was falling and bombs were going off outside... I WILL NOT leave my home without my eyebrows being filled in!!!! NO foundation? Oh well. No lipstick? Dang... but alright. Bare Eyebrows? Oh hell naw... we have time! I have my grandmother's eyebrows, they kind of do this dip down thing after the arch and become thin, so they're hard to work with and get even. Sounds crazy, but it's my main beauty concern. I will walk out without a scrap of makeup or color on my face, as long as my eyebrows are done, because sparse brows worry me to my soul. That being said, I'd be late to my own funeral to make sure my brows were done right LOL

What I want to know is, when time is short and you should've been out the door and running like yesterday, what is the ONE ABSOLUTE THING you will NEVER leave the house without primping regardless of what time it is?

-Miss Brina

MAC Viva Glam: Nicki Minaj

 

I wasn't one of the many who hopped all over the Pink Friday lipstick that MAC brought out awhile back. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for snatching up the LE items... I just refuse to buy something KNOWING I am not going to use it. And I WAS NOT going to wear that bad boy. Fact is, it would've looked HORRIBLE on me. Could I have freaked it with some liner and gloss and made it work? YEP. But I really didn't feel like spending $15 on a lipstick that I'd have to do some major altering to in order to NOT look ridiculous.

When I got the email with the Viva Glam ad for this lipstick, I immediately thought... here we go again. But I skipped my gut feeling and did a little research anyway to see if this one would be wearable for me. What I found were some comparisons to Pink Friday and a handful of swatches that looked promising; though in the end I had to make an executive decision since there weren't many swatches on darker skin for reference. So, I gave in and bought it since I figured it was for a great cause regardless of how things panned out.

I've had it a few days and have tried it various ways, and I can say that on my skintone, I find it barely wearable out the tube. It does compliment warmer tones better than Pink Friday, but if it had not been Viva Glam... I would be $15 richer for sure. The consistency is a little drier that I expected (I'm a creamsheen woman), but it's certainly full coverage in one swipe, and not drying to the lips. The staying power is great, so be sure to throw a balm on underneath that bad boy to cut down the risk of staining (I woke up the next morning with pink tinted lips even after removing my makeup for the night).

Overall, I think this would look better on fairer skin, or really deep hued beauties, but certainly can be for anyone with a bit of tweaking. My favorite combo thus far is Viva Glam Nicki with Iman Tan liner and Buxom Monica gloss.

What do you guys think about the new Viva Glam Nicki? And... enjoy the swatches!

 ( Excuse the bare face... lipstick not as pale as it appears here )

 Straight from the tube (more True to Color here)

 Viva Glam Nicki with Iman TAN liner (toned it down)

Viva Glam Nicki with Iman TAN liner and Buxom MONICA gloss (My FAV combo)

-Miss Brina

Sneak Peak!

Hey you guys! I've been testing out something new for a little while now, and I thought I'd give you a little teaser on an upcoming post...

I think I may have found the ONE. lol

I LOVE IT!!! NYX Xtreme Lip Cream

Let me just jump right on into this... Oh how I love these new lip creams! It was literally love at first sight when I saw these, my only dilemma was, which color do I buy first? If you've seen my review on the Soft Matte Lip Cream, then I'll simply say THESE bad boys blow those out the water! 

One of the major differences of the Xtreme and Soft Matte Lip Creams are the finishes. Soft Mattes are a creamy matte finish while the Xtreme lip creams have a dewy/moist finish.  Also, the Xtreme lip creams ALL have a much more opaque application with just one swipe. I found that with the Soft Mattes, I had to build a couple of layers to get the coverage I wanted and the color you see in the tube. But all the issues I had with those seem to have been addressed and the corrections applied to the new Xtreme Lip Creams. 

NYX Xtreme Lip Creams in SPICY & SKINTONE

Doe foot applicator

L-R: Spicy & Skintone

Indoor lighting: SKINTONE

Indoor W/Flash: SKINTONE

Low Lighting NO Flash: SKINTONE

 

Indoors W/Flash: SPICY

 

Indoors NO Flash: SPICY

 Low Lighting: SPICY

What I love most, besides the full coverage of these beauties, is the fact that they are non-drying! I don't even need to apply a balm to get that smooth and even coverage, I just swipe the wand over bare lips and I am ready to dash! And for only $6 each, I'm going to grab a couple of the other colors that I really liked, as well as a few backups of SKINTONE.... which turns out to be my HG nude lippie!!!!! Though a bit warmer (which I LOVE... stops that washed out look), it's pretty much a dupe for the discontinued MAC Underplay.  See Photos!

(w/ Flash) L-R: NYX Skintone, MAC Underplay, NYX Soft Matte in Abu Dhabi (for reference)


(NO Flash) L-R: NYX Skintone, MAC Underplay, NYX Soft Matte in Abu Dhabi (for reference)


(W/Flash) Top Lip: MAC Underplay, Bottom Lip: NYX Skintone


(Indoors) Top Lip: MAC Underplay, Bottom Lip: NYX Skintone


(Natural Light) Top Lip: MAC Underplay, Bottom Lip: NYX Skintone


(Low Lighting) Top Lip: MAC Underplay, Bottom Lip: NYX Skintone

As you can see from the photos, SKINTONE is darker and a bit warmer than UNDERPLAY on the hand, but when applied to the lips... you really can not tell the difference!!!!!

What do you guys think of the NYX Xtreme Lip Creams? Anybody else jump at the chance to try these bad boys? If not, what shades would you like to get your hands on?

P.S- How's everyone's 2012 going so far?

With Love,

Ms. Brina

Coastal Scents Haul: Go Palettes!!! (Me Likey)

 

When I first received the email regarding the new Go Palettes from Coastal Scents awhile ago, I immediately knew I would end up with most (if not all) of them. Why? Because I'm simply a sucker for convenience, and let's face it, that's what a palette offers... multiple looks in one tiny package. And while my inner makeup diva urged me to "buy them all," sensible Brina eventually won the battle, and I placed 3 of the most intriguing (to me) in my cart. They retail for $8.95, and while the palette is fairly compact, the shadows are the same size as the rest of the coastal scents 88 palettes... so you get a nice amount of product AND 12 well coordinated shades. I would DEFINITELY recommend picking up at least one of these, my favorite of the 3 I bought so far being the London palette.

  

Here's the Booty LOL

Side by Side: London, Cairo, Beijing

I also picked up the liquid version of their Black Soap, which I LOVE! I've been using black soap for awhile now, and I find it to be a chore to cut up to use and store, so I jumped at the chance to grab some in a no hassle bottle. YAY ME! LOL

Lastly, I got a sample of their #12 foundation, as well as a sample of their mineral concealer.

I'll post complete palette swatches in a couple of days when I get done running with the family this weekend.


Anybody get their hands on any of the new Go Palettes yet? I'd love to hear your thoughts on them.


Have a great Weekend!!!!


-Miss Brina

RAVE: Smashbox Studio Skin 15 hour Foundation

For the past couple of days I have been trying out the New Studio Skin 15 hour foundation from Smashbox. It retails for about $42, which is kind of pricey in my honest opinion, but it's some pretty awesome stuff! Now, I bought it in shade 4.1, which is one of the darker shades, but it's a little too dark, so I am going to exchange it for 3.4 tomorrow.

It's med-full coverage, and covers/ builds soooooooo flawlessly. It DOES NOT leave you looking cakey at all. And I can completely omit concealer with this stuff. Another plus is the fact that even with it's coverage, it feels really light on. I can't attest to the 15 hour wearing power, since I never wear my foundation that long, BUT I can say that after a nearly 12 hour day, I was a bit oily yet  it was still going strong. I would definitely recommend this foundation to anyone who desires a long lasting, lighter feeling, full coverage foundation.

Has anyone been able to try this out yet? What are your thoughts?

-Miss Brina

RANDOM TIP: Turn ANY lipstick into a Matte

Love the look of a matte lip but HATE the dry, cracking feeling that comes along with it? Opt for a nice moisturizing lippie instead and pat some silica powder over that bad boy! Not only will your lips have that gorgeous matte look you desire, but they won't suffer the consequences to get it! Not to mention you also save a few bucks by using lipsticks you may already have with a 2 in 1 look. Have you tried silica powder?

Want to see the results? Head on over to Anatomy of Beauty to see the AMAZING effects of silica powder!

Want to get some silica powder? Head on over here or here.

Update: NYX Matte Lippies

Hey you guys! I know it's EXTRA late, but I've finally posted the swatches for the NYX Matte Lipsticks. You can find the updated post here.


Have a happy thursday!

E.L.F. Cosmetics Haul/ Review

I was recently given the opportunity to review a few products from E.L.F, and overall, I am greatly pleased with the quality of products that they churn out so cheaply! After watching numerous youtube videos over the last few months, there were a few standout products that I jumped at the chance to try, so let’s just  get right into the review.

(Photo courtesy of eyeslipsface)

It’s no secret that I am on the search for the PERFECT foundation. I’m almost embarrassed to admit to how many products I’ve purchased, used for maybe a month or so, then given  (or sometimes tossed) away due to ill matches or unfavorable performance. That being said (and for $6 a pop), you KNOW I had to give their Flawless Finish Foundation a chance. Now I will say that when this item arrived, I was a little put off by the fact it had leaked in transit, and had this been a more pricier foundation I’d have returned it immediately, but I sucked it up and grabbed my foundation brush, ready to get to swatching!

  

(Poor leaky foundation)

I’ve heard so many people complain about the size of the foundation (.80 oz), but honestly, for the price it’s great. And truly, as someone who has had to dump many foundations after they’ve thickened and oxidized too dark after a few months, I find this smaller bottle more appealing and convenient…. Not to mention it cuts down on product waste considerably.  After a little deliberation, I opted for the shade Almond, and while it is not the perfect match for me, it is a great foundation. The coverage you get with this stuff us UNBELIEVABLE! Honestly, I have a few brown marks on my cheeks from popping the occasional pimple, and I didn’t even need to use any concealer (THAT’S how amazing this foundation was for me)!!! I just wish the color selection was a bit broader and more specifically, I wish this foundation was a bit more yellow, then I’d surely move it into the daily rotation.

(Photo courtesy of eyeslipsface)

I also picked up a few lip products from the Mineral line that E.L.F has, and I was least impressed with the Mineral Lipstick. I grabbed the shade Rosy Tan, and man… that bad boy is pretty darn sheer! It took some serious building to get the payoff I THOUGHT it would deliver out the tube. It wasn’t sticky, it wasn’t overly waxy, but unless they found a way to make it more opaque I won’t be picking up any more of these. **SIDE NOTE: I hopped on the 60% sale E.L.F had a few weeks ago and got 4 more of the mineral lippies a few days before this arrived. The pigmentation was a bit better, but my earlier verdict still stands…. NOT FOR ME.

(Photo courtesy of eyeslipsface)

But the mineral line has been redeemed!!! I am in absolute LOVE with the Mineral Lipgloss! I needed a clear gloss, so I figured, WHY NOT! First, it’s so NOT sticky, it’s NOT thick…  it is a gloss lovers dream product! It glides on so smoothly, and I don’t even feel it on my lips when I’m wearing it. I’ll be grabbing a few more backups, as well as trying a few more colors from this line. If I can only recommend one product as a MUST HAVE… this is it!!!!!

(Photo courtesy of eyeslipsface)

Now, on to the eyes! I got the Professional Studio Pro Endless Eyes Palette after hearing so many great things about it. Even my sister raved about it after she got one for Christmas, but sadly, I wasn’t too blown away.  Let me start off by saying I wanted to LOVE this! It has such a beautiful mix of colors all in one (large) 100-shadow palette, but it was really too hit or miss for me. I found quite a few of the shades to be very sheer, and it was hard to pick up any product from some as well as they were very hard pressed. But people RAVE about this; who knows, maybe I got a dud! Also, one color was damaged upon receipt (see photos) 

but I held on to this palette for review after deciding it wasn’t worth sending back over one crumbled shade I wouldn’t have used much in the first place. I think that if you’re on a budget, or prefer your shadows more watercolor-esque, this palette is going to tickle your fancy. But as with ALL of the products from E.L.F it’s worth picking up just for the price alone ($10).

(Photo courtesy of eyeslipsface)

But it wasn’t all bad in the shadow department, as I fell into an easy and effortless routine with the Professional Studio Matte Eyeshadow in Chestnut. I got it thinking it would be a great blending shade, and it really is. I think that anyone NC44/45 and beyond should really pick this up and add to their beauty arsenal. I mean, $3 for .05oz of product and a little brush (even if I don't use it) is worth it. And the pigmentation of this shadow is great too. It’s true to color, and would even make a good crease color for fair skinned women looking to rock a more natural look for work. If you’re listening E.L.F…. YOU NEED MORE MATTE SHADOW COLORS! This is one of the BEST items I’ve tried from this company, and I really would love to see the range grow. Mint and  Baked Berry… I’m coming for you next!

(Photo courtesy of google images)

The last item I picked up was one of the Essential Beauty Book Eye Edition sets in Neutral ($5). These 12 coordinating shades were surprisingly pigmented and blended very nicely to achieve a variety of work suitable looks. I LOVE the little liner and mirror that accompanies this. The size of the palette initially threw me for a loop since I figured it would be smaller than what it really is, and the cardboard housing made for a lightweight, yet sturdy product. It would be great to travel with, just be sure to keep it in your carry-on to avoid any smashing or potential breaking disasters. ***SIDE NOTE: This item is no longer listed on their site.

To make a long story short, E.L.F really has this bargain cosmetic game on lockdown! They are currently offering Celebration specials (for their 7th Birthday extraveganza) as well as FREE SHIPPING deals until August 1st, so if you’ve been curious about any of their products, or even if you’re already a tried and true fan then NOW is the time to pickup a few beauty essential from their website! ‘Cause with products starting at $1…. Twenty bucks will go a long way with E.L.F.