Subbie Saturday: 4/30/11

Woo hoo! It's Saturday once again! Time for another edition of Subbie Saturday. So who will it be this week?

This week I picked someone who's blog I just found a couple of weeks ago. I don't remember how I came to find her blog but I'm happy I did. The looks I have seen this young lady do are very bold and colorful. I like that. I have found some looks of hers that I really want to try out for myself. I'm inspired!

She has an amazing tag line for her blog. "A blog for people who need a slap to the face with a splash of color," that alone made me want to follow her blog.

So, who is this creative blogger? She is...

G-RIZZLE

OF
WaR pAinT

G-Rizzle uses some of the most popular and easily accessible makeup brands out there:
E.L.F., Avon, Sugar Pill, NYX, MAC, Gosh, and Lime Crime.

Here are the links to a few of my favorite blog posts of hers:
Today's Look...Ocean Breeze
Today's Look...Tickle Me Pink!
O.C.C. Lip Tars
Today's Look...Ocean Spray

So I say, do yourselves a favor and check out G-Rizzle's blog HERE!

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

Haul: Dollar Tree

Yesterday my sister told me that Dollar Tree had some really nice L.A. Color eyeshadow palettes and so of course I got excited. I have bought all my L.A. Color makeup from Dollar Tree and I'm really liking it so far.

First thing this morning, literally, I went to Dollar Tree. My sweets had to be at work at 8:00 so I dropped him off and went across the street to Dollar Tree. I was there before it even opened. Stalker!!

So I went in with my daughters and bribed them with some honey buns so I could browse in peace. But I was so disappointed. No L.A. Colors. Not even E.L.F. like she told me they had except one or two things. They were out of a lot of stuff. The shelves were pretty bare and what they had left was all damaged. Ugh.

But of course, you know me, I had to buy something.

This is what I got:

Dollar Tree Haul
All this for $5.00 plus tax.

E.L.F. All Over Color Stick
3105 Golden Peach
0.11 oz/4 g
$1.00

L.A. Colors Pressed Powder
BPP321 Beige
0.35 oz/10g
$1.00

Inside.

L.A. Colors Liquid Makeup
BLM312 Creamy Beige
0.42 fl oz/12ml
$1.00

Donna Michelle
Salon Basics Emery Boards
4 Count
$1.00

N.Y.C. Nail Glossies Duo
with Vinyl Shine & Pro Vitamin B5
247B and 209
$1.00

I have never tried any of these products before.

Actually, the only product that I have tried would be the E.L.F. All Over Color Stick but in another color (Pink Lemonade). I do like the E.L.F. All Over Colors Sticks very much and this color looks really pretty.

The L.A. Colors Liquid Makeup and Pressed Powder I bought just to try. I could always use a pressed powder to carry in my purse just to help fight shine when needed. As for the liquid foundation, I don't have one that I'm loving at the moment so I decided to give it a whirl. I don't know why but I liked the pump dispensing on it. Different to me.

I needed nail files so bad so I just grabbed these. I know that glass nail files are recommended over these cheapie ones but this will do for now. I hate having those little nicks on my nails that cling to everything!! But I fully intend on getting a glass nail file soon.

And the duo nail polishes, how could I resist? Two for a dollar! Good deal. I'm not too crazy about the dark blue teal one because I have other colors along those lines. But I did like the shimmery nude one. It looks sheer but I'm sure it will work for summertime.

OK, my Pretties, that's all for now. I should be back later for some swatches. My Saturdays tend to be busy having both my girls at home with me...all...day...long... LOL.

Oh yes, and don't forget, today is Subbie Saturday too. That post will be up later as well.

Until then, enjoy your Saturday. Be safe and happy!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

Savvy Beauty's Very First Blog Giveaway

Today I entered Savvy Beauty's very first blog giveaway!

I mean, look at all this stuff you can win. Nice!! Check out her blog post on this giveaway HERE and read up on all the goodies included and the rules, of course.

Giveaway will end May 25, 2011 and open only to U.S. residents.

Wish me luck. I really want to win this time :) And good luck to all of you who enter.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ Picture was taken from Savvy Beauty's giveaway blog post. ♥♥

Profusion Exclusive

A couple of weeks ago I went crazy buying all the Wet n Wild trios that I could find. I got a few at one Walgreen's then I decided to go to another Walgreen's to look for my missing ones. I found them. But when I got home, I saw that I ended up with 2 Silent Treatments. Doh!

The following day I went back to one of the Walgreen's and asked to exchange the eyeshadow trio for something else. That's when I saw this huge makeup set for very cheap. I never heard of the brand before. But who cares!? For the price of $7.49, I could not resist. To me it had the look of a makeup gift set that came out for the holidays. Maybe that's why they were on clearance.

Well anyways, I cashed in my $2.99 for the WnW trio and so the Profusion Exclusive makeup set came out to $4.50 plus tax. Nice!

And here it is:

All of this for $7.49 at Walgreen's.

Small black clutch included.
I think it is used to carry the palette of your choice.
One compact, 3 palettes to interchange.

3 brushes included.
Lash comb/brow brush. Eyeshadow brush. Face brush.
I haven't tried to apply the makeup with this.
Feel semi soft, a bit on the cheap side.

3 liners included.
Red lip liner. 1 brown & 1 black eyeliner.
I tried the red and black liners.
Both very smooth and pigmented.

Pencil sharpener included
along with 4 sponge tip applicators.

72 eyeshadows and 2 more sponge tip applicators.
I have not tried all the shadows but they are buttery
smooth and very well pigmented.
Love them!

18 lip colors. 4 blushes. 2 bronzers.
I have not tried these out yet.

3 nail polishes with matching lip glosses.
I have tried the clear glitter nail polish and the smell is overwhelming.
I could not finish painting one nail. Ugh!
I did wear the pink lip gloss. It's just OK.

Look #1 done with these eyeshadows.
Pink, purple, blue, and green.

Look #2 done with these eyeshadows.
Aqua, blue, black, and silver.

Truth be told, not the greatest makeup ever. But of course, that's a given for the $7.49 price tag. But I will say that I am not at all disappointed. I would have readily paid the money for just the eyeshadows alone. They are wonderful. I did my Easter look (which you can see HERE) with these eyeshadows as well.

I am just really into palettes lately so when I saw this, tell me, how could I say no.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ I bought this with my own money. These are my own thoughts and honest opinions. ♥♥

Blogs By Latinas

Hello, my Pretties!

Quick news to share with you...

On April 17th, I came across a website called Blogs By Latinas and I thought it was such a great place. This site is a directory of all things blog! All sorts of blogs written by Latinas. I had to join.

I filled out the form, which you can find HERE, and submitted it that same day. It takes 3-5 days to find out if your blog was selected to be included in their directory. Five days later, and I still did not have an answer.

But this morning when I woke up, I checked my emails as I usually do and there it was. I had an email from Monique Frausto telling me thank you for submitting my blog and that it was added to their directory. I was super excited, let me tell you. It may not be a huge thing, but for me, it was a huge leap in my blogging world.

Having my blog in a directory means a lot to me. It means that my blog will be more accessible to people who otherwise would have never found it. This week alone, Blogs By Latinas already has 4,818 visitors. That's a lot!

Well, I just wanted to share this little bit of good news with you. While you must be a Latina to have your blog included in their directory, you don't have to be Latina to view and follow other blogs. I recommend you check out Blogs By Latinas and find some amazing blogs to follow.

Visit today! My blog is featured on the front page with the other new blog just added!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

LFI: Easter Eyes

Yes, I know Easter was Sunday and it is now Tuesday and I am just posting my Easter Eye makeup look. Sorry for the delay but you know how hectic holidays can be.

Any how, this is the look that I did for Easter Sunday. It had to be fun and colorful...very spring-y! I did get told that my eyes looked like Easter eggs. So, I guess, mission accomplished.

I did this look using an eyeshadow palette that I got at Walgreen's a couple of weeks ago. I meant to blog about it that day because I was so excited about it but, of course, I didn't. I'm such a slacker.

But I will get around to it. I promise.

And here is my Easter egg looking eyes:

"Wow, your eyes look like Easter eggs!"

I did a double eye liner on this one.
Black closest to my lash line.
Green right above the black.

Yellow, orange, green, purple, and blue.
Pink along the lower lash line.

These are the colors I used from this palette...

...out of this gift set from Walgreen's.
Profusion Exclusive.

So, what did you Pretties think about this one? I know, it's not too creative. There are tons of this look floating around the blogosphere. But it's OK. This is the first time for me trying to create a pastel rainbow look. It turned out alright. I do need to work on it some more and perfect it!

Let me know if you want me to do a blog post on this Profusion Exclusive gift set. Maybe some swatches?

Well, I do hope that those of you who celebrate Easter had a wonderful holiday. I enjoyed a family filled day and it was so fun and exhausting all at the same time.

Luv & Luk,
--L.

Subbie Saturday: 4/23/11

What? No way!

The last time I posted a Subbie Saturday was on February 12th! I'm so sorry, My Pretties. I know many of you liked the idea of my little tradition of showcasing great bloggers and their blogs in hopes of helping them get new subbies.

I can't believe how badly I slacked off of this...

But, like dieting, you fall off the wagon, you get right back up on again. And so, the tradition of Subbie Saturday continues today.

This week's featured blogger is STACY MICHELLE of Stacy Michelle Loves Makeup!

The first time I came across this blog, I thought it was pretty great. It's really fantastic! Stacy Michelle is so talented, really. I love the way she applies her makeup--especially her eyeshadow!

Let me link you to some of my favorite blog posts of hers:
4.19.2011 - Blue Had Me At Hello Pt. 1
Peaceful Freakshow
Yellow Burst

I am honestly wowed by this girlie. I do think that this is an amazing blog and I highly recommend that you check it out. Come on, ladies, would I steer you wrong?

http://stacymichelle86.blogspot.com

Luv & Luk,
--L.

Collective Review: Garnier Fructis

Back in February, I tried a new hairspray by Herbal Essences which I reviewed after I finished the entire bottle. The final verdict was: I will not repurchase this product again. But at the end of the review, I did mention that I was testing out a new hairspray by Garnier Fructis.

Read my Herbal Essences Set Me Up Hairspray: Review HERE.

So, when I hit up Wal-Mart looking for a new hairspray, I picked up 3 different products all by Garnier Fructis. I bought a shampoo, a hair mask, and a hairspray.

Garnier Fructis
Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
for Dry Scalp
13 fl oz (384 ml)
$3.97

Garnier Fructis
Fortifying Deep Condtioner
Sleek & Shine
3 Minute Mask
10.2 oz net wt (289 g)
$4.98

Garnier Fructis Style
Full Control Anti-Humidity Hairspray
Ultra Strong (Level 4 out of 5)
8.5 fl oz (250 ml)
$2.96

ANTI-DANDRUFF SHAMPOO:
LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT!
I had some dry flaky skin forming along my hair line. Soooo not cute. It looked horrible. It was very obvious. I don't usually have a problem with dandruff. I'm thinking it was all the itching the Herbal Essence hairspray caused me that led to the flaking. I must say, after the 1st use, I did see a difference. After the 2nd use, the flakes at my hair line were almost gone. By the 3rd use, it was all gone! I used this dandruff shampoo every other hair wash. One time I'd use regular shampoo, the next time I'd use this dandruff shampoo. Now I only use it about once a week to make sure my head stays flake free. It has been since using this product. LOVE IT!

FORTIFYING DEEP CONDITIONER:
Very, very good!
I am almost on empty with this one here and I do intend to repurchase. I am very happy with this product. I shampoo my hair as usual then I apply this 3 minute mask and as I'm rinsing, I can feel the softness. Even after my hair dries, I can still feel the softness. I love it when my hair is soft! It is more manageable now. And there is also less frizz! Major plus point!! I love that this is in jar form so you can stick your whole hand in. Makes it easier than pumping it out or squeezing it out. The cream itself is a little thick but easy to distribute among my hair. It smells good too.

ANTI-HUMIDITY HAIRSPRAY:
LOVE IT!
This is the perfect hairspray. It smells good. It holds. I feel it lived up to its claims of "anti-humidity". And, it doesn't make my scalp itch! Need I say more? I finished all of this bottle and I also will repurchase this one.

My final thoughts on all this products goes like this: I love them. I am very happy with the results. I will repurchase again. And yes, I do recommend all of these products.

So, have any of you, My Pretties, tried any of these products? Is there any other Garnier Fructis items that I should try out??

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ I bought all of these products with my own money. These are my honest thoughts and opinions. Individual results may vary. ♥♥

Haul: Wal-Mart NYC & Wet n Wild Lippies

On Sunday, April 17, I went to Wal-Mart with my sweets. He was looking for a pellet gun or something like that for his nephew. As you probably can tell, I'm not an "outdoors" kind of gal so, I let him browse around sporting goods while I took a trip to the cosmetics department.

I was looking at the Hard Candy line because I've been dying to try it but not sure what to get. Any recommendations? So, I didn't get any Hard Candy but I did see that the NYC lippies were $0.93! Cool. I never buy lipsticks. I'm an eyeshadow person. I decided I needed to start adding lipsticks to my collection.

I picked up 4 NYC Ultra Moisture Lip Wear lippies and then I saw that Wet n Wild also had their lippies for $0.93! Yay!

I looked at the WnW lippies colors that were available and I saw that the selection was so bare. There were only about 4 different shades to choose from. All the other slots were empty. So, of the four that were left, two I had, the other I didn't like so I ended up with one Wet n Wild lipstick.

Here are the shades I picked out:

NYC Ultra Moisture Lip Wear Lipsticks
Net Wt 0.11 oz (3.4 g)
$0.93
Wet n Wild Lipstick
Net Wt 0.13 oz (3.6 g)
$0.93

Left to Right:
301 Cafe (NYC)
309 Sheer Red (NYC)
316 Blossom (NYC)
319 Violet Shine (NYC)
529B Copper Dust (WnW)

Swatches without flash.
Top to Bottom:
Cafe, Sheer Red, Blossom, Violet Shine, & Copper Dust

Swatches with flash.
Top to Bottom:
Cafe, Sheer Red, Blossom, Violet Shine, & Copper Dust

5 x .93 = $4.65. For lippies? Woo hoo! Even after adding the tax, this was a pretty good deal.

I have used Cafe, Blossom, and Violet Shine. Cafe is really pretty but looks very light on my darker skin tone. Blossom is probably the pinkest lip color I have. It's almost too Barbie pink but it didn't look horrible on me. I did add a touch of a nude gloss on top to tone down the pink. And I really did like Violet Shine. It's pink but much more subtle than Blossom.

Of all the shades that I picked up, Sheer Red is the only lippie that is creamy with no shimmer. All the other lipsticks contained shimmer in them.

All the lipsticks applied smoothly and easily. No tugging, they are very creamy. Although the Cafe one is very soft. The lipstick itself is a bit wobbly in the tube. It has indentations on the sides where it has touched the rim of the tube during application.

But for 5 lippies under $5, I will not complain. I like them. I went out of my comfort zone on some of these shades but for $0.93, I had to! If these lippies were say, $5 a piece, I would have only picked up Cafe because that is a color that I am used to and feel comfortable in. No better time to evolve and expand my tastes than when I find something cheap!

Wishing all My Pretties a perfect day!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

Haul: Avon Campaign 9 (2011)

On Tuesday, April 19, I received my Avon order for Campaign 9 by UPS. This was a small order for my customers but much bigger than the last few orders have been. My Avon business has been a little slow.

But, like I said, it did pick up this campaign. So much so, that I was able to order myself a few goodies. When my customer orders are few, I don't usually order anything for myself. I like to use my commission to pay for my purchases.

Here is what I bought:

Avon Campaign 9 2011 Haul
Smooth Minerals

I bought 2 Smooth Minerals Blushes
M401 Perfect Plum (Left)
M103 Copper Glow (Right)
2.5 g net wt (0.09 oz)

Perfect Plum on left.
Copper Glow on right.

Swatches.
Perfect Plum is more pink/purple and matte.
Copper Glow is more peach/coral with shimmer.

I bought 2 Smooth Minerals Eyeshadows
M107 Cocoa Glow (Left)
M501 Golden Moss (Right)
1.8 g net wt (0.06 oz)

Cocoa Glow on left.
Golden Moss on right.

Swatches.
Cocoa Glow is very light, shimmery,
and a very pretty neutral.
Golden Moss is a khaki green,
like army green with shimmer.

I bought 2 Smooth Minerals Lip Glosses
Malted Mineral (Left)
Bronze (Right)
SPF 15
3 g net wt (0.10 oz)

Swatches.
Malted Mineral on the left is so pretty.
It is a very wearable neutral for everyday.
Bronze on the right is more rich and bold.
Perfect for more dramatic night looks.
Both are very shimmery.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
I have not used these products for the exception of swatching them. But I must say, so far, I am loving all of them.

I was super impressed with the blushes. In the brochure, they looked a lot darker. (Buying makeup out of a brochure is a lot harder because the colors on the pages will vary to the actual product due to the printing process.) But, I was being brave and decided to buy some blushes that aren't like anything in my collection.

The eyeshadows are pretty. I would have liked the Golden Glow to be a little more WOW but I think the sheerness and subtlety of it will come in handy.

As for the lip glosses, I am loving them! Yes I am!

That's all I can share with you, My Pretties, for now. I will do an FOTD using these products as soon as I can. I can't wait to try out the blushes more than anything else I bought!

Luv & Luk,
--L.

♥♥ I am an Independent Avon Sales Representative. I bought these products with my own money. Avon does not sponsor me, send me free products, or ask me to review their products on my blog. Just because I sell Avon does not mean that I will be biased on my reviews. There are my own honest opinions and thoughts on these products. ♥♥

LFI: Ammunition

Earlier this month, I bought the L.A. Colors 5 Color Metallic Eyeshadow palette in BES 429 Ammunition at my local Dollar General for $1.50.

You can see the blog post HERE.

Ammunition was one of three palettes that I bought that day. It was the one that I was most impressed with. That is why I decided to do a look with it first.

And here it is.

I was impressed with the texture.
Very soft and smooth.
No fall out.

The pigmentation for a product
that cost me $1.50 was excellent.

The eyeshadows blended well together.

I added a touch of red glitter eye liner over my
regular black eye liner for added "oomph".

I am happy that I bought this L.A. Colors eyeshadow palette. I wouldn't have been all that upset if it wasn't good since I paid less that $2.00 for it. But the fact that it was a very good product for very cheap is so much better!

QUICK MINI REVIEW:
I think that this product is of good quality. The pigmentation is outstanding. The shadows are very soft, not loosely packed. There is no fall out. Colors compliment each other perfectly. The shadows blend very easily. The lasting power was great. No creasing. I applied it over the E.L.F. Eye Lid Primer and the shadow lasted all day. I love this palette! I would buy more of these palettes to see if they are just as great. Do I recommend this palette? Yes, I do.

Luv & Luk,
--L.


♥♥ I bought this palette with my own money. These are my honest opinions and thoughts on this product. ♥♥

I Took the Kind-Hearted Blogger Pledge

AS A KIND-HEARTED BLOGGER I PLEDGE TO:

• create, inspire, and admire rather than compete with fellow bloggers.
• be understanding of each other--in the blogging community, as well as in the world.
• stay away from internet/blogging bullying.
• speak my opinion freely, while still being mindful of others feelings--be tactful.
• make an effort--no matter how big or small the gesture, to spread kindness or joy to others.
• acknowledge that I will make mistakes (I am only human) but remember to learn from them.
• know that at times I will post about the negative stuff in life, and maybe even some complaining (I am only human) but I will always follow up with something happy/positive too.
• believe that this world is a good place, filled with good people.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I hope that you lovelies will join and take the pledge too. I think it is very important that we all treat each other with love and respect. We are all here for the same reasons and while the beauty industry is very competitive, there is room for all of us.
  
  For all of you who have started up your blogs, congratulations and I wish you nothing but success and happiness doing something that you love. For those of you contemplating starting up a blog, JUST DO IT!
  
  Luv & Luk to all My Pretties,
  --L.
  
  
  
  

  I got this from my friend Priscilla of MakeupJunkie88. We took the pledge...will you too?