My Favorite Things

I use these items personally on a daily basis. Some things I could not find on polyvore like MAC Retrospect lipglass. I don't have a favorite shadow color. I do like Painterly with almost everything....or just my primer potion and a shadow. For eyes, it really depends on my mood, but everything else pretty much stays the same as far as blush, foundation and lips.

My Favorite Things by tiffa




neem featuring Monsoon accessories

NARS Highlighting/Bronzing Blush Duo Orgasm/Laguna
$38 - sephora.com

Smashbox Photo Finish Light Foundation Primer 1 oz Luminizing
$38 - sephora.com

MAC - Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation NC43
$35 - yesstyle.com

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner
$21 - bobbibrowncosmetics.com

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion 0.34 oz Original
$18 - sephora.com

Amazon.com: The Future Belongs To Those Who Believe In The Beauty Of...
$14 - amazon.com

MAC Painterly Paint Pot
detailgal.com

MAC Lip Pencil in Cork - Medium-Dark - Best Beauty Buys - InStyle
instyle.com

Makeupalley Reviews of Urban Decay 24-7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero
makeupalley.com

Very Patriotic FOTD

So, I got bored waiting on my husband to bar-b-que. He was spending too much time playing his new video game, so I decided to play with my new MUFE Flash Color Pallete. I have been wanting to get this for a while, so we finally broke down and got it.Here is the look I created:
Btw, my camera has been malfunctioning (in a good way ;). For some reason, it has been automatically airbrushing my face. My skin is not this perfect. It completely wiped away all of my little freckles.

What I used for this look:

Face:

• Cinema Secrets Concealor
• MAC Studio Fix Powder
• MAC Blush- Raisin and Plum Foolery
  

Eyes:

• MUFE Flash Color - White, Blue
• MAC - Deep Truth
  
• Stilla - Precious Pearl Palette (white color?)
  
• Loreal Hip - Showy
• Bobby Brown Gel Liner
• Red Cherry #62 lashes

Lips:

• MUFE Flash Color -Red
• Victoria Secret Cranberry Red Lip gloss
  

Happy 4th of July!

Airbrush Makeup vs. Traditional Makeup for Weddings

Many brides are now requesting to have their makeup airbrushed for their wedding day. Well, what is airbrush and what's the difference?
Both applications will give you a flawless look if you are using professional products and applying correctly, but the main difference is transferability. Airbrush makeup does not transfer onto anything....like your new husbands tuxedo shirt ;). I will compare them a little more:

TRADITIONAL APPLICATION provides sheer to full coverage. This type of makeup is waterproof, works with all skin types and comes in a wide color range. If you are using good products, no matter what type of lighting or lens your photographer uses, you will look flawless.

AIRBRUSH APPLICATION is a specialized makeup application previously used by makeup artists ofr professional photography and celebrities. It is a technique of applying makeup through an airbrush sprayer, which finely mists on foundation giving you a natural, flawless, durable picture perfect skin.

The type of airbrush foundation I use is waterproof, which is great for weddings. It also provides sheer to maximum coverage and it is smudge proof and non-transferable on clothes. It stays on until you take it off.

Curly Hair

This post is a bit different because I mainly write about makeup. Well, I have been getting questions lately about what I put in my hair. I have naturally curly hair, yet sometimes I flat iron it if I don't want to deal with the curly fuss. To keep beautiful curls, here are a few Do's and Dont's:

Do:

• TUCK CURLS INTO A BONNET OR SILK SCARF AT NIGHT. You have to protect your curls at bedtime! And if it’s long, first gather your hair into a high ponytail, using a loose scrunchy.

• GET A TRIM EVERY THREE MONTHS. This is key for curly hair. You gain a quarter of an inch or so a month, so you’ll want to snip off dead ends to keep your curls looking and feeling fresh.

• DO: TRY A PORTABLE HOOD DRYER INSTEAD OF A DIFFUSER. After applying your styling product to wet hair, sit under a hood dryer (pre-heated works best). Stop when your hair’s almost dry, and then let the rest air dry. Your curls will have great definition!

Don’t:

• TOUCH YOUR HAIR UNTIL IT IS COMPLETELY DRY. If you fuss too much with your wet hair, you’ll disturb the curl pattern. The curls won’t have a chance to set properly. I usually wait until it completely dries and fluff it out.

• SHAMPOO YOUR HAIR EVERY TIME IT GETS WET. You"ll dry out your curls if you shampoo too much. I suggest a ‘big shampoo’ once a week. And don’t worry about it not getting clean. When you wet your hair and rinse it, you’re cleaning it!

• DON’T: USE TOO MUCH STYLING PRODUCT. This leads to crunchy curls. Your product should be lite enough that you can saturate your hair with it, and your curls don’t get crunchy or weighted down.

Viva Glam Gaga + FOTD

I decided today that I needed a new pink in my collection so I got the new Viva Glam by Lady Gaga. Well it's not really by Lady Gaga, she's just the celebrity model for the new line. For me, it was a bit scary in the tube because I don't really do pink. I was shocked to say that it looks really good on. It is very natural looking. My daughter is gaga over it. If she could wear pink everyday, she would.

All the proceeds from Viva Glam collection goes towards their AIDS fund, so that was a plus.

I paired it with a pink lipglass from the Beach Collection. I love the orange tube. It is called Splashing. It adds a little more color to the Lady Gaga lipstick.

Here is my FOTD:


Face:

• Cinema Secrets Foundation mixed with Cetaphil moisturizer
• MAC Set Powder
• La Femme Blush - (some pink color - no name??)
  

Eyes:

• Urban Decay Primer
  
• MAC Vex, Creme de Violet, Satellite Dreams
• MUFE #92
• Bobby Brown Gel Liner

Lips:

• Mac Cork Liner
• Viva Glam Gaga ls
• Mac - To the Beach Lipglass - Splashing
  

No more Shiny Forehead!

I have been asked over and over, "How do I get rid of my shiny forehead?" Ladies, I hear ya! My skin is very oily and by mid-day, I'm glowing. Don't fret too much, because oily skin peeps usually look younger.

Primers usually work well, but I wouldn't suggest using one everyday. Primers are designed to seep into pores and close them up, so nothing goes in or out of the skin. Well, our skin needs to breathe sometimes, so be mindful of how long and often you use a primer.

I have been using Face-To-Face Super Matte Anti-Shine to matte the shine of my oily skin. It goes on really light and it only takes a little. It comes in a simple little tube...no fancy bells and whistles on packaging here. Sometimes the simplest looking products are the best, as in this case. I got it from Camera Ready Cosmetics for about $25.

I was a little disappointed by the size of the tube, but it is a great product. Now I am confident went I go out especially in this summer heat. See the pic compared to a Mac lipstick.

Hot Wired

Ok ladies, I've been wanting to try the Dominican blowout on my hair. I found a Dominican hair salon in Houston and decided to give it a try. It was an experience. Although my hair is straight, I think I will stick with Visible Changes. They did a great job with the hot oil and deep conditioning treatment, but it all took 4 hours. I've never had my hair straightened without a flat iron or marcels, so this was different. They roller set my hair and blew it out until it was on fire. It feels great though ;). Here is the finished look:


I also took a trip to Sephora with my 15% off coupon and got a few Nars lip glosses. I am wearing Hotwired lip lacquer. I just loved that fuchsia color. I wore it alone for a transparent look. You can also wear it over lip color for a sexy shine.

Eyes: Mac Vex, Nixie Burlesque, Bobbi Brown gel liner (my new fav!!!)

Rock on...

This is sort of a different type of post, but fashion is still beauty ;). I was hooked by this website from Hayley with All Things Beauty. I love to shop, so this is right up my alley! At polyvore.com, you can create outfits/sets from different designers.

I chose Metropark USA. I just bought these jeans last month and love them. This time, I paired it with what I call "the face shirt". Apparently, the new trend in tees is a huge face of a fierce woman.....something else right up my alley. The purse is by Betsey Johnson and the shoes are Dolce Vita (not Gabbana ;).

Now, I had to add the beauty with the Dolce & Gabbana lipstick key chain. Isn't it cute ;).

I Rock!!! by tiffaneem featuring Betsey Johnson

Small Haul and FOTD

I ordered a few things online that I have been waiting to try.

First, MAC limited edition lipstick "Honey Love". Sorry girls, this one is no longer available at Mac. I had to search hard for it. I found it at All Cosmetic Wholesale. It is the perfect nude for me. I am Mac NC 42,43.

I lined my lips with Cork lip liner, and added Revealing lip gloss. Perfect combo....I love revealing. It also looks great with Siss.





I also ordered MUFE Hi Def foundation and Nars Orgasm/Laguna duo from Sephora. I have been using the Nars duo everyday since I got it in the mail. I love it!

I applied Laguna under the checkbones and a little on the temples (to slim out my baby fat.....still shedding lbs after the baby ;).

I love the way MUFE's Hi Def foundation photographs on my skin. It goes on smooth and lasts all day. My only thing is my oily skin. In the picture, you may notice a glow. That's no make-up trick or special effect.....it's my oilies coming out. If I plan on a long day with this foundation, I better use a primer. My next stop will be for MUFE Matte Velvet. Maybe that will be better on my skin.

I'm Back....

Hello Bella's!!!

Sorry I've been away for so long. My baby is getting healthier and growing by the day. He is now 8 weeks old. I must say that it has been nice being at home....just the two of us. He makes me smile all day. Even when he cries, I smile. Babies are truly a gift from God. Thank you!

Here is my little Brayden:
With the new baby and the passing holidays, we all know what my resolution will be.....shed some pounds ;). I will be joining the P90X work out. Who wants to join me and stay motivated?

What are your resolutions for the New Year? Loose weight, eat right, be a better person, make more money? Whatever it is, make sure you follow through. Get someone to join in with you or support you with whatever you set out to accomplish this year.

If you are looking for a better complexion to complete that flawless face, here are some recommendations for the new year:

Add these to your diet and make them daily eating habits:

Vitamin A is essential for great skin. Look for foods that are green (broccoli, spinach, kale, etc) or foods that are dark orange (carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoe, etc). Also, milk, egg yolk and oysters are good sources of vitamin A.

Eat more fish! Fish contains oils that will help nourish your skin. If you don't like fish, try fish oil supplements.

Vitamin E helps to slow down the aging process. Good sources of vitamin e are nuts, leafy vegetables, salmon, lean meat, legumes and sunflower oil. So instead of packing chips in your purse, carry a bag of nuts to snack on.

Vitamin C helps to maintain collagen which acts as a supporting structure for the skin. Good sources include citrus fruits and vegetables like orange, lime, lemon, guava, indian gooseberry, strawberries and green and red peppers.

FOTD and Maternity pics

Ok, I have two-in-one post here.

First off, I used my Stila "Precious Pearl" palette for the first time today! I never really use pink eye shadow on myself, so I wanted to try this. You can barely tell the true color because I took this at night with a flash. Here goes:

What I used:

Eyes:
Mac Hush CCB - all over eye as base
From the Stila palette: Soft Pink, Midtone Pink, Deep Blue, White Gold
Rimmel - Navy blue liner
Cherry lash #62

Face:
Studio Fix powder NC 43
Mac Mellow Rave Highlight powder
Mac Gleeful Mineralize Blush

Lips:
Mac Cork liner
NYX Lousiana
Sephora gloss (forgot the name)

And here is a shot from my maternity shoot! (this time we took this in the living room.....hooray for not having to leave the house!!!) I was about 5.5 months here. I am now 7 months and counting. It's a boy!

Bridal Looks

I did a shoot a few weeks ago with a few girls to show some beauty/bridal looks. We shot these in my garage. It's great that my husband is a photographer. I didn't even have to leave my house :). The first few shots are bridal, the last ones are requests of the photographer.

Here are the other beauty shots:

Not bad for not leaving the house, hugh?

Stila "My Hero" & "Precious Pearl" swatches

OK, so here are a few swatches from my recent Sephora purchase.

Stila
"The Precious Pearl Palette"

For $20, I had to try this. It has six pearl eye shadows. They are very smooth and pigmented. It also comes in a pearl case. Very cute!

This set contains:
-White Gold (soft creamy white w/ gold shimmer)
-Soft Pink (light pink w/ pink and white shimmer)
-Midtone Pink (neutral warm pink with pink shimmer)
-Deep Blue (dark blackish nave with blue shimmer - looks like Mac Deep Truth in the palette, but it is more navy)
-Green(mermaid green with blue/green shimmer)
-Gold (deep gold with yellow and gold shimmer)

Stila
"My Mother, My Hero"

I mentioned this set in my previous post. I really like all the contents in this bag. Here are the swatches:

From left to right: (Natalie - Plum lip color, eyeshadow trio: gold, bronze, ivory, Illuminating Finishing Powder in bronze)

I also order this quad from Cargo for $5. It was a nice buy for the price, but not my style of quality. It's a little chalky, but I wore it today over Mac Indianwood pp and it looked nice...lasted me all day also. I wouldn't use this without a good base. The colors are really pretty.

Cargo
"PlanetLove Eye Shadow Quad

Thanks for viewing! I will do a fotd with these soon. Bare with me, I just started back working this week, so when I get home, I am pooped (also 7 months prego ;).

Stila - "My Hero"

I just recently purchased a few things from Sephora a few weeks ago and wanted to share. One of the products I got was the Limited Edition, Stila "My Hero" set. This set was on sale for $20, so I had to get it. It is actually my first Stila product. I have been wearing it every day since I got the package.

The set contains:

• Baked Eye Shadow Trio in Gold (gold, bronze, ivory)
• Illuminating Finishing Powder in Bronze (bronze Shimmer)
• Lip Color in Natalie (a perfect plum)
• Lash Visor Waterproof Mascara (black)
• Gold Linen Cluth

The clutch itself is very nice, made of quality materials....which means it should last a long time. I really like it. It is also big enough to store extra items (like a cell phone and small wallet ;). I have not yet tried the mascara (since I am still using my old one), but the other items, I love!

The colors in the eye shadow trio are gorgeous together. I am not really a big fan of golds, but with the other two colors and the bronzer, it looks great. The lip color is not really my fav, but it is nice. It is very sheer, almost like a tinted lip gloss. The berry color is very pretty.

Sorry I don't have swatches now, but I will be sure to post some very soon. I may even do an fotd (since I may very well be wearing it ;).

Urban Decay Friends and Family Sale

I just wanted to share this sale with you all. I don't own many items for UD (yet), because there are so many lines out there. But, I can tell you that their primers are a must have! The Eye Shadow Primer Potion is a staple in my kit. I will be ordering a few of those. I also want to try the new face primers.

I have another post on Smashbox's Photofinish Primer, and I want to compare it to UD's. We shall see.


Happy Shopping!!!

I've been tagged!

So, I notice that I have been tagged by The Makeup Snob and was asked to continue the chain. This should be fun.

So the rules of the picture tag:

►Open your first photo folder
►Scroll down to the 10th photo.
►Post that photo and story on your blog.
►Tag five others (or more) friends to do the same.

So the 10 photo on my computer is......

This is a picture of my daughter, Brianna, on Easter (2007). She was 3 years old here.

I believe this was her first egg hunt and she was so excited. This is when she was slimming down. I can still see those little chubby cheeks.

Ok, so I am going to tag a few more people so they can post their photo and story as well.

In no particular order:

1. Celly - La Dolce Vita Beauty Blog
2. Aziajs - Faces from Aziajs
3. Brad - Light Writer Photography
4. Deborah - DvoraDivine
5. Eye Adorer or Fashion
6. Natty - Miss Natty's Beauty Diary
7. Jude - The Girly Show

Ok, post away!

Don't forget to visit their blogs.