Happy New Year 2010!

Happy New Year my lovelies!!

 

One of the reasons I have this blog is to get away from the ugly things.  You get to see mostly the good things, which is great because I read my previous posts and I think "see? this year wasn't so bad...".

Oh, but it was.  My family have had some hard times but many puerto ricans had a horrible year: unemployment and cost of life went up up up as salaries went down. As a result, the criminality rate is worse than ever. I hardly recognize my Puerto Rico.  I know it's not only here, it's a global tragedy.   I just pray to God for Him to give us understanding as of why things happens, that we cause all of these things.  As human beings, everyday we are given an opportunity to change things for the good.  I pray for that.  I pray for myself and my family to have the strength to change things and be happy, healthy and succesful.

2010 has just arrived.  1st day of the year is today.  I feel hope.

As I always say:

¡Vivan, amen y rían!

2o1o, On to the NEXT One!

Happy New Year from your MOST OFFICIALS! Our New Years post is coming soon. However Jay-Z the KING of Brooklyn was first to debut his "On to The Next One" Video ft. Swizz Beatz! & you know we had to be 1st to show it to you guys :) here it is!



Enjoy from MOB

x and o's

Look: Revlon Priceless Metals Eyeshadow Quad

I did this look last Tuesday. I went out to dinner with my husband, we were celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary. ♥♥♥

As you know I like the Colorstay quads, they are fairly pigmented (not super pigmented), but I like them like that. Besides, using diferent bases, you can get different results with these eyeshadows.  The Priceless Metals quad is quite dramatic to look at, but I toned it down with a matte base (I used MAC Prep+Primes for eyes).  If you want a bolder look, try using a frosty base like MAC Constructivist or Blackground Paint Pots or similar colors from the Revlon Illuminance Creme E/S.  

Revlon Colorstay e/s:

Priceless Metals (L) and Coffee Beans (R)

 

Yep, my hair was still damp when I took the pics

FACE

•BORGHESE Prima Viso Face Primer

•Estee Lauder Double Wear Makeup -- 3W1 Tawny mixed with a few drops of MAC Strobe Liquid (so the ELDW doesn't look too matte)

•MUFE Full Coverage Concealer -- #10

•MAC Mineralize Blush in Nuance

•L'OREAL Translucide Loose Powder in Medium mixed with LAURA MERCIER's Star Dust Loose Powder (For an overall glow)

EYES

•TFSI

•MAC Prep+Prime for Eyes (medium)

•REVLON Colorstay E/S Quad in Priceless Metals (2nd shade from top to bottom all over the lid; 3rd shade on outer lid and all over the crease--also on lower lash line; 4th shade on outer lid--also on lower lash line; 1st shade -- silver-- on the inner part of eyelid; I used the lightest shade of the "Coffee Bean" quad as highlighter under the brows).

•L'OREAL Extra Volume Collagene Waterproof Mascara in Black (This one is a bit better than the original formula, I think I like it more)

•MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Stud

LIPS

•Lipbalm

•MAC Buoy-oh-Buoy L/S (LE)

•L'OREAL Colorjuice L/G in Caramel Creme

=D

¡Vivan, amen y rían!

Hangover Helper

Happy New Year!

Many of us are going to be drinking plenty of champagne and other adult beverages tonight to celebrate the start of a new year. But that may mean that you wake up on the first day of 2010 with a raging hangover, feeling like you've been hit by a truck.

Here are a couple of hints to help you feel better if you've over imbibed:

* Before you go to bed drink several glasses of water. Alcohol dehydrates you, so it's important to rehydrate as much as possible. Even during a big night of drinking be sure to drink plenty of water. A good rule of thumb is to have one alcoholic beverage, then a big glass of water, then your next alcoholic drink. That way you're getting more water in your system which may mean you don't feel the negative effects of your night out the next morning.
* Be careful with pain killers. While you may want to take a Tylenol or Advil before you go to bed, you need to be careful with mixing such medicines with alcohol. It's best to avoid it if at all possible. Just feel the pain and deal with it. You can survive this!
* Take you B vitamins. B vitamins are the vitamin workhorse. Bs have been known to help regulate PMS and they can also help metabolize all the alcohol you consumed. Take a B complex vitamin before going to bed to help restore your energy.
* Eat fruit. Apples, bananas, lemons, and limes have all been used to help cure hangovers. Try making a milkshake with banana and honey to calm your stomach and restore potassium, electrolytes, and other essentials to your body.
* Use ginger or mint. Both are known to help ease nausea. Try ginger or mint tea if your tummy isn't feeling great.
* Get plenty of rest. If you're planning a huge night out, also plan for a long, slow morning in the next day. You need to sleep it off, so give yourself time.
* Don't drink coffee! While you may be dying for a caffeine jolt, drinking too much caffeine will only further dehydrate you. If you really need a coffee, water it down or opt for decaf.
* Try a folk remedy. Some say drinking pickle juice, eating sauerkraut, slurping down menudo, or eating a bowl of chicken soup can cure a hangover. Like most things, it's probably mind over matter, so if you think this could help, go for it. It can't hurt!
* Get your body moving. It may be the last thing you want to do, but get yourself moving. Just take a walk around the block--getting some fresh air may be just what you need.

I hope these tips help! As always, the best way to avoid a hangover is to drink responsibly in the first place. And of course, if you plan on drinking, don't you dare drive. It's just not worth it. Get a designated driver lined up before your big night. Call a cab if you don't have someone to drive you.

Have a happy and healthy New Year. See you in 2010!

Eyeshadow bases: White

You may already know how using different eyeshadow bases can change the look of your eyeshadow or even help it stay longer on your lids without fading.  A base "grabs" the shadow, making it to show more and look more pigmented.  The color and texture of the base do change how the e/s color shows.

Most of the time I use eyeshadow primers (mostly UDPP, TFSI or MAC Paint Pots) combined with different bases because my eyelids are very oily.  Combining that with the sweat/humidity factor in the air, my eyeshadow would crease or disappear in less than an hour if I didn't use primer and/or base.

I use shimmery bases for frosty or satin finish e/s; more matte bases like Paint Pots or matte primers (like MAC Prep+Primer for eyes) for matte looks of course or to simply tone down a very frosty eyeshadow, to make it less shimmery.  Many times I try to match the base with the e/s but black bases are amazing at making most colors pop!  Also, they are great for smoky eyes look.

TIP: If you want to give "life" to a boring matte eyeshadow, try applying it over a shimmery base. 

For lighter eyeshadows or really great matte looks, I also use a white base over my eye primer.  I've experimented with quite a few, but the ones I like the most (and are really affordable!) are Max Factor Erace Concealer in White and NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk.  They are really amazing.

**REMEMBER TO CLICK ON ALL IMAGES FOR ENLARGE VERSIONS**

 

Max Factor Erace Concealer in White (less than $5 USD) is a creamy concealer and yes, it is white, plain as that.  I've never used it as a concealer, though I have seen videos in YouTube about it (check out this video by vietxpinay).  These concealers are quite good, have decent pigmentation. I do recommend to warm them up a little (I use the back of my hand) and then apply it to the eye area so you don't tug or do harm that delicate area.  I found this concealer at Walmart (I got it on sale, maybe because I've read Max Factor isn't gonna be sold on the US anymore) but you can still find it online.

NYX Jumbo Pencils (Reg. $3.50 USD) are simply excellent.  Milk is a super white shade,  creamier than the Max Factor Concealer.  You have to be careful not to apply much or it will cake in the blink of an eye.  Just add a bit at a time.  I find there is no need to warm up the product prior application. Very soft texture. I bought my Milk pencil for a cheaper price at CherryCulture.com ($3.00). You can also find them in the NYX website or local stores.  In Puerto Rico, I've only seen the NYX products at the / Aquí en P.R. sólo he encontrado los productos NYX en los siguientes lugares: Fragrance Outlet Stores in the Outlet Route 66 Mall in Canóvanas or the Prime Outlets of PR in Barceloneta.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil "Milk"

Max Factor Erace Concealer "White"

The next example shows you what I'm talking about. I normally use MAC's Warm Chill E/S (Frost--LE) as a highlighter because it really doesn't show much on my eyelids.  It is a minty green shade with a gold undertone. Over a white base, you can see how pretty this color is.

Both bases work great under this color, I just prefer the NYX pencil because it is creamier.

 NYX "Milk"

Max Factor Erace -- "White"

So you see how cool is this?  And the colors lasts for hours over my eyelids.  I did this look a few weeks ago just after applying this bases.

NOTE: I have tried other bases like MAC CCB in Luna or white eyeliner (kohl). I don't like the results with the Luna CCB and frankly I consider using a white eyeliner as a base is a waste of product.  Ultimately, it depends on what works for you. This article is about the advantage of using a white eyeshadow base.

Bueno, hasta luego!

¡Vivan, amen y rían!

TotalBeauty.com: 30 days w/o beauty products?!?

Could YOU do it?  I could go 30 days without makeup but come on, I need my hair products...

Would You Survive 30 Days Without Beauty Products?

See how one woman lived with only soap and sunscreen -- eek!

It's safe to say a lot of us are addicted to beauty products. I mean, would you quit your shampoo, mascara or lipgloss cold turkey? Sounds impossible, but that's what this woman did for a month. See how she survived -- and even thrived -- with only soap and sunscreen. Read story

¡Vivan, amen y rían!

A New Year, A New Decade

2010 is almost here! Yay! It's a new year, a new decade, and time to wipe the slate clean and start over with goals and ambitions. I'm glad to see that the Zero decade is almost behind us. It was a hard decade with lots of ups and downs. That's life, right?

So, as we head into a new year, it's time to make new plans for a more beautiful, healthy looking me. To that end, I need to get out of some of my ruts and bad habits. I'm not one for making resolutions, but here are my beauty goals for the year ahead:

• Get serious about my skin care routine! I'm inconsistent at best when it comes to washing off all my makeup every night and using my night-time products. I also need to follow my own advice and give products time to work (or not work!) before passing judgement on them.
• Break out of my fragrance rut. I use two perfumes regularly: Cannabis Santal by Fresh (yes, it IS a man's fragrance!) and Dune by Dior. I think it's time to add something completely new to my scent repertoire.
• Find THE products: the have-to-have-it-can't-live-without-it lipstick (or gloss), eye shadow, and mascara. Again, I'm in a rut with what I use, and I need to venture out of my comfort zone.

How about you? What are your beauty plans for the coming year? Leave me a comment!

2009: Looking Back

The end of the year is almost here. Yay! I think that by the time December rolls around, I'm just itching for a new year; a clean start.

2009 has been a year of highs and lows, like most years. But 2009 has had more hurdles than most for my little family. Oh well--the best is yet to come, right?

As far as the makeup world goes, 2009 has been defined by the recession. I don't know about you, but I am sick and tired of hearing people say "in this economy...". Eesh. Due to the tough economic times, I've been focusing more on drugstore brands rather than the pricier department store products. And that's ok. There are a lot of good drugstore brands out there.

I was looking over some of my older posts, and it seems like I was a bit critical of many of the products I tried. But there have been a bunch of standouts. Notably:

• Lumene Blueberry Curl Mascara (my drugstore-brand mascara pick for '09)
  
• DiorShow Iconic Mascara (my high-end mascara pick for '09)
  
• Hana Professional Flat Iron
  
• Too Faced Natural Eyes Collection
  
• 4-sided nail buff (great, cheap tool!)
  
• elf products (I finally gave them a try--not bad!)
  
• ecoTools Makeup Bags
  
• Lypsyl Lip Balm

My pick for Epic Beauty Fail for 2009: Lip Venom V, the Twilight inspired version of Lip Venom that, well, sucks. Avoid it at all costs.

Now on to the good news. My favorite beauty product for 2009? This was an easy one: Lisa Hoffman's Hand and Foot Cream. I swear by this stuff--I love it and I use it every single night. I'm so glad I've discovered all of Lisa Hoffman's products because they're all wonderful. Yay!

Tomorrow: looking ahead to 2010!

Tea Length Wedding Dresses

Tea Length Wedding Dresses

Kevyn Aucoin Sale!

HauteLook.com is having an awesome sale on Kevyn Aucoin cosmetics. Brushes, eyeshadows palettes, eye pencils, lippies.  The prices are great. Up to 60% off.    Better hurry up, I just missed the oportunity to get the Buff Powder Brush.  =(

 Just so you know...  ;)

Click on the image to get there (my personal invite) or just go to Hautelook.com.

¡Vivan, amen y rían!

Healthy Skin and Hair in '10!

It's time to start making dreaded New Year's resolutions. Instead of saying you're going to exercise every single day for at least 2 hours or resolving to never eat sugar, do yourself a favor and keep your resolutions simple and do-able. Here's a suggestion: resolve to take better care of your skin and hair, especially during the harsh Winter months.

Skin and hair can become increasingly dull and damaged during the winter season, but with help from Olay and Pantene Pro-V, you can revive and strengthen your cold weather defense. Both skin and hair have protective moisture barriers, and when exposed to drying elements.

New Olay Body Quench Advanced Healing Body Lotion and Pantene Pro-V Time Renewal products start at the core of dryness to repair and strengthen this barrier for a soft, smooth look and feel-just in time when we need it most!

Here's a preview of the new offerings from Olay and Pantene. I'll let you know how I do with these products after I give them time to work:

Olay Body Quench Advanced Healing Body Lotion provides an immediate burst of intense moisture that continues for 24 hours, and helps heal skin’s moisture barrier over time to prevent dry skin from coming back. In fact, no leading brand is clinically proven to heal/relieve dry skin better.

Pantene Pro-V Restoratives Time Renewal Shampoo gently cleanses hair with a rich and creamy lather to remove build-up and impurities.

Pantene Pro-V Restoratives Time Renewal Conditioner helps restore shine and smoothness to damaged hair, leaving hair looking and feeling healthy. When used with the shampoo, these products promise to provide damage protection that leading salon brands can’t beat!

Pantene Pro-V Restoratives Time Renewal Mask deeply penetrates hair to help restore moisture and give hair a more youthful appearance. The great thing about these Pantene products is that if you’re not satisfied, Pantene will actually switch you back to your old product, even if it’s a salon brand. Find our more details by visiting Pantene.com.

I'm not a big fan of resolution-making, but taking better care of my skin and hair are easy enough to do. As I said, I'll let you know how these products fair. In the meantime, if YOU have any resolutions for the new year and the new decade, leave me a comment and tell me about it!

Amber Rose|VIBE Mag!

AMBER ALERT!

http://themoblifestyle.blogspot.com/2009/12/vibe-x-amber-rose.html, Earlier this month we showed you guys the teaser with Amber Rose featured in VIBE magazine. The pics have finally dropped & of course Amber Rose looks no less than FAB! Vibe did also mention that the shoot would be classy, surprisingly, it was! Good job Ms.Rose! :)

LOOK: Smoke&Diamonds Smoky Eyes

I look I did last night. I was meeting with some friends in San Juan and had a great time.

 

FACE

BORGHESE Prima Viso Face Primer

REVLON Colorstay Makeup in Natural Tan (Oil Free) -- This foundation is actually a bit dark for me but perfect to be used as night, so pictures will come out perfectly

COVER FX Total Coverage Cream Foundation in M50 (as concealer where needed)

NARS Orgasm Blush

L'OREAL Translucide Loose Powder in Medium (just applied a very light dust)

EYES

TFSI

MAC Blackground Paintpot on the eyelid

MAC E/S in Idol Eyes (Inner eye area); Smoke&Diamonds (LE) (eyelid area, lower lashline); Typographic (Outer V and crease, lower lashline); Carbon (Outer V, lower lashline); Kid (Crease, to blend); Vanilla (Browbone area)

L'OREAL Lash Out Mascara (Waterproof) in Blackest Black

MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Stud

MAC Blactrack Fluidline in both waterlines

LIPS

MAC Lip Erase in Dim

Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lip Liner in Tiramisu

ELF Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15 in Malt Shake

I hope you've had an awesome weekend. Lovely week.

Espero que se hayan divertido este fin de semana. Que tengan linda semana.

¡Vivan, amen y rían!

Review+Swatches: CoverFX Total Coverage Foundation & 170 Brush

Merry Xmas everyone!

A few days ago I received the CoverFX products I ordered from Hautelook.com.  I've been interested in this brand for quite some time now.  I read many positive reviews about Cover FX and after all, they proclaim to be "the foundation authority". I don't know about you, but when I order products based only on other people reviews I get these mixed feelings of excitement and terror but I have to say, I'm impressed with these.  I ordered the Total Coverage Cream Foundation in the Pro Pot version (4g). This foundation also functions as a concealer, which was the reason I wanted it.  I bought if for $10 USD (reg. $16).  It was at a good price, I've read good reviews so I thought "why not?".  I'm always looking for great full coverage concealers (I need them---badly).  I also got the 170 brush.  A curious pointy brush that I've been wanting to get for quite some time but didn't want to pay $36 for it ( I got if for $27).

TOTAL COVERAGE CREAM FOUNDATION SPF 30

I LOVE:
♥Satin-like, Your-skin-but-better, soft dewy natural finish (not matte nor cakey)
♥Full coverage, a little goes a loooooong way
♥Works also as a concealer
♥It covered my acne marks pretty well, almost made them invisible in natural light; also cover the redness perfectly
♥Worked great hiding the hyper-pigmentation on my cheeks
♥Non-comedogenic--My skin hasn't break out from it, not a single little white head!
♥Good for sensitive skin, just as Cover FX claims

♥Decent SPF factor

♥Does not transfers (or should I sasy it transfers very little---set the foundation with a light dust of translucent setting powder) and does not "travels" around my face. It behaved super well on my combination skin (Oily t-zone, normal skin on cheeks)
♥Last for hours!! I ended up applying it on my whole face to see how it worked as a foundation and WOW! --BTW, I know, I need a shade darker if I decide to use it as a foundation-- I made lunch for my husband, cleaned up the kitchen and a few hrs later it still looked pretty good, I'd say 85% good compared to just-applied.  (I'm amazed because compared to MAC FC foundation, this baby rocks)

♥Does not oxidizes (changes color)

♥Available in 30+ shades

♥IMHO, $16 for 4g is still a good price for the quality of this foundation/concealer

I DON'T LIKE:
☹It didn't work well in the under eye area for me. It accentuated my fine lines there and made it look more dry (sp?) (I have a very dry under eye area), which is kinda funny because it made my skin looked very moisturized in other areas.  This could be totally non-sense for younger ladies with wonderful younger skin, lol.  ETA: You do have to moisturize extremely well the under eye area so this does not happens.

☹If you have oily skin, I suggest to stay away from this because although it behaves well, it does have a dewy finish many ladies with this skin type just hate.

☹You need to work it a bit and better warm it up b4 applying it. If not, results are not the best <--this is not necessarily a con, I'm just mentioning FYI
☹The full version of this product retails for $42 (0.4 oz/11.3 g) which yeah, is a bit pricey.  I do recommend it if you work continuously with this type of foundation.

ETA: BE CAREFUL not to use too much setting powder or it will look cakey.

All in all, this is the best cream foundation/concealer I've ever tried. 

My rating?  4.5./5  (I would love to see more "good for your skin" ingredients in it; also, it could work better on the under eye area)

Here are some swatches and pics of me with this foundation on.  I use it as a concealer; if I were to use it as a foundation, I guess I'd need one of the shades in the E series (probably E50).

Excuse my lips, I didn't apply lip balm and they were super dry!

 

You can find this Pro Pot product at Naimies.com, who is distributor of Cover FX products.

ETA:  Found this video in Youtube.  Got to 2:56 to start watching products and foundation application tips for a flawless finish.  Those tips really help. 

COVER FX 170 BRUSH

I LOVE:

♥This brush is very dense, applies cream or liquid foundation so well I feel it gives me a flawless finish.

♥Can be used as a foundation or concealer brush.

♥Very precise application of products in the inner eye area, the sides of the nose or in the temples--this characteristic is what makes it a winner on my book.

♥If pressed against the skin, works as a paddle brush (like the MAC 190 but more dense)

♥I consider it picks up the right amount of cream products.

Excellent quality

♥Blends beautifully, really, I love the natural finish I get with this brush.

I DON'T LIKE:

☹Price (Reg. $36) --but hey, if the quality depends of that price, then I don't mind.

☹I would like to see a version with a smaller handle so I can carry it always in my purse! 

My Rating:  5/5

 

NOTE: A good question---Do you need this brush if you have a brush like the MAC 190? I'd say NO.  But if I were looking for a new great quality foundation brush because I don't like what I have, I'd pick this one. Honest.

Find this brush at Sephora.

'Til next time!

¡Hasta luego!

¡Vivan, amen y rían!