Today's Make Up: Cranberry Crush

And here we are again y'all, Hump Day Wednesday!!!! Hope you're all having a good day. :P

If I had the option, I would not have gotten out of bed today. I was never one to get cramps during my TOM, that is until.. maybe last year? The cramps come and go, thank goodness. But when it does occur, it's so painful, as if an elephant had stomped on my tummy or something. The cramps kept me up majority of the night, so I'm cramping, lack sleep, overall a mess. 

At least the beautiful weather made up for it. It made running the errands somewhat bearable. Needless to say though, I was one grumpy bear today.

Similar to yesterday, I woke up thinking to myself, "I really want dark vampy lips today". Yep, dark, berry lips it was. I should have these firm decisions more often, it would speed up the application process by so much.

FACE
Olay Complete  All Day Moisturizer With Sunscreen SPF 15 for Combination/Oily Skin (not pictured)
Avene Thermal Spring Water (not pictured)
Neutrogena Healthy Skin 3-in-1 Concealer For Eyes in Buff
NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer in Sunny

EYES
Milani Brow & Eye Highlighters in Matte Cream/Luminous Life
ELF Smudge Pot in Gotta Glow & Brownie Points
Be A Bombshell Eye Liner in Onyx
Benefit They're Real! Mascara

LIPS
Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Cranberry Crush

If you're new to my blog, then you most like have not heard my ravings about these Jordana Balm Stains. It was probably around this time last year that I was totally obsessed with Balm Stains. I love myself a great hydrating balm stain, I mean, who doesn't? These Twist & Shine Balm Stain provides me with intense pigmentation, all the while keeps my lips moisturized the whole entire time it stays on my lips.After the initial shine is lost, my lips is still stained with the shade I first applied. It is not one of those balm stains where the initial shade is different from the stain it leaves. Love these to bits!

Today is all about pulling out things I haven't touched in the longest of times. These Smudge Pots, the Be A Bombshell Onyx Eye Liner, The They're Real! Mascara are amongst the said products. Nothing beats the feeling of rediscovering old favorites.

I honestly hope these cramps will subside by Saturday... I will be up and about, busy with the wedding from morning til morning. I do not have time for cramps. GO AWAY CRAMPS! I don't like you...

Thank you for visiting and thanks for reading all. Please come back soon! :)

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SONG OF THE DAY/MOMENT

This is perfection at its finest right here...Wow...

Rilla Go go go go go go! DGNA is back!!!!

Manicure Monday: Sheer Glamour

Hello Monday everybody. Hope you all had a great weekend. And how's your Monday going?

I'd like to welcome you to another Manicure Monday! Last week, I sported coral-white polka-dotted manicure; it was bright and colorful so this week, I want to tone down the mani a bit but still seek for something simple yet glamorous this week. Nothing yells glamour than glitter, lots of sparkling, glitzy glitters.

Sephora by OPI in A True Romantic
Ulta Salon Formula Nail Lacquer in Boogie Nights
Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Diamond Shine Base & Top Coat (not pictured)

Unlike Seeing Pink Elephants where it was okay to do one coat, A True Romantic definitely needs two or three. I did two coats here, the first one a thin coat and the second a thick coat. I was able to apply the lacquer with ease, I had no problem with them skipping or streaking. The thin coat took no more than 5 minutes to be completely dried while the thick coat took no more than 10, but I let it dry for about 15 to be sure.

What you see is one coat of glitter. I absolutely love Boogie Nights, it has grown to become one of my most favorite glitter polish. I have paired with it other shades and it looks great on all. Love the fine gold glitter and colored specks of larger glitter; it looks beautiful in the light.

I am still using Sally Hansen Diamond Shine Base & Top Coat as a base and top coat. Nothing special to say about these, except that they do seem to protect me nails when used as a base coat.

If you enjoyed this manicure, please check out the manicures from the previous weeks, here.

Thank you for visiting and thanks for reading all! Come back soon!! :)

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MAN CRUSH MONDAY #MCM

Bigflo

Of the five members, I can luckily call ONE of the five, Oppa. Thank you Leader for being an 87 Liner... even though you look don't look 26 at all. :|

Bigflo 1st Mini-Album First Flow

[UPDATE] VIXX HEX SIGN Posters... *nose bleed* Why?...... Whhhhhhy? My feels.

dr. brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant

Hello Tuesday all! First day of the workweek... only three more days to go. Tis one short week. And so how is everyone doing?

Today I want to share with ya'll one skincare product I've came to love just recently. I received a sample of this product in my April iPsy bag and have since purchase the full product because I was so fond of it. I'm guessing from the title you can already guess what I am talking about, but it is dr. brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant.

For starters, I would like to state the price as it is preeety expensive. The price listed on the site is $78 but when I ordered mine, I used a coupon code provided for iPsters so I paid about $62 for it. Even with the code, it is still pricey, I know, so this product might not be for anyone on a budget. For me though, after I finish the one I have, I will definitely repurchase, full price or not. Good thing a little goes a long way though.

I have extreme oily skin, my brother has oily/combo while my mom has dry skin that's oily on her T-zone. This works on all three of our skin types fairly well. For me, I noticed that my face doesn't get as oily as it used to, even though the temp is on the rise. Like there's still excess oil, but it's not to the point where I can deep fry with it. My skin has also been glowing after the uses. Like it actually got rid of so much dull, dead skin that my actual baby skin is able to peek through. Applying foundation takes even less effort now and it doesn't seem to be cakey anymore. Not that it was before but I have to blend it out very well. Like... the foundation would just sit on top of my skin, but now it's like infused, becomes one with my skin.

My brother went through a rough puberty stage, his face was full of acne. Fortunately it cleared up but there's still the acne scar left behind. After using this for the last month, those acne scars seemingly lightened up a lot and he told me this skin has become noticeably smoother.

As for my mom, her skin is so dried that it is flaky. After using this for two weeks, those pesky flaky skin seemed to have flaked off. In addition to dry, flaky skin, my mom also has a lot of dark spots and a few liver spots sprouting. She's used soooo many skin care products, high end to drug store, none of which seemed to help. This Microdermabrasion scrub, magically lightened up those spots. It's not completely gone, but it is fading slowly after each uses. She seriously cannot get over how baby soft her skin is, I find it amusing. Haha.

It has a light citrus-y, heavy on the lemon grass scent to it, it's not bothersome to me at all. Although I've read otherwise from the reviews. As for the texture, the "grains" are so fine, nothing like other exfoliating products like St. Ives where it has a grainy-sand texture. Even though the "beads" are so fine, it still does a superb job of getting rid of those dead skin . My skin is noticeably smoother, softer after using it.

It is recommend that the scrub be used twice a week, with three days in between each uses. For me, I only use it once a week, usually on Fridays. I honestly do not think using it twice is necessary, as of right now. When massaging the scrub onto the skin, do not use much pressure because that might cause irritation to the skin and will give your face extreme discomfort and/or burning sensation.

I have successfully referred a few friends and family members in purchasing their own scrub, each one has nothing but great things to say about it. All of them, like me, have added this to our must have skincare products and an additional step to our skincare routine.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant. Yes, I know it is very pricey, but it is sooo worth it. Your skin cannot thank you enough. Use a little bit at a time and this will last you forever.

Thank you for joining me again and thank you for reading guys! :)

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SONG OF THE DAY/MOMENT

PLAYLIST OF THE DAY/MOMENT

Eternity - VIXX

Monthly Faves: March

Why hello there, how you doing? :P Its been yet another month since the last monthly faves. So, a lot happened between this month and last, Spring officially arrived, daylight time saving happened, we're now in April so be ready for them "April Showers" to bring them "May Flowers".

Arizona decided to give us a 15-minute shower on and off yesterday so the temperature dropped to the low-60s today. It's not that bad actually, because the sun is shinning brightly but still...I'd rather the 80s where it's warm. Sigh... that's bi-polar Arizona for ya.

Sooooooo... Welcome to my March Faves, beauties, non-beauties and other ish.

Face: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Brightening Eye Perfector & e.l.f. Mineral Blemish Powder

I was sick for about two weeks last month, the most dreadful two weeks... I had to drag myself to the doctors and urgent care a couple of times. I could not show my sickly bare-bare face to the world, it would have cause quite a scare. This eye brightening concealer and blemish powder has been my bestest of friends. I would dot the concealer around my orbital bone, cheek bone, forehead, blend it out with a brush and brush what's left on the brush on dark spots and areas with redness. I will then take the blemish powder to set the concealer under my eyes and apply it to other blemishes I wish to conceal. I was able to cover my dark circles, redness around my nose and overall sickly-pale skin without looking too heavy or caked on.

Eyes: Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil(s)

I broke out all of my Essence eyeliners last month. This liner is so pigmented, it glides on with ease and it lasts for a good few hours. If I planned on having an eye look that lasts all day, I will not reach for these. But the fact that I just needed something quick, pigmented and easy to wipe off, I chose to use these eyeliners. They have Long Lasting in their name does not mean it is long lasting, it will smudge and you will be greatly disappointed. I'm not sure if they still carry these same exact colors anymore, Essence usually switches their products out within a few months, and replaces them with new products or shades even. You can find Essence at Ulta, usually at the end of the aisles. They have some nice products for a cheap, affordable price.

Lips: Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm in Watermelon Twist (215) & Haute Pink Twist (220)

The last thing I want to worry about while being sick is maintaining my lips, yet I would not be caught dead with dried, unkept lips either. With that said, I needed a lip product that can give me moisture, some color, low maintenance and does not need to last long. Seriously, I was out of the house for 3 hours at most, I didn't need a lip product that lasted for 8 or 12 hours. I love how these Jumbo Gloss Balm feels on my lips, it feels as if I'm not wearing anything; no stickiness, no tackiness and the shine is very subtle. With these two particular shades, they're a very pretty pink color, like your lip color but better and the shine is so subtle it's like you're wearing only a tinted lip balm. I really like to travel with lip products that are in jumbo pencils form, they're so easy to apply, no mirror necessary.

Hair: Salon Grafix Invisible Dry Shampoo

Being sick really sucks every living being right out of ya. Even my hair was suffering for some odd reason. I didn't treat them any different, washed them every other day, or two days, maybe even treat them better since I was in bed all day. They were in braids for most of the day, no heats or tools for two weeks, yet my hair became super dry and brittle at the ends yet extremely oily at the roots and lifeless. For those odd occasions that I had to set foot out of the house, I would spray the shampoo all over my scalp and massage it in before throwing it in a high bun. I've never used a better dry shampoo than this, baby powder would come real close but that's another story.

Skin: Vaseline Cocoa Butter Lotion & Petroleum Jelly (2nd month in a row)

Sucks every being for ya also applies for my skin. It is as if I did not drink enough water, which isn't the case at all. But anyway, my skin and lips were beyond dried; thank goodness for these cocoa butter Vaseline products, my saviors once again, two months in a row.

Scents: Bath & Body Works Fine Fragrance Mist  in Beautiful Day, Pear Blossom Air & Maui Hibiscus Beach

I am not one to wear perfume everyday, I like wearing body sprays or body mist a lot better. Perfumes to me are only reserved for extra special occasions. I own a lot, way too many for my own good, of the Bath & Body Works Fragrance Mist. My top three favorite from last month had very light floral scents, everything that reminds you of Spring. Speaking of which, I think I need to visit a Bath & Body Works soon, they're having another one of those buy 3, get 3 free deal.

Miscellaneous: Bath & Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap in Caribbean Escape & Eucalyptus Mint

My bathroom never feels complete without a Bath & Body Works hand soap sitting on the sink. Last month were these two lovelies. I love anything eucalyptus and mint so this hand soap has been on my sink for ages, I buy new ones to replace the old one. Besides being a loyal fan, I also love to venture out and try new scents. While one bottle sits on one sink, another sits on the other. If pineapple, melon and coconut does not scream Spring Break, I don't know what does. Really loving this scent, a candidate for being repurchased.

Food/Drinks: Teddy Grahams Mixed Berry & Yama Moto Yama Sen-Cha (Green Tea)

Yep, more Teddy Grahams, in Mixed Berry this time. Can't give up my precious sweet chips. These Mixed Berries are like an explosion of berries in your mouth with every bite. Ugh...I want some now. This green tea is seriously the bomb diggity! It's a product of Japan so it tastes a lot different than other green teas I've tasted. I don't think I'll ever leave this green tea, I'm hooked. While I was bed-ridden, I always had a box of the Mixed Berry Teddy Grahams and a mug of hot green tea on my night stand. These two things made being sick tolerable.

Book/Movie: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (novel) & Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (film adaptation)

I read this novel years ago, but don't think I finished it. So I decided to reread the novel and finished it at last. I also got around to watch the movie adaptation. It's not really the best novel to film adaptation ever, but the main message was conveyed. I almost forgot how much I loved novels from Lisa See, so it was a good thing I rediscovered this novel in the midst of sickness-boredom and finished it. I actually miss reading a lot too, I used to read very diligently, like a novel or two every month diligent. I think I'll pick up the habit and start reading again. It is so relaxing. I recommend this novel to anyone who likes a nice plot twist or  reading about women oppression.

Song: "Light Me Up" - VIXX

With new idol groups debuting every other day in the K-Pop world, it is very easily to get side tracked. I am guilty of this. New album release, new single, new mini album, new this and that every day, I sometimes don't get to listen to old songs. Thanks to being sick, I was able to go through my playlist; that's when I rediscovered how much I miss my VIXX boys. It's not like I ever forgot them, I don't forget any groups, but they've been left int he back burner, kinda. Light Me Up jumped to my most listened to the last month. It's a very upbeat song, nice vocals displayed by Leo and Ken and loving the rap sequence from Ravi. ST☆RLIGHTS hwaiting!

And on that bombshell, we end this month's faves. I hope you like these kinda posts. I really enjoyed sharing them with ya'll. Please enjoy the rest of your Thursday night; for some of you, this is already the beginning of the weekend. Congrats! For others, you can do it, only one more day! Yay!

Thank you for visiting and thanks for readings. :)