b e a u t y {marx} .

Hellllooooooooo my pretties! Yes. I know. I’ve been M.I.A. for FOREVER!

But I’m back….And I have a little haul for you from today’s shopping trip. :)

Let’s start with Bath & Body Works. Okay, so I’ve developed a liiiittle tiny obsession with their hand soaps. OMG to die for! Most of them smell so yummy it makes me want to EAT THEM! (Really, but no not really. Don’t eat soap.)

Right now, they’re having a sale for: 4 for $15, or 6 for $20. I picked up 6. Tehehe.

They are all from the permanent line of B&BW handsoaps, EXCEPT for the Pumpkin Caramel Latte one - Which is from their new fall season collection. I’m not sure if they’ll be making it permanent, but they should because it smells absolutely AMAZING and just like Pumpkin Caramel Latte. 

My favorite out of the bunch would have to be Peach Bellini - I just LOVE the smell of peaches. Makes me want to wash my hands now just so I can smell it, but I’m actually saving these for when hubby and I move into our new place in November. So, I must wait. :(

I also stopped by the MAC Counter at Nordstrom’s today.

Picked up a few “essentials”: a Studio Fix+ Powder Foundation, a Paintpot in “Painterly”, and a Pro-Longwear Lip Pencil in “Kiss Me Quick”.

MAC’s Paintpot in “Painterly” is wonderful to use as an eyeshadow base. :)

I’ve tried the lip pencil already - and loveloveLOVE it. Such a classic red, and these Pro-Longwear pencils DO NOT BUDGE! (A separate review will be provided later.)

AND lastly: ULTA.

I only picked up two things here (surprisingly).

Revlon’s Age Defying Moisturizing Concealer (Review later) and an Ulta nail polish.

The nail polish is in the shade, “High Roller”. A beautiful gold shimmery colour.. I’ll post pictures when I actually use it.

And that’s all loves! I will do my best to keep updating on a regular basis - However I will be very busy for the next 2 months with hubby coming home, moving, and all that jazz but definitely except more blog entries from me. 

Muah! xoxo

-Nikole

(Source: beautymarx)

Hey loves! 

So I have a slightly different review for you today. It’s a product I purchased during my trip to Seoul (South Korea) just this past May.

If you’ve never heard of Skin Food, here’s a little information about the brand according to their website:

“Under the motto of ‘good food for health is also good for the skin’, SKINFOOD is the first food cosmetics brand developed with a differentiated unique concept of ‘food’. SKINFOOD delivers complete nutrition to the skin through the strict selection of foods that are good for the skin, including avocado, which is even listed in the Guinness World Records, rice that is reliable for taking care of health, fresh milk, and sturdy tomato. Our products are scented and bottled according to their design and formulation concepts, to indulge you with the freshness and nutrients of their main ingredients. SKINFOOD always looks for skin-affinitive food to bring you the best products.” 

For more information on the brand, please visit: http://eng.theskinfood.com/

I saw so many Skin Food stores while I was in Korea, and I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t pick up more stuff from them! :( But anyways, yes - It is a Korean-based brand. The only U.S. locations are in California that I know of, so if you don’t have a storefront near you, you can order these products online. (I believe they can be found on amazon.com, as well as a few other sites.)

On to the product! I decided to pick up a hair mask because obviously, with my processed hair, comes dryness. And we don’t want that! Anytime you bleach, dye, or process your hair in anyway - It loses it’s moisture, and can become quite unhealthy and dry-looking.  You want to retain a healthier look by putting these much needed nutrients back into your hair by using products like deep conditioners and hair masks.

The consistency of the mask is quite thick. And yes, it does smell like shea butter! 

How to use: I put this in my hair for about 10-15 minutes (yes, a few more minutes than the directions advised, but its okay) and then rinsed the product out. I proceeded to shampoo and condition my hair as I normally would. Sprayed in some heat-protectant, and then blow dried.

• PROS: My hair looked/felt amazing! The shea butter really gave it a healthy shine and silky texture. It was also pretty cheap - about 5900 Korean Won = $5 USD or even less. Keep in mind that if you purchase it online from Amazon or somewhere like that, it may be a little higher.

• CONS: The formula is REALLY thick. I found it a little difficult to apply onto my hair, but not a major issue. The smell may also be a little overwhelming at first, but nothing serious either. I really don’t have anything bad to say about this product, overall.

Sidenote: One thing I LOVED about shopping at the Korean cosmetic stores - They give you SOOO many samples! I have a whole bag full that I may have to show you guys later. :)

(Source: beautymarx)

It’s important for all types of women to know that you don’t have to fit a prototype of what one person thinks is beautiful in order to be beautiful or feel beautiful…. People think, Sexy, big breasts, curvy body, no cellulite. It’s not that. Take the girl at the beach with the cellulite legs, wearing her bathing suit the way she likes it, walking with a certain air, comfortable with herself. That woman is sexy. Then you see the perfect girl who’s really thin, tugging at her bathing suit, wondering how her hair looks. That’s not sexy.

—Jennifer Lopez, Readers Digest, Aug. 2003

Anonymous asked: Oh sweeet! Thanks! So you would say tha highlights are just on tha topper half and tha rest is just your natural hair?

Hmm I would say it’s a little more than just the top layers. More like 50% is highlighted, the other 50% is my natural colour. 

happybunnie asked: Hi! Just wanted to ask if you are wearing contacts? and if so, what are they? thanks! :))

Hey girl - Yes, I am wearing contacts. They’re the Freshlook Colorblends in Sterling Gray. :)