b e a u t y {marx} .

truthbetold—: Officially on the floor starting next week....

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:53:47 -0500

truthbetold—:

Officially on the floor starting next week. Anyone in the El Paso area want to get your hair done? :) Come see me!

Omg. Need this in my life. <3

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:17:19 -0500

Omg. Need this in my life. <3

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 23:48:06 -0500

I recently started using this product about a week ago. I feel like I’m constantly in search of the perfect bronzer - not only to warm up my look during the fall/winter seasons, but I’m also a big fan of contouring my face. I’d been using E.L.F.’s Blush/Bronzing Duo for quite some time up until now. Yes, now that I’ve found the love of my life that is the Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzing Powder…. That SMELLS like chocolate. (Contains real cocoa).

No, really. It’s AH-MAZING. My husband actually told me that my face smelled “sweet” once I started using it. If you’re a little stand-offish by that, don’t worry. It’s a very subtle scent.

This matte bronzing powder retails at Sephora for $29.00. A bit pricey, but so worth it in my opinion. I find that it’s a tad bit more difficult to achieve a smoother contour or application with matte bronzers. They tend to give off splotchy and uneven contours, that can even look like we just threw dirt on our face. O_O. Nobody wants a dirty looking face.

Now, with the right brush and a light hand, avoiding that splotchy contoured face is easy with any matte or semi-shimmery bronzer. BUT.. I found it extremely easy to achieve my desired look with this particular one. Very smooth application, blends beautifully. Again, love that it’s matte. And the compact is suuuper cute. :)

My favorite bronzer thus far, hands down.

If you’re a chocolate/makeup/bronzer lover, I would highly recommend this to you.

xo,

Nikki

Study time. I’m so proud to call myself a cosmetology...

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:30:00 -0500

Study time. I’m so proud to call myself a cosmetology student and future hair stylist/cosmetologist.

Do what you love, love what you do. :)

*Updated profile pic. Yesterday’s look for Christmas....

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:18:15 -0500

*Updated profile pic. Yesterday’s look for Christmas. :)

Instagram: nikki__c

Favorite product of December: Sephora's Daily Makeup Brush Cleaner

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:11:00 -0500

If you’re like me, you don’t have the time and/or are too lazy to wash alllllll of your makeup brushes every single week. Or day. I typically wash my brushes every 1 1/2 to 2 weeks, but what about the in-between brush cleansing cycles?? Face it. Those brushes get prrrrretty nasty girl.

So I quickly wanted to share my favorite product of the month of December. The Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner. I’ve been using this to spray/clean my brushes in-between my brush washing cycle and even after each time I use them.

You can find this at Sephora for $6.00 (2 fl. oz bottle, which is what I have), there is also a 6.75 fl oz. bottle available for $14.00. If you ask me…That’s not bad, not bad at all. :)

What it does, per Sephora:

Sephora Brand Daily Brush Cleaner is an anti-bacterial daily brush cleaner designed to quickly remove light traces of makeup between applications. Just spray this purifying formula onto a tissue or directly onto brush bristles, then lightly swipe your powder, blush, eye, and lip brushes across tissue for a fabulous dose of freshness. No rinsing needed!

I love love LOVE the fact that it’s anti-bacterial. Girls, I cannot stress this enough - If you are not cleaning your brushes as often as you should, you need to start. Each time you’re using your brushes without sanitizing afterwards, bacteria is constantly growing on them. This could lead to skin irritation to your face/eyes, and even cause break-outs. So please, keep your brushes clean! :)

Now, let me show you guys who lovely this spray works. In the image below, you’ll see that I took a dirty brush, paper towel, and my daily brush cleaning spray.

Yucky built-up product. O_O

After using the cleaner, all of the eyeshadow on the brush is gone - Leaving the brush nice, clean and dry.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

As always, please feel free to leave any questions or comments! xo

<3,

Nikki

truthbetold—: What happens when babe is out playing with...

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 20:04:54 -0500

truthbetold—:

What happens when babe is out playing with his car and I’m inside with my iPhone. 😳 (Taken with instagram)

Photo

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 13:15:00 -0500

Oh, hello again!

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 13:06:36 -0500

Hello beauties!

I’ve missed you. :) I know it’s been quuuuite some time since I’ve updated. :( I’ve been moving and settling into my new place with the hubby, and gearing up for cosmetology school this coming Monday. (I’m sooooo excited!) And yes, I will definitely start my blogging again since I’m all settled in now. In the meantime, I do have an Instagram account that I keep updated with (almost) everyday quick pics, so if you have one, add me!: nikki__c

Muah! xoxoxo

Zombie & Vampire :P Hope everyone had a lovely Halloween...

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:51:00 -0400

Zombie & Vampire :P

Hope everyone had a lovely Halloween weekend!

I did my husband’s makeup for Halloween. :)

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:49:52 -0400

I did my husband’s makeup for Halloween. :)

The Body Shop - Body Focus Toning Soap Scrub For a bar of soap,...

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 02:58:52 -0400

The Body Shop - Body Focus Toning Soap Scrub

For a bar of soap, this one is a bit unique. As you can see, it contains tiny beads all throughout the bar of soap to help you get rid of dead skin cells and leaves your skin feeling smooth. It also claims to improve the texture of your skin. The smell is lovely - a fresh, citrusy scent. The product contains Glycerin and Shea Butter to moisturize, Apricot seed powder and lemon peel to exfoliate.

My experience: Works fantasically as an exfoliator. Smells great. Unfortunately, I don’t like my soaps to have that ‘drying’ effect after it’s rinsed off. Just a personal preference of mine (I’ve been using Dove moisturizing soaps for years) If you don’t mind it, you’ll probably love this.The beads can also be a little rough on the skin, so scrub gently.

I personally will not be repurchasing this, but it is a great exfoliating soap. :)

Hey loves! I thought I’d let you in on a special promo...

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 02:06:19 -0400

Hey loves!

I thought I’d let you in on a special promo Sephora is having, just in case you didn’t know. They’re offering a “Friends & Family” discount of 20% off your entire order from 10/20 until 11/2. Simply go to http://www.sephoralove.com/friendsandfamily/ or by clicking on the image above, and enter your email. You’ll then receive a promotional code that can only be used once on a single order. Happy shopping!

MAC, Ulta, and Bath&BodyWorks HAUL.

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 21:53:43 -0400

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

truthbetold—: New season. New hair colour.

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 22:52:05 -0400

truthbetold—:

New season. New hair colour.

Wet ‘N Wild Color Icon Palette in “Comfort...

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 23:17:00 -0400

Wet ‘N Wild Color Icon Palette in “Comfort Zone”

Of all the drugstore eyeshadows I’ve ever tried, the Wet ‘N Wild Color Icon eyeshadows are by far my absolute favorite. I’m very impressed with how much alot of drugstore brands are stepping up their quality in products. :)

Review: Skinfood's Shea Butter Hair Mask

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 22:56:06 -0400

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. :)

It’s important for all types of women to know that you don’t have to fit a prototype of...

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:15:31 -0400

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

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

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 20:36:52 -0400

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.

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

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 20:35:59 -0400

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