Archive for January, 2011

Out of all the foundations I have tried, which are more than I can count, I would have to say that the NARS Sheer Glow would take the top prize! I love everything about it, except for the price. I have oily skin, so I thought the Sheer Matte might be even better for my skin type. When I finally received it from Sephora I couldn’t wait to try it on. So I washed my face and decided to try it out.  But I was so disappointed when I applied it on my face.  The consistency is the same. But when you apply it, its kind of hard to blend. I tried a stippling brush at first but it didn’t look smooth and even. Then I tried the traditional foundation brush and it was extremely streaky. Eventually I had to use my fingers to blend it out. The coverage of this foundation is very sheer. I know, the name of the foundation is Sheer Matte, however you have to apply a lot of it to get some kind of coverage. I don’t have horrible skin, but I do have my imperfections! This  emphasized by Grand Canyon sized pores because it settled into them and looked like I had it on for hours! The Sheer Glow gives great coverage without feeling heavy or cakey. The Matte is the complete opposite!  The Matte does look lighter when swatched, but once it’s blended in to the skin the color is the same as the Glow. The shade I ordered was in Stromboli. Overall I would have to say that I am not pleased with the Matte. If you have oily skin, the Glow is still the best way to go! I’m returning mine to Sephora and getting my HG foundation!

Matte(left) Glow(right) in Stromboli

Blended into skin

*Jenny*

I was in a hurry (like always) on my birthday night out, so I had to do a quick makeup look and run out the door! I didn’t get a chance to take up close pictures of the makeup so I figured I would recreate the look and post it! You can do it in just a few minutes and look great for a night out!

*Products Used*

Face:

MAC-Prep & Prime Skin Refined Zone Treatment

Nars-Sheer Glow (Punjab)

Prescriptives-Brightening  Concealer (Level 3 Warm)

MAC-Loose Blot Powder (Medium)

Cheeks:

MAC-Solar Riche (contour)

MAC-Smooth Harmony (Bronzer)

MAC-Warm Soul

NARS-Albatross (highlight

MAC-Carbon all over lid & on outer “V”

MAC-Satin Toupe blended in crease and under bottom lashline

NARS-Albatross highlight brow bone & inner eye corner

Urban Decay-Zero on waterline and tightline

Loreal-Voluminous liquid eye liner on top lash line

Loreal-Voluminous Mascara

Elf-Brow duo

Lips:

MAC-Creamola lip liner

Revlon-Soft Nude lipstick

MAC-Florabundance lipgloss

*Jenny*

For my birthday I placed a small order on Sephora and I was so excited when I got it in the mail. I thought I would show you a few swatches of the items I ordered and tell you what I thought about them.

I ordered NARS sheer matte in Stromboli. I already have the Sheer Glow and I love it. Since I have oily skin I thought I would try the matte version and see if it would be better for my skin (review and comparison coming soon).

A product I have been hearing so much about was Benefit Bella Bamba. It’s a shimmer watermelon pink with gold undertones. Benefit claims that it is a 3-D blush that is supposed to amplify your cheekbones and create the illusion of sculpted features. Not sure about that, but I LOVE this color! This shade would look beautiful on a wide range of skin tones, unlike their other face powders. It has great pigmentation and the shimmer isn’t overpowering so it gives your cheeks a lovely pink glow. I love the packaging on this one! One thing about Benefit is they really know how to catch a girl’s attention. It’s bright and shiny and PINK!They did however change the packaging for Bella Bamba. The lid doesn’t come of and has a mirror in it, which I love! The only downside to Bella Bamba is that you get less product for the same price as the other Benefit face/blush powders. The previous boxes were .42 oz for $28.00 and Bella Bamba is .28 oz! Despite the decrease in the amount of product we get I will continue buying this blush. A little goes a long way and the color is so pretty!

I read online that Kim Kardashian (her makeup artist) uses these two products so I had to try them out. Her makeup artist Joyce Bonelli uses a combination of Smashbox bronzer in Suntan Matte and Glow Fusion in Golden. I have a ton of bronzers but I have to say that the Glow Fusion is the best one I have tried. The color is not orange looking and does not make you look muddy. It does have gold shimmer but it doesn’t make you look shiny. I think this color would look great on medium and olive skin tones.  This is going in my all time favorite products! The Smashbox bronzer is also a great product. It does remind me a bit of NARS laguna, but I  Laguna is a little more brown. Both of these together make a very pretty combination.

I also received a few samples with my order, Kat Von D eye primer, Smashbox Luminzing primer, Prada and Gucci perfumes, Perfekt primer and Philosophy Birthday Cake Body wash.  I hope the reviews and swatches help some of you out! Overall I’m very pleased with my new products!

*Jenny*

Please excuse the way my blog looks at the moment! My wonderful husband is changing some things around making it look better! Thank you!

Over the weekend I turned 29!! How scary is that! My mom and some old family friends took me out for my birthday and we had sooo much fun! We went to a place in Rockwall, TX called The Harbor to a mexican restaurant called El Portrillo. Great food, drinks and dancing! We were having such a good time that I forgot to take pictures of how great this place was. It was off Lake Ray Hubbard and it seemed like we had travel to a great little place off the beach! I live in Fort Worth so no beach anywhere around here   We all have kids and it was fun to get out and cut loose for a night! I’ve known these girls since I was about 5 and got back in touch with some of them just last year! After dinner we and a few drinks we had an impromptu photo shoot at the fountain, the more pictures we took the crazier the pictures got! (I will not embarrass them or myself by posting them though) Then we headed back for cake and some more drinks and laughed the night away! They sure know how to make a girl feel loved and special, couldn’t have asked for anything else! The next night my hubby and I went to see “Little Fockers” (not as good as the other two,might be better as a rental) then out to dinner.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New year! I know it’s a little late but I wanted to post some pictures from our Christmas this year. For Christmas Eve we spend it with my in-laws then spend Christmas day with my parents. For new years we just had a night in. Put the boys to bed and waited till midnight for that special Midnight kiss!

Noah & Sammy

Opening presents at home

Noah

Sammy

Opening presents at Papa & Danda's (my in-laws)

Hubby & Jelly

Naughty & Nice PJ's from my mother in law

Opening presents Christmas Morning

Opening presents at Grandpa & Grandma's

*Jenny*

Goodbye 2010 and hello 2011!

 I hope that this new year brings eveyone a fresh start.  Remember that with every new year comes a new chance to realize new dreams,to rediscover the strength and  faith within you  and to find happiness in simple pleasures and create new challenges. Iwish everyone happiness,  love, health and success  surrounding  you in this new year, with family beside you and close and caring friends!

A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.-Unknown

*Jenny*