Sorry dolls...

Apothica Gift Certificate Giveaway!

I have some exciting news!!!

The lovely dolls at Apothica are awarding a $25 gift certificate to one of my lucky gorgeous readers! You can apply the certificate to anything in their store, which includes well knows brands such as Stila, NeoCutis, Baby Quaser, Barex and SkinMedica. You can also conveniently shop at SkinCareRx and Skincare Botanica at the same time, using the same cart!

Stila Cosmetics is one of the more popular brands that many of us are very familiar with. Apothica offers a great variety of products from Stila that are at great value and worth checking out. 

Click the picture below for direct link to Stila Cosmetics on Apothica.com

The Story of Apothica...
Apothica.com is an online beauty boutique, which carries the finest selection of skin care, body care, aromatherapy, and cosmetic products on the market today, including the most natural, organic products available. We are dedicated to providing you with high quality products formulated to promote and enhance your natural beauty.

Apothica is our retail store in beautiful downtown Salt Lake City, which features skin care, body care, hair care, fragrances, and much more. The retail store is also the exclusive provider for the Gateway Aesthetic Institute & Laser Center, the largest cosmetic laser center in the world. Click to see Apothica's complete Spa Menu. 

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So now that you have a better understanding of what Apothica is all about, let me tell you how you can enter to win this amazing certificate. They give you three options in which you can enter the giveaway:

Option 1: Facebook

1.     Visit Apothica.com

2.     Write on Apothica’s Facebook wall about what you think of Apothica

Bonus: Opt in to Apothica’s Newsletter

Option 2: Twitter

1.     Visit Apothica.com

2.     Tweet about Apothica on your own Twitter Account

Bonus: Retweet Apothica’s tweet about this giveaway

Option 3: Blog

1.     Visit Apothica.com

2.     Write something on your blog about what you think of Apothica

Bonus: Write about the brand I highlighted and link it to Apothica

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Each option and bonus counts as 1 entry, so you have plenty of chances to enter and win! Here are some key point things that you need to know: Apothica will contact the winner to verify information is correct; After verification, Apothica will email the a code for the gift card to be used at SkinCareRx.com, Apothica.com, and SkinBotanica.com; The contest is open internationally, but Apothica does not ship to all countries. Also, please note to save SkinCareRx as a contact in your email box so that the emails don't go to the Spam/Junk Mail folder.

Giveaway ends September 5th!

Thanks Apothica for providing my readers with this giveaway! 

Good luck dolls!

HAUL: Forever 21 Accessories

 Just stopped by Forever 21 today and picked up a few accessories that i've been wanting after seeing them online. Most of these i got for $1.50 and i thought they were way to pretty not to get them. I love wearing stud earrings that are kind of fancy for everyday so i thought the ones i picked out are so gorgeous to wear anytime without looking too overdone. I also got a cute little bow necklace that i thought was so simple yet so gorgeous. Also the hoops i thought were a little different with the little design and it's a bit bigger than what i have so i thought why not. I also picked up one nailpolish in Light Orange, which stood out to me and it's not something i have in my collection, and i really wanted to try out the formula of these polishes. I will post an NOTD as soon as i wear it.  I definitely feel like going back and picking out more things. I always forget how Forever 21 has the best accessories ever at the best price. 

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What are the types of earrings that you wear everyday? 

Any favorite accessories at Forever 21?

REVIEW: Too Faced Look of Love Spring Collection

I don't own many Too Faced products so i decided to get this set, since it seemed like a really good value to start off with. Aside from the gorgeous limited edition bag that everything came in, the products themselves are really good and worth having - a limited edition trio with two eyeshadows and a blush, a flatbuki brush, full size glamour gloss in Barely Legal, full size lash injection mascara, full size shadow insurance and a deluxe primed and poreless.

It really is a great value set and everything is wearable everyday. 

Just to give you an idea, the whole set was about $40. The Lash Injection alone, full size, is $21. The full size Shadow Insurance primer is $18 and the full size Glamour Gloss is $19 - just these three purchased separately would come up to $58! Crazy! And this doesn't even include the rest of the great products that come in the bag. Searching for it online, it says that the value of the whole thing comes up to $124, and you can see why. I'm still playing around with the products and i want to make a separate review posts for the face primer and the lash injection mascara; and of course an FOTD using the lovely trio with the shadows and blush.

Read more for swatches!

Apothica Haul!

I ordered some things from Apothica and i have to say i'm pretty pleased with how everything was sent to me. I got everything in the mail about 4 days after i placed the order online. I was also sent some samples and a catalog from SkincareRX with a ton of products that are worth checking out. The picture shows basically everything i ordered and recieved, and i have to say im very happy with my purchases. I was very excited to get everything and i will make sure to make a more detailed post about the Too Faced set, since it has a lot of products worth talking about, and it's like my favorite thing that i use right now. Stay tuned for that!

Have you tried Apothica yet?

Avoiding Makeup Meltdown: 3 Important Tips

 Now that you have agreed to go to the afternoon baby shower to your friend’s in August, one worry up your sleeve must be that of your makeup melting away in the sweltering sun. But do not let the stress take a toll on you. Given below are three tips that can help your makeup stay and save you from a horrific makeup meltdown:

1. Keeping It Light

Get hands on a reputed brand of foundation that shall keep your skin smooth looking without looking overdone. There is no need to go in for heavy makeup like the stars at the Oscars. The main rule of makeup is that less is more! On a hot day, it is mere foolhardiness to even wear gaudy makeup and look all caked up.

2. The Matte effect

Depending on your skin type, choose an apt moisturizer that shall leave your skin hydrated. Remember the matte look is the best in the heat. There is absolutely no need to use creamy products during a hot day. You do not want to have a dripping eye shadow, right? Choose products in powder finish.

3. Go Waterproof

There is a variety of waterproof products available in the market today. Especially for mascaras, it is better to choose one that is specified as waterproof. There are no chances of smudges around your eye on a day that is humid. After all, who wants to look like a raccoon?

Abide by these subtle makeup tricks to look your beautiful self and avoid the sliding of makeup in scorching heat. 

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Brenda Lyttle is a beauty expert who began writing for publications in her community in 2005 and now commands an authority in writing on  beauty tips, anti-aging, and HGH related topics.

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Thank you Brenda for providing my readers with this very useful article!

Images: Google

Review: E.L.F Studio Complexion Perfection Powder

 e.l.f studio tone correcting powder

Create a balanced and radiant complexion that is beautiful and healthy. The lightweight formula evens out the skin tone and absorbs excess oil. The sheer formula brightens, mattes and neutralizes the skin. The colors are meant to be blended together as the Blue neutralizes orange, the Green neutralizes red, the Pink neutralizes grey and the Yellow brightens and neutralizes red.

(www.eyeslipsface.com)

So what exactly is the point of adding all this color to your face? The different colors help bring your entire face to an evened out color. Many of us find that we have some purple or blue under our eyes or have red cheeks, and have to use opposite shades to even everything out. Basically here's the breakdown of how it works, as mentioned in the description on their website:

Yellow formula cancels out Purple - e.g. under the eyes

Green formula cancels out Red - e.g. cheeks, face

Blue formula cancels out Orange - e.g. spots on face

Pink formula cancels out Green/Blue - e.g. under eyes

My skin has never been even toned. I have a lot of small redness all over my cheeks and i sometimes need to use something green before to able to fully cover that. I use a good foundation either way, but by the end of the day, the redness seeps through it.

My opinion: For the $3 price i didn't really expect to make too much of a difference but i was a bit surprised. I got a chance to use it for a few days to get a feel of the product and how it works. When i try to swirl all the powders together, you get a sort of translucent powder that basically leaves my skin looking really white. I guess that's it's way to evening out the skin tone. One terrible downside about this is that it's extremely powdery and can feel chalky. It's not that bad for me since i have oily skin, so it keeps my skin looking dry for the longest time. I don't think i would really recommend it for dry skin. I make sure i apply it before the foundation to kind of create a clean white base before i put on any color. I also tried using the colors individually, specifically the green one for my redness and it worked really well. Again the same powdery chalky feel to it but it doesn't bother me, since it's summer time and i get oily either way. I don't think it would work on top of foundation simply because of the translucent powder will pale me out a lot. But all-in-all i really do love that it tames down by redness and kind of gets the face ready for foundation and other products. If you don't use foundation and want something that would even out your skin tone, i would recommend it just make sure u do add some bronzer and/or blush to give more life to your face because its going to pale it out.

I think overall i'm happy with the product knowing it's only $3 and it comes in a big compact with a mirror. Next to ELF i saw that Target has Physicians Formula color wheal, and it looked a bit smaller than this. The colors were somehow swirled together in the compact. Of course it's a bit more expensive but you have different options if you're interested. They also have the colors separately if you only wanna focus on specific problem areas.

Have you tried this powder or any other color correctors?

What do you think?

Tag: What are my go-to products?!

I recently saw this type of post on Nattys blog (HERE) and i thought it's a such a good idea! We all find ourselves pressured by time...i know i do all the time. I always think i have enough time when i get ready but then i end up taking forever. My mom tells me i have to get ready at least two hours before anything so i can be ready LOL! I always like to take my time when i do my makeup for just two simple reasons. One is i really want it to look nice and not walk one looking like a messy clown. Second, i really enjoy the process of putting makeup on. It's art and i enjoy making myself look pretty - who doesn't like that right!?
Ok so with that said, here are the go-to products that i love using...

Read more for details on each products shown!

REVIEW: Sudocrem Skin Care Cream

 I was recently sent three samples of the new Sudocrem skin care tubes that are a new upcoming sensation. I was actually not familiar with this company at all, it's really popular in the UK. Sudocrem is generally known as a antiseptic healing cream. It protects the babies skin if irritated by diaper rash and that original popular version that many are familiar with is in a pot. The known cream can also be used to treat cuts and grazes, sunburn, minor burns, acne and bedsores. 

Here's what the original pot form Sudocrem is best know for 

(information taken from the website HERE)

 Sudocrem’s clinically proven to soothe, heal and protect your baby’s delicate skin and works in three ways:

• A water-repellent base forms a protective barrier, helping to stop any irritants (urine and faeces) coming into contact with the skin.
• It both softens and soothes sore, inflamed skin.
• It has a weak local anaesthetic to help ease pain and irritation. 

 So what gives Sudocrem its healing properties? 

Tag: What's in my bag??

Ok so i thought it was time for an update post of "What's in my bag?". The last one i did was back in 2010. I don't think much has changed since LOL! I generally carry the same type of 1034567 items even if they do change a little bit. You can check out the past post HERE.

Lately i've really been loving the messenger type of bags. They're so much easier to carry around rather than having a mini luggage on one shoulder. The one that i have right now is this Prada bag, which i've had for the longest time but never wore it across my body till recently. It has an adjustable strap but always had it short so i can wear it like a regular bag. Also, in case anyone will mention this, it's obviously not an authentic Prada bag. I got it from a purse party that my aunt hosted a bunch of years ago. A purse is a purse no matter if it's real or fake, as long as it does what it's meant to do i love it. 

Ok so with that said here's what the inside kinda looks like...

Making this post and taking the pictures made me realize how much stuff i carry with me all the time LOL. I seriously tried to take out of the things in here so i can make things a bit lighter for me but there's no chance of me letting go of my "just in case" stuff. So here's everything dumped out neatly.

- Wallet: it pretty much carries all the cards and receipts that i need to just have with me

- Coach Wristlet: I keep my liscence and credit card in here. In case i need to go somewhere quick and don't wanna carry my whole bag with me, i just grab this with me.

- Makeup Bag (details bellow)

- House keys and a pound of keychains 

- Small brush/mirror

- Post it notes

- Coupons for Target

- Flash drive (don't ask haha)

- Scope (for fresh breath) LOL

- Tide To-Go: this stuff actually works. Saved a white shirt once when i spilled a little coffee on it. I was very excited that it actually removed the stain in like 15 minutes.

- Highlighter and Pen: in case i need to highlight something? I have an obsession with carrying highlighters with me in any/every bag i own haha

- Pink/Blue travel size spray bottles: I filled them up with two of my favorite body mists so i can have it on the to go in case i forget to spray it on or if the smell goes away 

- Apple Citrus body lotion: love the smell of this!

- First aid kit: just in case lol i have band-aids and a neosporin in there haha

- GNC pill holder: my mom calls this my mini pharmacy LOL! It has different compartments so i can carry different pills without having them mix. I have midol and advil in there.

- Q-tips: i honestly don't know in what case i would be needing these haha but "just in case". I really loved the packaging to be honest LOL!

- Puffs tissues and Wet Ones 

- My iTouch with the cute sock LOL

I honestly have NO idea how all this fits in the bag but it does haha. My brother told me if i had to take a random trip without stopping home to pack, he thinks i would be good for a while since all i need is in the bag... i think i agree...

Makeup Bag

If the content in the whole bag wasn't enough, the makeup bag itself has a bunch of nonsense that i carry with me at all time... you know... just in case LOL

- The little makeup bag is from Target and it's Sonia Kashuk

- Revlon lip gloss in Peach Petal

- Barry M 100 lipstick

- Nivea lip balm

- Revlon Smooth Nude lipstick

- Dental floss "?"

- Mentha lip shine gloss

- Nail files 

- Urban Decay liners - Zero and Lucky

- Brushes - blush, shadow and angled 

- Sleek Blush

- Mac Togetherness trio

- Three perfume samples 

- Tweezers 

Ok so that's pretty much all i have in my bag. I think it's plenty don't you think? haha I always like to be prepared and have everything. There isn't one item that i didn't make use of at whatever occasion. I always have everything that's needed and everyone that knows me knows that LOL. My family and best friend always pick on me for carrying soooo much with me but anytime they ask for a band-aid, gloss, nail file or a pen, im sure to have it. I love it haha

What about YOU? Do you find yourself carrying as many things as i do or do you limit yourself to your keys and wallet? If you have a post of what's in your bag, post the link bellow i would LOVE to see it =)

What's on my nails?

 I did my nails last night and i though i would share with you what i have on right now. I'm the type of person that gets bored with her nails pretty easily and always like to try something new out. 

I decided to wear this shade from Barry M called Strawberry, which i received in a swap a while back. It's a pale pink that becomes sort of a barbie pink the more coats you add. I'm wearing 3 coats so it looks a little more neon pink in certain light and not so pale. I love how it came out, it looks really summery and cute. 

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What's on YOUR nails?!?

FOTD - Smokey Mary Jane

I managed to take a few pictures of my look today before i went to work. I'm really lovin this Urban Decay eyeshadow. I feel like it lights up the eyes with the metallic look to it. Feels like i haven't posted an FOTD post in a while. You may notice that im not wearing falsies in this look. I haven't worn false lashes in a few months now because i felt that my natural ones were barely there. I realized that all i really needed was a good mascara to make the lashes look somewhat decent. If i feel like i need that extra oomph i have lashes handy that i can just put on. Ok so with that said, here's the look for today =)

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FACE:

Revlon Colorstay Foundation in Warm Golden

NYC loose powder 

Mac Refined Golden bronzer

Mac Hipness Blush

EYES:

UDPP

UD e/s in Creep (crease, outer corner)

UD e/s in Mary Jane (all over the lid) 

UD e/s in Buck (crease and blending harsh edges)

UD e/s in Virgin (browbone and inner corner)

L'oreal Maybelline Gel liner 

Covergirl lash blast 

LIPS:

Barry M 100 Baby Pink

Mac Frankly Fresh gloss

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Thoughts?

HAUL - Urban Decay Goodies!

Urban Decay recently had a 25% off discount deal on their website and i just had to take advantage of it and order some things i had my eye on for a while now. If you don't know already, i'll tell you now that Urban Decay is my favorite brand of makeup for their eye shadows. I love the variety, quality and best of all, their palettes. They release new palettes often and they never disappoint, even though the shades seem to be repeating themselves, they're all worth having - in my opinion.

Ok so with that said, here's what i picked up: Feminine Palette, Mary Jane single eyeshadow and a Primer tube. 

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Urban Decay Feminine Palette 

 This is one of the three different palettes that have their own personality - Feminine, Dangerous and Fun. I made a post in the past about all the palettes, so check it out HERE. I kind of had a hard time picking deciding which palette i should go for. They all seem to have shades that i would wear. I feel like each of us doesn't just have one of these traits - we're all feminine and fun but can be dangerous at times too ;) ...I chose the Feminine palette for now because it has more of everyday/summery shades that i would find myself wearing right now. It comes with 6 different shades, that are also found as single eye-shadows. Stray Dog is one of my favorite shades that i've used up in one of UDs palettes in the past. Darkhorse is found in the Naked Palette if you own that, and im glad i got it again because ive hit pan in the nakedness. The rest of the shadows are very soft shades that work great with the browns so you can play around with this palette. Im excited to post some FOTDs using it and sharing with you various ways that i like to combine the colors. The palette also comes with a 24/7 eye pencil in Zero - of course - and a small sizes eye-shadow primer in Eden, which is a matte nude shade.

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Urban Decay Single Eyeshadow in Mary Jane

 I'm really in love with this shade. I swatched it before a while back when i went to Sephora and i always had my eye on it. It's a metallic finish with mild shimmers. The shade is a silvery blue with some dark undertone. It works amazing with a darker shadow in the crease to create a nice bright smokey eye look. I will come up with a few looks with it, i feel like i will be using this eyeshadow a lot. I would definitely recommend it if you like metallic or silvery shades.

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Urban Decay Primer Potion - Original 

 I love that Urban Decay finally came out with an easy squeeze-able tube for the primer potion. It works so much easier, because you can control how much you can use and i feel like you don't waste product like the wand primer potion. The fill weight is also 11ml e 0.37 US fl oz unlike the 10ml e 0.34 US fl. oz. that comes in the bottle form. The tube is priced $1 more than the bottle but you can a lot more benefits and i find it a lot easier to work with. I was very happy to get my hands on this primer.

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That's about it for my haul! 

Thoughts?

Keep Calm and Blog!

I really did miss spending time on my computer - today with a cup of coffee - and working on blog posts. I've been taking pictures all day and editing for the most part and planning out posts. I feel like i forgot the amount of work that it gets put into blogging LOL! I love it though. 

This post won't be too long or about anything in particular but just general updates about what's new, where i've been and what to expect. Now that i'm back on the blog scene i really feel like i owe all my readers an update.

• I got a new job finally - the daycare job i had was killing me. I now work at Pandora Jewelry and i love it!
• I am now single and i got used to lovin it. I focus on myself and not having to answer to anyone is sort of a breath of fresh air. 
• I've been spending time studying very hard in school and applying for graduation, which is hopefully happening in December... Yay!
• I have been keeping active with a workout program that has kept me feeling more energized. I will do a post about this because it's a lot of fun.
• Another big part of why i've been missing has been to just take a break and focus on myself. I think we all have those "growing up" moments where you need some time for yourself and get it together. Details are personal but that's the gist of things lol!
• I also feel like i have a lot of ideas for posts so keep watch for FOTDs, NOTDs, Products i love and use, and other fun filled posts.

Thanks again to all my readers for being patient and following my blog

If you have any questions/requests/comments don't hesitate to shoot an email my way, i would love to hear from you.

REVIEW: KKCenterhk Lashes

This is the second time that i have tried lashes from KKCenterhk. I have done a post in the past with the first sets of lashes i was sent for review and i was really please. Click HERE to re-visit the review.

Unlike the previous sets, these are a different brand - AK - and each package comes with 5 pairs of lashes. I had the chance to try out each type of lash so i can give you my honest opinion about them individually. I was sent three boxes of five pairs each of this particular brand that come in a yellow/orange little skinny box. The numbers are 605, 608 and 610 - all are priced $12.50.

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AK Brand Eyelashes HandMade AK-605

 I think these would be my favorite out of all of them. Because they're handmade, they have a natural look to them. In the box you can tell that they start short in the corner and get long then end short again. That's not a problem, because the lashes are long so i had to resize them for my eye. It leave the lash with a winged look to it and it looks great once you put it on. My favorite part about the lashes is that band that bends easily and adjusts to the eye so it stays on really well. I think they're very naturally dramatic and i really love the long luscious lash effect if gives.

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AK Brand Eyelashes HandMade AK-608

 These are my least favorite lashes. They were a bit hard to work with. I found the band of the lash to be a bit rough to bend and it was a bit too thick. If you look closely to the picture on the left, you can see the band, so it doesn't make it look very natural. Another thing, the lashes themselves are so short! The main reason i (and everyone else im sure) wear lashes is to make the eye open up with long gorgeous lashes - unless your already blessed with a great pair. These particular ones didn't do it for me. It just felt heavy on the lid and didn't add much to my natural babies. These would probably work for someone who would want to just add more lashes of the same length as your natural ones.

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AK Brand Eyelashes HandMade AK-610 

 I really love these lashes also. They do resemble the first set above, but it is slightly different. They are just as long and have that winged effect to them. I find that these seem to add fullness, not just length. Once you add mascara if gives it that full long lash effect, whereas the first set would get just the length effect. I found myself switching between the sets 605 and 610 because they all add they're own that extra glam to different looks. Again the band of these are also easy to work with and very adjustable. Love it!

 

Pros: Easy to work with (605,610), looks natural, adds length and fullness, stays on.

Cons: Plastic band thats hard to work with (608), short lashes.

Overall opinion: I love that it comes in pairs and you can have a collection of lashes handy anytime. They look natural and are easy to work with for the most part. They're definitely worth it.

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Disclaimer: I was sent these for review purpose by the representative of the company. 

I was not paid for this review and what i've said is my honest opinion.