Thursday, December 12, 2013

November Favorites - Product Edition



Below are the products that I was loving for the month of November. I have divided them into categories so that you can skip reviews that aren't of interest to you.

Personal Care:

Nivea Hand cream - I love this product! This month was my first time trying it, after passing it at Target several times. I have since bought several, as they are only 92cents. I keep these in my handbag, as they allow for discreetly applying lotion in a public setting if necessary. I can keep the container in my purse and scoop out a bit and rub my hands together and go unnoticed. There is nothing worse than being in church or in a professional setting and seeing/hearing someone squeeze lotion from a tube, or having the lotion squirt somewhere that it doesn't belong, or worse having the tube squeeze open in your purse. These little containers are both convenient and they work to keep my hands super soft during this harsh cold weather, or after I wash my hands in public with a drying soap product.


Nivea Lip butter - this lip butter smells so good and it helps to keep my lips hydrated. I apply this at night or when I am going somewhere and I am not wearing makeup. I have bought other scents that I have not used yet. The only con is that you apply this product with your fingers so you do have to make sure that you are applying with freshly washed/sanitized hands.



Vaseline Spray & go Moisturizer - I am embarrassed to say that I bought this product because I saw an advertisement where the lady got dressed so fast thanks to the spray n go lotion! I struggle with getting dressed quickly so I totally fell for that ad! I studied marketing in undergrad (my minor) so I knew that Vaseline was appealing to my flaws (procrastination) but my interest was peaked, nonetheless. I purchased the product with a coupon. It sprays a light application, which I quickly rub in and go on about my business. It does eliminate the time that I would usually spend sitting on my bed daydreaming while applying lotion, as I stand and spray this product away from my bed, so as not to risk ruining my linens. (Or my sheets, I can be so country at times). If you have ever used Off bug repellent spray, then that is similar to the consistency in which the product sprays. It helps to keep my skin moisturized and the product has lasted longer than I anticipated, so it is worth the price (about $6).


Aubrey Organics Herbal Complexion Mist - I have had this product forever, but during the month of November, I started to use it more frequently after experiencing skin irritation on my face from a primer. I spritz this to moisturize my face before applying my makeup or to refresh my skin after using a facial cleanser. It contains natural ingredients such as mineral water, aloe vera, and vitamins, A, C, and E. It reminds me of a toner, and I also compare it to MAC's Fix Plus. It smells really good...well it smells pleasant....and it leaves my skin feeling hydrated and refreshed. I once used it to soothe my irritated freshly shaved skin after I could not find my aloe vera gel, and it worked! I purchased this product at Vitamin Shoppe for about $7 and it has lasted me a while.



Cosmetics:

Urban Decay Ocho Loco 2 - these liners were an impulse buy at Sephora. I went to the store to purchase the UD Vice palette and the associate talked me into these. I love them and I am so glad that I purchased them. This is my first time trying UD liners and they are everything! They are very pigmented, and they glide on easily - hence you are able to use them on your eyelids for a smooth look. (It is difficult to use the average eye pencil on your lids in order to create a winged line). This set is limited edition, so I recommend grabbing it before they are gone forever. I love the colors! I created a look last month using the liners, for which I will post details in another post.

 


ELF Cosmetics Lip exfoliator - I use this at night just before bedtime. It helps to keep my lips smooth and to erase color deposits that I may not have been able to remove with eye makeup remover pads. This product was only $3 and definitely worth a try.

 Mac studio tech - Prior to using this product on a client last month, I had tried every single MAC foundation except this one! I am not sure why I slept on this formula, but I love this product for everyday makeup wear. It offers light to medium coverage (buildable coverage) and results in a more natural application (if applied correctly). I use the shade NW43.


MAC MSF (Perfectly Poised and Scene to be scene) - These can be worn as both blush, highlighters, or all over to provide a luminous glow (results vary pending your complexion and desired outcome). I love these. They are limited edition and sold out in most places.



 

MUFE lipstick no. 15 - this is a very beautiful and unique purple. I have a more detailed post coming up comparing it to other purple lip colors in my collection. The product has a creamy texture, a bit of sheen, it is highly pigmented and iridescence in appearance.

 


Elf Cosmetics Bronzer (Turks and Caicos) - I love this! I am going to add it to my MUA kit. It is an awesome contour shade. I have not used the highlight shade yet. I like this better than my Cover Girl Queen Ebony bronzer, and this product was only $3, whereas CG is around $6.
 



Fashion:

Jeffrey Campbell flats - I purchased these flats during the Nordstrom half-yearly sale. I am not sure of the regular price but I snagged these for $65. They are comfy and I have worn them once with jeans, yet they are fancy enough to wear with a dress or skirt. I will feature these in an upcoming blog post.


Asos Clutch - this was my very first accessory from Asos. I see bloggers post about shoes and other accessories that they picked up from the UK retailer, but I go straight to the clothing and promptly check out. I decided to browse the accessories section and found this clutch on sale. It goes with tons of items and it is great quality for the price. It is a faux leather material. I believe it was $24.
 




 

 
 I love monthly favorite posts on blogs and YouTube so this post was fun to create. What are some of the products that you are currently loving? Questions and comments/responses are welcomed below.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Monochromatic November - Part 2


I focused on black/white during the month of November. Here is what I wore during the last half of the month:

 
 
 I was headed out on a Saturday night in this look:


 


Dress: Asos
Clutch: Asos
Heels: Jessica Simpson


In the look below I was headed out on a Friday night to celebrate my cousin (Natia) moving to New York. Natia is one of the best public speakers that I have ever known, so I know that she will do exceptionally well in a new city! For this look it was a mere coincidence that the dress (which I purchased a year ago) matched the clutch that I purchased more recently. That's the best way to shop, just buy things you like and everything will come together. It is hard when you "force" an outfit by scrambling at the last minute to find something that goes with a new dress. Thus when you see an accessory that you love, buy it! I will make another post regarding shopping for accessories. In this post, I am wearing hosiery tights so it is impossible to see my shoes, thus I will post a picture of them (blue suede Vince Camuto booties).





Dress: Asos
Clutch: Asos
Necklace: Local jewelry store (Harwin area in Houston)
Tights: Control top at Avenue
Shoes: Vince Camuto
 



If Santa is good to me, I will have better quality pictures in 2014! Thank you to everyone who is patient with me and my iphonetography lol. If you have questions or comments please feel free to post them below. Also, you guys know that I love fashion challenges, so if you are participating in any or would like to suggest challenges for me to consider please feel free to post below.

November Favorites - Client Edition

Hello JFOG Readers! I have been so busy with studying that I have not been able to post my regular blog content. I am on a study break for now, so I plan to update all of the posts that I should have published last week. Thank you all for checking regularly for updates. I really appreciate all of my readers!

Here are a couple of my favorite makeup clients from the month of November.


She requested a "natural smokey eye" for a party. We used MAC's Studio Tech foundation for her gorgeous complexion.




She also requested a natural yet glam look to wear as a guest at a wedding. We used MAC Studio Sculpt for her foundation.


Please feel free to post questions or comments below. For inquiries regarding makeup services, please email me at jarfullofglam@yahoo.com.