Collection One Coat Nail Strengthener

 I was wandering around Walmart last week and of course I cannot stand to be in that store unless I sweep through the cosmetics section. Cabo San Lucas is known for overpriced drugstore beauty products. You honestly are better off purchasing from a high end department store to fill your beauty spending fix. Everything is way over priced. Hence the fact I don't purchase makeup items as often as I would like to. As I was looking around and searching for something with a reasonable price tag on it, I came across a box full of nail polishes. You are going to die when I tell you the price. Are you ready?

 TWO PESOS! 

En serio!!

Two pesos translates to about twenty cents american to give a better idea to this killer deal. I ended up picking up four bottles to give the brand a try. But first, I am sure to open the bottles and check the brushes. Sometimes cheap nail polish can leave you with an uneven brush. I know this from experience. 

Too bad they don't have cute names like OPI and Essie nail polishes.

The brushes are standard. Nothing fancy.

Two Coats = Opaque.

The most important step is to have a good base & top coat, and a nail strengthener.
I use (from left to right): Seche Clear base coat, Sally Hansen Hard As Nails, and Sally Hansen Ultimate Shield.

Have you seen these nail polishes at your Walmart? If you have I definitely recommend you pick a couple bottles up and give it a go. For twenty cents, you can't go wrong. I plan on going back in a couple of weeks to search for more shades. Maybe some spring brights would be nice! I am very pleased with the over all quality. I would probably pay up to five dollars a bottle considering the outcome. 

Happy Sunday to all!

DIY clipless curling wand

This DIY project was inspired by the wonderful Kandee Johnson. Here is her video on how to turn your old news curling iron into a brand new curling wand. Of course I was dying to try this out. My poor CONAIR has been tucked in a corner of my closet with no love. It's a great curling iron but I was over the way my hair looked using it. Can we say old-school method? I love the idea of a clipless wand. I definitely can achieve a more natural looking curl and I have been really into the beachy wave look for a couple years now.

What you need:

Curling Iron with clamp.

Screwdriver.

Simple steps:

Remove screws on each side of the clamp.

Remove the screw that attaches the spring.

And after all that "hard labor" you have a new styling tool!

Before

After

Result:

Nice & natural waves.

Will you try this simple DIY project?
Do you prefer a curling iron or a curling wand?
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend whether it be relaxing or eventful!

Cut Outs

Last night my fiance and I headed over to Hacienda Encantada Resort in Cabo San Lucas. My aunt and uncle are currently staying in a beautiful room nestled in the corner with a breathtaking view of the Sea of Cortez. We had plans to go to dinner in town and then head on back to the resort to sip some homemade margaritas. 

The dress code for the restaurant was dressy/casual. I had purchased this top here in town and haven't had the right place nor guts to wear it. Last night was an exception because I felt like I was on vacation myself. The top is a beautiful bright blue color. The color is so vibrant that I kept the rest of my outfit pretty plain to not take attention away from the shirt. I was definitely stepping out of my comfort zone because it has two cutouts with a strip of lace in between, which reveals a little back. The shirt is cut short in the front and drapes long in the back. I wouldn't say I am very fashion-savy or that I have a particular style per say, but I know what I like and I like to feel good in what I wear. I paired the top with black jeans and some leather wedges with cut out detail. Underneath I wore a white tube top to hide the goods from the unforgiving sheer material.

Ignore my awkward back pose. All in all I'm glad I chose to step out of my box of comfort and wear something different. Personally I would like to hem the shirt in the back and have it all the same length. I think I could wear it for more occasions that way. I believe anyone can rock anything they want to as long as they are bleeding confidence and feel comfortable. 

What items in your closet are a little out of your comfort zone? 

And how would you have styled this shirt?

TAG: 7 Deadly Sins of Beauty

I just came across this tag on the internet and thought I would continue the tag with a late night blog post. I like the fact it is original and a little far-fetched with the similarities to sins vs. beauty.

1. GREED:  
What is your most expensive beauty item? 
What is your most inexpensive?
Urban Decay Naked Palette $48
Jordana Lip Liner in #51 Tender Love .99 cents

My all-time favorite eyeshadow palette. I am able to create so many looks for day and
night. I had no trouble paying $50 for this must have beauty staple.

.99 cents for an everyday lip liner? Yes, please! This color is a soft, natural, pink.
It matches the color of my natural lip, yet adds a little umph! I love wearing it underneath a nude lip stick.

2. WRATH: 
What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with? 
What product has been the hardest to get?

Revlon Colorstay Foundation

Cetaphil Cleanser

This foundation is my current favorite but at the same time I strongly despise it.  It leaves my skin with a nice finish and I don't have to apply powder after application. It stays put on my skin all day. The bad part is it isn't easy to blend as it sets very quickly and sometimes my skin feels like it is choking.

Because I live in Mexico, it has been so difficult for me to find my beloved Cetaphil Cleanser.
I usually can find it at the L.A. Pharmacy because they carry many products from the US.
But it has been three months and no cleanser in sight. It is my holy grail of all face washes.
It clears up and prevents breakouts and it is usually around $10. 

3. GLUTTONY: 

What are your most delicious beauty products?

EOS Lip Balm

My EOS lip balm in Summer Fruit is so tasty. 
I guess if I was able to take a bite out of it, I would!
I am due for another seeing as this one has completely
lost its cute egg shape.

4. SLOTH: What beauty product do you neglect, due to laziness?
Maybelline Gel Liner

I love gel liner for its purpose and that's about it. Once it dries, it's not going anywhere.
But I seem to always reach for any pencil eye liner before these pots.

I cannot stand having to clean the brush off after every use.
And yes, I am aware, that is a lazy comment. <3

5. PRIDE: What beauty product gives you the most self confidence?

Blush

These are swatches of my favorite blushes to wear. Both from Wet & Wild.
Colors are Heather Silk and Pearlescent Pink. Rosy cheeks make for a fresh youthful look.
I rarely leave the house without it. 

6. LUST: What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?

Smile 
 Sense of humor

7. ENVY: What items would you most like to receive as a gift?

Clarisonic MIA

I most definitely WANT a Clarisonic MIA. A girl that is obsessed
with skincare needs one of these bad boys in her life. I can't stand to
watch/read anymore reviews, I just want one all to myself.

I tag everyone who reads and comment below with your blog so I can check out your answers!

I got Valentine's on my mind.

Oh Valentine's Day! This holiday definitely wins the love/hate relationship award with people around the world. I happen to love it for the simple fact that I can binge on conversation hearts and the shops are filled with pink, red, and white everything. For all you valentine-less one's out there, there are so many products you can spoil yourself with. Don't be let down with the fact that your not having to put all your trust "in a man" to make the night go right. Instead get off your pity me booty and do the night just the way you like it yourself. 

Where to start:

A. Head on over to your nearest LUSH and buy yourself a Do Knot Disturb goodie bag. It includes 4 delicious body products that will leave you feeling like a sex-pot after a nice hot bath. Check it out here.

B. Proceed to a DIY manicure and surprise your nails with a lacquer from Butter London's spring 2012 collection. You can purchase my two favorites here. Disco Biscuit and Trout Pout.

C. BE DARING and do a magenta lip like Rihanna or BE ROMANTIC and play up your eyes by smoking out black and brown eyeshadows and finish off with a nude/pinky lip like Blake Lively. 

D. Curls, whether soft or bouncy, are a must for Valentine's Day! Try using this method by Cupcakes and Cashmere with your curling iron for a soft look. Invest in this curling wand for tight bouncy curls. Once you start the wrap-around method you will never stop. It saves you time and gives you a more natural looking curl. 

E. What is Valentine's Day without Victoria's Secret? They are telling us to have a "Lacie Day" by offering 3 for $30 on any lacie panty here. 

F. Slip on your favorite dress or your new Hudson jeans (appropriate). I personally love this nude and lace little number. Heels or flats? Your choice.

Now we didn't just do all that primping and pampering for nothing! Call one or a couple of your girlfriends and head out for the night. Catch an afternoon movie and late dinner or hit up a comedy club and have drinks afterward. Moral of the blogpost is. Valentine's Day is one day a year, no matter what the situation is, to focus on all the good things you have and the people that love you. 

G. Here is a HUGE BESO to all who read. MUAH!

Let's have an Oatmeal and Tea Party!

Now we all know eating oatmeal and drinking tea are both very beneficial to our health. Every morning my breakfast consists of a good portion of oatmeal and hot tea. Oatmeal, when eaten on a regular basis, increases our chances of not developing heart disease. Drinking tea each day, depending on the type, comes with many benefits and juicy goodness to our overall health. A majority of teas carry antioxidants which help our body fight illness and protect us from aging and pollutions. 

Are you having some girl time or a sleep over anytime soon? Did you know you can use the oatmeal in your kitchen and the tea in your cupboard for times like these?

Oatmeal & Honey Mask
3/4 cup of oatmeal

1/2 cup of water

1/4 cup of honey

Cook oatmeal as normal, wait to cool, and add in honey. Mix well and apply the mixture onto your face leaving it for up to 20 minutes. Also you could use this mixture as a face wash for a natural exfoliation treat for your skin. Just leave out the honey in that case.

Oatmeal is great for acne prone skin. It absorbs excess oil and scrubs away dead skin cells.

The Ice-Tea Facial

2-3 bags of your favorite tea

Boiling water

Ice tray

Place tea bags in water and let brew for a few minutes. Take tea and pour into ice tray. Place in freezer.

It's that simple! When the ice cubes are ready, take one out and let it thaw for a minute or two. Now you can rub one all over your face for a refreshing and chilly feel. When it has all melted into your skin, take a paper towel and dab your face to remove the liquid. Let the sticky feeling stay on your skin for 20 minutes and wash off. Massaging the ice cube on your face can reduce redness in pimples and also shrink the size of pores. 

Green tea and Chamomile Tea are preferred for the best results.

Have you tried either of these yummy ideas?

What sort of things do you put on your face?

My Experience with Ulta.com

Ulta has got to be by far my favorite beauty store to shop at. I do love Sephora unconditionally but I lean towards Ulta ninety percent of the time for the fact they carry drugstore products and always seem to have a twenty percent coupon floating through the mail. Sometimes I just like to sit on their website and add things into my basket and see what my total turns out to be. They always are offering great deals and savings for those of us wannabe coupon cutters. The in-store employees have always been so helpful. I especially appreciate talking to someone who knows about their job and what they are selling. It makes a lot of sense to me to hire someone who has a passion for what they are doing and reflects that through their work. Now onto my rant...

12. 05. 2011

This Christmas I was buying for my brother's fiance. Since I live in Mexico and shipping is off the wall insane I like to shop online to save me the stress and extra money. I picked and poked around the website for probably an hour until my basket had about 10 items. Alas I click to check out with paypal. My basket was still full to the top but my money was gone. *Thinking.. website loading error. I'll check back tomorrow. And tomorrow is here and my basket is still full. Okay, I will go ahead and write an email. 

12. 12. 2011

No answer, no nada. No number to call for those of us international shoppers. I called the store in Lynnwood, WA. They can't help me. So I had to have my mom call while I am on Skype with her. Ulta tells me it is not there problem. It is Paypal's problem. Well, it turned out to be Ulta's problem.

12. 17. 2011

Money is deposited back into my paypal so I go ahead and transfer it to my bank account.

12. 19. 2011

Let's try our order this time with my debit card. Surprise! Surprise! Money is taken out of my account and my Ulta order sits lonely in it's basket. 

12. 20. 2011

Phone call to Ulta again over Skype with my mom. Ulta tells me (the truth this time) that they are having issues with their website. I ask the lady if she could just take my order over the phone. She replies back with a snotty voice, "No. We don't take orders over the phone." Then she goes onto explain that I need to call my bank and have them request the money back from Ulta. I had about lost it. Finally, after starting online shopping with Ulta twenty days prior to Christmas, my gift will be arriving in the next year because Ulta needs to get their _______ together. Told her she better have her manager call me two days after Christmas so I can speak with her about the whole ordeal. 

01. 10. 2012

I am still waiting on that phone call.

Beautystaple's tips for Ulta.com

 Retrain both women whom I spoke to.

 We are in 2012, I would advise you to make it possible to order over the phone.

Canada and the United States are not the only customers who need to reach you.

Do you have a rant to share about online shopping or any store who hasn't met your needs?