Hair Woes

Not really sure what this Natural Hair Movement is all about but my hair is natural which I interpret as being chemical and color free (no creamy crack aka relaxer).  Now this isn't something new for me as I rarely ever got relaxers to begin with but I treated my natural hair like crap.  I had the weaves which I always kept in just a little too long, or the braids that would tear out my weak hair from the root.  Oh and I was the flat iron queen, just burning and burning away.  Finally I snapped out of it and started to really take care of my hair.  I started braiding it up, conditioning it, washing it more often and being really gentle with it.  My hair reacted well to this new treatment and I started seeing the growth.  Here is where my next problem began, once I saw the growth, I was scared to go to get my ends trimmed.  I was afraid of those snip happy stylist that just cut and cut until you feel like you're back at square one.  I quickly realized that I needed a trim badly after I took some family pictures and saw how puffy my hair got because of all the split ends.  It was horrid.  I mean to the point where I emailed the photographer and asked that she remove certain pictures from her website because of my hair.  How embarrassing, right?  Well I finally took the plunge and found a really reputable salon that focuses on natural hair.  This is the same salon that I have been looking into for months but they were always booked solid.  Well one day I logged into their website and they had an opening!  I clicked the button and my appointment was scheduled.  The experience that I had at this salon was the best experience that I have ever had at any salon.

My appointment actually started on time!  I was shampooed, conditioned, steamed and rinsed.  I wasn't left under the steamer for forever either.  I have been at salons before that have left me under the dryer for what seemed like hours while they serviced other clients but not at this salon!  The main stylists assistant blow dried my hair and it was the best blow dry I have ever had as my hair has never been that straight without a flat iron or pressing comb.  Then I got my hair evaluated by the main stylist and after her telling me that my ends were atrocious, she began to flat iron my hair and let me tell you this, I don't know what kind of magic she used but my hair looked and felt like air.  When she started to cut it, I was a little nervous, but because she had gotten it so straight, I couldn't tell a difference in the overall length.  My hair ended up looking great and it stayed great.  When I finally decided to braid it up, it still felt great and my braid-out was amazing.

I truly believe that great hair can definitely change your whole look and make you feel great.  I have vowed to keep up with getting my ends trimmed and keep up my healthy hair regime.

So ladies, have you suffered any hair woes or had any hair revelations?  Let me know, I would love to hear about them.

Chanel Sheer Illuminating Fluid

I'm having a truly awesome day!  I just ordered 3 of the Sleek Blush by 3 blush palettes and I'm so anxious to get them.  I'm also putting my vacation makeup list together and it would be great if these would arrive before I leave.

It's been pretty gorgeous over here in Germany and I've been obsessed with that glowy skin look and of course bronzer but I also have been very much into highlighting my cheekbones.  I was watching youtube one day and one of the girls I watch featured this Chanel product in a haul.  I thought it looked pretty good so I went ahead and made the splurge.

Doesn't it look gorgeous!


Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Sheer Illuminating Fluid
Shade:  Sunkissed
Available at MACYS
$48.00 USD

Loves:  The color is gorgeous on my complexion and it gives the right amount of sheen without being overpowering.  I love how easily it blends out but doesn't disappear.  This also lasted about 8 hours on me before I washed my face so it could have lasted longer!

Hates:  The dispenser.  For $48, I would expect some sort of pump.  I don't like having to pat out product on my hand or sticking a q-tip in it to get the product out.  Also, with the glass container, it won't be very travel friendly.

Patted on skin (taken w/o flash)

Blended out (taken w/o flash)

On the cheekbone (taken w/o flash)

It really does look gorgeous on the skin but I wish it had better packaging.  I think I want to try out the Nars Laguna Illuminator next.  

Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Powder

It's getting hotter and I'm so excited.  When I think about the weather change I always want to get that bronzy Nia Long skin.  Since I don't naturally have that glow, I have to purchase it!  I have binged on bronzers lately and this is pretty much my go to bronzer now.  I like it even better than my Covergirl Queen Bronzer which I am happy about since the price difference is crazy between the two.

Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Powder
Shade:  8 
Available at SAKS
$50 USD

I purchased the darkest shade because I really wanted a contour/bronzer color.  I love to lightly contour my chubby little face.  This photographs beautifully even in the professional photos that I took over the weekend. 

I love this bronzer and it is a great addition to my collection.  I can't wait to get more Guerlain in my makeup life.

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick featuring Insanely It & Quite the Thing

Surprise Surprise!  I purchased more lipstick!  This time around, I hauled a couple of the Sheen Supreme lipsticks.  I already own the shades Tea Ceremony and Korean Candy but I had to haul a pink and purple.  I love how these are like a hybrid of lipstick and lipgloss but I hate how they slip and slide around the lips but the hoarder in me decided to get these anyway.

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick
Shades:  Insanely It & Quite the Thing! 
Available at MAC
$14.50 USD

Loves:  Love glossiness of the lipsticks.  The colors I picked are pretty. 

Hates:  Just like my YSL lipsticks, these are freakin slippery little suckers!  They glide on so smoothly which means they glide off of the lips pretty easily.  I only get a short wear time from these and they sink into the lines in my lips. 

Insanely It

Maybe I need to layer this shade more because it doesn't look as spectacular on me as I've seen it look on other people.

Quite the Thing!

The same thing goes for this shade.  Definitely need more layers to get the full effect.

The Balm Hoard: Bronzer, Highlighter and Lipstick!

Cute packaging count me in.  Have I been living under a rock or something?  I don't own one item by theBalm and I have no idea why.  I've heard about their eyeshadow palettes but I never took the leap and bought anything.  Well I finally came to my senses and hauled a few items and I just placed another order because they went on sale on Hautelook!  

With this hoard haul I decided to get a bronzer (because I'm obsessed with contouring my round little face), a highlighter (for that glow) and a lipstick (because I'm a beauty junkie because the names are freakin hilarious).  I haven't tried out any of the products long enough to tell if I'm completely obsessed but the luminizer has made a great first impression.  

theBalm Bahama Mama Bronzer
Available at theBalm 
$19 USD
The color looks a little light for my complexion so I'm not sure if this will work as a bronzer or contour but we shall see.

 

theBalm Betty-Lou Manizer
Available at theBalm & Sephora 
$24 USD
Looks gorgeous but I will definitely need to use a light hand so I don't look like a gold disco ball...do those exist?

theBalm Lipstick
Shade:  Mai Billsbepaid
Available at theBalm 
$17 USD
The color was definitely too light for me when I first tried it on but after awhile it transformed into a light pink/nude color that was workable.  I popped a little lipgloss on it later and it was wearable.  I think this would be an easy wearable nude for someone of a lighter complexion but I can still make it work for me.

I purchased all of my products at thebalm.com and they were offering a free gift with any $50 purchase.  The gift was a cute little makeup bag.

The Outside of the Cosmetic Bag

The Inside of the Cosmetic Bag

Well that's all for my haul.  Do you own any products from this brand?

Sunday Favorites 2012 - Volume 5

Yeah!  I'm back to my makeup obsession!  I keep going in and out of being a complete makeup junkie.  The main problem I have is that I have so much makeup and sometimes it's hard to justify buying more but I always want more!  I've decided to just go with it, which means using the makeup I have and only buying a few special items once in a while.

I've been shopping my stash and Neiman Marcus and I have a bunch of favorites this week.

YSL Rouge Volupte Lipsticks - Soft Beige and Spicy Pink
Buxom Lip Polish - Lola
MAC Lipstick - Viva Glam II and Runaway Red
Make Up For Ever HD Foundation - 175
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer - NW40
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural - Dark
Nars Blush - Orgasm
MAC Studio Finish Concealer - NW40
MAC Pro Longwear Eye Shadow - One to Watch
MAC Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner - Petrol Blue
Bare Escentuals Lip Liner - Nude (from the Nude Lip Kit)
Make Up For Ever Eyebrow Corrector - #4
MAC Quad - Espresso, Brun, Texture, De-vil

Have a great Sunday!  

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Lipstick featuring Spicy Pink & Soft Beige

Why oh why did I ever start reading beauty blogs?  They have totally creating a bigger makeup monster than I was already.  I never in a million years thought I would become a lipstick addict but here I am and I love it!  I was recently reading Rai's blog and she did a post on the Rouge Volupte lipstick in the color #25 Soft Beige.  I immediately went online and ordered that color and I decided to get one more color after seeing some swatches online.  I have to say that I am so mad because they are awesome which means I want more!!!

YVES SAINT LAURENT ROUGE VOLUPTE SILKY SENSUAL RADIANT LIPSTICK SPF 15
Shades:  #20 Spicy Pink, #25 Soft Beige 
Available at Neiman Marcus
$34.00 USD

Loves:  Love the shades that I picked.  They are so smooth and creamy.  Great pigmentation.  Packaging is awesomely luxurious and the tubes have a mirror on the top!  How awesome is that?  Very awesome!

Hates:  Freakin slippery little suckers!  They glide on so smoothly which means they glide off of the lips pretty easily.  I only get a couple of hours of wear out of these but they are awesome during those two or three hours.

Aren't they lovely!  I already ordered two more.

Taken in direct sunlight w/o flash

Taken in direct sunlight w/o flash

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