Chocolate Caramel Fotd

Hey y'all! I just drank 17oz can of Red Bull and I am buzzing all over the place, whoo whoo whoo! Lol! Anyways, just wanted to post a new experiment with browns. Today I had a job interview, but chickened out at the last minute b/c I got really lost and didn't want to show up all late and stuff. I may re-schedule, but it wasn't a job I was really feeling, so...I may not. Oh well...I have like 2 more interviews scheduled on Friday, so I hope that'll be a better day for me *sigh*


I used:

Face
Prescriptives Virtual Matte
Studio Finish Concealer
Studio Fix Powder
Sweet as Cocoa Blush
Raizin Blush
Warmed MSF

Eyes
UDPP
Revlon Illuminance in Skin Lights (the brown one)
Ricepaper e/s
Soba e/s
Texture e/s
Naked Lunch
Handwritten e/s
Blacktrack f/l
Voluminous mascara in Carbon Black

Lips
Cork l/l
Rimmel Flesh l/s
Loreal Colour Juice in Caramel Creme

One more thing...

Before I forget! I decided to discontinue using Clinique Acne Solutions. Night before last I had a severe dry rash/burning incident, and decided that the best thing for me to do right now is to repair what my skin has gone through right now, instead of waiting for my skin to "get used to" the product. Usually that method doesn't work for my skin (being hella sensitive and all. Yep, I said "hella" :3)

So I'm going back to super soothing drugstore items. Here's the new skin care regimen, straight outta my own medicine cabinet, lol!

AM:
Wash with Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser
Dr. Dover SkinEffects Advanced Brightening Complex
Neutrogena Acne Stress Control 3n1 Hydrating Acne Gel
Zapzyt 10% BP (spot treatment)
Pond's Age DefEYE eye cream (I <3 this stuff! It's discontinued now, though, grr! I own 2.5 jars, hehe)
Dove Sensitive Skin Lotion (on cheeks)
Ambi Even & Clear Moisturizer SPF 30

PM:
Wash w/Aveeno OR Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne wash gel (I need to get the foam)
Dr. Dover SkinEffects Advanced Brightening Complex
Neutrogena Acne Stress Control 3n1 Hydrating Acne Gel
Zapzyt 10% BP (spot treatment)
Pond's Age DefEYE eye cream
Dove Sensitive Skin Lotion (on cheeks or all over)

Um, yeah, so basically I am going back to the regimen Dr. Baumann wrote up in her book for the OSPTs. As long as I prevent irritation and redness, my skin will heal (I seriously believe the Clinique BURNED off a layer of my face! I am flaking and red like a mofo), and then all will be well in the world.

Holla!

Happy Monday...Not! LOL! FOTD

Hey what up! I am trying my hardest to endure that which is Monday, and though it's a challenge here and there so far, I will survive. Sunshine is here and all over my face.

Here's what I used:
Face
Studio Stick Foundation
Studio Finish Concealer
Select Sheer Loose Powder
Dollymix and Raizin blush
Warmed and Metal Rock MSFs

Eyes:
Sushi Flower, Amber Lights, Mulch, Naked Lunch, and Ricepaper e/s
Graphblack Technakohl
Loreal Voluminous in Carbon black

Lips:
Love Nectar lustreglass





Holla!!! <3

Finally! I'm done

I finally finished my freaking clin. psy paper WHOO-HOO!!! I can party for the rest of the evening (read: eat then sleep my butt off! LOL!)

I was going to do another FOTD today to celebrate, but didn't intend to take this long to write the paper :(

I did, however, get to wash and rollerwrap my hair :D So soft and shiny. I cannot wait to get a relaxer touch-up, but I still have a few more weeks to go (um, 3 I believe). It's gonna be worth the wait, I can tell already. Actually I got to use all red rollers today, yay! That is quite an accomplishment for me :D

Anyhoo, back to vegging

Holla!

Blue-green FOTD

Hey there! Decided to take a research break (still writing my paper *sigh*) and post up my look for the day. I totally freaked the pizza guy out today, and I didn't know why, then I remembered I had on blue e/s lol! He did a double take and then wouldn't look me in the eye. Oh well... Enjoy :)

Here's what I used:

Face
Studio Stick
Studio Finish
Select Sheer Loose
Dollymix blush
Sweet as Cocoa (contour)
Warmed MSF

Eyes
UDPP
Aquadisiac e/s
Freshwater e/s
Deep Truth e/s
Nighttrain e/s (LE)
Soba e/s (for blending)
Blacktrack f/l
Rimmel pure white kohl liner
Voluminous in Carbon black

Lips
Cork l/l
Rimmel Flesh l/s
Palatial l/g (LE)




I want to work on finding the perfect lighting for pics in my apt, but it looks like the bathroom is the best place so far *rolls eyes* Also, I want to vary my color placement and see if I can really change the shape of my eye, or control the amount of visual prominence I have, like a volume switch. Eye shadow is amazing stuff, I tell ya :)

Skin care update: It's been a week since I started the Clinique Acne Solutions line, and I like it alright. The bumps I had are either gone or almost there, but now this chronic dryness issue is starting to bother me (sometimes my face is a little sore *eek*). Part of me wants to return the stuff and go back to using drugstore items, but I am going to give it some more time and see if the dryness gets better since I started using the toner and moisturizer only at bedtime, and using more gentle products (like my lovely Dove moisturizer for sensitive skin) in the morning (prior to my obligatory sunscreen, of course!) Hopefully I can get my clear skin back soon...I miss it terribly. I hate having to wear full coverage makeup because 1) it's not covering as much as I'd like and 2) it feels like a mask when I do get it to cover. Ah, c'est la vie!!

Holla!

Sunshine FOTD

Hey what's up? I'm at home procrastinating (I have a paper due on Sun) and it's raining and dreary outside...So I decided to put some sunny makeup on. I've been trying to study different ways to use color to change and/or flatter my eye shape and this is one look I like to experiment with (using lighter colors and putting them on the lid in atypical parts of the lid). So lemme know what you think :)

Here's what I used:

Face
Prescriptives Virtual Matte foundation
Studio Finish concealer
Select Sheer Loose powder
Dollymix blush
Sweet as Cocoa blush (contour)
Warmed MSF

Eyes
UDPP
Revlon Illuminance Creme Eyeshadow in Skinlights (the pink one in the palatte)
Scene 1 e/s
Amber Lights e/s
Naked Lunch e/s
Goldmine e/s
Ricepaper (highlight)
Blacktrack f/l
Voluminous Carbon Black (I think I need to buy a lash primer...)

Lips
Rimmel Dare l/s
Love Nectar l/g
































On a side note, my skin is clearing up super fast (despite this huge pimple that decided to set up shop on the side of my nose! Grr), and it hasn't been a week I believe. Go Clinique A.S. It's your b-day, lol! The only thing I don't like is that it's a little drying, so I'm gonna reduce my usage to once daily for a bit. But all's fair in love and moisturizer, haha!!!

Purple FOTD

Hey there!
I wanted to get back in the swing of wearing a full face most days, and it's sunny outside, so this is what I came up with. Just started using Clinique Acne Solutions kit today so hopefully my skin will respond. It's been so frustrating because I've been going through so much stress and my skin is just freaked out by it. Everything I have tried that used to work so well, just won't. So now I'm trying new stuff. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Anyhoo, here's what I used:

Face
Prescriptives Virtual Matte
Studio Finish concealor
NYC translucent loose powder
Metal Rock MSF
Warmed MSF
Dollymix blush
Lovecrush blush

Eyes
Beautiful Iris e/s
Handwritten e/s
Plum Dressing e/s
Stars 'N' Rockets e/s
Ricepaper e/s
Graphblack Technakohl
Loreal Lash Architect Mascara - Black

Lips
Nude lipliner
Rimmel Dare l/s
Pinkarat lustreglass

Neutral FOTD

Hey guys!!

Just wanted to post a FOTD in celebration of my brand new foundation shade! I'm so excited to finally have a base color I can live in without having to shellac my face, lol! Now while I am a hardcore MAC snob, my quest for the perfect MAC foundation left me depressed and with irritated skin. But then I decided to test out Prescriptives and I am in love. And I didn't even have to plunk down the $$ for a custom blend!




All products are MAC unless otherwise noted:

Face
Prescriptives Virtual Matte in Fresh Antelope
Studio Finish Concealer in NW40
Select Sheer Loose Powder in NC45
Blush in Sweet as Cocoa and Ambering Rose
MSF in Warmed

Eyes
Soba e/s
Handwritten e/s
Naked Lunch e/s
Ricepaper e/s
Espresso e/s
Technakohl liner in Graphblack
Loreal Voluminous mascara in Carbon Black

Lips
Cork lipliner
Rimmel Flesh l/s

Skin Care, Re-designed

I have been reading this book, The Skin Type Solution, for a little while now, and I just wanted to post how much of a help it has been for me. I want everyone I know to read it. Dr. Leslie Baumann, renowned dermatalogist is the author and creator of the Baumann Questionnaire and the 16 skin types that better determine the methods needed to have great skin no matter what.

After taking the quiz, I determined that I am an OSPT (oily, sensitive, pigmented, tight) and that I actually could spend WAY less on my skincare routine than I thought. In fact, most stuff that worked for me came from the drugstore!...So um, yeah. Check this book out, seriously. Best $12 I ever spent, lol!

Click here to check it out at Amazon.

7 down, 5 to go

*sigh* Ok, so I am 7 wks post relaxer, and normally I would be putting one hand on my chest, one hand in the air a la Redd Foxx saying, "Mizani, I'm coming home to ya, baby!", lol! But surprisingly enough, I'm chilling. I've been rollersetting on beige and yellow rollers this whole time and pin-curling at night, and it's been fine. This weekend I did get a nifty new paddle brush from Ulta with these attractively soft boar bristles (and a blue jewel in the wooden handle) and used it to get my roots stick straight in 20 min!! Love. Went over the length with the flat iron and I won't be doing much (if anything at all) to it until the next wash day (hmm, Wed or Thur)...Less is definitely more.

So ladies who say that stretching cannot be done, here's some tips for you:

1. Find a secondary hobby while your hair is on sabbatical. Mine is MAC, lol.
2. Make sure your moisturizers and leave-in products are fully stocked and are sufficient to maintain a moisture/protein balance for the line of demarcation (y'know, where the relaxed hair and the new growth meet). My fave products are ORS Carrot Oil moisturizer and Joico K-pak leave-in reconstructor or Motions Nourish Leave-in.
   
3. Instead of staring at your new growth and grumbling, check out your ends and make sure they are in tip-top shape (put them up into a protective style more days per week if they aren't)
4. If you suffer from "hand-in-hair" disease like I do, pull out those tiny rollers and give yourself a curly rollerset. It's given me a simulatory short do without the scissors and straightens those roots so that I am not tempted. Or start a sexy collection of hair toys--octopus clips, hair sticks, forks, and the like.

If anyone can think of any other tips that can help make the relaxer stretch a little less anxiety-provoking, just post a comment so that we all can benefit :)

Got a length goal? Don't forget to track your progress!

Even if it's just some photos after every relaxer touch-up, or a product or wash day journal, don't forget to track your progress when you've made a goal for yourself (which of course you've already written down!) and you'll reach it sooner than if you were just going with the flow without any real direction.

I'm such a slacker!! LOL!

Sorry I've been MIA and not updating the blog. School and life in full effect. But I'm back now, sort of. I'm looking to add some new items to the itinerary very soon, and start blogging a bit more on makeup as well so stay tuned!!

xoxo

Artemis