Letoya Luckett Loves Minx Too!

Minx Nails are still what's hot out in the streets. LeToya Luckett wore a nice set as she co-hosted 106 & Park. Check the video below as she flashes her fabulous-ness!

Letoya's Behind the Scenes BET Blast- 106 & Park

(*the link will redirect you to BET Blast's original page. It takes a couple of seconds to load the video. BONUS: Chrisette Michelle and AJ Crimson are featured! Omg can I have Chrisette's outfit?)

Here's a closeup of her designs! Thanks so much to LeToyaNews.com for sharing the photo! She shouts on Minx Houston on the show! Athena the MinxMaster of Minx Houston gave Letoya her own custom set which she calls the "MINXedo". Hot!

So what do you guys think of Minx nails? LeToya's set? Have you Minx'd? Want to?

Quiz: Is Your Skin Clean Enough?

I took this quiz and omg it was spot on. I never really listen to quizzes because they can be broad and general, but I think this one fit me to a T! If you all want to discuss your results, let me some feedback in the comments. I'll also share my results. I was being completely honest when taking the quiz. Are you really drinking 8 glasses of water? Tell the truth! LOL!

Quiz: Is Your Skin Clean Enough?

Find out if your routine is really getting rid of excess dirt and oil

Everyone slacks on their skin care now and then but do you do it too often? Cleaning skin correctly is vital for a clear complexion. Find out if you need to step up your regimen. Take the quiz

Look Ma! I stenciled my brows!

Ha! Just kidding!

I used this Anastasia Beverly Hills All About Brows Kit!

This set contains:
-Brow Gel
- Tweezers
-Eye Lights highlighting pencil
-Duo Angle Brush/Spooley
-Four Brow Stencils
-Brow Powder Duo
(All housed in a cute case with pockets and holders!)

I used everything in the set minus the brow gel for the pics above.

Tweezers-The tweezers are excellent. Not too sharp that I'm poking, scraping or pinching myself, but grabs every hair!

The highlighting pencil- adds a nice pinkish nude tint for my brow highlight, as well as helping to further sculpt my brow.

The duo angle spooley- is God send. I always forget a spooley or brow brush and having this on the other end of the angle brush... lifesaver! The angled brush is no MAC #266 (my HG brow brush) but it work and works well spreading the brow powder and filling the stencil... and it has the lovely spooley on the other end of course! The small and compact size makes this a winner.

Brow stencils-Out of the four brow stencils provided, I used the petite arch. By description, it's not ideal for my brow, but blindly matching the stencils to my brows, that one fit. I tweaked the shape after (not by much, softening the front and adding a bit, defined the tail). I wasn't expecting the stencil to do all of the work, but it certainly cut down on a lot of guess work. I was super pleased with my results. The stencils also have guides on them to help you place the stencil properly.

Brow Powder Duo- The Ebony dark neutral brow powder was quite dark for my taste, so I added some of my Kid eyeshadow to my brows.

Overall- This is a 5 star kit! If I was to add anything, which I will, it would be a small pair of hair scissors to keep my brows trimmed and not hanging over too far as they grow. Also, I reached for my #242 brush to help me blend out the creamy highlighting pencil. Would a duo sided angle/concealer brush be a great addition?? This kit comes in 4 shades to suit different hair tones. The All About Brow Kit retails for $75. It's a splurge item, but if you HAVE to do your brows every day like me, it's a great deal for a convenient way to carry your brow essentials. Need something a bit more recessionista friendly? Try the Brow Express Kit.

First Impressions of Maybelline Super Stay Foundation

The other day, I told you guys that I finally was able to snag a bottle of the new, little known about Maybelline foundation called Super Stay Foundation. Well, some of you want to know what this foundation is all about in time to catch it while Maybelline is BOGO this weekend at CVS. Really, this is for you Sara, the Makeup Snob ;)

I'm giving my first impressions because I really don't think I've spent enough time with the foundation to give it a fair review. Sorry, I couldn't get this up last night. Fridays are horribly busy for me and I'm trying to sneak this one in before a photoshoot!

My take: This is Maybelline's answer to the ever so popular Revlon Color Stay Foundation. They are very similar in wear and coverage (long wearing, medium to heavy coverage, pigmented). So I'm thinking if you like Revlon, you'll love Maybelline's version just as well. Promising claims from Maybelline- oil free, zero transfer, 24 hour wear... So far so good! The claims seem to be true with my light testing, with the exceptions of my reservations with oil free claim (I'll go in depth or have a firm stance on the issues in a real review).

The down side for me: Even though it's oil free, my combination skin was a bit more dewy than my liking after a long day's wear (but for those of you that read this blog know that I'm not one for much shine of any kind. I like SHEEN, lol!). I'm not keen on foundation colors from Maybelline. I don't have a Maybelline foundation where I like the color or feel it's a great match. I know for most African American skintones, mixing foundation colors is almost a way of life for us, but I'm never worried of the color being a bit too gray or a bit too pink, even in the tan shade of Honey Beige.

Overall: If you have a safe foundation color match from Maybelline and you love the wear of Revlon's Color Stay foundation, be sure to snag a bottle of this! Didn't catch it this time on sale at CVS? Be sure to check it out at Walgreens, Bed Bath and Beyond or Wal Mart for better selection and price!

Illamasqua Swatches for Brown Beauties

Excited about Illamasqua being sold in the U.S. and coming to Sephora?

Check out some awesome swatches provided by one of our favorite UK bloggers, Her Royal Poshness.

Bonus! the swatches are on chocolate brown skin! Thanks Mariya!

Wet N Wild Starry EyeSlicks Palette

(sparkly green on the bottom is the lime green color layered over the jelly glitter)

Find a review here at Nouveau Cheap.
(I don't agree or disagree with her views as I haven't used this product on myself yet.)

Spotted: Maybelline's Super Stay Makeup 24Hour Microflex Formula

(pictured in Honey Beige)*sigh*

How is CVS going to advertise this foundation in its circular/sales paper, but not have it in stores!? CVS don't do that to me!

Why did I search high and low at different Rite Aids, CVSs, and the DMV's newly acquired Walgreens for the foundation and finally spotted it at Walgreens?

Why did I snatch this up at the Walgreens (because there was no telling when it would hit my closer drugstores or even have a decent stock of the foundation) only for CVS to have a BOGO this week (I got it sometime last week).

Right, beauty junkies know no patience. Nope, I'm not returning and scoring my BOGO via CVS. This stuff just better be good! It was probably sitting at WalMart or Bed Bath and Beyond the entire time grrrrr lol. Yeh, and y'all know it practically doesn't exist on Maybelline's website!

Review coming soon!

Mutiny in the Middle

I wanted to try the shadow placement technique with shiny shadow in the middle of the lid. So I tried some foiled MAC Mutiny pigment in the middle of Vibrant Grape shadow. I did a little extra, but I was just trying this look out.. umm at the wrong time when I needed to go somewhere! Hehe!

Yup, out and about with this look. I'm also wearing my beloved Up the Amp lipstick! Take a look!

NYX Copper Blush

no flash
flash

On Twitter, Seymone asked me for a swatch of NYX Copper blush. This is what I shared and I thought to share it with you guys too!

Isn't it so pretty?

New Features on MAC Cosmetics Site!

Have you been on MAC's site lately? Here are two new features to take note of!

The Brush Finder *click on the picture to be directed to the site*- You want a new brush or want to know what brush would be best for a particular product. This section will get you to the right answer! You can select the elements that you are looking for in a brush- a crease brush, use with powder products and MAC will find you the best choices. So cool! Also a great way to find out about brushes that you didn't know about.

MAC Artistry Focus (live video tutorials!) *click on the picture to be directed to the site*- You've seen all the the artists on YouTube taking over the scene? MAC grabs their own experts and adds videos right to their site (not YouTube, so no annoying buffering and stops during the play of the vid.) See tutorials for lips, sculpted eyes, false lashes and more!

Have you found some good tips on their site? What do you think about these new features?

Jan Marini Age Intervention Regeneration Facial Mask

Since the 4th of July holiday, I felt that I've been abusing my skin- leaving makeup on, not cleansing it properly, etc. I needed a pick me up for my skin, start it anew and refreshed. I decided on Jan Marini's Age Intervention Regeneration Facial Mask. I got a dollop from the 1 oz. jar and smoothed it on my face. Once I removed it from my face with warm water, my skin felt refreshed and hydrated. After my face dried, it didn't feel tight and uncomfortable.

A refreshed face with these added benefits:
(from the website)
-Gives skin a beautifully resurfaced and luminous appearance
-Delivers and infuses superb skin rebuilding, anti-inflammatory and repair properties
-Leaves skin noticeably softer and rejuvenated for days
-Provides amazing progressive benefits for any skin type and condition
-Read here about the break through technology used in this product!!

It has been a couple of days and my face still feels alive and not 'weathered', craving some attention. I want to keep this as a part of my skincare regimen. While I don't suffer from excessive ailments that need to be treated (puffy, red, blotchy skin with different skin textures, or dry skin, etc.), I'm excited about treating my skin with quality products that will slow the aging of my skin. Seriously, did you guys click that link above? Okay, here it is again [LINK]. Fab ingredients for healthy, rejuvenated skin! Did I mention that all you need is 10mins with the mask on? Fits right into my busy lifestyle!

It should be noted that this product retails for $90. Not quite recessionista friendly, but you pay for the amazing ingredients and benefits from a great line of products using top notch technology. Feel like splurging on your skin? Check out the Jan Marini Age Intervention Regeneration Facial Mask.

Pictures/FOTD

I didn't know what to call this post. I intended on just doing an FOTD listing the products that I used. However, when uploading them, none of them look to be what I saw on the image screen. All of the colors are washed out due to the lighting!

Ahh I guess I'll have to do what others do, go outside during day light and try to capture a pic. I think I forgot to replace my light bulbs with 'white' light to help with this issue. The flash didn't help.

What I can tell you that you see: I used NYX Milk shadow pencil for a base on the inner corner, I used my BECCA tinted moisturizer for my face and I'm wearing Patisserie lipstick from the MAC's Euristocrats collection.

If you have any questions, let me know. *sigh* How was your weekend? Spill it! I wanna hear!

Makeover Story: Getting a Sunkissed Glow on a Budget

How to Get a Sun-Kissed Glow on Budget

One reader gets a glowing red carpet-worthy overhaul that's a cinch to maintain -- see if it's right for you

After losing 80 pounds, TotalBeauty.com reader Deana felt great on the inside but still needed help on the outside. Inspired by sunny Hollywood blondes like Goldie Hawn and Heidi Klum, our celebrity hairstylists and makeup artist gave Deana a bright new look to help boost her confidence, and kept it budget-friendly to boot! See tips

ShoeWoo

Nine West and associated brands (Enzo, Anne Taylor, etc) are housed in a new funky spot at DC's Union Station. Formerly, it was Nine West's exclusive location. Now, this new spunky, boutique concept is more stylish and modern (Betsy Johnson if you will). Chairs and ottomans, spinning platforms to showcase the footwear, bright, quirky colors--so ladylike and fun.

I personally love all of my favorite brands under one roof. It's a welcomed idea!! Think Nine West outlet, but with an up to date twist with this season's shoes at average pricing!

Have you been? Has a ShoeWoo opened in your area?

My Summer Neutral Day Time Look featuring Kid Eye Shadow; Quick Look at Foundations and Eyebrows

Double whammy with this post!

• A daytime, neutral look featuring the underrated eye shadow Kid.


• Quick look at foundations and eye brows

Summer time is definitely in full effect now. That means no more heavy creams, no thick foundations, and not a lot of fussy makeup. For this reason, oh yeh and because of my conservative job setting, I'm forced to reduce my makeup to light, neutral application. While it can be boring to document on the blog, I'm sort of appreciating it as a way to play around and enhance my features and not mask them.



FACE: BECCA tinted moisturizer (in Tan, I believe), Ben Nye finishing powder in Topaz
EYES: (no base, I was in a rush!) Kid e/s (a beige cashmere, Veluxe finish) all over lid up to the crease, a creamy white eye shadow from a holiday Prescriptives Palette to brighten the inner corners of my eye, highlight- concealer (Bobbi Brown creamy concealer), MAC Penultimate Liner in Rapid Black, L'Oreal Liquid Kohl pencil on waterline. Concealer for under eyes, MAC Studio Finish concealer in NW30. Mascara, L'Oreal Voluminous Full Definition and Rimmel Glam Eyes Lash Flirt
LIPS: MAC Mad Cap lipglass and Majestic lipglass (before it was eaten away! LOL)
BROWS: MAC Cork and Kid eye shadows
CHEEKS: MAC On a Mission Blush

Kid Eye Shadow- This is one of the shadows that looks deceiving in the pan, but on my skintone, it's so natural and perfect. A bit deeper than my coloring and still warm enough for me to wear. I love having this in my neutrals collection. I call it my Hanna Montana shadow. On her show, she's supposed to look completely like a kid, but they use a range of neutrals on her that are unnoticeable to the non makeup wearer, but a beauty junky like me sees it.

I also mix this with my Cork eye shadow for my brows. I dip my #266 brush in the Cork shadow first, then dip it in Kid eye shadow. I always use something else to brighten Cork just a bit for my desired eye brow color. Sometimes I'll use Swiss Chocolate eye shadow if I want a bit more red in my brows.

Here's another picture of me in some of my run- to neutrals. (Hi KidYum!)

In this picture, on my eyes I have NYX's shadow pencil in Milk on my inner corner, Solar Bits (foiled) in Bronzescape on my lid and some Dark Edge shadow on the outer V. I'll def have to redo this look to show you all the drama for real. While this was just a bit of day time drama, a lot of the look is washed out by the bright NC sunshine! I love the Solar Bits foiled!

For my foundation I'm wearing MAC Studio Fix Fluid with the Ben Nye finishing powder. Can you guys see this difference between the BECCA tinted moisturizer in the top pictures and the MAC Studio Fix Fluid in the last picture?

BECCA (50ml/1.7 fl oz pump bottle) -luminous, not a greasy tinted moisturizer
"A combination tinted moisturiser and sheer foundation, Luminous Skin Colour visibly improves the complexion, yet looks incredibly natural on the skin while offering skincare, makeup, and sun protection in one ingenious product. Contains anti-oxidant vitamins, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic ingredients with a broad spectrum SPF 25+. "
-Combines broad spectrum SPF 25+ to protect against over 96% of both UVA and UVB rays
-Contains anti-oxidant vitamins A, B, D, and E to aid tissue repair, increases collagen renewal and moisture holding capacity, while simultenously protecting against pollution and free radical damage
-Contains soothing anti-inflammatory and antiseptic ingredients
-Can be applied with a foundation brush, fingertips, or a brush

Quick look FOUNDATION-I love feeling like one of the BECCA models when wearing this! Does the BECCA look more luminous than the Studio Fix Fluid?

Quick look EYEBROWS- take notice that in the first two pics, my brows are freshly bleached. The last picture they are not. I had been waiting a few weeks to bleach them. Does it make a difference to you?

Hopefully, I'll get some swatches up for you guys showing the difference in consistency! What's your every day summer look?

L'Oreal Skin Genesis Pore Minimizing Skin Re-Smoother

Ahhh another product from a wonderful line that I've grown so fond of- L'Oreal Skin Genesis. Remember how I gushed over the Serum Concentrate? I wondered if the Serum Concentrate was so great at being a nice primer under my makeup and a skin booster, how would the L'Oreal Skin Genesis Pore Minimizing Re-Smoother fare?

The serum was a clear, thin liquid, not quite a gel. The Re-Smoother is more of a lotion. Both have similar ingredients with the Pro-Xylane and Hyalauronic Acid to treat skin cells. I'm assuming that the Serum Concentrate is just that, a concentrate of the wonderful ingredients. After using the Re-Smoother my skin felt moisturized and fresh. My makeup went on smoothly. My cheek area is the area where I feel I have the most visible pores. I noticed a bit of difference, but not a drastic change so far. I'm sure with continued use, I'll see even more results. I saw instant results with the Serum Concentrate.

In this climate (hot almost 90 degree summers), my combination skin didn't do as well with the Re-Smoother. My face still felt dewy and a bit tacky from the Re-Smoother. I didn't have that problem with the Serum Concentrate. I would recommend this for normal to dry skin types or use in the Fall and Winter.

Another great product from this genius L'Oreal line, but for right now, I'll stick with the Serum Concentrate until the hotness and humidity dies down a bit. Find the Re-Smoother at your local drugstore, $19.99.

Long time, no see FOTD: Naked Cosmetics

At the Makeup Show NYC, I picked up a Naked Cosmetics loose eyeshadow.. a pretty shimmering turquoise. I decided to put it to use recently to attend my cousin's graduation.

I don't remember the deets on what I used as I was in a rush, but the main items used were:

Naked Cosmetics loose eyeshadow pigments (should have used it foiled!)

NYX lashes

MAC's Naked Frost (LE) lipglass

I did this look in a rush. I usually defer to my old neutral colors when I'm in a rush, but I wanted to be summery and colorful. Naked Cosmetics suited the bill esp. since I've been wanting to use the shadow I got.

Extra: I can wear my hat still! Shocked! It saved the day when I didn't have a fresh retwist. It's an old cap I got from the men's section of H&M for big heads with an elastic hat/sweatband. Please excuse the ungodly eyebrows!

How have you all been? Have you tried Naked Cosmetics? Is there a particular shadow or color you've had to make a point of using because you've wanted to, but just haven't?

***LOOK- Francine's Naked Cosmetics Swatches!!!

Tips for Looking Awake and Refreshed!

How to Look Awake and Refreshed -- Every Morning

Puffy eyes, dark circles and dull skin are no match for these skin care and makeup tricks

Late nights and early mornings are inevitable, so for times when sleep isn't an option, use these expert tips to help you look awake and refreshed. You'll have everyone fooled into thinking you got your required eight hours. See tips

Chapstick True Shimmer

Chapstick is one of those classic products that I grew up with. It satisfies that basic, simple need to moisturize and soothe dry lips. Convenient, pocket friendly and unisex. How LL Cool J hasn't gotten hip to this product, I don't know. He would probably stop licking his lips so much. No ladies, that is not sexy! I digress.

Chapstick's newest product is the Chapstick True Shimmer ($2.50-$3)-- flavorful balm with shimmer for a bit of sparkle. This item has been on shelves for a little while now, but Chapstick introduced two new flavors: Peppermint Rush and Blended Fruit Sherbert.

Of the existing flavors, I had only tried Tropical after reading Brittany's review. Me no likey. It was a bit pasty for my lips and there wasn't much more to write home about. Blended Fruit Sherbert was quite tastey, but I needed it to be more. Peppermint Rush is a blue stick, but not to worry. The color is very subtle. This concoction soothes lips and is minty fresh which is A+ in my book. The shimmer isn't as noticeable. While I could take regular Chapstick or even cherry Chapstick any day, the Peppermint Rush is definitely a bonus to the line!

Have you tried this? Did our old classic need a shimmery update?

Back in the Lab and Q-Tips Review!

Recently, the crew and I went back into the lab to get some work done. It has been a while since we have collectively done a shoot, so this was well over due. Here are my 'insider' shots:

Model Dorian and hair stylist Z doing touch ups.
Dorian's checking out some of her 'insider' shots while photographer and creative director L. Poteat is prepping the set.

Can't wait to see the finished shots! I'll share them with you and give you more deets on the look, etc. when I get the green light.

I can tell you now that Q-Tips brand cotton swabs were a major part of this shoot! From cleaning up falling glitter carefully, applying highlight color to the model's inner corner eye, to smudging out her lower lashline, they truly saved the day this time around.

Usually in my household, we have a stash of Q Tips in this bulk packaging:

In the kit, I stash a smaller amount in this purse pack size:

However, Q Tips has redesigned the packaging for their medium sized packs. This size has existed in the regular blue Q Tip packaging, but I've never come across them. It's nice to have this available now in a handy box with pretty designs. Check it out! For more beauty tips and uses with Q-Tips cotton swabs, check celeb makeup artists Molly Roncal and Troy Jensen here!

I'm Featured on All Lacquered Up and My Newest Nail Color

Today, I had a huge grin on my face. I opened up All Lacquered Up to find me featured in her fun series, "What's On Your Nails?"-- a series where she interviews bloggers and polish fanatics to find out some fun facts about them and ..well what else, but polish! Check it out here!

Y'all know that I'm on orange right? I've been doing a lot of corals and bright, hot orange colors. This time around, I'm revisiting the pastels, with Milani's Retro. I picked it up with some others after seeing the Milani polishes a while back.

This pic wasn't taken in natural light, but you get the idea really. This is two coats with a top coat. I would have prefered 3 coats, but this was okay, with my nail line showing thru ever so slightly. This is a soft apricot cream color. I was debating between this and OPI's In My Back Pocket. In comparison to the OPI, this is softer, a more demure shade of orange, sherbert if you will. In My Back Pocket is a true orange cream. It's not a deep orange, but it's more orange than this color. I got this for my mani and pedi. At first I felt it wasn't bold enough for my taste, but it has grown on me; soft, but still stands out amongst nails.

As far as application, it wasn't the best. It was a bit streaky and not as even as I would have liked. Hey, it's Milani and still a good deal for a drugstore polish. (I'd rather pay $2 instead of $4 though!)

Loc Up-do Hairstyle with Dr. O

A few weekends ago, I got together with some of my good friends to catch up and celebrate milestones... remember this? Yeh, minus a few of our friends, we convened over good chat and food to celebrate my bday, Dr. Almoza's engagment and Dr. O going to Michigan to practice.

While at the gathering, I couldn't help but to admire Dr. O's up-do. She started locking around the same time I did, though she started with shoulder length twists as she had been natural for quite some time.

Take a look at some of the pics, I got of her and her regal do!

I really wish I was courageous about doing my own hair.... I also wish Dr. O could give us a tutorial!! Dr. O., do you hear that?

Btw, she'll be a dermatologist! I'm so excited!!!