My Skincare Essentials

Hello Enchanted Beauties,

Do you find a skincare routine tedious and so annoying to do after a long day and all you want to do is go to sleep? Well GET OVER IT and Just DO IT! I cannot stress how IMPORTANT it is to your skin. We already put our face through hell by slapping countless stuff on during the day including the inevitable ones (sun, dirt, wind). By the end of the night our skin needs to breathe and we need to take care of it by cleaning out all the impurities and yucky stuff that reside on it. Besides the obvious skincare products that we need to keep a healthy radiant face, we also need some water in our system and avoid touching our faces with our hands. Always keep your body hydrated and keep the paws away and you'll be halfway there for a healthy looking skin :D These are just a few of the products I use on the daily to keep my face as clean as possible.

I currently have a specific routine that I do in the mornings and nighttime.

Morning Routine

Step One: Wet Face
Step Two: Cleanser and Clarasonic
Step Three: Toner
Step Four: Serum
Step Five: Moisturizer with SPF

Nighttime Routine

Step One: Take off all Makeup using Makeup Remover wipes and Eyemakeup Remover for eyes
Step Two: Cleanser and Clarisonic
Step Three: Toner
Step Four: Oil Treatment
Step Five: Eye Cream

I usually do not use a night cream because the oil treatment is enough for my skin to be moisturized throughout the night. I only use a night cream when my skin is being weird and has dry patches here and there. I am very oily in the T-Zone area and normal on the rest of my face so I rarely have to use a heavy duty cream to keep me hydrated.

Products

Tool: Clarisonic MIA!! OMG best investment of my life. Not only does it make it so much easier for me to get it done in one minute but it really takes out all the extra makeup that my makeup wipes did not grab. I love love LOVE this tool. I honestly suggest everyone invest in one. It'll change your skincare routine life :D

Removers: Makeup Wipes are my to go thing, I just love how easily they take off my makeup and of course if you've read my previous posts I love the Neutrogena ones in the Blue package but when I don't have those I settle for whatever I have. My Favorite liquid eye make remover is Lancome Bi-Facil. This baby does an amazing job with my They're Real Mascara that is so friggin' stubborn to take off.

Cleanser: I don't have a specific brand that I am committed to at the moment. I have so many samples of different ones that I'm trying to use up before I actually buy a specific one. I use Shiseido Ibuki Glentle Cleanser, Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean Multi-Action Foam Cleanser/Purifying Mask, Clarisonic Refreshing Gel Cleanser, Algenist Gentle Rejuvenating Cleanser and Lancome Creme Radiance Clarifying Cream-to Foam Cleanser. I do have a preference in type though, I prefer cream ones over gel type cleansers.

Toner: I used to use Clinique's Clarifying Lotion #3 on the daily before I received a bunch of samples of other brands. I didn't find it very effective though, it is suppose to control your oil and blah blah blah but I didn't notice any changes. I currently use Clinique Acne Solution Clarifying Lotion only when I see that I am getting blemishes continuously. I only use it at night time though. This product is too harsh for my skin and it dries me out super fast if used regularly. Other then that one I use Lancome Tonique Radiance for Normal/Combination Skin, Shiseido Ibuki Softening Concentrate and  Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Balancing Softner Enriched in the morning and night when I don't need to use the acne solutions one.

Serum: Normally I wouldn't use a serum but once again I've received a bunch of samples of different ones but the one that I have liked the most is Lancome Dreamtone. It is a dark spot corrector but i honestly don't see any effects in that sense, what I love about it is that my skin is extremely soft after using it for a couple days straight day and night. The following I have used them but don't think they make a difference on my skin whatsoever. Lancome Genefique and Visionnaire, and Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair. 

Oil Treatment: I just recently got in the bandwagon of this trend. I don't have any full size ones at the moment. I did buy the Tarte Maracuja one long time ago but ended up not liking it because it broke me out. So I stopped using it. I got a deluxe sample of the Nude ProGenius treatment oil recently from Sephora and use it at night time instead of a night cream. It feels nice on the skin and in the morning my skin is very hydrated but it being an oil i feel like my skin gets oilier. Not too sure if I will be using a permanent one in the future once I run out of this one.

Eye Cream: Another product that I don't favor or have a favor. I don't have puffiness (unless i cry) or dark circles (even when I lack sleep). So for me this is not a step that is necessary in my routine. I put it when I remember at night time. Ive used Shiseido Ibuki and White Lucent lines, Lancome High Resolution Eye, Benefit eye cream (which I don't remember the name because I hate it, it burns my eyes for some reason) and Clarins.

Moisturizer: I should have a favorite of tho product because its very important to keep the skin hydrated and all but in all honesty i've used so many moisturizers from drug store ones to high end. The one that I know i've used off and on again is Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (runs out of breath) AKA the yellow one. Geez Clinique why are your product names so friggin' long?! Another one that I started out with was Estee Lauder DayWear back in my teen years. My mom used to buy it for me but once I had to buy it for myself and saw the price I was like ummm yeah i'll just go to cvs and buy a regular one lol (I was in college without an income). I recently got deluxe sample jar of it again for the daytime and remember how friggin amazing it feels. I love that stuff, I'm thinking of actually making that one my favorite moisturizer again. Other then that, like I said I've used drugstore brands like Olay, Palmers and some other one that I can't remember at the moment. High end ones i've used Lancome Bienfait Multi-Vital and Absolue (before I found out that it was for old ladies. the product was given to me lol) Shiseido Ibuki and White Lucent lines, L'Occitane face cream, Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus, and Ska-II (sample) aside from it being extremely expensive, it's super rich but i didn't like it at all because it made me oily as heck! Note: I usually don't use any anti aging moisturizers because I feel like my skin doesn't need all that junk right now. i should start thinking about it but I won't use any of it until I am like 30. Yes, I know that anti-aging things help you prevent them and blah blah blah but what about when I do start getting wrinkles? I have to find something that is 3x stronger then the anti-aging product that I would currently use. No no No...that's just ridiculous to me, so no prevention needed for me for now. :D

On a final note: Please Please Please ALWAYS remember to wear SPF during the day. It doesn't matter if you are indoors most of the time. Sun damage is the number one cause of aging skin. So slap some of that on before you head out the house. NO, your foundation SPF is not enough to protect you from it. Don't be lazy and put some on :D

Alright, this post ran a little longer then I had expected but I gave you a full insight of the things that I use to keep my face as clean and healthy as possible. Thanks for reading this loooong post :D

Until Next Time,
Dannely

Quick Thoughts: Palettes Edition

Hello beauty world,

I've been wanting to blog about something lately but I just couldn't seem to find the time or energy to sit down and write it down. I've been having a stressful/busy life lately. Anyways, decided to give a quick thoughts on my 4 most recent palettes that i've acquired in the past 4 to 5 months. I am not going to do swatches because they have been overly reviewed on the internet, so pictures of swatches are everywhere for you to take a look at them (sorry, being lazy here lol) Let's get down to it...

Let's begin with the infamous Naked 3 from Urban Decay. When I first found out about this palette, I was over the moon with excitement. It seemed quite promising and loved the fact that it was rose hues. As soon as it was available at Sephora.com I was all over it and placed my order immediately. I could not wait to get it in the mail and play with it. All that excitement lasted about a week after I received it. Don't get me wrong, the colors are beautiful but when it comes to eyeshadows I am extremely picky on how pigmented they are. This palette has a few shades that are just not good enough for me to love the palette as a whole. In order for me to say: "yes, i recommend it, it's a must buy" the palette as a whole has to be very pigmented. I love Urban Decay and i don't have a problem with the other palettes that I own from them but this one is just not my favorite and I do not find myself reaching for it. The shades that I am not completely happy with and wish that could be better: Dust, Burnout, Nooner, Buzz, and Limit. That is almost half the palette! All in all, if you're not as picky with the performance of a palette as a whole and want to add rose hues to your collection, I say give it a try but it is NOT a must for me.

Now that I got the bad sheep out the way let's go into a palette that I am LOVING!!! You have no idea how many times I went back and forth fighting myself not to buy it because I already have enough neutral palettes. But all of a sudden ulta came out with their Rockin' Red something something set that was $39 and I knew I could not pass up on it. That set included the Pro Palette and a pen liner, which I also like a lot. The is a well put together and a greatly executed product. I've never tried anything Lorac until I purchased this. The pigmentation of the shadows is AMAZING!!! Usually a matte finish is very difficult to come by in terms of blending once it's on the eyes but the 8 matte shadows on this palette are so silky smooth and blend beautifully with one another. Of course shimmery shadows are much easier to blend and the smooth texture combined with the amount of shimmer that these shadows have make it so much easier to achieve a flawless look each time. This is definitely my go to palette for my signature semi  brown smokey eye look that I usually do as an everyday look and I've noticed that i've already made a significant dent on the first two colors on the top (White & Cream) and the first two colors from the bottom row (Nude & Champagne). Lorac needs to make those two colors in full size (or do they already have them?? don't know, i haven't looked into the brand in depth) Though, I love the quality of all shadows and the color selection, the only color I wish could be a little more gold is the shade "Gold" I feel like it's a bit too dark to be a gold. I gravitate towards golds a lot but I can't seem to like this one very much :/ Anyways, if you don't own any nude palettes or you just want neutral earthy tones to add to your collection...this is a must! Side note: these are warm tones so if you don't like warm tones on you, this is not the palette for you and I suggest you get the naked 2 instead.

After Loving the Pro Palette, my coworker suggested I look into the Pro to Go Palette that had your basic neutral shades plus bronzer and two blushes. At that time I was content with just owning the Pro Palette and didn't think this was a must to get as well. But then Sephora was on a cleansing from all Lorac products and saw that they were $8 dollars off from their original price and decided to buy it since I love the quality of the shadows already. I wasn't too sure about the Bronzer and Blush quality but I liked that they were matte. This is a great palette to have for traveling. You can definitely do day and night looks and have the other basic essentials for a complete face look. Though I don't have anything bad to say about it, I can't say that this is something that you need in your collection. If you have the Pro Palette, that should be enough. The blushes are very pretty and silky smooth and have a great lasting power but I cannot say the same about the bronzer. I absolutely love that they are matte finishes but the bronzer is a bit too light for me. This palette is a maybe, you should get it if you don't want to try the other Pro Palette. I don't find myself reaching for this one that much.

Lastly on the list is the Anarchy Face Case by Urban Decay. I initially did not care for it when it came out. I only bought it until Sephora had it on sale for $29 and I mostly bought it because I love the Highgloss Lip pencil that it comes with. The shadows are quite nice and as usual, Urban Decay does a great job with the color combinations and quality of their shadows except that rosy tone shadow. I have a hard time using that one because it's so sheer and extremely glittery. But I love the silver shade that this palette comes with. The blushes are kind of funky and I don't see myself wearing them that often, I'm not much of a blush person in the first place but the bright pink one is a bit too much for me. Aside from the funky colors of the blushes, I feel like they are not smooth enough to apply them evenly on my skin. I don't use them quite often. The highlighter is great though, I love that it gives you that accented shimmer on your cheekbones but it's not overpowering that you can see it right off the bat unless you are under a light. The perversion pencil, I could care less for it. I don't like UD eye pencils because they glide off me quite fast, so I am a MAC Smolder fan for life :D Overall, this palette is a good value at the price that I payed for. I wouldn't have paid full price for it. It's definitely fun and had everything you need for a complete look. Is it a must have? not at all, like i said I mostly purchased it because of the lip product, which is  full size :D

So there you have it, a quick glance on my most recent palettes that i've acquired. All in all, the Lorac Pro Palette is worth giving it a try if you haven't already done so. The rest are eh and could be passed on to better palettes but me being the eyeshadow junkie that I am I buy these things to try out and just have :D Thanks for reading...

Until Next Time,

Dannely

Beauty Essentuals: Respecting Your Skin

The key to beautiful skin (besides drinking a lot of water and eating properly) is how you take care of it. I've noticed that a lot of girls (and guys) are so damn lazy. Girls primarily, I don't care if you are too damn drunk to or too tired to take off your makeup at the end of the night, just do it. It's not a difficult process.  Every time you leave your makeup on overnight you aren't allowing your skin to rejuvenate and breathe. You're allowing your pores to eat away the remaining products that you placed that day sink deep into your skin. This applies even more when your skin is bad already. It makes it worst.

I have found that  a simple makeup wipe doesn't do the trick in clearing everything from your face. You must use a cleanser or exfoliate to get rid of all your makeup. I also suggest that you exfoliate your face at least twice a week. By doing this, you are clearing away your dead skin cells and making room for new ones.

My Face Routine

1. Take off all Makeup With makeup Wipe

2. Rinse your face with the hottest water you can take

3. Use a cleanser/scrubber to exfoliate your skin

4.Rinse with cold water to close your pores. 

5.Pat Dry

6. Apply Moisturizer or night cream.

As long as you follow these steps every time you wear makeup, your skin should look younger and healthier. Of course like I said above, you must eat a balanced meal and drink a lot water too. I cannot go to sleep without washing my face, the days that I don't wear makeup i use a cream or liquid cleanser to remove excess oil from throughout the day. Since I do exfoliate more then twice a week, I don't have the need to do any type or treatments like masks or the lemon scrub one which is harsher on your skin but leaves it sooooo smooth and squeaky clean.I do recommend doing some masks or treatments such as the lemon one once a week. You'll definitely see a huge improvement on your skins smoothness and glow.

Hope this helps just a little bit and that you wash your face on a daily basis even when you don't use makeup.

Xoxo,
Dannely

Sigma Brush: Synthetic Sigmax Face Kit

I am back with a super super late "My Thoughts" segment. I know that these brushes have been overly reviewed by many guru's/bloggers BUT I have found that almost all have been sent these brushes for consideration and that to me basically means "hey imma give you free stuff now say something good about us".  I know that some bloggers may be trusted/don't give in to the "fame" but when you have taken blogging as a full time job, you gotta do what you gotta do. 

Anyways, I was really skeptical to actually spend my own money on them and let them be crap just like some of the Crown brushes are. I was in dire need of face brushes for contouring, liquid makeup application (bc i hate hate the flat foundation brush) and a blush brush. Now, I don't own any professional brushes/kit but i know that there are less pricier brushes out there that do the same job or even better but these brushes, I got to say, are worth the money. They only come in a little bag with information about the brushes and how you should take care of them. The brand new smell is kinda nasty but once you wash them, you should be fine. They give you a free blending brush to try which isn't very good bc once I washed it became so fluffy but it helps with the blending a lot lol








F80- Flat Kabuki 

I mostly use this brush for blush but it can also be used as a contouring brush. The brittles are soft and dense enough to pick up product easily. It doesn't shed any hairs unless you are going to tug/pull on them.  


















F82- Round Kabuki
This one is great for my liquid foundation and I don't think I would use it for anything else then that. It blends foundation really well. Depending on the kinda of foundation you use, it must be blended fast because it can get streaky if you don't. The bristles are denser then the other two brushes which is suppose to hold liquid foundation on the tip of the brush instead of sicking in. I really don't see the difference that much bc it soaks in my foundation and I have to pump out more to cover my face. Not only that, it takes forevvvverrrr to dry since it's so compact. 




F84- Angled Kabuki 

I love love loveee this brush for contouring. I bought this kit primarily for this brush. the density of this brush is "medium". not too soft yet not as dense as the F82. This one is also a little difficult to dry because the bristles are more densely packed. I usually use a hair drier to dry them. haha i know, i know it's bad but w.e. it gets the job done.














Overall Thoughts
Like I said, I don't own any professional or pricier brushes and at first i thought they were expensive since the company was new in the market still and not as high end but to my surprise it lives up to its name of great quality brushes. The only thing that I have against them is that they don't dry that fast. Also, I believe that this specific kit i bought no longer exists, they have now added a tapered brush for about four more dollars, which is a pretty good deal. Another thing that I dislike about the company is their shipping. Shipping is expensive and they don't have a buy $50 or more and get free standard shipping which really sucks and makes me not wanna buy from them anymore. But in the future I am thinking of giving the professional kit a try and see how that goes. The price of this kit was $52 dollars, for 3 brushes in my mind is kind of expensive but once you get them and get a feel for them, they are worth every penny. 

Summer Blends Tutorial

Eye Products 
-Parfait Amour (Purple) [MAC]
-Swimming (Shimmer Green) [MAC]
-Humid (Dark Green) [MAC] 
-Naked (Beige) [Urban Decay]
-Frosty White [NYX] 
-Maybelline Gel Liner in Black
-Urban Decay 24/7 Liner n Zero 
-Maybelline Falsies Mascara in Black

Face Products
 -MAC Pro Longwear in NC25 
-Physicians Formula Translucent Powder  
-MAC Mineralize Blush in Nuance
- Smashbox Soft Lights in Pearl   




Lip Products
-VS Cosmetics Lipstick in Tease  
-Stila Lip Liner in Contour No. 9  
-MAC Lipgloss in Baby Sparks   














Youtube Tutorial 

Salma Hayek's Nuance Cosmetic Debut

I received an e-mail from CVS a few days ago advertising a new cosmetics collection called NUANCE by Salma Hayek. I was immediately intrigued and decided to head over to CVS's website and check it out. As always I like to read info. about a product and what the inspiration behind the brand is. This collection was inspired by her grandmother, who was a trained cosmetologist in Mexico and who also passed down many beauty secrets to her. What impressed me the most is that she took off 3 years off of her entertainment career to be able to be in the labs with chemist and help/oversee everything that was put into her line of products.

Her products claim to have a unique blend of exotic ingredients such as prickly pear which is used in her body cleansing gel for moisture in the skin, mamey (fruit) used in her hair care line to strengthen and thicken locks and tepezcohuite which is in her AM/PM Anti-Aging Super Cream. All these ingredients are very common in the Latin community. So it's great to see a celebrity bring quality ingredients that have been integrated to other products in Latin America into an American based Brand. And because Hayek wanted to bring high quality products at an affordable price she partnered with CVS/pharmacy stores. It will be exclusively debuted on August 1, 2011 at all CVS stores. But they are now available at cvs.com and some big CVS stores around the country (which ones i don't really know) I am really excited to check this collection out once it hits my nearest store. The packaging is simple yet sleek and I can't get over how cute the packaging for the lip and eyeshadow quads are. 

On another note, I have observed that this line of cosmetics is inclined for Medium/Olive skin tones, which to me is refreshing to see since most brands are inclined towards fair skin tones. Here is a sneak peek at what the cosmetics line will include.

 Face Products

1.  Flawless Coverage Mineral foundation

 Colors: Light 220, Light/Medium 225, Medium 230, Medium/Deep 235, Deep 240

2. Front & Center Concealer & Brightener

Colors: Light 270, Light/Medium 275, Medium 280, Deep 280

3. Flawless Wear Tinted Moisturizer

Colors: Light 245, Light/Medium 250, Medium 255, Medium/Deep 260, Deep 265

4. Flawless Mineral Cheek Trio

Colors: Pink 290, Apricot 295, Mauve 300, Spice 305

5. Translucent Finishing Powder

Colors: Light/Medium 310, Medium/Dark 315                                                                        

6. Smooth Start Skin primer

  Eyes Products

1. Mineral Eyeshadow Duo

Info: Complementary matte and sheer satin colors create a crease-resistant, velvety-smooth texture. Use wet for a creamier, longer-wearing application.

Color: Sheer Plum/putty 001, Moonstone/Shimmering Sand 005, Midnight Blue/Silver Steel 025, Dusty Rose/Sheer Champagne 010, Bronze/Copper 015, Passion Plum/Sheer Lavender 020

2. Lasting Wear Gel Liner

Info: The ease of a pencil with the smooth finish of a liquid, this waterproof, smudge-proof color lasts 8+ hours.

Colors: Black 030, Brown 035, Gray 040

3. Lights, Camera, Action Eye Trio (coming soon)

Info: Creamy  eyeshadow, shimmery highlighter and eyeliner blend perfectly for a complete look in one convenient wand.

Colors: Bronze/Gold Shimmer 055, Champagne/Gold Shimmer 060, Sapphire/Silver Shimmer 065, Pewter/Silver Shimmer 070

4. Beautiful Blends Eye Quad

Info: Create the perfect look with four complementary shades that highlight, contour, and define. Fine-milled pigments leave a light, velvety finish that spreads and blends easily.

Color: Smokey 075, Neutral 080

5. Full Effect Ultra-Volumizing Mascara

Info: Maximum-drama formula conditions, nourishes and boosts volume and curl for super-thick, super-long lashes in a single stroke.

 Color: Black 050

6. Winning Look Ultra-Defining Mascara

 Info: Innovative formula and precision brush design, length and separate each lash for high-definition, all-day wear.

 Color: Black 045

7. Natural Look Brow Liner (Coming Soon)

 Info: Dual-ended micro brow pencil and brush seamlessly fill in and shape brows for a natural, long-lasting look.

  Color: Medium Blonde 085, Brown 090

8. Shape & Define Brow Kit

Info: Create all-day-perfect brows with this powder, golden highlighter, and grooming wax. With an angled brow-defining brush for filling in, shading and shaping flawless arches.

Color: Brown 100, Medium Blond 095 

9. Length Extending Lash Serum

Info: This powerful, hormone-free formula helps plump lashes by 25% while keeping them conditioned, nourished and flexible.

 

Lip Products

1. Color Vibrance Lipstick

Info: Ultra-rich, creamy color leaves lips softer, smoother, and fuller in a single sweep. Formulated with vitamin E nourishment and moisture-look protection.

Color: Color 135, Shimmering Nude 140, My Favorite 145, Plum Mauve 150, Wine 155, Dusty Rose 160, Terra Cotta 165, Passion Pink 170, Paprika 175

2. Rose Petal Hydrating Balm

Info: This intense moisture balm with evening primrose oil helps soothe irritated skin and provides long-lasting moisture for chapped lips, rough cuticles, cracked elbows, and other dry patches.

3. Ultra Shine Lipgloss

Info: Silky, smooth, non-sticky formula hydrates and helps protect lips with an easy, ultra-brilliant shine.

Color: Clear 105, Peony 110, Nectar 115, Strawberry 120, Pomegranate 125, Berry 130

4. Perfect Lips Lip Quad

Info: Two cream shades and two shimmer glosses blend flawlessly for endless looks. Vitamin E and natural oils moisturize, strengthen, and protect lips.

Colors: Cool 210, Warm 215
  
Other Products in her line include: 
Moisturizers, Skin Cleansers, Body Moisture (body lotions), Hair Stylers, Hair Shampoos/Conditioners, and Skin Serums.
If you have already checked it out. Let me know what you think of the line and what your favorite products are.

 For more information about the products in the rest of the collection click the link below.

Source. http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/promoContent/promoLandingTemplate.jsp?promoLandingId=1393

-Dannely
"With a Sprinkle of Pixie Dust :)"