So it's been awhile since I've blogged. I know, it's terrible, really. But I'll tell you whats even more terrible is that I have been dying to blog and my crazy schedule with work has left me not much personal time, except to sleep...when I can!
I've decided to branch out and start talking about every day things too- however beauty/makeup will still be the MAIN topic, as it is my LIFE. I got the idea for today's blog when a boy that I'm seeing said something about giving me a watch for Christmas. I replied with "NO NO NO! Giving watches as gifts are VERY bad luck!" It is- maybe it's because I'm so superstitious, but it made me think of other gifts that are bad luck to give. With Christmas right around the corner, whens a better time to share my insight on gift-giving....
Bad luck gifts:
1. Watches. I know, I know, one would think watches can make great gifts, but giving a watch can be considered very bad luck. It symbolizes time running out- so it puts a time on your relationship with the person you give it to. My Aunt never gives watches for this reason.
2. Knives- or any other pointy, dangerous object. These symbolize the severing of a relationship. Not to mention, they are safety hazards!
3. Handkerchief. What do you do with a handkerchief? DRY your tears, WIPE your nose, or clean SWEAT from your face. Do any of those sound appealing? NO.
4. Empty wallet or purse. You can give a wallet/purse- in fact, those are my favorite gifts to receive! But, if you give this as a gift, you MUST put at least a dollar in it. Giving a wallet/purse with money in it is granting them wealth. Without money in it is granting them nothing but being broke. Yikes!
5. RE-GIFTING. Unless you are involved in some kind of joke White Elephant gift exchange, DO NOT re-gift. Could you imagine how embarrassed you'd be if the person found out you were too cheap to buy them a gift? Save your embarrassment. There's a story that I always think of when I think of re-gifting. My great-grandma once re-gifted a present, and on the bag it STILL had the "TO:/FROM:" on it, obviously to her. Now how do you play off that one?? Needless to say, none of the women in my family re-gift!
GREAT Gifts:
1. Any Apple product- iPod, iPad, iPhone, iTunes gift cards, etc. Let's face it, Apple products are top of the line and make great gifts. You can find something for your 10 year old nephew/niece to your Dad in this store.
2. Gift Cards- obviously my fav gift card to receive is from SEPHORA, but not everyone spends a small fortune a month there either, so- if you are lost on what to buy for someone, go the gift card route. You can never go wrong with these. Find out their favorite store, restaurant, movie theatre, Spa- and buy a gift card so you know they will truly like the gift.
3. A gift for something going on in your city- like a food/wine tour, cooking class, dance lessons, photography tour, art class, etc. If you are in the DC area, this is a great link for some pretty awesome ideas and has affordable prices: http://www.xperiencedays.com/prodlist.asp?idCategory=154&gclid=CNOB-K287KUCFQ975QodpW50mw
4. A cook book. I know, maybe it seems a little lame- but even people like me who barely cook/bake can use a cook book. Or if you have a friend/relative that likes to cook, buy them one in a specialized topic- like Mediterranean, Grilling or Baking. Or, if YOU love to cook/grill/bake- buy a few journals w/spirals or insertable (is that a word?) pages and print off some of your favorite recipes and put them in the first few pages. This way, they can start to keep track of their favorites, as well as have some new ones from you! Write a personalized note on the inside of the journal/booklet to tie the gift together. Sometimes personalized gifts are the best ones to give.
5. A magazine subscription. For those who are into fashion and beauty, get them a subscription to InStyle (my fav), Vogue, Glamour, or Cosmopolitan. For those who love to travel, Travel & Leisure; Time Magazine for those who like to stay up on current events and politics; and National Geographic for those interested in global issues, photography and the earth! And it's the gift that keeps on giving- they'll get it the entire year!
Random Tip: with the Holidays around the corner, this is the time for stress, emotional breakdowns, family drama, fights in the mall parking lots/toy stores and headaches from too much egg nog the morning after. But it is also the time of giving, love, joy, peace and to be thankful for what we have. Try to remember this all the time, and end each negative with something positive, like I did with the gifts above- I listed the bad luck gifts first and the GREAT gifts last. This way, the thought or conversation is always left on a positive note.
XOXO.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
"Guess who's back? Back Again. DANI'S back. Tell a friend." -Eminem lyrics I obviously changed a little.
Ok, LADIES. Martini's and Makeup is back. After a little over 3 months of hiatius due to a bad breakup and a new, challenging job that was kicking my butt, I am BACK with avengance. I must admit I lost some inspiration during this time from a whole melting pot of emotions, but after a trip to NYC and seeing the studded shoes I have pictured to the right in person at the Christian Loubotin store in the MeatPacking District, I have again been inspired. Yes, a pair of fabulous $2,800.00 shoes INSPIRED me. Don't judge me.
The other day I went to Sephora (shocker, right?) to buy a new nail polish for the fall since I absolutely adore the OPI for Sephora nail polishes. Yes, the last "beauty obsession" I had in my previous blog is still current ;). I bought a deep purple since those are what are popular for the fall, got home, painted my nails, let them dry and went to bed. When I woke up the next morning, I turned my light on in the bathroom and almost screamed at how horrible the color looked on me (I'm not saying purples look bad on everyone, but it certainly doesn't look good on me!). Since I was already running late for work, I had no time to take off the polish and repaint them so I had to deal with looking at this hideous mess all day. Not to mention I didn't let them fully dry before going to bed so they did not dry with a nice shine.
After work, the gym and a catch up sesh with one of my BFF's, I HAD to repaint my nails. I reached for nail polish remover and cotton balls to realize I had run out of them! In an act of desperation I tore apart my cabinets trying to find a cotton ball substitute and almost resorted to using toliet paper, when I found some first aid gauze pads. Well, they definitely work and work well for that matter. After I removed the purple with the gauze pads and painted on a deep red (I need to stick with reds) I wanted to make sure they were fully dry before jumping into bed. Since I had run out of my quick-dry nail coat, I turned on my hair drier, set it on cool air and sat pointing the drier at my nails for 5 minutes until they were dry. I got the idea from a magazine but had yet to try it. So, morale of this beauty story- when you run out of cotton balls, you can use gauze pads and when you need to make sure your nails are dry, use your hair drier!
XOXO
The other day I went to Sephora (shocker, right?) to buy a new nail polish for the fall since I absolutely adore the OPI for Sephora nail polishes. Yes, the last "beauty obsession" I had in my previous blog is still current ;). I bought a deep purple since those are what are popular for the fall, got home, painted my nails, let them dry and went to bed. When I woke up the next morning, I turned my light on in the bathroom and almost screamed at how horrible the color looked on me (I'm not saying purples look bad on everyone, but it certainly doesn't look good on me!). Since I was already running late for work, I had no time to take off the polish and repaint them so I had to deal with looking at this hideous mess all day. Not to mention I didn't let them fully dry before going to bed so they did not dry with a nice shine.
After work, the gym and a catch up sesh with one of my BFF's, I HAD to repaint my nails. I reached for nail polish remover and cotton balls to realize I had run out of them! In an act of desperation I tore apart my cabinets trying to find a cotton ball substitute and almost resorted to using toliet paper, when I found some first aid gauze pads. Well, they definitely work and work well for that matter. After I removed the purple with the gauze pads and painted on a deep red (I need to stick with reds) I wanted to make sure they were fully dry before jumping into bed. Since I had run out of my quick-dry nail coat, I turned on my hair drier, set it on cool air and sat pointing the drier at my nails for 5 minutes until they were dry. I got the idea from a magazine but had yet to try it. So, morale of this beauty story- when you run out of cotton balls, you can use gauze pads and when you need to make sure your nails are dry, use your hair drier!
XOXO
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Definition of Makeup: Something that causes an Obsession.
I have decided that just like I get obsessed with a song for a few weeks (currently OMG by Usher feat Will.I.Am), it happens with makeup too. Sometimes I'll try something and use it over and over until I decide I want a different look - or I'll go back to using a product I really liked at one time.
I will start taking note of when I change my "obsession" products and update you all on them- because I can promise you I wouldn't be obsessed with a bad quality makeup product ;)
Current Obsession 1: Sephora by OPI nail polish. I think it stays on better than the regular OPI ones- I'm serious, when I paint them with this polish it stays on for almost a full week without chipping. You just need to be sure to put on a base/top coat to help its longevity. I'm obsessed with "Lost without my GPS," but they also have some really hot summer colors too! Find at Sephora for $9.
Current Obsession 2: Sephora Collection Nano Lip Liner. It comes in 20 different shades, so there is a great range of colors for all skin tones. I have 5 various colors that I wear, depending on where I'm going (work, errands, DANCING, etc) and I layer it with a gloss. I use MAC Nymphette lip glass most of the time and it goes perfectly with all the nano lip liner shades I have, giving them each a different look. What I have found with lip liners, is you don't have to always match it exactly to a gloss color, because sometimes blending the color of your favorite gloss and a lip liner can create a pretty new color. And at $5 a pop, why NOT buy a few???
XOXO
I will start taking note of when I change my "obsession" products and update you all on them- because I can promise you I wouldn't be obsessed with a bad quality makeup product ;)
Current Obsession 1: Sephora by OPI nail polish. I think it stays on better than the regular OPI ones- I'm serious, when I paint them with this polish it stays on for almost a full week without chipping. You just need to be sure to put on a base/top coat to help its longevity. I'm obsessed with "Lost without my GPS," but they also have some really hot summer colors too! Find at Sephora for $9.
Current Obsession 2: Sephora Collection Nano Lip Liner. It comes in 20 different shades, so there is a great range of colors for all skin tones. I have 5 various colors that I wear, depending on where I'm going (work, errands, DANCING, etc) and I layer it with a gloss. I use MAC Nymphette lip glass most of the time and it goes perfectly with all the nano lip liner shades I have, giving them each a different look. What I have found with lip liners, is you don't have to always match it exactly to a gloss color, because sometimes blending the color of your favorite gloss and a lip liner can create a pretty new color. And at $5 a pop, why NOT buy a few???
XOXO
Monday, June 7, 2010
"Now I'm wishing that I didn't wear these shoes." -Fergie
The other night I went out for a girls night- which means one thing: LOTS of dancing. Half way through the night my feet were killing me- so yesterday morning when I woke up with swollen feet, it triggered me to think of sharing the cream I use to cure my tired feet!
For work I am on my feet a lot, so I have gotten use to wearing flats or low heels, but no matter what, after 12 hours on your feet, they HURT. My aunt bought me a cream from Aveda called Foot Relief ($19 at Aveda Stores), because she said it was great for tired feet. Well, it IS great for tired feet! It starts to work almost instantly. Rub on tired feet and put a pillow under them and relax. I use it almost every night- it feels good even if they aren't hurting.
Another good thing to do is to soak your feet in warm water with some Epsom salts. If your feet are swollen, this works best for them.
Happy Dancing ;)
XOXO
For work I am on my feet a lot, so I have gotten use to wearing flats or low heels, but no matter what, after 12 hours on your feet, they HURT. My aunt bought me a cream from Aveda called Foot Relief ($19 at Aveda Stores), because she said it was great for tired feet. Well, it IS great for tired feet! It starts to work almost instantly. Rub on tired feet and put a pillow under them and relax. I use it almost every night- it feels good even if they aren't hurting.
Another good thing to do is to soak your feet in warm water with some Epsom salts. If your feet are swollen, this works best for them.
Happy Dancing ;)
XOXO
Thursday, June 3, 2010
"Are you looking at my stye??" -Sex and the City, Season 6 Part 1
The joys of makeup can sometimes bring the unwanted joys of styes. A stye is an infection on your eye that looks like a pimple and is usually on the base of your eyelashes. They can be caused from old eye makeup that has bacteria in it, by stress or sleep deprivation and not washing your hands.
Styes can burn/itch and are a pain in the royal butt because you can't wear eye makeup and have to throw away all the makeup you've used recently since it was what probably had the bacteria on it. A ROYAL pain since I spend a lot of money on my makeup!!!!
Because I loathe styes, I try to avoid them at all costs, to save me some costs on replacement makeup! Always keep on top of your makeup and know when it needs to be thrown out. Mascara has a life of about 4-5 months, tops. If you can't remember when you bought it and it has a weird smell, throw it out. Mascara will start to clump or have a weird smell when it's old. Eyeliners and eyeshadows are good for about 8-12 months.
If you do get a stye, do not wear any eye makeup until it is fully gone. The best way to treat it is to buy Stye Eye Ointment- you can find it in any drugstore near the eye drops for around $10. To help with the itching, put a clean wash cloth in warm water and apply it on your eye as a compress. If your stye lasts longer than a week, you should probably go see a doctor.
XOXO
Styes can burn/itch and are a pain in the royal butt because you can't wear eye makeup and have to throw away all the makeup you've used recently since it was what probably had the bacteria on it. A ROYAL pain since I spend a lot of money on my makeup!!!!
Because I loathe styes, I try to avoid them at all costs, to save me some costs on replacement makeup! Always keep on top of your makeup and know when it needs to be thrown out. Mascara has a life of about 4-5 months, tops. If you can't remember when you bought it and it has a weird smell, throw it out. Mascara will start to clump or have a weird smell when it's old. Eyeliners and eyeshadows are good for about 8-12 months.
If you do get a stye, do not wear any eye makeup until it is fully gone. The best way to treat it is to buy Stye Eye Ointment- you can find it in any drugstore near the eye drops for around $10. To help with the itching, put a clean wash cloth in warm water and apply it on your eye as a compress. If your stye lasts longer than a week, you should probably go see a doctor.
XOXO
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
"Wax On, Wax Off" -The Karate Kid
This morning I looked in the mirror after I got out of the shower and my jaw dropped. I don't know HOW I didn't notice this before, but my eyebrows were out of control a la Frida Kahlo. Some of you may remember me talking about this before, but I feel like they seriously grew out over night because I JUST plucked them.
Well, it was all I could think about all day. I was tempted to drive straight to the mall to get them threaded after work, but my best friend asked me why I didn't wax them at home. "Are you crazy?" I thought, I can barely stand the pain it causes, much less cause the pain on my poor brows myself.
She explained to me that she uses the Sally Hansen Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit For Face Brows & Bikini and they are very easy to use and do not hurt that bad. When she said they only cost $6 for an entire box, I was sold and I made her go to Target with me to pick out the kit. That's like 1/2 the cost of ONE waxing/threading at the mall, or 1/3 the cost if you get them done in a nice salon!
I have to say I was a little intimidated once I got home and took everything out and read the directions, so since I was nervous I walked away from it for a little while and then came back to it later. When I tried the first pull, it was MUCH less painful than waxing and I thought "that's it????"
I HIGHLY recommend this product. It seriously worked- my eyebrows look as if I had them professionally waxed. You may need to cut the strips with scissors to shape them a little because they are in big squares, so if your not careful they can pull hairs from your brow line you don't want removed. Yes, it happened to me on the first try.
I bought the kit at Target and it was $6.00, but you can find them in any drugstore too.
My tips when using this are to:
1. Wash your eye makeup off and make sure your eye area is completely dry.
2. Shape your eyebrow and decide what hair needs to go.
3. Cut the wax/gel strips while they are stuck together, otherwise the scissors will stick to the wax.
4. Warm the wax in your hands while the strips are still together, after you cut it.
5. Pull apart the strips and apply to the area of your eye you want to wax.
6. Pull the strip off as fast as your can, in the opposite direct of the hair growth. If you don't pull it with force, the hair won't come off.
7. Repeat as needed and clean up the stray hairs you couldn't get with with tweezers.
8. Apply the finishing oil that is provided in the box to get any excess wax off.
XOXO
Well, it was all I could think about all day. I was tempted to drive straight to the mall to get them threaded after work, but my best friend asked me why I didn't wax them at home. "Are you crazy?" I thought, I can barely stand the pain it causes, much less cause the pain on my poor brows myself.
She explained to me that she uses the Sally Hansen Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit For Face Brows & Bikini and they are very easy to use and do not hurt that bad. When she said they only cost $6 for an entire box, I was sold and I made her go to Target with me to pick out the kit. That's like 1/2 the cost of ONE waxing/threading at the mall, or 1/3 the cost if you get them done in a nice salon!
I have to say I was a little intimidated once I got home and took everything out and read the directions, so since I was nervous I walked away from it for a little while and then came back to it later. When I tried the first pull, it was MUCH less painful than waxing and I thought "that's it????"
I HIGHLY recommend this product. It seriously worked- my eyebrows look as if I had them professionally waxed. You may need to cut the strips with scissors to shape them a little because they are in big squares, so if your not careful they can pull hairs from your brow line you don't want removed. Yes, it happened to me on the first try.
I bought the kit at Target and it was $6.00, but you can find them in any drugstore too.
My tips when using this are to:
1. Wash your eye makeup off and make sure your eye area is completely dry.
2. Shape your eyebrow and decide what hair needs to go.
3. Cut the wax/gel strips while they are stuck together, otherwise the scissors will stick to the wax.
4. Warm the wax in your hands while the strips are still together, after you cut it.
5. Pull apart the strips and apply to the area of your eye you want to wax.
6. Pull the strip off as fast as your can, in the opposite direct of the hair growth. If you don't pull it with force, the hair won't come off.
7. Repeat as needed and clean up the stray hairs you couldn't get with with tweezers.
8. Apply the finishing oil that is provided in the box to get any excess wax off.
XOXO
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
"Carried Away" with Kajal
I'm hoping that some of you are as obsessed with Sex and the City as I am! It hadn't even been out for 24 hours and I saw it TWICE last week.
I don't want to get too in-depth for those of you who have not seen it, but while in Abu Dhabi, Carrie buys a "kajal" eyeliner. Kajal (or kohl) has been used by women in Egypt and India for years as a eyeliner. They even make it themselves! It is a very intense black color that is great for making a smokey eye and amazing for lining the inner rim of your eyes so you can get Carrie's seductive look.
I previously wrote a blog about Guerlain's Terracotta Khol Kajal Intense Indian Kohl, but there are a few others that you can use also.
Givenchy Magic Kajal Eye Pencil 1 Magic Black ($21 at Sephora). This is cheaper than the Guerlain Kajal and a little more user friendly since it is a pencil. Just be careful you don't overdo it- a little bit goes a long way. To get a smokey eye, line the lid twice and then using your finger, blend the line upwards to the crease of your eye.
Guerlain Terracotta Loose Powder Kohl Liner ($33 at Sephora). Since this is a powder liner, it is a little tricky to use, but if you have a steady hand- go for it!
Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil 061 Jet Black ($3.99 at drugstores). I have not tried this yet, but it is a cheaper alternative for those of you who do not want to spend the extra $$!!
XOXO
I don't want to get too in-depth for those of you who have not seen it, but while in Abu Dhabi, Carrie buys a "kajal" eyeliner. Kajal (or kohl) has been used by women in Egypt and India for years as a eyeliner. They even make it themselves! It is a very intense black color that is great for making a smokey eye and amazing for lining the inner rim of your eyes so you can get Carrie's seductive look.
I previously wrote a blog about Guerlain's Terracotta Khol Kajal Intense Indian Kohl, but there are a few others that you can use also.
Givenchy Magic Kajal Eye Pencil 1 Magic Black ($21 at Sephora). This is cheaper than the Guerlain Kajal and a little more user friendly since it is a pencil. Just be careful you don't overdo it- a little bit goes a long way. To get a smokey eye, line the lid twice and then using your finger, blend the line upwards to the crease of your eye.
Guerlain Terracotta Loose Powder Kohl Liner ($33 at Sephora). Since this is a powder liner, it is a little tricky to use, but if you have a steady hand- go for it!
Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil 061 Jet Black ($3.99 at drugstores). I have not tried this yet, but it is a cheaper alternative for those of you who do not want to spend the extra $$!!
XOXO
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