DIY: Sweet & Sexy Body Scrub

What you'll need:

• 1/2 cup Organic Brown Sugar
  
• 1 Tbsp. Honey
• 1 Tbsp. Jojoba, Coconut or Your Favorite High Quality Oil
• 1/4 tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

Instructions:

Begin by lightly stirring your sugar and oil together, just until combined. Next, add the honey and lightly stir again. Lastly, pour your lemon juice in and mix it all up until you're happy with the consistency. And that's it! You can add the mixture to an airtight container, such as a mason jar. Sweet & Sexy Body Scrub creates a sumptuous take-the-spa-home experience and can make the perfect gift for couples with instructions on how to lovingly give your partner a sexy scrub down. Tie with a ribbon and your handwritten tag:      

Dear Marisa & Jerry, this body scrub/polish has been lovingly created from organic and natural ingredients to keep you both soft and smooth through the winter months, a perfect accouterment to cold, rainy days. Simply rub into each other's skin... and then rinse one another off in the shower, keeping in mind this stuff is edible and quite delicious in tiny licks. The rest is up to you... Made With Peace & Love from your friend Heather

Deal of the Day!

I lurked this GORGEOUS forever21 deal of the day while doing some last minute Christmas shopping!  

Symbol DB Coat
$39.80!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

A heavyweight coat featuring a felt-like exterior with 4-rows of double-breasted buttons and matching buttons at the collar. Other features include a removable belt with a polished rectangle-shaped buckle, 2-front pockets, buttoned arm cuff straps, satin lining, padded shoulders, and a finished hem. Metallic-covered plastic buttons with a shield design and "World Symbol Lichten Stein" phrase. - 32" approx length from high point shoulder to hem, 15" shoulder width, 36" chest, 24" sleeve length from shoulder ridge, 2.0" wide belt (2.5" tall buckle) - Measured from Small - 54% wool, 46% rayon, lining 100% polyester with 600MM 100% PU backing; Dry clean only - Imported ProductCode: 2052738693

MAC Cham Pale Collection - December 2010

MAC Cham-Pale Collection. The MAC Cham-Pale Collection collection hits stores Dec 26th the same day as the Stylishly Yours Collection. This collection is pretty much the opposite of the Stylishly Yours collection in that it has very soft & nude colors. Look below to see what's in the collection.

From M.A.C:

The ultimate luxury when only the finest will do for the New Year: a cuvée collection that's cause for celebration...a Champagne smash, colour and skincare shimmering with all the bubbly optimism & golden glow of the best that's yet to be.

Paint Pot- 6.5 g / .23 US oz, US$16.50
A highly pigmented eye colour that goes on creamy but dries to an intense, vibrant finish. Long-wearing, colourfast. Creates seamless coverage without weight or caking. Blends smoothly over the lids. Cream-based, can be mixed with M·A·C shadows and liners.

Chilled on Ice - Frosted white gold
Let Me Pop - Frosted light copper
Vintage Selection - Frosted dirty peach
Dangerous Cuvée - Frosted cool grey 

MAC Lipgelees- 0.50 oz, $14.50
Bubble Lounge- sparkly pink peach
Luxure- off-white with pink pearl
Sin-tillation- sparkly pale icy pink
Straight to the Head- sparkly bronze brown

Nail Lacquer - 10 ml / .34 US fl oz, US$13.00
 

Revolutionary new high gloss formula. Three long-wearing finishes - Cream, Sheer, and Frosted. Visibly different. Provides no-streak/no-chip finish. Contains conditioners and UV protection. 
Soirée - Sparkly light bronze gold
Very Important Platinum - Dirty platinum

Fix + Lavender - 100 ml, US$18.00

The soothing, calming, chill-me-out scent of lavender is at the heart of this limited-edition Fix +. Like the original, wakes up, refreshes and conditions the skin while providing tired, thirsty skin with a quick, hydrating boost. Use as an on-the-go pick-me-up or a setting finish after makeup. 

The MAC Cham Pale Collection is GORGEOUS and I can't wait to get my hands on a few pieces! And the nail colors, I'm OBSESSED! What do you think about the collection?

 

 

Beauty Tip of the Day!

Aloe Vera gel as facial moisturizer. It's simply FABULOUS and cheap! Aloe is so light and breathable, yet moisturizing at the same time. Based on a recipe from Better Basics for the Home, that called for 1/2 cup Aloe Vera gel and 1/8 cup Glycerin, I did a little experimenting. I came up with the perfect formula for my skin and for the current weather. One great thing about making your own products is that you can adjust them as needed. Another thing is this recipe is so cheap!

Facial Moisturizer

• 2 tablespoons of Aloe Vera gel (drinkable kind)
• 1/2 teaspoon vegetable Glycerin
• 3 drops Jojoba oil
• 6 drops Lavender oil

Place all ingredients in a small glass jar. Shake before each use. After washing your face while it is still damp, apply with your fingers. It will feel wet at first, but as it dries and absorbs, you will be left with silky soft skin. You can adjust this formula to meet your skin needs. Use less glycerin if it makes your skin feel sticky. Use more glycerin to increase the moisturizing ability. You can eliminate or increase the jojoba oil or try a different oil. You can also eliminate/change the lavender oil (I like lavender because it is antiseptic and antibacterial and it smells great). Better Basics for the Home describes a similar recipe for homemade baby lotion. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup Aloe Vera Gel and 1/2 tablespoon Glycerin. So if you invest in buying Aloe and Glycerin, they have multiple uses! 

 Health Benefits of Aloe Vera

"Extracts of Aloe Vera first became popular as a proven skin healer. Aloe is said to improve collagen repair, heal burns and prevent wrinkles. It is a powerful detoxifier, antiseptic and tonic for the nervous system. It also has immune-boosting and anti-viral properties. Research has proven that adding Aloe Vera to ones diet improves digestion. As a general health tonic, there are benefits in taking a measure of Aloe Vera each day"

Patrick Holford, Founder - Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION) (Source: Metro Magazine August 2000)

Here are few benefits of Aloe Vera:

- Studies have shown that Aloe Vera speeds the healing process, particularly in burns, including those from radiation. It is also used by dermatologists to speed healing after facial dermabrasion, which helps remove scars from the top most layers of the skin. The other health benefits from the use of Aloe Vera include helping to soothe skin injuries affected by burning, skin irritations, cuts and insect bites, and its bacterial properties relieve itching and skin swellings.

- Aloe Vera possesses incredible moisturizing properties. Studies show that Aloe Vera improves the skin's ability to hydrate itself, aids in the removal of dead skin cells and has an effective penetrating ability that helps transport healthy substances through the skin.

- Aloe Vera is also known to help slow down the appearance of wrinkles as it can actively repair the damaged skin cells that cause the visible signs of aging. Components of Aloe Vera have been found to reverse degenerative skin changes by stimulating collagen and elastin.

I hope you enjoyed my lil Beauty Tip of the Day! Have you ever tried Aloe Vera as facial moisturizer? What were your results?

Deal of the Day!

Run, don't walk to your nearest Forever21 for their blending sponges $1.80 found in accessories (I couldn't find them online but I will keep looking) and stock up on these sponges for applying foundation and for other uses.

I got three of them and plan to get more. I use the large sponge for applying foundation, blush and sunless tanning mousse to my face. The design of this sponge is awesome. The small sponge can be used to get in the corners by your eyes for applying concealer or foundation. These sponges you can use with a stippling action and it is great.

the BEST eyeliner ever!

MAC fluidline in blacktrack $15 & MAC brush 266 $19, maccosmetics.com

Currently available in six gorgeous shades:

Rich Ground - Reddened coco with frost
Dipdown - Deep dark flat brown
Blitz & Glitz - Intense black with gold pearl
Blacktrack - Solid flat black
Waveline - Navy blue with low level gold pearl
Macroviolet - Deep smoked violet with red pearl

The formula is fantastic. It's smooth, creamy and it glides on easily. This is hands down my favorite product to use when doing winged liner. When using this on my upper lashline, it stays the entire day until I take it off at night. This doesn't last very long on my waterline and as far as I know, it's also not approved for that purpose. Gel liner can be applied in various ways, I recommend the MAC 209, 210 and 266 for best results.

Not only can the fluidlines be used as liner, they can also be used as a base! I apply a small amount to my eyelid and then smudge and blend it before it dries. The staying power is great and I haven't found that they crease when used this way.

You can prolong the life of your fluidline by storing it upside down. This way the moisture will always be at the top. If you find that your fluidline is getting dry, mixing it with a clean cosmetic spatula and adding a few drops of mixing medium will bring it back to life. Fluidline lasts a VERY long time because they're so pigmented and you only need a small amount.  

Photography by Face On By Tamara

My 7 month old son Jaxson James and I had our first Mini Muffin Photo Shoot! I wasn't expecting to be apart of the pictures, so luckily I had dressed up a little bit that day! Photography by Face On By Tamara
My look: dress by American Apparel, headband Forever21

Face: MAC studio moisture tint light & MAC NW15 studio finish concealer 

Powder: MAC mineralize skin finish natural light medium & MAC mineralize skin finish by candelight as highlighter

Blush: MAC rhapsody in two

Eyes: MAC brule all over lid, pigment in sunnydaze on crease, pigment universal mix (inner eye corner), fluidline in blacktrack on top lash line

Lips: MAC beigeland 

Shea Terra Organics Rose Hip & Red Bush Black Soap Face Wash Review

I've been using Philosophy Purity Facial Cleanser religiously for two years. After reading several raving reviews (one from Bella Makeup Blog) on Shea Terra Organics Rose Hip & Red Bush Black Soap Face Wash, I made my order and received my package within one week! I've been using the face wash for about 4 days now. After the first wash my skin felt baby soft. My pores noticeably less clogged. I'm convinced this is my new favorite face wash already!

African black soap has been a highly effective, natural facial treatment for ages. This blemish fighting and anti-aging remedy lightens dark spots, smoothes skin and exfoliates to reveal clear, soft and luminous skin. Rose hips are high in vitamin C, and red bush tea adds a kick of antioxidant benefits. This wash does not have a rose aroma, which can irritate sensitive and allergic complexions. Also ideal for acne prone skin, as it gently exfoliates dead skin cells blocking the pore. Use as a face wash daily to maintain healthy looking skin. For deep cleansing, apply black soap as a mask. Leave on 5-10 minutes, then wash off, working away dead skin cells.

L’Oreal EverPure Moisture Deep Restorative Masque Review

If you color your hair, you know how frustrating it can be when you color fades quickly and gets dull. You may also experience some dryness and split-ends. Salon deep conditioning treatments can be expensive. Well, thankfully L’Oreal makes sulfate-free color care products! L’Oreal Paris EverPure Moisture Deep Restorative Masque deep conditions your hair in about five minutes (I have left on for 20 mins and LOVED the results) in the shower. The rosemary mint scent is refreshing and the rich masque left my hair feeling silky, smooth but didn’t weigh it down. I love this product and at around $8, this is definitely a worthwhile bargain.

Beauty Tip of the Day!

Olive Oil mixed with sugar makes a fantastic lip scrub! Follow with Vaseline to moisturize.

MAC Fix+ Review

The Fix + works amazing to set your make up and give you a very beautiful dewy look or just a nice "pick-me-up" when you are feeling tired. I use it for two purposes, 1.) to finish my look and set make up, it gives my face a natural dewy look and 2.) I use it after moisturizer (as the final step) to just make my skin look/feel refreshing and glowy. It has caffeine in it as well as cucumber extract and other minerals. I've heard of some girls using this on their hair to calm the frizzies as well as mixing the Fix+ with their eyeshadow & pigments to give it a more intense color. I love the scent of it too, it smells really good. MAC Fix+ is an absolute MUST HAVE!

Look of the Night!

Face: MAC studio moisture tint light & MAC NW15 studio finish concealer 
Powder: MAC mineralize skin finish natural light medium & MAC mineralize skin finish by candelight as highlighter
Blush: MAC personal style
Eyes: MAC vapour all over lid, satin taupe in crease, pigment in sunnydaze on lid, retro-speck blended on top, pigment universal mix (inner eye corner), lower lash lined w/ brun shadow, superslick liquid eyeliner in marked for glamour on top & fake lashes (of course!)
Lips: MAC Myth lipstick and Glamour For All lipglass 

la la LOVE this color! nude with a hint of gold sparkle. MAC earthly harmony. 

 Little Black Dress (Marshells) , Steve Madden Pumps & Forever21 jewelry. Outside of Fleming's we went rose pickin'! Date nights are rare these days but much needed and appreciated! & BTW, dessert was amazing!

I hope you had a YUMMY weekend too!

MAC Haute & Naughty Lash Review

Now when it comes to mascara, picky girls like me don’t have to battle with difficult choices. We can have our cake and eat it too, thanks to MAC Haute & Naughty Lash ($18 available in a single shade: Haute & Naughty Black. The disco turtleneck on the tube is what MAC calls their two-in-one dual wiper system and it’s one of the keys to Haute & Naughty’s success. Unscrewing the wand from the glittery purple end loads the brush with product, LOTS of product, enough for dramatic lash volume from root to tip with just one coat.

But even if you’re more interested in lash length and separation than lash volume, you’re still in luck! By disconnecting the wand from the hot pink extension end, the brush loads with less product, resulting in slightly thinner, yet better defined lashes. 
The BEST for bottom lashes too!

 

 And here is how Haute & Naughty Lash looks on me...

Try it! You will LOVE it as much as I do, I promise! :)