Creed Royal Princess Oud Fragrance Review

Creed has described Royal Princess Oud as "a statement of modern elegance and sophistication in a bottle." If there was one fragrance in my collection that could truly boast about this, then Royal Princess Oud would have to be it.Creed really lived up to its name and created this one with luxury in mind. It's a perfect romantic scent that is geared more towards their younger feminine audience which is why I gravitated to it. The notes include top notes of Bitter Sicilian bergamot, rose and sweet violet; middle notes of Jasmin, vanilla, patchouli and iris from Tuscany and base notes of Benjoin Siam, a sweet gum resin from Thailand, Mysore Sandalwood and Styrax, an ancient resin extracted from bark of shrubs in Asia. Personally, I've worn it well over 10 hours and at first, it started off as an intense floral scent but as the day went on, it dried down into a subtle powder and vanilla woody scent.The bottle has a clear to red gradient color design with an embossed logo in the middle of it to showcase the passion of the scent. The cap is gold with the embellished red logo etched into it as well. The nozzle is a standard creed nozzle with a powerful "spritzer" so you really only need to spray this 3 to 4 times on your pulse points. Ladies, think high fashion and couture when you think about this scent. It is a bit pricey but this is one of those times that I can really say that you get what you pay for. And hey, all you really need to do is throw on a bold lipstick and this fragrance and you're good to go for date night.It's available at the Creed Boutique and Nordstorm's in a 1.0 oz and 2.5 oz.

Six Green Fragrances To Wear for St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is finally upon us so it's officially time to pull out your favorite green accessories and beauty products to celebrate. Around this time, everyone pulls out their favorite green t-shirts, green hoodies and even green shoes in an effort to avoid getting pinched but what about the beauty girls? Well you know we have to put our on twist on things ;-) . Cue the takeover of green inspired eye shadow looks, lip ombres and 4 leaf clover nail tutorials but why stop there? In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here are six green fragrances worth trying:Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir L'Eau Exquise is an exquisite Spring fragrance that is light and airy (perfect to wear in the office for St. Patrick's Day). Its sparkling femininity is captured in a stunning bottle and filled with notes of jasmine, white tea, pomelo, almond anchor, musk and cedar. You'll tend to notice the citrusy scent and grapefruit notes more and more as it dries down.If you're looking for a floral fragrance with a bit of a punch to it, try Amouage's Epic Eau De Parfum for women. It's described as a spicy floral oriental with top notes of cumin, pink bay, cinnamon; heart notes of Damascene rose, tea, geranium, jasmine; and base notes of amber, musk, guaiac wood, orris, frankincense, oud, patchouli, sandalwood, and vanilla. I'll be honest, when I smelled the first spritz of it on my wrists, I wrote it off as being way too strong and spicy for me. As the night went on and the fragrance notes started to open (the heart and base notes), I really began to enjoy the warm rose and sweet sandalwood scent. If you order this fragrance or even go to test it out, make sure that you give it a few hours to settle before judging it.Dolce by Dolce & Gabbana is everything that you want in a romantic fragrance. The packaging is designed as a petite glass bottle topped with an ivory and pink marzipan flower. It opens with a soft and sensual blast of floral and citrus notes. You can immediate smell the freshness of the neroli leaves mixing together with the papaya flowers. Later, the fragrance mixes into it heart floral notes of white amaryllis and white water lily and finally settles into your skin with a soft cashmere and musk opening. I recommend this is your looking for a light, and floral romantic scent. Plus, the bottle is a cute vanity topper.Un Jardin Après La Mousson by Hermès pays homage to the spices and precious gems of India. It is a very warm and spicy eau de toilette that houses notes of ginger, cardamom, coriander, pepper and vetiver. This is one of those abstract fragrances that wears well on both men and women because of its pull on the freshness of cucumber spiciness, peppered cantaloupe and fresh rain water.We all know the feeling of falling in love. The butterflies and excitement that comes from a first date and the endless possibilities of what the future may hold. A floral and romantic eau de parfum with passionate overtones and sweet seductive undertones, Live in Love by Oscar De La Renta perfectly captures this feeling and emotion in its elegant bottle. It has notes of rose, sparkling ginger orchid, jasmine, lily of the valley, bergamot, african orange flower, white amber, musk and sandalwood.And the crème de la crème, Creed Green Irish Tweed. I remember how stunned I was when my boyfriend first opened his new bottle of GIT and sprayed it on his wrists. The fresh opening of the florentine iris and the explosion of violet leaves left me smiling because it reminded me just how close to spring we really are. Literally, every fragrance that is described as "fresh" and "green" is secretly aspiring to hit the mark that Green Irish Tweed has. It has notes of iris, lemon verbena, violet leaves, ambergris and mysore sandalwood. 

What scent are you wearing to celebrate and bring you luck today?

How to Get Rid of Hyperpigmentation and Get Glowing Skin with Murad

Today, I want to talk to you about hyperpigmentation and how much it sucks. I know that's a little bit more candid than I normally am but if you suffer from skin discoloration, dark spots or color imperfections then you know how much of a struggle it is. Hyperpigmentation is the darkening of the skin due to the overproduction of melanin and or pigment. Melanin is a class of pigment that produces color in the body in places such as the eyes, skin, and hair. Hyperpigmentation affects women and men of all ethnic groups and will show up on your skin as tan, brown or black spots.

Causes of hyperpigmentation: - Hormones - Genetics - Sun damage - Picking at the skin - Hormonal changes (pregnancy; birth control pills) - Medications such as antibiotics, hormone treatments, and anti-seizure drugs - Inflammation and skin injuries

This is a lot of information but I want to make sure that you understand the backend of hyperpigmentation before we jump into skincare. Even though the majority of these causes are due to genes or other factors that are out of your control, there is one thing that you can do to protect your skin and help to repair it if you're suffering from hyperpigmentation.

First of all, you need to use sunscreen or at least SPF 15 everyday - yes, everyday. If you don't have a sunscreen in your routine already, I recommend trying the Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum with SPF 30. Second, make sure that you take care of your skin. Discoloration can sit on top of dead skin cells on your face so make so that you exfoliate at least twice a week - try AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. Lastly, you want to start a brightening treatment regime that is designed to treat this condition, minimize the dark spots and lighten the appearance of it. Cue the Murad’s Rapid Lightening Regimen.

Step 1: Cleanse with the Murad Essential-C Cleanser The Vitamin-C rich Essential-C Cleanser removes skin-dulling impurities to renew your skin’s radiance.

Step 2: Treat your skin with the Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum The Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum contains 2% Hydroquinone which lightens dark spots and skin discoloration.

Tip: You can pair the Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum with the Intensive-C Radiance Peel and the Advanced Active Radiance Serum for maximum results.

Step 3: Hydrate your skin with the Murad Essential-C Day Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 30 The Essential-C Day Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 30 | PA+++, rich in Vitamin-C and antioxidants, revitalizes and protects your skin from further damage.

All of these products have a subtle citrus fragrance to it. You will notice it immediately when you open the product and squeeze it out. The scent does diffuse and die down once you apply it to your skin.

When you order, you will receive a rapid lightening tracker that will help you measure and track your progress as you use the treatment. 

Overall, I'm so excited to have found this regimen because I have severe hyperpigmentation and dark circles.

 Photo taken indoors

Photos taken outside

My dark circles are hereditary and my dark spots have pretty much just been popping up as I've gotten older and alas from sun damage. I'll admit it. In the past, I wasn't as proactive and aggressive in using sunscreen or skincare as I am now so I'm paying the price.

I'll report back over the next few weeks on my results so you can see! You can read more about the Murad Rapid Lightening Regimen HERE or HERE.

*PR Sample. Products were provided by BeautyStat for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipsticks Catnip and Soft Lilac Swatches & Review On A Woman of Color

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am that Anastasia Beverly Hills is now available on Ulta Beauty and Sephora. Can you imagine the amount of points that we're going to rack up? Hellooooo freebies! To celebrate the brand launch in these two iconic beauty retailers, I wanted to swatch as many of the Anastasia Beverly Hills products that I personally own and give you my thoughts in one set space (the blog) to help you shop your favorites better. Here are swatches of the liquid lipsticks in Soft Lilac and Catnip.

Soft Lilac is described as a pale violet.

Catnip is described as a soft plum.

These are $20 each and are currently in stock on Sephora.com, Ulta.com and the AnastasiaBeverlyHills.com.

And here is a live swatch of the lipsticks on my arm. I'm providing these swatches through photos and videos so you can the true color and the coloring with flash etc. I hope it helps!

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Make sure that you let me which kind of swatches you like best and want to see more of (photos, live video etc).

Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Super-Charged Foundation Review: Cocoa Light, Cocoa Medium and Cocoa Deep

Marc Jacobs Beauty - a luxury beauty line that still has a long way to go - as far as women of color is concerned. Don't get me wrong, I love the majority of the products in the Marc Jacobs Beauty line: the lipsticks are amazing, I love the new Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara but as far as the range in the selection of foundation - well there's not much to be desired. Let's take the Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Super-Charged Foundation as our example. This foundation is described as a "breakthrough gel foundation that easily builds from natural to full coverage. The Buoyancy Gel™ technology enhances the performance of this long-wearing, anti-aging formula, which includes antioxidant vitamin protection." Sounds great right? You want to try it out right? Awesome! Let's head online to shop.

Hmm...there's only 16 shades? It looks like there are 3 made with African American women in mind...I think? Maybe?Cocoa Deep is the darkest that it goes?

So that's the problem. There is this remarkable foundation that you may want to try but unfortunately, there is not a lot of shade range to choose from. However, I wanted to review the 3 darkest shades in the line - Cocoa Light (Color 82), Cocoa Medium (Color 84) and Cocoa Deep (Color 86) -  in hopes that it may help you decide on what to do. So let's dive right on in...

Cocoa Light (Color 82), Cocoa Medium (Color 84) and Cocoa Deep (Color 86)

This foundation is a gel like formula that is designed to melt into your skin and not settle into your facial lines. It comes in this sleek glass bottle in 1.0 fluid oz and comes with a pump. It is a light to medium coverage which is great because you can lightly wear it to go out and run errands or you can build upon it for maximum coverage. It does has a light fragrance to it, so please keep that in mind if you are sensitive to smell - it is not a very powerful though.

Cocoa Light will be well suited for you if you have neutral, light golden undertones. Cocoa Medium will be well suited for you if you have golden/orange undertones. Cocoa Dark will be well suited for you if you have red/deep red undertones.

And even though I give you guys as many swatches and review comparisons as I can, I always recommend going to the store and swatching these for yourself if you are able to. Don't forget to swatch any foundation that you're testing out on your jawline and let it settle in for about 5 minutes before making a decision. Also, make sure that you swatch a range of 3 colors so you can get a better idea for the color range and the one that finally disappears into your skin is the one that you want to go with.

If you're not able to make it to the store or you're just shopping online, make sure that you watch this video below so you can get the best view of the foundation colors on my skin tone under different lighting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3BxmjzXsRM

So what do you think of the shade ranges in this foundation line? Let me know below!

Shoedazzle Evi by Madison Pump - A Review and Shoe Comfort Tips

Marilyn Monroe said it best. Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.

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That's literally how I felt when I tried on the Evi by Madison pump. If you guys remember, earlier in the month, I did a introductory post on Evi just to introduce it to you and make you aware of it's launch before it sold out. It's basically a redesign and relaunch of the Lulah pump from 3 years ago.

MATERIAL: Fabric. Imported. COLOR: Blue Multi FEELS LIKE: 4.5″ OUTSIDE HEEL HEIGHT: 6.5″ PLATFORM HEIGHT: 2″ FIT: True to size INSIDE HEEL HEIGHT: 5″

Oh high heels, how I've missed you! I wore these for about 8 hours over two days (once on the weekend and then during this photoshoot) and they are insanely comfortable. I always get so many questions asking how can I possible wear a 6 inch heel for so long without cringing and my number one tip to you is that it takes a lot of practice. Honestly, I used to wear sneakers every day of the week until I got used to wearing high heels and the only way that I was able to master them was to constantly wear them around the house and practice. And, as any master knows, there are always little things that you can do to make anything easier. For example, if I'm in the market for high high heels, I always look for a pair that has a platform on it so that it can balance out the height.

Another tip that I can tell you is to make sure that you have a steady supply of Foot Petals on hand. Foot Petals is a brand that creates the most comfortable shoe cushions for high heels and flat shoes. I literally have boxes of their tip toes that I slide into the ball of my shoes before putting them on. These make my feet feel like I'm wearing nothing at all, especially when I walk so it gives me the ability to rock them all day long. There are so many different inserts that you can try depending on what your preference is: tip toes, softspots, technogel, you just have to figure out what kind of comfort you're looking for.

Besides looking for comfort, when I wear high heels, I always pair the bottom of my shoes with these Sole Stopperz to add some pre-made traction to them. You won't catch me out to dinner slippin' and slidin' in 6 inch heels on your shiny waxed floor. No sir!

All you have to do is take the petal-shaped stick-on, pull off the adhesive backing and press it firmly onto the bottom of your shoes. Make sure that you step down on it firmly a few times to secure it in place.

Now you're all set to rock some sky high stilettos and feel like you're floating on air.

Essence February Beauty Box Review: Soulful. Colorful. Beautiful.

  Hello lovebugs! It's time to reveal this month's Essence Beauty Box! This months theme was designed to have you "Shine Like a Star" so let's dive right on in shall we?

First up, let's take a look at the Soak it Up Oil Cocktail from Dark & Lovely. The Soak it Up Oil is the 2nd step of the Moisture L.O.C. regimen, inspired by the “O” in the LOC Method. The LOC method is a natural hair care routine that you can use to moisturize and protect your hair and then seal in the moisture with a hair butter or oil, so that all of the moisture is locked  in. The "L" stands for Leave-In, the "O" stands for Oil and the "C" stands for Cream. 

This Soak it Up Oil from Dark & Lovely contains blends of 5 Oils: Sunflower oil, Apricot oil, Coconut oil, Avocado Oil and Moringa Oil that's great for hydrating your hair and nourishing curls and coils.

While we're talking about hair care, let's jump right on into the next product: the Coily Custard from Miss Jessie’s. The Coily Custard is a slippery emulsion that coats each frizzy strand with a dose of super moisture and shine that enhances and defines your curl pattern, reduces frizz, and fights curl shrinkage. It's best described as a wash-n-go styler. I'll update you in a few days once I test this out.

Next, the box included a set of Looks So Natural Lashes by KISS. These are soft and tapered false lashes that are designed to blend seamlessly with your natural lashes. My box also included a clear strip lash adhesive.

Do I need to say anything about this CoverFX sample? I mean, IG fam, you guys know how I feel about this brand -holy grail-. Well, since we are here... This is the Mattifying Primer with Anti-Acne Treatment by CoverFX. It's a lightweight gel primer that imparts an instant matte finish as well as extended shine control while minimizing the appearance of pores and preventing & healing acne blemishes. This clinically tested primer is vegan and free of the Inflammatory Five: gluten, mineral oil, fragrance, parabens or talc.

Lastly, there is a sample lipstick from IMAN Cosmetics. Apparently, the box this month alternated between a lipstick or a lip shimmer and I received an orange-red lipstick. It's a luxurious and creamy semi-matte lipstick, however, it's another lipstick in a color that doesn't suit me. We talked about this during last month's box so I'm really hoping that the preference center starts working on the Essence Beauty Box website because I feel as if I'm wasting my money on lipsticks that I'm not going to use again (after swatching for you guys of course).

And lastly, they decided to surprise us with a travel size sample of Optic White Toothpaste by Colgate.

Overall, I'm impressed with everything in this box except the lip color. I'm really excited to try out this lashes and hair care products so I'll let you guys  know what I think after giving them all a thorough test run.

What did you think of the February Essence Beauty Box? Are you subscribed yet?

ColourPop Cosmetics Trust Me Matte X Lippie Review and Swatches On A Woman of Color

Hi love bugs! Today, I wanted to formally introduce you to the new ColourPop Cosmetics Trust Me Matte X Lippie Stix ($5).

This is a vivid true blue based red matte lipstick that is uber comfortable and not drying on the lips.

And because we're always trying to find the perfect dupe, I went ahead and made a quick YouTube swatch video of some of my favorite matte lipsticks in my collection that I thought was similar. Check it out and let me know what you think:

[embed]https://youtu.be/CY-veWvytbI[/embed]

Happy Valentine's Day With Guerlain's La Petite Robe Noire

Happy Valentine's Day love bugs! I was trying to find a way to celebrate with you guys and it took me a bit to figure out how I wanted to capture this moment in an image. You know...photographer problems. :-)

As I was getting ready for my date, it finally hit me. What's the one thing that I have in my collection that could truly capture beauty, fashion and love in one shot?

My new bottles of La Petite Robe Noire by Guerlain.

Prada Candy Kiss - A New Fragrance by Prada

-Press Release-

It truly is the season of love and now is the perfect time to announce the new Prada Candy Kiss fragrance!

Scheduled to launch by the end of this month (February 2016), Prada Candy Kiss is a flanker to the earlier Prada Candy collection. Just an FYI - in the fragrance community, we normally refer to a newly created fragrance that shares similar attributes of an already existing fragrance as a flanker. These similar attributes may include the bottle design, the packaging, the name or even similar notes that were taken from the pre-existing fragrance.

So Prada Candy Kiss is a flanker to the playful gourmand collection from it's earlier years: the original Prada Candy from 2011, Prada Candy L'Eau from 2013 and Prada Candy Florale from 2014. Last year, you may remember the adorable Candy Kiss mini collection that was launched (mini bottles of the three original fragrances in 20ml).

Now the new flanker, Prada Candy Kiss which was developed by Daniela Andrier, channels the addictive nature of the Candy composition and enhances its characteristic scent of musk. It's described to have been designed to re-activate emotions and impressions. Largely, this idea has evolved from the sensual veil of musk evoked in delicate white cotton all in a sensual cloud. There are also notes of vanilla and orange blossom which will enrich and brighten the fragrance as it opens. It will be available as an Eau de Parfum in 30, 50 and 80 ml.

I will keep you updated on my social pages as to the launch day and of course I'll be reviewing it for you!

Do you think you'll be adding the new Prada Candy Kiss to your collection?

Artist Couture Broadway Diamond Glow Powder Highlighter Review and Swatches On A Woman of Color

"I know when that highlight bling, that can only mean one thing. Yeah, I know when that highlight bling, that can only mean one thing." Ah, Drake really hit this one on the head when he made this song and no, I didn't make a mistake by singing when that highlight bling! Only my true highlighter girls will understand this one. ;-) Last week, I was shopping on RickysNYC.com and I was trying to figure out what I wanted to use my $100 gift certificate on (remember the one that we ordered from Gilt - it was $60 for a $100 gift card). Of course, I picked out a few new items for my hair and a few new setting powders but the major purpose for my order was to get the new Artist Couture Broadway Diamond Glow Powder Highlighter. I saw the light pink iridescence glow in full force at a press event but for those of you who aren't able to visit a Ricky's to swatch it in person anytime soon, I wanted you guys to be able to at least see quality swatches of it on a woman of color. Click play...

[embed]https://youtu.be/pIBAiLgWCpA[/embed]

Introducing Poison Girl - The New Fragrance By Dior

It's time to introduce a new fragrance into your collection - Poison Girl by Christian Dior.

Developed by Francois Demachy, Dior’s Poison Girl is a new addition for women to the fragrance house and its Poison collection. It comes in a light pink bottle in the traditional shape of the Poison packaging and was specifically designed to introduce the brand to a younger audience.

It's notes are described as a bitter sweet floral with sicilian orange accents, the heart of roses (May rose from Grasse and Damascus rose, warm vanilla and almond, Venezuelan tonka bean, and sandalwood from Sri Lanka. It will be available in 30, 50 and 100 ml as  an Eau de Parfum.

*photo from a google.com image search*

So what do you think fragrance lovers, will you be checking out the new Dior Poison Girl?

Shoedazzle Lulah Dupe - Introducing The New Evi Pump From Madison

It's Monday morning so I need to give you guys a dose of the "Monday Blues" but I promise you that you will love this! For years, I've been working with Shoedazzle and during that time, I don't think there has been a pair of shoes that have really connected to the fans as much as Lulah has.

   I was lucky enough to snag a pair in my size very early on in my career with them. The thing that you have to keep in mind with Shoedazzle is that because it is a boutique styled website, once a style is sold out, it most likely is never coming back in stock. As you can imagine, the Lulah's flew off of the shelves and left many shoe lover's broken-hearted. I kid you not - I can't believe the amount of offers I've had from people trying to purchase mines.

So last week, I received the Shoedazzle February press preview and lo and behold, there is a new style that is VERY similar to Lulah! Let me introduce you to Evi by Madison...

MATERIAL: Fabric. Imported. COLOR: Blue Multi FEELS LIKE:4.5" OUTSIDE HEEL HEIGHT:6.5" PLATFORM HEIGHT:2" FIT:True to size INSIDE HEEL HEIGHT:5"

So far, that's all the information that I have on Evi. A pair is on the way to me as we speak so I'll have a completed review up for you soon but I didn't want you to miss out on the chance to order these now while they are still in stock. Click here to see if your size is still available.

Post contains referring links.

Essence January Beauty Box Review: Soulful. Colorful. Beautiful.

So it's a brand New Year which means we all have these fabulous resolutions that we need to try to stick to. I don't know about you, but every year I try to tell myself to relax, and just continue doing what I'm doing - working as hard as I can everyday. Realistically, it's just another day that ends with a new number right? Since I'm always working, I hardly have time to go out and pamper myself, so I was excited to hear that the January Essence Beauty Box was a Pamper Party Box.

If you guys remember from my other posts, the Essence Beauty Box is a beauty subscription box that was designed for women of color by the experts from Essence magazine. Each box will contain 5 deluxe samples and you can sign up for $15 a month, however, they have been running sales for $10 a month.

As for the January box, it contains 5 deluxe samples that was curated together to create the ultimate pamper party box. First, there is a deluxe sample of SheaTerra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap Facial Wash. This is designed to gently exfoliate your skin and remove dead layers without any harsh ingredients - which is great if you have sensitive skin.

Next, there is a fat lip pencil by Laqa & Co. There are three different shades that are floating around online that people have received in their box and I received this orange shade that has subtle hints of red in it. It's a cute color and I love the thickness of the pencil itself, however, I did not like this shade for my skin tone. Personally, I do not favor lipsticks that have an orange shade or undertone to it. I mostly go for lipsticks with more of a blue based undertone just because I find that it suits my complexion better. I would love to be able to include these personal preferences to the subscription box.

The next sample is from tgin - Thank God It's Natural Green Tea super moist leave in conditioner. Now this is my favorite product in this month's box because I love trying new leave in conditioners to moisturize my curls and this is one of the quickest and most affordable ways that I've been able to test out new products that may or may not work for my hair.

A pamper party box wouldn't be complete without a nail polish for a manicure. This box included the Julep Jess nail polish. It's kind of like a brown color with hints of red in it. I've tried a lot of the Julep nail polishes before so I know that they have a great formula, however, I wasn't a big fan of this color. Lately, I've been more into the bright and holographic colors so I'm not going to get much use out of this product in the box. It is a great color though if you're looking for something a bit more subtle.

Lastly, the box included a Baby Soft Foot Mask by Leaders Insolution. This is a rejuvenating foot mask that has aloe vera extract and bees wax in it and I'll be honest, in the winter time, I tend to neglect my feet -  I know I'm not the only one! This is going to rejuvenate the skin and leave your feet feeling as smooth as butter!

Did you guys get the January box? What did you think about it? Don't forget that if you sign up, please use my referral code 992-4D8B-00F2.

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Nuit Blanche - A New Black Opium Fragrance

So you guys remember a few months ago when I introduced you to the new Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium fragrance? It literally took over my Instagram timeline and I feel responsible for getting a lot of you hooked on the coffee and vanilla scent (blame me, I can take it)!

Well, prepare yourselves...YSL is launching a new fragrance for women, Black Opium Nuit Blanche.

Nuit Blanche is a yearly arts all-night cultural/arts festival in Paris and Black Opium Nuit Blanche is inspired by the night life of the city that never sleeps. The fragrance promises to capture the mysterious and unpredictable experience of an electric night in which everything is possible. Between tension and sensuality, audacity and femininity, the notes feature vanilla, black opium coffee accord, sandalwood, peony, white musk, orange blossom, rice vapor, pepper.

Now, the bottle design is very similar to the original Black Opium, however, the difference is in the details. The color of the cap is now rose gold and there are noticeable white sequins and glitter on the body of the bottle.

It will be available in an Eau De Parfum in 3 sizes - 30, 50 and 90 ml. I will let you know details on pricing and availability as soon as I can. 

Sooo...how many of you are asking for this for Valentine's Day? Are you ready to get hooked onto a new fragrance?

MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipstick Comparison Video Review

Hi lovebugs!

I wanted to stop and do this really quick video review for you guys to compare the new MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam Ariana Grande lipstick to a few other MAC lipsticks that I own - Riri Hearts MAC Talk That Talk and Instigator. Turn your volume up, press play and get the details!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu9gk8TE0Qk

MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipstick & Lipglass - First Review

Hi loves!

So last year, we all heard the news that MAC Cosmetics chose Ariana Grande as the new VIVA GLAM spokeperson.* The news spread like wide fire on social media - not only because of the support of the cause - but because of the trendy story behind the colors. 

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipstick ($17.00 for 0.10 oz.) is described as a "matte plum." It's a deep, dark plum with a satin finish.

MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipglass ($15.00 for 0.17 fl. oz.) is described as a “shimmering pink.” It’s a sheer, pink-tinted lipgloss with gold and pink sparkles.

When I first saw the promotional pictures, it immediately reminded me of Riri Hearts MAC Talk That Talk lipstick and the Clear Water Lipgloss from the Alluring Aqua collection. So I wanted to do a few comparisons to help you...

(L) Riri Hearts MAC Talk That Talk (R) MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipstick (L) MAC Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipgloss (R) MAC Alluring Aqua Clear Water Lipgloss

I'll admit that I said "Wow" when I swatched them. It's a beautiful color alone and with paired with the lipgloss. However, it is a bit patchy, so make sure that you grab a matching lipliner - try it with Vino perhaps? It will be in-stores and at-counters on January 21st, 2016.

*The VIVA GLAM Lipstick was originally created in 1994 to raise money and awareness for HIV/AIDS at a time when the pandemic was dramatically affecting fashion and beauty communities in particular as well as the wider world. What makes this so historic is that 100% of the purchase price of any VIVA GLAM product goes towards the M·A·C AIDS Fund which is committed to addressing the link between poverty and HIV/AIDS by supporting diverse organizations around the world that provide a wide range of services to people living with HIV/AIDS.

*Purchased. All opinions are my own*

Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Lipsticks Review and Swatches On A Woman of Color

Hi Loves! So I wanted to try a little something different for these swatches of the new Urban Decay Gwen Stefani lipsticks. Mind you, I will be making a switch into more videos for these reviews as soon as my glam room is done but you know what's going on. Anyway, back to the collection.

There are eight shades in this collection. Here are a few swatches on a woman of color so you can get a better idea of what they may look like on your skin tone. 

714, is a bright red mega matte lipstick. Surprise, surprise that the first one that we talk about is a mega matte :-P. This one kind of pulled orange/red on me which I don't mind but in comparison to the other reds in this collection...well let's just say I have a few other favorites. 

Ex-Girlfriend, is a sheer nude-rose with a pink shimmer. Legit, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this one. I was expecting a typical "nude" lipstick which as women of color we all know how that goes. However, this one is a brownish-pink and surprisingly, I reallllly love it! In this picture, I am wearing it with the matching UD Gwen Stefani 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil. 

Firebird, is a deep fuchsia cream lipstick but on me it pulls more of a bright magenta color. It's a great shade to wear all year round. I especially like to wear bright colors like this during the Winter because it gives me an instant pick me up. 

Phone Call, is a sheer bright coral cream lipstick (exclusive to the Urban Decay website). This is a great lipstick for the Spring and Summer, especially because it's so light weight and comfortable, I just didn't get a lot of payoff from it so I recommend using the matching lipliner before applying the lipstick.

Plaid, is a sheer deep berry lipstick (exclusive to the Urban Decay website). I like the light pop of color that it gives me - kind of similar to a gloss without the stickiness.

Rock Steady, is a deep red wine cream lipstick. This is fall packaged into a tube of lipstick. Literally, the perfect merlot shade.

Spiderweb, is a satin red cream. Can we say this is the perfect red shade for Valentine's Day ladies?

Wonderland, is a dark pink-red cream lipstick. On me, it does off a bit more rosey pink on me. 

Now that we've seen half/full face swatches (I said I was trying a different style) which one is your favorite? My top 3 in order are Ex-Girlfriend, Spiderweb, and Firebird - cue the gasps that the nude lipstick topped them all for me.

You can pick up these lipsticks ($18 USD) and the rest of the Gwen Stefani collection on UrbanDecay.com. If they are sold out, you can pick up some of the collection from Sephora.com. Let me know what you end up getting!

Britney Spears Maui fantasy Fragrance (Limited Edition)

  If you're a fan of Britney Spears (and I know that you are - remember the last time you sang "Oops, I did it again"? Exactly!) get ready because she has released a new limited edition fragrance! Here are the details...

Britney Spears Maui fantasy

The Fragrance

Infusing elements of Maui’s natural beauty with the key notes found in original fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS™ fragrance, Maui fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS™ Limited Edition conveys Maui’s allure and charm through scent. The combination of luscious, tropical fruits and flowers exudes the warmth of Maui’s climate and the spirit of Hawaiian heritage.

Top Notes

Bird of Paradise mingles with luscious Pink Grapefruit and Passion Fruit, drawing you in with their mouth-watering sensations.

Mid Notes

At the heart is an intoxicating blend of fresh beachside florals – Hibiscus Petals, Cyclamen, Orange Blossom and Hawaiian Monoi – blooming in the golden sun.

Base Notes

From the background, the warm, sensual aura of Vanilla and Coconut radiates with soft Blue Musk, White Amber and beachy Blonde Woods.

The Packaging

Embodying the essence of Hawaii, the Maui fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS™ Limited Edition bottle takes inspiration from the captivating crystal blue waters surrounding the island, with a frosted-aqua hue. The bottle features a bright pink Hibiscus flower, one of the many symbols of this tropical escape. Blending the Hawaiian symbols with the iconic shape and collar design of the classic fantasy bottle makes this new scent a fun and exotic addition to the fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS™ fragrance collection.

 

Product name	Packaging/Content	Price
Maui fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS™ Limited Edition Eau de Toilette	30 ml/1.0 fl. oz.	$31.00*

The scent will be available at Kohl’s in January.

New Years Eve Nail Tutorial Featuring Butter London Polish and Shoedazzle Pumps

Hi guys! For New Years, I wanted to create a look for my nails that was inspired by my new Raziel glitter pumps from Shoedazzle and Desire by Dolce & Gabbana - one of my favorite fragrances. Hopefully, you'll be able to find a little bit of inspiration for your next look from some of your daily style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzFb6kaA5hw

Products Used: Butter London Union Jack Black Nail Lacquer Butter London West End Wonderland Nail Lacquer Butter London The Black Knight Nail Lacquer Raziel Pumps from Shoedazzle.com Desire by Dolce & Gabbana Fragrance