My Facial Regime

I've always had issues with my skin since I was a teen. And I thought eventually the acne will go away and I will be fine. Well...I'm now in my 30's and still have problem skin. I've tried just about every acne treatment under the sun and its either too harsh or not harsh enough. So I've been on the hunt for a good facial regime to help get rid of some if the unwanted breakouts I get. I watched my go to MUA's, ShanaJanelle, video on how she got clear skin and thought to try out some of her methods and products being as though we have similar skin types. Check out her video here!

I've tried the Eminence Pear & Poppy Seed microderm polisher facial scrub she spoke of and it was like heaven on my face (and lips)! I used that before going to bed 3 times a week and then used peroxide, a night cream and Neosporin lip health daily hydration. Every morning I use Target's Up & Up Black head facial scrub with salicylic acid and again use peroxide, a light moisturizer and Neosporin lip health.

While I haven't been as consistent as I'd like, I do see the results of this combination if products. With spring and summer approaching I've decided to be proactive and get clear skin before the heat and humidity approach us. I am going to practice this routine as consistently as possible...with one minor change. Instead of the Eminence microderm polisher, I will be using a home made product that is just as effective. Sea salt and olive oil...that's right, you can make this right at home and can be used as a lip and body scrub as well! (You know I'm all about cutting costs.)

So here is a picture of me today (Monday)...no makeup and fabulously flawed! I will report back in 1 week with an update and again in 2 weeks. I hope this helps and let me know if you've tried a new skin care regime.

Rainy Day Blues

April showers bring May flowers...I hope lol.  It's rainy here in the DC Area and I decided to do a Rainy Day Blue look.  I used the NYX box of eye shadows that I got from my sister for Christmas this year which had this very pretty blue (used on the lid).  Below are all the products I used to achieve this look.  Enjoy!

On the face:
Kevyn Aucoin brow pencil in brunette
Kevyn Aucoin sensual skin enhancer for concealer
Kiss colors liquid foundation in honey glow
MAC studio fix powder foundation in NC 43
Ben Nye powder rouge in cool pink
Ruby Kisses mineral powder in cognac as a contour

On the eyes:
NYX box of eye shadows (light and dark blue)
LA Colors smudge proof liquid eyeliner
Rimmel London day to night mascara

On the lips:
Wet n Wild megalast lipstick in Don't blink pink
Wet n Wild megaslicks lipgloss in sweet glaze

Smoked Peach

Today I was feeling some type of way and decided to play in makeup as a little therapy lol. What I did was this smoky peach look using yet another unopened Wet n' Wild palette. I wanted to focus on the eyes because I used a different pencil to fill in my brows today (click here for that blog post) so I opted for a very nude lip to accompany the smoky eye. Below is everything I used to achieve this look. Hope you enjoy and Happy Saturday!

On the face:
Kevyn Aucoin Skin Enhancer as a concealer
MAC Studio Fix Powder in NC 43
Ruby Kisses Mineral Powder in Cognac as a contour
Milani blush in luminous

On the eyes:
Wet n Wild Greed palette
NYX light brown and taupe pencils to fill in brows
Rimmel London Day to Night mascara (lengthening side)
Maybelline great lash mascara
Wet n Wild gel eyeliner

On the lips:
Wet n Wild just peachy lipstick
NYX currant lipliner
NK taupe lipgloss

Brows Brows Brows...

I got a question on Instagram last week about a possible dupe for MAC Spiked brow pencil, which is described as a Rich Brunette color.  I needed to do some research as I don't own the pencil myself (I know...bad me) however, I do plan on getting it when I make my next MAC run.  Now what I found is this...NYX Slim Eye Pencil in Light Brown which is described as well, light brown and Taupe which is a soft medium brown.  (See swatches of both pencils below.)  I also had Milani's EasyBrow pencil in Dark Brown, but I gave it away to my niece who has very dark brows as it was way too dark for me.  And I also had slight difficulty using it because I had too heavy a hand when trying to apply it to my brows.  While I believe MAC's Spiked is slightly darker, I think NYX's Light Brown would be a great alternative (not necessarily a dead on dupe).  

Winter to Spring Essentials

If you follow me (@Pretty_Mickey) and my Partners In Pretty on Instagram then you will have seen that we posted our Winter to Spring Essentials. Now this doesn't just mean beauty products...we've included fashion too. So here are a few of my essentials...what are some of yours?

1. Colored blazers are great for the inconsistent weather spring sometimes gives us 2. Aquaphor skin conditioning products to prep your skin for the harsh sun that's starting to rear its head 3. @maybelline Baby lips for soft smooth lips 4. Colored skinnies go perfect with a cute tank or tee shirt and flats or sandals 5. Sunscreen 6. Sunnies aka sunglasses to protect your eyes 7. Bronzers for that summer ready glow 8. Bright lippies!

More Beautyland Beauty Supply Store Finds

Hey hey. I just wanted to share with you all a few items that I picked up last week while shopping at Beauty Land beauty supply store.  

NK lipstick $1.00 Lavender tint, Pink tint, and Coral pink

NK shimmer eyeliners $1.00 Fuchsia  and Green

4 pair of silver hoop earrings $1.99

I also got a gift from my girl Shana who attended the Nordstrom Rack bloggers preview (check out her YouTube video here). The store officially opened in downtown DC (1800 L Street NW Washington, DC 20036) on Thursday 4/18/2013.  She gave me this NYX cream shadow in Olive Branch. Very pretty color but it dries pretty fast so you have to move quick with this product lol.

Springtime Makeup Look

I felt like playing in color today so I decided to step outside the box and do something a little bold. I have had the Wet n' Wild Pride palette for a while and never opened it and thought it would be the perfect for a nice spring look. I've listed below all the products I used. Let me know if you're interested in seeing more bright spring looks! Enjoy!

On the face:
Kevyn Aucoin Skin Enhancer as a concealer
MAC Studio Fix Powder in NC 43
Ruby Kisses Mineral Powder in Cognac as a contour
Ben Nye Powder Rouge in Cool Pink
ELF Bronzer in Sun Kissed as a highlight

On the eyes:
Wet n' Wild Pride palette
ELF Punk Funk palette
Rimmel London Day to Night mascara
Almay 1-Coat Dial Up mascara

On the lips:
MAC Chestnut lipliner
Wet n' Wild Bare It All lipstick
Revlon Pink Pout lipstick

A Fabulous Contest!

Alright...so I thought there are these wonderful people who have subscribed to my blog and Facebook fan page and I need to show them some love and appreciation. So why not give them a little challenge to win an awesome prize?! The prize will be a few beauty goodies that anyone would love! (I will announce the prize as we get closer to the end of the challenge.) Check out the details below and good luck to all of you who enter!

1. Must be subscribed to my Facebook fan page. (1 entry)

2. Get as many people as you can to subscribe to my Facebook fan page. (1 entry per person you refer to my page)

3. Be sure they leave a comment on my fan page letting me know that you sent them.
4. If you want an extra entry get them to subscribe to my blog. (1 entry per person that subscribes)
5. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter. (1 entry per follow)

Pretty easy, right? I will use the fruit machine to pick the winner. This will remain open until midnight on May 31st EST and is open to US residents 18 years and older (or with your parents permission). The winner will be announced on June 1st via Instagram, Twitter, Fabulously Flawed Beauty blog, and Pretty Mickey Facebook fan page. Good luck to all!

Prom look #3: Purple Smoke

So here is the last look of my prom makeup series. I decided to do a slightly bolder eye look with a glossy lip. I chose purple because I had this blackened violet pigment sample from The Body Needs and have been dying to use it. I didn't want the lip to overpower the eye so I kept it simple with my favorite lipliner (MAC Chestnut) with a peachy gloss. I hope you have enjoyed this series and let me know if you tried any of these looks for prom or any special occasion.

On the eyes:

Wet N' Wild Idol Eyes creme shadow pencil in Techno used as a base

ELF Mineral Shadow in Girly on the lid

The Body Needs pigment in Blackened Violet

Almay 1 Coat Dial-up mascara

Maybelline Big Lash Mascara

Milani liquifeye eyeliner in black

On the face:

Cover Girl True BlendFoundation in #460

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer as a concealer

MAC Studio Fix Powder in NC43 all over

Ruby Kisses mineral powder in Cognac for the contour

Ben Nye powder rouge in cool pink

ELF Healthy Glow bronzer in Sun Kissed as the highlight

On the lips:

MAC Chestnut lipliner

Victoria's Secret lipgloss in lotta colada

MAC Silly Lipstick Possible Dupe

I was looking through my lippies today and decided to challenge myself. I wanted to see if I had anything close to MAC Silly lipstick. So I swatched lipsticks, lipglosses, and lipliners. Below is what my hand looked like after all the swatching. Not very pretty lol but it serves the purpose. The closest lipstick to Silly that I own is one from Black Radiance in Pink Dahlia; retails for about $1.99 in most drug stores. 

Have you found any Silly dupes? If so, I'd love to see it!

If you'd like to know the names of any of the other swatches, please let me know and I will try to remember what it is :)

Spring Has Sprung

I just wanted to share a couple of cute spring (hot mommy appropriate lol) outfits that I put together via Polyvore (prettygirl1908-1). I'm trying to add more color to my wardrobe so the mix of colors and prints is right on time.  For all of you "busy Mama's who need a little pus outside of their comfort zone" check out my girl Mama's blog  What are you looking forward to this spring?

OOTD BBD Concert

If you follow me on Instagram (@Pretty_Mickey) then you know my girls and I attended the BBD concert on Sunday at the Howard Theatre. Now let me say...we were like some high school girls screaming and dancing our hearts out! The show was awesome and I enjoyed every minute of it. So after the concert was over we had to hit the ladies room before we ventured home. Oh how I love a ladies room with a full length mirror! Here is what I decided to wear to the concert:

Marilyn Monroe tee from Wet Seal
Black skinny jeans from Ross
Pink pumps by Tommy Hilfiger (purchased years ago)
Denim button up c/o Naima (@itsjustmenai on IG)
Pink cross body bag from Ross

Pantone 2013 FOTD with my Partners in Pretty

My Partners in Pretty have decided to collaborate and post Pantone makeup looks. I had been eyeing this olive green and blue eye look for a while and thought this would be the perfect time to recreate it. All of the products I used are below. I hope you enjoy!

On the eyes:

MAC on the lid

MAC Mystery in the crease

LA Colors liquid eyeliner in black

Almay 1 Coat Dial-up mascara in black

Ruby Kisses 24Hour eye define liner in Rich Teal

Shady Lady palette Open to Offers Olwen to set the liner

On the face:

MAC Studio Fix powder foundation in NC 43

Ruby Kisses Mineral Powder in Cognac for my contour

Milani blush in Mai Tai

On the lips:

MAC Silly lipstick

 

MAC Fashion Sets Purchases

As you all may or may not know, MAC Cosmetics just released a new collection. Here's how they described this collection.

Bold brights with a modern edge in four coordinated sets featuring our favourite textures and finishes. The powerful purple of Heroine, the playful pink of Silly, the red-hot scarlet of Ablaze and the full-on fuchsia of Embrace Me - each available in Lipstick, Lipglass, Nail Lacquer and Eye Shadow.

So I was able to get my hands on Silly and Heroine lipsticks. I love Heroine! Don't get me wrong...Silly is a pretty pink, but Heroine has my heart lol.

 

 

Were you able to pick up any of this collection? If so, what did you get? Also, check out these two videos from my Partners in Pretty on their views of the collection and some possible dupes for the lippies.

 

 

 

Prom look #2: Neutral Look (Two lip options)

So I'm back with prom look number 2. I thought some girls may not want to wear a whole lot of makeup and go for a more natural/neutral look. I was reminded of this when two of my nieces went to their "Spring Fling" last month. They are just starting to experiment with makeup and to be honest...neither one of them need it. Plus their mom and dad are not going for the "beat" face look for them. Here is the look what I came up with. This look is my everyday/go-to look. I decided to show you how you can easily change up this look with two different lip options. Enjoy!

On the eyes:
Wet N' Wild Vanity palette
E.L.F liquid liner
Maybelline great lash mascara

On the face:
MAC Studio Fix powder foundation in NC 43
Tarte Matte waterproof bronzer in Park Avenue Princess for the contour
Milani blush in Mai Tai

On the lips:
NYX round lipgloss in Pinky Natural
NYX round lipstick in Femme

Prom look #1 Natural pink with a pop!

It's prom season and I thought I would do a few looks to suit the occasion. Leave me a comment and let me know what other color combos you'd like to see. I hope you like! Here is look number 1...

On the eyes:
Shady Lady palette by The Balm Safe Bet Annette on the lid
MAC Cosmetics Mystery in the crease
LA Colors liquid eyeliner in black
Rimmel London Day to Night mascara and Maybelline Great Lash mascara
Ruby Kisses 24hour eye define liner in Rich Teal Blue
Shady Lady palette Open to Offers Olwen to set the liner

On the face:
Ruby Kisses Mineral Powder in Cognac for my contour
Milani blush in pinky one
E.L.F Bronzer in Sun Kissed as my high light

On the lips:
MAC Heroine lipstick

Beautyland Beauty Supply Finds

Much to my surprise there is a new beauty supply store just minutes from my house. So yesterday I decided to peek in there and see what their prices looked like.

I had been on the hunt for a store that sold the NYX eye and lip pencils for a reasonable price. I think $1.99 is reasonable enough. Here's what I picked up. Two lipliners in Plum and Dolly pink and this beautiful Electric Blue eyeliner.

I've also been looking for an alternative cheek contour color. I'd heard great things about Ruby Kisses mineral powder so I decided to give it a try (review on this later).

Target BOGO 50% off Shoes (mini haul)

Last week Target had BOGO 50% off on ALL shoes. That's right...ALL...that means for the whole family! The kiddies can always use shoes and they needed some Easter shoes, so we picked up three pair for each of them.

We chose some little Vans type shoes for the little man. Cute to wear with some jean shorts and a button up shirt in the spring/summer. And then we got these little loafers to wear with his Easter suit.

Now for the little diva we have (lol) we picked up these little canvas sneakers and these cute Hello Kitty casual shoes that she can wear with a graphic tee and and some rolled up jeans or tights and a jean skirt. We also got these pretty patent leather slip ons for her to wear with her Easter dress.