Sunday, August 24, 2014

First Impressions: Milani Lipsticks

Sunday, August 24, 2014
On a trip to Walmart, we recently bought a couple of lipsticks from Milani.  I know of bloggers who have talked about the Milani lipsticks, but I don't really know how they actually feel about them.  So, I took the opportunity and tried both of the shades for a first impressions review.

Details:
Very creamy, rich texture
Dries matte (I'm sure, this time)
Has some staying power

Only ONE downside...
Sangria - can stain lips after removal

Overall:
I really like these lipsticks, and I think the more I wear them, the more I will like it.  Sangria is definitely a Fall color, but we can pull off during the last bits of summer, right?  And Teddy Bear is what I call the classic 90's color that is obviously back (Kylie Jenner), but nonetheless, a classic, chic color from the Nudes family tree.



 P.S.
Sorry about the lighting where I photographed my lips lol 
The bathroom was the only area that had "better" lighting.

xx
 

Friday, August 22, 2014

OOTD + FOTD: Errands

Friday, August 22, 2014
 
 Ramones Over-sized Screen Tee - Divided by H&M
Dark Washed Skinny Jeans - Gap
White Chuck Taylors

 
 I also took the liberty and curled my hair, first time since forever...I may seem to favor this look.  Tools Used:
 Bella Curling Wand
Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray
TRESemme Tres Two Spray Mega Firm Control Hair Spray
 
Maybelline FIT Foundation Stick
Maybelline Dark Circles Eraser Concealer
MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in Medium
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer
Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso
Sephora Matte Eye Primer
NAKED 1 Palette:  Buck (Crease Color) & Virgin (Highlight Color)
Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless
The Face Shop:  Design My Eyebrow Pencil/Crayon & Color My Eyebrow Tint

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Back 2 School: My Personal Clothing Essentials

Thursday, August 21, 2014
Hey there guys!  So it's that time again; back to school!  Here are my most basic, versatile clothing options for back to school week.  These options can pair together in to an outfit well.   I figured, the more simple, the better, especially since it's going to be a pretty busy couple of weeks in to the new school year.  And a top of that, we'll be comfortable during that time :D


Bottoms:
Basic Black Leggings - Styles 4 Less
Light-washed Jeans (skinny) - Old Navy
Dark-washed Jeans (skinny) - Gap
Basic Black Jeans - Foreign Exchange
Teal Colored Jeans (go for any color) - Foreign Exchange


Cardigans:
Black Boyfriend - Gap
Green Boyfriend (go for neutral colors; will go with any outfit) - Old Navy 

 
Tops:
Navy Blue Quarter Sleeved Jumper (go for any colored jumper) - H&M
Flannel Shirt (the color combos are endless, pick what color you desire!) - Old Navy
White Buttoned Down Shirt (go for a classic white buttoned down or any tone Chambray shirt) - eBay 


Tees:
Grey V-Neck (go for any color) - Old Navy
Basic White Shirt (any color) - Divided by H&M
Screen T-shirt (H&M has MANY different kinds screen tees that you can choose from) - Divided by H&M 


Shoes:
White Colored Converses
Grey (or if you have Black) Converses
Nude Oxfords (you can go for any neutral color) - Esprit
Basic Black Flats (must have!) - H&M 


There you have it!  I hope you liked my picks for back to school.  For times like these, going for basic, timeless, and comfortable pieces are my go to's.  

Hope your first week of school goes out smoothly and have fun!

Mae
xx 

Friday, August 15, 2014

OOTD: Dinner Take Out

Friday, August 15, 2014

Siracha Print Shirt - TJ Maxx
Black Canvas Shorts - Marshall's
White Converse Sneakers - Converse Online Store

Thursday, August 14, 2014

August Ipsy Bag!

Thursday, August 14, 2014

 Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

 Coastal Scents Forever Blush Sample

 You're The Balm Lip Balm in Grape

 Dr. Brandt Pores No More Pore Refiner Primer

Lord & Berry Black Silk Mini Kajal Kohl-Liner #1001

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Personal: Poem

Saturday, August 9, 2014

When I speak my mind
I get criticized
When I just bottle it all up
Letting it eat away my soul
As my eyes show sign of weakness
I get criticized
It may seem like a no win
So I write this as my outlet
And therefore, I'm still sane

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Personal: Poem

Wednesday, August 6, 2014
It just has to get better soon
All this waiting for something incredible to happen
All these days of trying to think positive
It all has to pay off
I’m growing tired
Patience is tired
Even though there is still some much to look forward to
I don’t know how much I can take
Nor do I know how long I can hold on

OOTD: Office Work


Over-Sized Grey Jumper/Sweater - H&M
Black Basic Leggings - Styles For Less
Nude-Colored Oxfords - Esprit

Monday, August 4, 2014

Poem: Self

Monday, August 4, 2014
I'm not selfish
I just strive to be independent
Self-sufficient
For if people
Were to no longer care for me,
Or lose the ability to. 
I'll remain strong
So I'll continue to hunger
For what truly makes me happy
At the same time,
I won't leave my family behind
My roots behind
Since they are 
And still will be
The base of my being

Saturday, August 2, 2014

PERSONAL: My name is Andrea and I'm a work in progress

Saturday, August 2, 2014
This was an entry on my Tumblr blog that I recently just posted.  I hope you all read it and get a sense of who I am as a person and that you understand that we're all in this ride together. xx

And that's why I mostly follow and reblog blogs that are encouraging and make a smile on your face.  I also TRY to think and act positive, but it's hard. And here's why:

I've once had a job that I've kept for almost 6 years.  I gave my heart and soul in to that small little business for that long.  My bosses and my co-workers were my extended family, and we left work everyday knowing that we did our very best.  It brought up my confidence, socially and that was VERY important to me.  Being able to talk to different people everyday while making small, meaningful relationships with customers meant a lot to me.  We were a small business, so there was an underlying unique spirit that we had that held us together and gave us just enough strength to wake up and head to work by 6am.  

It was a job.  And with that, the perks of paying my own way, all the way with nobody's help but my own insured me with content.  But not overall happiness, since that job was literally everything I had while school at a local community college was at the back burner of my "5-year plan" stovetop.  
But unfortunately for a small business, it doesn't always last.  The city that I was working in had better plans for our space (a gym) so were kicked to the curb.  All my (our) hard work was pulverized and disintegrated, much like how our old store ended up.  Just like that;  never to be remembered or refurbished and there was nothing I could do about it.  

Ironically enough, we officially closed our store on Halloween of 2013.  I said my goodbyes to my old regular customers and colleagues, and just headed home.  I dressed up as a Day of the Dead Sugar Candy skull just to keep the spirit up.  I bought cookies and cupcakes and passed them out like candy (oh, and we also had candy).  As I washed the makeup off my face, I washed away my identity as being an employed, self-sufficient human being.  And the insured content I had was gone.  I became depressed.  Along with that, I was living with my family who had expectations and personalities that were sometimes hard to work around on. But lucky for me, they were (and still are) somewhat sensitive to my place in life as of now.

For the next few months, I literally just lingered around our house trying to do or find something productive to do.  I tried (still trying) to find a job.  I still had school.  And thank goodness for financial aid.  One day, during my Fall semester, I decided to look through my transcript.  Low and behold, I saw that I was on time to transfer to my dream university.  So I talked to my mom about the opportunity and she gave me the green light to pursue my degree.  I wanted to talk to my mom because, well, she's mom.  I wanted and needed that "parental acceptance" again.  We don't always see eye to eye, but I appreciate those kinds of moments with her.  Just as long as I still have those moments with her, our fair relationship as mother and daughter will hold.  So i shifted my energy to school, I was motivated to get to that next level I was longing for since I graduated high school, many, many years ago.

February of this year, I received my provisional acceptance to SJSU, on Valentines Day.  Funny how the two, recent major moments in my life were on Halloween and Valentine's Day.  I've never felt so...accomplished in my 25 years of life.  I was determined to pass my remaining classes and graduate CC to move on.  And I did.  When I graduated, I realized that it only gets better.  When one door closes, another will open.  It just takes patience and reassurance that it will happen.  I finally experienced what it was like to be so genuinely happy that it felt like a dream.  I was among a plethora of students from different life backgrounds that were awaiting for that next step in life in doing something that they want to put their heart and soul in to.

I'm now 23 days away in to starting university, establishing new relationships, and continuing to self-grow.  And I couldn't be happier.  

There are days when it can get frustrating due to family issues and my mental state of mind.  And who doesn't have that?  That's LIFE.  Everybody goes through their tough situations in a different way.  So it's easier said than done to drop it and keep going.  But at the same time, it's not impossible to do that.  People like me who are in similar situations just go through progress slower than most, and that's fine.  I just have to keep on going, absorb positive signs in any which way they come and look forward to tomorrow.  

I'm never going to say that I'm better off now than before because that's not fair to say.  I know there are more people out there who are going through more than I am right now or I ever have in life.  And I just want to say to them too that I have your back.  It does get better.
Positivity may seem inanimate.  You may not grasp it with your hands, hold it in your arms, or kiss it with your lips.  It's a spirit that lives in all of us that can be awaken and kept.  We just need to realize that we have it and using it will make a world of a difference.

Girls Day Out: What I Ate


Sis and I went to Erik's Delicafe just near the nail salon that we went to.  They have a great selection of sandwiches, soups, and salads along with a nice comfy atmosphere.  We shared a bowl of chili, the Erik's "Burger" sandwich, and a side of potato salad 

Hope you all are having a relaxing weekend!
xx

FOTD: Girls Day Out


Boo-Boo Cover-Up Concealer
M.A.C. Mineraliza Skinfinish in Medium
Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso
Too Faced Lip Primer
The Face Shop Style My Eyebrow Penci
The Face Shop Color My Eye Brow Tint
Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette Color: Naked 2
The Face Shop Face It Extreme Brush Pen Eyeliner in Black Force
Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless in Black
Too Faced Lipstick in Spice Spice Baby


And as for what we did today, we got mani/pedi and opt in to get a black shellac with a small flower detail :)


Friday, August 1, 2014

Small Sephora Haul

Friday, August 1, 2014
Did a small purchase spree on Sephora's online store, and here's what I've got:


Tarte Amazonian Clay Bronzer in Park Ave Princess
Love the feel of this bronzer; feels rich, soft, and very pigmented.  It's definitely more shimmery than I'm used to, but I'm game on trying Tarte products in general.

 

Too Faced Lip Insurance 
Self explanatory ;)


Too Faced Perfect Lips Lip Liner in Perfect Spice
Been browsing for a bunch of lip liners that are of beige/nude tone since I've also fallen in to the 90's lip/Kylie Jenner lip color phenomena. 


Too Faced Lipsticks in Spice Spice Baby & Naked Daily
Speaking of beige/nude shades, I thought these lipsticks would be paired well with the lip liners.  Very creamy texture, pigmented, and I believe they dry matte (but not drying).  Spice Spice Baby has a beige with a mauve undertone to it while Naked Daily has a peachy nude tone.  And you gotta love the all gold packaging...


Sephora Nano Lips Lip Liners in:
Native Nude
Queen Quartz
Royal Rose
Pleasant Plum
And here are the rest of the lip liner flock.  These actually came in with a set along with the other Two Faced lip products as a special.  I do fancy the Sephora products; they are just as good and great quality.  We definitely have a perfect representation of colors from the lip spectrum when it comes to what shades are popular these days.  From nudes to plum, I have a lot of choices to choose from :)

Happy weekend
xx
Andrea Mae's Life & Loves © 2014