November 2013 Favorites

Hello, everyone!

As the month of November comes to a close, I bring you a quaint little post in order to share a few of the things, both beauty and nutrition related, that have made this month extra-enjoyable for me. :)

1. OPI's "Deutche you want me baby" and "DS luxurious." These two are a dream team for this festive fall nail look. Although it's subtle, I'm wearing "DS Luxurious" on my ring finger for an extra special touch of glitz n' glam.

2. Absolutely loving my Lorac Pro palette. I thought UD Naked 2 was my HG palette, until I met the Lorac Pro. 10 mattes, 10 shimmers all arranged from lightest to darkest and all labelled with no-nonsense self-descriptive names-- great palette for an OCD gal like me. The formula of these shadows is the creamiest, softest, most pigmented in my entire makeup collection so far and the packaging is very slim and travel-friendly. I do believe I will be taking this one with me to Portugal next month.

3. I've gained an unprecedented appreciation for lip balms as of late. I was just never was much of a lip balm wearer. I just didn't see the point in a lip product that wasn't a lipstick. Maybe it was the greasy film of my high school cherry Chapstick that turned me off to lip balms? Anyway, it wasn't until I purchased a couple of EOS lip balms that I began enjoying that fresh, hydrated feeling on my lips and to be honest what originally sold me was the adorable packaging and pastel colors. "Sweet Mint" was definitely my gateway balm. I now own over 10 different EOS lip balms but "Sweet Mint" continues to be my favorite.

4. Celestial Seasonings Honey-Vanilla Chamomile. Need I say more? I've always found plain chamomile rather dull unless sweetened with generous spoonfuls of honey. This is the only chamomile tea that I can drink without honey. Great flavor and it smells amazing too. Just open up the box and take a good whiff. Ahh..... so good.

5. Veggie hot pot! It's been our dinner for the past 2 weeks and it rocks! I don't follow any particular recipe. I kinda just sauté lots of chopped onion and garlic in 1 sparse tablespoon of either olive oil or organic coconut oil, add water, and load up on as many green veggies as I can get into the pot, such as celery, asparagus, cabbage, and brusslesprouts. With a tiny pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt, a few sparing spoonfuls of vegan veggie stock-base, and lots of fresh lime juice, this soup packs a lot of flavor. For extra protein I'll through in beans, quinoa and/or cubed firm tofu. No rules. No fuss.

Well, back to baking. Thanks for stopping by. Whether you are having turkey or tofu, have a delectable Thanksgiving! Xoxo

Daily Tidbits:

• Had a great tricep/bicep workout today, my favorite muscle groups to work.
• I've concluded that these trendy bb creams must not be for me. Not liking these bb cream induced breakouts. :(
• Today was my first day of Thanksgiving vacation! It feels so good to get up at 7am instead of 5am. What difference two hours can make!
• Up to date with all of my grading so I can enjoy my time off. :)
• The house smells incredibly of autumn spices right now. Just made pumpkin pie and sweet potato casserole for tomorrow's dinner at my parents. The fact that both these dishes have been veganized can be our little secret. ;)

Review of Essence Lipsticks: "Almost Famous" and "In the Nude"

Hello, everyone! Hope you are enjoying the long weekend, whether you are out of town, catching up on your favorite Netflix series (watching Orange is the New Black, as I type this), or just catching up on sleep. I got an early start to my annual holiday beauty hauling last month and in my latest Ulta-specific haul, I picked up a few products by Essence, a brand I've heard much about on Youtube and other beauty blogs but have never had any experience with myself.

So far I only know 3 things about Essence:
1. They are a German cosmetics company.
2. I've only ever seen their products at Ulta.
3. The prices are extremely affordable; we're talking the ELF price range, here!

In today's review we are focusing in on two dramatically different Essence lipsticks: "Almost Famous," a bright sheer red, and "In the Nude" a wearable everyday color.

Now, right off the bat, before we even get into formula, pigmentation, and all that jazz, I'd like to point out that I really like the packaging! Sure, it's plain, plastic and cheap, but I really like the way that the outside accurately matches the color of the lipstick inside. This makes it pretty easy to select your lipstick without having to pop the tube open or look for the label.

Now, as for the lipstick itself, on the lips it feels moisturizing and buttery (think Revlon Lip Butters!). Although they are called "lipsticks" I'd say, texture-wise,  they approximate more of a balm than lipstick. Both of the colors I picked up apply very sheer with one coat. You'll need to build it up the opacity with several coats in order to get a fuller, richer pigmentation, especially when working with "In the Nude." These lipsticks aren't long-wearing so expect to reapply every few hours or so. "In the Nude," being the sheerer and lighter of the two, fades quicker than "Almost Famous."

Almost Famous: I really like this color. In the tube it is a bright pinup red. When applied it is nowhere near as bright as it looks but you can definitely build up the color to a pretty sheer red, and, boy, have I've been digging those sheer reds lately (Revlon's "Rich Girl Red," I'm looking at you.)!This color and formula is reminiscent of the Revlon Lip Butter in "Wild Watermelon," one of my faves from its line!

In the Nude: I didn't know how I would feel about this color when I first bought it because in the tube it looks the type of nude that would wash me out. However because it is so sheer and buttery, when applied, the color seems to "nudify" my lips while letting some of my natural pigmentation shine through. It's quite nice for everyday looks and subtle smokey eyes. Now, one thing I don't like about the Essence lipsticks, and "In the Nude" in particular, is the fact that (as you can probably tell from the picture above) the formula is prone to settling in fine lines or dry areas of the lips. 

Bottom Line...

Pros: 

Low cost - $2.99 each

Packaging: sturdy and an efficient way to accurately display the color of the product

Cotton Candy Scent - although opinions may vary, I find the scent of cotton-candy to be quite pleasant and cute for a lipstick :)

Lovely colors

Not drying

Sheer but buildable 

Cons: 

Wears off easily

Sheer

Formula may accentuate the fine lines or dry patches on lips

For whom would I recommend this lipstick...

I'd recommend the Essence lipstick line for someone who is new to lipstick or perhaps new to a particular color. The Essence line has many more colors than just the two featured in today's post. They've got your pinks, purples, nudes and reds covered. They also offer lipsticks with a frosty finish and without. Bottom line is that there's something for everyone. Interested in trying a purple lipstick but aren't quite ready to invest in MAC's "Up the Amp" just yet? Try out "Sparkling Miracle" by Essence for $2.99 and test out how comfortable you are sporting "purple lips." And although I wrote off sheerness as a con, for some this may be more of a pro (hence why it is featured in both lists). Sometimes you just don't want all that drama on your lips! If lipstick is foreign to your vanity, you may want to take baby steps before you can strut your way to bright bold lips. Or maybe you're a curious makeup addict like moi and you'd be just as justified for buying these up just "because" curiosity and impulse say to do so. That's fine too.

I may consider picking up one or two more shades in the future. But what I'm more interested in trying from the Essence line are the matte bronzer, a few polishes, and some eye products, particularly the mascara, eyelid primer and a few shadows. As far as eye products go, I did purchase the Sun Club palette in "South Beach" at the time that I purchased these lippies but I'm not quite ready to review it yet. Stay tuned!

Do you own (or plan to own) any Essence lipsticks? 

Daily Tidbits:

• Not at work today! Thank God for long weekends!
• It's Carnival week at school! A week of dress down days and long weekend of roller coasters and terribly "bad-for-you-but-tastes-so-good" carnival food awaits. 
• We hit another stop down memory lane yesterday... Sunday brunch at the 94th Aero Squadron! Haven't been there since my bridal shower back in 2010. Fabulous as always.
• As it is a day of rest, I'm not wearing any foundation today, just some moisturizer and Dior CC Cream. So refreshing and light! My skin's been doing pretty okay lately despite the unnatural humidity of Florida autumns. 
• I've really been enjoying throwing pears into my green smoothies lately. Pears are a more perfect source of sweetness for kale smoothies than bananas, I dare say.
• Had "castanhas" (chestnuts) at my parents' house this evening. You know it's fall in a Portuguese house when we start roasting castanhas. Had a bowl of black beans with that. Being Cuban and Portuguese has great foodie perks!

OOTD: The Crazy Fox Lady

Hello, lovelies! I bring you yet another "vain in le bain" snippet of my Sunday OOTD. As Instagram may tell, this past Sunday, Tony and I went out for a chic bayside brunch at the Rusty Pelican in Key Biscayne (best view in Miami as far as dining hotspots go). The Rusty is very near and dear to us, as it was the site of our wedding reception over two years ago. We hadn't been back since and we felt we were overdue. 

The Rusty Pelican, for which it is named.

Although we had made reservations, patio seating is not guaranteed. Fortunately, we arrived rather early for brunch (around 11:30 am) and we were able to be seated at a table with a great view of the water and the skyline for which Rusty is renowned. 

We started things off right with some mimosas and a large, beautifully arranged fresh fruit platter (I ate most of it!). Tony ordered up a lobster bisque and crab cake benedicts. I chose the Rusty salad, an unexpected take on a traditional pairing of heirloom tomatoes, avocado, and mesclun greens. While I normally don't do dressing, the jalapeño-vanilla vinaigrette is what sold me on this selection. 

Now as for my outfit of the day, because that is, after all, what this post is about... I have been loving three things as of late: foxes, skirts and asymmetry. This look combines all three elements in a casual, neutral yet assertive way. This look is also comprised of some of my most favorite wardrobe pieces at the moment: my ditsy fox sweater (an all-time favorite purchase from Forever21), the uber popular twisted high-low skirt from DailyLook, and the Erins (no longer available), the best shoes I ever purchased from Shoedazzle, both quality-wise and aesthetically. My purse is a simple white quilted shoulder bag with gold accents that brighten up the dark, muted hues of the rest of the look but remains within the neutrals family all the while.

Yes, in a very obvious way, the Erin is informed directly by the sensational Valentino Rockstuds. I just lover her because she is a fraction of the cost and lovely all the same. From afar, it would be hard to tell the difference between the two styles.

Hope your week is off to a great start!

Daily Tidbits:

• After a full caffeine-free week and a half, I broke my coffee ban today for the sake of sampling my co-worker and good friend's gourmet macadamia nut coffee. In my defense, I didn't stray too far off the path, as it was decaf and I used organic soy and stevia to lighten and sweeten it. No artificial stuff!
• For the first time ever, one of my packages was stolen! Snatched right off of my doorstep! That's what I get for not being home at the time of delivery. Rather than leaving it at my leasing office, the postman left it on my doorstep when I wasn't home. I'm livid. Hoping that Forever21 can resend via a more secure form of delivery. 
• Changing up my workout routine. Making it more cardio-happy with some Turbo! 
• Restocked on z'atar on a weekend run to Daily Bread Middle Eastern Market. I'm convinced that z'atar is one the tastiest spice blends ever. It's the perfect "goes-with-anything" kinda spice, the "sazon completa" of the middle east. I especially love it on my steamed veggies and quinoa.
• Have a long weekend coming up so I'm pumped about killing it this week! :)

Licorice-Dipped French Mani: My Half-Hearted Attempt at Halloween

Okay, I submit that Halloween is not my favorite holiday. Go ahead, all you die-hard Halloweenists. Throw candy corn at me if you like. I have no shame in admitting that I haven't purchased a Halloween costume in a little over a decade. Which is not to say I haven't been to costume parties or trick-or-treating in that time. I have. I always manage to pull something together at the last minute, "estilo casero". It's usually not very creative but it allows me to participate minimally in the festivities with my Halloweening friends and coworkers. This year, I threw on my official Ravenclaw scarf, armed myself with a Korean metal chopstick, and declared myself a Hogwarts student for Halloween. Not creative, and a lot of non-HP savvy people didn't "get it" or "see" that I was in fact in costume. No biggie. I take no offense. I'm not good at Halloweening and I accept this.

Long time no see, bare nails.... 

"Licorice"

What little festive fortitude I have for this holiday I invest in my favorite fall nail look: an edgy, nontraditional French manicure with black tips. To achieve this look, my long-time, nail stylist, Jenny, put down a neutral beige base all over the nail using OPI's "Glints of Glinda," from the OPI OZ collection (our favorite neutral for French manis with colored tips) and painted rounded tips in Essie's "Licorice," an extremely popular color, especially during this time of year. It's such a popular October choice, in fact, that there was only just enough paint left in Jenny's salon to do my toes and my tips. Admittedly, I'd never tried "Licorice" before this Halloween. I usually go for OPI's "Linkin Park After Dark," another classic with a cult following, however, by the time I got around to my appointment with Jenny the bottle was dry. "Licorice" is a much truer black that "Linkin Park After Dark," which looks black from afar but upon closer inspection is really somewhere between black and dark purple. Both are great color choices for the fall and I can't say which I like more. I do think that the subtle purple undertones in "Linkin Park After Dark" do make it more wearable than the dramatic "Licorice."

On the drive home. Of course, I've gotta represent! I love my pony! :)

Hope all you Halloween lovers had a fabulous time this year! And don't waste your candy corn on me... it's far too delicious. Enjoy! Xoxo

Daily Tidbits:

• I've never actually tried real licorice candy before! 
• Had a hair appointment yesterday and for the first time ever deflowered my virgin brown hair with highlights. I think I'll be going back for more in a week or two. I told my hairdresser to be conservative with the amount of highlights, as it was my first time and I wasn't sure if I'd like the outcome, but now I feel that I need more to really complete the brightening effect. For the first time ever I'm starting to think honey blonde suits me more than brown...
• While strolling through Epicure Market on the beach, to get my weekend fix, post-cheat meal fix of Nirvana Coconut Water, I came across the ultimate cat-lady candy ever... 

KATZENZUNGEN! 

(It just sounds like something that needs to be exclaimed and not said.)

I appreciate the whole "crazy cat lady" trend from afar (never been much of a cat lady myself), but I was sooo close to buying this. Even I, a non-cat lover, can admit that these kittens are cute. But just what are they looking at?! I can't figure out what that chocolate is in the shape of... or if it is chocolate at all! Any ideas? Lol.