• Beauty

    5 Drugstore Beauty Buys

    Oh Walgreens, how I love thee. With a convenience store with a beauty section within walking distance to me, Walgreens is a curse and a blessing. I can walk in and buy overpriced milk and a new lipstick. Ahh the life. I recently went through the ridiculous amount of makeup that I never wear and decided to part ways (that 3 year old gray eyeshadow that I swear I was going to learn how to wear without it making it look like I have a black eye had to GO). With my new lifestyle needing to be quick, easy and pretty, I’ve been doing some research and buying items that…

  • Beauty

    birchbox for men

    For those that read my blog, you know I’ve got nothing but love for Birchbox,. This monthly subscription service sends you 4-5 high-end samples at your door. I’ve been a member since 2012 and have done several “unboxing” posts to share what I’ve gotten. Recently I got Justin a Birchbox for Men subscription and thought I’d share the goodies in his box. Note: This is not a sponsored post and I have not been compensated for this post. I love the brand and thought I’d share it with you lovely readers. Just like for the ladies, once you subscribe it’ll ask you to fill out a profile so they can match the…

  • Beauty

    the struggle: skincare for men

    Disclosure: this is a compensated campaign in collaboration with NEUTROGENA MEN® and Latina Bloggers Connect I’m a proclaimed product junkie. My husband is fully aware of this issue and has chosen (wisely so) to let go of the fact that I have a gazillion tiny sample bottles, tubes and jars scattered all over our apartment. It was only after I got him a subscription to Birchbox Men that he began contributing to the sample collection. But I’m a woman, and women need to try products to find the best one that fits our lifestyle, even if that takes years. We are all different. I stick with the basics that smell…

  • Beauty

    5 repairative hair treatments you should have

    With color, straightening treatments and so much heat on your strands, there is no wonder it’s dry. Split ends and breakage are tell-tell signs of unhealthy hair. Instead of waiting until it’s too late, how about using a hair treatment at least once a week to restore shine, strength and overall health? We are spending way too many dollars keeping our locks beautiful, so check out my top 5 for under $20 1. Macadamia Nut Oil Deep Repair Masque $16 Sure they have the bigger jar for $33, but I personally like the tube version as it’s easier to handle in the shower and lasts a good amount (especially if…

  • Beauty

    basic beauty in 5 steps

    It’s amazing how little men know about women. Like giving a women 5 minutes to get ready, or telling her that we have to leave “now” or we’ll miss the appointment/tour/bus/cab. Basic beauty is where it’s at. It’s simple, doesn’t take a lot of time, and makes you feel like singing “I woke up like this” after you’re done. No, it doesn’t take 5 minutes (no need to set unrealistic expectations), but it will get you out of the house looking beautiful. Here’s how to do it:   Step 1: use a BB cream instead of foundation. It moisturizes, evens skin tone and provides coverage all in one. I’ve been…

  • Beauty

    let’s talk: face primers

    I love face primers. They set your foundation, keep it in place and provide added benefits like smoothness, shine control and minimize pores. Using a primer is an extra step to your makeup routine, that’s a given, but in my opinion, it’s worth it. Usually applied after moisturizer before foundation, a primer’s main goal is to prep the skin for foundation. BB creams and tinted moisturizers do that if you’re looking for an everyday, no fuss look. For those days and nights that you need your makeup to keep going, a primer is your best bet. To use: apply a pea size amount to entire face area including decolletage, under…

  • Beauty

    let’s talk: shampoo

    Sometimes I wish I could go back to the days when the shampoo I used was picked out for me by my mom and I didn’t care two flips about sulfates, ant-frizz, hydrating or smoothing selling points. When simple soap and water would do the trick. Those times, even though I vaguely remember them, are long gone. Now with my Brazilian blowout hair chemistry re-vamp, my I-don’t-know-what-my-real-hair-color-is and my hard-fought battle to cover pesky grays, words like sulfates, parabens, cuticle and hair shaft are all too familiar. Blame it on years in the beauty industry, or the plain fear of holding on to my hair for as long as I…

  • Beauty

    end of summer hair

    It’s September and although fashion has switched gears to sweaters, leggings and boots, it’s still 100 degrees where I’m at. The last thing I want to do is use a blowdryer, flat-iron or curling iron to add more heat, so I’ve been letting my hair loose and natural (with a few products of course). Here’s how you can do this end of summer hair. First let’s get the basics down. My hair is thick, coarse, chemically treated and naturally wavy with some lovely frizz added in. Although there are different hair types and textures, the perfect product cocktail can give you these results. Step 1: Wash hair with a sulfate-free shampoo.…

  • Beauty

    let’s talk: best face serums

    Up until recently, I thought face serums were an unnecessary added step to a beauty routine that was already crowded enough. Cleansers, primers, moisturizers, SPF’s, the list goes on and on. In the summer, who wants to put another liquid that’ll cause even more oiliness? Not me. When I started getting samples in my Birchbox and reading about them in trade and consumer magazines, I found myself paying attention to this super power of a product. It’s almost like a smoothie and chia seeds. Do you really need it? No. Will the addition of chia seeds give you benefits like no other? Yes. Serums are the same way. *here’s an article about…

  • Beauty

    let’s talk: toner

    Welcome to a new series on the blog that will cover all things beauty and answers questions about products, ingredients and the best trends out there! Let’s get started shall we? After working in the beauty industry in product development and marketing, you get to know a thing or two about products- how they work and what goes into making some of the best stuff out there. Working with chemists, fragrance houses, and even packaging engineers, there’s more to making this beauty stuff than we think. Toner is an astringent used to prep the skin for all the goodness that comes afterwards, i.e. makeup. It’s usually applied after cleansing and…