Black Tie Nails

So every year in Joplin there is a formal event benefiting the arts.  I was all set to go this year but alas....as tragedy usually does....and because me and Murphy don't see eye to eye on his "law (psh...more like guidelines).....tragedy decided to strike the morning of the long anticipated event.

I got the stomach flu.

Yes my friends....vomit for hours.

Two good things came from it tho.  Despite missing the event I had been waiting all month for (that I had bought shoes and jewelry and makeup for), I was 3 pounds thinner by the next morning (yes I know it's water...but still a nice ego boost) AND I had already done my nails.....so I have this lovely pic for you.

Holding the necklace I was to wear to the affair *sigh*.  

I decided to go contemporary on the classic french and switch it up a bit.  

This is:

ASP Gel Polish: Pink Whisper

So I went to Sally's not too long ago because I HAD to try the new Gelaze polish (post on that one soon) and I saw this line called ASP.  It was less expensive than the other gels and after seeing Ten Little Canvases do a manicure with ASP Blue Crush, I thought I would give it a go.

So picked up ASP Pink Whisper and painted my nails ASAP!

excuse my cuticles.... has just removed another gel before doing this one and I'm still a little pink

OPI Gelcolor: Live. Love. Carnival.

I went to Houston over the Easter holiday.  Traveling with two kids through an airport alone....for a connecting flight.....with a baby who doesn't like to be held more than 3 minutes because he NEEDS to explore....

Not too awesome.

Anyway.  I felt I was due some pampering after my terrorizing ordeal.  Si I went to a local nail salon with my mother and had a much needed mani pedi.

I chose a gel....because why wouldn't I?  Once you get into gel polish it is SO hard to go back to regular nail polish.

My color of choice:  OPI Gelcolor in Live. Love. Carnival.

please excuse my cuticles.  I just finished doing dishes....

Review: Nars Sheer Glow

I'm going to do a super short review of Nars Sheer Glow foundation today.

This is a foundation I have been wearing for years and some people are under the idea that I just have a perfect complexion.  Not so.  And in the following pic you will see my naked skin...

like my daughters headband I'm sporting?  Mom life.....

Tutorial: Perfectly Deep Red Lips

I'm absolutely obsessed with red lips.  And my husband is too, but I won't go into that.

I believe everyone can pull off a red lip if they really want to.

And this is a beautiful deep red that will go with anyone's skin tone.  I mean it!

Easy Holiday Makeup

Belated, yes I know.  But at least it's a post....right?

If you wanna know what's been going on with me lately visit my main blog: www.alibeesbakeshop.com

It's sort of my main hub and this is an offshoot.

Anyway, back to makeup....

I have a ton of new makeup I am dying to try, a rant and recommendation for some new products, some videos, reviews, all coming up.  I',m pretty excited for what I have lined up as we can finally get this thing really rolling.  Don't know if it will ever be a big blog...there's so many of them out there.  But it will be a nice little happy space for me and that's all I need.

I didn't do a tut on this, video or pic.  I do have a new camera on it's way to me that will help get that process rolling and that's exciting too.  So I do have plans to do video reviews and tutorials.

Here's a very quick and easy look I did for a casual Christmas party this last year....still seemed appropriate for January though because it is still festive.  Still makes me happy.  And I'll list the products and a general "what I did" for this too.

Just a note

I'm just kinda trying this blog on for a run.  See how I like it.

My second passion, besides the cookie thing....even longer than the cookie thing....is makeup.

Let's place that more on an addiction level.  It might be a problem.  So much in fact, that during my mother's last visit, she highly recommended that I give some of it to my sisters.  She insists that I will never use all of it.

I disagree.

Anyway, it's all new to me.  Very new....not makeup or bloggin....just bloggin about makeup.  I don't know if I'll keep this one running but for mow I'm gonna give it a go and see what happens.  I need a change from cookies here and there.  And even when I'm burnt out on cookies or baking...I never seem to get burnt out on makeup.

Did I mention I supported myself through college as a makeup artist?  It's a long long addiction...

So this is just for fun for now.  :)  If your reading this, you have stumbled your way here....because I'm not promoting it at this moment. As you can see by the very generic layout, it hasn't been finessed.

Welcome.  :)

Posts I have coming up:

Beaute
Cle de Peau
Makeup Geek
Nars
Sleek
Bond
......

perhaps some nail stuff...
Gelish
OPI Gel
KB Shimmer
Girly Bits

Anyway....I have tons.....

Let's just see where it goes eh??

-Ali

Makeup Geek Lipsticks: Review and Swatches Pt 1

Ok, so during the Black Friday sales recently, I raked in quite a few new lipsticks from Makeup Geek.

I have been dying to try Marlena's product line for a while now.  And I finally got a few for like $4 each!  It was too good of a deal to pass up.

So I'll let you know what I think of them overall.

First, I really like the packaging.  It doesn't look as cheap as I thought it would.  Especially for $8 lipsticks.  There is a lot cheaper packaging going on from major drugstore brands.  In fact, I really am impressed with it.

First of all, it has this really clever little window.  Now when I stack my lipsticks in the drawer, I can put these right side up and see what shade I'm picking up without having to open it.  Clever clever....

Here's a look inside the cap.  This is foxy...one of the more vibrant shades.  It's really pretty.

Despite the fact that in the tube, they all look like a similar shade of brown....they are all very different colors.

Here's a few.

yes, I'm really that pale.

Overall impression:  I like them.  For the price I think they're exceptional.  Will they beat out my Chanel?  No.  BUT they are hands down, better than any drugstore makeup I've tried.  I would easily compare them to MAC.  The only thing that does bother me is the fragrance.  They don't add any as far as I can tell...but it has a fragrance to it that reminds me of my first lipstick when I was a kid.  It's weird.  Not in a good way either.  They, don't apply cheap, or wear cheap.....but they kinds smell cheap?  

It's not enough to deter me from buying more tho.  When on a budget you can rack up quite a collection. A few of the more vibrant shades stain a little, but no more than a lot of higher end lipsticks.  They aren't drying in any way.  I recommend them.

Grade: A

Makeup Geek Haul

Just got all this sweet loot in the mail from Makeup Geek!

Bought it on Black Friday weekend.  I have been wanting to try this brand for a while, especially after reading so many good things about them.  I really like Marlena and her tutorials (tho her style isn't mine personally, I think she is very talented).  

Anyway, the kicker was when my sister (a fellow cosmetics junkie) ordered a few things and told me I HAD TO get some.  Better than MAC for eyeshadow she said.  

Ok I'll bite.  

So I took advantage of her Black Friday sales after waiting FOREVER for a coupon code or SOMETHING!  Because if I'm going to buy, I buy en mass....gotta be smart with the pocket book....or the hubs get all silent.  

Silent isn't a good sign....

Anyway, it was really easy to do because her cosmetics are priced so affordably!

I am going to try 'em out.  Tell ya what I really think of them!