IBS New York and CosmoProf Haul

Hello! Sorry I haven't posted in so long, but I've been super busy! This past Tuesday I took the day off from school and took a field trip to the International Beauty Show in New York City! I absolutely had a blast. Unfortunately when I got there, they were all out of show directories, so even though I had an idea of vendors I wanted to see, I had no idea where they were located and the show. Was. HUGE. Also, on Thursday I went to CosmoProf which is a beauty supply store. I was able to join because I am now a cosmetology student and I am beyond excited. So instead of talking away, I'm going to go ahead and show you guys pictures of all the fun new stuff I bought!

Polishes from the OPI booth

From left to right: Crepes Suzi-ette, Overexposed in South Beach, Conquistadorable Color, You're Such a Kabuki Queen, Chapel of Love, Pistol Packin' Pink, Coney Island Cotton Candy. I also had one of my nails done in the Axxium gel line in the color Cajun Shrimp. It was somewhat time consuming, but it looked beautiful!

Polishes from the Essie Booth

From left to right: Pillow Talk, Ballet Slippers, Au Natural, Coat Azure, Angora Cardi, Little Brown Dress. I also bought a youthful hand regimen for my mom. I have only given her a manicure with it once so far, but it made her hands look phenomenal! I've been looking for some good nude colors, and Essie is the perfect place to find them. I am so excited to try Little Brown Dress, it's the first pure brown I've seen in a long time.

Private Label Booth

These eyeshadow pans are from a no label brand, and they were only charging $1 each since they were sold out of palettes to put them in. I got these twelve for $10 because I am crafty with my words. The top row are all shimmery, and the bottom row is the closest I could find in a matte duplicate. The pans are about the size of a half dollar and the pigmentation is awesome! I have them in two empty CD cases until I get a palette to store them in.

Eyeshadow Palette from Addiction NV

Left to Right: Tempt (pink shimmer), Coax (champagne shimmer) I have never heard of the brand Addiction NV but I was drawn into the booth by how feminine and sultry everything looked. They had a handful of eyeshadow pans left (since I was there the final day of the show), and you could pick any two you wanted to fill the palette. I liked these two colors together and thought they had a nice payoff so I wanted to give them a try. The palette is really sturdy and has a hidden magnet closure, and I just adore the packaging. I also bought a mineral highlighter that I'm excited to try:

WannaBe: Glow Getter

I absolutely love the packaging!

Eve Pearl Booth

My first Eve Pearl purchase, lipstick in Pink Stiletto. I love it!! I was waiting to try everything out until I took pictures of it, so I put it on as soon as I took the picture. At first the color wasn't very vibrant, but within a minute or two, it turned into the most gorgeous pink that I wish I could put words to! I had my foundation and blush done by a girl at the booth, but she was very rude and didn't even tell me any of the products she used on me before moving on the the next customer. I didn't buy anything she used, and instead selected my own lipstick, and I'm very happy with it. Unfortunately, I did like the makeup she did on me, I just didn't feel like bothering with her to ask what she used. I'm hoping Eve Pearl will be at IMATS.

Sample Kit from Rain

I had read on-line a couple months ago about Rain Cosmetics and really love their packaging and the fact that everything seems to be very hydrating. I didn't buy anything on-line at the time because they were pricey and I had never tested the products out myself. I had my lips done by one of the guys working the booth and I really like what he did. He layered lip liner, lipstick, lip conditioner, and finally lip gloss. While my lips looked and felt beyond wet and smooth, I felt like I had too much product on (no kidding). I sampled a bunch of the eyeshadows, and they were not very pigmented at all. They were out of the lip conditioner I wanted, so I decided to try this essentials kit with trial/travel sized versions of some simple products. The 'bronzer' is quite dark and creamy, and I can't imagine using it as anything other than a cream shadow. It's way too dark for me to use as a cheek color.

New products I picked up from beauty supply:

Biomega Moisture Mist Conditioner

Straight Sexy Hair regimen

Joico Color Endure

OPI polishes and treatments

I bought the Biomega Moisture Mist because I've been wanting to try a leave in conditioner on my hair to help with the dryness. They were having a sale on the StraightSexyHair line and it set included shampoo, a hair straightening balm, a sample of Powder Play, and a sample of Smooth and Seal. Joico I heard about on a YouTube review and have been wanting to try. I have heavily color treated hair, so I decided to go with the Color Endure line, which came with a sample bottle of styling oil. The store I went to didn't have a huge OPI selection, but they had a sale on the color Bogota Blackberry (left) and it came with the Naural Nail strengthener at half price. I got the Drip Dry because I'm always looking for something that will allow my nails to dry as fast as possible. Finally, they had Sweetheart and Vodka & Caviar, which are two colors I have been wanting to try. Not pictured is a Paul Mitchell bamboo back combing brush, and Nail Envy Maintenance by OPI. In my Absolutely Orange: Part 1 post, I mentioned that I used Nail Envy as a base coat. When I was at IBS and chatting with the girl who was doing my nails, she informed me that Nail Envy shouldn't be used more than 6 weeks in a row, or else it can have an adverse affect on your nails. I decided to try the Maintenance to keep my nails looking healthy.

I know this is a super long post, but I hope you enjoyed everything you saw! Are there any nail polishes that you would like me to do swatches of? I plan on doing a post soon on my favorite nude nail colors to pair with your vibrant lip colors for Spring! Please let me know if you would like to see any swatches or read any reviews for any of the products I have just shared with you. I love to hear all feedback, good and bad, so please keep the comments coming!!

xoxo

Absolutely Orange: Part 2

First of all, I would like to thank all of you for your feedback! I would like to do another post about nails soon because nude nails are also very trendy for spring. As you read below about sporting a bright orange pucker, it makes sense that you might want to tone down your nails a little. I do have an awesome nude in my collection already, but I have some exciting news! Tomorrow I will be attending the International Beauty Show (IBS) in NYC!! I am looking forward to attending a few hair shows, learning as much as possible, and of course, shopping! I have a feeling I'm going to be splurging on nail polish, so I'll be sure to share my haul with you! (If you like hauls you're in luck, because the countdown to the International Make-up Artists Trade Show has begun!)

As you read in my last post, orange is a flourishing color for spring. The best way to wear orange this season is as a lip color. I understand this is pretty daring and not everyone will want to put such a bright color on their lips, which is why I offered my favorite orange nails. However if you think you're up to, more power to you! The best part about wearing orange lipstick is that it's easily buildable, so you can choose your level of comfort with the not-so-shy color. If you have a hard time wearing lipstick due to your lips being dry, or just want some tips on how to take care of your lips, here is some help...

1. Exfoliate - This is important because you need to remove the dead skin from your lips. This will help prevent your lipstick from accumulating on your dead skin. If you are looking to purchase a product, I use BonBon Lip Scrub made by Lush. I just checked out their website and they don't carry that kind anymore, but they do have a couple others available. I use this twice a day and it is definitely gentle enough for that. If you don't want to buy a lip scrub, there are plenty of home made ways to exfoliate. You can use a mixture of olive oil and sugar, rub gently on your lips in a circular motion, and then wipe off with a damp washcloth. If you don't like the idea of olive oil on your lips, you can use a small amount of honey and sugar, and apply it the same way. When I'm in a hurry, I sometimes use my toothbrush after I brush my teeth so my lips are moistened.

2. Moisturize - This is beyond important, especially if you exfoliate often! Your lips have thin skin and therefore dry out a lot quicker than your face. They are also a lot more sensitive, so make sure you use something with a SPF, especially if you are outdoors a lot. As soon as you wipe off the exfoliant, use some sort of lip balm. I like to use Rosebud Salve, eos (available at CVS and Riteaid), and Vitamin E. I use these after exfoliating, and I apply them as I feel necessary throughout the day. Honey is also a great moisturizer. You can apply some to your lips for a few minutes, and then wipe off with a damp washcloth.. no one will judge you if you can't resist a taste.

3. Hydrate - Water, water, water. This is the most important of all beauty tips. Nothing will keep your skin, lips, nails, and mood looking better then making sure to stay hydrated. Moisture will help eliminate dry skin and lips, which eliminates wrinkles. If that isn't a good enough reason to drink more water, I don't know what is! You can also take a Vitamin E supplement to help if you don't think you are getting enough water.

Now for the fun stuff.. Orange lips!

Neon Orange by MAC

In this picture I used Vitamin E as a lip balm base, and then applied three coats of Neon Orange, blotting my lips between each layer. Typically, I like to wear Too Faced Lip Insurance on my lips before applying lip gloss, but it makes my lipstick dry and cakey so I don't like to pair the two. Does anyone have any lip tips for how to make your lip stick stay put?

Neon Orange with gloss

Here is a more toned down version of the above color. I used the same Neon Orange lipstick by MAC, and blotted it so my lips were just stained. I then used an e.l.f. Hypershine Gloss on top to make the color less matte. I like this downplayed look because it's still fun, trendy, and makes a statement without being too overpowering. However, I can't wait to rock the full fledged orange! (I already took a test drive at school and got good feedback!) Testing new colors out with close friends can we a good confidence boost when experimenting with new trendy colors.

If you would like to see some more orange lip picks, please let me know. Do you have an orange lip color that you're dying to show off this spring? Please comment and let me know. I love to hear your feedback! Make sure to come back soon to see my IBS haul, I can't wait to share!

xoxo

Absolutely Orange: Part 1

Orange is by far the "it" color in the upcoming spring trends. It's bright, fun, and it absolutely screams warm weather. I've been wearing orange nail polish non stop in order to share my favorites with you. I also would like to share some nail care tips with you because these colors will be drawing a lot of attention to your hands, so they better look perty!

1. Prevent chipping/discoloration - Use a base AND a top coat! A lot of companies make a dual base and top coat, so you don't have to buy two different bottles of polish. Reapply a fresh layer of top coat every day to help the polish stay put. A base coat helps keep the polish on your nail, as well as prevents discoloration which is a big problem for me when using red or orange polish. I use Nail Envy by OPI as a base coat. This is a nail strengthener and works great, but it can make your nails very brittle, which brings me to..
2. Moisturize - You want your nails to have some give, or else they will break right off. You should apply hand lotion after washing your hands, showering, or doing the dishes since soap aids in drying out your hands and nails.
3. Cuticles - Moisturizing also helps keep your cuticles looking neat. The best time to care for your cuticles is after you shower, so they will be nice and soft. Use an Orange Wood Stick to push back your cuticles (I tried to find a link to show you to no avail. They carry them at Ulta for about $1.50 for a pack of 20. They are with all the higher end polishes, not the drug store brands.) Do NOT cut your cuticles! This can cause infection around the base of your nails. Apply a cuticle oil to your nails once or twice a day to keep them supple. I use Avoplex by OPI.
4. Keep them neat - When applying polish, start in the middle of your nail and then push back towards the cuticle to spread it out. This help prevent putting a huge glop of nail polish on your cuticle, so you have less touch ups at the end. If you're having a hard time using that technique, I've found that showering or washing your hands, once the nails are completely dry, really loosens up the polish on the skin and it will wipe right off. If you're in a hurry, you can always use polish remover on a cotton swab, or one of the Orange Wood Sticks.

As I said before, if you're going to be wearing the bright and trendy colors this spring, you want to make sure your hands are presentable since you will be calling so much attention to them. Now onto the colors!

Haute as Hello by Essie

I have a strong love/hate relationship with Essie. I absolute love their colors, they make the most pigmented and beautiful pastels I have ever seen. Almost all of the polishes I use by Essie, however, require three coats. (I'm wearing three coats in this picture) The pay off is usually worth it, but it is very time consuming. You should wait a few minutes between the base coat and each other the layers so the polish doesn't pull and it does help with the dry time in the end. However, even with a quick dry top coat, it usually takes my polish a long time to set. Regardless, I LOVE this color. It's a great spring time color, it's very fresh and innocent. I think this is the perfect color if you want to wear orange, but don't think you can pull off something too bold.

Atomic Orange by OPI

This is a fabulous orange that perfectly captures the vibrant orange trend. I only needed to apply two coats of polish, the pigmentation was awesome. It also dried super fast (I did my first coat when I was on break at school and was able to do hair within 10 minutes without ruining my nails) and applied the second and top coat once I got home. My favorite thing about this color is that it looks great with pale skin from winter, but people with darker skin or who like to tan are also able to pull off this versatile color. (This is almost a duplicate of A Good Man-darin is Hard to Find by OPI, so if you have that, you won't really need both in your collection)

Having these fun and bright colors to look forward to really has me anxious for Spring! Do you have a favorite orange that you are planning on rocking in the next few months? Please share them with me, I would love to know your favorites. Also, please let me know what you thought of my nail care tips, and if you would like to see more. Any feedback is good feedback and I would love to hear from you! Stay tuned for Absolutely Orange: Part 2 where I will be talking about your kisser!

xoxo

Welcome to Kiss and Make Up!

Hello everyone! I just wanted to thank you for checking out my new blog, and also introduce myself to you. My name is Tara and I am a 22 year old mom and student. My daughter is 6 months old, so I'm a full time mom during the day and a part time cosmetology student at night. I have three pet cats who I love, and am an avid animal lover. I am busy busy busy, but I appreciate a little "Me Time" in order to keep me feeling motivated and confident, and I'm looking to impart some of my advice on how to spoil yourself.

Americas Next Top Model Audition!

I have an ever-growing interest in make-up, beauty, and fashion. I am looking to talk about trends with you, as well as show you some of my favorite ways to wear them. I also want to share with you some essential beauty tips that will help you get ready quicker and more efficiently. I want to be able to help people who are always on the move, whether it be with parenting, work, school, etc., to find time to devote to making themselves look and feel better.

I am planning on showing new products that I purchase, as well as reviewing these products. I am also going to give my recommendations for make up, hair products, skin care products and the like. I will be talking about high end products, as well as offering drug store duplicates as often as possible. I want to do this so I am able to reach both the seasoned beauty gurus, as well as women who want good quality but don't intend to devote an entire paycheck to it.

I would absolutely love your feedback, so please don't be afraid to hold back! I am looking forward to hearing your input on posts you would like me to make, things that you would like repeat posts about (such as my favorites of the month), as well as getting to know all of you. I can't wait to read all of your comments, and if you have any questions don't hesitate to e-mail me!

My (real) first post will be about nail color, and will offer a few tips on keeping your nails looking great. Be sure to check it out!

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