a perfect mani

MAC Cosmetics "Steamy" with Sephora by OPI "G-listen to Your Heart"

Because baby, it's cold outside and I'm longing for the beach-filled, sunny days ahead...

Niki and Ricky for Viva Glam: MAC Cosmetics

It's here!! The new VIVA GLAM is out today!!

Maybe it's the social worker in me, but I love that MAC Cosmetics supports people living with HIV/AIDS through various efforts such as Viva Glam, Kids Helping Kids, Volunteer Days, AIDS Walks, World AIDS Day, etc. Did you know that every cent from the sale of any VIVA GLAM lip product goes towards the MAC AIDS FUND? Just 1 Viva Glam can help to provide shoes to a child living with HIV/AIDS, or 23 female condoms, or 233 male condoms, or 1 private therapy session to someone affected by this horrible disease. So go get your pretty on with the hottest new lipstick and know that your money has helped someone, somewhere in need.

And if you weren't already aware of some of the past Viva Glam sponsors, this is pretty cool...

A little glimpse of what the Viva Glam Niki looks like on me (paired with a Etcetera Pro Longwear Lip Pencil and Nice Buzz Plushglass)...

30 days until 30...

It kind of just hit me today. And by "IT," I mean the fact that I am about to turn 30. As in, 30 years old. Seriously. When did this happen?? I feel like just the other day (or year) I was only blowing out a mid-twenties number of candles on my birthday cake. This relevation has lead me to think about what has changed in the past five or so years...

First, the obvious. I am MUCH more wiser. I've been through some major life lessons in the past couple years. Everything from losing lovers to losing loved ones. Not to mention my decision to change careers and move closer to my family in Orlando. Every so often I miss being a social worker. Well, actually I just miss the clients. I have had the privilege to work with some amazing people. I hope that I was able to impact their lives as much as they have impacted mine. I know I made the right decision to leave social work behind and pursue my passion for makeup artistry though. There isn't a day that goes by where I wish I wasn't do makeup or that I feel I've learned all there is to know about makeup artistry. I especially love days when I feel I have empowered someone to show their inner beauty through enhancing their outward appearance with makeup. And let's face it. You can take the girl out of social work, but you can't take the social work out of the girl. I am still being impacted by amazing people. I can only hope that I do the same...

Second, my overall skill as a makeup artist has vastly improved! It blows my mind to think that my first wedding was over seven years ago!!! I started out with just a small, one-bag kit and an ad on craigslist. It's important to me to be an eternal student of makeup artistry though. With trends and techniques changing all the time, it definitely keeps me on my toes. And as an FYI (or shameless plug), this is something to consider when hiring a makeup artist. You don't want to end up with a makeup look that is dated. Especially for wedding makeup. The look should be a timeless reflection of YOU.

Third, I no longer sweat the small stuff (most of the time). It's no secret that I've battled my weight/image demons in the past. I used to have major anxiety about a lot of different things though. And really, at the end of the day what does it all matter?! Perhaps one of the most important life lessons I've learned is that the only person who really matters is the one who looks back at you in the mirror everyday. As long as you are OK with that person, the rest is just gravy. I mean think about it. Wrinkles are earned from a lifetime of laughter. I would much rather have that than a face that is void of all emotion. But that doesn't mean that I will continue to treat my skin with kindness (i.e., moisturizer, moisturizer...)

I'm certain this list can go on and on about how much I've changed but I'm happy to be at this point in my life and to have over SEVEN years experience in makeup artistry under my belt. I did promise myself that I would be a full-time makeup artist before my 30th birthday. And that is exactly what I got...

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

-Maya Angelou

if you will it to happen, it will happen.

Image. It's everything to some and nothing to others. But a long time ago someone told me that it takes a second to make a first impression and a lifetime to forget it. I consider myself fairly conservative when it comes to my image. You will very rarely see me showing a lot of skin. I actually feel the prettiest/sexiest when I'm at home in PJ's and glasses - no makeup! But then again, I'm not a huge risk taker all around.

There is no doubt the cosmetics industry is all about image and the latest trends. Just think about the plethora of skin creams, wrinkle serums, moisturizers, etc. targeted towards achieving eternal youth. At the MAC store I work at, there are two very large mirrors along with several smaller, handheld mirrors. It is impossible to not notice how you look. And so the other day at work, after closing the store, I glanced in the mirror and was shocked by how tired I looked. Immediately I started critiquing every pore, wrinkle, and hair on my face. Without thinking, I blurted out, "I'm really starting to look 30." Umm... yeah, right. I DO NOT look 30 at all. This initiated a self deprecating conversation between me and my coworkers in which we each started pointing out the things we hate most about our faces, bodies, etc. Whyyyy?!? Women in general need to be more positive about ourselves. Why is it so hard for us to focus on the good? Or to be able to look in the mirror and think, "Wow, I look pretty!" versus "My nose is too big." Then the conversation turned towards how horrible we each must look without makeup. Now I love makeup more than most people. But I am more than willing to leave the house without any makeup on. Why I felt the need to talk about how much I hated my skin sans makeup is beyond me. So I decided to challenge myself and take off all my makeup in the store, in front of everyone. One of the main reasons I decided to become a makeup artist was that I wanted to promote self-beauty and self-love among women. It's important that we not be "mean girls" but rather motivate and respect each other. Let's do this ladies. Please!

And for your information, here is what I look like without a single drop of makeup...

New Years Resolution and Self-LOVE

Hey dolls!! I hope that your 2012 is starting off as wonderful as mine has been thus far. I like to be optimistic about a new year... you know, the whole "in with the new, out with the old" theory.

The idea of making a New Years resolution (and actually sticking with it) is something that has always been difficult for me. You ask yourself every year, "What do I need/want to change?" The obvious answers (for me) are: #1. to loose weight, #2. shop less, save more, #3. spend more time with family, etc... But this year I decided to think about what I need to change about my beauty/skincare routine. With 2012 bringing my 30th birthday, I have started paying verryy close attention to my skin. It seems to show when I'm dehydrated or tired much more easily these days. So with that in mind, my New Years resolution was to take better care of my skin (and body). Here's how I plan to do this:

#1. HYDRATE!! Definitely need to start by drinking more WATER!!! I spend so much time running around throughout the day that I often forget to drink water. Even though I don't drink soda, I do drink a lot of hot tea and coffee. Gotta take the good with the bad I suppose. Perhaps this cute water bottle will help...

#2. MOISTURIZE!! This could really go along with my vow to drink more water. The more hydrated the skin is, the less likely you are to notice signs of tiredness or aging. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I am 100% in love with the Complete Comfort Creme from MAC Cosmetics. I practically bathe in this stuff every night. And the new Mineralize Skincare line is pretty impressive so far as well. I especially like the Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Eye Cream! I swear my dark circles are a thing of the past. Everything in this line has 77 bio-available minerals to help pull moisture from the air to the skin!

#3. DECLUTTER!! Time to clean out my makeup kit as well as my personal stash of daily makeup. My dirty little secret is that my vanity currently looks like this:

So yeah... I need to clean up a bit. Besides, some things may be reaching their expiration dates soon. Click HERE for a good article on when to toss beauty products.

Perhaps the most important thing I need to focus on for 2012 is just being good to myself. No more self-destructive thoughts/behavior. I doubt many know this about me, but I've struggled with image issues for as long as I can remember. I think this is what really ignited my interest in makeup. As a teenager, I fought a constant battle against acne. Ugh! I hated having my picture taken because I was convinced I looked horrible in all of them. And I didn't actually win the battle against acne until my early twenties when I learned that I have very dry skin and must focus on a gentle, moisturizing skincare routine rather than harsh cleansing (which at the time, I thought meant stripping my skin of all oil). Part of hating the way I looked when I was younger also had a lot to do with my weight. For some reason, I always felt fat (and not in a "ph" kinda way). I was not confident in my body and so I reached out to beauty magazines hoping to find who I was supposed to look like. But in reality, this just made the problem worse because I was comparing myself to models and I will never (repeat, never) be a a model. Then about 5 years ago (at my heaviest), I went through a very traumatic break-up with an even worse relationship as a follow-up. I lost over 30 lbs. and often looked frail and thin. I was so unhappy and tried to control my emotions through not eating. I knew I was on a self-destructive path but it was a habit that I couldn't break. I started counting calories and became obsessed with my weight. I would skip out on work, dates, friends, etc. to work out. Sometimes, twice a day. It was the only thing that helped me clear my head and feel like I had control over my life. And since I seem to be in an over-sharing kinda of mood tonight, I was finally able to reach a healthy point in my life after a few years of therapy. I'm a strong advocate of therapy. Even if you think you don't have any issues, it NEVER hurts just to talk it out. So here I am, "fat" and happy. I still struggle with image issues. I still count calories every day. I still skip out on things just to work out. I still obsess over my weight. BUT now I remind myself that I there are people who love me just the way I am. So I eat a cookie if I want. I go to happy hour with my friends. I eat late night sushi dinners with my boyfriend. I spend 4 hour lunches with my Dad and can kill an entire day shopping for nothing with my Mom. I sleep in rather than go for a bike ride. I go out without makeup (well, mostly). And I tell myself that being a size 4 at 5'3" is HEALTHY. And that's what I call progress...

I follow the blog, OH SHE GLOWS. It's a great source for vegan (gluten-free) recipes, workout tips, and overall inspiration. The blogger's story is something that I think most women can relate to. And I often re-read this entry about Self-Love. Because it's true. Without Self-Love, I have nothing.

Cheers. To 2012 being the best yet!!