#HolidayGlam|#BeSeenInGreen

Any time I wear green shadow, I think of that scene in The Wiz where the people of Oz change their colors every other minute. "You've got to be SEEN in GREEN! I wouldn't be caught DEAD in RED!" 

Random pop culture reference but roll with me. 

#FaceOff|#PrettyPunk

 Once upon a time, I worked for MAC and my manager said that I should embrace the ugly. My everyday look was always pretty and I should try and not make things look too perfect or too pretty.
I feel like with this look, I'm definitely embracing more of the ugly.

#HolidayGlam Look - #PurpleReign

I promise no filter was used My camera takes pictures like this.

Most holiday looks call for sparkle and shine! I'm giving you loads of both! Let's get into how to achieve the look!

Cat Eyes and Cocktails: NYE Edition

I started Cat Eyes and Cocktails as a way to have a fun atmosphere where I could do makeup, hang with cool girls and just have great vibes! I'm bringing it back for New Year's Eve! It is the ultimate glam holiday where every woman just wants to sparkle. 

Art|Graffiti I Dig

Good Word| Stay Away

Whether it be people or feelings....flee!

Art| Graffiti I Dig

Nails|Designs I Dig

Good Word| True

Nails| Designs I Dig

#BanditBooks| How to be Single by Liz Tuccillo

I admit, the title grabbed me and so did the fact that it's a novel and not exactly a self-help book also helped too. Liz Tuccillo co-wrote He's Just Not That Into You, so she knows a bit about the plot of the single woman. How to Be Single is a fiction surrounding book publicist turned writer, Julie Jensen and features her single friends, newly divorced Georgia whose husband left her for a Brazilian whore (her words, not mine), Alice who quit her law career to pursue a man, Ruby who is timid and depressed and Serena who is actually a serene yogi chef. Each woman faces her own struggles in finding a man but they all have one thing in common and that is their single status. Julie gets the bright idea that women worldwide also share this same plight and she knows that she and her friends aren't handling it quite well so she wants to see how other women do it. Thus, she travels to Paris, Rome, Sydney, China, Bali, India and Iceland to get some answers.

This book is kind of like Eat, Pray, Love without the completely happy ending. Being single in the city is not a new topic, however, I did love reading how other women handled being dumped or how they did the dumping. I understood where a lot of the characters were coming from even though they are older than me. I get their plight because let's face it, being single sucks...no matter where you are.

It was definitely a page turner that I had to finish. 4 lipsticks!!

Good Word| Love

Love yourself. Like a feral cat loves its kittens.

Art|Graffiti I Dig

Vinie is a graffiti artist from France. Like many graffiti artists, there isn't much information on her except that she's a lady from France, just outside of Paris. Her main medium is spray paint with some brush strokes and that she like to show dark-skinned women that are pin-ups in a way with large eyes and voluptuous bodies but aren't exactly in the pin-up style. Anyway...LOVES!!

Check out her facebook page here
and her website here.

#BanditBooks| "Blindsighted" by Karin Slaughter

"Blindsighted" is a suspense novel based in the small town of Grant County where people are blindsided by rape/murders happening in town. The victims are also literally blinded by a drug the assailant uses to subdue them and keep them complacent during their attacks.The story surrounds doctor/coroner Sara Linton and police chief/Sara's ex-husband, Jeffrey Tolliver who rush to try and solve who is behind the crimes before the killer strikes again.

While rape/murder/vicious crimes against women are hard to read about, Slaughter does a fantastic job at keeping some details gory and letting you fill in the blanks about others. I like how Slaughter's female characters are strong even in the face of these heinous crimes. Slaughter knows how to unfurl a story. It never felt rushed or as if it dragged along. Toward the end, she hints at who it is all along which is who, as an avid CSI-er, Law and Order fan, I didn't quite see that coming either.

This was Slaughter's first novel and I'd love to read more from her.
I give this book 4 lipsticks.

Good Words| Reminder

#NetflixFaves| June Watch List

If you're like me....(and don't own a TV)....Netflix is your savior, but you never quite know what to watch. Let me help you out. This is what I've watched during the month of June. Maybe you'll find your new fave.
Charmed
   
Because life is hard and the late 90's were great and who doesn't wish that they could be an attractive witch?

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy

Because don't gay guys know EVERYTHING? lol...mindless entertainment and the transformations are awesome!
InkMaster

Because crazy people agreed to have strangers tattoo them...who knew?
Drinking Buddies

Because Olivia Wilde is my bestie in my head even when she has questionable morals.

Lost Girl

It's sexy science fiction!

Crimes of the Century

Because everyone should know about the crazy things people have done in the world and why....

#BanditBooks - "Sugar Daddy" by Lisa Kleypas

I have to admit, I wanted this book to be all fluff and no bite. The title alone made me think that this would be the perfect book to breeze through and help me forget all my troubles...and it did, until certain parts came along. The title is a little misleading although I understand why its named this. The main character, Liberty Jones (isn't that such a great name?) spends her life avoiding having a sugar daddy. She's half-Mexican living with her white mother in a trailer park in Welcome, Texas. She has a hard upbringing and fights to give herself and her family a better life.

I loved the way the book was written. I'm usually not a fan of first person pov. However, used in the way Kleypas did, I felt like I was reading the diary of a close friend - a little forbidden, very juicy and I was instantly endeared by her.

There's a very sudden and traumatic incident in the book (no spoilers) where I wanted to scoop Liberty up in my arms and hold her. The emotions in the writing was so real, it stirred something up inside of me, which is what good writing is supposed to achieve. This is the first installment about the Travis family and I can definitely see myself snapping up a few more of these books in the future.

If you're looking for something a little light-hearted and easy to read but has a cohesive plot, this book is for you.

I give this book 5 lipsticks.

#MusicSnob|June Faves

These are my top 5 fave songs I was listening to all June (in no particular order)!

1. Ingrid Michaelson "Girls Chase Boys" Don't know why...from the first time I heard it, I was like...yeahhhhhhh lol 2. Sade "Give It Up" This song came out in 1988 but it still bangs! I feel like I'm on a tropical island singing sweet nothings in my lover's ear. 3. Kanye West "Addiction" Because Late Registration is that ish. Basically, this was when I was in lurrrrve with Mr. West, Mr. Fresh, Mr. By Himself He So Impressed. 4. Iyanya "Kukere" I've played this song so much that all my coworkers have since downloaded it. Try playing it and see if your lower half doesn't move all on its own. 5. AWOLNATION "Sail" Because the vocals = mind blown

#BanditBeauty|June #Empties

Ok, so I know it's almost the middle of July (I've been busy! tuh!) but I wanted to share my monthly empties. Basically, these are things that I love so much that I scraped the bottom of the container to use the last of it.
I feel like I don't usually have a lot of empties because I have a lot of products that I keep in rotation but I must admit, there are some things that you just keep reaching for in the morning!

#BanditBooks: Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

On the surface, this is a ghost story - almost a child's fantastical bedtime story. This is the tale of Li Lan who has been promised to be the bride of Lim Tian Ching, the recently deceased son of the prestigious (and very rich) Lim family. A sheltered girl, all Li Lan wants is to have a nice family of her own and is horrified that her father (the opium-smoking, kind of deadbeat dad) would even entertain the notion. Li Lan is then haunted by Lim Tian Ching who is nothing more than a spoiled brat and gets whatever he wants in both life and death. The best part of the story for me was when Li Lan, in an effort to stop the haunting of Lim Tian Ching almost kills herself. She is thrusted into the miraculous world of the dead. Will Li Lan make it back to her body? Will she be married to a living man and have the honor of becoming a mother? Or will she be lost in the plane of the dead?

The book is super interesting and expertly written. Also, it gives you some historical background about Chinese and Malay (Malaysian) culture and practices. If you have a bit of imagination and allow yourself to be drawn into the story, you'll love this book!

I give this book 5 lipsticks.

#BanditBooks - "Waiting in Vain" - Colin Channer

There are so many things I want to say about Colin Channer. Reading his writing made me realize just how little male writers I read. His voice was true and unwavering throughout the whole book. It felt like I was reading poetry that told a story. His masculine presence was strong throughout his writing. I loved the way he explained making love to a woman, the urges and pride of men. His perspective was very spot on and I loved every minute of it.

Waiting in Vain is a love story. It involves a woman, Sylvia, who is emotionally unavailable as well as attached to someone who doesn't value her very much and Fire who seems to be trying to catch his footing in life. In the beginning of the book, Fire (who is hot hot hot) breaks off an attachment to someone he felt he had no future with and Sylvia is trying to reconcile working a job and pursuing a passion. Sylvia and Fire meet by chance twice and they have an affair which takes them from gritty NYC, posh London and the island of Jamaica. It deals with themes contemporary people deal with - do you date someone for status or love? Do you pursue your dream which could leave you broke or do you work a job which pays the bills and leaves you searching for more?

To say this book is amazing is an understatement. I wanted Fire for myself. I felt like Sylvia was one of my girlfriends and I was rooting for her and cringing at her choices, while completely understanding who she was and where she was coming from.

This book has depth and soul. Must read!

5 Lipsticks

#BanditBooks The Girls by Lori Lansens

The Girls is a novel about twins conjoined at the head. The girls, who although share a skull, couldn't be any different. This story is their memoir. It follows them from birth until the end and I loved every minute of it.I was skeptical that I could believe a story like this but apparently, the writing was so good, I couldn't put it down. The story above all else was believable. More than that, it yanked me into their world. I rooting for them the whole time and towards the end, I was in denial that they would inevitably see their end as all humans do.

The Girls, I think, is a testament to the human spirit and what we need as people. The basics: someone to love us, someone to comfort us and someone who will look out for us when we need it most. No matter how strange the outside world sees us, we need someone there to care.I loved this book and I would definitely recommend it to someone who is not looking for a book that is super complicated. At times, the ordinary nature of their extraordinary situation shocks you. If you want an imaginative story that leaves you feeling something, this is the book for you.

I give it 4 lipsticks.

March Madness!!

I'm a freelance artist. This means I work for MAC and Benefit and possibly other companies (call me!) when they need staff. I also work for myself at the shop in Brooklyn and for shoots, events, etc.
As I entered March, I didn't really have any jobs booked. Besides Cat Eyes and Cocktails, I had no events and also, I was unsure of the turnout. Looking back, I am so blessed and thankful that I've had such a successful month. March was great. I know April will be better!!  Brief look at part of March! Amazing times!

Good Word| Fight

It took me years not to resent the fight. Sometimes, it becomes tiring but in the end, we come into this world fighting and we fight to stay in it. Once the fight is gone, so are we.

Good Words| War

When  saw this quote, it resonated so deeply with me. We spend many of our waking moments at war with who we are: our choices, what we have become and it's exhausting! How are we at war? If you're on a diet, start craving something not sanctioned by that diet. I dare you!

Even with myself, the decision to go rogue and to be a makeup artist on my own has plagued my mind for the past few months. It's a hard and lonely road to walk down and frankly, I'm afraid. The moment something doesn't pan out the way I thought it would, I start brow-beating myself.

One can not survive like this.
Quiet your mind and accept...whatever it is. When you fight you, you're bound to lose.

Nails|Designs I'm Diggin

Good Words|Forward

One reason why our eyes are in the front of our bodies is because we need to see where we are going. Always reflect and see how you can improve yourself but don't stay in that place of regret. Reassess and keep it moving in the positive direction.

Nails|Designs I'm Diggin