TAG: Highlights of 2012 - cosmetics edition

The 12 Questions of 2012:

1. Which makeup brand stood out to you most in 2012? Drugstore and High End!
Hard Candy (amazing baked eye shadows, blushes (HG!),  bronzers)

Giorgio Armani (undisputed correctors (HG!), concealers, foundations, blushes)

2. Best new discovery of 2012?
Alpha Hydroxy Skin Care line (Retinol ResQ (HG!), Glycolic lotion, cleanser)

3. Best re-discovery -- A product that you fall in love with over and over again?
Origins VitaZing SPF 15 (an instant vacation face in the tube (HG!))

4. Best seasonal product 2012? Winter / Spring / Summer / Fall
Josie Maran Argan Oil

Fresh Lip Balm

Revlon Lip Butter (s)

Wet-n-Wild Mega Color Nail Polish(s)

5. Best Limited Edition Collections in 2012? Drugstore and High End
Maybelline Color Tattoo(s)

MAC Marilyn Monroe (pure platinum Hollywood glamour!)

6. Most regretted purchase of 2012?
Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in BOY :-(

7. Youtube and beauty highlights 2012?
I love everything!
I enjoy monthly favorites, get ready with me, hauls, tutorials, everything beauty!

8. What is your favorite / best video on your own channel?
I have made a post on my nail polish organization/set-up!
I think it's great! ;-)

9. Best recommendation of 2012 from someone else?
Highlighting concealers! 
It's my new best friend for tired eyes! It's brilliant!
I have a few (Maybelline, L'Oreal, Boots no7, Jane Iredale, etc) and hoping to add By Terry Touche Veloutee Highlighting Concealer Brush ($58) very soon!

10. Best makeup tool 2012?
Real Techniques brushes! All of them! HG!!!

11. What are the products you are excited to try in 2013?
By Terry Highlighter, Burberry eye shadow, Chanel bronzer, blush, powder!

12. Will you do a Makeup Collection in 2013, or an updated version?
Maybe...

I Heart Fall Tag

I have been seeing this TAG on a few Youtube videos and I decided that I wanted to do it too. So here we go!

QUESTIONS:

1. Favorite Fall lip product?
REVLON LIP BUTTER in CUPCAKE

2. Favorite Fall Nail Polish?
REVLON SCENTED NAIL POLISH in GUM DROP



3. Favorite Starbucks Fall Drink?
Skinny Latte


4. Favorite Fall Candle?
BBW LEAVES


5. Favorite Fall Scarf or accessory
SCARF




6. Haunted house, haunted hay ride, or haunted corn maze?
HAY RIDE

7. Favorite Halloween movie?


8. Favorite candy to eat on Halloween?


9. What are you dressing up as for Halloween?!

MEOW!

10. What is your Favorite thing about Fall?



HOPE YOU ENJOYED!
STAY SAFE!
xx

IT"S BEEN A WHILE

It's been a long time... just dropping by to say HI!!!

Hope everyone is doing well and looking beautiful!
I will get back to my monthly posts when things slow down IRL a bit.
Meantime, remember this,  life is too short to wear bad makeup! -D

xoxo

JULY 2012 BEAUTY FAVS

Happy end of the month everyone!
Hope you all are having fantastic weather where ever you are and able to get out and enjoy summer sun!

July was not a big makeup month for me.
Kids are off from school and need to be kept active plus weekend beach trips don't really require a full on face.
Here's just a few my "regular" things that kept me low maintenance yet high performance!
Please keep in mind I always start with a high SPF face lotion!
(still searching for the one! oy!)

Starting from the top:

Giorgio Armani Corrector #1
Origins VitaZing SPF15
Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray

Second raw from the left:

Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Light
Hard Candy Baked Blush in Honeymoon
MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara
Urban Decay 24/7 eye liner in Stash
Flirt Dreamy Eyes Peach Champagne eye shadow

any lip balm that's in close proximity will do for the finished look!
TA DA!
The entire "look" takes 5 minutes and lasts all day!
xx

THE FEW THINGS I'D BEEN LOVING IN THE MONTH OF JUNE '12

Well, this has been one hot summer thus far!
I seriously had little desire to apply anything exciting to my face but sunscreen & maybe a bronzer.
As a side note, don't you just love sunglasses this time of the year?
Undereyes circles? No mascara? Veiny eye lids?
Sunglasses will take care of that!

So the focus of this month had nails and lips!
My winning lip combo this month :

*Too Faced Perfect Lips Universal Lip Liner
*Revlon Lip Butter in Creamsicle
*Buxom Lip Gloss in White Russian (finally, I was able to bring it home!)

Here's the swatches:

LOVE IT!
Also, I have been preparing my lips every single day with this little AVON find:
Avon Beyond Color Plumping Lip Conditioner With Retinol!
It makes my lips feel nourished and smooth and ready for lip color of the day!

Finally, new to me nail color brand - Deborah Lippmann! Wow! 

From the cute bottles, perfect brush, the most gorgeous colors and the fact that the color lasts for days, what else can I say but how guilty I feel ignoring my ZOYA stash.

Here's my two favorite colors Don't Tell Mama & Almost Paradise (for pedi & mani respectively):

This what Almost Paradise looks like on my nails:

Lastly, I had also discovered the best top coat to date:

Essie Good To Go:

I'm seriously impressed ladies!

Fastest drying top coat while keeping nails shiny and color lasting!

That's all!

Stay cool!

Muah!

Here’s What Three Things I’d Been Obsessed With In The Month of MAY!

It's been a long month.
My patience, my strength, my faith has been tested.
I have a long road ahead of me ...
Anyhow, let's get to the good stuff!
Beauty products! My escape, my passion, my pleasure!
I adore summer collections!
To me, it's usually something new, bright & exciting.
Bronzed sun kissed look has been my favorite forever!
This year did not disappoint!
Neon nails, all in one tinted moisturizers, illuminating bronzers, coral lips!
That's just the beginning!
Needless to say, I am a very happy camper!
Here is THREE things (trust me there are more but I only desire to introduce
you to the best!) I am absolutely loving this month!
Oh yeah and ONE nail polish that I can not get enough!
ENJOY!

#1 Dr.Jart BB Beauty Balm SPF 45 /PA ++

#2 MAC Haute and Naughty Mascara

#3 Maybelline Nude Nuance Lipstick (LE)

*BONUS* Island Girl Nail Polish in Tropical Breeze

Here's a rough swatch:

Hope everyone is having a fantastic summer!

xo

Tag: Top 5 Beauty Products I am dying to get!

I actually have some newborn desires & wants.
I have been so uninspired by makeup lately that this new lemming phase is actually worth blogging about!
Unfortunately most of the stuff is High End as in "it will have to wait"category. :-(
Here we go!
#1 Burberry Shadows:

NO. 02 TRENCH

NO. 03 PORCELAIN

NO. 04 GOLD TRENCH

NO. 05 CHESTNUT

NO. 06 ALMOND

NO. 22 PALE BARLEY

Well in all honesty any one would do!

#2 Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color in NUDE VANILLE

It is just so lux! From packaging to the color to the smell! Yummy!

 #3 Guerlain Terracotta 4 Seasons Tailor-Made Bronzing Powder Brunettes
 
And  that is all for now! Lucky me! :-)

It is so gorgeous! 'nough  said!

#4 Buxom® Big & Healthy™ Lip Cream  in White Russain

There is so much love & talk about this gloss!
I must have it!

#5 Finally, a drugstore lemming! Yay!

Maybelline's Nude Nuances lipstick!

I will try to find this HTF Maybelline's Limited Edition lipstick from Porcelains Collection and I will give up!

That's all for now!
What are you lemming?

TWIT! TWIT!

I am Finally on Twitter!

I have finally joined the masses on Twitter as Runs_on_Coffee.

I’m actually using it a lot more than I though I would, thanks to my makeup buddies!

If you’re interested in following me on Twitter or just looking to add another follower to your list, you know where to find me! Twit!Twit!

APRIL 2012 FAVORITES

It's May 11 and I am finally sitting down to post my monthly favorites.
It's been crazy here to say the least!
I have not had any free time to read any let alone write a blog post.
This does not mean that my love for anything cosmetics has subsidized.
Life made me shift my focus, hopefully just for a little bit.
On to the fun stuff we go!
Here's THREE things I have been obsessed with this month!
#1 L'Oreal Sublime Sun Sublime Sun Face Lotion, SPF 50 

I have been using this for four weeks straight without any problems!
This speaks volumes since my skin is uber reactive & gets aggrivated very easily.
The sunscreen is cosmetically elegant, it applies smoothly, absorbs fast and has a tremendous price point!
Good job L'Oreal!

#2 Revlon Lip Butter in Creamsicle

I finally broke down and got me some Revlon butter!

What can I say that has not been said?

It's a great sexy color especially on my pigmented lips!

I believe the orange undertones of this shade cancels out purple hue of my natural lips which results in a gorgeous, youthful, pouty mouth!

#3 Finally, Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara!

    The best $3 spent at Walgreens! It is all that & more!

FGF Playlist

 

Hello You Gorgeous People!

It's been a very long & crazy week here at the Rated "M" Blog corner.

Real life is full of ups and downs. That's just a fact!

It doesn't take away from the sting of some not so good news though.

What do you do? You come up with a plan of action of course.

You pull your sock up & make your Feel Good Friday list first!

This fabulous idea has been gracefully inspired by a lovely beauty blogger LIZ:

http://www.mybeautyblackbook.com/

FGF Playlist

1. Beauty barometer?
skin cancer prevention ~ looking for a perfect sunscreen!

2. Standout beauty item this week?
MAC Fix+ Spray ~ I just have added a travel size one to my collection!

3. Standout non-beauty item this week?
Kraft Cool Whip Light ~ my fruit has never tasted so good!

4. Action packed, kick butt movie I watched (and actually liked)?
RHOC!  (no need to comment please) :-)

5. This week, I’ve longed to be….?
Well...
I'll just skip this question for now!

6. Aroma I’ve been craving?
Coffee! Freshy grinded, brewed, your good ol' American java!

7. New fragrance I’m loving?
Versace Crystal Noir!  (not that new but all love still)

8. Beauty buy I’m thrilled to have gotten in on?
MAC Phloof & Naked Lunch!
I'm late to the party with these MAC eye shadows but I'm happy to add them to my little makeup family.

 9. Lip combo?
Too Faced Universal Lip Liner and MAC Hue lipstick!

10. Feel good moment?
I toughed it out and made it to the gym this week even though my body said "No!",  my mind said "Just do it!  You will feel better after!"

What kind of week did you have? 
Do share!
❤ MQS     

BEAUTY STASH SPRING CLEANING: THE NAIL POLISH EDITION

It's time ladies! This is it!
No more waiting, postponing or pretending like all is well.
It is not! I need to destash my nail polish collection & get it organized & looking fab!
Armed with a very strong cup of java & a BIG reward (aka a trip to the mall) in mind,  I have found myself at the conclusion of the task with this lovely contraption!
May I proudly present to you my very own little nail polish family?
*insert applause here*

Aww.... Ain't they pretty? It's a bit of a melting pot of everything but mostly it is Zoya!
Next on the list is my makeup stash...yeah... this may take more then a cup of java!
I may need a stiff drink prior to that task!
Hope everyone is doing well & enjoying their sunshine!
xx
P.S.: This three tiers cabinet organizer was purchased at Bed, Bath & Beyond ($7.99)

Here’s Three Things I’ve Been Obsessed With In MARCH'12.

SO… here are three new makeup products that I am loving this month…

I think I have found my perfect baby pink peach nude lip colour!

I know what you are thinking!

Let me tell you this lip color can be "adjusted" depending on your lip liner.

It can pull in pink OR peach OR nude!

It's creamy, glossy and it works well with my light/light-medium skin tone.

Also, it gives me an instant ego boost!

I feel confident, assured, sexy! 

I am going back for another tube very shortly!

Thank you MAC Hue Lipstick for making me feel so haute!

Next, in order for this lipstick to work I must have my other love, Too Faced Perfect Lips Universal Liner.

What an amazing lip liner!

It's smooth, creamy and so easy!

I don't think I will need another liner ever again! Well...at least for now!

Finally, cream eye shadow! As in any cream eyeshadow!

So fast, so easy yet long lasting and super saturated!

The colors are stunning! The quality is super!

I have started my quest at a drugstore so I know it will only get better!

I am enjoying L'Oreal Color Infaillible / Indefectible Eye shadows, Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Eyeshadow and Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting eyeshadow.

Hope this was helpful and I would love to hear your favorites of the month!

Here’s What Three Things I’d Been Obsessed With In February'12.

I've been so busy this month with everything!
I can't believe it is March already.
I love Spring and I'm looking forward to awakening my senses.
Speaking of, my biggest crush of the month has been Versace Crystal  Noir!
Immerse in Thy love! Fresher then morning dew!

This is the most perfect scent! It is sexy, soft and alluring!
I can't get enough! Love, love, love it!
The next lifesaver for this busy mom has been Origins VitaZing 
SPF 15 Energy-boosting moisturizer!

I love, love LOVE this stuff! 
Adds just a touch of color ( and boy do I need it!) so I can run around without make-up and look great!
Fresh, healthy, natural looking finish!
Great job by Origins!
Finally, my skin's daily drink, MAC Fix +!

 
There are so many uses for it!
I spray my face with it before, during and after makeup application.
It's a big cocktail of minerals & vitamins that smells fresh & keeps my skin hydrated!
Love it!

Hope everyone is staying healthy and happy!

January 2012 Favourites

These are cosmetic purchases I grabbed for a lot this month.

#1 La Mer treatment foundation

It is super lightweight and blends into skin flawlessly.
I can NOT feel that I am wear a foundation at all but it still gives medium coverage.
The best part...my reactive skin finds it soothing & calming!


#2 Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15

This is the best mineral make-up out there! The END!

#3 Origins VitaZing spf 15 Energy-boosting moisturizer

A moisturizer that actually moisturizes, protects (SPF), adds just a hint of healthy color, and it makes my skin look and feel dewy? SIGH ME UP!

#4 Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Brightener

What a pleasant surprise easily accessible at your friendly supermarket or a local drugstore! I use it under my foundation and I am loving it!

#5 MAC Snowglobe Beauty Powder

It's so lovely and extremely delicate!
It has been my "setting" powder used very lightly with a fan brush!

#6 Here's another drugstore shocker:

REVLON  ColorStay Eyeliner with SoftFlex in Blackberry 206

It glides on easily and it stays in place the entire day.
It's been my go-to tightline pencil.
The color is very unusual, a purple black that looks fantastic with my light brown eyes.

Finally, my nails have been thoroughly neglected this month, mainly because this cold weather is drying my hands out and my thumb nail is still healing from an injury. Boo!
I have a few very pretty brand new ZOYA polishes awaiting to be swatched.

Hope everyone is staying warm and cozy!

TOP 11 of 2011 (cosmetics edition)

The year is over and it'd been a fantastic one!
Here's a list of my top 11 of 2011!
One word of wisdom though before I indulge you.
If I learned anything this year it is that expensive doesn’t mean better!
You will see some very affordable options on the list.
Now, can I have a drum roll please?
("Drrr")

#1 Chanel Bronze Universel De Chanel Sun Illuminator
#2 Giorgio Armani Corrector 1 (HOLLY GRAIL)
#3 It Cosmetics bye bye under eye concealer
#4 It Cosmetics universal brow pencil
#5 Milani liquif'eye brown eye liner
#6 Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush in Honeymoon
#7 Wet n Wild eyeshadow trio Walking on Eggshells
#8 Revlon Grow Luscious Plumping mascara
#9 L'oreal Fairest Nude lipstick
#10 Bobbi Brown - Bronzing Powder in Light
#11 Fusion Beauty LipFusion XL Lip Plumping Therapy

Finally, here is a picture of the happy family:

2012 here we go! :-)