The It Crowd – Play by Sephora

     This months box had a few things I’ve wanted to try, one I never heard of and one I already own. The theme for this months box - ‘the it crowd’.

Milk Makeup Sunshine Oil

I’ve heard of the brand but have yet to try anything from them. I didn’t even know this product existed! The sunshine oil is a citrusy blend of eight moisturizing oils for hydrating the face, body and hair.

Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment

I am currently trying one product from this brand and so far so good. Needless to say I’m pretty excited to try this product. The product is a treatment that brightens and exfoliates your skin.

Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream

This eye cream is designed to hydrate and brighten your under eye. I am actually excited to try this as I debated to buy it.

NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien

If you’re part of Sephora’s VIB then your familiar with this brand and color. This exact lip pencil was Sephora’s birthday gift last year. If your not, it’s a very pigmented lip pencil that doesn’t last a very long time but is really cute on.

Sephora Collection Colorful Cheek Ink Blush Gel in Peony

Although I’m interested in trying this, the color doesn’t seem for me. It’s a ‘long-wearing gel stain’ that goes on ‘sheer’. -Sephora

Derek Lam 10 Crosby 2AM Kiss

Lastly a sample of Derek Lam’s new perfume line, It’s a ‘blend of salty woods and crystallized amber’-Sephora This fragrance is defiantly a winter scent.

-Melissa

Buttons

Buttons Torres

    This is the hardest thing to write but I owe it to my best friend. This pass weekend we had to put down my best friend, my baby, my baby B, my love, my buba, my buddy… my puppy. He wasn’t a puppy though; he was 10 ½, blue healer/Austrian Shepherd.  Losing someone you love can be hard and I’ve heard sometimes it’s harder to lose your pet. I believe it. I realize to some he was ‘just a dog’ but he wasn’t just a dog… he was family.

    My sister wanted a dog when she was in college. My parent’s told her she couldn’t until she came back from college (she went to school in another city). That November Buttons was born and he was her Christmas gift from her best friend. Everyone loved him and he was such a ‘badass’. He tore the speaker off the stereo and would bite the wall (it’s still not fixed). He was so hyper and loved to play, he was lovable.  My mom even threatened us that if he didn’t change we’d have to get rid of him. He was stolen once and I made reward posters. It was a miracle we got him back!  The lady said he was messing up her plants. Yeah, that was him as a pup. That’s when he became an inside dog. He knew the same commands in English and Spanish, thanks to my dad. Although ‘roll over’ for him was jump. He’d come and get me if he needed to go out, he would get me if he wanted a treat! He was so smart.

     As my dad got sicker (diabetes), he quit work and stayed home. It was Buttons and my dad for years until my mom finally retired. Wherever my dad went, there was Buttons. They were truly best friends. When my dad broke his leg, he got severely depressed because the doctors wanted to amputate it. In and out of rehabilitation clinics, I could tell my dad getting deeper in depression. Once we found out we could bring Buttons to these places (as long as he had his shots) we did. When we brought Buttons it was like life was brought back into my dad and Buttons! Buttons wasn’t the same without his ‘daddy’.

    I can go on and on about how this puppy changed our lives and changed mine. He was spoiled rotten. He had a toy every Christmas, birthday and major holiday. I made sure of it. Every time I’d buy his dog food, I’d try to find something for him. I’d buy the Wilson tennis balls for him because they lasted longer and the bounced better. I’d come home from a stressful day and he was there, wanting me to pet him. He would sit in front of me and lean on me for a hug and a pet. He’d wake me up whenever he felt like it to be petted even if it was 2 am. I could feel him stare at me when I was sleeping I know he needed something. He didn’t act like a dog. I know I did all I could for him. My sister and I were there from the beginning to his very last breath and even a bit after. I wouldn’t change the last 10-½ years for anything in this world. Although I’ve been crying for days and even as I write this post, I know he’s in a better place, which gives me some comfort.

Till we meet again Buddy. I love you Buttons.

In his chair

A few weeks ago.

-Melissa

The Spring Edit

   I am very late with this post, I know but its still spring. It works out! Right? Every spring it’s the same thing… sneezing, watery eyes, among other things. What changes for me is what I use. I am always on the hunt for the perfect sunscreen, though I know that’s unrealistic.

Supergoop! Setting Mist with Rosemary SPF 50

This is a setting mist that helps not only keeping your makeup in place but gives you that extra SPF.

Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen SPF 50

I took this with me on vacation and it worked. Yes, my face did get a little oily but it didn’t make my face break out. I can deal with a little oil; I can’t deal with pimples on vacation.

Make Up For Ever Step 1-Smoothing Primer

I have oily skin and this has been working great. I rave about Hourglass Veil Minerial Primer but this primer has kept my foundation on a little longer. New favorite? Maybe.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella

I love this pencil! You can make the color as dark as light as you want. It’s deeply pigmented. I’ve had it for a while and I am just now using it. I know, late to the party.

Ralph Lauren Romance

‘Velvety woods, extravagant florals and seductive musk’-Sephora.com

This is one of my favorite perfumes. It smells so light that it can be worn anytime.

What is your spring essential?

-Melissa

VIB Sephora Haul

     Like every body else, I participated in the twice a year VIB sale at Sephora. I debated for days what I wanted to get. I purchased items I was running out of like foundation (which I was running low on). I purchased items I love and a few I wanted to try. Here’s what I picked up:

• Boscia Make-Up BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil
• Joise Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil
• Sephora Solid Brush Cleaner
• Sephora Favorites ‘Beauty Sleep’
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
• NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
• Make Up For Ever Step 1- Smoothing Primer
• Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream
• First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
• Dior Diorskin Nude in #30 Medium Beige
• Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide in Honey

What did you pick up?

-Melissa

Moving On From a Heartache

     If your one of the lucky ones in life then you never had to experience heartache, I’m the lucky one who has/had. It can be difficult to move on when you give so much of yourself to/for this person. Though we hear ‘time heals all wounds’, it can be difficult for us to believe that even though it is true.

Create a super playlist

Go to iTunes and create a playlist of songs that will surely get you out your funk. Let me suggest: Katy Perry, Part of Me; The Band Perry, Done; Lily Allen, F**k You; and Kelly Clarkson, Stronger. Get my drift?

Surround your self with friends

Whether you tell your friends or not is one thing, but having someone to help you laugh/smile makes a difference. Talking to someone you trust may help you take things off your mind. I’m very bad at this I admit. I may not talk about my love life with my friends but I have a good group of friends that make me laugh everyday…they are the best!

Take a walk

Go outside! Get up early, grab the iPod/Phone and hit a trail. Get some fresh air and seize the day. Know that no matter what happens the sun will always come out. You may not want to leave the house but trust me; it’s good for you.

Know you’re awesome

One of the hardest things is to feel special again when someone brakes up with you. Know that you are special and will get through this. Keep reminding yourself ‘your beautiful’, ‘your amazing’, and you’ll be all right.

Take It As A Lesson

As one of my friends told me ‘consider it a lesson learned’. Although it may not feel like a lesson right now, it really is. Try not to take it personal, sometimes its not even you…it’s them. You never know what they are feeling or going through. Sure, you feel like you could have helped but everyone deals with things differently.

You’re Not Alone

Trust me you are not alone. There have been plenty of people before and after you who have experienced heartache. The thing is to keep moving, even if it hurts.

I am not saying any of this is easy to do but when you keep telling yourself you’ll ‘get through this’ you will. The more you tell yourself ‘you’ll be okay’, the more you’ll believe and feel it. Hang in there. I know I’ll be all right and so will you.

-Melissa