Update: Finish What You Started Make Up Project 2011

So another day....another product finally being finished!!! Woot Woot...no lies I'm getting pretty excited about finishing off the various products from my own personal collection.

This time it is a face product...Finished up my drugstore foundation...Rimmel London Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation in 202 nude. I purchased the foundation earlier in the tail end of fall when I was a bit darker. Thus using this foundation during the winter has been interesting to say the least...on the more cloudy days it wasn't as nearly noticiable that it was too dark.

I also lightened it a bit up by using one of the lightest pressed powders I had to help set the foundation ( IE Wet N Wild Natural Blend in ). It worked pretty good, minus the fact that when the sun actually made it's way through the many clouds...it was pretty obvious that the foundation was the wrong color. ha ha

I did notice that I had to rotate this foundation alot more as well...considering it has a built in Face Primer..which I noticed that after using it for about a good 2 weeks (everyday) I started to have a mini break out in the areas that I am self conscious of (ie chin...neck...and upper lip). But it proves that I wasn't pay attention to what I'm putting on my face..BAD Lorena...very BAD!

Overall, I did enjoy the foundation...it gave full coverage that lasted from the time that I applied it to my face til I washed it off and went to bed. Minus the fact that it has a built in Face Primer to it (so those who are more acne prone skin...be careful when wearing it).

According to the Rimmel Website the Lasting Finish 25 Hr Foundation is described as "Immaculate appearance up to 25 hours, no smudging, light feel pleasant, invigorating and moisturizing, revitalizing mineral complex."

I am switching over to a different drug store make up foundation in hopes to not only try out a new brand...but also allow my skin a little breather. With the nicer weather here in Europe..I am wanting to allow my skin to get some sun. But also to get away from having to wear a full coverage foundation.

Now don't get me wrong, I love me my full coverage foundations for evening or if I'm going to have a long day and I don't want to have to mess with that if I don't need to!

So this foundation was what I picked up just shortly before Lent (as I'm not suppose to purchase any make up during Lent...since I gave up shopping). Though after some thinking, more than likely I will keep this thinking going on (giving the exception to foundations...as I know with the summer I will more than likely be going through different colors).

With all the revamping done to Wet N Wild eyeshadows, I thought it would be appropriate to try out their foundation (to see if they had any hits with those products). I picked up the Ultimate Match SPF 15 Foundation in Nude (which currently matches my skintone).

**I originally started writing this blog post when I first purchased this product. I have been using it now for about a month..so I will do a follow up posting soon of my overall thoughts**

According to the Wet N Wild Website the Ultimate Match SPF 15 Foundation is described as "Glides on weightlessly for sheer-to-medium coverage that’s never heavy, chalky, or dull. Evens out flaws with a silky, semi-matte finish that let’s your skin’s natural luminescence shine through. Contains SPF 15 for the ultimate in anti-aging treatment."

But yes, I'm realizing more and more that I do go through my drug store brand foundations about every other month...so I am looking forward to seeing which brand I try out next. Does any one have any recommendations to try?

Imitation form of Flattery? Or Just Coincident?

I know this is a random blog posting..however it does have pictures of a make up look in it!!!! YaY!

But I did notice something earlier today when I was catching up on my subscriptions in my YouTube box...and that was someone else just recently sported the Lady Gaga make up look that I had personally done earlier in the week.

Yes, I know everyone has done their own rendition of a Lady Gaga look...however I just found it very interesting that the person who sported it (doesn't normally do such dramatic looks...let alone wear them out in public). Literally had uploaded a video the day after I had posted a video with the exact look.

Mind you the look was altered slightly from mine to the other person...and really I had followed the idea from watching another fellow YouTube guru (NikkieTutorials...the wonderful Dutch beauty). I followed my look more to NikkiTutorials Gaga Inspired look..using similar shape and semi similar colors (including using the Lady Gaga Viva Glam 2 lipstick). While the person in question didn't quite finish the look and used different colors as well...though I dunno.

My Lady Gaga Inspired Look Sported on Thursday, March 10th

I know the idea isn't my own...it's not even original as really the original artist is Lady Gaga's Make Up Artist...and Lady Gaga was the first person to originally rock the look. So really we all are copying her...but it still just seems odd to me.

I mean perhaps the look was so eye catching that the other person decided to try it out themself...it just I dunno. Nothing against the other person too much...I just didn't know if it was me who inspired the person....or merely coincidence that we both did the same thing within the same week.

Better look at the face

Better look at the Eyes

I guess it goes back to if you look through YouTube videos...of gurus that come out with similar to identical looks about the same time frame...who really came up with the idea first. Check out any video where there is one guru's ubber loyal subscribers commenting that oh this look was done by such and such already. I did actually have someone do that to me when I first started doing videos (it was on one of my Glamour Doll Eye tutorials...that happened to land featured video on the site back last year).

I know it's silly to get hung up on something really could be coincidence...I know that imitation is a form of flattery...and that someone is always copying someone else (in one way or another). But I guess..it just irks me a bit. I don't want to say...I tried it first...but part of me is thinking it.

Whatever....just a random rant!

Update: Finish What You Started Make Up Project 2011

So another two products done in my arsenal of beauty products...however I do already have new items to change out to since these two are done.

The first being my Clean & Clear Blackhead Eraser Facial Scrub and the second being a travel size perfume of Paris Hilton's Can Can.

I have talked about my Clean & Clear Blackhead eraser scrub in my February Favorites video as it has been my GO TO facial cleanser for about 6 months. It just worked out to where I was using this after trying out the Proactive Line for my Acne Prone skin.

This product had a total of 5 ozs of product and I used it religiously once to at times twice a day with my facial scrubbie from Mayra's Cosmetics. I know, I know you aren't suppose to use a scrub everyday...but I do and I have had no major issues to my skin. Other than it staying for the most part pretty clean (with the occasional time of the month break out..I blame that on my choice of eating sweets before and then being lazy the first two days of it that I usually don't wash in the evenings before going to bed).

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The website states "CLEAN & CLEAR® BLACKHEAD EARSER™ Scrub has unique exfoliating multi-action beads that work to gently remove the trapped dirt, oil, and dead skin that can clog pores and lead to breakouts. Three sizes of multi-action beads allow surface exfoliation and a deep down clean. Salicylic Acid, an acne fighting medicine, clears blackheads and helps prevent new ones from forming."

Overall, I do agree with the statement, I do notice that the beads in the facial scrub...which is a good and bad thing (as they do like to get caught in my facial scrubbie pad). However it is a small price to pay for the nice, fresh, clean looking skin that I have been having for the past 4 to 5 months I have been using it. Plus the fact that it is a drug store product, thus it is easily found and semi affordable makes this scrub a nice addition to my daily facial routine.

What I'm planning to switch to

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I plan on trying out a product that I received in a swap from last year..this one is the Clean & Clear Deep Action Cream Cleanser...this has only 1 oz of product so I think it won't last me nearly as long as the other. However with the 1 oz size it gives me enough product to get a good sense of what it can do...yay for trial sizes!

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The website states, "Deep Action Cream Cleanser removes dirt, oil and make-up deep down to the pores as you wash. Its oil-free formula won’t clog your pores and a special cooling ingredient leaves your skin feeling refreshed and clean."

I am going to be using this product tomorrow, so I will have to update in a few days of what I think of it overall. I'm hoping that the change from one facial cleanser to another wont cause a huge difference in my skin. But only time will be able to tell!

The other product that I finally finished up is one of my favorite perfumes...and I do already have a replacement of that particular scent already. However I wanted to use up the smaller bottle so that I could try and use a different perfume (as I carry this size in my make up bag...and once I throw a perfume in there...I normally don't take it out).

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Paris Hilton's Can Can is definitely in my top 5 favorite perfumes...coming up at a top 3 position!!! I think sweet scents always smell pretty good on me (at least that is the consensus from others as I always get a comment when I wear this one...or freshen up with it).

The perfume is described as "Can Can opens with the vibrant notes of clementine flowers, blended with cassis and nectarine. The ‘naughty but nice’ floral heart blends orchid and orange blossom. The dry down brings harmony, with soft musk, amber, and woods.

Top note: Clementine, Flowers, Cassis, Nectarine

Middle note: Orchid, Orange Blossom
Base note: Soft Musk, Wood, Amber

Bottle: The sheer bottle is adorned with a pink feather. The bottle is encased in a white box embossed with feathers as a background pattern."

I will be sad not to have this in my make up bag but I do have another lovely Paris Hilton perfume to use instead.

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These two perfumes came in a set of various Paris Hilton perfumes that I got sometime last year...a bit after her Siren perfume came out...as I wanted to really try it...and seeing as I really liked several of her other scents. I figured money spent on getting a little set was well worth it.

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I will be now using Paris Hilton's Paris Hilton perfume, one of her first perfumes launched when she started her line back in 2005.

The perfume is described as "At first scent, an ethereal halo of delicious Apple and juicy Peach. A luminous floral bouquet evolves with Mimosa, sheer Freesia and Jasmine petals. Warming down to a creamy texture of Sandalwood and Oakmoss laced with feminine Ylang-Ylang and a touch of sensual Phermones.

• Top Notes Frozen Apple, Peach Nectar, Wet Ozone, Muguet
• Middle Notes Freesia, Mimosa, Jasmine, Tuberose
• Base Notes Skin musk, Sandalwood, Ylang-ylang, Oakmoss, Pheromone"

I have used this perfume before..though I do not need to nearly refresh with it as much as I did with the Can Can. I guess I will have to see if anyone notices the difference in my new go to scent...as well as if I will get as many compliments using it. As we all know...perfumes smell good on different people skin...and as sweet scents smell good on me (ie Can Can) something a little more floral (ie Paris Hilton) might be a bit different!

Sorry for the long winded update..but I figure it's good to get everything out about a particular product and why I like it. Perhaps it will help someone else formulate an opinion or interest!!!

XOXO

About that time again: March Giveaway

So with the ending of basketball season, my countdown for my yearly trip to the states is in full force.

As is my trying to catch up on blog posts, videos and emails. It's crazy how easily one can get so busy with one thing..that everything else seems to slide on by!

Thus, I knew it was time to get another Giveaway started on my YouTube channel...as I wont be doing any in the time frame that I am visiting the states. Which will be from the late middle of April til early June...I know I'm so excited!

Plus I just recently posted my EPIC haul video where I show a ton of different products I have purchased in the past few months (and I gave up buying make up as my lent sacrifice..and I know that doesn't seem like much...but for someone who likes to buy at least one thing a month of make up...it will be a bit tough).

But one of the most important purchases that I to an extent purposely left out of the haul was my Lorena Shadow Tower from Glamour Doll Eyes!

If you watch my YouTube videos, you know that I ADORE Glamour Doll Eyes...that Vee is one of my favorite people and that well I have a very large and extensive collection of GDE's. But as luck would have it I never actually owned my OWN Shadow Tower..don't know how I did that. But with my order of Glamour Doll Eyes products (when she released a bunch of new colors) I ordered a Tower...originally for my subscribers..

But Vee is awesome and amazing and sent a second tower, so that I could actually keep one for myself...thinking about it now I said it totally different on the video below...but whatever works! Vee no matter what rocks because she is totally hooking me and my subbies up!!

So without futher adue...let me get the rules of my giveaway on here with the video!!!

Rules for Giveaway

• Must be a Subscriber to my YouTube Channel
• Must be 18 and up, or have parent permission
• One Comment ENTRY ALLOWED...comment must state the following:

"My favorite Glamour Doll Eyes Shadows are...(insert your favorite)"

You can have up to 4 shadows listed as your favorites

If you have never used or ordered Glamour Doll Eyes Products before go to the website and tell me what colors you want to try out!

This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY

Dates Giveaway runs from:

Thursday, March 10, 2011 til March 20, 2011 (sunday) 5 am PST, 8 am EST, 2 pm Germany

I hope everyone is excited for the giveaway..I love Glamour Doll Eye Products and I love hooking my subbies up! So two for one deal is even better!!!

GOOD LUCK to all that enter...the winner will be announced on Sunday, March 20th!!

First Swap of 2011

So I did a video on this Swap earlier last month, but never posted it here on my blog. And considering people take the time, effort and energy to go shopping for items for me for the swap...the least I could do is talk about the items I received.

As luck would have it the first swap for 2011 for me was actually with the first person I ever did a swap with, Miss Jackie AKA theQueenofHearst214...I always call her the Queen of My heart!

She did totally hook me up the first time we did a swap last year and did so again this year as well! So I know I said it in my video but I do want to stress the point that Jackie is awesome and a great friend. And I thank her from the bottom of my heart for my awesome goodies!!!

The biggest surprise in the box was the awesome cigar box...that apparently she saw while out and automatically thought about me. And I totally love it!

It's funny one of my friends here from base saw this box recently over in my make up section and she started telling me exactly how this picture differed from the original pose (as apparently it is one of her favorites).

Another huge shock, suprise and delight to have in my swap box was some Jesse's Girl Shadows!!! I have never owned any...so it was nice to add them to my collection..since I have watched a few YouTube videos featuring these products!

It's funny that she ended up sending me these particilar colors as I sent some pretty similar from TKB (a mineral company up in the bay area...its where many people who make their own shadows get their products from).

Some other random and fun goodies she threw in my box were the following:

Matching make up bags (big and small)

Nail Jewel Wheel (though thats alot of work to use them)

Nail Design stickers (which I might use next week)

Scented Rose Petals (can be put in bath or used as decoration)

2 mini Lip glosses/balms

And finally Jackie knows I lover accessories so she made sure to totally get me some diverse choices!

Matching necklace and earrings from Claire's (Gothic themed)

Funky matching earrings and necklace (black jeweled)

Awesome flower clip for my hair or a brooch

Cute stud star earrings

Overall, I'm very lucky to have such a good friend to hook me up and help a girl out. Alot of products are either more expensive here to purchase since we have to pay in Euro or we have the particular products/brands available!

*Side Note*

I do plan on doing maybe one swap a month or every other swap...pending on my budget and if anyone is wanting to. I know with the huge push in crackle nail polishes and people being interested in trying out European make up products...I will be more than happy to swap. Just let me know!!!

End of Basketball Season

I can finally say that basketball season is over!

After a long three months, I had my last van ride down to the other bigger base by my own this past weekend!

Watched my girls play together as a team for the very last time...even ended up taking home a mini trophy as we placed 4th of 8 teams in our final tournament.

Our overall season record wasn't the greatest, but I did see improvements from each and every player on the team. We were 1 win and 8 losses..and at least two of the games that we lost was pretty close...came down to the last quarter of when we lost :(

Overall, I have enjoyed coaching...though I do not think I will be coaching next year for the Youth Program on base. I don't think the program is organized enough...perhaps if things were run differently (especially the communication of emails and returning phone calls from the director of the program...but that is a rant that I so shouldn't go into...at least publicly written on the internet!).

I am including a few pictures from our End of the Season Family Potluck

I might possibly try my hand at being a basketball referee for the Program..as the refs weren't really that good (at least at our base...they let alot slide). But really from coaching it has really interested me in playing the sport myself...I had found out when I first started coaching that our military base had a women's team. However due to the scheduling of my girls team practices and games would've conflicted and made it impossible. So I guess time will only tell in regards to what I do decide to do.

One of my girls parents even suggested I look into coaching at the high school next year...now we will have to see on that as well. Because high school

Now, there were a few things that kinda unnerved me with the end of the season in particular that I wanted to share because I felt it needs to be said...as this is my blog and I can do it!

First, I had an issue with my Assistant Coach kinda bailing on me and the girls the last week of the team playing. Not only did she not show up for either practices that week, nor showed up for the final game! Which I understand to an extent but there were some smaller things that could be taken care of by a husband or...bowing out of a bowling league game (just once).

The second is the fact that I originally started off with 10 girls on the team in December. By the first week of February I was down to 9 girls, because one girls parents decided they should pull her due to behavior problems. Thus she was done...and then the last week of the season, two of my more seasoned girls didn't show up to practices...showed up for a game (which they both played really rusty) and then didn't go to the last game of the official season.

Honestly, that is just rude and doesn't really make sense to me at all. Again, I can't do or say anything about it because it's not my place. But as a coach I'm disappointed in the fact they left their teammates hanging...and as someone who volunteers my time, effort and energy every week and weekend for three months...the least I can expect is for a girl to do the same as well.

**However both of these players parents had an EXCUSE of why their daughter can not play...which makes me think that they are okay with allowing their child to punk out. Again, something I just dont get...parents complain about their children not being focused or quitting on something before it's done. But if they are allowing their kids to not finish something...then what type of lesson are they really trying to teach? **

Thus, we played our tournament with 7 players...which for only having 7 players I feel we did very good. Two players sat on the bench at one time...which was a post player and a guard.

Our last game of the tournament, I decided to dress up a bit..since one of the girls asked me why I never wore suits to the games (as some male coaches did the game prior to the last one we played in the tournament). So, I busted out one of my many black pant suits (that I use to rock when I worked at Victoria Secret).

I'm happy to have spent three months of my time working with these girls to help their grow in their skills and possible love of the sport. I only hope the best for them, I know alot of them will be continuing on with a different sport through the Youth Program (I know alot of them used the basketball season to get in shape for softball. And with all the running I made them do..I'm pretty sure they will do just fine)!

I won't lie it will be nice to have the weekends back to myself...though..tonight is Monday night..and it's kinda weird to be home with so much time on my hands...normally the girls had practice!

XOXO