Month: August 2018

August Makeup Wishlist (Study Motivation)

August Makeup Wishlist (Study Motivation)

Posted on by Steph

It’s no secret that I love browsing the Sephora app in my spare time, and since it’s the beginning of a new semester I thought I will do a Makeup Wishlist to keep myself motivated.  And this one is very special since it’s the last semester of my Masters Degree, this 3 years went flying by, I still remember my first day, nervous and excited, now I am still excited but instead of nervous I am exhausted, so I need all the motivation I can get.

My makeup wishlist are things I will like to buy myself at the end of the semester as a reward for doing my best during the school months. Browsing in the Sephora app, the store, plus watching Youtube videos, this were the products that caught my eye.

Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Kilawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Girl Next Door / Chic Phreak

The last time I went to Sephora an employee tried this highlighter on me, and it look so pretty. Of course me being the highlighter addict that I am, I fell in love. It has been on the top of my wishlist since that day.  Plus it’s Fenty Beauty, and everyone is raving about it, I want to truly experience the brand myself.

Huda Beauty Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette in Coral 

This little and beautiful palette caught my eye when I was at the store.  To me it just screams Fall, and I love everything Fall, even though here in Puerto Rico is always Summer.  I love this colors, and I know this is a palette that I will use a lot.  And like Fenty Beauty, Huda Beauty is a brand that a lot of people rave about, and I want to give them a try too.

Stila Glitter On The Go Eye Shadow Set 

When the time comes for me to buy myself things from this list we are going to be in the Holiday Season, and when I saw this product in the app I immediately thought of all the fun looks I could create during the Holidays with it.  I had a vision of me with a beautiful sparkly eye makeup during the festivities, plus, I think that during that season, glitter is a necessity, am I the only one?

Too Faced Melted Matte-Tallic Liquified Metallic Matte Lipstic in Bitch, I am Too Faced

And what better way to finish a festive look than with a red lip? I have been thinking about doing the 12 Days of Red Lipstick this year again, so I have to start looking for new lipsticks. I haven’t actually seen the product, but in my mind it looks so good, red and metallic, yes please. Plus it’s Too Faced, and so long I haven’t had anything bad to say about this brand, so I am trusting them. If you have a favorite red lipstick, please be sure to tell me in the comments below.

Morphe X Jaclyn Hill The Master Collection

Ok, so not everything is from Sephora, (like in my last Makeup Wishlist), this one is from Morphe, and not just that, is a Morphe x Jaclyn Hill product, yes, again. It’s no secret I love Jaclyn Hill and everything I have bought from hers I love. I have been thinking about buying new brushes for a while now, and just recently Jaclyn and Morphe came out with this, and I took that as a sign. The kit comes with 24 brushes, plus that gorgeous sparkly case, and yes, I consider the price to be a bit extravagant, but I think I deserve a super nice Christmas present, so that it’s my plan.

What’s on your makeup wishlist? Are any of this products something you want to buy? Also, what things you do to motivate yourself to get tings acomplished? Let me know everything in the comments below.

Never stop dreaming,

♥ Steph

Dreaming of Wedding: Planning Update #2

Dreaming of Wedding: Planning Update #2

Posted on by Steph

Let me just start by saying that planning a wedding has been extremely exciting and a lot easier than I thought, maybe the hard part hasn’t come yet, but for now I will keep enjoying it.  In my first wedding planning update (that you can read here) we already had the venue, photographer, and band and I said I was going to be all hands on wedding stuff during the summer and that is exactly what we did.

The first task of the summer was finding a wedding coordinator.  Back on March, Future Hubby, one of my Maids of Honor (because I have two, you can read about it here) and I, went to the Caribbean Bridal Expo at the Pedro Rosello Convention Center, (you can read about my experience here), and we saw and talk to a lot of people, but since I talked to Sofia Christina, of Bloom Events, on the first day I felt a connection, I knew she was the one.  We met with other 2 coordinators before meeting officially with Sofia, and Future Hubby and I just felt she was a better fit for us.  Even before meeting her and signing a contract, she was willing to help and to answer my doubts about the process and anything wedding related.  She has been very helpful, organized, and has stay on top of everything.  I am very pleased, we are still almost a year away from the wedding, and she has made us feel like a priority and that she is committed on making our wedding to be wonderful. She also has a blog with cute posts and helpful tips, go check it out here.

The other things we wanted to booked this summer were decor and the cake.  With the cake happened the same as with the coordinator, we also met the person at the Expo, then I started following her on Facebook, and I was obsessed, she makes beautiful cakes.  Before officially meeting, we had already talked on Facebook, she was great and then we tasted some of the flavors before we decided to go with here, although I was pretty sure it was going to be her. When we met her, she patiently heard our ideas and what we wanted, and told us what she could do to create a beautiful piece for us.  We have tasted a lot of flavors that she offers, the only problem now is choosing the flavors we want. She also has started her own design and decoration business, and after consulting with other 2 decorators we decided to go with her too and I am beyond happy with my choice.

What is left for us to do is to find invitations, the person that will marry us, my dress and the person that will do my hair and makeup.  Definitely we still have some important things left to do, and in my opinion the more fun and exciting of all.  The best of all is that we still have time.

If there is something I want you to learn from my wedding updates posts, if you are getting married, is to visit weddings expos, exhibitions and fairs, were you will be able to see and talk to different suppliers, plus take some ideas for what you will want for your wedding.  As you have read,  I have found all my suppliers from the Expo, it was a great experience and totally worth it.

I will love to know what is your favorite part of a wedding and also, what is something you think is essential in a wedding.  And most important, if you have any advise for wedding planning feel free to share it with me in the comments below.

Never stop dreaming,

♥ Steph

S.O.S.- Study Over Sleep: Setting Goals

S.O.S.- Study Over Sleep: Setting Goals

Posted on by Steph

 
It’s back to school season, and for students like me, this can be a big deal. Since classes have already started or are about to start for others, I wanted to share a tip to stay motivated and focused during the new school year and that is setting goals. I thought it will be easy to divide them in categories, to make them simple and to keep a better track of them. The important thing here is to make them realistic, doable and to not put to much pressure on yourself, just enough to bring out the best of you. 

     1. Long term
 

This one is the end result. It can be something you want to accomplish or have accomplished at the end of the semester or school year. Be specific and also write why you want to accomplish it.

     2. Short term 

This will be a goal that will help you accomplish your long term one or at least keep you on the right track or mind set to get to the end result you want. Again, be specific and write how doing it will help you.

     3. Right now 

This will be something you have to do often. Think of what you need to do constantly that will help you accomplish or remind you of your short and long term goals.
There has to be a short term and a right now goal for every long term goal you want to accomplish. They will be the map, or steps, you will have to follow to get to where you want to be.
To give you an idea I will share one of mines.
  1. Long term – Pass the comprehensive exam: Necessary to graduate from my Masters Degree and if I don’t pass it, it will set me back on other things I want to accomplish, like taking the exam for my professional license.
  2. Short term – Make a review of all the classes: It will help me to be organized and have everything I need to study.
  3. Right now – Study at least 4 times a week for 1 to 2 hours (break times not included).
Be sure to also plan a reward for accomplishing your goals, it can be anything from giving yourself free time, binge on Netflix for a day or buy your self something you really want. Be creative and make it fun.
My reward: finishing my masters in December and having a celebratory getaway weekend.
Another important tip, choose someone to share your goals with, someone responsible, who will make you accountable for them and who will be willing to give you a bit of motivation if you start lacking. Also, have your goals written out somewhere visible, this way you won’t forget them and you will keep them fresh in your mind.
If you are a student right know, what are you most looking forward to in this new school year? If not, what would you have done differently when you were studying? Leave me your comment bellow, I will love to know.
Never stop dreaming,
♥ Steph
My Summer Makeup Routine

My Summer Makeup Routine

Posted on by Steph

At the middle of the semester I stopped doing my makeup, because I wanted to sleep a little bit more, and meditate in the mornings and that’s what I sacrificed (you can read more about it here).  Now that it’s summer and I have the energy, the time and want to do my makeup, the summer heat hasn’t really let me. My solution, I have simplified my routine to accommodate my sweaty face (I know, gross, sorry) and still feel that I did my makeup.

This heat has been so horrible that as soon as I turned the shower off I start sweating, and of course living in a sauna (because that is how my apartment feels), doesn’t help.  I noticed that even without finishing my makeup, it already looked bad and gross, specially my upper lip and forehead.  As a result, now I avoid those areas, and foundation. I’ll say is a good happy medium between no makeup and a full face of makeup.

My lifesaver has been my concealer.  I apply it under my eyes, a little bit on my chin and the center of my forehead and nose and then I set it with powder.

After the concealer the most important product is bronzer. Since my face is naturally lighter than my body I have to apply color and warmth to not look like my face doesn’t belong in my body. Eyes and lips vary depending on my mood, but usually eyes are neutral and lips are a vivid color.
Products I used:

Face:
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer in Medium
Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder in 25 Medium

Cheeks:
Nars Bronzer in Casino
Becca Gradient Sunlit Bronzer in Sunrise Waves
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Rose Quartz

Eyes:
Soap & Glory The Perfect Ten Eye Shadow Palette
Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara in Blackest Black
It Cosmetics Brow Power in Universal Taupe

Lips:
N°7 Stay Perfect  in Pomegranate 205

What do you think of my summer hack? How are you handling the summer heat? Have you done any adjustments to your makeup routine in this hotter months? Be sure to let me know in the comments below.
Never stop dreaming,
♥ Steph
My Summer 2018 Favorites

My Summer 2018 Favorites

Posted on by Steph

I have always love summer, even though my favorite season is fall. I love the sunny days, the beach, the pools, the vacations, the bbqs and the family days. This year I have been enjoying the free time, the less worries and anything that will help me cool off in the horrible sauna that is my apartment. I decided to share with you my summer 2018 favorites.

Netflix

Summer means having more free time and believe me when I say I have been taking advantage of it. I finished The Vampire Diaries, which I was really behind with, and cried long and hard with the ending. After crying so much with those vampires I was ready for something light and uplifting, so I follow the recommendations of María Elena and Silvia from the podcast Un aguacate a la vez (that I talk about here) and started watching Queer Eye, and I love it! If you don’t know what it is, is a series about 5 gay guys where in each episode they give a makeover to someone, and I love that they take everything into consideration, fashion, grooming, nutrition, living space and culture. I love their personalities, they are all different with different stories, and you will surely identify with at least one of them. There are only two seasons, and I encourage you to watch it, it’s really good.

Fresh Fruits

The best to deal with the horrible heat at my apartment has been eating fresh cold fruits. They are refreshing, they taste good, plus they are a healthy option. Right know my favorites have been pineapple and cherries, but I also like strawberries, green grapes and plums. Another way to cool down with fruits is to do smoothies. I prefer using frozen fruits like mixed berries, I add a little bit of water, the juice of a lemon and a little bit of brown sugar, and you have a smoothie. With the smoothie you can even do popsicles that are perfect for a frozen treat.

Relaxing Weekends

Being able to sleep until I want to during the weekends, and enjoy my mornings in bed has been priceless. Not having to work on Saturdays and not worrying about school stuff has been the best, definitely my favorite of favorites. Just for this reason I don’t want the summer to end.

Sheet Masks

I’m in with everything refreshing and cooling, and sheet mask are a great way to cool off while taking care of your skin. I find applying a sheet mask before going to sleep very relaxing. I program an alarm for 20-30 minutes and I go to bed. I will usually read, but it always ends with me falling a sleep, so when the alarm goes off I take off the mask, I apply my night moisturizers and creams as fast as I can and continue sleeping feeling hydrated and refreshed.

Becca Bronzer

I bought this product (along with others that you can see here) as my end of semester gift for myself. This product has been my most worn this summer, paired with my Nars Casino Bronzer and on its own. I love grabbing for it when I am in a hurry. I apply the darker shades as my bronzer/blush and the lighter shade as my highlighter. That, plus a little bit of mascara and a lipstick and I am ready to go. It gives a very natural bronze look that I find perfect for the summer, but that of course will use all year round.

I will love to know what has been your summer favorites and your favorite ways to cool off during this hot weather. Leave your comments below.

Never stop dreaming,

♥ Steph