Product Review: Wet & Wild Color Icon Palettes (Swatches and some MAC Dupes!)

Who doesn't love a convenient, inexpensive and pretty accessible makeup product? Even on those days where we may not wear foundation or lashes (hello, I never wear these!) it is almost always a staple to have some eyeshadow in a look that will make you feel fabulous. I saw these as I was food shopping at my local Shop Rite with the mister and at under $5, I had to give them a whirl. Here are some swatches and my thoughts on them:

Wet & Wild Comfort Zone Eyeshadow Palette

Top Photo is the palette's left side, Bottom Photo is the palette's right side

Wet & Wild Petal Pusher Eyeshadow Palette

Top Photo is the palette's left side, Bottom Photo is the palette's right side

Overall Thoughts:

• I love the price point of these--you are getting 8 shadows for under $5, how can you beat that?!
• These shadows are pretty pigmented with the exception of the "browbone" colors that I would say came off a bit chalky and hard to work with at first but other than that the colors are really great!
• I love how convenient these are--according to the labeling, you should be able to get two complete eye looks out of these--perfect for traveling! (I tried a look using the entire left side of the Comfort Zone palette as labeled and I got so many compliments!)
• There are shadows included that are direct dupes for some of MAC's higher end line of shadows which retail for around $15.00 EACH! 

MAC DUPES:

 

Left is MAC's Black Tied, Right is Wet & Wild Petal Pusher Palette (no color name is listed)

Left is MAC's Trax, Right is Wet & Wild's Petal Pusher Palette

Overall, for price and variety of colors with a pretty good pigmentation, I would definitely recommend these. I can't wait to get my hands on some of the other palette's :) If you have these what are your thoughts? For more info on these and other Wet & Wild Products, click here!

Petal Pushers and Comfort Zones,

xox

Steak au Poivre Recipe (Photos Included!)

Truth be told, if you aren't a meat lover, you probably won't be able to understand the intense "deliciousness" of a great cut of steak. I tried the whole vegetarian thing for a little while in high school and here I am blogging about a steak recipe, so you see where that left me lol There is nothing I love more, when it comes to food that is, than a juicy steak. Who doesn't love Filet Mignon?! 

The boyfriend decided that he wanted to try something new one night so we decided to whip up some peppercorn Filet Mignon otherwise known as Steak au Poivre.  Now, you can use this recipe with any cut of steak but I prefer the tenderness of a tenderloin like here. (using the word "tender" twice so close in that sentence made me feel a bit awk....moving on...)

Here is the delicious recipe!

What you will need:

• 2 steaks (this is supposing it is just you and a special guest--for more people just double etc.) It is great to get a cut that is around 1-1.5 inches thick at the most but no less.
• Salt
• 1-1.5 tbsp. freshly ground peppercorns (the peppercorn container in stores usually comes with a grinder attached)
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 1/3 cup of any cognac of your choice with an extra tablespoon reserved (we used Hennessy)
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• A pan that is NOT non-stick---you will see why later

Directions:

1. You want to work with room temperature steaks for a recipe like this so once they are at room temperature (you can achieve this by setting them outside of the refrigerator covered for about 45 minutes before you are going to begin the recipe), sprinkle them with salt on both sides (this brings out all of the yummy flavors and helps prep them for what is going to happen later!)
2. Crush or grind your peppercorns (if you aren't lucky enough to have a grinder, place them in a good old plastic Ziploc and crush them with a kitchen mallet or something of that sort) and spread them onto a plate. Then, as seen in the very first photo above, cover both sides of the steaks by GENTLY pressing them into the peppercorn mixture. 
3. In a medium heated skillet, melt the olive oil and butter together. Once they are golden in color, and sizzling with delight, place your steaks into the pan. 
4. Depending on how you like your steaks cooked, you can either cook them for 4 minutes on each side (medium rare) or add two minutes to each side for medium and so on and so forth. I did mine for about 7-8 minutes on each side--I don't like my meat too too red. 
5. This next part is KEY!!!!! Remove the steaks and set aside under foil to keep them warm. DRAIN THE EXCESS FAT FROM THE PAN WITHOUT SCRAPING THE GOODNESS THAT HAS BURNT ON THE BOTTOM! (this is why we DID NOT want to use a non-stick pan). 
6. WARNING: FIRE INCLUDED IN THIS STEP! Once the pan is removed from the heat, I set mine on a trivet on the kitchen table, pour in your cognac (minus the reserved tablespoon). Now carefully ignite the contents in the pan with a long lighter or a long match. It will shock you at first (I had my boyfriend do this part because I was scared but honestly it wasn't even that serious haha) Swish the pan with the flame going lightly until the flame dies down--and no worries it will!
7. Bring your pan back to medium heat and add the heavy cream. Bring this to a boil for 5 minutes or so until it thickens. Make sure to consistently whisk the contents to make sure everything is mixing well together. 
8. Once it is thickened to your liking, taste it, if it needs it, add more salt and or the extra reserved cognac :) 
9. Add the steaks back to the pan and pour some of the delicious cognac heavy cream mixture over them and serve!

Photos of my Steak au Poivre rendezvous in the Kitchen

I hope you are able to enjoy this delicious steak recipe soon---writing this up made me want it again!

Steak and Peppercorn Goodness,

xox

A Very Peplum Weekend: OOTD's, IMATS & Birthday Parties!

La Caverna NYC

This past weekend was such a whirlwind for me. I did so many exciting things!

Friday: After work I shot home to get ready for my best friends birthday celebration in the city. She chose a really interesting fun venue that literally made you feel like you were in a cave, enjoying a drink, with a hookah and a DJ hahah It was unlike any other place I have ever been and I truly had a blast. Not only were the walls and ceilings made to resemble crystallized rock formations that you would actually find in a cave, but the place was underground therefore giving it a really cozy feel.

My best friend, the birthday girl and I :)

You guys didn't think I would have a photo with my boyfriend with his eyes fully open did you? lol ughhh!!

Here is my OOTD for the Birthday Celebration:

 

• Shoes: Nine West
• Leather Panel Leggings: Zara
• White cap sleeve peplum top: Forever 21
• Blazer: H&M
• Purse: Juicy Couture

Saturday: After getting home rather late from the night out in the city, I woke up at 7am to prep for IMATS NYC! I had been looking forward to this day since last years IMATS. I love getting to see everyone and buying all the goodies :) I had such an amazing time there. I actually didn't buy much, two things for a future giveaway and a set of makeup brushes and some nail polish. I was going to vlog but couldn't get accustomed to talking to a camera in public haha maybe one day soon I'll suck it up and do it ;)

IMATS OOTD and Photos:

• F21 Necklace
• Express Red Peplum Shirt
• Express Black blazer
• MK Rosegold watch
• Express leggings (visible in other photos)
• Not pictured are my shoes: Tory Burch Reva Flats in Black
• Purse: Juicy Couture

@emilynoel83!

@makeupbydenise and myself :)

I had to leave IMATS early to do some car shopping--if only dealerships were open on Sundays! Anywho, it all paid off because I bought a new car! 2013 Black Nissan Altima SL, she is a beauty for sure---still trying to come up with the perfect name for her---yes I am one of those haha Any suggestions?

Did any of you go to IMATS NYC? If so how did you like it and what did you get?!

A very peplum weekend,

xox

LIEBSTER Blogger Award!

"The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. It's a great way for new and undiscovered bloggers to meet new people, get more followers and find new blogs that they want to follow"

I was nominated for the Liebster Award guys!! Nika over at Nika's Beauty Land  nominated me and I adore her blog so I was thrilled :) Head over to see her blog for some fun beauty posts :)

The Rules

• List 11 facts about yourself

• Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you

• Ask 11 new questions for the bloggers you nominate

• Choose 11 new bloggers with less than 200 followers to nominate

• Let everyone know they've been picked

11 Random Facts About Me: 

1. I love koala bears and would seriously own one as a pet if I could :)
2. After becoming a psychology major I psychoanalyze everyone I meet without realizing it.
3. I speak baby language to my dog---she loves it what can I say?? haha Yes, I'm one of those!
4. I like decorating outdoors--particularly planting flowers in the Spring
5. I am super excited to be attending the 3rd Annual NYC IMATS this weekend :)
6. My makeup collection isn't that big, I tend to feel bad for buying more than 1 or 2 things per category (ex: concealer etc) unless I am trying out something for a product review here on my blog. 
7. I have many nice things but I am super budget oriented...probably why I have the nice things I do, I am able to splurge sometimes from the things I have saved on! haha 
8. I have only dyed my hair once--don't know that I would do it again, never say never though ;)
9. I went to an all girls high school and only had 34 people in my graduating class...'05 woohoo! 
10. My boyfriend went to an all boys school, we didn't meet until college though and before attending the college we met at, we were contemplating attending another college..the same one! You could say we are meant to be :) <3
11. Blogging is my guilty pleasure..that and reality tv :)

Nika's Questions For Me: 

1. Who was the first person you told about writing a blog?

• My boyfriend was the first person I told, he was bound to find out because I spent so much time perfecting my very first post..perfectionist right here lol

2. In what you are interested beside beauty?

• I love writing and helping others..I am said to be a very good advice giver :) I also love to cook---if you are familiar with my blog you know I post many recipes. I also love photography and outdoor activities..oh and let's not forget traveling!

3. If you could buy just one brand of makeup for the resr of your life, which would it be?

• I have had great luck with L'Oreal products so I would probably choose them for the drugstore and outside of the drugstore I would choose Urban Decay! 

4. How much time you dedicate to your blog, per week?

• 3-4 hours a week 

5. Who is your favourite beauty blogger, why?

• I really like reading everyone's posts, it is hard to choose a favorite but if I absolutely had to it would probably be Kandee Johnson. After meeting her, she and her writing is hard not to love!

6. What is your dream job?

• My dream job would be traveling the world with my husband and children exposing ourselves to all of the unique cultures of this world. I would travel for a month or two at each "site" and volunteer my skills and give tons of love and hopefully hope to those in need. I would love my children to grow in this type of environment and befriend children of all shapes and sizes while becoming little philanthropists at the same time :) What a rewarding experience?! This isn't really a job because I would love it so much it would be hard to consider it work!

7. Share one beauty trick, the best one.

• Drink tons of water and moisturize before bed. I live by those two rules--that and change your bed sheets weekly, this really helps maintain clear healthy looking skin, simple but very worthwhile!
  

8. What advice would you give for beginners on blogger?

• I've been asked this before and I always say the same thing, write about what you love--whatever that may be. Write like you are speaking to friends, that is when you are most honest!

9. Do you wear any makeup when you are home?

• I rarely wear makeup during the week unless it's date night or another special occasion. I like to let my face "breathe" during the week. 

10. How do you apply make up (with brushes, fingers)?

• Depends, some things apply better with fingers and some better with brushes :)

11. Which person is most special in your life?

•  Must I choose just one?! :( lol I would say friends and family BUT since I must choose just one, I would say my boyfriend. Almost 8 years later and he still gives me butterflies <3 

 My Questions for Nominees

1. What are your favorite types of posts to do?
2. Do you prefer BB Creams or foundation or nothing at all?
3. Favorite drugstore makeup brand
4. What is your biggest challenge when it comes to blogging?
5.  Are you more prone to read blogs that are visually appealing or content appealing?
6. Who inspired you to start blogging?
7. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
8. Which Spring beauty trend are you looking forward to most?
9. Do you watch YouTube videos and if so, which are some of your favorite channels to watch?
10. Have you ever been to an IMATS? If so, which one?
11. How long have you been blogging?

My Nominees:

•   Makeup & Mocha Mint
• Jen Tea 
• Brunette Beauty 
• Design Revelation 
• A Dream and A Brush 
• Gorgeously Glowing Makeup Blog 
• KC-Beauty 
• Rachel White 
• El Delicia Makeup Artist 
• Amber Nicole 
• Canvas of a Face 

 

Take a moment to check out all of the bloggers I nominated above, they all have something unique to offer :)

xox

2013 IMATS TAG!

I love doing TAG posts, they're so casual and fun to write up :) In search for a new one, I came across the IMATS TAG and thought, hello what a great idea since I will be attending IMATS NYC next weekend!

I must give credit where credit is due, I found this post originally on Beauty with the Beautifool :)

1. Which IMATS are you attending?

I am attending IMATS NYC in April!

2. Have you ever been to IMATS before?
Yes, this will be my 3rd time :)

3. How are you getting there?

I will be driving into the city, I don't like relying on mass transit if I don't absolutely have to :)

4. Are you bringing anyone along?

Yes! One of my best friends, also my brother's girlfriend is coming :)

5. Is there anything else in the IMATS host city that you want to see?

I live super close to NYC so there aren't many landmark places that I haven't explored throughout the years. On the other hand, there are a ton of eateries that I have yet to try so that may be something fun to do after the show :)

6. What days will you be in the city that IMATS is in? Just the day that I am attending IMATS, Saturday April 6th

7. Who do you want to meet?

I would love to meet any of my readers/blogger friends! It is so much fun to put a real face behind your twitter avatar/google icon haha

8. What companies exhibits are you most excited to see?

Unfortunately, New York IMATS doesn't get even half of the vendors that other cities do :( I hope we are looking to fix and expand sooner than later because it can be so frustrating! Of the select few that are attending, I am looking forward to Give Good Face, Inglot, Eve Pearl, Jessie's Girl Cosmetics, OCC, Royal & Langnickel and Stila---although I will probably stop at every booth for sure :)

9. What products are you looking for?

I am not going with a list persay, I don't really need anything, but some of the things I will probably pick up are

• A new Freedom Palette from Inglot as well as some of their nail colors that I hear are wonderful!
• Some more polishes from the Julie G nail line at Jessie's Girl Cosmetics
• Eve Pearl Concealers and maybe something from Graftobian
• Some new backup makeup brushes maybe?? I always get sucked in! lol

10. How much do you plan to spend?

See the thing with makeup budgets is that the previous years that I've set one, if I don't spend that much I feel like I have to (hello its a makeup wonderland! lol) This year I am not going with a budget but definitely UNDER $200. Hopefully WAY under haha

11. What do you want to get out of IMATS?

I am really going for the overall experience. I like to see what new products companies may be offering and to just be around so many others who share a similar interest in the beauty world. It is so fun to meet people and hey you may learn something at one of the demonstrations that the various booths offer! 

I tag all of you reading this, if you do this Tag, be sure to link me ;) Also, if you are reading this and attending IMATS NYC next week, comment below, I love to see everyone who is going :)

xox

Cajun Chicken Stuffed w/ Spinach and Pepper Jack Cheese FULL MEAL RECIPE!

Chicken is so handy to have in the fridge or freezer  because the options for meal time when it comes to chicken are almost endless. Let's see there is chicken parmigiana, grilled chicken, lemon chicken, balsamic chicken, chicken cubes for stew, stir fry, I could go on forever. This is just another variation of a simple chicken dish, yes SIMPLE. It is super tasty, beginner friendly and will be a crowd pleaser for sure. Let's get to the good stuff:

Ingredients: 

• 1 package of boneless chicken breasts (or however many you may need to feed your group). Make sure they are the full sized ones and not the thinly sliced ones, I'll explain why later ;)
• Pepper jack cheese, preferably shredded but if you have slices no worries, we can make that work too!
• 1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained (I used fresh spinach instead)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning-This can be found in the spice aisle of your supermarket usually
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Wooden toothpicks
   

 Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Butterfly (slice in half but not all the way through, see photo below) the chicken breast and flatten a little with mallet. 
3. At this time if you are using fresh spinach, cook it down in a pan with a little water.
4. In a bowl combine the cooked spinach, cheese and salt and  pepper. (if you are using sliced cheese like I did in the photos, just break them up into tiny pieces.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs and Cajun seasoning together. 
6. Now for the creative stuff :) on each piece of chicken, spoon a little bit of the spinach and cheese mixture in and begin to roll it together fastening it with as many toothpicks as needed keeping in mind how many you use so you know how many you have to take out later. We don't want anyone eating any wood chips ;)
7. In a baking pan or on a baking sheet, line it with some aluminum foil and place the neatly sealed chicken breasts seam side down. With a kitchen brush, "paint" on some of the olive oil on each piece of chicken and then sprinkle on the Cajun seasoning and breadcrumb mixture. Make sure you get the seasoning all around the sides of the chicken, even the under-side. The more flavor the better!
8. Pop these in your oven for 35 minutes or so or until you can assure that your chicken is cooked thoroughly.

That little piece in the bottom is a piece I made for my dog, spoiled, yes I know hahah :)

Here are quick recipes for the sides I made to accompany this dish:

Sauteed Green Beans

• Wash the green beans and coat the bottom of a sautee pan with a tablespoon or so of olive oil
• Add minced garlic as much as you like over medium to low heat
• When the aroma begins to kick in, add in the green beans and cook for a few minutes until they are soft enough for your liking. I like mine a little crunchy so I take mine out earlier ;)
• You can also add a little salt and pepper if you wish

Quick and Easy Potato Wedges

• Slice your potatoes into wedges, thin or thick as you like
• Place them in cold water for a minute or so, remove them and dry them completely
• Sprinkle a little olive oil over them and some fresh ground sea salt
• Place them in the oven at 425 degrees until they become golden brown and cooked through (35 mins give or take---this has always taken a different amount of time each time I've made them...just keep an eye on them and keep mixing them to see when they're done the way you like them :) 

 

My mouth is watering just thinking about this, I have to make it again soon!

xox

Product Review: L'Oreal True Match Concealer Crayon

I picked this up because I don't own any concealers in crayon form. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I like it, here are the "deets":

Before & After Photos

Final Thoughts:

• I really like how well this concealer blended in with my skin
• I like the crayon form because it is easy to work with and is a twist up so no sharpening needed :)
• The product comes in an array of 6 shades
• It has great lasting power, I also prime and set after to ensure this. 
• The photos above only show one layer of the concealer, that is all I felt I needed for my under eye area however, it is definitely buildable. 
• The only negative thing I can state is that it dries to a powder texture rather quickly so when you place it on, you must work with blending it out quickly ;)

Product Details: 

• 0.1 oz. product
• Priced around $8.00
• Available at most drugstores or places like Amazon or Walmart.com
• For more information check out the L'Oreal website here

If you have tried this, what are your thoughts?

Unedited photos and slight dark under eye circles,

xox :)