Product Review: DiorShow Black Out Mascara by Dior

I had a couple of people ask me how I get my eyelashes to look voluminous and long from the picture I posted on my facebook over the weekend.  I am wearing the DiorShow Black Out Mascara by Dior (retails $28.50).

I really like this mascara as it gives the appearance of longer, voluminous, and thick looking lashes.  The brush itself is a normal medium sized mascara brush. The mascara itself is a little gooey, however, this makes layering on coats easier. If you are layering on coats, just a word of warning, the mascara does tend to dry quickly. Also, since this mascara is water-proof it is a little difficult to get off.

I love that the color matches my black eyelashes. I not only wear it when I go out on the weekends, I also wear it to work. How do I use this product differently for daytime wear versus nighttime you might ask? During the day I only put one to two layers on. For a nighttime look (or a special event), I curl my lashes then use a couple of layers (usually three to four). It really makes my eyes pop without having to wear fake lashes.

DIY How to Get Rid of Dark Elbows and Knees

Happy Friday beauties! Today's DIY is all about how to get rid of dark elbows and knees. I know that people with darker skin tones (like myself) have this problem. I not only have dark elbows but also dry elbows to top it off.

Here's what you need:
- Lemon
- Baking Soda (If you use Option 2 below)

Option 1 (I saw my mother doing this, she's a great inspiration!) - Take the lemon and cut it in half. Place your elbow on the slices for 15 minutes. Then repeat with another lemon with your knees.

Option 2 - Squeeze out the juice from the lemon into a small bowl. Then add 1/4 cup of baking soda into the bowl to make a paste. Apply this mixture to your elbows and knees and let it dry for 10 minutes. Then rinse off in the shower.

Valentine's Day Outfit Ideas

Alright ladies.  While your man (aka husband, boyfriend, significant other, friend, etc.) worries about where to take you out for a night on the town for Valentine's Day ORRRR if you're single you and your girlfriends are planning a glamourous night out on the town what you need to focus on is the big question: "What do I wear?!" Although many of us can agree that Valentine's Day is just a consumer holiday it is a great excuse to get all dressed up and go out! It also adds to the fun of telling your friends the juicy details of what you did, wore, and where you went!  So for this occasion I have put together a couple of Valentine's Day outfit ideas.

I absolutely love lace as it adds texture and sexyness to a dress.  I adore this red, Lace Loren Dress from Madewell (retails for $172.00, on sale $51.60 from Shopbop). It has a hidden zip closure on the side and also a slip dress lining. I actually ordered it for myself from Shopbop.com but as word of caution, this dress runs big so I ordered two sizes down.  Also, as an added bonus, you can pair it with tights and booties if it’s cold out.

If you prefer a dress that hugs you in all the right places, you could opt for this red, Off the Shoulder Bandage Dress made by T by Tadashi (retails for $138 from Nordstrom). It also has a zipper closure which runs along the back.  A great thing about this dress is that you can also wear during the spring and summertime since it has short sleeves.

If you’re not a fan of dresses, you can opt for a blouse and leggings or dark colored jeans. This Cutout Studded A-Line Blouse from Forever 21 (retails $22.80) is sophisticated with gold color studded buttons. You can pair these with fierce leggings from BCBGMaxazria called Stephen Moto Leggings (retails $138).  Since the top is plain I would rock a gold cuff and with heels to pull the look together.

What are all my fashionista's planning on wearing for Valentine's Day?

Product Review: Long Lasting Liquid Eyeliner

So those of you that know me personally know that 99.99% of the time I wear liquid eyeliner versus pencil eyeliner. I prefer liquid over pencil since it doesn't smudge and it pretty much lasts all day until I wipe it off with makeup remover.

Over the weekend I was on the hunt for a budget friendly liquid liner and found one that I really liked at Sephora. It's from the Sephora Collection and it's the Long Lasting Eyeliner High Precision Brush (retails for $11.00). The tip is super-fine so it doesn't draw a thick, messy line nor does it smudge. It's pretty much long lasting and the color is deep black and highly pigmented. I'm able to use it for both work and nights out.  For work I use a super thin line (as you can see in the second picture below) and then for night time I make a winged eye.

New Collection at Zara

I stopped by Zara to make a return and noticed in the back of their store Zara has put out some of their new collection on display. Let's just say I have mixed feelings. Don't get me wrong, I love a classic black and white combination. However, some of the tops you would never catch me in, especially the black and white vertical striped blouse and also the polka dot printed blouse.

However, that being said, I do like the black and white horizontal striped dress and also the black heels with gold platform.  As it gets closer to spring-time I'll definitely be stopping by at Zara to see how their other collections are.

What do you think of Zara's new black and white collection?