My Christmas. . .

My Christmas Tree

Hello everyone! Sorry that I have been M.I.A from my blog. I have been so busy since last week that I have not had time to write till now, but now I'm back and promise to update my blog as much as I possibly can. I hope you all had a great Christmas as I did with my family. On Christmas Eve my mom made our traditional Christmas dinner of tamales, pork beans (they taste better than what they sound I promise haha) and her famous potato salad. After we stuffed our faces with delicious food we waited till midnight so we can put baby Jesus down on is manger on our Nativity set.

After we have done so we can finally open our presents! Because my main gift this year were comforters for my new remodeled room and because I got a new scarf before Christmas my parents did not give me as much as other years but thanks to my moms' smart shopping skills they still gave me enough presents that would make any person happy. They gave me a few casual shirts this year that I love (A few are pictured below), pajamas and a pretty cupcake scented candle and black sparkly flats.

One of the shirts my parents gave me

"Difference is Beauty. . " true words have never been spoken

 

 

Shirt from h&m

Another casual Tee my parents gave me.

Sparkle, Sparkle!

My grandmother gave a professional french tip manicure kit. My sister gave me 2 pair of pants and 2 pretty long sleeve slouchy shirts. And my brother gave me $25 that I hope to use to buy more clothes and accessories after I have saved enough money to go on a mini shopping spree.

One of the shirts my sister gave me, Sorry for the bad picture.

My aunt gave me the cutest Hello Kitty watch with 2 charms and  a long peacock charm necklace that I adore! My best friends also gave me incredible gifts! Diana gave me a garden scenario frame that is very reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, that I will hang up on my wall once my room is completed. My other friend Lilo gave me a fabulous black sequin scarf that goes with my sequin bow beret and a eyeshadow pallet from E.L.F with the most gorgeous neutral colors that I can't wait to try out myself!

The necklace my aunt gave me.     

The eyeshadow pallet my friend gave me.

On Christmas day we woke up early for Christmas mass and had leftovers for breakfast and just relaxed for the rest of the day. So as you can see I had a very good Christmas this year, and I hope you all had a amazing Holiday and that you all got everything that you wanted and more! I would love to hear what you did for the Holiday this year so let me know down on the comments below.
                    XOXO, Mayra

Awesome Giveaway!

Hi girls! I have a great giveaway opportunity for you all, courtesy of LiveOutLoud (Right Here). She is giving away to 2 lucky winners  (1) 47 Makeup Clutch from e.l.f's 24K line to one winner and (1) 6 piece eyeliner set from e.l.f's 24K line to another lucky winner. All you have to do is go to her blog, follow her and leave a comment on who you are on any post marked CONTEST. Even if you are not looking for makeup for yourself you should still  enter to win these fabulous prizes for yourself or to gift it for your friend or sister for Christmas. Contest ends on December 15th so get to it and good luck ladies!

Makeup Essentials: Cosmetics every girl should have in their makeup bag

Photo by hair-beauty-and-makeup.com

Just like there are wardrobe essentials that every girl should have in their closet I believe there are also a few cosmetic products a girl should have in their makeup bag. You don't have to use every products every day but it is a good idea to have them in your makeup bag just in-case. Before we get started I just want to say that yes makeup is fun to play with and helps us feel better but we shouldn't forget that makeup is meant to enhance our natural beauty not change our whole face.

1. Sunscreen: Protecting your skin from the damaging UV rays is extremely important. If you don't protect your skin from the sun's UV rays you are putting your health at risk by being exposed to pre cancerous cells that can led to skin cancer. Sunscreen also helps protect the skin from premature aging, just because we are young we shouldn't leave our skin un-protected. So finding make up with at least 15 SPF on your makeup is a good buy. There is no day like the present to start taking care of your skin.
2. Face Primer: Primer is  used as a base to prepare your skin for makeup, it smooths out your skin making it easier to apply makeup and also helps it stay on for longer. So I would highly recommend finding a good face primer it will make a difference on how your makeup will look. 
3. Foundation: The purpose for foundation is to even out skin and hide blemishes . Take the time to find a good long lasting and appropriate foundation for you. If possible try to get one with SPF so that way you will be hitting two birds with one stone.
4. Face Powder: Face powder sets foundation and the concealer (if you wear any) in place. It finishes giving the face a flawless look if you have blemishes you are trying to hide. If you are blessed with good skin without blemishes and dark spots wearing just powder will be enough for you.
5. Bronzer: I know what you are thinking "Bronzer= Looking like Snooki or a Omppa Loppa" Sure when you put too much bronzer it makes you look too made up and cakey. Luckily there are bronzers out there for every skin tone that wont make you look overly tan. Because when having the right shade of bronzer and when worn in moderation you end up having a pretty healthy glow and who doesn't want that!
6. Blush: I love blush! I'm constantly looking for new shades of blush to try out and it so happens to be another beauty product that help give you a healthy glow on your cheeks. Blush enhances your natural beauty, helps define your cheeks bones and makes you look healthy and happy. Blush is meant to look natural so take it easy when putting it on and choose the appropriate shade or you will end up looking like a clown.
7. Eyeshadow: Unlike foundation,powder,bronzer and blush where you need to take the time to find the right shade, you can never really go wrong with eyeshadow. And it is the perfect way to experiment with your makeup. Eyeshadow can define your whole look by making it dramatic or simple. And it is one of the most inexpensive cosmetics out there, you don't have to spend a fortune on eyeshadow. I prefer neutral matte eyeshadow colors ( browns, fawns, and champagnes) for day looks, pastel colors for when I'm feeling girly (pinks and purples), and shimmering dark colors for night (grays,blues, blacks). I would suggest buying a big palette of eyeshadow so that way you can have mostly every color at your hands.
8. Mascara: Mascara is one beauty products that I cant go without. It really does open up your eyes and makes your eyelashes look longer and lusher. You can never go wrong with a little bit of mascara.
9. Eyeliner: Whether you don't use eyeliner because you think its too much or you use it religiously it is a good idea to have eyeliner in your makeup bag. Because even though you may believe eyeliner is too much for day look, it is perfect for night looks. And this is also a good way to experiment with makeup with all the different colors out there aside from the usual black and brown, a few years ago my best friend used turquoise eyeliner (a change from her usual black) and she looked great! So I would also suggest to get some in vibrant colors (blue, pink, turquoise, purple, etc. . ) for the days you are feeling a little edgy.
10. Lipstick/Lip Gloss/Lip Stain: Another favorite cosmetic of mine to shop for are lip products, I'm the girl with at least 5 different lip shades in my everyday bag (I'm not joking). Probably because to me lip products brings the whole look together without it I feel incomplete. I would suggest to have at least 3 lip products, one for the days you feel low key, one for everyday use, and one for special occasions.

And there you go ladies, my personal opinion on what I believe every girl should have in their makeup bag. Of course this doesn't include skin care products and makeup tools (those articles will come later, I promise) But it is a fairly basic start to building a impressive makeup collection or to just adding to the makeup collection you already have.