Hey gals!  First off I wanted to apologize for being SOOOO MIA this week!  It has been an insanely crazy week but in a very good way.  Work has been amazing, life has been amazing, everything has been amazing.  It’s just all happening at once!  As some of you may know, I am leaving tomorrow on a trip to PARIS!!!  The wonderful man in my life decided to spoil me with a romantic getaway that unfortunately I have waited until the last minute to prepare for.  So now I’m scrambling to get it all done this week. You know how that goes…  So anyway, I wanted to apologize for my lack of posts and want to apologize for my lack of posts that will not be coming in the next week.  But if any of you want to keep up with what’s going on with Big City Beauty, follow me on Twitter!  I’m ALWAYS on there…

Okay so on to today’s post.  I wasn’t even going to post about anything in particular today, just wish you all a wonderful week while I was away.  But I just received in the mail my new NYX Cosmetics Makeup Artist Kit – S101 and I just couldn’t wait to show it to you guys.  NYX is one of my favorite makeup lines of all time.  Their colors and pigments, whether its for eyes, lips, or face, are so amazingly vibrant and fun that you can have the time of your life experimenting and playing around with them.  It’s the perfect line to release your inner makeup artist like I have.  And I can’t wait to bring this kit with me to Paris so I can play around some more.

NYX Cosmetics Makeup Artist Kit – S101 includes:

• 35 eyeshadows
• 3 bronzers
• 5 blushers
• 5 lip colors
• applicators
• built-in mirror

Just take a gander at the pics below and you will know why I was drooling from the moment I opened up the packaging.  Oh, and please pardon the shadows that appear in the last two shots.  I didn’t have a whole lot of time to be a master photographer but I think you can pretty much get an idea what the pigments look like from these shots.

Anyway, I hope you guys check out some of the other stuff from NYX.  My all time faves from them are their Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencils.  They are the most amazing bases you will ever find!  And trust that I will be posting a whole lot of pics from “Pah-ree” using my new kit!  Love you guys and will miss you much!!!

Until next week…  xoxo

Sephora Brand Ultimate Blockbuster

* 90 eye shadows

* 60 lip glosses

* 9 eye liners

* 6 brow powders

* 3 blushes

* 2 lip liners

* 4 brushes and applicators

* new how-to guide

It’s bigger and better than ever!  A $400 value at only $48 for Beauty Insiders. Enter promo code BLOCKBUSTER at checkout to receive Free Shipping for this ONE WEEKEND ONLY!!  Check it out…  You’ll definitely be impressed!

Anti-Aging Anti-Wrinkle Eye Line Filler is a skin smoothing formula with powerful peptides that fills lines immediately and works to rebuild wrinkled areas over time.  You apply your regular eye cream and allow it to fully absorb.  Then you gently pat this line filler directly on wrinkled areas around the eye such as crows feet (or even those notorious wrinkles between your eyebrows) and watch them slowly disappear before your eyes.  It’s the perfect pick me up throughout the day.

Anti-Aging Concealer SPF 20 comes in three natural-looking shades that banish under-eye darkness, discoloration and redness anywhere on the face, and offers long lasting coverage for a flawless look.  It also keeps future damage at bay with UVA and UVB sun protection factor 20 and includes potent antioxidants and collagen enhancing ingredients.  Now as a person who cannot leave the house without concealer and SPF, this one I am super excited about!  How often do you get a concealer that not only hides your flaws, but benefits your skin concerns as well?  This is something that La Prairie has always been known for with their makeup.

Being a retail trainer for La Prairie has definitely taught me a lot about skin care and I really have them as a company to thank for where I have gotten in this industry today.  So if anyone has any other questions or interest about La Prairie as a line, please let me know!  I’d love to hear from you.    And don’t forget to check out their 3 new fragrances (Life Threads- Silver, Gold, and Platinum) that are also launching this fall as well.

Until next time dolls…  xoxo

Today, however, I MUST take this time you tell you ladies about my new favorite addition to my makeup collection.  And I know it seems like everything is my favorite but I really truly mean it this time!    I haven’t been this excited about getting a product in so long.  And when I received my box from Sephora, I ripped it open right away just to get even more excited by the packaging.

Bare Escentuals Radiance Rocks contains three glimmering rocks that were compressed solely by water to resemble what minerals look like in their most natural state.  It comes with a “Heavenly Kabuki Brush” that is so comfortably soft.  The minerals can be used on your eyes, cheeks, lips, body… shoot… you can pretty much use it anywhere! Just give the little brush a swirl and buff on these gorgeous 100% pure bareMinerals.  You can even pick up the rocks and apply them directly on.  They are the perfect way to keep that summer glow going throughout the fall.  And to make it even better, the rocks come in the most beautiful metallic pink box that it almost upsets me to look at the picture online because it doesn’t nearly do it justice!  Anyway, this product is absolutely fabulous in every way possible and I can’t wait to hear from those of you who try it out.

Oh, and just so you know, this is a limited edition product sold only at Sephora.  So get them fast girls.  I am sure this one is going to be a sell-out!

Until next time ladies…  xoxo

Hello my lovelies!  So I had a rather exciting experience at Sephora the other day.  I found out that earlier this summer Benefit Cosmetics came out with a limited edition brightening kit that I feel was made just for my lighter skinned beauties. Bright Lights Big City! includes:

• “That Gal” Face Primer
• BADgal Blue Mascara
• Eye Bright pencil
• White leatherette travel mirror

All of these products are the perfect pick me up before heading out to happy hour, or simply just to run errands around town.  The face primer gives your skin that healthy glow so it can even be used alone.  The mascara isn’t a bright blue, but very subtle and is perfect for brightening up the whites of tired eyes.  My favorite one of the set is the Eye Bright pencil.  You can use it as a highlighter under the arch of your brows to really open up your eyes and even dot the inner and outer corners of your eyes to give them that bright-eyed look.  Remember to blend the pencil out lightly to give yourself a natural look and please keep in mind that this set is not the best choice for my darker toned beauties.

The entire set costs $48 but has a value of $82.  That’s such a great deal!  It’s a great little kit to take with you before heading out for the day, because you never know when you might need to give those peepers that last minute pick me up.

Until next time my lovelies…  xoxo

P.S.- Is anyone else as excited as I am that Sex In The City 2 is filming in NYC!?!  I saw some of the shoes that are in the movie and they are to die for!!!  Here’s a little quote I can relate to from our ever-fashionable Carrie Bradshaw:

“Men I may not know.  But shoes…  shoes I know!”

Organic Wear Natural Bronzer by Physicians Formula is 100% free of harsh chemicals, synthetic preservatives and fragrances, parabens, genetically modified organisms, and animal cruelty.  It is also notably the first ECOCERT certified organic line of makeup in the United States, guaranteeing that environmentally friendly practices are upheld in all aspects of the product.  It comes in an eco-conscious paper compact with 93% less plastic than a traditional compact, and also comes with a mirror and brush made of natural goat hair.

It always gives me the perfect amount of color and feels great on my skin.  Most powders and bronzers tend to break me out in a rash.  And as we start heading into the Fall season, Lord knows I’m going to need all the color I can get.    Now the brush that comes with it isn’t exactly the best brush for applying bronzer but it makes it useful for carrying purposes.  I really encourage you all to try out this line as it’s a great product, stands for a wonderful purpose, and is really inexpensive.

How many of you use Physicians Formula Organic Wear?  Leave me a comment and share your thoughts.

Until next time girls…  xoxo

Now I’m sure most of you have heard of Bare Escentuals and their bareMineral makeup line.  Well I have to say that I am an absolute fan of their stuff.  As industry leaders in mineral makeup, they find more and more ways to teach the non-professional how to do their makeup professionally.  With DVD’s and step-by-step kits to get you started, their line has become increasingly popular.  Not to mention that the products themselves are great!  They have a wide range of complexion colors from fair to deep, their eye colors come in varying textures and blend super easily, and the quality of their makeup brushes aren’t too bad either!

For me, I like things to be laid out plain and simple.  And whenever I can buy things in a set I’m all for it!  One of my favorite kits is the bareMinerals Get Started Eyes Kit.  This 7-piece kit comes with 4 very natural eye colors and three brushes (contouring, defining, and lining).  It also includes a How-To guide with simple steps on how to achieve your desired look.  You can go from an every day look to a bumped up evening look.  The colors can be used wet or dry, stay on all day, and like I mentioned before blend so easily that it’s almost impossible to mess it up.  They make it so simple that doing your eye makeup will take no time at all.  And when you’re like me rushing in the morning so that you can catch the train to the city (all while trying to look cute mind you), this kit is the perfect solution.

Check out some of my other favorite kits bareMinerals offers such as their tutorials on looks like the smokey eye, their complexion kits, and their Free to BE collections that come with matching clutch!

Until next time ladies… xoxo