I have SATIN HANDS!

Literally!

Mary Kay's Satin Hands kit is all of that and MORE! I've had this sitting in (on) my closet/drawer/counter for YEARS now, and I just puttled it out a few weeks ago. When a man says he yearns for a woman's touch, THIS is what he is talking about. It comes with four steps. The first is the extra emollient night cream that looks and feels strangely like vaseline at first touch, but it kind of melts into your hands! Next is the buffing cream. I am convinced that the buffing cream is most responsible for my soft hands. The grains are the perfect size to get a good scrub without rubbing your hands raw. Next is the cleansing gel that gently cleans your hands up. Finally, a rich hand lotion that has SPF INCLUDED! This, ladies, is the key to having youthful hands! Sunblock is so important for stopping the anti-aging process. I know, I'm only 20, but if you wait until you have wrinkles to treat them, it's too late! Preventative measures are definitely the way to go. I haven't quite made it to eye creams and such, but I'm sure I'll be well on my way in the next few years! A Satin Hands treatment once a week and Avon's cuticule cream at the appropriate time and my hands are heavenly. I know my SO can't wait to feel them (we're doing the LD thing, I'm sure you understand!)

I'm AMUSED!

YUP. MAC's most anticipated collection of the year is finally here! I went to the mall on my lunch break on Thursday to make sure I got what I wanted. YUP, I decided not to EAT in order to be beautiful! Gotta love being a girl..er..a..woman!

I got TWO Shooting Star Mineralized Skin Finishes. While MAC may be one of the most diverse cosmetic lines out there, most of the MSF's that have been released haven't been very brown girl friendly so please believe I stocked up while I can. This is the PERFECT bronzer/blush for my NW45/NW50 skin tone. Paired with Stereo Rose MSF, I got the PERFECT sunkissed, my boyfriend just knocked my socks off glow! LOVES IT! While I was there I also picked up the heat/element mineralized eye shadow duo. When they say HEAT, they mean it. The red/copper color is the color that I'd imagine the sun is. I can't wait to use it! Element escapes me. It's a very pretty color, I couldn't even begin to describe, but I don't know why they chose the name element.

I was YERNING for a NARS bronzer, but now, there is no need! I'm glad I waited!

It's so good to be bad.

Well, maybe it's not GOOD, but it sure is EASY. I had a BAD reaction to a new sunblock last weekend. Yup, you heard it, I have a sunblock allergy. It's not all sunblock, it's just some of them, and some moisturizers with sunblock, AND some makeup with sunblock. Lovely isn't it? Not quite as lovely as the rash that spread all over my face. It was itchy, dry, bumpy, scaly. You name it. The one plus to this: I found out that hydrocortozone cream works WONDERS for smoothing out the face! I could see making it a part of my so called beauty routine! I'm supposed to wear sunblock to help even out my complexion, but it doesn't agree with me. I guess the answer is to know what works, and don't try to be cute trying other stuff.

I went to Nordies today! UGH! How I wish I had a REAL job, no, make that a real career. You know ,making a salary. It's hard growing up and having responsibilities outside of buying clothes and doing school work. I wonder how people go from being babies and not taking care of themselves to having to take care of THEIR babies.

I didn't really find anything that I LOVED when I went to Nordstroms, maybe I just didn't feel GLAMOUROUS enough for the atmosphere (I still looked pretty cute, though). I did stop by MAC and picked up something form the patternmaker collection. I fell in love with the warm eyes pallet. The pictures that I saw did it NO justice! I can't wait for my eyelids to return to normal so I can use it! Shroom is a frosty whit color with a satin finish that will make an awesome highlight! Rich Symbol is this GORGEOUS bronze/amber type color that I cannot wait to dig into with a frost finish. Unsquare (with a velvet texture) is a BEAUTIFUL brown that isn't as dark as rummy, but just perfect for a neutral work eye. Equibeige is just what it sounds like and MORE. It's a beautiful beige color with lots of high impact shine. Probably a little light for me to use as a wash, but will make a lovely highlight color, especially for the inner eyes! Swimming is beautiful! I've looked at this color and ALWAYS passed it bye, but this color is the perfect addition to any green lover's collection (lustre). The last color, Shadow Lady is a deep matte purple. This will be the PERFECT plum for fall/winter. And of course, it came with it's own little brush!

Tomorrow I'm going to go to the gym and then come home and pamper myself. Deep condition and rollerset my hair. Just change things up a bit!

A new beginning...a new me.

I've always wondered how some women could wake up in the morning and just be *beautiful.* i'm nearly 21 years old, and this is still a mystery. 21 isn't nearly old enough to have experienced things that would qualify me to *own* the glow of knowledge - you know, the confidence of knowing about the world and what it has to offer you, being ready to embrace and adapt to change without blinking an eye, and being unafraid of a challenge or failure because you *do* know that in the even things go wrong, they will change and look up - BUT I'm ready to learn these things...ready to become a woman...THAT woman.

I can't describe the woman that I want to be. If I did, I know I'd fail. When you meet that woman, you just know.

In order to be that woman, I need to grow and develop inside and out. I need to know myself and belong to myself and myself only. I need to owe myself the world and everything that it has to offer me.

I'm ready.

This blog will detail the beautification of ME, inside and out. It will document my beauty trials and errors. I know that I will have more error than not, BUT...I will *not* give up, and I invite all of you to share this journey with me.

Ms.New.Beauty