Sephora Love… in Paris…XoXo

Hello Divas,

eVaDiVa is back and has fabulous new products to share with you !

I went to my favourite SEPHORA store in the whole world, the one on Champs Elysées in Paris last week and I have to tell you that I feel like Alice in wonderland every time I step my foot there…

The store was amazingly beautiful, full of life and the beauty advisors looked all so professional and happy…well…this is The place to be if you ever go to Paris!!!

So I got a few goodies and I just love them all…

NAILPOLISHES!!!

I don’t know what is the matter with me but I have been changing nail polishes on average 3 to 4 times a week…not that I don’t have anything to do of my life but I just love trying new colors and I hate it when my nail polish chips…

1. O.P.I: Susi skies in the Pyrenées

It’s a dark gray color that is almost black if you put 3 coats. It looks dark gray with two coats. O.P.I is by far my favourite nail polish brand as the tip of the brush is wide and the nail polish does not chip easily (even without a base coat). I would suggest you get O.P.I’s in the US as it is half the price than in France (13 euros in Paris and 8 $ in the US)

1. CHANEL: VENDETTA

The color is just great!!! My sis Vanessa told me about it and I have to admit that I was so excited when I got it! I love the color but I was disappointed as far as the quality…it is CHANEL…it costs 20 euros (about 25 USD) and it should not chip after just one day…well..it did…It is true that I did not use any base coat but still (OPI does not chip without a base coat!!) But I still recommend you get it!!! Great color you will not find anywhere!!! I still have to try the satin blue which I heard is as beautiful…

BLACK UP Embelisseur De Teint

This product is just AWASOME! It is a liquid base foundation that gives your skin a natural glow under any foundation/powder! Get it in N°4 if you have darker skin and in N°2 if you have fair or light skin. This product is not sold yet in the US I believe but you can try SEPHORA in NY.

CLARINS Beauty Flash Balm

Do you wake up every morning with sleeping marks on the face like you did not shower and did not want to get out of bed? Well this happens to me every morning and I am happy that this balm actually softens and brightens your face in the snap of the fingers!!! When you apply your powder or foundation right after, your skin looks just flawless!

CHRISTIAN DIOR Capture R60/80 (check post entry below of Feb 13)

BLACK UP Mascara in N°2 Blue

Great color that looks almost like a deep purple on dark lashes

I have more products that I will need to detail on my next post…

Until then have a wonderful day divas!!!

XoXo

eVaDiVa

Stress…moods…and smells…

Hello Divas,

These past few weeks have not been the greatest in my life…feeling moddy, stressed…etc. But what I found amazing and wanted to write about (despite my moodiness) is how smelling certain odors can make you feel better…(or worst). I have been burning a lavender aromatherapy candle oil by TISSERAND that automatically makes me feel more calm and better. I don’t know if it is the aromatherapy thing or the odor but it really leaves a stress relieving smell in a room that is worth a million…Now I have no clue where you can get it in US as it was a gift bought in Dubai but I would suggest you try bath and body works aromatherapy oils. The aromatherapy gels and lotions are also fabulous at bath and body works.

Another thing is perfume. I have at least a dozen of bottles of perfumes but mostly use the same ones…Coco Mademoiselle being my favorite. But lately, with all my mood swings, it takes me a second each morning to think about how I wanna smell…(I don’t know if I you will find me weird…lol). Here are a few good ones that you can try that I like:

• FLOWER BOMB by Victor Rolf
• MAGNETISM by ESCADA
• VERA WANG by VERA WANG
• LOLA by MARC JACOBS
• 1881 by CERRUTI
• DIOR CHERIE by CD
• LOLITA LEMPIKA

Coco Mademoiselle by CHANEL remains my signature scent though…

The lavender oil is burning in my room as I am writingthese last lines and it makes me feel like taking a good bath and goind to bed…

XoXo

eVaDiVa

PS: I realize that this post may make u think about reasons of moodiness and smelling odors but it is nothing like that…! lol

New stuff to try…

Hello Divas,

Saturday morning, and I am listening to the new SADE album and I should say it is the best album out there…

I have a few products in my basket that I will suggest you to try…

1. DIOR Capture R60/80 1ères Rides – Crème Lissante Eclat

The wrinkle-fighting powers of this ultra-soothing creme are backed up by a firming, slightly tensing effect. Beauty tip: apply gently after warming the cream in the palms of your hands.

It is a great cream if you are about 30 and you want to prevent the early sign of wrinkles…

2. Pen ultimate brow maker by MAC

If you have been thinking about getting the clean look of a tatoo but never dared getting your eyebrows tatooed, this pen gives the illusion of a tatooed eyebrow. It is liquid qnd easy to use. Comes in one color UNIVERSAL that can still look good on black skin.

3. CLARINS ROLL ON DEODORANT

Anti-perspirant care with Buchu leaf extracts and Witch Hazel. Long-lasting effectiveness reinforced by anti-irritant Rosemary extract.

It is my new favorite deodorant. I live in a country where the climate is very hot and I can garanty you that I do no sweat and smell at the end of the day!

XoXo

eVaDiVa

Love, Help and Prayers for Aicha…

PLEASE MAKE DONATION FOR THIS 6 YEAR OLD BURNED VICTIM FROM SENEGAL WHO IS ACTUALLY UNDERGOING SURGERY IN BOSTON

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO131115

BOSTON — Her country couldn’t heal her, but a 6-year-old girl and her father have traveled 4,000 miles from Senegal to Boston for a life-changing surgery.

Six-year-old Isha Jahatay has second and third-degree burns over 40 percent of her body.

In March, a kerosene heater overturned in her Senegal home. A mattress caught on fire, and Isha was caught in the flames.

A liaison asked U.S. hospitals and 60 charities to help her.

Only one answered the call — Shriners Hospital in Boston.

7News spoke to Isha and her father via a translator. She said she is enjoying her stay in the United States and loves playing with all the toys.

However, the United States has given her so much more than toys. Shriners Hospital is doing $140,000 of pro-bono surgery on Isha.

“She’s very sad when he looks at the pictures and cry a lot,” said Isha’s father.

Isha said when she looks at the pictures she said she wants to look like how she used to look.”

She will… after up to six surgeries and nine months of recovery. Her dad will be by her side through it all, while her mom waits in Senegal.

Surgeons in Senegal did not have the tools to help Isha. Bah Ousman, an Africa Service liaison, asked dozens of U.S. hospitals to help. They all said no because of the current economy, but Shriners Hospital agreed.

“They want to give this 6-year-old an opportunity to have a life again,” said Ousman.

The Grace Children’s Foundation is raising money for the Jahatays’ room and food during her recovery. To make a donation, please visit http://www.gracechildren.org/.

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO131115

Missing my blog…and my blog fam…

Hello Divas,

I feel so bad and ashamed of myself for having been away for so long…I really have been trying to blog but always have been caught by other things… You must wonder what are these “other” things that can keep your Diva away from her blog…well my life has taken a new turn since I have been back home in my beautiful Senegal! Most of it are good new things…crunching numbers at work…reconnecting with childhood friends…having my own new beauty advising page in a magazine called ICONE (Yes!!! Will scan u a page…)…and some other good stuff going on…  ;o)

So now that I am forgiven, I want to share with you a great product that I discovered not so long ago. The product is called HUILE PRODIGIEUSE and the brand is NUXE. I bought it last time I was in Paris and I am not sure if it is sold in the US as it is made in France. It comes in a little glass bottle and contains 6 different oils and Vitamin E. It is very oily as it is purely oil but it’s just great for the face and hair. I use it every night on my face and my skin absorbs it quickly as it is dry oil. I have a combination skin which gets oily on the T Zone so I do not mind using it. I will not recommend it if you have oily skin, but if your skin is normal or dry, you will love it! I have noticed that my skin looks a lot healthier since I have been using it. Of course I still do my everyday cleansing routine and use my CLINIQUE EMERGENCY MASK once a week.

Hope you will love it!

XoXo

eVaDiVa

Less is always better…

Hello Divas,

eVaDiVa is back in the beautiful city of blogville after a very long trip in busyville…I wanted to share with you tips for every day work makeup…

If you are a busy bee like me and have to wake up early every morning to go to work in some pencil skirt and high heels, you probably do not have time to pull out a glamorous makeup look (and should not…you are going to work, not to the new nightclub downtown)!

I have been wearing almost no makeup at all for the last few months and people have been looking at me like I am lying when I tell them I am a makeup artist…

Another thing that triggered me to share these tips with you is that I was happy to have somebody very dear to me tell me last night that less is always better when it comes to my face (see me blushing? lol)

So here is how to keep it simple and still fresh in less than 5 mn…

Here are pics of Gabrielle Union in Miss Independent  video that came out last year looking all professional with a very cute makeup look (with lashes and some eyeshadows though…) Check out the shoes!!!

FACE

• Use a light powder (MAC pressed powder or mineralized lose powder) and apply it with a big brush.
• Add a lil bit of blot powder on top if you have oily skin or if you live in a hot climate
• Use a warm tone blush or bronzer (Bobbi Brown in DEEP 4)

EYES

• Make sure your eyebrows are waxed and use your eyebrow pencil if necessary (MAC STUD or SPIKED; BOURJOIS in BROWN)
• Instead of using eye shadows and getting into the whole shading process, just use eyeliners! If you are wearing a blue shirt, try a blue eyeliner pencil around your eye and smudged it lightly!
• Use as much mascara as you want since you are not wearing any shadows, you want to emphasize your look as much as you can (without it looking clumpy of course) LANCOME mascaras are still my favourite of all times! Try FLEXTENCILS or the classic DEFINICILS

LIPS

• Use your favourite lipliner (nightmoth in my case) along with any lipstick that you want. Avoid bright lips at work as it may look too provocative. I recently tried Nightmoth with Spirit lipstick and I am loving it!!!
• Go easy on the lipgloss…you do not wanna see the reflection of ur lips on your desktop all day…plus wearing too much lipgloss is not classy…

Now you can go to work with a decent face in less than 5 mn…

XoXo

eVaDiVa

Red like Ruby Woo…

 

Hello divas,

I have been thinking about writing for the last four weeks but never got a chance!!! Work has been keeping me so busy I don’t even have time to relax and blog anymore… So I wanted to share with you my new favorite lipstick. Yes I said LIPSTICK! I rarely wear lipstick because I rather have glossy sexy lips but I found out lately how a matte bright lip can look so glamorous! I have been wearing all kind of matte lipstick with chestnut, nightmoth or currant lipliners but my favorite of all is the bright red MAC Ruby Woo! I wear it with nightmoth liner by drawing a very thick line around my lips and then blending the line with lipstick. I usually do not wear a lot of color on my eyes (I guaranty you will look like a clown if you do…). This lipstick looks good on any complexion, if you are light skin, you can use it without any lipliners or with MAC Vino liner. Other nice matte lipstick to try from MAC are:

 • Spirit (beige)

 • Velvet Teddy

• So Chaud

• Kinda sexy

Remember these lipsticks look better worn matte…so no need to add a gloss…

 XoXo

eVaDiVa

New amazing stuff!!!

Hello Divas,

Hope you all started this new week in a divalicious way…I just wanted to share with you a few new products that I have been experimenting with and that I end up loooving !!!

CLARINS DOUX PEELING: I used to use it a long time ago and just recently bought a new tube. It’s the best peeling mask on the market for two reasons: it removes your skin from all the dead cells while you scrubbing it and you do not need to use a lot! A lil bit goes a very long way. It can be a substitute if you miss your monthly deep facial at the spa…it’s that good! Rememember that you need to use it on a DRY and CLEAN face.

ST YVES Apricot SCRUB: This scrub is meant to be used on the face but your diva is using it on her legs!!! LOL…I have not been blessed with hairless legs so whenever I wax, I use this scrub on my legs and they are smooth like a baby’s…This scrub is also good for the face if you have very oily skin with large pores…however I would not recommend it if you have sensitive skin as it can be to harsh on the skin

M.A.C mineralized blush in GEELFUL: My BFF sent it to me 2 weeks ago and I have been using it ever since! Thanks Cyn!!! It’s pink with soft sparkle and will look good on any complexion…you can even use it during the day…try it!!!

XoXo eVaDiVa

Makeup Class 101 on V DAY!!!

Hello Divas,

I am back after being quite for quite some times… Today, I am sharing with you a few pics that were taken during a makeup class that I organized on Valentine’s day at my house.

The goal of this makeup class was to teach some of my makeup techniques and give a few tips to women of color when it comes to makeup application. The session took place in the afternoon because I wanted to take full advantage of the beautiful sun of Dakar…

My first model below was my dear friend Shoon, she has medium to light complexion with a beautiful bone structure. I first did a very natural day look and then showed how this day look could be transformed in more sophisticated night look by adding just one or 2 colors.

 

ALL MAC unless specified

SHOON’s Day Look:

FACE

Powder: Lose Mineralize Powder in Deep Dark

Blush: Ablaze

EYES

Eyebrows: Spiked pencil (Shoon has already beautiful shaped eyebrows ; she threads them to get that shape, I just added spiked pencil to define them a lil bit more)

Base: Concealer select cover up

Eyelid: Bamboo with brush # 242

Crease: Folie with brush # 224

Highlighter: Arena with brush # 252

Eyeliner: Boot Black on top and graphblack in the inner eye rim

Mascara: LANCOME High Definicils

LIPS

Liner:  Cork

Lipglass: C-thru (very softly)

SHOON’s Night Look:

I just added the following products to her day look to create a night look:

FACE

ILLUMINATING POWDER: Mineralize powder Global glow on the T-zone

BRONZER: Bobbi Brown DEEP 4

EYES

Corner crease: Beauty Marked with brush # 217

LIPS

Liner: Nightmoth

Lipglass: Peroxide

SHOON’S DAY LOOK

SHOON’S NIGHT LOOK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

***Bday Party Look***

Hello Divas,

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Mine was just soooo GREAT!!! It was my birthday on Friday and I had the best birthday party ever with all my friends!!! I hope I will be able to match that for the big 30…lol

So I was so excited the whole night that I didn’t even think about taking a close-up picture of my makeup…Here is the best picture I could find to describe what I was wearing…

ALL MAC unless otherwise specified

FACE

Foundation: Select SPF 15 NW45

Powder: Mineralize Skin Finish Lose Powder Deep Dark

Blush:  Raizin

Shimmer Powder: Global Glow mineralize

EYES

Base: Concealer NW35

Eyelid: Electra

Crease: Dovefeather

Corner Crease: Carbon

Highlighter: Concealer NW 35 + Vanilla Pigment

Inner corner eye: Electra

Bottom contour: Carbon

Eyeliner: Blactrack fluidline

Eyeliner: Graphblack

Lashes: MAC # 33

LIPS

Liner: Chocolate by Bobbi Brown

Gloss: Fine China (limited edition)

XoXo

eVaDiVa