Sephora vs. Ulta
I know…it’s like day seven of 30 of my #beautytimeout but since I’ve done so much shopping this summer I’ve got a lot to write about and update you on. First, Ulta just opened up two stores in my area within the last year. I am such a Sephora addict that I never really stepped foot in Ulta. Funny though, one is located by my house and the other by where I work. So it was only a matter of time I stopped in. And ADM/OMG!! If Sephora and Walgreens had a baby, it would be Ulta. Ulta is like Sephora’s cheaper cousin. What I love about Ulta is that you get things you can find at Sephora like Tarte and Philosphy but you also get things you find at drugstores like Rimmel and Herbal Essences. You can find so many brands in there including OPI, NYX (can’t wait to tell you all about that new obsession!!) and Frieda and Fekkhai. It really doesn’t get any better than this.
So to give you an idea….I can spend $100 easy at Sephora in one trip. Thankfully we only have one store and it’s in a mall located in an inconvenient place. I can buy about the same amount of products at Ulta and spend like $30-$40. So you know hubby’s really loving Ulta too! The only con about Ulta? I can actually step in on my lunch hour! And I have co-workers who’d be so down for that! Which makes this 30 days really hard! I’m almost twitching!!!
On A Beauty Break!
Well chicas, if you’re not following me on twitter you may have missed my announcement. I’m going on a beauty buying break! This means for the next 30 days (until September 20th) I won’t be buying any lip gloss, eye shadow, mascara or anything! This is going to be hard for me as the only thing I’m allowing myself to purchase is shampoo/conditioner and body wash.
So why the break you say? Well I have noticed that this summer my spending has been out of control. I have discovered new stores and purchasing products to do reviews yet I haven’t gotten around to post those reviews. Sad right?? So I’m going to use these 30 days to focus more on natural beauty (fitness, vitamins and such) and catch up on all these product reviews that I have laying around the house. I must say it’s going to be hard because I have friends and co-workers who are die hard beauty and fashion addicts. One of which I will be interviewing just for fun! I will be living vicariously through her shopping habits since I won’t be doing any of it. She’s the one who introduced the shopping bible to me. Trust me chicas, that bible works! Keeps you from buying things you may not need and identifies what you’re really lusting after.
But don’t worry, Gee will be here every Friday for her fabuloso Fashion Friday posts and I will still be perusing magazines and adding to that bible so you will see lots of posts from me! Also I’m happy to announce that I have been chosen to be a blog ambassador for Jennifer Lopez’s new fragrance, Love and Glamour! So check out my tweets as well as face book posts with the hashtag #loveandglamour!
Also, hubby just gave me my hashtag for my beauty break. #beautytimeout so don’t forget to check that out!
Fashion Friday: I’m a Shopaholic!
As I go on my thirty day shopping freeze, Gee covers her shopping tendencies in today’s post! I am all about a few of these stores and must say I have the Forever 21 app on my iTouch. That I can’t use for at least 30 days. Keep your fingers crossed! Ok enough about me, let’s here about Gee!
This week on Fashion Friday we will be covering my top 5 stores, and where to get the most bang for you buck. Now, I did say we’d be using our Metro Cards this week, so let’s get to it!
First Stop Forever 21 : I’ve got to say that that this store has surprised me throughout the years. You can find one in all the five boros in NYC as well as outside of NYC, they now carry Men’s and Children’sattire. What more can you ask for? Forever21 always has affordable jeans, tees, dresses, sock, accessories, inmate wear, shoes, hats, scarf’s, unisex glasses you name they probably have it. Now this store is my top 5 store that MommaGiee shops in. If you can’t reach the store you can always do your shopping online, and they also have a clothing line for the curvy and more to love momma’s. IPhone now offers a Forever21 APP.
Mami’s Note: Love this store too and it now carries maternity online. I advise not to buy pants online before trying them at the store. But the tops and accessories are to die for!!
Next Stop Century 21. This store isn’t that easy to reach since its only in the New York area and theirs only a certain location of them in New York at that. Century’s is more of a bargain store. To be honesta they say it’s “fashion worth fighting for”. They also have great prices for high priced items. They have international wear, kids dept, men’s dept , house dept, fragrance dept as well and nothing but less they have a large selection for shoes for all ages. So if you in the New York area might want to check out Century 21. For store listing check out the site.
This stop consists of several stores within one block: Broadway Nassau (financial district)
This area I have got to be honest Is my favorite. They have cute boutiques such as Dor la’dor, which has a great shoe collection for less, purses and accessories. I just love this store, and they always have the latest must have looks. Just the scenery of the store makes me want to shop, but if that’s not enough they also offer frequent buyers card. You can be find them on Facebook. Be sure to mention that Gina sent you.
Within ten feet is DeJaneiro which offers an affordable work attire of some last minutes things like bra’s, underwear, PJ’s also large selection of cami’s and tights (leggings) this store is pretty reliable just in case of a wardrobe malfunction. DeJaneiro also has a shoe store right across the street where you can always find cute shoes for less.
And last but not least there is Know Style this store is more of my night life store. They sure can help you find your night life outfit. And if you need some Gotti jewelry they sure can hook you up.
So that was my list of top 5 stores Now go check them out! Shopping is suppose to fun not drastic CAUTION IT CAN BE ADDICTING! stay tuned for next week’s post the first impression is key .So I’ll be helping you put your interview outfit together.
Product Review: Hint Water
I’ve tried the crystal light or other packets (even with caffeine in them!)
I’ve put a lemon in them.
And my favorite….I pop candy/gum in my mouth and then I can drink the water. It’s the perfect hint of flavor for water without it being overbearing like those packets can be.
It’s the funniest thing though. This hint water tastes just like that hint of flavor I get when I pop that candy or gum in my mouth. It’s perfect. Also I actually drank it all within a few minutes and didn’t even realize it! To top it off, it’s 0 calories!!
You may not like this if you like the strong flavors of other flavored water or of those packets. It’s definitely a very light flavor. I tried the mango-grapefruit flavor and it was yummy. Just enough to make me drink water without turning my nose up. Click to find it at your favorite store. I still can’t find it around me but the site states that they are available nationally at all Starbucks and Whole Foods. Check it out! Have you tried this water? What do you think about it?
New Sponsor: The Unique Closet
I’m excited to share Mami’s Time Out newest sponsor The Unique Closet. Check out the banner above the logo for more info. Love that they have quality clothes at such great prices! You can find dresses, rompers, tops, bottoms, and accessories. With an easy to navigate web site and weekly specials. My favorite outfit this week is this belted dress for only $44. I love that you can wear this dress just about anywhere! It looks so comfy too! You can rock these with killer heels or with some chic flats! And a nice clutch! How would you wear this dress? Let me know in the comments!
Q&A With MyShoes.com
I was recently able to ask a few questions to Andrea Woroch, of Myshoes. I learned that she loves shoes just as much as I do! I must say when I am looking for a specific pair of shoes, this is one of the first sites I go to! Cuts your time in half! Enjoy!
What made you think about starting a site like Myshoes?
From our shopping experiences, we knew that the selection of shoes on the Web can be a bit overwhelming and we wanted to create a resource that offered all the options in one place and provided customized search settings with streamlined results. By utilizing our company’s discount coupon site, PromotionalCodes, we were able to apply a money-saving element with the coupon integration, which adds any coupon codes to the final price. By combining all these elements, we are able to help women will find the perfect pair of shoes at the lowest price quickly and easily. Plus, being mostly women in the office, shoes were the first thing to come up during our brainstorm!
How long has myshoes been live?
We officially launched myShoes.com this past February.
What is your ultimate goal regarding myshoes?
We want myShoes.com to be the first thought that comes to every woman’s mind when she thinks about shoes – - which could be a few hundred times per day (or is that just me?)!
How many pairs of shoes do you own?
Since becoming fully consumed by the launch of myShoes (I may be our site’s biggest fan!), I’ve added five pairs of shoes to my collection. When you are looking at and talking about shoes all day long, it’s hard to resist a cute pair of summery espadrilles or sexy heels – especially when there’s a great deal to be had. However, I try to keep my closet current and donate shoes that haven’t been worn to the local shelter.
What are some of this season’s trends? (include images if you can)
Summer is such a fun season for shoes! Here are three top trends:
Nudes: Shoes in nude hues are ultra flattering because the skin tone color creates a continuous line that makes legs look longer and leaner. Aim for a nude within a few shades of skin color. For night, nudes can shimmer with a touch of gold. Try nudes as peep-toe heels, sky-high platforms and caged sandals for a trendy look. Picture:
Michael Antonio Tinsley available for $48. 
Oxfords: Menswear-inspired pieces are hot for summer. Think structured twills and relaxed separates like vests, trench coats, and trouser pants. You can get in on the trend with oxford shoes which are among the easiest of trendy shoes to wear.
Steve Madden Tuxxedo, a great flat style for $47
Charles David Canny Spectator offers a peep-toe and sling back style perfect for Spring & Summer weather –
Nautical: The Nautical trend is taking over with stripes and rope detail plus lots of the traditional red, white and blue colors. Look for gold metal details, rope-like accents, grosgrain ribbon trim and wood or cork soles – a great style for day.
Steve Madden Yachtt in Navy Blue (available at myShoes.com with an exclusive 20% off code for only $39!)
Mami’s Note: Aren’t those Michael Antonio’s hot for only $48! I’m looking for a hot pair of nude shoes! If you are looking for a new pair, you definitely need to check out this site! They will find it for you and for the best price!
Fabulous Idea for Shopping
So you all know about all these shopping sites like Shop it To Me and others that send you sales right to your email. But a coworker of mine showed me a genius way she keeps her fashion shopping list together. While perusing magazines, she cuts out the outfits and beauty products she would like to try and pastes them into a journal type of book. Something small enough to fit in her purse. When she’s ready to go shopping, she picks out from the book to see what she will buy. She then pulls the outfit out of the journal when she’s purchased it.
Seriously when she showed me her book I was amazed. How smart is that! The Butterflies Journal
How do you organize your fashion shopping? Are you a traditional store shopper or an online shopper?
Makeup in the Mail!
Please note that Mami’s Time Out is part owner of this web site.
One of the side projects I’ve been working on is this great idea a friend and I had Black Box Beauty. Imagine if you subscribed to makeup. And every month you got this pretty little black box filled with goodies you’d like. Maybe you’re a lip gloss addict, an eye shadow queen or a fragrance diva. You pick the subscription tailored specifically to what you’d like! Enter Black Box Beauty. There’s a subscription for every budget and likes. I absolutely loved this idea and am glad I have a go getter as a partner. He gets it done! Because I’ve sure been dropping the ball lately! And of course the site is pink! 
Well I did design the cute little logo! Other than that, I really need to start earning my keep!
Anyway, so we just recently launched this site and I had to tell my chicas about this first so they can go get a subscription! The first ten subscriptions get a free gift for signing up! And of course you know it’s coming from me so you can trust you will get the best of makeup out there! Who knows….there my be a giveaway or two soon so keep your eyes and ears open!
This is a great way to stay bella while getting a nice little black box in the mail! What a great thing to look forward to! I know I love to get pretty little things in the mail besides bills. What do you think of this great new idea? Check out the site and let me know what you think in the comments!
Book Review: Dad’s Pregnant Too!
I am so last minute with this but this could be a great gift idea for those Dad to be’s this Father’s Day (which is tomorrow!!) or at any time for a Dad to be. Dad’s Pregnant Too
· A guide to the different types of expectant fathers, from the Do-It-All to the Me-Too, and the Getting Fat to the Two-For-the-Price-of-Two
· A rundown on how to spoil your pregnant partner, from massaging wherever she’ll let you touch to the babymoon and push presents
· How to navigate the baby superstore and limit your purchases to two car seats and a stroller that should go 55 mph, given the price tag
· And everything in between, from the baby’s development to the body and mind of a pregnant woman to sex during pregnancy!
Here’s an excerpt from the book:
Tip #15
The In-Awe Expectant Father: Words Can’t Describe It (But I’ll Try)
THE TIP:
It’s a feeling like nothing you’ve ever experienced before.
THE STORY:
Seeing the baby come out of my wife was surreal and mind-numbing. The image was too much for me to comprehend—it was sensory overload. It wasn’t until a few hours after the birth, when everyone had been taken care of, that I had a chance to hold my daughter. My wife was sleeping, and we were alone. That’s when the switch was flipped. It was a feeling I had never experienced before. I was awestruck by the pregnancy, by the birth, and by the delivery. But the love a father feels for his child blew me away. It’s a feeling that never goes away.
—Me, daughter 22 months, 21 weeks pregnant
We had a C-section, and I got to spend time with Jack before Emily did; it’s not how I wished it. He opened his eyes and he looked at me, and I said, “Hi Jack.” And he looked at me like he knew that was his name. It was the most magical moment.
—Jeff (son 9 months)
I thought of including a blank page for this tip because there are no words to describe the feeling of going through the expectant father experience. But a book with blank pages isn’t a good book. So, here’s my best attempt.
Being an expectant father will leave you in awe. It will excite, exhaust, intimidate, embarrass, intrigue, surprise, scare, shock, and delight you all at once. The adventure will stir untapped emotions. It will leave you feeling something you’ve never felt or experienced before.
It’s as if there’s something programmed into our DNA that’s activated during this process. And when the switch is flipped and it happens, the world will change forever. It’s an emotional state so powerful and all-consuming that there are no words for it.
Don’t worry about not feeling it right away. It will happen, but when it happens will vary. It could be immediately after the birth, or an hour, a day, a week, or a few months later—but it will happen. It’s not something you need to force. No matter the heaviness or happiness of the moments leading up to the birth, it will all be worth it. The adrenaline rush of fatherhood is better than any drug—once the initial surge
It’s like a Darwinian switch flipped in my brain. I went from reluctant father to head-over-heels committed dad in a heartbeat.
—Eric (daughter 15 months)
I was in awe when I saw the ultrasound of our baby and the heartbeat—that is when I knew it was for real.
—Kevin (18 weeks pregnant)
subsides, the feeling lingers forever. It’s what bonds us to the baby.
From conception to coming home, the whole journey is exhilarating, exhausting, and awe-inspiring. It’s something you’ll probably want to do again and again. And while you might in fact do it again and again, savor the first time—the first is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Enjoy the adventure ahead.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
You won’t believe what you see, hear, and feel.
Dad’s Pregnant Too
On My Shopping List: Hot Blazer
I have been trying to organize my closet due to this new dress code at work. It has changed from a relaxed office to a more business casual office. Which means, no jeans (which were the staple of my outfits) and no sneakers unless it’s a Friday. I’m taking this as a good opportunity to grow up a bit with my clothes. Check out this blazer! It’s adorable and fashionable while still being adult. And on sale for $44 it is definitely a deal! So what do you think about this blazer? With a nice cami underneath you can really work it!
