"Dazzling Anaconda" Snake-Skin Nail Art!

Hello my darlings!! It's been a while since my last hand-designed nail art and I feel terrible about bypassing my favorite topic. Truth is, my nails just haven't been the same since my trip -- I've damaged a lot of them while peeling Southeast Asian fruits like Rambutan and Mangosteen, so I had to let them breathe without polish so that they could grow back healthy. My nails are still quite short, but they're back to normal and I'm excited to present this festive, snake-skin inspired bedazzled nail art, just in time for Mani-Monday! I'm using emerald polish from Motives Cosmetics (yes, Motives even offers polishes!) topped with glitter and spangles from Inglot's latest nail art collection.

Read more for tips, pix and how-to!

Classic "Glam Purple" Smokey for Autumn

Hello dolls!! Getting back to my regular posting schedule, today's look is an oldie, but a goodie. I prepared it a few months ago along with my Day to Night Transformation look using Anastasia's Catwalk Palette. Now that "Catwalk" is officially on the shelves, I'm eager to show you the looks I created using this awesome palette just in time for fall, so here's the first one!

Read more for pix, tips & deets!

"Sweet-n-Edgy" Fall Look & Makeup

Salut mes belles! Fall is officially here and I'm switching up my beauty and styling routine. The changing of the seasons is the best time to experiment with fashion and mix up new trends. This fall, I'm swaying from the typical earth tones and whipping out the cooler tones instead to complement the cloudier days and the darker nights. I'm letting down my hair, keeping it long, sleek and straight and I'm layering it up with separates. My color palette and overall style is sweet yet edgy, highlighted with accents of pink and doses of sharp edgy accessories.

Read more for deets!

"Coral Sunset" Monochrome Look & Makeup

Hello gorgeous! Fall is almost here and while everyone's talking about scarves and layering, I'm holding on the last bit of summer! Today's ready-to-wear look is inspired by the warm, loving sun that gives us energy and light -- two major forces without which we cannot function. For the sake of keeping true to my inspiration, I'm going for a monochromatic look using coral as my primary color source. After all, it is my favorite color for the summer... ::sob::

Read more for deets :)

"Win a Trip to Paris" Contest Giveaway!

Salut mes belles et Attention!! Some of you may know that Paris is my favorite place in the universe. A few years back, I was lucky enough to live and study abroad in Paris and it was the best time of my life! Having said that, it is my honor to present an amazing opportunity from Lancome to win a trip for two to the City of Lights, plus a package of Lancome's brand new Artliner 24H. Join me and my friends at Lancome & enter your best "Creative Liner" look (like I did here) for a chance to win a TRIP TO PARIS!!! Bonne Chance et Bisous <3

Details after the break!

Autumn Smokey for a Maven

Hello dolls! I've had the most incredible, busy week, so I'm posting this look on my off day, because it just can't wait any longer! I'm using my new favorite fall palette -- Motives for La La mineral eyeshadow palette "La La's Court" -- and I'm bringing back the Autumn Smokey in rich burgundy, gilded olive and smoldering black for a dramatic look that's fit for a Maven and a Queen of her Court. 

Read more for deets, tips & a pictorial-tutorial!

Fashion Week Beauty: "Runway to Realway" Lancome for Jason Wu

Salut mes belles! With New York Fashion Week in full glory, today's post is my first "Runway to Realway" makeup adaptation inspired by the gold glitter look showcased at the Jason Wu show on Friday. The look, envisioned by key makeup artist Diane Kendal for Lancome, focused on the dramatic Marlene Dietrich eye shape and heavy-metal rose gold glitter, featuring bronze shadows from the Bronze Amour palette. To bring this runway makeup to the real way, I stayed true to Diane's vision, but kept the shape smaller and more wearable, while still emphasizing the lid with glitter and bronze shadows.

Fashion Photos: Style.com

Wanna get the look? Read on!

"Sparkling Lilac" with Motives!

Hello my beauties! It's Friday night and NYC is poppin' for Fashion Week!! I'll be busy the whole weekend through Wednesday, so I wanted to get out this special post as a taste of what's to expect in the weeks following FW. With that said, I'm ecstatic to present a Maryam Maquillage debut: Motives Cosmetics -- the award-winning makeup from Loren Ridinger and La La Anthony.

For my first Motives look, I went for "Sparkling Lilac" -- a soft, yet edgy Ready-to-Wear look focusing on lilacs, lavenders and mauves. These purple shades are my favorite "falling-into-fall" makeup colors and work for both day and night. Let's get started!

Read on for deets, tips & a pictorial-tutorial :)

"Pink Glitter Fishnets" Nail Art

Salut mes belles! I'm still in a pink mood, so today's nail post is reflective of my girly theme of the week. This mani is my first hand-painted nail art in almost a month -- I used mostly stickers & appliqués while on vacation -- so I wanted to keep this first one fairly easy and fun. I came up with this bright glittery design, which is not only quick and easy, but also satisfying in terms of my pink theme and craving for Strawberry waffles ;))

Read more for tips, tricks & how-to!

"Tropical Fruit" Exotic Makeup

Hello my darlings and Happy Labor Day! I'm back from my adventurous Southeast Asian vacation and I'm full of inspiration, motivation and new ideas. I've missed blogging terribly and I've missed you all even more! As much as I would've loved to have blogged on location, my itinerary was jam-packed with activities and I simply couldn't find the time (nor the readily available internet access); plus, I desperately needed a break and decided it was my time to escape. Hence, my blog took a stand-still for almost a month (Yikes! but y'all forgive me, right? ;) and I'm excited to return today on a brighter note, a fresher breath, and a more rejuvenated outlook on beauty and life. I've taken home a ton of memories and musings and today's makeup post is based off some of my favorite recollections.

Shall we?

"Midnight" Smokey Makeup

Salut mes amis!! Hope you're all happy, healthy and are enjoying your month of August! The last few weeks have been insanely busy for me, both personally and professionally. I've been working on several major projects, filming videos, meeting with companies, attending events and preparing blog content for all of you. On the personal side, I've been getting ready for a major trip to the Philippines and Thailand for my best friend's wedding, as well as a much-needed vacation! 

I'll be leaving today (I'm actually typing from the airport) and I'll be taking you along with me via my photos which I'll be posting on my social media channels. Of course, I'll also be working and updating my blog (though not as frequently) and Mr. Maquillage and I are even planning to visit some cosmetics labs and shoot a makeup VIDEO while we're out there (wish us luck!). This is going to be an amazing trip, so the next time you hear from me will be from the Philippines :)) 

Today's look is my final farewell, so-to-speak, so I wanted to end it with a bang aka with some lights, glitter and celebration!!

Read more for details & how-to!

Neon "Painterly Stripes" Nail Art

Salut mes amis! It's Wednesday and there's less than 12 hours left to enter my HUGE SUMMER GIVEAWAY!!! I hope you've all had a chance to enter, and if not, make sure you act now!! Click on the link above to watch the giveaway video, then come back to this post to fill out the raffle. Good Luck!

On to today's agenda -- "Painterly Stripes" Nail Art :) Read More!

Glossybox July & Last Chance GIVEAWAY!!! (CLOSED)

Hello my darlings!! First things first: there are TWO (2) Days left to enter my HUGE SUMMER GIVEAWAY featuring Glossybox and Beauty Addicts Cosmetics!!! Tell your friends, tell your relatives and scream it out from the top of the mountain -- there will be THREE WINNERS and I want to make sure no one misses this amazing opportunity to revamp your makeup and beauty collection absolutely for free!! For your convenience, I'm including the raffle and the video detailing everything at the bottom of this post, along with the rules and product descriptions. May the LUCK be on your side!!!

<3 <3 <3

In this post, you'll also find my monthly recap of Glossybox, featuring the July edition, so that you can catch a glimpse of what to expect if you're a subscriber and/or if you're one of the three lucky winners!!!

Read more... :)

"Just Beachy" Makeup Art

Good morning, afternoon & evening my loves! It's Sunday and I'm feeling beachy -- who's heading to the beach today? This makeup art was inspired by summertime and created "just because", for no special occasion. Read more for products used and more makeup art :)

Read more!

Sweet-n-Sultry Cat-Eye Smokey

Hello beauties! It's Wearable-Wednesday and for today's makeup edition, I'm keeping it soft, natural and feminine. This "pretty in pink" smokey look is perfect for any season and is a great option for a summer bride. I'm using a mix of shimmery and matte shadows from the new CATWALK palette by Anastasia Beverly Hills and drawing a soft focus to all the features for a bright, wide-awake look.

Read more for deets!

Islamic Nail Art for Ramadan

Hello my beauties! It's Mani-Monday and I'm back with another nail art edition. This week, I'm featuring a simple Islamic motif to celebrate the Holy month of Ramadan and pay my respects to all my Muslim subscribers around the world. I hope you're all having a safe and easy fast and I wish you many blessings during this Holy Month.

Read more for the nail art deets!

Coral & Turquoise Summer Makeup with Tarte!

Hello my darlings! It's Friday and I'm back with another, easy-breezy summer makeup look! Today, I'm proud to feature Tarte Cosmetics -- a phenomenal cruelty-free and vegan-friendly line that is hugely popular for its feel-good, high-performance natural products. Tarte is the perfect choice for summer makeup and today's look is all about embracing the natural beauty of summertime!

Read more for pix & deets :)

HUGE Summer Giveaway w/ Glossybox & Beauty Addicts 3 WINNERS!!! (CLOSED)

Salut mes amis! It's that time of the year again and this time -- it's the MOST wonderful time of the year!! This Summer, I've teamed up with Glossybox and Beauty Addicts Cosmetics to bring you my biggest giveaway ever featuring a 14-product "Favorites" package aka my Beauty Addicts Summer Kit along with a Glossybox full of goodies for THREE LUCKY WINNERS!!! 

Subscribe to my channel & watch the video for details :))

"Summer Kaleidoscope" Hand-Painted Nail Art

Salut mes amis! It's been a while since my last hand-painted nail art post, so today, I've decided to make up for the lost time! With the help of Inglot's latest breathable nail polishes and my trusty nail art brush, I created this whimsical summer nail art inspired by tribal patterns, kaleidoscopes and stained glass windows. This design was truly a joy in the making and though it took nearly an hour and a half to complete, I couldn't be happier with the result!

Read on for pix, tips, & deets!

Taupe & Coral Summer Makeup

Salut mes amis!! The week is almost over and for today's post, I've come up with an easy, ready-to-wear taupe and coral makeup look to take us into the weekend. This look is fun, flirty and perfect for the hot summer days, utilizing my fave neutral palette, Taupe Craze from Lancome, complemented with a pastel coral lip shade from Coloured Raine. This is the type of look that I wear on a daily basis and it's my go-to for enhancing sunkissed skin and relaxed summer style.

Read more for pictorial tutorial & deets!