Erika with a K

A picture is worth a thousand words but are the words always all true? Let me start from the beginning, but before that let me say, this post is in no way to be insensitive to real issues that people experience. Rather it is meant to acknowledge that those issues are real whether or not we choose to share them. When Joey and I started dating about 5 years ago, I met Roxy. Roxy was about 5 months old and she quickly became everything I could ever want in a dog. She was cuddly, well trained, she didn't eat cords or wires, she didn't eat food off the table, she didn't bite, she loved her crate and she never had accidents in the house. Well, now that I am testing my memory, I do remember bringing home a bed for her, she peed in it. Then I brought home another bed for her, she peed in that one too. That cycle continued for a while. Then there was that time she ate the wall. When you are so over the moon for someone or something it's easy to forget the bad and coo o...

I rarely get a chance to see my family, siblings, nieces, nephews, parents etc. work is crazy and my home life is equally as crazy with all the work going on. Having said that, in recent visits all I remember wearing around my family is this shirt. Like, I wear it so much I now associate family visits with this shirt. I almost feel like I am letting the fam down when I'm not wearing it. Please tell me I'm not the only one who get obsessive over everything?! Obsessive personality (check) Super adorable Mickey inspired shirt (check) Speaking of obsessive, a few weeks ago, I was convincing myself that I needed a wig. My reason: because I didn’t feel like doing my hair in my YouTube videos , besides other you tubers are doing it! I searched for inexpensive wigs and found a few for $10-15 bucks. Then I rationalize in my head that I can buy a few cheap wigs for the price of one expensive wig, I’m so economical. I obsessively thought about it for a few days and then one day ...

SONOMA NATURALS Charcoal Face Mask Review. I was slightly disappointed right off the bat, I thought this was a peel mask but it’s a rinse off mask. I don’t know about you but I get a strange enjoyment out of peel off masks and popping pimples. It’s gratifying to see actual junk being pulled or pushed out of pores. I know, gross. But I love it. So if you didn’t vomit yet, lets get into this mask. "a clay-based mask used to strip dirt, oil, impurities and toxins away from the skin while unclogging the pores vegan, paraben-free, gluten-free, mineral oil-free"   It’s light grey and was cold and hard to the touch. It warms up and become softer once it's in your hands and becomes very easy to spread. I like that it’s straight forward, no mixing or measurements just wash your face and apply the mask. It says to let it sit for 5-20 minutes. I always go balls to the wall so I did the full 20 minutes. It starts to tighten a bit as it dries which is gratifying in itself. ...

I don't know about you but I barely remember November at all. Where did it go and how are we in December already? Time certainly flew by but I wanted to take a minute to recap some of my fashion faves for the month of November, from what I can remember! If you follow me on instagram you'll know that everything in this picture was gifted to me by loved ones. What is better than your friends and family knowing you well enough to nail their gift giving every time! It never fails, I always receive fabulous gifts! Let's start with my mug ... it is literally the definition of who I am. I think if you google my name a picture of a coffee mug (with a spoon in it) , my husband and animals will show up. More specifically a picture of our dog sleeping in our bed would show up. We are total homebodies because there is no place better than the comfort of home with the ones you love. One of my best friends, Julissa, gave me this mug as a gift, years ago... it is almost always the one...

The way I feel about clothing is the same way I feel about friendships. How each individual views them and what we deem important speaks volumes about who we are. Some of us value quantity over quality while the rest of us value quality over quantity. A few great pieces in my closet and a few great friends in my heart, that's always been at the core of who I am. When you value the few great pieces (and people), put time into preserving them through the years, they will in fact last you, through the years. Quality clothing just like quality friendships, don’t have to be put on display to prove their worth. You don’t have to wear them with every outfit to prove they are yours. Clothing, just like people, need time to breathe but rest assured they will still be there when you need them, whether they were kept in your heart or in your closet. Take for example my best friends. I’ve know them since I am a baby, a preteen and some I met as late as my teenage years. I am 31 years old ju...

  Where do I begin? If you follow my vlog channel you’ll know that last week I had a mini melt down because of the fence company working on the fence. This was something we have dreamed about for so long but I never expected the fence to interfere with my working for home or even having a day off. Silly me. So now that we have a fenced in our backyard, I am taking full advantage! My fashion pictures will now be taken in front of our privacy fence! I am still working out the details of how this fashion thing will go... where exactly to place my camera and how often I will post outfits but I guess I'll just play it by ear for now. If you've been following this fence story for as long as I've been blabbing about it, be sure to check out tomorrow's vlog to see Roxy fully enjoying her freedom with the newly fenced in yard! After all, that’s why we did it in the first place and we literally couldn’t be happier! To add on to the craziness of the week, we were awoken by...

Today I wanted to do a comparison on felt tip liquid eyeliners because a girl knows, they are not all created equally! As a makeup artist and makeup enthusiast, felt eyeliners are a staple in my life, a legit staple. I can't remember the last time I did makeup on a paying client and I didn't use a felt liner to get not only a precision wing but also a wing that wont smudge, budge or wipe off from crying, laughing or dancing!  Today I am taking a closer look at the liners below. NYX, L'Oreal, Covergirl and a differently packaged L'Oreal The swatches below were kept in the same order as they are shown above. There is an extra swatch because the Covergirl felt liner can be used for precision or thickness, depending on your preference. At first glance you might think they are equal but lets take a close look at the side by side below. I'm going to ask the question, can you tell the difference? Even though I already know the answer is yes....

The first Saturday of a new month is the perfect excuse to try something new on my blog! I have this dream to become a fashion blogger (among many other things, I'll never stop dreaming)... my problem has been the excuses I have come up with as to why I shouldn't just snap a picture of what I am wearing. I LOVE clothes, I sell clothes and naturally I wear clothes... why am I not just taking a picture of me in my outfits? Up until now I've found every excuse... "It's too cold", "It's too sunny", I'm being lazy, "My Go Pro isn't charged", "We're doing construction", and of course, "I just can't find the time."  I decided I need to just start somewhere because I am tired of convincing myself of all the excuses I can think of on the fly. So here goes. I snapped this picture the last day on vacation with my in laws. We were checking out of the hotel that day and I had just finished packing. I was lookin...

I hope you enjoyed this post and/or found it useful! To continue to show support for me and my efforts, check out my cruelty-free, woman-owned small business, made in the USA!  https://www.roxdollcosmetics.com/ It's the hair, scalp, and skincare you DESERVE!

Today's post is on, you guessed it, NYX Gotcha Covered Waterproof Concealer . I picked these up because they were reasonably priced at right around $5.99 (if you shop through ebates you'll even get a % back!) I wanted to widen my selection of good quality concealers, because as we all know what works from some may not work for all. Since I am a Makeup Artist, it is my job to have a variety of products for people's different skin types and of course different skin tones. I picked up every color on the website ( I purchased mine at Bed Bath and Beyond and took advantage of ebates 2% cash back- looking forward to receiving that check in the mail). And as soon a I received them, like a kid on Christmas, I tore through the boxes and swatched them for you, for me, for everyone to see.   This first picture is a swatching from light to dark in artificial lighting. Anyone who tells you that there isn't a difference between natural lighting and artificial lighting, please ...

I hope you enjoyed this post and/or found it useful! To continue to show support for me and my efforts, check out my cruelty-free, woman-owned small business, made in the USA!  https://www.roxdollcosmetics.com/ It's the hair, scalp, and skincare you DESERVE!

 I am right at the boarder of being obsessed with these! Look at that shine! Since these are pretty much at the lowest end of makeup products, when talking about price point, you might be thinking REALLY ERIKA?! I thought you were a professional makeup artist! Well, think what you want but trust me, don't knock em til you've tried them! You can grab these for right around a buck! YES $1! These are great for girls who are scared of lip colors..... because we all know I spent many years outside of the friend zone when it came to lip colors. Today I am someone who tries EVERYTHING! And one of my favorite ways to wear these, aside from alone, is to mix it in with a lip stain to give these a little more lasting power while making the lip stain a little softer, less matte. It works wonders! Still on the fence about lip stains? try these mixed with your favorite lipstick... trust me you won't regret it! Each swatch is matched next to it's lipgloss tube and name!  I h...

Is there really a difference in drugstore products vs high end? I have spent an entire career trying to figure out the truth. I have come to the conclusion that it depends on the product! Some products I whole heartedly believe YES there is a major difference! While other rare occasions I believe NO! Just for fun, here is the Maybelline Master Strobing Stick in 100 and 200 and Master Strobing Liquid in 100, 200 and 300. Now let's compare the Maybelline strobing liquids to high end MAC highlights... Can you even tell which is which? Probably not! Application and texture may be different but once it has been applied you can hardly notice a difference. For right around half the price.. you can't beat it!  I hope you enjoyed this post and/or found it useful! To continue to show support for me and my efforts, check out my cruelty-free, woman-owned small business, made in the USA!  https://www.roxdollcosmetics.com/ It's the hair, scalp, and skincare you DESERVE!

This wedding season has been unlike any other and I am so thankful for each and every one of you who have chosen me and my team for your special day. Thank you for putting your trust in me not only for your hair color, cuts and treatments but also for your most special events. My business would be nothing without you and your referrals. Thank you for referring my services to your friends, family and loved ones. Now that wedding season is slowing down I want to take this time to let you know just how much you mean to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope you always know how much I appreciate you. Thank you for making my business what it is. I hope you enjoyed this post and/or found it useful! To continue to show support for me and my efforts, check out my cruelty-free, woman-owned small business, made in the USA!  https://www.roxdollcosmetics.com/ It's the hair, scalp, and skincare you DESERVE!

I hope you enjoyed this post and/or found it useful! To continue to show support for me and my efforts, check out my cruelty-free, woman-owned small business, made in the USA! https://www.roxdollcosmetics.com/ It's the hair, scalp, and skincare you DESERVE!

I hope you enjoyed this post and/or found it useful! To continue to show support for me and my efforts, check out my cruelty-free, woman-owned small business, made in the USA!  https://www.roxdollcosmetics.com/ It's the hair, scalp, and skincare you DESERVE!

bellapierre kiss proof lip creme: $20 each  Beautifully pigmented, smudge proof, long wearing but incredibly sticky! Did I mention that it was nearl impossible for me to remove these swatches from my arm! Once dried they do lose some of the ultra stickiness. Also, adding any gloss on top of these will make it lose its long lasting wear. Having said that, I am happy to add these glosses into my personal and professional makeup collections.  I hope you enjoyed this post and/or found it useful! To continue to show support for me and my efforts, check out my cruelty-free, woman-owned small business, made in the USA!  https://www.roxdollcosmetics.com/ It's the hair, scalp, and skincare you DESERVE!

As a small business owner I strongly dislike leaving negative reviews about things. I like to support people and businesses that TRY. That's the best we can do right? Well, let me apologize now for my review of the  Lifestyle products Foaming Make Up Brush Cleaner, because it's a negative one.  Avid makeup brush cleaners like myself know what we like and what we do like. We know what we look for in a brush cleaner and what just doesn't make the cut. So let me begin. I purchased this brush cleaner for about $5 at TJ MAXx (honestly not even sure if they are still selling it, lucky for you) $5 certainly isn't a large amount to pay for a brush cleaner that works, but it is a large amount to pay for a brush cleaner that doesn't work.  Perhaps part of my issue is that I don't like foam products, hand soaps included. I much prefer working up a good lather... that aside, it just doesn't clean the brushes. Here's a breakdown of each brush I used it on an...

I hope you enjoyed this post and/or found it useful! To continue to show support for me and my efforts, check out my cruelty-free, woman-owned small business, made in the USA!  https://www.roxdollcosmetics.com/ It's the hair, scalp, and skincare you DESERVE!

I hope you enjoyed this post and/or found it useful! To continue to show support for me and my efforts, check out my cruelty-free, woman-owned small business, made in the USA!  https://www.roxdollcosmetics.com/ It's the hair, scalp, and skincare you DESERVE!

Well here it is, my review on a product I could not even begin to try to pronounce, the Obliphica Professional Seaberry Hair Serum for medium to coarse hair. I took this with me to Vegas because as we all know I pack very lightly in the beauty department when it comes to vacation! Plus I was determined to not check a bag so all my liquid products had to weigh under 2oz. So as a last minute decision I put it in our toiletry bag, and thank God I did. This was from a birchbox and I have been determined to try and review every birch box item so I am super glad I had to opportunity to test it out, without using any other products! I wore my hair "naturally" curly and I quote naturally because we all know natural curls need lots of products to keep them under control. I used this products as soon as I came out of the shower. I applied to it my wet hair and used it as some what of a dangler just so I can brush through my freshly cleaned hair. Since I never brush my hair when it...

I feel like it has been WAY too long since I've done a review on this blog so here goes, the Avocado and Honey Smoothie Magic Deep Conditioning Hair Strengthening Hair Mask... that can't be the full name can it?  "This deep conditioning, strengthening hair mask is infused with avocado and honey and will leave hair super soft and deliciously scented." The texture was creamy and easy to spread which is definitely a plus.  I let it sit on my head for about a half hour before I washed it out. I always do 2 shampoos when washing out a hair mask... the last thing I want is to come out of the shower feeling greasy! Then I conditioned as usual. The end result was softer but poofier hair. Is that even a word? It isn't my favorite as far as results because I like my hair to feel less soft and poofy and more textured so I can wear it how I normally do. You can see from the picture shown above, the frizz towards the top of my hair. I don't typical...

I hope you enjoyed this post and/or found it useful! To continue to show support for me and my efforts, check out my cruelty-free, woman-owned small business, made in the USA!  https://www.roxdollcosmetics.com/ It's the hair, scalp, and skincare you DESERVE!

Did you know LimeLight by Alcone changed their name to LimeLife by Alcone.. still selling the same product... seems like they are trying to hide videos like this from search results. ekk! I hope you enjoyed this post and/or found it useful! To continue to show support for me and my efforts, check out my cruelty-free, woman-owned small business, made in the USA!  https://www.roxdollcosmetics.com/ It's the hair, scalp, and skincare you DESERVE!

I hope you enjoyed this post and/or found it useful! To continue to show support for me and my efforts, check out my cruelty-free, woman-owned small business, made in the USA!  https://www.roxdollcosmetics.com/ It's the hair, scalp, and skincare you DESERVE!

One year ago today I woke up early and went to work like any normal day. Only this day was the Friday before our wedding. When I came home, my mom and one of my best friends Jill helped Joey and I pack our car for our mini vacation in Saratoga Springs. My in laws drove by as they left for Saratoga Springs... shortly after we were on the road to our little happy destination to get married. I remember it all so vividly. I remember the casino in Saratoga Springs was giving away a camping chair... how ironic that the "two kids from camping" (that's Joey & I), were getting married that weekend in Saratoga Springs. We made sure to make a stop at the casino before our rehearsal dinner to get our camping chair! The rehearsal dinner is kind of a blur but I do remember singing happy birthday to one of my best friend's Julissa... it was her 30th birthday that night, my sister made her a princess jasmine cake (from one of her favorite Disney movies). We gave out our gifts t...

I hope you enjoyed this post and/or found it useful! To continue to show support for me and my efforts, check out my cruelty-free, woman-owned small business, made in the USA!  https://www.roxdollcosmetics.com/ It's the hair, scalp, and skincare you DESERVE!

TRUBEAUTY Lemon eye mask All things it's good for: "Rejuvenate tired puffy eyes as soothing eye pads infused with natural lemon extracts refresh & renew for an invigorating spa experience at home! Pre-moistened with natural fruit extracts Designed to cool and soothe like real lemon slices Helps reduce swelling, puffiness and the appearance of dark circles Use to relieve eyes after late nights, extended computer use, allergies and more" How To Use: For best results, store jar in refrigerator. Close lid tightly after each use. Remove contacts lenses and makeup Thoroughly wash face Close eyes and gently place one pad over each eyelid Relax for 15 minutes and remove Precautions: DO NOT use with contacts lenses. If irritation occurs, rinse eyes thoroughly with water and discontinue use immediately. So here's my experience... They feel l ike eye makeup remover pads or toning pads, they look like lemons. I put the lighte...