Book, Book Reviews, Review

Book Review: The Woods Are Always Watching

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! It’s been a while but I’m back with a book review, this is one of the few I’ve read in the past year. A thriller/horror book written by Stephanie Perkins and released in 2021.

Summary from GoodReads

Bears aren’t the only predators in these woods.

Best friends Neena and Josie spent high school as outsiders, but at least they had each other. Now, with college and a two-thousand-mile separation looming on the horizon, they have one last chance to be together—a three-day hike deep into the woods of the Pisgah National Forest.

Simmering tensions lead to a detour off the trail and straight into a waking nightmare; and then into something far worse. Something that will test them in horrifying ways.

The book is written in a viewpoint narrative, where we know the main character’s thoughts and feelings. I had a hard time reading the book because it’s slow-paced but picks up speed mid-book. Even though I found the main characters well-developed and explained, as far as their actions, feelings, and thoughts go. There was a love/hate feeling because there was no way I was always agreeing with either of them. It also had an open ending which I’m not a fan of.

I liked the book enough to finish reading it, but it wasn’t what I was expecting. This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I’m kind of disappointed. Any book you recommend that’s amazing? Let me know in the comments.

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Haul, Makeup

Beauty Haul

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! I’m back with another beauty haul. These past weeks I’ve been makeup shopping like I don’t own any. I bought stuff from Ulta, e.l.f. Cosmetics, and Il Malkiage.

Let’s start with Ulta, I got makeup sponges from Spectrum x Disney( Tinker Bell) and from Ulta x Marvel (Thor: Love and Thunder). Also from the Ulta x Marvel collaboration I got the King Valkyrie eyeshadow palette. Got the Essence 16hr Cover & Last powder foundation (shade is Bright Beige), the All Star face palette from Physicians Formula, the Ready in 5 eyeshadow palette in Palm Springs from Morphe, and Shadow Blocks in 26th & Madison Ave from Maybelline.

Got makeup and beauty tools from the e.l.f. Cosmetics website. I bought the Total Face Sponge, Cookies ‘N Dreams single scoop face sponge, a Gua Sha, a dry brush cleaner, a tweezer trio, the Mint Melt Cleansing Cloud, a Smoky Eye brush kit, and the Electric Mood brush & sponge set. In terms of makeup, I got a Mat Oil-Control primer, Game Up Shield Me setting mist, Stay All Night micro-fine setting mist, two No Budge cream eyeshadow (shades: Wildflower and Oasis). Also got three No Budge matte shadow stick (shades: Lava Lamp, Groovy, Out of Sight), one No Budge metallic shadow stick in Rich Amethyst, the Flawless Satin foundation (shade: Light Ivory), and the Lash It Loud volumizing mascara in Black. Using my points I got a Bite-Size Face Duo in Pomegranate.

From the Il Makiage x Kathleen Lights I got the Boogie Down Eye Trio, which includes the Disco Fox pressed pigment palette, a long-wear eye pencil in Far Out and a sticker sheet.

That was everything beauty related that I’ve bought in the past weeks. Will be trying the products and letting you know what I think of them. If there’s anything you want to see a review of first, just let me know. Have a great day, talk later.

Makeup, Review

the Colossal Curl Bounce Mascara

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! Hope you’re having a great week so far, today I have a mascara review for you. It’s a fairly new product from Maybelline and I’ve liked it so far, but it’s not my favorite.

Colossal Curl Bounce turns up the volume. Now big volume meets bouncy curl. Its Curl ’N’ Bounce brush separates and curls lashes while its Memory-Curl formula gives curl that lasts. This long wearing mascara delivers lasting bouncy lashes. Defies clumps. Defies smudging. Defies flaking. Up to 24HR wear.

According to Maybelline’s site
  • Pros
    • Packaging is good-looking and slick.
    • Formula doesn’t stay wet for long, it dries fast.
    • Color is intense.
    • Doesn’t transfer.
    • Makes my lashes look curly.
  • Cons
    • Smudges on my lower lash line.
    • Somewhat hard to remove.
Here you can see the difference this mascara makes on my sad, droopy, non-existant lashes.
Both eyes with 2 coats of mascara.

Overall, it’s a great mascara but it doesn’t quite agree with the high heat/humidity of Puerto Rico. I tend to apply two to three coats without waiting in between (one eye at a time). With that many coats, it takes some effort to remove the product entirely. I’ll continue to use this mascara, just not for work where I’m in fluctuating temperatures.

Let me know in the comments, what’s your favorite waterproof mascara that won’t smudge or transfer.

Book, Book Reviews

Book Review: The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter

Stephanie Román

Hello guys! Welcome back to the blog, today I have a book review. I finished reading this book last month and started reading another one (but that’s for another time). When searching for the book’s synopsis, I found there are at least three books with the same title. Those other books are on my ”To Read” list. Here’s the synopsis for the novel by Karin Slaughter.

Atlanta, Georgia. Present day. A young woman is brutally attacked and left for dead. The police investigate but the trail goes cold. Until a chance assignment takes GBI investigator Will Trent to the state penitentiary, and to a prisoner who says he recognizes the MO. The attack looks identical to the one he was accused of eight years earlier. The prisoner’s always insisted that he was innocent, and now he’s sure he has proof. The killer is still out there.  

As Will digs into both crimes it becomes clear that he must solve the original case in order to reach the truth. Yet nearly a decade has passed—time for memories to fade, witnesses to vanish, evidence to disappear. And now he needs medical examiner Sara Linton to help him hunt down a ruthless murderer. But when the past and present collide, everything Will values is at stake.

synopsis from author’s website

My thoughts on the book are the following:

  • The chapters are written in the past and present tense, I guess to recall all the details needed to understand the story.
  • The pace is a bit slow for me, so it took me a few months to finish reading this book.
  • I had to stop reading for a while and then continue reading.
  • After the book’s first half, the story got interesting enough for me that I had to finish it.
  • There are hints throughout the book pointing to who the killer is and at the end it all makes sense.
  • Love the main character, Will Trent, it’s a very relatable one.

It’s a really good book, even though it has a slow-paced narrative when you start connecting the dots between past and present the book gets interesting. If you like a psychological thriller and don’t mind the back and forth, this book will be great for you.

If you have any recommendations, let me know in the comments.

Makeup

Wishlist

Stephanie Román

Hey there, welcome back to yet another wishlist. This time about new releases and brands I haven’t tried. I’ll tell you what the collection contains, prices (when available), and if the products are already out in the market (with a link for easy access). Also, will include pictures of the products and/or swatches, basically, every picture is from Trendmood on Instagram and a few from Ulta’s website.

First, we have the Super Stay Vinyl Ink Longwear Liquid Lipcolor from Maybelline. It claims to be smudge and transfer-resistant that provides an instant shine finish than can last up to 16 hours. It comes in 10 shades, from which I’m most interested in Royal, Witty, and Cheeky. This product is already available for purchase, I’ve tried to get it from Ulta’s website but it says it can’t ship to Puerto Rico. I guess I’ll have to try Maybelline’s website or wait for the product to be available in Puerto Rico’s stores.

Colourpop is adding a Darth Vader-inspired eyeshadow palette to their Star Wars-related products. It includes 9 shades for $16 and it’s available for purchase. Ofra Cosmetics has a new collection called The Lotus. It includes an eyeshadow palette with 12 shades for $39; a highlighter called Lotus Blossom for $35, and a Pure Glow Finishing Powder for $35. For me, the highlighters and the eyeshadow palette are the most interesting products from the collection. Also available for purchase on Ofra’s website.

Available on Ulta’s website is the Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Bright On Concealer for $24 in shades. And Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer for $20, the shades I’m interested in are Fenty Glow (shimmering rose nude) and Hot Chocolit (shimmering rich brown).

Next is the Sunset Florist Baked 3D Highlighter Palette from Susikeki and it’s available for $19.99 on Amazon. It looks cool and there are basically 5 shades. Colourpop is coming out with an Avatar collab that looks cute, can’t say the shades are unique but if you’re an Avatar lover go for it. If I buy anything from the collection, it’ll probably be a Super Shock Highlighter (there are 2).

That’s my wishlist, for now, let’s see If I actually end up buying something. What is on your wishlist right now? Let me know in the comments, see you next time.

Makeup

Wishlist-21 Days of Beauty Sale

Stephanie Román

Hello! Hope you’re having a great day. I’m here to talk about beauty, specifically 21 Days of Beauty deals from Ulta Beauty. This year, the sale runs from March 13 to April 2 and has a few “first time steal” as they are calling them. I’m going to be sharing the products I’ll like to buy from the sale.

The first few days aren’t appealing to me, so I’m starting on March 17 with the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Balm (first time steal) in the shade Raspberry (deep red berry). It’s going to be 50% off from a regular price of $21. On March 19 the highlighters from Ofra Cosmetics are going to be 50% off from a regular price of $35-40. I already have Rodeo Drive (got it in an Ipsy Bag a few years ago). I want to try the Samantha March Start Inspired Highlighter.

A few eyeshadow palettes from Nabla Cosmetics are going to be 50% off from a regular price of $24-39 on March 21. There are two that are calling my name: Cutie Palette Platinum, has 6 shades; and Secret Palette with 15 shades. The next day, March 22, bareMinerals will have products of the Mineralist line with a 50% off from a regular price of $20-32. I’m interested in the Lip Gloss-Balm in the shades Sincerity (rosewood) and Wonder (burgundy). Also, in the Sunlit Eyeshadow Palette which has 6 shades.

For March 23, Grande Cosmetics will have its GrandeFANATIC Fanning & Curling Mascara at 50% off from a regular price of $25. As well as select wellness items with a 50% off from a regular price of $14-52. From these wellness items, I’ll like to try the L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream as I’ve heard amazing things of this product. And there’s going to be the Patchology FlashPatch Restoring Night Eye Gels (30 pair). As for March 26, I’m interested in the Airbrush Buffing Foundation Brush #110 from IT Brushes for ULTA. The brushes will have a 50% off from a regular price of $24.50-28.50

Lastly, on March 29 with 50% off will be the Hydromaniac Glowy Tinted Hydrator Foundation from Urban Decay with a regular price of $29. Smashbox will also have a 50% off on the Be Legendary Line & Prime Pencil, and the Prime & Plush Lipstick. The shades I’m interested are the True Red and Cranberry for the pencil, and Bawse (deep red) and It’s A Mood (cranberry) for the lipstick.

There you have it, those are all the products I’ll love to try from the sale. We’ll see if I end up buying something, of course I’ll let you know all about it 😉 Be sure to let me know if you’ll buy anything or if you have any recommendations.

Book, Book Reviews

Book Review: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! Welcome back to the blog. Today I have, as the title says, a book review. I read this book like a year ago and I wrote some notes about what I thought about it, but never publish the review. So now that I’m back, you’re getting this review.

The genre for this book is mystery/thriller/psychological thriller, and the summary is:

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Summary from https://stonory.com/

My thoughts on the book are the following:

  • This book is a page turner, it keeps you on edge wanting to know more.
  • It has a good narrative.
  • It has an unexpected ending, but it hints you through the narrative.
  • Kind of confusing at the beginning but takes form.
  • Characters are well developed.
  • Every character seems guilty.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The story was interesting and kept me on edge, just wanting to know more because everyone looked guilty with every new detail that surfaced.

If you like psychological thrillers, this book will be a good addition to your collection. If you have any book recommendations, let me know in the comment section and I’ll be sure to add it to my ever-growing reading list.

Life, Non-beauty

I’m back!

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! I’ve been away from the blog for a very long time, but I’m finally back. A lot has changed since the last time I wrote something here. We’re still in a pandemic and still using face masks (at least here in Puerto Rico). But I quit my job at the clothing store, I’m working at a supermarket, I moved in with my fiancé, and we adopted a dog.

The pandemic reached the US and its territories around March 2020. Basically everything closed down, except the essentials (hospitals, gas stations, supermarkets). I started working at the supermarket in July 31, 2020. The malls starting opening a few months later and I went back to my job at the clothing store in October 2020. I was working two job until May 2021 when I decided to leave the clothing store and stay at the supermarket full-time. I got tired of going back and forth, and the 8-hours a week at the store.

Around the same time I started working at the supermarket, I moved in with my fiancé (he was my boyfriend then). So I was juggling a new job and all the moving process from my mom’s house to the house I still live in. He decided it was a good time to ask me to marry him in September 3rd 2020 while we were dealing with the possibility that he could have been exposed to COVID-19. It was random, as in I didn’t expect it (especially at the time) but it was the cutest thing. I do think have any pictures (sadly) but if you want the full story, just let me know.

In May of 2021, we decided to adopt a dog. I say ‘we’ but in reality I was the one that REALLY wanted and dog and he just said “Okay” after months trying to convince him. I adopted my beautiful Aria from a rescue organization and it’s been crazy since then. I thought I was adopting a smaller dog until I saw her in person but there was no turning back. I was already in love with her and had everything ready to receive her (food, bed, toys). She’s one of the craziest dogs I’ve ever met but the craziest of the one I’ve owned. She’s a very friendly and VERY needy dog; she just wants the attention and affection of everyone she meets. Right now she’s almost a year old, destroys every toy, bed, or pillow you give her, and has no regrets.

Okay, I think this is long enough. I was thinking of doing a short post, like two paragraphs telling you I’m back. But this has almost turned into an essay. I’ve been thinking about coming back for a while now and never put the effort in it. Now I’m here and I’m planning on staying a while. We’ll go back to makeup related topics and maybe I’ll throw some life shenanigans here and there. Talk to you later, take care.

Haul, Makeup

Clothing and Makeup Haul

Stephanie Román

Hi guys! Hope you’re doing good. I’m going to share my recent purchases during this long quarantine. I’ve bought from JCPenney, Skechers, Juvia’s Place, and e.l.f. Cosmetics. // ¡Hola! Espero que estén bien. Voy a compartir lo que he comprado recientemente durante esta larga cuarentena. He comprado de JCPenney, Skechers, Juvia’s Place, y e.l.f. Cosmetics.

Let’s start with the clothing and shoes department. At JCPenney’s website I bought exercise apparel from Xersion (tank top and a capri pant). Also got a short-sleeve tee from the Juniors department. // Comencemos con el departamento de ropa y zapatos. En la página web de JCPenney compré ropa para hacer ejercicio de Xersion (camiseta y un pantalón capri). También una camiseta manga corta del departamento de Juniors.

From the Skechers’ website I got a pair of Bobs Plush with cute dogs all over it. And from JCPenney, a pair of black sneakers (Nike Downshifter 10). // De la página web de Skechers compré un par de Bob’s con lindos perros. Y en JCPenney, un par de tenis negros (Nike Downshifter 10).

As for makeup, I bought some eyeshadow palettes. Took advantage of Juvia’s Place sale a few weeks back and got a bundle of the Warrior palettes (one, two and three). Also made an order on e.l.f. Cosmetics website and got all the bite-size eyeshadow palettes (can also be found on at Ulta). Got some extra bits too: a lipstick, glitter jar and an eye brush. // En cuanto al maquillaje, compré algunas paletas de sombras. Aproveché la venta de Juvia’s Place hace algunas semanas y compré un “bundle” de las paletas Warrior (uno, dos, y tres). También hice una orden en la página web de e.l.f. Cosmetics y compré todas las paletas de sombras “bite-size” (pueden conseguirlas en Ulta). Compré unas cositas adicionales: un lápiz labial, un frasco de brillo (escarcha), y una brocha para ojos.

One of the e.l.f. palettes came with a broken shade.
Favorites

Current Favorites

Stephanie Román

Welcome! Hope you’re doing good. Today I’m sharing my favorite makeup products and activities at this time. I don’t have many favorites but here they are. // ¡Bienvenidos! Espero que estén bien. Hoy les compartiré mis productos de maquillaje y actividades favoritas en este momento. No tengo muchos favoritos pero aquí están.

Lastly, I’ve been really enjoying Pinterest. I can scroll for hours searching inspiration in makeup, bead projects, among other things. // Por último, he disfrutado realmente Pinterest. Puedo pasar horas buscando inspiración en maquillaje, proyectos con cuentas, entre otras cosas.