Today I’m Getting These Fibroids And Polyp Tumors Removed

img_1030The Big Day is FINALLY here! If you’re a woman who have experience women health issues I’m sure you understand my excitement. If you have a love one that is going through it with health issues then I know you understand.

I arrived at The Queen’s Medical Center at 7:30am to check in for surgery. I was brought up to the 2nd floor and they got me all prepped. All of my nurses were excellent with taking care of me and keeping me calm and relaxed.

At 9:30am I was rolled in the operating room, that’s when it got real when they had me say bye to my husband and son. The room was bright and so damn cold that they had to get me 2 more warm blankets. All I remember is moving from the stretcher to the table, the doctor placing the oxygen mask  over my face and feeling the cold anesthesia medication going through the intravenous line in my arm. I didn’t like how it felt, my body started shaking and I was out. The next thing I know is they were waking me up and I was crying because I was in so much pain and I could feel the water/saline/blood discharging.  They could not give me any pain medicine until I came all the way out of sedation. I kind of remember my husband feeding me a dry ass sandwich and helping me with drinking water.

Everything went well, of course… I’m on day 3 of recovering and I’m still in pain and heavy bleeding when I bend down or walk up in down stairs. I just need to get through this this week and I can’t wait to get back to my regular routine.

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If you know any woman that is going through women issues like fibroids and polyps, please encourage them to go visit a doctor so they do not suffer with heavy periods, continuous bleeding after their periods, bloating and pain. It may not sound like it’s something serious but it is.

Women we have to start taking care of each other and stop acting like another woman challenge is her complaining.

 

Honolulu Hawaii Lifestyle Blogger and Makeup Artist Brandy Gomez-Duplessis has 22 years of experience in the Beauty & Entertainment industry. Brandy is located on Oahu Island but you can find her working doing makeup in Waikiki, Waipahu, Waikele, and Kapolei. Being Hawaii top social media influencer & a Hawaii blogger don’t be surprised to see her writing beauty articles anywhere in Hawaii and taking selfies for her 60K followers on Instagram on the beautiful beaches in Honolulu or Haleiwa…and YES, there are black people living in Hawaii. 

 

Relaxing At Home After Going Through Pre-Op To Remove Fibroids And Polyp Tumors

img_0090I’ve been through my pre-op, now I’m home just sitting here patiently waiting for the big day. I have only been coming outside after 6pm when the sun goes down. The doctors told me to stay out of the sun and because of my Lupus I have to not get a lot of sun on my body without being covered.

I never had surgery so I didn’t know what to expect at the pre-op. For me it was broken up in 2 days. The first day was blood work and urine testing.

The second day was my pre-op clearance with anesthesiologist. About 2 hours of questions asking me about my health history then they did an EKG and another urine test. My doctor went over my lab work from yesterday blood work. It’s very detailed. Because I’m anemic my blood was a little low, it was a 10.2 and she need me to get it to 11.2 before surgery. So that meant eating a lot of protein to get my iron up. So that meant no processed food which is hard for me

Then I was sent home with special instructions such as;

Do not eat or drink anything (even water or chewing gum) after midnight.

Do not take aspirin or aspirin for at least 1 week before surgery. (say what, nah)

Avoid soda and alcohol (oh lord, this is all I drink)

Avoid sun

Bathe with the special Hibiclens wash they send you home with the night before and the morning of. Use clean soft towels, do not scrub just softly wipe and pat dry.

No makeup, no nail polish just on 1 finger (this was the hard part)

Eat healthy food drink 8 glasses of water a day (this was hard cuz I don’t drink water daily)

Brush your teeth four times a day and before bed

No smoking no street drugs no vitamins and herbal supplements (didn’t pertain to me)

Try to not get a cold/flu, fever, sore throat or cough. (this is why I had to stay away from people cuz of my Lupus I pick up germs instantly)

 

 

The best part about this down time is I’m able to focus of my future. I have been working a lot on my book because this entire experience has given me a lot to write about.

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I also finished working on my blog and managed to get a nice nap with all this wonderful breezy coming through. The next time you will hear from is after the big day.

See Ya Bye & Luv U Mean It!

Honolulu Hawaii Lifestyle Blogger and Makeup Artist Brandy Gomez-Duplessis has 22 years of experience in the Beauty & Entertainment industry. Brandy is located on Oahu Island but you can find her working doing makeup in Waikiki, Waipahu, Waikele, and Kapolei. Being Hawaii top social media influencer & a Hawaii blogger don’t be surprised to see her writing beauty articles anywhere in Hawaii and taking selfies for her 60K followers on Instagram on the beautiful beaches in Honolulu or Haleiwa…and YES, there are black people living in Hawaii. 

It’s Tea Time Somewhere, What’s Your Favorite Tea

 

img_8582For  me, having my morning tea, afternoon tea, a relaxing cup of tea when reading/working on articles, or my big mug for when I have a cold/cramps tea. It’s something quite fabulous about my setup. Brewing, then the add-ins (lemon, honey, stevia, mint, cough drops, rum) to making my tea perfect.

My add-ins definitely gives me a different experience with my tea. Be creative with them because there’s no right or wrong way to  drinking your tea. It’s all about what you like. I find tea to be healthy for my body, caffeine free and so damn soothing.

I feel that I’m a serious tea lover who will never ever convert to coffee. The most you will ever get me to drink is a StarbucksStarbucks, Caramel Frappuccino with extra caramel which doesn’t happen often.

I know some call it high tea or low tea, shit I just make myself tea whenever I want it. And I have different types of mugs depending  on my mood of when I’m drinking my tea’s.

Here’s are the teas and brands I have in my kitchen cabinet today; Lipton, Teavana, Triple Leaf Tea, and Celestial Seasoning.

What about you, what’s your favorite? Maybe I’ll get it a try.

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Lipton Greentea Superfruit Orange Passion Fruit Jasmine

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Teavana Lavender Dream

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Triple Leaf Tea Cold & Flu Time

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Teavana Silver Vin Zhen Pearls

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Celestial Seasoning Honey Vanilla Chamomile

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Teavana Serenity Flavored Herbal Infusion

 

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Can’t forget your tea filters for your Teavana tea’s

Honolulu Hawaii Makeup Artist & Lifestyle Blogger Brandy Gomez-Duplessis has 22 years of experience in the Beauty & Entertainment industry. Brandy is located on Oahu island in Ewa Beach but you can find her working doing makeup in Waikiki, Waipahu, Waikele, and Kapolei. Being a top influencer & blogger don’t be surprised to see her writing beauty articles and taking selfies for her 60K followers on Instagram on the beautiful beaches in Honolulu…and YES, there are black people living in Hawaii. 

 

Work Dinner For A New Makeup Store In Hawaii

img_7316My family and I arrived here in Hawaii on May 29th, I started working on June 11th and on June 15th the The Cosmetics Company Store opened in Hawaii. Before moving to Hawaii I was already hired and I was excited to be a part of a new store that was opening in Hawaii.

The team that I work with at The Cosmetics Company Store are the only people that I know, still. They have become my new set of associates. When you get my age (48) you don’t throw around the word friends so easy. But I have build a very good friendship with Heather. I also think two of the guys look at me as an mentor. Because the guys are 22 & 24 who love makeup and my experience of being a Celebrity Makeup Artist on the mainland for 20 plus years I have become a great mentor for them.

So when our Store Manager Heather decided to have a bonding dinner with the staff I thought it would be a nice experience to attend. We have a very small team of 8 and 2 stock guys, so it was a very intimate dinner.

Even though the staff could all be my kids except one Key Holder and the Store Manager I still wanted to attend to build a relationship with the crew. Because we are a new store we need to build a strong team early. To be the first group to open this new store in Hawaii is definitely something we should all be proud of.

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Heather set up a non-mandatory dinner at Chili’s in Waikele on Sunday at 6:45pm after the store was closed. We got a chance to share stories about each other, just let loose and laugh a lot.

 

A great evening was had and I think the dinner has brought the team together so much more.

 

Honolulu Hawaii Makeup Artist & Lifestyle Blogger Brandy Gomez-Duplessis has 22 years of experience in the Beauty & Entertainment industry. Brandy is located on Oahu island in Ewa Beach but you can find her working doing makeup in Waikiki, Waipahu, Waikele, and Kapolei. Being a top influencer & blogger don’t be surprised to see her writing beauty articles and taking selfies for her 60K followers on Instagram on the beautiful beaches in Honolulu…and YES, there are black people living in Hawaii. 

Friday Night At My Favorite Restaurant In Hawaii

 

img_7248As promised I’m going back to The Monkeypod Kitchen later tonight. After work I plan on purchasing my floppy hat from The Plantation Boutique that’s next to The Monkeypod Kitchen in the Ko’ Olina Center.

It’s just going to be my 22 year old son Jordan and myself tonight for dinner. Because we are on a tight schedule we decided to just grab dinner at the bar.

You know I really went back for their signature Mai Tai drink cuz that is one delicious drink. The honey and the pineapple foam on top is so damn sweet that you can forget your drinking a grown ass drink

I ordered a Avocado & Cucumber Salad and Jordan wanted to try their Truffle Fries. We luv us some Truffle Fries. Back in Connecticut we use to order Truffle Fries whenever we went to Terra Restaurant. I find that if I plan on drinking a lot a lot, Truffle Fries keeps me from getting shit face. So my son can’t say I never taught him anything.

 

 

 

Honolulu Hawaii Makeup Artist & Lifestyle Blogger Brandy Gomez-Duplessis has 22 years of experience in the Beauty & Entertainment industry. Brandy is located on Oahu island in Ewa Beach but you can find her working doing makeup in Waikiki, Waipahu, Waikele, and Kapolei. Being a top influencer & blogger don’t be surprised to see her writing beauty articles and taking selfies for her 60K followers on Instagram on the beautiful beaches in Honolulu…and YES, there are black people living in Hawaii. 

Hawaii Beaches Is Not Just For Surfing

img_5864I walk down to the beach at least 3 times a week if my schedule allows it. Whenever I do come down to the beach I always bring my Microsoft Surface Laptop with me. It’s my life, I work on my blog, I do my invoices, I work on my calendar, I make videos, I watch TV and I listen to music. So, I don’t leave home without it.

I know many would disagree with me that the beach should be a place for relaxation. I should be surfing or enjoying some type of water activity at the beach. I do get in the water, my body love that magical turquoise healing power Hawaii beaches has. But I work better when I’m on the beach by myself. I feel like I don’t have an interruptions like I do when I’m home. I get distracted with house stuff, ladies I know you understand. I start thinking about all the things I SHOULD BE DOING! As I’m typing I can see from the corner of my eyes that the floor has sand on it from yesterday visit at the beach, or I think about those dirty towels from yesterday at the beach that need to go in the wash, then dinner and so on and so on. As my son calls it (his office) the beach is my place for me to not just zen out, not to heal my body but also a spot for me to work.

 

I pack myself a little bag and my hoodie because it gets windy later in the evening and I just enjoy getting work done. Not too shabby of an office I must say.

Do you have a unusual spot that you like to go to when you work from home?

 

Honolulu Hawaii Makeup Artist & Lifestyle Blogger Brandy Gomez-Duplessis has 22 years of experience in the Beauty & Entertainment industry. Brandy is located on Oahu island in Ewa Beach but you can find her working doing makeup in Waikiki, Waipahu, Waikele, and Kapolei. Being a top influencer & blogger don’t be surprised to see her writing beauty articles and taking selfies for her 60K followers on Instagram on the beautiful beaches in Honolulu…and YES, there are black people living in Hawaii. 

I Love Going To The Farmers Market In Hawaii

img_4723Aloha…I look forward to Wednesday nights at home because I don’t have to cook, ain’t that something. But it’s the truth. On Wednesday, from 4:30pm-7:00pm we are blessed to have the Farmer’s Market on the property. Many local vendors come through and they have great food, great drinks and great music.

This week I made it home just in time to partay, I got off at 6pm so I was moving fast. Ran over to put my food order in, then my drink order. I wanted those large turkey legs but that vendor didn’t come this week. My mouth was watering all week for it but that’s ok, I was able to get my hands on these delicious wings from Tasty Kreyol.

Over at The Bar with D’lish on the beach I order my new favorite drink. Betty is such a sweetheart and she’s a great mixology. My two Mai Tai had me nice the rest of the evening. Let me go enjoy my date…See Ya Bye & Love You Mean It!

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Sorry guys I went in before taking a picture. I ordered Jerk and Lemon Pepper with Plantains. OMG!!! #Delicious

 

Honolulu Hawaii Makeup Artist & Lifestyle Blogger Brandy Gomez-Duplessis has 22 years of experience in the Beauty & Entertainment industry. Brandy is located on Oahu island in Ewa Beach but you can find her working doing makeup in Waikiki, Waipahu, Waikele, and Kapolei. Being a top influencer & blogger don’t be surprised to see her writing beauty articles and taking selfies for her 60K followers on Instagram on the beautiful beaches in Honolulu…and YES, there are black people living in Hawaii. 

So Glad The Rain Storm In Oahu Hawaii Is Over

img_5784The torrential  rain storm is over here in Oahu, Hawaii and I couldn’t be more excited! I’m sure all the beautiful trees needed it but I didn’t. I need the warm weather and the beautiful beach Hawaii is known for. Not some crazy ass rain that triggered this widespread flooding, scary thunderstorms and lighting that injured 3 people. Plus, all the rain did was leave us in Ewa Beach without power for 2 days. That’s not cute at all.

So tonight I’m going to sleep real good. I was worried that I was going to oversleep both days. I kept waking up to check my phone. Yes, I did set my alarm but I didn’t feel comfortable to realized on my phone alarm due to the fact that it had a very low battery. I also plan to love on my hair, wash and condition it real good, then pin curl and blow dry my hair so on Saturday for the “Shop & Play” at The Cosmetics Company Store I will look fabulous.

What kind of summer weather are you having?

 

Honolulu Hawaii Makeup Artist & Beauty Blogger Brandy Gomez-Duplessis has 22 years of experience in the Beauty & Entertainment industry. Brandy is located on Oahu island in Ewa Beach but you can find her working doing makeup in Waikiki, Waipahu, and Kapolei. Being a top influencer & blogger don’t be surprised to see her writing beauty articles and taking selfies for her 60K followers on Instagram on the beautiful beaches in Honolulu…and YES, there are black people living in Hawaii. 

How Hawaiian Locals End Their Sunday Evening

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After a full day of work it’s always nice to come home and enjoy a few minutes of the beach. Like so many in Hawaii after work I like to head over to the beach at home. I don’t even change into anything comfortable I just go as is.

My son Jordan met me at the beach, his office like he calls it. He spends a lot of time on the phone catching up with friends on the mainland, he make all of his personal calls at the beach and research schools for the upcoming semester.

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So this is how I will end my evening, it was so needed especially my feet.

 

 

Honolulu Hawaii Makeup Artist & Beauty Blogger Brandy Gomez-Duplessis has 22 years of experience in the Beauty & Entertainment industry. Brandy is located on Oahu island in Ewa Beach but you can find her working doing makeup in Waikiki, Waipahu, and Kapolei. Being a top influencer & blogger don’t be surprised to see her writing beauty articles and taking selfies for her 60K followers on Instagram on the beautiful beaches in Honolulu…and YES, there are black people living in Hawaii. 

6 Drugstore Eye Shadow Palettes Makeup Artists Keep In Their Stashes

Glam Drugstore Eyeshadow
Photo Credit iStock/NYX

written by Jenn Sinrich

With so many makeup palettes on the market, all offering an array of hues, pigment intensities, and textures, it’s hard to know where to look. Do you head to Sephora and shell out for the latest from luxe brands, or do you mosey on over to your local drugstore and scoop up a much more reasonably priced palette that very well may offer the exact same results you’re looking for? To splurge or not to splurge — doesn’t that always seem like the question? We reached out to celebrity makeup artists to find out what they use on their clients, and as it turns out, they’re big fans of the cheaper contenders. Here, some of the drugstore eyeshadow palettes pros keep in their stash.

Here is what I shared with Jenn and GLAM.comeye shadow palettes

 

3. NYX Professionals Warm Neutrals Ultimate Shadow Palette ($18; ulta.com)

Celebrity makeup artists Brandy Gomez-Duplessis is a major fan of NYX products because of their quality formulas. “I love that they’re highly pigmented and that the colors blend very well with either an eye shadow brush or just your finger,” she says. “The colors wear very well on all skin tones, and when I want to give my client a soft, washed-out eye, it’s very easy to use a ring finger or the tip of a beauty blender to pat the shadow on the lid.” With 16 shadows, ranging from light champagne to warm chocolate brown, this eye shadow palette is great for creating everyday looks.

Check to see if any of your favorite drugstore eyeshadow palettes made the list HERE.

 

Honolulu Hawaii Makeup Artist & Beauty Blogger Brandy Gomez-Duplessis has 22 years of experience in the Beauty & Entertainment industry. Brandy is located on Oahu island in Ewa Beach but you can find her working doing makeup in Waikiki, Waipahu, and Kapolei. Being a top influencer & blogger don’t be surprised to see her writing beauty articles and taking selfies for her 60K followers on Instagram on the beautiful beaches in Honolulu…and YES, there are black people living in Hawaii.