♔ hanidee

a yellow brick road?

2012-01-28T17:20:00.000-08:00

Well...not really, but there is an OZ. OZ Sushi that is! My lovely Angelle (she's a wonderful photographer) finally took me out for an extremely late birthday lunch. But hey, better late than never! She discovered OZ thanks to her sister and I'm always up to try new sushi spots out of town. If you're ever in the Lodi, CA area and you're looking for a nice sushi spot, OZ is a nice place to check out. Mind you that on a busy day/night, don't bother. I took the boyfriend and his cousin out and the current hostess/waitress forgot about us and we waited about 15 mins - with no beverage! PFFT. But luckily for us, there was a very kind waitress that noticed us and quickly took our order. We got food in under 5 minutes, so kudos to that. Now onto the food! I need to work on my photography, BOO.

Can't live without some Gyoza in my life!

She ordered the Youngster (right) and Tempura roll

My Bohemian Rhapsody (what a name!)

Me and Angelle
Yay for no make-up and awesome lighting. My skin doesn't look too bad haha!

About three weeks later with the boyfriend and his cousin.
Mushroom Bomb - Don't they look like meatballs? XD
This is the best mushroom appetizer I've ever tried. Filled with yummy goodness!

The cousin's Dancer roll.

The Boyfriend's Wonderful roll. (Wonderfully delicious this was!)

Vogue roll

Next time, sashimi!

Do you like post like these? I was thinking of doing posts on some of my favorite restaurants in different cities. It would be a nice break from the occasional beauty posts. Yay or nay?

greens aren't my forte.

2012-01-24T20:56:00.000-08:00

Having a little fun with the pencil technique, hope you like!

PRODUCTS USED:
Glam Couture Cosmetics Shadow Magnet in Natural
MAC Gorgeous Gold
BH Cosmetics 120 Palette (2nd Edition)
88 Matte Palette
NYC Black Eyeliner
Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing
NYX Eyebrow Cake in Taupe/Ash

stop american censorship.

2012-01-18T21:20:00.000-08:00

Fight for the Future // AmericanCensorship.Org

"I oppose the current SOPA bill, which is the internet censorship bill you've probably been hearing about. Let everyone know, people and companies are protesting SOPA and PIPA. Trying to wiki something? Not going to happen today. This is what some of your most-used websites could look like if SOPA or PIPA become law." - Jerry McNerney

Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoos

2012-01-16T18:58:00.000-08:00

Do we really want to wear our make-up for 24 hours? I'm sure you all have heard and read reviews about these all over the web. This is probably one of Maybelline's most popular and hyped up releases and I can see why. There really aren't many creme eye shadows from drugstore brands that perform well. Most have bad color pay-off and crease like no tomorrow. These Color Tattoos are said to be comparable - if not better than - MAC Paintpots. Do they perform as well as they claim?

BRAND: Maybelline
PRODUCT: Color Tattoo 24hr Shadow
PRICE: Can range from 6-9USD
PROS: Affordable, Different Textures, Bright Colors, Multiple Uses
CONS: Not Enough Neutrals, Some Can Apply Patchy/Uneven

Packaging wise, I would say these remind me more of Benefit's Creaseless Creme Shadows. Since I don't own any creme shadows from Benefit I can't further compare the two. I purchased six out of the ten shades available. The shades I have are Painted Purple (shimmery royal purple), Fierce & Tangy (matte orange), Too Cool (shimmery white w/silver glitter), Edgy Emerald (shimmery green), Bold Gold (shimmery gold w/gold glitter) and Tenacious Teal (shimmery blue). I really wanted Tough as Taupe, but that shade is really popular and was practically sold out everywhere! I really liked that these shadows came in shimmer and matte textures, variety is always a plus.

A quick comparison with a MAC Paintpot. Pretty much the same size, only difference is that the Paintpot is taller than the Color Tattoo. I switched the caps and both fit the other just fine. MAC Paintpots contain 5 grams/.17oz while the Color Tattoos offers 4 grams/.14oz of product. Paintpots run you about 20 dollars, so only paying around 6 dollars for almost the same amount of product, its quite a steal.

The texture on these are quite similar to paintpots. Slightly dry, but smooth and creamy at the same time. These apply well with one swipe, but I did have some trouble with the Painted Purple - with 1 swipe it appeared patchy and took about 2-3 swipes in order to make it a solid swatch. The smoothest out of all of them is Fierce & Tangy and I'm assuming this is because its a matte texture.

Below are some looks created with these shadows (I was on a purple kick, as always!). I used them as bases, liners and accents. I have also tried them on the waterline, and it worked quite well. One thing I should mention is that it felt weird as it was drying on my waterline, but it didn't irritate my eye so no complaints. I didn't experience these fading, smudging or creasing on me. Unlike paintpots, I can actually apply these in layers and still, no creasing. LURVE.

My top picks: Fierce & Tangy, Edgy Emerald, and Tenacious Teal - they apply evenly on the lid, and wear alone beautifully.

Worthy mention: Too Cool and Painted Purple - they work nicely, but I'm not too crazy about them. Though the purple makes a lovely liner.

Stray away from: Bold Gold - I find this to apply patchy and uneven. I also hate the glitter chunks in this one. It goes everywhere!

PMD, The Personal Microderm

2012-01-08T19:30:00.000-08:00

Image Credit: Dermstore.Com

Not all of us are blessed with amazing skin and those who are, I'm extremely envious! There are so many products out in the market today, it's difficult to find what really works. I have a love-hate relationship with my skin. Some days, it behaves extremely well, and on other days, it just wants to pick a fight with me. My skin doesn't like it when I try new products or gadgets, so when I find something that works, I tend to stick to it. My main problems: occasional breakouts, acne scarring and uneven skin tone. I have slightly sensitive, combination/oily skin. I've gotten the pleasure to try out the PMD (which I'm sure most of you have heard of) for the past month and a half, so read on and see how well (or not) it worked for me.

WARNING: LONG POST

BRAND/PRODUCT: PMD / Personal Microderm
PRICE: 179USD
PURCHASE AT: PersonalMicroderm.Com
PROS: Easy To Use, More Even Tone, Smoother Texture, Less Spots, Brighter Skin
CONS: Tightness, Itchiness, Irritation, Uncomfortable Feeling to the Skin
CLAIMS: To minimize the look of pores, blemishes, fine lines and wrinkles.

What is Microdermabrasion? Microdermabrasion is the process of resurfacing the top layer of the skin (stratum corneum) to a precise depth by the combination exfoliation/vacuum process. By removing these dead skin cells and stimulating blood flow, the deeper dermal level is stimulated to produce collagen and fibroblasts, giving the skin a more supple elastic appearance. Those living cells deep within the skin tissue are stimulated to produce and compensate for the loss of part of the protective layer of the skin. The result is fresher, healthier, rejuvenated skin with enhanced surface quality. - PMD

What You Get:
A Personal Microderm
6 Exfoliating Discs (2 green [regular skin] 6 blue [sensitive skin])
1 Electric Cord (the white box)
2 Caps (1 body 1 facial)
1 Reusable Filter
Instructional CD

The PMD is light, easy to hold and use. The discs (available in red-coarse, green-regular/medium, blue-sensitive[recommend]) have these "crystals" which is grit aluminum oxide coating. Its supposed to help exfoliate off the dead skin to reveal smoother, brighter looking skin. You can use this anywhere you feel needs extra attention - like your face, elbows, hands, feet, pretty much anywhere you have age spots, fine lines and wrinkles. Its also said to work well with surface scars. It is advised that you watch the instructional video. Now, when I first received this, I was lazy and just skimmed through it. BAD MISTAKE. Don't underestimate this bad boy. This is what can happen if you don't follow the directions carefully. I wanted to save time and decided to use the bigger disc on my cheeks. The suction on this is very strong, and the grit on these babies are pretty coarse - even the ones made for sensitive skin.

Please, NEVER use the big discs on your face! Let me tell you, those suckers hurt. It stung really bad and luckily for me, didn't leave behind a horrible scar. After this incident, I didn't touch the PMD for a while. I was scared that even if I used the smaller disc, I would still cut my skin. After 2 1/2 weeks I decided to pick it up again. This time, used correctly, I got some pleasant results. I stuck with only using the PMD on one side of the face to show you the difference between each side. I use the PMD about once every 1-2 weeks depending. I've found the trick to using this is to glide the machine in a light and quick fluid motion. I don't recommend leaving this on one area for too long or going over the same area twice.

THE GOOD
You can see that the right side of my face is much brighter, smoother and more even. The scars around my mouth area were also fading nicely as well. I'm hoping with a few more uses, it will fade completely. I've also noticed that I wasn't breaking out or getting any spots on the side that I was using the PMD. With my untreated side, I still had the occasional breakout, and it took much longer for my scars to fade. As with pores, the only visible pores I have is just around my nose area (inner cheeks). I didn't see a difference so far, but I do think that I'd probably have to use it more to see results. I don't really have any fine lines or winkles on my face, so I can't actually say that it has improved anything in that area.

THE BAD
Upon first use, my skin had a reaction. It became extremely irritated. After using the PMD (blue disc), I applied my moisturizer as normal. Suddenly, my skin starting to feel like it was burning off. Every few seconds I would get this horrible, throbbing, stinging sensation. This went on for about five minutes. It was pretty bad. But after two-three uses, it seemed my skin was getting used to it and wasn't getting irritated anymore. So if like me, and you have even the slightest sensitive skin, I highly suggest to test a small area first to see how your skin will react. Just to be on the safe side.

EXTRA TESTIMONIAL - THE BOYFRIEND!
I was able to get the boyfriend (whose skin is tougher than mines) to use this. I wanted to see if he would get any type of reactions like I did. He was able to test this about three times. He has sensitive, combination/dry skin. His skin suffers from redness and flakiness on the cheeks. He didn't experience any type of irritation what-so-ever. No tightness, itchiness or any uncomfortable feeling. He even said that it tickled a little (WEIRD MUCH?). Since using the PMD, his skin no longer flakes and has a much smoother texture now. He still gets the occasional redness on his cheeks, but not as bad as before. This is actually surprising as I've been getting him to test tons of skin care products and so far this is the only one he's been constantly positive about. I've never seen him so interested with anything with regards to skin care before, so this was a shocker. The PMD definitely has his approval.

Price wise, I don't think the price-point is too high, considering all you would have to do after is to simply replace the discs. Replacement discs will run you around 15USD for a set of six, which is not bad at all. I've only used one disc so far and its still good for a few more uses. How often you change the discs depends on how often you use the PMD. You can purchase this on the PMD site but I've also seen this at SkinCareRX, Amazon and Dermstore for the same price.

Do I recommend the PMD? Yes, but for those with sensitive skin, PLEASE use it with caution. I really can't stress that enough.

DISCLAIMER: Items in this post was sent for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are based on my own personal experience using this product. In no way am I receiving any monetary rewards for reviewing this. For more information, please see my personal disclaimer.

P.S.
Please excuse the quality of these pictures. I've recently acquired a new camera and have been messing with the settings. So I apologize for the grainy look on some of the images.

How To: My NYE Look

2012-01-02T21:30:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope that everyone was safe and had a great time with their friends and family during the holidays. This look was meant to be posted on New Year's Eve, but it was so hectic that day I didn't have a chance to get onto the computer. I really wanted to incorporate the brown-green duo chrome shade in the Wet N Wild comfort zone palette simply because the colors can vary in different lighting. Hope you enjoy!

P.S
Please excuse some typos I've made in the photos.
I always forget to do spell/grammar check, ha.

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Fresco Rose Paint Pot
Wet N Wild Comfort Zone Palette (brown-green duo chrome)
Jordana Antique Heather Loose Eyeshadow
VoV Castledew Single Shadow (#14 or #17?) Silver/Charcoal
Marliss Lashes
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara
Milani Liquif'Eye Liner in Black (just purchased; liking this so far)

With Flash

Natural Light

Etch of Berries

2011-12-15T22:09:00.000-08:00

This look was inspired by the talented Apropomakeup. I wish I had a third of her talent, she's such a sweetheart and you should definitely check out her tutorials!

PRODUCTS USED:
Hard Candy Glamoflauge in Tan
Nabi Black Eyeliner
88 Palette (Violets/Purples/Pinks)
Yaby PP060 Geranium (Similar to MAC Beautiful Iris)
Yaby ES168 Fresh Earth ; on my brows
Milani Liquif'eye in Gold
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara
Makemania Liquid Liner
Marlliss #33 Lashes
REvlon Lash Glue

Natural Light And With Flash

As much as I adored these #33 lashes from Marlliss that my friend Lelo had sent me, they were extremely uncomfortable to wear. Once these puppies were on, I teared up every time I blinked! I couldn't wait to be done with the photos so I could take them off. I've never had this issue with lashes before. But I like them so much, I'm going to try them on one more time before I put them away for good. HAHA.

Eleigh's Wedding

2011-12-10T23:54:00.000-08:00

During my one-month hiatus, I was lucky enough to score a wedding gig. It was a fun, learning experience. The bride was not use to getting dolled up, so she asked me to put emphasis on her eyes and kept everything else fairly natural. We originally agreed on a half-up half-down hair do, but in the end after I finished curling her hair, she decided to leave it down. Her hair is super long and thick! Took me forever to finish, haha. She loved the end result.

Her photographer took pictures of me applying her make-up, but I haven't had a chance to see them yet. So I had to use pictures taken by Eleigh's brother.

PRODUCTS USED:
Enprani Primer (green corrector)
Enprani Foundation
Dior Loose Powder
Dior Bronzer
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Urban Decay NAKED Palette (Hustle, Buck, Creep, Toasted & Virgin)
Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer
Bobbi Brown Blush in Mauve mixed with Illamasqua Excite
BOOTS No.7 Liquid Highlighter (Good dupe for Benefit High Beam)
Estee Lauder Mauve Lipgloss

How To: Smoky Lines

2011-12-06T21:25:00.000-08:00

Back in June, I asked for a vote as to which look I should do a tutorial on in this post. Tutorials usually never come out correctly for me and I changed a few things around, but the original design is still pretty much the same. Not too satisfied with the outcome, but hope you enjoy! If there any tutorials you would like to see in the future, please let me know.

This look requires you to understand the pencil technique. To learn the basics, please refer to this and this.

If only I had white gel liner, it would look so much smoother.

The result!

And to achieve that "feathered" look, all you have to do is take some fluffy brushes, dip them into your gel liner and start randomly patting them on the desired area as shown. But don't be like me, use different sizes! LOL

Actually looks better in black and white, haha. Have an awesome week guys!

My Favorite Bloggers PART 2

2011-12-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

Part two of my favorite blogger series! Hope you find more blogs to bookmark! Part three will be posted shortly.

Bijin Blair ; Blair's blog is one of my favorites for reviews on circle lens, Lunasol, Sonia Rykiel as well as those delish limited Kit Kats! Haha. I also love how she photographs her items alongside lace and pearls. Presentation is a plus!

Makeup Your Jangsara ; If you're ever in a rut and need inspiration, Jangara's blog is a definitely must visit. A blogger from Finland, her lovely blog is also filled with reviews, make-up demos and so many creative theatrical looks. She also posts gorgeous wearable looks as well.

Prettymaking ; Mandy's blog is a recent gem I found thanks to Beautylish. She's sweet and absolutely amazing with make-up! She posts often with beautiful FOTD/EOTDS as well as reviews. Mandy also has a youtube channel, so check it out!

Get Gawjus! ; I love her for her reviews, but she also occasionally posts beautiful EOTDs. She's based in the UK, her reviews vary from skin care to make-up and everything in between.

Makeup By RenRen ; I like Ren for her laid back personality. Her site contains reviews, tutorials, her freelance work as well as great tips for those interested in pursuing make-up artistry. She is known for her bright and dramatic make-up looks. Ren also has a youtube channel.

Musings of a Muse ; Honestly, I have no idea how she does it but Muse is probably the only blogger I know that is able to posts multiple articles in one day. From product/brand launches, reviews on western and asian brands, her blog pretty much has it all. I'm sure if you're looking for a review, chances are Muse has it covered.

L1LMamaJ ; Jen is a make-up artist that posts looks daily. I love that she can pull off any look and color effortlessly. Her blending is superb and I adore her color choices.

Inside Out Elle ; If you prefer thorough to-the-point reviews, Danielle's blog is the choice for you. She also posts about her travels in Korea and has a youtube channel where you can find make-up tutorials and more in-depth reviews.

Pretty Much Makeup ; I love Fifi's make-up looks. She can pull off just about any color and I'm jealous of her perfect full lips! HAHA. She also posts easy to follow tutorials and occasional OOTDs.

Whitney's World of Beauty ; Whitney has a great youtube channel and blog. For reviews, I'd say check out her blog. For make-up looks and tutorials, definitely check out her youtube! She does a lot of brand-focus tutorials so you get an idea of how each product works. She also recently had a beautiful baby girl, so congrats to her!

Ma, Crayola Hit Me!

2011-11-29T21:28:00.000-08:00

I didn't know what to name this. I wanted to do more with this look but I became lazy with the blending. Random, but if you follow me on twitter then you'd know why I came up with this look, and if you have me as a friend on Facebook, then you'd know why I name it what I did, lol. Hope you like!

PRODUCTS USED:
Hard Candy Glamoflauge in Tan
Nabi Black Eyeliner
88 Matte Palette (Reds and Oranges)
Yaby PP041 (Kamkuat)
Yaby ES158 (Candy Pop)
Taby PP072 (Gold Bar)
Urban Decay NAKED Palette (Creep)
Wet N Wild Greed Palette (Matte Black)
Milani Liquif'eye in 03 Gold
B&C Labs Makemania Liquid Liner
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

I should've covered my eyebrows, haha.
Have an awesome week!

Cool It

2011-11-26T21:30:00.000-08:00

Can anyone recommend any make-up blogs? I need inspiration! ♥ I haven't really played around with Wet N Wild's Petal Pusher palette even though I love purple shadows, haha. I adore the eyelid shade on the right side of the palette! Its a subtle version of MAC's TRAX (the gold shimmer isn't as apparent as MAC).

With Flash

Natural Light

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Freso Rose Paint Pot
MAC Beautiful Iris
Wet N Wild Petal Pusher (Right side; 2nd Eyelid - Left side; 3rd Crease shades)
Wet N Wild Greed (Left side; Matte Peach/Terracotta)
Wet N Wild I Got Good Jeans Trio (Crease & Eyelid shades)
B&C Labs Makemania Liquid Liner
NYX Eye/Eye Brow Pencil in Velvet (doesn't really show ): - on waterline)
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara in Very Black

Berry Passionate

2011-11-18T21:26:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted an eye look in a while. A bit disappointed that the purple only showed up in some of the pictures. I just realized this look is similar to my taupe and pink EOTD. BOO! Hope you enjoy, make-up how-to's and reviews coming up!

In Natural Daylight & Under Flash

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Wet N Wild Comfort Zone Palette (Right Side, First-Browbone ; Left Side Third-Crease)
Wet N Wild Petal Pusher Palette (Left Side, Bottom 2 Purples)
88 Matte Palette (Cream, Hot Pink & Medium Purple)
Stila Smudgeproof Eyeliner in Midnight
Maybelline The Falsies Flared Mascara

SkinCareRX, Apothica, IMomoko Discounts & Sales

2011-11-18T11:26:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Hope you all are enjoying your week so far. ♥ Today, I wanted to share some discount codes and sales! Don't you just L O V E the holidays?

I haven't ordered from SkinCareRX before, but I have ordered from Apothica a few times. Apothica has good customer service and their shipping is affordable and pretty quick - they're located in Utah & I'm located in California - my order usually arrives in less than a week, about 3-4 days. And since Apothica is part of SkinCareRX, I'm assuming their customer service and shipping is good too. You get free shipping from both sites on orders over $49USD.

If you're planning to shop at SkinCareRX, use the code " FAMILY20 " at checkout.

If you're planning to shop at Apothica, use the code " FRIEND20 " at checkout.

Both codes expire on November 23rd, 2011.

EXTRA!

If you're an iMomoko lover like me, or you are planning to order from there for the first time, iMomoko is currently having a Thanksgiving sale and I believe it ends around November 23rd or 25th. You get 15% off your entire order. There are lots of new additions on the site including Etude House's latest, the "Nymph Aura" range.

Use CODE " THANKS2011 " at checkout.

HAPPY SHOPPING LOVELIES!

My Favorite Bloggers Part 1

2011-11-14T13:50:00.000-08:00

Hello my wonderful readers! Yes, I wasn't suppose to disappear a second time around, but time is seriously NOT on my side. I'm finally back (for sure this time!) and I figured I would share some of my favorite blogs with you. Each blog offers something different to the table and I'm sure you'll enjoy them as much as I do! Have fun browsing and be sure to bookmark them!

Lelo Artistry ; A talented make-up artist located in Canada. She has a fun personality and I love her work! Her blog showcases her work in magazines, photo shoots and bridal work. She also occasionally post product reviews.

Atelier Beauty ; If you're having trouble finding reviews on higher-end brands such as SK-II, La Mer, Clarins - just to name a few, Joyce's blog is the place to visit. Joyce also posts occasional FOTDs/EOTDs and reviews on drugstore brands. And who can forget her lovely ASSBUTT Milo! He always making a guest appearance and he's quite a character! She's thorough with her reviews and she always tells it like it is. I love the honesty and sass in her posts. You definitely can't find it anywhere else!

Sue Lynn ; If you're looking to try Asian skin care and make-up, Sue Lynn's blog is the place to go. She covers a lot of Japanese and Korean brands, ranging from both high-end to drugstore. She is also thorough with her posts. They may be long for most to read, but very detailed - from scents, swatches and comparisons with similar products. I can assure you its worth reading.

Iris-Istible ; Iris and I go wayyyy back to our Soompi forum days. I've known her for quite a long time now and I have to say, she's AWESOMELY AWESOME! :D An amazing graphic artist and has great taste in music. If you're looking for a lifestyle blogger or another YG-Family fanatic, check her out!

Lisa Eldridge ; A well-known celebrity make-up artist based in the UK. Lisa's work is amazing and flawless. How she applies make-up never looks heavy or caked up. She enhances a person's natural beauty effortlessly. If you don't know of Lisa, you need to! Her techniques are super easy to follow and she's such a sweetheart! Lisa also has a YouTube channel.

Blovet Beauty ; Lane and I go way back since Wordpress, haha. Her posts contain a mix of reviews on skin care, make-up, hair, music as well as tutorials. She's now a proud mom of a handsome boy, so you can also find posts about her experiences on motherhood. Her son is too adorable for words! You'll definitely find something you like!

Joseibi ; Joseibi is a blog for those interested in higher-end Japanese and Korean skin care. She used to own an online shop which sadly isn't running anymore, but her reviews are short and to-the-point if that's something you're looking for. Of course, not all of us can afford most of the products she's used and reviewed, but its always a nice read to when you're thinking about taking the plunge. I recommend all ages to read Joseibi's blog, but if you're in your 30's-40's and up, even better. Definitely check her out.

Leon's Beauty Tips and Secrets ; Leon's blog is your one-stop for all things natural and organic. She posts a lot of natural skin care remedies and has a e-book as well (which I love). She's the owner/founder of Lash Mantra, an all-natural lash enhancer, which she was kind of enough to let me try out. I love her acne scar remedy which I've posted before as well as her easy, homemade masks.

Beautiful With Brains ; If you're confused about an ingredient in your skin care or make-up, chances are, you can find it is in Gio's A-Z ingredients list located on her navigation bar. I have learned quite a bit from Gio's blog and I'm so thankful to have stumbled across it! Gio posts reviews, tips and upcoming launches daily.

Viva Woman ; Sesame's blog is a must visit if you want to learn about organic skin care lines, and homemade remedies. Sesame also does very thorough reviews. Her blog is more skin care based (and Sesame has lovely skin), so if that's up your alley, definitely check her blog out. She also occasionally posts about fashion and has amazing giveaways.

Pop Champagne ; Looking for hilarious celebrity commentary? Amazing fashion posts, and to-die for photo shoots? Then Julie's blog is a must! I have to say I have no idea how she does it, but she does extremely well. She draws you in with each post and its addicting. You can't go wrong with a funny beauty with a cool, edgy fashion sense.

Pixiwoo ; Now who doesn't know of Sam(antha) and Nic(ola) of Pixiwoo? If you don't, head on over to their YouTube channel right now! These UK beauties (also professional make-up artists) are addicting to watch as well. You always learn something new. Easy to follow techniques, amazing avant-garde looks, quick hair styles and so much more.

EevIsVain♡ ; EeVon makes blending eye shadows seem effortless. I love her FOTDS and her tutorials are easy to follow, no-fuss and straight-to-the-point. I love her bright and fun looks and her hauls!

Tea Noir ; Meet Ilyana. AMAZING (FOOD) PHOTOGRAPHY. SMART AND WITTY BLOGGER. NUFF SAID. ;D

Style Road ; Kasia has this simple, chic vibe to her and her style is fantastic. Its right up my alley and all of her looks are something I would wear myself. She's posted product reviews and cooking recipes before, but now her blog is more fashion focused. Her photography is also love. I always visit her blog for when I need a quick style inspiration. You'll love her too!

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2! ♥

How To: Pencil Technique - Basics Pt. 2

2011-09-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

Hello now and old followers! I miss you! Before I do a post on why I've been M.I.A, here's part two of this tutorial that I promised oh so long ago. I apologize for the wait and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I'll do my best to help! This part of the demo will show you how I apply color onto the base I've created. Enjoy and have an awesome week!

You can use any color you want. For this tutorial, I used Wet N Wild's Lust palette since its easy to blend and to create a gradient with these shadows. You can use any texture you prefer, but for this look, I used all mattes.

What I have so far.

Final Result

// EDIT: I just realized I made the demo a little too big, gah!

EOTD - Mario Dedivanovic Inspired

2011-08-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

When I saw the work he created on his model Zuleyka during his workshop, I knew I just had to create something like it. Of course, I look nothing like his model - we have different eye shapes, etc., I had to tweak a few things. I do like the result and I hope you do too! I apologize for being a little M.I.A. as we all know life throws curve balls. A BIG HELLO to my new followers! ♥ Enjoy and have a wonderful week!

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Saffron Eye Shadow (crease; lower lash line)
Wet N Wild Vanity Palette (shimmery gold-lid; dark matte brown-outer corner)
Wet N Wild Greed Palette (matte black-outer corner; vanilla-brow bone)
Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Zero
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

P.S. Part two of the last tutorial will be uploaded this week or next week, the latest. Thanks for being patient!

How To: Pencil Technique - Basics Pt. 1

2011-07-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

As I try to finish the chosen look from this post, I decided to do a small demo on the pencil technique. I know that this can be difficult at first, but once you get the jist of it, its pretty simple and fun to do. I'm still a beginner in this area (I first learned this technique from Maria of ApropoMakeup & Nireyna of Beauty Art Studio).There are two parts to this - the first will be showing you how to apply the pencil and blend it out to create a template or base. The second will be showing you how you can create a gradation on top of the base using eye shadows.

What you'll need (shown in picture):
- A soft black eye liner (or a kohl)
- A small detailing or smudge brush
- Patience

*IMPORTANT: This technique works better when your eyelid is dry. So if you use concealer or use an eyelid primer, lightly dust some translucent powder on top to set. If you use anything slightly tacky, it will be hard to blend the liner.

LA SPLASH Eyeshadow Sealer

2011-07-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

Long time no post! I apologize for being away for quite a bit! I hope you're all having a great summer. I've been looking for a good alternative to more pricey mixing mediums and I wanted to avoid making my own (because I'm lazy, lol) and I've found it. I have been playing with this product for a few months now and I quite like it.

Brand: LA Splash
Product: Splashproof Sealer Eyeshadow Sealer/Base
Price: 4.99USD (ULTA & LA Splash)
PROS: Nice Tacky Base, Price, Packaging, Little Goes a Long Way
CONS: Can Be Hard to Blend Shadows, If Applied Too Much Shadows Look Patchy

I actually purchased this thinking that it would have a similar texture to my Urban Decay Primer Potion - its pretty much the opposite. When you first apply this base onto your eyelids, it has this slick texture (like a serum) then it starts to get tacky. The packaging is simple and the wand (or the handle) is fairly long. The applicator is a standard doe-foot and it has a translucent off-white color that blends out clear. One issue with this is that this base stays tacky for quite a bit so it makes it difficult to blend your eyeshadow (especially pressed ones). I always have to keep dipping my blending brush into the shadow and keep blending it around the edges to get a nice fade. With lose shadows & pigments, it required less work to blend and gave a nicer fade. I also enjoy using this base with glitter because I experience much less fall-out.

This can also be used with your shadow to create liner effects. All you have to do is just take a bit of the base and mixed it with your preferred shadow or pigment on the back of your hand. You get a nice creamy consistency and it applies smoothly. This does help shadows last, but it isn't smudge-proof. So I do suggest those with oily lids to use a primer before using this base. Below are examples how how vibrant shadows can be when this is used as a base. I've used various shadows from my 88 palette, Wet N Wild palettes and my Pixi bright palette. All shadows are various mattes, shimmers, glitters and applied with a brush. A little goes a long way so if you get this, I do advise to use a tiny amount. If you apply too much of this base, not only will it be too sticky, it would be very difficult to blend your shadows and the end result will look patchy and uneven. It will also take longer for the base to set. Just a tiny dab does the trick.

DISCLAIMER: Product was purchased with my own funds. Opinions expressed are my own and I am not affiliated with LA Splash. For more, please see disclaimer.

EOTD: Tutorial Fail

2011-06-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

Hiiiiiii! First, I want to thank those of you who have voted for a look for my next demo here (and I would love it if more people voted!). This look was actually supposed to be a make-up tutorial, but I kept changing it and couldn't get the pictures to come out how I wanted, so I quit and just made an EOTD, haha. I hope all of you are doing good and thanks for reading!

With Flash

Without Flash

PRODUCTS USED:
NYC Black Liner
KAT VON D Beethoven Palette
Bed Head TIGI Palette
MAC Old Gold Pigment
Milani Liquify Eyeliner in Infinite
B&C Labs Liquid Liner
Ardell 110 Lashes
NYX Jumbo Pencil in Black Bean

Choose Your Favorite Look

2011-06-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Long time no post! I hope you all are doing well. I apologize for not being able to post as much as I use to. I haven't found the time to really sit down and write reviews, but they are coming along and some will be posted by next week! It's been quite a while since I've played around with make-up. I've found some images and was wondering if you could vote for your favorite look? Most voted for will be used for a tutorial!

These looks are definitely not something I normally would do, so it'll definitely be fun to recreate or do an inspiring look! Thanks a lot!

Makeover: Maid of Honor & Guest

2011-05-30T16:45:00.000-07:00

I'm in need of a new camera - anyone have any recommendations? The maid of honor doesn't wear a lot of make-up. She asked for a smoky eye as she had two outfit changes. I was really pressed for time (I had less than 30mins.) since she was really busy and she called me last minute. I wished I had more time as I wanted to do her hair too but since she was running late, she quickly put her hair in hot rollers. Once I finished her make-up, she jetted out the door because the bride kept texting her, lol.

BEFORE

AFTER
(Flash washed her face out a bit. T_T)

PRODUCTS USED:
FACE
Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner
Dermalogica Active Moist (Moisturizer/Primer)
Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream NO.31 (center of face; blended outwards)
Maybelline Dream Matter Powder in Honey (on t-zone)
Sonia Kashuk Super Sheer Liquid Tint 03 Poppy
MAC Hipness Blush
The Body Shop Radiant Highlighter (Really lightly on cheekbones)

EYES
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Urban Decay NAKED Palette (Virgin, Baked, Buck, Darkhorse & Creep)
Kat Von D Beethoven Palette (Leather & Lucifer)
Jordana Color X-Tend Eyeliner in Black (love how this smudges and blends out!)
NYX Eyebrow Cake in Taupe/Ash
Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing (bottom lashes)
*She used her own false lashes.

LIPS
Her own products.

I also quickly did the make-up for the maid of honor's date (family member) as well. She came late so I had to do her make-up in 10-15mins. I went for the minimal look with her.

PRODUCTS USED:
Maybelline Angelfit Pore Zero Base
MAC Bite of Apple Blush
MAC Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel
Urban Decay Primer Potion
SLEEK Storm palette (Gold, Copper & Matte Black)
Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Zero
Ardell 103
Kiss Me Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara
Wet N Wild 720 (?) Matte Lipstick
Revlon Coral Reef Lipgloss

Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Cream

2011-05-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

BRAND: Missha
PRODUCT: Cell Renew Snail Cream (Super Aqua Line)
PRICE: 49.99USD (at Missha US)
SIZE/AMOUNT: 47ML
PROS: Packaging, Hydrating, Absorbs Quick, Texture, Lightweight Feel
CONS: Price, No SPF, Packaging

MAIN INGREDIENTS: Snail Mucus Extract, Botanical Stem Cell Extract and Baobab Tree Extract *You can view the rest of the ingredients on the product page.

Containing Snail Slime Extract and Botanical Stem Cell, this cream renews and triggers the regeneration of skin. Also, Baobab Tree ingredient and Deep Sea Water Complex provides abundant amount of moist onto the skin.

I love my Hadalabo Shirojyun lotion, but since my skin was getting dry (during winter), I wanted to give this a try. The price was a bit of a turn-off but I purchased this cream for half off during Missha's holiday sale. Along with the face cream, you get a free travel-sized sleeping mask. I've only used the mask about twice, so I can't really say anything other than it hydrated my skin well. I really love/hate the packaging. I love that it came with a box - seemed like you were getting a present! I adore the color - its a golden yellow and silver gradation. I don't like that it comes in a tub, even though a spatula is provided for sanitation purposes. It would be nice if this came in a pump bottle or a squeeze tube, for convenience.

This cream is said to have skin brightening/whitening properties. I did see a more brightening effect when used in conjunction with my Shirojyun lotion. Although when used alone, the brightening effect isn't as obvious, its very subtle. I have combination skin, and this didn't break me out at all. It hydrated my skin really well, but didn't leave me with a greasy feel. I like that it left a nice dewy glow to my skin. It also gave the same effect as the Shirojyun lotion - leaving my skin with a plumped feeling.

I actually thought that this is going to be a thick cream, but was quite pleasantly surprised when I saw that this was gel-based. Its a light, translucent white cream. It starts to liquify as you massage it into your skin. It feels like water and absorbs quickly. I only use this at night as it doesn't have SPF and I like using my Shirojyun lotion alone with my sunscreen during the day. This cream isn't something I would run out and purchase right away if I were to finish it up, but its a nice cream. I might try the regular version from Missha's Super Aqua line (the blue one) and I'll compare the difference between the two if I do.

Peachy Plum

2011-05-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

Hello beauties! I wanted to make a quick post to say hi! Kind of hectic at the moment as its that time again for finals. Been a while since I've posted and I miss everyone!. I've caught a cold after my short weekend in SoCal - and once I get sick, its pretty bad. My allergies are finally saying 'hello' to me as well, so I'm feeling oh-so-awesome at the moment, haha. And what better to do when you're feeling a bit under the weather? Grub on momma's chicken rice porridge, duh!

I'm also such a sucker for Gyoza, Salmon Teriyaki with a side of the volcano roll. I get this bento a lot when I get off from school! Fills me up for most of the day, haha.

I completely forgot what I wore, so not everything is listed - sorry! Its a different take on the smokey eye and I was quite satisfied with the result. I hope you like it as well. Hope to talk to you all soon. I can't wait to catch up on everyone's blogs!

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
88 Palette
Sonia Kashuk Gel Liner in Cocoa
MAC Melon Pigment
Urban Decay Smog
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

Get Radiant With Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer

2011-05-02T21:01:00.000-07:00

Image Courtesy of Sonia Kashuk

BRAND: Sonia Kashuk
PRODUCT: Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF15
PRICE: 12.99USD (available at Target)
PROS: Contains SPF, Evens Out Skin, Stays On Well, Leaves Skin Glowy
CONS: Can Feel Slightly Tacky, Packaging, Messy

Long time no post! I miss you all! ♥ I have a love-hate relationship with foundation. I'll find the coverage and the texture I like, but there's always this one factor that makes me literally almost yank my hair out. It oxidizes. I've never found this to be an issue until I started breaking out back in 2006. My skin went from normal to combination/oily. So I've always stuck with tinted moisturizers - not that there's a problem with that. They even out my skin tone, give me enough coverage in the right areas, they feel lightweight and best of all - they don't oxidize. I've tried plenty of tinted moisturizers and when raves about this tinted moisturizer started surfacing, I decided to give it a try. This tinted moisturizer is said to be a comparable, affordable version of Laura Mercier's infamous Tinted Moisturizer. I don't own Laura Mercier, so I can't vouch for that claim, but I can say this is something I would repurchase.

"This sheer lightweight formula can be used in place of foundation for a natural healthy glowing complexion. Infused with a vitamin complex that helps stimulate collagen production to keep skin cells looking stronger and younger. Formulated with an SPF 15 to prevent future sun damage." - Taken From Site

PRODUCTS USED:
Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF15 in Beige
Physician's Formula Soft Yellow Concealer
ELF Studio Blush in Candid Coral
The Body Shop Radiant Highlighter
NAKED Palette (Smog, Darkhorse, Virgin, Toasted, Hustle)
Make Mania Liquid Eyeliner
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara
Maybelline Sensational Lipstick in Pink Please

Sun In A Bottle With Estee Lauder Day Wear Plus

2011-04-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

Having a hard time achieving that natural, glowy tan look? Do you end up looking like an oompa loompa? Look no further! Estee lauder's Day Wear Plus with Sheer Tint Release might just be the answer for you!

BRAND: Estee Lauder
PRODUCT: DayWear Plus Multi Protection Anti-Oxidant Moisturizer SPF15 Sheer Tint Release (Mouth-full isn't it?)
PRICE: 30USD
SIZE/AMOUNT: 1.7 oz
PROS: Hydrates, Coverage, Contains SPF, Evens Out Skin Tone
CONS: Can Fade, May Be Dark For Most, Perhaps Discontinued
OTHER: Read another review on Lipglossiping

I threw away the box, and I can't find the ingredients listing anywhere. When I do, I will update this post. This product is no longer available on MACY's or Estee Lauder sites. Maybe its getting discontinued, but you can still purchase this in stores.

This is housed in a squeeze tube bottle. The fine nozzle helps the product from splatting around. As you squeeze out product, you get a grainy, grey cream. As you start to spread it around, it quickly emulsifies into a thin consistency and the grey color starts fading and blend into the skin.

From the swatches you can see that this moisturizer has a somewhat of a grainy texture. It has these tiny 'beads' that break and emulsify when you spread the product on the skin. I pretty sure these 'beads' activates or releases the tint. The result is a 'I've-been-sun-bathing' glow.

The picture does not do this justice!

Its quite natural and I do like it even though I'm not too keen in bronzing. I think those who are extremely pale might not like this product much. Even though this is a tint, it does tan you up quite a bit. I have combination skin, and I've found that after maybe 4-5 hrs the color starts to fade (cheek area) and my skin looks uneven. I know that Nicola of Pixiwoo loves this and she has dry skin. So those with a drier skin type might find this to be slightly more long lasting. I do like how it moisturizes my skin; keeps me hydrated all day (I've used this in the winter too). Much better than other tinted moisturizers in the market.

All in all, a nice product if you like looking bronzed but nothing to run out and get right away. I probably won't repurchase. Perhaps there will be an upgraded version of this which is why I can't find it on the website but either than that, I know you can still get this at the Lauder counters in MACY's.

How-to: Soft Spring

2011-04-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I promised a "bright" make-up demo on my twitter (My twitter is hanidee_ NOT hanidee. I don't know who the other hanidee is, lol.), but when I checked my eye shadow collection, I realized I don't own any "super bright" shades, ha! And since I'm on a small make-up ban, this is as bright as its going to get lovelies, lol.

PRODUCTS USED:
MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot
Yaby Midnight Blue
Pixi Bright Eyes Palette (Medium Metallic Green)
Bed Head Eyeshadow Palette (Metallic Navy & Lime Green)
Jordana Color XTend Eyeliner in Black Out
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara in Blackest Black

How-to: My Easy Everyday Go-To Look

2011-04-08T23:15:00.000-07:00

I've been wearing this look a lot. Its very simple, quick and you can change the colors to create a whole new look. Using mostly ELF single pan shadows! Great for a fast prom look or for ladies who don't usually wear make-up. Great for beginners too, as these shadows blend easily. Enhances brown eyes as well! Enjoy(:

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
ELF Essentials Custom Eyes - Golden Glow
ELF Essentials Custom Eyes - Moondust
ELF Essentials Custom Eyes - Sage
ELF Essentials Custom Eyes - Ivory
Wet N Wild Color Icon Singles - Envy
Sonia Kashuk Gel Liner - Cocoa
Maybelline Falsies Mascara - Blackest Black
ELF Studio Blush & Contour Duo
Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream NO31

Getting My Pores Clean

2011-04-06T13:30:00.000-07:00

My good friend Hanna (of Hanna Hullabaloo) sent me some items last year. Among the goodies was this nose mud mask by Yubiki. I was a bit hesitant to try this at first but after testing a few times, I grew to like it. Not sure where you can get this but if I find a link, I'll put it up for who are interested. Yes, I've used Biore Pore Strips before and I don't like them. Its harsh on my skin, its hard to take off (it hurts!) and it makes my pores larger with continued use - BOO! This is a more gentle and effective for me.

Since this was sent to me, I don't know the price or ingredients. Again, if I find a link, I'll edit this post! Packaging for this is convenient, but not well executed. Why? Because the product is slightly runny so it leaks out if I place the nozzle straight down. So to control the amount I want, I angle the tube. The mask itself is thick and black. The scent may be strong for some; I can't pin-point as to what it smells like though, but it is kind of bad. When I apply the mask, it starts to get tacky and is slightly difficult to clean off my fingers. A little goes a long way and if you apply to much, it takes longer to dry.

Depending on how thick I apply this mask it can take about 5 minutes maybe a little more to dry. It has a slight tightening effect. As I start to peel the mask off, it doesn't tug on my skin like the Biore pore strips. Its more gentle and peels off quickly. It also removes a lot dirt from my pores WAY better than Biore's. I also like that it minimizes the look of my pores too. This doesn't dry out my nose area or irritate it in any way.

I use this on my nose and inner cheeks 1-2 times a week. Its really good with milia on my nose. If it weren't for the smell and occasional mess, I would buy this all the time if it was readily available.

DISCLAIMER: This product was sent to me by a friend. All opinions expressed are my own and are 100% honest and unbiased. For more, see my full disclaimer.

How-to [Prom Edition]: My Comfort Zone

2011-04-02T16:46:00.000-07:00

A request! Took me for FOREVER to post this. If I'm late dear, I'm really sorry! I really tried; if only we talked sooner, I would've definitely gotten this post up much earlier. I hope you enjoyed your prom night. This is the exact same color placement, just slightly intensified.

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
88 Matte Palette (Transition Shade)
Wet N Wild Comfort Zone Palette (Right Side - 2nd, 3rd & 4th Shades)
Sonia Kashuk Gel Liner in Cocoa (Any brown liner will do; or even black)
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara
Rimmel Kohl Liner in Jungle Green
MAC Gorgeous Gold
Maybelline Define-A-Brow in Dark Blonde & Dark Brown

The Final Look

Baby Kamkuat

2011-03-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

I've been breaking out pretty bad due to hormones, lack of sleep and bad diet. So definitely be ready for some skin care posts! Testing out some ELF and Yaby shadows. I'm really liking Kamkuat by Yaby! Let me know what you think and If you have any inspirational pictures, please link me. I'm kind of in a make-up rut right now. Thanks!

PRODUCTS USED:
NYX Shadow Base in White
Yaby Baby Duckie (inner corner)
Yaby Kamkuat (mid lid)
ELF Elements Shadow in Dusk (outer corner)
88 Matte Palette (matte cool brown)
Wet N Wild Creme Liner
Annabelle Smoothliner in Oh My Goth
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

Lucky Green

2011-03-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

Hiya! Been a bit since my last post! When my spring break comes up you can definitely look forward to more posts! This look was done on St. Pat's day, but I forgot to upload, lol. I was testing some newly acquired shadows last month and this was my result. Not bad at all, review coming up soon. Hope you all like. Thanks for reading everyone. ♥

Natural Light

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Yaby Gold Bar
Yaby Midnight Blue
Yaby Deep Sage
88 Matte Palette (Chartreuse & Green)
MAC Gorgeous Gold (Highlight)
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

With Flash

Canadian Bacon!

2011-03-11T22:30:00.000-08:00

I want some, no joke [LAUGHS]. This post is a bit overdue as I received this back in December (I think?). I've wanted to try Annabelle Cosmetics for quite some time now, but sadly they do not ship to the States (or internationally for that matter). So my awesome friend Iris [of Iris-Istible] sent me a few items, thanks lover! Your package will be on its way soon dear. It was hard looking for that Hard Candy item you wanted cause its always sold out!

I'm not going to include everything, just some of the main ones. I hope some of the swatches are of good use for anyone who's interested in Annabelle. Enjoy!

A bunch of awesomeness.

Some extra goodies~!

Do you see that green box? That is a mini box of goodness right there! It's the Gingko line from Charmzone (a Korean brand). I was able to test it out for two and a half weeks and it did so much for my skin. Let me tell you that I've been looking for this line and its completely sold out! I'm still on the waiting list! If you need something for trouble or sensitive skin, I recommend the Gingko cream. Its the star product of this line, seriously. Iris also included the Nokdu Foaming Cleanser and the Laneige Sleeping Pack. The Nokdu cleanser feels nice - it didn't dry out my skin and cleaned off dirt and grime pretty well. I can't say the same for the Laneige though. This sleeping pack has been raved about by many bloggers and it really got me intrigued. Sadly, it didn't work well for me and it was just too rich. The product didn't absorb fully into my skin, I woke up look super greasy and it gave me some bumps. She also sent me some nail polishes - now I'm not a nail polish person because I detest the smell (it gives me headaches - weak sauce, I know!) and I like bare nails. But I use these on my toenails and I really like the Gosh (purple one) she sent. It has a purple-green duo chrome to it and looks amazing in the light!

This was something that I didn't expect! She added this MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in Blonde for me. Its a cool pink shimmer highlighter and looks really nice under flash.

I've never used L.A. Colors before, so I'm excited to put these to the test soon. Iris sent me two palettes; EP21 Soirée and EP42 Wildflowers. Soirée is a pastel palette filled with cool blues, purples and a silver. They look alike in the pan and even when swatched, but they're all just slightly different. Wildflowers is a warmer palette filled with golds an pinks. It is also more pigmented than Soirée.

I really dislike when brands are available in different countries and they don't carry a lot of the same products or certain lines are limited. Case and point, Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight [700]. Its only available in Canada and the US line does not carry this shade. Although a recent shade was released that is almost similar called "Spotlight Beige". This is a nice peachy-nude color that doesn't make you look dead.

Who doesn't like pigments? Very useful and multipurpose. Chiffon is a light golden yellow that I like to use for highlighting my cheekbones and brow bone. Prism looks like a plain white pigment in the packaging, but when applied, you comes off as a beautiful lavender in certain lighting. Golden Pink is well, a golden pink, haha. At first glance, I actually thought it could be a dupe for MAC's Expensive Pink - but Expensive Pink has more peach undertones.

Lastly, Annabelle eye shadows. These shadows were much talked about as well. These shadows are the same size as MAC shadows as shown below [shadow is Beautiful Iris]. Helium is a shimmery off-white/beige, Indigo Blue is a medium indigo and Ka-Ching! is a soft, antique mid-tone brown. Pigmentation wise, I think they're alright. Much better with a base, but on their own, they come off a little sheer when applied with a brush. It feels harder than a MAC shadow so maybe I have to use a flatter or stiffer brush with them for better color pay-off.

That's it folks! Thanks for reading and commenting as always. Hope everyone has a good week and talk to you all soon.

My heart goes out to those affected by the recent earth quake/tsunami in Japan. Please text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation to Japan & Pacific tsunami relief or go online to see how you can help! Every little bit counts. ♥

How-to [Prom Edition]: Purple Slip

2011-03-05T21:40:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! ♥

Its been a while since I've done a make-up demo and since prom is coming up, I've decided to do a mini series dedicated to prom. Of course, you can wear this look out for other occasions. If you have any make-up requests, suggestions or color combinations you would like to see, please let me know and I'll see what I can do! Enjoy (:

Define your brows, add liner, lashes and/or mascara, then you're done!
The Final Look (Geez, I need some sleep!)

PRODUCTS USED:
Laneige Balancing Emulsion
L'Oreal Youth Code Eye Cream
Maybelline Angelfit Pore Zero Base SPF 25 PA+++
Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream NO.31 (mixed w/Sonia Kashuk Tinted Moisturizer)
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Eye Brightening Perfector in Medium
MAC Bite of an Apple Blush
MAC Shell Shell Pearl Beauty Powder
Rimmel Bronzer
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Wet N Wild Petal Pusher Palette
88 Matte/Satin Palette
Banila Co. De La Couture Palette
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
NYC Black Liner (Not good for waterline - SMUDGES & TRANSFERS)
Revlon Defining Lashes (No mascara! :D)

EOTD - Push Them Petals

2011-03-01T12:38:00.000-08:00

I really anticipated this palette the most from Wet N Wild, but I felt that this wasn't quite up to par with the other palettes/trios. The highlight in this palette is really pretty - it looks like an off-white in the pan, but it gives of a pinky sheen - though it didn't show up that way when applied.

I was cleaning my room and something got in my eye - hence the redness, lol. Sorry!

PRODUCTS USED:
Etude House Proof 10 Primer
NYX Eye Shadow Base in White
Wet N Wild Petal Pusher Palette (Left Side of Palette)
88 Palette
Revlon Defining Lashes

EOTD - My Comfort Zone

2011-02-28T18:10:00.000-08:00

Been a while! Hello to my new followers/friends! ♥ Hope everyone had a great weekend. By the title, I'm sure you know what I used for this look, haha. It took me ages to find this palette, and I'm so happy I finally got hold of it! Hope you like!

PRODUCT USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
88 Palette (Matte Orange as transition/blend color)
Wet N Wild Comfort Zone Palette (right hand side of palette)
MAC Gorgeous Gold (highlight)
Rimmel Kohl Liner in Jungle Green
Sonia Kashuk Gel Liner in 02 Cocoa
Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara

Wet N Wild Spring 2011 Color Icon Trios

2011-02-20T17:30:00.000-08:00

This is a scheduled post.

These babies sold out pretty quick when they first hit the shelves back in January. I totally understand why. The quality on these are so much better than the original Color Icon shadows. Whoever reformulated these deserves a bonus! I absolutely love them and I wish I was able to pick up everything - I had to restrain myself as I have to finish up swaps and work has pretty been slow that I nearly rip my hair out every time I see my check, lmao! These trios should be easier to find now (I can't say the same for the 8 pan palettes though!) so do give these palettes a look if you haven't yet! Wet N Wild is definitely one of my favorite drugstore brands alongside Sonia Kashuk, NYX and Hard Candy.

BRAND: Wet N Wild
PRODUCT: Color Icon Eye Shadow Trio
PRICE: 2.99USD
PROS: Price, Smooth & Creamy Texture, Pigmentation
CONS: Fragile

First up, is I Got Good Jeans. I purchased this trio mainly for the golden yellow shade, but as I swatched the shadows, the navy shade is beautiful! The color reminds me of Speed Blue from the Kat Von D Beethoven palette. My least favorite out of the palette is the pale silver blue shade. I don't think this makes a proper highlight. I like using this as a lid shade, but as a highlight, it just looks odd.

Next, is Silent Treatment. This is a popular one as it is very wearable and versatile. This trio contains a lovely plummy taupe shade that is reminiscent to MAC's Satin Taupe. The crease shade is a deep matte cool brown with silver glitter. The glitter doesn't show up, especially when you blend the color. If you want to see the glitter better, you need a good sticky base. The brow shade gives off a pretty sheen and works very well blending harsh edges.

Lastly, my favorite, I'm Getting Sunburned. Odd name, but beautiful shadows! This particular trio is the smoothest, creamiest and most pigmented. It contains a pink highlight - when used lightly, it looks lovely on the brow bone; a coppery-gold and a plummy brown with red reflects. The crease color is amazing - what you see in the pan is what you get! The glitter shows up really well and the color is so intense. Just check the swatches below! I can barely tap my finger on the shadow and a ton of color shows up. You really don't need to pack on much, just a dab - I love it. ♥

Supposed to be "I'm Getting Sunburned" instead of "I Got Sunburned". TYPO - sorry, ha!

Look how much color my eye shadow brush picks up. Is it awesome?!

The only problem I would say I have is that these shadows are a bit more fragile. Since the texture is extra soft, they can crumble. So if you drop this on a hard surface, chances are they will break into pieces. Other than that, they blend easily, have lovely pigmentation and for the price - you really can't go wrong with these shadows. Wet N Wild has once again stepped up their game and are releasing some great products.

You can see a look I did using Silent Treatment here. Will be posting some demos soon using these palettes, so keep a look out!

This post is scheduled for President's Day. So those of you in the States, I hope you all are having a wonderful 3-day (or 4-day) weekend! Have fun, be safe and to everyone else, have an awesome weekend!

DISCLAIMER: Everything was purchased with my own funds. Opinions expressed are my own and unbiased. For more info, please so my disclaimer

V-Day Inspired Look

2011-02-15T12:18:00.000-08:00

I seriously don't know how ladies use an angled liner brush. I've tried, and I still can't manage to get that clean, thin, crisp line I usually get with a fine point liner brush. Its really frustrating, but one day I will master the art of the angled liner, lol. I hope you all had a nice Valentine's Day and though I didn't wear this look out, I think the colors fit the occasion. All I had on yesterday was a wash of gold all over my lids and double liner.

I was planning to do a few demos before Valentine's Day, but I didn't have the time to take step by step pictures, so make-up demos will be up later this week! Talk to you all soon! ♥

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion

Urban Decay NAKED Palette (Half Baked on inner half of lid)

88 Palette (Hot Pink Above Crease, Med. Purple Outer Half & Violet in Crease)

Wet N Wild Vanity Palette (Matte Vanilla as Highlight)

MAC Push The Edge Pigment (Base color for Violet in Crease)

N.Y.C Eyeliner Duet in (?) (Purple side inner-lower waterline; black side outer-lower waterline - also smudged into lower lash line)

MAC Blacktrack Fluidline

Korean Brand Lashes

Heroine Make Long & Volume Mascara (Lower Lashes)

EOTD: Silent Treatment

2011-02-08T22:00:00.000-08:00

I finally got a hold of some of the new Wet N Wild trios, and I asked on twitter for some color combo suggestions and one of them was taupe & pink (suggestion by Ezzy, thanks girl!). Since this particular palette had similar colors, I decided to make a look. The pink is much more vibrant in real life. I need a better camera, lol.

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
NYX Eyeshadow Base in White
Wet N Wild Silent Treatment Trio
88 Matte Palette (Matte Pink)
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara
Jordana White Liner (Lightly on Waterline)

I'm really liked this palette and the other two I purchased, so I'll be doing a review/swatch post soon! No sign of the 8-pan palettes yet, but I hear they should be officially released the end of this month at all Walgreens & Wal-Marts, so we'll see!

L'egere Whitening Solution

2011-02-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

Image Courtesy of iMomoko.Com

A lot of you know that I really love my L'egere BB Purifying Facial Peeling Gel to bits. I decided to try something else from this brand; their Whitening Solution™ serum. Apparently, this product was highly recommended by Queen TV Show in Taiwan.

BRAND: L'egere
PRODUCT: Whitening Solution™ Instant Whitening Serum Plus Gold
PRICE: 15.99USD (at iMomoko.Com)
EXTRA: Box contains two 30ML bottles for use
PROS: Price, Instant Brightening/Whitening Effect, Evens Skin Tone, Fades Most Acne Scarring, Skin Appears Smoother & Softer
CONS: Brightening Effect Seems To Be Temporary, Can Ball Up When Used With Certain Products, Not Effective In Whitening

INGREDIENTS: Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Soy, Protein, Yam, Ellaic Acid, Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside, Arbutin, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Less Extract, Gold, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizinate, Xanthan Gum (click on image below; visit Beautiful With Brains for ingredient info)

Originally developed by a dermatologist, the Legere Instant Whitening Facial Mask is enriched with Ellagic Acid, Arbutin & AA-2G which is a stable and extremely effective skin lightening treatment. It quickly promotes lightening of skin and provides an even tone on all skin types.

Especially added with Nano 99.99 Gold and 100% Natural Hyaluronic Acid, it can have anti-aging, moisturizing, repairing effect.

This special serum wil help to
- Lighten your overall skin color
- Reduce the appearance of dark spots and discolorations
- It is recommended for all types of non-sensitive skin including oily and problem skin. (- on imomoko & package)

This serum is supposed be really hydrating as its said to contain 100% Hyaluronic Acid. I don't necessarily find this to be true as I always have to use my emulsion/moisturizer on top. Within the first use, I saw an instant brightening effect which I really liked. It absorbed well into the skin fairly quickly. The serum didn't feel heavy or sticky as I massaged this onto my skin. I liked how this gave my skin a natural glow. Its directed to use this serum everyday twice a day then follow up with sunscreen. I personally only used this at night as I found that it starts to ball up when I apply my moisturizer. The only moisturizers I've found that works with this serum are the lighter type of moisturizers - like my Laneige Balancing Emulsion. Anything thicker didn't work too well.

After hitting the one month mark, I started to notice that the brightening effect wasn't as dramatic as when I first used it. That was a major bummer for me as my skin can be quite dull and sallow. I think this works better on fresh/new scars because it faded the few I had on my cheek. My deeper scars didn't fade at all. It did even out my overall skin tone, but nothing amazing. As for whitening, I didn't notice anything. I did like how smooth and softer my skin felt after using this though.

The bottle has a dropper where you can squeeze (from the nozzle shown above). This is a nice way to not waste product and prevent too much air going into the bottle. The serum does contain gold flecks though you can't see it in the pictures. You can't see the flecks when you apply the serum either so no worries about looking like you had glitter placed randomly on your face, haha.

If you're looking for long-term effects for brightening or whitening the skin, this probably isn't something you would want to get. If you want something to use on occasion as quick pick me up, then you can consider trying this out as it won't break the bank. Maybe if I used this twice day as directed, I would get better results, but as it doesn't agree with the other products I'm using I'm unable to test that out. I won't repurchasing this as I really like my Hada Labo Shirojyun Lotion (will review soon, but talked about briefly, here!). I highly recommend that if you're thinking of purchasing, DO NOT put this in direct light. It will ruin the serum. I wasted my first bottle because of this, lol.

Sorry for the long post, I feel cheery and "type-y" today, haha!

EOTD: Sunset Part 2

2011-01-30T21:00:00.000-08:00

Here is the revised version of my original EOTD here, and I wanted to play around with more oranges, yellows and reds, so I came up with another cut crease look. Do let me know what you think. Enjoy, everyone! ♥

Lash Expander annoys me at times. The fibers sometimes get on my lid because the formula is wet. Products used under the cut!

PRODUCTS USED:
Etude House Proof 10 Primer
NYX Eye Shadow Base in White
88 Matte Palette (Yellow, Orange, Red and Blue-Purple)
Sleek Safari Palette (Yellow/Gold)
Kat Von D Beethoven Palette (Speed Blue)
Wet N Wild Greed Palette (Matte Creme)
Annabelle Pigment in Chiffon (inner corner, blended up to crease)
Rimmel Eyeliner in Navy (inner-half of waterline)
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus

Burmese Beauty EOTD, Tutus, Burgerhouse, Animal-Shaped Bread and A Mustached Domo

2011-01-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

I went to San Francisco last weekend, and although I wasn't able to take many pictures, here are some to sum up what I did there. The boys were shopping and I was just there to be there, lol. I really liked this tutu (Donna Karan, I believe) and it looked really nice so I had to take a quick picture.

Whilst shopping at Urban Outfitters, I spotted Hello Kitty. I don't like Hello Kitty at all, but this was just too adorable to not take a picture of!

I have been in love with DOMO since 2005, lol! So seeing this, I just couldn't resist!

I was really craving Korean food (I wanted to eat Seafood Tofu Soup) but my friend was really hungry, so we went to the Burgerhouse on Powell street. There was a soup, pizza, drink deal so I got pizza while everyone else got burgers. And boy, was I wrong to do so!

My boyfriend ordered the Breakfast Burger. The egg was cooked to perfection and their sauce was delicious! Made me regret my meal, haha!

I love Bourdin! So creative and it still amazes me what they can do with bread, lol. I love the turtle and lobster-shaped bread!

To end this post, I leave you with an EOTD. I've been neglecting my Burmese Beauty quad, so I whipped it out and did a quick look.

NP Set New Neutrals Palette

2011-01-28T13:50:00.000-08:00

This palette came out during the holidays and even though I probably have enough neutral palettes already, one more won't hurt. These palettes aren't available anymore but every winter, new palettes come out.

BRAND: NP Set
PRODUCT: New Neutrals Palette
PRICE: 10USD
PROS: Soft Texture, Applies Smooth, Blends Easily, Price, Packaging
CONS: All Shimmer, Highlight Colors Are Crumbly/Chalky

I really like how small and travel-friendly this palette is. There are twelve shadows total and these are a good size (about the size of NYX's Runway palette shadows) and yet the palette doesn't take up much room at all. The palette I believe is made of cardboard and is slightly small than my hand. It has a magnetic closure and a decent sized mirror. It doesn't come with any type of applicators. The row ranges from light, medium and dark. You can create multiple looks for work, a day out or party looks. In this palette you get burgundy, berry, taupe, bronze and peach shades. These shadows are more of a soft shimmer, so there's no worries of a super shimmery or frost overkill. At the end of each row, you get a really light shade, which I'm assuming is the highlight shade for each row. All three highlights have glitters running through and come off as crumbly and slightly chalky. This may be due to the glitter.

The first row contain shadows that are perfect for washes of color. You can see how pigmented that highlight shade is but you can also see that it isn't as smooth as the other shades.

The middle row contains some shadows similar to NYX's Runway palette in Romance. I adore the bronze and berry shade in this row the most and use them often. The deep cool brown shade works nicely as a definer and I often use it to smudge my gel liner.

I absolutely love that aubergine shade! It really brings out the gold flecks in my eyes. These shadows look nice in the crease and helps achieve a soft, smoky look.

Quick EOTD - Fish tail liner and Japonesque lashes
Not sure if I like these Japonesque lashes, they photograph shiny, boo!

PRODUCTS USED:
NP Set New Neutrals Palette (Aubergine, Cool Brown, Creme & Golden shades)
Wet N Wild Vanity Palette (Matte Brown slightly in crease)
Wet N Wild Creme Liner in Black (added a double wing or fish tail)
Sonia Kashuk Brow Definer in Taupe
Japonesque Lashes
Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing

Wet N Wild Color Icon Palettes: Lust and Greed

2011-01-27T21:45:00.000-08:00

I have been searching for the new Wet N Wild trios and 8-pan palettes,but no luck. I'm telling you, these people are fast! Especially with G (of Nouveau Cheap) giving out Wet N Wild info on the clock! If you're a Wet N Wild fan and you haven't heard of G, something is totally wrong with you, lol. She's Wet N Wild's first beauty ambassador and she gets to test out and review their latest products before it hits stores. Check her out! ♥

These palettes aren't new, but I figured reviewing them might help to ease my frustration a bit, haha. Today, I'm reviewing the Lust and Greed palettes.

Sorry for the flash, better pics below the cut!

BRAND: Wet N Wild
RANGE/COLOR: Color Icon / Lust & Greed
PRICE: 4.99USD
PROS: Smooth & Creamy texture, Pigmented, Contains Both Matte & Shimmer, Price
CONS: Some Have Low Pigmentation, Fall Out, Can Be Crumbly

Greed contains salmon/peach, blacks and a golden pink & periwinkle shade. Lust contains mostly purples and charcoals. There are six shades with three mattes, two shimmers and a matte with glitter. I do like that you don't have to use a base or a primer for these to show up because they are well pigmented. In the Greed palette, I use the matte side than the shimmer side because its easier to work with. Not sure if you can tell, but if you look at the Greed palette, it doesn't look smooth. It has a crumbly texture and there's quite a bit of fall out. I was a bit disappointed to how crumbly they were - especially the golden pink and the golden periwinkle shades. I would barely tap my brush into the shadow and there would be eyeshadow everywhere! Such a shame as I purchased the palette just for those two shades. With the Lust palette, all the shadows were smooth to the touch and I didn't get that much fall out. Its one of my favorite purple palettes. I use the shimmery vanilla shade, the shimmery charcoal and the deep matte purple a lot.

Swatches. See how creamy and pigmented these are even without a base? The shimmery golden pink and golden periwinkle color (Greed) come off the sheerest out of all the colors. So to get your desired intensity, you really have to layer and pack on the color quite a bit. Those two colors seems fade and blend away faster than the other shadows as well. So a good base is needed! Other than that, I don't have any issues with any of the other shadows. I will be doing more looks and demo using these palettes in the future so do keep a look out!

If you haven't spotted any of the new Color Icon palettes yet, you can get a preview of them on G's blog here. Those 8-pan palettes should be available late January/early February in the US and the second half of 2011 for Canada.

EOTD - Sunset Look Revisited and Revised

2011-01-23T10:15:00.000-08:00

I did this look last year and was supposed to re-record a live demo, but I felt like I could do a better version of this look so I held off. This revised version is more blue than the other (other is more of a purple), so let me know what you think? I quite like this look a little more because I love how the blue looks in natural lighting.

PRODUCTS USED:
Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer
Wet N Wild Greed Palette (Salmon/Peach, Vanilla & Charcoal )
Sleek Safari Palette (Orange Gold)
88 Matte/Satin Palette (Orange)
MAC Melon Pigment (Lightly in middle lid & slightly around tear duct)
Kat Von D Beethoven Palette (Speed Blue over black liner, lower lash line & waterline)
Wet N Wild Creme Liner in Black
Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus
Sonia Kashuk Eye Brow Pencil in Taupe

EOTD - Green/Brown Cut Crease and Soft Smoky Purple

2011-01-22T12:40:00.000-08:00

I'm starting to like taking pictures in natural lighting - when the sun's out that is, haha. I haven't done any type of EOTD in a while, so I've been doing some looks on my free time so I can do some make-up posts for you all. I have a demo/tutorial coming up, so keep a look out for that!

I don't usually work with greens, so I was happy that this cut crease came out decent, lol. I don't think I've done a cut crease demo, so I'll probably do one when I find the time!

Green & Brown Soft Cut Crease Look

PRODUCTS USED:

Urban Decay Primer Potion
NYX Eyeshadow Base in White
Sleek Safari Palette (Green & Yellow-Orange Shades)
Sleek Storm Palette (Brown & Beige Shades)
Pixi Winter Wakeup Eyes Palette (Yellow Shade)
MAC Old Gold Pigment (inner corner blended up into crease)
Sonia Kashuk Gel Liner in Cocoa
Sonia Kashuk Eye Brow Pencil in Taupe
Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus

Soft Purple Smoky Look

PRODUCTS USED:
MAC Soft Ochre Paintpot
Wet N Wild Lust Palette (Charcoal, Deep Purple & Black w/Burgundy Sparkles)
Wet N Wild Lagoon Single Eyeshadow (Shimmer Blue)
Wet N Wild Kitten Single Eyeshadow (Shimmer Lavender/Purple)
Kat Von D Beethoven Palette (Purple Taupe Shade)
88 Matte/Satin Palette (Hot Pink & Light Purple)
Wet N Wild Creme Liner in Black
Rimmel Eyeliner in Navy
Sonia Kashuk Eye Brow Pencil in Taupe
Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus

Makeover and Estee Lauder Wild Violet

2011-01-17T19:50:00.000-08:00

I did a quick makeover for one of my aunts (I did make-up for 3 people that day o_o) who was getting ready for a wedding reception last July, She's not one to wear any eye make-up besides liner and mascara, so when she asked for a smokey eye, I decided to keep it subtle. I was able to use Urban Decay's Naked Palette on her and half baked looked lovely on her. She asked to use her own foundation. I left her skin satin-y, but I guess she wasn't used to it and she powdered her skin when I left the room looking for something. Sneaky, sneaky, lol.

Before

After

PRODUCTS USED:
Maybelline Angelfit Primer
Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation
Estee Lauder Double Matte Powder
Sonia Kashuk Super Sheer Liquid Tint in 03 Poppy
MAC Hipness Blush
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Urban Decay Naked Palette - Half baked, Naked, Smog, Darkhorse & Creep
The Body Shop Radiant Highlighter
N.Y.C Bronzer in Sunny

Foundation, powder and lipstick used is her own.

Has anyone seen or heard of reviews on this collection yet? Their Extravagant Gold palette is already sold out on their site so I'm hoping to get that after getting my hands on the Wild Violet palette!

MAC Venomous Villains & Dramatic EOTD

2011-01-12T13:30:00.000-08:00

Such a super late post! I wanted to get some older posts out of the way so I won't feel guilty for never posting them and finally deleting the pictures/swatches from my drive, lol. I think MAC VV came out during October/November, there were some unique products, but it didn't scream out "must have" so I was able to control the urge to splurge.

I purchased Briar Rose Beauty Powder from the Maleficent range (left) and Bite of an Apple Blush from the Evil Queen range (right). I'm a sucker for beauty powders are they're very fine and gives such a soft, natural look. I wanted Bite of an Apple as its matte and I wanted to build up a coral blush collection. I wasn't disappointed, these two products were sold out at my local MAC counter the first day! I was lucky to be the last two, haha.

Briar Rose Beauty Powder

Briar Rose is a nice soft plum shade with tiny subtle shimmers. When applied to the skin, the shimmer doesn't show and it appears to be more of a satin. I love using this for a quick soft color on my cheeks or to play down a bright color. This is a nice blush for beginners as it doesn't deposit too much color and you can layer for your desired intensity.
Swatches below.

Bite of an Apple Blush

I hear its the matte version of MAC's Hipness blush that came out with the To The Beach collection last summer. I feel this is more pigmented than Hipness, but maybe because its a matte. I love using this blush on days I don't wear eye makeup. It really brightens up my face and makes me look healthy. I think this color would look great on just about anyone. Love!
Swatches

Here are some comparisons. This is Briar Rose Beauty Powder next to On A Mission Beauty Powder Blush. They're pretty close, but On A Mission is lightly deeper. Briar Rose is more cool toned. If you have On A Mission, I think you're okay without Briar Rose. Since Hipness is a frost & Bite of an Apple is a matte, they look different in the pictures, but if you see them in person, they're pretty similar.

I also purchased two pigments - yes, I know I said I wouldn't buy any of MAC's pigments in the new packaging, but the colors! I couldn't help myself. You know me & my purples and golds. Push The Edge is from the Evil Queen collection and I believe Old Gold is part of the permanent line and came out with the Fabulous Felines collection.

Old Gold has a slight tarnished yellow-green tinge to it that I really like. If I apply it over a dark green or black base, it will show up a more green gold. Push The Edge is a shimmery eggplant shade and I love using this on my lazy days. I'd use a purple liner and smudge this pigment along my lash line and smoke it up slightly. It gives a soft edgy look without looking like I spent a lot of time doing my make-up.

Here's a quick EOTD I did. I wanted to do something dramatic as I haven't been wearing any eye make-up for a while. As I've said before, I like messy brows with dramatic looks. I create this look using a palette I will be reviewing later this week.

PRODUCTS USED
Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer
Missha The Style Eyebrow Pencil in Grey
Kiss Me Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara
Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner in Plum
88 Matte Palette (Deep Blue-Purple Shade)

Strawberry-Melon Daifuku, Ramune, Lotte and Choco A~npan

2011-01-11T19:00:00.000-08:00

I rarely do blog posts on food so here's one dedicated to some of my favorite Japanese snacks & drinks! Its really hard to get them where I live and it can be such a bother to order online, so I was excited to spot a small Japanese mini shop in my town!

Brand: Calbee Chips
Flavor: Hot & Spicy
Price: $1.59USD
I was going to post how the chips look like, but these chips were gone so fast! They're not exactly hot or spicy, its almost like tasting kimchi flavored noodles packed into these chips. Does that sound a little weird? Nonetheless these taste pretty good!

Brand: Sangaria
Flavor: Ramu Bottle (Original I guess? LOL)
Price: $1.79USD
I love the bottle with the marble version, but for the price, I didn't get much. This is more bang for my buck and tastes so good! This reminds me of Sprite almost.

Brand: Sangaria
Flavor: Melon Soda
Price: $1.79USD
Tastes like carbonated honeydew! Haha. :D

Brand: Lotte
Flavor: Koala Choco Biscuit
Price: $1.59USD
Has the flakiness of a biscuit with milk chocolate filling. They actually taste pretty light.

Brand: Bourbon
Flavor: Choco A~NPAN
Price: $1.59USD
Think bread buns filled with chocolate. My BF doesn't like this very much, but I do. It reminds me of the old school days when my grandpa ate vanilla ice cream with french bread.

The best for last. I love these fruit daifukus (mochi)! I usually get the strawberry and melon flavored ones. The strawberry ones tastes like jelly flavored mochi whilst the melon ones have more of a rice bean texture & taste to it. Only issue is that the melon flavored ones don't have as much filling as the strawberry. They're very addicting and I'm definitely going to get mango & pineapple next!

We also had some hot pot the other day. This is when we ate everything. It looked much better way before, hahaha. We had squid, beef, tripe, noodles & tons of veggies!

The Goods of 2010

2011-01-02T18:03:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a good NYE! Hope you all had fun with your friends & loved ones. Sometimes I wish I could turn back time to change things or have done some things differently. Though, what's done is done and all we can do is learn from it and grow, right? Here are some items I've been loving for the past two months, not all of them have been fully reviewed yet, but I will be posting them up real soon. If you have any questions about anything, please feel free to ask.

Do click on the names to view the full reviews & for more pictures.

Skin Care

01. Somang Skin Shower Cleansing - This changed how I felt about foaming cleansers. It really cleans my skin thoroughly and doesn't leave it feeling dry and tight. I have the sensitive skin version and I love this.

02. Rohto Shirojyun Lotion - I wanted to try this on my scars and I'm glad I did! It's been lightening them up quite nicely - even the deep, stubborn ones! I really like how it doesn't contains tons of ingredients and its fragrance-free.

03. L'egere Purifying BB Facial Peeling Gel - This is my second bottle. I love this stuff! Affordable, brightens my complexion and leaves my skin soft.

04. Zamian Gold Cacao Pack - It took me a while to make a purchase, but I finally gave in! I've heard about this since 2005 but never gave it a chance because I thought that it was too good to be true. The first time I used it I had a pimple on the right side of my cheek and after 3 days, it was gone! I am now a believer and I will forever re-purchase this, lol. Very affordable and smells just like chocolate too, yummy!

05. Origins Clean Energy Gentle Cleansing Oil - A gentle and effective cleansing oil. Removes all my make-up and doesn't irritate my skin or eyes. I recommend for combo/oily & sensitive skin.

Base Make-Up & Primer

01. Etude House Proof 10 Primer - I like this better than UDPP. Its slightly tackier so it grabs pigments much better. My shadows don't crease or smudge.

02. The Body Shop Radiant Highlighter - When I first reviewed this, I didn't like it as much. I decided to give it another chance and now I'm am in love with it! Eyeko looks more natural and better for me during summer, but during the winter as my skin is slightly more pale, this works perfectly.

04. Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream - Unlike the other colors, #21 and #23, this applies much smoother and blends like a dream. I have #23 and #31 - #31 is great for tanned beauties!

05. Maybelline Angelfit Pore Zero Base - Thanks to my lovely J, she sent me this for our swap and I'm so happy she did. This is perfect for oily skins - it keeps your oils at bay and gives a nice soft, luminous glow to your makeup! It also has SPF! I used this on Angie, who has extremely oily skin and was happy to hear that her make-up stayed on all night - no smudging what so ever! Sadly, it's only available in Asia.

05. MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot - This is my favorite go-to product during the winter. I prefer using paint pots in winter as they're more creamy and don't dry out my lids. I also like using Soft Ochre as concealer as well. Very multipurpose.

Point Make-Up & Tools

01. Tarte Face Brush - I have no idea what this brush is called as I can't find it online. I received this as a GWP from Ulta. This brush is super soft, dense and blends everything like a dream. I love using this as a contour brush because it really helps diffuse the color.

02. Majolica Majolica Lash Gorgeous Wing - I always use this if I want a fanned-out, natural look to my lashes. Waterproof and really easy to remove.

03. Kiss Me Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara - If you're for a mascara that gives you a dramatic look, this is for you. Its super smudge-proof and waterproof! The formula is really black and it thickens lashes. I only use this on special occasions as this is a bit hard to remove. A big thank you to my friend Lane for sending this to me!

04. Neutrogena Healthy Skin Eye Brightening Perfector - All time favorite drugstore concealer. Helps conceal my dark circles, brightens my eye area and doesn't crease or cake up on me. I also like the light texture.

05. Sephora Lush Flush Lip & Cheek Tint in 01 Merlot - Very easy and quick to use. I apply some on my cheeks and lips and I have the perfect natural flushed cheeks and lovely wine stained lips.

06. Koji NO.73 Lash Curler - The best curler for wide or round eye shapes. Its wide curve helps grabs every single lash and doesn't pinch the skin. Gives a nice natural curl and doesn't bend or break your lashes. Thanks Lane for this! *hugs*

07. Everyday Minerals Blush in Snuggle - This sample has lasted me for 2 years! A little goes such a long way with EDM blushes. This is a soft pink blush with fine sparkles - though when applied it looks matte/satin. Great for everyday.

08. ELF Studio Treat & Tame in Dark - Waterproof, nice tint, lasts all day and for only three dollars, what's not to like?

09. Sonia Kashuk Brow Definer in Taupe - Alongside Maybelline's Define-A-Brow, this is the only brow definer I would recommend. WAY BETTER than Rimmel's Hazel brow pencil. Great for dark-haired beauties. Stays on all day, affordable and no smudging. LOVE.

10. Milani Infinite Liquid Liner - This range from Milani is one of my favorites. These liners are super waterproof, doesn't smudge, inexpensive or comes in some fun colors. A nice dupe for MAC Liquidlast liners.

11. Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus - Very popular amongst beauty bloggers. Lengthens lashes very well and is extremely black. Holds a curl well. I recommend this to those who have short lashes.

Fragrance

01. Marc Jacobs Daisy - Lasts all day, has such a lovely feminine, fresh floral scent. I get complimented a lot when I wear this. My guy friend loves this smells so much sometimes he even asks me to spray some on him, lol!

02. Givenchy Very Irresistible - Be careful with this, if you spray too much it gets overwhelming! Has a floral scent like Daisy, but smells more sensual.

03. Paris Hilton Siren - Smells fruity with hints of floral (you can tell I like floral scents, lol). I really like this, but it just sucks also as I don't like Paris very much, haha.

04. Paris Hilton Tease - Reminds me of Givenchy but lighter. The colors and gradient style used are similar too. Weird isn't it? Haha.

DISCLAIMER: Everything mentioned was purchased by myself unless stated otherwise. For more, see ftc disclaimer.

Soap & Glory The Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser

2010-12-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy of Soap & Glory

BRAND: Soap & Glory
PRODUCT: The Fab Pore™ Hot Cloth Cleanser
PRICE: (£7-9.00[?]) 14USD (at Target)
PROS: Gives fresh clean feeling, cleans dirt well
CONS: Can irritate eyes

I purchased this back in August and still have a lot left. But recently, I haven't touched this much as I have a different routine for winter seasons. This product is said to be a dupe for Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. Though I don't have it, I can say that its pretty much the same thing. But Soap & Glory is a bit cheaper (Liz Earle is £13.00). I've read some people love this and for others, it just didn't work out for them. For me personally, I'm in between - I don't hate it, but I'm not in love with it either.

With all Soap & Glory packaging, it has this very cutesy, feminine, vintage feel to it. I adore the font & color choices they use for their products as its extremely eye catching. This cleanser comes an silver squeeze tube which makes it handy for travel. I would prefer a flip top but I'm okay with the screw-on cap.

A closer look at the texture.

What I like most is that it comes with a really nice muslin cloth! Very convenient as I hear if you purchase this alone it would be around 10 bucks (?). This cloth is nice and soft. I like using it with my other cleansers as well! I soak this in warm water and use it to press off the cleanser.

INGREDIENTS: Linalool , Synthetic Beeswax, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Esters, Sorbitan Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Aqua (Water), Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Methylparaben, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Salvia Sclarea (Clary) Oil, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA
(Please visit Beautiful With Brains for ingredients 101 as her site is very informative.)

~~I forgot to take a picture, so I'll come back and include the picture of the cream later today.~~ The actual product is a thick white cream. It has a mix of almond, orange and lavender scent to it and I don't like it much. Some people actually like this smell. It makes me wonder if they're using the same product because I think it smells awful, haha. This cream gives off a slight tingling sensation when applied to the skin. I use about a dime to nickel size amount on my face. I personally didn't use this anywhere near my eyes. When I massage the cream around, I could feel my eyes starting to water slightly. So those with sensitive eyes, beware. This removes make-up and dirt off my face pretty well, but I still have to use my cleanser afterward to make sure everything comes off (especially when I wear heavier make-up). Another warning, if you massage the cream on for too long, you might experience some itching. Other than that, there's not much else I can say. This is something I probably wouldn't recommend to those with sensitive skin, but if you have normal to oily skin, then try this out. I also recommend using this during the summer as I feel this may be too harsh to use during winter. But its all different for everyone so do be cautious when trying out something new!

A nice product, but not something I'll be re-purchasing. I prefer to use cleansing oils and my current favorite is still the Origins Clean Energy Gentle Cleansing Oil.

Target has replaced Soap & Glory with NP and other branded bath sets, so I'm not sure if Soap & Glory will be available again when holidays are over. Just keep a look out.

DISCLAIMER: Product purchased with my own funds. For more, please read my policy and my disclaimer here, thank you.

Origins Clean Energy™ & New Giveaway Winner

2010-11-25T22:45:00.000-08:00

Hope you US beauties are having a good Thanksgiving holiday! Enjoy your time with your loved ones - and even the annoying ones, lol. This semester is about to be over in 2-3 weeks so I have a lot of cramming to do with projects and finals. Plus, work is a bit slow right now so I have until after Christmas until we start getting busy again, then a new semester will start - its going to be quite a headache!

Before I start my review, I'm going to announce the new winner of my giveaway. Since it is holidays right now, I'm going to send the winner their package after holidays are over - which is like next week, haha. So you can click on the image to see who the new winner is! Congrats! Please contact me within 48 hours with your name, email and preferred mailing address so I can send your package!

Now the review!

Image Courtesy of Origins

BRAND: Origins
PRODUCT: Clean Energy™ Gentle Cleansing Oil
SIZE: 6.7FL OZ. // 200ML.
PRICE: 18.50USD (Origins counters, Dillard's, MACY's & Origins.Com)
PROS: Price, Gentle, Removes Base Make-up & (Most) Point Make-up
CONS: Requires Work to Remove Heavy Duty Waterproof Mascara

Today is just a quick review on Origins Clean Energy™ - a gentle cleansing oil. What the site says about this product.

"A healthier looking future for skin begins here. This lightweight, high-tech, hybrid formula with non-comedogenic, Olive, Sunflower, Sesame and Safflower Oils removes dirt, makeup and pollutants with high efficiency. Kukui Nut and Macadamia help protect precious natural moisture resources. Vitamin E helps reduce effects of environmental hazards such as irritation that can threaten the comfort of skin. Skin breathes freely. And the energizing aroma of Grapefruit, Orange and Lemon renew your spirits. " - Origins.Com
INGREDIENTS: olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, carthamus tinctorus (safflower seed) oil, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil, helianthus annus (sunflower) seed oil, vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil, peg-25 glyceryl trioleate, macadamia integrifolia seed oil, aleurites moluccana (kukui) seed oil, citrus arantium dulcis (sweet orange) peel oil*, lavandula hybrida (lavandin) oil*, citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil*, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil*, citrus grandis (grapefruit) peel oil*, cedrus atlantica (cedarwood) bark oil*, pogostemon cablin (patchouli) oil*, salvia sclarea (clary sage) oil*, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf oil*, pelargonium graveolens (geranium) flower oil*, fusanus spicatus (australian sandalwood) wood oil*, amyris balsamifera (sandalwood) bark oil*, linalool, limonene, sorbitan trioleate, tocopheryl acetate
*essential oil
^It took me forever to type this up because the font was so light on the bottle. They really need to change it so it can be easier on the eyes.

The website does not list the ingredients for the product, but they do have an "ingredients gallery" in the navigation, so you can see which ingredient is used for what purpose and its benefits. I like that the bottle is transparent so you know how much you have left, but I hate the font color. It hurts my eyes trying to read what it says.

I don't use this every day as I don't wear makeup when I go to school or work, so this lasted me pretty long. I believe I purchased this around August or September. You don't need to use that much, just a quarter sized amount (more or less depending) is sufficient to remove your makeup. If you use waterproof make-up, such as eyeliner or mascara, you have to work it around the area for it to fully dissolve. It takes about two tries for me to completely remove Milani's Infinite Liquid Eyeliner and Heroine Make's Volume&Curl Mascara - both super waterproof. It's a very light oil, doesn't feel heavy on the skin at all. Like other cleansing oils, you apply it on dry and add water to emulsify it into a milky consistency. This cleans off base makeup pretty well. I usually do a test by using toner after wards and I don't see any left over residue. KUDOS.

I would recommend this to sensitive, combination and acne prone skin.

SkinCareRX Friends & Family Sale!

2010-11-18T11:24:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard about SkinCareRX, they specialize in providing you with top skin care brands like Decleor, La Mer, La Roche Posay, Kinerase and Skin Medica - just to name a few. They carry a huge range of brands, so I'm sure you'll find something there for yourself.

Right now, they're having a Friends & Family Sale! You get a 25% discount your entire purchase. Just use code FF25 when you check out. Offer expires December 1, 2010. Let me know if you get anything!

And We Have A Winner!

2010-11-15T19:16:00.000-08:00

//EDIT - November 18, 2010: Since the winner didn't email me their information, I'm assuming they're giving up their prize. So I will be choosing a new winner this weekend. Sit tight!

No, I didn't forget about this! I just didn't have adequate time to validate everyone's entries. I do thank everyone for being patient with me and I really appreciate everyone who entered.

MAIN PRIZES

Tarte "Intro To Tarte" Set Includes

Park Ave Princess Mineral Bronzer
Vitamin Infused lipgloss in 40 Winks
Lifted™ Natural Eye Primer with Firmitol™
Natural Cheek Stain in Perfect Pink
ReCreate™ Silicone-free Primer with Wrinkle Rewind™ Technology
Lights, Camera, Lashes! Clinically Proven Natural Mascara
emphasEYES™ Inner Rim Eye Pencil in Black

Cargo Holiday Night Collection Includes

Face & Body Sparkle
Boogie Nights™ Pencil in Silver
Holiday Nights Eye Shadow Quad
Blush

Stila Travel Palette Fabulous in Fiji
Flirt! Peek-A-Blush in 04 Dapple Apple
You will also be getting random skin care/beauty masks & samples

And so the winner is......

glitteryeyesxx

Congratulations! ♥ Please email me your name & shipping address so I can send you your prize. You have 48 hours to reply and if you decide not to, someone else will get a chance to win this package.

If you did not win this time, I have another giveaway coming up, so stay tuned and hello to my new followers! ♥

Quick Post: Photography Fun

2010-11-11T16:25:00.000-08:00

My friend and I have a collaboration in the works, and today we were doing some practice shots so she could get the comfortable with the camera. So I guess this can be OOTD post? My style's pretty boring and simple, and I mostly wear basic colors, lol. For some reason, my legs look real short, I don't know why. Then again, I have man legs so maybe that's why, haha!

WEARING:
Jacket - Express
Shirt - Zipia
Necklace - Forever 21
Pants - PacSun
Shoes - I forgot, lol.
Glasses - Prada

Not sure what happened (shutter speed maybe?), but she made me look ghostly, lol.

Be back again tomorrow with the awaited announcement, so keep a look out! :D

Marcelle VOLUME PRECISION Mascara in Noir

2010-11-10T20:20:00.000-08:00

Image Courtesy of Marcelle Cosmetics

I received this mascara as one of my prizes from a giveaway on Lelo Artistry <- check her out, she's a lovely make-up artist! Marcelle is a Canadian brand, and I'm not sure if you could get it in the states, but you can check out their page here.

BRAND: Marcelle
PRODUCT: Volume Precision
PRICE: 11.95CAD
AVAILABILITY: Canada & MarcelleCosmetics.Com
PROS: Defines, Separates, Volumizes & Creates a "Fan-Out" Effect
CONS: Uncomfortable Applicator

Marcelle is a Canadian brand - with affordable prices and sleek packaging. I'm usually very picky when it comes to mascara and was pleasantly surprised of how well this mascara worked on my lashes. Here is what the site had to say:

"VOLUME PRECISION, the longwearing mascara by Marcelle ensures buildable volume and definition like you’ve never experienced before.

Its ultra-flexible polymer brush with microchambers seizes lashes one by one, without clumps. The bristles come in variable lengths and are cleverly aligned to ensure clean, precise definition.

Enriched with oil olive and rice brand wax, the revitalizing lightweight gel formula provides maximal volume without any heavy feeling.

Hypo-allergenic and perfume free."

The formulation is somewhat wet, so it takes a just a bit for it to dry. I do like that I can apply 2 or so coats and lashes don't clump up. This mascara holds up a curl pretty well, but I do find my lashes to droop after about 5 hours of wear (if I just do one coat, it lasts all day - so I guess it depends). If I wait for each coat to dry, I do find that this mascara flakes off just a tiny bit. Through out the day, I don't find this to smear or smudge in any way regardless of it not being waterproof. Definitely a plus if you have oily lids. The pigment is also very black. Below are the effects you can achieve with this mascara.

The applicator does a nice job on separating and "fanning out" my lashes but its feels very uncomfortable. It tends to be scratchy and I sometimes poke my eye even when I'm careful. So what I do is place the applicator on to my lashes and blink (LOL). So if I had the chance to buy this mascara, I might not purchase due to the fact that the applicator irritates my eye. If Marcelle does ever change the applicator (i.e. making it more comfortable for application), I would purchase. If you have sparse, light and short lashes, I would recommend this mascara. But if you find that your lashes tend to droop, I wouldn't recommend this unless you can find a waterproof version.

DISCLAIMER: This was sent to me as a prize. My thoughts on this are based on my personal experiences with this product. For more, please see disclaimer.

Pieces of Me Nov 2010, Chilli's, Phở & EOTD

2010-11-09T18:30:00.000-08:00

To join, please visit WeLoveToothfairy.Com

This month

I like: That I have more time for school.
I don't like: That my car is falling apart.
I want you to know: I'm happy where I'm at right now.
I've planned: To achieve what others say I can't.
I want to say to someone special: Thank you for keeping me grounded.

For a more interesting post, here's an EOTD/FOTD from a few weeks back. I tried a somewhat "editorial-esque" look with the overdone liner, exaggerated wing and light shadow. I used MAC Blacktrack Fluidline & MAC Dame's Desire/Majolica BR751 (silver lilac/purple)

Phở! Wasn't as spicy as I wanted it, but still good!

A quick meal at Chilli's a few weeks back.
The Boyfriend's Country Fried Steak

Chicken Enchilada - I love this soup!

I forgot which salad this was, but the BBQ sauce adds nice flavor.

MAC Burmese Beauty Quad

2010-11-06T22:45:00.000-07:00

Super late, I know. :D But I purchased this when MAC's Fabulous Felines came out last month (?) and I picked up this quad along with a pigment that I'll mention in another post. What attracted me most about this quad was the unique red-based brown with the teal/green overtone. All the colors seemed like they would compliment each other nicely. To be honest, I find this quad to be slightly disappointing.

At first, I didn't think I would like these magnetic quads since I hated the original, but these are much more sturdy. They're just slightly bigger and has just a bit of weight to it. These quads are nice for travel. There are four textures; matte, satin, frost and lustre.

The colors from left to right; Prized (satin), Burmese Beauty (lustre), Skintone 2 (frost) and Showstopper (matte).

Prized is a light beige and I use this as a highlight a lot. This is a satin and gives a nice natural look. Burmese Beauty is a beautiful red-brown with a teal/green overtone. I thought I would love this so much but sadly, it came up short. If you use it alone, you see more of the brown, but over a primer the teal-green shows up better - even more over a dark base. You also have to layer the shadow for it to be solid. What I do like about Burmese Beauty is that the texture isn't crumbly like most lustre shadows, its pretty smooth and there's not much fall out. Skintone 2 is a lovely neutral gold that would suit pretty much all skin tones. Even though this is labeled as a frost, its not frosty at all. Applies well and has good pigmentation. This is my favorite shadow out of the whole quad. Showstopper is a cool matte brown and is probably one of the more difficult shadows to work with. Its soft to the touch, but when applied with a brush, it doesn't show up very well. I don't use this much.

Left - On its own ; Right - Over Etude House Proof 10 Primer

Dupe Alert!

Yes ladies, I found another dupe! If you have Maybelline's Stylish Smokes Quad in Natural Smokes, pull it out because the outer corner looks so similar to Showstopper! I had to do a double take and swatched it immediately.

Left - Swatched Alone ; Right - Over Etude House Proof 10 Primer

When swatched alone, Showstopper looks different, but that's just because it doesn't swatch as smooth as the Maybelline shadow, but if you see them in person, they look identical - like when swatched over the base.

All the colors are pretty much dupable with drugstore shadows - expect Burmese Beauty. Only thing similar to Burmese Beauty is Club by MAC. Overall, a nice quad to have but not a must.

N.Y.C Custom Compact in Union Square

2010-11-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not updating as much as I did before. If you follow my TWITTER, you know what I've been doing. Do you remember the look that I did in this post back in September? By reading the title above - I used this very inexpensive palette to create this look!

BRAND: N.Y.C (New York Color)
PRODUCT: Individual Eyes Custom Compact in Union Square (for brown eyes)
PRICE: 3.99 or 4.99USD (I forgot, sorry T_T)
PROS: Varying textures, Pigmentation, Price
CONS Packaging, Some hard to work with

I've tried N.Y.C products in the past - from the highly raved liquid liner (which I didn't like), to lip products, pencil liners and most of their shadows, I think this would be one of my better purchases to date. There are 3 palettes in this range (I think) - one for brown, one for green and one for blue eyes. Of course, I had to purchase the one made for brown eyes because I was drawn to the purple in this palette (as usual!).

Kudos to drugstore brands continuing to bring in matte shadows. There's so much more variety now then back in the day! This palette contains four eye shadows, an eye shadow base and an illuminator. The eye shadow doesn't compare to the ones I have, but it is decent. I would say if you have extremely oily lids, then it probably wouldn't be much use for you. The base would probably be more suitable for normal to dry lids. The illuminator is probably the worst out of the palette. You would think that it would be creamy and smooth but its the complete opposite. Its pretty dry and although it is pigmented, I find it difficult to work with and blend out.

There are two matte shades (highlighter & all over lid), a soft metallic (bronze) and a satin (purple/aubergine/eggplant) with slight iridescent silver-green particles. All are nicely pigmented and my least favorite is the highlight shade. Its a bit on the chalky side, so you have to blend it well so it won't look blotchy. The rest of the shades are pretty smooth, they apply and blend well. The purple requires a little work (as most mattes/satins are), but nothing too bad. I like how these colors blend together and love how the purple looks when you layer it on. The all over lid shade doesn't do much for me since its practically the same shade as my skin, so I just use it to blend harsh edges.

Everything is applied on its own without a base. A nice palette, but probably not something I would recommend off the bat. Try it if you're curious.

I'm posting the long awaited announcement next week! I'm extremely sorry to all of you who have been waiting for the results. Once I gather everything to take a pic, I will announce the winner of my giveaway. (:

DEAR FTC: I purchased this item with my own funds.

Wet N Wild Color Icon Singles

2010-10-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

Wet N' Wild Color Icon palettes have been receiving a ton of love through beauty blogs everywhere. These singles came out about the same time the quads did and I finally picked a few up during a BOGO sale and I must say, these shadows are lovely for the price you pay.

BRAND: Wet N' Wild
PRODUCT: Color Icon Eye Shadow Singles
PRICE: 1.99USD (cheaper when on BOGO!)
PROS: Pigmented, Price, Texture
CONS: Packaging, Limited Color Range

I purchased four shades; Nutty, Lagoon, Envy and Kitten. Packaging wise, I'm on the fence about this. Reason is some of them open with ease while others (Kitten & Nutty) require a bit more force to open. It might not bug some but for me, I'm always afraid that if I use too much force, I might nick the shadow. There are only seven shades; with two mattes and the rest metallic/frosty, so I'm hoping this changes and more shade will be available in the future. The texture of these are the same as the palettes of the same range - very soft and silky, it feels almost creamy. Like the palettes, since they are soft in texture they tend to crumble and have fall out just a bit.

Nutty is a cool frosted brown (or taupe) that would compliment pretty much all skin tones. I really like using this as a wash on the lid with a warmer brown in the crease as an everyday eye look. I think a few people compared this to MAC's Satin Taupe, but I think Satin taupe might be a tad deeper. I recommend this shade, especially to neutral lovers.

Envy is a lovely deep metallic green that is reminiscent to MAC's Humid. The color looks beautiful on top of a dark base. Although I do like the color, I don't find myself reaching for this that often. Maybe because I'm still learning how to work with greens.

Kitten is a medium purple with golden shimmers running through. You can't see the golden shimmers in the pan until you swatch the color. At first glance, I would say its similar to MAC's Beautiful Iris, but Beautiful Iris is more of a silvery lilac. I absolutely love pairing this color with gold and bronze shades.

Lagoon probably my favorite color out of the bunch. Shocker right? Since I'm usually drawn to purples, haha. This is such a beautiful metallic sapphire shade! I always use this on my lower lash line or with some mixing medium to use as a liquid eyeliner for a shot of color. This is one of the very few blues I'm able to work with and I love it to bits.

These shadows are quite true to color. You can see they're amazingly pigmented, even on their own. Alone, I would say they wear well and do not fade or crease until after 5-6 hours (my lids are slightly oily). But if you have really oily lids, definitely use a base or primer underneath. I recommend anyone to check these singles out if you have Wet N' Wild available in your area. Pigmented, awesome quality shadows that don't break the bank.

DISCLAIMER: I purchased these with my own funds and opinions are based on my personal experiences with a product. For more, see FTC Disclaimer.

TheBalm HOT MAMA!

2010-10-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in so long and I really miss it! As most of your know, I do inventory for various stores and the hours that I work are pretty random. I can work late nights for a few weeks then the schedule changes and I start working early mornings. I do get tired when I go to school in the mornings because I don't get enough sleep and I even miss lab. It gets pretty exhausting after some time, but work is work right? I'm trying to find another job with more stable hours so my internal clock isn't all whacked out. I feel like a crack head, lol.

On a better note, I finally got around to do a review. I've been using this for a few weeks now and it's definitely one of my favorite blushes at the moment. I purchased this back in August but never got around to play with until recently. If you're a fan of peachy pink blushes, keep on reading!

BRAND: theBALM
PRODUCT: HOT MAMA! Eye Shadow & Blush
PRICE: 19USD (Sephora.Com) 18USD (Apothica.Com)
PROS: Pigmented, Smooth & Silky Texture, Packaging
CONS: Not for those who don't appreciate shimmer blush
Would I Recommend? YES

This blush is around 7.08 grams, which is just slightly more than a MAC blush at 6 grams. So I would say the price is fairly good. Above picture shows the ingredients for those who are curious. I'm not that knowledgeable about product ingredients, so I'd advise you to check Beautiful With Brains Ingredients Dictionary to know more.

The packaging I believe is cardboard (?) and has a magnetic closure. I also like that it contains a mirror - a nice size and good for traveling. Its pretty durable and sturdy, so you don't have to worry about breakage.

The color is a beautiful peachy pink color with a golden sheen - pretty similar to NARS Orgasm but I think this color is more peachy. The texture is soft, smooth and silky to the touch. This blush is nicely pigmented and compliments my medium-tan skin tone. I do feel that the shimmers in this blush might not cater to those who have oily skin or large pores because it does accentuate them. So be careful and do use a light hand to build up the color.

The top swatch is layered while the bottom is just one swipe. I don't know why it shows up really pink in the picture but its more peachy in person and you definitely see the gold sheen more.

A quick comparison with another blush I own, the Flirt! Peek-A-Blush in Heartthrob. They look almost identical, but Flirt! is more on the pink side and more sheer than theBalm. Flirt! goes for 14USD, so it's slightly cheaper for those who don't want to spend over 20USD for blush.

FTC: This product was purchased with my own funds. I am not getting monetary rewards to do a review nor am I affiliated with the brand mentioned. Opinions are based on my experiences with the product. READ DISCLAIMER FOR MORE.

P.O.M in Oct. & Lash Curler From Koji

2010-10-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hosted by Shirley of We Love Toothfairy

This month...

I like: That I've been getting love packages. It makes my day happier. ♥

I don't like: How my job is making me extremely tired, that I'm missing school & lab hours.

I want you to know: I have too much make-up that I rarely use and I'm going to have a blog sale soon. They need a good home.

I've planned: To post the giveaway winner this week as I know all of you who've entered have been waiting for a while, lol.

I wanted to talk my favorite lash curler at the moment. This was sent to me from the lovely Lane of Blovet Beauty - if you don't know her, you're living in a nutshell! She's one of my all time favorite beauty bloggers and I've been following her since her days at Wordpress, lol. She sent me a love package last month and among the few is this little gem - the Koji NO.73 lash curler. Before I was using the E.L.F Lash Curler due to it wide curve, but sometimes I find that it pinches my skin at times I'm not careful and gives too much of an exaggerated curl.

My eye shape is quite round and the outer corners sort of droop, so it's hard to find a curler that fits my eye shape. I have no problem with this curler pinching my lids, and I find it gives a nice natural curl to my lashes. Unlike the E.L.F, if I press too firmly, I get more of a 90 degree curl, but with the Koji, it doesn't matter how firm I press - it gives the same soft curl all the time. Also, it doesn't make my lashes fall out which is a plus for me! I also use this curler to curl my bottom lashes and it works wonderfully and curls every single one! I really recommend this lash curler if you're eyes are round or wide like mines. It really makes a difference.

Until my next post, I'll talk to you all soon and have an awesome week everyone. ♥

Fallin' Jewels

2010-09-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

It's been about a week, and I've haven't been doing any make-up looks lately. I was playing with some colors and this is what I came up with. I used blue, copper, purple and a hint of green. Since it's technically fall and these are more like jewel tones, I named this look "Fallin' Jewels". Work and school is such a bummer right now. I'm always tired, ha! I think these colors look really nice on brown eyes. Look how bright my eyes are! (:

The camera washes out the color just slightly.
It's more vibrant in person!

Damn, my face is round! LOL

PRODUCTS USED:
FACE
Clinique Dramatically Moisturizing Gel
Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream #31
Bobbi Brown Blush in Slopes
Rimmel Bronzer
Hard Candy Baked Blush in Honeymoon

EYES
Maybelline Eyestudio Quad in Irresistible Ivy (Copper & Vanilla)
Bed Head Eyeshadow Palette (Purple, Blue & Green)
88 Matte Palette (Pink, Deep Purple)
Glam Couture Pigment in Baby Doll
Sonia Kashuk Gel Liner in Cocoa
Rimmel Eyeliner in Navy Blue
Marcelle Mascara

LIPS
Wet n' Wild Mega Matte Lipstick in 902C Bare It All (Lightly Dabbed)
Revolution Organics Lip Gloss

My BF was so proud and excited putting this together, it makes me wonder how I didn't catch how much of a nerd he is before we dated. I must admit, he was so good at hiding his inner nerd, LMAO!

Shiseido The Makeup Mascara Base

2010-09-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

*This is a scheduled post.*
Ignore my slightly uneven shaded brows. I'm testing some new eyebrow products and seeing which one I like more. So yeah. Now let's get on to the review, LOL.

This review was supposed to be done a while back, but I had a sty so it became difficult to do so. My right side of my face was puffed up like a blow fish! HAHA. But my eye's better and there's just some slight redness left, but its all good now and I can finally do a review. I apologize for lagging. I've been using this mascara base from Shiseido for a few months and I hear there's a new formulation now. I haven't tried the new formulation yet but I've read some bad reviews on it so I'm a bit hesitant to purchase.

BRAND: Shiseido
PRODUCT: Mascara Base
WHERE TO PURCHASE: Sephora & Shiseido Counters
PRICE: 23USD
PROS: Holds Curl, Thickens, Lengthens
CONS: Price, Brush, Product Can Goop Up
Would I Recommend? YES

Packaging is typical Shiseido packaging - basic, simple and sleek. The brush on this is what puts most people on the fence. Some people don't like it as they don't like the bristles. I'm fine with the medium-short bristles as they apply the product on my lashes fairly well. The one problem I do get occasionally (and I know some people find this an issue as well) is trying to make sure it is applied evenly. If you can see it on the brush, the base is a thick, grey color. Because it is sort of thick, it can goop up within time. What I usually do is take a napkin and just lightly wipe of the excess and apply (in coats) depending on how dramatic I want my lashes to look.

I usually just do one light coat as I only need this to hold my curl. Before I was introduced to Japanese mascaras (Thanks Hanna & Lane!), I only used western mascaras. They were quite good in the volume and length department, but they all lack in holding a curl. Almost all weighed my fairly curly lashes down and even with the help of a lash curler, it didn't work. The only mascara I used that worked well for me was Benefit's Bad Gal mascara but unfortunately, that mascara makes my lashes fall out. Picture above shows you how I use it. I apply this how I would mascara - from base to tip. You see a bit of the grey fibers on my lashes and I let it set for about 10-15 seconds max. I know some people recommend waiting for about 30-45 seconds so the fibers can fully set, but I don't like how dry the lashes get when I wait for that long - the mascara doesn't apply well when I wait that long either.

^See the bald spot in the bottom inner corner?
Stupid sty made my lashes fall out. LOL

With just a light coat you can see that my lashes on my left eye look slightly fuller and has a bit more length. The base of my lashes are much darker as well. This mascara base does a nice job in separating the lashes and helping the mascara to not clump up between coats. My curl holds up all day - no flakes, no smudging. If you have stubborn lashes that won't curl, I most definitely recommend this base. If you need help with fullness and length, I would recommend this as well. I just advise that you remove some of the excess product so it'll be easier to apply.

HowTo: Chikako Watanabe Smoky Eyes

2010-09-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

*This is a scheduled post.*
I've never done a "celebrity inspired" look before, so I hope I did this justice? Chikako Watanabe is a ViVi Model, and I've always admired her amazing skin! She's one of the very few Japanese models I see that sport the sexy, bronze skin and smoky brown eyes. Her look is very simple, clean, yet seductive. Smoky bronze eyes, played down peachy-bronze cheeks and pinky-nude lips. I was looking through some of my make-up and found an inexpensive quad that can help you achieve this entire look. I added a gold eyeshadow as a blending and transition color, but you can definitely skip that if you'd like and just use the quad alone. I used Maybelline's Natural Smokes Quad for this look. The result.

DISCLAIMER! Of course Chikako's eyes and mine are NOTHING alike. I'm very aware of that, lol. My eyes are more round and slightly droop while hers are more of an almond shape. I like her eye make-up and just wanted to re-create it. That's all.

PRODUCTS USED
Sonia Kashuk Dramatically Defining Long Wear Gel Liner in 02 Cocoa (as base)
Maybelline Natural Smokes Quad
MAC Woodwinked Eye Shadow
Wet N' Wild Creme Liner in Black (for waterline)
Majolica Majorca Lash Gorgeous Wing
Marcelle Mascara

I hope you like the look! I have a few more "celebrity inspired" looks in mind and if you would like to see more of them, please let me know! Your feedback and comments mean a lot to me. Hope you all have an awesome week.

Natural Solution To Eyelash Growth

2010-09-13T17:02:00.000-07:00

*This is a scheduled post.*
I've been really caught up with work and school, so there are a few scheduled posts for this month. I'm not sure when I'll be posting regularly or when I'll announce the winner for my giveaway, but I will try to do so ASAP. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.

You've probably heard of Lash Mantra on a few blogs like Viva Woman, Shanghainese Dumpling & Beauty And Fashion Tech. Lash Mantra is an all-natural eyelash growth serum. There are no side effects and doesn't irritate your eyes in any way unlike other growth serums out in the market today.

BRAND: Lash Mantra
PRICE: 60USD
SIZE/AMOUNT: 1/2 FL.OZ. 15ML
PROS: ALL NATURAL, Darkens brows & lashes, Reduce Eyelash Fall Out
CONS: Only Available Online
Would I Recommend? YES

First off, I want to point out that I don't use this consistently everyday, as sometimes I forget or I get lazy (LOL). The packaging is simple and very easy to use. You get a handcrafted jute bag along with the serum (which comes in a bottle & a stopper/dropper) as well as I guess an empty travel tube. The travel tube comes with an eyeliner brush tip but I don't have it as I gave some to my BF's mom. I apply this serum in two ways;
1) Apply a drop on my finger & gently massage onto my lashes and lash line.
2) Put one drop onto a mascara spoolie and apply it how I would mascara.
Both of these ways work for me and I don't a see a difference between the two.

The serum is clear and very runny as you can see in the picture above. It has a slick feel to it - almost like an olive oil type of feel. If you apply too much, the product gets slightly warm, but either than that it doesn't irritate me. One and half drops is enough for both of my eyes. This bottle can last you a very long time. I received this in January and now it's September and I still have a few drops left. It's been about nine months, so that's great! I remember Lash Mantra use to be around 45USD, but now there's an enhanced version of the original, so the price is bumped to 60USD. Compared to most lash growth serums out there, this is still one of the most inexpensive lash serums on the market - and it works. Within two weeks I saw an improvement in length and my lashes definitely got darker. My bottom lashes are sparse than my upper lashes so I was ecstatic to see them get fuller and longer after the fourth week. The one thing I noticed right away was this serum works amazing on brows. Every time I would accidentally over pluck my eyebrows, I would apply a good amount on my brows and within a week, my brows are back to normal and even darker and fuller than before. On my lashes, it gave some nice length, but took a while for it to give me volume. I would say that after a month or into the second month, that's when I started noticing my lashes getting fuller - especially when I applied my mascara. Using lash Mantra has definitely helped my lashes from falling out. They much healthier and stronger now than they were back in December of '09. Results are a bit slow, but definitely worth the wait. I'm still using this until I completely run out and when I'm finished, I will post the results. Everybody is different, so if you purchase and use this, you might get faster or slower results depending and how much you use this and for how long. Even so, its a lovely product to help strengthen your lashes, especially if you abuse your lashes a whole lot.

You can see some of my results by clicking the Lash Mantra tag.

DISCOUNT FOR MY AWESOME READERS!

If you would like to try Lash Mantra, Leon has kindly offered my readers a 10% discount on their Lash Mantra purchase. Type in "discount10". CODE ENDS SEPTEMBER 30.

DISCLAIMER: Lash Mantra was provided for review consideration. I am not affiliated with the brand/company nor being compensated to do a review. Opinions are based on my personal experiences with the product and 100% honest and unbiased.

[ EDIT:// You can also get a buy 1 get 1 30% off if you use the coupon code "pinkforthecause9" and you also get a pair of freshwater earrings as well as a breast cancer awareness bracelet. ENDS SEPT. 15]

Skin Food Lime Secret Shine Base

2010-09-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

This was shown in the last post. I received this item from my friend Hanna in our swap (our third swap! =D), and I've been lemming this item since I saw it on Zoe's blog. Skin Food Lime Secret Shine Base is similar to how Benefit's High Beam and Moon Beam work. They all give that dewy glow. I believe this is a dupe for Benefit's High Beam, but as I don't own High Beam, I can't compare the two.

BRAND: Skin Food
PRODUCT: Lime Secret Shine Base
SHADE: Lime Pearl Gold
PRICE: 9.99USD(+4USD shipping @skinfoodbestprice [eBay]) 19.99USD(free shipping+samples @rumistyle-shop [eBay])
PROS: Price, Pigmentation
CONS: Glitter Can Be A Bit Much, Packaging
Would I Recommend? Yes & No

There are 3 shades; Lime Pearl Peach, Lime Pearl Green and Lime Pearl Gold. Hanna got me Lime Pearl Gold. Lime Pearl Gold is basically that (LOL), a shiny, pearly gold liquid highlighter. You can mix it with your foundation, mix it with your moisturizer or use it alone. I know some people use this as a base for that extra luminous glow, but I personally think this product shouldn't be used all over the face. It's a bit too shimmery & glittery for my taste. The packaging is nice, its a glass bottle with kind of a cardboard type of cap. When you unscrew the cap, it's attached with a spatula. I find that the spatula applicator can be a bit messy. It grabs too much of the product at a time. It would be nice if it came with a pump or even a brush applicator like Benefit's High Beam. The pigmentation is awesome - a little bit goes a long way. One tiny dab and I can do each side of my face.

Not sure if you can see how much glitter it contains. You don't see the glitter until you start to spread out and blend the product into your skin. I have used this in the daytime before and I do like how luminous my skin looks, but I feel this product would be more suitable for a night look. Especially if you're going out and taking pictures. It really grabs the light and makes your skin look amazing. If you're a natural make-up type of gal and don't like your make-up looking too obvious, then this product might not be the one for you. If you're someone who doesn't mind the extra glitter or your day make-up is more heavy than others, than this is something you want to look into.

Also, thanks to those who joined my giveaway. I'm in the process of validating all the entries and will post the prize package soon when I have time. Please be patient!

DISCLAIMER: I received this item through a swap & I am not affiliated with the brands mentioned in this post. All opinions are based on my personal experiences with the product.

Can You Guess What I'm Wearing?

2010-09-01T13:35:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! If you follow me on twitter, then you know I've been busy with work & school. I was called last minute to go out of town to do inventory at a warehouse and that really got me beat because I didn't get any sleep, lol. It's been a bit since my last make-up post and I was wondering if anyone could guess which brand of eye shadows I'm wearing? I'm curious to see what you all think.

I'm only wearing one brand (excluding the other products I used!) and I haven't reviewed this product yet, so you won't be able to go through my posts to check, lol. I am using a fairly new palette from this brand & it can be found at many places like Target, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid and Wal-Mart. Very inexpensive yet pigmented and versatile. Here I show how soft and how intense these shadows can be.

**Pardon the brows, I'm trying to grow/re-shape them again. It's a weekly/monthly thing for me, lol.

First Look - A Soft Day Look

Second Look - More Intense, Club-esque Look

So here's what I wore...
SHADOWS - ???
NYX Nude Pearl Pigment (second look, right below the brow bone)
NYX White Shadow Base (second look)
MAC Motif (Just barely on brow bone in first look)
Beautique Black Liner (Sally's)
Marcelle Volume Precision Mascara

A quick view at some items my dear friend Hanna sent me for our swap! Do stay tuned for future reviews! (:

WINNER: Apothica Gift Card

2010-08-24T16:52:00.000-07:00

Here's what I did. I looked at the entries, validated them and typed all of your points down. After, I made a list then jot the numbers down on Random.Org's generator and the winner is.......

ENTRY #5 - Cheechun!

Congratulations and please email me so you can claim your prize and for me to get your details as I'm also sending you a small care package.

If you didn't win this time, don't worry - there are plenty more giveaways to come!

Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner Pen

2010-08-23T00:44:00.000-07:00

Helloooo! I feel sad not updating when my eye is still healing (LOL) and I'm going to be real busy this week cause we have labs now. Alongside traveling for work, I'm going to be beat so you can best bet on my free time, I'll be napping, haha! I purchased this liner pen about a month ago when it was on sale for a buy one get one half off deal at CVS. I snagged this along with the Colorstay Automatic liner pencil. Its been about 6-7 years since I've used any Revlon liners, and I wasn't disappointed.

BRAND: Revlon
PRODUCT: Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen
PRICE: 8.99USD (depending where you purchase)
PROS: Pigmented, Lasts Long, Smudge-Proof
CONS: Not Waterproof
Would I Recommend? Yes

I've tried quite a few liner pens in my time. From Cover Girl, Jordana, L'oreal and the list goes on. I've never been quite satisfied with liner pens as I'm very peculiar about the applicators. When it comes to eyeliner pens, I make sure I'm able to produce thin and thick lines with ease. They have to be pigmented as I hate having to go over the liner just to get my desired effect. Also, it bugs me that the tip of most eyeliner pens are soft and they tend to bend or start breaking off within time. This results in having a bit of residue on the tip and it starts to flake off or mess up my makeup when I line my eyes. However, with this Revlon Colorstay pen, the felt tip is pretty firm and I don't find it bending when I use the tip to create a wing. The pigmentation is pretty good - its not opaque, but the ink isn't that transparent either. I find with this pen, its really easy to control and use. I can create a wing super fast without even trying and its able to produce a nice sharp line.

The swatches are an example of how thick and thin your lines can be. Below is just to show how it performs when it comes to smudging. Unless you have extremely oily lids, I don't think you'll have a problem with this liner smudging on you. So if you do have oily lids and want to try this out, I recommend using it with a primer to ensure it won't budge. Its definitely not waterproof, it dissolves right away once water touches it, so be careful! A pretty good liner pen if you ask me and you can't beat the price. I was about to get the Shiseido one, but was curious about this and I'm so happy I did! If I ever try the Shiseido liner pen, I'll be sure to do a comparison!

P.S. A big thanks to those who have joined my Apothica Gift Card Giveaway! This giveaway is now closed and the winner will be posted this week (hopefully tomorrow)!

Let's get NAKED!

2010-08-18T00:15:00.000-07:00

With Urban Decay that is, lol. I was so excited when I saw a few of these at my local Ulta, so I just had to take that opportunity to purchase this because they usually sell out right away as they get restocked. I wanted to squeeze in a few more EOTDs before doing a review, but currently my eye is irritated or I have a pink eye - I'm not sure which one it is, ahaha. So for the time being, I can't really do any eye looks. I'm hoping by the weekend it'll clear up, so we'll see about that. I also wanted to let you all know that I'm working now as well as going to school so I'm going to be much more busy nowadays. My job requires me to work overtime so I'm not sure how often I will be posting which is why my surprise giveaway has been extended to Sept. 5th. I'm still waiting on some items I've ordered for the giveaway so I'm hoping it shows up soon so I can finally post up the prizes. Also, please join my gift card giveaway, it ends this Monday. Any who, let's get back to the review. Just to let you know, this is my first ever palette from Urban Decay. I've used some of their single shadows before, but I've never purchased any of their palettes, lol.

BRAND: Urban Decay
PRODUCT: NAKED Palette
PRICE: 44USD
AVAILABLE AT: Urban Decay, Sephora & Ulta
PROS: Great For Everyday & Work, Portable, Versatile, Packaging
CONS: Only 2 matte shades, Some Fall-Out, Packaging
Would I Recommend? Yes

The packaging is divine - it's a chocolate with velvet texture and the word "NAKED" is printed on with gold foil. The only issue I find with the packaging is that if I accidentally get the cover slightly dirty, it was difficult for me to clean it up. The gold foiling on NAKED also flakes off - not a lot, but I don't know why it does because I've never touched it, haha.

The shades that you get in this palette - click the first image to view in full. I'm pretty sure you all know the names by now since its such a coveted palette and pretty much everyone has this, lol. There are twelve shades in this palette - two matte shades (Naked & Buck), the rest are satin, shimmer, metallic and glitter (Creep). The only shadow I've experienced some fall-out so far is Creep - it's a deep charcoal with silver glitters running through it. The other shadows I don't really have an issue with. My favorite colors in this palette has to be Half Baked (metallic gold), Virgin (super pigmented off-white shimmer), Toasted (metallic pinky-plum brown) and Darkhorse (deep cool-brown).

Swatches are done without a base. You can definitely do an array of looks with this palette. From school, work appropriate to even clubbing/dramatic looks. These are really smooth, pigmented and blends like a dream. I know that for most, the price may be a little much. But if you think about it, the price for one Urban Decay eye shadow is 18USD, which makes it around 216USD or so +tax if you were to purchase them individually. So you're getting a good deal with these UD palettes. NAKED is a must for neutral lovers who want to spice up their looks on occasion. If you own this palette, please let me know what you think about them!

Here's a look I did using this palette. Click here. Talk to you all soon!

DISCLAIMER: I purchased this item with my own funds, and I am not affiliated with the brands mentioned in this post. For more, please see disclaimer.

Goodies from Lelo & A 'Naked' EOTD

2010-08-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

If you haven't yet, please join my gift card giveaway. Chosen winner will also be receiving a small gift from me along with the gift card.

A week or so back, I received my prizes from Lelo's last contest. The main prize was a gloss from Revolution Organics and some other goodies she kindly threw in as well. I've been testing some since I've gotten them, so definitely look out for a review! Thanks so much Lelo dear!

Some lashes she threw in. I've been practicing applying individual lashes (they're more difficult to apply in my opinion), so I was happy she sent me some. Sadly they didn't hold up through the shipping so a few were damaged, but they're still usable. The set of lashes I believe are only a Canadian brand, and they're awesome. Really nice and soft and I especially love the #17 lashes because its great for everyday. The #33 lashes are super funky and I can't wait to use that for an EOTD!

She was also kind enough to send me some samples from the Consonant line. I haven't tried them yet, so I'll review them later once I have.

The main prize. Now, when I first looked at this I thought I wasn't going to like it much. I thought it was going to be thick and sticky but it was opposite from that. Its a sheer, baby pink gloss with subtle specks of shimmer. On my lips, there isn't much color, because my lips are a bit dark, so I think on less pigmented lips you would see the color better. The texture is smooth and it glides on nicely. You can layer this gloss without worrying about the nasty peeling action you get in the middle of your lips like most glosses would tend to do. The shimmers just give my lips a nice sheen and when the gloss wears off, I don't see any left over shimmer around my mouth - which is a plus. Its a nice everyday gloss and I'm looking into trying more shades from this line.

I'm in dire need of a new mascara, so I was uber excited when I saw this. Marcelle is a Canadian brand as well (from Quebec) and this mascara is not bad at all. It separates and gives my lashes a natural, full effect.

By looking at the title of this EOTD, and if you follow me on twitter, then you know about my recent purchase. I'll be doing a proper review on this palette after I've done some make-up demos.

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Urban Decay Naked Palette (Naked, Virgin, Sin, Half-Baked, Darkhorse)
Benefit Babe Cake Liner
Marcelle Volume Precision Mascara
Revlon Fantasy Lengths Lashes in Precision

DISCLAIMER: The prizes I received were from entering a contest. I chose to feature these products and all thoughts & opinions are honest and genuine. Products listed for the EOTD are purchased with my own funds. Please see disclaimer for more.

Win a $25 Apothica Gift Card (CLOSED)

2010-08-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hello! If you haven't checked out my giveaway yet, please do so as it will be ending this month! I will posting the prizes for the giveaway soon, so keep a look out! To add on to it, Apothica has offered to giveaway a $25 Apothica.Com gift card! So you have a chance to win my prize and this gift card in the same month! For those who may not know, Apothica is an online beauty boutique (sister site to SkinCareRX.Com) specializing in skin care, hair care, aromatherapy and of course, makeup. Apothica carries a wide variety of brands including two of my favorites, Stila Cosmetics and Decleor. And if you're wondering, yes, Apothica does ship internationally.

Since Apothica is sponsoring this giveaway, we do have to follow their guidelines. Please be sure you are my follower or else it won't count. I'll be checking.

Here's one of many ways you can enter. These "points" are counted as your entries. You do not have to do every one, but the more points you get, the better chances of you winning!

One point for leaving a comment on this post
One point value for becoming a fan of Apothica on Facebook
One point value for following Apothica on Twitter
Two point value to retweet Apothica's tweet about my giveaway

Two point value to leave a comment about an Apothica product in the comment section of this post

This giveaway will be up for two weeks. Giveaway OPEN WORLDWIDE.

In your comments, please remember to leave your TWITTER NAME, Your Re-Tweet, FACEBOOK NAME, BLOG POST LINK & EMAIL if you enter for these points so I can validate your entries.

The WINNER:
Winner will be chosen randomly via RANDOM.ORG
I will be sending SkinCareRX your information and SkinCareRX will contact you personally to verify if your information is correct.
After the verification, SkinCareRx will email you the code for the gift card to be used at SkinCareRx.com, Apothica.com, and SkinBotanica.com.

** edit// The winner chosen will also be receiving a small gift from myself as a token of thanks for participating.

This giveaway will end on August 23, 2010. GOOD LUCK!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. I WILL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER TOMORROW.

Kat Von D Beethoven Palette + EOTD

2010-08-08T18:40:00.000-07:00

Before I go on about this, I wanted to let all the Stila fans know that Stila is having a Warehouse Sale! No Stila warehouse near you? That's fine - check online here. (:

I've been playing around with this for a while and I can see why a lot of people adore this palette. I would say if you're a smoky eye kind of person, Kat Von D palettes are made just for you.

BRAND: Kat Von D
NAME/TYPE: Beethoven (8-Color Eye Shadow) Palette
PRICE: $34USD @ Sephora
PROS: Pigmentation, Smooth, Blendable
CONS: Some Dupable Colors, Price
Would I Recommend: Yes

The packaging is really nice, its the same as the NARS rubbery feeling type of deal with floral designs spread across and Kat Von D stamped in the middle of the palette. You open it up and get 8 pigmented shades, a large mirror are two small dual-sided applicators. Beethoven contains beautiful blues, purples, creams and a matte black. Perfect for a colorful day look or an smoky evening look. The smoothest shade in the palette is "Leather", which is the matte medium brown. "Rad Purple" is a beautiful deep purple shade with light purple glitter flecks, but when you apply this color onto your lid and blend it out, the glitter disappears. I find that "Lucifer", the matte black is a little hard for me to work with at times. Its a little more powdery than the rest of the shadows, and is the second shadow that has the most fall out aside from Rad Purple. The most pigmented shadow in the palette has to be "Tequila", which is a lovely shimmery off-white/yellow shade. When swatched, "Tequila" comes out the most solid. Swatches below.

The good and bad thing about this palette is the shades are easily dupable. So it makes you wonder if its actually worth spending over 30 bucks for a palette that you can find a substitute for. An almost dead on dupe would have to be the NYX Runway palette in Jazz Night - its saves you money. So if you have NYX's Jazz Night, I don't think there is a need to purchase this palette unless its something you've been wanting to purchase. Either than the dupable colors, I do like this palette as its slim, easily portable, and the colors work and blend great together. Overall, it's a nice palette and I would recommend it, especially to ladies that love a good smoky eye.

A cut-crease look using the pencil technique along with the KVD Beethoven and Sleek Storm palettes. Hope you like!

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Kat Von D Beethoven Palette
Sleek Storm Palette
Benefit Babe Cake Liner
Shiseido The Makeup Mascara Base
Clinique High Lengths Mascara
Black Eyeliner

View another blue look I did here and a purple one here.

DISCLAIMER: I purchased palette with my own funds. I am not affiliated with the brands mentioned. All my reviews are 100% honest & un-biased.

Icing Eye Shadow Palettes & EOTD

2010-08-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing about Icing (or Claire's) palettes for quite some time now, and I've always been interested in trying them. I first heard about these palettes from Emily of Beauty Broadcast. She's known for finding some great quality products at amazing bargains. She also has a youtube channel, which her reviews are very thorough and detailed.

BRAND: Icing
PRODUCT: 10-Pan Eye Shadow Palette
PRICE: 10USD
PROS: Price, Blends Easily, Pigmentation, Packaging, Not Overly Shimmery/Glittery
CONS: Can fade w/o primer, No solid matte shade, Not widely available
Would I Recommend? Yes & No

The packaging reminds me a bit of my SLEEK palettes with the matte finish, and embossing on the top of the palette. Inside you get 10 shades, two sponge-tip applicators (which are decent) and a huge mirror. I love the mirror on this! Its really big and you see everything. The shadows are a little bigger than a quarter and the palette itself is just slightly bigger than my SLEEK ones. It doesn't take too much room on my vanity and stacks nicely with the other palettes.

When you first look at the palette, the bottom row of shadows look ridiculously frosty, but it's just an over spray. What is good about this palette is that even though it contains shimmer, the shimmer in each shadow isn't overwhelming. Its like a soft metallic - right in-between matte/satin and shimmer. Which is very nice to see since most drugstore shadows are super frosty. The colors are very blendable - but do be careful! If you over blend, the colors dissipate. If you look at the swatches, the top is with the over spray and the bottom is with the over spray rubbed off. You can tell that the 5th and 6th shadows are practically identical, so its like having a repeat of shadows. These shadows are pigmented and you get nice color pay-off in one swipe. The only real complaints I have about this palette is that it doesn't contain any warm shades - all the shadows seem to be on the cool side. I would love if it contained some matte shades as well, just to give the palette some balance. I would have also loved if this palette had more colors - like blues, cranberries, etc. Also, I find that without a primer underneath, the colors can fade after a few hours - so do use a good base of some sort if you're planning to get this palette.

I'd recommend this palette for girls who are into neutral shades and beginning blenders as these shadows are more forgiving than most. If you're more of a matte shadow type of girl or if you love vibrant, in-your-face colors, then this palette is not for you.

An EOTD for you. I'm a big fan of purple eye shadow. If the purples don't look right on me, it tells me the palette sucks, lol. I like the outcome of the look, so this palette passed the test, haha. I like how it brings out the reddy tones in my eye color.

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Icing Shadow Palette (The Purples & Charcoal)
Tigi Bead Head Palette (Matte Purple & Matte Vanilla)
Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Blackberry (waterline)
Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eyeliner Pen
Sassi False Lashes

*I hate applying liner when I wear falsies. My hand starts to shake, esp. if it's my left eye, aha. My left eye's my trouble eye if you haven't noticed, lmao.

DISCLAIMER: I purchased this item with my own funds. I'm not affiliated with the company and all my reviews are 100% honest and un-biased.

Etude Secret Beam Pact // Pieces of Me in Aug 2010

2010-08-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

Hey all! Here's a review for ya on Etude's Secret Beam Powder Pact in Light Beige. I purchased this on a blog sale for 8USD, so I'm not sure about the actual retail price. If you have an idea, please let me know!

PRODUCT: Etude Secret Beam Powder Pact
PROS: Packaging, Smooth Texture, Silky Feel, Price
CONS: Can Be Chalky, Contains Glitter
Would I Recommend? No

First glance, the packaging is very nice and I love classy pinky purple color. The size is not too big or too small, but I did hope the mirror would be just a tad bigger. I purchased this because it reminded me of a MAC beauty powder. I figured since it's a light shade, I could use it as highlighter. Then, when I received the item, I realized it isn't really going to work for that. I thought it was going to be shimmer, but instead it contained glitter. I figured I could still use it as most MAC MSFs contained glitter and I worked with those quite fine, but that wasn't the case. It looks lovely in the pan, but on the skin its totally opposite. If I used a highlighting brush that was fluffy and slightly dense, you won't be able to see any type of sheen. Instead, you just get a nice strip of light powder on the cheekbones, haha. But if I were to use a small stippling brush, you could see the some sheen slightly. This powder is meant to be used all over the face to help brighten up your overall look, but its a bit unattractive to have glitter everywhere. I don't understand why Etude would come out with such a product. Plus, I feel that this can look a bit chalky, even if you are extremely pale. Only because of how pigmented this powder is and how it appears on the skin. Just check the swatch below.

The top is three swipes and the bottom is one light swipe. See how this powder is nearly white? See the little specks of glitter? I seriously have no idea how anyone can pull this powder off. The only way I've been able to put this into use is as a brow highlight. I use a big, fluffy eyeshadow brush and apply it the brow bone and it gives a satin type of highlight and blends the harsh edges. If you have this product and you've found a way to make it work for you, please let me know. I think this my my worst purchase of 2010.

____________________

Hosted by Shirley of Notes From The Toothfairy

August 2010

This month...
I like: That I nailed the job interview!

I don't like: I'll be even more busy than I am already.

I want you to know: That I don't let the small things get to me anymore.

I've planned: To do my best at work and bring home the bacon, lol.

I want to say to someone special: Happy Anniversary! ♥

Blue Rocker EOTD

2010-07-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

I'm on a roll! I think this is the most I've posted this year, haha. I'm really addicted to this Kat Von D palette. I've been reaching for this palette a lot. I actually did this look because I wanted to test out these Revlon self-adhesive lashes, and to my surprise, they work pretty well. The band is thicker than I imagined and the lashes are super soft. I personally think its easier to work with Korean/Japanese lashes, but maybe its because I'm just too used to slightly thicker, synthetic lashes. These Revlon ones are nice for natural looks, I'll do a proper review soon.

This look is pretty much like the Purple Smoke look I recently did, just using blue, silver and black. I hope you like!

I don't know why my eyes have been looking red lately.
I need eye drops!

PRODUCTS USED:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
NYX Jumbo Pencil Black Bean
Kat Von D Beethoven Palette
Revlon Fantasy Lengths Self-Adhesive Lashes

Anyone have a current fav mascara? I running out and I want to try something new. Suggestions please! <3

How To: Purple Smoke

2010-07-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't done a make-up demo in quite a while. Here's a purple smoky look for you. I create the look using my newly acquired Kat Von D Beethoven palette. I included swatches so you can still create the look using similar colors. If I missed anything, let me know! Hope you enjoy and excuse the red eyes, lol. (:

Swatches

I recommend going light on the brows when doing dramatic eye looks.
Here's a demo on how I sharpen the edges to my look.

PRODUCTS USED:
MAC Soft Ochre Paintpot
Kat Von D Beethoven Palette
NYX Romance Palette
NYX Jumbo Pencil Black Bean
Black Eyeliner
Clinique High Lengths Mascara

The Look

Goody Thursday - Swatches Anyone?

2010-07-22T00:40:00.000-07:00

I don't know about anyone else, but I've been getting some annoying spam comments lately. I'm sorry, but I don't want anything enlarged or enhanced! Thanks! (LOL) I haven't posted a haul in a while, and I've been happy with a lot of my purchases lately. These were not purchased all at once.

NYX "Mauve" Blush, Milani "Mai Tai" Mineral Blush,
MAC "Hipness" Blush & Hard Candy "Honeymoon" Blush

The NYX blush is the smoothest out of all of them. It feels very creamy to the touch. The Milani blush I think would look great on everyone. Hipness is a frost blush, but when applied to the skin, it doesn't look frosty at all - more like a satin. Hard Candy's Honeymoon would be a nice dupe for MAC's "Hang Loose" mineralize duo blush because of the pink and lavender combo. Only difference is that Hang Loose is a bit more pigmented.

Etude "Cream" Marbeleade Highlighter, MAC "Petticoat" MSF

The Marbeleade highlighter is definitely a good dupe for MAC MSFs! I'm definitely going to buy the other two shades as I hear one of them is a dupe for Petticoat. It's not overly frosty and definitely not glittery like most MAC MSFs. Petticoat is a nice berry color and works lovely as a blush.

Milani Infinite Liquid Liners in Forever & Everlast

These are said to be dupes for MAC Liquidlast liners. I don't own one, but these Milani ones are great! Smudge-proof, Water-proof and lasts all day! They also come in blue, green and purple. Totally Recommend!

Kat Von D Beethoven Palette (LOL I made a spelling error on the pic! Oops!)

Haven't had a chance to play around with this palette yet, so I'll do a full review on it soon.

NYX "Nude Pearl" Ultra Pearl Mania, MAC "Pink Rebel" Lustre Drops,
Revlon "Coral Reef" Super Lustrous Gloss, NYX "Black Bean" Jumbo Pencil

Those Ultra Pearl Mania pigments are super tiny! But they look adorable at the same time, haha. Nude Pearl makes an excellent highlighter for brows and cheekbones. I love using the MAC Lustre Drops in my moisturizer for an all-over radiant glow. Revlon's Lustrous Glosses are probably one of the best drugstore glosses I own. Not overly sticky, pigmented and lasts for a good amount of time. This my first Jumbo Pencil and I really like how creamy it applies. Makes an awesome base! The Shiseido mascara I'm going to be reviewing this weekend, so keep a lookout for that! This is my second tube, so you know I like it!

Have a nice day everyone. ♥

(DISCLAIMER: All products were purchased with my own funds. I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned. Opinions are based my my personal experiences with the product.)

Flirt! Peek-A-Blush & EOTDS

2010-07-20T11:30:00.000-07:00

If you would like a chance to try this product, please join my GIVEAWAY, as I'll be including this as one of the prizes. (:

I don't see many reviews on Flirt! Cosmetics, so here goes. Flirt! is produced by Estee Lauder and is exclusive to Kohl's stores. All of their products are at the 10-14USD price range. Today, I'll be reviewing their blush line PEEK-A-BLUSH™ Sheer Powder Cheek Color. This range has 20 shades - which includes 2 highlighters. The shade I got was 03 Heartthrob.

I purchased this for 14USD and the packaging is nice and sleek. I love that its matte - no fingerprints! It comes with a mirror and a little brush - the brush is pretty soft, but a little too small for application. The only thing that bothers me is that it slides open, and you have the flip the top up. It looks cool, but sometimes I forget that it slides open, so its a bit bothersome, lol. The shade is quite pretty - nice peachy-pink with golden shimmers - almost like NARS Orgasm just slightly more pink. It is sheer, but you can definitely layer this for more color impact.

The golden shimmers are really fine and gives you a lovely glow on your cheeks. The texture is pretty smooth and silky. Swatch above - the top is layered twice and the bottom is a light swipe. A great everyday blush and perfect for those who applies blush with a heavy hand - its impossible to look like a clown with this, haha. There are a few matte shades that I'm going to try and I recommend this shade as I think it would look good on just about anyone.

I've been totally out of the whole make-up thing, so I recently did a soft neutral look with a hint of purple and a green look. I rarely use greens, but I'm starting to reach out for it more often now. I think I've lost it, lol.

PRODUCTS USED:
Sleek Storm
Sleek Safari
88 Matte Palette
MAC Woodwinked
Clinique High Lengths Mascara
Black Eyeliner
Etude Secret Beam Powder Pact

(DISLCLAIMER: Items were puchased with my own funds & I am not affiliated with the companies mentioned.)

Youtube Issues. Anyone having them?

2010-07-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

So, I was going to upload a vid to show a sneak peak of the prizes, but when I logged in - it said I only had 5 subscriptions. I clicked to view it all and it said I had 25 subs - WTH? I lost nearly all of my subs and I think I lost my subscribers too. if you subbed to my channel, can you tell me if you still see me on your list? I don't know what's going on with youtube right now, so I don't want to risk uploading any vids if this is happening. Or was I hacked? Someone give me some insight please. ):

100 followers & 1YR Anniversary "Surprise" Giveaway [CLOSED!]

2010-07-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

So I've finally reached 100 followers (THANK YOU SO MUCH!) and it's close to my 1-year anniversary for this blog. So, I wanted to finally host a giveaway as a thank you to all of you. I named this "Surprise Giveaway" because well, you won't know what you will be getting until a little later in the giveaway. I promise you, it won't suck, lol. =D

To enter this giveaway is simple. I would like to know what your ULTIMATE must have make-up item is and why you like it so much. You don't have to write a lot, a sentence or 2 is fine. (:

RULES:

1) Of course, be a follower of my blog. Only makes sense right? LOL.
2) Only ONE ENTRY per person.
3) If you post "ENTER ME" I will delete your post & you are disqualified.
4) Winner will be chosen randomly via RANDOM.ORG
5) Fill out the form (or just answer the questions) below for your entry.
6) Giveaway open until August 31, 2010
7) Open WORLDWIDE.

Optional

You don't have to do this, but if you want an extra entry, you can follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Or if you don't have a twitter but you have a blog, you can post or advertise about this giveaway. Be sure let me know and post your link in the comments section in this post.

Form

Name or Nickname:
Email:
Blog URL(if you have one):
What is your ULTIMATE must have make-up item? Why?

If you have any questions, let me know and I'll clarify (:
Have fun, and I can't wait to read about your favorite products!

Lash Mantra Update: Week 3-5 & Food Porn?

2010-07-06T00:40:00.000-07:00

I totally forgot to update this! During the third week, I didn't really see much of a difference, but then towards the end of week four and beginning of week five, I started to see some growth again. The lashes on my left eye are definitely fuller. If you look at the close-ups, you can see that the outer corner on my left eye has more lashes compared to the right - while the lashes on my right eye are slightly longer than the left. I love using this serum on my eyebrows as well. I over-plucked them a few weeks ago, and this product worked wonders. My eyebrows grew extremely quick (quicker than my lashes). Currently, my lashes are how they are now in these pictures. I'm currently in my allergies mode (I know, its weird having allergies in the summer). I'll start using it again once my allergies season is over.

I've also given some samples to my BF's mom to try. She says her lashes are much longer now than they were before. I'll give a full review on this when I've finished the bottle. Since it's summer, I've been pigging out more than I really should, so here's just some things I've been consuming, haha.

Jalapeno & Peperoni Pretzel

Fried Oysters

Korean Spicy Pork W/Vermicelli

Torta (Steak, Lettuce, Tomato, Sour Cream, Lime, Cilantro, Jalapeno, Etc.)

Disclaimer: Lash Mantra was sent to me for review consideration. I am not affiliated with the brand nor am I being paid to do a review. All opinions expressed are 100% honest and unbiased.

Lemmings & Piece of Me July 2010

2010-07-04T14:14:00.000-07:00

So I went to see The Last Airbender the other day in Dublin, and I have to say, as much as I liked the action and style, it doesn't make up for the bad acting, lol. I hope when the second installment comes out, it'll be better. We also went out to eat at the Pho Asian Bistro that was near the theater - and GOSH, it was the WORST Asian restaurant I've ever been to.

I haven't been wearing make-up lately because its so hot! Plus, my skin acts up when summer comes around so I tend to not put anything on my face. I have been eyeing some beauty products and I can't wait to get my hands on these once I start beauty shopping again, lol.

Banila Co. Deep Night Multi Eye Kit
A nice smoky palette with silvers, purples, blues and a navy creme liner!

Royal & Langnickel Baby Dome Brush
I want this brush because it reminds me so much of the MAC 109! I hope that this makes a good dupe for it. I can't wait to buy this.

VoV Castledew Plantina Shinism Palette
I really like Castledew palettes - nicely pigmented, smooth and lasts all day even without a primer. I hope to add this to my VoV collection.
Missha M Shimmering Ball Blusher
I've heard some nice things about this. Seems like Missha, Skinfood and other Korean brands are making Guerlain Meteorites dupes!

Etude House Lucid Darling Fantastic Eyes
I really recommend Etude shadows, they're soft and nicely pigmented.
Apparently, these shadows have "L.E.D gradation" - meaning the colors are much more vivid, but we'll see about that, lol.

HERA HD Foundation in #23 True Beige
I've been wanting to try this foundation for a while. I hear its comparable to MUFE's HD foundation - but better. The packaging just screams luxury! ♥

Hosted by Shirley of Notes From The Toothfairy

In July 2010

I like:
Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream!
I don't like:
That I'm always broke because of bills LMAO.
I want you to know:
I'm sending your package next week. I finally have money - for now, lol.
I've planned:
To leave this town because I need more excitement.
I want to say to someone special:
I can't wait until your birthday ♥

Happy 4th of July!

Missha M Perfect Cover BB NO31

2010-06-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

Tanned beauties look no further, there's now a bb cream suited for NC40 - and maybe higher. (: On my older blog, I talked about this bb cream once before, and I didn't like it much. But I think now my skin has changed and I'm starting to love Missha's Perfect Cover BB Cream because its working, lol.

BRAND: Missha
PRODUCT TYPE: B.B (Blemish Balm) Cream
SHADE(S): NO31 Golden Beige
PRICE: 13-20USD (depending on size & where you purchase)
PROS: SPF 42, Evens Out Skin, Helps With Blemishes
CONS: Shade, Accentuate Dry Areas, Can Get Oily Throughout The Day
Would I Recommend? Yes & No

Before this, I was using NO23 - which is one shade up from NO31. In the winter, NO23 is a good match for me - in the summer I'm in between shades. NO31 is actually a tad too dark, but that's okay since my forehead (LOL), neck and body gets darker in the summer so it evens out my color. From the swatch, you can see a significant difference between the two shades. I didn't realize it was such a dramatic color jump until I swatched the two together.

This BB cream oxidizes just a little, so to counter that I set it with a good powder (Maybelline's Dream Matte powder never fails me!) that's slightly lighter and that does the job. Most people say that this bb cream leaves their skin looking 'dewy', but I say it leaves my skin looking more 'semi-matte' than anything. What I love about this BB cream is that its pretty light in texture. It glides on my skin much smoother than NO23. I also saw a difference in my skin. I often get tiny blemishes that are hard to get rid of and this made them disappear. I also believe that this helped fade some of my new acne scars too.

I would recommend BB cream to those who don't really need much coverage or little coverage. If you suffer from acne, I'd say you try it if you want, but its definitely not a miracle worker - you're probably better off investing your money in skin care products. I'd recommend trying out samples first. Sites like Facial Shop have sample packs that you can try before committing to purchasing the full-sized products.

N.Y.C. Blushable Creme Sticks

2010-06-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

Got these when they came out a while ago, but I just got around playing with them. I purchased two shades, Plaza Pink & Big Apple Blush - which I believe are the two more popular colors.

BRAND: N.Y.C.
PRODUCT TYPE: Creme Blush Stick
SHADE(S): Plaza Pink & Big Apple Blush
PRICE: 3.49USD (varies at location)
PROS: Price, Amount of Product, Pigmentation, Smooth, Blendable
CONS: Packaging, Lasting Wear
Would I Recommend? Yes

I like that these came with a good amount of product - you get 8 grams. These are to be comparable to Clinique's blush sticks, but since I don't own one I can't compare the two. I don't think the packaging is that great because if I were to shake it a bit, I could hear the product moving around. Everything is still in tact, it just sounds like its "loose". Also, the product doesn't swivel all the way down. A bit of the product is still left exposed, so you have to be careful not to nick the top when putting the cap back on. The blush doesn't stay on all day - alone I find that it stays on for about...a little over 3 hours? With a powder blush applied on top, I would say a good six or so. If you layer on the product - creme, powder, creme, powder (doesn't cake up at all) - it will last all day.

These two colors are pretty similar - just that one is more of a mauve pink (Big Apple Blush) and the other is more of a peach pink (Plaza Pink). Both contain shimmer, but when applied to your cheeks, you don't notice them at all. Compared to E.L.F's All-Over Color Sticks, these go on way better and much smoother. Pigmentation is really good and they're very blendable. They look really natural and I think that they're a nice item for summer as its a no fuss product and you can apply it on the go without messing it up. I like pairing Pink Plaza with Benefit's Dandelion - its a perfect match! It makes the pink in Dandelion so much more vibrant than it is on its own and it still looks like a natural pink flush - but better.

If you love blush and you find it hard to keep it lasting long, these make really good bases. I personally like creme blushes more than powder as my cheeks are on the drier side and these give them a little moisture. If you have oily skin and don't like creme blushes in general, I'd say its just steer clear. Other than that, do give these blushes a try if you find them in your area.

DEAR FTC: I purchased this product with my own funds and I am NOT affiliated with the brand mentioned. This review is 100% honest and un-biased.

EOTD, Daiso, Fuji San & Giveaways

2010-06-19T00:50:00.000-07:00

I was out of town last weekend on a mini trip with the boys, so I decided to share a bit of it with you all. I went to San Jose to visit the Great Mall for some fun, shopping and food. I haven't been to SJ for a good few years, so mind you I'm a bit slow on these things, lol - anywho, to my surprise, I found a Daiso! Look!

We wanted to go to Dave & Buster's, but apparently there's a new rule that teens have to be accompanied with an adult at least 30yrs of age. Since we're all only in our early 20's they wouldn't allow my BF's bro inside. Boo! So instead, we decided to have sushi at the Fuji San.

Yummy, but a bit on the pricey side.

Nick's Chicken Teriyaki.

Tempura and Pete's Special Spicy Roll - delicious.

Tiger & Dragon Roll - our staple rolls, haha.

MY BF's "Million Dollar" roll - the best roll!

... We attacked everything in like half an hour, lol.

I've been lazy with make-up lately due to it being so hot and I've been sticking to the same look for a while. Its the double-liner look.

PRODUCTS USED:
Milani Infinite Liner 04 Forever
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
Shiseido TheMakeup Mascara Base
Wet N Wild Mega Length Mascara
Majolica Majorca Trick On BR751 (Champagne All Over Lid)

Three of my lovely friends are having a giveaway and you should really check these ladies out. Their blogs are a really nice read!

First we have Lelo, a phenomenal make-up artist based in Canada is giving away a Freedom Lipgloss from Revolution Organics to one lucky winner. Check her blog out, because these lipglosses look amazing!

Next is AtelierGal, who's giving away some interesting prizes including her famous talked about Elizabeth Arden White Glove Extreme Skin Brightening Capsules! I believe she's going to have multiple winners, so you might get lucky!

Lastly, is Gio, she's celebrating her 2nd year anniversary with a giveaway and it includes goodies from Vichy, Eyeko and Pupa! Check it out!

Sleek Palettes: Safari & Storm

2010-06-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

This review is for Ee Von as she wanted to know what I thought about these palettes. I purchased these back in March. For those who don't know, Sleek is a UK brand that aims towards women of color. Their range is colorful, pigmented, and good quality for an affordable price.

BRAND: Sleek
PRODUCT TYPE: Eyeshadow Palette (12 Pan Palette)
SHADE(S): Storm & Safari
PRICE: 4.99 £[GBP] (around 8USD)
PROS: Price, Size, Packaging, Color Pay Off
CONS: Availability, Fall Out, Packaging
Would I Recommend? Yes

I really like the packaging for these palettes, its smaller and slimmer than the MAC 15-pan palette, so it makes it easier to travel with. I really love how it doesn't take much room at all. You can have over 6 or more of these palettes and it'll barely take up any space. I adore the matte finish (no fingerprints!) and the shiny logo - very attractive and chic. The double-ended sponge-tip applicator is useless and fell apart the day I got the palettes, lol.

Why did I put packaging as a con as I like the packaging so much? Well, here's why. When I first received these palettes I didn't think anything was wrong with them, I even used them a few times without any issues. But one of the palettes (Safari) was flipped upside down as I was packing it to do a client's make-up, when I opened it, some of the pans fell out. I don't know if anyone had this issue as well or if I just got a defective palette, but it left a bit of a mess and I didn't like it. But its nothing that some super glue can't fix, haha.

All swatches are done without a base. Very pigmented and smooth shadows. The black in this palette isn't as black as I would like, but you can still do a nice smokey look with it. There are 3 matte shades and the rest are metallic. My favorite color out of this palette is the golden shade (next to the black).

A look using the Sleek Safari Palette.
Click on the image to see how I created this look.

The Sleek Storm palette is great for those who are into neutrals. I especially like the cranberry shade (far upper right corner). I use this palette pretty much every time I'm not sure of what look to do. The black in this palette is more pigmented than the one in the Safari palette. Storm also contains 3 matte shades. The blues in this palette are nice too. They're great for smoky looks. There are some fall outs with these shadows, but its nothing too bad. I do recommend applying your shadows first before your base make-up if you're planning to do a smoky look though.

If you can find this palette (online shop at Sleek Make-Up, I definitely recommend you try at least one palette. If you're more of a matte shadow type of person - there are I believe two palettes you can choose from.

DEAR FTC: Palettes were purchased with my own money. Not affiliated to the brand or being paid to endorse the product.

I also forgot Pieces of Me tag! I've been so busy and occupied with life that I haven't found time to blog like I usually do.

Hosted by Shirley of Notes From The Toothfairy.

In June 2010

I like: That I can finally take a break & enjoy my summer.
I don't like: That I'm starting to have more bills. S***!
I want you to know: I'm more personal than you think.
I've planned: To save up for a Malaysia trip this winter!
I want to say to someone special: 2010 isn't our year ):

Wet N' Wild Color Icon in Vanity

2010-05-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

It sucks to have no money when new collections are constantly appearing. Having bills really is a big pain. Sad isn't it? Anyway, school is over and now I'm starting to catch a cold. What a great way to start my summer vacation right? I've had this palette for about a month and have finally gotten to playing around with it.

BRAND: Wet N' Wild
PRODUCT: Color Icon Palette
SHADE: Vanity
PRICE: 5.49USD (at Walgreens)
PROS: Soft, Smooth, Pigmented, Can Wear Without A Base
CONS: Can Fade Slightly (end of the day w/o a base), Fall Out, Packaging
Would I Recommend? Yes

As you can see, there are three matte shades and three shimmer (effect) shades. You can create an all matte look, all shimmer look or mix the textures for another look.

Swatches were swatched using a q-tip, on its own and over three bases, in different lighting. Click on the image to view swatches in full.

Very pigmented colors within one swipe. These colors are really smooth and very soft. Since they're soft, they're a bit on the crumbly side, but fall out isn't horrible. My favorite color out of the bunch has to be the shimmery golden shade. The matte medium brown reminds me of MAC's Cork, but I don't own Cork so I can't compare it for you. Here's a soft EOTD I did using most of the colors. I used the matte medium brown, the shimmery gold, the shimmery bronze, the matte cream and shimmery highlight. Excuse the bags, too much stress = no sleep, haha. Hope you enjoy!

ON EYES:
MAC Paintpot in Soft Ochre
WnW Color Icon in Vanity
ELF Treat & Tame in Dark
Lavshuca Light Mix Eyes in GN-1
WnW Mega Length in Black (light coat)

DEAR FTC: Everything was purchased with my own money.

How To: Spring Berries!

2010-05-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

Finally, another how-to! I haven't been playing with colors for a while, so this was such a breath of fresh air for me. This look includes blues, purples and yellows - so I hope you like.

I will put in swatches of the colors I used here tomorrow. (:

ITEMS USED:

88 Matte Palette

MAC Soft Ochre Paintpot

MAC Blacktrack Fluidline

Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus

Korean Brand Lashes

NYC Brow/Eye Liner in Taupe

Sleek Storm Palette

Jordana White Eyeliner

DEAR FTC: Everything mentioned in this post I purchased with my own money.

Oh, the busy Saturday!

2010-05-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I've been busy for the past few weeks and I apologize for not keeping you all updated. I do have a few looks coming up for you all so keep a look out. Anywho, yesterday was a very busy day for me. It was my aunt's wedding as well as a prom going on.

Unfortunately, I was unable to take pictures of the morning ceremony because I was running around following orders from the elders, lol. If any of you who are Cambodian/Thai/Laos you know those weddings can be long and exhausting depending on what the elders plan to do. Its a shame I was unable to take pictures of the bride and groom's many outfit changes - they were beautiful outfits! But here's just a snapshot of the ceremony. The bride and groom looked amazing, as well as the groomsmen and bridesmaids!

Make-up time! There were two I had to do for the wedding - my cousin's wife and her friend, then after the ceremony was over, I quickly went to my client and did her prom make-up. I forgot to take before pictures because I was exhausted and just wanted to get everything done, haha.

Here's Yah. She was the only person I took a before picture of, lol. Yah never wears make-up and she wanted something soft, to enhance her features. She didn't want to feel like her make-up was heavy either.

FACE:
Boots Expert Sensitive Hydrating Serum
The Body Shop Skin Primer Matte It
Flirt! Light and Sheer Foundation in 04 Bodacious Beige
Benefit Erase Paste in 02
Sonia Kashuk Super Sheer Liquid Tint in 03 Poppy
MAC Beauty Powder Blush in On A Mission
Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Light

EYES:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Paintpot in Soft Ochre
88 Matte Palette
MAC Motif
Benefit Bad Gal Liner
Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus

LIPS:
Sonia Kashuk Super Sheer Liquid Tint in 03 Poppy

Next up we have Angie, she wanted a soft smokey brown look with full lashes. She also wanted me to play up her cheeks. I really liked her skin because it was such a smooth canvas to work on.

FACE:
Maybelline Angelfit Primer
Lorac Breakthrough Performance Foundation in SMS05
Maybelline Superstay Concealer in Deep
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Honey
Sonia Kashuk Super Sheer Liquid Tint in 03 Poppy
NYX Cream Blush in Glow
Benefit Dandelion
The Body Shop Highlighter

EYES:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
ELF Duo Cream Shadow in Butter Pecan
88 Matte Palette
Sleek Storm Palette
Sonia Kashuk Full Drama Lashes
Clinique High Lengths Mascara in Black

LIPS:
Her own products

Hope you enjoyed this post and I hope to post more soon. Take care everyone & HAPPY MOTHERS DAY ♥

FOTD: Golden Grapes

2010-04-21T00:15:00.000-07:00

Its been about a week since my last post and it feels good to blog again! I was inspired by the necklace I purchased from Julie (Pop Champagne) a while back. What I love about this necklace? It has 2 of my favorite colors - gold and purple! A great color combo for a look! I also chopped off my hair, what do you think?

I am wearing Glam, Sparkle and Pop's Blossom Necklace. Isn't it cute?!

ON FACE:
Flirt! Light & Sheer Foundation - 04 Bodacious Beige
ELF Studio Blush & Contour
Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer & Highlight - Medium
Neutrogena Brightening Eye Perfector - Medium

ON EYES:
Glam Couture Shadow Magnet - Natural
MAC Woodwinked
MAC Beautiful Iris
88 Matte Palette
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
NYX Romance Palette
Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus (Top Lashes)
Maybelline Definie-A-Lash Volume (Bottom Lashes)
Jordana White Eyeliner

Last week was Cambodian, Thai and Laos New Year. So if you are Cambodian, Thai or Laos - or all 3 (LOL) I hope you all had a wonderful New Years. I have a lot of blogs to catch up on so I hope you are all doing great, take care! ♥

DEAR FTC: All products were purchased with my own money. I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned.

L'egere Purifying BB Facial Peeling Gel

2010-04-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't seen or read any reviews about any L'egere products besides their White Multi BB Cream. Despite the lack of reviews, seeing as this brand is pretty well praised in Taiwan I decided to order a few of their products. Today I'll be talking about their Purifying BB Facial Peeling Gel.

For size reference.

Price: 20USD at Imomoko
Made In: Japan
How much do I use? 1 Pump about 1-2 times a week
Amount: 140g
What it is: Facial Peeling Gel (Gentle Exfoliator)
Claims: Contains AHA & Hyaluronic Acid to help lighten the skin, deep cleanse your pores of dirt, perspiration and oils. It removes dead cells that inhibit the natural process of cell renewal, leaving skin clean and glowing. Peeling Gel stimulates cell activity, revitalizes and prepares skin to receive nourishing moisturizers. (On the box)
Suitable For: All Skin Types
Warnings: Do not use on irritated skin
Would I recommend? Definitely

The box that it comes in states that not only can you use this on your face, you can use it on your elbows, knees and ankles - areas that tend to get dark and need more attention when it comes to lightening and/or exfoliating. I really like how this product is very multipurpose. About 1 to 1 1/2 pumps is more than enough for you face. If you're going to take it to the neck area, 2 pumps is enough. I'm going to briefly compare this to Cure's Natural Aqua Gel, a really popular gentle exfoliant in Asia.

INGREDIENTS LIST
CURE (90% Water)
Water Glycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dicocodimonium Chloride, Steartrimonium Bromide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Gingko Biloba Extract, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol

L'egere
Water, Glycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dicocodimonium Chloride, Steartrimonium Bromide, Dipropylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Papain, Dextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Cirtus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Methylparaben

Feel & Texture: Textures are the same with both - they come out as a gel and as you massage onto the skin, it starts to emulsify and the buildup you see in the picture above is the dead skin. When I use Cure, its really like just massaging water onto the skin. With the L'egere, you actually feel it getting into your pores and cleaning out the dirt, which I like.

Cure and L'egere both make my skin feel softer and smoother after every use. The only difference they have is that L'egere helps brighten my skin better than Cure does and I think its because L'egere contains AHA and Cure doesn't. I love both products but price wise, L'egere is much cheaper than Cure - L'egere is only 20USD while Cure can range from 30-40USD but Cure has a bigger bottle (250g) so I guess its how you see it. L'egere doesn't have an expiration date, but Cure is recommended to use within 1 year due to the nature of the ingredients (its color, fragrance, and preservative free).

Verdict: I prefer L'egere over Cure.
I would only use Cure if I have acne problems as its more gentle and I don't have to worry about irritating it in any way.

To read more about Cure Natural Aqua Gel, please visit Viva Woman.

DEAR FTC: I purchased this item with my own money. I'm not affiliated with the brands mentioned in this post and I am not getting monetary rewards to write a review. All opinions are 100% honest and un-biased.

Smith's Minted Rose Lip Balm

2010-04-07T16:35:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. Just two days ago I caught the cold bug and let me tell you - my lips have been chapped and dry like no tomorrow. My usual favorites weren't doing much for me; Blistex Complete Moisture, Blistex Slik N' Shine & the Blistex Medicated Lip Balm, so I had to go out and find one that would last and kept my lips soft. I was at Sephora a few days back and I remembered Fuzkittie talking about the Smith's Rosebud Salve. I was going to pick that up, but I was thrown off by the smell. Geez, the Rosebud Salve smells gross! I have no idea why so many people like it, ha. Instead, I picked up its counterpart, the Minted Rose Lip Balm.

Price: 7USD online (I purchased for 6USD at the Sephora Store)
Weight: 0.8 OZ.
Recommend This Product?: Yes!

Its a coral-red color in the tin, but it comes off clear with a nice glossy finish. It has a vaseline/petroleum type of feel to it, but I don't mind and it doesn't feel sticky and thick like vaseline would feel on my lips. I do like how glossy it makes my lips look, it takes out the extra step to applying gloss. It has a light peppermint scent that isn't over powering and the tingle it leaves on the lips isn't strong either. Its a subtle tingle and it feels really nice. The lip balm lasts quite a while and that's great as I don't have to reapply as often.

If you have dry, chapped lips in general I really recommend this product. It is on the pricier side compared to most lip balms, but it works really well. The good thing about Sephora is that you can test out most of the products at the store before purchasing them.

That's all for now, and I'll be back with more make-up demos hopefully by this weekend. Talk to you all soon ♥

How To: Chic Safari + POM in April '10

2010-04-04T00:33:00.000-07:00

HEY-LO! I haven't found time to say this, but thanks to those who recently followed me. Means a lot to me that you read my posts. ♥ I haven't done a demo in quite some time and I realized with my last look I didn't do the Sleek palette any justice. So I was playing around with the colors yesterday and this is what I came up with - a bright, fun winged look.

Dedicated to the lovely Ee Von as she requested me to do a look using sleek palettes earlier. (: Please excuse the lashes, I forgot to curl them together.

The colors I used in this palette (SAFARI PALETTE):

Swatches

How I achieved this look:
(Yes, I made typos, just ignore them please, LOL)

You only see half of my face because due to lack of sleep,
there's a monster growing on the left side of my cheek, ha!

PRODUCTS USED:
FACE
Flirt! Light & Sheer Foundation in 04 Bodacious Beige
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder (T-Zone)
Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sunlight (Light Contour)
Benefit Dandelion
MAC Shell Pearl Beauty Powder
EYES
Sleek Safari Palette
88 Matte Palette
Beautique Black Eyeliner
Maybelline Define-A-Lash Volume Mascara
Korean Lashes

Created & hosted by Shirley of Notes From The Toothfairy

In April 2010

I like:
Spring Break and New Years fall in this month!
I don't like:
That Spring Break is officially over!
I want you to know:
I'm still procrastinating. *BIG SMILE*
I've planned:
To try and go to the IMATS!
I want to say to someone special:
I'm as excited as you because the BEAST will finally be resurrected!

Hmm, I think this is my longest post ever, haha. I hope you guys enjoy the demo and I'll talk to you all soon. HAPPY EASTER LOVES!

DEAR FTC: All products mentioned I purchased with my own money. No one paid me to use these products in this demo.

Shadow Bases: Urban Decay VS Glam Couture

2010-04-02T19:30:00.000-07:00

Its always good to find alternatives because it can help save you some money. There are tons of shadow primers out there and these two are among the many. Today, I am comparing Urban Decay Primer Potion (UDPP) with Glam Couture's (GC) Shadow Magnet.

PROS:
Dries Transparent
Lid Stays Dry All Day
Color Vibrancy
Lasts A Long Time
CONS:
Packaging
Price
Can Be Drying

Urban Decay is one of the more popular eye shadow primers in the market. You can purchase this item either on UrbanDecay.Com or at Sephora.

PROS:
Packaging
Price
Color Vibrancy
CONS: Online Purchase Only

Glam Couture Shadow Magnet can only be found online at Jennisse Makeup.

Price:
- Urban Decay Primer Potion XL: $22USD ($17USD for Reg.)
- Glam Couture Shadow Magnet: $12USD
Amount of Product:
- Urban Decay Primer Potion XL: 0.55 FL OZ. (16.3 ML)
- Glam Couture Shadow Magnet in Natural : .10 OZ. (2.80 g)
Swatches: GC Shadow Magnet looks darker because the shade is in Natural, if it was in Light, I'm sure it would look pretty similar to UDPP.

Texture & Color: GC Shadow Magnet is slightly tackier than UDPP and UDPP dries to almost a completely dry finish. The GC Shadow Magnet almost feels like cream eyeshadow and UDPP has a thin, almost slippery consistency. GC Shadow Magnet in "Natural" neutralizes my dark lids, while UDPP is more transparent.

Feel & Look: None of these feel uncomfortable on my lids, but I do see that UDPP is slightly more drying to my lids. I have found that UDPP accentuates the fine lines on my lids more than GC's Shadow Magnet. Also, when it comes to frosty shadows, UDPP seems to bring out the 'frost' in the shadows more than the actual shadow color itself. I'll show an example below. See how Floral INC. over GC has more pink while over UDPP its more of a silver?

Using MAC's Fresh Cut Palette to swatch

See how the GC swatches looks smoother and less patchy unlike UDPP's?

My Pick: Glam Couture Shadow Magnet: As it is affordable, user friendly (I don't have to depot when I'm low on product!) and you only need a tiny bit so it'll last me quite a while.

Recommendations: UDPP for people with extremely oily lids & GC Shadow Magnet for normal/dry and slightly oily lids.
**Jenn (JennisseMakeup on Youtube) has said that she has extremely oily lids and the GCSM doesn't crease on her.**

Overall: The GC Shadow Magnet is a real good contender to UDPP. Though word of caution, don't pack on too much of the GC base, it can crease slightly. One light swipe of the product will do and hold up all day. Do understand that just because I choose GC over UDPP doesn't mean I completely hate it. UDPP just doesn't perform how I would like it to so its not my go-to base. Every one is different and do try different bases to see what works best for you.

DEAR FTC: All products mentioned are purchased with my own money and this review is 100% honest and un-biased. I am not affiliated with the brands mentioned nor am I being paid to write this review.

A Sleek Safari + Lash Mantra Challenge WK02

2010-04-01T17:59:00.000-07:00

Hi all, yes I know I change layouts too often. But I'm trying to find a layout that is simple, loads quickly and easy on the eyes and I think I've finally found it. So besides maybe adding a header, this layout will stay for a while, lol. So a few posts back, I wrote about finally grabbing these Sleek palettes and now found the time to mess around with the colors. I'm on spring break right now and I really wanted to post more during this week but so much has come up. Now that I have time, here's a quick EOTD using the Sleek Safari Palette.

A simple subdued green, teal & brown look for everyday wear.

PRODUCTS USED:
Sleek Safari Palette
Sonia Kashuk Dramatically Long Wearing Gel Liner in Brown
Maybelline Define-A-Lash Volume Mascara in Black
88 Palette (A taupe color for my eyebrows - tail)
E.L.F Treat & Tame Eyebrow in Dark (To color the front)

Shame you don't see the teal much in the pics, but in person you do. Next time, I'll be sure to take the picture without a flash, lol.

To Achieve This Look:
1) Apply the light green to the inner 1/2 of the eye.

2) Apply the green-teal color to the outer 1/2 of the eye.

3) Apply the orange above the crease and slightly blending
out the edges of the green and teal colors.

4) Apply the deep brown into the crease to add a bit of definition.

5) Grab some of that frosty white and apply it to your brow bone & inner corners. Repeat the process on your lower lash line.

6) Next apply your favorite liner. I added a slight wing.

7) Add mascara, lashes, anything else you want and you're finished!

And has anyone seen the new Sleek Bohemian palette? It looks beautiful and they're matte shades!

_______________________________

Also, I forgot to update on my Lash Mantra eyelash enhancing serum. So here's the results for week two!

The length has stayed the same and there's a slight fullness to my lashes. Length wise, they've stayed the same as last weeks', but I don't care for length much as my lashes are already fairly long anyway. Also, I have noticed that my lashes aren't falling out as much as it used to. So that's a good sign that my lashes are getting stronger. Again, results are a bit slow, but that's okay, because I love how this doesn't irritate my eyes in any way. If you see the stubble in front of my brows, its the result of applying the serum there as well. I'm trying to grow out my brows as I over plucked. ): Lastly! I've noticed that my eye area has gotten quite softer due to apply this serum. My concealer doesn't ball up up around my eyes anymore and blends much better (as you can kind of see below). SCORE!

DEAR FTC: The Sleek palette was purchased with my own money while Lash Mantra was sent to me for review consideration. These are my opinions and my reviews are 100% honest and un-biased. I am in no way affiliated with the brands mentioned nor am I being paid to write a review.

MAC Liberty of London - Disappoint Much?

2010-03-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

Hey all! No, I didn't shell out much for this collection. I saw the swatches on Temptalia and I was a bit bummed. I decided to give it a chance and go to my local MAC counter. Seeing this in person was still a bummer, but I picked up two items as I was looking for something similar. You've probably seen this all over the blogsphere already, but one more wouldn't hurt right?

Honestly speaking, aside from the beautiful packaging, this collection is nothing special. The other shadows were boring to me, the blushes were okay, plus I'm picky about glosses and lipsticks so the only thing that appealed to me were the beauty powders.

The eye shadow I picked up an eyeshadow in Dame's Desire. This eye shadow is a re-promote from the Dame Edna collection. This is a frost shadow, but when applied, the frost isn't overpowering at all. In fact, the shadow has a satin/shimmer type feel to it unlike other frost shadows by MAC - to me anyway. Nicely pigmented, smooth and blends nicely. Its too bright for me to wear for everyday considering I'm in front of the computer most of the time in school, but layering this over a nice golden bronze shadow gives a soft multi-dimesional look I quite like.

Next up is Shell Pearl Beauty Powder. I have to give a big thanks to my friend Janoah! This was sold out at my local MAC counter, and was currently sold out on the site, so while my friend was out of town, I asked him to go to the MAC store and pick one up for me. The awesome friend he was, he picked it up even though I knew he felt awkward doing so, ha ha. This is a nice pinky-peach highlighter. This gives a nice soft glow to the skin. Very natural looking and I might just go back to pick up the Summer Rose one as I heard its much more pigmented than the one that came in the Rose Romance Collection.

Swatches (:

On a side note, I went to the Clinique counter to get something for my mom and there was an awesome GWP (gift-with-purchase) going on. There are two sets - warms and pinks. The set I got was the pink set.

Items:
Cosmetics Bag
Mini Bag
Dramatically Moisturizing Lotion
Even Better Skin Tone Correcting Moisturizer SPF 20
Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo
High Lengths Mascara
Different Lipstick

Hope you all had a great weekend and I'll talk to you soon. ♥

DEAR FTC: All products mentioned I purchased with my own money. I'm not affiliated with the companies mentioned and all reviews are 100% honest and un-biased.

Blast Them Zits!

2010-03-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

I realized I haven't done a skin care-related post in quite some time now so I want to share with you something I've been using to keep my zits at bay. The product I'm going to talk about is the Boots Anti-Blemish Night Moisturiser.

PROS:
Dries up zit pretty quick
Price
Doesn't make skin flake
Gives skin a smooth finish
Light, thin consistency
Doesn't leave residue on the skin
Absorbs quick

CONS:
Not available worldwide
Isn't moisturizing enough for the whole face

Would I repurchase?: Yes.

Ingredients List & Cautions

I purchased this at Target for around 5USD and I first started using this all over my face in my night routine, and I didn't quite like it much. I then decided to use it as a spot treatment, and it worked really well. I think that if you're like and only get acne in certain areas, then its better to just use this a spot treatment as it isn't moisturizing enough to use a moisturizer for your entire face. However, if you have acne everywhere, then I would recommend using this all over your face before using a moisturizer as it absorbs super quick.

It has a clear gel-like texture and as you spread it around, it starts to get liquify. This thing works really quick (for me). Sometimes I don't get enough sleep or sometimes I don't rinse off my makeup completely (guilty!) and I get a pimple. I would dab a bit of this onto the culprit before bed and it'll be significantly smaller in the morning! Sometimes it even completely disappears! I have been using this for a good four months, and it has not failed me. I really recommend this for anyone to try out since it is easily accessible for most people and it doesn't make too much of a dent to your wallet.

I didn't find it irritating my skin in any way, and I didn't find it leaving a residue, cause any flakiness or dry out my skin. Of course, we all have different skin types, so I would advise that if you purchase this, test it on the back of your hand and make sure this won't cause you any irritations.

// EDIT: To those who may be trying to find a site to order Boots from you can try checking Drugstore.com

DEAR FTC: I purchased this with my own money and I'm in no way affiliated with the company mentioned. All reviews are 100% honest and un-biased. What works for me may not work for you, so please do use any product with caution. Please view disclaimer for more details.

Prom = Exhaustion : My First Client!

2010-03-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

Prom was yesterday and I had an opportunity...My cousin's friend Suzi was looking to hire a make-up artist for prom and my cousin suggested me! I was very excited!

So I'm sharing a bit of my day with you all (seriously, I spent more than 8 hours with these girls, lol). The picture above is my cousin (left) and my client Suzi. I did both their hair and makeup - sorry about the lighting, you can't see their makeup well as my camera battery decided to hate me and died. So I had to rely on my camera phone, haha! XD Yes, my cousin is pretty tall - she's 5'8 1/2 (around 174-175cm), lol.

She wanted to get comfortable so she asked me if could
lie back while I was doing her makeup, lol. She was a sweet & funny girl.
I was able to test out my new Sleek palettes! I used
the pencil technique on her.

Suzi's before and after. It was a shame it was hot.
I had to retouch her makeup a few times.
It kept fading even after primer & everything!
Just look at her left side (your right), it was already starting to fade
a bit and they were just heading out!

Products Used:
MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC42
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Honey
Revlon Beyond Natural Concealer in Medium
Elf All-Over Color Stick in Pink Lemonade
MAC Mineralized Blush in Superduper Natural
N.Y.C Smooth Skin Matte Bronzer (Light Contour)
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Sleek Storm Palette
Beautique Eyeliner in Black (Sally's Beauty)
Great Lash Mascara Big in Blackest Black
Korean Brand Falsies

I'll be doing a demo on her look, so keep a look out!
Here's a quick look at the tutorial in the making.

Thanks for reading! I'll try to catch up on blogs and comments this week!