my birthday and upcoming post

just a brief FOTD post. here's a picture of me when i went out for my birthday a little over a week ago. i used a mixture of a lot of things...but as for my lips i cant remember for the life of me what i wore that night. hmm. but here's the look:



my face:

cargo med bronzer
nyx jumbo stick in cottage cheese as highlight
bobbi brown pot rouge in blushed rose
nars orgasm
little bit of nars desire on apples of cheeks

eyes:

hmm i mixed a lot of things when it came to e/s. ill list what i remember :P

loreal purple metallic eyeliner as base
nyx red bean pie
mac carbon
mac cork
mac shroom
mac amber lights (under bottom lash line)
stila kajal liner in onyx on waterline/tightline
HIP truth eyeliner in black
MUF smokey lash mascara


i have some things to show you guys...i bought some NARS products at sephora during their 15% FF sale...so expect some swatches the next time i post...:)

review: lashblastfusion

i am a fan of covergirl's original lashblast. i think its a good mascara, it doesnt clump, it volumizes my lashes, i see results that i like (i prefer mascaras that are dramatic and make my lashes look very black and noticable). with that being said, i was at kmart a little over a week ago when i saw the display for this new lashblastfusion mascara. the original lashblast claims to volumize your lashes, while this new lashblastfusion claims to volumize AND lengthen. well i was sold on that idea and i checked out with it in hand.

after using it for a bit over a week, i have to say...i prefer the original formula over this new fusion formula.


original lashblast bristles

the original lashblast and the lashblastfusion both have the same plastic applicator with the plastic bristles. the lashblast's bristles are closer together compared to the fusion, but the fusion has slightly longer bristles than the lashblast. both formulas do not clump on me.


lashblastfusion bristles

lashblastfusion does not show up on my lashes as well as the original LB. for some reason, it doesnt appear as black. with the original LB, i can get away with applying only two coats (even though i usually apply more because i like it better that way :)) but with the LBF i have to apply many coats to achieve the look i like. which is a bummer.


LBF on top, LB on bottom

overall i would not recommend this product. i bought it at kmart for about $9. its not worth that price to me, i would not repurchase. i would rather repurchase the original lashblast as i am happy with its performance.

have any of you tried this out yet? what are your thoughts?

alice + olivia for mac

image taken from mamasarollingstone.com

i like to be updated, which is why i usually keep up with upcoming mac collections so i can plot what i want next ha. usually i keep up by reading temptalia (very useful site! where i got all the descriptions for the colors/dates for launch)

so far one of the collections that i really want to dabble in is the alice + olivia collection (pictured above) that comes out july 8th. so far i'm likin the sounds of the following:

+ Later pigment (Black with transforming purple pearlized pigments)
+ Sparklicious Dazzleglass creme in Creamy (pale pinky white with soft multi-dimensional pearlized pigments).

to read more about this collection on temptalia's page, click here.

a lot of the other collections either have colors i dont care for or have tacky packaging. not gonna lie, one of the main reasons i didnt even look or buy anything at the liberty of london collection is because i thought the packaging...well it sucked. i really did not like it.

im also really excited for the counters to start selling the pigments again! (jun 10th) i love pigments. they are super pretty and versatile. they have a better sparkle and shine factor than eye shadows. for example i feel they work better than regular shadows for smudging color on the bottom lash line because it shows up better. for me anyway. not all the pigments will be avail but at least some will be :)

any upcoming collections you guys excited for?

my everyday look: lorraine(thecurrentcustom)'s contest

hello everyone. i just wanted to post up my everyday go to look, where when i dont know what i feel like doing with my makeup for the day i do this routine. or basically my safe look that never fails :) the reason for this post is because lorraine (or thecurrentcustom on youtube) is having a give away right now on everyday looks. here it is:



i am wearing:

UDPP
nyx champagne all over lid
mac tempting in crease
mac embark to deepen crease more
mac brun in outer v
mac shroom as highlight
rimmel kajal liner in jet black
mac carbon to set liner
stila kajal liner in onyx on waterline/tightline
lashblast mascara in black
blush as of lately has been nars desire(like i said in my earlier post, i have been lovin this blush!)
no lip product usually but in this pic im wearing the elf mineral lipstick in natural nymph with a bit of clear gloss

thats my everyday look when i dont know what else to do. it seems like a lot of products but the look is so simple.

what is your go to look?

nars nars nars: blade runner duo and desire blush

i have been LOVING nars blush in desire lately. i have been reaching for it everday for a bit over a week straight. dont let the color in the pan fool you, it actually is a wearable color if applied correctly and with the right amount:


nars blush in desire

in person this blush is actually much much brighter. it is a HOT bright pink in the pan. its actually pretty scary, when i first saw it i was shocked and not really buying that it would look good. but i bought it anyway since i heard great reviews and my fave guru, blushingpixie aka yorkieluvs, wore it in one of her previous videos and it looked amazing.

i actually bought it a while ago but never really did anything with it. and randomly i wore it the other week and i fell in love! it gives you the prettiest cheek. you have to apply this SPARINGLY to make it look good. what i mean by that is you should just tap your brush LIGHTLY on the pan then swirl and apply softly. add more color if you need to, build it up rather than brush a load on. if you apply the right amount it looks stunning.


wearing nars desire

the picture doesnt really do it justice. i didnt capture it well. but i recommend you go out and have a MA put it on you if you are near a nars counter. it is that good of a color!

**UPDATE for more nars blushes and better pictures...check out my updated post HERE

a while ago i did my first makeup swap. i swapped my illamasqua bronzing duo for nars blade runner e/s duo:


nars blade runner




blade runner is a duo with a dark metallic green and a dark shimmery burgundy. both are extremely pigmented and gorgeous! i tried comparing the green color to the other green shadows i have and nothing is even close to the color:


from left to right: kat von d's orbi, the nars green e/s, mac's humid, mac's sumptuous olive

the kat von d orbi shadow comes from the true romance palette in ludwig. as you can see in the picture, orbi and sumptuous olive are more golden olives rather than the dark green of the nars e/s. humid is just a GREEN color, with the nars being much darker and more metallic, humid is more frosty.

i havent used this duo yet but i am loving the colors and pigmentation. i cant wait to use it.

i love nars products, i think they are expensive but very much worth the money. if not the e/s than definitely their blushes, they are top notch.

have you tried these products? love them? hate them?

drugstore finds

i went to the drugstore a while ago and i bought a few things i would like to mention because i enjoy the products :) here they are:


rimmel blush in peach



i bought this at target (when i bought my all over color stick in clove :)) for about $2. it was on sale because i think rimmel was in the process of redesigning the packaging for the blushes. peach is a shimmery light peach color. it reminds me a lot of mac's style but not as orange.



it is very soft and blendable. you do need to apply a bit more than normal to make the color show up but for the price i dont mind. this actually looks excellent on top of the all over color stick in clove by No.7. i went through a whole phase of pairing these two together for about three weeks straight because i loved the look so much :)


elf mineral lipstick in natural nymph



natural nymph is a very light creamy nude lippie. it reminds me of mac's myth but less pinky. on me it DOES give the concealer lip look if i do not pair this with ANY type of gloss. it applies smoothly and evenly and feels fine on my lips. the color DOES bring out your dry spots so you need to keep your lips in shape to wear this if you decide to use no gloss.




elf mineral lipstick in natural nymph. i DID pair this with a bit of clear gloss.


color sensational lipstick in born with it



born with it is a wearable light natural pink with slight shimmer. the shimmer isnt too noticeable when worn on. it is a very girly color. it applies smoothly and lasts for a while. no gloss is necessary for this lipstick, it wears well alone. it does go on a bit sheer for me, i have to apply a few coats to make it completely cover my lips.


born with it by itself, no gloss




left: born with it, right: natural nymph

i really like both of these lipsticks but i wouldnt wear them everyday just because i am not a huge lipstick wearer. the colors suit me fine, i am happy with my choices. i know some people have been hating natural nymph but i really like it a lot. i like it more than revlon's smooth nude and nude attitude since those are more of peach nudes rather than pinky nudes.

do you guys like the natural nymph or born with it lippies?

viet town in chicago: cheap nail polish

i recently went to chicago where i got to visit Viet Town. if you didnt know, vietnamese people have the stereotype of always having a nail shop or having the career of doing nails. with that being said, i found it so strange that i couldnt find ANY place that would actually give manicures haa.

there were however retail beauty shops that sold opi, china glaze, orly, essie...etc for a fraction of the normal cost! usually opi is around 8 bucks, 6 if you are lucky, and where i bought them they were only $3.25! i was pretty happy. essie i believe was around $3 and china glaze was only like $2. needless to say i went a bit polish happy. here are my finds:


from left to right: dating a royal, prince charming, rainbow, rich & famous, raspberry, can you tapas this, quarter of a cent-cherry

OPI's dating a royal is as shown, a royal creamy blue. i couldnt stop looking at the color, its very eye catching.

Orly's prince charming looks dull but i saw my friend wear it on her nails eariler in the year and i loved the effect. the color is a beigey brown grey creme. i love neutrals at times so this fits.

China Glaze's rainbow was inspired actually by keri hilson. i prefer, over all, creme colors or solid colors that dont shimmer when it comes to polish but china glaze's rainbow is actually a soft pearly iridescent white color. the iridescence comes off as a rainbow just like the inside of a clam shell. i actually want to see if this will look like keri hilson's nails at this years grammys.

China Glaze's rich and famous is a girly hot pink color. its not neon pink, just a hot pink. i usually dont ever wear pink but i recently bought OPI's pink flamenco and i love it! so i decided to buy another pink shade because it looks awesome on toes :)

Essie's raspberry is exactly that color...raspberry. it is a creme, no shimmers.

OPI can you tapas this is a earthy browned red.

OPI quarter of a cent-cherry is my favorite red polish!! it is a vampy dark red where the color in the bottle is what you see on your nails. i love this color!

i actually havent worn any of them except quarter of a cent-cherry and can you tapas this, which i have to say i dont really care for. it is a bit too dark for my taste and the color doesnt translate as the earthy red color like the bottle shows.

any of you going crazy for nail polish lately?

review: all over color sticks: elf & boots

all over color sticks. i only own two, one by elf and another by boots (No7), but i do love the concept a lot. they are a multi-purpose product that can be used on eyes, lips, or cheeks. they come in a tube like applicator for easy storage and swiping application. they can apply frosty, matte, or dewy depending on the formula. on to the swatches!


elf all over color stick in pink lemonade

pink lemonade is a frosty berry stained pink. if you dont like frost i would suggest to stay away from this color(see pic below). i dont mind it, i think its glowy and pretty but i wouldnt wear it everyday.


top-no flash; bottom-flash

as you can see when there is no flash, it is quite frosty swatched. but when worn, its not too crazy:


pink lemonade worn on cheek


Boots No. 7 all over color in clove

clove is a hard color to describe. it is a browned pink rose infused with a bit of peach. it is NOT frosty, it is more of a satin, where it is a solid color that imparts a bit of a slight sheen to it. i really really like this color. it is super flattering on me. you guys know i love those pinky browns!


No.7 all over color in clove: top-no flash; bottom-flash


clove blended out: top-no flash; bottom-flash

i highly recommend trying all over color sticks. i think they are easy to use and both of the ones i own blend out very easily. i dont use my fingers, i follow the same pattern of application as i do with my bobbi brown pot rouges where i use a foundation brush to apply color and stippling brush to blend out.

i purchased the elf stick at a local store for only $1 and the No. 7 i purchased at target. it was on sale for only $4.

what all over color sticks do you love/own?