my rings...

so a few posts ago i shared my lust of some rings i had my eye on. since then i have acquired a few pieces that i have been really enjoying and wanted to share with you all.

i love the look of layering and stacking rings. i even look at this hand and dont think it is enough!

on my ring finger i have house of harlow stackable rings, one thick and silver the other thin and rose gold. i love these, the quality is very nice and i love the design etched into the metal. these are reasonably priced too, i picked mine up at planet blue (the models have gorgeous makeup by the way) unfortunately the thin band is sold out but the thicker one is still available. link!

on my middle finger i have an above the knuckle cross ring. i absolutely adore this, more than my knot ring. i picked this up at etsy. the seller makes everything by hand and was a sweetheart. the shipping impressed me due to her being based in argentina. i would say it took less than two weeks from start to finish. i ordered a size 3 if you wanted a reference. link!

on my pointer finger i have my knot ring from etsy which i have talked about already in this post as well as an old hammered silver ring from american eagle i have had for years.

lastly we have my connecter ring that i picked up from urban outfitters. it satiated my lust for connected jewelry for now. quality isnt up to par but overall i am happy with it since the design is so funky and cool. unfortunately i dont see this on the UO website anymore so maybe you will have better luck in stores.

hope you all have been well!

oh and in case you were wondering, on my nails i am wearing essie chinchilly (one of my all time favorites) with sally hansen hidden treasure on top(LE, but essie shine of the times would work just as well)

my highlighter collection

my highlighter collection: modest to some and a bit extravagant to others. to me, i would say it is a happy medium. i have a decent mixture of brands, textures, and shades. i love what highlighters can bring to a look. even with having oily skin like i do, there is something about adding a bit of glow that i just can't get enough of. i am not a fan of the ultra matte look. i like dewy fresh looking skin and highlighters are the key to achieving my ideal skin finish. my favorite celebrity skins? jennifer lopez, hilary duff, eva mendes, and mila kunis. all glowy and sexy.

MAC VANILLA PIGMENT
this is very popular and for a good reason. as much as i think pigments are a pain, they have such wonderful finishes that i deal with it every now and then. mac vanilla (the pigment, the eye shadow i am not a fan of!) is very beautiful. a soft ivory with many multi colored shimmers depending on how the light hits it. i usually see flecks of gold and green but pink and blue sometimes show up too. if you are into pigments and are looking for shades to pick up from mac, i recommend this. i dont reach for this often since it is so messy, but when i use up the sample i have i would purchase the full size (though i doubt id use it all, so much product!)

NARS ALBATROSS
looks stark white in the pan but once swatched on the skin it transforms into a gorgeous soft gold. this is my favorite highlighter when i want to pack some punch and really want to make my highlighter noticeable. really great for nights out. i love dusting this all over my shoulders, neck and chest for special events as well.

theBALM MARY LOU-MANIZER
this is a rich champagne. out of all the highlighters this has the best and most effortless texture. however, if you want subtle i really dont recommend this as it is pretty intensely pigmented. if you really like your highlight to show up on your skin, this is an excellent choice.

MAC LIGHTSCAPADE MSF
a very light white beige. this is VERY subtle. if you like very natural subtle highlights, this is a good choice. unfortunately limited edition.

ESTEE LAUDER MODERN MERCURY
this is such a curious product. it looks silvery and pink in the pan but when swatched on the skin it turns peachy/bronzey. the texture is also the most unique as it is not quite powder but not quite cream either. what i really enjoy about this product is that it is very easy to control the intensity. i personally dont like it too intense on my cheeks as it is quite metallic. also limited edition and hard to find!

MAC REDHEAD MSF
a warm peach. this is great for mixing with other blushes. i use this very often on top of peach blushes or coral blushes and the results are always beautiful.

DIOR AMBER DIAMOND
a lot of hype is surrounded with this product and im not exactly sure why. the texture isnt the best on the market and the finish isnt my favorite. but i still enjoy using it, i just dont reach for it as often as my other products. it is called amber for a reason, very honey toned when you mix all the shade together.

MAC CCB in HUSH
i like this more than the popular CCB shell. i bought this one random night i was reading mac artist favorites on their official website. this product was listed in a lot of the artists' lists! but i can see why. i really love this. this paired with albatross is heaven.

ROUNDUP

from left to right: mac vanilla nars alatross, theBalm mary lou-manizer, mac lightscapade, estee lauder modern mercury, mac redhead, dior amber diamond, mac CCB in hush

overview of my highlighters:

if you want more natural finishes i recommend mac hush and lightscapade. if you like to mix cheek colors i recommend mac redhead and mac ccb in hush. if you prefer more noticeable highlighters, i recommend nars albatross and mary lou-manizer. if you like unique products and an easy to control highlighter, i recommend estee lauder modern mercury. my personal favorites are nars albatross, mary lou-manizer, mac redhead, and mac hush. i dont recommend amber diamond, very over hyped!

i resist buying new highlighters all the time just because i know i have enough to use up. but i still have my eye on becca's shimmering skin perfecter (to get opal or pearl...hmmm). what are your favorite highlighters? or maybe you shouldn't tell me because it will just make me want to check them out :P

review: koh gen do aqua foundation

finally! i know it is about time i reviewed this foundation as i bought it in early march. after over a month of using this i feel confident in giving my thoughts on it.

koh gen do is not a new brand. the Japanese brand was founded by actress Ai Saotome. at first skincare was the main focus in mind but koh gen do gained quite a following causing expansion to makeup. the brand is quite popular with movie/tv set makeup since it focuses on HD makeup. it seems koh gen do has recently been introduced to the US as it started opening counters within the past few years.

prior to buying this foundation, i was very curious about this brand and product. part of the intense curiosity stemmed from the fact that there are very few reviews on this foundation. and the reviews i did read/hear didnt go into too much detail. all i gathered from what i did research on was that the foundation had great coverage while still retaining an amazing skin-like finish. i had to try it out for myself.

PACKAGING
the aqua foundation comes in a frosted glass bottle with a pump. i like the packaging. i personally like glass containers but i know some are cautious of this for traveling reasons. the pump is easy to control so i can dispense as little or as much product as i desire.

SHADE
i purchased the shade OC-1. my skin tone is light to medium that leans warm (nars fiji, chanel b-20, lancome buff). the shade range is ridiculously small but i hear they are trying to formulate more colors. OC-1 is almost TOO light for me to wear but due to the sheerness it works. plus there is nothing a little bronzer can't fix. i think my perfect color would be in between OC-1 and OC-2.

CONSISTENCY/FORMULA
by the name of the product you can obviously deduct that this foundation is water based, deep-sea water from the Ohotsuku Sea to be exact. it is chocked full of skin loving ingredients like jojoba seed oil, olive squalane, and the ever popular shea butter. i highly recommend reading the description on koh gen do's official website, they have fancy diagrams and very appealing descriptions. being water based, this foundation is very fluid as well as unscented. it is sheer but buildable. i normally use 1.5-2 pumps to cover my entire face. this does have an SPF of 15.

wearing koh gen do aqua foundation alone

FINISH/COVERAGE
the finish is very natural. it does look like your skin but better. it is also pretty dewy on me. dry skinned ladies will love this as your skin will drink it in. if you are like me and have combo-oily skin it may be a bit too dewy for your liking. i personally like to add powder to my t-zone to tone down the shine. coverage is light to a potential medium being as it is buildable. if you have fairly clear skin with some unevenness i would assume you can get away with one pump. i have redness from acne scarring on my cheeks and one layer does not cover it enough. i use my sephora platinum 55 brush to apply but i hear the beauty blender is great for application as well.

closer look

WEAR TIME
keeping in mind i have combo-oily skin, this lasts all day on me...if the weather isn't humid. once it starts getting humid or hot out i get VERY oily and it starts to break down on me quick. i already know i wont be able to wear this during the summer as it will slide off my face. in the fall/winter it will be no problem, i will just have to blot halfway throughout my day like i normally do.

powder, bronzer, blush added

PRICING/AVAILABILITY
this is the hard part. this retails for $62 USD which is very pricey. more than most high end foundations. currently you can buy this on koh gen do's official website, barney's, and sephora (where i purchased it).

OVERALL:

i like this foundation and will enjoy using it up. it has a very natural skin like finish that i love and it is very comfortable to wear. it is the perfect day time foundation for me as it isnt heavy duty coverage but it does even out my skin and blur my pores out very well. i dont like using this for nights out as the coverage isnt heavy enough and there is a very slight white cast in flash photos. nothing too dramatic like i have seen with estee lauder double wear but it IS slightly evident. i am disappointed that i will not be able to wear this on warmer days but i am happy it lasts in other situations. i would repurchase this but not right away as i want to explore the vast offerings available in the foundation world.

i WOULD recommend this foundation if:

+ you have dry skin and/or fairly clear skin
+ you love light foundations such as mac face & body, makeup forever face & body etc
+ you are curious about koh gen do and want to try out their products
+ you don't mind spending serious cash on a day time foundation

i WOULD NOT recommend this foundation if:

+ you prefer heavier coverage foundations
+ you are on a budget
+ you have a dark complexion (shade range is absurdly small and caters to pale to medium skin tones)

if you have any other questions about anything i failed to mention, just let me know!

in case you were wondering what else i was wearing:

face: KGD aqua foundation in OC-1, maybelline dream smooth powder, cargo medium matte bronzer, rock & republic blush in lust, mac lightscapade

eyes: mac quite natural paint pot, LMdB le cirque kaleidoscope 2nd tier, mac cork, mac feline, prestige my blackest lashes

lips: dior addict extreme in incognito

april favorites

time for april favorites. i left out a few products because i mentioned them in my last favorites post. plus i am falling into a bit of a routine with my daily makeup which is unheard of for me! but i am welcoming this change with open arms as it helps me use up products.

FACE

KOH GEN DO FOUNDATION
i promise i will do a full review of this soon! i have used it long enough to give my thoughts so as soon as i have good lighting to take face pictures i will post up a review.

DIORSKIN SCUPT CONCEALER
i am not in love with this. i dont hate it though. i have been using this everyday since i picked it up from sephora. i like the texture and the coverage is decent but it is very easy to use too much causing creasing. i have tried blending it out with a brush and my fingers and i prefer my fingers as using a brush blends most of the product away. i dont think i would repurchase this but i dont regret picking it up. i want to pick up another concealer/corrector to pair up with this. my eye is on the armani master corrector.

NARS DESIRE
one of my absolute favorite blushes in my collection. the nice spring weather inspired me to pull this out. this looks equally as flattering on tan skin as it does pale skin and you only need the tiniest amount to add a flush of color. i highly recommend this shade, it is a staple for me. if you want to see swatches, check out my nars collection post

MAC STEREO ROSE + BOBBI BROWN CALYPSO CORAL POT ROUGE
remember my review on stereo rose? i mentioned in the review that i would test out stereo rose on top of another blush instead of wearing it solo. this combination is BEAUTIFUL. if you have been a reader of mine for some time you know i absolutely love bobbi brown's pot rouges (collection/swatches post HERE). they redid the packaging recently and luckily this shade is still in the line up. i was so in love with the combination that i instagramed (username: kellyyes) a picture wearing it:

wearing stereo rose and calypso coral

not the best picture because of the filter but trust me when i say it is very lovely!

EYES

LE METIER DE BEAUTE LE CIRQUE KALEIDOSCOPE
i have been loving this kaleidoscope because of the tier 2 color, a silvery taupe. i am still in my one-eyeshadow-paired-with-smudged-feline phase. this color is very beautiful but has a tad bit of sparkle particles which i wish didnt exist. regardless it is such an effortless shade to slap on the eye and go. this just fuels my want for LMdB's corinthian. i did a post on this kaleidoscope HERE.

BURBERRY PALE BARLEY
yes, yes, i finally got this shade. it lives up to its reputation. incredible staying power, pigmentation, and texture. it is flattering enough to wear on its own but i like to add a bit of edge to the color by deepening my outer v with a dark brown. i wore this out during my birthday paired with some black eyeshadow for a smokier look and it was wonderful. highly recommend, even though it is pricey

COMPARISON

pale barley on left, mac patina on right. very similar but patina is bit darker and pale barley is a bit softer and blends into the skin easier

LIPS & FRAGRANCE

DIOR ADDICT EXTREME in INCOGNITO
i have decided i am happy with this product. i definitely recommend trying this shade on before buying though. the formula is comfortable and non drying. i love wearing this when i am wearing a taupe on my eyes. very sultry. i want to pick up another shade but i am unsure which i will pick. i am wearing this lipstick in my last post HERE.

NARS DOLCE VITA
pretty much HG for me. perfect balance of sheerness and color. fleshy, natural color. thumbs up. i am wearing dolce vita in THIS post.

CHANEL CHANCE EAU FRAICHE
lovely scent. i tried switching it up this month by wearing D&G light blue but i missed this too much so i switched back to this again.

and that is all for this month. im ready for summer, how about you? i hope you are all happy and have a great weekend!