a blog of vain pleasures

sephora run

2012-02-27T20:13:00.004-08:00

made a quick sephora run this past weekend. went in for foundation samples since i've used up my two main foundations i owned and im in the market for a new one. ended up walking out with samples plus all you see U_____U

CHANEL VITALUMIERE AQUA FOUNDATION SAMPLE
i matched myself at B20. i am about 98% sure i wont buy this foundation but curiousity got the better of me. i think this foundation is for people with perfect/not scarred skin, aka not my skin. i just wanted to try it out for fun.

NARS SHEER MATTE FOUNDATION SAMPLE
I matched myself, again, in Fiji. i really do not like relying on the SA's in sephora or my local dept stores in matching for foundations because this is how competent i feel they are:

lolz

but anyway, back to the sample. i have been curious about the much raved about sheer glow but the formulation + my oily skin sounds like a disaster. figured i should try sheer matte to see how it fares.

BOSCIA GREEN TEA BLOTTING LINENS
how fun is this LE packaging? i have always been one of those girls that did not believe in blotting sheets. this girl has been using toilet paper/paper towels. now im a believer! and i have only been using them for two days. they smell like green tea and soak up everything without disturbing my makeup. nice!

SEPHORA PRO AIRBRUSH FOUNDATION #55 BRUSH
i have been wanting this for the longest time. dont ask me how many times ive walked around in sephora with this in my hands because it has been countless times. i have yet to try this but i am very excited to. i want to give that POS elf flat top brush the boot, it sheds massive chunks on me.

NARS DOLCE VITA LIPSTICK
FINALLY. another item i walk around sephora clutching but never buy. wore it today, love it so far. will do a post on it eventually i expect, it is that lovely. just need to buy the matching blush and gloss now :P

URBAN DECAY 24/7 PENCIL IN PERVERSION
i plan on doing a comparison post on this vs mac feline because i am curious to see which is better. i am obsessed with finding the blackest blackest black liners so when i heard this was becoming permanent i knew i had to try it. i find that the popular zero shade...well it sucks to be quite frank. i hate the shade (not black enough), i hate the texture (not as creamy as mac), i hate the longevity (24/7...pfffffft). will definitely let you guys know my thoughts once i test it out. maybe it will give my beloved feline the boot!

what have you picked up lately? i've been doing pretty good, most of my purchases have been things i NEED, rather than just want. thumbs up to that!

SN: what do you all suggest for the next foundation for me to try? i am looking for a satin finish, good for controlling oily skin, medium coverage, looks good in photos. preferably high end and not drugstore as i've about had it with drugstore foundations. loved to hear your suggestions :D

mac earth to earth blush & sweet sienna pigment

2012-02-26T21:11:00.002-08:00

more thoughts on my swapped products i blogged about briefly before.

MAC EARTH TO EARTH BLUSH

quite the beaut in the pan, this blush is. mac's earth to earth mineralized blush was a limited edition product that came out in the Grand Duos collection back in 2009. one side is a marbleized melange of champagne and dark purple, the other side is a complimentary peach. per my usual, i swirl everything together not favoring either side more than the other.

when mixed the color is a dirty peach. the purple and peach may sound strange mixed together but i find they work well together. the one thing that does irk me a bit with this product is that it has some chunky shimmer particles in it. it isnt too terrible but i would prefer for the texture to be a bit smoother and without the random glitter pieces.

the blush has standard mac pigmentation, i dont need to swirl too vigorously yet i dont have to worry about getting too much product. it is pretty fool proof. i really like it on me, it is very neutral and easy to wear.

MAC SWEET SIENNA

mac sweet sienna, i think a lot of people went crazy for this? not quite sure as it is an old discontinued pigment. it is extremely pretty. i really wish i had the full size of this. the shade is a quite reflective dark taupe that leans grey.

i am in a one shadow only phase right now where i slap only one shadow over the lid, smudge some feline liner in the lash line, add mascara and call it good. it is quick and flattering, really no brainer makeup. ive been crazy about taupes lately which is weird because i normally stick to browns. i find taupes make brown eyes seem a bit warmer and noticeable.

FULL FACE

what are your favorite taupe shadows? im thinking about picking up LMdB corinthian, chanel illusiore, and stila diamond lil to feed my taupe obsession.

002 items used up

2012-02-19T17:21:00.000-08:00

it's that time again, items i've used up. one of my favorite posts to read on other blogs and one of the most satisfying posts for me to write up.

SKINCARE

CERAVE LOTION
HG lotion for me. i have been using this for years, ever since i was recommended it by my dermatologist when i was on Accutane in high school (i was also recommended to try cetaphil, not a fan. too greasy!) non-scented, non-greasy, absorbs very quickly, keeps my skin soft and moisturized. i always stock up on these when i see a sale. you can find this in most drugstores. sometimes i think i should try something new but i am completely satisfied with this product so i dont feel the need to venture off. why fix what isn't broken, right?

NEUTROGENA MAKEUP REMOVER
i really like this and have repurchased this many times. doesn't burn my eyes, no oily residue, completely removes every trace of the loads of mascara i put on when used with a cotton round. i would repurchase this but i want to try other choices to see if this is the best as i am curious. i have my eyes on either sonia kashuk or boots. you can find a two pack of this at target for the same price as one! discovered that recently in the store so if you like this, check out your target.

BIORE PORE UNCLOGGING SCRUB
this was medicore at best. i have decided i hate face washes with large random beads in it as no matter how thorough i rinse my face there is always a few leftover hiding in my hairline, neck, etc. annoying. besides that fact, this facial wash did not do much for me. it didn't cause any adverse reactions with my skin but i saw no unclogging or positive results. will not repurchase. need another la roche posay effaclar cleanser! i loved that cleanser. or maybe i will dabble in some sort of gel cleanser from dermalogica as i hear good things about the brand.

THE BODY SHOP VITAMIN E INTENSE MOISTURE CREAM
i feel like i finished this very quickly. i hated the scent of this. must be the vit E scent? i applied this only at night as it is a bit heavy. i found it a bit greasy and in the morning when i wake up i feel like i have a thin layer of film on my face. it did seem to help when i had my bout of dry skin a month or so back but i will no repurchase this as i really hated the scent and i think there are better options to choose from other than this. glad i got this half off.

HAIR/BODY

ORGANIX COCONUT MILK CONDITIONER
wonderful creamy coconut scent but that is where the fun ends. this was very drying on my hair. shame because the scent is so lovely. unfortunately i have a couple bottles of this to use up as it was on sale but i am thinking about giving them to my younger sister because i cant stand how dry this makes my hair!

BBW BROWN SUGAR AND FIG & BLACK RASPBERRY VANILLA
i go through body lotion like crazy as i apply it all over after i shower. i usually turn to BBW as i like the scents best. i do feel like they take too long to absorb but the scent options they have are so great. the scent also lasts for a long time and transfers to my bedding so it always smells good. brown sugar and fig is alright, at times i think it smells slightly like play doh on me so i won't repurchase. black raspberry vanilla is my favorite scent from BBW so i will always repurchase. i actually like the body shop body butters best but the only scent i really care for is satsuma and i find i am only in the mood for that scent in the summer.

CARESS EVENLY GORGEOUS BODY WASH
my favorite drugstore body wash. i wont repurchase immediately since i am trying to use up some other body washes i have in stock but i will always repurchase as i love the caramelized sugar scent and it doesnt dry out my skin or give me that super "squeaky clean" feeling, which by the way, i hate and think is very harsh on the skin. i like being clean without the squeak.

MAKEUP

not much, like always but i am pretty proud of what i HAVE used up as i think foundations are tough to finish.

MAYBELLINE DREAM SMOOTH MOUSSE FOUNDATION
i can't recommend this product. especially for oily skinned ladies. dry skinned ladies might have better luck but this had a very short lasting power and was very horrible at oil control. i liked the satin finish and the coverage was so great as it covered the overall texture of my skin wonderfully but i got super oily in only a couple hours, had to blot constantly all day, and by the end of the night it separates and breaks down on my face. no bueno.

REVLON PHOTOREADY FOUNDATION
again, i can't recommend this foundation. it might just be because i did not have the right color match (too light) but this washed me out even when i added bronzer and i quite honestly don't think this photographs well on me. oil control and lasting power are much better with this product. finish is nice and i didnt notice any crazy sparkles on me. will not repurchase as i am pretty much giving up on drugstore foundations since my skin is so finicky.

LOREAL LINEUR INTENSE CARBON BLACK
i love this eyeliner. i find liquid liner to be much faster and easier than gel liner. it is super black, not too shiny, and has pretty decent lasting power. i see only slight fading in the inner corners of my eye by the end of a work day. i would repurchase but as of right now i want to explore other brands.

what have you finished lately? until next time...

worth the hype?: mac stereo rose

2012-02-16T21:37:00.000-08:00

i say i am uninspired to blog yet here i am the next day blogging! i felt like trying out stereo rose today and i wanted to share my preliminary thoughts on it.

TEXTURE
divine. no chunky particles, smooth, really easy to work with. i am only interested in the mineralized skin finishes that have great texture and a unique color blend. this MSF passes in both departments.

PIGMENTATION/FINISH
not too frosty, not matte, just a nice sheen. it has a nice balance of color and shine. it is flattering and doesnt emphasize any imperfections. pigmentation is nice. i dont need to swirl vigorously yet i dont need to be extra careful in applying too much.

LONGEVITY
i applied this around noon today and right now it is 1AM and the color is still there. impressive, especially since mineral products usually last a shorter amount of time than normal products (or so i hear, i never notice a difference)

COLOR
in the pan, gorgeous. i personally think the marbled coral is why people go nuts for this coveted item. on the cheeks however, it is just...okay. nothing spectacular, nothing horrible. just...okay. i actually think it looks a bit muddy on me. i see this more as a "topper" or mixing medium with other blushes. but those ARE the main ways MSF's are supposed to be used so i'm not complaining TOO much.

VERDICT
i love the texture and longevity of stereo rose. it is nice to have if you like collecting but if you don't own it i dont think you are missing out to be honest! i am glad i have it since i like collecting hard to find items, but it definitely isnt the most flattering shade i own. BUT i only used this one time so i cant really knock it too hard. i plan on mixing it with other blushes as i think that will yield much better results.

what do you think? do you have stereo rose and adore it? i'd love to hear what you think of the highly sought after MSF.

swap craze part II

2012-02-15T20:44:00.001-08:00

first things first, i am sorry i have been majorly slacking in posting often. i have many excuses (winter lighting, not enough hours in the day, my job, etc, etc) but what it all really boils down to is i just dont have the inspiration to blog. i am really enjoying quick fixes like instagram (my username is kellyyes, find me!) & twitter (also kellyyes) at the moment though, so if you are that disgruntled, i have been posting little thoughts and pictures everyday for your viewing pleasure until i get my surge of inspiration back.

i thought i would give you guys a little post on some products i've accumulated lately through swapping. every now and then i will get in the mood to swap for harder than average to find items through makeupalley (you can see my first swap post HERE).

MAC MINERALIZED BLUSH IN EARTH TO EARTH
this is very flattering, gives such a nice uplifted color to my cheeks. i just swirl and apply, i dont concentrate on any particular side. it does have a BIT of chunky glitter, but i find it easy to brush off with a clean brush.

NARS LOVEJOY
not a hard item to find but a good item to have. it is a bit of a blah color but it is very pretty and neutral on the cheeks. a browned rose, so to speak. i am glad to have added it to my nars collection.

MAC PIGMENT SAMPLES in SWEET SIENNA & GOLD MODE
sweet sienna is so gorgeous. i wish i had a full size of this. a beautiful dark shimmering taupe that leans a bit purple. i looked up pictures and this shade seems similar to mac's smoke and diamonds and stila diamond lil. i have going a bit taupe crazy lately, i will have to do a future post on it.

gold mode i am not a huge fan of. i tried using this all over the lid and it made me look washed out and weird. but i have never been a fan of having only one light shimmering color over the lid, i prefer darker shades.

MAC STEREO ROSE
finally! i have been wanting this for the longest time but i havent been able to get my grubby hands on it. i swapped this for my barely used tarte tipsy (never touched it really, i couldnt justify keeping it) and i think that is such a superb bargain. i have yet to use this, so i dont know if the hype is real. i have been trying out too many cheek products lately...

what new additions have you added to your collection? i love swapping, no large amounts of money involved :)

third time's a charm: not so short story on aldo qualheim booties

2012-02-06T21:08:00.000-08:00

back in one of my 'items i'm lusting after' posts i mentioned how much i was eying up the beautiful isabel marant dicker suede boots. seeing as this little delight costs $580, i closed that window out and placed it into my mental cupboard of things i wish i had but realistically know i won't get at this point in my life.

fast forward to a few weeks later when i spotted aldo's version of the style, the qualheim, in store. the color was flattering, the material was real suede, all in all, a good boot at a decent price ($90). still i was only mildly interested so i put the boot back on the shelf and thought if the dicker was still around in a couple years i would get them.

well a few months later these boots got marked down to $60. this time i tried them on and walked around. the appeal intensifies since i know the price is lower and also i realize it is a comfortable shoe to walk in. still, i know i want the real deal dammit, so i put it back on the shelf for the second time.

two days ago (i should just avoid the store, eh?) i see these boots are STILL on the shelf. and marked down to a bit over $40. too reasonable of a price to pass up, real deal or not i've brooded over these boots long enough. and so i purchased them...

and i'm glad i did. they will look so great with a crisp white summer dress, skinnies, high waisted shorts, really anything. though i am ashamed i bought a copy-cat (not a fan of endorsing any brand that does) i couldn't ignore the "third time's a charm" rule :P

what do you think of the qualheim boots? how would you wear them? are you guys analytical when you purchase things like i am? i hate shopping with other people because i always feel rushed! i take my sweet time considering how i would wear certain pieces...definitely not a try on quick & checkout type.

heavily under the influence: products bloggers made me buy

2012-01-16T08:49:00.000-08:00

i think we all are guilty of it, spending money on products you saw on another's blog. we all are prone to being cast under the influence of another. one of my favorite things about the beauty community is hearing what products others put their faith in. after all, there are so many products and so little time in this world and we need some way of narrowing it down. here are a few purchases i made because bloggers made me do it...

THE BODY SHOP FACE MIST
bought this because my skin was craving an extra boost of moisture but i wouldnt have even gave the product a second glance in the body shop if it werent for J! i love this little tonic in a bottle. it is a nice refreshing spray when my face seems a little dull. i usually spritz it on my face before i apply foundation to make things easier or afterward to make my skin feel hydrated and dewy.

MAC BLONDE'S GOLD PIGMENT
this is really a beautiful product and i feel like not many people talk about it. i first saw this because of Sandra. she used it a few times for some of her FOTD and the shade really stuck to me. i had to do a swap for this since it is a PRO item, but it was worth it. i love layering this on top of constructivist paint pot for an antiqued gold eye or even on its own for a complex pale gold shade.

ESSIE CLAMBAKE
i really debated on getting this since i own over 10 red nail polishes but boy am i glad i did pick it up. i saw Tiffany's manicure with this shade and if i didnt i probably would have never picked this shade up due to essie's massive red lineup. i thought it would be too similar to essie lollipop, but clambake is much more of an orange-red. highly recommend!

essie clambake

theBALM MARY LOU-MANIZER
i know for sure i wouldnt have given this product a second glance if it weren't for temptalia. im sure all of us have bought something because of christine, her reviews and swatches are phenomenal. i noticed she rated this product as an A+ which doesnt come by often so when i happened to pass by this highlighter at tjmaxx i had to try it. so glad i did since it is one of my favorite highlighters in my collection. so beautiful and the texture is divine.

BLISTEX LIP MEDEX
another product i saw on J's blog. she raved it was her HG lip savior and she was right (as usual). i recently picked this up since my lips have been a bit dry and i wanted to give them some intense moisture therapy. i use it as a nighttime treatment. i love the smooth hydrating formula and the menthol tingle (which isnt for everyone, i personally love it). i find the scent/taste isnt nearly as offensive as carmex (hate when carmex gets into my mouth, yuck).

MILANI BAKED BLUSHES
a drugstore gem. i first heard about these beauties from Danielle since she practically owns every shade and provided helpful swatches. my favorite way to use them is when layering blushes together. usually i set down a matte formula then lightly dust one of these on top. it adds a nice effect, try it!

what products were you influenced by other bloggers to purchase? if you want to see more details on any of the products mentioned, click the links in each category since i linked them back to posts of swatches/it worn on me.

in love with a polish?: laura mercier twilight nail polish

2012-01-10T12:32:00.000-08:00

is it possible to love a nail polish? this is one of those nail polishes that i swiped on and knew right away it was going to be one of my top nail polishes i have ever owned. if dark polishes are your thing, you might want to sit down before reading on.

laura mercier twilight has a smokey dark base with a flecks of purple suspended all throughout it. it is more interesting than just your average dark polish. when applied it actually retains the purple hue so it doesnt just look black on the nails, my number one frustration with dark polishes with a tint.

close up of the flecks.

with flash to show you a better look at the flecks.

i feel like i didnt capture the true beauty of this polish to show you all, but trust me when i say it is beautiful. the formula is really great, i did two thin coats. it isnt streaky or too thick, it applies very fluidly and nice. it has been three days of wear time (washing dishes, cooking, daily activities) and i have yet to see any wear on my mani. i highly recommend this if you love unique dark colors. at least check it out if you happen to cross paths with it! i have nothing like this shade in my collection so i am happy to be able to add it.

what do you think of laura mercier's twilight polish? if you are interested you should pick it up soon, it is a limited edition item!

cream products: solace for my dry skin

2012-01-09T13:51:00.000-08:00

lately my skin has been going through a dry spell. normally my skin (combo-oily) stays happy if i wash twice a day and apply my usual moisturizer immediately after no matter what season it is. all of a sudden i am getting dry flakes and the dreaded tightness of skin feeling even after moisturizing.

while i am blaming a couple of things for this misfortune (skin maturing, a certain orange neutrogena gel cleanser) i decided to make a little change to my routine...

no powder.

i bet you oily skinned ladies are staring with disbelief at those two little words! not only am i skipping powder, i am using all cream products. my arsenal:

chanel soliel tan de chanel, maybelline dream smooth mousse, laura mercier cream shadow, mac ccb in hush, bobbi brown pot rouge in powder pink.

really, it makes a difference. while i did add a few things to my skincare routine to get rid of the tightness and flakes (using TBS intense cream at night, stopping use of that drying neutrogena wash, and spritzing my face with TBS face mist every now and then) my skin is normal to the point where i dont have any oil slipping on my face from going sans powder. i have been loving the use of cream products to help add the much needed hydration and dewy factor to my skin. is this what normal skin types feel like every day?!?

all products in action:

i just slap on foundation with a buffing brush, chisel the cheekbones with soliel tan de chanel, add some color to the cheeks with the pot rouge blush, and add more dewiness by highlighting with mac's hush. voila! i find if i DO add powder to my routine it just sits on top of my skin, a noticeable veil. not to mention it really makes my dry spots prominent.

a closer look.

i have tried this with several (liquid) foundation mixes and it works equally as well. and any cream blush will do but you all know how much i love and highly recommend bobbi brown's pot rouges.

another happy discovery:

layering these two products together. if you own revlon coral reef and mac viva glam gaga, please try them together. by doing so you will get this:

this is the same lip combo i am wearing above, just a closer look.

i was playing around with combos with gaga (since i dont like the color on me at all. too much of a loud pastel bubblegum pink) and i happened to mix this gem of a combo. infinitely more pleasing to the eye, or so i think!

what do you think? do you normally go sans powder or is it a must? i thought it was a must but turns out every now and then, cream is my savior :)

005 what im eating

2012-01-08T16:57:00.000-08:00

bed of mixed greens (romaine, spinach, green onion, cilantro), tomato, cucumber, grilled beef (overcooked, i like my beef rarer than this) with lime chili + garlic vinaigrette. craving beef but had to do it in a healthy way!

greige nails: essie st. tropez

2012-01-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

lately i have been on a dark polish kick. i decided for my most recent mani to change it up a bit & do a nude nail. looking through my collection i picked essie st tropez, a color i had picked up last year but never had the chance to wear yet since i dont get into nude polish moods often.

first off, let's talk about the color. st tropez is one of those trendy "greige" colors, a blended mix of grey and beige. to me it leans more on the grey scale. it is a cream finish. i had high hopes for this polish since essie's creams usually deliver well.

now for the formula, ah the formula. the formula was a NIGHTMARE. probably the worst formula i have ever come across for essie. it was so thick and goopy making application VERY difficult. i tried painting multiple thin layers and the color looked streaky no matter what. i had to remove it all and start over again. the second time around i did thicker layers and it worked better but it still has extremely uneven/lumpy coverage which you all probably noticed in my pictures (if not seche vite did a good job at covering up the texture, at least from far away.)

**EDIT: i am hearing from a few people i must have gotten a bad egg since their formulas were just fine! so hopefully if you are interested in the color you can risk it and get a good bottle :)

shame because the color is nice. not my favorite, but nice. i am definitely a fan of the greige shades. i have been wanting opi skull and glossbones but i own essie playa de platinum which i heard is similar...

needless to say i doubt i will be attempting to use this polish again. i do wonder if i have a faulty bottle or if everyone has experienced the same with this shade. do you own st tropez? if so do you have a problem with the formula or have any tips to make application bearable? do tell!

my hunt for purple blush: mac vintage grape blush ombre

2012-01-04T14:50:00.000-08:00

if you have been a follower of my blog, you know i have no true purple shades of blush in my stash. this has started a bit of a personal frenzy to find the perfect plum blush. i recently was gifted my first purple blush contender, mac's vintage grape blush ombre, from a friend who knew i had my eye on the shade. i contemplated picking up azalea blossom blush ombre as well (both are from the daphne guinness collection) but i knew i would rarely reach for it due to it being such a cool pink (my least favorite blush shade.) the only reason i would have picked it up would strictly be for collection purposes (then i would need ripe peach as well, eh?) and because i find ombre products so darn pretty to look at.

i love the way this product looks in the pan. ombres make me so happy. i would describe the color as a pinkish lavender shading down to a dirty dark aubergine.

as expected with most mac blushes, swirling vigorously and copious amounts of layering is required for any color to noticeably show up on my skin. this doesn't bother me TOO much since i am so infatuated with how it looks in the pan. a vain reason, but true. this blog IS called a blog of vain pleasures after all!

on me vintage grape turns into a warm fuchsia. pretty, but not the purpley goodness i had in mind. i like how it wears on jessica more than on myself. next time i will try concentrating my brush on the darker side rather than haphazardly swirling about.

while i didnt find my ideal purple blush yet, i am not disappointed in picking up vintage grape. it is purple i can add to my collection (albeit a pinkish purple), the texture is decent, and it is an ombre which is a good enough reason itself. the hunt continues...

what is your favorite purple blush?

2011 favorites & my 1st set of beauty goals

2012-01-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

i dont know about all of you but i am loving all the "favorites of the year" posts that happen around this time since you get to see the cream of the crop in everyone's stash. time to contribute my favorites...

FACE:

FOUNDATION/CONCEALER
i didnt include a foundation because all year i was in the process of finishing up few foundations that i have had and dont particularly recommend wholeheartedly. i didnt mention a concealer because i havent found one i love yet :/

POWDER
mac msfn, even though it isnt great at keeping oil at bay. this one pictured is way too dark for me at the moment. i love the finish of the product so i will use it up when i am tanner.

BRONZER
i definitely used my cargo med matte bronzer the most this year. finely milled, pigmented, not orange, MATTE. nars laguna is definitely a runner up. i used laguna more for nights out since it has a fine shimmer to it, adding a subtle glow.

HIGHLIGHTER
nars albatross. this was hard for me to pick since theBalm mary lou-manizer was VERY close to beating albatross. both are beautiful. if you prefer very subtle highlighters, these might not be a good choice though.

CHEEKS
im surprised i was able to narrow this category down to two shades: nars deep throat and nars sin. all year i wore so many shades of blush but when i reflect back on the year, i definitely went crazy with these two shades. funny how deep throat made such an impression on me, im usually not a huge baby pink fan.

EYES:

EYE SHADOW
mac cork, brun, brule. basic browns, all matte. mac tan pigment, a favorite during the summer months when the sun can catch the shimmers but also great anytime for a pretty smokey eye.

BASE
most of the time this year i ignored my UDPP and TFSI and used mac paint pots instead. especially the shade groundwork, my favorite shade of them all.

MASCARA
hands down prestige my blackest lashes. it is cheap, very black, and gives such great volume. i still love makeup forever smokey lash overall but since it dries out so quickly and costs $20 ill stick with prestige for my everyday mascara.

LINER
mac feline. people either love this or hate it, i absolutely love it. easily glides on the eyelid AND waterline while being pitch black. i use it in practically every FOTD i post on my blog. i will continue to repurchase.

LIPS

LIPSTICK
mac hue. this will always be a favorite. i am not a huge lipstick wearer but when i do wear it i almost always reach for this.

GLOSS
estee lauder impulsive coral. i was gifted this. great texture and color.

NAILS

POLISH
too many to choose from. whenever i needed a good dose of a classic red i always reached for opi quarter of a cent-cherry. when i wanted a bright red mani i wore essie lollipop. for dark nails i loved opi my private jet. my favorite glitter was sephora by opi only gold for me. and lastly for my toes i almost always wore opi koala berry.

NAIL CARE
for softening and pushing back my cuticles i always used sally hansen's cuticle remover gel. and for a base coat i loved CND stickey base. i also used seche vite for my top coat but i forgot to picture it...

FRAGRANCE

definitely victor&rolf flowerbomb. i received so many compliments every time i wore this! do you see the amount i have left? i am already almost done with this bottle that i bought last year during the sephora F&F sale.

SKINCARE

MAKEUP REMOVER
neutrogena eye makeup remover. i like this better than estee lauder's and lancome's removers. i havent explored other brands though so after i finish my current bottle i am trying out something new just to make sure this is the best i have tried.

CLEANSER
i only had it for a couple months but my favorite by far was la roche posay efflaclar cleanser. it balanced my skin, kept breakouts from happening while not drying out my skin (oily skinned ladies this didnt make my skin feel tight after washing!) i need to pick up the full size.

MOISTURIZER
my HG, CeraVe moisturizing lotion. sinks in quickly, non-greasy, non-scented and easily available at the drugstore. i have been using this since high school when my dermatologist recommended it to me while i was on accutane. will always repurchase.

TREATMENT
la roche posay efflaclar duo. this has been such a great find. heard about this from some of my favorite bloggers so i picked it up in new york. it unclogged and reduced the amount of blackheads around my nose and completely eliminated stubborn bumps i always get around my chin and temples. highly recommend if you have small acne (white heads, blackheads, raised bumps) areas.

as for resolutions, i dont usually make them. but i decided this year will be the first time i will make some beauty goals so next year i can reflect back and see how well i did. bit of a time capsule effect.

1. my number one goal: stick with quality over quantity. i am resisting drugstore versions of high end products so i can apply that money toward the real deal. i have so many unloved products. i need to resist running to the drugstore every time i hear about a new product release. i have already started this goal since i have resisted in buying the revlon lip butters and the l'oreal infalliable cream shadows.

2. stop buying so much nail polish. seriously. i plan to get rid of shades by either swapping or selling them. i am going to try not to go crazy over collections.

3. explore brands that i never have tried before. i tend to be so loyal towards nars, mac, and cargo. i want to try out others to see if i am missing anything special. top of my list are becca, illamasqua, chanel, burberry, giorgio armani...

4. attempt a blog sale. this is sort of part of my first goal. i really want to downsize my collection.

& that's all folks. what are your beauty goals? i have been reading some really great goals posted lately. happy new year everyone! here is to 2012.

my first time: luxury gifts for christmas

2011-12-26T12:37:00.000-08:00

i feel so blessed. christmas was good to me this year. i thought i would share a little peek at a few of my gifts this year. all are things that have been on my wish list for a long time (besides the mac cleanse off oil, i have used this before and really enjoyed it but i havent gotten around to repurchasing. i like it more than shu uemura)

i can hear the angels singing...my first chanel and burberry items! i told myself when i purchase luxury brand cosmetics, i was going to wait until i could go all out and purchase a few things at once to try. looks like i get to jump start my exploration of luxury brands with chanel's soleil tan de chanel bronzing base and burberry's russet blush.

finally, FINALLY, i own nars mounia! i have been wanting this for the longest time but by the time i was committed to purchasing it they discontinued the shade. i am so happy i have this shade to add to my ever growing nars collection.

& of course, dolce and gabbana's light blue. i already have opened this and used it. i am still in love with the scent. i know it is massively popular and many people own it but i love the scent all the same. i keep smelling myself and smiling.

i leave you now with a picture of my awesome christmas sweater i wore. yes it has ribbons, pearls, and just about everything else you can think of on it. super baggy, tacky, festive, and fabulous har har.

i hope you all had a great holiday with plenty of food, love, and family/loved ones. i am so thankful for all i have. share what you got for gifts lovely readers! i love hearing what people end up receiving.

now i have to ponder about what to wear for new years. it is coming up fast...

christmas eve media

2011-12-24T14:04:00.000-08:00

this year i have discovered i have become much more comfortable going outside the "nude lipsticks only" territory. case in point: today i am wearing mac's media, a recent addition to my lipstick collection. i back to mac'ed for this because if i am going to wear a red it is going to be a dark berry red. the bright cherry reds dont seem to flatter me, or so i think...

i also wore bobbi brown's pot rouge in blushed rose. i havent worn this shade in a long time and i dont know why. it will always be one of my favorite blush shades since it adds such a soft touch of color to my face while blending in the skin so easily.

are you uncomfortable wearing bold lip shades or is wearing color normal for you? i am still a nude lipstick girl at heart, but being a little bold can be fun every once in a while...

holiday cookies + mani

2011-12-23T10:39:00.000-08:00

here is my holiday mani of choice this year: blood red nails with silver glitter accent. nothing massively creative, just something festive. plus i was itching to try out my new set in stones glitter polish i blogged about last time.

i used essie limited addiction for the blood red. as for my accent nail i used revlon silver ring as a base with two coats of essie set in stones. i thought about doing all my nails this combo but i really wanted to try out limited addiction which, by the way, is insanely smooth and pigmented. one coat of this polish and i couldnt see any nail line. i did three coats out of habit but it definitely didnt need that many. wear time seems to be great, this is three days of wear and tear!

hope you are all enjoying your holidays, i have already dived into the festivities! yesterday i spent 5 hours rolling and baking my grandma's thin sugar cookies. talk about exhausting. i am actually not a huge fan of the typical thick and frosted sugar cookies always seen around this time, i only like my grandma's thin and sprinkled version! they are small, melt in your mouth and they especially pair well when dipped in a cup of hot tea. yum.

happy holidays! cant wait to see what everyone gets for christmas this year....

diy christmas present idea: crayon art

2011-12-18T15:37:00.000-08:00

another DIY present project: retro crayon art! this is a really easy inexpensive idea i saw on tumblr (i cant find the link for it!) i plan on giving this to my younger sister, i think she will think it is really neat, at least i hope so!

things you will need:

crayons (i used a 48 count box)
canvas (i used a 12x16 but any size you want will do)
hot glue gun and hot glue
a bowl of warm water
towel/old fabric
hairdryer

step 1
align your crayons in the order you would like. i am going for a rainbow effect, but you can be creative and use only blue tones, grey tones, etc.

step 2
this part is optional, but i prefer the look without the wrapping. if you want to keep the wrapping on skip this step.

if you want bare crayons, peel off the wrapper. to make this MUCH easier and less time consuming, soak your crayons in a bowl of warm water. you have to figure out what temperature works best by testing it, too hot and your crayon will melt, too cold and the wrapper doesn't unravel as easy. experiment! i found if the water was just bearably hot to the touch, it was perfect. any colder and it didnt peel off as easily.

step 3
once unwrapped, hot glue your crayons in the order you like at the topmost part of the canvas. make sure to place the hot glue on the CANVAS, and then place the crayon on top of the glue. putting the hot glue on the crayon itself will melt your crayon and get it all over your glue gun.

step 4
place old fabric or a towel underneath your canvas and start blow drying! keep your blow dryer on either medium or high heat (i did high) and keep the speed setting at LOW. if you blast the crayons on high speed wax will fly everywhere and you won't get very neat dripping effects.

take your time, use different angles to blow the hot air and try to keep a decent distance from the canvas. blowing too close to the crayons muddles the wax together so you can't see all the colors individually. if you find you have bare spots on your canvas, focus on those areas. tilt the canvas at different angles to let the wax settle in different areas. if you have to, take a break and turn off the dryer so the wax can settle in certain areas of the canvas. be creative and experiment yourself!

finished!

now you have a neat piece of art that you can frame. i think this is such a neat and fun idea, not to mention colorful.

what do you think of crayon art? i hope you think it is as neat as i do :)

004 vain rambling

2011-12-17T16:26:00.000-08:00

time for another installment of vain rambling, where i dedicate my rambling of a few beauty products all in one post so i dont have to do many little posts individually for each product.

i went to a beauty supply store with the full intention of picking up the cult favorite opi lincoln park after dark as well as its sister lincoln park after midnight. if you follow my blog you know i tend to never pay full price for polish, i always hit up beauty supply stores for the heavy discount (usually 50% off).

i am still surprised with myself that i dont own lincoln park after dark, being the nail polish addict that i am. i have been in the mood for a deep, dark purple shade and i dont really have anything like that in my vast collection. sadly when i got to the store, they were fresh out of these two shades. i did, however, end up with a few shades i have had my eye on...

essie limited addiction, set in stones, and opi warm and fozzie.

this beauty supply store had a full display of the essie luxe effects collection. out of the collection, 'set in stones' was the only shade i was interested in. i already have sally hansen's hidden treasure so i saw no need to pick up 'shine of the times'. i am glad i picked this shade up, it satiates my need for silver glitter. i originally wanted sephora by opi's flurry up, but i like essie's version better.

limited addiction has been on my list to grab. nothing special, just a dark blood red. i have so many polishes in this shade but i keep wanting to try different versions. i will have to do a comparison post to what i already have.

as for opi's warm and fozzie, this was the only shade i really wanted from the muppets collection. for some reason rainbow connection really doesnt tug at my heartstrings. this bronze shade, however, does. i wonder if this is similar to mac mercenary?

speaking of polish, i am currently wearing opi russian navy. great choice if you love dark navy/almost black shades.

!!!!!

estee lauder peach nuance blush. i have been wanting this for the longest time but i havent had the chance to purchase it myself. this was gifted to me by my wonderful friend, Hieu, who i have mentioned a few times here on my blog.

this is supposed to be a softer more fool proof version of mac's 'ripe peach' blush ombre. since i dont own ripe peach (yet!) i am ecstatic i get to try out this blush, especially since this shade has been discontinued as well :/

i believe some counters still have it in stock, but once they run out i believe that is it! if you are interested, ask your nearest counter.

something non-beauty related, but i stopped by my local thrift store and picked up a few books i have been wanting to read for only a dollar each. talk about a bargain. the books i purchased were middlesex, the shack, and 13 reasons why. i am probably giving the latter to my younger sister for christmas since i know she has been wanting to read it. the other two books are ones i currently have checked out from my library :)

what books are you reading at the moment? i love hearing book suggestions :)

what i bring with me when i travel

2011-12-14T11:49:00.000-08:00

recently i took a small trip to minnesota to visit relatives. i thought i would share what products i brought with me when i went as well as reflect back on what i ACTUALLY used. what i bring with me when i travel always varies. it depends on what i will be doing on the trip (parties? family events? low key outings?) and how long i am gone. my trip was a little less than a week long and i planned on low key outings with maybe one night out.

THE BAG
this is what i fit everything into. it is a GWP bag from estee lauder i received from my friend.

THE FACE
i am happy to report i used every item here! i also brought a mixture of revlon photoready and neutrogena healthy skin liquid makeup for foundation, but it is contained in a not aesthetically pleasing container so it is obviously not pictured.

BONNEBELL GLIMMER BRONZER
i use this to add a nice glow to my face. i havent reached for it in a while so i thought i should start using it again.

CARGO TONGA BLUSH
love this shade. i never really understood this shade until i got paler. extremely natural color, it looks like my own skin flushed. highly recommend if you are light-med in skin tone...especially light.

CARGO MED MATTE BRONZER
i wont blabber about this anymore. i always use this for my bronzer, i am trying to use it up. look at that pan mark!

MILANI LUMINOSO
i have been neglecting my milani blushes so i brought this along to force myself to use it. i like it but sometimes it looks too orange on me.

MAYBELLINE DREAM MATTE POWDER
i just bought this which i mentioned in my last post. i like it so far.

MAC LIGHTSCAPADE
i keep reaching for this highlighter. i love the subtle glow it imparts.

THE EYES
i used almost everything here.

theBALM SHADY LADY VOL 1
i wont go into this any further since i've done so many posts on this lately (swatches and a look). i used this every day while i was away.

MAC QUAD
inside is cork (one of my favorite e/s ever), brule, brun, and club. i didnt use any of these shades, i was too busy with all my options from shady lady.

MAC PAINTPOT in QUITE NATURAL
i usually like to bring a paint pot along when i travel since it doubles as a primer and lid color. quite natural is a matte dirty brown. if you want to see swatches see my paint pot collection post.

EYELINERS, MASCARAS, and SUCH
i used both feline and lineur intense (this one is about done...need a new one!) everyday. i also made myself proud by bringing only one mascara. the nyx jumbo pencil was untouched the whole time. i had no need for a black base.

THE LIPS
every single thing pictured was not used! i brought a good variety but ended up going gloss and lipstick free the whole time. too busy eating family food :) pictured here is mac lipsticks in media and creme d'nude (these are new, post coming soon...), stila glosses in raisin and grapefruit, and mac lipgloss in florabundance.

i didnt do TOO terribly in overpacking (i normally do). next time i'll cool it on the lip products since i tend to ignore those the most when i travel. and not so many eye shadows next time.

what do you bring when you travel? also, what do you put all your cosmetics in when you travel? i have been trying to find a bigger/more sturdy case...

using shady lady vol 1...

2011-12-13T12:12:00.001-08:00

i thought it would only be fair to show a look i have done multiple times using my shady lady vol 1 palette since i already showed you how i used vol 2 in my last post. this time i stuck with my favorite kind of look, a neutral one. easy and basic!

again, caught in the act courtney (the most difficult shade when swatching) was pigmented and applied smoothly when used on the eye. i had no problems with blending and i didnt have to try hard to make the color show up. these palettes are turning out to be greater than i first anticipated...

face: i cant remember what i used for foundation...either revlon photoready or maybelline dream smooth mousse since that is all that matches me right now, maybelline matte powder, cargo med matte bronzer, milani luminoso blush

eyes: groundwork paint pot, luscious lani on lid, caught in the act courtney in crease and smudged under the eyes, lineur intense liner, mac feline, prestige my blackest lashes (what else?!)

lips: mac florabundance

what do you think? very boring huh? i quite like boring...

diy christmas present idea: laundry detergent

2011-12-12T14:29:00.000-08:00

this year for christmas i decided i was going to get more crafty when it came to gifts. it is more personal and i really enjoy diy projects!

for my parents i decided to try making some homemade laundry detergent. my parents are really into natural type products (they love Tom's for toothpaste!) so i thought it would be a neat project for me to try out. plus it will be something new for my parents to try!

i chose a simple recipe, a powder one. all you have to do is grate and measure! as for if it is the best/cleanest/most effective detergent, i am not sure. i will have to get feedback from my parents after they use it.

here is what i used:

1 bar of fels-naptha
1 bar of castile soap
baking soda

fels-naptha is an old school laundry soap. this will probably be the hardest item for you to find. i found mine at my local True Value store in the soaps/laundry aisle.

as for castile soap, it should be easier. i used dr. bronners which i found at target. if you want a cheaper alternative (dr bronners is expensive, around $5 for one bar!) try walmart for kirk's castile soap. it comes in a pack of three for around $3-4.

all i did was grate the soaps with a cheese grater, add 1 1/2 cups of baking soda, and stirred it all together. for each load, about a 1/3 cup should be used... 1/2 cup for heavily soiled ones. to store my mixture i found a glass canister at the salvation army for 50 cents, but you could put it in a mason jar if you had that handy.

what do you think? do you make your own detergent? what recipe do you use? i hope this recipe i used works well for my parents.

i have a few diy christmas present ideas that i will probably share if they turn out well so stay tuned...

picking up the essentials

2011-12-11T16:21:00.000-08:00

well, maybe i am using the term 'essentials' loosely here, but you get the general idea. i needed a few beauty items lately that were desperately needed to make my beauty routine easier. a little bit of tried and true things with a few new items.

THE BODY SHOP VITAMIN E FACE MIST
i visited the body shop as so i could find a remedy to my severely dry skin from the cold weather. i usually can get by with my normal moisturizer, but i was finding lately it wasn't enough. luckily when i stopped in, the body shop had a "spin the wheel to see your savings" deal. i spun and got a coupon for 50% off my entire purchase. not bad!

i decided to try this face mist out. it is supposed to be a hydrating finishing spray, this is my first time trying any type of finishing spray!

COTTON ROUNDS
simple but definitely needed. funny how much of a difference cotton makes! i ran out and tried to remove my eye makeup with toilet paper, what a disaster...

THE BODY SHOP VITAMIN E INTENSE MOISTURE CREAM
this is a thick pink cream. i was debating whether or not to try this intense thick version or the thinner day version. i was worried this would be too greasy for day wear but so far so good on the hydrating front. i hate the scent though! very vitamin E smelling if that makes sense...

PRESTIGE MY BLACKEST LASHES
definitely my favorite drugstore mascara...a no brainer :) i have yet to get sick of this.

MAYBELLINE DREAM MATTE POWDER
my usual finishing powder (mac msfn) is too dark for me at the moment since i am embracing my winter complexion. i thought i would try something new, especially since i have heard so much about this powder.

what are your beauty essentials? also, i'd love to hear what you dry skinned ladies use to combat tight dry skin!

using shady lady vol 2...

2011-12-04T15:53:00.000-08:00

i thought i would share a look i did using the shady lady vol 2 palette that i showed you all swatches of in my last post. i decided to do a smokey blue since i rarely use blue eye shadow. i think it is because of those icy, tacky, blue shadows people used to abuse in the 90s haha.

surprisingly feisty felicia worked well when used on the eyes. i didn't experience any patchiness or lack of pigmentation like my previous swatched showed, though the shimmers still didn't transfer. of course all the other shades i used worked smoothly and effortlessly, just like the swatches showed.

products used:

face: MUF HD foundation (not sure if i like this, it is just a sample), mac msfn, cargo med matte bronzer, benefit dallas blush

eyes: UDPP (i used a really old one which i think caused an adverse rxn to my eyelids), nyx jumbo pencil in black bean, shady lady vol 2 palette (bossy bobbi on lid, feisty felicia in outer v, just this once jamie to blend out, tempting tara in inner corner), loreal lineur intense, prestige my blackest lashes

lips: mac florabundance (trying to use this all up, i hate the formula!)

004 what i'm eating

2011-12-03T17:10:00.000-08:00

half pesto, half (homemade) marinara. toppings of choice: tomato, mushrooms, pepperoni...all baked on homemade naan. i have been obsessed with naan! it goes with everything...pizza, eggs, cheese, gyros...endless possibilities!

long hair don't care: my hair history

2011-12-03T11:18:00.000-08:00

my hair. it used to be the bane of my existence. now we both are on talking terms and try to tolerate each other. in all seriousness, my hair has always been a battle for me. ready for a long story (if not...skip below to see pictures of my natural hair vs styled hair)?

from infancy to around 12 years old i had easy to manage straight hair. once puberty hit, my hair went from straight glossy locks to a wavy frizzy mess. once i got to high school, my locks turned into curly ringlets. to deal with the sudden change, my hair spent a lot of time in braids and buns. i rarely ever wore it down.

the braid. this was during my senior year of high school. i look fabulous, i know haha.

during my high school years i loathed my hair. i just wanted my straight perfect hair back so i could do cute hairstyles or just wake up and go to school like everyone else (if you have naturally curly hair, you know what i mean. it must be styled someway to be kept tamed!) instead i was stuck with my long, curly, thick, unmanageable hair. my parents did not allow me to use any hot tools on my hair. they loved my natural hair texture and style. i continued with the braids and buns...occasionally i would diffuse my hair and wear it down, but by the middle of the day i would put it back up in the safe bun/braid. i dyed it once, a lighter brown shade, but i regretted it. i hated waiting for the color to fade away! i never dyed my hair again.

my hair, styled with gel, mousse and pinned halfway. this was my junior year in college.

once i went to college, i had begun to embrace my curly hair. i experimented with layers and different products to make my hairstyle manageable and started to wear it down, or at least half-way down, often. the volume of my hair also got manageable, it used to be so thick i couldn't handle it all. it became a "normal" thickness. i still wished for straight, or even wavy hair. i decided to take matters into my own hands (now that i was away from my parents) and try my hand at hot tools.

i first tried a basic drugstore straightener...conair. horrible. sure it made my hair straight, but it was puffy and frizzy still, not the sleek style i imagined.

next i tried the CHI. my friend had a CHI and begged me to let her straighten my hair with it. i allowed it. i ended up with slightly better results than the conair, so i wasn't impressed. i had given up. if the famous CHI straightener couldn't tame my locks, what hope did i have?

skip to last summer. I was wedding gown shopping with/for my best friend who got married this summer. the other bridesmaids came along as well. one of the bridesmaid's mother is a hairstylist, so naturally her daughter had access to the neat tools to try...and she had a GHD. i had heard of the GHD from blushingpixie, but i was skeptical. if the CHI didn't work on my difficult hair, i doubted this expensive tool would. regardless, i was curious so i asked if i could take it for a spin. and that, my friends, changed everything.

words can't express my love for my GHD. it does everything i have been dreaming about since puberty: sleek, shiny, straight hair! i was amazed. something finally tamed my crazy hair. to show you what i mean....

my natural hair. no products, not styled, natural color.
all i did was shower the night before and wake up to this. i prefer showering at night, my hair takes forever to dry!

styled with the GHD.
on me, i don't like the stick straight look. i prefer from the roots to about 3/4 down to be straight with the ends curled. it looks more sophisticated and voluminous.

the back of my hair.

ever since my GHD, i RARELY ever wear my hair naturally curly anymore. don't get me wrong, it isn't that i hate curly hair. i think some girls really rock it and it looks magnificent on them. but on ME, i really prefer the sleeker and smoother look. with curly hair i seem to look about 5 years younger than my normal age. i think with the GHD styled hair, i look the right age. once i have a solid career and money to blow, i am definitely investing in the brazilian keratin treatment.

well that is my (long) hair story. what is yours? i love reading people's hair history. im sorry i dont have any pictures of my hair during my youth to show you...i dont have access to the pictures at the moment or a scanner. if you want to do a post on your own hair history, link it below so i can read!

have you tried the GHD? if you have curly, thick, or coarse unmanageable hair i can't recommend it enough. if your hair is already straight, thin, or fragile i don't think this is the best option for you since it will probably fry your hair (there is only one automatic heat setting and it is extrememly hot!)

who's that shady lady? vol 2

2011-12-02T11:02:00.000-08:00

as promised in my last post (click HERE to see my post on shady lady vol 1), here are swatches and pictures of theBalm's shady lady volume 2. let me just say whoever came up with all these risque name combinations is pretty clever. i kinda wish they had a shadow named kelly just to see what they came up with (hopefully not kinky, how unoriginal would that be)...

like its predecessor, all nine shades range from shimmery to metallic. no mattes, again, unfortunately.

caught in the act courtney
the only repeat in this palette, exact first shade as in vol 1. dark chocolate brown with gold sparkles. this shade was still difficult...

feisty felicia
blackened plum with purplish red sparkles. this was even more difficult than courtney. i couldnt make the sparkles show up in swatches, just the blacken plum shade showed up.

insane jane
metallic taupe. probably my favorite shade in this palette.

bossy bobbi
metallic medium blue. this is lighter and more frosty than risque renee in shady lady vol 1.

makeout mary
golden khaki. this is more golden/yellow compared to the dirty olive of all about alex in shady lady vol 1.

just this once jamie
dirty mauve with a silver sheen. unique shade, i have nothing like this.

mischievous marissa
frosty golden orange.

tempting tara
frosty white. pretty standard color but i actually dont have a frosty white in my collection. i can see this being very dupable to most though.

devilish danielle
frosty peach. the peach of this shade is so similar to my skin color that it is hard to show up on me. not the shade's fault though, we just match.

swatched all together in the same order as above:
i omitted caught in the act courtney since it was the same exact shade in volume 1.

like shady lady volume 1, 2/9 shades are seemingly difficult to work with (seemingly because i havent tried these out on my eyes yet, this is just an observation from swatching). the rest are perfectly smooth and buttery. and again, i wish there were a couple matte shades.

i prefer vol 1 over 2 so far just because of the color range (mischevious marissa scares me...orange *gulp). however, i am still glad i picked up volume 2 because of the overall quality and uniqueness of the colors. is this palette worth the full $40 retail price? not to me because of the 2 poor shades and i dont absolutely love all 9 shades. BUT, it is worth the discounted $13 at tjmaxx. this palette is still available at theBalm and sephora websites.

what do you think? do you prefer volume 1 or 2? or...volume 3? volume 3 has a very "spring" theme to it, most of the colors are pastel/brights.

who's that shady lady? vol 1

2011-12-01T12:29:00.000-08:00

i've had quite the love affair with theBalm lately. the first time i heard of theBalm products was way back when during kandee johnson's youtube tutorials (she always used the shady lady palette, volume 1) i remember wanting the palette, but not enough to shell out $40 USD.

fast forward to this year where (i feel) theBalm has expanded and gotten more well known in the beauty world. i blame the "cast your shadow palette" (aka the muppet palette, which i got...debating if i will put up a post on it or not...there are so many already).

the first products i picked from theBalm were the mary lou-manizer and betty lou-manizer. both of which i really enjoy using (especially mary).

now i bring you a couple new additions to my collection: shady lady volumes 1 & 2. i found these lurking in a tjmaxx...both were only $13 USD. $13 instead of $40? i didn't have a chance in resisting...

i thought i'd talk about vol 1 first since this will be a picture heavy post (hmm...which posts of mine arent picture heavy?!)

a classic indicator i got these from tjmaxx...do you see the contamination (the fingerprints, not mine i assure you)? luckily only a few shades were tainted so i just sanitized with alcohol before using.

the palette contains nine shades all together ranging from shimmery to metallic finishes. no mattes here, unfortunately.

caught in the act courtney
dark chocolate brown with gold sparkles. this was the most difficult shade, it was pigmented but swatched poorly.

shameless shana
warm metallic tan. very smooth and buttery.

luscious lani
frosty skin-tone pink. another smooth and buttery shade. this is VERY similar to mac naked lunch. naked lunch is a tad more frosty and slightly more peach.

jealous jordana
dark shimmery emerald green. this is very dark and pigmented.

risquee renee
dark navy denim. similar finish and consistency as jealous jordana.

curvy cami
purple-pink hybrid with silver sparkles. the texture of this shade is a bit crumbly, probably due to the silver sparkles. second most difficult shade to work with.

jet-setting jennifer
muted icy gold. i love this shade, it is so stunning in person. it reminded me of nars albatross blended out, but albatross is a much brighter and a more yellow gold.

all about alex
dark golden olive. another shade i love. the texture and finish is divine. i thought of mac sumptuous olive when i first swatched it, but sumptuous olive is much lighter and leans more gold. i like this more than sumptuous olive.

easy wheezie
metallic blueish steel grey. similar texture as all about alex. this reminded me of urban decay gunmetal, but gunmetal is MUCH darker and not as blue.

swatched all together in same order as above:

overall i am happy i picked this palette up. i love the color range since you get neutrals as well as an array of beautiful colors to play with. the texture (extremely smooth and buttery) of the great performing shades is the best i have ever come across, they beat mac and urban decay by a mile. i am especially happy that most of the colors aren't dupeable within my collection.

the only shades that seem to perform poorly were the two sparkly ones (courtney and cami). i wouldnt pay the full $40 because 2/9 shades arent satisfactory and i wish there were a couple matte shades included, but i would definitely recommend this palette if you can find it for the discounted price because of the overall texture and color range.

this palette actually isnt available anymore. your best bet is to look in your local tjmaxx or try to swap with someone. volumes 2 and 3 are still available at theBalm's website and sephora.

do you own this palette? what do you think of the shades?

next post i will share volume 2 swatches...

001 items used up

2011-11-30T18:43:00.000-08:00

my first ever items i've used up. i thought this would be a nice little series to add to my blog since i really enjoy seeing these types of posts on other blogs (like sandra's, ebru's, & julie's for example)

unfortunately it is mostly non-makeup items (the hardest to use up!) but still, they are items worth mentioning...

+ rockaholic dirty secret dry shampoo
this was just a mini version. thank goodness i didnt get the full sized since i didnt care for this. the scent makes me a bit nauseous (not nearly as much as tresemme though) and it doesnt give much volume. i am still on the hunt for the best dry shampoo (fredrik fekkai?!?). right now i am using bastiste and i am still not fully satisfied...needless to say i will not be repurchasing.

+ mario badescu herbal hydrating serum
background on my skin: oily & slightly sensitive with noticeable pore size. i rarely break out, when i do it is due to stress and hormones (i used to be severely acne prone but i went on accutane so now i dont have that problem anymore). my skin doesnt get abnormally dry, only in the winter/colder weather...as in NOW. my skin has been SO dry lately. i found this free sample i got from ulta a while back hiding in my bathroom and figured what the heck...

i really liked this. the only thing holding me back from getting the full version is the price ($30 USD for 1 oz, ouch) the consistency is a thin blue gel that rubs in clear. it absorbs quickly and isn't greasy/sticky at all. i didn't use this alone, (i dont think you are supposed to) i used it in conjunction with my normal moisturizer (CeraVe moisturizing lotion, if you were curious)

i would say if you have severely dry skin this probably wont fulfill your needs. for my seasonal dryness this was really nice. maybe i'll ask for this for christmas...

+ la roche-posay effaclar purifying foaming gel cleanser
i bought this at a cvs in new york. if you can recall from my last post about this product, it came with a full sized effaclar duo (which i am still using, and loving).

i really liked this cleanser. i loved how fresh and clean it smelled, how it didnt strip my skin, and how it made my skin feel clean and soft. i wouldn't say i noticed a HUGE difference in reduction of my blackhead problem areas (it is meant for acne/blackhead prone skin) but regardless i would repurchase this if it were more available in my area.

+ stila lip glaze in apricot
this is also a mini version. and again, THANK GOODNESS. i loved the shade of this gloss, a sheer light apricot shade...and sure it is moisturizing and didn't cause any adverse reactions to my lips. but this is SO incredibly sticky and thick. if you are thinking about trying out stila's "famous" lip glazes, please reconsider if you hate sticky glosses. unfortunately i have about 5 other shades of these lip glazes that came in a set together left to use up which i am doing at an excruciatingly slow pace...

+ nyc bronzer in sunny
!!!!!
ok so the WHOLE pan isnt gone...but this is HUGE people! i am ruling this product as done because no matter how much i swirl against what is left, nothing transfers on my brush. the product is hard and caked over rendering it unusable. this is a very good and affordable matte bronzer (maybe $5 USD or less). i would recommend it if you are on a budget, and that's about it. i won't be repurchasing since i plan on moving on to bigger and better things (dior and chanel mmm)

that is it for this edition...until next time when i think i will have a few mascaras and lotions as contenders...

what have you used up lately?

003 my world according to my phone + thanksgiving

2011-11-26T11:34:00.001-08:00

just a few photos to show you what ive been up to: eating, reading, and playing. mmm mrs. field's chocolate chip cookies...i wish i knew the recipe for these(does anyone?)!

i went black friday shopping (nothing crazy, i went during normal people times) and came across all three shady lady palettes at tjmaxx! amazing. unfortunately volume 3 had huge gouges in some of the shades so i only picked up vol 1 and 2....more on that in another post.

i love the muppets, but i thought the movie was a bit boring. i dont recommend it. i do, however, HIGHLY recommend these dark chocolate bavarian twists. salty/sweet goodness. totally addicted.

hope you all had a great thanksgiving!

favorite fall blushes

2011-11-22T20:19:00.000-08:00

ahh one of my favorite subjects: blush. one of the most enjoyable posts to read for me is 'favorite' type posts. i thought i would do my top fall blushes...before winter is here!

i tend to reach for richer, darker shades in the fall. think berry, plum, and wine shades. i actually dont have that many blushes in this category, i'd really like to expand it in the future.

nars multiple tint in beverly hills
beverly hills is a sheer, bright cherry gel. i love using this for quick looks. i have been reaching for this product for only mascara days. it gives that 'been building a snowman outside in the cold' cheek.

the formula is a bit sticky but very thin and sheer so blending is a breeze (i use either my fingers or a duo fibre brush for application.) these multiple tints were limited edition, but i have heard they still have them on drugstore.com.

nars sin
sin is a muted sparkling berry. i have been wearing this blush NON-STOP. i thought i would be sick of it after using it for 2 weeks straight but the love keeps on coming.

there are gold sparkles but they dont translate on the face as such big particles, just glowy skin.

mac warm soul
hmm a no brainer, if you follow my blog you know i already have professed my love for this blush. very neutral, great paired with any look (especially smokey eyes)

not a berry shade, but i find myself wanting neutral brown shades like this to warm up my cheeks.

cargo lyon
lyon is a matte wine shade. you can see me wearing this shade HERE.

love the quality of cargo blushes. plus you get so much product.

cargo mendocino
this shade is very similar to lyon, except it is sheerer and shimmery. it is also in the wine family.

like nars sin, the shimmers arent overwhelming, no big particles transfer on the face.

swatches (left to right): beverly hills, sin, warm soul, lyon, mendocino

what are your favorite fall blushes? i wish i had more deep purple shades...most of my berry shades are red based purples. perhaps i should turn to illamasqua for my aubergine cravings...

review: nyx blushes

2011-11-21T10:17:00.000-08:00

i thought i should do an updated nyx blush post since my old pictures are pretty pathetic and my fellow blogger, Dovey, was curious about the products. i would say nyx is most known for their blushes and eye shadows with good reason; they have a huge color selection, the quality is nice, and the price is so affordable.

my nyx collection is pretty modest. i own a few powder blushes and one cream blush. i used to own many of their eye shadows but i gave them all away to my younger sister since i barely touched them and the amount of eye shadows i have is preposterous.

the shades i own are expresso, dusty rose, taupe, and glow. on to the swatches...

expresso
this is my favorite shade of them all. i solely got this shade because laura once did a post on it and it looked amazing on her.

the shade is a browned peachy pink. on me expresso is a really natural color that makes my skin look healthy.

dusty rose
this was the first shade i ever picked up.

the shade is a muted rosey pink. when i wear this it gives me a nice pink flush.

taupe
i picked up this shade in mind to use it as a contour color. unfortunately i do not like using this color for contouring, the shade is too grey for my liking and it makes my complexion look dull.

taupe is a greyed brown. i have heard this shade is similar to mac's emote. i wouldnt know because i dont own emote.

glow
my only cream blush from nyx. the consistency is thin and a bit sticky, but not nearly as sticky as mac cream blushes. blending is no problem because of the thin formula.

the shade is a fresh dewy medium pink. it is very similar to mac's posey.

overall i would recommend nyx blushes if you are on a budget or if you see a shade that you find unique to your collection. they are silky soft to the touch, very blendable, and strongly pigmented. they can be a bit powdery (since they are so soft) and they arent as long lasting as higher end brands but for the price ($4-6) and huge color selection, that isnt much to complain about.

i dont plan on getting anymore products from nyx, just because i think other brands perform better and because my blush collection is a bit ridiculous. i do, however, have my eye on the shade raisin...only because the shade is unique to my stash and i cant find any higher end dupe for it.

do you own nyx blushes? what shades are your favorite?

FOTD: club your eye

2011-11-05T11:43:00.000-07:00

i thought i would share my recent FOTD using mac's club eyeshadow. i really love this eyeshadow because it is so darn pretty. depending on what base you use you can bring out different colors from the shadow. i love how it has a brown base to it so you can easily make a neutral look with it.

i chose to make more of a deeper/smokey look with it by pairing it with a black base. this would probably be a bit too dramatic for most during the daytime, especially those who are paler, but i like to wear a smokey eye every now and then for day.

love the subtle blueish/green tinge it gives.

face:
mixture of revlon photoready & neutrogena healthy skin foundation, mac msfn, lightscapade msf for highlight, nars sin

eyes:
nyx black bean base, mac club on lid & parisian skies in crease, loreal lineur intense, feline kohl liner, prestige my blackest lashes

lips:
revlon just enough buff

i highly recommend this shadow if you dont own it already, it is so neat to use not to mention really wearable. do you own club? how do you use it?

an ode to warm soul

2011-11-02T15:41:00.000-07:00

ok so i am not going to recite any poetry for you...but i do really love mac's warm soul blush...so much that i am dedicating a whole post to it.

warm soul is one of mac's mineralized blushes. it is part of the permanent line (thank goodness). the color isn't anything loud or bright, but rather neutral and a staple color to have in your collection, in my humble opinion.

swatches from left to right: mac melba, warm soul, nars madly.
warm soul has the perfect harmony of peach, pink, and brown to it. i love when neutral blush shades have tones of brown in it since it seems to pair with my skin tone the best.

it does have a fine shimmer to it since it is a mineralized product, but it isnt noticeable on the skin...it is just enough to add a bit of dimension to the cheeks. apologies for the lack of lighting in this picture, it was a cloudy day so i wasnt able to capture the slight shimmers this normally has.

warm soul on me. it gives such a soft, natural flush. warm soul is also pigmented so i dont need to work hard to make it show up (my biggest concern with neutral blushes)

a closer look

would i recommend this? i think you know that my answer is YES. this was one of my first purchases ever from mac and i am still on the same one! i will continue to repurchase this whenever i run out. it should work well across all skin tones because, like i said, the pigmentation isnt a problem.

the only factor of concern that is possible is the lasting power. i honestly dont pay attention to wear time since i have never had issues with this product. i have heard most people get less wear time with mineralized products (around 5-6 hours). if that is something that will put you off, you may want to reconsider.

do you own warm soul? do you love it like i do? any dupes out there that you know about?

in case you were wondering what else i was wearing...

face:
mixture of revlon photoready and neutrogena healthy skin liquid makeup, msfn, thebalm mary lou-minizer

eyes:
jardin aires pigment, cork, brun, feline kohl (all mac), prestige my blackest lashes

lips:
mac shy girl (i hate this on me in person but love how it photographs...weird?)

new york trip part 5: times square, china town, little italy & final thoughts

2011-11-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

the last post! i forgot a few pictures that i should have put in part 4 so i will include them here...

a few things:

+ times square is always full of tourists. i understand why new yorkers shudder and probably avoid this area. but...it IS pretty & cool if you have never seen it. especially at night. it is full of street performers...like mr. candyman here.

+ we HAD to stop by inglot. i actually didnt know there was a location right in times square, another accidental find. i ended up picking up an eye shadow quad, you can see which shades HERE.

+ yummy noodle...wasn't that yummy. it was rainy and we were hungry so we just picked a random place. the noodles were ok, the squid was bland, and the congee was disappointing (and seriously lacking cilantro.) i hate when congee isn't good because i love congee!

+ is little italy always outdoors like this? when we stopped by it seemed like a festival was going on. we were so full from the disappointing yummy noodle so unfortunately we didnt get to try out any italian restaurants. we did get a canoli cream, which i thought was just ok. i am part italian, so i am quite partial to my grandmother's canoli creams. i did manage to get sausage and peppers on the go to eat later (which was absolutely delicious!) so at least i got to try SOME food.

+ we only stopped by max brenner's...we didnt buy or try anything. this place was seriously packed so i am guessing it is pretty good? you new yorkers tell me!

+ we went to the famous ramen restaurant, ippudo. this place has so many rave ratings on yelp...and i have NO idea why. i am not a ramen expert but i dont get the hype. we had to wait over an hour for the table since it is really popular...and they don't take reservations. when you go in all the staff greets you heartily by shouting something in japanese (wish i knew what!) and the atmosphere is really nice and modern. we got baby octopus, the pork buns, a spicy ramen, and some pork broth ramen. the baby octopus was really tasty and had a very nice chewy texture. on yelp almost EVERYONE raved about the pork buns, which weren't impressive. it tasted like pork slathered in mayo...so if you like mayo you will like the buns. as for the actual ramen...i wasn't wowed. it wasn't horrible, don't get me wrong, but it just wasn't hype worthy to me.

+ haru was very nice. i loved everything we ate here except the mochi (i am very picky when it comes to mochi.) the fish tacos were my favorite part of this meal!!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

well, if you made it to the end of my trip, i congratulate you! this was a very long series of posts. to close out this series i thought i would give my final thoughts on nyc...

+ food in new york is phenomenal. seriously, phenomenal. i have only been to a few states and countries...but so far in my travels new york food beats everything i have come across. i ate so much good food that when i got home i went on a salad and clear broth diet for over 2 weeks because i indulged too much!

+ although the food was phenomenal...it was also expensive. not even just the fancy places...in general everything is more expensive than what i am used to. be prepared to spend lots of money, no matter where you decide to go. the portions are smaller too which i didnt mind because the small dishes almost ALWAYS had a lot of flavor. ill take small portion w/ big flavor over huge portion and bland any day!

+ you know how they say new yorkers are always in a hurry? it is true. people are constantly moving and you can bet your bottom dollar that their normal walking pace is equal to your speed walking pace. also, new yorkers are the rudest/angriest/audacious drivers in the world! constant honking, yelling, and impatience. avoid driving downtown at all costs, trust me.

+ the metro is your friend. it is cheap and gets you where ever you want to go! taxis are expensive and not as fast. go with the subway.

+ there are people everywhere, anywhere, at all times of the day. you could go out and see a million different people every day. there is no such thing as personal space...or space in general. new yorkers really know how to utilize their space! it is actually impressive how many tiny crammed rooms i saw.

+ new york is so diverse! i knew that already but to actually see so many ethnicities everyday...it was a breath of fresh air. i have always lived in towns were whites are the majority...not the other way around.

+ i already know i need to go back to new york because i miss the food already, i didnt get to see a lot of places i wanted to go to (central park, fifth avenue shops, soho, brooklyn flea market, etc), and i would like to meet up with Julie someday!

HUGE MASSIVE thank you to Julie, she recommended about 95% of the things i ate, saw, and explored. this girl knows what she is talking about and has spectacular taste. every thing she told me that was good or overrated she was absolutely right about. thank you, truly, for your outstanding guide and advise Julie!

the end! back to beauty related posts until my next trip...

new york trip part 4: broadway, comedy clubs, & more!

2011-10-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

have you made it this far in my new york trip? here is part 1, part 2, and part 3 if you arent up to date. i have one more post in me after this one...so the end is near!

a few things:

+ i finally got to check seeing a broadway musical off my bucket list. i LOVE musicals (really emphasize that LOVE.) we saw wicked, and i highly recommend it. my sister isnt as big of a fan of musicals as my cousin & i. she fell asleep during defying gravity (who falls asleep at the climax/the reason everyone came to see wicked?!!?!?! we made fun of her the rest of the trip)

+ bar americain is bobby flay's restaurant...and honestly it was just ok. i wouldn't return. the food wasnt memorable enough that would make me return (unlike morimoto's...see ny trip part 2.) i would say if you are a huge fan of bobby flay, check it out. if not, pass. on a more positive note, i DID really enjoy the lamb salad pictured!

+ that hazelnut icecream bar was from a random shop we walked by (i think it's called pop bar?) and it tasted JUST like nutella.

+ any huge comedy fans out there? my cousin is a comedy NUT. we went to the comedy cellar and gotham comedy club. comedy cellar > gotham. the comedy cellar was a blast! i am pictured with judah friedlander (he's from 30 rock)

+ the grisly pear was a bar we stopped by in to kill time before the comedy cellar show (we had to wait for the previous show to be done.) they had a free comedy show (which sucked) and the bartender was VERY snooty/snarky. i dont recommend this bar at all.

+ poor milford plaza...out of all the letters to go out on their sign...why did it have to be the 'o' 'r' and 'd'? people were chuckling in the street and taking phone pics of the half lit sign.

+ the famous magnolia bakery was packed! we passed it on the way to find nbc studios. my sister wanted to try something so she got a vanilla and banana nut cupcake. i tried both and they were good. very moist and not too rich. but...i wouldnt go out of my way to return back (only because im not a huge cake/dessert fan and they both had WAY too much frosting.)

+ nbc studio tour was neat and relatively inexpensive. if you are a fan of SNL it might be worth your while. we were lucky enough to glimpse the SNL set while kristen wiig and alec baldwin were rehearsing a skit. i LOVE kristen wiig so i was very thrilled! she is SUPER SUPER skinny in real life.

+ pomme frites was so great. definitely try this place if you are ever in nyc, i know i will be returning. you get some thick cut fries and your choice of different dipping sauces (we got pomegranate teriyaki, lemon dill, & mango chutney.) dangerous times since almost all the sauces are mayo based. my favorite was lemon dill. mango chutney is the most popular choice according to the worker.

+ boka was recommended to us by my sister's co-worker. i have never had korean chicken wings so i have nothing to compare it to. i REALLY loved the wings (so crispy!) we also got watermelon soju, which isnt on the menu...you have to ask for it. it is fun but expensive and i felt like they didnt put enough soju in it. i wouldnt get it again unless i wanted to impress someone who has never had it.

+ i wanted to try out brick lane for two reasons. 1. adam from man vs food has been here 2. they claim to have the hottest curry ever. we only got a side of the "hottest sauce". it wasnt even that hot and the flavor was awful (it tasted artificial.) i didnt find it that impressive (authentic thai/lao food is the only thing that has made my mouth hurt from heat.) but the other curry dishes we got were decent.

+ we went to a burlesque show in coney island and it was definitely an experience. bizarre stuff!

one more post to go! the end is near....until next time when i take china town and little italy.

new york trip part 3: eataly, korea town & more!

2011-10-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

are you getting sick of my food porn yet? if you are, i regret to inform you that i have a couple more posts still yet to come. on to the pictures!

a few things:

+ eataly was incredibly cool. it is a mixture of shop, restaurant, and market. it was super super packed. i am guessing it is always like that? there were so many separate food stations and little restaurants inside (one served mainly fish, another pasta, yet another pizza, etc.) unfortunately we didnt get the chance to try out anything besides the gelato pictured...we were too hungry to wait for a table (1-2 hr wait.) too bad because i really wanted to try out the appetizer area (everyone stands and eats cheeses, bread, sliced meats and such. finger food!) i am definitely returning someday.

+the gelato flavors we got were chocolate, white peach, and pistachio. the pistachio tasted like the actual nut...not like pistachio ice cream.

+ the calexico food stand was AWFUL. we ordered the carne asada and it was so plain and disappointing. not even the hot sauce could salvage it.

+ the oral fix bar in the basement of the museum of sex was neat. i liked the decor (cool light bulbs, brick interior.) we ordered the 'hot sex on the beach' and it was very unusual. it was infused with jalepeno so it really did have a hot kick to it. wouldnt really recommend it though, it was hard to finish, even with us three sharing it (it starts to irritate your throat after a while)

+ we didn't go inside the actual museum of sex, just the entrance with all the gimmicky merchandise. see that weird dog toy with a hole in its butt? costs $500! i wonder if anyone would buy a such a sex toy for their dog?!?

+ korea town was very fun. we returned here about three times within our trip. this was my first time trying korean bbq (we went to miss korea, try the beef over the pork...it is much tastier) and it was really spectacular but OUTRAGEOUSLY priced. so expensive. regardless, i would return back here because the state i am from has no korean bbq! :(

+ we only went to the lobby of the empire state building. if you watch 'how i met your mother' you know that it doesnt really count as going to the empire state building :P we didnt want to pay $50 just to see the building/skyline. maybe someday i will but not this trip.

+ we stopped by a BCBG store because it is my sister's favorite brand. it was so lavishly decorated. i love the black&gold necklace in the display.

+ random beauty note: i wore opi cajun shrimp for most of my trip. it wore like steel! it definitely became a firm favorite of mine. also, we stopped by a sephora and i tried on the dark vampy lipstick pictured (perfectly matches my cardigan, eh?) i dont remember what shade it was, but it was by makeup forever :)

+ when we first got to grand central station, i immediately said "we are!" hahaha. if you have no idea what i'm talking about CLICK HERE. also, we tried junior's cheesecake here. DELICIOUS. i loved it. it had the perfect firm texture and right balance of cheese and sweetness.

+ bryant park was SO NEAT. people were just chilling and relaxing while some music played. the lady pictured above was recording herself hula hooping! it looked really neat in the dark since her hoop glowed.

+ it was my cousin's birthday so we treated her to VIP karaoke. it was outrageously expensive and the song selection wasnt the best. i forgot the name of this place pictured, but i dont recommend it. there are cheaper/better options (we went to another one later in our trip. much cheaper, much better selection)

+ lastly...almost everything we did this day (yes we went to all these places in ONE day!) we stumbled upon on accident! we really only planned eataly, miss korea, and karaoke. everything else we just ran into while we were walking around to our destinations! neat, huh?

until the next post where we explore times square, broadway, and comedy clubs

new york trip part 2: brooklyn & the meat packing district

2011-10-29T12:07:00.000-07:00

next up in my new york trip is brooklyn & the meat packing district. i should mention that i went to new york with my sister AND my cousin (she joined us later in the trip). when my cousin showed up we decided to take a day trip to brooklyn while my sister was still working...we had no idea what to expect and had a loose plan on which places we wanted to visit. as for the meat packing district, all three of us went together since my sister finally was in vacation time!

a few things:

+my cousin and i decided to walk the brooklyn bridge. it was probably the most touristy thing we did our entire trip (didnt do statue of liberty, art museums, ground zero, and technically didnt do the empire state building...more on that in another post.) it was shorter than i thought (shorter than the mackinaw bridge) and it was very pedestrian accessible (i wasnt aware!)

+ the first restaurant pictured was called "coco roco" and they boasted peruvian food. the food was ok but i would mainly go back just for the passion fruit pina coladas (pictured)!! if you are ever in the area, stop by just to try the drink! it is that good.

+ we stopped by prospect park briefly, but check out mr. biker. he is going the wrong way on the biking path hehe

+ rita's (see ny part 1 post) is better than ralph's italian ice!

+ i REALLY enjoyed fig & olive. they gave us three olive oils to try from different regions: autralia, spain, and chile. spain was the best and australia was the worst (it tasted like grass!) the dessert was also very tasty, the shortbread cookie was so buttery and not overly sweet.

+ the picture w/ my sister, cousin and the man makes me laugh every time. we were trying to find the morimoto restaurant....while we were pacing back and forth RIGHT in front of it. we finally asked this man and he gave us a funny look and said, "it's right here!" i love how this picture captures his disbelief, my cousin's embarrassment, and my sister's amusement. the red curtains cover the entrance (which is why we had a hard time finding it). cool huh?

+ if you are ever in new york, i highly recommend stopping by morimoto (he is the japanese iron chef, heard of him?) the food was EXCELLENT, although expensive. we three split his 7-course meal option which is meant for 1 person, but we wanted to try everything in snack size so we could eat at other places later. when i go back to NY i definitely will be returning to try out more things on his menu, i was having major food envy to the tables near us!

+ i really enjoyed the meat packing district. if i had more money and if we had arrived earlier (we came around dinner time) i would have loved to shop around since they had so many cool/expensive boutiques.

until next post...

new york trip part 1: rockville centre & long beach

2011-10-28T18:39:00.000-07:00

FINALLY. i am posting pictures from my new york trip i had back in september. i took SO many photos that i will have to post separate entries at a time so i dont overload you guys with so many pictures! for now...enjoy the beginning of my trip...in rockville centre, new york.

my trip started here because my sister is currently based in this town for work (her work requires her to travel all over the USA! cool huh?) and i flew in early while she was working. rockville centre is small and quiet. it does not have much to do besides eating which is why one day i took a trip to long beach, new york to experience a different scene. on to the pictures!

a few things...

+ the first few pictures are from a restaurant called "sole" which actually had great food but they have a no sharing rule! i have never heard of anything like that before. anyway, the cobbler pictured had apples, peaches, and pears in it! it was so divine.
+ this was my first time at the famous nathan's hot dogs. it was alright, i guess. i suppose if i ever had a craving for hot dogs i would go here. see the person holding the corn dog? that's my older sister, cheryl. isn't she pretty? :)
+ this was also my first time at a trader joe's! i know, corny that i documented it...but the frozen bananas were so yummy! and i am not a huge mac n cheese fan but this frozen dinner was SO good. try it if you get the chance!
+ the spare ribs pictured tasted as gross as they look. we couldn't even finish it! on the plus side, the cucumber wrapped sushi was yummy.
+ i hear rita's custard is a chain (i never heard of it until this trip!) but it was really good! especially mixed with the mango slushie.

until the next part...where i explore brooklyn and the meat packing district!

007 items im lusting after

2011-10-27T22:06:00.000-07:00

what am i lusting after lately? funny you ask...

nars dolce vita blush

described as a dusty matte rose...sign me up. seems like such an effortlessly pretty shade.

tarte exposed blush

i dont really NEED this since im guessing it is similar to nars madly (anyone know if they are comparable?) but i love boring pigmented shades like these.

dior exquis polish

equis is the taupe shade to the left. look up swatches on google and prepare to drool.

sephora pro brush #55

i have a love hate relationship with my current foundation brush of choice (elf studio powder brush...applies foundation beautifully but sheds like CRAZY) so i am hoping to get this soon as a replacement. i have heard nothing but good things about this brush.

D&G light blue

been wanting this for the LONGEST time. i spray it on myself every time i see it. a classic scent.

what have you been lusting after?

think pink

2011-10-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

as most of you know or have heard, october is the official month dedicated for breast cancer awareness. i am EXTREMELY fortunate to have not (yet) been personally affected by the disease. none of my close family or friends have been diagnosed, but knowing how common the disease is and how young i am now, i assume there is a high probability that i will eventually run into it in my lifetime. as for now, i feel extremely blessed and grateful i havent had to go through any of the pain or heartache that this sickness can cause.

i try to stay as medically aware as possible (i am a science/health nerd) so i am all for spreading the knowledge. to help spread awareness i have done a simple pink infused FOTD and NOTD to share with you all.

one of my favorite ways to make myself look healthy and fresh is by wearing a bright pink cheek and lip with minimal product on the eyes...

face:
mixture of revlon photoready/neutrogena healthy skin foundation, mac msfn, cargo med matte bronzer, mac posey cream blush, rock&republic blush in x-rated, mac vanilla pigment for highlight.

eyes:
nyx iced mocha jumbo pencil, mac e/s (brule, cork, brun) mac feline smudged in waterline, prestige my blackest lashes mascara (LOVE this mascara so much)

lips:
revlon pink pop gloss, mac like venus dazzleglass

closer look on the lips. usually i would just wear a few swipes of revlon pink pop and be good to go, but i added mac like venus (pink glitter bomb!) for a little something extra.

i love pairing mac posey with rock&republic x-rated. you could use one w/o the other but i really like layering the two for maximum lasting power.

for my nails, i chose a permanent shade from china glaze that was featured in an old trio pack (check out all lacquered up's old post HERE on it) that was meant to help spread awareness. part of the proceeds for this trio went towards susan g komen for the cure. i DO NOT have this trio, i bought this at sallys a couple years ago and apparently this little guy made its way into the single polish rack.

china glaze rich&famous
rich& famous is a pretty hot pink. i did three coats since this polish acted a bit like a jelly. the application was a breeze though and i had no problems with streaking.

hmm i wonder if this shade is similar to opi elephantastic pink?

if you havent noticed, a bunch of us blogging ladies have teamed up to help spread breast cancer awareness through beauty posts. if you missed out on any of the posts, here are the ones that have been already posted:

Danielle
Ebru
Alex
Kayla
Jessica

there are still a few ladies left that need to post so look out for them!

003 what i'm eating

2011-10-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

my spin on bibimbap

rice, sunny side up egg, pork, sauteed garlic broccoli, lemon/pepper salad, pickled daikon/carrot melody

apple orchard

2011-10-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

yesterday i took a trip to a local apple orchard. i know...totally dorky and such a cliche event for the fall...but hey nothing beats freshly picked apples! i personally love honeycrisp apples the most out of all the varieties. unfortunately their prime picking season is more in september so i only had the choice between idared and red delicious for picking (both too sweet and not enough tartness for my liking)

nonetheless it was fun and such a beautiful day. i know i can use my peck of apples for some apple crisp (i use THIS recipe) and caramel dipping :) have you made a trip to any orchards this year?

recent purchases - nyc & more

2011-10-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

i didnt announce it on here, but recently i took a trip to nyc for a week just to visit the city and be a total tourist. pics of my trip will be featured in a few upcoming posts in the future, so be prepared for lots of food porn :P

although i spent most of my money on food (total food junkie here) i managed to spend a bit on beauty products. i promised myself i would only get products i cant find back at home so i only got a couple things.

inglot freedom system eye shadow quad
of course i had to go to inglot. there are only a few locations in the USA, i couldnt pass up the opportunity. this one was in times square. the selection wasnt in its prime surprisingly. i tried to pick a couple shades and they were out of stock! disappointing but i managed with other shades.

i wanted to pick unique shades that werent brown (seriously need to expand my e/s color range) but nothing too crazy that it would just sit collecting dust. i also wanted to pick mostly matte shades since i have more shimmery than matte shades in my collection overall.

i spent so much time swatching! there were so many shades to chose from and i am an over thinker.

i ended up choosing a couple grey shades (i have no matte greys in my collection), a beautiful burnt sienna color, and one fun purple color since i have brown eyes and i thought it would be easy to incorporate into everyday looks by smudging it on my bottom lash line.

swatches:
#349 #363 #335 #491

#349 is a beautiful light dove grey. i was worried this was going to be too similar to mac copperplate, but copperplate is lighter and leans more blue.

#363 is a matte taupe. this definitely has a purple tinge to it. its such an interesting shade because sometimes i think it looks brown and other times i think it looks grey.

#335, like i mentioned above, is a burnt sienna color. it is safe to say i have NOTHING like this shade.

#491 is a bright purple with gold flecks. i couldnt NOT get this shade. i swatched it multiple times and gawked at the beauty of the gold flecks. this shade looks better in person.

inglot eye shadows are pretty impressive in quality. the texture and pigmentation are wonderful. however, it is really finely milled and powdery so whenever press my brushes against them a lot of loose pigment is brought up. not a deal breaker though...especially at such a cheap price! i got this quad for around $30 i believe.

la roche posay effaclar & effaclar duo
i was surprised to see this at a cvs since i have never seen it in any drugstores in my area. i originally only wanted the effaclar duo but there was a special box that gave a free mini effaclar cleanser so i got that instead. ive been using it ever since i bought it so if you guys want a review of it, let me know.

that is all for my nyc goods (see, not a lot!) now onto the items i got back home...

mac lightscapade
the highly coveted lightscapade MSF. i dont know if it was just my area or if mac did it on purpose, but when i went to get one they only had 2 available! i was the first to purchase it at the counter.

closer look
lightscapade is a marbleized mix of white, pale pink, blue, yellow, and lime. it is very finely milled with no glitter particles.

swatches and comparison:
from left to right: mac vanilla pigment, theBalm mary lou-manizer, lightscapade, stila rose gold illuminating finish powder, nars albatross

i would say the closest is mary lou, but mary lou is definitely more beige. lightscapade leans white. vanilla has more shimmers. rose gold is pinker and more shimmery. nars is much more gold.

all in all i am glad i own lightscapade but it isnt a must-have. if you like subtle products though, this is up your alley. it has a very beautiful effect on the skin by being more of a sheen (not sparkly.)

loreal LE night owl polish
if you can find this polish, grab it! it is so incredibly pretty for a drugstore polish. this polish is very elusive. i found mine at ulta, but the display only had 2 spots for it. but it was worth the search because...look at those flecks of gold!

oh you want to see a better picture of the flecks?

you're welcome.

also at ulta i picked up batiste dry shampoo. i use dry shampoo very often and have tried quite a few different brands. i hated tresemme (didnt volumize and the scent made me nauseous), bed head rockaholic wasnt impressive (no volume), oscar blandi wasnt extraordinary for the price (leaves the worst white residue)

ive heard nothing but good things from batiste so i figured it was time to try it out. this little travel size came with for free. so far im liking this the most out of all the brands i have tried. the smell is non-offensive, it is affordable, and it gives volume!

last but not least, a few essie shades.

wrapped in rubies, powerclutch

i have been eyeing powerclutch ever since i first saw the display and i finally caved and purchased it at cvs using some rewardbucks that were about to expire. i also picked up 'wrapped in rubies' because of the pretty burgundy shade as well as the gold veining...

close up of the gold veining. hopefully this transfers on the nail!

sorry for the long post. hopefully you made it this far :P what have you hauled lately?

latest manicure

2011-10-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

my latest manicure of choice is a far cry from declaring fall. i felt like having something a bit more girly and neutral before i moved on to the more vampy shades of fall.

i used essie fiji for the white-pink cream, and opi mad as a hatter for my ring finger. i would have preferred to use solely a silver glitter, like milani's silver jewel glitter or even sephora's "flurry up" top coat but i don't own either. i have been searching for the milani glitter all over but i havent been able to find it in my area. i almost bought flurry up but i figured i might as well wait until the sephora F&F sale.

as for the formulas...

fiji is a bit difficult. the formula is thicker than regular essie. the first coat was a nightmare, streaky mess, which i expected with such a light cream color. second coat smoothed things over for the most part but i still saw slight patches of my nail. i did three coats for a full opaque finish. if you were more careful and patient than i am when it comes to painting, you most likely could get away with two thinly applied coats.

as for mad as a hatter, the formula was also thick. but application was a breeze. full opacity in two coats, but i added a third just to be consistent.

what do you guys think? have you started wearing your favorite fall shades or are you still rocking summery shades?

003 vain rambling

2011-09-15T08:22:00.000-07:00

time for another installment of vain rambling, where i dedicate my rambling of a few beauty products all in one post so i dont have to do many little posts individually for each product.

i have been loving fishtail braids lately. they are easy to do and they make you look effortlessy ready. i also have been trying to wear more bold colors on my lips. which is REALLY new for me, because 1. i rarely wear lipstick on a regular basis and 2. when i do they are nude/natural colors. my colors of choice have been mac vegas volt (which i wore HERE, if you want to see it on me) and revlon colorburst plum (what im wearin in the pic above)

i picked up revlon's carbonite at my cvs, which everyone in the beauty world probably has heard about and seen already im sure. if you havent heard of the shade, it is supposed to be a dupe for chanel graphite (which i dont own) but i have seen the comparison and i think they arent dupes at all. chanel is prettier (in my opinion anyway) but the revlon one is nice too. i personally love gunmetal shades so i love this color.

just a nice dirty gunmetal shade. i would say it is a frost finish.

i went to tjmaxx in search of theBalm products all because of Danielle and Ebru and their spectacularly good finds. they found much more products than me (so go check them out.) my tjmaxx had a decent selection of products, but i would say about 98% were tainted or shattered/destroyed :( which really is a shame because i would have bought more if they were in better condition...

look at the blush set!! i would have gotten that but there were so many dents/fingerprints on it :(

i was, however, able to pick up this (untouched!) duo pack:

mary lou-manizer highlighter and betty lou-manizer bronzer
this retails for $48 as you can see on the packaging, i picked up up for $20.

the packaging is retro and clever. i know a lot of people absolutely adore the packaging. i am indifferent. i dont hate it but i dont love it. like i said, i think it is clever but i usually love sleeker/plainer designs. the compact is very sturdy and it comes with a mirror.

betty lou-manizer
betty is a warm bronze with a golden sheen. if you only like matte bronzers, you wont like this. i havent used it too much yet, but i dont think it is overly shimmery. i think it has a nice balance of sheen and color to it. it is also extremely pigmented and smooth. i was actually realy worried about this product, i thought it was going to be similar to illamasqua burnish bronzer (which i did not enjoy and swapped years ago, WAY too shiny) but from what i remember of burnish, i find it isnt anything like it.

mary lou-manizer
mary is a pretty yellow-gold champagne highlighter. it is absolutely beautiful. like betty, it is incredibly soft and pigmented. i have used this everyday since i bought it and i am so glad i picked it up. i really dont need that much of this to give myself a soft glow.

swatches:
betty lou-manizer on left, mary lou-manizer on right.

comparisons:
from left to right, nars laguna, betty, mary, nars albatross, dior amber diamond (all shades mixed together)

laguna doesnt have as much of a sheen as betty. also laguna seems to be a dirtier/browner shade.

albatross has more of a white/yellow gold sheen going on while mary is more of a champagne and warm gold sheen. amber diamond really isnt even close to mary since it is more of a amber/bronzey sheen.

have you had any luck finding theBalm in your area? share what you have found in the comments. if you say shady lady palettes i will be extremely envious since i have wanted those palettes for the longest time and look out for them like a hawk...

002 what im eating

2011-09-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

rice, broiled chicken wings w/hot pepper

revlon expressionist polish pick-me up

2011-09-08T12:22:00.000-07:00

i have been hearing about as well as seeing promo pics of revlon's newest "expressionist" collection. the only products that really piqued my interest were the nail polishes...especially the jewel toned polish 'facets of fuchsia'. after hearing that the collection was seen at many targets, today i set out on a search for these gems. great success:

starry pink, facets of fuchsia, blue mosaic

blue mosaic, facets of fuchsia, starry pink.

i did two coats each for all of the colors and i think i should have done a third with blue mosaic since the base color seems to be clear. i am not too fond of starry pink, it is a bit too milky for my taste and it covers up the glitter. as for facets of fuchsia...

indoor lighting

outdoor lighting

this color was really hard to capture, but it has a blackened base with two different pieces of fuchsia glitter (small round, big hexagonal) speckled throughout it. the glitter wasnt hard to make show up, i just brushed like normal and the pieces aligned themselves.

i really enjoy this color. it is definitely a unique attribute to my collection. i have been hearing this shade is a pretty good dupe for deborah lippman's bad romance (i dont own this, so i cant compare!)

i picked these up at my local target (they were just in the revlon permanent nail polish section) for a little less than $4. target has a coupon right now for $1 off revlon cosmetics, so take advantage of it if you want to try these polishes out! there was also a creamy beige-grey color called smokey canvas, but i didnt pick it up because it looked similar to some essie colors i have already.

what do you guys think? do you like the looks of these polishes or are you going to pass?

002 my world according to my phone

2011-09-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

i hand-washed my thrift finds the other day and air dried them on a laundry line. how old fashioned eh?

i have been OBSESSED with my short taupe steve madden boots. they go with everything (seriously, i havent worn another pair of shoes all month) i wear from shorts to skinnies.

i have been loving red nail varnish and my f21 knuckle ring. i love the design on the ring and the color. my polish is essie lollipop (excellent formula)

i found this ralph lauren cream shoulder button up at a new thrift store i found and i think it looks SO funny on. i had to share it with you guys. i feel like it is a pajama top! too bad, i think they details are really neat but are just executed wrong. perhaps if the shape of the overall shirt was different it would be better. needless to say i didnt get this.

i have been wearing stila's gloss in apricot like crazy. mostly just to use it up (it was a mini version) but i really love the color. too bad the formula is AWFUL. it is so incredibly sticky. i would never get the full version. i dont recommend it, especially if you hate stickiness.

i am wearing the gloss here as well. i also have been loving not wearing any liner on my top lid. ive just been smudging darker shadows in the outer corners to make my lashes seem fuller. saves time and the results are a really natural pretty eye.

what have you all been up to? i hope you had a great labor day wkd.

006 items im lusting after

2011-09-01T17:27:00.000-07:00

since my lap top is currently being repaired, i am not able to upload any pictures from my sister's desktop AND i cant access pictures i already had on my laptop for posts. my fingers have been itchin for blogging these past few days so i thought it was time for another IILA episode! hmm i think the more i do these the more expensive the things i lust after are...

HOUSE OF HARLOW BLACK LEATHER CHEVRON NECKLACE(img source)

i love this necklace. i love the shape & black and gold contrast. i have heard from Alex that the quality isnt the best :( but i still want this though, i just love the design of it too much.

CHANEL 5018 SUNGLASSES

i think these are the neatest sunglasses ever. too bad they were made in limited quantities and are impossible to get now. there are a lot of fakes out there, which i dont support, so it looks like i can only dream about these babies.

CHINESE LAUNDRY GET AWAY WEDGES(img source)

i am normally not a fan of wedges but i think these are SO perfect. they look better on so take yourself on over to sincerely jules to see them on her (and to check out her blog, i love her style/hair)

ISABEL MARANT DICKER BOOTS(img source)

love these. i am really into short booties lately and i think these are so perfect. i love the style, the length, and the color. google pictures of kate bosworth wearing these. usually i dont care too much for her style, but i am loving these boots on her.

FRYE VERONICA SLOUCH BOOTS(img source)

i have talked about this before, but i am still in love. i want this in the distressed black AND the brown. i repeat...still in love.

that is all for this edition. since fall is coming up i have been really more into clothes/fashion rather than makeup. no worries though, i am still a lover of makeup at heart. maybe i will get inspired by makeup when more fall collections come out.

what have you been lusting after?

thrifty

2011-08-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

if you didnt know, i am still obsessed with thrifting and DIY projects atm. at least it is a cheap obsession! here are a few snapshots (brought you by my craptastic phone. hey at least it has a camera eh) of pieces i picked up recently:

taupe silk tee
loved the fit, taupey color, and keyhole opening in the back (which i failed miserably at capturing. i tried ha) plus it is made of 100% silk.

ralph lauren oversized cable knit sweater
i ended up getting this. i plan to either wear it with a slip underneath or over skinnies. i love the huge size of it. if anything i can wear it lounging around the house. super comfy and laid back.

soft pink pleated blouse
weird buy for me since i usually dont buy pink clothing. but i LOVED the soft puff sleeves and the pleating in the front. made w/ mostly polyester unfortunately. but i can deal.

silk gold button up
probably my favorite thing i found. i love this shade of gold against dark hair, and it is incredibly smooth and soft. also made with 100% silk.

my next mission is to find a dresser for a decent price (of which i shall repaint and maybe...if i am daring...replace the handles) and perhaps make my own garment rack. if i find/do such projects, i will for sure post my before and afters :)

have a good wkd! sorry for the lack of posts. my laptop is being fickle with me so i am stuck with my sisters desktop (with none of my pictures to use for blogging. boo hoo)

oh if you were wondering, im wearing that turband i got from f21 here. and my diy levis again.

golden eye

2011-08-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

believe it or not...i used mostly wet n wild's vanity palette for this one.

face:
ysl teint resist
mac msfn
hoola bronzer
nars angelika
stila rose gold highlight

eyes:
wet n wild vanity palette
mac brun in outer corner
mac feline liner
lancome hypnose mascara

lips:
stila apricot gloss

if you have the vanity palette, try mixing the bronze and golden shades. the results come out to be a remarkably pretty warm metallic gold. that is what i used for my all over lid color.

hope you all have a good wkd!

DIY: distressed high-waisted levis

2011-08-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

so lately i have been completely engrossed with thrifting. i will point the blame to clothesencounter's and heyyyjune on youtube. love their channels! they are so creative and incorporate certain pieces together in outfits that i would have never dreamed would work. plus i love the idea of getting one-of-a-kind pieces at a bargain price.

one of the pieces i recently thrifted were these levi high waisted jeans. i thought they would be perfect for a little DIY distressed high waisted shorts project.

BEFORE
the pair i picked up were around $4. they were in a sad state as pants(stains on the thighs, holes in the knees) but i knew with a little scissor work, i could turn it into something better.

DURING
first i tried on the pants and marked with a pen an inch lower than how short i wanted it and cut the excess fabric off.

as for distressing, i used a box cutting knife and make cuts into the jean and used tweezers to pull the loose threading. this took forever! but it was very therapeutic to me haha. i also used a cheese grater on some parts to make it REALLY tattered and distressed (you can also use sandpaper, but i didnt have any!) i didnt worry about the ends of the shorts, i knew after a good wash they would distress on their own.

AFTER
voila! this is the finished product. i have to say, for my first time i am pretty proud of my handy work.

WORN
here it is on. they are a LITTLE too big on me, but im happy overall with the effect. i plan on adding pyramid studs to these next! first i have to order the studs....

i think it takes real creativity and talent to be able to incorporate thrifted items with high end/store bought items in outfits. i am so inspired by those who do this! i love this idea and hope to slowly add thrifted/vintage items to my closet.

where do you stand? do thrifted items freak you out or do you find it inspiring? i love hearing where ppl stand on this. i obviously think the idea is so fresh and smart. do you thrift?

le metier de beaute kaleidoscope in le cirque: first look

2011-08-14T18:53:00.001-07:00

lately i have been absolutely obsessed with le metier de beaute. i feel like they have exploded in the blogging atmosphere and i keep hearing about their products everywhere...ESPECIALLY their kaleidoscopes and eye shadows.

these are pretty exclusive items. they are usually limited edition and go online (bergdorf goodman, neiman marcus, and nordstrom are some of the places i have seen that sell LMdB online) for a very short period and then disappear due to demand.

LMdB is a very customer service friendly brand. for example, they interact with their followers on twitter. i was lamenting on my twitter how the splendid frost and le cirque kaleidoscope werent availble online anymore for purchase and they promptly solved my woes by giving me two counter's contact information where i would be able to purchase them over the phone. impressive!

after getting the information, i was planning on getting one eventually when i could justify splurging on such a luxurious item (like i need anymore eye shadows!) but i am blessed with such a great friend because my best friend heard how obsessed i was with these kaleidoscopes and ordered it for me as a present! i know...i have the greatest best friend ever, right?! i ended up getting le cirque:

le metier de beaute kaleidoscope in "le cirque"
the pans come stacked on top of each other and swivel out in layers. there is also a mirror on top. (i didnt picture this, sorry!) handy for when you want to travel with the kit.

Flamboyantes
the top tier is a pearly beige with pink and green duochrome.

Spectacle
the 2nd tier is a cool silvery taupe with a silver shimmer.

Enrichissant
the 3rd tier is a plummy mahogany with red shimmer.

Dynamique
the 4th and last tier is a beautiful indigo.

swatches:
from left to right: 1st tier, 2nd tier, 3rd tier, 4th tier

comparison of le metier de beaute le cirque kaleidoscope
from L to R: mac vex, LMdB 1st tier, LmdB 2nd tier, mac satin taupe, LMdB 3rd tier, mac sable, LmdB 4th tier, urban decay ransom

vex and the 1st tier are similar. flamboyantes has this softness to it and is more grey though. vex is much frostier.

satin taupe and the 2nd tier are also similar but not the same at all. satin taupe is more brown while spectacle is more silver and plummy.

the 3rd tier i compared with mac's plummy brown sable. enrichissant is a MUCH deeper brown and it is redder.

lastly, the closest thing i could compare to the 4th tier was urban decay's ransom. dynamique is a MUCH darker and smokier purple. ransom is also much frostier.

the kaleidoscopes are intended to be used with the "Couches de Coleur" technique, where basically you layer the colors on top of one another to bring out the depths of the colors. here i did a few examples of this technique just to give you an idea of how versatile (and cool!) the colors work together.

layering the first tier
from L to R: 1st tier on its own, 1st tier + 2nd tier, 1st tier +3rd tier, 1st tier + 4th tier.

layering the 2nd tier
2nd tier on its own, 2nd tier + 1st tier, 2nd tier + 3rd tier, 2nd tier + 4th tier.

i havent had a chance to play with this too much since i got it but i will try to do a look with it so you can see how it looks on. and ill also try to layer the colors more! i just really wanted to show you guys swatches.

each kaleidoscope is $95. before you get appalled by the price, keep in mind mac shadows are $15 for 1.5 grams each and LMdB shadow singles are $30 for 3.8 grams. each shadow pan in the kaleidoscope is the same size as a full sized single. you can also switch out the pans in the kaleidoscope if you wanted, either for more e/s or for a lip product pan. AND LMdB is a luxury brand, the quality of these shadows is excellent. they have this nice softness to them.

if you want a review on this kaleidoscope, check out the non-blonde, cafe makeup, or the beauty look book. they did a better job reviewing it than i ever could attempt! plus they do more comparisons and layering...check them out!

this le metier de beaute fever i have isnt going away. i am already planning on getting the "splendid frost" kaleidoscope eventually...when i save up enough money.

what do you think of le metier de beaute? have you tried anything from the brand?

[a really late] july favorites

2011-08-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

i know, i know. really late. but i thought id post my july faves anyway...please forgive me!

milani blushes
most of the time i am so absorbed in using my nars blushes, but this month i actually kept reaching for milani. the ones pictured here are mai tai (matte pinky coral) and dolce pink (part of the baked line that i blogged about HERE). mai tai is really great, i talked about this in my last vain rambling. as for the baked blushes, i have been reaching for all the colors i have to pair with matte blushes. adds such a nice glow from within your own skin. i have been skipping highlighting this whole month practically since ive been doing this...

neutrogena healthy skin liquid makeup
i usually dont wear foundation (more of a msfn girl...brush n go!) but i am trying to use up the ones i did buy on a whim a while back. this is the shade that matches me best right now and i actually have been really enjoying using this foundation. it doesnt have a bad smell, it applies nicely, and i like the overall finish (not too matte, i hate when foundations are matte). once i am done with this guy i dont think i will be repurchasing just because this foundation isnt the best for oily skin (i get oily in my cheeks and nose.) and plus i think there are honestly probably much better products out there. i am kinda a newbie when it comes to foundations...so my oily skinned ladies...what are your fave foundations? id like to hear...

bareminerals e/s in nude beach
this eye shadow is really nice. i am glad i picked it up. if you dont like shimmer, you probably wont like this though. it is a nice cool, light taupe grey. if you are at a counter i urge you to swatch it. i gasped when i did haha. i really like putting this in the inner corners of my eyes or on top of mac constructivist pp with a grey shadow in the crease. i hate that this is a loose mineral e/s though! so messy. if they made a pressed version i would get it instead...

mac pigment in blonde's gold
i have been using this like crazy ever since i got it in my swap. i did a look with it on HERE. really pretty pale gold that looks like a beautiful tarnished gold when paired with a brown base (quite natural pp, groundwork, or constructivist are usually what i use.)

mac e/s in hocus pocus
i have been LOVING this e/s. i am so glad i picked it up from the blogger's obsession collection. i use it in the crease, as liner, smudged under the lash line...you name it. really pretty shimmery gunmetal color that is pigmented. it is similar to the grey in the nars eurydice duo, if you were wondering. not exact, but similar (eurydice grey is a litttttle more blue. HP more brown).

mac constructivist pp
absolutely been using this like crazy. i think i already mentioned it in this post twice. perfect base for so many colors (cool greys, shimmery golds, browns...you name it!) i have to stop myself from using this and show my other pp's some love. they feel neglected, i know it. if you want to see a swatch of it, check out my paint pot post HERE.

opi koala berry
love this shade. i would go as far as to say it is one of my favorite nail polishes of all time. such a pretty magenta pink shade. my toes were permanently this color all of july.

mac mercenary
i loved this shade on my fingers. it just went with everything i wore. i also got this in my swap craze.

nyc sunny bronzer
this got a lot of love from me simply because i am ALMOST DONE WITH IT. that is right...i see more pan than product. i have only finished 1 product before out of all my collection (msfn) so this is HUGE people. i like this bronzer, but i wont be repurchasing. i feel like there are much better products out there, plus i have SO MANY BRONZERS. i need to finish more up. and i want to try out soleil de tan de chanel....and some dior bronzers. but if you are looking for a cheap matte alternative, i would recommend this.

prestige my blackest lashes
MY FAVORITE THING THIS MONTH. really it is amazing. heard about this from sandra and i am so glad i tried it. i got it at ulta for like 6 bucks, you cant go wrong. it is definitely my favorite drugstore mascara. i am seriously considering never buying any drugstore mascara besides this again. very black, doesnt flake off, easy to remove, and GIVES ME VOLUME. plus the formula is just as good right when you open the tube until a month later (still using it now and it is performing the same). the ONLY thing i will complain about is that it DOES tend to clump while applying if you arent careful. but i am willing to overlook that since i LOVE the results it gives me and loreal voluminous clumps MUCH worse than this. TRY IT if you see it. really, if you hate it, it is only a $6 loss so i think it is worth it to try out.

estee lauder impulsive coral gloss
been loving this gloss. this color is super flattering on my skintone. and i love the formula! not sticky and doesnt give me those gross lip rings.
EL compulsive coral on my lips. dont mind the little hair! :(

what are your favorite products this month? have you tried any of these and love them too? oily skinned ladies/gentlemen let me know your fave foundations! id love to hear your recs....

the turband

2011-08-11T19:09:00.000-07:00

tried doin the turband for the first time today and i loved it. so funky and cool.

turband- done w/ an ae scarf
lipstick- mac vegas volt

a few baubles...

2011-08-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

all from f21. this is my first statement necklace and turband.

001 what im eating

2011-08-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

breakfast quesadilla.

not the healthiest thing in the world, but it could be worse.

whats in my bag?

2011-08-05T15:20:00.000-07:00

joining in on the fun post that went around recently...what is in my bag! i dont know about you, but i always feel like mary poppins or barney and his magic barney bag since when i try to pull something quickly out (like a ringing cell phone let's say...) it feels like my bag suddenly has a seemingly bottomless pit.

my bag. i got this in california at f21. it is a camel color and is made of forever21's finest pleather of course. i love the simplicity of the body and hardware plus it was only around 25 bucks. if only i could afford alexander wang's rocco or balenciaga's city...sigh.

oh and the interior is just a beige color with only one side zip compartment (sorry i forgot to take a pic of the inside!)

all the contents. i TRY to compartmentalize so i dont have to dig so much...but i always end up digging anyway...

lancome hand cream.
i recently put this in here so i havent used it yet. when i was in school i had labs where i frequently washed my hands with the harsh soaps. this of course led to my hands being parched and prone to cracking. especially in the winter! atm i dont use this, my hands dont get dry in the summer.

pepper spray.
dont laugh at me. my parents gave it to me as a christmas present and i mindlessly toss it in every bag i use out of habit (i know, lame excuse. i really am not paranoid about being attacked...honest!) im not sure if it is even legal to carry this around...hmm...

syringe pen.
this pen was given to me by the program i went through to go to costa rica. i think it is super neato and clever.

my cosmetic bag. got this free from estee lauder. love the blood red croc! and the size...it is perfect to throw in your bag.

besides my sephora mirror i got with a gift card and my WAY too many bobby pins (so THAT'S where they disappeared off to...) i also have:

bonnebell gloss in strawberry parfait.
i have talked about this before, i love the formula and color...i hate the scent. most will probably like it though (sickly sweet artificial strawberries). i wear this A LOT. it is super easy to just slick on and it is opaque enough to cover my natural lip color. this is super affordable too...id get other colors but the scent really puts me off so i am wary. i rotate glosses i keep in my purse so i can use them up more often, but this gloss ALWAYS stays in my purse.

nyx smokey look.
one of my "on rotation" glosses. it recently was revlon peach petal so this was a recent switch. i like this color, but for some reason i dont reach for it often, hence why it is now in the bag.

victor & rolf flowerbomb rollerball.
love this scent, but i think it is more appropriate for night time. i wish i could find a dolce and gabbana light blue rollerball...then i'd keep that here instead!

nyc blushable creme stick in south st seashell.
i really hate going without blush for the day (i look dead!) so i like to keep a easy application (fingers!) cream blush handy for after i go to the beach, to fix faded blush..etc. this is a nice browned pink. it doesnt last long but is a good temporary fix. the formula is really nice...easy to blend and glowy healthy finish. i really like these sticks...i wish i had the LE shades! :(

prestige black pencil liner.
i dont care for this liner at all...but i keep it in here just in case. and i dont want to waste it by throwing it away. the texture is too waxy and it isnt black enough for me.

revlon grow luscious mascara.
again, this is for after i go to the beach, need touch ups, etc. another product i dont really care for. i look for volume in mascaras and this doesnt deliver well. at least it doesnt clump!

revlon nude attitude matte lipstick.
i always keep a nude lipstick in my bag to blank out my lips before adding gloss for nights out when i need to touch up. i usually switch btw this and colorburst soft nude.

elf all over color stick in pink lemonade.
this is very shimmery, so i much prefer the nyc stick. but it is nice to use as a highlight.

semi essentials. cat shades are from target. my wallet is genuine leather and vintage. my keys (i hate lanyards...so tacky). and one of my favorite necklaces that i wore the other day and took off for my optometrist appointment (it kept snagging on the sink when i was taking my contacts on and off).

forgot to show my phone...but you arent missing much, i promise. i am still in the stone age with my non-smart phone!

hope you enjoyed...i didnt have too much junk surprisingly! :)

OOTD &FOTD: free lace

2011-08-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

so i dont have a huge full length mirror that can properly capture my outfits i deem worthy to share so please bear with my piecey pictures!

top:free people. i love this tank top. it is has lace, stripes, and i love the pink/grey striping. it IS a bit too big on me, but it really adds to the over-sized carefree bohemian vibe so i dont mind it too much.
bandeau: ae
shorts: ae
necklace: f21

bracelets are a huge obsession of mine. i collect them like a hoarder so they are from all over...ae, random shops, f21, asos...etc. earrings are from f21...i love the magenta shade of them.

excuse my mess/lack of shoes. i just moved into a new apt with my sister so i am just starting to settle in! i eventually wore some black short biker boots with this outfit.

as for my makeup...

face:
neutrogena healthy skin liquid makeup
revlon photoready under the eyes (this is too light on me atm so i use it as a brightener)
mac MSFN med-dark
bonnebell glimmer bronzer
stila bronzer #2
mac warm soul
milani mineralized blush dolce pink

eyes:
mac blonde's gold pigment all over lid
mac brun in outer v
mac club smudged heavily under bottom lash line
loreal carbon lineur intense liner
mac feline on waterline
lancome hypnose drama mascara

lips:
foundation as base
stila gloss in grapefruit

oh and my nail varnish? i mixed mac's pigment/glitter in reflects antique gold with clear polish and voila! really neato effect and it lasted 4eva.

001 my world according to my phone

2011-07-30T20:36:00.000-07:00

taking a page out of the rockstar diaries and sharing what i have been up to (somehow it always ends up involving food...) thru my phone pictures.

grilled chicken & tiki bar with my sister/cousins :: local gyros. delish :: snacker BLT and garden tomato :: trying the local brewery for the first time.

i hope all of you are having a great weekend!

002 vain rambling

2011-07-23T11:55:00.000-07:00

it's vain rambling time...posts dedicated to me rambling on about a few beauty products i feel like talking about all in one post so i dont have to do many little posts individually for each product. what do i have to share this edition?

milani baked blush in berry amore
i actually bought this blush in california (at target...didnt know milani was at target!) and i shamefully neglected it once i got back from my trip. i recently dug it up and have started using it very frequently.

it is a really lovely shade...even though the name and veining in the product suggests a berry shade...it shows up as more of a glowing bronzed rose on my face. i think i like this shade the most out of all the shades i do have since i can wear this shade on it's own. the others i have (i blogged about them HERE) i find i end up pairing them with other blushes either to tone down the sparkle or to add more depth/color. this color i can apply and i get color AND a not overdone highlight.

milani blush in mai tai
another product i bought and neglected. i gotta hand it to milani, they make some great products for the value. everything i have tried so far has been excellent. this blush is no exception, the color is beautiful...a matte pinkish coral color. not to mention the pigmentation is great, i dont have to work hard to make this show up on my face, which i love.

swatches:
mai tai on left, berry amore on right. if you want to see how berry amore looks on me, check out my FOTD post HERE.

mac e/s in hocus pocus and parisian skies
these shadows are a part of mac's blogger's obsession collection. i havent had a chance to use parisian skies yet, but i have used hocus pocus countless times. i really love the shade, a nice dark gunmetal grey with silver sparkles. i used this on a bridesmaid for the wedding i was in and i have used it on myself in various looks. it is probably dupable and not a complete must-have but i definitely dont regret my purchase.

swatches:
hocus pocus on left, parisian skies on right. parisian skies is a nice dusty blue with a blue sheen to it. it is quite pretty, i would imagine i would wear a blue/grey smokey look with it.

nars blush in crazed
this color is discontinued, which is the main reason why i bought it off of allcosmeticswholesale.com. it is a beautiful deep raspberry color with sparkles. i have heard this shade is similar to nars outlaw blush. so that means i dont need outlaw...right?!? who am i kidding...i want the whole line up of nars blushes. moot point.

swatch:
nars crazed. as you can see, once swatched/worn the sparkles just translate into a nice sheen. no hot glittery mess. if you wanted to see how it looks on me, check out my post HERE.

essie polish in splash of grenadine
last but not least, i have a nail polish to talk about. what kind of rambling would this be without me talking about nail polish. this color is nice, a purpley pink hybrid cream. it reminds me of some kind of spring flower for some reason. no problems with the formula on this one, i did 3 coats but could have easily gotten away with 2.

that is all for this edition...what are your vain rambling products? any recent little purchases/discoveries? do tell :)

must try: mac paint pots

2011-07-19T18:07:00.000-07:00

i thought i'd start a series of "must tries"...items i think are star items within a brand overall. i feel within any brand it is rare to find that all the products they offer are worth buying. i will go through what i think is worth checking out within a brand and why i think so. hopefully this will help those that are new to a brand or just new to a certain product! i will kick off with mac paint pots.

paint pots are basically cream eyeshadows or bases. they also can be used as a primer for the lids, if your lids arent extremely oily. the consistency is thin yet opaque. the formula is very blendable, it doesnt dry too quickly so you have time to spread the color onto your lids. they come in many permanent and LE shades. i currently own 6, 5 of which are permanent colors.

painterly
probably one of the most popular shades since it acts as a blank canvas and makes colors show up better. it is a creamy matte light beige. this is probably my most used shade as well as my oldest.

depending on your skin tone, you could choose this color or soft ochre. painterly i would say is for fairer and the more cool toned. soft ochre is more yellow and for the warm toned.

indianwood
this is a warm metallic bronze. this was also one of my first paint pots. i wore this a lot on it's own when i first got into makeup because it was such an easy shade to wear.

sometimes this shade is a little TOO bronze to wear by itself though so i like to pair it with tempting or, even better, sumptuous olive. if you have indianwood and sumptuous olive...please layer them together...pretty please? it's so lovely together.

groundwork
i would say this is my favorite paint pot. the color is a matte neutral greyed brown. i love this because it is an effortless shade. this shade is the easiest shade to wear. many times i have just plopped this on my lid, added mascara and headed out the door.

if you are just beginning in makeup, i would really recommend this shade. it is effortlessly pretty. it also works great as a base for soft smokey brown looks.

vintage selection
my only LE shade. this came out with the champale collection. it is a pinky pearly champagne. this is the most shimmery shade i have. it could also be used as a highlighter if you wished.

this pairs really well with naked lunch by mac. or urban decays sin. if you like shimmery, you would like this shade.

quite natural
this is a matte dark brown. this is a great base for more intense brown smokey eyes. i recently got this so i havent used it too much.

when i have used this shade it was pretty intensely pigmented. so much that it was a bit harder to spread the color. i would say this is the hardest shade for me to work with.

contructivist
this is a metallic plummy brown with very fine red sparkles. i really like this shade. it isnt too shimmery so it smooths out on the lid as a dark brown with a sheen.

i like to layer this shade with shimmery browns or golds. it really adds depth to whatever color i layer on top.

swatches:
from left to right: painterly, indianwood, groundwork, vintage selection, quite natural, contructivist

overall i really recommend these. the formula is great, i dont get any creasing with these (my lids are slightly more oily than normal, but nothing too crazy), and the colors are very neutral. the only downside to these(if you love color) is there arent too many colorful shades in the permanent range. it isnt a downside to me because i love me some neutrals.

what paint pots do you have/love/want? right now im pretty content on what shades i have. rubenesque is popular but it leans a little too orangey for my liking. bare study is also popular but it is way too sheer on me (my sister has this one). i havent had a chance to try out any of MUF or benefits cream shadows so i cant compare! let me know if you like those more than mac's...id love to try them all out.

FOTD: a blonde's tarnished gold

2011-07-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

in my last post i did about swapping, i talked about how i would show you guys how i wear mac's blonde's gold pigment. it really isnt anything fancy but the reason i wanted to show you the look is because i incorporated some purple eyeliner in the look and it really compliments this pigment. plus for you brown eyed girls out there, purple realy pulls out the brown in eyes.

face:
neutrogena healthy skin liquid makeup
mac MSFN med dark
bonnebell glimmer bronzer
cargo med bronzer
milani baked blush in berry amore

eyes:
mac constructivist pp
mac blonde's gold pigment
mac brun e/s in outer v and smudge in upper lash line
l'oreal extra intense liquid pencil liner in plum in waterline
lancome hypnose mascara

lips:
mac hue lipstick
mac like venus dazzleglass

i really have been loving this pigment. it gives a nice tarnished gold eye which i think looks much prettier than your standard shiny gold. i especially have been loving different colors in my lower lash line. it is pretty but very subtle, just my style. this makes me want to try out different liners, like prunella and powersurge by mac.

what do you guys think of blonde's gold pigment? how would you wear it?

bobbi brown pot rouge: revamped

2011-07-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

if you have been following my blog you already know that i am a big fan of bobbi brown's pot rouges. so far they are my favorite cream blushes. the consistency and longevity of the product is excellent and it comes in 9 different shades. since i recently picked up a discontinued shade, pink raspberry, off allcosmeticswholesale.com AND because my fellow blogger Delyteful Speaks was curious about them, i decided to do a revamped updated post on the ones i own.

powder pink
this is a very natural shade. it gives me a very natural pinky flush to the face. i would describe it as a fleshy petal pink. if you like super natural colors, this is the one to pick. it is very effortless to wear.

calypso coral
this is a pink based salmon coral color. on me it gives a nice peachy pink glow. i think of summer with this shade. if you prefer peachier corals rather than pink, i would go to cabo coral instead, that leans more peach/orange.

blushed rose
this is my favorite shade out the ones i have. it is a very blah color in the pan, but it really flatters my skin tone. i would describe it as a browned muted pink. browned pinks usually look the best on me because it adds color while making me look tan. i usually reach for this shade for special occasions or nights out when i want to layer cream and powder blushes for staying power.

pink raspberry
this color reminds me of exactly what the name suggests...pink raspberry. it is a nice dewy pink. i havent had the chance to wear this yet...but it swatches beautifully...

swatches:
from left to right: powder pink, calypso coral, blushed rose, pink raspberry.

i still really recommend these to try out if you havent tried any. they retail for 24USD. they can also be used on the lips, which i havent explored because i dont like wearing lipstick all that often on my lips. i have heard it is drying on the lips so tread carefully. on the cheek they wear beautifully; they blend easily, arent greasy, and last pretty long. the next few colors i want to try are velvet plum, chocolate cherry, and milk chocolate.

have you tried bobbi browns pot rouges? any favorites or colors you want to try out?

swap craze

2011-07-05T08:49:00.000-07:00

lately i have been going a little swap crazy. if you dont know what swapping is, see THIS link. i have been trying to get my hands on limited edition products, but i refuse to pay the outrageous ebay prices, hence why i turned to swapping. on to the products:

blonde's gold pigment
this came out with mac' overrich collection. i believe this is a PRO item though. it is a nice neutral base with just the right amount of shimmer. it is definitely a white gold metallic, but on the eye it is a metallic dirty blonde color.

mac mercenary varnish
this came out with the style warriors collection. i havent worn this yet, but the color in the bottle is GORGEOUS. it looks like a metallic burnt gold. i cant wait to try it out.

mac club e/s
i have been dying to get this e/s for a long time but i havent felt like placing an order online. i prefer to buy mac's blushes and e/s in the pan because it is cheaper and easier to store in palette form. club is so unique, a dark brown base with teal duo-chrome. i plan on using a black base with this to bring out the duo-chrome.

mac blush in salsa rose
this is a PRO item, but i also have been wanting this for a long time. i am actually not a huge fan of mac blushes just because i feel their pigmentation isnt up to par and the colors are very blah. but some colors, like salsa rose, are the exception. this is very pigmented and extremely gorgeous in the pan. the color reminds me of tropical punch.

swatches:
from left to right: salsa rose, club, blonde's gold. salsa rose is a red based pink. i tried to capture club's blueish green duochrome the best i could here but you can definitely see the brown base of it swatched. the swatch of blonde's gold here is pretty accurate.

i havent used any of the products much besides blonde's gold. i really love pairing it with aubergine eyeliner! it really brings out the brown in my eyes. i will post a look i did with blonde's gold soon...

do you guys swap? i think it is a really fun way to get new products without spending too much money at all. plus it helps you get rid of products you let sit and gather dust anyway. it is a win/win deal.

wedding belles

2011-07-03T18:42:00.000-07:00

i have been MIA lately...but i promise i have a good reason! i recently was a bridesmaid for my best friend's wedding!

i thought i'd share a few pictures (big thanks to my sister who snapped pictures for me with my camera!) since the scenery was beautiful AND because i did all the makeup for the bride, mother of the bride, two bridesmaids, and myself! i had no plans or any ideas ahead of time on what i was going to do so i just picked what i thought fit them personally right at the moment they sat down and hoped for the best. luckily everyone raved how much they loved how they looked! phew!
i also did my own hair for the wedding. it was my first time doing any kind of fancy updo and i think it turned out ok. not exactly how i envisioned what i wanted but not too horrible either.
more details of the back. i just curled sections, twisted the curls and pinned to the side. i added little blossoms from a floral branch from walmart.
dusting some nars albatross all over for that soft glow!
myself and two of my best friends/other bridesmaids. these ladies did their own makeup! i didnt touch them ha.
closer look at makeup. i didnt go too crazy...since we were wearing purple i decided to rock some plummy eyes and raspberry cheeks.

face:
neutrogena healthy skin foundation
mac msfn med dark
bonnebell glimmer bronzer
nars laguna bronzer
nars crazed blush
mac ccb in hush
nars albatross

eyes:
mac pp quite natural
UD toasted and hustle
loreal lineur intense
mac feline
lancome hypnose drama mascara

lips:
mac hue
revlon pink whisper gloss
estee lauder impulsive coral gloss

the rest of the bridesmaids! our styles are all very different so i had to take that into account when doing makeup. one girl preferred intense cool shades for e/s and another wanted a very shimmery natural look.
the dinner...roast beef, red skinned potatoes, sesame chicken, green beans w bacon, rolls and salad. yum!
the whole bridal party! it was such a beautiful wedding and the weather couldnt have been more perfect...i wish all the best to the lovely couple!

hi my name is kelly & i am a nars blush addict

2011-06-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

i am a blush fiend. there i said it. blush definitely is my favorite cosmetic hands down. with that being said, if you didnt know already, nars is my favorite brand when it comes to blushes. i love the color range, pigmentation, and wear time. i even think their pricing isnt too outrageous for such a phenomenal product (drugstore may be cheap but i dont get the same color intensity and wear time!)

i added two more blushes, taj mahal and gilda, to my collection when drugstore.com had their 20% off sale. instead of doing a post only spotlighting these two colors, i thought i might as well do a roundup of all the nars blushes i currently own.

taj mahal
a shimmery burnt rust orange color. this is a wonderful color. especially for olive/yellow toned gals. i used this the whole time i was in cali. i will have to do a FOTD with this color because i feel most people think it is such a bizarre color to add to the cheek. i must disprove this!

gilda
a matte dusty coral. i had been longing for this color ever since i got into nars but always picked the more unique colors first. after getting it i must say it isnt my favorite out of my collection. not that there is anything wrong with it since it IS a beautiful color...but i just feel like it is not unique and is very dupable. i like it, but i find i dont reach for it often.

deep throat
a shimmery peachy pink. i wont go into too much detail with this blush (again) because i swear i have talked about it at least three times already. one of my favorites, looks the best paired with bronzer.

exhibit a
a matte red/orange. scary in pan, wonderful on the face. when i first got this i refused to use any other blush for a straight month. it especially looks good for those "im not wearing that much makeup" days. it adds a really nice natural flush with the smallest amount. seriously i dont think i will ever run out of this because when i do use it, i only dab lightly once for each cheek.

sin
berry with a beautiful gold shimmer running throughout it. this is another nars blush that i neglect but still really like. the shimmers don't translate the same way in the pan as it does on the face. when i wear sin it is just a beautiful berry sheen, not a hot glittery mess.

madly
a shimmery warm beige with some pink. this is one of my favorite blushes, which is funny because in the pan it looks completely boring and dull. on my face it just warms it up so nicely and adds life. very neutral but in the best way. not overly shimmery, just perfect.

desire
a matte hot pink. oh how i love desire. if this color ever disappeared i would cry. it is so beautiful in the pan and on my cheeks. this is another color you do not need a lot of product to get the look you want.

angelika
a baby pink with silver sparkles. i think out of all my nars blushes i reach for this one the least. unlike the other shimmery shades, angelika's glitters DO transfer to my face. the color is pretty, no doubt, but i usually save this color for night time when glitter is more socially accepted ha.

amour
a matte darker peachy pink. a lot of people compare this color to being the matte version of orgasm. i dont really agree with that but regardless i love amour. it is very flattering on my skin tone, a nice warm flush of peachy pink without any shimmers. i like to use this when i wear white, it really makes the color stand out.

albatross
technically this is a highlighting blush powder...but ill include it for kicks. it is white in the pan but when swatched on my skin the white vanishes into glowy multidimensional gold wonderfulness. one of my favorite highlighters for sure.

swatches:
(from left to right) desire, angelika, deep throat, amour, orgasm, gilda.

**btw, if you were wondering why i swatched orgasm but didnt have it pictured, it is because i used to have the full sized orgasm but i gave it to my sister. i used my laguna/orgasm duo for the swatch.

more swatches
sin, madly, taj mahal, exhibit a, albatross

out of all of my nars blushes, i would say my must haves and recommendations for you to check out are desire, madly, and exhibit a. deep throat and orgasm are also wonderful and my favorites but i would recommend trying it on before buying it since not everyone loves these shades! taj mahal and amour are also really great shades to check out if you dont have them yet.

i eventually want to own all of the colors (crazy person? yes)...the next few colors i want to get are mounia, torrid, and douceur. what are your favorite nars shades? or what colors have you been lusting after?

001 vain rambling

2011-06-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

i thought i'd start a little rambling series here called vain ramblings...they will just be brief little snippets of things i want to mention but feel like dont really need a full post all to themselves...

i wore cargo's lyon blush yesterday and i quite liked it. i have been shamefully neglecting my cargo blushes (since i have been so infatuated with my deep throat/bronzer combo if you havent noticed...) so i thought i'd pull them out. reminds me of how much i love cargo's formula (smooth and easy to blend, yet pigmented) and how i want more colors (key largo and rome especially.)

here i am wearing it. i feel like its hardly noticeable in pictures, but i swear in person it shows up. the color is a nice matte muted cranberry. i feel like it is more of a fall color though...

ALSO i wore no liner on my waterline yesterday...which i feel naked without if im being honest since i have an abnormal infatuation with intense black liner. i look at this picture and feel like i look weird...probably just my own thinking though...right?!? haha

i bought four new polishes the other day. i have already come to terms that i have an unhealthy obsession with nail varnish. danielle from BLOOMIN BEAUTY has already pointed out to me that i am easily enabled...especially when it comes to nail polish.

this time i bought them at a salon centric (only beauty professionals can shop here, my friend Hieu got them for me :D) so the selection was MUCH MUCH greater than the little nail supply store i blogged about HERE. this time i picked up two opi colors (glitzerland & vodka and caviar) as well as two essie (pretty edgy & coat azure).

i got some samples (again from my friend hieu...he's so good to me) of lancome's hypnose drama and definicils. i have been wanting to try these out but have been very skeptical if the price is worth it. so we will see how it goes!

style inspiration:ashley tisdale

2011-06-15T13:45:00.000-07:00

img courtesy of justjared.com

look at this outfit. i love everything about it, the dark skinnies, the platform booties, and especially...ESPECIALLY this sheer low scoop in the back flower top she's rocking by stone cold fox. sadly this shirt retails for about 275 bucks so it is out of my reach. but i can stare longingly...

just like with vanessa hudgens, ashley's style is hit or miss to me but this is definitely a hit to me. i would love to raid this girl's closet, her shoe closet especially.

what do you think of her look? too hippie or just your style?

punchy eyes

2011-06-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

here i am with (not the best) pictures to show how i recently used the mac sweet & punchy e/s i blogged about HERE. since i am not really a big color fan when it comes to everyday looks, the most common way i wear color is under my lower lash line. fun and subtle, just the way i like it.

face:
neutrogena healthy skin foundation
mac msfn med dark
bonnebell glimmer bronzer
hoola bronzer
nars deep throat
dior amber diamond highlighter

eyes:
mac constructivist pp
bare escentuals nude beach all over lid
nars galapagos in crease
mac sweet & punchy under bottom lash line
milani liquidf'eyed liner in black
mac feline in waterline
lash blast mascara

lips:
foundation as base
revlon pink pop gloss

next i shall try and pair it with grey shadow, like i mentioned i would before. this chartreuse color is hard to match with my clothes though...

and yes i am wearing that gold leaf headband again. and no i havent made it more comfortable...but it's so darn cute so i keep wearing it.

summer essentials

2011-06-13T15:50:00.000-07:00

while picking out my summer beauty essentials for this post i realized a trend. i picked mostly pinky/corally/bronze shades. i promise i didnt do this intentionally but there is something about theses shades that just make it feel like summer to me.

bronzer
the one shown here is cargo's matte medium bronzer. i really like this bronzer but i dont think it is extraordinary. i have hit pan as you can see (because i use bronzer up like crazy) so after this one is done, i plan to pick up either a dior bronzer or chanel soleil de tan.

ANYWAY, enough of that little ramble...i love bronzer, especially in the summer. it just adds so much warmth and dimension to the face. i truly feel naked without it!

breathable blush
for summer most of the time i sport no nonsense makeup that is simple but put together. i feel like weightless sheer but pigmented blushes you can just dab on and go are perfect for summer. these nars multiple tints are really good but unfortunately limited edition (i dont see them on the website anymore!) the one shown here is my favorite out of the three, cadaques, which is a sheer bright pink. it looks really flattering with a tan.

shimmery eye shadow
my favorite eyeshadow to use in the summer is anything shimmery so it can catch the light from the sun. here i used mac's tan pigment as the model for this section because i love this pigment obvi. i have mentioned this pigment before in my blog so i wont rave anymore about it.

bright nail polish
for me bright nail polish is a must during the summer. i have been giving a LOT of love to my china glaze flip flop fantasy polish, which is a neon coral pink shade. absolutely love this shade on the toes. i have worn this for multiple weeks straight and i dont see that changing any time soon.

coral blush
one of my recent purchases, but i keep reaching for tarte's tipsy coral blush to add some color to my cheeks. if i dont reach for this i reach of bobbi brown's pot rouge in cabo coral.

baby pink blush
there is something about bronze skin and baby pink cheeks that just works. i have been obsessed with nars deep throat lately, especially paired with bronzer. it really perks up my complexion. i know not everyone is a fan of deep throat (some say it doesnt show up on them) but i am most definitely a fan. probably one of my favorite blushes of all time.

moisturizer
hands down my favorite thing to use for summer is satsuma body butter from the body shop. i never really understood body butters because i had only tried bath and body works (so greasy!!) but i tried this body butter from the body shop and i fell in love. the consistency is light and not greasy and the scent is so divine and fresh. just like oranges but better. plus the scent lasts most of the day! i used this up like crazy in cali and everyone kept asking "what's that smell?!?" haha.

lip gloss
i will be honest, for everyday i dont even bother with lip products. i just slap on some chapstick and go because it will rub off anyway. but for summer i usually get in the habit of applying tons of gloss to add to the dewy summery look. i have mostly been using up my revlon super lustrous glosses (pink pop is pictured) and i am trying to use up this bonnebell lipgloss in strawberry parfait. i like the milky color and smooth texture but the scent makes me a bit nauseous.

swatches
(from left to right) cargo bronzer, mac tan pigment, nars deep throat, tarte tipsy blush, nars cadaques multiple

what are your summer essentials?

i wanna cajun berry

2011-06-07T20:18:00.000-07:00

yesterday i was driving around and i came across a new nail supply store that had just opened. if you ever see any nail supply stores in your area i HIGHLY recommend you checking it out. they usually have common salon polish brands like opi, essie, china glaze, orly, etc for half price.

this one i visited didnt have a huge selection but it wasnt horrible. they had opi for $4, china glaze for $2.50, a little orly and lots of brands i have never heard of. i ended up picking up only three shades from opi.

koala berry
koala berry is a nice creamy raspberry color. i love this color...i would even go as far to say it is one of my favorite polishes. my sister had this before me and every time i visited her i always used this shade.

comparison
here i have compared all my pinked berried colors. koala berry isnt as dark as essie raspberry but they are in the same color family i would say. pink flamenco has too much of a strong pink base compared to the purpley berry tones of KB. and CG rich & famous isnt even close to KB, being as it is strictly pink.

i wanna be a-lone star
i originally wanted nothing from the recent texas collection, but after i read VIVIANNA's post with her wearing this color, i quickly changed my mind and wanted this shade immediately. i'll admit it, i am easily swayed by my fellow bloggers purchases and raves. sigh.

anyway, IWBALS is a very very light pastel baby blue with a silver sheen. i really have nothing even close to this shade making it a nice item to add to my collection. i like the color but i wish it was a little bit darker. i feel like it has too much white to it. i have been wanting CG sea spray polish, which is supposed to be similar but a little greyer and darker.

comparison
like i said, i really have nothing like this shade in my stash of ever growing polishes so i just picked a very light shade to compare it to. SH lavender cloud is an extremely light lavender. it actually is so light it looks white on me. IRL it really does have a tinge of purple to it; a very small tinge granted, but it is there.

cajun shrimp
cajun shrimp is bright orangey red shade.

comparison
here you can see lollipop isnt as orange, sunset orange isnt as red, and california coral is more muted/not as bright. i think if lollipop and sunset orange had a baby it would be cajun shrimp.

i am happy with all three shades i picked up. my first impression with the formula of all three is good since they applied smoothly and werent streaky. but that is just from me swatching them for pictures, who knows how they perform as a full mani/pedi (well except koala berry, i already know it is good :P)

do any of you have these shades? what are you favorite opi shades? or actually, what are your favorite china glaze shades? there were so many CG polishes at this store i got overwhelmed!

black skirt, magenta belt

2011-06-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

today i had to run out to get some errands done and i thought i'd try to post my outfit. it's been pretty hot and humid where im at so i decided to pair my black flirty skirt i got from urban outfitters (UO) a couple years ago w/ my newly acquired magenta stretchy belt from american apparel (AA). this belt was 30% off at the AA i went to, so check out your local AA if you need colorful waist belts, they had various different colors when i checked.

white burn out tank- i got it at UO, the brand is BDG
white cami underneath- aerie
black skirt- BDG
magenta belt- AA
sandals- chinese laundry
flower locket- UO

my leaf headband is from target, i got it in cali. i think it's so awesome but it is so uncomfortable when i wear it all day! it is made out of metal and the prongs that go behind my ears really rub my scalp harshly after time. even though its not the most comfortable headpiece, i still love it. maybe i will try to make soft pads to put on the ends to make it more comfortable...

rings- f21
bracelets- american eagle
nail polish- essie turquoise & caicos

here is a closer look at my polish. i have been looking out for a nice turquoise polish and this is pretty, but not what i was looking for. i am looking for a more blue toned turquoise and this is too green. any recommendations? regardless i am really digging this shade.

the formula is really nice. very creamy and smooth. this is three coats but i could have easily gotten away w/ two.

more details on my makeup:

face:
mixture of revlon photoready & neutrogena healthy skin foundation
mac MSFN med dark
bonnebell shimmer bronzer in gold n glitz
benefit hoola bronzer
nars deep throat
dior amber diamond

eyes:
nyx chrome e/s in mocha as base
mac museum bronze pigment
mac brun in crease
milani liquidfeyed liner in black
mac feline liner on water line
CG lashblast mascara

lips:
foundation as base
revlon peach petal gloss

i hope all of your weeks have started off smoothly!

my first cco trip!

2011-06-03T13:19:00.002-07:00

hello everyone! i am sorry i have been MIA for the past two weeks. i had a little vacation in california and while i was there i got to eat lots of great food and finally had the opportunity to visit a cco. the one i went to was in an outlet mall in san diego. it was a small little shop that offered mac, estee lauder, bobbi brown and lots of fragrances. i have heard ccos are usually hit or miss, and lucky for me it was a hit. i was able to snag a couple mac products i have been eying for a while as well as an on the whim buy.

cream color base in madly magenta
this is something i have been wanting ever since i watched nur's video on her purple blush crush and she mentioned the product. the color is so gorgeous. i would describe it as a bright pink based purple with no shimmers or glitter. it may seem so bright and outrageous in the pan, but really if you wore it right it is extremely flattering. this can also be worn on the lips, which i havent tried out yet.

it's extremely pigmented and can be worn really heavily if you wanted to be dramatic or worn really sheered out for a beautiful touch of color. i wore this a lot while i was in cali after i got it. this isnt available online atm, but you can sometimes find them at your mac counter and they repromote this shade frequently.

after getting this ccb, it makes me want to get virgin isle ccb. next time i see it i will definitely purchase it.

mac e/s in sweet & punchy
this e/s came out with the to the beach collection last summer. the only thing i picked up from the collection was hipness blush but i really regretted not picking up this unique shade. i started scouring blog sales and ebay for this e/s but i put it off hoping it would be repromoted. luckily for me this was at this cco! and for cheaper than retail too, i got it for about $10.

sweet & punchy is a very very yellow based chartreuse. i imagine myself pairing this with grey shadows to make it more wearable. i cant wait to play with the color.

ccb in madly magenta on left, sweet & punchy e/s on right

mac nail varnish in imperial flower
this was my on the whim buy. this polish came out last year with the fabulous felines collection. at the time i wasnt interested in this shade because i was distracted by the jade dragon polish which i bought. but once i saw this at the cco, it reminded me a lot of dior's aloha polish plus i have been looking for a pretty orange polish to pick up.

i really like this shade. i would say it is a reddish orange with gold flakes. its very summer appropriate and it definitely satiates my lust for dior's aloha. i think i like this more than aloha since it has the very subtle gold shimmers.

i would say this shade would look best on medium to dark skin tones. i know i will be rocking this a lot, especially with a tan!

that is all i picked up. i want to try to make a trip to another cco just to see what else there is to offer.

do you guys have any of these products? how would you wear sweet & punchy? it is such a funky color i'd like to hear what you would pair it with...

my forgotten fabulush easter

2011-05-04T09:31:00.001-07:00

hello everyone, i am so sorry for my lack of real worthy posts lately. i will be posting more often after this week hopefully since i graduate from college this friday! i still have a long way to go since i want to go to grad school, but for now i will be free after these pesky exams i have tomorrow :)

i do have a little easter and product blurb i forgot to post...just my makeup i had for the day. nothing extraordinary, the only reason i am posting it is because i realized i never posted more details on mac's ccb in "fabulush", which i got a while back.

face:

maybelline dream smooth mousse
mac MSFN in med+
bonnebelle glimmer bronzer
nyc sunny bronzer
mac ccb in fabulush
dior amber diamond highlight

eyes:
vintage selection pp
UD pony palette (snatch, mildew, smog)
lineur intense liquid liner
lashblast mascara

lips:
i applied a little of my foundation on my lips then loreal's jelly balm in plush

mac's fabulush:

ive had this product but it was tucked away in one of my makeup drawers and i forgot about it (whoops!) i just recently started wearing it more often and its really nice. i like it a lot. the color is described on the website as a candied red with gold and i would say that is about right since i see it as a pinkish red laced with gold shimmer. ive heard kim kardashian loves this shade, but what do i know :)

swatched, you can see the gold shimmer in the product. im absolutely smitten with the gold in this, i think that it is what makes this product unique and beautiful.

i prefer to apply this with either my fingers if i am in a hurry, or first with a synthetic foundation brush (i use sonia kashuk) then blended in with a duo fibre brush (i use mac 188). i know a lot of people like using their duo fibre brush right in the pan, but i hate that, it makes the product pick up hairs and it looks so ugly and unclean to me.

i would say this is the redder long distant cousin to nars orgasm but in no way a dupe at all. if you find you didnt like orgasm because of the not so fine shimmer particles and the pinky shade didnt flatter you, try swatching fabulush. its a similar concept in that they are both laced with gold, but fabulush has no big shimmer particles and is a cream product. i personally LOVE orgasm, but i know a lot of people who have complained that orgasm doesnt show up on them, is too glittery, etc...and this product will definitely show up on most skin types with the same gold effect orgasm has.

have you guys tried fabulush?

dim sum fun

2011-04-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

♥♥♥spicy squid♥♥♥

eat up.

getting tipsy

2011-04-14T15:54:00.000-07:00

this past weekend i had the time to make a little trip to sephora where i picked up a couple things i have been eying. i also got a couple early birthday gifts from my friend Hieu, who i have mentioned before on my blog. he got me the new estee lauder sea star bronzing blush as well as my first mac dazzleglass. thanks hieu! :)

estee lauder sea star bronzing blush
i took this picture after i had used it (which btw was really hard to do because the imprint is so pretty!) so part of the purple/pink overlay is gone. of course like most overlays, they dont last after the first couple swirls. it is more for looks, not for color payoff.

the product has a light tan bronzer background with a pinky coral star fish embedded in it. the colors can be worn alone or swirled together, depending on what look you desire.

swatches (from left to right) swirled together, bronzer, blush
this is a very subtle product overall. the coral star fish has great pigmentation. the bronzer is very light and not overly shimmery. when swirled together you get a subtle bronzed peach.

mac dazzleglass in 'like venus'
like venus is bright pink glitter gloss. it is SO pretty. its actually very dramatic to me, since i tend to get nude glosses with a creamy finish. but i can wait to try this out! its even more sparkly in person.

bare escentuals e/s in nude beach
i have been dying to get this shadow after seeing swatches of it on sandra's blog. i swatched it and fell in love.

tarte amazonian clay blush in tipsy
after hearing all about these new blushes from tarte, i knew i HAD to check these out. i ended up getting tipsy because most of the other colors that caught my eye looked similar to other blushes in my collection, plus the color is gorg!

swatches (from left ot right) mac like venus, BE nude beach, tarte tipsy
this swatch of like venus doesnt do it justice. in person it is much more sparkly and pink. nude beach is a cool taupe with silver shimmers. if you get the chance, SWATCH THIS. it is so beautiful and shimmery in person. tipsy is a very orange based coral, but not so orange that it loses its coral tone.

i havent had the chance to try out tipsy or like venus yet, but i have been using nude beach everyday since i got it and i have been loving it (esp in the inner corners of the eyes).

once i give these a go for a while, i will do more in depth posts of me wearing the products and my true thoughts on them.

have you guys tried any of these products?

milani baked blushes

2011-04-12T16:04:00.000-07:00

i am blaming Danielle for this recent purchase of mine...all because i saw her wonderful swatches and rave over these new milani baked blushes, i knew they had to be mine. i purposely sought after these this past weekend, and luckily i was able to find a handful. There are a total of 9 shades, I picked up the only 3 i could find: luminoso, rose d'oro, and dolce pink. I really wanted corallina, but i couldnt find it :( i will have to hunt for it at another store (pathetic). on to the swatches!

luminoso
luminoso is a beautiful light peach. out of the three i got, this is the least sparkly.

dolce pink
dolce pink is a light yellow based pink. this is the least pigmented out of the three i got, but still pretty.

rose d'oro
rose d'oro is my favorite out the three. it is a coral with gold veining. this one is so beautiful, i stare at it every time i use it. it has just the right balance of orange and pink tones to it.

swatches (from left to right) luminoso, dolce pink, rose d'oro

i have worn all three shades so far since i've purchased them and i am very satisfied with their performance. they are pigmented and last all day on me...i wore luminoso from 7am-10pm and i still had color on my cheeks. very impressive for a drugstore blush since the ones i do own only last 4 hours tops on me.

a few things to keep in mind...if you arent a fan of sparkly, i would steer clear from these. they dont make you look like a disco ball, but they certainly arent matte. and due to it being a mineralized type formula, product does tend to fly everywhere when you swirl, so i would suggest to not swirl so vigorously. also, it's more of a personal preference thing, but i cant stand the packaging. its very cheaply made and bulky. i prefer a more sleek packaging for easy storage and travel.

i have tried a few things from milani and i have nothing bad to say so far with their products. they do a very good job with their formulas and they are such a steal. these cost me about $7.50. milani is a hard brand to find in stores, but you can find it in select walgreens, rite aids, and i have had the best luck at cvs. you can also buy milani online at cherryculture.com.

have you tried these out? if you havent you should definitely check them out! i think they are so good for the price...