Distinque

Review | Wet N' Wild - On a Trip

2012-02-03T13:38:00.000-10:00

Yay back to painting my nails. My nails were given a much needed break because of the staining. Good thing because I got sick and remained sick for over a week. So I posted last week that my local Walgreens had a buy 2 get 1 free on their nailpolishes. I previously bought 2 so I took advantage of the opportunity to pick more up. Oh! By the way majority of the nailpolishes are creme finishes. Love!

Today I have On a Trip on my nails and my eyes were immediately drawn to it in the store. It's a pretty periwinkle color:)

So this is the first time I've tried the the megalast formula from Wet N' Wild and I dislike the brush! So hard to apply even and nice coats with this brush. So I gave myself a manicure on Sunday with On a Trip and and today is Friday. Results?!? Five days of chip free wear. There's just some wear on the tips of the nails which is to be expected. Now, I'm not the type to wear gloves when washing dishes or when I'm cleaning house. So I'm impressed with this formula especially since it was just $1.99. On a Trip from the five nail polishes performed average when I swatched all the polishes. I'll be applying another polish from the Megalast line to see if the formula is consistent.

Day 5: Chip Free:)

First Impression | Wet N' Wild Megalast Nailpolishes

2012-01-31T10:05:00.001-10:00

Wet N’ Wild came out with a line of colors for their Megalast line. I picked up a total of five nail polishes, the last three in a promotion, buy two get one free. It retails for $1.99. It claims to provide 5 days of chip-resistant wear, creates exceptional color adhesion and is toluene, phthalate and formaldehyde free.

They have this new brush design called Pro Brush Manicurve. The stem of the brush is flat and the dense bristles are set up so that it’s also flat with a round tip. The applicator stem is similar to Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure and I noticed with this kind of stem it prevents product buildup on the neck of the nail polish bottle.

The brush is made with an unusual type of bristles. Don't know what type it is but its not smooth and makes application very difficult and streaky. Also thin coats are difficult to pull off because the bristles are thick so if you want to make thin coats the coats will be streaky. The formula varies the most opaque one being Tropicalia and the streakiest is Disturbia. Currently wearing On a Trip and will be reviewing that shortly.


[With flash] first coat, streaky!	W

[Without flash] first coat, streaky!

[With flash] Two coats, How do I rotate this via blogger!?!

[With Flash] Currently wearing On a Trip, two coats

Project 10 Pac [Epic Fail]

2012-01-30T11:48:00.000-10:00

Lesson learned, never start project pan during the best deals in makeup of the year!

Review | L'Oreal Voluminous Smoldering Kajal Eyeliner

2012-01-27T13:38:00.000-10:00

My thoughts on the L'Oreal Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner

Wet n' Wild nailpolishes

2012-01-26T09:45:00.001-10:00

Walgreens are having a deal on their Wet n' Wild nailpolishes. Buy 2 Get 1 free! $4 for 3 nailpolishes. What a deal!

Haul | Walgreens, Kmart & Mac

2012-01-24T19:15:00.000-10:00

Review | Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 HR Eyeshadow

2012-01-22T19:12:00.000-10:00

My thoughts on maybelline's color tattoo.

Review | Cuccio's Sicilian Nail Whitening Paste

2012-01-20T12:20:00.000-10:00

Earlier I posted pictures of my stained nails and that I was reviewing a product to destain them. The product that I'm reviewing is Cuccio's Sicilian Nail Whitening Paste.

I got this product at a local beauty supply store and decided to give this a try since destaining products are a bit limited. It costs me $5 but I got it a discounted price. It retails regularly at $10. I first removed my nail polish and washed my hands. I then used a baby tooth brush (gentle bristles) and the paste to scrub the top of my nails and the bottom of my nails. The paste runs on the thicker side. I did a thorough scrubbing that probably took five mins for both hands. I then washed my hands with hand soap.

Results? I can visibly see that my nails got whiter. There's still some staining with them but with continued use I know that the stains will be less visible in time. See for yourself!

Before Treatment

Cuccio's Sicilian Nail Whitening Paste

After treatment

Review | Maybelline Masterprecise Liquid Eyeliner

2012-01-18T21:57:00.000-10:00

Haul | CVS, Walgreens & Sephora

2012-01-16T14:31:00.000-10:00

First Haul of 2012

Haul | CVS, Skindinavia, Kiehl's and Sephora

2012-01-15T12:53:00.000-10:00

A break from nail polishes

2012-01-14T17:03:00.000-10:00

Ahhh! my nails are stained. Yes, I do use a base coat. I always apply a base coat and top coat. Realistically, nail stains are unavoidable if you paint your nails on a regular basis. I've been painting my nails continuously for 2 months until my sister and cousin told me my nails are stained and that I should give them a break. After that comment I started freaking out because to me it wasn't so noticeable. Here's a pic that I took after that comment. See not bad right? I actually texted this pic to a friend for her opinion.

So I painted my nails and did the Essie and Revlon manicure. Had that on for a couple of days and used the foil method to remove the nail polish because I had three coats of glitter on them. I did notice that they were looking yellow so I took a picture of them with/without flash. Geez what a difference flash does. I look like I have cheese under my nails (the most yellow part were on the tips of my nails). So my nails are undergoing treatment. I'm currently testing one product and a review on its way.

Without Flash

With Flash! Looked like I just ate Cheetos!

Storage: Nail Polish

2012-01-12T19:49:00.000-10:00

Zoya, China Glaze and Color Club

Lately I've been organizing all my stuff and finding better storage solutions for them. Since my last post was storage for my lush soaps I decided to put post this since I just organized my nail polishes a couple of days ago (Plus I'm reviewing some items). I bought these containers from Costco who sells them by the bulk, a 14 pack for $25. And most importantly is they're stackable! Luckily, all my nail polishes fit! I separated them by brand because each brand has their own size and I feel that I'll be utilizing the space efficiently.

I didn't know I had so much OPI! It has its own container. OPI is one of my favorite nail polish brands and I've been buying OPI for years (5+ years). Another favorite is Zoya which I have the least of but I don't feel too bad since I just started using Zoya in 2011.

How do you store your nail polishes?

Storage: Lush Soaps

2012-01-11T20:47:00.000-10:00

So I splurged and bought lush soap during the holiday promotion. It was a buy two get one free deal and all of the soaps and holiday items were part of the deal. I always wanted to try them but at $7-$9 per 1/4 lb, that is just too expensive. So when I saw the deal I saw my opportunity to try them. All of the soaps I bought are strong scented and fall into the categories of sweet and clean. Since they're pricey I wanted to make them last as long as possible.

So I cut them with a sharp knife and placed them into ziploc snack bags. Took the label off the soap and placed it on the center of the bag. I store it in my bathroom closet away from steam and sunlight because if constantly exposed to the sun the color will fade. This will conserve the soap instead of having a large piece of soap being constantly wet and product melting down the drain. It'll literally be money going down the drain!

Review: Revlon Sparkling & Essie Jazz

2012-01-10T19:15:00.000-10:00

The latest nail polish that I purchased was Revlon, Sparkling. It's a metallic pink glitter (small glitter particles and large hexagonal glitter) suspended in a clear base. I didn't want to wear the glitter on its own so I did some research and I saw a nude base under the glitter and it looked fab! Sorry I forgot who's blog I saw it on. Plus I can kick out two reviews in one manicure. So I used Essie's Jazz as my base coat and it's a creme finish that applies on the thick side. Revlon's Sparkling is a sheer polish, it took three coats to appear like the picture above/below. One con that I don't like about glitter nail polishes that have two different sizes in them is that there won't be a even distribution of large glitter. It's a very feminine combination that catches a lot of attention

Haul | TheBalm on Hautelook

2012-01-09T23:08:00.000-10:00

The Polished Perfectionist Giveaway

2012-01-09T14:29:00.000-10:00


Base: Essie - Jazz, Glitter: Revlon - Sparkling

Hi everyone, so I'm sure by now everyone knows my nail/nail polish obsession is pretty much equal to my makeup obsession. I have an obsession for hands and feet since I was young. If I had the talent I can probably draw the hands and feet of my family and close friends. I visit many nail blogs and the one that I consider the Queen of Nails is AmyGrace, The Polished Perfectionist.

I actually emailed her a concern of mine which is nail staining. She actually respond! Which goes to show how nice The Polished Perfectionist is. She also has some posts that I refer to like hand and nail care, how to wrap your nails, etc.

And now she's holding a great giveaway. I hope I win.

Video: Tag | If all my nail stuff disappeared, 10 items I were to replace first

2012-01-08T07:00:00.000-10:00

Review: Sally Hansen - Blue Me Away

2012-01-06T19:55:00.000-10:00

* Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear - Blue me away*
Excuse the pen mark on my middle finger:)

Hi everyone, so I decided to start wearing nail polishes from my holiday hauls. So I wanted to try this bright nail polish that belongs to the Sally Hansen's Xtreme Wear pack of nail polishes that was out at CVS for $4.99. None of the nail polishes that were in these set have a name on them and I doubt that Sally Hansen made special colors for the holiday season especially since they don't look festive. So I did some searching and this blue looks like it's from their regular line. So here is Blue Me Away.

Blue Me Away, lives up to its name alright. A creme finish that applied fairly okay. I had to apply thick coats because the brush was dragging and I could see brush marks. A very opaque nail polish that took two coats. No chipping yet (this is the second day) but I do see some wear at the tips. I think it'll last a good four days before it drives me insane and another manicure is due.

Review: Essie - Fiji

2012-01-04T19:30:00.000-10:00

* in natural daylight*

So I greeted 2012 with Essie - Fiji, one of my favorite colors. Note that I said colors not nail polishes. It has to be one of the hardest to work with but still applies better than Revlon's Peach Petal, which is similar in coloring but has more peach than pink. Streaking and pigmentation are the biggest problem. I applied three coats, actually four on certain areas of the nail if some streaking shows through.

It's a very feminine color that really draws attention. It makes your nails appear longer than it is. It wears fairly nice (as I type this post up it has been three days) and no chipping yet. The reason why I still put up with this nail polish is because who can resist a light pink cream nail polish? Not me!

* in artificial light*

Top 11 Products in 2011

2012-01-02T11:10:00.000-10:00

What's your top 11 of 2011?

Happy New Year Everyone!

2012-01-01T19:08:00.005-10:00

Welcome 2012! 2011 had its ups and downs. More downs than ups but I'm glad I accomplished majority of my 2011 resolutions. I think the reason why I did so well with my 2011 resolutions is because I wrote it down and had it visible for me to see throughout the year. I currently have it on my iPhone but before the night ends it'll be on my bulletin board:)

I decided on the amounts of my makeup budget. It was really hard because I wanted it to be attainable but challenging at the same time. So these are the amounts, I've broken it down to $500 makeup, $300 skincare and $75 nails (nail polish, treatments, cuticle oil & cream). Wish me luck cause I'm going to need it. As for hair, I really don't spend a lot of money on my hair. Haircut 1-2x a year, drugstore shampoo and conditioner? Don't need to set up much of a budget there.

Another goal is to lose another 30 pounds. Such a challenge but hearing compliments and seeing clothes not fitting has kept me motivated to keep on going!

The last beauty related goal is to be a dedicated beauty blogger by posting at least 1x a week and keeping up with youtube.

The rest of my goals don't really concern beauty such things. I've created financial goals like saving an (x) amount of money, having Macy's not make a penny off me in interest (that was a 2011 goal that I reached. Wassup now Macy's! Stupid 20+% in interest) and writing in my journal every seven to 10 days.

Haul | Lush

2011-12-29T20:32:00.000-10:00

Review: Essie - Chinchilly

2011-12-27T21:38:00.004-10:00

Hi everyone, so today I have a new nail polish from Essie called Chinchilly. I was at CVS/Longs Drugs and checking out their usual sales in the cosmetic area and I saw a $2 off coupon any Essie nail polish/nail treatment. So of course I had to pick one up (practiced discipline here because I really wanted to get two) so I was debating between Chinchilly and this nude color. I haven't found the perfect nude nail polish and I'm still on the hunt for it (any recommendations?) So to be safe I picked Chinchilly.

Chinchilly is the exact color of a chinchilla. Not a perfect gray color but more so of a gray/taupe color. I decided on a gray because it reminds me of OPI - You don't know Jacques, one of my favorite nail polishes. They're not dupes but are from the gray family. Now Essie and I have a love and hate relationship. Essie creates a lot of creme finishes, my favorite finish, but I've never been consistently pleased with their nail polishes. Hit or miss with me and most times it has been misses because of the quality of the nail polish. Runny and so-so pigmentation but I do pick a nail polish up if it interests me. Chinchilly is a unique color that is very work place appropriate. I personally think that it looks okay against my skintone but I do prefer OPI, You don't know Jacques a brown/gray color. I used two coats and it isn't as opaque as I expect it to be and as I write this blog entry I can see it wearing off at the tips and it's only the second day of application.

Review: Revlon - Royal (730)

2011-12-25T15:18:00.004-10:00

I bought this nail polish awhile ago and it was about time I used it. I picked it up at a drugstore during a sale featuring revlon products.

The color in the bottle is pretty true to color. This is the first nail polish that I tried from Revlon's top speed line and unfortunately I didn't test that property out (I will soon!) One of the major cons is that it is pretty sheer. As you can see the tips of my nails are visible under the two coats of polish that I applied. The other con is that after two days I experienced chipping. What a ROYAL pain! I must admit though it is a pretty color ;)

2011 New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-21T20:49:00.005-10:00

**Bare faced**

So every year I make a lot of new year's resolutions and every year I don't even meet half of them...except this year. I made nine resolutions and I completed eight out of nine, which is pretty damn good to me. I actually completed seven out of nine resolutions by June and I've been working on the last two. Of course, those two resolutions dealt with two of my weaknesses: makeup and weight loss.

Last week I actually met a goal weight resolution. Almost every year I make a resolution concerning my weight and every year I fail. My goal was to lose 20 pounds and I thought I wasn't going to make it but I joined 24 Hour Fitness in August/September because they were advertising a reasonable membership price of $25/month. I worked out 4x a week and increased the intensity and workouts to 6x a week. I started off slowly cause the last time I was in a gym was Dec 2010. I'm happy to say I'm at the lowest weight I have ever been in about five years, a total loss of 35 pounds:)

The next weakness is makeup. I had set a budget amount of $800 and I exceeded that budget. I made my 2010 makeup budget of $500 by the way. $800?!??! I know crazy right? but also take into consideration that I'm not a big shopper when it comes to clothes because well I don't fit the cute ones! and I'm into basics (ex: plain v-neck shirt with jeans). Although it sucks not making my resolution on makeup, this year I was actually adventurous with drug store makeup and investing in skincare items. I must give credit to drug store makeup, oh my have they stepped up their game (along with their price, eek! thank goodness for sales). I'm not sorry for spending money on skincare items because it only benefits the skin. So yes, my HG Shiseido moisturizer with SPF you're worth the $30.

I'm now thinking of resolutions for 2012. Yes, there will be a makeup budget in there.

Did you meet your New Year's Resolutions?

Haul | Milani

2011-12-19T20:07:00.000-10:00

Milani Haul from Cyber Monday. Can't wait to try them out!

aHHH! Back again but via Youtube

2011-12-19T19:58:00.003-10:00

Hey folks, sorry for the neglect but I'm back:) How long? Don't know but just enjoy. I've been actually doing youtube vids because it's easier than taking pics and editing and posting. I can't believe I still have traffic on this thing. Linking my newest youtube vid soon

Product Review: Opi's Play Til Midnight

2010-08-30T07:00:00.001-10:00

My friend is selling some of her nailpolishes and I picked up Opi's Play 'Til Midnight because it was the only one without glitter; I'm not much of a glitter nail polish fan because it's one of the most difficult to remove from nails. So here's my review on Opi's Play 'Til Midnight.

Product: 4 out of 5

Packaging: 4 out of 5

Quality: 4 out of 5

Color: 4 out of 5; A beautiful navy blue color with some shimmer

Overall: 4 out of 5

Price: $4 [Friend sold it to me]

Pros: It applies well but that's usually the case with shimmer nail polishes; I hardly get problems with applying shimmer nail polishes at all. In the sunlight and photos Play 'Til Midnight looks amazing. In the photos only 2 coats were applied to my nails.

Cons: It doesn't look that great in person. It actually looks real dull.

Overall: A nice shimmer navy blue color that looks great when under the spotlight if the spotlight isn't there it doesn't shine.

Poll

2010-08-29T23:47:00.003-10:00

Please fill out the poll to the right of the page so I can get a feeling of what you folks are looking for from this site.

Thanks!

Summer Hauling

2010-08-28T13:12:00.000-10:00

Product Review: Michelle Phan's Homemade Nose Strip

2010-08-26T16:11:00.005-10:00

So I'm a subscriber to Michelle Phan's and one of the videos that she recently made was for homemade nose strips. I was instantly interested because I no longer use pore strips simply because they're expensive ($6-$8 for 8 strips). So when I saw the title of Michelle Phan's video I just had to 'click'.

Overall: 3 out 5

So the only ingredients that are needed are Knox and milk in equal amounts. I think the quantity that Michelle used is too much because I needed up using about a 1/4 of the mixture so maybe reduce the ingredient size to half a tablespoon of each.

Did it work? Yes it did! It took a total of 15 minutes for the mixture to dry and harden. I applied 1 thick coat so that the strip would come off in one piece. My good friend, Dana, also tried it but it didn't work for her. I asked her if she applied a thick layer and she didn't because the strip came off in pieces. So I think the key is to apply a thick layer.

Cons: Knox smells horrible. It really is awful, the smell is indescribable! I think I would rather smell poo than Knox. It doesn't help that it is applied in the nose area either. The smell lasts until the nose strip is completely dry ...damn right! I had to grab my Bath & Body wallflower and place it under my nose for a good 10+ mins! Sweet Pea to my rescue.

I'll do this homemade nose strip again because I bought 3 boxes of Knox each containing 3 packets (1 box, 3 packets = $1.50? at walmart). I'm so not looking forward to smelling Knox though.

Review Overview of ELF Cosmetics [Part II]

2010-08-24T08:52:00.000-10:00

Part II of my review on elf cosmetics!

Review Overview of ELF Cosmetics [Part I]

2010-08-24T07:35:00.000-10:00

Hi everyone, this is a video reviewing the products I purchased from Elf Cosmetics. Part I of II

Thanks for watching

Product Review: An Overview of Elf Cosmetics

2010-08-23T20:21:00.006-10:00

In order from my dislikes to my likes!

Look how metallic looking and shimmery this is, very frosty!

I had really hoped that this would be a good deal but two of the colors lack in pigmentation and it's very blotchy.

A good deal if you're the right skintone. I found a good use for the concealer though...I use it has an eyeshadow base.

Nice color but it does need blending!

An okay product, I hate the applicator! Product lacks in pigmentation

My favorite of the bunch too bad there isn't a true black. I need to go over the line 3x to get that desired true black color.

Stay tuned for more!

I got 100 followers!

2010-08-22T16:45:00.002-10:00

Yay! I know that 100 followers isn't much but I do hope to grow and get more followers. Sorry I've been MIA but I still don't have internet at my apartment. BUT I'll be getting WiFi tomorrow afternoon. Look forward to hauls and reviews because they're in working progress I swear!

Product Review: Revlons, Lilac Pastelle [185]

2010-08-13T21:42:00.003-10:00

As I was checking out Revlon’s Peach Petal I saw the other colors that were released with the summer 2010 collection. Another color that caught my attention was this beautiful pastel purple color, Lilac Pastelle. First of all, my favorite color is purple right neck to neck to the color black!

Product: 4 out of 5
Packaging: 4 out of 5
Quality: 4 out of 5

Color: 4 out of 5; A beautiful pastel purple with no shimmer or glimmer

Overall: 4 out of 5
Price: $3.88; prices vary per location and store
Available: any locations that Revlon is sold

Pros: Application was a dream compared to Peach Petal, the first coat went streaky but after that no streaks! Hardly any air bubbles, I just 2-3 on my thumb finger and that is all! As I was reading reviews on this nail polish many people pointed out that its color is hard to distinguish between a pastel purple or pink. In my opinion, Lilac Pastelle is a purple but as the color fades it can be mistaken as a pastel pink because the vibrancy of the color fades. The staying power is great, it has been 3 days since I painted my nails and no chipping.

Cons: As the color fades it fades to a pastel pink.

Overall: Pastel matte purple color that isn’t a pain to apply.

Sale: ELF Brushes

2010-08-10T13:05:00.003-10:00

Elf is having a sale on their makeup brushes, 50% off on orders over $25.

Use code: EGBRUHALF, expires Aug 16, 2010.

Studio brushes I recommend are Complexion, Powder, Blush, Concealer, Eyeshadow C & Contour Brush

Thanks for stopping by!

Product Review: Revlon, Peach Petal

2010-08-08T17:59:00.005-10:00

Jen, frmheadtotoe, got me interested in this nail polish, Revlon Peach Petal that was just released from their summer 2010 line. I was then on a mission to find it! Find it I did at my local CVS but I refuse to pay the price tag of $5.75+ (sorry I forgot the exact amount but I know its above this). Since it was just released, I waited for the price to go down to reach the regular price of their other nail polishes. I found Peach Petal at my local walmart for an even cheaper price of $3.88, I was sold!

Product: 3 out of 5
Packaging: 4 out of 5
Quality: 2 out of 5

Color: 5 out of 5; A creamy peach color with absolutely no glitter or shimmer

Overall: 3.5 out of 5

Price: $3.88
Available: any locations that Revlon is sold

Pros: A beautiful peach cream color that I haven’t seen in many nail polishes, a real unique color. I also like it because it’s a matte formula which I tend to prefer over shimmers. I love how this really makes the nails look really clean and sophisticated. It reminds me of Mac’s seasonal peach.

Cons: This has to be one of the worst nail polishes I have ever tried. It’s streaky and requires at least 3 (thin) coats or 2 (thick) coats for the color to match what is in the bottle. I applied 2 thick coats then 2 thin coats. I also experience air bubbles; at least one on every nail. I hardly experience air bubbles when I paint my nails because I know to turn off anything that is circulating air. The formula is a little on the watery side but not too much.

Overall: A unique color that is hell to apply!

^ There's still some of the nail appearing through the 2 coats, more coats needed

ELF Makeup Haul

2010-08-06T20:46:00.000-10:00

Hi everyone, this video is on my first ELF (eyeslipsface) haul. I’ve heard a lot about the brand but I’m the type that likes to see and touch before purchasing especially if it’s a new brand to me. I did browse through their website and signed up for their newsletters. Shortly after, I received an email with a coupon for 50% off their studio line. Elf has two lines a regular line ($1 items) and a studio/professional line ($3). I then did some homework and found the top studio line items and purchased them. I also purchased items from their regular line. Here’s my haul!

What’s your recent Elf Haul?

Give me a couple of weeks to do a complete review of these items. Thanks for stopping by!

No internet!

2010-08-05T20:41:00.004-10:00

Hi everyone, sorry I've been MIA but I've been busy. I'm now settled in my apt ready to start the fall semester but I have no internet! I've been coming to Starbucks everyday to steal their internet. Before the move, my family and I threw my cousin, Kim, a baby shower! Yes, the cousin I do frequent makeovers on, she's 7 months pregnant! That took a lot of time especially since we had to hide it from her. I'll be posting another makeover post soon.

I plan to film some videos for my Youtube channel, edit them and upload them at Starbucks. Here's some videos to look forward to...

- E.L.F. Haul

- Makeup Tutorial Using E.L.F. products

- How to pack your makeup for college

- What to pack with you to college

Stay tuned for those, if you have any request leave them in the comment section

Makeover: Just Juxting Around in Humidity

2010-07-26T23:32:00.005-10:00

More colors! Again my model is my cousin Kim. She had wanted me to do her makeup for a reggae concert she was going to with my sister and her boyfriend. I had wanted to incorporate greens because of the obvious reason (reggae concert!) yah lol. I love the fact that she wears solid tops so I can use any colors that I want on her. I think my sister is wanting some makeover love too but she loves her smokey greys and blacks. bleh! I want free control.

I actually had my cousin do her own face makeup and I just did her eye look. I was in a rush to go to a potluck with some friends so I was just calling out instructions to her while I got ready. Now she's wanting my contour brush, Mac #109. She asked me if I was taking my brushes back with me to school. Uh YES, and I'll be locking my all of my makeup drawers too. I asked her if I could do a makeup tutorial on her so I could post it on my YouTube. She said no, she just recently found out that I've been posting her makeover pictures on the world wide web. lol.

* all Mac unless otherwise stated *
Face
Studio Fix Fluid, NC 42
Studio Lights Concealer, Sand
Set Powder, Invisible
Sculpt Powder, Shadester
Melba Blush

Espresso e/s (eyebrows)

Eyes
TFSI
Tete a tint e/s
Soft Ochre paint pot
Juxt e/s
Humid e/s
Blanc Type e/s
Red Cherry Eyelashes #503

Lips
Lip Erase, Dim
Lust l/g
Springbean l/g

Like the title of my post?

Red Cherry Eyelashes Haul

2010-07-22T09:24:00.003-10:00

Red Cherry Eyelashes Haul from BeautyShopOC! Regular Price $2.00 but they were on sale for $1.50. I also saw them at my local CVS store for $1.69, so check your local CVS for them.

Makeover: Midnight Moon

2010-07-20T11:34:00.007-10:00

Another makeover? Yes, with the my lovely cousin Kim. Something completely different; I wanted to incorporate blue into the look because she was using a denim tank dress. I also wanted to do a bright look on her because I've been doing dark, smokey looks. This is still a smokey look but very wearable, very day time.

* all Mac unless otherwise stated *
Face
Studio Fix Fluid, NC 42
Studio Lights Concealer, Sand
Set Powder, Invisible
Sculpt Powder, Shadester
True Romantic Blush
Espresso e/s (eyebrows)

Eyes
TFSI
Tete a tint e/s
Soft Ochere paint pot
Moon Reflection e/s
French Grey e/s
Typographic e/s
Blanc Type e/s
Red Cherry Eyelashes #205

Lips
Lip Erase, Dim
Lust l/g
Springbean l/g

Makeover: Kiss by the Sun

2010-07-15T07:00:00.000-10:00

Yes, another makeover! It's similar to my Summer Bronze Tutorial that I recently posted , the technique and some of the eyeshadows are different but majority of it products are similar. The reasons why I changed the colors is because my cousin is lighter than me. A whole lot more, I'm a NC44 and she's like an NC 40/42; I know it seems like it's not much number wise but it's a lot if you compare us in real life. Her eye shape and crease are also different so I adjusted the technique to suit her.

* all Mac unless otherwise stated *
Face
Studio Fix Fluid, NC 42
Studio Lights Concealer, Sand
Set Powder, Invisible
Sculpt Powder, Shadester
Melba Blush
New Vegas MSF (highlight)
Espresso e/s (eyebrows)

Eyes
TFSI
Tete a tint e/s
Indianwood paint pot
Woodwinked e/s
Lancome Take e/s
Bateau e/s
Blanc Type e/s
Red Cherry Eyelashes #205

Lips
Lip Erase, Dim
Lust l/g
Springbean l/g

Mac In the Groove Haul + More

2010-07-14T12:43:00.000-10:00

Hi everyone, this is my In the Groove Haul + more. Stay tuned for my Red Cherry eyelashes haul.

Makeover: Silver Smokey Eye

2010-07-12T07:00:00.003-10:00

Makeovers, I love giving them and I love receiving them. The past couple of days, I had the pleasure of doing makeovers on my cousin Kim. I've done makeovers on her before but she had some control over it, like what colors to use, how dark the eyeshadow application...yada, yada, yada. This time she gave me full control and she was very pleased with the result; so was I! She's not the easiest person to do a makeover on, her eyelids are sort of monolid-ish, her 'crease', skin fold, is very near to her lashline. She also has a lots of eye space so the eyeshadow application can be a bit tricky. I forgot to take before pics so I had to search my computer for a pic with minimal makeup on (above).

* all Mac unless otherwise stated *

Face

Studio Fix Fluid, NC 42

Studio Lights Concealer, Sand

Set Powder, Invisible

Sculpt Powder, Shadester

Melba Blush

Ricepaper e/s (highlight)

Espresso e/s (eyebrows)

Eyes

TFSI

Electra e/s

Smoke & Diamonds e/s

Tete A Tint e/s

Blanc Type e/s
Typographic e/s

Black Black Chromagraphic Pencil

Red Cherry eyelashes, #213

Lips

Lip Erase, Dim

Lust l/g

Springbean l/g

I hope you like the makeover!

In the Groove Makeover with Togetherness

2010-07-09T10:47:00.010-10:00

Hi everyone, the 'In the Groove' Collection is finally out! I placed my order on Tuesday when it was released on the website and I received it on Friday. Stay tuned for a haul video and makeup tutorial on it. I got a makeover at my local Mac counter by my favorite MUA, Jo. She's been doing my makeup for years, maybe 5 years? So I consider her a friend too. We're so comfortable with each other that she doesn't even go through the motions of telling me what she's putting on me and how she's applying it. So I don't have the complete list of products that she used, but I got majority of them.

*all Mac products*

Face

Strobe Cream

Prep & Prime Skin

Studio Sculpt Concealer, NW30

Mineralize Foundation, NC44

Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, Medium Dark

Mineralize Skinfinish Petticoat

Eyes

Fresco Rose paint pot

Phloof e/s

Soft Brown e/s

Togetherness Trio e/s

Beauty Marked e/s

Blacktrack fluidline

Smolder eye pencil

Lips

Half Red lipliner

I like it like that lipstick

? Cremesheen

I hope you like the makeover!

Summer Bronze Tutorial

2010-07-04T11:58:00.000-10:00

Hi everyone, here's a makeup tutorial I think is great to wear during the summer. A very bronze/orange look inspired by ChristianaDivine.

Products Used

Too Faced Eyeshadow Insurance

Mac Bamboo & Soft Brown Eyeshadow

Mac Rule Eyeshadow

Mac Indianwood Paint Pot

Mac Amber Lights Eyeshadow

Mac Brown Script Eyeshadow

Mac Bateau Eyeshadow

Mac Carbon Eyeshadow

Mac Blanc Type Eyeshadow

Mac Black Black Chromagraphic Pencil

L'oreal Voluminous Mascara

Mac Brave New Bronze

Mac Saplicious Lipgelee

Thanks for watching!

Cheap Red Cherry Lashes?!?!?!

2010-07-03T08:47:00.004-10:00

Hi everyone! Well I just received an email from BeautyShopOC. Beautyshopoc, sales RedCherry Lashes! They're having a 4th of July special, all of the lashes are $1.50 each! (reg is $2.00) AND you have free shipping after a purchase of $30. This is steal folks! I just placed my order, a total of 26 lashes. Hurry up, offer ends July 5th!

Here's a picture of some of the Red Cherry Lashes I've purchased before. Use for reference. I'm loving the 213, and 747s for natural lashes!

Basics: Liquid Foundation Routine

2010-07-02T15:30:00.000-10:00

Hi everyone, so here's a liquid foundation tutorial that I just put up. Please let me know what you think in the comments box. Thanks!

Makeup Sale #1

2010-06-27T07:00:00.001-10:00

- EDIT: DELETED SOME ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN SOLD, and PRICE CHANGES

Welcome to my very first blog sale! This sale is only open to U.S. orders. I have provided a video on majority of the items for sale and also pictures so y'all can see it both ways. I have feedback on Specktra.net and Makeupalley.com as Distinque. I also have feedback as a buyer on eBay under Distinque! I don't have much feedback as a seller but since I've been a buyer I know what's expected of me. No returns or refunds unless item is damaged through shipping.

Shipping: Shipping will be $3.50 for the 1st item which will include DC and $0.50 for each item after. If your buying many items I highly suggest purchasing insurance for an additional $1.00.

Payment: If you are interested in an item(s) email your paypal email address so I can do a invoice for you. My email is shaynas@hawaii.edu. If paying with a credit card through paypal please include $1.00 to cover fees.

If you have any questions please feel free to email me.

- BN, Marc Jacob Sunglasses MJ 023 in Black comes with hard case, soft case, and cloth
great pair of glasses it's just to small for me:(
$60 (retails for $310)

- Brand New Bebe Sunglasses comes with Hard Case $40 (retails $125)

- Mac pigment samples in 5g jars 1/2 tsp $4

- 1x, Lustreglass in Spring Bean $5

- 3x, Shiseido Eyeshadow Quad $20 ( retails $36.50)

- 1x, Pan Eyeshadow in Juiced $8 (retails $11) SOLD

- BNIB, Pot Eyeshadow in Blue Calm PRO $10 (retails $14.50)

- BNIB, Metal X in Metalblu $12 (retails $16.50)

- 2x, Eyeshadow Suite in Sweet Liason $12 (retails $16.00)

- 2x, Smashbox Fusion Eyeshadow in Smashing Sequence $15 (retails $28)

- 2x, Lorac Blush in Dazzle $6

- 4x, Lancome Eyeshadow Palette in Stylish Neutrals $30 (retails $70)

- BNIB, Lustreglass in Flashmode $12 (retails $14.00)
- 2x, Lipglass in Dreamy $10 (retails $14)
- BNIB but a nick on the top of lipstick from removing cover, Mattene in 40's Pink $12 (retails $14) SOLD

- 2x, Softsparkle Eye Pencil in Goldenair LE $10

- 2x, Softsparkle Eye Pencil in NightSky LE $10

- BNIB, Dual Edge Eye Pencil from Heatherette in Phone Me/Text Me LE $14
- BNIB, Dual Edge Eye Pencil from Heatherette in Nighthawk/Front Row LE $14

- BNIB, Hue in Turquatic Heat $20 LE (retails $22.50) SOLD

- BNIB, Eyeshadow Pot in Gulf Stream $12 LE (retails $14.50)
- BNIB, Eyeshadow Pot in Climate Blue $12 LE (retails $14.50)

- 1-2x, 189 Face Brush with Brush Guard $32 (retails $40)

Thanks for looking!

Finally...an update

2010-05-28T20:48:00.006-10:00

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for the kind thoughts and concerns over my doggie Rufus. Rufus is doing well, really well. The vet said it's a miracle that he's doing so well with no diet restrictions or any medicines. He passed all the tests that they did on him, neurological ones, since he was having seizures. What was the underlying cause? We really don't know we're just happy that he's healthy and happy.

School has been over for a month now, one more semester of school and I graduate with my BA in biology and a minor in chemistry. I'm currently studying for the PCAT, a pharmacy entrance exam required by most pharmacy schools this summer. There's a pharmacy program at the school I'm attending and I hope to get into there. *fingers crossed*

What's new with makeup? NOTHING lol. I made my first Mac AND makeup purchase for myself two weeks ago for the year of 2010. Amazing!?! huh. I purchased a cream color base in Pearl, Instant Chic blush, chromagraphic pencils in NC42 and black black. That's all I got:) When you're used to seeing only 2 palettes of eyeshadows, no blush, no contour powder, 2 lipsticks and 2 glosses for 2x 4 months intervals; you get use to just seeing that. Then blam! I'm home and I have 7x 15 Mac eyeshadow palettes (not including LE & Holiday palettes), ~20 blushes...you get my drift it's an exponential growth that I'm not used to seeing at all.

I don't regret buying all of this makeup (well sort of, it could have gone to my CC bill instead!) because it brought me much joy. I don't smoke, bar hop, club, or drink so this is where my money went to, my money not my parents. I want to get back into doing makeup so I can put more effort into my appearances and feel better about myself; I already have the tools I need to work on the skills. I've been actually applying makeup when I go out! haha, I usually just throw on a baseball cap. So I'll try to do more looks and reviews but no promises.

On a good note, I've been actually going to the gym:) To date, I lost 20 pounds! I want to lose even more throughout the semester.

Next time

Shayna!

An update and a FOTD

2010-02-16T19:40:00.006-10:00

Sorry everyone for the lack of updates, life just happens. After one week of school, I had to fly back home because my doggie got sick. I knew something was up with him and I had mentioned it to his vet during his annual checkup and she had mentioned that his anal sacs weren't expressed. So that's why he was pacing because it had hurt for him to sit on his bumbum. So I left for school and a couple of days after my family were really worried about him because he was getting around 5 hours of sleep. He would be running into things and his hearing was getting bad. It had really worried my family and I seeing that he's not even 5 years old, too young to be running into problems.

So my sister had brought him into the vet and they had some blood and urine work done. Till then they had given him some sedatives to calm him down so he could sleep because he would just continue to pace even with his head down, he couldn't even bark. So it was basically a waiting game till the results came in and I really thought that we were going to lose him. He couldn't even stand while he ate, so he had to be hand fed. I did some research of my own and spoke to the small animal vet at the campus. So his temporary diagnosis is porto-systemic shunt, basically some of his blood isn't being filtered so an accumulation of toxins were circulating in his blood. He had episodes of seizures and just when he was getting a little better my mom took him on a car ride. I guess he had wedged himself under the backseat and he was stuck there for an hour. My sister and my mom were both in tears in McDonalds and luckily a man came and helped them. He had to completely remove my mom's back seat to get to him. My doggie was covered in blood and out cold because he was tired of trying to escape. He was stuck for about an hour:( My sister even called 911. That whole episode started a series of seizures that lasted for hours. I guess the trauma had his blood really circulating causing toxins to flow continuously all over his body. So the vet had wanted him to rest for 24+ hours. I flew back home at this point and the vet wanted us to give him heavy dosages of anti-seizure meds and valium! So his body had time to rest...much needed rest. It took awhile for him to show signs of improvement. He had an ultrasound scheduled so they could give him a final diagnosis but his appointment got cancelled so we have to wait another month for his ultrasound. Luckily we have the travel fees of the radiologist waived because of the cancellation.

He's doing much better now! Thank GOD! I cried myself to sleep a couple of nights worrying about him. He's on a low-protein diet and not taking any meds, which surprises me because porto-systemic shunt is a permanent thing. So big ? there. We even added boiled skinless/boneless chicken breast to his special low-protein canned food...which increases the protein level but adding that dramatically made him better. He started barking after the addition of the chicken. So I'm completely at odds with the diagnosis but he's better now and thats what matters.

Here's his daughter Juicy, who was completely jealous for the lack of attention. She now has chicken breasts with her regular food. She's a fatso...weighing in at 21 pounds! She's the complete baby of the family. She's very photogenic too.

Here's a look that I did a while back. I'm so not liking the lips..I'm using Mac's lip erase in dim. It totally makes me look real tan.

Eyes
TFSI, all over lid
Soft Ochre paintpot, lid only
Blanc Type, highlight
Soft Brown & Texture, crease

Moonflower, lid
Deep Truth, crease

Urban Decay eyeliner, zero

L'oreal Voluminous

I'll try to squeeze more posts in!

Order of Makeup Application

2010-01-31T08:54:00.001-10:00

Everyone does has their own order of applying makeup. Here is mine!

1. Moisturize & Prime Face – After I wash my face and pat it dry; I immediately apply moisturizer to lock in the moisture of the water. Occasionally I use a primer like Mac’s Oil Control Lotion. I also apply lip balm so my lips are being moisturized before I add lipstick/gloss.

2. Eyebrows – I then fill in my eyebrows using Benefit’s Browzing and set them with Mac’s Brow Gel in clear.

3. Eyes – I always prime my whole eyelid with Too Faced Eyeshadow Insurance. Then use another eyeshadow primer like Mac’s Paint/ Paint Pot in a coordinating color of the eyeshadow. Or I just my go to Soft Ochre Paint Pot or Blackground Paint Pot if I’m doing a smokey eye. I then apply my transition color like Mac’s Soft Brown eyeshadow; highlight color and lid color. Majority of the eye looks are in this order.

4. Face – Foundation, Concealer, Set Powder, Contour and Blush. I rarely highlight my face because I have some acne scars which get enhanced when using a highlight. Products vary with looks.

5. Eyes – Line my eyes with Mac’s Feline or Urban Decay’s Zero. Curl eyelashes, apply false eyelashes and add mascara.

6. Lips – Lipstick and lipgloss

Done!
I also use this order when I’m doing other girls makeup too. I make sure the eyes are done with the eyeshadows before I add products to the face. I don’t want to deal with fallouts when the face is already done. It’ll save on time and product. Why do I always do eyebrows first? Sometimes I completely need to start over on the eyebrows and I just use a wipe to get rid of the product

Healthy Cuticles = Healthy Nails

2010-01-26T07:00:00.000-10:00

Hi everyone! So one of my obsessions are nails; a fetish for feet. I always look at feet. I can probably identify people that I know by their feet. Lol Weird I know but it’s something that has always been with me. One of things I noticed with people that have great nails is that their cuticles are in great shape. Moisturized and pushed back; I don’t recommend cutting them!

I’m fortunate to have great nails because of my cuticles. During school, I usually like to keep them short because it’s just a hassle to have them long and typing with long nails is annoying for me. My nails are pretty low maintenance the product I noticed that helps isBurt’s Bees lemon butter cuticle crème, it keeps my cuticles moisturized. Some tips are to keep your hands moisturized with lotion, gently push back cuticles after showering and use gloves when washing dishes (if nails are weak).

So before I cut them or lose them…here are pics of my nails (no polish) and with polish. This is the longest I’ve seen them in a long time. The pics with polish are from previous reviews/posts.

FOTD: Bianca Holiday Glam

2010-01-23T07:00:00.000-10:00

I hardly do look with browns, but after watching BiancaBLovesU tutorial it inspired to try the look out. I wore this look for the annual Christmas dinner I had with my ex-coworkers and they were really surprised. Very neutral, very unlike me. None the less, I do like this look. Next time I do it I’m for sure going to wing the eyeliner out and use some lashes to really showcase the eyes.

*Mac unless otherwise stated*
Eyes
TFSI, all over lid
Soft Ochre paintpot, lid only
Blanc Type, highlight
Soft Brown & Texture, crease
Bateau, crease
Carbon, Outer V
Shimmertime pigment, lid
Benefit Browzing, eyebrows
Urban Decay Zero eyeliner, upper and lower
L’oreal Voluminous

My fave blendng brush?

2010-01-18T23:34:00.004-10:00

So after my review on Sonia Kashuk large crease brush, Yummy411 had asked me what's my favorite blending brush? I use 217, 224 and the Sonia Kashuk large crease brush in every look. I occasionally use Mac's 226 and 222; depending on the look.

My favorite blending brush is....217! Its more tapered than the 224 so there's more control and precision. It's also softer. The bristles allows me to apply the right amount of eyeshadow. I have 3x 217 eyeshadow brushes..can't do without it.

Product Review: Sonia Kashuk, Large Crease Brush

2010-01-17T06:00:00.000-10:00

I got this way back (October 2009) on a trip to the other side of the island to Target. A trip that is about 3 hours each way, and NO I didn’t just go on the trip for target. It was on a whim and we were just bored. Everyone raves about Sonia Kashuk brushes, especially her eyeshadow brushes so I had to purchase it. I’ve heard Queen of Blending and BaylovesPow raving about this specific brush, the Large Crease Brush.

Product: 4 out of 5
Packaging: 5 out of 5
Quality: 4.5 out of 5
Overall: 4.5 out of 5
Price: $5.99
Available: Target
Would I buy this again? Yes

Pros: Very affordable and the brush is pretty good for the price you pay. It’s a dense crease brush that is similar to Mac’s 217 except that the bristles are shorter and it has less of a tapered end than the 217. The packaging is great, something to slip the brush when traveling, so no separate purchase needs to be made. Why can't MAC do this? instead of those flimsy plastic bags.

Cons: A bit scratchy. The bristles are not as soft as Mac’s crease blending brushes. The quality reminds me of Mac’s holiday/travel brushes…they’re a bit scratchy.

Overall: I think it’s a good product and it’s a brush I would repurchase. I use this brush primary to apply and blend my transition color in every look I do. So yes I do grab this brush pretty often.

Brush comparisons: Mac's 226, Mac's 217, Mac's 224, and Sonia Kashuk Large Crease Brush

FOTD: Mandidoesmakeup, Purfall inspired

2010-01-14T06:00:00.001-10:00

So during the winter break I actually had time to play with makeup. I found some inspiration in the youtube gurus I subscribed to. Here’s one from Mandidoesmakeup called Purfall. My eyelids were so irritated from the rubbing I was doing because of my allergies so that's why they're uneven. The eyeliner on both are even lol. Mandi used the eyeshadow Texture which I noticed many girls using. Texture is described to be a muted peachy brown with subtle shimmer from the velvet family. The shimmer is pretty noticeable to me and I like matte shades in my crease to create some depth. So in the future I'll probably mix it with Soft Brown, my usual go to transition color.

*Mac unless otherwise stated*
Eyes
TFSI, all over lid
Soft Ochre paintpot, lid only
Blanc Type e/s, highlight
Texture e/s, crease
Smudged Violet e/s, lid
Cranberry e/s, crease
Smoke Signals pigment, outer V
Benefit Browzing, eyebrows
Urban Decay Zero eyeliner, upper and lower
L’oreal Voluminous

I hope you like!

Money Saving Tips on Makeup?

2010-01-11T06:00:00.000-10:00

Yes, money saving tips on makeup DOES exist. Here are a few tips that I used lots in 2009. First, I recommend making an attainable budget and some rules. This year my budget is $600. Some people might be 'that's a lot of money' but during the holiday season which is where most of the purchasing occurs it's really little. For example a Mac eyeshadow palette is $36, I got two of those in 2009 which brings it to $72...which is 12% of my budget. It adds up really fast...so here are some tips.

- For drugstore makeup, buy it when its on sale. Buy a lot when it’s a really good sale. No brainer right?

- For staple items wait for those friends and family sale on Sephora (ex: moisturizers, favorite blush & eyeshadow) It’s common knowledge that Sephora has these; one at the beginning of the year and one at the end of the year. If you really go through them, then buy more.

- Combine with family and friends on a order to take advantage of free shipping. Sephora has free shipping after $50 purchase. Regular shipping is $5.99, so its like $5.99 saved

-Also check Temptalia’s website who posts deals on her website.

- Use websites like temptalia’s and makeupalley for their reviews on products. I personally like going to makeupalley for reviews and temptalia’s for swatches and she also mentions dupes for new products that are coming out. If its a good product then I'll actually make a purchase.

The only Mac collection that I'm actually looking forward for is Mac's Spring Colour Forecast which comes out February 11, 2010. Is it only me that thinks that those pigments are from leftovers from when Mac decreased the pigment size? I don't see unique colors and they don't have any names!

Let's try to name them...Shimmertime, Rose, Lovely Lily, & Grape? The mid-tone rose doesn't look familiar to me but it might be because I don't pay much attention to that shade. It doesn't look good on me...well majority of the time it doesn't show up.

Happy New Year, 10 days late...2010

2010-01-09T22:48:00.005-10:00

Hello everyone, sorry that I neglected this blog but life just gets busier at the end of the year especially with finals. So let's move on to the good stuff...makeup! The beginning of 2009, one of my new year's resolution is to spend less on makeup, so I set my budget to $1000. This excludes cosmetics as gifts for people, skincare, and items bought with gift cards. I'm proud to say that I spent approximately $700, yay! So my 2010 goal is $600, same rules apply. I'm contemplating on adding skincare to the budget but I can't compromise on skincare; its a NEED not a WANT. Well, that's what I keep telling myself. I'll keep track on what I spend on skincare just to see how much I spend on it; I know its less than makeup. Here's a picture of my annual Christmas get-together with my buddies, its tradition.

Next post will be on money saving tips on makeup!

FOTD: Green brings out the Browns Eyes

2009-11-05T07:00:00.001-10:00

So here's the makeover that I did look on my cousin, Shari, I took this picture off her facebook because I didn't have time to take pics of her using my camera. Her favorite color is purple but I already decided I was doing that color on me! lol! But greens look great with her eyes. Her eyes aren't a dark brown like mines but milk chocolate brown which are surrounded by natural curled full and long eyelashes how I envy her! I used one of my all time favorite green combination. I've been using this particular combination for years. She even got complemented on her makeup at the studio talk:) She of course told them it was my doing. Her face was redone at the Mac Studio Talk because she got matched for a Mac foundation that's why its not contoured in this picture.

Eyes
TFSI
Soft Ochre (lid)
Juxt (inner corner)
Swimming (lid)
Soft Brown (crease)
Velvet Moss (crease)
Blanc Type (highlight)

FOTD: Purple Rain

2009-11-03T21:47:00.004-10:00

So here's the look I worn to the Mac Studio Talk. I haven't played with purples for a while and since one of their sought out palettes were Sorceress which I didn't not get I thought I would play with the purples. I know the right side appears light but that's because that's the side where the window was located. I also took these pictures without any product on my lips and I also applied falsies after the photos. I was drinking my routine mug of coffee so I didn't want to apply my lipstick and gloss:)

Eyes

Mac unless otherwise stated

TFSI

Soft Ochre (lid)

UD eyeshadow in Ransom (lid)

Lovely Lilly (inner corner)

Grape (crease)

Fig 1 (outer V)

Blanc Type (highlight)

I need to steal my cousin's FB picture so I can post her makeover on here.

Shiseido Sunwear Eye Protection SPF 32

2009-10-30T07:00:00.003-10:00

So I after watching itslitz89 review of Shiseido’s Sunwear Eye Protection, I went to my local Macy’s and asked a sample of it from the Shiseido counter. Main reasons why it intrigued me are that the skin around the eyes shows the first sign of aging; I hate aging, so I want to keep those pesky wrinkles at bay! I use a daily moisturizer with SPF of 50 but I can’t get it too close to my eyes. My eyes are sensitive and when my moisturizer gets too close to my eyes I start tearing. So the skin around that area was left unprotected till I got the sample from Shiseido. I liked it so much that I purchased the full size during Sephora’s friends and family sale.

Product: 5 out of 5
Packaging: 5 out of 5

Quality: 5 out of 5

Overall: 5 out of 5

Price: $31.00

Would I repurchase this item? Yes!

Available: Sephora and anywhere Shiseido is sold

Pros: My skin just absorbs it up and it’s also moisturizing too. It doesn’t leave a white cast like some SPF does but actually has brightening effects. Most importantly, my eyes don’t react to it so now my skin is protected. The SPF is also satisfying for me because it’s a SPF of 32. It also has a high content of UVB blockage which is rated by PA +++.

Cons: The price is kind of high but I got it during the sale so it turned out to be $25 but it should last me for a good year with 0.507 oz.

Overall: Something to look into, it’s like an eyecream with SPF. It’s also in a squeeze tube so the remaining product is protected from contamination. Since it was kind of pricey I did research and read reviews on this product and it’s been receiving 4.5 out of 5 from MakeupAlley and Sephora.

Size does matter! Part 2

2009-10-28T19:42:00.006-10:00

So I've received comments and questions on my last post, when I compared the 2008 eyeshadow palette to the 2009 eyeshadow palette. Someone commented if I could check the grams and I did. Both are stated to have 5.3 grams but the 2008 states "net wt 5.3 grams" and the 2009 states "total net 5.3 grams". Currently I don't have the earlier holiday palettes, they're at home and I'm away for college so I don't have those to compare to.

I still think that the 2009 Mac eyeshadows are smaller because
- its obvious that the packaging is more expensive
- the economy
- the pricing for the eyeshadow palettes did not change since 2004 (maybe longer but that's when I started collecting these palettes)

I don't see why Mac would spend more on packing and have the same amount of product and still charge the same price? Plus the wording is different? Why not keep the wording the same?

Plus when I told the manager of my local counter that the eyeshadow palettes got smaller. She agreed with me which confirmed my suspicions and that's why I posted my thoughts on the sizing.

Don't get me wrong, it would be nice to be wrong on this so I would actually have more eyeshadows than I thought.

Size does matter!

2009-10-27T07:00:00.000-10:00

So I just had to take a picture to show the difference in palette sizing. To the left is the 2008 mac smokey eyeshadow palette and to the right is the 2009 mac smokey eyeshadow palette. See the difference! I mean I know that the 2009 packaging is more sturdy and it has a magnetic clasp but I would rather have the old okay packaging with more product. I mean I don't intend to play football with my eyeshadow palettes so I don't need a real sturdy palette. The brown side to these smokey eyeshadow palettes are pretty similar. I think I have every 'smokey' eyeshadow palette that Mac brought out. When I get home I'll take a picture of all of my holiday smokey eyeshadow palettes.

Mac Studio Talk Fall 2009

2009-10-26T07:00:00.000-10:00

So everyone's probably already made their purchases from the first set of Mac Holiday Collection. I haven't made mines till this past Saturday (24th) because I attended the Mac Studio Talk. The Mac Studio Talk is a seminar in which you have to make atleast a $50 purchase. It's about 2 hours long where there's two makeover going on and the MUA is explaining what they're doing, sharing tips, and featuring products. Overall, I think it's great for people to go and learn tips and tricks. I went with my cousin and my friend and it was their first time. It was my fourth time going and having my cousin and friend there made it fun. I kind of lost the enthusiasm because it is really for beginners. It was fun giving advice to my friend and cousin. I was at the Clinique counter and my cousin was standing in line with the brush set in her arms. I took it out of her arms and told her 'it's not good, just save your money for the regular ones!". lol. Three questions were asked and if answered correctly you won a prize. I won two of the three prizes lol!

It's probably one of the main reasons why I go. The second studio talk I went to I won two of the three prizes too. The first time around I won Yogamode from the Rachel Welch Collection and the mineralize eyeshadow in Ether. This time around I won a greasepaint stick and the zoom fast lash black mascara that is LE.

So what did I buy in order to attend the Mac Studio Talk? I got the smokey and warm eyeshadow palette. I'm big on collecting eyeshadow palettes so I got those. From a previous post, I already mentioned that Mac decreased their eyeshadow palettes. It's really noticeable!

I also got some other hauls, it'll be posted within the week

Sephora Friends and Family Sale

2009-10-19T21:23:00.005-10:00

So today is day 1 of Sephora's Friends and Family Sale so a discount of 20%. (code is FF2009). This is a very much anticipated sale for me because I have items saved in my shopping cart. So once I got up to study for my cell molecular mid term today I turned on my computer and went straight to the Sephora website. Hit checkout and made my purchase. I must say the items aren't really exciting but I thought I would share it with you anyway.

- Shiseido Sun Protection Eye Cream 32 PA+++ $31 ($24.80)

A rich eye-area cream that minimizes the appearance of wrinkles and enhances skin's radiance while providing exceptional protection against UVA/UVB rays. Protects the delicate eye area from UVA/UVB rays to prevent signs of premature aging. Minimizes the appearance of UV-induced fine lines and wrinkles and promotes resilient-looking skin. Contains rose apple leaf extract, an antioxidant that prevents the production of free radicals. Apply evenly 20 minutes before sun exposure. All Shiseido sun products proudly display the Skin Cancer Foundation seal of recommendation. (Review of this later! I love it so much!)

- Tweezerman Animal Print Tweezers in Zebra $20 ($16)

I need an extra set of tweezerman tweezers so I can send my older one for sharpening. Plus this one has zebra print!

- Stila Eyeshadow Compact $2 ($1.60)

I ordered 6 eyeshadow compacts to house my 6 eyeshadow duos that I ordered from beautycrunch.com

What are you getting from this Sale?

Product Review: Opi’s – My Private Jet

2009-10-08T22:35:00.003-10:00

So I haven’t done any product reviews on nailpolishes for so long! My nails have been kept short that’s why. I was a tidy bug during the summer, scrubbing tiles in my home and I can’t keep my nails too long for it. So I’m starting to take good care of my nails and I decided to use Opi’s My Private Jet! I think this nailpolish should have been launched in Mac’s Style Black Collection.

Product: 4 out of 5
Packaging: 4 out of 5
Quality: 4 out of 5
Overall: 4 out of 5
Price: $9
Available: anywhere Opi is sold
Would I buy this again? No

Pros: A unique color, it truly is. It’s not a black nailpolish but a gray-black. Almost gunmetal gray but without any shine. In the pictures the glitters and shimmer is really obvious but in person not so much. You can see it when you really look at it but it just looks like gray glitter. The shine in the picture is due to the Seche Vite top coat I have on it and the glitter of course but the nailpolish itself without those is a matte.

Cons: It took a total of 3 coats to get it to this! The formula is pretty thick too and the brush is really wide. Opi’s brushes are usually wide but this is wider.

Overall: I think that this is for people who can’t do the true black nail polish. It does have a unique look but I really hate the formula of this nailpolish. It’s one of the thickest nailpolishes I’ve worked with.

Mac's 2009 Holiday Palettes

2009-10-04T14:01:00.003-10:00

Hi everyone. I just came back from looking at the Mac 2009 Holiday Palettes. My MUA called me and told me that they are available for pre-sale, seeing that I'm going to be attending studio talk along with my cousin and a friend it wouldn't be in my hands till October 24th. So I went there so I could get the palettes I wanted on hold.

My first reaction? Damn, they got small! Mac decreased the size of these palettes by 25-30%. I know you can't tell in this picture but just trust. lol I've been buying these palettes since 2004 and they got smaller in size. I know that the packaging is better quality this year but who cares. I can't put packaging across my eyelids. Nonetheless, I have smoke and mirrors, sorceress, and devil may dare on hold. I'm questioning ALL of my choices but I have till the 24th to make the purchase.

Questioning ....

- Smoke & Mirrors because I have every smokey eye palettes mac ever brought out.

- Sorceress because I have purple eyeshadows and the other column of eyeshadows seem like chunky glitter.

- Devil May Dare because of dupable colors.

Mystic? I have those colors and the eyeshadows are not everyday wear type of eyeshadows either. The deep turquoise blue reminds me of a bluer blue from their 2005 Holiday palette. The dark blue reminds me of Deep Truth and other colors probably won't show up against my NC44 complexion.

I'm probably going to end up with smokey & mirrors and devil may dare palettes. I don't intend to purchase anything else from the holiday collections but let's see how that goes.

Product Review: Mac Invisible Set Powder

2009-09-29T07:00:00.000-10:00

I’m sure everyone that does makeup on anyone but themselves run into the problem of setting a liquid foundation with a proper shade powder. I’ve been using this product on myself personally and it works great. When doing others makeup… at times it can be easy matching someone with liquid foundation because you can add a darker tone to one’s foundation if the person’s skin is darker. With people lighter than my NC44 self I add a moisturizer (that is appropriate to their skin) to sheer and lighten the foundation out. When using compact foundation, you really can’t mix the powder with anything else to change the color. So let me introduce Mac Invisible Set Powder!

Product: 4.5 out of 5
Packaging: 4 out of 5
Quality: 4.5 out of 5
Overall: 4.5 out of 5
Price: $22 for 8grams/0.28 oz jar
Available: www.maccosmetics.com
Would I buy this again? Yes

Pros: A great price for a good size. I know that there’s a similar product that Mac carries that does the same job and more but the size is considerably less than the Set Powder ; and it’s also more on the dollar. Personally, this is adequately for me; the darkest skintone I’ve tried it on is NC45 and I had no problems. I also noticed that setting my foundation with this doesn’t give me that oxidized look, where the foundation gets darker at the end of a long wear. I definitely see it when I’m using my Studio Fix Powder. Its consistency is like baby powder!

Cons: When doing research on this product, some of the complaints were that it tends to look ashy on darker complexions. So I recommend trying a sample first before purchasing if you have doubts.

Overall: I recommend this to everyone especially those doing makeup on others and for liquid foundation users. It’s a lot of set powder that will last for a good amount of time.

Red Cherry Lashes

2009-09-27T18:40:00.006-10:00

Hi everyone. So I received alot of compliments on the red cherry lashes I was using for the past FOTDS (see below). Yummy411 had asked what type it was. Luckily, I had some of my red cherry lashes with me so I'm able to identify what number it is. So it's number #205 (see pic above). My sister and I absolutely love them. She wears false eyelashes more than I do and she said she can get about 10 applications with one pair of false eyelashes. These I don't recommend on a everyday type of makeup look. They're kind of long but I do recommend #213 and #747s for an everyday type of look.

She also complimented me on my bronze look. lol Thanks I guess that's what you get for living on an island. I actually try to avoid the sun with wearing hats and SPF coverage on a daily basis. I'm about a NC 44 so it's kind of hard to find a bronzer for the already bronze people.

Another Stila Deal?

2009-09-20T11:48:00.004-10:00

So as I was going through the whole 'check out' process in Sephora when I ordered my Barbie palette I saw this sweet deal at the bottom of the page. Its Stila As Good As Golden, a kit that includes FULL SIZE stila bronzer #2, a matte bronzer and Illuminating Finishing Powder in Gold for $10. I bought two sets of them and it's a really sweet deal. I really like the illuminating finishing powder which looks like a good highlighter on me. The bronzer is a bit light against my NC43 complexion so I need to pack it on when I do use it. I think it'll look great for those around the high NC30's and NC40 and NC 42.

Stila Barbie Palette

2009-09-15T18:43:00.003-10:00

So I received my Sephora haul yesterday, nothing can explain the joy when I see a box waiting for me! So I hurried in my room and opened it and BLEH one of my eyeshadows broke during transit! So I checked everything else out and they were fine. So I was filling in the Sephora return form and noticed that they don't do exchanges via mail. The nearest Sephora is on a different island! So I called them up and explained my situation. At first the Customer Representative said I can send it back and put another order in, but I would have to pay for shipping which is unfair because I was qualified for free shipping with the first purchase. So I mentioned that and she said she'll send one out to me free of charge and free shipping. Just as long as I return the broken item ASAP. I heart Sephora's customer service!

^^ What a MESS!

^^Check out that pigmentation, I can't wait for my new one:)

I've been bad....

2009-09-10T23:07:00.004-10:00

So I've done some hauling from Mac and Sephora. Sooooo bad..but I'm still within my budget. Besides the Mac Style Black which contains my precious Volcanic Ash Exfoliator I probably won't be purchasing till Sephora friends and family sale and Mac's Holiday Collection. So what have I been hauling...

Mac
- Texture e/s
- Typographic e/s
- One off e/s
- Photorealism Quad
- Blush x6 Palette

Ever since I received an email from Stila Cosmetics promoting their Barbie line I could not stop myself from lemming for this!

All this for $28! sweet deal! So I went to the stila site but shipping to Hawaii is $25. WTF right!?! So I ordered it through Sephora along with some Christmas items that I'm giving as gifts just so I can get free shipping. Temptalia's swatches of these was the final push! Stay tuned for a product review and FOTDs on this palette.

Labor Day Weekend (back home)

2009-09-07T15:16:00.003-10:00

Hi everyone so I'm home for labor day weekend. Sorry for the lack of posts but when I get back to school I'll blog more. I just wanted to post a look that I did for a night out with my bestie, cousin and sister. The look is the exact same one I did on the bride. It's a very simple look. I'm absolutely loving woodwinked right now:)

Another Wedding?

2009-08-30T06:00:00.000-10:00

Hi everyone, I was looking through my friend's facebook and I saw some photos from her wedding in 2008. She had asked me if I could do their makeup but I really wasn't confident at that time so I said ' Thank You but No Thanks'. I did do my cousin's makeup she was a bridesmaid because I was comfortable with her face since I've done her makeup before. It's horrifying doing an stranger's makeup. There's a certain limit of time to do their makeup and it needs to be flawless. You would need to figure out their skin type, foundation, concealer, eyeshadow placement, and eyebrows! Eyebrows are a biggie for me so I took my time on it.

I can honestly say that doing an official gig this summer really made myself confident in my makeup skills. I'm not perfect but I do see some improvement.

So I took some pictures from my friend's facebook and here I am sharing it with you folks. My cousin is the girl using the tiffany blue gown. I forgot what colors I had used on her since it has been a long time.

Product Review: Banana Boat Sunwear Sunblock Lotion SPF 50

2009-08-26T13:24:00.006-10:00

So my roommate's sister and I were having one of our many conversations. She and I have a deep understanding on skincare. She's been working as a medical assistant for a dermatologist for years. We both agree that the best anti-aging product is...SPF! Against both UVA/UVB rays. An SPF of 15 doesn't sit well with me so I usually find a product with more SPF coverage. I've been using Eucerin Sensitive Skin SPF 30 lotion on my face mixed with some moisturizer. That kept me content for awhile it was just a pain mixing the two products and the Eucerin does give a 'white cast' appearance. So she recommended this and it's fairly easy to find! So here's the review on Banana Boat Sun Wear Sunblock Daily Lotion SPF 50.

Product: 5out of 5
Packaging: 4 out of 5
Quality: 5 out of 5
Overall: 5out of 5
Price: $7-8
Available: walmart

Would I buy this again? YES!

Pros: A ultra sheer sunblock! This is one of the problems I have with sunblock especially with a high content of SPF. I'm there gently rubbing the product in till my skin absorbs the product for quite some time with my Eucerin. This product I have no problem with. Also it doesn't have that typical sunblock scent, this Sunwear has a clean fresh fragrance and it's not overwhelming either. Another plus is that it's non-greasy and hypoallergenic! I didn't have that problem too much with my Eucerin but I know that it's something that people take into consideration. I've been using it daily on my face because in Hawaii since it's crazy sunny, plus it's okay to use it daily on the face. It's non-comedogenic, meaning that it doesn't clog pores and cause blackheads and whiteheads. It also has essential organic botanicals like bamboo, pea and tamarind help to increase skin elasticity and at the same time it moisturizes.

Cons: The packaging of the squeeze tube is thin. I would want to carry this with me but I fear of it opening in my bag because of the pressure. It does have a snap on lip but it would be a pain to clean up if it does open.

Overall: A cheap investment! I think it's so important to start anti-aging routines soon as possible. I'm always looking for ways to improve my skincare regimen. I also got my male roommate hooked!

M.A.C by M.A.C

2009-08-26T07:00:00.000-10:00

Image credited to KarlaSugar

So I actually got the chance to actually see the Mac by Mac Collection today. It’s a really big collection, good chunk of it were repromotes which is a good thing since I’m on a makeup budget. The items that caught my eye were the liners. I had to hold myself back because realistically I won’t be using those colors. I do have Otherworldly and Pharaoh paint pot which resembles Artistic License and Color Matters liners. Just set the paint pot with a translucent powder and there ya go! I have all pigments except Bold and Brash pigment but it’s not an everyday color so I’ll probably just pick up a sample somewhere. I completely passed on the lipsticks and glosses. The quads were simple, suited for fall and wearable. The colors were toned down and different from what Mac usually presents. I’m deciding between the Photo Realism and Notoriety Quad or just getting both. In doing the wedding gig, I really realized I need more wearable colors. Not everyone is comfortable putting Electric Eel on their lids. So I’m atleast getting one of the quads.

Last School Year College Makeup

2009-08-25T15:00:00.002-10:00

So since my previous post was on the current year college makeup. I thought I would post some pictures of the makeup I brought to school last year. Majority of the poundage that I complained about came from online shopping which I had to carry on back home.

So I really thought about the items that I was bringing this year and I'm satisfied with what I brought with me. I thought about the season and the colors appropriate to Fall hence my Spiced Chocolate Quad which I had yet to do a look with.

College Makeup

2009-08-23T21:48:00.002-10:00

So I’m officially back, I’m already moved in and school starts tomorrow! This post is going to feature the items that I brought with me from home. Last year, I went kind of crazy and it was such a pain to bring back my makeup. My makeup is always checked in because I’m worried that someone might steal it. So I suffer carrying the damn things and so does my male roommate; he had to carry 50 pounds of makeup back for me. Luckily I didn’t cause a hernia. So here are the items I decided to bring….

- Benefit Brow Zing
- Mac Brow Gel
- TFSI
- Mac Paint Pots in Soft Ochre, Indianwood, Blackground
- 3 Mac 15x eyeshadow palettes
Two neutral/brown palettes; One palette of pinks, green, purple, blues
- 1 Mac 6x blush palette
- 2008 Holiday Smokey Eye Palette
- My HG Quad Palette
- Spiced Chocolate Quad (fall colors!)
- Mac Studio Fix Fluid
- Mac Studio Fix Powder
- Mac Invisible Set Powder
- Mac Feline Eye Kohl
- Urban Decay 24/7 in Zero
- Mac Lipsticks in Brave New Bronze, Mocha, Syrup
- Mac Lipglass in Lust
- Mac Lipgelee in Saplicious
- Mac lipliners
- L’oreal Voluminous
- 25 Mac pigment samples
- false eyelashes
- CS 88 Matte & Shimmer
… can’t forget my brushes

I’m sure I’ll be able to do some looks with these. Stay Tuned!

The Wedding

2009-08-15T23:20:00.002-10:00

Hi everyone, sorry for the lack of updates but I’m leaving to move back for college this upcoming Wednesday. I just wanted to get this exciting post out and some others scheduled. So I estimated 40 minutes for each girl but I should have given myself more time. I worked from 7:30am to 1:30pm doing makeup for 7 girls. Luckily, I knew 5 out of the 7 girls so I had their foundation and concealer figured out along with their lashes already sized and cut. Majority of my clients had clear skin so concealer were not needed. So the only two foundations that I used were NC 44 and NC 42 seeing that they have cool skintones.

I tried 3 different looks on myself and I had my family vote for which look they liked. So they helped me a lot on that. I had wanted to do a chocolate brown smokey eye look on the bridesmaids since their gowns were chocolate brown with baby blue trimming but all the girls except one were NC 42 and when I tried it on 2 of the bridesmaids during a dry run I didn’t like how it turned out. So I ended up doing a dark bronzey brown which faded in the crease with a matte highlight.

Eyes
TFSI
Blackground p/p, lid
Sable e/s, lid
Soft Brown e/s & Bamboo e/s, crease
Samoa Silk e/s, crease
Blanc Type & Modest Tone e/s, highlight

Overall this experience was great! It gave me such a confidence boost because I did makeup on 2 girls who I have never seen before and they complimented me on my work. One, I might add had a monolid! This was the reason why I decided to do a dark lid and a light crease. I feel that it’s the easiest look and it compliments all eyelids. I was completely heartbroken when I forgot my memory card for my camera. So this is one of the few pictures that I got at the reception. When I do receive more pictures I’ll post them!

Stress is Over, now here's the bride's look

2009-08-09T22:08:00.005-10:00

So I've been talking about my first legit gig. Sorry for the lack of posts but I wasn't completely satisfied with the looks for the bride and bridesmaid. So I was practicing looks for them the past week, it probably took a total of atleast 5 tries for the bridesmaid.

Here's the look I did on the bride. I was completely frustrated with browns till Indianwood paint pot and Woodwinked met each other and BAM. One of my favorite paintpot/eyeshadow combination. It's like a light liquid gold. The bride is a NC 43 so the look isn't too bronze for her.

Eyes

TFSI

Indianwood p/p

Woodwinked e/s (lid)

Soft Brown/Bamboo e/s (crease)

Brown Script e/s (crease)

Bateau e/s (outer V)

Blanc Type/Modest Tone (highlight)

I wasn't able to take too many pics because I had no space on my memory card. So I'm going to wait for others to upload the pictures.

Which do you prefer?

2009-08-02T19:28:00.003-10:00

So I've been practicing with browns and here are the two looks that I've practiced with. Here are the two looks that I'm considering doing for the bridesmaids for the wedding. The only true difference is the eyeshadow placement. The bride has a very natural and simple look and I don't want the bridesmaid out doing her.

The top one is using the eyeshadow quad, Natural Flare. The eyeshadow placement is light/golden brown (inner half lid) and a dark brown (crease). If people prefer this look I'll be adding more eyeshadows to this look to add more depth and definition.

The bottom one is using the eyeshadow Romp, which is the main feature of the look. Romp is placed on the lid and blended up till the crease which a shimmery highlight. I'm thinking to switch to a matte highlight though. I also wanted Romp to be a bit darker so I might use a dark paint pot like Indianwood or Blackground.

So the poll is up to the top left of this page. Please vote and leave me comments! Thanks so much for everyones input and wonderful comments. I really appreciate it.

EOTD: Romp

2009-07-31T11:16:00.003-10:00

Hi everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts but my roommates and I were searching for a home to rent for the duration of the school year. Thank God we found a 3 bedroom house, 10 minutes away from the university for $975. Sweet deal, it's also a newer home built in 2004. So that's done and over with. Signed the lease this past Tuesday, had to fly out to Hilo for a day.

On another note, my wedding gig is coming up very soon...August 8th! The bride called me and woke me up from my nap. I barely remember what we spoke about, all I know is that she wants me to do a practice run on the bridesmaid next week. So the color theme is a pastel blue and dark chocolate brown. So I thought a brown look would do. So I've been working with browns since it's a color that I hardly use. So here's another look that features browns.

Eyes

TFSI

Soft Ochre p/p

Romp e/s

Soft Brown e/s

Bamboo e/s

Rice paper e/s

FOTD: I'm in the mood for moodring

2009-07-24T07:00:00.001-10:00

So one of my online routines is to look through others FOTD/EOTD for inspiration. It's really great to see great color combinations and trying it on yourself. This look came from ">Celly and I'm completely in love with it. I love her version better than mines. I need to learn how to really pack on my eyeshadows so there's no second guessing the eyeshadow colors. I also noticed my MUA doing that when she does my makeup she does like 7 swirls around in the eyeshadow pot before apply it on me.

Eyes

TFSI

Soft Ochre p/p

Mood Ring e/s

Deep Truth e/s

Print e/s

Ricepaper e/s

Carbon e/s

I absolutely love her favorite eyeshadow series that she has going on. Maybe I'll start something like that also.

EOTD: Natural Flare

2009-07-24T07:00:00.000-10:00

Hi everyone, so here's a EOTD featuring the mineralize eyeshadow quad in Natural Flare that was released in the Color Craft Collection. So of all of the colors in the quad the highlighter is the most glittery and chunky. The one with the best pigmentation and texture is the crease (dark brown) color. Of all of the quads, I think that this would be the most popular one along with Assemblage.

Overall the colors are nice, I don't think I would use all of the colors for a look because it does run on the sparky/glittery side especially the highlighter color which would better be suited as a inner corner because of the texture. I like my highlight colors to be smooth like my beloved ricepaper and blanc type.

Eyes
products used other than Natural Flare
TFSI
Brassy Fluidline
Soft Brown/Bamboo (crease)
Blacktrack Fluidline
L'oreal Voluminous

Let me know how you like your mineralize quads!

Product Review: Opi's Suzi and the Lifeguard

2009-07-21T07:00:00.000-10:00

Product: 4 out of 5
Packaging: 4 out of 5
Quality: 3 out of 5
Overall: 3 out of 5
Color: a baby pink frosty color
Price: $2-3, I got the small sample set with 3 additional colors total cost was $10
Available: local beauty salon that offers Opi
www.opi.com

Pros: A baby pink frosty nailpolish that is great for spring and summer. It's also kind of sheer, which I do like because when it starts to chip and fade it won't be so noticeable.

Cons: I don't like the frost for this type of color. It's kind of too girly for me.

Overall: Something worth checking if you like pink. It's not something that I would be purchasing again though. I also like the nail art that matches this nailpolish perfectly!

Update

2009-07-20T21:43:00.003-10:00

Hi everyone, so I haven't been online as much as I use to. I youtube on my blackberry and check emails on there instead. I do check out some of my buddies blogs but it's a bitch typing on a blackberry storm! So I commented on some of blog posts that have been accumulating in my dashboard area.

So what's new? I won a one month gym membership at Fitness 808! So I've been working out with my sister (she already has a gym membership there) almost daily there. I'm sore...I ache everywhere. No pain, no gain right!?! My sister and I started a weight loss contest, we were at the biggest we've been in our lives. Plus, we're pretty competitive with each other. Some rules and guidelines were set...she won. She lost a total of 18 pounds in 4 months and I lost 12. Currently she gained back 5 pounds, and I still maintained my -12. I really wanted to get in shape this year...total pounds lost is 12 so far.

Not much but I'm pretty happy that I didn't gain that freshmen 20? on my first year away from home and to a big university. I thought I would gain it all back during the summer because my mom cooks me all of my favorite dishes but I've been maintaining the weight . When school starts (mid-August) I do intend to take advantage of their brand new gym. Also I'm going to cut down on my rice intake! I'm a big time rice eater! I've cut it down by atleast by half from before but I still want to decrease my intake of it.

So this is a new topic that I want to introduce to my blog. Hope y'all don't mind!

Strawberry.net Stila Haul

2009-07-17T07:00:00.000-10:00

Hi everyone! Another haul featuring the brand Stila. I was reading a thread on Specktra.net titled 'Bronzer for the Bronzed' so I looked through the posts and the recommendations that were made. Many people recommended this bronzer, Stila #3 bronzer a discontinued item. It can be found on Strawberry.net a Hong Kong site. Don't worry it's legit! lol It was selling with 50% off so $13! So I picked up 2 of these bronzers since it they had a great deal. Strawberry.net offers a variety of products at discounted prices. Majority of the products doesn't have too much of a great deal on it. There is a free shipping offer with purchases over $25. When purchasing over $25 of Stila products a free eyeshadow duo can be chosen. At the time of purchase, there were 8-10 eyeshadows duo to chose from. I had 4 of the 10 already from beautycrunch.com so this was the next best thing, Dragonfly.

The bronzer is semi-matte and some shimmer but not as much as my Mac Refined Deeper Bronze. It's also darker and there's a better color payoff. So I'm happy with my purchases because it retails for $72 and I got it for $26. Sweet deal!

FOTD: Hawaiian Sunset

2009-07-16T07:00:00.002-10:00

*Click to enlarge*

Hi everyone! So I went in for my makeover at Mac. My MUA who's been doing my makeup for the past...3-4 years have been itching to do a makeover on me because the last one was in December for my annual Christmas dinner with my friends. I had wanted to try products featuring in the Color Craft Collection but I really wanted the look to be vibrant and eyepopping. The mineralize eyeshadows aren't as pigmented as I had hope it to be. I went to Mac early so I was looking through some eye charts and this popped out to me. It features some yellow/orange/and red. I think it looks like a Hawaiian Sunset..hence the title. So I had asked my MUA if she could do the look on me and it came out great. She also used Angel lipstick on me because my cousin was there for the makeover and she wanted to see how it would look on me. So the products that she used on me is on the face chart above, click to enlarge.

Hope you like this look because I do! I'll do a look featuring the products I received in the Color Craft Collection.

Beauty Blog Sale Directory

2009-07-15T07:00:00.002-10:00

So the beauty blog sale directory is in action again. I had wanted to spread the word because it had helped me with selling some items. Blog sales are great because there are products that are sold for discounted prices and there's some limited edition products too! So please spread the word out and if you do have a blog sale don't forget to email them so they could list your blog sale in the directory.

Don't forget I also have my makeup sale still going on.

Mac Haul

2009-07-14T07:00:00.000-10:00

So I received my order from Mac the same day I received my Red Cherry lashes. I miss receiving presents in the mail. So here are the items I purchased...

Color Craft

- Warm Blend

- Assemblage

- Natural Flare

Other Items
- Small/Big Sharpener
- Bamboo e/s pan
- Stars N' Rockets e/s pan

I went to my Mac counter but the Color Craft Collection wasn't ready to be on display. But I've done some research and looked at swatches and to be honest this collection isn't was I thought it would be. Majority of the blushes have this frosty finish which would look unappealing on my NC44 skin. I like the first batch of Mineralize Blushes that were released last year. I feel that collection was for everyone. I'm tempted to get Porcelain Pink MSF but c'mon that will not show on me! I just want it because it's a collectors item. I have my makeover tomorrow and I'll be able to look at the products more and play with them. I'm not sure if I'll have my MUA use the mineralize eyeshadows from the Color Craft because the color payoff and pigmentation isn't there.

Haul of Red Cherry Lashes

2009-07-12T07:00:00.001-10:00

So since I got the gig for the wedding *claps* I had to purchase more false eyelashes. The brands that I've tried are Makeup Forever, Mac, Red Cherry, and Model 21. The cheapest of the bunch is Model 21 (Korean brand?) that I bought from eBay. There's 10 pairs of lashes for about $12 (including shipping). I think these lashes are great for personal use, to wear a handful of times. The tracks (base of eyelashes) are thin and kind of flimsy so it might be difficult to apply on other people. Since that tracks are also thin it's difficult to clean in between uses. I do like the fact that the tracks are black instead of clear.

Makeup Forever and Mac is too expensive to add to my kit. So I turned to Red Cherry lashes which I've worn before. I'm also pretty comfortable applying it because the tracks is pretty much up to par with Mac. So I saw a post by Makeup by RenRen and she mentioned a new website that sells Red Cherry lashes for an affordable price, $1.49 a pair. Also shipping is cheap, and they have a free shipping offer when purchasing for $30. wwww.iheartredcherry.com

Here are the lashes that I purchased from them. I ordered 18 lashes, 8 for my sister and the rest are mine. So here are pictures of each lash that was ordered. I tried searching online for pictures of different red cherry lashes but they were a bit difficult to find. I didn't like the pictures on the website because they didn't seem like true photos. Majority of the lashes that were purchased are meant to be daily wearable lashes.

Favs: #747s, #213, #1, #138, #42 and #205

Bride's Photoshoot

2009-07-10T12:20:00.000-10:00

So the bride to be, hired me to another gig the past Sunday. She had a photoshoot at 7am and she had to be at that location at that time so my job started at 5:45am! It's okay I'm an early bird anyway but not that early. Her outfit was a white tank top dress with a black skirt. She had asked what color eyeshadows would look good and I suggested purple, greens and grays. Purples and greens always look good on anyone. Blues are great for brown eyes but I prefer to work with bright and dark blues and I knew she wouldn't feel comfortable wearing those colors. She chose gray and because it's an early photoshoot I wanted to use warm colors in the crease. Plus, she's not accustomed to wearing alot of makeup so I didn't want to go drastic on the eyes.

I know that the right side is darker than the left but she was standing next to a door leading to the backyard so sunlight was shining bright on the left side. Also, she has some scarring on her left temple leading to her eyelid from a car accident. I've use two bases but the skin on the eyelid wasn't taking too much of the eyeshadow color. So that's something I need to figure out. Some advice would be great though!

Eyes
TFSI
Pixel Paint
Krisp e/s
Smoke & Diamonds e/s
Soft Brown e/s
Brown Script e/s
Bateau e/s
Blanc Type e/s
Benefit Brow Zing
Clear Brow Set

If I had to redo the look I would add lashes (she's not accustomed to it and she wears contacts so she didn't want to deal with it), add more eyeliner for top and bottom (she's not to keen to heavy eyeliner) and I would use a matte nude lipstick with some shine. She chose Mousse slimshine which was her sister's. It was my first time using slimshine and I'm not to impressed by them. It seems like the staying power is drastically reduced because of the shine, which I think is a bit too much.

Looking through wedding makeup pictures, the eye makeup is very simple using warm and natural colors. I really suggest using a heavy smudge eyeliner to really make the eyes pop. I'm not talking gothic but noticeable! Lashes I believe are a must! It can be taken off after the picture taking and ceremony.

Color Craft is available to purchase online NOW!

2009-07-07T13:27:00.004-10:00

So I checked the mac cosmetic wesite and the Color Craft Collection is up! It's set to release in stores this Thursday, July 9th but my store usually gets their collection late by a week or so. So I ordered items that I know I'll be getting for sure. So I picked up Natural Flare, Assemblage, and Warm Blend. The rest I'm going to wait till I see it in person because with majority of mineralize products it does tend to have too much glitter/shimmer to it. It's a real big collection so I plan to use some gift cards that I've been racking up and get myself a makeover :) Don't you love it when someone else does your makeup? I love doing makeovers more so than putting makeup on myself.

My next post will feature a look that I did on the bride to be. She had hired me to do her makeup for a photoshoot with her fiancee last Sunday at 5:45am!

Are you excited about the Color Craft Collection?

Haul: Art Deco

2009-07-06T07:00:00.002-10:00

So I was browsing through Forever 21 and at the checkout area I found these! L.A. Color Art Deco Nail Art Polishes. I was looking through website trying to find the best deal on these a couple of nights before purchasing them. Good thing I found it at Forever 21. It was just $1.80! So here are the colors that I bought. I've already done zebra strips on my sister's nails and my cousin's toes. I have yet to do mines! WTF right? I'm waiting for them to get more colors because what's left are fluorescent colors. I want the basic colors first.

I also wanted to purchase those MIGI nail art pens but shipping is crazy. It's $7-8 for one pack. So the total price would be $32-33 for 8 colors. I found them on eBay for $24 and it already includes shipping but I wanted the basic colors and that seller doesn't have them yet. So I'm going to wait.

Happy 4th of July! and first legit makeup job!

2009-07-04T20:53:00.004-10:00

Happy 4th of July everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying this holiday. So what have I done so far today? Clean house, play with doggies and calming my doggies down because 2 of them are terrified of fireworks. Poor babies. But other than that I'm doing absolutely nothing. Nothing really exciting happens in my life lol. Seriously. BUT.......

Last night I did a trial run on my cousin good friend. She's getting married in August and my cousin briefly mentioned that I do makeup. So she asked me if I could do a trial run on her. So I've been doing research on makeup looks on tan skin and I found these inspiring photos. I've been asked to do makeups for weddings before but I've turned down the jobs because I don't want my first job to be on a wedding. The next reasons are the brides that did ask me have symptoms of a bridezilla. So I didn't want my ass chewed up on my first gig. I've done people's makeup before for like prom and import shows lol and working with colors are easy for me. Doing a 'natural' look or a 'enhanced' version of oneself is the hardest look to do. So what made me take this job? This bride I've known since I was in elementary. She's one of the most nicest and positive person I know. I've never seen her mad. So I guess she's the best first client to have right!?!

I think that corals/peach/pinks are great for brides but not for women of color. It does not show up so browns/golds are next. So I did two different eye looks on her and she and I picked the same look. I tried a shimmery champagne look on one side and on the other side it's a orange/pink/bronze look. She picked a shimmery champagne look.

Eyes

TFSI

Base Light

Woodwinked

Soft Brown

Brown Script

Sketch

Carbon

Brule

Ricepaper

Shroom

Let me know if there's any other great color combinations for tan skinned brides!

Product Review: Opi's Nicole Alert

2009-07-03T07:00:00.001-10:00

Another crazy Opi nailpolish I purchase along with the IT color nailpolish is Nicole Alert from the Opi's Brights Collection. So here's a formal review on it.

Product: 4 out of 5
Packaging:4 out of 5
Quality: 4.5 out of 5
Overall: 4 out of 5
Price: $8.99
Color: Salmon colored reddish orange
Available: At your local beauty store

Pros: It is an eye catching color that is easy to apply. It does take about 2-3 coats for the pigmentation of the nail polish to match the color in the bottle. The nailpolish stayed on for about week without chipping!

Cons: I thought that this color would compliment my skintone but it fell short. It lost its shine rather quickly too.

Overall: A nailpolish I wouldn't be reaching often because of the color but it does have great qualities of a good nailpolish.