Saturday, January 30, 2010

My New Nicole Lee USA Handbag!

I was shopping today at TJMaxx with my friend and ran across a few cute bags. I ended up buying one that I really liked. It's by Nicole Lee and it was $39.99. I don't really ever purchase synthetic bags, but I really liked the style and color of this one. The color is a peach pink (which is one of my favorite colors) In the following pictures it looks a little lighter. I took a look at the website and there are a ton of cute bags!


A lot of them are kind of expensive though for synthetic leather. I definitely wouldn't pay nearly $100. I can't wait to wear this one! :)





NOTD: OPI You Don't Know Jacques!

Let me introduce you to my new favorite nail polish. It's very similar to "Over the Taupe" (previous NOTD post). You Don't Know Jacques! is a deep gray brown with no pearl or shimmer. Love, love, love this color. It's very pigmented and is almost completely opaque with one coat and 100% opaque with two.

This is with only one coat of You Don't Know Jacques! & no top coat. 

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion Review & Giveaway!

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion

So, I'm sure you all have recently seen this little white bottle with the red cap all over beauty blogs. I have at least. I was sent this lotion a few weeks ago to test out and review from Skin MD.

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion is a lightweight, non greasy and hydrating sheiding lotion that can be used on the hands and body. It is said to actually strengthen the skin's natural barrier, offering additional protection from toxins, irritants, & other skin drying substances while helping to retain skin's own natural oils. 
  • Vegan
  • Hypoallergenic
  • Fragrance-Free
  • No parabens or colorants

What makes this shielding lotion more effective than other lotions out there?
"Conventional lotions are only effective in the short-term by adding artificial moisture to the skin in an effort to replace natural moisture. The problem is that they are very easily removed and need to be reapplied continuously. This sends a signal to the moisture producing parts of the skin that enough moisture is in present, while in reality the skin doesn’t produce enough moisture to resolve a dry skin problem. Skin responds to this message by decreasing moisture production and thus becomes addicted to the artificial moisturizer. If the lotion stops being reapplied, the skin can go through a phase of getting even drier than before the first application of an artificial moisturizer (conventional moisturizing lotion). Additionally, conventional lotions sit on the surface of the skin, may be greasy or sticky, thus attracting dirt that may contribute to clogged pores." - Wikipedia.org

During winter, my hands get incredibly dry - especially my knuckles. I usually use scrubs and apply heavy moisturizers at night and hand creams throughout the day, but the problem is, I wash my hands SO many times a day, that I'm continuously washing off my moisturizer & re-applying it. So I was excited to give this lotion a try.

The directions are to apply a small amount every 2-8 hours until moisture level improves. Then, just once every 12-24 hours.

The consistency of the moisturizer is very thin and runny. Within seconds of applying this, my hands feel slippery, but they soak up the moisture completely. My hands don't feel oily or greasy. They don't give a silky feeling like a regular lotion may because there is no residue. It dries completely. But, I can feel that my hands are slightly softer with each application, and I really like the cooling, satiny feeling this lotion gives while application.


I tested this out by applying it to my hands and then washing my hands right after. The moisturizer didn't rinse off my hands. My hands stayed moisturized. Yay!

I mainly have been using this on my face (you can use it on your face, body & hands) as a moisturizer before my foundation. I prefer this more for a facial moisturizer rather than a hand/body moisturizer because I don't have the patience to apply lotion to my hands so many times throughout the day. I like applying Vaseline or very heavy creams to my hands at night and wear moisture gloves and get rid of the dryness in one shot.

For my face, I like light, runny moisturizers rather than heavy creams because I don't like my face getting greasy. So for me, this stuff is perfect for my face. Its very light and makes my face feel very fresh and prepped for an even makeup application. It hasn't broken me out. It actually reminds me A LOT of Laura Gellar's Spackle Primer ($25 for 2 fl oz) which happens to be an old favorite of mine.


The Verdict: I do like this stuff, but a this time I'm unsure If I would re-purchase it. Mainly because I always manage to get my hands on GWP (Gift with purchase) moisturizers and I use a lot of generics. It's $18 (4 oz) which isn't bad for a facial moisturizer. Time will tell with this stuff. Once I run out of it, I may want more. :)

Now, it's your turn to try SkinMD Natural! One person will receive a full sized bottle to see for themselves!

Rules:
1) You have be a follower of my blog
2) Post a comment what your all time favorite/s moisturizer is! I'd love to hear what you guys use & love!

I'm thinking this contest will end Friday at 12AM Central US Time. If this happens to change, I'll keep you posted!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Revlon PhotoReady Foundation Review, Photos & Swatches!

revlon photoready foundation review

 Revlon Photoready Makeup

There has been a huge hype about the new Revlon Photo Ready Foundation lately. A lot of people have compared it to Make Up Forever HD Foundation because its good photographing capabilities. Revlon Photoready Foundation claims to look airbrushed in any lighting, with light reflecting pigments to erase all of your flaws. It's also said to provide complete coverage, yet with a natural finish.

Revlon Photoready Foundation is available in twelve (12) shades:  Ivory, Vanilla, Shell, Nude, Natural Beige, Medium Beige, Cool Beige, Golden Beige, Rich Ginger, Caramel, Cappuccino and Mocha. 

I was pretty torn between choosing #006 Medium Beige or #008 Golden Beige. Before going to the store, I had it in my head that I was going to purchase Golden Beige. But, when I actually looked at the bottles, Medium Beige looked darker and more yellow. Golden Beige looked more neutral and beige. So, I ended up choosing #006 Medium Beige. It's a good color match for my MAC NC40 skin tone. I'm sure it can match MAC NC35-37 coloring as well. 

revlon photoready foundation review
Revlon Photoready Makeup in Medium Beige 

(You can see the shimmer in the bottle)

The consistency is very light and creamy. It's a bit runny, so it spreads across the skin very well without a primer, and I rarely ever have to go back for additional product after buffing the foundation into my skin.

The coverage is a good medium that is buildable. It hides the majority of my flaws, evens out my complexion and makes my face glowy and airbrushed. It dries to a semi-matte that isn't at all dull.

revlon photoready foundation medium beige swatch
 Swatch of Revlon Photoready Makeup in Medium Beige

As for the "light reflecting pigments" AKA shimmer particles, the reviews for this aspect of the foundation are pretty mixed. I;m sure it depends a lot on your coloring and skin type whether or not it's going to show. Many people said its overly shimmery, and others said they didn't notice any shimmer whatsoever. When I swatched the color on my wrist and really blended it into my skin, I can visibly see lots of shimmer. More shimmer than I've ever seen in a foundation. Once applied to my face, I didn't any shimmer unless I'm looking at my face close-up in the sunlight, or hours later when my foundation starts to get a little shiny and fade, the shimmer appears. I don't think I mind it too much, but I think sometimes shimmer can work against you if you apply too much, and I think there is just too much in this foundation. I think if Revlon cut out half of the shimmer, It'd be a much better foundation.

The lasting power is good. It lasts me a full day with minor fading. I do get shiny after a few hours, but it's no oil slick, so I'll just make sure to dust my face with a little setting powder. One thing I've noticed is that after a few hours, the foundation looks darker on my face than when it was first applied. I'm not sure if this has happened to anyone else, but it continuously happens with me, so I think if I do re-purchase this foundation, I may re-purchase it in a lighter shade, for when I'm less tan.

It's pretty good for a drugstore foundation. Right now I'm going to give it a 4 out of 5. I will keep you updated with what I think about this! I'm going to wear it for a few more days. I purchased this foundation at ULTA for $13.99.


Here's me at work today wearing Revlon PhotoReady

Update: I love the way this foundation looks when it's first applied, but I don't love the way my face looks a few hours later. I find that the color oxidizes a little bit and in the daylight, my face looks orange. This foundation has great coverage and a pretty finish, but it's not HG material for me mostly due to the oxidation. I will probably finish up the bottle, but I'm unsure if I'd re-purchase it. I wouldn't say this is a must-have and I wouldn't say it's a bad foundation. If you find this foundation for a very good price.. try it out for yourself! I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Covergirl Lash Blast Luxe Mascara Review!

Covergirl Lash Blast Luxe Mascara

So, you all know by now that my favorite mascara is Covergirl Lash Blast. I headed over to ULTA this weekend to pick up a couple of things including a tube of Lash Blast (original) and they were out of stock. But, I saw that there were a ton of Lash Blast "Luxe" in stock.

I've never heard of the Luxe formula, and I wasn't sure whether to get it or not for a few reasons.
1. I was unaware of exactly how shimmery this mascara is; I didn't want mascara with glitter in it.
2. I was unaware of how BLACK it is. I like my mascara to be the blackest black.
3. I wasn't sure if the formula was exactly the same as the original lash blast. I wanted the same formula (I didn't care for Lash Blast Length).

I decided to try it anyway, because I was desperate for a fresh tube and I didn't feel like running all over town for it.

Covergirl Lash Blast Luxe is available in four shades: Black Platinum, Black Cabernet, Black Royale & Black Emerald. I chose Black Platinum; the darkest shade.

Covergirl Lash Blast Luxe Mascara in Black Platinum

When I opened the tube, I wasn't too happy with how black it is. Its more of a dark charcoal grey black with teeny tiny bits of shimmer. It's not overly shimmery. It's definitely not glittery. Once applied, it was super black. I was very happy that It didn't look like I had charcoal colored lashes & I couldn't tell that it was shimmery - only if I pressed my nose against my compact mirror, I could spot a few specks of shimmer. I was also very pleased to see that the formula is indeed the same as the original Lash Blast. I would definitely re-purchase this mascara!

Covergirl Lash Blast Luxe Mascara

Here are my lashes with and without the mascara.

Have you tried this mascara? What are your thoughts? Did you notice any difference?

Thursday, January 21, 2010

My Face Today.

I've been post happy lately. lol It's all because of my new job. I have my own office & computer, so I'm pretty much here all day long working and making posts on my breaks.


My eyes are real red because I only had like 4 hours of sleep. *yawn*

FACE:
SkinMD Natural Moisturizer
NYX Concealer in a Pot Medium (trying out this stuff, it's okay.)
MAC Select Coverup NW25
NARS Sheer Glow Barcelona
MAC So Ceylon Mineralized Skinfinish
MAC Margin Powder Blush
MAC Blot Powder Medium-Dark

BROWS:
MAC Spiked Retractable Brow Crayon

EYES:
MAC Point Black Liquidlast Liner
NYX Dune Eyeshadow (smudged in lower lash line)
Korres Soft Black Eye Liner Pencil
Ardell 111 False Lashes (cut in half and applied to my outer eye lids)
Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara

LIPS:
MAC Oak Lip Liner Pencil
MAC Creme Cup Lipstick
NYX Smokey Look Lip Gloss

Ask me ANYTHING!

I thought this would be a fun post.

Since a lot of times, It's hard for me to respond to all of your questions.. I'm making this post where you can ask me anything and I will FOR SURE answer it! It can be anything! Anything you want to know! It can be questions about makeup, or whatever you'd like to know about me. I don't care if the questions are silly, that just makes it more fun! Whatever question you ask me in the comments, I will copy and paste it in the post and answer it.. like a Q: A:
So ask away! :)

Q: What kind of camera do you use for your blog/FOTD photos? A: I use the Canon PowerShotA720IS 8.0 megapixels with 6x optical zoom. For products, to get the best pictures, I use it on the TV setting along with the Macro setting (little flower) under fluorescent lighting. It is a pretty good camera.. but I've had it for a few years now and I'm looking for something new. I do recommend Canon Powershots though, awesome cameras.

Q: Have you ever had issues with girls "hating" on you during high school years or anything like that? I'm from Texas...so if you're pretty..girls automatically talk about you or give you dirty looks. A: Not too much. In high school some of the older girls would yell out Barbie every time I walked by and they would laugh.. it always made me really self conscious. I had really long straight hair and I always had my makeup done and pink lip gloss. For some reason everyone thought I was Hispanic and people were calling me the Puerto Rican barbie. lol kids are so stupid. My hair is really thick too, so I remember they would say I'm wearing a wig.. and NO! I didn't start wearing extensions till college! haha. Let's see.. in college I didn't make any girl friends which made me kinda sad. It seemed like everyone was making tons of new friends and going to parties while I still had the same few friends from high school. Girls ALWAYS gave me dirty looks in college. I mainly kept to myself for that reason.

Q: What has been your favorite vacation? A: Definitely California. Ahh, my second home. I seriously get SO homesick for California. I get knots in my stomach thinking about how bad I want to go again. I BELONG IN CALIFORNIA.

Q: What is your favorite physical feature? :) A: My smile. :D 2nd, my eyes. I wish they were the slightest bit lighter though. :)

1/22:
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? A: I see myself In 5 years pretty established. I will be a married woman, hopefully for a few years already. lol With at least one child. Me and George do want to settle down soon and start a family. He is turning 28 in less than a month and he wanted to have a child by 30.. so we'll see :) I will be working in his family business and hopefully having another profession I really enjoy doing. It's not clear yet..

Q: What are your favorite MAC eye shadows and Lip products? A: My main favorite colors are Carbon (Matte Deep Black), Tyopgraphic (Matte Soft Black), Nehru (Matte Deep Navy Black), Plumage (Deep turquoise green/blue), Deep Truth (Frosty Deep Blue), Freshwater (Frosty Bright Blue), Top Hat (Frosty Deep Purple), Parfait Amour (Frosty Medium Purple), Love Connection Mineralize e/s (Bronze and Shimmery Taupe), Inter-view Mineralize (Navy, Bronze & Brown), Espresso (Matte Brown), Gilt By Association (Shimmery Deep Golden Black). As for their Lip products, I really only like MAC Lipsticks.. I'm not a huge fan of their lip glosses. My favorite lipsticks though are Shygirl, Hue, Creme Cup, Freckletone, Myth & Creme d Nude.

Q: What is your favorite eyeliner for oily eyelids? A: I haven't experimented with a ton of different eye liners but my favorite is MAC Point Black Liquidlast Liner. I use it with a thin brush (not the one it comes with because I don't like the shape of the brush) and I smudge it into my lash line for a more natural look. I sometimes put MAC Carbon e/s over it to intensify it and set it in place. It never budges. I've used it on my waterline as well and it works really good. The eye liner pencils I've tried all smudge.. except for Revlon Colorstay retractable pencil, but it's not as black as I'd like.

1/24:
Q: How did you know that George wasn't like all the other guys? What was different about him? A: This could get extremely deep if I go into detail. But, we met when I was 17, and he was 23. I met him through a friend in high school (it was his older brother) Older guys interested me because I always wanted to get married young. He was very mature and brought me everywhere and showed me everything. He basically swept me off my feet from the start. I have never known any one in the world that is so similar to me. We share the same taste in EVERYTHING. He is my best friend. I am excited every time I see his name come up on my phone calling me. I get butterflies when he is outside waiting for me. I know its not good to say someone else completes you.. but he really does complete me. He is my other half.. and from the rocky times we've been through, I've come to the realization that he is my Soulmate lol So there is no point in looking out there for someone else that doesn't do those things.. because they will do something different than the previous that will piss you off. Know that I mean? I'm so blessed to have found TRUE LOVE rather than settling with someone I just plain love.

Q: Where are you from? What is your Ethnicity? A: I was born here in the suburbs of Illinois. I'm 50% Jordanian (Christian Orthodox) and my other half consists of a mixture of Swedish, Norwegian and English. At home, both of my parents speak English. I don't know any second languages fluently. I would like to learn fluent Arabic, I only know a little.

Q: Why haven't you started a youtube channel?? A: To be completely honest, I hate the way I sound on recordings. I don't even like recording my voice for my voicemail on my phone. I'm thinking about it though. I might start doing videos in a month or so. Don't quote me on this!! lol

Q: What is your job? A: Previously, my job was at a school as a pre-school teacher. It is a combined daycare so I worked with newborns to 4 year olds. My new job is at my boyfriends office as a secretary. I don't just sit here and answer phones all day. I've got lots of responsibilities.. :) This is why i mentioned in my previous post I am able to post on my breaks. It's my families business so the rules are lenient. lol

Q: What kind of extensions do you wear? A: Right now, I'm wearing Euronext extensions from Sally's Beauty Supply. They are $89.99 and the clips are already sewed in.

Q: What self tanner are you using on your face? Does it break you out? A: I'm using SUN labs spray on my face. It hasn't broke me out.

Q: What is your boyfriends ethnicity? A: He is 100% Greek. I'm almost becoming fluent in Greek :D

1/25:
Q: What got you into makeup? Does anyone in your family/friends share your interest? A: I loved makeup ever since I was a little girl. I think my mom influenced me a bit because she always wore lots of makeup her whole life. Foundation, bronzer, blush, eyeshadow, mascara, lipstick/gloss, etc. I would always watch her do her makeup and I would sneak her red lip stick and my dad would yell at me. lol I couldn't wait till I turned 13 so I could start wearing makeup. In 7th grade I started wearing all types of drugstore makeup. In high school, I was still experimenting with all types of drugstore makeup. People remember me in high school as the girl that was always applying lip gloss, brushing her hair in class and looking in the mirror 24/7 to make sure my makeup didn't get messed up. Then senior year I discovered MAC and I fell in love. That summer I got a job at a high end retail store that had Sephora next door and I started going there EVERY DAY. My love for high end makeup started to grow and I was buying everything. I discovered makeupalley.com and starting buying everything with good reviews. On myspace, I was a member of a bunch of makeup groups and I would spend so much time posting in these groups that It was the only reason I had a myspace.. I then slowly discovered the entire makeup community & have become even more addicted to beauty. I'm really the only one out of my friends that has this addiction.

Q: How is your healthy eating going? A: My life is a never ending struggle with my weight. *sigh* I was doing pretty good. I lost like 12 pounds before the holidays and in the month of December gained it back. It's pretty unfortunate but I'm busy again and I'm going to get back up and try again.

Q: How did you get so many subscribers?? A: Honestly, lol I have no idea. I think mostly because I have mentioned so many products in my blog and when people type a product in google, my blog will come up. And I have seen lots of sweet people have me linked on their blog! LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

Q: Are you still using your Ben Nye things? A: Yes. I wear my final seal quite often.. usually on days where I don't want my makeup to budge at all. I wear the blush occasionally (because I have so many blushes I neglect a lot of them) I actually wore it yesterday though, I'm using both my Neutral Set and Banana Visage Powder on occasion (mostly because I've been using MAC Blot Powder every single day since I purchased it) and I do wear the Bronzing Body Tint on my neck on days where I want to look more tan. So yes, I'm still using everything and I'm planning on getting more :D I really want to try their cake liner and I'm probably going to order it this week.

Q: What do you think of Twilight? A: I have not gotten onto the Twilight bandwagon.. lol I never watched the movie & I have no idea what it is about. My friends talk about it but I'm never interested.

Q: How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? A: On a normal day.. I'd say 30-45 mins. I can get ready in 20 mins If I'm running late. If I'm going somewhere nice and I'm doing my hair.. extensions and all I take almost 2 hours. My hair will take almost 45 mins to flat iron and then I'll curl the ends, curl my extensions and put them in.. that will take a alittle over an hour. My makeup doesn't take me long unless I'm doing my eyeshadow or have to pluck my brows. I'd say no more than 20 mins. I get dressed in a jiffy. :) I mainly take long because I take my sweet *bleep* time. lol

Q: How often do you visit makeup stores? A: I visit Sephora usually once a week.. sometimes twice, ULTA once a week, MAC only when I run out of something or if there is a new collection I'm interested in, my local drugstores to see if there is clearance makeup.. a couple times a week and I go to Sallys usually when I run out of Shampoo or styling products.. then I'll start browsing and buying a ton of things.

Q: Do you work out? A: At the moment no, I haven't worked out actually since I got my last job.. there was really no time. I love working out but I neglect my exercise routine in the winter because I mainly work out out doors. Me and my best friend always go running and jogging on the beach.. almost every day when it's nice out. I also love to bike ride and do kick boxing.

Q: Do you do any networking sites? A: Nope. I use to be a major myspace junkie but I had problems with people hacking into my account and stealing my pictures. Like, SERIOUS, SERIOUS problems. You know who you are, and I know you're probably reading this right now *waves* I think twitter is ridiculous (sorry.. lol). The people I want to be in contact with are the people in my phone. :)

Q: Are you subscribed to any magazines? A: Yes. Glamour, Cosmopolitan and Harper's Bazaar. I barely read any of it.. I just like looking at the pictures. HA!

Q: Any bad habits? A: My uncontrollable spending is a bad, bad habit, paying $100 on a credit card bill and spending $100 (blah, all the time), Not being able to control my sweet tooth is a bad habit, throwing my clothes on the floor once I changed (only at home.. I'm so organized everywhere I go but not at all when it comes to my room), my temper sometimes, swearing occasionally (I really, really don't like to swear.. I think its very unlady like and unattractive), I'm always running late, I get moody when I'm hungry, Im not very motivated.. that's all I can think of at the moment.

Q: Do you have nice handwriting? A: Yes, I think I have that preppy girl kind of writing. lol but I can be sloppy too. I usually start out very neat and then slowly I will get less neat. It's not very consistent. I find myself doing two different kinds of y's in the same sentence. One will be straight and one will be rounded. Sometimes I'll do different A's. Sometimes I'll put a line through my 7 and sometimes I won't. I can pretty much write whatever way I want. I don't think my writing ever looks the same. Odd.

Q: Does your lifestyle exceed your income? A: Absolutely. lol my income needs to be doubled to keep up with my spending.

Flash from the past. Hair History. BLONDE, REDHEAD, BRUNETTE. (Pic Heavy)

Doing a hair history was a popular request that I never got around to because I would have to dig through cds and find old pictures.. and I figured it would take a lot of time. Well, all I was going to do was post a picture of me with blonde hair to show what it looked like.. and I figured.. heck. Let me just do my whole history.

So this is my story. A couple of years ago I had a full head of blonde highlights. When I would go for a touch up, they would add more.. so I had a ton of blonde in my hair. At the time, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to go completely blonde since the majority of my hair was already blonde. They ended up using a highlighting cap. Which was a little odd to me.. I don't know why they didn't use foil so they can just grab the darker hair. And 2nd, it was odd because I was dying my hair one color. But what do I know, I'm not a professional. But, they used foil and pulled hair out of every one of the holes until they had just about all of my hair. I had no idea what they did, all I know was they were bleaching it and put me under the drier and when it was time to get the cap off my head, they couldn't. All of my hair was in knots and they had to cut it out of my hair. My hair was the consistency of straw. This got me extremely nervous. But they didn't seem too worried so I tried to stay at ease. They put more junk in my hair and I went back under the drier. Then, my hair was orange and they washed my hair and put a toner in my hair.. and let it sit for around an hour (yes, my neck was sitting on the salon sink for one hour) then they deep conditioned and blow dried. This whole process took 5 HOURS! And it cost me almost $300. I was pretty happy with the way it turned out. The consistency of my hair was not at all soft though. It was very coarse feeling. Every time I brushed it my hair was breaking off. I decided to buy Mane N Tail Shampoo and Conditioner and deep condition my hair all of the time. This shampoo completely washed the blonde out my hair. I had turned into a strawberry blonde/redhead in less than a month. I didn't know any better at the time, but I could of just purchased a small bottle of toner at Sally's and put it in my hair for 10 dang minutes and I would of been platinum. But I acted on impulse and wanted the orange gone. I dyed my hair black. :( *Sigh* So I was blonde for one month only. I loved it for the short amount of time but having blonde hair anyway is probably too high maintenance for me. I would have to touch it up every couple of weeks.. and yuck. I absolutely dread dying my hair. It's such a chore to me. I'm really sad because at the time of my hair being blonde, my computer crashed and I lost all of my pictures.. and I had some pretty awesome pictures. :( I only have a few as a reminder.

Here is my hair in 12th grade. My hair was all the way down my back. When I put my head back, it would reach my bum. Gahh I miss it so much.


For Easter that same year, while I was at Church my hair caught on fire (I was holding a candle and when I turned my head it caught a bit of my hair and the hairspray in my hair probably ignited it. The priest put my hair out. How embarrassing. I went to the bathroom and cried because chunks of my hair was falling out.. it was all charred and smelled like burnt hair. ew. So I cut a lot off. It came to above my chest.


My graduation dinner


Then, I went black for the first time.

It was VERY black. Too black.

Then I started getting lots of highlights. In the 2nd picture I was messing around with red temporary dye.




More blonde


And dun dun dun.. Completely blonde!








I use to ALWAYS make this face. I think I got it from Christine Dolce. It was my GRR face. haha




I think all of the picture of my redhead/strawberry blonde stage got lost. :(

But here is me fooling around with Red Temporary color!! hahah!

Yes, yes. I know, I'm so hardcore.



Then, I dyed my hair black again and added in some Sally's Satin Strand Extensions.


After that, pretty much I kept up with the black/dark brown hair and extensions. Then, for one year I didn't do any coloring.. until I got some highlights last March.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Whats on my face lately? My Current Routine.


In order of the way I apply my make up:

Estee Lauder Daywear Plus Cream (I have had a few deluxe gift with purchase samples of this and I really like it. I haven't been disapointed with any of their face creams/moisturizers) I put this on my face first thing in the morning concentrating on areas that are prone to dryness. My chin, nose and eyebrow area typically get very dry. My face is very moisturized by the time I apply my makeup. Sometimes I just use whatever is in arms reach.

Bobbi Brown Corrector Light Peach I have been using this since I purchased it. Maybe a little over a week? As mentioned in my previous post, I usually apply a little with my MAC 224 brush or with my fingertips.

MAC Select Cover Up NW25 I apply this over my BB Corrector with my MAC 224 brush. I always use this brush to apply it, it always gives better coverage than my fingers.

MAC 224 Brush This is a brush I can't be with out. Ever since I purchased it, I use it every day.

NARS Sheer Glow Barcelona I only wanted to wear this on special occasions, but I am so addicted to wearing this. It's definately a new HG daily for me.

MAC 187 Duo Fibre Brush I find that (for me) this brush applies my NARS foundation better than the Sephora 55 Airbrush I was using previously. I use less product and I get the maximum coverage.

YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch I usually dot this in the corners of my eyes to illuminate my eyes and along the bridge of my nose to highlight.

Make Up Forever Brow Corrector #3 I use this on my brows almost every day. On days where I don't, I will use MAC Spiked Brow Crayon or MAC Espresso Eye Shadow.

MAC 266 Angled Brush I use this on my eyebrows.

MAC Powder Blush I've been using differnt shades each day... I've been mainly using Sunbasque, Margin (as of today), So Ceylon Mineralize Skinfinish, Earth to Earth Mineralize Blush or NARS Lovejoy Powder Blush. I apply blush always before my powder so that the pigmentation is better and it will last longer. When i apply my powder first, the color payoff is never as good.

E.L.F Studio Blush Brush I use this to apply my blush. It is smaller than other blush brushes which is great because you can really control how much you're applying to your cheek. And, so that you're not applying blush to your whole cheek, you're applying it to the apples. I actually use the same brush to apply my powder under my eyes (I wipe it off with a tissue first)

MAC Blot Powder Medium Dark This has always been my favorite finishing powder. I apply this to areas of my face that tend to get oily/shiny from my foundation. Typically around my mouth (laugh lines), chin, nose and forehead.

NARS Albatross I lightly apply this over my blush to add an extra glow (if needed) and along my nose and the middle of my forehead.

Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara I use this every, every day since the first time I purchased it. With the exception of ONE day I wore MAC Zoomlash, and I got major smudges under my eyes. I will never use another mascara! Well, until I find something better. :)

Korres Soft Eye Liner Pencil Black I got this for free as an extra in a swap and I've been using it just about every day for a little over a week. I like it.. I don't love it though. Its very smudgy and isn't as black as I'd like, but it does the job.

MAC Lip Liner Pencil Typically Oak or Stripdown.

MAC Lipsticks I wear Creme Cup when I'm feeling pink or Shygirl when I'm feeling a little more coral. Lately, I revisted an old favorite, MAC Prr lipglass.. and I've been wearing it almost every day.

Here I am today.. Nothing spectacular. Natural on the eyes. I am wearing everything listed. I tried out the MAC Margin blush and really like it.. as well as MAC Colour Crafted Lipstick (mixed with MAC Prr Lipglass)


Bobbi Brown Light Peach Corrector Review, Photos and Swatches!

bobbi brown light peach corrector review

 Bobbi Brown Corrector

For very dark circles and extra coverage, Bobbi Brown's secret is her Bobbi Brown Corrector ($23). 

Bobbi Brown Correctors are super creamy pink and peach based creams that are designed to be layered under your regular concealer to neutralize darkness for maximum coverage.

There are twelve shades in total. The shades are as follows: Porcelain Bisque, Light Bisque, Porcelain Peach, Light Peach, Light to Medium Bisque, Bisque, Peach, Medium to Dark Bisque, Dark Bisque, Deep Bisque and Very Deep Bisque.

I originally purchased Peach, which is actually a really good match for my skintone when I'm tan (MAC NC40), but I prefer my concealers to be a little bit lighter than my skintone (even though this is a "corrector", not a concealer, I still couldn't bear using something as dark as my skin). So, with that said, I exchanged it, and purchased Light Peach.

Light Peach is a pale, milky peach. It's probably best suited for light to light-medium complexions - a very good match for MAC NC20-25.

bobbi brown light peach corrector swatch
This swatch shows the color very true to life.

bobbi brown corrector light peach swatch
For color comparison, here is Light Peach swatched next to MAC Select Cover-up in NW25.

The consistency of this product is very, very creamy and slightly tacky. I initially thought it would have a similar consistency to other cream concealers (MAC Studio Finish for instance), but it's completely different. Cream concealers are very dense, while Bobbi Brown Corrector is very soft.

Something I've really realized with using this product is that you only need the tiniest bit. When I first purchased it, I realized I was using too much product (the same amount I'd use of concealer). It covered very well, but by the time I applied my concealer, it felt too moist under my eyes. I've come to realize that you really only need a tiny amount for it to get the job done and I shouldn't go back for seconds. 

My favorite way of applying this is with my ring finger and tapping it into the areas under my eyes where it's the most purple. On days where I'm in a rush, I'll quickly sweep it under my eyes with my finger and it works just as well.

In conjunction with my concealer, my dark circles are completely covered. More covered than they'd be with the concealer alone.

before after bobbi brown corrector

Although I don't really need too much additional coverage, I always apply a little concealer on top. In the photo below, I applied a little Physician's Formula Conceal RX Concealer in Light lightly with my fingertips.

bobbi brown corrector after

All I need is a little powder on top, and I'm all set for the day!

I really like this product and recommend it to those who suffer with severe dark circles, or those who want to just look a little more awake in the morning!

I will be repurchasing this product when I run out, and I'm interested in trying some of their pinker (Bisque) shades to really brighten up my under-eyes.

Have you tried Bobbi Brown Corrector? What'd you think? I'm also very interested in trying Bobbi Brown Concealers. Do you recommend any??

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Small Swap Haul. MAC Margin Blush, Stila Smudgepot, UDPP

I am obsessed with swapping! The idea was pure genius. I've gotten some pretty awesome stuff.

Here are a few other things I received last week:

MAC "Margin" Powder Blush (frost)
BN Urban Decay Primer Potion XL
BN Stila Black Smudgepot mini


This color is soo pretty! It reminds me of Sunbasque, but more pink.

ULTA had a great sale on the XL last week. It came with a few other things for like $18. With a $3.50 off coupon its an awesome deal. I'm not sure if they still have it, I don't see the set on the website.

I haven't tried it out yet. I've never tried Stila smudgepots and I've always been interested. I'm very curious to see how it works in comparison to MAC Blacktrack Fluidline and Wet n Wild Creme Liner. I'll have a review for this at a later time. I kinda want to round up a lot of different brands of gel/cream liners and see which one is best. I really want to try Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel liners.

Swap Haul! MAC Lipsticks: Masque, Blankety, Colour Crafted.

I got these in the mail today! "Masque" is a LE shade. This one in particular is from the Alexander McQueen Collection. I'm not sure if it has been relaunched since then. It looks almost exactly like "Blankety" and similar to shades like "Faux" or "Honeylove". This isn't a very flattering shade on me unfortunately.. as well as Blankety since they're almost identical. Colour Crafted is a LE shade as well, and its a barbie pink. This is the only one I may wear out of these. I would have to mix it with something because its very intense.


They look so pretty in the tube, but they look very dull on me. And mauvey shades just don't flatter my skin tone.