Monday, April 19, 2010

Pictures from my best friends birthday party! :)

I had a few pictures I thought I'd share..

For my best friend's 22nd birthday party, we went to Medieval Times. If you don't know what it is, it's like an enchanted castle that puts on a show with knights with swords on horses and there's a king and queen and lots of action. My friend is into kiddy fun.. so this was something cute. A lot of people didn't end up coming so it ended up being a double date. We had a good time. :)


It was my 2nd time going there. I went once when I was 10 for a school field trip. haha! I didn't follow the story line then, and I didn't follow it this time.. LOL. The horses were SO cute! I'm not really a a horse lover, but I fell in love with horses after this.


I'm not a huge fan of their food.. but you're mainly going there for the show. They don't give you any utensils. You're suppose to eat with your hands to get the full "Medieval Times" experience. I should of thought of stashing a fork. haha!


Miss Field's.. yummayyy.


Her boyfriend bought her a Betsy Johnson dress and shoes for her birthday present.. Isn't she a doll??? :)





I tried out adding lashes to my bottom lash line for the 1st time. I really liked it.. I think I'll do it more often. I used Duralash Naturals in Short Black with Duo lash adhesive. They stayed all night long.. and you couldn't tell they were fake!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Anastasia Beverly Hills Sheer Moisture Creme SPF30 Review!


Anastasia Beverly Hills Sheer Moisture Creme SPF30

Product Description: Sheer Moisture Crème SPF 30 is a hydrating and ultra-light day crème that works for all skin types. This truly innovative fragrance-free formula softens the skin and provides protection against UVA/UVB rays and free radicals that can cause signs of aging.
A uniquely designed dispensing pump ensures a clean application every time.

-Dermatologist Tested
-Hypoallergenic
-Non-Comedogenic (won't clog pores)
-Paraben Free
-Fragrance Free

The Sheer Moisture Creme has become part of my every day routine for the past month. I always make sure to apply the cream to my face first thing in the morning after I've cleansed my face, or right before application of my liquid makeup.

The consistency is perfect for a day cream - it's lightweight (but not runny) and isn't thick or greasy like some other day moisturizers I've tried.

It absorbs quickly into my skin without leaving an oily residue behind, creating a perfect, smooth base for my foundation.

As an added bonus, there is an SPF of 30, so I don't have to add additional sunscreen to my face. Also, it's fragrance free, so there's no unpleasing scent of sunscreen. (I really dread the smell of sunscreen)

I can't say using this cream has transformed my skin over the course of the month, but it's been keeping my skin well hydrated (as well as protected) and I can skip using primer!


The Round-Up

Pros:
  • Great Packaging- I wish more products were designed like this! It's a pump dispenser, so you just have to push the top down to dispense a pea sized amount of product. This is great for sanitary reasons and so you won't dispense too much product that isn't necessary.
  • Absorbs quickly. It didn't leave my skin feeling oily or greasy.
  • Lightweight. It's a great daytime moisturizer that works well before applying makeup.
  • Reacted well to my skin. I didn't have any irritations or breakouts.
  • A good amount of SPF (30).
  • Moisturizing
  • No fragrance.
Cons:
  • A slight con of the packaging is that you can't tell how much product is in the container. I won't know until one day I push the pump and nothing will dispense. haha!
  • I didn't notice any significant changes in my skin after using this product. I'm saying significant because I have noticed my skin feels softer, but I can't say for sure that it's from this product or others that I am using.
Price: $40, Anastasia.






Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Recent Q&A's!

Hi Guys! I've had loads of questions in the past few weeks and haven't been able to get around to all of them because my Internet has been down (Seriously for over a month..) Since responding to messages on my board on the right sidebar are restricted to 100 characters, I thought I'd make a post instead. Also, I haven't posted much lately because I borrowed my camera to a friend two weeks ago and I haven't seen her yet to get it back.. and I always like to post pictures with my posts. :)

Q: What are you currently using on your brows?A: For the past month, I've been using Essence Eyebrow Designer Pencil in the shade "Brown 02". I purchased it at the very beginning of March from ULTA for $1.49. I would describe the color as a chestnut brown. I really like this pencil. Its a really great consistency and the formula is smooth, but not too smooth where its smudgy. It is pigmented, but you can control the pigmentation by using a light hand. My brows don't budge all day long. It has a brush at the end of the cap which is very useful to even out the color, but I use a regular spoolie. (I use the spoolie from my Milani Easybrow Liner purchased from CherryCulture) Then, I finish my brows off with MAC Brow Set in the shade "Girl Boy". This brow set has become an HG product for me especially with my hair color at the moment. It adds natural color to my brows. My brows are a dark ash brown, while my hair is a caramel brown. "Girl Boy" adds caramel coloring to my brows and helps keep them in place.


Q: What is your current skincare routine?A: I don't have much of a routine or a system. I'd really like to get a good cleansing system to do daily, but the funds just aren't there right now. Currently, I use Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes at night to remove all of my makeup (I use the night calming and the regular ones. The regular ones are more oily and the night calming ones are slightly drier). About twice a week, I use an exfoliation glove with some lather and lightly rub my face in circular motions. I press a little harder on my nose and chin to make those areas squeaky clean and shiny. I know when my nose starts to look dull and matte under my foundation, it needs a good exfoliation. :) Then, If I have time or remember, I'll moisturize my face with whatever I have available. I have a ton of odds and end samples I use up. I then apply self tanner to my face before I go to sleep. If I have a pimple pending (lol), I'll do the Aspirin Mask before I go to bed as well. In the morning, I use another Neutrogena Makeup Remover Towelette to remove any excess color from my self tanner. I then apply my Perricone MD and follow with a moisturizer. For a moisturizer, I've been using Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Relief and I really, really like it. Its like a moisturizer and primer in one.



Q: Do you use a primer prior to makeup application?A: I always use a moisturizer before I apply my foundation. I like primers that have the consistency of a thin moisturizer or a gel formula (such as Laura Gellar Spackle) that makes the skin slippery and moist so the foundation won't apply thick or cakey. I haven't come across any primers that make a noticeable difference in how long my makeup lasts. I've been using Rimmel's Fix & Perfect Primer and it works alright to keep shine away. I don't know if I would repurchase it though. I've been hearing raves about Clarin's primer.. I'd like to give it a try soon.

Q: If your skin was 1-2 shades lighter, what shade of Estee Lauder Double Wear would you purchase?A: If my skin was 1-2 shades lighter, It would be a MAC NC30-35. I'm an NC40. The shade I wear (Tawny) runs light, but it blends well once I apply some bronzer. Shell Beige is a shade darker and can work on me as well, but I liked the look of Tawny better. If I were to go a shade lighter than Tawny, I'd go with Sand which should be a good NC30 match.


Warm Shades (Golden)1w1 bone
2w1 sand
3w1 tawny
4w1 shell beige
5w1 bronze
6w2 spice

Neutral Shades (Beige)1N1 ecru
2N1 desert beige
2N2 fresco
3N1 ivory beige
4N1 wheat
5N1 soft tan
6N1 truffle

Cool Shades (Pink)1c1 shell
2c1 dusk
3c1 pebble
4c1 suede
5c1 soft chestnut
6c1 rich cocoa

Q: In Double Wear What's a good color match for NC37-40?A: *sigh* I use Tawny, but it's not the perfect color match for my skin tone. It's the closest match out of all of the shades available though. Just about all the reviews I read, NC35-40's wear Tawny. I used Shell Beige a few years back, but I didn't like the way it photographed. It had a pink tone to it which I didn't like. I would like to try it again though and see how it works because it's definitely been a while. I found that tawny is more golden.. but it is definitely a lot lighter. I find it to be less yellow than MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC40.. I would match it to a NC35. It's slightly yellow/golden, but more beige than MAC. MAC has a strong yellow undertone. I don't believe any shades of double wear have a strong yellow tone. You may need to mix shades, if you can find a good in between color. But that ends up being very pricey. I like to put a drop of double wear in with any foundation to give my foundation extra coverage.

Q: Do you use any products to tone down the pigmentation of your lips?A: I do have pigmented pink lips and I do a few things to lighten them up. Usually in the morning when I apply a moisturizer, I apply a lip balm as well. A favorite of mine is Smith's Rosebud Salve or Blistex. Then after it has softened my lips, I rub off any peeled tissue and my lips are soft and moisturized. When I apply my foundation, I use my brush at the end to go over my lips lightly with whatever is left on the brush. I pat them off with a tissue, and take a powder puff and press a tiny bit of setting powder on my lips. This will set the foundation residue on my lips. Without the powder, if you apply lipstick or gloss, you'll end up mixing it with the residue on your lips and ultimately, the pigmentation of your lips will show through again. I then apply my lip liner, lipstick and gloss. I love using MAC Myth or Fleshpot, Revlon Nude Attitude & Revlon Colorburst Soft Nude as a base for any nude glosses or mixed with lipsticks to tone down the color.

Q: How did you lighten your hair from black to brown? A: Anti dandruff Shampoo and heat is known to lighten your hair. If you flat iron your hair or use a blow dryer, this will slowly fade your hair color. Anti dandruff shampoos/clarifying naturally strip your hair color slowly. I use head and shoulders shampoo and I use heat on my hair frequently, which is why my hair fades so fast. I wish it didn't because it fades to an auburn color, which I don't like with my skin tone. But, I get lots of compliments on it! :) I read that Prell Shampoo works very good.

Q: What foundation do you recommend other than NARS Sheer Glow that is medium coverage and light weight?
A: For a light weight foundation that offers medium coverage, I would recommend Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation. The finish is very natural and satiny. It doesn't look like you're wearing heavy makeup (or feel like it) and the lasting power/coverage is great! I use it on special occasions.

Q: What brush do you use on your outer eyes to create a smokey look? A: Once I fill a shade all over my lid and fill in my crease with a crease brush, I use a flat, fluffy brush to blend and extend out. I usually will go over my crease and bring it up over my crease without adding any more product. I will sometimes apply the tiniest bit of a lighter shade over my crease with the same brush (for example if I filled my lid in black, I'd use a deep gray). The brush I typically use is the MAC 239 Shader Brush.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Perricone MD Advanced Face Firming Activator Review


I was lucky enough to score this for free in a giveaway last month. I've been using it every day & let me tell you, I am in LOVE.

Let me go over what exactly this product is and does. The following quoted information is directly from Sephora.com.

What it is: A daytime treatment that erases the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and enlarged pores while refining skin texture.

What it is formulated to do: Perricone MD Advanced Face Firming Activator delivers superior antiaging benefits with a proprietary delivery system that addresses the visible signs of aging to reveal a radiant, healthy, and more youthful appearance. The paraben-free formula offers superior antioxidant protection that firms and reduces surface imperfections, pores, and discoloration.

Research Results: 82% reported improvement in the appearance of skintone. - 73% reported improvement in skin texture, radiance, and overall quality of their skin."

My Overview/Review of the product: My skin type: Normal. I can say dry/normal, but I'm more towards normal. I don't suffer from dry patches, flakes, roughness, etc. I have fairly clear skin and have never had any problems with acne. I do get a pimple or a few here and there from heavy products I tend to use on my face. They usually appear on or near my chin. I do have enlarged pores (which was never a problem for me up until the last 4 years) and I often get blackheads on my cheeks (not too many) and chin. They are most visible on my chin and around the corners of my nose. At times, I have a little bit of redness.

What I want out of a skincare product for my face: The main thing I want from a product is to minimize the appearance of my pores, to get rid of my blackheads, to make my face softer to the touch, to even out my skintone and give my face more radiance. I don't feel comfortable without wearing foundation and I would like to feel better about my skin and be able to wear tinted moisturizers more often.

The product comes in a 2oz pump bottle. It has the consistency of a very light creamy lotion. It dispenses little product with each pump. I always apply it in the morning when I wake up or prior to applying my makeup. I usually use 2 pumps and softly rub the product into my cheeks, around and on my nose & on my chin. It is weightless and blends like butter. My face isn't left greasy or shiny. I will then apply my regular moisturizer (whatever I have on hand, nothing specific) and apply my foundation. Most or many times I'll wait a little while before applying my other moisturizer/makeup. It depends on if I'm short of time.

So Far Results: I started to notice almost right away.. within the 1st week of using this treatment. I've been using it for possibly 3 weeks, maybe a little less. The texture of my skin has changed. Right now, it is very soft to the touch. When I apply my moisturizer, I can't believe how smooth my skin feels. My pores have DRAMATICALLY decreased in size. I can barely see them now. I am so impressed with how clear my chin looks. I've never used a product that has cleared my chin like this. My chin wasn't horrible or anything, but I had lots of clogged pores. My chin looks almost as smooth as my cheeks. My face looks more radiant, and when I apply my foundation, my face looks so much healthier and clear. With each day of using this product, I am excited to look in the mirror and see what my skin looks like. This product quite possibly may be the best skincare product I've used on my face, as far as visible results. I'll be using this until its all gone and will definately be repurchasing. It's pricey ($120).. but to me, thats nothing to have perfect skin!

You can view reviews for this on makeupalley here.

Have you tried any products by Perricone MD? If so, what did you try and how did it work for you? Do you recommend any product/s?