FOTD - Smokey Purple

Me love me purples! =]  I love how it brings out my brown eyes.

I tried something new this time.  For the outer corner, I decided to try to mix two colours together – I used MAC’s Parfait Amour & Nocturnelle together.    Parfait Amour has a blue undertone to it, and together with Nocturnelle, it turned out beautifully! =]

 

For the inner half of my lid, I used Beautiful Iris (also by MAC)

Foundation: Smashbox Halo Powder – Light

Blush – NARS Oasis

Lips:

I kept the kips more natural looking because the eyes are a bit more dramatic.  I used:  Gingerroot lip liner, High Tea l/s & Fluorabundance lipglass (all MAC).

Instead of just lining the top lashes and the outer half of my lower lashes, I rimmed my entire eye this time to give it that more dramatic effect.

The finished look:

A place I’d love to go back to…

I visited my parents 2 summers ago, and it’s only a 4 hour drive to Banff.  We went there for the long weekend.  It’s such a beautiful place!!! The waters are so clear, and the scenery is breath taking!  The mountainous area is great for hikes up the mountain!  The reward is to see the waters and vegetation from above.  I took hundreds of photos while I was there, here’s just a few of my favorite shots!  =] 

My other love…

Aside from beauty, and fashion, and all the materialistic things out there… I love music… and I love playing the piano.  I kind of regret not listening to my mom when she told me to practice when I was younger.  I was a bit of a rebel haha.  I didn’t really like the songs I was given to practice for piano exams, and as most kids… they don’t like to practice… and I was one of them.  A bit about my piano background:  I started playing the piano when I was maybe 4 or 5, and stopped taking lessons in Gr. 9 because my workload was getting crazy!  I was preparing for my Gr. 8 piano exam, but I never went to it.  I haven’t really played much since I stopped taking lessons.  Music is one of the things I run to when I want to get away from reality, like now! I don’t want to study anymore!! haha

Rather than studying… I’ve been playing the piano a lot lately.  It keeps me sane from all the studying.  3 exams to go!

Most of you ladies out there probably already know where this song came from. hehe  I didn’t really like the movie, but I really LOVE this song.  It’s so soothing and soft =]

I still see room for improvement here… but anyway… here it is:

Philosophy – Purity Made Simple Review

Adapted from Sephora.com:

Purity Made Simple
What it is:
A highly effective one-step facial cleanser.
What it is formulated to do:
Philosophy Purity Made Simple is a ph-balanced formula that rapidly dissolves dirt and makeup while deep cleaning pores. The best-selling cleanser contains infusions of sage, chamomile, and carrot.
What else you need to know:
Purity Made Simple is part of a collection of Philosophy products designed to soothe even the most dry and sensitive skin.
Best of Sephora Winner 2008

I received a sample of this from Sephora, and I’m almost out.  I do plan on buying a larger bottle. =]

I *love* this cleanser.   I have combination skin and this stuff is great! My face feels so soft after – like a baby’s bum.  It never leaves my skin feeling dry or tight.  It feels… balanced and fresh.

It takes off all my makeup, cleanses, and tones all in one step! me love. =]  Especially since I’m so lazy, and this allows me to skip steps hehe.  Also, the product is categorized as ‘Naturally Sephora’.  To learn more about Naturally Sephora - *click here*  The scent smells a bit herbal, doesn’t bother me.  The consistency of the cleanser is liquid.  It doesn’t really foam, and on my face it feels gel-like?  I don’t know.  Maybe that’s just me. haha

Overall,  I think this is an excellent cleanser.  I definately recommend going to Sephora and asking them for a sample.  Hey … it’s free … that’s always a good thing. =]

MAC Top Ten Sellers

10. Everything Prep + Prime: Get ready for Spring with primers for the face, eyes, and lips!

9. Mineralize Blush Duo in Moon River: So pink and so Spring!

Blue pink mélange / pale yellow pink

8. Fast Response Eye Cream: De-puff, de-crease and delight your eyes.

7. Eye Liners: Switch to Spring with liners that say 'colour' in liquid, pencil or gel.

6. Fix +: Adds radiance, finishes makeup. Spray it on!

5. Eye shadows! Shades: Beautiful Iris, Honey Lust, Freshwater, and Flourishing

Beautiful Iris: Fresh Lavender with sheen (Veluxe Pearl)

Honey Lust: Bronze-dipped peach (Lustre)

Freshwater: Bright summersky blue (Veluxe Pearl)

Flourishing: Rich moss green (Matte)

4. Bronzing Powder: Go sun kissed! Get natural highlights for all skin types.

3. Studio Fix: The ideal go-anywhere compact. Maintain a fresh face as the temperature rises!

2. Dazzleglass! Shades: Goldyrocks, Smile and Sugarrimmed.

Goldyrocks: Sheer soft yellow with pink and gold pearl

Smile: Light coral with pink and gold pearl

Sugarrimed: Milky pale pink with red, teal, and white pearl

1. Last but not least, update your make-up bag with our best selling Soft Sac.

EOTD – Simple Blue

 

Blue is not an easy color to wear, but Lancome’s Luring e/s is beautiful.  It’s more like a duochrome – blueish purple, but it looks more blue.

I used MAC’s Tete-A-Tint first, and then I put Lancome’s Luring on top.  Then I lined my eyes and went over the lid with another layer of Luring, so you don’t see black as a liner.  Nice and Subtle =]

 

 

Package… for me! =] Speechless!

Wow!  I came home from work today… to find this…

It’s from Jamilla from Makeupforprofessionalwomen dot com

I bought Smashbox’s Halo Powder off of her, I was so excited to see the package because I really wanted to try this powder. =]

I opened it and what do I find inside?

Uh huh… The 3 Chanel nail polishes TOTALLY caught me by surprise!  All I can say Jamilla…. THANKS!  You’re too generous…

I never really tried red polish because I’ve always felt it doesn’t suit me… weird eh? I know… isn’t red suppose to suit everybody?  So because of that, I never really bought a red polish… now…  I must give it a try.  =]

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream Review

“Missha M Perfect Cover B.B Cream offers a novel skincare concept with BB Cream, which lightens skin tone by healing visible wrinkles and blemishes with excellent skin cover ability, and prevents skin aging through effective whitening and anti-wrinkle properties”

The Before and After:

  

See the difference?  I do!!! Brightening… check! Concealing… check!  Even skin tone… check!  Can it replace my foundation? ABSOLUTELY!

I use Shade No. 23 (The darker version). 

This BB Cream comes in 2 shades – No.21 & No.23.

What I like about Missha M Perfect Cover:

It feels light.  However,  it doesn’t feel as light as other BB Cream’s I’ve tried.  I still feel that there is something on my face.  What I like the most about it is the packaging.  It comes in a tube with a pump!  So you don’t risk the chance of getting too much product out of the tube as compared to the traditional squeeze tubes.  One pump is enough to cover my entire face.  It also has a very light scent to it – floral scent?  Not entirely sure, but it doesn’t bother me.  It’s actually pleasant =], but the scent doesn’t linger around too long.  Another plus – sun protection.  This BB Cream has THE BEST sun protection I’ve come across… SPF 42 PA+++!  Awesomeness!  You get the sun protection without dishing out more money for sunscreen =] 

What’s PA?

SPF protects against UVB, while PA protects against UVA.  So if you’re going to be in the sun for a bit, it’s a good idea to get a product with both SPF and PA.

The Cons:

Oil control.  Compared to other BB Creams, namely Skin79 DermaRx… its oil control is so-so.  I tend to get a bit more oily at the end of the day with this on – total bummer! =[  And I’m too lazy to do touchups haha, but with this I’d have to use MAC’s Blot Powder on top, and then touch up with some blot powder throughout the day.

The Verdict:

I really wish this BB Cream had better oil control.  But despite that, it’s not like it’s something that can’t be fixed with some powder.  Would I buy this BB Cream again – YES!  The price is decent – about $20 (ebay) for 30mL.  That is a GREAT price for a product with such good sun protection!  That’s probably the main reason why I’d buy it again. 

It would be awesome to find a BB Cream with the oil control of Skin79 Derma Rx and the sunscreen of Missha M Perfect Cover.  My perfect BB Cream would be a combo of both, more on the Missha side because it makes my skin look nicer. =]  Tried this BB Cream?  Liked it?

EOTD – Simple Smokey Black, Inspired by Ashley Greene

Most of you probably know, Ashley Greene portrays Alice Cullen in Twilight.  She’s absolutely gorgeous here.  I think she looks better in long hair too. =]

 

I wasn’t really doing anything special this weekend, so I really toned down the look, and smudged my liner out.

I used a MAC Paint that I believe has been discontinued.  I’m not even sure what it is called.  It’s black with silver sparkles in it.    Then I intensified the outer corner with MAC Black Tied e/s, and smudged it on the lower lash line.  I lined my eyes with MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack, then smudged the liner out with Black Tied. Apply mascara… and done =]

To intensify the look, you can layer on the paint, or whatever black base you use and rim the entire eye with a black liner, and don’t smudge it out.  For even more ‘oomph’ put on some falsies at the outer corner. =]

Maybelline Lash Stiletto vs. Majolica’s Lash Expander

 

I’m comparing these two mascaras because they both claim to do the same thing – lengthening the lashes.  Majolica’s mascara is my all time favorite for lengthening.  How does Lash Stiletto compare?

The first time I used Lash Stiletto, I absolutely hated it.  It had a VERY VERY strong rose smell.  Too strong for my liking, and it lingered around for awhile =S Not only did it have too strong of a smell, it also straightened my curled lashes.  It made them straight.  One of the main things I look for in a mascara is its ability to hold the curl.  I also didn’t get a lot of sleep the night before the day I test drove it, and I was yawning… a lot… It’s not waterproof =[ I haven’t seen a waterproof version of the mascara, but even when they come out with one,  I don’t know if I will try it.  But anyhoo… I decided to give the mascara another chance… I felt the same way the second time I used it… loathed it.

It’s been sitting in my mascara drawer for a few weeks, I decided to give it another try.  and this time, it worked a little better.  I guess maybe the mascara had a bit of drying time?  I don’t know.  It still didn’t keep a perfect curl.

 

OK… on the left - Majolica.  On the right – Lash Stiletto.  See the difference?  Lash stiletto was able to keep a BIT of the curl, but the lashes closer to the inner half of my eye… was straight =[  And if you look carefully, some transferred under the eye.  So don’t be too quick to blink after putting it on.  hehe.  I probably had the mascara for maybe 3 weeks?  I found that the strong rose scent was still there, but it didn’t linger so long.  I also didn’t want to put on too much of it because I knew putting on more would have completely uncurled my lashes.

Left: Majolica Lash Expander.  My lashes are still curled, separated, and does a better job at lengthening my lashes.  And… no transfer… It’s also more buildable compared to Lash Stiletto.

The Lash Stiletto (right) also clumped a little.  Lash Expander also made my lashes look more natural, and no clumping.

The verdict?

Both are lengthening definately.  Stiletto is probably half the price.  I got Majolica through ebay, around $20 or so with shipping (CDN).  But it works SO much better.  When it comes to eye makeup, lashes are my thing.  I like them to really stand out.  I think they really complete the look, so I don’t mind investing more on a good mascara.  I definately WILL NOT be repurchasing Lash Stiletto.  Until I find a better lengthening mascara, Majolica is still my favourite! =]  Haven’t found anything that compares.

Any suggestions?

I’m Back!!!!

I’m done reading the Twilight series… woot woot.  Took me… 4 days =]  Now I can just focus on my exams =] =]  It also means… I’m back doing my daily posts =]

I really enjoyed the series.  However the last book… I honestly don’t think it’s really appropriate for the younger audience =S  I swear a big chunk of the book is about Bella’s and Edward’s sex life.  err… Although Stephanie Meyer doesn’t say it directly… it’s still pretty obvious… If they decide to make a movie for each of the books… I’m really interested to see how much of the bedroom scenes they will actually incorporate into it haha… afterall… there are a lot of younger fans out there…

I’m quite behind in commenting… but I’m lurking around … hehe

Oh boy…

Just a quick update.  Went to Walmart yesterday to pick up the Twilight Saga.  It was on sale!  =]  This series would be something I never thought I’d pick up to read in a million years.  Vampires?  Mmm… But after hearing rave reviews everywhere, seeing the movie.  I’d thought I’d go pick up the books.  And I don’t regret it.  It’s a REALLY good book =]

I finished the first of the series already.  I’m quite a quick reader =]  But really reading a series… before exams?? That doesn’t sound good … haha

There’s no way I can truly focus if I don’t get through them.  It’ll be at the back of my mind.  So my goal this week.  Get through all the books and then sit my bum down and really study!… I’m sure I can do it.  =] 

Art Award!!!

I was awarded by Miss Imperfect =]  Thanks!

Rules:
List 7 things or people you are passionate about. List the person that gave you the award. Put the award logo. 7 other bloggers you feel are worthy of this award.

7 things/people passionate about:
1. The materialistic things – Handbags, Fashion, Makeup, Clothes, SHOES, etc.
2. The necessities – Cooking, Food, BUBBLE TEA! lol
3. Marine mammals.. they are so interesting =]
4. Staying healthy
5. Design – whether its fashion, interior, or architectural =]
6. Music
7. The boyfriend

7 Bloggers:
1. nIng*star
2. Kimberly Tia
3. Mona
4. Jamilla
5. xoannie
6. Fuz
7. Beautification

NARS 2009 Summer Collection

“Glowing, sun-kissed skin, shimmering peachy-hued lips and high drama eyes in deep tones of metallic-flecked topaz or sparkling azure.  Whatever your vision of the perfect summer, this season’s vivid yet versatile colour palette is the perfect complement.”

“The look for the summer 2009 collection is sophisticated, but colorful,” says Francois Nars, founder and creative director of NARS cosmetics.

Eyes:

 

Tropic Single Eyeshadow $22

Lush, silver-flecked teal - a precise image of the ocean’s waves.

 

 

 

Scorching Sun Duo Eyeshadow $32

Glazed apricot and radiant orange, to imitate the burning sun.

 

 

Face:

 

Irresistiblement Bronzing Powder $30

A rich golden terracotta, offers a flattering faux glow.

 

 

Lips:

 

Falaba Lipstick $24

High-shine bronzy rose, with a sweet, carefree quality about it.

 

 

Outsider Lipstick $24

Shimmering burnished coral - a modern take on a classic.

 

       

Belize Lip Gloss $24

Pink mauve sprinkled with specks of gold - gives nude lips a sultry boost.

 

 

 

Tonga Lipliner $20

A creamy, long-wearing lip pencil in a shade of pink amber.

 

Nails:

 

Adelita nail polish $16

Shimmering pearlescent pink - simultaneously sweet and saucy.

 

 

The NARS Summer Look:

 

Look created by: Ayako, NARS Cosmetics International Makeup Director

Products Used:

Eyes:

- Apply NARS single eyeshadow in Tropic over the entire lid and blend under teh lower lash line with a smudge brush
- Fill in eyebrows with NARS single eyeshadow in Blondie
- Define brows with Nars eyebrow pencil in Panama
- Curl lashes
- Apply Mascara on top and bottom lashes

Lips:

- Apply NARS Lipliner pencil in Tonga
- Fill lip with NARS lipstick in Outsider
- Put NARs Lip gloss in Belize over lips for a soft, glossy finish