Monday, July 12, 2010

Haul

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Sunday, May 23, 2010

Nail polish and hair mishaps.

So I finally got my new camera. It's the Samsung TL205. I like it. Everything about it is nice except for its ability to pick up sound. When I record stuff you can barely hear me. But, oh well, I like it.

As far as make up goes, I've recently acquired a few nice things. I've been on a nail polish trip lately. My current favorite is the lavender shade called Gum Drop by Revlon. It's scented when it dries, and, even better, the scent last until you remove it. I've also been using a new eye shadow by Femme Coutour called Downtown Brown. It's good because you don't need to use any other colors with it. I just sweep it over the lid and I'm done.

Lately, in the shower, I've been liking the Lush stuff that I have. Yummy Yummy Yummy is lovely. The smell lingers long after shower time. And the shampoo bars (I'm currently using Godiva, but I like the scent of Karma Kova the best), are to die for.

I've also just recently gone on a lipstick binge. And, thanks to Makeupbymel, I've ordered 10 new NXY shades from www.cherryculture.com. And since they were only $1.49 a piece, I don't feel guilty at all. :)

Oh, and by the way, I recently chopped off a substantial amount of hair. I tried doing myself with a razor that I got from Sally's, but it was not a success. I ended up rushing to the hair dresser to get it fixed the very next morning. Thankfully, they were able to save my hair and turn it into an "Asian mullet", which is what I was initially going for. :)

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Little update

So I finally got Matthew Williamson in the mail. Yep. Had it shipped all the way from England. I love it. It's been my daily scent since it's arrived. So, lollipop26, thank you. The next perfume that I'm dying to get my little paws on is Gucci 2. TiffanyD says this is her signature scent, so, naturally, I want it. I think she's my favourite guru on Youtube.com.

So anyway, lately, I've been curling my hair a lot. I don't think my Hot Tools curling iron is doing that great of a job. Actually, I kinda sucks. I dunno if it's just mine, or maybe it's just the 1.5 inch one, or what...but it doesn't make my curls stay...and I know my curls are capable of staying because I have a Vidal Sassoon 1 inch curling that did wonders. O well. Looks like I'll have to keep my eye out of another one. Perhaps the Babyliss...

Other than that, I've really been keeping an eye out for summer clothes, particularly tops...work appropriate tops to be specific...actually, work appropriate summer tops that don't require a lot of ironing or a cardigan. So far, I haven't found too many, but I hope that changes. I might just be boring and go with some polo action.

As far as make up goes, I'm dying to get a MAC palette for eye shadows and blushes. Lately, I've been loving the blushers in Style and Pink Swoon. Gorgeous. As for eyes, I've only been slathering on my primer and topping it with Soft Ocher paint pot. I've also discovered Lancome's Art Liner. Amazing product. And for my skin, Proactiv has been doing a really nice job. Not completely clear, as expected, but my skin is much improved. I've also been using Crest White Strips...the 10 day, most basic one. I've used it before and I had great results...not so much this time around. But I think they are a little whiter. I still got 2 strips left to use. And I finally purchased MAC's Myth lipstick, and I really like it. I prefer it over Creme D'Nude. I feel that it has better staying power.

But yeah, there's my little update. I really wanna get a new camera. Like, bad.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

A lotta information!

March 21, 2010


Hi everyone.

So it's been a while since I've blogged...I really have no excuses. I'm just a lazy bum. I've acquired some new goodies, though.

I've got a few new nail polishes. (I seem to be on a nail polish binge at the moment.)
The first two I got from Ulta. The first color I picked out was Peachy Keen by China Glaze and the other one is by OPI and it's called Significant Other Color. I must be honest...I'm not horribly impressed with either one. The Peachy Keen color is a bit too orangy and the Significant Other Color is a bit too sheer. Sooo, the other day, I was at my local Albertson's and I picked up two OPI polishes: Malaysian Mist



and Samoan Sand.



So far I've tried on the Samoan Sand and it's amazing. The perfect nude color for the nails. It's super shiny, too, which I like. The consistency is nice as well. It was fast drying. The only down side was that I had to apply 3 coats to get it opaque enough. But it's definitely not streaky and it hasn't chipped or faded or really even dulled at all. I've had it on for about 4 or 5 days now. I haven't tried the Malaysian Mist yet but I hope it's just as good.

Today I also picked up a couple items. At Target I got a product by ELF. It's the under eye concealer and highlighter in medium. And at CVS I got the Liquif'eye eyeliner is black. I've heard some great things about this eyeliner so I hope it doesn't let me down!

I've also been finding myself paying more attention to perfumes. I've decided that I have a rather pitiful collection. But, I have made a list of scents that I would like to try out. Here' my list thus far:

Dior's J'adore and Miss Dior Cherie
Philosophy's Amazing Grace
Viktor and Rolf's Flowerbomb
Anthropologie's Marigold
SJP NYC, Lovely, and Covet
Dolce and Gabanna's Light Blue
Matthew Williamson
Banana Republic of Women
Vera Wang's Princess
Marc Jacob's Daisy
Ed Hardy's Love Kills Slowly

Now, some of these perfumes are ridiculously expensive, so we'll see how long it takes.

OOOO, I do have some exciting news, though. I finally ordered some soaps from www.luxnaturals.com. I got 4 of them: Moonlight Pomegranate, Citrus POP, Chocolate Decadence, and True Honeydew. I'm horribly excited. I'll let you all know how they are when I get them. I've heard that they are amazing.

Also, I've been watching a lot of www.bodyrock.tv and have been really inspired by Zuzana. Sooo inspired that I purchased by Gymboss interval timer to follow along with the workouts. I like these workouts so much that I've actually gonna quit my membership with Lifetime. Like, no joke. I barely go anymore. Darren doesn't go. And it's costing me $100/month. Plus, there are gonna be some financial strains coming up here shortly, so, in all honesty, I can't really afford this luxury right now. I'm sure I'll re-join in the future, though. But really, look at Zuzana...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdRxbzPN5is

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Q&A

SKINCARE

-How many times do you wash your face daily?
Twice - once in the morning and once in the evening before bed.

-What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)
Oily.

-What is your current facial wash?
Proactiv. Sometimes I'll steal some of my sister's Purpose liquid face cleanser.

-Do you exfoliate?
I feel like the Proactiv cleanser is an exfoliating agent. It isn't foamy or bubbly at all.

-What brand do you use?
Proactiv

-What moisturizer do you use?
Proactiv

-Do you have freckles?
Nope

-Do you use eye cream?
No. I've been using organic extra virgin olive oil as a make up remover and I think it's helped my eyes a lot. No need for eye cream. But if I ever feel like I need an eye boost, I'll use a cream by Arbonne.

-Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
Yes. I've had trouble with acne since I was in my early teens.

-Did you ever have to use Pro-activ?
Yep.

MAKE-UP
-What foundation do you use?
Revlon Colorstay or PhotoReady. For special occasions I'll use CoverFX.

-How about concealer?
I'm using a concealer from a company called The Balm.

-Do you know your undertone color?
Not really but I suspect some sort of golden color.

-What do you think of fake eyelashes?
I have a set of individual lashed that I have tried...I haven't tampered with any falsies yet...but I hope I like them.

-Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months?
Yes. I usually end up switching within 3 months.

-What brand of mascara do you use?
Currently I'm a fan of Buxom Lash. I just recently acquired DiorShow and I'm using that with Urban Decay's lash primer.

-Sephora or MAC?
Sephora...a lot more to choose from, obviously.

-Do you have a MAC Pro-card?
No.

-What makeup tools do you use in make up application?
Fingers for foundation and brushes for everything else except lip stuff.

-Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?
Yes. I like Urban Decay's primer potion. I'm also using one by ELF.

-For the face?
I don't typically use primer but when I do I use one by ELF.

-What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?
I would have to say any white or vanilla color because it's so useful it highlighting the brow bone and inner corners...makes a huge difference.

-Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
I normally opt for MAC's fluidline gel but I like liquid eyeliner.

-How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
I don't.

-What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
Haven't had much experience with them.

-Do you use mineral makeup?
I used to use Bare Minerals but I stopped because it made my forehead look dirty.

-What is your favorite lipstick?
Right now it's Nude Attitude by Revlon. It's from the matte collection.

-How about lipgloss?
NARS Striptease

-What is your favorite blush to use?
NARS Orgasm

-Do you buy your makeup on ebay?
Nope

-Do you like drugstore makeup?
Yes I can't always afford the high-end stuff.

-Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets)
No but I'd like to.

-Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?
No.

-Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
I wouldn't say clumsy. The only problems I have is with blending out eyeshadows because I don't have a ton of crease/lid space.

-Name a makeup crime that you hate?
Either awkward eyebrows or nude lips with dark brown lipliner.

-Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
Neutrals.

-Which celebrity always has great make up?
Christina Aguilera.

-If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use?
Foundation.

-Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
Depends where I'm going.

-Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
When my skin is clear, yes.

-In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
Revlon or MAC

-What do you think of Makeup?
I think make up is fun. I like getting pretty and all that jazz. I could see how some could consider it unnecessary or fake, but I personally enjoy it.

Monday, March 1, 2010

I need to stop forgetting to put the title...

March 1, 2010

So today I got a few new things that I'm quite eager to try out. I got Diorshow mascara in the waterproof formula, NARS lipgloss in Striptease, Juicy Couture's Couture Couture in the roll-on travel size, and also MAC's paint pot in Painterly. I'm very excited. Oh, and I also got Rose de Mai bodymist from Victoria's Secret. Of the things I've been keeping on my list of stuff I want, three have now been erased after today. Very pleased with that.

Some updates...my Proactiv came in the mail and I've been using it for about a week now. I have noticed that whatever spots I get go away faster, so that's good. I also started using an eyelash enhancer. Mine is called MultiplEYE by Tarte. I have noticed a little thickening, but not much length yet. I've been on it for over a week.

Next things I have on my list? Yummy Yummy Yummy by Lush, along with Lemslip buttercream. I also want this candle from Anthropologie. It literally smells like the the best orange in the world, and I LOVE citrus scents. There was also this little perfume called Marigold I want as well. I've also been keeping an eye on a couple hair styling tools. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get the KQC flat iron and the Hot Tools 1.5 inch curling iron, but the hunt for the perfect blow dryer rages on. I really want the Velecta but I'm soooo not willing to drop $200 on that.

We'll see how this goes. Got a nice week coming up!


M

Monday, February 15, 2010

On being a chub-chub and reviewing mascaras.

Feb 15, 2010


So I've decided that this Lent I'm going to give up meat. I must confess, though, I think my main motivation here is to lose weight...although I'm sure I'll remember to reflect religiously as well. Anyway, I need to drop, ideally, about 40 pounds (I know, disgusting). Realistically, I hope to drop about 15-20 pounds. Not too hard, right? I think the combination of getting back into my gym routine and omitting meat from my diet will help me get back to my normal size and help detox me a bit. I'm probably so full of junk and impurities right now. Disgusting. I blame Darren. It's so hard to realize that you don't look good anymore when you have someone constantly telling you that you look good. Which, I can't get mad, really. He's my honeybear and, knowing me, I'd probably cry if he didn't think I looked good anymore. So yeah, just need get back in shape now. I need to remember to stay as positive as possible too. Earlier, I was thinking about posting a picture of a really really fat lady or perhaps my current jean size at my desk but I have come to realize that that's only going to add negativity and if I were to have a slip-up, I'd probably be depressed and hard on myself. BUT, if I post a picture of a lady who I would ideally wanna look like (something along the lines of "inspiration"), within reason, of course, I think it would create a more positive atmosphere. But anyway, I'll keep yallz posted on that.

Anyway, on a completely different topic, I'd like to do a short review on a couple new mascaras I recently acquired.

1st, we have CoverGirl's Lash Blast Length in the waterproof formula.



I'm not gonna lie, I had sorta high expectations for this one but it has really disappointed me. Perhaps I just got a bad tube, but mine was really dry. I didn't feel like it was doing anything for me at all. I might as well have been brushing my lashes with a clean brush. It didn't lengthen, it didn't volumize, it didn't even darken my lashes. And my lashes are, by no means, impressive naturally. They are really short and do not show up very well at all. And this mascara didn't help. So, thumbs down for this product. I did use the regular Lash Blast a while ago and I recall liking it, so this product made me sad.

The 2nd one I got (cause the first one kinda sucked), was Maybelline's Stiletto Lash.



And this one is a little better. I also got this one in the waterproof formula. It was definitely fresher and wetter so it darkened my lashes at least a little. It seemed to give me a little length but nothing really noticeable. It didn't much for volume either, but then again, neither of these mascaras were really aiming for volume in the first place, I suppose. I don't really think I'd re-purchase this one...and definitely not the other one.

But yeah, I think I might switch back to a high-end one next time. I want to give Dior a shot cause I've heard a lot about that one. We'll see.


M

Sunday, February 14, 2010

LOL

So I just re-read my little rant about being natural and I laughed. I think I was having a bad day cause I sound totally bitchy.

Anyway, I've been keeping a note of things that I want in my phone and, surprisingly, it's been quite useful because some items have fallen out of my wish bin. For example, I no longer want a Clarisonic or MAC's eyeshadow in carbon (this is partly because I found another nice matte black shade by NYX for a third of the price).

BUT, other things have come to replace the deleted items. For instance, I now want birthday cake soap by iviscents.com. I've also added the Urban Decay mascara primer and MAC Viva Glam Gaga lipstick. I have NARS Turkish Delight lipgloss on my list but I'm not quite sure I want it anymore after lollipop26 said it isn't very long lasting...we'll see though.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Natural

So I was just watching this little Youtube video about "What guys really think about make up" and it really kinda irks me. Yes, irks me.

Why do I say this?

Because, of course, the guy in the video was like, "natural is always better", and then I scrolled down to the comments and there are all these people saying, of course, "natural is always better" and that women shouldn't wear make up at all.

Now, I have a problem with this. Not the "natural is better" concept specifically; but the fact that all these people believe that women "don't need" make up and that they are "so much more beautiful" without any make up on. One person writes, "There's absolutely nothing sexier than a girl that's wearing no makeup at all and is still confident in her looks." Umm, I disagree. Obviously someone hasn't been around too many women without make up. Because, honestly, if this were the case, why the f*%$ would any woman wear make up at all? Eventually men would have stopped chasing after women who wore mascara and lipstick years and years ago and the women would have caught on and ditched all their cosmetics. But, surprise, surprise, that hasn't happened. Some men seem to think that all women "naturally" have perfectly filled in, even eyebrows (nooo, patchy eyebrows don't exist! *rolls eyes*), perfectly blemish-free, even skin (cause 9 in 10 women don't have acne, right? Wrong), and naturally long, thick lashes. How dumb.

The reality of the issue is that men don't know much make up it takes to accomplish a "natural" look. Perhaps this is what some of those people mean...no blue eye shadows and neon pink lips. But in actuality, the perception of "natural" is skewed. Who ever thinks that "natural" is best should also be against women shaving their armpits/legs, grooming their eyebrows, wearing perfume, and getting braces.

And a lot of people say "Well a guy should love you and think you're sexy first thing in the morning. That's what's important." My response? I agree. But good luck finding a guy who doesn't know you and will ask you out on a date if you always look like you just woke up in the morning. Please.

Anyway, I just thought I'd rant. Some guys are just so ignorant.

*In a mocking, babyish tone*
Duurr, all women should just be natural and not wear any make up cause they look so much better that way...dddurrr durr durrrrr.


Dumbasses.

M

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Objective: T3 Pro

So, Darren and I got into a fight, but everything is ok now. We are happy and bubbly again! Anyway, I'm currently trying to save for next relatively major purchase: the T3 Pro Flat Iron. I think I have something around $50 on my gift card from Christmas, so I essentially need about $70 or $80 more dollars. I bought a pair of jeans today that I think I'm going to return..which was like $20. Sooo I'm getting there. I can't wait. I learned how to curl my hair with a flat iron on YouTube and it's a lot better than using a traditional curling iron, in my opinion. I feel that I get more bounce out of hair...the spirals stay longer and I don't just end up with wavy hair at the end of the day. Plus, I can use it for general straightening, which is always good. I don't expect to really aim for getting a professional curling iron anytime soon...definitely a professional blow dryer in the future though. But those are also like, $120 a pop...which, in all essence, isn't terribly expensive. It's just not a critical expense when the dryer I have keeps me quite content. My current flat iron, on the other hand, is murdering my ends. When I'm in church, I pay more attention to my split ends than anything else.

Anyway, I got my stuff in the mail, which I'd like to review.

First, I got my Coastal Scents 88 eye shadow palette, which I like a lot. The colors are nice...very pigmented and the shade variety is great. The only thing I could say that's not what I expected is the size of the actual shadows...it seems you'd run out fairly quickly if you used it all the time. But, that's ok. It was inexpensive (about $18 or $19 for the actual palette and shipping on top of that). I definitely like it, but I wouldn't re-purchase right away...it would be a "I wanna spoil a little bit" kind of thing. But that's just me...I don't have a great need for 88 shades, either. A professional make up artist would probably go though a palette every couple weeks. But it's nice having all those colors. I'd rate the product overall an 8/10.

The other stuff I got was from ELF. I ordered a bunch of stuff cause I got a free $10 coupon. Let's see...I got the eye shadow primer, the curly lashes tool (the pink one, not the black one), a bunch of brushes, a mineral lipstick (in natural nymph), an eyebrow pencil, and a lengthening/volumizing mascara in brown. So far, I like the primer a lot. I haven't used the lash curler yet but I'll let you know. the brushes are very decent (especially for $1/piece). The lipstick is good, but the shade is a very light nude and it looks a bit awkward...I think I'd have to have very dark eye make up on to pull it off. The eyebrow pencil is cool because it comes with a highlight for the brow bone and a sharpener. As far as the mascara goes....it's my least favorite. It doesn't really do anything for me. O well. The brushes alone are worth it.

Oh and btw I totally want these shoes from Forever21 but I can't find them in a store... :(



Anyhow, I'm getting tired now. I'm gonna go night night. TTYL


M

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Junkie!

January 10, 2010

So last week I found out that the Origins Get Down deep-pore clay cleanser was discontinued...BUT I can still order it online from Macy's, so that's good. I also tried using the St Ives Apricot scrub that's medicated for acne last week and it broke me out...maybe it was a hormone thing? I dunno but I'm gonna give it one more shot to see if it messes with me again. I really want to like that scrub!

Anyway, I've been trying to be more financially responsible cause last Christmas really kinda emptied me out and I'm gonna try putting myself on this plan. I'm going to try either pacing my spending and/or rewarding myself for accomplishments. For instance, if I really want something, I have to wait until my next pay day or buy it OR I have to wait until, for example, I finish the week's homework assignments for school. I think this will be good. I've been making lists of things I wanna buy and after spending a lot of time watching make up gurus on youtube, all of these items are either clothes, skin care, or make up.

Here are some items I want right now:

Clarisonic
Urban Decay's Alice in Wonderland book of shadows.
Denim leggings/jeans
Lush massage bars
Another Origins Get Down cleanser
Lux Naturals soaps!! (I want this one really bad right now)
Viktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb Extreme
MAC eye shadow in carbon
A deep green scarf that I saw at Target
A more comfortable pair of black peep-toe heels
Nail Polishes
Containers for all my make up and stuff.

So yeah, I'm turning into a make up junkie.
Lord help us all.

Good night!

M

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Skin Care products

So here is list of some of the skin care products that I use. My skin in quite oily and I'm not a huge fan of looking like a grease ball all the time, so most of my stuff is gonna be geared towards oil control and acne. I always get breakouts on my chin and cheeks.

For a cleanser, I've been using the Clinique Acne Solutions bar of soap thingy. I think they have a cleanser in the Acne Solutions line that's liquid, but I like the bar. I just lather it up, massage it into my face, and rinse off. It even comes with a little soap dish thing complete with a lid. I think it runs for about $13.50, which is really pricey for a bar of soap, which is why I haven't bought a new one. I don't think I will either. I think there are some good drugstore brands, such as Puropse, that I want to try. Although, I have heard that the liquid facial cleanser from Purpose of better than the bar of soap because it's less drying. We'll see. I've already purchased the bar and it's sitting in my shower. But yeah, the Clinique cleanser was all right, but I still had some pimples. It definitely helped the large, nasty deep-in-the-skin pimples, but my face wasn't completely clear.

Now, for a toner, I've also been using the Clinique Acne Solutions product twice a day after cleansing with a cotton ball. Once again, it's ok, but I don't think I'll be repurchasing it. I think I'll shoot for a drugstore brand next, but I need to do some research because I don't want one that's got alcohol in it.

As for moisturizer, I've kinda been weening off the Clinique Acne Solutions and using the stuff from Boots (which I got a Target for like, $5) and it's called Expert Shine Control lotion. I like it. I apply it after the toner. I think it's helped to reduce little bit of shine overall on my face, but I'm definitely not matte. It hasn't seemed to break me out so that's a plus, but then again, my skin isn't terribly sensitive or anything.

About once a week I like to use a mask. It's by Origins and it's called Get Down. It's pore-cleansing clay mask that works really well. I can also be used as a cleanser. My skin always seems just a little bit clearer after every use. I like to leave it on for about 5 minutes. I haven't purchased it in a really long time but I know it's available online. I know it runs for less than $20. It also has little thingies in it that help exfoliate the skin.

About once or twice a day I'll also use oil blotting sheets. I've found that they are the cheapest when you get them from E.L.F. They are very similar to the Boscia green tea blotting linens, which I also like. I use these all over my face but mostly concentrate on my nose and forehead.

At the end of the day I like to use Neutrogena's Oil-free eye make up remover. I've tried the generic Target brand and it's not as good.

That's about it. I'm still trying to find what works best for me. I really want to try Proactiv. I've heard a lot of good things about it and some bad things as well. It seems to be a "hit or miss" kind of product, so I'd like to give it a shot. I've also heard some great reviews about the Clarisonic, which I totally want, but really don't want to dish out the money for. But yeah, that's all. Ttyl.

M