AngelicBetrayal

HG Status?! La Roche Posay's Toleriane Makes The Cut!

2012-03-04T08:25:00.000-08:00

I belong to that group of beauty bloggers who can never seem to settle for a product because there can always potentially be a better one. HGs, or holy grails, are rare and highly coveted because they are deemed the best of the best, the crème de la crème of a blogger's vanity. I present to you, quite possible the first HG product I have ever found for my skin: La Roche Posay Toleriane Soothing Protective Skincare.

La Roche Posay is a French pharmaceutical skincare brand that has taken the online beauty community by storm and can be found at American drugstores such as CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid. I feel that it is interesting to note that L'oreal owns La Roche Posay. Amongst the brand's claims to fame are their Effaclar line, suited for acne prone skin, and generally their no frills approach to skincare. By no frills I mean no fragrances, no preservatives, and the use of thermal spring water from a French village called La Roche Posay. Okay, maybe the claims about the amazing powers of spring water are frills but you can't blame them for trying.

A month or two ago, my normally oily, acne prone skin was suffering from redness and irritation. I attributed it to the winter cold air sucking all the moisture out of my skin and turned to Toleriane to solve this problem. I believe I first heard of this product from Sandra of 15 steps, then a beauty blog who I absolutely adore. Toleriane is geared towards combination, sensitive skin which sounded like just what I have. La Roche Posay has a few other versions of this product for different skin types, Ultra for dry skin and Toleriane Fluid for less moisture.

It is almost always crucial for a company to list their ingredients for me to even consider purchasing or repurchasing a product. There are a lot of ingredients which I can not comprehend to be honest but I know squalane is good for locking moisture. I try to avoid any skincare with denatured alcohol as it can irritate skin but I am not sure if cetyl alcohol has similar effects. Dimethicone is another ingredient I try to stay away from because it mimics the appearance of smooth skin but doe not actually deliver long lasting benefits. Not to mention, dinmethicone laden products tend to break me out.

The consistency of the moisturizer is a light, milky fluid which is easy to spread over the skin. The amount shown above is typically how much I would apply to my skin. Sometimes I am a little generous with how much I apply if my skin is feeling extra dry and temperamental.

As you can see, the fluid blends out easily and absorbs quickly. I have no sticky residue on my skin after patting the fluid evenly over my entire face.

The only minor negative associated with this product is that it gets used up quickly. I have been using this for a little over a month and there seems to be only enough product to last two more weeks. Costing close to $30 a tube (I bought mine when CVS emailed me a 25% coupon!), this product is not entirely wallet friendly. That being said, I use this day and night whereas I typically use a different moisturizer for each time of the day so everything seem to last longer. The fact that I can use this product up so quickly means that my skin adores it and that justifies the cost.

I will definitely repurchase this moisturizer next year when the colder months approach again. I highly recommend Toleriane to those of you who have oily, acne prone, sensitive skin because it has been the single most effective product I have used on my skin... ever!

Last Haul Before The Ban

2012-03-01T03:54:00.000-08:00

I said I was going to put myself on a makeup splurging ban in my last haul but I promise this is it. Really. Most of these goodies were purchased with giftcards I saved up from my birthday and Christmas so I don't feel too guilty. I wanted to use up these giftcards so they wouldn't be tempting me to shop while I was on my ban. I will be reviewing these products separately soon so I'll just list off the product names below. If you want to see swatches and my initial impressions, check out the video below!

The Goods:
Korres Pomegranate Regimen Set
Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Treatment Sample
Philosophy Hope In A Jar Moisturizer (100 Point Perk!)
Nars Blush in Oasis
Nars Eyeshadow Duo in Kalahari
Too Faced Leopard Love Palette ($12 at Nordstrom Rack!)
Mac Eyeshadows in Patina and Satin Taupe & 4 Pan Palette
Mac Blush in Pink Swoon
Mac Face and Body Foundation Sample
Nivea Soft Cream (freebie from CVS)

As you can probably tell, I am gearing my makeup collection towards more high end products. I have a lot of drugstore makeup and I will always have a special place in my beauty routine for inexpensive finds. But overall, I love the quality and aesthetic of higher end items (although not every expensive item is worth the price!) and they will be products I will use for a long time.

February 2012 Wrap Up

2012-02-28T14:40:00.000-08:00

February passed oh so slowly and I'm quite glad that it is over.... School started again at the very end of January so four days out of the week I get a view of the city from bleak school windows. Most of my classes don't seem to be too challenging so hopefully the rest of the semester will go smoothly.

This winter has been unusually warm and sunny which is a nice contrast to last year when we had incredible amounts of snow. The past month has been mostly clear and I love taking walks when I have a bit of extra time. Union Square is very near to school so I take a trip there about once a month for some shopping (mostly window shopping!).

I am currently in the process of trying to eat a more varied diet and LilLadyLife is definitely one of my inspirations not only in terms of beauty but lifestyle as well. She posted a few of her purchases from Whole Foods which motivated me to go too (I've always loved the atmosphere at Whole Foods) and try out hummus. I also did some research and decided to try out quinoa. Quinoa is grain like, very high in protein, and overall is one of those "good for you" types of foods. I still prefer the taste of white rice but it's nice to change it up a bit. I love cheese and grabbed a ball of fresh mozzarella for snacking (mozarella + tomatoes + EVOO + salt&pepper is the best!). I also wanted to have some sundried tomatoes on hand for pasta and salads. My parents do most of the grocery shopping so I only buy food for home if it's something special that they wouldn't normally buy. We purchase fresh veggies and fruits at asian grocers because it is less expensive than all the fancy, schmancy organic stuff you get at Whole Foods. No hate, just saying.

Yum! Pasta with garlic sauce and sun dried tomatoes! My dad cooked this for me (yes, I need to start cooking for myself ASAP!) and it's delicious. My dad wins at cooking Western dishes while my mom's Chinese dishes are better. But my mom's great at baking both Western and Chinese goodies (she also makes the best homemade pizza ever...).

On Sundays there is a local farmer's market about 10 blocks away from where I live so sometimes my parents and I take a walk there to see what's for sale. I love my carbs so we came home with a loaf of ciabatta bread, one of my faves. I only like ciabatta when it's toasted and warm though. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on a piece of warm bread and I'm in heaven! I tried a few different combinations with what I bought from Whole Foods and I loved eating the bread with hummus.

On the 12th, my good friend M celebrated her 20th birthday so we went out to have dinner in the city. I'm like the last blogger to not have Instagram (much less an iPhone) so I have to make my photos look all cool the old fashion way. Thanks Photoshop!

M chose to have dinner at P.J. Clarke's which features a seafood bar in the front half of the restaurant and a very cozy seating area in the back. I loved the bright lights outside the restaurant and the decor was homey and pleasant. The waiter was very accommodating and although the place was packed on a Sunday night, it had an unpretentious vibe.

Their menu is mostly comprised of meaty options and a few choices of fish as well. I have pretty much reverted back to my omnivore ways now although I am planning to going meat-free for awhile soon.

Our party of five started with the tater tots which were scrumptious. It's a great finger food and definitely good for younger crowds (there were a few tables of families with young children).

Tater tots will probably always remind me of public grade school lunches but these actually had real potato in them and some herbs to boot!

I love calamari and I almost always get calamari if a restaurant has it on their menu. I have to say P.J Clarke's rendition is not my favorite. Not bad but they don't come close to others that I have had.

I had the Guinness Braised Short Rib for my entree and it was okay. I don't really know what inspired me to order this but the meat was very tender and moist. Looking back, I should have ordered a steak. My dad later told me that short ribs are very fatty and cause heart attacks.... But it's not like I eat it everyday so I think I'll be fine. What is that little brown lump you see on the right?

Well, it's mac and cheese! How cute is that? I wish it was a little bigger because I was expecting a side of mac and cheese but this was a novel little decoration.

We finished off the evening with some froyo from Pink Berry. I only eat Pink Berry very occasionally because it's so gosh darn expensive and it's loaded with sugar. The bottom left cup is mine.... Yes, I felt very guilty that night.

I bought my first thrifted pieces this month from AuH2O, a boutique style thrift shop located near St. Marks Place. I had visited the store once before in January but did not purchase anything. Earlier this month, Yelp was doing a $20 for $10 (Yelp Deals are like Groupon and Living Social) so I figured why not. I snagged up this dainty dark blue pendant and...

this amazing shirt! My boyfriend would definitely categorize this as a grandma shirt (most things that I like happen to fall into that category) but I adore the print. The necklace was originally $12 and the shirt was $14 but I had $20 in credit and it was Thursday which is student discount day (15%). I paid an extra $2.10 for both items so $12.10 isn't so bad. I totally love the shirt and I am so excited for Spring and Summer so I can style this piece like no other. It's slightly over sized which means I can wear it several ways and the material is a very smooth and lightweight fabric. The brand is unknown to me but all the better!

A few of you seem to like when I talk about Flushing food so of course you have to drink bubble tea whilst in the neighborhood. Again, I don't drink bubble tea very often ($2.50 adds up over time) and it's not very good for you but it's a nice treat once in awhile. My boyfriend drinks quite a bit of it and I always steal his!

In my high school days, my friends I would go to Flushing Mall quite often for food because it was affordable. My favorite dish is the salt and pepper chicken which comes with a heaping plate of chicken, rice, and some side dishes all for about $6. This is definitely not health conscious food but once in awhile is fine by me.

I was in search of cheap street eats and Mamoun's Falafel had rave reviews on Yelp so I figured it was worth a taste.

This might not be a street cart vendor but it might as well be. There are a few tables on the side of the eatery but mostly people just grab and go. I stood here for about fifteen minutes and at least twenty people walked in and out during that time. The dimly lit hole in the wall atmosphere comes complete with all kinds of stickers featuring underground bands, people, and organizations seeking free publicity on the napkin dispensers.

The $2.50 falafel did not live up to the hype for my tastebuds. The pita was not warmed up and the sauce only permeated the top half of the sandwich. The taste was there but I just wish they kicked it up a knotch and were more generous with the sauce. For $2.50 I can't complain much but they won't be seeing me anytime soon.

After our quick bite at Mamoun's, my boyfriend and I wandered to Grom, a gelato shop at a busy corner of West 4. This was my first time having gelato and it tasted and felt a lot like ice cream. I always assumed gelato was denser but I didn't detect a noticeable difference. They offered an array of tasty flavors and we settled with Cinnamon, Hazelnut, and Tiramisu. My favorite was Tiramusi followed by Hazelnut and I did not care for Cinnamon at all. Desserts always seem to sit badly with me because they are so ridiculously overpriced but my cheap dinner evened things out.

The eco-friendly waste bins at Grom get a huge thumbs up. They had separate receptors for different types of waste which was cool.

I will end this post with the sensation that swept New York City, the Asian community, and pretty much the world: Linsanity. February was all about basketball and one could not avoid it anywhere. Jeremy Lin shook up stereotypes and expectations, brought life back into the game, and converted many into basketball fans (although I'm not sure how long that will last).

While I won't be shelling out thousands of dollars to go to Madison Square Garden anytime soon, I support Jeremy Lin and the Knicks and hope they have a great season. Also, you have to admit the puns can be incredibly witty and catchy!

That wraps up my month of February. The stress has yet to seriously hit me but in a few weeks school and all the rest of it should be piling up. What have you been up to recently? Anyone have any must try recipes for a beginner like me to try?

Something New: The Balm's Stainiac

2012-02-25T21:01:00.000-08:00

Well, the product isn't new but I'm new to lip and cheek stains. A few years back when I first got into the beauty scene I heard endless raves about Benefit's Benetint, a red stain which could deliver a natural flush to your complexion and pout. I never tried it but a few months ago I purchased a set from The Balm and Stainiac seems to be their version of Benetint.

The tube is pretty much like that of a lipgloss and it retails for $17 at Sephora and The Balm's website. I found mine in a set at TJ Maxx so check out your TJ Maxx and Marshalls for discounted The Balm products!

Out of the three shades that The Balm makes, I have Beauty Queen. Upon initial swatching, I was quite alarmed by the bright fuchsia red color. The consistency is gel like, light and easy to blend.

To my relief, the stain blended out into a natural, just pinched flush and did not look as scary as it did upon initial application. I found that I had a good amount of time to blend out the product before it sank into the skin.

A major issue I have with this product is that it stains my fingers a lot more than where I want the product to be. It seemed to me that the best way to apply this would be with my fingers but I always end up with neon fingers that won't easily wash away. I have to layer this product (especially on my lips) to get the color intensity I want so my fingers end up getting the most staining. I suppose this is a problem that plagues other stains so perhaps it's just me being picky.

In the above photo I am wearing the stain on my lips and you can see that it gives a very natural look. You probably wouldn't be able to tell I have anything at all on my lips if I hadn't told you. It was comfortable to wear and the sweet berry fragrance was pleasant. If you have very lightly pigmented lips and want to add a natural tint to them, this would be perfect for you. If you have pigmented lips, this probably wouldn't show up well on you so I'd say pass.

At a Glance: Mini Perfume Collection

2012-02-23T12:44:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick peek of a small corner of my vanity where I display my perfumes. As you can see I only have one full sized perfume, YSL's Parisienne, which I loved as a sample. I was never a big fan of fragrances so I hoarded up all the little samples I collected from various Sephora orders and promptly forgot to use them. I thought it was about time to start using them up so onto the vanity they go! It actually takes me at least ten uses to finish up a sample which I think is a decent amount of time!Most of the time, perfumes are a complete miss for me. But I have found a few loves along the way, most notably Dior's Jadore (I will buy the full size after I finish off a couple of more of these samples to clear up some table room). I also quite enjoy Clinique's Happy which is almost done as you can see above. I firmly believe in the phrase "out of sight, out of mind" so I have to be able to see products if I plan on using them up! So far, so good.

How do you display your perfumes? How many perfumes do you have in your collection? Do you remember to use your perfume samples?

Before The Bouncy Blushes...

2012-02-21T12:20:00.000-08:00

There were mousse blushes. Maybelline has recently come out with their Dream Bouncy Blushes which have intrigued many a beauty junkie due due to their peculiar consistency. With the introduction of a new product means that there is that much less shelf space for Maybelline's older Dream Mousse Blushes which are now discontinued. I picked up Soft Plum during CVS's last clearance sale just to see if these were any good as I have never tried out a mousse blush before.

The ingredients list looks a bit sketchy as I see "dimethicone" peppered about several times at the beginning of the list. This is definitely not one of those "good for your skin" makeup products but then again, Maybelline never tauted it to be healthy by any means. I dislike the feeling of silicone based products and using silicone primers and the like tend to break me out so just a heads up to those of you with similar issues.

The color is lighter and pinker than what I was expecting. This is not at all how I pictured a plum to look but all is well since I don't want to risk looking like I have a bruised cheek. The color in the glass pot is very pretty to look at and there are small shimmer particles suspended in the mousse.

I find the easiest way to apply this is just by dabbing a bit of product onto your ring finger and tapping that across your cheeks. The mousse is very lightweight and it blends away very easily into a satin powder finish. While that can be a good thing because the result is very natural, I can hardly see any color once I have blended out the blush. The swatch above was not fully blended out but the few times I have tried wearing this on my cheeks, I could barely tell I had any color at all. I wish this was more pigmented because the texture is lovely and I did not notice any skin irritation despite the copious amounts of silicone in the product. I guess I will just have to layer on more of this product to compensate for its lack of pigmentation. Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise since these blushes are discontinued and if I had fallen in love with these, it would be a hassle to get my hands on them!

Have you tried any of these blushes? If so, what are your opinions on them?

Skincare Routine Pt 2: Weekly Treatments

2012-02-20T11:24:00.000-08:00

This is the second part of my skincare routine which covers what scrubs and masks I have been using lately. I think it is important to give your skin a bit of pampering once in awhile to both calm your mind and your skin. I personally love exfoliating to slough away dead cells to reveal bright, plump skin or using a peel off mask to see what has been buried deep inside my pores. I have reviewed most of these products already on my blog so I will link those reviews instead of repeating myself.

These are products I use once or twice a week a few days apart. For example, I will use a scrub like Exfolikate on Monday and then the Boscia Luminizing Black Mask on Thursday. I always apply these products on my skin after cleansing and before my night skincare routine. For scrubs I typically use them on damp or wet skin while masks are applied on dry skin.

I don't believe I have ever mentioned the Queen Helene Julep Mask despite its affordable price tag (around $5 at drugstores). I use this mask when my face feels congested and overly oily which is mainly in the summer. I hardly notice a difference in my skin after using this though so I would not repurchase and I wish it would just hurry up and run out....

The Olay Microdermabrasion and Peel Kit is one of my favorite treatments and I actually favor it over Exfolikate. Please read my original review to find out some more about it.

The Face Shop's White Mud Nose Pack is something I use every other week or less because it is a strong peel off mask. After a hot shower, I dry my nose and apply a thick layer of this mask over my nose and surrounding inner cheeks. The goo hardens and when you peel it off, all the dry sebum and nastiness that gathers to create blackheads and whiteheads are lifted out of your skin. I really enjoy using this and would highly recommend it if you have access to The Face Shop.

To hear more about these products, check out the video below!

Skincare Routine Pt 1: Day and Night

2012-02-15T04:57:00.000-08:00

Am I on a posting binge or what? It's been awhile since I posted daily and it feels good! I recently bought a bunch of new products and I still have many that I have yet to review so the posts will keep on coming!

Skincare is just as important, if not more so, than makeup because it is the canvas where all your makeup is going to go. My goal is to have healthy, radiant and clear skin without the use of makeup and skincare is my solution. I have yet to find my perfect routine for my oily, acne prone skin which is currently a bit normal and sensitive due to the cold weather. I thought I should include a bit of a back story because I feel like it has to do with why I am so keen on "fixing" my skin. I started getting acne around the age of 13 predominantly around my forehead area. I suffered through many years of embarrassment and many mean friends and family made me feel bad about my skin. Some of my "close" friends in middle school used to jokingly tell me that they would get me Proactiv for my acne (I actually never tried Proactiv and have no urge to, probably due to all the teasing). Up until junior year of high school, I had no interest in makeup or anything beauty related. I was extremely lazy and I did not have a skincare routine at all. My mom bought me some face washes and moisturizers but I rarely used them due to laziness. By senior year I started paying a bit more attention to my skin because I had discovered amazing beauty blogs and videos and I think my teenage hormones calmed down a bit. From then on til now my skin has been about the same. I always have at least one or two pimples or small outbreaks at any given time and during a certain week of the month my face will be littered with acne. As I got older I became more confident and it mattered less how my skin looked because I felt comfortable in it despite having a few spots. That was a long background story.... Basically the moral is that it is important to take care of your skin and to not let your blemishes control your life.

I held off from doing a skincare routine post for awhile simply because I'm always changing products and trying new things. For now I quite like most of the items in my rotation and I've used them for long enough to tell you about each one.

Pictured above is my basic morning routine (minus my cleanser which is pictured below). I start off my day by washing my skin with a facial cleanser (I'm not too picky with cleansers) and following up with Thayers Witch Hazel. I put my Thayers Witch Hazel into a spray bottle and swipe away excess moisture with a cotton pad. Although it does not do miracles for my skin, it is gentle and I feel as if it preps my skin for moisturizer. I have been using Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion which I desperately want to use up since I recently finished the full sized bottle last month. This lotion is good for dry skin and I can only use it during the winter or else I will be a grease ball. It's nothing special though and I would not repurchase. I am not a big fan of Clinique's skincare products to be honest. After a moisturizing lotion, I apply a sunscreen. My favorite is Shiseido's Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 38 PA+++ as it smells great, applies easily without a greasy residue, and acts like a makeup primer. I have also been trying out the Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Moisture Defense Lotion SPF 30 (what a mouth full!) and it is similar to the Shiseido sunscreen minus the scent. I choose either of the sunscreens to use (not both) and they are my favorite sunscreens thus far (the Shiseido one wins because it smells good and it's less expensive).

If I wore makeup for the day, I must remove my makeup (usually as soon as I get home or if I'm lazy, definitely a few hours before bed time). It is crucial to take off your makeup because it can clog your pores and create breakouts. I first use Sonia Kashuk's Eye Makeup Remover on a cotton pad to swipe off my eyeshadow, liner, and mascara. Then I take two to three pumps of Kose Softymo White Cleansing Oil onto my dry hands and massage it onto my dry face. I prefer Shiseido's Perfect Oil Cleansing Oil but I try to only have one cleansing product at the time open. After massaging my face for about a minute with the oil, I rinse my face with warm water to emulsify the oil. I then follow up with a cleanser to get rid of any leftover residue. I am currently using Shiseido's The Skincare Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam (this is also what I use in the morning).

In the nighttime, I splash my face with cold water after brushing my teeth. Then I spritz some witch hazel on my skin and wipe away with a cotton pad like in my morning routine. Then I dab a bit of Bobbi Brown's Hydrating Eye Cream under my eyes using my ring fingers. I take any excess product around my eyes onto my eyelids. This is the first eye cream I have tried and I am not sure that I even need eye cream at my age. It's a nice extra step to make myself feel pampered though. The cream is easily absorbed but I do not think it has any anti aging or anti wrinkle properties. Then I take a quarter sized dollop of La Roche Posay's Toleriane moisturizer which is meant for combination to normal intolerant skin. I LOVE this moisturizer so much! It is basic yet effective. It is formulated without preservatives and fragrance so it is perfect for my skin at the moment because it tends to get sensitive. My skin has definitely felt smoother since using this and I have no experienced any breakouts or negative effects from it. Lastly, if I have any active pimples or spots that are about to turn into pimples, I will dab on some of Up&Up's Maximum Strength Acne Medication which contains 10% benzoyl peroxide. This is a high concentration of benzoyl peroxide but it does not dry my skin out and it does reduce spots within a few nights of repeated use. I am almost out of it and while it is a very good budget spot reducer (it retails for around $5 I believe) I have a tube of La Roche Posay's famous Effaclar Duo which I am very excited to use.

Check out the video below to see the products and to hear me talk about them some more!

Red Lips For Valentines Day

2012-02-14T13:15:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day is not a big holiday in my book and I'm not even celebrating it this year since it falls on a Tuesday. If I was actually going out for Valentines Day I probably wouldn't wear lipstick at all because the poor boy wouldn't get any kisses! This somewhat festive look was what I wore to my friend's birthday the past weekend (details on that dinner will be in my February wrap up). I am getting more and more comfortable wearing red lip colors out and about. I almost always pair a bright lip with simple eye makeup to let my lips do the talking (literally and figuratively!). A major reason I'm loving red lipsticks is that I usually do not set them with gloss so I don't have to worry about the wind blowing my hair into my face and smudging my lip color.

I am wearing Clarins' Joli Rouge lipstick in 704 Cupid Red which I applied with a lip brush. I do not have the full size version of this lippie but rather a small sample in those little foil covered tablets. The color looks like a rich red in the pan but on your lips it looks much lighter and almost strawberry like. The formula is very easy to apply and I found that it stained my lips so even after dinner and frozen yogurt, my lips were still bright red! This lipstick was very comfortable on the lips and while they got a smidgen drier as time went on, I just applied a bit of lip balm over top when I felt the need and all was better. To be fair, I was wearing this in below freezing weather so this was actually better than having nothing on my lips at all. I highly recommend trying this color out or any red lipstick for that matter.

Do any of you gals have plans for Valentine's Day?

Essie Shine of The Times: Get It While You Can

2012-02-13T07:36:00.000-08:00

This has probably been one of the most buzzed about nail polishes since it's release as part of Essie's limited edition LuxEffects collection. Shine of the Times is a flaky topcoat which is meant to be used over other polishes to give a multidimensional effect. The incongruent flakes of iridescence shines predominantly copper and green over a dark brown base seen above. My guy friends said it was "very cool" and that my nails reminded them of Poison Ivy. I don't often get compliments on my nails from straight guys so I'd say this is definitely an interesting polish.

I also tried this over a light baby pink base and as you can see there is a trace of gold shine. Over a lighter polish, Shine of the Times is much more subtle because there is not much contrast. Yet you can definitely see that there is a glitter overlay when your nails hit the light.

Formula wise, Shine of the Times is not very good. The formula is quite thick and sometimes when I am not careful I get too much on my nail in one concentrated area and I have to work quickly to distribute the flakes before the polish dries. This is no where near a good top coat because it does not provide a glossy overlay due to the flake particles and it takes a while to dry. I always add a layer of Seche Vite over everything to seal all the flaky goodness in. I am sad that this is limited edition because the color is so interesting but other brands make similar polishes such as Inglot. I am sure many brands will jump onto the flaky bandwagon soon so look at for those in the near future!

The Perfect Blush For Valentines Day: Mac's Giggly Mineralized Blush

2012-02-10T21:08:00.000-08:00

Apologies in advanced because this blush is from the limited edition Quite Cute collection that Mac released in April 2011. I originally had this on my wishlist when it first came out but I never bought it due to the high price (which is 95% of why I do not step foot near a Mac). By chance I found this at the CCO when I went a few weeks ago and for $16.25 I couldn't skip it. The heart detail is just too cute to resist and I wish Mac would do more collections with imprinted designs.

Giggly is my first Mac blush and it is a mineralized formula. In terms of price in relation to weight, the Mac mineralized blushes are very expensive and comparable to luxury brands such as Dior and Chanel. Nonetheless you still get a decent amount and a little goes a long way so I doubt I will finish this anytime soon if at all.

The left most swatch is the purple heart, the middle swatch is the outer portion and the last swatch is everything mixed together. I use a fluffy brush and swirl it to mix all the colors for an easy application. As you can see, the powder is pigmented although not very smooth. There is a lot of loose powder that gets kicked up from swirling your brush in so I have to be careful when dipping my brush into the pan. Nonetheless I love the color as it is a cool toned pink which leans purple yet it does not give me a bruised look.

Did you pick up Giggly when it was released? What's your favorite Mac blush?

Barely There Makeup

2012-02-08T05:07:00.000-08:00

If I had to choose between having too much makeup on or none at all, I'd much rather prefer the latter. At times I get too carried away with powder, eyeliner, blush or a combination of the three and I feel extremely self conscious for the rest of the day because I ran out of time to fix myself up. Whenever I have a semi important event whether it be an interview or an occasion where pictures will be taken, I tend to go for a natural look.

Both of the above pictures were un-retouched so what you see is my bare face on the left and the finished product on the right. Without makeup, my skin is very dull and there is discoloration on pretty much every inch of my skin. My eyes are undefined and the darkness under them makes me look like I have insomnia. With makeup, you can still see a number of my acne scars but my skin tone is all around more even. Applying some blush to the apples of my cheeks gives me a flushed look which I like. A bit of eyeshadow ever so slightly enhances my eye shape without looking overdone.

To see what products I used and how I applied them, check out the video below!

Out With the Old and In With the New

2012-02-06T17:23:00.000-08:00

For the past three to four years I have been relying mainly on two pairs of boots to get me through the fall and winter. Unfortunately the wear and tear of several years of city life finally forced me to let go of these shoes. Before I could toss these boots, I had to find some replacement pairs.... I am incredibly picky with shoes (so my shoe collection is really not much of anything) and it took me about a month of searching to find ones that I was willing to pay for.

As you can see, these Nine West boots that I picked up for $50 around three years ago have been on the pavement a bit too much. As a New Yorker I walk a lot and the heels of my shoes always wear down very quickly.

These leather boots were probably never meant to withstand the harsh elements like snow but I wore them rain or shine anyway. There's something about worn leather that makes the piece all the more "authentic" looking but sometimes the line between aged and old gets blurred.

This pair of boots is also from Nine West and I bought them for $70 about four years ago. These were my first pair of boots that I can remember picking out myself because it was around the same time I started to pick out my own clothing.

The heel on this pair of shoes is extremely worn down and you probably can't tell but I had the heel replaced two years ago because the original heel ripped cleanly off the shoe one day. So this is pretty much the second heel on these boots that I have worn down to smithereens.

The bottom lining around the sole of the shoe had also started to separate from the suede which was a problem especially on rainy days. These boots have served me well and I got a lot of use out of them so they were definitely worth every penny.

Every girl needs a pair of quality riding boots in their closets. I found these beauties at Century21 for $80 while they normally retail for around $210. The two tone leather is a nice twist on the everyday riding boot.

The crest makes these boots seem more classy in my opinion and I like that it's not necessarily a well known insignia.

The buckles give away the brand, Vince Camuto, but from afar nobody can tell. The small details on these boots make it all the more sophisticated looking. The style name of these is called the Flavian and you can find these online at Nordstrom's site for $105.

The half zipper turned out to be a winning feature of the shoe because my calves are quite thin so boots tend to look slouchy on me. The half zipper allows me to get my feet into the shoe but the top portion is very fitted so the boots hug my legs comfortably. This shoe probably would not be a good fit for those with more muscular legs though.

The other pair I purchased from Century21 is from Dolce Vita. I have to wear black to work so I had to get a black pair of shoes to replace the Nine West ones. This style is called Simone and retails for $120 but are available on Nordstrom's website for $60 which is the price I paid for them. These are a basic pair of short motorcycle boots that look good paired with almost anything. I can imagine these looking great with skinnies and a band tee or a very minimalistic dress for the spring.

Being that I was desperate to purchase a pair of black boots to replace my old pair, I have to say I am not entirely satisfied with these. One of my major gripes with these shoes is that the ankle opening is extremely large which makes my skinny ankles look even skinnier.... Not too pretty. Also, these shoes are quite narrow which hurt the sides of my feet after a few hours. Those points aside, I am happy with my new purchases and perhaps a few more weeks of breaking them in will help!

What are your favorite shoe brands and places to shop for shoes? I have constantly been trying to look for shoes to add to my wardrobe because I feel so limited with the ones I currently own. Are you a shoe hoarder? I'd love to hear how many shoes you all own so let me know in the comments!

Don't Stop Till You Get Enough - A Haul

2012-02-03T04:58:00.000-08:00

A beauty junkie can never have enough of her (or his) fix.... I always have a gajillion and one things on my beauty wishlist so I allowed myself to indulge a bit to start the year off right!

CVS was having a sale on the La Roche Posay Effaclar line so I picked up the Duo acne medication for only $20 as opposed to the usual $36. I have been wanting to try out this French drugstore skincare line for a long time after seeing many rave reviews from some of my favorite bloggers. I also had a 20% coupon so I picked up the Toleriane moisturizer as well. A few weeks back my skin was very inflamed and uncomfortable but I am glad to report that the Toleriane product is working miracles! I will try to do a skincare routine post and video soon!

Also at the drugstore I grabbed two of the Revlon Lip Butters in Creme Brulee and Gum Drop. These lip butters have been the most raved about beauty product all over the internet for the past two months or so. I will review these in the near future but so far I'm pretty neutral towards them. It might just be that the shades I picked up were not too great so I might get a few more to try. I also managed to purchase Essie's Shine of the Times Top Coat which is limited edition. This is my third Essie polish in my collection and I love it so much! The formula is not amazing but the effect it gives is very interesting and I think everyone should have at least one flaky nail polish in their collection! A full review with swatches of the polish will be coming soon.

I also got to go to a CCO (cosmetics company outlet for those of you who don't know) so I picked out two things that caught my eye. The first is Mac's Giggly Mineralized Blush which came out with the Quite Cute collection in April 2011. I wanted this blush when it came out but for some reason or another never purchased it. I am glad I found it at the CCO for a discounted price. This is actually my first Mac cheek product! I also picked up the Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Eyeshadow in Galaxy which I believe is limited edition. Reviews and swatches of both of these products will be forthcoming!

Check out the video below to see swatches and my preliminary thoughts!

January 2012 Wrap Up

2012-01-31T12:20:00.000-08:00

It honestly pains me to write this post simply because the month has passed by so quickly. January has truly been a very restful month because of winter break and the lack of hours at my part time job as retail is slow during January and February. Unfortunately the start of February means I'm back to the daily grind of being a full time student and all the rest of it. Enough complaining about the upcoming months and let's get on with the wrap up!

My first outside meal of the year was at Schiller's Liquor Bar located in the Lower East Side. I opted for the homemade vegetarian pot pie which was very welcome due to the bitter cold weather that evening. The pastry was light, flaky and all kinds of perfect. The vegetable innards were not my favorite as it was a bit bland and nothing worth trying twice. But the service was tremendously slow and by the time the food arrived I was so hungry I gobbled it all up without a second thought. The atmosphere of Schiller's is a little retro and very diner-esque. If you ever go, definitely pay a visit to the restroom because I was definitely surprised when I opened the door to what I thought was the ladies room. My friends thought it wasn't too special but there is a communal sink for both ladies and gents instead of separate washing areas for each restroom.

The following afternoon I had brunch with my closest high school girl friends at Cafe Orlin, a much raved about brunch destination in St. Marks. I decided to try something out of my usual comfort zone and went with the Middle Eastern Breakfast which they describe on the menu as "two eggs any style with organic Labana cheese, topped with zaatar, served with Israeli salad and pita". All of the eggs they use are organic but they all taste the same to me so the eggs were just any old sunny side up eggs. The salad was tangy and refreshing and paired well with the muted flavor of the cheese. I loved the pita dipped into the cheese but I could probably eat the pita plain and be happy. I love my carbs. The cafe was comfortably full as there were many other customers but the noise level was just right. Our party of four was seated promptly and the service was fast. Overall this is a quaint and dainty place to have brunch for a special occasion.

As a child I was never really fond of animals unlike all the other kids who all fantasized of being veterinarians. But in the last few years I have definitely grown to enjoy the company of the other creatures who inhabit the earth along with us. My boyfriend lives quite close to the only farm in New York City area so we make it a point to visit at least once a season. Several class field trips from elementary to middle school were to this same farm and it never seems to change much. Nonetheless, it never loses its charm.

One of the goats seemed to take a liking to my boyfriend. All of the other goats ignored us but this light brown goat definitely likes people because he immediately approached us as we walked toward his side of the fence.

Some of the chickens and geese seemed to be sharing a pen but they didn't seem to be great pen mates. This particular pen held two pigs last spring but this time around we could not find the pigs anywhere. Perhaps it's too cold for them and they live inside a barn somewhere....

This sign was unusually funny for some odd reason and I was excited to see alpacas because they were not here last spring. I wonder how they rotate their animals on the farm because last spring there were ponies and this winter they did not have them.

At first the alpacas totally ignored us and went on grazing in the middle of their enclosure. We were about to give up and move on but I started making clicking sounds which I usually do when I see a squirrel. Amazingly it worked and the alpacas came right up to the fence and let us pet them! Now a lot of people think alpacas and llamas are the same thing but trusty old Google taught me that although the two are from the same family, they have distinctively different features. Llamas are larger and are used as pack animals whereas alpacas are groomed for their fibers. There are more differences but my point is not to teach you about llamas and alpacas so I'll stop with this ramble. Oh and yes I am bumming it with my ponytail, glasses, and makeup free face!

The cows mostly sitting and standing being just cows but it was amusing when a lone sheep wandered in and got the stare down. That just about sums up our time at the local farm which I never get sick of visiting! I did some research and found a place called Farm Sanctuary where they take in abused farm animals, nurse them back to health, and teach visitors about the cruelties of modern day factory farms. I desperately want to visit the farm but the nearest location is five hours away in upstate New York.... I somewhat convinced my family that we should go during the summer so perhaps it might happen! There are two other locations in California as well.

My boyfriend passed his driver's test last summer so now he (very) occasionally picks me up for dates. I don't know how to drive yet so all I have to do is sit in the passenger's side and look pretty :P

For the best quality, affordable Asian food in New York City, you definitely have to go to Flushing. I have been going to Flushing at least once a week for pretty much my entire life and although it gets boring, the food is always good. My boyfriend and I went to grab a quick bite at a Taiwanese family owned restaurant which unfortunately I do not know the name of. That's usually my problem when I go to eateries that I'm so familiar with that I don't actually know the name of the place.... It's on Prince street between Roosevelt and 39th avenue near Sentosa if anyone is interested. The left wall of the resturant is a mirror if that helps.... Anyway, pictured above is their salty soy milk which my boyfriend ordered. His mother loves it as well but I'm just not used to the taste. I much prefer regular sweetened soymilk without anything inside.

My favorite dish from this place is their scallion pancake. Asian pancakes are salty and savory unlike Western breakfast pancakes which are typically sweet. I believe one order of these scallion pancakes is less than $5 (don't quote me on that though) and you get enough pieces for a family to share as an appetizer. The pancake is the right balance of crispy and chewy and the salty flavor is concentrated in little pockets so that in certain bites your taste buds can just surrender on the spot. So... good....

My boyfriend actually prefers omelets wrapped in scallion pancakes so he got a dish of those all to himself. They also make a pancake with oysters which is also quite yummy.

I also couldn't help but order a dish of rice cakes stir fried with some veggies, mushrooms, and chicken. I actually ordered the wrong kind of rice cakes as I wanted it only with this special kind of white cabbage and pork but this was good as well. You get a ton of food and Asian dishes are always best for sharing and eating family style.

Right after our very filling meal we ran to the movies theater because on Tuesdays they have movies for only $7 for the entire day. Usually the shows before noon are $8 and after it's around $11. The tickets definitely cost a lot more in Manhattan and I believe I've paid at least $15 to see a movie before.... Ridiculous. Anyway, I dragged my boyfriend to watch The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo because I was obsessed with the books last summer. I had heard many good things about the American release so I was excited to see for myself how well it compares to the novel. The movie was decent but nothing worth raving about. I felt that David Fincher's other films like Fight Club and The Social Network were more enjoyable (although that might be because Brad Pitt and Andrew Garfield starred in those movies respectively...). Perhaps I already knew what was going to happen in the movie for once so nothing came as a surprise and I could not fully enjoy the story. I am still looking forward to the next two films as I found those books in the series to be even more entertaining and thrilling.

To finish off the evening we had a light dinner of noodle soups. I am usually a rice person but it's hard to eat rice when it's only two people because you can't order as many dishes to go with the rice. Noodles are convenient because it's an all in one meal although I only prefer a few types of noodles.

One of my very close friends is leaving in a few weeks to go study abroad in Seoul for four months so we made sure to meet up and have lunch together. Somehow we ended up choosing Korean food even though she will probably be eating similar things to this for the next few months. The restaurant, called Chom Chom, is located on 56th street between 5th and 6th avenue. We opted for the lunchbox sets and I chose the kalbi set which came with some fried chicken strips, salad, spicy cold noodles, and sushi. I wish it came with some rice as the kalbi was a bit too salty on its own. The meal was good but like I said before, the best affordable Asian food can be found in Flushing. This lunchbox costs about twice as much as it would cost in Flushing.

I seem to eat out quite a bit in these posts simply because I show what I take pictures of. In reality I eat at home a lot and I rarely buy lunch. Unfortunately I have poor cooking skills and I can only make the simplest of dishes so far.... My boyfriend and I made guacamole and used it to top off our tortillas with melted pepperjack cheese. Easy peasy and very yummy!

I finished two books this break (even though my goal was three) which were An Education (not pictured) and Atonement (excuse the tattered edges as this was a library rental). Both books were later made into films which I both saw awhile ago and enjoyed. An Education by Lynn Barber is a memoir and I was surprised that only the first third or so of the book made up the entire film starring Carey Mulligan. The middle portion of the novel somewhat dragged along although Ms. Barber's sense of humor and honesty permeates throughout her account. Atonement had an extremely long beginning portion but the last half was engaging and heartfelt. Ian McEwan's use of language is simply beautiful and the love story is understood yet controlled so that it is not cheapened by any means. Blatant romances aren't nearly as captivating as unrequited passion. I currently have three more books lined up to be read so hopefully I can manage them before school becomes unbearable and before the library demands their books back. If you haven't figured out already, I try to take full advantage of the public library because books these days are incredibly expensive and I have no room to put them.

My parents and I went to watch The Lion King on Broadway on Chinese New Years Eve. My mother has been wanting to watch this show for years so we finally bought tickets and went to see what all the hype was about. I have been to a few Broadway musicals and several more off Broadway shows and they were mostly quite good. I can enjoy theater when I'm there but I rarely have a strong urge to see a show. The Lion King fell short of my expectations because for some reason I imagined the venue to be a lot larger. The acting, singing, and dancing was impressive but I thought something was missing.

This year Chinese New Year was in January (it can be in January or February) so that meant lots of food and red envelopes! Chinese New Year is always a festive time spent with old friends and family. It actually lasts for 15 days so it's going to end in February!

That about wraps it up for my month of January. Even though it went by too quickly, I felt like I got a decent amount done and it was very relaxing and enjoyable throughout. I hope February is a great month although I imagine it will be much more hectic than January....

My Top 5: Lipglosses

2012-01-27T05:49:00.000-08:00

I am excited to introduce a new series to my blog and Youtube channel called "My Top 5" in which I pick a category and show you my favorite five products from that said category. Lipgloss was one of those things that took a bit of experimenting, trial and error to find formulas that I liked. I have sensitive lips that dry out very easily so glosses are usually very hit or miss for me. I have lip swatches for some of these glosses and I will link them to the name of the gloss for easy access.

Nars Dolce Vita Lipgloss - While I only have a sample of this gloss, a little goes a long way with this uber pigmented creamy formula. The color is a dusty rose which is perfect paired with a neutral makeup look. The formula is comfortable to wear and lasts for hours because it is thick. This never dries out my lips and does not sink into lip lines so I rarely have to look in the mirror to make sure my lips don't look chapped. This is a beautiful gloss but at $24 I have to control myself from splurging on more shades.

Too Faced Pillow Talk Glamour Gloss - This is the best feeling gloss I have to talk about because it leaves a minty, cool sensation that I love. The formula is very smooth and it makes your lips feel moist and refreshed. The shade is also beautiful and looks like a peachy nude on my lips. The shimmer is noticeable on the skin but I never have a problem with it looking garish on my lips. The brush tip applicator makes putting this on your puckers a breeze!

Mac Fashion Whim Cremesheen Glass - This is my one and only Mac lipgloss (which will probably change in the near future) and I love the formulation and color to bits. This gloss is creamy and light coverage but it provides just enough for that bare there nude lip. The cream formulation makes it comfortable to wear and it does not dry out your lips a single bit. There are micro shimmers in this gloss but I really can't tell once it's on my lips. I love this and I really want to try some other shades from this line (that's what I'll be saying for all of these favorites basically...).

Revlon Peony Colorburst Lipgloss - At first I wasn't wowed by this lipgloss because I wore it alone and it didn't look like much. But then I started using this to top off my lipstick and I was won. This is quite sheer so on it's own it won't look like anything but a bit of shine but it's ability to smooth out a lipstick is impressive. The shimmer can be gritty when you wear it alone but with a layer of lipstick underneath, the grittiness is definitely minimized. This is definitely one of my most reached for lipglosses simply because it looks good over any lipstick color!

Cargo Morocco Lipgloss - This is another favorite of mine for topping over lipsticks. While this looks a lot darker than Peony in the swatch above, it is actually very sheer once applied onto the lips. It imparts a beautiful shimmer which is dispersed in the lightweight, non-sticky formula. Unfortunately I cannot find this particular color online and it may be limited edition in the Summer 2011 Mediterranean Kit. If you can get your hands on this, I definitely recommend it! I'm curious to try out some of Cargo's other lipglosses to see if the formula is just as good.

Check out the video below to hear more of my thoughts on these glosses!

Julep's Demi: A Semi-Redeeming Polish?

2012-01-24T16:14:00.000-08:00

This is a first for me: posting a NOTD days after applying the nail color with visible CHIPS. I. hate. chipped. nails. But I thought I would show you how Julep's Demi polish fared after three days of wear. My initial impression with my Julep Maven box was not so positive as the first polish I tried was streaky and it took forever to dry. I made an effort to brush on very thin coats of Demi this time around to see if the dry time would be improved. The extra effort helped a bit but it didn't do anything to prevent tip wear.

I must say the color is absolutely gorgeous but only for the first day. The deep red looks bright under direct light but a dark burgundy in poorer lighting conditions. I love colors like Demi for cold wintry days and it gives my hands a very posh look. Unfortunately chips are not posh. At least there was no streaking this time around and I am predicting that the cream finishes will probably be streak free.

Is a Julep box worth the money? Yes and no. Yes if you use one of the introductory codes. I believe there is always a code for new members to get their first box for only $5. For $5 you can't go wrong and you can get some pretty interesting nail colors. But by no means are the boxes worth the normal price of $20. The concept is great. The colors look nice. But at the end of the day, the quality of the polishes fails to impress me. If you're curious to see for yourself, you can try Julep HERE and be sure to use one of those $5 offers that float around the internet! I believe the code WELCOMEMV5 should work but if not, many partnered bloggers and Youtubers have personalized deals as well.

Have you tried Julep? If you have, do you like their products? If not, would you be interesting in trying them for yourself?

Cute Blog Award

2012-01-23T20:40:00.000-08:00

The awesome Pang tagged me for the Cute Blog Award so I want to thank her very much. She has a great blog full of high quality pictures, swatches, and reviews so definitely check out her site and show some support!

For this award you:

1. Link back to the person who nominated you.

2. Answer the award questions.

3. Tell something about yourself you haven't told anyone on your blog yet.

4. Award as many blogs that you think are worthy of this award.

5. Make sure you let those you gave the award to know that you awarded them.

Award Questions:

1. What is your go to makeup product?

If I had to pick just one makeup product it would be eyeliner, specifically my Physician's Formula Gel Liner in black. I would love to pick some kind of concealer or foundation because my skin is usually covered with acne scars and discoloration but I feel that eyeliner definitely gives me the illusion of bigger, more awake eyes.

2. What was your favorite fashion trend of 2011?

Trends seem to repeat or overlap every year with few changes so it's hard to pick a favorite. I have a lot of fashion trend favorites but some of the most wearable ones are military inspired pieces and pops of color.

3. What is your favorite dessert?

My favorite dessert would definitely be durian ice cream. Yes, that's right. The stinky fruit that most people can't stand to be in the same room with. I love durian and the ice cream is just the best way to end a dinner! Too bad it's so hard to find it and when I do, it usually costs an absurd amount of money for a scoop of the stuff.

4. Favorite color?

I never had a favorite color and as I get older I definitely have favorite colors for different things. I love taupe eyeshadows and liners, coral pink blushes, and neutral clothes. My first instinct is to say my favorite color is pink simply because my room is very pink.... I guess this one is undecided.

5. What is your middle name?

I don't have a middle name. That was an easy question!

6. What was the last song you listened to?

It Will Rain by Bruno Mars. My cousins and I were trying to sing it!

Something you don't know about me yet:

It's probably the most basic thing you could know about me but I just never mentioned it on my blog or in my videos. Only one or two people who have emailed me know my name! So... here goes... my name is... Kar Yi. Kar Yi is my entire first name. Yi is not a middle name and it's pronounced "car yee". Even though I was born and raised in America I never thought about changing my name. It has no meaning really and my parents simply romanized it from my Chinese name. If I had a "normal" name, I definitely would have used it sooner but for some reason I find it really intimidating to have my strange name online.... I have no idea why I feel that way. But now you know! Feel free to address me by my name if you take the time to read my blog and if you comment :) I definitely feel like I've made a few blogging friends since starting this journey and I think I feel comfortable enough to let people know my actual name.

Now I tag these lovely bloggers who are too talented and awesome to describe in words! Please feel free to spread the love and visit their blogs!

Lil Lady's Life
The Makeup Edition
He calls me "Mara"....
Rocaille
The Polka-dotted Jellyfish.
Fashionable Heart
starry eyed beauty *
Lavenderlilac Dream
P.S. It's Vida
little lucy & pirates
Makeup Never Sleeps

On an somewhat unrelated note, I just posted a quick cream blush application tutorial on my Youtube channel so check out the video HERE if you're interested!

Nars Albatross: White Gold Radiance

2012-01-18T07:10:00.000-08:00

Truth be told I do not have a lot of high end cosmetics in my collection... but my craving for Nars just might change that pretty quickly! Albatross is the second Nars cheek product to enter my collection and it has the same smooth, pigmented quality as I have come to expect from Nars. In the pan Albatross looks like a stark white which you may be thinking 'how on earth can I put that on my face without looking ashy?!' but no worries, it's gorgeous!

The packaging is, as fellow makeup junkies already know, simplistic and functional. The rubber packaging is annoying for some as it attracts fingerprints and dirt easily but for a clean freak like me, it's great. For $27, the amount you get is quite little. But really, it'll probably take me years upon years to finish this up so no complaints here. Nars is clearly a luxury makeup brand so if you think it's expensive and exorbitant, simply walk away from the counter.

On the left is a single pass across the powder which you can see yields a somewhat harsh white color. On the right I wiped off the excess highlighter on the back of my other hand and the residue that is left is an iridescent white gold. Applied with a brush and blended out, Albatross looks like a golden glow on your cheekbones. It does not have obviously large shimmers nor does it lean too golden. I believe this would look especially amazing on fair skinned ladies for that subtle, no makeup glow.

So do you need Albatross? E.L.F's Gotta Glow blush from their studio line is a dupe for Albatross and it costs a mere $3. Gotta Glow has been featured in at least one of my past favorites posts so I do enjoy it dearly. In fact, you can purchase nine E.L.F Studio blushes with the money it costs to buy just one Nars blush. However, the texture of a Nars blush far surpasses that of an E.L.F blush as it is more smooth and finely milled. Gotta Glow has much more fall out and it creates more of a mess. If you have the money to spend and you like high end makeup, Albatross would be a great addition to your collection. However, if you have a tight budget and do not care for absurdly priced luxuries, then you should probably go with Gotta Glow from E.L.F.

That being said, I have a whole list of blushes that I want to own from Nars.... My addiction continues....

Recent Beauty Favorites

2012-01-16T15:36:00.000-08:00

I am bidding farewell to monthly favorites and welcoming sporadic, unanticipated favorites posts with open arms. It felt very unnatural to do monthly favorites posts because favorites do not come and go with the passing of a single month. From now on I will do favorites round ups whenever I feel the need to share with you some favorites worthy items. Most of these products are things which I have mentioned at some point or another so

Seche Vite Top Coat - At first I thought I was idiotic for paying $10 for a top coat but after using it twice, I am hooked. It keeps my nails glossy and my polish sticks around for an average of a week with minimal wear. This definitely helps the drying time as well which is incredibly important for me because I can't sit still without doing anything for a very short period of time.

Sephora By OPI Nail Polishes - I have raved about these many times and you can see some swatches of these if you look through my past nail posts. The colors are very unique and the pigmentation is exceptional. The wear time lasts about a week which is good enough for me. My only gripe is that the price is high for such small bottles but it takes me awhile to get through a bottle of polish anyway so it's a small negative.

Milani HD Concealer Pen - I owned this concealer for more than a year but hated it every time I used it as concealer. It's somewhat dry and the pigmentation does nothing for my acne scars. In an effort to shop my stash and use up products I hate I grabbed this and applied the product all over my face and blended out with a brush. Who knew that it'd actually work pretty darn well as an all over base? I haven't been wearing foundation or tinted moisturizer for the past few weeks and this has been the substitute. It evens out my skin tone and holds up well throughout the day. However, I wouldn't buy this again because it comes with a very small amount of product (almost anything in clicky-pen form contains very little product) and it isn't a mind blowing good product.

Maybelline Natural Smokes Quad - An oldie but a goodie. I have had this in my collection for ages and it's always one that I reach for. Every single color is a favorite of mine and I have recently been using all four for my daily makeup look. If you don't own this already, go out and get it now!

Illamasqua Cream Blush in Rude - I recently posted a full review of this blush so click the link to find that review (or just scroll down I suppose). This is incredibly easy to use and natural on the skin. This is definitely going to be one of those "go to" blushes whenever I am going for a warm toned look.

Rosebud Salve - This was a neglected product that I rediscovered thanks to the drying winter air. My lips are very sensitive and are usually chapped and flaky during the colder months. Applying this every night before bed protects my lips so that I wake up with comfortable feeling lips.

Ecotools Brushes - I love all my Ecotools brushes but the ones that have really stood out recently are the blush brush from the mineral brush set and the pointed kabuki from the limited edition mini kabuki set. Both apply product flawlessly and are super soft to the touch. I wish Ecotools had a more extensive permanent line of products as they are an amazing brand of affordable brushes.

Thayers Lavender Witch Hazel - I was hesitant to try witch hazel for a long time because Dickinson's contains copious amounts of alcohol in their inexpensive formula. Thayers is pricier but also alcohol free and therefore gentle and non-irritating. While I can never really judge if a toner is doing anything for my skin at all, I have had fewer breakouts recently and I believe this has helped with that.

Watch the video below to see the products better!~

Julep Maven: First Thoughts

2012-01-14T14:38:00.000-08:00

Nail polish is one of those things I go through phases with. Some days I can't go without them and feel a strong desire to run out and haul every shade I see. On other days I don't give them a moment's thought and can go weeks with nothing on my talons. For the past few months I've been in a nail polish loving mood and have hauled quite a few. Recently I forayed into a monthly subscription service specializing in nail care: Julep.

I had very high hopes for Julep as they seem to be building up quite a reputation with their Julep Maven program. Basically it's like Birchbox, Loose Button, and all those other kinds of websites that send you a "customized" box every month. Julep was having a promotion so I bit the bullet and signed up.

Initially I was very impressed with Julep when I received my box. Everything was neatly packaged and the colors looked really enticing. Leighton is what I am wearing on my nails in this post and I received a red shade called Demi which I will be saving for Chinese New Year. I also received some samples and a hand scrub. The hand scrub is nice I suppose as it uses glycolic acid and it does seem to make my hands softer after use. The thing is, I don't really feel the need for a hand scrub. I wash my hands at least ten times a day and that seems to be enough exfoliation as it is.

So Leighton.... Where do I begin.... The color in the bottle is a chrome silver which is right up my alley. I love metallic nail polishes and this one seemed to fit the bill. I was able to achieve opaque coverage on my nails in just two coats which is also great. However, that's when the positives stop. First off, the color just doesn't look as great on my nails as it does in the bottle. That probably has to do with the fact that the polish applies streaky and the brush lines are traceable. Even though the color was opaque in two coats, the coats were very thick which slowed down dry time. You can see from the photo above that I accidentally smudged some of the polish when I applied my top coat.... I hate smudging. Even hours after the polish "dried", I could easily scuff my nails whenever I typed on my computer or touched a hard surface with my nail. I despise dents in my nail polish and the tip wear is just inexcusable.

I had really high hopes for this polish but it barely met me halfway. Each of these bottles regularly retails for $14 so this is definitely a high end product. I will try out Demi, a cream finish, and hopefully will get better results. I will definitely update you guys after I have formulated my thoughts on that. If you are interested in checking out Julep and their Maven program, you can find all the information HERE.

In My Stash: Nude Lipsticks

2012-01-12T19:34:00.000-08:00

Nude lipsticks are one of those makeup products you love or your hate. I personally love nude lips and in my small lipstick collection, I have four which I consider nudes. Two are beige, brown toned nudes while the other two are more rose, my-lips-but-better nudes. Each one is great for one reason or another and I am glad to have each one in my stash.

The most opaque nude lipstick I own is Mac Viva Glam Gaga II which is unfortunately limited edition. I have a full review and lip swatch HERE. Gaga II is a brown toned nude and the amplified finish denotes incredible pigmentation and a creamy finish. I like the color and texture of this lipstick but have to be careful to dab and not swipe this on my lips. I prefer to top this lipstick off with a gloss because the thicker consistency can accentuate dry spots.

The Revlon Colorburst lipstick line is one of my favorite drugstore lipstick lines and Soft Nude is by far one of their most popular shades. Soft Nude has a peach undertone and is a wearable nude. The finish is creamy and this applies on the lips easily. I really enjoy wearing this lipstick with a sparkly gloss over top as it goes with almost any look!

The most recent addition to my nude lippie collection is Nars' Cruising, a sheer rose nude, which I recently reviewed HERE. As you can probably tell from the swatch above, Cruising is the least pigmented out of the other three lipsticks. Cruising has a very shiny, almost lipbalm-like finish. It is comfortable to wear on its own for the first hour or two but then has a tendency to settle into my lip lines. This color is the most wearable and I will probably get a lot of use out of this because it is so sheer.

Lastly we have Mac's Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Bare Again which is one of my most worn lipsticks. This is similar to Cruising because it is more of a my lips but better nude. I have a lipswatch of it HERE. Bare Again is very creamy and shiny but also very pigmented. This color is a favorite of mine because it is so easy to wear by itself and it evens out my natural lip color very well.

You can get a better idea of the undertones of each of these lipsticks in the picture above. They're all nudes but they're all noticeably different in terms of both color and formula.

Check out the video below to hear more of my thoughts on my nude lipsticks!

Nars Cruising Lipstick: The Perfect Sheer Nude?

2012-01-09T18:51:00.000-08:00

Nars is quickly becoming one of the makeup brands I enjoy hauling from the most. They have a wide range of not only products but colors as well. The packaging is sleek and classy, although some hate it because it is a magnet for grubby fingerprint marks.

Cruising is my first Nars lipstick and it is described as a sheer nude pink by Sephora. Nars lipsticks come in three formulas: sheer, matte, and satin. I prefer moisturizing and sheer formulas so I wanted my first Nars lippie to be "safe". If you are familiar with Nars products you will know that the prices are not pocket friendly; one lipstick will set you back 24 bucks.

This particular lippie was actually a birthday gift from my friend M so I don't feel too bad about the splurge (although she thinks I'm insane). In the tube Cruising looks quite boring and a definite my lips but better shade. I can somewhat see very small, fine shimmers throughout the bullet but once on the lips, these shimmers are unnoticeable.

Cruising is very sheer indeed as I passed the lipstick across my lips a few times to get this pigmentation. This shade tones down the color of my lips the tiniest bit to enough to give me a nude lip look. If you like sheer lip colors like I do, you probably will enjoy Nars Cruising.

The formula glides on smoothly and feels quite hydrating (I almost always apply lip balm before any lip products though). You can see above that there is a sheen on my lips so you do not necessarily have to apply a gloss over top of this to get a glossy finish. After a few hours of wear, the lipstick settled into my lip lines and actually felt like it was drying out my lips. I have pretty sensitive lips though so it could just be me. This issue can probably be eliminated if you top off the lipstick with a gloss.

I wish Cruising was an eensy bit more pigmented and that it did not dry out my lips because the price point is so high. I have a feeling I will get a lot of use out of this as you can never go overboard with applying it and it looks very natural. I have a strange urge to make everything "even" in my makeup collection so I tend to have 2, 4, 6, etc. of any kind of product.... That means I will probably need to pick up a few more Nars lipsticks just to even out my collection. It's very strange and perhaps it's some sort of psychological trick I play on myself to spend more money. But at the same time I like to test out a few shades in a line before I formulate a full review on the entire product line. Have you guys tried Nars lipsticks? If so, do you like them and which are your favorite shades?

Fashion & Beauty Hauling: TheBalm, Lush, Julep, Zara, H&M, and more!

2012-01-07T19:03:00.000-08:00

As you can tell by the title, this will be a haul post.... enough said. I feel like I have done a gajillion haul posts recently because this is the third batch of things I purchased in December. What can I say? I love shopping, scoring great deals, and sharing my finds with you all!

I am currently going through a "fashion phase" and I want to purge my wardrobe of unworn pieces and restock my closet with pieces that I truly love. I can never seem to find a good way to photograph clothing pieces unless I'm wearing it in an outfit so the above will give you an idea of what I purchased. You can watch the video at the end of this post to find out what each of the pieces are!

I bought these snake print flats at Zara and I am in love with them! I am trying to expand my shoe collection into something I am proud of but I am extremely picky with shoes and I can never find ones I like that are worth the money. I can say that I really like these flats a lot and you will definitely see them in future outfits!

At TJ Maxx I spotted many The Balm products which I have been wanting to try for a long time. Unfortunately many of the packages are usually ripped open so the products are swatched, broken, and just plain disgusting. I was about to check out without picking up any makeup but a few of these sets were near the check out line with safety tags and all! They were unopened and untampered with so I had to buy this as it was only $23!

The pigmentation on these powders are incredible as I had expected them to be. The blush is one of those Nars Orgasm dupes and I can already tell you I'll probably love it. The bronzer is matte and very dark so it will probably get more love during the summer. Even at retail price, these retail for only $19 which is a bargain compared to other high end blushes! I highly recommend The Balm and will definitely try to pick up more items from them in the future. I tried the stain on the back of my hand and it really did stain my hand for a few hours.... I will do a full review on it once I have played around with it more.

Lush does a BOGO sale after Christmas to clear out their inventory and I stopped by to pick up some soap. I purchased Snow Globe, a limited edition soap, and Bohemian Body which is permanent. I had never heard anyone rave about Bohemian Body and I have no idea why because it has an amazing scent. Both of these soaps are citrus based but Bohemian Body has a very gentle and calming scent as well. I have a very strong feeling that it will be my favorite Lush soap!

Lastly, I subscribed to Julep Maven which is a subscription service similar to Birchbox. They had an offer where you could get a box for only one cent so of course I had to jump on the deal. I believe they are now doing a promotion where you can get a box for $5 which is still a good deal.

I have yet to try out the nail polishes as I am giving my nails a bit of a break from all the toxins and whatnot. I will definitely post swatches and a review once I have tried them out!

Check out the video below to see everything that I purchased! The fashion bits are definitely my favorite part of this haul but it's a lot easier showing the pieces quickly in a video rather than wearing each item and whatnot! Also, I am wearing Illamasqua's Cream Blush in Rude, which I reviewed in my previous post, in the following video. I am planning to do a "how I apply cream blush" video soon so stayed tuned!

Illamasqua Cream Blush in Rude

2012-01-03T16:58:00.000-08:00

Illamasqua has always piqued my interest with their sleek packaging and artistic advertisements. Thanks to my good friend M, I finally got my makeup loving hands on Illamasqua's Cream Blusher in Rude. This will probably always hold a dear place in my heart as my first cream blush as well!

The packaging is classy, artistic, and perhaps most importantly, functional. Everything from the brand, the shade, weight, and directions are clearly labeled on the back of the compact. The plastic compact is quite light but is sturdy and I wouldn't worry about it breaking during travel or anything of the sort. I like the clear portion of the packaging because I can easily identify the shade if I had multiple Illamasqua compacts stored together.

Here you can see that there is liquid atop the untouched blush but I simply swatched away the liquid lightly and the blush is perfectly fine to use. The color in the photo is accurate to how the shade looks in real life.

The blush swatches true to color and is very buildable so you can opt for a light glow or an intense flush. The texture is creamy and smooth yet light. I apply the blush using my E.L.F Studio Blush Brush which has synthetic fibers and dab only a tiny amount on the apples of my cheeks and blend towards my hairline with the same brush. This cream blush is easy to apply for a cream blush beginner like me and I love how natural it looks on my skin. The blush wore well for eight hours until I removed my makeup so I am very happy about that. I have oily skin but my cheek area usually does not get oily but I have yet to test this product out in warm weather. I think Rude is more of a spring and summer color but it adds a beautiful, bright radiance that is appropriate for all seasons.

I am highly impressed by this cream blush and I already have shade Promise from the same line on my wishlist as well as several other Illamasqua powder blushes. I am totally on a cheek product binge at the moment and so far I have had overwhelmingly positive things to say about the items I have recently acquired. What are your favorite cream blushes? Let me know so I have more to add to my ever growing wishlist!

Check out the video below to see how I apply this cream blush!

November & December 2011 Empties!

2012-01-02T18:41:00.000-08:00

I was able to finish quite a few products before 2011 was over including some skincare, bodycare, and even some makeup. The satisfaction of finishing up a product never really loses its charm.As you can see most of my empties were samples this time around. Most of them were hefty samples that lasted me at least a month each so I have used them enough to formulate my thoughts on them. I have reviewed a few of these products in the past so I will link those reviews as usual and quickly summarize my thoughts on the rest!

The Body Shop Seaweed Facial Wash (sample) - I briefly talked about this being a mediocre cleanser in my last empties post and will not be repurchasing this.

Lush Whoosh Shower Jelly

Origins A Perfect World Creamy Body Cleanser (sample) - This is creamy and luxurious but I had to use a lot of product to cleanse my body. I will not repurchase because I'm not in love with this and I would have to be head over heels to buy this for the retail price.

Ole Henriksen Youth Serum Collagen Booster (sample) - I don't have fine lines or wrinkles yet so I couldn't really tell if this was helping at all. It did not have any negative effects on my skin so I can't quite formulate reliable thoughts on this since I'm not really the target market.

Boscia Oil Free Daily Hydration (sample)

Dior J'adore Perfume (sample) - I talked about this in my last favorites post and I adore this scent (no pun intended!). I will definitely buy the full sized bottle once I finish a few more perfume samples and clear out my scent stash.

Maybelline Colossal Waterproof Mascara - This has also graced a favorites post in the past as it is my favorite mascara of all time. It holds a curl beautifully, lengthens, and volumizes. I will absolutely repurchase this once I am out of mascaras!

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free in Bisque (sample) - This is another product that I have mentioned in a favorites. I will link the review to avoid repeating myself. I go more in depth about why I enjoyed this product in the video below as well.

Make Up Forever Face and Body Foundation in 20 (sample) - This was weightless on my skin and the light coverage was refreshing. However this sometimes looked very patchy and oily after a few hours on my skin while other times holding up well for 12 hours. This was very unpredictable and I did not like that aspect. Therefore, this will not be a repurchase.

These are unfinished products that I am giving away to my cousins because I have no use for them and I think they might find them useful.

Estee Lauder Gentle Eye Makeup Remover (sample) - This is a semi weak eye makeup remover and can't remove my waterproof mascara and tough liners without tugging on my delicate skin. I am passing this on to my cousin who wears minimal eye makeup as it will remove pencil liner just fine.

Philosophy Falling in Love Fragrance - I dislike this scent because it is sickeningly sweet but managed to use up about half the mini bottle somehow.... I mostly sprayed this around my room as an air freshener :X

Watch the video below to here more of my thoughts on these products!

December 2011 Wrap Up - The Month and Year in Perspective

2011-12-30T10:53:00.000-08:00

Ah, finally... the last month of 2011. At the end of every it seems as if time flew by too fast and I often look back and wish that I had done more throughout the last 12 months. December was a very busy month for a variety of reasons and I hardly had time to catch my breath, let alone reflect on the other moments of 2011. December was a culminating time where everything I have been working on for about half of the year came together.

I have to admit I fall into the Asian stereotype of being a stickler in terms of grades. I take my schoolwork very seriously and all my life I have worked very hard in my classes. My final exams ended on the 21st and the end of the semester is always a bit nerve wracking because you see what grades you earned throughout the past four months. This semester was definitely the most challenging one yet simply because I had a lot of other extra work to juggle along with school work. I can honestly say that I have never been so busy in my life. My studying paid off and I received decent marks in my classes which gives me hope that I can juggle the same workload during the upcoming spring semester.

So what exactly have I been juggling on the side? From April to November I volunteered at an animal shelter once a week after school which was a great experience. I never really liked animals as a child but in the last few years I have grown more fond of animals and interacting with them on a more intimate way definitely has made me more of an animal lover. At first I was extremely awkward around animals because I was scared of them. I was always worried about being bit or scratched. I stopped going to the shelter around November because my other duties were taking over my life. I hope to eventually start volunteering again to visit my furry little friends!

I intern for a large (I won't get into specifics) company and work as a sales associate at another large (again, no specifics) retail store. On a typical Thursday I am out of the house for 16 hours going from school then to intern and then to work at night. The internship and retail job are my first "real life" work experiences so it was somewhat risky to jump into all of it at around the same time. Thankfully my managers and supervisors are all amazing and I have learned much throughout the last few months. On the 9th, Z100's annual Jingleball concert took place at Madison Square Garden and I went as part of my internship. I was mostly running around doing errand-type work but it was an incredible experience in and of itself to be assisting at such a grand venue. I will definitely remember that day fondly and will utilize the knowledge I gained for my future career.

With all the academic and career driven activities that I pursued for the last few months I had to fore-go time with my friends. Most of my weekends are spent folding clothes and talking to customers instead of getting together with old pals. I am typically very exhausted so I prefer to spend any off days I get at home snuggled on my couch. My birthday was on December 12th (12/12!) and I was perfectly fine with spending my 19th birthday weekend at home this year. I usually opt for a big dinner with around 10 friends to join me but this year I was just not up for it. The night after my last final, I was able to meet up with a bunch of my close highschool friends and we had a great evening out in the city. I think I was running off of the leftover energy that helped me get through that last test!

Someone recommended Bare Burger, an up and coming burger chain specializing in organic and exotic meats, and I have to say it was really good! My pescatarian diet totally went out the window since Thanksgiving but I will try to get back on track when 2012 comes around. I felt a bit better that Bare Burger is marketed as organic, free range and all that jazz but then again it might just be marketing. You never really know until you've actually visited the farm....

I had a regular beef patty with delicious onion rings, bacon strips and some veggies all stacked on a brioche bun. The portions are very generous and I actually couldn't finish the last two bites of the burger because I was that full. The burger was very well cooked and very moist. I have to say this might be better than Shakeshack.... The burgers at Bare Burger are a tiny bit pricier but you get more food so it evens out.

We walked around the city a bit and it was extremely refreshing even though I find myself somewhere in Manhattan everyday. Usually I am always concentrated on getting to my destination and I have no regard as to my surroundings. It's difficult to appreciate anything in the city when you're in it so frequently and many times I think the city is only a good place if you have money. Sad, but true. Anyway, we walked by the Empire State Building and although it was almost nine at night, the sky was filled with white light from the buildings. The atmosphere almost reminds me of Gotham City from Batman with the gray concrete buildings and all.

Christmas decorations always make me smile and Macy's definitely had the most robust sales force this year. I forget if they do it every year but this year they were open 24 hours throughout the days leading up to Christmas Eve.... Not sure if that helped boost their sales as i have no idea who shops at four in the morning but go figure.

In the past few years Christmases have gotten less exciting to be honest. I'm pretty sure the only reason why my family and my close family friends all celebrate Christmas is so that us kids can feel more "American". I don't really mind but it's interesting that we put up mini trees and dress up one of the dads as Santa Claus when the holiday has very little meaning to us. I had fun wrapping gifts this year but I went to Lush to pick out most of my gifts as they already had conveniently packaged and wrapped sets. I did not snap up pictures of the food and whatnot of the Christmas celebrations but just imagine a fusion of Asian and American dishes (a platter of stir fried noodles next to a honey ham). I typically get gift cards and cash for the holidays and my birthday now so whatever was relevant to this blog have and will be included in haul posts.

So that was my December, and much of my year, in one post. I am hopeful that January will be an especially interesting month because I do not have classes (interning and working are still occupying about four days a week though). These monthly wrap up posts are really fun for me to write as I get to ramble as much as I like and look back at the month. Let me know what you loved, hated, and treasured from the past month and year in the comments!

December Haulage Part 2

2011-12-29T12:38:00.000-08:00

I don't think hauls need much of an introduction and because I have quite a lot to show you, let's just get on with it! This month I have accumulated quite a bit of makeup here and there, most of them being gifts.... So I don't feel too bad.

The above Sephora haul is what my boyfriend bought me for my birthday with the help of two of my best girl friends. If any of them are reading this, THANKS SO MUCH! I had wanted the Naked Palette months before its release but or various reasons never bought it. I explain in my haul video at the end of this post on what those reasons were if you're interested. I also received my second Nars blush, highlighter actually, in Albatross which I also really wanted. They also picked out a Buxom duo set with an eyeliner and mascara as well as another polish set which I adore. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Sephora By Opi nail polishes.... Another four plus the set of six I bought myself during the Friends & Family Sale makes an even ten!

My good friend also got me two goodies from Sephora for my birthday and Christmas gift. She made me come up with a list of items so she could choose so I kinda knew what I was getting... heh. She picked Illamasqua's Rude Cream Blush (my first cream blush!) and Nar's lipstick in Cruising. Both are really beautiful and I can't wait to wear them. Sorry that I forgot to take Cruising out of the package. You can see the actual color in the haul video!

Now for the drugstore things! My mom picked up a Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro nail polish in Hot Cocoa for me because I said I wanted a brown nail polish. I bought the Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Soft Plum and the Physician's Formula Gel Liner Trio in Glam Green Eyes from CVS's Beauty Clearance Sale. They gave me a $3 coupon for my birthday so I got both items for only $5!

I also went to target to get some eye makeup remover and chanced upon the limited edition Ecotools Kabuki Set. I also picked up the angled liner brush from Sonia Kashuk. I can already say I really like the mini kabukis (they will be great for travel!) and the angled brush is decent so far but I need some time to get used to it more.By the way, you can't tell from the picture but the Sonia Kashuk eye makeup remover is a bi-phase remover but I shook up the bottle so the liquids mixed and turned cloudy.

Lastly I have a piece of Lush's Angel's Delight Soap which I got as a freebie when I went to buy Christmas gifts. I went in on my birthday and spent over $100 on Lush goodies (none of which were for myself....) so the sales girl let me choose something to sample. She gave me a really generous sample! I also cut my Lush soaps differently than how I showed HERE. I used to cut them very small so I could use them in one or two showers but the little pieces were hard to hold and resulted in a lot of product wastage. I cut the Angel's Delight Soap into three pieces so I have hand held pieces now if that gives you an idea.

Check out the video below to see some preliminary swatches and my first impressions!

This is definitely one of the larger, more pricey, hauls that I have done thus far and I received several giftcards furing December as well. I already went shopping yesterday and amassed a bunch of items so I already know what is going to be in my next haul :) My next haul will be more fashion oriented with a few bits of beauty goodies thrown in! Hope you like hauls and expect reviews of the aforementioned products really soon!

Belated Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

2011-12-26T14:17:00.000-08:00

The past few days were filled with family dinners and get togethers so I couldn't wish all of you lovely readers a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I hope everyone had a healthy and happy year and that the year to come will be even better! Surprisingly I did not wear any makeup for Christmas day and I did not take many pictures of the holiday festivities. At the end of the month I will be posting a "December Wrapup" to highlight some of the interesting events that occurred throughout the month. I hope to consistently do a wrap up post each month just to make this blog a little more personal because I enjoy peeking into other people's lives too!

Anyway, here was how my nails looked like for the past few days leading up to Christmas!~

Excuse the blurry photo but you can clearly see I am still in love with Sephora by OPI nail polishes! This is another shade from the Manhattan Minis Collection called "Say It Ain't So-ho". This eye catching bright tangerine red looks orange or red depending on the lighting. It's definitely one of the brightest nail colors I own and is very nice for the holidays.

Once again, enjoy the rest of what's left of 2011 before it's over! I am aiming to film and post my collective haul and empties before the new year but I'm not sure that I can do it.... We'll see :)