Too Faced Pink Leopard Bronzing Powder

The other day I went to check my mail like I do daily and what do I see? A catalog from Ulta, with a certificate on it yesssssss! I thought it was one of those $3.50 off a $10 purchase but nope it was the certificate that you receive every few months and you get to pick a free product based on how much you spent in the past few months. They change the award products quite frequently so I didn't know what I was going to pick until I looked up Level 5 (yeah I hit level 5, uh oh blame it on the holidays, shall we?!) and the corresponding products. They had some salon services, which I didn't need/want and a few other things which didn't attract me. But then I saw this Too Faced Bronzer in the list and decided to get it and I did. This is only one of the very few products I own by Too Faced. I used the Lash Injection mascara which I absolutely hated (I know there are a lot of fans of it out there) so sort of steered away from Too Faced altogether. I am happy to say that I love this bronzer. Could it be the Leopard-ness? Possibly.



Here is what I think about...

Packaging: Do I even need to say anything?? It's so cute, just look at it. But besides being cute, it's also sophisticated. It has this little pink fabric loop on the front that you pull to open. You open it and ta da you see yourself because it has a mirror and under it it says " You look absolutely purrrfect!" What a confidence booster!

Product: Has a leopard pattern with bronze, pink and brown colors. It's pigmented and comes off as champagne-y color as you can see on my hand. It is quite shimmery so if you're one of those people who don't like shimmer on their face, then this product may not be for you. I say give it a try at Ulta or Sephora before purchasing it. I tried it on my face (forgot to take a picture, but promise I will do a look using it!) and touched up on my forehead, nose and chin, you know where sun would hit naturally and it gave my face a healthy flush and looked very pretty Obviously you can adjust the amount that goes on your face so you don't look like a disco ball :)

Note: I got this for free since I used an award certificate. Current retail price is $28.00.

I think this could be a great everyday bronzer and perfect for summer. My everyday bronzer (Physician's Formula Solar Power SPF20 Bronzer, see it in picture above compared to Too Faced one) is matte and sometimes it's nice to have a little shimmer, I think I will alternate between them. This bronzer seriously reminds me of All That Glitters e/s by MAC and I will probably end up using it as an eyeshadow too (It'll be a good dupe for it, almost) I love products that can be used more than one way!

Have you guys used this bronzer? What do you think about it?

February Favorites

Believe it or not, but February is over tomorrow. It feels wrong, I know, it feels like we should have 2 or 3 more days until the month is over, at least it feels that way for me but nope Monday will be March 1, time is flyinggggg!!! So, here are my February favorites, these products aren't necessarily bought in February they are just the ones that I reached for the most this month.


1. Revlon PhotoReady Foundation: Though it caused quite a controversy (many complained about its shimmer) I love this foundation, it gives my skin that airbrushed look, makes it look flawless, great coverage, camouflages my pores...what else can I ask for? I can see it being in my monthly favorites for a long time, until something better comes along of course!

2. Nars Blush in Deep Throat: Even though we've only been together for a few days, we clicked right away! It gives me the perfect flush of color and has just the right amount of shimmer in it.

3. Sinful Colors in Easy Going: The perfect neutral color. Most worn nail polish this month. There is just something innocent and sweet about it!

4. NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencils in variety of colors: It's nothing new, everyone loves these and I do too. How can one not? They are just perfect to layer under your eyeshadows and give off beautiful colors.

5. MAC Viva Glam lipstick in GAGA: Pink and totally GAGA! This lipstick is to die for, MAC needs to make it permanent.

6. L'oreal Extra Volume Collagen Mascara: Volumizing, lengthening, without clumping, only beautiful lashes. This is what this mascara really is.

7. Aussie Instant Freeze Hair Spray: Best hair spray I've ever used, hands down. Holding power is beyond the universe, keeps my style in its place, isn't tacky and smells wonderful.

8. Soap & Glory Flake Away Scrub: Leaves my skin silky smooth, moisturizes really good that I don't even need a lotion after using it and it smells delish!

What are your favorites??

Soap & Glory - Flake Away + Girligo

Hola chicas!

Today I am reviewing the last 2 products from Soap and Glory because I have other things that I want to blog about and I don't have patience to wait any longer!

My thoughts on Flake Away...




Flake Away is a "spa body polish", or really a body scrub. This scrub has Shea Butter, sweet almond oil, peach seed powder, sea salt and sugar. When I saw that it has sea salt in it, I was kind of skeptical because I knew it would be abrasive, however it's nothing close it and I guess that has to do with the fact that it also has sugar in it. It doesn't irritate skin at all. I am in love with the smell of this scrub. It smells just like Hair Supply. I love that it has peach seed in it because that seems to do wonders for my skin (I use Burt's Bees peach face scrub and it's awesome!) I used this scrub about 3-4 times and all times it left my skin very smooth. It's also super moisturizing that I can get away without using any lotion after I use this. I have been using H2O's Vanilla scrub which has been discontinued for a long time now and I will be running out of it soon (I'm so sad!) and I will be buying Flake Away instead. ($9.99 for 8.4oz)


My thoughts on Girligo...



Girligo is a moisturizing body mist. I don't normally do body mists simply because they don't have a lasting scent and I'd rather use perfumes. Girligo isn't an exception to this. It smells great, imagine strawberries, musk, peaches...You spray it on and it's supposed to be moisturizing. First of all, you can't just spray it on and expect it to moisturize your skin, you need to work it into your skin. After doing that, it gets sort of sticky at least it does on my skin and I don't like that. I like lighter moisturizers that my skin absorbs easily. I don't think it's moisturizing, yes it makes your skin softer than right before you sprayed it but your skin will go back to its pre-misted state pretty quick. The idea is good, the bottle has a spray pump etc, but I don't see myself dishing out $12 for this though I heart the scent.

Soap & Glory - The Righteous Butter

Hey girls!

Today's review is on The Righteous Butter by Soap & Glory. I must say that I am not really a fan of butters because they are usually too thick for my liking. On my skin they take forever to smear and I am more of a apply and go type of person. I don't like rubbing body butters for five minutes. I prefer lotions over butters, and I think they serve the same purpose. Somehow though, this is my most favorite product of all the products I got from the Plane Jane bag. I love the texture of it, I don't even know if this should be called butter. It's not really thick or at least not as thick as other butters I used and it absorbs rather quickly. In it, it has aloe vera and shea butter, no wonder my skin felt like a baby's after I applied this all over after showering. It smells really good and the scent sticks around for a good while. Even after your skin absorbs it you can still smell it. Soap & Glory's website points out that "Smells like bergamot, strawberries and mandarin, with floral and fruity mid notes and musk, amber and warm vanilla notes on the bottom". I am definitely sensing the bergamot and mandarin or something citrus-y and musky, but strawberry? No. I just want to let my fellow bloggers/followers know that way you don't buy this thinking it has a strawberry scent, it doesn't. Does it do what it claims to do? Yes. Will I buy it in full size? Most definitely! I am also pretty obsessed with these containers, they are just too cute! I can't see myself throwing these away when I am done with the product, I think I will remove the stickers and use them for something else, for what, I have no idea. Before I forget, I just said I am obsessed with the containers but not when it comes to using the product because I have to dip my finger nails in to get the cream out, maybe I will just use my knuckles like I see people doing all the time ;) The Righteous Butter retails for $14.99 for a 10.1 oz container.

I went to Tj Maxx and found...



....a lip gloss and blush duo from NARS!!! Yes you read that right! I went to Tj Maxx because last time I was there, I saw these super soft plushy flip flops to wear around the house but didn't know if I should get them then, I slept on it and decided I should go get them. As I was walking towards the area with slippers, I see these black NARS boxes and acted like it's nothing special...I have seen them before, yes, but then realized I never EVER saw them at TjMaxx before! There were bunch of these duo boxes with lip gloss and blush AND a few boxes of lip gloss sets. To my surprise, the blush ended up being Deep Throat which I wanted for a long time! I grabbed it without even thinking. The lip gloss is Striptease, it is a lovely nude. I will most likely wear it with a lipstick under it or I may even mix it with a more colorful lip gloss to tone it down a bit. I also checked NARS' website and they carry both of these sets, only difference is over there they are more expensive. Lip Gloss Collection (this is what it's actually called on the website and it's $40.00) comes with five shades and they are: Striptease, Orgasm, Bloodwork, Harlow and Triple X. I'm thinking about getting this too but we'll see. I'm just surprised that as popular as Turkish Delight lip gloss is, it wasn't included in this favorites collection, that's interesting. Tj Maxx is selling this for $24.99. I got the Striptease Lip Gloss/Deep Throat Blush Duo for $24.99 as well and it retails for $45.00 at NARS. I always love these deals! If I was to buy only Deep Throat, and it has been on my lust list for quite some time now, I would dish out $26.00 and for less than that I got a lip gloss as well! :) I have no idea how long Tj Maxx will have these, considering NARS is a very popular brand not too long. I'm not sure if every Tj Maxx carries them. I actually asked the store manager and she said they don't even know what stuff they will get let alone other stores. However, if you know you'll be making a trip to Tj Maxx, look around and you may get lucky! What are your favorite finds at Tj Maxx? I also love it when I find Korres products, it's rare though, wish they had them more frequently. What are your good finds from Tj Maxx??








Soap & Glory - Great Shakes

 Hey girls!!!

Today's product is the Great Shakes Hand Cream. Like all Soap & Glory products, this one also passes the scent test. It smells wonderful! Lately, as in the past week, my hands have been beyond chapped. It's been pretty cold in Chicago (surprise surprise!) and the fact that I have a 6 month old puppy whom I have to take out every few hours doesn't help much. Even if I go out all bundled up and with my gloves on, somehow my skin gets all cracked. In fact they were so cracked, you see the little pieces of white skin residue coming up, ew! Since I started using Great Shakes, my hands are much smoother and softer. The white dried skin residue (I don't know what else to call it lol) is 90% gone. I have been using this hand cream 2-3 times throughout the day and it definitely helps. I love the formula, while very creamy it's not greasy, at all. According to the container, this hand cream is infused with glycerin, (which I know dries my skin, weird because this cream doesn't) fennel and lotus flower. What I am dying to know: Why does the description of this hand cream in Soap & Glory's website say that this cream has shea butter, macadamia oil and marshmallow? What happened to the lotus flower and fennel, huh? It does smell a bit shea buttery though. I really love the fact that I got this cream in the full size out of the bag, I'm glad it wasn't the body wash that was full size! I would repurchase this again because it seems to work for my nasty cracked hands and the lovely smell is always a plus. You can find this product at Target for $9.99 for 4.2oz, the website does say 3.8oz which IS a typo, you can see that on the actual product it says 4.2oz. Whoever is maintaining their website is obviously slacking off...



A little update: I was contacted by Alvin over at Soap & Glory in regards to the confusion about the actual weight of this product. Great Shakes DOES weigh 4.2oz, so I guess we can just disregard what the website says :) Thank you Alvin, didn't mean to bash you or anything!

NOTD: Sephora By O.P.I - On Stage

Hey everyone!

Here is what I have on my nails today. I left my nails alone for a few days so they breathe a little bit (and as you can see I trimmed them because one chipped and then broke so I filed all of them down) and yesterday as I was going through my nail polish box I realized I neglected this color for a while so I thought why not use it! This is my first nail polish that I bought from Sephora by O.P.I. I have used Sephora nail polishes in the past and was very unhappy with them both because the brush was very cheap quality and the polish went bad super fast. I was skeptical buying On Stage but seeing O.P.I on it made me feel better because O.P.I really makes some of the best nail polishes, if not the best. I love love love this color, I want to call it mauve taupe? Does look like some shade of purple/plum, Sephora calls it grey plum. Applying it is fairly easy, mostly because the formula is good. Brush could definitely improve and be thicker needless to say it's lacking bristles big time. Look at the comparison of it to an O.P.I brush. It is $9 and I think for that price, they could have made a better brush. Even O.P.I nail polishes are cheaper than that at $8.50 :) I'm also wondering O.P.I's contribution to these nail polishes since they chip pretty easy, I only had this color on for 24 hours WITH a top coat and I am already beginning to see the tips of my nails. I don't have this problem with a regular O.P.I nail polish, at all, even without a top coat. Could it be a marketing trick, since I am sure Sephora knows people will be more likely to buy the nail polish if they see an O.P.I on it? Who knows...As with most nail polishes, I recommend two coats of this. Is there a nail polish that looks good with only 1 coat? I doubt it, let me know though! I confess, sometimes if I am in a hurry and don't want to leave my nails bare I will thrown on a coat even though I know it looks so unglamorous...I am wearing my nail hardener as a base coat, 2 coats of On Stage and a top coat.

Soap & Glory - Clean On Me

Today I'm reviewing product #2 from the Soap & Glory bag. Clean on Me is a shower gel which smells delicious. After a few uses, I don't love it and I don't hate it. I have mixed emotions about this product. I just don't know if I would go out of my way to purchase this in full size only because of the way it smells. I feel that it just doesn't have that moisturizing element in it. My skin sort of felt dehydrated after drying. I don't think this shower gel is anything special when compared to other shower gels in the market. However, I do like the scent of it (smells like mandarin/clementine), the consistency (nice and creamy!) and the fact that it was easy to lather up. But I get a lot more of a moisturized skin when I use any of my Lush soaps. I'm sorry Soap & Glory, but this shower gel just doesn't cut it for me, change your formula and I will give it a try again! Has anyone tried Clean on Me?? Do share your experience! :) It currently retails at Target for $9.99 for 16.9 oz.

Soap & Glory - Hair Supply

Hello girls!

As some of you may know, I hit the jackpot with the Plane Jane Travel Bag from Soap and Glory that I got from Target for only $13.99 (originally $26.99) I had been dying to try out this brand for a long time so this was the perfect opportunity. I think my curiosity for this brand had a lot to do with the fact that the woman who created Bliss spa is the creator of Soap & Glory as well! Her name is Marcia Kilgore, look her up if you don't know her already. I LOVE Bliss products and was hoping Soap & Glory goodies will be just as good with the exception of a huge hole in my pocket. (Bliss products, while great, are pretty expensive) Anyhow, I got 6 fairly good sized products out of this adorable bag + neck pillow for my long flights :) So I think this week's theme will be Soap & Glory and I will review a product everyday, well minus Sunday unless I book myself a flight somewhere then I will review the neck pillow also! Today I'm reviewing the product called "Hair Supply". I have been searching for a hair mask and was happy to see that this bag comes with one. (I really like the Macadamia Hair's hair mask but am always open to new products, read my review about it here) Soap and Glory is advertising Hair Supply as a Gloss-Giving Radiance & Repair Mask ~ for all hair types. When you first open the tube, you are swept off your feet by this amazing scent! It really reminded me of Euphoria by Calvin Klein, which I adore, if you used this product what do you guys think of the scent? Texture-wise, it has just the right consistency, not too runny or too thick. Directions tell you to leave it in your hair for 60 seconds if using as a conditioner or 3-4 minutes if using it as part of a more intense treatment, which is what I did since I don't wash my hair everyday. I left it on for 4 minutes and as I always do, I combed my hair, whooaaaa my hair while wet with this in it felt super smoothand was very easily combed! Then I rinsed, towel dried, combed again and my hair was very smooth and smelling yummy. It really felt like I washed my hair with Euphoria! I sprayed my hair with my Matrix Biolage Fortifying Leave-in Treatment and went to bed. When I woke up my hair was very soft to touch and was super shiny. I can definitely see a difference because I don't see this much shine when I only use my Matrix Biolage Conditioner (though that makes my hair pretty smooth too). Overall I like this product and I can see myself buying a full size of it and use it once a week to keep my hair healthy,shiny and hydrated. It retails at Target for $9.99 for a 6.7oz tube.

Wet 'n Wild Mega Liner

Hey ladies!

I have a verrrrry belated review on this liquid eyeliner I bought a while back from Walgreens. Why did I want to buy a liquid eyeliner in the first place? Simply because I think they are great when you're trying to achieve a cleaner look. For instance I wouldn't want to go to a job interview wearing my UD 24/7 in Zero, I would prefer a liquid eyeliner because it stays put and while attractive it's still appropriate. At first I was pretty hesitant about this eyeliner because, well, it is Wet 'n Wild, the last time I used this brand was back in middle school when I didn't know much about make-up. Also the prices of this brand are pretty scary. Naturally when you see any makeup that's $3, you can't help but think about the quality of the product. (I know there is the elf brand, which I personally never used but heard great things about, please don't take it personally, I am not saying anything bad about any company that sells their products cheap) I have used this eyeliner for a couple of weeks now and I am very happy with it. I am glad to see that Wet 'n Wild has improved a lot since 8th grade. The applicator brush may be pretty tricky because it's not felt tip, it may be hard for people who are just beginning to use liquid eyeliners but it is pretty affordable and you can practice your techniques using this. After you master the liquid eyeliner technique you can move on to other brands, that way you won't waste an expensive liquid eyeliner. I think it'd make a good practice eyeliner. I actually bought it thinking it's felt tip because on the box (which I accidentally tossed, oops!) they show how the brush looks, and to me that doesn't look like a brush but felt tip! I was pretty bummed after I came home and saw that it was a brush but wanted to give it a shot anyway. Just so you know, I am more of a pencil eyeliner kind of girl and don't have too much experience using liquid eyeliners but I found using this pretty easy, it applies evenly and smooth. These pictures are from today, I put on this eyeliner around noon and it's now 7 pm, no smudging no raccoon eyes yayyy! The only thing I don't like about it is the size, it's .12 oz, but for $2.99 I guess I will keep my mouth shut :) Would I repurchase? Yes! I will be going back and getting it in other colors, I wanna get green or blue or maybe purple (if they have it)! For reference, this color is black and it's #861. Here are some pictures with my Wet 'n Wild Mega Liner!

FOTD: Featuring Club by MAC

Hey girls!

I haven't done a FOTD for a while because I've been sort of letting my face breathe a bit by wearing minimal make-up, it's like my way of face detoxing :) Buuuuut today I decided to bring an end to this because I realized since I got the "Club" eye shadow I haven't used it once so today had to be the day. Actually I didn't know what colors to use at first then I found this scarf that I had and I got inspired by the colors on it, that's how I decided to use Club and some other colors because they are all on this scarf :) Hope everyone is having or had a great day, I am...it's a beautiful day in Chicago!

In the picture below I am wearing Viva Glam Gaga lipstick, and in the other pictures I am wearing Victorian (also by MAC). While VG Gaga is a beautiful color, I thought it was a bit too much for this look, so I kept Victorian and love it like this.


Here's what I used for this look:

face
revlon photo ready foundation, mac msf natural, sephora blush me twice for contouring, mac dollymix blush

eyes
udpp all over lids, benefit erase paste under eyes, mac goldmine e/s inner third/corners, mac club e/s on middle third, urban decay mildew e/s on outer third and crease, mac plumage e/s on lower lash line (outer half) mac nocturnelle e/s on inner half of lash line, mac carbon e/s used to lightly line upper lid, sephora flashy liner in flashy blue in waterline, l'oreal extra volume collagen mascara (first time using this mascara and I'm in love!!!)

lips
mac victorian l/s



Mixed Haul - Walgreens, Target + Viva Glam GaGa

Hey lovies!

Lately I'm running out of something everyday, it's never ending, I find myself at a drug-store or market every single day! I have recently been to Walgreens because I needed hairspray and mascara. So I got myself the Aussie Instant Freeze Hair Spray, I wonder how my hair will hold up, it says Extreme Hold on it, but then again they all say that! Covergirl Lashblast is my HG mascara and I love it to pieces BUT I always like to try new stuff and love to write about them on my blog. Unfortunately I was taking WAY too long trying to decide what mascara to buy and finally pulled myself together and left without buying one because I just couldn't make up my mind. Instead I ended up buying the Wet 'n Wild gel liner in the weird UFO-looking container. Then today we ran out of hand soap and some other things that I just didn't realize we're about to run out of, so I thought I'd hit up TargƩ this time. Lately I'm totally a slacker when it comes to house needs, I need to go back to being organized ASAP. I thought hey while I'm here why don't I get a mascara, so I ended up going with L'oreal's Extra Volume Collagen, Eva Longoria was looking gorgeous supposedly wearing this mascara (and I am sure she wasn't) but she made me buy it! Then, I remembered I also need a bodywash. I love my Lush goodies but I also love my body washes. I am not really crazy about any of Lush body washes and since I was let down by my last body wash purchase at Bath and Body Works I wanted to give a try to something else. Whenever I go to Target I can't ever not go to the aisle where they have the Soap and Glory things, even if I always end up not buying anything because they are a bit on the pricey side. So today was nothing different, I went to that same aisle, sniffed everything and right when I was about to sadly walk away, WHAT DO I SEE???? This adorable bag, unfairly placed all the way on the bottom, stuffed with bunch of things like body wash, lotion, scrub, hand cream, AND a blow-up neck pillow, but wait this isn't it, all of this for $13.48!?! It was regularly priced at $26.99 and this means I HAD TO have it. It was a win-win situation, I really needed a body wash, and a neck pillow lol I do travel trans-Atlantic twice a year so I need to take care of my neck! Even though I love this little bag, highlight of my week (so far) is the Viva Glam GaGa lipstick from MAC. Yes!!! My hubby and I went to the mall on Monday for a different purpose, for him. But how is it my fault that men's section at Macy's is conveniently located right next to the MAC counter? So I had to at least pass by! One thing lead to another and I found myself with this lipstick in my hand at the register doing the puppy eyes look in order to get someone else besides myself to buy it for me. I know sometimes I forget that I'm 25, anyway so he got it for me, thank you hunny!

My skincare routine

Hello everyone!

Few ladies asked me about my skincare routine so today's post will be about the products I use as part of my facial skincare routine. I didn't always care so much about facial care, I used to buy products (and a lot of them) and forget about them once they took their place on the shelves. I had countless instances where I went to bed with my make-up still on. I know, now that I think about I was crazy for doing that! I was young and didn't know any better even though I grew up seeing my mom taking care of her skin, and I guess now all that hard work, being constant with her facial care is paying off. At almost 50 she has great skin and minimal wrinkling, I hope I can be like her when I'm at her age! Like most of us, I tried many, many different products and after looking for the perfect ones for my skin for a long time, here's what I came up with....

Face Wash

Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash

This is the best face wash my face ever experienced by far! First off, it smells amazing it has an herb-y, minty scent. I have normal combination skin with a bit of oiliness on my T-zone and this face wash is perfect for me. It leaves my face very refreshed and moisturized. I have been using this for more than 6 months and have never experienced dryness using it. I could probably just cleanse and go with this product (but of course I apply my moisturizer) It is a bit pricey ($18.50 for 5 oz.) but you really only need to use pea-size amount per use, so a little goes a VERY long way. I really like the packaging because it's clear and you can see it! It's also formulated WITHOUT these: Parabens, Phthalates, Propylene Glycol, Mineral oil, PABA, Petrolatum, Paraffin, DEA, Synthetic Color, Synthetic Fragrance and Animal Ingredients. Anyway the make-up I use daily has who-knows-what in it, so it feels good to know that at least I am doing something good for my skin by using this!



Facial Scrub

Burt's Bees Peach & Willowbark Deep Pore Scrub

I love this scrub because I love peach and that's what's in it; finely ground peach stone! Main reason I bought this was because it's formulated without parabens and phthalate and also because it has a peach on it and I'm glad I did. I don't use this scrub daily, more like every other day. However because the peach stone is very finely ground I am sure there would be no harm using it everyday. Besides the peach stone, it also has willowbark in it which is a natural source of salicylic acid. I love how my skin feels like a baby's after rinsing it off, it kind of leaves a very thin layer of film after washing it off and I guess that's the moisturizer in it going to work. I'm also very happy that it's quite affordable ($8.00 for 4oz.) I love that you don't have to pay big bucks for good products.


Face Masque

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

I'm sure many of you tried this masque and if you didn't, you MUST. Queen Helene is a drug-store brand and I am sure one of the best drug-store brands out there. This is the cure for zits and blackheads, believe me! It's great for spot-treatment too, I have used this many times on a random zit and the next day the zit was almost gone! I use this masque about 3 times a week just to open up my clogged pores, blame it on too much make-up! I love the the mint feels on my skin it's so cooling and refreshing. One thing I have noticed though, after using this you must immediately follow with a moisturizer. It can be a bit drying and you definitely don't want to see flakes on your face, it happened to me, not a pretty sight. Of course, another reason to love it is because it's very affordable don't get me wrong I don't EVER use a product because it's cheap, I don't like to take risks when it comes to my skin/face. It's just that I'm very happy with the product and even happier with the price $3.99 for 8 oz. :)


Toner

Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner

My mom is the sole reason that I am using this toner today. She swears by Dermalogica and I have used other products by Dermalogica going off of what she had to say about them. I didn't love everything I used, and when it comes to skincare my skin HAS TO love the products I use on it.  So, this toner is the only product from Dermalogica I decided to continue using. It is a bit pricey ($30 for 8.4oz.) but it works on my skin, does what a toner should do and contains no artificial color or fragrance. In it, it has Lavender, Balm Mint and Arnica, I am not really crazy about the combination of these scents, but it's not too bad because I use moisturizer right after it.


Moisturizer

Clean & Clear Soft Oil-free Moisturizer SPF 15

Another drug-store product I love. I have used way too many moisturizers, expensive ones and not-so expensive ones. At the end, this moisturizer was the winner. It's creamy yet not greasy and blends easily. In the past I used a few moisturizers that took forever for my skin to absorb, this one does a perfect job. It leaves my skin feeling silky smooth. I love how it smells, definitely has that Johnson & Johnson smell, reminds me of a bit of the baby shampoo I used all through my childhood :) I also love that this bottle has a pump because I love and usually have longer nails and absolutely hate to dip them in anything (that's why I refuse to use lip balms in tins etc) The fact that it has SPF 15 is a plus. It does say "DAY" on it because there is also one for nighttime however to me it doesn't make any difference, I use it for day and night. I don't believe in the whole daytime nighttime moisturizer hype. (I think this is around $8 for 4 oz.)




Make-up Remover

Neutrogena Make-up Remover Cleansing Towelettes 

I used these wipes for years and then I stopped because I was running out of them too fast, they come in packs of 25 so imagine you finish one in less than a month if you use 1 daily. I started using the Neutorgena eye-make up remover and continued with my regular skincare routine. After a bottle of the Neutorgena eye-make up remover I decided I won't buy it again because it IS oily and DOES leave a residue which I don't like at all. It also irritated my eye-area, I had red spots. Recently I have gone back to these wipes because they really are great, I just wish that they came in bigger packs and were a bit cheaper. I love them because they really do take off every bit of make-up including mascaras of all kinds. They are super gentle on my skin, no irritation whatsoever.They are great for people who use contact lenses such as myself. Using eye make-up remover, I always got a bit on my eyes and that's not fun. I also love that they have a nice floral scent. ($8.99)

LUSH Magic Mushroom Bubble Bar

Hola chicas!

I hope everyone had a lovely v-day, no matter how or who you celebrated with :) Speaking of v-day, my today's post is, as you can tell, about one of the Lush v-day goodies. I know there has already been a number of reviews on them but here are my two cents regardless! Yesterday the adorable magic mushroom bubble bar and I separated ways, well we both went in the tub but still, he went down the drain. Look: First of all, I must say that my bath tub is baby blue so when I crumbled the bar it turned into this orange-ish color, imagine orange colored water on blue tub...it looked like there was blood in the tub, gross! I know it's not Lush's fault, obviously they can't cater to everyone's needs and make bubble bars according to people's tubs but it just looked gross to me. Smell: Heavenly, but then again I don't know of too many products from Lush that don't smell yummy, with a few exceptions of course. Bubbles: Got a decent amount, definitely didn't beat the Flosty Gritter or Comforter bubble bars and probably that's why it's a seasonal product. They stuck around for a good while though, so I'll give'em that. Afterward: I don't think Lush claims this bubble bar to be moisturizing but if they do then they're wrong, my skin felt a bit dry and the beautiful smell unfortunately vanished. Overall, I have mixed feelings about this bubble bar, if it was a permanent bar I probably wouldn't go out of my way to purchase it, maybe if they were sold out of everything else.

NOTD: China Glaze - For Audrey

Audrey Hepburn? Possibly! This is a total Tiffany's blue nail polish and I am sure China Glaze was dying to call this "Tiffany Blue" but unfortunately Tiffany & Co holds the trademark for this color. Regardless it's a beautiful turquoise color which is one of my favorite colors EVER. Turquoise gives me sense of peace and reminds me of the Mediterranean Sea and summer...ahh bliss!

China Glaze makes good nail polishes and I love the colors they come up with but I'm not really crazy about their brushes. They need learn to master the art of brush making from OPI! I think CG brushes are too long and thin. Long brushes make applying the polish evenly so difficult. If they make shorter brushes with more bristles like OPI does, then really all you need to do is dip the brush in nail polish and in one "swipe" you can coat your nails, or at least this is how it is in my case. I'm not even putting up a picture of how this polish looked with only 1 coat, you really can't get away with 1 coat with this baby! I suggest 2, but if you can do 3 even better!

For Audrey is definitely not your everyday color (I guess it depends on what you do/work) it's in the fun polish for weekend category. I think it would be a fun idea to use this color on toes for your "Something Blue" in your wedding if you wanna spice things up a bit or if you're having a Breakfast at Tiffany's themed party etc.

Here I have my nail hardener as my base coat, 2 coats of polish and top coat.

MAC Spring Colour Forecast I & II - Small haul

Hey lovies!

As some of you may know, few weeks ago I swung by MAC to turn in my empty containers (18 of them!) to get some lipsticks in return and actually ended up getting 2 eyeshadows and 1 lipstick. One of the eyeshadows "Rose" put questions in my head after coming back home in terms of its freshness (I complained about the fact that the container didn't specify the finish of the eyshadow AND the color wasn't on MAC's website so these lead me to think it may be old) So today I stopped by to exchange that for something else and really went in to get the Lovelorn lipstick. Did that happen? What do you think? The answer starts with N and ends with O. lol I tried on bunch of lipsticks with the help of the lovely MUA (who helped me last time as well, she's such a doll!) I definitely tried on Creme D'nude (I know many people like this color but I didn't like it on me at all!) because they opened a new box since they ran out of it, I don't remember the other ones I tried. Anyhow, she asked if I liked anything from the Spring Colour Forecast Collection and even though when you walk into to this particular MAC it's right in front of you when you walk in, I didn't spend too much time looking at any of the items from this collection. I briefly looked at the lipsticks and saw that one of blushes said "sold out" on it, but that's it. Well I am glad she took me back to the new collection and I actually ended up getting two things from it! I got the Cultureclash Tinted Lipglass from the PINKS (Forecast 1) and the Victorian Lipstick (Frost) from the CORALS (Forecast 2) and I also got the Dollymix Blush. Victorian + Cultureclash = HOT! I'm in love with the combination. Here are the swatches so you know what I'm talking about (if you don't already :))

Nocturnelle

Hi girls!

I can't believe I didn't do a FOTD for a week! How did that happen?? I had been obsessing over nail-polishes over the past week and totally didn't care for make-up. Since my nail-polish obsession is over, I now present you my FOTD ~ purple-infused, I guess subconsciously I wanted my make-up to match my nails he he

Products used for this look are as follows;

FACE:
Revlon Photo Ready Foundation, MSF Natural, Physician's Formula Baked Bronzer, Sephora Blush Me Twice Duo for contouring, Tarte A Perfect Whirled cheek stain

EYES:
UDPP all over lids, NYX Jumbo Pencil in Strawberry Milk all over lids, MAC e/s Nocturnelle middle third of lid, MAC e/s Shadowy Lady on outer third and crease, NYX Jumbo Pencil in Black Bean on upper and lower lashline (smudged) Anastasia Brow Duality (matte side) on brow bone, CG Lashblast mascara.

Note: I used an angled brush to wing out the line on upper lid and connected the lines from upper and lower lids, finally blended it into Shadowy Lady e/s.

LIPS:
MAC l/s in Myth
MAC Slimshine l/s in Bare

NOTD: O.P.I Pamplona Purple

Hey everyone!

Here is what I have on my nails today and probably I will keep this color for 3-4 days since it's one of my favorites! Pamplona Purple is a very pretty plum color and is part of the O.P.I EspaƱa collection. I like to wear this color on nails and toes too, another reason to love it! I'm sure you can easily find it on eBay or Amazon, if you don't want to pay full price. I love O.P.I nail polishes in general and purchase them more than any other brand. Before applying the polish, I applied a coat of Sally Hansen Hard As Nails nail strengthener (which I love, I need to do a review on this!) Below you can see how nails look with 1 and 2 coats. They actually look like two different colors, after applying the second coat I think I achieved the same color that's in the bottle. I normally do two coats no matter what the color is, as you can see one coat looks streaky and bad!

Macadamia Natural Oil - Macadamia Deep Repair Masque

Hey everyone!!!

I recently went to Ulta to buy cotton rounds and whenever I go to Ulta I walk around a bit to see if there is anything new. I was walking around in the hair section and these containers with lime-green lids caught my attention. So I walk over to them and see that it's a new haircare line which consists of shampoos, masques and other treatments. There was also no price on these, so I immediately knew they would be expensive lol I opened one of the bottles to smell it and WOW I fell in love with the scent right then and there. I didn't quite know what this smells was so I read the back like I always do to find out that it's Macadamia Oil! It smells nutty, and almost like there is a bit of coconut in it too. I didn't really need a shampoo but the Deep Repair Masque sounded like something I could use on my hair since I straighten my hair more than I should and really even though I am using my heat protective spray religiously, I am still damaging my hair! So I took the bottle with me to the register and discovered it's $28 (for 8.5oz) okay that was a little too much to spend on a hair masque.


 I took their website address, came home, logged on and found that they have a $5 sample pack which includes the masque AND the healing oil treatment. $5 didn't seem too much to give it a try. I received the package in speed of light, literally, it was here the next day all the way from Cali.! I tried the masque for the first time last night and I am just amazed by how good it is! I am not even talking about the smell which is awesome, but I am talking about how it feels on your hair. I have naturally wavy/curly and quite thick hair. I think the fact that my hair is thick causes it to be not so soft. Well we can't have everything we want! While in the shower, reading the instructions, I applied this masque to my shampooed and rinsed hair and left it on for 7 minutes and also combed it through. I felt that the masque went straight to work because I was able to very easily comb it right away. Now, I always comb my hair while in the shower after I apply my conditioner but I can never comb it right away because it takes a while for the conditioner to start working. 7 minutes later I rinsed it off which again was super easy, I noticed with other masques/treatments that I used you need to rinse for 5 minutes for everything to wash off. After towel drying my hair I could still smell the scent in my hair, I just slept for 9 hours (with my hair wet, simply because I like to air dry it unless I'm in a hurry) and the smell is still here! What is more important is that my hair is soft beyond words. After towel drying my hair last night I didn't brush it on purpose to see if my hair will be tangled when I wake up in the morning. Right now I'm sitting here with my crazy curly hair which has absolutely no tangles and is shining like a star and I can actually run my fingers through it! According to this little booklet I received along with the samples, Macadamia Deep Repair Masque is a combination of macadamia oil, argan oil along with tea tree oil (which I LOVE!), chamomile oil and aloe. I will definitely be purchasing this in full-size and will let you guys know how the Healing Oil Treatment works for me. Their website address is http://www.macadamiahair.com/ for those who are interested, I just checked and they still have the $5 sample pack.

Weekend Haul

Hola chicas!

I have been desperate to go to Sephora to get some new blush(es) because it feels like I'm always wearing the same blush which is Peachykeen by MAC. I do love it, it's been my go-to blush for quite some time now. However, I need a change! I couldn't decide between NARS and Illamasqua, I had a few colors in mind from both brands but I thought I'll check them out once I go there. Swatching is everything! Well so I get to the mall, and what's on my way to Sephora? FOREVER 21! How can you not pop in when you're right in front of it? Impossible. So I go in and spend an hour there, maybe 2?? I picked up a few lovely things...Then I head on over to Sephora and swatch five million things, and decide to go for 3 things from Sephora brand. I had no idea Sephora liquid eyeliners were beyond smudge-proof and impossible to wash off?! So I got Doe Eyed Felt Eyeliner in black, Flashy Liner in Flashy Blue and an eye-shadow in It-blue (it's paraben-free too! :)) I was thinking to get My Favorite Jeans eye-shadow but I realized it's not as pigmented as the It-blue, this is gorgeous! Then I remember what I went to Sephora for, for a blush! I look around and no Illamasqua?! Huh?! I asked the sales associate, and she looked at me like I was speaking another language, I guess she never heard of that brand? Then when I'm at the register she finds me and tells me only east and west coasts have Illasmasqua brand in stores "because it's such a high-end brand" ooookay and NARS isn't? As far as I know they don't sell NARS at Walgreens! I just don't get how Chicago doesn't have Illamasqua at Sephora, for those who don't know Chicago is the third biggest city in the U.S. Ahhh the perks of living in "America", we get everything a year after the entire world! I just don't wanna order blush on Sephora's website, because I simply don't want to deal with the hassle of returning if I don't like it. So basically I'm blushless.

Here's what I got...

Sweater Top with Navy/Fuchsia Stripes and removable multi-strand pearl necklace...


Q: Why do I love it?
A: I've been eying this top forever, just wasn't willing to shell out $30 for it. I'm a huge bow fan, and pearls are just too girly to pass up. Combination of bow + pearls = Cuteness. It's a very versatile top, can be dressed up or down. Colors are totally me. Most importantly it was on clearance for $13.99!!!

Floral Cardigan with puffy sleeves


Q: Why do I love it?
A: I love cardigans and have them in many colors/patterns. I wear them all the time. It's hard to not layer when you live in this city! I'm lately liking the floral look and wanted to give it a try, tried it, liked it, got, it. Now I will rock it! I also dig puffy sleeves. I know I will be wearing this a lot!

  Basic Red/White striped racer-back tank-top


Q: Why do I love it?
A: Ties into my love for cardigans. I wear tank-tops daily and wear cardigans or sweaters over them. I also like to layer two tank tops together. I especially love the combination of red and white and I have too many solid tanks and wanted to spice it up a bit. Like the relaxed fit.

Sugar - Defined! (racer-back tank-top)
     

Q: Why do I love it?
A: It's talking about all the sweet stuff in life! Cupcakes, ice cream, chocolate :) I thought this was cute and girly, and it would be a nice addition to my collection since I don't have anything like this. I can see myself wearing this with pretty much any cardigan or even a blazer. Another versatile piece.

Here are all the items, pretty self-explanatory...

This is the Sephora brand felt-tip eyeliner which I haven't used yet, so I can't say much about it. I got it because of the felt-tip. However I can tell you one thing about them, and it's that they are impossible to wash off. I swatched a few different colors while I was at the store and tried to take it off with make-up remover ~ fail, washed hands countless times ~ fail, I'm kind of scared to use it on my lids...what if it doesn't come off? lol



Heart shape is the swatch for the Flashy Waterproof Liner in Flashy Blue. And the eyeshadow in It-blue, basically corn-flower blue, so pretty! I wonder how it'll look on me, hey if it doesn't work on upper lid, there is always the lower lid! In case you're wondering those weird lines on my hands, that's the waterproof liners, told you they don't come off!

I got tagged!

I got tagged by lovely Roz at http://dutchessroz.blogspot.com/, thanks doll!

What’s your favourite eye shadow colour to wear?  
  • Golds, taupes and plums (1 is never enough!)
What’s the one product you wouldn’t leave your house without?  
  • Bronzer
What’s your favourite makeup look? 
  • Smokey Eyes
Which feature do you play up the most? 
  • Eyes
Which feature do you try to downplay/cover up? 
  •  Discoloration
Your favourite makeup brand, if you could pick only ONE to exist?  
  • MAC, all the way & forever!
Which product have you re-purchased OVER and OVER again?  
  • Covergirl Lashblast
Which product would you NEVER repurchase again and why? 
  • Burt's Bees Pomegranate shampoo/conditioner, left my hair stripped off all the oils I could seriously not brush my hair even after conditioning it and they stink! 
One beauty treatment you would always PAY to have done?  
  •  Hair coloring/cut
One beauty treatment you would NEVER pay to have done? 
  •  Eyebrow wax ~ Many people do, but I have a 5x magnifying mirror, I can see every single little hair and thankfully I don't have shaky hands and I'm happy with their shape, so why pay for it?
One beauty trick you can share with everyone?   
  • This is like a grandma type of thing but works wonders. Boil a pot of water for a few minutes, remove from stove, add herbs inside if you like (chamomile, rosemary, mint even lemon) put your head over the pot and drape a towel/sheet over your head so the steam doesn't escape and steam your face to perfection. Great for getting rid off nasty blackheads and opening pores, I try to do this regularly about 2 times a week!)
Best advice you've ever been given regarding beauty and makeup?
  • Don't pull (or do it very gently) your eyelids when applying eye-shadows or eyeliner, sometimes I attempt to do it because I had been doing it this way until I was told about the disadvantages of it. Doing so will stretch your skin and that will not be a pretty sight...

FREE 2-Day Shipping at MAC! (US only)

Hey girlies!

I just got this e-mail from MAC stating they offer free 2 day shipping with any purchase, just wanted to share it with everyone in case you aren't signed up to receive these e-mails! Coupon code is "CUPID" (cute!) Unfortunately it's for US customers only and the coupon is valid until 11:59 EST February 7, 2010. (Make sure to click 2-day for shipping at check out) Or you can always get free regular shipping with any purchase of $50, just not 2-days. They are usually pretty quick with sending orders, I don't think it's ever taken me to receive my stuff more than 5 days but still, when I order anything from their website I want them like RIGHT NOW! :) Hope everyone is having a great Sunday! XO

                                    

NOTD: Sinful Colors - Beautiful Girl

I have been looking for a barbie pink nail polish for such a long time! My sister actually gave me a similar color but it went bad before I got to use it. I admit, I have too many nail polishes and it's sad that some go bad because I don't have the chance to really use them, I will need to downsize ugh (if possible...)! Anyhow, this is the other color I got along with Easy Going and this one is called Beautiful Girl, obviously not as creative of a name as OPI or Essie nail polishes but oh well, at this price ($1.99) and quality I will keep my mouth shut! I'm not sure if the change of color really impacts the formula. I have some Essie polishes that go on beyond streaky and look gross even after 2 coats, then I have other ones from Essie that go on smooth, so maybe color does effect the formula! In this case, I had the same experience as I had with Easy Going. However because I wanted a richer color I applied 3 coats and I love the results!

 

 As you can see from the above photo you'd be better off not wearing this nail polish if you're planning to apply only 1 coat, in my opinion nails look bad if the white tips show unless it's French manicure of course.


   If you apply 2 coats, you can still see the tips but not so bad, surely it depends on the nails since some people don't have their nails long enough to see the tips.


  Third coat has a pretty good result I think, you can barely see the tips and keep in mind this is a picture taken with flash. 

What do you think about Sinful Colors?

NOTD: Sinful Colors - Easy Going

Hey ladies!

Just wanted to do a quick post about this nail-polish I am currently loving! I went to Walgreen's the other day (we ran out of Advil what a coincidence!) and while I was looking for Advil I somehow found myself in the nail-polish aisle oh-uh! I usually never buy drugstore polishes because they always go bad super fast. I especially stayed away from Sinful Colors because I previously had a bad experience with their polishes. However, I like giving second chances so I thought why not now so I got two colors for $1.99 each, I have been wearing Easy Going for two days now and I'm very happy with it. I'm pretty sure they changed their formula, it's totally different than how it used to be. I like the brush, it applies the polish very even and absolutely no streaking! When it comes to color it's a pale pastel pink, one coat won't be enough if you want to get that milky color. I did two coats, but now that I think about I could have easily done the third coat, I was short on time so just left it at two coats otherwise it'd take forever to dry. I don't have a topcoat in this picture. Even without a top coat I think my nails look pretty shiny. Also I just cooked for an hour and washed hands frequently while doing so, and I am not seeing any chipping, amazing! $1.99 nail-polish that doesn't chip after an hour of cooking gets an A+ from moi!

O.P.I Hong Kong Collection Spring/Summer 2010

I heard that Hong Kong Collection recently hit the stores, I'm so excited!



Top row (L-R) Lucky Lucky Lavender, Jade is the New Black, Dim Sum Plum, Bling Dynasty, Hot & Spicy, Meet Me on the Star Ferry

Bottom row (L-R) A Good-Mandarin is Hard to Find, Pearl of Wisdom, Suzi Says Feng Shui, Chop-sticking to My Story, Panda-monium Pink, Read My Fortune Cookie

By looking at this, I'm liking Lucky Lucky Lavender, Hot & Spicy and Meet Me on the Star Ferry, I will need to go see the colors in person of course, seeing is believing!  Which ones do you guys like, did anybody buy any of these colors??

Also, E-nail Supply is currently offering 10% off when you buy 4 or more bottles of OPI nail-polish! (Coupon code: OPI10)

Essie The Art of Spring Collection 2010 - Van D'Go

Hey everyone!

Ever since I have seen Essie's new colors for spring, I have been crazy in love with Van D'Go and naturally couldn't wait to get my hands on this lovely shade! Luckily I received my $3.50 off a $10 purchase coupon from Ulta so I ran to the store and picked it up, love it when I receive these coupons right on time yay! I also wanted to get Neo Whimsical and Pop Art Pink but they didn't have any left (*tear) well I guess those colors will need to wait for the next coupon lol Ok so moving on to what's annoying me about this collection...Red with all these pastels? I don't see the relevance? It looks bad next to all these colors, I thought exactly the same when they came out with Mint Candy Apple for Winter 2009, I don't understand what this color has to do with winter, is it supposed to be the mint? Yes they serve peppermint mocha at Starbucks during holiday time but we also eat mint ice-cream during summer, so one can't say mint is related to only one season.To me, this color should have been next to all these, for the spring collection, in stead of the red. Red is more of a holiday color than pastel mint green in my opinion.

   1)Pop Art Pink 2)Lilacism 3)Neo Whimsical 4)Van D'Go 5)Tart Deco 6) Nouveau Red


They're so cute together!

                                 

FOTD: Urban Decay Show Pony Shadow Box

Hey girls!

Lately I'm into earthy colors when it comes to my eye make-up, so today I decided to use my UD Show Pony Shadow Box since it has some gorgeous neutral colors and of course a more colorful lip using my NYX lipstick in Indian Pink, which initially I regretted ever purchasing, but somehow it grew on me and now I'm lovin' it! (long sentence I know, sorry English majors!) I hate the fact that Ulta doesn't let you swatch/test anything from these low-end brands, ULTA hear me out please!!!

Here is what I used for this look :)

Face:
Mixture of Revlon Photo Ready + MAC Hyperreal Foundation (trying to finish it up so I can take it back to Mac) MSF, Victoria's Secret Mosaic Blush in Love Life

Eyes:
UDPP all over lids
UD e/s in Snatch inner half of lid
UD e/s in Smog outer half of lid
UD e/s in Toasted swept lightly on crease
UD e/s in Mildew on lower lash line
UD 24/7 eyeliner in Zero on upper lid and waterlines
Anastasia Clear Brow Gel
Anastasia Brow Duality Highlighter - Camille
CG Lashblast mascara

Lips:
NYX Indian Rose

P.S: If you're really wondering, yes that is Van D'go from Essie's Spring Collection, and I'm reviewing it right this moment!

End of my Back to MAC Collection + what I got in return!

My back to MAC collection was rapidly growing and honestly those empty containers just sitting in a bag were causing me to lose sleep because I was constantly thinking what lipsticks I will get once I turn them in! So today I decided to get rid off them and went to MAC. The MUA there told me, while this varied from store to store, at this particular MAC they were actually offering either lipstick, lipgloss OR an eyeshadow for every 6 containers you bring in. They didn't care about the whole metal pan in or out dilemma, which was great. (If you're in Chicago then it's the MAC on Armitage :)) 

I went there with 3 lipsticks in mind and was going to get Vegas Volt, Lovelorn and Creme D'nude, buuuuut when I heard I can get an eyeshadow, I gave up on the lipsticks except for one and that is....VEGAS VOLT! I absolutely love it, it's the perfect color for spring/summer though I don't really care too much about the whole color/season combo. I also wear bright pink nail-polishes during winter. So I ended up getting two eye-shadows and they are: Rose & Club. Though I have heard of Club before, I can't say the same for Rose. While I like this Rose color, I am sort of skeptical about it because if you google it, this color doesn't come up but more importantly it's nowhere to be found on MAC (Pro) website. I thought it may be a Pro color, but nope. So this got me thinking the color may be old or something. Another detail I noticed was that on the bottom of the container there is no specification for the finish (ie: satin, matte etc.) Am I crazy for thinking this way? I'm seriously thinking about taking this back and getting another color. What do you guys think?



Best Blog Award

Kiku from http://kikusbeauty.blogspot.com/ for tagging me for the best blog award!


The rules for the award are as follows:

1. To accept the award, you must post it on your blog with the name of the person who has granted you the award, and a link to their blog.

2. Pass the award on to approximately 10-15 other blogs that you recently discovered and think are great!

3. Contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.