Breast Cancer Awareness Month

As most of you know, October is breast cancer awareness month. Just a couple weeks ago I have come together with several other beauty bloggers to do a series of posts showing our support for breast cancer research and raise awareness. What a great way to show our support through something we all love, cosmetics!

Until last year, I only heard of breast cancer. Last year, I sadly met it when my grandma was diagnosed. I am proud to say that she is one of the many women in the world who has won the battle against this horrible disease. When she found out, her lump was the size of an apricot, needless to say it was a very hard time for our family. With our never ending love and support and her amazing surgeon she was able to get rid off her lump without having her breast removed or having cancer spread elsewhere. I was also very happy to have been visiting Turkey at that time when her radiotherapy sessions began. It was such a great feeling to be able to hold her hand in those hard times. Unfortunately not everyone is as lucky as my grandmother. There are many women in the world who cannot afford mammograms or they are simply uninformed about the dangers of this disease. It breaks my heart to even think of those women who may have felt a lump/change in their breasts but cannot go to a doctor because they don't have money. So to help these women in need, I go to The Breast Cancer Site everyday and click on the button to donate a free mammogram to someone in need. Sponsors are the ones that pay for the cost of their mammogram, so all you need to do is click. It makes me feel so good to know I am helping someone. I hope many live are saved through a simple click! 

Another simple way I donate is by entering the code found in Dannon yogurts' lids on Cupsofhope Their contribution is only 10 cents per each code entered but it does add up! Dannon's mission is to raise awareness through education about breast cancer and provide free mammograms for those in need. You can see how much your state had contributed on their website as well. There are also many companies that donate a percentage of their breast cancer products sales for breast cancer research expenses.

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to do regular self breast exams and look for anything unusual. We are humans, and honestly nobody loves or enjoys going to the doctor. But if you feel or see anything even slightly unusual, please see your doctor. A simple self exam can save lives!

To show my support, here is the pink look I have created...

I wanted to keep it simple but usage of pink product was a must, of course. I have used a few different shades of pink for the eyes and Dior Addict Singuliere lipstick on my lips. I also dusted a little bit of Benefit Bella Bamba on cheeks.

How do you promote breast cancer awareness?

Birchbox / October

Another month, another box...this month Birchbox took its time to get to me, I was expecting it much sooner! But because I like the contents this month, I can't complain.

On to the samples...

I was pretty surprised to see what was in my box this month aseveryone else's blog posts or videos seemed to show totally different samples, some I received in the past month or two. Is there anyone who got the exact same samples as me?

I am most excited to be trying the Orofluido hair treatment oil as I always hear amazing things about it. One of my favorite Youtubers, blushingpixie, has talked about it in the past and she does have gorgeous hair. That says something! I am also looking forward to using the Befine  lip exfoliator even though I love and use the Bubblegum lip scrub by Lush. Variety is good in my book! I also really like the sound of the ingredients in this lip exfoliator, oats, sesame oil and pineapple! 

Caudalie night cream is a little too small to know whether it will really work and even if it did I am just not sure about how I feel about paying $68 for a night cream. Laura Geller Spackle sounds like an interesting product and will be my second Laura Geller product. In a previous Birchbox, I got an amazing Blush-n-Brighten in Honey Dipped and I absolutely adore it. Here is to wishing Spackle is just as good of a product! I like that it's a bronze color though it's a primer. I wonder if it will replace my daily use of a bronzer? Oribe shampoo and conditioner samples are the bonus this month. I have never tried their products before, it's always exciting to try a new brand.

Overall, I am happy with this month's Birchbox. I am especially super happy about the Orofluido sample as the full size is $29.99. I am glad that I have the chance to try it before committing to the full sized product without knowing if it will even do anything for me. Let's hope it does! 

What was in your Birchbox this month?

Lipstick and Brush Storage

I had been thinking of revamping my makeup storage for quite some time now, just never got around to actually doing it until recently. I already knew about the acrylic collection at the Container Store but wasn't sure exactly what pieces I need so I took a break from all the planning. Yesterday after posting my favorite lipsticks in this lipstick holder on Instagram/Twitter, I received quite a bit of questions. I felt like many weren't aware of this product so I thought why not blog about it that way it'll reach to more people!

This holder holds 24 lipsticks, as you can see mixed brands of both high end and drugstore lipsticks. As long as you don't have ginormous lipstick tubes, they will fit in the little slots. Just to let you know, both at the stores and on the website, there are 2 different types of these lipstick holders. I got the one that is "tiered" or to make it easier for you the one that is $7.99. I think the holder is pretty well made and feels sturdy. I'm actually surprised they aren't more expensive.

I think this is a great way to prettily display your favorites and I believe this helps you actually use the products. I previously stored my lipsticks in some type of a drawer and most times forgot what I even owned. I guess we can apply the "out of sight, out of mind" theory here. I store my MAC lipsticks upside down as doing so makes it so much easier to find what I'm looking for.

While browsing, I have also come across this little acrylic cubic container which automatically made me think of brushes! I would definitely not call myself a brush addict therefore own only what I really need.  Since I love the way brushes look in it, I may go back and get another one and keep face brushes in one and eye brushes in the other. This one was $4.99.

I hope this post will help those who have been looking for makeup storage solutions. If you have a Container Store near you, I definitely suggest you to go check them out in store. If you don't live near one, I believe most products, if not all, are available on their website as well. I find most items in this collection to be reasonably priced, great if you're on a budget or simply don't want to spend a fortune on storage like me! :)

Fall Faves / Blushes

I love when a new season arrives because that means I get to play with makeup I forgot I even had! It's kind of like wearing new makeup without paying for it :) Now that fall is in full force - ok the weather in Chicago is in the mid/upper 70s but I can see a few leaves falling off the trees, kinda - it's time to show you what will be on my cheeks this season!

 Top L-R: NARS Lovejoy, Sleek Scandalous, NARS Douceur
Bottom L-R: Barry M Terracotta, NARS Taj Mahal

 NARS Taj Mahal

 I don't think it gets any more fall than Taj Mahal. A gorgeous, shimmery dark orange that reminds me of pumpkin pie mmm!

NARS Douceur

A great neutral for my-skin-but-better kind of days. Very versatile, very minimal shimmer and perfect for daytime.

Barry M Terracotta

Just like its name states, it's a very pretty terracotta. It is matter, thus making it easy to wear during the day. Terracotta is one of my go-to blushes for a quick daytime look. It is definitely buildable for a more intense nighttime look.

NARS Lovejoy

 Dusty rose/brown. It is a little shimmery but nothing over the top.

Sleek Scandalous

 Scandalous quickly became a favorite! It's a scary red, I will not blame anyone who is turned off by it right now. But when applied with a stippling brush, it gives cheeks just the right amount of pop of red. I keep the rest of my face pretty neutral when wearing Scandalous.

MAC Blushbaby

 At first glance Blushbaby reminds me of Douceur. When swatched next to each other, Blushbaby is visibly pinker whereas Douceur has a hint of brown. Blushbaby is also matte, Douceur is a little shimmery.

Sleek Aruba

Aruba, even though the name definitely doesn't make me think of falling leaves, makes a great fall blush! It's great for those that want an orange blush but think Taj Mahal is just not doable for them. Aruba should also be applied with caution as it can very easily be overdone.

theBalm Cabana Boy

 My one and only blush in this shade. A gorgeous mauve that compliments pretty much any look! I can see Cabana Boy looking great on many different skin tones!

Annabelle #48
This beautiful shade looks pretty similar to Cabana Boy but is a little more pinker, I think Cabana Boy is bit more purple. Great for days you want a little color that's suitable for day looks.

Laura Geller Blush-N-Brighten in Honey Dipped
This amazing product became one of my favorite cheek products ever since receiving it in my June Birchbox few months ago. It gives my face a glow like no other and looks especially gorgeous with red lips. I included it in this post because I only use it as a blush as it's too shimmery to use as a bronzer for me.

Cargo Topeka

 A shimmery, peach with gold shimmer. What sets Topeka apart from other peach blushes is that while being shimmery, it's still subtle and doesn't make you look like a disco ball. 

L-R: NARS Lovejoy, Barry M Terracotta, MAC Blushbaby, NARS Douceur, Cargo Topeka

L-R: Annabelle #48, theBalm Cabana Boy, Sleek Scandalous, Laura Geller Honey Dipped

L- Sleek Aruba R - NARS Taj Mahal

What are your favorite fall blushes?

Discovering - Z Palette

I needed a good, sturdy palette that will house and protect my eye shadows during traveling. I do not find MAC palettes to be sturdy or protective at all. They are great to keep eye shadows organized as long as you are at home. But for traveling, no. I have learned it the hard way. As you can see from below photos a good number of my eye shadows have chipped and cracked inside the MAC palettes during air travel even though I always have my eye shadows with me on board. I even had a gorgeous shade (MAC Humid *tear*) shatter into pieces in a MAC palette. Though I haven't traveled with the Z palette just yet I am pretty confident in it because I can definitely see the big and positive difference between the two.
 
Before receiving my palette I was afraid it would be too fragile and flimsy because the outside material is actually cardboard. Today I was proven wrong. It looks and feels very solid and well-made. I think this will last through many trips!

I love that it has a clear lid so you can see what's in it. It has enough space for 28 MAC eye shadows. Yep, it's an eye shadow lover's dream come true. No more worrying about what to take or what to leave behind when you're going out of town you may as well take it all :)

The base of the palette is fully magnetized. However unless you have MAC/Inglot or other brand's eye shadows in already magnetized pans, you will need to magnetize the back of your pans that way they will stay in place. Lid is also magnetized and very strong, in fact it's a little tough to open it with just one hand.

Of course there is no rule that this palette is for eye shadows only. Here is how it looks with 4 MAC blushes and some eye shadows. I don't have too many MAC blushes in pans so I have done a little research to find out exactly how many blushes a Z palette can hold and the answer is 8.

Z palette is much thicker than a MAC palette but only a little over half an inch longer and wider.

Z palettes come in three sizes, small ($14) large ($20) and Pro ($28). Small and large come in 4 colors; pink, black, leopard and zebra. Pro, the biggest size, comes in only black. I have purchased mine from the Z palette website. There is currently a 10% off discount code if you 'Like' Z palette's Facebook page. They have also just e-mailed customers about a discount on their pink palettes (both small and large) in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. This offer is valid until October 31 and looks like the discount is already reflected on their website so there is no need for a code.

What do you think about the Z palette? How do you store/travel with your eye shadows?

Imaginary at Work

After my recent post showing my new paint pots from MAC's Posh Paradise collection, a few people requested that I do a look using Imaginary. I was quite surprised that it got more attention than Genuine Treasure which I honestly thought would be the one everyone would want to see in action. So today I decided to wear this gorgeous shimmery purplish blue goodness and thought I'd show you the results.

When I first got Imaginary, I knew right off the bat MAC's Club would be amazing paired with it. I have only played around swatching the two together and finally had the chance to wear them together today. I love the outcome! Well, show me one color that doesn't look good with Club! :)

Products

Face - Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse / MAC MSFN / elf bronzer / Cargo Topeka / elf Highlighter - Concealer Duo

Eyes - All MAC Imaginary (lid) / Deep Truth (patted on middle of lid, on top of Imaginary) / Plumage (used to blend) / Club (crease) / Phloof! (inner corners) / Brule (highlight)

elf Liquid Eyeliner / UD 24/7 Liner Zero / L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black

Lips - YSL Gloss Pur 2

Wish you all a wonderful October! ♥