Best Face Forward

Update - Esthetics School

2010-03-14T09:52:00.002-05:00

Hello All! I've been meaning to post this for a couple of weeks now, but my schedule is really crazy. I'm only home for time enough each day to sleep! I miss blogging a ton, but then again, I also miss eating. So I guess you can see how busy I am. The most updating I do is on facebook mobile, which is usually daily or every other day and it's usually related to what we're doing in school (so it is beauty-related a lot of the time.) Right now it's lash extensions that I'm loving. If you want to keep up with me at all, because I really want to keep up with you and miss you all, please add me on facebook. I will probably pick back up on the blogging when school is over, but that's several months away. I am definitely going to be posting before and after photos on fb though.

Till then, take care all you gorgeous gals and keep blogging. <3 you!

...Melanie

Chanel Makeover

2010-01-29T11:10:00.008-06:00

Last weekend I headed down to Neiman Marcus in Austin to try out the Shu Uemura Face Architect cream foundation, after seeing it look gorgeous and flawless on other bloggers. Initially I headed to the Shu counter where the MA appeared busy and preoccupied, and told me she had someone coming to get their makeup done in 5 minutes but she could match me in two. She applied 584, I believe, and it looked... okay. The color was perfect, but it looked a little mask-y and heavy, and as I walked around afterward I noticed it sinking into my pores and just looking more and more disgusting. She hadn't prepped my face or anything first, so that may have been part of it. I was not. happy.

I wandered to Guerlain where I didn't see anything that grabbed my eye, and after all I had only come to try the Shu. But I was so disappointed I was determined to find something else that worked for me for a foundation with medium-full coverage, a dewy glow, and that felt like real skin. Recently I bought and subsequently returned the Bobbi Brown Stick foundation because it looked nice, but I could feel it all day on my face. Yuck!

So I headed to the Chantecaille counter to try Future Skin. A super helpful MA offered to match me, even though it wasn't her counter, and before we did that I told her exactly what I was looking for in a foundation. She said, "I know exactly what to use. I'm in Chanel. Come around the corner and we'll get you fixed right up." (or something to that effect!)

So that started my hour+ full face makeover at Chanel. My MA, Deidre, was amazing, and very knowlegeable. She put me in the Vitalumiere foundation in Nude, which I still think may be a bit dark for me, but I'm please nonetheless. I won't go over every little thing that she used - or maybe I will, but I scanned my face chart in for you so you can see the deets.

Forgive the color quality of the face chart as it was indeed scanned in, the lip color was NOWHERE near that red. At all.

She prepped my face with their luxury line of skincare, Sublimage. The Sublimage Fluide has just come out and so that was what she used. Looooooove. Why, oh why, is it so expensive? $295 is outrageous. But it feels amazing going on, and kept the makeup from sinking into my pores, which I've been told is a hydration issue. I'm seriously, severely lemming the Sublimage Fluide. She also used the eye cream and maybe the serum, but eh. The Fluide is what grabbed me. Damn good salespeople! It's also so new they didn't have any samples, so boo! :(

She used a light layer of the Vitalumiere and then did something I've never had an MA do before: she used concealer to cover the redness in my cheeks, instead of building up the foundation. I quite liked that! For this she used the Correcteur Perfection Long Lasting Concealer in 10 Beige Clair. I loved this concept so I picked up the concealer. For a finishing touch she used the Double Perfection powder makeup in 10 Vanilla. I also asked her to contour my cheeks and she did that artfully with the Tweed Pink blush and the Desert Corail bronzer, as well as the new Empreinte de Chanel highlighter.

For my eyes, Deidre did a green/brown smoky eye that I was rather impressed with, and while I don't like greens on my eyes at all I did think the look came together nicely. You can see which individual shades were used on the face chart. I'd have preferred a plum/brown eye, personally! What I loved was the liner, which she smudged out on my lower lash line making for a gorgeous smoky eye. This considering I usually HATE liner on my lower lash line. She used the Stylo Yeux Waterproof in 20 Espresso, then smudged it out with Mahogany shadow. Mahogany is VERY similar to my Paul & Joe Bitter Chocolate, so I wasn't tempted, but I did like the idea of a waterproof pencil liner, so I picked that up. I'll definitely have to try smudging it out with Bitter Chocolate.

My MA finished off the look with Tulip liner, Tazmania Aqualumiere lipstick, and Constellation Glossimer. It was a very pretty rosy pink lip but with the smoky eye I would have liked maybe a nude? It looked lovely when it all came together though.

A quick warning about Neiman Marcus, particularly this location. They did not have the foundation or powder in stock, but they started to charge me for it anyway BEFORE telling me they didn't have it in the store; they were planning to send it to me. Sorry, but I don't play that way. Tell me if it's out of stock and I'll decide what I want to do, like oh, I don't know, go to NORDSTROM, wait till later, or come back when it's in stock. I don't like people assuming what I want to do and trying to charge me without letting me know. I also know people who have had this happen to them in the ladies' clothing dept. there so just be careful that you know what they are charging you for. I guess they're just trained differently. I only took home the liner and concealer.

Anyhow, I also got a little GWP baggie that is super adorable that came with samples of the Sublimage eye cream, serum, and cream, as well as a foaming cleanser, a perfume sample, and a teeny, tiny foundation brush that is probably more cute than useful, but I guess it could be used to smooth out your concealer.

Anyway, on to the photos! I know they're not great since I took them hours after the makeover. My eye makeup was getting a bit smudgy from runny eyes, the foundation had worn off around my nose area, and I had no lip color on at all, plus my hair was being rather dwingy. Actually I was pretty tired and ready to wash my face, but I did want to take a few photos to capture the look she did. I took a lot because I loved how my cheeks turned out! I actually regretted not getting the blush, highlighter, and bronzer a bit. Oh well! Also, the photos are a bit yellow since they were taken in the bathroom, and if you wouldn't mind excusing the clutter, I'd appreciate it. :)

I only got one closeup of the eye, but this photo didn't turn out so great either. You get the idea!

Lastly, I just wanted to share that I did get the foundation and the powder foundation, but not at NM. I actually got these at Nordie's. I love how light colored the powder foundation is so I wanted to give you a shot of that:

Hope you all are having a great Friday. I'm personally a bit anxious about this weekend as I have the big responsibility of dogsitting not one but three pups, but I will definitely try to churn out a few posts this weekend!

Mobile uploads and random updates

2010-01-25T21:21:00.010-06:00

Since I started my weight loss journey in earnest about a year ago (April of 2009), I've lost 18.5 lbs, and only about 2 of those recently. However, I have been working out with my Leslie video and have stepped it up to 3 miles a day, 4 on weekends. I haven't seen the weight just falling off yet, but I'm only on day 12 in a row of working out. I feel great, though, and I can see myself toning up. (I'll get to the point in a few minutes here.)

This weekend, I popped down to Austin to get some new pants and a quick makeover. The first stop was Neiman Marcus in the Domain, where after washing up in the bathroom, I had my makeup done at the Chanel counter with a very capable MA (more on that later). The point of all of this is that I haven't felt comfortable taking a full body photo in years. Years. But while I was in the restroom at Neiman's, I looked in the huge mirror and I felt for the first time in years that I did not look fat. My outfit wasn't particularly cute or original, just loose gray pants and a black dolman top with flip flops and a headband, and of course my Marc Jacobs bag(!), but I did not feel like I looked fat. Not skinny, just not fat. Just normal. I think it must be the toning going on because as I said I haven't just had pounds and pounds drop off, but I felt very, very good about this.

Here's my iPhone shot:

This was a great feeling. And since I had my camera out and no one was in the bathroom I took a couple more shots for you, since the resting area itself was kind of ridiculous:

A huge vanity (so obviously necessary in a public restroom):

The sitting area, which looks like a waiting room somewhere much fancier than a restroom:

The restroom area itself with full wooden doors on each stall and lovely faucets:

I know, I'm a dork. But it's all a bit lavish, don't you think? Neiman's doesn't skimp.

In other news, I got two pairs of pants that night in a size 18 at Torrid. They are absolutely fabulous and I will be so sad when I have lost enough weight that Torrid's clothes will no longer fit me because these pants are so great. I think they go down to a size 12 or something there, so I have a ways to go. It's their Basic Black Pant which fits like a dream and is very slimming (and stretchy!) - love them!

Two more quick random updates - I know I told you I hated the bangs because I couldn't get them to do what I wanted, but I recently got them reshaped so at least they will look nicer as they grow out. Here is how they look fixed - sorry for the quality of the shot:

Also, I have been wearing a ton of headbands lately and behind my ears started to feel hot and itchy after a few days of wear. I realized that many of my headbands have metal bands and I have a severe allergy to nickel. These generic metal bands must be loaded with it, because the rashes behind my ears are awful; they are red, bumpy, hot, itchy, and scaly! I'm skipping the metal bands for a few days, and when I go back to wearing them I am going to coat them with something first.

Last photo, and I will leave you with this - just a basic everyday look for me, with quite a bit of blush (and I am also flushed in this photo) - my customers are always asking me if I'm hot!

Take care all - have a lovely Tuesday! By the way, this post got published before it was ready so if you saw it then, I apologize. I'll be back later with my Chanel makeover - I loved it!

Jill Stuart 101 Pink Bloom Shimmer Powder

2010-01-23T13:01:00.004-06:00

Hey all! Well, I got the Jill Stuart 101 Pink Bloom Shimmer Powder. I snatched this little limited edition gem off eBay for about $45 (including shipping). There are several out there right now from a few different sellers, so if you're interested, they are available. So, do I NEED another highlighter? Um, no. But it's Jill Stuart. And it's limited. And it's pink with platinum shimmer. Do I really need any other reasons? I don't even USE highlighters every day, but seriously? Do I need to explain myself here?

When I say "platinum shimmer" what I mean is that the tiny sparkles, which I think go all the way through the powder, even under the overspray, are partly gold and partly silver, or somewhere in between - they reflect a bit of each. So I went with "platinum" for my description. I tried to capture this in my swatches below. The powder itself is a pale pink with a very soft texture that should be interesting to use and hopefully not too crumbly.

I'll say that this is pretty, and not too OTT. I will have to let you know when I actually wear it, instead of just staring at it like a damn fool. It might even be nice as a highlighter for the eyes, so that's something else to try. I'll shut up now and just let you enjoy the photos.

Hope you enjoyed this!

Second attempt with contouring...

2010-01-22T09:07:00.006-06:00

Sorry these photos aren't the greatest. The lighting was funny on the day I took them: it was either too blue or too yellow, and I can't do much to adjust it where I am. However I did want to share my second attempt at contouring with you, since I think it turned out much better this time. I didn't have much other makeup on this day, either, nor was my hair fixed - obviously!

Front view:

DSK Jewelry - Rose AB & Bow Earrings

2010-01-19T07:32:00.007-06:00

When I saw these earrings on the DSK website, I fell in love and knew I had to have them. Bows? Check. Pink? Check. Silver? Check. AB crystal? Check, check, check! These are so adorable. I snatched them up and paid for priority mail and got them in a few days' time. Love.

Here are a (unnecessarily large amount) ton of pictures of them:

And, I know it's blasphemy to change these lovely earrings, but I had to put them on thread earrings because those are SO comfortable to wear, especially when you are on the phone all day at work like I am! You don't even feel like you are wearing earrings. Not quite as cute as the originals, but so comfy!

Gotta say, I love DSK! Hope you liked these, too!

Paul & Joe Mesmerize 001 Palette - EOTD

2010-01-17T15:28:00.011-06:00

I really love using the Paul & Joe Mesmerize palette - I'm not sure why I even doubted it, thinking it would be boring at all, or that you could easily find other colors to do the same job, because it is not; it is actually very unique! It is a new favorite for me, and blends beautifully. The mid-tone mauve is really gorgeous on the eye, and makes for a perfect crease color. It would also make a lovely "prime eye" color, (and I am actually thinking of doing a prime eye tutorial soon). The light lilac/lavender is actually lovely as a highlight but I also had on Benefit's Highbrow as a highlight/base, so I worked the lilac shade a bit lower (not RIGHT under the eyebrows). Of course the dark navy is lovely but didn't come across as complex on the eyes as it did in my swatches and photos. I applied this in my outer V and blended, blended, blended. I recommend using a very light hand with this color as it is so intensely pigmented.

Anyhow, I didn't focus too much on the rest of my makeup that day, and I had no lipstick on, but I wanted to show you how the palette turned out. By the way, for those of you that hate a ton of photos of the same thing, I admit I do do that, but it's because when the lighting is wonky I want to give you as many different angles as possible to get the idea of what it looks like under different lighting, because that's what I would want to see. Here are a several(!) photos of how my Paul & Joe Mesmerize eye palette look turned out -

For this look I just used P&J's Mesmerize palette, Benefit Highbrow, Serge Lutens mascara, Anastasia brow powder, Guerlain Parure (powder) foundation, and Smashbox Smashing Emotion blush

With the blush, I tried contouring as outlined in Rae's (theNotice) contouring tutorials, and it came out ok. Not great, but I will be working on it a bit more to perfect it. Her videos are a great help, so check them out! This was the first day I actually tried it, and I think I brought the color up a bit high/low on my cheek as it's hard for me to ignore the apples. I find them to probably be a better feature to emphasize, at least at this time, for me. It's hard to find those cheek hollows when your face is so round and fat! ;) Smashbox's Smashing Emotion is a great color for this, though it is unfortunately discontinued.

By the way, I hope it was clear which part of my face was attempting to be contoured and which was my natural red ruddiness showing through. I tried to circle here where my natural coloring falls. I realized after posting this I must look like an idiot with redness all through my cheek. Though I did still blend a bit high. ;)

Hope this helps someone! Enjoy!

If Burt's Bees and Softlips had a baby...

2010-01-15T07:37:00.004-06:00

...it would be this:

LypSyl is smooth like Softlips, less minty than Burt's Bees and not nearly as "hard" (texture-wise) but still a tad waxy - in a good way; it's very effective for overnight relief. I love it! For 2.99 at your local CVS or Walgreens, how can you go wrong? Especially if you're a balm addict like I am. I also love that the tube is oval shaped as it conforms to my lips better. It has a lever (the orangey-yellow thing you see at the top left) that slides the balm up and down, not a twist bottom, which I like very much. I'm not going to rave on and on about how soft and smooth the texture is, how well it stays on, or anything like that. Yes, I can see that it has mineral oil and petrolatum, but those don't bother me that much. Just check it out.

Here are the ingredients (I apologize in advance for any errors since I did type this out):
Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, Paraffin, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Ceresin, Beeswax, Flavor, Certified Organic Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E Acetate), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A Palmitate), Bixa Orellana Seed Extract

Compared to Burt's Bees (from the Burt's Bees website):
beeswax, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, mentha piperita (peppermint) oil, lanolin, tocopherol, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, glycine soja (soybean) oil, canola oil

Softlips (for the vanilla formula, from the softlips website):
Active ingredients: Dimethicone 2% (Skin protectant), Octinoxate 7.5% (Sunscreen), Octisalate 3% (Sunscreen), Oxybenzone 3% (Sunscreen)
Inactive ingredients: butylated hydroxytoluene, cetyl alcohol, ethylhexyl palmitate, flavor, menthol, myristyl alcohol, myristyl lactate, myristyl laurate, myristyl myristate, ozokerite, squalane, vitamin E, white petrolatum

Now, the Burt's Bees formula is probably the best as far as natural ingredients go, and the Softlips has sunscreen (SPF 20), but I do really like the LypSyl. Like I said, it's sort of a hybrid of the two. I can say from my own experience how well it performs.

Hope this helps someone... like all you balm addicts out there!

Paul & Joe Highlighting Powders 001 Sheer Radiance and 002 Sheer Glow - BUNCH O' PHOTOS

2010-01-13T08:18:00.005-06:00

Sorry for the abundance of Paul & Joe lately, I hope you aren't bored with them yet because I still have lots more to share! I will take a break later (maybe this evening) and review some other brands.

I'll be honest: I have not played with these yet - I'm too afraid to mess them up! I know the design will wipe off, and that makes me totally sad. Oh well. I know it will happen eventually, but first I have to share a boatload of photos of the two new Paul & Joe Highlighting Powders in Sheer Radiance 001 (gold) and Sheer Glow 002 (pink). I will swatch these for you just as soon as I'm ready to let go of the pattern. lol.

All photos were taken with my Canon Rebel Xsi with flash, except for the bottom two, taken with the Canon G11 in natural daylight. You can click any photo to enlarge. Sorry if you see any cat hair when you do.

002 Sheer Glow

001 Sheer Radiance

Side by side comparison:

Taken in natural daylight:

Hope this helps someone! Enjoy the photos!

New Clothes

2010-01-13T08:06:00.006-06:00

I had to order new clothes last night. I am partly excited because I need new clothes for school since I haven't bought new clothes in probably almost a year, if not longer. However, it's a bit depressing since I didn't want to buy ANY new clothes until I had lost the weight. That's a little unrealistic since both my favorite pairs of pants are starting to show some of the elastic material that keeps them stretchy poking out of the fabric. Plus it's that TOTM so I'm not feeling too thin anyhow. I will have to let you know how it turns out with the new clothes, which should come next week, but right now I am in a size 18/20. I do not like to share this information. My goal size is an 8, but I'm realistically with my body type supposed to be more of a 10/12. I hope new clothes will feel good, and not depressing. Maybe only the 18s that I ordered will fit! ;)

I read a bunch of Ex Hot Girl's blog last night, which got me really motivated, and even though I cannot do the 30 day shred (which she is doing with great results) without essentially shredding my knee, I did get up and work out this morning. I did 3 miles with Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home video. This is great, low-impact cardio. I highly recommend it to anyone I know, I have three of my friends doing it, and it's great if you have an injury like I do. It felt amazing to do 3 miles. My goal is 5 miles a day, but I'll get there. Maybe once I lose a few more pounds I will be able to do the shred and have less knee pain!

Here is the video I have been using. I recommend it even if you just need a bit more fitness in your life. She is very motivating and positive.

Just sharing on my little weight loss journey. BTW I hope you all don't mind that I am, because I know this is a beauty blog, but it helps to blog it out keeps me motivated. Now I have to contemplate breakfast.

Paul & Joe Mesmerize 001 Palette - photos and swatches

2010-01-12T22:07:00.006-06:00

Today I am bringing you photos of the Paul & Joe Christmas palette in 001 Mesmerize. Better late than never is my motto! :) I may not have gotten you the full scoop on this before Christmas, but you will get all your photos, closeups, and swatches in detail here now.

The palette is of P&J's usual fab quality, with three neutral/cool shades. The first shade is a sheer sparkly lilac, which I suppose you could use as a highlight, but I'm not going to guarantee it will look awesome. I will have to try it and find out for you. ;) the middle shade is a grayish-brown mid-tone mauve. I have NO idea how this will look on my eyes because from the palette to my skin it looks quite different to me, as you will see in the bajillion swatches below. The third shade is fairly complex - a blackened gray-navy with bits of silver shimmer and I think I detect a hint of green somewhere in there.

I ended up taking photos with different cameras because I was having such a hard time capturing what the shades really look like, so I took a ton of photos. Hope you don't mind!

Close up of pale lavender shade:

Close up of mid-tone mauve shade:

Close up of blackened navy shade:

Now what you really want to see: swatches! Like I said I did take tons of photos so I hope they are helpful to you all. I know when I am looking at purchasing a new item I scour the internet for swatches first, so I like to show you as much variation under different lighting, etc. as I can actually see when I am taking these photos.

Overall I think this is a gorgeous cool/neutral palette that I cannot wait to play with more! If you were contemplating picking it up, you can nab it at BeautyHabit for $40 USD. And while I do think this is a fun palette, I'm not sure I can say it is a must-have; unless it comes out looking spectacular on the eyes, which of course I will let you know, I think you can put together a similar combo using single shades that you might already have. I'll keep you updated!

Serge Lutens, I adore you.

2010-01-12T21:35:00.005-06:00

Can I just update you and tell you that the Serge Lutens mascara truly is the best I have EVER tried and has reached HG status for me? I am in love. I used the P&J mascara I bought recently for a few days (which is a good mascara, honestly) and then used my Serge Lutens today and could not believe the difference. My lashes are fuller, longer, lush...er? when I use the SL; they are curlier, more defined, simply better looking. It performs in a way that no other mascara has for me, even when I'm in a rush and not particularly careful. Not only that, but my lashes are soft to the touch, not at all "crunchy" and I think maybe, just maybe it is good for my lashes because they are falling out less and I might even (want to) believe they are growing more. But that could be the biotin I'm taking. Either way, I just wanted to say how much I love the SL mascara and update you that indeed, it is the HG of mascaras for me, and that is saying A LOT since I probably own 40 or 50. Yes, 40 or 50 mascaras. Ahem. If not more.

Here are a few photos to remind you of the awesome things it does:

crazy face:

Dear Serge Lutens Mascara,
Even though you cost a whopping ridiculous $60, I will pay it again and again because I am truly, madly, stupidly in love with you. You are worth every penny. Thanks.

Just ordered + Nordstrom beauty gift

2010-01-12T09:19:00.004-06:00

I just ordered Kiehl's Over-Night Biological Peel, which I've been wanting for a while. I read mixed reviews on MakeupAlley, but I can't wait to let you know how it works! It looks so interesting (I also cannot wait to read the ingredient list)!

Also, with your $100 beauty purchase from Nordstrom right now, you get a beauty gift worth $100. Click the photo to read more.

The gift includes:

PREVAGE® Body Total Transforming Anti-Aging Moisturizer (1.7 oz.)
Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black (0.14 oz.)
Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser (0.69 oz.)
Cartier 'Délices' Eau de Parfum Spray (0.33 oz.)
AHAVA Dermud™ Enriched Intensive Foot Cream (1.3 oz.)
L'Occitane Shea Butter Lip Balm Stick (0.07 oz.)
Xen-Tan® 'Transform Luxe' Premium Sunless Tan in Light/Medium (1 oz.)
Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum (0.1 oz.)
DDF Brightening Cleanser (2 oz.)
Cosmetics planner with brush pockets and two detachable pouches (8"W x 5"H x 1 ½"D)

There is also a Kiehl's gift of a full size lip balm and exfoliator if you buy an extra $25 worth of product (not sure if they mean any beauty products or Kiehl's products, but I did not qualify for this).

Happy Tuesday!

Headbands!

2010-01-11T21:35:00.004-06:00

I've been wearing a ton of headbands lately to keep my unruly bangs back and in place, and I tend toward whimsical, cutesy headbands with bows, flowers, lace, etc. (think Anthropologie). (Yes, I know I'm 12.) I picked these up at Target a few days ago along with a travel size of my hairspray lover, Elnett Satin:

Cute, right? Now I'm on a headband kick and I am searching etsy like a frenzied fool. I need to calm it down. :) Just sharing.

BFF Wants

2010-01-10T20:48:00.004-06:00

Things I want right now: (there are a ton more, but these are currently on my mind!)

The new(ish) Lancome Oscillation Powerfoundation Mineral Makeup. I tried it on today at Macy's and it looks natural, glowy, and does not emphasize dry spots. I am surprised to say so, since when I first saw this I thought it was simply gimmicky, but I really like the way it looks on!

Serge Lutens Make Up Base - a primer that costs a ridiculous $80 but gets rave reviews on MakeupAlley.

Belmacz Oyster Pearl Powder in Pinctada - a matte powder made of crushed pearls? How could I not want this? It just sounds decadent and lovely. Silly? Maybe. But lovely.

Oh look! Something practical! ;) Gentle Souls Cutout Mary Janes/Baytime - unfortunately these are sold out in my size (9.5) everywhere right now but I am truly hoping they pop up somewhere... at $210 these are pricey but worth every penny. I have two pairs of Gentle Souls, Gabby and Buckle Bay, and I plan to wear them until they fall apart. With my bad knees and my mom's feet problems, I have learned that flats are the way to go. If you are contemplating a pair of Gentle Souls - GET THEM! I love mine to death; they are beyond comfortable (you feel like you are wearing slippers) and cute to boot.

What are you lusting after right now? Share in the comments!

Weight Loss Continued

2010-01-10T20:12:00.006-06:00

Well, good news: I have done one day of Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred, skipped a day (to rest my knee, will go into that in more detail in a moment) and then today I did Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home video, which I love. Not sure which I will do tomorrow morning, but I really WANT to do the 30 Day Shred; it incorporates cardio, weight training and abs in one 20 minute video that you feel for days afterward. Right now I'm working out at home because of time constraints and budget, but I feel that I can still get a good workout at home doing something rather than making excuses that I don't have access to a gym and doing nothing.

And the bad news: unfortunately when I do that particular video (the 30 Day Shred), I have to make several modifications because of my knee, which makes me feel like I am not getting the full benefit, and yet it still puts stress on my knee. Jumping jacks and "jump rope" are not going to happen for this gal - my kneecaps are basically badly aligned (my chiropractor says mine are "sloppy joints") and it causes me excruciating pain sometimes even just bending my knee. This is a huge pain in the ass! It sets me back a bit because I have to take it easy because of the knee and then sometimes rest a day after if I do end up stressing the joint. Argh! It makes me want to push it harder - then all I do is exaggerate the injury! I am going to work out and eat properly regardless because I am determined to reach my goal - you'll notice I put a weight loss ticker in the sidebar just to document the loss visually.

Anyhow tonight I am going to ice my knee in the hopes that it will ease the pain so I can do a full workout in the morning. Oh, and check out what I got at CVS to ice my knee: Peas! They also make them for the neck, low back, ankle and just a rectangular size as well. The knee one has elastic and velcro so you can secure it around the knee and stay moving around, I really like it so far. Let's hope it helps!

Just keeping you updated! More beauty posts are on the way!

Swatch it if ya got it: Paul & Joe Eye Color

2010-01-09T22:06:00.003-06:00

I've been in love with Paul & Joe for a while now, but I realize with my blogging absence last year I didn't really blog about Paul & Joe much at all! Well, now is the time. I have just hauled a bunch (but I am still taking pictures and forming an opinion about that) that I will be posting about soon, but until then I thought I'd do another in my series "swatch it if ya got it." This time it's Paul & Joe Eye Colors which I think you will love; I certainly do.

I swatched the 9 single shadows I own and two P&J palettes. I love the formula of P&J shadows! They are soft, creamy, and blend like a dream. There is a bit of fallout, no scent, mirrors in each little single shadow - I love the attention to detail. For example, the backs of the single shadows are color-coded to show you which is which, which is good since the cases are not see through.

All of the single shadows are available from BeautyHabit, where right now if you spend $45 on Paul & Joe products you get a P&J calendar/planner/notebook (which for some reason has grids rather than lines; oh, well! I am already using the heck out of mine!)

What the container looks like:

Descriptions of each color:
01 Secret of Gold is a sparkly, sheer, true gold
03 Daisy is a pale shimmery ivory
08 Night in the Sea is a deep navy with silver sparkle
09 Sakura is my favorite, a cool pink with silver sparkle
10 Ballerina is a shimmery cool pink, more on the violet side
11 Custard is a bright, sparkly canary yellow
17 Bitter Chocolate is a deep chocolate brown with a little sheen
18 Silver Thimble is a sheer taupe-y silver with golden shimmer
95 Harvest Moon is a complex mauve-rose with light golden shimmer

Top Row: 01 Secret of Gold, 03 Daisy, 08 Night in the Sea, 09 Sakura, 10 Ballerina

Bottom Row: 11 Custard, 17 Bitter Chocolate, 18 Silver Thimble, 95 Harvest Moon

Closeups of (clockwise from top): 17 Bitter Chocolate, 18 Silver Thimble, 11 Custard, 18 Night in the Sea and 03 Daisy

Closeups of 17 Bitter Chocolate:

Closeups of 95 Harvest Moon:

On my arm from R to L: 01 Secret of Gold, 03 Daisy, 08 Night in the Sea, 09 Sakura, 10 Ballerina, 11 Custard, 17 Bitter Chocolate, 18 Silver Thimble, 19 Harvest Moon
(taken in the dark with flash)

(taken with flash with some artificial light - shows variance under different lighting)

Paul & Joe Eye Color Palette CS 002 - the colors in this GORGEOUS palette (my favorite of all the palettes I own, probably. I wear it the most) are a light, cool, sparkly pink that can be used as a highlight or on the lid, a grayish brown shimmer that is rather cool, and a very pigmented blackened violet with hints of gray and brown and a slight sheen. Absolutely my favorite Paul & Joe palette so far. I've even considered getting a backup!

Paul & Joe Eye Color Palette I 002 - honestly I have barely touched this palette. The colors are put together in kind of a funky way and they don't wow me. There is a shimmery dark blue (not as complex as Night in the Sea in my opinion), a very shimmery whitish pink, and a bizarre bright matte coral-orange. This whole palette just reminds me of the Fourth of July and I think that every time I take it out to wear it, then I just change my mind and go with something more muted or where the colors go together a bit better. I wonder why I bought it and then I remember that I'm a bit obsessive and when I like a brand I snatch up everything I can whether it is practical or not (usually not). Aaanyway... In my opinion, its something you can easily skip but for our purposes I will still give you the swatches so you can make up your own mind.

And there you have it: Paul & Joe Eye Colors! I will be swatching the new palette and limited gold Eye Colors shortly so look out for those... hope this helps someone!

Visee x Duras Ambient FOTD

2010-01-06T20:05:00.009-06:00

Today I used the Visee x Duras Ambient Glam Hunt Eyes in G-7 Mauve to do my FOTD. (That is such a long name!) It is MUCH warmer than I was hoping for, so I am not sure it will be one of my favorite palettes. The mauve tones are more like "burnt mauve" if that makes any sense, and there is a bit of orange/rust color in the shades to me as well. Or at least the shadows are pulling that way on my skin. At first glance at these photos it looks like any old brown eyeshadow that I am wearing but if you look at the (many) photos you can see that it is not.

I used the colors in the gradation as recommended on the packaging and found that the colors were more pigmented and less glittery than I had expected, as well as being much warmer as I have already stated. There was quite a bit of fall out as the shadows are very soft. This made them a dream to blend but a nightmare to see the fallout under my eyes. Fallout that I of course didn't notice till after taking the first few photos. You will probably see it if you enlarge any of these.

You'll also notice in contrast to my last FOTD I have my hair back because of the dreaded bangs I mentioned previously. I am straightening them back, adding a headband to keep them in place, and spraying with Elnett, and it seems to be working for now. Gosh I love Elnett Satin. Really amazing as my little flyaways are kept in place rather than making me look like the frizzy haired 12-year-old I once was. Granted I still have hair days like that, but I digress.

One thing I love about my office is that it faces west (I think), and in the mornings if I get to work early, I get the best lighting for taking photos. Because it would not be advisable to do this during work hours. But anyway, the combination of the sun and the gold in my recent eyeshadow looks makes my blue eyes just POP and I love that, since for most of my life I have found them quite boring. I need to do some FOTDs with purples and blues, etc. so I can see if the sun still has the same effect.

The photo below is a pretty true representation of the colors from the palette:

On lips I am wearing Sephora brand lips pencil in 761A, a freebie I got ages ago that is a lovely plum-wine color. It is more vibrant than in this photo, but fairly drying, so I added a balm over it to smooth out my lips.

After getting home I decided to take a few more photos - obviously no lipstick left, hair a bit mussed, but good wear and little creasing on the shadows. So far, I am really digging the formula, if not these colors exactly. The Jill Stuart foundation wore well as always but the blush was a bit lacking by the end of the day; I wore the mix blush found in the 2009 Esprique Precious Christmas coffret (review to come later).

My overall verdict on this particular palette is that it wore well with little creasing and fading, there was quite a bit of fall out to begin with but I suppose I could've used my shadow shields (yay for thinking ahead.), and I'm not altogether loving the colors. It's kind of a "meh" for me. I'm not really wowed by the mauve palette, but I may try others in the future! (This whole deal makes me think twice about ordering a reddish-mauve palette I have been eyeing on ebay... will it pull rust(y) on me as well?)

If you love color posts then you will find my next haul very, well... boring, I'm afraid. I have just hauled a bunch of Paul & Joe and I really want to share it with you, but a lot of it is skincare. No worries, I also hauled a bunch from the Christmas collection so there is some color in there! I also still need to update you with the lipstick photos I took of the Paul & Joe fall collection. Yeesh, I'm so behind. Oh well, better late than never.

Hope this helps someone!

Kose Visee x Duras Ambient Glam Hunt Eyes in G-7 Mauve

2010-01-05T22:18:00.007-06:00

When I first saw this palette on Ichibankao I knew I had to have it; I am loving mauves, roses, and browns right now so it was a perfect fit. However when it came I found that it is more brown and gold than mauve, and for a "mauve" palette it is quite warm, but that's ok. I just wanted to do a quick overview of the palette with photos and swatches for y'all. I plan on using this for my FOTD tomorrow.

This photo may be blurry, but it really shows the multi-colored glitter in the dark brown color:

This palette could be used to make a soft, feminine look or a really sexy smoky eye with the darker colors. I think it would be lovely either way, and it's nice that you can have options for different looks with the same palette. I can't wait to see how it turns out! Also, I imagine it would be stunning on darker skin tones. I can't speak to fall out or wear time because I haven't worn it yet, but the shadows are very soft and should be quite easy to blend. Swatches are in order below:

Anyway, hope this is helpful to someone!

Weight Loss

2010-01-04T22:57:00.008-06:00

This year I am embarking on a serious and somewhat difficult goal. As I am getting my life in order and starting school for something I really love, I have one other, very important goal to achieve this year. dumdumdum.... Weight loss. The reason I say it is serious is because I need to lose the weight not only because of my looks, but mostly for my health. I need to lose at least 80 pounds to be at a healthy weight for my height, 5'5''. That's a ton of weight, or at least it seems like it to me right now. I've already lost about 20 lbs this year, but it was slow going because I didn't have the time or energy to exercise, and I was often depressed because I wasn't in a job I loved. But, I have lost it and kept it off over the last 8 months or so, which is a great feeling. I know it will feel even better to lose the rest of it!

Anyway, I wanted to share my goal publicly for two reasons: so as to be held accountable and so that I can share my weight loss experiences with you as I am generally improving my life this year. Don't get me wrong, this is not a New Year's resolution; rather it is a life goal that I want to accomplish this year. I know too well it will only get harder as I get older, and I will be 26 this year.

To mark this goal with photos I am posting a few photos from 7-8 years ago of the weight I would like to be again and how I looked then (and how I would like to look again in the future - minus the freaky drawn on eyebrows!) I hope you all don't mind me sharing this with you, but since this is a beauty blog, I figured weight sort of also falls into that category! Also, I just love these photos - I really consider them my "goal photos."

My Junior Prom

Senior Portraits

Homecoming Queen Nominee! With lots of bronzer! And tanning!

18th Birthday (holding a bottle of Ralph, my hs signature fragrance haha!)

Just looking skinny!

So skinny, again!

16th Birthday... wooow a long time ago. Almost 10 years!

Skinny face!

Thanks for letting me share this with you all. I realize weight loss is very personal but it is also very important to me right now. I know I can do this, and I'd like to document my progress along the way. I don't want to take any "before" photos just yet, well, I have some but I'm not ready to share them at this point. Can't wait to keep you updated!

Simple Kind to Skin Smoothing Facial Scrub

2010-01-04T21:25:00.008-06:00

*DISCLAIMER: I did not purchase this item; it was provided to me by a PR company to review.*

I've been using this Simple Kind to Skin Smoothing Facial Scrub for about a month now and I feel I can give you my very honest opinion about it at this point. Let me first start by saying I'm not big on scrubs generally, I mean, I like my MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator, but to me they just aren't a necessary step in my skincare routine.

Anyhow, I was provided this item from a brand I had never heard of before: Simple. Their claim is that they are experts in sensitive skincare, that their products are "kind to skin." I looked up the website and found it is not readily available to most of us here in the US, though it is available at Duane Reade stores in NYC - not too helpful for this Texas gal! However, even though I was already kind of dismissing it I wanted to give it a try.

Ok, wow. Wow! Nothing has ever made my face feel so smooth! I'm not sure if it's the rice powder or what, but something in here is seriously smoothing! What I generally do if I am going to use a scrub is use it first, then wash my face with my cleanser, which right now is Paul & Joe's Creamy Facial Foam. The first time I did this with this scrub I couldn't stop touching my face after. I am really impressed with how smooth my skin feels when I use this scrub! Also, my face is not irritated after using it, which is great.

Here are the ingredients:

I have to say that my overall opinion is that I am very impressed with this scrub! It makes good on its claim: it IS indeed smoothing. I have to admit I am not sure what else it is doing for my skin, but the fact that it makes my skin so smooth leads me to believe I am sloughing off the dead skin cells better with this scrub than with many others I have tried. This is an effective product and it makes me want to try other products in the Simple Kind to Skin range, including their eye balm. Now finding it might be the greatest challenge.

Would I repurchase? Yes, if and when I use this up, which may be quite a long time! I also have several other scrubs to use up in the meantime, but this one takes the cake for being the most smoothing. The tube is 5 oz, which is pretty big when you only need the size of a dime for your whole face. And though the package recommends using it twice a week for oily skin types, I like to use scrubs every two to three days, if I'm going to use one. However, the biggest problem I can think of is that it is just not readily available in the states. UK and NY gals, go for it! US gals and others - what I am finding is that your best bet is eBay or amazon, unfortunately. But if you can get your hands on this scrub, I can definitely recommend it!

Lunasol NOTD - 36 Shining Deep Black

2010-01-03T13:39:00.004-06:00

Just a quick couple of photos of my nails with 3 coats of Lunasol's 36 Shining Deep Black.

No flash:

With flash:

I have to say that I love this color and it wore well over the course of about a week, then it started chipping terribly. Of course I do a lot with my hands and TONS more hand washing than normal people, so I was surprised at how well it wore for so long. Really, really love this color. It is so different than anything I have seen before because the multi-colored sparkles show very well through the black. Highly recommended if you like black polishes with a touch of something different.

Paul and Joe Eye Treatment Cream Review

2010-01-02T23:27:00.005-06:00

During a recent trip to Dallas I stopped in to Pacific Skin Care in Saigon Mall in Garland. As you may remember they do carry Paul & Joe so I wanted to see if they had any of the newest collection or some of my cleanser to stock up on. Unfortunately they were out of stock of my cleanser, but no worries, I got a few other items instead. I picked up the Facial Gommage, the Eye Treatment Cream, two nail polishes and an Eye Gloss that I didn't realize until getting home I already had. :/ whoops!

The Eye Treatment Cream is the standout product to me. Recently I've been dealing with mild eczema on my eyelid that flares up especially after using eye makeup. NOTHING seems to help. Not even some prescription creams meant for eczema... so I had recently found a sample of an eye cream that was working relatively well, Kanebo's Dew Superior Eye Cream Concentrate. However, at $60+ a tube and not readily available, I wanted an alternative. Enter Paul & Joe's Eye Treatment Cream.

After using this eye cream for just a few days, the eczema on my eyelid is really calming down quite a bit. The cream itself is rich, emollient and thick. It does not sting or burn which is a rarity for me in eye creams and I am very impressed. When I wake up in the morning I can still feel that it is on, which must have something to do with the beeswax or some other waxy ingredient they are using. It feels very protective and not harsh at all on the sensitive and delicate eye area. If my eyes are feeling stressed, it is a pleasure to slather this eye cream on to calm them down. I personally like to use a generous amount! One day this week after testing out and removing some old mascaras I had around, my eyes were itching, tired and sore. This was the first thing I reached for.

One caviat - be sure to really wash this off well with an oil based cleanser or something else that will break it down then use a clarifying cleanser when cleaning it off in the mornings otherwise your makeup will probably smudge after using this. It sounds like a lot of work, but I just use my regular cleanser that has oils in it and then Johnson's baby shampoo or something similar to remove any residue from the eye area.

The tube is $36 for .7 oz which is reasonable for an eye cream in my opinion. It is available from several sources, including DermStore and BeautyHabit. The ingredients are pictured below:

So far I am really pleased with the results I have had with Paul & Joe's makeup and skincare lines. I adore my Creamy Facial Foam, I am really enjoying the Facial Gommage and Essential Moisturizing Cream, and I am waiting on a few more products to try in the mail. So far, so good. I certainly recommend trying this if you are on the lookout for a good eye cream right now.

Hope this helps someone!

*by the way, sorry for the photos. I took them quickly and kind of sloppily (?) because I wanted to get to bed! :)

Office FOTD

2010-01-01T18:05:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the delay. We had extended holiday hours at work that are finally over. And I have an announcement... wait for it... I'm going to school for esthetics starting February 15. Yes, I love government and even have a degree in it, but makeup and skincare are my passion. I want to be a skincare professional. :) Anyhow, just a quick FOTD for you all to let you know I'm still out here in bloggerland. I also have to say that in this one, I loved my hair. Then I got bangs like, THE NEXT DAY and kind of regretted it, especially after seeing these photos. Oh yeah, and this is my office. wow. exciting.

For these photos I am using natural light and my new Canon G11.

I used the following items:

Jill Stuart Moist Silk Liquid Foundation in 101
Jill Stuart Smooth Silk Powder Foundation in 101 (these two together are a great combo for flawless skin!)
Givenchy Prisme Again! Blush Glow in Glowing Rose
T'estimo Frame Impact Eyes in 04 (a brown, gold, and white gold palette)
Serge Lutens Mascara
Dianne Brill Lip Lingerie Gloss in Frilly Thong

I thought the look was really simple but really pretty so I wanted to share.

Happy New Year!

Jill Stuart Sweetness Collection - Christmas Coffret 2009: You saw it here first!

2009-11-12T20:19:00.010-06:00

I got my Jill Stuart Christmas Coffret today! This is the Sweetness Collection for 2009 and it is fabulous! When you get your package it comes in what looks like a cake box, and inside is the pouch with a frilly lace top and rosettes, like a cake. So sweet! :) I don't want to say too much so that I don't bore you, but I will quickly describe each item and then you can scroll on through the photos!

This set includes an emery board, nail art stickers, nail lacquer, jelly lip gloss, jelly eye color, and a mix face powder/highlighter. The nail polish and eye jelly are very similar in color in the sense that they are both light pinky-white shades with pink, white, silver, and violet shimmers and glitters. The lip gloss is a light cool pink with silver glitter, and of course the highlight (haha) of the collection, the highlighter, is a mix of light yellow gold, pale pink, pale peach, and pale lavender. There is a bit of silver glitter overspray and what seems to be white veining of lace in the circle in the middle. It seems to me that the scent of the products in this collection are sweeter and more sugary than her regular line, but I could be wrong about this. It could just be power of suggestion. :)

I really love this collection, even as just a collector's piece! I bought mine for $110 from Kelly at Ichibankao by special order, so you can contact them and see if there are any sets left. Bobodave also is selling these sets at $90 for preorder, but you won't receive your set until late November as they are not getting their sets until November 20. Overall I think it is an EXCELLENT value, considering that with 6 items at $110, you would be paying approximately $18 apiece. That would be a lot for the nail file and stickers but it would be more realistic that the highlighter, nail polish, lip jelly and eye jelly would be a bit more and even it all out. I think it is a great price for so many different items.

Enough talking... here are the photos! (Click on any photo to enlarge)

Pouch

Emery Board

Nail Art Stickers

Jelly Eye Color N: 103 Snow Parfait

Jelly Lip Gloss: 101 Sugar Kiss

Nail Lacquer N: 106 Romantic Macaron

Mix Face Powder Compact: 101 Marshmallow Puffy

(This photo shows the texture of the white lace veining)

Hope this helps someone!

Sharla's Skin Care: the One to Rule Them All... Today's Feature: Hyaluronic Hydration

2009-11-11T08:50:00.002-06:00

Ok, forgive the geeky Lord of the Rings reference there...

Seriously, though, I want to tell you about the best skin care line I have found pretty much anywhere. And no, I'm not being paid to write this! Sharla's is a small cosmetics and bath boutique located in downtown McKinney, Texas. There are lots of fun shops there and other things, but Sharla's is a standout for a makeup and skincare junkie. You may remember when I got all my Dianne Brill makeup the first time that this is where I went and how I originally discovered the store. They also carry Nouba, Fresh, Susan Posnick, and other lines of makeup and skincare. Specifically what I want to talk about is Sharla's own line of skincare.

This image belongs to Sharla's of McKinney

If you want the purest skin care with all the actives and none of the fillers, KEEP READING!

I have several products from Sharla's skin care line and I love them all. Sharla worked with dermatologists to formulate some of the best skin care I have ever tried. You can incorporate them into your skincare routine or you can make them your skincare routine. It works for your needs. So as not to be overwhelming I just want to talk about one product at a time. We'll start with my favorite - the product I think everyone should use; Hyaluronic Hydration. I will tell you both what Sharla's website says about these and my own opinion.

What I say: This is a gel-like textured product that glides easily onto the skin and absorbs extremely quickly, so you'll want to apply it/work with it quickly. It is not at all oily or sticky and you can use a moisturizer over it - if you need to! Hyaluronic acid is after all one of the best moisturizing ingredients... and you are using it in a very potent strength! Don't misunderstand that name, because the fact that it is called an "acid" does not mean it stings AT ALL. It is soothing and calming and hydrating for the skin.

When I worked at the lab and my hands got so irritated from repeated washings and different chemicals, I used this at night under a hand lotion to heal my raw skin. Severely chapped lips drink this in with no stinging or irritation whatsoever. It is also good for acne because it hydrates the irritated tissue without clogging the pores. For blackheads, it puts more moisture into the skin so as to flush out the dirt. It really is just amazing. Sharla's Hyaluronic Hydration is the number one product I cannot live without. This is stranded-on-a-desert-island material.

This is great for oily gals and dry skins alike - it will not leave you oily or greasy at all. In fact your face will feel plump, refreshed, and hydrated. This is the benefit for dry ladies. You are putting natural moisture back into the skin and your skin will soak it up! It can easily be layered with other serums and moisturizers as well. Personally I use it after cleansing, toning, and using Sharla's Cell Renewal Serum (which I will tell you all about later of course!)

The only ingredients are: purified water, hyaluronic acid, phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin (Yes, there really are only four ingredients!)

What Sharla's website says: "Hyaluronic Acid is used in some of the top selling commercial products, however, due to its high cost, it is only used in very small concentrations in these products. Unlike any other product, Sharla’s 100% pure Hyaluronic Hydration contains only pure, concentrated Hyaluronic Acid in distilled water. Hyaluronic Acid is naturally found in the joints, the deeper layers of skin, the umbilical cord and in fetal skin. Medical grade Hyaluronic Acid is currently employed to reduce the incidence of post operative adhesions, as a viscoelastic agent in intra-ocular surgery and as a synovial replacement fluid. The unique properties of Hyaluronic Acid make it the ideal moisturizer. Hyaluronic Acid plays an important role in tissue hydration, lubrication and cellular function, and is able to hold more water than any other natural substance. Its unmatched hydrating properties result in increased smoothness, softening and decreased wrinkles. Hyaluronic Acid has also been shown to reduce dryness, itching and burning of the skin. It offers and excellent environment for the growth of new cells and healing following skin peeling. Hyaluronc Acid is a major constituent of the extra cellular matrix surrounding rapidly dividing cells. It has been shown to be an integral component in the rapid and scar-less wound healing observed in fetal and neonatal organisms. In addition, the cellular actions precipitated by Hyaluronic Acid are integral to the seemingly magical biochemistry of fetal development. It is well documented that fetal tissues contain large amounts of Hyaluronic Acid and the decreasing Hyaluronic Acid content correlates with ageing and wrinkling. Therefore practical attempts to prolong and recapture youth by revitalizing damaged tissue should include this molecule." (Whew! That was a lot of information.)

At $45 for 1 ounce, this may seem pricey, but you will quickly see that it pays for itself in benefits to your skin. I feel that it is 100% worth it. You only need a drop/pump or two for your face and neck and it will last for about two months - maybe more. I am on my fourth bottle.

You can always buy this product at Sharla's website, or you can give Sharla Bush a call at 214-544-2200 and she will be more than willing to help you set up a skincare regimen and even place your order over the phone. She is the sweetest person to work with and extremely knowledgeable. I also suggest checking out some of her other skincare items, which I will review later.

Hope this helps someone and I hope you will check out Sharla's!

Disclosure: All of the items I have gotten from Sharla's were purchased with my own (or my boyfriend's) money and were not freely provided to me for review or consideration. Also, unless otherwise stated, I have purchased all products for myself with my own money.

Serge Lutens Mascara - Really the "best in the world?"

2009-11-08T17:40:00.006-06:00

So last weekend I was in Dallas to visit my boyfriend and watch one of the games in the World Series with him (of course we were rooting for the Phillies, his hometown team). Anyway, on Sunday we decided to do a little shopping since I needed a few items at LUSH and so did he, and I wanted to check out some of the Christmas collections that were recently released.

We entered the mall through Barney's just because it was convenient, but also because I wanted to look at the new By Terry lip balm (the one with the gold in it, how fab!). Unfortunately they didn't have a tester but they did have one in stock so I said I would think about it, which is probably a good idea for $70, and we did our other shopping.

During that time I will point out that I looked at the new Shu Uemura collection and there was no one at the counter but I was able to swatch the new cat highlighter and was totally disappointed. The pieces of glitter were bigger than I wanted and just not subtle enough for me. PASS! The glitter wasn't even multidimensional, just flat gold. Anyway...

On our way out we stopped in Barney's because I had decided to get the By Terry lipgloss and while we were checking out I asked the sales guy if they were no longer carrying Kanebo. He said they were not anymore but asked if I had ever tried Serge Lutens makeup, which I had not. He proceeded to tell me about their mineral foundation and applied that, which I loved (and will be posting about later) and their other makeup items, one of which was the mascara.

This is a comb mascara, which I love, as well as the fact that it is waterproof - another fact that makes me swoon. At $60, one could easily be turned off, but let's be realistic - how many waterproof comb mascaras are actually available in the United States? Not too many, especially not department store quality. In Japan, you might have more choices, but let's face it - I have shelled out the $40 for a Jill Stuart mascara before as well, so there is not *that* much of a price point difference here. However, to be fair, I was not the one paying for this - my boyfriend bought me this and several other Serge Lutens items, so I might have thought about it differently if I were paying. The point is that if you have the money, this is probably worth it. $60 is a little excessive, but the mascara really is amazing.

There is one shade of this mascara - what the salesman described as a "brown-blue-black." I'm not entirely sure that is possible but it looks very black on me. In photos the comb looks brown - I assure you that when applied it does not look brown.

The entire line is meant to be sort of a one-item-fits-all, which most of us know is not true - such as the fact that they have one lipliner, a nude-pink-brown that I love and looks great on me, but on my mom, who looks much better in corals, it looks terribly brown and not at all good on her. However I can see this color looking good on most, but not all, women.

Packaging for this mascara is minimalist - the outer cardboard box is black and beige and the actual tube is black, shiny, and rectangular. The line is made by Shiseido, I believe - the name is on the packaging as well.

My verdict: as the salesman said, this mascara is "the best mascara in the world; not the best selling mascara in the world, but the best mascara." I don't know if I can go that far, seeing as I have not tried every mascara out there, but this is pretty damn good. It rivals my current fave, my Jill Stuart mascara, as well as Majolica Majorca for those who love comb mascaras. It removes easily with waterproof eye makeup remover or the wipes that Serge Lutens makes, and overall it is amazing. It does not smudge or budge, it holds a curl ALL DAY, which is really saying something. It is a comb and it is waterproof. It lengthens gently and volumizes. I am in love.

Buy it here.

Here are some photos of me wearing it (as well as the foundation and setting powder and lipliner). I am not wearing any other eye makeup in these. Here:

Here are some photos of me wearing it on a different day and some incredible side views that really emphasize the curl.

Hope this helps! :) Buy this mascara here.

Serge Lutens Makeup - coming right up!

2009-11-02T08:01:00.003-06:00

Too bad I am so sick today that I can't get as excited as I want about my huge Serge Lutens makeup haul from my wonderful boyfriend this weekend. Posts about the mineral foundation, setting powder, blush, lipliner, and mascara will definitely be up this week though! Also coming up? A review of the By Terry Or de Rose Baume Precieux - because we all know lip balm with gold in it is a necessity.

Here's to feeling much better soon!

SUQQU Polish Face Color

2009-10-26T21:35:00.002-05:00

I was originally going to buy this a month ago, but when I added it to my cart and paid for it, I was then told it was out of stock and to check back mid-October. Of course I kind of forgot about it until I read a line on Autumn Masquerade that said it was like candlelight for your face, which made me want it all over again. I emailed the seller and they had one left... so I got it! They even shipped EMS so I got it in a few days' time.

The set comes with the actual powder, a small kabuki brush, and two pouches. The powder itself is housed in a twist top compact and the surface is concave, which is interesting. It actually makes it easier to swirl your brush around in, but the three shades pretty much need to be mixed; you can't really use them individually, unless you had a really small brush and then I doubt it would have the desired effect. The included brush seems to be of good quality but it is kind of stiff so I will probably use something softer and smoother to apply this powder.

This highlighting shimmer powder is subtle and perfecting. Is it totally unique? As I have only used it briefly, I can't say, but what I can say is I am glad that I got it since it can be used all over whereas some shimmer powders cannot. I'll definitely post some pictures wearing it.

Here are some photos of the lovely SUQQU Polish Face Color.

Using Flash:

Hope this helps!

Ed Hardy COLOR Set - Geisha (Warning: Picture Heavy!)

2009-10-20T16:58:00.010-05:00

I wanted to review this since I haven't seen a review anywhere out there yet in bloggerland. I saw the Ed Hardy Geisha Color Set on Nordstrom.com and immediately began lemming it... bad! I also wanted the Love Kills Slowly Color Set but I skipped that one in lieu of one that had more colors that looked wearable on the eyes for me. I am still contemplating the Love Kills Slowly set though, especially after playing with this one a bit. Seeing as the price is $55 for 6 shadows, 6 lippies, 2 solid perfumes, 1 bronzer and 3 brushes, I think you definitely get some bang for your buck here.

First off, this baby is HEAVY! I got my box from Nordies and with this being the only thing in it I was really surprised at its heft! I guess the lights and batteries and whatnot are probably heavy. I almost dropped it a couple of times... the heaviness of it does make it feel more "quality" though, or better made or something. The mirror itself is not the best, and is sort of distorting. The lights, however, are more powerful than they appear in photos. Don't get me wrong, they are still not going to be all the light source that you need, but they'll do in a pinch!

This kit to me reminds me of something you would get as a kid that includes everything you need to look "glamorous" - something partly from Claire's and something partly from a high end department store. It's a grown-up toy, in my opinion. Fun to play with, useful, and still somewhat whimsical and silly. Not that that's a bad thing, though, as the colors are very wearable and the texture is not bad in either the lipsticks or the eyeshadows.

There are no names for any of the colors in the set, they are all just listed A, B, C, D, etc., but there are six eyeshadows, in this order: navy with subtle shimmer, a greenish-taupe silver shimmer/glitter (kind of sheer), white frosty sparkle, gold sparkle, light teal/turquoise with shimmer, and a matte, muddy black (I'm not a fan of this one). All the colors are rather soft as well as highly pigmented with the exception of the silver and black, and would all probably wear well wet or dry. I have not tried them wet yet, though.

The lip colors seem to be half lipgloss and half lipstick, with the first three being the "glosses" and the last three being the lipsticks. They each have a bit of slip and moisture which is nice. These also have no "names" but are in this order: a sheer cherry red, a sheer pinky nude, gold with sparkle, opaque reddish apricot, an opaque "hot" orangey red (it reminds me of something Christina Aguilera would wear), and an opaque plum-burgundy red. My lips were really dry the day I tried them so I just wore the sheer pinky nude for a while and it has good lasting power and a fairly nice texture. Later after cleaning my lips up a bit I did some swatches for you all.

Below are close ups of the lip colors as well as swatches on my lips of each color. Of course I had no other makeup on, so forgive the fact that my skin looks terrible.

Arm Swatches:

Lip Swatches

Sheer cherry red:

Sheer pinky nude:

Gold sparkle:

One layer:

Two layers (for more of a golden effect):

Opaque reddish apricot:

Opaque "hot" orangey red:

Opaque plum-burgundy red:

The "bronzer" is actually an orangey blush that I don't think will be flattering on me at all - you can see swatches on my wrist below - and it has shimmer but that doesn't show up much on skin. If you like an orangey (stronger than peach) blush, you may really like it but on my skin tone it just looks bad. I don't know anyone who could pull it off as an actual "bronzer."

Swatches on wrist:

Last but definitely not least are the fragrances. You get one solid perfume each of the Ed Hardy original fragrance and Love and Luck. I can't speak for Love and Luck because I have never smelled the real perfume, but I can say that the solid original "Love Kills Slowly" smells exactly like the actual spray perfume. These are FANTASTIC for travel. I love the scent of Love and Luck but like I said I don't know how close to the original it is. On me it smells clean and a little soapy. The original fragrance Love Kills Slowly is fruity-floral, which is just a gorgeous fun scent that livens my mood. Both are wonderful and it's nice that they include one of each in this set.

Overall my take on the Ed Hardy Color Set in Geisha is that it is an extremely good value, with wearable, quality colors both for the lips and eyes, and it comes with one each of these lovely scents... for $55 USD, how can you go wrong? If you want more pinks and purples, I would go with the Love Kills Slowly set, which I may also be picking up and reviewing. ;) I wonder also how the bronzer differs in that kit, since it is hard to tell from stock photos. The brushes are the only thing I'm not too impressed with in this kit quality-wise, but knowing you beauty buffs, this is hardly a showstopper, since I'm sure you all have a great stash of brushes that will more than compensate.

Hope this helps! Please leave me a comment if you have any questions or comments about this review. Enjoy!

New Sales Blog...

2009-09-27T17:46:00.003-05:00

New sales blog up and running - not much on it yet but there will be more!

BFF Sales

Grand Re-Opening! Including Dior, Armani, and Jill Stuart!

2009-09-16T09:05:00.010-05:00

Hello y'all! I'm back from the grave! Welcome to my grand re-opening of Best Face Forward! Some of you may have noticed that I changed my banner, which I did several weeks back. For my grand reopening (which will last about a week), I will be reviewing some skincare, some summer and fall collection items, and doing a skincare GIVEAWAY! I'm also considering selling some jewelry that I've been making but we can get to that later. :)

This past weekend we were in San Antonio for a mini vacation which was much needed for both myself and my mom. We got pampered, did some shopping, and also some serious eating! Yay for Spanish food! I got a few items I will review today and many others came in the mail right before we left so I have LOTS to talk about... in fact, I have so much to talk about I could be on a no-buy for the rest of time, but I don't see that happening really... ever...

For right now, I want to start with the blues... (those lovely, coveted, in-season blues...)

First off, I got the new Jill Stuart Nail Lacquer N in 38 Planet Glaze...

I really like it but for a couple things. The glitter is blue, not multi-dimensional, so it doesn't differentiate or sparkle as much as I would love. However, I got three compliments on it the day I had my nails painted which is a good thing! It is very dark and opaque and only took two coats to cover my nails.

Sadly, on this, the 4th day of wear, it is chipping severely. It also dulls a bit after drying. There is a fragrance, the Jill Stuart signature fragrance, but that did not bother me a bit and lasted for two days! .

But as a navy polish, overall I am very impressed! I love the color, I got lots of compliments, and my fingers kept catching my eye and the sunlight. If you're in the market for a navy polish, this and Zoya's Indigo are my favorites. I got this from bobodave for $18.63 USD.

Next up is a shadow quint that I have been lemming for a while from Dior, which I just picked up at Nordstrom this weekend. I really wanted the New Look Beige lipstick to go with it but grrr.... they were out. :( Anyway! Not like I don't have a million beiges! Here are a few photos of the quint, Navy Design 208.

Included is your base shadow, a creamy pale cream color that is fairly sheer (imho), and as I just noticed in my most recent photo, it also has pink shimmers to it, a liner shade in a very deep navy, two eye shadow colors, one that is a bluish gray, and one deep blue with blue glitter flecks, and lastly a "shine" topcoat, if you will, that is multidimensional sparkle and can be layered over your look or patted on top. In some lights this looks to be blue shimmer, in others it is multihued. Very pretty! Here are some swatches, though the shimmer was really hard to capture.

Last is an impulse buy of mine over the weekend. It is the most gorgeous navy liquid liner shade I have seen recently. Giorgio Armani Liquid Silk Eyeliner in 1. However, I feel the need to point out that it is NOT waterproof. It came off the back of my hand with just water.

Just a couple of swatches to show the true color. I think it would work very well with the Dior quint:

as well as the JS Dazzling Moon palette (review to come later!). It is a very cool navy with some silver shimmer to it. Nothing OTT and I think it could be used subtly with a blue palette for suitable office wear.

I hope these reviews were helpful to you! I still need to swatch the Dior palette and after I do I will add photos of that as well to this post. Today I will end with a few pieces of jewelry that I have made recently. (I've made a ton so I'll probably end each post with a few pieces!)

If anyone is interested in having me make something, please email me!

I also made a charm bracelet for my best friend of the past 13 years/pseudo sister who is getting married. Her wedding was supposed to be in Jamaica but her dad fell really ill and she had to cancel the trip. They are now getting married here in Texas but it is still going to be sort of beach themed, so I made her a beach-and-wedding themed charm bracelet and I just wanted to share it with you all. It was quite a project! I also made the clasp magnetic so it will be easy to put on and take off.

That's all for today, guys. See you tomorrow! I hope these reviews helped and THANK YOU for being patient with me! I am so glad to be back!

Where the hell have I been for the past TWO MONTHS?

2009-04-06T16:42:00.002-05:00

It's a tragic story: our Internet is broken.

It is one of THE most annoying things going on in my life right now. First of all, I am totally addicted to all things Internet. It works for five minutes, then doesn't work for 5. Then you unplug the modem and router for 5. Then it works for five minutes. Imagine how annoying trying to place a bid on ebay is! A TWC person has come out three times, assuring us each time that "this time" it will be fixed for good. But then it's just as bad as it's ever been.

Time Warner, you are on my shitlist!

In other news, I miss you all! I can't even read your blogs with any continuity. :( It's a sad time.

I'm workin' on it, though. I've got lots to show you and tell you about, so let's all keep our fingers crossed.

Help? Looking for Blair/Leighton Meester's shoes!

2009-02-13T14:26:00.005-06:00

photo credit: gossipgirlfan.org

Hey guys! So, this post is totally not makeup related, but occasionally I am also attracted to shoes. :) What girl isn't? I found a pair that I totally love while looking at photos on a fashion blog but I have so far been unable to identify them. I don't watch Gossip Girl nor am I very good with fashion labels, so I'm calling on you ladies. I have spent HOURS looking for these, but I need to take a break. Maybe one of you resourceful women will see the label (in the photo where she has them off and the partial inside of the shoe is showing) and know the brand immediately!! :)

These photos are from season 2, episode 4 (The Ex Files) of Gossip Girl. Click to enlarge any photos! Oh, if you don't know who "Blair" is, she is the brunette with the FABULOUS black and white shoes. :)

photo credit: blairandchuck.com

photo credit: blairandchuck.com

photo credit: not sure, sorry!

Please help me identify these shoes!! :)

So, as I mentioned I don't watch GG but being on this hunt has made me see like a billion photos of these girls, and I think I am going to do a Leighton Meester "look" in the near future! ;)

Guess who went to the Hello Kitty launch??

2009-02-04T22:00:00.001-06:00

My fabulous coworker A got us invited to a launch party at the MAC pro store at Northpark in Dallas for the upcoming MAC Hello Kitty collection. I was psyched - our appointment was at 8 and I arrived about 15 mins early. I was shocked, SHOCKED to see so many people - I knew it was going to be nuts but I didn't imagine it would be this insane. The line was, I'm guessing here, a hundred people or so deep out the door when I arrived and the store was a zoo, from what I could tell. When I arrived they were still just letting people in the door for their 7pm appointments, so we were going to have to wait a while.

Oh well... there would be quite the reward inside, including free cocktails... Nums! After we finally got in, and she was done saying all her hellos (since she's like a celeb at that store, haha), and we had each grabbed a delicious (read: with alcohol) drink, the shopping began. :) It was fun and loud and insanely busy and I'm usually not into that but having her with me helped! They had this really muscular guy with a HUGE Hello Kitty MAC head on, fancy looking men were serving some kind of sparkling lemonade cocktail and cookies that were shaped like bows but didn't taste too great.

Everyone was super nice and they also had out the new Creme Team stuff, so that was cool and I did manage to choose one lippie from that. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures at the event. Like I said, it was a zoo anyway... a bit too much for me to be taking photos as well. I was having a hard time just not bumping into people!

I know, I know. You're thinking, "Really? What is she blabbering about? Let's hear about that Hello Kitty makeup goodness!" Ok. :)

First of all they only had one display set up inside the store, which I think was a mistake, because it was difficult to see or test anything to know what you wanted to get. I kind of already had an idea, so I narrowed it down to three lipsticks, two glosses, and a beauty powder blush, all from the HK collection. They were totally sold out of the Tippy beauty powder blush, so I was a little disappointed, but since A is such a popular gal she asked a couple of the employees if there were *any* Tippy bpbs left, since she was sure it would look perfect on me! :) Well, someone came through. Apparently they had been sold out of Tippy for a bit, but one of the gals found one in the back for little ol me. I was thrilled! I also picked up a blush brush and a lippie from Creme Team in Lavender Whip.

So, you want to see what I got? Duh!

They were taking orders on cards and then placing it all up at the counter so you didn't see it until you checked out. I had marked these items as my shopping list:

HK:
Cute-ster lipstick
Big Bow lipstick
Fashion Mews lipstick*
She Loves Candy lipglass
Mimmy lipglass
Sweet Strawberry lipglass* (scratched out because it was too dark for me, so yeah)
Fun & Games beauty powder blush
Tippy beauty powder blush (which we had in hand from the sweetie who found it for us.)

Cremesheen lipstick in Lavender Whip

Randomly grabbed blush brush (168) of which I have the mini version. There is no such thing as too many blush brushes!

Sadly, after leaving I realized they had given me the Sweet Strawberry lipglass and not the Fashion Mews lipstick. :( I am going to have them put one on hold for me for when it comes out and I guess either return or swap the Sweet Strawberry. Don't get me wrong, it's completely gorgeous, but it is too dark for me, I am afraid.

The beauty powder blushes: Tippy is a clear blue-pink with a light sheen and Fun & Games is a gorgeous peach with shimmer. I believe each is pretty pigmented on its own but can also be layered for more intensity. Both are really lovely and remind me a lot of the two RMK Translucent Cheek colors out right now. (I want those too!) I love the packaging on these as the black plastic part has glitter embedded in it. :) Lots more photos below!

I looked at the beauty powders as well, and honestly they aren't pigmented enough to warrant buying in my opinion, even with my very fair skin. If I bought them it would only be because HK's cute little face is etched in the center, but I think the blushes were a better buy for me. I had hoped for the beauty powders to be different but they still disappoint me. Perhaps I am using them incorrectly, but I NEVER reach for my Barbie beauty powders since they do nothing for me!

These glosses are really fabulous and I think the lip collection is the star of the HK line. The colors are pretty, sheer, and universally flattering. I was really looking forward to the lip items and I am not disappointed in the least!

From top to bottom: Mimmy, a bright clean coral pink, She Loves Candy, light cool pink with mega sparkle/pearl, and Sweet Strawberry, a blue-based fuchsia with multi-colored glitter:

Here are some swatches - top to bottom: Sweet Strawberry, She Loves Candy, Mimmy:

Also, I will say that while Sweet Strawberry isn't perhaps the best for me, the cool multi-colored glitter in this is really something. It's too bad I don't think it will work! (But you still needed to see it, lol, since it was in my bag after all!)

Big Bow (glaze) lipstick - Ohhh... this is a beauty. DO NOT be freaked out by how bright it looks; keep in mind that the glaze formula is a sheer, barely-there formula that I happen to love. It shows up as a fairly sheer cool pink - like,"I just got done with a delicious popsicle," - with hot pink sparkles. So gorgeous on. And who doesn't love the HK face imprint on the lipstick itself? It makes me not want to use it, lol. But I guess I now have photos and my blog to immortalize the cuteness.

I think I will be getting a backup of this beauty before they're gone - or maybe both lippies I got!

Cute-ster is my favorite MAC lipstick formula, Lustre. This is a pinked peach color with pink sparkle that is relatively sheer and quite shimmery. It could make a really gorgeous nude lip for many skin tones and I intend to put it to the test! It reminds me a bit of a Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Crystal Shine lipstick I have in PK 301S but a bit more pigmented. Actually, it seems more like the Glaze formula and Big Bow seems more like a Lustre, hah!

Lastly is Lavender Whip Cremesheen. This is my first Cremesheen so I am not sure what I will think, but I look forward to letting you know! The color seems more wearable than it appears in the tube and the camera didn't want to get an accurate color either - it kept showing up as very violet on camera. I think this is the best shot I got.

Swatches! L to R: Big Bow, Cute-ster, Lavender Whip:

Another photo, slightly different angle:

All lip items I bought, swatched:

Hope this helps someone. :) Thanks for reading!

Zeniswell - Your Last Choice!

2009-01-23T23:07:00.002-06:00

Seriously, it's in English, not a translation, could they not have found a better expression!?! I'm sure they meant "your first choice," but still... :)

Moving on! Zeniswell Starglow is a highlighter I got as part of my Gmarket haul, and I can't really even tell you why it appealed to me at the time when I was adding and deleting items from my cart. I just wanted to try it since I hadn't seen a review for this brand anywhere else. Anyway, I think I was expecting it to be more of a blush than a highlighter, but it really is a true highlighter.

The compact arrived in a box, but yet the compact was scratched. Hmm.. ? Anyway, it is a matte, burgundy compact with a "Z" on the front that makes me think of the mark of Zorro. Then the compact reminds you that this is your last choice! again.

This brand also has some lofty goals. According to the back of the compact, "Zeniswell pursues the harmony of human structure and the truth of mother nature." I don't really even know what to say about that.

Once you open the compact, there is a small brush included. It sits atop a hinged, thick piece of clear plastic that protects the powder, which is a common (and courteous!) element to many Korean powder compacts.

The highlighter itself is a swirl of pale shimmery pink, white, and gold. After blending these together you get a basically frosty white highlighter that is not particularly unusual, but is pretty pigmented. Pigmented, light, and frosty. Meaning "be careful, because you could look like the Tin Man." Just be careful not to overdo it, but I think this is safe to skip. It has a higher price tag than many of the highlighters I ordered, and the effect could be achieved with another highlighter. But I am glad to have added a new brand to my collection! :)

Zwatched!

Hope this helps!

Gmarket haulin'!

2009-01-23T22:46:00.001-06:00

When my gmarket package came a couple of weeks ago, I was too thrilled. :) I have now had some time to test things out and I will be reviewing them in sections, but I had to show you the whole fabulous haul. Look forward to lots of highlighter reviews, blushes, Clio, and more! :)

Getting to Know Givenchy: Couture Makeup Palette

2009-01-18T22:00:00.003-06:00

After Christmas and New Year's and whatnot, my mom and I did a little shopping at a new Sephora in Georgetown, which is much closer to our house than Austin. We had gone so I could return the damaged Vincent Longo quad and I had to check out some other items. (Duh!) This is when I realized that the Laura Geller Fair Balance n Brighten wasn't for me, but it started me on a quest to find a new powdery foundation. But, since I didn't find anything like that that night, I ended up with two things: Laura Geller's Liquid Candlelight highlighter and the Givenchy Couture Makeup Palette that had been marked down to $35 - probably the only reason I got it was the reasonable price and the chance to check out Givenchy, a brand that, until now, I had never used or tested. Seemed like a good way to check it out. :) I also got the Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash mascara sample that was part of the Beauty Insider offering at that time.

So, on to the review. This palette contains the following (credit to Sephora for the list):

- 0.09 oz Prisme Again! Eyeshadow Quartet in Purple Couture (a teeny tiny quad in pinks and purples, sheer but buildable)
- 0.21 oz Prisme Again! Compact Powder Quartet in Elegant Beige (sheer 4 shade finishing powder)
- 0.10 oz Eye Fly Mascara in Fly In Black (tiny and cute, good for trying out!)
- 0.12 oz Pop Gloss Crystal Lip Gloss in Rose Couture (smallest pinky rose gloss ever, very handy and so damn cute!)

This set also includes a brush applicator for the powder and a tiny eyeshadow applicator. All of this in a reusable, mirrored, zippered clutch, which apparently is something that Madonna likes (a fact that I honestly couldn't care less about).

All in all, though the sizes are small, this is a very good trial size for becoming familiar with what the brand has to offer. I have to say I was impressed with the quality, presentation, and variety of products that came in this particular set.

Ready for photos? Me too.

Here is the little eyeshadow quad. You can see how tiny it is next to my finger/fingernail. But the colors are gorgeous!

Don't be put off by the small size - everything Givenchy makes is rather small! It's still a good deal because you are getting Givenchy quality in a small, portable size, and they are not so small that they are rendered useless. Also, while the shades are sheer, they are quite buildable. Unfortunately, after applying my makeup one afternoon, my eyes felt quite irritated and I thought the pink color may have been the culprit, so I immediately removed all the shadow. :( It's too bad because the colors are so nice... perhaps I can skip the pink next time. :)

Lovely swatches of both the quad and the gloss below.

Ok, so let's talk about what made me really fall in love with Givenchy, and that is the Prisme powder. Knowing I was on a powder foundation search made this palette all the more enticing to me. I know this is just a finishing powder but the texture and difference in shades was impressive to me. There is a glow to the powder that is not a shimmer but a true "glow" that I don't think would even be bad for dry skin types.

From what I understand, the four colors work like this: the top left color is the highlight, the top right color is for contouring, the bottom two colors mix to be your true shade, and you can also swirl all four colors together to get your "regular base" color. I believe it works the same for the Prisme foundation. I like to swirl them all together as it evens out the skintone and is just flattering overall.

I know these swatches aren't so easy to see, but you can get the general idea of the four shades in the next couple of photos.

Next there is a tiny lip gloss and a tiny mascara. I hadn't tried any products from Givenchy but had read good things about their mascara, and with most lip glosses you can't go too wrong. :) Both proved to be good representations of the brand.

Part of the novelty and what I love about this set is how small the items are. This lipgloss sits in the palm of my hand, just a little bitty thing, and so cute and easy to throw into ones purse or clutch. Great for touch ups, and its a gorgeous pinky-rose color that works for me as well. I can imagine it would be flattering on many skin tones.

The tiny mascara included is the Eye Fly Lengthening Mascara Air Sensation. I was a bit surprised as I noticed that Jen over at A Beautyful Sentiment's photo of the wand looks different, but oh well. :) Perhaps they changed it up for the mini version? Anyway, it works well and extends and even holds a curl, but it is not the thickest or blackest mascara I have seen. It won't give you a lot of volume but it will definitely give your lashes a pick-me-up if needed. It will definitely do in a pinch and is now residing in my purse along with the rest of my "if I have to get ready in a flash" essentials. ;)

All in all this kit is a great buy if you want to find out about Givenchy's range of products - if divided by 4 the cost is really only about $8.75 per item and you would totally pay that at the drugstore. Using this even convinced me to try more of the brand. The quality is fabulous and the clutch is reusable. What more could you ask for?! If you're interested, this palette costs $35 USD and is only available at Sephora.

Hope this helps someone!

The Face Shop at Walgreens?! I must be the last to know...!

2009-01-18T19:05:00.004-06:00

Seriously, did other people know that Walgreens was selling The Face Shop masks? I had no idea until I was perusing the other day and saw a huge display - of course I immediately picked up a few, but the cashier told me they had been carrying them for 8 months or so.

Woo! Yay! Korean products in mainstream American market! *celebrate!* :)

I wonder if other Walgreens are carrying more of The Face Shop products...

Let's go shopping in Dallas!

2009-01-11T16:41:00.017-06:00

image from misshamall.com

While browsing the Missha website, I found that they had a retail location in Garland, TX, which is in North Dallas. I kept wanting to stop by but I had placed my gmarket order and I figured I should wait until I got that package first. However, when I was (kind of) in the neighborhood, I decided to stop in.

The shop is called Pacific Skincare and Beauty and is located inside Saigon Mall, on the corner of Beltline and Jupiter. Wandering into Saigon Mall, I worried the shop was no longer there, as I didn't see it immediately inside. However Saigon Mall is set up more like an actual mall than any Asian mart I have been to. There are long hallways with many shops off to the sides. After poking around for a moment, I found it and immediately was gasping with delight:

The window display revealed that they carried the often-coveted, hard to find Gransenbon Gran Blushes, (or Gran Brush) as well as the higher-end (and equally hard to find!) beautiful Paul & Joe line.

Of course I was pleased and ran around like a nutcase testing out the Gransenbon blushes (of which they had 4 colors: 1, 2, 7, and 9), Gransenbon pore cover, staring at the P&J in the glass case, looking at their cute trinkets (they had lots of Hello Kitty items), a few B&C Makemania lipglosses... so much to see in such a little shop!

Anyway a gorgeous salesperson was there front and center to help me out. :) She happens to be another blogger in the beautysphere (among other topics), which I didn't know until we started chatting. She was super helpful, and showed me a bunch of Paul & Joe items. They still had the Disney stuff like the "ball" blushers, and she also showed me the Eye Gloss N. I had just ordered the lavender one from ichibankao but had never tried one in person and with her help I picked out two of those (gold and brown) and three of the Gran Blushes (1,2, & 7). She also told me to check back for the P&J spring line and gave me some generous samples of P&J skincare. I actually didn't end up with any Missha but I will be going back...of course.(!)

I will definitely be going back to see her!! If you want to check out her blog, here it is. Funny thing is, I had actually visited her site before! Isn't it strange to meet someone after kind of "knowing" them online without even realizing it?

Oh, and the other nice thing about the shop was that their prices were very reasonable. The eye gloss, which cost me $33 on ichibankao, was $24, and the Gran Blushes were $24 each, which is about the same as ichibankao.

Let's start with the Eye Gloss N. Apparently this is a new formulation of the product, but since I never tried the old one, I can't compare. I actually wasn't too interested in any of the other colors besides the lavender I had just ordered until I saw how they looked swatched. Under the lights in the shop it was like tiny gems sparkling at me. You know I had to have it!

The gold (03) is gorgeous, with little pigment and a sheer wash of mega-sparkly gilded glitter that spreads out nicely after applied in three little dots. While it looks yellow in the tube, it doesn't look yellow at all once on. I wore this the other day as my not-quite highlight color, and it looked gorgeous and wore well throughout the day.

Three dots:

Spread out, next to the lavender (we'll get to that later).

Next is the brown shade, 05, which I got simply because it went well with the gold and I was being spontaneous and for some reason the liquid shadows are appealing to me right now, but it was well worth it. This is a taupe-y cool brown, with multicolored sparkle. Definitely nice for a brown smoky look.

Below the lavender and gold:

I absolutely recommend picking up one or two of the eye glosses, even if you are paying an inflated price. They are so worth it - I wore the three together the other day and had a glittering, gorgeous, cool-toned look. Loved it!

The Gransenbon blushes were a must-have from the minute I spotted them. While #1 is quite sheer and cool, the others are a brighter pink. Also, let's not forget #7 is discontinued so you should snap it up if you can! The brushes included are absolutely wonderful, and pick up the color nicely. You can see from the swatches below, since all I used to apply were the included brushes. Perhaps one day I will come upon #8... sigh. We can always dream. ;)

There is not much more to say about these other than they can probably be duplicated but somehow I imagined I really *needed* them and I am indeed glad they are a part of my collection now. And if you are like me and are really want one of these but don't have access, let me know and perhaps we can work something out. They also carry #9 (an orangey-bronze shade).

Below, clockwise from top: #2, #1, #7.

L to R: #1, #2, #7 (you can hardly see #1)

I also picked up this little angled blush brush for $5.99 which is a steal considering that it is soft and, I think, synthetic, which means less trouble for my sensitive skin. It is also quite dense and will certainly make for a super blush brush!

My SA also included two generous samples of P&J's new skincare line. The Light Cleansing Milk smells heavenly and lemony, but either I didn't use it right or I just had an allergic reaction. It's too bad because I really wanted to like it! I love the packaging though! I have not yet tried the Whitening Emulsion.

Pretty bag! And photos of the P&J handout below, which you can click to enlarge.

I am so glad that I was able to find this place and have such a helpful gal work with me. I have found a new favorite spot!

Thanks for this, Sephora.

2009-01-05T21:00:00.000-06:00

I was thrilled when my sephora.com order showed up in the mail; I used a 15% off code and got my 8% back through ebates, which is awesome, so my hundred dollar order was less plus I am actually getting cash back!

I ended up ordering two Sephora brand glitter lipsticks, a Shu Uemura lipstick in BG907, two Shu Uemura spring eyeshadows in Earth Brown and Yellow Elation, Cargo SuedeBlush in Montebello (a hard choice to make from their swatches!), and last but not least the Vincent Longo Diamante quad in Cassini, something I had been wanting for a while but hadn't ordered.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the Vincent Longo box and saw this.... something wasn't right.

And then this carnage when it was flipped over!!!!

Thanks Sephora. Awesome job on the packing. There was NO wrap around the quad at all, there was tissue paper in the bottom of the box, then all the items none of which were wrapped, then more tissue paper. I am so disappointed that this has to go back because the colors are truly perfect.

Moving on...

The Montebello blush is a delight. It is very sheer, which is good, and is a glowy (but not at all glittery) peachy light pink. Very pretty, and very subtle. AND no reaction to this one so far! In my opinion, this is the standout product of the order.

I picked up two of the Sephora brand glitter lippies on sale, and they are pretty and sheer, a pinky-rose and a lilacky-rose. The texture is kind of strange and a little sketchy so I think you can skip these. There are better lippies out there, but I have them now so I'm not complaining!

The main reason I bought from Sephora during the 15% off sale was so I could pick up some of my Shu Uemura lemmings. Too bad they didn't have much in the way of that. I got Rouge Unlimited BG907 (a very pale nude beige-pink). This is pretty but could make me look dead if I'm not careful. :)

Also got these two little gems that I have been using over and over ever since. Yellow Elation and Earth Brown from the spring '08 collection were still left and they are SO pretty! The brown is the perfect brown that you *need* in your life, and I did need a nice, bright pastel yellow and this fits the ticket perfectly:

Overall a good haul, but I am disappointed in Sephora for not having more stringent requirements for packing delicate items! Ah well... back to the store it goes. Not like I won't use the credit... ;)

Laura Geller Balance -n- Brighten Fair Review

2009-01-03T15:52:00.004-06:00

This is "fair" in only one sense of the word: that I am giving it a fair review. The color, however? Not so much.

A helpful Amazon customer (not sure who to give credit to!) uploaded the regular and fair Balance -n- Brighten side by side to show the difference. Which doesn't seem like much:

According to her website, Laura Geller's Balance -n- Brighten Fair was "created by client request" for "lighter" complexions. The product claims are as follows:

"-Self adjusts to every skin tone due to infusions of color.
- Versatile usage, can be used in place of foundation or combined with foundation for a flawless finish. Buildable coverage without caking.
- Swirls of soft tan, yellow and white correct ruddiness, brighten sallowness and balance most complexions."

Let me tell you something, and that is that I know not all products work for all people, but with my recent interest in baked cosmetics budding, I really wanted this to work for me! I wanted it to adjust to me! And yet, it looked like I had been playing with mud instead of makeup. I am not sure if it was the swirls of color, or that it was just too dark, but this pale girl does not deem Balance -n- Brighten Fair "Fair" enough. It was orange, cakey, and not what I had hoped for at all. Needless to say, I found something else to fit my dewy powder makeup needs. (hint: that's coming soon!)

Hope this helps someone!

Beauty Credit and MAC Christmas goodness! :)

2008-12-27T18:34:00.011-06:00

Hello all! Well it's been a couple of days since Christmas and the year is almost over. Are you ready for 2009? It's not too big a deal to me, time passes and we all go on, best face forward. ;)

In my last post I mentioned some resolutions to you all, and one of them I think I really need to make clear is that I love working on this blog, so posting is going to be a priority for me! Let's start things off on the right foot by giving you a little review of some recent acquisitions of mine.

First, you will see the lucky cat at the top of this post. That was a gift to me from one of my two coworkers, which was really an inspired gift and I love it. It's also a piggy bank for all my little makeup savings! :) I think she picked this up at Pier One. Perfect! (I'm thinking of starting a tiny lucky cat collection. One of my good friends also has such a collection, but I just want baby sized ones, I think. This guy is only about 4-5 inches tall. I also have a one inch tall baby, too. Here's a pic! Cyoot!! :)

My other coworker got me a few little goodies from the Chill collection at MAC and a tin of wasabi almonds (which reminds me, I want sushi!). She used to work at MAC and she knows I love their stuff so that was also perfect. She chose some amazing colors for me!

I got each of them a stocking and glitter penned their names on the fronts, and inside for each there was bottle of bubbly, different kinds to each of the two girls, and a bunch of Hershey's "Nuggets," which is cute and funny because we call each other and everything else at work "nuggets!" I also added their favorite kinds of pens into their stockings. I love giving gifts!! All in all our little gift exchange was kind of fun because we just did it with each other, and there was no obligation to do it, but it was fun nonetheless.

Anyhow, on to the reviews! From my coworker I got two items from the Chill collection: Arctic Grey (lustre) eyeshadow, and Icescape Lipglass.

The Arctic Grey reminds me of a sheerer version of one of my favorites: Sweet Sienna pigment. While MAC describes it as a "frosted mid-tone grey," it is a silver-taupe with a lot of shimmer. It is also very sheer so it will be subtle enough for day wear, though at first glance I was afraid it was going to be crazy sparkly glitter. I should know better as my friend has great taste in makeup! The photo below is a spot-on representation of the color, in my opinion.

I had a hard time getting a good swatch on the back of my hand for you, so I apologize, but perhaps soon I can do an EOTD with this one to get a feel for how it looks on.

Next is the Icescape Lipglass, described by MAC as a "sheer pale pink with pink pearl." Isn't that a tongue twister?! I was having trouble just typing it, haha! Anyhow, I believe that is an accurate description of the color. It is beautiful and understated, and as I discussed with my friend it reminds us of a hybrid of Oyster Girl and Dreamy. Very pretty! I think this will be flattering on most skintones.

All in all I think these are gorgeous items that I will get a lot of use out of, even though I didn't know I wanted them! She did a great job choosing and I love this my gals' gifts!

Next up is my recent Beauty Credit purchase. Since I have been using the Retin-A, my face is quite dry and *EVEN MORE* sensitive. This means I have to be careful and gentle about what goes on my face, and at this point, most days that is nothing. Many of my foundations are for oil control and right now what my face needs is moisture. Oh, and sun protection, but since I have problems with sunscreens that is an issue too!! I really wanted a new BB Cream (don't ask why, just because I guess! :) and I knew i could get the Lovely Green Tea BB Cream from the Beauty Credit counter at Komart for a reasonable price.

I popped in at lunch on a particularly stressful day at work and picked up the BB (at $12.99 USD!) as well as a few other items. I also got the Lovely Cheek Color Mix in Pink Mix, the Lovely Q10 Foundation Moist (with SPF 25) in 13 Light Beige, the Moisture Aloe Essence, and the Lovely Color Pearl Powder in Pink. Most of these items were in the $10 USD range, but the pearl powder was about $15 I think. All in all I think this is very reasonable as far as prices are concerned. I could spend that much on drugstore makeup (although I haven't recently)!

The Moisture Aloe Essence is described on the tube: "This classic skin care contains aloe extract and deep sea water to help prevent loss of moisture." And on the back: "Serum with aloe extract to keep skin balanced while deep sea water ingredients such as minerals and nutrients present deep moisture resulting in smooth and silky skin. To use: After washing face, take needed amount and apply on face along skin texture with light tapping motion."

This product is good, and my skin feels lightly hydrated after applying. There is a strong green tea scent which really doesn't bother me. Most importantly, this moisturizer doesn't burn my face or sting or have any other adverse effect. It has a medium-thick texture and spreads out evenly. It seems to take a while to sink in. All in all, a decent lightweight moisturizer, but not something you cannot live without.

The Lovely Green Tea BB Cream and Lovely Q10 Foundation Moist are both "bases" but are not very similar at all. Let's start with the BB Cream. This particular BB is gray-toned, like most BB creams, but it is darker and perhaps more pink. It also has a more runny, liquid texture rather than the thick, creamy texture that is associated with BB creams. I believe green tea is supposed to be a natural toner so this is probably best for controlling oil, rather than providing moisture. It does not, to my knowledge, contain any SPF protection. The coverage is sheer-medium and it could be used in conjunction with another base. Overall this is a very average BB that I would not recommend to someone who is as fair as myself or anyone lighter. I may need to mix it with something so it is not so dark on me. I am not too impressed with this BB and my advice is to save your money. I like my Hanskin BB MUCH better. I do need to experiment with it and perhaps I can do a short BB series!

The Lovely Q10 Foundation Moist really surprised and impressed me, as did everything else in this purchase (with the exception of the BB). The color is spot-on, a light, yellow based beige that is mousse-like in texture. It spreads like a dream and even after washing it off my hand, the area where it was is still feeling soft and moist! This could be a cheaper replacement for my Shiseido Maquillage Climax Moisture Gel which I have been so enjoying lately. This has better coverage than the BB, and a thicker texture as well. You don't need much as a little spreads out a long way. All of the Beauty Credit items in their regular lineup seem to have the same scent to me, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is. I'll be honest: it's not a great scent but the product makes up for that in so many ways. I really recommend this and I will have to report back after further use! Swatches for both face products are below.

After adjusting the contrast on the photo:

The star item of this collection that really surprised me was the Lovely Cheek Color Mix in Pink Mix. I have the Orange Mix one already but it is not very pigmented and barely shows up on me except for just a shimmer. This one carries a bit more pigment and has a gorgeous color and shimmer to boot! I am just loving "mix" products these days! Plus, I think it is a generous sized blusher for $10 or thereabouts. For darker skins, it would make a gorgeous highlighter or even an eyeshadow.

In the next two photos I have swatched the blusher once on my wrist and spread it out below on my forearm. So pretty! I hope I have captured it here.

So last but not at all least is my impulse purchase. In this particular shopping venture it was probably the most expensive item at $15 USD. BUT it is well worth that small price tag! You do get a generous sized powder as well as a plush puff, my favorite kind for loose powders! They also had other powders in lavender (also shimmery), regular face colors, and one called "crystal" which I didn't get a chance to look at. Oh well!

The pink powder itself is pretty translucent, and the shimmers seemed subtle enough until I looked at them after the flash. This would probably be fine in daylight, maybe even used under the eyes like Benefit's Powderflage. Many things to try here. They suggest using it as a finishing powder or highlighter, but I am sure there are many more uses out there.

Sprinkled on...

And blended in!

Ladies, thank you so much for coming by to read my little babbles, and I hope this was helpful to someone! I do like that I have easy access to this brand. Oh, and I also just placed my first Gmarket order and got an email earlier saying part of it had shipped! Yay! Be on the lookout for that as well! :) I may have to go back to Komart and check out that Crystal powder.... can't seem to find it online anywhere, haha...

Until then, take care and I hope to talk to you all soon!

New Year's Resolutions

2008-12-27T18:24:00.002-06:00

Personally, I'm not a big fan of them. But I did make some "regular" resolutions a month or so ago.

1. To pay down my credit cards and not to put ANY money on them AT ALL. (so far I have been very successful with this one!!)

2. To focus on sticking to my diet, which I may or may not talk about later, and working out at least a couple of times a week. (This unfortunately has rolled into a NYR by accident because I didn't do too great through the holidays + TOTM)

I have not made any resolutions about spending money on makeup because I figure if it is money that I have and I am spending reasonably then I am ok with that. It just has to be a part of my budget.

What about you? Making any new year's (or other) resolutions? Tell me! :)

One of mine needs to be that I should blog at least 3x a week!!!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-25T19:35:00.002-06:00

Happy Holidays to all!

Early Christmas, via Postal Service!

2008-12-20T21:18:00.003-06:00

Teasers! More info is coming soon.... ;)

Tarte Friends and Family - 40% off!

2008-12-14T16:06:00.004-06:00

Sorry for posting this at the 11th hour, but I don't want you to miss out!

A generous offer from Tarte: using code FF08 you can get 40% off your order through 11:59pm EST tomorrow 12/15. I placed my order... did you? What are you lemming? Seriously, you can't pass up 40%!!

My order included some bronzer, a brush, lip scrub, blush, and a lock n roll e/s. Can't wait to share them with you. I LOVE my Tarte curler and charisma blush so I am anticipating good things. :)

A little obsession: shu uemura

2008-12-13T12:00:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you guys, but I can get pretty obsessed with a particular brand or seasonal collection every once in a while. I go through phases, and for a while I will get really stuck on something, especially if I can't try it, if it seems like something I would like but is online or order only, or if I have tried it and liked it but didn't buy it, if that makes any sense.

Right now, that obsession is shu uemura. I got my face done at the local counter at our Neiman's here in Dallas and the MA did an ah-mazing job. My face looked and felt pretty damn good. I loved the eyeshadows, she tightlined my eyes (for the first time, if you would believe it!), my face looked gorgeous in the face architect remodeling cream, and the lipsticks were heavenly. I know well enough now not to take home blushes after the first date (haha!) so they really weren't on my list of must-haves. At the time I was like, ok, I need x, y, and z products. But my dumbass forgot that Neiman's takes only a NM card, AmEx, checks or cash. I didn't have any of those at the moment so I left with nothing. :(

But seriously, I cannot stop thinking about wanting to go back and get this stuff. It's so stupid! I have had the chance a couple of times to go get it and I didn't go back because I know Sephora is having a sale (15% off with code FYP96 until 12/14, tomorrow, plus 8% from ebates=23%!) so I thought I could pick up some of the stuff on there. Of COURSE they don't have much of what I want.

Then, just to make things worse, I met a gal on MUA I was going to swap with for the Shu Fleur de Rose palette thinking this would curb my desires for a while. We secured the swap, she said she sent, I was about to send, and *POOF* her profile vanishes. Thank goodness I didn't send! Now I am waiting to see if her package actually arrives and at that point I will be thrilled and send my end. Gah! C'est la vie.

Most of the time these obsessions wear off, never having been fulfilled. For example, when the Heidi Klum collection at VS came out, I really wanted it. This week, I stopped by the VS at the Galleria and the collection just sucks. I mean, really. The blush had no pigment, and the lip colors were.. "eh." I didn't check the liner or eye palette because I hadn't been interested in them from the start. So I was over it. I have wanted a BUNCH of earrings from eclickkorea.com for a while and never ordered, and the same with gmarket. Then I will blow my extra cash on stuff I am not actually obsessing over, which I think is weird.

Just a little obsession. Not that I have an addictive personality at all. pffft. :)

Clinique's Comfort on Call (Doesn't THAT sound good?)

2008-12-07T13:51:00.006-06:00

Again, I am apologizing for a long hiatus. I feel bad for leaving you guys hanging, but with my ridiculously long commute, I don't even get on the computer most days during the week. My weeks starts with a three hour commute to Dallas, where I get settled in at my BF's house, eat dinner, and go to sleep. Then from Tuesday to Friday my days go like this: Get up at 6:30, get ready for work, leave for work by 8, work (physical labor) until 4:30, drive home, shower, get comfy, eat dinner, go to bed. Then, on Tuesdays every other week I visit my Korean tutor immediately after work until 8. Most nights I am in bed, lights out, by 9:30. Also, after work on Friday I pop in my car and head home for the three hour drive back to my mom's house. Seriously, how exciting! ;) And before you ask why I don't just move to Dallas, let me just impress upon you that it is still cheaper to do this three hour drive twice a week in a hybrid than it is to have an apartment with rent and electricity and cable, etc., etc.

Anyway, I just want to tell you guys I MISS working on this blog and I miss YOU and your lovely comments, and if I had my wits about me I would work on it at night, but after a couple of Benadryl I'm worthless so for right now I am confined to do most of my blogging on the weekends. Forgiven? :)

Soo, as you may or may not know I work at a cosmetics company. It is smallish so you probably haven't heard of it but for my sake it will remain nameless. I spend my days making makeup, and no, it is not as glamorous as it may sound. But, it is fun because the girls I work with are seriously wonderful and lots of fun and they make the days pass SO much faster!

Anyway, the point is that the makeup we make has to be "tweaked" to make sure that it matches our control color. Mineral makeup is kind of unpredictable and when it is handmade like ours, it really is a hands-on, detailed process. The most accurate way to get the color we just made to match the control color is to look at it really packed on on a very fair-skinned forearm. That would be mine, since I am the fairest gal in our little company. I am asked about 30 times a day (well, including my own needs!) "Can I use your arm?" We blend the two patches of color onto my arm and then we square them off with baby wipes.

With skin as sensitive as mine is, you can imagine that this is the set up for a pretty bad dermis situation. Did I mention I have really sensitive skin??

I have developed a lovely, lovely little rash on both my arms. Some days I arrive back at my mom's house with a face rash, maybe from the minerals floating in the air, but this past weekend it was particularly bad. I tried multiple creams and I tried nothing, but my face and hands/wrists really burned and itched and glared angrily at me. :(

(Note to self) Things I am allergic to for sure: sunscreen, scented creams, some blushes, mineral makeup. Something tells me there must be a common ingredient, a binder or filler of some sort.

I had heard that Clinique was coming out with a product called "Comfort on Call: Allergy Tested Relief Cream." So we went to the little local mall and I got it. And it is amazing. If you have super sensitive skin like I do, it might be your savior. I am also applying it to my hands. For $39 dollars, it is the relief I badly needed. It is unscented and thick and really wraps the skin in a blanket of comfort.

There isn't much more to say about this. But I had to share how it is helping me out right now. Even if you don't have particularly sensitive skin but have a reaction to a certain thing, I would try this. Highly recommended!!

Yummy and delicious and calorie free!

2008-11-17T14:33:00.005-06:00

One of the things I picked up on a recent trip to Nordies was Philosophy's Sugar Plum Fairy set. It includes the smaller sized bubble bath and shower gel, and a lip shine in the Sugar Plum flavor.

This is the photo from the Nordstrom website - not sure why my box is white and theirs is pink but who cares? :) (Click on the photo above to order yours!)

Let me just say, YUM.

I am not sure for how many years Philosophy has been putting out this particular holiday scent, but I have to say that for me, it is a winner. I smelled it last year but never got a chance to pick mine up and when I wanted to they were all gone. Now heed these words: if you want this scent, get it soon!

The bubble bath/shower gel is just amazing and has a sweet, light, fruity smell. Very fruity! I can't say if it smells like sugar plums because well, I have never smelled one. :) The shimmer is pleasant to look at but does not stick to you and the shower gel really gets you nice and clean without being over-drying. As for a bubble bath, it is heavenly. I love fruity and fresh scents! I don't think this one is overwhelming and to put it in perspective for you I also love The Body Shop's Cranberry line. This is along the same lines of "scent strength" if there is such a thing.

The lip shine is kind of a let down. The color is perfect for me - a pinked rose; the scent is not nearly as nice as the gel. The shower gel is just fruity with no heavy backing smell to it, whereas the lip shine seems to have a baked vanilla scent underneath. It's not that this is totally unpleasant, I had just hoped for fruitiness and nothing else. To me, it takes away from the scent as I had hoped for the smell to be the same as the gel. Oh well! It was an affordable way to try both at $20 USD at Nordstrom. The full size gel is $20 alone and their lip shines are around $10 I think. (but after using almost half of the smaller one I picked up one of those too, haha. Gotta get it before they're gone, lol!)

Lip Shine With Flash

Lip Shine Without Flash

Anyway I highly recommend this set as a nice holiday gift to someone who loves fruity scents or to yourself. Indulge without guilt, I say! :)

Retin-A Micro Journey - Day 2

2008-11-17T11:15:00.000-06:00

No, I promise I won't bore you daily with my updates, but I did notice something after using it the second time. I think I mentioned I am using it on my face as well as my neck and decollete, and I am starting to have little blemishes begin at my jawline. I know that can happen when you begin using a product like this since I don't know if it irritates the skin or purges it or whatever, but it also happens to be TOTM coming up... so who knows?!

Needless to say, I don't like breaking out so I hope that it will be worth it in the end!

Pet Peevin'

2008-11-16T14:08:00.003-06:00

A few weeks ago at work Kidd Kraddick in the Morning was on the radio and they were discussing things that annoyed them in a segment they were calling "Get Over It!" This prompted one of the girls I work with and me to begin listing our own pet peeves. It has been going on pretty much daily since. :)

Mine is a long and... "interesting" list, with "people inviting themselves (anywhere)" topping the list. I am trying to be better about not getting annoyed so easily, but there are just some things that bug me. Somewhere in there is a pet peeve of mine that bugs me even though I am not Asian and probably even if you are not you will still understand and if you are I bet you definitely will! It goes a little something like this:

Person X: "What do you like to do/eat/blah?"
Me: "Well, I love makeup, traveling, music, and I am learning Korean. I love everything Korean... language,culture, makeup, and I really love the food."
Person X: "Oh. I don't like Chinese food."

Are we speaking two different languages?????

Then I say, "Well, actually Korean food is really different from Americanized Chinese food (which by the way, I would LOVE to try traditional Chinese food!), I mean, all Asian foods have different flavors. Thai food is amazing and I love the spices, I love sushi, Vietnamese Pho is really nice and fresh..."
Person X: "Yeah, I just really don't like any of that Chinese food."

AAAGGGHHHH!!

That is all.

But seriously, I really want to try some traditional Chinese food. I think there is a Chinese market/strip shopping center in Richardson... XD!!!

Retin-A Micro Journey Begins - Day 1

2008-11-16T12:26:00.003-06:00

Hello gorgeous-es! :) I wanted to let you know I am about to embark on a skin care journey and I am planning to take you along for the ride. So pack up your fine lines and blemishes and lets get going!

I was recently (a couple of months ago) prescribed Retin-A Micro .04% by my dermatologist when I asked about clearing up small blemishes and blackheads, which are really the bane of my existence because while no one else can see them, they drive me mad! Anyhow, due to some problems with my insurance lapsing, I was unable to get it until yesterday.

For those of you unfamiliar with Retin-A, it is a topical acne treatment that comes in a cream or a gel, and is primarily a vitamin A derivative. It is not only effective in clearing up acne, but in the reversal and prevention of fine lines and wrinkles. It is prescribed for both of these uses, and there are other brand names for the product. I would recommend if you are interested to speak to your dermatologist - most will have no problem prescribing it unless you have a preexisting condition that might make this harmful for you. My advice is just to check with your doc.

I have been prescribed Retin-A before when my acne was terrible as a teen, but I have to admit that I never used it with the regularity that is needed to see real results. After a few uses and a lot of redness and peeling I just gave up. But after reading some reviews and blogs yesterday I decided this time is going to be different because I am going to give Retin-A a chance to show me its awesomeness. I just have to get through the yucky parts first. The first 3-6 months might be kind of nast because I will be peely and red and dry, but after that I should have beautifully clear skin, smaller pores, very few blackheads, and I will be preventing fine lines and wrinkles all at the same time!

When my derm prescribed it, he gave me a couple of samples and I now know that I used too, too much when I tried it. I used it once and my face peeled for several days and I thought, I am never going to pick up this useless prescription. But, I used larger than the recommended amount, probably 2x the size of a pea. I now know better.

This time I am going to stick to it and use the Retin-A daily, a tiny amount (less than a pea-sized drop for the whole face and another one for the decollete). If it gets unbearable I will switch to every other day, but I truly do not want to give up. I want to see the results that so many women rave about, and be able to say when I am 50 that I look 10 years younger.

Of course, right now when random people ask me how old I am, I am told I look anywhere between 15-20. I am 24. I guess that is on my side, as well as having oily skin which slows down wrinkles naturally.

Please bear with me through this time as my FOTDs might be less than lovely, but I will be using a good moisturizer/sunscreen so hopefully it won't be too bad.

I used the Retin-A last night for the first time, a very small amount on face and decollete, and amazingly I am not peeling this morning.(!!) The other trick to remember is to wait 20 minutes after washing your face to make sure that you are applying it to a completely dry face. Anyhow, as of today I don't see any dramatic dryness, so that is a good thing! In conjunction with the Retin-A program, I will also be using my normal cleanser, Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, with my Clarisonic brush.

I will be keeping you updated and feel free to ask any questions!

Dazzle Lash Review and FOTD!

2008-11-15T18:57:00.017-06:00

So Dazzle Lash is basically amazing. I got to try it out a month or so ago when my favorite MAs at MAC tested it out on me right after getting their shipment. I was impressed by a couple of things: 1) it is very, very black, 2) it has a smaller-sized brush (which is starting to be a favorite feature in mascaras for me), and 3) it is not waterproof but it stands my little flat lashes at attention without even curling first and actually HOLDS it! Oh yeah, and it's light as a feather and removes easily too! :)

So yeah, amazing!

Anyway I had taken some photos a few days ago with and without the mascara but I had no makeup on so the photos were particularly scary. So today I did up my makeup and did the before and after mascara shots again... far less frightening! Plus I have had my eyebrows threaded since then. Well, I am going to include both sets of photos for your benefit! Seriously, after looking at these photos, even I am convinced I need to continue using this mascara, and I am quite the addict!

Let's start with the brush. The brush shape is conical, and resembles a smaller version of the brush in the Zoom Lash mascara. However, it occurs to me that when comparing Zoom Lash, Pro Lash, and Dazzle Lash that the brush shapes are all pretty different. Pro Lash is an ovoid shape that has rather spaced out and thin bristles. Zoom Lash is a cone that is long and thin but has dense, thick, short bristles. I think the Dazzle Lash is somewhere in between as far as the bristle density goes, but in my opinion it is the best. The smaller wand is great for working on a section of your lashes at a time and it really coats each lash nicely!

When I picked this up I asked the MA for some disposable mascara wands in case I needed to swap it like if it irritated my eyes or whatever. But even though I am not ditching this mascara ANY time soon, I love using the disposable wands that are made for Dazzle Lash! They seem to give the lash a cleaner coat, and for some reason the included wand gets gunky quickly (like the product dries on it or something). Anyway, if you get this I recommend picking up some wands!

L to R: MAC's Pro Lash, Zoom Lash and Dazzle Lash wands.

Another comparison photo; Left is Pro Lash, Zoom Lash at top, and Dazzle Lash to the right.
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Here are the before and after photos. I think you will be surprised. My lashes are longish, thin, and BLONDE! I took some with and without other makeup so I hope you can get a good idea. This is just amazing stuff!

Without other makeup:

Before:

After (with one coat):
After (two coats):

Before:

After (with two coats):

With makeup:

Before:

After:

Before:
After:

Before:

After:

Anyway I think you know what the verdict is: YOU NEED THIS MASCARA TO LIVE! :D Obviously I am kidding but it is certainly one of MAC's best to date and worth picking up! What do you think of it? Have you tried it? Have I convinced you you need it? Do you want it? Let me know!

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Now on to the FOTD!

Not quite done with my face painting, but getting there! :)

Finished and happy: a cheery late fall-winter look!

*muah!* All done! :)

By the way, if you were interested, for this look I used the following products:

Face:
Kiss My Face Tinted Moisturizer in Manila
Shiseido Maquillage Climax Moisture Gel in OC-00
Chanel Poudre Libre Universelle in 20 Clair

Cheeks:
Benefit Thrrrob!
Clinique Shimmering Tones in Shimmering Sweets
MAC MSF in Lightscapade as highlight

Eyes:
Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Cotton
Urban Decay Naked matte e/s (for prime look)
MAC Vanilla e/s as a highlight
MAC Holiday Cool Palette for Eyes
Elianto - white & brown e/s shades that I rec'd in a swap :)

Lips:
Paula Dorf Lip Color Sheer Tint (yeah right, haha!) in Innocence
(because my lips are so pigmented this looks really bright on me, which isn't a bad thing. It's a gorgeous color.)
MAC Lipglass in Phosphorelle

This was my bathroom after getting all done up today (for no good reason) - before I started the counter was clean...

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And I will leave you with this... this is what Agnes was doing while I was playing with makeup:

Allergies. To makeup.

2008-11-07T07:00:00.002-06:00

I know I have stupid sensitive skin, and so learning that my mom and I share a common allergy to most blushes shouldn't surprise me, but it does. It has gotten worse recently (past 2-3 months) and after using a blush that doesn't agree with us we look like we have bright red hot cheeks even after washing (they feel hot too!)

Anyway I don't like this because I LOVE blush, and I am wondering if this might be a "red dye" allergy, which I have heard of, but I was just wondering if any of you had the same problem and what you might do about it? I don't want to get rid of my blushes!!

Thanks dolls!

Facial-Shop.com - A plethora of DC'd awesome stuff.

2008-11-06T21:15:00.003-06:00

While I have certainly mentioned in the past how much I am behind on new items, I also really love discontinued items. It usually happens that somehow, these retired items from past seasons are awesome, hidden little gems that I just didn't know about at the time. I think part of it is also finding them somewhere out on Internetland. Anyway, I started my search for Beaute de Kose Multi-Reflection Colors in Strawberry Ice since I had seen it somewhere and it was ridiculously overpriced. But after I saw the color and swatches online I knew I needed to have it in my life.

I found it on ebay and it was not nearly as expensive as the other location I had seen it. So I did a little buy-it-now action and it was MINE, but I had to check out the other items in the store as well. I found a couple of nice Shu Uemura items from a few years back that I had not seen before - one of which is a lipstick compact in Rouge 4, Beige Gold. It is a lovely neutral beige with a gold overspray design that I am quite sure will not last. Oh well - I have the pictures I took today to memorialize it! The other interesting item to me that I picked up was the Color Crayon Flame Gold trio. This includes three colors of tiny crayons for use on eyes. Last but not least I picked up a Kose Cosmeport Pure Pack and Gloss Hyaluronic Acid (which is my new favorite moisturizing ingredient!)

Oh, and by the way you can thank my mom for the better quality pics I have this time, as she got me a pop up photo studio that is just AWESOME. I had seen one in The Sharper Image for about $200 with a photo stand, but this one that she found is BETTER because it is portable, pops up and also folds up to fit in a little 10" round carrying case, and cost all of $20. This is the first set I have used it for so since I will be posting pics I took last week they won't be as good but from now on you betcha they'll be awesome. Here it is unfolded on my desk so you can get an idea:

On to the detailed reviews!

Beaute de Kose Multi Reflection Colors - 001 Strawberry Ice

As you can see, the packaging is lovely as is to be expected from Japanese brand Kose's sub-brand, Beaute de Kose (what a mouthful!). However, I must say that for practical purposes it just doesn't do much for me, since I am constantly worried about the little gems falling off or something, since one was kind of knocked off when I opened it. However, what is inside makes the ostentatious packaging worth it:

The compact contains a large mirror, a brush and of course the gorgeous palette. The colors are a shimmery white, pale lavender, pearly pink, and a sparkling light taupe. These could be used individually to make a nice, soft, romantic eye look. Swirled together, they make a gorgeous and sparkly highlighter, but it isn't gaudy. The included brush is wonderful for picking up this powder and it is surprisingly soft - I like it! This item is just really beautiful... I tried to capture the colors and the HL color here on my arm below but I promise it is so much more breathtaking in person.

Next up is the Shu Uemura Color Crayon Flame Gold Trio. This one is interesting because I think the colors will work well for me, but I am unsure of the formula as to whether it will crease or not. I guess we will just have to wait and see! However, this is a nice trio for fall and reminds me of some that are out right now. There is another thing that bothers me - the size of the end of the crayon (rather large for application) though the crayons themselves are small, and I am not sure how to use it past the plastic wrap that starts 1/2 an inch from the top, lol!

The colors pictured here and in the swatches are pretty accurate I think. There is a true gold, a darker coppery gold, and a rose gold which is really a metallic rose.

I also picked up the Shu Uemura Rouge 4 lips in Beige Gold. I was not quite sure what to expect when I opened it from the photo on ebay, but this looks lovely in the pan. BUT after I swatched it I realized that it is actually quite sheer. :( Which is too bad, since this color is a perfect nude. I assume the gold design is a spray overlay.

And last there is the Hyaluronic Pack & Gloss, a Kose Cosmeport item. There is not much to see and I really got this for its moisturizing abilities, but here you go anyway!

Hope you enjoyed this! Thanks!

Hair & Randomness

2008-11-06T07:29:00.004-06:00

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I got all my hair chopped off!! I love it! Sorry this isn't a great photo but you get the idea.

Also, my mom found this bizarre and hilarious to-do list in her front lawn, I think you will get a kick out of it.

And with that, I'm off to work. xoxo!

Update for October/November!

2008-11-03T11:59:00.005-06:00

What in the holy Hades has Melanie been doing so that she is neglecting BFF?

Well, ladies, truth be told I have been SHOPPING. I have tons and tons of stuff to review for you starting today! These items are going to include:

Guerlain Midnight Butterfly
General Guerlain goodies <-- alliteration on accident!
A visit to my CCO (Cosmetic Company Outlet Store) for some MAC discontinued items
My first MSF (Mineralize Skinfinish)! And some MAC blushers
MAC Holiday and an EOTD
A couple nifty FOTDs along with some tricks
A gorgeous haul from facial-shop.com
A nice little haul from bobodave.com
Haulage from ebay
HUGEmongous haul from beautycrunch.com - lots from Pop Beauty and Stila disc'd items at an insane discount!
The Body Shop goodies
Korean jewelry
Clothing
MAC Dazzlelash, which I hope to get in a couple of days, which I have already tried, and is awesome!

Oh yeah, and I spent HOURS rearranging my stash. Pics to follow soon, but you won't believe that I am actually NOT FINISHED yet. lol.

Ok girls, let's get started!

I need help... from YOU!

2008-10-25T10:25:00.003-05:00

Ladies, lovely and creative ladies (and gents!), I need some help! I know many of you are innovative and perhaps can help me.

The dilemma: Makeup storage.

For space, I have 10 deep but not very wide drawers, 8-9 of them full, but I could put more layers; however, I'd rather not. Anyway... I know you are all very creative and what I cannot figure out is if I should be organizing my stuff my type (eyeshadow, liner, lipstick, blush, foundation), by brand, by category, shape, or what. Ugh! I think probably by type is the best way as when you want to use a liner you probably want to look at all your liners.... but I just don't know. If you guys have any great ideas, it would be so much appreciated. After I am done I plan to take photos of the stash. :)

I am just getting very frustrated with this project and I need some assistance. Thanks in advance, lovelies.

Swatch it if ya got it: MAC Lipsticks & Lipglasses

2008-10-17T12:40:00.000-05:00

After recommending MAC's ultra fabulous lipstick "Syrup" to Rae, I thought it might be about time for me to do some swatching of my own MAC lip product collection. I don't have a LOT compared to many people; I am one of those girls who buys a lot of lip products yet even when my makeup is done my lips often go bare. However, since my lips are naturally pigmented, I am always looking for something to tone them down which is why many of these shades are light or nude. But since I don't wear much on my lips too often, I kind of slowed down in my MAC lipstuffs purchasing. :) Anyway, I hope this helps someone! I have 13 in all and have swatched them in groups. All photos can be clicked to enlarge.

The contenders (for what I am not sure):

The swatches:

Now for my lipglass/varnish/lustreglass/dazzleglass collection!

I didn't have much room on this one to write out the finish types so I will list it here in case you don't know or are wondering or want to refresh your memory. Most of these were LE, unfortunately!

Full For You - Plushglass, Permanent
Power Supply - Plushglass, Permanent
Molto-Bene - Lip Varnish, LE
Baby Sparks - Dazzleglass, available now
Malibu Barbie - Lipglass, LE
Orange Descence - Lipglass, LE
Love Nectar - Lustreglass, Permanent
Pinkarat - Lustreglass, Permanent
Money, Honey - Dazzleglass, LE
Soft Edge - Lipglass, LE
Coral Grade - Lipglass, LE
All Woman - Lipglass, LE
Fashion Pack - Lipglass, LE
Sweetness - Lipglass, LE
Opal - Lustreglass, LE
Phosphorelle - Lipglass, LE
Courting Rose - Lipglass, LE
Fine China - Lipglass, LE
Sugarrimmed - Dazzleglass, available now

I hope this was helpful! Have an awesome weekend! (I'll still be posting! ;)

New Korean Pop Albums

2008-10-17T11:48:00.005-05:00

A little non-makeup related update:

Wondergirls recently released a new mini-album/single, Nobody, which is a really fun song. There is a video on youtube as well.

Also, Bi (Rain) just released his long-awaited 5th album, Rainism, two days ago. *sigh!* I love it!

I'm pretty much addicted to K-everything.