BeautyTalk

Don't Forget the Sunscreen, Folks!

2009-12-18T15:02:00.010-05:00

Every beauty expert or dermatologist you ever meet will tell you that you need to apply sun protection everyday of your life, no matter what the season and no matter what your skin tone is. I preach this to everyone I know, but a lot of my friends complain that they hate the greasiness of sunscreen. I try to also use products with sunscreen in them, i.e. moisturizer, lip balm, foundation, etc. But, the best thing really is to use SPF separately from your daily moisturizer.

If you have the same predicament, here's a few non-greasy and moisturizing sun protection products that I recommend for using year-round.

Tip: In a warmer climate, you should really be using SPF 30 and higher!

Lancome Bienfait Multi-Vital SPF 30 Lotion

This is my personal favorite. The lotion is very light and there's 100% no-grease factor! In the summer, I use this on its own without moisturizer (since my skin gets super oily in the summer) and in the winter I pair it with a light moisturizer and eye cream. It also contains eight different vitamins and has no fragrance so it's great for sensitive skin.

Kiehl's UV Protective Everyday Facial Moisturizing Cream SPF 15

This is another non-greasy option that's awesome. The only drawback is that it's only SPF 15, but it's still really great for winter-time coverage and if you have SPF in your other products such as moisturizer, foundation, etc. then this is a great addition. Completely fragrance-free with a very light formula, this is a great option for SPF-shy gals.

Clinique City Block Sheer Oil-Free Daily Face Protector SPF 25

This was my best friend until I found Lancome Bienfait. Again, it's super light and non-greasy so it won't clog your pores. It's less pricier than the other two as well ($17.50) and the tube packaging is easy to carry around. And it really does make your makeup stay on longer!

Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock Lotion, SPF 60+
Neutrogena has such a wide rang of sun protection products that it's really hard to pick out the right one. But, since we're talking about non-greasy, lighter options, this one is your best bet. It's oil-free and won't weigh your face down. The SPF 60+ is a definite plus point as well as it's formula for sensitive skin. I've found this one hard to find in local drugstores--it either sells out fast or they keep a minimum stock, so shop around or order from sites such as drugstore.com or riteaid.com.

Philosophy Shelter Broad Spectrum SPF 30

Philosophy products are usually a God-send and this one is no different. It creates a matte finish while giving you great sun protection at SPF 30. I've also discovered that a little bit goes a long way with this product!

Holiday Gifts for the Flashy

2009-11-19T11:25:00.007-05:00

I haven't done a review on here in so long but as soon as I saw the Urban Decay holiday collection, I knew I had to post! I look forward to UD's holiday sets every year because they have amazing deals and the zaniest packaging for their products. Their eyeshadows, 24/7 eyeliners and nail polishes are awesome as is, but when the UD people put them in cute packaging, it's hard not to get sucked in.

The Show Pony Shadow Box ($30)

This L.A.-cultur inspired eyeshadow box designed by Kime Buzelli (a L.A. artist) is really adorable. It comes with Urban Decay essentials such as the 24/7 pencil in zero and Urban Decay Primer Potion, a mirror and six eyeshadows that you can wear to the office (smog, toasted--love smog!) or to go out (painkiller, flash).

Apocalyptic Nail Kit ($26)

Switch up your nail color on a daily basis with this mini set of Urban Decay's nail enamels. UD's Nail Kit has everything from a classic red (Fmbomb), to a trendy black-purple (Apocalypse) to an 80's-inspired shimmery hot pink (Big Bang).

Personally, I'll be rocking Big Bang!

Falling off the beauty bandwagon

2009-10-28T12:02:00.000-04:00

Updating this blog used to be my most favorite activity. Everywhere I went, I thought, 'how can I write about this on my blog?'. But the last year has been a whirlwind of not-so-great activities for me. One of which is my health. I've talked about having Polycystic Ovary Syndrome on here before, but I don't think I've delved into just how much it's affected my life. To look good is to feel good for sure and I haven't been involved in any of the former in quite a while.

Well, it's time to revive my spirits, my self-confidence and this blog. Here's a list of things I try to do to boost up my self-lovin';

Wear my favorite colors.
Go on a Bollywood movie/song rampage.
Try on all the outfits I know I look good in.
Pamper myself with a mani-pedi, facial, haircut, new haircolor, etc!
Engage in my favorite physical activity (no, not s-e-x; dancing!).

What do the rest of you to feel good?

Fall Trend: Neon Nails

2009-10-07T15:52:00.002-04:00

I have to admit that I was a little wary of neon nail polish when I first saw it, but now I'm a fan! My fall nail palette usually changes to warmer colors such as plums, bronzes, dark pinks, blues, etc. but this fall I'm going to be rocking my neon brights! Shades of grey are huge this fall and neon polish is a cute way to throw some color in.

What you should know about Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

2009-08-31T12:38:00.007-04:00

Dark facial and body hair is a big-time problem for a lot of South Asian women. The obsession with 'threading' every part of our body is a testimony to how much we abhor it. It's especially a problem for the fairer-skinned since black hair or dark brown hair on an olive complexion stands out way too much.

But if you've been noticing that your hair has been growing back faster and thicker, there might a reason for it; polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a fairly common condition in which you have cysts (fluid-filled sacs) in your ovaries which can cause hormonal imbalance or you might simply have an excess of androgens which causes thick and dark unwanted facial and body hair.

What causes PCOS? Experts can't seem to agree but some say it's genetics--but it's still largely unexplained and what's more frustrating is that there doesn't seem to be a cause. PCOS's symptoms can cause emotional trauma because of it's link to adult acne, severe hair loss, unwanted facial and body hair and weight gain (especially around the middle). PCOS is also a leading cause of infertility and can lead to diabetes, ovarian cancer, high blood pressure, and other heart conditions.

Dealing with PCOS isn't easy; I would know, I was diagnosed with it last year. I've had thick hair my entire life and a very even complexion with no signs of acne until the last 2-3 years. I didn't understand why I was gaining weight rapidly, losing my hair, breaking out on my face and growing hair in weird places until I was diagnosed with PCOS.

Get checked out by a gynecologist who will probably refer you to an endocrinologist if you have one or more of the following symptoms;

- severely thinning hair
- adult acne
- hair growth in new places such as your chest, upper arms, back, stomach, etc.
- stubborn, dark facial hair that grows back thick
- trouble conceiving
- rapid weight gain, especially around the middle
- thich patches of skin around the neck or knee

There are many ways to regulate PCOS. Some major treatments experts suggest include;

- eating healthy and exercising to maintain your weight helps keep your hormones balanced and can help with the symptoms. Experts say that losing even 5% of your body weight can help.
- fertility treatments
- Laser hair removal
- birth control pills which can help regulate hormones
- prescription creams such as Vaniqua that help minimize hair growth
- hair-loss treatments

Keep reading my blog for more information on PCOS as I seek treatment and learn more about this frustrating medical condition.

Need help planning your wedding?

2009-07-16T15:04:00.001-04:00

Check out The Sari-Clad Bride!

Yves Rocher: Botanical Beauty

2009-07-01T13:33:00.007-04:00

It irks me how expensive 'all-natural' and 'organic' beauty products are. I'd rather slather on peaches or milk on my face raw than pay insane amounts of money for bottled versions! But, I changed my mind when I discovered Yves Rocher on a recent trip to Toronto.

Yves Rocher is a French beauty brand that is 100% botanical (plant-derived) that can be found in Canada and Europe. Unfortunately, the U.S. has no locations, but you can order from the website. Returns are free and 100% satisfaction is guaranteed.

My friend from Toronto has been ranting and raving about Yves Rocher's products and after using some of the products she had at home, I decided to check out some that suited my skin.I was delighted to see that they had a two for 1 deal on all products, so I scooped some up that were good for my oily/combination skin.

And now I wish I had picked up more! Here's what I got from the Sebo Specific line for oily/combination skin;

Ultra Matt Shine Reducing Moisturizer :
A good summertime moisturize is hard to find for chicks with oily skin, so I was ecstatic when I tried this. It's oil-free and mattifying and does a great job at controlling shine, while keeping skin soft and perfect. I've been using it for over a month now and love it. $19 orig. on sale for $10 right now!

Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser: The name says it all; it's gentle, exfoliates and cleanses! I use this on a daily basis and it helps clear away dull skin without being too harsh. $10.50 orig., on sale for $5.50 right now!

Mattifying Toner: I usually don't use toner because most are usually too harsh for my acne-prone skin, but this tone is really mild and easily clears away gunk and makeup residue. $10.50 orig., on sale for $5.50 right now!

All Yves Rocher products are plant-derived which makes it super, duper good for your skin (and the environment!). They're also decently priced, so paying for shipping isn't too painful. If you're in Canada or Europe and can easily get to a Yves Rocher, go try one of their facials--I hear very good things about them.

A New Look and New Content

2009-07-01T11:13:00.002-04:00

I've stayed away long enough, folks and I am now back! I've made this promise a few times, but this it's for reals, homies. I'm taking this blog in a slightly different direction--while I will still be talking about makeup and beauty products, I will also be covering health-related issues--especially South Asian women's health issues.

Look out for these posts shortly:

- Whip out the bronzer, brown girls!
- Getting rid of arm acne
- Coconut Oil 101
- Losing hair? You may have PCOS

and tons more! If you have any questions or topics I can answer or cover, feel free to shoot me an email at ChowdhuryJ315@gmail.com.

Beauty days are here again :)

Bronze Your Way Out of a Ghastly Winter Complexion

2009-01-08T13:25:00.011-05:00

I just came back from lunch with a friend and walking the two blocks to meet him at the restaurant was deadly. My face felt like shriveled up ice and a brief glance in the bathroom mirror confirmed that my normally caramel skin tone was pale beyond recognition. The dusting of pink blush from this morning was long gone--I needed a quick fix.

I went into Sephora to play around with my regular bronzing favorites but found them too orangey for the cold winter. I wasn't trying to look like I had just gotten out of a tanning salon (ew, who even goes to those anymore?); what I needed was a nice golden flow. Lo and behold, the discovery of Too Faced Caribbean in a Compact led to the perfect solution. The perfect bronzer/blush duo to perk up dead, winter skin. A combination of pink and golden highlights that gave my complexion a nice sunny lift.

Follow these basic bronzing tips for the winter:

Pick a bronzer that's just one shade darker than your skin tone. You want to highlight and outline your complexion, not change your skin tone altogether.
Apply bronzer on the places the sun hits your face first; cheeks, forehead, nose and chin.
A light dusting should do the trick--do no go overload!
Pick something with pink undercurrents to look natural.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-02T10:41:00.001-05:00

2009 promises to be a great year for BeautyTalk and we wish the same for all of our readers too! Please be patient while we get ready to unveil our new look. In the meantime, please check back for some great new posts.

xoxo,

BeautyTalk

Eyeliner Power

2008-12-11T17:47:00.005-05:00

The Spring 2009 runways saw dark eyes with pretty pink cheeks to compliment easy, breezy springwear. I've been stocking up on pretty liners to keep in line with the fall look and Cargo's Wet/Dry Eyelining Palette is a great all-in-one. According to Sephora.com,

"the CARGO Wet/Dry Eye Lining Palette contains eight powder eyeliners that can be applied wet or dry and are housed in a convenient, ergonomic case. Eight versatile shades, from classic black to peacock blue, have been formulated to be used wet or dry: apply with a dry brush for a natural look, or use a damp brush for a precise, long-wearing effect. It can also be applied over your favorite pencil liner to set and smudge the line."

What a cute case. I can't wait to try this out!

Photo Credits: Glamour.com, Sephora.com

The Perfect Party Palette

2008-12-05T12:54:00.005-05:00

The most wonderful time of the year is here and most of us will be going to a lot of family, friend and work events. In the midst of the all the shopping and general busy-ness of the holiday season, there might not be a lot of time for getting made up. Cargo's Holiday Nights Collection has everything you need to create a party-ready face. The four eyeshadows (indigo blue, shimmery grey, silver and a white highlighter) and sparkly silver eye pencil create the most basic yet perfect smoky eye. The pink blush is the perfect shade to balance out the dark eyes. If you want to go really out there, use the face and body sparkle--you'll be shining for days!

At $25 a box, it makes a great gift too. I'm damn tempted!

The Recession Can't Stop Me! Part 2

2008-11-26T20:21:00.009-05:00

Here are a few more holiday edition sets and new gift sets that I'm coveting.

Chanel Mini Glossimer Trio ($50)
One of my friends whipped this set out the other day at dinner and I was insanely jealous. Chanel haspacked three of their glossimer lip glosses and you can choose from two different sets of colors. One is a set of violets and the other is a nude/brown set. I love both but I' always a pink/purple girl. You also get an adorable Chanel black purse. Oh, Chanel :)

MAC Little Darlings ($29.50)
Have a experimenter on your gift list? MAC's latest set of five mini pigments and glitters is a perfect gift for that funky cousin or friend. Choose from a set of cool tones or warm tones.

She Uemera Eye Color Palette ($65)
Check out the hot floral packaging! You get seven sweet as candy shades and one eyeliner in this adorable palette. It's a bit pricy so make sure to get it for someone you really love!

Photos: Courtesy of Nordstrom.com

The Recession Can't Stop Me! The Sephora Edition

2008-11-26T00:27:00.010-05:00

Or maybe it can. But 'tis the best time of the year and there are lots of yummy holiday goodies to choose from! I can only indulge in a select few (I'm getting married July 12th and have to save every pretty penny!), but here's a few of my favorite holiday beauty sets that I sneaked a peek at Sephora a few days ago for the rest of you to go buck-wild with!

Benefit Peace Love and Glossiness Lip Gloss Set ($26)
My sister has this from last year and it's a great set of glosses that flatters most skin tones.

Too Faced World Domination Tour All Access Backstage Beauty Collection ($42)

Got a minimalist on your shopping list? This set includes eight eye shadows, duo bronzer, face illuminator, six lip glosses, brow powder, eyeliner cake and blush. What more can she ask for in one cute package?

Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes Collection ($35)

These people are not playing with the intensity of their products and these eyeliners are no joke. Each color is more brilliant than the next, making this collection of Bronze, Purple, Turquoise, Black and Navy the best out there.

I have a lot more favorites coming your way, so please stay tuned. Also, look out for BeautyTalk's fabulous new site makeover in the near future!

Photos: Courtesy of Sephora.com

Biore Enliven Eye Gel: Soothing To The Max

2008-09-25T00:11:00.003-04:00

As soon as I began to learn to live with my dark circles (no matter how many products I use, they will truly never go away until I get a good 8 hours of sleep at night which never seems to happen), I stumbled upon another problem; puffiness.

Most mornings, I can't find my eyes. Really, I'm serious. I think my deep-set eyes are small as it is and stress and lack of sleep don't help much. I picked up Biore's 'enliven' cooling eye gel a couple of weeks ago at my magazine's beauty department sale. The miniature green bottle was just so adorable (we all know what a sucker I am for packaging) and at the sale price of $1, it was worth a try. I forgot about it for a while, but I started using it religiously every morning for the past week and I definitely see a difference. I pat on a small amount in my surrounding eye area, gently, and I usually notice a deflated version of my eye about 5-7 minutes later. It 'cools' just like it promises which is refreshing for a grouch like me in the morning.

You only need a little bit of the translucent green gel which also dries pretty quickly. This is a great product to wake up dry, tired eyed. It's also oil-free so it's fine for sensitive skin. The light gel formula is definitely great for on-the-go and stays put under makeup. I usually wait around five minutes before applying my makeup though, just in case!

This hasn't helped much with dark circles yet, but for puffiness, it gets an A+ from me. It's also a great moisturizer for your concealer.

Back To A Basic: MAC Studio Fix

2008-09-15T17:45:00.003-04:00

I thought I'd re-start blogging by writing about an old favorite that I've returned to : MAC Studio Fix Powder plus Foundation.

Studio Fix is a very popular MAC product and I used it throughout most of my early college days. But as with most products, my skin (but mostly just my personality) got tired of it. My extremely oily skin had turned into extremely dry skin at the end of my teenage years which also made it hard for me to use it. A recent bout of adult acne has led to a discarding of all my staple products and I thought I'd give Studio Fix another try, especially given the return to Matte makeup. And I fell in love again!

I forgot how easy it was to just apply this two-in-one makeup product swiftly. It also has amazing coverage that smooths over my imperfect skin. Not to mention, it lasts a long time! Talc soaks up all the excess oil on my face and helps give a smooth, matte finish. I will say that as with most MAC products except MSF's, it isn't so great for the skin, but nowadays I just need great coverage. I can't be looking raggedy working at a high-end fashion magazine!

Anybody there?

2008-09-04T00:36:00.002-04:00

Life has been a whirlwind, so I decided to take a break from blogging. But, oh, I miss it oh so much and all of you!

Look out for updates soon :)

Summer Essential: Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizer

2008-07-12T12:31:00.005-04:00

Summer makeup gets me more frustrated than anything else. While many products out there promise to be sweat-proof and water-proof, the truth is you have to play around to find out what really works for you.

I knew the first step to switching up my summer beauty routine would be to incorporate a Tinted Moisturizer. More and more BB products have been making their way onto my vanity table and BB's tinted moisturizer is a definite-summer must. It's winning formula is:

- light-weight

- protects skin with SPF 15

- has great sheer coverage that makes skin glow

But, I still need more coverage since I have dark marks and acne scars all over my face that seem to get darker in the warmer months. I picked up a great tip from Glamour magazine that seems to work better than anything else. I mix a little bit of a light-weight foundation (I use my MAC SPF 15 Mineralize SatinFinish Foundation, for lack of something better) with the tinted moisturizer. It still stays light weight and helps me cover up my imperfections.

Tinted Moisturizer Tips:

-Mix with a lightweight foundation if you need more coverage.

- If you have especially dry skin, you might want to use half the amount of your normal day-to-day moisturizer underneath. Otherwise, skip altogether; your tinted moisturizer should be enough.

- Best applied with a Stipling Brush such as MAC 187 Duo Fibre Brush

- Let formula dry on face before applying any other makeup.

- No need to dust a powder afterwards. Skin looks best a little dewy in the summertime. Powders will only cause everything to run.

Now, I need to figure out the best way to wear concealer in the summer since my normal cream and/or liquid formulas get smooshed on my face because of the heat! What do the rest of you do for concealer? Is it worth investing in a pencil concealer for the summertime?

O' Sweet Haulin: L'oreal Canada

2008-06-28T22:21:00.019-04:00

I will ignore this blog no more!

I've been on a whirlwind adventure this last month, going on vacation to Toronto, Orlando and Atlanta. I haven't even been able to tell that I'm unemployed! During my one week stay in Toronto, my best friend got a special pass to a L'oreal warehouse sale that featured several other brands such as Lancome, Biotherm, Ralph Lauren, Maybeline, etc. You know I just had to hit up that sale! I got some amazing goodies (including a few throwback items) at some sweet deals and I wasn't selfish--I got an Armani Code set for my significant other as well! Here's a review of a few of my favorites.

Biotherm Play on Free Pure Velvet Pearl Eyeshadows in 20, 30 and 40:

I discovered Biotherm a few years back in the big 34th st Macy's in Manhattan and was hooked. Their water-based skincare was perfect for my late teenage years and I liked the light makeup options they had as well. One of the products that I loved and used fairly often were these eyeshadow powders. They go on extremely light so they are great for layering or for a simple neutral wash of color. I used the pink (#30) mostly but I picked up three out of four colors this time around. I have hard time not looking bruised with purple eyeshadow, but this one seems to work well and the pink and yellow are trademark colors that are very blendable.

Icy Reflect in #30 (Pink):

This was one of my staples for so many years! I used it on my eyes and cheeks (I stayed from the lips because it just looked too...icy). I love the gel texture which is easy to use and dries really quick so it's lasting power is great. This was actually my first venture into blush of any kind, so picking this up was a nostalgic makeup moment :)

(Glossy Splash)

Glossy Splash Lip Gloss in #450:

Again, another Biotherm product. This cherry-red lip gloss is hot, hot hot! It's a great kick of color for the lips but it's level of intensity is perfect for the summer. It also isn't sticky and small particles gives it the perfect hint of shimmer. However, my lips do suck in the color really fast.

Lancome Color Design Lipstick in Wannabe (Cream):

To be quite honest, this lipstick is something that can be dupable but I thought I'd add a Lancome lipstick to my small collection because of the great price I was getting. The barbie-pink color is a bit shocking on me, but I like it nonetheless :)

Last but not least, my 8-piece Lancome Juicy Tube Set that I love and rocking the whole summer so far. I have one of these babies in each of my purses, the little tubes are just so cute! Now, I know why they're such a cult favorite. I never liked them before because I thought they were too sticky and not worth the money. But, this set is absolutely awesome.

Although money's tight, the makeup shopping hasn't slowed down much so I have a lot of reviews coming up (included very delayed MAC posts), so keep coming back :)

I missed y'all!

MIA

2008-06-17T21:53:00.002-04:00

Hello Readers,

I'm so sorry I've been neglecting my blog. Things have been kind of hectic lately and I'm actually in Orlando on vacation right now with my boo! You would think by being unemployed and all, I would have more time on my hands, but between job-hunting, my freelance writing and pitching to magazines and websites, I barely have time for anything!

But I have quite a few posts lined up. So please keep visiting :)

Bobbi Brown Everything Mascara: A Name Befitting the Product

2008-06-09T22:16:00.004-04:00

Mascara is the one beauty product that's hardly ever a perfect fit, so finding one that's pretty damn close is usually as good as it gets. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I tried a sample Bobbi Brown's Everything Mascara (noted on their website as being a best-seller). BB's 'Everything' Mascara fulfilled all the requirements of a good mascara, in healthy doses. It plumped up my lashes, made them look longer, stronger and blacker. I liked the small, simple bristles of the wand because it helped coat every single lash and was easy to maneuver.

My main focus when trying to find a good mascara is to make sure it doesn't smudge or clump giving me the infamous raccoon eyes. I won't guarantee that BB's Everything Mascara will last through an insanely hot, sweaty day (like it was today in New York) or a good cryfest, but it does the job rather adequately.

I like to switch up my mascaras from time to time just because my lashes seem to get bored with everything and anything (even if it the coveted Dior show), so Bobbi Brown's Everything Mascara will definitely get a round.

Smell This: 'Stella' by Stella McCartney

2008-06-03T18:18:00.006-04:00

One of my friends has been raving about 'Stella' by Stella McCartney for a long time so I decided to test it out on a recent trip on Sephora. The first description that came to mind after smelling it was that it's an intense floral with a swift kick. My friend also recommended that I wait a few minutes and then smell it again because it becomes much sweeter and she was right! This perfume is both a sweet and sultry smell, made from several roses such as peonies, roses, amber and mandarin.

The Eau do Parfum Roll-On is a great deal at $16 (look for it in the bins near the cash registers at most Sephora stores). I've been really trying to watch the dollars and I have more perfume than I can ever finish (it's not like eyeshadow which I keep for years), but I really wanted 'Stella'. The Roll-On is also great for traveling so it will definitely be in my bags for my upcoming trip to Florida.

Now, I just have to stop putting it on so that I don't get sick of it by the time I go on vacation!

Eyeliner Love: Sephora

2008-06-01T14:08:00.001-04:00

It's not often that a Sephora Brand product catches my attention, but Sephora's Flashy Waterproof Liner is different. This metallic eyeliner comes in 9 vivid shades including black, silver, mauve, blue, green, orange, brown, copper and pink but the blue which is more like a bright turquoise is my absolute favorite. The consistency of this liner is heavenly creamy and glides on super-smooth. It claims to be waterproof and smudge-proof and the Sephora people certainly aren't lying! I love using this liner and the metallic color gleams on my eyelids (see the previous post for proof).

For $8 a pop, it's a great deal and I'm planning to get some of the other colors as well.

FOTD: Orange and Teal

2008-05-24T11:57:00.003-04:00

South Asian weddings are the absolute best, especially Bangladeshi weddings. We have several different ceremonies so weddings usually span over a week. One of my closest friends is getting married this weekend and her 'gayer holud' (it's a type of bridal shower) ceremony was tonight. The custom is to wear colors like red, yellow, orange or green so I picked a blue and orange outfit.

I quite liked the way my makeup came out tonight. I pulled this look together really quickly so I'm quite proud that it's not messy :)

Face:
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer
MAC Select MoistureCover in NC42 & NC35
Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in Honey
Bobbi Brown Face Powder in Warm Natural

Eyes:
Nars e/s Mediteranee (on entire lid )
MAC e/s Deep Truth (crease)
MAC e/s Teal 'N' Tease (crease)
MAC e/s Gorgeous Gold (browbone and inner eyecorners)
Urban Decay Liquid Eyeliner in Radium (upper lid)
Sephora Flashy Waterproof Liner in Flashy Blue (lower lid)
MAC technakolhl eyeliner in graphblack (waterline)
Diorshow Mascara

Cheeks:
MAC blush in Sunbasque

Lips:
MAC lipstick in Barely Lit
MAC plushglass in Power Supply

By the way, I got a fantastic herbal facial on Friday so that's why skin looks so clear :)

Clubbing FOTD

2008-05-18T08:59:00.010-04:00

Sorry, I've been MIA! After getting laid off a week and a half ago, I was scrambling to find some freelance work and I've also had some family drama going on. I decided this was the best time to visit my best friend in Toronto (I live in New York) so I've been here since Thursday. It's been a blast so far! I come to Toronto once a year (she usually goes to NY more often), but I've never gone to a club except this time. It was fun.

A breakdown of my look for that night:

Face:

MAC Select MoistureCover in NC42 & NC35

Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in Honey

Bobbi Brown Face Powder in Warm Natural

Eyes:

Urban Decay Primer Potion

MAC e/s in Showstopper

Urban Decay e/s in Oil Slick

MAC liquid liner in Bootblack

Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara

Cheeks:

Cargo Big Bronzer in Medium

Bobbi Brown Rose Shimmer Brick

Benefit HollywoodGlo

Lips:

L'oreal Aishwairya's Beige

MAC lipglass in Enchantress

TAGGED! 6 Quirky Facts About Me

2008-05-09T21:18:00.001-04:00

1. I cry at random times. I won't cry or even react when huge things happen in my life like, oh, when I got laid off from my job yesterday! But, I'll cry if I can't find my favorite eyeshadow or something. I cry mostly out of frustration and anger, but when something really saddens or upsets me, I go into shock mode.

2. I have weird food habits. For example, I absolutely love tomatoes, bread and cheese yet I hate pizza. I don't like these things in a combination, for some reason. Most people react very strangely when they hear that I hate pizza because apparently not many people do.

3. I am a Pisces, so by nature I am romantic and dreamy. I've always believed in love and all the cheesiness that goes along with it, but I have a really hard time showing it! I can't bring myself to ever call my fiance baby, sweetie or anything like that. I don't even like it when he touches me or kisses me in public! Most people are very surprised by this, because I'm truly a romantic soul. I guess I like being catered to but I don't like doing the catering!

4. I dream every single night and I remember all of my dreams when I wake up in the morning.

5. I have a hard time swallowing pills, no matter what size it is. Up until very recently, I had to smash my pills so that I could take them. When I realized it tasted a lot worse that way, I tried to learn how to swallow them. I still have a hard time and occasionally end up throwing it all up!

6. As a kid, I used to read my books in the bathroom. What the heck, I still do!

Pigment Love!

2008-05-07T11:51:00.000-04:00

It has to be said: I'm scared of pigments. I've bought and returned more MAC pigments than I can remember and have even given away some. I just never keep them because I'm afraid of using them. I know, I know....I'm not exactly a makeup novice, but I'm not a pro either. But, my fellow makeup-lover friend got me two pigments for my birthday and since I've been thinking of finally getting over my fear of them, this was perfect timing.

Gosh, what a fool I've been!!!!!

A whole new obsession has now started. How exactly to apply pigments, which ones are the best, etc.

I was getting ready to go out for my ex-boyfriends birthday (I know, I know....bad idea but we are friends without benefits) and I wanted to look a little.....different. I even got a reaction out of my very nonchalant ex-boyfriend with my wow eyes and lips!

I've always been afraid of pigments falling off my eyelids and it really is easier than I think! After applying lots of UDPP, i just layered the golden olive pigment over sumptuous olive shadow with a pointed eyeshadow brush and it worked fine. I'm sure it will get more difficult when blending pigment colors together and all that, but that's what my research is for . In the meantime, feel free to leave tips in your comments!

Face
MAC Select SPF 15 in NC 43 (seriously, so the wrong color but eh I make it work for now)
MAC Select Moisturecover in NC35 & NW 35 (again, need some new concealer!)
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
MAC Mineralized SkinFinish in Medium Dark (also bored of this, I need a good translucent powder for the summer)

Eyes
UDPP
MAC Sumptuous olive e/s (entire lid)
MAC A Little Folie e/s (in crease)
MAC Golden Olive Pigment
MAC Goldmine (on inner corners)
MAC Liquid Liner in Bootblack (my holy grail)
Dior Show Mascara

Cheeks
Nars Crazed (Is pairing red lips and red cheeks bad? It didn't look bad did it? I didn't layer the blush at all)

Lips
Chanel Glossimer in Hibiscus (my favorite red lippie of all time!)

Product Alert: PosieTint

2008-05-06T10:11:00.001-04:00

I just re-bought Benetint a couple of weeks ago and it's become one of my on-the-go products. I just read on Bellasugar that Benefit is getting ready to launch Benetintin pink--Posietint. I'm excited to test it out, although I get the feeling it will be too close to my natural flush and probably won't be worth the money. But, I'm still excited, and how cute is the name Benefit came up with?

Oh Dior, How I Love Thee

2008-05-01T13:48:00.012-04:00

I feel particularly cute today, I think it's the endorphins kicking in. I've been back to the gym (for three weeks now) after a l-o-o-o-n-g hiatus and I'm on a definite high. My thighs are killing me and my significant other and I are on the rocks, but I still feel great!

Part of what's making me feel so good (apart from the super-cute vest I'm rocking and my hair making the most perfect natural waves today) is my Dior Pencil Eyeliner. Remember that awful Dior event at Bloomingdale's I went to a couple of months ago? I got it then and I've used it here and there but I've ignored it for the most part (like I do with all my products after a couple of weeks). I whipped it back out and have been using it for a couple of days now and I am absolutely in love! I have a love/hate relationship with pencil liners in general, simply because no matter what, they always smudge on me. I've tried everything from MAC Technikohl to Urban Decay 24/7 Pencils, but NOTHING has worked--until now. I think I keep trying out pencil liners even though I feel more comfortable with the way liquid looks because pencil is just such a no-brainer. But, I've been test-driving the Dior pencil vigorously to see how long it could withstand my oil lids and it passed!

The Dior Pencils come in a range of basic colors but precious green looks the best on me. I love the dark, plum-purple shade but it tends to disappear into my skin because of my dark circles (I hate you!). This pencil glides on smoothly and is pretty much budge-proof and it also comes with a sponge-tip on the other end which is perfect for creating a quick smoky eye.

Bottom line: the Precious Green Dior Pencil has lasted all day on me, so I'm a fan. The $25 price tag is hefty, but it's well worth it!

Tagging Myself from Temptalia

2008-05-01T12:03:00.000-04:00

My Foundation: MAC SatinFinish SPF 15 in NC42 (which I hope to change soon, MAC makes me look too orange! Any good foundation suggestions?)
My Mascara: I'm between mascaras right now but Maybeline Define-A-Lash is my go-to
My Blush: MAC Beauty Powder in True Romantic, I swear it goes with everything!
My Eye Shadow: Shisedio Hydro-Powder Shadow in H4 or MAC e/s in Suede Brown
My Day Cream: Origins 'Have a Nice Day'
My Lipstick: Lancome Pixel Pink or Fresh Sugar Lipgloss in Sugar Fairy
My Beauty Product Brand: MAC (always) and I'm currently crushing on Vincent Longo and Makeup Forever
My Essential Beauty Product: It used to always be lip gloss only but now due to old age and bad skin, it's concealer.
My Favorite Makeup Product: Blush
My Perfume: Marc Jacob's Daisy
My Nails: Essie
My Feet: Whatever my salon ladies use. I'm too lazy to do anything myself.
My Hands: Essie Smoothies, in Pomegranate & Mango
Three Products to bring on a deserted island: Moisturizer with a high SPF (I'll double-time and use it for both body and face!), shampoo + conditioner in one and a tinted lip balm.
Woman I admire for their beauty: Past: Elizabeth Taylor and Sridevi. Current: Leighton Meester and Katrina Kaif.
Woman with the Best Sense of Style: Oh this is a hard one. I have too many favorites!
My Ultimate Dream: Becoming a very successful writer
How Do I Define Womanhood: A sense of self-confidence that's blatantly apparent.
My Favorite Fashion Publication: It's a toss-up between Glamour and Marie Claire. Sorry work folks, it's not Elle!

I tag Karen (MakeupandBeautyBlog, Nilla (DailyCookie), I heart Makeup, Brittany (Clumps of Mascara), NyWele, Mukho

Sephora Haul: Zeroin' on the cheeks

2008-04-27T11:53:00.001-04:00

I think back to those days when I used to think only older women wore blush and I'm horrified. Blush has to be the best way to perk up your face. Without it, I never feel like my look is complete! I had a Sephora gift card that I was itching to spend, so I decided to invest in some cheek lovin'.

Benefit Benetint:

I have a love/hate relationship with Benetint. I love it because it gives me the most natural, rosy glow. What I don't like is the $28 price tag. I splurge a lot when it comes to makeup (obviously) but for some reason, spending almost $30 for this just never seems to settle well with me. It might be because I know it will finish earlier than other products because of the size of the bottle. So, I have returned it twice already! I was really lemming for it recently so I got it for good. It's a great product for the summer when powder or cream blushes might just be too much work and risks melting off!

Vincent Longo Day Play Duo Compact Powder Blush in Venus Glory:
I absolutely fell in love with this blush despite the hefty price tag ($35). I've been trying to get into contouring lately (thanks to some great videos from Vanessa of Necessary Makeup!) and it cuts down a lot of work when the colors are matched up already, like it is in this compact. The shades are appropriately named 'Day' and 'Play'.The lighter 'day' shade is a soft mauvish pink that is pretty similar to MAC Beauty Powder in True Romantic, but not has heavily pigmented and less matte.The darker 'play' shade is a soft plum color that's great for the night time and contouring. Overall, this blush is great because it gives you a slight shimmer which is not overbearing and the pigmentation is just right. And the compact is so sleek and shiny!

Paint Pot Series: Sparklin' in Gold

2008-04-24T12:03:00.000-04:00

(courtesy of Pursebuzz)

The Star: Indianwood Paint Pot
I just can't get enough of golds and I often create my best looks with it. I've been lusting over Indianwood for some time now, but kept putting off buying it because I have so many other golds! But, it is truly worth it because it is my favorite gold cream shadow of all time. Here's a look I created this past weekend.

Eyes:

Indianwood Paint Pot
MAC e/s in Amber Lights (on lid)
MAC e/s in Antiqued (in crease and outter V)
MAC e/s in Trax (slightly in crease)
MAC e/s in Goldmine (to blend lid and crease colors together)
Shisedio Hydro Powder Shadow in Tiger Eye (under brow as highlighter)

Shisheido Cream Eyeliner in black

MAC Liquid Liner in Bootblack

Cheeks:

Benefit Dallas (to contour side of nose and cheeks)

Bobbi Brown Rose Shimmerbrick

Lips:

Dior Bronze Couture lipstick

Face:

MAC Foundation Select SPF 15 NC43

MAC Select MoistureCover Concealer in NC35 & NC42
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
MAC Skinfinish in Medium Dark

MAC Dazzleglass is online!

2008-04-22T15:18:00.009-04:00

I was browsing through MAC's website (because you know I don't have about 15 stories I need to finish) and saw that the Dazzleglass lippies are already available! I thought they were being released on May 1st, but they're good-to-go on the website. I'm jumping on these fast, because Dresscamp came and went before I even got a chance to take a proper look!

Here are some swatches from Temptalia.com.

I'm most interested in Love Alert, Funtabulous, Get Rich Quick and Ms. Fizz. What are the rest of you going to get?

Wearable Spring Eye Colors: Shiseido Hydro-Powder Eye Shadows

2008-04-20T17:19:00.011-04:00

I've been a fan of Shiseiod Hydro-Powder eye shadows since they first launched. The cream to powder formula is really easy to apply and is great for a simple look. I love shimmer so it's only natural that I would love these eyeshadows. Shiseido's spring collection introduced four more colors; (swatches from left to right) Clover Dew, Lemon Sugar, Rose Tulle and Languid Lagoon. Aren't the names adorable?

Clover Dew: a sweet shimmery green that looks great on all skin tones.

Lemon Sugar: A whitish-yellow that makes a great highlighter.

Rose Tulle: A very subtle pink. It barely shows on my caramel skin, but I'm sure it would be a great wash of color on lighter skin tones. Still, it's my least favorite shade. There are better pink shadows in this line such as softly shining plum and delicately pretty pink.

Languide Lagoon: A soft baby blue. This is a great shade for those that are afraid of blue blue shades. It's just a little too subtle for me!

My sister, the wanna-be model, wearing my two favorite shades. Lemon Sugar (left) and Clover Dew (on right). Doesn't she have the most gorgeous eyes?

Spring makeup should light and fresh and Shiseido's new hydro-powder eye shadow colors are perfect for a quick and sexy look.

Daisy Fever

2008-04-18T10:00:00.006-04:00

Marc Jacobs' Daisy is everywhere, which is kind of irritating. Aside from the perfume (which I love and is my new staple for the spring/summer), I've seen brushes, dinnerware, candles and now the most natural progression--vanity case and traveling beauty case.

I have to say though, I absolutely love the vanity. I just got a new train case from my friends last month for my birthday, but if I had spotted this before, I definitely would've asked for it.

Tres adorable, no?

I love both the beauty cause and the Vanity case (which has two drawers, three trays and two foldout pockets).

But, Marc, seriously, stop with the daisies already!

Drugstore Haulin'

2008-04-16T20:58:00.011-04:00

The benefit of reading so many different beauty blogs is all the great recommendations that I get. I literally live across the street from a major drugstore, so I have to restrain myself from being everything in site, since I'm in there several times a day! But, two products have been on my radar for a while, so I decided to get somethin' for me skin and me hair :)

Clean&Clear In-Shower Facial: This seems like such a no-brainer product because I usually take my face masks off in the shower anyway. I love the fact that this is a scrub and cleanser all in one. My skin felt extra-soft and moisturizerd after using this and I would definitely re-buy. And it really does work in one minute! A great product on the cheap.

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Hair Mask: My hair has always been frizzy, dry and stiff, so I need really good conditioners. I used to use this hair mask a while ago but as with all beauty products, I got caught up with something else. But, I've come back to this product simply because it's such a great moisturizing product, which I need especially now that my hair is color-treated. My hair becomes instantly soft after using this, which I do, usually once a week.

I'm lovin' my super soft face and hair (minus my nose, which is red from blowing because of stupid allergies!).

My Two Favorite Primers

2008-04-14T11:39:00.008-04:00

Primer has become a part of my daily routine, whether I wear any other makeup or not. I've been using MAC Prime+Prep Face Primer for a while, but I just started using Becca Mineral SPF Primer last week and I can't decide which I like better now!

MAC Prime+Prep vs. Becca Mineral SPF Primer:

- Both are oil free, cream formulas that moisturize well
- Becca is mineral, MAC is not
- Becca is better for sensitive skin
- Both smooths skin
- Becca has a better matte finish
- Both are weightless
- Becca's includes anti-oxidant vitamins A, E, Green Tea, White Tea, Hyaluronic Acid (Sodium Hyaluronate), Linoic Acid (Evening Primrose Oil), Alpha Lipoic Acid, Co Enzyme Q10,
- Becca=SPF 30, MAC = SPF 50
- Becca = $42, MAC = $26.50

I'd recommend both but I like Becca better because of the way it feels on my skin. It's matte finish is better, especially for the warm season. MAC's formua tends to be runny and watery if you don't shake it up once in a while, while Becca's isn't. However, MAC has a higher SPF count and it's price is also much better.

How imporant is primer to you and what's your favorite product?

Preview: Bobbi Brown Wild Rasberry Lip Crayon

2008-04-10T22:13:00.002-04:00

Today was the unofficial first day of spring in New York; the weather was simply gorgeous! It was a perfect day to dress up and create a fresh spring face. I decided to play around with Bobbi Brown's Lip Crayon in Wild Rasberry (from an upcoming collection later in the year--I got my hands on a sample). It's different from the Quick-Time Lip Crayons out now and I simply adore the pinkish-coral (at least on me) color! It's a little different for me since I usually go with shiny lips.

Lip Pencils used to scream 'middle-aged wrinkled lips' to me, until I tried this. I absolutely love the texture--it's smooth and creamy! It didn't take me much time at all to apply it, either. I simply outlined my lips and then filled it in with the same crayon. My lips were a little flaky so I dabbed a clear lip gloss in the middle, to deter the attention away from the ugly state of my lips.

I was attending tabletop trade shows all day, so I needed a professional look with a little kick to it. I tried to go for a more natural look today with just a tad of pencil eyeliner instead of my usual thick, line of black liquid liner. I think my eyes look brighter and wider, which I like :)

Face:
MAC Select SPF 15 in NC 43
Dior Concealer in Medium Beige or 420
Laura Mercier Secret Brightener (my savior!!)
MAC Skinfinish in Medium Dark

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC e/s in Paradisco (entire lid)
MAC e/s in A Little Folie (in crease)
Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil in Zero
Cargo Mascara

Cheeks:
MAC Sheerblush in Sunbasque

Lips:
Bobbi Brown Lip Crayon in Wild Rasberry (There isn't anything wild about it!)
MAC plushglazz in Nice Buzz (just a dab in the middle)

(Thinking about whether I should wear flats or heels, I had a lot of walking to do)

(Realizing the chain broke on my favorite knee-length boots. Shucks!)

I'm on the hunt for a good tinted moisturizer that gives me enough coverage at the same time. Any suggestions?

Beauty Savior: Leave-In Conditioners

2008-04-10T11:09:00.002-04:00

My hair texture is the weirdest. It's straight yet wavy, shiny yet frizzy and very, very static-prone. I don't like putting a lot of product in my hair, because most of them weights it down. What I have been using religiously for the past 6-7 years are leave-in conditioners.

A Leave-In Conditioner serves many purposes:

It gives hair moisture, making hair soft
It detangles, making hair more manageable
Protects against heat styling

How to Use:

Spray throughout wet hair, especially at the ends. Comb through to evenly distribute.

My favorite:
Aussie Hair Insurance Leave-In Conditioner: I just love Aussie products in general, it gives my dry hair so much moisture! This is my favorite one because it does everything I need. Some LIC's only detangle or only protect against heat spray. Aussie's does it all.

MAC Paint Pot Series: A Messy Blue Look

2008-04-08T11:22:00.002-04:00

I finally got a new camera (I love my Cannon SD1100!) so these are the last of some shitty photos on this blog (hopefully). I've been having a rough couple of weeks and have been looking pretty bummy. Most days, other than a quick swipe of sheer, pink gloss, I don't have a single thing on my face! I haven't been doing my new highlights any justice either, by constantly putting my hair up. I need to get out of this slump and start lookin' my best :( I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I didn't have a dresser or vanity table in my room until yesterday. So, my stuff has been everywhere and since I am a bit messy (just a bit, mind you), it's just too exhausting too look for everything in the morning. Hopefully, I'll be better organized now.

Anyway, on to the point of this post;

The Star: Delft Paint Pot (Deep Teal withGold Pearl)

My adventure with paint pots continue with Delft. The first word that crossed my mind when I stumbled upon this color is; sexy. This bluish-greenish color is hella' sexy! I have a strange relationship with anything in the blue/teal eye shade category. It usually doesn't look good on me, yet I keep on buying! I liked this look although it came out quite messy since I decided to do it really quick. I might have left some products out since I forgot everything I used! But the basics are in there.

Eyes:
Mac Paint Pot in Delft
MAC e/s in Plumage
MAC e/s in Deep Truth
MAC Liquid Eyeliner in Boot Black
Maybeline Define-A-Lash Mascara
Urban Decay e/s in Polyester Bride as highlighter

Cheeks:
Mac blush creme in Pleasureful

Lips:
Mac Viva Glam V
L'oreal Aishwairya's Beige

Face:
MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer
Laura Mercier Secret Brigtener
MAC Select SPF 15 Foundation in NC43
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Medium Dark

Product Alert: TheBalm's Sexy Mama

2008-04-07T10:03:00.005-04:00

Being the product whore that I am, cute packaging and catchy product names always has me lustin'. TheBalm's Sexy Mama translucent powder is one of these. Sephora lists it as 'a mattifying ant-shine translucent powder for all skin tones'. With the warm weather coming up (hopefully sometime sooner than it seems!), my biggest woe will be controlling the glorious shine-factors on my face (oiliness and good 'ol sweat). TheBalm's Sexy Mama translucent powder gives a nice matte finish to my skin. I do think that this might not be a product for very dark-skinned girls, despite what the company claims. Ashy skin is never sexy! For most other skin tones, it will work just fine because most of the powder sinks into the skin. With it's peachy (did I just write that?) packaging and cutesy title, this sexy powder is something I'd love to tote around the whole summer.

Ode to Smashbox

2008-04-02T15:12:00.007-04:00

Who doesn't love a good sale? Browsing through Smashbox's Curtain Call section gave me a slight chill this morning. Beauty products hardly ever go on sale (as we all know) so even a $1 off is something worth celebrating. Here's a few of my latest picks from the Smashbox.com beauty blowout sale:

Smokebox ($28.50)
I love palettes and I love sales. So, how could I possibly resist this 10-shade palette? like this palette because the browns on the left are good for creating a nude look while the rest of the colors make great smoky eyes, taking care of all the eyeshadows I need while I'm visiting my guy down in Atlanta. Being in a long-distance relationship really teaches you to learn how to pack!

Lip Gloss ($11.25)
My favorite lip gloss (35mm) is finally on sale! I consider a lot when buying lip products and the less stickier the better. These cute glosses pack a lot of punch in the small tubes and it's very easy to carry around. My personal favorites are bombshell (a sheer nude pink) and35mm (a shimmery peachy copper).

Sunset Blvd Body Bronzing Set ($42.25)
Spring is here (although it doesn't feel like it) and summer will be too soon. Time to stock up on bronzers! This body bronzer is a good deal because it comes with a great kabuki powder brush. We all know expensive brushes are so I would definitely pick up this combo!

MAC Paint Pot Series: Simply Pink

2008-03-27T10:17:00.017-04:00

Playing around with MAC Paint Pots is my latest beauty pastime. My love with them started with the paint tubes but I find the pots much more convenient. I'll be posting a series of looks I created with a whole slew of the different paint pots I've bought recently.

Ignore the hideous spots on my forehead, I just couldn't work up enough energy to cover them up that day! On the other hand, I never realized what long lashes I have until I started taking photos for this blog.

The star: Girl-Friendly Paint Pot
I was weary of this shade even though I've read some rave reviews on other blogs and websites. It just didn't seem that special to me. Once I tried it on though, I just had to have it. It goes beyond just being a fantastic base shade for most eye combinations. I even like wearing this eyeshadow alone; it's a great upgrade on a nude eye.

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Girl-Friendly Paint Pot
MAC eyeshadow in Sunday Best from the 2007 Holiday palette
MAC eyeshadow in Retrospeck from the 2007 Holiday palette
MAC eyeshadow in Star Violet
MAC liquid eyeliner in Boot Black
Maybeline Define-A-Lash Mascara

Cheeks:
Benefit 10 highlighter and bronzer

Lips:
Lancome Pixel Pink

Face:
Chanel Tinted Moisturizer

Irresistible Eco-Friendly Lippies

2008-03-26T11:34:00.003-04:00

My new freelance writing gig got me thinking about eco-friendly beauty products. While I try to do little things every day like turn off the lights or any other appliances when I'm done using them, recycle consistently, try not to print out unnecessary documents, I haven't really jumped on the eco-beauty bandwagon. But I figured that the Cargo PlantLove Botanical Lipsticks are a good way to start. The tube is made out of corn but the coolest part is that the outer carton is embedded with real flower seeds, so you can grow your own flowers!

I love a smooth lipstick formula and these adorable lippies have jojoba, shea butter and meadowfoam seed oil. Cargo really went all out by getting a bunch of celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan, Kim Raver, Denise Richards and a bunch of others to design each of the shades. Cargo is also donating two dollars from the sale of every shade to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, so this is one beauty buy I won't feel guilty about!

There's nothing like a new 'do

2008-03-24T12:47:00.006-04:00

I'm pretty boring when it comes to my hair. When I get a cut, I stick to it. For three years straight, I had side-swept bangs because it was the only thing that suited my thinning hair. By some miracle, my hair's grown a bit thicker (let's not jinx it!) and it's more manageable so I decided to try to grow it out. I also decided to get highlights! The last time I had any color other than my natural black was when I was 15. I tried to get highlights a couple of years ago but the results were disastrous and I dyed it back black.

I went to a new place to get my highlights (my fiance's cousin always gets her hair done and swore up and down that they would do a good job). I was getting a wash, cut, blow-dry and highlights for $40 in Flushing (Queens, New York), so I figured what the heck. It's so cheap that if it sucks, I can always dye it back!

Well, I love my new hair!! It even convinced me to go to a wedding last night that I wasn't going to go to.

Don't I look fab?

BEFORE

AFTER

Makeup Look:
Eyes:
- Cargo Smoky Eye Eyeliner Duo in Budapest (in crease and outer eye)
- MAC eyeshadow in Electra (whole lid)
- MAC liquid eyeliner in Boot Black
- MAC eyeshadow in Phloof! (highlighter)
- Dior Show Mascara

Cheeks:
- MAC Blush in Dollymix

Lips:
- L'oreal Lipstick in Aishwarya's Beige
- MAC Lipglass in Viva Glam V

Face:
- MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer
- Laura Mercier Secret Brigtener
- MAC Select SPF 15 Foundation in NC42
- MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Medium Dark

Beauty Splurge: Guerlain's Limited-Edition Pearly Bronzer

2008-03-24T11:13:00.004-04:00

I buy a lot of products that I simply do not need or does not fit my budget. For example, I have an abundance of bronzers but Guerlain's Limited-Edition Pearly Bronzing Powder is sucking me in so badly, I'm having a really hard time resisting. The words 'limited-edition' isn't making it any better!

The packaging is tres chic and I love the the three ranges the bronzer comes in;

• Orient Sun: For a touch of pink that delivers a radiant, sheer luminosity.
• Indian Bronze: A perfect golden shade to create a sensual and sophisticated aura;
• Africa Rythm: Captures the beauty of intense coppery tones for a deep bronzed sheen, creating a radiant effect.

I'd Love Orient Sun for a year-round look and Indian Bronze for a perfect sun-kissed summer look.

I'm trying to hold back because MAC is coming out with some great collections (read about it here) and I want to splurge on all the other summer collections, but this Guerlain bronzer is very, very tempting. At $57, I'm going to have to think about long and hard..

Sunny eyes

2008-03-22T22:11:00.011-04:00

My camera totally sucks! I have a crappy Casio and the quality is so bad. I did a vibrant yellow and blue look Friday night for my friend's birthday, but in the pictures it doesnt look as great :(

I've highlighted new products in bold, along with a small review.

Eyes

-Urban Decay Primer Potion

-Makeup Forever Flash Pan in Yellow: I was very excited when this collection launched at Sephora. Makeup Forever is known for its vibrant colors and the adorable pan totally won me over. I didn't get a chance to use it until last night and I was disappointed. The thick, ceam consistency is pretty hard to work with. Since I layered it over UDPP, it kep flaking. I figured out that it works best on its own. The yellow is awesome though and one of the best yellows I've seen! It's just not a great color to wear alone.

-MAC Goldmine Eyeshadow

-MAC Antiqued eyeshadow (in crease)

-Yves Saint Laurent highlighter from Love Collection Palete

-Urban Decay Liquid Eyeliner in Radium

-MAC eyeshadow in Deep Truth (to line upper lid and corner of lower of lid)

-Lancome Virtuose Mascara in Black: Look for an upcoming review!

Cheeks
-MAC Beauty Powder Blush in True Romantic: I couldn't wait to check out the MAC blush collection and I was absolutely stunned by the amazing quality! I loved almost every single color but True Romantic really caught my attention. The soft mauve-plumish color works on virtually every skin tone. I knew that these blushes are incredibly pigmented and that I should use a light hand while applying, but I still underestimated!

-MAC Sheertone blush in Sunbasque

Lips

-Mac Fafi Lipstick in Fun 'N' Sexy: The only thing I bought from the Fafi collection is this and the pressed powder in Sassed-Up. I originally went with another Red Lippie for this look, but my friends convinced me Fafi was the way to go! I love this vibrant shade of pink/fuschia; it works well with so many looks! My only complaint is the consistency--it's a little rugged and I would've preferred it to be smooth. I have a hard time wearing it without a sheer lipgloss on top.

-MAC Plushglass in Nice Buzz

Face

-Dior Hyradting Concealer in Medium Beige

-Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

-Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in Honey

-MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Medium Dark

Dior Backstage Event

2008-03-21T12:25:00.010-04:00

I went to Bloomingdales' Dior Backstage Beauty Event at the beginning of the month, hoping to get a nice view of the new Dior Spring lineup and garner some ideas for my birthday look.

I had a crappy makeup artist who wanted to rush everything, so my experience was less than pleasant. I asked her to help me create a shimmery gold and dark green eye and what she gave me was less than stellar. She kept contradicting everything I asked for so after a while I just stopped and let her do what she wanted.

Products used: 5-Color Eyeshadow in Sunset Cafe, Dior Eyeliner Pencil in Precious Green, Diorshow Mascara

I'm not fond of this look at all, she didn't even do a good job of covering my dark circles!

Wallet Damage:
Dior Eyeliner Pencil in Precious Green: Although I didn't like the artist's work, I loved this eyeliner that she used to smoke out my eyes. This dark green pencil is creamy and pretty easy to blend.

Dior Hydrating Concealer in Medium Beige: A good concealer is very hard to find and although this isn't the best, it's definitely one of the better. I love the creamy consistency and the hydrating formula is perfect for my dry skin. It's only drawbacks is the limited color range and that it takes some time to apply. A little bit does go a long way but you you need time to carefully blend. It's definitely not on-the-go product.

Dior Rouge Lipstick in Bronze Couture: I don't really have a lot of bronzish/brown lipstick or gloss and I actually liked the one that makeup artist applied on me so I decided to get it. Pure impulse buy :)

Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss Addict in Chiffon Beige
I remember trying a gloss from the line when it launched and I hated it because it was so shiny. I actually liked it this time around and it's my first Dior gloss!

I got this makeup box (that's totally useless because of the small square compartments inside), a cute little pouch and a tiny Diorshow mascara for free.

My stash

2008-03-20T22:41:00.007-04:00

I've been a bad, bad girl when it comes to paying attention to my beloved blog. But, I swear I have a few very good reasons! My birthday passed this weekend and I had several out of town guests come from far and wide (Atlanta and Toronto to be exact) to pay me some special attention :) Also, things have been very hectic at work since my boss left the company, so I had to be a very good editor and a not-so-great blogger!

Anyway, I've done tons of beauty shopping all month and have neglected to review most of my goodies, but I promise I will soon. I've been eying a fancy makeup train case from Sephora for a while now and my best friends got together and got it for me (along with an awesome Kenneth Cole watch)! I also got diamond studs from my fiance and a Sephora gift card from another friend, so I'm a very happy camper :)

Here's a peak at my makeup box after I filled it up with goodies. I've thrown out a lot of crap recently so it looks pretty bare.

What do you guys do to store your beauty goodies?

A Long-Lost Love

2008-03-17T17:35:00.000-04:00

My sister and I were sitting around my beauty stash the other day and talking about makeup days of the past. My makeup never seems to finish, no matter how long I have it but the one product that I used to buy over and over was Biotherm's Light Reflect Icy Reflect for Eyes, Lips and cheeks. I must have bought this product for the first time over five years ago and only recently stopped wearing it. It was one of the first highlighting products I used, not to mention my first foray into wearing blush of any kind! I love Biotherm's water-based formula and I also loved the fact that I could indeed use this product on almost every part of my face (I stayed away from the lips most of the time, though). Unfortunately, it only came out in three colors; I was waiting for it to come out in more but the pearly pink #30 was my absolute favorite and a makeup staple for many years!

I forgot about this product ever since the Biotherm counter at the Macy's near me moved. But, I vow to re-buy this product very soon!

Beauty Horoscope: Pisces

2008-03-12T12:32:00.009-04:00

I love Bellasugar's Beauty For Your Sign posts and I was anxiously waiting for this month's because it's my birthday month! She basically nailed it on the head when it comes to my personality. I am extremely romantic and dreamy. But on a bad day, watch out!

Pisces beauty: I absolutely love shimmery products and I usually don't go for neutrals. If I have a neutral eye, you can be sure I'll have a crazy lip look! The only thing that I didn't agree with is that I LOVE red lips and so does my sister, who is also a Pisces (yeah, it sucks to have birthdays back to back). Some of my favorite shades to wear are gold, bronze, pink, lavender and green. I'm not a big fan of blue, orange or browns. Although, being a product junkie, I own something in every shade.

A few of my favorite products:

- Benefit Hollywood Glow
- Bobbi Brown Rose Shimmer Brick Compact
- MAC Indianwood paint pot
- MAC eyeshadow in swish
- MAC slimeshine lipstick in pleasing
- Lorac eyeshadow in Rhapsody

Pisces Beauties:

Brightening Ain't No Secret

2008-03-11T11:27:00.000-04:00

I first read about Laura Mercier's Secret Brightening Powder here and have been wanting to try it ever since. This product turned out to be exactly all that it's hyped up to be and more. I have a bad case of dark circles (as I've mentioned numerous times) and lots of fine lines under my eyes. LM's Secret Brightening Powder helps lighten up my dark circles and because of the light consistency of the powder, it doesn't settle into my fine lines. I absolutely love this product and it's become a long-lasting companion with any type of concealer I use.

I must say that it is important to use the right brush with this product. You want to use a hard brush that will pick up the light powder formula easily. I use Laura Mercier's Camouflage Powder Brush. The synthetic bristles pick up the powder easily; it's one of the best brushes I've ever used!

Here's the technique the girl at the Laura Mercier counter at Bergdorf Goodman taught me:

1. Put a little bit of the powder into the cap

2. Use your brush to blend the powder around a little in the cap, just to break up the particles a little more.

3. Tap off the excess powder from the brush and press (don't swipe!) underneath your eye gently.

My hideous dark circles:

MAC Selectcover Concealer and Laura Mercier Secret brightener

Sexify your eyes

2008-03-10T14:09:00.003-04:00

I am a liquid-eyeliner whore. I've been using liquid eyeliner since the beginning of my makeup days in high school and have pretty much mastered the art of the cat-eye by now. But, the main reason I stick to liquid is because pencil ALWAYS smudges on me, no matter what. While MAC's Bootblack is my basic black eyeliner, I was pleased to stumble upon Urban Decay's Liquid Liner. The metallic glint is fantastic. I only use Radium (a bright electric blue), but I also love some of the other colors such as Smog, Metallic and Gash).

I'm not so crazy about the brush, though. I'm used to a felt-tip pen-type applicator but I've made it work. On the days that I simply cannot stand to painstakingly apply with the UD applicator, I use a MAC eyeliner brush and this seems to work fine. Another drawback is the cute yet uneconomical packaging. This seems to be one of those products (such as the Primer Potion) that will entrap a lot of the product because of the poor packaging.

Nonetheless, I love the genie-in-a-lamp concept!

Bonus-Size Bronzer

2008-03-07T16:22:00.004-05:00

Cargo makes the best bronzer, hands down. In fact, my first tryst with bronzer started with Cargo and I haven't been able to stay away from it ever since. I've been using Cargo Bronzer in Medium for as long as I can remember. I love the sheer, natural glow I get from swiping it lightly all over my face. The thing I wasn't crazy about was the tin packaging. It's cute in it's own way, but this bronzer is such a cult-status product that it needed to be packaged in something more memorable. Well, the Cargo people apparently feel the same way as I do, because they've re-introduced the bronzer in a gorgeous and I mean, gorgeous large compact! The Big Bronzer costs $7 more than the regular-sized one which is fine with me because this is one product that I definitely re-buy. I'm willing to pay $7 for more product and a hot compact. This beauty made me shriek in delight when I first laid my eyes on it at a Macy's counter. I just cannot praise Cargo's bronzing power enough and now with this breathtaking compact? Forget about it.

Have I mentioned how gorgeous this compact is? This photo just does not do it justice. Go check it out in person!

Sigh.

Smell This: YSL Elle

2008-03-06T15:48:00.003-05:00

My friend recently had an engagement party and I was looking for a good gift. I wanted to give her something she could use and what could be better than perfume? I chose Yves Saint Laurent's Elle. First of all, I love the name and it seems perfectly-suited for my friend. She's one of the most beautiful girls I know and everyone that has ever seen her would definitely agree. But, I digress. I love the combination of woodsy and floral that embodies Elle's scent. It's great for a sophisticated night out. Although the packaging is simple, it's very elegant and would look great on a dresser or vanity table!

Birthday Wishlist

2008-03-05T11:44:00.008-05:00

My birthday arrives right before the start of spring and the combination of these two always gives me an excuse to go on a rampant beauty shopping spree! Here's a list of some of the things I'm craving:

Stila Contouring Trio: Contouring was big in the 90's and now it's back on the beauty trend forefront, but of course much softer and prettier! I've never ventured into this beauty area and I think Stila's Couturing Trio is the perfect way to start!

Shu Uemera Rebirth Collection Eyeshadow in Pristine Green: I love everything about this eyeshadow! From the elegant packaging to the shimmer quality. Out of all the colors, I'm most interested in Pristine Green because it's the one color I don't have much of! Plus, it's perfect for spring and one of the best iridescent shades I've tested.

Benefit Erase Paste: I'm always on the hunt for a good concealer because I've yet to find a perfect match. This product has me interested because it claims to brighten and camouflage at the same time. Not to mention, I love the purple packaging!

Lancome Pink in the Limo and Rock On Fuschia: Lancome's Color Fever collection has some amazing shades. I'm especially loving 'Pink in the Limo'. I could definitely see this becoming a spring makeup staple!

MAC 182 Buffer Brush: I've been using powder brushes to blend, but I realized recently I need a good buffer brush. I keep deterring from buying one because it is so expensive!

Product Alert: Diorskin Shimmer Star

2008-03-04T11:14:00.003-05:00

I went to Dior's Backstage beauty event last night at Bloomingdale's and it was--interesting--to say the least. But more on that in an upcoming post (with photos of my makeover). While I grabbed a few great goodies, the product I was most interested in was Diorskin Shimmer Star in Amber Diamond. This shimmery pressed powder/blush has 5 ranges to mix and match for such a fabulous glow! It can be compared to Bobbi Brown's Brick Compact from the fall, but it is much more shimmery and sheer because of 'jeweled microdust'. Both the 'Rose Diamond' and 'Amber Diamond' are fabulous colors, but I was more interested in the Amber Diamond because I have enough pink blush to last me a lifetime! I loved the way Amber Diamond gave me a subtle bronze glow. The sign of a great product is it's availability and of course, it was sold out, so I couldn't get it last night. Thank goodness for the Internet!

A different smoky eye technique

2008-03-03T22:49:00.002-05:00

http://www.indiwo.com/india/videos/body-and-face-beautyfashion/smoky-eyes/3202

Watch this video for a unique smoky eye technique. I've never seen this done before, but it quite possible might be the easiest technique yet.

Let me know what you think!

Review: Cover Girl Lash Exact Mascara

2008-03-03T15:00:00.003-05:00

A good mascara contains the following elements;

accurately lengthens, volumize or does whatever it promises
is smudge-proof
is not a pain to get off
does not clump
The bristles are sturdy yet flexible at the same time

Since I have yet to find my perfect mascara formula (maybe my technique is just wrong?) besides Maybeline Define-A-Lash or the iconic Great Lash, I am constantly on the prowl. The new Cover Girl Lash Exact is my latest experiment and while it didn't fail me as terribly as some others have, it still did not please me. CG Lash Exact is an average mascara. It made my lashes a little clumpy but not as terrible as some other mascaras. The thing i did like about it is that it's relatively smudge proof. But it does not lengthen beautifully like it promises.

Overall, I will continue to use until it runs out or dries up, but I wouldn't buy it again.

Back with new goodies to share

2008-03-02T00:58:00.010-05:00

First, a week-long bout of the flu had me down and then a hectic workweek kept me away from this beloved place. But never fear, I am back and have lots of tricks up my sleeve!

While I've always considered myself a makeup junkie, I never truly realized what an art it really is. I'm one of those product lovers who buys everything in sight, but only sticks to the basics when actually applying makeup. Except for the occasional big night out, I tend to stick to the same look. But, I've decided (with inspiration from a few of my favorite beauty bloggers and youtubists) that I will learn to create new looks in my spare time and actually come up with uses for all the crap that I buy! Since I haven't joined the ranks of top beauty bloggers yet, 97% of the lovely things I blog about are bought with my own hard-earned cash and I might as well put them to good use.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally got around to buying MAC pro palettes and depotting all my shadows. It then came to my attention that I only have about twenty MaC eyeshadows (not counting the one measly holiday palette I own). I have been collecting MAC eyeshadows for years, so I don't know how I ended up with only twenty pots. I'm sure I've lost many since I didn't organize my beauty products until about a year ago. Oh well, just an excuse to buy more!

Depotting my shadows was really easy and I wish I had taken pictures of the process. But, a video I posted in an earlier post shows you how to do it in a very easy way.

The finished results;

Row 1 (Top, left to Right): Coppering, Antiqued, Soba, Deep Truth, Zonk Bleu
Row 2 (Left to Right): Sumptuous Olive, A Little Folie, Goldmine, Plumage, ShimmerMoss
Row 3 (Bottom, Left to Right): Phloof!, Trax, Amber Lights, Honeylust, Tilt

Palette #2: Unfinished, ten more to go!

Column 1 (Top to Bottom): Post Haste, Hepcat, Electra

Column 2 : Paradisco, Swish

Beauty Basic Forever: Vaseline

2008-02-26T15:52:00.003-05:00

I haven't been posting for over a week because of the flu. I've been on the 'net scouring my favorite blogs but couldn't work up enough energy to come up with witty blog posts. Not to mention, my pretty factor was down several notches and no beauty tricks or products did the trick. Except that I've re-learned that Vaseline is a friend to dry skin no matter what. When my nose had become irritated and all flaked up from the constant blowing, a little dab of Vaseline on my nostrils seemed to save the day.

I love you Vaseline!

Beauty Love of the Week: Becca Creme Blush in Lotus

2008-02-15T15:19:00.002-05:00

I've always leaned towards powder blushes, probably because my t-zone was particularly oily as a teenager and I didn't want to add creamy products to the equation. As I got older (and my skin got better--thanks to the multitude bottles of water I drink all day), my skin is more towards the dry side now, especially with this icky cold weather. In my search for a product that will give me perfectly flushed cheeks, I found Becca Creme Blush in Lotus. I haven't used many Becca products before, so I was very pleased with the results. The highly-pigmented Lotus color gave ma a great scarlet flush, exactly the look I want for when my fiance comes to visit!

Think Spring!

2008-02-14T15:29:00.003-05:00

After months of this dreary winter and dark makeup, I am craving some serious spring brightness. I've already started incorporating some warm-weather colors into my look; a sparkling fuschia lipstick here; a lavender eye there. Bring on the bronzers and shimmer!

Bobbi Brown's Pink Rasberry Face Palette is a must-have for this spring season. The palette contains sheer pink colors and neutral eyeshadows that compliment every skin tone and creates the perfect spring look. Pink makeup rotates the runway every spring and this year's pink look is soft but bright. Pick up this seasonal must-have soon because Bobbi Brown's limited-edition products usually run out fast!

Laura Mercier's Eye Colour Quad in Wild Violet and Shy Violet (left) contains the perfect colors to create a smoky purple eye or a light lavender eye. The shadows are shimmery and a bit powdery (you might want to use a damp brush to apply). The only thing is that it's not too long-lasting (at least not on me). But if you're looking for a soft, spring look--this quad is perfect. Not to mention, the flowery design is very elegant.

I was a little wary when I first heard about the MAC Fafi collection; but now I am totally sold! I especially love the hot pink-ish lipstick Fun 'N' Sexy (which is probably going to be one of the first products to get sold out) and the eyeshadow quads. The Fafi Eyes 2 quad is perfect for spring '08 as bright colors are the "it" trend. You can be sure these two items are making their way into my makeup collection this weekend!

A Beautiful Smoky Eye

2008-02-13T11:54:00.001-05:00

I recently started getting hooked onto Trish McEvoy products and the Patina Collection Compact is perfect for creating a basic smoky eye. Start with brushing the two pink/coral (Shell Eye and Pink Patina) shadows all over the base, getting into the creases and inner eye to create a shimmery-highlighter effect. Next, Cover your entire lid with the grey shade (platinum) and use the blue shade (Indigo) as a liner, smudging it to create the perfect smoky eye.

Beauty Trend: Everything Bright

2008-02-12T15:27:00.000-05:00

Neon eyes and lips were everywhere on the spring runways and I am ecstatic! While this look from Sephora.com (left) might be a bit much, the neon green eyes and fuschia lips separately are definitely hot looks, especially against smooth, bronzed skin. With the horrid weather outside in NYC (it just started snowing like mad), what else is there to look forward to except the bright and happy makeup of spring.

Makeup Forever's Flash Color Eyeshadows are so vibrant that I'm getting the sudden urge to wake up tomorrow morning and come into work with a neon green spring look!

Photo Credit: Glam.com

For bright fuschia lips, I love MAC lipstick in Violetta.

Photo

Exfoliating the livin' hell out of my stress

2008-02-08T17:25:00.001-05:00

Work has been very hectic this week; two story deadlines, numerous freelance assignments and of course my lil' ol' blog and I definitely needed something to take the tension out of my body. I decided to try Ahava's Stress Melt Butter Salt that my dear friend Stephanie sent me to see if what she boats of this product is actually true. What I will tell you is that it's one helluva scrub and has the most delicious green apple scent. Ahava known for its dead sea treatment and my skin definitely extra-clean and pure after using this product. I'm a sucker for anything yummy-scented and trying a new product helped me battle half my stress away.

A Romantically Yummy Bath Treat

2008-02-07T14:47:00.000-05:00

Still searching for a cute V-day present? Consider Laura Mercier's Chocolate Truffle Duo. The gift set includes two 6 oz. jars of of a 'honey bath' (body wash) and 'souffle body creme' (cream/lotion). List of fragrances include; almond, expresso, chocolate, vanilla, sweet maple, honey and rose. Mmmmm, I can only imagine how delicious this smells!

Hi vs. Low: Foundation Brush

2008-02-07T13:22:00.000-05:00

A foundation brush is one of the most important brushes to own. It's flat surface is ideal for blending in liquid foundation and also, creme blushes.

Hi:

Chanel Foundation Brush #16 ($38)

Chanel is iconic so it makes sense that its beauty tools would be as awe-inspiring as the brand promises. Chanel's Foundation Brush #16 feels smooth on your skin and does everything a perfect foundation brush should.

Low: Sonia Kashuk Foundation Brush ($14.99)

The sleek packaging of this cheapie sold at Target makes the brush look very sophisticated and high-end. The contoured handles makes for an easy grip and the bristles are extra soft, giving you that perfect finish every time.

Valentine's Day Sucker

2008-02-06T17:12:00.000-05:00

I love all commercialized holidays, mainly, because I love gifts! My fiance should never have a hard time finding me something because there are just too many things I want, including the Philosophy Candy Heart Lip gloss set. The packaging alone, is tres cute and the 'Melon Daiquiri', 'Vanilla Birthday cake', and 'Rasberry Sorbet' flavors are divine. Bonus: Your guy is going to love kissing you!

Tip Of The Week

2008-02-06T12:47:00.000-05:00

Always apply concealer after you're done with your foundation, it helps the concealer to stick.

Quick Fix: Photo Op Under Eye Brightener

2008-02-06T00:31:00.000-05:00

I'll try anything to get rid of the dark circles under my eyes and Smashbox's Photo Op Under Eye Brightener is my latest find. This product does exactly what it says; it moisturizers and brightens the under-eye area. I especially like this product because it gives my eye area a lift and makes my face look more awake. I'm not one to touch up my makeup often, so I like products that will work continuously throughtout the day. It contains lots of skin-boosting ingredients too, like Vitamin C, red wine extract, peptides and marine collagen. A perfect remedy for tired-looking eyes!

Best Beauty Tool Ever Invented

2008-02-05T16:38:00.001-05:00

It's no secret that the Shu Umera EyeLash Curler is the best makeup tool ever invented, but I thought I'd just send a reminder into the world. The first eyelash curler was invented in the 1920's and was called Kurlash. Kurlash was very expensive and hard to use, but it became an instant hit; paving the way for decades of eyelash curlers to come. Beauty has made all sorts of revolutions in the last hundred years, but the Shu Uemera Lash Curler remains one of the biggest beauty landmarks. The infamous curler was recently reinvented as a mini version with a new mushroom-shaped silicon insert that helps the rubbery thing that actually curls the lashes from slipping out (a problem I used to have a lot). There is also a new and improved heated eyelash curler on the market, but I prefer to stick to my original.

Organizing my MACs

2008-02-04T11:30:00.000-05:00

One of my friends swears by MAC pro palettes and doesn't even buy eyeshadows anymore unless its the palette filler version. I've been wary of organizing my MAC eyeshadow into palettes for several reasons:

They can only be found in the MAC stores (not at Macys or MAC.com)
I like knowing the names of my colors, which I can't do in a palette
I have a habit of dropping things and I don't want to lose all my colors at once

Reasons why I AM considering buying the palettes now:

I have no room in my makeup box as it is and this would save me tons of room
the filler eyeshadows are cheaper (I think)
If i depot my eyeshadows, I can get a whole bunch free because of the Back2MAC deal (any 6 empty MAC containers gets you one free product)
I can organize colors together instead of having to hunt then down every time I want to do a new combination

I am seriously considering getting started on the palettes but now my biggest concern is how to depot my eyeshadows since I suck at anything DYI! Any suggestions?

edit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Yo_xg5uwIY

A very easy way to depot AND I can keep the labels on my shadows. I'll post my finished product once I get started :)

Are dark lips back?

2008-02-02T19:43:00.000-05:00

Baby Phat brought back dark lips on the runway for Fashion week, but I'm hoping it's one trend beauty brands will not be trying to sell back to the masses. I'm all for matte and brown shades of eyes and cheeks, just simply not on lips. Dark brown lips are way too reminiscent of the '90's are honestly hard to pull off if you don't have great skin too match. Kelly from Bevery Hills 90210 rocked it well, but then again she was the bitch that stole Brenda's boyfriend, wasn't she?

Happy National Wear Red Day!

2008-02-01T10:20:00.000-05:00

Show your support by slapping on a hint of red!

Beauty Love of The Week: Viva Glam V

2008-02-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

There used to be a time when all I wore was pinkish-brown lipgloss but as my color adventures steadily grew, so did my penchant for lip colors. Glamorously red lips, sheer nude lips, bright fuschia lips, brown lips--I've experimented with it all in 2007 but the beginning of '08 brought me back to my original love: MAC Viva Glam V Tinted Lipglass . Whether I lay it over lipstick or just wear it alone, this pinkish-brown gloss makes me feel like I'm in high school all over again.

Photo Credit: Maccosmetics.com

Shhhh, don't tell anyone.....

2008-01-31T14:56:00.000-05:00

There are few things more exciting than the leak of a new MAC collection. Temptalia
discovered an e-bay seller auctioning off new the Dazzleglass liplosses that are slated for release in April/May and I haven't been able to contain my excitement ever since!

Run to your nearest drugstore!

2008-01-31T13:59:00.000-05:00

Speaking of Loreal, I am absolutely in love with their HIP collection. I've been collecting the highly pigmented eyeshadows ever since they first launched and I just can't stop buying. It's especially great for those days when you don't feel like rummaging through your entire makeup arsenal for eyeshadow colors to mix and match. The dual-shades compliment each other perfectly. These babies keep going on sale; from $10 to $7 to $4.50! I'm pretty sure they're going to vanish pretty soon so grab as many as you can. They also make great gifts. I bought a whole stash of them today for my cousins in Bangladesh who can't really afford to buy cosmetics on a daily basis--I know they'll love it!

Hi vs. Low: Stick Concealer

2008-01-31T13:23:00.000-05:00

I've been posting about concealer quite a lot lately; probably because lack of sleep and proper nutrition has made my dark circles ridiculously hideous! Luckily, I've stumbled upon many new concealers recently to help me out. I happen to think that basics such as concealer and foundation are things that women should really invest in. However, as well all know, money is a necessity for the majority of us, not a luxury. I happen to like stick concealers because they require a little less blending than cream or liquid concealers and are great for on-the-go or rushed mornings. Here's a roundup of two amazing stick concealers from opposite ends of the price spectrum.

Hi: Clé de Peau Beauté Correcteur Visage

A celebrity favorite, this high-end concealer works wonders for dark circles, puffy eyes and basically any other imperfection on your face. This corrector uses light to so your skin never appears red or dull. The creamy formula instantly gives you a luminous glow. The only drawback is that it's shade range is limited as it comes in three colors: Ivory, Beige and Ochre.
Price: $68

Low: Loreal Ideal Balance Stick Concealer

Loreal is my favorite drugstore beauty brand, hands down and they really hit a home run with this stick concealer that's made for combination skin (which the majority of women have). Balanced coverage is hard to get but this product can help you achieve it. It comes in six shades, which means it's easier to find a true match.
Price: $6-9 (depending on drugstore)

Photo Credit: (top) Shiseido Cosmetics, (bottom) LorealParisUSA.com

Tip of the week: Clarifying Shampoo

2008-01-30T13:46:00.000-05:00

Wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo once a week in order to remove product buildup and soothe the scalp.

Concealer Perfection

2008-01-30T13:37:00.000-05:00

Finding the right concealer is a very difficult task, especially for Indian and Latin women. Our complexions are such a fine mix of so many tones that it's hard to find the right shade. I always have to buy two different colors of concealer in order to create my perfect color. Your complexion also change depending on daily weather, season, health, stress or sleep reasons. That's why Make Up For Ever's camouflage cream concealer palette is the perfect kit for those in-between skin tones and for getting perfect coverage no matter what. The concealer set comes in 4 different shade ranges and each set has five shades you can mix and match daily to create the perfect concealer for you. This is also one of the best concealers I've tested for dark circles and uneven skin tone. A definite makeup-must have!

Hi vs. Low: Liquid Eyeliner

2008-01-28T16:19:00.000-05:00

Liquid Eyeliner is one of the most important makeup staples. I recently asked a few of my friends on their favorite brands and these are the two that were the most popular"

Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eyeliner ($6-7)

MAC Liquid Eyeliner in Bootblack ($15)

Both of these liners are fast-drying, smudge-proof and are rich in color. I've tried both and they pretty much seem the same to me except I have an easier time applying the MAC one because I've used it for several years. Both products have felt-tips that make lining eyelids quick, easy and neat.

YSL White Gold Celebration Palette

2008-01-27T01:22:00.000-05:00

After eyeing the YSL White Gold Celebration Palette long enough, I finally purchased it on Bloomingdales.com tonight! I don't know what possessed me to pass up on buying this drool-worthy limited-edition holiday palette, but I'm glad I finally got it before it got completely sold out! The cutesy packaging (so unlike YSL's signature makeup) includes three eyeshadows, three lipsticks, 1 lipgloss,1 highlighter and 1 blusher. I'll be checking the mail diligently in the week because I've made quite a few other beauty purchases as well, recently. Gotta practice what I preach, right?

Beauty Love of the Week: Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Eldorado

2008-01-25T11:48:00.000-05:00

The newest addition to my eyeshadow collection is Urban Decay's Eldorado. This slightly glittery bright gold eyeshadow is tons of fun and adds a crapload of personality to your eyes!

Beauty Tip of the Week

2008-01-25T11:04:00.000-05:00

Blend stick, cream or powder foundation downwards (to minimize facial hair) with a wet sponge or foundation brush for a smooth finish.

Perfect Beauty Gift

2008-01-25T10:40:00.000-05:00

Looking for that perfect gift for a friend or close female relative's birthday? Smashbox Try Me Kit
might be the perfect option for a newbie makeup lover or someone who loves beauty products in general! This kit features trial sizes of a few of Smashbox's best products such as:

Photo Finish foundation primer (one of the best primers around!)
Photo Op Eye Brightener
Brow Tech & Cream Eyeliner Palette (the perfect starter kit palette of eyeshadow of cream eyeliner)
double-ended eyeliner and & Brow Brush
Lip Gloss in Crystal

For $29.00, you get a lot of products--definitely a wise beauty investment!

Marc Anthony lets me have Victoria Secret-esque hair

2008-01-23T18:06:00.000-05:00

As I've mentioned before, I'm suffering from severe hair loss because of polycsytic ovary syndrome and I am constantly looking to add volume and fullness to my lifeless, thin and frizzy hair. Marc Anthony's Instantly Thick Shampoo and Conditioner does exactly that! It smoothens my hair and makes it beautifully shiny and miraculously the root of my hair seems much fuller! Of course, I will never actually have hair like the VS models (hair extensions, however can help) but the day I wash my hair with MA's miracle hair line, I can actually bounce my hair around. The best part is that I get volume AND shine! I also love the volumizing mousse and I've heard that the thickening cream is great, but I am wary about using any creams on my knotty hair.

Now, all I'm waiting for is my hair to get used to this hair line just as it does with everything else and then the hunt for thicker, fuller hair products will begin again. Sigh.

Scent Alert: Marc Jacobs Daisy

2008-01-23T11:22:00.000-05:00

I'm extra-picky when it comes to perfumes. I tend to stick to my favorites year after year but every so often a new one comes along that I absolutely have to add to my collection. Marc Jacobs' Daisy is one of them. Daisy has a light and fresh scent that is perfect for everyday use and a definite mood-lifter. The perfect blend of fruits and florals create a feminine combination that I absolutely love.

The yellow bottle is also completely adorable! I'm into the look of perfume bottles just as much as the actual scent, so this was a definite plus. Go to daisymarcjacobs.com to request a free sample.

Have a Nice Day

2008-01-22T10:53:00.000-05:00

Origins 'Have a Nice Day' was my daily moisturizer for a whole year before I decided it was too pricey and that my skin needed something new. After trying the likes of Shiseido, Oil of Olay etc., I've come back to my original love. The grapefruit scent of my favorite daytime cream is heaven and the fortifying soybean oil and firming birch extract gives my skin exactly what it needs. SPF 15 and Vitamin E protects my skin from morning 'til night. Best for combination and dry skin, it's the perfect winter moisturizer!

The Revolutionary 'N' Collection from MAC

2008-01-22T10:23:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love the chic and sexy nude look? You had to have near-perfect skin and immaculate skills to achieve the look in the past. But, MAC has done the unthinkable with it's new N Collection. The N collection features a perfect nude palette for every skin tone and its skinfinish mineralized powders helps to create a soft look. I've actually been using the skinfinish/natural powder in medium dark for a couple of months now, long before the N collection launched as a whole because they started selling the powders separately at first. It is possibly the best powder I have ever used and the most soothing to my skin. The skinfinish mineralized powder in 'warmed' is also another great beauty buy because it gives my caramel-toned skin the most luminous glow!

Out of the N Collection color line, the nail polishes are my absolute fave! Create a high-lacquer perfect look on your nails with 'N Colour', 'Naturally Rich' or 'Demi-Blanc'.

Beauty Love of the Week: Bobbi Brown's Stick Foundation

2008-01-18T15:17:00.000-05:00

I've always been weary of stick foundation but after trying Bobbi Brown's version, I am absolutely in love! The creamy formula blends in perfectly and gives my skin a subtle glow. It's also much easier and faster than applying a liquid foundation. My biggest worry with stick foundations is that it makes my combination skin dry in some places and oily in others, but this one manages my skin beautifully. Except for very oily skin, I recommend this miracle foundation for everyone!

Splurge-Worthy Hair Treatment

2008-01-18T14:10:00.000-05:00

I'm obsessed with my hair because I'm very close to becoming totally bald. I am being treated for polycystic ovary syndrome and one of the symptoms of my disease is losing my illustrious locks. So, I'm always looking into ways to revive my hair growth or just the health of my hair in general. I recently read about the Keratin shot on Harper's Bazaar.com
and it seemed like an answer to all my hair woes! According to the article, "the Keratin Shot is a revitalizing treatment found at the Hiro Haraguchi salon in New York.

"The Keratin Shot is based on the premise that though healthy hair is made up of about 90 percent keratin proteins, damaged hair has generally been stripped of many of those proteins, so they should be replaced. “A consultation and assessment are the first step,” explains Haraguchi. “Then a customized hair cocktail is created for your hair.” This keratin formula is boosted with collagen, silk peptides, ceramides, and shine-boosting ingredients. It is applied to wet hair, and then the client is put under a thermal heater, which increases the penetration of the product. Afterward, hair is rinsed and can be styled as usual."

At $150 a treatment, it is definitely costly but worth it if you are hair is thinning or damaged. The treatment is recommended as a monthly shot but if your hair is severely damaged, then you might have to go once a week until it gets healthy.

On my Editorial Assistant salary, this is definitely a stretch, but some things in life are worth going for. Besides, what are birthdays for?

Preventing Racoon Eyes

2008-01-17T12:41:00.000-05:00

I cannot live without mascara or eyeliner, but I have the biggest problems when applying both. I've tried many different tricks; layering concealer on afterwards, primer(I cannot live without urban decay primer potion), waterproof mascara etc. But no matter what I try, I always end up with raccoon eyes. I blamed it on my long eyelashes because exactly two seconds after I finish my eye makeup, I blink and there are swipes of mascara under my eye! How to prevent this? I reach out to you, members of the beauty community, in helping me with my biggest beauty problem.

I've also done a little research and have found a product that seems to be an easy answer to my problems; Benefit She-Laq

This product claims: "Use she laq and your makeup will stay put! You can let those tears of joy flow, without looking a mess! Apply this clear liquid makeup sealer to shadows, mascaras, and liners and your makeup stays put... no matter how many tissues you go through."

Have any of you used this product and has it worked successfully? What beauty tips do you use in order to prevent raccoon eyes? Please comment and let me know!

Some smudge-proof tips I'm going to try:

- Sometimes mascara smudges because it's attracted to oily concealer or eye creams so put powder under the eye before applying.

- Bend the mascara wand at a right angle

Skincare Basic: Eye Cream

2008-01-14T16:22:00.001-05:00

I used to hold the misconception that you only need eye cream if you have a sever case of dark circles or wrinkles. But, eye creams should be used as a preventative treatment before you develop bags, dark circles, fine lines or wrinkles. Eye creams are also important when it comes to smooth makeup application. Even the most expensive concealers or foundations won’t do a proper job if the under-eye area is dry and crusty.

But if you’re one of the lucky ones that don’t have to deal with dark circles or wrinkles, then all you need is a basic eye cream to help keep the under-eye area moisturized such as Bobbi Brown’s Hydrating Eye Cream. This gel-like formula is quick-drying and a great base for applying concealer. The most common mistake many women make is not moisturizing the -under-eye area before applying concealer or foundation. Using a moisturizing eye cream such as this one ensures a smooth and even under-eye coverage. While this eye cream has a wonderful soothing effect, it isn’t necessarily the product you want to use to treat a sever case of dark circles, fine lines or wrinkles. This product is best for hydrating and moisturizing.

Convenient Beauty Tools

2008-01-13T01:11:00.000-05:00

Every beauty pro out there will tell you that using proper brushes is the cardinal rule in makeup application. To achieve a flawless complexion, you have to have the right tools. Personally, I apply my makeup with both my brushes and my fingers, but I definitely count on brushes to finish off my look. But, picking the right ones can be pretty hard. That's why it's so great when companies such as MAC and Bobbi Brown put their best brushes in one mini-set for convenience and aesthetics purposes. Not to mention, the prices and mini-sizes are much more pleasing from a consumer's point of view!

P.S. Although I'm a big MAC fan, I absolutely heart Bobbi Brown brushes so needless to say the BB brush set is my favorite!

Bobbi Brown Pink Rasberry Mini Brush Set ($55)
This set features four of Bobbi's most popular mini brushes: Blush, Eye Shadow, Eye Liner and Lip (with protective cap) -- in a soft zip-around case with pink raspberry interior. (Bobbibrown.com)

MAC Heirloom ($45)
Includes five Basic Brushes for lips, face and eyes

The most perfect nude palette

2008-01-13T00:21:00.000-05:00

Bobbo Brown's Stonewashed Nudes Palette is possible the most perfect basic palette ever created. Ms. Brown claims that the eight shades in this collection will suit every skin color and she is absolutely on point. Mix and match the taupes and grays for a smoky eye or pick your one for an everyday neutral look. This is one complete eye palette that every beauty lover should own!

Beauty Love of the Week: 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil In Electric

2008-01-11T13:18:00.000-05:00

I've been using Urban Decay's 24/7 Eye pencils for a quite a while, mainly in zero (black) and honey (gold) but a quick trip into Sephora yesterday had me accepting a new favorite color: electric. The name befits it's owner because this color sent a shiver down my spine as soon as I lined my lids with it. If you're looking for a little adventure, get this metallic wonder fast!

New Lipgloss Obsession: Sugar

2008-01-10T15:02:00.000-05:00

Originally a lipgloss gal, I've been following the lipstick trend for about the last year or so. But my new Sugar Lip Gloss
from Fresh has made me come back to my roots. This lip gloss feels and tastes absolutely divine and is my new everyday staple. SPF 15, Vitamin E, grape seed oil, jojoba oil, shea butter oil, black currant seed oil and of course sugar (!) makes this formula smooth and sticky-free. It comes in every possible shade and something about the wide bottle makes it fun to look at.

Favorite Shades:
Sugar Fairy (an adorable Barbie doll pink)
Sugar Kiss (a playful blush pink)
Sugar Flirt (A luscious strawberry)
Sugar Desire (a seductive deep burgandy)

J-Glow

2008-01-10T12:02:00.001-05:00

It's getting more and more rare that magazine covers actually catch your eyes nowadays, but the February issue of Harper's Bazaar took my breath away this morning. Jennifer Lopez looks positively stunning. I love everything from the hair styling to the side profile to the creamy lip-and-cheek-combo achieved by Scott Barnes' Creme Color in Bloom and Touch.

With a new fragrance (Deseo--due out next month) and baby on the way, things are looking as sunny for J-Lo as ever.

Primer: The best beauty investment you can make

2008-01-09T16:50:00.001-05:00

I don't know what I did to keep my face smooth and my makeup intact before I discovered a miracle product named primer. What does it do exactly, you ask?

They actually work much like a moisturizer under your foundation does: they ease the application of foundation and are meant to create a barrier between foundation and skin. (about.com)
Evens out skin tone
Helps makeup stay on longer
Keeps makeup from melting in the heat
Makes skin soft
Fills in any wrinkles, minor cracks or holes in the face

The fact that primer keeps the chemicals in makeup from directly touching my skin is the biggest bonus, to me. If applying primer isn't part of your daily makeup routine, I suggest starting ASAP!

My Top Primer Picks:

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer: To be touted both as a 2007 'Best of Sephora' Winner and Allure magazine's 'Editor's Choice' is no easy feat. Smashbox created a formula that leaves your skin feeling silky and smooth; boasting of SPF 15, vitamins A &E, grape seed extract and green tea.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer: Do you have dry skin? Then, this product is the right choice for you. It conditions, moisturizes and helps to achieve that perfect dewy look we all covet.

Lorac aquaprime oil-free Makeup Primer: I just recently sampled this and loved it! My skin isn't oily so it isn't necessarily the product for me, but it's a great water-based product for those of you battling acne or oily skin in general.

Benefit That Gal: Looking to brighten up your complexion just a tad? This amazing product works wonders for a blotchy complexion and it contains soothing ingredients such as raspberry and chamomile. Bonus: extra cute packaging!

Tarte Clean Slate: I love this primer because of moisturizing ingredients such as avocado and hibiscus oils. Besides, owning anything from the quirky Tarte brand is always exciting!

MAC Prep+Prime Face Protect: This is what I call my 'winter primer'. Since my skin is extra dry, the creamy formula helps to moisturize my face. It's high SPF value of 50 keeps me protected from the sun since applying sunscreen in the winter goes against my natural instinct.