Favorite Things of The Moment

Some of my favorite things of the moment happen to be the simplest. Beside the hot cocoa, the festive lights and holiday candles, these are also wonderful.

The Glam Glow Hydrating Cleanser is so super nice. I am dealing with dry skin and this is the perfect luxurious cleanser that works so nicely. It's so refreshing and even with the exfoliating beads it still is hydrating and creamy. Definitely will consider purchasing the full size.

The Sephora  Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover is amazing. It's just like their more expensive counterparts and works just like it if not completely identical. A cotton round has removed stubborn JAPANESE waterproof mascara perfectly, which I love. It's easy and gentle, and not too oily.

Because I wear heels a lot, the Dr Scholls Balls of Foot cushions are a godsend! These things are squishy and comfortable, compact in size and provides enough support for hours. 

I've been loving this Ciate London polish in Mistress. The most alluring true red, and the perfect seasonal color for a bright pop of red and coral. The formula is so amazing - dries quickly, very opaque, creamy and this is just one coat on my nails. Absolutely gorgeous!

The most practical and useful thing in my vanity is the Q-Tips Precision Tip Cotton Swabs. I don't think there is anything else more awesome. These q-tips have the extra point in the swab that helps with everything! I use these for cleaning up mistakes when I get mascara marks on my eyelids, erasing nail color mistakes that get outside of my nails, precision defining my lips for the perfect red lip, touching up eyeshadow fallout and so much more. I love the little box it comes in so you can use it for traveling. Keeps it all nice and tidy. #organizationalperfectionprobz 

My NEW favorite mascara. I'll do a proper review of this in the next post...stay tuned for that :)

The Nars Audacious Mascara is really really amazing. It adds lift and volume to my short lashes. The wand really helps amplify the lashes but the only downfall is the hard plastic bristles which can be painful if you poke your eye! Other than that, it is really effective, and I must say I am surprised because this is HARD to find. The only other high end mascara that's given me similar results is the Lancome Hynose line.

The Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Balm is the newest lippie I have in my collection. This balm/pencil combo works amazing as a nude lip filler on bare lips. This is in the shade Heaping Hazelnut. It defines the lips beautifully and has a nice creamy feel to it. Doesn't dry out my lips and keeps it very natural looking with a subtle sheen. I would love to try other shades such as Super Strawberry. Not surprised it made it into 2015 Best of Allure :)

What are your favorite things of the moment? :)

What Did You Buy With Your Sephora VIB Giftcard?

I was on the fence about this one because I made three prior orders from Sephora (LOL...bad planning on my part). So my fourth and final order of the year, I wasn't sure what I actually wanted. Until I did. It's back to basics with a new foundation and some concealers.

I'm actually quite excited to try this foundation because Clinique is one of my trusted brands when it comes to skincare. This foundation doubles as a concealer and comes in a ginormous concealer packaging, which is a first I've seen. I like wands a lot, and I think it definitely helps with convenience and precision. We shall see.

I've only heard great things about the Tarte concealer. It's supposed to be non-creasing! Super excited to try it! 

I also added this to my cart because a lot of people said it is comparable to the Nars concealer. I've tried the Nars concealer, and many others like it, so we'll see how the Sephora one lives up.

Have you tried any of these? :) 

Birthday Haul Part I

This year for my birthday I kept it a bit low key and didn't buy as much. My birthday gift to myself was a trip to New Orleans and that experience was incredible! But of course, I had to get some stuff from Sephora. To start, I got myself the Naked Smokey palette. I collect ALL of the UD Naked palettes, but this one in particular is different from everything they've put out because it's got a much bigger variety of smokey dark colors, which is a big contrast to their neutral ones. All of which I love though. Their eyeshadows are my go-to, no matter what event. I don't own other palettes (with the except the of the Too Faced Chocolate, because...CHOCOLATE). That was an easy pick for me. Unfortunately, I didn't use the F&F 20% Off. I got that email 2 days later after I purchased this so of course I made another order. 3 in total. That to come later ;)

I also got a bunch of Dirty Works creams. If you're big into Soap & Glory, these have IDENTICAL scents. I got these at TJ Maxx. I could have DIED. My favorite scent ever! EVER. I love the way the cream feels, and smells. It's a beautiful mix of sweet florals. I don't know how else to describe it, but it truly is beautiful :)

I also had to replenish my contact lens. These were not a gift to myself, haha. These are a must. I have been using BioInfinity lenses for more than 10 years. They're really great, and have the highest water content of any contact lenses i've ever tried. These are monthly disposables, which I love!

I also picked up a pair of Sperry loafers. I love Sperry and the look of boat shoes. These are the ones lined with fur inside to keep my feet warm. They look great casual, and are perfect for fridays at the office. They're just super comfortable. I am usually not a black shoes type of person but I kind of like this one. I own another pair of Sperry's in a more traditional shoe - it's the blue nautical colors with the leather shoelaces.

With my Naked Smokey purchase, I also got a bunch of samples from Sephora. 

- Glam Glow mini - YESSS. I love.

- Sephora oil infusion lippie - this is great. Such a nice shade!

- Lancome mascara - my absolute favorite high end mascara.

- UD face setting spray - not sure i'll be using this but I'll try it for the holidays!

- Jack Black lip balm - I love this stuff! Minty and with SPF 25!

- Nars Audacious Mascara - Been wanting to try this SO. BAD.

- Nars Lip Pencils - for the VIB bday gift. I have loved Nars pencils in the past! yay!

I also got a Chloe perfume. I love this scent. My usual is the Coco Mademoiselle but to switch it up I got this as well. So feminine and girly...I love! :D

Stay tuned for my next haul - coming from Sephora, this time using the 20% F&F. 

Have a fantastic weekend, friends! :)

Sephora Favorites Give Me More Lip Set

Hello beauties! I was so excited when I got the Sephora Give Me More Lip ($59.00) set in the mail. Every year I look forward to Sephora favorites (they get better and better). 

The 2014 Give Me More Lip set contains 17 lip mini's that range from lipstick to balms to stains, in shades of reds, berries, nudes and pinks. 

This set is absolute LOVE! See swatches below. 

Sephora's Shimmer Harmony Gloss!

A lot of people are on one end of the spectrum when it comes to lip palettes - they either love 'em or hate 'em. I, on one hand, love them! There is something about a lip palette that speaks volumes with the different shades and textures. I guess in a sense, it channels my inner artist and makes me feel all artist-y to have one in my bag LOL. It makes applying lip color indulgent and I actually look forward to it. I love the meticulous way of brushing on the color, snapping the lid back on and tossing it back in my bag. In more simpler terms, it is FUN.

Usually during the holidays, lots of kits and palettes come out in various tins and cases. I don't like spending a fortune on lip products but I do like me some good quality, travel friendly kits. I bought the one from Sephora called the Shimmer Harmony Gloss because a) it was only $5.00!, and b.) I wanted shimmer and gloss.

The glosses are housed in a rectangular palette you see above ^^.  You can see that each shade is shown. 

Here is how it looks like after I opened it up. Obviously, I've used the colors! o_~ 

The palette has a little dip next to the mirror where you can actually mix colors! Doubt I'll ever do it but it's cool to have I guess! 

The little brush that comes along with the palette. It sits by the mirror but it's dainty enough. Personally, I love the brush! It makes applying the gloss really easy and the brush itself is soft and glides effortlessly. 

Swatch Board: These are not in order of the palette. The first two are shimmery clear-ish ones. The third one is a shimmery copper. I love that one! The pink and coral is also really pretty and the red is gorgeous! They're pigmented for glosses, that's for sure =)

#1 on swatch board - silver shimmers on clear gloss. Reminded me of snow and frost :)

#2 on swatch board - silver with a bit of gold on clear gloss. 

#3 on swatch board - the coppery shade with a tinge of gold. The shimmery flecks are just insanely pretty! Very very festive!

#4 on swatch board - creamy pink shade with silver shimmers. Very plush shade! 

#5 on swatch board - the shade i described as coral. It's more of a baby pink. Really subtle color but beautiful nonetheless.

#6 on swatch board - the pigmented blue based red gloss. It's an effortless, forgiving shade of red. I love the festive feel and the pretty shimmers.

Overall, I am very impressed with this palette. More so than I originally thought. I know there are really bad ones out there that feel dry and pressed. This palette is one of the best I've bought and one of the most inexpensive ones I've seen. You get a nice selection of 6 glosses and even the red one in itself is worth the $5 price tag :) It's small and dainty and I'm very much looking to use it during my holiday travels this year. 

The last I checked (yesterday), this palette went down from $5 to $3.00! It goes up and down and it's always in or out of stock, but they update it pretty frequently.

So that's my rave review on this palette. One of the best things I purchased this season, LOL! What about you, my friends? Do you like lip palettes? ^___^

Sephora VIB Haul

Actually, I missed the 20% off sale because I was out of town that weekend. That was before I read that you could still use the code after! Gah. I was irked but I still bought stuff nonetheless... and justifiable because it was my birthday ^___^ I was out of town that weekend gorging on oysters and comfort food. It was more of a food getaway than anything else. Oh and I did some old fashion thrifting and found a gorgeous leather satchel at Buffalo Exchange. 

So here were my buys from Sephora - en route to my apartment tomorrow!

Sephora Favorites: In the Glow - blushes, bronzers and illuminators... need I say more? I wanted to try the Nars and Tarte blushes!



Tarte Carried Away Collector's Kit - I collect these holiday kits from Tarte every year and this one seems to be the the best one they've released to date! The reason is that it's made for traveling is splendid enough. Everything can be pieced together or separated however you like...that's win-win! Plus, their eye shadows are great quality! And I'm just a tad in love with the travel brush roll... it's purple and gold! Very pretty.




Sephora "It Kit" in Classic - This was one of their promos that i wanted if you spent $25.00. YAY! I'm excited to try the Nars pencil!


I finally accumulated 500 points in with my beauty insider (BI) card... so this was gift i chose. I originally wanted the Nars set but it disappeared when I refreshed my account! In hindsight, I'm glad I chose this because all I wanted in the Nars set was the lip pencil which comes in the It Kit above! LOL



Oh and I also got the birthday gift from Sephora which are deluxe samples of their two most popular treatment and lip tint ^_^


Anyone doing some VIB shopping? What'd you get!?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thrifty Makeup Removers

Makeup removers have been known to be one of the best investments for your skin! I am pretty thrifty when it comes to buying them though, because I've seen many inexpensive ones that do a fantastic job. Better than fantastic because they're affordable and easily accessible. Who doesn't love that?!

Here are three of my picks:

 Sephora Waterproof Makeup Remover, $6.00 for 1.69oz, $9.50 for 4.2oz is a plant based eye makeup remover that has a dual oil and water phase that you have to shake up to use (much like the Lancome Bifacil, but much cheaper). It's really gentle on the skin, and good for people with sensitive eyes and/or contact lens wearers.

Before: Lipstain, waterproof gel liner with glitter, waterproof mascara, lipstick

Most of the makeup came off after using 3 cotton squares. It's highly unlikely I'll ever wear this much makeup ever. But I guess I have some sense of security knowing that I could. It's ideal for eye makeup but it's pretty good with everything else.

Biore Cleansing Oil, $13.99 for 5oz is a Japanese drugstore cleansing oil that removes everything! Unfortunately, the Biore products in the US and Japan are so incredibly different! The ones from Japan have the cutest packaging and cool formulas. This one has a fruity scent, but not really bothersome or strong.

To use this oil, you dispense a few pumps into your hands and massage your face dry. Use a little water to emulsify the oils, and the makeup should slowly come off. Rinse off and follow with a gentle cleanser. 

I never appreciated cleansing oils until recently. I never understood how to use them before, but once I learned how, I realized how wonderful it is... everything comes off!

Took off some of the remaining residue that the Sephora one couldn't pick up. I cleaned the left side of my arm. 

And finally, here is the most thriftiest of thrifts! Brace yourself for.........

Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Yep! You've probably seen this on Youtube and in a vast amount of beauty blogs, discussion boards and whatnot. But olive oil is truly, truly the best one to use. Not only is it affordable, it's also super easy to find. 

I get the Extra Virgin bottle because it is the most readily available one in my grocer and is of the highest grade for olive oil, but you can choose fancy schmancy ones like Extra Virgin that's cold pressed, 1st pressed, which basically means that the oil was never heated to a certain temp making it the most meticulous method of extracting the oil. 

This was like $7.99 or something. Do the same as you would with a cleansing oil and be surprised! 

These are all amazing makeup removers and equally as good as the pricier ones. I'm looking at you, Shu Uemura!

Goodnight!

Charlotte Russe!

I ordered from Charlotte Russe for the first time today! They are having a shoe sale and I couldn't resist! Can't help it that Sophia, Edwina and all the other lovely bloggers posted about it =o

Furry Belted Boot
I actually tried these on in the store last weekend when I was out of town. I love everything about this boot.. it totally exudes warmth and comfort in a shoe. $30 + 10% off!
Not sure WHEN to wear it though!?! 

Braided T-Strap Heels :) So cute!! $10 + 10% off! Really inexpensive huh? I hope I like it :)

Any recent online buys you recently acquired? Deals and steals? Do share! :)

Sephora also has a Friends and Family sale! Use code: FF2010 for 20% off your order + free shipping when you spend $50.

Soft pink hues

Pink eye shadow. Yay or nay?

Personally, I would steer away as far as possible from pink eyeshadows because they are intimidating and really hard to pull off for me. I've made a disaster on my face once with a pinkish reddish shadow, giving me way too much bronzy illusions for my liking. I don't think I'm a "bronzy" type of person. I can't pull off golds or rustic colors because I feel my skin is too similar to it...haha. I feel it's too attention-getting for work too. But anyway, back to pink shadows. I decided to give it another try after seeing so many ladies pulling it off beautifully. I think the trick is to pair it with very black mascara and eyeliner to give it that vibrant contrast.

It's quite subtle here, but I tried. I think I'll do this look for tomorrow if I can get up in the morning :)

Here's what I used!

I love the Sephora eye shadow palette. All the colors are so densely pigmented and in perfect miniature sizes. I really love it!

I bought this Physician's Formula in Waikiki Strip/Peachy Glow Bronzer a few weeks ago, but never had a chance to swatch it... so here it is in all its shadowy glory.

Pretty colors, huh? Sadly, it didn't work out very well for me. It made me feel really tacky because the shimmers are out of control. I tried to apply it as bronzer on my cheeks using the light to medium part but it looked like I was burned. One of my coworkers asked me if a child did my makeup! o_o LOL. She was kidding. It felt okay in my apt, but I guess under fluorescent office lights, it probably looked ferocious o_o

I normally love PF products, just not this one! Any experiences? :)

Thanks for all the sweet comments in my previous post. I have never received so much feedback about a product before! :) 

Goodnight all :)

Sephora, CVS

Hi everyone! =)

I finally got around to posting this. I went to Sephora a few days ago because I got the 15% coupon in my email. At first, I didn't really want to go because there isn't really anything from there that I needed. But, i went anyway to see if anything was worth purchasing =P

I ended up buying this!

It's the Sephora Color Play palette. Check out the reviews here. I was never a big fan of Sephora branded eyeshadows, especially the Blockbuster ones because the quality of the shadows are not that pigmented. But, this palette has a new formula! The shadows are much more pigmented and not as hard. The glosses are balmy and goes on very smooth without having to "warm it up". I mean, it's like a lip gloss! They are actually wearable. But that's not even the best thing. What I found unique about this palette is that you can pop each color column out and place it in a to-go pan so you don't have to bring the entire collection when traveling. Isn't that just so awesome?! All the colors are coordinated together (neutrals, brights, darks) so that makes it extremely convenient to pick the palette you want to use without much effort. I'm sure no one wants to lug around a huge palette of shadows, glosses and blushes when they know they're not going to be using them all right? But this one is very cool. I'm not completely sold on ALL the colors, but most of them are pretty dense and have a lot color power to them. The brighter colors are less pigmented but you can layer other colors to make it work. Overall, I really enjoy playing around with the different colors =D I totally recommend this to anyone who wants to experiment with colors you normally wouldn't wear because it comes with everything!

I also went to CVS and picked up a few goodies!

This is the Milani HD concealer in Light. Doesn't this look somewhat familiar?

Yeah, that's what I thought too! It looks VERY similar to YSL's

TOUCHE ÉCLAT concealer. The YSL one is around $40! Yikes. I'd rather invest in a Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer for the same price. It's funny that Milani decided to make a dupe out of the YSL one. I would've expected Loreal or Maybelline. 

The Milani concealer is actually pretty nice. For around $7.99 ($6.99 on Cherry Culture) at CVS, it covers pretty well. It's quite sheer but my eyes instantly looked brighter when I applied it on. It's also a bit more watery than compared to MAC and Lancome concealers that I normally use.The only thing about this is that you have to click it a million times in the beginning to get the product to come out. I liked it a lot but I'm not sure that I'd repurchase this simply because I'm not too fond of clicking concealers =P I'm really used to them being in a tube or jar form. But this is cool. I like the gold plated pen and the fact that the most different from all the concealers I own. Have you guys tried this? What are your go-to concealers? I heard Bobbi Brown concealers are awesome! But I have yet to buy any.

 24.7 Minerals Blush in Rose.

Has anyone ever tried this? I realize that I don't have a lot of blushes and went to look for some. I found this on clearance for 50% off, so it was around $7.99 (original price is $15.99 or something). I thought it was worth a try because I remember liking the Bare Minerals blush very much. This is a very warm rose shade and I found that it's such a pretty color. The only thing I didn't like about it was that the color comes off very easily! Unlike the pressed blushers, mineral ones are usually made from starch so once it sucks up all your skin's oils, the color completely disappears. I prepared a swatch of the color on my skin but by the time I got around to taking pictures, the color completely faded from my wrist :( Sucks. It's a very nice color... it's just too bad that the lasting power lacks. I think I'm going to do a NYX haul soon =P Well, later since I recently made a lot of purchases. Bad me o_o

My childhood friend Flora recently bought the Stila tinted moisturizer and loved it. It made her skin look really luminous and bright. I was considering getting a tinted moisturizer as well but seeing how I bought Revlon and Clinique foundations, I might just have to wait on it =p Do you guys use tinted moisturizers? When I lived in LA, Stila used to have warehouse sales of all their products for 80% off retail. People would wait in line for hrs just to get the stuff. I really miss all of LA's warehouse sales! BCBG, Paul Frank, Stila, Charles David, and much MUCH more.

I used the Sephora palette on my eyes. The non-existent blush and Maybelline falsies mascara. I also used the VS gloss stick in melon. Love the smell of the lipstick! It also gives a nice sheen to my lips. Very hydrating too! On my face, I used Smashbox hybrid primer and the HD foundation in light. I think if you use a primer on your lids, the Sephora shadows will come out even more dramatically! 

Anyway, I hope everyone is having an awesome spectacular weekend! The weekend flies by so fast! Enjoy it!