Urban Decay Naked and Weekend Fun

Happy Tuesday everyone!

I finally got my hands on the Naked palette!!! I wasn't after it like crazy but it was def on my mind. I'm so glad I did because a palette like this is a serious multitasker. I can't imagine not having this now! I love seeing it in the morning all gorgeous in all its purple glory. I got the one with the brush because it's what a palette should have and it retails for $26 alone!

I'm sure you've all seen tons of swatches online already. It is the way it's been described - colors have awesome payoff, no fallout and totally awesome neutrals.

I know I look a little crazy with the scarf thing. It was one of those bad hair mornings =p Not my best picture but ah well. I tried out some of the eyeshadows and Dark Horse is one of those really lovely browns that I think I'll be using a lot. Please ignore my undone brows =p

I'm wearing Stila Little Black Dress gel liner, Loreal Telescopic Mascara, Lancome Star bronzer, and Maybelline Pink In the Afternoon lipstick. I haven't been wearing any foundation these days because I felt like my skin needed to breathe and revive itself.

This past weekend I also went kayaking! It was my first time and it was totally fun and really tiring! You won't believe how sore my arms are right now from all that paddling. 2 1/2 hours out at sea (at the wharf, really) and paddling alongside boats and other sea enthusiasts. I had a grand time looking at the amazing sea otters in their natural habitat.

Me in my kayak gear

Mom and baby

Santa Cruz

Deals and Steals: ELF Mineral Makeup $15 for $35 worth of Makeup!

Groupon has an awesome deal today for ELF. Good time to try it when it's over 57% off :)

Check it out here!
(http://www.groupon.com/deals/eyes-lips-face-san-jose)

You can also join Groupon for free here. That is a referral link, so if you end up buying something, I'll receive a credit. By no means do you have to click on my link to join, you can sign up for free at Groupon.com
If you're not familiar with Groupon, they offer daily deals in your city at a discounted rate, usually 50% or more - everything from movie tickets to dining to events (I went Kayaking this weekend because of a Groupon I bought!)

Similarly, LivingSocial is also another one I rec. Here's my link: LivingSocial.They have pretty awesome deals as well.

Let me know if any of you are planning to buy something from ELF or hoping to try :)

Spotlight: R&R Blushes!

I know this is totally late but I can't help not posting about these babies. Rock and Republic blushes are by far the best blushes ever - aesthetically gorgeous with intense pigmentation and pure luxuriousness. Can't seem to get enough of them. They were on sale at Hautelook a few months ago and I was so sad I wasn't able to get any of them! They were only $20 each (orig $40) and people had various coupon codes so we could get them for less than $10. I'm now buying them on eBay o_o They've been discontinued sadly. I wish I knew why because they are of top notch quality. Top notch.

I own Immoral and X-Rated. Immoral is an intense orange coral with no shimmers. X-Rated is a bright red, hot pink blush also with no shimmers. I wish I owned more and i am on a hunt to get them so if you know anyone selling them, please let me know! =)

X-Rated

Immoral

I love these madly. I think these blushes will last for a lifetime, truly. These swatches were done with a light swipe. I think a stippling brush or fan brush would be very appropriate since the pigmentation is so dense :)

Here's my FOTD - 

Products I used:

Face

Clarins Everlasting Foundation in Ivory - Do you guys want a review of this foundation?

R&R Immoral blush

Mac blot powder

Eyes

Wet n' Wild Greed Palette 

Loreal Telescopic Mascara

Lips

NYX Indian Pink Round Lipstick

Smith's Rosebud Salve on top

I noticed I don't use a very complex amount of things. It's too complicated to think in the mornings. I also hardly use eyeliner but I'm going to start incorporating them into my daily looks.

Hope you're all enjoying your Friday! It looks like kayaking is going to be scheduled another weekend since it's going to be foggy and in the 60s in Santa Cruz.

Thoughts on the R&R blushes? Do any of you not like them? I want to hear your thoughts! :)

Talk to you all soon!

Something about Sunscreens & Sun Protection

Hi everyone! Happy Friday! I can't believe half the year has flown by already. I was going to go kayaking this weekend but the weather's kinda iffy and rainy o_o

So... sunscreens! Yes. This post will be dedicated to sun protection since the warm weather is rolling around and adequate protection is key to keeping your skin from aging too quickly. Here's 5 of the ones I currently have on rotation depending on the weather.

Neutrogena Healthy Defense spf 50 - This moisturizer/sunscreen duo is an easy find anywhere, in store and online. I got this at Target and have gone through multiple bottles of it. It's a lightweight sunscreen designed to be light enough so you can still wear makeup over it. The good thing about this sunscreen is that it sinks into skin fairly quickly and feels invisible. It has a smell of a floral bouquet and may be kind of strong smelling. Remember to shake it well. There is a little ball inside that makes a sound when you shake so you know that it's mixing up the liquid well.

Cancer Council sunscreen spf 30 - One of the best moisturizers ever! If you like the feel of Eucerin or Aveeno's sunscreens (spf 15 or higher), this is nearly identical in texture. This is an Australian brand that I was really lucky to try because I won it in a giveaway :) Since I started using it, it is the perfect morning time moisturizer that is also cooling (aloe vera is one of the ingredients) and light. The texture is less watery and absorbs into skin much more faster than the Neutrogena one. I wish it was more readily available in the US. It's a wonderful sunscreen.

Garnier UV Protect spf 50 - I bought this sunscreen on a blogsale originally to try it. It's my first Asian drugstore sunscreen and i was hearing pretty awesome raves about it. This one is a little different because it's also a color correction. The one i have is purple which is supposed to fix sallow looking skin. One of the best multitasking products are color correctors in sunscreens. When I use this, it gives my face a little more color which I need always :) This moisturizer is on the thick side, perfect for cooler weather because it helps your skin retain the moisture that it loses when it's chilly out. I really like it and I'm looking to try more Asian drugstore sunscreens. I know there's a ton out there =p

Here are two of my Shiseido sunscreens - one for face & body and the other one strictly for the face. The PA sign is additional protection from your skin getting dark. UVA/UVB protects against sun damage, but the PA is protection against UV rays that cause darkening of the skin. The + signs are the level of protection (the higher the better).

Face & Body spf 60 PA+++ - This one has a very nice texture, a lot like the Neutrogena one. It's very liquidy. If i lay it down uncapped, the lotion runs out of the bottle. It's also meant for the body too, but I only use it for the face because it only has 3.3oz of product and is kind of expensive ($30+) so I want to make it last as long as I can ;) It has the usual Shiseido sunscreen smell which is quite strong (floral spa-ish, daisy, hard to explain). Absorbs into skin very well and very moisturizing. It feels light and airy and is a definite luxury on the skin (for me at least!)

Facial sunscreen spf 55 PA+++ - This sunscreen keeps your face matte and is thick and goopy. Very similar to the Garnier one. I use this also on days when it's cooler simply because of its thickness. I don't necessarily prefer this sunscreen all the time because it's hard to wear makeup under but it gives that ultimate protection I think all the other sunscreens lack. It keeps my skin looking even and non oily for a good 4-5 hrs. The smell is quite strong and kind of lingers. Both Shiseido's are like this unfortunately.

I've tried many sunscreens in my lifetime and I believe some of the best are at your local drugstores. I really like the Neutrogena ones and the Cancer Council one. Shiseido is more of a splurge for me but not a must. I like any lightweight sunscreens that absorb easily so you can get on with your day.

What are your favorite sunscreens? :)

My Humble Little Lipstick Collection

Hey all! How are you gals all doing so far? :) I had a memorable Memorial Day Weekend with my family who came to town to visit moi. We did the whole touristy San Francisco Golden Gate, Bay Bridge thing because my uncles are new in . It was totally cheesy but my uncles have never seen it before and wanted to experience it. And we did, with the usual massive traffic (plus the tourist crowd on the holiday) and horrendous prices ($6 toll fee to cross the bridge, really...?). Oh my gosh, do I sound like a old wind bag that complains constantly about traffic and fees? LOL *smacks head* In all, it was still a nice family experience. The weather was absolutely beautiful and I feel sad I didn't get to take much pics! I sometimes take for granted how picturesque my neighboring cities are.

Anyway, I want to thank you all again for participating in my little poll! :) I'll be creating a post for each and all of the topics for sure, within time :) Lipsticks, so far, is everyone's favorite as is mine. After a few years of being a makeup junkie, I've accumulated quite a lot of lipsticks, possibly over 70-80 (doubles, even triples of the same shade. I'm totally embarassed how far this obsession has gone!) that I either bought because of discovery, some on impulse and others as gifts. I decided that I needed to clear it out and keep only the ones I like so I can fit them into a lipstick drawer I bought a few months ago from TJ Maxx.

Gotta love TJ Maxx! I hear in London it's called TK Maxx. Interesting huh?

Here are the 3 drawers with all the lipstick goodness. Each drawer is about 6 1/2x8 1/2 so that's a pretty decent amount of space :) Sorry for the ultra messy pictures, but i haven't had a chance to organize by color family or whatever organization for lipsticks there are.

Drawer #1 - Mostly NYX, drugstore items.

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Drawer #2 - Mostly MAC lipsticks and some higher end stuff like Chanel and YSL ;)

Drawer #3 - All lip glosses. I have a variety of shades that'll keep me satisfied for the time being.

I'm planning on organizing this little storage space and choosing a few favorites from the nudes, reds and pinks family. It's a daunting task ;) How I must live in sin from all this wonderful vanity.

Alright, I am going to sync up my iPod with the new Death Cab for Cutie album that just came out yesterday! :) I can't wait to listen to it. I bid you all goodnight, sweet dreams and talk to you all soon! More later!