March Favorites 2013

Product Mentioned:

• MAC Mineralize Moisture in NC 20 (REVIEW)
• MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC 20
• MAC Lipsticks in See Sheer & Lady Bug
• YSL Shocking Mascara (REVIEW)
• Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl in Nude
• Nubar Nail Polish in Black Polka Dot (REVIEW)
• Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil
• Smith's Rosebud Salve (REVIEW)
• Soap & Glory Hand Food (REVIEW)
• Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter (REVIEW)
• Moroccan Oil Hair Treatment
• It Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer in Neutral Medium

What I'm Wearing:

• MAC Mineralize Moisture in NC 20
• MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC 20
• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
• e.l.f. Contouring Bronzer & Blush
• NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Primer
• Bare Minerals Ready Luminizer in The Love Affair
• Inglot Eyeshadows in #393 (eyelids), #360 (crease), #378 (liner)
• Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara in Brownish Black
• L'Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara in Carbon Black
• Jouer Lip gloss in Birchbox Pink

Worth the Hype? L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Waterproof Mascara

I know this mascara is many people's holy grail and much hyped about. I bought it thinking that I would love it. However, it really disappointed me. It's just my thought on the product. Not trying to step on anyone's toes.

I actually really like the look it gives. It really volumizes the lashes without clumping. However, the staying power sucks. 2 hours after application it already smudged all over my under eye area. It also transfer onto the eyelids really easily. And this is a waterproof mascara?! I've heard some people say that you need to let it dry out a little bit. I took the mascara wound out and let it dry for 1 minute and it still transferred.

I don't know if it's just the waterproof version not working or the same applies to the original version. I really want to like this product because it does make my lashes look really pretty. If there's anything I should have done, please let me know! I'm hoarding it for now but if there's no other way to use this then I'll get rid of it.

MAC Mineralize Moisture Foundation Review

This foundation has been featured in magazines and raved about by many makeup artists. It seems to be one of the hit makeups this year. I decided to give it a try since I needed a new foundation anyway.
My shade is NC 20. I have combination skin.

Official Information

$33 USD     30ml/ 1 US fl oz

A combination of powders creates an optical blurring effect that virtually diminishes imperfections and fine lines, for a more even tone. The light-reflecting, natural satin finish makes skin appear refined, revitalized and refreshed with a new purity, softly lit from within. SPF 15 adds the perfect finishing touch of sun protection. Features our 77-Mineral Complex, Shea Butter and Vitamin E.

First Impression Post
Updated Review

What I'm wearing:

• MAC Mineralize Moisture Foundation in NC 20
• MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC 20
• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium
• e.l.f. Studio Blush in Blushing Rose
• e.l.f. Studio Contouring Bronzer & Blush (I only used the bronzer)
• Bare Minerals Ready Luminizer in The Love Affair
• Lancome High Definition Mascara in Black
• MAC Lipstick in Lady Bug

Ouch! Burned Lip!

I accidentally burned my lip while eating. The skin came off immediately and I freaked out! I thought it was the worst burn ever and at the time it really was because it really hurt! But actually it got better pretty fast.
Right after the burn I put ice on it for as long as I could, and then I put Palmer's Cocoa Butter Swivel Stick on it because the vitamin E would help it heal. The first day hurts the most, the second day was much better, and it stopped hurting the third day.
Now I just have some dead skin on the lip that I'm waiting for to come off by itself.
I will be more careful when I eat really hot (in temperature) food from now on...
P.S. For the makeup junkies out there, wait for 3 days until you can put lip colors (lipsticks, lip glosses, etc.) on!

Some random pictures from the weekend...

 

Old Favorite: Maybelline the Falsies Mascara

After I used up Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara, I decided to go back to my old favorite the Falsies. Nothing wrong with Mega Plush. I just happened to have the Falsies.

I have to say that this’d old favorite might no longer hold the spot in my heart. I remember loving it when it first came out. I loved how volumizing and lengthening it was. It’s still just as volumizing and lengthening and I like that about this mascara. Then what is the problem?

It transfers into my lids just a few hours after applied. I even got the waterproof version. I absolutely cannot stand it when mascara transfer into the lids. It’s just as annoying as eyeshadow creasing. It even looks like eyeshadow creasing.

Surprisingly, the Mega Plush didn’t do that. Not even the non-waterproof version.
It kind of makes me sad that the Falsies has become a past favorite. But at least favorite mascara position is replaced with Mega Plush. I’m not so upset after all. :)

Today's Makeup

I've had this MAC Cremeblend Blush in Posey for a while but I'd been afraid to use it because it's very pigmented. I just recently found out how to use it. It doesn't matter what I use to apply it, fingers or brushes, I just have to dab it on the back of my hand first to take off the excess before I put it on my cheeks.
I recently got MAC Lipstick in See Sheer and I love it. It's a coral with a hint of pink. It's a luster finish, which feels really nice on the lips and really easy to wear because it's semi-sheer.

Product used:

• MAC Mineralize Moisture Foundation in NC20
• MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC20
• MAC Cremeblend Blush in Posey
• Bare Minerals Ready Touch Up Veil in Translucent
• Bare Minerals Ready Luminizer in The Love Affair
• Benefit Hoola Bronzer
• e.l.f. Contouring Blush & Bronzer
• L'Oreal Magic Lumi Concealer in Light
• NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
• MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque
• Inglot Eyeshadows in #360 (crease) and #378 (liner)
• Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl in Nude
• YSL Shocking Mascara
• MAC Lipstick in See Sheer

YSL Mascara Volume Effect Faux Cils Shocking

This is a sample I got from Sephora. I’ve bought a YSL mascara before. I really liked it. I can’t talk about YSL mascaras without talking about the scent. Oh the scent! The mascara smells so good that it just makes applying mascara so much more pleasant. Fragrance can be irritating but I didn’t experience any irritation in my eyes.

The brush isn’t anything special. It’s just the traditional kind of wand.

This mascara gives good volume and some length. The effect is like Maybelline the Falsies but a scale down. It’s more natural than the Falsies. I don’t curl my lashes because they are really fine and brittle. Some mascaras lift my lashes and hold the “curl” pretty well (the Falsies, Mega Plush). This mascara does very little in that department. It only provides a little bit of lift. But if you curl your lashes I don’t think there would be a problem of holding the curl. This mascara doesn’t weight my lashes down.

The thing I love the most about this mascara is that it does not transfer onto my eyelids. There’s some smudging on the bottom lashes around 6 hours after application. It's really faint and easy to wipe off, though. This mascara is not hard to remove, either.

I know this picture looks really weird… At the top is my right eye and I’m showing you the top lashes. At the bottom is my left eye, showing the bottom lashes.

The mascara formula isn’t particularly wet or dry. It’s a pretty good consistency.

The only complaint I have, which is very common in mascaras, is that it flakes. But it’s nothing more severe than most mascaras. The Falsies probably flakes more than it does.

It’s really expensive ($30) for a mascara. I personally won’t purchase the full size because of the price. But I highly recommend it if you don’t mind paying that much for a good mascara.

Worth the Hype? Caudalie Beauty Elixir

I got my first bottle 2 years ago in the Sephora birthday present Caudalie kit. I don’t remember having any special opinion about it then. I bought the second bottle at the end of last year for travelling. The hype is that it’s a good toner and setting spray and also works great to refresh the makeup.

I’m not a herbal/ woody scent person so I really don’t find the scent appealing. At first I hated the scent. Hate is a strong word but I really did hate it. After a while I was sort of used to it. I still don’t like it, but it’s now more tolerable.

I really like the feeling of mint when I first spray it. But the alcohol (plant derived) makes it evaporate so fast and the mint sort of intensifies the feeling. Just after a few seconds the product is completely gone. I would say some is absorbed and most of it feels evaporated. My skin almost feels like nothing happened but the scent and feeling of the mint.

I don’t think it’s really moisturizing. If you have dry skin, you might want to stay away from it. The alcohol will just make your skin dryer and irritated.

I don’t find it a good setting spray, either. It’s the same problem of evaporation. It doesn’t really set the makeup because of lack of moisture. It doesn’t help the makeup stick to your face better and doesn’t take away the powderiness.

I can see why people like it to refresh the makeup. The mint makes the skin feelrefreshed but it doesn’t actually refresh the makeup.

It’s a good aromatic and sensational product because of the herbs and the mint oil. However, I don’t find it doing much to the skin. There are better toners and setting prays. I know a lot of people love it and there will probably be a lot of people who think I’m crazy, but I just don’t think it’s worth the hype.

Boscia Balancing Toner is really good for the skin. It’s very gentle and moisturizing. It doesn’t have any scent. I used to use it as both toner and setting spray.

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter

First, about the scent. I have to admit that I bought this body butter because of the scent. The scent is pretty strong but it smells so good to the point I thought I would still love it even if the formula sucked. It stays on all day. It fades throughout the day but if you put this on in the morning or even before bed, I would not recommend using perfume if you don’t want the scents to mix together or crash with each other.

The consistency is similar to most body butter. It’s thicker than lotions. It reminds me of the consistency of The Body Shop body butters but I think The Body Shop’s are a little thicker.

It’s moisturizing and it’s absorbed quickly. In my opinion, it’s not moisturizing enough to be a winter body butter if you have dry skin. However, it’s a very good summer body butter because it doesn’t linger on your skin.

I really like this product. The scent does win a lot of my love. But regardless the scent, I would still recommend it as a summer body moisturizer.

New hair perm. Love!

1 inch & 1 1/2 inch rods

Worth the Hype? EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm

People were all over these funny little lip balms the past year or so. I also grabbed a couple.

I used to have the honeydew one but my dog ate it. I only have this summer fruit one and he’s been going after it as well!

I love the scent and how it taste really natural. Some flavors contain pretty natural ingredients according to EWG’s ratings.

My main complaint is that they are not moisturizing at all. I have to really rub it in my lips and go over so many times to make it feels at least a bit moisturizing. I have to reapply really frequently. If I put this on before bed, my lips will feel dry the next morning.

Also the moisture doesn’t stay in your lips. If you stop using it your lips will be just as dry as before you start using it. My point is if you have chapped lips or dry lips, it doesn’t repair them or replenish moisture to them.

Is is worth the hype? In my opinion, no. The product itself isn’t any extraordinary. To be honest, you might be better off using just normal chapsticks. Also the packaging, even though interesting and cute, takes up a lot of space in the makeup bag. I would not recommend it.

Steal the Deal: Ulta 21 Days of Beauty

Ulta is having amazing deals on different (high-end) beauty products everyday from March 10 to March 30.

Click here to check out the calendar.

I’m particularly interested in the Tarte Maracuja Oil because I’ve been searching for an eye cream for a while.

I hope you find some great deals!

Today's Makeup + First Impression MAC Mineralize Moisture Foundation

I didn't want to put makeup on because I'm staying in today. But I got this sample of the new Mineralize Moisture Foundation from MAC and I really wanted to try it. And once you put the foundation on you realized that you just can't call it the day there. So I finished up with fewer makeup items than normal. I guess I'll call it semi-minimal makeup look.

Skindinavia Bridal Spray, Bare Minerals Ready Luminizer in The Love Affair, Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Sand Medium 0-1, NYX Blush in Dustry Rose, Tarte Clean Slate Poreless Primer, It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under-eye Concealer in Neutral Medium, YSL Shocking Mascara (sample), Rimmel Scadaleyes Waterproof Kohl in Nude, MAC Mineralize Moisture Foundation in NW20 (sample), MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW20 (sample), MAC Lipstick in Lustering

The Mineralize Moisture Foundation has a really natural dewy finish with light coverage. It's moisturizing. It's just right amount of moisture for normal to dry skin. Compared to Clinique Even Better Foundation, which is ultra moisturizing, Mineralize Moisture's consistency is thinner and less moisturizing and less sticky. This foundation isn't very buildable. One layer gives light coverage. When I added another layer it only provided a tiny bit more coverage. You can probably build to up to light medium coverage but I don't think it's possible to build it up to medium.

2 layers with no powder & no concealer

I have combination skin. Some parts of my face is very dry and some parts get oily throughout the day. I like this foundation because it's moisturizing but not greasy. It looks very natural like second skin. My only complaint would be the bulky packaging. I like the thick glass bottle but it's inconvenient to travel with. The price is reasonable. It's a little more pricey than Clinique foundations, but cheaper than brands like NARS and MUFE.

I'm not sure if I want to purchase this because if Face and Body can achieve the same thing. It's definitely the better value for the buck and I heard that it's more buildable.

I don't really have any complaint about the product. But if you like medium and full coverage, it is not for you. I would recommend this to people who use foundation to mainly even out complexions.

Please see 8/9/2013 Updated Review

Soap & Glory Hand Food

This is the best smelling hand cream in my opinion. If there’s a perfume of this scent, I would probably wear just that for the rest of my life.

This hand cream, however, is the least moisturizing of all the hand cream I’ve used. I would not reach for it when my hands are extremely dry.

The good thing about this hand cream is that is absorbs really quickly. The hands don’t feel sticky or wet whatsoever. The scent stays on for quite long.

It’s a good hand cream to use after washing hands to replenish some moisture stripped away by the soap. But it’s not a cure to already dry hands.

Overall, it’s not a bad hand cream. The formula itself doesn’t impress me that much. I have to admit

the scent makes up a lot for the formula. And just for that, I’m willing to repurchase it. I know, I’m a sucker for scents.

Freckle Nails: Mocking Illamasqua Freckle Nail Varnish

source: http://www.illamasqua.com/shop/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/n/a/nail-varnish-duck-egg-freckle-rgb.jpg

I’ve been wanting the new Illamasqua nail polish in Freckle for a while but could never bring myself to spend $16 on a nail polish. So I decided to create the look by using a nude nail polish and a black specks nail polish.

I used Nubar Nail Polished in NLA6 Creme and G715 Black Polka Dot.

Creme is quite sheer and it’s lighter than the Freckle. I had to use 3 coats for it to start being opaque. Even though it requires a lot of coats to be opaque, it dries pretty well. I was expecting it to be gooey and never dry on the nails but it actually completely dried up.

Black Polka Dot is clear with small and large black specks. 2 coats were enough in general. I added some more on the places that needed more. I wish there were more large specks. Some nails didn't get any large specks at all. I really like this nail polish because I can mix it with other nail polish and create other freckly looks.

Even though the look isn't the complete dupe, I'm quite happy with it. The colors are definitely a little different. The nude in Freckle is darker and the specks are navy. Plus the specks and the nail polish are mixed together so some specks are not as visible.

I got both of them on Amazon. They are cheaper and the sellers offer free/ cheap shipping. 

Amazon links: NLA6 Creme & G715 Black Polka Dot


Update (3, 14, 2013)
I redid the look by putting 2 coats of Creme, mix Cream and Black Polka Dot together, and put on 2 coats of that mixture.



It's still not the exactly same look as the Illamasqua but it's a little closer because some specks are more muted.

Old Favorite: Smith’s Rosebud Salve

Smith’s Rosebud Salve and I go way back when I was in middle school. I had been using it for years and I stopped using it because I was using the same jar and I figured it was provably not a good idea so keep using it after all these years and it melting in the car so many times.

I never picked up another one until a few weeks ago. Until then I had been trying many other lip balms: Fresh Sugar, Vaseline (original & cocoa butter), Korres tinted lip butter, EOS lip balms, etc. The list can go on and on and NOTHING beats Smith’s Rosebud Salve.

It’s very moisturizing. It can repair my chapped lips over night. It feels very nice on the lips. It doesn’t have the chemical/ plasticky taste. It does clump or flake. Most of all, it’s only $6 and a jar can go a long way.

What I found with a lot of the lip balms in common is that they make your lips rely on them to stay hydrated. The Rosebud Salve does dry out your lips afterwards. You’re lips won’t feel super dry if you don’t use it for a few days.

I love this lip balm and it remains my favorite and the best in my opinion.
If you haven’t try this classic, I highly recommend it.

February Favorites

Makeup Favorites

• NARS Concealer in Custard: It’s a stick concealer that’s very convenient for travel and touch up. I use this when I’m in the rush out of the door. It’s easy to blend. I don’t use this for undereye because it could be drying.
• L’Oreal Magic Lumi Concealer in Light: I use this for under eye concealing because it’s luminizing. There is very subtle shimmer that’s pretty hard to detect. It looks natural and gives an instant pick-me-up. It can also be used to highlight other parts of the face if used without or on top of foundation. The consistency perfect; it’s not too sticky nor too dry. It’s very easy to blend. It feels very light on the skin. I would say it’s to lighten the skin more so to cover the skin. 
• Kate Super Sharp Liner in BK-1: I don’t know how I included this in a bunch of face makeup… Kate is a Japanese drugstore makeup brand owned by Kanebo. The price point is between L’Oreal and Physicians Formula. I got this in Taiwan. I’m usually not a fan of liquid eyeliner because it takes a lot of time to get a perfect smooth line and it usually turns out to be too thick for my hooded eyes. The tip of this eyeliner is very thin and flexible, which is really easy for me to control the line. It has a semi glossy finish.
• Bare Minerals Ready Luminizer in The Love Affair: It’s a golden highlighter. The shimmer is very finely milled. It’s not glittery at all and gives the skin really nice glow. It’s pretty pigmented. I hate those highlighters that you have to pile on to get the effect. I don’t have to do that with this highlighter. It’s so easy to apply. The powder is smooth like a dream. It’s perfect for light-medium to dark complexions. I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re very pale, especially with cool skin tone. The golden shimmer may look too noticeable.
• Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Sand Medium 0-1: I am SOOO late on this bandwagon. This powder is very nice. It reminds me of Bare Minerals Veil. The powder is very smooth. Even though there are different shades, the powder isn’t very pigmented and doesn’t add much coverage, which I actually really like because I already expect my foundation and concealer to cover the imperfections. This powder keeps my face matte longer than Mineral Veil. I would definitely repurchase it when the current one runs out.

• Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze: This is the third Color Tattoo I purchased. I don’t know why I did because the first two did not impress me, but I’m glad I did. It’s a very nice all-over eyeshadow and also a nice crease color. I’ve been really lazy on my makeup this month. I usually just put a layer of this all over the lid and put some more on the crease. It’s very creamy and stays on all day. I’ve posted a review of this cream eyeshadow.
• L’Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush: I was hesitant to buy it because I had never worked with pigments or pressed pigments. But I couldn’t resist the color so decided to give it a go. I love this antique gold color. It reminds me of MAC Paintpot in Rubenesque (shown in picture above). It’s not a dupe but the color is pretty similar. Amber Rush is a little more rosy and more metallic. It’s very pigmented, smooth, non-messy, and easy to use.

• Revlon Lip Butter in Pink Truffle: When I first bought it, I was really disappointed because it was too dark for my taste. This month I had been reaching for it for a neutral look. It shows up pretty brown in the picture. It’s actually rosy mauve. It feels very nice on the lips and it’s easy to wear.
• MAC Lip Coulor in So Vain: It’s a limited edition/ discontinued product. But I thought I would show it because you might be able to get it from eBay or some other places. It’s a lip cream that’s not too matte and not too glossy. It feels like a film on the lips and also feels like it’s just gonna slide off. However, it actually stays on pretty well. It’s a rosy peach color. Very wearable.

• Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish in Dressed to Kill and Paint the Town: I love these nail polished because they are cheap but the quality is so good. It doesn’t chip on me for almost a week. Sometimes it can go for a whole week without chipping. The color is opaque. 2 coats are enough. Dressed to KIll would be a little more tricky to work with than Paint the Town (the first coat can be really streaky) but nothing too challenging. I’ve been loving Dressed to Kill a lot. It’s a very dark red, almost black. I’ll have a review on these nail polished posted soon.

Skincare Favorites

• My Beauty Diary Masks: These masks make my skin look really good the next day. It looks rejuvenated and well-rested. The left over serum is the key. I like the pink one. The green one doesn't make me break out or anything but I can tell my skin likes the pink one better. It just feels more calming and more gentle. There are tons of different scents and they do different things to your skin. They’re available on Amazon. See this post for more details and demo.

Hair Favorites

• Paul Mitchell Clearifying Shampoo: I use this one a week to get rid of the buildup on my scalp. It does as it says and it doesn’t irritate my scalp.
• Organix Moroccan Argan Oil: It’s a dry oil so it doesn’t weigh down your hair. I like to use it before I style my hair as a protectant.
• Living Proof No Frizz Nourishing Styling Cream: It’s one of those products that don’t make a dramatic difference but it makes whatever you’re doing much better (if that makes sense). I use it on damp hair before I braid it to get the beachy wave the next morning. I also use it on the root of dry hair to create some volume. It smells heavenly. I hope there’s a perfume that smell like it.
• Redken Heat Styling Thermo Actif Spray Starch 15: It’s a hair spray that holds the style while leaving it flexible. I love that it doesn’t make my hair crunchy. However, it has really strong alcohol scent when you spray it.
• Diffuser: I noticed that if I blow dry my hair with it before I go to bed, my hair has more volume the body the next morning and it looks good down.

Random Favorite

• The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson: This is the second book in the Millennium trilogy, after The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I just finished The Girl Who Played with Fire. This one is easier to read than the first one because it’s not as dark. I like both books. I do think you have to read the first one to understand many things in the second one better though. The characters and their relationships can be hard to understand if you skipped the first one. If you’re interested in the final one, I would suggest you start right after the second one. Unlike between the first and second one, there’s no time lag in the story between the second and third one.

Empties #1

• Utterly Smooth Body Lotion (Unscented): See this post for more detail. I would definitely repurchase in the future.
• Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara in Blackest Black: See this post for more detail. It’s my favorite drugstore mascara! Would repurchase
• Boscia Balancing Facial Toner: See this post for more detail. My favorite toner so far. Would repurchase.
• Clinique All About Eyes Rich: See this post for more detail. I love it but I’m also open to trying other eye creams. Probably wouldn’t repurchase for a while.
• Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream: See this post for more detail. Already repurchased!
• The Body Shop Body Lotion in Vineyard Peach: The scent is nice but it smells a little “plasticky.” The lotion is pretty thin. It’s a little sticky at first but it absorbs pretty quickly. I used it up pretty fast (less than a month). I don’t love it but I don’t hate it.

• NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard (Sample): I was really excited when this came out. I already have the stick concealer and it’s the perfect match to my complexion so I was excited to try the liquid one. I like the coverage. It doesn’t blend as fast as the stick one does but it’s still pretty blendable. I like this concealer and I would definitely purchase it.
• MAC Pro Long Wear Concealer in NC 30 (Sample): It took me so long to finish this sample. You only need a tiny bit to cover blemishes. I can definitely see why people hate the packaging. It really would pump out too much. This shade is not the perfect match. It’s a little too dark and turns a little orange. I don’t know if it oxidizes. I would purchase it if there’s a perfect shade.

Steal the Deal: Soap and Glory The Best Things in Life Are Three Set

Soap & Glory The Best Things in Life Are Three Set $25

Available in Sephora stores (currently sold out on sephora.com)

I got this set because I was looking for the travel size hand cream and the body butter. And then I saw this set and I thought it was such a good deal. The travel size hand cream is $5 and the body cream is $20. So you’re essentially getting the travel size shower gel for free.

I wouldn’t recommend it if the products weren’t good. I haven’t tried the shower gel but I’m so in love with the hand cream and body butter. They are hydrating and they smell so good. I’m 150% in love with the scent. The scent of the body butter stays on and makes my bed smell really good.

If you’re interested in the body butter, I highly recommend getting this set.