Smokey Gold Eyes and Peachy Cheeks FOTD

Products Used:

Bourjois Foundation Healthy Mix in Vanilla mixed with...

Revlon ColorStay Combination/Oily Skin in Buff

MAC Studio Finish Concealer NW20

Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Make up Base

MAC Mineralize Blush in Nuance

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium

Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Flax

MAC Paint Pot in Painterly

LORAC Eye Shadow in Serenity

Wet n wild in Color Icon pallette Shimmery Black

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink

Majolica Majorca shimmery nude color eyeliner

Maybelline Mascara Full 'N Soft

nothing on the lips



Subtle Smokey Eyes Using Browns and Black FOTD

I plan on doing reviews of most of the products mentioned, but for now I'm just playing around with different combinations and seeing what I like best.



 Products Used:

Revlon Colorstay Combination/Oily Skin in Buff and Sand Beige mixed together

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW20

Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Make up Base

NARS Blush in Deep Throat and Orgasm

Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Flax

MAC Paint Pot Painterly

MAC Eye Shadow in Style Snob, Phloof, Satin Taupe, and Handwritten

Wet n wild Color Icon Shimmery Black

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink

Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil in Zaire

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

TheBalm Two Timer Mascara (using the Johnny Finetune side)

NYX lipliner pencil in PLUM all over mouth, then blotted

MAC Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks



Soft Winter FOTD

Products Used:
Revlon Colorstay Combination/Oily Skin in Buff

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow in Galaxy

Too Faced Eye Shadow in Glamazon

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink

Laura Mercier Mineral Powder in Tender Rose

Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Make up Base

Nars Blush in Orgasm
Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

Covergirl Lashblast Volume

Majolica Majorca Quad for inner corner highlight

Smashbox Lipgloss in Aura

Asian blonde?

When I was little I did fantasize about looking like Barbie, but as I grew older, I began to appreciate my naturally straight and shiny brownish-black hair. I would cringe at the sight of Asian girls with orange-tinged locks of hair and wonder if they really thought that the look was appealing...

(Completely virgin hair with natural highlights of lighter brown)

I just didn't think that any Asian person could get away with dying their hair blonde. Until, that is, I saw the most gorgeous blonde girl sitting across from me while I was eating dinner with my roommate in LA. I mentioned something to my him about the girl and he said, "She looks like she's definitely a mix of something. I'll bet you $20 that she's part Asian."

Well, I lost the bet because she happened to be a tanned half-Japanese FAKE blonde (turns out my roommate was tipped off by the Hello Kitty tattoo on her arm). Anyway, thus began my delusional ideas about how I, too, could pull off the look.

For a few years, I toyed with the idea. I played around using hairmixer.com to see what I'd look like with a completely different head of hair. 

And while I almost went through with this, I eventually decided that it'd be far too expensive and bothersome to maintain.

A few months ago, I opted for partial highlights scattered throughout my hair, but not on the top layer where you would see any roots. Initially, I was quite pleased with the results.

I was happy until I realized that I had huge patches of blonde that didn't look subtle at all if my hair parted in a certain way.

So, I went back to my stylist and had her dye over everything....

So much for going blonde.

Happy Year of the Tiger!! Happy Valentine's Day!! and shoes that make me happy!

It's Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day today! Today should be a happy day, but I'm swamped with too much work that needs to be completed. On days when I need a pick-me-up, I turn to wearing fun shoes that make me happy.

The rain boots are from Target and make me smile. The leather boots are Ralph Lauren. They are high enough to be fashionable, but comfortable enough to walk all day in.

These are Kate Spade wedges that are comfy and cute. I can't seem to resist patent leather. Perfect for work.

What things do you wear that have the ability to "pick you up" when you're feeling blah?

Battling Unwanted Hair: Choosing Laser Hair Removal

I loathe hair. Well, I loathe the hair on my body that isn't the hair on my head, my eyebrows and my eyelashes. I find it ridiculous that we have to spend so much time, energy and money to fight off hair growth! Unlike playing with makeup... shaving, tweezing, waxing, buffing, zapping and whatever else we do is just not fun.

Ever since I was a little girl in elementary school, I have battled against unwanted hair. I used to get teased by vicious little boys about the "mustache" I had. Looking back at pictures I had little more than some peach fuzz, nevertheless the teasing and taunting was enough to start my lifelong battle against unwanted hair. 

I first started lightening my the peach fuzz on my upper lip with Jolen Creme Bleach. It worked well enough, but I still hated the hair, even if it was lighter. Next, I tried tweezing out every single hair one-by-one. Not only was it time-consuming, it was also painful. I tried at-home microwavable waxing kits, which were messy and since I could never get the temperature just right, rarely did the hair come off in one or two rips.

My mom finally took some pity on me and allowed me to get electrolysis on my upper lip when I was no more than 13. I remember the experience to be excruciatingly painful. The woman would stick a needle into each hair follicle and zap it with a strong electric current and then tweeze out the hair. By the end of my session, my lip was red, inflamed and raw. It was MORE embarrassing to walk around after the session than it was to have a little fuzz there in the first place! I went for a few more sessions, but the experience was unpleasant enough and expensive enough that I stopped going. (I do wonder if I tried electrolysis again now, at the age of 25, if it would really be that bad).

Fast forward through my high school and college years of shaving (getting nicks,cuts and razor burn), tweezing (and over-tweezing), experimenting with Nair and Sally Hansen depilatory products, buying an at-home hair zapper (complete waste of money), paying through the nose for expensive waxing services, battling ingrown hairs under my arms and in my bikini area...

I finally found a regimen that  keeps me (semi)-sane:

• I bought a professional wax pot (Jilbere de Paris European Wax Warmer that retails for $40), wax, waxing strips, and applicators. DEFINITELY worth it!
• I wax once every week or two for my lip and to clean up my eyebrows. It takes me no more than 10 minutes to do.
• I wax the bikini area once every month. This is a more challenging feat, which can get messy and be painful.
• Shave my legs once every week or two (I am lucky in that my Asian genes have left the hair on my arms and legs sparse, thin and barely noticeable)
• Shave my underarms and tweeze stray hairs from my eyebrows once a day

It still seems like a lot of grooming, however I have figured out a way to cut down on hassle. It's called LASER HAIR REMOVAL!!! I am going to undergo laser hair removal on my underarms and bikini area (which I find are the most aggravating areas). I have been researching the matter and will let you know more once I have begun treatment. I can't wait until the day when I don't have to think about waxing or shaving in those areas EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Feel free to share your experiences and let me know what works for you. Feel free to ask questions about my experience with laser hair removal once I get started. 

Stila Smudge Pot in Kitten Review

 

What I love:

• 
  
  Easy to apply with just your fingers
• 
  
  Shimmery, but subtle enough to wear to work and still look professional
• 
  
  Great for showcasing eyelashes and making black eyeliner look crisp
• 
  
  I personally think it's the perfect nude/champagne-ish shimmer color that isn't too gold or orange... or too pale or frosty pink
• 
  
  No creasing or smudges, even without using a primer(just like the other smudge pot colors that are used mostly for lining)

What I don't love:

• 
  
  May be too drying for people with dry skin
• 
  
  Dries really fast, which makes it a challenge to layer the product on evenly (but you can easily layer on other dry shadows)

The Verdict:

If I had to choose one eye shadow product to put in a bag I would choose this one because I don't need a primer. I think it can bring you from looking plain and tired to polished and pretty with just mascara or mascara and a little black eyeliner (oh and concealer and blush and... hehe). I would definitely recommend this one if you like a simple, but shimmery look.

Lorac Secrets of Hollywood Starlet Review

Last month I purchased this set from Ulta for $42. I hadn't ever used any Lorac products but I was intrigued since Lorac sets all come with full-size products.

It comes with the following:

• 
  
  Starry-eyed Baked Eye Shadow Trio in Starlet (purple) -- My favorite of the set.
• 
  
  Baked Matte Satin Blush (plum rose) --Second Favorite
• 
  
  Lotsa Lash Fiber mascara (black)
• 
  
  Couture Shine Liquid Lipstick (glam)
• 
  
  Dual-ended Eye Shadow/Liner Brush
• 
  
  Purple Croc Clutch

(I apologize for the weird photo layout, but Blogger is rotating the picture!!)

I love that:

• 
  
  Every color in the eyeshadow trio is gorgeous. All of the colors are shimmery and well-pigmented, but not glittery. The white is perfect for all over and highlight up to the brow. The brownish color is great for the lid and the deep purplish color is awesome for the crease. The darker colors look a lot more purple in the package and more brownish-purple when worn.
• 
  
  The lightest color is my absolute favorite, which I use over my Stila smudge pot in Kitten or my Bobbi Brown cream eye shadows in Galaxy, Sand Dollar and Beach Honey. (I am sure I will post pictures of these looks later). 
• 
  
  I also use the purple deep color for liner on my lower lash line or to set the gel eyeliner I use on my top lid. I have found that the little brush that comes with the set works quite well for lining purposes, but doesn't do a good job as a shadow brush. 
• 
  
  The blush is SUPER pigmented. You really need to be careful when applying this color to your cheeks so as to avoid looking like a clown. I find that it gives the perfect flush to my face, even when I have no bronzer on and have no tan whatsoever (which is impressive because I find that really pigmented blushes can be too harsh for fair-skinned people). It is a rosier color than my normal Nars Orgasm blush, and more matte.
• 
  
  The mascara really volumizes my lashes, which I feel is due to the super fat brush. However I find that the lengthening and curl power is somewhat average. I usually use this to layer over other mascaras when I want more volume. I haven't had any issues with flaking or smudges, which is good.

I don't love:

• 
  
  I could really go without the lip product. The color is flattering enough but the formula is too sticky and doesn't really last long.
• 
  
  I love the shadows, but I do find that my oily lids definitely need a shadow primer to prevent creasing.

The verdict:

I would definitely recommend puchasing this set. I think the colors would flatter most skin colors and it's a great value. Did I mention that the purple croc clutch is really cute?

Close-up of the Trio (shimmery and blendable)

Note: The color on my middle finger (second from the left) is Lorac's Serenity, which Lollipop26 recommended. I will post the color on a separate entry. It's more of a gold color. I tend to prefer the trio colors, since I believe the gold is not the best for my pale and freckle-covered face.

Latisse/Lumigan - My Review

My eyelashes have always been thin, stick-straight, with average length. Yet, despite having so-so length, I could not achieve a lasting look no matter what I tried-- curling, heating, a million different mascaras. (I also have that same issue with curling my stick-straight hair, but I'll leave that for another post...)

 This picture was taken in October 2009; I had curled and heated my lashes and used couple coats of Chanel Inimitable mascara.

I have always had to resort to wearing fake lashes in order to achieve that full, lush and glamorous look.

When I heard about lash-growth accelerator products like Latisse, LiLash, and Revitalash, I knew I had to get my hands on at least one of the products and try it out. In the end, I went on Makeupalley.com to do some hardcore research on Latisse. The reviews were spectacular and I decided to follow the advice of some of the reviewers and buy "Lumigan (Bimatoprost eye drops)" from a reputable online pharmacy, http://www.inhousepharmacy.com/. I had faith that I would love the product and bought 6 bottles for a total of $144.00. I think that you will spend around $150 per bottle if you buy Latisse from a plastic surgeon or dermatologist. Please do the research yourself and decide whether this is something that is safe and makes sense for you.

Lumigan is the same exact formula as Latisse only without the applicator brushes (which I heard are bad and waste the product). Lumigan is the original drug that is used to treat glaucoma patients who drop the product into their eyes. They found that a side effect was longer, darker lashes and decided to market it as a cosmetic product.

 I love that:

• 
  
  My lashes curl and stay curled more easily (I still use my Shu Uemura lash curler and heated lash wand).
  
  
  
• 
  
  I can use gentler, non-waterproof mascara, which is much easier to remove, and still get lovely lashes.
  
  
  
• 
  
  I don't need to wear falsies anymore (unless I'm going for the ultra-dramatic effect).
  
  
  

I don't love that:

• 
  
  My eye lids have darkened a little bit (nothing a little eyeshadow/liner can't fix).
  
  
  
• 
  
  Sometimes I wake up with eye "crusties."
  
  
  
• 
  
  My lashes shed for the first few weeks, but it has stopped altogether and my lash are healthier than ever.
  
  
  
• 
  
  If you are sloppy with the application or apply too much the excess can get on your cheek and promote hair growth there too. So be careful to only apply it to the upper lash line.
  
  
  

The verdict:

I LOVE it! I apply it at night before I go to bed (although, recently I have been forgetting and skipping a day here and there). It is easy to apply just on the lash line with a Sonia Kashuk bent eyeliner brush. I only use one drop for both eyes and sometimes I use the rest on my brows. I am still on my first bottle even though I started on September 26, 2009. I haven't applied it to my lower lashes, but I have noticed that they have grown as well too. Some hairs are a bit longer than others but it doesn't really bother me. I can't imagine to going back to having puny little lashes... Lumigan is a keeper for me. If you have any questions, please leave a comment and I'll try to answer as best as I can.

October 1, 2009 (After 4 days of use)

October 27, 2009 (After 4 weeks of use)

December 17, 2009 (After almost 8 weeks of use)

(curled with mascara)

January 12, 2010 (After 11 weeks of use)

(Curled with 2 coats of L'Oreal Voluminous Original mascara, no other make-up)