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Monday, August 22, 2011

Weekend Look: My Friends Bdays!

Hi Guys!

This weekend my friends and I went out to celebrate two of their birthdays and to watch one of their boyfriends band play. Its been a loooong time since we all got together and just hung out and have a few drinks, and it was sooooo fun! I paid the price the next morning.. eeks! still feeling a little drabby =( But anyways, I took a quick photo right before I left for the night. It wasnt an all out makeup look, just a light grayish smoky eye with glitter and blue liner =)


Oops! I got one of the glitters on my lid!

Face
Dior Airflash Foundation
Dior Nude Concealer
Dior Nude Powder
Tarte 12 Hour Amazonian Clay Blush 'Tipsy'

Eyes
UD Primer Potion
UD 15 Yr Anniversary Shadow 'Ace' (lashline up to crease)
UD 24/7 Eyeliner 'Zero' (upper waterline)
UD 24/7 Eyeliner 'Binge' (lower lashline and waterline)
UD 15 Yr Anniversary Shadow 'Evidence' (lower lashline)
NYX Candy Glitter Eyeliner 'Lavendar' (upper lashline)
Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Blasting Mascara 'Black'

Lips
VS Pro FX Lip Scrub Lip Balm
MAC Plushglass 'Bubble Tea'


Sorry the lighting kind of sucks, but since it was at night anyways, its probably really close to what it actually looked like. My hair, I had two braids, one on each side of my head, and I tied them together in the back. Kind of bohemian like.. I just wore my favorite black and white feather earrings, a loose grey slub top with a pocket, and some black skinny jeans with silver flats =) Didnt remember to take a photo of the entire outfit and look, but hopefully next time I wont be in such a rush =))

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Review: July's Birchbox




Since I didnt do a reveal about what I got in July's Birchbox, I thought I would do a review of all the products I got since I actually used all of them this past month. The results were very good actually and it will probably help me in making future decisions about certain beauty products =)

Zoya Touch Collection in 'Shay' $8 0.5ml




Description:
"Zoyas new Touch Collection has three spot-on taupe shades for your minimalist pleasure...extremely opaque with just a touch of shimmer...they also last about 50% longer than other brands - after a full week of wear, you will still be chip-free."

Review:
Ive never owned any Zoya nail polishes before this, and now I think to myself.. "Why the heck not?!" these polishes are so awesome! They are super opaque, one coat covered majority of my nail, and with hardly any streaks! It has a slightly glossy finish which is also really great, I didnt even use a topcoat in the photo! Just used two coats. The color 'Shay' that I got is a beautiful pinky nude with warm taupy undertone, very chic and elegant, it would be a great color to use for a wedding! They dry fully in about 10 minutes and they do live up to claim that they last long! I fool around on my guitar a lot (trust me, I am no Jimi Hendrix), and the nails on my right hand always chip because of the contact my nails get with the strings... and the polish didnt come off one bit! Amazing! I will definetly be buying other colors in the future =P

Philosophy Purity Made Simple One Step Facial Cleanser $32 16oz



Description:
"The award winning , one step daily facial cleanser removes makeup, cleanses, tones, and lightly hydrates the skin. Quickly dissolves dirt, oil and makeup to deep clean pores while maintaining the skins proper moisture levels. Gentle enough for the eye area and even for the most sensitive skin."

Review:
Ive seen this product so many times at department stores and of course Sephora... but since I break out easily, I was a little weary about trying it. But miraculously, this facial cleanser didnt make me breakout, and it really helped to hydrate my skin a bit. Its kind of watery, which I didnt really like, but it does help to take off my makeup well. The great thing about this product is that its gentle enough to use around the eye area! Most cleansers always say to avoid the eye area, but this stuff doesnt sting or irritate your eyes, it just takes away the makeup! Im really looking into buying the full sized product, but since I got another facial cleanser sample in August's Birchbox, Im going to test that one out first =)


AHAVA Mineral Hand Cream $20 3.4oz



Description:
"Loaded with soothing minerals, this healing cream also helps with irritated skin and eczema. Made with pure Dead Sea minerals, this smooth, quick-absorbing lotion deeply hydrates dry skin and rough fingers. The key to this light but nourishing cream is AHAVA’s Mineral Skin Osmoter™, which is a potent compound of magnesium, calcium, potassium, and zinc that is designed to create the optimal balance in your skin. It helps to draw the moisture from the lower levels of skin to the surface to keep hands soft and healthy. Witch hazel helps and allantoin repairs cracked skin."

Review:
This was an 'ok' product for me.. It has a powdery smell which some people might like, I didnt really mind the smell... but it kind of made my hands feel a little greasy... It soaked it really quickly though, which is a plus, and it did make my hands feel softer since it hydrated fairly well. It left a little sheen on my hands which I didnt quite care for. I still like the Seed Bodycare Hand Cream better =)
  
Redken Shine Flash 02 Glistening Mist (only available at Redken Salons)



Description:
"Redkens signature Shine-On Complex as antioxidant-rich camelina oil and vitamin B5 to condition strands. It smoothes the surface of hair to give you a mirror-like finish. Use on dry hair to tame flyaways and add a shiny finish to hair. Appropriate for all hair types."

Review:
I instantly loved this product the first time I tried it, and it was also the product I was most excited to test out =) It really does give your hair a nice and healthy shine. I like to lightly mist this all over my hair and then comb it out so it spreads evenly. If I have any strays or flyaways, I will spray it directly onto my palms and smooth it over my hair. It gives your hair a healthy and glossy appearance. It smells really good too! Be careful not to use too much of this product, if you do, it will make your hair feel greasy! Less is more with this stuff! Oh and use it only on dry hair =)


 

UD 15 Year Anniversary Shadows: Bronze Beauty Recreate


Every Monday, my friends and I get together at our place for dinner, and this past Monday we decided to have a poolside BBQ! Sooo... I was watching Michelle Phan's Bronze Beauty Video and thought... Hey! I can recreate this look using the UD 15 Year Anniversary shadows! It took me less than 10 minutes! I tried it out and heres the result!

What did I use?
  • UD 15 Year - 'Flow' (entire lid)
  • UD 15 Year - 'Chase' (outer corner/lower lashline)
  • UD 15 Year - 'Deeper' (crease)
  • UD 15 Year - 'Midnight 15' (brow bone/inner corner)
  • UD 15 Year - 'M.I.A.' (outer lower lashline/outer upper lashline)
  • UD 24/7 Eyeliner - 'Baked' (lower waterline)
  • UD 24/7 Eyeliner - 'Perversion' (upper waterline)
  • Covergirl Lashblast Volume Mascara

Monday, August 15, 2011

Music of the Moment: Blackbird Blackbird 'Summer Heart LP'


Just wanted to share!

Dont really know how I discovered this electro band... but I downloaded their entire album 'Summer Heart' a couple weeks ago, and I cant stop listening to it! So catchy! Im sad I never heard of them before this!

Heres a listen!








Ever heard of this band before? Whats your music of the moment?

Sunday, August 14, 2011

August Birchbox!


Another little surprise in the mail! August Birchbox! Sorry I skipped last months Birchbox... got a little busy =( Im doing a review on July's Birchbox, so stay tuned! But I didnt forget this month! Here are the samples I got:

Pangea Organics Cleanser for Combination to Oily Skin $28 4oz.

Description:
"Formulated with a blend of fruit, herbs and honey... this refreshing cleanser uses natural ingredients to restore your skins pH level... Contains Australian Wild Plum with calming Native American Willow Herb and Yucca Extracts to balance, soothe and refresh skin."

Carols Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask $29 7oz.

Description:
"Proven to reduce hair breakage by up to 96% after only one use when paired with Carols Daughter Monoi Repairing Shampoo... Tahitian Monoi Oil is designed to repair hair health for stronger, glossier strands and fortify them against future damage."

blinc Liquid Eyeliner in Black $24 0.21oz


Description:
"This formula delivers a seamless line of inky color. use it when you want a crisp, defined look. Instead of painting on a line, it actually forms a water-resistant layer that wont run or smudge. Peels right off with gentle pressure and warm water."

WEI Tibetan Chrysanthemum Correcting Eye Treatment Pads $60 10 packs of 2 pads each // Twistband Hair Ties $5 set of 3

Description:
"Each pouch comes with 2 pads pre-soaked in herbal ingredients that reduce puffiness and eliminate dark circles in just ten minutes. Tibetan Chrysanthemum soothes the delicate eye area and minimizes puffiness, while soy, raspberry, and green tea leaf extracts lighten dark circles. Seaweed and peppermint add a little kick for a refreshing, zesty feeling."

Description:
"These chic hair ties keep hair secure without snagging strands or leaving ugly creases. Best of all, they look as good on our wrists as they do in our ponytail. Each Twistband is made of soft elastic that keeps braids, buns, and ponytails secure. Because they're thicker than regular hair ties, they dont leave crimps in hair."


What did you get in your August Birchbox? Was it different from mines? I would love to know!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Review: Urban Decay 15 Year Anniversary Eyeshadow Collection



I hope you all are enjoying your weekend! I got to start mines with a little surprise in the mail =) The Urban Decay 15 Year Anniversary Eyeshadow Collection! Yay!!! I finally decided I had to order this darn thing because I was so intrigued with all the pretty colors! Plus the oober cute case in came in =)


Bought from: Sephora.com
Price: $55

Here are the swatches!


First column of shadows, these are all shimmery golds and neutrals:

Midnight Rodeo: bronzy brown
Midnight 15: silvery taupe
Vanilla: lemony white
Flow: peachy white
Chase: light gold brown


Middle column, you got your color, these are more iridescent accept 'Tainted':

Tainted: light baby pink (shimmer)
Junkshow: bright hot pink (iridescent)
Omen: bluish purple (iridescent)
Evidence: deep blue (iridescent)
Deep End: aqua blue (iridescent)



In this last column, you have your darker neutrals:

Deeper: dark bronze (shimmer)
M.I.A.: reddish brown (shimmer)
Ace: charcoal grey (shimmer)
Blackout: true black (matte)
Half Truth: charcoal purple (iridescent)

And heres a little look at my playing around with the colors =)



Eyes (from UD 15 Year Palette):
  • Deep End (lid and bottom lashline)
  • Ace (outer corner)
  • M.I.A (crease)
  • Evidence (bottom lashline)
  • Vanilla (brow bone and inner corner)
Other Products:
  • Blinc Liquid Eyeliner (upper lashline)
  • UD Primer Potion
  • UD 24/7 Eyeliner in 'Zero' (top and bottom waterline)
  • Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara

Overall Thoughts

These shadows are all new to the UD line and they apply sooooo well! They are super duper pigmented and go on very smoothly. A little really goes a long way with these shadows, I was really impressed! I love all the iridescent and vibrant colors, they show up almost exactly how they look in the palette. If you dont own a lot of UD eyeshadows, I really recommend this palette. Its really diverse and you can create a million different looks with it =) The case gets a little annoying because finger prints show up every single time you touch the darn thing!

Did you get the new UD 15 Year Anniversary Collection? What were your thoughts?

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Novalee Photo and Chelsea

Hi Hi!

Its me again! Last month I had the chance to work with Novalee Photo, used to be called Kolohe Photo, and he never disappoints in his images. Model Chelsea was so sweet and energetic, especially at 6:30AM!

We went for a real beachy look, perfect for summer, to go with the tropical background. Heres are some sneak peeks at how it turned out =)