The Recession Can't Stop Me! Part 2

Here are a few more holiday edition sets and new gift sets that I'm coveting.


Chanel Mini Glossimer Trio ($50)
One of my friends whipped this set out the other day at dinner and I was insanely jealous. Chanel haspacked three of their glossimer lip glosses and you can choose from two different sets of colors. One is a set of violets and the other is a nude/brown set. I love both but I' always a pink/purple girl. You also get an adorable Chanel black purse. Oh, Chanel :)

MAC Little Darlings ($29.50)
Have a experimenter on your gift list? MAC's latest set of five mini pigments and glitters is a perfect gift for that funky cousin or friend. Choose from a set of cool tones or warm tones.



She Uemera Eye Color Palette ($65)
Check out the hot floral packaging! You get seven sweet as candy shades and one eyeliner in this adorable palette. It's a bit pricy so make sure to get it for someone you really love!

Photos: Courtesy of Nordstrom.com

Back To A Basic: MAC Studio Fix

I thought I'd re-start blogging by writing about an old favorite that I've returned to : MAC Studio Fix Powder plus Foundation.

Studio Fix is a very popular MAC product and I used it throughout most of my early college days. But as with most products, my skin (but mostly just my personality) got tired of it. My extremely oily skin had turned into extremely dry skin at the end of my teenage years which also made it hard for me to use it. A recent bout of adult acne has led to a discarding of all my staple products and I thought I'd give Studio Fix another try, especially given the return to Matte makeup. And I fell in love again!

I forgot how easy it was to just apply this two-in-one makeup product swiftly. It also has amazing coverage that smooths over my imperfect skin. Not to mention, it lasts a long time! Talc soaks up all the excess oil on my face and helps give a smooth, matte finish. I will say that as with most MAC products except MSF's, it isn't so great for the skin, but nowadays I just need great coverage. I can't be looking raggedy working at a high-end fashion magazine!

Clubbing FOTD

Sorry, I've been MIA! After getting laid off a week and a half ago, I was scrambling to find some freelance work and I've also had some family drama going on. I decided this was the best time to visit my best friend in Toronto (I live in New York) so I've been here since Thursday. It's been a blast so far! I come to Toronto once a year (she usually goes to NY more often), but I've never gone to a club except this time. It was fun.

A breakdown of my look for that night:

Face:

MAC Select MoistureCover in NC42 & NC35

Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick in Honey

Bobbi Brown Face Powder in Warm Natural

Eyes:

Urban Decay Primer Potion

MAC e/s in Showstopper

Urban Decay e/s in Oil Slick

MAC liquid liner in Bootblack

Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara

Cheeks:

Cargo Big Bronzer in Medium

Bobbi Brown Rose Shimmer Brick

Benefit HollywoodGlo

Lips:

L'oreal Aishwairya's Beige

MAC lipglass in Enchantress

MAC Paint Pot Series: Simply Pink

Playing around with MAC Paint Pots is my latest beauty pastime. My love with them started with the paint tubes but I find the pots much more convenient. I'll be posting a series of looks I created with a whole slew of the different paint pots I've bought recently.

Ignore the hideous spots on my forehead, I just couldn't work up enough energy to cover them up that day! On the other hand, I never realized what long lashes I have until I started taking photos for this blog.

The star: Girl-Friendly Paint Pot
I was weary of this shade even though I've read some rave reviews on other blogs and websites. It just didn't seem that special to me. Once I tried it on though, I just had to have it. It goes beyond just being a fantastic base shade for most eye combinations. I even like wearing this eyeshadow alone; it's a great upgrade on a nude eye.

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Girl-Friendly Paint Pot
MAC eyeshadow in Sunday Best from the 2007 Holiday palette
MAC eyeshadow in Retrospeck from the 2007 Holiday palette
MAC eyeshadow in Star Violet
MAC liquid eyeliner in Boot Black
Maybeline Define-A-Lash Mascara

Cheeks:
Benefit 10 highlighter and bronzer

Lips:
Lancome Pixel Pink

Face:
Chanel Tinted Moisturizer

Birthday Wishlist

My birthday arrives right before the start of spring and the combination of these two always gives me an excuse to go on a rampant beauty shopping spree! Here's a list of some of the things I'm craving:

Stila Contouring Trio: Contouring was big in the 90's and now it's back on the beauty trend forefront, but of course much softer and prettier! I've never ventured into this beauty area and I think Stila's Couturing Trio is the perfect way to start!

Shu Uemera Rebirth Collection Eyeshadow in Pristine Green: I love everything about this eyeshadow! From the elegant packaging to the shimmer quality. Out of all the colors, I'm most interested in Pristine Green because it's the one color I don't have much of! Plus, it's perfect for spring and one of the best iridescent shades I've tested.

Benefit Erase Paste: I'm always on the hunt for a good concealer because I've yet to find a perfect match. This product has me interested because it claims to brighten and camouflage at the same time. Not to mention, I love the purple packaging!

Lancome Pink in the Limo and Rock On Fuschia: Lancome's Color Fever collection has some amazing shades. I'm especially loving 'Pink in the Limo'. I could definitely see this becoming a spring makeup staple!

MAC 182 Buffer Brush: I've been using powder brushes to blend, but I realized recently I need a good buffer brush. I keep deterring from buying one because it is so expensive!

Think Spring!

After months of this dreary winter and dark makeup, I am craving some serious spring brightness. I've already started incorporating some warm-weather colors into my look; a sparkling fuschia lipstick here; a lavender eye there. Bring on the bronzers and shimmer!

Bobbi Brown's Pink Rasberry Face Palette is a must-have for this spring season. The palette contains sheer pink colors and neutral eyeshadows that compliment every skin tone and creates the perfect spring look. Pink makeup rotates the runway every spring and this year's pink look is soft but bright. Pick up this seasonal must-have soon because Bobbi Brown's limited-edition products usually run out fast!


Laura Mercier's Eye Colour Quad in Wild Violet and Shy Violet (left) contains the perfect colors to create a smoky purple eye or a light lavender eye. The shadows are shimmery and a bit powdery (you might want to use a damp brush to apply). The only thing is that it's not too long-lasting (at least not on me). But if you're looking for a soft, spring look--this quad is perfect. Not to mention, the flowery design is very elegant.

I was a little wary when I first heard about the MAC Fafi collection; but now I am totally sold! I especially love the hot pink-ish lipstick Fun 'N' Sexy (which is probably going to be one of the first products to get sold out) and the eyeshadow quads. The Fafi Eyes 2 quad is perfect for spring '08 as bright colors are the "it" trend. You can be sure these two items are making their way into my makeup collection this weekend!

Beauty Trend: Everything Bright

Neon eyes and lips were everywhere on the spring runways and I am ecstatic! While this look from Sephora.com (left) might be a bit much, the neon green eyes and fuschia lips separately are definitely hot looks, especially against smooth, bronzed skin. With the horrid weather outside in NYC (it just started snowing like mad), what else is there to look forward to except the bright and happy makeup of spring.




Makeup Forever's Flash Color Eyeshadows are so vibrant that I'm getting the sudden urge to wake up tomorrow morning and come into work with a neon green spring look!


Photo Credit: Glam.com

For bright fuschia lips, I love MAC lipstick in Violetta.

Photo

Shhhh, don't tell anyone.....

There are few things more exciting than the leak of a new MAC collection. Temptalia
discovered an e-bay seller auctioning off new the Dazzleglass liplosses that are slated for release in April/May and I haven't been able to contain my excitement ever since!

Primer: The best beauty investment you can make

I don't know what I did to keep my face smooth and my makeup intact before I discovered a miracle product named primer. What does it do exactly, you ask?

• They actually work much like a moisturizer under your foundation does: they ease the application of foundation and are meant to create a barrier between foundation and skin. (about.com)
• Evens out skin tone
• Helps makeup stay on longer
• Keeps makeup from melting in the heat
  
• Makes skin soft
• Fills in any wrinkles, minor cracks or holes in the face
  

The fact that primer keeps the chemicals in makeup from directly touching my skin is the biggest bonus, to me. If applying primer isn't part of your daily makeup routine, I suggest starting ASAP!

My Top Primer Picks:


Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer: To be touted both as a 2007 'Best of Sephora' Winner and Allure magazine's 'Editor's Choice' is no easy feat. Smashbox created a formula that leaves your skin feeling silky and smooth; boasting of SPF 15, vitamins A &E, grape seed extract and green tea.


Laura Mercier Foundation Primer: Do you have dry skin? Then, this product is the right choice for you. It conditions, moisturizes and helps to achieve that perfect dewy look we all covet.


Lorac aquaprime oil-free Makeup Primer: I just recently sampled this and loved it! My skin isn't oily so it isn't necessarily the product for me, but it's a great water-based product for those of you battling acne or oily skin in general.



Benefit That Gal: Looking to brighten up your complexion just a tad? This amazing product works wonders for a blotchy complexion and it contains soothing ingredients such as raspberry and chamomile. Bonus: extra cute packaging!

Tarte Clean Slate: I love this primer because of moisturizing ingredients such as avocado and hibiscus oils. Besides, owning anything from the quirky Tarte brand is always exciting!


MAC Prep+Prime Face Protect: This is what I call my 'winter primer'. Since my skin is extra dry, the creamy formula helps to moisturize my face. It's high SPF value of 50 keeps me protected from the sun since applying sunscreen in the winter goes against my natural instinct.

A few of my favorite things......

MAC is iconic for its eyeshadows and with the Originals line out now, MAC is more in the spotlight than ever. The one thing I always struggle with at a MAC counter, is picking from the unlimited array of amazing eyeshadow colors! There are just too many I want. So, here are a few of my favorites.
Caution: beware, the list is long but that's because there were too many beauties to choose from! My personal favorites are in italics!

Frost

Swish: Soft bright pink with icy metallic shimmer
Hepcat: Jazzy little deep blue-wine
Electra: Muted silver with icy metallic shimmer
Charred: Deep steel grey with silver pearl
Deep Truth: Very real truthful dark blue
Tilt: Bright violet duochrome with blue-green opalescent shimmer
Parrot: A soaringly electric turquoise
Steamy: Bright bluish-green with golden shimmer
Humid: Shade description: Intense vivid green with shimmer
Goldmine: Shade description: Intense gold with shimmer
Amber Lights: Golden peachy-brown with golden shimmer
Ochre Style: Shade description: Mid-tone yellow brown with gold
Phloof: Frosted off-white
Paradisco: Soft bright pinky-coral with golden shimmer

Lustre
Idol Eyes: Silvered violet threaded with gold
Honey Lust: Bronze-dipped peach

Matte
Memorabilia: Dirty purple
Plumage: Dusky peacock
Chrome Yellow : Vivid bright yellow
A Little Folie: Mid-tone red brown
Carbon: Intense black

Matte2
Post Haste: Bright berry pink
Clarity: Rich aqua
Newly Minted: Rich sea green

Satin
Folie: Reddish-plum brown
Sushi Flower: Soft bright pinky-coral with pink opalescent shimmer
Eyepopping: Soft lime green with gold and yellow pearl
Daisychain: Soft yellow beige with soft white pearl
Soba: Golden brown flecked with golden shimmer

Veluxe Pearl
Star Violet: Earth-touched pinky-brown plum fusion
Antiqued: Ash brown with bronze cast
Coppering: Hi-reflective orange copper

Velvet
Trax: Burgundy-plum flecked with bronze shimmer
Beauty Marked: A deep blackened red with a sparkle/twilight effect

Trend Alert: Cream/Gel Eyeliners

Not to boast, but I love it when I realize that I had spotted a trend before it went mainstream. While gel/cream eyeliners have been around for a while, they hadn't been widely used until recently. I've been hooked onto it for quite a while now and here are some of the best ones I've tried and tested:

MAC Fluidline

This gel eyeliner comes in an array of colors and is relatively easy to put on. The formula is smudge-proof and long-lasting; the two reasons why gel eyeliners are so great in the first place.

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner

When the girl at the BB counter at Macy's vowed to me that this eyeliner dries fast and doesn't come off without makeup remover, I privately rolled my eyes and played along just to please her. I was astonished when thirty minutes later, I was still walking around the mall with a sample of the liner on my hand, which wouldn't come off, no matter how hard I rubbed. Since one of my beauty woes happens to be smudged eyeliner, this one quickly became a personal favorite.

Benefit's Creaseless Cream Liner/Shadow

This two-in-one formula is great for when you don't want to spend too much time creating definitive eyes. Used as a eyeshadow or a eyeliner, this creamy formula is a good deal.

Smashbox Creme Eyeliner Palette

Apart from the ultra-chic and slim packaging, this palette contains all the eyeliner colors you could ever want. Perfect for creating a sweet smokey eye; by the time you finish this palette, you'll know exactly which color is ur go-to product.

Shiseido Accentuating Cream Eyeliner

You can always trust the people at Shiseido to come up with a sophisticated product, no matter what it is. This liner comes in two smoky colors and with a it's own separate brush. Not the dinkly little eyeshadow brushes that true makeup lovers never use, but it's a live one that is actually good to use, folks.

Stila Smudge Pots
This unversal favorite is one of the first gel 2-in-in eyeshadow/liner combos that made it big. The royal blue sheen of cobalt is my personal favorite among the colors.

Application advice: A little goes a long way with cream or gel eyeliners so use accordingly. Line eyes as close to the lashline as possible, using a Smudge Brush or Angeled Eyeliner brush.