Saturday, July 20, 2013

Milani Hi-Tech (Holographic)


Without Flash                                                  With Flash

This is Milani's Hi-Tech from the 3D Holographic collection.  Hi-Tech is a yellow/green/chartreuse scattered holo packed with lots of shimmer particles.  Also, an extra bonus bc the finish is not gritty whatsoever!  It's beautiful!  The "With Flash" picture is very true to color.  I found this on clearance during CVS' 50-75% off end of the year sale.

Have you tried any of Milani's 3D Holographic polishes?

Friday, July 19, 2013

New Inglot Freedom palette

This is my 2nd Inglot palette.  My first was a 10 pan freedom palette (sold off in a blog sale though).  
Wow!  First and foremost, Inglot's prices has increased.  Before, each shadow was $5/each and you got the palette for free (if you filled it up).  For example, my first freedom palette, I purchased 10 shadows for $5/each and got the 10 pan palette for free so my total was $50.  Well...now shadows are $6/each and you have to purchase the freedom palette separately.  So, it cost $76 for a 10 pan palette now!  SMH No bueno!  
With that being said, I remembered why I sold my first freedom palette (rarely used), so I opted to get a more basic palette.  I got the 3 eyeshadow + 1 blush freedom palette for $39.  
I've owned the 2 matte shades (337 & 329) before.

CUA aka SMILEYPearl 393 - peachy/golden with a pearl finish.  I love this finish because it gives you just the right amount of sheen.  This shade reminds me of MAC's Ricepaper and somewhat of theBalm's Mary Loumanizer.  Beautiful!

Matte 337 - matte medium brown.  I've owned this before and I mainly use it for blending and for my brows :)

Matte 329 - matte deep chocolate brown.  This is also another shade I've owned before and it's main purpose was for crease work and smoking out the bottom lash line.  For some reason, the formula on this one is a bit chalky.







CUA aka SMILEYBlush #28 - muted/mauvy pink.  I think this is perfect for everyday wear.  It's super silky smooth and blends great.

Although Inglot's prices has increased due to the popularity of their line, I don't mind the extra few dollars at all.  

Have you tried Inglot line?  What are your favorites?

Monday, July 15, 2013

New Hair + Color



Morgan Taylor Nail Polish Swatch + Mini Review

During my stop at the nail supply store 2 weeks ago, these were some of the polishes I picked up.  They were sitting on display at the checkout counter and the colors really caught my eyes.

Morgan Taylor.
I've never heard of the brand before so I asked the cashier how they were in comparison to OPI.  He said they're to be better than OPI.  Now you know I gotta try it out now with that said!  There was about 10 shades the store currently carries and I picked up 5.

After further research, I learned that MT is owned by the same company that owns Gelish; a well known gel polish brand.

Birthday Suit.  I would describe this as "bone beige" lol.  It looks greige in the picture though, don't it?  The formula was thick/goopy and application was streaky...this one is a hot mess!   It took me about 4 coats to even everything out.  However, I do like the glossy finish of a top coat without a top coat.  You get it??  LOL

Mint Chocolate Chip.  
This is your typical mint creme shade.  Again, the formula was thick and application was streaky.  Swatch below is of 3 coats.

Lost in Paradise.  
This is a blue/green/teal creme.  This formula was thin unlike the first 2 polishes.  It was streaky upon initial application but once you layer on the 2nd coat...it's even and opaque.   

West Coast Cool.  
This is a vibrant blue cream.  Formula and application is same as the previous shade.

It's My Party.  
This is a multi-colored glitter polish.  The glitters are not too big or too small.  They seem to be the same size for the most part.  I did wear this shade over Lost in Paradise and West Coast Cool but I forgot to take a picture.  I can say that this glitter polish is very easy to take off with polish remover :)  and the glitters are not that chunky at all but will require at least 1 good coat of top coat.

Overall, I'm not impressed.  The colors are beautiful but formula and application can be improved; especially, the quality of the brush.  I do like the fact that the polish dries quickly and the finish is nice enough to where you can skip putting on a top coat, if you didn't have the time.  Now I will have to wear it more to test the longevity of each shade.  



Disclosure:  Products purchased by yours truly.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Essie Naughty Nautical Summer 2013 Collection Swatch + Review + GIVEAWAY!!

Happy J4!


Today, I have Essie's Naughty Nautical Summer 2013 collection to share with you guys.  This collection consist of 2 soft shades and 4 bright shades.  

Naughty Nautical.  Described as a "marine blue-green shimmer".  
The formula is easy to work with.  Shimmers are not gritty/chunky.  Opaque in 2-3 coats.    

Sunday Funday.  Described as a "tangerine coral crush shimmer".  
I love corals!  And I love Sunday Funday!  The formula is easy to work with and color payoff is great with 2 coats.  Shimmers are fine...so quite beautifully sparkly!

The More The Merrier.  Described as a "juicy lime green".
This is the creme of the bunch and the hardest to work with.  The formula was thick and streaky.  It takes 3-4 coats for a even application.  This shade reminds me of OPI Did it on 'em but brighter.

The Girls Are Out.  Described as a "fuchsia peony sparkle".
Again, formula was good and application was easy.  Good to go with 2 coats.

Full Steam Ahead.  Described as a "pearlescent punch lilac".
This is one of the soft shades, a lilac/lavendar shade.  Formula is easy to work with and can get away with 2 coats.  The shimmer is quite fine in this one too so it's very sparkly up close but can pass for a creme from a distance.

Rock The Boat.  Described as a "shimmering french blue".  
The other soft shade of the collection.  Once again, the shimmers in this one is beautiful.  The formula is good but application is somewhat streaky.  Will take at least 3 coats for a even application.  The picture below was with 2 coats.  This shade reminds me of Essie Bikini So Teeny without the purple hue.

Overall, I really like this collection.  There's nothing special about the shades(because we've seen similar colors before)but the formula is great.  And the shimmer particles/amount in these are just perf!

GIVEAWAY!!

I'm giving away a complete set of Essie Naughty Nautical Summer 2013 collection to one lucky winner.
Here are the RULEs:
1.  Must follow my blog
2.  Must follow my Twitter 
3.  Must subscribe to my YouTube
4.  Leave a comment on the Giveaway video with your usernames for 1 & 2.
5.  Must like (thumb up) the video
5.  Must be at least 18 years old to enter or have prior parents' permission.

This giveaway will end July 31st.  The winner will be selected on August 1st from the comment entries on YouTube and be announced on my blog and twitter.

Thank you and good luck!



Disclosure:  Products purchased by yours truly.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Color Club Halo Hues Spring 2013 Swatches

I bring you today, swatches of Color Club's Halo Hues Spring 2013 collection!
This collection consist of 6 linear halographic polishes!  This collection is more vibrant than the first Halo Hues collection released in 2012.  

Beyond.  A black based halo.  

Cosmic Fate.  A orange/copper/beige/nude halo.   

Eternal Beauty.  A bright purple halo.

Kismet.  A gold/green/chartreuse halo.

Miss Bliss.  A pink halo.

Over the Moon.  A bright cyan/blue halo.

Overall, this is a must have collection for me and I'm super duper happy I got it.  These are great halos for the price.  The formula is also great.  You can definitely wear it sheer with only one layer or put on 2 for full opacity.  The only shade I had to put on 3 layers was Kismet but that color is so beautiful and the formula is so easy to work with that I do not mind a 3 layer at all!  My favorite shades will have to be Over the moon; it's so vibrant and beautiful!!  These pictures did not do these polishes enough justice.  As you all know, it's very hard to capture the halo goodness and effect of halo polishes. 

Have you tried this collection?  Which shade is your fave?


Disclosure:  Products purchased by yours truly.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

How I clean my makeup brushes

My brushes are due for some cleaning.

Other than water, I use Dial (antibacterial) soap bar.  I do not recommend you washing your natural, black bristle brushes with this though.  It makes the brush bleed like crazy!  

Here's a short clip of how I wash them.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Review: Pure Brown Circle Lenses

Pure Brown Contact Lenses Dark (Pair)
This is my first pair of circle lenses ever.  I was always held back from purchasing any bc I have pretty sensitive eyes but I must say, I love these.  They are very comfortable on my eyes and looks quite natural (the color that is).  It comes off blackened brown on my eyes.  It makes my eyes look very "doll-like" and I love the effect.  I even layered this on top of my clear prescription contacts and it was still very comfortable.  So comfortable I didn't know they got stuck to one another until I went to take them off at the end of the night LOL.  But it didn't damage either lenses at all.  I just soaked it in saline for a while and allowed them to come off each other themselves.

Here's a picture of me wearing the Pure Brown lenses.

Review: Nail Dryer

Nail Dryer For Hands and Toe nails Nail Art Beauty New
I purchased this nail dryer from bornprettystore.com for $13.25.  It's portable, travel friendly and battery operated.  It dries my nails in less than 5 minutes.  I will warn you...you will have to change the position of your hand every few seconds or your nail polish will dry with ripples.  Delivery is from China? and it took roughly 15 days and it's very well packaged.  For $13.25 and free shipping, I have nothing to really complain about.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

My Makeup Storage

I posted up some of my makeup items on a blog sale and it sold well.  Whatever was left, I fitted them into a travel makeup bag.  The one I use is by Mary Kay.  I LOVE it!  It's so travel friendly!  The outside is black and the inside is pink and it rolls up and velcro.  Inside, there's 4 removable plastic zippered compartments and a swivel hook for hanging.  This has been my travel bag for 3 years now.  It's so cool having all my makeup in one bag...I don't have to sit and debate on what to bring anymore!  But it did kind of sucked because some stuff would be tucked away under.  So I decided to reorganize my makeup.  I picked up a 3 draw sterlite organizer.


So in the organizer on the left (all this was what fitted in my travel bag), I have foundations/powders on the bottom, blushers/bronzers in the middle and eyeshadows/lippies on top.  To the right of that, is a office organizer I got like 4 years ago.  This also comes with 3 draws.  I keep more of the little stuff here...like concealers, eyeliners/brow pencils, foundation samples, tools and brow powders.  On the far right, I have my brush cleaner, cleansing water and a lil glass jar to keep any samples I want to try or use.

I use to keep my brushes in 3 plastic drinking cups and sat them on top of the office organizer but it blocked my view of my palettes so I never used them.  So, I decided to switch them to this holder.  I used this holder to store my brush cleaner, bb creams, sponges, and samples before.  I actually really like having my brushes in this holder.  It has 5 sections.  The middle middle section is just a rectangle so I keep my hair brush and lash curler in there.

I don't plan on growing my collection anymore with unused items.  I don't have the space to store them or the money, of course.  It's expensive having a child!

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Swatch/Review: Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo Metal

I have 2 of the 5 new Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal cream shadows.

Barely Branded & Inked in Pink

Barely Branded is a frosty champagne/beige and Inked in Pink is a frosty rosy/gold pink.


My thoughts:  I love the formula of the color tattoo line.  These in particular appear to be much creamier and silkier in texture than the original color tattoos.  I like that they can be worn opaque or sheered out.  I don't mind applying these cream shadows in a pot with my fingers but I do wish they would come in a "crayon" form for easier/cleaner application.  These do dry down to a powder-like finish (like the originals) so I don't mind wearing these alone (I usually do).  These (like the originals) have a great staying power (water alone will not take these off).  I do notice a little creasing by the end of the day if they are worn alone (especially on super oily lid days) but nothing too noticeable.  All in all, these are a bang for your buck!

Friday, January 11, 2013

Haul: Drugstore Nail Polishes

CVS was having a huge (50-75% off) end of year sale on select items.  Here are all the polishes I hauled from that sale.  FYI, I bought these from multiple locations.  Each store had different items on sale.  I bought other stuff too but I just want to talk about the polishes for now.  Btw, pictures are taken with iPhone 4.

 First up, Revlon Colorstay.  These were 75% off.

Next, Nicole by OPI Kardashian collection.  These were 50% off.  I've been wanting Kim-pletely In Love for the longest time!

Last but not least, Milani.  These were 75% off also.



I can't wait to wear these.  I will definitely post up swatches of all the polishes soon so stay tune!  

Did you get anything from the sale?  Comment below if you did.  I'd love to know what goodies you picked up.  

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Skincare Staples: Cleanser & Moisturizer & Lip balm

Being in the hospital for a while now made me realize what I can't live without...and all that I need...the essentials...the necessaries...the MUST HAVEs.


Mary Kay Timewise Age-Fighting Moisturizer
This moisturizer comes in 2 formula (Normal to Dry or Combo to Oily).  MK claims this product to be suitable for sensitive skin, oil & fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and to be full of antioxidants to help your skin to look/feel smooth and radiant(when used with the Timewise 3-in-1-Cleanser).
I use the Norm-Dry formula.  This indeed is great for my sensitive skin, is oil & fragrance free and it does not clog my pores.  I like how fast the product sinks into my skin and how lightweight the product is but yet moisturizing.  I've been using this moisturizer religiously for about 5 years.  I do have and use the 3-in-1 Cleanser also but not all the time bc it doesn't do a very good job at removing makeup.  

Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser
Aveeno claims this product to be suitable for sensitive skin, Oil/Soap-Free, Noncomedogenic, Hypoallergenic, helps to improve skin's tone/texture and clears up blemishes.  Product contains Salicylic Acid and Soy extracts.
I must say, I've tried a few HE foaming cleansers and have not been impressed like this one.  I love how this cleanser doesn't strip my face of any moisture(keep in mind I have dry skin).  I've tried other foaming cleansers by Shiseido and Estee Lauder and I did not enjoy either.  The HE foaming cleansers lathers up quite nicely and feels nice on the skin but they leave my skin "squeaky" clean and tight and ...ugh...just a dry, thirsty mess!  Aveeno's however, leaves my skin feeling soft and balanced.  This cleanser removes makeup decently.  I've been hooked on this cleanser for about 3 years now.  I do test/try other cleansers here and there but I never forget about this baby here.

Blistex Medicated Lip Balm Spf 15
I have super dry/flakie lips and I can't live without this balm.  I love that it not only moisturize but soothes the lips too.  It has a minty effect/feeling that I enjoy.  It also have spf to protect the lips from sun burn.


Saturday, January 5, 2013

First 2013 Haul

After 2 weeks of hospital stay...I was in need of some retail therapy.  It's been awhile since I bought much (if any) makeup at all.  I was surprise to know that MAC repromoted Stereo Rose MSF.  So I have to go out and get myself another one since I sold the one I had.  Then I made a stop at CCO to see what kind of goodies they currently have.  I picked up another Warm Soul blush (because I sold mines...again...LOL), Azalea Blossom blush ombre, and the Step-by-Step Contour Kit by Smashbox.  I was surprise to see Smashbox products in my local CCO now.

Now onto the pictures.

Smashbox Step-by-Step Contour Kit

MAC Warm Soul

MAC Azalea Blossom blush ombre

MAC Stereo Rose Ombre

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

New Year...New Look

It must have been over a year since I last cut my hair. With all that has happened in 2012, I'm ready for a fresh start.
Hair cut by Kim @ The Cutting Edge (my stylist for many many years now).