Friday, June 29, 2012

Easy Summer Gold and Copper Eyes

Hello, This eye look is inspired by the colors of summer, think golden sand on the beach and beautiful sunset over the horizon.  The focus is using gold and copper to create an easy going look that is suitable for everyday or the beach. 

Via Google images


I chose a combination of high end and drug store products that I have been loving for this look.

Cream Base - Benefit Creaseless Cream Eye Shadow in Honey Bunny (discontinued), a neutral flesh tone.  MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre is very similar in color and finish, it works just as well.  Before cream base, you can use a primer of your choice to help with creasing and longevity of the shadows applied later. I have been loving Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base (not pictured)

Eye Shadows - 1) Lid  - Loreal 24HR Infallible Eye Shadow in 997 Eternal Sunshine, gold shimmer 
                              2) Crease and outer corner - Wet N Wild Eye Shadow in 255B Penny, copper shimmer 


Eye Liner - Guerlain Terracotta Khol Kajal in 01 Black Frida


Mascara - Loreal Voluminous Million Lashes in 620 Carbon Black


Concealer - Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Roller in Sheer Tint


Swatches of products from above picture in same order, but skipping the mascara


Which eye makeup products are you loving this summer?   Have a great summer!


Until next post......

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

IMATS Los Angeles



Hello, I returned home from a fabulous weekend in Los Angeles.  I was most excited about my first IMATS experience in Pasadena and it was bigger and better than I had imagined it to be.  I was like a kid in a gigantic toy store.  There were so many brands to explore, but so little time.  I went on Sunday and I had less than three hours to cruise through all the aisles at the event before heading home.  My only regret was not having more time, but it was not an epic fail.  I spotted many new brands and spent more time at those brands that are not accessible to me at home.

Some of the brands that really impressed me include Eve Pearl, Cinema Secrets, and Senna Cosmetics.  I love that I got to touch and try the products before buying at a discount at the event.  I would say all the brands sold their products with deep discount, IMATS is a very good place to stock up on all your wants and needs.  It was also interesting to see the different techniques used in the live makeup demonstrations.  

Eve Pearl in action






















When in LA, I ate a lot of good food.  



Our snack before dinner from L to R - Ozzy, Hollywood Walk of Fame, and Chili Cheese Stretch Dog



Tommy's in Burbank


Tommy's Chili Cheeseburger

I stayed at a nice hotel in downtown LA, Omni Hotel.

View from my room


Cool building in Venice

Lastly, shopping at Kitson on Robertson was icing on the cake...I look forward to attending IMATS again in the future, it is a must see for die hard makeup fans.

Thanks for stopping by!  Until next post......

Thursday, June 14, 2012

French Manicure With A Twist

Hello, French manicure is one of my all time favorite clean nail look, but we have been there and done that.  Have you tried it with a twist?  It is at the other end of the spectrum that is both creative and charming.  There are no rules, I like the idea that you can play with so many different color combinations in this look.

Outdoor lighting:




Indoor lighting:






The base - I used Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Bacterium.  It is described as a pearlescent ash ochre color on Sephora.com.  To me, I would call it antique golden pewter.  I like nail colors that resemble the color of metals, that is a big reason why I was drawn to this color.  You will see in the pictures that this varnish does not look smooth on the nails.  I think it has to do with the texture and the silver pearlescent finish of the polish, you get a slight ripple effect look to it.  If you do not mind it, you should check out this nail varnish.  The wear is excellent, it lasts more than seven days with a top coat.


Via Sephora.com


The tips - I used butter London Nail Lacquer in Macbeth.  It is a creamy coral color that leans pink red.  This color looks fabulous on the tips in this look.  It looks just as good, if not better as an all over color.  I was however disappointed with the wear, it was not as good compared to other butter London nail colors.  The chipping began around day four even with a top coat.  


This is one of four butter London's Classic Best Sellers I own, the other colors I own include Teddy Girl, Yummy Mummy, and Lady Muck.


Via butterlondon.com


butter London Nail Lacquer in Macbeth was a sample product sent for consideration by PR.  Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Bacterium was purchased by me.  All review posts are expressed with complete honesty.


Thanks for reading.  Until next post......

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Versatile Blogger Award

Hello, This is a long over due shout out to Heel in Mint who made me one of the nominees for The Versatile Blogger Award.  Heel in Mint is an amazing blog about the latest in fashion and beauty.  I love reading the posts and looking through all the beautiful stylish photographs over there.  I am honored and humbled to be nominated.  Thanks to Heel in Mint and all of you who have supported my blog!  




The Rules
Nominate 15 fellow bloggers who are relatively new to blogging.
Let them know that you have nominated them.
Share 7 random facts about yourself.
Thank the bloggers that have nominated you.
Add the Versatile Blogger Award picture to your blog post.



In no particular order, I nominate:

Dale at Savvy Spice
Charisse at Gorgeousskin
Andreea at Curious Tendency
Panties at the black panties
Rowena at rolala loves
One Stylish Day At A Time


You will find random facts about me here.


 Please go and check out these wonderful reads.  Enjoy!  Until next post......

Monday, June 4, 2012

Best of May Roundup - CeraVe, Nars, RMK, Victoria's Secret

Hello,  May was definitely a transitional month slowly rolling from Spring to Summer.  I thoroughly enjoyed the sunshine throughout the month.  I find myself switching up my skincare and makeup routine a lot as I adjust to changing of the seasons.  


Skin Care - CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM




As I mentioned in the last post, I suffered from dry patches recently.  The most challenging part was foundation application because I did not have a smooth canvas to work with.


I took the matters into my own hands, did some research, and concluded that I needed to go back to basics in my routine. CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM is an amazing fragrance-free moisturizer made with ceramides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid as the key ingredients.  It is intensely moisturizing, but you would not expect it because the texture is super light.  It was the first product I picked up to work on the dry patches and it literally got rid of most of them after one use overnight!  Yes, one use! 


The claims and benefits right from the box:












Ingredients:




I highly recommend this moisturizer for dry skin.  It can be found in most drugstores near you.


Makeup - NARS 'Pure Radiant' Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 PA+++ and RMK Powder Foundation EX SPF 24 PA ++


I have been reaching for NARS 'Pure Radiant' Tinted Moisturizer in Alaska a lot in May, especially on the warmer days.  This is the BEST Nars base makeup I have ever tried so far!  Here is my earlier post on this tinted moisturizer and my thoughts have not changed.  I like it more and more with each use.  This is a must for summer!



A good companion to the tinted moisturizer is RMK Powder Foundation EX SPF 24 PA ++.  It is a sheer coverage powder foundation which I tend to use as a pressed powder over foundation or tinted moisturizer.  It works well with many different brands of base makeup.



Pouch for compact and brush



This is not a new product on the market.  I ordered this powder foundation in 102 from iMomoko.com last year, but it does not appear that they carry this item anymore.  There are other sites that sell it, you can search for them by the product name.  I am such a big fan of the RMK Liquid Foundation, so I had to try this powder foundation.  The powder comes in two textures in the compact, matte and shimmer.  The shimmer is meant to be used as a highlighter.  I like to blend the two textures together sometime when I feel like an all over radiant look.  The shimmer is very subtle and almost undetectable on the skin.  


Body Care - Victoria's Secret Gorgeous Fragrance Lotion


Via Google images


Lately, I have been obsessed with the scent of Victoria's Secret Gorgeous Fragrance Lotion.  I find most of the scents at VS to be very similar and overly sweet. Gorgeous stands out to me for being a little different from the other VS fragrances. It is a fruity and floral scent that also smells fresh.  The notes are strawberries, jasmine, and sandalwood.  I could not stop sniffing myself when I have this lotion on.  The entire line of VS Gorgeous fragrance products are currently on sale because the line is being discontinued.  I also got the fragrance mist which is perfect as a light summer scent.


What were your favorite products in May?  Until next post......