Best of 2011 Roundup - Lips

Hello,  This is the last Best of 2011 Roundup post.  These are four of my favorite lipsticks in 2011:

From left to right:

1)  Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in 63 Rebelle - orange red
2)  Burberry Lip Cover Soft Satin Lipstick in No. 5 Heather Rose - medium rosy brown
3)  Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duo Gloss Fusion Lipstick in 30 Delight - vibrant pink coral
4)  Aveda Nourish-Mint Sheer Mineral Lip Color in 900 Sheer Petalite - sheer shimmery copper 

Another picture in the sunlight

Until next post......

Best of 2011 Roundup - Makeup for Face and Eyes

Hello, This will be a fast and furious run down on my favorite makeup for face and eyes in 2011.  I tried to shorten the lists as much as possible, but there were too many products that I have enjoyed in the past year.  This is the condensed version, here we go:

Face

From left to right:


1)  Chantecaille Ultra Sun Protection SPF 50 PA+++ - I like the high SPF protection and it feels comfortable on the skin.  The only gripe I have with this product is the high price and the scent could use some improvement.  It has a chemical or plastic scent to me


2)  Skin79 VIP Gold Collection Super + Beblesh Balm - I already raved about this product in a previous post here.  This was purchased at Sune in San Francisco


3)  Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Illuminator SPF 25+ in Pearl - It is a white pearl color illuminator that will give a beautiful sheen to fair skin tones.  I mix it with tinted moisturizer or foundation and it also works great as a highlighter alone


4)  Maybelline Dream Mousse Bronzer in 20 Sun Glow - This shade is not on the website, I do not know if it has been discontinued.  I love the mousse texture and the bronze color.  It is the perfect bronze color that looks natural, no orange tan here.  It is easy to blend and the color is buildable


5)  Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick in 05 Natural - Oh, how I love thee!  This is my favorite stick foundation to date because of the formula and the color match.  This one is actually good for my dry skin and gives me a dewy look.  It does not look masky like some other stick foundations out there.  I am a big fan of stick foundations because of the coverage, portability, and it can double as a concealer too


6)  Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Natural Lighting Powder - This is a beautiful loose powder that will give the skin a soft focus look with micro pearly shimmers.  See more information in my previous post here


Eyes

From left to right:


1)  Korres Eyeliner Pencil - I bought a set of these a while back.  They are eyeliner pencils made of cedar wood and the colors are very pigmented.  They are creamy and long lasting


2)  YSL Dessin Du Regard Eye Pencil in 001 Velvet Black  - The name for this product is currently different on the Sephora website, the picture looks like the pencil I own though.  The color is very intense and  it is super long lasting even on my oily lids


3)  Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara in 02 Black/Brown - I like the small bristle brush, it is the perfect  applicator for my eyes that are smaller


4)  Benefit Stay Don't Stray - I am on my second bottle.  This is a really good primer for eyeshadow and concealer.  The eyeshadow will not budge or crease if you use this underneath.  It works well as an under eye concealer for me because it does not accentuate the fine lines I have and the nude shade works for my skin tone to conceal dark circles.  It comes in one universal shade


5)  Hourglass Film Noir Lash Lacquer - This is a genius product!  It is a top coat that boosts the color and volume of your lashes


6)  Ombres Perlees De Chanel Eyeshadow Palette - This is one of my most favorite eyeshadow palettes in 2011.  All the colors are wearable.  The texture is user friendly, you can apply the colors with the applicators or with your fingers.  This is not available at the stores anymore, but you could probably find it online

7)  MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow in Snow Season - I enjoy most MAC Mineralize products and this is no exception.  See more information in my previous post here


And a honorable mention to my last favorite eye product and it is...


8)  Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in 82 Emerveille - Again, the cream/powder texture is amazing and the light golden nude color is foolproof.  You can't go wrong wearing this gorgeous color alone or mix it up with other colors

Hope you enjoyed this post.  I get so excited sharing all of these wonderful products with you here.  One more Best of 2011 Roundup post coming up...Until next post......

Best of 2011 Roundup - Skin Care, Body Care, Hair Care

Hello, 2011 was a great year with many great products in the market.  Yours truly has tried and tested many good products and some not so good.  Here is a quick run down of the Best Products of 2011 based on my own trial and error, I would consider re-purchasing all of these products in the future:

Skin Care

From left to right:

1)  Boots Botanics Soothing Eye Make Up Remover - I use this to remove stubborn waterproof eye makeup and it is not irritating to my sensitive eyes
2)  Aveda Green Science Perfecting Cleanser - This cleanser contains argan oil which is very nourishing to the skin.  It removes makeup and dirt quite well, yet it is gentle on my dry skin.  It never leaves my skin tight and dry
3)  Andalou Naturals Blossom & Leaf Toning Refresher - This is a newer brand that I discovered at Whole Foods Market.  I was intrigued by the Fruit Stem Cell Science behind the products.  This toner is hydrating and refreshing at the same time.  I really like the fresh herbal scent
4)  Sponge Ladi Avokanto - This is my current night treatment made of avocado and olive oil.  See more information from my previous post here
5)  Aveda Green Science Firming Eye Creme - I have some dry fine lines forming around my eyes.  I can feel the firming action around my eyes when I put this one, it is really moisturizing at the same time.  It is the perfect eye cream under makeup or on its own

Body Care

From left to right:

1)  80 Acres Verde Olive Oil Body Balm - I have written about this body balm in two separate posts.  Can you tell it is my favorite body balm?
2)  MJ's Herbals Lavender E Salve - This is another balm good for dry hands, burns, cuts, scars, headache and stress relieve, etc.. It is an all purpose natural potion

Hair Care

From top to bottom:

1)  Josie Maran Argan Oil Hair Serum - I have very thick and dry hair.  Even for my hair, a little of this product goes a long way.  I use this on damp or dry hair.  It seals and adds shine to my hair
2)  Living Proof Restore Mask Treatment - After seeing the introduction of this product on the Dr. Oz's show, I had to try it.  It is a wonderful hair treatment that I use twice a week, it repairs, tames, and softens my damaged hair like no other

3)  Hot Tools Tempest 2000 Salon Turbo Ionic Dryer - Lastly, I was getting tired with the cheap drugstore hair dryers that keep breaking on me every couple of months.  I decided to splurge and invest in a more powerful and better quality hair dryer.  This dryer is a good one for under $100, it is worth the money.  There are more expensive hair dryers out there, but I am not a professional hair stylist and can't justified spending more than $100 for a hair dryer.  This one comes with the standard attachments and it is easy to use. The biggest benefit for me is that it dries my thick hair in less time compared to other dryers that I have tried.  Low EMFs is another plus

Have you tried any of these products?  I would love to hear what you think about them.  Stay tuned for another Best of 2011 post coming up soon!  Until next post......

New Year's Day Adventures

Hello, Happy 2012!  This is officially the first post in the new year.  I would like to thank you all for reading and supporting my blog the past four months.  It has been a fun and good learning experience for me.  I have met so many nice bloggers from the States and around the world, it is fantastic to be a part of the blogging community.  I look forward to the possibilities that 2012 will bring, I am excited to try many more new products and take better care of myself.  I also can't wait to catch up and read all of your blogs as well.

On the first day of the new year, we decided to head to the South Bay in the Bay Area to do some shopping and eating.  There isn't much to do on this day and I just wanted to take it easy and relax.  I think everyone else must have the same idea, it is quite crowded everywhere we went!

Maybe many of you in the Bay Area already know this, but I had just heard that The Face Shop is in Santa Clara.  So I decided to find it since we had other business in the South Bay that day.  Well, I found it, but they were closed!  I was able to look inside the store though.  It is a small store, but well stocked with all kinds of goodies.  The store is located inside a Korean food court, so it wasn't a total waste of time for me.  I got a chance to try out some yummy food while I was there.

Kimchee Pancake

Kimchee Fried Rice

Bi Bim Bop with Bulgogi Beef

For food from a food court, I must say everything was really good!  I know I will be heading back soon to eat more and shop at The Face Shop.

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