What's in my makeup bag?

Make-up: the vampy, vixen look

I am a big fan of Megan Fox, not so much her movies but her look--it's just so sexy without being overly in-your-face type of sexy.  She exudes the confidence of someone that knows their own sexual power and she exploits it in such a way that works so well for her.  I recently saw her armani ad and just fell inlove!

I loved the red lips look--also perfected by Dita Von Teese, another beauty idol of mine.

Gala Time! The Bay Richmond's Annual Cosmetic Gala

So every year my cousin and I get excited about the upcoming gala held at the Richmond Centre location of Hudson's Bay Department Store aka The Bay.  It is a night of pampering and self-loathing in everything that is cosmetic and fragrance related.  I love going to galas ever since I worked there (and even volunteered for one, wedding related lol).  There are give-aways, appies and drinks--and most of all....shopping!

I am super-excited to visit the MAC booth, Nars and even Christian Dior.  There's always good deals to be had!  Last year I spent quite abit at MAC! lol.  There are lots of great stuff to purchase, and I believe $8 of your ticket goes towards your purchase, while $2 goes towards charity. 

So not only will you get to find great gifts for yourself and others, you also get to contribute to charity! It's a win-win!

Hope to see you there for those in the area!

MAC: false lashes extreme black

I recently bought the False Lashes Mascara from MAC on a whim one day at the mall...

results?

Sound the Alarm!

I am a creature of habit, and as such I stick to what I know, what I'm comfortable with and what works.  It's hardly a motto for someone into fashion, because we all know that just as seasons change, so does fashion.

I do have the experimental side of me that likes to try new things once in awhile when I see something daring that I just have to try for myself.  Hence, the lipstick in la rouge.

I thought it would be fun to venture out of my comfort zone of nude, pinkish lips and try something vampy for fall.  It's the best season to...The darker colors always work best during these times.

I thought about buying MAC, but I didn't feel that it would be a good idea spending money on something I've never tried.  Of course I could've done a tester in-store but didn't have the time (I wasn't at the mall, I was at Walmart lol).  With no useable testers around, I decided to go for it and impulsively buy a red lipstick (I'm kidding, i've thought about it for awhile now).  I chose Rimmel Long lasting 25 hr lipstick (no really, that's what it said on the ad).

I decided to try it on when I got home, all excited that it's my first red lipstick since I used to play with my mom's back in the day.  I am glad that it worked out and I love it!  Check it out!

Blushing duo

A fan of Nars?

Do you love Nars Blush in Orgasm as much as I do?

if so....

You will love this!

MAC: Hyperviolet paint pot

Those that know me well know that I love the purple hues when it comes to eyeshadows.  I wear alot of purple smokey eye variations for nights out because it compliments the brown eyes.

Imagine my suprise when MAC released their collection of Posh Paradise, and hello! Hyperviolet Paint pot is one of them!

Posh Paradise Collection - Paint Pot in Hyperviolet

It is mos def on the shopping list! I checked online and just my luck, it's sold out.

I can never stand to be without....

This little miracle in a bottle is like a substitute for my evian mineral spray.  When without, this is my other lifesaver...

Why is that so?

MAC: early holiday shopping!

Have you ordered yet?

This year I decided to get a head start on some of my holiday must-haves...

May I present...The Glitter & Ice Holiday collection!

Operation Organization: the vanity

It's been a build-up of sorts, my cleaning my room.  I've been living in my new place for about two or three weeks now (its such a blur, much like the moving was lol).  I decided when I first moved in that I'd tackle my Operation Organization in a more manageable way for someone that works 9-5.

This is a neat jewelry organizer that I found while strolling at Home Sense.  I've been wandering the aisles of Home Sense for specific items that will help organize my room...and life!

to see how i've organized everything, read on!

Revlon Lipstick

Not too long ago I was on the hunt for the perfect nude lipstick that will work with what I usually wear for night time make-up, the smokey eye look.  The make-up no-no is to wear strong lipstick and eye makeup and so since I usually wear the smokey eye look, I thought why not wear simple nude colored lips.

I found this while trying to kill time at superstore one day at the mall.  It seemed peachy enough to just be the right shade.

They've worked out well so far, so if you're in the market for nude lips, try this drugstore brand.  I believe it comes in matte as well as glossy.

Ladies' choice...

Rouge Perfection!

One word....WOW..

she makes red lipstick look sexy like no other celebrity....

I've been wanting to try the red lip...I've been abit afraid cause it's not something that everyone can pull..You don't want end up looking like a hooker! lol.

Great things in small sizes!

I love minis....cupakes, sandwiches and even make-up!  They are small and compact, easy to bring everywhere and not so bulky!

Imagine my suprise when I happened to visit the MAC store (err--the make-up brand, not the computer brand lol) at metro and found that they came out with a range of essentials in mini travel sizes! love!

I love the Fix + , it subs for my Evian mineral spray when I'm at home, but when I'm out and about it's abit of a hassle to carry around.  the size of the regular bottle doesn't quite fit in my already heavy bag!  It's great to have travel sizes not just for travelling, but also when you want to have some essentials handy when you're out and can't spare any time to re-touch at home.

Another great thing about travel sizes is that if you want to try something but don't want to commit to a full bottle that's going to take forever to finish, you can always buy the travel size for a trial run.  I sometimes buy travel sizes just in case I want to change to a new product, then I don't feel guilty leaving a half empty bottle un-used.

Here are other products they've made travel sizes for....

 If you don't lather these products on and finish the regular sized bottles in one sitting, then like me, you should be able to survive at least three weeks or so with these size of bottles.

Feelin' great at 28!

I had a blast last weekend for my birthday!  All in all it was a great day and night!

It started in the afternoon by gallavanting with my cousin around robson on a sunny--but cold day! We had fun and bought our last minute stuff for that night.  Then I came home to a yummy dinner with the familia, bbq and of course, noodles--it's a must for long life as my parents like to say...then finally, off for some more fun at night with family and friends! loves!

The night started off with alot of waiting (epic fail on Icon promoters for that!) and but when we did get in, everyone quickly go into the party mode.  It also helped that they were playing good music for most of the night!  As soon as my feet and the rest of me defrosted, I was all up for a party!

It was a great night, having my bf, brother and cuz and the rest of the our friends to party with us!  There is nothing more fun that partying the night away with loved ones =)

Awesome night overall, came away buzzin' and had fun with loved ones.

My Outfit:
BEBE tube top
BCBG bandage skirt
BEBE black platform sandals

Aldo leaf necklace
Juicy Gold Bracelet
Aldo Black/Gold square earrings

Nine West Black clutch

My Make-up:

Eyes:

MAC Naked Pigment
MAC Parfait Amour e/s
MAC Indian Ink e/s
MAC Contrast e/s
MAC Carbon e/s
L'oreal Lineur Intense Carbon Black
Maybelline stiletto mascara
NYC eyebrow set
MAC eyebrow gel (clear)

Cheeks

MAC Cham Pale special reserve illuminating powder - rose ole
Nars Blush - Orgasm

Lips

MAC Cremesheen in Fashion Whim

Face:

Revlon New Complexion foundation in Tender Peach
nyc loose setting powder
MAC Concealer - NC30 (forgot which type)

Another year older, not quite wiser lol...to 2011! =)

Everyday Make-up Essentials

I find that my everyday beauty routine is simplified during the weekdays for work and only after hours and on the weekend do I get to be creative!  I have to say, being creative has been much easier lately with some beauty essentials from MAC Cosmetics that I've come to love!

My palette has been my absolute fave since I got it a year ago.

I've been using it for home as well as travel, and it has saved valuable toiletries space when I do take it with me for travel!  I barely buy eyeshadows in duos, trios or quads because all I have to do is buy refills for my palette and away I go!

I technically need 1 refill left to fill the space and I'm done with my first palette! I am thinking of buying another, but don't want to rush too much because buying too many will just end up being a waste of money if you don't use it all!

I love neutrals (as you can clearly see!) and the basis of smokey eyes, black and a dark, shimmery blue/purple almost midnight navy color.

Another essential I use in my daily makeup routine is the MAC Painpots.  It is the newer version of paints, cream shadows used for a base or primer even by itself it stands out!  It helps to prevent creasing and helps the eyeshadows pop.

I use 'Soft Ochre' and 'Rubenesque'

One more essential that I can think of (which by no means is the last) is my lip glosses.  I love nicely glossed lips for a night out--I mostly prefer nude to siren red on most nights.  I am always on the look out for the perfect nude lips to compliment a beautiful smokey eye.  Hence, my mini collection.

I've heard that smokey eye works best when it's the feature of the face, and everything else must not stand out to compete.  A bright red lip with a dark, smokey eye will  just make the look a hot mess, so the perfect nude lip (which by the way, more than one make-up artist has attested to) will compliment without taking away from the smokey eye.  I tend to agree.  It's a beautiful look when done right, not too overwhelming or crazy.

That's pretty much it for my make-up essentials for now...There's always more, I haven't even talked about my MAC Fix plus! lol but that's for next time! =)

A make-up bag essential: My lil' miracle spray!

Up until I found this spray, I always had flaky dry skin that would just never get moisturized.  I switched from one brand to another, from Neutrogena to Nivea and to Oil of Olay thinking that the daily moisturizer was the problem.  I knew that because of my nightly facial routine-washing it with a face wash, it tended to be more dry and flaky in the morning, regardless of how well the night cream worked.  I was frustrated needless to say.

Then one day, on a lark I should say, I decided to try those mineral water sprays I keep hearing about.  I've seen some women at the office swear by it--refreshing and moisturizing them, but then I was still a bit skeptical.  I finally gave in and after reading a few reviews on which one to buy, I decided on Evian Mineral Spray.

I read a few reviews of other sprays, including Avene (from france) but I found that this is the one that suits me best.  I read good reviews on Sephora about this spray, and although some found that it didn't do much good for their skin, after a few uses on my flaky skin it cleared right up.  It's not a miracle drug by any means (even though it felt like a miracle what it did for my dry skin!), it's just a helpful tool to moisturize the top layer of your skin.

This isn't a substitute for moisturizers, it doesn't get absorbed as deep inside the skin as a moisturizer and therefore will not work as well underneath the top layer.  It's meant to soften the top layer so that it will be a good base for make-up.  Actually, some people only use the spray and just don't bother with a face primer because it works well enough to be a base for foundation.

It also refreshes the skin after long-haul flights, so best be sure I will be bringing it to any long flights (ie: phils).

I recommend it to anyone feeling like their top skin layer seems to be dry and flaky.  It's not a dramatic change, but it's enough that now I don't feel so self-conscious that my skin has unnecessary flaky dry skin eew.  It has become a make-up bag essential! I cannot leave home without it, and those that spend time with me know that I can't go too long without spraying my face to refresh or moisturize =)

My adventurous side...a little hot pink!

beats:: pretty girl rock - keri hilson (i'm obsessed!)

OOTD:: Guess Black studded racerback, Urban Behavior Green Skinny Cargos & over-the-knee boots

fave fashion accessory of the day/moment:: my boots...sooo love!

Tonight my cuz and I went out for our usual happy hour, but instead of the usual wine, we had specialty coffees and shared an appy of chicken strips at The Keg Thurlow.  I love The Keg--seriously the food is just uber delish! You will not regret what you order because all their food is to die for!

Before going out, I had abit of time to spend on my make-up and I decided to be adventurous and use my hot pink eyeshadow once again.  I loved the last few times I used my eyeshadow but wanted to try it out at home before using it again, but I couldn't resist.  Being that it's a new year, I felt abit more confident to try once again!



I must admit,, I am quite happy with the results.  It's not perfect, but I love the outcome!

Happy hour for us is not to drink our asses off, it's being able to unwind, enjoy each other's company and to socialize. 

Specialty coffees, she ordered bailey's express and I ordered B-52.  They warm us up and are super yummy! We also ordered chicken strips--which did nothing for my resoultion, but hey it's happy hour! lol.

I am soo obsessed with their curry mayo dip for the chicken strips.  It is the yummiest dip i've had ever!!! There is no other place that will compare.  We had an awesome time chatting up a storm, and after finishing up, we went to the bathroom before leaving the restaurant, and besides using the facilities, were able to do a quickie photo-op! lol.

As always, it was a good night...except for the momentary scare of having an SUV undercover cop cut us off and us thinking it was trying to stop us lol.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....

I was thinking of my own beauty regimen as I was taking off my make-up as I do nightly.  It's always a task to take off the eye make-up, take off the rest of my facial make-up and then wash and refresh before going to bed that sometimes it tires me!  Oh my do I wear that much makeup that it takes almost half an hour to get ready before going to bed!?

I should say that normally I am opposed to anyone, and I mean ANYONE seeing me at any time without make-up.  Even when I am just going to run errands, my natural look involves foundation and eye-liner at the very least! I know, I should be more proud of my inner beauty and be more self-loving, in all honesty I am.  Anyways, this is my Au Naturel look! 

I am not stuck on perfection and the b/s that comes with always looking perfect.  I do believe in always feeling good when you know you look your best. 

Boxing Day madness!

My christmas eve dinner was not the greatest, but like all other family dinners, nothing is ever perfect.  There was fun and food to be had and we had our christmas greets as usual.  I was glad that my exchange gift was not a disappointment at all-considering I chose it lol.

Thanks "secret santa" lol...

I got the two out of three last empty spaces I needed to fill my whole palette =)  Mac pro palette refills in 'smut' and 'romp'.  I need one more!!



Anyways, today we braved the crowds and the fighting for parking spaces (think car-stalking) to shop our hearts out for the annual boxing day sales! =) This day is one of the only few times in the year that I will wake up early to shop!

Me in the morning, before changing =)

We shopped from 10:30am--scoring parking the instant we arrived--and going home at closing time.

While lining up at Zara, we thought we'd get some photo-op to make the time go by...We didn't really wait long so it wasn't so bad.  Lots of people at Zara--lots of markdowns but no crazy deals.


At bebe Metro...

Then after only one purchase, we thought we'd try our luck in downtown.  We figured that we'd have better luck on robson...

another photo-op!

and lunch at our annual lunch place for boxing day, A&W

At BCBG...

I love their skirts, and although normally fairly expensive, the boxing day sale of 50% made it all worth the trip!  I have wanted this skirt for a year now, and it was worth waiting for.

I also bought another dress at BEBE for a steal!

Another dress at French connection for a steal as well

Lastly--my beloved new coat (replacing the old cream coat--may you rest in peace) back at Zara metro:

MAC Collection: Venomous Villians

Continuing on with the Halloween theme, I checked out the Mac website to update myself on the latest of their products coming in...and wouldn't you know it, they are in the Halloween spirit as well!

Mac cosmetics online

They came out with their Venomous Villians collection....Some of the infamous villians from the Disney Vault--from Cruella to the Evil Queen of Snow White, Maleficent and even Dr. Facilier of The Princess and the Frog!  Lovely villianous colours to choose from, perfect for your Halloween party makeup needs or for any day you feel a little evil! lol.  I don't do makeup tutorials or any reviews, but I just saw some of the products they carry and I thought I'd at least spread the word of their new collection!

Go to the closest Mac store and get your evil face on! =)