My wish list

Why, hello my long lost blog...

I was reading J'adore Isabella's blog and I started thinking about what I want (in relation to beauty things). During Christmas time my friends kept asking what I wanted and I really could not think of anything! Being financially limited at the moment, I try to keep my wants to a minimum. Otherwise I'd end up like the girl from Confessions of a Shopaholic. I was once almost there, having to hide/cut up credit cards so I wouldn't use them to buy things and I do not want to go back there. I think I'm at the point where I can want things and not have to go buy them..therefore..my list..

1. Clarisonic - damn you YouTube! Another hyped up item from youtube that is praised and worshipped by so many that I soooo want to try it! Is it really worth all the hype? Because I got Urban Decay's Primer Potion because of all the hype and really...it's not even in my daily routine. But the Clarisonic is being treated as if it's the cure of all skin problems and considering my recent troubles with my skin, I'm looking for that miracle product. Anyway, I think it'd be a waste of $130+ because even if it did work, I'd probably never replace the brush heads. I may just opt for the Olay version for only 30 bucks! Hey, if Olay creams can beat out the department store ones, why can't their brush!

2. The giant Smashbox PhotoFinish Primer. For $50 this seems like a great value! It says it's worth about $75! 2 oz. of their famous primer in both the regular and light formula. Now, I don't know if primers actually work, but if they do, it would be a great value. By the end of the day I'm always looking like Samantha after her facial peel because my oils melt my makeup!

Yuck.

Anyway, I think I'll take advantage of their promo for new customers: $15 off $75 once I figure out whether to get the regular or light formula. And I'll pick up O-Gloss for my mom while I'm at it. Add to shopping cart.

3. Ikea vanity lights and rectangle mirror. I was so close to building my very own vanity mirror but I couldn't find the mirror I wanted at Ikea that day. I want the old hollywood dressing room feel with great lighting all around. My lighting situation right now isn't bad, but the idea in my head looks so much better! If you want to make your own vanity mirror rather than shelling out hundreds of dollars for a company to build you one, hop on over to Ikea, buy 3 rows of vanity lights and a rectangle mirror. You can make your whole thing for way less than $100! I wonder how much electricity that would use...anyway, these are the lights.

$15 at Ikea. Surround 3 edges of a mirror (leaving the bottom free of lights) for a old fashioned vanity feel.

That's all for now, simply because I'm tired of Googling pictures. Til next time!

<3>

Stila Travel Palettes: Gotta Have it, Try it, Toss it?

I only have 2 out of 5 so far, but I'm planning to get all 5! (Toyko, Moscow and Fiji)

$10 dollars, 4 dime size eye shadows and 1 convertible color (cream for lips and cheeks) The packaging is really cute with a Stila girl in a different location on each palette and has a large mirror with a nice quote on the bottom. It's also magnetized so it won't open in your bag. It's small enough to carry around (around the size of a stack 20 playing cards). It's cardboard but it seems pretty sturdy. The only thing I don't like is that the shadows and cream blush are just out in the open (any one else see a problem here?) then the fallout from the shadows creep into my cream product and get stuck. ugh, I hate that! so I just taped a piece of plastic film over the cream product to protect it. It's not the most attractive solution but at least it protects my cream! :)

It's a whole face look in one little palette. If I were on vacation and only took this palette, I'd probably be okay as far as shadows and blush are concerned. (Of course, I would need my foundation, mascara and eyeliner!) The shadows are not as pigmented as I'd like but I can totally work with it. They stay on pretty much all day even without a primer.

The convertible color is what really carries this little palette. Super creamy and pigmented and easy to blend and sheer out for a light flush. It gives you a nice dewy look and can act as a base for your powder blushes. For $10 bucks, it's totally worth it.

Road to Radiance Across the USA: The colors are really pretty and work well together. I think all of the shadows are shimmery in this one, but the fallout is minimal on me. The shadows are in the pink/purple family, but who cares about that when you have that gorgeous cream blush! (I haven't tried it on my lips.) It's a nice bright pink, but when you sheer it out, it gives off the nicest pink glow. I haven't noticed any shimmers but since it's a cream, it gives a nice dewy look.

Pretty in Paris: I definitely like these colors better and it's slightly more pigmented than the USA palette (still not what I was expecting from a company that charges 20 bucks for a shadow) 3 out of 4 are shimmery. It has like berry/taupe-y brown kind of colors and is right up my alley for every day looks. But, the convertible color in this palette is not my favorite color. It's a deep red, which is new to me but in the swatching it, it seemed like I could sheer it out. I'll probably use this more in the fall/winter. Again, no shimmers in the cream and minimal powder fallout.

Final Thoughts: Try it. Pigmentation is not bad, easy to work with, convenient, pretty colors, reasonably priced.

My secret dream...

I love make up. I love youtube. I secretly want to be a youtube makeup guru!

I think it has a lot to do with the fact that now, companies are providing products for their review and some reviews don't seem sincere. I guess thats what happens though, you get things for free and you want to keep getting things for free so you say nice things about a mediocre product. You always start with the intent of being honest, but it gets to you and then somewhere along the way, you vouch for products you barely tried or liked. I think a new wave of gurus would help that because you're always honest in the beginning. One of the few people that I think stayed true is JuicyTuesday. Her expose on HotMiamiStyles showed that she didn't care what companies thought as long as she was being truthful to her viewers. I would totally be a bitch (in a good way) like her.

The second reason is there's no videos for monolids! If you haven't noticed, monolids = no crease! But even if you did have a crease it wouldn't be where your eye socket is! Well there are videos, but it just shows you how to fake a crease by the socket. I used to hate having monolids now it's an additional feature you can play with. An Asian's eye is not deepset, and therefore, the crease would not be the same. You can do your crease work where an Asian's crease would be or where a normal person's crease would be. Also, Asian's usually have less eyelid space, so some times if you put color all the way to the socket bone, you'd look like this:

It's so complicated to put into words, but if you've ever used those eyelid glue things that come with a poker, you might know what I'm talking about! Of course this doesn't apply for every Asian, but it applies to me! and I know it applies to other Asian girls like me.

Well, needless to say, I could just go for it. Plop on my webcam, start rambling about all things makeup, edit and upload. But people are so mean! I was watching a video and this lady was like..."well today someone called me a fatass" or something like that. ugh! So mean! Really? Is that necessary? obviously, no ones perfect but unless your sitting in front of a camera letting the world see your imperfections, you have no right to say anything! Anyway, youtube is also a huge time commitment. I have the time, but I don't know that I have the commitment lol. Editing, uploading, commenting, responding, not only to youtube stuff but twitter, blogs, facebook. It's a big responsibility. Maybe, one day.

'til then, I'm all yours.

BK

April Favorites! and 2 Boo You's

I can't believe April is over already! Well, almost anyway. Here are a few of the shining stars of the month (beauty-wise).

1. Revlon Colorstay! - I'm sure you've heard by now that it's like the best drugstore foundation. I use it everyday and I concur. It's kind of pricey to be drug store, but they always have BOGO's so wait for that and get 2. :)

2. E.L.F. Blush in Pink Passion - A bright Barbie pink. Dust it lightly for a subtle pink glow, pack it on for fun bright cheeks.

3. Almay Step 2 Toner for oily skin - It's a great toner. I found it at a Lot Less (it's like Big Lots) for just 1 dollar but it does a great job at taking off all the excess dirt that my cleanser misses.

4. L'oreal Hip Lip Jelly in Plush - It's thick and creamy and smells great. What more could you ask for? Again, wait for BOGO's or 40% off (I've only seen this for L'oreal) because it's on the pricey side. ($9 for lip tint, really?!)

5. Wet n' Wild Creme Eye Liner in Black - My go-to creme liner. It goes on smooth and dark and stays all day.

6. L'oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black & Rimmel Lyrca Lash Extender - My current mascara combination. Obviously, one is for volume and one is for length. Makes my lashes look great and doesn't smudge all day.

7. Rimmel Natural Bronzer in Sun Bronze (Sun Light is good, too!) - Perfect for an all over glow without shimmer and great for contouring, too.

8. Lush Honey I Washed the Kids Soap - I'm just obsessed with the smell. I don't even want to use it for showers because then I won't be able to smell it anymore when it runs out. lol

9. E.L.F. Studio Line Brushes - I love the complexion, blush and face kabuki brushes. I use them everyday for bronzer, blush, and setting, respectively.

10. NYC Lipstick in Blossom - I don't know if this should count because I just bought it today and haven't even worn it out yet, but I've been on the hunt for a bright hot pink lipstick that wasn't going to be 10 dollars. I went to Mac & Nars and saw the colors but stopped myself from buying them and Revlon had similar colors for like 9 bucks, but I couldn't justify it since it's not an everyday color. I saw the color on the season finale of Melrose Place (worn by Melissa Ordway aka Megan) and have been dying for the color ever since. Then, today I went to CVS and found a great hot pink for just $1. It reminds me of the lipstick in the ad for Mac's Barbie Collection. I can't wait to wear it out!

Boo you's of the month

1. E.L.F Total Face Brush from the regular line - it's rough and prickly and it hurts! Good thing it was only 1 dollar.

2. Almay Pore Minimizer - Another Lot Less buy. I don't see any results, it's just an extra step. I'll keep using it, maybe it needs more time.

3. This weather!! - I always go out in a light sweater and freeze or in Uggs and a winter jacket and sweat. STOP IT!

Not too many boo's since I'm always Google'ing things I buy before I buy them. Generally, I buy things that have good reviews and usually they work for me too.

LA Colors Nail Lacquers with Hardeners in French Nails Purple

Today, looking at my depleting bank account, I got depressed and decided to perk myself up by buying a little something (notice how my logic is completely off?) I was determined to only purchase 1 thing for less than 5 dollars, because that's what I had in my pocket, and I had to give up buying another cup of coffee for the day (it was okay, I already had 2 cups.) So, I picked up a nail polish from LA Colors, paid and walked out (with just the one nail polish!)

LA Colors isn't sold in drugstore by me, but it's available at beauty supplies stores. I picked up their nail polish because I was looking for a lilac color and this one seemed perfect! It was $2.99 which is a lot less than OPI and Essie.

Color: While it does go on kind of sheer, you can build up the color. It's probably because it's supposed to be used as a base for french nails. I did 3 coats and you can still see my nail but the color shows. 1 coat is definitely NOT enough. You can barely see the color, even if you were just using it as a base. 2 coats give you a tint of the lavender or lilac purple, which I think would look great if I added a french tip. It's actually shiny even without a top coat, but it takes a long time to dry. The brush is a standard brush, so it won't cover your whole nail and you'll need at least 3 strokes. It's actually shiny even without a top coat, but it takes a long time to dry so I'd use a quick dry top coat. I used Sally Hansen Insta-Dri.

Application: It goes on smooth. The nail polish is pretty thin, which is probably why it's so sheer (even for a base color). I would recommend having a lot of product on the brush to avoid that streaky look, but that's with all nail polishes. If you've ever been to a nail salon, you'll notice they don't fully wipe off the brush. I normally wipe off one side completely and on the other side, I only take off the excess from the top of the brush (not the tip). After applying 3 coats, I think it's pretty even and I don't see any lines or blotches. One benefit of it being so sheer is that even if you get it on your skin (sometimes I can't color inside the lines! lol) you can't see it.

Repurchase: Overall, I like it. I'll have to see how long it lasts and stuff but so far so good. I wish I'd looked at the name before I bought it because in the bottle it looks like an opaque color (okay, fine all nail polishes do!) but that's my own fault. I think I'll buy a few more colors (this time I'll read the names first). I'd also love to see what it would look like with a base under it, maybe white or nude, because then you wouldn't see my nail. Maybe I'll try that one day.

You can find them online for a little over a dollar. One site is http://www.nonpareilboutique.com. I've never ordered from them, so buyer beware! (I've seen a lot of other girls refer to that place which is why I put the link.)

I'll revamp this post once I test out it's wearability, since I just got it today. Same goes for the "with hardeners part." (I'll add a picture soon!)

E.L.F (Eyes Lips Face) Eyeshadow in Amethyst

Recently, I purchased a few things from E.L.F. or Eye Lips Face, a company I happen to think is great for it's price. Like any other company, some products are better than others, but all-in-all, I think it's awesome. Many of their products are $1, with $6.95 shipping, and their "studio" line is $3-$6 dollars. There's always coupons codes for 50% off floating around the internet, which basically takes away shipping (I hate paying for shipping! There's a million other things I'd rather spend my money on.)

Anyway, I decided to try a Studio eyeshadow in Amethyst ($3).

Packaging: Cute, simple, sleek. It's black that just says "e.l.f. Single Eyeshadow" in the front and has one of those plastic protectors when you open it. It has a mirror, which is nice, in case you want to throw it in your makeup bag or whatever. It looks like there's a lot of product, but I don't think it'll last very long (explanation below).

Color/Pigmentation: It's a deep purple, like an eggplant, that's really pigmented, especially for it's price. I was quite impressed when I did a swatch on my hand. There are pink-ish shimmers which look really nice, and take away from the bruise look that purples can look like sometimes. But, in pictures, the shimmer doesn't really show, so you should pair it with a brown base. It's very buildable, so even if the first layer isn't as dark as you'd like, you can pack it on. The pictures below are a better representation than the e.l.f. picutre.

Technicalities: One downfall is that it's powdery or maybe the better word is loosely packed? When I dip my brush in, a lot more product gets on the brush than I'd like and there's a bunch of shadow that just sit on top. I guess it's not as tightly packed as it appears. It doesn't irk me that much, but it wastes a lot of product, which is why I don't think it'll last very long, especially when you're like me and you're not very delicate with your makeup. But for the color payoff and the price, the mess doesn't turn me off from this product. Also, it's really easy to blend and sheer out if you wanted to.

Repurchase: I love the color, nice for a smokey look without just sticking to black or gray, and easy to work with. So, yes, if I needed more eye shadows (which I'm sure I'll decide that I do) I would definitely repurchase.

Link: http://www.eyeslipsface.com/ (its the Studio line)
Coupon: sorrypatty (50% off), sweetdeal (75% off only the Sugar Kiss line and you have to spend more than $15), carolina (50% off, under $15 purchase)

Disclaimers: I bought all this with my own money & it's my honest opinion. I don't guarantee that the coupons still work or that these are the only coupons. I just searched "eyes lips face coupon". You can do the same.

Hello Makeup Lovers!

So, I'm sitting in class, reading tons of makeup blogs, and everyone's talking about MAC, NARS, Urban Decay, Lancome, YSL, blah blah blah...and I'm thinking, "holy crap, these girls must be loaded!" Being 23, still in school (currently enrolled in a post-graduate school), with loans looming over my head everyday on top of bills, room&board, etc, it's needless to say my part-time job doesn't allow me to purchase any of these brands, except maybe once in a while if I find a great deal or get something as a gift. So instead, I opt for the "affordable" stuff, the ones found in the drug store (usually on sale), and I think I go out pretty well put together on a daily basis.

For all you girls, who ooh&ahh at these brands, but can't actually afford a whole collection or have other things that require your money, this blog is for you. Reviews, swatches, how-to's using (mostly) drugstore or cheap products.