Category Archives: Beauty

Mani Sunday (on Monday): Polka dots!

These past couple of days have been rough. Since I work at both a bar and a retail store at the mall, I’ve started to dread the weekends. While everyone else is out enjoying themselves, having a drink or going shopping, I’m working long hours and busting my @$$. But I gotta make that dolla, ya know?

I’m still in a transition period with my workspace, and in turn, my workflow for the blog. I finally bought a new lens that I really like and I’m excited to learn how to use it. I’ve also bought a remote control and I dug out my mom’s old tripod. Improving my humble little space on the web!

Anyway, onto the mani!!

Polka dots!

I was really pleased with how it came out. At first, the perfectionist in me fretted over the dots not being uniform size and being unevenly spaced. But from afar, you really can’t tell.

Here it is in different lighting/white balance:

Pink: Zoya Kimber (mini from their Pinterest trio, summer 2012)
White: Essie Blanc

It looks more red than pink, especially in the first picture. It reminds me of Minnie Mouse. Or the mushrooms from Super Mario.

Anything cute on your nails? What’s new on your end of the keyboard?

P.S. I’ve joined Tumblr!! Follow me? Right now, there’s not much there, but I think I’ll mostly reblog pretty pictures (except I already do that on Pinterest). Or maybe it’ll just be another platform to publish my WordPress posts, and it’ll go the same way as my practically defunct Facebook page. I’m working on my social media game one step at a time.

May 2013 Empties

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This month I gave away more things than I used up, so the “empties” don’t look like much.

Nuance Full Effect Ultra-Volumizing mascara – It started to dry out and flake, so I decided to retire it. It was just okay. I probably won’t buy it again.

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden (mini) – It started to get watery and oily, which I don’t think it’s supposed to do. When I’ve used it in the past, shadows would still crease. So. Goodbye!

Lancome eye cream that went with this “eye veil” – I finally used it up. I had depotted it into a screw top jar.

Bath & Body Works candle in Market Peach (mini) – This scent was really nice. It didn’t smell artificial at all; in fact, my mouth would water when I smelled this because it really did smell like a fresh peach! As you can see, I’ve repurposed it into a toothpick holder. I have a post planned for that, but it’s nothing groundbreaking. You freeze it, remove the leftover wax, wash it, then pop the toothpicks in. Genius, I know.

The Body Shop shower gel in Strawberry – About a year or so ago, I bought a set of 5 mini body washes, and this is the second to the last one left. I like to keep the bottles and remove the labels so I can refill them when I go traveling.

Not pictured:

The Body Shop Nature’s Minerals kabuki brush – I bought a lot of new brushes lately, and I decided that I didn’t need two of these after all. I gave this to my sister.

NYX single eyeshadow in Hunter Green
Too Faced Galaxy eyeshadow in Deep Space
Urban Decay eyeshadow in Uzi
Rimmel Play Fast nail polish in Camouflage – I gave these to my sister’s friend, Lena.

Burt’s Bees Mango & Orange Energizing Body Bar – I originally bought this to wash my makeup brushes. However, it leaves a slight residue on the bristles when they’re dry, so I started using Dr. Bronner’s castile soap with a bit of olive oil and I’ve found that it works much better. I used up the body bar in the shower.

May’s count:
Full size: 7
Travel size: 3
Sample size: 1

Year-to-date:
Full size: 49
Travel size: 21
Sample size: 15

Also, I’ve actually used quite a number of tiny samples from The Body Shop, but that’s because… I just started a part-time job there! Most of these samples were one-time uses, so I didn’t bother to count them. On that same note, I’ve bought more makeup. They require that I wear a full face of makeup by The Body Shop, and while I have a lot of products, I didn’t necessarily have enough products from The Body Shop to be able to do a full face. So those were “necessary” purchases.

If you’re keeping track of your monthly empties, how’s your progress?

Mani Sunday: Just a Little Dangerous… I Don’t Bite!

2013 Makeup Gifts

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This is a follow-up to the 2013 Makeup Pickups post. I guess you could call these my “cheating” pickups.” My birthday was in February, so in order to get around my ban, I asked for makeup for presents. Because, duh.

I didn’t get too many new things, right? >.>

Krystal got me Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Blush in Tipsy, which I’ve been wanting since forever. I’m really really glad I asked for it too, even if it was cheating. I love this blush and I’ve used it quite a bit since I got it.

Jackie got me all the Urban Decay stuff. Both urbandecay.com and allcosmeticswholesale.com were having pretty sweet sales on the UD stuff, and she was already going to pick up a few things for herself, so I asked for a few for me. Jumped through that loophole like nobody’s business!

She got me the cream shadow in Suburbia, the eyeshadow in Woodstock, and the Stardust eyeshadows in Moon Spoon and Diamond Dog. Unlike Tipsy, I can’t say I’ve used these much. I haven’t even touched Woodstock, other than swatching it. Still, I like them all because they’re still “new” to me, and I’m determined to use them eventually!

Swatches to come!

This concludes all my makeup pickups this year. I’ve also gotten a fair number of brushes as well, but I’m not counting them because they don’t expire the way makeup products do. I’ll do a few posts on my new brushes too. Found some new loves!

What have you picked up recently? Loving it? Regretting it?

Swatches: theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer and Overshadows (Work is Overrated and No Money, No Honey)

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Heyyy, so remember how I was supposed to go through all that I’ve bought in 2013 and post swatches of them? Well, here’s the last of them, from Hautelook’s theBalm sale ages ago.

theBalm’s Mary-Lou Manizer. This is a nice highlight powder that I didn’t actually end up counting as a “purchase I need to cancel out” because I don’t have any other highlighters… or so I thought. I forgot about Too Faced’s Snow Bunny, which is labeled as a “winter bronzer” but works nicely as a highlighter as well. Whatever, it doesn’t hurt to have two.

Anyway, in the above swatches, the left is one swipe and the right is blended out. This is pretty pigmented and frosty, so a light touch is needed. It’s also really powdery. I swirled too vigorously with my brush one day and it kicked up way too much powder.

I’ve been using it for the past few months whenever I do my makeup, and I like the effect. In my opinion, highlighters aren’t a “must-have” (especially since I live in Hawaii and therefore have a tendency to get shiny halfway through the day) but when I do use them, the difference is noticeable, yet subtle.

theBalm’s Overshadows in Work is Overrated and No Money, No Honey. The two loose shadows that I bought on impulse. I think I’ve used them maybe once each since I got them in February. Haha.

Incidentally, theBalm was on Hautelook again recently, and I was tempted to buy the other two Overshadows just so I could “complete the collection.” I refrained this time, though! I really don’t need another eyeshadow, loose or pressed, for the rest of my life.

In other news, I’m trying out a new format for my product swatches. I’m using PicFrame and adding a bit of text. Still fudging with it as I go along. What do you guys think? Any tips or suggestions?

April 2013 empties

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Okay. I know I’ve been MIA for quite some time now. Since I’ve been back, I’ve hardly been on my computer (surprising, I know). I’m in the process of rearranging my desk in the living room, so things are a bit chaotic right now. It’s still not done.

Also, I came down with a particularly nasty cold last night. Body aches, fever, sore throat. Way to take the wind out of my sails, immune system.

Anyway, I wanted to post this for ages before it became time for May’s empties, because uhh… yeah, April was a long time ago. Whoops.

Plus White 5 Minute Speed Whitening Gel – I finished the “Pre-Whitening Rinse” last month and I decided to be honest with myself, because I won’t use this now that the rinse is gone. Not that I really believe you NEED to use the rinse beforehand, but it just gives me less of a reason to use it. I don’t like using it in the first place; it feels gross.

Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil – This was a sample from Sephora that I finished up so I could use it to decant some body oil to take with me to London. I really liked this cleanser. I’ll admit, I was skeptical about it at first because it’s an oil, but my face felt clean and nicely moisturized after I used it. It also smells nice. I haven’t checked the price of a full sized bottle, though, and it’s probably out of my price range right now. Oh well.

China Glaze black crackle polish – I think the official name is Black Mesh or something, but I already threw the bottle away, so there’s no knowing! It got thick and goopy and I did pour nail polish thinner to revive it, but I’m over the crackle trend. Goodbye.

Lancome Rénergie Eye Multiple Action – This was supposed to be a “veil” of SPF and light coverage for your eye area after the eye cream. There was a lot of it, and as a concealer, I didn’t like using it. It was a sample, so I don’t feel bad about throwing it away. I’ve actually finished up the eye cream too, but it was in the month of May.

Michael Kors EDP – The last of the teeny tiny perfume samples! I liked this one, I think. Not enough to buy a full sized one, but it was nice. I’m horrible at this mini review thing, sorry.

NOT PICTURED:

Urban Decay primer potion in Greed (mini) – I gave this to my sister.

Smashbox crease brush – Gave this to Krystal.

Make Up For Ever eye makeup remover (mini) – The blue one. It was pretty good, actually. It came in a MUFE set that I bought a few years ago. I don’t have a picture of it because the bottle was made of hard plastic, and one day while trying to squeeze it, it EXPLODED IN MY FACE. So I had to decant the rest into a travel jar.

L’Oreal VIP Status, Sephora by OPI I’m With Brad (2 nail polishes) – Gave to my sister.

Cargo Hands of Hope palette (9) – Gave to my sister. This was actually her Christmas present to me one year. It would seem that I have a habit of giving presents back to people, but it’s not because I’m ungrateful, I swear! It’s that I thought I wanted/needed it, and now I realize that I don’t, so if someone else (that happens to be the person who gave it to me) has a use of it, then all for the better. Right?

April’s count:
Full size: 14
Travel size: 3
Sample size: 2

Year-to-date:
Full size: 42
Travel size: 18
Sample size: 14

Okay, feeling crappy now. Less whining, more sleeping!

OMG, Hautelook. Stop it, you saucy minx.

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One of the down sides of going off the grid for a few days is that I haven’t been keeping up with sales! Apparently there are some major deals going around that I’ve been blissfully unaware of!

I checked Hautelook this morning on my phone, and I literally sat up in bed in excitement when I saw what was on sale:

B. Makowsky handbags. I have one, and so does my sister. They’re beautifully designed bags with lots of pockets! However, mine is really heavy and big, so I’ve stopped using it. There are a few that pique my interest, like the Studded Leather Satchel and the Triple Zip Small Leather Satchel. In black, plskthx.

Tarte. I love Tarte! I love their brand ethics (natural ingredients and cruelty-free), and they have really great products. My favorite lately has been their Amazonian Clay bronzer in Park Avenue Princess, but unfortunately the travel size set that was on sale is now sold out.

I have an inkling that Hautelook is having all these awesome sales because they’re offering free shipping until May 8th. So, in theory, you could order something today, and if you see something you want tomorrow, you could order it as well, without feeling annoyed about paying for shipping twice. You sneaky devil, you!

However, I’m pretty strapped for cash. Right now I’m surviving through the kindness of my boyfriend who doesn’t like to see me starve or sleep on the streets, so he buys me food and lets me share his bed for free. :P So, thank you Albert, and no shopping for me!

My personal invite link to Hautelook.

Stila is on Hautelook again!

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Just got this email from Hautelook and Stila’s on sale until Wednesday, 8AM Pacific time!

As always, I’m sorely tempted, this time by the Long Wear Liquid Lip Color in Fiery, which I mentioned before that I’ve wanted for awhile. It’s only $8! Damn you, Hautelook!

Also, Hautelook is offering free shipping on orders over $100 from now until May 8th. International orders and all items over 5 lbs. are excluded. I wonder if Hawaii is included in the free shipping…?

My personal invite link here. (If you join and purchase, I get a $10 credit. However, you can sign up through Facebook or your email too.)

Lastly, I’ve come down with a tiny cold. :( Yesterday was tricky. It was nice and sunny, so I went out without my coat, but then it got cloudy and cold-ish again. I stayed in all day today, in hopes that some rest is all I need to feel better, and I can go out and do things for the rest of the time I’m here. Albert’s coming home soon, and we’re making soup for dinner. He’s feeling a bit under the weather as well. Sniffle sniffle.

Six Beauty Products I Can’t Live Without

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Post inspired by Sam. Read my previous post on six beauty tools I can’t live without here.

Now time for the cosmetics!

1. Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in Corrupt: I love this color. I love it more than Zero. It’s a dark brown, so it looks more natural than black. I use it when I want to more subtle look.

2. Mascara: This is just mascara in general. I’m currently using Nuance by Salma Hayek’s Full Effect Ultra-Volumizing. It’s just okay. I love mascara, but I have yet to find one that’s in my price range (i.e. drugstore!) and cruelty-free. I bought Physician’s Formula Organic Wear Lash Boosting mascara a couple days ago, so we’ll see how that goes.

3. Burt’s Bees lip balm: In general I prefer tinted lip balm (which this one isn’t). I do love Burt’s Bees, though. I used to have one of their tinted lip balms in Rose, and I used it all up! I actually like Fresh’s tinted lip balms more, because the formula feels so luxurious, but I can’t bring myself to spend over $20 for a lip balm. Burt’s Bees is a nice, cheaper alternative.

4. Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream: I use this religiously. My cuticles are constantly dry, so I’m always trying to keep them moisturized and happy. I recently bought butter LONDON’s Cuticle Eliminator, so I hope that will help too with my cuticle problem! But in the meantime, pan porn!: burts bees cuticle cream pan Look at that pan! Look at all that love!

5. Benefit Sugarbomb: I love this blush. It’s the perfect everyday blush. It’s a sheer peachy pink that’s almost impossible to overdo and/or goof up. When I’m short on time and need something to make me look alive, I reach for this. I also love that it smells good, and the fill weight is GIGANTIC. It’s 12g! (A MAC blush is 6g, and NARS is 4.8g.) I doubt I’m ever going to see pan on this, even though I use it a lot.

6. Brow gel: Again, this is the product in general that I can’t live without, not this specific brand. This is Sonia Kashuk’s, by the way. My brows are pretty dark, so when I don’t have time to fill them in, I run some gel through it to keep the hairs in place so they don’t get all janky. I apologize for this disgusting looking tube. It picks up the pigment after I’ve filled my brows in with powder, so that’s why it looks dodgy. It’s supposed to be clear.

Six Beauty Tools I Can’t Live Without

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This post was inspired by Sam over at samandro22.wordpress.com! Check out her post and the beauty products she finds essential!

As for me, I’ve decided to split it into two categories: beauty tools and beauty products. I’m not sure why. Because I’m high maintenance? (Not really.) Because I like to talk about all things beauty related, a lot? (Yeah, probably.) Because I just want to? (Most definitely.)

Here we go!

1. Tweezerman slant tip tweezers: I’m kind of obsessed with tweezing my hairs. It’s a compulsion. I’m constantly pulling hairs out of my legs (I know, gross), upper lip, and brows. It’s something I find oddly satisfying. I recently purchased Tweezerman tweezers after using really old, crappy Revlon ones for years, and then a rather mediocre one by QVS. I was reluctant to drop so much money on a pair of tweezers, so I bought the travel size one first. Then, on my trip to Chicago, I forgot to pack it! Of course, I couldn’t go the whole two weeks without tweezers! (I literally cannot think about that possibility. It’s like my mind shuts down and says “ERROR. NOT POSSIBLE.”) So, I bought a full size pair. /endlongboringstory

2. shu uemura eyelash curler: Another much hyped product. Confession: I never used to curl my lashes. I bought this curler years ago, and I’ve only recently started using it regularly. I came across this post by The Beauty Department on how to curl your lashes more effectively, and I’ve been doing it ever since. It makes a big difference! Now, if only I could find a mascara that would hold the damn curl…

3. Sephora Professionnel Platinum Lash and EyeBrow Comb: I used to use a plastic lash comb to get the clumps out of my mascara, and it was never really effective. Also, I broke several of the plastic teeth. After reading Karen of Makeup and Beauty Blog’s post about the Sephora comb, I decided to try it out. Metal lash combs are the shizz, guys. The plastic ones just can’t compare. Also, quick tip: clean out the metal teeth with a toothbrush. Quick and easy!

4. Sephora Professionnel Platinum Medium Shadow Brush: A few years ago, Sephora was having a promotion where you got a free brush with a purchase of $35 or something. I actually wanted to get a lip brush, but when I went to the Ala Moana store, they were all out of the lip brush. I got this eyeshadow brush instead (and went home and placed an order online so I could get the lip brush… yeah, it was during my binge buying months). I’m so glad I did. I reach for this brush constantly. It’s the perfect shape and size for my eyes. It’s dense enough to be able to pack on color, yet fluffy enough to blend out the edges. Love this thing.

5. ecoTools Domed Bronzer brush: This was a recent purchase. I bought it after reading countless rave reviews on it. It was $10 at Walmart. I have several ecoTools brushes, but this is by far my favorite. It feels like a much more expensive brush. In fact, I think it’s the same quality as my kabuki brush from The Body Shop (the one I love so much, I bought two). It hasn’t shed a single hair since I’ve had it, and I use it daily and wash it weekly. It’s such a pleasure to use this brush on my face. Worth every penny (and then some)!

6. Clarisonic Mia: I love this so so much. I know it’s expensive, but it’s totally worth the investment. I bought a few years ago, before they came out with all the cute colors. I used to work at Macy’s, so I got it with a pretty sweet discount, and before I quit, I bought one for my sister and mom as well. It deep cleans like nothing I’ve ever felt before. Even after I use a makeup wipe, this brush will clean off the residue I didn’t even know was still on my face. Also, I don’t know if it’s psychological, but it feels like such a… relief? to put on moisturizer after, because it sinks into my skin beautifully.

I also tag anyone who is interested in doing a similar post! I love to see what other people use on a daily basis. If you decide to do it, leave me a comment with a link to your post!

Up next… Six Beauty Products I Can’t Live Without!

barely organized chaos

because life is funner that way.

Category Archives: Beauty

Mani Sunday (on Monday): Polka dots!

May 2013 Empties

Mani Sunday: Just a Little Dangerous… I Don’t Bite!

2013 Makeup Gifts

Swatches: theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer and Overshadows (Work is Overrated and No Money, No Honey)

April 2013 empties

OMG, Hautelook. Stop it, you saucy minx.

Stila is on Hautelook again!

Six Beauty Products I Can’t Live Without

Six Beauty Tools I Can’t Live Without

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