Steals

Here are some recent products I've purchased at a really great price! 

Too Faced Shadow Insurance Primer  & Eye Shadow Insurance Policy Palette 

$12 at Nordstrom Rack

A single tube of Shadow Insurance is normally $18, so this combo was truly a steal. :) 

Full Front, Glamazon, and Socialite are my favorite by far. These 3 shadows are right up my alley, in terms of everyday wear. The other 3 colors are a fun addition since I don't really own anything colorful.

 

Love how glossy they look outdoors at night! I especially love the lightest color, Glamazon. It's what I wished Naked Palette 1 Sidecar was like! Lots of color payoff without all that glitter fallout!

Another deal that's still going on at Target: 

Full size L'oreal Youth Code Youth Regenerating Day/Night Cream & Cleanser

Right now, Target is selling any of the Youth Code moisturizers for full size and price with a FREE Youth Code Cleanser. It depends on which item you want to buy, but the lotion is $19.99.

I've been meaning to repurchase the Day/Night Cream ever since I used up my last jar, but I've been lazy. I think it's because my skin had become really dry during January-February and had needed something thicker, like Embryolisse. However, it's become too heavy and I needed to go back to my normal routine. When I went into Target, I saw this duo and I knew it was meant to be. I specifically went looking for this moisturizing and a new cleanser. So far, the lotion has been great (duh), but I'm not too sure about the face wash. It's SO FRAGRANT- almost gives me a headache! It does a good job of washing off my makeup, but it's not targeted for blemishes, which is a concern for me. I'll definitely use it up, but I won't be repurchasing. 

Hope someone will take advantage of these deals! :) 

Robert Coin

(cred 1 & 2)

so beautiful *_* 

so expensive @_@

why aren't there cheap cubic alternatives???

viva las vegas

*Planet Hollywood*Cosmopolitan*Marquee*WickedSpoon*TopShop(!!)*

 

Happy birthday to my 21-year-old cousin and congrats to the future bride-to-be!!!

BB Cream?

Guess what I got today??? :D

Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream in Light/Medium

That's right! This little girl took herself to a CVS after a week of back-to-back midterms and a day of observations at the hospital. (grad school is no fun!) It was time to give myself a treat... especially before my next relentless week begins. I picked up a Milani HD Advanced Lip Color in Classy Nude and a new Eye Tech Extreme Liquid Eyeliner Felt Pen as well (Swatches to come! Hope this pen can work as well as my Dollywink!) Anywho, I couldn't wait to to get home and try this BB Cream out. 

First off- it smells amazing! It reminds me of how Korean facial products smell, like from Laneige or AmorePacific. I don't know how else to describe it~ I guess, lightly fragrant? I don't know, but I wanted to keep applying more, especially near my nose. :P 

I also noticed how light the texture was. It was cool on the skin and not dense at all. Most Asian BB creams have a more pasty texture and require more effort to evenly smooth over the skin. This is nothing like a true BB cream. People say Asian BB cream is inbetween foundation and tinted moisturizer. I think this is Garier BB cream is inbetween Asian BB cream and tinted moisturizer, if that makes sense! haha 

As I rubbed it in, it was thin and somewhat watery. Not in a "runny liquid" kind of way, but like a water-based moisturizer. It quickly matched my skin tone and did not leave a gray, pasty film over my skin like Asian creams do. It just felt like a non-greasy daytime moisturizer. 

The finish is sheer, but buildable to "light." I have yellow undertones and it seemed to blend in just fine with my NC25 color. This picture was taken as soon as I blended it in. 

I waited a few minutes to let the product skin in and took a picture with more sunlight. The finish is not dewy, satin, or matte. It's just simply natural tinted moisturizer. Not bad, huh? :) 

The reason why I wanted to get this BB cream is because 1) it's affordable, 2) I want to see American drugstore brands' take on this Asian sensation, and 3) I wanted to compare it to Origins Vitazing. I can already tell its nothing like Vitazing. That moisturizer leaves a really tacky feeling on my skin the second I put it on. I could already feel the oil lining up behind my pores, just waiting to make me look like a greaseball. This one dries like normal moisturizer on my skin. 

I don't know how combination/oily people swear by Vitazing + MAC MSFN... really... I want to know their secret. I've tried it so many times, but it's a disaster waiting to happen because both already make me oily/break out on their own. 

Anyyyyyways! I have already dusted MAC MSFN over half of my face to test it out for the rest of the day. It's already been an hour and my skin is doing well on both sides. In fact, there's no difference at all between the two! 

(BB cream + eyeliner only)

Initial thoughts - BB cream? No. Miracle skin perfector? No. Evens tone? Yes. Hydrates? Yes. 

Though this is not anything like a true Asian cream in texture, it is in theory with all the infused perks of having hydration, color, vitamins, and SPF all in one product. I already like it better than Vitazing and I am obsessed with the scent. The finish is pretty natural. As you can see the in the photos above, 2 layers of the BB cream left me with sheer coverage with evened skin tone + freckles peeking through. I'll keep trying it with MAC MSFN for lazy days and will try it as a basic moisturizer under my foundation on days I want a full face. Will keep you guys posted! 

Wants

The last thing I need to add to my collection is another foundation, but I seriously cannot wait to get these into my hands. Sadly, I'll probably wait a few weeks until midterms are over. But at least they'll be the light at the end of the tunnel for me!! :) :) :)

benefit - "Hello Flawless" Oxygen Wow Liquid Foundation 

Filled with all sorts of goodies for your skin!! Sounds like something my face would appreciate. I haven't heard any comparisons, but wondering if it would be anything like Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation?? If so, I need it... STAT. 

Sephora and Benefit counters

Garnier BB Cream in Light/Medium

I have been hearing on Youtube that it's more like a tinted moisturizer than a real BB cream, but still worth it! I forget who it was, but she compared it to the likes of Origins Vitazing, yet better for oily skin. I never got Vitazing and MAC Mineralized Skin Finish Natural duo to work for me, so I'm definitely going to give it a go with this BB cream! 

Target and other drugstores

Have any of you tried these foundations? Let me know your thoughts. :)

My Glam Bag for February 2012

After months of disappointing samples from Birchbox, I decided to unsubscribe and joined My Glam Bag instead. It's another one of those $10/month for 4-5 deluxe sized samples services. I decided to give this a try because their last month seemed promising with a full size bottle of a mask and full sized makeup products from the Balm. I anxiously awaited for this month's arrival, but it seemed like everyone was disappointed with their Glam bag. I finally got mine in the mail today and wasn't too impressed either. 

Festive Valentine's bag. I could definitely use this. 

The contents: 

1) Ghiradelli Chocolate Squares - GONE before I even uploaded these photos! 

2) Premier Dead Sea Cinderella Mask and Treatment Cream - What am I going to do with these one-time use samples? There was a coupon included for 50% off, but I don't think I'll be keeping it. If anyone is interested, just type in MYGLAM on your purchase at www.premierdeadsea.com. 

3) Freeman Facial Hydration Mask in Goji Berry 

4) NuMe $100 Gift Certificate - Probably won't use. 

5) X Out Shine Control (full size) - An oil-free moisturizer that works to keep the skin free from shine. It's a really watery consistency that I can't imagine to be too moisturizing. (See photos below)

6) NYX Roll On Shimmer in RES11 Almond (full size) - A roll on product that takes me back to elementary school. It's a shimmering powder for the eyes, face, and body, but I don't know why I would put brown glitter on my face or body. It's pretty much like a pigment put into a tube and rolls out dry. Kinda messy. I would imagine a ton of fall out on under the eyes, so be careful! Maybe it could work with a stickier base like Too Faced Shadow Insurance Glitter Glue. (See photos below)

Roll on ball. 

3 swatches of the Roll On in Almond on the left and X Out Shine Control on right. The shine control rubs out like water and is very wet. Probably will try this before and after moisturizer and see which way works best. 

Roll On blended out. You can see there are a lot of gold glitter particles. The particles are kind of dry and scratchy. There's a nice glow in the sun, but it definitely needs a base underneath. 

Overall, this bag is pretty weak. My chocolates are already gone, and the 3 one-time-use masks won't be around for much longer either. So... I'm just left with a shine control product and an eyeshadow I know I won't be using... 

What do you guys think? Pretty disappointing, no? Any other Glam Bag subscribers out there?

I think I'll give it 2 more months... 

Greasy much?

One major thorn in my side is how oily my hair gets!! 

My hair: 

I have very fine strands of hair that have a slight wave to them, which makes my hair look deceivingly thicker than it really is. So unfortunately, I have to wash my hair pretty frequently. My hair is naturally dark brown and is currently ombred. I don't have a "true" ombre because I asked to have it done more as highlights instead of done throughout my entire hair.  It's grown pretty long in the past couple of months.

Anyways, the point is... it's really annoying to have to wash everyday!! My hair can get dried out really easily and can turn coppery (as most bleached Asian hair turns). It's also a pain to blow dry and curl when I know I have to wash it by the end of the day. I definitely want to avoid daily washes as my hair has been growing longer. 

I've recently been able to "train" my hair to withstand a wash every 2-2.5 days with the help of some products, but the main trick is DRY SHAMPOO! Here are the 3 I'm reviewing today:

1) TRESemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo for Oily/Straight to Normal Hair
This product... sucks. One of the main reasons I could never "train" my hair was because of this dang product! This was the first dry shampoo I purchased last year. I wasn't about to spend the big bucks on Klorane (the only I knew of at the time) and was excited a drugstore brand ventured into this realm. I had put so much hope into this bottle and was greatly disappointed. This dry shampoo sprays wet onto the hair and needs to be rubbed and brushed out. It leaves a stark white cast that turns flaky!!! The smell is nice, but kind of turns into a headache after a while. The major problem with this dry shampoo is that it is HEAVY and STICKY. It weighs down my roots, only making them oilier and you can actually "feel" the weight of your hair. I tried numerous times to make this product work, but it only accentuated my problems. I was turned off by the concept of dry shampoo for several months. This is an EPIC FAIL product for me and do not recommend it.
2) Frederic Fekkai Au Naturel Powder Clean Dry Shampoo 
This is a powder that claims to give a "fresh" start and lift to second-day hair. I think I got this from Sephora with my beauty points and never really used it. It wasn't until Sandra from 15 Steps and a Beauty Blog started talking about it and I remembered I had it. I heard baby powder is similar, but this is made of starch and cotton to absorb oil. The pointed funnel tip does help with getting the product right where you need it instead of giving you the sprinkled dandruff effect. I do think this product does a good job of sucking up excess oil from the hair and scalp, but does not give any body. I use this on days when conditions are "less severe" and just want to prevent oil buildup. I've used this pretty consistently for the past 6 months and haven't made a dent in this sample size. If you're curious, I recommend picking up the $10 sample size instead of the huge bottle!
3) Suave Keratin Infusion Dry Shampoo
After reading several blogs comparing this "new" formula and their original, I decided to go with this. It claims to refresh just as well as Bumble and Bumble. I haven't tried, so wouldn't be able to tell you. What I can tell you is that it is my favorite out of the 3. This spray dries to a powder finish and has a powdery-flowery-grapefruit scent. Because I have dark roots, it is important that I don't have a "gray cast" from my dry shampoo. I make sure to brush this out, and the great thing is, it doesn't leave flakes like Tresemme does! This product not only refreshens my hair, but gives it volume without weighing it down. My roots feel powdery till the end of the day, which feels a little weird, but that just means I know its working. Definitely recommend it.

I also tried two high-end dry shampoos from the Sephora on two different occasions. I don't own these, so these are only my first impressions.

Oscar Blandi Pronto Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo Spray

One thing I loved about this product is that it really is invisible! There was absolutely no white cast and I was able to spray this all over my head without any fear. I usually have to double check that I don't have a white streak on the back of my head, but not with this! This finished result was very similar to Suave. I really liked this spray!!! I'm contemplating whether I should purchase such an expensive dry shampoo when the Suave already works for me... 

Ojon Full Detox Rub-Out Dry Cleansing Spray

Ew!!! This was even worse than Tresemme's dry shampoo on my hair! It left such an obvious white cast and took quite some time to rub out. The smell was kind of strange and it left my hair feeling really heavy and sticky. I was pretty disappointed because I love Ojon products. 

I want to check out Klorane and Batiste next. If you don't need dry shampoos, consider yourself lucky!! 

What dry shampoos work for you? Any tips on how to extend the time between washes?? 

NOTW

It's been a gray week here in Cali. Thought it'd be nice to add some glitter! 

Essie Chinchilly + Urban Outfitters Silver Glitter Polish (no name)

SALE ALERT!!!!

Speak of the devil, Rue La La is having another sale for Naimie's Beauty Center in LA!
And it's even better this time. You can get up to TWO vouchers for $40 each worth $80. That means you can get up to $160 worth of products - half price! I just got back from a haul this weekend, but I'm already daydreaming for the next! It's been so long since I've gotten anything at full price and that makes me a happy camper. ^__^

You can check out their website at http://www.naimies.com/, but they don't have everything listed on it. Let me give you the run down off the top of my head:
Too Faced
MAC (limited editions too)
Make Up Forever
Laura Mercier
Lise Watier
Nars
Bobbi Brown
Lorac
Eve Pearl
Stila
Smashbox
Caudalie
Dermalogica
Kiehl's
Moroccan Oil
Bumble & Bumble
Terax
Ojon
Klorane
Macademia Oil
Clarisonic (You can totally purchase one with this!)
And lots lots lots more!!

If you live in the So Cal area, you should definitely try to get it! They email you the voucher so no shipping fees either. :) It's being offered until next Monday, February 20. You can start using it as early as tomorrow up until June 15.

> Click here for Naimie's Event <

Not a member?
> Click here for RueLaLa invite <

It's free to make an account and even funner to lurk to see all the sales. 

Make sure you look under "Rue La La Local - Los Angeles" to find this event.

Let me know if you do it!

Weekend Haul

Thanks to a special offer on Rue La La local picks, I was able to get a hold of $120 worth of products for only $60 from Naimie's Beauty Center in LA! This is seriously like a gift sent from heaven whenever this deal is offered. This was my second chance to take advantage of this opportunity, and boy did it feel good getting almost 50% off (I couldn't stop at $120). It's pretty sad how quickly everything adds up!!! I feel like I have little to show, but hope you like some of the things!

from left to right:

Embryolisse Nourishing Moisturiser - Sam Chapman of Pixiwoo always uses this natural and paraben-free lotion underneath her foundation, and I have always wanted to try it! I have combination skin, but have been experiencing dry patches on my right bottom cheek. I thought it was a good excuse to try it out and did run out of night cream.

Lorac Translucent Touchup Powder - This powder was marked 50% off and with the added voucher, I'd only pay $8. I have hit pan on my Maybelline Dream Matte Powder and can't really say no to something that may help with afternoon oiliness. It contains oat flour that is not supposed to be drying. I'll be working on an upcoming post on powders!

Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream - I have been wanting to try this darned thing for aaaages. I first heard about it from Ginabinawina99 on Youtube and was so intrigued by it. It's supposed to be like Elizabeth Arden's 8 Hour Cream, an all purpose product that can serve as a moisturizer for desert lands on your body, chapstick, hair tamer, burns, bites, scar prevention, and even primer! All sorts of crazy. I was actually going to head to Whole Foods to purchase it after my trip to Naimies, but thank goodness I was able to get it with a discounted price. I don't necessarily have dry skin, but like I said, I've been intrigued for years and will do anything to get rid of the dry patch on my cheek.

  

Moroccan Oil Treatment Light - I got a small 0.85fl oz of the original Moroccan Oil Treatment from my last haul at Naimie's and decided I would purchase a full size on my next trip. My hair really loves this stuff. I decided to get the "light" forumla because my hair does get weighed down really easily. 

Make Up For Ever Face & Body Liquid Foundation - I love this gel foundation so much. I tested it in 2011 and really enjoyed what it did for my skin, especially during the hot summer days. By the time I realized that it worked for me, summer was coming to an end and I didn't need another product collecting dust. It's not quite yet spring, but LA is already feeling hot and thought it was a wise investment for future use. 

Without boxes:

I also got a Sigma F25 sent to me as a replacement from my previous order. I got a faulty brush that shed TONS of bristles on a daily basis and knew something wasn't right. They had great service and kindly sent me a new brush. I'm happy to report the brush does not excessively shed and is even more tapered than the last!

(re-edit)
PS- I realized I was naughty and never posted my last haul from Naimie's, even though I took photos. I'll just do a quick recap of what I purchased.

from left to right:

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer - Sand

Terax Latte Clarifying Shampoo

Voluspa Goji Taracco Orange Candle

MAC Lustre Lipstick - Jubilee

Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Refining Toner

Moroccan Oil Treatment

Have you guys tried any of these products? What worked and didn't work for you?