Less is More: Summer Foundation Routine

As you all know, I'm an avid viewer of all beauty videos on YouTube. Name the guru and I've watched, stalked, loved, then hated them. Kidding, of course. Well, sort of...

Last weekend, Leyla from EverythingLuxy, posted a video documenting her "Daytime Foundation Routine & Fresh Summer Make-Up." As I watched, I realized I owned the majority of the products in her routine. Then I thought: ding ding ding! *lightbulb* I could do that too! And so I did. Then proceeded to fall in love. Her daytime foundation routine is simple and minimal; Ideal for someone like myself, who's quite active throughout the summer months.

In my version of the routine, I predominantly use two products: Bare Mineral's (BM) Matte Foundation  in "Golden Beige" and Garnier's Anti-Dark-Circle Roller, which only comes in one color: Sheer Tint. For days at work, I may add a few touches of liquid foundation onto my troubled spots. I start off with Garnier's Anti-Dark-Circle Roller, a 2-in-1 eye care and concealer. Those with darker skin than me...maybe not the best product for you. This tint will be a good match for me come Winter but even now, it's applies slightly lighter. Although, I must admit that I do prefer the the lightening look beneath my eyes. At the moment, this is hands down my favorite concealer to use on an every day basis. It's definitely is no "Glamoflauge!" (See previous post). The consistency is not too runny or thick, easily blendable, and easy to apply with just the right amount of coverage. Just a few good swipes beneath the eyes make a huge difference. The brightening effect makes me appear so much more awake.

I end my routine with BM's Matte Foundation. I haven't used this product in so long that I forgot I even had it! Ahhh, can't believe it was just sitting around. Anyway, this is a good starter for those too scared to take the plunge into the world of liquid foundations. Coverage is sheer to a buildable medium but the product provides a great finish. Those with oily/combination skin may take a liking to the matte foundation which helps fight shine.

My favorite thing about this routine is that it's speedy and doesn't take much! 2-3 products max is all you need and it really only takes a few minutes to look well put and polished. Furthermore, it doesn't cover up the beautiful tan we develop during the warmer months.

Review: Fairy Drops Scandal Queen Mascara

Fairy Drops Mascara is a huge hit in Japan. It's advertised to be one of a kind due to its unique, rippled, fiber brush that is supposed to catch all lashes and provide an all-day curl. The idea is to achieve the look of having doll-like lashes, a staple favorite amongst the Asian community. Fairy Drops is so popular overseas that the wand was patented by its creator, a Japanese TV personality!


Please imagine my excitement when its Scandal Queen formula recently migrated its way over to the States. I fully expected Scandal Queen to trump my beloved Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara but heartbreak ensued when I realized the mascara didn't give me the lift or curl that I was expecting it to. The fact that Scandal Queen is an Asian brand made me all the more surprised since one of the most common complaints by we Asians is that many mascaras don't deliver its promoted results. Often times, it's because Asian lashes tend to be shorter and lay straight making them difficult to curl. Those exact reasons are why it takes a special mascara to bring our stubborn lashes to an all-day curl.

For now, the Sephora four-star rated Scandal Queen mascara's best use will be on my very few bottom lashes and I am back to professing my love for Lancome's Hypnose Drama mascara.

Super Tired? No Worries!

To (maybe) all three of my readers, I know you all work hard and live the daily grind but I won't be suggesting coffee, red bull, or green tea to you. Rather yet, concealer. I have found the strongest formula to date! And at the most surprising place: Walmart.

Remember when Hard Candy was once considered a high end cosmetic brand? If not, then take my word for it. I'm not sure what happened to brand, but the only place I ever find their products now is at Walmart. About a month ago, I was perusing through the makeup aisles and spotted: "Glamoflauge." The packaging was incredibly tacky and a bit too teenager for me. So what made me take the plunge and purchase it? Three reasons. 1) It was undoubtedly the end of the week; meaning I haven't had my usual dose of "weekend sleep" to relieve the bags beneath my eyes. Words such as: "heavy duty" and "super performant" on the packaging suddenly became ridiculously attractive. 2) Concealing bags and dark circles beneath my eyes could up my overall appearance by half a notch. Sorry,  I'm not naturally beautiful. and 3) I ran out of concealer. Crap. Well, into the cart Glamoflauge went!

This product requires a user warning. Maximum dosage: one drop. This concealer goes on thick as PASTE and be sure to blend, blend, blend right away. It dries quickly. I don't even recommend using a brush. Using your fingers will give you the best, streak-free results.

So, why would I even like this? From what I wrote above, application sounds difficult and aren't airy/light weight products all the rage right now? Remember those key descriptions: "heavy duty" and "super perfromant?" 100% true. A tiny bit goes a long way. This has amazing coverage and hypothetically, I probably shouldn't have to buy another concealer for years! Lastly, be honest. We all have days where our appearance needs more than just a "little" help.

First JewelMint Order!

So, I finally finally finallllyyyy signed up for Jewelmint less than two weeks ago and my first order arrived in record time. In case you don't know, Jewelmint is a monthly subscription service for exclusive jewelry pieces created by Kate Bosworth and Cher Coulter. To its subscribers, all pieces are available at the flat rate of $29.99. In my opinion, one of the largest perks to subscribing to Jewelmint is that you have access to truly unique statement pieces at high quality and affordable prices. These aren't like the accessories that you buy at Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe that will tarnish or break on you all too soon. These pieces can actually be worn and re-worn over time. Lastly, you don't purchase anything you don't like! There is no monthly commitment, just remember to click: "Skip This Month" and you won't be charged.

The first piece that I ordered were the Versailles Earrings. I was able to get these for 50% off with an online code that Jewelmint should send to their new subscribers. Score! These were actually larger than I expected them to be in real life but better bigger than smaller right? Now, I'm just waiting for an occassion to wear these to... ;)



Description of the Versailles Earrings signed by Kate & Cher



JewelMint Versailles Earrings!

Happy Memorial Day!

Hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend and took a moment to appreciate the men and women serving our country. The bf and I spent some time visiting his family and relaxing by the bay. The grand finale of our weekend was spent enjoying two bushels of crabs! Just a bit overboard, I know. A few pics below...

  

Beautiful view 'down by the bay...' :)

The bay at sunset



Yikes, 2 full bushels!



live bushel of blue crabs

BirchBox - Month #1

There's been a ton of things I've wanted to blog about recently and I even took photos of them in preparation for a new post but I just haven't found the time to update. So to prioritize, today's entry will be about something I'm most excited about: my first Birchbox shipment. For those who don't know, Birchbox delivers 4-5 luxe sample beauty products to its subscribers every month for $10. I think that this is a great way for someone to try out products without having to commit to the full size or price. At first, I toiled with the idea of signing up but figured for someone such as myself who buys so many products at full price, maybe it would be worth it.

So, in my very first shipment, I found a tribute to Mother's Day with classic products:

• Full Size Stila eyeshadow in the color "Rain." Verdict: Thumbs Up! This is a great neutral color and great for every day wear. It was also my favorite product in the box. The texture is velvety smooth and easily blendable. No complaints here. Regular Retail Price: $18.

• Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir Sample Perfume. Verdict: Thumbs Down. I appreciate the Mother's Day tribute but this perfume would have definitely been more appropriate for someone much older than myself. Regular Retail Price: $80 (for 50 ML)

 

• Archipelago Pomegranite Soap. Verdict: Thumbs Up! Subtlely perfumed, triple milled, natural, and non-stripping/overdrying. Regular Retail Price: $12.50 (for 6.8 oz.)
• Ahava Mineral Hand Cream. Verdict: Thumbs Up! This "lotion" seems to be water based to me. It leaves a non-greasy residue and also smells good! Great size for going in the purse. Regular Retail Price: $20 (for 3.4 oz.)

• Tiny Prints blank card. Verdict: Thumbs Up! What a cute little addition. I'm sure this will come in handy in the future. Maybe best used as a simple "thinking of you" gesture.

Ultimately, I'm quite pleased with my first Birchbox. Not only did it come on time but it was beautifully packaged with high quality items. I definitely felt as though I made my $ back since most of these samples would amount close to $10 anyway. Now I'm super excited for next month's box that should be arriving within the next week, so stay tuned!

OPI "Mini" Haul

I'm over the moon today guys!! For the past week, I've been on the hunt for OPI's "Pirates of the Caribbean" collection that released on May 1st. Now, I've never been a lover for "shatter" polishes since it's typically not my style but for some strange reason, I needed to get my hands on the "Silver Shatter." After days of going store to store, I stopped by the Et Amore Salon and settled for the "Black Shatter" polish that was a part of Katy Perry's OPI collection. I figured I could play around with it for the time being. I also picked up another color from Katy Perry's collection - "Not Like the Movies," which is a silver shimmer, teal color, and a backup of "Mod About You," which is one of my holy grail OPI colors.

Before turning back, I gave my luck one more shot and stopped by the Pure Beauty store. Lo and behold, TONS of the "Silver Shatter" polish in stock! Huge success! My immense joy also allowed me to pick up "Steady As she Rose" from the Pirates collection as well.

Shatter nail polishes are all the trend right now. OPI's website advertises more colors to come; some available in salons only. Other shatter colors out now are: "White," that seems to be sold out in most stores and "Red" that is a part of Serena Williams' collection. Colors such as Blue and Purple are also to come. China Glaze also makes an array of shatter polishes in teal, purple, pink, etc. Most are available to order online but for now, my collection is complete!