MAC Basic Brush Set: Great Brushes Without Breaking the Bank!

Although I own a lot of makeup brushes, I haven't bought a single brush from MAC. What a shocking confession, right? However, a cousin of mine gifted me a basic brush set from MAC as a parting gift before I moved to Florida for grad school. She's so cool and I miss her so much! My cousin is the one who introduced me to MAC and she probably has all the brushes MAC has ever made. As much as I love her brush collection, I don't have the budget to get all of them as combined, they are more than my monthly rent! But for the records, I have 20+ brushes in my stash right now and all of them are good.<br /><br />First thing first, please for the love of makeup, please throw away those sponge tip applicators! They are definitely not your friends! They do not blend your eyeshadows and suck a whole bunch of your precious colors inside as well. Ever wonder why MAC doesn't include them? Because that company loves you and wants you to use brushes to get flawless makeup.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4EtM8Z31x4TXmV_nfQHP03_IIuVT4RyJIGy0jmDg78Z2WILGtUIbVnj9hjIu30uGtRrFd69LWYd6BgL7o9ucfITyuVc0hfrW7G9STK4-DEYgALqAa6zFrjbfDePAoqYXzIyrU9ZDrz4/s1600-h/Sponge+Tip+Applicator.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226627974068726626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4EtM8Z31x4TXmV_nfQHP03_IIuVT4RyJIGy0jmDg78Z2WILGtUIbVnj9hjIu30uGtRrFd69LWYd6BgL7o9ucfITyuVc0hfrW7G9STK4-DEYgALqAa6zFrjbfDePAoqYXzIyrU9ZDrz4/s400/Sponge+Tip+Applicator.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Remember:</span> these are not your friends!<br /></div><br />During the winter holidays, MAC always introduce 3 sets of brushes: a basic 5-brush set, a face set, and an eye set. These are usually priced at $49.50 USD and come with a cool tote, clutch, or makeup bag. So for around 50 bucks you get to own 4 to 5 MAC brushes and a clutch. That's a sweet deal, don't you think?<br /><br />The brushes come in these sets are marked as SE as they are special edition brushes. So what are the differences between the SE's and the regular? There are quite a few notable ones:<br /><ul><li>The price: SE's are sold in sets at $49.50 USD each, so you spend $10-12.50 USD per brush. The full-size, regular MAC brushes range from $20-something to $40-50 USD.</li><li>The length of the handle: SE brushes have much shorter handles which deem as a problem to those who prefer longer handles. To me, I am quite comfortable with them. As I mentioned before, I have mad skillz!</li><li>The manufacturing process: SE brushes are machine made and cut while regular ones are handmade and cut. Some said the SE's are not as soft and I do agree to a certain degree. I also find some SE brushes are not as full but you get what you pay for so I don't complain.</li></ul>So should we get them? Definitely, especially when you are on a budget. These brushes are affordable and they are from MAC so they last a very long time if cared properly. Comparatively, I think the SE brushes are about 80% as good as the regular ones, which means they are very good compared to the norms. Also, if you just start with makeup, get one of these yourself and lobby your friends and family members to get the other sets for you as gifts. That way you have almost all of the brushes to create many different looks and achieve different effects.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJW_ZQzec2f_7bz2OmvAatkNoi0kMM923miFXX7XotmeY6bCcUgZNvToWLzqFWWhFmQYO-3flDiC4P68W_CoVJYyMX_wNj-3GNSmnyCLgStCQziMoFhgpaTbBbCmrvGu3f8QPtWLScqI/s1600-h/MAC+Brushes+002.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226630155735701682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJW_ZQzec2f_7bz2OmvAatkNoi0kMM923miFXX7XotmeY6bCcUgZNvToWLzqFWWhFmQYO-3flDiC4P68W_CoVJYyMX_wNj-3GNSmnyCLgStCQziMoFhgpaTbBbCmrvGu3f8QPtWLScqI/s400/MAC+Brushes+002.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>My MAC basic brush set since 2005<br />The set came in a makeup bag, probably from a MAC LE for Nordstrom as I got it during the summer<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7cVpFlEcPTvMcvMRBzNRJci7QSQJa2La-nMyDEPQLQhzwBE4TuBFYpC_-KqeTQPL4dXrHd1yVub7BUQg7SlSj2cV5cZUic8NnLtwCZdB37ms6XbU2u5SEfPY0jv4dK4gmVXyZKxQhLY/s1600-h/MAC+Brushes+001.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226630156744887234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7cVpFlEcPTvMcvMRBzNRJci7QSQJa2La-nMyDEPQLQhzwBE4TuBFYpC_-KqeTQPL4dXrHd1yVub7BUQg7SlSj2cV5cZUic8NnLtwCZdB37ms6XbU2u5SEfPY0jv4dK4gmVXyZKxQhLY/s400/MAC+Brushes+001.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>A close-up at the brushes, from left to right:<br />MAC 129SE, 239 SE, 219 SE, 266 SE, and 316 SE<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">MAC 129 SE is basically a powder brush that you can use to apply powder foundation, MSF, finishing powder and blushes. In my opinion, this SE brush is not as full as the regular size one and it is not as soft. I find it an OK brush to use but since I have better powder brushes, this guy is pretty much underutilized.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHKWUeu8PwvJ1mrN7w9dOZPAxuxAsfq-Nt3FuilPKJ5Vdd1hc4NEutRadh6Yvo0TRP195UGwojm_QKlNjPQOqhEfId04LSnzK7NZLVHxnHQsLHpTFzogrsk9rKMhyhwCJ6hWZZuk1q_4/s1600-h/MAC+Brushes+004.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226630161384163474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHKWUeu8PwvJ1mrN7w9dOZPAxuxAsfq-Nt3FuilPKJ5Vdd1hc4NEutRadh6Yvo0TRP195UGwojm_QKlNjPQOqhEfId04LSnzK7NZLVHxnHQsLHpTFzogrsk9rKMhyhwCJ6hWZZuk1q_4/s400/MAC+Brushes+004.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Close-up of the 129SE<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">MAC 239SE: the basic eyeshadow brush that everybody needs! I am serious, if you haven't bought one, go ahead and get one. This brush packs color like no others and it took me quite a while to get used to it. It is not a blending brush as it's quite stiff and the hair is quite short so take my advice and <span style="font-style: italic;">do not use it to blend</span>.<br /><br /></div></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2p2dMXbWs7g5I8oVwLTkSUE5D2Y-5KCUPyZHiufWL-nVd1SBldPEKvE1w2XRbpVRVLVJ-q2GrxwOL7eNdIkeEoKDNqSuu4EcawIpbmbV45ss3tSApyFaQ9cLF-ncOvdBDFi_UHW-tsjA/s1600-h/MAC+Brushes+005.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226630159842684002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2p2dMXbWs7g5I8oVwLTkSUE5D2Y-5KCUPyZHiufWL-nVd1SBldPEKvE1w2XRbpVRVLVJ-q2GrxwOL7eNdIkeEoKDNqSuu4EcawIpbmbV45ss3tSApyFaQ9cLF-ncOvdBDFi_UHW-tsjA/s400/MAC+Brushes+005.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>MAC 239 SE: a must-have<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">MAC 219 SE: this one is my love! Since I started applying more smokey eyes, this little guy is a charm. It smudges your eyeliner way better than a slanted eye brush and gives you that sultry, sexy smokey look that is oh-so-chic! "Pencil brush, the name is pencil brush!" (à la James Bond)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1bw_35q-wqu0Ezp5kN-Wny-TfIOtWfHXOnOLkvrm3E-bCeX79tuC1bFPvi-gOPhEk4-v0njrw4wDRS-DAW9qHTWb173J6SVEjMkBE4PUu_hOfwk9wpIQ2yDirMfxHU3DlBe7MhXiZy8/s1600-h/MAC+Brushes+006.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226631293267097394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1bw_35q-wqu0Ezp5kN-Wny-TfIOtWfHXOnOLkvrm3E-bCeX79tuC1bFPvi-gOPhEk4-v0njrw4wDRS-DAW9qHTWb173J6SVEjMkBE4PUu_hOfwk9wpIQ2yDirMfxHU3DlBe7MhXiZy8/s400/MAC+Brushes+006.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Want zexy eyes? Get me!<br />Je m'appel le crayon pinceau!<br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">MAC 266 SE: the small angle brush. This is EnKore's favorite brush, I believe. I kept on hearing him saying "MAC 266" with passion but did not understand what's so fab about this guy. The truth is, it is probably the thinnest synthetic brush I've ever seen! Hence, it is perfect for lining your eyes with powder and fluidlines. It's also good for tightlining and creating that sharp v at the outer corner of your eyes. However, to create a shadow from the eyelid to the outer corner of your eyebrow, this brush is too thin.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYj5IoSPBnaQi-0SDw9fQ8DGPDI_B_UzHWMzb-yx2TcxlZZ8Wno_EnEFd9q7EuY0tvOeA7PXnWER15yDnUHp6mPvbd232Ld2V6Eahyphenhyphen-x_juClXReevBz2FvtFZ7HVuYqLpW6OEyz2O_OY/s1600-h/MAC+Brushes+007.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226631298460495938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYj5IoSPBnaQi-0SDw9fQ8DGPDI_B_UzHWMzb-yx2TcxlZZ8Wno_EnEFd9q7EuY0tvOeA7PXnWER15yDnUHp6mPvbd232Ld2V6Eahyphenhyphen-x_juClXReevBz2FvtFZ7HVuYqLpW6OEyz2O_OY/s400/MAC+Brushes+007.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The</span> MAC 266 SE<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And finally, MAC 316 SE: the lip brush. It's synthetic and it can be used as a lip brush or a concealer brush. Just wash it before you switch its function. There's nothing special about it, just a lip brush.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbfMqYiK659vwnYwDN3E4xibs4JSdDjvtholIAMbz7H7hXRcUxyHDVv78IXROe4FuYIbTiZbQx1XuqKa_d1CfjgS-9q5z5Co-U62ByqNCkMa97UBYTkRvRP0E_EjA6XyNwNQEuH57OqY/s1600-h/MAC+Brushes+008.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226631300352210610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbfMqYiK659vwnYwDN3E4xibs4JSdDjvtholIAMbz7H7hXRcUxyHDVv78IXROe4FuYIbTiZbQx1XuqKa_d1CfjgS-9q5z5Co-U62ByqNCkMa97UBYTkRvRP0E_EjA6XyNwNQEuH57OqY/s400/MAC+Brushes+008.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>MAC 316SE: the lip brush<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Did you notice anything? MAC has a way to label their brushes: face brushes are 1xx (like the powder brush is 129), eye brushes are 2xx (239, 219, 266), and lip brushes are 3xx (316). So if you go on eBay and someone is trying to sell you a face brush that starts with 2-something or 3-something, you know it is a fake one. I think about 10 years ago, the MAC labelling system was a bit different as they only had a few brushes and used two digits instead of three. But those brushes are most likely not on sale today and those who have them are hard-core MAC addicts.<br /><br />If you want to get a set but do not want to wait until November/December, you can head straight to Nordstrom right now for their <a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/6018765/0%7E2377897%7E2383939%7E2378438%7E6018765">Colour Forms</a> brushes. These LE brushes are made especially for Nordstrom from MAC and only happens once a year. This year the basic brush set looks quite promising.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMrYe2MHTQXIaNILVm21ltfKifIlntooruQ_akyV0fF9bYPBl4rq_vLoRthcSTgrD00m-GjjKJc9_ZchzReFcFcTOli1T-T9N_BK-VlHraZLNSFwSis2QRtOT9rlGjHrxY2o4JTc3N30/s1600-h/MAC+colour+form+brush+set.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226627979563848642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMrYe2MHTQXIaNILVm21ltfKifIlntooruQ_akyV0fF9bYPBl4rq_vLoRthcSTgrD00m-GjjKJc9_ZchzReFcFcTOli1T-T9N_BK-VlHraZLNSFwSis2QRtOT9rlGjHrxY2o4JTc3N30/s400/MAC+colour+form+brush+set.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 297px; height: 455px;" /></a>The basic brush set<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It has a foundation brush, a blending brush, and a concealer brush. No pencil brush or eyeshadow brush in the set so it's quite a different set here.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52B9zYVEL7geHEypZkKKFyIsXQ54xV84_l9v6y4X1Gmhx4kPbTAQ-9M7gf4t7PKBrmFA96Zu1_X8jg-5j05EXPuVlOeBKk-Ufs4qOAEI2t0ih4kFvIRqMWIHrdgI5nzSgvpfq29ophiE/s1600-h/MAC+color+form+advanced.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226638592035546338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52B9zYVEL7geHEypZkKKFyIsXQ54xV84_l9v6y4X1Gmhx4kPbTAQ-9M7gf4t7PKBrmFA96Zu1_X8jg-5j05EXPuVlOeBKk-Ufs4qOAEI2t0ih4kFvIRqMWIHrdgI5nzSgvpfq29ophiE/s400/MAC+color+form+advanced.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 331px; height: 507px;" /></a>The advanced brush set also looks like fun<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So there you have it, my take on MAC basic brush set. I adore mine and take care of them well. They still look and feel the same as they were, now that's how good brushes should be. However, the basic brush set is well, basic. You need some couple more brushes to really spread your creative wings. I promise to make an entry about a starter brush kit of you're interested. Just give me a holla and I'll do it for you.<br /><br />Take care and remember: you don't get the professional look without using the professional tools.<br />Your Makeup Blogger<br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>

MAC Basic Brush Set: Great Brushes Without Breaking the Bank!

Although I own a lot of makeup brushes, I haven't bought a single brush from MAC. What a shocking confession, right? However, a cousin of mine gifted me a basic brush set from MAC as a parting gift before I moved to Florida for grad school. She's so cool and I miss her so much! My cousin is the one …

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Reinterpreting the Shirt Dress

<span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >Shirt dresses are the best. They are smart, sophisticated but still very feminine and daytime perfect. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SJERJInon1I/AAAAAAAACO0/4je8kFmxGWA/s1600-h/Shirt+Dress-+Ralph+Lauren.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228979490984075090" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SJERJInon1I/AAAAAAAACO0/4je8kFmxGWA/s400/Shirt+Dress-+Ralph+Lauren.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Tailored, clean cut, prim and pretty, they are the sisters to classic DVF wrap dresses (and can even be worn by girls less well endowed in the chest area!). These kind of shirt dresses, like the ones shown from Ralph Lauren, will never go out of style. </span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >But in a more casual atmosphere, as I almost <span style="font-style: italic;">always</span> find myself in, sometimes these shirt dresses make me feel slightly too dressed up, even if they are designed to be perfect for the daytime- like a sore thumb who somehow landed on the streets from the country club. </span><br /><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SJERJfGx22I/AAAAAAAACO8/hZimPHZHz-g/s1600-h/Shirt+Dress-+DVF+%2B+Sass+%26+Bide.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228979497020283746" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SJERJfGx22I/AAAAAAAACO8/hZimPHZHz-g/s400/Shirt+Dress-+DVF+%2B+Sass+%26+Bide.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Luckily for me, the newly updated shirt dress this season neatly solves my dilemma. They are less structured, more casual, with fun, youthful details. And yet they still manage to maintain the very proper and put together effect of a classic shirt dress! These two are from DVF (left) and Sass & Bide (right). I especially love how they made it into a high collar instead on the Sass & Bide dress.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SJERJXAy5FI/AAAAAAAACPE/tim93PCJDek/s1600-h/Shirt+Dress-+Paul+and+Joe+Sister+%2B+Phillip+Lim+3.1"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228979494847702098" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SJERJXAy5FI/AAAAAAAACPE/tim93PCJDek/s400/Shirt+Dress-+Paul+and+Joe+Sister+%2B+Phillip+Lim+3.1" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Over at Paul and Joe Sister (left) and Derek Lam 3.1 (right), they turned in the buttons and switched it for laces . Usually I'm not a fan of this type of lacing up (too Pocahontas!), but I think it works here. It gives it a more casual, outdoor-sy feeling to the whole look.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SJERJea4fOI/AAAAAAAACPM/paxSYAtIZyI/s1600-h/Shirt+Dress-+TopShop+%2B+Nordstrom.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228979496836168930" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SJERJea4fOI/AAAAAAAACPM/paxSYAtIZyI/s400/Shirt+Dress-+TopShop+%2B+Nordstrom.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Here are two of my favourite reinterpretations of the shirt dress from Top Shop (left) and Corey Lynn Calter from Nordstrom (right). The Top Shop dress barely looks like a shirt dress with its wide round collar, bubbly sleeves and scrunching. But all the crucial elements are still there. With the right accessories i.e. big colorful necklace, this dress would look so cool and now. Going in the opposite direction, the dress from Nordstrom is loose but still structured in a futuristic kind of way. The addition of the bright yellow belt is absolutely genius. It completes the look. I DEFINITELY wouldn't mind owning this dress!<br /><br />Image Source: <a href="http://www.ralphlauren.com/home/index.jsp?ab=global_logo">Ralph Lauren</a>, <a href="http://paulandjoe.com/">Paul and Joe Sister</a>, <a href="http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?storeId=12556&catalogId=19551">Top Shop</a>, <a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/?origin=tab-logo">Nordstrom</a> and <a href="http://www.net-a-porter.com/am/Home.ice">Net a Porter</a></span>

Reinterpreting the Shirt Dress

Shirt dresses are the best. They are smart, sophisticated but still very feminine and daytime perfect. Tailored, clean cut, prim and pretty, they are the sisters to classic DVF wrap dresses (and can even be worn by girls less well endowed in the chest area!). These kind of shirt dresses, like the on…

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MAC Starflash and Lustretwins Launched Tomorrow!

Attention MAC fanatics! It's this time of the month again when we all gather our money around and scour to the mall for another round of MAC LE. Yup, our creative gods/goddesses at MAC have answered our prayers and launching two LE collections online yesterday and in store tomorrow. I'm all excited, how about you?<br /><br />Let's go over the two collections, shall we?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Collection numero uno:</span> <a href="http://www.maccosmetics.com/templates/collections/collection.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY27758">Starflash</a><br /><br />According to MAC, Starflash is "Hollywood's new Power Couple. Our 12 new limited-edition Starflash shadows, combined with Kohl Power Eye Pencil. Shades for a smooth, creamy, cushioned life. Provides the double-wattage impact that will take you to the new stylesphere!"<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89rOrckzLwswOIs0csOJArOFUOdapbh_eopPakstMXzi-kRo5SIpwvg7HdjxORvXHJWJQcHL38IeNcNp1cuQrt4n0_He7o6p2yfcF9VxRXbFDrQwtqE1hMpxFA1k99nNr0gVShVJSRU8/s1600-h/starflash.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228501954488527538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89rOrckzLwswOIs0csOJArOFUOdapbh_eopPakstMXzi-kRo5SIpwvg7HdjxORvXHJWJQcHL38IeNcNp1cuQrt4n0_He7o6p2yfcF9VxRXbFDrQwtqE1hMpxFA1k99nNr0gVShVJSRU8/s400/starflash.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>The collection includes 12 brand new eyeshadows at $14.50 USD a piece, 4 Kohl power eye pencils also at $14.50 USD a piece, and Plushlash mascara ($12 USD).<br /><br />Notice the price increase here: eyeshadows and pencils increased by 50 cents while the mascara increase by 1 dollar.<br /><br />I think the eyeshadows have a little bit for everyone: blues, purples, pinks, and neutrals. Right now I am lemming for Star by Night although it looks awfully familiar, Glamour Check!, and Sunset B.<br /><br />I do not pretty much care about the Kohl eye pencils at all since some of them are repromoted (Feline, a couple of times, Orpheus, and probably Mystery). I do not care at all for MAC mascaras and since they increase by $1, I am not going to buy!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Collection numero dos:</span> <a href="http://www.maccosmetics.com/templates/collections/collection.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY27760">Lustretwins</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5atyFcNPiHstvipu9y2RhXNjrltjOjQkPPTV50cagXuhEKU-Cx_-CeW4jZo0mhcL9YJ10gKb9OI7ouMflvA0ptlCbDcrnSUw1DycThKCJ7Kr9zj2IdNgyHVO6yPQwUnAiApcmr4dwmk/s1600-h/lustretwins.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228501954886571074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5atyFcNPiHstvipu9y2RhXNjrltjOjQkPPTV50cagXuhEKU-Cx_-CeW4jZo0mhcL9YJ10gKb9OI7ouMflvA0ptlCbDcrnSUw1DycThKCJ7Kr9zj2IdNgyHVO6yPQwUnAiApcmr4dwmk/s400/lustretwins.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 418px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 448px;" /></a>According to MAC, Lustretwins collection provides "nine new shades of Pro Longwear Lustre Lipcolour featuring an exclusive sheer pigment top coat, with three Nail Lacquers. Separate if you must, but these Lustre Twins shouldn't live without each other. Codependent couture colour and shine starts here!"<br /><br />The name and swatch of the lustretwin lip colors are included in the screenshot. At $20 USD a piece, it's officially the most expensive piece of lippie ever made from MAC. Also, the 3 nail lacquers are $11 USD a piece and "$$$$$ Yes" (pronounced "Cash Yes") is a repromote from Heatherette collection. "Firehouse" may be something new but "Perplexing" looks familiar.<br /><br />Since I did not get a good product picture online, I had to settle with a screenshot for y'all. Basically, the lustretwin lipcolor has a longwear lustre lipcolor at one end and a top coat at another. From what I heard at Specktra, the longwear lustre lip color was released before and it was quite aweful. I was wondering why I did not remember such a LE release and finally it dawned on me: the initial release failed to make a bang! I do hope this time MAC makes their products a bit better. However, I do not blame on MAC since most longwear lip products are really drying and flaking.<br /><br />What about me? Will I buy anything from these two collections?<br /><br />I can see myself owning one or two items from Starflash. However, I'm not sure if I want to own anything from Lustretwins simply because I do not like the texture of those longwear lip colors. I may get "$$$$$ Yes" since I really heart it from the Heatherette collection but that's a big maybe. I'm not a fan of $11 per bottle of nail polish, you know!<br /><br />Beauties, I do hope you have fun. Gather your cash and get to MAC as early as you can tomorrow. And let me know what you think about these two LE's ok?<br /><br />Take care and have fun!<br />Your Makeup Blogger<br /><br />P.S: Free shipping code from MAC: enter STARFLASH when you check out to receive free shipping, offer ends on 8/09/08.

MAC Starflash and Lustretwins Launched Tomorrow!

Attention MAC fanatics! It's this time of the month again when we all gather our money around and scour to the mall for another round of MAC LE. Yup, our creative gods/goddesses at MAC have answered our prayers and launching two LE collections online yesterday and in store tomorrow. I'm all excited,…

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Sephora Beauty Fever Palette: the "Home Away from Home" Kit

I have to admit that I love makeup palettes very much. This love stemmed from a tender age of 5 or 6 when my mom brought home an eyeshadow palette for herself. I remembered being mesmerized by all the colors and dreamed of the day when I could have one for myself. My cousins and I used to take her palette and applied makeup on ourselves, more of them doing it to me as I was the youngest.<br /><br />Fast forward to 2008 and many palettes later that I owned, I still can't shake off the longing of the perfect makeup palette with eye shadows, blushes, and lip colors. While the market for good single-item makeup is huge, the number of good makeup palettes is small. I've heard about Sephora makeup palette for a while but was <s>chicken out</s> intimidated by the website so I didn't order. On top of that, my apprehension of color palettes is also huge as many of them out there are simple space wasters since they are chalky and lack pigments.<br /><br />The Sephora palettes really changes my palate as it is compact yet choke full of wonderful colors. If I had to be out of the house for a month and can only bring one makeup item with me besides my foundation, the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P192202&categoryId=C17377&shouldPaginate=true">Sephora Beauty Fever palette</a> is the one.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7BV1WejcP6j_LASFg3GI-3efeV0oNR_HfWn3Q0LZK8xeH8f_8JcuKBomvSBIpw_DlV2QONcfmrlxCAqfBJaeNlYI0LlyNs2euiPQcKv7C0nwpsqETxFx0pABM4WwvwVA_salJiCiLp4/s1600-h/Sephora+Order+003.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225929815314172290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7BV1WejcP6j_LASFg3GI-3efeV0oNR_HfWn3Q0LZK8xeH8f_8JcuKBomvSBIpw_DlV2QONcfmrlxCAqfBJaeNlYI0LlyNs2euiPQcKv7C0nwpsqETxFx0pABM4WwvwVA_salJiCiLp4/s400/Sephora+Order+003.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>Here is how it looks upclose and personal<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGsyVCQ6suOCD-UK1dwvKL2Z8-61uI-e5_cHtQ4YjkQCf2LhZxD1CIjrHN_5t1jObe4a5hpWpdAKvKVNaSy8boAJPaCnMzplVpOBm7ZA77sUCdG3pd6s6TpIEB6bX_W_AoHQWjGDRw0EQ/s1600-h/Sephora+Order+001.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225929820171471682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGsyVCQ6suOCD-UK1dwvKL2Z8-61uI-e5_cHtQ4YjkQCf2LhZxD1CIjrHN_5t1jObe4a5hpWpdAKvKVNaSy8boAJPaCnMzplVpOBm7ZA77sUCdG3pd6s6TpIEB6bX_W_AoHQWjGDRw0EQ/s400/Sephora+Order+001.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>For comparison purpose, I placed it next to Shakira's CD<br />Although it is smaller than your typical CD case, this palette is 2 times thicker<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfN011l_FxDoQAI-gm3XoeFaI77DejP1Rj48aOvj5_bjPy77tCc0tPf2Qnx6HkeRo3ckOdwsuC6YyVCal77UZMkqjpKE-d9U7qdkH6V4JroKT4lC5W5I7ZpO8PcjNNZaj9scMW68i_SAA/s1600-h/Sephora+Order+005.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225929821876778194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfN011l_FxDoQAI-gm3XoeFaI77DejP1Rj48aOvj5_bjPy77tCc0tPf2Qnx6HkeRo3ckOdwsuC6YyVCal77UZMkqjpKE-d9U7qdkH6V4JroKT4lC5W5I7ZpO8PcjNNZaj9scMW68i_SAA/s400/Sephora+Order+005.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>First layer: 12 eyeshadows and 2 blushes<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0Wer5qKefUsky26n9vmm_T9qmoZbIteNvP9vy6tzsZJZ41FULJsxvLxr4GEilOhEoEASvxR07gdzn6Bq-8sJpTQDW7SfBLfptQrRvSZwsc_V_OhzwpP-u001dqXAy4jahdpAwHIo0-M/s1600-h/Sephora+Order+006.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225931525778109922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0Wer5qKefUsky26n9vmm_T9qmoZbIteNvP9vy6tzsZJZ41FULJsxvLxr4GEilOhEoEASvxR07gdzn6Bq-8sJpTQDW7SfBLfptQrRvSZwsc_V_OhzwpP-u001dqXAy4jahdpAwHIo0-M/s400/Sephora+Order+006.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>Here's how it looks when totally opened<br />3 layers of 12 eye shadows, 2 blushes, 7 lip colors, contouring powders, mascara, and applicators<br />Sweet!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWxFiGb82doWmSK8XdeS9f4eYkbe5dNdo80wewFiS4qbaBLmRwLbQG9X5-f-1FQG6hztCAjjpE986TGF0l8v4sCzgsTongsNZMz3aXDabKNhts4QpMqbFG3XKDa4dHHtokV64b52p5Io/s1600-h/Sephora+Order+026.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225931527222995906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWxFiGb82doWmSK8XdeS9f4eYkbe5dNdo80wewFiS4qbaBLmRwLbQG9X5-f-1FQG6hztCAjjpE986TGF0l8v4sCzgsTongsNZMz3aXDabKNhts4QpMqbFG3XKDa4dHHtokV64b52p5Io/s400/Sephora+Order+026.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>Swatches of the eye shadows and blush on the left panel<br />This palette has the best purples I've ever seen!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uP1P6yM0tomhD3VPSXFP1EsaPEUXX_v53Wws_toHhw7byiDk3cJdWw9_Ksd-iZqPcIoFaOD-OTdlmcW0RlYeMlPlgHjBEAueF2ILnptP8_du1WgnhLxOZCmwmYqOEFDlphjLFQUqiA0/s1600-h/Sephora+Order+027.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225931528547208066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uP1P6yM0tomhD3VPSXFP1EsaPEUXX_v53Wws_toHhw7byiDk3cJdWw9_Ksd-iZqPcIoFaOD-OTdlmcW0RlYeMlPlgHjBEAueF2ILnptP8_du1WgnhLxOZCmwmYqOEFDlphjLFQUqiA0/s400/Sephora+Order+027.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>Colors on the right panel<br />I think I miss one color, argh!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgJFmDq4GGBJ5UB1mB7vDdI6ZFreeJDP71feV1UbiDzmg35b5e3sQPwFb7dUMvZ7rHwhZqQaSUxHwT3-zbNyTSUz7YwhImqYYEsS9E5G_v7huhKF18-pRMP9uLTJc9uGXgzKJaKiWr4I/s1600-h/Sephora+Order+030.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225931533677778754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgJFmDq4GGBJ5UB1mB7vDdI6ZFreeJDP71feV1UbiDzmg35b5e3sQPwFb7dUMvZ7rHwhZqQaSUxHwT3-zbNyTSUz7YwhImqYYEsS9E5G_v7huhKF18-pRMP9uLTJc9uGXgzKJaKiWr4I/s400/Sephora+Order+030.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>Les lip rouge, 7 of 'em!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIEEMUCmBU1mbyu7Ywn-eSK51svSUbsPF91Cth5a1_6pnJDyTpMncC9DKGdTyDn5Ofv6q0Pq9MtHyACVE_8yAdZaEhJX16QR87hbBa8LPZsYbBTEhOruOIgW304z_v9Tm6HWvGsjMfsA/s1600-h/Sephora+Order+033.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225933314796196194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIEEMUCmBU1mbyu7Ywn-eSK51svSUbsPF91Cth5a1_6pnJDyTpMncC9DKGdTyDn5Ofv6q0Pq9MtHyACVE_8yAdZaEhJX16QR87hbBa8LPZsYbBTEhOruOIgW304z_v9Tm6HWvGsjMfsA/s400/Sephora+Order+033.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>Contouring colors<br />Somehow Blogger decided to turn my picture side way!<br />Another argh!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">My take on this palette is: it's a good one! It's a good palette for travel, even when you're away from home for months. If you have an eyeliner brush, you don't need to bring your eyeliner with you as well. Also, I think it's a great gift for your younger sisters, friends, and whoever new to makeup and want to learn the blending techniques. The colors are soft and powdery enough for blending yet pigmented enough to show on your face.<br /><br />The eye shadows are pigmented and soft, therefore good for blending. I was afraid it would be chalky but it's quite silky in my opinion. It has shimmering, and matte colors. The shimmers are not too glittery but really mature sorts. I love the purples! There are 4 of them in there and they go well together. Most purples usually gives me the black eye, just being punched look but these guys are just cute. There are enough neutral colors to keep you moving, a black eyeshadow for those who love smokey eyes and a green one for the jewel-tone lovers. No blues, what a bummer! If you want blues, the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P168945&categoryId=C17377&shouldPaginate=true">Sephora Classic Blockbuster palette</a> is for you. It's bigger, badder, and about $28 USD more!<br /><br />The lip colors are pigmented but the white one (on the left panel) is not necessary. The blushes are quite pigmented. Since I'm a medium skin tone girl, the darker blush is fine for me. It's a rosy color and quite cute. The other one is light bubblegum pink which does not show on my cheeks as it's too light for me. Contouring colors are ok but not so fab. The bronzer is not glittery so it's good as a contouring powder. The highlighting powder, on the other hand, is not all that as it lacks the shimmer needed in its sort. The little mascara I have no comment since I haven't used it yet.<br /><br />The little things they called applicators are the ones that I loath. They're just wasting space since they're too tiny and too stiff to use anyways. Sephora should just ditch them and add, I don't know, 2 or 3 more colors in their space. Moreover, what does a palette do without a mirror? I want a mirror, Sephora!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">My rating:</span> A, could have been A+ if they ditched the applicators, give me a mirror and some blue eyeshadows!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Price:</span> $20 USD at <a href="http://www.sephora.com/">Sephora.com</a> (to put in perspective, that's 50 cents more than a MAC pigment!)<br /><br />I *heart* this palette but did not find enough information about it online. If any of you want to purchase it, I will say "Go ahead! It's worth your money!"<br /><br />Take care y'all and be gorgeous!<br />Your Makeup Blogger<br /><br />P.S: What's up with you guys? No love for me? Where are all my comments? Come on! Gimme gimme some comments, will ya?</div></div>

Sephora Beauty Fever Palette: the "Home Away from Home" Kit

I have to admit that I love makeup palettes very much. This love stemmed from a tender age of 5 or 6 when my mom brought home an eyeshadow palette for herself. I remembered being mesmerized by all the colors and dreamed of the day when I could have one for myself. My cousins and I used to take her p…

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Urban Renewal

<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >I usually walk past the Urban Renewal section of Urban Outfitters, thinking it is vintage stuff, which is not really my thing (not unless they come from a member of my family anyway). <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SI-zMBTi0bI/AAAAAAAACOU/Oz-nAaGxEDk/s1600-h/Urban+Renewal.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228594711490646450" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SI-zMBTi0bI/AAAAAAAACOU/Oz-nAaGxEDk/s400/Urban+Renewal.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>At the back of my head, I'd always wondered exactly <span style="font-style: italic;">how</span> they got so many vintage items of the same style in different sizes together in one place. I mean, aren't vintage items supposed to be unique? But I'd never really been interested enough to read the fine print on their website and find out how. It wasn't until my friend mentioned it the other day that I realized what it was. Apparently what they do is collect vintage clothes/fabric and put them together to form new, more updated clothes. <span style="font-style: italic;">That </span>is how they come up with so many pieces of the same style in different sizes. You can buy it at the store or online, where they claim you can even choose colors and they'd make you a completely unique piece using different materials in the same cutting as shown. The whole idea is to re-use materials and it has been around for over 20 years (before the whole go green craze!)- I didn't even know that Urban Outfitters have been around for over 20 years, let alone this division.<br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SI-zMXGz-vI/AAAAAAAACOs/Au2tiuhnPG4/s1600-h/Urban+Renewal+3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228594717342825202" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SI-zMXGz-vI/AAAAAAAACOs/Au2tiuhnPG4/s400/Urban+Renewal+3.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >One of the reasons I don't like vintage clothes is that whenever I see them they almost always look very dated, hippie and bohemian like, which is <span style="font-style: italic;">so</span> over - thank god! And indeed they do have such stereotypical vintage clothing in this collection here (above: ugh). In fact, most of the collection is like this and I was not impressed. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SI-zMIoLu1I/AAAAAAAACOc/cPM1Z1HGDJk/s1600-h/Urban+Renewal+1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228594713456261970" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SI-zMIoLu1I/AAAAAAAACOc/cPM1Z1HGDJk/s400/Urban+Renewal+1.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>However, there <span style="font-style: italic;">were</span> a few pieces that are intriguing- like this denim vest (right). The extra trimming is quite sharp and refreshing! I'm not really sure how this black blazer (left) is vintage, but I like the cutting.<br /></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SI-zMTvAk4I/AAAAAAAACOk/fAblpvhMgRw/s1600-h/Urban+Renewal+2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228594716437681026" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SI-zMTvAk4I/AAAAAAAACOk/fAblpvhMgRw/s400/Urban+Renewal+2.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>The ruffled tunic shirt (left) is feminine and romantic looking. Perfect paired with that crisp cropped blazer above! And the floral skirt is cute, reminds me of the floral skirts in the Prada ads this season. Though one should be careful when wearing that in case you look like you're wearing your curtains. Paired with something smart, tailored and modern, it would look stunning.<br /><br />The thing is though, I'm still not really sure how I feel about this concept of "Urban Renewal." Besides the fact that you <span style="font-style: italic;">still</span> do not know who the previous (many!) owners are, I heard that the renewed material is very scratchy and not very comfortable. On the other hand, we do use recycled paper and bags......so why not clothes? Thoughts?<br /><br />Image Source: <a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/category.jsp?popId=cat30002&navAction=jump&navCount=301&id=W_APP_RENEWAL">Urban Outfitters</a><br /></span>

Urban Renewal

I usually walk past the Urban Renewal section of Urban Outfitters, thinking it is vintage stuff, which is not really my thing (not unless they come from a member of my family anyway). At the back of my head, I'd always wondered exactly how they got so many vintage items of the same style in differe…

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The UV Rays Up There

<div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">So remember how I've been travelling a bit last month? Most of the flights I took were daytime flights and one thing that really irritates me about daytime flights is the amount of sunlight in the plane. This might sound weird to most people, and even my parents think I'm a total freak for applying sunscreen before a flight but here's the logic: up there in the sky, there are no shades or clouds or anything so the UV rays are naturally stronger and more direct. And it doesn't help that almost all passengers love keeping their window covers up and let the sunlight get through. I usually try to get a windows seat just to keep the blinds down!</span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">So maybe I'm a bit overly paranoid. But while going through my magazines from this year (before throwing them away,) I noticed Elle (UK) had a "Top Tips For A Healthy Flight" editorial from a few months ago. Most of these tips are pretty much what you always read about, like make sure you hydrate by drinking lots of water and applying good moisturiser *<em>Insert product recommendations</em>, naturally*. So most of the time I ignore these editorials since let's face it, they basically just tell you common sense and sell you a bunch of unnecessary beauty products. But there was a 'tip' that I just <em>have</em> to share here since not most people seem to not know or care about:</span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">"Wear a lotion containing sunscreens. 'Recent Studies show that UV rays can penetrate an airplane's windows. Because you're higher, the sun's rays are stronger as there's less proection from the atmosphere,' warns Dr Tom Monroe, director of research and development at Clinique."</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228010826985624114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkvPFwouCgZEvUwDHnq9RrnsQUcx2wTdfcQLfVpamIYuvMF6L-aczi-_oPrGkNkGr3oZLGceb0IRgA72h_jJPKKIaex_3DkypP6LrM3xG6EUbGbxAkuX2k5aDBUV99QZp99f20ZLOD9_H/s400/Bioderma+Photoderm.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />See! It's not just me. OK, so a doctor from a major beauty company saying this obviously has commercial reasons, but it sounds logical doesn't it? I'm no dermatologist so I have no idea which sunscreen is the best, but BG and I do love Bioderma's SPF products. </span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Anyhow, I actually wanted to write this post to rant about people who keep their window blinds up during the flight -just because you like the sun and don't mind the UV rays damaging your skin cells doesn't mean the passenger next to you wants that! OK, rant over.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Image Credit: </span><a href="http://www.bioderma.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">www.bioderma.com</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></div>

The UV Rays Up There

So remember how I've been travelling a bit last month? Most of the flights I took were daytime flights and one thing that really irritates me about daytime flights is the amount of sunlight in the plane. This might sound weird to most people, and even my parents think I'm a total freak for applying …

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The 5-Minute Makeup Challenge

If I have to choose between an extra 10 minute of shut eyes and a half hour standing in front of the mirror primping myself in the morning, I will definitely choose the previous one. Trust me people, no amount of makeup can wash the grump out of my face all day long. Aren't we all needing those 5 or 10 minutes in bed before heading out for another day? While most days I would go out without makeup, I think it's important to have a quick makeup routine that makes you look polished and chic in no time. So ladies and gentlemen, may I present you my 5-minute makeup routine!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbSvokf2t2MITSfAmY7R2VhJZ4wwPAKlwpNvj4HZX_dfdwa2bZqgt_Wls1cQl05xDIzbmGD_4f6VodfDUUcez1sYOjxT6zGZVImdTJ8JveJI9MN3kdhkQmLn-VhIByzk9yK5CHP_zsVI/s1600-h/face+038.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225904529888152770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbSvokf2t2MITSfAmY7R2VhJZ4wwPAKlwpNvj4HZX_dfdwa2bZqgt_Wls1cQl05xDIzbmGD_4f6VodfDUUcez1sYOjxT6zGZVImdTJ8JveJI9MN3kdhkQmLn-VhIByzk9yK5CHP_zsVI/s400/face+038.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>From sleepy-head to fab in 5 minutes, can you do it?<br />I think you can!</div><br />Ok, you can stop clapping now and let's get to work!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Step 1:</span> Face forward with your tinted moisturizer<br /><br />Remember my first tip on <a href="http://mymakeupblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/wimbledon-and-how-not-to-melt-under-sun.html">this post</a>? We do the same here by using tinted moisturizers as they really save us some precious time on blending. Since I started using mineral makeup, I tossed away all my bottles of liquid foundation! So how can I make myself some tinted moisturizer?<br /><br />Don't be panic, you still can get the tint you want out of your mineral foundation. However, make sure you check it first to see if it's water soluble. From my experience, Silk Naturals foundation is water-resistant due to the silk powder in there but Everyday Minerals foundation is not. So I squirted a dollop of my moisturizer with SPF on the palm of my hand and sprinkled a bit of EM foundation on it. Then I mix them together to create my own mineral tinted moisturizer!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIALr0ZQTYBhU2Q47r2IOdcj6VixTuR9d5H8brIvpnuIA3tpQdDoTvr0dmLaanxE4vpcnM7eO4vp9eaV_WySD5BlD7OH_6wMt9eduk4yEl43cWad9DqdNV8cL-zXAqVLVW2GM3v7NJsA/s1600-h/face+021.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225904527841816674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIALr0ZQTYBhU2Q47r2IOdcj6VixTuR9d5H8brIvpnuIA3tpQdDoTvr0dmLaanxE4vpcnM7eO4vp9eaV_WySD5BlD7OH_6wMt9eduk4yEl43cWad9DqdNV8cL-zXAqVLVW2GM3v7NJsA/s400/face+021.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>Moisturizer and mineral foundation on the palm of my hand before mixing them together</div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Step 2:</span> Eye time by applying cream eyeshadow to all over your eyelids<br /><br />I love <a href="http://mymakeupblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/mac-paint-pots-my-pride-and-joy.html">MAC Paint Pot</a> in Bare Study to do this job. It glides smoothly on my eyes without tugging the skin and creates a lovely and sheer wash all over it. This color is so popular that it's hard to find these days. It's also a fave in wedding makeup.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Step 3a:</span> Line and smudge your eyes using a creamy eye liner<br /><br />Since we totally skip the 10 layers of eye shadows here, the eye liner is a good way to make your eyes pop without using lots of colors. In my early days, I did not get to own a lot of eyeshadows so my brown eye liner was a godsend. I can draw a chubby line and use a Q-tip to smudge the line as close to the lashes as possible. Moreover, the line doesn't need to be precised either. You can use eyeliners in black, brown, dark navy, dark purple,... whatever color your heart desires and smudge the heck out of it with your Q-tip or your pencil brush (ie MAC 219, my fave!)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Step 3b:</span> Fix your eyebrows<br /><br />If the eyes are the windows to your soul, the eyebrows are the Golden Gates of your face. Fixing your eyebrows with some clear brow gel really makes your eyes stand out more and gives you a polished look fast.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Step 3c:</span> Swipe some mascara<br /><br />Using a curling mascara to save you time, applying one or two coats of mascara on your lashes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Step 4:</span> Blush up baby!<br /><br />Apply your favorite blush to the apple of your cheeks. Since we're going for a quite minimalistic look, a bit (or a lot) of blush really makes a difference. I opt for a lot because blushes can brighten up my face with minimal effort.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Step 5: </span>Paint your pouty lips<br /><br />I prefer lipgloss for this job as they do not require a lot of application time: swipe and go! However, if you're heading outside on a hot day, a tinted lip color may be better as it holds the color longer. For me, I love Black Honey or any of the Clinique Almost Lipsticks as they give <span style="font-style: italic;">both</span> shine and color.<br /><br />That's it, time's up! Within 5 minutes you can look polished and ready for the day. The time you save can be used for those precious minutes in bed or to beat the traffic.<br /><br />Have a nice week ahead everyone!<br />Your Makeup Blogger<br /><br />P.S: related posts that you may find interesting<br /><br /><a href="http://mymakeupblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/mac-paint-pots-my-pride-and-joy.html">MAC Paint Pots</a><br /><a href="http://mymakeupblog.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html">Clinique Black Honey Lipstick</a><br /><a href="http://mymakeupblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/wimbledon-and-how-not-to-melt-under-sun.html">How not to melt in the sun</a>

The 5-Minute Makeup Challenge

If I have to choose between an extra 10 minute of shut eyes and a half hour standing in front of the mirror primping myself in the morning, I will definitely choose the previous one. Trust me people, no amount of makeup can wash the grump out of my face all day long. Aren't we all needing those 5 or…

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I Love Lucy Liu

Being an Asian girl sometimes put me in a disadvantage position when it comes to makeup. There are not so many Asian movie and TV stars these days. The ones I know are Lucy Liu, Bai Ling, BD Wong in Law and Order, Masi Oka in Heroes, and George Takai. There are probably more but I can't think of any right now. To be honest, I don't like Bai Ling's style that much. Lucy Liu, on the other hand, has a great sense of style and her makeup always look flawless yet effortless. Morever, we have the same eye shapes! Score!<br /><br />Like Lucy Liu, I have a pair of deep set and monolid eyes which deems some certain challenging qualities. First of all, my eyes do not have folds so I basically have to guidlines when it comes to creases. I just guess and apply. Secondly, when trying to bring the deep set eyes forward, they can also look smaller with dark eyeshadows. Moreover, my eyes are small so I don't have a lot of real estates to apply eyeshadows the way I want. Opening up the eyebrows does help a bit but it's not everything. So with small and deep set eyes, it is hard to work with and I've seen many MAC makeup artists stumbled when they applied makeup to my eyes.<br /><br />But my girl Lucy has the best solution for our type of eyes. It's called K.I.S.S (keep it simple, stupid!) She does not put a lot of eyeshadows on her eyes but concentrate more on her cheeks. She has killer cheekbones by the way. She also keeps her lips very neutral as she does not have lips like Julia Roberts that shows all of her teeth.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EaEKHdBFFJowUaBZ7US1YpVwYw9povOtMQ4iBRomwkAMmE0Q3-0kfO97F7VrNtzPmd6Nx60n7KiTQdznAt_dLXqJMXQ8CuT5VdmLtf0nYahy0riD8OVB-AKKzqDJSrp-ImPVIy_U0Ak/s1600-h/lucy-liu-main.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226668471983078034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EaEKHdBFFJowUaBZ7US1YpVwYw9povOtMQ4iBRomwkAMmE0Q3-0kfO97F7VrNtzPmd6Nx60n7KiTQdznAt_dLXqJMXQ8CuT5VdmLtf0nYahy0riD8OVB-AKKzqDJSrp-ImPVIy_U0Ak/s400/lucy-liu-main.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />I love this look: it's simple, it's fresh, it's effortless. She does use mascaras to ascentutes her lashes. This is a very effective way to bring out the deep set eyes. No wonder why I've been smitten with mascaras since forever. It's all about the eyes, baby!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1AIzZ73mHUU7Ms6e7iQfn1AEwU9eZlvxAopBuS5c5OWMWTde9wApSqiG_MZ9rIDn-eifmTddhv8lXNYCNhyn_twTLLaj_CDidbU5YuszpJyOU7IHaWGyzmq4ZypH4h1ApYz27mfPbFqs/s1600-h/lucy-liu.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226668470691809746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1AIzZ73mHUU7Ms6e7iQfn1AEwU9eZlvxAopBuS5c5OWMWTde9wApSqiG_MZ9rIDn-eifmTddhv8lXNYCNhyn_twTLLaj_CDidbU5YuszpJyOU7IHaWGyzmq4ZypH4h1ApYz27mfPbFqs/s400/lucy-liu.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />In this look, if you look closely you can see her freckles. If you know Asian people, most of them hate freckles. They would use cremes to remove the freckles and apply heavy makeup to cover them. Lucy Liu, however, does not do that. From the way the picture looks, she does not seem to have heavy makeup at all.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVTHcDGkV8inIAgfX6corws0cC99bdxZ6VnA3uSDtoHtCgte2DBI8T2vn8mlEFcUloCCbaDVp-w81g9OI38XibWlv-budHsbafeoELC5F7oGuNFMHbFljiOc1cqz0saD_6KaGTk6lNZU/s1600-h/lucy-liu2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226668473660479554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVTHcDGkV8inIAgfX6corws0cC99bdxZ6VnA3uSDtoHtCgte2DBI8T2vn8mlEFcUloCCbaDVp-w81g9OI38XibWlv-budHsbafeoELC5F7oGuNFMHbFljiOc1cqz0saD_6KaGTk6lNZU/s400/lucy-liu2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>Lucy Liu sported the smokey eyes in this picture. Her smokey eyes are perfect as they are not too dark. She also used fake lashes to ascentuate her eyes and again, she concentrated more on the cheeks. You can see her freckles as well.<br /><br />There I said it: I love Lucy Liu! I think her makeup artists (or even herself) did a good job on the makeup. The K.I.S.S way does work wonderfully in our type of eyes. After realizing I have the same eyes as she does, I just stopped trying too hard to achieve some certain looks and accept the way I am. Beauty comes in different shapes and sizes, you don't need to look a certain way to be considered beautiful.<br /><br />Some of my favorite quotes:<br /><br />"Pretty is something you're born with. But beautiful, that's an equal opportunity adjective."<br />- Annonymous<br /><br />"Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical."<br />- Sophia Loren<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>So our message of the day is K.I.S.S. It works on Lucy Liu and many other celebrities, it should work on us too!<br /><br />Take care and be beautiful,<br />Your Makeup Blogger<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>

I Love Lucy Liu

Being an Asian girl sometimes put me in a disadvantage position when it comes to makeup. There are not so many Asian movie and TV stars these days. The ones I know are Lucy Liu, Bai Ling, BD Wong in Law and Order, Masi Oka in Heroes, and George Takai. There are probably more but I can't think of any…

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White Flip Flops

<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >For the longest time, my summer staple have been simple white flip flops. Not the rubber beach kind, but the more sophisticated and dressy type, with actual soles, made of non-rubber material. They are just awesome, because they are summery, comfortable and matches with absolutely everything- perfect for a casual summer day. Ever since my pair of Nine West white flip flops with chunky heels (just the right height!) ex</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >pired a few years back however, I haven't been able to find a pair to properly replace them.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SIwS2u-sqhI/AAAAAAAACN0/m_WwgfcsrH0/s1600-h/White+Thongs-+Tory+Burch.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227573999003544082" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SIwS2u-sqhI/AAAAAAAACN0/m_WwgfcsrH0/s400/White+Thongs-+Tory+Burch.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >That is until I laid eyes on my friend's pair of Tory Burch white flip flops (over at their website, they call it thongs.... I have no idea what the difference is). They are just EXACTLY what I've been looking for. While the design is simple and casual, the little gold emblem and the wooden sole gives it just the right amount of sophistication that makes it elegant and classy. I LOVE it. Unfortunately, I've walked through the shop and all the usual department stores, and couldn't find them. They're also sold out online of my size! But while I was browsing, I noticed that they had this design in many different sharp colors, like this yellow one, which I think works great to match/clash with this season's bold color theme.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SI01DqtfLhI/AAAAAAAACOM/ozQsra3gKWc/s1600-h/White+Thongs-+Banana+Republic.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227893079567969810" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SI01DqtfLhI/AAAAAAAACOM/ozQsra3gKWc/s400/White+Thongs-+Banana+Republic.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >Another white flip flop I've looked at are these ones from Banana Republic. The patent leather strip and sole transforms this simple, classic design from the beach to the streets. This design also comes in a rainbow of sharp colors and are relatively cheaper than the Tory Burch's (more available too!). The only question now is which color? </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SIwS2wCMivI/AAAAAAAACOE/-kWeEUJWusg/s1600-h/White+Thongs-+Report.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227573999286651634" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SIwS2wCMivI/AAAAAAAACOE/-kWeEUJWusg/s400/White+Thongs-+Report.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >Other simple flip flops I'that also fits the bill are these ones from Nordstrom. They're basically the same as the ones from Banana Republic, except the straps are a bit wider and have a bit more elevation in the heels. These little details actually help to make these more sophisticated. But the gold shiny stuff on the soles kind of put me off even though I know it won't show when I'm wearing it.... should definitely go check them out! </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br />Image Source: <a href="http://www.toryburch.com/catalog_detail.aspx?cid=467&id=32463#">Tory Burch</a>, <a href="http://www.bananarepublic.com/browse/division.do?cid=5002">Banana Republic</a> and <a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/C/2375500/0%7E2375500">Nordstrom</a><br /></span>

White Flip Flops

For the longest time, my summer staple have been simple white flip flops. Not the rubber beach kind, but the more sophisticated and dressy type, with actual soles, made of non-rubber material. They are just awesome, because they are summery, comfortable and matches with absolutely everything- perfec…

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A Little Bit About Me

I think it's time for me to tell you a bit about myself since I've been blogging here for almost a month now. First of all, it's really nice to finally blog about makeup, my hobby that so far takes a chunk of change out of my pocket. Before starting My Makeup Blog, I've had other blogs but mostly just for myself and to keep in touch with friends and family members. Then as I grew older and ventured out to a different path in my life, my needs started to change as well and oops came another blog. This one is the result of my passion for makeup and I'm glad I finally convinced myself to open it.<br /><br />When I was a child, my favorite pass-time was to watch my mom applying makeup. She was a teacher and her job required her to look presentable in front of her students. At that time, nobody had a spectrum of lipsticks like we all do today. And neutrals were not even popular! Mom had three lipsticks: a red one, a <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> pink one, and an orange one (like the color of that Neo Sci-fi package!) She used them interchangeably based on the clothes she wore that day. On top of that, I remember her having a rouge (that's an old skool term for "blush" people!) and it was a baked blush that was <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> red. Her eyeliner was liquid as it was the 80s and she had *<span style="font-style: italic;">I think</span>* some jewel-tone eyeshadows. Mom was my idol as she always looked gorgeous. And she also had permed hair! Talking about the 80s!<br /><br />My mom is very beautiful but unfortunately the beauty gene skipped me as my phenotype* is more from my dad's side. My dad, by the way, got his look from his mom so I actually look a lot like my grandma: the eyes, the face, the nose, the cheek bones. Growing up, people teased me about my tiny eyes and flat nose. Until recently, a family member suggested me to save up my money to get rhinoplastic** and blepharoplastic*** surgeries. But as I know myself better, I don't like going under the knife so surgery is not an option.<br /><br />But makeup is!<br /><br />And luckily during my childhood years, mom and dad sent me to painting classes so I know how to pick colors and handle the brushes very well. So it became organic for me in my early 20s to pick up the brushes and apply makeup on myself. However, thanks to dad's gene, I don't have the perfect skin in the whole world so I have to wiggle around a lot to make myself look better. It took me a while to get there but I'm quite there these days!<br /><br />When I started wearing makeup around 2002, there were not a lot of foundation colors available. And since most Asians prefer the pale look, I ended up wearing ivory shades of foundation! The horror! At that time, there was no cool/neutral/warm tones to select yet so I could not find anything that matched my yellow undertone. It was quite a struggle just to get an OK foundation for me. But from those days I've learned a lot about makeup and now I can comfortably pick matching foundation not just for myself but for others.<br /><br />Nowadays, makeup blogs are everywhere and most bloggers do wonderful jobs to help out other people who are interested in beautifying themselves. Just to think of how much I've experienced in my past journey really motivated me to start this journey and I'm glad I'm not alone. I hope that I will stick with this blog as long as I can get awesome makeup to play with. So I'm asking you this: will you stick with me too?<br /><br />Yay or nay, give me a hola in my comment box ok?<br />Your Makeup Blogger<br /><br />P.S: geek terms explained<br /><br />*Phenotype: outward, physical manifestation of an organism. In layman term, it's how you look!<br /><br />**Rhynoplasty: nose job, for Asians is to have a more Western-looking nose and the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/may/07/lifeandhealth.iran">#1 most common plastic surgery done in Tehran, Iran.<br /></a><br />***Blepharoplasty: eyelid surgery, <a href="http://www.makemeheal.com/news/category/ethnic/asian-plastic-surgery">one of the top three </a>most common plastic surgeries done in Asian countries.

A Little Bit About Me

I think it's time for me to tell you a bit about myself since I've been blogging here for almost a month now. First of all, it's really nice to finally blog about makeup, my hobby that so far takes a chunk of change out of my pocket. Before starting My Makeup Blog, I've had other blogs but mostly ju…

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Clinique High Definition Lashes: Hot Lashes 4U!

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGC1dCc5v1Ddbq6I0ORngHbiT6t0jelOmN4_yUMPoKTwtqUhYV3Lxiu2ISfxdxKAELE4hTL7yA5lXOF-VEWNEZMKV40WAHe2KWO8rqrsPLdb8PH4tB_3fiLp-Tv9jBvzPsRQaQulbNd8/s1600-h/highdef.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225893130169484514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGC1dCc5v1Ddbq6I0ORngHbiT6t0jelOmN4_yUMPoKTwtqUhYV3Lxiu2ISfxdxKAELE4hTL7yA5lXOF-VEWNEZMKV40WAHe2KWO8rqrsPLdb8PH4tB_3fiLp-Tv9jBvzPsRQaQulbNd8/s400/highdef.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br />Before I used <a href="http://mymakeupblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Mascaras">Cover Girl LashBlast</a>, there was a time that I struggled to find the "it" mascara. Usually found in my makeup stash were 3 to 4 tubes of mascaras that I used at the same time: one for length, one for curl, one of volume, and one for color! Yup, you got it right, it was obsessed with my lashes.<br /><br />One of them was the awesome Clinique High Definition Lashes mascara that I got from a gift with purchase package. This mascara is almost all I wanted and if I didn't find LashBlast, it would have been my "it" mascara until today. But don't worry, it's on my top 5 list of all-time favorite mascaras.<br /><br />What I got was a "try me" sample of the High Def mascara that's a bit bigger than my finger. Whoever named this mascara must have done that during the football season as the name reminds me of the HDTVs. Aren't everything in high def these days? And when we have high def TVs, we need high def mascaras to go with them. Matchy-matchy, sounds cool isn't it?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OrE0ypuNvHgrOzd6_nCvd7yUVz9tBmOWJG4iOmCDy0tSeoYKpGYG5j6lOV5rooo0W1Em25gQjCaSVWYcv99dxd3ZzQ3JSpdonLG9ABCnpb9w_EOszjBN9_DCtjmUqD3OJAYO9okKT7A/s1600-h/face+043.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225894949924842082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OrE0ypuNvHgrOzd6_nCvd7yUVz9tBmOWJG4iOmCDy0tSeoYKpGYG5j6lOV5rooo0W1Em25gQjCaSVWYcv99dxd3ZzQ3JSpdonLG9ABCnpb9w_EOszjBN9_DCtjmUqD3OJAYO9okKT7A/s400/face+043.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />As you all know me, my judging standard for mascaras are the 3B's: bigger, bolder, better. How does the High Def mascara stand based on my ground? Very close to perfection, let me break it down for you:<br /><br />1. Bigger: it does give me longer lashes and creates some volumes. My lashes felt glossier than usual. Also, the formula is gentle on my lashes which is rare in mascaras these days. They all feel like they strip the moisture right off your precious lashes.<br /><br />2. Bolder: not really, you're not going to have fantastic lush lashes from this mascara. Unlike LashBlast, it does not fan out your lashes or fatten them up. This High Def mascara just gives you lots of lengths, no curls, and not so much volumes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZl0ZSUzoGNY-X4M3MTiRqowHdPMvzX60Npj_gI1hsyR3Gmh8uNZOUtXH_bw4kHv0puOCbEBL1LrgZGyG1h3Q1HZBA9RpnTQPxfgdtZszHBrzyu4FQ5chAhK6pLWeYKVXxcwS5cPPAoGI/s1600-h/closed+eye.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225895296759882818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZl0ZSUzoGNY-X4M3MTiRqowHdPMvzX60Npj_gI1hsyR3Gmh8uNZOUtXH_bw4kHv0puOCbEBL1LrgZGyG1h3Q1HZBA9RpnTQPxfgdtZszHBrzyu4FQ5chAhK6pLWeYKVXxcwS5cPPAoGI/s400/closed+eye.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>My nekkid lashes (before)<br />Taken with no flashes under incandescent light (hence the yellow hue!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEGORxfH6WBcnG2IbrxeLiAJqpRkpTpnUiCjgera8Z7jFATZy8CVccD9yUEaA3cacYMwoFXkgDnqh18lD9NPc3785jhy1UiH7eJPbvkN3hSJktBIfgers5ysg772B7D0CM3HEp1QVDRY/s1600-h/face+047.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225894958828106226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEGORxfH6WBcnG2IbrxeLiAJqpRkpTpnUiCjgera8Z7jFATZy8CVccD9yUEaA3cacYMwoFXkgDnqh18lD9NPc3785jhy1UiH7eJPbvkN3hSJktBIfgers5ysg772B7D0CM3HEp1QVDRY/s400/face+047.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>After 2 coats of Clinique High Def<br />Picture taken without flash in natural light<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">You see, in the 2nd picture the lashes look longer but they also start to clump. I did not curl my lashes just to test its curling power and this baby has none, giving me stick straight lashes.<br /><br />3. Better: I give props to the Clinique people for being innovative in their designs. The mascara wand is the best I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of mascaras! It has 2 sides: a wand side and a comb side. You apply the first layer of mascara using the wand side and then flip over to the comb side to beef up your lashes. However, I found this instruction a bit obsurd as the comb really deposit more mascaras to the lashes and makes them clump up together. Therefore, I do everything in reverse direction: comb then brush and voila, less clumps!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_lnagKpApJlTPps_yVy_1yFTBBzc7wPHhiiognoqnMUUAYQV87QGf4EW-XaRJRdV4drkCSanVSNQuUHkQhakhIMmjLyc-uGemhz_H9bj5BcpYvIhOWySkLt7zWWKvXVOIu6c6HD58Jg/s1600-h/face+049.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225894954803631378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_lnagKpApJlTPps_yVy_1yFTBBzc7wPHhiiognoqnMUUAYQV87QGf4EW-XaRJRdV4drkCSanVSNQuUHkQhakhIMmjLyc-uGemhz_H9bj5BcpYvIhOWySkLt7zWWKvXVOIu6c6HD58Jg/s400/face+049.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>The awesome brush: the brush side is on top, comb side is at the bottom.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Here's a quick recap on the pros and cons of the Clinique High Definition Lashes mascara:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros:</span> this mascara is for you if you...<br /><ul><li>are looking for a lengthening mascara;</li><li>have sensitive eyes;</li><li>do not need a waterproof mascara;</li><li>want glossy lashes;</li><li>like the brush-comb wand applicating combo;</li><li>love Clinique!</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons:</span> this mascara is not for you if you...<br /><ul><li>want a mascara that provides you bigger, bolder, and better lashes (remember 3B's!);</li><li>want some curling and volumizing action from your mascara, because this baby gives you none of them;</li><li>have $14 USD in your pocket: it ain't cheap people! One of this equals to 2 of the LashBlast, you do the math and I trust you to choose wisely;</li><li>have oily skin and/or live in humid places: the high def, although a good mascara, will smudge on you. And who wants <a href="http://mymakeupblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/wimbledon-and-how-not-to-melt-under-sun.html">racoon eyes</a>, right?</li></ul>I have to say I love this High Def mascara but it doesn't really live up to its name. It's more of "better than the norm" sort, not really HD yet. Once in a while when I want an easy-going look, I would grab this mascara. Other than that, I stick with my LashBlast.<br /><br />That's it for today folks! How are you doing so far? Just one more day until the weekend so hang in there ladies.<br /><br />Until next time,<br />Your Makeup Blogger<br /><br />P.S: some related posts in the past:<br /><br /><a href="http://mymakeupblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/cover-girl-lashblast-bambi-eyes-in.html">Cover Girl LashBlast: Bambi Eyes in a Flash</a>: come and read what I said about my "it" mascara.<br /><a href="http://mymakeupblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/wimbledon-and-how-not-to-melt-under-sun.html">How not to melt in the sun</a> with bonus picture of the very hot Roger Federer.</div></div></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPV2yXOCXc6U8_ZLZNPt36AP85TwdhuIpYWSydibpFrLeFNLtIG-9uE6lebIQ8CVXo75H5ldTZW3MLUU0Ys6dSH4tnP9tvwutD755PtHD_44Ih5xgy1C10D0dmqK67pKr_jr-R-IKrcfg/s1600-h/face+043.jpg"><br /></a>

Clinique High Definition Lashes: Hot Lashes 4U!

Before I used Cover Girl LashBlast, there was a time that I struggled to find the "it" mascara. Usually found in my makeup stash were 3 to 4 tubes of mascaras that I used at the same time: one for length, one for curl, one of volume, and one for color! Yup, you got it right, it was obsessed with my …

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Chasing Harry Winston

<span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >Even without the fabulous pair of Louboutins and the three gorgeously fantabulous diamond rings on the cover, the name Lauren Weisberger is enough to make me pick up the book. Not that I think she's a particularly great writer, but because I know that it will be light and fun summer read- just what I am looking for. The whole fabulous, gorgeous people living extravagant and successful, perfect lives looking for love is a bit overdone these days, but I've always felt a connection with Weisberger's books. Even though it wasn't very memorable to some (HG barely remembers it), I felt a strong connection with the character in <span style="font-style: italic;">Everyone Worth Knowing</span>. Bette's story might as well have been the fictionalized version of my future (she went from finance to the fabulous life of party planning to realizing that her true calling was writing)!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SIGJo4uPkOI/AAAAAAAACNs/siP_7WZ1OXE/s1600-h/Chasing+Harry+Winston.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224608378240602338" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SIGJo4uPkOI/AAAAAAAACNs/siP_7WZ1OXE/s400/Chasing+Harry+Winston.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Back to the book at hand (at this point, you should realize that there are potential spoilers here). This one is about three best friends making a pact to change their way of lives. One tries monogamy after a life of polygamy. The other goes in the opposite direction and goes on a tour de whore. And the last attempts to convince herself that her perfect life really is perfect. Over all, I thought it was pretty badly written and that Weisberger is now just publishing by reputation rather than by content (this situation sounds oddly similar to the dilemma of yet another bestseller author mentioned in the book!). A lot of times the writing was long-winded and unnecessary. She spent the majority of the first chapter, where the author is supposed to <span style="font-style: italic;">captivate </span>the readers, talking about Leigh's need for personal space and control freak quirks with a detailed description of her apartment. It just made me want to pick up a pen and edit everything out! Only her name on the cover kept me going.<br /><br />The plot was predictable and mellow. I felt like I was just cruising along the story. Nothing exciting ever happens, because she tries this technique where she just ends the chapter when something does happen and then picks up again <span style="font-style: italic;">after </span>the event. Leigh breaks up with her fiance and we get to read about how nervous she was before the event and her reflections <span style="font-style: italic;">after </span>the event. Adriana meets her "future husband" and we hear about them dating from <span style="font-style: italic;">talks</span> by the other two girls. It was like a whole book of reflection, where the readers were put in the peripheral of the story instead of INSIDE the story. And the other thing is that nothing bad ever happens to the characters. They all lead a charmed, perfect life and everything just magically comes to them, with no obstacles to overcome or anything. One decides she wants to travel the world and a fabulous job miraculously appears. One wasn't even trying and simply finds her true calling in writing. And the other just decides to leave everything she's worked for behind and everything works out. I know that being realistic is not exactly the primary goal of chick lits, but this is just a bit overboard. To give her credit, the characters <span style="font-style: italic;">do </span>each experience life changing revelations (there really wouldn't BE a story otherwise), but everything just came together a little <span style="font-style: italic;">too</span> perfectly.<br /><br />The relationship between this story and Harry Winston is <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> a giant rock on a ring as I'd first imagined (and the cover alluded to). The only reference to Harry Winston is a pair of diamond earrings that Salma Hayek wore to the Oscars from there, that a suitor gave to one of them. I guess they were just looking for a catchy title.<br /><br />One thing </span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >Weisberger does do well however, are her characters. She paints them all in a very distinctive but relatable light. My favourite character is Leigh, who has the perfect job and the perfect boyfriend. The thing I love about her most is her control freak tendencies and need to be alone. I can totally relate to that. I LOVED it when she applied sunscreen on her body, then sprayed herself with more sunscreen in case she missed any spot and THEN applied a more expensive sunscreen on her face- rationing that the rest of them will regret it later when they need botox and laser treatment to get rid of their wrinkles and dark spots. That is MY rational as well (although I don't apply <span style="font-style: italic;">quite</span> so thoroughly as she does). Next is Emmy, who just got dumped by her ex of five years, and her dearest dream is to get married and have lots of kids. Having never "played around," she is still very shy around guys and we get to see her get out of her shell in that respect. I feel for every step she took. Then there is Adriana, the fabulously gorgeous and wealthy Brazilian girl who leads the perfectly charmed life. However, even she feels a bit empty, lost and worried about her future. Sounds familiar?<br /><br />Honestly, not a very original, engaging nor well-written book. But if you are looking for something light and brainless to past time on the beach (or just time in general).........then by all means. It's good and cheery enough to bring a smile to my lips in the end (happy endings always warms me up!).<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >Image Source: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Harry-Winston-Lauren-Weisberger/dp/0743290119/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216448779&sr=8-1">Amazon</a><br /></span>

Chasing Harry Winston

Even without the fabulous pair of Louboutins and the three gorgeously fantabulous diamond rings on the cover, the name Lauren Weisberger is enough to make me pick up the book. Not that I think she's a particularly great writer, but because I know that it will be light and fun summer read- just what …

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Frugal Beauty Tips of the Day

With our current economy situation and gas prices, everybody's concern is "gas vs. food". Since gas is more than $4 in my area and around $5 in others, it takes out a big chunk of cash from everybody's monthly budget which leaves less allowance for entertainment and beauty products. As I am a graduate student, my monthly income is below the poverty level. Being a makeup addict doesn't help my wallet at all. Today, I'm going to disclose my tips to maintain my beauty budget without breaking the bank. These tips may cost you less than $5 and two of them actually costs you nothing!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip #1:</span> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Shop at discount stores</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.dollartree.com">The Dollar Tree</a> is my favorite "hunting place" as everything is a dollar. I really feel like a hunter-gatherer when I go there. The one near my place has a long aisle of makeup products, ranging from Cover Girl to Maybelline to LA Colors and even Physician's Formula. I sometimes found some nice lip glosses, lipsticks, eye shadows that are still in wraps. Those products are sold at full retail prices at the drugstore but only priced for one dollar at Dollar Tree. At first, I thought there was something wrong with them but after spending a dollar on a lipstick and didn't die from lead poisoning, I came back for more.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.biglots.com">Big Lots </a>also has a stock of makeup, beauty, bath and body, and even skincare products. One time I got a conditioner from Nature's Gate for $1.50 USD. The brand decided to change their packaging and offloaded the products in old containers to Big Lots. The same bottle would have cost me an arm and a leg at my local health food store.<br /><br />My advice if you decide to hunt for goods at these places, you need to be really selective. After all, these are the products you are going to use on your body and probably ingest some of them as well (lipsticks and glosses). Therefore, you don't want to buy from brands that you're not familiar with. Also, if the consistency of the products does not look right, it does not worth your pretty dollar.<br /><br />I've heard some stories of people got MAC shadesticks from the dollar store. I've been searching for that elusive shadestick from my local Dollar Tree as well!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip #2:</span> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Don't forget your Vaseline</span><br /><br />Our favorite glam girl Tyra Banks, the creator of America's Next Top Model and The Tyra Banks Show, uses Vaseline y'all! If Tyra, the one who has everything, uses Vaseline and looks gorgeous, why shouldn't we?<br /><br /><object height="349" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jOR4qekHWlA&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jOR4qekHWlA&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="349"></embed></object><br /><br />Unlike what people thought, Vaseline is not clogging your pores. Also, it is a very versatile and many makeup artists use it. Let me point out some possible use of Vaseline to y'all:<br /><ul><li>As a moisturizer: Tyra uses it as her eye cream, I use it as my lip balm, and my roommate uses it as her foot cream. It works wonder on chapped lips, cracked heals, dry cuticles,...</li><li>As a natural eyeshadow: it gives a glaze when applied on your eyes. So when you're crunch on time, just swap some Vaseline on your eyes and off you go;</li><li>As a base for lip gloss: you can mix some of your favorite mineral blush colors to a pot of Vaseline and voila, your custom-made, one of a kind lip gloss. Mix some avocado oil or olive oil for extra shine if you want.</li></ul>And if you purchase a jar of Vaseline at your local dollar store, it only costs you a dollar and lasts a very long time!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip #3:</span> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Look for sales and deals</span><br /><br />I love sales and try to squeeze as much out of them as possible. Most if not all of the stuff I have come from sales. Since I'm living with limited income, I need to stretch my money very very much. And I do get satisfaction out of getting things for much cheaper than the regularly marked prices. For makeup, the local drugstores are great as they always have "buy one get one" sales. Target has sales on Olay skincare products almost every week. It also has 30-75% off in some items that are in the sales area. Walmart has gift with purchase items so you get 2 items for the price of one.<br /><br />Also, don't forget your coupons in the Sunday magazines. Once I got a mascara from Max Factor for $3 after using my coupon and store discount. The cashier scanned the mascara 3 times to make sure the total was correct. That's what I called "shop victoriously" ladies.<br /><br />For online deals, I always look for free shipping because it's annoying to wait for the box to come while you pay for it to ship. If free shipping comes with a restriction, I would consider if it's worth it to place an order. Remember: always take shipping into consideration.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip #4:</span> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Get free samples</span><br /><br />Most department stores and drugstores have free items for customers to try. Drugstores always leave them out and you're free to take one (d0n't be greedy, think of the people that comes after you!) However, you have to ask for samples at the department stores. I always ask for perfume samples to try. One time I asked for a skin care sample from Clinique. And I asked for samples at MAC all the time (when I make a purchase, of course!). With a right look and a right smile, those samples will be yours.<br /><br />I always be nice to those sales associates when I ask for samples. My line is, <span style="font-style: italic;">"Excuse me, I like this perfume/skin care product/color so much but can I please have a sample to try just to see if it's suitable. If it works, I promise I'll come back to get it!"</span><br /><br />If they have samples in stock, they should give you some. If not, they would tell you they do not have. Just be nice to them either way since SA's make money out of sales commissions.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip #5:</span> <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Use what you have</span><br /><br />Almost everyday I have an urge to buy something new. It's like a disease y'all and as much as I'd like my money to stay in my pocket, sometimes the force is just too strong. So every two weeks or so, I do a product inventory check. I just simply pull everything I have out, touch them, pet them, check them, classify them based on colors, texture, brand and then put them back. Usually, at the end of this ritual, I come to my realization that I have a wad load of makeup and skincare products to use! So why the heck I need to bring more of them home?! And by doing so, I realize my color purchase pattern, that I prefer one group of colors more than another and I simply have so many neutrals now that I don't need to buy any of them anymore!<br /><br />Believe me, since I started doing this, my wallet has been happier and I have been a saner makeup addict. Now I know I need more greens and some purples so on my next purchases I'll concentrate more on them. In a weird sense, doing a product inventory also keeps me grounded and makes me feel proud of myself.<br /><br />That's it ladies, these are my 5 tips to help you from overspending your precious cash. Who knows when gas will go down ever again. And who knows if gas price will ever go down at all! Until then, it's good to keep your money tight.<br /><br />Stay pretty y'all and if you have any tips, please feel free to share.<br /><br />Love,<br />Your Frugal Makeup Blogger<br /><br />P.S: thank you Stephie for adding me to your blog roll! Her blog probably was the first makeup blog I read and she is so nice and talented. If you go to <a href="http://stephienese.blogspot.com/">her blog</a>, please tell her Dao from mymakeupblog says hi!

Frugal Beauty Tips of the Day

With our current economy situation and gas prices, everybody's concern is "gas vs. food". Since gas is more than $4 in my area and around $5 in others, it takes out a big chunk of cash from everybody's monthly budget which leaves less allowance for entertainment and beauty products. As I am a gradua…

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Bras with Different Straps at the Back

<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">At the end of last summer I evaluated my wardrobe (-something everyone should do at the end of a season or the beginning of a season,) and decided that I really didn't have enough young, casual clothes. Most things I owned seemed so stuffy and old -imagine really boring, plain clothes with boring, unhip cutting. So when I onlined shopped a few months ago, I made sure to reject clothes that were too plain and looked for some colour.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226476460554998818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht47m70DXf0QBMleo1aQtuDwzIAIBAc0aSVi6ioGD7sx6qcLkH7KusHSWGJ5GqLmoyU1UE5U1iDFoF7DevrYd03vjK0WsQ9QYmxI_syT7sNgRgnHdkRpjHY1aHm8GG_kaf4ITmbtOPLySV/s400/Kate+Moss+Top+Shop+Feather+Vest.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />I really liked this tank top (by Kate Moss Top Shop) because it had a hint of colour and interesting pattern on it but it was still my style. But when I bought it, I didn't realise how low the hole at the back was and I liked the top so much I didn't return it. So then I started to look for a bra that was backless or had a ok-to-be-seen-strap.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226476485998396914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmdNnKEc3weWXTlSf5N8lWpDnPplv47VHVC19YE81y7XZtqiiuhZRAKKhR03ja8dRBrdav2jeq2tGRrIu93J-Yd6XnuiRnqgrm7Eu23L4PB69-26uyPxoCG0sB2Ee2hn5kwzZGGY1fl46/s400/Top+Shop+Pleat+Front+Dress+40.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Why not just show the back of a normal bra? Because I've seen a few people wearing tops and dresses with showy backs like these Top Shop tea dresses with their normal bras showing and believe me, they were <em>not</em> attractive! </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226476486259761746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5IbHX1UsNnPs_EiWWhPfSHaC6RfI9PiCPlR5TxoFT-X5hfPNLWp7yXSMzJSAPUWOa1b9PQi2Vv2t3Dvkv3Xv-XMohtdJN0d3HTs56O7CPGhTB8Vyx_JP_06vCcMI11j1Ys30h7BOv1XeM/s400/Multiback+Moulded+Bra+25+3.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Since the UK doesn't have Victoria's Secret, the first place I looked was Marks & Spencer. This bra was kind of what I was looking for. The straps at the back were thin and interesting enough to not remind me of the traditional thick back strap. Unfortunately, it only comes in black, and since the material of the tank top was pretty thin, I didn't want a black bra to be seen obviously underneath.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226476508463335650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWA28u6-Nc_s6TFErjBGss1S2DqWp4dESxqYxmvIZE3g_7p2C67c6Zx_z2RPMUIAUdBxRmvgAlJmLQSei1XLFA6PoxuAcW-GWLwPkE3oAKVBCfeBf3V7fmJS0frcecddbwdbk-KkvtX2FC/s400/Multi-Way+Sheer+Strap+Push-Up+Bra+(1).JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Then there was this bra. I admit that I've always thought transparent straps as sort of tacky-looking in most situations. (Is it just me?) But I love the idea that the back strap was transparent -an alternative style for the thick strap at the back. Alas, I forgot to buy one before leaving the UK. Now I have to figure out how to wear the tank top! (I prefer not layering with another camisole because it just doesn't look as nice and defeats the purpose of keeping cool.) Any ideas?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Btw, I didn't even consider a strapess, backless bra because I imagine they would feel very uncomfortable and insecure. If any of you have used one, what did you think of them?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;">Image Credits: <a href="http://www.topshop.com/">http://www.topshop.com/</a>, <a href="http://www.marksandspencer.com/">http://www.marksandspencer.com/</a> </span>

Bras with Different Straps at the Back

At the end of last summer I evaluated my wardrobe (-something everyone should do at the end of a season or the beginning of a season,) and decided that I really didn't have enough young, casual clothes. Most things I owned seemed so stuffy and old -imagine really boring, plain clothes with boring, u…

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Shocking News: MAC increased eyeshadow price!

Lately I haven't purchased anything from MAC because I am a good girl y'all. So I have no clue if anything has changed at all. Recently I kept seeing other beauty bloggers posting the price of MAC eyeshadows as $14.50 USD a piece and I'm wondering what's going on.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.maccosmetics.com/templates/products/sp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY15103&PRODUCT_ID=PROD1503">My click</a> to MAC website confirmed that the eyeshadow price indeed has increased by 50 cents! Outrageous! Now we all have to pay more for our vanity! This is insane!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOL-5dSQBaz8erbIC1thb4NIw39ipZQt8PE4kI3k_fMIvTs9K-wmtD1ld0ewL1_NVxEco826A9_CwwPFS050UDZM3G6SVm9uoFI_G9Imip6eNGKZ8d-rVabCueCSQfz-iv_18SX2ZIyqg/s1600-h/MAC.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223734159771276706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOL-5dSQBaz8erbIC1thb4NIw39ipZQt8PE4kI3k_fMIvTs9K-wmtD1ld0ewL1_NVxEco826A9_CwwPFS050UDZM3G6SVm9uoFI_G9Imip6eNGKZ8d-rVabCueCSQfz-iv_18SX2ZIyqg/s400/MAC.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />There may be some explanations to this price increase:<br /><ol><li>The Canadian dollar vs. the U.S Dollar: Uncle Same hasn't been doing so well and now 1 USD is less than 1 CAD. MAC, as well all know, is a Canadian company. Therefore, the price increase may be the result of the currency exchange rate.</li><li>Gas price: I'm not going to put my environmental policy knowledge out here and write another paragraph. We all can blame <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush">Uncle W. </a>on this.</li></ol>Since 2006, MAC has increased their eyeshadow price by $1.50 USD! I wish <a href="http://mymakeupblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/ancient-news.html">these days</a> has come back again! So the next time MAC offers another Friends and Family sale, let's stock-pile their eyeshadows, shall we?<br /><br />In the mean time, let's not rely too much on MAC. When the world is discovering alternative fuels, us beauty and makeup addicts need to inform others on alternative makeup sources.<br /><br />Take care ladies and let's all pray for a better day!<br />Your Makeup Blogger<br /><br />P.S: When you shop at <a href="www.maccosmetics.com">MACcosmetics.com</a>, please enter offer code NEWVIEW at checkout for free shipping. Offer is good until 7/26/08.

Shocking News: MAC increased eyeshadow price!

Lately I haven't purchased anything from MAC because I am a good girl y'all. So I have no clue if anything has changed at all. Recently I kept seeing other beauty bloggers posting the price of MAC eyeshadows as $14.50 USD a piece and I'm wondering what's going on.My click to MAC website confirmed th…

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MAC Paint Pots: My Pride and Joy

Hypothetically speaking, if I could choose to bring one eye color on an island, I would choose to take Bare Study paint pot with me. As you know how excited I am when it comes to MAC, my utmost favorite product is no other than the paint pots. Introduced to the market in August 2007 via the "Painterly" collection, paint pots have quickly become the favorite items of many MAC fanatics. These pots are creamy eyeshadows that does not crease, fade, budge, cake, or smear! Also, paint pots are superior to shadesticks and paints as they are easy to apply and highly blendable.<br /><br />After hearing a lot of praises about these paint pots, I bought my first one, Painterly, at the end of last year. Then when Fafi collection came, I bought Cash Flow and Perky. I was very lucky to get Bare Study as well since this color has become a cult favorite and gets sold out pretty fast online and offline.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CJ0P4NOu6cFCBWaH0b8hXHr_4cplSNPOzeoPmCFPT6KTHsuGvVH9rZ0Ij0kWXVNujL5sdF9gmItinFFA3YW9mPuW-cobK_PNgKht36EqTHciv-mK25sul-YaSMEbc-ydhI5lBy2Wlhg/s1600-h/MAC+eyes+011.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223704330243056802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CJ0P4NOu6cFCBWaH0b8hXHr_4cplSNPOzeoPmCFPT6KTHsuGvVH9rZ0Ij0kWXVNujL5sdF9gmItinFFA3YW9mPuW-cobK_PNgKht36EqTHciv-mK25sul-YaSMEbc-ydhI5lBy2Wlhg/s400/MAC+eyes+011.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>The best way to store paint pots is to put them upside down<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM92bdjAkaLM9QL01gWzPTjs2DO_YsIORG5zbvIG8umL6mMgOcaRVW7x6QItnIYhNPTDOVyQuytb43nece_GSGTu_kqVBz2qYBmAIZcKM8q77WJMmGoFRkzfWlmFLada-uoS136_o5Pm0/s1600-h/MAC+eyes+012.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223704340411430258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM92bdjAkaLM9QL01gWzPTjs2DO_YsIORG5zbvIG8umL6mMgOcaRVW7x6QItnIYhNPTDOVyQuytb43nece_GSGTu_kqVBz2qYBmAIZcKM8q77WJMmGoFRkzfWlmFLada-uoS136_o5Pm0/s400/MAC+eyes+012.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>How they look in the pot. Pretty, right?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Each paint pot took $16.50 USD out of my pocket. As gorgeous as they are, their prices aren't cheap. However, these babies sure will last me a long time. After intensive use, they barely make a dent as you can see above. These colors are good to use as eyeshadows. However, they are perfect bases to intensify your eyeshadows. When coupling with a different paint pot, your eyeshadows do change a little bit. For example, browns and neutrals with flecks of gold/yellow will show more gold/yellow when applied on top of Cash Flow.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7W8pY1FTAWuXr61Mb5XLJTyrccLusPpOAuk_KBWXSsT3gosybtltruw_oPezptH5x3FCqYXJT25JnsnMtj8T5qUdeRO8XgrfVxGVH0vW80N5VYbKyecd747aL_YTVyFCcYJ2OUSq97E/s1600-h/MAC+eyes+019.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223706843074868610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7W8pY1FTAWuXr61Mb5XLJTyrccLusPpOAuk_KBWXSsT3gosybtltruw_oPezptH5x3FCqYXJT25JnsnMtj8T5qUdeRO8XgrfVxGVH0vW80N5VYbKyecd747aL_YTVyFCcYJ2OUSq97E/s400/MAC+eyes+019.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>A swatch of all the paint pots I have. A very little amount was used per swatch.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">As pretty as they are, paint pots are still expensive in my book. So I set foot to find a cheaper alternative in the drugstore and ding ding ding, there it was in full glory and 50% off...Maybelline NY Dream Mousse shadow!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0k1DYzZPUSR6FGZqJcsXv9iHHhOC2LpNXxbFzNPYn4N6peIy3lHVbRhZhvpJDsPqCZUgnEGVAHqT01IZAsPb5k-3JISRLBK_wamRrtOaV0tOwQbM5uwnep7N9pHQ6ecvmaicxklhG9U/s1600-h/MAC+eyes+014.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223704343265763410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0k1DYzZPUSR6FGZqJcsXv9iHHhOC2LpNXxbFzNPYn4N6peIy3lHVbRhZhvpJDsPqCZUgnEGVAHqT01IZAsPb5k-3JISRLBK_wamRrtOaV0tOwQbM5uwnep7N9pHQ6ecvmaicxklhG9U/s400/MAC+eyes+014.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>Bare Study vs. Ivory Illusion<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">At full price, each dream mousse shadow costs around $6 USD. That day at CVS, yours truly paid 3 bucks for Ivory Illusion as I thought it would be a good dupe of Bare Study.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvM2tu198IfZLYanu_nZ_DTSJ8dDHemkjHfT6SVXwMktDsV7iHWtCCfsMVH4NiRtb2qFbsChp2luQmzhfGUjUKlNv7_Ab02MAZNodqy3NwEN_oFk6wlfQlMe7BehL1ydC3kTLC2O9KRes/s1600-h/MAC+eyes+015.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223704349475198386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvM2tu198IfZLYanu_nZ_DTSJ8dDHemkjHfT6SVXwMktDsV7iHWtCCfsMVH4NiRtb2qFbsChp2luQmzhfGUjUKlNv7_Ab02MAZNodqy3NwEN_oFk6wlfQlMe7BehL1ydC3kTLC2O9KRes/s400/MAC+eyes+015.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>Two contenders in their own territories<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Texture-wise, Bare Study is a cream while Ivory Illusion (not "True Illusion" as the caption indicated!) is a mousse. Therefore, it is much softer and you need to use more. Also, Bare Study weights 5 grams will the other one only weights 3 grams. So they actually cost the same as you get more use out of the paint pot than the mousse shadow. Ivory Illusion is more sparkling than Bare Study as well. If you like sparkling base, this one is for you.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZHVqfZW3O2d2Vj008YTARs8nJHu_arExuTgmPIx0BC4TEAd8bAZ5jYaXHNvV_7Xi1mM1EQV_6hRp3kCiNQEOv1U-L-vmILXurOKitURwxZb4v0mDhXvKtIINvPHegtfT6JScexOH-qc/s1600-h/MAC+eyes+020.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223706846377659890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZHVqfZW3O2d2Vj008YTARs8nJHu_arExuTgmPIx0BC4TEAd8bAZ5jYaXHNvV_7Xi1mM1EQV_6hRp3kCiNQEOv1U-L-vmILXurOKitURwxZb4v0mDhXvKtIINvPHegtfT6JScexOH-qc/s400/MAC+eyes+020.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>The swatch: now I know why I kept on typing "True Illusion"<br />The color totally disappeared on my arm! And I used a chunk of it!!!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So how does the poor guy hold up? Pretty well, I need to say. One day, like a mad scientist, I applied Bare Study on one eye and Ivory Illusion on another then proceeded on my eyeshadow application routine. I spent about 3-4 hours shopping in the Florida heat and humidity. When I came back, the side that had Bare Study was the same while the other side that had Ivory Illusion smudged a tiny bit. So for my $3 spent, I was quite happy.<br /><br />My ratings: A+ for the paint pots, B+ for the mousse shadow. The mousse could have been rated higher if I did not have to use a lot and it held up my eye colors better. For the price, I'm quite happy.<br /><br />Maybelline NY has about 6 colors for these mousse and it does look like they are closing it down. I kept seeing the "Last chance item" at the drugstores and Walmart. So when it hits dollar stores, we all know what to do, right?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBO96fEcsCXxWux6cOGGD-gPWcaEZUboCcEX9mMZVwvS22aZft9qszdqCFv2SLlh5rxU214jAHNhap03NvJCYLCc3HDFerSGafzdiv2eA85u7errn2hlefR2HedSqFXyPQdIWAb2MXzc/s1600-h/MAC+eyes+016.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5223706838601281538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBO96fEcsCXxWux6cOGGD-gPWcaEZUboCcEX9mMZVwvS22aZft9qszdqCFv2SLlh5rxU214jAHNhap03NvJCYLCc3HDFerSGafzdiv2eA85u7errn2hlefR2HedSqFXyPQdIWAb2MXzc/s400/MAC+eyes+016.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>Bonus picture for y'all<br />I love that Maybelline put the color on the cap. MAC just uses their black lid and forces me to invert the pot to find the color!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">That's it for today. I love paint pots and they're in my top 5 right now. But for the price I paid for True Illusions, I think it holds up pretty well. So there we have a splurge and a steal. I hope you enjoy this entry and please give me some comments. You know I like them!<br /><br />Have fun!<br />Your Makeup Blogger</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>

MAC Paint Pots: My Pride and Joy

Hypothetically speaking, if I could choose to bring one eye color on an island, I would choose to take Bare Study paint pot with me. As you know how excited I am when it comes to MAC, my utmost favorite product is no other than the paint pots. Introduced to the market in August 2007 via the "Painter…

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