Orange lips

Bright lips are everywhere you look.  Orange lips is a huge spring/summer trend.  For those who are afraid of trying the trend, try it sheer first then build your way to full color.  Here are some great sheer orange/corals...

NARS in Love Devotion $24

Tarte LipSurgence in Joy $24

CoverGirl Natureluxe Gloss Balm in Coral $6.99


Celebrate Earth Day with 25% off from Tarte!
http://tartecosmetics.com/raf/click/?i=5jhcp63tfq

Sweep, Press, Buff, Blend...BRUSH!

I absolutely love getting new products!!! When I open the package/bag with new goodies and pull out the new additions to my Makeup Clutch, I get that orgasmic feeling you get when you slip your feet into a brand new pair of shoes or when you first slip that new hand bag on the shoulder.  What a rush!

 The newest additions to my brush clutch are the NARS Yachiyo Brush, Botan Brush, Large Domed Eye  and the Small Domed Eye. 

The Yachiyo Brush is made with super black goat hair with a tapered dome head.  It's not your ordinary blush brush.  I love using it to define cheekbones, highlighting and blending/diffusing.  The handle is hand-spun with black wisteria.   To highlight, I roll this brush in my powder and roll the product onto the cheek bones...perfectly lit :)






The Botan Brush is super black goat hair in a large, dense dome shape.  It's perfect for finishing your complexion with loose or pressed powder, even buffing/blending blush and bronzer.  

The Large and Small Domed is made with squirrel hair.  The large one is soft and fluffy, perfect for blending and softening.  The small one is great for defining and focusing color in smaller areas.


The domed shadow or crease brush is one of my favorite tools to use for shadow.  I use one from Sonia Kashuk (Target) every day and I don't travel without it.  The tapered brush beautifully blends and works great for any eye shape and eye look.  It's the perfect tool for blending harsh lines, creating depth and doesn't pick up too much product.  The domed/crease brush is always the one brush I recommend to clients and friends.  
A clutch must-have!!!

Yesterday I got some new Clutch additions and I can't wait to share them with you!  (Went a little crazy) Here's a just a little sneak peak...

Summertime = Illuminizer!  Can't wait!!!

Minimize, Organize and Z Palettize!

I was admiring how cool and organized Norman Sand's palettes were and he told me about these Z Palettes.  When I was playing around with his Z's, I was impressed with how strong the magnet backing was and how nice they looked.

All this time I was buying MAC palletes and taking them apart, sticking magnet tape on the back of my pans.  I had to pop the top part off because I had more than just round MAC products and needed to maximize the space.  It was a lot of work for something that wasn't even that sturdy.

So just to try them out for myself, I ordered a large one and 2 small ones.  I couldn't wait to start depotting.  I just love them!  I can skip the popping out the top and the extra magnets.  The Z Palette has a strong magnetic back that most pans stick to and a clear top with magnetic closure.  If you have a lot of single shadows and blushes you can customize your own palettes.  It's great for those who travel a lot and don't want to carry 6 different compacts/containers.

I will be ordering more and with the ones I do have, I customized my own blush and bronze palette and neutral eye palette.  I kept one empty to customize my own travel palette.

Thank you Norman!

FAIRYDROPS Scandal Queen Mascara

Earlier this year, I had to move from the land of 10,000 lakes to the land of 10,000 tornadoes.  I left my friends, my family, my home and my favorite playground...Sephora.  I am now 900 miles away from Minnesota and 90 miles away from the nearest Sephora...oh Lawton, Oklahoma.

I needed to try something new, something that wasn't out when I was there and I'm always on the look out for a new mascara.  I first saw this mascara in Sephora's catalog with the description "#1 selling mascara in Japan"... SOLD!  I had to try it.  They have to know how difficult it is for Asian women to get volume and curl from a mascara, right?!  I didn't order it right away but I never forgot about it and I couldn't get its eye catching gold tube out of my mind.

Last week my Sephora box came and the wait was over.  Everything about it is pretty and cute!  It sports a gold coat with pink detailing and that carried over to the packaging too.  They know how to make you want to pick it up.  The brush has a unique curve and the mascara is very black.

Fairydrops does everything it says it does!   It curls, volumizing and wears all day without smudging.  The mascara is blended with fiber for lush lashes.  If you like Fiberwig mascara, you will love Fairydrops.  I was wary of it when I saw the fibers but there were no fiber fall out like some other ones.  The way it curled and held the curl was awesome!  It is a great everyday mascara because all you need is 2 coats, anymore than 2 and its gets a little clumpy.  It retails for $24.

Pros:
unique wand
curls
does not smudge
easy to use

Cons:
not the easiest for bottom lashes
can't layer too much











*No curler!

Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes Mascara

A little spikey ball thing is supposed to apply my mascara and lift and curl my lashes?!  No way!

I wasn't sure about this mascara when it first launched.  Once I actually learned how to properly use it, I fell in love.  Its designed to curl and separate with precision.  You are able to give each of your lashes individual attention with their patented sphere tip.  I start and the root and coat my lashes with the product then push and wiggle up.  As I'm pushing up on the lashes, I notice them getting longer and holding a curl.  I'm able to work the mascara in every direction...pushing and pulling until I get the fanned out lashes I want.  I have very typical straight and short Asian lashes so it is very difficult to find a mascara that will do anything to them.  I used to always curl my lashes and use only waterproof mascara to try to hold the curl. This mascara is totally worth trying at least once.  It comes in black and brown, a waterproof formula and retails for $29.50.


Pros:  precise application, very black, curls, doesn't smudge, no clumps

Cons: takes a little more time, price

I DO NOT curl my lashes anymore.  It is all mascara!

 One eye with Phenonmen'Eyes and one without.

Both eyes are done!