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Kat Von D Underage Red Painted Love Lipstick

2013-03-02T22:26:00.002-08:00

I got Underage Red in a lip set earlier this fall but never got to try it out. I was a bit afraid because I have never worn a "firetruck red". I'm more of a dark red or classic red kind of girl. I like reds with deep tones of blues. Cooler blues that are light and almost orange-y usually freak me out. Anything that looks coral or have tints of orange are my worst enemy. They make me look like I just ate a popsicle and I totally can't rock that look :c

Here's what KVD's "Underage Red" looks on my NC20/25 skin. I think it's slightly deeper than pictured (I put a new lightbulb in) haha. But I love it!

Underage Red is described as a bright crimson shade on Sephora's site. But, I'd say it's far from that. Bright? Yes. Crimson? No. This shade of right is super intense, bright and matte. It isn't a deep but it's very bold. It's the most "true red" shade I own, but it isn't "Snow White" Red. It is one of my favorites but it unfortunately doesn't suit me for just casual wear. If you're looking for a deeper red, try KVD's Hellbent.

On to the actual texture and lasting power...it's definitely silky as advertised, creamy, smooth but it definitely isn't moisturizing. It is slightly drying after a few hours. Thankfully, it isn't as drying as the "Foiled" series. But, it does settle into lines if you don't exfoliate your lips. Otherwise, I love it.

I'm not wearing any lip liner in this photo and I didn't have problems with it bleeding, but it does feather and fade after 4 hours and the staying power is less with food and water. So if you totally love this shade, I suggest trying to use some liner before applying this lipstick.

So, is it worth the price? I'd say it's steep for the quality. There are dupes out there, I think "Hero" or "Chaos" would be good depending on your skin tone. I wish this lipstick was a tad deeper. I like this lipstick but it wouldn't be a repurchase for me.

Kat Von D Rosary Painted Love Lipstick

2013-01-07T23:54:00.002-08:00

A few months ago I purchased Kat Von D's Starstruck Lipstick Set. Regretfully, I never had the chance to wear them because the majority of the shades aren't too "work" or "casual" friendly, with the exception of a few. I decided to do posts on each of the individual lipsticks because they're too different in texture, finish, sheen and staying power.

Here I am wearing the shade "Rosary". This picture was taken directly under artificial light. This is one of my favorite shades in the set and it's also the darkest. It's described to be a burgundy shade, but on my NC25 skin, it's more of a very deep blood red. It's not a true red, but it isn't a true burgundy either. It's a beautiful mix of both.

I noticed that it is slightly darker in certain lights. Depending on how you wear it, it can turn out looking anywhere from sultry and vampy to classy and sophisticated. I wouldn't say this is appropriate for a work setting unless you're working at a fashion/beauty setting. It's a bit dark and I find that it can look a bit overwhelming.

The lasting power is about 4-6 hours. The texture is creamy, smooth and it gives of a semi-matte sheen.

As you can see, parts of my lips look lighter. This is what happens when you don't have super supple lips and wear Kat Von D lipsticks...I find the KVD Lipsticks don't have moisturizing formula's. The entire line will either dry out your lips completely, or do absolutely nothing for you. But, because the colors are to die for, extra lip exfoliating and moisturizing makes it worth it.

In comparison to the "Foiled Love" Collection, KVD's "Painted Love" Collection is much more hydrating.

You can check out more shades here. And see more reviews on KVD lipsticks here.

Mini Test Shoot: Deana

2011-11-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

I haven't seen my friend Deana in a minute so we decided to catch up. I brought my camera along with me because I specifically insisted that we try and have a mini test shoot. She was super sweet and it was fun taking photos of this pretty lady.

New Macro Lens

2011-04-11T21:47:00.000-07:00

...and I can't get it to cooperate. Maybe I'm just too much of a noob at this. There's always a dark shadow that's casted or I can never get it to focus. I met up with Ariel and Michelle in the city today after work. The day was so gloomy but I decided to mess around with my new fish eyes and give it a go anyway.

Versani Charity Event

2010-11-16T23:43:00.000-08:00

I went to a charity event that was being hosted by Versani Jewelry Co. to raise money for Sierra Leone. Ariel was modeling for the show, so I was invited as a guest to photograph the event. It was a very rainy night. So not all of the guests showed up. The guest list included a lot of celebrities, but I really couldn't make out who was there, or who was even performing because it was so dark. I didn't post all of the pictures up, only a select few that were appropriate for everyone to see. I will say that there is "nudity" but everything is covered by thick layers of body paint. The models were painted by a theater artist. Each model had either a part of the map painted on them, or was painted to look like an animal. There was music, poetry and dancing. I felt like the big elephant in the room. Mainly because I was the only female entirely clothed at the event and because it was the first event I was ever asked to shoot. I was pretty nervous, shy and excited at the same time. It's safe to say that it was a pretty strange night.

Late Night Tourist-y Adventure

2010-11-13T21:13:00.000-08:00

Ariel left her blackberry in the cab the other night. Luckily, the cab driver who found gave me a call. Ariel and I decided to embark on a mini adventure into the city to pick up her phone. Sure enough, the cab driver was a creep. Then we decided to go to Bloomingdales and get our makeup done while waiting for our friend Elizabeth.

Red Elmo

2010-10-03T02:39:00.000-07:00

We went out to celebrate Ariel's 20th birthday the other night. I rarely go out late because of work and school...and because the clubs and bars are particularly not my scene. But, I had to make an exception for her big 2-0 hehe. We stopped by MAC Cosmetics to get her makeup done and then we celebrated her birthday down in Chelsea at Red Elmo.

Fashion's Night Out

2010-09-09T21:31:00.000-07:00

Danielle and I decided to meet up in the city for FNO 2010. I went to the first one last year, but it wasn't too enjoyable because it was pouring rain and we were still new to the city. We were so so close to meeting Michelle Phan but the security guard chose to let a woman and her husband in and made my friend and I leave. Kind of ridiculous, but expected. Being the beauty junkies we are, we decided to head into Sephora and catch up for dinner at our favorite spot Dallas BBQ's. Yum.

City Chillin'

2010-08-03T11:26:00.000-07:00

Jeremy and I met up and went around the city today. We went through Central Park and Chelsea Piers. I haven't seen Central Park since I was a kid and I've never been to Chelsea Piers before. I still haven't really used my camera - so I was pretty stoked. Hopefully today inspires my friend to save up a DSLR of his own so we can go on some more shooting adventures. I have to admit, he still shot some awesome photos with his digital camera. Boss.

Radio City

2010-06-19T22:51:00.000-07:00

Ariel and I took a little trip downtown last night. I decided to shoot some photographs while we relaxed outside. This was probably one of the most peaceful nights I've ever experienced in New York. In the midst of all the chaos was silence. It was warm, breezy and getting dark out. This night is definitely going to be a nostalgic one for me.

First Nikon Shoot: Sarah

2010-06-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

My friend Sarah came to New York to visit for the summer. She and I haven't seen each other for over 10 years. Today was also the first day I had my camera with me in New York. Sarah and I spent the day roaming around Times Square. I'm still new to the city. So I unfortunately couldn't show her around. But it's safe to say that I was still ecstatic to have to honor to photograph such a beautiful lady as herself. She was so fun to shoot with and wasn't afraid to be silly! The camera definitely loved her and it was such great practice for me. These photos are all raw and unedited. I think I'm beginning to realize that all of my female friends are extremely photogenic. Such beauties like her don't need airbrushing!

First Test Shoot: Ashford

2010-05-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

Here are the last of my "First Test Shoot" chronicles. These were taken on a rainy day, in the parking spot of a strangers home...right before Ashford's exams? I disagree with his outfit completely, but you gotta give the guy props for showing up.

First Test Shoot: Carter

2010-05-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Here are the only surviving shots from Carter's test shoot. I think I took the most test shots with Carter. The day was muggy and cloudy so it was hard for a newbie to get a good shot. But I actually like these because they are kind of candid. Shooting with Carter was probably the most amusing. Never thought guys would be so cooperative. The ones I had saved were ironically photos that were taken in bad lighting and were uneditable. Funny, because the photos I took of Ariel and Brittany didn't need editing at all!

First Test Shoot: Ariel

2010-04-30T20:12:00.000-07:00

These are another set of unedited photos I took with Julian's Canon the day after Brittany's test shoot. Most of favorites didn't survive but shooting with the roomie was lovely. Totally H&M catalogue worthy hehe.

First Test Shoot: Brittany

2010-04-30T17:13:00.000-07:00

I went shooting the other day with my friend's camera. It was my first time ever shooting with an DSLR. And I have to say, I'm pretty impressed at how my photos turned out. I'm lucky I saved these photos into my email because my macbook crashed a day later, any uploaded photos I didn't save. I'm glad these photos survived because Brittany looks like a bombshell! I'm going to have to invest in one of these cameras someday. Here are raw and unedited photos from my test shoot.

Mini Stroll Around Soho

2010-04-10T20:52:00.000-07:00

Today was my first trip to Soho. We honestly had no idea where we were going haha. But Ariel's sister came to visit so we decided to go down for a bit. These were taken with my Powershot. Nothing special, just a nice stroll around the village.

Days Before Spring

2010-03-23T01:33:00.000-07:00

The trip I had with my class has inspired me to go and take some photos with a la roomies on this sunny afternoon. I used Elizabeth's digi-cam to snap this cute photos.

Ellis Island

2009-10-05T08:49:00.000-07:00

Our class had a trip to Ellis Island. It was my first trip over there, so I figured I'd take my camera along. I don't really enjoy being in front or behind the camera. I'm not much of a photographer, but I think these photos turned out nicely. Keep in mind, I used a basic digital camera. I have a feeling these photos will be the first of many adventures.

It was a fun adventure. The museum itself didn't appeal to me. It seemed too 'clean' and empty. It wasn't until we went over to the back and saw the parts of Ellis Island that weren't reconstructed and torn down. It was the first time I've ever seen anything from that perspective. The history, the artifacts, the beauty - it was all there. It wasn't masked by layers of paint and replicated props. It was what used to be the door to 'the land of the free. It was real.What a beautiful day it was indeed.