jilliandanica

Shop Shop Shop

2012-02-04T16:57:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week my friend invited me to be her +1 to the Shop MAC, Cook MAC preview event.

It was pure madness in there.We could barely move, let alone take pictures of everything so if you want collection details, check out Temptalia.

We played with the entire collection, but the standouts for us were the lip products.


Top (L-R): Quick Sizzle, Runaway Red & So Vain Bottom: Woo Me

I love bold lips so I was instantly attracted to Quick Sizzle and Runaway Red lipsticks. My friend gravitated towards the more wearable colors and picked out Dish It Up lipstick (not swatched but it's a pretty shimmer-free plum-pink) and Woo Me Kissable Lipcolour.

I was good and only left with the two lipsticks. I wanted a #222 brush as well, but found out it was discontinued - SAD FACE.

Here are better swatches of my haul:

Quick Sizzle

Runaway Red

Gave in, got NAKED!

2012-02-04T16:22:00.000-08:00

Under the Sun

Natural Light

Just like the first NAKED, I told myself I didn't need it. Who was I kidding?! Can't wait to play with NAKED 2!

NOTW: Rumple's Wiggin'

2012-02-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

My makeup bff, Kat, LOVES this shade. She even bought a back up but gifted it to me instead since I missed out! Thanks Kat! xo

OPI Rumple's Wiggin' + Essie Luxeffects Set In Stone

Nite Owl

2012-01-26T10:26:00.000-08:00

After seeing Giang's Nailside inspired post on cloud tips I had to try it because it looked so cute and easy to do.

I used Orly Nite Owl (one of the prettiest nudes EVER) as a base, and then I thought of owl feathers! So for the clouds I used ManGlaze The Death Tar (their OG black matte) and Orly Luxe.

This was really super easy so I plan on doing this with other color combos.

NOTW: Feel the beet

2012-01-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to work through my nail stash and picked out this color I got as a gift from Javy. I've had it for awhile but it's my first time wearing it. I actually don't wear such "normal" shades since I'm rather enamored by neutrals, holos, brights and glitter, but this was surprisingly pretty when on. If you've ever had beets, the color is pretty true to the juice stain they leave behind. In real life the color is a bit deeper but I think it's because my Seche Vite top coat darkens the shade. Oh well, Happy Monday!

OPI Miami Beet + Milani Gems

J & T's Wedding

2012-01-21T13:18:00.000-08:00

Last weekend my friends Jina & Terence got married at the beautiful Calamigos Ranch. The weather was quite grey and nippy but it only added to the Twilight-ish look of their ceremony.

The reception was just as magical - white tent and swags of chiffon and string lights.

One of my favorite parts of weddings, ya know aside from celebrating love, is getting to hang out with my girls. Love them forever!

Obligatory food picture - Prime Rib baby!

My handsome date :)

Party time and photobooth fun

Another great wedding! Cheers to the newlyweds!

NOTW: Barbie Pink

2012-01-17T21:08:00.000-08:00

Borrowed this HOT Barbie Pink from Kat and now I totally want a bottle for myself.

Orly Fancy Fuchsia

I'm actually wearing this color sans glitter, but I'm itching to add some sparkle. It's a Barbie pink...isn't glitter mandatory!? Also, in real life the color seems much brighter, even fluorescent. LOVE it.

Who's Got It Better Than Us?

2012-01-16T15:26:00.000-08:00

NOOOOBODYYYY!

I experienced my first ever tailgate and live football game and it was THE BEST. The 49ers beat the Saints in the last 2 nerve-wracking minutes of the game. LEGENDARY.

SO MUCH FUN!

Weekend Preview

2012-01-13T14:57:00.000-08:00

I have a busy weekend ahead of me so here's a preview...

Tonight Paul and I are flying to San Francisco to watch the 49ers play the Saints in the playoffs.

To be festive, I'll be wearing a 49ers shirt and jazzed up nails in Niner colors.

Ring Finger (super sloppy): Orly Luxe + Nubar Red Glitter + Sephora by OPI Only Gold For Me

All other fingers: Zoya Sooki + Essie Luxeffects As Gold As It Gets + Sephora by OPI Only Gold For Me

We'll be in The Bay for a little over 24 hours then we're back to LA on Sunday to make it for a friend's wedding in Malibu. Here's the dress I plan on wearing.

I'm going to attempt a big bun hairstyle but if that doesn't work I'll default to my usual curls.

I still need to finalize shoes and accessories, but I'm thinking of wearing my Casadei shoes and Zara clutch. What do you think?

And I still need to get a card for the wedding. Typing all of this up just reconfirms that I do NOT have enough time...

Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

NOTW: As Gold As It Gets

2012-01-09T14:04:00.000-08:00

Essie Luxeffects As Gold As It Gets + Turquoise & Caicos

This is what I imagine mermaid fins would look like glimmering under the sun. It also reminds me of a MAC's eyeshadow released ages ago.

2012: Happy

2012-01-09T11:23:00.000-08:00

I make resolutions and more often than not, suck at keeping them. This year, I'm only making one...to be HAPPY.

Inspiration to keep me going (source):

12 Things Happy People Do Differently

Express gratitude. – When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value. Kinda cool right? So basically, being grateful for the goodness that is already evident in your life will bring you a deeper sense of happiness. And that’s without having to go out and buy anything. It makes sense. We’re gonna have a hard time ever being happy if we aren’t thankful for what we already have.
Cultivate optimism. – Winners have the ability to manufacture their own optimism. No matter what the situation, the successful diva is the chick who will always find a way to put an optimistic spin on it. She knows failure only as an opportunity to grow and learn a new lesson from life. People who think optimistically see the world as a place packed with endless opportunities, especially in trying times.
Avoid over-thinking and social comparison. – Comparing yourself to someone else can be poisonous. If we’re somehow ‘better’ than the person that we’re comparing ourselves to, it gives us an unhealthy sense of superiority. Our ego inflates – KABOOM – our inner Kanye West comes out! If we’re ‘worse’ than the person that we’re comparing ourselves to, we usually discredit the hard work that we’ve done and dismiss all the progress that we’ve made. What I’ve found is that the majority of the time this type of social comparison doesn’t stem from a healthy place. If you feel called to compare yourself to something, compare yourself to an earlier version of yourself.
Practice acts of kindness. – Performing an act of kindness releases serotonin in your brain. (Serotonin is a substance that has TREMENDOUS health benefits, including making us feel more blissful.) Selflessly helping someone is a super powerful way to feel good inside. What’s even cooler about this kindness kick is that not only will you feel better, but so will people watching the act of kindness. How extraordinary is that? Bystanders will be blessed with a release of serotonin just by watching what’s going on. A side note is that the job of most anti-depressants is to release more serotonin. Move over Pfizer, kindness is kicking ass and taking names.
Nurture social relationships. – The happiest people on the planet are the ones who have deep, meaningful relationships. Did you know studies show that people’s mortality rates are DOUBLED when they’re lonely? WHOA! There’s a warm fuzzy feeling that comes from having an active circle of good friends who you can share your experiences with. We feel connected and a part of something more meaningful than our lonesome existence.
Develop strategies for coping. – How you respond to the ‘craptastic’ moments is what shapes your character. Sometimes crap happens – it’s inevitable. Forrest Gump knows the deal. It can be hard to come up with creative solutions in the moment when manure is making its way up toward the fan. It helps to have healthy strategies for coping pre-rehearsed, on-call, and in your arsenal at your disposal.
Learn to forgive. – Harboring feelings of hatred is horrible for your well-being. You see, your mind doesn’t know the difference between past and present emotion. When you ‘hate’ someone, and you’re continuously thinking about it, those negative emotions are eating away at your immune system. You put yourself in a state of suckerism (technical term) and it stays with you throughout your day.
Increase flow experiences. – Flow is a state in which it feels like time stands still. It’s when you’re so focused on what you’re doing that you become one with the task. Action and awareness are merged. You’re not hungry, sleepy, or emotional. You’re just completely engaged in the activity that you’re doing. Nothing is distracting you or competing for your focus.
Savor life’s joys. – Deep happiness cannot exist without slowing down to enjoy the joy. It’s easy in a world of wild stimuli and omnipresent movement to forget to embrace life’s enjoyable experiences. When we neglect to appreciate, we rob the moment of its magic. It’s the simple things in life that can be the most rewarding if we remember to fully experience them.
Commit to your goals. – Being wholeheartedly dedicated to doing something comes fully-equipped with an ineffable force. Magical things start happening when we commit ourselves to doing whatever it takes to get somewhere. When you’re fully committed to doing something, you have no choice but to do that thing. Counter-intuitively, having no option – where you can’t change your mind – subconsciously makes humans happier because they know part of their purpose.
Practice spirituality. – When we practice spirituality or religion, we recognize that life is bigger than us. We surrender the silly idea that we are the mightiest thing ever. It enables us to connect to the source of all creation and embrace a connectedness with everything that exists. Some of the most accomplished people I know feel that they’re here doing work they’re “called to do.”
Take care of your body. – Taking care of your body is crucial to being the happiest person you can be. If you don’t have your physical energy in good shape, then your mental energy (your focus), your emotional energy (your feelings), and your spiritual energy (your purpose) will all be negatively affected. Did you know that studies conducted on people who were clinically depressed showed that consistent exercise raises happiness levels just as much as Zoloft? Not only that, but here’s the double whammy… Six months later, the people who participated in exercise were less likely to relapse because they had a higher sense of self-accomplishment and self-worth.

I hope your 2012 is off to a GREAT start and most of all that you're happy!

NOTW: Mesmerize

2012-01-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

I went on a nail polish binge before the end of the year and picked up all of the Essie Luxeffects and a few others I had my eye on for awhile.

My polish collection has grown exponentially since last year and I'm pretty sure I haven't worn all of them yet. So this year, I'm putting myself on a no-polish-buy until I've worn (and posted) all the colors I own. This is going to be tough. I sure hope there aren't too many spectacular releases this year!

Anyway, to kick this off, here are my nails for the weekend...

Essie Mesmerize + Essie Luxeffects Pure Pearlflection + OPI Save Me

The pretty colors of the bar glitter in Save Me are hard to see with this combination so I'll have to try it with something else. Anywhos, Happy Friday!

Redhead Rebel

2011-12-26T15:03:00.000-08:00

It's the day after Christmas and instead of going to the mall I'm at home vegging out, cleaning, catching up on blogs and twitter, watching Breaking Bad and playing with makeup.

Here's my cleaning house half-assed FOTD haha

Face:
Cantaloupe Blush
Redhead MSF

Eyes:
L'Oreal Lineur Intense e/l

Lips:
Rebel l/s
Magenta + Currant l/p

Hope all of you had a great Christmas!

NOTW: Metro Chic

2011-12-21T10:23:00.000-08:00

Loved Susy's nails in this post so I just had to try it out. I don't think I'll ever tire of glittery nails!

Metro Chic

Traffic Stopper Copper

Only Gold For Me

Dragon

2011-12-20T21:40:00.000-08:00

Chanel's Dragon Rouge Allure Laque really is the bee's knees!

My [Im]possible Wishlist

2011-12-20T10:34:00.000-08:00

Christmas or not, these are things I'm lemming for...

I need to win the lotto or get myself a pimp! We'll see what Santa delivers...

If I could only get one thing, I'd really want that Breville Juicer!

NOTW: Stormy Weather

2011-12-12T08:16:00.001-08:00

Ironic because it's actually storming.

Stormy Weather

I Love The Nightlife

Finally received the Deborah Lippmann polished I ordered during the Apothica F&F sale. Both colors are prettier than I hoped they would be! Inspired by ...love Maegan, I did just a stripe of glitter on the outer side of each nail. I love how it turned out!

Happy Monday! Stay dry and drive safe :)

NOTW: Green Flashes

2011-12-07T10:21:00.001-08:00

I haven't done my nails in over a month! No color, not even treatments! I blame it on my hellish month at work and, well, laziness. My nails are SUPER short and the dry, cold weather has done a number on their condition. I'm hoping they'll get better soon so I can jazz them up for Christmas and New Years!

Americal Apparel Hassid + Zoya Rina

Gastronomic Weekend

2011-12-05T11:55:00.001-08:00

Last weekend was beyond delicious...

Healthy Juices, Muffin and Omelet from True Food Kitchen, Santa Monica

Salmon Stack from Aroma Coffee & Tea, Studio City

Ramen at Koraku and Bread Pudding at Crave Cafe, Sherman Oaks

Port & Stilton, Tater Tots and Drinks at Umami Burger, Studio City

Pickles, Fries, Knuckle Sandwich, Charred Baby Octopus and Chu-Don't-Know-Mang at A-Frame, Culver City

Tortoise & Goose

2011-12-03T17:53:00.000-08:00

Been wearing my MK Tortoise Watch and JewelMint Golden Goose bracelet everyday for the last couple of weeks. It's a simple combination considering the trendy bracelet stacks that I've been seeing. I just think stacking too much would detract from the beauty of this watch. What do you think?

Our Christmas Tree

2011-12-02T10:01:00.001-08:00

Paul and I took the Monday after Thanksgiving off to rest from the long drive and run errands. Buying our Christmas tree was one of them!

We went to OSH first but found their trees to be really dry already. We called a few Targets to find out if their garden centers had any only to find out they no longer had garden centers. As a last resort we headed to our local tree lot. We usually don't like going to tree lots since their trees are usually overpriced. Our lot was no different, but their trees were beautiful!

We ended up buying a 5-6ft Noble Fir that was WAY more than we were looking to pay, but it was totally worth it. We decorated it that night and now our apartment is a little more cheerful.

Happy Holidays! (It's December, so I don't think it's too early to say that now!)

30 Day Challenge via Instagram

2011-12-01T21:28:00.001-08:00

Attempting another challenge...

Join me? Follow me on Instagram!

Thanksgiving in The Bay

2011-12-01T15:11:00.001-08:00

Spent Thanksgiving in The Bay with Paul and his family.

We ate, shopped and hung out. Always a good time!

Costco Pumpkin Pie | Dim Sum from TC Pastry | Thanksgiving Dinner

Tea Leaf Salad, Garlic Noodles & Pork Curry from Burma Cafe

Brown Butter & Sage Ice Cream from Mr. & Mrs. Miscellaneous

Superdry Hoodie & Windcheater | Madewell Poet Skirt

Mocha & Latte from Blue Bottle Coffee Co. and Salumi Cone from Boccalone at The Ferry Building

Christmas Tree at Union Square | Dueling Pianos at That Bar in Danville

Used my iPhone to blog - so convenient! Most of the pics were taken w/ my iPhone and some with my Canon S95. All were put together w/ the PhotoShake app.

The Dark Side

2011-11-28T12:57:00.001-08:00

I crossed over to the dark side or maybe it's the bright side. Either way I just hope that it doesn't make me go crazy like the Connexus in Appleseed Ex Machina haha.

Rachel Bilson + Steve Madden = ShoeMint

2011-11-15T22:59:00.001-08:00

I love Rachel Bilson's style and Steve Madden's designs. The two collaborating on shoes is going to be AMAZEBALLS! Sign up (invite) so we can be shoe shopping buddies!