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2013-03-06T20:21:00.004-08:00

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KelleyBakerBrows Collective Review (Part 1 - Salon)

2013-02-04T13:48:00.001-08:00

The past few weeks, I have had the great pleasure and privilege of getting to know award-winning arch artist, Kelley Baker. She is one of the sweetest women I have come to meet here in the beauty community, and I cannot wait to share with you all my experience with her amazing salon and my thoughts on her brow products.

Highlighter Smudge Brush, Angle Spoolie Brush, Brow Powder, Highlighter Pencil

Before I review the products I showed above, I wanted to first describe my experience with her salon.

Kelley's salon is located in the heart of Venice, CA on Abbot Kinney Blvd. Parking hasn't been a problem for me to find on Abbott Kinney since it is along a residential area where street parking is free. I did come in early in the morning Saturday, so it might be different on other days.

The first thing I said when I walked in was, "OMG it is so cute!" Kelley's salon has this crisp and clean set-up where it's pretty much self-explanatory. You have a reception area on one side, and the salon part on the other, where there are two chairs in front of a large mirror. Her salon felt so welcoming and alive because of all the daylight that comes in through her large windows, and the classic white walls. Her door and the front desk has her logo embedded on them.

I was immediately greeted with a smile by the receptionist, Emily, and I love how she already knew who was coming in at that time frame! Definitely plus points on my book! I love it when people are welcoming because they immediately make me feel comfortable and at home.

Kelley really took her time with me during my 30 minute appointment. She started off with plucking and waxing stray hairs. What she really took her time with was shaping my brows and making sure each individual hair was perfectly trimmed to achieve a full brow look!

Kelley was very sweet and personable and I just love how we were both getting to know each other while she was working on my brows! I didn't even realize how fast time went by how comfortable I was. It was just like as if Kelley and I were just sitting down and having coffee.

After she shaped my brows, she filled in one brow with her products, and then she showed me through a hand mirror how she filled them in--in action! Not only was I getting perfectly shaped eyebrows, I was also getting a mini makeup lesson on how to use her brow products! I picked up a great technique and that's part of what sold me on this brow service!

Kelley is so sweet and a very intelligent woman. In the short timeframe that I spent with her, I got to know her on a personal level, I found out a little bit about her business and experience, and I learned a makeup technique from her! All in one package of getting my eyebrows done! Who can tell me that they get this experience at your average waxing/threading place? *silence*

So here are photos of my new eyebrows (Sorry I didn't get to take a photo of my brows before! But trust me, they looked ugly)...

Can you tell how happy I am with my newly-shaped brows? I am definitely coming back here to get my eyebrows done from now on. No more mall threading or waxing for me!

All of Kelley's salon info can be found HERE. Her services are by appointment only, so give Emily, her receptionist, a call her on (310) 314-BROW or email her at emily@kelleybakerbrows.com

Also, Kelley and I have a SPECIAL GIFT for all of you, especially if you live in the LA/OC area, or just planning to visit Los Angeles anytime soon!

For all first time visits, Kelley is offering $5 off her services if you mention me, "Naomi from Love2Primp" and/or "@naohms on Instagram" on your visit! Isn't that awesome? What other reason do you have on not coming in to get your eyebrows perfected?

Stay tuned for my review of Part 2 - Products.

Disclaimer: KelleyBakerBrows services and products were offered to me with no obligation to review or advertise in any way. All my thoughts on the salon and these products are my own, and I was not paid by the company to review these for compensation.

House of Lashes "Noir Fairy" and "Temptress" lashes

2013-01-28T16:06:00.002-08:00

I know I made a first impressions review on the famous "Noir Fairy" lashes on my Instagram a while back, and now I just wanted to come back and tell you all how I felt about it after I had used one pair to its max capacity, and also share with you all my thoughts on another new favorite of mine, the "Temptress" lashes.

Noir Fairy lashes

Temptress lashes

Let me just begin with their customer service.

I bought my Noir Fairy 3-pack and my package came in within 3 business days. I was so excited to try them on that when I took out the lashes, part of the lash came apart from the lash band! Immediately, I got a little frustrated because these were the lashes that everyone had been talking about and for me to have a defective one was just not a good sign for me already. I realized that the glue that holds the lashes in place on the casing was really strong when normally the glue should only be on the two ends and middle of the band.

Anyway, I emailed their customer service email, and immediately got a response from the owner, Jenn, promising to replace my lashes, free of charge. I was so surprised by how fast she responded and how personable she was by making sure she got all of her emails at real time because she responded to me through mobile email. I got my replacement within 2 business days with a note apologizing for the defective pair. This is what I like about quality customer service. A quick response, and building relationships with their customers.

The Noir Fairy is described as "this amazing multi-layered and multi-tiered lash style is packed with as much density as the eye can hold. Noir Fairy makes your lashes the focal point and draws attention so much to your eyes, that you might be remembered as unearthly, supernatural and awesomely sublime!"

I just adore how incredibly dense and lush these are and how they really made my eyes the "focal point" of my face just like they described. These are perfect for going out and for special occasions! For its density, I didn't find them as heavy as other full lashes like the Katy Perry lashes or Ardell double ups, so I don't get droopy eyes! They sit fairly comfortably on my lash line as long as they are trimmed to the length of your lash line (which is pretty much a rule of thumb when using falsies). These lashes are full and layered so that they still look like your lashes but amplifiedx1000 as opposed to just straight fake lashes.

I have used one pair to its max capacity and I got to use it up to 14 times. I would use it probably a couple more times if I was a little more careful with how I took off the glue.

The only problem I have with these lashes is the band. I wish it was a little thinner so I could wear these alone with no visible band. I also hoped it would be a little easier to bend and shape so that application comes easier. As well, since this pair is multi-layered, it was really difficult to take the glue out without tampering with the band stitching. You have to be very meticulous and careful with what you're picking out because it might not be the lash glue you had put on.

Now, Naomi, is it worth the $16? 100%, YES! By just how many compliments I get using these lashes and how they make my eyes look, I just fell in love! It's not a pair I can find a dupe of anywhere else! Most importantly, I'm one who values quality over quantity. I'm not saying that you should purchase every designer or famous name brand out there, but for me, I would rather splurge on a one-of-a-kind pair that you can use tons of times as opposed to spending $2-5 on a pair that you can use only once or twice. If you really do the math, what's more worth your money?

The Noir Fairy is made with cruelty-free synthetic hair and each lash is handcrafted.

The Temptress "redefines the word 'wispy' for lashes, by tripling hair volume, and doubling length. This style can be cut and altered any way you desire, and when subtly curled, it can help you take any man’s breath away. You can even add a little mascara when you’re ready to make an even bolder move."

Wispies are my favorite kind of lashes because they just make my eyes look very doll-like and just open my eyes up like a dream! And this pair does just that! I like how the length of the band was short enough for my small eyes that I didn't have to trim it to fit my eyes. And it is so light on my eyes! Normally wispies weigh my eyes down because of the length of the hairs, but these just have enough length and volume that my eyes are comfortable. The lashes also spread outward, so it makes my eyes look even more awake and gives that lash extension-look. This pair is like my own lashes, but fuller (like they added more lashes onto my own lashes) and longer! It's safe enough to wear during day time without looking overdone, but it can still compliment a nice dramatic eye for the nighttime. I love how the band is invisible because it's easier for me to wear without eyeliner. As well, the band is flexible and the glue is extremely easy to remove.

So far, I've used this pair for 6 times and it still looks just as good as when I had first put them on. So, you know I have used it up for what it's worth and it is still wearable! I do not recommend using mascara for any kind of lashes if you want your lashes to last a long time. I do suggest using mascara on your own lashes before putting your falsies on. I shall update this once I have worn them out.

The Temptress is handcrafted using 100% human hair.

All House of Lashes products can be purchased at thehouseoflashes.com. The "Noir Fairy" lashes retail for $16/pair and $44/3-pack. The "Temptress" lashes retail for $9/pair and $22/3-pack. They ship from Southern California and do ship worldwide.

Makeup looks with these lashes can be found on my Instagram (@naohms).

Disclaimer: The "Temptress" lashes were sent to me by House of Lashes with no obligation to review or advertise in any way. All my thoughts on these lashes are my own, and I was not paid by the company to review these products in any way.

Winter Blog Sale 2013!

2013-01-07T19:35:00.004-08:00

Hi everyone! So I am going through my makeup collection and am selling some of my makeup that I don't really use anymore or ones I haven't even touched yet!

HERE ARE MY RULES.
1. Anything that you like, please email me at love2primp@gmail.com with your Paypal email address and your mailing address so I can send you an invoice. SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY! And I will NOT accept any other form of payment.

2. Everything comes in a first come, first serve basis. If payment is not sent within 1 hour, the item will be relisted on my blog.

3. This blogsale is, unfortunately, for US and Canada residents only. Sorry, my international viewers, maybe in the next blogsale! >____<

4. Shipping costs $3.50USD for each item. Any additional item will be an additional $1.00 for your shipping cost. I will ship 3 days after receiving payment. All sales are final. I will not be responsible for items that break or get lost in transit.

5. All prices listed are in USD currency.

6. Happy Shopping!

:)

~~MAC Crew Highlight Powder (Brand New in Box)~~

~~Retail Price: $29 /~~ ~~My Price: $20~~ SOLD!

~~MAC Flower Fantasy Highlight Powder (used 3x)~~

~~Retail Price: $29 /~~ ~~My Price: $18~~ SOLD!

~~MAC Her Own Devices Beauty Powder (used 3x)~~
~~Retail Price: $25 /~~ ~~My Price: $18~~ SOLD!

Dior Fairy Golds eyeshadow palette (used 1x)
Retail Price: $59 / My Price: $40

~~MAC She Who Dares Mineralize Eyeshadow (used 2x, plastic lid broken, fixed with superglue)~~

~~Retail Price: $21 /~~ ~~My Price: $10~~ SOLD!

~~MAC Glorify Extra Dimension Skinfinish (Brand New)~~

~~Retail Price: $29 /~~ ~~My Price: $20~~ SOLD

~~TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer (Swatched 1x)~~

~~Retail Price: $24 /~~ ~~My Price: $10~~ SOLD!

xoxo.

November Hits and Misses

2012-12-04T23:05:00.001-08:00

This is my first ever favorites blog post on my blog! I normally post this on my Instagram, and although I will post this, I'm hoping this post will answer a lot of my followers' questions and save me from sounding like a broken record. ^__^

Before you read, please keep in mind that this blog post is based on my personal experience. Everyone has their own preferences and everyone reacts to products differently.

November 2012 Hits

Hits:

Chanel Le Volume de Chanel mascara - honestly one of the best mascaras I've tried besides my holy grail Lancome Hypnose Drama WP mascara! This coats my lashes beautifully with just one swipe. This has what they call the "snowflake" wand where the bristles are triangularly shaped. A Chanel professional MUA told me that the trick to this kind of wand is that it allows for the lashes to be coated twice in one swipe. The only thing I want Chanel to do is to make a waterproof version for my watery eyes. I will have a separate review on this so I'll save all that for later!

Tom Ford Spanish Pink lipstick - the first Tom Ford lipstick I've tried and owned (along with Black Orchid)! Best satin formula.. ever! I know people want to hit me in the head for spending $48 on a lipstick, but this is the best of the best that I've tried! It applies on like butter and is opaque with one swipe and I can comfortably wear these lipsticks all day without having the feeling of dryness. Quality over quantity :)

Guerlain Orgueil Rouge G L'Extrait - See my review here

Burberry Russet blush - No matter how much blushes I own, I felt like I kept coming back to this blush since I got it! I have my dear friend Alex (Monsiieuralex on YT and Instagram) to thank for this! It is amazingly pigmented and gives that natural flush on my yellow-toned medium tan skin. It's not powdery and it's so velvety when you apply this! LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Chanel Purete Ideale Serum - See my review here

Chanel Notorious Sculpting Veil - I have to say that after trying this product, I don't think I can live without it! This contour powder has sculpted my face so much better than my other bronzers that when I tried to revert back to bronzer, it did not look the same! Contouring is supposed to create that illusion of a more defined bone structure which should create a shadow on the part of the face that isn't lifted. And what better way to recreate that look than a grey "blush"? A review for this is still on my list to make (I know, I'm so behind! So much going on right now my loves!)

Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Brunette/Dark Brown - So far I'm really liking the staying power of these brow powders since my MAC Charcoal Brown fails to last all day.

Chanel Harmonie du Soir eyeshadow quad - See my review here

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet L'Impatiente lipstick - See my review here

Tarte Amazonian Clay blushes in Stellar and Magic - See my review here

Burberry Lip Glow in Bright Plum - I'm not a fan of lipglosses in general, but this might just be my favorite lipgloss formula! It is extremely pigmented (I can wear this on its own with medium to medium-full opacity)! I love how comfortable it sits on my lips as well. It's not as sticky as other lipglosses, and doesn't fade quickly.

Chanel Le Vernis in Malice - See my review here

November 2012 Misses

Misses:

MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator - No matter how much I wanted to give this thing a try, it just does not work for me (and yes I stuck with this thing all month of November). I know a lot of my friends on IG rave about this exfoliator (which is why I got it in the first place), but it just does not compare to my Fresh Soy Exfoliant! The beads dissolve so fast that it doesn't even give me enough time to exfoliate my face thorougly, which leads me to use more product and go through it quicker. It does give that smoothness on my face afterwards, but that smoothness doesn't last long! I probably have to use this 2-3 times a week to maintain that same smoothness as how I would with my Fresh Soy Exfoliant that I would use once a week. However, let me tell you why I don't recommend this. Ever since I used this, my face has been experiencing more breakouts and more appearance of blackheads and whiteheads that I normally keep at bay with my FSE. It's not that it reacted with my sensitive skin, but it just did not do the job of freeing my pores of dirt (if you want a more thorough review, or a comparison post, please let me know on the comments). I am honestly crying inside because my face is at its worst right now.

Tarte Amazonian Clay blush in Angelic - like I said in my review, this did not have the staying power of the other blushes in the set, or the permanent blushes, for that matter.

I hope you find these mini reviews helpful! Again, please keep in mind that these are my own opinions based on my personal experiences and is, in no way, invalidating other people's opinions.

Tarte Fantastic Foursome Blush Set

2012-11-19T21:17:00.004-08:00

The Tarte Fantastic Foursome blush set is "a limited-edition blush enthusiast set featuring Tarte's award-winning and best-selling blush in four deluxe sizes of brand NEW universally flattering shades."

This set comes with four new blushes.

Angelic (shimmering champagne) has shimmer as fine as my Dior Amber Diamond. It definitely doesn't look like you have glitter on your face but more of a golden sheen. Of course, this doesn't replace my Amber Diamond nor does it serve as a dupe because this one doesn't last as long and isnt as multidimensional, but if you want a similar sheen without the high end price tag, this could work for you.

Stellar (shimmering nude) gives a flattering warmth and glow on your face. It can work as a bronzer because of its undertone. You can achieve a more subdued JLo glow with this product (especially with the cooler months coming up). This probably wont show up on skintones darker than an NC40. I don't own anything similar to this blush.

Magic (pink coral) looks very similar to Tarte Blissful. I'm reminded of MAC Supercontinental blush from the Styleseeker collection from this year. This is probably my favorite out of the four because it looks so flattering on my skin tone.

Fantastic (soft fuchsia) reminds me of Dior Rosy Glow Blush in Petal and NARS Gaeity. It's a cool pink that is so flattering on lighter skin tones and is great for wintertime!

Tarte blushes are described as "a long-wearing, supremely soft blush infused with Amazonian clay harvested from the banks of the Amazon River and naturally baked by the sun. This 12-hour blush universally benefits all skin types for a fade-free, flawless finish in shades ranging from soft to vivid and matte to shimmer to suit a wide variety of skin tones."

These four blushes definitely perform up to what the description claims and consistently with Tarte's permanent blush line. It took me a while to post this up because I wanted to get a good use out of the blushes to tell you how they perform. They are greatly pigmented and you don't need a heavy hand to apply these on. I've tested all four and generally have survived a solid 12 hours without fading. I work about 10-12 hours a day and wear makeup from 5:00am till 6:30pm when I get home (I know, it's bad, but what can I do?, I work long hours) and did not see any fading on the cheeks even if I blot my face. The only one that I saw that was least performing with longevity was Angelic.

I can't even begin to say how great of a deal this is. A regular sized blush has 5.6 grams of product for $25 and this blush set has four mini blushes with 3.03 grams of product for $35! That's like paying for 1.4 full sized blushes for the amount of 2.16 blushes (if that makes any sense). You're pretty much saving $19. It doesn't seem like a lot, but the value great considering you're getting four different cheek products!

If you're new to Tarte and you've been itching to try a blush from them, this is definitely a great starting point for you. You get a good variety without paying a lot! This is perfect as presents and stocking stuffers for the holidays that your makeup lover loved ones would greatly appreciate.

L-R: Angelic, Stellar, Magic, Fantastic

This blush set retail for $35 USD at your local Sephora and TarteCosmetics.com.

My New Best Friend!!! (Chanel Pureté Idéale Sérum)

2012-11-13T22:28:00.002-08:00

There are only three major reasons I would make a big splurge on a beauty product: either I've tried samples, I've heard consistent positive reviews, or I just see immediate results that I can't seem to put it down! And Chanel Pureté Idéale Sérum has Reason #3 written all over it, and I'm so excited to tell you all about it! I know I promised my friend, Melissa, I would wait until this weekend to post it just so I have had a good use out of it and make sure my face doesn't react to it or whatever, but I just can't contain how much I love this product anymore!

I know I've had this Chanel kick going on the past few weeks. Every time I walk by my go-to Chanel counter, I keep discovering products that are just game-changers in my beauty regimen! And I am really starting to believe that Chanel is becoming my new favorite cosmetics brand!

Let me just say, before you continue reading this, that what I'm about to talk about is my first impression on the product, and this may or may not change depending on how my skin reacts to this. I have only used this product five times, so I will have an update later on (my 28-day mark).

Chanel Pureté Idéale Sérum is described as "This daily serum is targeted specifically for skin with excess sebum. Lightweight and oil-free, it absorbs rapidly to instantly refine skin texture -- eliminating dead cells and tightening pores -- and soften the appearance of imperfections. Helps balance oil production for a long-lasting matte finish."

First of all, let me talk about the packaging. The product comes in an airless pump, which means that you can get pretty much every single drop from this bottle, so you know you're getting every single dollar from it. It comes in this cool minty green color, but is white when pumped out (you can't really tell the green tinge to it). It also comes in this matte frosted bottle, which looks very simple, yet still luxe.

I never even intended to purchase this when I went into my local Bloomingdales. I only wanted to purchase the new Le Volume de Chanel and a lighter Perfection Lumiere foundation. But my SA tried this on me and I was immediately in love!! I emphasize that word with confidence! It does pretty much what the description says. I have a very oily face and enlarged pores, and within seconds, I see my face mattifying and seeing my pores minimizing. I'm normally a person to just ask for a buttload of samples so I can try it at home before purchasing the full size, but I just COULD NOT put the bottle down! It costed a whopping $75 for a 1 oz bottle but I kept telling her that "I have to have it!" And Naomi was a failure in trying to "not spend" until Black Friday. -__-

The website does instruct to use this day and night underneath all daily skin care products, but I apply this only in the morning as a primer before foundation. You all know that my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is my holy grail foundation because of how well it stays put with all the oil that my face is producing, but this product just makes my foundation hold up a million times better! I also put some of this serum into an empty pot so I can put it in my makeup bag for when I want to touch up. Although the PIS + VLA = amazeballs flawless face all day, my nose still gets a tad dewy. I prefer a matte look, so even the teeniest amount of oil bothers me. My nose area doesn't produce as much oil as it usually does without the PIS, but when it does, I just pat the PIS onto my nose area, and BAM! Back to a matte face like I had just put makeup on!

I have sensitive skin and have mild rosacea and I have not broken out or gotten an allergic reaction (knocking on wood) from this so far, so I am hoping that it doesn't ever happen. I also don't see clogged pores or an increase in whiteheads or blackheads on my T area. It is oil-free.

Another mattifier I've used in the past is the MAC Mattifying Creme, and it works to mattify the face, but it did break me out.

I don't know how this works as a serum nor have I seen long-term results, but I shall update you all once I have gotten a good thorough use of the product.

If you have incredibly oily skin like me and you're looking for a product that works for oil control, this might be your cup of tea. It is a pricey product, but to me it's worth every single cent! If you do find my first impression review convincing enough, I suggest to get a sample of this product first before you make a splurge. Keep in mind, however that this product is not paraben free, so if you're allergic or reactive to parabens, or just against using products with parabens, then you should definitely skip this product. Also, I know a lot of people are sensitive to fragrance or just trying new skin care products in general. And everyone reacts to beauty products differently.

My new miracle in a bottle retails for $75 at your local Chanel cosmetics counters and boutiques, as well as department stores online.

My ode to Chanel Eclats du Soir Holiday Collection

2012-11-11T22:18:00.004-08:00

Just had a Chanel kick going on today, so I thought I'd show you all what I wore featuring the new releases from the brand.

FACE:

Chanel Purete Ideale Serum as primer

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation in B40

Maybelline Dream Lumi Highlighting Concealer in Radiant

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Honey

Lancome Dual Finish Powder in Matte Caramel III

Chanel Notorious Sculpting Veil for contour

Chanel Fleur de Lotus Joues Contraste de Blush

MAC Mineralize Charged Water

EYES:

NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

Sonia Kashuk concealer palette (lightest concealer) for brow highlight

MAC Fluidline in Dipdown for brows

Anastasia Brow Powder in Brunette/Dark Brown for Brows

Chanel Harmonie du Soir Quadra Eyeshadow

gold on lids
light pink on inner corners and inner lower lash line
taupe on outer corners and outer lower lash line
berry on crease fading upwards

Giorgio Armani Waterproof Smooth Silk Eyeliner in black

Dolly Wink liquid eyeliner

Chanel Le Volume de Chanel mascara

Jealousness lashes

Duo lash glue

LIPS:

Chanel L'Impatiente Rouge Allure Velvet

MAC Currant lip liner to clean up edges

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick in L'Impatiente

2012-11-11T20:39:00.003-08:00

L'Impatiente is described as a "deep red black" shade that is limited edition for Chanel's Holiday collection. I am all for vampy colors for fall and winter and I am so glad I got around to being confident with them. I used to go for nude lips everyday, but now I totally abandon all my nude lipsticks! Vampy lipsticks are just so much more adventurous and fun, don't you think?

I was kind of hesitant to purchase this shade in the first place because from seeing the tube, it looked very similar to my limited edition RAV La Provocante from the Fashion Night Out Twin Sets collection. So when I came into the Chanel at my local Bloomingdale's, I made sure I carried that lipstick with me in my purse to compare the two.

They are similar in hue, but L'Impatiente is definitely a tad redder and definitely lighter than La Provocante. This does apply with a medium coverage with one layer, but it is buildable if you want to make it more opaque. MAC Media l/s, OCC Black Dahlia liptar and MAC Dramatic Encounter l/s are all in the same color family, so this is definitely not the product you can't live without. MAC Currant lipliner could also be a very viable option for you if you don't have the Chanel budget.

What I love about the Rouge Allure formula is its longevity on my lips, most especially with the Rouge Allure Velvets because these lipsticks are matte. RAVs apply on pretty opaque with the first swipe and don't make my lips uncomfortable. This is the particular reason why I would spend the extra $15-20 on a dupeable lipstick.

What bothers me with the RAV formula, however, is how this lipstick can really accentuate the imperfections on your lips (like how you see on my ugly lip swatches), so you have to make sure you exfoliate before you apply this. I don't know how this is with lighter shades of RAV, but with the darker shades I have, this is what happens. As well, it tends to settle into the lines if you don't apply evenly. Another way to apply this (especially if you're not bold enough to rock vampy lips) is to pat the product on your lips for a slight wash of the color without it showing your lip imperfections. It's a tricky product to work with, but it's definitely amazing when applied correctly.

This lipstick retails for $32.50 and can be found at any Chanel cosmetic counters and boutiques.

Chanel Harmonie Du Soir Eyeshadow Quad

2012-11-11T19:57:00.002-08:00

Harmonie du Soir is described as a "limited-edition, holiday-inspired quartet offers endless looks of festive glamour. Deep, dense bronze-gold with a radiant sheen complements colours from violet-plum red to smoky taupe to pink."

Let me first talk about how incredibly luxe Chanel packaging is. The palette comes in the standard Chanel black plastic compact with the white C's on the front. As well, these shadows have that Chanel logo imprinted on the shadow itself with the quilted pattern behind it. I almost did not want to touch it because it was just too beautiful to mess up! And although I am a sucker for packaging, I do purchase makeup so I could use them.

All of these shadows blend like a dream! They are not powdery and just plain buttery. I love how true-to-pan these colors are, which is infinitely what I want in a shadow. I would want my shadows to show up on my skin as how they are in the pan, and I am incredibly impressed by how pigmented these are. I don't own any other Chanel quad to compare this with so I wouldn't know how the formula is any different from others. One thing that did concern me before I purchased this was the hefty price tag for 0.14oz of product. It's not a lot for the money I'm paying for that's for sure, but I just could not say no to this, especially after swatching and testing this out on my lids! This is my second day testing these shadows, and on both days, the shadows have lasted about 8 hours (first day without primer, and second day with my NARS primer). The shadows in the quad have frosty/satin finishes, which is normally something I don't like in a palette (I usually tend to buy palettes with at least one matte shadow), but this palette looks very flattering on my lids that it does not overpower my whole face even when worn during the day! I know Chanel doesn't have a palette with this formula in their permanent range, but I honestly wish they had more to offer! I guess I'll be waiting for the next Regarde Signe de Chanel palette they'll launch!

The shades include a pale frosty pink, a frosty taupe, a frost bronzed yellow gold and a satin plummy-red. Some dupes that I can think of from my arsenal are the following:

Pale pink - Urban Decay Sin e/s (more pink and shimmery), MAC Love Power electric cool e/s (darker and pinker)
Taupe - MAC Satin Taupe e/s and MAC Stolen Moment extra dimension e/s (darker)
Gold - Urban Decay Half Baked e/s (a lot warmer and browner), Maybelline Bold Gold Color Tattoo (darker and yellower)
Plum red - MAC Cranberry e/s (darker and more red)

This quad retails for $65 at any Chanel cosmetic counters and boutiques.

Chanel Le Vernis in Malice (nail polish)

2012-11-11T18:47:00.001-08:00

I've always been hesitant in purchasing high end nail polish. This is because I have never finished a bottle (besides base and top coats) and they get old and hard to work with after some time, while makeup can still last beyond its marketed timeline as long as you store and sanitize it properly.

And guess who gave in.

This is my first Chanel nail polish and I don't regret saying that I absolutely love it and that I am glad I bought it!

Malice is a shiny wine-red color with ruby red shimmer. The shimmer in this polish is so fine that you have to look very close to see it, while a lot of other polishes I've owned have shimmer that's very gritty and difficult to take off. This was almost opaque with one coat. I used two coats to get the true opacity of this nail polish.

Chanel really can justify the hefty price tag on these nail polishes. Though not all are completely opaque with one or two coats, these truly prove to last long on the nails. Mine lasted a week with very minimal chipping on the tips of my nails but this is without a base coat. I even applied this polish on my mom that I might actually buy her one for Christmas because it's such a wearable and age-friendly shade. Plus, it's so appropriate for the holidays! It's trendy and festive!

I don't ever regret paying this much for a nail polish. I swear, Chanel is becoming my favorite beauty brand and I can't wait to discover more of what this brand has to offer!

This polish retails for $26 at any Chanel cosmetics counter or boutique.

Chanel Holiday 2012: Eclats du Soir de Chanel (my picks)

2012-11-11T18:20:00.000-08:00

Long time no blog, my readers!

Before I go ahead with my series of reviews, I just wanted to show you a sneak peek of my picks from the new Holiday collection from Chanel. This year's Chanel Holiday collection is called Eclats du Soir de Chanel and the brand is really incorporating the trends for this fall and winter, as well as festive holiday shades.

From the website, Chanel describes the collection as "A resplendent makeup collection sets holiday beauty aglow. Gold and bronze shade harmonies dust eyes with festive shimmer, while soft beige, pinks, and deep reds illuminate the face, lips and nails with elegance."

I already showed this photo on my Instagram, but here are my picks:

Le Vernis in Malice (nail polish)
Regarde Signé de Chanel in Harmonie du Soir (eyeshadow quad)
Rouge Allure Velvet in L'Impatiente (lipstick)
Glossimer in Mystery (lipgloss)

Stay tuned for my review. Doing lots of work tonight. eek. Wish me luck!

xo, Naoms

Guerlain Orgueil Rouge G L'Extrait

2012-11-03T20:17:00.002-07:00

I have been meaning to try Guerlain lip products in ages and never got around to them until now because when it comes to choosing a color, I'm really indecisive. Unlike MAC, there aren't a lot of bloggers out there that I know who review or swatch high end products like this. It can get a bit overwhelming. Whereas with MAC, you can pretty much Google swatches of any lipstick they have in their permanent and limited lines.

Anyways, some of you may already know that I am obsessing over vampy and red lipsticks for fall. If you all didn't know yet, MAC Media lipstick and Currant lipliner are my favorites to create that my go-to vampy lip for fall; I also love a lot of the red lipsticks I have been accumulating over the past year.

But I am so excited to show you all something that is probably starting to kick my favorite fall lip combo off the #1 spot!

Let's start with the packaging. When I first took it out of a box, I immediately had a dumb girl moment. I literally asked myself how I was going to open this even though the instructions were taped on the product. It is very heavy and bulky, and you can scratch this easily, so it's not ideal for traveling. However, it does come with a functional mirror that you can actually utilize when you need to touch up. I guess it's something that works for a dinner or a night out in the town where you could throw this into your purse and have it add on as an accessory. How I opened it was pull the top and unscrew it to get to the product.

Orgueil is such an interesting color. It can appear different shades in artificial lighting and natural daylight, which was something that I liked about it. When I opened it first the night I got my Sephora package, I thought it was more of a deep red. I even told my friend Alex that it was a red shade! Nope, it is definitely more complex than that. It's a red that has hints of a berry undertone in it with the tiniest specks of red that give it that satin finish.

In terms of the formula, I am just in love! A lot of liquid lipsticks tend to feel really tacky on the lips to the point where it's uncomfortable to even move your lips around and your friends notice that your lipstick is bothering you. This definitely is comfortable on the lips from when I put it on up to the time that I take it off. It does feel like you have product on your lips, but it's not heavy nor sticky. I wore this for the first time on Friday and I wore it from 11AM and didn't reapply until 7PM, so staying power is not a problem. And during that time, my lips did not feel tugged or dry at all! This liquid lipstick does transfer so it's not one of those formulas that adhere to your lips once put on. What I also love about this product is that it the finish is not glossy. I'm more of a satin or matte finish kind of girl when it comes to darker lips because I don't like want my lip color to move around. This definitely stays put on the lips and I had no problems with bleeding or even feeling the need to use a lip liner. A little goes a long way for this lipstick and I am so glad I made this splurge!

Now, why is this becoming my go-to fall lip? It's a great middle ground between a vampy lip and a red lip, especially for those people who are still afraid to rock an overly vampy lip. It has enough of red and berry undertones to make someone who wants to ease their way into experimenting with a dark lip and still look bold using it. Also, my Burberry SA suggested a Burberry gloss that goes so well with it if I decide to make my Orgueil even bolder. I will show you all what it looks like in a later swatch.

For the Holidays, I really can't make up my mind whether or not to wear a vampy or a red lip, and now I think I'll make the compromise and have me some Orgueil.

This retails for $48 and can be found at Guerlain counters in department stores and in Sephora.

MAC Small Vanity Blush - Glamour Daze Collection

2012-10-29T21:03:00.001-07:00

Small Vanity Blush is a satin finish blush described as a "dusty rose tan". I know I purchased all three blushes from the Glamour Daze color collection, but this was the only blush that I was interested in and I felt I could get the most use out of.

The Glamour Daze collection all come in this shiny black packaging with the white MAC logo printed on it.

Small Vanity is a brown red blush shade with a subtle nudey bronze sheen. It looks matte when swatched, but once applied, it adds this noticeable sheen to your cheeks. Don't get it mistaken for shimmer because it's definitely not a shimmery blush. This blush is very easy to work with and isn't stiff at all like how MAC Satin blushes normally are. It is easily blendable and is very pigmented. This blush lasted me about 6-7 hours of wear on my cheeks.

This is definitely perfect for my skin tone because of its warm undertones, and I love rocking bold cheeks for the fall. Small Vanity reminded me so much of MAC Darkly, My Dear blush from the Venomous Villains collection that came out a few years back, only that Darkly, My Dear is darker and has a matte finish. Small Vanity almost looks a tad brighter and warmer because of the sheen.

As much as I dislike MAC with repromoting similar limited edition products with different names, I am very happy to say that I finally found something that can replace one of my favorite blushes of all time and that I don't need to worry about running out of it!

Swatches: Small Vanity vs. Darkly, My Dear

This blush retails for $22 USD and can be found (if still in stock) at your local MAC counter or department stores online.

Tutorial: Can I Steal that Moment?

2012-10-28T15:52:00.002-07:00

Since a lot of you makeup junkies on Instagram have been asking me how I did this eyeshadow look I posted yesterday, I decided to post a pictorial on how I achieved this look! I hope you all enjoy!

Here's a step by step pictorial:

1. Prime your eyelids from the lid up to the brows. I use my NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base.

2. With the Sigma E35 brush, or any tapered blending brush, use Lorac Pro Palette's "Mauve" e/s and place this following the natural shape of your crease with windshield wiper motion going back and forth until you get the desired intensity. If you don't have the Lorac Pro Palette, another one you could use is Urban Decay's Tease from the Naked 2 Palette or MAC Quarry e/s.

3. Using a damp Sigma F75 brush, or any synthetic shader/concealer brush, pat MAC's "Stolen Moment" extra dimension e/s all over the lid until opaque. You may also use MAC Satin Taupe e/s. If you don't know how to apply eyeshadows wet, just spritz some MAC Fix+ or Charged Water or water onto your brush, wipe off the excess and then dip your brush onto the product.

4. With a Sigma E25 brush, or a MAC 217 (blending brush), Use Lorac "Deep Purple" e/s on the crease area to blend out the edges and deepen the crease a little more. This will create a better transition to the "Mauve" e/s you placed in Step 2. You may also use Urban Decay's Hustle e/s from the Naked 1 Palette.

5. Using a Sigma E70 brush, or any angled fluffy brush, place Lorac "Cream" e/s on the browbone and blend downwards. You may also use MAC Blanc Type or Brule e/s.

6. Flipping the same Sigma F75, dampen the brush one more time and pat MAC Divine Blue extra dimension e/s on the center of the lids. You may also use Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tenacious Teal or Edgy Emerald and pat this on the center lids with your fingers to get the same intensity (they're not quite the exact dupe, so it's your preference whether or not to use a more blue or more green alternative).

7. Place this Divine Blue e/s on the inner tear duct and on the inner lower lash line with the tip of the Sigma F75 brush.

8. With the Sigma E30 brush, or any pencil brush, drag the Stolen Moment e/s along your lower lash line to meet with the "Divine Blue" from Step 7.

9. Line your waterline and tightline with a black pencil or gel liner (I used Giorgio Armani's smooth silk waterproof black eye liner).

Line your upper lash line with a liquid liner as desired (I used Dollywink liquid eyeliner and I like to wing my eyeliner)

Put mascara and lashes as desired (I used Lancome Hypnose Drama WP mascara and this Asian brand Jealousness JS-718 lashes)

and you're done!

I hope you all found this helpful! If you decide to recreate this look, please tag me (@naohms) or tag #naohms on your Instagram photos! I would love to see your take on my look! xoxo

Also, as you can all see, I used all Sigma brushes on this tutorial. If you would like to purchase Sigma, click here!

Dior Diorific Lipsticks

2012-10-15T22:28:00.004-07:00

Dior's 2012 holiday collection is mesmerizing! The first items that caught my eye were the lipsticks, and although I am still waiting on one more lipstick, I had to get this up because I could not wait to show them to you all!

Let me just say, off the bat, that the packaging is beautiful? The Diorific lipsticks come in this gold vintage Dior packaging (Dior lipsticks used to come in tubes like this!) that looks very luxurious. It can definitely add some class to your outfit if you throw this into your clutch or your purse. I am such a sucker for packaging and this goes up to par with YSL lipsticks. However, in terms of practicality, it is pretty bulky and won't really store very well with my other lipsticks.

I did hear from someone on Instagram that an SA told her about this original packaging coming back and replacing the old packaging. And I honestly hope that's not true because of how unpractical it is to store. It will definitely lose its value because it won't be as special as it being a limited edition product.

The lipsticks come in this all-golden box shown below.

Marilyn (040) is a pink red. It's redder than MAC Love Goddess from the Marilyn Monroe Collection. Moxie is a lot pinker but both are from the same color family.

Diorling (037) is a blue based medium-dark red. The lipsticks that I can think of that look similar to this is MAC's Runaway Red and Charmed, I'm Sure from the Marilyn Monroe Collection. MAC Viva Glam I is darker and a tad browner. This is probably my favorite out of the bunch because it is the one that suits my skin tone the best! And it's perfect for the holidays!

The lipsticks definitely live up to the name on the box that Dior promises. They are very long wearing and show the true color from the tube onto the lips. I only put on one layer on my lips and they both applied on very opaque with almost looking semi-matte. I tested both Marilyn and Diorling and they lasted about eight hours on me with constant water intake and a lunch meal. They did not feel drying or tugging when applied and while I wore it. I love how these lipsticks are satin and almost matte, but they are not drying AT ALL! If anything, these left my lips moisturized all day long, which seals the deal for me! It definitely left a stain on my lips which was nice because I didn't even feel the need to reapply. These lipsticks have a distinct floral scent but does go away after a while that it's applied, but has no taste.

I know a lot of people wonder why I spend a lot of money on high-end lipstick, and all I can say is, you'll never really know until you try it. None of my drugstore and mid-end lipsticks can ever compare!

Marilyn Diorific Lipstick

Marilyn Diorific Lipstick Swatch

Diorling Diorific Lipstick

Diorling Diorific Lipstick Swatch

Diva lip swatches and photos will be updated later.

These lipsticks retail for $36 USD and can be found at your local Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Macys, Saks and other department stores that carry Dior. They can also be found on the department stores' websites. Will you be splurging on these this coming holidays?

MAC Glamour Daze Holiday Collection 2012 - Product Info and Some Swatches

2012-10-14T21:11:00.000-07:00

So, the Holidays are coming up and cosmetics brands are starting to release their collections one by one for the upcoming months! And you know well enough that MAC likes to go overboard with the plethora of sets and new stuff for everyone to devour over! This year's Holiday collection is called Glamour Daze and I must say, off the bat, that the packaging is pretty cute!

I went to the MAC store and Nordstrom MAC counter today to see the products for myself and so I have photos and swatches of some products for you all!

I. Color Collection (non-set collection)

A. Lipsticks ($16.50)

Glamourdaze - midtone creamy plum (Cremesheen)

Beauty - pale cool pink (Glaze)

Dramatic Encounter - deep purple (Amplified)

Innocence - soft coral (Frost)

Outrageously Fun - midtone magenta violet (Cremesheen)

L-R: Outrageously Fun, Dramatic Encounter, Glamourdaze, Innocence, Beauty

B. Lipglasses ($16.50)

Impossibly Sweet - sheer soft pink with multi-dimensional pearl

Deliciously Demure - soft cool brown with pearl

Talk Softly to Me - light creamy coral pink

Pink Fade - light creamy pink

Flight of Fancy - rich purple

L-R: Deliciously Demure, Talk Softly to Me, Flight of Fancy, Impossibly Sweet, Pink Fade

C. Fluidline ($16.50)

Catch My Eye - cool taupe grey with dazzle pearl

Little Black Bow - charcoal with dazzle pearl

Feminine Edge - pink mauve with dazzle pearl

D. False Lashes Mascara in Black ($20.00)

E. Kohl Power Eye Pencil ($16.50)

Raven - intense black with red pearl

Orpheus - intense black with gold pearl

Mystery - intense black with green pearl

Feline - intense black with black pearl

F. Extra Dimension Mini Eyeshadow ($19.50)

A Natural Flirt – soft peachy nude

Divine Blue – midtone aqua

Ready to Party – pale lilac

Tall Dark and Handsome – black with pearl

Stylish Merry – midtone dusty violet

Evening Grey – steel silver

Round Midnight – dark burgundy

Stolen Moment – dark taupe

G. Powder Blush ($22.00)

I'm the One - midtone blue pink

Easy Manner - light dirty peach

Small Vanity - dusty rose tan

L-R: I'm the One, Easy Manner, Small Vanity

H. Extra Dimension Skinfinish ($29.00)

Whisper of Gilt - light soft white gold (Repromote)

Superb - soft peachy nude (Repromote)

L-R: Whisper of Gilt, Superb

I. Nail Lacquer ($17.50)

In the Limelight

Everything that Glitters

Endless Night

Girl Trouble

II. Holiday Sets

A. Eyeshadow Palettes ($39.50)

5 Neutral Eyes

5 Warm Eyes

5 Smoky Eyes

B. Lip Bags ($39.50)

Lavish Coral

Luxurious Pink

Luxurious Pink Set

C. Eye Look Bags ($46.50)

Sensual Peach

Decadently Pink

Drama Taupe

D. Touch Up Kits ($39.50)

Medium Blot Powder + Supreme Sheen Lipstick

Medium Dark Blot Powder + Supreme Sheen Lipstick

Dark Blot Powder + Supreme Sheen Lipstick

Supreme Sheen Lipsticks for Dark, Medium Dark and Medium Touch Up Kits

E. Face Kit/Gorgeous Bronze ($49.50)

F. Perfectly Plush Brush Sets ($49.50)

Mineralize Brush Set (Orange) - #187SE Duo Fibre Brush, #130SE Professional Short Duo Fiber

Brush, #286SE Professional Duo Fiber Blending Brush, #282SE Professional Eyeshadow Brush,

Essential Brush Set (Pink) - #167SE Blush/Powder Brush, #168SE Large Angled Contour Brush,

#239SE Eye Shader Brush, #217SE Blending Brush, #212SE Professional Flat Definer Brush

Advanced Brush Set (Green) - #190SE Foundation Brush, #129SE Blush/Powder Brush, #275SE

Medium Angled Shading Brush, #266SE Small Angle Brush, #226SE Color Brush

G. Cremesheen Gloss Sets ($32.50)

4 Lavish Rose Lip Gloss (no info on this yet)

4 Cocktail Coral Lip Gloss

Out for Glamour – bluish pink with glitter
Sublime Shine – pale orange brown
Geo Pink – soft red
On the Scene – pale fleshy orange

4 Nicely Nude Lip Gloss

Satin Slip – light pearly orange
Fashion Whim – soft pink
Kiss Don’t Tell – dark brown
Get Rich Quick – dark coffee with multi-color pearl

H. Crushed Metallic Pigments ($32.50)
Brilliantly Cool

She’s Got Class – shiny platinum gold
Moss Garden – satin green lake
I’ve Got a Crush on You – metallic green brown
Spruced – metallic blue-green

Tenderly Warm

Rose Light – rosy pink
Silk Stocking – golden sand
Darling Coquette – shiny white gold
Ever Elegant – dark reddish brown with pink pearl

Sweetly Smoky (no info on this yet)

The collection will be out in stores on October 25, 2012. People are already pre-ordering their orders and you might want to as well before they sell out! Which ones will you splurge on these coming holidays?

WHAT'S ON MY LIST:

Whisper of Gilt Extra Dimension SF

Outrageously Fun, Dramatic Encounter, Glamourdaze Lipsticks

I'm the One, Easy Manner, Small Vanity Blushes (still trying to narrow this down)

Tenderly Warm Crushed Metallic Pigments

Face Kit/Gorgeous Bronze (maybe)

Jazzy Blues

2012-09-23T17:21:00.003-07:00

Here's a quick look I put together this morning before church using the Urban Decay Vice Palette (review here). It's nothing special, but I just wanted to show y'all how pigmented and amazing the colors look on the lids!

Click on the link for list of products

FACE:

MUFE HD Yellow Primer

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation in B50

Maybelline Lumi Highlighting Concealer in 01 Radiant

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Honey

MAC MSFN in Medium Dark

NYC Bronzer in Sunny

MAC Crew Highlight Powder as Blush

EYES:

NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base

Maybelline Barely Beige Color Tattoo eyeshadow on lids

Urban Decay e/s in Chaos on outer 1/3 lid and lower lashline

Urban Decay e/s in Unhinged on middle 1/3 lid and lower lashline

Urban Decay e/s in Occupy (lightly swiped) on inner 1/3 lid and lower lashline

Urban Decay e/s in Anonymous on browbone

Urban Decay e/s in Laced as transition color on crease

The Creme Shop lashes

Loreal Lineur Intense Carbon Black liquid liner

Giorgio Armani Waterproof Smooth Silk black eyeliner on upper and lower waterlines

LIPS:

MAC Martha lipstick

MAC Love Nectar lustreglass

Urban Decay Vice Palette + GIVEAWAY!

2012-09-23T16:59:00.002-07:00

Urban Decay Vice Palette is the new limited edition palette for the Holiday 2012 and I must say I am incredibly excited to show this palette to you all! This palette has 20 BRAND NEW SHADES that no one has seen before!

I have to admit, I was very disappointed with the Book of Shadows that came out last year because the colors were, honestly, crap. One thing I don't like about some Urban Decay shadows, in general, is the incredible amount of fallout and the glitter chunks that are very gritty and hard to work with. The NAKED 1 and 2 were probably the best palettes I own that are from them and I've been waiting for a palette that'll wow me. This was the palette! I was just incredibly shocked by just swatching them alone because the formulation is great!

Let me just say that this palette is one of their better packaged palettes (besides the NAKED 2 and other palettes as of late) because it's compact and not made of cardboard like most. It's very easy to open, the packaging is very durable, and it has a full working mirror that actually works and can stand on it's own, so it's perfect for travel!

The palette comes with a brush that is double ended with the Good Karma crease and shadow brushes. I like these brushes because they're synthetic and great for packing on color, and because they're two-in-one, again, it's great for traveling!

Good Karma Crease and Shadow double-ended Brush

The colors have a mix of satins, frosts and mattes, which is very rare for Urban Decay because they are usually lacking on the satins and mattes side of the spectrum in their palettes. As well, this palette has a good mix of bright colors and neutral colors that is perfect for traveling (very Vegas friendly, I tell you) The only thing I don't like about this palette is probably how there are only two matte colors. I would like to see a highlighting and a deeper matte shade just like the NAKED 2 has because the matte colors are both transition shades to me.

In general, I liked the shadows except for two odd ones that didn't seem to belong in terms of pigmentation and formulation. Jagged was so hard to work with. The glitter was gritty and chunky and did not glide on smoothly like the rest. I have not tried this shadow wet yet, so maybe it'll change my mind when I figure out a way to work with this. Provocateur was another gritty shadow that I didn't like. Although it performed better than Jagged, it still had plenty of fallout compared to others.

I have heard people comparing this to the 15th Anniversary Palette, which I don't have for myself, unfortunately, but I won't say you should completely skip this. There are colors and finishes that are definitely different from that palette. Plus, these are all new shadows, and who wouldn't want new ones? :)

L-R: Desperation, Muse, Jagged, Blitz, Penny Lane

L-R: Junkie, Chaos, Occupy, Unhinged, Black Market

L-R: Provocateur, Rapture, Vice, Noise, Armor

L-R: Nevermind, Echo Beach, Anonymous, Freebird, Laced

This palette retails for $59 USD and is now available on urbandecay.com, sephora.com and in select Macy's (only ones that carry Urban Decay. This palette comes out at Sephora and Ulta this Thursday, September 27, 2012.

And did I mention I was having an INTERNATIONAL INSTAGRAM giveaway on this palette? All you gotta do is follow me (@naohms), repost this photo on your profile and tag me (@naohms) and tag #naohmsgiveaway, and have a public profile! THE REST OF THE RULES ARE ALL ON MY INSTAGRAM and contest ends right when it strikes midnight on September 30, 2012.

Essie No Place Like Chrome

2012-09-23T15:12:00.001-07:00

The Mirror Metallics collection is probably one of the must-have polishes for the fall and winter this year! No Place Like Chrome is the one polish that stood out to me the most just because I've really wanted a silver polish forever that didn't apply streaky or sheer with one application. And goodness gracious! I was in shock right when I applied this polish on my nails this weekend!

The photos I'm showing below are how they apply after just one coat! I am in awe!

This polish is definitely perfect for fall and can transition well through the holidays! Oh man, I can't wait to wear this for Thanksgiving and Christmas! This would be fun with some snowflakes on top!

Estee Lauder Violet Underground Eye Palette

2012-09-12T20:30:00.003-07:00

Estee Lauder's Five Color Eyeshadow Palette in Violet Underground is described as "A high-style mix to inspire creative blending, highlighting and color accenting. The versatile palette allows you to play with intensities, express different attitudes as well as mix and blend shades. The Pure Color palette holds varying color intensities and finishes. The matte, satin, shimmer and metallic finishes deliver high-pigment and high-impact effects." It has a frosty peach-beige, a bright magenta, a dark brown satin color, a navy blue with black undertones and a noticeable sheen and a matte black.

EL Palette under ambient lighting

This is my first ever Estee Lauder palette and I am so glad I got this one! First of all, can I just say how luxurious the packaging looks? DROOL!!! I love the lightning design on the shadows and the gold outlining of the compact. The compact looks very sleek and clean and has a magnetic closure, which I prefer. It's probably the only fall palette (from the high end range) that I actually feel like was worth my money because the colors are so versatile and they work well together. I've already created two looks so far and I have so much more I want to do with this! It's great for fall because of the tones of dark blues, plums and pinks, and can transition well for winter with the blue and frost champagne color! I like how this palette comes with various finishes also because some palettes are either too shimmery or all matte.

EL Palette under artificial lighting

The formula of this palette is amazing! It's very finely milled and feels so silky and buttery to the touch. I was lowkey tearing up inside when I was swatching these because it felt like my fingers were melting the beautiful embossed design of the colors! The colors are easily blendable and does not crease on my oily lids at all (with or without primer). These eyeshadows are very well-pigmented and I can't wait to use this for a night out or a very dark smokey eye look!

Swatches

Look #1

Look #2

This palette retails for $48 USD and is limited edition. You can find this at any department store that carries Estee Lauder or online.

Gotta love my Turquoise and Teals

2012-09-03T20:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day everyone! I was pretty bored today bc I decided not to do anything special, so I just came up with this eye look. It's nothing special, but it photographed really well (except for how the outer corners aren't so dark as they were in person), so I thought I'd show my readers and IG friends what I came up with.

Lately, I haven't really been doing any eyeshadow looks besides the weekend because of work. I go to work at 6:30am every day, so I normally only have time to do a quick eye look. And since I don't really want to draw attention to myself (even though I do already with my bright clothes and fashion sense), I don't put on a ton of color. Usually the only color I put on are lipsticks, and even with those, my coworkers like to point it out that I'm wearing a bold lip.

PRODUCTS I USED:

EYES

NARS Smudeproof Eye Base

Maybelline Color Tattoo e/s in Edgy Emerald

Urban Decay Kush e/s

TheBalm Sultry e/s as transition color

The Balm Serious and Sleek on outer corner and bottom lash line

Maybelline Color Tattoo e/s in Barely Beige on inner corners

Urban Decay Virgin e/s on browbone

The Creme Shop eyelashes

Milani Liquifeye black eyeliner

Loreal Lineur Intense Carbon Black liquid liner

FACE:

Make Up For Ever Yellow Primer #6

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation in B50

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

MAC MSFN in Medium Dark

NYC Sunny Bronzer

MAC Darkly, My Dear blush

LIPS:

MAC Viva Glam V lipstick

Styleseeker Inspired

2012-09-03T20:18:00.000-07:00

Urban Decay Half Baked on lids, Smog on lower lash line, Virgin on browbone

TheBalm Sexy and Serious on crease

MAC Hidden Treasure blush on as transition color

xoxo, Naomi

Mossy Green

2012-09-03T20:12:00.003-07:00

As promised, here's an eyeshadow look with using all of the Maybelline Color Tattoos Fall 2012 collection line:

I used 100 Barely Beige on my inner tear duct, 200 Mossy Green on the lid area, 300 Gold Shimmer feathered up on my crease area, and 400 Rich Mahogany on my lower lash line as a liner.

Hope you all like it!

xoxo, Naomi

Tutorial: How I Groom and Fill in my Eyebrows

2012-08-25T22:34:00.001-07:00

The long awaited brow tutorial is finally done! I am so sorry to my IG friends and Blogspot readers. I've been meaning to get this done for so long because I know a lot of you always ask me how I do my brows, but things with work and my personal life has just been hectic. Anyways, I finally got a chance to work on these pictorials yesterday and today, so I hope you all find this helpful!

tools I use for filling in my brows

First things first are the tools that you need.

For Grooming:
1. A good pair of tweezers (I prefer a pair of sharp ones with a slanted angle)
2. A comb or a spoolie to brush out the eyebrow hair and to help guide you in trimming your brows
3. Hair scissors for trimming
4. Aloe vera gel to soothe the skin after plucking, especially if your skin is sensitive and irritated.

For Filling in Brows:
1. MAC Paint Pot (ie. Painterly, Soft Ochre) or concealer (1-2 shades lighter depending on preference) to use for shaping and erasing any mistakes.
2. MAC Dipdown fluidline or a brow pencil that suits your skin tone
3. Brow powder or eyeshadow that is the 1-2 shades lighter than your natural hair color if your hair is dark, and 1-2 shades darker if you have lighter hair.
4. A flat liner brush and an angled brush for shaping and filling in, respectively. (I use the ones from Crown Brush's Italian Badger line)
5. (Optional) Brow gel to keep your eyebrows in place.

So for grooming, it took me a while to actually master this technique. I used to just trim and pluck blindly and fail miserably with gross eyebrows. And then I got into the habit of just getting them waxed or threaded every 2-3 weeks just because it was convenient and I knew that they did the job right (at least for my experience at the places I go to). However, paying $8-12 every two weeks seemed too much, especially when I learned how to groom my own brows to my own liking. It honestly takes some trial and error (unfortunately), and a lot of practice. Anyway, let's get to the pictorial!

1. Pluck away any unnecessary hair with tweezers until you get the desired shape. If you don't know the shape of your brows, I recommend getting your eyebrows done first, so you're given a guide and that you just follow that guide. Do not overpluck! This is one thing that I feel like every girl should remember! Eyebrow hair is very thin already to begin with and if you keep overplucking your eyebrows, the hair will eventually grow sparsely.

2. Using a spoolie or a comb, first brush the eyebrows to make sure they aren't all over the place. I didn't have a spoolie so I used a comb, plus, it gives me more control bc I'm lefthanded. Then, brush the hairs of the inner half of your brows pushing up. Hold that into place until you see that part of your brows are all pointing upwards. You will see that some hairs are longer than others. Those are the pieces that you will trim. Make sure that you cut straight and not too much.

3. Use a similar method for the outer half of your brows, except instead of pushing upwards, you will be pushing down. Again, you will see unevenness on the hair, so just trim the ones that are longer. Make sure that when your eyes are relaxed, your eyebrows flow and nothing is too long or too short.

4. Finish off by brushing your brows with a spoolie and put some some aloe vera to soothe the skin from plucking.

For filling in my brows, there are a million ways to do it. This is ideal for when you wear a full face of makeup, especially for women who don't normally wear a lot of makeup. This is what works for me and I like the crisp eyebrow look, so I'm just sharing with you how I fill my brows.

5. Shape your brows underneath with a concealer or a neutral eye base. This for me minimizes mistakes because it serves as a guide for the next step. Normally, I use a lighter concealer or MAC Soft Ochre paint pot because it can also serve as a highlight for my browbone area. Make sure you blend this product down. You may also do this at the top of your brows if desired.

6. Using MAC Dipdown fluidline, I follow that shape I made in step 5 and outline the bottom part of my brows starting from the middle. Use very light strokes so there isn't a harsh line underneath your brows. Then, slowly outline the inner part as well with whatever product is left. If you think this isn't right up your alley, you can also use a brow pencil of your choice or maybe a darker shadow to do the outlining. After you've created that crisp line, feather up the line and blend it upward to fade.

7. Fill in your brows using an eyeshadow or a brow powder of your choice. I am using MAC Charcoal Brown e/s bc it's a cooler brown that isn't too grey and isn't too brown. Use hair-like strokes and make sure that the outer half is stronger than the inner half to make it more natural. Don't fill it up all the way so your eyebrows are peeping through and that it doesn't look so harsh.

8. Brush the hairs one last time with a spoolie to brush off any excess product. Use a brow gel if desired. Also, if you made mistakes, use the product you used in step 5 to clean it up.

I hope you all find this helpful! This is in no way of me telling you all that this is how brows are done, it is just how I prefer to do my brows.