Almost Arianne

Majorly Crushing on this Coat...

2009-11-09T12:27:00.003-05:00

Kimchi Blue Ice Skater Coat, from Urban Outfitters

I wonder if they have it in my Urban Outfitters down the street...

Confessions: Purchasing on a Makeup Ban.

2009-11-07T19:58:00.001-05:00

So as my previous post stated, my No Makeup Buying Period is over early. I do think it helped me fend off a lot of temptation, making me re-think about whether I should purchase a product or not.

Because I've been a terrible promise keeper, I might as well tell you guys what I got! Yay!

MAC "All That Glitters" and MAC "Soft Brown" Eyeshadows. These two are great basics. I find that I'm getting more attracted to neutrals these days.
Ardell "Wispies" Strip Lashes. Gorgeous volume and length that doesn't look drag queeny.
Ardell Duralash Naturals Individual Lashes. I'm still a little shaky with putting this on, so I need more practice. It looks stunning though once they are on correctly.
MAC Lipstick in "Patisserie". My everyday creamy pink lipstick.
Sephora by OPI in "Worth My Weight". Two words: glitter fiesta!
Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner. I'm going to give liquid liner another go, since the previous ones I've tried are terrible. This one is very easy to use.
Smashbox WISH For The Perfect Pout Lipgloss Set. Six glosses: 2 full size and 4 "fun size" as I like to call them. I love them. :)

Savings for IMATS Toronto 2009

On a different note, the main reason for my No Makeup Buying Period was to save up for IMATS Toronto on November 22. And I have savings! So much that I might only be using half of it. We'll see how much I get tempted.

Overall, I think the No Makeup Buying Period was a semi-success. I know I probably would have gotten so much more if I wasn't thinking about it.

Make-up Ban Over Early.

2009-11-06T22:26:00.002-05:00

That's it. I'm done. Wasn't that successful anyway.

Details to come later.

(Sent from my iPhone)

October is Happy Month.

2009-11-03T21:03:00.001-05:00

I'm sad that October is now over. I love the crisp air, the fallen orange leaves, the cool rainy nights. Aaaand of course a couple other things...

Our Fifth Anniversary at Niagara Falls

Amazing view, food, and the best company in the entire universe.

No wonder celebrities stand like this in pictures. I look skinnier. :)

The Horseshoe Falls in the background. And my love, of course. :)

The other falls.

Halloweeny

For the first time ever, a Halloween party. It's pretty fun dressing up. I made the bacon and egg costume myself on Halloween morning.

Things I would Buy if I wasn't on a Makeup Ban.

2009-11-01T23:05:00.001-05:00

Sephora Favourites Glitz & Glam Shimmer and Shine Deluxe Sampler, $49

Shining, shimmering, splendid. Bonus points if you know where that's from. I played with these in Sephora and they are gorgeous!

Urban Decay 24/7 Super Stash, $43

After trying out last year's holiday offerings, Urban Decay has released some new colours this time around. I can't wait to get my hands on these. I personally am in love with "El Dorado" and "Rockstar."

Dolce & Gabbana The One Gift Set, $102.87

Confession time: I've asked for perfume samples of The One a few times (like, 3) already. The set makes it such a sweet deal.

On a side note, has anyone else smelled the Dolce & Gabbana Rose the One? It just doesn't smell good on me, yuck!

Total

Which brings my hypothetical shopping cart total to: CAD$194.87.

Popping my Spa Virginity: Pure + Simple Spa

2009-10-28T21:56:00.001-04:00

Fact: I've never been to a spa.

Today I took advantage of an event called Beautylicious, where the beauty obsessed can try out salon and spa services in the fabulous* Bloor-Yorkville area for a discounted price.

I went to Pure + Simple Spa on 27 Bellair Street. I tried out one of their most popular facials called Urban Renewal Facial, $75 (regular price $99).

Even though I've never had a facial before, I can tell you why this was an incredible facial. First, you get a face massage. Who knew that could feel so good? Also included is a upper back and neck, hand, foot, and scalp massage. That's a whole lotta massage for a service that's called a facial! And it felt amaaaaazing.

I won't be able to tell the benefits of the facial until the next couple of days, and I'll be sure to give an update. The extractions -- which BTW, hurt more than I expected -- gave me some redness on the nose and chin area, but they did warn me about it and I said go ahead. I hope I see some improvements on these pores!

If you're in the Toronto area, be sure to check it out! Beautylicious runs from October 28 to November 7.

_____________________
* fabulous = expensive.

Shopping my Makeup Drawer: Quo 3 in 1 Brow Pencil

2009-10-22T22:45:00.001-04:00

If you don't already know this, I am a big advocate for well-kept brows.

Dear Mila Kunis,

Thought you'd like to know that my boyfriend is not the only one who has a crush on you. And I'll be forever *jealous* of your perfect arches.

Arianne

For brows that stay where I set them this morning, my number one choice is, and you're going to love me for it, Quo 3 in 1 Brow Pencil. Yay for great drugstore buys!!! It goes for about $11.

I've gone through a couple of these already, and there's good reasons why I like it so much.

It is super convenient. It comes with your brow colour, wax, and a brush. Although I still like spoolies that I ~~steal~~ borrow from Sephora.
It stays on like a champ. No melting or disappearing acts here, and my brows do get sweaty sometimes. Don't judge me, I have bangs!
Great for busy and lazy ladies. It goes on smooth and pigmented enough to disguise unruly brows. Because you don't always have time to sit and tweeze, right?

It comes in light, medium and dark. I like to use light; it balances well with my tanned complexion and dark hair. Love this! Rating: A+++++

But Stay Away from This!

CoverGirl Brow & Eye Makers: because it's not a good deal if you have to throw a pencil and a half into the trash. You have been warned.

Shopping my Makeup Drawer: MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty

2009-10-12T19:30:00.001-04:00

MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty is the very first MAC blush I ever owned, and it's all for a good reason. Dainty, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

You are sheer, but you still show up on my medium dark complexion.
Your pink colour does not look overly Barbie, but imparts a healthy glow. Just enough to not make me look like death.
Your perfect (low) amount of shimmer makes me look grown up.
You still look untouched in the pan after more than a year together. How do you do it?

I know I'm probably forgetting all the other ways why I love thee, but remember that you're my favourite pink blush evarrr that I'm putting you on my holy grail of products. Rating: A+++++

Love,
Arianne

Shopping my Makeup Drawer: Maybelline Define-a-Line in Slate Gray

2009-10-12T15:11:00.001-04:00

When it comes to eyeliners I tend to stay away from drugstore brands, as they tend to either tug or smear all over. This is not the case for Maybelline Define-a-Line.

The Good

Texture is smooth and glides on like a dream.
It comes with a smudger for easy soft lines.
Stays on and on!
Slate Gray is a fantastic alternative to black when you still want to look pulled together.

The Bad

I'm glad to report that I have no problems with it. :)

If you need a good smudgy liner for cheap, I'd recommend this. Note that I only use it for soft lines though, I'm not sure how it performs as a sharp liner. For that purpose I prefer my gel liners. Rating: A-

Speaking of gel liners...

This thank-you has been delayed for eternity, but I want to thank Marisol for being so sweet to hunt down Lancome Gel Artliner in Indigo Charm for me. I really love it! :) Thanks again, girl!

Bangs, Anyone?

2009-10-06T23:46:00.001-04:00

I'm thinking of getting bangs. So I played around with InStyle.com's Hollywood Hair Virtual Makeover to try on hairstyles, and MAKEUP???

And just for kicks, Kim K's blonde do! LOL...

Aah my skin is blending into my hair!

Bad, Bad Beauty Addict.

2009-09-30T13:17:00.003-04:00

After working all weekend (i.e., so exhausted that I slept 13 hrs straight), I caved and bought two MAC eye shadows. For the curious ones out there I got All That Glitters and Soft Brown.

Now resuming my "No Makeup Buying Period."

P.S. All That Glitters is sooo pretty! :D

Shopping my Makeup Drawer: L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara

2009-09-22T11:10:00.001-04:00

In accordance with my no makeup buying period, I decided to start a series called "Shopping my Makeup Drawer." In this series, I will rekindle my love of old favourites found inside my overflowing makeup drawer.

I just started using this mascara again, and now I remember why I keep buying it. To sum it up in less than five words: volume without the crunch. I have not found another mascara that gives me such soft lashes. This is what I use on my non-waterproof mascara days, and I just love how lush my lashes look with this mascara.

The trade off for softness, however, is its inability to hold a curl. But for volumizing, this can't be beat. (Covergirl Lashblast comes close, but crunch. crunch. go my lashes.)

I don't have any smearing or flaking issues with this, but it can clump if you put too much on, so careful with the application. It's soo worth it when you get it right though. Rating: A- (marks off for not holding a curl)

No Makeup Buying Period.

2009-09-14T15:11:00.004-04:00

...until IMATS Toronto on November 21-22.

Yikes.

Beauty Lessons from This Week.

2009-09-11T11:43:00.001-04:00

I've had a couple Eureka's this week that I thought I'd share, as you may find them useful as well if you don't already know them. I found these to work for me the best, and I'm not saying this is the way to do things. :)

Fill your Brows in the Right Order

When filling in my brows, I used to think:

Colour: pencil or powder
Brow Wax: to hold it in place, not the hot wax
Brow Spoolie: to brush through the colour

This could result in too obvious, unnatural brows. This week I have been using this order:

Brow Wax
Colour
Brow Spoolie

The result is natural brows that frames your face well. Because you wouldn't want to leave the house with your full face but have bad brows, would you?

Look Down while Applying Eye Shadow

LOL, maybe I'm slow? But everytime I watch tutorials on YouTube they are always looking down, as in, their mirror is below face level.

This way I have finally found my eye crease. Hello crease, it's been a long time coming. It's great to finally meet you. :)

Lemonade.

2009-09-07T17:27:00.001-04:00

...when life gives you lemons.

In my case, being screwed over by Lancome by depriving me of the Ink Artliner in Indigo Charm. *sobs*

It seems like it's now sold out EVERYWHERE in the US, but, I am determined to duplicate this colour. It's not the most ideal solution, but it is almost as beautiful as Indigo Charm.

My Cheap 'Indigo Charm' Recipe

Apply Coastal Scents Gel Liner in Indigo Blue.
Apply the second last colour from the middle column of Coastal Scents 88-palette.

Natural light, no flash
(From top to bottom: CS Gel Liner in Indigo Blue, blue from CS 88-palette, layered together)

With flash

CS Gel Liner in Indigo Blue

My Cheap 'Indigo Charm'

Hello Brown Eyes!

And who knew my eyes were actually brown? Note to self: wear blue eyeliner more often.

I think if it had more shimmer, it would be a perfect dupe. I just don't know how I can achieve that amount of shimmer... hmm...

Lash Porn

While we're on the topic of eye makeup, how about some false lashes?

I'm totally crushing on this multi-colour lashes by Sephora:

And the 45 Lash from MAC's Flirt with Fall collection:

Want. And want.

Must... Get... Up... Can't...

2009-09-03T20:59:00.001-04:00

I just died while watching this. Cute freakin' overload. Want.

You're My Cuppy-cake, Gumdwops...

2009-08-30T22:40:00.001-04:00

Cupcakes by Duhlicious

Recently I won the cupcake giveaway hosted by Ginger Won't Snap. This meant I got to choose a theme for my dozen custom cupcakes! I finally decided on a Hawaiian beach theme and just love what Madalina from Duhlicious came up with. Aren't they awesome?

My favourite of the bunch! I love the flowers on the lounge chair. :)

The rest of the designs.

As for the flavours I chose Vanilla bean cake with a chocolate mousse filling, and a vanilla buttercream icing. Yummy and I-don't-care calories. :D

My Purple Face of the Day

I've been on a purple kick lately so I tried my hand at a purple smoky eye. I used the loose shadow I got from Washington by Fly Girl cosmetics and came up with this:

For you makeup junkies, I used MAC Fix+ to apply the loose shadow wet. This really makes a difference. I've used a different medium before to apply this shadow and it did nothing.

Oh and yeah, my hair is back to black.

Continuing with the purple theme, my current manicure is Lippmann Collection Call Me Irresponsible. She costs $20 (!!!), but is pretty damn impressive. Five days in and my nails are still chip-free. <3

You Can't Stop Me...

2009-08-18T21:30:00.001-04:00

...from touching my hair! This is one of those product reviews that I just have to share with my readers, because it works so. freaking. well.

I confess: I'm either too lazy or too late for work to blow dry my hair everyday. Lucky for me, I can get away with a wash and go half the time. The rest of the time I am left with... well, lazy girl hair. Flyaways, frizzies, and ultra brassy. Classy, right? Nope.

For a long time I've been trying to find hair products that works with my hair type. At long last, I found products that don't weigh my fine hair down. At the same time, my hair has never felt this soft and smooth before.

My Lazy Weekday Hair Routine

I shampoo my hair everyday. My favourite shampoo is still Pantene Expressions because it smells so good, and I don't get any build up from it.
Optional conditioner, any kind. If I want to deep condition my hair, I use Aussie 3-Minute Miracle Deeeep.
With a quarter sized amount of Sunsilk Hydra TLC 24/7 Creme, I run my fingers through dripping wet hair. I avoid my roots so as not to weigh my hair down.
Next, I take two pumps of Pantene Smooth Anti-Freeze Serum and run that through my hair the same way as the creme.
Comb through with a wide tooth comb.

After this I am literally running out the door with wet hair. I know people will cringe at this, but as soon as my train arrives downtown, my hair has already dried.

And these days it dries beautifully.

I'm Addicted to the Pantene Smell

On a totally different note, is anyone else with me on this? I find that I keep buying Pantene products mainly because they smell so fresh and heavenly.

Getting Rid of Stuff.

2009-07-26T17:35:00.001-04:00

It's been taking a really long time to find my makeup products these days, so I decided to 'end it' with some of my makeup.

Some glosses, mascara, and hair products were tossed out, while others donated (to my mom, who just loves getting hand-me-downs).

Here is my donate pile:

There was another bigger box for hair and body products, but my mom already took it away before I could snap a photo.

And stuff I kept...

CS 88 Palette, Quo Palette, a few quad palettes, eyeshadows, eye primers, pencil and liquid liners

Blushes, bronzers, and gel liners

Foundations, concealers, and powders

My vanity: skin care, makeup brushes, lip products, mascara, hair, and body stuff

I also got rid of a LOT of clothes, which will probably end up in a box bound for the Philippines at some point. My criteria for donation was: a) never worn, b) haven't worn in a year, c) not flattering, d) no plans on wearing ever. Pretty sweet. :)

I'm gonna try to make purging my stuff a regular thing, since it's pretty satisfying. I know it looks like I still have a lot of products left, but I can honestly say that I use every single product that I kept.

Top 5 Picks of the Day.

2009-07-21T23:29:00.001-04:00

5. Best Song to Shake your Booty to: Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-a-lot.

This song manages to have the worst and best lyrics, ever.

Guess what I'm dancing to.

4. Best Gradual Sunless Tanner: Olay Quench Plus Touch of Sun.

It is actually a body lotion and a gradual sunless tanner in one. Smells good with its "new improved scent." Never streaks. It's amazing -- buy it!

3. Best Random Blog Content: Doobybrain.

Random, cool, interesting stuff going around on the internet gathered in one place.

2. Best Lipgloss: Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss.

I confess: I love lipgloss again. For a while I was losing faith on lipgloss especially when my holy grail, Almay's Whipped Gloss got discontinued.

After searching high and low I am pleased to say that I have finally found a non-sticky, high-shine gloss that is not sticky. It feels soooo good on my lips that I rarely go bare lipped anymore. Unfortunately like other Smashbox products, it costs a fortune ($22).

1. Best YouTube Makeup Channel: MakeupByTiffanyD.

Tiffany does incredible tutorials and makes them look so easy. Very very good guru. This is one of my favourites:

Clean Brushes are Happy Brushes.

2009-07-18T15:19:00.001-04:00

[From L to R:] Coastal Scents Synthetic Angle brush, aDesign Medium Concealer brush, Coastal Scents Buffer brush, Ecotools Blush brush, Lise Watier Eyeliner brush, Quo Powder brush, MAC 226 brush, Coastal Scents Angled brow brush, aDesign Pointed Foundation brush, MAC 217 brush, Quo Lip brush, Quo Liner / Brow brush, Quo Smudger brush, Coastal Scents Eye shadow brush, Ecotools Eye Shading brush.

I love clean brushes, but most of the time I'm too lazy to clean them. Here are my little soldiers drying after taking a bath. :)

My Costa Rica Getaway Part 2: Relaxation!

2009-07-13T07:00:00.002-04:00

I don't know why this has been delayed to eternity... but nevertheless here it is!

Playa Samara. Hands down the best beach in Costa Rica! Less touristy than most, gorgeous waters for beginner surfers...

Student surfers of the day :)

And look who joined me for breakfast! Cutie kitteh.

Sand in my feet. I could do that again.

Boogie boarding queen.

Playas Del Coco. It looks like a dream doesn't it?

Boyfriend giving a thumbs up!

The turtle we saw while snorkeling in Playas Del Coco.

Testing out the waterproof camera bag at the pool in El Coco.

Sunset at El Coco.

Our rental scooter in front of our room at the hostel in Quepos.

Bambi! LOL At Manuel Antonio National Park.

At the lookout point in Manuel Antonio National Park.

Capuchin monkeys at Manuel Antonio National Park.

Steps up to our room in Makanda.

It was pretty difficult to leave that room... it was just so cozy!

I can say that I fully appreciated the ocean view. Amazing!

The pool at Makanda.

Our awesome ride for 5 days!

Our last sunset at Manuel Antonio.

Goodbye Costa Rica! :( Til we meet again!

Perfect your Summer Face with MAC Fix+ Rose.

2009-07-12T17:34:00.001-04:00

I don't know what's up with my skin lately. It used to be an oil slick, but recently I've been having dry combination skin. What this means is, when I put on my powder... well, it looks overly powdery. Not cute, right?

MAC Fix+ Rose

MAC Fix+ Rose (Limited Edition, but still available at MAC online) came to my rescue. I have been using this every single time I do my makeup since I got it. Yes, yet another step to my already makeup routine. But it is oh. so. WORTH IT.

Perfect dewy finish.

From the MAC website: "Our popular Fix+ enhanced with rose water. Formulated from spring water, rich in added minerals, this aromatic mist refreshes, hydrate, and conditions the skin while acting as a perfect finishing fix for makeup. Smells great, too. Limited edition."

I can see why so many people like this so much. I present to you Exhibit A. I'm in yellow with my gorgeous cousins.

(By the way, who knew yellow was so flattering on Asian skin? I need to buy more yellow tops.)

But wait... how do I use it?

There are many ways to use it. After you finish applying your makeup:

Spritz all over your face, then use a skunk/stippling brush to stipple it into the skin.
What I do: spray my skunk brush and stipple all over.

I've also seen it used to intensify the colour of eye shadows or eyeliner by wetting the brush first.

This is a definite holy grail for me. And yes, it does really smell good. Pure luxury. Rating: A+++++.

Emma Watson: from Cute to Fabulous!

2009-07-12T07:22:00.001-04:00

I must admit. Emma Watson is my newest girl crush. When did she go from being cute and smart little Hermione to such a stylish young lady? I am really loving her Burberry ads for the new Autumn campaign. Just pure chic!

That trench = love.

The bag = love.

The smokey eye = LOVE!

Oh, and who else is eagerly awaiting the new Harry Potter movie? I remember telling some of my friends who were Harry Potter fans since the beginning on how nerdy it seems, but years later I saw the first and fell in love. Obviously I am going to see this one soon, maybe next weekend.

Ginger is Back... and with Another Giveaway!

2009-07-09T01:20:00.001-04:00

Ginger Won't Snap is back with a vengeance. After a period of down time, Ginger has returned... and get this, giving away Duh-Licious cupcakes to one lucky winner!

If you live within the Greater Toronto Area and if you love your cuppy cakes like I do, then head on over there now: click here for details on how to enter.