Lyndaloolaaley

Likables July 2010 ft. Lion of Ido, Inception

2010-08-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

This will just be a collection of things that have interested me non-makeup wise through out the month of July.
Mostly pop culture and music.

I've found this amazing band that I love and am obsessed with. They're called Lion of Ido and are based in New York City. Every single song out of their EP album is amazing and catchy and just overall makes me feel happy. I feel that I've found a great discovery and am excited for any new music they come out with. What's even better is that on their website, they've provided their EP album for free download! Don't worry it's legit. If you're interested, try it! It won't hurt because it's free. Here's the link.
Then click on the left hand icon to download! Probably my all time favourite song of theirs is Day by Day.

Also, in terms of movies, I watched Inception and Salt recently. They were both great movies int heir own ways. I'll definitely have to watch Inception again some time because it at times got pretty confusing.
However, is it just me or does Joseph Gordon-Levitt look asian or at least partly asian. The instant I saw him on the big screen I recognized him from a movie made like 10 years ago. Does "10 things I hate about you" ring any bells? Starring Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles.

I'll let you decide for yourself. But I think we can all agree he's pretty darn good looking.

Can't believe summer's half-over.

Mac Help Please?

2010-08-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have a question that I need to be solved by other makeup officianados in the world wide web.
Recently I bought the Quo Bronzer Brush, otherwise known as a dupe for the Mac 187 Brush.

Here's a picture above.
I've used it now and washed it. Oh yeah, and I paid around $13 + tax for it. Regularly $22 but 40% off. It is made in China.

When I used it for my liquid foundation I thought it was pretty good. It gave me more natural coverage than if I were to use my fingers but it shed a few hairs on my face which was annoying. But more or less what I expected. Also, after I washed it, it had that dreaded dead animal smell. Is seemed to also be too sparse and big, I would prefer a more closely held and concentrated brush.
I bought this in hopes of it being a good alternative to the $50 Mac 187.

So here's where your thoughts come in. Should I keep this Quo brush and make do with it, even though I'm not completely satisfied and that the Mac won't be much different? Or should I save up and/or wait for a sale (Mac Friends and Family Sale?) to buy the Mac 187 because it will be better and last longer?

Any help/advice much appreciated.Thanks!

Collective June/July Clothing Haul 2010

2010-07-24T18:46:00.000-07:00

Here's the second part to my haul: the clothing/shoes portion

One thing I forgot to include were pictures of some new turquoise jewelery pieces I got from my mom. I'm really into turquoise these days, such a beautiful colour.

This was a tank top that I spotted in Winners for $14.99. I love the floral print, it's also really light and comfortable to wear on those hot summer days.

A nice straw hat I found in my mom's closet.

I almost dropped dead when I found this. I was on the hunt for a feminine romper and I found this one at Winners. It was originally $16.99 but one of the straps were falling off so I got it for $12.99 which is a bargain for such a beautiful piece of clothing. It's so comfy: like wearing PJ's.

A pair of basic high waisted jean shorts from Urban Outfitters. Reduced to $10 from $54.

A purplish-grey skirt also from Urban Outfitters. ALSO reduced to $10 from $54. Love the side detailing.

Basic peachy pink skirt from Zara. Goes to the knees but nice to be pulled up to the waist with a shirt tucked in. $10.

I don't know if I talked my relationship with second hand stores, specifically Goodwill. If you have the patience and know what to look out for, sometimes you can score some really good deals. I went on a day where the whole store was 50%, which was a bonus! This time, I found two items:

This is a BCBG Maxazria black velvet jacket. Fits really nice and it is silk-lined. Something from this line would normally retail over $100. I got it for $2.25, since it was originally $5.49 minus the 50% off. OH another thing I forgot to mention is that there are no taxes at Goodwill!!!

The other thing I purchased were these really unusual pairs of shoes. I don't know the brand but they were brand new and my size. They kind of look like they belong in the Bata Shoe Museum haha. It's really cute with the bows. Bought for $4.50, half of $9.

That's all for now. I love hearing bargains that other people have found. Please share in the comments below!

Collective June/July Makeup Haul 2010

2010-07-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

Long time no write. Cutting the crap, here is just a bunch of things that I've bought over the last couple of weeks. School finished and I felt like treating myself to a few things.
Stick around for my next post, which I hopefully will have up soon, of my collective clothing haul.

To start off: the family picture

These items were purchased at Pharma Plus, MAC, Urban Outfitters, Loblaws/Joe

Commencing with nail polishes. If you spotted out earlier, I purchased three even though I seceretly swore after purchasing OPI's Absolutely Alice that I'd take a break. No can do.

Left to write: Urban Outfitters Matte Green 7, Wet n Wild Blazed and Urban Outfitters Sparkle Purple

Two UO polishes swatched on paper. Sucks that the glitter couldn't be captured on photo. I put on the mint green/blue for the first time today. Takes 3 coats for it to be opaque. A good dupe for China Glaze's For Audrey (which I do not own). Have yet to try the purple. Bought these for $0.99 on sale/clearance, I think they are regularly priced at $6.

This is me wearing the Wet n' Wild colour. 3 coats with Seche Vite top coat. Chips quickly and in chunks. Paid $1.99. A nice summer coral. Debated between getting this or Joe's Coral.

Splurge of the month was my first MAC brush. Wheeeee. This is the MAC 217. I was looking for a blending/crease brush and after doing some research (Makeupalley), I opted for this one. It costs $27.50 plus taxes. It is perfect and exactly what I was looking for. Painted clear nail polish over the wording so that the ink wouldn't fade.

Size comparison to my hand. I have a relatively small hand.

At Loblaws/Joe, a Canadian supermarket, I picked up this body spray on clearance. As seen above, it is in the scent Fresh Lemon. Very rejuvenating and light. Half off of $5.

Also bought my first lip stain. It is the Joe Fresh lipstain in Sheer Pink. Paid $6 plus taxes. Long wearing, natural looking colour. Not drying if apply a lipbalm or gloss on top.

Lastly, my finds at Pharma Plus:

All three of these items were extremely well priced. The two NYC products were $1.50 each! i got their pressed powder and quad. Have yet to try the powder but the quad is very light and wearable, do not expect extreme pigmentation. The covergirl Professional volume mascara I think was on sale for $3.99, but with a coupon, I paid $2.50. I have been hearing great reviews about this, not like I need another mascara though.

You might think that including a deoderant I purchased might be random and weird but I have perfectly good intentions of mentioning this. This is my favourite and basically only deoderant I have ever used. It is the Adidas for women cotton tech yada yada. I almost had a heart attack when i heard they were discontinuing it. People must have been in a rage because they're bringing it back. Yay! It's my favourite because it's very basic and gets the job done. I have no wetness and no smell, other than the fresh scent of the deoderant itself. It also DOES NOT contain aluminum or parabens. I'd say that over 90% of deoderants today contain a high percentage of aluminum, up to in the high 20 percentile. With a little research you'll find that aluminum is potentially cancer causing. Also, have you ever gotten pit stains before? Well, I haven't. And that's because there is no aluminum. Chemistry 101: aluminum is a metal, therefore it oxidizes. The aluminum in your deoderant oxidizes and turns yellow and anything else that touches it, i.e. your clothing. I highly recommend this as it is also affordable, $4 regular price. Haha, I swear I'm not sponsored by Adidas but I truly believe in this product.

Thanks for hearing me out!

Read this and GO NOW!

2010-07-08T17:52:00.000-07:00

This is just a quick announcement. Very important that you listen CAREFULLY. It may change your makeup lives, or not.

Did you see last week on the Sephora website of the Stila trio deal of 3 FULL sized eyeshadow for $10 US plus s+h? Including Chloe, Lame and my favourite Kitten?
It sucks that shipping to Canada would be like 7 dollars or more though.

Well, guess what? I was so surprised to see that a couple of days ago at Urban Outfitters, they SOLD the palette there! For only $12 CAD! This is an awesome deal as one shadow by Stila costs $23 CAD. But you get 3 for only $12. It's included in a cute black palette.

So if you were ever contemplating on getting this cult fave shadow, check out your local Urban Outfitters now before it's too late! Unfortunately I can't find a picture of what it looks like online but you'll have to trust me on this and check it out for yourself!

Good luck on finding it!

Coming up will be a mini collective clothing and makeup haul.

June Favourites

2010-07-03T14:03:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

Long time no favourites. I'm trying to get on top of things. Not bad, since it's only July 3rd. Happy Belated Canada Day to all Canadians and Happy 4th of July to all Americans!

Here is the collection of favourites from this month:

And the individual pictures close up:

Mac Brill Eyeshadow (Satin finish), Urban Decay Matte Secret Service

I love to wear the first one as a wash, which is unusual because it is a silvery-green colour. But, it turns out great and really opens my eyes. Secret Service i picked up at Winners for only $4.99! It's the perfect matte crease colour, extremely pigmented and has many uses.

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat and Elf Contouring blush & bronzing powder

All time favourite top coat, and really the only nail polish that has shown evidence of use. I'm over half way done and very upset because I don't know where else I can find it. Again, I bought it at Winners for $4.99, I heard it retails for a lot more. Anyone know where I can get it in Toronto? Wow. And I just realised that I picked up the ELF compact at Winners too, for $6.99. I've really only tested out the blush, which I really like because of it's light and naturalness. When I don't know what to put on my cheeks, this is my go to blush.

Mac A Rose Romance and Mac Lipglass in Pret a Papier

Both of these I picked up at the Mac warehouse sale. The pink lipstick is my only one really, so I'm glad to have it in my collection. Very wearable and sheer, since it's a Lustre. Smells awesome too. The dark red lipstick I'm surprised I enjoy as much as I do. It comes out to a nice vampy red, and lasts a long time on lips. A little stickier than I usually like, but all in all a great gloss.

Top to bottom: Sample Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin, Mac Brow pencil in Taupe, L'oreal extra-intense liquid pencil eyeliner

Sorry for the flash. I've been enjoying this lid primer, more so than the original version which most of you may find surprising. I love the wash of shimmer it gives, I'll need to pick up the full-size soon. The brow pencil is my first official brow product, other than a clear mascara, but it is very subtle, natural and does in fact enhance my eyebrow colour. I feel it's a very versatile colour that could be used on many skin tones if used correctly. The black liner is a very intense colour, more-so than the Urban Decay zero liner and for a much more affordable price. I would recommend this if you're interested in a new eyeliner. Swatches will be shown below.

With Flash

Without flash.

Left to right: Mac Brill, UD Secret Service, Mac Brow Pencil, L'oreal liner, UDPP in Sin, Mac A Rose Romance, Mac Pret a Papier, Blush and Bronzer from Elf compact

Thanks for reading!

Productrater's Awesome Giveaway!

2010-06-29T21:50:00.000-07:00

Hey guys!

I've been subscribed to a fellow canadian for I think just over a month now.
She does really great reviews and if you love nail polish like I do, you'll love all the hauls and swatches of polish she does!

In fact, she's having an awesome giveaway now. It ends July 21st so hurry up before it ends!
Here's the link: http://productrater.blogspot.com/2010/06/productraters-100-follower-giveaway.html#comments

Good luck!

Products I've Hit Pan

2010-06-16T08:45:00.000-07:00

So this isn't going to be one of those Project 10 pan videos, I don't think I would be able to do it

However, I'll show you the products I've either finished or the pan is visible.

The products shown here are: Physician Formula's Talc-Free Face Powder in Buff Beige, Joe Fresh Lipgloss in Sheer pink, Clinique all over colour in peony, Bare Escentuals Buxom Lips in Amber (you guys know how much i love this!) and Clinique long last glosswear in air kiss.
As you can see, i don't how many products that are on the verge of being finished. I have a problem. I can't identify ONE eye product that I could've put in this post! It's crazy. I've finished mascaras before, such as Rimmel Sexy Curves and L'oreal Voluminous but I don't think those count.

I don't know of the quality of these pictures. I took them with my new phone: LG New Chocolate because my sister took the camera I use on a trip. The phone has 5mp, so it should do the job.

Also, a couple of days ago i found a store in Pacific Mall selling the Alice in Wonderland Collection still by OPI. I was so excited but unfortunately they didn't have Mad As a Hatter. I did however pick up Alice in Wonderland. GORGEOUS blue sparkly colour but it's going to be a pain to remove. The price was good to, $8.50 CAD with tax included.

That's all for now! Have a good weekend. Exam week is coming up and it's killing me.
So excited for summer you have no idea!

June Mac Warehouse Sale 2010

2010-06-09T17:08:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

Sorry for the delayed posting of my (mini) haul from the Mac Warehouse Sale. Before I begin I just want to tell you all about my first experience there.If this bores you, feel free to skip ahead. So I went with my good friend on Sunday, June 6th and arrived at 7:50 even though it starts at 9am. It was raining that day but we're lucky because they let us wait inside. There were already about 50 people there. An hour later, they let our whole group in. There are three large rooms in there each filled with Mac goodies and other brands owned by Estee Lauder such as Clinique, Origins. I just focused on Mac. Overall, we spend around 2 hours there since there was hardly any line ups at all. Advice: just arrive early and bring paper and pen to write down the things you want.

There were three items that I regret not buying. First is the Eversun blush from the Style warriors collection which I instead picked up Blossoming Blushcreme. Second is the DKNY Be Delicious perfume. It was only $35 for the 50mL but it just wasn't my top priority. Third is the Mac Fix+ Rose. I'm also upset I didn't see the Mac Face and Body Foundation which I heard was there for only $10, originally close to $40.

Anyways, for the things that I did purchase was not that much. I'm overall happy about it since I saved a lot of money. By the way, sorry for the sucky pictures, lighting was not good.

Here's my collective purchases minus one since I sold my Sweet William Blush Creme to my friend.

Now my individual items:

Select Cover-up Concealer in NW25 (hopefully this is the right colour) for $7, regularly $20

Probably the best deal of the day other than the Charity Pack. Devoted Poppy: 6: Classic Eyes from the 2008 Holiday Collection? Love the jeweled packaging! On special buy 1 get 1 free for $15, so my friend and I bought one. Paid $7.50, originally $44 (?)

These two lipglasses cam in the Charity Pack. All money goes to Breast Cancer research. 4 full sized items for $5. Lipglass in Pret a papier, nice dark burgundy red and Lustreglass in LustreWhite, shimmery clear gloss.

Ohhh crappy photo. Two lipsticks both Lustre finishes for buy 1 get 1 free for $15. Left in Made with Love, right in A Rose Romance (pretty pink).

Brill eyeshadow, satin finish. Came in charity bag. Silvery blue colour.

Gorgeous pigment (in old packaging hurrah!) in Jardin Aires. Shimmery coppery champagne. Messy but oh so many uses. Paid $9, originally $23.

Cremeblush in Blossoming. Paid $12, originally $23 (?). Don't know if I should keep it, some people say this blush is glittery. Haven't used it yet.

Brow pencil came in Charity Pack. Colour in Taupe, universal colour.

So that's my haul! Hope you enjoyed. I'm going to have fun with these products for a while.
Talk to you later

eleventh0fapril 50 follower contest!

2010-06-07T17:23:00.000-07:00

Hi y'all

My makeup buddy eleventh0fapril is holding a contest!
The link to it is here: http://eleventh0fapril.blogspot.com/2010/06/50-followers-giveaway.html#comments
Follow her! She's great!

Thanks!

Just came back. . .

2010-06-06T11:27:00.000-07:00

from the Mac Warehouse Sale!
It was amazing! My friend and I got there really early so there was barely any line at all. I picked up a few things, but not as much as some other people I know did (eleventh0fapril)!
I'll post a haul when I find time to take the pictures.

If you guys have a chance to go, seriously, go! The sales are awesome!

The only thing that I regret was buying Blossoming Blush Creme because the free gift was Sweet William blush creme. They're so similar in colour. I think I'm going to post Sweet William for swap on Makupalley.

Talk to you later!

Amazing

2010-06-05T15:18:00.001-07:00

This is going to be really short.

But you must watch this!!!

Happiness!!!! ---Click here---

MIA + Mac Warehouse!

2010-06-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

Remember me? I know, right? I think it's been over a good two weeks.
I have a lame "excuse". School. Stupid school.
Anyway, all my culminating and papers are for the most part, over and done with. Next is finals! Yippee!

But. . .I've got some pretty exciting news! My friend, "thank you", hooked me up with Mac Warehouse Tickets! Unfortunately, she was unable to go so I gave one of my besties the other ticket and we're going tomorrow. I hope we'll score some good deals there.
Haul will be coming up shortly.
Specifically, I'm going to be looking for brushes, any veluxe pearl eyeshadows (favourite finish!), grand entrance eyeshadow, a pink lipstick (similar to Viva Glam Gaga), the Skin Refined Zone pore minimizer, MSF Natural, Face + Body Foundation, and a Clinique Eye makeup remover.

May Favourites

2010-06-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

Here's my May Favourites! Sorry there's a delay. It's been hectic at school right now. I'm going to be using stock pictures today just cuz I'm lazy :P

First up: LONGCHAMP! woop. i've been using it ever since I got it a few months ago. SO versatile and easy to use. goes with everything. i ordered mine online from magnums.net. they are a legit seller and have great, fast shipping! Also, if it's your first purchase there, you can sign up for their newsletter and get $10 off your first purchase!

I own both the Physician's Formula loose and pressed mineral powder. But, even though the loose powder is harder to work with, it gives me a better, less cakey finish. It lets my skin breathe which I'm all for. It's one of the more expensive brands, but I believe that their quality is better. I use it with my Posh Flat Top Brush.
(Don't use the brush that goes with it, it's so itchy and rough!)

Oh my god! That's so cool. I looked up on google images for a stock photo of the Posh Flat Top and the first result was a picture I used in my earlier post! Haha, I guess I'll have to use that one then. (It's the second from the left)

Another favourite is my Benefit Hoola bronzer. It's getting hot where I live and this bronzer is really nice to give colour to the face. It may look muddy in the box, but with a light hand: flawless!

My steady companion and favourite is the Maybelline Mineral Power Concealer. Really nice drugstore alternative for a under eye concealer. I got it a shade lighter so that it would brighten up my tired circles from lack of sleep.

The two neutral eyeshadow looks I've been wearing a lot is my Cover Girl Shimmering Sands and the Clinique Duo in Seashell Pink and Fawn satin.Foolproof

Overall, this month I have not been wearing much makeup. In fact, for the majority of the time, I've gone bare.
As well, I've been thinking, one thing I have not really posted on my blog yet is a real review. I'm not sure where to begin. So if you guys have any suggestion, that would really help me out.

Talk to you later!

I should really do a review of something.

Check her out!

2010-06-03T14:48:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

I've been following this gal for a while now. She's great. Right now, she's also holding a contest so follow her!
http://charstarblog.blogspot.com/

Thanks!

Discovery and Haul

2010-05-25T15:06:00.000-07:00

For anyone that knows me, they'd say that I am obsessed with makeup.
But I have another weakness almost parallel to that of makeup. You've probably all guessed it by now: designer anything. Yes, I know, I'm such a materialistic, superficial person, but what can I do?

So the other day, I was just rummaging (again) through my mom's closet and lo and behold: goodies! I found 4 silk scarves. My mom doesn't wear them anymore so she said it was okay I could take them. There were much more, but most of them were new so I didn't want to touch them.
My mom also has a cult-fave Hermes scarf which is gorgeous, but I don't think she'd let me wear it. I don't think I'd even let myself wear it. It's better and safer in its pretty little box. Here are the four I picked out for myself:

This is my favourite out of the four because I love the pattern and the long, rectangular shape of it.

Also, by YSL, is another, thicker material silk scarf. Probably more appropriate for winter.

A Chanel square scarf, my least favourite out of the four because the colours are very bright!

Lastly, a really classic Chanel Silk Scarf. love the rich navy blue colour and gold chain detailing.

Originally, I was going to end my post with that but since I did a little shopping yesterday at Vaughan Mills, I'm just going to tag it to this post.

Oh, but wait! Here are the pictures of the gladiator sandals that I mentioned in my last post.

Haha, the pattern of the shoe's beading is kind of similar to the carpet.

So, anyways, yesterday I went to Vaughan Mills specifically for the Holt Renfrew Last Call Semi-Annual Sale. Wow, that was a mouthful, or a wordful in this case??? There wasn't that much stuff that interested me but I did manage to find two items. I also stopped by Lululemon, a really great athletic/yoga store, and picked up a pair of capris on sale.

Unfortunately, I don't know the style name but I paid $30 + taxes, I think originally $54.

At Holt's, once I entered the store, I saw these shoes. I found them so interesting and unique looking and after I discovered how much they were, I had to grab them. They're by the brand United Nude (haha) and originally was $150. Guess how much I got them for? Six dollars! No biggie. These shoes are definitely odd and made out of this weird rubber, also a little big as you can tell, but for $6, it doesn't matter. (Deal of the Day #1)

The last item I picked up, I was so shocked to see at such a low price. I've never seen any store carrying this brand on sale for so little. And when I mean little, I mean less than a no-name brand. Rock&Republic black skinny jeans, with a unique fish scale print and zippers on the side. Originally $345. Bought for $28. What did she say????? That's right. I'm so excited to wear them!

Here's a picture of the price tag if you don't believe me. It was 80% off the lowest ticked price. (Deal of the Day #2).

Overall, it was a very satisfactory shopping day. It was like Christmas! Hope you enjoyed!

Oh, and question. What are the different ways to wear square scarves. Now that I've acquired two more, I want some variation. So if you guys have any ideas let me know.

Mini Clothing and Makeup Haul

2010-05-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

Today I'm feeling lazy and I have good reason: it's raining and cloudy outside today.
So, this post will not have any pictures that I took but instead I will use my trusty google-searching skills to find what I'm talking about.

First off, Rexall Pharma Plus was having a 50% off all nail polishes. I only picked up two, maybe I should have picked up more but I'm satisfied for the time being.

Rimmel's Lasting Finish Pro in Steel Grey 270 (dupe to Sephora by OPI's Metro Chic)

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Red Carpet (dupe for China Glaze's Ruby Pumps)

The Rimmel came out to being $2.50 and the Sally was $1.50 all in CAD.

I also found a new creme blush in my mother's makeup case. I was contemplating buying one, because I love the ease of the "slap on and go". Since I found this one I can save up my money for other things. I wasn't able to find a picture but it's Estee Lauder's Natural CheekCreme in 01 Pink Kiss. Compared to my Elizabeth Arden Creme Blush, this one is much more pigmented and I have to be more careful with it or I will look like I've been b***h-slapped.

As well, yesterday I received my order from American Apparel, which I purchased during their 30% Friends and Family Sale. I bought a jumpsuit for myself and a skirt for my sister's birthday.

This is the Chambray Jumpsuit in Black (it comes without a belt), it originally retails for $66.

Got this High-waisted Cotton Skirt in Purple (darker than in the picture), originally $36.

Lastly, I finally got a pair of Gladiator-esque sandals. They also kind of fit in with the Tribal Trend, what with the beading on it. I'll take a picture of them some other time. Got them for only $30 at Winners.

Alert! If you're living in the Toronto, or GTA, Holt Renfrew Last Call at Vaughan Mills Mall is having a semi-annual clearance sale until Monday, May 24th. Holt Renfrew, if you're unfamiliar with it, is a designer high-end department store. If you're interested check it out as it will be ending soon.
I was originally planning to go but something has come up that I need to save my money for. When and if it is a go, I will let you guys know what I'm talking about and to stop being so mysterious about it.

Next Post: Feeling like a little kid at Christmas

Stila Kitten Dupes

2010-05-18T15:55:00.000-07:00

Warning: Long post and picture heavy!

If you are a makeup addict like myself, then you probably have heard of the Cult-fave eyeshadow by Stila called Kitten. Ring any bells? Anyways, kitten is one of the most coveted eyeshadow colours around, but to get it comes a price. I purchased it for $23 CAD, plus an additional $3 for the eyeshadow tin. That's right you heard me. No matter how good the quality it is and how much you pay, it only comes in pan form. Kitten is the most famous shimmery pearl champagne colour, but today I'm going to show you many alternatives, some high end and some more affordable that are extremely similar to Stila's Kitten.

But first, this is what Stila's Kitten looks like with the tin.

The first dupe is a shadow by Clinique called South Beach. It is a little darker, with less shimmer than Kitten, but still pretty close. I'm not sure if it is still available but if you are able to find it, it should cost around $16 CAD. Here is what it looks like, haha notice my finger in the picture:

Next is a high end dupe but a dupe nonetheless, at least in my opinion. It is Urban Decay's infamous Midnight Cowboy Rides Again. Known for its extreme chunky silver glitter with lots of fallout if you're not careful. But the base colour is similar to Kitten. It retails for $22 CAD with a pot. (*On a side note, Stila's eyeshadow's have a lot more product in it, so in that way, it has better value.)

Next is a colour from a palette that I talked about in one of my first posts: the eye palette by Kimchi Blue at Urban Outfitters. The original price for it was I think $18, but I paid $2 CAD on clearance. The dupe is called Lace and is the most similar colour to Kitten. But of course, the pigmentation of Stila is much more softer and silky but this one is definitely a good alternative:

A drugstore dupe I picked up recently was Cover Girl's Shimmering Sands. The colour on the farthest right is a shimmery pearl colour as well. Again, the pigmentation is not comparable to Stila's, but is the most affordable and attainable as you can usually pick it up, and on sale might I add, at any local drugstore. I paid $5.79 CAD on sale:

Lastly, is from a discontinued palette that you'd probably be able to find on Ebay or allcosmeticswholesale.com. It is the Too Faced Naughty and Nice Palette. Out of all the dupes, I'm most disappointed with this colour, even though this is technically a high end product, as the shadow was not very noticable as you will soon see. I paid $12.99 CAD for this at Winners:

Now that I'm done showing you all my dupes. You can decide for yourself which one is more appropriate for you. Of course, there are manyyyyyyyyyyy other options for dupes of Stila's Kitten but this is just what I have in my collection. Overall, Stila's Kitten has the highest quality and pigmentation, there IS a reason why it is a cult favourite. But if it's not in your budget, or you just can't justify spending almost $30, including pot, for it, there are many other alternatives. Here is a swatch of each shadow on my arm so you can see the comparison and quality of the shadows. The picture may alter the true colour but at least you have a better idea.

Left to right: Stilas Kitten, Clinique South Beach, Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, Kimchi Blue Lace, Cover Girl Shimmering Sands and Too Faced Naughty and Nice Palette (which barely shows up).

I really hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or want me to elaborate on any shadow further, let me know. As well, I'm always open to requests!

Talk to you soon!

Crushed Grapes Nails

2010-05-18T15:06:00.000-07:00

Howdy y'all.
Today is another Nails of The Day featuring the colour Crushed Grapes by Sally Hansen.
It's a really gorgeous, deep, almost black purple with subtle red-ish sparkles. I love it when the light hits my nails just right so that you can see the shimmer. Unfortunately, it seems that after a few days, the shimmer disappear. Is that normal or am I going crazy? No special sparkle finger today.. . but of course my nails are topped with Seche Vite Top Coat.

Too bad the pictures can't capture the gorgeous-ness of this colour.

To end, I'm going to include a video of Taylor Momsen, from Gossip Girl, in her band The Pretty Reckless. I really dislike her attitude put she's actually a surprisingly good singer. Enjoy!

Potential Outfit Of The Day

2010-05-15T15:07:00.000-07:00

Just a word of warning, I don't usually do these kinds of posts, as you may already tell but I really want to know my readers opinion of this outfit I put together.

In the photos, I'm wearing my mom's yellow jacket that I mentioned in one of my first posts (it has no brand), an unrefined amber necklace, a cream coloured tank top by Nate Organics (organic cotton FTW!), dark olivey green capris bought from Winners by the brand Buffalo Shop, and wedges bought from Winners by the brand Aerosoles.

Enjoy and tell me what you think!

Here are the close-ups of my shoes. Love, and they sort of remind of the Alexander McQueen (RIP) Queenadillos' pattern if you look at the first up close shoe picture I took. Or not, maybe I'm just crazy.
P.S. Excuse all the stuff in the background and that random obnoxious Abercrombie bag with a pair of fairy wings in it. WTH? Obviously, I'm not a very good photographer.
A picture for reference:

Won't Be Hearing From Me Much

2010-05-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,
Sorry I've been MIA (missing in action) lately. I've had a lot of school work and procrastination to do and I don't think it will end until my school year ends altogether. Sucks.
I'll try to keep posting but if you don't hear from me much, now you know why.
This is a really brief post so I'm gonna add some songs that I've been enjoying lately.

Ke$ha- Animal
Ke$ha- Disgusting
Miley Cyrus- Can't Be Tamed
Katy Perry- California Gurls

You've all probably heard of these artists and songs but if not check them out! I really like Katy Perry in general and I'm surprisingly attached to Ke$ha's songs, although her attitude and personality kind of turns me off. Also, I've never really been a fan of Miley Cyrus but this song is just so darn catchy =)

Shoppers Rant

2010-05-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

The biggest and most densely spread across drugstore in Canada is Shoppers Drug Mart. They've almost become a Starbucks in my area, one on every other block. Okay, maybe that was a little exaggerated. But the point is lately, they've updated and upgraded their facilities to make it look high end, more open and clean and Sephora-esque. Higher end cosmetics have come in along with Cosmeticians dressed in all black.

However, there's an over population of them. The Shoppers I went to today had about 5 intimidating cosmeticians which frankly, scared the crap out of me. Are so many of them necessary? They constantly ask or interrogate in my case, whether i need any help and watch my back as if I would never buy any high end cosmetic. Which I do, I just make sure I do a lot of research before hand. They make me feel dirty and cheap. But in a way, I am cheap, I love a good deal. But then again, who doesn't? Because of this, I prefer Pharma Plus because they are much nicer and warmer, besides they often also have better deals.

Another thing that bothered me is that there was this humongous rack of clearance items at the back of the store. Many marked down to $1, 3, or 5. I was so excited because there were Benefit, Smashbox and OPI items. I picked up a foundation and eyeshadow. But when I went to pay, something I thought was $1 ended up being $25. I was like no way am I paying that much for a damaged and used item. It annoyed me how they weren't organized or tricking people into thinking it was another price. A lot more than what I thought it would be, in fact.

I love drugstores but seriously, booooooo you Shoppers! Thanks for hearing me out. What are your opinions? Am I over-reacting or does this bother you too?

Haul #2

2010-05-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

By the name of the title, you should know that this will be a recent haul of other two weeks. Mini, might I add.
Most of it will be lip products. You know what's funny/annoying? Most of the stuff I bought was not even on my want list, it was kind of like an of the moment buy. If I keep buying this way, I will never get through my want list!

So, I'll begin chronologically cause I'm organized like that (haha. . . no).
Previous readers will learn that I love Cherry Carmex, so I picked up a backup for when my other one's done. This time, it's in the tube.

Another day, might have even been the next (oops) I bought the Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Life's a Peach, I think I mentioned this in a favorites? Anyways, it's a really pretty colour. Also, I bought the L'Oreal Extra-Intense Liquid Pencil Liner (oxymoron alert, liquid and pencil at the same time??). Extremely dark and creamy, maybe too much. I only use it on the top lash line but it fades kind of quickly.

And finally today, I went to Winners (love!) and Shoppers. At Winners, I found a great deal (DEAL OF THE WEEK!) of this pack of 3 Stila Lip Glosses for only. . . . $9.99! At Sephora, each lip gloss would be $22-26 dollars. Using my extreme math skills, I figured that I saved at least 85% of retail price, or $65 dollars! See, this is my problem, I never needed it, but when I saw it, I couldn't pass it up. And they're gorgeous colours: glitter-infused, sheer pink; an almost exact dupe of my now lost Kitten lipglaze; and a liquid bronze.

Then went to Shopper to find the Cover Girl Shimmering Sands. Was on sale for $6.79 from regular $8.99 and I had a $1 off coupon so I assumed it was about time for me to buy it and stop lusting over it. What really got me was that it was the only one left.

That's all for now. Oh wait, forgot, I took a group picture of them together. It's so adorable, look!

My photog skills are killah, not. You see a book, computer, camera case and mouse in the background. FAIL. Can you spot it?

Summer Is In The Air

2010-05-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been getting extremely confused about all these different types of "favourite" posts. There are (coming off the top of my head) Monthly Favourites, In n Outs, Current Obsessions, Products I can't live without, etc.
It gets kind of overwhelming after a while.

This may become one of those posts but it will also be different as everything I talk about will have some connection to the current weather: warm, breezy summer.

Since it is not completely summer yet, I still have a chance to wear my Pure by Alfred Sung military-type picture. This is line, similar to the designer lines at Target, but for Canada available at Zellers. A more affordable, yet chic rendition of popular clothing designers. It's comfy, stylish and well-fitting.

Another thing I've been obsessing over, as my friends will well know, is attempting to darken my legs. They really look like vampish ghosts in comparison to my face and rest of my body. So, lately, I've been wearing many shorts and capris to give my legs some time with the sun. (Of course, I'll also be stylishly sporting SPF 55, my favourite is Neutrogena Ultra Sheer's, my dermatologist recommended it and it's oil-free!)

Which leads me to next item, my Cole Haan Sunglasses. The style is slightly similar to the popular Ray Ban Wayfarer's, with it's square frame and translucent tortoise shell colour. This are my first well-made designer glasses and I must admit, they feel very well made. I'm not sure of the style name, but on the rims it has the code C707 21 55 16-140. Since, it's been so sunny lately, sunglasses are a must. I purchases these at my local beloved Winners', which in the USA, is similar to TJ Maxx or Marshall's. Lately, Winners' have been sporting more and more designer goods for reduced prices, they even have a Runway line which makes me giddy just thinking about it. It is my ultimate fantasy: high-end clothes, shoes, bags and makeup for a fraction of the price!

This will lead me to my next shopping trip I soon get to have. I "need" to go to Winners soon to pick up some new shorts or capris. And who knows what else I'll find as well?

Before I end, I want to try adding a youtube link of some of one of my favourite videos on youtube (non-beauty related). Cross fingers this works:

Me in 10 years?

2010-05-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhhhhhh I'm on a roll today! I must be feeling really guilty today (hehe)

I found this article recently that I thought I'd share. Although I love makeup and anything beauty related I have no where near anything that this lady I'm about to show you has. Also, a reason might be because I have no money. Cha-ching. I think the last time I calculated was last August, when I was just getting into makeup and already by that time I'd come near the $300 range of money spent on beauty related items. Scary, for me anyway. Now, early May, I'm scared to count up the money I've used on not just makeup but perfume, hair products, nail products, and more.

Read the article for yourself and let me know your thoughts.
Crazy Lady

Me in 10 years? Let's hope not.

Edit:
Also, I want to add in 3 songs I've been loving recently.
Magic by Emii
Hollywood by Marina & The Diamonds
and just yesterday, Shiver by Shawn Desman, which by the way features a lot of So You Think You Can Dance Dancers and if you listen closely, when he says Shiver, it sounds like "Shit my". Oops!