I couldn’t resist one last FOTD for you before I leave for my cruise in about.. oh.. 30 minutes!  Here’s what I’m going to be wearing as we board the ship:

From MAC’s holiday Magic, Mirth, and Mischief! collection, I’m wearing Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo ($19.50 US) in Blue Sorcery featuring a bright turquoise and a silver.

The blue is bright and pigmented, what you would expect from a mineral shadow but the silver side is a little too chunky for my liking and doesn’t stay on well.  You would need a creamy base or foil the shade for it to stick.

On my lips is my new favorite combo – Lipstick ($14 US) in Surprise Me, a pinky peach with more cool tones to suit the winter season, and Dazzelglass gloss ($18 US) in Jingle Jangle, a yellow pink a sapphire pearl.

I just love it together and know that I will wear this poolside quite often this week. 

Hope you guys have a great week and I’ll see you when I get back.

xoxo, Lilan

Love this post? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email to get new product reviews from your favorite beauty brands!

This review contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR.   We do not do paid or guarantee reviews. We promise to remain truthful in our editorial content in an effort to provide honest reviews.  For more information, please read our Editorial & Content Disclosure page.

Summer may be over but I’m just now bringing out most of my sun products to pack along for our week-long cruise to the Mexican Riviera.

I spent most of my summer in San Francisco so I wasn’t able to take full advantage of these until now.  Here’s what I’ll be packing on-board with me to protect myself while I’m sunbathing on the pool deck or parasailing over the Pacific Coast in Cabo San Lucas.

While I’ll be bringing a couple of bottles of SPF 50 and 70 sprays for my friends, I’ll personally be using Clinique Sun SPF 25 Body Spray ($20 US) to ensure that I at least come back from vacation with a little bit of color.

If I should happen to discover that that was a huge mistake, I’ll have Clinique After-Sun Rescue Balm with Aloe ($20 US) to cool off any sun burns.  Most people remember to bring sunscreens and tanning lotions but often forget to pack aloe vera along to help calm the skin after hours of sitting under the sun.

After a trip to the Caribbean a couple of years ago, I’ve learned that an aloe vera product is a must-pack for any sun and beach vacation.

However, my face is a totally different story – I won’t risk getting sun damage when it comes to my complexion.  Healthy skin is the key to maintaining a more youthful look, longer.  That’s why I’ll be using Aveeno Positively Ageless Sunblock Lotion with SPF 70 ($10.99 US) on this trip.

My cousin teased me saying that I would come back with a golden tan and a pasty complexion but I told her not to worry, that’s what bronzers are for!

Lastly, I dug out my bottle of Aveda Sun Care Hair and Body Cleanser ($20 US).  Since I know I’m going to be in the pool lots, this is a great product to use to strip any harmful chlorines from my hair.

My favorite thing about this shampoo is that it smells wonderful and leaves my hair feeling silky and soft to the touch.

This is going to be the last post from me until I come back.  But don’t worry, Jeannie and Crystal will be bringing you lots of beauty features you won’t want to miss next week while I’m away!

xoxo, Lilan

Love this post? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email to get all the latest updates sent straight to your inbox!

This review contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR.   We do not do paid or guarantee reviews. We promise to remain truthful in our editorial content in an effort to provide honest reviews.  For more information, please read our Editorial & Content Disclosure page.

Among the assorted I picked up – Day and Night, Cookies ‘n Cream, Mocha, Red Velvet (my fave!)

And the bride’s absolute favorite, German Chocolate..

They were so good, I’d totally indulge in a Friday afternoon treat if it weren’t for the fact that Lake Forest is quite a trek from my house.. I’m secretly relieved 

Enjoy this post? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email to see where else we’re eating at these days in Orange County.

I’m not sure why but  my cuticles have gotten noticeably harder over the past year, and it makes me pick at them more often, in turn, making them even more coarse and tattered looking.

My mom says it’s because the nail technicians are trimming too much when I go get manicures, but what can I do – I’m not a professional and can’t tell where I should draw the line in asking my technician to stop other than ask her to take it easy.

I’m really bad at regularly applying the cuticle oils that come in a pen or bottle – no matter how many times I hear that I need to take care of my nails.

But with Clinique’s recent release of Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream ($17.50 US), I find that I’m more likely to use something that comes in a lotion form.

For the past week, this has been sitting on my desk and I’ve been using it diligently when I feel that my hands are getting dry – and concentrating on my cuticles, of course.

The texture is a little greasy but I expected that if it was going to help soften my cuticles.  The good thing is, for lotion sinks in quickly if you rub it in until completely absorbed.

Clinique’s promise of 12-hour hydration is quite a stretch – I find that after about four hours, my hands are looking for a little touch up.

The upside is, I am noticing that my cuticles are a little softer after just one week of use.  Since it’s so easy to use and works as a good office hand lotion, I’m sure that I’ll keep my routine up and will hopefully have softer cuticles in no time.

Have you tried Clinique’s new Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream?  Or any other product in the Deep Comfort collection featuring a body lotion, body butter and brand new body wash?

Love this post? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email to get new product reviews from your favorite beauty brands!

This review contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR.   We do not do paid or guarantee reviews. We promise to remain truthful in our editorial content in an effort to provide honest reviews.  For more information, please read our Editorial & Content Disclosure page.

If I had to choose, I would splurge on face products over eye or lip products. Why? I like thinking that I’m getting my money’s worth in powders and concealers because they have to be the perfect bases for the rest of my makeup.

Plus, good skin ingredients and color ranges come with pricier bases.

I’ve wasted so much time trying many face products to find the perfect ones for me.  But when I did, it was worth it. My eyeshadows look better on my flawless face, and my lips are even more pouty when my complexion looks blemish-free.

These are the products that I’d marry and declare a relationship with for life.  Read on to discover what some of my HG finds for the face.

Laura Mercier Mineral Pressed Powder SPF 15 ($35 US – left) is the most pigmented powder I’ve ever tried and feels smooth on the face. I can look flawless by lightly dusting this all over my face. I’m really loving this especially now in the winter! The creamy coverage doesn’t make my face look powdery.

Stila Perfecting Concealer in shade f ($23 US – rigth): I prefer creamy concealers to cover any blemishes I have, and this is the most perfect one ever.

It dries down to a matte finish, but smooths on easily. It lasts the whole day after I set it with powder and looks natural. When I feel like I want super coverage all over my face, I like to blend this with a little moisturzier to make a DIY tinted moisturizer!

I usually don’t need to use a bronzer on my tanned skin, but I find that I do need Benefit Dallas ($28 US – left)! It’s a combo of blush and bronzer that gives me natural all over color for those days when I don’t feel perky. I love brushing this plum-rose-bronze color onto my forehead, cheeks, chin, and nose. No more winter pasties!

I love the bright coral blushes for cheeks and my favorite is Benefit Coralista ($28 US – right). It looks superb on tan skin because of all the pretty gold shimmers. The box is huge and worth the high cost.

I know that lots of people love the fruity scent, but I find it a little fake smelling – it’s a good thing that it doesn’t last too long on the skin!

Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets ($5.29 US): These classic blue oil blotters work so well for the price. I don’t need fancy sheets, because I use at least one a day. These work so nicely for me, there’s really nothing bad I can say about them.

Pink highlighter looks great when applied on top of blush, but alone it’s a disaster. That’s why I appreciate MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Warmed, a swirl of gold and bronze.

I can totally wear this on top of my bare skin to give me a sun-kissed look that’s fabulous. I find that this doesn’t look that great on top of blushes, but that’s ok – it gets plenty of love from me anyways! (Look for it in your CCO!)

What are your HG face products? Do you like any of the ones I put on my list?

Love this post? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email to hear more about the beauty products we just can’t live without!