January 2012 Favorites

Yes, I know I am not the first to say this, but can you believe January is already over? Where does the time go?

Anyhoo, here are the products I kept reaching for in January:

1. Laura Mercier Luster Eye Colour Duo in Dusk/Chocolate - These two shades work so well together making it easy to create a contoured eye. Both shadows are smooth, easy to blend, long lasting over primer, and very pigmented. I have really been loving Laura Mercier's color products lately and will be featuring more of my fave products in the coming weeks.

Swatch of Laura Mercier Luster Eye Colour Duo in Dusk/Chocolate

2. MAC Mineralize Blush in Early Morning - This is from the Naturally collection and although I normally don't go for mineralize blushes, this one is amazing. It is extremely pigmented so I use a light hand and a skunk brush (I prefer MAC's 188) so that I can have good control of how much color I apply. I think this is gorgeous on all skin tones, but due to pigmentation, it is best suited for medium-dark skin tones. All 3 blushes from the Naturally collection are super smooth, finely milled, and have a natural sheen to them that is not sparkly or matte. Ever since I got this one I have been using it almost everyday.

Swatch of MAC Mineralize Blush in Early Morning

3. Hana Shine Shield Serum - I originally reviewed this here, and I liked it, but I have really been loving it the past few months. After washing my hair I apply a few drops of Moroccan Oil to damp hair, then blowdry and flatiron. Due to the winter static and dry weather, I have been having a lot of flyaways so after straightening my hair I rub a drop or two of this serum between my palms and smooth it over the top of my head. It works really well to control the flyaways, but it also adds softness and shine without adding any greasiness. Don't you love re-discovering good products you already have?

4. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Corrupt - I confessed my love for this here and honestly, I haven't been using any other liners. This is darker than basic brown, but not as harsh as black, and it just works. I use it day and night and with all sorts of shadow combinations (or with no shadow). This pencil is just amazing and judging by how much I use and sharpen this, I better find another pencil just like it soon, cuz this is going to run out and it is not permanent....le sigh.

Swatch of Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Corrupt 

What products have you been loving?

My New Eyeliner Obsession - Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Corrupt (Review and Swatches)

I've mentioned many times recently that I have been using MAC's Sable eyeshadow non-stop, and another product that's been getting a lot of love from me is the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Corrupt:

This is a dark brown liner that has tiny bits of sparkle in it. The sparkle is subtle enough that you can wear this during the daytime, as I have been recently (often times with Sable). I like this shade because it is darker than UD's Bourbon, but not as harsh as black liner.

Swatch of Corrupt in Natural Light

Swatch of Corrupt with Flash

Here is a quick look I recently wore with MAC's Orb shadow on the lid and Wedge shadow in the crease.

Isn't brown liner lovely? I even lined the lower lashline....just halfway, not the full lashline...to give some emphasis to the bottom lid without closing in the eye too much. What do you think?

I'm a Bahama Mama! (Ok, not a Mama, but I did just return from the Bahamas!)

Hello dear! How are you? I am back from my vacation and it was WONDERFUL! My husband and I went on a Bahamian cruise with another couple who are good friends of ours here in Philadelphia. It was so nice to get away from the cold and enjoy the warm, sunny beaches of the Bahamas. Here are a few pics from paradise:

The beautiful lounging area on a private cruise-owned island

My friend and I testing the temperature of the Bahamian beach water

Akward photo yes, but the water was so clear you could see my feet!

Outside the MAC store in Nassau...I was surprised they had a MAC so I had to take a photo of course!

The towel monkey our cabin steward left for us! This is made of one bath towel and one hand towel. Everyday we had a different towel animal waiting for us.

I absolutely LOVE cruising because it is so relaxing and the food is so delicious! No worries about carrying around money because everything is charged to the room, no worries about food because you can eat whenever you want and don't have to search around for a good restaurant, and everything is convenient.

In other news, if you are still thinking about getting the Urban Decay Book of Shadows IV, right now it is discounted on the Urban Decay website from $64 down to $44, and if you use code SEVENTEEN11 then you save an additional $15. That means the $64 palette is only $29! 

My Halloween Devil Look

I don't like Halloween.

There, I said it.

I know most beauty fanatics love this spooky holiday because it gives them the freedom to go cra-zay with makeup, and don't get me wrong, I like that too, but I hate the build-up around Halloween parties. Everyone always has such high expectations over Halloween party and inevitably, the party ends up being just ok. I did go to one really good Halloween party last year, and I think it was great because we didn't have any expectations and it was at my cousin's house so I was just excited to see my cousins.

In any case, I did end up going to a Halloween party this weekend and I wore my standard issue devil costume. This year I decided to do more of a beauty look with a little funky twist. 

MAC Lady Grey Eyeshadow Quad Review

I professed my love for the MAC Lady Grey eyeshadow quad in my September Favorites post, and here's why: the colors are not your basic browns, but they are still neutral...and I love me a good neutral!

 Clockwise from top left: All Races, Tendersmoke, Hazy Day, Lady Grey

L-R: All Races, Tendersmoke, Hazy Day, Lady Grey

Here is one of my favorite looks, using Lady Grey (the greyish-green shade) on the lid and All Races (the light lavendar) on the browbone as a highlight, and Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Stash on the upper lash line. All Races has a bit of pinky-lavendar to it, but it is so subtle that it just works really well as a highlight, especially when wearing grays and plums on the lid.

Here are a few more easy ways to use this quad:

• Tendersmoke on Lid, All Races on browbone


• Tendersmoke on Lid, Hazy Day in crease, All Races on browbone


• Hazy Day on Lid, All Races on browbone


• All Races on lid and browbone, any of the other 3 colors in the crease


• Any of the above combinations, with a little bit of Texture or Soft Brown in the crease to warm up the look

What do you think?

Battle of the Setting Sprays: MAC Fix+ vs Urban Decay All Nighter

I have been using makeup setting sprays regularly for about 3-4 months now. The two that I have been going back and forth with are the Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray and MAC Fix+. Both setting sprays are effective but when it comes time to repurchase, I definitely have a preference.

Features of the Urban Decay All Nighter:

• Helps makeup last all day


• Spray nozzle is concentrated, and sprays quickly and exactly where you want it to spray


• Once sprayed, the product settles on the skin and doesn't get lost in the air


• Fragrance free

Features of the MAC Fix + (Pictured is the rose fragranced version from A Rose Romance collection circa 2009):

• Helps makeup last all day AND it gives skin a natural look, removing all cakiness


• Feels refreshing on the skin, especially if you refrigerate it during the summer


• The product is very misty and stays in the air for a few seconds before settling on the skin, but this also allows for more of a misty feel


• Smells refreshing and clean (or fragranced if you get a fragranced version like the rose one I have)


• Spray nozzle has a locking mechanism that comes in handy for travel

If you couldn't already guess, I much prefer the Fix+. I love how it feels on my skin and how it takes away the cakiness of foundation. Also, I think that the All Nighter makes foundation oxidize quicker, so whenever I use it I always feel like my foundation looks half a shade darker.

What do you think? Have you tried any setting sprays?

MEGA Urban Decay Sale!!

FYI, Urban Decay online is having a HUGE sale right now! I think they are clearing out some of their discontinued products and some things like their loose pigments are only $1. Yes, one dollar!! Check out the sale items here. 

MAC Dupes for the Urban Decay Naked Palette

Although the Urban Decay Naked Palette has been a smash hit, I just have not been able to drink the Naked Palette Kool Aid. I think the Naked Palette has a great selection of shades, but I really don't like that the majority of them are shimmery, and you know when UD does shimmer, they mean business. 

Thus, I decided to see if I could dupe the Naked Palette with MAC shades that are already in my collection. There may be a few MAC shadows that are better dupes, but either they are limited edition or I don't have them. Here is what I came up with (click on images to enlarge):

I think a shade like Shroom would be a better dupe for Virgin, and Black Tied would be a better dupe for Creep, but I don't have Shroom or Black Tied. Overall, I think my dupes are pretty good in terms of color. However, the finishes might be different. For instance, Embark is a pretty good dupe for Hustle, but Embark is matte and Hustle is shimmery. In all honesty, I prefer the MAC finishes. There is only so much shimmer I can deal with and I feel like the mixture of satin, veluxe, matte, etc. finishes create more interest and dimension than pure shimmer shades. The few times I have used the Naked Palette I noticed I kept using Buck, which is one of the only non-shimmery shades in the pallete. The other non-shimmery shades are Virgin and Naked. 

When you look at the total value, the Naked Palette is $48 and includes a brush and mini primer potion. If you were to purchase the 12 MAC shades and a palette to hold them in, it would cost $146. On the other hand, if you already have several neutral shades you already like from MAC, you probably wouldn't need to purchase that many more to create your own neutral palette and if you are like me, you will like the finishes better and get more use out of it because you actually like each of the shades. 

This is just my two cents. What do you think? Is the Naked Palette your holy grail palette?

Battle of the Eye Primers

In my constant quest for finding new and effective products, I decided to put 4 popular eye primers to the test: MAC's Painterly Paint Pot vs. Smashbox's Photo Finish Lid Primer vs. Kat Von D's High Voltage Eye Primer vs. Urban Decay's Primer Potion. I didn't have the Nars primer when I did this experiment, so I might have to repeat it with that. In any case, check out what happened when I applied Urban Decay's Flipside Eyeshadow over each of these 4 eye primers on my arm:

Immediately after application:

L-R: Flipside shadow on its own, MAC Paint Pot, Smashbox Photofinish, Kat Von D High Voltage, and Urban Decay Primer Potion

As you can see, on its own the shadow was very faint and hard to detect. The shadow was the darkest when applied on the MAC Paint Pot and the Urban Decay Primer Potion. During the following 3 hours I really put these primers to the test by rubbing my arm and wearing long sleeves for 30 minutes. Normally, nothing rubs up against our eyelids when we wear makeup, but the blinking motion definitely creates friction. 

3 Hours after application

L-R: Flipside shadow on its own, MAC Paint Pot, Smashbox Photofinish, Kat Von D High Voltage, and Urban Decay Primer Potion

To my surprise, after 3 hours, just about all products had faded away significantly. The Smashbox primer  failed miserably. The MAC Paint Pot worked well at holding on to the product, and the Kat Von D High Voltage worked well at ensuring the color remained bright. I had wanted to test out the ever-popular Too Faced Shadow Insurance but I just didn't have any with me at the time, and it doesn't work too well on me so it's not a product I would repurchase. All in all, this little game reinforced my affinity to MAC's Paint Pots. 

What is your favorite eye primer? 

Urban Decay Naked Palette - Natural Eye Looks

I managed to snag the Urban Decay Naked Palette a few months ago when it was first released but I never really talked about it because I felt like it was a "been there, done that" item in the beauty blogging world. However, I have received a few requests in the past couple months to post a couple looks using this palette so here it is. 

L-R: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep, and Gunmetal, 24/7 Eyeliner Duo in Zerop and Whiskey

Look #1:

Virgin on lid

Buck in crease

 Darkhorse in outer V

Whiskey liner on upper lash line

Look #2:

Virgin on lid

Buck and Smog in crease

 Hustle in outer V

Zero liner on upper lash line

I don't think this palette is essential, especially if you have a lot of eyeshadow already or you have a few neutrals that work really well for you. I think it is a great starter palette, great for travel (though it is larger than I personally like for travel), and a nice-to-have for makeup addicts. 

Were you able to get your hands on this palette? What do you think of it?

Urban Decay $2 Blowout!!!

Today on Hautelook, Urban Decay is having a blowout sale with many products costing as low as $2!! Yes, TWO dollars! If you aren't a member yet, click here to sign up!

Do You Have a Wallflower? Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil Review

I can't believe I haven't blogged about this yet! My go-to lip liner for the past few months has been the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Wallflower:

If you've ever tried UD's 24/7 eye pencils, you know how well those liners go on and how long they last, and their lip pencils are no different! The shade Wallflower is practically the same color as my lips so I use it from a wide range of lip colors from baby nudes to fall's new plums.

Bare lips

Lined and filled in with Wallflower lip pencil 

Kajal Couture Rating: A+

Kajal Couture Overall Opinion: This lip pencil is smooth and glides on effortlessly without tugging at the lips, it lasts all day, and the color Wallflower can be used under just about any lipstick. What's not to love!!

Have you tried the UD 24/7 lip pencils? 

Kajal's Eye Makeup Breakdown

My mom sent me this pic of Bollywood actress Kajal and told me I HAVE to try this eye makeup on myself. How cute is that? Over the past year or two, I have slowly gotten my mom to love makeup, and her fave product, like most Indian gals, is eyeliner. 

I know I have talked a lot about eyeliner in the past (remember Eyeliner Week?) but I can't seem to get enough of it. But really, can I get enough of any makeup product? Ok, enough talking, here's how to get Kajal's piercing eyes:

Are you on Hautelook?

Are you familiar with Hautelook? It is one of those online sale websites that sells brand name merchandise at high discounts (often times 30-70% off retail). They have different sales everyday so you have to keep checking often to see what brands they have. The great thing about Hautelook is that they even sell cosmetics!! And yes, everything is real...I've ordered before and it's totally legit.

Yesterday they had an AMAZING sale on Stila Cosmetics, and if you are intersested, the sale is still going on but many products are already sold out. Tomorrow (Wednesday) at 8am PST, they are having a sale on Urban Decay. I HIGHLY recommend signing up here, and checking out the sale early, because the best deals sell out quickly.

Large names like Stila and Urban Decay don't have sales too often, so I wanted to let you know about this great site. =)

My Honeymoon Makeup Bag

I recently found a couple pics on the makeup I took on my honeymoon, and realized I never posted them. For my honeymoon, I was determined to pack light, at least in terms of my cosmetics, and I am so proud of myself for actually sticking to that!! This is all I took with me:

Here is a list of the products:

Liquid Liner in a Stick? Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner Review and Swatch

Whenever I write a post on blush, I always think to myself, "blush is my favorite product." Whenever I write a post on eyeshadow, I always think to myself, "eyeshadow is my favorite product." So naturally, when I started writing this post, I thought to myself, "eyeliner is my favorite product." I might as well admit it, there isn't a single type of product I don't love!!

So when you take a girl who loves makeup and pair her up with some amazing products, what do you get? Imagine a mob of teeny boppers squeeling with excitement at the sight of their favorite boy band. Yes, my friends, that's how I felt when I tried the new Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner:

The Stila Smudge Sticks were launched earlier this summer and Stila was on-target with that move. This liner has such great staying power that it can withstand crazy-high levels of humidity, battle the teary eyes from the summer wedding you went to, the refreshing swims on those hot summer days, and just about anything that makes most liners fade.

Deepika Padukone Makeup Breakdown

One of my family friends in India is pretty well connected and was telling me how Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone is a desi (Indian) girl next door. She eats real food and actually gets hungry, she doesn't spend every last waking second at the gym, and she is pretty down-to-earth. And another thing, she has natural beauty. A lot of actresses rely on the magic that is makeup in order to keep up their image. Deepika looks great even bare-faced.

That inspired me to read a bit more about Deepika Padukone and in doing so, I came across some photos of her from the Cannes Film Festival this year.

She definitely has a hot body, but I think her hair and makeup are absolutely gorgeous:

Her makeup is simple yet elegant, and is appropriate for everyday and a fancy event. Here is how to create the makeup:

Why I am not liking UD Primer Potion in Sin

Even though Urban Decay's Primer Potion is considered a Holy Grail makeup product for many beauty addicts and novices alike, it just doesn't float my boat. I decided to show you why:

The above picture was taken 7 hours after makeup application. I used the Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin, and topped that with a few neutral colored eyeshadows. As you can see, there is creasing, there is splotchiness from where makeup has faded, and all of the eyeshadow is uneven. I don't have oily lids, and I have tried using both thin and thick layers of this product, and each time I get the same results.

I am officially retiring this product from what my hubby calls "the transformer box" aka my train case. I will keep the primer in the original color because I don't have a problem with that, but my results with Sin make me not want to use either of them.

So what are my favorite primers? I love the MAC paint pots and as of late I am really liking the Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer. What is your favorite eye primer?

Urban Decay Friends and Family is Back!!

Hello lovelies! Just wanted to let you know that one of my favorite brands Urban Decay is having their friends and family sale starting today:

Products I love and highly recommend:

1. 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils - They have some leftover sets from the holiday season so I recommend those or the individual full size pencils. Of course I think the shade Zero (black) is a must have, but I also love their shade selection of fun colors. You can't go wrong with this eye liner because the formula is smooth and the product lasts and lasts!
2. 24/7 Glide On Lip Pencils - Like the eye pencils, these are smooth and really last all day! These are very creamy so they are a breeze to apply, the hold on to color, and are just great. They don't have the largest selection of colors, but they have some great ones. My fave is the nude color Wallflower.
3. Shadow Palettes - UD shadows are amazingly smooth and pigmented, and they last all day, even without a primer (though I still always use one). The individual shadow pots are great too, but the palettes are just a great value. My fave of the ones currently offered is the Ammo Pallette.
4. Eyelash Primer Potion - I have been meaning to do a review of this, but haven't gotten around to it. For my quick and dirty review, I give this an A+!! This eyelash primer is a white primer that you apply before mascara. I usually curl my lashes, then apply this primer. Once it dries, I apply mascara. This makes your lashes look thicker, longer, and curlier. It gives the appearance of false lashes without having to deal with the mess and time it takes to apply them. I love this product

Although I didn't add it to my list, I do like the Eyeshadow Primer Potion. Although this product works and I like it, I prefer the MAC Paint Pots. I feel like the Urban Decay primer creases on me after wearing eye makeup for a whole day, so I prefer the paint pots.

Another thing I wanted to tell you about, in case you are considering the UD brushes (they are made of man-made bristles and environmentally friendly), don't waste your time and money. I tried the blush brush a while ago and it just didn't work out. Check out my complete review here. 

Let me know if you get anything! I might grab a few more liners!

Urban Decay Friends and Family is Back!!

My friends, as promised, Urban Decay is doing another Friends and Family sale so you can grab all your holiday sets for yourself and/or get them for your gift giving pleasure! I heard from the official Urban Decay twitter account that the Friends and Family 30% off discount just started!


What: 30% off your ENTIRE order

When: Now Nov 9 - Nov 20

Where: Urban Decay Online

Code: FNFW1