Vacation Must Haves

Since I travel a lot I have learned what beauty items I need to pack and what I probably won't use. On my Europe trip I stuck to the same makeup bag that I usually use and packed it with a lot of neutrals and products I know always work for me. I'm not showing you everything I took but here are the products I used just about everyday:

My makeup case is a discontinue black MAC case that one of my best friends gifted to me many years ago. I love it because I have used it a LOT and it is in amazing condition. It does get a bit dirty after a few trips so I clean it with a makeup wipe and then its as good as new. 

The case is long and thin so it lays flat in my luggage. It has a zippered pouch on the inside and a open pocket on the other side, and best of all it easily fits the large MAC palettes. 

I did take some other skin care with me, but these were my absolute can't-live-withouts. 

1. Philosophy Purity Made Simple - The best face wash ever! I have tried many and always come back to this. Even on lazy evenings this is good enough to remove my makeup and cleanse my skin.
2. The Body Shop -Natrulift Firming Serum - I like that this serum is lightweight and absorbs quickly - important for hot weather and when you are in a rush. It helped moisturize my skin and gave it a nice even texture. I will do a full review soon.
3. Philosophy Hope in a Jar for Dry Skin with SPF - I use the non-SPF one too, but it was nice having a all-in-one, especially since we were outdoors most of the day. 

Face Products - Yes, I know this looks like a MAC haul, but what can I say, MAC products are just so reliable and work for me!

1. Fix+ - I am SO glad MAC came out with the mini version last year....I can't live without this product! I used it for setting my makeup everyday, but I also used it as a midday refresher when I was hot or tired, and I also used this in the plane every few hours when my skin felt dry due to plane air.
2. MAC Face and Body Foundation - I decanted it into a small travel bottle because the actual F&B bottle is quite large. Also, I mix different shades and so it is easier to just take the mixed version with me. This is my HG foundation. 
3. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder - Do I really have to talk about what I like this? It's amazing and everyone needs this powder.
4. MAC Blushcreme in Uncommon - Another discontinued product that I wish would come back. This color especially is amazing on medium-dark skin and provides a very natural glow to the skin. It is also so easy to use and blend.

Makeup Products - I did take more makeup but these were the items I kept using over and over.

1. Shu Uemera Eyelash Curler - Again, do I really need to talk about how amazing this is?
2. MAC Zoom Fast Black Lash Mascara - This was a risky choice because I purchased it right before my trip since I needed a new mascara. Thankfully, this is a great mascara! It holds curl, adds volume, and is very black. I will do a full review on this though because there is a trick to using this so you don't get clumpy lashes.
3. MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Engraved - The color is dark, it lasts ALL day and glides on easily. What more do I need from an eyeliner?
4. Nars Pro-Prime Eyeshadow Base - Although I didn't wear much shadow on the trip, I used this almost everyday because it helped to make my liner smudge-proof and long-lasting. 
5. Stila Lip Glaze in Kitten - A great peachy-gold gloss that I could wear on its own. I tossed this in my handbag for midday touch-ups. I also used a MAC Tendertone quite a bit, but I forgot to photograph it.

What are your absolute beauty must-haves for vacation?

MAC Must-Haves: Samoa Silk Eyeshadow

With Pantone declaring Tangerine Tango as THE color for Spring, it's no wonder we have been seeing orange on the runways, in the stores, and on the makeup shelves. If you aren't quite ready to take the plunge with bright orange eyeshadow, you may want to try out my latest addiction: MAC's Samoa Silk Eyeshadow.

Samoa Silk is a veluxe finish shadow and is described by MAC as a polynesian peach. It isn't bright and doesn't have any shimmer in it, so it is very versatile. It can be used in the crease or on the lid, and the peachiness factor is just perfect. 

Swatch of Samoa Silk in daylight

Swatch of Samoa Silk w/ flash

Lately I have been wearing this all over the lid, with a darker peach or soft tan in the crease, and black liner. The peachiness really awakens the eyes and adds a touch of warmth, which is perfect for spring. Here I am wearing Samoa Silk on the lid, Soft Brown in the crease, and a touch of mascara.

This is a must have for me because I love neutrals, especially warm neutrals. This would be especially flattering for those with blue eyes because peach/orange opposes blue (color wheel theory) so the peachiness brings out the blue in blue eyes. This shade would also be great for mature women because the brightness of the peach counteracts the grey, sallow tones surrounding mature eyes.

What peach/orange shades are you rockin' this Spring?

Blending Shadows

There are some shadows that I can always rely on to help with blending...these are what I like to call blending shadows. I use these shades to blend harsh edges, to create a gradient for smokey looks when going from a dark color on the lid to a light color on the browbone, and correcting mistakes. Sure, I use these for other purposes too, like on the lid or in the crease, but I use them most for blending and bringing a look together.

Top: Orb, Wedge

Middle: Soft Brown, Texture

Bottom: Cork, Espresso

Yes, all of these shades are from MAC. I really believe that MAC does the best neutrals. They have a HUGE range of shades, finishes, and tones. 

L-R: Orb, Wedge, Soft Brown, Texture, Cork, & Espresso

I know what you are thinking, these all look very warm. Perhaps, but bringing warmth to the eyes really brightens the eye area. Plus, my philosophy is like that of Bobbi Brown: all skin tones naturally have warm tones in them, so warm colors are very complementary.

My absolute favorite for myself is Texture. This shade works wonders for medium-dark skin tones and also looks great on mature skin (especially auntie types). I highly recommend all these shades, whether or not you use them for blending.

Do you use and love any of these? What is your favorite blending shadow?

MAC Must-Haves: Ricepaper Eyeshadow

Just about everyone in the blogging world has confessed their love for MAC Ricepaper, so I figured it's time for me to share why I think it is a must-have.

Mine is almost used up, an indication that I use this a LOT. The color is a peachy beige color with a frost finish. MAC describes this shade as a "peachy gold with shimmer," but on the skin it is not shimmery at all.

I use this mostly as a highlight and inner corner shadow. On light-medium skin tones this also works as a lid shadow, as I am wearing it here:

This reason this is such a popular shade is that it just works. The peachiness allows the color to blend in with the skin and is not look stark like a lot of white-based shadows. This is a must-have for all skin tones and is one of my everyday staples. 

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?

Beating the Winter Cold - Cuddl Duds Warm Wear

When I first moved to Philadelphia from LA, I asked my friends what type of coats and thermals they wore. Amazingly, none of them used Cuddl Duds.

Cuddl Duds are thermals (long underwear) that are super soft, very warm, form fitting, and not at all like your grandmother's long underwear. These are not the typical waffle thermals that are thick, bunch up under clothes, and have crotches that are 3 feet below the waist. These are actually made to fit a woman's body! They come in crew-neck and v-neck styles, but the v-neck is pretty high and is still visible when worn in many of my sweaters. However a good scarf covers that right up. I purchase mine at Macy's (they are 50% off right now), but they are also available at places like Kohls and JC Penney and online. They also come in various varieties: Softwear, ActiveLayer (with moisture-wicking and temperature control properties to the fabric), ClimateSmart (temperature control), and Softwear Stretch (super soft and sleek).

I also found these boxed versions at Sam's Club and I have seen these same ones at Target. However, the quality of these is not as good as the Macys ones. These are not as soft, they are more polyester-y to the touch, and don't come in the same varieties as the other stores I mentioned above. These feel like a cheap microfiber fabric that is better than waffle thermals, but not as good as the others above.

Cuddle Duds come in black, white, and light pink solids, and some stores carry a few prints like animal print and stripes. I like the lace trim on the ones pictured above because they are a bit feminine, but I like the non-lace ones too because they look like normal clothing. My favorite style is ActiveLayer because it helps regulate temperature, especially when shopping and I am constantly in and out of the cold, and I like the Softwear Stretch ones because they are super soft and the bottoms even have a bit of a low rise so that they are perfect under my low-rise jeans. They don't bunch up under normal clothing and even look like normal clothes so if you wore a Cuddl Duds top and jeans nobody would know you were wearing a thermal top. 

Cuddl Duds are a great investment for keeping warm as they are functional and ideal for layering. They are a bit pricey at around $30 per piece, but they are on sale practically everyone right now so they are affordable and VERY worth it. My only wish is that they would make a low-cut neck version so that I could wear them under more sweaters without having the neckline show. 

Now all my friends use Cuddl Duds. Have you tried them?

November Favorites

My favorites during November revolved around the fact that winter is here and my skin is drier than the desert. I can finish a tube of moisturizer faster than I can finish a Starbucks holiday drink...and you know I love my gingerbread lattes (and caramel brule....my new fave).

1. Lush Sweet Lips - I use a plethora of face scrubs to exfoliate my skin, but when it comes to my lips I rely on this old fave. It makes my lips super soft and tastes like chocolate! I recently found out from a Lush rep that you can actually lick this stuff off your lips! It is all natural so it can be consumed....though I wouldn't just scoop it out and eat it.

2. Make Up For Ever HD Blush in shade 7 - Again, due to the dry winter air I am trying to use creamier products on my face. This MUFE cream blush blends easily in the skin, lasts all day, and doesn't clog or settle in my pores, and it looks very natural. I can build it up for intense color or layer a powder blush on top. My initial review and swatch are here.

MAC Must-Haves: Love Nectar Lustreglass

Whenever someone asks me for a neutral lip gloss recommendation 99% of the time my response is "MAC Love Nectar Lustreglass."

This gloss is the perfect mix of pink and peach, with and added bonus of subtle gold flecks. It is not too shimmery or too flat...it is just right. I use this a LOT on its own, on top of pink, peach, coral and light plum lipsticks. I also wear this often with just a lipliner underneath to add a bit of color and lasting power.

MAC Love Nectar Lustreglass swatch in natural light

MAC Love Nectar Lustreglass swatch with flash

The lustreglass formula is a slightly less sticky than the MAC lipglass formula, and it has a brush applicator, whereas the lipglass has a sponge tip applicator. I don't really care about the applicator because they both work fine, but the Love Nectar shade is what really makes this product a must-have in my makeup bag. If you want to check out a full face shot of me wearing this gloss, see my last post.

5 Must-Have MAC Shadows for Every Skin Tone

If I could only have 5 MAC shadows for the rest of my life, I would choose the following 5:

L-R: Expensive Pink, Texture, Sable, Bronze, Embark

These 5 shades suit every skin tone and I will tell you why:

MAC Must-Haves: Party Line Lipstick

With fall in full-swing, I have been reaching for a reliable old-fave to ease in to the fall dark lip trend: MAC Party Line Lipstick:

This lipstick is perfect for transitioning from summer's light and bright lip colors to fall's deep, dark reds and plums. Or, as in my case, since I rarely wear reds and plums this is my go-to fall and winter shade. It is not too dark, so perfect for those who are hesitant about trying out bold, dark lip colors. I also love that this is a cremesheen formula, so it keeps my lips hydrated....a necessity when the weather cools and the air sucks the moisture from my skin.

For my Indian gals out there, this is also a great shade to wear with Indian clothes. It adds enough color so that you don't look washed out, but it isn't that typical "aunty" shade of lipstick where you notice the lips before the person.

Have you tried Party Line?

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?

Zing Your Under Eye Issues Away - Origins GinZing Eye Cream Review

I know I was supposed to review this a month or so ago.....but you forgive me, right? ::Puppy dog face::

I have been using this Origins GinZing eye cream for the past 3 months and I LOVE it! This is one of my favorite products that I discovered this year. It is a caffeine-infused eye cream that is supposed to de-puff under eye circles and help firm the under eye area. 

The cream itself is very lightweight and blends easily - no tugging or harsh rubbing required. The cream does have a bit of iridescence to it, but it is not appear shiny.

Originz GinZing Eye Cream dabbed on skin and then blended

I only need a small amount of this cream to cover both eyes:

I simply take the amount pictured above with my ring finger and dab it under each eye, then rub it in gently so it gets absorbed. Before I get in to the efficacy of this cream, the things I like are that it does not have a weird fragrance, it gets absorbed in to the skin pretty quickly so you can apply makeup right away, and since I only need a small amount one tub will last me 6+ months (I have been using mine for 3 months and I still have more than half remaining). 

Under eye area with nothing on

Under eye area with Origins GinZing Eye Cream

Under eye area with Origins GinZing Eye Cream and MAC Pro Longwear Concealer

You may notice that since the cream has some luminescence, it does help brighten the under eye area. Thus, if you don't have dark circles you can probably skip concealer. However, the reason I really love this eye cream is that is really does help de-puff the under eye area AND it reduces the appearance of fine lines. But wait, there's more. GinZing Eye Cream is the PERFECT base for concealer. GinZing helps prevent makeup from creasing and fading....and concealer glides effortlessly on to the skin. What more does a gal need from an eye cream? 

I think this is the perfect eye cream for daytime (or both day and evening), and I am now intrigued to try out more Origins products. Any recommendations?