A Quick Tip

Have you ever used a high end extremely expensive brand mascara, but could never afford it ever again after you finished it?

Save the mascara brush and dip it in to your drug store waterproof mascara. 

You know 90% of the time it's the brush that's making the magic, not the mascara formula. 

So, for example my all time holy grail mascara is Dior Show, 

but I don't want to spend $40+tax on it. 

So, I saved the brush and now I dip it in my Physicians Formula Organic mascara and I get the same result, I got when I was using Dior Show mascara. 

Be smart when it comes to spending ;) 

My Make Up Collection

*I have high end and drug store products in my make up collection,

and believe it or not some of my favorite products are not the expensive ones, but the cheap ones! :)

I thought I didn't have too much products, especially eye make up products, 

but it turned out that I have quite a lot of make up products.

However, I am glad I don't have as much as some people (eg:Youtube Gurus)

It shows that I have just what I need, 

I am not buying just for the sake of feeling happy.

I am not using all the products I have,

because I am either bored 

or not happy with those products.

I plan to get a BB cream,

because I know how amazing it is (my Dermalogica beautician used it on me onces)

and I want a good tinted moisturizer

and a liner that will stay on my water line,

then I can join the Project 10 Pan

('do not buy any new make up products until you finish 10 products' challange)

all my make up products before organized.

I collected these in four years since I moved to the States.

I have some more at home in Europe.

Foundations and Powders:

Revlon, Maybeline, Neutrogena, Smashbox, Almay, WetnWild, Jergens, Organics, Laura Mercier

my favorite at the moment is Laura Mercier oil free foundation

and

FYI

Organics tinted moisturizer smells weird

Bronzers:

Elf Bronzers, Physician's Formula, Body Shop, Tarte, Rimmel

Blushes:

Elf, Body Shop, Neutrogena, Tarte, Maybeline, Physician's Formula, Heidi Klum by Victoria's Secret, Hard Candy, Rimmel

Concealers:

Garnier, Benefit, Sonia Kashuk, Hard Candy, Elf, Smashbox, Neutrogena

(I love Sonia Kashuk concealer palette and Neutrogena blemish pen)

Eye Make up:

Dior, NYC, Rimmel, Sonia Kashuk, Sephora, Avon, Mac, Urban Decay, L'oreal, Physcian's Formula, LaSplash, Anastacia, Elf, Tarte, Victoria's Secret, Tarte, pix!, Hard Candy, Revlon

(I am loving L'oreal Voluminizer mascara)

 Lipsticks:

Dior, Avon, Estee Lauder, Body Shop, Maybeline, Clinique, Benefit, Lancome, Fantasy Makers by WetnWild

(My all time favorite is Benefit Rocket Pop - you can only find it on their website not at Sephora or Ulta)

Lip liners: Mac, Avon, Elf, Maybelines, Pupa

Lip exfoliator: Body Shop

(love Elf lip pencil!)

Lipstick and Lipgloss together: Maybeline, Avon

Lipglosses:

Estee Lauder, Urban Decay, Tarte, Victoria's Secret, Avon, Sally Hansen, L'oreal, Clinique, Hello Kitty

Lip balms:

Carmes, Blisstex, Wegmans, Lotta Luv, Hello Kitty, EOS, Lip Smackers, Nivea, Body Shop, Biotherm

(I love my EOS and Hello Kitty Apple balm)

 Primers and Make up Setting Products:

Elf, Maybeline, Tarte, L'oreal, Smashbox, Bare Escentuals, Urban Decay, Philosophy

(Currently I have Urban Decay make up setting spray for combination skin,

but

I love oil free all night long make up setting spray more

and

my favorite primer is Smashbox oil free primer,

second best and a cheap alternative can be

L'oreal)

Sets:

Claires, Hello Kitty, Dior

(I love Hello Kitty's packaging,

but

not so impressed with the eyeshadows,

I plan to get the Spring version of it,

and

I love the powder foundation in my Dior kit)

Finished products:

Body Shop, Clarins, Benefit,

Mac (Half and Half - expired not finished)

After my concealers organized

After lipsticks are organized

After all make up products organized

Make up products that I use daily:

Laura Mercier, Smash box, Elf, Physician's Formula, Hard Candy, Urban Decay, EOS, Hello Kitty, Sonia Kashuk, L'oreal, Benefit, Maybeline, Tarte, Garnier, Rimmel, Neutrogena, GeoGirl.

These can also be considered as my favorite make up products at the moment.

*Holy Grail Products List is coming up shortly...

(Posted on May 16, 2011)

April Favorites...

April Favorites so far are;
No.7 Hot Cloth Cleanser,
No. 7 Toner,
Hello Kitty Apple Balm from Sephora.

When I first tried Hello Kitty Balm I wasn't impressed, 

and I was upset with myself for spending $9+tax on it just because it's Hello Kitty,

but it needed few applications to show its magic.

It's extremely moisturizing, 

the balm itself is soo soft and smooth and has a light flavor.

A little goes a long way and it's really tinted.

As far as foundation....

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation is my new favorite.

I was eyeing it for a while and when I received a %15 off card from Sephora,

I couldn't miss this opportunity.

However, my moisturizer is causing a problem.

Although it's full coverage and oil free,

my moisturizer or because I keep changing moisturizers

my skin can't decide what to do and how to react,

I get oil and shine on my T-zone,

which I wasn't having it before when I used my winter moisturizer, Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream,

and I realized I looked chalky when I applied it on Philosophy Supernatural.

I guess you need to apply a small amount of Supernatural to prevent that.

After I apply the foundation,

I just need a little concealer coverage on here and there.

Of course my skin improved a lot since February,

but full coverage also decreases your usage of concealer.

I apply on my foundation with a damp sponge,

so I don't need to use too much product.

I realized I use more when I use my hands to blend it in on my face and neck.

As far eye shadows....

I believe this is also a British brand; Pixi.

I am not sure what is the connection between the Youtube Make up Artist Pixiwoo sisters Sam and Nic

and this brand, but these are the best eye shadows I have ever touched.

It is so moisturizing, so velvety soft, so pigmented,

and it's quite expensive for a drug store product.

It's $14+tax.

You can find this at Target as well,

but even if you are not going to buy it,

just go to the store and touch the sample product at the Pixi counter.

Ahh can't complement this eye shadow enough.

I used drug store products, and high-end products like Dior, and Mac,

but none of these were so velvety soft like Pixi eye shadows.

Unfortunately, they don't have a wide range of color selection,

and all of the eye shadows are shimmery.

Another favorite of April is Vitamin E.

I had the liquid Vitamin E tubes for dark spots,

my mom got me these for the scar on my leg.

(Hot tea can be more painful than you can imagine!)

Personally I don't care about my scar,

so I only used half of a Vit E tube once,

and found it greasy,

and never used it before.

While chatting with my neighbor Mary she told me to use those also on my face,

for acne scars.

At first I was skeptical about it, because basically it's like oil.

Then one day I put it on my acne scars,

then I used it on my whole face,

even on my eyelids.

When I woke up in the morning,

my face was not shiny at all,

but it was sooooo soft.

After that I started using my liquid Vitamin E tubes on my face once a week.

It's quite hydrating as well,

and if my sensitive acne prone combination skin didn't react bad to liquid Vitamin E,

then I don't think it will affect any one.

I am even thinking to add one or two drops of Vitamin E in my Body Shop Strawberry Cream.

I could pick Coconut Body Butter for dry skin,

but I like the Strawberry Scent better, but it's for normal skin,

so it's not moisturizing enough for my legs.

It goes for three weeks maximum and I wait until they have another sale,

to stock on Strawberry Body Butter,

but it totally worth it.

I also got Sensual Amber and Twilight woods body butter, perfume and shower gel from Bath and Body Works.

They had buy 3 get 3 free.

So, I couldn't resist it,

and Twilight Woods is good for days when I don't want sugary or floray scents.

It's light and good for a day out doing errands.

However, it's my Victoria's Secret Tease Noir that gets compliments from every one.

It's so sugary, but elegant at the same time.

Another April purchase is the nail polishes I got from Ulta,

They had ''buy two get one free'' promotion,

and I was eyeing for few nail polishes for a while,

but I was not willing to spend $8 per nail polish.

With this promotion I got 7 nail polishes from Ulta,

one was at clearance,

and got 3 from Target,

they were also at the discount rack.

I must say Sally Hansen Insta-Dri nail polishes are really thick and the brush is chubby and big.

Overall, it makes the application difficult, and you use too much nail polish which makes you nails look like you have paste on it.

However, I combined my Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Blue Away polish with Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Blizzard Blue which is a shimmery sheer blue color.

Result?

Shimmery teal color,

which is gorgeous!

Insta-Dri is too thick and Xtreme Wear is too runny. 

I think Sally Hansen has a long way too find the perfect texture for its nail polishes.

Before that,

I tried OPI Princess Rule,

it's a shimmery sheer light buble gum pink,

and it is gorgeous!

The pix will be coming soon,

but I can say that in terms of nail polishes,

I am ready for spring! :)

I got beautiful shades of pinks, blues, purples, and yellows.