March Favorites

Spring is finally here! But the weather is so bipolar in the Bay Area, it pours one day and is sunny the next. I'm still loving it though, but it sucks that I'm stuck in an office all day. Anyways, onto the products! I haven't been using lots of new products lately, just keeping it simple, so there won't be lots of new makeup to talk about.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal in Nude. Maybelline Color Tattoo in Caramel Cool.

I've been loving this Rimmel eyeliner so much, it's perfect for lining your lower waterline for that big, wide-eyed look. It's really smooth and easy to apply, the color payoff is great too. 

I have a whole post about the Maybelline Color Tattoos, if you want to read all about my love for these, click here. But the color I've been reaching for the most is this one. I apply all over the lid and that's it! I have hooded eyelids, so eyeshadow never really shows up once I open my eyes. These are easy to use, because it gives just a hint of color and shine, nothing too apparent, but you can still see the color.

Tresemmé Heat Tamer Leave-In Spray

Since cutting my hair short, I've had to put more effort into styling it, and not just walk out the house without even brushing my hair like I used to. I usually straighten it every morning and I love this heat protectant from Tresemmé, because it smells really good and it gives my hair some hold, even though it doesn't claim to be a hairspray.

Bioderma Crealine Solution Micellaire

 God, I wish this was available in America. My sister brought this back for me from France, and it was so cheap. On Amazon, this stuff is almost $30. I can see why people love this so much. It takes off all your foundation and eye makeup, but I still need an eye makeup remover for my waterproof mascara. Your skin is left feeling squeaky clean, but not stripped of all its moisture.

Clarisonic Mia 

I actually stopped using my Clarisonic for three months, because this winter, my skin was just too dry for it. I felt like I was hurting my skin every time I used it. But I've been loving it again recently. Definitely do not use this everyday, but I do use it every time I wear makeup. It gets all the gunk and makeup residue off.

A non-beauty favorite! I finished this book in one day, albeit was a very easy read. I heard EVERYONE talk about this book and I wanted to read it before watching the movie and I'm glad I did. This is another novel about a dystopian society and a corrupt government and it seems like it's always a girl that saves them all. Compared to The Hunger Games, Divergent seems to be more romantically inclined, but I like both. I still have to read the next two books, so we'll see how that goes.

Let me know what books and products you've been loving this month!

Revlon Balms

If you don't have any of these balm sticks, go buy one, right now. No matter if it's the stains, the lacquers, or the mattes, you'll definitely find one you love. I know lots of people have reviewed these all over the internet, but I still wanted to show the ones I like the most. All these balm sticks have a peppermint scent and slight tingly feeling when you apply it, but it's not strong at all. It took a long time to pick which ones to buy, because there's just too many colors, but as you can see, I stuck to the pinks and reds.

left to right: Honey, Romantic, Smitten, Provocateur, Sultry, Standout

You can see the different types by the packaging as well.

left to right: Honey, Romantic, Smitten, Provocateur, Sultry, Standout

Honey (Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain)

I use this color the most, it's your typical MLBB(my lips but better) color. It's a nude pink color. No need for a mirror, I just swipe a few times and that's it.

Romantic (Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain)

This is the second most used color. It's an orange red color.

Smitten (Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain)

This one is really sheer, so you do need to swipe it a few more times to get a darker color. This one is a dark fuchsia.

Provocateur (Colorburst Lacquer Balm)

The lacquer balms are shinier and glossier than the balm stains, but it feels easier to glide on the lips. They do not last as long, but they're just as moisturizing. This color reminds me of strawberries.

Sultry (Colorburst Matte Balm)

The matte balms are incredible. They don't dry your lips and one coat of this stuff is enough to show up. The wear time is pretty good as well. It fades nicely, and leaves a slight stain behind, even though it doesn't claim to be a stain. This color is like a darker, matte version of Honey.

Standout (Colorburst Matte Balm)

This color was the one I wanted the most when I first heard about the matte balms coming out. It's a light and velvety application. I've always been afraid to wear dark, matte lip colors, but this one was just so pretty. It looks like a brick red color in the tube, but it's more of a cranberry red on the lips.

Tell me which ones you've tried and which ones you like!

The Grand Budapest Hotel

This was my first Wes Anderson film, and I'm so glad it was this one. I want to watch more of his movies now. The movie is a comedy/drama, but I think it was mostly comedy. It's hilarious the whole way through, and the whole theater was laughing. I can still hear the old guy laughing a couple rows behind us. I mean who wouldn't want to see Lord Voldemort as a hotel concierge who has multiple rich old girlfriends?  The whole time, I just kept picturing him without his nose.  There were a couple more graphic scenes, and I actually screamed out loud. Oops.  I feel like you become so engrossed in the film, that it feels like you're there in the hotel with them. Anyways, everyone should go watch this!

Food with Victoria

 It seems like it's been so long since Victoria and I hung out, so we decided last minute to get dinner yesterday. As always, we're indecisive, but we finally decided on ramen. We went to a place in Union City called Tadamasa, it was a small restaurant, but quite packed and there was always a group waiting. I was surprised by how filling it was, seeing as the bowl wasn't that big. But they give you lots of noodles, veggies, and meat. After dinner, I wanted to get some bread from 85 Degrees, since I'm rarely in this area. The wait wasn't too long, and I got all my favorite breads! We wanted drinks too, so we snatched up a table and stole it from other people. We both got the sea salt mountain green tea. It was delicious, the tea flavor was strong, which I love. Afterwards, I was still hungry, so we got some fries and chicken nuggets and went back to Victoria's house to watch a movie. And let me just say, I will kill myself before I let a zombie eat me alive.

Maybelline Color Tattoos

When I first heard about the new Maybelline Dare to Go Nude collection, I was the most excited about the Color Tattoos. I already loved Bad to the Bronze, so I knew I wanted to get more colors. They were quite hard to find, but by some miracle, I found them in the CVS near work. They only had two left of each shade, so I decided to pick up three colors. The shades I picked were Beiging Beauty, Caramel Cool, and Nude Compliment. I've actually included the swatches for all the Color Tattoos I currently have. My favorite color from this Limited Edition is definitely Caramel Cool. I can see Beiging Beauty as being a really good color for the inside corner of your eyes. These colors are just as creamy and long lasting as the original Color Tattoos. I would never wear eyeshadow for 24 hours, so I can't really test that out, but they have lasted 8 plus hours on me, with no budging or smudging. I really wish these were part of the permanent collection, but go pick some up if you can before they're gone!

Nude Compliment: cool-toned taupey brown (very similar to Bad to the Bronze)

Caramel Cool: warm, copper orange

Beiging Beauty: champagne with gold shimmer

Bad to the Bronze: warm-toned brown bronze

Bad to the Bronze, Beiging Beauty, Caramel Cool, Nude Compliment

Back to Davis

 A spontaneous trip to Davis this weekend was the perfect distraction from work. We were still deciding whether or not to go Friday night. Fanny was supposed to drive. *cough cough* Anyways, it was definitely worth the drive up, just to see some familiar faces and be able to completely relax. Don't be fooled by that red cup, I didn't end up wasted. It was nice to see that the people in Davis haven't really changed.
Fanny and I literally ate all weekend, but it was all so good! I loved seeing my little line, and it makes me so happy that they haven't forgotten about me. Everyone's growing up so fast!

We woke up super early on Sunday and took a little walk along the bike trail. Fanny couldn't help herself and had to take pictures with the little patch of dandelions in the grass. We're such grandmas now, can't even sleep in when we want to anymore. So sad...

Ended our Davis adventures getting lunch with sponsoree #1 at Burgers and Brew. Been craving their burger and fries since I moved back home...yummmm.

Overall, a nice and relaxing weekend. It does make me miss being back at school and being able to hangout with people so easily. It seems that no matter how much you say you miss someone, it can never compare to them physically being right there.

February Favorites

February always goes by so fast, which means this blog is officially one month old! Decided I would share some of the products I've used and loved this month. Some have been favorites for a while, but I want to share them anyway.

This cleansing balm is the first one I've ever tried, but I really like how it's non-irritating, especially for my sensitive skin. It's been extremely effective, even taking off my impossible waterproof mascara. I only use this for my eyes, and you only need a little bit. Normally, I wet my face, and then rub it in gently. This stuff doesn't burn your eyes at all, which is perfect, since I tend to rub it straight into my eyeballs sometimes.

I am the laziest person when it comes to my hair, I don't take care of it at all, so leave-in conditioner is a must. My hair has been dyed so many times, it feels like a broom and looks like it too sometimes. They didn't have the original It's a 10 in the store, so I bought this one. I don't know how this compares, but it does the job. It makes my hair so soft and smooth. A must try for lazy ones like me.

I'm definitely not the only one, but this winter has made my skin the driest it's ever been. I wash my hands a lot too, so it gets dry and cracked, even bleeding sometimes. I heard the Body Shop hand creams were moisturizing, so I decided to buy this to try, since they were having a sale too. I use this at night right before bed, and my hands have felt so much softer, so no more scaly alligator hands!

If you don't know this already, lippies are my favorite makeup product. It brightens up your face, even when you have nothing else on. 

Revlon's Just Bitten Balm Stains are always in my bag, and my favorite color is this one in the picture, Romantic. The color is a bright, pinky red. It's so moisturizing and amazingly long lasting, you don't even really need to put a lip balm under it. Even after I wipe my mouth, the red color is still bright.

NYX's butter glosses are so popular, and I can see why. The color I have here is Red Velvet; it is totally different from the color of the packaging, which can trick you. Red Velvet is more of a dark fuchsia than a dark red. The glossiness is just right, since I hate glosses that look like you have too much product on your lips. And the pigmentation is incredible. I wouldn't say it's extremely long lasting, especially after you eat, but it's still really good.

Maybelline's Elixirs have the cutest packaging. It's a gloss, but the shape looks like a lipstick in a clear casing. The only color I have is Rose Redefined, which is a pale pink color. It was difficult choosing which color to get, because they look really similar. This is not a stain, but I like how the shininess and color last for hours, without the need to reapply for that slight, glossy look.

I can't believe I'm putting an eye shadow as a favorite, but this is definitely one. Maybelline's Color Tattoos are loved by so many people, but I never dared to try it, since it's a cream shadow, which I'm scared of. However, this is so easy to apply and the color payoff is amazing. My favorite color of the bunch is Bad to the Bronze, which is a taupey, bronze with a bit of shimmer in it. I tested this out multiple times, where I wore it for over 6 hours, and it didn't crease at all, or at least not noticeably.

So who doesn't like chocolate, especially makeup that smells like it? I definitely like this Too Faced Chocolate Soleil over the NARS Laguna bronzer, because this one is matte and more pigmented. Sometimes I can go a little bit overboard with my brush, but this bronzer is extremely blendable, so mistakes are easy to fix.

My holy grail liquid eyeliner (yes I said it), this Stila eyeliner surprised me with its long lasting powers. I have the oiliest lids, gross I know, but it makes it so hard to find an eyeliner. I still use eye primer, so it lasts even longer. This eyeliner can last 8 plus hours on me, without smudging at all. It's extremely black, and you can create the perfect flick at the end. I've been recommending this to everyone, and once this one runs out, I'm definitely buying another one right away.