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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

#youshouldread: Which shade of lipstick suits my skintone?

Having said that I started researching because I thought, maybe there are some colors that I should try and/or stay away from. 

One article (http://blog.wardrobewiz.com/how-to-choose-a-flattering-lipstick-color/) said that "If you look good in “fire engine red lipstick,” you will probably not look good in nude or brown lipstick and visa versa."
She also went on to say a fool proof way to find out which colors you should wear:
"Look at the inside color of your bottom lip.How bright or dull a red or pink is it?  You can use this color as a guide when you choose a lipstick.  You can go one or two shades darker than this color.  Do not go lighter than this color, or more brown or brighter or duller than your inner lip color."

Another article (http://thebeautydepartment.com/2012/07/best-red-lip-shades-for-your-skin-tone/) noted this guide for every skin tone  (though I find it annoying that they just tell everyone to wear both. Except Almond.)

PORCELAIN: This ultra-light skin tone with cool undertones looks best with a cool red with hints of plum, but looks daring with a warm red.
FAIR: This light skin tone with cool undertones also is most harmonious with a cool red, while a warm red is bold.
BISQUE: This pink under-toned skin color looks best with a cool red, but can also pull off the warm red.
BEIGE: This skin color with yellow undertones is most harmonious with a warm red, but can wear a cool red too.
OLIVE: Warm reds look best on this skin color with green undertones, but as you can see, cool reds look pretty too.
TAWNY: Again, warm reds are the way to go for this gorgeous skin tone, but don’t let anyone tell you you can’t wear cool reds too.
CARAMEL: Cool reds are wearable but warm reds are gorgeous on this skin tone.
ALMOND: Warm reds are pretty but cool reds are meant for you.

The last article Ty/(http://www.beautyriot.com/makeup-beauty/best-lipstick-skin-tone-g6681-page2) that I looked at was, by far, the best one as far as guidance goes. The try/avoid approach was exactly what I needed. 

If your skin is super pale:

What to try: Stapleton says your best bet is to go nude. Think peachy lipsticks and nude colored glosses. For a glam look with major impact, try red lipstick.

What to avoid: dark chocolate and burgundy shades, they're too contrasting with your pale skin. 

If your skin is super dark:

What to try: Stapleton says anything goes with darker complexions -- lucky girl. Try orange or coral shades for a fun pop of color and don't forget to load up on the gloss to showcase your full lips. Yes, everyone will be jealous, but that's kinda the point, right? 

What to avoid: Stay away from milky or chalky colors with a lot of white in them because they're too contrasting -- unless you're going for a mod 60s look. 

If you have olive-toned skin:

What to try: If you have olive-toned skin (think Hispanic, Italian, Greek) then pretty much anything will look absolutely lovely on you. For a really amazing look, try coral lipstick -- so hot right now.

What to avoid: OK, so there are some shades you should steer clear of. One: Purple, it'll accentuate the yellow undertones in your skin and give you a sallow look. Two: Brown, it can look too monochromatic. 

If your skin has yellow undertones: (That's me!)

What to try: Blue-based reds are perfect when you want to really dress up. Flesh tones with gloss are gorgeous for this skin tone. You can also try bronze shades for a somewhat monochromatic look.

What to avoid: Stay away from purple, it'll bring out the yellow in your skin and can make you look sickly. Same goes for anyone with yellowish teeth -- ewwww. 
If your skin has pink undertones:
What to try: Try peach tones for a softer look or orange based or brick reds for a classic pin-up girl look.

What to avoid: Blue-based reds will clash with your skin tone, so not pretty. 

If you are Asian:

What to try: Stapleton says you likely have awesome full lips with a natural coral tint. So play it up with coral lipstick and lots of lipgloss. 

If you are Middle Eastern:

What to try: Nude lips will look amazing on you. Especially since you likely have gorgeous long lashes (so jealous), a nude lip color will be a great contrast. 

If you are Native American:

What to try: Your skin likely has warm tones, so a copper lip color will play that up beautifully. 

If you are Indian:

What to try: Color, color and more color -- it will all look amazing on you. Orange is almost like a neutral, so try it or a pink shade for day. For night, go with a brick red -- it's not too over-the-top but will still make a great statement. 

#Rant: Choose a shade of lipstick that suits your skintone



  •  
I know this girl who never wears lipcolors that are suitable for her darker skin. It's awful. Sometimes everything is flawless when she does makeup, but the lipcolor is so distracting because it simply doesn't look good. I think they might be best if muted with black eyeshadow or something. It's a shame too because her skintone is gorgeous. 

I'm not sayings that women of color can't wear bright shades- I think they should choose a darker version so that the color rings truer & it doesn't start leaning to the circusy stage makeup feel. I'm not a guru or some sort of fashion beacon guiding the way for poor unfortunate souls.  I'm just a girl who loves fashion and beauty and will share what I know and research on things I'm trying to learn about so that I can become knowledgable. 

I should send her this link.: Choosing a lipstick shade suited to your skintone 





Monday, January 27, 2014

#Review: Agave Healing Vapor Iron

Agave Healing Vapor Iron ($149USD)



I finally purchased this iron I've been wanting. The heat vapor serum infusion piqued my curiousity so I'm willing to try it and am hoping I will love it! 


Love at first sight

So I finally used this iron on my bangs this morning. It's a bit difficult/cumbersome to dispense the serum at first but once you get the hang of it, you start to see just how protected your hair becomes after using it. I'm also relieved because I thought that I wouldn't be able to use this iron dry (without the serum) since I thought the serum was automatically dispensed (like a steamer). 
When I run out of serum, I'd be able to use it dry if I need to. Hopefully this business never goes under so that I can always have the option of serum. I'm hoping that now that I'm sealing the cuticle, my hair will be healthier looking and as a result, stimulate growth. 
Hair after use


#Review: DryBar Smooth Operator Flat Iron

DryBar Smooth Operator ($125USD)




 

Some review say this iron isn't that impressive either, others say it's fantastic. I bought this iron to use in the interim while waiting for my Agave iron to finally be shipped to the store. 


Upon opening the box, my heart sank. Everything looked so cheap! The hardware of the iron itself, the packaging, everything. Even the in-use light flickered and I'm pretty sure it was supposed to be a solid light. It was insulting. I was hoping that despite the lackluster appearance that the iron's performance would justify the $125USD that I shelled out. It couldn't touch cheaper irons that I've used. My hair didn't stay straight and sleek as it has on other occasions with my Cortex. 

Verdict: The naysayers were right. You're better off buying a $30USD hair iron if you're ok with results like that. 

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Discounted Cosmetics with Shopkicks iPhone app

Shopkicks is an awesome iPhone app that let's you earn rewards for shopping but the catch is that you don't have to buy anything! I was a been skeptical at first because how can anything be completely free? But several rewards later, I can assure you that it is legit. I usually do the walk in kicks and scan challenges in my spare time & have earned quite a few free rewards. (Seen below)
I was able to get $25 off my Black Friday shopping, Urban Decay's Vice 2 palette for $10, a pretty good $30 discount on the hair flat iron that I just purchased, a blender for $3.88 after using the gift card. You earn gift cards (that don't expire) and it's totally worth considering if you go to malls and stores a lot. There's no limit to how many gift cards you combine because the stores treat then like money. 

Here's 50 kicks in case you want to start out. There's nothing better than free cosmetics.  
http://get.shopkick.com/cobalt13332

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

#youshouldread: Worst Foundations

Among my research after hearing that M.A.C. is ghastly for your skin (from former employees! & makeup artists) 

"I am a makeup artist and HATE MAC. My clients have bad reactions b/c they use talc and cornstarch in their makeup. I thought MAC's was like tar on the lips."

 I stumbled across these articles:

Top 13 Worst Foundations 





No. 9: Benefit Some-Kind-A Gorgeous, ($29USD)









 
I'm not surprised that these made the list. I hate to sound like a prestige brand snob but most of these are sold in your local drugstore. Sometimes it's worth paying more money to have a better product. For those of you drugstore princesses, let this be a word of friendly advice for you. Rommel, CoverGirl & Physician's Formula may not be your best bet when it come to foundation. They were all on the list more than once!

Top 7 Worst Powders







Laura Mercier made the list not once but twice! That's the last thing I expected to see. A lot if people referred to is as over-priced. 







#Mission: The Search for Pressed Powder Continues

So in addition to wanting a foundation that suits me, I also want a new pressed powder. Among my research I have heard from and read that M.A.C. is ghastly for your skin, which alarmed me because I've been using StudioFix pressed powder for about six years. 

I tried two while in Sephora yesterday from brands that I trust with their liquid foundations. 

Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Pressed Powder in Dark
$ USD, Sephora

The powder was super translucent. This is really meant for and would be great to wear over my Naked Skin UD foundation but is not powerful enough alone. It's optimized for wear with Naked Skin Ultra Definition Foundations 8.0 to 12.0 (I wear 10.0). You can still see most of my hyperpigmentation. 


Without makeup

Hyperpigmentation still pretty visible on cheek. 

Diorskin Forever Flawless Perfection Pressed Powder with SPF 25 in Light Mocha
$ USD, Sephora
 

I loved the Dior foundation that I tried in Macy's this August for its full coverage so I decided to try their pressed powder a well. I applied it and I was impressed with the coverage. The only thing that kept me from purchasing right then and there was the problem with my neck. It's way darker than my cheeks for I usually opt for a darker color than this. The only problem is for Dior, this was the darkest color available. I have to check whether they make a darker color either at Macy's or online. I'll update once I know for sure. 

Without makeup. 

Coverage is awesome. 

More reviews:

Make Up For Ever
Pro Finish Multi-Use Powder in 174 Neutral Saffron
$38 USD, Sephora Exclusive


I actually ended up buying Make Up For Ever and used it for two weeks. Breakouts started immediately. I wasn't aware that this product contains talc, the very item that caused me to stop wearing M.A.C.  I was pretty annoyed because the coverage (once oxidized) was pretty great. (Prior to oxidation, it appeared a shade too light.) I returned it for the only powder I could find that didn't contain talc- Cover FX. 

Cover FX
Pressed Mineral Foundation in G 80
$ 35 USD, Sephora


One of the selling points that drew me to his brand was the vegan approach to makeup. The laundry list of ingredients not included: talc, 



Tuesday, January 21, 2014

#Rant: Little Black Pumps

I think the need for a pair of Little Black Pumps is severely understated- especially when it comes to having an eclectic wardrobe. Sometimes the perfect in-your-face outfit need the subtlety of basic black heels. It's frustrating when people tell me that they don't own black shoes or that they are too boring to be part of their wardrobe. Going back to basics is vital! Sometimes that is the difference between 'who wore it best' contests that women frequent when you have the misfortune of showing up to an event with the same garb as someone else...

#Rave: Fushia lips on women of color


   



One of my favorite accessories is LipTar in Tomboy bc it is so fierce. I honestly feel empowered because to me, there's nothing more beautiful. 



Monday, January 20, 2014

#OOTD: One shirt, two occasions




Sheer Sleeveless top (express, $20USD), slim cut indigo wash jeans ($16, Mossimo @ Target), hematite necklace (Forever XXI, $4USD), Pammy wedges (Steve Madden, $32 USD)



Sheer Sleeveless top (Express, $20USD), Black cardigan ($8USD, Mossimo @ Target), Black Skinny Jeans ($12USD, L.E.I. @ Walmart), Adriana pumps ($49USD, Guess)





#OOTD: Happy Holidays


Since I've gained quite a bit of weight, the challenge now whenever buying clothing is choosing something that will transfer easily as I lose weight. So for my holiday dress this year, I decided on a top and skirt instead of a dress to give me more versatility.  The skirt actually had a top that completely matched but Forever XXI didn't have it in my size. I then opted for a basic black top. I'm actually more partial to this look instead. It's more me. 


 
 


Black Crop Top ($8USD, Forever XXI), Jacquard metallic pencil skirt ($12USD, Forever XXI), hematite 3 stud  pendant necklace ($4USD, Forever XXI), Adriana pumps ($49USD, Guess)

#Rave: Hematite & Gunsilver Jewelry- my signature

I live for this type of jewelry. Ever since I went to Panama in 2005 and came back with a string of hematite pearls, I knew this was a love that would last a lifetime. ;It kind of reminds me of Nico DiAngelo's Stygian Iron sword in the Heroes of Olympics stories.)


Stygian Iron

The fact that it's also coming back has put me on a mission to find as much as humanly possible. What's not to love? It's sexy, different and can be dressed up or down- like a LBD. I love this look so much, I'd love to have a set to wear for my wedding. (A black diamond would be nice too.)

I also will go as far to extend that to oxidized silver. My Pandora bracelet gives off this rustic charm as well. 

I was ecstatic to go into stores like Forever XXI and actually be able to find gunsilver jewelry. 

 








#OOTD: Lilac & Grey



Grey button down top ($24USD, Express), lilac Jeggings ($17, L.E.I. @ Walmart), jelly glitter flats ($88USD, Melissa + Campana @ Bloomingdale's)




#OOTD: Channeling Ms. Hepburn.


I'm becoming more and more inspired by the ladies of Mad Men, Ms. Hepburn and Ms. Monroe & elaborating on their classic styles with a twist was fun on this occasion. Provided a twist on Hepburn's Sabrina outfit 





Black Lycra turtleneck ($3USD, Goodwill), Polka dotted skinny jeans ($17USD, Mossimo @ Target), Black Adrianna pumps ($49USD, Guess), wrap-around belt ($39, Michael Kors)

Friday, January 17, 2014

#Review: Boscia Luminizing Black Masque

I'm a huge fan of peel-off masks since they provide the convenience of no rinse required but still provide that squeaky clean feeling. I decided, through the urging of my coworker, that I was going to try the Luminizing Black Mask from Boscia. She raved about the results and her pore were greatly reduced from the one use that she did. 


($34USD, Sephora *Exclusive)

I had to test this twice to get some kind of review together. 

I applied it and this mask says it takes 30 minutes minimum to dry. Forever in mask time. Most masks are done in ten. Since it's a peel-off mask, I figured it should've been completely dry after the 30 mins. It wasn't. I was pretty annoyed since I had somewhere to go I removed it and left. 
While drying

Dry enough to remove? Not really. 


Close up of dry masque. 

I think I set the bar too high with this product. Once I removed it, I felt as if it wasn't completely removed from my face. I was expecting the removal to feel something like Pond's nose strips or something to that effect.
 
It wasn't. 
 
Results after removing masque. 

I felt as if I've gotten better results with drug store brands. One if my favorites is Freeman Feeling Beautiful Facial Peel-Off Cucumber Mask because it gets the job done way better than the Boscia mask and doesn't break the bank. 
 

Freeman Feeling Beautiful Facial Peel-Off Cucumber Mask ($3.99USD, CVS)