DIET~!

February is nearly over and it's time for a DIET. This may be the shortest month of the year but in it's short weeks I have managed to eat, spend, and haul more than I have all year. Time to detox weeks of self indulgence!

Food diet, make up diet, money diet!

I am actually going on a trip at the end of March and need to seriously start saving my pennies to have a good time.

Expect less hauls, but far more reviews on all the new items I had been collecting.

Also have thought about participating in project 10 pan. (eek)

If anyone of you have tried the project, please do tell me how it went! I am currently looking at my collection to choose what items are going to be participating.

In closing I took a random photo of the medicine cabinet in my bathroom showing (most) of my skin care items. Whatever I use that's not in the cabinet, was too tall for the shelves, like my toners & sheet masks.

If you see anything in the above picture you are interested in for a review, just ask! many reviews coming your way!

Have a great weekend!

Go With Your Gut Instincts

I am a skin care product junkie. Period.

Like many others I am on the constant search for the ultimate routine, for the maximum result, a naturally flawless skinned face. Bright, white, and CLEAR.

I have very acne prone skin unfortunately but that has never deterred me from trying new products.

Since the arrival of winter along with harsh winds I thought it would be an excellent time to search for a new moisturizer to combat this season. ( This was the excuse I used, I have plenty of moisturizers already)

The brand that caught my eye? Origins. Specifically their White Tea Range. Doesn't that sounds divine?

There is an Origins store near my office so I pop in 1 day after reading the website and reviews with two products in mind for potential buys.

A Perfect World White Tea skin Guardian and White Tea antioxidant moisturizer. ( Allure winner)

I find the tea guardian and pump some out in my hand. WHOA! GREASY! was all i thought. Walk around the store to see if it absorbs....try it again..still damn greasy. Ugh.

Found the moisturizer, sampled it...thin and greasy...hmmmmmmmm second thoughts...

Go back to the office read to more fabulous reviews but still have doubts.

Fast forward a few weeks, and I see Origins is having a sale... and an offer? Who can say no.

I foolishly buy it, thinking this is going to work~!

Fast forward 2 more weeks. With a daily ritual of adding these 2 new products into my daily routine and finding myself breaking out non stop continuously.

Stubborn as I am, I think my skin just needs to get used to it.

Face full of acne later I put the new jars in the drawer of "rejects"

Lesson:

Don't just buy something because everyone else says its great, if you initially think its not going to work, don't fool yourself with excuses/sales to buy it regardless, just to have it in your huge collection of bad experiences.

MAC Lippies

A relationship is growing between me and MAC. I blame the sucess of Well Dressed to have given me the nudge to give the brand a second chance. This could be a dangeroulsy expensive new union.This is part 1 of the little haul.

Shameless to say, I bought more MAC today, which I will be featuring in an upcoming post. Once I try them out!! ( Giddily excited!- sad but true )

Viva glam had hit the stores and to be honest I was not really impressed but I am a bit of a Lady Gaga fan and had heard proceeds of this lipstick go towards breast cancer, so why not?

MAC lipstick in Hue ( loving!!!! great great pink n*de) and Lady Gaga's Viva Glam Lipstick. Do not think this is a work lippie.. little too cool toned but fun for the weekend

Ok the next two lip glosses are a prime example of my MAC noobness...I had heard of 2 famous glosses, underage, and a very pretty one with the name of florabundance. Florabundance I saw in the store but underage was not on display. After speaking with the SA she confirmed they had it in stock and I purchased it without even looking at it.

Gleefully opened up my new glosses at work to see....WTH

In the bright lighting of my window you can see the color differences, but under office indoor lighting I was looking at TWINS. Seriously, I thought she gave me the same shade twice...Oh well. They are pretty small, and seems like I can go through them pretty quick so hopefully I can review them soon. I know they're sticky...but I don't know I was running late for work and just left in a blurr.

Swatches

From left to right: Hue, Viva Glam, Florabundance, Underage

What are your product recommendations? My collection is fast growing ha ha

Storm has arrived~!

My most exciting new make up purchase is a drugstore item~! The Sleek Storm Palette.

Many UK bloggers and guru's have mentioned these palettes that come in various color combinations but the one that I thought I would get the most use of is "Storm"

The colors are beautiful, top row being more neutrals, bottom are more intense darker shades. Some are matte, some are shimmery, it's nice to get a good mix.

I have put it next to my mouse for a size comparison. It's decent sized. With a full sized mirror on the inside.

Swatches!

The second eye shadow from the left is reminiscent to Stila Kitten, my favorite is the top row second to last. Gorgeous peachy pink! Reminds me of MAC rubenesque paint pot.

Some of the shimmery shadows do have fall out, and the matte shadows do not seem to be less pigmented, but I am not complaining! I heard this was like 8 bucks in the UK? ( correct me if I am wrong) what a steal!!

Can't wait to use this tomorrow!

NOTD-Currently loving Revlon nail polishes- this is in shade 914 Tropical Temptation-2 coats

My Favorite Drugstore Make Up Finds!

There is nothing like the small satisfaction of getting a new make up item for your collection. Be it high end or drugstore, the thrill and excitement is the same for me.

Here are my favorite drugstore finds that I love to repurchase and find have great quality.

Try to get these when drugstores have BOGO or Buy one get one 50% off for the best price advantage.

Revlon Color Stay Foundation, Nail Polish, Eyeliner, Lipstick

In my humble opinion I believe Revlon to be one of the best drugstore make up brands out there.

The Foundation: Great coverage, rainbow of skin colors, can come in two types- oily/combo and normal/dry. I did notice the same shade from the 2 lines look slightly different in color for some reason? But a simple google search can help you distinguish which shade you are.

Medium to high coverage, and stays on all day.

Cons are the bottle has a big hole on top which can spill, and it kinda smells but I can live with these things.

For reference I am NC 20-25 and am the Revlon shade 118 Sand Beige

Nail polish: Dries shiny, dries fast, 1 coat true to color. Love it.

Eyeliner: Smooth on the waterline, hard to smudge, applies easily. Great for throwing in the bag and when you want to buy more adventurous colors besides the standard black and brown, you can get these for a fraction of the price of a high end eyeliner and they come in a great array of colors for fun adventurous looks.

Also I try to get the one with the pencil on one side and a soft sponge on the other for smoking out effects

Lipstick: Glides on smooth, non drying, huge assortment of colors.

L'Oreal True Match Concealer and Mascara-Voluminous

Concealer: I have used this concealer for years. Great size, heavy coverage, and with a primer lasts all day without flaking.

Reference: I am shade W 3-4 (tiny tiny bit tan for me now so I need a light hand)

Mascara: Alot of ppl have compared this with the mascara from YSL. This offers great volume. Not like WOW omg! my lashes look like they are falsies but definitely noticeable and with 2 coats there is an obvious difference. Can be smudgy towards the end of the day.

Rimmel Powder, Lipstick, Mascara

Rimmel is a bit of a newer drugstore brand for the UK and I think it's great.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder, Transparent"

The Stay Matte Powder is a cheap and a great affordable powder. With a swipe of this in the afternoon, literally 1 swipe and my whole face turns matte. I only use this in the afternoon but it is a constant in my purse.

Translucent Powder in 001

Lipsticks: Smooth and shiny application. Non drying. EU seems to have a larger and better color selection which is irritating but then again they receive the same treatment for Revlon products so I suppose it balances out.

Mascara: The Max Volume Flash 14X (the one in the pink tube)

Lengthening and Volumizing. More lengthening than L'Oreal Voluminous but less volumizing. Two coats and it can easily be seen that your lashes are fuller and longer. Even with 3 coats your lashes once curled do not get weighed down by the products so it's good.

Maybeline: Blush

I have tried a few items from this brand and the items that I love from the brand are their blushes.

Specifically their Mineral Power blushes and Mousse Blushes. For the powder just a tiny tiny amount provides enough for a beautiful glow. The mousses are great to throw in your purse when you are away on a trip for reapplication and travel sized. No brush needed.

Bonne bell

The chap sticks from when we were little girls. A lot of fun flavors. I have packages and packages of the Dr. Pepper flavor in storage. Gloss and the perfect hint of red lips.

OPI

Their nail polishes come in so many colors it's hard for me to see their selections in any drugstore and not walk out with a new color for my collection.

Burt's Bees

Lip balm all the way people!!! the BEST.

Neutrogena

Their lip glosses are long lasting and smell pretty nice!

Spring WishList!!

Maybe I should do some shopping soon!

All photos are courtesy of Urban Outfitters, Free People, and Anthropologie