First Runner Up
Fussin over our little queen:
Close-up of her MAC/Smashbox combo:
Had to take the ubiquitous elevator shot. The world isn't ready for all these smart, sassy, beautiful girls:
Miracle palette:
LOVE my sisters :)
So my lil sis got first runner up! Which means if the winner can't fulfil her duties, my sister will get to rep California in the national competition. She looked absolutely gorgeous in her gown and when she had to answer an impromptu question, she was so poised and quick on her toes that I had to do a double-take. I just can't believe how much she's grown up :) They asked if she had to make a presentation to her student body, what would it be of and why. Her answer: optimism. Because they'll need to keep their heads held high as their high school is shut down next year due to the ridiculous budget challenges in California. She said she would speak about being optimistic in the face of this challenge, because that's the kind of legacy that the school/city needs in order to move forward. WHAT!!! I was super proud of her. And oh, I didn't end up being as much of a stage mom as I thought I'd be. All the girls were so sweet and non-pageantry about the whole thing...dangit
Regardless, I had so much fun cheering her on with my other two sisters. It's been way too long since we've been reunited, and this was the perfect event to bring us together. The three older sisters fussed over getting our lil queen ready in that turquoise MAC color I mentioned
here, and with a few colors in my sisters Smashbox palette (you can see us playing with it while waiting through a delay at the airport in the 5th pic above).
Wish it were still the weekend!!
Labels: MAC, Smashbox
Queen for a Day
This is where I'll be spending my weekend, helping my little sister compete for the take-all title!
This isn't a traditional pageant because it's supposed to showcase brains over what you look like in a swimsuit, but I'll be doing my best impression of a stage mom, just to spice up the weekend a little. Wish her luck and TRUST there will be tons of beauty blogger fodder I'll be capturing and posting for everyone's enjoyment!
Onto today's face. Since I'm traveling to the pageant today, and don't want to tote too many things in my carryon,
Korres Lip Butter in Quince is working double-duty: I've got it on my lips & cheeks.
I'm also sporting a new scent. Right now, Sephora has a special deal on
CLEAN - 3 mini rollerball fragrances for $10. It includes the original scent (CLEAN), Simply Soap (which is what I have on) and Provence. I thought this deal was too good to pass up, so I scooped it up without thinking (happens a lot). Thankfully, it worked out! I'm liking this set a lot.
Labels: CLEAN, Korres
Permanent Makeup
This weekend, I accompanied the boyfriend on a trip to get his ENTIRE RIGHT ARM covered in a tattoo. This was the first of several sessions, so he's not out of the woods yet. I honestly wasn't a fan of him getting a tool-tat, but he did his research on artists who take this seriously and this thing is gonna be an amazing work of art when it's completely colored and defined. Here's a bare arm commemorative shot, followed up with a few after shots. He was 'playing' piano to control his nerves before leaving for his appointment.
I'll spare you the during shots ... because I was shopping and wasn't there myself! But here he is, pretty much immediately after. A saranwrap-tat:
He removed the plastic cover before taking his first after-tat-shower:
And because it's super hard to leave without any form of actual makeup documentation, here's the look I sported that day. Geek-chic. Sorta.
Labels: tattoo
So Not Schooled in Shadows
Eye Makeup isn't my greatest strength, and I'm always sort of shy to post anything shadow-related on this blog. I'm not a master blender, and am happy to have 1 color on my lid, if it gets the job done. But I have to say that since starting up this blog, I've flipped through countless others for inspiration, and it's encouraged me to play with all the disregarded shadows hiding in the ... shadows of my stash. (COULD NOT resist that, and am pretty sure I could have come up with something better were in not for my current stabbing hunger pains). One such shadow is Bobbi Brown's Long Wear cream in Galaxy. I bought this a while back and first flaunted it in
this post. I've finally figured out that the formula goes on WAAAAAY better when you use a brush like this one from Stila. The pic below shows how pigmented this can get. I applied about 2 strokes of it on my lids using the brush. Here, I've layered it over Too Faced Lockdown in Dramarama. And at the encouragement of
Diane, I'm also sporting the Rimmel East End Snob gloss -- which is growing on me.
Labels: Bobbi Brown, Rimmel, Stila, Too Faced
To Trash or Stash?
If you have access to a BX, you're familiar with the kind of trouble I got into a few weeks ago on my last trip to Travis Air Force Base. Not only are the products slightly cheaper than stores on the 'outside,' there's also NO SALES TAX on anything! Needless to say, I went a little crazy. And now I'm in a predicament about one item I bought there, a gloss from Rimmel called East End Snob. I love how this looks in the tube, but on me, it's hinging on blah. Or rather, hinging on so many things I already have. Not sure whether to trash it or stash it.
Then there's this gloss I just picked up from Target. It's a Neutrogena MoistureShine gloss in Vital Violet. I actually like this color a lot, but it makes my lips a little itchy. Not sure if I should risk the allergy and keep playing around with it. I need to start paying closer attention to the ingredients in these things ...
Moving on to yet another beauty predicament -- this blush. In last month's edition of Glamour (the one with Posh Spice carrying a puppy on her shoulders), I read that orange blush is going to be all the rage this Spring. The most orange blush I have is MAC Blushcreme in Pleasureful. I'm on the fence with this product too -- trash it (cuz it's like 3 years old) or stash it, since it's going to be en vogue come Spring?
Decisions, decisions.
Labels: MAC, Neutrogena, Rimmel, Trash or Stash
Gwen Stefani & The Underwonders
I ended up tackling two challenges in one - the underlash & Gwen Stefani. I'm sure Gwen's no stranger to the underlash, given the way she always POPS on stage. You can clearly see what she looks like a mile away (I've been to her concerts and can attest to this).
In short, I liked the effect, but it wasn't the most comfortable to wear. I think I'll look for shorter & less dense underlashes next time. Plus I was so excited to try this out, I applied both the uppers & lowers before letting either dry completely ... felt like my eyes were a set of stubborn clams.
Eyes: Clinique Cream Shadow in Rock Violet (how perfect is that name for a Gwen challenge?), MAC under lashes #31, Red Cherry upper lashes #110, lips: MAC lipstick in Doubonet.
With Flash:
Damn, I wish I had a blonde wig:
Without flash:
By the piano, in the name of Gwen:
Labels: Clinique, False Lashes, Lyrics and Lipgloss, MAC, Red Cherry
Hunting For Under Lashes/Having the Guts to Wear Them
Inspired by the top shot in the picture above, I was going to sport underlashes for the festivities this past weekend, but I chickened out/ran out of time. I made the trip out to MAC and everything! Was surprised to learn that MAC doesn't carry lashes specific for under-use, but they recommended a set that would work well for it (#31's). I ended up buying them -- just didn't get around to putting them on! -- so I promise to give them a try and post them soon. If all goes well, I may make a purchase on BeautyShopOC.com soon. They have a nice array of Red Cherry underlashes you can see
here.
On another note, I'm still in love with my blue MUFE Aqua Eyes liner. I'm using it as regular liner today -- can you tell I have it on?
Here it is, close up.
Labels: False Lashes, MAC, Red Cherry
Party Time
Had such a fun time celebrating the BF's FlirtyDirtyThirty this weekend! So many people came out to show him love, I think it put those freakout sessions to rest. Here's a little photo summary of the weekend:
They put guests w/pets on the highest floor at this hotel, which made for a few mad dashes to the bottom floor with a very impatient little Domino!
Since he loved them so much on Valentine's Day, I got him a lifetime supply of Kara's Passionfruit cupcakes for his Birthday.
And of course, there was party MAKEUP! I LOOOVED my pratically-sister-in-law's magenta lipstick. She paired it perfectly with violet eye shadow.
I introduced my friend to NARS' Bloodwork, and she was totally WORKIN it!
Here's one of my most makeup-talented friends. She was being uncharacteristically shy at this moment, but expect to see her in a makeup profile soon.
Good times indeed~
Happy Birthday Baby
No Makeup in this post, consider yourself forewarned! I just felt compelled to document this very special Birthday - the boyfriend's 30th :) He's freaking out a little, which I totally understand. That's actually part of the reason I started this blog - to control my freakouts by documenting key parts of the last year of MY twenties.
But to help with HIS freakouts, I'm going to dedicate today (& this weekend) to showing him how loved he is. Because no matter where you're at in life, if you're loved and you love, you're exactly where you need to be. By watching people I admire who just seem to be on top of their game, I've come to believe that if you focus your time & energy on cultivating the things that you love, everything will fall in place.
He's a very smart man and a very passionate man and he gives himself completely to the things that matter to him, so he's further down this road than he thinks he is. :)
Much LOVE to my Puppy Daddy on his very special day! Here's a shot of Domino rubbing his face on the Birthday Boy's foot. Domino NEVER does this. I think he knows it's a special day.
Misty Blue
For some reason, I've been craving to wear blue in any capacity lately, face included. Maybe I miss the blue skies in all this rain! Make Up For Ever's array of colors and famous Aqua Eyes formula is helping me big time with this. There are three blues to choose from, not including the blue-greens. I settled on Majorelle Blue 15L (metallic royal blue) and love how easy it is to apply on the entire lid. The pigment in this is just killer. I'm on the hunt for a sexy, fun look to sport for the BF's 30th birthday which is coming up this week, and the blue stuff is in the running.
Labels: Make Up For Ever
