Review on Anastasia's Bold & Beautiful Kit!

Hi everyone!

Back from spring break! Andddd....into real life? haha, but I haven't had a real spring break for the past couple of years anyway, still working in my research lab everyday and working at the hospital =P. Welcome to the real world, yay! (and taxes haha)
I'm sorry for not posting recently, I have been hired as UCSD staff so my workload and responsibility has definitely increased and it took a bit of time to sort my schedule out. I hope you understand! >.<

Today I am reviewing Anastasia's Bold & Beautiful Kit

(not sure if you noticed, but the brow pomade and powder positions are switched in this picture compared to the one below...not sure why that is, but my brow set is like the picture below)

I bought it on sale for $14 on Anastasia's website.

This eyebrow and eyeshadow palette comes in 2 compacts or "volumes":
- Vol. 1 "Bold Brows"
- Vol. 2 "Beautiful Eyes"

What do I think of this product?
Overall I like this product and use it quite often, especially the brow makeup. I also got it for a significantly cheaper price that made it all the more worth it. =P

Vol. 1 "Bold Brows"

(not my photo, but shows the colors the best)

This was my first time trying Anastasia's new brow pomade. I am not sure what version or color it is because they don't have a color for it for the description. Just says "Pomade" =P, so, compared to the full size versions I don't know which one it is. It is on the darker side though and matches my hair color pretty well.
Initially, I really really liked the pomade, I thought it was perfect. Don't get me wrong, I still like it, and I use it every day because it is still really good. However, I have found something may need some improvement. I also use the pomade everyday, because unlike the full size pomades, it does not have a cap or lid that seals the product. Therefore, it will dry out faster than the full size pomade. I am not sure when it will dry out. So far I have been using it for the past few months, almost everyday, and it seems good. The consistency is still even and soft. I think just recently it has become a little more sticky in the texture but not something I can't work with haha.
The pomade is a long lasting product and does not smear or melt. It lasts pretty well all day, by the end of the day, it does fade a little bit, but I'm fine with that, it will look a little more natural that way. What I did notice that for filling in the sparse areas of my eyebrows, the product is not as pigmented and does not apply as easily compared to applying on to brow hairs. When there are more brow hairs, it sticks on well and is pretty pigmented. However, it is not as pigmented when there are less hairs, which is the skin area. I don't mind it that much, because I usually apply the powder on it to help it darken. But it would definitely save me time if it was more pigmented on the skin so I don't have to do the extra step.
The powder is good. It is an ash-brown color and it suites my eyebrows well. Works just as well as any Anastasia eyebrow powder. =)
I really bought this set for the brow brush. I love that the brush is a dual end with a spoolie! Travel size and travel friendly! It works beautifully and I love it!
The tweezers I have not used yet. I'm sure they are decent. I just have eyebrow tweezers already that work pretty well (from Tweezerman), so I haven't felt the need to try it.
The only problem I have with this palette is that is it hard to get the dual brush and the tweezer out of the palette. The indentation where they sit, is too deep to be picked out with finger and I need to flip over the palette every single time I need something. This also sucks because flipping the palette causes both items to fall out, which is a hassle since I only use the dual brow brush and I need to put back the tweezers every single time....=___=

Here are a couple swatches of the pomade and brow powder:
sdf

Vol. 2 "Beautiful Eyes"

(not my photo, but shows the colors the best)

This is an eyeshadow palette. It comes with its own brush, which isn't too bad for being a palette brush. I don't use it just because I have better brushes available to me. But if I am traveling or I need a brush in a hurry, I think this will do the job well enough.

It has 4 shades, from left to right:
- a matte light champagne color
- a shimmery pink color
- a light brown-beige color with gold shimmer
- a black color with gold and red shimmer (I'm not sure about the red, but it looks kind of red)

The matte light peach color is great for a natural look. I can highlight my brow bone, the inner corner of my eyes, and the ball of my eyelid. It is not very pigmented but it is decent.
The shimmer pink has soft shimmers in it, so it does not reflect light that strongly. It is a soft and feminine eyeshadow that is decently pigmented as well.
The light brown with gold shimmer is the least pigmented of them all. I can't really tell the difference when I apply it onto my eyes. But I suppose it is great for natural looks, especially if you just want to cover up the blood vessels and veins on your eyes, or improve the complexion.
The black with gold and red shimmer is very very pigmented. It is strong, I was so surprised because all the others are not that strong. This is great for lining my eyes or I can use it to darken my makeup for a night look. However, it is really strong and I need to be careful if I am using it on the outer corners of my eyes or in my crease. I can see the sparkles on swatches but on my eyes, they're not that noticeable, so it looks just black, but I don't mind.

Here are a few swatches of the eyeshadows:

 All of the photos from top to bottom are in the same order. From top to bottom first is the matte light champagne color, next is the shimmery peach/pink color, after that is the light brown with the gold flecks, and the last is the black with the red/gold sparkles.

Do I recommend this set?
For the price that I got it, I definitely recommend this product! It is a great way to try out the brow pomade to see if it works for you without spending more money buying the full size item. It is a great travel essential for eyebrows and everyday makeup and is light, small, and portable. I would bring my own brushes for the eyeshadow though. The one that comes with the palette isn't bad and the bristles are soft, I just don't like the shapes of the brushes (don't work for me).
I don't think this is sold on Anastasia's website anymore but I'm sure it can be found elsewhere online or in stores. I believe I saw it selling at Ulta at one point, but I haven't checked back to see if it is still there.

So I hope you like this review and it was helpful to you =). Thank you for being so patient with me. X) Feel free to comment and ask any questions in the comment box below!
I will see you soon! Thank you for reading!

UPDATE: 05/14/14
I have not finished the pomade yet, I am probably about halfway done. Currently the formula has become a little drier (because of lack of a sealed lid) and stickier. I can still work with it but I just need to blend it more. Also, it makes my eyebrow hairs very pigmented, but does not give my skin (sparse brow areas) the same amount of pigmentation. Therefore, the color intensity is not as strong and it is somewhat noticeable. I have mentioned this before, but after some time and maybe because the pomade is starting to dry out, the difference is starting to become more and more apparent.

UPDATE: 06/28/14
I have basically finished the pomade. And my final thoughts are, I will not repurchase it.
This is because of 2 things:
1) The full size pomade is probably too much for me. I will end up not being able to finish it before it starts drying out. I hate to waste products and money. When it starts drying out, it will start making my eyebrow hairs darker than my skin (where the spares areas that I need to fill). I know the full size comes in a glass jar with weight so that after you close the lid, you let it sit upside-down to prevent air from leaking in. However, I feel that may not be enough.
2) The pomade leaves a residue on my eyebrow brushes that make it difficult to wash off. It kind of leaves an oil behind that makes the bristles sticky and stick together, not dry, soft, and fluffy. I do use special brush soap/shampoo to wash my brushes, but it takes at least 2 or 3 washes to fully get rid of the product. But this is kind of annoying, since I like to use my brushes for multiple things. What if I felt like using powder instead of pomade? Well, I would have to wash and dry 2-3 times before I could use the same brush for powder. I also have a feeling that long term use of a brush with pomade will leave the residue permanently, and I don't like that either.
3) I possibly have found something that I like a lot better and am currently trying it out now. Will review in the near future! =)

Review on Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo Metal cream eyeshadows

Hi Everyone!

I hope you guys had a good spring break (for UC schools [except for cal cus....it's a semester school for some reason =P]) and a good first week of term! Yay...schoollll! XD
I went paintballing this morning! And then I came back, posted a video on here, took a shower, did some random stuff, and now I'm here! XP Paintballing is awsome!!! You should at least try it once!

Today I'm reviewing the Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo Metal cream eyeshadows!!

These cream eyeshadows are relatively new and I got some of them about 3 months ago because I loved a couple of Maybelline's 24hr Color Tattoo cream eyeshadows (which I used as my daily eyeshadow for all of fall and winter)!

You can buy this product at Ulta, or any drugstore like CVS or Walgreens. I think I got mine at Ralphs actually. =P It was so new at the time that Ulta didn't have it! O_O
This product contains 14 oz or 4 grams of product and costs about $7.

Of the 5 Color Tattoo Metal creams produced I bought 3 of them:
- 70 Barely Branded
- 55 Inked in Pink
- 60 Silver Strike

What do I think of these products?
Overall I like these cream shadows! =)
They all have a lighter and softer texture than the Color Tattoo cream shadows. Because of that, they tend to apply on more sheer, however the color is buildable. The ones I have are all very shimmery. The pigmentation is great and these cream shadows last for a long time. I would say they last almost the entire day for me up until the last few hours of the day, which is when I am at home, so it doesn't matter if someone sees creasing or not. =P They are also great as bases for your pressed or powder eyeshadows to help the eyeshadows stick easier, last longer, and become more vibrant.
Just keep in mind that, when the light does not shine on these colors, the colors themselves become deeper and more vibrant. When light shines on them, they become very shimmery and the colors more washed out.

Barely Branded is a very light and shimmery champagne color. I know it looks kind of yellow in the picture above but it is more pinkish, like a light peach color. When I apply it onto my eyelids though, it is more of a yellow-toned champagne color. I usually put this on the ball of my eyelid and spread it out. I don't use a lot, because it will tend to make my eyelids look too pale and a little weird. But it is great as a highlight for the ball of the eyes, in the inner corner of the eyes, and on the bridge of the nose.
Inked in Pink is a very pretty shimmer pink color. It is currently one of my favorite cream shadows and I love it because it gives a sweet and feminine look. It is also great to use this spring! I like to use this on my eyelid under my fold or crease, and blend it out. Then I'll take a matt medium brown eyeshadow and blend it into the crease of my eyelids (where you can feel the eye socket) and it looks so cute! Just be careful when applying this product. Start of small and gradually build up if you want more color. Indoors, the color may not look as pink and as pigmented as you think. But once you walk outside, into the sun, the color shows up a lot more strongly and can look wayyy too pink, like you got an eye infection or something. XP haha.
If you mix this cream shadow with the Color Tattoo: Bold Gold, it becomes a beautiful rose gold color! Soooo pretty! ^o^
Silver Strike is a bright silver cream shadow. It is very shimmery, probably has bigger shimmer flecks than the other 2 cream shadows, because it shows up a lot more glittery on my eyelids. I think this cream shadow is great to use to go on a night out with friends, or a dance/clubbing, etc. Some sort of evening/night event. It might be a little too intense to walk around during the day, unless you use some matt colors after applying this cream shadow. But it is a beautiful silver color and if I want my eyes to look extra twinkly that night, I'll use it and it gives a great sparkle!

Here are some pictures and swatches of the cream shadows:

Barely Branded

Inked in Pink

Silver Strike

Looking at the swatches on my arm above. The left picture shows the colors in a dimmer light and the right picture shows the colors in more direct light. You can see how they become a lot more shimmery and the colors themselves, more washed out. But you can still see the colors. =)

Do I recommend these products?
If you are looking for affordable, easy to find cream shadows that do a pretty good job in almost everything, then I recommend these cream shadows! They are well pigmented, long lasting, and versatile. Please keep in mind that if you have oily eyelids, it may be better to use less product to prevent creasing.

So I hope you liked this review! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to write inh the comment box below! Thank you so much for reading and I will see you later. ^_^

Review on NYX 5 Color Shadow The Caribbean Collection

Hi Everyone!

I'm sorry I've been neglecting my posts! DX I just took a midterm this morning and I am finally free to write a review!

Today I am going to review on the NYX 5 Color Shadow The Caribbean Collection in
 "I Dream of Jamaica"

This product costs $15 at the NYX online website in Canada but I believe that I got this for about $10 (in some small asian makeup store). The net weight of the shadows are 0.28 oz or 8 grams.
You can find this online, or in random small makeup stores that happen to sell NYX products.

What do I think of this product?
I was wondering a little if this is a copycat of NYX but I am not sure. This is sold online on the NYX website in Canada but I do not see it on the online website for the US. Perhaps it is a discontinued product? I am not sure, but it looks very much like NYX and the Canadian website looks legitimate. I think it is safe to believe that it is indeed a NYX product but I leave the benefit of the doubt to you. =P Edit: This is a legit but discontinued NYX product!
I bought this in the Santa Anita mall in Pasadena last year during the summer in a new and tiny asian makeup store (the name I forgot). And they were selling loads of NYX products.
Anyway, so I bought this eyeshadow palette because I wanted sort of a natural palette that I could just travel around with me on short trips. And I wanted distinctly different shades of brown, not the eyeshadow palettes that have some shades of colors that look subtly different in the pan but the same on the skin.

So from left to right(following the swatches and palette picture above):
1st color is a very light and shimmery coral-pink color
2nd color is a very light and shimmery champagne-yellow color
3rd color is a sort of shimmery grey-brown color
4th color is a soft shimmery dark brown color
5th color is a soft shimmery very dark brown-black color

The coral-pink and the champagne-yellow color show more of a difference on the eyes than the swatches. You can see a gradation of brown colors from a lighter brown to the darkest brown.

I have tried this out and overall I do like the colors. I can use them for everyday or for a smokey eye look. The coral light pink and champagne-yellow colors I can use to highlight the inner corners of my eyes or the ball of my eyelids. I can use the very dark brown-black color to line my lashline for a soft and natural look.
The pigmentation is okay/kind of normal. I think it could be better. I always use an eyeshadow primer to make the colors stronger and more vivid so it works well enough for me.
The eyeshadows apply evenly and are easily to blendable and buildable. But, the eyeshadows are a bit powdery so I need to work with them carefully and there is some eyeshadow fallout onto my cheeks when I apply the eyeshadow onto my eyes, sometimes even when I tap the excess off my brush. It is not alot of fallout, and fallout is greatly diminished when I tap off excess. But, fallout is pretty annoying and I don't like dealing with it which is probably my main concern with this eyeshadow palette. I do not use this palette as often as I would like to because of the fallout. Pigmentation can be built up with layering but fallout is difficult to fix.

Do I recommend this product?
If you do not like fallout, then I do not recommend this eyeshadow palette. If you do not mind eyeshadow fallout or you can deal with it, I think this is a good palette to try. The colors are a good variety and you can create a lot of looks with it. Just keep in mind that they are all shimmery to varying degrees, and the 5th color is the least shimmery.

Let's talk about Eyeshadow! ^_^

Hi Everyone!! Today I'm going to talk about eyeshadow!!!

What is eyeshadow?
Eyeshadow is color or pigment put on the eyelid and/or put around and under the eye, usually above the lashline and below the brow, and also sometimes at the lower lashline. Eyeshadow can be used as effect to brighten the eye or make it appear deeper or larger. It is often used to put colors on the eye to make the eye more attractive, bring more attention, or for fun.

Do I need eyeshadow?
Haha, no, you don't need it =). It is based on your preference! A lot of people like me, put on eyeshadow for fun! Eyeshadow is versatile and can be used for many occasions. It can make you look cute or sexy, whichever and whatever way you like. I use brown and champagne colored shadows for everyday and I go crazy with black, silver, purple, etc. for clubbing and what not XP. So, no you don't need it, but you can definitely have fun with it!

Types of eyeshadow:
-eyeshadows can be shimmery, matt, glittery (larger flecks of sparkle than shimmer), and metallic
-they can be loose powder, pressed powder, baked, cream

Eyeshadow colors:
There is an infinite array of colors times the types of eyeshadow and you have everything possible in the universe! XD More dramatic eyeshadow has many vivid shimmery colors like blues, yellows, red, etc. The most natural/nude eyeshadows are neutral matt shades, especially shades of browns and peaches.

Tools to apply eyeshadow:
You can use applicator sponges, brushes, or your fingers.
Most Western people, like me haha, use brushes but it is very common in Asia to use applicators. You can also use fingers to pat on eyeshadow to make it more pigmented. Or you can use your fingers to apply cream eyeshadow, which will help warm up and spread the product better. Really, use whatever you feel most comfortable with!

How and where to apply eyeshadow?
First (before anything else), as usual haha, start of light and layer it on until you like it. Second, blend well unless you want a more edgy defined effect.
You can use eyeshadows as eyeliners as well. People (like me) tend to do that because they give a much softer, sweeter and more natural appearance. You can give a light smokey, smudged appearance by lining the top of your eyes with eyeshadow and blending it out.
Many people use a light champagne or white colored eyeshadow right on the browbone or underneath the eyebrows to give a lifted effect and also make the eye appear deeper/have more dimension. Also, many people use a shimmer light skin toned eyeshadow for the inner corner of the eyes to make the eyes brighter and more awake. Some people like to put darker shades in the crease/eyesocket area of the eyelid to deepen the depth of the eyes.
Eyeshadow should usually be at and above the upper lashline and below the brow. I recommend not to bring eyeshadows too high, the max should be halfway between the eyelashes and the eyebrow. It look really strange if you put eyeshadow too high on your eyelid.
It is optional to put eyeshadow at the lower lashline. People usually put eyeshadow at the lower lashline when they are going for a "smokey eye" effect. They do this, because without eyeshadow on the lower lashline the strong makeup on top would be too heavy and over powering, so putting it on the lower lashline balances it out.
Brushes are good for pressed powder and loose powder. Fingers are good for cream eyeshadows. Sponge-tipped applicators can almost do anything however I don't like them because I think they don't apply evenly or are easy to blend with. I also think that sponge-tipped applicators are not very gentle on the eye and cause some tugging.
You can apply eyeshadow wet or dry. Meaning, you can dampen your brush with water and mix it with some eyeshadow before you apply. Some eyeshadows are made for this, like baked eyeshadows, you have to check if your eyeshadows can do this. People like this because they can get more pigment on their eyes.
I heard and read a lot about oh in this 4 color palette use this color for the lid, and this for the crease, and this for the outer corner and all that complicated annoying stuff. NO, you don't have to listen to that. Actually you shouldn't because if you look at diagrams carefully, they are based on one generic type of Caucasian (usually) eye. No one's eyes are the same size or shape, therefore, it probably won't look good on you. As to where to apply dark or light shades, that is based on what you want, your eyeshape, eye size, eyecolor, and distance between the eyes. Therefore, experiment with makeup, try new things and find ways that suite your tastes! I'm not saying that other makeup tutorials won't work for you or something crazy like that, you can definitely try them but you should change it to fit your eyes the best and then you make it yours! =)

Other recommendations:
Try to get eyeshadows that are well pigmented (that means that when you apply it, you see color well and it doesn't look like nothing), are buildable, blend well with the skin and other colors, that don't smudge, don't crease, and don't cause fallout under the eye.
If you are new to eyeshadow and you are not sure what to get and you have a budget, I recommend using flexible, natural eyeshadow colors such as browns, and buy a small 2-3 color palette. A pretty good drugstore brand to try out is NYX, their eyeshadows are very pigmented, and they're known to be a dupe of MAC. Or you can try Coastal Scents, or BH cosmetics. They are all very affordable.
If you want something higher end, probably generally better in quality and you have the money then MAC, Urban Decay, Stila, and Too Faced are all good choices. I especially like Too Faced and Stila because most of their colors and palettes are natural and neutral. Urban Decay is very dramatic and their eyeshadows are pretty bright with a lot of shimmer, some people like that. Though Urban Decay has 2 Naked Palettes that have many beautiful neutral shadows! MAC is well, MAC haha, they have a variety of shades and the majority are excellent, there are some random ones that aren't good, but generally MAC is pro.
Personally I am really cheap and lame haha, I use NYX or other drugstore brands. I love the high-end brands but they are toooo expensive X(, I don't even have a Naked Palette from Urban Decay...T_T. I prefer to spend my money on good brushes and eye primers because a combination of those 2 can make any crappy eyeshadow work well!


So, this post got really looong and detailed at the end! These intro to makeup posts are usually for beginners so sorry if I overloaded your brains XD. However, I hope that you got the information you were looking for. And if you didn't, please comment or ask questions in the comment box below! I am very happy to talk with you and answer questions!

Thank you for reading! I will see you later! X)

Makeup Colors and Emphasis on the Face

Hi Everybody!

So today I am going to discuss, what I feel, is a very important topic.
I am going to talk about the makeup colors that most people put on their face. The 3 most common makeup products with a variety of colors that most people use are eyeshadow, blush, and lip color.
(things such as eyebrow colors, bronzers, highlighters, won't really cause problems (unless they are overdone) because they are usually neutral browns and white colors)

My advice to you is that if you are going to emphasize a strong or relatively strong color or tone on your face, choose one of them please. If you emphasize on more than one feature on the face, too much is going on, on the face, and it doesn't look right, it looks strange and confusing. The only time you would do that is if you were a clown, stage makeup, or Halloween. For everyday makeup or event makeup (parties, dances, weddings, etc.), the best way to show color on your face is choosing one of the three main options above.
For example, if you think about clubbing makeup, the eyes have all this crazy eyeshadow going on, and the blush is usually very light or none at all and the lips a nude/beige color.

This advice is for everyone, of any age, any skin color, male or female. You can't get away with looking...well, ugly, with all those colors on the face, even if you are a model or some famous person.

I always sort of cringe on the inside when I see women like this:

or this:

or this:

Like, I'm sure everyone has different tastes and beauty is to the eye of the beholder, etc. I believe that, but do you really think that this makes you look attractive or sexy or something? In my opinion no. Hey, but if you like doing it, I'm not gonna stop you. Again, this is my personal opinion.

I don't even want to talk about the pictures above, I believe they speak for themselves...
Too much color on the face will clash and conflict with one another.

Here's an example of what I think good emphasis is:

Her eyes are emphasized as you can see. It's true, it's very dramatic, and maybe some people will think it's scary. However, the plainness/nudity of her face balances the complexion and colors on her face. Can you image her with red lips and peach blush? Try that for a second, and then, you can see, how bad it looks!

I'm sure that there are features on your face that you like =), that you want to show. That's perfectly reasonable, love yourself, express yourself, but please do in moderation and one at a time. If you like your eyes and your cheeks, switch them off, show some variety, don't put like purple eyeshadow and super pink cheeks or something, they will clash.
If your not sure what to do, or how you think of this, try my advice for a bit. If you like it, then okay. If you don't like it, that's fine too.
Do what you like, and like what you do =)

I hope this post was useful, thank you for reading!