OOTD: Work

It's summer and I work in education so the dress code is a little more casual.  I wore this a few days ago.  Can't remember which day exactly.

Top:  Anthropologie

Jeans:  Citizens of Humanity Ava Straight Leg in Faith

Shoes:  Blanco (from Spain)

Review: Lush Cupcake Mask

Lush Cupcake Mask (pic taken with flash) - color is a little lighter and more grey in real life

This is my first experience using a Lush Fresh Face Mask*.  I originally went into the store to purchase Sacred Truth or Brazen Honey but the salesgirl suggested Cupcake.  The Lush website says this about Cupcake:

Features

• Sleepover staple: Cupcake is definitely a fixture at slumber parties for it’s wonderful effect on teenage skin.
• It looks good enough to eat: But no, it doesn’t taste like chocolate pudding. Trust us.
• Refreshing minty tingle: We combine spearmint, fresh mint and peppermint oils in Cupcake.

I actually really wanted to try the Cupcake mask because it sounds fun!  Chocolate on my face - sign me up!  But teenage skin?  I am in my 30s and I have normal/combination skin.  I do get occasional zits so maybe the salesgirl took one look at my face and thought I could use a good detoxifying mask.  I like to think she mistook me for a teenager but that's probably not the case.  Either way, I happily added it to my basket.

The mask is good for up 3 weeks (expiration date on package) and I was able to use it 6 times before it expired.  There was still some left over but this isn't the type of mask you could use everyday and I didn't want to overdo it.

Application

It's thick.  My fridge is also set on a somewhat higher temperature so it sort of freezes things a little bit.  The first few times it was hard to spread all over my face but I learned to let it sit out so that it is easier to apply.  It does smell great although for me, the scent was overwhelming after a while.  Smells like minty chocolate batter...with a little bit of clay.

Effectiveness

The first time I used this mask I simply rinsed my face with water to remove it.  I did cleanse my skin before applying it!  I got a few new zits the next day because it left a filmy layer.  After that I decided to use a toner (Thayer's Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner) after washing off the mask.  I like the way my skin looks after using this mask with the toner - brighter and refreshed.  It's only temporary though.  The next morning, my skin looked the same.  I didn't have any breakouts when I used the mask so I am not sure if it would help in clearing skin.  I can say that it didn't cause my face to breakout!

Would I purchase this mask again?  Yes, but I want to try the others first.

Disclaimer:  I am not affiliated with any of the companies or brands mentioned.

*These masks need to be refrigerated. 

Favorites: Harmless Harvest 100% Raw Organic Coconut Water

I've always liked coconut water and I've tried many different brands.  My favorite was O.N.E. which comes in juice box.  But I was at Whole Foods the other day and decided to try this:


Harmless Harvest Coconut Water 8 oz.

When I was paying for it, the cashier said to me, "Oh my god, those are so good!...They taste just like water straight out of the coconut.  But it's better because you never know how much you will get in a coconut.  At least in the bottle you can see."  And he was right!  These are sooooooo much better than boxed pasteurized coconut water.  When I was younger, my mom used to buy raw coconut water from Asian supermarkets.  This tastes just like that!  It is a little pricey for such a small bottle ($2.69 USD) but I can't go back to the other kind.

Link to Harmless Harvest Website (I'm not affiliated with this company):  http://www.harmlessharvest.com/

OOTD: 8/11/2012, Cousin's Bridal Shower

Outfit of the Day (OOTD) for August 11, 2012.  I wore this to my cousin's bridal shower.

Dress:  Zara

Belt:  Anthropologie

Shoes:  Kors by Michael Kors

My Top 5 Must Have Makeup Products

If I had to take a long trip and I could only take 5 makeup products with me, I would take these 5 things:

1. BB Cream - Right now, I am alternating a bunch of BB creams but I like the Skin79 Hot Pink Super Plus because I can use it all year-round.  I like the coverage (medium) and the fact that it has a lot of skincare benefits.
2. Lip Gloss - I have dozens and dozens of lipgloss but the Guerlain Kiss Kiss is probably my favorite because it's a great shimmery nude with high shine.  The color is #845.
3. Concealer - This Laura Mercier Undercover Pot is my go-to concealer for traveling because it is so convenient.  The pot contains separate concealers for blemishes and undereye circles as well as a setting powder.  I'm a MAC NC30 and this pot is in shade #3.
4. Mascara Base - I love thick almost fake looking lashes, even when I'm just going to the supermarket.  So, mascara base is a must for me.  I've been using Shiseido for years although they just reformulated their iconic The Makeup Mascara Base.  Now it's called Nourishing Mascara Base.  It's still good but I think I like the other formula better.  It was a little clumpier but I felt it really fattened up my lashes.
5. Mascara - I have a few favorite mascaras but I've gone through several tubes of this Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! Mascara in black.  It creates a lot of volume and doesn't flake.

What are your top 5 must have makeup products?

The BB Cream you can buy here:

http://www.skin79northamerica.com/

http://www.imomoko.com/product.php?cID=_12-84-

All the other stuff you can buy at Sephora here:

http://www.sephora.com/

Favorites: Leighelena Jigsaw Cuff Bracelet in Black Anaconda

 

Leighelena Jigsaw Cuff in Black Anaconda with Gold Buckle

One night I decided I needed a black cuff bracelet ASAP, preferably in snakeskin.  So naturally I googled "black snakeskin cuff bracelet."  One of the results was the Leighelena Jigsaw Cuff pictured above.  It was love at first sight.  The buckle is so modern and sleek.  The only problem was that the Jigsaw style comes in a wide variety of colors and I wasn't so sure I wanted the black anymore.  There's a very cool Stingray Rainbow Hologram style that I was eyeing:

Photo from http://www.shopleighelena.com/

In the end, I decided the black would match with more of my clothes.  Here is a picture of the bracelet on my wrist:

It comes in two sizes:  S and M.  I bought the S.  It's supposed to have a snug fit but I have very small wrists.  Nevertheless, I still like the way it fits.  I hope to purchase more later but they are $100 - $150 each so it's something I have to plan for in my budget.  I do think they are worth it because it is a well made piece of jewelry (made in the USA).  Plus, I will use it for years.  I also like this one and this one!  Which style do you like?

Where to buy Leighelena:

http://www.leighelena.com/

http://www.endless.com/Leighelena-Jewelry/s?brands=Leighelena&node=2366135011

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A3885441%2Cp_n_feature_seven_browse-bin%3A2687674011&page=1

Review: Maybelline Dream Lumi Touche on NC30 in Radiant and Nude

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touche in Radiant (top) and Nude (bottom)

In my mid 20s, I bought the YSL Touche Eclat (which now comes in a much wider range of colors) and never really used it because I didn't know what to do with it.  I even bought the Dior highlighting pen and again, it sat in my makeup bin until I threw it away.

Now that I'm in my 30s, I thought I'd give these Maybelline highlighters a try.  Thanks to some youtube videos, I finally figured out how to use highlighter pens!  I really like these Maybelline ones.  They are affordable and a great alternative to the more expensive brands.  I've read that some other beauty bloggers even prefer them over YSL.  Here are some swatches:

L to R:  Radiant and Nude on NC30

As you can see, the Radiant looks peachy pink although it does blend well into the skin and gives the underneath of my eyes a bright glow.  The Nude is yellow toned and more natural looking on my NC30 complexion.  It does brighten the eyes but in a more subtle way.  I like them both.  I was debating between the Nude and the Buff (buff being darker) but decided to go with nude for a highlighting effect.  The Radiant is supposed to be a universal shade in case you aren't sure what color to purchase.  I don't know if these concealers would cover dark circles as they are not especially thick or heavy duty.  They might camouflage minor dark circles.  These also had decent staying power on my normal/combination skin.

I bought my highlighting pens at Target for $6.44 USD but you can also buy them here:

Drugstore.com

Ulta.com