Liebster Award!

I was nominated by Victoria from Dreaming Daffodils. As a newer blogger, it's kind of exciting to get a blog award!

"The Liebster award is passed on through the blogging community for bloggers with under 200 GFC followers, helping to promote their blog. The rules are pretty simple & easy to follow so here goes...

1. Nominees must link back the person who nominated them. 2. Once nominated you must write 11 random facts about yourself. 3. You must also answer the 11 questions from the person that has nominated you.  
4. Come up with 11 questions to ask the 11 people you have nominated for the award."

Eleven Facts About Myself

1. I have never had a cat or dog before, but I hope to change that in the future! I'm thinking a cat or two within the next few years maybe!
2. I am a quarter Japanese, which you probably could not tell! Haha
3. I love traveling almost more than anything and wish I could do it more often. 
4. I really love to write, but if I have a due date, I procrastinate horribly!
5. I'm interested in anything medical related, and do not easily get grossed out.
6. I only started painting my nails last spring. Before that, I just had no interest. I enjoy it now, but I don't have to have my nails painted.
7. I am near-sighted, and I carry the gene for color blindness.
8. I am a huge nerd at heart! This includes video games, anime, you name it! I'm also a huge Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings fan.
9. My favorite TV shows to watch right now include Pretty Little Liars (so addicting!), Grey's Anatomy (I've been watching this for years!), Once Upon a Time, and Revenge. My favorite animes are Yu Yu Hakusho and Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood!
10. I'd rather have nice make-up than expensive clothes. It's just how I feel. lol
11. I love spending time with family and friends more than anything else! I am very lucky to have such great people in my life.

Victoria's Questions

1. What are your top 5 beauty products?

1. The Urban Decay Naked Palettes: Honestly it's hard to choose just one, because I just love these neutral palettes!
2. Maybelline Mineral Power Powder Foundation in Classic Ivory: I know I've mentioned this before, but it's just a long-standing favorite. I've probably gone through over 10 containers over the past 6 years.
3. Maybelline Cover Stick Concealer in Light Beige: It's the best at covering up blemishes, and it does not budge!
4. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Dollface (or any of the Tarte blushes I own): My favorite blushes apart from The Balm ones. Dollface wears all day, and the color goes with any look!
5. Smith's Strawberry Lip Balm: It's the best lip balm, bringing my lips back from the dead. It also smells amazing and gives a subtle, glossy sheen.

2. What is your dream job? Why?
I'd love to be a nurse practitioner or to own my own makeup brand! 
3. What is your biggest pet peeve?
When people are mean for no reason at all.
4. If you could live anywhere in the world where would you choose to live?
Hawaii comes to mind, but I'm not sure!
5. Why did you begin blogging?
I just love beauty products and wanted to share what I know.
6. What do you look for when it comes to skincare?
Keeping my skin acne-free is always the end goal.
7. What is the funnest thing you have ever done?
Something clumsy, like losing my shoe in the bushes or falling into a trash can. Middle school was a roller coaster apparently. 
8. What movies have made you cry?
The last two Harry Potter movies totally made cry!
9. What cosmetics brand is your favorite?
High-end: Urban Decay
Low-end: Maybelline
And this is if I only had to pick one for each category!
10. Do you have any interesting hobbies?
Aside from nerdy things, I'm a huge music collector!
11. What was your favorite moment of 2012?
Going to Vegas with my friends and boyfriend was pretty amazing! And I had a lot of good times with my family.

My Nominees

1. Allie from http://allieuk.blogspot.com
2. Ashleigh from http://beautyfix000.blogspot.com
3. Aimee from http://insidebeautymarks.blogspot.com
4. http://blushoverdone.blogspot.com (I couldn't find her name)
5. Becky from http://www.coffeeandlovenotes.com
6. http://experimentalbeauty.blogspot.com 
7. Marie from http://iamthemakeupjunkie.blogspot.com
8. Michaela from http://yousoldtheworld.blogspot.com
9. Lisa from http://lisalovesmakeup87.blogspot.com
10. Lexa from http://makeupormorte.blogspot.com
11. Taylar from http://makeovermyworld.blogspot.com

My Questions

1. What made you start blogging?
2. What are your top 5 beauty products?
3. What do other people think about your love for beauty-related things?
4. What's your favorite fragrance?
5. What is your personal fashion style?
6. What is your favorite cosmetics brand?
7. What's something unique about yourself?
8. Who do you look to for beauty advice?
9. Which do you prefer-Ulta or Sephora?
10. What was your best vacation?
11. What do you look forward to doing in 2013?

Hope you all are having a great day!

Nail of the Day featuring James Bond!

For this nail look, I used 3 polishes from OPI: Natural Nail Base Coat (as a base), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (3 coats on all nails), and The Living Daylights (2 coats as an accent nail). Then I topped all the nails using the NYC Matte Me Crazy Mattifying Top Coat.

I absolutely love OPI's James Bond Collection! What can I say, I love movie-themed polishes! Both are gorgeous, though On Her Majesty's Secret Service is kinda sheer. It requires 2 or more coats, but the effect is worth it!

I've never used a matte top coat before, but for $1.99 the NYC one certainly does the job!

I hope everyone is having a great day!

Disclosure: These products were purchased by me for review purposes. I was not paid or compensated in any way. All opinions are my own.

The Balm is on Hautelook!

The Balm is on Hautelook today and ends Monday @ 8am!

Image from Hautelook

If you don't know what Hautelook is, it's a flash sale website for clothes, shoes, beauty products, jewelry, and even household products.  If you're not a member here's an invite. Each sale is only for a limited time, so order quickly!

The Balm is a really cute high-end brand that has both quality products and adorable packaging! They've been on Hautelook a lot, and honestly it's the way to go since the products are so much cheaper! I made an order as a Christmas present, and I absolutely love anything I received! Shipping does take a while, but nothing was damaged, so no complaints. I'm planning on doing reviews in the future. 

Some recommendations:

Image from The Balm.

• The Balm Nude 'Tude Eyeshadow Palette: The "Naughty" version is available on Hautelook for $18 instead of $36! I have this and absolutely love it so far!

Image from The Balm.

• Frat Boy Shadow/Blush: Get this for $10.50 instead of $21! I am seriously in love with this blush! It gives a lovely peachy pink glow. It's mostly matte, but has a slight sheen. 

Image from The Balm.

• Down Boy Shadow/Blush: Get this for $10.50 instead of $21! This blush is also amazing! It's a matte cool-toned baby pink that looks lovely on fair skin. 

Image from The Balm.

• Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter/Shadow: Get this for $12 instead of $24. This is my new favorite highlighter, which has a beautiful golden sheen! It's very pigmented, and it also works wonderfully as an eyeshadow.

I haven't tried these products yet, but they look amazing!

Image from The Balm.

• Meet Matt(e) Nude Eyeshadow Palette: Get this for $21 instead of $42! This palette just came out as a follow-up to the original Meet Matt(e) Palette. It's a funny play on words, since all the eyeshadows are matte!  

Image from The Balm.

All these brushes look great! I especially want to try both crease brushes since I'm always on the hunt for a new crease brush!

• Powder to the People Powder Brush: $14.50 instead of $29.50.
• Blend a Hand Tapered Foundation Brush: $13 instead of $26.50.
• Give Crease a Chance All over Eyeshadow/Eye Blending Brush: $13 instead of $26.50.
• Eye Believe Eyebrow/Eyeliner Brush: $12 instead of $24.50.
• Crease, Love, and Happiness Smudger Brush/Tapered Crease Brush: $12 instead of $24.50.

There are also a few more eyeshadow palettes, lip glosses, lip sticks, eye make-up remover, single loose eyeshadows, a liquid eyeliner, mascara, more blush, a bronzer, a translucent powder, foundation, concealer, tinted moisturizer, primer, and nail polish.

Let me know if you get anything!

Disclosure: These products were purchased by me for review purposes. I was not paid or compensated in any way. All opinions are my own.

Drugstore Haul!

Hello everyone! I was very naughty and went on a small drugstore shopping spree. In my defense almost everything was on sale! My purchased included:

From Rite Aid:

• Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in Inked in Pink: Finally some new ones in the permanent line! Inked in Pink is a beautiful warm pink with a sheen. You already know I love these and have previously done a review. I love all the ones I own! From the permanent line I own Bad to the Bronze, Bold Gold, Tough as Taupe, Tenacious Teal, and Edgy Emerald. From the fall limited edition line I own Gold Shimmer, Rich Mahogany, Barely Beige, and Mossy Green. I already have swatches of Bad to the Bronze and Bold Gold, but I'd be happy to show more.
• Maybelline Color Whisper in Lust for Blush, Pinup Peach, and Berry Ready: I'm in love with the Revlon Lip Butters, and I've heard that these are similar. I picked the 3 most wearable colors (for me at least). I'll do a review on these once I've played w/ them for a bit.
• NYC Matte Me Crazy Mattifying Top Coat: I've wanted to try a matte topcoat for ages, and I've heard that this one is good. And it was only $1.99.

*I just wanted to note that Maybelline was "buy one get one 50% off," hence my overload of Maybelline!*

From CVS:

• Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner Trio in Warm Nudes: I've bought these same type of eyeliners in the past, and I love them! They do not smudge whatsoever, and they stay put all day. This trio has a black, a copper, and a bronze; all with a bit of gold shimmer/sheen. I usually use them on the lower lash line, but I've heard they work well on the waterline (haven't tried yet). I also own the trios for Blue Eyes (Black, Brown, & Blue w/ blue shimmer) and Nude Eyes (Black, Pewter, & Champagne w/ shimmer). The reason I bought this was because I'm obsessed with the brown from the blue eyes trio. It looks perfect on the lower lash line; it's not too dark but not too soft. I love the nude eye browns, but pewter was a touch too dark and Champagne was too light. I think the copper might be perfect! Also, I love bronze! And yes I know I could have repurchased the blue eyes trio, but I haven't used up the black or blue yet, so I thought that having more was overkill.

*All Physician's Formula was 40% off!

Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in Inked in Pink, Physician's Formula Shimmer Eyeliner Trio in Warm Nudes, and the Maybelline Color Whispers in Lust for Blush, Pinup Peach, & Berry Ready

NYC Matte  Me Crazy Mattifying Top Coat

Swatches of the Physician's Formula Eyeliners from left to right: Black, Copper, & Bronze.
Swatch of Maybelline Color Tattoo in Inked in Pink.

Maybelline Color Whispers in Lust for Blush, Pinup Peach, & Berry Ready

Maybelline Color Whispers in Lust for Blush, Pinup Peach, & Berry Ready (from left to right)

Disclosure: These products were purchased by me for review purposes. I was not paid or compensated in any way. All opinions are my own.

My First Nail of the Day!

This is a cool nail idea I came up with (or at least I think so lol). First do one coat of a dark vampy "oxblood" type of polish.  I used OPI's Black Cherry Chutney, which is a blackened red with subtle red sheen. If you put one coat of China Glaze's Ruby Pumps (blue-based red with red glitter) on top, it really ups the red factor. I love it because it looks super dark in some light, and more of a red glitter in the sun. My cousin's hand is also in the picture; she's got a gunmetal shimmer on with an accent glitter nail.

OPI's Black Cherry Chutney + China Glaze's Ruby Pumps

Disclosure: These products were purchased by me for review purposes. I was not paid or compensated in any way. All opinions are my own.

20% off at Cherry Culture!

Image from Cherry Culture

You know I found another Cherry Culture sale, this time 20% through January 24th to the 31st.  Use the code "V20" at checkout.  Keep in mind that a lot of the NYX products are already discounted plus you get to use the extra 20%. Such a good deal!

I'm Back!

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to apologize for my long absence.  I was really burnt from school and work at the time, so I needed to take a break. I'm going to start posting again, though! I have definitely accumulated a lot of makeup in my absence, so there will be plenty of reviews of both high-end and drug store makeup. I may have a decent collection, but honestly it's what I spend my "fun" money on. I'm not a big clothing, accessory, or anything else shopper.  It's also what I ask for in terms of gifts for Christmas and birthdays. If you like reviews on anything, let me know! Some of my most recent obsessions are The Balm cosmetics and Inglot freedom system eyeshadows! I'm out of town at the moment, so I may post using my iphone before I get home. Until then I have some posts from when I was gone. These are from my iphone so excuse the quality!

This is from Disneyland and is an example of how I do my everyday make-up. I remember using the Maybelline limited edition color tattoo in gold shimmer that day.

Disneyland, Sept 2012

I did some crazy eye make-up for Halloween. I used the costal scents 88 palettes in original and metal mania for the oranges on my lid and the yellow on my lower lash line. The black in the crease is Blackout from the Urban Decay smoked palette. I also used a lot of matte blending colors (Kinky) from the smoked palette. The eyeliner is Urban Decay's perversion on both the upper lash line and waterline.

Halloween eyes, 2012

Halloween, 2012

This is a look I did with the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. In fact it's my "go-to" naked 2 palette look. I used Suspect all over the lid, Snakebite in the crease/outer corner, Foxy/Bootycall on brow bone, and Bootycall in inner corners.

This is my go-to smokey eye. I used the Maybelline color tattoo in tough as taupe as the base.

I have a smokey eye here along with the Revlon lip butter in Red Velvet.

 I have on the Be a Bombshell lipgloss in Hot Mess from the December 2012 Ipsy box, which was my first subscription box ever! I just got January's box if you'd like a review and nail of the day!

That's it for now! Hope you are all having a great day!

Disclosure: These products were purchased by me for review purposes. I was not paid or compensated in any way. All opinions are my own.