Currently obsessed with.....Forever 21 Skirts

The weather here in Los Angeles has been especially nice.  There has been nothing but blue skies and sunshine which definitely has caused me to put my chunky sweaters, heavy layers, and fuzzy boots to the side.  Since I have been trying to put a hold on my make up shopping it has caused me to steer towards my other addiction which is clothes shopping! lol

I am currently obsessed with skirts.  They are just so fun to wear and can make you look casual yet chic.  Not to mention that they are easy to dress up or down depending on if you pair them with flats, boots, or heels!  My favorite way to wear them is with a plain cotton tee, some tights, a cardigan, and either with flats or boots depending on the weather. 

Recently I noticed that Forever 21 has been coming out with some really cute skirts for cheap.  Their skirts range from $13-$19 USD, most of them are under $20 which is a steal!  I am really impressed with the style, price, and quality.  They don't feel cheap and are very comfortable to wear.  I've already bought about 3-4 from them and will probably end up getting more lol  Here are some of my favorites.

Skirts, skirts, skirts, skirts!

I saw this skirt in stores and wanted to get it but I was getting a bunch of other stuff so I passed on it but I will go be back!  The prints are super cute and the material is really soft.  This definitely puts me into the mood for spring.

 I'm loving the sophisticated shape and patterns on this skirt.

I actually recently got this skirt last week and I'm wearing it today with a white top and dark blue tights with grey flats.  The pattern is super cute and it has pockets!

I definitely have a soft spot for anything with stripes.

Really cute patterns, that can easily be paired with most solid colored shirts.

I love the color, and the pockets!  Haha I'm sure you can tell by now I really like skirts with pockets.

Greys, beige, and taupes are definitely my target color for clothes this year.

This skirt just looks too cute and flowly to pass up.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week....toodles!

Orange you just lovely

As I have mentioned in my previous 2010 favorites post, for 2011 I have recently been into bright colors recently especially orange!  Orange to me makes me think of happy, fun, juicy and sweet.  It's just a color that triggers a burst of emotions and also flavors if you are hungry hehe.  I don't own a lot of orange colored products but I am starting to seek them out and collect them slowly.  Today I wanted to share with you guys a few of my favorites.

Lips:

Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense 40

MAC Morange

I had bought these at separate times and didn't even realize they were so similar until I swatched them!  MUFE is on the left and MAC is on the right.  Can you even tell a difference?  I believe I had just discovered a dupe, which makes me kind of sad because I was hoping to have 2 bright orange lipsticks :/

With the dupe discovery on the side I am loving the bright orange/red shades.  They are definitely fun to wear and really can add that "oomph" to any look.  When I'm not wearing much make up I can just slap these lipsticks on and I'm ready to go out on the town.

Gloss:

NYX Sheer Gloss in Peach

Majolica Majorca Honey Plump Gloss OR266

Swatches: NYX right, MM left

These are two of my favorite orange glosses.  They are both pretty sheer when worn alone on the lips but they still give a nice hint of color.

Cheeks:

Benefit Coralista

MAC Ripe Peach

MAC Foolish Me

Swatches: Benefit left, MAC Foolish Me middle, MAC Ripe Peach right

I am loving peachy cheeks more than pinky cheeks this year.

Rock & Republic Immoral

This blush could be easy to over do but with a light hand it brings your cheeks to life!

Eyes:

None :(  I realize I have no orange eye shadows! Looks like it's time to look for some lol

Siwing's Giveaway 

I was the winner of Siwing's Giveaway (http://siwing38.blogspot.com) and the prize was this super cute Coach wristlet!  The pattern reminds me of MAC's Tartan Tale hehe  I might use this as a make up bag.  Thank you so much Siwing for the lovely prize :)

Tag - 2010 Beauty Favorites

Happy Friday!  I'm excited for the 3 day weekend since we are getting Monday off from work in honor of Martin Luther King day.

I was tagged by the lovely Linda at (http://xoladiihoneyxo.blogspot.com/) to do a 2010 Beauty Favorites Tag.  I never got around to doing an actual 2010 favorites so I figured this would be the perfect time.  It's a little late but it's still January so its not too bad lol

1-Which lipstick/ lip gloss did you use most often in 2010?

Chanel Rouge Coco in Mademoiselle

Not too pale not too bright, just perfect.

2011 - I am currently into red and orange lipsticks 

 

2-What was your favorite eyeshadow this year?

Shiseido Integrate Line Power Eyes BE300

Love the color combination and not too shimmery or too matte.

2011 - I am currently into pale colors that brighten up your eyes such as white and silver.

3-What product for the complexion (foundation, blush, etc.,) did you use the most?

Giorgio Armani Sheer Powder Blush #4

 Sunkissed glow any day of the week.

2011 - Still loving the natural finish of Armani blushes and want to collect more

4-Your favorite nail polish color of 2010?

Essie Limited Addiction

Classic yet fierce.

2011 - Really loving nude and beige nails

5-Which skin care product would you not give up under any circumstances?

Aveeno Body Lotion

Non-greasy, super light on the skin yet very moisturizing.  I use this on my face.

2011 - Aveeno forever!

6-What is your favorite personal care product?

Selena Fresh Cotton Pads

 Got this at mitsuwa perfect for removing eye make up and for toners.

2011 - I want to try the Shiseido Cotton Pads but Selena Fresh is still my go to for the price (under $3) 

7- Your usually worn fragrance in 2010?

Dolce and Gabana Light Blue

Refreshing!

2011 - Marc Jacobs Biscotti 

8-What was your personal favorite jewelry piece?

Coffee and Cigarettes Ring

 Boyfriend got me this as a gift a few years back.  Love this ring since I am a coffee lover.

 2011 - Really loving feather earrings

9-What have you discovered in 2010 that is new for you (new products, inspirations, blogs, hobbies, etc.,)?

Contouring and Highlighting

Stila Contouring Trio Palette

 

Sculpted cheeks, and taller nose!

Anastasia Matte Highlighting Pencil

 Favorite pencil for highlighting under the brow bone.

2011 - Starting to explore highlighting creams and bases as well as using darker foundation for contouring

11-Tag other people:

Everyone! I know most of you have already done a 2010 but if you haven't please do, I would love to see what your favorites are :)

OOTDs - Office Casual and Weekend Getaway

I can't believe it's only Tuesday?  lol  This week is passing by so slow already.  The weather here has been pretty chilly and I seem to have this sore throat that I can't seem to kick.  It's like my throat feels fine during the day then starts to throb again at night.

So I find myself really lazy with make up recently.  I mean I do put products on to make me look normal and human but on normal work days I rarely go all out or get creative.  So instead of FOTDs I'll be sharing with you guys some basic OOTDs. 

OUTFIT: Office Casual

I took these pictures at the gym inside my work when no one is around lol  No one has walked in on me taking pictures yet but they would probably give me weird looks if they saw me doing this!

Jean Jacket: Vintage Store

Navy 3/4 sleeve top: H&M

Skirt: F21

Tights: F21

Shoes: Cathy Jean

 

I didn't want to look too business-like so I felt that the jean jacket definitely made the look more casual and laid back.

I love the shirt the navy 3/4 sleeve boat neck shirt I got from H&M, it's so comfortable and it goes with so many things!

 

I have been crazy about beige color clothing lately.  These tights from F21 are my favorite.  They also come in black.

 A messy bun compliments this look so well, plus it's great for people too lazy to style their hair like me!  I wish I had thicker hair so my bun wouldn't look so puny haha

 

OUTFIT: Weekend Getaway

So last weekend a friend of ours came to visit and we decided to have a little mini getaway by taking the train down to Santa Barbara.  I definitely wanted to wear something that was comfortable but still presentable.

 

Cardigan: Madewell

Tunic: Marshalls

Leggings: F21

Shoes: Dolce Vita for Target

 

I have also been into bright bold lips as of lately.  Minimal eye make up but vibrant lips using red or orange lipstick.

 

We only spent 1.5 days there and mainly stayed near the beach area.  The hotel that we stayed at was right across the street from the water.

 

Since we were near the beach all everyone could think of was seafood!  We ended up going to this restaurant called " The Hungry Cat" and got the 3 tier seafood platter.  I definitely got my seafood fix on.

The next day we just ended up just hopping around town eating and drinking.  I ordered this martini called "Love Potion No. 9" mainly because it said it had cotton candy in it.  They basically brought a martini glass filled with cotton candy and then poured the mixture right in front of you.

After I slurped up the Love Potion drink I ended up trying a Basil Martini that had strawberries and honey infused balsamic vinaigrette.  It was super yummy as well!

...and of course I always have to get my signature favorite drink which is a Dirty Martini!  I love olives.  I didn't get all these drinks in a row and at the same time lol  These were all within the duration of my trip :)

Recent Sasa Haul

Howdy!  I am back with a haul post but this was from the end of 2010 so I am still being good in 2011!  I had placed an order with Sasa (www.sasa.com) and it took over a month for me to receive this, even when I paid extra for expedited shipping.  Sasa is notorious for slow shipping but I did expect to receive the items a little bit faster since I did pay extra so I didn't have to wait for their normal shipping time.  So I have to say I'm a little disappointed that it took so long and would probably not pay an extra $8 for faster shipping again.  Their customer service is also very slow to respond to your emails, and sometimes no response at all.  After all this I will probably still continue to order from Sasa since they offer products that I can not get here but I would automatically expect to just forget the order since it won't show up for awhile!

 

I had recently did a mask swap with the super sweet May (http://maysbeautyobession.blogspot.com/) and she sent me some Face Q masks to try out.  After trying them out I was hooked!  I loved the material and the after effects were great!

During the time that I had placed the order I was super tan since I went camping in the desert for Halloween I got about 2-3 times darker than I usually am.  The Luffa + Adlay mask really did the trick in whitening and brightening my skin without drying it out so I decided to stock up on this.  I do love the other flavors that Face Q offers as well but I figured I just buy what I my skin needed at the moment then get the other ones later.

I am only showing 1 box in the picture but I actually ordered 2!

Description from Sasa:

Face Q Luffa +Adlay Mask is a mask with both calming and whitening effect. Enriched with natural luffa extract, the active enzyme can remove dirt and impurities in your skin, enhance skin metabolism. Barley extract can also soften skin, leaving your skin smooth and supple after use. 

 

 

I had also received a sample of this BB Cream from my good blogger buddy Verina from Singapore.  It was her current favorite BB Cream so I was excited to try it for myself.  This BB Cream has amazing coverage, oil control, and brightening effects.  It also didn't irritate my skin or caused any break out problems.  After finishing up the sample I had to get a full size for myself.  I actually asked Verina to pick me up a full size one as well so now I have another one coming from back up.

Description from Sasa:

Dr. G Hydra Intensive Blemish Balm SPF 30 PA++ (BB Cream) contains hydrophilic and lipophilic ingredients, each of these unique formulations works on a cellular level to help face skin achieve and maintain a clearer, healthier look.

The only downside to this BB Cream is that it has a grayish undertone so it can give you a gray cast on your face.  It comes out fairly light but I found it to oxidize to fit my skin tone (I range from NC35-40).  I also top it off with a powder that matches my skin tone and that solves the problem of the grayish undertones.  You can also top it off with a powder foundation if you want more coverage because this works well as a make up base as well.  Overall it is love for me since I haven't tried a BB Cream that has such great oil control ( I have super oily t-zone!).

 

Since I really liked the BB Cream from Dr G. I was curious to try other products from this brand since Sasa carried quite a variety.  As I told you earlier I had gotten super dark from my camping trip so I was in desperate need of some whitening action!  I mean in general I am medium skintone and pretty tan already so I wasn't trying to get pale and white but I just wanted to return to my normal skin color.

I ended up getting the Whitening Serum to try out.  So far I have been using this daily and have seen results.  This stuff really helped brighten up my skin and now it's returning back from super dark to medium tan lol.  The texture of this serum is also very nice, you only need a little bit and it spreads nicely on your face.

Description from Sasa:

Dr.G Whitening LIne α-Melight™ Whitening Serum contains patented ingredientα-Melight™ and Titanium Dioxide to block UV rays and prevent formation of melanin, while Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin and Fucogel hydrate skin and accelerate cell renewal. Vitamin E and Green Tea ingredient provide anti-oxidant and soothing properties while Silcon Powder controls sebum secretion. Skin is left white, translucent, refined and shine-free. 

The texture is more milky and not watery.  It feels more like a light milky serum.

*Random Filler*

I have been talking a lot about sheet masks lately on twitter.  I don't think anyone that I know in real life uses sheet masks besides me so the blog world is my only outlet!

The super sweet Rina (http://rae630.blogspot.com) mask bombed me with some Deary masks when she found out I was interested to try them out.  When I opened the package I was literally in mask heaven, so much to try.  Thanks so much Rina!

 

My cat got to the masks right away.  I guess he thought I laid them all out for him?  He doesn't like getting into boxes but he loves laying on top of things like paper, cardboard, and plastic!

 

Since I've been on a mask binge lately I couldn't help but order the new My Beauty Diary Blooming of Beauty Masks.  It had ice cream on it so I couldn't resist!  I got this right at the end of 2010 when Imomoko had their 15% off special.

 

Don't these look yummy?  Too bad they are Limited Edition :(  The packaging of these masks are also super adorable.  I did try one out the other day and they didn't smell too much like ice cream as I expected.  It had a more sweet rose/vanilla scent.  The mask itself was super hydrating so I definitely recommend these!

 

On another note my roots were starting to show so I decided to color my hair.  I ended up getting the L'oreal Mega Blonde color in light ash brown in hopes that it would turn my dark hair light brown.  I mixed it with a 30 developer since last time I tried 20 and the color didn't really showed up much.  

I'm kind of on the fence with the results.  I wanted light brown but I think it came out a little too light.  My hair does hate me at the moment because every time I color my hair it always feels like death after wards!  Thank goodness for Argan Oil which is really saving my hair at the moment.

Hope everyone is having a good week!