Tag Archives: makeup
January 24, 2013 Beauty resolutions + GIVEAWAY!
Okay, so I talked about some of my new hopes and wishes for the new year, now I want to be a little bit more specific and talk about my new year’s resolutions in terms of beauty and skincare. More and more I’m starting to realize the importance of taking care of my skin, especially considering now is probably the best it’ll ever look (a bit depressing, isn’t it). Anyway, here are some of the things I’m starting to add to my routine this year.
1. Moisturize better.
This encompasses several things. A couple of years ago, I never even bothered to moisturize my face at night, only in the morning. But my skin gets quite dry overnight, so I started using the same moisturizer I use during the day (L’Oreal Active Daily Moisture Lotion, it’s discontinued but still available from Drugstore.com) at night. However, I learned recently that I need to use something different at night. Why? Because my daytime moisturizer has SPF, and it turns out that your skin needs a break from the sunscreen ingredients and it’s better to not wear it all the time. So I got a different night moisturizer (this one) and have been using it religiously.
Speaking of moisturizers with SPF, it’s important to not only use them on your face, but also your neck. So that’s what I started doing. Think about it, your neck is just as exposed to the sun and the skin there is thin and delicate, and that’s often where you see the signs of aging first. I’m also starting to use sun protection on my hands for the same reason.
2. Clean my face better.
This also includes several things. I’ve thought about getting a Clarisonic brush but I just can’t bring myself to spend that much money on it. So I got this little brush instead. It’s only $1 and I was amazed at what it can do! It’s the same type as Lindy of Bubzbeauty uses, and it works great! My face feels so smooth and I’ve been getting fewer pimples since I started using it.
Another thing I started doing is using a toner after I wash my face. I got this one since it was really cheap and 100% natural, and it’s been great. The witch hazel smell took a little getting used to but now it doesn’t bother me at all. (Also you can see how much I love Drugstore.com! It’s awesome. Try it.)
Oh! Another thing I started doing is to let my face air dry after I wash it. Not that there’s anything wrong with towel drying, but I learned that you really should only use face towels once before you need to wash it, otherwise bacteria and other gunk can build up. It’s really inconvenient and not very environmentally friendly to do that, so now I’m trying to change my routine and wash my face before I brush my teeth. By the time I’m done brushing my teeth, my face is pretty much dry. This is great in the morning especially, because the evaporating water cools my face and wakes me up!
3. Take care of my nails and make them look good!
I never even used to do my nails at all until about a year ago. Now I’m addicted! I love taking time out of the day to pamper myself and make my nails look pretty. I finally invested in some more tools and products (a good nail file, base coat, top coat, and nail polish remover) so I can do my own manicures at home. It’s a simple way to make me feel put together and polished (Ha! Bad pun, sorry) every day.
Now it’s your turn! Do you have any beauty and skincare related resolutions or tips? Share them in the comments because I want to know and also because you get a chance to win! Win what? This awesome little beauty pack! One lucky commenter will get:
2 mini bottles of nail polish from e.l.f. in black and nude
A brow kit in dark from e.l.f. (this is a personal favorite!)
NYX eyeshadow in Baby Pink Pearl
A mini bottle of 100% argan oil from Josie Maran
A booklet of highlighter paper from Mai Couture
A small can of hairspray from Sexy Hair
A white ginger massage soap bar from Portico Spa
An eyeliner brush from Soho Beauty
…And everything comes in this cute little makeup bag!
So again, the rules:
- To enter, leave a comment letting me know your beauty/skincare resolutions and/or any beauty tips and tricks.
- Make sure to leave your email when you comment so I can contact you if you win!
- Only one entry per person.
- Giveaway ends Jan. 31 at midnight PST.
- The winner will be randomly chosen the following week.
- This giveaway is for residents of the US only.
Good luck and stay beautiful! :)
Tags: beauty, giveaways, makeup, nails, resolutions, skincare
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January 16, 2012 Mascara feeling extra clumpy? This could be why (and how to fix it!)
Last week when I went to put on mascara (the Rimmel Volume Accelerator, to be exact), I was horrified to find that it was super clumpy! I’d never had a problem with it before, so I was perplexed as to why. I came to the conclusion that since I was back home in Canada and my parents keep the house absolutely frigid (it’s ok, we just put on extra sweaters), it could be affecting my mascara! So I ran the tube under hot water for about a minute, and that fixed the problem right away! I think it went on even more smoothly than before, so I might even do this every time before I put it on now. I’d never thought about the effect of temperature on makeup products before, but it totally makes sense. Hope this little trick comes in handy the next time you have problems with clumpy mascara!
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August 22, 2011 Eyeliner for Asian eyes
This is the long-awaited follow-up post to my previous post on make-up for Asian eyelashes! A couple of readers wanted to know how I do eyeliner and eye shadow, so here it goes for eyeliner. I guess this isn’t really specifically targeted at Asian eyes, but as someone who does have Asian eyes this is how I do things.
Ok, so first let’s talk about the actual eyeliner pens/pencils. Here are a few that I use the most:
I’ll just go over them now and talk about how I use them later.
The first 2 are the CoverGirl Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner. I’ve only ever used the plum and black color, and they are very different. The black goes on a lot smoother and darker but also smudges very easily, and the plum is more subtle and doesn’t smudge as much. And you don’t have to sharpen these – big plus!
The third one down is my favorite liner ever – it’s by MAC but I got it in China. It’s a liquid liner pen. It looks and feels like a very fine felt tipped pen and it’s so easy to use. I believe it’s the Penultimate Eye Liner, but I’d have to try it and see if it’s the same. I love liquid liner pens because they create precise, sharp looking lines and don’t smudge!
The fourth one is one I recently bought – the Waterproof Eyeliner Pen from e.l.f. It’s another liquid liner pen since my MAC one is starting to run out and I’m looking for a replacement. This one works pretty well, the tip is not as high quality (it’s a little harder and rougher) and the color saturation can be a little “eh”, but for only $1 and tons of colors it’s a pretty good deal!
The last one is also from e.l.f., the Shimmer Eyeliner Pencil. They come in all sorts of pretty colors and are soft and go on easily (but also a little bit smudgey). And you have to sharpen which I hate. But they are very pretty and sparkly.
Ok! So now this is how I actually do my eyeliner for just an everyday look. I feel a little silly posting this because it’s so simple. I usually line my top lash line with a pen liner, going right along the lash line from the inner corner to the outer corner of the eye. I always, always, do a mini cat-eye at the outer corner, by extending the line up and out just a little bit. Here I used the MAC liner pen.
What about the bottom lash line? If I’m lazy or short on time, I usually do nothing. But if I feel like doing a little extra, I take a softer pencil liner in a lighter color and line the bottom lash line from the outer corner and extending about 2/3 of the way in. Here I used the CoverGirl in plum.
And that’s it! Here’s another look:
Notice how the top and bottom lines don’t actually meet, which makes for a very simple, subtle look you can wear everyday.
And then you can do variations of this look by using different liners and colors. For example, using the e.l.f. shimmer liner on the bottom creates a really cute and playful look, and using any smudgeable pencil liner on the top can make thing less harsh and softer.
If you want something a little more dramatic, here’s something I’ve figured out how to do just recently. Using a combination of black liquid pen liner and a softer pencil liner, I’ve lined the top of the lash line from corner to corner, and the bottom 2/3 as before. But I’ve extended both lines and joined them together at the outer corner of the eye and again did a small cat-eye.
This will make your eyes look much bigger and brighter and this heavier look is perfect for nighttime!
This look is also great for glasses since I find that they wash out your make-up. What do you think?
I’m no beauty expert by any means, but I hope this was somewhat helpful! And keep experimenting because each person is unique and you never know what looks good on you until you try it.
May 27, 2011 Make-up for Asian eyelashes
So, as you may have noticed… I’m Asian. Which means that I have typical short, straight Asian eyelashes. Which makes it very difficult to make them look curly, long, and luscious with anything. This has frustrated me for many years and has led to much not-so-successful experimentation with make-up. But I think that after so many trials, I’ve finally figured it out! Behold, before and after results with only 2 products:
Magical, right? So what are the 2 things I used? None other than the The Shu Uemura eyelash curler and the Imju Fiberwig mascara. The Japanese really know their stuff!
So here is my eye with nothing on. Lashes point straight out.
Step 1! The Shu Uemura eyelash curler. Sephora USA doesn’t carry it anymore, but it looks like you can still get it online. I got mine at Sephora in Canada. This curler is actually pretty awesome. It doesn’t hurt, doesn’t crimp your lashes, and the curl actually lasts even without mascara (I curled my lashes then slept for 8 hours and by the morning they are still curly!).
You can already start to see a difference! Work the curler some more and this is what you get:
If I’m short on time in the morning, I would actually just rock this look. Really natural, but it makes your eyes look so much more awake! But with just a few more minutes… apply one coat of the Imju Fiberwig mascara. (What the hell, does Sephora not carry anymore this either?!)
I love this mascara… it really lengthens your lashes, doesn’t clump, gives a soft and feathery feeling to your lashes, and comes off with just warm water! I got mine on eBay, which is a lot cheaper, but make sure that it’s from a reputable seller. (The Shu curler, on the other hand, should not be bought on eBay – there is a lot of counterfeit ones and it just won’t be worth it). One coat is usually enough for me, and I find that additional coats tend to clump more, but if you want, feel free to add more coats. This is with 2 coats:
And there you go! So easy, right? It literally takes 5 minutes, but the results really are fantastic.
Bonus tips:
1. Some people complain that the Fiberwig doesn’t give enough volume, which I’m ok with, but if you want more volume, after one coat of the Fiberwig, add another coat with your favorite volumizing mascara (I like the CoverGirl LashBlast). Always Fiberwig first though! That way you get length first before volume, and it still washes off with just water since your lashes are coated directly with the Fiberwig.
2. A little squeeze with the curler midway through your day will refresh the curl in an instant! Just don’t overdo it or do it too hard, you don’t want to break your lashes when they’re already coated in mascara.
3. For a more dramatic look, false lashes are the way to go. I actually only use 1 piece of the false lashes each time: I cut it in half, and then use each half on each eye, with the side with the longer lashes on the outside of your eye (does that make sense?). This way they are not as likely to fall off and they will look more natural.
That is all! Woohoo for my first ever beauty post! I’m not a make-up expert by any means, but I hope you’ve found this helpful. Let me know if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions!
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