Wednesday, December 02, 2015

Sephora VIB Sale Haul | Holiday Gift Ideas

Hi everyone, it has been hectic as I'm flying home in 2 days. I have been doing some packing and last minute shopping. I also still need to tidy up my place so I won't come back to a mess. Here's the last video I posted on my channel. I had been saving up for this annual VIB sale, and I'm so happy with what I got. I haven't tried everything yet, but I will give you updates as I do.


I also have plans for upcoming videos for this month that I am excited about. Some of them involve my family! Yay! I hope you have a wonderful December!

PRODUCTS MENTIONED:
First Aid Beauty Peace, Joy & FAB kit - http://goo.gl/3oRoUQ
Laura Mercier loose setting powder - http://goo.gl/Z7US6Q
L'Occitane Shea Butter Foot Cream - http://goo.gl/kaqLmW
Dior Diorsking Pore Minimizer Universal - http://goo.gl/67UVlV
Fresh Sugar Lips Passion - http://goo.gl/skTruK
NARS Sheer glow foundation in santa fe - http://goo.gl/mYt1Tv 
Sephora Sleeping Mask discovery set ( SOLD OUT)
Fresh Seabery Skin nutrition booster - http://goo.gl/DkexOI
Sephora favorite beauty unmasked (SOLD OUT)

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Makeup Menu | Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation



Today's makeup menu features some of my old favorites. Still using Laura Mercier eye basics base in wheat, I topped the look with L'Oreal infallible eye shadow in amber rush. It is so easy to use. I just use my fingers to blend the product all over my lids and with a matte brown shadow, I blend into the crease to create more depth and definition. I lined the look with a brown pencil liner and curled the lashes and topped it with mascara. 


The special for today is the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. I forgot how great this foundation was! It lifts up to its name by giving healthy glow finish to the skin. I used the shade light bronze which might be a little too dark for me, but I think I still can get away with it by blending it out. It is so easy to blend and applies gorgeously on the skin. It really makes my skin glow healthily!  I used Benefit erase paste for under the eyes. It brightens and smooths out the appearance under there which makes me look more awake and fresh. I paired with Hourglass ambient lighting powder in diffused light, which adds even extra glow. 

Friday, November 06, 2015

Holiday 2015 | Tarte Dressed to the Nines LipsSurgence


This is by far the best deal I've got. With $34, you get 9 high quality lip cremes. They are all pigmented and last long. The set comes with three individual gift boxes which is perfect for gift giving. What I appreciate most is that the individual size is not mini size like what Fresh has for its sugar lip treatments. The size is legit and they don't feel fragile at all. I feel like it's pretty much the size of a lipstick, maybe a bit smaller.


They all smell minty, which can be overpowering. If you don't like it, then this might not be for you. I personally don't mind. I can hardly notice it once I'm wearing it. My favorite one is Pizzaz , which is the boldest color in the middler here. 

Tuesday, November 03, 2015

Makeup Menu | Becca Rouge Eye Palette


This is a selection of makeup in my current rotation. I always try to rotate what I use every week, just so I get to try new products and essentially be "fair" if you know what I mean ;).


Starting from the face, it's no news that I've been enjoying TooFaced Born This Way foundation. I have a video all about it, so I'm not gonna rave long. It's just my new favorite for easy, natural makeup look, which I tend to always go for. Laura Mercier foundation primer has been my go-to lately for my makeup base. I got this a while ago when I redeemed my VIB points. I also have been using  Burberry Luminous fluid base under my foundation to give a more glowy look. I personally think it works best as a base under a more less coverage foundation. It has very subtle shimmer, yet so pretty. I also bust out my Nars Virtual Domination cheek palette I got last year. It was a limited edition, but Sephora has some out with this year's version.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Bite Beauty Best Bite Rewind

Sephora  exclusive Bite Beauty Best Bite Rewind

Bite Beauty has one of the best lip products. The lipsticks are super pigmented and they glide like nothing else. The kit comes with four matte creme lip crayons in a tin with a mirror on it. This is a limited edition, and I expect it to be sold out once the VIB sale kicks in which is usually in the beginning of November. 


Cafe, Torte, Coulis, Aubergine

 I personally think all the colors are pretty wearable. Cafe is a peachy-brown nude shade. It's not too nude, and it's not the kind of shade that will wash out your complexion wearing it. Torte is described as brown-toned rose. I would say it's a natural shade, and slightly deeper than my natural lips shade. Coulis is raspberry red, which is more orange-y, and Aubergine is an eggplant shade, which for me more like a deeper berry.

They are all matte, but they glide on really smoothly. They don't dry my lips at all, which is amazing. You can build up the intensity, although it's practically opaque only with one layer of application.


My mom asked me to buy this book for her. The title is Happiness Is... 500 things to be happy about. It has all these random pictures. I just think they are adorable and so cute yet so true.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Beginning of Fall | Chic Casual - BR Sloan-fit Slim Pants


It's one of my favorite time in the year. Top 10 easy. When the leaves are starting to change color, and Fall just looks so pretty. The weather is starting do get cooler and cooler which is very refreshing to get away from the late summer heat. 

                                        

I don't normally wear high heels, but this day I thought why not. I feel like there was a phase where I wanted to wear heels because that's what girls my age were doing. I wanted to wear heels because they look cool and sexy. Really. But if I'm being honest to myself, I am never a high-heel girl. I'm just not. But it doesn't mean that I'm gonna stop buying heels ever. Ha! Girls will be girls. 

Loft jacket (extra 40% off!), Banana Republic Pants, Ann Taylor heels (old)

I love the sloan pants from Banana Republic. It really fits well, and it looks great under t-shirt because it has almost seamless waistline, no pocket and hidden zipper so it won't look bulky under t-shirt. It also looks very chic with shirt tucked in. I bought to sizes to try, 4 short and 6 petite. I went with 6 petite, although now it seems that I should've gone with 4 petite. 

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Ulta 20% Off Everything Sale (10% off Prestige Brands)

I was hoping to receive 20% off code for everything including the prestige brands this year. I wonder if it's because I am no longer a platinum member. I had some issue with my account and it was recently resolved. I lost almost all the points for the past 2 years, and it kinda sucked.
I was a bit disappointed with the promo code, but since there are some of Ulta exclusive holiday items, I thought it's still worth sharing.

If you have an account with Ulta, you should have received the promo code on your email. The sale starts today through October 31st. The code can only be used once, so you need to plan ahead.



Continue reading for my tips and picks !

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Ann Taylor Classic Trench Coat


I've tried quite different kinds of trench coat, and none really quite worked for me without any additional work done.  I know Ann Taylor has its own version of trench coat, but I missed the boat last year. I finally picked it up this year, and I am quite pleased with the measurement. 

For once, it has both regular and petite sizing. I always opt with petite sizing whenever possible because it usually has better fit for me length and width-wise. 


Sorry for the blurry picture. I accidentally erased the other pictures. The coat falls just a little bit on top of my knees which is more flattering for someone who's 5'2" like me. A few inches longer, then I would look like I'm in someone else's coat. Watch my video to see the demo and more detailed review. 





Monday, October 12, 2015

Fall Edit | Old Navy Tee Dress


I was surprised how well this Old Navy dress fits me. I didn't hope for anything when the dress came in the mail, but I was pleasantly surprised with the quality and fit of the dress. I tried on 2 sizes, one in small regular and one in medium petite because I know this kind of dress is more fitted in nature, and I don't like it to be too tight. As expected, the petite fits more flattering on me length-wise. 


The regular falls about 2 inches lower which makes a huge difference in the overall look. I like how comfortable this dress is, and how affordable it is! It's currently on sale for $15 on the website, so I highly recommend to check it out.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Basic Essential | Old Navy Denim Jackets

Old Navy Denim Trucker Jacket sz S, Zara t-shirt (old)

Speaking of wrong outfit in the wrong day! My place was quite cool during the day, so without checking the weather assumed it was a cooler day outside. It wasn't. California weather keeps changing, and it's still so hot even though it's technically Fall already. The denim jacket was useful for protecting me from the heat of the sun. It was crazy!

I can't wait for Fall, with layers and all. Denim jacket is a very versatile item to have in your wardrobe. It can be worn on top of a maxi dress or just paired with casual outfit like I have on in the picture. I tried on three different denim jackets before finally deciding to keep this. I love the wash. It's a perfect medium wash, which gives a true classic look of denim. 

It also has more fitted build, which makes it more flattering for me. I found another one very similar from Target. The both look almost identical with the exceptions of a few details:

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Fall Edit 2015 | 5 Shades of Red


Fall is just around the corner. Personally, I can't wait. I now I will be complaining when the weather gets super chilly, but for now I am super excited for Fall. The cooler weather, the falling leaves, the autumn color. It has been so hot so long, and since it never rains where I live ever, I am praying for more rain this coming fall. California has been in drought for so many years that people say brown is the new green now. =(

Anyway, back to beauty talk. I was browsing around my lipstick collection, and I've drawn into the deep red look lately. Although it is still a bit challenging for me to just go out and pull it off. I love bold lips. but for me it requires more effort to put together and just be confident wearing it. I am also currently drawn to matte formula. Matte wasn't my first choice when it comes to beauty products. Not for foundation nor lips. There was a phase where I was all about nude matte lipstick, and for the longest time I hadn't seen myself going back to the matte phase until now. It's funny how your taste just changes from time to time without any exact reason. So here are the swatches:

Monday, September 14, 2015

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed & theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Swatch comparison


Becca is known for its superb highlighters, so I was really curious to try it out. I see the Shimmering Skin Perfector pressed version looks a lot like my personal favorite highlighter from theBalm,
Mary-Lou Manizer. This particular one is in the shade champagne pop. 



The side-to-side swatches look very similar, but the Becca shimmering perfector has more yellow/golden tone in it whereas Mary-Lou manizer is actually more champagne. Both look pretty and not-at-all subtle. I also find Becca has smoother finish. It is more effortless to put on, but it doesn't mean Mary-Lou manizer is hard to apply. But comparing the two side by side, I need to really pick on every little detail. Other than that, both look and perform pretty similar to me.

Wednesday, September 09, 2015

5 Makeup Product I Enjoy Lately | TooFaced Foundation, Affordable Foundation brush, and more!

Hi everyone! I have tried new makeup this month, and I have videos lined up for you on my channel www.youtube.com/heyamadea. I have been trying to post new video at least once a week. My schedule is to post every Friday. I truly appreciate if you'd check it out and subscribe =).


Moving on to makeup I enjoy lately. I love TooFaced Born This Way foundation. I have a video coming up this Friday all about it, so stay tuned! I got the shade Light Beige, and it's pretty spot on with my skin tone. It feels and looks natural on the skin, and it holds up pretty well during heat and sweat. The foundation really makes me feel like I was "born this way". I got a medium coverage with only one layer of application. I still need to put on concealer if I want to have a really perfect flawless skin, but I don't usually go for that. 

I also fell in love with Sephora Rouge Infusion lip stain. I have the shade peony. It's a really pretty natural pink color which would look great on any skin tone. I fell in love at first application. It feels buttery and smooth on the lips. It is very opaque, so I don't need to put on a lot of the product on my lips. I am eager to try on more shades. 

Thanks to Emily from Beauty Broadcast, I've found a very affordable foundation brush from Target. It's the complexion brush from the Up&Up brand. It's very soft and dense, but not too dense which makes blending foundation easy. The bristle doesn't shade, and it only costs $6.99! It is comparable to the kabuki brushes from Sigma. 

I'm pretty late in the hype with Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector. I got the shade moonstone, and it's just very unique. It is sooo different than liquid highlighters I got from the drugstore. It stands out and it really makes my face look glowy and dewy. It stays put and it reflects light like nobody's business! I am so in love with this!

I also rediscovered an old favorite. It's Mary-Lou Manizer from theBalm. It's my holy grail of highlighter. It is not subtle, which I really like from a highlighter. I also like subtle highlighters, depending on my mood, but in general I find myself reaching out for this again and again. It's just such a great highlighter, and I think every makeup enthusiast should have one in their collection. 

Thank you guys for reading! I have videos featuring some of these favorites coming up in the next several weeks. So stay tuned!

Monday, September 07, 2015

Ulta 21 Days of Beauty

I hope everyone is doing well. There are some pretty good deals that are happening right now at Ulta, and I want to point out some of my picks.

Ulta 21 Days of Beauty
Ulta features daily beauty steals for 21 days, and some of the products included are worth checking out. The nice thing about it is they already have a calendar set up for each of  the beauty steal of the day, so you can easily plan ahead. Here are my picks:

 9/9 - TooFaced La Creme lipstick. I love the formula. It's so creamy and sits nice on the lips. For 50% off, it's a very good deal.

9/13 - Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara. It's one of my favorite mascara. If you have wimpy lashes like mine, lashes that like to face down that is, this mascara will hold up curl without weighing them down.

9/15 - It Cosmetics Eyelift in a tube. I have never tried this one, but It Cosmetics is known for its complexion products, and I am so excited to try this one. It's essentially an under-the-eye concealer mixed with brightener which would give the look of "instant lift".

9/23 - Cargo blushes. Another product I have really been wanting to try out. I've seen it on action and heard about how long-wearing it is.

9/24 - Maly Beauty Face defender. This is pretty much the new form of blotting paper or touch-up powder. It takes away the shine and get rid of the oil without putting more product and without any used oily paper. This is odorless and colorless.

Let me know what you get or any recommendation is welcome!

Friday, September 04, 2015

TooFaced Born This Way Foundation


I've heard great things about the foundation, and I couldn't wait to try for myself. In the video, I show you the application process and how the foundation wears through out the day. I gave updates every several hours to report on how the foundation performs. Initial comparison, as you can see from the picture, it gives instant flawless coverage. It doesn't feel heavy at all. I didn't feel like I was wearing foundation. It is so light yet so full coverage. I am impressed!

Only after one application


I still continue to use it, and I still love it to this day. The finish is very natural and it's the type of foundation that I can use everyday without looking too much.

Thursday, September 03, 2015

Nordstrom End-of-Summer Clearance Sale Picks

The sale started on the first day of September, so I thought this would be a great time to share some of the items worth checking out.

1. Rebecca Minkoff Love Crossbody bag (reviewed here). This is one of my favorite finds this year. The one I have has a different pattern and color, but I do think this color is pretty too. I love the quilted pattern, and the gold/taupe-ish color combo is a good natural shade which matches pretty much any outfit. It has a sturdy build, but the inside is actually pretty spacious. I get to bring my essentials - wallet,phone, some makeup products which I show you on my video.

2.Topshop 'Scout' Double Breasted Trench Coat. There's only one size left. For Topshop, I usually wear size 4 or 6 depending on the clothing item. Topshop coats I've tried on are usually very soft and well-made. This has great reviews on the Nordstrom website.

3. Topshop Double Breasted Cotton Trench. Another alternative with straighter cut. This is Nordstrom exclusive and one of the new item in their Fall line.  I tried it on, unfortunately this was too long for my liking, and I didn't want to take a risk having it hemmed.

That's all from me. Let me know your recommendations!


Tuesday, September 01, 2015

Rebecca Minkoff Love Crossbody Bag



This is one of my favorite finds for this coming Fall. The style reminds me of the Boy Chanel flap bag that I absolutely adore. This is a more affordable alternative that offers great quality and style.
I was in defense at first whether to keep the bag or not, but I decided to keep it because the style is just so versatile. It instantly dresses up my outfit even when I'm just wearing a plain white tee and boyfriend jeans. Love this bag!
Nordstrom is currently having its end-of-summer sale for 40% off. Although this bag is for the coming Fall, they actually have something similar in different color and pattern. It's currently 40% off. Go check it out!

Friday, August 07, 2015

My Workout Story

 
Hi everyone! I started this #healthy2015 earlier this year. I remember during tax season this year, I worked late hours, yet I felt I still had the energy from working out. I went Zumba and sometimes just ran on the treadmill. I  felt energized and good about that. Ever since then, I was committed to make a change of my lifestyle. I loveeeee doing nothing. Believe me. I love being a couch potato watching Youtube videos on my laptop.

Monday, July 27, 2015

San Francisco Lamb Jam 2015


Thanks to my friend, me and my boyfriend got to experience a different culinary adventure on Sunday. She invited us to go with her and her husband to this Lamb Jam event, which is apparently an annual thing hosted by American Lamb. The Lamb Jam is a tasting  event and competition of talented chefs in the city (they have 5 tour cities total) to incorporate their skills and lambs. They have 16 chefs compete, and we got to taste 16 different lamb dishes, plus drinks and desserts. 





We had so many dishes served in small plates, but we were full and satisfied. Not everything was my favorite, but it was overall an exciting experience. I can't remember for the life of me which one is what, but I could show you some of the pictures of the food I tasted. Even though it was supposed to be a tasting event, the portion was pretty generous and filling. 

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

FOTD: Effortless Summer Glow



I've been loving the summer weather here. It's not too hot. It's just perfect. Last Sunday, as my skin was acting up, I didn't feel like piling up heavy foundation to cover them up. Yet, I still wanted to look put together. I combined two of my most helpful products lately, a tinted moisturizer and a powder foundation. Together, they don't give a heavy makeup look, but they give effortless natural put-together look. Okay, I know it's not really effortless when you actually put on something on your face, but you know what I mean ;).



I used Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer in the shade nude. This is actually a little too light for me. I got it with my Sephora 500-point perk. I then buffed on Tarte Amazonian clay airbrush foundation in the shade light-medium neutral with Real Techniques buffing brush. . It's a mineral powder foundation which has a pretty decent amount of coverage. I used the new RT sculpting brush to contour with NYX H&C palette. I mixed the two middle contour shades. I also mixed the two middle highlight shades on the triangle area under my eyes. They really did a good job in brightening and highlighting the area. They give that pretty glow on my face. For blush, I used my old time favorite, Tarte Amazonian clay 12-hour blush in buff.  For lips, I used my new Burberry lipstick in nude pink, which I forgot to include in the picture.

I can't believe summer is just one month left! I can't imagine parting with this awesome weather! How is summer in your place?


Monday, July 20, 2015

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2015: Burberry Beauty Nude Glow Set

 
Nordstrom is having its anniversary sale right now featuring the new fall collection. The prices will go up on the first week of August. It's my second year getting sucked in to the amazing deal Nordstrom has to offer. One of the things I picked up is this beauty set by Burberry. I've heard Burberry launched its beauty products a while ago, but I haven't really heard a lot of people talking about it. So when I saw this set, I decided to try them out myself.

The set includes:
full size Fresh Glow Luminous fluid base No. 01 nude radiance (retails for $48)
full size Lipstick in No. 05 nude pink (retails for $33)
full size Bold lash mascara No. 01 ebony (retails for $29)
sample size My Burberry perfume
Burberry beauty bag

I would say for $78, it is a very good value. You get all full size products (not counting the perfume sample) and a beautiful beauty bag, which I really adore. It looks fancy and and feels really good quality-wise. After learning more about the beauty line, I find that Burberry goes for a more natural flawless, as we can see on their fashion show looks. It's all about "your skin but better" look. 

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Estee Lauder Double Wear Makeup




Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup shade 2N1 desert beige

I've been wanting to try Estee Lauder foundation for a long time now, but I just hadn't done it yet. Now, that I have, I wonder I hold off so long to try it out! You just need the smallest amount to have amazing coverage. I just needed one layer to even out my complexion and cover the redness.

I'm very impressed with the coverage.It shouldn't be surprising, since it is known for its great cover-up. I do feel like I can't really get natural look out of this foundation because it's relatively thicker and creates a heavier makeup look. I can feel I am wearing makeup when I use this, which is not always a bad thing. Sometimes it's what I'm going for even though I'm more of a natural look kind of gal. 

The scent reminds me of pen ink. Really. I know it's so random, but that's how it smells like to me! I use pen all the time at work, so the ink scent is familiar to me. It's not so strong that makes me don't want to use it, but it's something to keep in mind for people who are sensitive to scents. Then again, maybe it's just me and my weird nose =).

leftt - Estee Double Wear powder shade 2N1 desert beige
middle - NYX stay matte not flat powder foundation shade 07 warm beige
right - MAC mineralize skinfinish natural shade medium plus
I also picked up the powder foundation in the same line. I got the shade 2N1, the same shade as the foundation. It is no doubt a powder with serious coverage. I wouldn't use this as a touch-up product on the go. It feels really smooth and buttery. It helps even out the the skin tone and mask redness when topped on a less-coverage foundation. It reminds me of my old favorite, NYX stay matte but not flat powder foundation which, as you can see from the picture, has even more opaque swatch. The double wear looks a lot like MAC mineralize skinfinish natural. The packaging itself is a little bit thicker than I would prefer allowing a compartment for a sponge, which I personally never use. The powder doesn't have any smell to me. 

Have you tried any product from the line yet? What are your thoughts?


Tuesday, June 23, 2015

LOTD: Blurred Imperfection - Summer Wedding Look


My good friend got married on Saturday. It was the funnest wedding I've ever been to simply because she is such a fun girl. She was literally the life of the party. She sang "All About That Bass" and danced on the dance floor while encouraging people to dance and sing along with her. It was awesome. She was a rock star. 

Since it was a summer wedding, I thought of a more rosy kind of look. The eye look is basically the my favorite for the past couple of years. I just love incorporating rosy shades with purple eyeliner. The foundation is the star of the makeup look I'm going for here. I fell in love in first try with Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide foundation. It does not only smoothen as the name suggests, but it blurs pores and imperfection. I love love love how this looks onto the skin. 

Saturday, May 30, 2015

NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette


Contour and highlighting  have been in season lately. They have always been popular, but lately the hype is on another level. Companies come up with their own contour & highlighting palettes. I use matte bronzer for contouring and a highlighter to highlight. I finally join in the wagon and tried the NYX Highlight & Contour Pro palette. Relatively cheaper than the high-end products out there for $24.50 retail price. I got mine with the $3.50 off coupon at Ulta. 


The palette comes with 4 highlight shades and 4 contour shades. Two of the highlight shades in the middle are relatively matte, The other two on the ends have shimmer but they're not at all glittery. I use the yellow tone (the third one from the left) as setting powder on highlighting concealer around the upper part of the apples of my cheeks, kinda create a little triangle. I then use the shimmery one on top of the apples of my cheeks after blush. 

Friday, May 29, 2015

#HealthyHike | Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park

The #HeathyHike is going strong. We went hiking again last Saturday to Pleasanton Ridge National Park. We hiked 6 miles for about 3 hours. The view was so beautiful!