2014 | year in review

So here it is, my year in review. I think it's really nice to think back and reminisce about the good things that happened this year. This year has been particularly good to me, and I'm really happy for the things that I got to do. Most of these pictures were taken on my phone, before I got a fancy shmancy camera - but I still hold them close to my heart cause memories are still memories. It's a lot easier to capture moments on a cellphone camera rather than a heavy DSLR anyway!

2014 favorites | makeup part 3: eye makeup!

Of course eye makeup will have its own post... For me, it's the most fun part about makeup, even though I don't have the time to play around with it every day. Here's the list of eye makeup that I find myself using consistently!

2014 favorites | makeup part 2: blushes, bronzers, and highlight

After I apply my concealer and sometimes-foundation, my face is looking pretty blank and flat! Here are my favorite blushes, highlight, and bronzers to add the color back in.

dolce & gabbana blush in tan 22 » It says blush, but it's clearly an overpriced bronzer. Even so, I'll buy this over and over because it's just that good. I have a review, here!

benefit hoola bronzer » Unfortunately just one bronzer isn't enough for me because I go completely bananas when it comes to contouring. Hoola is darker and more pigmented than the D&G one, so this one goes on just the hollows of my cheeks.

too faced a la mode eyes » BECKY THAT'S AN EYESHADOW PALETTE-- I know, I know! But, I like super shimmery highlights and even though it doesn't look natural at all... well, I like it so much to the point where I use La Croisette which is a SUPER pigmented and shimmery eyeshadow, as my highlight. I might look into the Becca highlighters but at almost $30..... I'm going to cry.

too faced full bloom ultra flush blush in cocoa rose » My go-to neutral blush, it works with both neutral and more out-there looks. I believe this is the first ever high-end blush I bought as well, around 2 years ago. Since then it seems like they've been out of stock of this shade in particular, and I really hope it's not discontinued.

tarte 12-hour amazonian clay blush in captivating » The perfect coral on the cheeks, I like using this when my makeup is fairly neutral to give a pop of color. I've been using it for a while and the imprint doesn't seem to fade away. Magic, I tell you.

The last of the makeup favorites series will be up tomorrow, featuring my favorite eye products! Unfortunately the hair and bodycare favorites won't be up until sometime in January (it feels so weird saying that!) since I'm saving the 31st for a post that will be special to me.

2014 favorites | makeup part 1: bases & details

After sorting through my makeup favorites from this year... there's too many! I'm sure most of you guys can relate, haha. I'm be splitting this section into a few separate posts, cause I don't like having super long posts myself. So here's part one of the (hopefully) makeup favorites trilogy: bases, and the little things at the end that tie everything together.

I'm changing things up a little bit by trying out different styles in writing... Usually I like to provide a (quite lengthy) mini review but I'll try to shorten things up a little bit especially since most of these products aren't new to the blog... I suppose that's the point of having these as my all-time favorites this year, though! A lot of these are featured in my everyday makeup post as well, if you'd like to read about how I use these products.



First things first I'm the realest - the things I slap on my face after skincare...

2014 favorites | skincare

2014 was the year where I discovered and frequently lurked /r/skincareaddiction thanks to James and learned so much about taking care of my skin. I'd recommend the subreddit to anyone, whether you're struggling with skin issues or not. The main things I changed in my skincare routine are using oils, switching over to an inexpensive moisturizer that does the same job as some of my favorite high-end ones, and most importantly using sunscreen. So, here are my favorite skincare products from this year!

merry christmas!

I've been super busy these past few days, from preparing Christmas cards and presents to taking care of a knocked-out drunk from a holiday party at work... It was a pretty interesting night, but I hope something like that never happens again. Anyway, regular posting, replies, and comments will resume soon!

I know maybe not everyone celebrates Christmas - but it's what I celebrate, so I think it's more natural for me to say that. But whoever you are what whatever you celebrate, I hope your holiday is full of family and friends, and lots of good food!

current playlist #1

I think I have a very eclectic taste in music. I'll listen to anything and everything, and I'm more inclined to say I don't like a certain song rather than an artist or a genre. It's very (very!) random and all over the place in terms of lyrics and melodies, but here's some of the songs I have on repeat at the moment...

1. Trash Show! - Late Cambrian
2. Iggy SZN - Iggy Azalea
3. Cannibal - Ke$ha
4. Hey, Soul Sister - Train
5. Life of a Salesman - Yellowcard
6. LOVE & ROLL - supercell
7. Foxes - Echo
8. Demons - Iggy Azalea

What are your favorite songs at the moment? Also, trying to balance a cup of hot tea on a pillow, next to your phone is never a good idea.

ootd | black on black + sock review?!

top » american eagle

shorts » hurley

tights » american eagle

socks » sock dreams (here)

shoes » steve madden (here)

Usually I like to post in the mornings but I couldn't because of bad timing - but oh well, it happens! Here's a quick outfit of the day, for today/technically yesterday. I really, really, really wanted to wear shorts today but it's still pretty cold, so I wore tights underneath and layered with a pair of long, thick socks. It did a pretty good job of keeping my legs warm, so I'm looking forward to wearing more shorts this winter :)

If you're on the lookout for some good quality socks I highly recommend Sock Dreams, which is where I got mine from. They meant it when they named these long cuffable scrunchable socks, because they are super long even when they are cuffed at the top and scrunched. They can reach up to the uppermost portion of my thighs and would still have room to go if my legs didn't end there. The only problem is that it's one size only, so the foot portion of the socks has a lot of wiggle room, as opposed to.... "normal" socks that conform to your feet, if that makes sense. Still, at the price point and comfort, it's something I can overlook.

I can already tell that these will be my favorite socks for the wintertime, and I'm planning on ordering more colors soon.

succulent

Earlier last week, I bought my first succulent! Or rather Wei bought it for me cause I didn't have cash on hand, but I paid him back a couple days later so it still counts as my own purchase? Anyway I really wanted one, cause it's really tiny and cute - the pot is a little less than 2" in diameter! We joked that it would look even cuter in shot glasses.

I remember buying a mint plant once, and my mom said I should have taken the mint that was growing outside the front yard since it grows like wild there, haha. Anyway, my mint ended up dying cause I guess I didn't water it enough. Luckily succulents aren't as needy as mint - the lady selling these said they only need to be watered every 3 or 4 weeks. I did a little bit of my own research and people say the general rule of thumb is to water them every week in the hotter months, and every few weeks in the colder months, but never when it's raining because the soil retains moisture better on those days. And, that it's always better to underwater a succulent than to overwater.

Right now it's found a home on top of my shadow box, beside my very small miniature perfume collection. I want to get a few more succulents, and maybe - gasp - some cacti too? We'll see how this little plant journey goes...

my first time at lush!

I had a day off on Wednesday, so it was the perfect time to head over to Lush! Now that I think about it, I should have been all cool and taken pictures of the store for an Instagram-worthy picture to celebrate losing my Lush virginity. Oh well. There's always a next time for those pictures!



Dragon's Egg bath bomb » One of the bath bombs that I've wanted to try for a really long time. Partly because it's citrus scented, partly because of the magical explosion of glitter, but mostly because it's called Dragon's Egg and it reminds me of Harry Potter.

Twilight bath bomb » I felt a little empty-handed if I left with just Poptastic and Dragon's Egg, so I made a last-minute decision to get Twilight. It smells like berries to me, but Lush says it's supposed to smell like lavender... Maybe the berry scent is just on the surface. I can see (smell?) why they say it helps you to relax your mind for better sleep, though!

Poptastic » Northern Lights was on my wishlist, but they seem to have sold out online and in-store. One of the associates suggested the Poptastic wrapped gift set, which includes Northern Lights and another similar-by-type one called Sparkler. She said it's a great way to try more, though honestly it's probably to get me to buy more - not hating on her of course, it's her job after all. Nevertheless it worked, and I'm happy she directed me towards the set cause I gave Sparkler a whiff later and it smells pretty darn good!

I wish I could have left with a few more items, but I had to exhibit some kind of self control here. Until next time, Lush! In the meantime, do you have any favorites for me to check out in my next visit?

november favorites

It's a little bit late for my November favorites, but at least it's not late December? I didn't do one last month because I didn't have many favorites I particularly liked throughout the month. For the ones that I did enjoy using, I started using them near the end of the month so there wasn't a lot of time for me to form an opinion on them other than "I like this!"

So without further ado, here are my favorites from November and a little bit of October!

Urban Decay Naked2 Basics is a palette I've been reaching for almost every time I do my eye makeup. I thought I really didn't need the original Naked Basics palette because I saw it as shelling out the extra money for the convenience of often-used shadows in a single palette, and of course I thought the same for Naked2 Basics. While it's kind of true, I also don't have anything quite like the shades in this one and I like that I'm getting a lot of use out of it. You can read the full review here.

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Bisque, I love you. If you don't know already, I have terrrrible dark circles that just won't go away Of course getting a few days of good sleep helps, but even so it's still a tad noticeable. One of the associates at Sephora helped me pick out this concealer when I told her about my dark circles problem, and she said these are supposed to go underneath your concealer/foundation to cancel out the discoloration. It works like a charm, and my under-eye area looks even more rested compared to using only concealer.

Formula-wise, YSL Rouge Volupte Sensual Radiant Lipsticks are the best I've tried so far. I only have (had) two of them: Beige Ultimate and Peach Passion. I wouldn't say it's balmy, though it's definitely nourishing like a balm. It's super wearable even on bad lip days, how the heck did YSL manage to create something like that? I did end up returning Peach Passion, though. There wasn't anything different about the formula, but unfortunately I didn't find the color as flattering on me as they did on others. However, I do recommend the entire line if you're looking for a great lipstick.



And lastly, the very basics: a primer and a sunscreen. One of Laura Mercier's primers made it in my September favorites and it worked wonderfully, but it had a slight white cast to it with flash photography and that was a no-no when it came to taking pictures with my Instax camera if the flash fired. So I went for her (probably) original primer, which is just called... Foundation Primer. It's a water-based primer and it works a lot better than a silicone-based one. I found that silicone-based primers made my foundation and concealers patchy, while this one makes them look like a second skin!

The sunscreen I've been loving is Clinique Broad Spectrum SPF50 Sunscreen. Prior to this I've used Algenist Ultra Lightweight UV Defense Fluid SPF50 (a drying alcohol as the third ingredient - no thanks!) and Ole Henriksen Protect the Truth SPF50+ Sunscreen (pilled up horribly - think of it like rubbing dried glue off your hands). Clinique's sunscreen goes on very nicely, doesn't have any drying ingredients, doesn't create pillings, and is fragrance-free which is always great when it comes to skincare. Plus, it's inexpensive relative to the other two sunscreens mentioned before. I haven't taken any pictures with flash when I wore this, but hopefully the white cast (if any) won't be too noticeable.

What were some of your favorites this month? Leave me a link if you've written one, I'd love to see what you've been loving :)

photo diary | california academy of sciences - san francisco

review | naked2 basics palette

naked2 basics - purchased at sephora

I'm very late on the Urban Decay Basics palettes. When the first Naked Basics came out, everyone was all over that. Meanwhile, I convinced myself that I didn't need it - I felt like it was so hyped because it was convenient having all these super neutral shades in one palette. I don't remember what made me purchase the Naked2 Basics... Perhaps it was the VIB sale?

A closer look at the shadows. It's a very nicely sized palette - compact enough to make it easy for travel or chucking into the makeup bag, but has a decently sized mirror for touch ups. Do the lines around the pans drive anyone else nuts? It looks like it's made of cardboard or cardstock (which I did believe it was, before I actually checked it out in-store), though it's actually plastic. Of course it doesn't have anything to do with the overall quality of the palette, it's just a peeve of mine.

Obligatory swatches. Surprisingly they aren't as powdery as I expected them to be. Yes, they still are a tad powdery - though most of these are matte shades, so I feel like it's to be expected.

A rundown of the shadows with UD's descriptions and my comments, if any:

• skimp (pale nude satin) » The only semi-matte shade in the palette. I like this for highlighting my inner corner, though it's not my favorite.
• stark (nude-pink matte)
• frisk (warm gray matte) » I loooove this one as a transition shade!
• cover (muted red-brown matte)
• primal (muted brown matte) » One of my favorites for darkening any other shadows.
• undone (deep, smoky brown matte) » The chalkiest of the bunch. I get a little bit of fallout if I'm not careful. I still like this one a lot, it's nice for smoking out the bottom lashline or using it as a soft eyeliner.

Overall, I like this palette a lot and I'm glad I decided to get it. I find myself using something from this almost every time I do my eye makeup. It's very true to name - it's got all your basics covered, from highlights to transition shades to shades you can use to darken or smoke out just about any color.

Do you own the Naked2 Basics palette? What are your thoughts?

wishlist #2

I planned on doing a review on the Urban Decay Naked2 Basics palette for today's post but this happened and the sun has gone down so I'll have to do another swatching sometime when good lighting is around. In the meantime, I rounded up a few of my wishlist items to share...

1. asos speech bubble beach bag | I hate to admit that I'm super out of the loop of using reusable bags for groceries. This one is super cute and I can imagine myself looking all cute and stuff, strutting out of the supermarket with this over my shoulder.

2. lush northern lights bath bomb | As huge as Lush is in the beauty blogging community, I've only tried one of their bath bombs and I loved it! It's so relaxing, even though I'm pretty much doing nothing while being lost in my own thoughts for a good 40 minutes. Northern Lights is an especially pretty one, judging from the images on Google.

3. anastasia contour kit | I see a lot of people on YouTube using this, and I really want to try it out for myself! It's not a bad price, $40 for three highlight and three contour shades. And I just realized it's LIMITED EDITION so I better get on that, fast.

4. marvy le pen marker pens - lavender purple & dark grey | I know, I know - $1.15 pens on my wishlist is a really silly thing. I currently have a lavender purple one (snagged from my sister cause she left it here before she went back to school, thanks yo) and I like it a lot. I don't know which other stores sell this pen and it's $25 for free shipping, so.... that's a lot of pens I have to buy for free shipping.

What are some of the things on your wishlist?

i'm back!

@entarotassadar

I had an amazing time with James in California. He booked us a hotel in San Francisco for a few days and we got to explore Japan Town and the California Academy of Sciences, but honestly I'm really happy just being able to be with him. I'm back in New York now and I'm still settling in - I actually woke up late yesterday morning for work because of jet lag, so I will leave you with a few pictures from Instagram as a quick update.

It's always sad to leave, but I suppose the silver lining is we'll see each other again soon. He's coming here at the end of December, so that's something to look forward to!