Yesterday was a long but fun-filled day of shooting with the gorgeous Rebecca Pilger & handsome Cobi Barnhart for Destroyed by Fame's new 2014-2015 lookbook. I cannot WAIT to show you guys the finished shots! Here is a sneak peek:
Drugstore Bargain Buy: Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in "Celestial"
I am always being asked what lip color I'm wearing, and lately, my go-to has been a cheapie but goodie drugstore find by Rimmel London! I've been OBSESSED with this liquid lipstick/lipgloss/lip lacquer for the past 5-6 months. If you have never tried it, you are missing out. Rimmel London's Show Off Lip Lacquer in "Celestial" is a creamy, conditioning pigmented lipgloss that is seriously comparable to my favorite Chanel Double Intensite Lipgloss in "Rose Quartz" !! The staying power is not bad - I don't need to touch up for several hours & even when the color fades, my lips are stained with a pretty pinky color so they don't look too shabby. The color is absolutely perfect - it doesn't scream "I'm wearing a bright pink lipstick" and it's natural enough to wear with a dramatic eye look or no eye makeup at all. *Confession - I even wear this lipcolor to the gym!
The best part is that this gloss is only $4.99 vs. my $35 Chanel lipgloss. Let's face it - a girl can't always have her Chanel when the wallet's a bit tight! It also lasts FOREVER. I've been wearing this lip lacquer for the past 4 months (and reapplying roughly 2-3x a day) and it is now barely starting to show signs of emptying out. This trusty alternative will be a staple in my purse from now on - so excuse me while I go order some more!
The best part is that this gloss is only $4.99 vs. my $35 Chanel lipgloss. Let's face it - a girl can't always have her Chanel when the wallet's a bit tight! It also lasts FOREVER. I've been wearing this lip lacquer for the past 4 months (and reapplying roughly 2-3x a day) and it is now barely starting to show signs of emptying out. This trusty alternative will be a staple in my purse from now on - so excuse me while I go order some more!
New Product Spotlight: CHANEL Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation
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| Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet, $45 |
The drawbacks of this foundation is that it is not long-wearing enough for my 12 hour workdays and it is not full coverage- I would say this gives a good 6 hours of wear before you start to notice your oilies coming out and it's time for a touch-up - but the flawless, smooth and natural finish that I get from this foundation is definitely worth it!
Hawaii for the Holidays
There is no better way to describe Hawaii other than paradise. I was so blessed to spend a week in Honolulu (my first time!) with my boyfriend, where we explored the island from one end to another & probably gained 10 lbs in the process.
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| View of the beach - 3 blocks from our hotel! |
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| Even though it was 85 degrees every day we were there, the holiday spirit was still apparent every corner we turned. |
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| Garlic Shrimp, Lobster & Steak from the International Marketplace! |
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| We literally had the BEST pastries from this local bakery - famous for their malasadas (which look like fried donuts topped with sugar & the inside is so soft that the bread literally melts in your mouth once you take a bite) |
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| View of Waikiki Beach |
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| After snorkeling at Hanuama Bay |
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| One of our favorite restaurants during our stay - Murakame - all this food + drinks was only $19 ! |
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Now it's back to business as usual and I cannot wait to share with you some packages that I received from Influenster (my #JollyVoxBox), TheBalm via Hautelook, and some Chanel goodies :-) - To be continued!
Holiday WishList
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| via Pinterest |
......of course I told him that if room permitted, I would allow him to have a corner ;-). All joking aside though, I have so many beauty products that I want to add to my wishlist this season, some of which are replenishments for my personal stash, as well as for my kit, along with some fun goodies:
1. Some gorgeous YSL lippies:
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| via Makeup4All |
3. More palettes: Another LORAC Pro Palette, or Laura Mercier Artist 2 Palette? I'm leaning toward the Artist 2 Palette for my wedding makeup kit -- sadly, this palette is LIMITED EDITION so I will most likely not get a chance to get my hands on this (unless I steal my sister's .. ) :
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| via Musings of a Muse |
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| Pictured: Pink Sprint |
5. Some more Real Techniques Brushes for my kit:
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| via LaceFleur |
6. Some lovely Chanel compacts, my favorite Illusion D'Ombre cream shadows, moisturizing liquid foundations, and a good liquid concealer for my kit:
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| via Odd Dolly |
What beauty purchases are you planning to make soon? I know my poor wallet will be crying after this, but I will definitely be one happy camper! :)
What A Month!
My Loves!
It has been, as usual, an insane month for me. Between working my corporate 9-5 job, weekends with Chanel, wedding gigs & short trips with the boyfriend, I have not gotten the chance to update this. Here's a quick update of what I was up to during my month-long hiatus:
It has been, as usual, an insane month for me. Between working my corporate 9-5 job, weekends with Chanel, wedding gigs & short trips with the boyfriend, I have not gotten the chance to update this. Here's a quick update of what I was up to during my month-long hiatus:
My sister & I took our dog, Toby, to the Rock & Roll LA Doggy Marathon. How can you resist that face? ;-)
My boyfriend and I flew up to San Jose for a quick getaway - We watched a couple get engaged at Santana Row and tried what I believe to be the BEST boba I've ever had - If you're ever in the San Jose/Milpitas area, I HIGHLY suggest trying Fantasia! We had a cup every day...
Last weekend, we stayed @ The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas - 3 days of soaking in the hot tub, lots of delicious food (Bachi Burger, my love!) and of course, we visited my girlfriend & her adorable newborn right before we left.
Now that we're all caught up with what I've been up to - Did any of you order from Sephora's Friends & Family and VIB sales? I was DYING for another Lorac Pro Palette & Shiseido Nourishing Eyelash Base ... but of course, good ol' Sephora was sold out of everything I wanted.
Did you guys get your Sephora wishlist checked off?
Earlier This Month
Hi Loves!
Here's a look that I did earlier this month:
Quick 411: Steph's concerns were mainly her oily-skin and monolids. We took care of that with Murad's Skin Brightening Primer (face) and Too-Faced Shadow Insurance (eyes). I gave her a flawless complexion using Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation (LOVE this for anyone who wants their makeup to last all night!) and contoured with Sleek Makeup Contour Powder in "Light". I created a gradient smokey eye using my trusty LORAC PRO Palette and a pair of beautiful lashes from Red Cherry.
Steph was extremely happy with her enhanced look! What do you think? :)
Here's a look that I did earlier this month:
Quick 411: Steph's concerns were mainly her oily-skin and monolids. We took care of that with Murad's Skin Brightening Primer (face) and Too-Faced Shadow Insurance (eyes). I gave her a flawless complexion using Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation (LOVE this for anyone who wants their makeup to last all night!) and contoured with Sleek Makeup Contour Powder in "Light". I created a gradient smokey eye using my trusty LORAC PRO Palette and a pair of beautiful lashes from Red Cherry.
Steph was extremely happy with her enhanced look! What do you think? :)
Photoshoot - Daytime Vixen vs. Nicki Minaj-inspired Look
I was so happy to work with Jade last week for a fun pop-up shoot! *I apologize in advance - we did this pretty late at night so there was no natural lighting - the photos did turn out a bit funky because I took her "before" photo when the sun was still out, and the other photos were all taken after nightfall, with flash.
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| We opted for a pretty, smokey yet subtle look for our first set of photos. I really wanted to highlight her beautiful almond-shaped eyes and create a flawless complexion. |
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| After a while, we decided to amp it up with a Nicki Minaj-inspired look! |
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Jade's flawless skin, almond shaped eyes and full, luscious lips made my job incredibly easy. It was really fun to see how different colors showed up on her beautiful caramel-colored skin - I, for one, would never be able to pull off that beautiful Urban Decay lippie!
Wedding Shoot - Fullerton, CA
I am, as ever, lagging behind in updating this blog with my latest projects, so here are some photos of a bridal party that I did at the end of June. I must admit, I was pretty concerned because it was literally the warmest day of the month and the wedding was outdoors at 3pm - not exactly the best conditions to stay sweat & shine-free if you ask me, but definitely the best conditions to test out the longevity of makeup & setting spray ;).
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| The beautiful bride, Katy. Products Used: Face: Urban Decay Brightening & Tightening Complexion Primer Potion Sheer Cover Concealer "Light" Chanel Perfection Lumiere 10 Beige and 30 Beige Cargo Blue-Ray Powder #10 Urban Decay All-Nighter Spray Cheeks/Contour/Highlight: NARS "Laguna" Bronzer MAC "Wedge" Eyeshadow Benefit "High Beam" NARS "Orgasm" Brows: MAC Brow Pencil "Lingering" Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion LORAC Pro Palette "Nude" (Inner corner) "Gold," "Sable," & "Expresso" (Crease) Urban Decay 24/7 Liner "Bourbon" Chanel le Volume Mascara "Noir" MAC Fluidline "Blacktrack" Lips: Sheer Cover Lipliner "Natural" MAC Lipstick "Crosswires" |
My bride, Katy, was very concerned about looking overdone. She normally does not wear any makeup and wanted to make sure that she still looked like herself. After getting a good idea of what look she wanted (natural, blushing bride look, enhanced features), we were able to achieve a look that she felt comfortable with and a look that would also look great in photos.
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| The mother of the bride, Barbara. Products Used: Face: Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Sheer Cover Concealer "Light" Chanel Perfection Lumiere 10 Beige and MAKE UP For Ever 127 Cargo Blue-Ray Powder #10 Urban Decay All-Nighter Spray Cheeks/Contour/Highlight: NARS "Laguna" Bronzer MAC "Wedge" Eyeshadow Benefit "High Beam" Chanel Blush "In Love" Brows: MAC Brow Pencil "Fling" Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion LORAC Pro Palette "Nude" (Inner corner) "Mauve" & "Sable" (crease) Urban Decay 24/7 Liner "Bourbon" Chanel le Volume Mascara "Noir" MAC Fluidline "Blacktrack" Lips: Chanel Lipliner "Nude" MAC Lipstick "On Hold" |
Barbara, Katy's mom, is not a makeup-wearer by any means. Her main concern was that she would look like a raccoon and that her face would feel heavy. I was able to convince her to let me put minimal foundation on her to get the appearance of a flawless complexion so that she would glow in photos.
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| A guest at the wedding, Belen. Products Used: Face: Murad Skin Perfecting Primer Sheer Cover Duo Concealer "Light/Medium" Graftobian Foundation Creme "Buttermilk" Chanel Perfection Lumiere 60 Beige and MISSHA Perfect Cover BB Cream #27 Cargo Blue-Ray Powder #30 Urban Decay All-Nighter Spray Cheeks/Contour/Highlight: NARS "Laguna" and "Casino" Bronzer MAC "Wedge" Eyeshadow Benefit "High Beam" Chanel Blush "Tweed Sienna" Brows: MAC Brow Pencil "Lingering" and "Strut" Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion LORAC Pro Palette "Nude" (Inner corner), "Sable," "Expresso" & "Slate" (Crease) Urban Decay 24/7 Liner "Perversion" MAC Fluidline "Blacktrack" Lashes: Chanel le Volume Mascara "Noir" Falsies - a pair I picked up from Downtown LA, but a similar pair from MAC here. Lips: Chanel Lipliner "Nude" Tom Ford Lipstick "Pink Dusk" |
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| Belen was so happy with her look that she sent me this photo the next day to show me how well her makeup held up in 100-degree heat & a night of dancing! |
Belen, the girlfriend of Katy's brother, had one request: The bolder, the better. With this in mind, we created a foxy, smoldering smokey eye look for her. I emphasized her large eyes with dark eyeliner and false lashes from a vendor in DTLA. With the help of Graftobian's creme foundation, I was able to create the appearance of clear, radiant skin.
I was so happy to hear that Katy, Barbara, and Belen had no problems with the longevity of their makeup throughout the entire wedding ceremony & the reception that followed. It was such a rewarding experience to show Katy & Barbara that it was possible to have makeup on without looking (and feeling!) overdone.
A Fresh Start
Hi Everyone!
I'm excited to finally start blogging officially - My friends are constantly asking me for my advice & opinions, and I am oftentimes asked why I do not have a blog. After all, it is pretty common knowledge around town that I'm quite opinionated and am not afraid to speak my mind, so I will make it my goal here to share my knowledge and tips with my beloved readers.
A little about me: I am 23 years old, and have been fascinated by makeup since I was a little girl. I was always amazed by how cosmetics can change a person - not just physically, but also mentally. There is a certain confidence that a woman exudes when she puts on her Chanel lipstick or a pair of false eyelashes that is indescribable ...and actually pretty magical.
As a child, I was not allowed to wear makeup - blame it on my traditional, wonderful Asian mother. As a result of this, I used to take my sister's old MAC eyeliners and hide them in my backpack. Once I got to school, I would apply it before homeroom in high school. My first "luxury" cosmetic product? A Lancome Juicy Tube in Bolole, a delicate, juicy red with gold flecks.
Fast forward several years and I am now a self-employed freelance makeup artist, as well as a freelance makeup artist for Chanel. From 9-5, I work in a corporate marketing company within the beauty industry. I am so blessed to be working in the industry that I am so passionate about every day (literally -- Weekends? What're those?) and this blog will be my outlet to express my thoughts & share my product knowledge.
I'm excited to finally start blogging officially - My friends are constantly asking me for my advice & opinions, and I am oftentimes asked why I do not have a blog. After all, it is pretty common knowledge around town that I'm quite opinionated and am not afraid to speak my mind, so I will make it my goal here to share my knowledge and tips with my beloved readers.
A little about me: I am 23 years old, and have been fascinated by makeup since I was a little girl. I was always amazed by how cosmetics can change a person - not just physically, but also mentally. There is a certain confidence that a woman exudes when she puts on her Chanel lipstick or a pair of false eyelashes that is indescribable ...and actually pretty magical.
As a child, I was not allowed to wear makeup - blame it on my traditional, wonderful Asian mother. As a result of this, I used to take my sister's old MAC eyeliners and hide them in my backpack. Once I got to school, I would apply it before homeroom in high school. My first "luxury" cosmetic product? A Lancome Juicy Tube in Bolole, a delicate, juicy red with gold flecks.
Fast forward several years and I am now a self-employed freelance makeup artist, as well as a freelance makeup artist for Chanel. From 9-5, I work in a corporate marketing company within the beauty industry. I am so blessed to be working in the industry that I am so passionate about every day (literally -- Weekends? What're those?) and this blog will be my outlet to express my thoughts & share my product knowledge.