IMATS 2014 Wish List

IMATs 2014 at the Pasadena Convention Center is only several days away and I am beyond excited to be attending this year for the very first time! I have so many things on my wish list that my poor wallet is going to be sobbing - but that will definitely not stop me from replenishing my makeup kit as well as my personal stash with the newest & greatest products from some of the biggest brands in the beauty industry!

For those of you who have not already checked out which companies will be exhibiting at the show, here is a list:

IMATS Los Angeles Floor Plan
IMATS Floor Plan

Exhibitor List:
Alcone
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Appeal Cosmetics
April Love Pro Makeup Academy
Ardell Lashes
Bad Ass Stencils
Bdellium Tools
BeautySoClean
Beauty Treats / 2nd Love
Behind The Seen Organics
Belloccio Airbrush
Bésame Cosmetics
BH Cosmetics Inc.
Bodyography Professional Cosmetics
Brett Brow
Cailyn Cosmetics
CAO Cosmetics
Chella Brow Bar
Cici Fashion Brush
Cinema Makeup School
Cinema Secrets
City Color Cosmetics
CosmoCube
Crown Brush
Crystal Works
Dante Disposable Products, LLC
Dermalogica
Dinair Airbrush Makeup
Dose of Colors
Downey Makeup Academy
E.I. School of Professional Makeup
Embryolisse USA
Enzo Milano
European Body Art
European Body Art
Eve Pearl
Eye Kandy Cosmetics
Eye Kandy Cosmetics
Frends Beauty / Stilazzi
Gleam by Melanie Mills
Graftobian Make-up Company
Grafton Cosmetics
Grande LASH-MD / Grande HAIR
Grex Airbrush
The Hair & Makeup Artists Network
Hakuhodo
IMATS Photo Booth
The IMATS Shop
Inglot
IPKN Cosmetics USA
Iwata-Medea Inc.
Ka'Oir
Kryolan Professional Make-up
LA Splash Cosmetics
Lady Moss Beauty
Lilit's Makeup Studio
Lime Crime @ Naimie's
M•A•C Pro
Make Up For Ever
Make Up For Ever Academy
Make-Up Artist magazine
Make-up Designory
Make-up Designory
The Makeup Light
Makeup & Effects Laboratories, Inc.
Makeup Geek710Mehron, Inc.
MicaBeauty
Million Dollar Tan
Model in a Bottle
Morphe Brushes
Muse Beauty / Kett Cosmetics
Naimie's Beauty Center
Naimie's Beauty Center
Naimie's Beauty Center
Naked Cosmetics
Nigel Beauty Emporium
Nurturing Force @ Grex Airbrush
NYX Cosmetics
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
Pacific Instruments, Inc.
Parian Spirit
Poise Makeup Professional
PROmakeup.com (FACE atelier)
PROmakeup.com
RCMA Make-up
Reynolds Advanced Materials / Smooth-On Inc.
RockStar Wigs / Tokyo Crush
Royal & Langnickel Brush Mfg.
Rubber Wear by Sticks and Stones
Ruby Makeup Academy
Sacha Cosmetics @ April Love Pro Makeup Academy
SauceBox Cosmetics
Senna Cosmetics
Sigma Beauty
South Seas Skin Care
Stila Cosmetics
Stiletto Pin Up Cosmetics
Sugarpill Cosmetics
Tat2U
Temptu Pro
Thomas Surprenant Specialty Makeup
Vancouver Film School
Veil Cosmetics
Velour Mink Lashes
Violent Lips
Violet Voss
Wolfe Face Art & FX
Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics
Züca, Inc.

I am so disappointed that Z Palette will not be attending because I wanted to buy some customizable palettes to free up some space in my makeup bag :( -  However, you can bet that I will be stocking up on brush cleanser from Parian Spirit, as well as creating more eyeshadow palettes from INGLOT.  I have no clue where to get some more brushes for my kit, which is currently stocked with Bdellium Tools brushes.  I am tempted to splurge on Hakuhodo brushes & buy some basic brushes from Sigma Beauty, as well as some brow products from Anastasia Beverly Hills.  

What to do, what to dooo?  Makeup Heaven is only several days away - hope everyone already has their lists ready! 

Tasty Tuesdays - Baking Pizza Muffins for the Very First Time

Those of you who know me might be well aware that I am not a fan of cooking - ironic, I know, considering my father is a retired chef of 35 years.  Growing up, I was spoiled with delicious cooking from my mom AND my dad, thus making it unnecessary for me to have to learn to cook. 

Since it is a new year, I have taken it upon myself to attempt to learn to cook some easy dishes.  My first attempt at baked goods? Pizza Muffins!  



This is probably the easiest small-bite appetizer in the world - Here is the recipe that I followed:

Ingredients:
1. cooking spray
2. 1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough
3. 10 tablespoons pizza sauce (such as Ragu® Homestyle)
4. 10 slices pepperoni

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 10 muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. Press biscuits, one at a time, between hands to flatten. Place each flattened biscuit in a muffin cup; press into bottom and up sides of muffin cup. Set aside for biscuit to settle and slightly rise, about 5 minutes. Lightly press biscuits into cups as needed.
3. Spoon 1 tablespoon pizza sauce into each biscuit; top each with 1 slice pepperoni and 1 tablespoon mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until biscuit is lightly browned and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Remove each pizza from tin and place on a cooling rack, about 5 minutes.

I modified the recipe a little bit to use only 1/3 of a biscuit for each muffin & added extra cheese, sauce & pepperoni (what can I say? I love to load on the ingredients!).  I waited until the tops of the muffins were a bit crispy before I took them out of the oven.

Delicious, Delicious ..Now on to the next cooking project! What are some other easy recipes that you know for beginners like me?

ABOUT

Down to the Basics

At the ripe age of two years old, I knew beauty was in my blood the moment I decided to take my mother's beloved classic red Dior lipstick to scribble all over her vanity mirror. Twenty-one years later, my mother has forgiven (but NOT forgotten!) and I am now a beauty industry professional working in Global Product Marketing from 9-5, and a self-employed makeup artist as well as a freelance makeup artist for Chanel and MAC Cosmetics.  I received my B.A. from UC Irvine and my Beauty Industry Merchandising & Marketing degree from FIDM (The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising) in Los Angeles.  

I'll admit it - My name is Tina Tom and I am a beauty addict. I have a strong conviction that I am able to change the world, one face at a time.  Join me on my beauty-filled adventures ;-) ! 
More:
  • I have oily, sensitive skin.
  • I am allergic to Benzoyl Peroxide (main acne fighting ingredient in countless acne products out in the market) and (gasp) sunscreen - but luckily, I am only allergic to chemical sunscreens. 
  • I've got a plethora of acne scars from my teenage years that require me to use pretty full-coverage makeup daily to cover them up.
  • I am slightly warm-toned, NC30-35 depending on the time of year.

Weekend Haul - Hair Products & A Tea Party Dress!

Hi Loves!

Is it me, or is January just flying by? I spent the entire weekend with my mom & dad because my sister was in San Diego for the weekend.  I finally stocked up on some much-needed hair products that I've been needing to replenish + an oil for my extremely dry, brittle hair.  For those of you who are interested, here are some of hair product recommendations for those on the same boat as me: 



1.  L'Oreal Nature's Therapy Moisture Hair Mask - every time I go into Sally Beauty Supply, I pick up a jar of this miracle whip. They were having a BOGO free sale, so I got two jars for $12 ! What a bargain.  While this conditioner is filled with dimethicones (which probably explains why my hair is so silky soft upon washing it out), there's something about the smell of this conditioner + ease of use that has me coming back for more. 

 2. One & Only Argan Oil - While Jojoba oil turned my hair into an oily mess, this bottle of Argan Oil left my hair smooth & shiny. I'm pretty happy with it so far... Of course, I learned my lesson the first time around & used a quarter-sized amount for the ends of my hair.

3. Batiste Dry Shampoo - I've tried them all ladies .... low-end, high-end.. $4 dry shampoos to $30 dry shampoos, and I must say, this bottle of Batiste dry shampoo is my winner.  For $6, this dry shampoo keeps the oilies away and smells fresh, too! A must-try if you're in the market for a dry shampoo that's relatively inexpensive and effective.




I also treated myself to a new dress (fit for a tea party!) from Piperlime's extra 50% sale items promotion.  I'm currently obsessed with bright colors & patterns for Spring & can't wait to wear this when the weather gets warmer!  I got this Arc & Co dress for only $17, shipped!

Hope you have a great week! 

TheBalm's "Meet Matt(e) Nude" Palette via Hautelook

My dears! 

How cute is this palette from TheBalm? I jumped at the deal on Hautelook after hearing so many great reviews about this matte eyeshadow palette, since I had credit left over - It is originally priced at $42 and was 50% off on Hautelook.  With my existing credit, I paid $2.50 and got this baby in the mail a month later (for those of you who are not familiar with Hautelook, sometimes their shipping can be quite slow.. but I suppose this is the trade-off for discounted prices!)




Swatches from Top, left to right.
For those of you who are not familiar with TheBalm, it is a cute & fun makeup line that utilizes a play on words to create their product names (think: Shady Lady Palette or Time Balm Primer) .  They are now sold in select Kohls & Sephora stores as well.  I was hoping to add this eyeshadow palette to my kit since it is a collection of all matte shades.  Just a warning- these shades are not extremely pigmented if you're expecting MAC-type shadows.  They are good neutrals and mattes to have to use as crease colors for a more natural look - perfect for bridal makeup!

Sneak Preview - Em by Michelle Phan

Hello Everyone!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! You can only imagine how happy I was to receive my girlfriend Lovely's Christmas gift in the mail.  One of the items that my fabulous friend gifted me was a concealer from Michelle Phan's new makeup line, "Em".  I received this in the shade "Medium" which looks perfect with my NC30 skin.  Unfortunately, I was not able to take a photo of the swatch against my skin in daylight, but I assure you that a more detailed post is in the pipeline!


Em by Michelle Phan // The Great Cover Up Concealer in "Medium"
 (please excuse the ink on my finger!)

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. 
View of the beach - 3 blocks from our hotel!
Even though it was 85 degrees every day we were there, the holiday spirit was still apparent every corner we turned. 

Garlic Shrimp, Lobster & Steak from the International Marketplace!

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)

View of Waikiki Beach

After snorkeling at Hanuama Bay

One of our favorite restaurants during our stay - Murakame - all this food + drinks was only $19 ! 



As much as I enjoyed my nice, warm vacation, I missed this little guy:


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!

2014 Pantone Color of the Year

Hi Loves,

The 2014 Pantone Color of the Year has been announced! The winner is......... Radiant Orchid, shown below.  Emerald green had a great run for its money in 2013 - now it's time for this bright fuchsia to shine.  This only means one thing:  we should all expect to see this color dominate in shopping malls pretty soon, whether it be in the form of a purse, a pair of heels, or a lipstick!  I think this is a pretty wearable shade for all skin tones - What do you think?

Radiant Orchid
via LA Times

Thanksgiving Weekend

Hi Loves!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving weekend! :) In a nutshell, mine was spent ...

...Hanging with this cutie ;-)


...Rockin' my new Miu Miu cat-eye glasses (my current fav)


...Actually "cooking" (if you can call it that) in the kitchen:
Super Easy Garlic Knots

Delicious Chicken Veggie Soup done in a crockpot


Overall, a very much-needed relaxing weekend without my usual 3-hr daily commute- definitely something I was certainly thankful for! 

Holiday WishList

via Pinterest 

With Thanksgiving just around the corner next week, I can't help but engulf myself into all the festive splendor (i.e. KOST 103.5 holiday music, 24/7! Wreaths, stockings, and all things glitter!). There is always something about the holiday season that just makes me want to shop, shop, shop.  This Christmas, I asked my boyfriend for this closet:


......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:

via Makeup4All
2. My holy grail mascara base: Shiseido Nourishing Mascara Base


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 .. ) :

via Musings of a Muse
4. Some more SLEEK Makeup items - For those of you who are not familiar with this UK-based brand, I highly suggest you check it out! The prices are fabulous & inexpensive for the amount/quality of product that you get.  My favs? Their blushes (check out my review here), their face contouring kits (complete with contour powder + highlighting powder), and their inexpensive eyeshadow palettes.

Pictured: Pink Sprint

5.  Some more Real Techniques Brushes for my kit:
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:


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:





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? 

Halloween Makeup Ideas v.2

My loves,

Since my first Halloween Dia de los Muertos makeup look suggestion was so popular, I have decided to do a second "photo gallery," if you will, of some pretty makeup looks that I think would look amazing for Halloween.  Being the girly girl that I am, I am always looking for a way to be creative yet still look pretty or glam at the same time.

Here are some of my favorite looks, all pulled from Pinterest:









All of these looks are relatively simple to create - I'm always a sucker for glitz & glam, so I am leaning toward doing a pixie or fairy-type look with glitter & sparkles!

Currently Obsessed: Teal Under-eye Liner

Hi Loves! 

I have been so slammed with work and activities that I haven't gotten a chance to share much on this blog lately!  My past weekend was spent in San Jose with the lovely BF.  It was short but sweet and filled with lots of yummy food and drinks (BonChon Chicken & Fantasia, anyone?).

Clients oftentimes ask me what colors (shadows, liners, etc.) would work best for their eye color.  Because I work 9-5 (actually, 7-7...) at a corporate beauty company, I stick to a standard smokey brown eyeshadow look.  Lately, however, I've been obsessed with using jewel-toned eyeliners to line my bottom waterline, like this:

via Pinterest
Obviously, my look is a little more muted for work (sadly, no gold glitter), but the fun thing about this is that you can do your eyeshadow any way you like, really, depending on the day & occasion.  This can work with a subtle brown smokey eye for work or amped up with a dark smokey or glittery shadow for a more dramatic, fun look for a date or girls' night.  

Here's a set of jewel-toned, versatile eyeliners that I'm currently obsessing over: 

Urban Decay, Ocho Loco 2 Set, $59 for a set of 8 full-sized liners - greens, teals, blues, purples, browns & the blackest black eyeliner I've ever used! 

What makeup looks do you guys find that you're doing more often now that Fall is here? 



Which Eyelash Curler is Right for You?

Did you know that not all eyelash curlers are created equal? 

I will FOREVER remember that one fateful day when I got to school one morning in 9th grade and my best friend (at the time) told me that she had literally "cut off" half of her eyelashes while using her older sister's Revlon eyelash curler the night before. 

First of all, I had never used an eyelash curler in my entire life at the time.  Secondly, I was horrified to see that her lashes were, in fact, half the length that they were the day before.  I quickly made a mental note to NEVER buy that eyelash curler for use and later on that night relayed the story to my older sister.  My sister scoffed and gave me one piece of advice that I live by to this very day: 

Shu Ueumura eyelash curlers are your best friend -- that is, if you've got relatively large, double-eyelid, long-ish eyes like me.  

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler, $20 
Lucky for me, I have a sister who believes in splurging for a good product as long as the product is effective - and believe me, as a 14 year old high schooler, $20 was a huge amount to spend on a contraption that was meant to "open up my eyes" and make me look "more awake."  Ten years later, I am a believer and this is my go-to lash curler of choice.  Imagine my horror when Shu Uermura counters were all shut down in the US - thankfully, Amazon and my lovely best friend who travels to Japan often have kept me well-stocked.

For those of you who have monolid, short, or relatively small eyes, this Shiseido eyelash curler will be your best friend: 

Shiseido Eyelash Curler, $19
 What's so different about this eyelash curler, you ask?  The length of the eyelash pad is shorter, which ensures that all lashes will be curled.  The curve is also slightly flatter, which fits smaller eyes better.  This will prevent the seemingly inevitable "pinch" that eyelash curlers give when you're using an eyelash curler that is wrong for your eye shape, so beware, my lovelies!  When in doubt, keep experimenting with different eyelash curlers, but in my experience, these seem to be the best two in the market! 

Halloween Makeup Idea: Dia de Los Muertos

You guys! I'm totally obsessed with this makeup look for Halloween:

Photo credit: Juxtapost.com
This is a Dia de Los Muertos look for Halloween.  Dia de Los Muertos is a Mexican holiday where they honor their loved ones who have passed.  All I can say is, the Mexicans sure know how to party and celebrate in style!  I'm absolutely loving this look - glitz and glamour, finished off with a scary vibe... probably the most beautiful "dead & scary" look that one can achieve, if you ask me.

Break out those gems, glue, glitter, Kryolan face paints, Make Up For Ever Flash Palettes, waterproof liquid liners and bright eyeshadows!  It's time for some face decorating ; )  

Make-up Monday

I was so happy to be able to share my love for makeup with my fellow coworkers last Friday!  It's fascinating how much control you have over a makeup look, simply by using lighter vs. darker colors, smoking the eyes out, or even contouring the face.

Joy opted for a natural, office-appropriate look.


Claudia's dramatic, Friday-night-out smokey eye.  I contoured her face with NARS Laguna Bronzer & highlighted with Benefit's High Beam Liquid Highlighter.

2014 Pantone Colors

via Pantone.com
Behold, the 2014 Pantone colors!  I'm sure we all enjoyed having Emerald Green as our 2013 Pantone color of the year, but it's time for us to be on the lookout for these beautiful 2014 colors.  Whether it's makeup or fashion, these colors will be sure to dominate every store, brand, and beauty item.  I can already picture myself rocking a Dazzling Blue-hued eyeliner, paired with a Cayenne-colored lipstick.  Hemlock is my nail polish color of choice.  

Color Ideas:

1. Dazzling Blue: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Pencil, "Abyss" - $19 


2. Cayenne: MAC Mineralize Lipstick, "Style Surge" - $22
Photo credits: NotSoFrivolous.com

3.  Hemlock: Essie, "Turqoise & Caicos" - $8
via TheDailyVarnish.com



Wayne Goss Brush Collection - Pics & Prices

Hello Lovelies!

The Collection from Wayne Goss is finally revealed via Beautylish!  Here's a photo of the full collection:


As stated above, the full collection is $210.  I love the black handles and how sleek the collection looks, but I don't know if I will be able to allow myself to splurge $210 on this entire set of brushes.  As Goss mentioned in his promotional Youtube video, these brushes are handmade in Japan and are of exceptional quality.  A quick breakdown on the prices: 

1. Brush 01 - Foundation Brush, $45



2.  Brush 02 - Powder Brush, $35

3. Brush 03 ($32), Brush 04 ($28), Brush 05 ($25)

4. Brush 06 ($25), Brush 07 ($17), Brush 08 ($17)

All of these brushes are multi-functional and can be used pretty much all around the face.  I am extremely intrigued by his foundation brush and eyeshadow brushes.  Decisions, decisions ... 

Will you be biting the bullet for this brush collection?  We've only got less than 2 weeks left to decide - The collection hits September 12th!