NOTD: Hot Tamale

I promise I will never again cut my nails this short. LoL. I guess I got tired of trimming them every week since they grow fast but, never again.

This is Pure Ice Hot Tamale, a shimmery hot orange color that is now one of my favorites. It's perfect for summer. =)

RIP The King of Pop

I have to dedicate this post to the legend, the icon, the "King of Pop" - Michael Jackson. He has died today at the age of 50 by a cardiac arrest. I am in SHOCK and very saddened. I grew up with his music and remember the excitement for each of his videos. Can I even list off some of my favorite songs?:

You Are Not Alone, The Girl is Mine, The Way You Make Me Feel, Remember the Time, She's Out of My Life, Rock with You, P.Y.T., Smooth Criminal, Man in the Mirror, Human Nature, Heal the World, Billie Jean, Got to Be There, I'll Be There, and the list goes on and on...

In recent years, he's been sort of a pariah and the butt of many jokes. Now, only after his death, I'm sure he will regain the respect he deserves for his music and be spoken of in a better way from now on. No more making fun of Michael Jackson.

He was taken away too soon. Rest in peace Michael.

And what a sad day. Farrah Fawcett has also passed away. My heart goes out to both families.

From a true fan, "Remember the Time" on CASSETTE!

My "GoTo Palette"

My GoTo Palette consists of eyeshadow colors I use on a regular basis. So instead of making an all brown palette, or an all green or all purple palette like many people do, I decided to make one palette that I can open to do a look with, without having to open other palettes at the same time.

At first, I was going to order the empty 28 pan palette from Stars Makeup Haven , but I decided to save my money and just pop out the insert in a MAC palette that I already own. That way, instead of only holding 15 shadows, it will hold almost twice as much - 26 shadows. Many other people do this, as well, and all you have to do is pry some tweezers under one corner and pull the insert out.

Now, on to the pics and swatches. You'll see that I mostly like browns, pinks, peaches, golds and greens. Sorry, no blues or purples because I don't wear those colors too often. And there's a mix of brands here, from low end ($1) to high end ($14.50). Watch out for the dupe info in the color descriptions.

All shadows were swatched heavily over Scandalous Cosmetics Eyeshadow Magnet. Colors can vary depending on application method and type of base.

Left Half

Right Half

Click to enlarge. All shadows are labeled.

1. NYX Barely There: Satin pale gold
2. NYX Highlight*: Matte creamy yellow; it won't look that yellow when you apply it as a highlight - I packed it on, remember?
3. MAC Tete-A-Tint: Matte peachy color with fawn brown undertones; apply it as a wash for a more natural look
4. Milani Illusion: Sheer, shimmery light pink with gold duochrome; this color won't look like the swatch unless you pack it on well; I like to layer this over other colors; it's very unique
5. MAC Expensive Pink: Veluxe pearl; shimmery peachy-pink with gold duochrome
6. MAC Bold & Brazen (LE): Starflash finish (I really don't know how to describe the difference of this finish with others, but it's more shimmery without being glittery or sparkly); shimmery mid-tone peach; DUPE- the light color in the L'Oreal HIP Duo in Playful (click here for swatch)
7. Milani Flare: Shimmery orange with peach tones; DUPE- MAC Coppering

8. NYX Brown: Matte, medium warm-toned brown; I like the single better but this will do; this is great in the crease or just above it
9. NYX Suede: Matte cool-toned brown; DUPE- MAC Wedge
10. Wet n Wild Fine Wink*: Shimmery champagne-pink; LOVE this as a lid color; DUPE- MAC Naked Lunch; (howto depot)
11. MAC All That Glitters: Veluxe pearl; shimmery peachy-champagne-beige; I also LOVE this as a lid color; DUPE- NYX Champange but ATG is slightly more of a peachy-champagne while NYX's is more beige-champagne
12. MAC Woodwinked: Veluxe pearl; shimmery golden bronze
13. MAC Go (LE): Starflash finish; shimmery cocoa bronze; DUPE- MAC Tempting

14. NYX Golden: Shimmery, golden yellow; this is from the Yellow Pearl/Antique Gold/Golden trio
15. NYX Antique Gold: Shimmery antique gold
16. NYX Golden: Shimmery orangey-gold; this is from the Golden/Rust/Walnut Bronze trio
17. MAC Satin Taupe*: Frost finish (don't be fooled by the name "frost" because it's not frosty); shimmery cool-toned taupe brown with plum undertones; you have to see it in real life because pics don't do it justice; my favorite color
18. NYX Walnut Bronze: Shimmery brown with dark pinkish-plum undertones
19. Milani Java Bean*: Shimmery warm dark brown; this shadow is a must-have!
20. MAC Glamour Check! (LE): Starflash finish; shimmery burgundy brown; DUPES- the dark color in the L'Oreal HIP Duo in Playful (click here for swatch) or Too Faced Full Frontal

Another look at the 3rd row. The difference between Satin Taupe and Java Bean is more prominent in this picture.

21. NYX Spring Leaf: Shimmery light green
22. NYX Green Tea: Shimmery mid-tone warm green
23. MAC Humid: Frost finish; shimmery hunter green; a must for green lovers; DUPES- NYX Mermaid Green, dark color in Wet n Wild Amazon Greens Trio (click here for swatch), or Milani Clover
24. Wet n Wild Naked: Semi-matte cool brown; great blender color
25. NYX Rootbeer: Satin ashy brown; good brow filler even if it's not matte (somehow it works)
26. elf Dusk: Shimmery black; not too frosty nor glittery


I'd definitely add NYX Sahara because that's my favorite highlight but I have the square single instead of the round pan.

If I had to recommend one color from each of the 5 different brands in my GoTo Palette (labeled with an asterisk in the color descriptions), they would be NYX Highlight, Wet n Wild Fine Wink, MAC Satin Taupe, Milani Java Bean, and elf Dusk. =)

*~*UPDATE*~*

Click here to see my updated GoTo Palette

Another 187 Dupe and Studio Tools Brushes Review

So I was walking around Target, not intending to buy anything makeup-related, and I stumbled across the Studio Tools section near the Sally Hansen nail products display. Damn, I was in for some impulse buys. I had already owned the Studio Tools Smudge Brush, which I love, and decided to pick up three other brushes. And after I remembered seeing a video that Kaycee did about the Studio Tools Dual-Finish Brush, I decided I had to get it.

The Studio Tools Dual-Finish Brush is $6.99 and it's a stippling brush with natural and synthetic fibers. The entire brush measures a little over 6.5" long and has a transparent, dark-gray plastic handle, as do all the brushes. The handles look solid black but if you hold them up to the light, you'll see right through them. They are also made in China and so far, only a couple hairs from the crease brush has shed.

Now, I don't own the full size MAC 187 because I don't use liquid foundation (watch Kaycee's video that compares the full-size MAC 187 to the Studio Tools), so I'm comparing the Studio Tools brush with other stippling brushes that I own. I love these types of brushes for blush, bronzer, and contouring.

For my previous posts about these other 187 dupes, click below:
Flirt! Feather Dust-her Brush from Kohl's
Everyday Minerals Skunkless Foptic Brush

~The Studio Tools 187 dupe has the perfect ratio of natural to synthetic bristles. It's not as dense as the EDM and not as sparse as the Flirt! brush - it's perfect. I also love the height of the bristles and the handle is chubby enough to fit comfortably in my hand without being too big. Another good thing about it is that the end of the handle is flat, so you can stand it upright on your desk or vanity. That's a good thing for me since I have no more room in my brush holders. The bristles are soft, they haven't shed (so far), and it did not smell funky right out of the package. It gets a 5 out of 5.
~If I had to rank my 4 stippling brushes in order of preference, it would be exactly like the pictures below: Studio Tools, MAC, Flirt!, and Everyday Minerals.

(Click to enlarge)

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~The Medium Shadow Brush ($2.49) is one of those brushes you grab for when you're lazy and don't want to get out another brush. You can do a whole look with this one brush: lid, crease, outer-V, and highlight. It's super soft, not pokey at all, and made with natural hairs.
5 out of 5
~The Smudge Brush ($2.49) has shorter, stiffer bristles and it's good for packing on color on small lids or for applying three or four different colors on your lid if you're doing a rainbow look. Of course, it's also good for smudging out your eyeliner and is made with natural hairs. 5 out of 5

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~The last brush is the Eye Contour (crease) Brush ($1.99) and I have to say that this is now my favorite crease brush. It's not as full as the Sonia Kashuk but it's almost similar to the elf Blending brush - the Studio Tools is more tapered at the end, so it fits into your crease nicely. It's super soft and not pokey, just like all the other brushes. This is also made with natural bristles and can you believe it's only $1.99! 5 out of 5

~(BTW, the UpStage Crease brush is another fave of mine and I got this at Long's Drug, which is now converting to CVS, so I don't know if you can still find it there. I love how fluffy, tapered, and pointy this brush is and it fits perfectly into your crease - a very underrated, unknown brush.)
~The MAC pencil brush (219, not 119) is just there to give you an idea of the brush head sizes.

(Click to enlarge)

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FINAL THOUGHTS

1. These 4 Studio Tools brushes are affordable, easy to find (at Target), and very soft. All of them get 5 stars!
2. All brushes have handles with flat ends, so you can stand them upright. This is a great option for the Dual-Finish brush.
   

Hope this helps! It's 3 in the morning and I'm going to bed! =)

Recent Random Buys

Heya! I've been offline for a little bit. It's good to take a break every now and then from the world of technology because I find myself catching up on a lot of other things. Sometimes, I get on my computer and end up staying on it for a couple hours more than I expected. I know it happens to you too! =)

Anyway, here's a little post about my recent haul - not a lot of makeup but that's good.

I love Pure Ice! You can't beat these $2 polishes at Walmart and check out their other colors here. Hot Tamale is an awesome hot orange color but it's not Halloween-ish. I'll do swatches in another post.

All That Glitters is a veluxe pearl shadow that is now one of my fave lid colors. The dupe for this is NYX Champagne. This is part of my "Go-To Palette", which I'll make a post on later.

The Semi-Annual Sale at Victoria's Secret is going on now and these were 75% off! Slice of Heaven ($3, Reg Price $12) is being discontinued, so if you like vanilla-scented sprays, go get this. The Beauty Rush lipglosses were $1.75 each, regular price is $7. They are both sheer but Tropicool has more pigmentation than the other; they're also scented and flavored. (I tried their new limited edition Pool Party Body Chiller Mist in Frostea and I need to go back and get it!)

Target & Walmart Haul


I've only been using the Biore cleanser for four days so I can't review it yet, but I love how it smells and the cooling effect is refreshing. And I absolutely LOVE SOFTLIPS! I'm collecting all the different ones now but Vanilla is my fave.

I didn't know they had these cellulose sponges at Tar-Jeh! I've been buying the ones from Everyday Minerals for $2 each and putting them in the microwave to sterilize them between uses, but the Studio Tools comes in a pack of 3 for $3.49. They're good to use with your face wash to scrub your pores or when removing facial masks, like Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask - love that stuff.


Orange flip-flops = house slippers. (It's a Filipino thing) =)

Don't know if I like Maybelline's Full 'n Soft mascara yet but I think it's growing on me. I also got a limited edition Vanilla and Peach Mango SoftLips duo pack.
Then, I picked up some brushes. I already own the Studio Tools Smudge Brush and I don't know why I never really looked at their other brushes.


My next post is going to be a review about the Studio Tools Brushes...

Rimmel Lycra Wear 10 + Minerals Nail Polish

Rimmel's Lycra Wear 10 + Minerals nail polish claims to last 10 days without a base or top coat. (Yeah, right.) I definitely had to apply a base and top coat - by Carolyn New York - because despite it's claims, I didn't have much faith in them.

The first color I bought and tried was Milk Chocolate - a creme nude, muted, and dusty fawn brown - which actually does look like chocolate milk. I don't know if I like this color since it looks pretty blah indoors, but outdoors, it looks less ugly.

*Product Specs*

• 0.4 fl oz (12 ml) for around $3.49
• Comes with a flat-type brush, which makes application easier
• Goes on smoothly and easily
• Not sheer or runny but requires at least 2 coats
• Readily available just about everywhere
• Available in 21 colors
• Formaldehyde, Toluene, and Phthalate-free

*Daily Activities During Review*

Typing, dishwashing (without gloves), carwashing, shampooing, handwashing and other random activities.

Day 2 was skipped because there were no significant differences. On day 3, there was absolutely no chipping on both hands and only a slight -and I mean slight - wearing off at the tips, which was not noticeable, as portrayed in the picture below.

Day 4 was also skipped because of no significant differences. By day 5, I was amazed because nothing has ever lasted this well on my well-abused fingernails (I'm a frequent hand-washer). The results: minimal wearing off at the tips but not even noticeable when sitting in front of someone. I had to stick my nails right up to my face to even notice it myself. I thought, "Dang, that Lycra probably makes the polish flexible and less likely to chip. Just like how a skyscraper that flexes in the wind doesn't crumble apart."

BUT, after 5 days of wearing the same nail color, I get so sick of it that I need to remove it, plus I like my nails to "breathe." So I didn't see how it would last up to 10 days.

Initially, I was surprised and well-pleased with this nail polish and went on to buy two other bottles. But then I got to thinking that maybe it was my TOP COAT that made Milk Chocolate last so long. Hmm.... So I decided when I used Vintage - my absolute favorite shimmery, mid-toned pink - I would apply the Carolyn New York top coat on my left hand and a Revlon top coat on my right hand...

Vintage Results: Sorry for no pictures of the results. But, with the Carolyn New York top coat on my left hand - the same that I used with Milk Chocolate - there were two noticeable chips after 2 days. =( So that proved that the CNY top coat wasn't the "it" factor the first time I tried this nail polish. The right hand with the Revlon top coat was not any better either - I had a couple noticeable chips after two or three days as well. So much for that Lycra idea. Note: I used the same base coat, too.

So after that, my amazement with the lasting ability of this nail polish went out the door. *slam* But, oh do I LOVE Vintage! Rimmel also makes a Lasting Finish Lipstick called Vintage, so maybe they match each other. Do you know?


The last color I bought was Azteque, which is hard to describe. It's a shimmery, reddish color with dark pink undertones.

Azteque Results: After the disappointing results with Vintage, I went back to using Carolyn New York's base and top coat, like I did with Milk Chocolate. And sadly, after 2 days, I had 3-4 noticeable chips on both hands.

I don't know why I achieved great results when using Milk Chocolate. Maybe it was just that particular color that worked so well, but I have yet to use it a second time.

*FINAL THOUGHTS*

Buy this for the brush, the low price, the colors, and the smooth formula. But don't expect it to last 10 days.


P.S. I'm craving for one of these right now =D