Help me pick shoes for graduation!

Hello ladies, it's been a while since I had a good blog post. I've just been pretty lazy with uploading pics from my camera. (how do you ladies combat laziness to upload photos?! kudos to you). Anyway, collective haul from Coastal Scents, CVS, and a japanese market.

From CS: kabuki, some eyeshadow pans, angled liner, fan brush, and they gave me a free sample of eyeshadow. I've been using the fan brush almost everyday to apply blush, so far I really like it.

From CVS: I've been on the search for the perfect golden/bronze color, that's why I bought the baked collection in Baked Sands. I have the Physician's formula Shimmer Strips for Hazel Eyes (even though I don't have hazel eyes, I just like to colors :P) and I love the fourth color from the bottom. It's kind of in-between bronze and gold, more like a shimmery brown with gold hints. I've used it all up and have yet to find a dupe. I ordered some NYX shadows from cherry culture so hopefully those will be it.
Also bought Physician's formula powder palette in translucent. I'm almost done with a similar one but the shade is actually my skin color. Eyelashes + Maybelline's Full and Soft, Sky high curves, and some makeup/toiletry kit from japanese market! I actually don't really know what the kit is.. it comes with two 5 gram jars, a tiny funnel, a spatula, and two empty bottles for storing liquids? It looks like it's either for makeup/beauty stuff or contact lenses. Help me out here, what do you think it's for?

Also been using Kirkland's Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes everyday for removing makeup. I went through two packs of these already.

Also got Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock as I mentioned in a previous blog. I really like it, it doesn't leave the greasy feeling. Yes, I know it's 85 spf which is a lot.. I also saw one that was 100+ spf O_O.

For mother's day, I bought mama some orchids to grow from Trader Joe's.

Oh! I tried pressing my lip sticks and NYX pearl loose shadows with Enkore's tutorial. I guess I didn't press the nude color hard enough because it shattered in my bag!

Baked some cupcakes with red velvet and funfetti cake mix and semi-homemade cream cheese frosting. It was pretty easy to make.

One package cream cheese + 1 cup confectioner's sugar + 1 tub of Cool Whip. Whip cream cheese until soft and creamy, then pour in sugar. After mixing well, fold in Cool whip. It has the right balance of sweetness and flavor from the cream cheese without being overpowering or too sweet.

Lastly, THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF MY LIFE!! Okay, I guess it's not THAT important. But still, which heels should I wear for my graduation? Open-toed strappy or pumps? I'm kinda leaning towards the pumps because it looks a lot formal/classy. But I still don't know!

E.L.F. Haul and Mini Reviews

So I've been using Revlon's ColorStay with Softflex foundation recently with my Target Stippler Brush, and I've got to say, it's awesome. The coverage is medium to full, but I get the airbrushed look with the brush and no cakey-ness. I don't use foundation everyday (just whenever I feel like it.. about once or twice a week) but when I wear this foundation, it really feels lightweight and I can hardly tell its there.

I've also been using the Hidden Agenda Concealer by Sonia Kashuk pretty much everyday since I bought it. I have small red marks from acne scars and the olive based color (bottom right) really covers it up well. Previous to this, I used Maybelline's coverstick in Deep Beige and although it was pretty good at concealing, the color didn't really work that well with the redness, so it would take a while to blend and such.

Oh Cetaphil.. how I love thee... I've been using it about every other day (and using St. Ive's Apricot Scrub the other days) and I really love it. Since Cetaphil is soapfree, you don't need to work up a lather, all you do is slather it on your face, rub. and rinse. It makes face cleansing so much easier over the sink because I usually hate doing it with other soapy facial cleansers. Another plus is that you can use it by leaving it on your face and just wiping it off with a towel, leaving a sheen. This relieves my worry about leaving soapy residue on my face as with other cleansers.

Here's the E.L.F. Haul!

83601 -	blushed/bronzed	Qty: 1	$3.00
2201 -	Crystal	Qty: 1	$1.00
1705 -	Eye Lash Curler	Qty: 1	$1.00
81302 -	medium	Qty: 1	$3.00
85006 -	Mini Eyelash Curler	Qty: 1	$3.00
3101 -	Pink Lemonade	Qty: 1	$1.00
84003 -	Powder Brush	Qty: 1	$3.00
2807 -	Watermelon	Qty: 1	$1.00
cstmpalette -	Custom Palette	Qty: 1	$0.00
2567 -	Compact	Qty: 2	$1.00

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Sub Total:	$18.00
Shipping:	$6.95
Tax:	$0.00

Discounts:

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50% off orders up to $15.00!

($7.50)

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Total:

$17.45

Unfortunately, They shipped a wrong item to me. I ordered a mini eyelash curler, but they gave me a regular one instead. I emailed them immediately and they responded the very next day that they would send the correct item out ASAP. I'm still waiting, but it's only been a few days.

The goodies in the bag

I guess I should've flipped these two pics over because they are upside down. They're supposed to be in the order that the swatches are on my hand.

L-R: Lipgloss in watermelon, all over color stick in pink lemonade, blush and bronze duo (supposedly a nars dupe), and the eyebrow kit in medium (wax and powder)
swatches with direct natural light from the window

Oh! I was also tagged by GiLing for the "Kreativ Blogger" award that's been circulating around lately. It's interesting, why is it spelled "Kreativ" is it because it's 'creative'? Yeah, just a random thought. btw, remind me to list a bunch of things I hate about blogger next time.

Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse

In my Glamour magazine, there was a free sample(s) of Maybelline's Dream Liquid Mousse foundation! I thought it was pretty cool..

With flash!... Without flash!

So I thought I knew what shade I was since I used Maybelline's Pure Makeup in Medium 2: Pure Beige.. but I knew it was a little off because it was a bit too rosy for me.

So I sampled the ones next to it!

L-R: Medium 1: Sandy beige, Medium 2: Pure Beige, Medium 2.5: Natural Beige

The shades are the same in this one, but reversed. (Medium 2.5 on the left)

Conclusion: I think my shade is Medium 2.5: Natural Beige. Even though Medium 2 looks like it works, it's actually too pink for me. Medium 1 and Medium 2.5 looks similar to me though, except Medium 1 is probably lighter.

Have any of you gals tried this? If not, what foundation do you usually use?

Happy Valentines!.. or SAD! (Single's Awareness Day)

Whether you're single or in a relationship, you probably love or hate today. I didn't do anything super special. The bf and I just went and ate Japanese ramen for lunch and made things we don't usually make for dinner. He made some salmon and I baked cupcakes. (Pictures at the end.) Also, I had a chance to wear some false lashes (Ardell's demi black) and get fancy with eye make up. I just used Valentine's day as an excuse because usually I'm too busy with school and work.. blah.

Hello Kitty nail stickers my sweet roommate bought me!

The stickers were huge so I decided to put the biggest one on my big toe and paint the rest a similar pink color.  The Keratin Base Coat is from my mom's nail kit when she went to beauty school to get a manicurist license.  The NYC star glitter is from my roommate and the tiny pink nail polish is from Bath and Body Works.


I feel kinda weird showing my toes on the internet...

My tinted moisturizer= Everyday minerals + Olay moisturizer!

Testing..
All gone!  It has really light coverage, but that's okay cause I kind of feel weird when there's too much coverage on my face.
I did this gold/bronze/brown look before I went out.  The camera really washed out the colors.. it was a lot more vibrant.  It just looks really neutral on camera.

Stopped by CVS and bought some Maybelline stuff (BOGO free)!  I actually don't have a foundation (can you believe it?) because my face used to get real oily and I would just use powder.

The man preparing salmon!

Closeup after it was baked... it was really good.

Some carrot cupcakes and frosting I made from scratch.

It came out quite tasty.