Matte eyeshadow

Sephora brand Matte eyeshadow

I've been really into matte eyeshadow and dark smokey shadows lately. Perhaps all the holiday sparkle has gotten to me and I want something more mysterious. I received a Sephora gift card for my birthday from a friend of mine and I went into the old store I used to work at in Soho. I missed working there sometimes. With $25 on the gift card, I didn't want to overdo it and wandered the store. For the price range of only $10 a shadow and the multitude of different textures and colors, its a steal. I picked up a matte shadow in No. 8 a sea gray which means it has a twinge of blue in it. This was just the color I was looking for. The Sephora brand eyeshadows have nylon-12 in them thus making it long-lasting and they are high pigmented so its not made of cheap stuff. I was happy that they had a line of matte eyeshadows, for those that are maturing and are worried about make up settling in fine lines, matte eyeshadows will work the best for you b/c you won't have to deal with sparkles settling in the lines which will magnify them.

"Pour some sugar on me"

Fresh is one of those luxury cosmetic brands that you love but not the price. Yet, you keep going back for more because their products smell and feel great. I picked up a concealer and the sugar lip treatment the last time I went inside the Fresh store in Soho. The sugar lip treatment is awesome, especially for this time of the year when the temperature drops and the wind chill is biting. The lip treatment is not sticky and feels smooth when put on the lips. It comes in a cute lipstick tube but this shouldn't deter the guys from purchasing this lip balm. My boyfriend uses this and likes that it isn't glossy or shiney or has any hint of color. This is great to put underneath a beautiful gloss or lipstick as well. The taste is their signature sugar. The ingredients that Fresh use in their products are sugar, rice, soy, water, etc. basically all-natural ingredients. This particular lip balm doesn't use petroleum so it doesn't feel like putting on vaseline on your lips. Next time you find yourself in biting cold weather and your lips are super-dry, you're going to want this product.

Silky finish lipstick by Benefit

I recently purchased "Liar lips" from the silky finish lipstick line from Benefit and it feels like silk on the lips. When the weather gets cooler, lipsticks make a comeback and the glosses are kept at a minimum. Benefit has been revamping their make up and I like the new products that are coming out. In Singapore, Benefit is the "it" cosmetic line and the price is more than double for each product. I have no idea why that is the case. I use Dallas blush bronzer, Lemon Aid, Eyecon, Boi-ing industrial concealer, She laq, Honey snap out of it scrub, and their foundation brush in my personal make up kit and/or my professional kit. I can't wait to see what this company comes out with next.

Addictive lip plumper

Pout has an addictive lip plumper that I love so much. I've never finished a lip gloss tube to the last drop until I came across Pout's original lip plump. The minty taste, the glossy nature, and the plumping effect is amazing! I always forget to reapply lip balm or gloss to keep my lips hydrated but this gloss made me look forward to reapplying gloss on my lips when I get the chance to the annoyance of my boyfriend. hehe. The maxi lip formula in the product actually works over time with continued usage. It really did plump my lips. Maxi lip is also a collagen booster so if you're getting to that age where your lipgloss/lipstick is feathering then this would boost collagen production and make your lips appear fuller. The glossy nature of this product is perfect, smooth and not sticky at all.
Currently Pout products can be purchased at select Victoria's Secret and online.

Check out this review on the beauty insiders

Very sad news: Pout Cosmetics ceased to exist. Read about it on Beauty News NYC

Teeth whitening

GoSmile really nailed it with this teeth whitening system. The ampules are tiny and fit into any purse. Its easy to apply and you never have to deal with a sticky mess. I am very happy that this product exists in the market. When I first tried it I accidentally missed a spot and you could see the difference! It was amazing. Of course with any topical teeth whitening, it won't sensitize your teeth and the best part of this product that sets them apart is that it freshens your breath as well. The B1 system is used 14 days straight and not more than three times a year. Too much whitening is not good for your teeth.

Luxurious body wash

Yea, I know its not make up but I did mention that I wanted to get into some of my favorite skin care/body care items because before you put on make up, the less you have to cover up the easier your job is. Starting with clean soft and touchable skin.
I love this body wash by Molton Brown in warming eucalyptus. I'm impartial to eucalyptus scents because it reminds me of sleep. When I was young, my mom used to rub eucalyptus oil on my back to help me fall asleep. This particular wash does warm up the body and the eucalyptus scent is very calming. For all those people who shower in the evening right before bed, this is the body wash for you. It will put you right to sleep.

Lashes galore

This is my favorite pair of false lashes by Make up forever. I've worn it at parties and its not too overwhelming yet creates a fun look with the small feathers on the end. Make up forever makes the most beautiful lashes that are dramatic and fun. However, at $14 a pair it is a bit pricey to wear only once. I recommend taking a q-tip dipped in eye make up remover or just any make up remover to remove old glue from the strip.
False lashes can dramatize any look without having to wear too much make up, and I would recommend not to wear too much dramatic make up because then the look will look too intimidating or too "stage".
During my last dance performance, I used bright purple lashes from Make up forever and I got lots of good comments on it. Apparently every last detail enhanced the fun nature of the dance pieces that I wore the lashes for. :-)
With halloween coming up in Oct., I would definitely get a pair of crazy lashes and wear them.

Shu Uemura eyelash curler

The famed Shu Uemura eyelash curler is all that its cracked up to be. A few seconds of "pumping" your lashes with this magical curler is all you need. The lashes are curled even with those with super straight lashes like me. I highly recommend the investment in this curler. The way it curls does not cause an unnatural bend in the lashes either so it does not look forced up.

You can purchase it at the Shu Uemura store online at http://www.shuuemura-usa.com
This is a special lash curler b/c of its ergonomic design and it follows the natural curve of your eyes. I use this lash curler and then two coats of the too faced mascara. My short lashes look longer, fuller, and it stays put all day. To get a more dramatic effect, try curling your lashes then putting on a lash primer like the smashbox lash primer followed by a volumizing mascara. This will surely give you gorgeous lashes.

YSL Touche Eclat

I was travelling through the airport the other day and stopped by the Duty Free store. I found YSL's Touche Eclat in a pack of two for $53. I purchased it and gave one to my mother and kept one for myself. I love it. I don't have dark circles under my eyes but sometimes I don't get enough sleep and need a little boost but a concealer is too rich or not needed. Enter YSL Touche Eclat, it works like a highlighter with a creamy texture. It brightened up the area almost immediately.
Now I believe all the hype behind this product. Its a cult product, its expensive so thats why I haven't bought it in the past but I couldn't resist a good Duty Free buy. Hehehe. Changi airport has really good duty free shopping if you know what I mean ;-)
There is also a big duty free store in the heart of the city that I may stop in if I don't find any other good beauty buys.
So far, I've purchased a pack of collagen sheet masks for my bridal make up kit (perfect for prepping the skin on the day of the wedding because it causes the skin to "glow" from within), several false eyelashes (I love false eyelashes, especially for special occasions). My beauty purchases have a simple rule when it comes to travelling, only purchase products that are cheaper or hard-to-find in the US.

Cheeks & Lips

Allure has written up Stila's little convertible color compacts for being versatile in nature so that in the summer or while travelling this summer one can double up on their blush and lipstick/gloss. I was playing around with the colors offered at the Sephora on 34th st last week and deduced that peony would be the perfect flush and work with many skin tones.

I'd recommend trying out the colors on the back of your arm and your cheek before making a desicion on whether this little compact would be a useful and lovely addition to your make up, especially when you want to jet out the door early.

The reason why I picked Peony is because it gives the skin a natural look. The creamy texture is soothing and blending it into the cheekbones are pretty easy. But don't forget to add a little highlighter on top of your cheekbones and some bronzer to contour.

Perfect sunkissed glow

If there is a product that I can't live without is Benefit's Dallas. It looks super dark in the little box but its amazing. Dallas is it. Personally, I prefer this to Nars Orgasm (altho this is another blush that I rave about as well as Laura Mercier's Nectar). Dallas is a combination blush/bronzer in one. Benefit has really done this product well.
This product looks good on camera as well. It gives me a rosy hue that is typical of after vigorous exercise but not too pink. I have put this blush/bronzer on a lot of different types of people and skin. It looks so natural and pretty. Just like my style, natural and pretty. You will love this!
This blush also can perk up a dull complexion for those too many over-nighters and lack of sleep because of stress nights. Blush is, in my opinion, the ultimate in faking your age.

Origins lash loving mascara

I got a new mascara a couple weeks ago because my Origins lash loving mascara was overdue to get thrown out. I picked this little mascara up while waiting in line at Sephora. What a joy this mascara gave me when it didn't clump, made my lashes look longer, volumizing, and didn't end up underneath my eyes. Up until this little discovery, I was a loyalist to the Origins mascara. The best part about this little mascara is its size. I don't wear mascara or make up on a daily basis (b/c of my parallel career as a dance artist) so having a smaller tube of mascara (cheaper than my Origins mascara!) is very beneficial for me b/c then I wouldn't feel like I'm throwing away a ton of mascara.
I use this mascara after curling my lashes with Shu Uemura's eyelash curler. I take the wand out of the tube and get the excess out on a paper napkin before putting it on my lashes to ensure that the mascara would not clump and end up underneath my eyes. I would definitely recommend this mascara.

Minted lip balm

I love this Rosebud salve Minted Rose lip balm. It comes in a fairly large tin, makes your lips tingle, multi-tasking in keeping cracked hands/heels/elbows moisturized. The balm also leaves just enough gloss with a little bit of rosy hue when piled on (really pretty). This product is only $7 and can be found at Sephora and Sephora.com online.
The only downside is that it doesn't last very long on the lips but it get absorbed into the lips and leaves lips nice and soft. It is not sticky either or leave any residue.
This product is perfect as a gift. I'm obsessive with this product and apply it whenever my hands are free and I'm waiting for the train/sitting on the train or on the way out the door. My boyfriend even uses this product because its not gender specific and doesn't leave shine like a gloss does.

Bronzers

I recently purchased this Sephora bronzer in Riviera and really like the hue it leaves on my fairly pale with pink and yellow undertones skin. Instead of a muddy hue that brown bronzers give or the orangey shade that some other bronzers leave on my face this one is a glow.

When I was younger, I used to use a Mac bronzer. Until it broke. That was a sad day. I haven't gotten into the self tanners and bronzers since high school because when I lived in California, I tried to tan the most dangerous way by walking around and swimming without any spf protection whatsoever. I slather on SPF every single day now since I do not want to do anymore damage or cause more premature aging than I've already done. Nor is skin cancer and melanoma a laughing matter.

Another good thing about this bronzer is that it has a spf 15. Its not to say that I would condone just using make up with an spf content. I would definitely recommend slathering on sunscreen prior to putting any make up. That way, any little sunscreen within your make up is just an added protection.