Year: 2014

Swatch Post: NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Kauai

Published by

I mentioned on my Instagram (follow me: @presidents!) a few weeks ago that I had finally gotten NARS Kauai in the mail, after ordering it in January. Kauai is part of their Spring 2014 collection, High Seize, and is the more coveted one of the two duos released. One side is “gold lame;” the other, “iridescent smokey orchid.” I swiped the leftovers of each shade on top of each other in the third swatch. To be honest, these shadows are pretty buttery and smooth and all of that, but I’m not sure how I can wear them without looking all blinged out. It’s pretty weird that I actually took to China Seas, essentially a blue and purple duo, a little bit better. Here’s a fuzzy swatch: The gold is kind of… flake-y? It’s pretty, for sure, but it’s a bit messy to use, in my opinion. I have to play around with it more, though. The orchid side is really pretty. You can see the undertones via sparkle in this fuzzy swatch. As of now, …

Current Nail Routine

Published by

I’m not a nail polish fiend, but lately I’ve been enjoying painting them. Here’s my usual routine: — Base Coat: Sally Hansen Hard as Nails — Chosen Nail Lacquer — Top Coat: China Glaze No-Chip Top Coat I’m a big fan of the Sally Hansen Hard as Nails, but I’m not too sure how I feel about the China Glaze top coat. I mentioned before that nails aren’t really my thing, and I’m terrible at nail art or even just regular application. What I’ve been doing lately is having an accent nail, usually the ring fingers. This pretty hot pink is by Butter London, and it’s called Primrose Hill Picnic. It’s a fabulous cream and goes on opaque in one coat. The rest of the nails are painted in Barry M’s Countess, which Laala gave to me via her swap. Butter London and Barry M are cruelty-free. Follow me: Bloglovin' • Twitter • Instagram • YouTube • Facebook

Rouge Bunny Rouge Prelude in the Clouds Aqua Primer

Published by

I know, I know. I said no more primers. But I am a stupid bint. A lucky one, though, because the Rouge Bunny Rouge Prelude in the Clouds Aqua Primer is quite good. Not the best I’ve tried, but certainly not the worst. I got it at about 40% off the retail price. Product Description: “This water-based texture is so light and refreshing on your skin that you will feel like floating through the clouds, but it contains plethora of active ingredients. Sea-Buckthorn Berry Extract serves as a superb-antioxidant and anti-ageing ingredient that promotes cell tissue regeneration. Iris Florentina Root Extract smoothes out fine lines and wrinkles to create a perfect canvas for other products to be applied to the skin. Saccharide Isomerate provides intensive hydration, firming and smoothing; Bisabolol is used for its anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory capabilities. Vitamin E Acetate and Retinol Palmitate improve skin texture. Now you know why we are so excited to bring you this miracle in a bottle.” The bottle is actually quite pretty. It’s in a frosted white glass …

FOTD: Neutral Natural with NARS Charade

Published by

Look! An FOTD from a few days ago. 🙂 It’s just a pretty neutral look since I wanted to use a hot pink blush. I basically just used the NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Charade—the rosy shade all over the lid and the purple to deepen the outer corner and smoke out the lower lid a little bit. I used a bit of the rosy shade as a gradient, too. I used a liquid liner and mascara, and that’s mostly it for the eyes. For the lips, another NARS product, the Satin Lip Pencil in Decanso, which is limited edition and gorgeous. I kind of want to buy a backup, but I don’t want to be that kind of person anymore. I chiseled out my cheekbones a little with the Illamasqua Cream Foundation, then added a pretty blended out application of Tarte’s Flush on my cheeks. I tend to apply blush higher up on and towards the edges of my face and not on the apples because my cheeks are quite full. Here are some of …

Unboxing: Le Métier de Beauté Beauty Vault VIP March 2014

Published by

Hey everyone, just a quick post for today. 🙂 Before I left for Japan, I had gotten the March box from my Le Métier de Beauté Beauty Vault VIP Subscription. For those not in the know, it’s basically a monthly subscription box from Le Métier de Beauté. The box’s set-up is an upfront payment for all 12 months. Each box costs roughly around $30, and this is the seventh box so far. If you’re curious about the subscription, here are my posts on it. Sign-ups open back up after this round is done. Boxes often come in this manner, with crinkly shredded black paper as the padding, a handwritten note, and a beautiful box tied with a black LMdB ribbon. We received two items this month, the Le Métier de Beauté Ultra Hydration Eye Mask Duo and the Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Correcteur Concealer, which is a product I’ve been longing to try but can’t seem to bring myself to because of the price tag. The Ultra Hydration Eye Mask Duo retails for …

This or That: Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palettes

Published by

With 3-and-a-half eyeshadow palettes, Urban Decay has proven that the neutral world is actually pretty expansive. Like I mentioned in my Naked 3 review, there is a total of 40 shades in the Naked line right now (2 are repeats), so what do you do when you can’t seem to pick which palette is the best one for you? You look for swatches online, of course! And, happily, I am here to oblige, as promised. Luckily, I have all 4 palettes at my disposal, so let’s begin, shall we?

5 Things Friday: Heroic “Extras”

Published by

Todays 5 Things Friday features some extras in my routine that actually make a big difference. I call them extras because they’re not necessary steps to my routine, though they make a ton of difference. 1. MAC Fix+ This is essentially a setting spray to lock in your makeup, but you can also spray this on before makeup application or use it to apply your eyeshadows wet. I know there are many dupes around, but this is the one I have. 2. Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Lash Growth This is a pricier version of the many lash growth serums that have become widely available, but it’s the one that’s suited to my sensitive eyes and it actually works! I can do without it, but no one in their right mind would say ‘no’ to slightly longer lashes. 3. Sara Happ Lip Scrub Again, something easily duplicated with the right DIY recipe. I don’t use scrubs that often, but when I do, my lips—and lipstick application—always thank me. 4. Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream …