I need your opinion!

Yours truly is turning another year older in less than a month. But before I get into the post, how amazing is this Hello Kitty cake?!?!

Anyway, heavy hints have been dropped to the hubs that I'd, of course, love to have a mad makeup spree. Aah gone are the days when a little Borders gift card would suffice. So to to make the most of this, I have a general idea of what I want, but I want you, my awesome readers, to advise me on what exactly I should purchase. Here's what I'm thinking:

1. What drugstore mascara should I buy? I am eyeing Maybelline Full n Soft or L'Oreal Voluminous. Any other holy grails I'm unaware of?
2. I'm loving MAC's All Ages All Races, All Sexes Collection thanks to JulieG's video! What items do you  love from this collection?
3. I need more OPI and China Glaze in my life. What would you suggest that is pink/nude?
4. I'm tempted to haul from NYX's $1 sale, but after checking on both the NYX and Cherry Culture websites, I can't find the sale anywhere. Can someone please send silly me a link to it?

On a side note, I'm really really happy to have reached 187 subscribers. My goal is to hit 200 and then hold a giveaway! You guys are the best; I find myself thinking of my giveaway everytime I'm wandering around the mall, CCO or drugstore. I hope I can hit that goal soon and thank you all properly! Happy weekend everyone!

LUSH Whoosh!

I've been using LUSH Whoosh! shower jelly for two months now and thought I'd give it my 2 cents.

Price: At $5.75 this is one of the cheaper Lush indulgences you can get. Also, the amount of product I got has lasted me for about 8 weeks now.

Scent: According to the website, it is lemon, lime and grapefruit. But I'd describe it as a unisex fresh waterfall scent with hints of anise. It's a departure from the usual girly scents of Lush, which some of you may welcome. However, since even drugstore shower gels have fresh scents, I wonder whether its worth buying this when you can get the same experience elsewhere.

Texture/Effect: Okay, to me, squishing my hands into a tub of ooey gooey jelly is the best part of this shower jelly. The lather is also superb as it envelopes one in suds! I suggest that instead of grabbing a chunk and putting it on like a bar soap, which would waste product, try putting a dollop of Whoosh on a loofah. You will get more lather for less product.


Would I repurchase? Yes and no. I'd repurchase a shower jelly for the fun and the price. But I wouldn't repurchase Whoosh itself because the scent is no big deal. I'm gonna see what other jellies are out there and try them out instead.

Mmm, product packaging...

I was wandering in CCO a couple of weeks ago and was so happy to run into a MAC Hello Kitty item! It's a tinted lip conditioner with SPF 15 in Popster. The name, packaging and cheerful color had me at Hello! I'm not someone who runs out to buy stuff from every MAC launch, but this is probably one of the collections I wish I had a few more items of (that and Style Warrior).

Although the color looks scary bright, I put it on and loved how it blended out to be a very pleasant pink flush on the lips. The left swatch is unblended, and right is blended. I like how it goes from baby pink to dusty rose.

This little luxury is tucked into my makeup clutch and goes everywhere with me. I love taking it out and putting it on at random times of the day as a little pick me up. But all indulgence aside, it's not very conditioning on my lips. It's a waxy, almost matte effect. Don't expect dewy wet lips (now this is actually a good thing if your significant other does not like sticky kisses). I was expecting Vaseline with a tint, in a cute package. Not the case. If you have super dry lips, get a different lip balm. This product gets props mainly for the pleasant color and Prozac packaging (Prozac because its so cute that it literally enhances my mood).

Can Sleek Graphite work for tan skin?

Hey guys, sorry I haven't blogged over the weekend, I feel like a humongous slacker. But in my little defense, juggling grad school and married life is really really hard. Ok let's get to the pretty colors. I won Georgie's giveaway for a Sleek Graphite palette and have been playing with the colors for a month or so now. Upon doing a quick web search, I noticed there are a lot of swatches available on many blogs, but mainly against fair skin. I want to show you guys how they look on tan skin:


All the colors in this palette are quite shimmery and a bit loose, so I'd recommend tapping them on your lid with a firm Maxine's Mop to prevent fall out. You can also try dampening the brush with some water first. Also, be sure to apply foundation, etc. afterwards, not before. These colors are quite dark, pigmented and shimmery! I always have to reach for some kind of makeup remover to edit the fallout.

 

Top row: The 1st color would be a great inner corner highlight. The 2nd one is a a great brow highlight.

Bottom row: Sorry this pic is dark; I wasn't able to capture the nuanced differences between these shades. Smokey eye lovers will have lots of grays to choose from. I love the 4th one from the left. It's a navy blue shimmery color I use all over the lid, and it even works for daytime.

Since my skin around my eyes is tan, I tend to stick to nude/bright colors. But when I am lemming to wear the a dark e/s, I start with UDPP all over the eye area to lighten my lid color by 2 shades. I then apply a sheer wash of dark e/s on the lid area and finish with a nice, bright brow highlighter. I don't put dark e/s on the lower lashline as that can make me look tired. For me, the key is to apply a sheer wash of dark color to just the lid area, and surround that dark color with bright colors. That way the dark color stands out, and is not mistaken for a very sleepy girl!

My Favorites Tag

I read a post by ..that's peachy on this tag today, so since she's tagged everyone here's my lazy Friday post:

Colour - white. I know that's not technically a color, but its my favorite.

Animal - bunnies!! 

Band - I haven't cared about bands since high school, but Coldplay is pretty awesome.
Singer - Shreya Ghoshal
Song - "Someone exactly like you" by Van Morrison. (1st song at my wedding!)

Film- Currently its Running with Scissors
Food - Sushi
Drink - G&Ts baby
Restaurant - Barcelona (best steak and gaucho sausages EVER)
Shop - REI
Website - You Suck at Craigslist
Magazine - Martha Stewart Living (damn you, epitome of perfection!)
Sport - College Football (American)
Team - Florida Gators (Gooo Gators!)
TV Program - The Office (mmmm, Jim...)

Place - Florida, USA. It's home sweet home
Season - Summer. 
Beauty Product - MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation (I should really compose an ode for it)
Hair Product - Organix shampoos and conditioners
Make Up brand - MAAAAAAAAAAAAC (again...ode...)

Perfume -Chanel Allure

I tag all my followers to do it (especially if you're feeling lazy and don't want to do a picture-filled in-depth product review today). Happy Friday everyone!

Pure Ceramic Hair Brush Review

If I am having a bad hair day, no amount of makeup can correct how crappy I feel. Great hair can overcome a no-makeup face, but not the other way around. So I was really happy to try out the new Brushlab Pure Ceramic hair brush to see what it could do for my hair and blowdrying routine. This brush is available through the Brushlab website and is stocked at ULTA stores. First impression: its purrrty.

First, I really really love the sleek look of this brush. Props for the spectacular design, Brushlab! Second, the handle does double duty as a rat-tail to part your hair. Very handy for me because I blowdry my hair in sections. Third, the spot for holding this brush is quite close to the barrel, which gives you lots of control over the brush. And finally, since the bristles don't scratch your scalp, so you can manhandle your hair all you want. To use, I first detangle my hair with a wide paddle brush, and then use this brush for blowdrying and styling.

One con of this brush is that it can be a bit hard to move my hair around with such a narrow brush because I have very a thick and long mane. I think if you have thin or short hair (down to shoulders), this should not be an issue. Another thing is that I didn't really gain much from the whole ceramic-infused factor. This brush didn't really lower my blowdrying time or lead to much straighter hair. All in all, the final effect was the same as using other barrel brushes from Brushlove. However, if you don't own a barrel hair brush, consider this one because its bristles are really gentle on the scalp and its so sleek and gorgeous.

FTC disclaimer: This brush was sent to me to review. I was not paid for it and this is my honest opinion.

In and Out #3

I feel un-makeup-y today. There's something about January that puts me in a contemplative mood and takes me away from the comfortable materialistic thoughts of my usual life. So let me just scratch the surface of these thoughts with an in and out post.


In:

Getting to know my country's history. As an Indian raised almost entirely in the USA, my knowledge of my origins is abysmally embarrassing. I don't know the Guptas from the Moryas (does anyone?!). So I'm lately reading tomes on my country's cultural roots. In a nutshell, there were a lotta invaders.

Getting to know my local library! How come no one goes to local libraries anymore? They've become so pimped out these days! If everyone went, places like Barnes & Nobles and NetFlix would run for cover. I just checked out a DVD of The American President. Next DVDs on the list are Marie Antoinette and Running With Scissors.

Rosewater: I have filled a travel-size spray bottle (from Target) with rosewater, and use it to spritz my super-dry face throughout the day. Take that Fix+!
(ok I still want you cuz I'm a MAC slave, but I will play hard-to-get darn it!)


Out 


Not knowing which drugstore mascara to buy: Maybe you guys can turn this Out into an In by telling me. I just finished my tube of Define-A-Lash lengthening formula. What should be next? I want volume AND length and I want it to be drugstore!

Chippy tips: Let me explain. The tips of my nails always chip off their nail color in 1 day after I've applied them with great love and care. WTF am I doing wrong? (before you ask, I do use a topcoat)


That's enough moaning for a day. I'll get off the soapbox now. Just had itchy fingers and wanted to rant to you guys. Sorry, no useful information this time. I guess this was a "Juicystar07 vlog" style post. ;)

Going Vegan: 18 days in

It's been several days since my last update on being vegan, so I thought I'd rave and complain about it once again to you all. Honestly, this diet has some major pros and some major cons. On the plus side, I'm fitting into my super skinny jeans again! You know that pair that you have in the back of your closet, that you fear and loathe because you just can't get into it no matter how much you suck it all in? Well, I have two Sevens that fit that description, and as of yesterday, I can comfortably fit into both! I haven't weighed myself yet because I want to only weigh myself once--after this is all said and done, on Feb. 12th. But regardless, I can feel that I've lost some weight, and that is super exciting 18 days in!

I think one of the main reasons I've lost weight is because veganism has practically made me eliminate desserts and junk food from my diet. It seems as though every kind of dessert and snack out there has some kind of dairy product, from cheese, to cream or milk. I'm pretty much eating 3 meals a day and nothing in between.

Now for the downside. My dinners are usually quite filling and satisfying because I make vegan Indian meals, which consist of rotis, vegetables, a small salad, and a bit of chutney. But honestly, my breakfast and lunch are just not that nutritious and wholesome. For breakfast, I have 2 packets of oatmeal with soymilk and black coffee. Not filling or super-nutritious. And for lunch, if I don't have any leftover Indian food to take to work, I'm stuck with buying a vegan burrito with chips and salsa. So I'm basically eating very little for breakfast, and a ton of carbs for lunch. Not good.

The other downside is that veganism requires a lot of preparation. There's no busy-night excuse. I once had a busy night where I didn't have time to prepare any dinner, and I was left with making myself a small strawberry-banana-soymilk smoothie for dinner. I guess it wasn't enough because I ended up with a hunger headache. :(

I definitely think I have the stamina to keep my vegan diet going until Feb. 12th, but after that, I'd like to re-incorporate foods that I think are beneficial, but in small quantities. The main things I want to incorporate are cheese, yogurt, and fish. I'm still on the fence about whether I want to be a pescetarian going forward, or just have no "labels", and be a disciplined eater. Thoughts anyone? Or tips on how to be a vegan and still get wholesome, nutritonal meals?

And the Winner is...

First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway for the SkinMD lotion. An especially big cyber hug for those of you who posted about my giveaway on your blogs. It was totally optional, and I really appreciate you taking the trouble to do that. Of course, this giveaway wouldn't have been possible without SkinMD's sponsorship, so a big thanks to them too! Without further ado, the randomly chosen winner of a full-size SkinMD Natural Shielding Lotion is....

 

Linda Phuong Tran from the YELLOWJELLYBABY blog!

Congratulations sweetie! I love your blog and thanks for commenting on my silly posts, I appreciate it very much. :-)

If you didn't win, please don't lose heart. I am planning to hold a giveaway of my own once I hit a certain number of followers! Thanks for entering everyone!

xoxo

LUSH Flying Fox!

Say hello to my new best friend: LUSH Flying Fox. **Sigh...must calm down and gather thoughts. Readers can't see facial expressions of pure pleasure.**

Okay, I know this beautiful shower gel has already gotten quite a bit of praise, but I must chime in loud and clear. BUY THIS SHOWER GEL NOW! Yes, its the most expensive shower gel I've ever purchased, but my entire bathroom, and sometimes even bedroom, smell like it, and when I shower, I can't help but ooh and aah the whole time. I think the reason why I love jasmine so much is that it's a very popular flower in India (called mogra), and the scent takes me back to my grandmother's gardens, and all those lovely strung jasmines you can buy in the street to put in your hair.

Flying Fox smells like I'm being showered with baskets of jasmine flowers. There are like 5 types of jasmine essential oils in it, which explains the price tag since jasmine flowers are pretty small, and EOs are pricey little buggers. It also contains honey, but I can't pick up on that (my sense of smell sucks though). I dare anyone who tries this out to not groan with pleasure when they first use it (warning: groaning might lead to raised eyebrows from hubbies/roommates). Seriously, if LUSH opened an entire line of this scent, I would buy it ALL. I am already planning to buy this for a few family members and girlfriends when their birthdays roll around.

EVEN when I'm raving this much, my training in science compels me to point out a few BUTs.

•  There isn't a huge amount of lather. Sure, I might just fix that by using twice the amount of shower gel, but at that price tag, I don't want to use up this little guy too quickly. 
• It's not amazingly moisturizing. I definitely need to follow up FF with body lotion. 
• The scent doesn't strongly linger on your skin (shower jellies like Whoosh have stayed on my skin for hours on end). The scent does linger in my bathroom and bedroom for days, but not my skin. Booo. 

But all in all, for the scent, I will be buying/begging for this treat again, and even sending it to my loved ones. I wish they'd come out with a perfume so I could dab it on my wrists all day too. :)

Mario Badescu Healing and Soothing Mask

Ever go on a mad witch hunt to exterminate every pimple on your face, only to win the battle and realize you're now looking at dry, battle-worn skin? Yeah. That would be me. When I break out, I launch crusades against my zits by throwing at them every harsh chemical in my bathroom cabinet. I pick, prod, mask, and scrub until they're all gone. Enter Mario Badescu's Healing and Soothing Mask. This was sent to me as free sample back in December. Here's the sample and a swatch of the mask:

The description on MB's website reads: Speeds healing of acne-erupted skin, Soothes redness and irritation, and Balances out drying acne products. 

Honestly, I am not sure about how to review this product. I've had it since early December and have only used it 2 times. On the plus side, the mask has a smooth texture, and it doesn't dry on your skin and give you that "I can't move my face" feeling. However, the smell is disgusting to me because its like vanilla and cardamom mixed together. I can imagine other girls liking this because I know Lush's fruity/feminine soaps are a big hit but I personally think they are overpoweringly girly. I'm more drawn to herbal, citrusy, clean scents.

The weird scent aside, I do want to use this mask more because it does make my skin feel balanced (i.e., no more oily and dry patches). Overall, I have to say its a nice mask because it's quite a unique product in my collection. Not sure if I'd purchase the full size though, because man, that scent is pissing me off. However, if you like vanilla and girly scents, feel free to get the sample from MB!

Do you guys have any balancing masks that you really like? If I found a nice one in the drugstore (or Lush hehehe), I'd be so joyous. Most of my masks are super drying (ie aspirin, clay, etc.)

Review and Giveaway (!!!) of Skin MD Natural's Shielding Lotion

Be sure to read through the entire post to know how to enter a giveaway to win a full-size bottle of Skin MD's Shielding Lotion! Now for the review:

I'll get right to it: I've found an amazing moisturizer in Skin MD Natural's Shielding Lotion:

I have been looking for a moisturizer for a long time that is deeply moisturizing and yet doesn't make me feel like I have Vaseline smeared all over my face. I've tried Burt's Bees day cream before, and although it worked well for me at first, it soon landed on my regrets list after breaking me out and the formula getting shady. On the other end of the spectrum was Biore's Dual Fusion moisturizer, whose light formula was nice to put on, but too light to really moisturize my skin.

Enter Skin MD's Shielding Lotion. This moisturizer works by forming "a protective barrier on the skin [that] keeps out irritants and chemicals. It also allows the natural oils and moisture to remain in the skin so it can heal better. It is a big advantage that shielding lotions are light and go on without a greasy mess," Dr. Brian Zogg, dermatologist (quote from Skin MD's website).

What I love about it

1. Formula: ohh man, this stuff is so lightweight that it goes on like silk and absorbs quickly. As I put it on, it feels cool and refreshing. The first time I used it, I was so happy with the sensation that I ran out of the bathroom and put it on the hubby's face too!

2. No Scent: Nose snobs, take note. I cannot pick up on any scent on this lotion, which tells me it doesn't contain anything it doesn't really need to moisturize your skin. Props for parsimony!

3. It works! I wouldn't be raving about this lotion if it didn't work so beautifully. My favorite time to put this on is at night after I've done my skincare routine. The shielding lotion allows my acne treatment to be much more effective because it's acting like a bodyguard against new toxins entering my skin. The SkinMD brochure also recommends that if you use anti-wrinkle treatments at night, try putting on this lotion at the end to help the treatment work better.

Not just for the face: This lotion can be applied anywhere on the body as well. I tend to dab it on my hands, which are perpetually dry due to the weather. My hands literally look younger when I put this on. (BTW, a lotta women take really great care of their face so you can't tell their age, but they totally neglect their hands! Hands are a total giveaway of your age! Take care of them!!!)

The But: The one drawback of this lotion is that it doesn't contain SPF. Happily, Skin MD does carry an SPF formula on their website. I plan to get the Shielding Lotion for night use, and the SPF formula for day use.

Overall, I give this lotion an A+. I will definitely be repurchasing it and am so happy I was introduced to it!

The GIVEAWAY!

Hey, everyone's skin is different, so don't just take my word for it. The folks at Skin MD are letting me hold a giveaway contest where one lucky winner will get a full size bottle of their Shielding Lotion! Here's what you need to do to enter:

1. Comment below saying "enter me"
2. Be a follower
3. For an extra entry, spread the word by providing a link to this post on your blog. That's all!

The contest will close on Sunday, January 17th. Hope you all enter and best of luck!!

FTC Disclaimer: The Shielding Lotion was sent to me courtesy of Skin MD. I was not paid to review this product, and this post reflects my honest opinion.

My Updated Skincare Routine

I've been using this skincare routine for a few months now and it has been working pretty well for me. This routine is gentle enough for normal acne-free skin, and yet strong enough to treat acne:

1. Remove makeup: I use Clean & Clear's Makeup Dissolving Foaming Cleanser. It gets off all of my face makeup, and most of my eye-makeup. See my full review of this product here.

2. Cleanse: On most days, I use Biore's Ice Fighting Blemish Cleanser, which contains 2% salicylic acid (I reviewed it in my 2009's best skincare products post.

2.5. Exfoliate: About 3x a week, I substitute the Biore for my LUSH Dark Angels. Exfoliating with a charcoal-based product has revolutionized my skin by making it softer, brighter, and almost entirely acne-free. I've posted about it here.

3. Tone (when I'm not being lazy): I like to use Olay's Refreshing Toner with witch hazel (which is not only great smelling, but also a total bargain for around $4!)

4. Treat/Prevet acne: I apply LUSH Grease Lightning to my cheeks, where I tend to break out the most. See my review on it here.

5. Moisturize: Skin MD's Shielding Lotion is the perfect night-time moisturizer in my opinion. It goes on light, gets absorbed immediately into the skin, has no scent, and I wake up with a supple, smooth face every morning. I'll be posting a full review on that very soon.

I do all these steps at night, but in the morning, I use just the Biore cleanser, and then jump to moisturizing. Overall, I think this routine has been very effective for me. I think the only product I'm not completely satisfied with is the C&C makeup remover, so I will be trying something else once this runs out. All of the other products are amazing and staples in my collection! 

FTC Disclaimer: Skin MD's Shielding Lotion was sent to me to review. I was not paid to review it and this is my honest opinion. All of the other products mentioned were bought with my own moolah.

Going Vegan: Six Days In

       Although I've been a proud omnivore for much of my life, I'm going vegan for six weeks. I started on Jan 1st and will officially end on Feb. 12th. Before I launch into my reasons for doing this, please know that I'm not trying to preach the virtues of going vegan or trying to convert anyone. It's just a journey and a challenge that I want to share with you guys, that's all. :)

            For the last four years, I've observed some kind of a change in my diet from New Year's Day until mid-February. Consider it my own version of Lent. In the past, I have given up things like meat, alcohol, or caffeine. This year, I'm giving up both meat or dairy products. I really like to do this because it starts off the new year with giving up something I really really enjoy, so each time I make the right choice, I feel a little more disciplined and responsible. To me, the smug feeling of superiority is well worth it. Also, once I'm done, I don't jump head-long into my old ways; I just re-incorporate the foods back into my diet, but in smaller portions. So it really helps me form a long-term habit fast.

         I decided to go vegan instead of vegetarian for two main reasons. First of all, I make plenty of vegetarian fare at home, so being a vegetarian wouldn't require a big change. But cutting out butter, cheese, yogurt and milk is a big effing change that'll give me the teeth-gritting challenge I love. Second, I mainly get acne on my cheeks, and I've read that cutting dairy from your diet can improve this (see my post on that topic here).

        I also chose to go vegan because I recently watched Food, Inc., a documentary about how meat and vegetables are produced in the USA today. Even once I'm done with this period of veganism and get back to normal, I'll be sourcing my meat and dairy from local farmers, where I can get to see exactly how these animals are raised. This is one seriously eye-opening movie.

 

I've only been off meat and dairy for 6 days now, but let me tell ya, I'm already seeing some interesting changes in my body:

1. After a vegan meal, no matter how much food I ate, I don't feel lethargic. I just feel full and revitalized and ready to face the next several hours of the day. Not true with meat and dairy foods! This is such an exciting effect, and I felt it from day 1. Loving the boost of energy!

2. My skin is feeling better. Yes I still have a couple of break outs here and there, but there hasn't been any new acne. It could be the winter, or my skincare routine, but I do believe cutting the dairy has been good for me.

3. I feel "lighter". I don't mean this in terms of weight, beause I haven't weighed myself. But I'm perceiving myself more positively because I'm so disciplined about my food choices. My self-image is no longer "ugh I look so fat". Due to the simple fact that I'm in charge of my diet, I'm happy with how I look in the mirror. Yes, there can be vast improvements, but I know I'm proactively working towards them, and that makes all the difference in my outlook.


So far so good! I'll keep updating you guys on how this goes. Thanks for reading as always. 


xoxo,
Ashwini

Removing the Day: St. Ives vs. Clean and Clear

When it comes to removing makeup, I'm looking for four simple things: 1) make it fast, 2) don't break me out, 3) make it thorough and 4) make it affordable. So in the last 6 months, I went through 2 drugstore makeup removers: Clean & Clear Makeup Dissolving Foaming Cleanser and St. Ives Fresh Skin Olive Cleanser. Here's how they compare:

Make it fast: Both Clean & Clear and St. Ives effectively remove powder foundations and mineral makeup in a jiffy. For liquid foundations (even Revlon Colorstay), Clean & Clear is much more effective. St. Ives makes it messy and requires a couple of rounds.

Don't break me out: Neither product has caused breakouts on my skin. So if you have problem skin, either one should be fine.

Make it thorough: Clean & Clear claims to remove ALL makeup, EVEN WATER-PROOF MASCARA. Not exactly true in my opinion. Afer several pumps of this product, you can at the most remove 100% of face makeup, and about 90% of mascara. But you will end up with little flakes of mascara clinging to your lashes and below your lids. St. Ives doesn't claim to remove mascara, and I appreciate the honesty. St. Ives can only tackle face makeup, not eye makeup (forget mascara, it can't even take on gel liners and eye bases). You absolutely need a separate eye makeup remover for it.

Make it affordable: Clean & Clear is around $11.99 at Target (6 oz). St. Ives is around $4.99 at CVS (6.5 oz). St. Ives wins this round.

Final thoughts: St. Ives can easily remove daily makeup like minerals and powder foundations. It's a bigger pain to tackle liquid foundations and it's impossible for eye makeup. Clean and Clear is a bit more effective because it does remove most of your eye makeup and liquid foundation is not a problem. However, I do resent that it states on the bottle that it can remove water-proof mascara, but that's just not the case.

Once I run out of Clean and Clear, I will either 1) repurchase it and also get a dedicated eye makeup remover, or 2) invest in something like MAC wipes, or MAC Cleanse Off Oil.

Thanks for reading, and if you have any holy grail products for removing makeup, please put them in the comments below!

Update and Blog Awards

Its nippy outside but I'm all warm and fuzzy inside. I just got a "You're a Doll" award from Henessy, and a One Lovely Blog Award from Gaby! Thanks girls, I'm over the moon! Be sure to check out Henessy and Gaby's blogs. I loved Henessy's New Year's Resolutions and Gaby's ongoing Project Pan them all!

Sorry for my lack of posts lately. My New Year's weekend was packed full of fun because I spent New Year's Eve at a friend's place, then spent the weekend in NYC where I watched the Lion King and shopped till I dropped. Now that I'm back, here's a glimpse of the posts you can expect in the upcoming weeks:

• Comparing makeup removers (drugstore mostly)
  
• My NYC haul: Lush, H&M, Banana Republic
• Observing a vegan diet--why I'm doing it, how it's affecting my skin, and a few surprises
  
• My search for a great moisturizer may have ended (shh not telling!)
• Review of Lush Whoosh Shower Jelly
• Reviews Mario Badescu samples
• Review of MAC Moisturelush

Now onto the beautiful bloggers I nominate for both of these awards!

http://getgawjus.blogspot.com/

http://tinyladylife.blogspot.com/

http://xsheslikeastar.blogspot.com/

http://magnolianotes.blogspot.com/

http://blushfully.blogspot.com/

http://visualaspect87.blogspot.com/

http://bubblegarm.blogspot.com/

http://oxfordjasmine.blogspot.com/

http://thebeautyedit.blogspot.com/

http://www.beautyjunkielondon.com/