Would you rather?

Hello lovely people! I'm super busy this week, but I decided to indulge in a momentary lapse of work ethic to squeeze out this fun tag:

1.Would you rather go out with messy hair and nice make-up or Nice hair and no make-up? Definitely nice hair and no makeup for me. I do love both, but lemme tell ya, a greasy ponytail looks like crap on me. If I have freshly washed hair framing my face, I am comfortable slapping on a bit of chapstick and rolling out.

2.Would you rather shave your eyebrows or have your eyelashes fall out? 

I would much rather have my lashes fall out any day. False lashes can be made to look natural and beautiful, but rare is the person who can draw on eyebrows and have it look classy!
 
3.Would you rather be forced to shop at only MAC or Sephora for the rest of your life? 

This is a really really tough one. For the last few months, I've been eyeing a lot of brands from Sephora such as MUFE, Bobbi Brown, YSL, and Dior. So as of this point in time, I would rather only shop at Sephora. However, deep down, I know that MAC is special; as Laura (Lollipop26) put it, the thrill of a MAC haul is truly irreplaceable.

4.Would you rather wear lipgloss/lipliner look or 80's perm?  
Well, I actually had an 80s perm in the 4th grade. I love the idea of curly hair, and so I say why not! After all, an 80s perm is just a perm, and I can style it anyway I please!
 
5.Would you rather leave the house with an obvious foundation line or overdone blush? 
Put me down for overdone blush, because it wears off over the course of the day (more like 1 hour for me!). But a foundation line? That's just bad makeup skillz.
 
6.Would you rather wear MC Hammer pants or biker shorts in public? 
Um...I'd rather stay home when faced with those two choices. But fine, if I had to choose one, I'll choose biker shorts because I can get on a bike and make it look like I'm normal!

7.Would you rather have a bad orange-y spray tan or really weird tan lines that can't be covered? Weird tan lines would be fine, because its circumstantial. Bad orange-y spray tan is just an obvious goof up. I think in general, I'd rather have beauty errors due to circumstances, not bad technical skills!
 
8.Would you rather have a bad haircut or bad hair color? 
Bad hair color, because it can be fixed straight away. A bad haircut spoils my mood for months!

9.Would you rather have youtube or twitter taken away forever? 
Twitter (I never use it as much as I should really).

10. Would you rather give up using makeup brushes or mascara?  
I'd be very sad if I had to face such a decision. But...I'll let the brushes go, because there are ways to use sponges and fingers to apply makeup. There's no alternative to mascara.

Alright people, its your turn now. What would you rather do?

Tuesday Poll

Dear Friend, I like to start my letters to you as if we are already in the middle of a conversation. I pretend as if we are the oldest and dearest of friends, as opposed to what we really are--strangers brought together by a fierce love for makeup and all things pretty. Let's start off this post-Memorial Day Tuesday with a poll by Makeup and Beauty Blog, one of my favorite reads.

1. Mood:

Strangely enough, I feel alert and motivated to have a productive day. Very wierd for a Tuesday, lemme tell ya.

2. What do you do for a living?
Hah, I wouldn't call my income a "living" but I am currently a graduate student pursuing a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience. Very exciting stuff, but it's been the the biggest challenge of my life.

3. Who’s in your posse?

I have always been the kind of person who only has a handful of friends, but they are all very very close to me. I wouldn't have it any other way.

4. What projects are you currently working on?

I am working on having more greenery at home. I just bought 2 birdfeeders, one for my balcony and one for my front entrance. Also bought a few plants, and plan to buy some more!

5. If one were to open your bedroom closet, what would they find?

Mostly casual outdoorsy clothing from REI and Eddie Bauer. I love the blend of form and function. I also have some nice hand me downs from my fashionable sister, and some Indian tops.

6. Where do you find inspiration?

From visually striking movies like Kill Bill, the Devil Wears Prada or Pride and Prejudice. I am also inspired by bloggers like you, and magazines like Martha Stewart Living and Real Simple. 

7. When you aren’t working, how do you like to unwind?
On any given Friday, I love to go to Borders after a nice dinner and close the store. I read everything from interior decoration magazines, to Carmindy's latest book on makeup. 

8. Where are you right now?

In my office. 

9. Outfit:

Dark 7 jeans, shirt from Eastern Mountain Sports, and ballet flats from Ann Taylor.

10. Your weekly goals: 

Get some blogging done, and learn some new Indian recipes.

Here are the questions if you'd like to do this poll on your own blog, or leave them in the comments below:

1. Mood:
2. What do you do for a living?
3. Who’s in your posse?
4. What projects are you currently working on?
5. If one were to open your bedroom closet, what would they find?
6. Where do you find inspiration?
7. When you aren’t working, how do you like to unwind?
8. Where are you right now?
9. Outfit:
10. Your weekly goals: 

Look at what I have to put up with!

As mentioned earlier, I wanted to show you the hubby's eyelashes. What's a girl to do? He has lashes that a camel would envy!! Sorry about the photo being a bit blown out, but you get the idea--they are uber massive (especially the ones at the edges, can you imagine if they were curled?!). All I can say is that my progeny better inherit his lash genes and not mine! How about you? Do you know people who are naturally-gifted with beautiful features? My friend and sister-in-law both have gorgeous high cheekbones and my sister has a beautiful complexion and gorgeous hair. Hmm, this may be the start of a new series. I'll call it: "It's not Maybelline. He/she really is born with it!"

Tag: 40 Beauty Questions

I love tags; they are probably my favorite type of thing to read on the blogosphere. It makes me feel like we're all sitting on the floor in a kumbaya circle and gabbing. Without further ado:

SKINCARE

-How many times do you wash your face daily? 

Twice

-What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)

Oily...I think....

-What is your current facial wash?

Biore Ice Fighting Blemish Cleanser (total HG)

-Do you exfoliate?

Yup, about 3x a week

-What brand do you use?

Lush Dark Angels

-What moisturizer do you use?

SkinMD, Johnson and Johnson, or Biore's Dual Fusion

-Do you have freckles?

Nope.

-Do you use eye cream?

Sometimes I use Mario Badescu Hyalauronic eye cream.

-Do you or did you have acne prone skin?

Ohh yes. Look at the number of Acne-related posts I have under "Categories".

-Did you ever have to use Pro-activ?

Yes, but I didn't stick to it, so I didn't see improvements. I'm going to repurchase when I've hit pan on my current skincare routine.

MAKE-UP

-What foundation do you use?

MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation, Revlon Colorstay, or Shu Uemura Face Architect

-How about concealer?

MAC Select cover up

-Do you know your undertone color?

Warm

-What do you think of fake eyelashes?

Only used them on my wedding day, but I'm open to trying them again!

-Did you know that you are suppose to change your mascara every 3 months?

Yes, but I suspect its a marketing gimmick because my mascaras are fine for 6 months.

-What brand of mascara do you use?

Maybelline and L'Oreal

-Sephora or MAC?

MAC. Always.

-Do you have a MAC Pro-card?

Nope. 

-What makeup tools do you use in make up application?

Flat-top mineral foundation brush, eyeliner brush, Maxine's Mop shader, stippler for blush, lip brush for lip balm.

-Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?

Yes, UDPP. 

-For the face?

Nope.

-What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?

I love pale pinks, greens, grays, silvers, and shimmery neutrals.

-Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?

Engraved for waterline, Fluidline Blacktrack for lid.

-How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?

Only when I haven't sharpened in a while!

-What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?

I'd like to buy one and see if I actually use it.

-Do you use mineral makeup?

I did use Mary Kay before, and loved it for a while, but it tended to oxidize. 

-What is your favorite lipstick?

MAC To Swoon For (LE).

-How about lipgloss?

NYX Ice Princess

-What is your favorite blush to use?

MAC Intenso

-Do you buy your makeup on ebay?

No.

-Do you like drugstore makeup?

Yes.

-Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets)

HECK YES.

-Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?

Yes, I'm thinking this summer.

-Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?

Just eye makeup. Rest of me is fine. 

-Name a makeup crime that you hate?

Messy liquid eyeliner and lipstick on teeth!

-Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?

Neutrals for eye makeup, but bright pinks for blush and lips.

-Which celebrity always has great make up?

J Lo back in the day. I could never tell what she was wearing. She's just glowed like a Greek goddess. Oh and Aishwarya Rai of course. 

-If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use?

Foundation. Gotta cover up those imperfections! I can always lick my lips.

-Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?

Yes. I have to do it when I go camping, which is quite often.

-Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?

Yes, but only if I have just blow dried my hair.

-In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?

MAC. A lot of product and quality for the price.

-What do you think of Makeup??

Makeup is for enhancing the good and downplaying the bad. A neutral, "naked" face is the best, but I also adore pops of color through colorful eyeliners, bold lip colors, or a lovely blush.

I tag all my readers to do this post. :)

Tag: Things that make me go mmm....

Thanks to Khymm, I'm doing this lovely little tag on things I love to do.

1. Hauls: Nothing puts a bigger smile on my face than a haul. Whether its a budget-friendly one or a wallet buster. I am happy for days on my haul-high as I call it.

2. Guilty Naps: what is sweeter than a 45 min nap you've snuck in at 6 PM? Yes, it'll throw off your sleep cycle, but its ohh so good.

3. The Office: This silly little American TV show puts a huge smile on my face. Jim is so cute, Dwight is hilarious, and Pam could be my BFF.

4. Comments: I seriously love comments from my readers. I get so excited when I see a new one.

5. YouTube videos: I can spend untold hours on YouTube drooling over hauls I can't afford, looks I can't pull off, and much more. It's escapism at its finest.

6. My husband: Yes, I know its cheesy. But we've been married for just over 7 months, and I am one happy little clam. (LOL I just realized reader comments and hauls rank higher than my husband)

7. Purses: I'm a bit of a purse fanatic. I don't have a huge collection, but I'm pretty happy with what I have. I tend to buy affordable, trendy pieces that I can guiltlessly throw away after a season so they're in good condition just long enough to sport a trend and not break the bank.

8. Clear Skin: I feel like Ms. Freaking Universe when I have a clear face. Gives me a big confidence boost to say the least.

9. Real jewelry: Maybe I'm getting older, but I've grown out of costume jewelry, and have set my sights on the real thing. I am partial towards gold and diamonds, and love getting jewelry custom-made in India.

10. My sis, mom and dad: My family is a comedy circus. Each one of us has our own brand of comedy, and when you put us all together, there isn't a dull moment. They rock my world.

I tag the first 10 people who comment to do this tag!

Veganism: The Exit Interview

As of February 12th, I had completed being a vegan for 43 days. Staying on this wagon was harder than staying on a bull at a Texas rodeo. But it taught me a lot. The benefits I experienced were amazing and unforseen. Within a day of being a vegan, I realized that vegan meals recharge your spirit, but never make you feel lazy. You know how after a big meal you have a "food baby" and want to laze around? That feeling was gone!

The second effect was the boost of self-respect. Since this was such a tough thing for a carnivore like me, I felt like Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. And why wouldn't I? I was being a vegan in a very carnivorous country. Last but best, I looked slimmer. Though I only lost about 5 lbs, I lost my love handles and even fit into a pair of Seven jeans I had given up on.

As I neared the end of being a vegan, I did think about continuing. Ultimately though, I decided against it. For one, most prepared foods in America, like even a can of beans, contain at least a trace amount of dairy or animal products. To get around this, I shopped at my local Indian store and cooked vegan dishes on Sundays, and made these meals last all week. It was time consuming, but I could keep my promise and not go broke at Whole Foods.

Another downside of veganism was that I my restaurant options were severely limited to pretty much South Indian or Thai. If I was in an American restaurant, it was pretty much a chopped salad with some bread. I realized that I was neither full nor getting enough nutrition. It made more sense to me to pick a healthy, albeit non-veg option like a grilled fish, than an unhealthy option like a light salad and too much bread.

The thing that really put the nail in the coffin was my social life. Since none of my friends are vegan, if I went to their house for dinner parties, it was a struggle for them to accomodate my diet. Even then, they'd innocently spread a bit of butter on my bread or put a bit of sour cream in my soup. On those occasions, I was not about to be a d-bag and tell them to re-prepare me my meal.

Overall, veganism helped me lose weight, gain self-control, and more. But I don't think its a realistic practice for life. So for now, I'm living a life of moderation. On weeknights, I am still mostly vegetarian. But on weekends, I enjoy whatever strikes my fancy, and tend to mostly choose healther proteins like fish.

Jealous, are we?

SamMakeup recently wrote this article, called "Is Blogging the new media?" I'll spare you the trite summary because this article has made its rounds on the blogosphere already. I encourage everyone to read this article and give Sam your two cents. We're a thriving community of outspoken consumers and we deserve to be taken seriously.

Beauty blogging is worth its weight in gold precisely because it IS written by amateurs. I value an amateur's opinion much more than a glossy review in a magazine because the amateur is probably applying a makeup or skincare product in much the same way as I am. In fact, magazine reviews often just show beautiful images of products with a small caption. You rarely read about how best to apply a product, what it smells like, or what is an affordable dupe. I also trust bloggers because most of our products are paid for out of pocket, and it is not usually our day job. Therefore, the review is more likely to be honest and fair. When an amateur dislikes a product, they are happy to warn their readers about it. But when was the last time you read a magazine article on a product that was rubbish, or clothes that lost colors after one wash? Why doesn't Glamour run a write-up on "Products you should stay away from?" We trust bloggers because we do good and bad reviews, and sometimes even have changes of heart. It's authentic, fair, and much more in-depth than any "clinical trial" I've read about in the glossies.

It is possible that the author came in contact with some bad apples at IMATS. Indeed, there are gurus out there with huge followings and I always scratch my head why because they completely lack authenticity. As a wary consumer, I rarely take just one person's word for how good or bad a product is. I make up my mind only after reading multiple reviews on the same product. I also consider whether the blogger has a similar skin-type as me, which would obviously affect whether I too would have the same experience.

As someone who has learned everything about makeup through YouTube and the blogging community, I can honestly say that I have almost never bought a reviewed and raved product without loving it equally myself. Thanks to the beauty community, I've discovered affordable gems and must-have splurges alike. Most beauty bloggers are honest, and our collective reviews save us all the time and money of experimenting with rubbish products. Until the professionals start talking about products they don't like, and do more in-depth reviews of a single product, I'll be sticking to bloggers to help me make my next haul wishlist, thank you.

Nine steps to romance

When I implemented a few Feng Shui practices to invite romance into my life 3 years ago, I met my now-husband within a month. Feng Shui is always easy and almost free, since you just need to re-arrange, add, or remove things you already own. In light of Valentine's Day, I'd like to share these tips with you. Whether you're single and looking for love, or you're in a relationship and want it to blossom even more, these tips apply to everyone.

1. Clear the clutter in your home, especially bedroom. A clutter-free home invites new and exciting adventures into your life, including a new love.

2. In keeping with #1, discard all items that remind you of past relationships. Holding on to the past prevents you from meeting someone new, or from making the most of your current relationship. The act of discarding mementos of old flames is the single most effective move in my opinion.

3. Add elements of red or pink to your bedroom, and decorate in multiples of 2. For example, have 2 flowers, 4 pillows, etc. No need to go painting the whole room red b/c that's actually too stimulating.

4. Avoid pictures of relatives in your bedroom. This is not a room to think of grandma!


5. Avoid electronics in the bedroom (I can feel everyone frowning at me!). I too am guilty of Internet surfing in bed, but it's really a no-no. Electronics prevent a restful sleep and take away focus from your partner.

6. Do not store stuff under your bed; it leads to restless nights and is "emotional baggage". I don't care if you live in a small apartment in NYC! Don't do this!

7. Don't keep one side of your bed up against a wall. This means there is only one way to exit the bed, and that deters a second person from entering your life.

8. Plants, music, and crystals are all positive elements to have in your room (hmm, crystal chandeliers anyone?) Fake plants are fine as long as they are dust-free.

9. Above all, have a positive attitude. If you're looking for love, don't be frustrated and cynical. If you're in a relationship, be cheerful, supportive, and always talk through problems without bringing up the past. A positive attitude is what enables all the previous tips to do their magic.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! My Valentine is not only my husband, but my sister, my parents and all of you wonderful readers. Ok mushyness is now over. ;)

What are you thankful for?

Thanksgiving is the most magical time of the year for me because it was always a time to chill, enjoy great food, count my blessings, and laugh with my family and close friends. In contrast, most of my Diwalis (Indian festival of lights) have been spent taking mid-term exams and my Christmases have been spent in hotel rooms while on hectic vacations.

So here, I want to rant about what I'm thankful for in terms of beauty. Trust me, it's not just a joke! I feel that as a beauty community, we spend A LOT of time talking about our wish lists, our regretted products, how to cover up our imperfections, and so on. So I want to start a list of things I'm thankful for. Please accept this as me tagging you all to do the same. I can't say all these things at the Thanksgiving table as everyone will think I'm nuts, so I figure this is the place where it'll be appreciated. :-)

1. What are you most thankful for about the online beauty community? I'm thankful for the large and interactive beauty community we have. It wasn't too long ago when all I owned was a compact, a chapstick and mascara. And now, I've discovered not only how to apply makeup well, but also how to present a more polished me to the world, which I'm sure you've all experienced garners you the respect you deserve. When you take care of yourself, the world takes note. And this revelation was all thanks to you guys. Today, I'm floored to realize I have over 100 followers. Thank you all, I'm over the moon to be a part of such a wonderful community.

2. Which Cult Classics are you thankful for? For me, its MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation, MAC lipsticks, Revlon ColorStay foundation, and MAC Fluidline (which is now a part of my soul). I'm so happy that these manifestations of perfection exist, all to make my skin look beautiful, my lips look pretty yet moist, and my eyeliner to glide on even though I'm a shaking klutz.

3. Which Dupes are you thankful for? What would we do without dupes people?! First, dupe videos and posts are fun. Second, they are great way for beginners or those on a shoestring budget *cough me cough * to get both price and quality. My first dupe nirvana was achieved when I bought the duo fiber stippling brush from Coastal Scents. Aaaah it was heaven! Next, I want to get the complete eye brush kit from Sigma to dupe the MAC staples!

4. Which personal features are you thankful for? Instead of focusing on my flaws, I want to start being more thankful for the features that I do like in myself, and which, thankfully, just don't need that much upkeep. My little un-sung heroes are 1) my hair, which is soft, full and bouncy no matter how little attention I give it, 2) my nails, which are long thanks to my big hands, and 3) my big dark eyes, which give me so much room to play around with eye makeup!

So that's it for my beauty-related Thanksgiving post! I hope you all enjoyed, and please feel free to answer these questions in your own blogs, or post 'em in the comments below! I'll pretend to be sitting at a harvest table with you guys while we go around saying what we're thankful for!

What's on your Day-After-Thanksgiving Wishlist?

Black Friday (or the national Day-After Thanksgiving mega sale) is fast approaching! I'm planning to buy nothing but clothes and shoes, because believe it or not, I NEVER buy clothes except on massive sale days like Labor Day or Black Friday. My normal purchases are makeup and skincare items, so this holiday season, it's all about the clothes baby. Here's my drool list:

Victoria's Secret Boucle Sweater ($39) & Gap hoodie ($78)

Victoria's Secret Sweater Dress ($79) & Victoria's secret off-shoulder boucle sweater ($39)

Northface Down Jacket ($$$?) & Nine West leather boots ($119?)

I've left out the less photogenic stuff like leggings in all neutral colors, staple must-have blazers, and accessories like diamond studs. What is on your wishlist?And more importantly, who is financing it? ;)