In and Outs

Although I love to blog about makeup reviews and such, part of the reason I blog is because I am able to  use my audience as a virtual confession booth. So I think once a week I'll put up a ramble of some kind. In and out this week, Monday moods, next week, etc. After all, a girl's gotta vent!

In: 

1) MAC Merrily. What an amazing blush. I never want to be without this guy. In the pan, it literally looks like a ketchup red. But on my face, I just look like the most natural blush on my tan skin (NC45). Olive and tan skinned ladies should definitely try this out. Note to the fair: stay away.

2) I just received a lovely package in the mail full of treats I won in Emily's giveaway. I feel so lucky, and her giveaway was so generous. All the products were all in such good taste, and a lot of the brands were new for me. I'll do a post on the products with swatches soon. Thanks Em!

3) I just booked a flight ticket to go see my parents! I'm so supremely happy because I haven't seen them since my Thanksgiving vacation. I'm looking forward to the Florida sun, my mom's never-empty pantry, and my dad's doting.

Out:

1) Project 10 Pan. Ok...HOW do you guys finish things like lipstick and blush in a reasonable amount of time? I need strategies people. I am intent on finishing up my Nars Orgasm, which I have hit pan on, but try as I might, I can't use it everyday because MAC Merrily comes in to steal the show. Seriously, throw me a lifeline. Is there some way to accelerate this? I have needs. Specifically, a need for YSL rouge volupte. One innocent swatch at Sephora and I became a little slave to it. I am also drooling over the summer collection by MAC, so...yeah...someone might be falling off the wagon pretty soon...

2) My nails...I haven't bothered to paint my nails in literally 3 weeks. They are shapeless, full of ridges, and overall making me feel crappy. I am thinking about getting gel nails so that I have perfectly shaped, non-chipping nails for 3-4 weeks if I'm careful. What do you guys think?

3) Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy lipstick. I would only wear this lipstick at midnight so that no one can see my lips. I am really not loving this grit-infested excuse for a nude lipstick. This was laughably included in the Urban Decay Hall of Fame set, alongside far more amazing products like UDPP and Zero. Who I ask, who, would look good in a nude lip with silver grits that make you look like you died at a disco?

That's it for my ins and outs for this week. I found this post very therapeutic, so I think more personal-ish posts will be coming in the future.

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. ;)

In and Out #2

You know you're addicted to blogging when you start thinking in blog terminology. Now whenever I like or dislike something, I instantly add it to my future in and out post.

In

Avatar: I watched this movie on Christmas day at a 10:30 PM. And believe you me, my eyes were wide open all the way till 1:30 when it ended (its 2 hrs 40 min). Avatar completely lives up to its hype. I really feel like a new ceiling has been broken in movie making. There was no discernible line between animation and traditional filming. The filmmaker's imagination, the technical breakthroughs, the morals of the story, the pure beauty of the world, it was all awesome. MAKE SURE you watch it in 3-D!



The Kid Who Climbed Everest: if you love watching Bear Grylls (from the show Man vs. Wild) you'll love this book. It chronicles Bear's journey to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Never before have I read a book about a 22 year old who earned the wisdom of an 80 year old monk. Climbing this mountain did this to Bear. You must read it; it makes my new year's resolutions look like child's play compared to the discipline he has.


Decorating my house: Let's just say if this blog were about interior design, I'd have many hauls up this week! I recently bought a bookcase from IKEA so I can turn my basement into a library. I organized my books by color, which I highly recommend because it looks chic and scholarly at the same time! I also placed square wicker storage boxes into some of the cubbies to store DVDs. I also picked up this a gorgeous vase from Crate and Barrel. I love how the light catches it, and it looks good on every surface! I want like 3 of them!

Out

Gaining holiday weight: Honestly, I don't even want to jump on the scale. The mirror and my ill-fitting jeans are proof enough that I need to stop eating crap food. Which is why I'm going vegan for the next month. I hope to detox my body of all the crap I've been putting into it. After about a month, I'm going to regroup and probably stop being vegan, but continue to be a very disciplined eater. I don't want to put a label on myself, just want to start eating fresh, smaller portions, filled with food that is in-season and preferably local.

Being glued to the tube: Just because its cold outside, I've been lazily lounging on my sofa for way too long. My hubby and I are considering cutting off cable so that when we turn on the TV, we will have to select something to watch (like a movie), and once its over, we turn it off. No more mindless watching of people with messy homes!


Waking up late: When I wake up late, it feels like my whole day is already wasted. I want to start waking up at 7 AM every day. Which brings me to my 3 resolutions this year:


1. Watch what you eat and exercise. No need to go crazy and get a six pack in 3 months. This resolution is meant to build a lifestyle of activity and health that will be a good foundation for when I start a family. I'm aiming for a mostly vegetarian, seasonal diet, and working out at least 3x a week.
2. Stop watching so much TV. 
3. Wake up at 7 AM. Even if I have nothing to wake up for, just wake up. Its the right thing to do!

I'd love to know your ins and outs, so please feel free to put 'em in the comments, or blog about them and let me know!

In and Out #1

I've never done one of these before, but I've been mulling over what's in and out for me this month, so here goes. I wanted to call this post "tip of the hat, wag of my finger" (from The Colbert Report), but nah, too long.

IN

Two days until Thanksgiving!! I am spending Thanksgiving at my parents' house with my cousins, sister, sister-in-law, and grandmother. My whole family is scattered far from each other with some living in various parts of the US, and others in places as exotic as India and London (yes London is exotic to me!)

MAC Romancin and To Swoon For: these pale and hot pink lipsticks have been my addiction all month. Both are from last year's holiday collections, but you can check out swatches here. The consistency is creamy and the pigmentation is wonderful. I call it my smile in a tube. :)

Finally getting the hang of where to put blush and contour: I realized that if I made a fish face and then try to smile, I'll know exactly where are my cheek's hollows. Freaking A took me all year to figure that out. I just have flat cheeks so I had no idea what was this 'hollow' thing everyone was talking about. By the way, I've been using Coastal Scents' six piece contour and blush palette to play around with contouring and blush. The highlighters in this pallete are nothing but chalk, so I certainly don't recommend them. But the 2 blush colors are fantastic and the contouring color is a universal brown, but nothing to write home about. I'd love to try out NARS Laguna next.

Going green: I'm getting more and more serious about going green. I've been buying organic fruits, which is not only safer for the environment, but they also taste amazing (I've eaten 3 organic apples in 1 day!). I've also started going to my local farmer's market. The idea there is to look around at what is the season's harvest and then figure out what you can cook from it. I remember as a kid my mom went to the farmers markets in India (there were no grocery stores in the '90s) brought home the seasonal items, and we'd eat whatever the Earth delivered that week. That's the real way to eat, and I really want to get back to it.

OUT

Skipping the gym...for more days than I care to admit. Man I was doing so well in the summer. Why oh why is it that darkness at 5 PM makes me lazy and want to sit on the couch all night and blog while my hubby watches documentaries?!

Getting zits for no apparent reason. It's wierd but as a blogger about skincare, I feel guilty and hypocritical when I break out. It's like here I am giving tips on how to prevent and treat acne and here I am having breakouts. I get so obsessed with why I'm breaking out. It's like I know too many treatments and theories, so its like a murder mystery when I get a zit. Could it be lack of exercise? End of term stress? Something in my diet? Something NOT in my diet? Arrrgh.

My obese laptop: 11 lbs, 17" 2006 Toshiba. Not sexy. There should be a cash for klunker laptops program. I'm giving this one more year, and then moving up to Apple heaven.

That's enough ranting for now. Please link me up to your ins and outs, or write 'em in the comments below!