Shu Uemura Face Architect and Base Control

I've used Shu Uemura's Face Architect and Base Control for about a year now, and I haven't seen many reviews of it. Not sure why, because I have nothing but praises to sing for it.

This is an amazing medium coverage foundation that gives you that next-to-skin look. The packaging is a frosty glass bottle with a pump (yay!), and I find that one pump of product covers my whole face. I use a dense flat-top mineral brush to apply, and set it with rosewater spray. This foundation has a pleasant fragrance and the texture is light but its not watery at all. A perfect middle ground.

Whenever I wear this foundation, I can easily skip concealer. And believe me, I have dark circles, blemishes, acne scars to deal with! Although it covers my imperfections, I never feel like I have a heavy layer of foundation on. Face Architect has a matte finish with teeny tiny shiny bits in it that give you an overall sheen. Surprisingly, although this foundation has shiny bits in it, it can be worn in broad daylight. I've worn it all day to a tennis tournament before, and I looked great and not at all overly done up.

As for the Base Control, it is a liquid bronzer that I mix with the Face Architect (1 pump is enough!). The Base Control makes the foundation look warmer, and not "ashy". What bothers me, however, is that I have to buy 2 products to achieve the look of one. But oh well. The end result is the much coveted no-foundation-foundation look.


The only downside to these two products is the hefty sticker price. I paid $42 for Face Architect and $24 for the Base Control. Ouch. As a makeup beginner, I never reached for this foundation except on special occasions (that's why it lasted me for a year!). But if you think about it, it's worth splurging on a foundation that looks great, stays on all day, and doesn't break you out. What do you think?

PS. The foundation shade I'm wearing is #934. The Base Control shade is called Bronze. 

How to make a MAC 188 brush

This DIY was so simple to do that I simply had to share it with my bargain-loving readers. Compared to the MAC 187 duo fiber face brush, the MAC 188 has a smaller diameter, and is great for blush since it's small enough to precisely apply it on the apples of your cheeks. Before I shelled out $34 for one, I had to see if it was worth buying, or if I could make do with what I have. The two duo fiber brushes I have are from Coastal Scents and can be found here and here. Of the two, I find the silver duo brush to be of higher quality. 

Materials needed: a duo fiber brush of your choice and a small rubber band:

Place the rubber band like so around the back end of the brush, and gently push it forward.

 

Stop pushing it forward about 1/3 way up the bristles. This location resembles the diameter of the MAC 188. It ain't that pretty to look at, but who cares? I can use that money for a certain ombre blush I've been lemming instead!

Now for the review: the smaller diameter of this brush is absolutely ideal for precise placement of blush and for those with smaller cheekbones. This brush is also ideal if you use multiple blushes at different points of your face. However, since this brush is extremely soft, you will have to build up color with multiple layers, especially when working with mineralized blushes. This brush would also work perfectly with highly-pigmented cream blushes. 

Please note: If you take off the rubber band, you will see a dent in the brush similar to when you have a dent in your hair from a scrunchie. So make sure you are okay with that before you proceed! I have 2 stippler brushes, so I keep one in its original condition, and the second one has this rubber band on it at all times.

I hope this DIY inspires you to turn your spare stipplers into a MAC 188 dupe. After I started using dense flat-top brushes for applying foundations, my poor duo fiber stippler brushes fell by the wayside, so I'm very happy that they've been given a new purpose. :)

It's my birthday and I'll haul if I want to

As any self-respecting makeup junkie would do, I treated myself to a birthday makeup and nailpolish haul last week. I went to my local drugstore and then to ULTA, and all in all, I think I did good because I got everything for around $50. Here are my new toys:

 

Left to right: 

Maybelline Sensational Lipstick in Warm Me Up 

Maybelline Sensational in Pinkalicious

Seche Vite

OPI Sand in my Suit 

OPI Italian Affair

Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express Hydrofuge (Classic Black)

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Ever So Rich (this was a gift from a dear friend and makeup enabler)

Pencils, from front to back

Prestige Waterproof Eyeliner in Surf

NYX Lipliner in Soft Brown

Prestige Eyeliner in Smokey Green

I got the Maybelline products at buy 2 get 1 free from Ulta, and the OPI nailpolishes were discounted to $6.25 each. 

L to R (on both pictures): Pinkalicious; Warm Me Up

Top to bottom: NYX Soft Brown, Prestige Smokey Brown, Prestige Surf

Without Flash:

With Flash:

 

I'm loving this haul so far. I find a restrained haul lets me enjoy each product to the fullest. I'll do full reviews in the upcoming days, but I'll give you a sneak peek now: I already know that Prestige Surf, Colossal, and the Maybelline lippies are all going into March faves. I'm also getting a soft corner for Sand in my Suit. But shhh, full reviews will follow once the honeymoon period is over and I've tested them thoroughly.

PS. I've just installed a third party commenting system called Disqus which allows comment threading and more. Please do me a favor by commenting on this post (even if its just a "hello") so that I can test whether it's working well. Thanks!

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.

Lush Godiva Shampoo Bar

I've been trying out Lush's Godiva Shampoo Bar for a month now, and have firmly decided that it's not good for anything more than a good long whiff, a bit of novelty, and fun in the shower. On the plus side, it has a heavenly jasmine scent, lathers up well, and has that novelty factor of rubbing a bar on your head. However, it's leaving my hair looking dull and causing quite a bit of breakage.

 The first time I used this bar, I omitted conditioner because I read elsewhere that this was a shampoo + conditioner. Not true. Leads to major tangles if you do that. So after that, I've been using Herbal Essences conditioner after Godiva. Although this reduced tangles, my hair was still looking dull and lifeless.

I'm lucky enough to have long, dark, voluminous hair that looks great with just a blow dry and no styling products. My drugstore gem, Organix Shampoos and Conditioners, give me shine, bounce, and no breakage. But in spite of good hair genes, Godiva actually managed to make my hair look dull and caused a lot of breakage. Sorry Lush, but I'll be sticking to my Organix henceforth.

Moment of self-doubt: it is possible that I need to experiment with using a different conditioner, because Herbal Essences is pretty low-end. Who knows, maybe with a better quality conditioner, this will make my hair look shiny and pretty. Will let you know if that happens.

The bottom line: this is not a must-have Lush item. However, if you are a Lush junkie, and want to try a shampoo bar for the novelty, go ahead. The scent is divine, the bar has adorable little jasmine flowers embedded into it, and it does lather up nicely. So your shower experience will be fun. But in the end, it may not give your hair the shine and bounce you can just as easily get from a nice drugstore product.