Tag: Holly Jolly Holiday

I've been tagged by Wanischa S to do the Holly Jolly Holiday tag! I've been wanting to do a holiday themed tag since Thanksgiving but I hadn't had time to find one and now thanks to Wanischa, I don't even have to look.
1. Do you start your Christmas shopping on Black Friday or wait until last minute? I'm totally guilty of waiting until last minute to do my Christmas shopping because I'm always so busy with school and finals around Black Friday that I just don't have the time to start shopping early.
2. If you could be in any Christmas movie what would it be? I think I would want to be in Elf because it's such a funny and happy Christmas movie. The end where everyone starts believing in Santa Claus made me seriously tear up!
3. Which do you like better: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Definitely Christmas Day because that's when I see all my family and get to open presents!
4. When does your family put up your Christmas tree and who decorates it? We typically put up our Christmas tree two to three weeks before Christmas and my uncle and I decorate it.

5. White lights or colored lights? I actually like a mixture of both, as you can see from the picture above I use both types of lights to light up my tree!
6. Are you guilty of peeking at your presents or do you like surprise? I've never peeked at my presents before and it's probably because they're so well guarded and wrapped that I've never had the chance to!
7. Would you rather live in a gingerbread house or Santa's Workshop? Definitely would rather live in Santa's Workshop. I'm actually not a huge fan of gingerbread and who wouldn't want to live with Santa and be surrounded by toys.
8. Tell us your Christmas Eve traditions! My Christmas Eve is quite boring. I wrap presents last minute with my mom and then just go to sleep awaiting Christmas day.
9. If you could be under the mistletoe with anyone, who would it be? My boyfriend of course! I hope we can spend Christmas together this year, the past two years he's had to work during Christmas and I wasn't able to see him.
10. What tops your tree? This ugly star from Century 21 that lights up and is very tall and skinny. I'm in the process of shopping for a new star at the moment.
I now tag Jayne, Traci, Shari, Nat and Eight!
Thanks for tagging me Wanischa(:

Review: The Balm Nude'tude Palette

I'm sure you've all heard of the Urban Decay Naked and Naked 2 palettes but a lesser known amazing neutrals palette is The Balm's Nude'tude ($36). I've had this palette for a while now but since I've been reaching for it a lot lately, I was inspired to write a review of it on my blog. This way I can give you all an option other than a UD palette if you want something with neutrals.

The packaging of this product is very simple, sleek and compact; making it easy to travel with. There's two versions of this palette, naughty and nice. I have the naughty version that has naked girls on the inside with the shadows covering their lovely lady parts, whereas the nice version is just a room in the background.

The palette comes with 12 different eyeshadows all in the neutral range of colors. Unlike the Naked and Naked 2, Nude'tude comes with more "colorful" neutral shades. For example, Sexy is a rich brownish red and Stubborn and Stand-offish are pretty pinks; shades you can't really find in either UD palette.

The shadows are all highly pigmented and have a buttery texture. You can swipe your brush once against any of these shades and you'll get a good amount of color in your application. The colors stay put once they're applied and you don't have to worry about any fallout.

Sassy is white with a satin finish that can be used in the inner corners to brighten up the eyes. Snobby is a yellow gold with a satin finish that can also be used in the inner corners or on the bottom lash line. Stubborn is a toasted pink with a satin finish that can be used lightly as a highlight or all over the eyes, it reminds me a little bit of Sin from the Naked palette. Stand-offish is a light pink with silver glitter that can be used all over the eyes.

Selfish is a mid-tone brown with a satin finish that I like to use either all over the lids or in my imaginary crease. Sultry is a light brown with a matte finish that I like to use all over the lids. Sophisticated is a dark brown with silver glitter that I like to use mostly in my imaginary crease. Seductive is a golden brown with silver glitter that I like to use either all over the lids or in my crease.

Sexy is a brownish red with a matte finish that I like to use all over the eyes or in my crease. Silly is a reddish brown with silver-red glitter that I like to use in my crease. Serious is a matte black that I use as liner, I haven't dared to do a smokey eye yet. Lastly, Sleek is a matte dark brown that I use either as liner or in my crease.

I think what really sets this palette apart from the Naked and Naked 2 is its color range. Naked's shades are almost all in the brown family and Naked 2's is almost all in the taupe family. Nude'tude mixes it up with the pinks and the reddish browns. I also really like how they have a white and gold highlight shade because those are great for accenting an eye look and making it more fun. If you're interested in purchasing this palette, you can buy it off the Balm website or Amazon, unfortunately it is not sold in Sephora. But, if you can wait I would highly suggest purchasing it when it goes on sale on Hautelook. The Balm products go on sale almost once a month on Hautelook and the Nude'tude palette is typically on there. You can get it for up to 40% off there!

Review: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Sassy Mauve

If you remember, I purchased this Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Sassy Mauve ($4.99) as part of my Target & Lush haul last month. This has quickly become my favorite lip shade for the Fall and I'm sure it will continue being a favorite into the Winter.

Packaging: The lipstick comes in the classic black Revlon lipstick tube with the gold stripe around the center. It looks very Chanel-esque and luxurious. I also like how the top of the container has a little window so you can see the lip color inside.

Quality: For a drugstore lipstick costing me ~$4.99 the quality is amazing, but I expect no less from Revlon. This specific shade is a pinkish mauve with a satin finish. It looks great when worn alone and would look beautiful with a gloss on top. It also isn't too drying but I still like to apply lip balm before I apply my lipstick.

Application: Since it's a typical stick formula lipstick it's easy to apply like you would any normal lipstick. For this specific shade, I actually prefer to pat it onto my lips instead of swiping it on normally because it can be a bit bold. The color payoff is amazing as you can see from the swatch above.

Longevity: The lipstick isn't particularly long wearing, it lasts for maybe 4-5 hours until you need to reapply but even as it fades it still adds a nice color to your lips. I would definitely repurchase this lipstick and I just love Revlon products in general. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for an easy to wear every day Fall shade. It works with just about any kind of eye makeup and any kind of outfit, and it looks great day or night.

December Wish List!

Alright, so my wish list is late too but in my defense I've been working my butt off for finals week. My first final is this coming Friday and I'll try to keep posting as much as I can but if you don't hear much from me in the next two weeks don't be alarmed! Now without further ado, let's get on to my December Wish List!

December Wish List by lipstickndlace

1. Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Polish ($18) - I've been meaning to get a body scrub for like...ever! Yet somehow this has always managed to escape making it onto my monthly wish lists. This body polish from Soap & Glory is supposed to smell deliciously beautiful and I'm dying to try it.

2. Aussie Aussome Volume Mousse ($2.50) - Another thing I've been meaning to get since forever: volumizer. My hair is very straight and limp and I've been on the hunt for a good volumizer, or just one in general! I've never used one before and I'm hoping it'll give me good results. Any recommendations?

3. Lush Hottie Massage Bar ($9.95) - My muscles have been so sore lately and I think it's because I
haven't stretched in months. Once this semester is over I'm determined to start stretching again and maybe signing up for a gym membership. But until then, I think this massage bar and my wonderful loving boyfriend will have to tackle my sore muscle problems.

4. Sigma Performance Eyes Kit ($61) - My eyes are tiny and I have monolids so most eye brushes don't work for me. I will admit that the ones I've been using for the past year are somewhat too big and I think that's why I'm not as daring with my eye looks. This brush set is made for precision, which is just what I need for my Asian eyes.

5. Lush Sunny Side Bubble Bar ($7.25) - I'm Lush obsessed and you probably already knew that, but I've never tried any of their bubble bars/bath bombs! I want to buy some and bring them along with me to Florida in January during my vacation with my boyfriend so I can relax and indulge in them in our hotel bathroom. This bubble bar supposedly sparkles as well as making bubbles when you drop it in. Any other bubble bar/bath bomb suggestions?

6. Mac Cosmetics Making Pretty Lipstick in 3N ($28) - I haven't bought anything from MAC in a seriously long time and I think it's because their latest collections haven't been too appealing, until now. I'm not too sure about the shade of this lipstick, but I am quite the sucker for what looks to me to be a rose gold + textured packaging. I'll have to see it in person at a MAC store before I buy it, but if I like, I will buy!

What's on your wish lists this month? Leave a link below if you have a wish list post, I'm always looking for new wish list ideas!

Liebster Award!

I have been once again nominated for the Liebster Award (I was awarded last month, you can check out my post here), this time by Erica from The Girl with the Muji Hat and Carolyn from The Diary of a Tall Girl! I'd like to thank them both for the nomination and I encourage all my followers to check out their blogs, both girls have a wonderful personality and their blogs are definitely worth checking out. It's really quite an honor to be nominated for this award again.

The Liebster Award is for bloggers with under 300 followers and the rules of the award is that the nominee must link back to whoever awarded them, write 11 random facts about themselves, answer the 11 questions from the award giver, and then nominate another 11 bloggers and make up 11 questions for them to answer. It's a great way for new and undiscovered bloggers to meet new people, get more followers and find some blogs that they want to follow. 11 Random Facts: 1. I'm 5'5" 2. I've been together with my boyfriend for a little over 2 years. 3. I am part of a lion & dragon dance team. 4. I'm a Junior in college. 5. I'm currently deciding between being a Finance or Marketing major. 6. I'm minoring in Psychology. 7. I will be interning with Barneys next semester in their Web Marketing department. 8. My dream career would be to be an actress. 9. I am a gamer. I have a PS3, an Xbox360 and a WiiU. 10. My favorite number is 3. 11. My favorite color is pink.
The Questions from Erica: 1. What/Who motivated you to begin blogging? I started blogging because I have a strong passion for makeup and fashion and I wanted to share all my tips, tricks and experiences with other people. I figured that a blog would be a great creative outlet and a fun way to share what I know. 2. Describe your style in three words: Classic. Edgy. Girly. 3. What do you hope that people will get out of reading your blog? I hope they will find inspiration whether it be outfit ideas or new beauty products to try out. 4. Who/What is your style inspiration? I don't have anything specific that I look to for style inspiration. A few people whose style I admire would be Lauren Conrad, Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O. I also look to random people on the city streets that I encounter for inspiration, you can find a lot of fashionable ladies and gentlemen when you live in one of the fashion capitals of the world. 5. What is your favorite staple piece? My favorite staple piece would definitely be a well-fit blazer. You can do so many things with a blazer and they bring together any look. 6. Name one accessory you can't live without. The Tiffany 1837 Interlocking Circles Pendant that my boyfriend gave me for my birthday this year. It's so beautiful and dainty and I love how it's something that reminds me of him that I can wear everywhere. 7. Which celebrity's closet would you love to raid? Lauren Conrad! 8. What is the ultimate goal you wish to achieve out of being a blogger? I would love it if this could end up being a full-time paying job for me or help me land a full-time paying job in a related area like being a writer for a magazine. 9. Name 3 of your strengths or weaknesses: My three strengths are that I'm hard-working, dedicated and creative. My three weaknesses are that I'm a perfectionist, idealistic and a planner. 10. What is your favorite beauty product? My Urban Decay Naked palette. It has all the neutral shades I want and need. 11. What is your greatest fear? My greatest fear is living an unfulfilled life.
The Questions from Carolyn:

1. If you were to get a tattoo, where and what would it be? I'm actually very against getting a tattoo because I'm afraid of having something permanently placed on my skin but if I was force to get one I would get an infinity love tattoo on my wrist.

2. What's one food you refuse to eat? There's a lot of food I refuse to eat but one is duck tongue. It's so creepy!
3. If you could be a designer for any clothing company, which would it be and why? This is so tough! I think I would want to be a designer for J.Crew because they match my personal style of classic yet stylish.
4. What was your nickname as a kid? Where did it come from? I actually never had a nickname as a kid.
5. Who was your first celebrity crush? Brian from the Backstreet Boys...so embarrassing!
6. If you could only eat one kind of cake for the rest of your life, what would it be? Vanilla flavor? I'm not a huge cake fan.
7. If you won the lotto and you couldn't keep the money, what would you do with it/who would you give it to? I would donate it to various animal rights organizations.
8. Are you a grammar Nazi? Not really.
9. Where do you typically sit/stand/etc. when you're blogging? (i.e. the couch, your bed, blah blah) I typically sit at my desk in my room.
10. If any, what was the first piercing you got (not including ear lobes)? I only have piercings on my ear lobes.
11. What motivates you to keep up your blog? My wonderful followers and supporters and my love for blogging!

My 11 Nominees: 1. Christine B. of Little Red Bow 2. Yulia of Vicerimus 3. Stephanie of Beauty Infinitum 4. Jasmine of Green Eyed Monster! 5. Nat of Gl0ssy 6. Jamie of The Scarlet Jamie 7. Tina Wirely of Tina Wirely 8. Laila of Townhouse Palette 9. Wanischa of Wanischa S 10. Beauty and Babbling 11. Hy of Raspberry Hy
My 11 Questions for Them: 1. What inspired you to start blogging? 2. What motivates you to continue blogging? 3. What other hobbies do you have besides blogging? 4. What is the concept of your blog (e.g., is it makeup based, fashion based, life based, etc.)? 5. What is your dream job? 6. What's your favorite clothing store? 7. What's your favorite makeup brand? 8. What's your favorite color? 9. What's your favorite number? 10. PC or Mac? 11. What is on the top of your wish list right now?
Once again a huge thank you to Erica and Carolyn for the nomination!

November Favorites!

I'm a few days late but here are my favorite beauty products for the month of November. I decided to go with a different approach on sharing my favorites by creating a set on Polyvore. If you don't know already, Polyvore is a website where you can create and share collages of beauty products, fashion items, and much more. If you're already a Polyvore member, you can follow me here and I'll follow back. Now onto my favorites!

November Favorites 2012 by lipstickndlace

1. Too Faced Shadow Bon Bons Set ($42) - This set by Too Faced comes with 12 beautiful shadows, a travel-sized version of the Candlelight Shadow Insurance and a full-sized version of the Lash'GASM Mascara. I purchased this product about three weeks ago and I've been using it nonstop ever since. I think it would make a great gift for the holidays to friends, family or even yourself! If you're interested in knowing more, I wrote an in-depth review including swatches of all the shadows and reviews on the primer and mascara as well.

2. Tarte LipSurgence Matte Lip Tint in Exposed ($24) - I got this Tarte LipSurgence as part of a 5 piece LipSurgence Collector's Edition set that I had included in my Sephora VIB 20% Off Haul. My favorite LipSurgence out of the set at the moment is the Matte Lip Tint in Exposed. It gives this great pinky nude color to your lips and lasts for a really long time.

3. bareMinerals READY SPF 15 Touch Up Veil in Translucent ($22) - I also purchased this using my Sephora VIB 20% Off and while I was skeptical at first at it being any different from the loose powder version I already own, it turns out that I like this one much more. It sets my makeup perfectly without any "cakeiness."

4. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Sassy Mauve ($4.99) - I hauled this in my recent Target & Lush Haul and even though I only got it a little over a week ago I already know this will be my go-to lipstick for the Winter. It's the perfect mauve shade that works great with any outfit or look.

5. NYX Cosmetics Powder Blush in Mocha ($6.00) - I purchased this as part of a set on Hautelook a little over a month ago and it has quickly become my favorite Fall/Winter blush. It's a matte mid-tone pink shade that gives you a nice warm glow. Also, the color payoff is amazing!

6. LUSH Ocean Salt Scrub ($21.95) - I cannot explain how much I am in love with this product. I got a few samples of it back in September during one of my LUSH hauls  and I've been using it once a week ever since. I've almost run out of the two samples I got and I just had to purchase the full-sized version. I've started using this product twice a week to slough off any dead or dry skin cells and it leaves my face looking radiant and refreshed. I also love how it smells like the beach!

I hope you enjoyed this haul and let me know if you like this new way of presenting my favorites. I find it much more organized and aesthetically pleasing than the typically messy and dark photos I usually take.

The Monday Blues Blog Hop!

Hey everyone! Today I have the wonderful honor of co-hosting The Monday Blues Blog Hop this week with hosts Jayne of Cosmetic Proof, Traci of DrinkCitra, Christa of ChrissyAi and my fellow co-host Avelima of Miss Avelima's Beauty Blog.


<a href="www.cosmeticproof.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk19/Christtuhh/bloghop/BlogHopButton_zps32c1c32f.png" alt="BlogHopButton" width="200" height="180" border="0"> </a>  

Haul: Target & Lush

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I unfortunately caught a very bad cold over the weekend but I still managed to get in some Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping. I was planning on doing a Black Friday haul but not everything I ordered has come in yet but as soon as it does I'll have one up. So I recently went to two of my favorite stores, Target and Lush, and of course I had to walk out with something.

1. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Sassy Mauve ($4.99) - I've been looking for more Fall lipstick shades and when Tracy and Stephanie of Eleventh Gorgeous mentioned this one in their Fall Drugstore Lipsticks video I knew I had to have it. I don't have any mauve shades in my collection and this lipstick makes a great new addition! 2. Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie ($6.16) - Another wonderful Fall lipstick recommendation from Tracy and Stephanie's Fall Drugstore Lipsticks video, this lip butter is a very wearable berry color. I also don't have any deep berry colors in my collection so this makes a great new addition as well. 3. LUSH Ocean Salt Scrub ($21.95) - I got two samples of this wonderful Lush product in my last Lush haul and I've been using a little bit of it every week since. I'm totally in love with it now and I purchased a 4.2 oz size, since it does expire in a little over a year and I only use about a dime sized every week. 4. LUSH Tea Tree Water Toner ($21.95) - I bought the 3.3 fl oz size in my last Lush haul and I've almost used it all up. I love to use this after I take a shower to tone my face. I like to spritz it onto a cotton pad and pat it all over my T-Zone to soak up any excess oils. 5. Pixi Correction Concentrate in Brightening Peach ($15) - This corrector was at the top of my November Wish List because I was hoping it would be a dupe for my much loved Bobbi Brown Corrector ($23). I've only been able to use it once so far but it seems to be like a good dupe, I'll need a little bit more time with it before I reach a decision though but when I do you all will be the first to find out!

Review: Too Faced Shadow Bon Bons Set

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm pretty stuffed from the weekend so I figured I'd just sit in bed and type up this much anticipated review. If you recall, the product that I was most excited about from my Sephora VIB 20% Off Haul was the Too Faced Shadow Bon Bons Set ($42). I had never tried a Too Faced product before and figured this set would be a great introductory product to the brand. Included in the set was: 1) Twelve Eyeshadows, 2) Too Faced Shadow Insurance Candlelight Eye Shadow Primer, and 3) Too Faced LashGASM Mascara.

The overall packaging of this product is beautiful, which can be expected from any Too Faced product. All the products come in a lavender felt box with gold writing. When you open the box there is a mirror cutout and all the products. I really like the packaging but I wish it was more travel-friendly because I would totally bring these shadows with me on vacation if I could.

The Shadows:

The twelve eyeshadows are roughly the size of a quarter, which is a good amount and I can see them lasting me for quite a while. I'm not sure how deep the pans are but according to the Sephora website they are .03 oz.

The shadows are all very neutral shades, but they include some wearable colors like purples and pinks. They're highly pigmented and mix and match very well to create a lot of different eye looks. You can follow the included guide or make your own shadow combinations.

The shadows apply on to the lid very easily and blend together beautifully. With the help of a primer they stay on all day and don't smudge, however the color does fade a bit as the day goes on but there's still a very good amount of color there and it just ends up looking like a softer eye look.

The Individual Shades:

Vanilla - A slightly beige-ish white that I like to use as an all over the lid color or as a highlighter. It's color payoff is probably the worst of the twelve but since it's a light shade and isn't supposed to be a stark white I can't really complain.

Cut The Cake - A lavender with silver micro-shimmer that looks very pretty all over the lid.

Framboise - A deep metallic purple that I like to use either all over the lid or in the crease.

Coffee Bean - A matte dark brown, it sort of looks like the color of coffee. I like to use this as a liner or crease color.

Peach Fuzz - A light peach with gold glitters that I like to use as an all over lid color or as a brow highlighter. It's very glittery and very pretty!

Hot Cocoa - A bronzed brown with gold shimmer. It looks wonderful all over the lid.

Candy Rose - A pink with silver micro shimmer. Very pretty and don't worry, it doesn't make you look like your eyes are irritated!

Lovey Dovey - A deep bronze shade with some pink undertones. It's another metallic shade and I love using it as a liner. It looks very sexy when smoked out.

Nude Beach - A sandy gold glitter. You definitely have to be careful of fallout with this one because it's extremely flaky. It's gorgeous however, all over the lids.

Cinnamon Sugar - A gold metallic shade that is beautiful all over the lids.

Marzipan - A dusty beige-ish brown. Probably the second worst shade in terms of pigmentation but it's great in the crease and can be used to tone down the other shades.

Licorice Latté - A brownish black shade with gold glitter. I haven't been brave enough to use it as anything but a liner shade but I can imagine it would go great as a smoky eye look.

LashGASM:

This mascara comes in a plain black tube but the writing and designs on it are what makes it look so pretty. I had never considered trying this mascara before but I figured since it was included in the set, why the heck not? I didn't know a lot about this mascara but it definitely impressed me.

The brush is made of short rubber bristles that easily separate and define all your lashes. The inside of the tube, where the stopper is to wipe off excess mascara, is very tight so it definitely takes off any excess. If you have problems with clumping or messy lashes then this mascara would be perfect for you.

The mascara also helps to lengthen your lashes a bit but I believe it's main focus is to define. I like to use this to define my lashes first then use a lengthening mascara to get incredibly dramatic length. It stays on all day and doesn't smudge or give you raccoon eyes.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance Candlelight Eye Shadow Primer:

I had always been a UD primer potion kind of gal but I think I've been converted. My eyes are very dry and sometimes the UD primer potion accentuates the dryness in my eyes by clumping around any dry skin. This shadow somehow moisturizes the dry areas around my eyes and soaps up the oil on my lids at the same time. If you have drier skin around your eyes I'd recommend the Too Faced Shadow Insurance, but if your eyes are very oily then I'd suggest UD's primer potion.

I'll probably be buying a full-sized version of the shadow insurance once I use up this trial size because it's really great. The shade that was given in the set is a champagne shimmer that reminds me of Stila's Kitten shadow. There's also a translucent shade if you're not interested in a primer with color.

Overall, this set was totally worth the money to me and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who's into neutral shades. If you or whoever you're looking to purchase this set for likes UD's Naked and Naked 2 then they'll definitely like this set. It has similar shades in terms of beiges and browns but it also includes fun shades of pinks and purples.

NOTD: Deborah Lippmann's Sweet Dreams

In a post last week I mentioned that I got my first ever Deborah Lippmann polishes and did a review on one of them, Mermaid's Dream. This week I painted my nails with the other shade I got, Sweet Dreams ($18). This shade is a hot pink with gold flecks that looks gorgeous and very girly on the nails. 

The polish goes on very sheer at first and takes about 2-3 coats before becoming opaque. It dries to a very glossy finish and the gold flecks sparkle in the light.

Between this shade and Mermaid's Dream I would have to say that Mermaid's Dream is probably more unique because of all the different shades and textures, but I wouldn't say I like one over the other because both are amazing. I'm definitely going to be caving in and buying more Deborah Lippmann polishes now because my experience with both Mermaid's Dream and Sweet Dreams was great. I already have my eyes set on Glamorous Life ($16) next!

Sephora VIB 20% Off Haul!

My fellow Sephora VIBs would know that this past weekend was the VIB exclusive 20% off sale. I try to wait all year long for this deal to come out before I buy anything I want from Sephora that I don't need right away. I hope my fellow VIBs enjoyed their 20% off as much as I did because there were some real nice goodies out in stores this year!

1. Urban Decay De-Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray Travel Size ($12) - I currently have the UD All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray in the 4 oz. size and I love it. It really helps to keep my makeup looking good all day. However, since I first purchased it my skin type has slowly changed from normal to combination and I seem to have developed the problem of a very oily T-zone. I wanted to try the UD De-Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray to see if it would keep my makeup lasting longer and control the oils on my T-Zone. Luckily, I spied this travel size version hiding in those boxes at the checkout line and thought it was a sign from the makeup gods. I have a vacation coming up in January with my boyfriend and I had wanted to try this product anyways so I quickly grabbed it for it was the last one!

2. Tarte LipSurgence Collectors Set ($34) - I just tried looking for this set on Sephora's website and it seems it's already gone! I had been eyeing this LipSurgence set for about a month now because I had always wanted to try a Tarte LipSurgence but could never decide on one color. The shades included in this set were: Sweet, Elite, Exposed, Escape and Enchanted. They're all great colors for the Fall and I've been wearing them on my lips ever since I got them.

3. Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion - Blemish Prone/Oily Skin ($33) - I'd been searching for a new face moisturizer for months now since my skin type changed from Normal to Combination Oily and I finally found one I like! This moisturizer was recommended to me by one of the skin experts at the store and when she said it caters to blemish prone and oily skin I was sold. So far I've been really enjoying it and I've noticed my skin isn't as greasy as it would be hours after I apply it.

4. MUFE Full Cover Concealer ($32) - I know this was on one of my wish lists though I'm not sure which one, but anyways, I finally got it! I'd been in desperate need of a face concealer and this one works like a charm. It covers all my blemishes and redness like no other concealer I've ever tried.

5. BareMinerals READY SPF 15 Touch Up Veil ($22) - So I've never had my own pressed setting powder, I always used my mom's, and I finally found it time to buy my own. This product is basically a pressed powder version of the loose powder BareMinerals Mineral Veil and since I like that one I figured I'd like this one as well. It turns out though, that I like this one much more! I'm not a huge fan of loose powders because they're so messy and I like how I can take this pressed powder on vacation with me in January.

6. Boscia Pink Peppermint Blotting Linens ($5) - I have the Green Tea version of these and while I like the quality of the sheets, I can't stand the smell. So I figured this pack would smell much better and boy was I right. I like these a lot better and I'm considering stocking up on them!

7. Too Faced Shadow Bon Bons Set ($42) - This was the product I was most excited about purchasing. This is the first Too Faced product I've ever purchased and I'm glad I did because it comes with 12 beautiful shadows, a primer potion and a mascara. So far I'm really loving this palette because it comes with very pretty neutral colors like purples, pinks and browns. I'm hoping to do a review on this set very soon so keep your eyes out!

What have you recently bought from Sephora? Are you a Sephora VIB as well?

✨ November Wish List! ✨

I'm still staying at my boyfriend's house in Brooklyn while I wait for my heat and hot water to come back on. I'm thinking Mother Nature is not favoring New York City this year because right after our partial recovery from Hurricane Sandy, she decides to throw us a Nor'Easter with lots of snow. Hopefully it doesn't delay my heat and hot water from being fixed!

I ended up only purchasing one thing  from my October Wish List, Deborah Lippmann's Mermaid's Dream, because of all my midterms and while unfortunate, I did end up saving a lot of money. So I guess that means I get to spend more in November right?

1. Pixi Correction Concentrate in Brightening Peach ($15)

I love my Bobbi Brown Corrector in Bisque ($23) because it does a great job of correcting my dark circles. Unfortunately, the price tag is pretty steep. So when I heard about this Pixi Correction Concentrate and how it could work as a dupe for the Bobbi Brown Corrector I had to put it down on my monthly wish list. I've almost run out of my Bobbi Brown Corrector, I'm down to scraping product off the sides of the container, and when I do I'm probably going to give this Pixi one a try. Hopefully it does work as a dupe and I can save a couple of bucks. I've also heard it works as a dupe for Benefit's Erase Paste.

2. Butter London Nail Polish in Knackered ($14)

I always wanted a Butter London polish but I've always been too cheap to buy one. I decided that if I was going to spend the money on one of these polishes then I should at least spend it on a shade that is unique. This shade in Knackered is a duo-chrome with holographic glitter. I've read that it is pretty sheer so I'd probably need to use it as a layering polish but it's so beautiful looking in swatches that I just don't care!

3. Boscia Pink Peppermint Blotting Linens ($5)

Kind of a random item on my wish list but I would die without my oil-blotting sheets and I'm a sucker for anything pink and sparkly looking. I got a sample of the Boscia Blotting Linens using some of my Beauty Insider points and though I can't stand the herbal scent, the sheets work really well to absorb any excess oil. These sheets are supposed to smell like peppermint so hopefully I'll like the scent as well as the quality.

4. Sigma Mrs. Bunny Travel Kit ($65)

I believe this Sigma travel brush kit was on one of my wish lists from a few months ago and I mentioned that I wanted to purchase it for my upcoming vacation to Florida with my boyfriend. I never got the chance to buy it and I kept putting it off because we're going in January, but now that January is getting closer and Sigma does take a while to ship I think it's about time I actually cough up the dough and buy this set.

5. Too Faced Shadow Bon Bons Set ($42)

I believe this palette is relatively new since I have never seen it in stores but I recently saw EmilyNoel83 use it in one of her makeup tutorials and the shades looked really beautiful. It seems to have a lot of shades that I don't have like pinks and lilacs but I'll definitely have to see it in person first before I purchase it. It also comes with a Too Faced Shadow Insurance and a LashGASM Mascara so that's an added bonus.

So what items are on your monthly wish list? Whether it's beauty related, fashion related or even life related, I'd love to know!

Liebster & Versatile Blogger Awards!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while everyone! I'm still without hot water or heat so I've been staying at my boyfriend's house in Brooklyn and traveling back and forth between his home, my home and school. The trains are still somewhat messed up and there's still a gas deficit here so all this traveling takes up quite some time. Hopefully my hot water and heat will be back by the weekend and I can get into the habit of posting regularly again.

But on a happier note, I've been nominated for the Liebster Award by both Jana of BeautyLoveBooks and Becca of Sweet Fig Tree. I was also nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by Jana again. I'm extremely honored and would like to thank both these wonderful ladies for nominating me. Please pay both of them a visit and check them out, both have wonderful blogs.

The Versatile Blogger Award

Rules:

- If you are nominated, you've been awarded the Versatile Blogger award.
- Thank the person who gave you this award.
- Include a link to their blog.
- Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you've recently discovered or follow regularly.
- Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award with a link to their blog.
- Finally, tell  7 things about yourself.

I nominate:

1. Gia of Lovely Serendipity
2. Jayne of Cosmetic Proof
3. Mandy of Make Me Up Mandy
4. Traci of DRINKCITRA
5. Sharina of The Misty Mom
6. Jennifer of Little J's Nail Corner
7. Bon of Life of Bon
8. Ellie of Ellalogy
9. Denysia of Denysia Yu
10. Raych of Beauté
11. Tawny of Beauty By T
12. Sheila of She Is Lovely
13. Canadian Beauty of Canadian Beauty Reviews
14. Lauren of Lauren Schroer
15. Sherry of I AM PISCES

7 Things About Myself:

1. I'm Chinese
2. But I can hardly speak any Chinese.
3. I'm 19 years old.
4. I travel to Disney World and Universal Orlando at least once a year.
5. I've traveled out of the country once in my life to England.
6. I'm a Junior in College.
7. I've changed my major four times in the past year.

The Liebster Award

Rules:

- Link back to the blogger that nominated you 
- Write 11 random facts about yourself
- Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger that nominated you
- Create 11 questions of your own questions for blogs you would like to give the Liebster award
- Choose up to 11 blogs with under 200 followers to award <3

11 Random Facts About Myself:

1. I love EDM. You can catch me at Ultra Music Festival next year in Miami!
2. I was a ballet dancer for 15 years.
3. I'm hoping to study abroad somewhere in Europe next year.
4. The first beauty product I ever used was lip gloss in middle school.
5. I love video games. My two favorite games are Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty.
6. I'm a shopaholic, my weaknesses are clothing and makeup.
7. My top three favorite YT beauty gurus are: EmilyNoel83, MakeupByTiffanyD and FrmHeadToToe
8. I watch anime. My two favorites are Naruto and Fairy Tail.
9. I love animals! I have a cat named Oliver.
10. My favorite Marvel superhero is Iron Man.
11. I love to karaoke!!

11 Questions from Jana:

1. What's you favorite shop? I'm not sure what my favorite shop is but most of my clothes are from J.Crew!
2. Would you rather make a lot of money or do what you love? I feel like the appropriate answer would be to do what I love but living in NYC it's hard to survive if you don't make a lot of money so unfortunately I'm going to have to be realistic and say I'd rather make a lot of money. You can always do what you love as a hobby and hopefully one day you'll have enough money that you won't have to work and you can focus solely on doing what you love.
3. What's your favorite word? Word.
4. What's your favorite food? Sushi!
5. If you could spend the day with any person in the world, who would you spend the day with? I always get stumped by these questions but I think I'd want to spend it with Beyonce so I can get some tips on how to become one of the most successful women in the world!
6. What do you love most about blogging? I just love expressing my ideas and opinions.
7. What is your favorite place in the world? In my boyfriend's arms(:
8. If you found a genie, what 3 wishes would you make? I'd wish for more wishes of course!
9. What's your favorite TV-show? The Walking Dead!!
10. What's your favorite book and why? I don't really have a favorite book because there are so many great ones out there but one related to beauty would be Beauty Rules by Bobbi Brown because that was one of my first makeup books and it taught me a lot of what I know now.
11. What's your favorite type of shoe? Boots!

11 Questions from Becca:

1. Where would you love to live for a year? I would love to live in either Venice, Paris or London for a year.
2. What song have you had on repeat lately? Whistle (Mike Emilio Remix) - Flo Rida
3. What do you like about blogging? Once again, I just love to express my ideas and opinions.
4. What makeup brand and products do you use most often? I think it'd be Urban Decay.
5. What do you want to do by the end of this year? I want to get through this school semester! I'm having a really tough time and regretting taking a lot of classes I signed up for. I can't wait for next semester.
6. If you were an animal what would you be and why? I would probably be a house cat because I love to lounge around and lie in the sun! 
7. Describe the country/town you live in in 3 words? City. Busy. Alive.
8. What is something you feel strongly about? I feel strongly about women's reproductive rights. I believe a woman should be able to choose what she wants to do with her body.
9. Flowers in hair. Cute or Disaster? Depends on how you put the flowers in your hair, but most of the time I think it turns out cute.
10. What is your dream job? My dream job would be an actress. I've always loved acting ever since I was young and I always dreamed of being an actress.
11. What is something you would try if there was guaranteed no risk involved? I would pursue acting as a career!

Blogs I Nominate:

1. Denysia of Denysia Yu
2. Lauren of Lauren Schroer
3. Dani of My Make-Up and Beauty Obsession!
4. Chelsea of My Creative Side
5. Liz of LiveLizLove

My 11 Questions for My Nominees:

1. What made you want to start blogging?
2. What inspires you everyday to do what you do?
3. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
4. What would be your dream job?
5. If you could have 3 wishes, what would you wish for? (No wishing for more wishes!)
6. What is your favorite food?
7. What 3 places would you travel to first if you could go anywhere in the world?
8. What's your favorite number?
9. What is your favorite fashion trend for the Fall season?
10. What is your favorite makeup brand?
11. What one makeup product could you not live without and why? (E.g., foundation, lipstick, eyeliner, etc.)

Thanks for bearing through this long post but I'd once again like to thank the two girls who nominated me, Jana and Becca!

October Favorites

I have power again! I'm luckily in one of the only two buildings around me that has regained electricity and running water. Unfortunately, I'm still without hot water or heat so I've been boiling water and pouring it into my tub. It's not that bad once you get used to the shivering!

I wanted to take this chance to get my up my monthly favorites. I don't have many this month because I've been too busy with midterms to go shopping but these favorites are all definite favorites and will most likely be my go-to products for a long time.

1. Urban Decay Naked 2 ($50) - I bought the Naked 2 during the second batch of releases when it first came out. I remember when I initially swatched all the colors I was pretty excited to use it until I realized that the colors didn't go together as well as the shades from the Naked palette. The Naked 2 had been sitting in my makeup collection collecting dust for a while until recently when I decided to try it out again. While the colors may not match as obviously as the Naked palette, where typically the shades next to each other will create a great look, if you mix and match colors from all around the palette and even some from the Naked palette you can get a lot of different looks. My favorite shadows to mix together at the moment are: Bootycall all over the lid, Tease in the crease, a light dusting of Verve on top and Foxy as a highlight.

2. NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny ($2.99) - This product was from my latest Target haul and I already have an in-depth review of it on my blog. As I mentioned in my review, which you can read for more details, this bronzer is extremely affordable and delivers great color for lighter skin tones. A light dusting of this all over the face gives a sun-kissed glow. I've compared it to the Benefit Hoola Bronzer and found that they deliver the same color and pigmentation, with NYC's bronzer being way more affordable and a lot more travel-friendly.

3. L'Oreal Voluminous Full Definition Mascara ($5.84+) - Another product from my latest Target haul, this mascara has quickly become my favorite mascara. I wrote a rave review on it here that you can check out for more details. This mascara delivers lots of length and definition giving the illusion that you're wearing false eyelashes. I can't get enough of it and it has topped even my specialty/department store mascaras.

4. Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me ($2.99) - This product was featured in my I ❤ Fall tag as my favorite lip product, mentioned last month as a favorite and I did an in-depth review of it here. As you can see, I absolutely love this product and can't get enough of it. It delivers a sheer tint of red to your lips giving you a "your lips but better" color. I also love how it does double duty by providing color and moisturization.

A relatively short favorites list this month but I do suggest trying out one if not all of these products. They're all wonderful products and three out of four of them you can find readily available and affordable at your local drugstore.

What were your favorites for October? I'd love to know!