Saturday, May 23, 2009

Must have makeup tools for this summer!

As the days get more sunny & bright and the daylight hours are longer, you can sure wear brighter & more colourful colours especially w/ eyeshadow to totally brighten up your eyes.

A complete brushset is a must have for a thorough makeup application, especially when you'll have more parties to go to, weddings, & many other social events. This is a 12piece set which is adaquet enough. At least all the basics are included. I think it includes every kind of brush that exists eg. powder, blush, eyeshadow, liner, brow, fan brush, slanted/angled brushes, unless there's a brush that I don't know about.

Even w/ much sunshine these days, fake tans are still necessary if you don't want skin cancer & you spend a lot of hot summer days indoors w/ AC. Airbrush spray on tans looks more natural as they go on the skin more evenly distributed. Cream/lotion tans just feels greasy! And what about rainy days?

SMASHBOX

I absolutely love Smashbox products even though the stuff tends to be a little more expensive. However, it's totally worth the price b/c it actually works! I love the Halo Powder, Lip Plumping Moisturizing Balm, Photo Finish Foundation Primer, etc... I have yet to try their eyeshadows, but I expect just as much in quality for that.

Foundation Primer
So far the best one I've tried is the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. The basic one is the white one & then there's another one w/ SPF 15 sun protection & then there's the colour correcting which does not have SPF sun protection.





Travel: Picasso’s Trail, FRANCE



Doors Open Toronto 2009 Update!

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/632579

Interior Design: The Value of Minimalism

toronto interior design show
http://www.interiordesignshow.com/2009/index.php
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090206/IDS_review_090206/20090206?hub=Toronto

street dance

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/636654
VYbE Dance Studio in Markham

Raptors Dance Team

Monster of Hip Hop

Skyy Vodka

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SKYY_vodka
Skyy Vodka is one of my favourite vodkas for cocktails. It tastes very clear & you do not really notice the strong vodka taste & it almost seems like there's no vodka present although you know it's there and you can sense the alcohol. Also it leaves no after taste as most other vodkas do.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Mineral Makeup

Mineral makeup is made with all natural ingredients, is oil-free and non-comedogenic (won't cause acne).
First there's mineral powder & now there's even liquid mineral foundation, mineral eyeshadow, as well as mineral lipgloss. You can probably even get mineral eyeliner.

There very first mineral powder I ever tried was BareMinerals starter kit which I got from Sephora. It's very easy to use and comes with everything that you'll need to apply the makeup on nicely. It comes with a foundation primer/moisturizer, and 2 veils of concealer/coverup powder of 2 different shades, 1 lighter & 1 slightly darker and a translucent (no-colour) finishing powder and then a blush. You can mix the two shades depending if you want to go lighter or darker. I personally used them both on their own without mixing. I used the lighter shade during the longer winter months & then the darker shade during the summer & fall seasons when I have a bit of a tan. Three very good application brushes are included, a large kabuki brush for application at home for the powders and a shorter no handle pocket sized brush for travel, and a concealer brush. It even comes with an instructional video dvd.

The one I'm using corrently is Smashbox HALO HYDRATING PERFECTING POWDER which is a large compact of pressed powder which works as loose powder because when you turn the compact, the powder gets shaved into loose powder and it's very convenient because you only shave as much as you need to use each time. I really love this because with jars of loose powder I'm always afraid of dropping or spilling the contents to waste & also making a mess to clean up after. I can go anywhere with this Smashbox powder and even travel with it & it will last until weeks if not months because it contains more powder than your average compact.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Does Lip Gloss ever Expire?

The answer is: Yes they do! Unfortunately, it seems like a waste, but fortunately you can finally try a new shade! How long does a lipgloss last? They cosmetic companies will say about 9months. But I think 1yr is more like it.

I just know that mascara lasts 3 months after you open it & probably 1yr unopened. Foundation 1yr after opening & 3yrs unopened.

Lipgloss I predict 1yr when opened & 3yrs. Actually it depends on what kind of lipgloss. If it's the more solid type like lipbalm then it'll last longer b/c it contains less moisture than the more creamy ones. The best guess is to just smell it & look at the colour. If it smells bad & different from when you got it, then toss it out! Same thing if the colour changes.

Cargo makes a lipgloss that contains a little strip which you put inside the tube of lipgloss when you first open it. What the strip does is that it will gradually change to a red colour through time which is around 9 months letting you know that it's about time to trash it! You shoudl try it if you're curious & especially if you have a bad sense of time or memory of when you got stuff. Even I may try it just for fun!

I personally still have a few lipglosses that are more than 2yrs old & the colour nor smell have not changed especially the more expensive ones. If you're worried about bacteria, but still want to use it I would recommend heating it in the microwave, not inside the tube. Some lipglosses already come w/ a small jar & you can heat it on low heat for around 20secs or so depending on how large the jar of lipgloss is. If you have lipgloss in a tube, then just pour it out into a small jar container or contact lens case or anything similar, you could even just pour it into a microwave dish if you want to. After you heat it, the lipgloss will turn into liquid form & then you just let it cool down a little, then you can even put it in the fridge for it to turn solid faster.

You can also make lipgloss w/ old lipsticks & those last little bits of lipliner left. All you have to do is crush it up & mix it w/ a bit of petrolium jelly & pour it into a little microwavable dish, heat it up & Voila! Then pour the liquid into your container of choice for the lipgloss to take form in, perhaps an old used up lipbalm/gloss container or eyecream jar.

Update on Bottled Water: My Review


I've tried 3 different kinds so far. The first one is FIJI & the other two are carbonated.

Coffee&Chocolate for a good cause: Fair Trade & more...

I know it's for several good causes, not just one, but I still find it a little pricey. I did use to buy some Fair Trade stuff especially the chocolate, but nowadays I can't really afford it anymore.

I'll only get their stuff that is not too far off compared in price w/ the items from regular brands. So I'll at least try to make an effort.

Perhaps I'll volunteer at a Fair Trade shop in the future. I had a friend that did it & that's how I know about the volunteer. But I did hear about Fair Trade prior to that. The very first time that I heard about Fair Trade was in Vancover when a girl I met from PEI was very into it & environmental stuff. I bought their chocolate from a shop called "Ten Thousand Villages" on Commercial Drive. It was half way b/w UBC main campus where we were staying at & Metrotown. So you have to take the bus to Commercial Drive to catch the Skytrain to Metrotown Shopping Centre in Burnaby.

After returning to Toronto, I found out that they have "Ten Thousand Villages" & Fair Trade products at health/organic food shops in Toronto as well. I have yet to visit Toronto's "Ten Thousand Villages" although I've already tried another shop called Noah's Arc/Noah's Natural Foods on Bloor/Yonge Street.
http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/
http://www.tenthousandvillages.ca/
http://www.healthycoffee.com/ The company donates money to orphans & needy children in countries where they have offices located there.
http://www.bcpassport.com/vancouver-public-transportation/vancouver-skytrain.aspx Skytrain Van

http://www.yorku.ca/cerlac/fairtrade Fair Trade @YorkU

Dollarama 65cent dark chocolate bars

I just bought 2 different branded dark chocolate bars from Dollarama.

I've tried Fair Trade & some European brands from Winners.

I find that the more expensive stuff doesn't taste too much different from the regular stuff you get from some supermarkets & Walmart. However, I did find the Dollarama chocolate tasting a bit not so good.

Monday, May 18, 2009

JOB advice!

Worst interview mistakes women make!
i'll need to read this when i have time! good info for all you gals out there too! i mean, at least i think it should be useful considering that it's from Forbes.
http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/personal-finance/article/forbes/933/worst-interview-mistakes-women-make

Taller earns more!
I wonder if that just applies to men or it applies to women as well.
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090517/oddities/lifestyle_science_labour_australia

10 career-damaging online mistakes
http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/personal-finance/article/50plus/10-careerdamaging-online-mistakes-20090123

Christie Pitts Park

I will be going there next sunday. i actually haven't been there before so it will be my first time & i'm glad b/c i really need to relax & enjoy the nature once in awhile.

tell you more about it next week after i've been there.
http://www.toronto.ca/parks/parks_gardens/christiepits.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christie_Pits

Books

Thank God it's Monday!
http://www.thankgoditsmonday.com/

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Cool Words of the Day!

Nimbus
-A splendid atmosphere or aura, as of glamour, that surrounds a person or thing.

Aura
-a distinctive and pervasive quality or character; air; atmosphere: an aura of respectability; an aura of friendliness.