FOTD: Mmmm Purple

I don't do purple or pink looks very often.  When I use these colors, I like to throw them in with blues.  I figured it was about time I forced myself to do a girly girl purple look so I don't get too rusty.

Face:

-Benefit Porefessional Primer

-MUFE HD Foundation in 123

-Eve Pearl HD Dual Foundation in Light

-Ben Nye Translucent Setting Powder

-The Balm Bahama Mama Bronzer

-NARS Blush in Deep Throat

Eyes:

-MAC Paintpot in Painterly

-UD 24/7 Shadow Pencil in Delinquent

-Lancome Color Design eyeshadow in Drama (LE)

-MUFE eyeshadow #92

-Sugarpill eyeshadow in Bulletproof

-Too Faced eyeshadow in Heaven

-Urban Decay Theodora Palette: Beware and Broken

-Urban Decay 24/7 liners in Midnight Cowboy and Asphynixia

-Inglot Gel Liner 77

-Cover Girl Lash Blast 24HR

Lips:

-Lancome lipstick in Rose Tempest (LE)

How are you guys liking the pictures coming off my monster camera (Nikon D7000)?  I'm finally able to use it for my makeup looks cause I got a better fitted lens!  Only thing is, the flash kills the color.  In these pictures, the look is very soft and subdued but it was a full on smoky eye in person.  Even I felt a bit odd wearing this to work.

A mini tribute to the 12th anniversary of 9/11....

Eyes:
-MAC Paintpot in Painterly & Pure Creation (LE)
-UD eyeshadow in Evidence
-Sugarpill pressed shadows in Love+, Tako, and Bulletproof
-MUFE Aqua Shadow Pencil 32E
-MAC pigment in Vanilla
-Sephora glitter eyeliner in opal
-L'oreal Telescopic Waterproof Liquid liner
-Cover Girl 24Hr Lash Blast

Sorry about posting and running.  I wanted to get this up on the actual day of 9/11 before I run off to work.  I hope you enjoyed the look!

Update:
I wanted to take a moment and reflect upon this tragic occurrence 12 years ago on this day.  We remember the thousands of civilians who fell victim to this terrorist attack.  We remember the firefighters, search dogs, paramedics, and other individuals who risked their lives for the sake of others.  We remember a day when the entire nation came together in mourning.

9-11 has given Americans a reason to stand together, but sadly, hate crimes against Muslims and individuals of Middle Eastern decent have also escalated.  Hate only fuels hate, and the crimes that stem from it kills too many people.  The United States of America is far from being a perfect country, but it is a country that gave second chances and a new life to so many people.  It is a country that is meant to give equal rights to everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, sex, ethnic background, or social status.

So let us mourn for the lives lost on this day 12 years ago, remember the heroes, and take note that our country could do with a lot less hate in our lives.  And that, of course, starts with us.

Thank you for reading.

FOTD: Hopeless Romantic

I'm in so much of a makeup rut.  I have piles upon piles of makeup yet I have difficulty putting together color combinations.  This has to end!

I did throw together sort of a romantic look...for work.  Fitting, I know.  I just wanted to get some use out of my Too Faced SEXY palette that I acquired in a swap.  I was going for a more bold look but I had difficulty building up the shadows so it's much more subdued.

Face:
-Bare Minerals Prime Time
-MUFE HD Foundation in 123
-Eve Pearl HD Dual Foundation in Light
-Ben Nye Luxury Powder in Buff
-The Balm Bahama Mama Bronzer
-NARS Blush in Deep Throat

Eyes:
-MAC Painterly paintpot
-Too Faced SEXY palette: Icon & Hopeless Romantic
-Lancome eyeshadow in After Dusk (LE)
-Too Faced eyeshadow in Heaven
-Urban Decay 24/7 Liners in Midnight Cowboy and Bourbon
-Inglot Gel Liner 77
-Cover Girl Lash Blast 24HR Mascara

Lips:
-YSL Rouge Volupte Perle 104

It always fascinates me how it there seems to be so much makeup up close but when you step back, the overall look is very natural.  Power of makeup, I tell ya.

FOTD: Flashback

Since I've purchased by last foundation, I have spent a whole lot of time in the sun: a week in Los Angeles, a day Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, a day in Davis, a day in wine country, and let's not even count the time I spend outside just because.  Needless to say, my complexion has gotten just a wee bit darker.  I thought I could still pull off using a lighter foundation by putting extra bronzer on....and obviously I was wrong.  This is what I get for not doing regular FOTD posts and seeing how my makeup really looks on camera.

Sorry for the lack of closeups.  I took some on my DSLR but the SD card got corrupted somehow and I lost a lot of pictures :(

Face
-Bare Minerals Prime Time
-MAC Matchmaster foundation in 2.0
-Eve Pearl HD Dual foundation in light
-Ben Nye Luxury Powder in Buff
-Soliel Tan de Chanel
-The Balm Bahama Mama bronzer
-NARS Blusher in Deep Throat

Eyes
-MAC Painterly paint pot
-Lancome Color Design eyeshadow in After Dusk (DC)
-Aromaleigh eyeshadow in cloudburst (LE)
-UD 15th Anniversary Palette: Evidence, Junkshow, Vanilla, Flow
-Too Faced eyeshadow in Heaven
-Benefit eyeliner in Steel Her Date (LE)
-Inglot 77 Grl Liner
-Cover Girl Lash Blast 24HR

Lips
-Lancome Cover Fever lipstick in Rose Tempest (LE)

Anyhoo, I guess it's back to using my MUFE HD Foundation which was a little too dark for me in the first place!

What do you guys do when you find your foundation no longer matches you?

Midnight Therapy: Cut Crease and Ombre Lips

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FOTD: Comeback

Hey ladies and germs~

I've got a FOTD for you guys today!  Woohoo!  For the past couple months I've been so busy and uninspired that I've been pretty much been doing the same exact look every single day.  It had become such a habit for me that it was actually kind of difficult to break out of.

Today I had extra time to do my makeup and I really had to force myself to break outside my box.  I decided not to over think it too much and go back to a look that I know that I will like and is everything but neutral.  Those of you who have been following my blog for a while may have seen a similar look before.

Yeah, I did go back to my trusty point and shoot.  My Nikon is just too difficult to take selfies with :(

Face:
-Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer
-MUFE HD Foundation in #123
-Ben Nye Luxury Powder in Buff
-Eve Pearl Dual HD Foundation
-Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Deep Plum
-NARS Blush in Deep Throat
-NARS Laguna Bronzer
-NARS Multiple in Copacabana

Eyes:
-MAC Painterly Paintpot
-Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
-Sugarpill Chromalust eyeshadow in Royal Sugar and Hysteric
-Sugarpill pressed eyeshadows in 2am and Tako
-Urban Decay eyeshadow in Tease and Blackout
-UD 24/7 Liners in Zero, Midnight Cowboy, and Psychadelic Sister
-Inglot Gel Liner 77
-CoverGirl 24 Hour LashBlast

Lips:
-Lancome lipstick in Rose Tempest (D/C)

I'm trying to be more inspired to do more adventurous looks.  I post pics of my go to neutral look just so you guys have something to compare to.  What say you?

Post Beauty Buying Ban Sephora and Stila Haul!

I never truly wrapped up my beauty buying ban, did I?  I was doing really well actually.  From January 1, 2013 to mid April, I refrained from buying ANY makeup for myself.  I did invest in some some foundation and pressed powder palettes for my kit which are FREAKING amazing and I really should share with you guys.  

So what happened?  Like I have mentioned before, I had no set end date when I started the ban.  But I did allow myself to buy products and goodies at the annual CosmoProf Hair Show in San Jose.  Maybe I allowed myself to buy a little too much, and you can judge for yourself if you want to have a look at my haul here.  What ended up happening was that I also started buying makeup around that time too and I went a little nuts.  I think the damage rendered my beauty buying ban somewhat pointless.

During Sephora's 15% off sale, I picked up the Urban Decay Wizard of Oz Palettes and a set of lip tars.

Aren't these palettes freaking gorgeous?

Theodora

Glinda

The Urban Decay palettes I've been lusting over during my entire beauty buying ban and I decided not to let them slip through my grasp.  

Liptars I am just very fond of.  This set was a very good deal since they now retail for $18 each, and this entire set was $49.

Stila had a 50% off sale recently.  I grabbed some palettes that really appealed to me (like I need anymore eyeshadow palettes....) and some lip products to try.

In the Moment eyeshadow palette

In the Light eye shadow palette

Afterglow Lip Color in Party Pink

Afterglow Lip Color in Vivid Violet

It's so exciting to buy new makeup again!  My wallet is not particularly happy with me but it makes me happy!

I actually haven't touched any of the makeup shown here yet because I enjoy seeing them in their pristine condition.  Have you guys tried any of these?  What do you think of them?

FOTD: Test shots

So I acquired a new camera recently.  I have yet to do an official post about it because I'm still waiting for a few things to come in first before I do so.  But that doesn't mean I can't put it to use!  With the lens I currently have, the angle isn't wide enough so that I can get my entire face in frame when I attempt to take pictures of myself at arm's length.  The camera's previous owner suggested I take pictures of myself in the mirror until I get a proper lens.  And that's what I did here:

Face:

-Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer

-MUFE HD Foundation in N123

-Eve Pearl HD Dual Foundation in Light

-MUFE HD Powder

-NARS Laguna Bronzer

-Illamasqua Blusher in Thrust

Eyes:

-MAC Painterly Paintpot

-Too Faced Natural Eye Palette: Honey Pot, Silk Teddy, Velvet Revolver, and Heaven

-Sugarpill eyeshadow in Bulletproof

-Urban Decay 24/7 Liners in Midnight Cowboy and Bourbon

-Inglot Gel liner 77

-Cover Girl Waterproof Lash Blast Volume mascara

Lips:

-Lancome l'absolu creme de mat in Prune Elixir

Stay tuned as I continue to experiment with this monster!  Until next time!

Welcome to My Afterparty

I found these pictures in my good old point and shoot whilst clearing out my memory card about a week ago.  I can't believe I haven't posted this look!  It's definitely one of my recent favorites.  

Tried the look with a different lipstick.  Just for funzies.

Eyes:

-MAC Painterly paintpot

-Sugarpill pressed shadows in Afterparty, Dollipop, Tako, and Bulletproof

-Inglot Gel Liner 77

-CoverGirl Waterproof LashBlast Volume mascara

-Urban Decay 24/7 liners in Zero and Psychadelic Sister

Face:

-Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer

-Lancome Teint Idole Foundation in Bisque 4

-Ben Nye Luxury Powder in Buff

-NARS Laguna bronzer

-Illamasqua blusher in Thrust

-NARS Multiple in Copacabana

Lips:

-Inglot lipstick #264 (1st look)

-Lancome l'absolut rouge lipstick in Blush Classique

When I feel like I need some color, I always fall back on Sugarpill.  How about you guys?

FOTD: The Evidence of Pea Soup at the Junk Show

Hello fellow beauty lovers~

I took my sister and mother shopping at a new outlet that opened a few months ago (Paragon Outlets in Livermore if you're in the area).  My mom, who knows nothing about makeup, needed to pick up some high end makeup for gifts so I took her to the closest Cosmetic Company Store.  I may or may not have found a loophole in my beauty buying ban but more about that later.

I had plenty of time to do my makeup so I really took my time and played with some colors.  This is something I really enjoy, and I most definitely haven't had a chance to do it very often since I've moved back in with my folks.  I am super bummed that the pictures didn't showcase the makeup the way I see it when I look into the mirror.  Here are the few that are worth showing:

Face:

-Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer

-Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Foundation in Bisque 4

-Eve Pearl Dual HD Foundation in Light

-Laura Mercier Pressed Translucent Powder

-NARS Lagina Bronzer

-Illamasqua Blusher in Thrust

Eyes:

-MAC Painterly Paintpot

-MAC eyeshadow in Night Manouevres

-Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy

-Spellbound by Jynx eyeshadow in Pea Soup (This eyeshadow stains....use with caution)

-Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette: Junkshow, Blackout, and Evidence

-MicaBella eyeshadow in Sunshine

-Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencil in Sin

-Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliners in Zero, Covet, and Binge

-Inglot Gel Liner 77

-Too Faced eyeshadow in Heaven

-Cover Girl Waterproof Lashblast Volume Mascara

Lips:

-MAC lipstick in Syrup

I know I say this a lot, but I find that a lot of my looks are kind of mellow and boring.  I'd like to be able to wear bright fun colors everyday, but as you see from all my FOTD posts, there are certain styles and colors that I tend to gravitate back towards.  I'm doing a combination of checking out more beauty blogs and digging through my loose eyeshadow drawer for look ideas.  

What do you do when you're in a makeup rut?  Blindly reach into your eyeshadow drawer?  Call upon friends for back up?  Let me know!

FOTD: Job hunting makeup & "OOTD"

I earned my California Cosmetology license three months ago, but I've been too chicken to apply to too many salons for fear of being rejected.  Last Friday I finally kicked myself in the butt and forced myself to print out my resume and pass them out at salons in the business district of the small town I live in.  I was going for a slightly dramatic, but neutral toned look.  The look turned out well considering I looked like a mermaid raccoon at one point (There was bright teal eyeshadow on one of the brushes I used that gave my lids a hint of green.  Then I tried to blend it out with some brown and ended up looking like a raccoon.).

Face:

-Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer

-Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Foundation in Bisque 4 (discontinued)

-Eve Pearl HD Dual Foundation in Light

-Laura Mercier Pressed Translucent Powder

-NARS Laguna Bronzer

-Illamasqua Blusher in Thrust

Eyes:

-MAC Painterly Paintpot

-MAC eyeshadow in Night Manoeuvres (LE)

-NARS eyeshadow duo in Dogon

-Too Faced Natural Eye Palette (Heaven and Silk Teddy)

-Yves Rocher Intense Eye Pencil in Vert Marine

-Urban Decay 24/7 Glide  On Shadow Pencil in Sin

-Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in Zero

-Inglot Gel Liner 77

-Cover Girl Waterproof Lash Blast Volume Mascara

Lips:

-YSL Golden Gloss #14

Meanwhile, I was joking with a friend that I was going to wear a toga while I drop off my resumes, and quickly snapped this picture to show him.  I was laughing because he thought I meant a real toga.

There you have it.  Toga, jeggings, and bright pink bra.  For the record I wore a peacoat style jacket over it so you couldn't tell I was wearing a toga.  I chose to dress entirely in black to look professional.  But I also tried to spice it up a little so that it looked somewhat fashionable.  I'm not too good with fashion so putting together feminine looking outfits is quite a feat for me.  

Well there you have it!  I hope you enjoyed my mermaid-raccoon-toga post!  I'll continue dropping off resumes in different areas so I may be doing more of these types of posts.  Those of you already in the industry, let me know if you have any tips and suggestions for me.  Thanks, guys!

FOTD: Blogger Beauty

I truly hate how my eyes are so uneven.  I've noticed that this is a common trait amongst us, Asians: our right eye tends to be slightly hooded while our left eye is "normal," making our right eyes seem smaller than the left.  It really screws me over when I do my makeup.  And what's more frustrating is that I don't see how different my makeup looks on each eye until I take pictures and check it out myself.  This is probably because I'm too busy squinting at the mirror without my glasses.  Argh.

In any case, I find my eye makeup very very boring.  Always have.  When I'm in a rush, it's always so much easier to throw on something natural that I know will work.  I had a bit of extra time today so I threw on some colors I tend not to reach for: pink, yellow, and orange.

I originally wanted to do a bright pink look, but I thought orange and yellow would go well with the pink so I threw that into the mix as well.  I made an attempt at a cut crease which ended up being very sloppy, but ah well.  I will do better next time!

Face:
-Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer
-Lancome Teint Idole Foundation in Bisque 4
-Cover FX Setting Powder in Light
-NARS Laguna Bronzer
-NARS Blusher in Deep Throat

Eyes:
-UDPP in Eden
-Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
-Fyrinnae e/s in Blogger Beauty
-Sugarpill Burning Heart Palette: Flamepoint and Buttercupcake
-UD e/s in Blackout
-UD 24/7 Liner in Zero
-Inglot Gel Liner 77
-CoverGirl Waterproof LashBlast Volume

Lips:
-Inglot 150

This will probably be my last post for a little while.  I have finals this week and my Cosmetology state board exam on Thursday.  Wish me luck!

FOTD: Decency

Hey everyone!

I want to post a super duper quick FOTD from yesterday.  I had to make sure I looked presentable for a certain meeting I had to have with someone I don't get along with.  So of course, I had to look halfway decent without looking like I was trying too hard. Haha!  Here it is!  Yup, baby blue managed to sneak into the look somehow.

Face:

-Bare Escentuals Face Primer

-Lancome Teint Idole Foundation in Bisque 4

-CoverFX Setting Powder in Light

-Annabelle BB Skin Perfect Concealer in Medium

-Illamasqua Blusher in Thrust

-NARS Laguna Bronzer

Eyes: 

-UDPP in Eden

-UD Naked 2 Palette: Foxy, Bootycall, Tease, YDK, Busted, Blackout

-Milani Liquifeye Pencil in Black

-Inglot Gel Liner 77

-CoverGirl Waterproof LashBlast Volume Mascara

Lips:

-CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in Divine

Enjoy!

FOTD: Familiarity

Hey everyone!  It's me, Janny.  No excuses for my lack of posts whatsoever.  Yes, I have been super busy and lacking motivation lately.  Which is why I'm trying to go back to what I know and what makes sense to me--blogging.

If that didn't make sense, what I mean is, I have been working so much and worrying about so many other things that I have stopped reading blogs all together.  I miss constantly being inspired, and sharing ideas with fellow bloggers and beauty junkies about what moves me.  My career path is uncertain right now which is keeping me disoriented, so I'm coming back to what I do know: that I love makeup as an art and I love to share with other people who love it.

So here is a look I did during my short, but much needed Thanksgiving break.  Look familiar?  I've never done this color combination exactly like this before but it seems like whenever I try to do something fun and colorful, I always incorporate a bright baby blue in the mix.

Do ignore that smidge of mascara on my right (your left) eye.

Face:
-Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer
-Lancome Teint Idole Foundation in B4
-CoverFX Setting Powder in Light
-NARS Laguna Bronzer
-Illamasqua Blusher in Thrust

Eyes:
-UDPP in Eden
-Inglot e/s in AMC 70 on the lid, DS 477 on the crease, AMC Shine 27 in the inner corner, AMC 73 and 441 P on the lower lashline
-Wet n Wild e/s in Creme Brulee
-UD e/s in Blackout
-UD 24/7 Liner in Asphyxia
-Inglot Gel liner in 77
-CoverGirl Waterproof LashBlast Volume

Lips:
-Lancome Cover Fever lipstick in Rose Tempest (d/c)
-Quo lip gloss in Lust

I really have to challenge myself to stop using baby blue.