Grey smokey eye with Urban Decay Vice2

This is a look I did for annual dinner at the company I was interning. The theme was wild wild west, so I did this look and put on a cowgirl hat 🙂

I primarily used the Urban Decay Vice 2 palette. Poison on the whole lid, and then Smokeout as the contour colour. And then Lovesick for some pretty shimmer.

Habit and Rewind were used as transition colours, and Dope as highlighter on the inner corners.

I can’t say it enough. Remember to use an eyeshadow primer for optimal colour saturation!

 

I had a really fun night with too much food. It was a perfect ending to my stay as an intern in the company and Hong Kong in general.

Maria xoxo

What’s in my makeup bag tag

I have been wanting to do this post for a long time. I am on the go a lot lately, so I have been needing only one bag with everything I need in it. Below are the items I would take around with me as a minimum.

Close up:

  

1. Makeup Forever HD Foundation in N123 – I just use my fingers to apply.
2. Makeup Forever Brow Gel usually with Sigma E65 Small angled brush (but I left it at my sister’s place, so I got a new one from Sephora). I brush through my brows using an old Revlon eyebrow pencil.
3. Maybelline Color Tattoo Gel in Back to the Bronze as an eye primer. I use my fingers.
4. Eyeshadow: Revlon in Adventurous – usually only using the 2 bottom brown shades. The shimmery one on the lids, and the matte under the eyes (and contouring if I have time). I use MAC 239 or Sigma E55 Eye Shading to apply eyeshadows. And Sephora blending brush to contour, and Sigma E25 Blending brush to blend out. I use an old Nilens Jord brush to apply the matte brown shade under my eyes.
5. Sleek iDivine palette in Storm: If I have the space, I would take this with me. I would use one of the shimmery shades to highlight my inner corners with my elf contour brush.
6. For eyeliners, I have my Maybelline Hyper Sharp liner for a more defined look. And currently using Milani Liquid Eye Liquid-Like Eyeliner for a smokier effect. I use the angled brush (the one I use for my brows) to smoke it out.
7. Shiseido eyelash curler and Maybelline Falsies waterproof mascara.
8. Makeup forever Full Cover in #10 to cover up blemishes.
9. Maybelline Mineral Power concealer. I use my fingers to dab it in.
10. Milani Multitasker powder in Light Tan to set my face with Sigma E30 Large Powder brush.
11. If I have time – the NYX Matte Bronzer in Medium to contour and give my face some dimension.
12. NYX blush in Dusty Rose with MAC 116 brush.
13. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream for moisturised lips.

What are your must-haves? Have you made the same post? Please share in the comments section. I love to peak into other people’s makeup bags!

Maria xoxo

Liebster Award, Shine on Award, Wonderful team mate Award and Rainbow tag

I am so honoured to have got so many nominations for the different awards – some of them AGES ago. I feel so bad that I haven’t had the time to do this post. So now, I’m gonna put them all together. As each of the award requires me to nominate/tag other bloggers, I’m just gonna pick 10, so I hope that the nominees can choose one and repost!

Liebster Award

I was nominated for the Liebster Award by http://dandygal.wordpress.com/ & Amelia of http://tapestrytaupe.wordpress.com/ & Michele of http://trendybelleblog.wordpress.com/ . Thanks girls!

The rules:

1. Each nominee must link back to the person that nominated them.
2. Answer the 10 questions which are given to you by the nominator.
3. Nominate up to 10 other bloggers you like and who have less than 200 followers.
4. Create 10 questions for your nominees to answer.
5. Let them know that they have been nominated by going to their blog and notifying them.

As I have had 3 nominators, I’ll just go ahead and answer the 30 questions 🙂

1. The three items you will take to a remote island? Skincare product wise: tooth brush+paste, lip balm/Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour cream, face wash
2. Last movie you saw? Jagten (Danish movie) – can recommend.
3. Lipstick or Lipgloss? Lipstick
4. Best drugstore product/brand? Maybelline… and Revlon… 😀
5. Last product you used? Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour cream
6. Favorite TV-Series? Don’t know about favourite, but right now, I’m kinda cray cray with How I Met Your Mother
7. You can only eat the same food for the whole week. What is it? Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup)
8. How late is it right now? 3 in the afternoon
9. Most beloved make up item of the past year? Tricky one. I would have to say my MUFE HD Foundation
10. How many different hair products do you use on average per week? 5 – shampoo, conditioner, dry shampoo, argan oil, foam

1. What made you start blogging? My passion
2. What is your lifetime dream? To become a makeup artist. 
3. What is your favorite quote and why? “The happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they make the best of everything.” Because I believe that happiness is the attitude one has towards life. 
4. What is your guilty pleasure? Chocolate, fried foods…
5. What is your favorite season? (Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter) Summer – because then I can wear dresses and get rid of that huge winter jacket.
6. What is your favorite seasonal holiday? Summer vacation of course.
7. What is one thing on your wishlist? FOREO Luna mini.
8. What is one thing on your bucketlist? Travel more parts of the world, and experience more cultures.
9. What youtuber(s) do you adore? Hands down Wayne Goss and Lisa Eldridge.
10. What is your favorite band/artist? I actually don’t really have one as such.

• One: If you had to describe your style in one word, what word would you choose and why? Comfortable – because it can mean many things. 
• Two: If you could trade places with any person in the world for just one day, who would it be? Don’t have a certain person in mind. But anyone that can afford one full day in a luxurious hotel and spa haha..
• Three: What is your dream job? Makeup artist, or anything related to what I’m blogging about.
• Four: Who was your first celebrity crush? I’m really not a big celebrity admirer… 
• Five: If you got to plan your dream vacation, where would you go? Thailand. It’s a wonderful place I want to go back to. 
• Six: What is your favorite trend right now? Fuller eyebrows.  
• Seven: What is your favorite song at the moment? Happy by Pharrell
• Eight: What is your go to beauty item that you couldn’t live without? Eyebrow gel/pencil. Really enjoying my MUFE eyebrow gel lately because it’s seriously waterproof!
• Nine: What is something you’d like to do before you die? Sky diving
• Ten: If you could travel back in time and live in any decade, which would you choose? A hard one… the 20’s (beautiful dresses)… or 60’s (carefree living style)

The 10 questions I want the nominees to answer

1. Your favourite skincare products?
2. Your favourite makeup products?
3. Your favourite hair products?
4. If you only can use one makeup product, what would it be? (e.g. concealer, mascara etc.)
5. Where do you get inspiration on fashion? A certain blog/magazine?
6. What is your favourite relaxing thing to do if you get a night free all by yourself?
7. Winter or summer fashion? 
8. Heels or flats?
9. Your best advice on keeping healthy skin? (general tip or a certain product or routine)
10. The best place you have travelled to?

Shine on Award

Thanks to Christina of http://fashionstoryandmore.wordpress.com/ and Steph of http://thinklovemakeup.com/ for nominating me to the Shine on Award.

Christina’s blog is very inspirational always with tons of pictures, and also very personal at the same time. I really see her passion for fashion shine through.

I would describe Steph’s blog as very sophisticated, and she features latest makeup trends. I don’t always keep myself as updated, so I love reading her blog. And I also really trust Steph for her skincare tips and recommendations.

THE RULES ARE:

1. Display the award logo on your blog.

2. Link back to the person who nominated you.

3. State 7 things about yourself

4. Nominate 15 other bloggers for this award and link to them (okay, I’m just gonna do the 10)

7 Things about myself

1. I love to travel. Have been staying abroad every other year the last 6 years. So I have moved around A LOT.
2. As so many bloggers in here, I am really an addict to online makeup shopping.
3. My favourite food is Vietnamese – I understand the language a little.
4. I like my coffee black.
5. I say I’m anti-Apple, but I have had a few iPods, an iPad, have had an iPhone
6. If I can only put on one makeup product, I gotta do my brows!
7. The much raved Smashbox primer which I tried like a decade ago gave me the worst allergic reaction ever

Wonderful Team Member Award

Thank you to Angie of http://rubyangel711.wordpress.com/ for nominating me to this award.

Here are the rules:

1. Place the Logo on your blog.
2. Acceptance speech.
3. Thank the one who nominated you and a back link to their blog.
4. Nominate 10 other blogs, inform them of the nomination.

The acceptance speech

I am literally overwhelmed by all these nominations – that I have become one of the 10 or 15 blogs those wonderful bloggers have chosen to include in their list. I am so happy that I took the plunge and started this blog. So glad that some people find my blog interesting enough to stop by and like and comment. Between my busy everyday, blogging always makes me take a moment from everything else. That’s where I give myself the time to absorb into something that’s either a duty or study.

The Rainbow Tag

Thank you to Budziak of http://www.budziakbeauty.com/ for tagging me.

Red: Revlon Colorstay in Certainly Red. I love this lisptick!

Photo credit: http://www.nyxcosmetics.com/p-24-powder-blush.aspx

Orange: NYX Cosmetics – Blush in Cinnamon.

Yellow: I really don’t have anything yellow I especially love. So I’m cheating a little bit and gone to the goldy lid instead. Maybelline Hyper Sharp Liner.

Green: I have to give this one to a specific eyeshadow shade: NYX single eyeshadow in Exotic Green.

Blue: Urban Decay Canonball Mascara!

Photo credit: http://www.urbandecay.com/urban-decay/makeup-palettes-%26-gifts/vice-2/386.html

Indigo: The shade Voodoo in the Urban Decay Vice 2 palette

Violet: Maybelline Color Tattoo in Painted Purple

Photo credit: http://www.revlon.com/Revlon-Home/Products/Lips/Lipcolor/Revlon-ColorBurst-Lip-Butter.aspx

Pink: Revlon lip butter in Lollipop

Photo credit: http://www.urbandecay.com/urban-decay/makeup-palettes-%26-gifts/vice-2/386.html

Multi coloured: Urban Decay Vice 2 – just the packaging is making my heart melt!

The 10 bloggers I nominate

• Veronica of http://thebeautyarchive.wordpress.com/ – review of interesting products. Very detailed reviews!!!
• Elaine of http://flabsruletheworld.wordpress.com/ – Great product reviews. We have very much the same taste in products!
• Olivia of http://eyehavealotoffeelings.wordpress.com/ – I like Olivia’s eye looks. They are so pretty!
• Brittany of http://brittersblog.com/ – Very versatile blog with everything from product reviews to OOTD’s
• Lizzie and Millie of http://lizzieandmillie.wordpress.com/ – Always featuring extremely cute products and products I don’t already know about.
• Aracelee of http://aracelee.wordpress.com/ – Not so much fuss, and right to the point. Just how I like it!
• http://letstalkcosmetics.wordpress.com/ – Get the latest trends in cosmetics. Very informative.
• Natalie of http://natzisstash.wordpress.com/ – Many great looks featured on this blog. Very inspirational. I also love following her facebook page where she shared many interesting links.
• Vee of http://veebeautiful.wordpress.com/ – Many interesting product reviews. I feel like I really get to consider getting products that Vee recommends.
• Christina of http://thebubblybrunette.wordpress.com/ – The most beautiful posts of nail polishes ❤ And of course, her nails are just to die for…

This was a really long one. I just want to say thanks again. I’m so glad I have this small beauty community where we can share our passion!

Maria xoxo

P.S. I just want to mention that this is my 100th post! Big thank you everyone that has supported me to go this far!

Lipstick tag

Thank you so much http://flabsruletheworld.wordpress.com/ for nominating me to this tag. I actually think that she forgot to notify me – I bumped into this tag by myself when reading her blog haha…

Let’s get to it!

1. How many lipsticks do you own?

I have them scattered around in different containers and boxes, but I suppose something between 30 and 40… I don’t own many high end lipsticks though. Maybe one or two…

2. What was the first lipstick you owned?

I sincerely just don’t remember…

3. What is your favorite lipstick brand?

Revlon – both for Colorstay and their Lip butters

4. What is your most worn lipstick?

My go-to lipstick is Revlon Colorstay Lip butter in Berry Smoothie for a natural look.

5. What is your favorite finish?

Matte, but it must not look drying. So kind of a moist-looking matte finish.

6. What was the last lipstick you bought?

  

I think it’s a NYX matte lip cream in Addis Ababa and Xtreme lip creme in Dolly Girl and Pinky Nude

7. How many lip products do you currently have in your bag?

One – Revlon lip butter in Berry Smoothie. Usually I have quite a few lip products in my bag, but because my lips are in a bad condition lately, I haven’t really been very active on the lipstick front.

8. What is your favorite red lip color?

  

I feel like I’ve said it so many times, but it’s still Revlon Colorstay in Certainly Red.

9. How do you store your lipsticks?

Usually just in a drawer all tucked in together. But right now in a makeup bag.

10. Which lipsticks are you currently lusting after?

I claim to be a beauty blogger, and I have never owned a MAC lipstick before. Uhhhh…. Is that like really really bad?

I’m tagging everyone that wants to do this fun post!

Maria xoxo

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour and Visible Difference

I am a sucker for trying out mainstream products. Because they are so hyped, I want to test them out myself and either confirm or dismiss the claims.

Photo credit: http://www.elizabetharden.com/Eight-Hour%C2%AE-Cream-Skin-Protectant/10014252000,default,pd.html

A few months ago, my lips started to become very dry – not just normal dry lips, but it was flaking, swelling, and tightening around my whole mouth – to a state where I felt so helpless and gross. I have never experienced anything alike in my life! So my lipsticks were definitely kept in the drawer for a long while. I tried out different lip balms; at first some minty ones such as Burt’s Bees and EOS (the light blue minty one) as I felt they were the only ones that could give me an instant relief before needing them again after a few minutes. Later – I figured that it was stress that caused the condition of my lips and the area around!

I was desperately in search for lip balms, and also tried the much hyped Nivea one. Don’t misunderstand me – all the mentioned products are great! I just found myself ending up with the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. This product is one of the most hyped, and I finally took the plunge. It was not overly expensive. I think I paid around 20USD for it on sale. In the beginning, I was not overwhelmed by it. But with time, and as I got less stressed, I found myself going back to this one.

Photo credit: http://www.elizabetharden.com/Eight-Hour%C2%AE-Cream-Skin-Protectant/10014252000,default,pd.html

People talk about lip balms as in: Oh, this lip balm is so good, I use it all the time/I use it up in no time. NO – that makes it a bad lip balm!!!

A good one will last very long between each application. When people say that they can’t live without their eight hour cream, I usually think what’s the big deal about this thing? Now, I kind of get it – I can live without it, but as long as I have access to it, I will not leave it behind me. With this Eight Hour cream, I found myself only using it a few times a day. And I wake up in the morning with the most plump and moist lips. Yes, the smell is not the most pleasant as it’s famous for. But this one is definitely a keeper and a repurchase for me although one tube will probably last me a long long while. It’s also a multi-purpose cream/oil that can be used for any other dry areas. I like using this on my cuticles.

So this was my review of the Elizabeth Eight Hour Cream. I give the hype a big confirm!

Visible Difference Moisturiser:

This thing is a life saver in winter times. I bumped into this product randomly because it was on sale. I always struggle with skincare products. Somehow, I want to stick to fixed products I know are good, but at the same time – how can I know they are the best if I don’t try out others? But I am reaching a state where I’m settling down now (before the big hunt for anti-aging products in a few years). I also like it because of the affordable price. The smell is something I had to get used to. It smells like a very clean and really nice smelling public toilet.  I know it sounds weird. But it really does not smell bad – but just gives me this weird association. I don’t care – this thing has saved me last winter, and this is what I stick to!

Photo credit: http://www.elizabetharden.com/Visible-Difference-Refining-Moisture-Cream-Complex/10014459400,default,pd.html

Do you have a skincare product you swear by?

Maria xoxo

A few quick tips for eye makeup

I know many of my readers are already makeup savvys, but thought that someone else could use these tips. Many people have actually asked me how I get my eye looks, so I wanted to share my take on it…

1. Use an eye makeup primer. It can give you much better colour payoff and longer staying power. My favourites are the primers from Urban Decay and Milani.
2. Tap off excess product before applying to prevent fallout. Put on a little at a time for good coverage. Dabbing a lot on your brush doesn’t mean that everything’s gonna transfer the same way on the eyes.
3. Don’t pull…. I know it’s tempting when applying eyeliners. But it’s not good for the skin. Pulling the eyelids every day when putting on the eyeliner could result in fine lines.
4. The power of the fingers! I think that too often, we forget how good our fingers make as tools. Especially for applying cream products including undereye concealer (warm it up with your fingers before applying).
5. Patience is gold: blending. It sounds simple, but a well-blended eyelook can take time and patience. Just blend, blend, blend. My favourite blending brushes are an old blending brush from Sephora, E25 from Sigma, and I’ve also heard a lot about the MAC 217. I have the special edition which doesn’t really cut the edge for me.
6. Highlighting and open up your eyes: If you want a natural look, use a matte (or very light shimmery) white/light colour over/under the arch of the eyebrows. You can also use it on the inner corners of the eyes. And a soft white/beige/pink coloured-pencil on the lower waterline. Also remember how much curling the lashes can do. My all time favourite is my Shiseido eyelash curler. Heat it up with a hair dryer for 10-20 seconds, and check the temperature before curling your lashes.

Hope this has helped for some of you out there although these must be obvious for some others 😉

Maria xoxo