NYX Eye Shadow Base

I got this because I was buying a NYX concealer and NYX products were buy one, get one 50% off at ULTA. This NYX Eye Shadow Base had really good reviews online and looked like a good product to help make my eye shadow color look more intense. The product also claims to help color last longer. They come in three varieties: white, pearl, and skin tone. I chose white because I feel that it would really help those lighter colors really show through on my skin. This product costs $6.99 at ULTA.

The white base claims to make colors 100x more vivid. The brand also claims to be cruelty free. It's a small container but a little can go a long way. It really does apply on as an opaque white. The texture is very creamy and I don't believe it has any sort of fragrance to it. On the picture below, the product just by itself is swatched on the very left. It is a very intense bright white.

To use as an example, I used the color "nude" from my Lorac Pro Palette. The color "nude" by itself is swatched on the very right. It does apply on very sheer with a hint of shimmer. When using the NYX eye shadow base, the color is made really intense. Now you will need to use quite a bit of eye shadow to completely cover up the white. However, you can now see the color almost exactly as it looks on the palette where the eye shadow is packed. I was actually caught off guard by how well this worked the first time because it made my eye shadow super vivid. The powder really sticks very well to this base that blending all the colors was more difficult. It's manageable though, I just wasn't used to it. This product is really awesome and very affordable. I would definitely recommend this white NYX Eye Shadow Base.

Queen Helene Mud Pack Masque

The full name for this product is Queen Helene Natural English Clay Mud Pack Masque and can be purchased for $3.99 at ULTA. The description on the product reads as follows: Using the time-tested, facial treatment of Old English clay, this mud pack masque is designed to relax tired facial muscles, tighten sagging skin, stimulate circulation, and soften lines and wrinkles. Since I am totally all over the anti-aging thing, this was naturally what I chose. And it's so cheap!

So this product is very creamy and does apply on brown, which turns into a powdery light brown when it dries. It definitely has the texture of clay. Some of the cons listed on the ULTA website, I do agree with. The smell is quite strong and I would rather it was odorless. I can definitely see how it can irritate and dry out skin. It's quite harsh, in my opinion. Definitely not something I would recommend for dry or sensitive skin. I have oily skin so it works fine. However, the winter has caused some dry sensitive spots on my chin and around my nostrils. Let me tell you, if put these products on those spots, it will sting and it will burn. Putting cool air on it by fanning my face makes it feel better.

I've been told I look scary with the mask. Especially when it dries and starts to crack, I look like some broken porcelain doll. Despite the cons, I do think this product works very well for my skin type. It does leave my skin refreshed and clean. It does leave my face feeling smoother. This is a large sized product for a cheap price so you definitely get your money's worth. In one application, I do use a lot of product to cover my whole face. Other products sell for a higher price while offering less, which just isn't economical. This has the best value and is good quality. I would recommend it to others with my skin type and would definitely purchase again.

Pokemon White Team

I don't keep it a secret that I love Pokemon and that I still play Pokemon games. I know Pokemon white came out a long time ago and believe me, I finished the game a while ago too. I guess I just forgot to post this. This game was so new to me because of all the new changes and a whole new generation of Pokemon that I had to learn about. This game took a while to get accustomed to. This isn't my best team. I know that. It took a while to get all the moves that I wanted and they weren't even EV trained. Still, I think I put together a pretty darn good team.

I love having all three starters. I always think they are the best of their element that you can get in the beginning of the game. However, the grass starter, Serperior, is so weak. He really needed EV training in attack or something. I actually started with an Unfezant as my flying Pokemon but he was so weak so I was glad to replace him with my version's legendary. Although this isn't the best team ever, just wait. I fulfilled my dream team in the sequel, White 2.

Christmas 2013 Presents

Once again, I'm a little (or perhaps a lot) late on this post since Christmas has long since passed. Although, I would like to share with you all the wonderful presents I've received. I'm surprised I still receive presents because I'm old now, possibly even considered an adult *gasp*. According to my little brother, apparently I'm still a kid because I'm a student with no job. I even still get put in the pictures with all the kids. In one of the Christmas parties, I was even put in the kids' table. I'm in some weird limbo between childhood and adulthood. Anyway, here are my presents!

Gold and Blue Earrings
One of the first gifts I received are these beautiful gold and blue gem earrings from one of my friend's parents, who recently have become quite good friends with my own parents. They are so pretty and I had been needing some small gold earrings. I can't seem to be able to tolerate such large hanging earrings anymore. It makes my ear sore.

Smashbox Wondervision Eye Set + Photojojo Shot glass Lens Set
These were from a good friend of mine and she really knows what I like, obviously. I love these presents. The Smashbox set is so perfect because the neutral colors are just like the ones I love from my other palettes and I needed something compact to just put in my purse and do touch ups during the day. I have been eyeing those shot glasses on photojojo for forever. It's like she read my mind! They are so cool.

Purple Infinity Scarf
I got this really nice scarf from one of my uncles. It's perfect because I was thinking of buying another one too. Just having one isn't enough for me. I do believe this is from Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

Black Snow Boots
I really needed a new pair of snow boots. I more than hinted that. My old snow boots, which I literally loved to death, had large holes in the soles of both shoes. I have the tendency to drag my feet. Anyway, I originally asked for the new version of my old ones but these ones are much nicer! They are really furry on the inside too and they keep me so warm! These boots are from Land's End, just like my last ones. I really love their style of snow boots.

Clarisonic Replacement Brush Head "Normal and Sensitive" + Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference 'Refining Moisture Cream Complex' + Bliss "The Youth as We Know It"
So these are the stocking stuffers that I got from "Santa". Thanks so much Santa! I really needed more clarisonic brush heads so this is great. Along with my extra brush head now, I currently have a year supply of them! I am so excited to use this moisturizer because my chin has really been dry this winter season. Also, I love Elizabeth Arden products. Then yay, more anti-aging things! I want to look young forever!

Bliss Lemon Bath Set
It's so perfect that I got this just as I was thinking I needed more body wash because my current one is about to run out and I needed to buy a new poof thingy because the one I have is cheap and fell apart. This is from my aunt and I'm really excited to use it. I can smell nice and clean with a hint of lemon for the start of school.

Lindt Lindor Chocolate Truffles
It's no secret that I am a chocoholic. These are from my mom's friend. Their family came over for brunch one of the days after Christmas. Everything was a blur these past few days. Oh my gosh, her kids are all so big now. I still think her eldest is like 10 and now he's a sophomore in high school and extremely tall. I'm getting too old too fast.

Purse + Three Earrings (Claire's, 14th & Union, Ana A New Approach) + Two Bracelets + Lorac Sweet Temptations Gloss
This amazing set of things is from a good friend of mine who I have known since the beginning of seventh grade. When she first gave it to me, I only saw the bag but when I opened it, it was filled with all these goodies! The purse is so pretty and totally perfect for formal occasions. All the jewelry is so nice and I can't wait to use them. I really love the Lorac brand so we must have had some psychic friend connection for her to get this for me.

Money and A Starbucks Card
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Now time for...



My Unofficial Presents

Purple Gloves
These are unofficial because my mom just gave them to me. She let me pick from two and whichever I didn't want, she would keep for herself. They match my purple scarf and they have the touch screen pad thingy on the fingertips of all the fingers (as opposed to just one, which is common).

Laila Rowe Rain Boots + Iphone 4S
The boots I bought myself using the money I got from Christmas. So thank you aunties and uncles! I have been really wanting these rain boots for a while. It's such a hassle to buy them because the closest Laila Rowe is in Tyson's Corner and that is such a *bleep* to drive to. When my parents went there to watch a movie since they had an AMC gift card, that was my chance! The boots were $24. The Iphone 4S is my mom's old phone because she got the 5S for Christmas. I'm now using it as pretty much an Itouch to be able to play games and stuff.

Dooney & Bourke Crossbody Bag + Naked 2 Palette (with Lip Junkie Lip Gloss Sample) + Lorac Tantalizer Highlighter and Bronze Duo Travel Size
My mom got me the bag when we were shopping in the outlets the morning of New Year's Eve. She noticed that I had worn my little old crossbody to death. It had rips in two places. So she got me this bag and of course, I got green. The store was selling these for 50% off so she got one for herself too! I did kind of a whole money exchange thing with my roommate. She would get me what I wanted and I would get her what she wanted that added to the same price. It's basically the same if we both just bought ourselves what we wanted except without the guilt. Both these items are from Ulta and definitely quite a splurge. The naked palette is $52 while the Lorac Tantalizer, though travel size, is still $12.



That's it...

I'm extremely eager to use all these items! They will definitely make the start to 2014 a great one. I know this is late but I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and got wonderful presents! This is the last Christmas where I guess I will be considered still one of the kids. I graduate in May and enter the real world. I have a feeling they will all consider me an adult by next Christmas. Well, we'll see how that goes.

Red Lace Bow + New Stuff OOTD

My friend needed to buy something from Claire's and I wasn't expecting to get anything there but then I did. Story of my life. Claire's had all accessories buy one, get one half off. I mean, since my friend was telling that I should do it since it will be half off from her purchase that she needs, I just went ahead and did it. Obviously I'm very weak willed when it comes to shopping but oh well.

This adorable lace red bow was originally $6.99 but I only got it for $3.50! It is really huge and it might not look it but it is surprisingly it is super soft. It is available in a lot of other colors too. The other colors I thought of getting were white, blue, or a really nice pastel purple. Unfortunately, I couldn't reach high enough to get the pastel purple so I just settled for the red one.

Here is an OOTD wearing all my new things from my post-Thanksgiving shopping spree. I'm wearing my sweater from Forever 21. My skirt and shoes are from Charlotte Russe. I love how tall the shoes make me look. Then I'm wearing the faux thigh high tights from Urban Outfitters, although you can barely see it in the picture. Then I have a super huge bun with my new red lace bow. I took this picture in a Nordstrom bathroom. Don't they just have the best bathrooms?

Post Thanksgiving Shopping: Urban Outfitters Haul + OOTD

For me, shopping at Urban Outfitters is hit or miss. I could really love some of the stuff that I absolutely have to have it and use lots of money to get it. And other stuff I could just absolutely hate and not my style at all. When I do find something I want though, I really got to have it!

I actually learned that Urban Outfitters had thigh high tights from a friend. I have been eyeing thigh high tights for a while now but the ones I've seen from Asia are too expensive and I don't even think they would fit. After all, Asian sizes are so small. At the Urban Outfitters near me, I saw that they were still selling faux thigh high tights and they had a deal on all tights 2 for $22. That's a pretty good deal to me. So the two tights I got are the basic black faux thigh high tight and the black ribbed faux thigh high tight. At the store, those were the only faux thigh high tights they had but Urban Outfitters has a much larger selection online.

I also bought a cute sweater from there. I bought them on a different day though. Urban outfitters was having a really good deal where all items had an additional 50% off. Sale items at this store were still expensive, averaging about $30 so this deal actually made things affordable to me. Anyway, this was a super cute sweatshirt and I really love it!