winning combos

so i've been trying to step out of my beauty rut. yesterday i wore purple eye shadow--i hadnt done that in a very long while. today i am back to a light-colored sparkly eye shadow (bare escentuals playful) in the interest of time, but i found a new lipstick combo that i am just loving (i've been trying to play with the stuff i do have). bare escentuals gelato lipstick (medium pink with a subtle shimmer) topped with lancôme juicy tube in fruity pop (a pretty super-light pink with pinkish sparkle). it's the perfect neutral-y, light pink color with a hint of sparkle.

it's like they read my mind...

a couple of weeks ago i was in sephora--surprise! that never, ever happens--and i stumbled upon bare escentuals flawless radiance, which was like this beautiful soft beige-y peach color with a bit of sparkle. being that i love anything sparkly or glittery, i became obsessed with it and figured it could be a new foundation color since i sometimes use clear radiance as a foundation (i love, love, love it) and i am also a fan of the gossamers as foundation. K jokes that i want to look like J.Lo circa The Waiting for Tonight video. i dont even think the fine sparkle/glitter is even that noticeable. in any case, i debated buying it--do i really need it?--and finally just went into bare escentuals because i needed the fair foundation anyway. so i try it on and it's way too yellow on my skin. it would never work. i can't even use the fairly light because it's too yellow. so i was disappointed--until i remembered that i wanted to try the fairly light mineral veil. i usually just put the fair in spots and then the mineral veil all over, which you know, is not sparkly; however, the fairly light mineral veil is so it's really the best-case scenario for me. necessity is the mother of invention, as they say. i still maintain it's perfect for every day because the fine glitter/sparkle isnt that noticable, but it makes me feel good, which is what makeup should be.

worth the wait

my bare escentuals auto-delivery kit from QVC came yesterday and i could NOT wait to get my hands on it. SERIOUSLY. COULD NOT WAIT! now, don't judge the QVC factor because the kit had a mineral veil, gossamer, two eye shadows, liner, blush, lipstick and three brushes for $55. tell me who can beat that, people!

i've only used two things so far, but i am pretty happy. i was most excited for the diamond gossamer, which i used as my foundation this morning and then again as eye shadow. i was a little bit afraid that it might be too sparkly (notice it didn't stop me at all), but it wasn't a problem. it just had this glowy-glistening quality and it made me wish i was a snow fairy.

the original gossamer, which i love and quite frankly rarely use because it's just too darn pretty, has a lovely sparkle in an array of lovely little colors, whereas the diamond gossamer, infused with diamond powder, is just white. so as much as i would love to use original gossamer as my foundation, i feel like i would look like a 2nd grader who had a huge spill over at the arts & crafts table. but this just reminds me it's too pretty not to use--and i should definitely use it as eye shadow tomorrow.

i also used the lipstick; it's called gelato and it's a pinkish nude color that reminds me of THE FAVE, but on closer inspection is pinker than THE FAVE. it's been ten years now, and i should just face facts that there will never be another fave.

i just have to remind myself that there will be new and other faves from now on.

good to glow

i can't say it enough times: SEPHORA IS KILLING ME. there are so many, many, many things that i want--but sadly, i am waiting for K's trip in december so we can shop together. let me tell you, it's torture, but i know that we will have so much fun and i can't wait for the big haul. SERIOUSLY. CANNOT. WAIT. however, i just got the bare escentuals precious diamond beauty duo to tide me over.

it's such a lovely color--it's like a combination of the line's bare skin and true gold colors. so pretty and so sparkly. you're supposed to brush it on shoulders, arms, décolletage or legs--i think this would be perfect for summer because it imparts a little bit of color and shimmer--but it got me to thinking this could be the perfect bronzer. to put it mildly, i am pale--i use the lightest bare escentuals foundation in fair--and i find most bronzers are too flat and muddy so the thought of putting them all over my face turns me off. instead, i used this yesterday, mixed with my mineral veil. at first, i used a a too-heavy hand and sort of looked like the oscar statue, but once i blended it just left a pretty glow. i feel like this is the perfect bronzer, and the brush is absolutely amazing--worth the price of the set alone!

let's get real

a couple of weeks ago, JU gave me the Bare Escentuals Real Fall 2007 Color Collection for my birthday. i could not wait to try it--so of course, the second i opened it at work, i used my fingers to put on one of the new eyeshadows and immediately applied the gloss. the packaging is so darn cute and what's inside is even better. there are 2 stand-outs for me: the Exquisite glimpse is aptly named (it's the perfect, classic beige that will work on its own for a natural face or layered with other colors) and the Sensational gloss is just that (it's such a pretty, shimmery beige--it's natural and neutral, but not boring). the legit liner shadow (purple), the real deal glimpse (green) and the first class blush (light, rosy pink with small amount of sparkle) are so pretty too.

it is well documented that i love bare escentuals, but i think what i love best is the healthy and empowering be-yourself-and-be-beautiful message that the company promotes.

your best face forward

i can't say enough about bare escentuals, literally. whenever the subject comes up, i always say, "i can't say enough about bare esentuals" and then talk about how much i love their products. it's like my mission to convince everyone i know to use their products (slowly but surely, i am getting there). i've been using the foundation for about five years and i will never use anything else. i dont even try other foundations--and that tells you how much i love this because i am always trying something new. i can't imagine anything being better than this. it never feels like i am wearing makeup; it feels so light. plus, it delivers amazing coverage and blends flawlessly into the skin so it looks like you're not wearing anything.

i am always on the hunt for a better concealer. i've tried everything--or at least it seems that way. i will use something for a few months because i want to make it work, but the reality is that it's not working. well, just recently i decided to try the foundation as a concealer. honestly, i dont know what took me so long--i think i worried about the powder sitting under my eyes, where there is no moisture, and looking cakey. let's just say, i regret not trying it earlier because i wasted so much time looking like i've been awake all night (and what's the point of that?). my little secret: after i apply this, i use the white shade of the well-lit/back-lit in the corners of my eyes and the area closest to my nose (this duo also doubles as a great eye shadow). i just started this new routine last week and i am really satisfied with the results.

on full alert

getting up yesterday was harder than usual. maybe it was because of the long weekend or perhaps I was still in a thanksgiving-food coma. throw in the really warm apartment factor and getting up was a total nightmare. i was groggy, couldn’t focus and i desperately wanted to get back in my bed. instead i did the responsible thing and got in the shower. i bypassed all the yummy-smelling stuff and selected the Bare Escentuals Peppermint Shower Gel—i feel like i should add a little disclaimer that says i don’t work for the company, i just love their products because they are made of awesome—and it was absolutely the perfect choice. it was the perfect tingly feeling (I think the bliss one is too full-blast and if you leave it on too long, it hurts a little). so energizing and invigorating, I almost forgot to grab my morning coffee.