11.19.2012

What's In My Travel Makeup Bag

I wanted to share with you guys this little gem I found at Fossil.  It's called the Key-Per Frame Cosmetic bag and I absolutely adore it. The version I got was at the Tinton Falls Fossil Outlet so I didn't pay the full price for it. It was about five dollars less I believe, not that much of a difference, I would have paid full price for this because I love it that much. Anyway, this little bag is a perfect fit for my handbags. It also packs a lot of crap too! I have to be careful and not go overboard cause it gets too heavy.

The bag itself is made out of coated canvas which means it's pretty durable. The interior is very fun and bright with the yellow backdrop and white polka dots. The latch frame adds an unique and nice touch, making it seem more like a clutch than your usually make up bag. Another positive about the bag? It comes with a mirror! There have been many times where I've forgotten my compact and have had to settle using my phone's screen as a mirror. While it gets the job done, it's definitely not as nice as a mirror.



Currently in my travel makeup bag: (Going clockwise)
-Crown Kabuki Brush
-MAC Prep and Prime Pressed Powder
-Hourglass Liquid Lipstick in Ballet
-Nivea Recovery Lip Balm
-L'Oreal Colour Riche Caresse in Merino Mauve
-Tarina Tarantino Lip Conditioner in Showroom
-MAC lipstick in Angel
-NARS Gloss Lip Pencil in New Lover
-Duane Reade brande scentless hand sanitizer
-Ulta Brand hand sanitizer
-Milani Liquif'eye pencil in Brown
-Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Black
-MAC Eyebrow Pen in Lingering
-Maybelline Lumi Concealer in Light
-Japanese blotting sheets

Happy Monday!! 

11.17.2012

Quick OoTD Post

After being recommended this sweater by LC, I got it for my birthday. It took forever to get here cause of Sandy, but the wait was well worth it. It's super warm, chic and goes with pretty much everything. I'm debating about getting more because if I find something that fits amazing on me, I tend to buy duplicates for those just in case moments.

In the end I changed my shoes just because I felt a little too dressed up just going out for lunch.

Outfit:
-Bobeau sweater
-Old Navy vintage tee
-Gap skinny jeans
-Zara shoes

11.14.2012

New Haircut and Color!

About every few months, I get sick of my hairstyle or color. This has led to many dye jobs, which has led to my horrific dry ends. Last June, I decided to take my already ombre-ed hair and lighten it some more. It came out nice, but being that I did it myself, it was probably a very poor job of what the professional could do. My ends were SO dry and ugly.

So I thought maybe a cut would do the trick. No coloring, just a nice trim. I went a popular Korean salon in Midtown one day I was in the city towards the end of October. While the hairdresser was nice, she didn't mince words. Majority of the time she spoke to me, she was talking about my hair, telling me how damaged and brassy it was. However, after complaining about how horrible my hair was, she decided to RAZOR it. Which is probably the worst thing you can do to dry and damaged hair. My hair ends were snagging against my shirt! I mean what hair does that??

I tried to live with my hair a while longer. During the hurricane power outage, I basically threw it up in a ponytail and forgot about it. Then I decided that if I wanted to have healthy hair again, I needed to chop it off. I went to a new hairdresser, one that's closer to my apartment and spent about four hours in the chair. I have to say I feel pretty happy about the end result. She took off about two inches of hair leaving me with a chic looking lob, inspired by the lovely Olivia Palmero.

Me waiting, this is my before shot

The amount of the foils she put in my head, I felt like Joaquin Phoenix in Signs where he makes the foil hat so aliens couldn't read his thoughts

End Result!

I'll probably go back in a month or so to get the red retouched

With the flash
Hope you are all having a great week! 

11.07.2012

Together We Are Strong


Both New York and New Jersey have been called home in my 27 years of existence. When there was news that came of a storm threatening to destroy my homes, I was to be quite frank, scared, but the optimistic part of me thought, 'hey when the storm passes, we'll be fine.' I was definitely wrong.

It is still quite surreal that a week has already passed since Hurricane Sandy plowed through our Eastern Coast leaving many homeless and scared. But together with some hard work, dedication and above all, patience, we will be able to rebuild. Every pair of helping hands, pennies and prayers count. It helps people so much when they know that they aren't alone in this.

If you have any spare money, or even items the shelters need, please donate! Any little bit helps. If you are one of the people who have been terribly affected by the storm, just know there is help on the way. If you cannot donate or help due to circumstances, saying a prayer or even keeping those in need in your thoughts is also appreciated. Like the great Muhammad Ali once said, "service you give to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth."

http://sandyrelief.org/
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/guide/where-to-donate-or-volunteer-to-sandy-relief-effort/
http://www.redcross.org/news/article/How-You-Can-Help-Sandy-Relief-Efforts

It's always darkest before the dawn.

ULTA 20% Off Today Only and Sephora VIB

If you guys have missed out on a chance to score some of your favorite beauty products during the ULTA 20% sale, you're in luck. For today only, you can get 20% off your ENTIRE ULTA purchase. I don't know about you, but that sounds mighty awesome to me!

Just enter the code, 84840 when you check out.

The Sephora VIB sale doesn't start till tomorrow but I just wanted to let you guys know about it. The sale runs from November 8th to the 12th and offers 20% off as well.
Well, whatcha waiting for?! Go shop!

11.01.2012

You're a Grinch, Sandy

Just wanted to update anyone who reads this of my current situation since the power just turned back on. Had a mandatory evacuation of Long Branch and am currently staying at me and Beau's close friends' apartment. While our apartment building is still standing, it has taken extensive damage and we do not know when we will be able to go back and live in it. We are very lucky to have people who love us and are willing to take us in. I have been lucky to be in such great company and so grateful as well.

It's always amazing what a natural disaster does to perspective. So when I read tweets of how devastated people are about not having coffee/alcohol it infuriates me. There are so many people right now who don't have homes right now and all you can think about is coffee? Just because you aren't affected, or affected as severely it doesn't mean you take the devastation lightly.

I hope everyone who is able to read this on the east coast is doing all right. I'm praying for all of you.

Thank you to EVERYONE who has been constantly texting/calling my phone to make sure we were OK. AT&T still has some shotty service so I apologize if I do not reply right away.

Be safe everyone and never take for granted all the wonderful things you have, cause it can be gone in an instant.

10.25.2012

Haul: L'Oreal Project Runway 2012 Lipsticks

You all know how much I love lipsticks so I couldn't help myself from picking these cuties up from Walgreens. While they are limited edition, I'm still seeing them all over the place at stores like Ulta, Duane Reade, CVS and Walgreens, so if you want these lipsticks, get them soon!




I decided to only get three out of the four lipsticks because I decided to be totally honest with myself about The Temptress' Kiss cause I would rarely wear it. So the three I got were: The Queen's Kiss, The Mystic's Kiss and The Muse's Kiss. Usually I'm not fond of the L'Oreal lipstick scent, but I love these colors so much that I ignore it. It does help that the smell dissipates after you put it on. My favorite out of the bunch is The Mystic's Kiss. It reminds me of a sheer version of Violetta, which I absolutely LOVE. Overall, all three are pretty sheer in coverage and you can build up the layers to your intensity. The swatches I have below are two coats just so I could show you the coloring on my lips.

 No Flash
 Flash
Swatches: All these were taken with no flash
 The Queen's Kiss
 The Mystic's Kiss
The Muse's Kiss
Did any of you guys buy these lipsticks? If so, what do you think? Which one is your favorite or lease favorite?

10.24.2012

Pose and Instagram

When I don't post here, you can usually find me here on Pose and Instagram. While I use Instagram for daily life and happenings I love Pose for posting outfits. Like so:
Follow me on Pose!
It allows you to post where you got your items from and is not limited to just outifts. Many of the featured users showcase accessories and makeup too! Just wanted to give a shout out to my girl LC for introducing me to the website. 

Follow me on Instagram: Buggiebean =)
Outfit 1: (starting from the top left)
-Old Navy Shirt (Vintage cut--LOVE these)
-American Eagle Jegging Jeans
-Steve Madden Wedge Sneakers
-Rebecca Minkoff MAC mini

Shoes from Zara

Outfit 2:
-Banana Republic cowl
-American Eagle Dolman Sweater (old)
-American Eagle Jegging Jeans
-Converses

Outfit 3:
-Banana Republic cowl
-Gap Yoga Hoodies
-VS Pink T-shirt
-American Eagle Jeans
-Uggs

Hope to see you guys there!!

10.23.2012

Review: Firmoo Glasses and Free Glasses For First Time Customers!

Around the beginning of the month, I received an email from an online glasses store, Firmoo to try out a pair of their glasses and review them. This was the first time I have ever been approached by a glasses company and figured, "sure, why not?" I filled out their application form and waited about a week for my glasses to arrive.

So, what is Firmoo?
"Firmoo is the world's most popular online eyeglasses store. Vision and Fashion the Frugal Way is the ultimate goal of Firmoo, so it has always committed itself to providing customers with high-quality and fashionable eyewear at the most affordable prices. Years of expertise in optical industry enable firmoo.com to offer varieties of prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses in a frugal way and to be the ultimate fashion events guide. Since the establishment of our company, we have served over 300,000+ customers and now we also have 470,000+ fans on facebook. We have always been committed ourselves to offering customers the best quality products at the most affordable prices, 85%~90% lower than that in the brick-and-mortar optical stores. Moreover, all our glasses are free for first-time customers."

Ideally this is a great way for people who have a small budget to get stylish frames. There are tons of frames to choose from, whether it be glasses or sunglasses so there is a style suited for all tastes. I debated about getting prescription glasses but could not for the life of me find my actual glasses prescription (these differ from contacts) and opted to get a pair of glasses with no prescription. I already have two pairs of sunglasses which I love and didn't want to add anymore in that department. 

These were the glasses I chose:



I was pleasantly surprised when I received my package. It came with a hard case, soft case, cleaning cloth and a portable screwdrivers made for glasses.

Overall, I was very pleased with the glasses, I picked a large frame because to be honest, I have a big ol' head that many frames do not fit. The fit is nice, and it doesn't overwhelm my face. I have to admit, it was weird wearing glasses for aesthetic appeal while having my contacts in, but my eyes got used to it. Another plus is that these glasses don't slide down my nose. I don't have much of a nose bridge and if the glasses are too heavy, my glasses slide all the way down to the tip of my nose. I don't know about you, but a snobby librarian look is not what I'm going for when I wear glasses, so I prefer my glasses to stay in place.



I think I look rather chic! 

That pretty up wraps up my review, but I do have something else I would like to share with my readers. If any of you are interested, Firmoo is offering first time customers FREE GLASSES! All you have to do is pay for the shipping. I think that's pretty neat. With affordable prices, this is a great way to try out a new style!

Conclusion: 
Pros:
-Affordable
-Tons of styles
-Virtual try on, located on their website

Cons:
-Can't try the frames on physically 

***Please know these glasses were sent to me for consideration to review. I was not compensated or my review. Please know that my opinions are honest and are based on my overall experience with the company. Each experience can or may be different for each person.***

9.30.2012

Happy Mid Autumn Festival!

Just stopping by to wish you all a wonderful and happy Mid Autumn festival. Some people know it as Moon Cake Day. If you are celebrating, please have a moon cake for me! I don't have an Asian store nearby that sells them in the area I live in. Happy Sunday and go JETS!


Image taken from: Pure Travel

9.29.2012

MAC Haul: The Marilyn Monroe Collection

This past Tuesday I was able to attend the Marilyn Event in Shrewsbury before its official launch. The place was packed and though my girlfriend and I got there at 7:30 (the event started at 7), a few items were already sold out, including one of the lipsticks I had really wanted. So when I went to the city on Thursday and went to the MAC store at Grand Central, I managed to snatch the LAST one. The SA made sure to let me know it was the last one, by bidding me farewell with "enjoy our LAST Charmed, I'm sure."

Anyway, back to the event itself. If you have ever been to a MAC event, you know it's madness. Women of all ages come to purchase these limited edition items and to socialize. All the MUA there that night were gorgeous in sparkling black dresses and platform heels. There were young guys passing drinks and hors d'oeuvres. My friend and I grabbed a prosecco, a form of sparkling wine and tried to browse the items. I was rather disappointed they only had one display of the items. I could not for the life of me find the beauty powder and it was a free for all for the lipsticks. Women didn't place the items back properly in the display (something that drives me up the wall) and of course there was some slight purse stabbing.

About a half an hour later my wonderful, patient friend and I exited the store with our goodies in tow. I mainly focused on the lip products and only purchased one eye shadow. I was disappointed at how light the blushes were and two out of the four eye shadows looked so similar and since I didn't even get to look at the beauty powder I passed on it all together. I do like what I purchased, especially Charmed, I'm Sure and Little Rock. If you are interested in the line, check your counters because the website is all sold out of the limited edition items. All right, this is long enough, here is my haul.

For those of you lucky enough to snag something from the line, what do you think of it? 

9.26.2012

September Favorites

I can't believe September has flown by! It was a pretty packed month, Beau's birthday along with other gatherings with great friends and food have definitely made the time fly faster. Fall is officially here and though I'm more fond of the summer, I look forward to the fall with its pumpkin treats, Halloween and my birthday!

My favorites this month were pretty minimal since I've been very simple with my routine. I guess I've kinda been into the natural look as of late. Sometimes I'll feel bold and use a bright lip to spice things up, but yeah that's pretty much it.

Lips:
-Inglot Matte Collection AMC Lip Pencil in 28: This is a beautiful bright fuchsia pink and because it's a matte formula, the color tends to stay for quite a while on my lips. The only gripe is that it's not self sharpening so you lose some of the product when you sharpen it.

-NAR Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in New Lover: This was from my dear friend Steph last year for my birthday. I have to say this is so lovely. It slides on smoothly and gives my lips the appearance of a fuller pout. Definitely been using this a lot.

Eyes:
-L'Oreal Infallible Laquer Liner Brush: I vary in my cream eyeliners and while I do really enjoy the L'Oreal Infallible Gel liner, I love the brush. The bristles are dense enough to not be flimsy and it creates a smooth line. I have mastered my winged eyeliner with this brush.

-MAC Brow Set in Beguile: Since I love to color my hair my brows don't always match and instead of bleaching my brows like I used to do, I use this brow set. Not only does the brow set add a bit of color, it holds my brows in place. I'm thinking of investing in the other colors in case I do change my hair color in the future.

-Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Eyeshadow in Barely Beige: This is a limited edition color found in their current collection. This is still currently out so if you have a chance, please go see if you can find this. It's close in color to Bare Study, a MAC Paint Pot, but it's relatively lower in price. While I picked this one out to be my favorite this month, I do love all the ones I have, especially Bad to the Bronze and Bold Gold. These are great as a primer, base or just as a stand alone eye shadow. I have yet to have it crease on it even on the hottest days.

-Maybelline the Falsies' Waterproof Mascara Black Drama: I love my lashes with this mascara. They are super long and hold my curl. Paired with the Tattoo Cream Gel eye shadow, I look refreshed.

Face:
-MAC Mineralize Skinfish Natural in Medium Plus: I shelved this for a while and decided to bring it back. On really hot days, I'll have to blot once or twice but overall, this powder does help with setting my liquid foundation.

-L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream in Medium: While this is nothing like an Asian BB Cream, I really enjoy this. People with scarring or deep pigmentation will probably hate this because there isn't much coverage or concealing but it just gives me a polished look and with the MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural topping it, it's great for everyday.

-Neutrogena Shine Control Liquid Makeup: I wanted a foundation that I could use on warm days without looking like a greaseball. After hearing some positive reviews about it, I decided to try it. Let's just say I like it enough to keep using it. I don't know if I will repurchase it though.

What are your favorites? Have you tried any of these? What did you think of them? Happy Hump Day!

9.24.2012

Review: HANA Professional Flat Iron 1"

A couple of weeks ago, Brian from Misikko contacted me to do a review on the popular HANA Professional Flat Iron 1". If you have been a reader of my blog for some time you will know that I have been approached before to review another iron and their blow dryer as well. (If you would like to read the reviews, please click here.)

I'm not going to lie, the HANA Titanium Ionic flat iron sent to me previously is considered to me, one of the best hair straighteners I've ever used. I haven't tried the coveted GHD flat irons, but when I received the Titanium Ionic flat iron, I replaced my BedHead straightener after only two uses just because it was that good. So when Brian asked me to review this 1" flat iron, I agreed knowing I would receive a quality product to review for my readers.

After I told Brian I would agree to review the flat iron, I received confirmation emails of the shipment and my package arrived withing days. I was glad to see that their fast shipping had not changed. Later in the day I opened the package to find it riddled with goodies. There was also a thank you note included. I also found out that every package sent out contains goodies as a thank you to their customers.

I took all the plastic out and left the iron out
Now to the iron itself.

Here are the features:

  • Advanced Tourmaline Ceramic Plates for Accelerated Ion Generation and Maximum Frizz-Free, Conditioning Shine
  • Ceramic is naturally hygienic, protects color & retards fading
  • Floating 1" Plates Auto-Adjust To Glide Over Any Hair Texture
  • Curved Plate Edges For Versatile Styling - Curl, Flip or Straighten!
  • Adjustable Temperature Dial - 5 Settings from 140-450° F for All Hair Types
  • Flash Heats in Seconds with Instant Compensation for Heat Loss
  • Ergonomic Handle Design with No-Slip Grip
  • Smooth Grooves Keep Hair Strands Separate and Snag-Free
  • Tangle-Free Salon Quality Cord Swivels 360°; Convenient Hanging Loop
  • Energy Efficient at 38 Watts
  • Independent On/Off Switch
  • Includes Luxe Heat Proof Storage Pouch, Heat Proof Silicone Mat, & Special Edition Tin Case
  • Two Year Warranty
  • LED indicator light remains steady when iron is heating up and will blink when desired temperature is reached. If the light is off but the switch is set to On, the iron is decreasing temperature to a lower setting.(Text from: Misikko.com)
On the website the flat iron is priced at $129.98. A pretty hefty price but this is considered a professional, quality hair straightener. There is also a two year warranty for the flat iron which is nice.

The HANA Professional Flat Iron 1" is pretty popular on the blogsphere. If you type it into Google, there are plenty of reviews, most positive, some mixed but what it all boils down to is your hair type. Girls with thicker, coarser hair may not find this hair straightener to be ideal, while girls with fine, thin hair may fall in love with it. With me, this flat iron left my hair silky straight and smooth. My natural hair is pretty straight, but the ends are a bit damaged from coloring.
The iron is pretty light and easy to maneuver. Its rounded edges make it easy to use for curls as well. When I turned it on, the iron heated up very quickly around 30 seconds, which was impressive. After sectioning off my hair, I went to work with the iron. Overall it was fine, but I did notice that if I didn't brush a section of hair before I straightened it, it wouldn't slide down as smoothly and it felt like it was pulling on my hair. Also, for those of you who didn't know, if the temperature of your iron is too hot, it causes that unsightly crimp in your hair. Read your instruction manuals to determine what heat setting is right for you. Mine was between the 302 and 370 marks.
The end results, silky, smooth straight hair. I added some Moroccan Oil to the ends and a heat tamer before I started but that's it. Overall this a high quality iron that is light in your hands and gets the job done. If I want pin-straight hair I'll take my time but if I just want a polish look, this flat iron gets the job done in less than 10 minutes. I would recommend this flat iron to those with thin hair, wavy hair and slightly colored hair. Girlies with very thick coarse hair may not have the same results.

What is your favorite flat iron? Do you like them, hate them or don't care? Happy Monday and I will talk to you all very soon.

***This was sent by the company for review consideration. Please know all my reviews are honest and based on solely my experience with the products. The results may differ for you. I also do not receive any money for my reviews.***

9.22.2012

Big Bang is Back!

(image courtesy: Ticketmaster)

So I set my alarm for 9:40 to wake up to get a ticket to go see Big Bang in concert on November 9th and waited patiently for the 20 minutes to pass so I could purchase it. Am I crazy? Probably so. Good news? I got me a great seat! I'm in the first row of one of the lower level seating sections. So this means I won't be having some other fan's huge sign in my face and some leg room!

I am so excited! Anyway, the reason I was sharing this blog post was to ask if any one of my readers is going to the concert as well. If so what will you be bringing? Wearing? Who's your favorite (biased)?

I'm getting back into the swing of things on here. Reviews and favorites to come up this week! 

8.20.2012

Is This Thing On?

Ohmigosh, a blog post! It's been officially too long since I've posted. So I just wanted to update you on what has currently been happening in my life, I still haven't unpacked all my makeup as of yet!

As you have read from my previous post, I did recently move and have been in my new apartment for over a month now. It's a beautiful two bedroom duplex apartment, but that's not the best part! I literally live right across the street from the beach! Now I'm sure you are all thinking that I probably live on the beach, but I really don't, my tan will say otherwise but I have only been to the beach a handful of times.To be honest, I get bored after laying on the sand for a while, I tried to cure this with my Nook but I'm always worried about getting a funky tan lines rather than relaxing. I think the best part of the beach is the ocean. I always have a cool breeze and the sound of the tides crashing is very soothing to me. So a few times a week I will open my porch door and just feel the breeze in my hair while listening to the ocean.
 View from my porch
I always come prepared when I go to the beach
I'm in love with this cover up from Roxy =). The shorts are from F21 two seasons ago.

Besides the beach affair I've been having, I have also caught up on some movies. I finally saw Brave, which I loved. I also got to see Batman: The Dark Knight Rises, which to me in my completely honest opinion, was all right. I know, blasphemy! I thought the second one was the best out of the trilogy.
My outfit of the night when I went to go see Batman. I think entire outfit was 40 dollars. The shirt was on sale at Old Navy and the shorts I got super cheap at F21. 

Since it takes about an hour and a half to get to the city now, I don't go in as much as I used to, which was once or twice every week. I think that not going so frequently has renewed my love for it. I don't mind the tourists as much and I notice more things than I used to. For example, I didn't know there was a LEGO store at Rockefeller Center! Now while I didn't purchase anything there, I did take some pictures.
 How cute is this Atlas?

I also have not given up on my K-Pop music. Currently I have been loving Exo (both K and M) and have been listening to their album quite obsessively. My favorite is their ballad, "What is Love" because I'm a cheeseball and I think the lyrics are so sweet.

I'm sure many of you have heard the newest PSY song ft. Hyuna, "Gangnam Style" which is another super catchy song.

I hope you have all been well and have been enjoying your summer! The next big event is Beau's birthday in two weeks! I'm so excited about it. But I will be posting a few more posts before then!

6.05.2012

Update!

As I clicked on the orange symbol to write a post, it somehow felt foreign to me. I guess that's what happens when you don't blog as much anymore. Why have I stopped blogging? Some easy reasons to state are laziness and lack of motivation. It's not that I don't enjoy blogging anymore, I guess I was a little bored by it.

Now I have a reason I won't be blogging for a little while longer. I'm moving! There's a lot of work that needs to be done so I will be trying to juggle normal routine with packing, renovating, etc., and I'll have to put this off for a little longer. 

I just wanted to give my readers and blogger friends an update. I hope all of you are well and please take note I still lurk on blogger (it's one of my top five most frequented sites) and read many, if not all of your posts. Once the dust has settled and I'm all nestled into my new home, I should be back. 

Wish me and beau luck! It's a new chapter in our life.

We'll be like these otters drifting together to our new home. =)

Disqus for My Beauty Blog

Affiliate Disclosure

Beauty is Not Caused is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and The Body Shop Affiliate Program. This means that these are an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com or TheBodyShop.com.

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails