In love with my Kindle DX

Hi Everyone,

Winter is almost gone and...... Spring and Summer is almost here! I have found some good deals for some of my spring outfits which I will post up soon as OOTD. I know I haven't been doing too many OOTD.... it's because I have been lazy.... okay I said it. I'm in this funk and I'm doing my best to get over it. Anyways, summer is coming and I like to spend most of my time at the beach with a good book. Reading a good fictional book help takes my mind away from stress..... sort of like an escape from reality..... living another life. Most of the time I like books that are easy read, nothing you would find in your literature class. Although I do find books from the medieval times very witty and well written, I do not consider them entertaining. The books that I enjoy reading are horrors, adventurous, feminine/girlie/romantic, and new releases that have great reviews.

Now, instead of carrying multiple books in my bag, I got myself a Kindle. When I go to the beach, I can just throw my Kindle in my bag and voila! My own personal library. The Kindle DX can store up to 3500 books.... damn!!! Am I going to read that many?!! I am a person that likes to start on multiple books and alternate through each one. Most of you are thinking... why not just use the iPad? The main reason is that I love the screen on the Kindle much better and also it has a longer battery life. A single charge give you 2 weeks of reading with the wireless off and 1 week of reading with the wireless on. Also, I like to keep my books separate.... just a pet peeve of mine.

Of course, my Kindle needs to be protected with a nice white leather case. The case is by Cole Haan- a bag company.

And my Kindle is white..... love the color... even though white is not really considered a color.

It has a little control button on the lower right side of the screen to help you maneuver through the tabs.

These buttons on the side is where you push to turn the page.

Sort of like the iPad and the iphone, it has an auto-rotating screen... portrait to landscape.

And it's very thin....

Compare to the books I have to carry... I am currently reading Twenties and The Time Traveler's Wife.
I love the smell of new books, but with my Kindle I can have multiple books in the palm of my hand.

Then of course, I can read in the dark because of my little portable light.

Another advantage of having a Kindle is that the books cost much less. I would buy my books for $15.00 plus tax at Borders, whereas if I buy the books through amazon on my Kindle, it cost $9.90 without tax. Big plus!!!! 

I was also thinking about having a book review on my blog.... hmmm.... some of you may find it boring.... hahaha. I better stick with my beauty/fashion reviews and cooking. 

<3 <3 <3

Waxing Poetic jewelry

Hi Everyone,

In the past few weeks, Hautelook has been having really good items on their site. One of the brands that were on there was from a company called Waxing Poetic. I have been looking for a personalized handmade necklace that has my initial on it for quite some time. I am not looking for anything expensive but I am looking for something that is made with good quality. When I saw this jewelry line, I immediately fell in love. As you know, items on Hautelook are usually 50-75% off the original price which is why I check this website every morning. I think everyone and their momma should check this site out.... on a second thought....maybe not because that means I will have more competition and more items will be sold out before I can even get to it.... ok, don't invite your momma.

Waxing Poetic has appear in many magazines such as Cosmo, Lucky, Instyle, Vogue, etc.. and they are known for their antique designs. Majority of their jewelries are made from sterling silver. I like the way they make their jewelry "look" precious and delicate also when you feel the piece, it's very well crafted.

That being said, here is a necklace and a bracelet that I got from Hautelook.com. This makes a very nice personalized gift. Also, they have jewelries for all types of occasions.

This baby ball sterling silver chain necklace is a great match for the pendant. It doesn't overwhelm the charm that you are wearing. As you can see, the delicate engraving is embedded in mother-of-pearl enclosed by silver and antiqued brass. It just makes the piece look timeless.

Original Price: $90. Sale price: $31

And of course, I can't pass up the matching bracelet. This bracelet has a stretchable band which makes it easy to wear. 

Just more gift ideas for any special occasions that you may have.

<3 <3 <3

MAC- Wonder Woman Collection

Hi Everyone,

MAC cosmetics is getting so creative with their collection line and package designs. It's always exciting to see what they come out with each season.  Their latest line is from the DC comic book collection of Wonder Woman. I grew up loving comic books. I would read X-men, X-factor, Incredible hulk, She-hulk, Captain America, Silver Surfer, Iron Man, Spider Man, Super Man, etc... I believe I still have them in the basement at my parents house with the plastic sleeve covers. Oh... I hope they are worth something these days.

Anyways, I bought a few items from the Wonder Woman Collection that I would like to review.
It is a 33 piece collection and I bought 5 items that I feel suits me the most. The packaging is just awesome.

Let's start with the eye shadow palette. The one I got is called Defiance and it's their only pink eye shadow collection from that line. I wore this close to Valentine's day to give my eyes a pop of pink.
The eye shadows are the same size as the ones in the pan. They are easy to apply and the colors blend very well together.
All the eye shadows have the same packaging theme where Wonder Woman is blocking the Medusa's drab ray with her bracelet.

Here are swatches of the colors..... starting from the left to the right: Defiance, Paradise Island, Star Studded, and Real Drama.  I use Defiance on my brow bone, Paradise Island for all over lid, Star Studded on my lower lid below the water line to give it a pop of color, and Real Drama as an eye liner on my top lid.  This is a beautiful combination.

The three lip glosses that I got are: Emancipation, Secret Identity, and Athena's Kiss

These lip glosses are huge compared to their normal collection. One thing that I don't like about it is that it is hard to get the lip applicator out from the tube. You pretty much have to pull that sucker out and when you do that the products tends to fly out of the tube. Yes, it can get pretty messy.

Besides that, the colors are amazingly pigmented.

The last item I have here is the reflects glitter. Sometimes it's nice to have a little bit of glitter on the inner corner of your eyes. This pearl color goes nicely with the pink palettes. By applying a little bit of a white on the inner corner of your eyes make them look large and doey.

Overall, I don't think these are a must have like the Urban Decay 'Naked' palette. Most people buy this for the packaging and it's just fun to have next to all your MAC collection.

One quote that Wonder Woman says is "Show's over boys."

<3 <3 <3

Japanese K-Palette

Hi Everyone,

In the past I have always wonder why my eyeliner will run or smudge after a few hours or a day at work. It  makes me look like I have really bad under eye circles. Does anyone have this issue? I guess my eyes are sensitive and it produces a lot of tears. It is also natural for the moisture from your eyes and your natural tears to push the eyeliner away from your eyeball. I usually apply black liners to my waterlines to enhance the thickness of my lashes and to make me look more awake.  I have tried so many different eyeliners from MAC, Lancome, Stila, Bobby Brown, drugstores, etc... and even though it says waterproof it still smudges... what the heck? Company shouldn't advertise anything smudge proof unless it really is true. I was about to give up until I discovered this miracle product from K-palette. It comes both in an eyeliner and an eye pencil. This brand is the top selling brand in Japan with big raves.

I got the eye pencils to try first....

I believe it only comes in black and brown... but I am not 100% sure. Well, at least black is the only color that I use for my waterlines. I am currently obsessed with this because it stays ON and if it does come off, it comes off clean without smudges. I can't believe it.
It applies very smoothly and is heavily pigmented.

The eye pencil is a twisty so make sure you don't twist too much because it is a soft lead.

This is definitely a one-day tattoo that stays on really well. To remove this product I need to use the liquid eye makeup remover or vaseline.

Try this out gals if you don't want to look like a walking zombie!

<3 <3 <3

My first Birchbox!

Hi Everyone,

One of my secret love is coming home from work and seeing a package at my door. It's like getting a present..... even though I know what it is I still feel a sense of excitement. Today, I was happy to see my first birchbox order.

Look how cute and professional this box is! It sure ain't ghetto! They are definitely not playing. It's legit!

For those who doesn't know what it is please checkout their website at www.birchbox.com. I was introduce to this website a few months ago by my brother's wife who also loves makeup. Basically, you get 4-5 hand-picked makeup samples from different brands every month to try. It is only $10 per month and you get a package every month. I think this is a good idea because you get to try a variety of makeup for a decent price. In addition, you get to earn points..... for every 100 birchbox points you get $10 off full size products.

For the month of February it is all about indulgence, this is what I got:
When I first opened the box, I saw a nice card and the items were very well packaged. My gosh..... it's like opening a box of goodies.

Let me go through each one so it is easier on the eye....
BareMinerals Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascara in black. This mascara has NutriPlump formula that is smudge proof, clump-proof, and most importantly, paraben free. Full-size: $18

Oscar Blandi hair serum. It is a smoothing serum that provides instant and long lasting shine to ALL hair types. This helps protect your hair from heat and fights frizz. On the application, it said to only use a few drops at a time, so with the sample given it should last two weeks or more. Full-size: $24

Befine exfoliating cleanser. When I saw this, my first thought was to use this with my clarisonic. It helps exfoliate and balance your skin's moisture. The smell is alright.... pretty refreshing... has a thick consistency which I like for an exfoliator. Some exfoliators are liquid-y and it doesn't feel like you are removing any dirt so this is a plus. Full-size: $25

Sweet riot dark chocolate with expresso. I wish I was a dark chocolate lover, but I much prefer milk chocolate. Dark chocolate is just too bitter for me to enjoy.... however, when it comes to men.... I don't have a preference and you know who you are. =)
This is made with 70% dark chocolate from Latin America and it is diary-free, gluten-free, has very little calories and packed with antioxidants. Wow..... I am missing out.

Moving on to the final product.... NARS...... one of my favorite makeup brands.
NARS illuminator in Orgasm. I love Orgasm! Hahaha ;o)
This color is one of my favorite colors from NARS and what this product does is it makes your skin look refreshed and radiant. For this product, you only need very little to make your face look dewy (in a nice way) and to give it a little oomph!
Full size: $29

Well, that was an exciting surprise from birchbox... I can't wait to see what's in their next month's selection.

I am glad I signed up!
<3 <3 <3

New Bedding from Target and Lush Goodies! Great for Valentine's Day!

Hi Everyone,

Last week was Lunar New Year and during that time people would clean their houses and wear new clothes to begin the New Year with a clean slate. That's exactly what I did! While I was organizing my room,  I also bought a new bed set from Target. Summer is coming and I wanted something light and feminine. I want to walk into a room that has a clean feel to it and a bed that I just can't wait to get in. So, I found the perfect bed set with cute details that I can't wait to show you.

Not only does it have a cute chic design, I love the color that I picked out plus I had to get a matching long white throw pillow to complete the look. To top it off, I love the teddy bear that I got from someone special which meshed very well with my bedding.

I love the scrunched up look and the details around the buttons. 

On one side of my bed stand, I have a container that is filled with Lush goodies. I have mentioned Lush before in my previous blog and it is basically a store that sells fresh natural handmade soaps, bath bombs, shower gels, lotions, shampoos, etc...  This is a great gift for Valentine's Day! I rather receive a basket filled with nice smelly soaps than flowers. 

So, now let's go through these goodies.....

This is a lip balm made out of honey, almond oil, shea butter, etc...

I am obsessed with anything that has a strong honey scent from that store. It smell so good that I just want to lick the tin.

Shower jelly! When I first bought this I was kinda iffy on how this jelly is going to feel as a soap. This product comes in a jar that you can twist to seal the top. I would dig in with my hand and scoop up a tiny bit of the jelly and rub it onto my sponge to lather up the soap. A tiny bit goes a long way and it makes your entire bathroom smell sooooo good. Let me tell you, it is a fun experience. 

I like that almost everything in the store has a picture of who made the product, when it was made, and how long the product is good for.

Then of course, my favorite scent 'Honey, I washed the kids.' For a small piece of soap, it is very expensive. I only get it once in a while and would try to make it last by cutting small pieces off at a time. It is cute how the top looks like a honeycomb. 

I also have a small piece of 'Rock Star' leftover from the last time I went to Lush. This one smells like sweet bubblegum mixed with cotton candy. When using Lush soaps, I always cut them into small pieces because when you leave it in the shower it tends to melt faster... that's why I have it in my room in a glass jar. It looks pretty and also makes my room smell nice.

Here is also another soap I got a while ago that I haven't used yet. This heart shape soap has glitters on top which leaves your skin sparkling. Nice to use when you are going out for a nice date.

I like the sound of this one.... 'It's Raining Men!' I heard a lot of good reviews and again, it has a nice honey smell. I can't wait to use it. This better live up to its name... or I will be disappointed.

Lush also makes the best massage bars. It's nice to give someone a massage (*maybe a Valentine's Day gift to the other person who likes receiving massages) using this or  to use it when you get out of the shower. It makes your skin feel smooth and soft. There are many scents to choose from and my favorites are the peach (the one down below) and... 

the strawberry.... yum-o! These massage bars melt once they come in contact with your skin so place them in a tin jar/can to prevent it from melting. The sells person also give me a sample of the Vanilla Puff dusting powder. After rubbing the strawberry massage bar onto your skin and adding this Vanilla Puff powder on top will help keep the moisture in and also your skin will not feel too greasy. The combination of this is to die for.
Sorta like making your own strawberry vanilla moisturizer.  Sounds good doesn't it?

Talking about all these soaps make me hungry... 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Alright, have a good nite!

<3 <3 <3