Friday, September 30, 2011

Becca and the Balm

A while ago apothica kindly sent me a gift card to their website and I finally got around to placing my order. Apothica has a lot of brands that are hard for me to find in stores so I jumped at the chance to try out some things from these brands. The two that I gravitated towards were Becca and the Balm. 

The one thing I really wanted to try from Becca was their shimmering skin perfector, a product that Lisa Eldridge always raves about. 
This is a liquid highlighter type product that comes in several shades - the one I have is opal. It comes in a matte rubberized tube with a pump and you get a lot of product. It also has an SPF of 25+ which is good if you want to mix this in with foundation, but I don't think I would apply this on its own all over my face. 
This is probably the most natural highlighter I have used. You can't see it on your skin, but when it catches the light it gives a beautiful glow. There are no obvious traces of glitter particles, just a really nice silky sheen. I apply it with a foundation brush so I can be a little more precise. It's so easy and I never have to worry about it going on too heavy. I think its a lot easier to work with than Dior amber diamond, which I mostly use if I am going out. 
All in all its a great product, but just a tad expensive. 

The second product I got was the Balm's Balm Voyage palette. 
Besides having the cutest packaging ever, it has three shades, luscious lani, caught in the act courney, and hot mama. Hot mama is one of their famous blushes that can also be used as an eyeshadow. I have been wanting to get it so I am glad it came in this palette even though it is the miniest version of it. All three of these have great pigmentation and are nice wearable colors that complement each other really well. 
Today I wore luscious lani all over the lid with the tinest bit of the dark glittery brown shade in the crease and then I used a pencil brush with that same dark brown to line my upper lash line, which gives a nice smokey smudge liner effect. 
The blush is really pretty - kind of similar to NARS orgasm or deep throat - and gives an amazing sheen. 
It also comes with a brush that isn't half bad, a little mirror, and a bonus little luggage tag. 
This is a compact, all-in-one palette that is perfect for traveling and very affordable. I really want to try out more the Balm products!


I've been trying to be good and haven't bought makeup in a while, so thank you Apothica for relieving my ridiculous addiction. 

Have a good weekend everybody =)

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Storage Solutions: nail polish

I had been looking for a way to store my nail polishes for a while, but could never settle on anything. I wanted to have something that would keep them on display, but still be functional at the same time which is kind of hard especially for a growing collection. 

Today while browsing the Brooklyn flea market I saw this vintage suitcase and fell in love. I had to have it, and thought it would be perfect to keep my nail polish collection which has been cluttering my dresser, in check. It's the perfect height to keep the nail polishes standing upright and is a good size too, as it is currently only a quarter full and I am aiming to keep my nail polish collection within its boundaries. It also has a little pocket that will be great for putting manicure tools. 

My favorite thing about this setup is that I can keep my nail polishes covered and out of sight easily if I want to. 
I will most likely be keeping it on the floor tucked away under my vanity area. I am so happy to have scored this. Not only is it the perfect storage solution, but it makes a great piece to decorate an apartment with. Love!

In other news, meet my new kitten, Minka!
She's impossible to photograph but so adorable. 

Hope you are all doing well =)

~Vida

Monday, September 19, 2011

Hot & Cold

Summer's gone and I can't say that I'm not excited to break out my fall boots and cozy sweaters. I bought this jumpsuit during the beginning of summer from H&M and I never wore it out because it was just too hot. Now that it's getting cooler out, I love it because I can wear it on its own on warm days, and I can also throw a sweater on top of it and wear it as harem-type pants.
A belt with this outfit is a must. The one I am wearing is a thin, nude leather belt from H&M. In fact, I just realized that everything I am wearing in this outfit is from H&M.
The hard part is finding the right shoes to wear, which I am still figuring out (suggestions?).

I am keeping it simple with the makeup these days - don't really have time for anything else.
Face: Missha perfect cover B.B. cream & MAC mineralize skin finish
Cheeks: Maybelline pure mineral blush in N00 & Dior Amber Diamond
Eyes: Clinique gel eyeliner & Revlon 3D extreme mascara
Lips: MAC blankety lipstick

I am loving the Missha BB cream even more than when I first reviewed it. The finish is amazing, I may be addicted to it. Also loving winged eyeliner without any eye shadow, I don't know why I didn't try it out sooner.

In other news, I finally got new tripod so I can take more pictures...of myself.

Hope you are all doing well =)

~Vida

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Most Worn...

Lipstick
MAC's Hue - I could live in this lipstick. It is the perfect pinky nude that goes with anything and requires no effort. I look forward to repurchasing this again and again. 

Shoes
These are blush patent flats from Steve Madden. When I originally bought these I was hoping for a more beige-y nude color, but they turned out to be more of a darker taupe color. After I got over my initial disappointment I realized that they still gave the effect I was going for, and have since worn them to death

I had been looking for a pair of shoes like this for a while and I finally found them...at Marshalls...for 30 dollars! They are unbelievably comfortable and just look amazing on. I absolutely love them. 

Handbag
I found this Fossil bag in the sale section of Nordstroms over a year ago. It is a great quality bag, very sturdy, and the perfect size. I use this everyday to carry notebooks and occasionally my laptop to school. I've had this for a while, but it seems to be getting better with time. 

Nail polish
It was hard to pick one nail polish, but I at the moment it would be Tickle my France-y by OPI. I didn't really like this when I first got it, but after while I fell in love with it. It is a greyish purple taupe, a very neutral color that is going to be perfect for fall. It also applies effortlessly and is easy to build up. 

Earrings
I got these swarovski studded skull earrings from asos.com and they are probably my favorite earrings so far. I have a thing for skull jewelry and these are the perfect combination of edgy and glamourous. They look so good on, and I love pairing them with a simple outfit. 

Scent
Tocca Giulietta is a light, slightly sweet girly scent - whatever it smells like, it smells good. And the bottle is pretty =)

Accessory
I think this scarf is from Zara, but I really have no idea. I love wearing scarfs, even in the summer on cooler days. This one is lightweight, neutral and pairs easily with much of my wardrobe. I love pairing it with just a black tank - an easy way to amp up an outfit. 

What are some of your most worn items? 

~Vida