MAC Fix+

It's a water based spray to set makeup that has vitamins, minerals, and a blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber and Sugi scent.

I love this product because it is not only has good ingredients in it, but also help to set and keep my makeup in place for a long time. I spray it on my face after putting on makeup at 9am and by 4:30pm (7.5 hours), my makeup is still fresh-looking and in place. If you're a highlighter girl like me, you'll probably like this product because it will keep your highlighter in place pretty well, without smearing or fading it. I usually spray 2 - 3 pumps on my face if my day's gonna be a long day and that I want to keep the makeup for a long time.

Retail for only $10 at any MAC stores.

Rating: 5/5

FOTD the Goden Sun Rays

Spring's peeking just around the corner. We all know that this Spring is all about neon, coral and bright orange. But I just wanna go back to the basic, where there are streaks of golden sun rays touching on the ground of Earth, making everything else so shimmery.

How I got this look:

I used a golden shimmery eyeshadow and apply it on the first half of my lids. I then contour my eye sockets (not that I have a deep one... lol) with an earth tone such as a light to dark brown. I skipped the highest point of the golden shimmery eyeshadow and apply a little bit of that same brown onto the first 1/3 of the eyes, near the inner tear duct. By using this technique, it will make my eye shape appear wider and bigger.  I lined my top lash line with a black liquid liner and wing it out, upward. Then, the usual stuff to make your eyes appear brighter. You'd put a shimmery light reflect eyeshadow onto the inner tear duct.

Eyeshadows for Different Eye Shapes

1. Almond Eyes
 This is also called the "perfect eye shape" because just about every shadow look will work with this shape. Go for the smoky, sultry look. Use a mix of medium and deep bronze shadows, or violet and dark purple shadows.

Dust the medium color on lids, then work the darkest tone into your top and bottom lash lines, outer corners, and creases. To blend, use a shadow brush with a long, domed head and sweep it back and forth like a windshield wiper to blur lines.

Shiseido Brightening Eye Treatment

This eye cream targets specifically dark circles, discoloration around the eye areas and poor micro-circulation. It contains Multi-Luminizing Powder with light diffusing properties to instantly bring luminosity to eye areas.

 **Ranked in my "Top 10 Best Eye Creams" list**

 

 Tina's Verdict & Personal Experience:

 I've used up the whole bottle before, while I was pregnant and that my dark circles and puffiness were really really bad. Early this year, I was given another sample tube of the Shiseido brightening eye treatment while picking up some other Shiseido products. And remembering how great the experience that I had with this eye-cream was during my pregnancy, I felt like it deserves a fair review.

Ways to Max Out your Moisturizer

1. Use softener or balance water right after you wash your face to prep the skin, pores are being tightened at this stage.
2. Apply your moisturizer to freshly washed damp skin within 3 minutes to seal in moisture that's already there.
3. Massage the cream in for at least 15 seconds to boost blood circulation. Use a combination of massaging techniques and fingertip to gently press the lotion into your skin.
4. While massaging, remember to relax your face muscle, as well as your mind. Think nothing else, except for the skin imagining it is "growing" younger and healthier.  Moisturizer is absorbed better, when you emit that "love" energy and at a relaxed state on mind.
5. Close the lid tightly to prevent oxidation, which can decrease the potency of certain ingredients.

(Written by Tina from Beauty Toast)

(Source: Cosmo's sexiest beauty secret)

Anastasia Perfect Brow Pencil

The Anastasia brand is known for making good quality brow "utensils" that would give natural looking brows. The Anastasia Perfect Brow Pencil comes in velvety soft tip pencil on one end and a brow brush on the other - a 2-in-1 brow pencil. I absolutely love this as I've been hunting for a good brow pencil for a while, until I found this. It is retailed for $22, which is a bit pricey but totally worth it for me, personally.

The pencil is not too hard, yet not too soft like the Lancome ones for better and easy control, and delivering of color. Because of the way the application is, it gives a very natural looking set of brows. You can totally manipulate the shape of your eyebrows with this pencil.

Rating: 4/5

Trendproof Items that Never Gone Out of Style

Ever wonder why you have to donate so many clothes just because they're not relevant to today's style? You might be the victim of the "out of the season." Kendall Farr, author of the The Pocket Stylist said that wearing BIG LOOKS just doesn't assure that you look like you have an insider view of fashion.

Instead, she advises us to be on the safe side by stacking up our closet with some back-up trend-proof items, pieces of clothes that will never gone wrong or out of style.

Lancome Eau Fraiche Douceur

Lancome Eau Fraiche Douceur

Micellar Cleansing Water, Face, Eyes, Lips

Claims to have gentle Micellar Technology cleansing agents (which I have no idea what this is...) and soothing Rose de France. It lifts, removes makeup and impurities including waterproof mascara. Skin is toned, purified, cleaned, and soft after used. There's no need to rinse after use. It is dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested. It is non-comedogenic and is suitable for sensitive skin.

Tina's Verdict & Personal Experience:

As you can see in the picture, it's more than half empty so I think I've used it long enough to give an honest review on this product.  Honestly, I'd always have to wash my face again with another cleanser after using this. It just doesn't seem to be as effective in cleaning/wiping away my makeup as it has advertised.

L'Occitane Aromachologie Repairing Shampoo & Conditioner

I was given sample sizes of both of the shampoo and conditioner from the L'Occitane Repairing line. Although it only lasted for 2 uses, I swear that I could see the result on my hair right away after using it the first time. The L'Occitane Aromachologie Repairing Shampoo & Conditioner are enriched with 5 different essential oils (Angelica, Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Lavender, and Patchouli). It is no kidding because I actually felt the oils in it. You'd want to wash your hair with warm water to maximize the result (not hot and not cold water), because essential oil works best when it interacts with heat.

This particular line of shampoo helps repair and smooth capillary fiber of your hair, leaving it looking and feeling supple, shiny and silky. It also has wheat proteins, which helps to repair, strengthen, regenerate, and soften dry/damaged hair. So, it is obviously a great product for hair that is color treated, permanent wave, blow drying, curling iron, and styling products.

My Beauty Diary Masks

My Beauty Diary masks were among the first lines of masks that I've used in my early days. These come in different types and I have not yet tried all of them, but I've tried 3 different ones so far - the black pearl, red wine, and pearl powder, and I really like them. Below is description of each and my review:

  Black Pearl masks

It has natural active ingredients of black pearl, limes, pineapples, and cucumbers. The black pearl helps to soften and whiten skin, while limes, pineapples and cucumber will speed up metabolism of stratum comeum and remove dead cells on the epidermis layer. It is recommended for people who are lack of radiance and skin elasticity.

Tina's Verdict:

Best Kept Red Carpet Makeup Secrets!

#1
Makeup artist and director of the Vincent Longo cosmetics revealed:

When doing makeup for celebrities before big events, I always make sure to stain the lips and cheeks before applying foundation. So if their makeup wears off during the night, the stained cheeks and lips will continue to glow from underneath.

 #2
Blot your face with using blotting papers to keep makeup intact, instead of powder every time you refresh your makeup because it will make it look cakey.

1-Day Acuvue Define (Accent Style, Vivid Style, & Natural Shine)

• Do you want brighter looking eyes?
• Do you want bigger and more defined eyes, yet natural looking?
• Do you want to enhance the beauty of your eyes?
• Are your eyes sensitive to long-wear contact lenses?

If you answered yes to all at least 2/4 questions above, you're gonna love the 1-Day Acuvue Define contact lenses series. They're the most comfortable lenses that provide a super natural bright looking eyes I've ever used. These babies provide the most subtle and natural effect that no body can ever tell your beauty secret. They give bigger, brighter, and more defined eyes.

They also block out at least 82% of the UVA and 97% of the UVB from the sun.

They come in 3 different styles, depend on what you're aiming or going for.

1-Day Acuvue Define Accent Style 

 1-Day Acuvue Define Accent Style

The Accent Style gives a neat & confident look. Though it doesn't carry the word "Natural" but it provides the most natural looking out of all the 3, in my point of view from having to tried all 3 of them. I think it's because of the light-black rim. It also makes my eyes kinda sparkly but definitely doesn't give that scarily big black dolly eyes look. People definitely don't know that I'm wearing contact lenses when I have these on.

-Pics of me wearing them-

 1-Day Acuvue Define Accent Style

 1-Day Acuvue Define Natural Shine

  1-Day Acuvue Define Natural Shine

The Natural Shine provides a sophisticated and intellectual kinda look. It is the second to the most natural looking out of 3, because of the honey tint to it. These lenses depend on how the light hits your pupil that deliver a different effect each time. Sometimes it can look really natural like you have nothing on, other times it does look like you have contact lenses on, only that it is very natural looking.

-pics of me wearing them-

 1-Day Acuvue Define Natural Shine

 

1-Day Acuvue Define Vivid Style

 1-Day Acuvue Define Vivid Style

Lastly, the Vivid Style would give you an outgoing and lively kinda feel. Based on my on-going experience with these lenses, they definitely give that illusion of bigger eyes and innocent look. They're my favorite just because they don't seem to be obvious and they're super natural. Each lens has a spiky brown rim and the spikes darken your pupil, that's why it makes your eye seem to appear bigger and rounder.



-pics of me wearing them-

1-Day Acuvue Define Vivid Style

1-Day Acuvue clear contact lenses

I know that it's kinda random to include the clear one in here but since it's under the "1-Day Acuvue" category I might as well doing a review on it. These definitely feel super comfortable as they don't dry out your eyes. They were my first clear contact lens and still are. I wear these only when I have days off from work or at home all day.

Tina's Verdict & Personal Experience:

The 1-Day Acuvue is definitely my favorite brand and line out of all for contact lenses. Because they're daily disposable lenses so they feel extremely comfortable. They don't dry out my eyes as easy as some other colored yearly disposable brands that I've tried before. It sucks that the Define series are not sold here in the US, at least here in Arizona where I live. I'd have to order them from overseas, so if I were to use them "daily" it can get super pricey for me. What I've been doing is that, I use each pair for 2 days before tossing them out. Except for the days which I have to work about 10 hours, that require a lot of concentration then I'd toss them out after each use because by the end of the day they're probably all worn out and got pretty blurry already.

Unlike other yearly disposable lenses when you put them on the wrong side, they hurt like hell. Every time this happens, I literally cannot even open my eyes to get them out (or maybe I have sensitive eyes... I don't know!). The 1-Day Acuvue is pretty amazing at this, it doesn't hurt you at all when put on the wrong side. They simply just don't seem to stick into your pupil that well and you can tell right away because it has a weird blurriness to it. Except for the Accent Style, when I put it on the wrong side, they hurt my eyes so bad (again, I could be having sensitive eyes...?...).

I love love love this brand and the colored contact lenses not only because they're super comfortable, natural looking no matter what series of the Define you're using, and they give an instant bigger and brighter looking eyes. I honestly cannot live without them!  Crossing my fingers that one day, they'll come to the US.

I got my lenses at Contactlensxchange.com and before that was Aalens.com. At Contactlensxchange, the shipment was pretty expensive but extremely fast and in very well condition. I am pleased with their service and will definitely reordering from them again!

Rating:  5/5

Update as of Dec 18, 2012: I am now on my 4th order with Contactlensxchange and let me correct myself about the "extremely fast" part, the order usually take about 10 to 15 business days to arrive. The shipping fee depends on how much you order. For example, if you order 2 boxes your shipping fee might be $12 bucks. If you order 6 boxes your shipping fee might be $28 bucks. It varies, depending on how many boxes you order.

Update as of January 31, 2014:  I no longer order my lenses at Contactlensxchange any more. I've been ordering from Aalens because their price per box is usually $2 - $3 cheaper, plus shipping fee is pretty much a flat rate of around $10.95. Here are some pics of me wearing the lenses.

1-Day Acuvue Define in Vivid style

1-Day Acuvue Define in Natural Shine (*my favorite*):

I really love how the Natural Shine lenses have a mixture of the yellow and brown color, which depends on the angle that the light rays hit your eye that it gives a really nice reflect. 

Written by Tina from BeautyToast