American Idol and Make-up at Costco

Tatiana is killing me! Yeah, her performance wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. But it's the rest of her schtick... that marketing BS, her claim that she never laughed like that before, her little soundbyte about how it's up to us to keep her dreams alive... she's just too much!

I definitely like Danny Gokey and he's my fave of group 1. I kinda agree with Simon, though, he was good but I don't know he deserved all that crazy praise at the end. I thought he gave much better performances in Hollywood. I think the praise had a lot to do with the fact that most of the other contestants in his group kinda bombed.

And when Simon said Alexis Grace reminded him of someone... I totally expected him to say Nikki McKibbin, not Kelly Clarkson! Did you remember season 1? When Nikki first auditioned, she was kinda like a funky rocker and then when she showed up for the performance shows, she had what I think they called a soap opera makeover. I like Alexis... I'm just not sure about her look, but that's just me.

And is it just me or did Paula seem more kooky than normal? She kinda rambled on like she was drunk.

Anyway, on to make-up... I had seen a lot of YouTubers talk about these great make-up deals they get at Costco. I thought it was just some crazy myth because everytime I went there, they just had the standard Kirkland stuff.

But today... ta-da!!! Stila Cosmetics on sale for dirt cheap! They had two sets - a set of three lippies and a "shape up your face" set. I've been buying a lot of lip stuff so I just picked up the face set. It comes with a trio of three contouring powders, two lip pencils, and a full size powder brush. The sign on the rack said each set was $14.99 but when I checked out, my set rang up as only $9.99! C'mon - that's a great deal.





I would tell you what I think about the products but I can't seem to open the plastic packaging and I'm too lazy to fetch some scissors to slice it open. Maybe in another post :)

Latest iTunes downloads...

So here's what I've downloaded since my last iTunes update.

1. My Life Would Suck without You - Kelly Clarkson

No surprise here... I already raved about this song on an earlier post.

2. Rehab - Rihanna

I'm not sure why I waited so long to download this as I've pretty much downloaded all her other singles. And speaking of people needing rehab, isn't that deal with her and Chris Brown just so horrible? And shocking! I thought those two were such an adorable couple - a Britney and Justin for today's teens, but obviously that was definitely not the case.

3. 15 Step - Radiohead

Normally, I'm not cool enough to listen to Radiohead. But then Gwyneth introduced their performance at the Grammy's so I tuned in for a bit. And I suddenly realized, hey, that's the song from the closing credits of Twilight!

4. Poker Face - Lady GaGa

I really dig this song! I like the pounding beat through parts of it and I like the melody of the refrain, too.

5. Feedback - Janet Jackson

I picked this one and the next one (another Lady GaGa!) because they appeared in the commercials for America's Next Top Model and I got hooked.

6. The Fame - Lady GaGa

Happy Valentine's Day to me!!!

So I treated myself to a little Valentine's Day present over the weekend - NARS The Love Set.

It comes with a blush, a lip pencil (the jumbo kind), and a lip gloss. I have some NARS products but just eyeshadows and lipglosses. I've always heard great things about their blushes and I was excited to finally get my first one. I've always had my eye on the Orgasm blush since that seems to be their signature item. (Okay, seriously, NARS products have some really provocative names... I mean, teenagers buy this stuff!)

Also included is the Pillow Talk lip gloss and a Sex Machine velvet matte lip pencil (yep, again with the names!)

Isn't the packaging really cute? I might just hold onto the box...



I wasn't sure if I would like the blush because when I tested it on my hand, it looked really shimmery which I usually stay away from. (I just hate when the glitter/shimmer gets everywhere.) But when I put it on my cheek, it wasn't shimmery at all and it was just this soft pretty peachy color.



And here's a close-up of the lip gloss and lip pencil. I really like the jumbo lip pencil because it was really smooth when I put it on my lips. The gloss is nice, too, and not really sticky like others.



Ready for some lip swatches??? (Sorry if it's weird or creepy to see all these close-up shots of my mouth. I'm just used to seeing this on other beauty blogs!)

Pillow Talk lip gloss:


Sex Machine velvet matte lip pencil:


Sex Machine pencil plus Pillow Talk gloss:


Full mug... I don't think you can see the blush very well though:


Final thoughts: I love this set and I'm so glad I bought it! I'm a sucker for make-up "sets" and a lot of times I will only like one of the items but I really like all three of these.

NARS The Love Set: $49

(If you bought the three items individually, it would be $73 as the blush is $25 and both the lip pencil and gloss are $24 each. So buying the set is like getting one of the items for free.)

I heart Boston Market

Like most people, I love Thanksgiving. Especially the Thanksgiving dinner... yum yum! Stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls, etc etc etc... yum yum yum! Oh, and the turkey? Yeah, I guess I'll get that, too, but usually just because I feel I have to... I don't really crave it or anything. It really is all about the side dishes for me (well, and the desserts, too).

Whenever I'm craving a Thanksgiving dinner-like meal, I usually head on to Boston Market. And just by default, I always get one of their combo platters. But today I discovered they have this wonderful thing called a Side Item Sampler. *ding ding ding!!!* Basically, you get your pick of three sides with cornbread (which, by the way, is delicious!) So I got the mac & cheese (introduced to me by my 4 year old nephew - it really is the best), the sweet potato casserole, and then for pick #3 I decided to get the sweet corn (although I was really eyeing the stuffing but decided to get something somewhat healthy). The best part? The whole platter was just $5 - yippee!!!

I'll have to stop by there more often :)

Shaqawockeez!

OMG... so hilarious! Shaq is a really good dancer! He held his own with the amazing Jabbawockeez.

Bright Eyes & Neutral lips and vice versa

So yep, I'm playing with make-up again! :) I recently tried out two new looks. One had really colorful eyes so I paired it with a nude lip, similar to my purple look. But then yesterday, I wanted to do a fun Valentine's Day look that was highlighted with bright pink lips! Usually, I don't really pay too much attention to what I wear on my lips and just stick with my MAC Viva Glam V default but through these two looks, I discovered it's really fun to play with the lip colors as well!



Urban Decay Rainbow Eyes look

I wore this look for a GNO (girls' night out) in SF. I figured it was a good opportunity to do something a little funky (for me, anyway). I wanted to try a rainbow look I saw on YouTube but using just my new Urban Decay palette. Not quite as vibrant as I would have liked so maybe next time, I'll play with some different color bases to bring out the color more.

By the way, I also tried false eyelashes again and third time is definitely not the charm. I really messed these up, but left them on anyway. If you buy the Ardell starter kits, my suggestion is to not use the glue that comes with them. One of my lashes fell off halfway through the night! I heard Duo is really good and plan to buy that.

As for the nude lip, I am really loving that look! When I first put on my Blankety lipstick, my first thought was uh-oh, I look like a corpse! By itself, I don't think it works for me BUT it's really pretty when combined with a lip gloss. Can't wait to wear it out again next time I do a dramatic eye look.



What I used:

EYES
Urban Decay Fishnet (upper lid)
Urban Decay Ransom, Zero (outer corner)
Urban Decay Honey, Graffiti, Peace (along lower lash line)
MAC Texture (crease)
MAC Shroom (highlight)
Bobbi Brown Black Ink gel eyeliner (upper lashline)
MAC Smolder eye kohl pencil (lower lashline)
Ardell 109 lashes
Maybelline Full&Soft Mascara

LIPS
MAC Blankety lipstick
MAC Delicate Crush lipglass

Valentine's Day Look

This one was inspired by another YouTube video - a fun, pink, girly Valentine's day look. I had purchased these bright pink lip colors as part of the MAC Adoring Carmine Rose Lips Set collection but haven't really had a chance to wear them out so I was excited to try this look. If it wasn't for Valentine's Day, I probably would have just wore more neutral browns and golds in the eye but the pink was a fun accent.






What I used:

EYES
MAC All that Glitters (Lid)
Dior Plum Sheen from Chic Palette (Crease)
Loreal Brazen Hip Duo - Pink color (outer crease)
MAC Brule (Highlight)
MAC Penultimate Eye liner in Rapidblack
Maybelline Full&Soft Mascara

LIPS
MAC Romancin' lipstick (from Adoring Carmine set)
MAC Magnetique lipglass (from Little Darlings Pink Set)

Cute celebrity couple!

OK, these two are so adorably cute together especially given that they are both gorgeous actors and are the parents of three little girls.

I'm talking about Peter Facinelli (aka Dr. Carlisle Cullen) and Jennie Garth (aka Kelly Taylor, DWTS alum). They went on Chelsea Lately for a joint interview on Valentine's Day and it was really cute and funny... especially for a bit with a tissue - watch to find out more!

This is what I've got to say about The City... SAT style

Spencer : The Hills :: Olivia: The City

Seriously, I cannot stand this girl! Everytime she speaks, it's like nails on a chalkboard for me. She's so pretentious and a total hypocrite as well. She speaks so condescendingly to Whitney about gossiping when that's what her and her freeloader of a cousin do all day long. She also lectures Whit not to talk about Jay's gig at work when she was the one who brought it up!

Boo to Olivia.

By the way, I loved Whitney's hair in the last scene as seen in the pic below (on the left).



I hope Whitney takes more opportunities to put Olivia in her place.

Holy Purple, Batman!

OK, I'll admit it... I love to *play* make-up. I will put on make-up to try out a look and then take it all off and go to bed. Like tonight. I saw a purple look that looked really pretty and I was so excited to discover that I had the same colors used so I had to try it!

(FYI - in case you hadn't read my previous posts on this, I love to watch Youtube make-up tutorials... so addicting!)

"Hot Royal Purple Eyes" by Youtuber xteener:



Here's my take:

(False eyelashes would have definitely improved the look, but I save those for special occasions only - too much effort for me!)

What I used:

FACE:
MAC Mineral Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus
Pur Mineral Marble Powder in Pink

EYES:
Urban Decay Ransom e/s
Urban Decay Fishnet e/s
Loreal HIP e/s Duo in Charisma
MAC Cork (brows)
MAC Penultimate Eye Liner in Rapidblack / Loreal Lineur Intense Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner in Carbon black (will post a comparison soon)
MAC Technakohl Liner in Graphblack
Maybelline Full&Soft Mascara

LIPS:
MAC Blankety lipstick
MAC Love Nectar lustreglass



On a side note, I am *loving* my new Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow box. Yes, I'm a MAC addict but I definitely try out other brands, too, and these colors are crazy gorgeous! My pics don't do it justice - the purple used in the main part of the lids is crazy vibrant! There are some really pretty neutral colors in the palette as well for more work-appropriate looks. Can't wait to try more looks with this!

The Office - Superbowl Style

So I finally caught up with last night's episode of The Office. OMG - HILARIOUS.

Honestly, I was laughing the entire time but here are the moments that almost brought me to tears:

• The frantic fire drill part when Oscar leapt into the ceiling, Angela revealed her sleeping kitty, Michael yelling cuss words, etc..
  
• When everyone started dancing along to Stayin' Alive during the CPR lesson
• Each time Dwight and Michael got dragged into corporate
  
• Michael's thoughts on everyone - "Boom. Roasted."

And many more...

Although to be honest, I really didn't care for the Jack Black / Cloris Leachman bit - ewwwww...


(And yay for updated opening credits!)

What were your favorite moments?

Britney Spears week on America's Best Dance Crew

Every now and then, I check out MTV's America's Best Dance Crew. Season 1 was awesome (hello, Jabbawockeez)! Season 2 was kind of a dud. Season 3 is about three weeks in and is somewhere in between. BUT last week's episode totally rocked - it was all about Britney Spears!!!

My two favorite crews this season are Beat Freaks and Quest Crew. Beat Freaks are all girls, but they don't resort to sexy girly stuff - those girls are hard core! And I recognize one of the girls from being a back up dancer in tons of pop music videos. Quest Crew is more of a b-boy crew and features two of my favorite dancers from So You Think You Can Dance, Hok and Dominic.

If you want to see what the show is all about, here are clips of their Britney-inspired performances. The show airs on MTV on Thursday nights at 10PM.

Beat Freaks - Womanizer (Performance starts at 1:50)


Quest Crew - Toxic (Performance starts at 0:58)

Basics of Threading...

So I finally figured out threading! Well, sort of. I would never do it to actually shape my eyebrows but I can at least clean up the stray hairs around it. I still need a lot more practice but I was happy to be able to grab some of the hairs this morning. I had tried it once before but could not get it to work - I think I was using too big of a loop or something. Or maybe not positioning it the right way.

Anyway, here's a really helpful video from Pursebuzz that breaks down the basics. Pursebuzz also has a really fun beauty website as well.


Normally, I get my brows threaded maybe once a month or so for cleanup and then I would just tweeze them for basic upkeep. But I got in trouble for doing that last time I went to get my eyebrows threaded... when you pluck them, you pull out everything so that when they grow back in, they grow back thicker. Not a fun look. So I'm going to try to thread them myself in between visits so that the hair grows back in fine vs thick instead.

Kelly Kelly Kelly

I'm totally digging Kelly's new single... yay, Kelly's back! I was a little skeptical when I first heard the song title, but it's a totally fun tune! The song and video remind me of "Since You've Been Gone" but hey, that rocked so it's all good with me :)

Check out the full video here.

Do you like?

Real Housewives... so sad!

I feel sick to my stomach after watching tonight's episode of Real Housewives of Orange County.

First - you've got Jeana... the way her sons talk to her is HORRIBLE. They should feel ashamed of themselves. I mean, I know I'm not a perfect angel with my mom but I would NEVER ever be that rude to her... especially in front of her friends (and the whole country for that matter!) Colton yells at her and her friend (although Vicki is pretty annoying) for eating ice cream, Shane yells at her for wanting to greet him at his baseball game. And Jeana allows it! She just blows it off like it's nothing and then in her interview, she defends them! "Oh, Colton just takes his job so seriously for helping me watch my diet. Shane just gets embarrassed by too much attention." WAKE UP, JEANA! And I totally agree that the boys' behavior is directly related to how their dad talks to Jeana... it's just so sad for her to have to deal with it from these yahoos as well.

And then there's Lynn and her daughter Raquel. Raquel went to a high school for "troublemakers" and graduated in '07, tried college but didn't like it, now she just lives at home doing nothing except fighting over her designer clothes with her sister, openly participating in underage drinking, waking up only so that the housekeeper can clean her room... yuck!

Hopefully seeing this show helps these spoiled brats realize what LOSERS they are and help them get their lives together. Make the most of your life and be nice to your mom!

Take Two

My friend was kind enough to point me to these much higher quality clips of the entire frickin' movie! BUT some portions between the clips are cut :(

(On a side note, I'm surprised Yahoo is hosting these.)

Part 1
Credits to Bella: "Anaphase." Edward: "Like I said."

Movie6.net Part 1 @ Yahoo! Video

Part 2
Edward: "Why did you move to the wettest place in the continental US?" to trying on dresses in Port Angeles (Bella: "That's disgusting.")

Movie6.net Part 2 @ Yahoo! Video

Part 3
Jessica: "Bella, what do you think?" to lying in the meadow

Movie6.net Part 3 @ Yahoo! Video

Part 4
Meadow scene to first kiss (part is cut out)

Movie6.net Part 4 @ Yahoo! Video

Part 5
Bella: "Hey, don't go." to Bella arrives at ballet studio

Movie6.net Part 5 @ Yahoo! Video

Part 6
Bella arrives at ballet studio to ending

Movie6.net Part 6 @ Yahoo! Video

Inspired Look: Temptalia's Bronzes, Pinks, and Golds

I decided to play around with a look that I saw on one of my favorite beauty blogs, Temptalia.com: Bronzes, Pinks, and Golds.



She used a lot of colors from the MAC Brunette, Blonde, and Redhead collection that just came out last week. I didn't have any of them so I used her suggestions for substitutions (also called "dupes").

Here's what I used (all MAC unless specified otherwise):

• Eyes: Motif eyeshadow, Expensive Pink eyeshadow, Urban Decay Mildew eyeshadow, Smut eyeshadow, Shroom eyeshadow, Clinique deep brown creme liner, Urban Decay Bourbon 24/7 Liner (brown), Maybelline Define-a-Lash mascara (black)
  
• Brushes: 1/4" Loew's Cornell Maxine's Mop (narrow flat eye shader brush), 239 (flat eye shader brush), 217 (blending brush), 227 (large fluff brush), 208 (angled eye liner brush)
  

Directions: On the inner lid, apply Motif eyeshadow using a 1/4" Loew's Cornell Maxine's Mop brush (from Michael's). Apply Expensive Pink eyeshadow to the middle of the lid using the 239. Darken the outer lid using Mildew eyeshadow and drag into crease using the 217. Darken the outer V further with Smut using the 217 in small circles. Sweep Shroom underneath the brow bone to highlight with the 227. Apply deep brown creme liner using 208 along upper lashline. Finish with Urban Decay Bourbon Liner on lower lash line and Maybelline Define-a-lash mascara on lashes.



So... not quite as pretty as the look she did, but I kind of like it for an every day neutral look!

Twilight in 30 seconds...

Still haven't seen Twilight? Here's the 30 second version with those funny bunnies.

My favorite part is when "Edward" scares off the bad guys in the Port Angeles scene.

Obamicon Me!

How exciting was the inauguration this morning! It's so amazing when we can witness truly monumental moments in history during our lifetime. On a side note, I think Obama's oath swearing biffs were kind of charming. I mean, he's always so articulate and spot on! To see him stumble over his words was kind of cute. I guess both he and the chief justice were a little nervous.

Anyway... I'm totally entertaining myself on Obamicon.me.







Make your own here!

Latest iTunes downloads...

I'm always interested in music suggestions, especially ones that are good for running. In case anyone is interested in what I've been downloading, here are the last five tunes I've picked up:

1. Let It Rock - Kevin Rudolf & Lil Wayne


2. I Hate This Part - The Pussycat Dolls


3. Sober - P!nk


4. Untouched - The Veronicas


5. That's What You Get - Paramore (totally due to Rock Band)


As you can see, I'm a total top 40/pop-loving girl. But I will say that my recent Audrey mixes have been a hit with my friends :) Here are the playlists in case you're looking for song ideas...

Mix #1
Mix #2
Mix #3

Bootleg Twilight clips

One of the reasons that I've seen Twilight so many times is that there are so many scenes that I just love and want to see over and over again. (When was the last time so many of us ladies absolutely swooned at the movies?)

So I know I'm one of the many that can't wait for March 21st to roll around so that we can finally get our grubby hands on the DVD.

Until then, I came across some totally ghetto bootleg clips of the movie - as in clips that people recorded while sitting inside the movie theater. Totally funny to watch but still, I'll take what I can get! Enjoy!

Introduction to the Cullens in the Cafeteria


First Encounter in Biology Class


First Conversation in Biology Class / Accident Scene


What If I'm the Bad Guy?


Port Angeles


Dinner for Two


Forest Scene


Going Public


Meeting the Cullens


Frolicking in the Trees / Playing Bella's Lullaby


First Kiss (eeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!)


Vampire Baseball


Prom Scene


Who knows how long some of these will be up so enjoy while you can!

Victim of brand marketing...

I've recently come to the realization that I'm a total sucker for certain brands. Those sneaky marketing people! (Which I say with respect since that does happen to be my profession - except I do it for much less exciting products)

I'm talking about brands that I consistently buy products from - even if competitor products may be better quality, price, etc. I just love the brand!



I'm definitely not a coffee connoisseur (had to "dictionary.com" that, by the way) but I love getting a Starbucks treat from time to time. I don't even think to try out other coffee places. I remember being at a fair once and I saw a girl drinking from a clear plastic cup with a green straw and immediately I thought "Starbucks!". (Alas, it was not.) And I love when the red holiday cups come out, too.



Personally, I think Nike hands down has the cutest running apparel for women. But I think I might be one of the few that actually like their running shoes as well. I also like their NikePlus system (although I have been relying more on my Garmin in the past year). But Nike is always my go-to brand for workout gear. I almost bought a Nike golf glove for my dad as well!




I became a MAC addict last year - they definitely have a good thing going. They've got me tricked into thinking that $11 for a single eyeshadow is a good deal! That $30 for a single brush is well worth it! But I will say this - I use products from a bunch of different brands as well (both drugstore and high end) and I truly believe that at least in terms of eyeshadows and eye brushes, MAC stuff is well worth the price.



I love all my Apple products! I've had iPods for some time now but just recently acquired a MacBook Pro and an iPhone last year. I also use iTunes as my go-to music store - and I'm thrilled about this DRM-free thing! I just realized I can't burn my iTunes songs to a disc more than 7 times. Lame! Anyway, I've already expressed my love for my new Apple products in my post below but I just can't get over how slick everything is on Apple products. So fun to use!

********

What brands are you guys suckers for?

All About New Moon

OK, so I think it's only mildly inappropriate that I have a crush on 22 year old Robert Pattinson. Actually, to clarify, I only have a crush on his portrayal of Edward Cullen (more on that in a separate post).

Now on to Jacob, aka Taylor Lautner. To be honest, I was pretty much indifferent to the actor although I was happy to hear that he was able to secure his role in the New Moon film.

But did you see Pink is the New Blog post this?



YOWZA! We had heard that he had been bulking up since finishing Twilight... I have to say, this is very impressive. But he's only 16! I just hope that come November when New Moon comes out, I won't be developing a wildly inappropriate crush. I mean, he's a teenager!!! Ick!

ANYWAY, on to Vanessa Hudgens, aka Gabrielle from all those High School Musical movies. Supposedly, she auditioned for the role of Leah Clearwater. I think that would be very interesting. I mean, she looks the part although I never pictured Leah as a cute girl since she's such a brat in the books. But can Vanessa pull it off? One of the reasons I loved Twilight the movie was the quality of the acting. And I've only seen Vanessa in the HSM movies which I know I enjoy, but c'mon, they're fluff!

I guess we should find out the cast soon since they're supposed to start production in March, right?

Update:

I saw the video clip where the above screenshots were taken and I don't think I'll be crushing on this kid anytime soon. Two reasons:

1) He went all "Oh SNAP!" when he flexed his biceps (really?)
2) He said "Jacob is in. Edward is out." Blasphemy!!!

See for yourself:

Random thoughts from the Golden Globes...

• I didn't realize Kate Winslet had never won a major award before
• Bruce Springsteen still looks pretty good!
• Along the same lines, Rumer Willis is quite pretty now as well - now that she is out of that awkward stage (as she wasn't bad in "House Bunny" either)
• That bit with Sally Hawkins and Emma Thompson was pretty funny
• Was Tracy Morgan on something during the 30 Rock acceptance speech or was that just part of the gimmick? Either way, it was funny...
• Loved the Steven Spielberg montage - he really must have the golden touch! (although his speech was a little rambling, right?)
• I thought it was a little odd that Danny Boyle didn't even turn to thank his stars when his name was announced as best director for Slumdog Millionaire. I mean, they were right next to him at the table! (But yes, he did thank them in his speech.)
• Kate Winslet is so cute! And how about that profession of love to Leo during her speech?!
• How did Blake Lively and Rainn Wilson get to announce one of the more prestigious awards of the night? (And what a weird combo!)
• I'm excited that Slumdog Millionaire won for best drama. Normally, I've never seen the nominated drama films :)
  

Thoughts on SNL...

I thought Neil Patrick Harris did a pretty good job last night. I think my favorite sketch was the Broadway one where he revived his role as Mark in Rent.

But the main thing that left me scratching my head is Taylor Swift who was the musical guest. Admittedly, I'm not familiar with her music but I am aware that she is a pretty big thing even outside the country music world. So I had some decent expectations of her and after her two performances, my thought was "Huh?" I mean, she's totally adorable but her vocal skills are pretty weak and I didn't think either of her songs were that memorable either.

But that's just me - maybe I need to hear them more. Although to be honest, I don't think I will be using any of my iTunes credits for her music anytime soon.

Click here for Entertainment's Weekly review on last night's episode...

Neil Patrick Harris to host Saturday Night Live!

This weekend - January 10th! So excited... will definitely set my DVR for this.

More info

Playing with Make-up: Blue / Turquoise / Lime Green look

Lately, I've been following a lot of make-up/beauty websites (ex. MakeUp Geek, Temptalia, Pursebuzz, Makeup and Beauty Blog)and I love when they do "look" posts. Basically, they show pics of a certain make-up look and then break down what products they used to achieve that look.

So please don't make fun of me... but I decided to try it myself! My disclaimer: I know I'm not a make-up expert or anything, I'm just *playing* here :) I'm not going to call these tutorials or anything, I just thought it would be fun to show some of the looks I've been playing around with.

I decided to do a bold and bright look for New Year's Eve. I tried this out on my sister once and it was really pretty so I thought I'd give it a try on myself. To give it an extra "kick", I added false eyelashes!

Blue / Turquoise / Lime Green Look



What I used (eyes only):

• Mary Kay eye primer to prevent creasing
• MAC Blackground paint pot on lid to help deepen color and make the eyeshadows really pop (otherwise, they don't show up on my skin...)
  
• MAC Deep Truth (royal blue) eyeshadow (e/s) on outer third of lid
  
• Prescriptives Marine (turquoise) e/s in middle of lid
  
  

• Mary Kay Lemongrass (light lime green) e/s in inner lid
  
• Repeat colors along lower lash line with a pencil brush
  

• MAC Carbon (matte black) in outer corners for more depth
  
• MAC Shroom (shimmery off white) as highlight under brow bone and in tear ducts
  
  
• Bobbi Brown black ink gel eyeliner on upper lid
• MAC Engraved power point pencil to line bottom waterline
• Modlash false eyelashes in #21 (super cheap at the drugstores) - second time wearing them, still getting the hang of it. They definitely finish the look better than my skimpy lashes!
• MAC Cork (light brown) e/s to fill in my brows
  

Another shot of the finished look:



I really liked it. A lot bolder than what I normally feel comfortable wearing, but I figured NYE was a perfect time to give it a try!

Let me know what you think! (interesting? lame? ok, maybe not that harsh - hahahaha)

Audrey's Top Ten Entertainment / Pop Culture Stuff for 2008

Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a wonderful New Year's Eve celebration.

Just wanted to do one more wrap up 2008 post on stuff that entertained me this year - I came up with this list while on the way to the mall over Christmas vacation so can't promise this covers everything but I think I got the main stuff. So here goes!

1. Facebook

Where do I begin with this? It's totally changed my life! Not only does it make my busy-body lifestyle so much easier in terms of stalking my friends :) but it has been an amazing tool for reconnecting with friends and family. I feel so much more connected to my "network" - even if I don't talk to them, I know what people are up to and it's such a nice feeling. And I love seeing friends from school all grown up and stuff.

Of course, I also laugh at how much extra "grief" it can cause. Friend requests, for one. My sister jokes that it is harder to get on my friend's list than to get into some fancy club. HA! Or knowing people's relationship issues based on their "status". Etc Etc. But I still love it and I check it obsessively. If you're not on it (I'm looking at you, Mr and Mrs G!) - just join already! I promise to "friend" you :) - yes, it's a verb now.

2. iPhone

#1 and #2 are actually a toss up because I really love both so much but I only got my iPhone recently so I made it #2. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my iPhone. It's just so slick and fun. Even when I was in Japan and didn't have access to the networks, I still had my phone at all times. I watched videos and listened to music while traveling to different customer sites or just played Sudoku.

I love the GPS capability because I am always getting lost. Yesterday, I was running with my friends in Danville - an area I'm not too familiar with. We wanted to go to Starbucks and I just used the Yellow Page application to find the nearest one to my "Current Location". Love it! I don't even need to know where I am anymore- haha. I feel very high tech with so much information at my fingertips.

I even love the little things - like the little sounds it makes when you take a picture or lock it. Sure, it has some limitations compared to smartphones - like no video or modem capabilities (for now, maybe?) but I don't mind because it is such a fun toy. Even my mom owns one and she loves it!

3. YouTube makeup tutorial videos

OK, I know this one really only makes sense to me but I've really learned so much this year about applying make-up from watching various YouTube tutorial videos. It sounds vain, I know, but I see it as almost a form of artwork and a place to practice creativity. It's really been fun for me this year to play with "new looks" and stuff, especially since I used to never wear make-up that much. But even just little basic things like lining your eyes and filling in your eyebrows just gives your face a more polished, cleaned up look.

The one drawback is that it definitely has had a big impact on my credit card - but oh well! At least it's not an unhealthy habit, right?

If you're curious to check some out, here is a sampling of my favorite "guru's". A lot of them do looks that are a little too bold for me but it's fun to modify them for a more conservative approach - heehee:

• AllThatGlitters21
• Fafinettex3
• MakeupbyTiffanyD
• MakeUpGeekTV
• MakeupbyRenRen
• MissChievous
• SarahVictor

4. Election - specifically Saturday Night Live coverage

OK, obviously the 2008 election was a huge moment in history and should be at the top of the list but I'm strictly speaking from my entertainment perspective. I loved SNL this fall with all their election "coverage". Who didn't die from laughing every weekend watching Tina Fey take on Sarah Palin? So hysterical! Or that one spoof of the presidential debate that had the guy playing John McClain aimlessly pacing back and forth in front of the camera blocking "Obama". Heehee!

And of course, watching the celebration once the results were announced was just awe-inspiring. A beautiful moment in American history. Can't wait to see the inauguration coverage!

5. Twilight

I really don't know if I've ever obsessed over any books / movie as much as this one! Sure, I loved the Harry Potter books but I literally could not put the Twilight series of books down - I devoured all four in less than two weeks. I initially thought it was just another crazy Audrey thing but then I kept discovering that other ladies my age were the exact same way!

I consider myself a cynic when it comes to romance so when I read the first book, I was constantly rolling my eyes at this crazy passionate love story between Edward and Bella. Mostly at how perfect this Edward was - so beautiful and god-like and so passionately and selflessly in love with Bella. He is described as so perfect, I thought how they heck can they live up to this in the movie?

And wow - Robert Pattinson was AMAZING as Edward Cullen in the movie. The movie in general has become a separate obsession in itself. Yes, I'll admit to have seeing it multiple times - it has so many swoon worthy scenes! But they also just did a wonderful job with staying faithful to the book while even enhancing the enjoyment of the story with all the amazing shots of "Forks, Washington". And it was definitely a movie for the "fans" - including a cameo by the author, a shot similar to the cover of the Twilight book, and having a great soundtrack that features scenes using music from one of the author's favorite bands (Muse) as well as two songs from Pattinson himself.

6. So You Think You Can Dance

I think this year was my favorite season yet - which says a lot, because the show is always amazing. My two favorite dancers were Katee and Mark and I was thrilled with the addition of choreographers Tabitha and Napoleon. I loved how their hip hop routines still had so much passion and emotion in them.

Also - I was so excited that we were FINALLY able to see Nigel and Mary shake their stuff during the finale show. We always hear about their dance background but we never get to see it so it was fun when they finally showed off their stuff.

My friends and I got to see the tour when it came to San Jose and we had such a blast!

7. Olympics

Beijing definitely didn't disappoint. The opening ceremonies were amazing! (Did you guys catch it when they showed an encore presentation last weekend?) But it really was about the athletes - hello Michael Phelps! It's so fun to cheer on with the rest of your country.

8. Lost

Lost was amazing this year! They whole flash forward thing added a whole level of excitement and intrigue to the show and kept us glued to our TVs trying to figure out who made up the Oceanic 6 and stuff. I also have to note that Jin and Sun episode because it was just so touching for me... when we thought we were seeing a flash forward for both Jin and Sun but it really was a flashback for one and a flash forward for the other, making us realize that only one of them made it to the Oceanic 6 (as far as we know).

I'm so excited for it to come back this month - I feel like a lot of my usual favorites (Grey's Anatomy, 30 Rock, Office, Ugly Betty) have sort of been blah for me this season. I hope Lost continues to keep us thrilled!

9. Beyonce's Single Ladies

The song is catchy, the video is slick, but it was really the spoof on SNL that made this song a top entertainment source for me for 2008. I literally watched that SNL spoof half a dozen times in a row - cracking up everytime and spotting some new dance move that I hadn't seen before. All those boys just killed me. People seem to dog on Beyonce a lot, but c'mon - she's a good sport, isn't she?

10. Britney's comeback

Awww... Britney, I'm so proud of her. She didn't make me cringe this year! Like I said in my earlier post, I wouldn't say she's 100% back but she's doing great and her songs are super catchy. I just hope she stays on the right track. That MTV profile on her was kind of sad at times so hopefully she finds more happiness while still being healthy.

***********

So that's all I've got for now. What do you think? Anything I missed?

MAC Holiday Collection - Lip Glosses Galore!

I know I briefly toyed with the idea of starting a make-up blog but since I'm so bad with updating the other ones I already have, why bother? (The only reason I'm being pretty good now is because I'm home but not working.) So I'm going to post my make-up related nonsense here...

I went crazy this season with MAC's holiday collection! I already bought some items early in the season but then right before Christmas, everything was marked 25% off! And MAC stuff never goes on sale (unless you go to the outlet), so I jumped on this. Personally, I love getting "sets" since I'm still experimenting and stuff.

You may have recalled from my earlier post that I was digging the lip gloss collections. Well, my sister came through and got me the one I wanted the most (the neutral lips) for Christmas. I then treated myself to the pink and coral ones using the MAC discount (did I mention they offered free shipping too?)

So here they are!!! It's like my own little lipgloss counter display :)



And here are swatches of all the colors on my hand:



Neutral (top row, from L to R): Languish, Love Nectar, Beaux, Mouthwatering, C-thru

Coral (middle row, from L to R): Wonderstruck, Budding, Ola Mango!, Pink Grapefruit, Underage

Pink (bottom row, from L to R): Flashmode, Little Vi, Song and Dance, Magnetique, Fleur de Light

Also, I'm starting to learn that MAC has their own special way of naming things. For example, these aren't really "lip glosses"... they are "lipglasses" and "lustreglasses". I think lustreglass is pretty much a lipglass with a sparkly shimmer. Also, the lipglass has those "doe foot" sponge applicators while the lustreglass uses a brush. I'm sure you are all glad that I've enlightened you on these details.

Anyway, in each of the sets above - the first two are lustreglasses and the last three are lipglasses.

So far, I've worn Love Nectar, Beaux, and Song and Dance and I've liked them all. I'm really excited about having so many different options now for different looks and stuff :)

Audrey's Top Ten Songs for 2008

OK, to be honest, I didn't spend that much time compiling this list so I'm not even sure if most of these songs came out this year - but after taking a quick scan of my playlists on iTunes, here are my favorite songs of the year.

The funny thing is that most of these songs were ones I downloaded after hearing them on one of the dance shows.

1. Don't Stop the Music - Rihanna

I think I fell in love with this song when they used it for the opening number for the "Idol Gives Back" special when they combined the talents of the contestants from "American Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance". It's just a fun song that always makes me want to boogie which also makes it good for running.

2. Forever - Chris Brown

Another song that makes me bop around... whenever this played in my car, I would find myself bouncing around and rocking to the beat. :)

3. Single Ladies - Beyonce

This is a totally catchy song - I got this song stuck in the heads of both my co-workers (male ones at that!) and my sister - haha.

4. Mercy - Duffy

I love the nostalgic sound of this tune - definitely different from what you normally hear.

5. No Air - Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown
6. Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis

These two are songs that I liked when they came out, but I really grew to love them when they were used on SYTYCD. And I think both were used in routines by two of my fave choreographers - Tabitha and Napoleon.

7. Say - John Mayer

Normally, I don't like John Mayer tunes - or maybe I just don't like him and his playboy ways. :P But when they used this song for that rumba routine between Mark Ballas and Kristi Yamaguchi on "Dancing with the Stars", I immediately had to download it. I like the romantic feel of the song.

8. Live Your Life - TI featuring Rihanna

Dude - I love this song. It always makes me start bobbing my head and sometimes I want to start waving my arms, too. (I know, I'm a nerd.)

9. Womanizer - Britney Spears

Aww... Britney is making a comeback! I wouldn't say she is 100% back but I loved seeing her sassiness back in this video.

10. Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine

And of course, there had to be some Twilight-related contribution since I now have possession of both the soundtrack and the score and have been listening to both obsessively.

This is the song used in the prom scene, aka the romantic ending of the film. I love the romantic sound of the song - it makes me feel all warm and mushy. But then I made a mistake. See, I normally don't really pay attention to the actual lyrics of songs - I'm kind of clueless that way. And then one day I realized I had no idea what this particular song was about so I went ahead and looked up the lyrics. My initial reaction? WTF!???? So now the song has lost a little of the magic for me, but I still love it. I'm sure this will still make my playlists one my Twilight obsession fades... although considering they're targeting November 2009 for the release date of the sequel, I don't think that will happen anytime soon.




What were your favorite songs of the year? I got some iTunes gift cards for Christmas so I'm always looking for some new songs to download.

The Office Ringtone!

I'm so excited - I just got the theme song from "The Office" as a ringtone for my iPhone. And for free, too! (I'm easy to please.)

They have it in other different formats as well. Right now I'm using the ringer for just my work contacts. At least then when they're bothering me on my cell phone, I'll at least be in a good mood because of the ringer. :)

The Office ringtone

Movie Review: Slumdog Millionaire

Over the holidays, I saw "Slumdog Millionaire" with my family. It was my brother's pick - I didn't know much about it other than it was getting rave reviews. I ended up liking it a lot and hope it does well during award season.

It's a film set in India but by a British director, i.e. it's primarily in English with a few subtitles here and there. It's basically about an 18 year old street kid who finds himself on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire". Surprisingly, he is able to answer every single question correctly so he is accused of cheating and ends up being tortured and interrogated.

We find out that each answer is related to something that happened in his life, some tragic, some celebration-worthy. And ultimately, he just wants to be reunited with his childhood love - who by the way is absolutely beautiful. Alternatively, the lead actor doesn't exactly have movie star looks but he did a great job in this role and you really rooted for him.

Some of the tragic parts were hard to watch and at some points, I had to look away. BUT it was those moments that made the ending that much more meaningful. And as an extra bonus, they added a Bollywood style number at the end during the credits which seemed a little out of place, but we stayed to watch it anyway and it was pretty entertaining.

On a side note, the grand prize of their version of the game show is 20 million rupees. In case you're wondering, that is the equivalent of ~$400,000 USD.

What is with the 'do?

I've just really never understood Kate Gosselin's hairdo. I remember how it started - you know, when she got that makeover after her tummy tuck. But it's like she's modified the 'do to take the front and the back to two different extremes. The front got longer, the back got shorter and spikier... some have referred to it as a reverse mullet.

I'm just glad that it hasn't caught on with middle America. At least I'm hoping it hasn't.



On a related note, I haven't been watching the show as religiously as before. I think all those Wedding in Hawaii episodes were too over the top for me. Too many freebies - no family present -what's become of them? And I hate seeing episodes where Mady and Cara have crying fits - they deserve some privacy. Well, all the kids deserve some privacy... especially now that they are all in school and other kids could be making fun of them and stuff based on what was on their show that week.

But the little kids still are a bunch of cuties.

Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Nov. 17

I found this on a fun blog so I thought I'd play along.

Mood: Happy - 5 more days until Thanksgiving vacation :)
Mascara: Cover Girl LashBlast
Last movie I watched: In a theater - Quantum of Solace, on TV - Center Stage: Turn It Up (reviews coming)
Lipgloss or lipstick: MAC Burgundy lip pencil with MAC Pink Air lustre lip color
Outfit: short sleeved, cream-colored sweater with light brown slacks (both from Ann Taylor / LOFT, which is where 80% of my work wardrobe comes from, 99% of which was bought on sale)
Shoes: Aerosoles brown loafer pumps
Blush: MAC Blushbaby
Eyeliner: Bobbi Brown gel liner in chocolate shimmer ink
Breakfast beverage: 20 oz of water on the way to work
Goals for the week: Go running at least once, pack for trip home, tie up loose ends at work so I don't have to stress about it while on vacay

How about you? Post your inputs below! :) Here's the list -

Mood:
Mascara:
Last movie I watched:
Lipgloss or lipstick:
Outfit:
Shoes:
Blush:
Eyeliner:
Breakfast beverage:
Goals for the week:

SNL spoof on Beyonce's Single Ladies video

Catching up on last night's SNL... Paul Rudd hosted with Beyonce as the musical guest.

Justin Timberlake stopped by... he did a bit during Weekend Update which was kind of funny, kind of gratuitous. By far, my favorite sketch is the one that combined the talents of JT, Paul Rudd, and Beyonce... so hilarious!


(Hopefully this one doesn't get deleted!)

Update: Make sure to check out Paul Rudd's moves in the last 25 seconds of the clip. I missed it the first few times I saw this - and it was worth watching over and over again.

I actually love this song and the original video (below). I just wish it was available as a single on iTunes. (Update: I just got it! It became available with the release of Beyonce's new album - yay!)