October Ipsy Subscription!

Hello,

I came home tonight and my Ipsy Bag was waiting for me!  I have been so good about not looking at anything related to Ipsy so I had no idea what to expect.  Plus for the last 3 months they have been doing more customized bags with like 10 different product options so you really don't know what you are going to get.

So this month's theme was "The Art of Beauty"

 

 

The bag is really cute and below it I placed a list of all the brands that could have been in the bag.

 

So what was inside?

 

 

First up Lip gloss from OFRA I don't know much about the brand so I checked it out -

"We provide a broad range of superior quality cosmetics created from the finest ingredients available. Our pro makeup is perfect for professional application and instruction, incredible under the camera, and fabulous for every day use. Our Body Glow products are wildly popular for a dramatic, striking all-over glow. Ofra Cosmetics has now developed a specialized line of advanced vitamin C-based skin care products for the professional as well. Our skin care line utilizes the newest innovations to combine natural, effective remedies with sophisticated technology, creating the perfect foundation for the most radiant makeup application."  It reminds me of Krylon if they sold skincare too. 

 

 

This gloss has some color, it's not sheer which I like.  It also has a plumping effect (which I always love) and it definitely tingles!

 

Up next -

 

Nourish Organic lotion in "Coconut & Argan" - yea!  This feels great and I always am looking for a great lotion for my scaly winter legs.

 

 

 

Yea!!!! Ole Henrickson Truth Serum - I have been considering a new serum and this is one I wanted to try!  I will do a better review in a few weeks once I try it out. 

 

The Zoya polish is Morgan and the color is a lovely plummy purple hybrid.

 

 

Here it is swatched and you can see it has shimmer in it too!  I'm definitely wearing this soon!



 

And finally...

 

From Sexy Hair - Spray Clay (what !?!) -

 

"Sexy Hair Spray Clay is a "next generation" of styling gives you the effect of clay in an easy to use spray form. Hold: 7, Shine: 1. Spray Clay allows for a fine and even application to achieve an allover texturized look and is great for all hair types needing added texture and movement with a dry, non-waxy hold."

 

I do not know what this will do... but I think it might be good for my hair as it sometimes too soft and needs some hold and shape.  We will see!

 

So once again I am so impressed with my little $10 subscription - plus I realy want to know more about OLFA!

 

What products would you like to get?

 

Jasmine


 

 

 





Korean Skincare Haul

Hello,

I mentioned last week that a lovely friend of mine brought me back some skincare and cosmetic items from South Korea when she went a few weeks ago. Here is the Haul!

Ohhh la la Some full face sheet  masks and 10 eye patch masks!  I reviewed the eye patches Here!  The green masks is one of the infamous snail serum masks!


And then...

 

Masks from Shara Shara, more snail! And Mung Bean and Collagen and the one I am most excited about Hyaluronic Acid (this helps you retain moisture so it will be awesome in a couple months).

 

 

 

Missha BB Cream!!  Yea haw!  I have wanted this for so long!  Plus some awesome fun samples :)  Can you tell how excited I am for all this stuff - I squeeee every time I look at it!

 

 

And finally a too cool for school eye shadow - it's buttery soft and blends really well.  The color is navy with a turquoise sparkle - perfect for smoky night eyes.

 

And that's it!  The only scary part is I can't read the directions...but a mask is a mask right?!?!  Let's hope!

 

What's your favorite foreign beauty product!

 

Jasmine





Inner Beauty - Book Review

Hello,

I'm a bit late doing my book review again this week, I have been busy with "real" life!  We had houseguests, a very busy week at work and Friday I drove 2 hours each way in HORRIBLE Chicago traffic to see my family for 3 hours.  I hope this week is calmer.

Anywhoo...

This week I read Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

 

 

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads.com:

 

"Set against Iceland's stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution.

Horrified at the prospect of housing a convicted murderer, the family at first avoids Agnes. Only Tóti, a priest Agnes has mysteriously chosen to be her spiritual guardian, seeks to understand her. But as Agnes's death looms, the farmer's wife and their daughters learn there is another side to the sensational story they've heard."

 

My thoughts - Plot aside, this was a really interesting look into Icelandic culture in the 1800's.  You can kind of guess how the "Story" is going to go but...then again it is not really a story but a fictionalization of actual events.  This is cool because you can Google images of the sites in the book and get a real image of life. 

 

I think this is a good winter read because this book is full of cold winter scenes!

 

Jasmine


Essential Cellulose Velvet Eye Patch

Hello!

I have a fun product to show you today.  It's part of a big haul of Korean beauty goodies my friend brought me back from Korea!

 

 

I don't know much about the brand AHC but here's what I found out online on their Site -

 

"A.H.C provides high quality professional skincare products, produced with its world-level high technology. It tries to develop high-tech cosmetics such as cosmeceuticals which integrates beauty and science, in order to bring a fundamental care on skin conditions. A.H.C’s products, based on the skin science mechanism, control skin functions and form the most optimized environment for skin to create healthy skin."

 

Well that sounds good!  So I gave them a try after work last night my skin has been feeling kind of tight lately and I get red really easily.

 

 

 

They are just kind of "in" the packet, it's got a lot of extra gel/serum in there and you slide them out.  I couldn't tell which side was the "right" side so I just slapped them on.  They sort of stick to your face, and I left them on tell they "dried" out, about 15 minutes.

 

And here's the Before and After...

 

Can't tell the difference - neither can I!  But it felt different, the area around my eye felt hydrated and smooth.  I have 9 left so I am going to save them up for a week and then try it once a week during the winter season!

 

 

Have you tried eye masks and what was it like?

 

 

Jasmine

 



Inner Beauty Weekend

Hello,

So yesterday I usually post my inner beauty Friday book review.  Seriously after Wednesday I didn't even know what day it was any more... we had houseguests coming, I have a family event next week, and 2 girls at work are out so I'm just confused half the time.  But I did read a lot somehow (a lot of commuting time on the El) and so I dub this "inner beauty weekend" and I will be working on it further by hopefully taking a nap about 2 o'clock today and enjoying brunch tomorrow with friends. 

The first book I finished was The Sparrow by Mary Doris Russell-

Here is the summary from Goodreads.com: It was predictable, in hindsight. Everything about the history of the Society of Jesus bespoke deft and efficient action, exploration and research. During what Europeans were pleased to call the Age of Discovery, Jesuit priests were never more than a year or two behind the men who made initial contact with previously unknown peoples; indeed, Jesuits were often the vanguard of exploration.

The United Nations required years to come to a decision that the Society of Jesus reached in ten days. In New York, diplomats debated long and hard, with many recesses and tablings of the issue, whether and why human resources should be expended in an attempt to contact the world that would become known as Rakhat when there were so many pressing needs on Earth. In Rome, the questions were not whether or why but how soon the mission could be attempted and whom to send.

The Society asked leave of no temporal government. It acted on its own principles, with its own assets, on Papal authority. The mission to Rakhat was undertaken not so much secretly as privately – a fine distinction but one that the Society felt no compulsion to explain or justify when the news broke several years later.

The Jesuit scientists went to learn, not to proselytize. They went so that they might come to know and love God’s other children. They went for the reason Jesuits have always gone to the furthest frontiers of human exploration. They went ad majorem Dei gloriam: for the greater glory of God.

They meant no harm.

My thoughts: This was actually a re-read for me as I read this like 7 or 8 years ago.   It was my first foray into "sci-fi"per se.  It was also interesting as I attended a Jesuit University so the description of the Jesuits priests and ideals rang pretty true.  I always like books that have some element I am familiar with or have experienced fully, it makes the story more real for me.  Although it drags a bit in the beginning I think overall it is quite a thought provoking book and not SOooo "sci-fi" as to be off putting.

Next up was White Girl Problems by Babe Walker-

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads.com:
"Babe Walker, center of the universe, is a painstakingly manicured white girl with an expensive smoothie habit, a proclivity for Louboutins, a mysterious mother she's never met, and approximately 50 bajillion Twitter followers. But her "problems" have landed her in shopping rehab--that's what happens when you spend $246,893.50 in one afternoon at Barneys. Now she's decided to write her memoir, revealing the gut-wrenching hurdles she's had to overcome in order to be perfect in every way, every day. Hurdles such as: - I hate my horse.
- Every job I've ever had is the worst job I've ever had.
- He's not a doctor, a lawyer, or a prince.
- I'll eat anything, as long as it's gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, low-fat, low-calorie, sugar-free, and organic.
In an Adderall-induced flash of inspiration, Babe Walker has managed to create one of the most enjoyable, unforgettable memoirs in years"

My thoughts: At first I thought this was an actual memoir.  And I was like "This is what is wrong with the world!" I mean she is a totally noxious, absorbed, vapid person.  Thank goodness this was a quick read because otherwise one might throw it across the room in anger.  It's like reading (What I imagine) Paris Hilton's diary might be like.  Then I looked up "Babe Walker" and realized she is a fictional character created by 3 friends and I was still like "this is what is wrong with the world!". Because why would you devote time to a fictional character like this in order to make a book out of it...because there is a market for it and that is just sad. 

And finally I just finished up "The American Heiress" by Daisy Goodwin-

 

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads.com :

"Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the twentieth century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts’, suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage."

 

My thoughts: This was ok.  If you want a poor little rich girl story this is kind of it, it also features no likeable characters.  It is a look at a very specific time and people (the gilded age) and actually currently we are in a similar economic situation.  The "gilded age" is the only time there was a bigger difference between rich and poor than there is now.  And the main character Cora is ridiculously rich.  But if you like period pieces and descriptions of lavish parties and houses than you might like this.

 

So there you have it, if you have any book suggestions for me please leave them below!

 

Jasmine

Swapoween!

Hello,

It's October and although I don't love all the pumpkin flavored madness that everyone else seems to enjoy I LOVE me some Halloween!  I also love, love, love doing swaps - You still can get in on Booktober HERE! 



Source

I also love Sesame Street and carving pumpkins so the above is just awesome to me!

 

I think most beauty bloggers love Halloween because it's an occasion when we can bust out our SKILLZ!  And wearing large amounts of makeup is not frowned upon :)

So when I saw the opportunity to join "Swapoween" hosted by the Chaotic Goddess Swaps  - I was super excited to join in the fun!




Here's the info:

Swapoween Rules

• Packages must contain Halloween-related goodies.
• Packages must cost a minimum of $30 and maximum of $40 BEFORE shipping.
• Send a package that you, yourself, would like to receive- it should be personalized to fit your partner's preferences and style.
• You must respond to emails from the swap hosts within a timely fashion.
• You MUST post and link up your swap reveal post after receiving your package. This

Important Dates to Remember

• Sign-Ups Close on October 5th, 2013
• Partners Assigned on October 6th, 2013
• Packages Ship between October 18th and October 19th, 2013
• Swap Show-Off Post/Linky goes life on October 22nd!is non-negotiable.

Want to join in?  You have until October 5th - signup HERE!

So what are you going to be for Halloween?  I need to come up with something good!

Jasmine

 

The Starting Off Project - Foundation

Hello-

I fell of track on the Starting Off Project but I'll try to sneak a few more in this week:




I left off on Foundation.

In my previous post on Concealer HERE I wrote about my preference to use concealer most of the time unless I really need a full face of foundation.  Because in my opinion if you are going to wear foundation - go all out with the big guns.
I have also included a link to my Foundation Routine Video 

But of course I would be remiss to not describe the various types of foundation.  I hear foundation called "base" as well and that's pretty much what it is - a cream or powder formula made to match your skin and give you the appearance of a perfect base.

Let's start off with the ridiculous-ness that is the "BB", "CC" "whateva" cream trend.  You know what it is? Tinted moisturizer with some Sunscreen - end off story.  I use it as a primer because I like the extra sunscreen, it acts as a bit of a redness corrector and I can wear it alone with concealer.  Here's my reviews of some of the products out there:The BB Cream Bible

Then there are the "natural" or "light" coverage foundations - blah.  You get more out of a BB cream.

The "medium" coverage - which is really what 80% of them are, a true full coverage foundation scares people.

And of course "full coverage"  which pretty much should cover anything and everything and make you all one color. 

Here's a link to 18 Foundation reviews I have done - Click Here


Now as to putting on the foundation - fingers waste a lot of product but work way better than the little triangle sponges.  A brush is really the way to go, the foundation dispenses evenly and you use a lot less product.

So now tell me about your favorite foundation!

Jasmine

Booktober Swap!

Hello!

I am so excited to be a part of the Booktober Swap hosted by Martha @ Quick, Cheap & Pretty!

This is what you NEED to know & be prepared to do for a successful swap:

The swap is open to all active bloggers, US and international. The swap opens on the first of October and closes on the twelfth, with matches sent out by October 17. Packages MUST be in the mail by the end of the month. Bloggers will be sent their match's email address so they can discuss the books they like best and swap mailing addresses; they can swap new or gently used books.

You can just hit the button above to jump around to the other co-hosts. Sign up is below!  Lets get our read on!

SIGN UP HERE!


Jasmine