2011 Beauty Favorites

Hi everyone! Here is an overdue post on my favorite beauty products for 2011. I'm astounded that 2011 is already over, but I'm excited to start anew! I have so many goals set for 2012, one being to be less neglectful of this blog. I'm going to try to post on a consistent basis, although I predict that I may go on a hiatus once optometry school begins in August.

Skincare/Body:
-Basis Cleaner Face Wash: leaves my face feeling squeaky clean and is great for sensitive skin (soap free, oil free, etc.)
-Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream: diminished my dark under eye circles in just a week of consistent use.
-Sonia Kashuk Eye Makeup Remover: always removes every trace of eye makeup.
-Tree Hut Brazilian Nut Body Wash: smells amazing!
-Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towlettes: removes my face makeup without irritation and leaves my skin feeling clean and refreshed.

Makeup:
-Urban Decay Naked Palette: my go to palette for any neutral or smokey eye look.
-Milani Liquid Eyeliner: is budge-proof throughout the day and has a sharp tip for drawing precise lines.
-Revlon Lip Butters: comes in a variety of colors, cute packaging, and really moisturizing. My favorite color is Fig Jam (pictured). It looks really dark in the tube, but is much lighter on the lips.
-Loreal Magic Souffle Foundation: provides good coverage, does not look cakey, and stays put throughout the day.
-Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation: provides good coverage, does not look cakey, and stays put throughout the day.
-Amazing Concealer by Amazing Cosmetics: conceals blemishes very well
-Stila Kajal Eyeliner in Pearl: my favorite eyeliner to use in the inner corners of my eyes. So creamy, bright, and stays put all day.

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Indian Style Chicken Curry

I fell in love with Indian cuisine during my first semester of college when I visited a restaurant called Sitar India in Philadelphia, PA. Ever since then, I crave Indian food at least once a week. I have cooked several Indian curry recipes, but I finally found my go-to Indian curry recipe. I followed this recipe almost to a T, but made a couple modifications to better suit my palate. Here are the ingredients I used:

Pictured: (L to R) cayenne pepper, garam masala, coriander, crushed tomatoes, curry powder, turmeric, plain yogurt, boneless chicken breast, cilantro, onions
Not pictured: minced garlic, potato, ground ginger, cumin

Directions:
1) Cut 2 lbs of chicken into bite sized chunks. Season with 2 tsp of salt. Cook chicken until lightly browned.

2) Put chicken aside. In the same skillet, cook 1.5 cups of diced onions, 1 tbsp of minced garlic, and 1 tsp of ground ginger until the onions are translucent.
3)Stir in 1.5 tsp of curry powder, 1 tsp of coriander, 1 tsp of turmeric, 1.5 tsp of cayenne pepper, 1 tsp of cumin, and 1 tbsp of water. Cook for about 1-2 minutes.
4) Mix in crushed tomatoes (14.5 oz), 1 cup of plain yogurt, 1 tbsp of chopped cilantro, 1 diced potato, and 1 tsp of salt.
5) Return the chicken to the skillet and add 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil.
6) Add 1 tsp of garam masala and 1 tbsp of chopped cilantro. Reduce heat, cover, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

7) Serve over rice, naan bread, or whatever your heart desires.

Link to original recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/indian-chicken-curry-murgh-kari/detail.aspx

I poured a generous amount over jasmine rice. It was delicious! Keep in mind, Indian cuisine is generally spicy. I have a high tolerance for heat, so I added more cayenne than the recipe called for. I will definitely be making this on a regular basis.

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Cream Cheese & Banana Stuffed French Toast

This is a recipe that I whipped up (no pun intended) this morning. It was very easy to make, and tasted delicious! The recipe is below. If you put your own spin on this, I would love to see how your french toast turns out.

Serving: 6

Filling:
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp cinnamon
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
strawberry jelly (or any fruit jelly)
3 small bananas

Batter:
3 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Other:
6 slices of bread
Dash of powder sugar
Maple syrup

1) Mix cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract until smooth. Spread the mixture onto each slice of bread, along with your favorite fruit spread. Add sliced bananas on 3 slices of bread. Place a slice of bread without bananas on top of a slice of bread with bananas.
2) Combine eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a wide bowl. Whisk until smooth.
3) Melt 1 tbsp of butter on a non-stick skillet over low-medium heat.
4) Dip the bread in the mixture for approximately 5-10 seconds. Make sure both sides of the bread are saturated in the batter.
5) Transfer the soaked bread onto the skillet. Cook until golden brown on each side.
6) Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and drizzle with maple syrup if desired. Slice diagonally along each to create 6 servings.

I ate mine with a small side of strawberries and a glass of orange juice. I am stuffed! (no pun intended here either) Enjoy! :-)

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My 10 Summer Must Have Beauty Products for Summer

Hi everyone! I was skimming through my blog, and I realized that almost all of my posts are either monthly favorites or hauls. So, today's post is going to be different. Summer is drawing close, and quite frankly, I'm not too upset about it. Summer used to be my favorite season because I would be out of school, and I was always confident about my body. However, since my first year of college, I have gained 30 pounds and I have lost a good chunk of that confidence. I am currently working on an exercise and "diet" plan that is feasible. Once I develop this plan, adhere to it, and (hopefully) see results, I will blog about it. I don't have a specific weight as a goal because I don't want to set myself up for failure and become discouraged. I just want to feel and look healthier, which is far more important than the number that displays on the scale.

Anyway, the main topic of this post is to share my top 10 beauty must haves for summer. I will also include some recommendations.

1) Sunscreen: This should be on everyone's top 10. It is very important to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays. Yes, you can still get a tan wearing sunscreen (just to clear up any misconceptions). Every sunscreen should have SPF, which is the ability of a sunscreen to block UVB rays. Both UVB and UVA rays contribute to skin cancer, but UVB rays are more associated with sunburns. According to WebMD, a suncreen that has an SPF higher than 45 offers just as much protection as a sunscreen with SPF 45. Thus, a sunscreen with SPF 100 offers the same amount of protection as a sunscreen with SPF 45. It's essentially a marketing technique: more people will reach for the sunscreen with SPF 100 because they think they are getting more protection.
Recommendations:
-Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock, SPF 100
-Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion w/ SPF 60
2) Tinted moisturizer: Tinted moisturizers provide coverage (anywhere from sheer to moderate), but are typically more lightweight than foundations.
Recommendations:
-CoverGirl Smoothers SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer
-Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer w/ SPF 30
-Physicians Formula Healthy Wear Tinted Moisturizer SPF 50
-Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20
-Hourglass Illusion Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free SPF 15
3) Lip balm w/ SPF: Your face needs protection, and that includes your lips too! During the winter and summer, my lips are constantly chapped and seriously resemble old raisins. That's not appealing. If you want some color on your lips, you can layer a clear lip balm underneath a lipgloss or lipstick, or just wear a tinted lip balm with SPF.
Recommendations:
-Soft Lips Lip Balm w/ SPF 20
-Burts Bees Lip Balm w/ SPF 15
4) Non-sticky lipgloss: I like to wear my hair down and drive with my windows down. Add a sticky lipgloss into that combination and you get a load of unwanted hair in your mouth--eck.
-Avon Glazewear Lipgloss
-Bare Minerals Buxom Lipgloss
5) Coral lipstick: Not everyone is on board with this trend, but I love it. Coral and (muted) orange are my favorite lip colors year round.
Recommendations:
-MAC Vegas Volt
-MAC Morange
-Illamasque Blaze
6) Cream blush: I prefer these over powder blushes during the summer because cream blushes have a longer lasting power. I typically like to set a powder blush on top of a cream blush, but lately, I have just been wearing cream blushes.
Recommendations:
-Sonia Kashuk
-Maybelline Dream Mousse
-NYX
7) Makeup setting spray: Makeup can run or melt off your face in heat. Makeup setting sprays will keep your makeup fixed in place, and I love that refreshing mist on a hot sunny afternoon.
Recommendations:
-Skindinavia
-Evian facial spray
-MAC Fix +
8) Deodorant: Who likes smelly, wet armpits? I don't think anyone does! Deodorant is a necessity, especially if you perspire easily.
Recommendations:
-Dove Antiperspirant & Deodorant
9) Bright eyeliner: Not everyone may be on board with this one either, but I love bright eyeliners for the summer. I like wearing a bright aquamarine or sea green color on my lower lashline for a pop of color. I don't do this everyday, but it's fun every once in a while.
Recommendations:
-Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencils
-Sephora Jumbo Waterproof Liners
10) Face powder: If you have oily skin, this is a must. I have dry skin, but during the summer, I need powder to keep my face makeup in place. I sweat easily too, so I need to blot every now and then to counteract the shine.
Recommendations:
-Maybelline Dream Matte Powder
-Cargo Blu Ray Pressed Powder
-MAC Select Sheer Pressed Powder

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May Favorites

(warning: long, run-on sentence to come) I know I have been neglecting this blog for a while now, but I have been extremely busy working on my 60 page thesis, studying for my final exams (with online shopping breaks that consisted of putting hundreds of dollars worth of clothing and shoes into the cart, and woefully clicking the x on my browser... while simultaneously redrawing the amino acid structures in the back of my mind), graduating, and starting full time work. Whew! Perhaps, I will write a separate entry on everything that has happened this month. Anyway, I still found time to try out a few beauty products this month, and have found some worth sharing!

MAC Cream Color Base in Pearl: I swipe this down my nose, dab a bit on my cupid's bow, and apply it to my cheekbones. It gives me a healthy, bright glow without making my face look excessively shiny.

Makeup Forever Mat Velvet + Foundation: I am in the color Natural Beige #40, and it is the perfect shade for my skin. The coverage is moderate, but it is easily buildable. I am going to do an in-depth review on this foundation in a few days.

Garnier Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller: I don't think the caffeine in this product makes my eyes look more awake, nor do I think the roll on packaging stimulates microcirculation. However, the color of this concealer matches my skin really well. It's quite sheer, but I don't have too much pigmentation under my eyes. If you have very dark circles, I would recommend a peach toned concealer over this one.

Neutrogena Rapid Clear Sore Pimple Gel: This isn't a miracle product, but if you are consistent with application, the pimples will disappear after 2-3 days. I get cystic acne--those large zits that are painful to touch--every time I'm on my period. Even if I refrain from popping them, they tend to leave scars. This product has effectively diminished those pimples without leaving scars behind.

MAC Lipstick in Vegas Volt: I love this color. It looks really bright in the tube, but gives my lips a natural looking flush. I do have pigmented lips, so the color may appear a lot brighter on those with paler lips.

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April Favorites!

Hi, lovely readers. I bought a lot of beauty products this month because Ulta had pretty sweet deals throughout the month, and Sephora recently had a code that took 15% off the entire purchase. The swatches are on the bottom of the post, as usual.

Sonia Kashuk Makeup Remover $9.99: I found my HG makeup remover. This is it. Best makeup remover EVER.

Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer $42: I got this from Ulta when these were 50% off, which makes me love this even more. The consistency is very similar to MAC's pro long wear concealer. It's primarily liquid, but slightly creamy. It is really easy to blend, conceals well, matches my skintone (I bought mine in medium beige, and I'm a NW25) and does not turn cakey on the skin.

John Frieda Flyaway Tamer $8.99: It comes in a tube with a mascara-like wand. The product is clear and unscented. I have a lot of "baby hairs" and flyaways, especially after I blowdry. I've tried using dryer sheets to calm my flyaways, but it only keeps them tamed for a few minutes. This product is really effective, and it doesn't make your hair turn stiff, oily, etc.

NYC Bronzer in Sunny $2.32 (not pictured): I applied this like a blush, and it gave my face a healthy glow. I haven't had much luck finding a bronzer that suits my skintone, but this bronzer is definitely flattering on me.

Mememe Pussycat Cheek & Lip Tint: My friend got me two of these when she visited the UK. I'm pretty sure you can't find this in the U.S., but can be ordered on Ebay. This is the perfect dupe for Benefit's Benetint, but at a fraction of the cost! Benetint is $28, and the Pussycat tint is around $14 on Ebay. This gives my lips a nice flush of red, almost as if I applied a cherry red lipstick and gently wiped it off with a tissue. It looks nice with a neutral or simple eye. I also tried it on my cheeks, but the color was a bit too bold against my somewhat fair complexion. I think it will look nicer on a darker skintone, so I'm excited to wear it on my cheeks during the summer. It is also pretty easy to blend.

TokiDoki Lip Stain in Cactus Friends $10: I'm not usually a fan of lip stains since they tend to dry out my lips. However, this lip stain doesn't dry out my lips and I love the color. It's a coral, orange color, which is one of my favorite lip colors to wear year-round. Also, I'm pretty content with the staying power of this lip stain. It doesn't stay on all day, but the color stays put for a couple hours.

Swatches:

L to R: Mememe tint and Toki Doki lip stain

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Review: Loreal Paris Magic Smooth Souffle Foundation

Before I start raving about this product, I'm going to provide some background on my skin type. During the winter, I have very dry skin. I get flaky, dry patches on my cheeks, the sides of my nose, and between my eyebrows. As the climate gets warmer, my skin gets less dry. During the summer, I have dry to normal skin with a slightly oily forehead. I also have extremely sensitive skin. Face products that contain the mildest ingredients can still cause irritation and redness.

I usually refrain from buying face products that don't have the following labels: for sensitive skin, oil free, fragrance free, non-comedogenic, and not tested on animals. The latter is not related to my skin type, but I must abide. I refuse to buy products from companies that test on animals. Unfortunately, I did not see ANY of these labels on this foundation jar, but I grudgingly purchased it per my best friend's recommendation (we have similar skin types). So here are the cons and pros of this product:

Cons:
-Packaging: the product is in a jar, which is not very hygienic. I use a clean cotton swab to retrieve the product.
-Coverage: my face is always red and I have some dark acne scarring on my chin. Unfortunately, the product does not provide enough coverage to conceal my flaws, but it is definitely buildable.
-Leaves a silky, almost oily residue when I first apply the product. However, this feeling does go away after a minute or so. This doesn't bother me because I like the added moisture, but this may not fare well with those who have oily skin.

Pros:
-Feels silky smooth (I know I listed this as a con, but it is a pro for me)
-Provides a matte, smooth look
-Isn't cakey
-I don't need a brush or a sponge to apply this.

Now, for some pictures... yes, I did some quick and messy editing. You can click on the pictures to enlarge them.

This is my skin after moisturizing and before the foundation:

This is my skin after foundation and before concealer:

This is my skin after foundation, concealer, and my makeup setting spray:

This product wins approval from me. Has anyone else tried this product? How does it work for you?

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