FOTD: Finally Got Naked!!!

The Naked.  The Naked Palette.  The Urban Decay Naked Palette.  Yup.  I got it.  At long last.  All thanks to my pal Jennifer over at Incandescent Designs :)  She knew I was in desperate need want for one so when Urban Decay finally fixed their eyeliner problem and sent a new shipment of Naked palettes to the stores sometime in February, she was sweet enough to get one for me.  I drooled.

I know many people are wondering "what's the big deal about this palette?"  Truth be told, nothing.  There's nothing in it that is absolutely outstanding...I think it's more the combination of shades that most people wouldn't normally pull out of their makeup drawer and apply everyday.  We all have neutrals, but when have they ever been hyped so much?  The Naked palette is our reminder of all the beautiful and fun things we can do with such simple and basic shades.  It's the creativity and ideas that come out of seeing the combo of colours and out of seeing the cool things that other people are doing with it that attracted me to the palette the most.  Otherwise I probably have most of these shades in some shape or form in other products.  Mind you, Urban Decay quality is top notch, so I didn't mind forking out the extra dough to get all these shades in a high quality shadow all in one palette - it's extremely convenient for travel, and for those days you just don't feel like rummaging through your makeup drawer to find a nice neutral. 

While I've been playing with this palette quite a bit, here are my first FOTD photos using the palette:

For this look, I only used the last two shades:  Creep (dark blue with a hint of sparkle) and Gunmetal (blue-gray).  I simply applied Creep all over the lid and then lightened it up with a touched of Gunmetal in the center.  I used black eyeliner on top of the lash line and in the waterline and added two coats of black mascara to create a smokey eye. 

And then I took Arianne's advice and moved to my sister's room which has a whole lot of daylight that I don't get to see (my window faces the brick wall of the house next door) and took some brighter shots:

I think I'm going to take my FOTD shots in this room from now on - the colours come out so much better and are a truer representation of what they look like in real life.  I slapped on a pale pink lipstick and a pink blush to compliment the smokey eye, but to be honest I barely re-applied the lipstick throughout the day.  I like the look of smokey eyes with bare lips. 

And of course this was the total outfit:

Again, I don't have a full-length mirror that gives this much light, so this was the best I could do!  I bought the dress from Jacob last year, the cardigan from H&M ummmmm maybe 3 years ago (or longer!) and the necklace is from Jacob as well.  The tights are opaque purple from HUE. 

I loved this look - it was so easy to pull together and extremely comfortable to wear throughout the day :)

So did you like this Naked look?  Have you dabbled into the palette yet?  Do you agree that it's really nothing special...but have given into the hype anyway, just like me?

I'd love to hear from you :)

Are Beauty Bloggers Totally Crazy? (Oh and a little FOTD ft. NYX & MAC)

Sometimes I think we are.  I don't really know anyone else who can take 65 pictures of her own lips just to get the right shot of the lipstick at the right angle with the right lighting showing the right shade at the right bump of her lip.  Nor do I know anyone else who would buy a camera and tell the sales guy "I need a camera that takes good pictures................of me" (sorry Michelle, I HAD to put that out there!).  Oh and what about spending so much time in the morning trying to get the right lighting for her FOTD photos that she nearly misses the train to work...often?  That last one is me.  I typically myself a sweaty, huffing and puffing mess trying to catch my breath after literally sprinting to catch my train in the morning.  But it's okay because I was able to take my blog photos and they were just right.
 
Yup - we are crazy.  Well, at least the beauty bloggers who are like me and take 35 photos just to get 1 good one.

***End of rant.***

Here are the FOTD photos that led me to Wednesday morning's sprint...and after seeing them I'm STILL not happy with the lighting...but oh well. 

The usuals:
- Face concealer: Vasanti Liquid Cover Up in V4
- Eye primer: MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre
- Face powder: Vasanti Facebase in V4
- Eye liner: Annabelle Smudgeliner in Oh My Goth
- Mascara: Maybelline Falsies

The new stuff:
- Eye shadow: all three shades from NYX Eyeshadow Trio in Yellow Pearl
- Lip liner:  MAC Boldly Bare
- Lipstick:  MAC Lustre lipstick in Marquise D'  

Swatch from the NYX Cosmetics website



I bought the NYX eyeshadow palette at the last Toronto IMATS show and used it for the first time yesterday.  It's a nice trio of yellow and golds that are not too bright or tacky.  I will say though, they go on much lighter than they appear on the website --->
To give an idea of the pigmentation, I used all three shades in the pic below - you can see how light they go on...doesn't even look like I used the middle shade!  I found this to be true for the last NYX eyeshadow palette I tried as well.   

Does anyone else find NYX shadows to be less-than-pigmented? 

I don't buy them often, so I'm curious....



The lipstick I matched it with was another product that was lying my collection completely untouched:  MAC's Marquise D' lipstick.  It's from the 2009 Brunette, Blonde, Redhead Collection, so I must have picked this one up at a MAC warehouse sale, because I definitely did not buy it at a counter.  But I LOVE it.  It's an awesome sandy, peachy shade that's going to be making regular appearances on my lips this summer!  I paired it with the Boldly Bare liner that was all the hype last winter -   Remember it from the Too Fabulous collection?  Michelle at LipstickRules wrote a great post about it here.  Such a good liner :)

Together, the NYX palette and the MAC limited edition lip shades made my FOTD.  And these photos made my lungs burn as I was sprinting to the train.  *sigh* 

Have a great evening everybody! 

...and don't forget to let me know about the NYX shadows!!!

FOTD ft. NYX Black Label Lipstick & Cargo Essential Palette

I recently did a "consolidation" of my makeup drawers (which I will write about only after I get over the shock of how much makeup I actually have) and came across NYX's Black Label Lipstick in Dusty Rose.  I remember buying it at last year's IMATS but didn't try it out until Monday.  I combined it with Cargo's Cool Neutral Essential Palette and a Caryl Baker blush to come up with this FOTD:

- Face concealer: Vasanti Liquid Cover Up in V4
- Eye primer:  MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre
- Face powder:  Vasanti Facebase in V4
- Eye Shadow:  Mix of shades from Cargo Essential Palette in Cool Neutral
- Eye Liner:  Annabelle Smudgeliner in Oh My Goth
- Mascara:  Maybelline Falsies
- Blush:  Something from Caryl Baker - no name
- Lips:  NYX Black Label Lipstick in Dusty Rose

My favourite part of this look is the NYX lipstick: 

It's a fabulous rose-pink that glides on smoothly with gorgeous pigment.  The bonus:  it carries a light fruity scent that actually acts as an incentive to re-apply in the middle of the day.  I think it's a very pretty colour to rock this Spring!

Along with the FOTD I took some pics of my OOTD:

• Skirt: another great find from Rickis.com - unfortunately I don't have a full length mirror so you can't see that it's a knee-length, pencil fit
• Cardigan:  deep pink cardigan from Jacob
• Top:  this was from my DC haul over the summer - a beaded shirt from J Crew - love the detailing on the neckline...

Aaaaand I'm starting to love watches again!  I chose to wear this one from Fossil that I picked up about a year ago on a trip to the US:

 

So that was Monday's FOTD and OOTD!  I was really starting to feel inspired for Spring until we got a big snow dump in Toronto today.  But I can't say I'm surprised - it usually doesn't stop until mid to end of April, so we've got another month to power through and then hopefully we'll see more warm, sunny days.

Did you like/dislike anything about this post?  Have you tried any of the products?  Are you sick the Toronto snow?  Drop me a line...it can be about anything - I love hearing from you guys!

- Anjali
xoxoxo

QOTD: How Tall is TOO Tall?

Hiya!  Many of you who know me, know that I have the hardest time finding shoes.  At 5'10" my feet are a size 11 which is a nearly impossible size to fit.  Yes, mainstream stores like Aldo and Browns have 11s, but most of the time they are a small fit and my size-9-friends end up taking what are supposed to be MY size 11 shoes for themselves.  *sigh*

Soooo, when I find a pair of shoes that actually fit, you better believe I jump on them.  I recently ordered a pair of wedge sandals from Aldo.  They were on sale for $24.95CAD and would be great for the summer.  Here they are:

Cute right?  And they FIT!  Here's the problem.  The are FIVE freakin' inches tall!!!!  Sooooo, basically if I were to wear them, I'd be 6'3".

Here's my question to you...how tall is too tall?

I typically wear 3 inch heels and feel relatively comfortable in them.  They are easy to walk in and while I am taller than most women, I don't feel like I stand out too much.  But I really think the extra couple of inches will just put me over the top.  I guess I have never been comfortable with my height (but I LOVE high heels, go figure), so when I push over the 6'1" mark, I start to get very insecure.


Seriously, is 6'3" too tall for a woman?  I mean, if I can avoid being such a giant, should I?  I know what you're going to say, "do what feels comfortable, at the end of the day it's about how I feel about myself"...BUT I'd still like to know your HONEST thoughts.  So indulge me if you will.

If you saw a 6'3" giant Anjali walking toward you, what would you think?  I think "too tall".  

Agree or disagree?

FOTD: 6 Days til Spring - Some Inspiration!

Hi guys!  I think you can tell I am ready for Spring with today's FOTD and OOTD.  There are only 6 days...my countdown is ON!  I wanted to brighten up my look so I pulled out some of my favourite makeup products and created this (kinda basic) FOTD:

A summary of my faves:   

• Annabelle's Smudgeliner in Oh My Goth - I've been using this eyeliner for at least nine months now and cannot get enough!  It's a high quality, long lasting liner that is relatively cheap and available at almost any drug store...I'm all about cheap and convenient these days so I'm sticking to my Smudgy!

• Lise Water Blush in Beige Du Desert - I recently re-discovered this blush and it has been my go-to for about a month now.  It's a beautiful peachy/bronze shade that does wonders on olive skin tones.  You should try it. 

• Vasanti Long Lash Mascara - it's been a while since I've pulled this one out of the drawer...but now I remember how good it is.  The application below is just one coat, which was all I needed for a day-time-work look:

• And of course, the Plush.  Ohhhh how I love Plush!  I first wrote about this lipstick by Emani Minerals here...but it's just so beautiful that I must show you it again.

At the risk of sounding corny I'll say this pop of pink colour on the lips was all I needed to brighten my day :)

But of course the brightness did not stop at the lips.  Today's cardigan was just as vibrant.
I have to admit, I've put myself on a bit of a budget lately so I've been looking for cheaper options for clothing shopping.  I had never given Ricki's much attention in the past, but after perusing their website a few times since the beginning of the year I'm starting to realize you can find a few nice pieces at great prices (see this dress and this skirt).  A few weeks ago I ordered their new cardigan online and got this:

I love the colour, fit and style - perfect for some Spring/Summer inspiration!

What are YOU doing to brighten up your look these days?

Drop a line :) 

- Anjali 

Nail Art - what do people really think of it?

Nouvelle Vague by Chanel

The Globe and Mail recently ran an article on our growing obsession with nail art.  You can read it HERE.  I read it with pretty neutral emotion - being in the beauty industry I knew all bout the buzz surrounding Chanel's Jade and Nouvelle Vague - shades that have been nearly impossible to get a hold of since their release.  I also already knew that women spend hours (and plenty of dollars) on creating animal prints, sunsets and other funky designs on their nails just to fancy up their hands.  Heck, I even ventured into a little nail art myself.  Well, I wouldn't call mine art...it was more a discovery of fimo slices and an exploration of how to use them.  While some call it nail art, others refer to it as expressing themselves through their hands.  Either way, by the end of the article I wasn't surprised to read that the nail industry is a multi-billion dollar industry that has yet to reach its tipping point. 

That was all fine and dandy until I read the comments posted at the end and just had to laugh out loud, literally!  Take a look:

Because I am very much immersed in beauty chatter (I surround myself with the communities on Facebook and Twitter and am always reading magazines and blogs), I often forget what people outside of the industry are really thinking.  While we are growing our nails to be long, pretty and nail art-friendly, others are grossed out by them.  While we spend time, energy and money on fancy designs, others are laughing at them. 

I realize people will criticize and laugh at anything and that we've got to keep doing the things we love in order to stay happy (and sane if you ask me)...BUT sometimes it's interesting to see what other people are thinking and saying about things we choose to spend our time on.

Photo: hitmasty.com

Personally, I think nail art is fun.  Admittedly, I don't spend too much time on my nails and I probably wouldn't choose to do a zebra print (although the photo on the left is kind of tempting me), but I don't judge or criticize others who do it.  In fact, I am usually the one admiring other people's hands wishing I spent more time on mine.  That said, when you think about the numbers and realize that the NAIL industry is worth billions...THE NAIL INDUSTRY...it's seems a little crazy.  I can understand why others on the "outside" would think we're totally insane.  But I love it anyway :)


What are your thoughts on the topic?  Do you love nail art?  Are we totally insane?  

Leave a comment :)

Some Answers...and Pictures.

YES!  I am still alive.

YES!  I have been a bad beauty blogger.

NO!    I have not been working out very much.
YES!  That last one is changing...hey I went to the gym TWICE today :)
YES!  I will be back to regularly blogging very soon.
NO!    I do not have an excuse other than school and work have been very busy and I have not made time to blog.
YES!  I have managed, however, to get a few product reviews in for GetStunning.com so you can check these out:  Rimmel Vinyl Gloss, Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh Fragrance
YES!  Because we beauty bloggers are NOT camera shy, I have some photos from the past few weeks.

Some days I don't want to do homework or study so I play games like 

"How high can you get your bun?" 

Think you can beat me?  Prove it.
Seriously, send me a link in the comments or email me a photo - I need some entertainment :)

Some days I actually make it to the gym and feel strong-like-bull:

Mostly I am at home studying:

Some days I don't like studying when everyone else is out having fun:

Other days are better :)

Sometimes I feel that time just flies by...can you believe it's already MARCH???

Onetime I tried a new hairstyle.  Since I cut my bangs in the Fall I haven't worn it back like this...do you like it?  Should I do it more often?

For the most part I am like this - cool, calm, collected, thinking, studying, writing...with minimal makeup and messy hair :P

I miss my blog and my readers and reading my readers' blogs.  I'll be back though, get ready for it :)

- Anjali