Black Friday Feature: Sigma Makeup

Hello loves!

For those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday, I hope you had a great one!
I literally had too much fun yesterday and it's all thanks to my friends! As I had blogged before, I was a little worried about having to spend Thanksgiving alone since it was my first away from the family, but my friends really did make up for it! I would post pics, but I totally forgot to take them! >.< I always find myself doing that whenever I bring my camera around. Anyways, I think a friend of mine took some pics that maybe I'll post later.
We actually did some house hopping last night going from her relative's house to her family friend's houses. Each house expected us all to eat their food so basically... (this might sound gross) I had to eat 2+ Thanksgiving dinners and to add to that, I had a Thanksgiving lunch as well.

Today will be my de-tox day! LOL. I couldn't manage to wake up to go Black Friday shopping, but no worries! There is always online shopping on Black Friday and also I like to take part on Cyber Monday! If you don't know what Cyber Monday is.... it's like Black Friday, but on Monday, most online stores will have massive sales and will have Free Shipping at the least! Yup! For those of your online shoppers out there, this is the perfect chance to save back on those shipping costs!

But today's feature is going to be one of my favorite brands of makeup brushes!
Sigma Makeup Brushes

I am an owner of the Sigma Complete Brush Kit without the Brush Roll and I've been using these brushes everyday for about half a year. Let me just say the quality of these brushes are fantastic!
The kit looks like this:

The kit consists of 5 face brushes and 7 eye brushes and I've been pretty set with all these brushes!

Brushes in this kit:

Small Angle - E65 - Essential for the application of gel or cream eyeliner on the upper and lower lash line. This brush is also excellent for filling out the eyebrows. Synthetic bristles.

Medium Angled Shading - E70 - Angled, tapered, flat top. Ideal to apply highlight shades underneath the eyebrow and on the inner corners. It can also be used for a precise application of darker shades on the crease area. Natural bristles.

Large Shader - E60 - Flat shape is ideal for application of cream formulas and eye shadow primers. It also works great with loose eye shadows or pigments. Can be used to apply color all over the lid or precisely on the lash line. Natural bristles.

Pencil - E30 - Precise application of color on the crease, outer corner, and upper and lower lash line. Also ideal to smudge out pencil liner. Natural bristles.

Large Angled Contour - F40 - The angled shape makes this brush ideal to apply blush or contour shades. Natural bristles.

Large Powder - F30 - Very dense with a rounded top. Ideal to apply powder products on face and body. Natural bristles.

Duo Fibre - F50 - Specially designed to generate an ‘airbrushed’ finish when used to apply liquid foundation. It can also be used to apply blush, highlight shades and loose pigments. Blend of synthetic and natural bristles.

Foundation - F60 - Can be used to apply liquid or cream foundation. It is also recommended to apply moisturizers and conceal large areas. Synthetic bristles.

Concealer - F70 - The rounded, tapered, flat shape makes this brush ideal to conceal the under eye area. It is also recommended for a precise application in small areas. Synthetic bristles.

Tapered Blending - E40 - Rounded and tapered top. Specially designed to apply and blend color on the crease. Natural bristles.

Eye Shading - E55 - Soft and dense with a rounded finish. Can be used to apply pressed or loose eye shadows and pigments. Ideal to build intense color on the eyelid. Natural bristles.

Eyeliner - E05 - An extra-fine tipped synthetic fiber brush that delivers a precise, firm, even stroke to line the eyes. 

What's also nice is that this brush kit comes with an extra free brush, which is very similar to the MAC 217 brush. Sigma calls this brush the E25.

I actually had purchased these brushes when they had their older names, but the newer ones are pretty self explanatory.
My favorite brush from this set would have the be the Duo Fibre F50 brush which is similar to the MAC 187 brush. I love stippling brushes as they give great airbrushed finishes for foundation application.

Make sure to check out Sigma for other products since they have a great collection of items! You can buy brushes individually or in sets to save more money.

If you are planning to purchase anything from Sigma, I have great Black Friday deals for you!

Use the checkout code: BF2010 for Free Shipping
Use the checkout code: ELLE for 10% off your entire order

Unfortunately, you won't be able to use both codes at the same time, but make sure to use one of them to SAVE!!! Have fun shopping!
Click the link under the picture below to go to the site and with at least $30 purchase, you will also get a free gift! I love how Sigma has great free gift offers. Who doesn't like free gifts? :)

Sigma Makeup

Let me know if you would like more info or any pictures from my own Sigma Brushes collection since I've purchased a few individual brushes in addition to the Complete Brush Kit as well.

Have fun shopping!

Happy Thanksgiving and MAC Pink Friday

Hello Loves!

I know I haven't blogged in the longest time, again... ughh
I just wanted to make sure to thank all of you for being a blog reader and supporting me nevertheless!
Thank you for being so kind and sweet and leaving comments and such.
If you are a youtube subscriber, I also want to thank you as well! ♥♥♥


Lately, I've been experiencing a lot of changes in my life.
Some of them good, some of them not so good.
But I've come to learn that you just gotta smile and get up stronger than before. Also, I've learned that there is so much love in this world and the little things make the biggest difference for many people.


This Thanksgiving Day, for the first time ever, I won't be celebrating it with my family.
Every year, I've always managed to share this day with the joy and warmth of family, but due to some circumstances, I won't be. At first, I was really sad and thought that I would be lonely this day. However, so many people have poured out their love and support and I definitely won't be hungry today! :) LOL.


I have so many things to be thankful for and to list them all would take me days, if not, years!
If you can write it, what are you most thankful for? ^o^


On another note, M.A.C. is having a special collaboration with Nicki Minaj and will be launching a new limited edition lipstick called Pink Friday!!

It will be exclusively available online at the MAC website for only 4 consecutive Fridays after November 26.

Here are the exact dates:

November 26

December 3

December 10

December 17

The color is described to be a bright creamy pink (satin finish). In my opinion, it looks very similar to the Lady Gaga Viva Glam lipstick from MAC, but I guess we just have to wait and see!

So, what do you all say? Do you think you'll be purchasing this lipstick?

Look at the ad! It's really flashy!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, loves!!

Hope you have a wonderful day and eat lots and lots! xoxo

Love,

Mindy

Where Have I Been? and Big Glasses Obsession

Hello Lovelies!
It's been a while since my last post... yet again.
Yes. I've been extremely busy and I think it's that time of the year when there is sooo much to do.
I'm currently getting ready for a big recording session for Wednesday (yes, I'm a musician). I'm a cellist and I have an important recording session coming up that requires lots and lots of preparation and time. Plus, with work, I've been getting no free time. T.T  But as I always say, "hard work pays off!" and I know that all the effort I'm putting into work and practicing will surely help me in the long run.

Also, the weather here has actually been acting completely bonkers. No joke! Just last week it reached 112 degrees (F) and then it was rainy and cold and went down to the 60s. Seriously, that's a little over 50 degrees difference right there. I literally went through a complete wardrobe change in a week from summer dresses to thick sweaters and boots. I love dressing for autumn and winter weather.  I'm a sucker for coats, scarves, hats, and boots.
Lately, I've been obsessing over big fashion glasses! These kinds of glasses are also know as "ulzzang" glasses or "nerdy" glasses.
Here are my glasses for the day:

At first, when I purchased these kinds of glasses, I was a little too scared to wear them out. I like to add a statement piece to my outfit, but these glasses just seemed a little too.... costume-like, at first! But one day, I was in one of those moods where I felt bored and wanted to try something new. I tied my hair back in a low ponytail, put on a sweater cardigan, and just popped on the glasses.

Surprisingly, I got a good response from other people. People actually complimented me saying that I looked "cute" with the glasses. Some people actually thought they were real glasses, regardless that the glasses were huge! From that day on, I gained the confidence that big "ulzzang" glasses can add a lot to a simple outfit or a day when you're feeling bored. Now, I'm on the urge to buy more.

I actually visited Little Tokyo and snatched a new pair of glasses that are even bigger than the ones I'm wearing in the pictures above. I'll be sure to take a picture of me wearing them next time. They're huge and make an even bigger statement! LOL. I think I need to gain another level of confidence to wear them out, but I think they will be fun to match with an outfit.

Where can you find them? You can find them at Pretty & Cute, the ulzzang headquarters! LOL. They have an amazing collection of ulzzang fashion glasses. Click here to see there awesome inventory of glasses!

How cute are they?? I want them all!!!

In the meantime, I'm tempted to head back to Little Tokyo to snatch a few more of these glasses. I'm regretting just getting only one new pair.

Btw... I'm dying my hair this week! Super excited since I used to love dying my hair. More updates coming soon!

♥,

Mindy

Beauty Breakthroughs (New Products Put to the Test)

I was reading through some stuff online on instyle.com and came across an article that I found extremely interesting.  This article was about new beauty breakthrough products that InStyle tested out to see if these products lived up to the claim to accomplish certain results.  Although I myself haven't gotten a chance to test any of these products out, I am tempted to want to try out every product listed because of the raving reviews.

I'll share some products that I really want! :)

1. Eye Shadow that Lasts 24 Hours

Armani Metallic Eyeshadows (launching in October) $32

Claim: 
Yes! There could finally be a breakthrough eyeshadow that doesn't fade. Well, at least for 24 hours! This eyeshadow is a densely pigmented powder-gel hybrid containing shimmer with translucent emollients to lock the color in place.

From the Experts:
"These shadows are ideal for my red-carpet clients because there's no need for a touch-up," says makeup artist Joanna Schlip, who works with Jessica Simpson and Ellen Pompeo.  However, "Because the color is so rich, they can be tricky to apply.  I suggest dipping a damp brush in the pot and swirling it on the back of your hand until the shadow is a sheer paste."

InStyle's Verdict:
The color didn't budge, crease, or fade (applied on a hot, summer morning).  Lasted for at least 10 hours.


Sounds awesome, in my opinion.  However, the price is a little too high for my liking.


2. An All-in-One Polish

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure, $8 (found at CVS)

Claim:
Think of it as five products in one bottle: a keratin-and-amino-acid growth treatment (which fortifies and protects nails), a filling base coat, a strengthener, color, and quick-dry top coat.  The extra-wide brush helps give a full coverage with just one sweep.  Could this be truly an All-in-One polish??


From the Experts:
"Home manicures typically don't last as long as professional ones because you rush through the coats and don't let them dry completely," says N.Y.C. manicurist Jin Soon Choi. "This eliminates that problem. I've even started using it at my spa." 


Instyle's Verdict:
"Our nails looked perfectly groomed in a flash. After four days of constant tapping on our keyboard (and occasional dish washing), the color was still glossy and chip-free."




I'm loving that this nail polish is a drugstore product and is so affordable.  This could definitely be a breakthrough product that may save us LOTS of money (since with this polish, there is no need to purchase separate top coats, base coats, etc.)


3. The Self-Adjusting Lipstick

DuWop Personal Color Changing lipsticks in Private Plum (left) and Private Nude, $22, duwop.com

Claim:

Within five minutes of application, the color morphs into one that perfectly suits the complexion of the person wearing it. 

From the Experts:

"These lipsticks react to pH and heat, so they do change color according to body chemistry," says cosmetic chemist Ni'Kita Wilson. "But they don't flatter everybody. The nude is hard to wear." 

InStyle's Verdict:

"Well, they definitely morphed! WE tried each shade on three staffers--one with very pale skin, another with a dark complexion, and the third with an olive skin tone--and it looked completely different on each of them. Basically, the fairer the skin, the darker the color looked. Of the two shades, each person found one that was flattering--but no one looked good in both." 

I want to test it out myself. It sounds so scientific! XD

4. 3-Setting Mascara

Almay One Coat Dial Up mascara, $8 (found at Walgreens)

Claim:

An adjustable dial allows you to vary the amount of mascara deposited on your brush so you can use the same formula for day and night.

From the Experts:

"The adjustable applicator is amazing," says N.Y.C. makeup artist Nick Barose, noting that it saves time and money. "It spares you from having to wipe away excess product when you want a more subtle look."

InStyle's Verdict:

"Love! The sheer, clump-free formula let us leapfrog from natural-looking lashes (setting 1) on Saturday afternoon to major volume (setting 3) later that night. Setting 2--which provided serious definition with minimal heaviness--was our sweet spot for daily office wear."

Could this be my new HG mascara? I'm a huge fan of Almay products and the fact that they made this mascara makes me so happy.

5. The Universal Blush

Stila Custom Color blush, $20 (stilacosmetics.com)

Claim:

So Stila does it again! A breakthrough blush! This bright pink cheek color is the first powder blush that adjusts to your skin tone, taking the guesswork out of picking the perfect shade. 

From the Experts:

"In fact, it isn't actually self-adjusting, but the color is just translucent enough to blend in with any skin tone," says Ni'kita Wilson. "The shade is bright, but the base that's used is not titanium dioxide, so there's no chalkiness." 

InStyle's Verdict:

"We tested the blush on five people (with complexions ranging from milky white to deep mocha), and amazingly, it gave a flattering, blushing-from-within glow to everyone. The color was bright enough to show up on very dark skin yet sheer enough that it didn't look clownish on pale complexions. "

I want to test it.  Actually, I'm more interested in testing it on different people to see if this really does flatter different skin types. LOL!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All these products seem so interesting and I really want to put them all to the test! I'm going to try to purchase some and then share the results with all of you! Thanks for reading!

Source: InStyle.com

FOTD for my audition!

Here's the FOTD for my audition that I had today. I tried to keep my makeup very neutral. I tried my best to capture the colors with my webcam.

On my face today:

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Foundation in Classic Ivory 10

Rimmel Brow Pencil in Dark Brown

MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Half Baked (on my lid)

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in YDK (on my corners)

MAC Eyeshadow in Naked Lunch

MAC Blacktrack Fluidline

Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes Liner in 0L (black)

Covergirl Lashblast Mascara in black

Lioele Blooming Cushion Blusher in Peach

MAC Lazy Day Lipstick

Hello again!!

Hello again! It's been a while! A really long while!
How have you all been? I missed you!

I know I've been away from my blog and channel for a long time, but I definitely have not forgotten about them.
I actually have been balancing work and school. I recently got a job and it's definitely been taking up a lot of my time. Even if I've been super busy and will get busier, I do plan on reviving my blog and channel. :)
Please be patient!

I'll start with a giveaway first so keep looking forward to that!

Oh and I plan on getting a new HD camera sometime. I recently got a HD webcam, but I think it washes me out a lot. It makes me look too pale. LOL. I'll post some pics of how the camera makes me look.

I would make this a FOTD, but I wish it wouldn't wash me out like that. :/

Well, I'll describe what's on my face anyways:

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Makeup in Classic Ivory 10

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Light

Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown

MAC Eyeshadow in Naked Lunch

MAC Eyeshadow in Woodwinked

MAC Blacktrack Fluidline

Covergirl Lashblast

See you all again, really soon!

Love,
Mindy

Review of Foster Grant Sunglasses and Giveaway (Pic Heavy)

It's been sooo long! I haven't blogged for more than a month! Gasp!

I'm sorry everyone for being gone and not updating. Life has been crazy, yet again. To top that, I've been sick and also suffering from summer allergies.

This blog post and video is so overdue. I was very grateful to receive 5 wonderful pairs of sunglasses from Foster Grant and was planning on posting this long before, but I was internet-less for quite some time.



I was contacted by Foster Grant to review these sunglasses for the summer and also was given an opportunity to throw a giveaway for my readers/subscribers on youtube!

These glasses came well packaged and was wrapped nicely so none of the sunglasses came broken. What's nice about Foster Grant sunglasses is the quality and the amazing prices! I was very impressed by how sturdy they were and they don't feel cheap at all. I don't really like wearing super cheap sunglasses that seem like they'll break after a few wears.  Also, these are excellent for the summer since it's 100% UVA protected.

I'll just jump into showing you the sunglasses they sent me.  Foster Grant sent me 2 pairs of aviator sunglasses.  Aviators are "in" for this summer and lots of celebrities are seen wearing them.  For many years up until now, the popular wayfarers were the "it" glasses, but aviators have slowly taken over again.

The first style they sent me were a pair of gold aviators called Madonna.

I usually have issues with sunglasses sliding down my nose and falling onto my cheek bones because of the structure of my nose. I don't really have a prominent nose bride. What's nice about these aviators is that they seem to work with my nose really well and don't fall down onto my face.

The next pair of aviators that they sent me were white ones called Wireless.

The stock photo shows a purple one, but the ones they sent me were white in the same style.

These aviators are slightly larger than the Madonna, so I do have a problem sometimes with the glasses hitting my cheekbones or sliding down. However, I still like the style and usually the sliding down issue isn't that big of a problem.

The next sunglasses that they sent me were fashion glasses called Plaid. The design is very pretty because of the side plaid details of the glasses and the pretty purple colors.

These glasses are extremely comfortable as they aren't really round.  They have more of a streamlined look, but still super cute.  They also fit nicely above my nose.

The next pair of sunglasses are the unique-colored Safari.

What's cool about these glasses is the rhinestone details on the sides. These glasses are more rectangular shaped, which I'm not the biggest fan of.  Also, they don't really fit my nose and face very well since it sits right on top of my cheek-bones, which is my least favorite when it comes to wearing shades.

I feel like the Safaris don't really flatter my face very much since I have a long, oval face.

The last pair of sunglasses that they sent me are probably my favorite out of the 5, aside from the aviators.  These sunglasses are called Milan.

Something about these shades make it feel as if they were high-end, designers sunglasses.  As you may be able to see in the stock photo, the side details are divine with a snake-skin-like pattern and square rhinestones embedded. They also fit my face nicely and don't fall down. They're actually a little on the tighter side, but that doesn't keep me away from wearing them.

Foster Grant is so generous and is sponsoring my giveaway to my readers/subscribers to my youtube channel!

There will be one random winner. :) The winner will be able to choose a pair of sunglasses.

Please read all the rules:

1. You must be a subscriber to my YouTube channel: iAMminky3

2. Go to the Foster Grant website: www.fostergrant.com and tell me which pair of sunglasses is your favorite! (Please, no Enter Me comments!)

3. You can enter only once a day. I will make sure that you keep this rule. More than one entries will result in comment disqualification.

4. Open to all my YouTube subscribers, including international subscribers!

5. If you are under the age of 18, you will need your parent's permission to enter. I will need to get your shipping address for Foster Grant to send you your prize.

6. This giveaway ends on July 24, 2010.

7. I will post the winner on my blog and will be announcing the winner hopefully via YouTube as well. Also, I will let you know through twitter. Follow me on twitter! :) @iAMminky3

Good luck and have fun!


Oh and if you have facebook, makes sure to like their facebook fanpage!
Foster Grant on Facebook