Rawr, I'm a...

Happy Halloween, ladies! For those of you who celebrate it, that is. :D

I just wanted to share with you my costume this year. It's my last "kiddy" Halloween, so I decided to go out with a mature and tasteful bang. I put together the costume myself...can you guess what I am?

The red strap's a backpack by the way.

What's black, white, yellow and sips lattes at cafe-bookstore hybrids? Did you get it now? I'm a HIPSTER PANDA! I knew I wanted to be a panda, but I wanted to give it a little twist too. A clever twist, hehe. 

First, I bought a white men's v-neck from H&M. Then I painted the sleeves black. I cut up an old black shirt, filled them with cotton balls, and sewed them onto a black headband as my panda ears. I was so proud of myself because I am not a sewer. Lastly, I slapped on some black skinnies, hung my faux wayfarers on my collar, et voila! A contemporary (hipster) panda. Whaddya think? :D

Loafers from this post.

It was definitely a step up from last year, when I dressed up as Senor Chang (played by Ken Jeong) from my favorite TV show, Community. To the say the least...I was pretty damn attractive that day. I don't know what I was thinking.

Though I do still have that mischievous state of mind?

If you didn't notice already, I parted my hair in the middle (strange!!!) for a more hipster-y look. I dare say, I don't think I look too bad with a middle part. I also curled it myself for the first time ever! I borrowed a curling iron from my friend. These pictures were all taken at the end of the day, so they'd become waves by then, but I still like it! Need to invest in a curling iron/straightener now, I'm hooked.

For extra panda-ness, I put on a ton of eyeliner. I used the Dollywink liquid liner and patted on some black eyeshadow to set it. I don't own a plain black eyeshadow, so I had to use one with gold glitter, which gave a pretty cool effect.

This was taken at the end of the day, held up pretty well!

And so, I bid my last kiddy Halloween farewell. Peace! 

(Yes, this post would not have been complete without a .gif :D)

Horror-ish, Halloween effect? Eh, I tried.

How was your Halloween? What did you dress up as? Or do you not like Halloween or was too lazy to dress up? Do tell me in the comments! I'd love to hear.

Saturday Hike

My parents and I decided to go on an impromptu hiking trip today. Google led us to Wachusett Mountain, a state reservation 1.5 hours away from our bustling city. We packed some snacks, I packed my camera, and we drove off. When we got there, we picked a trail and headed toward the summit. 

I thought I would bring you along with me on the hike, so here are some pictures to spark your imagination.

I know, not the ideal pair of shoes for hiking but hey they worked.

Eternally fascinated by the way tree roots can sort themselves out almost effortlessly.

I thought the shape of these leaves was so cute.

Spiky moss peeping out between the rocks.

We came along this row of trees carved by lovers past.

Hehe, baby mushrooms sprouting off the trees.

Hiking was my family's favorite pastime in my childhood, but we haven't really gone much in the past few years. It was just so refreshing and nostalgic. Trudging along a path covered in leaves, rocks, and soil. Listening to nothing but ourselves and the sound of our shoes stepping onto one crunchy leaf after another. Looking up at the nearly-barren branches against luscious, still-green pine trees. Breathing in the fresh air. Thinking about nothing, just walking and climbing and walking and more walking. It felt great.

And so, I leave you with this last picture. We were almost at the summit, but I looked back and the view was just unbelievable. If only it wasn't so darn cloudy! But I must say, it did give the mountains such a lovely, eerie feeling as they disappeared behind one another.

I hope you enjoyed this little hike with me. I've actually reaaaally been craving hiking lately, so it was definitely such a treat to escape from my hectic schedule even for a little. It was so nice to "be one with nature" again, haha. Have a great rest of the weekend, and perhaps you'll go on a little nature walk sometime soon too? (Remember to take me with you.)

MAC Je Joue

As promised, here are my thoughts on some recent acquisitions from the CCO. But before we get to the reviews, I'd love for you to watch this fun little stop motion clip I made with the products. Indeed, I play with my makeup more than I should.

Did you like it? I hope it wasn't too choppy because I was holding my camera between my knees (since I lack a tripod). Anyway, onto the actual reviews! I felt like being more creative with my product shots by the way, so don't mind me. :P

In order of appearance, first up is the MAC Fluidline in Rich Ground. This was the first product that caught my eye on the shelves of the CCO. The color was just beautiful. It screamed 'fall' to me, reminding me of cinnamon and honey roasted pecans. I swatched the tester gently and immediately asked the lady for a new one.

I finally understand what the hype around Fluidline is all about! It applies so so so smoothly, like fluid. The color is pigmented and stays put for hours without smudging. It's amazing! It has the loveliest subtle shimmer running through; it's totally not a boring brown eyeliner! I can tell I'll be using this very often this season in lieu of black liner. Here's a swatch of the Rich Ground in all its glorious beauty.

All the pretties, yes?

Next up is the MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Supreme Style. I remember when these first came out, people ran out to get them. Everyone was raving about how this was the perfect hybrid of gloss and lipstick. And that really appealed to me because my favorite type of lipstick is this hybrid. I never really got to getting these MAC ones, so when I saw this on the lip display, I had to snag one.

Supreme Style isn't very unique or out-there, it's basically a pale peachy pink with a pretty gold sheen. I chose a more neutral shade because I wanted to get more wear out of it. The texture and feel to this is reminiscent of the Revlon lip butters. It glides right on and feels lightweight and moisturizing. The lipstick has the signature MAC vanilla scent, which I actually quite enjoy. I wouldn't say that this product is as super amazing and revolutionary as it was raved to be, but it is nice to have. I really like the sleek glossy, black packaging for this, though, as opposed to the regular MAC lipsticks.

That sheen is really pretty though, I must say.

Lastly, I have the MAC Sheertone Blush in Loverush. It's a matte deep reddish plum, and I would say this is the quintessential fall blush color. It gives you a natural, flushed color, kind of like how your cheeks get really red when you're out in the cold.

The powder is so unbelievably smooth, and applies really well. The color is pretty pigmented though, so I would use a light hand in order to not look like I'm all bruised up. I think this color definitely suits a lot of skintones, and I read up that it's the perfect blush for dark-skinned ladies. Now, I'm not necessarily dark-skinned, but blush usually never shows up well on my skin, but this does! Praise tha lawd, this does!

I applied it rather heavily and messily here, but you get the gist, right? Perfectly flushed cheeks.

I have to say, I'm very pleased with these purchases. MAC re-promotes their colors a lot, so I wouldn't worry too much about these not being readily available. Be sure to check out a CCO if you must! I hope you're all having a great week. What products have you acquired recently?

First Birchbox!

So I finally jumped on the Birchbox bandwagon...! About time, Maggie. *throws confetti into air*

I signed up in early September and was in queue until two weeks ago. I didn't realize it got so popular! But I can see why now because I got a pretty warm welcome with my box this month. There was a collab option with goop for October's Birchbox, so I chose that one instead. It sounded pretty interesting, so why not? :D

 

I was totally blown away by the simple Birchbox packaging design: plain brown paper box with a hot pink logo that pops out effortlessly. No excessive colors, frills, etc. I don't know, it's just minimalist designs like this that make me swoooon. The goop tissue paper was also too cute. But enough about my packaging love, let's get to what was actually in my Birchbox (or um, goopbox heh).

The first thing I saw was this very generously sized (2.2 fl. oz.) sample of Kiehl's Orange Flower & Lychee Skin-Softening Body Cleanser ($24). The card said, "The brand's new foaming gel has a mood-boosting fruity-floral scent that lingers on skin post shower." I've never tried Kiehl's products before (though I've wanted to for such a long time), so I'm really excited about this one. It smells pretty yummy!

Next was a LUNA Fiber bar in the flavor Chocolate Raspberry ($14.95 for 15). I've actually never tried a LUNA bar before either, and this sounds delicious. I always see my friends with them, so now I will have one too. Saving this for tomorrow so I can snack on it (secretly) during class!

The next thing I found was a full size Essie nail polish ($8) in Power Clutch. I gasped when I unwrapped this! It's a lovely steel gray with a cream finish -- perfect for fall. It's a great addition to my slowly-growing nail polish collection, which is now at a healthy population of FOUR! It's like raising an ant farm. :')

Then, this oddly-shaped sample caught my eye. It's the Joanna Vargas Daily Serum. My eyes bulged out when I saw the full-size price: $85!!! I've never used a serum before, and I'm not sure if I'll use this so I might give it to my mom. Though my dull, tired face might need some of that "brightening effect" the serum provides.

Lastly is the Naked Princess Naked Shine Luscious Lip Gloss in Barely Coral ($26). This sample is so cute and tiny! It's the size of a perfume sample. I swatched this today and the color was really pretty. It's cruelty free (yay!) and free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates. The label also says that it plumps lips. I'm excited to try this, even though it might die after two uses.

All in all, I really enjoyed my first Birchbox! I can't wait to try the products, and I really look forward to seeing what's in next month's box. There's just something about this whole surprise-in-a-box concept that really wins me over. I hope your week has been going swell! :)

Thinking Pink

Hey y'all! I said I was back, but oh-so conveniently, I started getting sick this past Monday. First, I got an intestinal infection (still recovering, can't eat oily foods and dairy until the end of the month) and then on Wednesday, I caught a cold! I've lost 5 pounds this week...scary. And you know that nasty, crunchy cough? Yeah, I have that right now (le sigh). But anyway, let's not brew on my sickly-ness.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and to show my support, I decided to do a pink look.

Now, more than ever, we need to find a cure for this horrible disease. I personally don't have much experience with a family member having breast cancer, but there are millions of strong, beautiful women who are affected by it right now. This post is dedicated to these women and their families. Stay strong and fight through it, ladies!

Love the boobies! // Can you identify some products in my make-shift pink ribbon?

Didya miss my face? Haha, I hope I don't look too tired here. My skin's been acting up because of my health lately (or lack thereof). Also, please excuse the fact that I'm in my pajama shirt!

For this look, the star of the show was my Urban Decay Roller Girl palette, which consists of a ka-pow! bright fuschia pink (Woodstock) and 3 lovely neutral shades (Verve, Suspect, Darkhorse). I applied Woodstock all over the lid. Then, I placed Darkhorse in the outer v and outer lower lashline. I used Suspect to blend Darkhorse into the crease, and I also used it to line my lower lashline. Lastly! I applied Verve as an inner corner highlight. I also used:

• Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Vintage Lace (highlight)
• Avon Professional Eye Kohl Liner in Dark Brown (top liner and waterline)
• Maybelline XXL Pro Volume Waterproof Mascara in Very Black
• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Pink in the Afternoon
• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Pink Pop (just a little bit)

Oh yeah, my little toys had a little something to say too:

...so let's save them!

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend. I will be back in tippy toppy shape very soon! I would love to see you all do some pink looks this month. Let's show our support for the boobies!

Outlet Shopping

Long time no see! Sorry about the sudden absence, ladies. These past two weeks have been really hectic (school and SATs, bleh) for me, but now I'm back! I missed blogging so much. How have you all been? I took my last SAT I yesterday and regardless of what I get for my score this time, I'm done. Done done done. In semi-celebration yesterday, my mom and I went to shop at the outlets.

I saw this satchel through the store window and knew immediately that I was going to get it. Then I saw the sale sign next to it, and it just totally sealed the deal. I love the color blocking mixed with the classic satchel design. The inside has a fun floral pattern too! I had gotten those sunglasses from Gap an hour earlier, and I now realize that it matches the bag perfectly. This is the first "big name" bag I've ever bought for myself. I felt so proud for some reason.

Classic white Chuck Taylors. These were what I went to the outlets for. I'd wanted these for forever because I needed casual everyday shoes. These are classic and comfortable, and I can wear them for life! They're such an investment in my eyes, and I think they'll look even better with wear and tear.

Gap was the first store I went into. Their clothes are rather basic and relatively inexpensive, which are the exact qualities I look for in clothes! Most of my wardrobe is Gap nowadays (I love their jeans), and I'm totally fine with that. I got some sweaters, cardigans, two dresses, and a basic brown belt (which I'd needed for a long long long time).

Last, but certainly not least, I went to the CCO. I got some wearable colors because well, I want to use them and get my money's worth! The products I chose were actually very fall-oriented, especially the blush and fluidline. I can't wait to crack these babies open and use them. Swatches and reviews to come veeeerrry soon!

I hope you are all doing well. I'm glad to have some of the pressure taken off my shoulders. All I really need to do now is finish those dang college applications. But back to regular blog programming. Have a great week and if you have a long weekend as well, enjoy your extra day off! :)