Hi!

Soooooooo...... I've decided to create a new blog from scratch. This decision was made for many reasons. I will know use what I've learned from managing this blog to make my new blog even better! I've already written many posts that I intend to upload soon!!

Thank you to all of my readers on this blog, and see you on my new blog, "Chief Beauty Officer"!

chiefbeautyofficer.blogspot.com 


Lisa xx

The bold lip.

Not a bold lip.

THE bold lip.

From on the runways to in beauty magazines, the bold lip is appearing once again for Spring 2013. Like I've said before, a bold lip can transform any look, even if you are wearing a sweatshirt and jeans.

Some of us though, like me, can't work the bright bold lip every day (especially when I spend most of my time on campus in class or at the library). However, I like a bold lip on occasion like when I'm going out and about!

Here is how you can rock the bold lip and how to make the bold lip more natural to wear every single day!

The Bold
When I think of Spring, I think of colorful flowers blooming, in particular tulips. When I think of Spring makeup trends, I think of bold bright lips that are in the color of tulips. Therefore....

.... Why not match your TWO LIPS with TULIPS?! ;D

Fuchsia is a great spring-time color like (MAC Full Fuchsia Lipstick depicted above). Other great lipsticks that are great bright flower-like lipsticks are Revlon Cherry Blossom, Nars Funny Face, and Rimmel London Lasting Finish in In Vogue.

Coral-colored lipsticks are also great for the spring time. Coral-type colors work well with practically every skin color because all skin tones have hints of orange in them; therefore, coral can complement the fairest skin tones to the darkest skin tones. Wonderful corally lipsticks are Topshop Ohh La La, MAC Vegas Volt, and Maybelline Color Sensation in Coral Crush.

The Bold Alternative
Too scared to wear a bold lip? It's ok! You can still rock this upcoming season's trend without fully applying a bold lipstick that is extremely pigmented. There are two ways for you to make this trend more wearable every day:

1. Sheer/Tinted Lip Products
There are several products out there that give you just a hint of color on your lips. These are great for those who do not want to worry about applying too much product onto their lips. To achieve a more every day "bold lip" you can purchase sheer or tinted lip products. Tinted lip balms are wonderful because they give you a bit of color and keep your lips from becoming chapped (a two in one product!!). For spring, try Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch (or in Melon Mania or Coral Crush if you can find these limited edition shades).

Another type of product to get a hint of spring colors is a translucent lipstick. These types of products give you a soft, sheer color on your lips, like Maybelline Color Whisper in Mad for Magenta and YSL Volupte Sheer Candy  in Succulent Pomegranate.

2. Sheer It Out Yourself!
You can save money and not buy tinted lip balms or sheer lipsticks by getting a bold lip color, applying just a bit on your lips, and sheering it out with your finger to give your lips a "lightly stained" kind of effect. Not that the tinted products mentioned above are not great (I LOVE my Baby Lips ^_^), but if you have a bold lipstick you really like the color of that you want to wear as a natural look, instead of buying a new product of the same color that is just not as pigmented, why not use that bold lipstick and use the sheering out technique?

Oh how I love the versatile lipstick!! <3


I hope this post has been very helpful! :)

Lisa xx

February 17, 2013 was an amazing day! My friend and I drove to LA to watch Ed Sheeran perform at Nokia Live! It was an absolutely incredible concert!! He has such a raw talent and stage presence. All he needed on stage was a mic, his guitar, and a digital loop maker to layer his voice and build up rhythms. If you have not watched this incredible talent perform, go on YouTube now and look up his Give Me Love performance from the iTunes Festival.

Unbelievable. 

Simply unbelievable.

Ed told everyone to dress up because it was his birthday (I saw a Teletubby, a hot dog, and a WHOLE bunch of princesses and angels/fairies), and though I did not dress up like a Teletubby, I did make sure I looked concert ready.


Makeup
I started off with me trustee Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation and Maybelline Fit Me Concealer. I didn't want a flawless, full-coverage look because that would not look very natural and I wanted to wear something light. Next, I sprayed my face with Urban Decay's All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray to ensure that everything would stay in place the entire night (I put my makeup on at 2pm and it still looked good when I got back at midnight). Then, a light dusting of Rimmel Stay Matte Powder and a light pop of color on my cheeks with Tarte Dollface Amazonian Clay Blush.

Now onto my eyes. I did a technique that I learned from watching one of Tanya Burr's videos for Daily Mix, specifically the one where she recreated Mila Kunis' look. If you didn't know, Tanya Burr is my absolute favorite beauty guru!!!!!!!!! <3 An interesting fact: we share the same birthday! Anyways, I buffed in the golden brown color from Wet 'n' Wild Walking on Eggshells onto my eyelid. 

Then, I lined my eyes with Maybelline Gel Eyeliner in Blackest Black, and while it was still wet, I buffed it out a bit to create a really pretty subtle smoky eye. I love this technique so much! I use this technique almost every time I do a "going out" makeup look. Thanks Tanya!

I finished my makeup with my favorite lipstick of all time MAC Viva Glam V. It is like a "my lip color but better" type of lipstick. I always wear it when I do a smoky eye because it's not a very bold lipstick. You can definitely wear this color every day.  It is also the only MAC lipstick that I own! I usually like getting dupes of MAC lipsticks to save money, but this lipstick is just too pretty that I'd rather own the actual one than get a dupe!

Outfit
Like I said, I didn't want to dress up in a costume, even if Ed asked everyone to. Sorry, Ed! x)

Unlike the many  young girls I saw who wore 5 inch heels and homecoming-style dresses, I went for a more casual look that would be better suited for a 2.5 hour concert that I knew I would be standing up for the entire time. I know that people in LA like to dress up and look their best, but if your feet hurt within an hour from too high heels and you're freezing cold from wearing a short dress, what's the point of putting yourself through all that misery?!

Ok. I'm done with my little rant.

I wore a sweater top that I bought from Forever 21 that is casual and comfy with an added elegance of some sorts because of the lace cutout details on the shoulders. I paired it with my favorite pair of black skinny jeans :)

I also wore this necklace that I also got from Forever 21. I love the big and bold necklace trend because wearing one can transform any outfit!

Because I knew it was going to be chilly, I wrapped this pretty scarf around my neck. I didn't realize until now that it reminds me of the American flag! xD Future 4th of July accessory? But I will be in Canada during 4th of July this year sooooo........ I don't know how I can pull it off in Canada..... LOL

Last but not least I wore my current favorite pair of shoes from, yet again, Forever 21. (I think I shop there too often LOL) Instead of killer heels (like what a lot of teenagers were wearing for some reason), I opted for these WAAAAAAAAAYY comfier shoes that are casual yet dressier than plain sneakers.

Lesson of the day: when going to a concert (especially an Ed Sheeran concert), there is no real need to wear your prom outfit. You should spend the time there enjoying the music and the artist's performance, not thinking about how badly your feet hurt.

Lisa xx

Oh, Valentine's Day.

The time of the year that many celebrate with their special someone while others consider it to be Singles Awareness Day (aka S.A.D.). But Valentine's Day doesn't have to be sad for those who do not have a valentine! Why not use Valentine's Day as a day to go hang out with your girl friends? Get all pampered and dressed up for no one but yourself.

This is something I personally love doing. It's a boat load of fun to curl my hair, whip out my favorite makeup products, wear that one dress in my closet that makes me look and feel good, and have a girls' night out.

I have to say, though, one of my favorite parts about Valentine's Day is giving some love to myself by pampering myself. By that, I mean setting aside a few hours to do nothing else but using my favorite body products, doing my hair, painting my nails, and doing my makeup.  It personally makes me feel good doing this just for me and not for some guy.

What I have to share with you are a few amazing products you could use to pamper yourself with on Valentine's Day or whenever you wish to treat yourself! :)

1. Bath & Body Works Shower Gel, Paris Amour  

        This product smells SO GOOD!! It's such a romantic scent that always puts me in a good mood. The smell is probably the only reason why I use it, but it is also moisturizes my skin because it's rich in Aloe Vera and Vitamin E.

        Again, another product that smells INCREDIBLY GOOD!!!!!! I love the scent of this lotion probably even more than the scent of the body wash mentioned above. The scent really does melt away my stress. I love applying this right when I get out of the shower and right before I go to bed. I cannot stress how amazing this lotion smells!!!!!!! If I could have one inanimate object to be my valentine this V-Day, it would be this lotion! ;D <3

3. Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie

        A nice lip color can redefine any look. Sometimes, only a bold lip color is all the makeup that you really need. Lately, I've been wearing Revlon's Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie because it's just the perfect berry lip color and a really nice pink for Valentine's Day. The Lip Butter line in general is fantastic. It's a combination of a lipstick and a tinted lip balm, and it is somewhat glossy but not as glossy as a lip gloss. I love that about it because I'm not a HUGE fan of lip gloss (I only have one in my entire collection!). Have luscious lips this Valentine's Day with this gorgeous product!

4. O.P.I. Your Web or Mine?

        How awesome is the name of this nail polish?!?! This is from the Amazing Spiderman collection from 2012, which explains the name :) It's a stunning warm medium pink that brings a pop of color to your nails. I call this my "Andrew Garfield" nail polish because it's my only polish from the Amazing Spiderman collection and because Andrew Garfield is very sexy like this polish ;D


Whether you are in a relationship or single and ready to eat pringles this Valentine's Day, these products will make any girl feel amazing!

Have a great Valentine's Day this year! <3

Lisa xx

All of my friends know that when I say that something is so good that I swear on my Mac Studio Finish concealer, then I am being serious. I am a girl who loves her Mac concealer. For a while, I refused to use any other concealer... that was until I bought the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer after hearing so many raves about it.

This stuff is great.

Scratch that. This stuff is FANTASTIC! It provides excellent full coverage that can conceal any type of blemish, and you don't need a lot of it. Just a small dab is really all that you need! The concealer has a thick consistency, which I personally prefer instead of a watery concealer that slides down my face before I can blend it in properly -______-

Lately, I've been using this more than my Mac concealer, so that means that this product is CRAZY good!!!!! New favorite everyday blemish concealer! :D

Thanks for reading! 'Til next time! :)

Lisa xx

What is up Internet community?!

I'm taking a break from studying for midterms and writing a blog about a few of my beauty favorites and some non-beauty favorites of the month! Keep on reading if you want to see what I've been absolutely LOVING this month!

First up, my favorite foundation of the month is definitely Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua! Such an amazing product! It's such a light-weight foundation that feel like you're literally wearing no foundation at all! And I'm one of those people who absolutely hate the feeling of when you actually feel your makeup sitting on top of your skin. Such a nasty feeling! YUCK! But this foundation, my goodness! Amazing!

The next product is a lip product that I've recently featured in my latest haul: NYX Xtreme Lip Cream. It's been my go to lip product. The color payoff of this product is so there!! Absolutely opaque!! I usually put only a little amount on my lips and sheer it out so it gives the perfect little hint of color. It has a really thick and "rich" texture, if that makes sense. That's actually the word that comes to my mind when I think of this product: rich. I DON'T KNOW WHY! xD I have it in the color Buttery Nude. Perfect everyday color. Enough said.

My next favorite beauty product is another NYX product. Their Eyebrow Cake Powder in Blonde, in particular. (NYX products are just so freaking awesome!). I have to note that my hair is no where near blonde. It's a really dark brown, practically black. I didn't want to get one of their darker sets because I don't want eyebrows that jump out and say "HEY! LOOK AT ME!". Instead, I got this and use the lightest color to fill in my brows everyday. With this color, I can achieve nice full eyebrows that look really natural! If I ever want more defined and full brows, then I can mix a bit of the darker color in, but I think the lighter shade alone is fine.

My last beauty product of the month is Stila's Sensational in Sydney palette. I got this as a Christmas present from one of my friends this past year. The color selection in it is perfect for a light daytime look, a sexy nighttime look, and all of the possible looks in between. I've been using this lately as my everyday eyeshadow palette (even setting aside my Naked2 palette for it :O). I just love how it's so compact! I will definitely bring this with me when I fly back home for Spring Break.

I only have one non-beauty product that I think deserves some serious recognition. It is Vita Fusion's Multi Vites. They are like gummy vitamins for adults! These are essential for college students who focus a lot of their time on school and sometimes neglect maintaining a proper nutrition. Just two gummies give the Vitamin A equivalence of 1 cup of broccoli, the Vitamin C equivalence of 10 tangerines, and the Vitamin D equivalence of 3 oz. of salmon. This is awesome for a person like me who hates broccoli and doesn't eat fish (because I'm a vegetarian). Only two a day, but it's so good that it'll make you want to eat more than 2!!

What has been your beauty favorites and non-beauty favorites of the month?

Till next time!

Lisa xx

Since last year, we've seen a huge increase in popularity for BB creams.

Quick lesson on BB creams:
BB stands for beauty balm or blemish balm. It's suppose to be a primer, moisturizer, foundation, and sunblock all in one. It originated in Germany and has been huge in Asian markets.

Lately, western cosmetic companies have been creating their own BB creams. From drugstore to high-end brands, by now, practically every cosmetic brand has their own BB cream.

The Low-Down
I personally think BB creams are a waste of money, Western BB creams that is. Asian BB creams are really good on the other hand, but for those who don't live in Asia, it can be really difficult to find (unless you buy it online), and it only matches light skin tones because their target market is the Asian population.

DIY BB Cream
Save your money buying and testing out different BB creams and make your own instead! This is something I actually have been doing for awhile now.

A very simple BB cream formulation that you can use alone or use as a base is mixing a drop of your favorite foundation with a small pump of moisturizer. I usually stop here and use this, especially during the summer.

With this base though, you can add other things to your liking. Want sun protection? Either use a moisturizer with SPF or add a touch of sunscreen with your desired SPF! You can also add serums if you want! Customize with what you already have instead of spending $6-30 on a new product + gas money to get to the store.

When I make my own BB cream, I use Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Foundation and Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer. Fresh and glowing skin with products I already have! WHOO HOO FOR SAVING MONEY! ;D

I hope this was helpful to you!

Lisa xx

Here's the story...

I went to Fashion Island (a huge outdoor mall) with the intention of buying new boots because my old ones were completely trashed. I did get new boots, but I also picked up a few other things too that I wasn't really suppose to get but did anyways. I'm a really bad shopper when I'm shopping by myself because there's no one there to tell me not to buy things! I need help :(

But on the bright side, I am in LOVE  with the things I was not suppose to get! :D

The very first thing that I got (even before I bought the boots) was Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Makeup in the shade 20 Biege. I've been hearing nonstop raves about this foundation! Over winter break when I went back home, I picked up a sample of this and fell in love with it! It really is ultra-light! It's a very light coverage foundation, so it's a perfect everyday type of foundation. The thing that I love most about it is that you can't really tell that you are wearing foundation! It cost me $45 + tax which is a WHOLE lot of money, but I've never tried any drugstore foundation that comes even close to this one, so it's money well spent.

Next, I hit up Ulta to look at some NYX lip products. I got two different lip products. The first is their Xtreme Lip Cream in the color Buttery Nude. Their Xtreme Lip Creams are suppose to be a combo of a lipstick and a lip gloss, and it definitely is! It has a thick consistency, and it's also VERY pigmented.

The next NYX product that I got was the Mega Shine Lip Gloss is Beige. I've heard a lot of people talking about this lip gloss, so I was curious to see what it would be like. The color is a really nice "bubble gum pink" type of color in my opinion. I would actually consider it to be THE pink gloss if you are looking for a nice pink lip gloss. I really like the texture: not too sticky which I hate in some lip glosses. I would definitely buy another color, maybe a more pinky nude next time.

Comment below on a few products you've purchased lately and have been loving or tell me whether or not you can't be trusted when it comes to shopping alone like me x) I will definitely read all of your lovely comments!

'Til next time

Lisa xx

Hello!

I have a simple and quick tutorial for you that I feel will really help those who are like me: lazy college students who often say they will wake up at 6:45am to get ready for their 8am psychology class across campus but instead wakes up at 7:30am. You know what I'm talking about, right? You want to get to class on time, but you don't want look like, mind my language, crap. Here is a schedule of what to do if you are ever in the same situation I have been.

7:30am
Lunge out of bed

7:33am
Brush your teeth

7:35am
Comb through your crazy bird's nest  of hair

7:40am
BEGIN YOUR MAKEUP!!

1.    Buff on a mineral foundation. Mineral foundation is so simple to apply and it gives the most natural looking finish, which is perfect for school because you don't want to show up ooking like you are about to walk down the red carpet for the Oscars. My favorite mineral foundation is bareMinerals Original SPF 15 Foundation.

2.    For the eyes, pat on a nude shimmery cream eyeshadow. Yes, you can go for an expensive cream eyeshadow from Mac, Benefit, or MakeUp For Ever. BUT, Maybelline came out with their own line of cream shadows that are much more affordable: Maybelline Color Tattoo. For a natural look, go for the shade Barely Beige. A light shimmery shade also helps brighten your eyes.

3.    Mascara is a MUST!! It opens up your eyes and, with certain formulations, can make your lashes look full and lush. For an everyday look, I always use Maybelline Volum' Express the Mega Plush . It's a very nice, light and flexible formulation. It enhances your lashes without making it look like you have heavy mascara on.

4.    Finish off with a hint of color on your lips! And I do just mean hint. Have you ever seen those girls at school who walk around with BOLD red lips? While there are some exceptions on when that's acceptable, for an everyday school look, not so much. Sometimes, LESS IS MORE! Try a tinted lip balm instead. They are much more moisturizing than a lipstick, which is perfect for those cold mornings. I recommend the Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment range. I can't even describe how good this line of product is. So good that I've even gotten my mum to try, and now it's her absolute favorite product!!

I've been enlightened by the damp sponge method! :O

Nowadays with face brushes from numerous makeup companies, it's not uncommon for a person to overlook what a standard makeup sponge can do. I admit, I do have many face brushes. Also, I'm one of those people who adores her Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, which I may talk more about in a future post. So, when I heard Wayne Goss (aka gossmakeupartist on YouTube) talking about using makeup sponges, my reaction was "What?! A makeup sponge?! That won't give me the natural result that I want!!"

.... I've learned an important lesson since then. Never underestimate what Wayne Goss says. What he says is right, even if it proves what you've thought all along wrong. You've just have to suck up your pride. Keep that in mind from now on....

Damping a makeup sponge a bit and then using that to apply your foundation gives the most unbelievably natural effect I've ever seen. I now know what "makeup that goes on like a second skin" means. Unlike a makeup brush that can pick up a lot of product, a damp sponge allows you to use just the tiniest amount for your entire face, which saves you money. I suggest using a full coverage liquid foundation because with a damp sponge, you can sheer it out for a very light coverage or create the absolute most flawless full coverage.

In addition to liquid foundation, you can use it for cream foundations, concealers, powder and cream blushes, bronzers, etc. And, if you happen to have spilled a bit of coffee on your desk but you don't have a napkin to wipe it up but you have a makeup sponge, you can use that to clean it up ;D

The best part is that makeup sponges are super cheap!!!!! I got a packet at Target for not even $2!!!

Here's Wayne Goss' video of how to apply foundation with a damp sponge:

Thanks for reading, and I hope this method will enlighten you as it did me!

Lisa xx