New Bronzer and Powder!

Long time no blog!  I blame it on this awful winter we had.  I hibernated and did nothing all winter long!  Slowly I've been getting back into the groove of things ... hitting the gym again, venturing back out into the city to see my gal pals, shopping :)

I guess the upside to not feeling motivated to do anything all winter is that I wasn't blowing dinero on makeup.  Wait no, of course I bought makeup!!  Just two things:

1. Bobbi Brown bronzer in Bali Brown - I bought this after my mom and I got our makeup done at the Bobbi Brown boutique in Montclair, NJ.  The makeup artist used this bronzer on me and I loved it.  It looks pretty natural and not too orange.  It has also has little speckles of glitter to it, so there's a touch of shimmer. 
2. YSL Poudre Compacte Radiance (color #4) - I finally finished the Chanel Poudre Universelle that I was using (didn't like it, didn't help with oil control!), so I was perusing the web and reading makeup reviews trying to find another powder to help tame my out of control shine.  

It came down to this YSL powder and the DiorSkin Touch-up powder.  I tried both at Nordstrom (or Neiman Marcus) and I decided I liked the YSL better.  I mean they were pretty much the same.  Maybe it was the pretty gold packaging :)

Speaking of gold packaging, I've been wearing this Guerlain lipstick lately (#140).  How pretty is this lipstick case?  It looks and feels so .. luxe!  I love it.  The color is a perfect semi-sheer peachy-pink.  It's perfect for just a little bit of color.


That's all for today ... ciao!
Lisa

Dieting Again

After a month of gluttony (ramen, pizza, McDs, more munchkins than you can imagine)  I am back on the  5:2 diet.  By the way, did you know Dunkin Donuts makes red velvet munchkins???  They taste just like the chocolate ones so nothing major.  The nice gal @ my local D&D saw me eyeing them and when I asked about them she gave me three to try ... for free! Yes I saved like $0.50 but felt nice :)

Anyway this is week 1, day 2 of the 5:2 diet... so far so ... okay.  I had a lunch of a low cal ham & spinach "salad" (not really a salad, just greens + cold cuts with no dressing), and a side of black bean salad and some chickpeas. 233 calories.  What do I with my remaining 267 ..............

Tomorrow I shall go back to running.  Thinking about signing up for the Jersey Shore half marathon in April... hmmmmmmmm! Anyone wanna join????

I know this 5:2 thing sounds absolutely bonkers but it works for me - I have a tendency to overeat so this at least lets me indulge the rest of the week, provided I be "good" on the first two days of the week.

Lisa

Birchbox

I received a Birchbox subscription as a gift and while at first I didn't get what the fuss was about, (it's a box of beauty samples delivered to you every month) it was nice to get a monthly surprise in the mail.

Birchbox is awesome if you're a frequent traveler -- my travel makeup kit is filled with all my Birchbox goodies. 

My favorite items to date:

1. Dr. Jart BB cream - this is actually amazing and is what I wore when I was in South Carolina this past summer. It held up well under the intense Carolina sun and you could barely tell I had anything on (I hope)!  Bonus: SPF 45.  Gotta slather on the SPF to ward away wrinkles! LOVE THIS and will be buying a full size.

2. The Balm Hot Mama blush .. I do feel like a hot mama with this on.  This is similar to Nars Orgasm but a tad lighter and not as pigmented which I like.  Looks so natural.

3. Argan oil - I had been dying to try Argan Oil so I was excited when I got a little vial of this in one of my Birchboxes.  I have really oily skin but I dabbed a little of this all over my face and my skin drank it all up. A dusting of powder over it and I was good to go! Argan oil is wonderful. A little goes a long way and it can be used on your body and hair.  Multi-purpose!  Love!   

So those are my favorites to date.  Below is what I got in the November box - some "buffing beads" which you mix with your regular facial cleanser to turn it into a mild exfoliant; a pencil highlighter (will not be using this, I have no idea how to use highlighter); a mud mask; some tea; body lotion and a perfume sample which I instantly regretted spritzing on.  It gave me a headache.  Smelled too sweet.

That's all for today.. I had to re-write a little of this because my changes DIDN'T SAVE!! Argh.
Oh well.  Ciao, chicas!
Lisa

Sephora sale!

OMG OMG the Sephora VIB sale is here!!! 

I will definitely stock up on my everyday bronzer and mascara ... But what else!! Another rep lippie perhaps :) 

1. Bronzer - I am running low on my Guerlain bronzer 
2. Mascara - love my Lancome Hypnose Waterproof!

What are you all going to get???

Lisa

Red Lipstick!

So .. I have a thing for red lipsticks - it just looks so striking when you see a girl with a bare face and a shock of bright red lips!  A la ... 

 and  

Anywho I can't seem to stop buying red lipsticks despite the fact that I rarely use them ... Here are the four I have (left to right: Trish McEvoy "Kisses," Shiseido "RD 514,", Chanel Rouge Allure "Passion," and Revlon "Coral."  My favorite of the four is probably the Shiseido because it's more of a plum-y red.  

The Chanel is a true, in-your-face fire engine red, a touch on the pink side.  The Revlon is a coral, orange-y red that I wore maybe once during the summer (before I probably swiped it off).  I'm wearing the Chanel lipstick in the pic on the right.  Now that I look at this pic it does look more pink, actually ... 

I'm wearing the Trish McEvoy today and I should probably take a picture but I am not so good at selfies ;)

I love red lipsticks.  I VOW to go through all four of these lipsticks this year!!! I just have to remember to take it EASY on the blush :) 

What are your favorite red lipsticks?  How do you ladies feel about wearing it?  Trashy?  Elegant?  

Is it OK to wear red lips during the day or for PM only???

Lisa

Wedding day makeup & hair

It's been a while, blogger land!  Lots of fun goings-on have occurred in the past few months, most especially Maria & Arden's wedding!  Maria & Arden were married in my hometown borough of Queen (holler!) and it was a beautiful ceremony followed by some serious dancing. 

Arden if you're reading this, JD envied your moves :)  Maria if you're reading this, I envied your curls!!

Speaking of curls I have finally found the perfect curling iron - it's a 1 1/2" curling iron made by Hot Tools.  It's expensive but Ulta had them on sale a while ago so I bought it!  And it's perfect.  Just the perfect width to give you beachy waves! I used to have a 1" curling iron but I found it gave me beauty-pageant curls ... anyway here it is - go get it!  

Back to the wedding!  I was in a rush that day so I didn't get to mess with my hair much ... I parted it in the middle, because I wanted change, but change sometimes isn't all that good eh... not happy with the middle part but oh well!  How pretty are Iris & Yvette!  Yvette had some serious Great Gatsby-hair, loved it!!! 

On to makeup ... oh man, I decided to be a little adventurous and glued on some false "wispies" - you know, the individual false lashes.  They are HARD to put on but after a few tries I got it!  I trimmed them a tiny bit because they were looking very long.  In the end I was happy with them!! I put just 1 on each eye.  

My face as always was a shiny disco-ball.  I give up, nothing works!  That Rimmel anti-shine powder I wrote about a while ago only works for the first 30 minutes after you apply it.

That's all for tonight, ciao!

Lisa

Felicity's Beauty Routine

Look what I found on NYMag.com - it's Felicity's beauty routine! (hello, she uses the same eye cream I do!)

Keri Russell just gets beautifuller and beautifuller.  How gorgeous is she on the Americans?



Before. 

7:00 a.m.  I usually wake up around 6:45–7 a.m. My skin is super dry so I try to use rich moisturizing products. I cleanse my face withEve Lom Cream Cleanser. It just melts everything off, yet leaves my skin fresh and moist.

7:03 a.m. I’ve also recently used the Josie Maran Argan Balm to remove stubborn makeup. It's really great and hydrating. I always use my Shiseido Benefiance eye cream, and I switch between La Mer Crème and a cream by Astara, which is all natural and very rich. I always have the lip balm stick by Dr. Hauschka on hand; it's my favorite because it's not too glossy or slick, so I can dab it on top of lip color and it won’t make it bleed.

7:07 a.m. I always put on a little makeup during the day, because just a touch can really make a difference and lift my spirits. I use a bit of concealer under the eyes — I like the Lorac yellow one. It cancels out any redness or shadows. I like to even my skin tone a bit with the Luminous Foundation by Stila; it has nice coverage and it's moisturizing. A touch of blush adds life to the face. Recently, I’ve been loving Butter London’s cream blush in Abbey Rose. Sometimes mascara gets smeary on me so I use Diorshow waterproof. Lately, for my lips, I’ve been into Palm Beach lipstick by Laura Mercier. It’s a sunny, pretty coral.

7:12 a.m. For my naturally curly hair, I’ve been blowing it out to get a straighter texture and I don’t shampoo it often, maybe every four days. 

Sunscreen & Moisturizer

Hooray for the weekend!  I spent the day at the beach yesterday (first time to the beach this year!)  

I brought Clarins SPF 40 for my face but I hate that it doesn't blend in as well.  I have to really massage it into my face so that it doesn't leave that white residue.  

Does anyone have a reco for a good SPF for the face?

Oh and if you have a reco for a good daytime moisturizer / anti-aging potion please share!!  I bought L'Oreal Regenerist for its price but it is so very greasy and thick.  Help!  What moisturizers are you gals using?  

Here are a few pics from the beach.  Love these ladies!

Mani Monday

So, I haven't been getting my nails done as much ... I still go to get pedicures but I've learned to do my own nails and save some $$!

Here are my nails today - the color is A Crewed Interest by Essie.  I'm not so crazy about this color.  I use a top coat called Seche Vite which gives my nails that high-gloss salon-shine.  Love it!

-Lisa

My New Fave Lipcolor

Hooray for Friday!!

I love it when I find something I forgot I had!!  I found this lipstick in my makeup stash and totally forgot I had it - I've been wearing it all week, I love how subtle and peach-y it is.  It's perfect for work or when you need something lighter on your lips.  It's Laura Mercier in Rosewater.  It looks super pink on the web site but trust me it's gorgeous and looks so natural - it's semi-sheer.

Quick update on this 5:2 diet: I survived two weeks of this and so far so good!

Oh, new favorite snack: 100-calorie greek yogurt w/ frozen fruit (we have lots of frozen fruit in our freezer from JD's smoothie days)  + 1 packet splenda = DELICIOUS!  It's a like a super creamy parfait dessert.  So good.

-Lisa

Smudge-proof Liquid Eyeliner

Today is my Friday because I have a 4-day weekend ahead of me!

But before I go off to celebrate our 4- year wedding anniversary I need to share my love for Lancome's Artliner.  I've been using this since college and while I experimented a little bit with YSL's eyeliner gel I've always gone back to Lancome's Artliner because THIS EYELINER DOES NOT BUDGE!!!

Trust me gals - I have really greasy hooded Asian eyes and nearly everything smudges EXCEPT for this Artliner + my favorite Trish McEvoy eyeshadow pens.

I wish I had a close-up pic of my eye to prove this to you but that would be weird wouldn't it :)

I will admit though I do and must use eyelid primer to be 100% sure nothing smudges.  I use Urban Decay's eyelid primer.  I dab this onto my eyelids, pat on some eyeshadow and then draw a thin line with the Lancome Artliner.

After the eyeliner I curl my lashes & coat on some Lancome Hypnose Waterproof mascara.  Waterproof mascara I learned is the key to helping your lashes stay curled.  Who knew!!!! It's a bitch to get off but that's what eyemakeup remover is for right :)

HAPPY WEEKEND ALL!!
-Lisa

July 4th & My New Diet

Hope everyone had a wonderful July 4th holiday!!!

This post has nothing to do w/ makeup but the blog is called the "Powder Room" and if I were in a powder room with you gals I would for sure discuss the below!

So, I can't remember the last time I enjoyed the July 4th holiday weekend this much.  Chris, JD's brother was in town from Charlotte, so we got to spend time with him and play tourists for the day in Manhattan.

We ended our weekend with a BBQ at my parents' house - it was a party to introduce the Kims to the Li's (Eugene's girlfriend Qimin's family).  She has such a warm, outgoing (and big!) family - a nice complement to our smaller slightly more reserved clan.

Anyway with all of the gluttony that went on last week and for all of June pretty much I gained a few lbs.  So I'm back to my regimen of healthy eating + working out.

I also am trying out this 5:2 diet, where you eat normally for five days and limit yourself to 500 calories for two days.  I just started this week, and survived Monday & Tuesday on 500 cals each.   This is what I ate:

Monday: 

• Lunch - salad with sesame dressing, peppers & tofu (274 cals)
• Snack - 3/4 cup grapefruit (56 cals)
• Dinner - 1/2 cup rolled oats with water & 1 tblspn raisins (183 cals)

Tuesday: 

• Lunch - 1 cup of brunswick stew (320 cals)
• Dinner - 1/2 cup rolled oats with water & 1 tblspn raisins (183 cals)

Dinner sounds small but the oats are surprisingly filling.  I made sure I went straight to the bedroom after I ate to watch TV, because as pathetic as this sounds, when I watch TV in our bedroom I'm less likely to go downstairs and fish for snacks (because I am that lazy).

So now that I've gotten those 500-calorie days out of the way, according to this diet, I can eat normally the next five days.  I'll still count calories the rest of this week (using the MyFitnessPal app which is a godsend) but at least I can "cheat" on things like wine and something sweet.

We'll see how things go!  Tonight I have cardio kickbox + a belly, butt & thighs class @ my gym.

-Lisa

Summer Face

This weekend was a scorcher and I loved it.  With all this humidity I've been going lighter on the macquillage lately, using just 3 things: concealer, bronzer, blush.

I've been dotting my face wherever it's red (sides of nose, in between my eyes) with this handy concealor/highlighter -- Yves Saint Laurent Touch Eclat.  I read about it on this blog which I love to read for discovering new makeup.  I love reading what the models/fashion editors use!!  It's how I discovered Giorgio Armani Face Fabric.

This is my face with some Touche Eclat, Guerlain bronzer and Nars Orgasm blush a few weekends ago for a boozy brunch with some gal pals.  I do not like Nars Orgasm and am trying to finish it up so that I can finally get to my Chanel!

What you don't notice (thanks to Instagram) is how shiny my face is ..

So I went to Target and bought this Rimmel Stay Matte powder which TOTALLY WORKS!! BUY IT NOW if you are at a drugstore that carries this!! I bought it in transparent and it is a miracle worker at only $3.99 (much cheaper than the Makeup Forever Powder which also works, but is messy).  Shine be gone!

-Lisa

Still Obsessed with Trish McEvoy

HAPPY SUMMER FRIDAY!!!!

WOOOOHOOOOO!  I have the day off and I have nada to do and I am so glad for that.

I know I've mentioned this before but I have to say this again, I love my Trish McEvoy makeup book!  Wow, talk about everything you need in one neat little zip-up.

My absolute favorite part of the "makeup book" is the Trish McEvoy 24-hour eyeshadow pencil.  HOLY COW, this is amazing!  My kit came with a bronze/taupe-colored pen (Topaz) which I loved so much I went back and bought one in a charcoal color too (Crystal Grey).

hmmm okay, in getting those URLs I noticed that this pen also comes in a few more lighter colors like Rose Quartz and Cream.... guess who is going to make a stop @ Bloomie's today???

These eyeshadows come in pen form (so you twist for more product), and you just glide the tip of the pen over your eyelid, blend with a finger (I really just use my pinky very lightly) and YOU ARE DONE!  So easy.

I use the bronze one for everyday, and the charcoal one for when I want a smokey eye thing going on.
These eyeshadows stay put on your eyelids (and mine are super greasy - yuck, TMI?) and have a gorgeous touch of shimmer.  I love it.  Love it love it love it!!!!

The other thing that came in the book was this brush - the bristles are so soft and luxurious, it's like cashmere against my face. I use it to dust on anti-shine poudre on my face.

If you gals stroll into a dept store make sure you check out these kits - they are wonderful!
-Lisa

How to Get Volume

Love these GIF How-tos from NYMag.com!
I actually do this, but only on the top crown of my head (I end up have a mohawk of rollers).

IT WORKS!
http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/05/gif-lesson-how-to-give-thin-hair-extra-volume.html?mid=facebook_thecutblog

Towel-dry wet hair, then blow-dry any excess moisture out. Follow with liberal spritzes of Oribe's Maximista Thickening Spray, focusing on the roots.

Step 3: Section hair

Twist hair up into separate sections and secure with a clip. There should be five in total: two top-center sections (the "Mohawk" portion of the head), one on either side of your temples, and one final section at the nape of your neck.

Step 4: Heat sectioned hair

Before you place each roller, give that section one more blast of heat with the blow dryer. You'll need that heat to lock in the roller's styling power. 

Step 5: Insert rollers

Start with the section closest to the front of your head so it will have the longest time to "set." If you have thicker hair, you will need to use more than one curler per section. Tip: Larger rollers can be used in the top sections, while smaller ones will be better for the lower regions of the head.

Step 6: Cool hair

Once all the rollers are in place, use the "cool" button on your dryer and pass cold air all over your head (focusing on the roots) to speed up the styling process. Or just let the rollers set as you do your makeup or get dressed; they will take fifteen to twenty minutes.

Step 7: Carefully unfurl hair from the rollers

Starting from the bottom, slowly remove each roller. Use your fingers as a guide to help unravel the hair; do not pull the roller out straight. This method will protect the curling action and prevent your hair from getting tangled or caught up in the Velcro.

Step 8: Hair-spray the roots

Once all the curlers are out, give the roots one final spritz of hair spray. This will help maintain the lift and keep the curls in place.

Step 9: Brush out hair

Use a comb to gently bring all of your hair together. If you want to get a second day out of all your hard work, add powder to the roots.

How to Apply Bronzer

Bronzer woes??? Not to fear, check out this lesson on applying bronzer, in GIFS!
btw I happen to have that Sigma brush they are using in this article and I love it!

Thanks Christine for this link :)

http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/06/gif-lesson-how-to-correctly-apply-bronzer.html

Step 1: Swirl your makeup brush in bronzing powder and lightlystroke onto the cheeks.

Step 2: Sweep the product onto the temples and across the forehead for a more blended, natural look.

Step 3: Then brush bronzer down the center of the nose. This is usually the part of your face that naturally gets the most sun.

Step 4: Smile into the mirror to help accentuate the apples of your cheeks.

Step 5: Apply more product onto the apples of your cheeks to increase your faux-bronzed glow.

Girlfriend Picks

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!

This post will be an ode to my gal pals.  One of the best things about girlfriends is all the secrets and tips and tricks you share when it comes to makeup, fashion, life, babies, work .... women bond over secrets, men bond over experiences.

So!  Over the course of my 33 years I've learned many makeup tips from my friends and got a few more just this past week which I will share with you now :)

Self tanners -  Iris recommends L'Oreal Sublime Glow for Face.  I am going to buy this this weekend because it looked so natural on her - and according to her, blends very well.

I've actually been using self-tanner for my legs -- I use Clarins Self Tanning Gel - THIS IS AMAZING AND YOU ALL MUST GET IT!!! It is so moisturizing - I lather it on my legs after I shower at night, and the next morning my legs are golden.  Not too orange, just the right amount of tint so that my legs don't look yellow.

Foundation:  Tammie recommends Koh Gen Do Foundation which I am tempted to try because I've read so many great things about this brand! I tried their Cleansing Water which was really gentle but at the same time, did the trick for removing face & eye makeup.

Makeup remover: Julia recommends an eye and makeup remover by Shiseido  Julia, let me know if that's the right one!  She says it works like a charm and doesn't sting her eyes.   I love everything Shiseido (especially their eyebrow pencil but more on that another day) so I might try this one day ...

That's all for now, if you have any other suggestions/favorites send them our way!!
-Lisa

Shooing off the Shine

Hola friends!
Another Monday, another start to a hopefully awesome week :)  Gotta keep it positive, right?

Today I have no mascara to write about, and no manicure to write about ... in fact I spent a few minutes this morning peeling away my pink polish.  It's such a bad habit that I need to stop asap because I found myself later in a meeting with some vips and felt suddenly embarrassed at the sorry state of my nails.

So let's talk about the past few days of extreme heat and humidity.  Holy heat wave was it hot!!!! And as a result I give you some shine - not sure if you can tell from the pic but my face was a giant greaseball.

Time to whip out the Makeup Forever HD Powder,which was originally recommended by Tammie (hi Tammie!).  It works wonders unless you're a movie star like Nicole Kidman and you get your photo taken in which case apparently the powder reveals itself in the photos.  I'm just me, so I don't have that problem!

Let's talk about Yvette & Iris's makeup.
Super pretty, right?  Yvette says she's been wearing Dior's Airflash foundation which is supposed to go on like an airbrush.  She swears by it and I believe her because she was looking gorgeous Friday night when we went out to celebrate Iris's arrival in NY!

Iris, oh Iris, if you're reading this, can you tell me what blush you were wearing because it was so pretty!  I meant to compliment you on that ... she has impeccable skin .. the kind that is smooth and bump-free.  I'm as green as her dress with envy!

If you gals have ANY products to share that help fight shine let me know!

-Lisa

Eyebrow Woes

Well I got my eyebrows tattooed for the third time in my life.

The first time, I was around 16 - I didn't ask my mom to get them tatt'ed, it was more like she took me for a trip to Flushing and surprise!  You're getting a tattoo!  I think she was over my over-plucked brows.  I was trying to emulate Kate Moss and keep up with the trend of the times but clearly Lisa Kim is no Kate Moss.

Anyway that first time was horrific for a few days because I looked like Groucho Marx with brows that looked like they had been drawn on with a black Sharpie.  But once the dead, scabby skin peeled off - I was a new girl and I suddenly had new natural-looking brows that I didn't have to fuss with!!!!

I did this for a second time in college because they had faded by then. My mom took me to the same place and the results were fantastic.

I'm now 33 and after about 5 years of penciling in my non-existent brows (because they'd faded again), I finally went in and got them tattooed again.

This time I went to a woman in NJ - she gave me a color that was "tawny" - which, now that the scabs have fallen off, I now realize is a reddish brown (!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I look ridiculous and my brows look fake.  Luckily, this woman I saw includes two brow sessions in her cost, so I'll just go back and have her give me a more dark brown/black color.

I have so much hair on my head, what the heck happened to my brows?!

-Lisa

(Pink) Mani Monday

Woops, it's TUESDAY!!!
But for the sake of this post let's just pretend it's Monday because "Mani Monday" sounds better than "Mani Tuesday" :)

Anyway here are my digits - I painted them on Saturday ... on such a gloomy day I needed a bright pink pick-me-up!  It's a Revlon polish (who knew they were so great?) topped with a seriously shiny Seche Vite top coat.

PS do you dig my skirt because I do!  I got it for $17 at Forever21 the other day.  I always feel so old walking into that store but you can't beat their prices.  I used to hate going to the Forever21 in Union Sq because it was always a messy mad house but the ones in Jersey are blissfully  clean and well organized!!!
-Lisa