The Kwok Pups Wish You a Happy Mother's Day!

2012 Mother's Day Photo of the Kwok Dogs. Thanks La Bella Vita! 

Makeup Talk: Contouring, Highlighting and Purple Shadows.

Contouring & Highlighting:

For those of you who aren't familiar with contouring and highlighting, it is a makeup technique that allows you to highlight your features and create the illusion of a "glow". It's a really popular technique and is often used on the red carpet and in photography. The most infamous advocate of contouring that I can think of is Kim Kardashian.

Notice how my nose, chin and cheek bones are less defined in the left picture and that my skin appears to glow (at my cupid's bow, cheeks and chin) in the right picture.

I used the Makeup Forever Professional 12 Color Palette but you can use a foundation that is lighter than your natural skin tone and also a darker one.

Steps:

Before you begin, apply your foundation/powder

1. Apply the lighter shade to parts of your face that are naturally protruding. Make sure to apply it to your forehead, nose bridge, cheek bones, chin, cupid's bow, and brow bones.

2. Apply the darker shade to parts of your face that are naturally sunken or naturally shadowed. Make sure to apply it to the sides of your nose, along the jaw bone, and beneath the cheek bones.

3. Use a stippling brush to blend the colors into your foundation.

4. Apply a blush (I'm using Tarte's Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Blushing Bride) to the apples of the cheeks and bring the color back to the hair line.

5. In a C-like motion, apply an illuminator (I'm using TheBalm's Mary Lou-Manizer) from the sides of the eyes to just above the cheekbones.

Playing with Purple and Brown Eyeshadow:

I'm using colors exclusively from the Urban Decay Anniversary Palette.

Steps:

1. Start by applying a frosted off-white color across the entire lid and brow bone with a large shadow brush.

2. Take a purple color and apply to the lid, stopping just above the crease.

3. Take a brown color and apply the color along the eye-lid crease. Using a back and forth motion will create a more blended look.

4. Sweep the large shadow brush across the lid a few times to blend and soften the edges.

5. Apply a purple eyeliner (I'm using NYX) to the inner corners of the top and bottom lid. Also apply the purple liner to the outer corners of the lower lash line.

6. Take a brown eyeliner and fill in the space between the previously lined (purple) outer and inner corners of the lower lash line.

**Finish by applying a black liquid eyeliner to the upper lid and mascara. =)

Makeup Talk: Get My Look! Mermaid Inspired Colors

Lets Begin:

#1: Use a thick black shadow pencil (I'm using NYX Jumbo Stick in Black Bean) to shade in your lids just above your eyelid crease.

#2: Use your finger and blend in the harsh edges

#3: Take a large blending brush with a frosted off-white shadow (I'm using Naked Palette 1: Virgin) to highlight your brow bone. Place the color from beneath the brow bone all the way to the lid crease to soften the dark shadow.

#4: Take a sea-blue colored shadow (I'm using BH Cosmetics 88 Cool Shimmer Eye shadow) and place it on the very outsides of the lid.

#5: Take a green shadow and apply it to the middle of the lid. Then sweep the color towards the outside of the eyes (where you previously placed the sea-blue color) to blend the two colors.

#6: Take a purple shadow and apply it to the inner corners of the eyes. Again, sweep the color across the lid towards the outside corners (blending all three colors)

#7: Take the same large black shadow pencil and line the bottom lash-line

#8: Using a navy colored eyeliner (I'm using NYX Sunrise Blue), line the water-line at the outter corners of the bottom lash line (dont line the entire lash-line)

#9: Apply a black liquid liner to the top lash-line and some black mascara to the bottom and top lashes

You're finished!

I love this look with my glasses too! =)

I also played around this with look. It's pretty simple. Should I do a picture tutorial for it?

Kozmo Tales =) How to Get Rid of Doggy Tear Stains:

Hi my name is Kozmo!

This is my Uncle Kash on the left and me when I was a pup.

Both of us have leaky eyes which result in tear stains.

Are you ashamed of your tear stains?

Hiding them behind your shades?

Down because they wont go away?

We have come to your rescue!

Tear stain removers can be found at a pet store and can run upwards of $30 dollars. Instead we use this Eye Wash that cost $1.79 at the drug store. We realized that this Eye Wash has the same ingredient the expensive tear stain remover has --Boric Acid.

A lot of people resort to making their own solution of boric acid (w/ boric acid powder and water) to remove tear stains, and that's all right too. But we prefer the Eye Wash; it is safe for me because there is no mixing/compounding involved.

Directions:

1. Soak a cotton ball with the Eye Wash solution

2. Gently massage the wet cotton ball onto and around my stain for about a minute

Do this once a day =)

PS: Be patient! This isn't an overnight treatment so it will take some time for the stain to fade (give it about 2 weeks!). Remember that the benefit of being patient in this situation is that this is a safe solution we are using to remove the tear stain vs. going with a harsher chemical than can irritate the eye.

Snuggle happily!

I almost forgot! This works for cats too =)

(Corbin and Kash)

Makeup Talk: Cheek/Lip Stains and Highlighters

Last week I bought the TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer which is a highlighter/illuminator. I LOVE this product and have been having a blast swiping this stuff above my cheek bones, under my brow bones, at my cupids bow and along my nose bridge (or lack thereof) for a little "glow".

I also received a sample of their Stainiac lip and cheek tint (which I am wearing below with the highlighter). And it has started this psychotic obsession with lip/cheek stains, spiraling into me ordering TheBalm Stainiac, the Benefit Posieteint and Cha Cha Teint from Macys.com (I had a gift certificate people!).

Sorry, I hate taking pictures of myself and feel really odd doing it so that's why I look so awkward in this picture. I'm not this pale BTW, it was the lighting.

I'm only wearing TheBalm Stainiac (with a gloss over my lips) and TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer in this picture and I'm pretty happy with the results. It gives me a pop of color where I need it and glow that highlights my features. I'd probably add some mascara to complete this look to give my eyes a little boldness. =)

Jason Wu For Target: Ewws

So the Jason Wu line for Target came out today...

I was a good little shopper and resisted looking at the look-book that previewed a while back.

All I can say is that this line was a HUGE disappointment for me.

If you don't already know, Jason Wu is a Taiwanese-American designer who got big acclaims for dressing Lady Obama.

And seeing as how Mrs. Obama is on the best dressed list, I expected a lot more eye-gasmic satisfaction from this line.

Pro: The line does have some girlie and simple tie-bow blouses/frilly skirts that are classics for a girl's closet, but for $40 dollars? for Target? I think I'll pass and opt for something with a little more flare. Leave the basics for Nordys people.

Like I said, basic tie-bow shirt.

It's a very simple and wearable shirt, but I wouldn't pay $23 for it because this is probably going to be $10 dollars at Forever21 next week.

I did find one piece from the line that I did take a liking to and in true Amanda-fashion, it was the most expensive piece in the line ($60). The Flared Dress in Black with Nude Patent Belt stole my heart with its scalloped detailing. Of course everyone else wanted this dress too and it's sold out. Story of my life.

Con: So it begins, me hating on a few pieces that can only be described as Jason WuGLY for Target

PS: please don't get me wrong., I love Jason Wu (and his designs) and have seen him RIGHT so many times. I just wasn't a fan of the Target line because I felt like the line relied too heavily on the brand name vs. the feminine/sophisticated pieces he is known for.

Textured Pleated-Front Peplum Top in Gold: At first glance, I did like the shape of this blouse, but the detailing is atrocious. Its texture looks like a jaundiced potato sack and corduroy had a baby and this was the result.

Dot-Print Shirt Dress in Cream: Oh good lord, where do I begin? Anyone want a hamburger because this reminds me of a bad 60's diner uniform (pre-colored TV of course). If you are a nurse, 60's style diner waitress or hotel maid, don't bother buying this because you have it in your closet already.

Short-Sleeve Tee with Cat Print in Cream: "Wait, am I at the Baby Phat website?"

Sleeveless Chiffon Dress in Navy Floral with Gold Belt: Home on the Prairie? I seriously owned this dress when I was 5, it was gross then and it's still gross. There is entirely too much going on with the pleating on the top and the print. I know this season is going to have a floral trend but I really hope it's nothing like this...

I had a really similar dress that was "willed" to me as a sorority joke...

Mario Badescu Haul!

I've been trying out different skincare products lately to add to my regimen (Obagi) so when I saw Mario Badescu on Gilt, I didnt hesitate to buy!

Here's my haul and haul thoughts: =)

Mario Badescu Lecithin Nourishing Shampoo and Hair Rinsing Condition

My Thoughts: I received this as a free sample along with my Gilt purchases. Unfortunately, I hated the duo (esp the conditioner). The shampoo seemed okay at first, but since my hair is processed it became very tangled after lathering and rinsing. The conditioner was watery and took several applications to cover my hair. After I rinsed, my hair didn't feel nourished, just stripped and dry =(.

Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser ($15)

My Thoughts: I chose this product for its glycolic properties. A lot of dermatologists use glycolic acid in chemical peels to reduce wrinkles, acne scars, hyperpigmentation and to improve the look of skin. My girl friend and I, felt like this was a good cleanser and gave a 'clean feeling'. However, we did feel like it was more drying than your typical facial cleanser, but this is probably largely attributed to its glycolic properties.

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion ($17)

My Thoughts: LOVE. This thing is amazing and the hype about it is true-matched. The drying lotion is intended for spot treatment for pimples. I swabbed the pink sediment on a pimple before bed and in the morning it was gone! The only downfall for me was that is smells really medicinal, but that is hardly a reason to stray from buying this.

Mario Badescu Strawberry Face Scrub ($15)

My Thoughts: This scrub smells like a strawberry milkshake (delicious). However, it failed in every other aspect. It has little strawberry seeds in it to help exfoliate the skin, but they get stuck in your hair after rinsing. I felt like this scrub was only meant for the purposes of removing dead skin via exfoliation; it wasn't really cleansing. It would be good start for a tween to remove debris since it isn't a harsh or abrasive scrub.

Mario Badescu Oil Free Moisturizer ($20)

My Thoughts: I didn't love this moisturizer, it was just okay. It was on the thicker side and it felt somewhat heavy on my face. While the actual moisturizer is oil free, this product actually made me feel greasy after application (which is pretty uncharacteristic of my skin).

My general thoughts:

Overall, given the opportunity to buy these products from a Mario Badescu sale again, I would only repurchase the Drying lotion and MAYBE the glycolic cleanser. I felt like the rest of the products weren't up to par with what I expect from my skin care regimen; they were just okay.