Beauty and the Bee

What am I using now? 1 - Toner!

2011-06-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

steamy hot weather. What am I using in this steamy summer?

Toner -
1. sk II facial treatment essence – Excellent toner. super expensive. But it's expensive for a reason. it's been really popular in Asia for many years. It recently made its way into US a few years ago. Highly recommended if you have a ticker wallet.

2. kiehl’s rose water facial freshener-toner – Good for summer. It's light and refreshing. Price is more acceptable as well. There are some rose petals inside the toner. Some of them can be very tiny pieces. So, I recommend you find a spray container and pour it into the container filtering out the rose petals. The best way to apply toner is to spray it on and filtering out the rose petals can avoid smaller pieces to clog the pores.

I recycled the watson's rose water bottle for other toner, such as the kiehl's that i introduced above.

fruit acid peel by Origins

2011-03-20T07:17:00.000-07:00

I came across this fruit acid skim peel pads in duty free. I have read good stuff about this peel in the past, just haven't had a chance to get my hands on them. So, of coz, I got one and started using it on the trip. I highly recommend it!

I wouldn't recommend to use it more than twice a week. Also, expect a bit of tingly feeling. It's no going to be very uncomfortable, but it tingles a little, i won't lie.

After using it, make sure you put good moisturizer on your skin or use a cold mask to lock in the moisture and close the pores.

2011 Best Eye Cream Reviews

2011-01-31T09:12:00.000-08:00

Here are some eye cream reviews I collected recently. Hopefully it will help you determine the best eye cream of 2011 for you. Feel free to share your expereince and recommendations as well. We love hearing from you!

Shisedo Benefiance: Concentrated Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream

I got this eye cream for my mom. She used it and told me this is by far the most moisturizing eye cream she has ever used. From an esthetician, I think that says a lot.

Dr. Jeff - Professional product: Peptide Eye creme & serum

I got this product from mom along with all the other professional products she got from the trade show (Cosmetic Expo for Professionals) For someone with a smaller budget, this is probably the best product to go with. I love this eye cream from the cost benefit perspective.

It's very light, but gives good result. It tightens the skin, removes lines and moisturize all at once. However, since it is not commonly sold on the market, you will have to have access to an Esthetician to get it. Anyways, if anyone wants to try it.

Bliss - Youth As We Know It eye cream

This Bliss eye cream is recommended by my roomie. She compared this to the La Mer over $100 eye cream and still think this one is better, especially when it is much cheaper than the La Mer cream.

The selling point is its under eye treament and lifting effects It targets dark circle, saggy eye brow arches, and under eye bags. Once I am done with my Jurlique (which has always been my favor along with the new favor: Clique all about eyes ) and Dr. Jeff cream, I will try this one out.

Roni's warehouse sales!

2011-01-24T19:55:00.000-08:00

For New Yorkers~

Roni carries a lot of good designer's collections -

http://www.roninyc.com/

Take a look, you might find good items at very reasonable prices during their warehouse sales.

Theory and Helmut Lang Sample Sales

2011-01-23T17:56:00.000-08:00

My roommate is a Gilt City follower. She found this offer on Gilt City today: Theory and Helmut Lang's sample sales ticket for $10 (1st day) and $5 (2nd day)

For Theory and Helmut Lang lovers - don't miss out!

http://www.giltcity.com/newyork/theoryhelmutlang

Eye Masks

2011-01-22T07:31:00.000-08:00

Here are a few eye masks I used recently:

Wastsons -

collagen eye mask - price value wise, it is quite good. But, you can only get it in this Asian pharmacy (in China, HK & Taiwan) I am not sure if it is sold any where else out side of Asia. It's quite effective. But the effect doesn't really last long. if you are attending an event or going to wear make-up and you want your eye make-up to stay on for the whole time, you can consider using this the night before.

revitalizing eye mask - it's not as effective as I hope it would be. However, you can totally use it in your eye care routine. It's quite nourishing and it feels quite good if you use it before you go to bed.

nano technology (kylrie ) perfect eye mask - It's very very nourishing. The eye masks are soaked in gel, not liquid. It can give you a longer lasting moisturized feeling. For people tend to have dryer eyes, this is perfect for you. I think it's only sold in HK. I am not sure if you can get it anywhere else. However, I will be going to HK soon. So, if anyone wants some, just ping me.
Also, don't wash off the gel after you take off the mask. You can rub it into your skin or just let it sit and allow the skin to absorb all the gel naturally. For the excess gel, you can also rub them around the lips. It can help healing dry lips.

My Beauty Diary - Anti eye bag eye mask － It's a very economical item. It's not expensive at all. But, it doesn't have very obvious effect. You will have to do a boot camp with this item to see the effect at the beginning. I will suggest about 2-3 times a week. The line around your eye should fade a little. You can also add it to your eye care routine. It feels best when it's chilled. So, feel free to keep them in the fridge.

Express is giving out crazy discount

2011-01-07T06:53:00.000-08:00

http://www.express.com/content.jsp?pageName=mainsale

other products from Japan

2010-12-27T15:24:00.000-08:00

Edible products -

Collagen pills. You start with taking 6 a day. the package contains 30 days serving. You can typically see results after first 2-3 weeks. after that taking half of the recommended serving as vitamin to maintain is good enough.

Veggie drinks. kind of like V8. They are very tasty. The purple veggie one is very good for women.

Energy and vitamin drinks. Recommended by my colleagues.

Make- up products -

Jill Stuart cosmetics. They are not sold in US. You can find it in Japan and HK. I love their color. It makes your make-up "dolly" like. So, if you are into the barbie doll make-up look. This brand is perfect to create that look.

fake lashes and eye shadows. I highly recommend the eye shadow. It's sparkly and long lasting.

Mascara - it holds the curves well. Hard to remove though. But it sure lasts long.

Skin Care products -

BB masks - Collagen + BB + Q10 + other vitamin
It's supposedly the best seller in Japan right now.

Other masks - I love the hello kitty packaging

The egg - It's actually the hair lotion. They have over 10 different types for different types of hairs.

i got the lightest in texture.

Rose skin lotion. It smells so wonderful. It's milky, but pretty moisturizing for non-oil based lotion.

other products -

heating eye masking. It generates heat to circulate blood around eyes. it helps get rid of dark circle and tired eye look. it also has lavender smell, very relaxing when you use it.

The bear pillow!! I love it. You wear it around your neck. It's like a pillow supporting your neck and head. It's got lavender smell too. So, it helps you sleep.

Japan trip report 1 - bubble hair dye

2010-12-22T04:04:00.000-08:00

Haven't updated here for a while, hopefully i brought enough stuff back to make it up to y'all

Trip Report!

2010-11-16T19:07:00.000-08:00

Girls~ Here are the stuff I tried on the trip:

I like this Kielh's night oil, but it was a bit too rich for the Asian weather. However, I think it should be much better in US dry weather.

LOVE this mask. Its pull-up design by using the ear hoops to pull up from chin and neck is just AMAZING. Love it!

I have never really used Laneige products before. But a friend of mine introduced this BB cream to me. it's quite good. I like how light it is on my skin.

DDH - Foaming cleanser. Personally I like any foam based cleanser. It just somehow cleans better. I got this sample from a cosmetic show. It's a good facial cleanser. But it's not a deep cleanser. Good for usual daily cleaning.

Clarins - Instant Smooth. It's great to use under the foundation to get the photo (touched up) finished look with your make-up. However, the problem with this product is that if you don't clean your pores well, you might break out more easily using this. It's just like any other primer, except this product can actually "erase" pores.

Japanese whitening mask and eye drops. They are supposed to be quite popular in Japan. I think the mask is just ok. But i am not sure what i am supposed to get out of the eye drops. Still figuring it out.....

Fiberwig mascara - It supposes to extend the length of your lashes. It should also has this little plastic that can help you apply mascara without messing up your eye shadow. My experience using it is.... just ok.. i still like Makeup forever's aqua smoky eye mascara better!

Eyeliner pen. Dark, easy to draw and long lasting. (I can wear it the whole day and my eye liner is still very visible )

Anti-environmental toxins Charcoal mask

2010-09-28T19:39:00.000-07:00

Isn't weather pretty sucky lately? stuffy and wet air often leaves skin feeling sticky and oily.

I am recently in love with this cleaning mask:

Clear Improvement® Active charcoal mask to clear

The marketing line is "BE FREE AND BE CLEAR" I must agree that it delivers what it promises.

It contains Activated Charcoal, which is a natural filter that absorbs environmental toxins and soil from deep within the pores to give skin a deep-down cleaning.

It doesn't give you the typical mud mask of itchy or burning sensation, so it is very comfortable for the entire time of application.

Origins recommends users to use once a week, but I have been using it twice a week during this weather. So, it's really up to you how often you want to use it.

QB reminder - make sure you close the pore by applying a cold moisturizing mask or hydrating mask to keep the moisture in your pores/ skin.

enjoy~~

THE SHOPPING LIST of the year~

2010-09-19T20:14:00.000-07:00

THE LIST - My mom is going to an invitiatin only cosmetic expo event. I got my hands on the list of all the cosmetic companies that will be at the expo. Since this event is professional only i.e. you need to show your eauthician license before gettin the ticket) many of the companies attend the expo sells only professional products and not known to the public. Here is the list of the profesional cosmetics that I am interested in getting)

SKIN ACCENT- http://www.skinaccents.com/
I will get special treatment masks (acne, vitamin c, bio marine extract, dead sea mud..etct and all 3 types of serums )

Michael Marcus - https://michaelmarcus.cybrhost.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=MMC
I will get some make-up samples, vitamine E lip balm, Ginseng toner, and blemish control products.

Circadia - http://www.circadia.com/
I will get Spot stop, night time repair, Vitamin A gel

Eminence Organic - http://www.eminenceorganics.com/
I will get Strrawberry Rhubarb Dermdafoliant w/ Lactic Acid, AHA Fruit Pulp treatment, Almond and Mineral treament, Hugarian Herbal Mud treament, Sweet Red Rose treament.

Janseen - http://www.janssenbeauty.com/
http://www.janssen-cosmetics.com/
I will get skin excels (and LOTS of them!)

Farah - http://www.beautybeautygroup.com/
I will get Professional collagen masks, Vitamin C series, Professional peel-off mask series (for people who have experiece doing skin peeling before. I don't recommend beginner to try this...)
Revitalash - http://www.revitalash.com/
I will get their lash grower. (i dont think they have anything else other than this product.)

SAIAN - http://saian.net/
I will get Acne try-me kit, spot treament, Pure Collagen infusion, Bio-firming neck lift cream.

OPI - http://www.opi.com/
What else? Lots of nail polish!
Skin Script Skin Care - http://www.skinscriptrx.com/
I will get Vitamin C/Green Tea serum, Blemish control cleanser, Blemish control toner, hydrating serum...etc.
Their blemish control series contain Glycolic Acid & Salicylic Acid & Tee Tree Oil. They are the best agents to kill blemish!

If you are interested in getting any of the products above, please send me an email or comment here. I will ask mom to get them for us. Let me know soon. The expo is ttaking place in his coming week

QB　

The 101 blog posting - all about eyes

2010-09-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

This is the 101 blog posting at Beauty and the Bee..

Thank you for staying with me through the past year or so and read 100 of my sharing.

On the 101 posting, I want to recommend a product: ALL ABOUT EYES.

How we look is ALL ABOUT EYES. Eyes can give away your age, your mood and how much effort you spent in taking care of yourself.

In the past, I recommended Jurlique's anti-aging eye cream. I still believe that is one of the best eye creams that I have ever used. However, recently, I got my hands on a sample size Clinique All About Eyes. It is amazing!

The first 2-3 days, I didn't really see the results right away. After first week, I noticed the skin around my eyes are tightened and my dark circle faded. Then I got excited and started to use a little more than before, the result is obviously better in the 2nd week. I also massaged the cream in when I applied it, which probably helped the cream to get absorbed a little better too.

I highly recommended this product. I am definitely getting another bottle when my sample/ travel size one is out.

Enjoy my QBs..

Happy 101 postings at BATB!

Updates on What I Want -

2010-08-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

I made some recent updates on what I want list on the left hand panel.

My new list includes:

Dr. Sebagh Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream -

This cream can correct your skin tone, lighten up your skin; hence it can make your skin look yonger and brighter.

Guerlain Perfect White - this is another product that can brighten skin, and reduce marks or darker tone of the skin. Return your skin to it youthful color.

Paul and Joe Foundation primer - It's a protective Foundation Primer. It smoothes and hydrates the skin while preventing damage caused by UV rays. Paul and Joe's beauty products became really popular in Japan. I see them in the same category with Jill Stuart and Anna Sui. Good quality products with princessy packaging. Products always smell pretty and perfect for creating a doll look that Aisans love. But this foundation primer is good to create a flawless skin and preventing sun damage. So, it's on my wish list for my next shopping trip.

Charlotte Russe denim sales

2010-08-21T04:27:00.001-07:00

Express Sales

2010-08-21T04:23:00.000-07:00

$30 off $75 or $15 off $30.

time to shop everyone!

my summer skin care routine

2010-08-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

Here is one of my skin care routines in the summer when I feel my skin is dirty or oily:

1. Facial Scrub - I am using Fresh brown sugar facial polish

Leave it on for 8 - 10 minutes, then gently wash it off while massaging the face ( very gently, as if you are massaging tomatoes. --- I am serious!)

2. Spray toner - I am using Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner

3. Apply deep Cleansing Mask - I am using Borghese mud mask

You don't need a lot. It's quite expensive. So, as long as you have your face fully covered, you are good.
Wash it off when it's almost dry (before it is completely dry). Mud mask is especially good in the summer because they can clean the pores better than any other types of mask. ) Use the sponge that comes with the mask to wash the half dried mask off.

4. Apply serum.

I like the Janssen Skin Excel. It's for professional use. I have my sources... ^_^ I only apply half of the tube at this step. I save the other half for the last step.

I am using the lifting effect packet now. They offer many different serums for many different effect. When I travel, I like to use repairing ones I used to use this serum once a week the most. But, recently I am doing a "boot camp" to rejuvenate my skin, so I am using it twice a week.

5. Apply nutrition boosting masks -

I use the collagen rubber mask now for the last step. This is also a professional product. It's a bit hassle to use as you have to mix the mask yourself before applying. But, I promise the result is definitely worth the effort!

You only need 2-3 scoops

add water ( 1 - 1) and mix it well

Apply on your face. Wait for 10- 15 minutes until the mask is completely dried and hardened. Then you can pell it off. Let me show you my "product" ^_^

COOL EH?

6. Finally apply the other half of the serum in the tube. And don't forget eye cream.

Then, I AM DONE!

I usually do this once a week. But, if needed, you can do it every 2-3 days in the summer!

What is beauty?

2010-08-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

Normally, I only write about outer beauty. But, i truly believe that to be beautiful, only looking beautiful is not enough. Being beautiful is a religion, you have first believe in it. The practice being a beauty from within is the key to the religion. Out appearance is a reflection of who we are. Look like a doll, act like a beast, won't make you a beauty.

Believe that you are beautiful no matter if you have the right make-up on or not.

Believe that you are beautiful no matter if you have the right jeans on or not.

Believe that you are beautiful no matter you are size 10 or size 0.

Believe that you are beautiful because you can love yourself, your friends and family, and then everyone else that touches your life.

Believe that you can be a beautiful person inside out. Love will find its way into your open and kind heart. Angels are not the Victoria Secret models with wings. Angels are the middle-age size 14 lady working in soup kitchen handing food to the needs.

In this society, we are constantly brain washed by the sex and materialism. The true beauty won't let the truth meaning of beauty become only skin deep.

Love you all my QBs..

Professional use mask

2010-08-02T15:58:00.000-07:00

The best part of having a professional beautician at home is that I have access to products only accessible to professionals and not available on the market.

So, this is an example. After the skin excels, this product is my next favor: Collagen mask. It's powder form. You will have to mix it yourself with water before applying. After 15 - 20 mins, it will harden.

It is like a mini face lift. Very amazing. It is only available at beauty shop that only licensed beautician can shop at. My mom is my supplier of course. They go for $85 for the large jar, but it is worth every penny of it.

If anyone likes to try, let me know. I have a whole jar here at home. If you want to get more after trying, I will have to charge you for it. LOL So, act fast!

Tarte

2010-08-01T06:05:00.000-07:00

Tarte is a brand promises natural ingredients and vitamin-infused products. I must say after using several of their product, I do think the do have high quality standard for their product.

From eye shadows to lipsticks, you can definitely tell the difference between their products and others. A friend of mine who does wedding make-up in the city recommended the brand as it is reliable especially on the big days!

Recently I came across their new product: Tarte EmphasEYEs eyeliner pencil. This product is interesting. It has very thin tip (thin pencil), so for those QBs who is not used to using eyeliner, this is a great beginner product. Also, many girls with single eyelid likes to draw their liner inside the lashes' roots or on waterline. This product can help you easily apply liner in those area,

It's also a great tool for smoky eyes. As it is so thin, you can gradually thickening the eye line and easily control how you want to shape your eye with the liner.

Give a try, you won't regret it.

This is the eye shadow palette recommended to me by a make-up artist friend.

I am back~

2010-08-01T05:47:00.000-07:00

I know I have been MIA for a few weeks. Between moving and jewelry show, I was completely swamped. I am back and I have lots of stuff to share now~ Stay tune QBs!!

Lips

2010-07-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

How to get that sexy nude lips you see on the poster?

For those of us have uneven color on our lips, it is a little harder to create nude lip without proper technique . It's very common to have uneven color lip, which means your lip color is darker around your lip line, but lighter on your lips. I actually have he typical uneven color lips.

Lip Care -

Lip care is important. First, you must remember to scrub it in your facial routine. Don't avoid your lips when you apply your scrubs or facial masks.

Here are a few good lip balm I recommend:

1. Aveeno Lip Balm with SPF 15 - Very moisturizing and doesn't have any smell or taste. Long lasting.

2. Keihl's lip balm - Super moisturizing, perfect for winter

3. Fresh lip Balm - SPF 15 and the Rose tinted lip balm - I recommended these 2 in another blog post earlier this year. I always have them in my purse. Highly recommended

Make-up - Creating Nude lip with lip liner and lip sticks (gloss)

1. Pick up a good lip liner -

In order to cover up the darker color around your lip, a good lip liner is key to do the trick

Sephora's lip liner collection are easy to apply and longer lasting. You can choose the following color:

04 Candid Candy or 05 Native Nude (The picture is not the color I recommended, make sure you pick up the right color)

Draw the lip liner first before putting on lip stick/ gloss, you can easily blend the lip liner color into the lips, so you faded the lines. Visible lip line is a big NO-NO.

2. Pick a good lip stick for the nude lip color

High Tea lipstick is a sheer, lightly pinked nude shade, Myth lipstick is a satiny smooth, fleshy beige shade, and Honeylove lipstick pink-nude lip

Blankety lipstick (creamy), Hug Me lipstick ( a little pink) and Creme d’Nude lipstick ( creamy, beigey-nude, warmer color)

3. Lip Gloss -

You have to go easy on the lip gloss. Clear or nude color is recommended.

I love Bobbi Brown make-up. She really knows how to create high quality products. Their lip gloss is smooth, thick and creamy. You can try Nude, Beige, or Pink Beige. They are all good colors.

Burt's Bee's lip products are amazing. Actually, I really love their lip balm too. So, back to the lip gloss. Burt's bee's lip gloss has a little shimmer. I personally don't use a lot of shimmer on my lips. But, if this is going to be evening look or going out look, you can try this shimmer lip gloss. You nude lips will catch some eyes. :)

Enjoy your nude lips~

US beauty - How to fly like a star

2010-06-19T07:43:00.000-07:00

i picked up a copy of US weekly on my way to Chicago last week.

The magazine did a spread on how to fly like a star, which introduce products stars carry with them on board and use to freshen up after flying. I thought the article introduced some really good products, so I am sharing the highlights with you here.

1. Benefit's The Maggie Collection Sunday Funday: All-in-one Touch up makeup kit - use this kit to touch up your make-up before deplaning (Christina Hendrick's favor)

2. Joy Bryant loves Dior HydraLife pro-Youth Skin Tint to keep her skin glowing after flying

3. Jennifer Love Hewitt said "Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. It's the best!"

QB's note - I love this product as well. It used to only 1 product called Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream. Now EA has extended this product into a product line. There are lip treatment, facial moisturizer, body and hand cream and a vintage set product. All of them are amazing, especially for those with very dry skin. :)

4. Frizzy hair after flying? Scarlett Johansson fights it with Moroccan oil treatment

5. Under eyes baggage that cannot be checked in? Ashley Greene takes care of it with Guerlain Super Aqua-Eye patches

6. Other quick hiding under eye dark circle trick is using highlighting concealer. Whitney Port loves Fresh Supernova Radiance Brightening Pen.

QB's note - Although YSL's Touch Eclat (2nd picture below) is still my favor, I must say Fresh and Bobbie Brown's highlighting pens are catching up to YSL.

So, now you are prepared for your summer travel. A girl always gotta look good!

This Summer's make-up trend~

2010-06-04T06:25:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted make-up tips for a while, let's take a look what's in trend for this summer.

From Elle -

2010 summer's make-up trend from Elle's recent article is focusing on the silver base color. Using silver eyeshadow to create a more beautiful and confident look.

http://www.elle.com/Beauty/Makeup-Skin-Care/Summer-Makeup-Trend-Silver-Eye-Shadow

How to apply make-up for summer -

In hot summer day, make-up tends to wear-out or smudge. here is a video clip on how to apply make-up to make it last the entire day naturally

http://www.videojug.com/webvideo/summer-makeup-tutorial

Some tips on the color choices for a good summer look.

Always pick eye shadow that has 2 colors in the same family but with different shades (meaning one lighter, one darker, see above chancel collection)

Always apply lighter color in the inner corner of the eye lid and upper eye lid first

darker color should be applied after the light color and must bee closer to the eye line. You should smudge it outward to create a natural blend into the lighter color.

I have a trick to keep make-up longer lasting. Spray some toner after you complete your make up to keep the powders based make-up in place. If you use mostly oil based make-up product, then this trick is not recommended. However, I will suggest to not use oil or cream based make-up products in the summer, because they can clog pores easily and your make-up will actually fall apart quickly in the heat..

Enjoy my Queen Bees~~

What's new with L'OCCITANE?

2010-05-25T21:21:00.000-07:00

The recently went public in HK Stock Exchange French brand L'OCCITANE seems to be very active on promoting their new products lately. I guess the investors are looking for higher revenue to keep the stock price rising.

I personally do think L'OCCITANCE offer quality product and have some addictions to a few of their products.

Put my addictions aside, let's talk about the note-worthy new products from them:

Summer Hair protection products -

I am getting ready to soak up the sun on South Beach FL. Here is a product I am planning to try out on my trip to Miami..

Summer Protection Sun Hair Mist

LC claims it can protect and act as a screen from the sun's damaging UV rays, and it prevents hair from becoming dry under heat, leaving it smooth and tangle-free.

So, basically, it's the sun-block for your hair~~

Almond Milk Concentrate

LC claims it can help firming and toning your skin. It's suitable for the whole body. It's made with almond ingredients of haute Provence origin. It's basically a skin firming cream for your body.

Almond Summer Body Duo

In the same line of the previous product, this body duo set has both shower oil and he body milk. As having the same almond ingredient, this line promotes its firm and toning effect on the body and the almond smoothing scent from the products. The shower oil also contains grape vine and rosemary, which help soften and nourish your skin.

I can't wait to try these summer products. Anyone has used it already? What do you think?

Beauty.com Summer Stock-Up

2010-05-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=109594829083583&index=1

May 22nd will be DAY TWO of the summer's biggest giveaway, as our tour moves to its second location. Beauty.com is teaming up with AtHisBest.com to bring you Summer Stock-Up! We’re taking on Manhattan with this outdoor giveaway, featuring brand experts in skincare, cosmetics, and men's grooming, plus samples galore! Stop by for a complimentary consultation with a brand expert and a dip in the AtHisBest or Beauty.com sample pool for a bag of free goodies!

Brands included in the giveaway:
philosophy, Too Faced, Bare Escentuals, Darphin, Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare, tarte, Oscar Blandi, Stila, bliss, and MANY MORE!

Come by on Saturday to visit with experts from:
Jane Iredale
Somme Institute
Mission
bareMinerals
Darphin
Origins
Korres
Pop Beauty

Don't waste a bit!

2010-05-11T19:39:00.000-07:00

Cosmetic and skin care products are becoming more and more expensive each day. So, we need to make the best and most out of the money we spent on these products. We often throw away bottles or tubes before they are truly empty! So, let me show you how to get every little drop out of these bottle and tube like products!

1. CUT IT OPEN - easy and straight forward~

Only cut open the ones that you apply directly on your skin and leave it on your skin (i.e. you are not going to rise it off)

Cut the end open, so you can preserve as much of the cream that is still in the tube as possible.

See!! there is still so much in the tube!!

2. Pour Water in - Everyone knows!

For those soup base products, like face wash, body wash, make-up remover cream, you can use the grandma way of saving - pour some water in to the bottle of tube to get the liquid out.

My almost used up face wash!

Filling water in - shake it from time to time. And remember, don't fill it up complete. Leave some space, so you can shake it and make sure there is space for everything to be dissolved in water.

Lots of bubble!! bubbles are the best thing you can use to wash your face. Normally, it will take a while to get this much bubble out of the gel or cream. Filling water into the tube helps you create lots of bubble. trust me, your face will be much cleaner using these bubble to wash than using stale cream or gel alone. :)

Saving is a virtue! Happy saving, my dear beautiful readers~~

Express Coupon!!!

2010-05-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Shopping!!!!

2010-05-06T20:15:00.000-07:00

Kiehls' all-natural and fully organic skincare: Açaí Damage-Repairing Skincare Collection was introduced to the market September 2009. "This four-product anti-aging skincare regimen uses the antioxidant-rich Açaí Berry Extract to protect and repair damaged skin, and is clinically proven to combat environmental aggressors, protect skin from the first signs of aging, and repair environmental damage that’s occurred over time" from The gloss beauty site.

I got a bottle of the serum with my friend, Sehwa's recommendation. The serum doesn't smell very good, but you can see the Acai berries pieces in it. So, I believe it is quite natural. Although I don't think it really has a great effect on repairing damaged skin (my pimple scars didn't seem to fade away as much as I like it to), it seems to be quite good at preventing future damage. I also feel my skin doesn't feel as dirty as I normally would after a day of work lately...(not sure if it truly has anything to do with this product).

I also got the sample moisturizer from this collection to try. I think the moisturizer is pretty good comparing to other organic moisturizer. However, for the price point, I think I am entitled to expect a little more out of this collection

anyone else tried this product? What do you think?

Don't pop it!!!

2010-04-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

The trick to get rid of a pimple without leaving a mark is ALCOHOL PAD.

It is incredibly easy, but for those who enjoy "poping" pimples, it might be really hard to do...

Don't pop it, rub it! Rub your pimple (when you start feeling the bump) with alcohol pad for a good 10- 15 seconds. Let the alcohol gets absorbed by your infected pore. Do it once in the morning and once before going to bed.

I tried it a few times already. It works like a charm. pimples will go away on average 1-2 days. Leaving no mark or redness behind. Usually a scare from pimple can take months to erase... I have one on the side of my face since Xmas!! It's really annoying. So, you REALLY don't want to pop your pimple. You want it to go away itself.

Give it a try. Alcohol pad might just become your BFF!

New background welcomes summer

2010-04-22T21:21:00.001-07:00

Everyone likes the new background? I was trying to find something brighter and spring/ summer looking.

Hope you all like it. :)

Day cream - preparing for summer

2010-04-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

Over Xmas, I got this day cream sampler from Sephora for a good bargain. In the past 3 months, I have gone through all of these sampler and now I am ranking them based on my testing. :)

As these are all brand name products, they are all quite good. Depends on your skin type, you might find the products work differently than it works for me. I have normal skin, dry on cheeks and slightly oily around T-zone.

My favorite is

CAUDALIE Day Perfecting Cream - It has SPF15, so perfect sun protection as a day cream. It smells good and not good liquidy or too thick. Good for all skin types. I highly recommend this one.

1st runner up:

Bliss best of skintentions - daily moisturizer - Also has SPF15, this moisturizer is one of those day creams that anyone can use and anyone would like it. You may not LOVE it, but you will like it. It is also a little bit cheaper than the other ones. You can always have it as back-up. :)

2nd runner up:

Fresh Soy Face Cream - This moisturizer is long lasting, but not heavy. For those with slightly drier skin, I would recommend this one over the other ones. Fresh is one of my favor brands, their products are very reliable.

3rd runner up:

Korres Wild Rose 24-hour moisturizer - This moisturizer is also long lasting, but not very greasy. However, I rank it lower than Fresh, because it doesn't absorb as nicely as Fresh Soy Face cream. But it does have a low level of SPF at SPF6, so it has a little advantage in this long lasting moisturizer cream category. Although personally I still like Fresh a little better, the Korres Wild Rose cream is definitely comparable.

The other products in this sampler box:

Philosophy Hope in a Jar - Hope is a jar is a very light cream. It's easy to absorb and supposed to be very effective on skin repair. I do think it's very easy to absorb, so it is great for the summer; however, I am not too sure about the skin repair part. After finishing the small sampler tube, I really don't see much skin rejuvenation result on my face. I am also not in love with the smell. The cream smells like chemical directly from the lab.

Hope this helps in picking up a day cream for this summer!

Neck

2010-04-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

Recently I heard my guy friend commenting on how lovely a girl he met is, but she always seems tired and aging faster than other people her age. I asked, how so? He said, because there are lines on her neck and bags under her eyes!

After hearing that, I all of sudden realized that guys really do pay attention to how a girl looks, some times in such details like looking at "her neck."

We often pay much attention to our face and forget that our neck is a big part of our appearance and can secretly be telling other people your age.

So, here are some tips on how to take care our necks:

1. All facial creams (day cream, nigh creams, toner... etc) your use should get applied on your neck as well.

2. Find facial masks that can also cover your neck, and add it to your routine.

example:

3. when you apply creams on your neck, make sure you gently apply the cream in upward direction.

Ladies, don't forget about your neck!!

Super Shinning make-up look

2010-03-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

I found this picture of Princess Janet online.

I LOVE her make-up!!

Perfect for going out to club or a night out in town

Look who is also talking eyebrows!

2010-03-21T19:10:00.000-07:00

I was reading the April Marie Claire, and look what I found!

Here are some products MC recommended:

Christi Harris Brow Scissors

Brow Diva Duo Brush

Lancome Le Crayon Khol in blanc

Sephora Stainless Steel Tweezers

CoverGirl Brow & Eye Makers in Henna Brown

Clinique instant Lift for brows in Soft Blonde

Shu Uemura Eye Brow Gel

N.Y.C Brush-on Brow Powder

Eyebrow is the new focus of this spring~ Don't wait up and go fix up your eyebrows

BR, GAP, OLD NAVY 30% discount!

2010-03-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

Valid till tomorrow: 3/21

Thank you Sehwa for the discount code!

eyebrows

2010-03-15T18:42:00.000-07:00

How to shape a perfect eyebrow?

Here is a guide

1. Find where your eyebrow should start. Eyebrow should start at the vertical point of where inner eye corner

2. Where your eyebrow to arch/ turn? Depends on the frame of your face. If you have a smaller frame. you can go with 45 degree out from the start line. see below

If you have a wider frame, then move the arch out a little. keep the same angle, but the line should be at the end of the retina (I don't really know how to describe it, so see the picture below)

3. The last step is to find where the eyebrow should end. The same angle of the line, but this time, it should be at the end of the eyeball. see below:

Once you are able to shape your eyebrow, you might want to use eyebrow pencil to fill in the thinner part of the eyebrow. Here are some recommendation for a good eyebrow kit:

Revlon Eye Brow Pencil

The other side of the pencil (the lighter part) can help highlight the eye bone under the arch.

Revlon Eyebrow Pencil & Gel - Gel sets the brow, so your brow hair stays put.

Laura Mercier Eyebrow pencil and powder duo

I found a pretty good tutorial online - take a look~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PugziVUikEg

The DIY Mask

2010-03-01T19:37:00.000-08:00

In one of my older posts, I shared a recipe of an awesome DIY mask for a whitening and tightening effect.

Friends were asking about it recently, so here it is again to save you the trouble in digging into my archive posts~

Home Made Honey Egg Lemon Mask

1 egg (whole egg, you can also just use egg white or egg yolk. egg yolk has more nutrition, but egg white helps rebuild skin, and reduce blemish. So, you can decide what you want to use)
honey - 1 tsp
lemon juice (fresh squeezed) - 1.5 TSP
flour or milk powder - 2 - 3 Tsp (It depends on the size of the egg. bigger egg, more flour or milk powder)

mix all together and spread the mixture on your face evenly.
Let it sit for 15-20 mins until it gets a little dried. ( You don't need to wait until its completely dried)
Use a small wash cloth to wash the mask off. (When it starts drying up, its hard to get it off the face. So, a wash cloth can help you wash off the mask.)

The mixture will probably be enough for 2 facial. But, don't keep the remaining mixture for over 2 days. (i.e. use it up the 2nd day if there is any left, so it is still fresh)

Here are some tools that you should have in your DIY facial kit ~

The shopping list from today's Jurlique 20% 'MYSPA' sales

2010-03-01T19:14:00.000-08:00

Here is my shopping bag from the Jurlique sales today~~

Jennifer - Thank you for the information!!

Intense Recovery Mask - recommended by Joan.
It's an excellent mask~

Balancing Foaming Cleanser

Rosewater Balancing Mist

Purely Age-Defying Eye Cream

About eyes - Highly recommended products!!

2010-02-22T20:22:00.000-08:00

Here are 2 eye products I recently fell in love with:

1. Jurlique Purely Age-Defying Eye Cream (click the link to see the product page)

In forever searching for the best eye cream, I fell in love with this one. It's age-defying eye cream, so it returns you to the bright eye girl you looked like when you were in teens.... OK.. may be I exaggerated a bit.. But, it's a great product for getting rid of the fine lines, dark circle and really hydrates the skin around eye.

Jennifer~ Thanks for your recommendation!!

2. envie de neuf Eye Mask (click the link to see the product page)

Hallelujah~~Hallelujah~~ This is what I was saying to myself after using this mask!! This is by far, the most effective eye mask I have ever used! Thanks to Chi-chan for bringing 2 masks to try. I used it before i go to sleep for both masks. The 2nd day, I didn't need concealer or any brightener under my eye to get that "post-coffee" energized look. The butterfly looking mask really goes far with its effect!

Chinese New Year Make-up

2010-02-15T07:51:00.000-08:00

The safest look is gold eye shadow and red lips. Don't over done your make-up, because you don't want to scare your reserved family members away! LOL

I found a video clip on a CNY make-up tutorial, check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40rHrnNMqVU

Since this year CNY is on the same day with V-day, here is another look for the special occasion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFj1rDxNOqs&feature=related

enjoy~

Happy CNY

2010-02-11T20:15:00.000-08:00

Dear QBs,

Feel free to post some comments and tell me what you think about the topics from the recent posts. If you find something awesome or your know any tips or tricks, I love to learn as well. I would also like to learn about what you like to read more on and what I need to improve on!

Look forward to hearing from you all~~

Happy Chinese New Year!

Yours,
rather lonely blogger ( with no comments to read...)

healthy smooth hands in winter!

2010-02-10T20:11:00.000-08:00

How to have healthy and smooth hands in winter?

2 essential things to add to your routine -

1. Hand scrub
2. Good hand cream

Hand Scrub
I am a big fan of princess Janet, who is a well known model from Taiwan. After she retired from modeling, she began a second career as a beauty book author.
She recently wrote on her blog a recipe for a home-made hand scrub. I thought it is interesting to share with my blog readers :)

Here it is the recipe -

2 Tbsp of oive oil, 1 Tbsp of honey and 1 Tbsp of brown sugar.
Mix them together and use it like regular scrub on your hands.

In case you want to see her blog entry on the hand scrub, here is the link -
http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/princessjanet-emag/article?mid=-2&prev=25564&l=a&fid=54

Hand Creams

Here are some of my favorites:

Kiehl's hand cream: Ultimate Strength Hand Salve

L'Occitane hand cream: Shea Butter Hand Cream

Jurlique Rose Hand Cream

Seacret Select Hand Recovery Cream -

Seacret is known for its hand and nail products. Naturally their hand cream is pretty awesome. It's also known because its main ingredient is the mineral from the Dead Sea.

I know the Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream is highly rated in many magazines and blogs. However, it is a little too thick in my opinion. If your hands are extremely dry and skin is peeling, perhaps it works for you.

Now, go show off your pretty and healthy hands even if it's snowing crazy outside!

Anti-aging cream

2010-02-04T20:23:00.000-08:00

At what age should we start using anti-aging cream?

I don't think there is a good answer to this question. A girlfriend of mine, Chi chan, mentioned that her mom started using eye cream since she turned 20. After 20 something years later, there are still no lines or bags under her eyes.

Most of people say when we turn 25, we need to start adding anti-aging products to our routine. I must say, I wouldn't mind doing that even as early as 22 or 23.

In the past year, I began a more intense anti-aging routine. I added stronger anti-aging serum and night cream. I kept it up for about a year now. The small lines are gone and my skin tone evened out a lot more.

Here is a list of items that I have tried and wouldn't mind continue to use.

Origin Youthtopia Serum - intensively restore the youthful skin. I like it because it doesn't leave a puffiness feeling to my face the next day. Instead, it really repairs damaged skin and rebuild new skin cells.

Origins - High Potency Nigh-A-Mins - restorative night cream. Not too heavy or too thick. It can brighten and lift the darker and loser skin

Shiseido Concentrated anti-wrinkle eye cream - I don't use it everyday. I only use it once a while. It is a pretty strong product, so if you use too much or too often, it creates a bit of puffy look on your eyes. So, if you are relatively younger, you want to take it easy on this product. A little dab for a thin layer around the eye will be enough. And once or twice a week would be enough as well.

Shiseido - Intensive nourishing & recovery night cream - This is the cream that took me through the brutal winter in Austria and Luxembourg last year. It's very nourishing and at the same time very restorative. It really helped around the nose and lips area to tighten up. It also helps locking the moisture in throughout the night. So the 2nd morning when you get up, even though being in the heated room for an entire night, your skin is still soft and moisturized.

feel free to publish comments on your opinion on when is a good time to start using anti-aging cream.

clutch 'bagable' make-up touch up kit

2010-01-27T08:22:00.000-08:00

I used to always over pack my clutch or party handbag with unnecessary make-up. It's heavy to carry, and I rarely get to use them. The funny thing is, when I really need something, I hardly ever find it, or it would be that ONE thing I didn't bring.

So here is a list of things I think you should have with you when you go out, so you don't get yourself into the situation I mentioned above.

lip gloss or a lip stain - I personally like lip stain better, because you can also use it for the cheeks.

One of the products I use is Benefit lip and cheek stain (tint) - see picture below

eye liner pencil. (make sure it is sharpened)
false lashes gel (black prefered)

This is the fake eye lash gel I adore: Duo eyelash gel dark tone - see picture below

sample size perfume (or travel size, depends on how big your hangbag or clutch is.)

My personal favor is the Juicy Couture Eau de Parfum - Roller Ball Perfume - see picture below

2 sheets of facial tissues
2 Qtips

Even though it seems a lot, but trust me, they don't take close to half of your clutch space. You can still have space for your camera, ids, credit card and cash.

Cold Cream - our good old friend

2010-01-20T20:21:00.000-08:00

Recently my friend linlin came to NY to visit from London. She brought me a bottle of cold cream from Boots. Cold cream.... hm.. I was thinking. This is something that I haven't used for a while. I remember mom used to love it and I used to use it when I have any types of skin damage. It was quite magical. Somehow, after I grow older, I started going after the fancy brand name creams and forgot about the good old cold cream.

So, I started using it again... OH MY, it is fantastic! Especially in winter, after you used it, you don't feel any dryness on your skin and it takes off make-up so quickly like baby oil (I had a post on the usages of baby oil. Look up in the label search if you haven't read it yet)

Pond's Cold Cream is one of the oldest Cold Cream products out on the market.

How to use cold cream to remove make-up?

Put a thin layer on the face. Leave it on for a few minutes. Then use a slightly wetted cotton pad or facial tissues to wipe it off. Skins as gentle as eye lids and under eyes can be easily and safely cleaned with cold cream.

Other usage -

Cold cream can heal damaged skin, such as allergic reaction to chemical or new product or sun burn (but I think Aloe products are much more effective for more sever sun burn. However for slightly burned skin, cold cream can do the job).

I highly recommend everyone to get a bottle of cold cream

Bath & Body Works - Rose Wonder Cold Cream

Avene Cold Cream Products:

1. Avene Cold Cream for very dry skin

2. Avene Cold Cream Lip Blam

Saks 5th Ave - Coupon!

2010-01-11T09:57:00.001-08:00

Banana Republic Sales (15% off) - Coupon valid till 1/31

2010-01-11T09:53:00.000-08:00

Eye Masks to Lip Masks

2010-01-10T20:23:00.000-08:00

I always have dry lips in the winter. I am sure many QBs have the same problem too.

Other than some great lip care products that I have already introduced and recommended here. I have one more trick to share. :)

Many of us use hydrating eye masks. Next time when you use hydrating eye masks, you can do the following:

1. Cut at the center of the eye mask and make your eye mask into 2 pieces

2. Take one piece and cut it into half to create 2 half moon shape masks.

3. Place the half moon shapes (1/4 of the original size) pieces under your eyes as eye masks, and the other half of the eye mask place it on your lips.

Now you have a pair of eye masks and a lip mask from one package of eye mask!

Jill Stuart Spring 2010 collection - Jewel Crystal Eyes!

2010-01-10T14:09:00.000-08:00

Jill Stuart's Spring Make-up Collection is out! QBs don't forget to check this out.

The style this spring is Jewel Crystal~

Crystal shinning eyes, bright clear and rosy skin with jewel like lips together create the best look for this coming Spring! Stay tune for how to create this look!

Now check out the new and limited products available from Jill Stuart

Primer review

2010-01-07T19:43:00.000-08:00

Let's talk about primer -

What does it do?

It does what it sounds; it primes your skin like we prime a wall before we paint. It smoothes your skin, makes your foundation stays put, acts as a barrier between your skin and make-up, and moisturizes your skin. Many of them even has UV protection to prevent sun damage.

How to pick a primer?

Depends on your skin type, you need to pick a primer that has enough coverage, but not too much that will cause break-out. As the primer "fill-in" the uneven surface on your skin, it might also block the oil from coming out of the pore, often that causes break-out. Picking the right type of primer will not only make your skin look better, it will prevent break-out, because it acts as a barrier preventing make-up getting into pore and becomes hard to clean.

Some primer that I have used and reviews -

Guerlain Meteorites Light-Diffusing Perfecting Primer - ($66)

Joan recommended this one to me. I tried it and loved it. It's like a moisturizer acting like a primer as well. If you have a slightly bigger budget for a good primer, this one is a good choice.

Chanel Blanc Universal Sheer Illuminator - ($45)

Slightly less expensive than the one above. Chanel Blanc has more coverage than Guerlain primer; it is also thicker in texture. It's a white cream, so you don't need to use much because too much will make you look too pale. You can use a bit more on the darker areas on your face like under eye and corner of your mouths. It will give you a brighter and more youthful look. It really gives you a silky and milky skin. I also highly recommend it.

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer - ($36)

This is a primer that I used for a few years already. It reduce the appearance of lines and redness. It also won a lot of make-up products awards from magazines and professional review sites. It is also pretty thick. Although it is not as thick as the chanel primer, it also only takes very small amount to cover the whole face. However, I do not recommend this product to people with oily skin. It's excellent for normal to dry skin QBs.

Shu Uemura UV Under Base - ($32)

Unlike the other primers, which are mostly liquid, gel or cream base, this primer is a 'mousse'. Yes, it's mousse, foam.. you get the idea. This is a very light weight primer, good for normal to oily skin. It is also good for summer time too. I will recommend to use sponge to apply it instead of using hands. Although the price tag is not the most expensive one, but the bottle is small and when it's over half way through the bottle, it becomes harder to get the foam/ mousse out. Then you get liquid instead of the nice foam. I guess it is a design flaw on the bottle. So, the bottom line is, it is probably the most expensive primer on this list.

Feel free to recommend other primers you know or use. Comments are welcomed and appreciated!!

for chinese reader - video update

2010-01-04T20:02:00.000-08:00

Dear Chinese readers,

I have been watching The Taiwanese TV show: 女人我最大. i know many of you must know about this show already, but I am filtering out the most useful ones on my video bar. Take a look.

I will switch back to the English tutorial after a few days, but you can continue to search on youtube for this show.

enjoy!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T19:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year dear QBs!

I took a break from blogging during holidays. I am back now, stay tune for more fun and useful info on beauty here in 2010

TOPSHOP Sales

2009-12-29T10:55:00.000-08:00

Top Shop never goes on sales, but they do now!

Select merchandise is on sale at Topshop and on Topshop.com.
The flirt sequin dress is $60 (originally $135)
the leather jersey mix jacket is $120 (originally $260)
Kate Moss satin pencil skirt is $50 (originally $100).

Address: 478 Broadway, nr. Broome St.
Tel: (212-966-9455)
Time: M–F (10–9), S–Su (10–8)

Skin Care products up to 90% sales this week!

2009-12-14T20:37:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Diana, there is a great sales going on for your favor skin care lines:

L'Oreal Friends and Family
Wednesday, Dec. 16 to Sunday, Dec. 20
10am to 8pm
125 West 18th St, 5th Floor

How to dramatically enlarged your eyes and get rid of your sleepy look?

2009-12-13T20:03:00.000-08:00

The secret is.... eye liner! LOL It's probably not a well kept secret .. everyone knows!

but, how do you use eyeliner to achieve the look you want and not over or under do it? What are some of the good liner products out on the market? What type of liner is good for what look? QB will break it down by looks and products for you!

All in all, there are 4 types of liners: pencil, powder/ powder gel (I will explain what this is later), gel and liquid:

Some examples for each from top down on the picture above

Lancome Le Crayon khol
Makeup Forever kohl pencil
Urban Decay Shadow/Liner

Urban Decay eyeliner

Bobbi Brown liner gel

Clinique liquid eyeliner

Tricks on how to use each type of liner mentioned above:

1. For beginner, I recommend using eyeliner pencil.

You can begin with the middle of eyelid and draw to either direction.
Make sure your pencil is sharp and you draw as close to the roots of the lashes as possible

Lancome Le Crayon khol (bottom left) is smooth and rich, so it's easy to apply. Good for beginner and any level trying to achieve an effortless look. Recommend using it with light make-up.

Makeup Forever Kohl is darker and richer in color, it's better for a more dramatic look. (bottom right)

2. When you are out or on a trip, you want to pack as less as possible, you can choose to use Shadow/Powder type liner. You can use it for smoky eyes look and as liner if you wish.

You need a good brush for powder liner, like this below (This is a retractable one, you don't necessary need this, but this type of angled brush is best for applying powder type liner)

Start from the outer most point of your eyelid, begin drawing inward at the root of the lashes toward the inner point of the eyelid.
Other than the Urban Decay product I showed above. You can try the Bare Mineral products below. Use the liner seal on the left side on top of the powder liner to ensure it last longer.

3. Eyeliner gel is a liner product that got very popular in the past few years.

The #1 product in eyeliner gel is Bobbie Brown. I recommend people with more experience in using liner to try the liner gel. It really define the eyes very well, but it does require a set of steady hands.
The picture below is the bobbie brown eyeliner gel set. Good purchase for experienced QBs. You can get it at Duty free for 20% less than retail price. I always pick up a set when I travel aboard.

You need to make sure your liner brush is clean. Please do not use your liner brush without washing it. The gel from last time will get dried and completely change the texture of the brush. You have to wash it to get the brush back to where it was.
Don't get too much gel on the brush as once, and make sure it is even on the brush.
Start with inner point of the eyelid, and draw toward outer point of the eyelid. Do it in one shot (one stroke), otherwise, it will look too thick, too dark or uneven.

4. Last and the most famous one - liquid liner. It is slowly fading in the popularity contest as eyeliner gel becoming more popular. But in liquid liner's defense, it can create a type mysterious and sexy look that other type of liner can't.

Like eyeliner gel, you need to start with inner point of the eyelid.
Feel free to draw it upward at the outer most point of your eyelid and extend your liner out a bit more to get a sexier look.

I also looked up some tutorials on how to apply eyeliner on the video bar~
Enjoy~

Sample Sales in NYC!!!!

2009-12-07T14:58:00.000-08:00

12/8–12/11 Merchandise from Diane Von Furstenberg is up to 75 percent off at the sample sale. New merchandise will be arriving throughout the week. 260 Fifth Ave., nr. 28th St.; T (9–6:30, W (10–8), Th (10–7), F (9–3).

See more details on DVF sales here

12/8 Erica Weiner Jewelry and TG170 are hosting a holiday sample sale, offering discounted clothing and $10 vintage earrings and bracelets. 170 Ludlow St., nr. Stanton St. (212-995-8660); 6–9.

12/8–12/11 Alice + Olivia is hosting a sample sale. Party dresses are $179 (originally $440), fall pants are $99 (originally $297), and tops are $89 (originally $242). 80 W. 40th St., at Sixth Ave. (212-840-0887); T–F (8–8).

12/12 Bridal and bridesmaid dresses are 25 to 75 percent off at the Vera Wang sample sale. The New Yorker Hotel, 481 Eighth Ave., at 34th St. (212-575-6400); 9–5.

Now Through 12/21 In honor of the brand's 25th anniversary, Uniqlo will feature different shopping promotions every day for 25 days, beginning Black Friday. 546 Broadway, nr. Spring St. (917-237-8800); M–S (10–9), Su (11–7).

see more sample sales info, click here (information from nymag.com)

Back to Basics

2009-12-06T19:22:00.000-08:00

After introducing, reviewing so many new and modern cosmetics, we shouldn't forget there are some basic timeless products that exist since our grandnie time with amazing effect.

#1. Baby Oil

Natrual, good for sensitive skin, and the best oil base moisturizer...

Other than the obvious of using it as body oil for dry skin, what else is this classic product good for?

1. After using body scrubs, baby oil is a great product as the first thing you put on the newly exploited skin

2. For extremely dry and heel damaged skin, you can use baby oil as a healing product. Put it on before you go to bed and put a pair of socks on if you like. The next morning when you shower, you will notice your feet are much softer.

3. In case you run out of make-up remover or on the trip and don't have make-up remover handy, you can use baby oil to remove make-up... I know I know.... typically, we don't like oil base make-up remover, but it is really good on taking off any make-up you have on, even the toughest thing like glitter. Make sure you use soap base facial wash to wash your face afterwards to get rid of the oiliness.

#2. Vaseline

Ahhh ..... the good old vaseline!! Is it a medical product or skin care product? It's hard to say I think. But, this magical cream is such good healing agent many doctors recommend it for even medical uses.

1. Heal wounds, reduce scars and erase the sign of skin damage.

2. Heal extremely dry skin such as around elbows, knees and feet.

3. Some of you may have very dry lips like mine. I found a trick to help the dry lips look juicy in the winter too. Put a little toner on your lips then put vaseline all over it avoid inner lips, just outer lips. Basically where you usually put lip gloss on... It heals dry lips like no others!!
(haha i know... i fully utilize my sleeping time!) Enjoy~~

holiday make up videos

2009-12-06T06:53:00.000-08:00

new videos posted on the video bar. key word this time is holiday make-up.

I will rotate with other more specific keyword for holiday make up throughout this month. Stay tune.

ps. I like video # 1,3& 4

Origins sales - use code TENOFF09 to get $10 off on your purchase online

2009-11-30T09:38:00.000-08:00

Video Bar - this month's topic : Smoky eye

2009-11-29T18:06:00.000-08:00

Hello QBs,

Check out the video bar on the right hand panel for video make-up lessons I found online.

If you like someone to take you step by step through how to create a smoky eye look for this holiday season, I will be updating the video links every 2-3 days to show you some ideas.

Enjoy~

Body Scrub

2009-11-28T21:58:00.000-08:00

In the winter, many QBs suffer dry and rough skin. Well, other than find the best body butter, find a good scrub to make sure you get rid of the dead skin before applying moisturizer is also very important.

A few things to keep in mind before we start "scrubbing":

1. Don't use body scrub too frequently. It actually hurts than helps. Scrub too much will get rid of the oil on the surface of our skin that actually protects the skin. So, once a week is more than enough.

2. Using sauna or steam room to heat up the body before using scrub can help soften the dead skin and give better result on the scrub.

3. Must use thick cream or even oil afterwards, especially in the winter. I highly recommend baby oil after using scrub instead of regular body lotion or cream. Baby oil is the best body oil on the market; it's good for sensitive skins, and has no chemical.

Here is a list of body scrub for your consideration:

1. Bodyshop - Spa Wisdom Africa Spa Salt Scrub (bottom left)

I have used this scrub for at least 8 years. Every time I cheated on it with other scrub... I always ended up going back to it. The salt in this product dissolves in water quickly, so you don't feel much "scrubbing" on your skin. It actually feels smooth and creamy once it touches water. But it really gets does the job done. There will be no dead skin after using it. As I said, it has been part of my body skin care routine for the past 8+ years.

2. L'Occitane Honey and Lemon Sugar scrub (top right) -

Honey, Lemon and brown sugar, what a wonderful combination of ingredients!!!! My 2nd love. It's got a great smell. You don't need to use much, and try to use it when the shower is off. Rub it all over your body then wash it off to get better result.

3. Giovanni Hot Chocolate Sugar Scrub

A sensational treat for the body. It amazingly moisturizes the skin while it exploits. You can use it more often than the other scrub.

It also nicely scented... It smells like chocolate cake. LOL...

The smell doesn't stay on your skin for long after you wash it off. Well, I think it's for the better. I don't think I can resist satisfying my sweet tooth if the smell stays on for too long!

4. Borghese Tuscan Sugar Glow -

Living up to the Borghese masks reputation, this scrub brings out the skin glow like no others! For QBs love the tanned darker skin, this scrub is perfect to give your skin the sun kissed glow. For fair skin QBs, it is still a fantastic one to show a brighter skin tone. Rub on a little bit of baby oil afterwards will really show off the result~

5. Clarins Smoothing Body Scrub for a New Skin -

Good for dry and sensitive skin as it is as gentle as the body shop Africa Spa Salt scrub. Clarins body products are better than their facial skin products in my opinion. It is among the pricier scrub on this list. However, it is quite price value is not bad considering you don't need much to get the job done. It lasts a while in other words.

Once you have a chance to read through these products and my comments. Feel free to share yours by posting your comment. I would love to hear from you too on what you use and what else is good!

Sales before holidays! Why wait until black Friday? (This weekend only)

2009-11-19T10:08:00.000-08:00

11/17–11/21

Fall merchandise from Vivienne Westwood, Iodice, Bliss Lau, and Ilaria Nistri is up to 75 percent off. Prices range from $50 to $300.
Place: Scatola Showroom, 544 W. 27th St., nr. Eleventh Ave., sixth fl.
Time: Tu–F (10–7).

Mara Hoffman coats, dresses, tunics, and tops are up to 75 percent off at the Savvy & Co. sample sale.
Place: 42 Greene St., nr. Grand St., second fl.
Time: Th–F (10–7), S (10–7).

Men's and women's clothing and accessories are up to 80 percent off at the Armani warehouse sale. New items will be added daily.
Metropolitan Pavilion, 123 W. 18th St., nr. Sixth Ave., fourth fl.
Th (3–8), F (10–8), S (10–6).

Fashion for Action - Public Sample Sales
The annual three-day designer sample sale features more than a million dollars in fashionable apparel and beauty merchandise at the charitable cost of 50-70% off retail value. Designer includes: 3.1 Phillip Lim, Brooklyn Industries, Apple Bottoms, Diane Von Furstenburg (2 signs) , Diesel, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Donald J. Pliner , Donna Karan International, Hugo Boss , Ideeli, Jimmy Choo , Joan Rivers Worldwide, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade, L.A.M.B., L’Atelier , Louis Vuitton, Lucky Brand Jeans, Yumi Kim, Yves Saint Laurent, Zegna Sport, Zero Maria Cornejo...etc

Place: Chelsea Thrift Shop
143 West 17th St., New York, NY 10011 :: 718-838-5050
Time: Fri, 9-8pm Sat, 9-6pm, Sun, 10-6pm

Read more: New York Sales & Bargains - This Week's Best Sales in New York City - New York Magazine http://nymag.com/shopping/articles/sb/#ixzz0XKW0pmOM

Origins Sales

2009-11-17T19:51:00.000-08:00

25% OFF* + FREE STANDARD SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS**
ENDS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19

Shop Online Now >

Use offer code novff*

come get muddy and pretty~

2009-11-16T20:27:00.000-08:00

Yes to Carrot C the difference Mud Mask:

Yes to carrot is an increasingly popular organic cosmetic brand. You can get them in pharmacy at a very reasonable price. With my colleague's, Peggy, recommendation, I picked up a free sample (a full/regular size bottle) and gave it a try. I've used 2-3 times so far. It's not bad. It's a bit irritating at the beginning, I suppose that is because the mask is killing the germs and digging out the dirt in the pores.. LOL..
As the mask started to dry, I started feeling the mask tightening my face. After the mask is completely dry, I washed off my mask, then I noticed my skin is brighter, tighter and much cleaner. Plus the price is reasonable for this product, you can totally use it often and not break the bank.

Bodyshop 3 in 1 Blue Corn Deep Cleaning Mask

It's got stronger cleaning effect than Yes To Carrot's c the difference. The irritation feeling is a bit stronger at the beginning too. But you can really see your face get brighter with a healthier glow afterwards. It's not too pricy either. It's good to have it around and use it when you want to give you face a deep cleaning. Using it once a week is more than enough in my opinion.

Jurlique Intense Recovery Mask:

My dear friend, Joan, recommended this mask. The price is at the higher end. However, this mask is AMAZING. It doesn't irritate at all and it's like getting a mini face lift. You have to let it completely dry before washing it off to get the most out of the mask.
The mask itself is really smooth and fine, and it feels more like a cream. But it's in muddy green color. After you wash the mask off, you will notice the person in the mirror looks like you in your last year book. haha... ok.. I am exaggerating a bit here. But, you definitely can see the visibly "youthified" you! (Yea.. I made that word up)

If you have a slightly bigger budget for mask, you should pick this one up. It will save you some $ that you would normally spend in spa.

The followings are Borghese masks. Borghese masks are probably the MOST famous mud masks in the world~ I used it once before when my mom used to have it in her vanity. ( Yea, I stole some from her jar!) But, I haven't used it for a while. If anyone is using it right now, please share your experience. I would love to know if I should get it too.

Borghese fango Active and Brillante brightening mud mask

bebe: Share the surprise with 25% off for your friends & family!

2009-11-12T13:24:00.001-08:00

What's good for winter?

2009-11-08T19:40:00.000-08:00

If you are looking to stock up your vanity for the winter, a few recommendations on the basic products you can keep in mind:

1. Face Wash: Origins Check and Balance face wash

highest rated origin base product. Many of my friends use this one. So far everyone loves it. Good for winter.

2. Toner: Avene Gentle Toner

I have recommended this one in my "all about toner" posting. Before using this, remember to shake it up a bit. Always use the spray!!

For those budget QBs, you can get it in drug store at a very reasonable price.

3. Moisturizer: Clinique Skin Moisture Surge Extended

Save your super duper dry skin, use this one as base moisturizer.

4. Make up primer: Guerlain Meteorites Perlectrices Base

Recommended by a close friend, Joan. I picked one up on my trip to China. It is fantastic! It's the most moisturizing primer that I have used so far.

5. Lip Care - Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment

Also recommended by 5 different beauty magazines this Fall. It was back ordered for a few weeks.

It is by far the longest lasting lip care I have come across. You should have one in your purse this winter.

false eye lashes

2009-11-01T17:34:00.000-08:00

How to wear false eye lashes?

More and more people use fake eye lashes nowadays, so if you haven't caught up the trend and are still struggling with wearing fake eye lashes, you have to continue to read this blog post. I will show some simple ways/ tricks on how to properly wear fake lashes.

Prep work:

1. You want to put on false lashes as the last step of your make up application.

2. For beginner, choose a more natural looking lashes and softer lashes, such as Model 21 No. 16A. Or any lashes look more like the picture below: not too full and too long

3. pick a good glue. I recommend DUO, they have both clear and black glue. For beginner, you can choose the dark glue to cover some tracks. :)

4. use lash curler and curl your own lashes first before putting on the false lashes, so that when you put your lashes on, the real lashes and fake lashes inter-locks each other.

How to put your lashes on:

1. trim your lashes to fit the length of your eyes. Make sure you trim both ends.

2. bend a little bit to fit the shape of your eyes.

3. apply lashes glue on the lashes, either squeeze a black bean size on your hand and run your fake lashes through it or squeeze a little out and apply it directly on the lashes. Whichever way works better for you, but I find these 2 are the easiest way to apply right amount of lash glue on the lash. After putting the glue on, you don't have to put the lashes on right away, give a few seconds (3-5) before putting the lashes on. The few seconds will allow the glue to get sticky and it will glue right on to your eye lid.

4. hold the middle of the lash and place it directly on the root of your lashes where you will normally draw your eye liner on.

5. after the lashes is glued on your lashes, in order to make sure the real lashes and fake lashes are close together and look more real, use the big fake lashes curler to close them up.

For a more dramatic look, for example a club night out, you can choose a more dramatic lashes, such as fuller and longer lashes like below:

Fuller one: (Don't pick those that are really full, it will look very fake)

Longer lashes:

Application steps are the same. enjoy~~

Eyelashes

2009-10-24T20:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry QBs, I was away in China and didn't realize I do not have access on gmail blogger because it is blocked in China...... yeah.... wtf.. i know. Anyways, I am back~~ Now let's continue :)

While I was away, I got messages inbox from a friend asking about how to create long and curly eyelashes. Looking at how the cartoon distinguish male and female are always by adding the long and curly lashes... So, I suppose, lashes symbolize femininity.

Therefore creating beautiful lashes becomes an important thing to learn in make-up application. And there are tricks on using products like eyelash curler and mascara to create natural and curly lashes. Following points and tricks are key to create full and beautiful lashes:

1. Pick a good curler - the first thing is to have a good tool. :) Go figure.... LOL ...

I recommend 2 brand: Shu Uemura and Shiseido. Why? It's because they are design to have good shape to fit the shape of eyelid. Plus the rubber(filler) last a long time. it can give your lashes a good squeeze into a pretty curly shape. I highly recommend them~~

2. Heat the lash curler up before using it - My secret weapon is blow dryer！ Yes! Blow dryer! You heard me right. What does it have to do with curling your lashes? Use blow dryer heat up the lash curler before curling the lashes can make the curl last longer. Also, blow dryer can heat up the curler quickly. It usually takes 4-5 second. Don't heat it up too much. You don't want to burn your eye lids either. :) Squeeze it a few times to make the curl last a whole day.

3. Pick the right Mascara for your lashes - There are way too many mascara out on the market. In general, there are a few different types of mascara: for length, volume or shape holding.

For QBs who have natural curly lashes but like more volume, use Dior Iconic Mascara or L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen Mascara

For QBs who have shorter lashes, use Almay pure blend volumizing mascara or Clinique high definition Lashes Brush then comb to extend the length of the lashes to get longer and sexier look.

For QBs with less curly lashes, use mascara that holds the shape of the curled lashes after using lash curler is important, try Majolica Majorca Masacara , Makeup Forever Waterproof Mascara. They can hold the curly shape, so the curls can last longer and lashes are more dramatic.

4. One more trick: After the mascara dry, use the lash curler to re-enforce the shape again. It will give you a even more dramatic and longer lasting look I promise. :)

Next time, I will show you how to wear false lashes and lash grower products. Stay tune my lovely QBs!!

My Beauty Diary Week 4 - 我的美丽日记（第四周）

2009-10-12T21:11:00.001-07:00

My Beauty Diary Week 4 - 我的美丽日记（第四周）

1 普羅旺斯薰衣草面膜 Provence Lavender Mask

It's not bad. It's mild but nourishing. If you are looking for something to add into your skin care routine, it's not a bad one. However, if you are looking for instantaneous and significant result, then this might not be the one.

I only got to use one from My Beauty Diary this week. But, I did also use other masks, will write another series on them :)

National Fall spa week started today!!!

2009-10-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

Spa week: Oct 12 - Oct 18.

Take advantage of the discounted packages offered during Spa week! Time to relax and enjoy some professional treatments before the holidays!

see details:
http://www.spaweek.com/

My new black hair look!

2009-10-09T19:45:00.000-07:00

Since high school I've always colored my hair chocolate brown, ash brown....etc.

For quite some times I really wanted to color my hair black again...

My college roommate, Victoria, had tried to get me color my hair back since.... I can remember..... (Vix.. i know you will be proud of me!)

So, I am sharing my proud black hair pictures with my QBs. Hope you guys like it as much as I do!

Under natural sunlight, you can see the real color of the hair... It's black!

I know it's a big blurry .. but I actually kinda like this picture. you can see more hair. :)

Here is a funny one... my vanity is really messy... hope you take that as a sign that I work hard on my cosmetic research!

bebe's 65% sales this weekend! (In store only....)

2009-10-09T06:21:00.000-07:00

Hair tips

2009-10-08T18:46:00.001-07:00

Reading some articles published by Hollywood hairdresser and make-up artists on sharing hair styling and make-up application.

I am summarizing them here and share with my lovely QBs.

1. Natural Full Curls -

For curls that are full of volume, hold your curling iron horizontally instead of vertically as you roll your hair up. It will help lift your roots to add more oomph.

I also learned from my last hair dresser that if you blow your roots opposite direction from where they fall then style/ curl, your curls not only last longer, they hold up longer with more volume too.

2. Stylish ponytails

To create a ponytail that has volume on the top and sleek sides, first apply mousse from roots to ends (Article recommended: Tresemme 24 Hour Body Foaming Mousse) then use a round brush to blow dry the top middle section of your hair. Next, use a flat brush to blow dry the sides straight back. Then secure with an elastic. To ensure you don't get sagging underneath your pony, look straight ahead as you secure the tail, don't look down.

3. Messy good look waves

How to get messy-in-a-good-way waves in stick straight hair? Spritz hair all over with volumizing spray (article recommended: Ted Gibson Build It Blow Drying Agent, $19.99) then twist two-inch sections of hair one by one and hit them with a blow dryer to lock in the wave. Tousle your hair once the twists are fully dry for a just-off-the-beach look.

4. Lazy way to get the blow dried look

Cheater trick to get the blow-dry look: first, blow dry your hair until it's fully dry without stressing about how smooth or frizz-free it is. Second, roll hair into large hot rollers ( article recommended: Conair Instant Heat Hairsetter) and let cool. Remove curlers and you'll have bouncy, shiny, perfectly blow dried hair without the fuss. -- Lyndell Mansfield for Bumble and Bumble

5. How to part your hair a different way?

If you are tired of how your hair part now, and want to force your hair to part in a place other than where it wants to part naturally, blow dry your hair straight back (without any part) first. Once it's dry, create the part you want (middle, deep side, opposite side, etc.)

Article read on Totalbeauty.com

My Beauty Diary Week 4 - 我的美丽日记（第四周）

2009-10-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

My Beauty Diary Week 4 - 我的美丽日记（第四周）

1 普羅旺斯薰衣草面膜 Provence Lavender Mask

I only got to use one from My Beauty Diary this week. But, I did also use other masks, will write another series on them :)

what is BB Cream

2009-10-07T17:57:00.000-07:00

Some of you might have heard of BB Cream. A few years ago, it revolutionized the professional make-up applications in Asia.

For those of you who don't know what BB cream is yet, here is some information I gathered:

The double B stands for "Blemish Balm". With that, you should get a good understanding of what BB cream is.

The difference between BBcream and other make-up applications is that it is a skincare/healing product combined with make-up. While regular foundation liquid does nothing to your skin, BB cream is supposed to do wonders to your skin while covering up.

There are many types of BB cream. Some is said to have whitening properties, some anti wrinkle, some to even out skin tone and lighten blemish scars....etc. Such as this one below: (I just started using it - the pink one, and I LOVE it) But all of them works as moisturizer, sunscreen, make-up base and foundation too.

Some people say it is also a healing cream, but I suggest you still make sure you have a good skin care routine.

What I do is that I put it on before I apply make-up. if I feel like doing a light make-up today, then I might not use foundation on top of it. if I do want to have a bit more coverage, a bit more dramatic make-up, then I use foundation after using BB cream. It is tinted with natural skin color, so it's kind of like the foundation faker I recommended from Benefit.

I also heard good things about the following brand. It's recommended by the famous "Princess Janet" in Taiwan. She is very famous for giving make-up tips and skin care tips. I am her seasonal magazine's loyal reader

Clean up your vanity

2009-10-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

I am sure there are plenty of people who still keep cosmetics that they bought a few years back.

No matter it's skin care product or make-up, they all expire. Normally any cosmetic products expire after 3 years. From the date you purchased the product, minus the time it sits on the shelf in the store, you have about 2 - 2.5 years to use it up.

Even if you don't finish it before it expires, you still need to throw it away!!

And if you can't remember when was the last time you used that product, the chances are you will not use it again in the near future. So, you might as well make some space in your vanity for other new products anyways.

Happy cleaning QBs

share a picture with you all on my nude make-up look~

Thanks for voting!!

2009-10-04T21:01:00.001-07:00

Dear All,

Thanks for voting! The poll is now officially closed. I have gathered a lot of goodies to share with you all.

In the next few days, I will be sending out emails to get your mailing addresses. For those I will see soon, either next weekend or during the week, I will bring the samples with me instead of mailing them. So, don't worry if you didn't get an email. It probably only means we will meet up soon.

Anyways, thanks again QBs. It was interesting to see the results of the poll.

My Beauty Diary Week 3 - 我的美丽日记（第三周）

2009-10-03T07:04:00.001-07:00

1 Natto Mask 我的美丽日记－纳豆米面膜

Using this mask is like my face is drinking water. It filled up the dry skin with lots moisture. So, after using this mask, your skin looks like you have been drinking lots of water.

它超补水的！用完皮肤就有白泡泡，水嫩嫩的感觉哦！

2. Apple Mask - 苹果多酚面膜

This apple mask is alright. It supposes to close up your pore and make your skin looking porelessly smooth. I am not sure if it really does that. You might need to use it consistently for a week or two to see the result. I am not a big fan of it. My Beauty Diary definitely has better mask than this one. For example the Natto one is definitely better. But, I must say the apple smell is really nice, sweet and soothing. But if you are looking for a visible result, this is not the best choice i suppose. 还好，但不是最好的。

Designer Sample Sales in NYC!

2009-10-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

From 9/24 to 10/4, which is end of this week:

1. Givenchy, Zanotti, Valentino Casadei, Tory burch...etc

Steven Dann is hosting a designer sale, offering 75 percent off shoes and bags from Givenchy, Zanotti, Valentino, Casadei, Tory Burch, and more.

Address: 220 Lafayette St. nr. Spring St.
Time: 11am –8pm, 9/24 to 10/4

Givenchy FALL 2009

Valentino Fall 2009

2. Luca Luca

From 9/29 to 10/4 Select merchandise is up to 90 percent off at the Luca Luca sample sale.

Address: 19 W. 36th St., nr. Fifth Ave., fourth fl.

Tel: (212)-755-2444
Time: T–F (8:30–7), S–Su (11–5) , 9/29 to 10/4

IT Sales in HK - 90% OFF!!

2009-10-02T06:15:00.001-07:00

For QBs in HK, you have to take advantage of this sales. Last time I was there, I bought a gray blazer that is now one of the most important items in my wardrobe.

Must check it out this weekend you girls!!

Nude Make up

2009-09-30T19:07:00.000-07:00

What is nude make-up? A nude make-up is even though you did put make-up on, it looks as if you didn't. It should look very natural and effortless.

The way to achieve this look :

1. Light weight foundation, but with good coverage.

Try Benefit Foundation Faker. It gives a good coverage. It's also a little wet, so the moisture helps the make up to blend in better. There is a reason why it's called the Foundation "Faker." It helps you fake the really good natural skin look.

Also use the Smashbox High Definition Concealer . It is an excellent concealer, but it doesn't look too heavy. Make sure you find the right color for your skin.

2. Pink and light cheek

Try Benefit Pink Cheek Stain. It helps to get that little blush on face, but not that visible or obvious like you brush them on.

3. Soft pink lips, and glossy

For girls with lighter lip color: Dior Addict Lip Glow

For girls with slightly darker lip color, use Cargo Botanical Lip Stick - Lindsay (Sheer Pink Cream) to soften the color, then use a little colorless lip gloss.

4. Light or even no eye shadow.

It won't go wrong with Urban Decay Eye Shadow - the Midnight Cowboy, Maui Wowie and/or Grind

5. Thin and not obvious eye line

Sharpened your liner pencil before you apply. Do it in one shot, don't go back and forth thicken the eye line.

6. curly eye lashes, use less mascara than usual, just enough to hold the lashes curly

Try wiping your mascara brush before dipping it back into the bottle before applying. It cleans the extra dried mascara liquid off, so it doesn't clog up on the lashes, which will make eye make-up look heavy and dirty.

Enjoy the natural nude look!

I found A BIG POT OF HONEY - 好康报报！

2009-09-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

Some of you might know that my mom is a certified Esthetician /Beautician in US.
(definition of an Esthetician: a person trained to administer facials, advise customers on makeup and the care of skin and hair, etc. )

On my trip to visit her this past weekend, I got many free samples from her and some more pointers on how to take care of my skin. I will continue to share them here with my lovely QBs.

First thing first, as an Esthetician, mom has access to some professional products that are not sold in retail stores, such as eyelash grower and jello masks. They are usually used in Spa and only can be purchased by an Esthetician. I got access to these products now... hahaha... thanks to mom. I will begin to share them here with my QBs readers!

So, stay tune... more good stuff coming!

Jill Stuart's skin care line

2009-09-28T20:13:00.000-07:00

Jill Stuart launched their skin care line!!

Earlier this year on my trip in China and HK, I met Jill Stuart.. ok don't get excited, not the designer. I had my "first time" with Jill Stuart make-up products. Their powder and mist spray are fantastic. Now they launched the skin care line, you can imagine how excited I am.

If you are living in HK, check out their skin care product. And I would love to know how you QBs in HK think about it. On my next trip there, I am definitely going to load up my supply!

My Beauty Diary Week 2 - 我的美丽日记（第二周）

2009-09-27T18:38:00.001-07:00

Week 2 on "My Beauty Diary" 我的美丽日记（第二周）分享

1. Q10 Mask - 我的美麗日記Q10酵素奈米面膜

I actually didn't feel much the day I used the mask. I usually use it before going to bed, and I don't wash off the "juice" after I take off the mask. I massage it into the skin and sleep with it. What I realized was that the tightening effect didn't take place until next day. So if you ever choose to use this product, make sure you leave the extra "juice" on overnight. You will see your skin tightened the next morning.

2. Chocolate Mask - 我的美麗日記巧克力多酚面膜

First of all, don't use this if you are trying to cut back on desert or when you are with empty stomach. A half an hour of smelling chocolate while you are on no sugar diet or when you are hungry is just purely torturing.... This mask definitely brightens your skin. It also tightens your skin a little. The tightening effect is not as good as the Q10 mask. The "juice" on the mask is rich and creamier than the others; usually this is a good sign. I like masks with thicker juice. It gives a more nurturing feeling. However, I love and hate the smell... I seriously had a bad craving for a hot chocolate after I was done with the mask.

one day sales @ Olive & Bette's

2009-09-26T16:44:00.000-07:00

Olive and Bette's one day sales tomorrow in NYC~

From 10am to 6pm. @ their Columbus store. (use the link above to get address)

If you like theory, Trina Turk, Shoshanna, Nanette....etc, then you cannot miss this sales!

Happy Shopping~~~~

A "Lucky" shopping night in west village

2009-09-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

I went to the Fresh lucky magazine sales in west village tonight. It was PACKED! I shouldn't have had been surprised. I must say I am usually very cost conscious, but with the 25% discount, I couldn't resist to get a luxurious mask: BLACK TEA INSTANT PERFECTING MASK

I couldn't wait to try it out after I got home. Afterall it is one of highest rated mask by Allure magazine. The instruction says to leave it on for 8 to 10 minutes, but I always leave all my mask on a little longer, trying to get as much value as possible out of the product. :)

When the mask is on, you can feel the cooling sensation on your skin. It goes pretty deep into skin too. I normally don't feel so much into my pore with other products.

After I washed the mask off, my skin feels really smooth. Although I don't see any color or tone change like the my beauty diary product usually has, it leaves a very nourishing and clean feeling. I will continue to use it for a few weeks. Most of time, it takes a few weeks of commitment to really see what a product can do.

One week left to get some free samples!

2009-09-24T19:17:00.001-07:00

Girls~~ Don't forget to vote. We got one week left before the poll closes.

Also, don't forget to leave a comment, so I know you voted. I will email you individually to get your mailing address.

Fresh sales!!

2009-09-23T16:48:00.001-07:00

For QBs in NYC,

Tomorrow night, and only tomorrow night, Fresh is having one day sales at the Bleecker street location. You can get 25% off on all products.

As I just posted, their lip treatment is awesome. The Sake hair mask is also amazing.

I am planning to pick up a few more things to try during the sales. Don't miss the chance!!

Natural Rose Lip

2009-09-22T06:25:00.000-07:00

My new favor lip stick.

It's very long lasting, but not like those 8 hours long lasting one that you have to use tons of make-up removal to remove it. It's just like a normal ChapStick Moisturizer, but it stays on longer, and very healing.

Also, it smells wonderful!

My Beauty Diary Week 1 - 我的美丽日记（第一周）

2009-09-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

On my last trip to Asia, I bought some masks from "My Beauty Diary"- 我的美丽日记面膜

In August, my girlfriends brought back lots of more different kinds of masks from this brand for me too. I figure, I will write a diary on using "My Beauty Diary" products and share with my lovely Queen Bees here.

用 “美丽日记” 写下我自己的美丽日记～～

1. Bulgarian Rose Mask 保加利亚白玫瑰面膜

My face was brightened a lot and I look more refreshing. The glow lasted only about 2 days though. Not sure if it kinda died away because of work was getting a bit more stressful or I need to do the facial more frequently than I do now. But, other masks I use usually can keep me glowing for about 3-4 days. But for an instant glow, this is great.

~~Recommend this one when you need an instant glow before an event or a date. :) 清透明亮喔！

2. Yogurt Mask －优酪乳纳米面膜

First of all, this mask smells nice....... It smells a bit sweet and full of yogurt fragrance !! After using this mask, my face feels really smooth and tightened a bit. It didn't give me the glow like the Bulgarian Rose one, but it did lighten the darker area a little.

~~Recommend this one when you want smoother and slightly tighter skin. 滑嫩紧实！

Beauty and the Bee

What am I using now? 1 - Toner!

fruit acid peel by Origins

2011 Best Eye Cream Reviews

Roni's warehouse sales!

Theory and Helmut Lang Sample Sales

Eye Masks

Express is giving out crazy discount

other products from Japan

Japan trip report 1 - bubble hair dye

Trip Report!

Anti-environmental toxins Charcoal mask

Clear Improvement® Active charcoal mask to clear

THE SHOPPING LIST of the year~

The 101 blog posting - all about eyes

Updates on What I Want -

Charlotte Russe denim sales

Express Sales

my summer skin care routine

What is beauty?

Professional use mask

Tarte

I am back~

Lips

US beauty - How to fly like a star

This Summer's make-up trend~

What's new with L'OCCITANE?

Summer Protection Sun Hair Mist

Almond Milk Concentrate

Almond Summer Body Duo

Beauty.com Summer Stock-Up

Don't waste a bit!

Express Coupon!!!

Don't pop it!!!

New background welcomes summer

Day cream - preparing for summer

Neck

Super Shinning make-up look

Look who is also talking eyebrows!

BR, GAP, OLD NAVY 30% discount!

eyebrows

The DIY Mask

The shopping list from today's Jurlique 20% 'MYSPA' sales

About eyes - Highly recommended products!!

Chinese New Year Make-up

Happy CNY

healthy smooth hands in winter!

Anti-aging cream

clutch 'bagable' make-up touch up kit

Cold Cream - our good old friend

Saks 5th Ave - Coupon!

Banana Republic Sales (15% off) - Coupon valid till 1/31

Eye Masks to Lip Masks

Jill Stuart Spring 2010 collection - Jewel Crystal Eyes!

Primer review

for chinese reader - video update

Happy New Year!

TOPSHOP Sales

Skin Care products up to 90% sales this week!

How to dramatically enlarged your eyes and get rid of your sleepy look?

Sample Sales in NYC!!!!

Back to Basics

holiday make up videos

Origins sales - use code TENOFF09 to get $10 off on your purchase online

Video Bar - this month's topic : Smoky eye

Body Scrub

Sales before holidays! Why wait until black Friday? (This weekend only)

Origins Sales

come get muddy and pretty~

bebe: Share the surprise with 25% off for your friends & family!

What's good for winter?

false eye lashes

Eyelashes

My Beauty Diary Week 4 - 我的美丽日记 （第四周）

National Fall spa week started today!!!

My new black hair look!

bebe's 65% sales this weekend! (In store only....)

Hair tips

My Beauty Diary Week 4 - 我的美丽日记 （第四周）

what is BB Cream

My Beauty Diary Week 4 - 我的美丽日记（第四周）

My Beauty Diary Week 4 - 我的美丽日记（第四周）

My Beauty Diary Week 3 - 我的美丽日记（第三周）

My Beauty Diary Week 2 - 我的美丽日记（第二周）

My Beauty Diary Week 1 - 我的美丽日记（第一周）