Smells of Summer

Despite the chilly wind whipping outside right now, last weekend's hot summer weather really got me in the mood for SUMMER. That's right--sundresses, floppy hats, cute sandals--and warm nights. One huge perk of living in Fresno is the warm evening. Last weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed this new reality. After eight summers in Costa Mesa, I am used to chilly evenings. It is amazing to be wearing short sleeves after 4pm anytime of year!

Quite a few things are inspiring summer-lust for me. Not least of which is that wonderful smell of summer...

You could splurge on this:

Sephora, $98

Or get the same ingredients in this. I got the whole set last summer and love it all!

Yves Rocher, $4

Sephora, $12

That's right. Spend $98, or $16. The NARS and Yves Rocher use Tahitian Monoi Oil. However, they also include mineral oil, so don't use it anywhere you are prone to breakouts. I found some pure monoi oil online for very reasonable, but it doesn't smell quite as fragrant.

All of these just smell like summer vacation.

Gorgeous

How beautiful is her hair??
Garance Dore

Hair

So I've had a few requests for hair product/style info. Instyle.com is a great resource for hair makeovers. You can upload your own picture, and try out different celebrities' hairstyles with your face shape. The only problem with this method is that you MUST take into consideration different hair type/texture and styling time investment.

I myself prefer to leave my hair to dry overnight, or air dry on the odd day I shower in the morning. I use a wet-to-dry flat iron for my bangs and on a couple of weird spots I have.

Bespoke Labs Wet-to-Dry Narrow

I, of course, got it for less than half of its normal $200 price tag. It is great, but I wish it had rounded edges so I could flip my hair or curl it. But, you can't have everything. And I'm too lazy to use a blow dryer, so love the option of steaming instead.

I would rather rely on hair products to do the work for me. I won't list them all, because I would be embarrassed to see them all at once! But here are a few faves for now:

Biosilk Silk Therapy

I could not live without this. I used to struggle with frizz, but as long as I use this and refrain from touching my hair when it's wet...I can kiss my old mushroom hair days goodbye.


Paul Mitchell Sculpting Foam
I have loved this stuff for about four years. It doesn't disappoint. It smells amazing, conditions, doesn't make my hair all crunchy, and gives just the right amount of wave definition...on my hair.

Jonathan Create Root Volume Lifting Spray
This is very pricey. I bought it as one of those treat purchases over a year ago. I don't use it daily, but when I want some big roots, this stuff does the trick.

What hair product can you not live without?

Appreciation

I'm loving the comments! I am re-energized and full of vigor for my blog. The Barnabas spirit lives on. (And, FYI, I changed the settings on the posts so that you can post as anonymous just in case you don't have a blogger account...)

I have been thinking all day about my identity in Christ, and how to reconcile that with my love of beauty products. It's not a question I ever have a pat answer for, but I enjoy the tension. Over Lent, embarrassingly enough, I had to fast from beauty blogs and focus on holistic contentment in my life. I'm finding, when I allow myself to be fully loved as I am, I operate out of that foundation. Everything else is just icing.

I do hope that my life will once again be more active someday. But, for now, I figure out ways to use my mind and my hunger for knowledge. And continually discipline my mind to embrace contentment, despite posts called "Gimme Gimme."

Gimme Gimme

I want this. I had a Sephora employee try this on me, while my friend had to entertain her one year old who was throwing her first tantrum. The darker, accent shade is ok. But the dove gray/lavender one is STUNNING. I tried it dry since it was first thing in the morning, but think I may purchase and wear wet to a certain best friend's wedding in July. So beautiful.

Despite all of the hype, I really do like Bare Escentuals. The little pots bother me because they take up so much space and time. I also love Benefit, and their eye palette Big Beautiful Eyes is conveniently packaged in one compact. I use that thing all the time, and love the undereye concealer and brushes included.

As with all eye makeup, I rely completely on Urban Decay Primer Potion to keep it from creasing. It also makes the colors more vivid and lasting. I highly recommend it. For $16, it makes all your eye makeup MUCH better.

I really don't need any more makeup. I despise excess. I strive to only purchase what I actually need and use regularly. Hence, the obsession with buying the perfect products. But, if it's for a special occasion...

Foiled Eye

The Healthy Life

I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. There, I said it. After over two years of seeing doctors and wondering why I've felt like I have a life-long flu, I finally fit into the "Chronic Fatigue" box. The best news about this diagnosis (one that I rejected when any doc tried to peg me in there just because he/she had no other explanation) is that my amazing holistic (part western medicine/part eastern) doctor actually is treating the cause.

That said, I have discovered gold mines of books about Chronic Fatigue--and they all apply to me. So, I drink freshly juiced carrot juice multiple times a day, go to bed early, get gentle exercise, cut out coffee and most sugars, listen to my body's warning triggers and learn to be thankful for what my life is.

I just put on my yoga clothes, finished my jasmine green tea, took my 7 pills of supplements, drank my carrot juice...I'm set.

I like to know that I'm doing everything I can for my health.

The Magical Eyelash Day

I'm such a nerd. On the day I started my blog, I had an almost fairy tale eyelash day...for me. Some of you already have naturally lush, long and curled eyelashes. Mine are short and straight. This was magical for me. Like the nerd that I am, I photographed the occasion to see if I could re-create the curl again. I haven't been able to, but I discovered these forgotten pictures and HAD to show them.

My Latest Frivolous Purchase

I have been wanting a Frederic Fekkai hair mascara wand for a few months now. Every time I watch Project Runway, I fall a little bit more in love with Nina Garcia's glistening, caramel highlights. However, my hair is long and never lightened...and I'm obsessed with keeping it healthy. So, the wand seemed perfect. Back in the 90's, Victoria's Secret had one of these and I bought a bright red one. I hope it goes without saying that these are significantly improved. I bought the cognac color, and just tried it out today. I didn't want to pay $20 plus shipping for a product I had never tried, so found an unopened one on eBay! I need to play around with the placement of the highlights, but here are some pics. (I have been under the weather all week, so I just brushed them out quickly.)



Fekkai Hi-lights, Cognac

I Wish...

I wish I had these. Even more, I wish I could have afforded the amazing wedge/clog ones that are now sold out. Luckily for me, I have never had to purchase Grecian sandals. Lindsy's grandma (otherwise known as "Nanny") gave her a pair that didn't fit her and were then passed on to me. That was two years ago, and I still get compliments on them. You go, Nanny!

Gap
$78

Sunscreen...Worth It

I have lived in California for twelve years. Before that, Russia. Even before that, Indonesia. I am sure I have accrued years of as of yet unseen sun damage from years in the tropics as a child, and more from college/post-college years spent at the beach unprotected. I don't have freckles or alot of moles, but somehow this last year really changed my perspective on sunscreen.

Now, I'm just quoting snippets from many a magazine article written on sun damage...but apparently, it is the biggest ager. The sun exposure destroys the collagen in our skin--and collagen provides the elasticity as it is a connective tissue. So, basically, losing collagen equals saggy skin. Yikes! And apparently, age spots don't appear until years after the sun damage. Yikes again.

I wish I could say my incentive to use sunscreen is medical, but--unfortunately--my motives are purely superficial. And, looking at babies' skin...so soft, because it doesn't have years of sun exposure wearing its elasticity away.

That said, I have upped the sunscreen on my face. My favorite is mineral sunscreen. It is supposedly waterproof, and shouldn't break you out. Sephora carries one made by Peter Thomas Roth, but I found it too drying. Everyday Minerals carries it as a finishing powder and it is like $6--so reasonable. I went with Colorescience, the original. A full size is extremely pricey, but a few websites, such as Beauty Bridge, carry a $7.50 sample size. So far I like it.

Colorescience Sunforgettable Trial Size

My mineral makeup also has SPF 15 in it, but I feel the need for at least SPF 30. And I hate when the sunscreen makes your face feel all greasy. That's why I like this guy:

Neutrogena Active Breathable Sunblock

I would really like to try MAC's Prime and Prep SPF 50. It looks amazing. I will let you know when I do.

How Do I Love Thee, Mario Badescu

I LOVE Mario Badescu products. I recently ran out of my favorite product of all, the Rosewater Aloe Facial Spray. Turns out, no one actually carries it in store. Nordstrom only carries one product, and Planet Beauty lacked this alone! So, I had to pay shipping...something I try to avoid at all costs. Luckily, I found an online coupon for 15% off my order, so that was a sort of balm on my passionately-hating-to-pay-shipping wound.

When it showed up at my house, they had kindly included a full sample kit of products...five to be exact. They weren't the skimpy packet kind, but actual mini jars and bottles. That warmed my heart considerably.

And, let's just state again that this spray is so great. I use it both morning and evening...especially in the morning before my mineral makeup since I can be prone to little flakies around the nose and mouth.

Wonderful Spray

I also highly recommend the acne products. They are gentle, but oh so effective.

On a total side note, does anyone read my blog? I have been in a desert of commentless blogging. Not to sound neurotic and insecure, but post me a comment!!

More Top Mascaras

Another mascara link. Splendora posts the top drugstore and department store mascaras...

I'll be back sometime this weekend, but my eyes have been glued to my computer for the majority of the last two weeks doing editing. And being cross-eyed just isn't in this season.

Top Ten Mascaras

Funny Stuff

I'm very excited that The Office is back. But I may be even more excited about discovering Mindy Kaling's blog. I am always more partial to actors-slash-writers...like Tina Fey, any SNL writer who makes a cameo, Jerry Seinfeld, etc. She plays Kelly, the crazy Customer Service girl, and you would never guess the comedic genius she possesses.

Check out this article on her. Hilarious. And her blog is filled with her clever humor. Pure gold.

Mindy's blog: Things I've Bought That I Love
NY Style Article

Kate Hudson

My style icon--well, at least shared with Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

Addendum to Mascara Search

Doesn't it go something like, "it's about the journey, not the destination..." I'm pretty sure I heard a speech centering around that at my high school graduation. Come to think of it, possibly my college graduation as well!

I have been thinking about that today, in my quest for the perfect beauty products. My devotion to research is not limited to beauty products. It is my approach to most things in life. Thankfully, I am have gotten to 26 without an ulcer.

In regards to beauty products, as I've stated, I love the pursuit. I love the research. But, equally, I love the acquiring of a product that becomes a favorite. For all that I cannot seem to hit on the HG mascara, I have plenty of products with which I am perfectly content. After doing the extensive research and testing, I love to feel satisfied having exhausted all the other possibilities. So, I say, it's about the journey AND the destination.

Anyways, on to mascara. I do have one tip for super full, lush lashes. I only use it on special occasions. Alcone's Fast Lash.

$14, known for closest thing to real "false lashes"
http://www.alconeco.com/products/straight_makeup/eye/eyelash_enhancement/alcone_fast_lash_fastlash

Also, just after I posted about mascaras, I got an email from Totalbeauty.com. (Complete side note: I found out about Total Beauty in Allure magazine. They described the site for those who "research their products with the diligence of an honor student." I was sold instantly, and secretly felt like Allure had seen into my soul.) Their editors reviewed a bunch of mascaras, and highly recommend this:

Mini size $8.50, Full size $19.50
Supposed to be more weather-proof than DiorShow, and uses the now-famous tube technology.
http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P168368&categoryId=C10480

Thanks so much to Sarah and Lauren who shared their mascara stories. I love hearing what works for other people. I am debating between going with the mini size of the Lash Injection, Fiberwig or finding another curling one. Right now Sephora has a special for a mini eyelash curler, Fiberwig and a how-to DVD for $22. Very tempting...Could this be part of the journey, or maybe at long last, the destination??

More About Nails

The other day I was reading about a Hungarian swim coach and how he trained some of the world's greatest Olympic swimmers. He took one already-amazing swimmer who happened to have long nails she was very proud of, and made her swim in a super narrow lane on the edge of the pool. The incentive to keep her nails from getting scratched up on the side of the pool caused her to discipline herself to completely straighten her arms with every stroke. She ended up winning multiple gold medals. Isn't it interesting how much vanity influences us?

Deep discussions of vanity aside, I thought I would share a couple more of my HG nail products. I was reminded by my friend Anne-Marie of them, as I once recommended them to her. Later, I have some additions to The Great Mascara Search...

My friend Kelly once wore that perfect un-streaky, milky white, classy, minimalist nail look that I had been trying to achieve. Her color was a discontinued MAC one that, despite my tenacious research, I couldn't seem to find. After trying the much-lauded Essie "Ballet Slippers" and others, I was pleasantly surprised to find my HG natural nail look made by Sally Hansen. No matter how carelessly I slop that stuff on my nails, it never comes out streaky. I LOVE it.

Nail top coats are also a constant search for me. I love a high gloss, long-lasting finish. I own quite a few top coats, but--yet again--Sally H really pulled through for me. It makes my nails so strong and stays on so well. My purple polish from last week lasted a week and a half, thanks to a mid-week application of this stuff:


Ah, I adore both products. Although neither are marketed for the ways I use them. One is supposed to be anti-aging/yellowing, but it is the perfect pale polish. One is a nail strengthener, but is also a great top coat in between manicures. I have finally abandoned those two HG categories, well satisfied with my diamonds in the rough. For now.

True Beauty

True beauty: my niece. Look at her truly makeup-less face, beauty mark on the side of her eye, stylin' dress, tousled hair, banana-covered teeth. Effortless, natural beauty...

Bobbi Brown How-To Video

To see Bobbi Brown's expert hands applying mascara, check her mascara how-to video:

http://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/templates/looks/thelook_10stepbeautyguide.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY14470

Is There an HG Mascara??

So, the day I wrote my first blog, I had a magical eyelash day. My eyelashes curled more perfectly than ever before, and actually held that curl ALL day. It wasn't the mascara, though. More like a freak accident. I currently use two very mediocre mascaras, with no remarkable characteristics.
The Clinique is, of course, part of a Gift With Purchase. The Maybelline was my sad attempt to replace my pricey Benefit Get Bent. I love the curling power of Get Bent, but it had to be used over another mascara...and it smudged slightly. So far, it is the closest to HG I have gotten. The Benefit Sales Girl put it on over Benefit Bad Gal mascara, and showed me how to lift the curl with the brush. She said the best curling technique is using a plastic spoon to curl the lashes around after applying the mascara.


Here are the contenders making alot of noise right now: (at least my favorite among them)

Sephora, $22
I lust after this one. It is the top-selling mascara in Japan...made for short, straight Asian lashes like mine (I am one-quarter Korean.) It adds tiny extensions to your lashes, and forms "tubes" around them that only come off in warm water.

Clinique, $14:
Same "tube" technology (one of quite a few brands right now.) It truly stays put, even through tears...but nothing dramatic in curl or volume.

Cover Girl:
This has created hysteria among beauty blogs. It was sold out for the first 3 months after it came out. I have seen ads for "buy one, get one free," and that would make it a steal. It comes in waterproof (which I hate, but holds curl longer) and regular. I have yet to try it, but seems like an economical answer.

Diorshow has been the hyped mascara for awhile, but I don't find anything special about it. I may have to go back to the amazing lifting power of Get Bent. The agony of the search continues...

PLEASE share your favorite mascara. I have no real answers, as I am yet a pilgrim on this impossibly frustrating journey.

Perfect Skin

I know I promised a post on mascara, but I have to go with my heart. And my heart told me to write about my insatiable lust for glycolic acid products. Like most people, I see all of my skin's flaws--every blemish, discoloration, scar, blotchiness, pores, etc. I love the naked, no-makeup look for face makeup (this means I wear makeup, but want to look like I don't.) In order to achieve said makeup look, I have to start with good skin.

Now, I love to give advice to people about skincare. I have had long discussions with Sephora employees, and pick any esthetician's brain. I am so fascinated by, you guessed it, finding the perfect skin regimen.

I believe the regimen begins and ends with glycolic acid. I am no dermatologist or esthetician, but I believe in chemical versus manual exfoliation. Chemical exfoliants are things like retinol (Retin A is one), glycolic acid, salicylic acid. The beautiful thing about those is that they fade scars, make your skin baby soft and even out skin tone. I swear using the peel makes my skin glow.

I am reminded of my passion for the stuff because Joy told me yesterday that she can't find our favorite adult acne peel anywhere. This peel has glycolic AND salicylic acid. She finally bought it on eBay. So sad!

I use six glycolic acid products. The aforementioned peel (L'Oreal), my toner (Alpha Hydrox), a mild version in Bare Escentuals Rever Upper in my morning before makeup, a body wash (Alpha Hydrox), a body scrub (Dermadoctor--sample size of the very pricey brand), and a lotion (Alpha Hydrox.) The GA is my answer to ingrown hairs, as well as good skin. The Dermadoctor is obsessed over on many beauty blogs as the answer to bumps on the back of arms. Peter Thomas Roth is a Sephora brand that gave me the idea of seeking out the much cheaper versions in Alpha Hydrox.

The trick is moderation. The only GA product I use daily is the toner. And all of my other products are very mild. Oh, and wear a lot of suncreen!

So goodbye, O Sweet Adult Acne Peel. Even though everyone told me I didn't have adult acne and to stop obsessing, I still sought you out and then, through you, discovered the wonderful world of glycolic acid... Yours is the gift that keeps giving...The fruits of your seed are plentiful...

Enough.

A Perfectionist Disclaims

I have to start off my second blog already disclaiming the very title of "In Pursuit of Perfection." A few years ago, the editor of Glamour magazine's husband wrote the letter from the editor. One thing he said jumped out at me. He said he can't understand why women are never satisfied with themselves. We are always looking to better ourselves, and for ways to correct our flaws. This is so true of me.

As I've stated, I feel like I contradict myself constantly. I pursue perfection in every area of my life. On one hand, I recognize that my life in general will never be exactly the way I want it, and I choose to be thankful for what it is. That is one of the key lessons from my life as a sick person. On the other hand, I am an obsessive fan of self-improvement.

During this time of not being able to exercise, or better myself in traditional ways, researching for the HG beauty products gave me an odd sense of control and of bettering myself. The funny thing about me is that I don't even wear that much makeup. I do love having the options, though, and I love knowing which are the best options. I know I will never see my skin or eyelashes or hair as perfect, but I LOVE the pursuit of the perfection...

Virtual Goldmines

Some of my favorite sites:

makeupalley.com

Amazing. I never buy a product without first checking out the reviews on there.

thesartorialist.blogspot.com

One of the hottest fashion blogs out there right now. Growing up in other countries and cultures, I love his international pictures. Very inspiring.

frugal-fashionista.blogspot.com

I get alot of fashion ideas from this blog. And I go even more frugal by either improvising with my own clothes or doing a bit of bargain-hunting.

Shrine to the Shallow

And so begins my blog. As I sit in front of Real Housewives of New York, I am reminded that I am less shallow than the women on there. And even MORE, uh, less shallow than the Housewives of the OC (because that is correct grammar, kids.) That aside, my first blog is about nail polish. First of all, let me explain my insatiable thirst for all beauty products. Research has always been a hobby of mine. However, over two years ago, I went from being an active person to being a sick person. While I'm on the mend, I have spent intermittent periods of disability and unemployment glued to beauty blogs and forums. On Makeup Alley, my favorite source of user reviews for all makeup and beauty products, reviews include describing things as HG. It took me awhile to discover that it stood for "holy grail." Meaning, there is an HG of each type of product for each person. A few such HG's I have already found, but others...those I spend countless hours online and in Sephora searching for.

One HG is my absolute favorite color of nail polish. It is OPI My Auntie Drinks Chianti. A few years ago, I happened upon it in a nail salon. The weeks my toes sported its perfection, people stopped me everywhere raving about the color. How to describe it--violet, magenta, purple--none will come close. I ended up finding it online on a site selling discontinued OPI nail polish. I still love it.

The picture of me very cheesily giving my blog a thumbs up is an edgy, matte purple. It has gotten rave reviews, and even inspired Julia to purchase a purple (and in turn Julia inspired me to get on it and actually start my blog.)

Next up, my quest for the HG mascara...and the joy/agony of the search.