December 11, 2011

Hey lovelies! I made this quick pasta dish yesterday and loved it so I thought I share it here:

Cook the penne and reserve a ladlefood of pasta cooking water. Also cook a small head of cauliflower in salted water for 8-10 minutes. Marinate seafood of your choice (I used shrimps and scallops) in a mixture vinegar, bay leaves, cloves, mustard, paprika, cardamom and ginger.

Meanwhile, melt 5-6 anchovy fillets in a large skillet covered with olive oil. Then add a few chopped vegetables (one hot chili pepper, one red pepper, few celery ribs, one onion and 3-4 cloves garlic). Season with salt and pepper and chopped oregano then add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, juice of one lemon, the pasta and cauliflower.

Finally, cook the marinated seafood in another skillet covered with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add 1/3 cup of vermouth and let boil, then simmer.

Add the seafood mixture to the pasta et voila! Enjoy :)

Posted In Recipe of the day | 0 comments | edit

November 30, 2011

I cannot believe it's already almost December; this year just flew right past me! Since it's getting closer to the Holidays I feel like sporting more festive looks which means more red lips and glittery eyes; not that I'm stranger to bold lips, lol!

I used Chanel La Sensuelle RA Velvet for this look. I read in reviews that some folks find these new lipsticks drying. I still find them very comfortable to wear and not drying at all on myself. Chanel RA Velvets and Nars Matte Velvet Pencils are now my top two favourite matte formulas. I also used my trustee Urban Decay Naked palette. It's been a year since I've had this palette and I still use it a few times a week. Money definitely well spent!

Face

Chanel VA Foundation - BR20 (Beige Rose)

Ben Nye powder

Sculpt

Nars Madly blush

Chez Chez Lame powder - I cannot stop wearing this cheek combo, gotta do a post on it!

Eyes

UDPP - base

Treasure Hunt p/p - base for lid

UD Half Baked e/s - lid

UD Buck e/s - crease

UD Dark Horse e/s - crease

UD Virgin e/s - highlight

UD Sin e/s - tear duct

Lancome Black Art Liner - to line

Lancome Hypnose mascara

Pure White c/l - waterline

Lips

Annabelle Flame l/l

Chanel La Sensuelle RA Velvet

Oh and I put up our christmas tree this past weekend. I'm a kid in candy store when it comes to buying ornaments and decorating a tree, just friggin love it! For the last few years I've been doing gold and silver ornaments but this year I went the purple and gold route. The two colours look so royal and festive together:

Posted In FOTD | 0 comments | edit

November 29, 2011

Hello beauties! I tried something different with my eyeliner this past weekend. I went for a bolder Arabic style using MAC's Blacktrack fluidline as I hadn't done this style in a long time. My usual style is the cat liner but with a shorter wing that I wear on a daily basis. Not sure how I like this new dramatic style on myself though. I always find the more dramatic liners to overwhelm me as my eye shape is a bit elongated and tilted downward already. What do you guys think?

I paired the eyes with equally dramatic lips a la MAC Night Violet Mattene. Another one of my beloved vampy shades that makes an appearance every once in a while. The face is simple, just MAC Pro Longwear foundation in NW25 and Chanel Plum Attraction blush.

Hope you guys like :)

Do you wear dramatic eyeliner? What's your go-to eyeliner shape?

Posted In FOTD, MAC Collection | 3 comments | edit

November 28, 2011

Alright here we go! First instalment of my new weekly series as promised on Friday. I thought I start with MAC as obviously they are one of the most popular brands (deservedly so) and also I've been buying MAC since I was 19 and went through a crazy collecting phase so it would be a fun one to start with. As you know MAC does many MANY limited edition collections. For the purpose of this series which is to recommend products I enjoy for you guys to go check out later, I will stick to permanent items.

This was a tough one though given the size of my MAC collection, but I did narrow it to my truly beloved top 5; some basic and some with colour intrigue:

1. Face & Body Foundation (shade N2) - I discovered this light foundation later in the game, about 2 years ago and I rate it as one of the best foundations of all times. Easy application, glowy finish and the price is right. Plus the bottle will last you forever. See my full review here.

2. Painterly Paint Pot - This is a nice basic eyeshadow primer that works for me better than any primer I've tried. I like the nude and pinked toned shade that goes with every colour I put on top and the creamy texture makes it so easy to apply. Paint pots last 10+ on me without creasing. This is my 3rd pot of Painterly and as you can see I'm running very low.

3. Plumage Eyeshadow - MAC is very well known for their eyeshadows and I must admit theirs are still my go-to after so many years. If I had to pick one though, I would go with the smoldering deep peacock that is Plumage. Great on its own for smokey eyes and awesome in the outer v and as a liner; the matte texture is a plus as it makes the shade more sophisticated. You can check out one of my many FOTD's featuring Plumage here.

4. 217 Blending Brush - The ever famous 217 is an amazing blending brush, ideal for depositing and blending colour in your crease and outer v. But it's also a great multitasking brush that can be used on your lids for a more diffused look and does a great job with creamy and liquid concealers. I've also used it to highlight/shade nose or chin area for more theatrical looks.

5. Impassioned Amp Cream Lipstick - aaaahhhhh I could write pages about this colour! But I would say that Impassioned is jut HOT! I have so many bright lipsticks and I always come back to this vibrant warm fuchsia. I like it in the summer with a tan and in the winter to give my complexion a boost. See my full review and swatches here.

Do you guys own any of these products? What are you top 5 MAC Cosmetics products?

Posted In Favourites, MAC Collection | 0 comments | edit

Posted In random thought | 6 comments | edit

November 23, 2011

Hey beauties! I'm going through a withdrawal period as my mother in law just went back to the Caribbean after staying with us for 3 weeks. It was a period of lotsa entertaining and packed social schedule and though I'm glad to have the house to myself again, I definitely feel that it's too quiet around here now.

Anyway, I did a cut-crease after a looooong time! I had forgotten how much enjoyed this edgier eye look. I paired the eyes with one of my fave lipsticks of all time, MAC Please Me. Please Me is a gorgeous matte permanent lipstick and the shade is what I'd call "sexpot pink", lol! It makes you look sexy so effortlessly.

Hope you guys like this look :)

Face

Studio Sculpt foundation - NW25

Sculpt

Pink Cult blush

Eyes

Painterly p/p - base

MUFE #112 e/s - lid

Dark Diversion f/l - to cut crease

Smoke Signal p/m - to blend crease

Cranberry e/s - above crease

Vanilla p/m - highlight

Lancome Black Art Liner

Lancome Hypnose mascara

Lips

Please Me l/s

Posted In FOTD | 8 comments | edit

November 22, 2011

Hey guys! This is a quick post with mostly just the pictures from the FOTD as I'm running around today. I did use Marcelle Paris Rose lipstick which is an amazing creamy coral and definitely a drugstore gem. If you live in Canada, make sure you check out the new Marcelle lipsticks; this one and Cleopatra are two of my faves!

Face

Chanel VA Foundation - BR20 (Beige Rose)

Ben Nye powder

Bite of an Apple blush

Eyes

UDPP - base

Lise Watier Marin e/l - base for lid

Inglot dark blue shade - lid

UD Buck e/s - crease

UD Naked e/s - above crease

UD Virgin e/s - highlight

UD Sin e/s - inner lid

Lancome Art liner in black - to line

Lancome Hypnose mascara

Lips

Mouth Off l/l

Marcelle Paris Rose l/s

Clear l/g

Posted In FOTD | 2 comments | edit

November 21, 2011

Hello my lovelies! I found one of my oldest MAC lipsticks in my stash for this look. This is Strange Hybrid l/s (LE) from 5 years ago I think. It's a frost lipstick which I don't tend to wear that often but somehow this nude metallic shade appeals to me still. I amped up the shimmery affect with Chanel Argonite glossimer (LE) from last holiday season.

I continued the metallic feel of the lips onto the eyes as well with shades of frosty peach, pewter and then some matte cobalt blue. Hope you guys like this look :)

Face

Chanel VA Foundation - BR20 (Beige Rose)

Ladyblush creamblend blush

Ben Nye powder

Eyes

Painterly p/p - base

All that Glitters e/s - inner lid

BB Pewter e/s - mid lid

Royale e/s - outer lid

Blanc type e/s - crease

Cargo Swimmable deep teal shade - lower lashline

Lise Watier Navy e/l - to line

GA Eyes to Kill mascara

Lips

MUFE 12C l/l

Strange Hybrid l/s

Chanel Aragonite glossimer

Posted In FOTD | 0 comments | edit

November 17, 2011

Hello my beauties! I have yet another Chanel lipstick to showcase for you today. This one is the berry gorgeousness that is Precious Rouge Allure. I adore shades of berry as though it sounds weird, they actually bring out the gold flecks in my eyes so I tend to get compliments when I wear them. As I mentioned before, I love the Rouge Allure formula as they are so comfortable to wear, they also last a pretty long time and there is a big array of colours to chose from. Just visit your Chanel counter and have a look ;)

Anyway, I paired the lips with my most used Nars duo, Eurydice. Eurydice is another great choice for those of us with green or hazel eyes. The berry shade is just divine for making my eyes pop and the gray is such a beautiful and intense shimmery gunmetal, pure love!

Face

Chanel VA foundation - BR20 (beige rose)

Ben Nye powder

Chanel Plum Attraction blush

Eyes

UDPP - base

Artifact p/p - base

Nars Eurydice duo - both shades, lid and crease

Prance e/s - inner lid

Blanc Type e/s - highlight

MUFE #11 l/l - to line

Chanel Cassis e/sl - lower lashline

Lancome Hypnose mascara

Lips

Annabelle Flame l/l

Chanel Precious RA

Posted In FOTD | 2 comments | edit

November 16, 2011

Woohoo, another FOTD from me! It's nice to be able to do my makeup everyday!

I'm really feeling the rusty lipstick shades these days which are a departure from my signature burgundy toned dark lips. I think the rust/cinnamon shades are very sophisticated though. One of my fave shades in that family is Chanel Imperiale Rouge Allure Laque. You know I love the RA Laque formula so I won't repeat myself. But this particular shade gets a lot of love coz though it may not look it, it's a very universally flattering shade. It's one of those warm shades that cooler toned peeps like me can wear with no problems.

Btw did you know that Chanel is DC'ing all their RA Laques? I'm so devastated! I need to pick the two that I don't have ASAP and encourage all lipstick lovers to check these babies out before they'r gone.

Hope you guys like this look :)

Face

Pro Longwear Foundation - NW25

Sculpt

Nars Sin blush

Eyes

UDPP - base

Benefit Strut cream shadow - base for lid

UD Gunmetal e/s - lid

Copperplate e/s - crease

Nars Pandora - black shade in outer v

UD Virgin e/s - highglight

Gosh Forest Green e/l - lower lashline

One Off e/s - lower lashline

Lancome Black Art Liner - to line

Cargo 3 in 1 mascara

Lips

MUFE 12C l/l

Chanel Imperiale RA Laque

Posted In FOTD | 4 comments | edit

November 15, 2011

Hey guys! Hubby and I hosted a big party saturday night for his 30th birthday and had about 40 ppl here. It was an amazing time as always with friends. I was wearing a lace designed dress from BCBG and kept the makeup soft yet sexy. Here's my Instagram pic, just coz I'm addicted to that app now:

And here's a list of products used:

Face

Cver FX primer

MUFE HD Foundation - 118 (Flesh)

Ben Nye powder

Sculpt

Pink Cult blush

Pearl Blossom bp

Eyes

UDPP - base

MUFE #15 - lid

Moth Brown e/s - crease

Print e/s - outer v

Blanc Type e/s - highlight

Feline e/k - lower lashline

Stila Jewels palette - black shade on lower lashline

Lancome Black Art Liner

Lancome Hypnose mascara

Lips

Nars Sex Machine mvp

She Loves Candy l/g

And we have some random pics from the night:

Me and some of my girls, earlier in the night

Me, my sis and my hubs best bud

A bunch of us much later that night, many tequila shots later

Posted In FOTD | 3 comments | edit

November 14, 2011

hey guys! I wanted to share my latest MAC haul with you. I hadven't been to MAC in I guess over 7-8 months as nothing really was a must have for me and I'm really not at the point where I NEED something from all their millions of LE collections.

I did want to get some Mattenes and I never got around to it as the collection came out as I got back to Italy. I placed an order online for a few items last week. Here's the lot. All swatches on NW25 skintone:

Royale e/s (LE) is a matte bright blue. To me, it has a hint of purple to it. I didn't have anything even remotely similar to this in my stash:

Treasure Hunt p/p (LE) is a beautiful yellow gold shade. MAC paint pots have always been one of my fave products they make and I couldn't resist getting one with my order.

I have two more gold-ish paint pots but they are not exactly dupes. Cashflow is more of antique gold and Rubenesque is a warm peachy gold:

Left to right: Rubenesque p/p, Cashflow p/p, Treasure Hunt p/p

Then the best part, the mattenes! I adore MAC mattene formula. They are one of the best matte lipsticks in the market (only rivals are Chanel RA velvets and Nars matte velvet pencils). I got two of darker shades as you know I love my vampy lips.

Here's Seeds of Desire Mattene - a deep brown shade:

I have quite a few darker lipsticks but none to me are exact dupes as I don't typically wear brown based vamp shades. Chanel Rouge Noir Rouge Coco is the most similar but is less brown and totally different texture.

Left to right: Night Violet mattene, Kirch mattene, Nars Train Blue vmp, Chanel Rouge Noir RC, Seeds of Desire mattene

Here's Legendary Mattene - a cinnamon red:

I have a few shades similar to this but again none I would say are identical. MAC Red Pepper (Pro) is more red and Chanel Imperiale is more plum and again a different texture:

Left to right: Chanel Imperiale RA Laque, MUFE #29, Legendary mattene, Red Pepper

Do you guys own any of these products? What are some of your favourite MAC products?

Posted In Haul, MAC LE | 6 comments | edit