December 11, 2011


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

food

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 :)

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

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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:

tree

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 :)

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eye

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

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:

products

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?

November 25, 2011


Happy Friday Night everyone! I'm thinking of doing a new weekly series to spice the blog up a bit. I feel like lately I've only done FOTD's and not of much else. I need to squeeze in more fashion posts, reviews, hauls and food posts too....just like I did before.

But anyway, I'm going to do this new series every Monday starting Nov 28th. I will present you with my top 5 products of the cosmetic brands I use and why I like these products so much. I will be starting with MAC (as it's probably the most popular brand) and then continue with Nars, Chanel, Make Up Forever, Bobbi Brown, Stila and Inglot.

What do you guys think of this idea? What other topics/post do you like to see on my blog?

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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:

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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

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And we have some random pics from the night:

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Me and some of my girls, earlier in the night

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Me, my sis and my hubs best bud

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


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:

all

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:

royale

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.

p/p1

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:

p/p2
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:

sod

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.

vamps
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:

legendary

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:

reds
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?