Manicure Monday & Memorial Day

Just a quick post to show you guys my Memorial Day nails. It's not a big holiday for me since I'm Australian, but I love any excuse for my husband to be home with us and to wear pretty nail polish! I love this gorgeous sparkly blue, Sinful Colors Nail Junkie. I'm going to do a proper swatch post with it and maybe a scotch tape nail art design. I'm kind of dreading the removal, but it's such a pretty shade it's worth it.

I've been using Orly Sec n' Dry top coat but i've noticed quite a bit of shrinkage so I think I'm going to return it and try something else.

Sorry they aren't high quality pictures but I've been out and about all weekend! We went to karaoke and bowling on Saturday night, a BBQ on Sunday, and right now we're at a friend's place after another BBQ.. oh and after this we're heading to my mother in law's for ANOTHER BBQ. Yeah, we're kind of event crazy over here. Tomorrow I'll have a review and a FOTD for you guys :) it's the makeup I have on right now, just something really light and fresh and summery. Hope you all had a great weekend!

Ishah xx

Review: e.l.f. Studio Pigment Eyeshadow in Golden Goddess

Hey Beauties!

I’m really excited to be reviewing this Studio Pigment Eyeshadow from e.l.f. because pigments are EVERYWHERE at the moment, in many different Summer beauty collections. The great thing about these little dynamos is that they are really versatile and can be used for a number of different looks, subtle or striking.

eyes lips face, or e.l.f., is a beauty brand that has a very low price point. Most of their products are in the $1 – $10 range and in this case a low price point doesn’t mean low quality. The quality on the e.l.f. products I’ve tried is actually pretty good. I’ve also read some great things about this pigment on the e.l.f. website.

That being said, does this Studio Pigment Eyeshadow live up to the hype?

e.l.f.’s Studio line is marketed as more for professional use and is a bit more expensive than their Essentials line (although at around $3 a product it’s still not breaking the bank).

From the e.l.f. website:
Color Golden Goddess
Price $3.00
Weight 0.05oz/1.5g
Create a bold and beautiful statement with these jewel-toned, multi-dimensional pigments that impart lustrous high-color payoff and long-lasting wear. The buildable, powdery-fine formula blends seamlessly for ease of application and can be layered for a variety of looks. From soft and neutral to strikingly colorful these six silky and shimmery shades compliment every eye color for a fun, flirty look. Includes Eyeshadow Brush.
Ingredients:
Mica, Nylon-12, Born Nitdide, Silica, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate. 
MAY CONTAIN: Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Red 40 Lake (CI 16035), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Chromium Oxide Greens (CI 77288), Blue 1 Lake (CI 77742), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Ultramarines (CI 77077)

Manicure Monday: Essie Turquoise & Caicos with Nubar 2010

Hey Beauties!

Summer is just around the corner and I am breaking out the brights again. Turquoise is one of my all time favourite colours so when I saw this one lonely bottle of Turquoise & Caicos sitting on the shelf at my local Walmart, I automatically grabbed for it before I even knew what I was doing. I used to be pretty conservative with my nail polish, sticking with pinks and reds and the good old french mani, but since I’ve become a reader (stalker) of nail polish blogs I have broadened my horizons A LOT. Therefore, while before I would have reserved this shade for pedicures, now I eagerly painted it on my nails as a tribute to Summer.

I layered 1 thick coat of Nubar 2010 over 3 thin coats of Essie Turquoise & Caicos and 1 coat of Rush top coat. Essie T&C is pretty sheer, so if I was wearing it by itself I probably would have gone 4 thin coats or 3 thicker coats.





Nubar 2010 is absolutely gorgeous over everything! I love the effect here so much, the sparkly flakies over the vibrant turquoise reminds me of the sparkling ocean in the islands of Malaysia. We went to Tioman Island for a holiday with my Aunt, Uncle and baby niece (can’t believe she’s a teenager now!!) when I was a kid and I’ve always remembered those beautiful turquoise waters.



I’m going to try and keep up regular nail posts, hence ‘Manicure Monday’. I have some Urban Decay polishes I’ve been meaning to try out, so look out for one next week :)

Ishah xx

FOTD Friday: Hello Kitty Memoirs of a Kitty Say Hello Palette

Morning, Beauties :)
I have been a little absent lately, after the whole Blogger kerfuffle I got caught up doing a website design (my side job)and haven't really had time for posting! To bribe your forgiveness I give you this FOTD post :D

The Hello Kitty Memoirs of a Kitty Say Hello Palette is a mouthful to say, but what a pretty mouthful it is. The cherry blossom design still gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling when I look at it... I'm such a sucker for cutesy stuff! I digress.. I promised you a FOTD using this palette and so now I am delivering ;)

Skincare Event and free goodies at Saks Fifth Avenue South Coast Plaza

Hey Beauties!

A while back I went to a DDF skincare event at Sephora, South Coast Plaza and had an absolute ball. We got pampered, got some great info on their microdermabrasion product and scored some free goodies as well.

The marketing agent for the event, Eve, recently forwarded me information on another event for 40+ ladies that is happening on the 25th of May at Saks Fifth Avenue, South Coast Plaza.

Picture: OC Register

Here is the information that she sent me:

We are looking for women (40 yrs and older) who take their skin care regime seriously, and in particular, those who seek out the most trusted and effective skin care brands, even if it means that investing more.  This is an invite-only event with very limited space as it takes place on 1 day only (May 25th). If chosen, you and 2 friends of your choice will be invited to experience a private 1.5 hour consultation with the skin care brand representative at Saks Fifth Avenue, during which time you'll be introduced to the product line and, receive a mini facial, as well as experience the brand's coveted skin mask!  

This luxurious skin care brand provides solutions to address different skin concerns such as purifying, renewal, brightening, anti-aging, nourishing and finishing.  Consumers feel an immediate improvement and may begin to visualize clearer skin in just 14 days.

As a thank you for attending, you and your guests will each receive the following:

* Goodie bag with complimentary face mask and eye mask

* Access to make up counter within Saks to refresh your makeup as needed after your facial

* $60 (per person) food voucher to nearby restaurant within South Coast Plaza where you and your girlfriends can go to enjoy a glass of bubbly and a bite to eat, to continue your day of pampering

* Exclusive gift with purchase will be extended only to invited guests who wish to purchase product on-site

If you are interested, please complete this brief survey (3 minutes or less, I promise!): http://tinyurl.com/3kvqcoz.  If chosen, I will follow up with you in the next few days and be able to provide much more specific info about the brand and overall experience.

To be clear: I work for a marketing agency that is partnering with the brand to create a unique and memorable skin care event for a small group of fabulous women; there are no strings attached and we want you to enjoy an afternoon of pampering, education and fun!  I am happy to answer any questions along the way - my contact info is below.

Cheers,

Eve

eve diamond

grow marketing

415-939-8993

eve.diamond@grow-marketing.com

This event sounds like so much fun and the best part is that you get to share it with 2 of your girlfriends! Any of you ladies that are 40+, want to learn about a new skincare product and live in Orange County should apply :)

For the record, I have not been paid or compensated to advertise this, I just think it is a great opportunity for you guys to be a part of a fun event and score some free goodies! Obviously I'm not 40+ and can't be involved, but I will definitely be passing it on to my friends and family who are and I hope you guys do the same.

Let me know if you do apply or if someone you know does, and if you are chosen to participate maybe we can share your experience on the Beauty Mamas blog!

Ishah xx

New season, new hair.

I posted this again because Blogger erased it :'( I hope you guys don't mind!

Just in case you hadn't noticed.... It’s Spring!!

I revel in the changing of the seasons. I grew up in a place where there are two seasons… Hot and Hotter. Well, technically they are called the Wet and the Dry Seasons, but it’s hot and wet and hot and dry. As a result, I love the fact that (as mild as they are in SoCal) I now have different seasons and can dress weather appropriately for different times of the year.

Spring is all about rebirth... light and fresh looks… so what better way to celebrate spring than a new cut and colour??

I was going for something similar to Victoria Beckham's wavy bob, but longer in the front.

 I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, although I feel like the stylist could have blended it a little more from the back to the sides.  I went a little lighter, nothing crazy just a warm medium brown. I actually want to go a bit lighter and I'm thinking about using a Palty hair dye. This one in Milk Tea is pretty!

I'm a little scared to go that light though. What do you think, lighter or should I keep the colour I have now?

Do you ever feel the need to change your look for a new season?

Ishah xx

Giveaway Winner(s)!

TGIBF Beauties! That's: Thank God It's Black Friday!

And why, you might ask, am I so happy that it's Friday the 13th? A day usually associated with bad luck?

Well, I'll tell you. This Black Friday is someone's lucky day!!

The winner of the e.l.f., Urban Decay and nail art giveaway is......

Drumroll please...............





Jebba! :)

Congratulations and thanks for being a follower :)

I was so surprised and pleased that so many people got involved and entered the giveaway, I decided to draw two little runner up prizes as well (both also using random.org).

The 2 winners of the runner up prizes both get a cute sheet of Hello Kitty nail stickers.

The runners up are:

YoshiLove
liz

Thank you everyone who entered the giveaway, I have emailed the winners and hopefully they get back to me soon!

I will be having more giveaways in the future, so stay tuned ;)

Ishah xx

Yimane Nail Shorts Story Pink Crackle Polish from Born Pretty

Hey Beauties :)

Another nail polish post!! I can’t get enough of it lately :) I have fallen in love with crackle polishes, they just look so interesting and can be layered so many different ways. O.P.I.’s Shatter range is probably the most popular right now, but many other brands have been bringing out their own take on crackle polishes.

I recently got this pink crackle by Yimane Nail from the Born Pretty Store. I’m pretty sure it’s an exclusively Asian brand because I’ve never heard of it or seen it before. It may be exclusive to Born Pretty, who knows? I was a little wary of buying it, since it’s an unknown brand, but Born Pretty has had good quality every time I’ve purchased something from them so I thought I’d give it a go. And since it was only $4.55 I didn’t think it was much of a risk.

The bottle is just like Nicole by OPI’s bottle and has a pretty heart design on the front.




And yes. It is actually called Shorts Story. A story about shorts, maybe? Well, it is Spring!



Being lazy, I layered it over Zoya Kimmy which I was already wearing. I had a bit of a chip on my middle finger, but once I layered the crackle over it and it was dry it was pretty much unnoticable.

It dried to the exact colour of the bottle, however I don’t really like the matte finish so I put topcoat over it. That darkened the colour a bit, as you can see in the photo below.

Index and Middle with topcoat, Ring and Pinky without topcoat.


With flash.


This is with topcoat on all nails. Even though the colour is a bit darker, I still love it! It looks beautiful with the sparkly red of Zoya Kimmy peeking out.

In direct sunlight



This one is most true to actual colour. BEAUTIFUL! I can’t stop looking at my nails :)



The quality of this polish is really good. It crackles quite similarly to O.P.I. Black Shatter, but the formula isn’t as thick. For only $4.55 and free shipping, this is DEFINITELY a cheaper alternative to O.P.I.’s Shatters, although you won’t get the same colours or formula (think the red jelly shatter).

They come in a range of shades and I will definitely be picking up a few more. It looks like they have two different types of crackle polish, this one which dries with larger cracks - more similar to O.P.I.’s Shatter - and another one in a different bottle which dries with very fine cracks and more of the nail polish intact.

These are available at Born Pretty for various prices, $4.91 for this style of polish (some are on sale at the moment) and $4.02 for the other style (smaller cracks). This is a definite MONEYSAVER for me, as most crackle polishes (including Shatter which this is similar to) retail higher.
I have never had a problem ordering with Born Pretty, their customer service is good and the shipping is pretty fast considering it’s coming from Singapore. I have heard they had a few glitches with their first free stamping plate giveaway, but I think it’s because they are a new company and are still getting used to everything and working out their system.

Have you tried crackle polishes? Have you ever bought anything from Born Pretty?

Ishah xx

Mother's Day NOTD

Happy Mother's Day, Beauties!
 
I'm missing my own Mama sorely at the moment, though she's only overseas and I know friends of mine have lost their mothers and are missing them even more... I am so incredibly grateful to have my mother in my life, she is a beautiful, powerful, intelligent woman who taught me how to think for myself and be compassionate.
 
My NOTD is a colour inspired by her, it perfectly captures her essence and personality and I know she would love it :)
 
Zoya Kimmy
 

 
In sunlight
 



In the shade



 
I've posted this shade before, but when I was looking for something for my Mother's Day mani, Kimmy just struck me as so perfect for my Mama. It's red and gold, with shimmer and sparkle, and reminds me of when she would dress up for her traditional Indonesian dance performances.
 
Isn't she beautiful? :)



Although it was Mother’s Day yesterday in Australia, it’s still Mother’s Day here in the US so she can have 2 Mother’s Days :)

I hope everyone had a lovely day and either got spoilt or spoiled their Mama!

I got breakfast in bed, a sleep in and a day to myself with hubby doing the laundry. Best gift ever ;)

Ishah xx

Silent Sunday

Review: Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream for Darker Skin - No. 31

Ok Beauties…

For those of you that are looking for BB Cream for darker skin, I FINALLY got around to posting about Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream - No. 31 Golden Beige. I have been using it for a little while now, so I feel that I can accurately review it.

From the Missha US website:

Blemish Balm, also called BB Cream, is known to have been formulated as an after-treatment cream to help patients who have gone through laser skin surgery to soothe and regenerate the skin.

The M Perfect Cover BB Cream gives an even and natural-looking coverage with the soothing, moisturising properties of a cream. It is suitable for all skin types including acne-prone skin, and can be used as a makeup base or foundation. 

Whitening + Anti-Wrinkle + UV Protection (SPF 42 PA+++)

PRICE : $29.99 SIZE : 50ml

Ingredients:
Water(Aqua), Cyclomethicone, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Zinc Oxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mineral Oil, Phenyl Trimethicone, Talc, Arbutin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Dimethicone, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Squalane, Adenosine, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Polyethylene, Beeswax(Cera Alba), Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Caviar Extract, Algae Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract, Ceramide 3, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance(Parfum), Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydroxycitronellal, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Citronellol
MAY CONTAIN[+/-; Titanium Dioxide(CI 77891), Iron Oxides(CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)]

And remember how I thought I was between 23 and 31, and that 31 would be too dark?

TOTALLY WRONG. 31 is PERFECT. It pretty much matches my skintone exactly now that I am a bit more tan and I L.O.V.E. love it. I still use the lighter No. 23 as an undereye concealer and brightener. This is a perfect BB Cream for darker skin tones.


The colour is a much better match, with warmer undertones that suit my tan skintone. It does look a bit grey when you first put it on, but then it oxidises and turns a more golden colour. Missha is the only brand that makes a BB Cream for darker skin, all the other brands have VERY limited, light shades. Unfortunately, even Missha doesn't have darker tones for Indian/African American etc skin tones.. Here's hoping they'll eventually come out with more shades!

A little goes a LONG way. The first swatch I did I had way too much on my hand and it ended up looking thick and cakey.. So I wiped it off and tried again. That’s the great thing, you only need a small amount; I use one and a half pumps for my entire face and neck area. I don't really have acne scars or dark spots, but it does cover my dark under eye circles really well!

With flash - L: Unblended,  Middle: Partially Blended,  R: Fully Blended

Natural light:

The tiniest dollop on my hand.

Partially rubbed in you can see the grey tinge it has (like a lot of BB Creams), this goes away in about a minute.

Fully rubbed in, it has evened out my skin.

The formula on No. 23 was a bit thicker and heavier, whereas the formula on No. 31 feels lighter, more like a tinted moisturiser than a foundation. It applies really smoothly and feels pretty hydrating and comfortable, almost like you’re not wearing makeup. I’m not sure if this is a difference in formula from the Korean version of the BB Creams to the US version, or just because it is a different shade.. anyone else had any experience with this?

My skin tends to be combination, oily on my forehead and chin but dry around my nose and cheeks. I like this cream because it is somewhat moisturising without turning your face into oil central. It leaves you with a dewy finish, but you can always set it with a matte powder if you prefer. I still use a separate moisturiser under this, because it doesn’t completely get rid of all the dry areas, but I think if you have normal to oily skin you could probably skip that step.

This is called Blemish Balm (or as some brands call it, Beblesh Balm LOL) with good reason. I had broken out on my forehead and thought wearing this might make it worse (you know, like makeup usually does) but it actually healed the blemishes and cleared them up quicker. I also notice that it refines my skin texture. Some people that are sensitive to mineral oil may have a problem with this, but I'm not so it hasn't had any adverse affects on my skin.

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Evens out skintone
• Good base for makeup
• Heals blemishes
• Great colour match for my skin

Cons:

• Not for full coverage of acne/dark scars etc may need to use powder/foundation for more coverage
• Can look cakey if applied too heavily

Timesaver: YES. This is an all in one product for me. Therefore I love it :)

Moneysaver: Yes. Missha regularly sends out special offers and discounts to email subscribers. Usually this is $29.99 plus 8.99 S&H, I got it for $18.99 including S&H.

FOTD

Face:
Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 31 Golden Beige
Too Faced Full Bloom Lip & Cheek Color in Prim & Poppy

Eyes:
Urban Decay Summer of Love Palette in Smog and Maui Wowie
e.l.f. Studio Eyebrow Kit in Dark
Maybelline The Falsies mascara in Blackest Black

Lips:
tokidoki Gelato Lip Balm Stain in Pink Martini


I am NC-35, hope that helps anyone trying to find a colour match!


More pics with Missha BB Cream No 31:

With flash:

With flash:

Natural light:

Natural light

Click here to see my other posts on BB Cream.

Review: tokidoki Gelato Lip Balm Stain in Pink Martini

Hey Beauties!

Firstly I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who has entered the giveaway! It's so exciting for me :) I love reading all your comments and am looking forward to drawing the winner on the 13th!





Anyway, onto the review!

tokidoki’s Gelato Lip Balm Stain is a beautifully packaged lip balm/lip gloss/lip stain hybrid that I am absolutely in love with!