well... what's new?

I have been trying to write my favourites of the year post for weeks... I don't think I'll get a chance to finish it anytime soon.... this will be my last post for a while... maybe until May =( ... I just started student teaching (day 2) and I'm already exhausted with way too much on my plate.... the upside? I am actually wearing make-up everyday again... lol

ok.. that's ONE of the upsides... the kids are fun to work with too (the school i'm at is GREAT).... but honestly, if i had it my way, i'd be rolling out of bed in sweats and no make-up.... the kids don't care if i look presentable right?

anyway... i hope everyone is doing well! my apologies (i know... it's constant) for my absense and neglect of this blog... but as always... I WILL be back =)

- Sanderlees

Collective Haul + MAC Warehouse Sale (Pic Heavy)

So I have been accumulating some products over the past few months, but didn't want to post about it everytime I bought it, so I decided to wait and post a collective haul. The above eyeliner set was only $16USD at Sephora! What a steal... and a great stocking stuffer too!~ (btw... I bought a lot of the products from the States, because I go to school there)

Onyx, 14K, Orchid, Graphite

Graphite, 14K, Orchid, Onyx

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Peach

UDPP in a TUBE!!!!!!!!!!

MAC Pro Longwear Foundation in NC30

Guerlain Meteorites in Tient Dore

Used 100 beauty insider points for this 4ml MUFE HD Blush (#6)

Used my 20% VIB discount on this set

Wanted this for sooooo long!! Also a 20% VIB purchase

Got it during the 50% off all mascara promotion from Rexall -- it sucks...

The next few items are a little bit jumbled and all over the place -- I clearly didn't organize it really well... but there will be explanations under each pic =)

Gilt By Association (Style Black) MES
This was from the mac warehouse sale in September, picked up for me by Susan... I could've gotten it myself, but I passed on it then regretted it...

White Gold Pigment from the unreleased Rodarte Collection
This was part of the $5 Charity package from the most recent MAC warehouse sale

Short-handled 188 (not SE), also part of the $5 charity package from the most recent MAC warehouse sale

Golden Crown eyeshadow from the recent Tartan Tale holiday collection.
This was ALSO part of the $5 charity package at the most recent MAC warehouse sale... that's right... 188 brush, a pigment from an unreleased collection, a shadow from the newest collection AND my FAVOURITE brow pencil (not pictured) Impeccable brow pencil in Taupe, all for only $5!!! Beyond a steal!!

I was very disappointed at the recent MAC warehouse sale.. I virtually bought nothing (compared to other times I have been)... the prices were all jacked up for the holidays, but will probably stay that way from now on as well... I bought NO make-up products at all, except for those in the charity packages... I only got a few skincare items (which were SURPRISINGLY much cheaper than other times... and I regret not getting more of)

Pictured above was only $10

$10

$10

Gift: Nocturnelle

Alas, this gem was not a part of the sale -- if it were I think everyone would've gone apeshit... this highly coveted Ripe Peach Blush Ombre being sold on EBay for ridiculous prices was picked up for me by Susan, when she stumbled across them at a CCO in the states... that's right... CCO... WTF!! so awesome!

Sorry that these swatches kind of suck...
farthest left pink: swirled from the blush ombre
middle pink: darkest part of blush
right pink: lightest part of blush
the silvery swatch is the White Gold Pigment
and the brown is Gilt By Associaton

Ok.. I just realized I lied... I did buy ONE make-up item, and it's this lip palette from last year's holiday collection... I think I got it for the sake of getting it... plus it was only $10... the colours are ok... nothing to rave about... but I guess it's nice to have in the purse

***EDIT***

Yes the charity package that I got from the most recent sale is awesome... but it is by no means unique -- this is the type of charity bag that i remembered from 2 years ago... a full sized brush in every bag... and 3 or 4 different bags to choose from on the spot.... ALL with brushes in them... there was no such thing as a "crappy" charity bag... so the only reason it seems to be a big deal right now is because they haven't had a charity bag like this for two years now....

with that said... sorry I am not doing any swaps with the bags... it's the holiday season afterall, and the extras were bought as gifts -- thanks for understanding.

Monthly Favourites: November 2010

Face:
None this month

Eyes:
Stila Smudgepot (Grey): This stuff is awesome -- I have yet to use it as a shadow or a base, but only as a liner -- it does not budge for several hours. My all time fave is still MAC's Fluidline, but smudgepot is a close second behind (even though it lasts longer than fluidline). I love the grey colour - it's dark enough to line, but not so dark that's it's harsh for the day time. I rarely line my eyes black for a daytime look now -- I like to reserve it for night time for more drama. I also have the Smudgepot in Bronze, but I have yet to try it out yet.

Bobbi Brown Corrector (Peach): I have moved away from the "two shades lighter than your foundation" method of concealing under eye circles. Peach is the perfect shade for me to neutralize the blue under my eyes, but also warm enough to really brighten up the area. It's nice and creamy, but can get cakey and crease if too much is used. Using just enough in the blue-est area of the eye has been the best method for me, then set with my regular pressed (studio select) powder -- voila!

Lips:
Vaseline: Tried, tested and true -- use it every night before bed and wake up to nice soft lips. Especially nice, now that the air is so dry... ugh... which is why i have no favourite face products this month... the dry air has really dried up my skin, making all foundation/face products gross looking...

Model 21 False Eyelashes

Model 21 sent me two styles of lashes to review... they actually sent it to me over a month ago, but I haven't had the opportunity to wear lashes in a while... so this is just a preview... when I have given them a try, I will provide a full review~

Thanks to Model 21 False Eyelashes for the opportunity to try your products out!

Pictured are: #24 (top) ad #27 (bottom)

Toronto IMATS 2010 + Haul

IMATS 2009

IMATS 2010

Hello everyone! So I have a few posts lined up for the next few days -- usually when I post multiple times at once, it means I have something very important to do and hence I'm destressing or procrastinating by blogging =)

The second annual Toronto IMATS was held on the weekend of November 5 and 6 this year. I went on both days, but surprisingly enough didn't spend that much at all! I was in good company this year (not that I wasn't last year =P) and had a lot of fun with the girls, including Jennifer (jdomakeup), Fiona (Fionaman), Sheryl (Pincstuff) and Michelle (s2pandapple).

Above are photos of me at the 2009 IMATS and this year's -- I remember making a comment when I posted last year saying 'a picture never lies'... you can tell I was really self-conscious and hiding behind my IMATS bag... not this year! I am not at my goal yet, but I've been working on my self-image this past year... Michelle said she didn't even recognize me!

Anyhoo... I actually didn't go crazy and take a lot of pictures this year -- perhaps because it's my second time around and knew what to expect. I was more interested in the classes than I was in the shopping to be honest. I actually won more prizes than spend money! I was most excited to see KJ-Bennet and Taylor Chang-Babaian!! Pursebuzz and Enkoremakeup were both there too, but I had met them last year, so I wasn't *as* excited =P

It was also really nice to see the girls again, since I had flopped on our last two organized meet-ups... and Michelle!!! I hadn't seen her in ages... >_<

I'm sure you've all read and seen a lot of videos about this year's IMATS... so without boring you with more details... here are the pics:

I didn't take a pic with pursebuzz this year... although I should've, cuz I wasn't happy with last year's pic... lol.... but here's Sheryl aka Pincstuff!

Kandee Johnson!!


Jennifer (jdomakeup) and Michelle (s2pandapple)

Me and Michelle

Michelle, Jennifer and Me

Taylor Chang-Babaian and Me
I love her -- she is so real and really spoke her mind during her lecture... when I approached her she was all like "I love my asian ladies, especially when they have my asian book! It took me so long to write it!" Then she complimented me on my make-up and lashes..... then tried to sell me a pair.... lol

Her book

Signed!
She has uber messy writing and I have no idea what it says:
Sandy!
___ 2 play! or ____ + play!
Much love always,
TCB

???

The only two products I got from the MUFE booth... which was a NIGHTMARE... I was one of the FIRST girls on the FIRST day to put in my order... for TWO lipsticks... and ended up waiting 45min... all the new customers were getting their purchases within MINUTES... and the reason??? because the new orders kept piling on top of the OLD orders (mine) so they could never get to it!!!! AARRRGGHHH for TWO FRIGGIN LIPSTICKSSS

#38 and #33

#38

#33

#33 on top
#38 on bottom

Stila Smudgepot (my first one)

Gray (grey =P)

Bronze

I was SOOO not gonna get this... I wasn't even interested... Michelle and Jennifer picked it up first... we LEFT the building... then they decided that they wanted to see the contents and opened up their boxes... Jennifer's mirror was shattered... so we had to go back in to exchange for a new one... and I told her... if there is ONE more left for me (after her exchange) then I will get it....

It's a "make up player"... you can plug in your ipod/mp3 player/cell phone etc to play music while you get ready/put ur face one

For $50, not only did you get the "music player"/train case, but it also included batteries, a convertible colour in Camella , a shadow pan trio and its case, and a lipglaze in Grapefruit!

Monthly Favourites: October 2010

So it's been several months since I wrote a monthly favourites post. For one, I didn't have a lot of time due to school, and two... I stopped wearing make-up. I never wear/wore make up to school... who did I have to impress, right? Plus, my current school situation involves me in a class of 17 students - one of them a married guy. So who would I be putting make-up on for? Well... me =P I've surprisingly been wearing a full face 3 days of the week! That's a feat! lol I make it sound like such a chore, especially since I really do love and enjoy pretty-ing up... it's really the removal process that deters me from wearing it more often...

Anyway... enough rambling...

Face:
MAC Pro Longwear Foundation (NC30): I was skeptical... which is why I gave it a good month-long trial before I decided on how I felt about this new product that MAC has pumped out (along with the partnering concealer and lipsticks).
Pro Longwear touts a 15-hour budge and smudge proof wear time -- pretty big claim if you ask me. It has a medium coverage (for me), and the only foundation I have used that does not require a finishing powder (which I always used no matter what). I can say that I have worn it for 18 hours once and it was still pretty flawless -- very impressive. What impressed me most, though, was that it grabbed my blush and kept it on my face the entire 18 hours as well -- with very little fading -- WOW! Dare I say that this is HG material??
Oh, oh, oh!! and another thing! I have a fairly oily t-zone with very dry cheeks... I generally need to blot a couple of hours of wear with other foundations... my ENTIRE 18 hours with Pro Longwear not only kept my t-zone oil-free... it stayed relatively MATTE! WTF?? =D

Shell Pearl Beauty Powder (Liberty of London): I LOVE this product... I sweep a layer of this over any blush I use to give myself a light sheen... makes my face glow... I need a back-up!

Eyes:
Blinc Tubing Mascara: I've had this for a long time.. I never really liked it because it did nothing for my lashes... it didn't add length or volume. It does separate the lashes really nicely though... so I use it now as a daily, no-drama mascara... it doesn't flake or smudge, and it's waterproof/resistant... and what I appreciate most about it (especially on no-makeup-days) is that I don't need a special eye-makeup remover for it and that simple warm water and light pinching gets the stuff off cleanly.

Lips:
Perennial High Style (Liberty of London) Lipglass: A milky and slightly muted bubble gum pink that adds a nice tint to the lips that is not super bright. It's just a very pretty (neutralish) colour -- I love my neutrals.

Crosswires (cremesheen) lipstick: The cremesheen formula is always a hit or miss with me... some of the shades glide on really smooth and buttery and other ones are really uneven and patchy... Crosswires is one of the better ones for me. It's a gorgeous coral that makes my lips look plump and full -- like that just "bitten" look.

Fashion Magazine's Big Giveaway

I came home today to a huge package. I didn't order anything, so I was surprised. I looked at the return address and it was sent from the Coty company and I knew right away it had something to do with the Fashion Magazine giveaway. I thought it was a perfume, because it was Coty... but it was wwaaayyy too light... btw... did I mention it was a big package/box? The size of two tissue boxes combined. So I ripped it open and found a prize corresponding to the September 27th giveaway -- a Rimmel Lipstick in Nude Delight ^_^

I had won a pair of Hunter Boots and an Avon lipstick last year... so I'm super excited to have won something again this year! The giveaway hasn't ended yet, so here's hoping for more! lol