Fresh Obsessions: Makeup

I have found some new things, at least new to me, recently that I am obsessing over right now and I wanted to share!


I have been a huge fan of MAC's lipglass since Laura gave me a tube of Full on Lust for Christmas back in 2008. However, Stephanie recently introduced me to Buxom lip glosses. I use Dolly. It has a nice mint scent / flavor and has some plumping characteristics as well. Available here.


I got this as a sample from Sephora last weekend. I LOVE how it smells and moisturizes. I know why this fragrance is so popular now! Available here.


I have long been a fan of MAC pigments, but only recently have I started using a particular color, Rose. It is awesome! It looks pinkish-red; however, it goes on peachy gold and can be layered for more intense colors. Available here.


On that note, to keep your nifty pigment in place, I am recommending Urban Decay's Primer Potion! I am part of the cult that follows this product and they FINALLY have a new bottle! I have fought with many a genie tube, and now it is available in mass quantities in a squeeze tube. My prayers have been answered! Available here. Thanks to Michelle for sharing this with me!

Finally, I want to talk about Lapis of Luxury. I am sorry I did not talk about this sooner. It is from Essie's summer 2010 collection. This is an amazing cornflower blue. I love it for a lot of reasons, but more than anything it makes my hands look very fresh and I would even be daring enough to call it work appropriate. If you can get your hands on some, I highly recommend it! I picked up my bottle at Ulta just a few weeks ago, so it is still around, you may just need to look for it.

THE WAR BETWEEN THE MIND AND THE HEART

(The first in a series of articles)

It seems ironic that one of the shortest passageways – from our heads to our hearts -- takes so long to travel.

Why is it so difficult to influence the heart and the emotions with our logic and common sense?

Many times, even though we know in our mind what we should be doing or what we should avoid, we still can’t influence and take control of our emotions in our heart. The emotions get excited and seem to overwhelm our logical sense and we get drawn into things that we later regret. Whether it’s eating, speaking or doing, we know it is wrong yet we do it anyway.

The answer is, a person is not just his body, with the needs and wants of the physical flesh, he is also a soul. Actually, the person is more a soul than he is his body. The soul is who a person really is, and it is his soul that operates and uses the body to function in a physical world. Unfortunately, this tool meant to help us many times becomes an obstacle for the good and progress of the person.

Mysticism explains we all have two soul energies in our lives, the animal soul which animates our bodies and emanates from the heart, and the G-dly soul which shines through the mind, into our lives. So the life wants and needs of the body is connected mostly to the heart and the emotions from which the animal soul gives life to the body, while the power to objectively and rationally think about our purpose and meaning comes from the G-dly dimension and energy in our lives.

An animal acts selfishly, egoistically and instinctively. The animal has a lot of power and strength when harnessed and leveraged by the mind of a human being. The special quality of a human being is in its capacity to be aware of itself, think independently, think in terms of the future, and think in altruistic and philanthropic terms.

A person’s body, alive from the animal soul which flows from the heart and the seat of the emotions, is external to the soul and identity of the person. Therefore, the body is attracted to its kind, the superficial, external, peripheral and emotional stimulation. That is why, if it looks good or tastes good, even if it isn’t good logically, the person who is guided by his body’s instincts is emotionally attracted to these things.

The mind, on the other hand, which evolves and matures long after the body has been around for a while, must send its messages down to the seat of the animal soul and attempt to stop, or better yet, harness this emotional animal operating out of the heart. The mind encounters a lot of resistance, challenges and obstacles. As we all know, after the heart has become excited about something, it’s not always easy to get a handle over the situation.

People say it’s nearly impossible to talk logic when someone is in love. That’s because when the animal soul operating through the emotions is shining too strongly, there is no room for logic.

We have the conflict between the G-dly soul, which is intellectual and thinks objectively and the animal soul, which thinks instinctively and is impulsive.

To be continued.

Deals & Steals

While I love to pine over designer clothes and pricey cosmetics (Chanel nail polish anyone?), I also am a bit of a bargain hunter. A great bargain to me is not only about price, but about getting something of amazing quality at an amazing discount. So here are some of my favorite deals and steals on quality products that will keep you looking great and your wallet full.

EcoTools 5 Piece Brush Set -  Approximately $12.00 at Wal-Mart, Target, or Kmart.com

This set of brushes rivals many high-end brand brushes in construction and quality, for a mere fraction of the price. Also, these brushes are made out of super-soft synthetic fibers which makes them cruelty-free! I've loved them since I've gotten my set this summer and am glad I finally upgraded to using nicer brushes. Having a good set of brushes makes make-up application much easier. 

Mario Badescu Customized Skin Sampler - Free at Mario Badescu Online

Mario Badescu's skin care products are renown for being effective and using natural ingredients. Personally I am a huge fan of their Calma Mask which helps even my complexion while deep cleaning my pores. If you fill out the survey at the link and within a few weeks Mario Badescu will send you a complimentary set of sample products customized to your skincare needs for free. Few things are better than free high-end skin care samples! However, be sure to use an email address in your survey that you use for advertisements as Mario Badescu will be emailing you quite regularly.

 The Perfumed Court Fragrance Decants - Prices Vary 

I'm kind of a perfume addict and this website allows you to sample an extraordinary range of fragrances from some of the greatest perfume houses at a tiny fraction of the price. Whether it be that you want to try a fragrance or know that the smallest sized bottle of a fragrance is far too big or too expensive, the Perfumed Court gives you access to amazing fragrances at a spectacular price. The website is also well organized and sampler sets exist if you have a special interest in say Violette fragrances or classic French perfumeries. Each decant comes in a wide range of sizes so you don't need to worry about buying too much, especially if you are experimenting with harder to find fragrances. I'm definitely looking forward to being able to sample Tom Ford, Comme des Garçons and Creed fragrances.

Rue La La Sample Sales - Prices Vary

Online sample sales are a great way to save money, but sample sales become even better when they are final sales, Tomorrow at 11 am EST Rue La La will have part one of their online sample sale which will undoubtedly feature some absolute steals on great designers. Prior sales have featured names like Prada, Dior, Balenciaga, and Valentino as well as contemporary designers like Theory, Ella Moss, and Betsey Johnson. I'm hoping to get some dresses, but the sale will  feature lots of clothing and other accessories like watches, jewelry, and handbags so there will be something for everyone. Rue La La is invite only, so if you aren't a member use the link above to join!

Gorgeous!

I was totally nervous about this weekend's wedding. Worried about the weather, my abilities, my equipment, everything. But it was all for nothing, the bride and groom were so relaxed and the the whole bridal party was so photogenic, made my job easier. The weather was perfect.
These are a few of my favourites. I'm finding the sorting part difficult, I like so many of them.

Congrats to Kellyn and Rich!

My New Place

I've been in Cambridge for two full weeks now and I have finally gotten my apartment into working order. The last week has been very busy between orientation, class shopping, gross weather, socializing and getting a job so I apologize for not putting pictures up earlier. After four trips to IKEA, furniture assembling, rearranging and organization it's finally close to finished. I am still debating over some wall decals to add more color to the walls since I'm not allowed to paint them, but in terms of furniture I am finished. Here's how made 327 ft into six different "rooms".

The kitchen - it was thoughtfully designed with smaller appliances to save me space and is much more energy efficient. You can also see my little kitchen table which can be adjusted to accommodate more people.

The bathroom -I'm still really impressed by how large it is (it was a bit difficult to photograph, sorry!) and the additional storage below the sink and in my inset medicine cabinet makes keeping things organized and neat looking quite easy.

The study- I plan on painting the back of the bookcase to give the room some more color eventually. The chair I bought from IKEA is my favorite furniture purchase though, it's super comfy!

The bedroom - I had a bit of trouble getting my camera to work with the lighting from a different angle so I'm using this picture instead. It isn't the greatest, but you can see a bit more of the apartment I suppose. I was using another comforter, but I changed to this one because I wanted warmer colors in the room for a more cozy feel.

The closet - This has been probably the most difficult to organize due to the amount of clothing I have. I think I've finally gotten the configuration down and the doors stay shut most of the time so I don't need to worry about it being perfect.

The entertainment center - I'm using the TV stand as extra storage for clothing and I'll be hopefully adding some wall decals to this wall to make it more complete feeling. The painting was done by my lovely and talented mother.

The office - I wanted a huge workspace for when I'll be completing research papers. This desk is from IKEA and has lots of customizable components you can use to put together a desk.

My view - definitely my favorite part of my apartment!

I've really enjoyed having my own space and with my new job I'll be able to afford some special final touches to bring everything together perfectly. So, if in doubt, remember even in the smallest of spaces you can still have a lot of functionality with good planning and many trips to IKEA!

Paris van Java.

Taking a short break to visit Bandung for a day.

Hayley wearing 'Yogyakarta Hardcore'.
She said Paramore will surely come to Indonesia.

Well. Keep waiting, because.. God knows the world doesn't need another band...



:)

Book Review: How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World

I was intent on liking this book when I checked it out of the library back in July. The cute dress on the cover, the reference to Audrey Hepburn and/or Katharine Hepburn, and the premise that money and fame don't buy class -it looked like a precious little read. Upon reading it, however, I determined that I was not a fan. I agree with much of what the author, Jordan Christy, says, but I can not agree with the way she presents her work. For example, the title implies that this is a self-help guide for young women to put away some of their more risqué outfits and habits and act more mature and demure. Christy, however, sees fit to dedicate the introduction to trashing "stupid girls", i.e. the very people this book is supposed to help change. The rest of the book is more benign, with points about dressing like you respect yourself, getting involved in the community, making friends who treat you well, not shellacking your face with makeup, etc., etc., but the author often engages in a tactic which I dislike. Often when she talks about how the ~stupid girls~ act and dress, she has to emphasize how SHE never does that, SHE knows better, SHE is much more pure and holy. Denial much? I mean sure, I'm not into the Girls Gone Wild way of life, but I don't feel the need to assert that all the time. Another thing I found majorly annoying is the fact that Christy in one chapter goes on about how women should enjoy intellectual pursuits, she studies Hebrew, we should care more about scientists and philanthropists than celebrities, blah blah blah. Yet despite these assertions, almost every example she uses involves pop culture ("My sister and I love this line that Kathryn Hahn delivers in Win a Date with Tad Hamilton" (p. 71), "Carrie Fisher once said" (p. 47), "The lovely Jennifer Aniston has said" (p. 38). But this part is the best: Christy has a little quiz you can take to see what sort of genres you'd be interested in reading, and she also suggests some different book titles. If you like romance "[Y]ou'll really appreciate authors such as Jennifer Weiner, Sophie Kinsella, Annie Lamott, or Lauren Weisberger. For a challenge, try Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen" (p.58). SERIOUSLY? Because Chasing Harry Winston is going to massively improve your mind? And when was Pride and Prejudice EVER considered a ~challenge~? Wasn't everybody required to read this in 12th grade English Literature??? Please note that Christy also offers Gone with the Wind, a book I read in 5th grade, as a challenge as well. *Face. Palm.* Though maybe I shouldn't be too critical. Not everyone is a pathetic little book worm like me. And if this book is ~actually~ targeting the "stupid girls", then perhaps their normal reading levels aren't particularly advanced. But I doubt that those who need help are actually going to read this; this book seems destined to wind up only on the shelves of those women who are fans of Audrey Hepburn and dressing up for events. I give How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World 2.5 stars out of 5.

Summering in DC (and elsewhere)

I originally meant to do a post about my visit to Dumbarton House in Georgetown back in May, but time slipped away from me and instead I thought I'd share some pictures from my different adventures this summer.



Dumbarton House:

The National Opera (at the Kennedy Center):

Fourth of July:

The Capital Club's Sinatra Soiree at the National Building Museum:

The Brown Palace Hotel in Denver: