Blogelii

Surprises in My Closet and Spa Day

2012-01-30T20:32:00.001-08:00

Hello lovelies! Hope you are all doing well! Just wanted to do a quick update and share a few picture with you all :)

It's no secret that I really had a good laugh watching the Hangover - maybe even little too much... Mr. Chow was definitely my favourite character in the movie. Is that weird? lol Anyway, when I walked in to my closet a few days ago, I was greeted with a surprise!

Also, I went to get an aromatherapy massage a few days ago, and let me start off by saying. WOW! AMAZING! RELAXING!

It was my first time getting a massage, and I honestly didn't know if I would enjoy it. The idea of being almost completely naked in a room with a stranger massaging my body kind of always creeped me out (lol) Not to mention that massages are usually not on the cheap side. Most professional massages usually range from 80$ to more an hour.

But I recently discovered GROUPON, which is a website that offers daily deals to its members. (Membership is free) And I was able to snag an amazing deal for an aromatherapy massage + foot scrub. Normally it would of cost over 100$ for the treatment, but I only had to pay 39$. I definitely recommend checking out the website. http://www.groupon.ca (if you live in canada) And http://www.groupon.com (for the united states)

To make a long story short, the massage was complete bliss. I was in a complete state of relaxation, and came of the spa feeling completely recharged.

So until the next blog post, hope you all have a wonderful day/evening/night!

xoxo, elii

FTC: Non sponsored post, everything mentioned was purchased by me.

Where have I been? What have I been up to?

2012-01-05T14:31:00.000-08:00

I don't even want to say it...

Yes, I went MIA all over again. I think I have commitment problems! Well it is a new year, I think this needs to go on my top priorities. I know that I lost of many subscribers/readers along the absence, but I just want to thank everyone who still takes the time to read my little blog! :) (You guys are awesome!) xoxo

So what have I been up to? I recently (a month ago) moved in to my new apartment! Assembling furniture was a nightmare, especially when fireplace/tv stand. But I did it! And I got to say, I went from barely ever touching tools to assembling a whole apartment worth of furnitures. But I can't take all the credit, thank you to my wonderful boyfriend & best friend!

Also, I've been really wanting to get back to blogging/youtube. Now that I'm no longer in school, I really have no excuse! :)

To start off. here are some lost pictures from my Iphone :)

Went furniture shopping at Ikea for my bedroom furniture. lol I needed two of those trolly things.

One of the first evenings at my place, waiting for my living room and dinning furniture to arrive. PS. was very disappointed with the delivery service of The Brick. Basically my furniture was suppose to from 8am-11am, and arrived 8pm! Basically wasted my day waiting for the furnitures. So my friend & I had to make due, and make our our dinning table! lol was hilarious though. Good times :)

I am in love with this lamp! I got it at Winners for 60$, and it retailed for 120! So I got an amazing deal!! :)

Vanilla Lavender Pillow Mist on my nightstand table. Smells heavenly!! :)

Off to dinner with a friend. One of the coolest thing about my new place is that one of my old nursing classmate lives in the same floor as me, so we were both so exited to have dinner at each other's place wearing our pyjamas and slippers! lol

It's sad to say, but when I moved out, I didn't know how to cook any filipino dishes. So this is my first attempt of making "Sinigang" which is basically tamarind soup: a sour pork soup (SO GOOD!!)

Well that is all for today! Exited to blog more!! :) See you guys next time oxox

Happy News!

2011-11-10T16:49:00.000-08:00

I'm completely filled with happiness right now! As i'm writing this blog post, I'm resisting the urge to jump up and down and scream "I did it!!"

Why? Because I PASSED the Nursing board exam!! :)

I recently graduated from college, but I still had to pass this exam in september to be officially called a Registered Nurse. For the time being, I was still working, but only as a Graduate Pending Licence.

As you guys can see, I kinda blurred my full name and the college I went to for privacy reasons :) And yes, my real name is Eloisa but Elii is my nickname, and 99.9% of my friends call me that =)

I feel like so much weight has been lifted from my shoulders, and now I can relax. Anyway to end this blog post here's a little picture of me at work! :)

This is what happens when I'm a little early for work...haha just decided to take a picture for my blog. Sorry the flash is really washing me out!

On a side note, I recently came back from a mini road trip to Plattsburgh and Albany. (I'm aiming to go to New York city next! Hopefully soon...) I went there mostly for shopping, and I was wondering if you lovelies would like to see a Haul? Most of the stuff I bought was home stuff though... (I'm moving in less than a month yay!) But I do have other items non home related. Let me know beauties!! :)

Hope you are all having a great day!

oxo,

Elii

Chanel Vitalumiere Foundation Review! & Inexpensive Alternation

2011-10-03T20:35:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

So there's been a lot of buzz about the Chanel Vitalumiere (Aqua) Foundation on youtube. However, I actually opted out for the regular Chanel Vitalumiere Foundation because it has a little bit more coverage.

CHANEL VITALUMIERE

Price and where to buy: I got it at my local department store for around 60$ Canadian with tax.

My Shade: I got matched with Beige 40 numerous times. I had to go back several times because I was not convinced that I was that shade, but after several sales person agreeing with that shade, I finally caved in. I still find that it's a tad light for my skin, but I top it off with a darker powder and problem solved :) I normally wear a nc40-42 in Mac.

Color Selection: Like I mentioned in my video, this was one of the flaws I found with the foundation. There weren't many shades too choose from...as compared to Mac.

Packaging: It's packaged in a glass bottle, and the cap has Chanel's famous Double "C" logo. And it's great because it has a pump, which gives me better control of how much foundation I want to use and it reduces wasting of product and lastly avoids a big mess in the morning.

Photo Friendly? This foundation contains SPF 15, so it does make my face look a tad lighter in picture, but not to the point where I look really washed out. So I would say it is photo friendly :)

Coverage and Finish: This is definitely a light to medium coverage (if you build it up). This finish is very natural and slightly luminous, but definitely not matte. It really blends well with my skin. It feels like I'm almost not wearing any foundation! :) Like Ingrid said (missglamorazzi on Youtube) It's like a second layer of perfect skin.

Staying Power: This is the major flaw...The staying power of this foundation is 2-3 hours tops without a base, which is really a bummer, considering the price is quite high. However, when I do apply a base or setting spray, it does stay a little longer, but not more than 4 hours...But then again, it can also just be my skin type that causing this..

All in all, this is definitely a great natural everyday foundation, if you don't mind the price. I would just recommend maybe getting a sample before purchasing the whole product to see how it works with your skin :)

INEXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVE: MAYBELLINE FIT ME FOUNDATION

So there's been a lot of love/hate reviews about this foundation, but for me, I personally love this foundation. I think it's a great foundation for it's price.

On a side note, I know that the Chanel Vitalumiere foundation has also been compared to the Nars sheer glow foundation, however they are both high end products. & I really wanted to find an alternative that's a drugstore product :)

Price and where to buy: I got this foundation for around 6$ Cad at Walmart, but you can also get at most drugstores. So it's about 10% of the cost of the Chanel Vitalumiere. Remember, it is a 6$ foundation, although there are some similarities to the Chanel Vitalumiere, it is not an exact replica.

My Shade: I got the shade 310 in this foundation. And again, it is a tad bit light than my skin. However, I also top it off with a slightly darker foundation, and voila :) Problem solved once again :)

Color Selection: Similarly to the Chanel foundation, Maybelline Foundation doesn't have a tons of shade to choose from.

Photo Friendly? I don't think this foundation contains any SPF (there's nothing written on the bottle) But for some reason, it makes my skin look lighter in pictures anyways. And for some reason, when I took the picture for the swatch it looked more shimmery, but it does not look like that in person, or even when I apply it in my face. I would like not really photo friendly...

Coverage and Finish: This foundation has a little bit more coverage than the Chanel foundation, however I would still rate it as a light to medium foundation. It also has a natural & luminous finish, however just NOT as natural as the Chanel one. It doesn't blend as well with you skin, but it still does a good job! You may be able to tell that you have foundation on, it's not something that very noticeable! It's still very natural and subtle :)

Packaging: The fit me foundation, is also package in a glass bottle however, this foundation does not have a pump, which is quite annoying to me. I tend to pour more foundation every time I want to use some, which equals to wasting of product, and I'm also sometimes left with a mess in the morning. But then again, I'm also quite clumsy! lol

Staying Power: This is the part that the Maybelline Foundation beats the Chanel Foundation. The Fit Me Foundation has the staying power of about 4-5h without a base. And about 6-7 hours with a base & setting spray.

All in all, If ever you're really been wanting to try out the Chanel Vitalumiere foundation, but are in a budget, or for any other reason. I highly recommend this foundation! :)

Hope this was helpful! If you have any question, please don't hesitate to ask in the comments below! :)

Have a great day

xoxo,

elii

FTC: Everything was purchase by me.

Project 365 - Day 18 & 19

2011-09-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

Day 18: September 5th 2011

Goodbye Summer

Just a webcam picture! :) Summer is practically over, going to miss wearing florals! But I'm so ready & exited for fall and winter! :)

Day 19: September 6th 2011

Pens Galore

So at work, I always seem to either lose my pen or break my pen. It's so frustrating, but hilarious at the same time. No matter how many I bring to work, by the end of the day they all seem to die on me. And having a pen handy is pretty important, I work as a Nurse, I need to sign off my meds, chart, ect! Imagine work without a pen. Ah... I wish I was exaggerating but sadly that is the exact truth. So I went to Walmart today, and just got 20 pens, will probably last me at least 2 weeks right? Here's hoping...

Project 365 - Day 15 to 17

2011-09-05T07:56:00.001-07:00

Day 15 - September 2 2011

Organizing

So here's a quarter of my nursing notes and books...And as you can see it's a pretty big mess. I've been putting off organizing and cleaning all summer. But I decided to finally attempt to clean it because my exam is so soon, and I really can't afford procrastinating any longer. It was a fun day *sarcasm lol

Day 16 - September 3 2011

Laziness & Stressed

My current mood. I know laziness and stress usually don't go hand in hand...Usually when I'm slightly stressed, and I tend to be more productive, however lately I've been stressed and lazy. How is that even possible? lol

Day 17 - September 4 2011

Studying

The studying continues. I'm almost done studying the Psychiatry part. Now time to focus cardiovascular, respiratory..I just realized that Day 15 to 17 was all school related. Ok tomorrow, I promise that to post a picture that's school related lol

Talk to beauties tomorrow! oxo

Project 365 - Day 11 to 14

2011-09-04T21:10:00.000-07:00

Day 11: August 29 2011

Happy 56th birthday to my Bf's Mom! :)

Today was my boyfriend's mom 56th birthday. Happy birthday to her!! :) I went to Rockaberry early on that day to get her this yummy toblerone cheese cake pie. For her gift, we decided to get her a gift certificate to a spa, because she is honestly one of the most hard working women I know! She deserves to get pampered! :) Spent the day with her, and my boyfriend, ate some good food, and celebrated her birthday.

Day 12: August 30 2011

New favourite Snack: Popcorn sprinkled with chocolate chips?

So...I've never been one to "love" popcorn. I mean when I was younger, I always opted for nachos or candy when my family went to the movies. Popcorn just wasn't my snack. But lately, for some odd reason, my taste buds decided to change their mind. And I've really been liking pop corn. However...not just any ordinary popcorn. I love to sprinkle mines with chocolate chips. Does anyone do this do? Or am I weird? Haha, I really do enjoy this snack! :)

Day 13: August 31 2011

Back to school

So...the "back to school title" is quite confusing to some probably... Since in the about me section in my blog says that I've recently graduated from college, which is true. I did just graduate from Nursing this May 2011, and I do work as a GPL (Graduate Pending License) in a Hospital. However, I decided to go back to school and take a math class this semester. It's only twice a week, and I figured it didn't interfere with my work schedule, so decided to take it.

I haven't done math since high school, which was about 4 years ago (how time flies...), but I really enjoyed it back then. So my first day of class was great.. It made me realize how much I missed math! :) I really enjoyed the class, and I don't know why, but I find there something, relaxing about doing math problems... Ok, maybe relaxing isn't the word, but I'm at lost for a better word. I find that when I'm solving a math problem, for those few minutes, I kind of forget about everything else (everyday life stressors, problems, you name it)...and just really concentrate on that problem.

And just when you thought I couldn't get weirder, I write this blog post! :) haha

Day 14: September 1st 2011

Relaxation

This Aromatherapy candle from Bath and Body works is hands down my all time favourite candle! I absolutely love the smell of lavender and vanilla together. I find it so soothing and relaxing. :) My Nursing board exam is in about two weeks... and I'm definitely feeling the stress... but this helps a bit :)

Project 365 - Day 6 to 10

2011-09-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

To be honest with you guys, for a second there, I thought I should just give up my whole "Project 365" post. It is honestly harder than I thought! Kudos to all the bloggers who were able to take this challenge! :) I envy you guys!

So I half completed the challenge, I took my daily picture, it's just the blogging part that I kind of neglected... :( But better late than never right? I pinky promise to be better!

Work, studying for my Nursing board exam, school (I'll explain in my Day 13 Post) took a temporary tole on my life, and I just got overwhelmed for a while, but I'm getting focused again!

So to make this long intro short, here are Day 6 to 10 of my Project 365! :) (I'll post the rest in several other posts)

Day 6: August 24 2011

Work & Coffee

Today was a pretty ordinary day. :) Just had work early in the morning, and then met up with one of my friends for coffee later on just to chit chat & catch up. This time, I took decaf, I learned my lesson from another evening...Basically I went out for coffee with a friend one evening, and had work in the next morning, well let's just say I was up & awake till very late that night thanks to caffein lol.

PS. I'm really starting to love stripped patterns! :) Yeah, just a random fact I thought I'd share lol.

Day 7: August 25 2011

Harry Potter

I really loved the last Harry Potter movie! I usually hate it when series of movies or books end...Wether the ending is bad or good. I just hate endings...But I have to hand it to JK Rowling, she really ended the story well! :) I actually only read the first Harry Potter book, and I've really been meaning to read to whole series, but for some reason it always got put off...So I finally borrowed the book from my sister's friend, and decided to make it my bedtime book . (Random fact about me: I love to read right before going to sleep, I find it really relaxing!) So far, so good! :)

Day 8: August 26 2011

Family Time!

Went to sister's place for dinner with my family today. My sister & her husband made some yummy bbq, and then we ended the night by relaxing in their Jacuzzi. Had a great time! :) Here's a picture of my niece & my brother in law. I love my niece; she is just so playful & loveable! She's growing up so fast...:)

Day 9: August 27 2011

Soy Milk

So...pretty random picture right? lol I just had to include this in one my pictures. I've been really loving this So Nice, Soy Beverage. I've actually substituted regular milk for this carton of goodness. I always get the chocolate flavoured one, just because when I don't have any sweets around, having a glass of this drink, really satisfies my craving! It doesn't hurt that it's organic also! :)

Day 10: August 28 2011
Simple Steps
Another book picture :) So I got this book over a month ago while I was in Chapters shopping for new books. It was in the sales rack, for a think less than 7.00$, the title looked interesting, so I decided to get it. The book is really interesting, but I think it's more geared to mothers. But of course, plenty of the advices and tips can also be applied to younger women. Like I said, it is an interesting read :)

(Everyday) Most Worn Makeup/Foundation

2011-08-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

Hey dolls! So here's my updated (everyday) most worn makeup routine. So I put everyday in parentheses because I DON'T put makeup everyday, especially when I have work. So if ever you see me somewhere, and I look tired & different, that's the reason why =P haha

FACE PRODUCTS

Chanel Vitalumiere Fluide de Teint Eclat Beige40, Tarte smooth operator in Tan, Pur Minerals Powder in Tan, Nars Blush in Deep Troath

EYE/EYEBROW MAKEUP

Wet & Wild Pencil in Brown, Rimmel Soft Khol Liner Pure White, Maybelline Falsies Waterproof Mascara, Too face e/s in teddy bear & heaven, Too faced shadow insurance in Lemon Drop, Mac e/s allthatglitters, shu uemera eyelash curler.

Review on these products coming soon! :)

Just wanted to update you guys on my most worn makeup routine.

xoxo

Eli

Project 365 - Day 5

2011-08-23T15:04:00.000-07:00

DAY 5 - August 23 2011

Work & Study

Work & Studying pretty much summarizes my entire day. That nursing board exam is right around the corner. Better start getting productive...

What do you guys do when you need to focus? I need tips! I've been slacking off way too much...

H&M jewelry craze

2011-08-22T18:47:00.001-07:00

Usually, when it comes to accessorizing, I tend to keep it to a minimum. I also tend usually wear the same jewelry everyday...But lately, I've really been developing an interest for fashion jewelries, and especially in h&m.

Here are some statement rings that I got the other day. They each retailed for 6.95CAD$.

I got them in a size M. And my ring size is normally 6-6.5. I think I should of gotten the size S though. These rings are slightly too big...

Currently obsessed with this necklace. Is it just me, or does this kind of remind you of something that would be from the House of Harlow collection? (PS: If you guys want to see what I wore this with, I have a blogspot for my Project 365- Day 4)

I got these today and it retailed for 4.95CAD$, and look so many earrings come in this pack. And as you can see, I've already managed to lose one in less than 24 hours. Typical me! lol

Disclaimer: Everything was purchased by me, not affiliated with H&M

Project 365 - Day 4

2011-08-22T18:26:00.001-07:00

Day 3: August 22 2011 Outfit of the Day

Hows everyone's monday going? I hope you are all doing great! :) So today, I spent the day with my sister. Woke up & made breakfast (Tomato & Cheese Omelet) So good! :) Then re-watched the Lion King 1 cartoon, because I was feeling a little nostalgic from watching yesterday's musical. Then accompanied my sister to run some errands downtown, and while we were there we couldn't resist to go shopping :P The picture was taken in Forever21 in the changing rooms. Afterwards, I just headed up to finally clean up my room. And now, I'm just ending my night by blogging and then afterwards going to prepare my bag for work tomorrow and try to get a little bit of studying done. :) Have a good day/evening/night everyone! :)

MY OUTFIT

Cardigan: Simons

Dress: H&M

Belt: The bay

Necklace: H&M

Watch: MK Rose Gold watch

Ring: Gifted from my boyfriend

Purse: MK tote purse

And here's the purse I was carrying. Forgot to include this while I was taking a picture of my outfit. I know I'm technically suppose to take 1 picture, but heres an extra one today =D

oxo

Project 365 - Day 3

2011-08-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

THE LION KING BROADWAY SHOW in Montreal

Today my boyfriend & I went to go see the popular Lion King Broadway Musical at Place des Arts. Getting there was pretty much a nightmare...So much construction going on and there were many roads that were blocked in our way there. It took us triple the time to get there. Luckily we made in time, but with only 2 minutes to spare. However, the show was well worth all hustle & bustle we had to go through. It was amazing! The performers were beyond talented. I highly recommend watching the show if you guys loved the lion king cartoon :)

On a little side note, this is the only picture I got because we weren't allowed to take pictures or videos during the show, so I just snapped one before the show :) But for those of you who are interested. Here's a little trailer of the show that I found on Youtube. :)

See you guys tomorrow in the next post for my P365! :) xox

Project 365 - Day 1 and 2

2011-08-20T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hey beauties! I've been thinking about doing the Project 365 for a while now, so I finally decided to stop putting off, and start today! :)

Project 365 will consist of me taking & uploading a random picture of my life a day on this blog. It's basically a year long photo album. It'll also motivate me to update my blog more regularly =P Hope you guys enjoy! :)

DAY 1: AUGUST 19 2011

JULIETTE ET CHOCOLAT

Went to run some errands with my best friend, and then headed to Juliette & Chocolat in Saint Laurent. Juliette & chocolat is basically a restaurant that specializes & is well known for their chocolate.

REVIEW: We ordered the fruits, semi sweet chocolate and ice cream cream along with the fruits semi sweet and white chocolate fondue. My only complaint is that some of the fruits (especially the raspberries) weren't fresh at all..Otherwise the chocolate & ice cream were both delicious!

DAY 2: AUGUST 20 2011

Favourite Summer Wedges! - Jeffrey Campbell Pendola Wedges in Khaki

I thought that these wedges needed to be showcased in one of P365 pictures, since they've become my most worn & favourite shoes of the summer 2011. More often then not I try to match my outfit around these shoes, and not the other way around :P lol.These are literally the most comfortable heels I've ever worn! I sometimes forget that I'm even wearing wedges when I have these babies on.

Retreat to Mont-Tremblant & OUTFITS

2011-08-10T21:02:00.000-07:00

Hey beauties! So about a week ago I went on a amazing and relaxing 3 day mini vacation. Normally when I need a little escape from where I live, I usually tend to head down to New York City, to get some retail therapy. But this time, I really wanted to do something different. So, my boyfriend & I decided to visit Mont-Tremblant. My everyday life stressors were kind of building up, and it just felt good to leave it behind for a few days...

Instead of waking up to sounds of the busy city, I woke up to a serene silence with the view of gorgeous mountains. All in all the trip was great, we went hiking & enjoyed the fresh air. I also went horseback riding for the very first time. Although I wasn't able to go galloping & trotting with the horse..It was still an amazing experience.

But enough of that :) Here are some of the pictures I took while I there.

FIRST OUTFIT:

CARDIGAN: Mango STRIPPED TOP: Winners STATEMENT NECKLACE: Forever21 YELLOW BELT: Steve Madden SHORTS: Guess ACCESSORIES: Fresh Water Pearls Earrings, Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch, Michael Kors Tote Purse

On a more casual note...OUTFIT: When Hiking

I still can't get over how beautiful the scenery behind me is! Absolutely breathtaking.

TOP, SWEATER & PANTS: Walmart ;) CROSS-BODY PURSE: Rosetti SUNGLASSES: Kate Spade JEWELRY: Pearl studs from Forever21, Necklace from boyfriend

My hiking essentials: Water bottle (all that walking will make u thirsty), Granola bars (when you get hungry), Sunglasses, Sweater, Lip balm, & Camera! :)

What are you're hiking essentials? :)

Summer Beauty Series: How to Prevent Your Makeup From Melting during the summer

2011-06-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

Hey beauties! :)

So I decided to start a summer beauty series. It's going to be comprised of three parts - makeup, skin & hair.

So officially, summer has finally arrived. To be precise, we're about one week into summer ;) YaY. However...As much as I love the hot weather during this season, it can sometimes take a toll on my makeup...

Have you experienced

Foundation slipling and sliding?

Eyeliner melting off, or even smudging off?

I certainly haved, and it is definitely an annoying feeling. but no need to worry, today I’m going to share with you some tips and trick to prevent your makeup from looking like a hot mess.

Let’s start with the face makeup.

TIP #1: MAKEUP PRIMERS

We generally sweat more during the summer season

So a good foundation primer will be your best makeup friend during this time

Makeup primers have many benefits.

It acts as a base to prepare your foundation application fills in the fine lines in your skin. The result? A smoother finish
It also acts as a barrier between our skin and makeup, which prevent our natural oils from melting off our foundation

I know that adding this extra step can seem like more of a hassle rather than a benefit, but the results will definitely be worth the extra few seconds in the morning.

My personal favorite is the Smashbox PhotoFinish Primer
I love this primer because it's oil free, not too heavy on my skin and not to mention it makes my skin look FLAWLESS in pictures ;)

TIP#2:
LESS IS MORE

Avoid wearing a heavy layer of foundation and concealer.
Instead use your favorite tinted moisturizer, or a light weight foundation.

Similarly to wearing thicker clothing, the thicker and more layers of foundation you put on, the more you’ll sweat, and consequently the more chances you’ll have of your makeup melting

Unfortunately, I still haven't found a tinted moisturizer that matches my skin tone.
So I ended up making my own tinted moisturizer :)
Basically 1/2 pump of my studio fix in nc42 + 1 pump of my aveeno positively radiant moisturizer
and tadaa! my tinted moisturizer
I still apply it with a brush, because it still have a tint to it. And if I were to apply with my hands, it would get stained.

TIP #3
CHOOSE A GOOD FINISHING POWDER

Powders are great because they light weight and they also absorbed extra oil, which makes our foundation last longer.
Use a press powder instead of loose powder.
The consistency of loose powders makes them more prone to melting, and not to mention they are more messy to handle.

What I'm currently using is my Fit Me Powder by Neutrogena in 310
I love this powder! It's so light weight, it definitely will not make your skin look cakey!
Not to mention, the price is so affordable! :)

TIP#4
PENCIL LINERS

Use pencil liners instead of liquid
The waxy consister of these liners make them able to resist the heat longer.

Also, to make your eyeliner last even longer, set it with a similar colored eyeshadown.

· To prevent your liners from slightly melting in your makeup bag, keep them in the fridge for about 15-20 minutes before leaving your house.
Rimmel eyeliners - my two favorites in sable brown and white
can you see the "X" on the liquid liner beside it? (lol)

TIP#5 GO WATERPROOF

I know many people hate waterproof because they can sometimes be extremely difficult to remove. However, I personally think that the when it comes to using waterproof mascara the positives outweighs the negatives.

Wearing waterproof mascara means you don't have to worry about having racoon eyes in the middle of the day
You don't need to fix any boo-boos cause by smudging (cleaning up smudged mascara can sometimes take forever! especially when you're not at home :(
You don't need to reapply

I usually use olive oil to remove my makeup, it does take some time but it definitely gets the job done at the end of the day :) Plus, olive oil does not clog your pores. Extra points! :)
Maybelline Volum'Express One by One waterproof mascara
love it! definitely no clumps when applying this. I have really thin eyelashes that point downwards, and this definitely add volume to my almost non-existent lashes. A review soon :)

So now you’re ready to step out in sun, and you don’t worry about your makeup from melting.

I hope these tips and tricks were helpful.

Comment below if you have any other tips and tricks to prevent your makeup from melting.

Thank you all for reading this blog post!

XO – Eli

OOOh, and before ending this blogspot. My most important tip of all (not necessarily to prevent your makeup from melting, but a very important tip none the less)

Don’t forget to wear sunscreen and protect your skin from the harmful UV rays.
Make sure it’s atleast SPF30 :)
Sunscreen was part of my health promotion project in my last semester of college, so not wearing it has definitely become a pet peave of mines hehe! :)
Have a great day/afternoon/night!

My Dorothy Perkins package arrived!

2011-05-04T18:50:00.000-07:00

For exact pricing for each item I got, please refer to my initial DP blog entry:

http://beautelii.blogspot.com/2011/04/dorothy-perkins.html

So my Dorothy Perkins arrived yesterday, unfortunately I wasn't home to accept the package, so the mail man left this on my door:

THE PRICE

The total for my order was £55.30. Thats including the 20% discount if you are a student. So 55.30 UK doesn't sound like that much right? Wrong...When I looked at my bank statement, it actually converted to around 90.00 CAD. Hmm, ok, I thought to myself. It's still a pretty good deal I guess, I did get a few things after all.

To my surprise, I also had to pay 30.76$ worth of taxes of my package. Hmm, here I thought I was getting a good deal shopping at Dorothy Perkins, but when I summed everything up, I actually paid around 120.00$ for my package.

SHIPPING

Shipping was fairly accurate. The site claims that it takes 5-7 business days. I placed my order April 19 2011, and technically received it May 3 2011. That's around 8 business days (since there was Good Friday, and Easter Monday) So that's one of the positive aspect of their company.

SIZE/QUALITY

One of the biggest disadvantages of shopping online is that the size of the clothing item won't always fit. Unfortunately, this was the case for me. The DP website does provide a size chart, with measurements, as well as comparison with US sizes. And according to my measurements, I was suppose to be a size 10.

Unfortunately, the blouse I ordered was way too big on me. I tried belting it, and going for that oversized slouchy look, but still no luck. I couldn't hide the fact that the arms of the blouse was huge on me. The blouse itself it gorgeous and has a great quality, it's just the size that doesn't work, so I might actually just get it tailored, because I really like this top.

SIZE 10 UK ivory blouse

I'm not saying that DP measurements are inaccurate. It's just that size chart, not only for the DP, but for most clothing websites, are used as a baseline, and not all clothing will be the exact measurement. My sister for instance, ordered a blouse size 10 also from DP and it fit her well.

My tip? Look at the top your ordering, and try to see what's the "style." For example, the blouse I ordered had an "oversized" look to it already, so I should've actually ordered a few sizes smaller. Granted, it's not the best tip in the world, but I hope it helps some of you. :)

The belt: Nothing really special about this belt. (lol) It's pretty much an ordinary brown belt. I've been wanting one lately. And because it is pretty ordinary, it goes well with every pair of jeans! ;) Let's change the word ordinary for a classic. :) The quality is so so...but I got this belt at a really cheap price so I'm not complainning. :)

The ballet flats I ordered was also quite big on me. I'm normally a size 5.5-6-7 US. And again, dorothy perkins does offer a size conversion chart, but I'm sure you all have already experienced the issue with shoes and sizing. The size of the shoe really depends on the type of shoes you buy. Different companies make different sizes, and thats why sometimes my size of shoes can vary from 5.5 to 7.

Now the quality for these flats aren't amazing..But hey, I guess you get what you paid for right? The material does not look very sturdy. So I don't think this flat will lasts me a long time. But hey, who knows maybe it'll prove me wrong. :) Also, there's not really a built in comfortable insole, so you would probably have to purchase one, if you want to make these flats more comfy.

One thing that, I was kind of disappointed was this stain..

My tip? Hmm, I wouldn't really recommend buying shoes online, unless the store from which you are purchasing it, is accessible for easy exchange or refunds. I wouldn't normally purchase shoes online, but I found this flats to be so cute..I think I can still make these flats work though. But that tip deserve it's own blog entry, so be on the look-out for that. :)

Jewelry

Red Candy Box Charm Bracelet

I love this! This actually looks really accurate as compared to the picture on their website. :)

Chain and bead cord bracelet

Unfortunately, I can't say the same for this item..Looked way better online. In person, it kind of looks a little too tacky for my liking.

Heart locket bracelet

I really like this bracelet as well. It's a nice simple bracelet, that would be great for layering with other bangles or bracelets. I think I'm planning to remove the white flower charm though. I think without it, it looks better. :)

MY OVERALL THOUGHTS

Do you recommend shopping at Dorothy Perkins? Yes if you live within the UK. I personally think that Dorothy Perkins, is a good clothing website. The website is really easy to navigate, and they have a wide range of clothing to choose from. ALSO, they offer 20% off discount for discounts, which is really good! Quality is ok for the price that you pay. Of course, some items are better than others. But I think it's like that with all companies.

However, if you live in the Canada, the sum total of you order can really add up to a high amount, with taxes and conversion of pounds to CAD. Also, it will be quite difficult, choosing the size of the item. DP does offer exchanges or returns, but personally, I think it's too much of a hassle (I think I'm lazy :) haha) But if you don't mind any of that, then it's all good :)

Other International Residents: I think my view is fairly similar to my fellow Canadians. However, I am not sure how much or if you will have to pay taxes.

Sorry if this was such a long review. I hope it helped though :)

xoxo

Elii

Disclaimer: Items purchased by me

Sally Hansen InstaDri Fast Dry Nail Color Review

2011-05-03T17:37:00.000-07:00

Last friday, I went to Pharmaprix, (Shoppers Drug Mart), to pick up my hautelook package. While I was there, I noticed that these Sally Hansen nail polish were on sale. My experience with Sally Hansen nail polish hasn't always been a positive one. In the past, I found their nail polish to be quite watery, and consequently I needed to apply several coats before getting the results I wanted.

Therefore, I was a little bit skeptical on purchasing these. However as mentioned they were on sale for only 3.99 CAD$, and I needed new nail polishes. ++ I found these two colours to be absolutely beautiful! Therefore, I decided to give it a try.

Left: Jade Jump

Right: Speedy Sunburst

Here is the end result of the Jade Jump colour.

MY THOUGHTS:

Color payoff: Great! Very opaque nailpolish. You can get off with using only two coat. I didn't use any primer or top coat either. :)

Drying time: Doesn't dry immediately. Takes about 1-2 minutes to dry. I suggest waiting a little longer though, just to make extra sure it's dry. :) (I personally hate it when I think my nailpolish is dry then I touch it, and it gets ruined and have to restart :(

How long does it last: It's DAY 4 since I painted by nails, and theres still no chipping. Even after I washed the dishes! :)

Cons: You can sometimes get way too much nailpolish on the brush. Just make sure to whip out the excess, and you'll be fine!

Do you recommend it? Absolutely! :) It's a great affordable drugstore nail polish, with great results!

The Brush of the nailpolish

This brush application of this nail polish is pretty big. Therefore if you do not like that it a nail polish, I do not recommend this :) I personally like that because it takes less time to apply it.

Hope this review helped! :)

Let me know if any of you have already tried this nailpolish, and if so, which were you favorites? Comment below!

Until next time,

xoxo

Eli

Disclaimer: I payed for these products with own $$, and as always it is my 100% honest opinion.

Hautelook - Michael Kors Watches

2011-04-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

This post is long overdue..., but I guess better late than never right?

A while ago, Hautelook had an amazing spring watch sale, with MICHAEL KORS watches on sale.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Hautelook yet, it's a basically an online members only store with amazing designer sales. Everyday starting 8AM Pacific time, they have new designer items on sale.

I strongly recommend this website! You're definitely going to save a lot! :)

As mentioned it is a members only store, but joining it's free.

Click on the link below if you wan't to see what Hautelook is all about :)

http://www.hautelook.com/invite/el07

I basically e-stalked the Hautelook website everyday waiting for Michael Kors watches to be on sale.. :) haha I sort of got too exited, and ended up purchasing, not one, but two watches. It was a spur of the moment thing...lol

Michael Kors Women's Rose Gold-Tone Runway Chronograph Watch

Retail price: 275$ USD

Got it on Hautelook for: 188$ USD

Michael Kors Women's Polished Round Swarovski Crystal Watch

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions! :)

oxo, Eli

Stay within your budget: Pandora Bracelet look a like

2011-04-19T19:35:00.001-07:00

Third blog of the day! I'm on a roll...

I just had to say it. (lol)

Charm bracelets are not exactly new in the fashion industry. So what makes Pandora bracelets so special? I think it's the uniqueness of each charm or bead in that matter. It is not the conventional dangly charm. The highly sought pandora charm bracelet is a luxury piece that is not exactly the most affordable bracelet in the market.

Pandora Charm Bracelet

Each bead can range from 50.00CAD to over 100.00CAD. And that's not including the bracelet itself, which is around 100.00CAD more or less.

Stay within your budget: Dorothy Perkins Blue Candy Box Charm Bracelet

http://www.dorothyperkins.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33053&storeId=12552&productId=2288055&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=208724&parent_categoryId=208607&pageSize=20&refinements=category~[212416|208724]&noOfRefinements=1

Price: £12.50

Dorothy Perkins Candy Box Charm Bracelets are currently on sale. 50% off all charm bracelets. Take advantage of this great sale! :)

Granted, it's not an exact replica or the pandora charm bracelet, however I think it keeps the essence and design of the pandora bracelet for a fraction of the price. You can even custom build your own candy box charm bracelet on the website.

http://www.dorothyperkins.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogNavigationSearchResultCmd?beginIndex=0&catalogId=33053&storeId=12552&langId=-1&viewAllFlag=false&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=208724&parent_categoryId=208607&refinements=category~%5b212416%7c208724%5d

Hope this helps!

oxo

- Eli

Disclaimer: This blog post was NOT sponsored by any of the companies mentioned. It is, as always, my 100% honest opinion.

Dorothy Perkins

2011-04-19T17:54:00.000-07:00

So lately I've been wanting to upgrade my spring wardrobe, because last spring I didn't exactly purchase any spring appropriate clothing. One clothing item in particular that I've been eyeing is an off white silk blouse. So I searched high and low, everywhere from Forever21 to Zara. But knowing my luck, either the store didn't have my size or they blouse looked a little too peculiar for my taste. Anyway, to cut to the chase, I discovered the store Dorothy Perkins. Can I just start by saying that I am in love?

It's a pretty strong sentiment and for a first time shopper who hasn't even received her package yet...I just haven't been able to find anything that I was 100% sure I would where in stores lately, and I happen to stumble upon this website, and I honestly felt like buying soo many things, it was insane! I was like going on shopping over-drive.

Anyway just because, it is my first purchase, I didn't exactly go all out even though I wanted to.

Can't wait to review the items!

Here is what I got:

1) Ivory Folded Placket Blouse On sale for: £17.00

2) Chocolate oval buckle belt On sale for £3.00

3) Nude stud ballet pumps Original price £23.00

4) Chain and bead cord bracelet On sale for: £4.50

5) Heart locket bracelet On sale for £3.25

6) Red Candy Box Charm Bracelet On sale for £6.25

This is NOT my review of the company, it's just a little preview of what I will be reviewing. As you guys can see, I took advantage of the sale items. =) Once I receive the items, I will take pictures and review them in detail (I can't wait! =)

Just a little bit more information...

Dorothy Perkins ships internationally! =)

Shipping to Canada & USA is £7.50 and takes about 5-7 business days to arrive.

So I'm waiting to see if it's accurate. I'm also anticipating to pay taxes because it is an international order. Now the question is, how much taxes. Will let you all know that once I've received my items.

Till then, I hope you all have a wonderful day/evening/night!

Here is a link of the website in case you guys are interested: http://www.dorothyperkins.com

Let me know what you guys find cute in the website! :)

Disclaimer: I am not getting paid by the company to make this blog. Payed for the items myself, and of course it is my 100% honest opinion.

Hello hello! Yes, I am back again.

2011-04-19T17:27:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! =)

I dont know even know who reads this anymore..., but hello to everyone who still does =) I hope you are all doing very well! =)

I've pretty much neglected this blog...over and over again. I don't even want to make excuses, because I feel like every time I complain that "I've been so busy" nanana... Nothing ever changes! I make one entry, then completely ignore this blog again! Well no more excuses, I will just start blogging.

I don't know if it's because the fact that I'm graduating in less than a month, or that spring is almost here, or just because I just had my daily dose of caffein, but I feel so inspired and exited to start blogging again (I can hear all of you skeptics saying "yeah right...") lol!

I've been so inspired and exited... that I've unleashed my inner shopping demon once again!

So I'm actually suppose to be saving...but actually every time I try to limit my spendings, I find that I spend even more. The irony...lol Anyway, I am super exited to show you guys what I got! I can't wait till my items gets delivered! I'm impatiently waiting for my mailman to ring my doorbell.. ok until next time loves! xoxo

- Eli