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Chanel Spring-Summer 2020 Beauty Favorites

February 21, 2020 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

As we step closer and closer to Spring, there are some exciting beauty launches that are popping up lately. One of the latest releases is the Spring/Summer 2020 Beauty by Chanel. They’ve been releasing some exciting new beauty goodies and here are my top picks.

Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow in 354 Warm Memories – I was wavering between this and the Elemental quad, but this particular eyeshadow compact really stole my heart. Something about this fleshy pink, nude-ish, beige monotone quad with a coral gold shade makes me want to stare at it over and over again. I love just how natural the shade looks on my skin and three of the shade are matte, which works really well on my lid. Also, the coral gold shade is microshimmery, so it’s not over the top. This will definitely get a lot of wear during the Spring and Summer.

Illuminating Powder in Éclat Du Désert – What a beautiful highlighter this is! I am actually stunned at the beauty of this and even more so when I swatched this on my skin. This feels so buttery soft and smooth, and it really highlights the high points of the face in a naturally flattering way. I love how you can just dab a bit of this on the cheekbones, temples, nose, chin, and this gives a soft glow. You can also layer this and you can get a blinding look, but I don’t think you can use this as a finishing powder because this seems a bit too glowy for that.

Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme in 132 Endless – This lip color has a very interesting shade. This looks like a red-orange shade with a bricklike tone, but may also have a very slight hint of rosy pink in it. On my lips, the rose pink tone shows a bit, but at first glance, this looks like a deep red with a bit of orange. I do think that this shade varies a lot depending on your natural lip color, and since this shade looks deep, you can definitely pull this off not only during Spring/Summer but during Fall and Winter as well. On the other hand, the pigment and lasting power of this are outstanding because this is a Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme lipstick, which is a high-performing matte lipstick from Chanel. I do think that this color is a deeper version of Pat McGrath’s Beautiful Stranger MatteTrance Lipstick, which I absolutely love. Anyways, see some other shades of the Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme lipsticks here.

Le Vernis in Mirage – I also wanted to try the shade Daydream but I wasn’t sure if it’s going to work on my skintone. This shade is absolutely beautiful and it’s perfect for any season, however, this looks very similar to Smith & Cult’s “A Short Reprise” nail color, so, if you already have that, then you can probably skip this one. I feel like this type of shade is going to be the new nude especially for those who are reluctant to use nude nail colors in the Summer, since those may make the fingers/hands look too washed-out especially if you have a light-medium, medium, or deep complexion.

Are you excited about this latest collection? What are the beauty and skincare products you’re looking forward to this coming Spring/Summer?

These Chanel Spring-Summer 2020 Beauty Collection is currently available at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Chanel.com

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Palo Alto, California

February 18, 2020 / TRAVELS & PLACES / 0 comments

Every year or so, I get a chance to visit Palo Alto. It is absolutely one of the most exciting trips I look forward to out of all the trips I planned because it puts me in a California dreamin’ mood. It’s nice to see palms, pines, and lots of sun again.

On this trip, I stayed at the historic “The Cardinal Hotel”. It is probably the oldest if not one of the oldest hotels in Palo Alto, California. It has a charming old-world vibe with a quaint lobby and a vintage elevator. Entering this hotel will give you a glimpse of what it’s like during the old Palo Alto times. Just outside the hotel, there are lots of restaurants and shops to choose from. It’s what I really love about California, the varieties of things to see, the shops to explore, and the people from all walks of life, busy crossing the streets, just going about their daily lives, not to mention the fresh air in a very sunny yet slightly chilly early Fall. Yes, the Fall in California can still feel like Summer at most times.

Just around The Cardinal Hotel is Bistro Maxine where they have such delicious crepes and hot chocolates. I highly recommend that you try any of their breakfast specials because they’re all so good.

Whenever I’m in Palo Alto, I always make sure to visit the Stanford Shopping Center. This is one of my most favorite places to shop. I just love the whole laid-back vibe of this outdoor mall, and the decor is really beautiful. I could spend the whole day in this mall without getting bored just because some of my favorite shops are here. I love seeing Aesop’s unique store and Madewell has some really interesting styles that I could not find at my local Madewell store. The same is true for Sephora where here they have such a wonderful collection of Pat McGrath products. Also, the Anthropologie store in this mall is very fun to explore. If luxury is your thing, you will find several high-end brands here, and Neiman+Nordy are just around the corner.

A visit to Palo Alto is not complete without a visit to “The Farm” a.k.a Stanford University. As to why it’s called The Farm? just ask google, lol. I love the look of this school. It has a very relaxed unassuming architecture that gives you a sense of prestige nevertheless. Whenever I enter this campus, I think of the great minds that have been here, and also of the minds of the ones who are about to change the world.

Getting to Stanford University is a whole lotta walking especially if you came from shopping at the Stanford Shopping Center. However, the long walk is worth it because you get to stroll along and enjoy the view of the very scenic Palm Drive, which will remind you that life indeed, can be a peach. 🙂

Walking inside and around campus is like walking through a bunch of gardens, vintage corridors, and passing through bicycles after bicycles. Students bike a lot here because the campus is very vast. I would not have been able to survive walking around here if it wasn’t for my comfy APL sneakers that didn’t need breaking in and can withstand hours of walking in different terrains. The nice thing about this campus is that there are plenty of seats to relax upon and chill.

I concluded the end of my trip to Palo Alto with a nice dinner at my favorite spot along University Avenue which serves delicious Mediterranean/Middle Eastern Food. The restaurant is called Gyros Gyros and I highly recommend this place, but you have to come here with an empty stomach. 🙂

Have you been to Palo Alto before? What are the favorite spots you like to visit in California?

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Pat McGrath Labs Mothership V Bronze Seduction Eyeshadow Review + Swatches

March 13, 2019 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hello guys, Happy Almost Spring! I can’t believe Winter’s almost over, however, it’s still cold from where I’m at and I’m still rocking my dark outfits along with my smokey eyeshadows. Speaking of eyeshadows, there’s one I’ve been playing with lately and it’s the Pat McGrath Labs Mothership V Bronze Seduction Eyeshadow (10 shades: $125). For a long time, I’ve been wanting to have at least one PMG eyeshadow because the shades are just so unique and so stunning to look at, not to mention the glowing reviews. PMG Labs seem to be equated with high-quality makeup along with outstanding ingredients and superb pigments. Out of all the PMG eye palettes, I had my eyes set on the Bronze Seduction eyeshadow because, for me, the colors in this palette seem to be the most cohesive. However, I keep skipping it because it’s really pricey.

When this Bronze Seduction eyeshadow kept getting sold out for quite some time, I decided, it’s time to pull the trigger and find out how will this eye palette perform on me and does it really live up to the hype? or at least, are the Pat McGrath eyeshadows really worth it?

The PMG Mothership V Bronze Seduction Eyeshadow has 10 ultra-pigmented shades which are composed of 3 finishes: matte (3), shimmer (3), and glitter (4). At first glance, it gives you the impression that it’s mostly full of bronzey and coppery shades. Upon closer look and initial swatch test, it’s actually full of a pretty versatile group of colors because it can create a neutral daytime look and it can also take you to a date night ultra-glam occasion.

Skin Show Divine Glow – shimmery golden champagne

Entrapment – mid-terracotta matte

Blaze Bronze – glittery golden bronze

Rose Gold 005 – glittery rose gold

VR Fire Opal – glittery color shifting chartreuse

Xtreme Aubergine – darkened matte violet

Gilty Pleasure – shimmery bronze-taupe

Disobedient – matte mahogany

Blitz Flame – shimmery metallic crimson

Astral Luna Gold – glittery white gold

Let’s take a moment to admire the packaging of this eyeshadow palette. It is SO beautiful! and so well-thought-out. This probably has the most beautiful presentation for an eye makeup palette that I’ve ever seen. But we all know that PMG cosmetics, in general, puts emphasis on the aesthetics of their packaging.

I find the matte shades to be buttery soft and very easy to blend. They’re so pigmented that I have to be really light-handed when applying them and I have to use a very soft blending brush like the ones from Ulta (seen HERE) in order not to overdo my eye makeup game.

The shimmery ones are also quite pigmented but they do have a nice soft shimmery effect, but it’s not like they don’t go unnoticed. They’re softly dramatic and they complement the matte shades very well, especially if you don’t wanna go all shining, shimmering, splendid during the day. When it comes to the glittery colors, I find them to be very unique, especially the VR Fire Opal and the Astral Luna Gold. These two shades are kinda out of this world and they shine bright like a diamond, LOL. I love how they transform the lid into this all-out dramatic look-at-me type of eye makeup. These glittery shades are definitely commanding yet they feel soft and not scratchy on the lids. I did see a few subtle fallouts but it’s nothing serious. I love that I could layer the glitter from just a hint of it to a super blinding one if I want to.

Dupe-wise, I could think of Urban Decay Naked Heat (reviewed HERE), Natasha Denona Eyeshadow Palette 5 in #4 (swatched HERE), and some shades of the Huda Beauty Desert Dusk (HERE) and Rose Gold Palette. Although, I think quality-wise, this PMG Bronze Seduction eye palette feels a bit of a step up among all those palettes mentioned. As for the quality of its glittery shades, they definitely reminded me of the glittery ones from Tom Ford Cream + Powder Eye Color (seen HERE).

Overall, I highly recommend this Pat McGrath Mothership V Bronze Seduction Eyeshadow Palette. I think out of all the PMG eye palettes out there, this is probably the best one in terms of color coherence and each shade is truly beautiful and universally wearable, apart from looking very unique. My eye makeup looks stunning whenever I wear this and this lasts the whole day without smudging. However, I still recommend that you use a lid primer when using this palette so as to make sure that your eye makeup stays put no matter what the situation calls for. If you’re going to have just one Pat McGrath eyeshadow in your life, this has got to be the one since this will bring out the best in your eyes.

The Pat McGrath Labs Mothership V Bronze Seduction Eyeshadow is currently available at Sephora and Bergdorf Goodman

What’s your favorite PMG Eyeshadow palette?