NYX Butter Lipstick Haul from ULTA

Other than NYX Cosmetics' Matte Lipsticks which I tried last summer, I haven't tried any other NYX lip products. I was excited to pick up these NYX butter lipsticks from ULTA because they were buy one get one 50% off, I wanted to stock up on some new colors, and see if the lipsticks were moisturizing. The lipsticks did apply with lightweight coverage and my lips felt moisturized while wearing the lipstick and after removing the lipstick. It's a great way to wear color without feeling like you're wearing a heavy lipstick; it glides on easily and has a nice satin finish. If you want to enhance the color and the longevity of the lipstick, apply a lip liner before the lipstick. See the colors I purchased with the lipstick swatches and lip application below.


NYX Butter Lipstick in FIZZIES
NYX Butter Lipstick in BIG CHERRY
NYX Butter Lipstick in MARY JANES
NYX Butter Lipstick in LICORICE

How to Wear a Summer White Dress at Night

Andrew and I were invited to lifestyle blogger Rachel Mccord's event at the Skybar, Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood last week. Seeing that it was a summer night at a rooftop bar, I wanted to wear an all-white look. I had just brought home this Line + Dot Spring Life Apron dress from their Summer 2015 preview and kept the look fresh and simple with a pair of nude pointed pumps from Charles David, and amped up the look for the evening with a red lip. Wear a slim to semi-fitted white dress with nude heels for an instant summer hot look. Keep your lips nude or add a pop up color with a vibrant red, pink, or coral lip color. Here are the details on the look:

Butter Lipstick in Big Cherry (BLS19), NYX Cosmetics
Spring Life Apron Dress, Line + Dot
Pact Pumps in Nude, Charles David 
Clutch, Marshalls
Photos taken by Andrew Nguyen.

Trying London Soho New York's Disney Collection

Image via London Soho New York

Pretty Threading Blowdry, Rancho Santa Margarita

Pretty Threading Blowdry opened it's second location in Rancho Santa Margarita and offers blowouts, make up application, henna tattoos, and threading. I got to experience a VIP media day in which I came into the beauty salon and experienced all the services available. I started with  a blowout and half up-do, eye brow threading, then make up application and a henna tattoo.

My hair wash was relaxing which included a nice head massage; I asked for natural waves which my stylist tried to achieve with a brush and blow dryer but my curls didn't hold so he went back and used a curling iron. I ended up with curled hair and a braid and bun half up-do. I looked like a princess with a rad braid which was a very pretty look but I would have preferred just loose waves.

I moved onto eye brow threading, which I had never had done before and didn't know what to expect. It was a fairly easy process and the stylist doing the threading was really great at walking me through the entire process. It was a weird sensation and stung a little bit but the slight pain got easier from one eye to the next. At least she cleaned up my brows nicely.

I had natural eye make up applied by one stylist before having the rest of my face completed by another stylist. The salon uses cosmetics brand, Mirabella Beauty, which has all Paraben-Free and Gluten-Free products without sacrificing pigmented color. I ended up with a more natural look even though I had my eyes darkened up a bit because I usually like a darker brow and heavy, winged eye-liner; but it's fun to try different make up looks. My fave was the bright, cherry red lipstick that was applied and matched my sweater.

I finished my beauty services with a henna tattoo; I wanted to try something different and had a beautiful anklet drawn on. The stylist that threaded my eyebrows also drew my henna.

Want to visit Pretty Threading Blowdry? Until May 15th, enjoy daily promotions and 20% of sales will be donated to A.W.O.L., A Way of Life (after cancer). Contact the salon below for the daily promotions!

Pretty Threading Blowdry
22312 El Paseo,
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, 92688
(949) 229-5408

Store Hours for Grand Opening Week:
Monday-Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT
Thursday-Saturday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT

DHC Skincare's First LA Event for Beauty Bloggers

Japanese Beauty Takes on LA

DHC, Japan's No.1 direct skincare brand, hosted its first LA media event last Thursday. Beauty bloggers and buffs from around LA gathered at Culina Restaurant within the Four Seasons Los Angeles in Beverly Hills to learn more about the iconic olive-oil inspired skincare brand. Guests also enjoyed cocktails, wine, and hors d'oeuvers while previewing and testing upcoming product launches as well as getting make-up touch ups by Jordana David and gift bags.
I liked that the product was laid out and each with a description and benefit list, see below. One of the most popular products is the Deep Cleansing Oil, a make up remover that dissolves traces of dirt and makeup. I got to take this cleansing oil home with me and tried it last night on a bare face; I needed to massage it onto a dry face and rinse, which I thought would be difficult to rinse since it is an oil, but it turned out to be easy and left my skin feeling moisturized and smooth. I'm going to try it tonight to remove a full face of make up, and also try the Beauty Lift Serum and Cream. DHC also has a line of beauty products, which were used to touch up my make up at the event, and I'm interested in getting into that make up line as well.

Why Olive Oil?

Benefits

Our entire skincare line was founded on the principles of olive oil. Rich in vitamins and antioxidants, it is a highly effective component in neutralizing damaging free radicals. Olive oil also helps balance your skin's moisture. With its unique ability to mix with water, our olive oil helps moisturize without clogging pores. Oxidized oils cause blackheads and a host of other problems, but because olive oil has a naturally lower oxidation rate than your skin's natural oils, it is a perfect barrier to protect skin from irritants.

Quality

Our signature product, DHC Olive Virgin Oil, is Flor de Aceite�the finest quality, extracted from organic Spanish olives that are handpicked when they are bursting with skin-beneficial nutrients. This superior oil is extracted from the crush before the first cold pressing to preserve its many nutrients. It is then carefully filtered under laboratory conditions in Japan to remove any potential pore-clogging impurities. What emerges is a premium, organic virgin olive oil.

Purity

The standards reflected in the way we obtain our special olive oil are applied to all of our ingredients. Incorporating the very best of science and nature, our products are scrutinized for high-quality, safety and efficacy. DHC's basic skincare products are free of unnecessary fragrances and coloring agents, and are clinically tested for irritancy at our labs in Japan and the United States.

Simplicity

DHC products are simple yet effective, with nothing unnecessary that might harm the delicate balance of healthy skin. Many of our products include olive oil because it continues to be among the best natural ingredients for helping you achieve and maintain radiant, youthful-looking skin.

Ciate Cosmetics Spring 2015 Preview

British Nail Brand Ciate debuts a revolutionary Colour Cosmetics Collection at Cecconi's Restaurant

Beauty bloggers, junkies, and enthusiasts alike were invited a few weeks ago to West Hollywood restaurant Cecconi's to experience award winning Ciate London's unveiling of an all-encompassing collection of vibrant, high-performance cosmetic eye, lips, and cheek products which will be exclusively sold at Sephora ranging between $10-$20. The Colour Cosmetics Collection caters to any look day or night and is split into three categories; Hero - which fits into any make-up bag, Core - these items are available in an extended variety of shades, and Trend - which highlight off-the-runway trends and innovative textures.

Olivia of B Public Relations guided me through each product and color options and I enjoyed getting to swatch each one, seeing and feeling how highly pigmented and luxe the products felt. The products that especially caught my eye were the Double Lines Eye Liner (available now), Liquid Velvet Lip Colour, and the Glow Pop Bronze and Highlighter. I just received a parcel of samples and I can't wait to use them and share them with you; with the innovative packaging and functionality, all of the products will be great for a girl-on-the-go like me without having to sacrificing quality. In the meantime, follow Ciate London on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook for updates on the launch and when you can purchase these fabulous products at Sephora!

Ciate London's CEO and founder Charlotte Knight wanted to create a colour collection to inspire and excite make-up lovers worldwide. Here's what makes the collection so special and integral to the spirit of Ciate:

Colour cosmetics that complete the beauty triangle of nail, lip, & eye - influenced by Ciate's award winning nail textures and trend-led polish collections

Innovation in both formulation and application - combining intensely pigmented product with amazing colour pay-off that deliver unique textures which won't require a make-up master class to apply!

Aspirational but achievable runway trend led fashion colour updates with 'need it now' appeal.

Trend capsule collections each season, with wearable finishes and textures taken from backstage beauty looks - set to become THE game changer for beauty junkies.

Extraordinary array of revolutionary componentry with brush-free, multi-tasking, built-in and even dual ended solutions, saving previous make-up bag space. 

Ciate encourages women worldwide to add a colourful pop to their make-up routine with 'LOVE. PLAY. COLOUR.' being their advice to all beauty lovers.

Photos taken by Andrew Nguyen. Information provided by Ciate London & B Public Relations.