Me: ”OMG!!!!!! Look! Soooo pretty.”
Boyfriend: *totally baffled* ”Don’t buy it. You look like a 50-year-old Russian lady.”
Me: ”Whatever…. I like it.”

Later when we were grocery shopping…

Old Caucasian lady: ”WOW That’s such a pretty vest!!!”
Me: ”Why, thank you!”
Boyfriend: ”…50 year old Russian lady…”

If you are a 50-year-old Russian lady, please don’t feel offended. I love your fur.  My boyfriend obviously doesn’t understand.

If you know the industry, you would know how relaxed it is. We wear whatever we want, we have beer fridges, we attend fitness classes, play games, take our dogs for a walk, eat or simply grab a coffee whenever we want. Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely not all fun and games here, but this atmosphere is designed to balance out our high-stress work environment.

Some days I’ll come to work all dressed up with my 4” heels, make up on and hair done while other days I’ll arrive looking like I just got out of bed. I’ll go to the gym in the middle of the day and come back to my desk with my hair still dripping wet and my face beet red— my colleague walked by once and asked, “is it raining outside?” I would rather look hideous for a while than fry my hair with the dryer, every single day, okay. With this being said, I swear I am going to try making an effort… at least 90% of the time.

What do you wear to work? Do you make an effort to dress up everyday?

I do …but only eyeliner because that’ s the only thing I use daily.

I was sent some Annabelle eyeliners, including Annabelle Smudgepaint to test at the gym to see if it can hold up after an intense sweat session. It’s a cream liner, comparable to MAC Paint Pot and Bobbi Brown’s Long Wear Gel Liner.

Waterproof eyeliner is extremely important to me because:

1. I tear a lot (eg. when I yawn)
2. I have extremely dry eyes so I use eye drops multiple times a day
3. I’m too lazy to take it off before working out so it better hold up!

I’ve been using MAC Fluid Line religiously for years but I was intrigued by Annabelle’s because it came with a brush! I hated carrying an extra angled eyeliner brush with me everywhere [for those "just in case" moments that usually never came].

This was my workout that day; did the three exercises, four times and with as little breaks as possible. This workout was for time (trying to beat my old time each time I did it).

• 25 Double Unders
• 25 Burpees
• 25 Sit Ups

• …and then did another 150 Wall Balls for time after that.

It was over a month ago but from the notes I wrote that day in my fitness journal, I apparently pushed myself so hard in the last two rounds I wanted to die and barely took any breaks. When I do interval workouts like that, I sweat like a pig… it is NOT a pretty site. Think: waterfall gushing down my face.

Results? Same as Fluidline? only smudged a little but didn’t give me raccoon eyes, even with all the sweat.

Pros:

• It held up just like MAC’s and it comes with a brush.
• Smudge-free, crease-free, long lasting, pigmented, creamy and easy to apply.
• There is a $1 off coupon you can get here

Cons:

• Price:
  • Annabelle retails for about $10.95 but it comes in a 2g container
  • MAC is $17.50 and comes in a 5g container

Do you wear make up when you workout?

Nothing like a cup of bitter, hot Chinese black tea on a chilly fall day.

I think I’m the only one who LOVES the rain.

Nothing more precious to me than my books.

Thigh highs, booties, work boots… I love boots of all kind.

Mac Fluidline = hot tub make up. Marcelle Vita-Lip = sexy & full lips. I always have Band Aids with me especially after I take off my fake nails because my real ones always break… and I’ve gone through boxes because everyone seems to always need one. You welcome. And it’s always handy to have tweezers and nail clippers on hand.

Neutrogena Sun Fresh Sunless Lotion. I try to avoid tanning my face and always use a sunless tanning lotion. One of my biggest pet peeves is the scent of most lotions but Neutrogena is my top choice because it comes in a lovely grapefruit-nectarine fragrance and DOESN’T give you an orangey glow.

Mac Chromeglass Show Coral. Beautiful shiny peach color with pink undertones which looks PERFECT with tanned skin. This is my HG lip gloss but it’s discontinued. Luckily, I still have a bunch of tubes left over but I don’t know what I’m going to do once I run out.

Clinique Moisture Sheer Tint SPF 15. Nothing feels worse than having a face full of make up while you’re sweating under the sun so I rarely wear face products in the summer except for maybe some bronzer and sometimes this light and sheer tinted moisturizer.

Bangles. Most of my favorite and dramatic necklaces are too heavy to comfortably wear in the heat so I assort to bangles and rings. I keep a large collection of everything for every occasion.

Floppy Hat. Blocks your face from the sun’s harmful UV rays and look chic while doing it. Everyone needs a giant floppy hat!

Mineral Powder Foundation – Feels light on the skin, offers light to medium coverage, depending on how much you use and has a natural and dewy finish. Only 4 shades and I was sent Barely Beige which is obviously too light for me during the summer but I tested it a couple of weeks ago when I was paler and I liked the outcome. I will definitely use this once I find the right shade.

Mineral Powder Blush – Extremely pigmented so you don’t need much product for a pink glow. I’m more of a bronzer girl so I don’t have much to say about this, but I do love the color I got (Sugar Rush).

Mineral Powder Bronzer - I LOVE this bronzing powder! It only comes in one shade, Terra, but it gives you a healthy tanned glow and you can gradually build up the intensity. It’s very pigmented so only start with a little bit. It also doesn’t doesn’t give you nasty BRIGHT ORANGE spots on your cheeks like I see on a lot of girls at the clubs… the color is more brownish which looks more like a natural tan. Also great for contouring and creating shadows because it has a matte texture. Although I loved this bronzer, it won’t be one I use daily because it’s not convenient to carry around in my purse since it’s powder. Boo.

Mineral Pigment Dust – Light but beautiful and pigmented colors, very shimmery, easily buildable for intensity and lasts all day. Comes in a cute little container that doesn’t create as much mess than ones most pigment powders come in but the hole needs to be bigger so my brushes can fit into it.

A-12 Blush Brush – Round blush brush that is made of premium goat hair. Not the softest brush I’ve ever used but it does blend nicely.

Volumelip Lip Plumping Gloss - Received Sweet Tweet and Cherryoké. Loved Sweet Tweet which was a light pink color but I couldn’t wear Cherryoké because it was too red for me. I totally envy girls who can pull off bright red lips! Formula is light, isn’t sticky at all (huge plus) and hydrates your lips but not as much as Marcelle’s Vita-Lip Plumping Gloss which they sent me a while back (and was nice enough to replace one when I lost my favorite shade!). My lip was already plump from Vita-Lip so I’ll have to test out Volumelip’s plumping action some other time. Comes in 5 gorgeous shades and I can’t wait to get Metro Mango!

Sorry guys, I know I need to clean my mirror.

Check out her store!!

Marcelle Minerals Powder Make-Up – Good minimal coverage which is perfect, as summer is coming up and you don’t want products piled on your face. Although I’m not a huge fan of the built-in brush because it’s too rough, I find it really convenient so that I don’t have to carry so many makeup and tools around with me everywhere. Too bad the shade I got is going to be too light for my skin soon since I started tanning again.

Marcelle Minerals Powder Blush – The brush doesn’t blend the blush well with your skin and the shade I asked for (Pink Glow) is a little too dark for my skin but hopefully it’ll blend better once I’m not so white-and-pasty anymore.

Marcelle Vita-Lip Plumping Gloss – I reviewed this product back in November but never really tested it’s plumping effects. You have to use this continuously to see any plumping effects and let me tell you, IT WORKS! I love love LOVE this lip gloss and on top of that, it’s not sticky and leaves stuff on your lips. Just don’t accidently get any on the skin around your lips or else it’ll be red for a couple of days.

Marcelle Minerals Eye Shadow – This comes in a little tube with a convenient brush and is pretty pigmented. I got it in “Graphite” which is great for the smokey-look but I needed to use a base (UDPP) to make it last and really make the color pop [to my satisfaction].

Your workout gear should be:

• comfortable
• non-restrictive
• form-fitting

But I strongly believe that functional AND AESTHETICAL workout clothing is essential; functional— points listed above and aesthetics purely for motivation. It doesn’t hurt to look good at the gym.

Know your body shape:

General rule of thumb: don’t wear baggy, shapeless clothing!

• Banana? Create curves with pops of color [like along the waist line and the side of your waist/hips], interesting cuts, fun details [like scrunching along the side of your waist], padded sports bras, and fitted pants that lifts your bum with some flare to curve you out.

  

• Apple? Tops that are fitted around the chest but looser around the belly, ends a little past the waist [with a A-line bottom] will give an illusion of slimming and fitted pants with a thick or roll-down waist will give an illusion of flatter stomach. Avoid tight-fitting tops and pants with a slim colored waist band.

  

• Pear? Wear a lighter color top to draw attention away from your lower body and slim-fitting, dark-colored pants with slimming vertical stripes and a small flare to balance your body out.

  

• Hourglass? The easiest shape to work with! Accentuate your curves with v-necks and scoop necks, slim-fitted clothing, details around the waist to show it off and flared pants. But really, you can practically wear anything… just don’t cover up too much or else you might look bulkier.

  

Random tips and things I noticed:

• Black is always chic and slimming.
• Dressing in one color from head to toe can make for a longer and leaner silhouette.
• Dress for your activity: layering for the outdoors, flexible fabrics with lycra for yoga, breathable fabrics to soak up sweat for activities like Bikrams Yoga, etc.
• Wearing proper shoes is extremely important, especially if you’re a runner.

  

• Cotton allows you to breathe BUT can weight you down with all the moisture it soaks up so only wear it for low impact activities like yoga. It also doesn’t hold it’s shape, which is why I don’t waste my money on cotton— I prefer synthetics.
• Clothing with breathable materials and moisture-wick technology absorbs and dries quickly (eg. polyester, nylon and spandex). Wear for high impact activities where you may sweat a lot.
• A good sports bra is essential. No one wants to see your nipples, please… or you don’t want anyone to get distracted and drop 100lb weights on their head.
• Tube tops are NOT your friend at the gym.
• If you have nice shoulders, v-necks makes them look even better!
• Flared pants are NOT a good idea for biking; they might get caught in your bike. I don’t like running in them either because the fabric slaps against your legs which annoys the hell out of me.
• If you have a long torso and hips, pants in a single color will only make it look longer unless you’re wearing a long enough tank top to split it up. Look for pants with a different colored waist bands.

  

• Pants with a thick waistband that’s in a different color makes your hip look smaller. Pants with a thin waistband seems to make it look wider.
• Flat-[Asian]-Ass-Syndrome? Pants with stripes on the bum can make your flat ass look less flat.
• Lifting gloves will protect your hands from cuts, calluses and blisters. Trust me, you’ll want a pair if you are going to lift weights.

Great places to shop: Lululemon, PH8, Fit Couture, Athletica, Victoria’s Secret,

And here’s 12 inches of goodness for the shorter ladies out there.

Marcelle is the cosmetics and skin care brand that offers every woman high quality, effective and affordable products. Hypoallergenic and perfume-free; women of all ages believe in Marcelle products.

I was sent some Marcelle make-up products which I was uber excited about because I’ve always loved their skincare line. It’s great to support a Canadian company too because well you know… all our companies end up getting sold to an American one.

This fall Marcelle® Cosmetics innovates again and offers a wider variety of eye products. This new line will satisfy the need of every woman, whether she is looking for a glamorous, urban or more classic look. The Fall 2009 campaign presents 3 models with 3 different looks: Classic Elegant, Ultra-Glam and Urban Chic.

Wet & Dry Eyeshadow Quad: Versatile eye shadows to suit your every mood.
This quad comes in some beautiful shades and I received one in Blue Moon. It’s not as pigmented as I’d like it to be; without a good base, it would be hard to get a good color pay-off when applied dry, HOWEVER it did give off an intense color when applied wet. You do need to build it up quite a bit though.

Concealer Palette: The simple art of camouflage.
I love this concealer palette! It blended easily with my skin tone by mixing the 4 different shades. My only complain is the useless brush which was too small to do anything with.

Vita-Lip Plumping Gloss in Nude (with flash)

Liquid Eyeliner Pen: A glamorous look in high-definition.
Goes on smooth and extremely easy to apply. I use to use liquid liners religiously in high school but switched to Mac’s Fluidline gel-liner and never went back again. Although, after using Marcelle’s Liquid Eyeliner Pen, I might just go back and use it occasionally. It’s much more convenient carrying this in my make-up bag than a pot of Fluidline and a eyeliner brush. I was wearing this during an intense cardio session and although it did smudge (Fluidline never smudges on me, even 2 hours in a hot tub!), it did okay for a non-waterproof liquid eyeliner. Yes, I sweat buckets.

Khol Eyeliner: Make a statement or keep it subtle, this eyeliner pencil makes your every wish come true.
This pencil liner wasn’t pigmented enough and was actually a little hard to apply (had to tug on my lids a little bit). They also sent me the non-waterproof version so there is no way I can use it on a day-to-day basis.

Volume Precision Mascara: High definition volume
Didn’t work on my non-existent Asian eyelashes, but it has pretty good reviews on Make-Up Alley so it maybe worth trying out if you have naturally “nice” eyelashes (like that of Caucasians, Indians, etc). No offense my fellow Chinese people but our eyelashes usually sucks a$s.

Anyway, if you’d like to win a brand new set of all these Marcelle products for FREE just leave a comment and I’ll draw the winner next week. The only catch it that you have to be a Canadian-resident. Good luck!

My Aldo Melkonian Studded Ankle Boots are my favorite boots at the moment. I danced for over 4 hours and my feet didn’t hurt AT ALL but they’re only 2.5 inches high though so of course, they’d be comfy even with Aldo’s ridiculously uncomfortable arches. The studs are a plus, they’re super casual and you can pair them with an endless range of looks… and I went through so much trouble to get them when I first saw them online because I was so impatient and all the stores were out of my size! It was SO worth it.

Asian Gaga!

Unfortunately I had no time to take pictures of my Lady Gaga Halloween costume last night! I know!! :@ But I took this quick shot right before my friend came to pick me up. I realized that I should NEVER cram down white bread before going out or my face gets super-bloated like Park Bom’s botched cheek implant surgery (sorry girls, she’s an awesome vocalist but I think she looked way better before). I only did it because I had to quickly eat something or I’d get sick later that night! Anyway, I experimented with a lot of different make-up techniques and products (bright silver, pigments, whites, etc) but I ended up going for a smokey and dramatic silver look and I drew the lightning bolt with NYX gold pigment powder (didn’t want something stuck on my face all night); my hair covered it anyway so I didn’t spend too much time on it. I did watch Rice Bunny’s Lady Gaga tutorial but I never follow tutorials because everyone eyes and face are different and her look definitely did not work on me. I’ll try put the look together again later on and take proper pictures.

This was our only picture of the night. We hardly take pics on Halloween ... for some reason.

P.S. 24C reader who came up to me last night: sorry if I came off as rude. I was caught off-guard and I think you knew that I wasn’t sober. BUT that was very sweet of you. :blush: But anyway, contact me so I know who you were!

1. Love my new Talula blazer… it was sooo worth it even though the picture doesn’t do it justice.
2. My favorite necklace. T’was from the BFF. ♥
3. I heart tassels. If only I found that perfect dress for a flapper costume for Halloween tomorrow.
4. Pearls + gold = beautiful combination.
5. Scared myself by losing another one at the club so I had to stock up on my favorite lipgloss.

Go to Polyvore.com and create a set of what you’d wear for a first date with that special guy (or girl) and post it in my comments! Time of year and location is up to you. I want to see them!

To post your set, publish it and the click on “Embed on your blog” on the left and then copy+paste the code into my comment box. Your image won’t show up in the comments but just post the code and I’ll edit the code for you manually.

The pairs I received were all natural looking and not as dramatic as I’d like but when I put them on, they definitely look very pretty, has a flexible band so you can align it to the contour of your eye easily and are extremely comfortable to wear. Good for day-looks except…

Quality of the lashes felt a little flimsy when I first tried them on. My intuition was proven that night when I took them off… it seems like the max you can wear them are once or twice, whereas I’ve worn a single pair of Ardell lashes more than 10 times and they still look great.

A couple of the pairs had “self adhesive technology“, meaning no glue is required, as there is already a strip of “adhesive” on the lashes (comes with an extra strip too for a second application). Honestly, I love my eyelash glue and have no problems putting on lashes so I was too skeptical to try them for fear that they’ll fall off SO my sister got to be the guinea pig and she LOVED them. There’s also a plastic application tool that comes with it and I’m guessing it’s to press down on the lashes so they would line up with your eye and stick but I didn’t use it… my sister liked it though.

One thing I wanted to rant about is the PACKAGING. Revlon needs to rethink their packaging!! What I love about Ardell and Mac lashes is that you can easily open/close the box without ruining them (even when you’re drunk) and one night, I spent 15 minutes in a frustrated, drunken slumber trying to put the lashes back in the box without ruining them. [No matter how drunk I am after a night of partying, I force myself to take off my make up, shower AND wash/dry my hair or else I can't go to bed... don't ask how I do it, I just do. Sometimes, I even manage to cook ramen or something and haven't burnt myself ...yet. ]

Would I recommend these? Yes, if you’re an on-the-go kinda gal and have no time to glue on lashes (I’d keep a tube of lash glue in your purse just in case though) and/or looking for natural and comfortable false eyelashes to wear. My sister loves them but I’d stick with my Ardell lashes so I gave the rest to her (only ’cause I’m nice like that).

But anyway, if you girls want some super fancy eyelashes, check out these LED Eyelashes.

• Chromeglass in Show Coral. Ultra shiny, ultra luscious shade of peach with beautiful pink undertones, smells great and not sticky at all yet it’s thick and plumps your lips. This is my HG lipgloss that I’ll seriously die without it and unfortunately it’s DISCONTINUED so when I run out (have 3 left), I’m going to die. Need to find a dup, FAST!
• Fluidline in Blacktrack. I use this gel liner everyday and it’s better than any eyeliner I’ve ever used. This stuff doesn’t budge at all, lasts the entire day and one pot lasts forever. Great investment.
• MAC217 Brush. If I had to throw away all my brushes except for one, I’d keep the 217. This brush makes blending eye shadows so much fun.
• Satin Taupe Eyeshadow is the sexiest eye shadow color ever! It’s rich, lustrous, super-pigmented and great for creating the perfect smokey eye.
• Sandy B Lipstick is a peachy-pink shade with a lovely gold shimmer and my favorite lipstick. I’ve gone through 3 tubes this year… only because I keep on losing them (but I’ll keep on buying a new one because I love it so much).

What are your top 5 MAC picks?

[via @Kailyn]

What are your plans for Halloween?

Look out for a season of strong silhouettes, sophiscated glamour, excess extravagance and plain old craziness.

Rocker Chic. Studs, leathers, jackets, thigh-high boots, ankle booties. Look good and feel like you’re ready to rock the world.

Wartime glam. Fitted suits and dresses, heavy collars, belted coats, hats, elbow gloves from the fab 40′s… it all emphasizes and accentuates femininity. Keep it body conscious and glamorous!

Military Fashion inspired by the late pop icon himself. Get a nicely fitted military-styled jacket and still glam it up or pair with shiny leggings with big and bold accessories for that rocker look.

Leggings + tights. Ripped, shiny, matte, printed, studded, opaque… it’s all in, baby. And unless you’re Giselle, PLEASE do not wear leggings as pants. Yuck.

Gloves. Leather gloves, long elegant velvet gloves, fingerless gloves, embellished gloves, etc. The possibilities are endless, they’re hot AND keeps your hands warm.

Shine day or night with metallics, glitter, sequence and studs. Yes, during the day too! Who cares if people look? What’s there to hide?

Capes + cloaks. Ooh very Harry Potter-esque. The only cape I’ve ever worn was one with a witch costume when I was little but I think capes as a fashion item looks extremely posh. A little tip: capelets for the short and full length capes for the tall.

• Vests, coats and jackets = key fashion pieces.

• Color trends: PURPLE (my favorite), black, white, gray, jewel tones, red, pops of neon. I think it’s great to keep things neutral with pops of bright colors here and there. You’ll look good and not overdoing it.

• Fabric trends: Velvet, leather, denim, tweed, sheers/see-through and lace. About the sheers, it doesn’t mean you have to be slutty and wear a fishnet dress to the club with nothing underneath but they are great for layering.

This fall brings back retro trends of the 40’s and the 80’s. The two eras are as different as day and night but it’s possible to bring the two together to create some amazing outfits. Of course, you don’t have to pair the two because there are enough fashion pieces from each era to keep it separate but imagine how much fun that can be? Think fun and funky paired with feminine and glamorous.

But anyway, who sets trends… designers and fashion editors who lead the industry? Let’s face it, some trends aren’t suitable for all body types. They are a great guide to plan your outfit but in the end, you should be setting your OWN trend.

What’s your favorite fall 2009 trend?

Maybelline Pulse Perfection Mascara is a revolutionary, vibrating mascara that grips and coats your eye lashes using a battery powered Turbo Equilizer wand.

Priced much more affordably then it’s competitions, Maybelline Pulse Perfection Mascara allows you to create the 7 signs of lash perfection – Thicker, Longer, Defined, Intense Colour, Shapely Curve, Healthy Luster, and Perfect Alignment!

It vibrates 7,000 times per stroke and the battery is suppose to last a minimum of 130 applications or just over four months. The concept is sounds good but does it really work? I used my sister’s pictures to test the mascara for this entry …because she has longer lashes than mine. Hyukhyukhyuk.

Things to keep in mind:

• We’re Chinese so this review is a little biased.
• Chinese people don’t have eye lashes (well we do but they’re usually short and stick straight, so that basically translates to they don’t exist).
• *Lashes were curled before mascara was applied.

Maybelline Pulse Perfection Mascara

• Easy-to-use but fingers get tired after pressing the tiny button for a long time (if you’re one of those people who likes to apply tons of coats).
• Thickens and lengthens with 3-4 coats.
• Makes your already-curled lashes go straight again. (-)
• Vibrating makes mascara prone to CLUMP-AGE even though they say it doesn’t. Keep your lash combs in hand! (-)
• Can retain similar results to Majolica Majorca with a few more coats and if lashes were curled again. But that’s one extra-step for the uber lazy.
• Results are good but still prefer Majorca Majolica.

Here are shots with her favorite mascara, Majolica Majorca.

• Thickens, lengthens, minor clumping and retains curl.
• Clearly the winner but the problem with this is that it’s hard to get in North America.

I gave some to my girlfriends to try it out too and they had similar comments. The final verdict is that Maybelline Pulse Perfection could be a good mascara— if you don’t suffer from no-lash syndrome like us poor Asians. If you’re Caucasian, Indian, Middle Eastern, etc. etc., who are already blessed with long, thick and curly lashes then this mascara might give you good results and worth trying out since it DOES thicken and lengthen.

Good mascaras are hard to find and it really depends on the person. Would I buy this mascara for $15? Probably not.

I’ve given up my mascara quest years ago so nothing beats plain old Ardell falsies. ♥ Looks exactly like all mascara ads out there (with fake eyelashes on the models and all). BUT on my lazy days when I do wear mascara, I use Lancome L’Extreme (which still isn’t perfect).

Have you tried Maybelline Pulse Perfection? What did you think?

What’s your favorite mascara?

And just for the record, vibrating mascaras are NOT scary! Why do people get all freaked out? It’s not like it’s an epilator or something.