Wake Your Eyes (Instantly!)

Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream

Hi lovelies!!

If you guys have read my Seven Deadly Sins of Beauty Tag, you would know that I 'love' to skin eye cream on my skin care routine. This past month I was thinking, even though I don't have any wrinkle yet, and I don't have any major problems on my under eye area, prevention is still the key! So I went ahead to Sephora and tried to find a basic everyday eye cream (because most of eye creams are for reducing fine lines and wrinkles).

Then I got Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream. I used to using all Origins products on my skin care and I loved them. Their products are all natural, so it is suitable for sensitive skin, basically all skin types. Anyway, GinZing eye cream is best for all of us especially who do not get enough sleep, have tired looking eyes, or do a lot of traveling. If you have dark circles, this eye cream will help brightening them. If you have puffy under eye area, it also will help you to de-puff it.

It is such a great everyday eye cream because it contains caffeine from coffee beans, ginseng and magnolia extracts that help to instantly wake your eyes. It also contains natural brighteners that help to brighten the dark circles.

I absolutely have dark circles - even though they are not so bad, I can see how bright they are after I apply this. It is in a medium thick cream texture with peachy color. Peach color counteracts with purple so it helps brightening the dark circles. Also, I only apply a tiny bit of it with my ring finger and kinda dab it on under eye area. Your skin will directly absorb the product and ta-da! You'll look like you just got an eight hour sleep :)

It comes in a glass jar and it costs $30 for 0.5oz. I know it is a lot of money for an eye cream, but this jar will last you maybe up to a year! So if you are looking for a good quality basic eye cream, I highly recommend this one. It is perfect under your makeup too! :)

Where to buy: Sephora, Origins.com, $30. 

What is your favorite eye cream? Let me know in the comment below! Or you can also post on my Facebook wall or tweet me on Twitter. Look forward to talking to you all!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/alexandraubymakeup 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/alexandrauby 

I love you, 

Alexandra 

Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream

Smashbox Master Class Palette

Smashbox The Master Class Palette

Hi loves!!! I am so excited to review this Smashbox Master Class Palette for you all! The reason why is because I think this is the most worth-the-money palette other than the Urban Decay Naked Palette. But let me tell you, it is a limited edition product, so if you want it, get it while you can! It is still available online and in stores.

Smashbox The Master Class Palette is basically an all-in-one palette. It contains 28 gorgeous, high-pigmented eyeshadows, four brow tech powders, eight cream liners, two blushes, three highlighters, and four lip glosses. All of these products were selected by the Smashbox pro artists, which they always bring them on set. Now you can get all of them too in just one palette, ughh how exciting it is!

The packaging is very nice as well. They designed it like a magnetic book, where left side is full with the eyeshadows and brow tech powders (which you can use as eyeshadows!), and the right side contains cream liners, blushes, highlighters and lip glosses. Each side is also covered by a plastic covered with names of each product. I love the idea of this plastic cover - not only because it shows us what shade is each of them, but also it protects them so that the colors won't mix to each other.

There are a lot of neutral eyeshadow colors here, but it won't limit you to create a dramatic, fun look. You can just be creative just from all of the eyeshadows and liners, and it will make people think that you are a pro! :)

I am going to list all the shades very quickly in case your favorite products are on this set:

• 28 eyeshadows (starting at top left corner): Vanilla, Frost, Butter, Parfait, Ambiant, Frambois, Peacock, Cabernet, Serpent, Aubergine, Azure, Ash, Opal, Linen, Flirt, Nectar, Granite, Golden Orchid, Dusk, Cinnamon Toast, Blackout, Chestnut, Haze, Roast.
• 4 Brow Tech powders: Bliss, Bare, Sable, Sumatra
• 8 Cream Liners: Ivy, Guilt, Picasso, Lava, Midnight Purple, Image, Midnight Brown, Caviar
• 2 Blushes: Posy Pink, Warm Apricot 
• 3 Soft Lights (highlighters): Lens, Prism, Shimmer 
• 4 Lip Glosses: Buff, Bitten, Guava, Mulberry 

Plus, it also includes instruction cards to recreate Smashbox studio looks. How cool!!! 

Overall, this palette is very versatile and it is great for travel. You can just bring this palette, set of brushes, your foundation and setting powder, and you're good to go! This palette is a great starter kit if you are a makeup beginner or not so familiar yet with Smashbox. To be honest with you guys, I have only tried a few things from Smashbox and I know it is a great brand, but I was not a big fan of it, so I preferred to invest my money on other brands. But when I saw Smashbox came out with this master class palette, I directly purchased it and I'm in love with it. They are super high quality, and this palette is a $250 value.. so it is super nice of them to come out with this idea and sell it in a decent price. 

Where to buy: Sephora, $59. 

What do you think of this palette? Will you buy it in the future? Let me know in the comment below! 

p/s: I am gonna be doing tutorial using this palette! :) 

Lets be friends! 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/alexandraubymakeup 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/alexandrauby 

I love you, 

Alexandra 

Smashbox the Master Class Palette

Smashbox the Master Class Palette

Smashbox the Master Class Palette

Smashbox the Master Class Palette - Cream Liners, Blushes, Highlighters, Lip Glosses

Smashbox the Master Class Palette

Smashbox the Master Class Palette - eyeshadows 

MyGlam: August

Hi loves! Sorry to pour you with MyGlam posts today, I just need to finish July and August Glam Bag before the September bag is coming! :)

The theme for August Glam Bag is Endless Summer. It did not explain why, but I guess these products will make you feel all year summer long (since summer is almost over :( ). Without a further do, lets take a look what's inside!

First thing first is another nail polish from Andrea's Choice! As you know in my July Glam Bag, Andrea is a beauty guru on YouTube, and she is one of my favorites! This month I got a super neon pink color called Ringmaster. Seriously if you wear this color in the Fall, you'll feel like it is summer. :) 

I was surprised by MyGlam for this Glam lip gloss! They said it is a complimentary product to say thank you to me (how sweet!). The lip gloss is actually not so bad quality. It is not too stick, or too sheer. But it will be perfect if I use it on top of my lipstick. Plus, I love the color! 

I also got two products from Eclos. Its product is organic and enriched with plant extracts. The first product is Anti-Aging Regenerative Cream, which helps to renew skin, brighten dull skin and eliminate fine lines and wrinkles. It basically makes your skin look younger! :) You can get this at Ulta, Target, GNC, Walgreens, or Rite Aid for $24.99.

The second product from Eclos is the Anti-Aging Cellular Activator Face Serum. Since it is a serum and it is more concentrated, so you put it on before your moisturizer or the Regenerative Cream. This will also reduce line and wrinkles, and make your skin smoother and more youthful looking.

Next product is Demeter Roll On Perfume Oil in Dragon Fruit. I can't say much about this but it simply smells like dragon fruit. It is very sweet and fresh and since it is a roll on, you can easily apply it on your wrist and the back of your ear or neck.

Last but not least is a loose eyeshadow from Salty Cosmetics called Glama-Zoid. This is like a duo-chrome pigment and it is actually pretty cool! As you can see from the container, it is an opaque white eyeshadow, but as you apply it, it will turn pinkish violet purple. I think it is going to be really pretty to highlight your inner tear duct or even your browbone. :)


I am going to ask you the same question as before, which one is your favorite product? Let me know in the comment below! Don't forget to add me as your friend on Facebook and Twitter too! 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/alexandraubymakeup 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/alexandrauby

I love you, 

Alexandra 

MyGlam: July

Hi loves!!! LONG TIME NO SEE, and I must say that I miss you all so much! I am so glad that I am back to blogging again... Long story short, there was so much things going on in my life for the past two months. It was terrible! But everything is getting better now, and I am here for y'all!

So... do you remember when was the last time I updated my MyGlam bag? Yes, it was in June! It means I have skipped July and August Glam Bag, and September bag is coming soon.. So today I am gonna show you my super outdated July Glam Bag, and next blog post is going to be August Glam Bag. I hope you don't mind! :)

The only thing I liked from July Glam Bag is the bag... seriously. You guys might have not known this, but I love pink and anything transparent! The July bag is a transparent hot pink with colorful stripes, it is just too cute. Now lets take a look what's inside..

First is the YES To Cucumbers On-The-Go Facial Towelettes. This was my favorite towelettes before, and I have used up three full packs of it. The reason why I like it is because it is hypoallergenic, 98.7% natural, free of paraben and fragrance, so it does not break me out! It is also made of organic cucumbers and aloe vera so it helps to soothe my skin. Most importantly, it wipes off my makeup! The reason why I stop using it was because I just got tired of it, and decided to try something new. You can get this at any drugstores! 

Next is a Circus nail polish by Andrea's Choice in Reverse. Never heard of this brand before, but Andrea is a beauty guru on YouTube, and she is part of the MyGlam girls, too. I really love her because she is such a cool and genuine person (I sound like I ever met her before, hee hee). You can check out her YouTube channel here. 

I am so glad that I get Josie Maran Magic Marker Lip and Cheek Stain. She is one of my beauty idols and I love her all natural products (I am still using her Argan Cleansing Oil, I am on second bottle now! Click here to read my review). I really do not know what shade is this, but it is a soft plum color, it is really closed to my natural lip color. You can get this at Sephora for $19.

I love trying out new hair products! So when I got this, I was pretty excited. It is the NuMe HydroPunch Hydrating Conditioner. It has argan oil on it, so I am sure it will make my hair silky smooth! I have not tried it on yet, but I promise I will keep you guys updated. The best thing about it is it has no paraben! So it won't dry out your hair :) 

Last but not least is the Juice Beauty Green Apple SPF 15 Moisturizer. I just knew this brand and apparently it is organic. It is an anti-aging moisturizer that helps to brighten, tighten, and lighten the skin. It has broad spectrum sun protection, peptides, alpha lipoic acids, and antioxidants that are derived from fruits, which help to revitalize your skin, even out your skin tone, brighten dark spots or hyperpigmentation. Note: the website says this is not for very sensitive skin or rosacea due to alpha/beta hydroxy fruit acids. 

So that's all the products that I got for the month of July! Which one is your favorite? Mine has to be Josie Maran Magic Marker because I don't collect so many lip/cheek stains in my makeup collection, so getting a new one won't hurt :)

Let me know in the comment below what's your favorite, or you can post on my Facebook wall or tweet me on Twitter too!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/alexandraubymakeup

Twitter: www.twitter.com/alexandrauby 

Love you, 

Alexandra 

Layering your Skin Care Routine

Hi loves! I bet you are using several different skin care products for morning and night, but do you use them in the correct way? In this post, I am gonna teach you how to use them in correct way (well you might have known this..lol) because if you use your products in the correct order, they will give a better result for your skin.

1. Cleanse 
In the morning, use your cleanser to wash your face. I like to do it in circular motion until it lathers for about 60 seconds. If you are in a hurry, 30 seconds is acceptable as well. Just don't wash it too fast because cleansing is the most important part to keep your skin clean! If your skin is clean and fresh, next other products will work better. Before you wash your face at night, use makeup remover wipes to wipe off your make up (if you have any) because a cleanser won't remove all dirts and makeup 100 percent although your cleanser said "remove any makeup."

2. Exfoliate 
Exfoliate means removing all the dead skin with a more 'harsh' cleanser. I said harsh because it contains beads to scrub the dead skin, so you can't do it everyday. I only exfoliate once a week. Do this for about 30 to 60 seconds.

3. Mask 
I do face mask two to three times a week. I try to do it three times a week, but I usually end up with one or twice :( Anyway, face mask works well when your face is clean because the mask will actually go to your skin to clean up the pores, so of course you don't want the dirt go back to inside your face ;)

4. Toner 
So many people skip toner (including me back then), but now I can't live without it. The reason why is because most of toners contain alcohol and it can sting your skin, but now there are so many non-alcohol toner that you can get, usually at natural grocers or maybe even whole foods! Anyway, the reason why toner is important is to keep your pH balanced and to prep your skin for next products.

5. Serum 
Serum is not moisturizer! Many people have mistaken on that. Serum is a more concentrated product. So for example, if your skin's concern is aging, then you want to find an anti-aging serum. If your skin concern is acne, you want to find acne serum to get rid of your acne or to prevent them, etc. Usually serum is more lightweight than your moisturizer.

6. Moisturizer 
After all the products are applied, now it is time to lock them up! Sometimes cleanser, toner, etc can dry up your skin, so moisturizer is super important! Imagine if you are thirsty and you don't drink water, you'll feel dehydrated right? Well same as your skin.. If you do not moisturize it, it will get dehydrated hence you'll get dry, patchy and dull skin. In the morning, I like to use a more lightweight moisturizer with SPF, and at night, I like to use a heavier moisturizer without SPF in it. Don't sleep with SPF because they can clog your pores. People usually call night moisturizer a night cream, but if your morning moisturizer has no SPF, then you can use that for night as well. If you are doing makeup in the morning, a moisturizer actually helps to achieve a better result on your makeup. It makes your foundation glides on smoother and makes your face look fresher (just don't forget to remove it at night, hee hee).

I feel guilty posting this for you because some of you might have known these steps, but hey.. what about for those of you who haven't known these yet? I hope you find this post useful! :)

What is your skin care routine like? Are you guys interested in my skin care routine? Like what products I am using, how do I use it, etc... Let me know in the comment below! 


Lets be friends too! 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/alexandraubymakeup 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/alexandrauby 

I love you, 

Alexandra 

photo is from here

MyGlam: June

Hi lovebugs! So I totally forgot to post June Glam bag. I swear to you that I thought I already posted it, and apparently I have not!! So I am so so so sorry this post is so overdue, but better than nothing right? :) So the theme of June Glam bag is Out All Night, where all the products are supposed to be long lasting. The bag itself is pretty fancy, it has so much sparkles until it gets all over my clothes, my hand, my table, haha!  


Okay, lets see what's inside... 

First thing first is the Living Proof No Frizz Nourishing Styling Cream, which I am so excited for. I love Living Proof products, they are amazing, and I have not tried this one yet. This styling cream is supposed to stop frizz on your hair, making it look soft and smooth. It also blocks humidity without silicone or heavy oils, so your hair will stay frizz-free! 

Next is the new Philosophy moisturizer Take a Deep Breath. I am a fan of Philosophy Hope in a Jar moisturizer, so I am also excited to try it out. It is a lightweight moisturizer that can give your skin a healthy looking glow. 

Next thing is NYX Round Lipstick in Chloe, which is not my favorite shade. It is a dark pink magenta with purple chrome in it. This is definitely not an everyday lipstick. I wish I could get different color :( Oh well.... ;p

Last but not least is Marbella Permanent Eyeliner Pen, which is a liquid eyeliner and it is also waterproof, smudge free and long lasting. I honestly have not heard this brand before, but I swatched it on my hand and it is actually not bad. The color itself is not a super deep black, it is more like dark grey, so you need to build layers if you want a deep black looking eyeliner. The applicator itself also makes lining your eyes easy! 


So that's it all the June Glam Bag! I have not received my July Glam Bag yet, so I will post that up as soon as it arrives! :) 


What is your favorite product of all four? Let me know in the comment below! 


Lets be friends!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/alexandraubymakeup 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/alexandrauby 

I love you, 

Alexandra 

Review: Hourglass Immaculate Foundation

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation

Hi loves!!! Finally I am able to post up this review! Today's review is for the Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation. This is the first Hourglass product I have tried, and they are still a fairly new cosmetic company, and they are big because of their Veil Mineral Primer. I am not a big fan of makeup primer, so I am gonna skip that first and just right jump to the foundation :) 

The one thing that I like about this foundation is it FREE of: paraben, oil, fragrance, nanoparticle, phthalate, synthetic dye, gluten. In addition, it is also water resistant and a vegan product. I have been searching for foundation like this because I am soooo allergic to these harsh chemicals. Regular foundation makes me break out, and I feel they are also make my acne scars or current pimples more inflammable. This foundation does not make me break out at all. Yes I still have new pimples here and there but usually they come when it is almost 'the time of the month' or when I eat too much sugary food.

Another thing that I like about Hourglass Immaculate Foundation is it is a liquid powder foundation, which means it dries into powder, so you do not need powder to set up your makeup afterwards. It dries pretty quickly so you have to work on it really fast because once it dries, it won't bug or move anymore. I like to apply it with a flat foundation brush because it gives more even application. The first time I was using it, I really did not use any powder to set it up. I just went ahead applying my bronzer and blush. However, I feel like it gives more even better result when I use powder since I have combination skin (and it is so hot outside!). Therefore, I only use Make Up For Ever translucent powder because it is colorless and super lightweight, so it won't give me too much coverage or make my face look cakey.

This foundation is a medium to full coverage and you definitely can build how much coverage you want. For me, I still find the need for concealer to get more flawless look. If you do not have a lot to cover, this foundation will work wonderfully for you because the texture and consistency glides on very smoothly. In addition, it is very long lasting, it holds for about six to nine hours before I feel 'gross'  for my makeup and I just want to take it off! Hee hee.

Those are things I like about it. Now I am gonna tell you what I don't like about it. It is the pump. The pump just did not work! So I went ahead to Sephora to exchange a new one, and guess what.. It did not work either. Like when you pressed the pump, nothing comes out from it! So I have to get the product by pouring it to the palm of my hand which is very troublesome and not very hygienic. Also, I feel like this foundation kinda settles to my pores, making them look bigger, especially around my nose area. So what I do is using a circular motion with a fluffy brush to blend the foundation in the area. Also, powder helps to cover those pores too.

Overall, this is a great foundation and I will continue purchasing it because it does not make me breakout. However, this will suit you best if you have oily to combination skin. If you have dry skin, this foundation might not be for you because it will dry into matte velvety finish.. so it will give your skin looking drier and dull.

Where to buy: Sephora, $55 (this is seriously the most expensive foundation I have ever bought :( )


What do you think of this product? Will you try it out in the future? Let me know in the comment below! And don't forget to add me as your Facebook friend and follow me on Twitter :) 


Facebook: www.facebook.com/alexandraubymakeup 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/alexandrauby 

I love you, 

Alexandra 

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation. I am in the color Shell. 

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation

Swatch - Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation in Shell

This how it looks like on my face :)