Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara Review

Illegal length? Sounds dangerous, but for a beauty junkie -- yes please! 

I've tried fibre mascara before, the type of lash lengthening mascara that promise instant gratification. Some, like Ana Sui, lengthened lashes, but had disoriented fiber extensions that looked unnatural. Others, like L'oreal Double Extend, took an extra step to apply. When I heard about the newest mascara by Maybelline, Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara, with a one-step lash lengthening mascara formula, I had to give it a try.

The Claim
on Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara by Maybelline.com

• Build 4mm of measurable extensions!
• Fiber-fix brush has 6 different contact points with each lash for optimal fiber placement
• Breakthrough formula contains fibers up to 4mm in length
• Sealing formula stretches lashes and seals fibers to lashes
• Washable, also available in waterproof formula

My Take

• Absolutely lengthened lashes up to 4 mm. I saw a difference right away.
• Formula was rich yet smooth. No clumping occurred at all.
• Fibers stayed on and out. Did not fall away or become disarrayed at all.
• Created a natural, beautiful look.
• Brush was amazing. Touched every lash and separated them too.

Pros

• Excellent brush. 
• Brilliant formula. No clumping at all.
• Lengthening fiber really performed.
• Two coats and you are good to go.
• Easy to take off.
• Fantastic price (around $7 - $9, depending on which store). 
• Available almost anywhere in the U.S.

Cons:

• Formula weighed lashes down over time. Lashes did not remain curled.

Overall Rating:

4.5/5

Repurchase?

With pleasure!

Here are some pictures...to complete the picture:O)

Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara 

Sleek packaging isn't bad either.

Wonderful lash-separating brush performed extremely well.

Before

Lashes are unnoticed.

 After

Natural, long lashes

 

Have you tried Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extension Mascara yet?

What other fibre mascara do you recommend?

Reminiscing College Days

Happy St. Patrick's Day weekend girlies! How are you celebrating?

Ever since we moved to Seattle, we haven't celebrated St. Pat's. But when I lived in the mid west, and especially in college, St. Pat's was a big deal. Our school was known for its annual St. Patrick's Day celebration, which lasted all week long, with games, parties and parades.

But it's not the drinking that I miss the most. Our school, a small, mostly boring, and tightly knit community full of engi-nerds, provided opportunities to develop long lasting friendships. While most people I met later in life have either lost touch with their old friends, or just haven't kept as strong of a bond, I have never lost the few that I made from school.

That must have been a fun girls' night out.

Relationships are developed over the amount of quality time we spend with each other -- let me emphasize on the word QUALITY -- and how we support each other through thick and thin. I remember crying on friends' shoulders during break ups, listening to them rant about their love lives until 3 a.m., and helping each other with homework until the sun came up. Those are times that none other experience can replace, when trust was affirmed through action, and not just lip service, or a quick wall post on facebook.

Chit Chatting in my room - one of our favorite things to do.

After graduation, whenever we can, we have always gone back during St. Pat's to relive our wild, crazy college days -- and again, not for the partying, but to be with each other.


Now that we are in Seattle, miles away from school, I haven't gone back in years. (Though I can still order that infamous annual St. Pat's shirt. Too bad my school isn't like Alabama Apparel -- go Dr. Bross :O) -- where alums can get University of Alabama shirts online.) But maybe, someday, we'll all meet up (at that dungeon of a bar) again.

What about you, girlie? What do you reminisce the most about the past?

 

The Franco Sarto Mom Purse - Even Moms Can Look Stylish

Yeas ago, I was the girl who refused to wear "mom purses." I believed that no fashionable girlie should walk around with big bags when they can strut the streets in something small and slinky. 

A blue Franco Sarto mom purse fits everyday jeans perfectly

Lo' and behold, I became a mom, toting a toddler everyday. Bring on the sippy cups, diapers, and anything that screams "mommy." Oh yes, bring on that mom purse too, the one I despised so much.

To my surprise, mom purses really aren't that bad. Strategically designed to fit your entire life, and cute enough to match just about any outfit, they are both essential and fashionable.

During my last shopping trip, I picked up a blue Franco Sarto bag, aka. mom purse, and instantly fell in love with it.

This color really suits the spring-y days ahead.

So roomy and comfy inside.

Oh look. It came with an umbrella. How handy!

And a coin purse too? Now I have a place for all that lose change.

 Love toting this bag around town.

Life changes, and our fashion changes with it. Doesn't it feel good to embrace how far we've come?

 What about you? Do you like mom purses?

11 Questions Tag

Betty at Betty Girl Makeup tagged me. I am happy to oblige.  

If you could be anyone for a day, who would it be and why?

Hilary Clinton. So I know what it feels like to be so darn smart.  

What's your favorite place to shop for beauty products? 

Sephora, Ulta, and drug stores.

Share one weird or funny fact that nobody knows about you.

I eat dessert first.

What is your one MUST HAVE beauty product?

Face wash.

What is your favorite food?

Sushi.

Slankets - yes or no? 

I'm not sure what it is.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? 

Putting my guard up. I let people walk all over me way too much.

Favorite vacation spot? 

New York City. Brilliant lights, concrete jungle -- anything is possible there.

Do you have a monthly beauty budget that you set aside for yourself and do you usually stick to it!? 

Hmm...beauty budget...what a good idea!

Describe yourself in one word. 

Interesting.

Tell us something about the person who tagged you!

She's an amazing makeup artist. 

Here are the girls I'm tagging:

Janet at Journey on Beauty Nonsense Stuff
Ebony at Vaintastic!
Jamie at Barbie Bombshell
Lovely Petite Mom at Lovely Petite Mom
Black Mentos at Black Mentos Beauty Box

Here are my questions for them:

1. Why did you start blogging?

2. What is your favorite beauty item?

3. What is the most expensive beauty or skincare item you ever purchased?

4. Where do you go for beauty advice?

5. What is the best beauty advice you ever received?

6. When did you first start wearing makeup?


7. Who is your beauty icon and why?


8. If you had to choose between facebook and blogging, which would it be? And why?


9. What is your biggest beauty blunder?


10. If you had to change one thing about yourself, what would it be?


11. Tell us something about the person who tagged you.

How to Apply Eyeliner for Asian Eyes - Eyeliner Makeup Tips for Bigger Eyes

Posted by GirlieBlogger@Beauty Fashion Blog Seattle

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For a lot of Asian women -- myself included -- we behold big eyes as beautiful. This perception is possibly because most Asian women were not born with big, gorgeous eyes. We also constantly search for ways to make our eyes appear larger.

Some Asian women have gone to drastic measures, like getting double eyelid surgery -- ouch! But most of us try tamer options like using makeup. 

In fact, you don't even need a lot of makeup or fancy tricks to create bigger eyes. Just an eyeliner can do the job. 

Don't believe me? Try the three tips below.

Eyeliner Makeup Tips for Asian Eyes

Tip 1: Use the Same Color as your Eyes

Although contrasting colors bring out and brighten eyes, to make eyes bigger, it's better to use a color that is close to your natural eye color. This way, color compliments your eyes instead of competing with them.

For myself, I used a dark brown liner by NYX.

Tip 2: Draw a Camel Hump

Cat eyes may be sexy, but bigger eyes need the "camel hump" eye makeup application technique.

Draw a thick line at your top lash line. Make a "hump" in the middle part of the line.

A little hump in the middle...

...makes an instant eye opener.

Tip 3: Line Only 3/4 of Your Waterline

Instead of lining your entire bottom water line, line only 3/4 of the length. This way, your eyes are not "enclosed."

There you go. Easy eyeliner makeup tips for bigger eyes -- three steps and you are done.

Before: Small Asian Eyes

After: Lined and Bigger

Do you have any beauty and makeup tips to make eyes bigger?

Feel great this spring in five simple steps

Guest post written by Isabella Franklin of Cosmetic Surgery Guru

Spring is just around the corner. It’s time to clear out your wardrobe, stock up on beauty supplies, and book a course of Botox. Before milder season arrives, wave goodbye to winter in style by looking fabulous throughout 2012.

Exfoliate

Winter can take a toll on your skin, but exfoliating helps. Rub a favorite exfoliating product all over your body, let the soft abrasives remove dead skin cells, boost circulation, and give you a beautiful glow. 

Exfoliation also prevents grime and dirt from blocking your pores, and help your skin become soft and smooth.

Moisturize

Take time to moisturize your body, and buy something specific for your face. Find a product that suits your skin type. Also, you might need both a day and a night cream. It may seem like a lot of money, but a fresh complexion is worth it. 

On a side note, if you suffer from psoriasis or any other skin condition, speak to a dermatologist first.

Paint your nails

Look beautiful throughout 2012 by booking a manicure or painting your nails at home! Soft, well-moisturized hands and a touch of nail polish can help lift your mood and look better. Opt for classy French manicure for work, and go for bright, daring shades for a night out. To make nail colors last longer, apply two shades and top with a clear coat. Want to stop biting your nails? Add some nail jewels or gel tips.

Remove body hair

Let’s face it, we can all get a little lazy during winter and forget to move body hair – after all, we don’t have to wear shorts or strappy tops. Nevertheless, bushy legs are not attractive so be sure to wax, tweeze or pluck regularly. Get your eyebrows threaded by a qualified beautician or head to a salon for a fuzz-free look. If you’re tired of removing hair every day, why not find out more about laser hair removal treatments? A few sessions of laser kills the follicle of each hair and stops it growing back for good.

Winter’s almost over, so take the time to pamper and preen and feel good.

Authentic Chinese Food in Seattle at Henry's Taiwan

Posted by GirlieBlogger@Beauty Fashion Blog Seattle


There is Chinese food. Then there is real Chinese food -- authentic, home cooked meals comparable only to something your Grandmother could make.


On Friday, a few mama friends and I brought our little ones to Henry's Taiwan in International District of Seattle, a small, local Chinese restaurant that offers the finest Taiwanese cuisine. 


First of all, eating out with little ones is hard. But Henry's Taiwan accommodated our every demand, despite that the little ones demanded every detail -- big table, small forks, extra napkins, please!


Then, there's the food -- oodles of noodles swimming in broth, tender pork slices decorated with tangy sauce. Everything tasted like Grandma's Sunday meals.


Good, authentic Chinese food in Seattle is hard to find. We are certainly glad to have stumbled on Henry's Taiwan.

Authentic Chinese food from Henry's Taiwan Seattle

Just a few pics of deliciousness to share

Traditional beef noodle

Pork slices in BBQ sauce

Dried tofu with preserved duck eggs

Pan fried hand shaven noodles

What are some authentic Chinese food restaurants from your city?

Luminaze - How to Get Rid of Age Spots Fast

Posted by GirlieBlogger@Beauty Fashion Blog Seattle
 
Have you noticed changes in your skin as you age?

Age spots, or often known as liver spots, are hyper-pigmented spots on your skin. They become more abundant, as well as apparent, as you get older. Though they are mostly harmless, age spots make your skin appear unattractive.

What Causes Age Spots?

Age spots comes from overexposure to the sun. Skin has an agent called "melanin pigment," which naturally protects it from UV. However, as you age, your "melanin pigment" deteriorates, and your skin is subject to UV damage, resulting in dark spots on face, hands, shoulders, and anywhere that receives the most sun exposure.

How to Get Rid of Age Spots Fast?

Age spot treatments are not miracle creams. Even more invasive procedures take more than once to work. But some age spot treatments do work faster and better than others.

Natural Treatment for Age Spots

Scrubbing away dead cells help. Use a loofah in the shower, and vigorously scrub your skin for several minutes a few times a week.

Also, applying natural treatments for age spots such as lemon juice and buttermilk helps. 

Topical Treatments for Age Spots

There are many topical treatments for age spots. For example, face wash, skin lighteners and age spot treatment cream. 

Here are a few of the best skin care products for age spots that I recommend:

Luminaze Age Spot Removal Cream

Why it works: Uses the natural lightening properties in mushrooms to break down melanin in the skin. 

Price: $120.00 for 1 fl oz. bottle

 

Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser

Why it works: Contains natural ingredient chamomile to calm coloration and even out skin tone.

Price: $8.29 for 6 fl oz. bottle

Clinique Repairwear Foundation

Why it works: Matte foundation provides full coverage to conceal dark age spots.

Price: $32.50 for 1 fl oz. bottle

Do you have any suggestions on how to get rid of age spots fast?

What are your best skin care products for age spots?