Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm

This review is on Urban Decay's Naked Skin Beauty Balm. This product is recently new and retails for $34.

Urban Decay has come out with their own version of "BB Creams" called Urban Decay's Naked Skin Beauty Balm. It claims to have a multitasking formula with 5 purposes:

1. Perfects to instantly even out skin tone and minimize pores, lines, wrinkles, and redness
2. Protects with SPF 20 and contains an ingredient that helps inhibit DNA damage
3. Treats to firm skin, improve elasticity and provide measurable anti-aging benefits
4. Primes for long lasting performance under makeup application
5. Hydrates instantly and improves hydration over time

According to Urban Decay, this beauty balm will make our skin look better instantly and provides serious results in 8 weeks. You can even wear it alone like a tinted moisturizer or under foundation as a primer. 

It's been a month since I've been trying this product and although I like it as a primer, I wouldn't wear it by itself. This is because I don't feel it has the ability to cover my dark spots and blemishes. The left picture is after one layer of application and the right picture is after two layers of application. As you can see, it did not cover my blemishes which Urban Decay claimed it would do instantly which really disappointed me. However, I did notice some redness going away after I let the BB cream set onto my face and warm up a bit. Also, I'm a little hesitant to say this because it may be too early, but I haven't really seen a dramatic improvement on my skin. I have noticed a few acne scars lighten up a bit, but it seemed to have stayed the same color afterwards. 

Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed with this BB cream. I love Urban Decay's products, but I feel like they could have produced a better BB creams than the ones I see in my drug stores, especially when it's priced at more than $30. Currently, my favorite BB cream in the market is L'Oreal Paris's Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream. I feel like this works better than Urban Decay's because I would gladly wear it on it's own without concealer because it covers up really well and also keeps my face hydrated. Also, I've noticed that this product is "Broad Spectrum" which means that there are only a few colors available... actually only ONE! I thought this was a bit odd because they came out with a beautiful line of Naked Skin Foundation in a large variety of colors to choose from, I would expect them to at least have 3 shades for their BB cream. 

On the bright side, it did hydrate and moisture my face really well, but I felt that it left me oily at the end of the day. It worked well as a primer because it kept my foundation on the whole day. Overall, I like this product, but I wouldn't purchase this for myself. I would stick to my L'Oreal BB cream.

Nothing on

(L) One layer of Beauty Balm (R) Two Layers of Beauty Balm

New Year's Resolutions.

Hi Everyone,
The new year is still young and I wanted to post a list of resolutions that I have for the year 2013. Knowing me, I am bad at keeping true to my resolutions. I would come up with great resolutions that can change my lifestyle and help me become a better person, but I would always fail!!!

For 2013, I have decided to take control and promise myself to keep my resolutions until the end of the year. Here are my resolutions....

1. Don't be late for anything!

2. Get more sleep.

3. Run at least 5x a week!!!

4. Get organized

5. I control what I eat, NOT my body (aka: eat healthier)

I know these are a lot, but I am willing to complete these goals by the end of the year :)
I will keep an update on my progress throughout the year.

Happy New Year! And I hope you all accomplish your resolutions too. Together, we can do this!

Stay beautiful!
<3 arlynangel

New Year's Eve Makeup

Happy New Year, Everyone! I hope everyone was able to celebrate the coming of another new year with families and friends. I want to share with you a makeup look that will sure to stop the clock once you enter the room.

Products Used:
- Too Faced Shadow Insurance - Primer
- NYX Nude Matte Eyeshadow in Lap Dance
- Smashbox Photo Op Eyeshadow in Sky 
- Smashbox Photo Op Eyeshadow in Granite

- NYX Single Eyeshadow in Black

-The Balm Meet Matt(e) in Matt Batali

- Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil in Zero

- Physician's Formula Eye Booster Eyeline

- Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara

- Too Faced Lash Injection Mascara

Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation

When it comes to makeup, the most difficult product for me to purchase is foundation. Finding the perfect color for your skin tone requires at least 30 mins of swatching and multiple trips to the makeup mirror. Tip: Bring your own mirror!!! It's so much easier and very convenient. It wasn't until the summer of last year that I was pulled to the side by Urban Decay employees at Macy's to give them 10 mins of my time to try out some products. The makeup artist wanted to give me a free makeup trial, and being a lover of free stuff, especially when it comes to makeup, I accepted the offer. And thus, my long search for the perfect foundation has ended. Long story short, they introduced me to  Urban Decay's Surreal Skin Mineral Powder in Hallucination which matched my skin perfectly. Ever since, I've been a fan of Urban Decay's products. 

Now, Urban Decay has came out with a new foundation product from their Naked line which consisted of 18 different shades that accommodated both rosy and warm undertones. My sister was the first to purchase the foundation and after a few weeks of trying it out, she really recommended the product to me. So, I purchased a bottle of my own in the shade of 6.0. I tried to choose a color that closely resembled Hallucination and 6.0 was the closest. This foundation would have to be the priciest I've paid for at $38 a tube before tax. The mineral powder only retailed for $31 which I though was pricey. However, I felt that me finding a foundation that really accommodated to my skin color and was something I really enjoy and use everyday, it would be worth it. 

Urban Decay has done a great job with their packaging for this product. The foundation was held in a very sleek tube with a pump which made dispensing the foundation very easy. Not only was the pump useful, but the mechanics was awesome as well. The pump is very sensitive to pressure so that you can dispense the right amount you need without wasting product. Along with the handy dandy pump, the tube also had it's own "mixer" inside the tube for an easy and convenient way to mix the foundation before using. 

In regards to the foundation itself, the consistency is a little runny, but it was good that the foundation was not thick to prevent that caked on effect. At first, I thought that this foundation may end up being streaky, but it glided onto my skin with ease and streak free. The foundation did not give a dewy finish which was a plus for me because my face is usually oily anyway. Instead, it settled on my face with a matte finish. The coverage on the foundation was about medium. It was able to cover up blemishes, but not thoroughly. However, you can add a second coat which will give a good full coverage. It all depends on how much foundation you prefer wearing. For me, I settled with a single coating which did the trick for my blemishes. The picture below shows me without foundation on the left, and me after a single coating of UD's Naked Skin Foundation on the right.

About my Skin: 
- oily combination
- usually leaves my face oily at the end of the day
- a lot of acne scars on my forehead, chin, and temples
- redness on the nose

For me, when it comes to wearing liquid foundation, I like to set it with a powder. I decided to set the foundation with the Surreal Skin Mineral Powder in Hallucination. This allowed the foundation to set and to buff out my skin. With this, I found that the two worked well together and I highly recommend using the mineral powder to set your liquid foundation. As you can see in the picture below, Hallucination matched well with 6.0 as well as providing more coverage to the liquid foundation.  Lastly, when it came to performance, the foundation stayed on the whole day. I was a little oily at the end of the day, but I noticed that it wasn't as oily as I usually get with just the powder foundation. Taking pictures was not a problem and it did not give me a bright face. Also, being from a Filipino family who serves a lot of greasy food, I usually end up with the foundation on my chin disappearing by noon. However, this did not happen with UD's Naked Skin. I really enjoyed this product from Urban Decay and I definitely recommend this foundation. 

A few things I did not like about this foundation:
- Felt that you need to work fast. I usually blot a few areas of my face with the foundations before blending. I noticed that by the time I reach blending my forehead, the foundation would set and I have to replenish with a few more drops of foundation to finish. 

New Workout: Pilates

I have to say, when I heard about Pilates, I was skeptical on how the workout can help you loose weight and stay fit. But after doing some research to learn about the history of Pilates and the purpose of techniques, I wanted to give this workout a try. At SJSU, I enrolled in a Pilates course to fill up my break time in between classes.

*Another helpful tip: If you go to college and find yourself waiting about an hour before your next class, try filling up the time by enrolling in a physical education activity. Your school has the resources for you to stay fit...for FREE! At my university, sometimes all you need is a student ID card and you are able to go workout at the school gym. Take these resources to your advantage! If I knew about this sooner, I would've exercised a bit more and prevented all this weight gain. 

The Pilates workout system was invented by Joseph Pilates that became a very popular rehabilitation exercise for patients. He mostly focused on working the body's ability to become more flexible and resulting in leaner muscle and tone. Most Pilates workout sessions today focus on strengthening the core muscles as wells as toning the major leg muscles. The exercises help you build flexibility, lengthen and lean muscles, and build strength and stamina. With controlling your mind and body, you can improve your flexibility, enhance your core strength, and acquire agility.

* I would also like to say that this exercise does help you gain muscle and muscle burns fat! I have been doing Pilates since the end of August and I have noticed that my abdominal muscles as well as my thighs and glutes have toned! I can feel my abdominals when I flex them and are they amazing, lol! With the gain of these muscles, I have noticed my waist getting smaller, mostly because the muscles burn the fat.

So, if you have the time to add another exercise regime to your workout, I highly recommend you trying Pilates! It takes some time to get used to, but if you practice regularly, you can get the hang of Pilates in no time!

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong, Stay Beautiful!!!
-arlynangel

A Fun Way To Organizing Your Studs On A Jewelry Tree

Has this ever happened to you?
Are you tired of getting your studs mixed up in your jewelry box?
Do you find yourself missing the other pair to your favorite earring?


Don't fret!!! There is a simple trick you can use to keep your earrings and studs together and well organized. You can do many variations with this trick. Personally, I keep all my jewelry on a jewelry tree. I normally kept  the studs on the base of the tree, but I found it very difficult when looking for a pair of earring to wear. So, I wanted to store my studs on the tree itself not only for easier storage, it was easily accessible. However, like most jewelry trees, my tree did not give me that option. Here, I'll give you a simple trick for easier storage and organization.


What you will need:

• A ribbon - Any type you'd like! I found that many types of ribbions are great for this project. Just make sure you have enough to store as many earring's you have. This project is all about you, so let it reflect who you are :)
• A pair of studs you won't be needing - If you have a pair of simple studs you don't wear anymore or just have a few cheap studs lying around, save a pair that you will use as a clasp so that you can securely hang your ribbon on the tree.

Here is what you do:

• Get your ribbon and fold it a third of the way. The short end of the ribbon will be the back while the longer end will hold the earrings.
• Organize your earrings and clasp them onto the longer ribbon side.
• When your done, simply slide the loop on a branch of your jewelry tree.

There you have it! I like to think if this as ornaments on your jewelry tree while the earrings symbolizes your style. 

Another tip: If you don't have a jewelry tree, you can also use this method for your jewelry box. You can just skip the step where you make the loop. All you have to do is clasp your earrings onto a piece of ribbon and store them in your jewelry box. 

Hope you enjoyed this simple project and that it helped you as much as it helped me!

Stay Beautiful!

-arlynangel

                                                                                                       Jewelry Tree from Target 

What is it with BB Creams?

Lately there has been a BB cream craze since Smashbox Cosmetics came out with their line of BB creams. However, little do we know that BB creams originated in Germany after a dermatologist created a cream that would protect patients' skin after surgery. The BB creams were introduced in Korea and Japan as a form of cosmetic. The most distinct feature about BB creams is it's ability to provide a healthy, blemish free, and porcelain-looking skin which amazed many Asian women. 

So what do these BB creams do? First of all, BB stands for Blemish Balm and an all in one tinted moisturizer. In Asian countries, BB creams are formulated to moisturize, even and whiten complexion, as well as treating and covering blemishes. There are also anti-wrinkling and skin regenerating properties. However, the BB creams formulated in the western countries are more focused on moisturizing, covering blemishes, evening skin tone, SPF protection and coverage. Basically, BB creams strive to become the alternative to a heavy foundation routine. It is meant to be worn by itself, but through experience, it is recommended to set with a translucent powder or a light mineral powder foundation for a longer lasting wear and coverage.

I have tried three different BB creams: Garnier's Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector, Maybelline New York's Dream Fresh BB Cream, and L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream. I have come to the conclusion that L'Oreal's version had the best overall performance.

Garnier's BB cream gave good coverage, but it wasn't long lasting. I have oily skin, so I usually look out for products that leave me feeling really oily at the end of the day. Sadly, Garnier did not help with controlling oil. I would recommend this product for those who have dry skin. It did really well in keeping my skin very moisturized and hydrated.

Maybelline's BB cream was my least favorite of the three BB creams. First, I have acne scars that I usually cover up with a concealer. Since Garnier gave me good coverage, I was expecting the same coverage with Maybelline. However, I found that Maybelline was very sheer coverage. I also found that it left your face looking very dewey and sticky which is good for moisturizing, but I find it better to set with a powder. Also, another reason why this is not my favorite is because it left me really, really oily. After only a couple of hours, I can start to feel my face oiling up and needed a blot touch up by the end of the day.

My favorite would have to be L'Oreal's Magic Beautifier. This BB cream is very unique from the other two because instead of coming out already pigmented, the cream comes out white with small pigment beads that burst when you rub it on your face. The cool thing about this cream is that after the cream is applied, it will need a few seconds to set itself to accomodate your skin color. After setting, the cream has less coverage than Garnier's but more coverage than Maybelline. So, if you have perfectly even skin or just need the right amount of coverage for a natural look, this product is for you. Also, this product did very well with keeping my skin oil free at the end of the day. A tip for using L'Oreal's BB cream is to set with a powder foundation to get the coverage you want. It also helps in enhancing the BB cream's ability to keeping your skin oil free.

My opinion on BB creams: these are nice for moisturizing and replacing your tinted moisturizer. However, if you need full on coverage, I would advise to stay with your concealer routine or use concealer with this product. These products are good for those days where you are in a hurry and need a bit of coverage. I would recommend to use translucent setting powders of powder foundations on top of these products.