R.I.P. Jessica Rabbit....

I know it seems like yesterday I got her, it certainly feels like it, but sadly my bunny has died this morning. She was fine last night, playing, running around like she usually does, so it's a shock to us. We do not know the complications or the reason of her passing, I am assuming it's similar to other baby bunnies deaths in which bacteria can harbor in its intestinal tract. The vet said she was probably too young and was already sick when I got her. I read some forums from other people whose bunny has died, and they had similar stories of their bunny just "dying unexpectedly" but was fine the night before (or at least so we thought).

She had a bout of diarrhea on Sunday, which now I know was a bad sign in itself reading up on similar stories; I just thought that she was eating and drinking normally now. We honestly don't know if she was sick, as there was no true tell sign that she was...she was just always a happy, playful bunny.

My friend Erica (who found her since she was going to take her out to play) said she just looks like she is sleeping, so I want to think she at least died peacefully. I am deeply sad because I have grown so attached to her even though it's only been a few weeks. I went to the pet store practically everyday to get her something. I wish I knew what, if anything was wrong with her, in hopes I could have possible saved her. But it's no one fault- it happens. It's just hard.

So Rest in Peace my baby bunny....

10 Piece Sephora Brush Set- $72

So I check my email this morning and saw this pretty pink 10 piece brush set from Sephora, perfect for any of you gals looking to update your brush collection or those who are new to makeup and need all the essentials!

They have free shipping right now with orders over $50!

CLICK on the picture to ENLARGE.

Reader Questions...

This weekend was fun, went to my friend's house-warming party (sporting the "Rainbow Look" using the Ben Nye Palette"), the pic above is with my good friend Zari (would you believe she is half Filipino?!), she is one hot mama and as you can see I was very colorful that day! LOL. But if you know me personally, you know it suits my personality. :)

I also got my bunny a new home to give her more room to play!

I had some more reader questions and thought id list them in case any of you are wondering the same thing...

Q: Where can I find the Monistat primer? Would it be in the facial aisle?

A: First of all, let's dissect what Monistat ORIGINALLY is for, it's for the treatment of yeast infections, and this particular chafing gel that we use as a primer, is to treat chafing around the bikini area. So it would NOT be in the facial aisle, but rather in the same aisle as tampons, condoms, and the like....and again just because it's originally for chafing around that particular area, the key ingredient is "dimethicone" which is the same ingredient in common makeup primers such as Smashbox Photo Finishing Primer.

Q: I don't think i've seen you post about any urban decay products... have you tried many things from this line? it's one of my faves!

A: Pretty much the only thing I have mentioned about Urban Decay of course is their Primer Potion (primer for the lids to enhance vibrancy and wear of eyeshadows), and their AWESOME UD Palette!. I love Urban Decay, but since I have a discount for MAC, I usually end up buying more MAC items!

Q: Why did you stop modeling?

A: It just wasn't my thing, as much as I appreciate all sorts of art and expression whether it be modeling or photography, I found a lot more joy into being behind the camera rather than in front. I LOVE photography and I love capturing things rather than me being the subject. There's also a lot of cons (strictly in my opinion) that go along with the territory as well, especially when you are under contract or signed with an agency, there are certain things you can and can't do and you have to be willing to work with other people's schedules and of course, harsh criticism, both from in and out of the industry. I still occasionally help out some of my friends who are photographers and help them build their portfolios.


Q: How big will your bunny get?

A: I researched it online as well as talked to a few bunny moms and I believe my baby bunny is a dwarf bunny just because I saw pictures of other dwarf bunnies and their ears and everything look so similar! This means that she won't really get any bigger than she already is which is a good thing! But she is learning so much everyday in terms of learning how to "fend" for herself and eat and drink on her own, as oppose to the BF or I having to feed her and make her go to the bathroom. Now she is doing it on her own without our help!

Q: When will you be selling pigment samples again?

A: I will be selling them very soon, right now Erica and I are currently packing everything and preparing our stock. I will be having an online store where I will occasionally be selling certain items, so you can definitely purchase samples through there.

Q: Where did you get your label maker and how much was it?

A: The label maker I used to label my MAC palettes I bought from Target. I believe it was about $12-19.


Q: I want to try mineral makeup but I don't know which ones are good to try, I don't want to break out, which ones do you suggest?

A: If you are an avid reader of my blog, you all know I love Silk Naturals mineral foundation! I get "buttery gold" and it allows you to customize your own shade by mixing the white powder with the dark powder. Visit their site for more information.

A lot of people also like Everyday Minerals but I personally didn't like their foundation on me merely because there was no shade match for me AND I found it to be sorta oily and blotchy on my skin at the end of the day. Buff'd Cosmetics also has awesome mineral products as well, and I love MMBB.com, I have tried their foundation and I love it as well if you don't like mixing your foundation. Lisa is great and she will take good care of you!

RAINBOW EYES FOTD: Using the Ben Nye Palette

Rmcandlelight asked how to apply eyeshadow to the inner corners of your eyes without making it look messy, and I use Essence of Beauty's double-ended eyeshadow applicators to apply to the small spots such as the inner corner of the eye:







So here's a look I finally did using the Ben Nye Palette:

















WITH FLASH:




What I used:
Face:
- Monistat Chafing Gel as primer
- MAC StudioFinish Concealer NC30
- Silk Naturals Mineral Foundation

Cheeks:
- Silk Naturals "Tart Light"

Eyes (ALL from Ben Nye Palette, applied DRY):
- "Sun Yellow" on the inner corners of the eyes
- "Tangerine" applied after Sun Yellow
- Applied "Azalea" on the middle of the lid
- Applied "Amethyst" and "Cosmic Violet" on outer-V and contour
- On lower lashline: "Sun Yellow" (inner corner), "Chartreuse" (middle of lower lashline), "Jade" (outer lashline)
- "Ice" as highlight
- Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner Pencil on upper lashline and waterline
- L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara

Lips:
- MAC Mattene l/s in "Immodest"
- NYX Lipgloss in "Barbie Pink"

RE: Teeth Whitening Sensitivity

I had some readers comment asking about the sensitivity of whitening products in general, and I have personally experienced this. Many products tell you to use it everyday for a certain amount of minutes, overnight, or half an hour, etc., my teeth became REALLY sensitive to where it hurt to drink or eat cold things, but that's because I was using it everyday thinking it would whiten faster, basically following the box's directions....

BUT the trick is, to use it once or twice a week. Period. This gradually whitens your teeth making it more natural and controls your "whitening shade of choice".

I use it once a week to maintain the whiteness, and in addition to that, I use a whitening toothpaste (they only have various brands of toothpaste that cater to those with sensitive teeth as well as providing whitening), and I always drink dark drinks from a straw to prevent soda from staining all of your teeth.

I hope that helped!

Product Review- Aquafresh Whitening Trays

Product: 3 out of 5
Packaging: 2 out of 5
Overall: 3 out of 5
Price: $17-$20, available at many stores

What they say:

Aquafresh White Trays™ are soft and flexible to offer a custom fit that's unlike any other whitening treatment on the market. And they fit your lifestyle like no other treatment.


Here's why:


* Flexible trays for a secure fit
* Pre-filled and disposable
* Easy to apply
* Clean, fresh taste
* Safe for enamel

Aquafresh White Trays™ are pre-filled to give you the perfect dose every time. The gel stays put and the stretchy, curvy shape grips your teeth so the gel can flow where it's needed, even between teeth.

Unlike messy strips that slip... brush-on pastes that take all night to work... or expensive dental treatments that require bulky, gooey trays or multiple trips to the dentist's office, White Trays™ make whitening your smile fast and easy.

How to apply:


PROS: It doesn't have so much of a horrible taste like the Crest White Strips, and I like the idea of a tray rather than having the normal strips slip off your teeth. They have two small packages together, which has perforation in the middle, one tray for the upper, and one tray for the lower.

CONS: It doesn't whiten some areas because the gel doesn't cover evenly, you have to sorta push the gel and spread through the tray. The trays itself aren't that comfortable.

Overall: As much as I hate the taste of the Crest White Strips (it makes me gag), I like how it whitens evenly and I personally feel like its doing its job, with the trays I am constantly checking it making sure that the gel covers each tooth. The strips are also a lot more comfortable (despite the sliding sometimes) than the trays. After I remove the trays (or strips) I brush my teeth to get rid of the taste and excess gel still on my teeth.

FOTD: Earth Day!

Here was my Earth Day FOTD, using Ben Nye's "Chartreuse", Pure Luxe's "Venom", MAC "Humid" eyeshadow, and of course "Bio Green". I also used a little bit of Ben Nye's "Sun Yellow" and "Aztec Gold" washed over the inner corners...

I will be doing a look using the Ben Nye Palette, so stay tuned!











What I used:

Face:
- MAC Fix+ Spray
- Monistat Chafing Gel as primer
- MAC StudioFinish Concealer NC30
- Pure Luxe Foundation in "Warm Honey"
- MAC Sculpt & Shape Powder in Accentuate and Sculpt on cheek bones to contour

Cheeks:
- MAC "Hipness" Blush
- EDM "Waffle Cone"

Eyes: (all applied DRY)
- Urban Decay Primer Potion
- Ben Nye (BN) e/s in "Aztec Gold" and a little "Sun Yellow" applied on the inner corners of the eyes
- BN's e/s in "Chartreuse" on inner half of the lid
- MAC "Bio Green" on the middle of the lid blended with "Chartreuse"
- Pure Luxe's e/s in "Venom" 3/4 of the lid (near outer half)
- MAC "Humid" e/s applied on outer-V and contour
- ULTA "Gold Leaf" as highlight
- Milani Color Brilliance Eye Pencil in Green on lower lashline
- MAC Fluidline in "Nightfish"
- L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara

Lips:
- MAC l/s in "Masque" (LE from "Alexander McQueen Collection)
- MAC l/g in "Bonus Beat"

Tagged: What camera do I use & How to take a good closeup photo

I've been tagged by Lanie, on which camera I use, I actually use two cameras, the NIKON SLR D40X and a CANON SD750 but mostly my CANON SD750 is what I use simply because it's always accessible in my bag. I used to use the NIKON D40x for all my swatches because my old camera (CANON SD450) sucked at taking swatches, it always came out washed out and blury, but then again I had that camera for so many years. But with my new one which is the CANON SD750, it takes awesome swatch pictures so now I just use this camera and use the NIKON for my photography.

I get A LOT of questions about how to take a good makeup photo, and although the steps are the same, the settings vary from camera to camera, AND it also depends whether you can take a decent photo or not.

First of all, many people don't know that you have to press the shutter half way to focus, then press fully down to take the picture. Hence many of their pictures come out blurry. Also, take your picture in nice lighting, not in a dark room, but in places such as your bathroom, by the window, etc.

My old camera was a CANON SD450, and all I had to do with it was put it on AUTO and it did the rest. I never had to touch the settings because it always took the perfect picture. With the newer one, the CANON SD750, the AUTO is TOO bright, thus I have to put my settings as follows:

MANUAL>MACRO (this is the symbol that is depicted by a flower, this allows you to take focused, sharp pictures of close subjects such as your eye(s) or face).

The "+-" sign on this manual setting is the exposure, this controls the intensity of the flash. "0" of course being normal, and -2 being the darkest, +2 being the brightest.

Again, it varies from camera to camera, and person to person. You may not even have to use manual and just AUTO, but the best thing is to take some time and play around with your camera settings to see what works for you.

Reader Question: How do you organize your mineral makeup samples?

I am having fun spending quality time with my bunny, I found out yesterday that it's actually a GIRL, sooooo that means I am changing the name (thank goodness! LOL), I haven't decided what to name it yet, im on the fence whether to name it a normal "human" name, or a cute pet name...so if you have any ideas on the name, let me know!

Q: Vanessa, how do you organize your mineral makeup samples? I have tons of them and want to know what's the best way to store and organize them...thanks!
_______________________________________________________________________________

A: I store all my mineral makeup samples, jars and baggies, upside down in a large sterilite plastic drawer. I store them upside down so that I can see the color of each one quickly and easily, this includes MAC Pigments. I don't worry too much about the product overflowing through the sifter stored upside down because luckily there's always enough product and not overflowing, and besides it's easy to sift it back in the jar...

I use a plastic tray I bought from Wal-Mart, I think it was meant to store pens or kitchen items, but I love it for brushes, pens, etc. You can use a BIGGER tray if you wish, I just store the pigments I use frequently in this tray so it's easy to find, and the trays are pretty deep.



I then organize all of them...






Placed them face down so I can see the colors...

CherryCulture.com Product Review: NYX Black Label Lipstick in "Dusty Rose"

I love lipsticks and lipglosses and my makeup collection consists more of both than eyeshadows or blushes. My favorite? NYX lipsticks! I have always been an avid fan of their “Round Lipsticks” (my favorites colors in the Round Lipstick Series are “Rea”, “Thalia”, and “Pandora”), so I was really excited to give their “Black Label” series a try. I chose “Dusty Rose” which a gorgeous medium pink, essentially a rose pink, which gives a nice natural subtle color on the lips, perfect to wear anywhere with any outfit.
The casing of the black label lipsticks are a bit bigger and thicker than the NYX round lipsticks, but it's every bit of “high class” and decadence at an unbelievable price of $7. The lipstick itself comes on velvety smooth and creamy, and with just the right amount of pigmentation in just a few swipes. What I love about the NYX Black Label lipstick, is that it isn't dry nor does it make your lips dry. It is very moisturizing and there is no odd smell or odd taste with this lipstick, unlike other lipsticks I have tried. And if you already have tried the NYX round lipsticks and loved them (I know I did!), then you are definitely in for a treat! You will love the NYX Black Label lipsticks and you will not be disappointed because you get so many great things in one tube: great price, quality lipstick with great pigmentation, and it's moisturizing; not to mention how many colors there is to choose from.

They have a good amount of colors to choose from and the bottom base of the lipstick is clear so you can see what color it is from the outside, making it easy to choose your color of choice. It's really refreshing that NYX constantly expands their line, adding more eye shadows, premium brushes, lipglosses, and of course lipsticks. They have come up with so many variations, formulas, and different colors that for sure you will find one to tickle your fancy or to even match every outfit!

(No primer)

My new baby bunny!

I have never had a pet in my entire life. Unless goldfishes count...

So at the age of 25, I am proud to have my very first pet- a baby bunny! The BF wants to name it Bugsy Siegal, after one of the mobsters that created Las Vegas by buying Flamingo .

So i've been busy taking care of my newborn bunny, so I apologize for the lack of posts or FOTD's, but they are coming!

He is so tiny he fits in my shoe!



"Daddy" Jon is having a blast feeding our newborn milk from a kitten bottle since he is only a few weeks old...

Tagged!

I've been Tagged by Nicole!

My 6 unspectacular quirks:

* I am a messy person...yet I like being organized, so I am pretty much on top of things and I know how to prioritize, all my makeup is organized, but the rest of my room is messy. Yeah I don't know how that works either, but I know where things are when it's messy and not all neat, pretty weird, but it's why it's a weird unspectacular quirk!

* I am 25 years old but I STILL LOVE Shirley Temples, I order it everywhere I go and luckily most places have it, I guess because I usually eat where there are bars that have grenadine, LOL.

* I can't just close my eyes and go to sleep, even if I am really tired, I have to sorta rock myself to sleep by swaying my leg back and forth in my comforter until I knock out.

* I am really scared of germs that I put those tissue paper seat covers on my OWN toilet! Seriously! I think also mostly because I hate cold toilet seats...LOL.

* I am addicted to Halls Gingerale Flavored Cough Drops.

* I am always late for everything, not on purpose, I just am. I always think I have plenty of ample time to get somewhere only to realize I am running late! Bad habit of mine that the BF hates, LOL.

To play tag, here are the rules:

1. link the person who tagged you.
2. mention the rules in your blog.
3. tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. tag 6 random bloggers by linking them at the end of your post.
5. leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger's blogs letting them know they've been tagged.
6. once your post is up, notify the person who tagged you.

I am tagging: Ren, Chastity, Ethereal Prey, Tracy, Lynne, and Anne!

Product Review and Introduction: Ben Nye Lumiere Grande Colour Palette

Everytime I hear "Ben Nye" I am so tempted to sing "Bill Nye the Science Guy" does anyone remember that show from PBS? LOL. I love how it's also spelled the Canadian/French way, Colour, Grande...makes me miss writing "favourite" or "centre" when I lived in Canada haha.

I remember Ben Nye being known for theater makeup (for the sake of this entry, let's say "theatre"); as well as for face painting at carnivals. The entire Ben Nye line has grown quite a bit and I am glad they are offering so much more products that now cater to us regular gals, giving us the most vibrant colors imaginable at a much better price than let's say MAC.

I had one of their color wheels back in the day and I lost it when I moved, after seeing Lurve's take on it as well as Pursebuzz's, it made me want this even more.

Product: 5 out of 5
Packaging: 2 out of 5
Quality: 4 out of 5
Overall: 4 out of 5
Price: $45-60, Bubbasikes.com, available at theater/cinema makeup places, includes all 12 colors and a brush.

CLICK TO ENLARGE PHOTO AND SEE DETAIL***THESE SWATCHES WERE DONE DRY (NO BASE, NO PRIMER, NOT WET) USING JUST ONE SWIPE FROM MY FINGER


CLICK TO ENLARGE PHOTO

Colors include: (First Row) Ice, Aztec Gold, Silver, Azalea, Cosmic Blue, Sun Yellow
(Second Row) Iced Gold, Tangerine, Chartreuse, Jade, Amethyst, and Cosmic Violet



It's a 12 color palette which is a great dupe for the C-Shock collection (in case you missed out on that), and it's available at MANY Stage/Cinema/Theatre stores, as well as online such as Bubbasikes.com, a clown store oddly enough since it's that pigmented (and it's where I ended up buying mine because shipping was cheaper all in all than the other sites I looked at). Just Google, "Ben Nye Lumiere Grande Colour Palette" and you will have tons of listings to look at so you should have no problem finding it. It also comes with a brush.

The price is anywhere from $45-50.

Expensive? Not really. If you think about it, one MAC eyeshadow costs $14, and even if you get the PRO Pan eyeshadow refills, it's $10.50, and if you had a PRO discount on that, it would be around $6 and some change. BUT, $6 times 12 eyeshadows is already $72, and that's NOT including tax. And I even used the cheapest price you can get MAC eyeshadow refills for!

$14 times 12 eyeshadows at MAC is a whopping $168! So really, this 12 color palette is a frikkin' GOOD DEAL! Also, it's SO MUCH MORE vibrant than MAC in my opinion. And trust me, I've been using MAC for about 2 years, and I don't think it's all that it's been cracked up to be, they have good stuff, but the fun in makeup is exploring other things right??? I would classify the Ben Nye on the same level as Makeup Forever but A LOT cheaper. Makeup Forever has such vibrant colors as well, and they too cater to the industry of photographers, models, and makeup artists, which is why it's easy to see why the colors are just so rich; because you need bright, pigmented makeup for it to show on camera or in Ben Nye's case, on stage.

When I used to model, makeup artists would layer on the makeup and really take the "Smokey Eye" to a whole new level! LOL, but I remember when I worked with Katie, she explained that it's because the camera doesn't pick up any colors when you wear normal, everyday makeup, moreso if flash is involved, there is NO COLOR. So instead of packing on the makeup, the answer was to create a makeup line that takes little effort and little product and just ensuring it's loaded with pigmentation! And Ben Nye definitely did that.

PROS: Very vibrant and pigmented, I love the colors and the variety of colors they have available. A lot cheaper than most brands.

CONS: I hated the packaging! I received mine when I was in San Fran so I was excited to get it and when I opened it, "Aztec Gold" was cracked and a portion of it was shattered, even with alcohol to mend it, it just wasn't the same. :( But nonetheless it still "works". I hate the cheap plastic lids on each eyeshadow, they are hard to take off each one without having them overlap each other and you have to remove it really slowly to avoid damaging the eyeshadow, it's a pain in the ass to do each time, especially when you are working with more than one color in the palette. If anything, I recommend getting the single eyeshadow because of it's own plastic casing although the palette is cheaper....

Overall? I LOVE IT. It's a great brand for anyone who wants more pigmentation for it to show up like those with darker skintones, as well as those who just want more vibrant colors. Ben Nye has other great products as well so check them out!

The BF was excited (and retarded, haha) to test out all the colors on my face, LOL:


Swatches WITHOUT FLASH, natural light, again no base, applied DRY:


Up Close:

Swatches: Green Eyeshadow Comparison & Milani Color Brilliance Eye Pencils

Natural Light (NO FLASH)


I had a few readers who requested I swatch the green eyeshadows I have just to see what shade is closest to one another, so here they are, my favorites are "Bio Green" and Ben Nye's "Chartreuse". I thought Urban Decay's "Graffiti" was closest to Pure Luxe's "Sour Apple". The "Bio Green" I really love because it has so much more of a frostier shimmer (as well as being more pigmented) than the other greens, and it's super pretty in person! It's really just the perfect spring green in my opinion...it's easy to see why it's a PRO color!





I also included swatches of the 3 Milani Color Brilliance Eye Pencils: green, aqua, and purple.



Product: 5 out of 5
Packaging: 5 out of 5
Quality: 5 out of 5
Overall: 5 out of 5
Price: $3.99 available at Target, K-Mart, CVS

PROS: They are so vibrant and they are such pretty colors! I don't know if there are other colors, I haven't really noticed any other than these 3. They stay on my lower lashline longer than any other eye pencil I own (excluding Shadesticks). It honestly stayed on pretty much all day, and the best part? It didn't smudge for me! And who can beat the price???

CONS: I just wish they had more colors!

Overall: You better get your hands on these babies!