If I did all of my Christmas shopping at Sephora 1) my girlfriends (and some boys) would be very happy 2) I would spend 5 hours only in 1 store as opposed to 20 3) I would end up with a lot of good shit (for myself). In reality…. you probably could get a lot of holiday shopping done at Sephora. Have you seen all the holiday value sets and exclusives they have?? Ahh, I die. Here are some of my favorite sets and gifts for the season.

1. Korres Buttered Up set in Pomegranate. Includes lip butter and lip glaze. I got it, I used it, I kissed. Everyone. With my soft, supple, lips. Yeah.  Limited edition.
2. Urban Decay Naked Palette. This is it. THE universally flattering palatte featuring their most gorgeous colors, and their awesome eyeshadow primer as a bonus. They once had a 7 page waiting list for this. Now it’s mine. You can’t go wrong.
3. Philosophy Funnel Cake Stand. A yummy smelling, pretty looking, versatile set of shower gels that triple up as a body wash, shampoo and bubble bath.  Limited edition.
4. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb. A sweet floral awakening.
5. Clarisonic Skincare Brush. Sonicare cleaned your teeth. Now they want to clean your face. The brush moves 300+ per second, leaving you the cleanest, healthiest looking skin you’ve ever had. It’s like sex skin. You glow.
6. Paperself Eyelashes. Die cut falsies inspired by the art of Chinese paper-cutting. The newest concept on the market. Gorgeous.
7. Hello Kitty Noir Palette. 25 silky eyeshadows, 10 sweet lip glosses, and oh-so-cute. How can you say no to Kitty? Limited Edition.
8.  Nars Yorokobi Super Orgasm set. Kick it up a notch for the holidays with this gold-fleck infused peachy pink color for lips, cheeks and nails. Tis’ the season for flirting. Limited Edition.
9. Sephora by OPI. Sparkle and glimmer. Sugar Plum Fairies Gone Wild, Traffic Stopper, Don’t be Eggnogious, Be-Claus I said so.
10. Nails Inc. Magnetic Polish. Yes, magnetic particles in your polish can create 3D nail art… with the influence of a magnet. So revolutionary. So cool. So serious.

XO,

At one point in my wise life, I started wearing false lashes everyday. The more I wore them, the more I was addicted because obviously, they make you look prettier. They make your eyes look bigger. And they make you look more feminine. However, I HATED the fact that they were fake. And I hated that they would start peeling and come off through the day. Not to mention, you can’t go swimming, go for a body massage… and a lot of other things because well, you’d ruin your lashes or they’d fall off.

And then… all of a sudden, a whole bunch of lash growing serums started appearing. And as skeptical as I was, I couldn’t stop imagining how sweeeet it would be to have naturally long lashes… and to be able to apply mascara to something longer than a 5mm stump. (Not really, but almost.)

And it worked.  I used the FDA approved treatment, Latisse, and my lashes have grown longer, thicker and darker. They say a bottle lasts you 1 month, but I’ve been using Latisse for 5 months and I’m only on my 2nd bottle. When I first got it, I used it everyday. Now that my lashes are at a good length, I use it every few days.

Like all things, there are some potential side effects such as darkening of the eye lid area (which is reversed if application is stopped), iris pigmentation (which did not occur in clinical studies but would be permanent), dryness etc etc. And, it is only recommended to be applied to your upper lashes… because if you apply them elsewhere, unwanted hair growth my occur. And it’s true. I used it on my lower lashes and they grew… but so did some peach fuzz right under the lower corner of my eyes. BUT it was not noticeable. And I stopped. So it’s gone.

Main point is, it works. But there are side effects. Just like tanning, laser eye surgery, laser hair removal, vitamin supplements, using your cell phone too much… consuming alcohol. Aside from Latisse which you need to get prescribed, a few of my gal pals have used over-the-counter lash growth serums and they seem to work too.

What do you think?

XO,

PS. I think this is the most content I’ve ever written. Kudos to me!

[ Note: mascara applied to lashes in both images ]

Unlike the crew on Jersey Shore, there’s no smashin’ and smooshin’ this Valentine’s ’cause I just don’t have energy for that.  Sorry boys. What I do have energy for is staring at myself in the mirror and satisfying my make-up addiction with Smashbox cosmetics from Apothica. I’m so vain.

And so superficial. Is there anything I don’t want? Nah.

1. Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion in Diffuse
2. Lip Enhancing Gloss in Pop
3. Step by Step Contouring Kit
4. Blush Rush in Paradise
5. Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion in Glow
6. Eyelights Palatte in Beam
7. O-Gloss Intuitive Gloss with Goji Berry-C Complex

+Sweet Apothica Giveaway!

Because I know you’re just the same, you deserve to treat yourself to something you actually want this V-Day with my Apothica giveaway!

the deal. From February 15-28, you can enter to win a $25 gift card to use on Apothica, SkinCareRX or SkinBotanica. With competitive prices and tons of high profile brands to choose from like Too Faced, Christian Dior, Shiseido, Smashbox, and Ole Henrickson, you’d be stupid not to.

how to enter.

visit apothica.com + do one or more of the follwing….

• Share your thoughts about Apothica on their Facebook page and mention the Bunnie Bar
  Bonus Entry: Sign up for Apothica’s newsletter
• Tweet @Apothica and @thebunniebar and let us know what you love about Apothica cosmetics
  Bonus Enty: Retweet Apothica’s tweet about my sweet giveaway!
• Share your thoughts about Apothica on your blog
  Bonus Entry: Tell us what you like about Smashbox and include a link to Apothica

Leave a comment letting me know about all of the entries you’ve submitted and don’t forget to include your email so I can get in touch with you!

Contest ends March 1st at 12am PST and is open internationally. However, Apothica does not ship to all countries. Visit Apothica for details.

This year, it’s all about you. After all, girls will be girls and boys will just be toys.

XO,

Hello Kitty + Sephora….

Has got to be the @#$%ing best collaboration ever. And, I must also be the @#$%ing last person to know about this. Considering that Hello Kitty is in my roots, and that we share the same birthday (Nov 1. Mark. It. Down.) I should be the FIRST to know. Right? Right.

Embarrassment from being out of the loop aside, I love this line. It’s like Hello Kitty for MAC – without the edge. But unlike Hello Kitty for MAC, I’m making sure I get my hands on the shit I want… before it becomes the shit I wish I had.

Like what? Like the brush set. Apparently the brushes suck, but the case? Too cute to not have. And the compact. And hand held mirror. And the perfume…. bottle. And nail polish… bottle. And.. all the packaging. Cute packaging and manipulative marketing makes me weak. Does anyone know if the quality of this line is actually good? Oh well, like I care.

Sephora in Richmond Center already has few of the products, but I heard Sephora in Pacific Center Downtown will be releasing the line early this week. BAM. I’m there.

So what does your kitty desire?

XO,

1. Nivea Visage Aqua Sensation – First thing that touches my face after water each morning. An invigorating and hydrating day cream with cucumber extract that freshens and wakens me up. Oh, hello! Also contains UVA/UVB protection.
2. Bare Escentuals Prime Time - bareVitamins foundation primer that smooths out skin, leaving it even and consistent for make-up application. I smooth this all over my face after my day cream has absorbed. Contains plant extracts, vitamins E and C and age-defying power.
3. Benefit Ooh La Lift – An eye booster that brightens eyes, making dark circles less visible through light-reflecting pigments. NOT a bag vanishing cream – it simply reflects light so circles look lighter. If you apply some and you can’t notice a thing: 1. You’re blind. 2. Tilt your head in different directions towards light and you will see it.
4. Benefit That Gal – A face brightening primer that brightens your face and evens out your skin tone. It’s light, has a pink tinge to it and smells delicious.  I use this after Prime Time by Bare Escentuals and before anything else.
5. Sheer Cover Concealor - You might be thinking Sheer Cover? I’ve never heard of that. So I was watching TV late at night when this infomercial (yes, infomercial!) came on. Too lazy to change the channel I kept watching… and watching… and watching. And then I was hooked. I finally came over the embarrassment of what I was doing and called in to buy it… only to find out it’s unavailable in Canada. So I ordered online and shipped it to the border. Check it: Sheer Cover.  Light-weight, great coverage, smooth texture. Yes, I’m a loser.
6. Too Faced Brow Envy – A complete brow control set I use to get those perfect eyebrows.
7. Rimmel Lash Maxxx – Rated R goodness in a hot pink and black tube. Need I say more? But really, I like this for its comb-toothed application brush. I only use it for my bottom lashes, and it gets every. single. one. By the time I’m finished with this, I actually have lashes.
8. MAC Lipstick – Stands out on the runway. Shimmers on the street. It’s true. Hue is one of my favorite cremesheen lipsticks. A creamy, nudie pink to give you that sexy, barely there pout.
9. Shu Uemura Curler – It’s a great eyelash curler. It really is. The only thing I don’t like (as I mentioned in a previous post) is that you can’t buy extra replacement pads for it.
10. Nars Blush/Bronzer Duo – in Orgasm and Laguna. It’s a pair made in heaven. I use the bronzer all over my face for a sun-kissed glow and the blush for my barely existent cheekbones.
11. Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner – Inexpensive, smooth and bold. What more do you need?
12. Ardell Lashes – My absolute favorite brand of falsies. After all, I love my falsies.  The 110s are perfect for when you need to look extra flirtatious during the day without over-doing it. One of my pet peeves: Girls who don’t know the difference between a day and night look.
13. Cargo Eyelighter – I’m so happy I found you. With a double ended tip, you get both matte and shimmer for highlighting. Not sure how to use it? Just follow Cargo’s how to tutorial. Sephora stopped carrying Cargo, but you can find it at Eccotique Spas and Beauty Mark in Yaletown. At $20, it’s a steal!

And there you have it. All the shit that goes on this bunnie face most mornings.

XO,

But at the end of the day, whoever came up with the idea of false lashes is genius! I’ve tried a couple of different brands, but Ardell Lashes has been my favorite so far — they’re soft and flexible,  come in many different styles and are affordable too.

Here are the styles I regularly use. The 110′s are great for a natural daytime look, while the 117′s and 120′s are perfect for evenings. As for the 102′s, I use them for day and night. The only thing about them is that they look less natural.

I love using DUO eyelash adhesive to put on lashes. The  dark tone is great, especially if your application techniques are less than perfect. Just apply some eyeliner on first and the glue will blend right in!

Applying False Lashes…

1. Match lash strip to your own eyelid and trim off any excess lash from the outer edge.
2. Apply a thin layer of eyelash glue to the strip and let dry for 30 seconds. This allows time for the glue to become stickier.
3. Close your eye and place eyelashes directly above your natural lash line. Generally, you want to put the lashes on to match the angle of your real lashes, but if the angle of your natural lashes isn’t what you like, try tilting it slightly upwards. I don’t have double eyelids (boo!) so when I apply lashes, I like to angle the lash strip slightly upward than that of my regular lashes… making my eyes appear bigger! Make sense?
4. Gently curl lashes if needed and apply light mascara on the tips for a more dramatic but natural look. After all, what girly girl doesn’t wear mascara on a regular basis??

When you’re done with the falsies for the day, carefully peel them off from one edge to the other and pick off any adhesive clumps, but be careful not to rip any of the hairs off. Store them back in the box to retain shape and keep them clean for next time!

You can re-use eyelashes over and over again depending on how well you keep them. I’ve used a single pair every day for almost a month before they started wearing out…. I probably should have thrown them out sooner… for sanitary reasons! But I do keep them pretty clean!

:)

XO,

]]> http://bunniebar.com/2010/07/i-love-my-falsies/feed/ 11 http://bunniebar.com/2010/04/erase-paste/ http://bunniebar.com/2010/04/erase-paste/#comments Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:14:27 +0000 Bunnie http://bunniebar.com/?p=2621 “Benefit Erase Paste is a concentrated, creamy, blendable concealer that instantly brightens and camouflages all-in-one. It has an innovative formula which makes sure signs of stress and fatigue are a thing of the past. These three brightening neutral shades give every gal correction perfection.“

Average Rating on Sephora: 4/5

I’ve left the world of MAC concealers and switched over to Erase Paste by Benefit. When I first tried this, I was surprised by the consistency of it. Erase Paste is not as ‘hard’ as a lot of other concealers I’ve tried. It’s much more ‘liquidy’  while still being thick enough to provide the right amount of coverage. Yet, it’s not heavy. It goes on smoothly hasn’t left any area looking caked on or dry. I guess paste is the perfect way to explain it.

The concealer comes with a mini spatula and a small booklet to teach you how to use it for under eye coverage, Marionette grooves, and other imperfection spots.

I’m actually quite impressed with this. It’s good in my books!

XO,

About a year ago, I switched over to the Shu Uemura eyelash curler because I heard that it was the best one out there. And I have to admit, it curls well and curls all my lashes { not that there is much to curl, pout }. This eyelash curler also comes with an extra silicone replacement pad like all eyelash curlers should. Nice.

I wore out the silicone pad that came with the curler quite some time ago, so I switched to the replacement. Over time { probably not very long } I ended up tearing a rip in the replacement too. Maybe I’m curling my lashes too hard? Anyways, curling with a rip in the pad is a bad idea. Your eyelashes get caught and then… they’re gone! Thank goodness for falsies, right?

I finally made my way down to the Shu Uemura counter at Holt Renfrew to buy some replacements. And guess what? Shu Uemura does NOT sell replacement pads! The associate explained that the curler comes with a replacement pad, and each pad should last about 3-6 months. By the time both pads are done with, it’s time to replace the eyelash curler anyway.

. . . . .

But there’s NOTHING wrong with the curler itself. It’s in pristine condition. It’s flawless. Perfect. I’ve only owned 3 eyelash curlers all my life, and you’re telling me I should be replacing them every 6-12 months? I can’t imagine why… it’s not like it’s unsanitary. You can clean it!

How often do you replace your eyelash curler?

Have you ever thought about it?

Regardless, I learned something new:

• An eyelash curler pad should last you up to 6 months max, probably less
• The eyelash curler itself should be replaced every 6-12 months
• Sometimes it’s genuinely difficult to believe things sales associates tell you — do you really need to replace your curler that often, do you really??

XO,

We all have features that we pay more attention to. For me, it’s eyes. Yes, yes. I’m a girly girl, but in all the years of trying to put on makeup and take care of my face, I’ve failed to devote my attention to one thing: eyebrows.

Now before you yell at me for my negligence,  I have gotten my brows did {like 8 years ago}, I do keep them groomed and I define them everyday… you wouldn’t want to see me without. Trust me. So, it’s safe to say that I’m fairly presentable in public. {Although I wish my mom or someone told me how ugly my thick eyebrows were early in high school and that girls were supposed to pluck ! Now I look back in embarrassment. Ya feel me?}

Recently, I paid a visit to the Benefit Brow Bar and the aesthetician made me realized how much of an impact eyebrows can have on your look. Just a small change in they way you do them can make you look so much better, or so much worse!

“A professional brow arch creates the perfect frame for your face. You’ll look instantly refreshed… like you’ve had a mini makeover!”

Jean & Jane Ford
Co-creators of Benefit Cosmetics

How do you get the perfect eyebrows?

{ How to shape eyebrows } from the Brow Bar and more…

• Biggest mistake: removing too much hair! Pluck some. Step back. Look at yourself. Then pluck some more.
• We all know to pluck under the brows… but what about above? Don’t be afraid to go there if you need to.
• The front of your brow should align with the inner corner of your eyes, or closer. To find where your brow should start, take a pencil and hold it parallel to one side of your nose.
• The end of your brow should be in line with your nose and the outer corner of your eye.
• The arch of your brow should start after the outer side of your iris
• Yes, your brow hair CAN be too long. You’d trim your nose hairs if they were sticking out wouldn’t you?

{ What I use }

1. Anastasia Perfect Brow Pencil – Anastasia is made for brows! I found this easy to use as it colors nicely and comes with a brush on the other end to tame your brows. $22

2. Too Faced Brow Envy Shaping and Defining Kit - It is what it is. A kit. Comes with 2 brow shades, brow wax, brow stencils, tweezers, angled brow brush, and pencil with brush. Almost perfect. It just needs a pair of trimmers! $35

Anastasia has great brow products. A bit pricy, but the brow pencil is the best one I’ve ever used. I started using powder recently and I find that it allows you to create a much more natural look and it’s great for blending too. However, it takes me a lot longer to do my brows with powder and honestly, I’m not very good at it. It’s like an art… that I suck at. As for the stencils, I don’t like using them… or maybe I just don’t know how.  { Help? } I usually end up using both powder and pencil – powder to softly darken the brows and pencil for more definition and edge.

Right now, I’m all for the natural and fuller shape. Anyone remember high arched eyebrows that made you look like you were a permanently angry… or surprised? Ugh Anyways, if you’ve neglected your eyebrows, book an appointment at a beauty counter to get them done. Totally worth it. 

How do you do your brows?

XO,

“This lightweight eye treatment is hands (and bags) down your best bet for fighting persistent puff (or temporary post-party peeper-fatigue). Cucumber and cornflower extracts and fine line-whittling wheat proteins reduce incumbent wrinkles, leaving you looking bright-eyed (even when you feel bushed).”

Average Rating on Sephora: 4.5/5

I LOVE BAGS!!!! Designer bags… shopping bags… and hobo bags, that is.

Santa never seems to listen to me {or maybe I’m just too naughty}. So instead of discovering a Marc Jacobs bag under the tree for Christmas each year, I ‘m stuck with major EYE bags hanging on to my face…. not for one day a year, but for every day of the year. Every. Year.

Not to mention, I got two of them. Last time I checked, I only asked for one.

Here’s the story… I’ve had under eye bags since as long as I can remember and I’ve come to accept the fact that I’m just going to look like shit every morning and receive ‘Awww you look tired’ comments on a regular basis. { Don’t tell a girl she looks tired. That’s just a nicer way of saying ‘you look like shit.‘ }

I started using Bliss Baggage Handler two months ago. I’ve heard great reviews about the product and it was recommended to me by an awesomely cool guy at Sephora. Haay! It comes in a clear light weight gel that’s easy to apply and has as soothing, fresh feeling to it. It works to remove puffiness under the eye and is also suppose to have long term effects – that’s what I’m starting to see. The gel contains elements that work to drain water, decreasing puffiness and also tightens the skin so that once the water is drained, you’re not left with saggy skin. Sounds pretty good to me. Next time you’re at Sephora, get yourself a sample!

It hasn’t completely removed my under eye bags – mine are pretty heavy. But for people that it’s only a minor issue for, I’ll bet it works wonders! I’ve tried a lot of products that claim to decrease puffy eyes…. yeah yeah, you liars.

How do you treat under eye bags?

XO,