Free International Data Roaming with T-Mobile? Yes, Please!!!

Do you find yourself traveling abroad sometimes and thinking, “Man. I wish I could still use my phone without having to spend extra money on an international data plan or on some random SIM card.”?

Check out T-Mobile. I found out a week after coming back from a trip abroad (and after about $100 in overages thanks to my old wireless provider’s craptastic international roaming package that provided a whopping 120 MB for $30 USD) that T-Mobile provides free, unlimited international data and text to its customers in just about every country. I switched without hesitation.

I can understand if you're not interested because they don't have great coverage in your particular area, but their plans are less expensive and better in general, so if you have that option available to you, TAKE IT!

If you already have an unlocked GSM phone, your transition will be smooth. If not, you'll need to get a few things ready before making the move, like unlocking your phone for use with other carriers. Check out my post on how to prep your old smartphone before upgrading for some tips.

There is the possibility of having to buy a new phone, especially if you're coming from a provider like Verizon or Sprint, which run on CDMA networks (as opposed to GSM, which is what T-Mobile runs on). Some people have found success bringing their iPhones from Verizon to T-Mobile, so don't lose hope! You can also go to T-Mobile's website to check if your current phone is compatible with their network. 

I was a longtime patron of my previous wireless provider and felt some weird sense of loyalty to their company all this time, even though I knew theirs was probably not the BEST deal I could get. If you're like me, I just want to tell you that it's all BS. Wake up! These companies are not your family nor your friend. They are multi-billion dollar corporations, and they don't care about you - they care about your MONEY!

Your cellphone is but a tool that helps you navigate through your life. Pick your carrier based on which one will serve you best for now.


** This is an unpaid message brought to you by a disgruntled former customer of a certain wireless provider that shall remain nameless but they own a ballpark in a certain “city by the bay”. **

A Fresh(er) Outlook

First of all, Happy New Years (both Gregorian and Lunar)!!!  Whatever new things you've got planned for your life, let this be the year!

Or not. No pressure. :-)

With the beginning of each new year, many people (myself included) feel the need to reevaluate the past year and see what changes they could make to become a better person. I think this becomes more true as we start approaching our middle-age years, when we have some space to reassess our careers and milestones.

In previous years on this blog, I touched on dealing with perfectionism and jealousy. This time, I want to talk about self-love and acceptance.

Recently, through my work, I learned about a lovely woman named Gabby Bernstein.  For those of you who aren't familiar with her or her work, she is a life coach and motivational speaker who has written quite a few best selling self-help books.  Search for her on YouTube, and you'll find thousands of videos that will help you better acquaint yourself with her work.

In one of her recent talks, she discussed the issue of jealousy and how it is a symptom of a lack of or barrier to self-love.  The way she talked about it opened my eyes to something that really hit home and made me feel the need to share it with as many people as possible.

Merriam-Webster describes jealousy as "an unhappy or angry feeling of wanting to have what someone else has." So, here's the question: have you thought - REALLY thought - about why you want what someone else has so badly that you begin to feel negatively towards them?  Many people think that it's because the other person doesn't deserve those things.  But then, who does deserve it?  You?  Because now you're saying that you are not happy with what you currently have and can only be happy when you have that other thing.  And that, my friends, is a lack of self-worth, a lack of self-love.

The secret to finding the truth is looking inward.  The secret to finding the cure is to flip the script.

Yeah, you may not have that senior title with the corner office and six-figure salary, but are you really so bad off?  You might not have a vacation home or an expensive sports car, but you seem to have the means to be reading this random blog post in your spare time.  You're still alive, you're still breathing, and you have access to the internet.  Many people would argue that that's not such a bad place to be.  Yes, you don't have what THEY have, but you do have many things that a lot of other people don't have as well.

Loving yourself doesn't mean that you no longer aspire to be better.  Loving yourself means that you respect your being and are proud of what you have been able to accomplish thus far.  You are thankful for the people and things that are currently in your life and want to honor them and yourself by becoming a better person.

Can you become a better person through jealousy and competitiveness?  You would certainly be driven.  But better?  How can you truly be better if you never think that what you are or what you have is ever good enough?

Think about that for a second.  Your soul might thank you.

The Automated Life

First of all, Happy New Year!  2015 is going to be great!  Yeah!

Okay.  Now back to our regularly scheduled program...

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time looking into ways I can upgrade my life through automation.  We don't have readily available self-driving cars (yet), but we do have a smoke detector that will talk to us instead of shrieking.  It's so kind, it'll even text us to let us know if it detects smoke while we're away.

Do you want to be able to control the lights and other electronics in your house while you're on vacation?  Or maybe, like me, you're one of those who has to turn around and head back home just to make sure the curling iron was turned off.  Never fear - WeMo is here!

Unfortunately for me, my disposable income doesn't allow for much more than the occasional tube of lipstick these days.  It will be a while before my home is on its way to sentience.

In addition to gazing endlessly at all of the lovely gadgets I can't afford, I've been tinkering with "recipes" on "If This Then That" (IFTTT), a free service that allows you to create simple programs to automate things across some of your favorite websites and apps.

I know, I know.  "Programming?!  Buh!!!"  But I swear it's easier than you think!

IFTTT programs (or "recipes," as they're called) only consist of 2 elements: a trigger and an action.  If something is triggered, then there will be an action.

To give you an example, here is one of my favorite recipes:


How does this recipe work?  If it finds a picture on Instagram that has a particular hashtag, then it will save it into a folder in your Dropbox account.  In other words, it allows you to save all of the pictures your guests post onto Instagram of your wedding (or whatever type of party or event).  All you have to do is ask them to add a designated hashtag to all of the pictures they post of the party, and IFTTT will do the rest.

One of the cool things you can do with this particular recipe (in addition to making an awesome scrapbook) is to have a laptop connected to a projector or TV at your event and have it play a slideshow from the synced Dropbox folder.  You and your guests will be able to enjoy the pictures throughout the course of the party.

Before you can start creating recipes, you'll need to activate all the "channels" you'd like to use (a.k.a. give permission for IFTTT to access your apps).  Once activated, you'll have access to each channel's various triggers and actions so that you can customize your recipes.  By activating the weather channel and the Phone Call channel, for instance, you can have IFTTT give you a wake-up call with the day's weather forecast every morning.  Or use the weather channel and the WeMo Light Switch channel to have your porch lights (outfitted with a WeMo Light Switch) automatically turn on at sunset and off at sunrise.  The possibilities are endless!

Here are a few of my own:









You may ask, Why?  Is it really so hard to click a few extra buttons and do these things yourself?  No, it's not.  But it is tedious.  That's what automation is all about.  It's not there to make you lazy; it's there to make you more efficient.  Why waste your time and energy doing tedious things, when you can use that extra time on other work or being with your loved ones?  If you're anything like me, you could probably use that extra time to just relax.

Everyone's Talking About Phones!

The Apple Pie Phone 6
(now with real fruit filling)

I don't have any strong feelings towards a particular brand or model of smartphone.  As a gadget enthusiast, I like them all!  If my wallet could support it, I'd buy one of each.  But alas, my fate is such that I can choose only/barely one.

Recently, for some reason, a lot of my friends and acquaintances on social networking sites have been asking for advice or complaining about new smartphones.  They're eligible for an upgrade and want advice about switching from an iPhone to an Android, or they just switched over and now they're not getting text messages anymore.  They just can't figure it out! 

I'm going to sound like an asshole for saying this, but I'm going to say it anyway: technology is only as advanced as the people using it.  I'm not saying that to make fun of anyone or to be cruel.  I'm saying it because, whether you're going from iOS to Android or vice versa, you need to take the time to learn the new system before you can get used it.  A smartphone is only a tool, and it can only do as much as you know what to do with it.  Unless your new phone's giving you real problems, don't give up so quickly.

That said, here are a few tips for those of you who are getting rid of your old iPhones (even if you're upgrading to another iPhone).  Many of these tips also apply to non-iPhone users.

1.  First and foremost, back up your data!
Your contacts, your photos, whatever.  Plug your iPhone into your computer, open up iTunes, and "Back Up Now."  Alternatively, you can use iCloud by going to Settings (on your iPhone) > iCloud > Backup > Back Up Now.

If you're upgrading to a newer iPhone, then this step will be instrumental in seamlessly resetting all of your old contacts, settings and apps on your new phone.  Just plug in your new iPhone and hit "Restore Backup..." (you'll most likely have to choose which backup you want to restore from - they're all designated by the date and time of the backup).  If you're switching over to an Android phone, then you will have to transfer your old contacts to a Google/Gmail account (Android is developed by Google and, therefore, makes use of a Google/Gmail account).

If you're switching from an Android to an iPhone, then follow the steps outlined in this article to transfer all of your contacts, photos, and other media.

2.  Make sure you turn off iMessage on your old iPhone before activating your new smartphone.
Why?  Because of this.  Many former iPhone users have run into a problem where they no longer receive text messages because their iMessage is still active on their old phone.  Remedying the issue can be easy if you have your old iPhone still on you.  If you don't, you'll have to deal with Apple Customer Support, which can be not as easy.  Go to Settings > Messages to access this option.

3.  While you're at it, delete your iCloud account and restore your phone to factory settings.
Go to Settings > iCloud, and scroll to the bottom to sign out.  Why are we doing this?  To make sure the next person who uses your old phone won't have access to your info and files.  This is also so you don't get random pictures in your iCloud Photo stream.  And just to double make sure, go ahead and wipe the memory clean.  You can restore your phone through iTunes or by going to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.

4.  Get your old smartphone unlocked.
Unlocking your old phone will give you more options when trying to sell it because it opens it up for use on different wireless networks and in different countries.  If you've fulfilled your 2-year contract with your carrier, your old phone should be eligible to be unlocked.  Here are links to instructions on how to unlock your smartphone on the 3 major wireless providers (U.S.):

• AT&T
• Verizon
• Sprint

5.  Don't forget to remove your old sim card and/or get your phone deactivated by your wireless provider!
Since you'll need your sim card for your new phone to work, make sure you take it out of your old phone before you give it away.


Now that you've prepped your old phone for a proper send off, it's time to sell it.  Most smartphones (iPhones in particular) have pretty decent resale values.  Assuming you haven't already promised your old phone to a friend or family member, you could stand to make at least $100 (depending on the model and the phone's condition), enough to cover some of the costs of your new phone.

How to Stop Being that Passive-Aggressive, Jealous Friend...

... Or get closer to stopping, at the very least.

There are enough articles, blog posts, and inspirational images being passed around telling the world that one of the most important ways to lead a happy life is to stop comparing yourself to others.  Stop being jealous of everyone else!

Okay, but how?  That's like telling an overweight person to stop being fat, or a kid with poor grades to stop being stupid.  Just stop being jealous!

Thanks for the advice!  [passive-aggressive smiley face]

A--hole. 

I am no stranger to being jealous of others.  I touched lightly upon the subject of living with competitiveness and perfectionism in my own personal life in an earlier post.  Having a competitive and perfectionist personality can lead to a lot of jealousy.  And it can be towards anyone - family/friends or complete strangers, famous or not-so-famous, extremely successful or just a little bit successful.  If I see or hear about someone doing something that seems better than what I'm doing at this very moment, then that evil, green-eyed monster begins to rear its ugly head.

So, how do we even begin?  Jealousy can be a strong trait and, from personal experience, one that is difficult to correct.  But there are ways, my friends.  It gets better!  We can become better!

Thanks to social networking sites, it has become increasingly difficult to stop comparing yourself to others.  But just remember this: you're only seeing the highlights.  You don't know what's going on behind the scenes of their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram feed.  Of course most people are only going to post about the exciting and new things in their lives.  Not everyone is going to constantly update their feeds with, "Nothing on TV.  Guess I'll just binge watch some Hoarders and Honey Boo Boo while finishing off this fresh pint of ice cream I just opened five minutes ago."  ...  Well, maybe I might... but not your average FB oversharer.

In addition to them choosing to not share the not-so-illustrious moments of their lives, have you also considered how hard these people worked or what they've had to go through to achieve their success?  Probably not.  

The point is that you know everything about yourself - your strengths AND your weaknesses.  You know when and where you messed up (for the most part), but you don't know these same sort of intimate details about these other people.  You only know what they share, and most people only share the good stuff.  So, try to stop comparing your lowest to their highest - you'll never win.

Putting Facebook feeds into perspective. "What's On Your Mind?" by the HigtonBros.

Okay, great.  I know what to look out for.  So, now what?  Stop being fat?  Yeah, f- you, too!

I received some great advice from a coworker recently.  She was telling me about a rough break-up and how she had to find a new place to live ASAP.  A family friend offered her a room until she could get back on her feet again.  Unfortunately, she and her new roommate didn't click very well (friends don't always make the best roommates), and my coworker found herself in yet another unpleasant situation.

She didn't have any other options open to her, so she decided to stick it out.  Eventually, her relationship with her roommate and just things in general became better.

How?  At the time, my coworker was also unemployed (which was one of the many points of contention between her and her new roommate), so she would go on long walks with her dog every day just to get out of the house.  During these walks, she would meditate.  Not in the sense where you sit cross-legged on the ground and om.  It was more like when you're in the middle of doing a mindless activity (in her case, long walks), and you sort of let your mind wander and think about a billion random things.

Instead of thinking about what a jerk her roommate was being, my coworker decided to start praying for her roommate.  She knew her roommate was having a hard time at work and going through personal problems of her own, so my coworker decided to start praying for her well-being.  My coworker said that when she started doing that, she started to feel more at peace with herself and her situation, and felt genuinely happy for her roommate whenever good things came about.

I took that story to heart and decided to implement that practice into my own life.  Call it prayer (if you're religious), meditation (if you're more "spiritual" than "religious"), or refocusing your thoughts (if you don't like using religious terminology at all) - whenever I do this, it always makes me feel a ton lighter.

It has to be something you do on a regular basis.  It can be a part of your daily prayer or meditation (if that's what you do), but it can also be during a workout, or while you clean the house or do laundry.  For me, it's in the shower.  Whatever routine, mindless activity you perform where you can let your mind wander (and it usually ends up wandering towards how much you're really annoyed by this particular person) is the perfect time to do this.

And don't try to save the whole world.  Try to only choose a few, specific people you feel strongly towards and have a relationship with, and be specific with the (good) things you want for them.  I want this friend to have a good outcome with this project at work she's been stressed out about for the last month.  I want that friend to find clarity and the strength to accomplish a particular life goal.  Things that you know these people in your life are going through and could use the extra love and support in dealing with.

When you start training your mind to want good things for those around you, you start to feel genuinely happy for them and their achievements.  Maybe you might get a little haughty (or slightly delusional) and start wondering if these good things didn't come about because of your prayers for them, but at least you'll feel happy, and perhaps not as jealous of your friends' and family members' accomplishments.

Dr. Bronner's Magic Pure Castile Classic Liquid Soap: A Natural, Green Alternative to Makeup Cleansing Oils

I'm not gonna lie; I'm an extremely lazy person.  I simply cannot be bothered when it comes to removing makeup.  Why do we need so much cleansing and wiping?  That's why I find cleansing oils so wonderful.  I can remove a full face of makeup in one easy step.  I mean, think of all the waste in cotton pads and tissues!  Think of your raw, irritated skin!!!  Why put yourself through all of that when a good cleansing oil will take care of everything???

As I mentioned before, cleansing oils are more of an Asian thing.  Although cleansing oils are gaining popularity here in the States, it still tends to be the Asian brands that make them (e.g. Shu Uemura and Shiseido, to name a couple).

You can generally find these at your local Sephora or department store counter, but these brands tend to be a little pricey.  As I write this, a 150 mL (5 oz) bottle of a Shu Uemura cleansing oil is upwards of $31 (USD), and a 450 mL (15-16 oz) bottle is upwards of $67.

If you have an Asian grocery store near you, you may be able to find a more reasonably priced bottle of cleansing oil in their cosmetics aisle.  My last one came from my local Mitsuwa - a 150 mL bottle of cleansing oil from Kracie's Purenavi line ($15).

Now, here's the thing - the main ingredient in most of these cleansing oils is mineral oil.  You can find mineral oil in many cosmetic products, from high end moisturizers to your run-of-the-mill baby oil.  People have used it for ages - it does the job.

But what is it exactly?  The name "mineral oil" sounds like it could be a type of fancy essential oil derived from natural minerals...  Alas, a quick search on the internet will tell you the truth: it's a petroleum by-product.  Yes, "petroleum," as in Vaseline, fossil fuels and crude oil.  "Petroleum," as in it could be harmful to your skin and overall health.

So, what does one who wants to lead a more green and natural lifestyle do?  Run to your local Target, drug store, or health food store, and pick up a bottle of Dr. Bronner's Magic Pure Castile Classic Liquid Soap.  You know the one I'm talking about - that plastic bottle of clear, amber-colored liquid with all the crazy writing on the label.

From their website:

Unlike any you’ve ever used. A combination of organic extra virgin coconut, olive, jojoba and hemp oils, together with pure essential oils, creates a unique soap that cleans effectively without being aggressive and produces a velvety-lather that leaves the skin silky-smooth and refreshed.

Completely Biodegradable and Vegetable-Based Made with Certified Fair Trade and Organic Oils Multi-Purpose: 18-in-1 Uses No Synthetic Foaming Agents, Thickeners or Preservatives 100% Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) Cylinder Bottles and Paper Labels Simple, Ecological Formulations Based on Old-World Quality and Expertise #1-Selling Natural Brand of Soaps in North America

INGREDIENTS: Water, Saponified Organic Coconut*, Organic Palm* and Organic Olive* Oils (w/Retained Glycerin), Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Essential Oils**, Citric Acid, Vitamin E * FAIR TRADE Ingredients ** Available in Peppermint, Lavender, Almond, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Rose and Citrus Orange

Sure, you could use a bottle of any regular, natural oil (jojoba, olive, coconut, etc.) to work in and wipe off, but that method tends to leave greasy messes both on your face and in your sink.  Not only is Dr. Bronner's made from organic, natural oils, but it's formulated so that it rinses off clean.

Dr. Bronner's comes in several scents, but my sensitive skin and I prefer the unscented, "Baby Mild" formula (pictured above).

Directions

How do you use it?  Not too different from how you would use a cleansing oil.  Starting with a dry face, put about half a tablespoon or so of the liquid soap in your hand.  Mix in a little bit of water (the soap needs to be diluted for easier use).  Some sudsing is okay.

Apply the soap directly to your face.  Work it in so that you break down all the makeup.  Just be careful not to get any of the soap into your eyes - IT WILL STING.

Once you're confident that you've worked the soap into getting every bit of makeup on your face (takes me about a minute or two), rinse off well with water et voilà!  Your face should be spick-and-span!  Even the waterproof mascara - no sign whatsoever!

(NOTE: In this video, you'll see that I have some black marks on my hands.  I wrote on the back of my hands with a black Sharpie before applying the makeup so that I could tell which cleanser I used on which hand.  If you look carefully, you can see that one says "cleansing oil" and the other "Dr. Bronner's."  I just want to make it clear that the marks are not from leftover makeup.)


The only thing that I've noticed is that Dr. Bronner soaps tend to leave a little bit of a squeaky feeling on your skin.  I think it's a characteristic of using an all natural, oil-based soap rather than it being the result of any sort of residue.  But if you're used to a more slick feeling after washing your face, just follow it up with a quick once-over with your regular, daily cleanser.

How much will a bottle of Dr. Bronner's set you back?  I bought a 32 oz bottle from Target for $16.99.  Go to town!

Budget-friendly Beauty: DIY Body Scrub

A day late, I know. Sorry! :-I

Anyway, this time, rather than highlighting a product for purchase, I thought I'd share a little do-it-yourself project with you. I know; very "Martha Stewart" of me.

If you are like me, your bedroom/bathroom/storage closet is abundant with various body creams, butters, milks, and/or lotions. Birthdays, Christmas, random "Thank You" gifts - there's always at least a few people who decide to give you random skin care gift baskets. The problem is, it's always more than you could ever use in your lifetime.


So, what to do with all these bath and body goodies? Well, other than re-gifting them, you can actually put them to use!

You know all those body scrubs you find at the store? Yes, exfoliation is key to good-looking skin, but that stuff is not cheap! Now, you don't have to bother wasting your money on that stuff. You can make your own at home at little to no cost. All you need is that bottle or jar of whatever moisturizer you're trying to get rid of and some sugar (you can use salt if you want, but sugar doesn't sting or irritate your skin like salt can). Some people recommend raw sugar (the stuff that's in those brown packets at Starbucks), but plain white sugar is better for your skin since it's finer in grain (won't be as rough). And, last time I checked, a pound of white sugar only cost a couple of bucks.

In regards to the recipe: mix sugar and moisturizer, and apply like any other body scrub (massage onto skin and rinse). Most recipes recommend one part sugar to one part moisturizer, but since you're the one making it, feel free to use as much of either as you want. Also, I usually mix enough for one application at a time, so I don't know how long it'll keep if you mix the entire thing (although, I assume fairly long due to the amount of sugar needed).

And voilà! Good looking (and feeling!) skin, and you barely have to open your wallet! Happy mixing!

Find the Right Foundation Shade

It may be because I'm a makeup newbie, but I feel like finding the correct foundation shade is becoming something akin to a spiritual journey. When you find that perfect match, it'll be as if you've just discovered the meaning of life.

One of my many searches led to a five-year-old post on a message board. The following is a recommended guide written by user "pbsadhaka" (one of the most in depth guides I've come across so far):

OK girls, here is a non-fail formula to find your true skin tone, and to match up what color of makeup and also hair color best compliments your skin tone. Save this, b/c it is always true, and failsafe!

Skin tones can be broken down into 4 categories: olive, red/pink, golden, & neutral. The easiest way to find your true skin tone is to hold a piece of white paper up to the skin where your neck meets your collarbone.

Olive skintones have an underlying tone of green, gray, or yellow. Olive people look best in either cool or neutral colors. Warm colors should usually be avoided unless it is of a darker value.

Makeup shades for cool/neutral skintones include: blueish reds (not orange/reds), plums, violets, silvery greens (evergreens), grays, and deep mauves. Haircolors that compliment olive skin are: blueish blacks, auburns, chestnut brown, dark golden brown. If you go lighter, you should never go lighter than a level 4 with a golden tonality.

Red/Pink skintones have an underlying hue of reddish brown, red, or blue-red. This skintone also looks best in cool or neutral colors. Warm colors are not recommended for this skin type. Complimentary hair colors for this type are any ashy or sandy blonde, burgundy browns, light cool blondes, avoid reds - it will make your skin look ruddy. If you want a red tone, go with a very light auburn or strawberry blonde.

Golden skintones have an underlying tone of golden-brown, gold, or peach. This skin tone looks best in warm colors. Makeup colors should include: grays, tan, browns, bronze, gold, grassy & mossy greens, warmer orange-reds, and corals. Complimentary hair colors should include ash and golden blondes, aubruns, neutral browns, and warm dark browns/blacks.

Neutral skintones have a balance of pink and gold undertones. You will have a hard time finding a dominant undertone in this type. Tis skin tone is usually described as ivory, beige, or brown skin. Neutral skintones can wear either cool or warm.

Taking your eye color into account can also help you decide your skintone:
Warm Eye Colors:
-Brown with red, orange, yellow or gold flecks.
-Blue with yellow or gold flecks.
-Green with reddish-brown, orange, yellow, or gold flecks.

Cool Eye Colors:
-Brown with black, gray-brown, gray-green, or gray flecks.
-Blue with white, blue, gray, or violet flecks.
-Green with blue or gray flecks.

When choosing makeup, there are other factors that you must take into consideration too. Women often choose a foundation that is too light for their skin. This gives you a pasty, pale "canvas" of a face. Then any makeup that you put on looks overly done - painted on. The other danger is going too dark with your foundation and ending up with an orange "mask". NEVER go more than 1 shade lighter or darker than your natural skintone. Also, don't rely on the names that the companies give to their foundations - look at the actual color of the product. What Revlon calls "golden", L'Oreal might call "beige". But whatever foundation you choose make sure that you BLEND and feather it from under your chin down onto the neck and behind the ears. But if you are choosing the correct level & tone, you should not see a line where your foundation stops anyway.

Eyeshadows can really compliment your eyes. Choosing a deeper/darker shade of a color will make the iris of your eyes appear lighter & brighter. A lighter eyeshadow will usually make your eye color deepen.

Sorry this post is so long, but there is a lot of info here. I use this guide all the time with clients, and there have been only maybe 2 or 3 times when someone did not fit this formula exactly!

If that doesn't get you closer to your "perfect" shade, then I don't know what will.

Makeup Tip Week, Tip #5: Cleansing Oil

Ah, the end of my first series of makeup tips! I was worried when I first decided I would do this because I wasn't sure if I had enough tips that were worthy enough to publish on a blog. But here it is, the final post in the series! And what better way to end it than to talk about how to remove the stuff.

The cosmetics world is plentiful with makeup removers. Every cosmetics company produces at least a few. Cold cream, eye makeup removers, makeup wipes... The list goes on. However, the big question is whether or not they work... And sometimes they don't. ... Even after some heavy duty scrubbing.

If you've never heard of a cleansing oil, let me just take this chance to tell you how great they are. My current product of choice is Shu Uemura's High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil Fresh, better known as "the pink one".


Unfortunately, while cleansing oils are a staple of Asian cosmetics, they're pretty hard to find from companies here in the States (although, they are starting to pick up a little). And while there are other brands that offer a cleansing oil (like Lancôme, MAC, and Boscia), Shu Uemura's cleansing oils are the only ones that I know of that cater to different skin types.

Also, if you haven't noticed yet, cleansing oils are not cheap (they start at $20). Luckily, for those of us who are on the lookout for more economical options, Lumene offers a decent cleansing oil for around $10. However, like most of the other brands, it just offers the one formula.

When I first encountered cleansing oils at my local department store, I was hesitant to use them. I have oily, acne-prone skin, so I avoided anything with the word "oil" in it like the plague. I soon came to find that cleansing oils were different. They weren't something that I needed to shy away from. In fact, for someone who wears heavy duty makeup (when I do wear makeup), it was actually a godsend.

Let me tell you a little bit about how cleansing oils work. As we oily-skin gals already know, oil will melt and break down makeup. Because of this reason, most makeup removers are oil-based. Cleansing oils, however, go a step beyond normal makeup removers. Cleansing oils are formulated to react with water, which allows them to double as a facial cleanser. The oil emulsifies when water is added, like a detergent (depending on the formula, some oils may even foam or lather), which allows it to be rinsed clean off your face with no oily residue left behind.

That said, meet Ms. Makeup:


I applied MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC30, Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner in Black, CoverGirl LashBlast Waterproof Mascara in Very Black, CoverGirl Eye Enhancers 4-kit Eyeshadows in Tropical Fusion (turquoise shade), Stila Convertible Color (on the "cheeks") in Petunia, Revlon ColorStay Lipliner in Red, and Shu Uemura Unlimited Lipstick in Red 190. Basically, I chose products that I thought were some of the most difficult to remove completely. To finish it off, I set everything with a little bit of powder, so that any remaining moisture from the makeup wouldn't assist in its own removal.

I decided to remove half of Ms. Makeup's face with some Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover (probably one of the better drugstore eye makeup removers).


As you can see, it did a pretty good job... But that's not to say that it didn't require some effort. It took me a good several scrubs to get every last bit off, especially the waterproof mascara. If it were my eyelids that I was doing this on instead of the back of my hand, I'm sure my skin would be nice and raw at this point. And, on top of that, I'd have to put it through another step of washing to get rid of the oily residue left behind (even though the makeup remover claims to be "oil-free").

For the remainder of Ms. Makeup's face, I applied some of my Shu Uemura cleansing oil.


For a full face, Shu Uemura recommends 3-4 squirts. However, I find about 2 squirts to be sufficient and more economical (FYI, though, you will need enough to be able to break down and rinse away the makeup thoroughly).

Remember, you have to apply cleansing oil to dry skin. Since the oil emulsifies with water, using it on a wet face will pretty much make it ineffective.


When you work the oil into your face, you don't need to scrub hard. Gently massage the oil into your face, concentrating especially on the hard-to-remove bits (like the waterproof mascara). Once you've worked the oil in sufficiently, add a little bit of water and continue to massage.


Once water is added, the oil will emulsify. As you can see, this particular formula just becomes a little creamy (as I mentioned before, some will actually lather up like a soap). Work it through again until you get all the oil, and then rinse.


And voilà! You're done.

The best thing about cleansing oils is that, unlike other makeup removers, you can get rid of your makeup and have a nice, clean face, all in one step. And, unlike other facial cleansers, cleansing oils don't leave your skin feeling tight and dry. As such, once you rinse off the oil, there is no need for any additional cleansing. You can just move onto the rest of your skin care routine. Congratulations! You just saved yourself some extra time (and your skin from being horribly irritated from all the wiping and extra washing).

And so concludes my first "Makeup Tip Week" series. It really was a challenge for me to be able to finish out the week, and I'm glad I decided to take it on. I don't know how useful these tips were for most of you reading this. I can only hope that at least one of the posts was able to help someone out there. And, really, that's all that I can ask for.

Hope you all had a good week! I know I did. :-)

Enjoy your weekend!

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Makeup Tip Week, Tip #4: Blush and Face Contouring

I don't wear makeup every day, so I know I shouldn't criticize some of the choices made by those who do. If there is one thing that bothers me, however, it's that a few people will have on a full face of makeup... and no blush.

I can understand the desire to not wear blush. Unfortunately, with blush, there is a fine line between looking like this:

and looking like this:


But that shouldn't deter you from wearing blush. Why? Because the decision to not wear blush for the sake of looking "natural" can actually have the opposite effect:


Foundation is meant to even out your skin tone. Unfortunately, the only way it can do that is by layering color on top of your skin (like paint). While a more sheer formula will let through some of your skin's natural pigmentation, if your skin's condition requires heavier coverage, ain't nothin' coming through that! So, if you don't want to look like a lifeless mannequin, your only resort is to add back some color to your face.

Blush these days come in a variety of colors, from nude peach to hot pink. If I could recommend some products here, a good, "natural" color for gals with fair/light to medium toned skin is Jane Blushing Cheeks in Blushing Petal (the color is actually a light peachish pink, nothing like the swatch on their website). Darker gals should look into something a bit more pigmented and saturated in color, like NYX Powder Blush in Mocha or Pinky, or even Desert Rose (anything in the lighter pink or peach ranges would just be lost on you).

How to apply? Sparingly!!! Most blushes these days are highly pigmented, so a little goes a long way. If you feel like you need more color, then start slow and build the color rather than going all the way at your first go. Depending on the shape of your face, a touch on the apples of your cheeks (the area of your cheeks just under your eyes that, when you smile, pop out and look like little apples) is great for a natural look. Some people like to extend the color towards their ears. This is fine for a more polished look, but if you want something more natural, just touch up the apples a little.

For us gals with a little more "volume" to our faces, it's best to keep the blush on the rear half of the apples (on my face, that's just about under the outer corners of my eyes) and back. For us, coloring our cheeks in full gives us a more cherubic look, accentuating the "fullness" of our faces.

Swipe on a little too much blush? No problem! Rather than going through the pain of wiping it off and starting over, just go over your cheeks with a stroke or two (or three or ten) of face powder or powder foundation to lessen the color.

Some people take advantage of blush, but they decide to not contour. I can understand that - contouring is hard and a bit time consuming. Unfortunately, as with the reason for putting on blush, a little contouring and highlighting helps bring back some life and definition into an otherwise completely whitewashed face.

You can find many face contouring tutorials in makeup books and online. My favorite YouTube beauty vloggers, Panacea81, Xteeener, and Scandalous Beauty, all have videos breaking down and explaining all the different steps. All three ladies explain the concept far better than I ever could, so rather than me trying to explain anything here, I'd rather you watch their videos.

I do have to say a little something here. Don't get fooled by the cosmetics industry by thinking you can only contour with products specifically called "highlighter" or "bronzer". These products are labeled and packaged differently, but there is nothing special about them. They are made with pretty much the exact same formulas as a regular blush or eyeshadow. In fact, my favorite highlighters are actually eyeshadows (MAC Cream Colour Base in Pearl and CoverGirl Eye Enhancers 1-Kit Shadows in Snow Blossom and Pink Chiffon).

Makeup, like clothes, is merely a tool for your own creative expression. If I've learned anything about makeup in the short time I've decided to wear it, it's that you shouldn't feel as though you don't have the liberty to try something new each time you put it on. It's only makeup - nothing permanent. Have fun with it!

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Makeup Tip Week, Tip #3: Eyeshadow Primer

No, I'm not going to be giving you a crash course on eyeshadow.

I'm going to be talking about primer for your eyeshadow, as in a base (like primer for paint).

Somewhere between the last time I was infatuated with makeup (a lifetime ago) and now, makeup artists have added several more steps in everyday makeup application with this "primer" business. There's a primer for your face, for your eyes, for your lips, and even for your lashes! The basic idea behind them all is the same: they're meant to make your makeup go on smoother and have it last longer. Now, I can't vouch for all of these different products (Eyelash primer? Really?), but there is one that I think is a definite MUST, especially for us oily-skin gals: eyeshadow primer.

I can't speak for everyone, but whenever I would wear eye makeup sans primer, within a couple of hours, the eyeshadow would get faded and creased (that thing that happens when your eyelids get a little greasy and your eye makeup gets all gunked up in the creases of your eyelids). The look? Not quite as bad as raccoon eyes... Somewhere in the realm of faded lipstick with unfaded lip liner; just plain unfortunate. If I was going to end up looking like that, I might as well have saved myself the trouble and not worn makeup at all. ... Which is probably why I stayed away from makeup for so long.

This is where eyeshadow primer comes in. A good eyeshadow primer will bring out the colors of your eyeshadow (although, this also depends on the quality of the eyeshadow itself), and grab onto the makeup and hold on for dear life. No creasing or fading - that eyeshadow is not going anywhere!

As you may or may not know, there is a plethora of eyeshadow primers in the market that promise various things. The most popular eyeshadow primer (deemed a "cult fave") is Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

I have several samples of this that I've been using, and it really does deliver. The catch? $16 a pop. Not THAT expensive, but a little pricey if you're only used to spending $10 or less on your makeup. And, really, the prices just go up from there.

Like with many products in the world of makeup, you don't need to buy a proper "eyeshadow primer" to prime your eyelids. Many people also use cream eyeshadows, which seem to work just as well (Erin from Scandalous Beauty swears by MAC Paint Pots, and YouTube makeup artist Xteeener often uses Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadows).

Because of their nature and consistency, many cream shadows are made to last a good while on your eyelids without fading or creasing. Also, cream eyeshadows are offered by pretty much every cosmetics manufacturer, so you can easily find something that you can work with at your local drugstore (an extra bonus for those of us who are watching our budgets).

The great thing about cream shadows is that you don't need to color coordinate between the cream shadow base and the regular powder shadow on top. Of course, matching colors will help the colors pop a little better, but it's not necessary. A good beige or nude cream shadow base will work with any color. If you plan to wear a darker, more intense color of eyeshadow, a black or dark gray base will work nicely. Basically, because the cream shadow will be a little sticky on your eyelid, the powder shadow you apply on top will literally just stick onto the base. Although the color of the base may affect the overall color a little (lighter bases lighten the shadow a bit, while darker bases add a little more saturation), the color of the shadow on top will pretty much mask the color of the base underneath.

Another inexpensive option, believe it or not, is the Monistat Soothing Care Chafing Relief Powder-Gel (not to be mistaken with their itch cream).

While many women swear by this as their makeup primer, I haven't gotten around to using it yet, so I won't really get into it here.

Do you ABSOLUTELY need eyeshadow primer? No. But, if you've ever dealt with your eye makeup fading and creasing, then I would highly recommend giving it a try.

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Makeup Tip Week, Tip #2: Liquid Foundation Application with a Kabuki Brush

For those of you who don't know, this is a kabuki brush:


They sell them almost everywhere they sell cosmetics, and almost every cosmetics company makes one. They'll have different names (Urban Decay calls their's the "Big Buddha Brush", while Benefit's is the "Bluff Puff Powder Brush"), and range in price from $10 to $100. Other than the quality of the bristles, they all serve the same purpose.

The one that I currently use is the Sephora brand kabuki brush ($22). I initially bought it to use with my mineral foundation. When I decided I didn't really like mineral foundation, that's when I decided to put it to use with regular, liquid foundation.

For those of you who haven't jumped on the foundation brush bandwagon, many people actually recommend that you use a brush to apply foundation. Not only does it cut down on the germ factor, but it also allows you to use less product (the foundation won't absorb into the bristles like it will into your fingers or a blending sponge). I also like using a brush because it allows you to blend your foundation better (no streaks; just an even, airbrushed finish). On top of that, with a brush, you don't get your hands all gunky or fill up your trash can with a billion little sponges.

Prior to using a kabuki brush, my foundation brush of choice was the MAC 187:


I LOVED this brush for foundation application. The only problem was that it took FOREVER to blend. Seriously, it would take me about 20 minutes just to get my foundation to look right. I can't even imagine what I'd have to go through if I used a regular foundation brush:


As you can see, while the 187 is round and fluffy, this foundation brush is stiff and flat, like a paint brush. Not exactly ideal for blending foundation on your face.

Anyway, the reason why it took so long for me to apply foundation was that the brush could only blend a small area of the face at a time. This is where the big kabuki comes in. Actually, I saw Erin from Scandalous Beauty first do this in one of her YouTube tutorials and decided to try it myself.


My foundation application went from 20 minutes, down to 3. I was sold.

How to apply? Pour a little bit of foundation (I do 1 1/2 squirts - about 1/4 tsp?) onto a palette, dish, or the back of your hand (my personal choice - your body heat will help the foundation spread a little easier). Rather than wiping the foundation onto the kabuki brush, lightly set the brush into the foundation and roll it around like a video game joystick. (You don't want to pick up all the foundation at once, so just dab a little at a time.) Now, go to town.

Many people recommend starting from the center of your face and working your way out. For people who have stuff they need to hide (like me), you can work out those areas first, if you'd like. You don't need to use a heavy hand when applying foundation. Just buff the brush over your face, kind of like when you wax the car or polish the silver (a little pressure, but not too hard). Some people use sweeping motions, but I like using circular motions (wax on, wax off). When you reach areas that are a little narrow (like the bridge of your nose), just squeeze the bristles of the brush together to form a more narrow shape. Dab on a little more foundation to the brush as needed, and remember to blend out your hair and jaw lines (there's nothing worse than when you can see the foundation demarcation lines on your face).

Depending on how fast you work, your foundation application should be done within 5 minutes, and your face should end up looking immaculate, like it really has just been airbrushed. I usually use the same kabuki brush to apply powder afterwards to set my foundation, but that only takes a few seconds. Clean up for the brush? I wash it out at the end of the day with a drop of regular shampoo (remember to rinse thoroughly!).

Anyway, give it a try! I have to say, though: it did take me a couple of tries of putting foundation on with a brush to get it right. But once I got it down and saw how great foundation could really make you look, I couldn't understand why I didn't do it sooner.

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Makeup Tip Week, Tip #1: Smudge-proof Mascara

To ring in the new year (yay 2009!), I thought I'd do something new and have a week of makeup tips here on my blog. I know, I know. Pretty hilarious coming from someone who hardly ever wears makeup, right? I know. But that's not to say I don't have anything helpful to bring to the table when it comes to makeup advice. If anything, this will probably be very helpful to those who are just starting out with makeup.

First up is smudge-proofing your mascara.


This is something I know a lot of people have problems with, even those around me who have worn makeup much longer than I. Fortunately, this is also something that I found a way to deal with recently.

Even before I had renewed my interest in makeup, whenever I'd go out, one thing I'd do was put on a little mascara. I'd purchase products based on empty promises (stuff won't budge no matter what, or so it said), only to look in the mirror a few hours later and have a raccoon staring back at me. I wasn't crying, and I wasn't sweating or anything, but the damn mascara just wouldn't stay put. So, why? WHY?!?!

Not everyone has problems with mascara, but let me tell you who does. Oily-skin folks. And mascara can be waterproof, but it most likely will never be oil-proof (or else we'd never be able to get the stuff off). The bad part? Your face doesn't even need to be producing any major oil slicks for mascara to rub off. Just a little bit around the eyelids, and BAM! Hello, raccoon eyes!

So, now that we know this, how do we deal with it? Lucky for us, it's actually pretty simple: Powder. Any brand will do, but I would, however, look for something that is geared towards "shine control". My current product of choice is Urban Decay's De-Slick Mattifying Powder (available online and at your local Ulta and Sephora).

It's translucent, so it won't affect the colors of my makeup, and it does a pretty good job at keeping the oil at bay. Also, the compact is perfect to carry around for touch-ups throughout the day/night. But, like I said, any powder will do.

Now, how to apply? Easy. Apply powder generously under your eyes, focusing especially on the area just under your lower lashes (the blue-shaded area under the eye in the image below).


The end.

I usually go about it two different ways. I'll either grab a medium-sized brush (like a blush brush, or even a powder brush) and apply a good amount of powder under my eyes. Otherwise, I'll use an eyeshadow brush to apply the powder, so that I can concentrate specifically under the lower lash area. I usually do my eye makeup first, so that I don't mess up my foundation with any loose shadow, etc., but will save the mascara and the powder-under-the-eyes thing until the very end. Really, though, you can apply the powder before or after you apply your mascara (although, I'd do it before, as the powder will also help with fixing any mistakes, should you accidentally get some mascara on that area), but definitely do it AFTER you apply your face makeup (foundation, concealer, etc.).

Et voilà! Smudge-proof mascara. I can even wear the non-waterproof formulas now! Yay!

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