Swatches: Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipsticks

L to R: Drop of Sherry, Airy Fairy, and Bordeaux

Drop of Sherry: shimmery deep rose color
Airy Fairy: pinkish/lilac nude color
Bordeaux: deep red wine color

Photoblog: Independent Spirit Awards 2011 Weekend

1. Amazing accommodations at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica


2. Bubble bath time


3. Media lounge at the Exhale Spa


4. New Aveeno product line


5. With beauty editor Erika from MakeupBag.net


6. Aveeno's spokesmodel, Summer Raynes


7. With Dr. Jessica Wu, author of Feed Your Face


8. Side bun styled by celebrity stylist, Patrick Melville




9. With beauty editor, Laurie from ProductGirl.com


10. Michelle Tranchenberg


11. Craig Robinson aka Darryl Philbin from The Office


12. Paparazzi shot of Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts


13. Best Supporting Female winner, Dale Dickey (Winter's Bone), drops by the Aveeno tent


14. Jaimie Foxx


15. Best Supporting Male Lead winner, Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are Alright)


16. Swag

Amazing, amazing weekend. It was both relaxing and action packed at the same time. Loved every single moment of it that it was difficult for me to leave everyone and everything behind.

If you missed my outfit post for the award show, you can peep at it here: Lookbook: Independent Spirit Awards 2011.


FTC: This was a sponsored Aveeno Ambassadors event by Aveeno and Recyclebank.

Lookbook: Independent Spirit Awards 2011

Rose lace top, Forever 21 (buy here)
Stripped lace overlay skirt, Forever 21
Tights, Forever 21
Suede bow heels, Zara
Camel double breasted coat, H&M (buy similar here)

I just got back today from my wonderful trip. I had so much fun these weekend meeting other amazing beauty bloggers and the Aveeno team. I'm really grateful for the wonderful weekend in Santa Monica while staying Shutters on the Beach Hotel, Exhale Spa for our pampering session, and being backstage for the Independent Spirit Awards courtesy of Aveeno and Recyclebank.

It's so amazing to be surrounded by twenty-five other awesome ladies who share the same passion as me. Thank you so much to Aveeno and Recyclebank for choosing me to become part of this great experience and becoming one of the Aveeno Ambassadors.

This past Saturday was the Independent Spirit Awards, and this was the outfit I wore for the event. I had underestimated the weather that day because it was really chilly and windy. But I was just really glad that the rain was not a factor that day. However, the side ponytail had to go two hours later after being blown furiously by the wind.

After a short but fun weekend, I am now dreading the unpacking part. I hope everyone had a lovely weekend, especially with the Independent Spirit Awards and the Academy Awards tonight. Are you tuning in?



FTC: The Independent Spirit Awards 2011 backstage access was sponsored by Aveeno and Recyclebank.

Lookbook: Park Day + Exciting News!

Ruffled pink shirt, abercrombie
Navy blue shorts, Forever 21
Blazer, H&M
Leopard Scarf, H&M
Black tights, Forever 21
Oxfords, Forever 21
Belt, vintage
Clustered flower ring, Forever 21

Updates have been sporadic lately. There is just not enough hours in a day when you're working full-time and you have to deal with grown up stuff when you get home.

San Francisco is such a beautiful city. Since I know I won't be able to survive the harsh winters in the east coast, my second option if I were to move or live anywhere else would be San Francisco.

This is the last outfit I wore while in San Francisco. Thankfully, it wasn't as cold as I thought it would be, but it was still chilly. About this outfit, sometimes I don't know how certain pieces just works so nicely together. I had prepared my outfits prior to the trip to minimize over packing (but of course I still did), and this wasn't the ensemble I had prepared initially. I ended up mixing two outfits together and came up with this. Oddly enough, it still works for me. Ever since I've been blogging about my outfits, I did notice that I'm more likely to mix certain pieces together that I normally wouldn't. Taking more risks I suppose.

In other news, if you haven't heard on Twitter, I have been chosen by Aveeno to become an Aveeno Ambassador! And through Recyclebank's partnership with Aveeno, they have selected me as one of the 25 bloggers who will be attending the Independent Spirit Awards this Saturday! I'm definitely excited about this as it's my first and my blog's big event! I'm also excited to meet my fellow beauty bloggers and do a coverage about the event as well as other festivities to ensue. So make sure to follow me on Twitter!

Two years ago, I would have never thought of an opportunity to come my way because of blogging. But I'm definitely glad that this hobby and passion of mine is giving me a chance to experience something like this. I'm so grateful for it all!! I really, really can't wait!

The Independent Spirit Awards hosted by Joel McHale will air this Saturday, February 26 on IFC 10 PM ET/PT.

Whoo... I still need to pack!

O.P.I Shatter Nail Polish Giveaway Winners!

Happy Friday everyone! So here's a quick video of the winner for the O.P.I Shatter Nail Polish giveaway!

Congratulations to the winners!

Lookbook: Faux Things

Been super busy since I got back from San Francisco especially since I’m catching up on some work I missed on Friday after taking the day off. My posts will most likely consist of outfit of the day posts since I’ve already taken plenty of pictures to post over the weekend.

This looks like a picture you'd take back in elementary.




This was me pretty much the whole time trying to fix my tights.



Ruffled top, H&M
Faux leather shorts, Forever 21 (buy similar here)
V-stripped tights, Forever 21
Clustered pearl necklace, Forever 21 (buy similar here)
Faux leather biker jacket, Forever 21 (buy here)
Faux fur, H&M (buy similar here)
Belt, Betsey Johnson
Suede Oxford shoes, Forever 21
Bucket bag, H&M (buy similar here)
Sunglasses, Fendi

Posting outfit related entries is actually helping my closet inventory. It gives me a mental note of what I’m going to possibly keep and which ones will be given away. I’ll need to start purging my closet out since my mom has told me that she’s going to be sending stuff to the Philippines. That means she’s going to be packing that “Balikbayan” box. If you’re Filipino, you know what it means to send box of goodies every year to your family who are in the Philippines. It can get pretty hectic shopping (whether it'd be food, shoes, or clothing) for your loved ones and carefully packing them in a box to be sent off. Amongst other things, we usually send our clothes that we probably don't wear anymore. I  have cousins who are younger than me who usually end up with my stash.

Anyway, I should try shopping somewhere else other than Forever 21 or H&M. But I can't help it since they pretty much have everything I usually want, not to mention they're really affordable to.

Watch Video:





FTC: All clothing items were purchased with my own funds.

Lookbook: Colonel Mustard

While I’m sorting through my pictures and video footage from my recent San Francisco trip, here’s an outfit of the day post from last Friday.

Mustard yellow top, BCBG Girls
Double button skinny jeans in khaki, F21 (buy here)
Military inspired jacket, H&M
Oxford shoes, F21 (buy similar here)
Floral print scarf, H&M
Skinny belt, Mom’s hand me down :]

I had to dress as comfortable as possible on Friday since I have to endure a 5 hour drive to San Francisco. It would normally take 6+ hours from the valley to San Francisco, but that just kind of tells you how fast we were driving down the freeway.

I wasn’t sure how cold it was going to be in San Francisco, but I knew it would be a little colder up north than down here in SoCal. So I just wore my favorite military jacket and pair it with my other favorite scarf. And I’m getting so many compliments over my oxford shoes… during an elevator ride, shopping around, etc… people seem to notice.

One thing I really noticed while I was there, EVERYONE, and I mean everyone seemed on point when it comes to style in San Francisco. I loved it! And Union Square is definitely a hub for fashionistas. Seriously, LA malls are put to shame as I walk around block after block down Union Square. Everything is in Union Square and five times bigger. I was really glad that our hotel was within walking distance from everything.

So this week, I’d hopefully post up reviews of restaurants we’d been to while in San Francisco. We pretty much tried places recommended by friends, the Beautylish team, and Anh (9to5chic). So thank you for the suggestions! I’ll have full reviews on my food blog: AnneAppetite, as I’m trying to keep things separate since this is my makeup, beauty, and fashion blog. But, I will dedicate one long post of our itinerary of the weekend on this blog in case you decide to visit San Francisco. It’ll also be a note for me to list any other places that I haven’t tried and want to try when we go back up. And, since I’m doing Foodie Tours on my YouTube channel now also, I’ll have short video footages of our food and a little of the restaurant with quick blurbs. I’ll stick those videos in along with my food reviews. So make sure to subscribe to my food blog for those!

And I haven’t forgotten, but I’ll announce the winners of my giveaway as soon as I get settled. So hang tight!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Fun Gift Ideas for Your Valentine!

Fun Gift Ideas for Your Valentine

Don't know of what to get him this year? These thoughtful gifts for your guy will make both of you smile

This is a TotalBeauty.com men's skin care products article Since the odds are that you're probably not going to get what you want for Valentine's Day (maybe I'm projecting here but, 22 times bitten, twice shy), why not hedge them a little by gifting your guy with something that you know you'll love too? Get ideas

NYFW 2011 Trend Report: Model Off Duty hair at ORGANIC by John Patrick Fall/Winter 2011

February 9, 10am EST, New York, NY—Aveda lead stylist Antoinette Beenders created “Model Off Duty hair” using Aveda Pure Abundance Hair Potion and Aveda Control Force Firm Hold Hair Spray at the ORGANIC by John Patrick Fall/Winter 2011 Fashion Week presentation.

“The ORGANIC by John Patrick hair for this season is a very real and natural look that can be adapted to fit anyone’s style. It’s like messy teenage hair with a bit of glamour, inspired by the idea of a ‘Model Off Duty’ who quickly pins her hair back This collection is very ‘90’s romantic—full of mismatched textures. I love how the hair is beautiful and unfussy, echoing the ‘elevated grunge’ vibe of our clothing.” — John Patrick of ORGANIC by John Patrick

HAIR STEP BY STEP BY ANTOINETTE BEENDERS FOR AVEDA: 

1. Sprinkle Aveda Pure Abundance Hair Potion throughout the hair for matte texture. Massage with fingertips at the root for slight volume.
2. Gently backcomb hair at the crown, using a wide-tooth comb to create a textured, ultra roughed-up look, while leaving the ends of the hair untouched. Spray with Aveda Air Control Hair Spray for light hold.
3. Using a Mason Pearson brush, loosely brush the top of the hair back to smooth backcombed portions. Allow hair to part naturally.
4. To create the textured, half-up style, twist and pull one-inch sections from above the ear on each side of the head. Use bobby pins to secure the entwined pieces at the occipital bone at the back of the head.
5. To keep the haphazard look from being untidy, finish with a holding mist of Aveda Control Force Firm Hold Hair Spray.

  

Q: What was your inspiration for this look? How did you collaborate with the designer to create the look?

“John Patrick and I were inspired by the idea of a girl quickly pulling her hair back and pinning it. The concept of reflection inspired the collection, and we loved the idea of a woman sitting down at the mirror to create a realistic and unique hair style for herself. This season’s ORGANIC collection is elegantly devil-may-care, so the perfect nonchalance of the hair complements this aesthetic perfectly.” — Antoinette Beenders for Aveda

Q: How could a woman achieve this look on her own?

“This look is all about unstudied style, so it’s easy to recreate. Prep with Aveda Pure Abundance Hair Potion to create tousled texture and backcomb hair at the crown with a wide-tooth comb. Spray with Aveda Air Control Hair Spray for light hold and randomly pull side sections of hair back, pinning erratically, just above the nape of the neck. Finish with Aveda Control Force Firm Hold Hair Spray and you’ll be set for the day.” — Antoinette Beenders for Aveda


(image credit: Aveda)

O.P.I Shatter and The One That Got Away (Katy Perry Collection) Giveaway **CLOSED**

So I'm finally doing my first giveaway for the year! There are two ways to enter. One person can win their very own O.P.I Shatter nailpolish and the other one can win a pair of nail polishes from the Katy Perry Collection which are Shatter AND The One that Got Away nail polishes.

How to Enter:

Twitter entry (Win an O.P.I Shatter nail polish):

1. Must follow me on Twitter @yummie_bitez.
2. Retweet the following message:

Follow @yummie_bitez and RT to win an O.P.I Shatter nail polish - http://bit.ly/h8S8bd!

Facebook entry (Win O.P.I Shatter and The One That Got Away nail polishes):

1. Like my Facebook page.
2. Leave a comment or post a picture of a makeup or hair look that you think I should do for one of my tutorials. Please leave your YouTube channel with your comment or post so I can message you in case you win.

Terms and Conditions:

• Must be either a follower of my blog or a subscriber to my YouTube channel. 
• All entries must be in by Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST (no exceptions).
• Open internationally :)
• Must be at least 13 years old to enter. If you are under 18 years old, please make sure you have parent's permission to enter and give your mailing address in case you win.
• One winner will be chosen at random from the pool of entries from Twitter and another winner will also be chosen randomly on Facebook.
• Winners will be contacted through Twitter or YouTube. I will also officially announce it here on my blog and through YouTube.

Good luck to everyone! Again, thank you so much to everyone who has supported this blog and my YouTube channel.

Watch the Video:

FTC: Prizes were purchased with my own funds. This is not a sponsored giveaway.

Late Night Shopping: Clearance Items at Target (William Rast and Dolce Vita)

It's a quarter past one and I'm still awake doing what? Online shopping. Oh the convenience and the deals that comes with it makes it harder to resist.

So while I was waiting for my YouTube video to finish downloading, I checked my Google Feed and hello, Jean mentions a sale going on at Target.

Target is offering an additional 20% off at least $75 of clothing or shoes purchase and free shipping no code necessary. If that isn't enough, you can get $5 towards your purchase by first clicking the coupon link at RetailMeNot. And if you want to save some more, head over to ebates for 3% cashback (click here for the referral link).

If you're wondering how my order ended up looking like, see the screen shot below:

My purchase consisted of mostly shoes. The Dolce Vita for Target were on sale. And they were all so adorable. Granted most of the shoes I ended up getting are for casual wear, but they were less than $15 each so why not.

*Prices reflected are clearance prices before the 20% off discount

Dolce Vita for Target Sniptoe Flat in Gold (on sale for $14.98) - These look super adorable. I was reading reviews about it though and they said that the shoes are not comfortable if you get it in your size. It was suggested to at least get it 1.5 size bigger for it to be comfortable. So I got this in 7.5 rather than my usual size 6.

Dolce Vita for Target Vita Ankle Boots in Black (on sale for $12.24) - I love buckled boots even though they are a pain to put on or take off. But these look pretty good for $12.24, so why not. Probably can pair these with some pleather shorts :D.

Dolce Vita for Target Studded Oxford Flats (on sale for $14.98) - Ok, ya'll know how much I love my oxford shoes. I don't know why they appeal to me so much. So when I saw these studded ones, I knew I had to get them! Studs + Oxfords = Love.

Xhilaration Juniors Lace Cardigan Sweater in Cafe Latte (on sale for $11.98) - Another thing that I love is lace. So I saw Jean post about these lace cardigans and I fell in love with it! I wish I also had gotten it in black, but I'm trying to be good here :). These are some what similar to the lace cardigan from the Rodarte for Target line but for much cheaper.

William Rast for Target® Skinny Jeans in Dark Wash (on sale for $24.98) - I'm not one to pay $$$ for designer jeans. This is probably the closest thing I'll ever get to buying designer jeans. But for $25, I'm willing to try JTs William Rast line. I'm in need of new black skinny jeans anyway.

So that wraps up my recent online Target haul. It's quite dangerous for me to left alone awake late at night reading blogs because this happens. Anyway, the only thing not so good about online shopping is the anticipation whether the stuff you bought fits or looks good in person. I guess we'll all have to wait and see what the fate of these items will be. Thankfully, online orders can also be returned in stores (for most of them).

Lookbook: Stripes and Jewels

Since I've been going to the gym after work, I've been always too tired or too sore to do anything afterwards. I'm thinking of going in early, but they don't have the classes I want at 5 in the morning and I don't think it's humanly possible for me to wake up THAT early either. I don't know how I did it back when I was in college. But that's the reason why I didn't get to post this one up yesterday.

Striped button down, H&M (buy similar here)
A-line pleated silk skirt, Forever 21 (buy similar here)
Necklace, Forever 21 (buy similar here)
Black tights, H&M
Jewel crusted patent flats, Sam Edelman (buy similar here)

Yesterday’s outfit is a little too “Gossip Girl”, I think. By the way, I finally got a hold of a tripod. Yay! Now I can try to do outfit posts without using my iPhone to take pictures. I don’t know, do you think is this better or stick with the iPhone shots?

I wanted to wear my silk skirt yesterday. It actually worked out because it was pretty warm again yesterday. My only gripe about this skirt is it’s a pain to iron and wrinkles easily. Not to mention, my belt kept sliding up.

Oh, and did I tell you how much I love my Sam Edelman flats? They’ve completely replaced my beat up flats forever. Even though they’re half a size bigger, they actually fit me perfectly because they’re narrow shoes. They’re super comfortable too since they’re a little padded on the bottom. I haven’t gotten blisters on my feet either despite the shoes being made out of patent leather.



FTC: All items on this post were purchased with my own funds.

Lookbook: Stud Muffin

Not going to lie, but I've worn the same ensemble before. But you guys haven't seen it so it only counts as once.

I didn't get to take proper pictures that day, so I had to steal these screen shots from my friend Jarmaine's YouTube video.  I'm glad she did an outfit of the day of me so at least you're able to see my somewhat favorite outfit (it must be if I have worn it twice already).

Miltary-inspired jacket, H&M (buy similar here)
Striped top, Cotton On (buy similar here)
Destroyed jean shorts, Hollister (buy similar here)
Black tights, Forever 21
Grey socks, H&M
Studded Military combat boots, Forever 21 (buy similar here or here)

Most of the items I'm wearing here were purchased a year or two ago. The only most recent purchase I'd say are probably the combat boots, but I found similar items online. My style on the weekends and weekdays are almost night and day sometimes. Thank goodness for the weekend because I can wear my favorite combat boots. Anyway, it's really not fair how I'm posting almost summer outfits.



FTC: All items on this post were purchased with my own funds.

On My Nails Right Now: O.P.I Teenage Dream and The One That Got Away (Katy Perry Collection)

My nails are ready for Valentine's Day! So I tried giving myself a french tip on my own, but as you can tell I'm still in need of practice. But with O.P.I flat brush, it actually makes it a wee bit easier to apply the tips some what evenly. By the way, this took about 2 hours to make and plenty of trial and error.

I've combined my two favorite nail polishes (aside from Shatter) from the Katy Perry O.P.I collection. I love pink nail polishes and this is just perfect for Valentine's Day! I mean how girly can this be.

On my nails...
Base: O.P.I Teenage Dream
Tips: O.P.I The One That Got Away
Base and Top Coat: Sally Hansen Continuous Treatment

With flash

Without flash

So what are your big plans for Valentine's Day, if any? Are you getting in the "spirit" or is it just another (Hallmark) holiday for you?



FTC: Products mentioned on this post were purchased with my own funds.