bareMinerals Modern Pop

bm-Modern-PopbareMinerals wasn’t a brand I usually gravitated towards, since a number of years back I thought all it consisted of was mineral products (ie: loose powdered products that was a recipe for disaster with my clumsy-self). But lately I’ve been thoroughly enjoying their lip products, and now trying out their eye shadows I’m a convert. One dab into the eye shadow pan and it packs on colour like nobodies business. So you can definitely say their colours are pigmented, and you only need to dip into the product with your brush ever so slightly to get this natural look — something I tend to go for on the regular.

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I’m going to walk you through the steps on how I created (yet another) natural look using some of the items in the bareMinerals Modern Pop collection.

bareMinerals-Complexion1. Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Repair: If I don’t apply an under eye cream my eyes get really dry. This is one of my 2 favourite eye creams that I’ll keep repurchasing.
2. philosophy Full of Promise: This is a firming neck cream, but I prefer to use it on my face when I have annoying dry patches that won’t even go away after exfoliating. It’s the epitome of moisturizing face creams and feels luxurious going on.
3. bareMinerals Complexion Rescue & Beauty Blender Sponge: A new foundation out by bareMinerals. It definitely has a strange consistency as it’s a gel cream formula. What I like best is its a no-mirror application type of coverage. It glides onto the skin but doesn’t give too much coverage unless you want to pile it on.

BeautyBlender-application1. Cle de Peau Concealer & Beauty Blender Sponge: I can’t believe I am almost out of my super expensive concealer. I will definitely head back to Nordstrom to pick this little fella up again. Like always, apply concealer in a triangle shape on the face and under the eyes to appear brighter. Blend in with beauty blender sponge for a natural creaseless look.
2. Nars bronzer (shade Laguna) & bareMinerals brush: I haven’t picked up another full sized bronzer by my favourite brand because I’m trying to use up some samples. I don’t mind this bronzer, but you have to apply using a light hand!
3. NYX Cream Blush (shade Glow): This was the cream blush colour I used on my wedding day. A favourite piece of makeup I cherish, and to achieve a healthy glow with a bit of pink to the cheeks.

Modern-Pop-eyeshadow1. bareMinerals Modern Pop eyeshadow (Modern Icon palette): Apply chic all over the lid, in the inner corner and on brow bone to lighten up the entire eye area.
2. Using the same palette dip your brush into the colour carefree and apply only to the crease of your eye for a pop of peach.
3. Finally, add a touch of the colour exhale to the outer corner of the eye to add depth and deepen up the lash area.

bareMinerals-SS20151. bareMinerals Lasting Line: Apply this shade to the lower lash line.
2. bareMinerals Lash Domination: I loved this mascara so much I gave one to my neighbour. She loves it too! It adds volume and whispy lengths to create a voluminious natural full look to your eyelashes.
3 & 4: I mixed up the two photos, forgive me! I applied bareMinerals lipstick in Express Yourself, and then for some added glossy shine I used bareMinerals cream glaze lip topcoat in a gorgeous vanilla cream colour.

The final look:Final-look-BM-Spring

bareMinerals products were sent for review.

 

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Pom Friday . 16

When we brought Alfie into our lives over 5 years ago, we were told he was crated at night. We decided it was a great idea for him to sleep in his own little home each night, and kept up the routine ever since. That doesn’t mean to say he doesn’t get to spend time up on the people bed, because oh does he ever. I usually head to bed earlier than The Guy, especially if he’s on his indoor bike trainer in the next room. As much as Alfie loves joining me at night, he doesn’t like to cuddle at all. He usually takes over my husbands pillow and snuggles up on the opposite side of me, or at the foot of the bed.

When it’s time for him to be put into his crate for the night he acts like a dead weight, which is adorable to watch. We’d let him stay up on the bed some nights, but I’ve been known to boot him off in my sleep during the night. So, we keep him crated and give him little luxuries with a little water dish inside in case he ever gets thirsty in the middle of the night — which he does! The water dish usually has to be filled up every night for him. When my Husband and I are on the top floor where the bedrooms are, chatting or getting ready for bed— Alfie is often times found in his crate sucking on his bed because he is getting ‘ignored’, and wants attention. He is too cute for WORDS sometimes.

It’s a great idea especially if he ever has to do an overnight visit in an unfamiliar place, the crate gives him comforts of home, his own little space. Here’s the little guys crate at the foot of our bed. Usually it’s stored on my husbands side of the bed— but we are currently re-doing our master bedroom (reveal coming soon!).

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Exploring coffee shops: 85°C Bakery Café

85C-CupertinoI was craving a mid-day pick me up, so I popped by 85°C Bakery Café in San Jose around 1:30 last Friday. I pulled up to a gigantic building, expecting a small coffee shop — I didn’t realize it was a chain. I didn’t do too much research on it, I simply found it on Yelp. 85°C Bakery Café isn’t your typical chilled out coffee spot. This coffee & cake bakery means business, and the customers know it. Flowing in and out constantly with multiple drinks in hand and large brown boxes of goodies.

Vanilla-Latte-85C-BakeryPer usual, I placed my order and got a vanilla latte. So while waiting for that I grabbed the last table and waited for my drink to be made.

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85-CupertinpThe ambiance of this spot is like being in a cafeteria. The building itself is nice and clean, but the place has an echo, it’s incredibly busy and loud with customers talking. Not the place to come and quietly drink your coffee in peace, especially with the staff yelling out peoples orders like at Starbucks, but instead “Guest number 449 please!” I guess that’s what I get for heading out to a popular bakery and café during lunch time on a weekday. At one point the place seemed a little less busy, so I decided to count the number of customers in the shop (because what else am I supposed to do when people watching by myself at a coffee shop?), and there were 43 people and it felt empty. Hoo wee! So imagine how large the spot really is.

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Big-ol-latteThere were 7 tables for seating, all but one table was taken which was later snagged after I placed my order. First sip of the latte and I already said I’d be back (in my head – ha!). The whipped foam on top was great, but not the place to go for a fancy latte art, not that it really means much. It’s just to impress the customers a bit. Quite a bit of latte for the money, since I paid $3.50 for it. Which in practice is a dollar less than any of the other spots around, and I felt like I received a larger portion than usual.

I noticed the customers ordering snazzy looking drinks, many of them being bubble tea (I’m not a fan of tapioca in drinks), but some of them had real chopped up peaches in them. Many of the people were there for the cakes and pastries. Every couple of people walked out with a large box of them.

I’ll be back for sure but next time instead of hanging around the noisy spot, I’ll take it to go.

85°C Bakery Café

1183 South De Anza Blvd, San Jose, CA 95129
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