Happy Valentine's Day!

Isn't he handsome? ;)

I just wanted to wish all of my readers celebrating/observing the holiday a Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope everyone has a great day filled with love!

For those of you wondering who the picture is of, it's my boyfriend!  I thought I'd share with you, since the aim of this blog is to be life-oriented as well.  While the story of how we met is quite long and complicated, I will say that we've been together since 2009 and I couldn't be happier.

At the moment, our relationship is long distance, so we won't be able to be together today based on conflicting schedules.  We're not even really Valentine's Day people, I don't think, so it wasn't that big of a deal to either of us.  We're just happy spending time together in general!

We did have a bit of a Valentine's Day moment last weekend.  He brought delicious cupcakes over from Mr. Cupcakes--including Red Velvet!  To be honest, I really only had Red Velvet cake on two previous occasions, and since then, I was craving more and more.  Fortunately, after weeks of me begging him (note: "begging" is an understatement), he went on a hunt for Red Velvet cake for me.  Little did he know there was a little cupcake shop near his school!

This is what I got surprised with Friday evening.  Two Red Velvet cupcakes (Red Velvet with cream cheese icing), two Triple Chocolate cupcakes (chocolate cake with chocolate chips baked inside and dipped in chocolate ganache with chocolate chips on top), and two Birthday Cake cupcakes (yellow cake with buttercream icing and sprinkles).  Needless to say, I was quite spoiled that weekend!

But then again, he always spoils me with love, affection, caring, and understanding.  I'm thankful to have him in my life and I'm looking forward to all of the adventures we're going to have together in the future.

How are all of you spending Valentine's Day?  Normal day or something a little extra?  In any case, have a great holiday!

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The Choice to Be Big 3 Free

Truth be told, I was once a nail-biter.  From the end of middle school right up into halfway through my undergrad in college career, I used to bite my nails.  What changed that?  Finding my love of cosmetics and developing an interest in nailpolish changed all of that.  Along with that came my usage of what was then my holy grail topcoat, Seche Vite.

I'm sure those of you that are into beauty products as I am have seen it reviewed.  It has earned a reputation for itself as drying nailpolish faster than it would take to dry on its own while providing an attractive glossy finish and the protective properties of a traditional topcoat.  I'm sure that many of you have also seen the controversy surrounding its warning label:

WARNING! This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.

Now people have argued up and down about this, but the point of this post isn't to evangelize or try and move you to make the same decision I did.  It's not even to discuss Seche Vite specifically, as I'm sure there is a wide range of other products that have similar ingredients (e.g. - I read in a comment here that Chanel still makes polishes with toluene).  I just want to share what led me to this decision and, if you'd like, provide a starting point for your own research!

As listed on the website for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the "Toxic Trio" of nailpolish ingredients are dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde and toluene.  According to the book A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients by Ruth Winter, M.S., these ingredients can pose a variety of different health risks.

Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP):
This ingredient is used as a plasticizer in nailpolish, but is also used as a perfume solvent, fixative, shampoo, and antifoam ingredient.  It can also be used as an insect repellent.  DBP has a low toxicity, but if if it is ingested, it can cause gastrointestinal upset.  Vapor from this ingredient can irritate both the eyes and mucous membranes.

With regards to side effects, DBP has been linked to gene and hormone changes in rodents.  In humans, it has been linked to genital abnormalities in infants and testicular cancer.  Additionally, the United States EPA and the National Toxicology Program suspect that DBP is toxic to development, the endocrine and gastrointestinal systems, liver, nerves, and kidneys.  It is also on the California Proposition 65's list of substances known to cause cancer or reproductive harm.

Formaldehyde:
Formaldehyde is currently on the Canadian Hotlist and is banned for use in cosmetics in both Swedena and Japan.  This ingredient, popularly known for its use in funeral homes, is also used in many cosmetic products as a disinfectant and preservative.  It is used in nail hardeners, nailpolish, soap, and hair products.  When used in cosmetics, it is often used as a disinfectant, germicide, fungicide, defoamer, and preservative.  Even though it might not be listed on the ingredient list, formaldehyde can be used as a preservative in other ingredients, such as lauryl sulfate.

In lab rats, it has been found to cause lung cancer.  Vapors from formaldehyde are irritating to human mucous membranes.  If ingested, formaldehyde can cause severe abdominal pain, internal bleeding, inability to urinate, vertigo, coma, and even death.  Skin reactions are common after exposure since it may be irritating and allergy producing.

Despite the risks, it has been concluded by the CIR Expert Panel to be safe to the great majority of consumers.  However, some may be more sensitive than others because of varying skin types.  Furthermore, it is encouraged that manufacturing of cosmetic products should take into account the minimum amount of formaldehyde necessary to provide the intended purpose.

Toluene:
Toluene, the offender in Seche Vite, is used in nailpolish up to 50%.  It is used mostly as a solvent, and in nailpolish it is used as a "nail strengthener" or hardener with the goal of achieving high adhesion and gloss. 

If ingested, toluene can cause mild anemia and can be used as a narcotic in high concentration.  Among the side effects are possible liver damage and skin and respiratory irritation.  The longterm effects of low exposure to toluene have been found in at least 20 cities where it is present in drinking water.

The CIR Expert Panel has determined that toluene is safe in its current use in cosmetic formulations.

Called to make a change by the public, many companies have decided to reformulate their polishes without these controversial ingredients.  Among brands that boast being free of the Big 3 are OPI, China Glaze, Essie, and Zoya.

Why I decided to be Big 3 free?
Though I had been using Seche Vite for almost two years and was vaguely familiar with the concerns on the warning label, I thought that I'd do some research.  After doing some reading and buying the book, A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, I thought it would be in my best interest to try and find an alternative.

Even though the degree of risk that I will experience some of the side effects mentioned above might be very small, I personally did not think that it was worth the risk.  I think that this is especially true since there now exist products that do not use these ingredients and still do a great job.  Why continue use if I know that the risk is there and that there are alternatives?

All in all, it's just nailpolish and I don't think that I could forgive myself if later down the line it turned out that I could have prevented something negative from happening.  I am well aware that nailpolish isn't the only arena in which potentially toxic ingredients exist and it probably isn't realistic to be totally free of toxins like these (I remember hearing in a class that women were found with toxins in their body that had been outlawed well before their lifetimes!), but that's why I'm taking the steps to become a little more informed and make my choices that way--one step at a time.

In response to this topic, I have sought out to find a Seche Vite replacement.  Stay tuned for my reviews to come in the next few weeks!

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Review: MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer

In the many months that I was missing, I managed to finish up a whole tube of concealer!  Though it didn't turn out to be one of my favorites, I thought that it would be beneficial to review it.  Today's review is of MAC Select Moisturecover concealer, which I first heard about in a video by Tiffany D and then saw that it got a lot of rave reviews elsewhere.  Here is my experience with the product!

MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer

What it is:

It is described on the MAC website as as a blendable, moisturizing concealer with a doe-foot applicator.

My impression: 

I heard a lot of good reviews on this concealer, and many people with dark under-eye circles said it worked well at minimizing their appearance.  Well, the perfect under-eye concealer was what I aimed to find, so I thought I would give it a try.  I did like the packaging (if only MAC Pro Longwear concealer came with this packaging!) and thought that it was pretty easy to get the product out for use.  The concealer was thin in consistency, but in spite of that, it was able to cover and blend very well.  I was very impressed with how well it was able to cover under-eye imperfections.  However, what I didn't like about it was that even if I lessened the amount of product I used, it always ended up settling into the fine lines and creases under my eyes.  By the end of the day, it also looked a little cakey--not so good for someone that is out of their apartment for the majority of the day!
My recommendation:
I did really like this concealer for its coverage and blendability.  I didn't like it because of the way it settled and became cakey, but it might just be because my skin is on the oilier side.  People with normal/dry skin might fare better with this than I did!
The rundown:

• Product:  4/5
• Packaging:  5/5
• Quality:  5/5
• Overall:  4.8/5
• Would I buy this again?:  After finding my preferred concealer, probably not, but it doesn't mean it's a bad product.
• Where to buy:  MAC
• Price:  $16.50
• Pros:
  +  Good coverage
  +  Easy to blend
  +  Packaging
• Cons:
  -  Settled into fine lines and creases
  -  Looked cakey at the end of the day

Even though this turned out to not be the product for me, I hope you found my review helpful!  If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Disclaimer: I have not been paid to review the product featured above. I purchased all of the products reviewed in this blog post and did not receive them for free. I ensure that this is my true and honest opinion.

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60 Miles in 3 Days...Can I Do It?

A picture of me with my late grandmother,
Avelina Antonia Vibar-Provido (1930-1991).

Those of you that follow my private Twitter account (@VelociMellie) or my Facebook might know that I have decided to take on a challenge--I decided to sign up for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure™, taking place in October in Philadelphia.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the walk, it entails walking 60 miles (roughly the distance between Atlantic City, NJ and Philadelphia, PA) over the course of three days and camping out each night with thousands of other men and women fighting for the same cause.  The net proceeds from this event are invested in breast cancer research and community programs with the hope of decreasing breast cancer incidence and mortality in the next decade.

As someone that has had various friends and family members affected by this illness, it was really important to me to be a part of it.  At the present time, 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer.  When you think about it, that really could be anyone.  It's not just an illness that mostly older women get, either--more and more younger women around my age and even men are being diagnosed.   I just feel that it is so important to work towards improving treatment, finding a cure, and aiding in detection and prevention.

I attended a Get Started meeting in the city last Wednesday and it was certainly an emotional experience for me.  Suddenly the things I complain about seemed so small and inconsequential.  For example, some days I wake up tired or I don't feel like going to work or class.  But you know what?  I'm sure someone with cancer didn't feel like having the illness, but it happened.  And I'm sure that chemotherapy and other treatments are no walk in the park, but they endure it.  It is really touching to hear about people with illnesses that don't let it ruin their lives and it is really motivating to see the fighting spirit that is in each one of us.  60 miles in just three days is hard, but it's just a couple steps compared to the journey that cancer patients and survivors have to make.

I have currently committed to raise at least $2,300 in donations by the day of the walk.  At the moment, I haven't gotten much response, but I'm hoping that by the end of February, I can have at least $250 in there to get me going!  I'm determined to meet my goal at the least and exceeding it would be a dream come true.

While I do have financial goals involved in this race, I also have some physical goals attached to it.  60 miles in three days certainly did not sound like an easy task.  Since the race is in October, I thought I'd use the long time in between as an opportunity to train and prepare myself.  It's not "just walking"--it's involves stamina and endurance.  I'm proud to say that I'm eating much better than I did last year and I am also getting lots of regular exercise.  At the end of January, I had dropped nearly 15 pounds!  It's exciting to see my endurance build and I know that if I keep my way on this path, I should be able to last through these 60 miles.

I'm really looking forward to this walk and I hope all of you don't mind me talking about it every once in a while, haha.  I'm looking to make one post at the end of each month with my progress.  If you're interested in participating, please visit http://www.the3day.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage for more information.  If you're feeling gracious and would like to make a donation or would like to see the personal page I have set up, please get in contact with me and I can provide more details.  Thanks for reading the post and joining me on this journey!

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Library: Asian Faces by Taylor Chang-Babaian

Taylor Chang-Babaian (with foreword by Yoko Ono)
Asian Faces
$24.95 
 
One of the things that I've really been getting into lately are beauty books, just because I feel like there's a wealth of information that can be gleaned from their glossy, colorful pages.  This is certainly true of Asian Faces by Taylor Chang-Babian.

The book, written specifically for Asian women, aims to address all of their beauty concerns.  As a female of Filipino descent, I had always wondered what would look best on me, and as with any makeup addict, I seek to find my holy grail in every makeup category.  I believe that with this book, I came a little bit closer to understanding more about my face in relation to those of my Asian sisters.

One of the things that I liked the most about Asian Faces was that it was very easy to understand.  For instance, the beginning of the book included an extensive product guide with information right down to brushes and how to use them.  Additionally, I also liked that a face chart using a photograph was included.  It definitely came handy when trying to follow the Asian-specific skincare advice and application tips Chang-Babaian gives in the book.  Speaking of tips, there were countless tips scattered throughout the book ranging on a variety of different topics--like skincare product ingredients and making eyelashes look fuller.  It was great getting the inside scoop from a top makeup artist.

While the first half of the book discusses products and technique, the second half of the book showcases looks done by Chang-Babaian herself.  The looks are all beautifully photographed and I especially liked how pictures of the products in almost a swatch-form were featured.  It gives a lot of freedom to use what you have in your stash and makes it easy for you to find something similar.  I enjoyed how many of the looks had themes.  For example, Chang-Babaian included sections on costume makeup and looks from major American cities.  It was amazing to me to see how makeup styles and preferences changed from New York to Miami to Los Angeles.  And of course, being a blossoming vintage fan, I had great appreciation for the Asian vintage pinup and 1940s sophisticate looks.

Although everything is laid out in a way that is easy to understand, beginners might find it difficult to replicate looks in the latter half of the book.  Despite being detailed, it is provided in a list format rather than step-by-step pictures.  I don't think that this should be too much of a struggle, however.  Practice makes perfect and I think that if used in conjunction with other skill-building activities, like watching tutorials or even expanding into other reading materials, even beginners can become more skilled.

Even though everything was based upon Asian women, I think that I would have benefited from being able to see the different types of Asian eyelids.  The book does address this a little bit, but I would have liked to see a photographic depiction.

All in all, I think that this book was a great read and helped put me in better touch techniques and products that take into account my Asian heritage.

I hope you found this book review helpful!  Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

Disclaimer: I have not been paid to review the book featured above. I purchased the book reviewed in this blog post and did not receive it for free. I ensure that this is my true and honest opinion.

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Review: MAC Pro Longwear Concealer

Senior year for me has been a crazy one.  It was difficult for me to juggle the time to make posts and keep up with makeup trends.  It's probably not a surprise that MAC's release of their new Pro Longwear line went unnoticed for me.  Fortunately, I kept up with my Twitter and after hearing all of the raving, I thought I'd give this a try the next time I was at a MAC.

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer

What it is:

As listed by the MAC website, this concealer is designed to be fluid and lightweight.  It dries to a matte finish and claims to last up to 15 hours.  It's supposed to be great for covering up dark under-eye circles and other discolorations.

My Impression:

I'm sure it's no secret that one of the things I've been struggling with is dark under-eye circles.  Be it from a lack of sleep, genetics, or what have you, I have to deal with covering up these circles each day.  I have been through a boatload of products, each claiming to do what no other product has done.  Well, I never really completely found that to be true--until now.  I am absolutely positively in LOVE with this concealer to the point where I am ready to commit to an exclusive, longterm relationship.  It is definitely very lightweight--much thinner than foundation.  I have found that I only need just the smallest of dots to provide full coverage.  I apply it after I have applied my foundation by patting it on with my ring finger and then blending it out with a brush.  It blends seamlessly with the foundation, dries matte, and stays put for the entire day.  This is the first undereye concealer I have had that hasn't creased and has looked natural enough for my taste.

My recommendation:

I would surely recommend it to anyone facing similar dark under-eye problems.  It not only works, but it lasts!  Although it comes with a $16.50 pricetag, I believe it is well worth it because a little goes a long way.  That does bring me to my next point.  For any of you reading this and believing that it is too good to be true, there is one negative to this product--and that negative would be the packaging.  It comes with a pump dispenser and looks like a mini MAC foundation.  However, unlike the pump that can be purchased for the MAC foundations, this pump is simply uncontrollable.  One full pump will give you enough product to last you the week and even gently pressing it still leaves you in danger of pumping entirely too much.  I ended up finding a way to press it so that just enough comes out, but it takes a careful hand.  I think that if you can find a way to get past this issue, you should be good as gold!

The rundown:

• Product:  5/5
• Packaging:  2/5
• Quality:  5/5
• Overall:  4.3/5
• Would I buy this again?:  ABSOLUTELY.
• Price:  $16.50 at MAC
• Pros:
  +  Lightweight
  +  Dries matte
  +  Looks natural
  +  Covers dark under-eye circles
  +  Long lasting
  +  A little goes a long way
• Cons:
  -  THE PUMP

Hopefully you found my review helpful!  If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Disclaimer: I have not been paid to review the product featured above. I purchased all of the products reviewed in this blog post and did not receive them for free. I ensure that this is my true and honest opinion.

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Back in Business!

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to my blog!  I'm sure most of you that followed my previous blog, Princess Mellie's Look Book, are wondering what happened.  Well, to make a long story short, a lot!  Life started taking the reins and I had to take a little break.  I'm back, however, and if you're still willing to read up, I'd love to have you as visitors.

Some of you are probably asking about the name.  Why LMFAO?  Why such a strange name?  It catches attention, that's for sure, but I thought that as an acronym, it encompassed everything that I was hoping a personal blog would convey--discussions about my life, makeup, fashion, and other beauty-related topics.  Furthermore, nothing brightens up a day like a warm smile and a deep, hearty laugh.

I'm hoping that I'll be able to keep up with this much better than I have in the past--I'm determined to, actually.  This year is one to accomplish my goals and I will see to it that I make regular posts throughout the duration of 2011 (and into the future!).

While we're on the topic of goals, I'd also like to mention that I'm currently in the process of finishing my last semester as a marketing undergrad.  I'm working to finish up my classes--including an International Marketing course that will have me traveling to Germany and France!  As I prepare to make my way out, I am also looking at either getting my first job or continuing my education with an MS in Marketing Research.

Many of you that follow me on Twitter or followed my previous blog probably already know that for the past couple months, I've been working a full-time internship with SAP.  That kept me extremely busy last semester, especially with the commute that sometimes took me up to 2 hours one way!  Additionally, I also picked up a gig as a contributor to a marketing website.  Although I'm only working part-time this semester and I'm still busy with school and life in general, I have a little bit more time to devote to making posts here.

So we'll see where this takes us!  I've got a lot of fun and informative posts coming up, so hopefully you stick around to see them.  Please let me know if there's anything else you'd like to see or anything like that and I'll try my best to work towards it!

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