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    Beauty

    Friend Friday: Beauty products

    I promise, more posts to come next week. This week has… again… been hectic.

    Brandon Kidd Photography of An Dyer Wedding Makeup by Rita Nguyen

    Makeup by Rita Nguyen & Photo by Brandon Kidd Photography from my wedding!

    When I originally started my blog, I intended it to be about Fashion, Food, DIY & Beauty. If you’re a regular reader, you would have noticed that so far, I’ve only gotten as far as Fashion and food 🙂 whoops! Beauty and DIY are definitely things I enjoy and love, but taking photos and time to blog them is another story… Although I do have a beauty post lined up for next week or so, I was so excited when I received the list of questions for this week’s Fashion Beauty Friend Friday post from ModlyChic. It’s the perfect way to get me into the beauty, along with fashion and food of course, groove!

    1. What’s your favorite drug store makeup product and your favorite higher-end product?
    I’m guilty of only using department store brand products ranging from my Boscia skincare regimen to my collection of MAC shadows, NARS blushes and practically every mascara on the market. I’m aware that many drug store makeup brands are owned by the higher end brands but there’s just something about the luxe packaging and overall quality of the product that, to me, just cannot compare. That being said, I have ventured into drug store brands in the past and am a fan of Revlon Colorstay liquid foundation and their mascaras. Maybe I’ll use them again one day but right now, I really enjoy the quality of the higher end products. My favorite is currently Makeup Forever’s Smoky Lash mascara. It doesn’t seem to smudge on me and makes my perpetually straight boring lashes, slightly curl up and look longer! (That is – when I don’t wear false lashes.)

    2. Is there one type of product that is your go-to, can’t live without?
    MAC Liquidlast liner in Point Black. It is simply amazing. At first, I loved its glossy sheen and staying power but what really made me fall head over heels for it was our trip to Cabo San Lucas a few years ago. I wore it on the long flight that consisted of me falling asleep and rubbing my face into a blanket (and my then boyfriend, now husband’s shoulder), during high humidity excursions and even during our lazy lounging in the pool days. You heard me right, I said IN the pool as in diving, splashing around in the water, hair soaked and playing mermaid. My eye liner was in tact, never smudged and never transferred onto anything, not a towel or my husband’s dress shirts lol and still amazing the rest of the day. It’s hardcore. So much so that you have you used a serious oil based eye makeup remover to get it off… but nothing can compete. It’s my holy grail.

    3. What’s the best hair product you’ve ever used?
    I’m a huge fan of Bumble and Bumble products. I love how their Styling Crème gives me great volume when I apply it to my roots and holds my curls or straightening when applied to my strands and ends before I blowdry. I also love their DeFrizz product because it doesn’t feel greasy (even on my hands after!), gives amazing shine and makes my hair feel so soft – plus it rids me of frizz of course, too.

    4. Fess up, what’s the worst beauty look you’ve tried to rock and look back at now with a little shame or apprehension that you actually did that?
    Red Lipstick. It just does NOT work for me regardless of how little eye makeup I wear – I just end up looking ridiculous! Don’t get me wrong though, I think it looks amazing on other people but maybe it’s my complexion? I don’t know but I just cannot pull it off.

    5. When it comes to beauty products, we all use the same basic products. What do you use that helps show off your personal flare and personality?
    I’d have to say it’s false eyelashes. I’m always wearing them (except when I’m at my day job because it’s kind of a waste since I just sit in my office and rarely see people). Whether it’s to a fabulous event or just running errands, you’ll more than likely catch me wearing a pair.

    Interested in joining in on the fun to? See information about Fashion Beauty Friend Friday here.

    Makeup by Rita Nguyen

    Brandon Kidd Photography

    Xox,
    An

    What To Wear

    Newport Beach’s Pascal Epicerie

    An Dyer in Forever 21 Pink Ruffle Vest Top & Ring | Charlotte Russe Acid Wash Jeggings | Steve Madden Taupe Raven Boots | Louis Vuitton Ribera Mm | Brass Plum Camisole | Michael Kors Watch | Handmade Necklace by my Mom

    Forever 21 Pink Ruffle Vest Top & Ring | Charlotte Russe Acid Wash Jeggings | Steve Madden Taupe Raven Boots | Louis Vuitton Ribera Mm | Brass Plum Camisole | Michael Kors Watch | Handmade Necklace by my Mom

    I’ve been MIA all last week mostly because work has been hectic and instead of editing photos and writing posts, I decided to put myself into a food coma every day after work. Not the best use of my time nor healthiest idea but I needed it. Food and shopping are my own forms of therapy. I need to work on that.

    An Dyer in Forever 21 Pink Ruffle Vest Top & Ring | Charlotte Russe Acid Wash Jeggings | Steve Madden Taupe Raven Boots | Louis Vuitton Ribera Mm | Brass Plum Camisole | Michael Kors Watch | Handmade Necklace by my Mom

    An Dyer in Forever 21 Pink Ruffle Vest Top & Ring | Charlotte Russe Acid Wash Jeggings | Steve Madden Taupe Raven Boots | Louis Vuitton Ribera Mm | Brass Plum Camisole | Michael Kors Watch | Handmade Necklace by my Mom

    An Dyer in Forever 21 Pink Ruffle Vest Top & Ring | Charlotte Russe Acid Wash Jeggings | Steve Madden Taupe Raven Boots | Louis Vuitton Ribera Mm | Brass Plum Camisole | Michael Kors Watch | Handmade Necklace by my Mom

    Last weekend, (as in last last weekend), my Mom and I made a short drive to Irvine for a close friend’s party. While we were in that area, we decided to make a stop at Pascal Épicerie in Newport Beach. Me and my Mom? We’re like two peas in a pod. We have similar shopping habits like purchasing things we like in every color or pattern in comes in. Similar to shopping our food habits are the same. We like to try… everything 🙂

    An Dyer in Forever 21 Pink Ruffle Vest Top & Ring | Charlotte Russe Acid Wash Jeggings | Steve Madden Taupe Raven Boots | Louis Vuitton Ribera Mm | Brass Plum Camisole | Michael Kors Watch | Handmade Necklace by my Mom at Pascal Épicerie

    Pascal Epicerie Newport Beach Macarons

    Pascal Epicerie Newport Beach Salmon Salad

    Pascal Epicerie Newport Beach Pomme Allumettes

    Pascal Epicerie Newport Beach Chicken Salad 

    Pascal Epicerie Newport Beach Beet Salad

    Pascal Epicerie Newport Beach Asparagus

    Ok, so we really didn’t finish eating all of this food 😉 but we definitely nibbled a bit of everything and took the rest home for our hubbys!

    Xox,
    An

    Miscellaneous

    Mobile Pic Mondays II

    So I intended to do this Mobile Pic Mondays series every Monday but obviously I didn’t. I realized that some weeks I’ll snap more photos than others so this will be more of an every other Monday series 🙂 We got our Verizon iPhone4s in early last week (on the 7th!! They were supposed to arrive the 10th!) so you’ll see a few fun photo  app pictures too…

    I was so bummed to find out that this cute iPhone 3 case I bought at Nordstroms didn’t fit my iPhone4…

    To this, I ask – why slowly?!

    Braised Pork with Hard Boiled Eggs – a Vietnamese dish called Thit Kho voi Trung. I made it for Vietnamese New Years Dinner because it’s supposedly good luck lol

    In Southern California – omg.

    My car that same morning – ICE!

    I went to my friend’s daughters 1st birthday this past weekend and they had the ever so popular and beloved Sprinkle’s Cupcakes

    Can I have a birthday cake like this for my birthday?! So cute!

    The party was Hello Kitty themed!

    pascal epicerie

    I <3 Macarons!

    Other goodies from Pascal Epicerie

    One last shot of those amazing Pascal Epicerie macarons lol

    Xox,
    An

    What To Wear

    More Hello Kitty

    An Dyer in H&M Heather Grey Sports Coat | Forever 21 Hello Kitty Tank, Denim Shorts & Rosary Necklace | Louis Vuitton Ribera Mm & Monogram Inclusion Necklace | Banana An Coral Bangles | Christian Louboutin Gabin 140 Kid Cuoio Heel in Brown Beige

    H&M Heather Grey Sports Coat | Forever 21 Hello Kitty Tank, Denim Shorts & Rosary Necklace | Louis Vuitton Ribera Mm & Monogram Inclusion Necklace | Banana An Coral Bangles | Christian Louboutin Gabin 140 Kid Cuoio Heel in Brown Beige

    Another Hello Kitty top? Like many of my peers – I never got over my Sanrio phase. ever.

    These shots are actually old… like last month, old. I’d started a post but left it in my drafts and never got back to it until now. My hair was longer then and the weather was warmer – it’s Southern California and our winters can be 50 degrees one day and 80 the next.

    Some people may have noticed, others maybe not, that I have a mini (major) obsession with shoes… I don’t judge by their labels (who am I kidding, I <3 designer duds) I guess I should rephrase that. I have a growing collection of Christian Louboutins, Nicholas Kirkwoods,  Jimmy Choos, Miu Mius, Marc Jacobs, Stuart Weitzmans… the list goes on. At the same time, if I walk by Aldo, Cathy Jean or even Charlotte Russe and see a pair of cute shoes… I’ll buy them, too. You can find me perusing through Neiman’s shoe department and ten minutes later, digging in the roughs of Ross or Marshalls. To me, I love beautiful shoes, whether they’re expensive or not. I don’t judge… I just want them all 🙂

    An Dyer in Brown Beige Christian Louboutin Gabin 140 Kid Cuoio Heel

    An Dyer in H&M Heather Grey Sports Coat | Forever 21 Hello Kitty Tank, Denim Shorts & Rosary Necklace | Louis Vuitton Ribera Mm & Monogram Inclusion Necklace | Banana An Coral Bangles | Christian Louboutin Gabin 140 Kid Cuoio Heel in Brown Beige

    An Dyer's Brown Beige Christian Louboutin Gabin 140 Kid Cuoio Heel

    Xox,
    An

    What To Wear

    Classic Blazer

    An Dyer in H&M Blush Lapel Black Blazer and Bow Bracelet | Forever 21 Camisole | Foreign Exchange Grey Jeggings | Steve Madden Platform Pumps | Louis Vuitton Ribera Mm | Michael Kors Watch | Banana An Carys Ring

    H&M Blush Lapel Black Blazer and Bow Bracelet | Forever 21 Camisole | Foreign Exchange Grey Jeggings | Steve Madden Platform Pumps | Louis Vuitton Ribera Mm | Michael Kors Watch | Banana An Carys Ring

    I was hesitant about posting this outfit from the past weekend on EBEW mostly because I’d been wearing it a lot lately… a bit too much? After mulling it over for a day (making me late to post it there – as usual. What’s my problem!?!?) I decided to go for it. Otherwise, it would just sit in my “blog” folder forever. At least I styled it differently, right? 😛

    An Dyer in H&M Blush Lapel Black Blazer and Bow Bracelet | Forever 21 Camisole | Foreign Exchange Grey Jeggings | Steve Madden Platform Pumps | Louis Vuitton Ribera Mm | Michael Kors Watch | Banana An Carys Ring

    An Dyer in H&M Blush Lapel Black Blazer and Bow Bracelet | Forever 21 Camisole | Foreign Exchange Grey Jeggings | Steve Madden Platform Pumps | Louis Vuitton Ribera Mm | Michael Kors Watch | Banana An Carys Ring

    Xox,
    An

    Classic Blazer | Everybody, Everywear