Little Update!

Oh my goodness. We just got through all the back to school insanity at work, and now it's weird to be able to go to work and sit back and breathe for a second. Although I know it won't last long... our mall had the annual holiday meeting this morning to gear up for the Christmas season. SO. FUN. I know it's going to be crazy; I've never been a manager during the holidays before so it's nerve-wracking to think about. But it is a few months off so I won't stress about it until I need to.

My summer has been pretty crazy with lots of work to keep me busy. I've been learning so much and growing with the company, climbing one ladder rung at a time. Now I'm in line to take my own store and be a manager! It's very exciting. I've been working retail for my entire work history and never felt very driven about it, but I am happy with the company I'm with and where I'm at, and how there's been so much opportunity for growth and essentially making my own paycheck. Plus I get to wear all my crazy outfits to work, and I can't say that for any other companies I've been with... e.g. Sears, where I could only wear black and white dress attire, or See's, which is a job I loved but I had to wear a uniform that closely resembled a flour sack. So all in all, work is going well. It consumes most of my life but I know it's worth the sacrifice in order to get where I want to be.

Plus all those hours of work feed my shopping addiction. I've been so obsessed with Black Milk Clothing ever since I got the unicorn leggings for my birthday. They are pretty pricey - on average $70 a pair - but so, so worth it. You will never wear other leggings after you've worn these! My co-worker likes Bench leggings which retail about $50, but I'm trying to convert her. ;)

Burned Velvet Leggings paired with my 1460 Dr. Martens

My collection so far:
Unicorn Black Leggings
Mermaid Leggings
Cheshire Cat Leggings
Matte Black Catsuit
Burned Velvet Leggings
Dollar Leggings
Mountain Pink Leggings
Aurora Skye Orange Leggings
Nairobi Leggings
Matte Black Skirt
Foxy Leggings
Smilies Hosiery

And the obsession continues... I've never tried their dresses, but rumour has it that a cat dress is in the works right now. If so, I'm already in line!

I actually adopted a cat in July. Her name is Minnie. She's a little shorthaired black cat that got picked up by the Kitsap Humane Society, and as soon as I met her she reminded me so much of my old cat that I knew she'd be a perfect pet. I haven't had a pet since my kitty Punk went missing over a year ago. Sounds silly, but there's been a big hole in my heart since then. She was just a very interactive and friendly cat, and I'd never made much of a connection with an animal like that before. She was an outdoor cat though, and one day she went outside and never came back. I traipsed into the woods looking everywhere for her and went to the humane society every day, but she was never found. My heart was broken over her for a long time. I was reluctant about adopting another pet because I felt like it wouldn't be the same... I visit the humane society frequently, and as much as I love cats in general I never found one that I clicked with until I met Minnie. She had kitty bronchitis, worms, fleas and was very skinny but I loved her and knew I could give her a home, and she could help my heart heal a little bit. And she did. After lots of medicine, food, flea treatment and love, she is perfectly happy and healthy and starting to gain a bit of weight. And she is an indoor cat!

I haven't been shooting all that much lately, partly for a lack of interest and mostly for a lack of time. I did three shoots in July and haven't gotten sets back from any of the photographers, which kind of sucks because I took the time to do makeup, purchase wardrobe, and travel there and didn't get any photos out of it. Hopefully I see some of them soon. Two of them were paid shoots but one was TF and I bought a dress for it and had to go to Seattle so that was a lot of gas and ferry money as well. It's a hard-knock life being a wannabe model! Haha. I did have a shoot yesterday though. I am modeling the Black Milk Clothing matte black catsuit and heels by Shi. I'm not going to pretend to be one of those girls who acts like they know all about cars; all I can say is it's a Ford and it looks to be 1930s - 1940s? But I could be very wrong about that! I actually enjoyed the set... It was a giant garage full of authentic vintage mementos all the way back to 1930s. All sorts of cool stuff in there. Here are a few photos. All copyrights belong to Mike Bay.

And here is a better photo of the purple lipstick I was wearing! It's shade number 15 by Make Up For Ever - one of my favorites. I never thought purple could be a wearable lip colour for daytime, but this is truly the perfect pearly violet shade. Get it here! I am also wearing a hint of Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes eyeliner in Forest Green along my lower lash line. I like it because it makes my eyes greener and it stays on all day.

I hope you guys liked this blog post! Leave me comments if you have any feedback for me!
XOXO,
Sugar

Ten Best Beauty Buys!

I may have a kind of weird style that not everybody "gets," but one thing I do always get tons of compliments on is my makeup. So, I just wanted to share ten of my favorite beauty products with you guys! I try everything from drugstore to high-end stuff so there is something for everyone, on any budget.  Just click the link to go to the website where you can buy it!

1. MAC matte lipstick in Ruby Woo. $15, maccosmetics.com

I discovered this gem when I arrived on the set of a photo shoot one day and realized I forgot to bring the red lipstick I was wearing so I could touch it up between photos. One of the models who had been shooting with the photographer the day before had left her Ruby Woo on the counter of the changing area. I figured she wouldn't mind, so I washed off the stuff I was wearing and re-did my lips with her MAC lipstick. It was so gorgeous! After the shoot was over it still looked perfect. I had to go get my own. I still don't know who that model was, but I am forever grateful to her for introducing me to this cosmetic wonder. Those on the lookout for THE perfect red... this is it. I will never wear another red lipstick again! The MAC website describes it as a "very matte, vivid blue-red." I love that it has a blue undertone to it (as opposed to orange). Red with blue undertones makes your teeth look whiter, and it doesn't clash with yellow or pink skin tones. It is flattering on pale skin, but I've seen it on lots of different skin tones including African-American and it always looks stunning. I love this shade because it has zero shine, it stays on for hours, and you can eat, drink, or kiss in it and it won't budge. It never feathers into the creases around your lips, and it doesn't get on your teeth. You really can do no wrong with this!

2. Makeup For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation. $42, sephora.com

I'm not too big on heavy foundations, yet I want something that won't let my red spots show through. So I was thrilled when I found this. I was also happy because it is SO HARD to match my super-pale skin tone. But this foundation in shade 110 is the perfect match - it's impossible to tell where my skin ends and the foundation begins. It provides a thin veil of coverage that doesn't cake up throughout the day, yet it covers enough so that I don't even feel the need to ever wear concealer! And it comes in 26 different shades, from porcelain pink to ebony, so there is a match for everybody.

3. e.l.f Studio 11-piece Brush Collection. $30, eyeslipsface.com

In order to have a flawless face, you need the right tools... because there comes a point where using your fingers or the little sponge applicator included in the makeup you bought just won't cut it. If you're looking for good quality brushes at the lowest price, this set is great. And e.l.f. is always having sales and specials, so chances are you can get it for even less than thirty dollars, or they'll throw in a free gift or free shipping! I got my in January 2012, and they were doing a deal where you could get this brush set for $2.12 if you bought $30 of cosmetics. Plus I got free shipping. It truly was a bargain, and after a year these brushes are holding up wonderfully. You can also get them at Target and Wal-Mart, for about $3 a piece if you just want a few of them instead of the whole set.

4. NARS blush/bronzer duo in Orgasm/Laguna. $24-$41, sephora.com

You've probably heard beauty bloggers rave about this before, but I will say it again because I could not agree more - NARS blush in Orgasm is THE perfect blush. Look no further for a shade that flatters anybody. It is a peachy pink with subtle gold shimmer that highlights the cheekbones beautifully. And Laguna has long been a favorite bronzer in the beauty world. I like it because it is very blendable and you can build up as much colour as you need. NARS makes a compact with both products in it. It's expensive, but worth it. Until now, it was only available in the full-size compact duo for $41. But recently, they came out with a new mini size for only $24! I bought it in December, and let me tell you - there is more than enough product in this small compact. I use it every day and I've barely made a dent in the amount of makeup there is in it. It's a great value, and you will love the way it contours and colours the face.

5. NARS lip gloss in Orgasm. $25, sephora.com

Now that I've reviewed the blush, I can't forget about its best friend - NARS lip gloss in Orgasm! It's a very natural peach with gold flecks that make your lips look full and juicy! It also gives lipstick a completely new look if you layer the gloss over it. It's great for any occasion from casual to dramatic, because it goes with so many looks. Definitely a must-have in my purse.

6. Benefit High Beam. $26, sephora.com

This is the prettiest illuminator I've ever come across. I just dab it on my cheekbones, brow-bones, and temples, and it creates stunning definition. It's a shimmery pearl pink, and when you put it on there's just a trace of sparkle (no clumpy glitter). As the day goes on it fades a bit and provides a subtle, sheer glow that's beautiful and angelic. If you want those supermodel cheekbones, contour your cheeks with NARS Laguna bronzer and then highlight with Benefit High Beam. You'll be amazed at the results. It's $26 dollars for a 0.45 ounce bottle... but all you need is a dab of it so it lasts a ridiculously long time. Just a tip - skip the weird little brush it comes with and just use your ring finger to smudge it on. The result is much more natural.

7. bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara. $18, sephora.com

This may not be for everbody, because I prefer super thick lashes rather than defined, lengthened ones. I don't like mascaras that seperate every lash - I like them clumped together in volumized sections. Kind of spiky. Does that make sense? I don't know. Anyway, bareMinerals mascara is nice because it has a little comb brush. When you set it at the base of your lashes and wiggle as you go up, it creates such nice volume.

8. Biore Deep Cleaning Pore Strips. $8.50, walmart.com

These little wonders suck out all the nasty stuff in your pores that a regular face wash just can't reach. It's pretty gross to see what was in your skin once you peel them off - but it gives you such a good, clean feeling!

9. Salon Perfect false lash strips. $3, walmart.com

Salon Perfect lashes are exactly what false lashes should be - cheap, durable, and easy to apply. I honestly would take these any day over Sephora brand or Makeup Forever. Why drop fifteen bucks on a set of lashes that can only be worn a few times anyway? I love Salon Perfect. There are so many styles, from wispy and natural to fluttery and dramatic. I still haven't tried all of them, and I'm a false lash fiend so that's saying something. The bands on the lashes are thin too (easy to work with) and you can bend them to fit the shape of your eyelid. I get about five wears out of them, and that's with eye makeup on them. They'd probably last even longer if you didn't get mascara on them. I also absolutely love the lash glue by Salon Perfect. Apply it to the lash and wait about thirty seconds before putting it on your eyelid. It won't wear off throughout the day, and it comes off easily with makeup remover. It's definitely comparable to DUO, the high-end lash glue brand.

10. Mary Kay Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover. $15, marykay.com

At the end of the day all that pretty makeup has to come off, and to maintain good skin and avoid eye infections, you don't want to leave icky traces of old mascara or foundation when you go to sleep. In the brief time I worked for Mary Kay, I did discover one product that I truly love, and that is the oil-free eye makeup remover. It doesn't leave greasy residue (that beats sephora brand - I've tried it and was disappointed), and it removes every trace of makeup. You get a decent amount for the price. It really is a good product to have.


Well, that wraps up Sugar Price's must-have beauty product list! You may have noticed that I linked all the products I could to the Sephora website. That's because every time you buy something from them, you get free gifts, samples, and free shipping over $50. And if you set up a Beauty Insider account, you get a free product with every one hundred dollars you spend. It adds up faster than you would think! And I'm always up for freebies - I discover a lot of my favorite products that way. I hope this list is helpful for you next time you go makeup shopping. :)

xoxo,
Sugar