It's been a while huh?  For some odd reason, I just haven't felt compelled to blog about anything.  Not that I haven't been trying out great products or anything like that, but sometimes I start writing something, and feel like it's just crap.  Was I getting burned out?  Was it work?  No idea.

I've actually wanted to write about Jane Iredale for a while.  A couple of weeks (or was it months?) ago I received a makeover from Jane Iredale, and came home with their Limited Edition Sweet 15 Kit.  It features 15 pressed mineral eyeshadows in colors that you will actually use, 1 light bronzer, 1 peachy shimmery blush, 1 baby pink blush, and 3 lip plumpers.  This is my go-to palette for everyday use, for traveling, and for giving my friends/family makeovers!  It's completely hassle-free, and everything is pigmented and easy to blend!  It's so easy creating a natural look to a smokey look to a colorful look with this, it's amazing.  The bronzer is one of the best bronzers I've used thus far - it's not so dark that it looks like dirt is on your face, but brown enough to use as contour.  Plus the entire kit is practically mess-free!  That's my biggest gripe with mineral anything - it's loose and messy, and it gets all over the place.

If you can only buy ONE makeup item this month, this is the item to buy.  At $78, it's a steal for what you get.  Plus you'll actually use this every single day, and you won't get bored of it!

Jane Iredale Limited Edition Sweet 15 Kit

$78.00 by Jane Iredale at Beauty.com

Although it's old news, and everyone and their mom had probably shared their opinions of Kim Kardashian as a blonde, but I have to say this: I'm not loving it.  She looks way too much like Jennifer Lopez with the lighter locks!

Kim has always looked somewhat similar to J. Lo, albeit a sweeter looking J. Lo.  They both have big almond shape eyes, very shapely nose, and a small-ish pouty mouth.  Yet Kim has kept her look her own with the gorgeous dark wavy hair, making her stand out from the rest of young Hollywood.  Now she looks like she's trying to be J. Lo, and I'm not loving that.

Although yes, her colorist did a great job with the coppery blonde highlights.  When it comes to gals with darker skin tones, it's a toughie to pull off blonde.  The trick is to keep your base color brown, and include tons of thick blonde highlights around your face.  Otherwise it will look odd and disharmonized with your face.

Did you know there's a sales page at Sephora.com? They don't advertise the link on their site, but if you search for "Sale" in the search box, it'll bring you straight to the sale page. Kinda sneaky of Sephora, but I guess it makes it more special and secretive?

Anyhow, there's some really great deals right now. Some of the items are only $2 or $5 off, but these select items are either 50% off or close to 50% off! I've definitely been eyeing a few of these items when they were full price, so now's totally the time to sweep them up!

1. Stila The Precious Pearl Palette

Stila The Precious Pearl Palette

$20.00 by Stila at Sephora

This gem was originally $40, which was already an incredible deal! Now you get $6 Stila eyeshadows packaged in a beautiful palette for only $20! That's cheaper than drugstore makeup!! Even though the palette came out during Spring, they're all really usable all-year-round! Buy this!

2. Metropolis Tourmaline Ionic Mini Wireless Straightening Iron

Metropolis Tourmaline Ionic Mini Wireless Straightening Iron

$69.00 by Metropolis at Sephora

I love my mini straightening iron, but I absolutely hate how my wires get tangled up! This little gem is not only a great straightening iron by itself, containing all the new fangle technologies offered such as tourmaline ceramic plates and what not, it's also wireless! A completely charged battery lasts for about 30 minutes, which is plenty of time to iron your hair into fabulosity. This is originally $149, so you are getting more than a 50% discount. Totally get this or suffer buyer's remorse.

3. Sephora Brand Round A Kiss - Care and Plump

Sephora Brand Round A Kiss - Care and Plump

$8.00 at Sephora

I actually just read a review on this on Blogdorf Goodman, which makes me want it now. At $8, this lip palette contains an exfoliator (the green stuff), a hydrating lip balm (the white stuff), and 2 extremely sheer and pretty pink glosses. You want pretty lips that's sooo in for this Fall? Then you'll probably want this. This is also perfect if you're a huge red lippie fan! Exfoliate and condition your lips, then make your red lippie shine with a sheer pink gloss over it. It's soo worth it for $8.

There's like 12 pages worth of items on sale at Sephora.com! Check out to see what other goodies are available and grab them before they're gone! I was a dodohead and didn't even think about grabbing all the Sephora brand brushes they had on sale a few years back. They were discontinuing all their brushes to make room for their fancy professional brushes, and they had blush and powder brushes of great quality for $10-$20. Even fan brushes were on sale! Learn from my mistakes and grab these goodies now!

I've been wondering about how 1 famous plastic surgery victim looked like before plastic surgery, and well, can you guess who this is?

Find out after the jump!

A few years ago, I could not understand why Penelope Cruz was so popular. To my then young-stupid-self, I thought she, quite frankly, resembled a duck. I never said I was smart as a kid.

German Premiere Of "Volver" with Penelope Cruz

Then yesterday, I finally sat down and watched Volver, and wow, I'm soo on the Cruz train now! I could not take my eyes off her beautiful and unique face. Her eyes are so big and almond shaped, her jaw line so unique, and her mouth! Her mouth is just too adorable!! And her hair has so much volume and movement! Is she a classic beauty ala Grace Kelly? No. But she has a quirky look more a kin to Audrey Hepburn, with eyes that's just slightly too far apart and not too perfect nose. It's a face that more woman can relate to, and it's just much more memorable.

Now I wonder, would I be hopping on the Scarlett Johansson train soon? I'm sorry to all guys and girls who love her to death, but I really do not see her appeal. My coworkers say she's quirky and what not, but I don't find her either a true classic beauty nor a unique edgy beauty. Hm?

Why can't commercials this side of the Pacific be as touching as this? Thought I'd share this since it's wonderful and I am currently loving Pantene's new NatureFusion line.  Lightweight yet moisturizing shampoo combined with the best conditioner I've ever used, it's a winning line!  Full review coming soon, but for now:

A stipling, sometimes spelled stippling, brush is probably the most versatile brush there is.  Stipling brushes, also known as skunk brushes, are a blend of goat hair and synthetic hair, with the black goat hair on top, and white synthetic hair extending out from the goat hair.  They have a flat head, which I think is part of why it's so great.

So what can you apply with a stipling brush?  Liquid foundation, cream brush, powder brush, bronzer, and basically everything you can think of.  It blends liquid foundation so the end result is flawless.  No streaks, no lines, just beautiful skin.  Cream brush?  Use the flat head to apply it to the apples of your cheeks and blend.  Got a blusher that's too pigmented?  Use the flat head to lightly blend it onto your cheeks for a subtle glow.  Everyone should have one.  It's that one brush I take with me to multi-task when I go on vacations.

187 Duo Fibre Brush

$42.00 at M·A·C

The 2 most popular brands that offer this brush is MAC and Sephora.  Almost every beauty addict owns the MAC 187, and the other half owns Sephora's Professionnel Platinum Stippling Brush #44.  The MAC 187 costs $42, which isn't cheap by any means, but it really is worth the money.  Sephora's version costs $35, but the reviews for it are mixed.

Sephora Brand Professionnel Platinum Stippling Brush #44

$35.00 at Sephora

Another great thing about these?  It dries super fast when you wash it.  When it was colder, my fluffy blush/powder brushes would take a really long time to dry.  Most of the time I wash them before heading to bed, but unfortunately, my blush/powder brushes are still damp in the morning.  The 187 however, is bone dry.  I love it.  Plus you could use them wet, especially when your applying liquid foundation.  I imagine using them wet to apply blush would result in well, not so subtle application.

Hello blog.  I'm so sorry for neglecting you, but I swear, it was not intentional.  It's just there's this show on HBO called True Blood, which is based off a book series called The Southern Vampire Mysteries, and between watching Season 1 of the show on DVD and reading all 9 books, i've been completely sidetracked.

If you haven't watched True Blood or read the books, do it now.  While it's a vampire book that also deals with vampires and humans and werewolves all falling in love, it's totally different from Twilight.  True Blood is definitely more of a thriller and more matter of fact than Twilight.  It also touches upon current-issues, intentional or not, by conveying current arguments regarding LGBT issues, immigration issues, and general intolerance issues.

Anyhow, that doesn't mean I've been slacking off on trying products!!  Reviews are definitely coming up, as well as my current 5-minute makeup routine that's so quick and easy!