Last Thursday I went to the launch party of a great beauty blog, Hello, Pretty!, right here in Culver City.  There I met most of the girls from Hello Pretty, and walked home with some sweet gifts!  Bren of Hello, Pretty certainly knows how to throw a party.  There were yummy drinks made of this sweet sake Tyku, cupcakes, and just fun low key people.  I certainly hope Bren the best of luck with Hello, Pretty!

So what sort of gifts did I walk home with?  Copied straight from their blog (since I've already put away all my goodies without cataloging them =P)

Glowelle 7-Day Trial Kit
Pair of Sunglasses by Angel Eyewear
Hemporer Natural Shea Butter Hemp Moisturizer
Dove Visibly Smooth Deodorant
Tonic Threesome 3-in-1 Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash
Tonic Luster Lotion Leave-In Conditioner
Julie Hewett Lip Pencil
Julie Hewett Shimmy
Lush Mini "Seanik" Shampoo
Jaime Earl Mini Balancing Facial Cleanser
China Glaze Nail Lacquer
Jan Marini "Marini Lash" Eyelash Conditioner
Malibu Secret Body Lotion
Tarte Cosmetics"Rise and Shine" Lipgloss/Lipstain

Samples:
White Sands "The Cure 24/7"
Mary Louise Skincare
Votre Vu Skincare

25% Off Coupon for Beautorium.com
25% Off Coupon for MindyShear.com

Yep, I got ALL THOSE GOODIES and they are easily worth over $400!  The sunglasses are absolutely fab and lightweight, and it's perfect for the summer!

Oh, I also won a 30 day supply of Glowelle!  I've been drinking it everyday since more multivitamins and healthy antioxidants are always good for me.  I'll let you guys know if my skin does really look better or not.

Now for the real reason why you're reading this post - updates on the doggy!

Sniffles has been a super good and smart boy since coming home.  His favorite toy is his pink squeaky pig and his pink tennis ball.  He loves mommy and daddy but doesn't like taking his medication (antibiotics and pain killers since he just got fixed).  He's super friendly with other dogs he meets during his walks.  When he goes out for walks, he likes to start by going toward the left.  Actually, he refuses to walk toward the right.  Everyone has been completely enamored by him since he's super sweet!  When I took him to my parents' house, I plopped him on top of my brother-in-law, and he immediately laid down on my BIL's comfy tummy.

Oh, the best part?  He loves his mommy and daddy.  While he's great with everyone else, he especially loves mommy!  When I'm not in his eye sight (i.e. bathroom), he goes to look for me, despite having lots of loving hands ready to spoil him rotten.  When I make smoochy sounds toward him, he comes to kiss me back!  The only thing - he's refusing to eat since I laced his food with his medication. Is he too smart for his own good?

For pix, go to my facebook page to see his own photo album!  http://www.facebook.com/gloriasyang or go here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2521346&id=2502573&l=cf5f04317f

And ignore any comments where Sniffles is referred to as "Charlie".

I have super exciting news for you guys!!

Today was possibly the best day ever for my little blog.  The guest post I submitted to The Beauty Brains, Smashbox DNA Lash Review, was posted, AND Karen from Makeup And Beauty Blog featured me along with other MMB Babes for the St. Patty's Day Look!!  I am completely floored and delighted.  WOOHOO!

If you guys aren't already reading The Beauty Brains, please start now.  If you came from BB, HI!!!!  The Beauty Brains was one of the first beauty blogs I read, and it's really changed my approach to makeup, skincare, and haircare.  Plus, coming from a science background, I was always intrigued by cosmetic chemistry, so it was interesting to read what actual chemists thought.  I was super happy (well annoyed) when I saw Smashbox Lash DNA Mascara because I knew that would be a perfect post that I, coming from a molecular biology (DNA!) background, could write well.  I'm really happy at how the post ended up.  You guys don't want to read my rough draft, as it was filled with expletives and a bunch of "ARGHGGGHHH GRRRRR SMASHBOX!!" like sentences.  But if you're interested in my little research at the entire ingredient list, I'd be happy to post it up!  I went through ingredient databases and wikipedia to search for the function of all the ingredients in that stupid mascara, so just let me know.

As for Karen at Makeup and Beauty Blog, I've referred to her a lot lately.  If you came from there, HELLO!!!!!  Karen is undoubtly one of my favorite beauty bloggers.  Her voice and tone is always so hip and upbeat.  Not to mention, the girl's got some serious skills.  I do wonder how she juggles her day job, her blog, going to the gym, as well as her classes.  I'm only working 1 job and I sometimes feel so BLAH to blog!  I barely go to the gym (currently going twice a week, but I'm going to up it to 3 starting next week), yet still I don't blog as much.  I know it sounds corny, but I look at Karen, and I think, if she can do it all, on top of playing with El Hub and Tabs, then I could blog more!!  I could play with my makeup even more!!

As promised to readers (at least those who read the comments) on MBB, I'll have a tutorial on the green look up shortly.  I have a shopping trip tomorrow with my dad at the Cabazon Outlet, so I won't have it up until later in the evening.

Now, I'm off to read Nadine Haobsh' new book, Confessions of a Beauty Addict!  Nadine's blog is actually the FIRST beauty blog I read.  I've also bought both of her books and recommend them to everyone.  If I look up to The Beauty Brains for their science knowledge, Karen for her amazing makeup and blogging skills, I definitely look up to Nadine for her writing skills.  It's kind of funny how I'm inspired by all these women for different aspects of my life: science, makeup, and (now) writing.  I never thought I'd enjoy writing until I graduated college, and I'm so thankful that blogging allows me to practice!  Sorry of that sounds corny, but you know it's true!

I wanted to submit this to Karen at Makeup and Beauty Blog yesterday for the Share Your Look post, but I didn't have enough time.  I finally got around to uploading the images to my laptop, so here it is.  I played with the pre-set frames and shapes to hopefully make my pictures more interesting.  I love how Karen does her pictures, but I have no talent to do it with her style.

This was for going out to dinner with my really good friend Patty.  I'm doubt she wants me to reveal her real age so I'll just say she's turning 21!  Woot woot!!  I wanted to keep it simple yet elegant as I also didn't have much time since I was lying in bed taking a nap when I should have been getting ready.  I ended up grabbing my NARS Alhambra duo, and defining my creases a little bit with my dark plummy red eyeshadow from Missha.  I then wetted my small tiny eyeshadow brush with contact solution, and lined my eyes with the same dark plummy red.  Topped it off with some mascara and I was out the door!

and a close up of the eye (i took it from my car so the lighting may not be ideal)

Items I used:

Face: Shiseido ZA True White Two-Way Foundation in 32, MAC Hipness Blush from Fafi Collection, and MAC Fun & Games from Hello Kitty collection

Eyes: NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Alhambra (pinkish shade all over up to the brow bone, gold shade concentrated on lids), Missha Eyeshadow in PP202, Kiss Me Goodlash Power Beam Eyes, Green contacts from Fresh Blends

Lips: NYX Lipliner in Rose, Laura Mercier lipgloss in Bellini

So what do you guys think?  I think I need a hair cut!  My hair is looking a tad limpy unstyled.

Elke Von Freudenberg is a premiere makeup artist and a brow specialist.  She sent out this message on facebook and I thought I'd share.  Too bad I'm not in NYC or else I'll be right there.  My brow is a huge mess!  I think the last person who waxed it messed up my natural shape, so I definitely need help!

If you’re in NYC, you’re so in luck! Why? Starting March 25th, I will also be doing brows at the super chic salon, Janet Rufin’s Parlor in Manhattan.

Janet Rufin’s Parlour
25 W. 19th Street NY
212 627-2243

Wed 11-7
Thur 11-7
Fri 11-8

Janet’s salon is a premiere, top rated hair salon as seen in Allure and New York Magazine and I’m thrilled to be able to offer all my brow services to Manhattan, like The Model Brow Service.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Elke

online booking available at
http://www.themodelbrow.com

One of my favorite beauty bloggers and author, Nadine Haobsh, is going through a tough time right now.  At the same time, the love and happiness she exudes during this time in her life truly shows how wonderful and beautiful she is.

On top of it, her new book is coming out soon, on January 27th!  It's her first fiction, Confessions of a Beauty Addict, which acts as a sort-of-but-not-really follow up to her first nonfiction, Beauty Confidential.

If you are not familiar with the Jolie story, let me summarize it quickly.  Nadine, who was a magazine beauty editor, started an anonymous blog on the side to dish about beauty and celebrity gossip.  At some points, she'd write about the fabulous swag and trips beauty companies throw at beauty editors just to get a mention in their articles.  Seems pretty harmless, no?  Well, it's something the industry wanted to down play to the public, one of those things that only people in-the-know are suppose to well, know.  Somehow Nadine's identity was compromised while she was in the middle of transitioning to a new position at Seventeen, and she lost both her then-current job and her new position.  Everything turned out for the better of Nadine's career, IMO.  She's currently running one of the most popular beauty blogs, Jolie Nadine, published 2 books, as well as features on Bare Escentuals commercials!

The book, Confessions of a Beauty Addict, follows loosely with Nadine's own story as a beauty editor who lost everything.  The official summary reads:

Bella Hunter may be down but she’s not out yet—and she’s ready to take on the world of beauty…one bad makeover at a time. Pity the poor twenty-eight-year-old beauty expert and columnist for ultra-chic Enchanté magazine, knocked right out of her Jimmy Choos—and out of a job—when her off-the-cuff comment to a reporter is blown way out of proportion. Once the authority on style, Bella’s reduced to taking a position at Womanly World, a publishing dinosaur of no interest whatsoever to any woman under fifty. Suddenly she’s got to take orders from a dreary and dowdy beauty director—and is soon at war with her male publisher, who might actually be appealing if he wasn’t so totally frosty. Bella’s supermodel boyfriend, a hometown wedding, and a Paris junket are fine distractions, to be sure. But how can she face her friends and ex-coworkers now that she’s stuck in an office where khaki—not Cavalli—is the way of life? And if beauty’s not what it’s all about…then what is?

After reading just the first chapter, which is available on her website, I find amusing, entertaining, and engaging.  It's charming and witty, and also relatable.  Our heroine, Bella Hunter (is Nadine a Twilight fan?  or is this a coincidence?  Bella gets hunted by James, a "Hunter"....) is seems to be the gorgeous beauty editor, hitting all the hot spots in NYC, friends with the superstars behind the superstars, yet she still questions herself and her confidence, just like the rest of us.  She's also klutzy and sweet, and as the first chapter reveals, she's managed to turn her hair bright orange during a DIY dye job.

Nadine's posted up the first chapter to whet our appetite for the January 27th release.  I'm ready to pre-order on Amazon just so I can get my hands on it by the 27th!  Why are you still here?  Download the first chapter of Confessions of a Beauty Addict by either going to her site, or clicking on the book cover above, and start reading!  Trust me, it's worth it.