Honestly Homebody is on Bloglovin

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So we all heard that Google reader is dying a slow death and there's a sudden surge of migration to Bloglovin. Or is that just me being slow as usual?

Anyhoo, I got on the bandwagon!

The Shopping Queen Giveaway

I've always wished I was one of those lucky people who'd strike big and win the lotto one day.

But, really. Who am I kidding when I don't even know how to buy a lottery ticket?

Mr. Homebody is not much better. All he ever won was a pencil when he was in elementary school. Or a sharpener. Something to that effect.

I've been on a contest/giveaway rampage recently and it certainly didn't go unnoticed. Especially when I retweet contests everyday repeatedly and it shows on Mr. Homebody's feed haha.

Anyway, I joined Jen's giveaway and short of saying a prayer while kneeling at my bedside before I snooze, I'm really hoping that I'll win this one.

The very generous Jen (hey, it rhymes!) will be giving away:

1. Rimmel lipstick in Tell No One
2. Rimmel blush in Berry
3. Rimmel nail polish in Double Decker
4. Bourjois blush in Rose Frisson
5. Tarte LipSurgence Lip Tint in Elite
6. Rimmel Kate lipstick in 16
7. Deluxe sample sized Estee Lauder Idealist
8. Deluxe sample sized Benefit High Beam
9. Benefit BADgal mascara in brown

On top of that, the winner gets a Philosophy "The Cookbook" set.

Girl sure knows how to dangle carrots in this donkey's face.

I so want this. I'm honestly not sure if it's the Tarte Lip Tint that sent me into one blabbering mess or the Philosophy set. Maybe it's the Rimmel goodies. Oh, oh! It has to be Benefit's High Beam. I don't know.

Giveaway gods, do you hear me?

Daisy Meadow 500 GFC Followers Giveaway

The good thing about living in Japan sometimes is that I can get quite spoiled for choice when it comes to drugstore makeup that are of decent quality. The downside, however, is how every import product costs more than twice the price in other countries.

So unfair, really, because till now I've yet to own any Revlon Balm Stains after reading countless reviews about it. They're supposed pretty cheap but here in Japan they're ridiculously priced.

Anyway, I digress. I was just trying to get to the point of how I actually stand a chance in scoring some highly coveted items in the beauty world that may be available to me here but at truly exorbitant price tags.

Courtney is celebrating her 500 GFC follower milestone (congratulations Courtney!) by charitably keeping people like me in mind and giving away some of her favorite things.

Here's what she will be giving away:

Urban Decay Basics Palette
Real Techniques Core Collection
Bioderma 250ml

 I die. Seriously.

Ever since I caught wind of a new Urban Decay palette release I've been literally green with envy at the girls who seem to just be able to walk into a store, swatch, and buy one if their hearts so desired. I blame this country's pride in locally made products for not being able to satisfy my gargantuan appetite for more.

And then there is the Real Techniques brushes. So many YouTube beauty gurus use it and they seem to have nothing less than nice to say about them! If Wayne Goss and Tanya Burr used them regularly, it must all be for good reason, right?

Bioderma is being mentioned leftrightupdowncenter and it shows up in every other beauty blogger's monthly/weekly favorite all the time. And it is beneficial for sensitive skin. 

I'm not sure how Courtney knew that I absolutely needed all the stuff that she's giving away, but bless the girl's heart for awakening the makeup monster within me.

Fingers crossed!

A year of lip products #11

I have recently discovered that I own an obscene amount of lip products. In an effort to downsize without having a blog sale or burning all the makeup in my possession in a bonfire, I thought it would be a neat little idea to take inventory of my lipsticks, glosses and stains.

Pictures are taken in natural daylight with no color correction or manipulation.

ZA Aqualish in S01

One of those lip products I've had for a looooooong time but never get to using often. ZA was the teenage brand when I was in high school. And yes, it was a long time ago, but that's not the point. Packaging's always super cute, and I like them even when I grew up and away from being a teenager. This one here is housed in a shiny blue metallic case that actually looks pretty classy for a drugstore brand for the young. The Aqualish range is a hydrating line of lip colors that are sheer with a water-like shine. I like. What you see in the tube is what you get exactly on your lips. As you can see, the skin swatch and the tube is identical. On my lips, it's a cool toned pink tint that doesn't make me look like a dead person and can be worn on its own. In the past, I've used it to tone down darker and bolder lipsticks and it's worked very well to provide that bit of shine and oomph. Other times, it's kind of my to-go lip balm that isn't a lip balm.

A year of lip products #10

I have recently discovered that I own an obscene amount of lip products. In an effort to downsize without having a blog sale or burning all the makeup in my possession in a bonfire, I thought it would be a neat little idea to take inventory of my lipsticks, glosses and stains.

Pictures are taken in natural daylight with no color correction or manipulation.

E.L.F. Studio Minty Lip Gloss in Miami

One of those products that I wear often because everyday makeup is really understated here. Also, I'm too chicken to prance around in something bright. Nothing that stands out, to be honest, but I have a deep love for everything that's mint and it makes me insanely happy when my lip products are mint scented or gives me that tingly feeling. Here, you have one of those MLBB colors that gives your lips a slight shine with some barely there shimmer. Wear time isn't great but I'm a really bad judge because I'm always eating or drinking. Not that I can complain because it gives me more excuse to reapply! I find that E.L.F. lip gloss wands are not the greatest when it comes to picking up enough product for application so I basically need 4 dips to do my lips. Yes, 4, since I like them shinier and one dip is barely enough for either upper or lower. The tingly sensation lasts for about 5 minutes but don't expect lip plumping effects or anything, though. I'd repurchase in other colors, but sadly E.L.F. doesn't carry them anymore :(