A few steps more is happiness but

top  mollyfromspace

denim shorts one teaspoon 

pointy ankle strap boots anna xi

henry skeleton watch marc jacobs

bag celine

 

Hi!

Summer is almost gone and regrettably I didn’t end up enjoying it much. I’m also a bit behind in terms of posting as well…work got a bit too crazy. I haven’t been shopping much except for acquiring a rose gold watch (finally) by Marc  Jacobs (Katy I blame you! lol) and recently, a coat for fall (which you might see in later ootds, but I prefer makeup posts more tbh).

And yes… I know my hair is getting really long but I was hoping to trim it after my cousin got married because I wanted to curl it hehe.

However…makeup wise. I have been constantly lusting over the Suqqu and Tom Ford collections. The quality of Suqqu lipsticks...let’s just say they are in their own league. If you try one, you won’t go back to anything else I guarantee. They are soo pigmented and creamy. The color selection though is rather “safe” but as I find with most high-end brands, keeping it “natural” is key. I’ll do a post on my Suqqu collection later on. But here, take a look at the Suqqu 2013 fall collection at Selphia. And the Tom Ford collection with two trios, one called “She Wolf” here at the beauty look book, and the other “In the Pink” here. God they’re just so pretty. Oh, and I might as well add the Lunasol 2013 Summer one too, by the lovely Reika sadly it’s limited edition and sold out everywhere :(.

P.s. Has anyone picked up anything from the Marc Jacobs range at Sephora? 

P.s.s. I had no idea my smile is so goofy HAHA

- D

Man I promise, I'm so self conscious

Hey guys haha. Wow it's been awhile since I last made a post. I have no excuse, I'll just come out and say it... I'm a workaholic. And no, it's not just your computer screen, there's still snow in April, albeit it's finally melting so I can get some much needed vitamin D.

Finally, all the years of not getting enough sleep has it made near impossible to feel energized or awake.. can't overcome the sleep deficit haha. Alright guys, piano time, I'll catch you later ~

chunky blue scarf & beanie - ebay
jacket - tobi
plaid shirt - mexy
tights - asos
gloves - sakun 

wedge - charles albert

I used to feel my luck was bled from me at seventeen

I didn't even notice until the blood started dripping from my left hand that I had brushed ever so faintly against my spiked litas. I am less squeamish with blood nowadays so I cleaned up all good. Just a couple years ago, I would start losing strength in my hands, and some knee-bucklnig action would have been involved. But taking this picture was slightly messy...okay enough of that imagery.

I went with a friend to watch some Chinese cultural show where I was promised by my teacher of extraordinariness of epic proportions, and that this celebrated group never comes to Edmonton (once in a lifetime opportunity) so I should go etc. He hyped it so much, we went and...was thoroughly disappointed. Probably because none of the actual performers had their own equipment (everything rented out locally last minute due to containers still being in Winnipeg). I guess the show had to keep going to save face...but there was this contortionist though, always a highlight in my opnion.

Some completely irrelevant music: 1, 2, 3

P.s. No idea where my hat came from, showed up as a package from china with my name on it Lol 

oak+fort blazer/cardigan

alternative apparel tank

unif axl pants

report duke boot

In the midst of her dream

The creative side of me had been itching for the past couple of weeks. How else do I express my creativity other than through paint, a pen, and a piece of paper, or crafts? Creative makeup and photography it is. I finally had a bit of time last week to walk through Sephora (my first time in months), and oh my gosh. I was legit so inspired with all the colours, that the first thing I did was text Doris and ask her when she would be free to be my canvas again. Lucky for me, she was free this Sunday afternoon. After countless times of saying “oopsies,” and after going through a million cotton swabs and half a bottle of makeup remover (jk), this was how my artwork came out as. Scroll down for images.

I had quite a few pieces of temporary tattoos left back from a few years ago, and I finally decided to put them into use. Dramatic eyes, bold red lips, red nails, and temporary tattoos. All in one package!

Also, here’s something I’d like to share with all you lovely people out there:

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” - Matthew 6:34

Model: Doris

Creative directing, concept, makeup, hair, editing, photography: Carmen

Products used:
- skin79 super+ beblesh balm bb cream triple function
- urban decay 24/7 glide on eye pencil in perversion
- kanebo kate gel eyeliner in bk-1
- estee lauder soft smudge eye pencil in black

- lorac unzipped palette
- yves rocher sexy pulp lash plumping mascara
- etude house moistfull collagen essence-in primer

- make up forever 12 flash color palette (red, coral, & black)
- nail confetti, false eyelashes, chanel-inspired tattoos from ebay
- nyx black eye shadow
- tony moly baby doll pot concealer in #1
- dior diorskin rose diamond
- anna sui lip rouge
- disney cinderella lipstick in lady tremaine
- too faced sweet indulgence palette's exclusive bronzer
- guerlain wulong pressed powder

So high I cannot feel the fire

So my hellbounds came in finally yay! I don't know why I waited so long, I was thinking maybe the black ones will finally be in stock again, but nope. It was an unfortunate testament of online shopping, but oh well, I ended up getting them in tan instead. I'm so glad they're platform heels and not anything else, because my archless feet won't be able to handle heels this high. So yeah, I've been eating out nearly everyday this week and as someone sensitive to smell, I get so bothered when my clothes smell like the restaurant. The second I get home, I'm changing clothes and laying them openly in areas where the smell will dissipate. Sigh this manic behaviour...will I ever change?

hat: trapstar

tank: one teaspoon

jacket: zara

pants & shoes: unif

bag: beyond style xxx (korea)

necklace: alisa michelle

top & shorts: one teaspoon
ring: ebay
bracelet: gift

necklace: alisa michelle

shoes: unif

All I know is

A couple days ago, I woke up feeling like I could solve the logic problems of the world. I had such mental clarity. Too bad I made absolutely no use of it. I don't know if it's because I've been reading Steve Jobs' biography before I sleep? But anyways, it's a pretty good read if you're interested in the man. How I wish I could own the stage and capture the audience like Jobs. I would say... he's a hippiefied hitler. I often find myself wanting to have knowledge of everything intact. It bugs me so much when a book briefly mentions someones name or a theory in passing. I used to sticky note every page that had something I wanted to research later, but I never got back to it. Too lazy now, I just download the epub version and screenshot that. But still..so ocd.

Trying to have a mental database of everything is probably not the best idea because I have the worst memory when it comes to everything but birthdays. Speaking of which, I had dinner with my grandma the other day, asked her if she liked the card I gave her in place of not being able to show up to her birthday dinner due to work. She told me she threw it in the trash that morning and to not waste money on such things..gg. As for today, I ended up watching the identity thief, and the song bad girls by m.i.a. played numerous times in it and due to my adhd, all I could notice was how lackluster the original is compared to the cover by Lydia Paek.

P.s. Wow I just noticed how evident all my bruises on my legs are...hope you're all having a good reading week though. :)

cardigan: max studio

tank: one teaspoon

shorts: forever 21
shoes: new look

Valentines Day look: Ombre lips, blush, and a clear complexion

Hello all you beautiful people, Carmen here! As many of you may know, Valentines Day is coming up this thursday. Yes, creative makeup is fun to play with (especially with all those different colours and palettes out there), but I think the ultimate purpose of makeup is to enhance the features that you are already blessed with. Therefore for Valentines Day, instead of "hiding" your natural features by exaggerating your eyeliners, and shadows, why not stick to simplicity? Afterall, more is less. And really, your significant other should love you for who you are, not how you put on your makeup, or how you dress. Anyways, here's a look that is refreshing, and super girly for all you ladies out there.

 top: carmen | bottom: doris

photography, makeup, hair: carmen
photography, hair: doris

So for both of our makeup, the main focus is on clear and dewy skin with highlighting and blush. The ombre lips help make your lips look smaller and more natural with a warm flush. Shadow is kept to a bare minimum, and the eyeliner follows closely to the crease of the eye.

For clear skin and makeup:
There's quite a few youtube videos out there on how to get a clear complexion, but here is my take on it:

1. Wash your face (preferably with cool water and a cleanser that suits your skin type). Not only does this give you a clean canvas to work on, but the cold water helps to tighten up your pores.
2. Use a toner and an oil-free moisturizer (preferably with SPF if you are planning to go outdoors, and no SPF if you are planning to take pictures with flash). A good toner helps to tighten up pores in order to prep your skin for moisturizing. One of my favourite moisturizers is the Kiehl's ultra facial toner, and the ultra facial cream (no SPF). For this shoot, I used the Moisture Rescue Lightweight UV-lotion by Garnier.
3. BB cream: A lighter alternative to foundation is the hyper up BB cream (I used the skin79 Super Beblesh balm triple functions). I personally don't ever use foundation just because I find it too thick. For this look, I mixed a pea sized amount of the Moisture Rescue lotion with a pea sized amount of BB cream. Dab tiny amounts onto the T-zone, C-zone, chin, the area around the nose, and blend away!
4. Concealer: I like going in with concealer after bb cream to brighten up any areas. In this shoot I used the TonyMoly Baby Doll pot concealer in #1 light beige on the area under the eyes, nose, and lips.
5. Blush: I used Tarina Tarantino's Dollskin cheek blush in Feather on the apples of the cheeks, and I brushed the Dior Beauty Confidential in 001 Sun Illusion higher up to the cheekbone area to get more of that rosey flush.
6. Highlighting: This is pretty much the most important step to achieve the illusion of youthful, dewy skin. I used the Temptu Retouch Highlighter in Pink Pearl on the T-zone, C-zone, chin, and the eyebrow bone area.
7. Powder: For this look, I skipped powder simply because I didn't want the look to be too matte. However, you can lightly sweep powder over oily areas just to soak up excess sebum.
8. Done! These are only steps for a really light coverage. If you do need more coverage, then you may want to invest in foundation.

Tips:
1. Try not to keep your makeup on for over 8 hours, and your skin will love you. Spend as much time cleaning and taking your makeup off, as the time used to put your makeup on. If you spent 10-15 minutes to put on makeup, then invest 10-15 minutes to take it off!

2. Water and exercising are important ingredients for clear skin. Drinking water will help your skin retain its elasticy, while sweating will help clear out your pores, so drink up! Also, breakouts are sometimes due to hormone imbalance, so exercising will always help. Oh and as well, eat your veggies, people!

3. Love and respect yourself for who you are =)

All right, I think I'm done blabbering. For all of you who actually read through this, I congratulate you. You deserve a sticker. Happy early Valentines everyone!

Scarf junkie

So lately I've been staring at my closet...and I have come to realize how much stuff I have crammed in there. Stuff as in my keyboard and the stand, snowboard, mountains of clothing, stacks of books, hats, shoe boxes, bags, and other useless things. I probably have a few rodents living in there too. Just joking...maybe. Anyways, I think scarves are the best accessories, which enable us to dress up or down pretty much any outfit. I came across my scarf section and it kind of scared me a little when I raked it all out. I came to realize what a scarf junke I am. I've neglected some of thesse pieces, and just left them there to collect dust.

Well...why not make something artsy out of them? They've once again re-debuted. This time they aren't just to be worn as scarves, but to be made into a carpet. Or mat. Or whatever you want to call it. The scarves below are a combo of Doris' and mine. All you scarf fanatics out there...please do show us your collection too!

Have a blessed week,
Carmen

Take a walk, take a rest, taste the rest

A couple days ago, for the first time in my life, I met another Doris. She was a lovely old lady, and told me that seeing a younger person named Doris made her feel less ancient. My dad actually named me after Doris Day (who was an actress and singer and now at 90 years old is still an animal rights activist) who was named after Doris Kenyon (a silent screen star). To this day, I am still under the impression that my name is rather grandmotherly – but I am sure, had I lived in the 30s, it would have been a popular name at the time.

On an entirely different topic...I have to thank my friend for introducing me to Kiehl's Olive Fruit Oil shampoo and conditioner. I was having exceptionally dry hair/scalp this winter and this really revitalized my hair and soothed my seemingly inflamed scalp. She also added that it was quite popular with asians, I can see why! So yep, if anyone else is having this problem, I highly suggest you test this line out!

P.s. I'm terrified of walking my dog because of all the coyote sightings in the area behind my house :(. 

graham & spencer sweater
feather necklace from ebay
tart skirt
bag from loveien9
charles albert leopard wedges

Topbox January 2013

For the January Topbox, it was completely Clinique-based. I actually just got it today which is rather late and was again, severely disappointed when I opened it. You know, I'm thinking that instead of hoping I will get an exciting luxury sample, I am probably better off saving my money to buy the exact item I want. But yeah, I do believe I will be cancelling my subscription. No more beauty boxes for me haha.

Out of Clinique's many many products, I was  praying on the off chance I would not be sent skin-related products. As good as their moisture surge cream is, I try my best to avoid Clinique's other skin products as they don't work too horribly well on me. Although I have heard that their chubby sticks are good, I already have way too many lip products.

P. s. I also heavily swatched the eyeshadow duo for your viewing pleasure, mine is in shade "strawberry duo" and I found it rather hard to build an intense colour. But the pink does have a slight golden sheen that is much more apparent in person.

Rinse Off Eye Makeup Solvent
Make it a clean sweep, from lashes to brows. Or use for on-the-spot makeup fixes. Oil-free. Full Size: $25 (125mL)

Clarifying Lotion
Formulated to help lift the world's impurities to create healthier, younger skin. Full Size: $16 (200mL), $27 (400mL)

Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo
Go-together shades of silky, easy-to-blend colour in a chrome slide compact. Full size: $25 (2.5g). Shade: Strawberry fudge duo

Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector
Comparable to a leading drug ingredient in visibily reducing dark spots by 58% in 12 weeks. Full Size: $63 (30mL), $93 (50mL)

The Artist In Us

I've been having these random rushes of creative drives recently that just needed to be satisfied. I used to divert these creative drives to designing, doodling, sketching, painting, and whatever I could lay my hands on. It's not until recently that I've realized I can use people, a camera, makeup, and clothing to bring out whatever images I saw in my head.

Doris and I wanted to create this look for some time now. Fierce, masculine, but with a hint of femininity. We whipped out our white dress shirts, black blazers, and the rest came together.

I was going through my dad's closet for a bow tie...but all I could find were boring colours, and silly ties with Snoopy or Flintstone print. Therefore, I used a ribbon belt from my shorts as my tie...I guess there's never any boundaries for being creative. For Doris' outfit, the ruffle of her dress shirt totally completes the look!

On the makeup: A general makeup rule is to either only focus on the eyes or the lips. I decided to bend the rules a bit by having the focal point of this look on both the eyes and the lips. Oh, and I also didn't want the look to be too original (with the red lips accompanying the black and white outfit), so I decided to have some white and silver streaks added to our hair. The results came out to be pretty edgy!

 Left: Carmen                                            Right: Doris

Makeup, hair, creative directing: Carmen

Photography and styling: Doris and Carmen

PS: Here's our instagram if any of you wanna take a peek at the randomest things we like to take pictures of:

Doris: dgsf_

Carmen: carmen010491

Have a great week everyone!



Somebody said to me

Most of you are probably already familiar with Alyssa from the Ordinary People's blog. We went to high school together, and yes, I can attest to her being fashionable then too ;). We ended up getting together this past thursday for a shoot. Not only did she wait patiently for us to get ready, it was so comfortable, like we were just hanging out. I have to admit, I had doubts because I am so camera shy, but it was quite fun. Thanks so much for all you've done for us!

Blogging is something I’ve tried a long time ago but never followed through. Never would I think anyone would want to hear or see what I do with my time. I used to write something and then save it as a draft. One of the main reasons being the writing process itself burnt me out of whatever emotion I was carrying so intensely. It was so therapeutic that sometimes I didn’t even save what I wrote as draft. And if I did happen to save, I’d go back, reread and find so many flaws with my logic. Not that I don’t have eye bags now, but during my insomniac state, they were hands down the worst. I had too many thoughts in my head, ideas, emotions, feelings that I couldn’t liberate. I felt consumed and choked. But really, that was just another kind of outlet blogging helped me with.

This blog started out as a creative outlet for Carmen and I (still is), and no matter how you look at it, we are just everyday normal girls that have an interest in fashion and makeup. But…you came here for the pictures, so enough of my rambling. First couple of pictures as well as the last one are some of our favourites edited by Alyssa, you can see the complete shoot here



















On Doris: Cardigan-Sheinside, White tank- Alternative apparel, shorts- Forever 21, Shoes- Jeffrey Campbell Tripoli

On Carmen: Jacket- H&M, shirt- Forever 21, Blouse- thrifted, scarf & bag- Gifted from Asia, Shoes- Jeffrey Campbell Spiked Litas in Mint

Makeup by Carmen

All photos by Alyssa Lau

Write Once, Run Melos

Sorry for the lack of updates! I've been feeling quite poorly these couple of days and Carmen has a lot of relatives staying over so our plans have gone awry countless times. But I thought I should at least post something before my neo-citron knocks me out cold. Carmen is planning on doing a swatch on something she got for Christmas real soon :).

Anyways, here are a couple of videos/songs that I wanted to share. Thanks Jesmer for the last one (catchy song despite the video) haha.

- D

Tokyo Jazz Freak

Tok Tok Tokyo!
 Jazz freak~

Not that I know much about jazz, but this song by 45 has been one of my favourite songs for a long time now. Recently rediscovered it and have been putting it on repeat ever since. And well, since the world is ending, you should all listen to it ;). Also, thanks to Kim for freezing with me outside to snap a couple pictures haha. Oh, and while I was buying a couple of movies for my dad, I got carded cause well…I guess I don’t look over 18. Sigh. I guess I'll take it compared to looking 15 a year ago. Anyways, just incase we won’t be able to update this week, Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone!

P.s. I kept delaying this post because we both thought we were able to fit a makeup shoot this week, but alas :(.

jason wu sunglasses & nu-g clutch via hautelook
jacket hong kong
celine t shirt the85stylepeople
shorts forever 21
jeffrey campbell tripoli via solestruck