Movies Week#2: 25 Favorite Movies

So, this week I decided to do something different in this blog, I decided to talk about movies. So I've already discussed the first part of my 25 favorites, which I'll link here for you to check! So, without any further ado, lets continue!

11. The Shawshank Redemption (1994): This movie talks about the life of a man who is wrongfully accused of murdering his promiscuous wife, how he starts making connections in prison, friendships, how he bonds and mingles with superiors and other prisoners, and how he eventually escapes.
This movie features Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, and some others.

12. The Green Mile (1999): It talks about a giant black prisoner charged of murder and waiting for his executions, yet sometimes looks and prejudices can be deceiving, for this man turns out to have a very special gift which puts everyone who surrounds him in a moral and ethical dilemma.

This movie features Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, and some others.

13. Changeling (2008): this movie talks about a mother whose son gets kidnapped, and allegedly found, yet she is not convinced that the kid they found is her own. As a result to her restlessness, she gets admitted in a mental health facility that keeps patients drugged, electrifies them, and humiliates them in every possible way.

This movie features Angelina Jolie, Colm Feore, and some others.

14. Seabiscuit (2003): A story of a racehorse and the friendships and interaction with people that surround it, as well as how the horse affected those lives, especially during tough historical times.

This movie features Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, and others.

15. The Quiet American: A young doctor meets a married English reporter in Vietnam, and they both fall in love with the same beautiful Vietnamese woman during wartime. 

The movie features Michal Caine, Branden Fraser, and some others.

16. Never Let Me Go (2010): The interaction and involvement of three friends in a boarding school lead the life of clones who were created to donated their organs to people and sacrifice themselves.

This move features Carrie Mulligan, Keira Knightley, Andrew Garfield, and some others

17. Finding Forrester (2000): A young gifted boy with great potentials but unhelpful and unfortunate surroundings accidentally breaks into the apartment of the man who will become his mentor as they will both change each other and push each other's limits.

This movie features Sean Connery, Rob Brown, and some others.

18. I Am Sam (2001): A mentally retarded father tries to fight for full custody of his 7-8 years old daughter, and this is how he meets his lawyer whose life will drastically change due to this meeting.

This movie features Sean Pinn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dakota Fanning, and some others.

19. Monster (2003): A prostitute who meets a girl at a bar, and they fall in love. The prostitute tries to find better work to do, but she doesn't, and her girlfriend is demanding. Therefore, the former prostitute starts meeting men and killing them for their money.

This movie features Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, and some others.

20. Instinct (1999): An anthroplogist who has spent most of his life among animals is accused of murder, but he refuses to interact with anyone, and he acts more like an animal himself. A psychiatrist is now the only means to help him, and that is only if he manages to get through to him.

This movie features Anthony Hopkins, Cuba Gooding Jr., and some others.

to be continued...

Movies Week#1: 25 Favorite Movies

So I thought I'd mix it up and do something non-beauty-related, yet it has to be something I love. So, of course, I chose movies. Now, there are lots of great movies out there, and among all the ones I've seen, I know what my favorite ones are, yet not in exact order. However, my all time favorite movie is one of those things I know for a fact, and I know I will never love any other movie better than this. So lets get started!

1. The Cider House Rules (1999): This is almost a coming of age type of drama movie. It focuses on the Protagonist, Homer Wells who is an orphan. The orphanage is not the traditional horrible orphanage, but a rather nice and warm one. The orphanage is run by two nurses and a gynecologist who teaches Homer his surgical skills. The doctor actually is like a father figure. After a couple decades of living in the orphanage, Homer leaves it with a young couple and moves to live there. The young man leaves to serve in the army, but Homer can't because of an alleged heart condition. Nonetheless, during Homer's stay, he experiences life with its' ups and downs, love and heartbreak, family, racism, etc. Eventually, Homer will choose between continuing to live the mystery life of the outside world, or to go back to the familiar world he grew up in and take the role of the Doctor.
This movie features Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Michael Caine, and some others.

2. An Education (2009): This drama is truly a coming of age one. It talks about how deep a young dreamy girl can go and how much she can believe once her vision is clouded by a man who seems to provide her with all that she wants, and seems to feed her interests in culture, music, travelling, art, and theater. It also addresses the issues of what can a woman do, what is expected of a woman, and what is a woman to expect during a certain time in the past, as well as how much is a woman allowed to question different concepts. This movie is rich with the most beautiful soundtracks as well.
This movie Features Carrie Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Emma Thompson, and some others.

3. Legends of the Fall (1994): This is a war/drama/romance movie that talks about how the life of three brothers will change as a young woman arrives to their home, as well as the outbreak of war, racism, the wilderness, and inevitably, love. This movie is very emotional, and there are moments that get me to tears every time I watch this. The one thing I do not particularly like about this is that the woman is depicted as the most frail and unfaithful character in the movie.
This movie features Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond, and some others.

4. What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993): This movie talks about the life of a Gilbert who is the older brother in a family where the father is either  dead or has deserted them (I cant remember), the mom is obese and cant leave the house, the younger brother is mentally retarded, and Gilbert is responsible of keeping the family together. Gilbert not only provides for the family, but he must maintain their dignity, as well as his own, without making them feel like they're a burden on him.
This movie features Johnny Depp, Leonardo Di Caprio, and some others.

5. Simon Birch (1998): This movie talks about the friendship of two young boys, one of which never knew who his father was, and the other was born with a health condition, he was and always will be smaller than his peers. However, that small boy does not think his condition is a curse, he thinks its a blessing, and that God has created him that way for a purpose, he is a miracle and he is God's instrument.
This movie features Jim Carrey, Ashley Judd, Oliver Platt, and some others.

6. Angela's  Ashes (1999): This is an autobiographical movie that follows the life of Frank Mccourt and his family in Ireland during a starvation epidemic, poverty, unemployment, death, as well as the upcoming war. This is truly a tragic movie that is full of unfortunate events.
This movie features Emily Watson, Robert Carlyle, and some others.

7. Snow Falling on Cedars (1999): This movie follows the investigation and trial of a Japanese American Fisherman who is accused of murder during times of racism and prejudice, yet love and loyalty.
This movie features: Ethan Hawk, Yuki Kudo, and some others.

8. Mystic River (2003): This movie talks about three childhood friends who get reunited due to a  tragedy, and must face old unfortunate incidents they've gone through as kids.
This movie features Kevin Bacon, Sean Pinn, Tim Robbins, and some others.

9. The Painted Veil (2006): This movie talks about a married couple of a Doctor and a rich lady who discover that one of them is cheating on the other, and the consequences are that they're forced to move to a Chinese village to help with a cholera epidemic.
This movie features Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, and some others.

10. Head in the Clouds (2004): An Irish man finds a rich young woman knocking on his door on a rainy night, and this meeting changes his life forever, and his path and the woman's path constantly cross, and as their acquaintances become more mutual, while the war breaks and racism fills the environment.
This Movie Features Charlize Theron, Penelope Cruz, Stuart Townsend, and some others.

to be continued...

DIY: My Favorite Cheap Eye Makeup Remover

Honestly, Makeup remover to me is one of these products that I don't think are as important as serums, moisturizers, or anything that will stay on your face and not washed off. Therefore, I try not to buy really expensive ones, but I am never that satisfied with what get, especially when it comes to wiping off mascaras, even though I don't use waterproof ones to begin with. I love Lancome Bi-Facil, but I go through it so quickly, and it is not cheap. So I tried to find alternatives with that same concept of half an oily liquid and half a non-oily one, and I just always seemed to be quite dissatisfied with them. My makeup remover search did not end until I did a little DIY experiment, and that is the most effective solution I found for such an affordable price, actually, a very cheap price.

This DIY experiment includes a container with a pump (like an old used up toner bottle), water, and now for the main ingredient, *drumrolls please*, OLIVE OIL. I know this is probably not a groundbreaking discovery, and you're probably saying to yourself, deja vu! I know I cant be the only one who discovered it, but this thing really really works, and it is new to me!

I fill about 3/4 quarters of the bottle with olive oil, and I fill the rest with water, and voila, here it is, your awesome eye makeup remover that is cheap and works like a charm! Just remember to give it a REAL good shake before using it because oil looooves to separate and be a lonely ingredient in your eye makeup remover ocean! This honestly is a very gentle, fast, and effective makeup remover, and dare I say, it really works just as good as the Lancome Bi-Facil, if not better, at least pocket-wise? (I do!)

 (The darker part is the olive and the lighter side is the water)

(After shaking)

(On a cotton pad)

(Sorry, my bottle is quite dark!)

I do not think I'd like to share with you some panda eyes pictures of the makeup removing process, but here is a picture of my hand with a bb cream, some bronzer, blush, glittery highlighter, black eyeshadow, waterproof pencil liner, mascara, and my beloved YSL long lasting red toned Glossy Stain. And here's a before and after of how it looked with and without my makeup.

 (With makeup on my hands)

(Makeup magically removed, and no shiny and greasy hand! I cant even see the Glossy Stain!)

(Yuck!)

As you can see, not a speck of makeup or glitter is there, and my hand looks pretty clean, and not greasy. Though and olive oil is claimed to be pretty good for your skin anyway, but it'll be rinsed or cleansed and rinsed afterwards. So, this is a win win situation, and I highly recommend you try it out.

I'd love to know whether you try it out, and how you feel about it! Best of luck!

REAL PRETTY MANI! #1

For all of you silver glitter polish lovers, you'll probably really adore OPI's In True Stefani Style. I think it probably is a limited edition shade, but I believe you can still find it in stock nonetheless. It contains both large and tiny glitters that are very reflective in sunlight, and almost have this crystal effect where it reflects like a rainbow kind of reflection on the big glitters. REALLY pretty, dries out quickly, and once you've tried those "liquid sand" kind of nail polishes, the texture and feel of these glitters won't feel as bizarre as it might. One more thing, this is a very pair friendly polish, you can wear it on everything, and even on its own.

For the base, I wore Estee Lauder Nail Lacquer in 10 Hot Coral. This is a color that I would classify more as a red than a coral, especially with the second coat. But it is beautiful regardless, and I have established in earlier posts that Estee Lauder nail Polishes are quickly becoming some of my favorite (especially the phenomenal shade So Vain)!

And for some more footage, scroll down!

Beauty Mistakes? When to Draw the Line?

Dear fellow beauty junkies,

This is not a review post, and it is not even me telling anyone what I think they should use or do or drink. As a matter of fact, I don't think I'm in a position to be making out rules and collecting followers in dark piggy banks, nor do I wish to be in that position.

I want to make it short and sweet, so here is my insight into what many people seem to call "beauty mistakes". Now, in my world, I think these "mistakes" are not really mistakes, unless it causes damage like fine lines, wrinkles, and all physical and irreversible kinds of damage, or any kind of damage for that matter. The way that you apply your makeup is nobody's business, and the way people apply their makeup is none of your business as well. Too thick of a liner, too dark of an eye, too much bronzer, or any other comment of such nature really is either a choice, or the path of growth of a makeup consumers. People's way of applying makeup constantly changes, and that change must come from within. Therefore, making up claims that a certain way of applying makeup is wrong is a claim to avoid. I guess the message is to let people experiment. Remember, makeup is not federal business, nail polish won't stop human trafficking, what makes makeup so much fun is its very leniency, so why fix what isn't broken, why limit people when there needs to be no limits.

Dear readers, if your way of applying makeup has changed throughout time, don't insult others and ask them to follow your path. If a certain way of application or a certain product is problematic to you, it may not be the same for other people. If you don't like a certain look, others may love it. Be tolerant, train your eyes to be able to see what displeases you without frowning. Let people form their own opinions and reach their own conclusions, its much more fun that way.

And well, yes I'm human, yes I'm not perfect, yes I may fall in the trap of forcing my favorite products on others, yes I may want the whole world to use my favorite foundation, but I am trying to change that, I am trying to become more tolerant of other people choices. I hope that you will try being more tolerant too. And if you're criticized, show tolerance towards whoever is criticizing you, but don't beat yourself up and don't change what you like unless it is going to blind you, burn your teeth, or any other physical damage that we all want to prevent and avoid.

Guys, this is a really important message that I wanted to put out in the open. So please, help me spread the word and try to make the world of makeup more tolerant and even more lenient. And if you're new to makeup like I still consider myself to be, please feel free to experiment!

Take care, love yourself, and others :)
And remember, you don't have to change the skin that you're already comfortable in!

Estee Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer in So Vain

One of the great things that the brand Estee Lauder makes is nail polishes, and I have only discovered them after I received one of their nail polishes as a Christmas gift. So, I decided to get more of them, as I loved the formula so much.

I decided to get a nude among some other shades, quite a safe choice for many people, but certainly not for me as I am not a nude polish lover. To be honest, I would have been a lot happier with another brighter/darker color than a nude, but I thought that most people who might stumble across this blog post must have searched for nude polishes in particular, and that this might be helpful for readers.

So the nail polish I got was Estee Lauder's Pure Color Nail Lacquer in the shade G9, and it is called So Vain. I must admit that the name was also another reason why I ended up getting it in particular. It has a cream finish, so no shimmers or glitters are to be found in here. The shade looks like a tanned skin color to me, or the color of leather, which I will get back to and explain further after the following footage break I'm about to insert right now.

As I said it reminded me of leather, and that is because of an eyeshadow quad by Guerlain that I own, and it is called Les Cuirs, which means leather in french. As you can see from the following picture, the shade looks like it was directly extracted from that quad, as it is almost identical to the shades there, especially the one in the middle, right below the light beige. I am actually considering doing a tutorial pairing these products together as well as some others of course, so what do you think?

I am truly impressed by these polishes' formula, it is absolutely stunning. This shade in particular seems to be better than the one I have already tried (Viper), because it dries out super quickly, and it is one of the most long lasting nail polishes I have ever seen in my whole entire life. I will admit that I am a little obsessed with washing my hands, and I do so about 30 times a day, which is a little obsessive, maybe crazy, but I've accepted that and moved on with my life. So, the moral of the story is that this is the fourth day of me wearing this shade, and it still looks like it is freshly applied. Not to mention the settle glossiness that seems to last and last and last. In short, I am now considering getting my hands on each and every Estee Lauder polish I can find, I'm in love with them.

Now it is about time that we discuss this gorgeous packaging which I have already mentioned in my earlier brief review of Viper. It is so darn beautiful, feels a little hefty, or in other words, luxurious, and I feel like I want to display them on my vanity. The brush is not too thick and not too  thin, it is really user-friendly and it just works

Let's talk a little about money. Estee Lauder, being a high end brand, has what you'd expect to be a high end price. This nail polish would cost you about twice the price of Essie polishes, at least here in Israel. But the good news is that this is a brand with many offers and deals, and I always get mine for about 2 dollars and a half cheaper than Essie! Aint that great? So what I'd say is that you don't need to pay full price for something that is often on sail, just hold your horses a  little bit and keep your eyes and ears open for a good old sale, and I'm sure it'll come.

So, this whole entire post is trying to tell you that in the world of nail polishes and nail polish lovers, Estee Lauder is one of the places worth checking and considering, and for nude nail polish lovers, So Vain is a total and utter must. As a matter of fact, I am really looking forward trying more shades from the line, as I have never been half as wowed by a nail polish as I am now.

Brushes I Use on Daily Basis

Face Brushes:

1. Mac 187: This is a duo fiber brush, which means that it combines synthetic bristles with natural ones. It is round and fluffy but flat on top. I think this brush is meant to function as a foundation brush. However, it is really good for multiple things, starting from foundation and ending with facial highlighting. It is relatively soft, never scratchy, maintains its shape, and is never scratchy. When I use it for my foundation, I immediately give it a deep clean, I wash it with shampoo and water, and it seems to handle it pretty well. I think this is a very functional brush, and I highly recommend it.

2. Dior blush brush (discontinued): This is meant to be a blush brush, it is relatively dense, but very soft. It is wide from the front and thinner from the sides, and is kinda tapered too. At first, I was a little unsure about the size of the brush,  though it was a little too big for my face, but the more I  use it, the more I like it. To start, this is a natural hair brush, it is supremely soft and flexible. I use it with my blush, bronzer, and my meteorites, I wouldn't recommend using it with shimmery highlighters because of the size of the brush. I wash it once every week to two weeks, let it dry, and put it back in its guard. It doesn't maintain its shape very well, but it does come with a brush guard, might as well use it. If you have super pigmented blushes, say Tom Ford's blush in Flush, you shouldn't worry if you use a light hand, as this brush picks up product sparingly, and is very good at blending. I do see myself getting a smaller blush brush, but for my bronzer and meteorites, I wouldnt change anything about it. (I am considering the Hakuhodu S111, or the Bobbi Brown Sheer Powder Brush)

Eye Brushes:

1. Mac 239: This is a thin and flat brush, a really really nice brush to lay down your eye makeup, be it powder or cream eyeshadows. It's perfect for applying eyeshadow base as well. If you use both cream eyeshadows and powder eyeshadows, I suggest having two of these, they'll make your eye makeup world easier, prettier, and more professional looking. you can also use the very tip to apply shadow on your upper or lower lash line, smudge liners, or even blend, even though I personally dont like blending with this. I think spot cleaning this brush is necessary because you may not use the same shades day in and day out, or at least I dont, but spot cleaning it is pretty easy nonetheless. Deep cleaning it is pretty easy as well, I do it every Sunday, like today, and it is very easy to clean, dries out relatively quickly, like in an hour or two, which is much quicker than my blush brush for instance! I think this brush is an absolute must, and I would encourage everyone who is reading this blog post and doesn't have this brush to run out and get it. Oh, and if you're worried that the white bristles will get stained, they wont, I promise!

 2. Bobbi Brown Eye Smudge Brush: This is a dense brush, round and pointy. I personally love a darker outer v, I just love the sultriness and elegance of it. This is exactly why I adore this brush. Sometimes, I also use it in my crease, or socket line, or whatever other term is used for this area. I don't blend with it, I find it to be just a touch too hard and a touch too scratchy, maybe I'm too sensitive, but it is my eye area, and I want something gentler to do my blending with it. But back to why I think this is a must have! This brush picks up color superbly well, especially if you want to build up how dark you want your outer v to be. I use this first, blend, and if I fancy a darker outer v, I'd go back and pack more color with it, and then blend again. I think this brush is absolutely a must for me, and if you like smokey eyes, then it is a must for you too. Since it has a bit of a pointy tip, you can also use it in the inner tear duct, on your lower lash line, you can, as the name suggests, smudge liners, as well as the purposes I have already mentioned before. Overall, I absolutely cannot live without this brush.

3. Mac 217: This is a relatively fluffy brush, makes it great for blending. It is wider at front and thinner on the sides, slightly tapered. Perfect perfect blending brush. I is actually a multitasking brush that can serve for many many purposes, such as concealer, crease/socket work, quick and sheer lid color application, and probably some other purposes I can't seem to think of at the moment. This is my blending brush of choice, and its perfect to extend my darker outer v shade a little in my crease/socket, even without having to dip it in the shadow itself, just blend out what you applied earlier with the Bobbi Brown brush. Again, this is an absolute must, and if you do a little research on this brush, you'll see that I am not the only one who is encouraging you to get this brush today, unless you already have it of course. If you want to use it for concealer, you might consider getting more than just one of this brush. I also encourage you to spot clean daily, because, again, you might not be using the same shades on daily basis, and may also want to blend without having to add more color. The bristles of this brush are white, but they won't get stained, and they're easy to clean as well. I deep clean this brush once a week, and it is one of the fastest brushes to dry out.

4. Bobbi Brown Smokey Liner Brush: This is a tiny little thin and flat brush that is tapered to give it a bit of a point. If you're like me, and you want everything to be blended and diffused, you might want to look into getting  this brush. It's a tiny flat brush as you can see from the footage I included, its very thin and perfect to use as a lower lash liner smudging tool, or even to apply shadow on there. I wouldn't recommend using it damp, because it might get a little too harsh and stiff for such a delicate area, but that is just my opinion, and I am a little too sensitive naturally. It is also tiny enough to get in your inner tear duct, or for small detail work like intensifying the outer v, smudging liner on your upper lash line, etc. I never use gel liners, or liquid ones, so I cannot recommend using this brush for either purposes, but for pencil liner than can be smudged out,  this is the perfect companion for them. I fin that this brush is very easy to clean, especially when used with powder shadows, but even if I use it with my pencils, it cleans out just as easily.