Sunday, September 30, 2012

Walgreens "Haul" + Happy Sunday! :D

Happy Sunday!!! :D

I just wanted to share with you guys some of the things I got at Walgreens a couple of weeks ago:


Suave Naturals Mango Mandarin Body Lotion, Glade Expressions Fragrance Mist in Cotton & Italian Mandarin, and Suave Naturals Lavender Vanilla Body Lotion. :)

Sunday....


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P.S. I have two giveaways for you guys right now! Please do enter if you haven't already. :)
Too Much Soul Giveaway: Win an accessory of your choice!
Two winners! Open to U.S. residents only. Ends tonight at 11:59pm PST.
LensVillage Giveaway: Win circle lenses of your choice + one animal case!
Two winners! Open internationally. Ends 10/27.

Like What Mimi Writes on Facebook and be friends with Mimi! :)
Twitter? WhatMimiWrites :)

Friday, September 28, 2012

IMATS Spotlight: NYX Rouge Cream Blush

Happy Friday!!! :D

Summer is officially over, but it's still so hot here in California!
Even though I cannot wait for cooler weather, instead of complaining, I decided to just take advantage of the "still summer-y" temperature and attempt to recreate this look:

Beauty Spy: Sexy Poolside Glow
A flush of pinkish coral across the cheeks is summer at its prettiest. Dab cream or powder blush (both work) on the apples of your cheeks somewhat irregularly -- so the shape is more of a spray than a circle -- then blend with your fingers. Add a nude lip gloss for total haphazard, natural-looking sexiness.


The NYX cream blush I got at IMATS works perfectly for this look, I'm so happy! :)
(To see my NYX haul, please click here.)

NYX ROUGE CREAM BLUSH
More delicious than peaches and cream? We like to think so. Our velvety smooth mineral Rouge Cream Blush offers a sheer wash of radiant color. The glorious payoff is dewy, sultry, and long-lasting. Available in 12 shades.


I got mine in Glow (CB05).
It's described as "plummy-pink", but it's really more like a pretty, sheer pink. 
I really love the color, it's very beautiful, especially when applied and blended.

I also dust a bit of powder blush on top of this -- it makes it last longer.


It's so creamy and so easy to apply.
It gives me a beautiful, natural-looking glow!

A little goes a long way, so this will definitely last a long time. :)

At $6.75, this is a great buy!
I actually want to get it in other shades... help me choose? ;)

This cream blush is available in 12 shades:

Rose Petal/ Natural/ Tea Rose/ Glow/ Diva/ Red Cheeks

Rose Petal -- Rosy-pink
Natural -- Soft light pink
Tea Rose -- Medium beige-pink
Glow -- Plummy-pink
Diva -- Plum
Red Cheeks -- Red-pink

Hot Pink/ Orange/ Golden/ Boho Chic/ Bronze Goddess/ Tickled

Hot Pink -- Bright hot pink
Orange -- Soft orange
Golden -- Shimmering golden brown
Boho Chic -- Light blue-toned pink
Bronze Goddess -- Shimmering bronze
Tickled -- Shimmering peachy-pink

What do you guys think? Have you ever tried NYX's Rouge Cream Blush before?
Which shades caught your eye?

Happy Weekend!!! :D

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P.S. I have two giveaways for you guys right now! Please do enter if you haven't already. :)
Too Much Soul Giveaway: Win an accessory of your choice!
Two winners! Open to U.S. residents only. Ends 9/30.
LensVillage Giveaway: Win circle lenses of your choice + one animal case!
Two winners! Open internationally. Ends 10/27.

Like What Mimi Writes on Facebook and be friends with Mimi! :)
Twitter? WhatMimiWrites :)

DR.'s REMEDY® Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign 2012

Happy Friday! :)

October is literally just around the corner... October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and so DR.'s REMEDY® is putting pink in the spotlight this month with three inspiring shades:

Pink is the go-to hue this fall as beauty brands tap into every gradation of the standout shade in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Dr.'s REMEDY® leads the way in the fight for the cause by teaming up with Living Beyond Breast Cancer, whose mission is to empower all women affected by breast cancer to live as long as possible with the best quality of life.

The three inspiring shades are:


PURITY Pink: A ballet slipper, sheer hue
HOPEFUL Hot Pink: A Hello Kitty-meets bubble gum shade
NURTURE Nude Pink: A damsel-in-distress, barely there beautiful

The good-for-you ingredients and lack of toxins in Dr.'s REMEDY® Enriched Nail Polish offers a safer, healthier option for nail care, giving you peace of mind. And, during the month of October, Dr.'s REMEDY® is tickled pink to donate 10% of the proceeds from the sales of three pink shades to Living Beyond Breast Cancer, an organization who ensures that women who are newly diagnosed, in treatment, beyond treatment, at high risk, or living with metastatic disease are well cared for by providing educational resources and support services relevant to their age and stage of diagnosis. 

 Made with organic ingredients, vitamins, wheat protein, tea tree oil, lavender, and garlic bulb extract, Dr.'s REMEDY® 100% Paraben free, vegan nail polish is the #1 podiatrist recommended brand. So, polish your nails with pride and show your support in the hopes for a better battle with breast cancer with Dr.'s REMEDY® Enriched Nail Polish, the healthier nail polish choice.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

LensVillage Giveaway -- TWO WINNERS! :D ***CLOSED***

Happy Thursday!

Yesterday's post marked my 600th, and I am very happy to have this LensVillage giveaway to celebrate that milestone! ;)

First off though, if you would like to read my review and learn more about LensVillage, please click here.

And now, for the giveaway...

What's up for grabs?
A pair of circle lenses (your choice!) and one animal case to TWO winners -- yup, TWO winners!!! :D

Here are examples of what you can get:

i.Fairy Ash Brown 16.2MM Circle Lenses

i.Fairy Ash Blue 16.2MM Circle Lenses

And look at how cute the animal cases are:


Super cute, right???!!!

Anyways, I won't let you guys wait any longer... let's get on with the giveaway! :D


To enter:

Mandatory entries -

1. Follow What Mimi Writes via GFC -- let me know you follow in a comment and include your email address. (+1)
2. Follow @WhatMimiWrites on Twitter. (+1)
3. Like LensVillage on Facebook -- leave your Facebook name in the comments. (+2)

Extra entries -

4. Visit www.lensvillage.com and tell me which pair of circle lenses you would love to receive. (+2)
(Please be sure to give me the exact pair you want because I will pass it on to LensVillage when the winners are chosen. Please also indicate if you need prescription lenses.)
5. Follow @LensVillage on Twitter. (+2)
6. Tweet about the giveaway, mention both @WhatMimiWrites and @LensVillage -- let me know/ leave me a link. 
You can use this tweet: #Giveaway: #Win circle lenses from @LensVillage over @WhatMimiWrites! Two winners! Ends 10/27! Open to all! Join: http://tinyurl.com/8dhmajc. :) (+2)
7. Like What Mimi Writes on Facebook -- leave your Facebook name in the comments. (+3)
8. Say Hello! to LensVillage on Facebook and tell them What Mimi Writes sent you there -- leave me a link to your wall post. (+3)
9. Mention this giveaway on your blog, either on a post or on your sidebar -- let me know/ leave me a link. (+4)

A total of 20 possible entries!

Please leave one comment per entry or if you choose to put them all in one comment, please clearly list how many entries you have -- either way would be easier for me, thanks! :)

This giveaway is open internationally -- everyone can join!!!
It will end on Saturday, October 27th at 11:59pm PST.

The winners will be chosen via random.org and notified via email.

Good luck!!! :D

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Wedding Wednesday: Here Come The Bridesmaids + 600th post!

Happy Wednesday!

I found an article from Bridal Guide talking about how to treat and care for bridesmaids, and I just thought I'd share it with you guys for Wedding Wednesday:

HERE COME THE BRIDESMAIDS
David Tutera, star of WEtv's "My Fair Wedding", tells you how to treat and care for these precious members of the wedding party.

***click to enlarge***


This post is also my 600th post, yay!!!
We'll have a giveaway tomorrow to celebrate this milestone, woot woot! ;)


I hope your week is going ever so wonderfully! :D

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Two winners! Open to U.S. residents only. Ends 9/30.

Like What Mimi Writes on Facebook and be friends with Mimi! :)
Twitter? WhatMimiWrites :)

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

What's New: LensVillage i.Fairy Ash Brown 16.2MM Circle Lenses

Happy Tuesday!

I've mentioned before that I have really bad eyesight -- I went through my fair share of embarrassingly geeky eyeglasses (fortunately, eyeglasses are now cool and stylish, haha!)... I can't even begin to explain how ecstatic I was when my Mom and our optometrist finally allowed me to wear contacts = I was finally able to leave the house without my glasses!!!

I started out with clear contact lenses -- simple and easy. And then I discovered the joys of colored contact lenses -- I was able to "change" my eye color whenever I pleased, haha! ;)

I've been wearing contact lenses for 12 years now (and I've also lost quite a few pairs in the swimming pool, haha!), but I've never tried circle lenses before...

And that is why I immediately said yes when Florence from LensVillage asked me if I was interested in doing a review and giveaway for them (yes, we'll have a giveaway!!!)! ;)

Before we continue though, here is a little something about LensVillage:


LensVillage.com guarantees every customer will be happy and satisfied with their shopping experience in our store. As one of the largest circle lens stores, we provide the widest choice of colored lenses that come with different kinds of attractive designs and colors for customers. We aim to provide excellent customer and delivery service that is committed to customer satisfaction.

LensVillage.com sells 100% authentic lenses only (or money back guarantee). Our products are all certified by the Korea Food and Drug Administration. We are able to ensure 100% authenticity on our products as they are sourced directly from brand manufacturers. The brands are GEO Medical, EOS, Dueba, NEO, Vassen, etc. We also sell many models that have been labeled under different series name such as Barbie Eye, iFairy, Max, Hana, Luna King, etc. and all of them are produced by well-known brand manufacturers (eg. EOS, Vassen, SeeShell).

***from www.lensvillage.com***


They gave me my tracking number on August 12th and I received the package on August 15th.
Their shipping is fast, especially considering this package was sent from Malaysia to the United States.

I also want to commend their customer service as it really is quite excellent -- they respond to inquiries fast and they are nice and accommodating.


They package the circle lenses really well (as seen in the photo above), you can be sure that your lenses will arrive safe and sound. ;)

Here are the contents of my package from LensVillage:


- business card
- 2 pairs of circle lenses
- 2 animal cases


How cute are these animal cases?!

They were out of stock for a while, but now they are back! 
And you get a free animal case upon each pair purchase = great deal! :)

Side note: At first I was confused, I thought it was going to be hard to figure out which side is Right and which side is Left, but I finally realized that the trick is to have the animals facing you, haha! The one on your right is R, and vice versa. ;)


When they said they had the widest choice of colored lenses, they weren't lying, haha!
They really do have practically any color and pattern you can possibly think of -- I had a hard time choosing which ones I wanted.

In the end though, I decided to go for a brown shade and a blue shade (but I am only reviewing the brown one for you guys -- to see the blue circle lenses, please click here).

i.Fairy Ash Brown 16.2MM Circle Lenses --

L (-5.00) R (-4.00)

i.Fairy Ash Brown has a unique color combination of a thick black outer ring and a smoldering blue inner design which is guaranteed to give you a wide eye look. These are comfortable to wear and you will feel relaxed throughout the day. The dual tone effect is guaranteed to make your eyes the center of attraction. These are available in 0 to -8.5 power range and made from patented gel technology to keep your eyes relaxed and comfortable.

Life Span: 1 year

Price: $21.50 (one pair)


The texture and feel of the lens are different from my other contact lenses which are quite soft. I don't know how to explain it exactly, but these are a bit more solid and a bit more firm -- I hope that made sense...

I had to adjust when I first wore my blue circle lenses, but these brown ones were an easier fit (probably because of the color).

I really love the color -- it's vibrant, it makes me look more alive and awake, and it really opens up my eyes.
I have brown eyes, and having these makes the color pop out more.

These are really comfortable -- I usually wear them for a whole day and they do not hurt my eyes at all (unlike some of the other contact lenses I've worn in the past couple of years). I even fell asleep with these on and it didn't really do anything bad to my eyes (although of course, it's not advisable to sleep with contacts on -- don't forget!!!).

My regular contact lens...

Circle lenses are bigger than regular ones -- the diameter is larger (15mm/ 16.2mm). This results in an illusion that your iris is rounder and larger. It's a little weird at first, it definitely takes some getting used to, but once you're used to it, it's no problem at all. :)

You might be wondering why I have a random photo of my regular contact lenses, haha!
I just thought I'd include that picture to give you guys an idea of the difference in size between the two kinds of lenses. :)

And here is a photo of what it looks like when worn:


Sorry I wasn't able to take a photo of myself wearing them! :/
But I think this one does a great job in showing you guys what it looks like!

About the packaging...


These little jars are so cute!
And I think the lenses are more secure in them compared to the regular plastic and foil packaging of other contact lenses.

But, on the down side, these were kind of difficult to open!


You have to be careful because these are quite sharp.
For a step-by-step guide on how to open them, check out Carrie's post.

All in all, I am very happy with these -- LensVillage offers beautiful and really affordable circle lenses.
If you've been wanting to try them -- whether with prescription or not -- LensVillage is the place to turn to. 
Check out LensVillage here (Maybe look around and see what you'd like to receive in case you are one of the two lucky winners for our upcoming LensVillage giveaway...) ;)

You can also keep up to date with LensVillage through TwitterFacebook, and their blog.

What do you guys think? Have you ever worn circle lenses before?
Have you ever bought anything from LensVillage before?

I hope you are all having a wonderful week! :D

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Two winners! Open to U.S. residents only. Ends 9/30.

Like What Mimi Writes on Facebook and be friends with Mimi! :)
Twitter? WhatMimiWrites :)

Monday, September 24, 2012

2012 Emmy Awards: My Favorites! :)

Happy Monday!

The 2012 Emmy Awards was held yesterday... were you guys able to watch it?
I wasn't able to because I was gone for most of the day and I had a long list of things needed to be done when I got back. :/

But as always, I was very excited to see what the stars wore!
I know I usually do a full-on red carpet post for you guys, but I don't have much time to write one today... however, I just can't resist, so I am sharing my favorites with you guys today! ;)
(Next awards show: a full-on post, I promise, haha!)

Ginnifer Goodwin -

Ginnifer Goodwin

My #1! How gorgeous is she???!!!

This orange floral embroidered gown from Monique Lhuillier is pure perfection!!!
I love how Ginnifer kept everything else simple -- from her Rona Pfeiffer jewels to her Ferragamo clutch.
Plus, just look at how sexy those Christian Louboutin heels are! :)

Leslie Mann -

Leslie Mann

I love how fun and beautiful this look is!
I also think it's a perfect transition from summer to fall.

The marigold color of her Naeem Khan dress is so gorgeous, I love it!
The intricate beaded top is so pretty and her turquoise Lorraine Schwartz accessories are the perfect accompaniment to the vibrant color of the dress. :)

Emily VanCamp -

64th Primetime Emmy Awards - Arrivals

Although the color of this J. Mendel gown is not the best, I still really like it a lot!
Emily looks effortlessly beautiful -- very simple and understated.

I think her Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry add to the ethereal and somewhat whimsical vibe of her red carpet look. :)

Zooey Deschanel -

64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards - Arrivals

It's not her typical quirky style, but I think Zooey looks beautiful!
I love her custom-made Reem Acra gown and I love her hair! :)

These are the four red carpet looks that really stood out to me...

What about you? Whose look did you like the best?
Whose look did you not like at all?

I wish you all a wonderful last week of September! :)

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Too Much Soul Giveaway: Win an accessory of your choice!
Two winners! Open to U.S. residents only. Ends 9/30.

Like What Mimi Writes on Facebook and be friends with Mimi! :)
Twitter? WhatMimiWrites :)

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall! :)

Happy Saturday!

Sooooo, it's officially fall!!! :D
As a goodbye to summer, I just thought I'd share these magazine scans with you guys... they are all about one of my favorite things about summer: SHORTS! ;)

***click to enlarge***




In other news, Anastasia of Beverly Hills has passed along this "incredible retro piece from our friends at Dita and Flaunt featuring a behind the scenes cover shoot with Joseph Gordon Levitt".

Yup, Joseph Gordon Levitt!!! ;)



Here are links to my posts for the week:


What are you going to miss the most about summer?
What are you looking forward to the most about fall?

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!!! :D

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Two winners! Open to U.S. residents only. Ends 9/30.

Like What Mimi Writes on Facebook and be friends with Mimi! :)
Twitter? WhatMimiWrites :)

Friday, September 21, 2012

Spirit Ink Tattoos Giveaway Winner! :D

Happy Friday!

I am excited because besides the weekend, it's giveaway winner time! :)
First off, a big thank you to our friends over at Spirit Ink for sponsoring this giveaway!
And of course, thanks to all who participated!

Let's get on with the winner announcement...

Out of 77 entries, entry #6 won:


Entry #6 is Rachael from islandgirlinsights.blogspot.com!


Congratulations, Rachael!!! :)

Spirit Ink and I will email you with the details!

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Not Your Mother's Hair Care: Smooth Moves™ Frizz Control Hair Cream

Happy Thursday!

The past few days have been quite busy -- so little time, so much to do -- I am getting my days mixed up, I thought it was Friday today (someone wants the weekend so badly, haha!). ;)

But anyways, this feature/review has been long overdue, so here we are. :)

Not Your Mother's SMOOTH MOVES™ FRIZZ CONTROL HAIR CREAM:


Got frizz? Straighten up and tame that mane... or whatever you call it. SMOOTH MOVES™ is your call to fighting out of control hair and will help reduce your styling time. Infused with natural coconut & silk extracts, this salon formula will keep you and your hair thinking straight all day.

Application: Wash and towel dry hair. Apply a small amount in palms and work into your hair. Distribute evenly with a comb, then blow-dry or air dry to reveal straight, frizz-free hair with superior shine.

De-Frizz
Straighten
Shine

Infused with: Coconut & Silk Extracts

Price: $5.99 - $6.00

***from www.nymbrands.com***

120mL/ 4 fl. oz. and 44 mL/ 1.5 fl. oz.

- smells good
(The coconut smell reminds me of the beach -- it will definitely help keep summer around as we venture into fall.)
- thick consistency
- not greasy
- strong hold
- makes hair soft & smooth
- no tangles
- a little sticky

It doesn't really make hair stick-straight per se (as the description says), but it definitely takes care of the frizz -- this product is perfect for frizzy and unmanageable hair. 

It comes in two sizes -- 120mL/ 4 fl. oz. and 44mL/ 1.5 fl. oz = one for home and one for travel! ;)

Not Your Mother's hair care products are available at mass retailers and at over 100 college & university bookstores. Click here to see a full list of stores that carry NYM products.

Have you tried NYM products before?
What do you think of NYM's Smooth Moves Frizz Control Hair Cream?

Hang in there, guys! The weekend is almost here! ;)

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P.S. I have two giveaways for you guys right now! Please do enter if you haven't already. :) 
Spirit Ink Giveaway: Win a set of temporary tattoos! Open internationally. Ends tonight at 11:59pm PST. 
Too Much Soul Giveaway: Win an accessory of your choice! Two winners! Open to U.S. residents only. Ends 9/30.

Like What Mimi Writes on Facebook and be friends with Mimi! :)
Twitter? WhatMimiWrites :)

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Out and About: Target + "Haul"

Happy Wednesday!!!

I haven't done an Out and About post in a while, and my phone is filled with pictures I took to share with you guys, so I decided that it's time to write one now...

A couple of days ago, I went to Target to get just one thing (I got a coupon for a Glade Oil Diffuser, more on that some other time, though...), but as it is with everyone else, I left with more than just one thing, haha! ;)

But before we talk about the stuff I got, here are some of the photos I took while happily walking around Target:


Cute shirts, right?!
I love asymmetrical tops like these! 
I like how the back is longer because, come on, who wants to have their behind exposed? Not me, haha! ;)


I also want to get floral pants!
These are nice, but I think I might go look around some more.
Do you guys have suggestions? Where should I look? :)


Clearance; 30% off = LOVE! ;)


Aaaaahhhhh, The Hunger Games!!! :D

And now, on to my mini-"haul":


I got the Glade Oil Diffuser (from BzzAgent -- review soon!) and I also got 3 notebooks for school -- they were only 22cents each!


These were also on sale!
I usually bake goodies from scratch, but sometimes it's also good to have some of these on hand. :)


These chips are so delicious and you can tell that they are made from real potatoes!
The Loaded Baked Potato is good, but the Black Pepper & Sea Salt is better.

Have you guys bought anything recently?
Do you like to shop at Target too?

I hope you are all having a great week!

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P.S. I have two giveaways for you guys right now! Please do enter if you haven't already. :)
Spirit Ink Giveaway: Win a set of temporary tattoos! Open internationally. Ends tomorrow at 11:59pm PST.
Too Much Soul Giveaway: Win an accessory of your choice! Two winners! Open to U.S. residents only. Ends 9/30.

Like What Mimi Writes on Facebook and be friends with Mimi! :)
Twitter? WhatMimiWrites :)