Hello Pretty Bird! - A beauty and not-so-glamorous lifestyle blog: December 2014

31 December, 2014

Weekly Poll: Happy New Year edition!

Happy (almost) New Year! Or for those of you on the other side of the globe, Happy (actual) New Year!


This week's question was inspired by today's date on the calendar. A modern invention, but I like it.

Do you have any New Year's resolutions, goals or plans you're willing to share? What do you hope to improve on or change in 2015?

For me, my #1 goal/resolution is to get organized. Both my physical space and digital space. Would you believe that I have over 2,000 unread emails in my blog inbox? A lot of them are newsletters and stuff that can probably just be deleted, but when your inbox gets to that level of disarray it's easy for real e-mails to get lost. So if you wrote to me recently and I didn't reply yet... uh... sorry.

As for physical organization, we do have a spare room that I use as a home office/makeup/dressing room, but oh maaaaan is it in chaos right now. Too much stuff, not enough space. In the short term my goal is to get rid of some stuff and put everything back into order, but my long-term goal is to come up with a system to ensure that clutter won't stick around for too long. Shredding junk mail right as I get it? Hurling empty shipping boxes out the window with a scream? Something.

With that said, I'll be taking a mini blogging break for the next few days to get a jumpstart on my new life of orderliness. I'll still be checking comments and e-mails (and working my way through the old ones), plus maybe popping in on social media, but don't expect any new posts here until the 4th or 5th of January or so.

So! Here's wishing all of you a happy (and safe) new year, whether you choose to comment on this post or not. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you on the other side! :)

28 December, 2014

Review & Swatches | Pony X Memebox Shine Easy Glam Season 2 Palette

Affiliate Links Bought It

Who wants to see some swatches of a brand new eyeshadow palette? Today I'll be sharing the Pony X Memebox Shine Easy Glam Season 2 Palette, which is the second eyeshadow palette collaboration between Pony and the ever-growing Memebox own-brand makeup line.

Image source: Memebox

26 December, 2014

Review | Primary Raw Seoul DoYou Soy Facial Cream (plus bonus candle-making session!)

Affiliate Links Press Sample

Calling all K-Beauty fans: I have a review of a facial cream with lots of interesting ingredients for you today! Meet Primary Raw Seoul DoYou Soy Facial Cream, a skincare treat made with soy bean extracts, soy milk ferments, rice water, galactomyces and other nice stuff. Mm-mm good!

Primary Raw Seoul DoYou Soy Facial Cream memebox

Some of you may have seen this product before—it was one of the items featured in Memebox Special #61 Green Food Cosmetics. But it's now available for purchase on it's own in the Memeshop, so probably worth of a review, eh?

24 December, 2014

Weekly Poll | It's the most wonderful time of the year... to watch movies!

A happy Wednesday to all, and happy Christmas Eve to those of you who celebrate!


My boyfriend has the next few days off (including today), so we've started binge-watching Christmas movies. Of course when I asked him to pick one he chose Die Hard... not exactly a film about Christmas, but it takes place during Christmas so I'll allow it. Anyway, here's my question:

What are your favorite Christmas films that you can watch over and over? They can be fully about Christmas or very loosely connected to the holiday. Your choice!

In addition to Die Hard, I think there's a good chance we'll be re-watching Bad Santa and Elf, plus enjoying the numerous made-for-television cheesefest films that Netflix has to offer. Five star taste in this household, all the way.

How about you? What's at the top of your video playlist this holiday season?

18 December, 2014

Review & Comparison Test: Tosowoong Makeon Professional Nothing Is Impossible Makeup Liquid Lip & Eye Makeup Remover

Affiliate Links Bought It

One of the staples in my "makeup diet" is a good eye makeup remover. I know some folks like to use their cleansing balm or oil as an all-in-one solution, but when I'm wearing massive amounts of waterproof eyeliner and mascara I feel like it really helps to get in there with a little something extra first. Same goes for really stubborn lip tints. Triple cleanse power! Today I'll be reviewing a remover I started using a couple of months ago: Tosowoong Makeon Professional Nothing Is Impossible Makeup Liquid Lip & Eye Makeup Remover. But first I need to take a nap after writing out that name. Zzzzzz.

TOSOWOONG Makeon Nothing Is Impossible Professional Makeup Liquid Lip & Eye Makeup Remover WishTrend Memebox kbeauty korean beauty products

17 December, 2014

Weekly Poll | Flash Beverage Round

Happy Wednesday, everybody! How's the week before Christmas treating you? A more relaxed or more stressful time? Probably depends on where you work, I guess.

Cup clip art via

Speaking of Christmas, this week's question was inspired by seasonal drinks....

If you could have any beverage in the world delivered to you right this moment, what would you choose? Could be something ordinary, could be something rare, could be something discontinued, could be something that doesn't actually exist. Sky's the limit!

I heard someone talking about peppermint lattes yesterday and that sounded really appealing to me, hence the question. I don't think I've ever actually had a peppermint latte before though, so here's hoping my fantasy drink isn't gross? I'd ask for it to be made with soy milk and served with a candy cane on the side. I love destroying my teeth.

How about you? Coffee? Absinthe? The tears of unicorns?

09 December, 2014

How I'll Be Stuffing My Boyfriend's Stocking This Christmas: 2014 Edition

Affiliate Links Bought It

It's the most wonderful time of the yeaaaaaar! Is it just me or are the number of pre-Christmas special shopping days increasing every year? Did you participate in any pre-Black Friday week sales? Or perhaps Green Monday? (What the heck is Green Monday?) Happy Shopping Year! Argh. I find the present number of "shopping holidays" a bit overwhelming at times, but I can't deny that they're really good for picking up gifts on the cheap, which means that most of my holiday shopping is DONE.


I did crappy little post last year called "How I'll Be Stuffing My Boyfriend's Stocking This Christmas" and it ended up being one of my most-viewed posts of all time, so I guess men's gift ideas are a subject of interest, huh? Today I thought I'd share how I'll be stuffing my boyfriend Stan's stocking this Christmas, since I've already made my list and checked it twice (and had the contents of it shipped to my house while I hid indoors from the Black Friday shopping crowds).