Last fall, I bought three red lipsticks with full coverage. They all come in gorgeous colors with nice quality (you can read my thoughts on the other two, here & here), but Armani Rouge d'Armani Matte 400 is my favorite by far. This is such a beauty with a formidable presence.  I can't say this particular shade exudes spring per se, but I am still loving it. 

I had wanted this dusky purple smokey duo for the longest time. I even swatched it a couple times but for some reason, the actual swatches always looked a little bit less attractive than what I'd imagined. Like other BLKR stuff, it was exclusive at NARS website and the Bleeker street store. Surprisingly though, NARS BLKR eyeshadow duo didn't make the cut for NARS' recent eyeshadow renewal and the BLKR blush and the lip pencil also seem to be discontinued.

What I do for my hair is quite minimal - I don't use styling products in general. My hair hasn't been chemically treated for several years now. I guess this is a combination of a good fortune and laziness. I have slightly thick wavy hair that is very easy to take care of, and lots of it (at least for now). I usually lack wills to do something artful to make my hair look pretty AND time to do so.

If I have to categorize my hair type, I would say it is normal. But, what does that really mean? Sometimes my scalp feels oily and the ends dry. I have to deal with frizzes on a humid day. Which is why I always keep more than a few different sets of shampoo and conditioner in my shower booth. This seems to help deal with each situation in a carefree way. Among more than a dozen that I've gone through for the past 6 months, today I will be talking about the ones that I've actually enjoyed or think worth recommending.

Huda Beauty Smokey Obsessions is a great neutral smokey palette with a good mix of matte and shimmer plus a rather excellent matte black (you can see the swatches here). Unlike the Mauve Obsessions, I find this one very easy to wear and versatile. Please read on for the look I recently created with this universally flattering palette.