Loreal Infallible Eye Shadows: Bronzed Taupe and Amber Rush

I tend to hoard eye shadows because I like the different colors that it comes in but I tend to waste it by not using it too often. The Loreal Infallible Eye Shadows were hard to resist and these are my two favorite colors of the bunch and the most natural looking.

left to right: Bronzed Taupe & Amber Rush
(no flash)

(flash)

The color is really intense when dipped with the finger or swiped on the hand but the color is lessened when it actually applied to the eyelid maybe due to the pigmentation of my lids. Bronzed taupe is a purply brown color which is great for the crease and amber rush is a rosy gold pink color best used all over the lid as pop of color.

Swatches in yellow light
(no flash)

(with flash)

After swatching these on my hand, I tested their staying power by cleaning it with a wet wipe which was a difficult job. The eyeshadows stained my hand a little, especially the taupe color. The colors tend to move a little on my eyelid and will transfer into the folds of my lids but this can be solved with a primer or a base.

Rating: 4/5

Price: $7.99

(Ulta deals can be used to get them for ~$4 each) 

Bioderma: Crealine H20

I have been on the hunt for the best face cleanser/ wash that doesn't require actually scrubbing my face and splashing water from the faucet like those beauty commercials. Here comes Bioderma! Many great things were said about this product and I had to give it a try. I got the sensitive skin formula, the pink bottle.The solution to cleansing the face without wasting tons of face wipes and water.

As you first put this on a cotton pad, make sure you do not dump the liquid on because it tends to spill all over everything. The dispensing system would work much better if it was a pump or spray instead of just a regular cap with a hole.

As you apply the cotton pad to the face, you will feel an icy or refreshing feeling which makes me think the product is doing its job, it does not sting the skin or the eyes. You will need to use more than one pad to cleanse off the face fully if more makeup is involved. Waterproof mascara is taken off easily with no hard rubbing needed. This does take off most of the makeup but if you want a deeper cleanse, you will need to use a face wash after to get the rest of the dirt off. This is also a great wake me up in the morning to wash off all the oils produced when you were sleeping the night before.

After my face has dried from the wash, it leaves my skin soft and only a bit drying around my really dry  patches. Apply moisturizer and you're done for the day. :)

Rating: 4/5

Price: ~$33 (500 ml) 

Tis the Season...

I would say Christmas and New Years is the time to celebrate family and happiness with loved ones but many feel like this is the season to spend all the money you have earned the whole year on things that may be returned or thrown aside due to the fact that you bought something on the spur of the moment. Please spend wisely this year because buying things just because you feel like it is not the spirit of Christmas. Smart consumers are the result of smart financing and money management. Buy items that are needed or take into consideration if gifts will be used. Happy Holidays!

Here are some items that I have purchased this year...

Asos Bow Gloves ($10.55)

ASOS Super Soft Long Gloves ($12.31)

H&M Mint Striped Sweater ($24)
Purchased for $5 on sale

*Update*: Asos gloves are really soft and well made with the seams but they gloves tend to run large for my tiny asian hands. There will be room at the tips if you have shorter fingers. 

Sigma Sigmax Flat & Round Kabuki

I just could not resist the deals for black friday (free shipping) and finally tried the flat and round kabuki brushes from Sigma's Sigmax line. The most talked about and affordable brushes did not not disappoint  one bit. These brushes were really dense and my bb cream and foundation has never looked so nice and flawless.

The round kabuki brush blends in my liquid concealer better than my fingers do under the eye. Even though creases are inevitable, this brush does minimize the effect and look of creasing under the eye. I can't wait to try more of these brushes. They also included a free eyeliner brush with orders of $30 or more. 

Rating: 5/5

Price: $18

Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick (Black Tie 987)

The search for the best lip tint/ moisturizing lipstick continues with Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick. I really like this lipstick, I chose (Black Tie 987) was I would say "extreme" which is great for a pop of color. I can not put too much of this on or the color would be too bold compared to what I am use to but this does give a good staining color for quite an amount of time. Once you start eating, the color does come off. The color was a deep plum and red which is a really rich and classic color. Putting too much on does make you look vampire like. Twilight is not the look i'm going for but the color payoff of this lipstick gives a wow effect. I will definitely try this lipstick again in another color. 

The texture was really moisturizing when first applied but then has a drier affect after a few minutes. IT does not dry out my lips like usual lipsticks would. The color may settle into the cracks or accentuate any imperfections on your lips when applying a sheer layer due to the high pigmentation but this is not a problem when applied normally or on the heavier side 

Rating: 4/5

Price: $30

Shiseido Tsubaki Shining Conditioner (+Shampoo) with Tsubaki Oil

I've always loved browsing my local Japanese convenient stores for cheap and affordable things.  My local Ichiban Kan had this conditioner which I have been meaning to try due to a friend's recommendation. Conditioners do not usually make a difference on my frizzy and dry hair but little did I know. 

Lets say I've never been the type to like things right off the bat, but this conditioner deserves an applause because no other has made my hair feel or look so smooth and shiny. It's something you must scream to the world. Frizziness can still be a problem but it has died down a bit. Now to just solve the problem of losing too much hair at once... it might be the stress of everything you call life.

*Update about shampoo* Who would have known that the shampoo and the conditioner go so well together... I always thought conditioner was the one that made your hair soft and shiny but the Tsubaki shampoo also added a bit more shine and softness to my frail hair. Frizz is still a problem and even this shampoo did not help in that department.

Rating: 5/5

Price: ~$16-20

Diana Eng - Fashion Engineered for Daydreams

Vintage and unique fashion has always attracted my attention whether it be jewelry or even clothing. I recently discovered Diana Eng- Fashion Engineered for Daydreams. Even the title sounds appealing. Who doesn't want to have things inspired by daydreams where anything is possible. Their jewelry is very unique and fashion forward. Here are some of the pieces that caught my eye:

FARFALLE BOWTIE PASTA NECKLACE

HOLIDAY GOLD FORTUNE COOKIE COIN PURSE

LASER LACE BACKLACE TEE

These pieces can be quite expensive but they can be inspiring when it comes to your everyday fashion and how you choose to incorporate these ideas into your life. Fashion is what you make of it and how you choose to wear it.

Make Up Forever Duo Mat Powder Foundation

I have been trying the Make Up Forever Duo Mat Powder Foundation for about 1 or so weeks now and I got to say that I really like this foundation. This foundation is more geared towards the oily skin types due to its mattifying properties. This powder will magnify dry and flakey areas of your skin. The coverage is light to medium making the product a great setting powder and a light coverage foundation.  The sponge compartment, I feel, is a waste of packaging because the foundation goes on best with a brush. All in all, this is my favorite powder foundation for the moment.

The best technique when applying this would be to tap your brush in or roll your brush along the surface. When I swirl my brush, the powder tends to fly everywhere which wastes more product than used. I picked the translucent beige shade which matched my light to medium with a hint of yellow skin tone. 

Rating: 4/5

Price: $34

Yves Saint Laurent VOLUPTÉ SHEER CANDY - Glossy Balm Crystal Color

I was so excited to try the YSL Sheer Candy Gloss Balm so I finally bought it in No. 5 Mouthwatering Berry when Sephora had the spinning game (which can be quite fun). My first impression when I saw the package was pure happiness because it looked really sleek and classic. After opening the product, I became somewhat disappointed with the smell. I don't know if I got a defective product or I just hated the smell which did not smell like fruit as most people said it did. The color payoff was fantastic and the balm was moisturizing but the smell I could not handle. It smells chemically and crayon like. I'm going to try seeing if the other colors smell the same as this one. Update later!

Color Swatch

Rating: 3/5 

Price: $30

*Update: I went back to Sephora and smelled the other colors (I know a little odd) and they all seem to smell the same crayon like flowery scent which I could not stand. The color payoff of the other ones were just as wonderful but this product can be a bit drying  after a while on the lips. 

OC8 Professional Mattifying Gel

I received the OC8 Mattifying Gel in my September Glossybox, I have got to say that this is my new go to product for mattifying and priming the face before I load on the make up. It leaves a smooth surface for product application and helps control my oily face for at least 5-6 hours but not 8 hours as it claims. The product is gel based which makes it feel drying but yet feels moisturizing at the same time. (hard to describe) I personally have never tried mattifying products before but this is definitely worth trying for oily skin. I only wished that this product did not contain parabens. The smell may be a little chemically but it goes away after it dries. 

Rating: 4/5

Price: ~$26 (1.6 oz)

The Makeup Perfect Smoothing Compact Foundation SPF 15 Review

Recently I have been using the The Makeup Perfect Smoothing Compact Foundation SPF 15. At first application, I really liked the foundation and it had light to med coverage which helped smooth my pimply moments, but through out the day my face would get oilier due to the oil production factory we call my skin. My face didn't look matte anymore but a sheeny finish that may be on the yucky side. If you have dry skin, this foundation may work for you, but this did not work out as much as I wished it would. 

Rating: 2/5 (for oil skin)
Price: Compact $9, Foundation $31

Free Loccitane Hand Cream (Facebook)

Loccitane is giving away a free 10 ml hand cream when you sign up for their emails on their facebook page. If they reach 500k likes by mid October than they will upgrade the freebie to a 30 ml hand cream. Emails for the freebie will be sent in mid October. Happy liking!

September 2012 Glossy Box

I finally signed up to get the Glossybox when they were having their promotion of buy 3 months and get one free. They sent me two boxes worth of items this month, the September box and the July box. This might be the free box that they were talking about. I thought they would be sending me recent boxes but I guess the free part meant they were trying to get rid of their past boxes instead? All in all, I really like the box and i got a Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream which is a big plus.

September and July Box (free)

Dior Mascara Deluxe Sample

Visit any Dior Counter for a Dior Mascara Wardrobing consultation and receive a deluxe sample of one of Dior's Legendary mascaras.

Glossybox for $12.75 (+ tax) each box for 4 months!

Glossybox, a monthly beauty subscription with 4-5 full and travel size items, is doing a promotion at the moment, if you subscribe for 3 months for $60 with them they will give you a free month with the code: NYFW at checkout. You can also save 15% off your purchase shopping through ebates.

1) Go through ebates.com and sign up if you do not already have an account.
2) Go to glossybox and click through their link.
3) Subscribe for the 3 month subscription
4) Enter the code NYFW in the coupon area
5) Check out and fill out beauty profile
6) Ebates will send you a separate check or you can choose to deposit into your paypal each quarter.
7) Wait for your package each month for the next 4 months.

Dior Diorshow Mascara

I have tried the Dior Diorshow Mascara which did not meet my expectations. I thought this mascara would be a lot better than most other ones that I have tried, but it smeared all over my bottom lashes and made my panda eyes even more noticeable. This mascara started working a lot better when it started drying up and the formula was less runny which I preferred. All in all, this is a decent product but not worth the $25 dollar price tag that comes with it.

Rating: 3/5

Price: $25

First w/ Smashbox

I have recently been trying out Smashbox from my Sephora purchase online because I heard a lot of good reviews about them but I was not impressed with their quality or staying power. The Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner in Vamp ($10) was not waterproof and smudged a bit over my oily eyelids. The color was very pretty though and it was the perfect shade and the shimmer was not very noticeable. The other product I also tried from this brand would be the HD Concealer in med beige ($20). I use concealers mainly for dark circles and this did not hide them one bit. The formula was overly liquidy and did not have any staying power.

TJ Maxx & Sephora

Sephora Haul: Tokidoki Brush trio, BareMinerals Mascara,
Smashbox HD concealer, Smashbox Gel Liner, & Soap and
Glory- The Righteous Butter

(Pic 2)

TJ Maxx Haul- Blum Towlettes & Shisiedo Sunscreen

Rimmel Natural Bronzer Coupons

Rimmel Natural Bronzers are now $2 off w/ coupons at target.

1) Redplum: $1 off any Rimmel product

2) Target: $1 off 0.49 oz Rimmel Natural Bronzer

Recent Hauls

Bracelet from boyfriend and rose gold watch from Style & Co (Macy's)

Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch (Drugstores)

Purse from R + J Handbags online from Fab.com (Sold out)

Comfort plus by Predictions black heels from Payless Shoes

Most comfortable shoes I have tried, perfect for work.

Free Taylor Swift Wonderstruck Enchanted Frangrance Sample (Facebook)

They are giving away free Taylor Swift Wonderstruck Enchanted fragrance samples on facebook.

Free Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Sample (Facebook)

Shu Uemura is giving away 2,000 0.13 fl. oz. samples every day until August 27th, 2012 to American Facebook Fans. If you don't get one today, come back and try tomorrow. 

Tinted Lip Balms

I've never been a fan of the lipstick which makes tinted lip balms a good alternative when it comes to color without the dry feeling of lipsticks. Here are a few of my favorite lip balms/butters that keeps the moisture of your lips in tact.

1. Maybelline Baby Lips ($3.99)

• The best color pay off (Pink punch gives the best barbie pink color on your lips)
• Moisturizing, pink punch seems more moisturizing than peach pink
• Smells amazing, exactly like the names, almost too sugary 
• Sold online and drugstores

2. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment ($22)

• Plum and Passion color have the best color pay off
• Moisturizing
• Sold at Sephora: online and in stores

3. Revlon Lip Butters ($7.49)

• Color pay off is med for the lighter colors (tried Creamsicle)
• Can be a bit drying (better with a clear lip balm underneath)
• Sold online and in most drugstores

4. Delipscious Sheer Lip Color

• Sheer color pay off
• Can be drying (better with a clear lip balm underneath)
• Discontinued in the US, only sold in Singapore online
• Can be found on ebay (Click picture)

Go To Brushes (Drugstore)

1. Ecotools Bronzer Brush

• Very dense brush
• Soft
• Doesn't Shed
• Synthetic bristles

2. Elf Essential Eye Shadow Brush

• Soft and synthetic bristles
• Doesn't shed
• Cheap ($1)

3. Ecotools 5 piece travel set

• Good for travel
• Powder brush is good for blush and bronzer
• Small kabuki good for all over powder
• Blending brush is very fluffy
• Concealer is very soft

4. Elf Essential Eye Defining Brush

• Soft bristles
• Good for defining the crease
• Cheap ($1)