GLOSSYBOX: October 2012

Glossybox made it to me yesterday and here's what i received in my V2 box...

October's goodies:

1) Jouviance Rejuvenating Anti-Aging Cream - first time i've heard of this brand - it's actually made in Canada. this white, unscented cream can be used as a day or night or specifically as an eye contour. i am building quite the collection of anti-aging items which is good as a preventive measure. however, in the last two weeks, there has been two people that tried to guess my age; one said 22 and the other one said 19 --> LOL. so i am glad that i don't exactly need these anti-aging creams just yet! :)

size: 5 mL

retail value: $93.50 (50 mL)

2) ModelCo Flipstick Lip Duo in "Dusk Lipstick/Striptease Gloss" - i was very excited to see a ModelCo item in the box! i have an eyeshadow, a blush and a few makeup brushes from them (which i picked up in Sydney) and i really like them. now i get to try a lipstick and a gloss - hooray! the brand is very difficult for us Canadians to get our hands on. 

this is marked as a "Special Edition" for Glossybox members only. i searched the ModelCo website and they do not have any Lip Duos on there. the Lip Duo is a combination of their Shine Ultra Lip Gloss and their Lipstick Lip Couture which you can purchase full size for US$16 and $22 respectively.

the Lip Duo is a bit on the chunky side but it does come with a mirror. i found it a little awkward to put on the lipstick since it is longer and wider than the average lipstick.
both the gloss and the lipstick smell like watermelons  strawberries but it is sweeter on the gloss side. the lipstick is very creamy and glides on your lips easily. it is also quite pigmented - this particular "Dusk" shade is a brown but a wearable brown (not sure if this will work on all skin tones). the gloss looks like peachy shimmer in the tube but applies sheer. i find wearing the gloss over the lipstick makes the brown appear softer and i like the combination better than wearing the lipstick alone.

size: N/A (full size!)

retail value: $38.75

3) Zoya Professional Lacquer in "Rory ZP620" - this is the second Zoya i own as well as the second pink Zoya i own. i got both from Glossybox and they are both nice pinks (the other one was Shelby) but i am loving Rory!! Rory is described as "Medium mauve pink with lilac tones, gold and silver reflective metallic shimmer accents, and a foil-like finish. The gentle color of this polish gives the foil finish a softened appearance." on the Zoya website. even the description sounds beautiful!

size: 15 mL (full size!)

retail value: $8

-- update November 2, 2012 -- i love how smooth this was to apply!! no streaking, quick dry time and the color was quite opaque! i only used one coat in this swatch:

 left to right: natural light; closeup; artificial light

sorry my nails aren't in the best shape but the swatches are done without me doing any cleanup! the brush definitely helps me be more precise. 
i am also in love with this color - Rory is a gorgeous deep metallic pink. i personally prefer these fun shades over the sheer pinks (no offense!) :)

4) Sebastian Professional Trilliance Shampoo & Conditioner - these two hair products are designed especially for "shine preparation". it contains "rock crystal" which i tried Google-ing but found nothing related to hair (except how to remove hair with a rock crystal - which is a completely different idea).
size: 50 mL each x 2 = 100 mL
retail value: shampoo - $15.79 (250 mL); conditioner - $16.59 (250 mL)

5) Gillette Venus & Olay Razor - another razor from Glossybox... ho hum. this one is the exact same as the one i got from Loose Button in May. i haven't even gone through those yet.
size: 1 razor & 1 cartridge (full size!)
retail value: $16.99

i almost forgot about the Golden Ticket item (Caroline Néron jewelry) until i read the card - boo i was not one of the lucky 50! let me know if you have seen anyone who got it!

in all honestly, i really like the box if i am considering it from a $15 point of view but at $21, i am a little unsure. i know that the retail value of the box is well over $21 but i have to remember that the retail value of the box and the value of the items to me are different.
i am most excited about the Zoya polish and the ModelCo lip duo - what were your favorites this month?

so i'm sure most of you heard the news buzzing around on Facebook yesterday - ipsy (previously known as myglam) has come to Canada. as soon as i heard the news, i felt a number of emotions: 1) excited because i've seen a number of ipsy unboxings and they have been pretty good (seems to be more makeup focused than others), 2) uneasy because i went to take a look at my finances and 3) torn because it means i will need to make some difficult decisions.

and to add to that, Topbox has also followed suit after its fellow Canadian subscription services and raised their prices. 

soon we will all be sitting at:

Glossybox: $21/month

Luxebox (Loose Button): $26/3 months

Glymm: $12/month (unless you were subscribed prior to the price change: $10/month)

Topbox: $12/month

Beauty Box 5: US$12/month

Ipsy: US$14.95/month

i know many of you probably have Julep and other beauty boxes to add to the list... are you guys going to reconsider your subscriptions too now that Ipsy has joined the table? let me know what you think! anything to make my decision easier :)

SPOTLIGHT: Yummy Fortune Cookie Soaps from Gen [Beautiful Onyx & Mick]

i received my package from Gen (Beautiful Onyx and Mick) last week after winning her "Let's Hang on to Summer" Giveaway. i was delighted to find out i was one of two winners to her giveaway - thanks so much Gen, the soaps smell divineeeeeeee.

i also did not expect to receive a set of SIX Fortune Cookie Soaps. for some reason, i was under the impression that i was getting one soap so imagine my surprise when i found out i now have six!

before receiving the package, Gen sent me an email telling me about how the soaps may appear moist. i completely understand and actually see that some of the moisture caused the pink tissue paper to bleed onto the wrappers. still, everything is amazing! i have never tried Fortune Cookie Soaps but i have read about Gen's unboxings before and have been very intrigued by these cute soaps.

the Fortune Cookie Soap website no longer carries these summer edition soaps so i will attempt to describe the scent myself...

i received:
1) "Private Beach" - the most subtle scent of the six that is both fruity and floral

2) "Summer Sweet Tea" - sweet green tea with a hint of limes/lemons

3) "Pool Party" - a strong scent of what an "ocean" candle would smell like

4) "Beach Bunny" - slightly coconut-y... also reminds of gummy candies (it looks gummy too!)

5) "Pinky Swear" - smells strongly of jackfruit (an Asian fruit that can often be found in cans with syrup) and bananas

6) "Road Trip" - strong scent of honeysuckle flowers (did anyone else used to pluck these and pull out the bulbs - is that what they are called?-  and squeeze out the nectar?)

they are also specially marked "Not intended for Human consumption" - haha!

my favorite scents are "Summer Sweet Tea" and "Road Trip" but i love the look of "Private Beach", "Pool Party" and "Pinky Swear".
i decided to use "Beach Bunny" first. it does not lather as much as a regular soap would, but it's also because Fortune Cookie Soaps use "gunk-free" ingredients: no parabens, no synthetic preservatives, etc, etc. the fortune cookie shape actually helps to prevent the soap from slipping out of your hands. after one use, it still looks exactly the same so i am sure i will be using this soap for a while!

here's the fortune i got from "Pool Party":

LOL. i'm curious as to what the others say but i don't want to ruin the surprise just yet (however, it looks like not all of them have fortunes).

i really love these Fortune Cookie Soaps! thanks so much Gen for your generosity! :)

GLYMM BAG: October 2012

first thing i see: Glymm brought back the product cards!!! yessssss! it is now in the form of a brochure (instead of the previous card and booklet formats). thank you Glymm for listening to your customers!

as for the bag, it is pink this month in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. it's always nice when you notice a little bulge in the bag! i am predicting that we get a new type of bag next month but we'll see. actually, i'm really hoping that Glymm comes up with something completely different - i think most of us are getting tired of these bags...

October's edition:

1) Lash Card (Individually Wrapped Mascara Shields) - so Glymm was smart to include a product like this in a bag that also contains a mascara but really, the product itself is pretty lame. the Lash Card is described as "innovative" and it's actually "patented". really?! very silly since i am sure most people do not use such an item when applying mascara or even if they do, they just use a simple FREE business card. or any type of card period.
i also think it's funny how they try to recommend "1 card per make up session" - is that really necessary? or is it only because they want to sell a box of 10 for a whopping $7?
size: 2 cards (each card has 2 curves - a large and a small, depending on your eye shape); Glymm says: up to 4 uses (not really sure how that works given the previous statement)
retail value: $6.99 (10 cards)

2) Femme Couture Lightning Lash Mascara in "Midnight Black" - Glymm has a slight typo on their card, calling this a "Lightening Lash Mascara" - i paused for a second since i thought that people wore mascaras in the first place to darken - not lighten - their eyelashes. ;)
anyway, this Lightning Lash Mascara focuses on lengthening. i have some Femme Couture loose eyeshadows somewhere in my stash and i've always been tempted to pick up something else from them while at Sally's. mascara takes me a long time to get through so i don't know when i will be able to use mine up and review this!
size: 11.3 g (full size!)
retail value: $14

3) CyberDERM H2O Hydration - think it sounds familiar but looks different? it's because Glymm sent these out in their July bag but it was in the form of a syringe. it did not have a scent and felt moisturizing and light. be careful when you first use this since it can get messy.
size: N/A... looks about 5 mL?; Glymm: 10 uses
retail value: $60 (50 mL)
see 4) for pic

4) CyberDERM Every Morning Sun Whip - after using H2O Hydration in the morning, you can apply this Every Morning Sun Whip which is a matte sunscreen with SPF 25.
the Sun Whip is thicker and not as creamy as the H2O Hydration. there's hardly a scent to it. i like this product but not enough to fork over $38 for a 50 mL sunscreen.
size: N/A... about 5 mL; Glymm: 2 uses
retail value: $38 (50 mL)

5) Miss Jessie's Baby Buttercreme - buttercreme... you'd think that butters and cremes are for the body right? so of course i was thrown for a loop when i read that this for HAIR. i have never heard of such a product before... looking at the instructions, it says that this moisturizer is to be used on wet hair. you only need a nickel sized amount to soften "dry, crunchy curls" - i have neither dry nor crunchy nor curly hair... if you check out the website, you will see that the company is focused on curly hair.
to me, buttercreme sounds well, buttery and creamy - both of which will probably weigh down hair or make it look greasy - and both of which are hair no-nos.

nonetheless, i decided to try it. i used it on my wet hair and only on the ends of my hair. my hair is still air drying but i can feel the difference between my ends and my roots. the ends are noticeably softer but i still wouldn't recommend using this product on your roots.

it smells like shea butter and... wait, caramel is listed in the ingredients? correct me if i'm wrong, but i don't recall caramel being used in cosmetics. i wiki-ed it and it lists caramel candy, caramel coloring and caramel sauce. under caramel coloring (which i thought would be the most likely reason), it says it is used in food coloring and beverages - no mention of cosmetics. sooo do you guys know?
size: 59 mL ("full size"!) - as in full size of a mini version; Glymm: 5 uses but i hardly even scraped the top layer
retail value: $9 (also available: $32 for 237 mL and $58 for 473 mL)

6) *bonus* Johnson & Johnson Johnson's Baby Oil - i don't understand why people are complaining that this item is in the bag... it is a bonus item and it is to promote Glymm MAMA. i think it's a neat idea and i can use it to remove makeup or for shaving (which i didn't know so yay!).
yeah so this is baby oil and it smells like babies!
size: 88 mL
retail value: $4.49 (414 mL) or $6.49 (592 mL) according to well.ca

i think this is definitely a step up from last month's Glymm - bigger samples (hello full size items! it's been a while!) and a bonus item. plus the list of samples is back! still my overall impression of the bag is that it's good - nothing jaw-dropping but good.
are you guys happy with this month's bag?

SPOTLIGHT: LOULOU Shop 'Til You Drop 2012

so i am not actually sure how i first heard of this but i am glad i remembered it the day before the event took place! it could have been Facebook... maybe.

LOULOU Magazine describes Shop 'Til You Drop as "the ultimate fashion and shopping event". this event was held in Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Burnaby from September to October this year. some cities had special presentations and performances (like Dragonette in Toronto). it seems like this Shop 'Til You Drop event also has a spring version so keep an eye out for it in the future!

so basically, it is a night of special discounts and gifts with purchases. and let's not forget the swag bags! for the Calgary event, there were swag bags for the first 500 shoppers in line. they started handing out the wristbands (guaranteeing you a swag bag) at 4:00 pm but i don't think they ran out until like 5:45 or 6:00. i was there by 4 (well, 3:30) of course.

we were given a card listing the discounts - they weren't AMAZING discounts but they were good. the ones that caught my attention was the Forever XXI one (who doesn't spend hours there?) and Orange Julius ($2 for a medium Julius!?). i was also tempted by the $2 medium ice cream/low fat yogurt from Marble Slab Creamery.

card listing of special offers; Bling Nail Appliques demo

i was so caught up with the shopping and the free stuff that i forgot to take pictures. oops! i apologize. so the gist of it is that i lined up, picked up my swag bag, received some L'Occitane samples, ate some free Purdy's Chocolates, got a demonstration of Bling Nail Appliques done on my finger and entered my name into a draw.

there was a ton of offers (along with samples) in the swag bag including one offer to pick up even more samples from Shoppers Drug Mart. Kiehl's was also offering some deluxe samples so i swung by there too - it's a great opportunity to test out their products since i have never tried them before. i also got to munch on some Boston Pizza wings and had my lips touched up by M.A.C Cosmetics.

here is a picture of ALL my goodies:

some highlights from the swag bag
* L'Occitane $15 card
* Guess $20 shopping card
* Nivea Cleansing Gel - 150 mL (full size!)
* OPI Nail Lacquer in "Chatters Me Up" - 15 mL (full size!)
* Blistex Complete Moisture Sunscreen/Lip Protectant - 4.25 g (full size!)
* John Frieda Frizz-Ease 3-Day Straight Semi-Permanent Styling Spray - 30 mL
* Philosophy sample pack (including Amazing Grace Fragrance - 1.5 mL and Hope in a Jar - 2 mL)

highlights from the L'Occitane sample pack
* Ultra Rich Body Cream - 8 mL
* Angelica Exfoliating Gel - 5 mL
* Almond Milk Concentrate - 8 mL

highlights from the Shoppers Drug Mart sample pack
* Vichy Aqualia Thermal Light Fortifying & Soothing 24Hr Hydrating Care - 5 mL
* Vichy ProEven Daily Dark Spot Corrector - 1.5 mL
* Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy - 5 mL

hightlights from Kiehl's
* Ultra Facial Cleanser - 30 mL
* Ultra Facial Toner - 40 mL
* Ultra Facial Cream - 7 mL
* Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution - 2 mL

there was also a chance to win $1,000 in gift cards by getting our "passport" stamped at 7 locations. that was fun - and then the shopping.. i bought two China Glaze polishes (buy one, get one 50% off): Flip Flop Fantasy (which i've seen everywhere and i had to own) and IV (for my sister, Ivy).
i ended up purchasing two button up shirts at Forever XXI (21% off!) - one black with a studded collar and the other cream with a black bow. i can't seem to find one of them right now so i can't exactly show you!  i also ended up buying a sweater for my sister to reach the $50 and we got a free pajama set and a got2b smooth operator smoothing Lustre Lotion.

so all in all, a great day!! i wonder if there are other events like this in Calgary... do you guys attend events like these?

GIVEAWAY: 100 Posts & 50 Followers // My Fabulous First Giveaway

phew, we made it!! 

welcome to my very first giveaway, celebrating my 100th post and 50 lovely followers. 

thank you so much for your support - i love logging in everyday to find new posts from fellow bloggers or comments from readers. i thoroughly enjoy the blogging community and here's a little something i'd like to give back to you guys :)

the prizes are:

* Balmshell Lip Gloss in "Curse of the Purse" (sheer peachy cream) - comes with a keychain that you can attach the lip gloss to!

* Quo Eye and Cheek Palette in "Natural Attraction" (Fall 2012's Pretty Fierce Collection) - 6 eyeshadows, 1 blush and 2 applicators

* L'Oreal Color Riche Nail Polish in "305 Dating Coral" (Summer 2012's Miss Candy Collection)

* Essence Make-Up Bag in "01 Carry Me Home!" (Summer 2012's Ready for Boarding Collection)

all items purchased by me and with my own money. 

i tried to include a variety of items here which i actually started purchasing well before even reaching the milestones mentioned above - totally "counting my chickens before they hatched" but i was too excited! i haven't tried any of the items i purchased for this giveaway but they are all items i would've wanted to keep for myself so really... i hope you enjoy them! :)
i am also sorry for not posting in a while - it took me some time to figure out Rafflecopter and other giveaway details. i was also hoping to take the pictures in daylight but the sun has been going down too early these days!
anyway, please enter below using Rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

some more info:
- i am probably going to throw some more goodies in there ;) i hope the winner likes surprises!

- open to residents of Canada or the United States - sorry for the restriction...
- i am still figuring out shipping costs and all that - bloggers who have experience in this area, please advise me on what is the most cost-effective and efficient way of shipping - i'd really appreciate some help in this area!

- contest starts October 22, 2012 and ends November 14, 2012 (at midnight EST).

- the winner will be announced and contacted November 15 - he/she will have 72 hours to respond.
- please do NOT unfollow me after you have entered the giveaway - i will be checking names and it saddens me that people may do this. 

thank you and good luck! <3

p.s. speaking of giveaways, i actually got my package from Gen after winning one of her giveaways :) i will post more about that later. thanks Gen - the soaps smell SO good!!

p.p.s. as for Topbox, they are holding a Stila Giveaway! sign up here!

TOPBOX: October 2012

got my Topbox on the 15th - i didn't think it was that long of a wait but judging from many of the Facebook comments, it seemed that some people were waiting forever or something.

let's see how long i waited:

2027! that's almost 15 years! if anything, i should be the one complaining on Facebook.

i really don't know what they are processing in 2027 since i have the actual box in my hands... haha all kidding aside, this month's box (version 6) was okay - like last month, it's alright if you compare it to other boxes but it's a little underwhelming if you compare it to earlier Topboxes. 

October's beauty items:

1) Aveda Invati Exfoliating Shampoo & Thickening Conditioner - i can already smell it when i take it out of the box; smells like some kind of spice (not very pleasant). i do not have thinning hair so this product is really not for me. i am going to pass it off to my boyfriend though who is concerned about his receding hairline... i hope that was OK for me to share. he sometimes skims through my blog but i hope he doesn't read that part.

the box came with an offer for a complimentary Invati botanical therapy hair treatment with a hair cut or shampoo style...  i actually got my hair cut recently at the ABA Show so i won't be needing another one soon.  in Calgary, this offer is accepted at Diva Salonspa and Redbloom (haircuts start at $30 if you wanted it to be done by a student).

size: 10 mL each x 2

retail value: $27 (200 mL) 

2) MaskerAide Hydrating Facial Sheet Mask in "All Nighter" - i have heard fabulous things about this Canadian company: it's hydrating, eco-friendly, natural and it works. but the price is a bit of a turn-off though. especially since it says on the back to use once per week.
and speaking of the name "All Nighter" - the only time i've ever pulled an all nighter was not even for homework or deadlines... it was for video games - a really really long 50 rounds of Mario Party. 

size: 1 mask - 23 g (full size!)

retail value: $4.99

3) Stila Eyeshadow Palette in "In the Garden" - there are two other versions of the eyeshadow palette sample available: "In the Moment" (purple cover) and "In the Light" (gold cover). 

the colors in "In the Garden" are absolutely gorgeous but i am not sure if i can use this enough to warrant its' label as a "deluxe" sample. the card also has instructions on how to create two different looks. 

some swatches:

i'd have to say some are pigmented and some not so much. the colors seem to be more intense on the right side. they are all very shimmery though. i tried to use as little as i could since i didn't think there was much to begin with. in the end, i seemed to take off just a bit off the edges:

size:  N/A - sample card

retail value: $50 (14 g)

4) Stila Prime Pot in "Taffy" - i am always excited to try new eyeshadow primers and this is a decent size. i used it today and it works wonderfully.

size: 2 g

retail value: $26 (3.3 mL)

so no wow factor in this Topbox but it's okay. i hear a lot of new subscribers already unsubscribing but i think they haven't given Topbox a fair chance. i know Topbox took on new subscribers this month so i hope that a greater number of subscriptions does not affect the quality of the Topbox.
how do you guys feel about your Topboxes?

REVIEW: Make Up For Ever's Aqua Rouge in "#8 Red"

i did not know the meaning of bold until now.
meet Make Up For Ever's Aqua Rouge #8 - Red.

Aqua Rouge is described as a "Waterproof Liquid Lip Color" that delivers in the long-lasting ability of a lip stain and the shiny finish of a gloss. you can actually wear the lip color alone if you choose to since the gloss does not act as a sealant (the pigment does that itself). i was curious about this since CoverGirl's Smoothwear All-Day Lip Color (another 2-step system) has a top coat for sealing in the moisture.

there are 12 shades available at Sephora or online at Make Up For Ever for $27 each.  the Aqua Rouge claims to be "100% waterproof, kiss-proof that will not transfer" and i am here to test it out!

my first attempt ever with such a powerful red and it took me a long time to get this right - actually, i still have not quite mastered it. i didn't use any lip liner in order to keep it from affecting my review but it is just so hard to get the edges to look perfectly smooth! i found some instructions online (click on Step by step) and it too suggests using a lip liner.

maybe it is the science nerd in me that i have repressed since switching to "Business" from "Biological Sciences" but i decided to test this product over a 3-day period and observe the effects of different variables: the first day being just a complete initial reaction to the product and then the second day, wearing just the "red" side (matte) and the third, using both the "red" and "gloss" side.

* photos are taken after any eating that may have occurred. there was no reapplication of the red throughout the day for day two and three.

day one
i started applying the sponge applicator on the center of my lips and worked outwards. i often crossed my lip line and seeing how this product does not budge after it dries, i had to clean up the edges. plus, i found that i did not spread the color evenly on my lips. after taking some photos, i'd realize there are spots on my lips and i'd go back and reapply - this happened twice so in the end, i had a few layers on.

my first impression of just wearing the red alone (matte version) was that it felt sort of like it was painted on, like something is coating your lips. it doesn't feel uncomfortable or thick though. when i press my lips together, the top lip sticks to the bottom lip. if you do this right after applying it, the color can transfer between the top and bottom.

i applied the gloss (using its brush applicator) and noticed that it was hardly sticky at all. a little color transferred to the applicator in the process. i think this can be avoided if i waited for the red to be completely dry.

transition from the matte lip to a glossy lip:

top to bottom: natural light; artificial light

throughout the day, the gloss will fade and i'll reapply often. i described it sort of as "paint" because after 5 hours, this "paint" started to crack. i believe it is because i moved my lips often (you know how that happens when you talk) and i'd also press my lips together. it felt like i had peeling lips or little crumbs stuck on my lips. this left some bald spots behind and thus, i needed to touch it up - please see below pic [6:00 pm].

what is impressive is that it does not transfer when drinking or kissing AT ALL. you'd think that with such a bold red, that at least some color will transfer, but nope. nothing on my hand, nothing on my boyfriend, nothing on my straw. there is the exception of when you eat though, especially greasy foods.

the first day i wore this, the Aqua Rouge met its match when i ate a bacon-wrapped corn cob. i knew beforehand that it wasn't going to be a good idea but it was confirmed as i watched the red melt away from my lips and all over the corn.
i ventured to the washroom and found that most of the red had rubbed off except for the top half of my top lip and bottom half of my bottom lip [7:10 pm].

to see how well the Aqua Rouge can actually hold up against other foods besides bacon, i decided to do two more days of testing...

day two - matte version

[1:00 pm - application] i decided to try a slightly different approach - i applied a very very thin layer - and i made sure to try to get it right without having to reapply and fill in any uneven edges or bald spots. before applying it on my lips, i'd wipe all the excess off the sponge applicator like you would do while applying nail polish. even if it seems like there is nothing really on the sponge applicator, the color payoff is ridiculous so you really need very little.

[2:15 pm - snack] really odd combination of snacks here - i had some cold mango tofu (i dislike 99% of tofu unless it is sweet) and some McDonald's fries.

[6:00 pm]

[7:15 pm - dinner] sun is starting to go down so i tried to sneak in a quick picture before it disappeared. i had some noodle soup (with duck) and some grapes.

[12:00 am] 

day three - glossy version

[1:15 pm - application] since only wearing a thin layer worked so well yesterday, i did it again on the third day. the gloss wears off often so i had to reapply twice today.

[3:30 pm - late lunch] got the Deluxe Love Boat at Sakana Grill which has some sushi but mostly fried items like tempura, dumplings and chicken. there is a slight gap in the middle of my lips where you could see the color has rubbed off. my boyfriend said it wasn't entirely noticeable unless i was talking.

[6:50 pm]

[10:35 pm - late dinner] had some pizza in between episodes of Dexter.

[11:50 pm] by now i've been wearing the Aqua Rouge for almost 11 hours and the same cracking/peeling effect that i had on the first day came about. the color was peeling into little bits which you can see if you look closely.

a deeper analysis:

wearing the red alone seemed to have the least amount of transfer. with the gloss however, it seemed that the gloss transferred easily (as seen by 1:15 pm lip print) while the red remained intact. at 6:50 pm, i had reapplied my gloss and this time around, it took a bit of the red with it.

arm swatches:

the nights that i wore the Aqua Rouge on my lips, removing it at the end of the night wasn't too too difficult since by then i'd have worn it for almost 12 hours and the color was slowly wearing away from all the meals i've had. however with these arm swatches, i wanted to take it off after i took the pictures but it would. not. budge! soap didn't work, water didn't work and my makeup remover did not work, as you can see in the picture below (only the gloss wore off):

my makeup remover is oil-free though so i started to look for something with oils (due to the earlier experience with greasy food). my shower gel finally did the trick :)

so overall, i'd suggest using a lip liner and also wearing only a thin layer. i only experienced the peeling/cracking after i'd worn it a long time and only when i have been using and reapplying the gloss. this is probably due to the long-wearing pigment being a bit drying and reapplying the gloss accumulates the peeling into little flakes (thanks Ashley K for this realization :)).

i can't get over how much of a show stopper this red is (did you know this is the official red of Madonna's MDNA world tour?). maybe it was also the fact that i never wore such a bright red before but many of my friends (even the male ones) commented on it. even a lady working at one of the perfume counters at The Bay told me it looked good. personally, i still find it a bit intimidating but i am growing to love it! i prefer the matte version on myself since since my lips are already full looking and the red combined with the gloss makes it that much more eye-catching. i'd love to try one of the more wearable colors though since i am a huge fan of the no-transfer ability of this lip color. i was surprised every time i looked in the mirror after eating since i expected all the color to have vanished.

have you tried MUFE's Aqua Rouge collection? what is the longest-lasting lip product you have?

disclaimer: i received the Aqua Rouge from Make Up For Ever Canada for review (thank you Lindsey). the opinions above are a reflection of my honest feelings.