LUXE BOX: December 2013 [Winter Edition]

gooooooooood evening!
i've swung by today to give you a mighty quick post on the... last... December box i have? i might be wrong. there could still be one more hiding.

this is getting ridiculous, i know i know!

here goes:

1) Clinique High Impact Mascara in "01 Black"
ho hum - i've seen plenty of these included in the gift sets during Clinique bonus time.

size: 3.5 mL

retail value: $9.50 (8 g)

2) COVERGIRL LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in "245 Ruby Twist"

i haven't dabbled with COVERGIRL for a while and i was surprised with how quickly i fell in love with this - the ease of application, the color, the moisturizing and light feel it has - all of it! it's so summery too which i am sure everyone is anticipating the change in weather.

size: 314 g (full size!)

retail value: $10

3) Essie Nail Lacquer in "728 Dive Bar"

most of the Essies in my collection are matte shades so this is something different. Essie calls this color "a mysterious blackest blue with shimmer". i love how it is dark with a blue-green shimmer. must try on my nails next week.

size: 13.5 mL (full size!)

retail value: $11

4) EVOLVh UltraShine Moisture Conditioner 

hmm something seems to be missing...

oh what's that? shampoo?

that's right! i don't know why Loose Button decided to cheap out on us and just give us the second step and not the first... 

but i must admit, i loved this when i received it in my Glymm bag who-knows-when (actually i do - it was September 2012!). it's natural, smells lovely and makes your hair feel super soft and light.

which is why i wish there was a shampoo to go with this!! aghhh 

size: 75 mL

retail value: $25 (250 mL)

5) Honibe Honey Lozenges in "Lemon"

whaaaaaaaaaaaat? 

size: 4 lozenges

retail value: $5.99 (10 pack); $9.99 (20 pack)

6) Loose Button Gel Eye Pads

i don't own a set of these so i was feeling okay about getting these. but if you scroll down a bit and see the value Loose Button slapped on these, your eyes might fall out of your head and you will no longer be able to use such expensive gel eye pads.

size: 2 pads

retail value: $30 (yaaaaaaaa right)

7) L'Occitane Pivoine Flora Eau de Toilette

the heart of this scent lies in peonies - which i like. it's not 'heavy' and the tiny bottle is adorbs. i actually haven't tried any L'Occittane eau de toilettes before (or even knew they had a fragrance line...).

size: 5 mL

retail value: $47 (80 mL)

8) Simple Pleasures Hand & Body Cream in "Vanilla Bloom"

the scent is nice and not overpowering but i can tell that creams like this one tend to be sold in clothing stores who throw all their body care items near the checkout i.e. F21, H&M. the lotion is watery so it does not do much for long-lasting moisture.

(oh wait! it is the same brand as the cream in last season's box - no wonder the quality felt the same...)

size: 237 mL (full size!)

retail value: $10

i sort of wish i could've cancelled when i was strong. but now there is another Luxe Box sitting in the corner, waiting for me to get around to it. i must say i am happy to try the COVERGIRL Jumbo Gloss Balm. the Honey Lozenges counted as 1 of my 8 items which is sort of silly... the cost of those eye pads were outrageous... conditioner, mascara, lotion - nothing really grabs me anymore.

maybe it's time.

are you still with Loose Button? and are you happy? 

thanks for reading!

IPSY BAG: November 2013

still playing catch up! when will i ever get there??

work has been busy busy busy! lots of year-end stuff to do as well as prepare for an audit.
also, happy chinese new year! i spent the day visiting a couple of temples, walked around a mall and just altogether, spending time with the family.

so as i try my best to catch up, here are my quick thoughts on the November "Glam It Up" bag for ipsy...

1) Be a Bombshell Lip Crayon in "Shameless" 

A glossy lip crayon with a smooth texture that is perfect for travel and touch-ups on the go.

this is described as a burgundy with shimmer. the shimmer is too much for me... it gives off a metallic-like look that i am not a fan of. scroll to the end for more swatches!

size: 2.5 g (full size!)

retail value: $14

promotion: 40% off online purchase and free lip gloss until Dec 15, 2013 [US only; expired]

2) Pixi Beauty Beauty Bronzer in "Subtly Suntouched"

This bronzing powder gives your complexion the warmth and luminosity of naturally sunkissed skin. Hydrating, silky-smooth & long-wearing, it also protects against free radicals. Contains Vitamin E to protect the skin and mica, which provides dense natural pigment.

"Subtly Suntouched" is medium honey tan - we all know how many bronzers i own right? well if you didn't, let's just say too (too too) many. although i've always wanted to try more Pixi products (always tempted by their display at Target), i feel like the price range for this makeup line is too high. maybe it's the shiny plastic packaging? 

size: 3.2 g (full size!)

retail value: $18

promotion: 25% off online purchase until Dec 15, 2013 [US only; expired]

3) EM Michelle Phan Lip Gallery Creamy Color Sheer Lipstick in "I'm Taken All Red-y" 

Inspired by the girl who believes less is more. A fresh tint of just right color for a dreamy pout. Lightweight, creamy texture with sheer, buildable color quality. Silky shine finish and conditioning comfort.

so this was the product that was highly anticipated with Michelle Phan's release of her makeup line. i like the idea of a sheer red lipstick since these can help ease the transition to a full red lip. oh and the name is quite cute. 

but

it looks red in the swatch below but in reality, it is more orange. it's light and shiny on the lips and since it is a sheer lipstick, you can easily remove it with a tissue. more swatches below!

size: 3.5 g (full size!)

retail value: $15

promotion: 30% off online purchase until Nov 30, 2013 [US only; expired]

4) HSI Professional Argan Oil Leave-In Hair Treatment

Discover HSI Professional Argan Oil, the product your hair needs for constant nourishment and incredible shine! The essential nutrients contained in this magic-in-a-bottle product are meant to give your hair a very healthy look, lots of shine and velvet smoothness. Use as a leave-in treatment conditioner, heat protectant or frizz tamer. Suitable for all hair types.

hair oils! that's another thing i have too much of... not much to say here since it's like all other hair oils to me. 

size: 5 mL

retail value: $29.99 (60 mL)

promotion: 50% off online purchase until Dec 20, 2013 [expired]

5) Nailtini Nail Lacquer in "127 Caviar Cocktail" 

Glamour is an attitude as much as a look, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't look the part...all the way down to your fingertips! Just in time for the year's most glamorous season, nailtini is serving ipsters gorgeous nails in two shimmering shades - icy golden Champagne and molten pewter Caviar Cocktail. The perfect finishing touch to glam it up head to toe!

is it weird to say that one of the colors i try to avoid wearing on my nails is grey? i don't know but i just find it a very unflattering color on me. Nailtini describes this pearly polish as a shimmering gunmetal grey. i am putting this in my give away/sell stash though. let me know if you are interested!

size: 15 mL (full size!)
retail value: $13
promotion: 50% off $25+ online purchase and free eyeliner until Dec 31, 2013 [US only; expired]

6) Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil in "GP06 Amethyst"
The Starlooks Gem Eye Pencils provide a magnificent metallic finish and are so versatile, soft, and creamy that they can be used as a liner or eyeshadow base! Each highly-pigmented, unique pencil has a gorgeous, micro-glitter finish.

this eye pencil is really pretty. "Amethyst" is a gorgeous light shimmery purple. it is very pigmented and goes on so smoothly. i like to use it on the inner corners of my eyes but just so you know, the glitter may migrate to your cheeks by the afternoon.

size: 2.4 g (full size!)
retail value: $14
promotion: 40% off online purchase until Dec 15, 2013 [expired]

again, ipsy with plenty of makeup items. i'm not blown away by everything here but mainly because i already have a ton of the same item (i.e. bronzer, hair oil). the Starlooks eye pencil was pretty impressive and the em sheer lipstick isn't bad either.

so yep! random Q - what are you guys hooked on watching these days? i was browsing Netflix and decided to start 'Sherlock'. just finished my first episode and so tempted to just watch another one but i have work tomorrow and each episode is like a movie... hahaha what to do!

GLOSSYBOX: April 2013

so this month's Glossybox had an extra sticker on it - Danone Silhouette... which is

yogurt?

well, it's not in the box itself but there is a coupon for a FREE Greek yogurt pack. sweeeeeet :) the only Greek yogurt i've tried was rather sour-tasting... is that the norm?

April's "Work That Beauty" box:

1) Jelly Pong Pong Lip Blush in "Marshmallow Pink" - well that's definitely an interesting brand name. Jelly Pong Pong is based in the UK and ships worldwide (minimum order is approx $40 CAD and shipping is a little over $6).
it took me a while to figure out what color i got since the outer packaging looks like it is "Cranberry" but the color itself is definitely a pink.
the lip blush is nice - moisturizing and pigmented. below, i have swatched it on my arm - the left is one swipe and the right one is 5.

"Marshmallow Pink" is described as a "soft petal pink"; i find that the blue base of the pink is very evident. still i love how pigmented this pink is on my lips. i didn't notice this at first but when the sunlight hits it directly, it sort of looks metallic-y (see top pic below).
lasting power of this lip blush is pretty impressive - about 4 or so hours. it is slightly awkward using it right now since the tip is really pointy but i'm sure it will round off later.

size: 2.5 g (full size!)
retail value: $18.70

2) Schick Hydro Silk Razor - oh hello first razor (from a beauty box) of the year! i wonder how many of these are there to come?

size: 1 razor & 1 cartridge (full size!)
retail value: $10.99

3) Boscia Recharging Night Moisture - this moisturizer feels light and absorbs quickly into the skin. it has a herbal scent to it that is not overly unpleasant. this made me curious about the ingredients so i did a little research and found that this moisturizer is like, good for (almost) everything: it targets wrinkles, dryness and redness. it is recommended for normal to dry or aging skin.

size: 15 mL (not full size like the info card says)
retail value: $44 (40 mL)

4) POP Beauty Cat Eyes Eye Liner in "Tasty Teal" - i was actually contemplating this eye liner when i saw it at Winners a couple months ago but they didn't have a black which is pretty much all i wear. still, "Tasty Teal" is a fun color and i like how the liner is slanted. 

however, what i do not like about this eyeliner is quite the dealbreaker. 

it creases. and it creases ridiculously fast.

i was doing my makeup in the car and had lined one eye, glanced down for a second and look up to find that it had already creased. yes it was that quickly! there's no way my eyelids were already that greasy since i was doing my makeup on my way to work (so at like 7 am!). in order to fix this, i just blended it and used it as an eyeshadow instead.

the next time i attempted this eyeliner, i used it on my lower lashes and it stayed relatively well put there. 

i think if i try this again on my top lashes, i will use a heavy duty primer and check on it multiple times a day, just in case it became super messy again.

size: 0.4 g (full size!)

retail value: $16

5) Heartland Fragrance Soothing Epsom Salts in "Jasmine" - this was definitely what i smelled the second i lifted the lid off the Glossybox. i am not a fan of the smell of jasmine but it is relaxing. i haven't used it in the bath yet but in the shower, the salts dissolve rather quickly.

the boyfriend also noted that these are probably specifically labelled "epsom" salts now due to the bath salt incidents - which were so crazzzyyy.

size: N/A
retail value: $10.10 (850 g)

so here's the whole box! it was definitely jam packed and there is a variety of items this month. favorite of course, is the lip blush. most disappointing? the eyeliner but i will try to make it work again. what were your thoughts?

also, Target arrived in Calgary a couple days ago - and i found it underwhelming. yes, there were two cosmetics brands that i haven't seen widely available in Canada before (Sonia Kashuk and Pixi) but i thought the prices were pretty high. my first purchase there that night included a body wash for the boyfriend and 2 pairs of socks. nothing cosmetic-related! however i did find the Sonia Kashuk area quite empty so maybe next time i will find some goodies.

REVIEW: Joe Fresh Matte Lip Crayon in "Plum"

so the lip crayons keep on coming...
i am sure this is the last o--- whoops, i caught myself there. i think i have one more that is yet to be used...
but what i can say is that this is the last matte lip crayon i will be reviewing for quite some time. in case you didn't know, i am refraining from purchasing any more lip products this month (and hopefully the next)!

Joe Fresh had sheer and matte lip crayons available but i think they started clearing out the stock when Fall came around. the original price of these lip crayons were $6 but i am positive i paid less than $3 for this.

this is the first second (i forgot again!) lip crayon i own that is not retractable. in fact, it is like an actual pencil crayon. it even smells like a pencil crayon. the cap is clear and the color of the outer lip pencil is a pretty accurate indication of the actual color.

this Matte Lip Crayon in "Plum" (2.6 g) is a dark berry color. aside from the price, i also picked it up because i have nothing like it in my stash of over 50+ lip products (that's only a rough estimate too; i am probably off by another 50 or something ridiculous... i am a little scared to count).

the same thing happened with my dresses. i have a overflowing closet. my solution to this problem is to just buy more dressers.
i already knew i owned a ridiculous amount of dresses - i usually wear jeans but i can't say no to a pretty dress. cause you never know when an occasion can arise where i need to wear a dress that has a sailor feel with a drawstring bust and hem (seriously the label even says SportGlam - i am not sure what i was thinking). so the story is, someone asked me how many dresses i actually owned one day and i shrugged and said like 50. my sister and i decided to actually count when i got home and lo and behold, i had twice as much as that. yes that's right - i can wear a dress every single day for more than three months and would not have to wear the same dress twice.
note: this count was done before summer - i have since purchased more dresses.

anyways, back to the Joe Fresh lip crayon!!
this glides on pretty smoothly and does not tug on the lips. it is matte so i did notice that my lips didn't feel hydrated but it wasn't like i was constantly licking my lips, trying to replenish the moisture.
so like i said, "Plum" is a dark berry color and it leaves a stain afterwards. when i applied it full on, it makes me look a bit vampy (i said this to my boyfriend also and he did not understand what i meant by vampy). strange how in artificial lighting, it looks more red but then i go into natural lighting, and BAM, it's purple. to make it more wearable, i'd apply it lightly in the center and blend it out with my fingers.
i have yet to wear it enough to have to sharpen it but i am hoping it isn't super messy.

artificial lighting; natural lighting

so do you own any "vampy" shades and do you like to wear them?

*hooray* for reaching 20,000 pageviews today :) many thanks to all of you!

REVIEW: Annabelle TwistUp Retractable Lipstick Crayon

right on the heels of my second Revlon Balm Stain post, i have another lip crayon for you!
make that two!

thanks to Kristelle (Crystal Candy Makeup) and her reviews on four of the 12 available shades, i was convinced that i needed some Annabelle TwistUp Retractable Lipstick Crayons in my life.
and what better opportunity to buy them than during a Shoppers Optimum BOGO lipstick/lipgloss event last Wednesday from 6 to 9 pm (BOGO = buy one, get one; thought i should clarify that since i only figured what that meant this year haha). thank you marsbar35 (Marsbar Jewelry & More) for telling me about this awesome promotion!! i love the blogging community! <3

there were a few other colors i wanted to try but i decided to go with "Bubble" and "Mai Tai".
"Bubble" is a pink coral. it reminds me of pink lemonade or some kind of Kool-Aid flavor. i'm only wearing a light layer in the picture below because my lips were not in the best condition that day. i am sure the color could be more pronounced if preferred. "Bubble" seems to emphasize the cracks in my lips more so than "Mai Tai".

artificial light; natural light

i was confused about the name "Mai Tai" so i did a little search. a Mai Tai is a type of cocktail and i think Annabelle may have also found this name fitting because of their new spokesperson, Marie-Mai (a French Canadian singer). anyways, "Mai Tai" may look quite intimidating in the tube but the red actually applies more sheer on the lips. i think reds make my lips look gigantic... i quite like the color though. it's a great starter red if you are just starting to venture into Gwen Stefani territory.

Annabelle TwistUps are a lipstick and lip liner in one. the tip allows you to line your lips precisely. both shades apply smoothly but since these are quite pigmented, i'd suggest exfoliating first to get rid of any dry patches. the TwistUps leave a slight shine and is non-sticky, unscented and paraben free! wear time is pretty good - seems to be about four hours, but less if you choose to eat/drink.

curious about the similarities and differences between Revlon's Balm Stains and Annabelle's TwistUps?
both have a range of 12 colors - i think Revlon has more plum shades while Annabelle has more purples. i prefer the color payoff of the TwistUps- which may be because they are lipstick crayons rather than a mix of a lip balm and a stain, which in turn is why Revlon's is more moisturizing. so really, both are great products!
the TwistUps are thinner but roughly the same height. they also have a clear plastic cap that allows you to see the color.

Annabelle TwistUps retail $9.99 each at Shoppers and contain 1.5 g of product. are you planning on checking these lipstick crayons out? i think i might want "Absolute", "Divine", or "Mimosa"... decisions, decisions.

REVIEW: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in "Charm"

check out my first post with swatches on Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (2.7 g) with the color "Honey".

i really enjoyed the formula and the packaging of Revlon's latest success in lip products so i did not hesitate in getting another one. i picked up "035 Charm" at CVS for US$6.49 when i was in L.A.
if i lived in the states, i would shop at CVS ALL the time because by purchasing the Revlon Balm Stain which was already on sale (originally US$9.29), it came with a $4 coupon to be used on your next purchase. so in my funny way of calculations, the Balm Stain totally works out to be like $2.49! what a steal!
... come to think of it, why didn't i get more?!

"Charm" is sheerer than "Honey" was - it is a very soft peach color. when i checked out swatches online before purchasing this color, it seemed that it looked different on everyone, depending on how dark or light your lips are. on my pigmented lips, the peachy-ness is not really there but has the look of a nude gloss. again, it glides on so easily and is very moisturizing.

you can bring out the peach color a bit by putting a few more layers on. but if you choose to do so and then press your lips together, the product tends to move to the edges (due to its' gel formula) and then a visible line would form around your lips.
i definitely prefer "Charm" over "Honey" - i really like the soft touch of peach. since it seems so sheer, it was unexpected that a stain would remain after the balm part has faded but it did - just a pinch of rosiness. i feel like i can wear this anytime.

as you can see, the color is very sheer but is buildable.

so now i have two! look how pretty they are together!

how big is your Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain stash? :)

REVIEW: e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Color

i was very excited to pick these up at Target during my L.A. trip - along with a few other things. you have no idea the overwhelmingly gratifying feeling i had when i walked out of those doors with my goodies in my bag. i would have visited 3 other Targets if i could. i can't wait for Target to start opening its doors in Canada!! i hope it will be as good as the American stores :)

so anyway! i picked up two of the e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Colors (1.8 g) for $3 (US) each, which is the same price  as listed on the e.l.f. website. there are a total of 6 colors available, and i settled on "82463 Tea Rose" and of course, "82461 Coral".

i find the jumbo pencil format really cute. the exterior is sleek and round with the indication of the color around the bottom (which actually resembles the real color). the lid is a bit of a pain though since you really have to press down to close it and when i tried to take the lid off one time, my "Coral" one almost flew out of its container.

the formula is obviously going to be drier than say, the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains since we are talking about a matte lip product here. it does tug a bit when applying and it looked horrible the first time i put it on. it settled into every crack and emphasized all the dry patches of my lips so exfoliated soft lips is a must! i looked up some tips on wearing matte lipsticks and it includes: exfoliating first, dabbing some lip balm with a very light hand about 10 minutes prior, and when you are actually applying it to your lips, start from the center and blend it out with your fingers. it's difficult to get all the areas (especially near the inside of your lip - the part you can see when you pucker your lips) so blending with your finger really helped there.

the "Coral" lip color barely had a scent to it but on the other hand, "Tea Rose" smelt pretty terrible. i couldn't detect it when applying but when i sniff it now, it smells like bad herbal medicine.

the first one i tried was "Coral" and it looked absolutely - did i say horrible earlier? let's take one more step up and say - horrific. i had no idea how i was going to show close-ups of my lips in that condition! following the steps i listed above really helped though so here are some more acceptable pictures.

"Coral" - a very soft peach color. it can almost pass for a nude lip color for me.

"Tea Rose" is a lilac shade. at first i found it too much on the cool side for my skin tone but then i started liking it a little bit.

and finally some arm swatches:

top to bottom: artificial light; natural light

-- update September 22, 2012 -- so i stumbled on a video that was recommended for me on the main YouTube page and it was a review on the same e.l.f. lip products i reviewed here. the lady in the video mentioned that there was actually a hidden sharpener at the end of the lip color. there is no mention of this on the e.l.f. website at all so i was very surprised. i can't find the video right now to give the lady credit but when i do, i will add her name here. 
so you can actually twist the end (where it is colored) off, and you can use it to sharpen the lip color. amazing huh? --

before figuring out the proper way to apply matte lipstick, i was not a fan - but now i'd recommend it to those who want to add a few mattes to their collection. they're affordable and the pigmentation is definitely there. the lip colors leave a stain and are quite resistant to water (a stain from the arm swatches remained even after a shower). surprisingly, i did not find that it dried my lips out while wearing it but i would recommend some lip balm afterwards. the only setback is that the color selection is a bit limited. 

what is your take on matte lipsticks? 

REVIEW: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in "Honey"

FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY
Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains (2.7 g; $7.97 at Superstore) have arrived in Canada!!!! yippee :)

i first saw them available at Superstore and over the weekend, they began popping up at Shopper's and Walmart.
i didn't even really think about what color i wanted. i just sort of grabbed one and that was it. usually there's a complex decision making system i go through but i already knew that i would be purchasing more so this was just a start!

i picked up "001 Honey" which looks like a dusty rose. i love the packaging. it looks like a super-sized crayon - which makes it so much more fun to apply since it actually looks like you're drawing on your lips :). to get more product, you just twist the bottom. once i work through the product, i do not think that pointed-end shape will be maintained - wouldn't it just flatten out? or become a slope like a lipstick?
it has a minty scent and applies incredibly smoothly. it is very moisturizing but this does fade by the hour. on the other hand, the color remains so really you can just touch up with a lip balm.

the shade in the tube is actually darker than what you expect so be warned when you are picking a color out.  the tube color is a better representation of what it will look like once it is applied. "Honey" is a dusty pink that is actually leaning towards purple. the color can be sheer if you prefer it that way but can also be layered. the following photos show the difference:

artificial light; natural light

one layer:

a few layers:

NOTE:
i will be in LAAAAAAAAAAA in a little over 12 hours (should start packing - it's so hard because a girl needs selection!!). i will be purchasing more of these since i think it will be cheaper there. but any suggestions to what else i should pick up while i'm there? let me know! i welcome any ideas regarding things i should buy, places i should visit or food i must eat.
if i have time tonight, i might try to throw together a quick Topbox post since i got one today. sadly, i can't show you July's BB5 just yet because i was missing a product. i have emailed them and am waiting for a response.

thank you for reading! what colors will you be picking up?