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Friday, May 31, 2013

IPSY BAG: May 2013

hello dearies!
what is up with all the beauty box drama these few months? as someone else said on the Glossybox Facebook page, it looks like we are getting 'glymmed' - i laughed out loud when i read that. 

i had just redeemed my points for my second free box too :/ i hope they don't completely screw us over and take our money and run.

on a happier note, this is what my May ipsy bag looked like - colorful on the outside as well as inside :)
May's Spring Fling:

1) Pacifica Luminizing Body Butter in "Coconut Crushed Pearl" 
Ride the fresh and sensuous look, feel and scents of summer into fall, holiday and beyond with the body-loving brilliance of Pacifica’s Coconut Crushed Pearl Bronzing Body Butter and Coconut Crushed Pearl Luminizing Body Butter. Two indulgent products combine the perfect flush of mineral color, luminescence of crushed pearl, sultry fragrance notes of coconut and vanilla and serious skincare benefits of tropical actives like coconut (the ultimate super food) for a healthy, head-to-toe glisten and glow. So, kick back, soak in the skin-quenching and sun-drenched goodness of these color-meets-treatment stunners and experience tropical bliss and beauty any time of year.

Coconut Crushed Pearl Luminizing Body Butter: Treat, enhance and illuminate. This Body Butter – full of crushed pearls, minerals and ultra-nourishing phytonutrients - leaves skin hydrated, youthful, gorgeous and glowing. Coconut oil, tropical extracts, antioxidants and sea minerals hydrate and nourish.

i have been obsessed with coconut lately so i was really excited about this. usually i don't like shimmer in my lotions but i guess for summer, i can use a little sparkle. 
lemme show you how it sparkles in different lighting:
all taken in natural light but the top one is in the shade, bottom left is in the sun and bottom right is when the sun is setting. hahaha. it is very pretty!

and if you love Pacifica body butters like i do, then you would be happy to know that i found these at two different Winners this week - and for only $4.99! on the far left, there is a "Coconut Crushed Pearl" one but it's a bronzing body butter instead of luminizing. i am very tempted to get the "Tahitian Gardenia" one!
size: 58 mL (full size!)
retail value: $7
promotion: 20% off online purchase until the end of today (May 31) - only for Americans

2) Macadamia Natural Oil Healing Oil Treatment 
Macadamia Hair's light weight Healing Oil Treatment instantly absorbs into the hair to provides intense nourishment. It contains Omega 7 fatty acids, which is an essential component of skin and hair health. The Healing Oil penetrates the hair and scalp to improve strength, eliminates frizz, reduces blow drying time, and extends the life of color treatments. Instant absorption, light-weight and has a non-greasy feel. Natural UV protection.

Apply to clean, damp hair or dry hair. Let air dry or blow-dry. Add 1 pump of Healing Oil Treatment to 1.5 oz of any permanent color line to enhance vibrancy,dimension and lock in color. Avoid applying to root area for extra volume.

i've already received the exact same item in my February Glossybox. i got a trim recently (first one since last September) so i have been neglecting my hair oils. when i used this in February, i felt that it made my hair look healthier so i should definitely resume usage.

those who did not receive this oil treatment received a Nume Finishing Serum instead. 
size: 30 mL ("full size"!)
retail value: $13.50
promotion: 30% off online purchase of a 125 mL bottle in the States until July 31, 2013

3) Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in "Pink" 
This exclusive, pre-launch of the Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss will give your lips brilliant shine while keeping them healthy and nourished. A combination of antioxidant-rich acai and goji berries, natural minerals and sweet agave nectar that will give your lips radiant color! Made with certified organic ingredients.
another gloss! i am drowning in lipgloss.
this one is quite unique looking with the frosted glass. i can tell that the gloss itself is quite shimmery though.

i've also never seen such a long list of organic fruit in a lipgloss - check it out:
organic acai & goji berry, blueberry & cranberry & strawberry & pomegranate & red raspberry & grape seed oil. oh my.
size: 4 mL
retail value: $15 (8 mL) or $48 (4-pack full size of "Champagne", "Pink", "Fig" and "Guava")
promotion: 20% off online purchase of $30 or more until June 15, 2013 for both US and Canada!

4) Zoya Professional Lacquer in "ZP654 Jacqueline" 
Zoya Nail Polish and Treatments puts beauty, fashion and style into every bottle with innovative custom color creations and fashion trend adaptation resulting in a truly luxury cosmetic experience. Created with the finest quality pigments and finishes, each bottle of Zoya is as special and unique as the woman who created it and whose name graces every bottle – Zoya herself! The award-winning, ultra long-wearing Zoya formula is also vegan friendly and Big5Free*.
*Formulation contains no formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, dibutyl phthalate or camphor.
i was very excited to see a Zoya polish since they are harder to come by here but a little disappointed by the color.
BUT i just changed my mind again when i saw the online swatch of this color! it's full coverage (intensity is rated a 5, meaning opaque) which makes it very impressive for a cream color like this. "Jacqueline" is described as a magnolia nude cream. it is part of the Lovely Spring 2013 collection. i am totally going to try this color next and if i get bored of it, it's nothing a little glitter can't fix (or a lot of glitter, either or!)
i only know one Jacqueline... she was one of my best friends way back in grade 2. she also lived on the same block as me and i thought she had the prettiest name.
i should also point out that Zoya is not 3-free or 4-free but 5-free. what what!

size: 15 mL (full size!)
retail value: $8
promotion: buy 2 bottles and get 1 free & free Remove+ & $5 shipping - what a sweet deal so of course, it is only available in the states. and only until today.

5) Yaby Concealer Refill in "CC008 Buff" 
yaby concealers have a creamy texture and are extremely easy to apply. They are highly pigmented to correct any imperfection on the face and body, are creamy and gentle for around the eyes and are tear proof! Vegan friendly and contains no animal byproducts.
The heavy duty metal reusable pans are designed to be sturdy and not easily warped - sanitize empty pans with alcohol and keep some for other special beauty mixing needs!

i really like how my little GlamRX palette is filling up! i've also had a thing for concealers lately so i am excited to try this one. this product was another item ipsy personalized to their customers using YouMatch. out of the four color options, i think i got the best match for my skin so good job ipsy! it is just a tad lighter than my skin tone but that's usually fine for concealers.

pigmentation wasn't amazing though. i had a few problem areas on my face - especially a pimple that i accidentally keep scratching when i put on my glasses (grrr) - and i didn't feel that it covered it up that well. please scroll down for swatches!
there was also a random black dot in it...

size: 20 mm / 3.5 g (full size!)
retail value: $4.85 / 5.24 (camerareadycosmetics.com)
promotion: 20% off online purchase until June 10, 2013 - ships to Canada starting at $7.50

6) *bonus* Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow in "Stargazer"
Sparkly shadow goes ultra-sophisticated—with intense hues, microfine sparkle and lush, 3-D metallics, with a look out of this world!
Moondust is dazzlingly sparkly but with a super refined, incredibly sophisticated feel (and not a single speck of chunky glitter).
New technology gives Moondust an amazing effect not found in traditional pressed-powder shadows. It feels like a cream but goes on like a powder to create a smooth, brilliantly reflective look. The result? Sexy, twinkling sparkle with a ton of depth and movement. (And a LOT of questions about what you’re wearing!)
Works best when applied with your fingers. For extra intense color payout, try it wet.

what a nice surprise!!! i got a little note with this item, thanking me for being an active member of the ipsy community - yay!  i've always wanted to own a UD shadow and this one is gorgeous. even the packaging is super pretty! love the compact-like case with the little circular window in the middle. this product is also brand new to the market - sweet! there are a total of 7 shades available.
if i compare it to the other Moondust colors available, it may not be one of my favorites but it actually is very pretty, especially today when i experimented with it and applied it over teal and yellow eyeshadow using the Essence Quattro Eyeshadow in "Vamp It Up" from my February Glossybox. "Stargazer" has a somewhat greenish hue to it so it worked well over the yellow and the teal. Urban Decay actually describes the color as a metallic lime-gold w/ gold 3-D sparkle and is marked Vegan, Metallic, Shimmer and Sparkle.

trying to show you the sparkle in this but failing:
the shadow does not show up super pigmented but works wonders when worn over another color. what i do is just dab the eyeshadow on using my finger.
size: 1.5 g (full size!)
retail value: $20

tada! another great ipsy bag! you know, i am not actually sad about Glymm and (reportedly) Glossybox going down... those were the two i was most displeased with but i still had a hard time breaking up with them. ipsy has gives me plenty of goodies each month and they are all fantastic. just look at the variety:
lotion, nail polish, concealer, hair oil, eyeshadow, lipgloss. that's a bagful!
this bag was the first that i've seen where ipsy has personalized the contents to the customer. i think they did pretty well in regards to my own personal experience and i hope they continue to do this! i like seeing the different items other people are getting.
i am definitely happy keeping my subscription to ipsy. my favorite of the bunch this month is the Urban Decay eyeshadow and now i am excited to use my Zoya polish too. what was your fav?

Saturday, May 25, 2013

TOPBOX: May 2013 [regular]

once again, i went with the regular box for my May Topbox. other choices included Coolway, Maskeraide, Elizabeth Arden or a February Favorites Topbox. there was also an option to upgrade to a Ferro Cosmetics or a PretendTAN Topbox.
i was slightly interested in the February Favorites Topbox that included a Deborah Lippmann polish, MUFE foundation and a B. Kamins cream but the colors available for the polish and the foundation was limiting.

here's what my regular Topbox looks like:

1) Cuccio Colour Nail Lacquer in "Tel-Aviv About It" - hmmm i think i've seen this brand before but i can't pinpoint where... was it Winners? or a liquidation store?

"Tel-Aviv About It" is a very neutral color - a "light tan" as described on the Cuccio website. neutrals tend to be more on the sheer side but Cuccio boasts a Triple Pigmentation Technology where you only need a max of two coats for opacity. i will put this to the test and update you on these claims at a later date since i am in the mood for some bright fun colors right now (it's too gloomy and rainy these days).

size: 13 mL (full size!)
retail value: $10

2) Lise Watier HAUTE COULEUR High Coverage Lip Lacquer in "Stylista" - doesn't the color look absolutely gorgeous in the tube? such a purdy shade of pink.

way way way back in my December Luxe Box, i also received a Lise Watier gloss but that was a sparkly nude and i don't think i've used it since then. "Stylista" is very pretty though and i've been using it quite often. the scent is actually the strongest fragrance i've encountered with a lipgloss. the color payoff is great but only lasts about an hour. 
size: 1.5 mL
retail value: $23 (6 mL)

3) Yaby Eyeshadow Refill in "ES553 Dragonling" - love the name! and the color is unique too - a matte lilac shadow (the photo is slightly more blue).
pigmentation is good at first but it will fade and become less intense throughout the day. it also applied patchy  (not super smooth as the card says) so a little blending is required.

i wonder if Topbox assumed that most of us were already ipsy subscribers since we all got a GlamRX Palette that is perfect for Yaby eyeshadows a couple of months ago. 
size: 15.5 mm / 3 g (full size!)
retail value: $3.15

4) Deborah Lippmann Smooth Operator Nail Buffer - it's a little hard to get excited about a nail buffer but this one has the 4 sides for shaping nails, buffing ridges, smoothing surfaces and adding shine. 
too bad this didn't come with a Deborah Lippmann polish! 
size: 1 nail buffer (full size!)
retail value: $12

so there we have it! looks like everything is a little small when i put them all together. it was an alright month... in fact, all the regular boxes i have gotten (last three months) were just okay, a little boring actually. it's too bad that even though there are more and more Prive box options available, none of them are appealing enough to me. i hope that next month will bring about better choices! 
also i was tempted to get something during Topbox's Spring Sale yesterday - but i forgot to actually get an order in. did you order anything?

Saturday, May 18, 2013

BEAUTY BOX 5: April 2013

April's BB5... and yes i am finally getting to it on this May long weekend. my friend Jenny came back home for the week so it was absolutely lovely to see her :) i hope you are all having a fantastic long weekend!

without further delay...

1) La Fresh Instant Body Soother - so this is different from the other wipes i've been getting... the Instant Body Smoother wipe can be used to soothe tired or tense areas. it sounds like it would be refreshing, especially in the summer months. perhaps i can put it to use when i go canoeing?

who am i kidding? i don't do any work while canoeing... the boyfriend is in charge of any paddling that may be required. :)
size: 1 wipe x 2
retail value: $9.99 (24 wipes)

2) Minxxette Brush Hanger - i love how BB5 includes unique and useful items like this (remember we also got a brush guard a couple of months ago?). well, this handy dandy brush hanger allows you to dry your brushes after washing, without damaging the ferrule (the clamp thing that holds all the fibers/hairs together).

it can be hung using the hook or attached to a mirror with the suction cup. and it comes in two different sizes - we have the small one here:
size: 1 small brush hanger (full size!)
retail value: $4.69

3) Jean Pierre Cosmetics Oil Absorbing Facial Tissues - i keep trying all different kinds of oil blotting sheets that i haven't finished one whole pack yet but i am close! 

does anyone else pull out a pack while with friends and compare who's the oiliest or is that just gross? hahaha
size: 50 sheets (full size!)
retail value: $1.99

4) ModelCo Illusion Lip Pencil - i thought it was going to be hard to get ModelCo products in Canada after getting a taste for them in Australia but they have popped up four other times in beauty boxes - twice in Glossyboxes and now three times for BB5.
this lip pencil is great - i don't have a nude lip liner and this is a great nude. it is pigmented but it is not super creamy (but not drying either) so it takes a bit of work to get it evenly on my lips. it is really long-lasting as well. i wore it for a while on its own and a couple of hours later, i applied a lip crayon over it and it lasted 5 more hours. 
scroll to 5) to see an arm swatch. 

size: 1.5 g (full size!)
retail value: $20

5) Brazen Cosmetics Organic Mineral Eye Shadow in "Birthday Suit" - i seriously think BB5 can read my thoughts - every time i really enjoy a product or brand, i will receive another one next month!
i got a delicious-smelling Tree Hut scrub in February and then in March, i received a Tree Hut body butter (also quite delicious).

last month, i fell in love with Brazen Cosmetics Eye Shadow in "Buzzed" and today, i bring you "Birthday Suit".
"Birthday Suit" is an odd color on me - it wouldn't be considered a naked/bare color on my skin tone. the shade is too tan and when applied to my eyes, it makes me look sick. 
arm swatches:
size: 3 g
retail value: $7.49 (5 g)

i really like how BB5 has been introducing us to some great makeup tools. my favorites are the ModelCo lip liner and the Minxette brush hanger. on the other hand, i am getting a little sick of the La Fresh samples.
i also wanted to throw in a quick note about a movie i was very excited to see but left thinking that it was just alright: "The Great Gatsby". i've never read the book but it is definitely on my reading list. the movie was very pretty to look at - the backdrop, the characters, the costumes... all very gorgeous (special mention about Leonardo DiCaprio here - yum!) but i felt the story line was sort of slow. i was expecting to bawl my eyes out but i didn't shed a tear. maybe if i read the book...?
oh and the music is good but i was constantly thrown off when i'd hear Jay-Z or will.i.am when it is set in the 1920s... 
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