Spring/Summer Lids and Lips

[All purchased by me, or gifts from friends]



So with warmer weather (and my unexplained hiatus) I am starting to steer towards brighter pops of color.  It's an easy thing to do when you don't want to pile on a lot of products, but creates enough impact to make it look like you took the time to put yourself together.  I really enjoy bright, bold colors on the face and it's something actually very easy to do.

Some of my favorites for this season are:

3CE Lip Lacquer in Fever
My friend actually had the foresight to give this to me during Christmas, probably knowing I'd love it for the Spring.  This color gets a lot of compliments, probably from being so neon and eye-catching.  The formula is a liquid lip lacquer that is matte.  It wears like any liquid lipstick would, and leaves a slight stain behind.  It's super opaque and bold, so not for the faint of heart.
Wear with:  a bronzey eye and light peach cheeks

NYX Butter Gloss in Peaches and Cream
Highly raved, popular product that doesn't disappoint.  It's very creamy, non sticky and this shade has very good pigmentation for a gloss.  I think the range is worth checking out if you like to wear a single layer of gloss as it deposits a nice amount of color without a lipstick underneath.
Wear with: a bold pop of blue eyeliner and coral cheeks

Bite Beauty Lipstick in Rose
I initially got the shade Fig to try to wear as an everyday neutral shade, but found it too cool toned.  I exchanged for Rose and am so happy with the color.  It's a bright pink that leans neutral, which is key since a lot of bright pinks are so cool.  The formula is very pigmented and easy to work with, but the product will melt in heat, so try not to carry it around.
Wear with: winged liner and lots of mascara

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in Pink in Paris
Purchased in the same trip as I exchanged the Bite lipstick, I must have felt a strong pull towards neutral/warm pinks that day since these shades look very similar.  The formula of this lipstick is not super intensely pigmented, but more balmy and shiny.  There's also a slight shimmer to this that isn't gritty and the formula (and packaging) is luxe, luxe, luxe.
Wear with: a soft smokey eye and glowey cheeks

Jane Water Resistant Eyeliner in Lime Green
Similar to my mint/lime green phase last year, I really wanted to try to find a great neon liner to use on my lower lashline or above a winged liner to enhance my dark eyes.  Generally, I think brown eyes look great with really bold pops of color worked into a neutral backdrop.  This range of liners is great, as I've mentioned before.  They last all day, stay vibrant and don't smudge easily.  Highly recommend.
Wear with: a neutral eye and only on 1/3 of the lower lashline (compliment inducing!)

Etude House Color Pop Drawing Show Eyeliner in RD303
Why would anyone want a red eyeliner?  I was feeling the pinky/burgundy trend in eye makeup that has been more popular in Asia and decided to track down a unique shade to add to my collection.  I bought this on eBay, and it was very affordable.  This liner does not budge.  It is very intensely long-lasting and bold.  If this range were more readily available I would buy a lot more of these fun shades.
Wear with: a simple winged eye, or accenting a pink/burgundy eyeshadow

Jane Water Resistant Eyeliner in Aqua
Every girl needs a turquoise liner when warm weather rolls around.  There are a lot of tutorials floating around with this shade so I don't think I need to discuss it too much in detail, but this is a good option to choose.
Wear with: a copper eye (obviously), either top/bottom lashline

Rimmel Extra POP Lash in Pop Turquoise
I think this is limited edition, but a bright blue mascara (or dark and cobalt for a more subdued look) is one of my favorite things.  It adds a lot of interest to the eye and will get you a lot of comments/compliments because people are staring to try to figure it out.
Wear with: any eye look you would normally wear

Makeup Removal: Products for Different Levels of "Made-up"

[All purchased by me!]


Every once in a while, the blogosphere gets obsessed with one kind of makeup removal product and I feel the need to try everything.  With the totally unnecessary amounts of makeup removers I have in my rotation currently, I thought it would be a good idea to sift through the noise to what I use each product for, and to hopefully come to a conclusion as to what is actually worth using.

Cleansing Mousse/Water:

I am using the Napoleon Perdis Marshmallow Foam Makeup Remover after getting over the whole cleansing water thing.  I felt like they didn't really do a great job at getting rid of eye makeup and became intrigued after using this at Ulta.  It does a better job than cleansing waters like Bioderma, but is not ideal for long wearing makeup.  It comes out as a foam and you can tissue off or rinse off.  I always follow up makeup removal with a second cleanser, which for this, would be imperative to get rid of the remaining makeup since this isn't heavy duty.

I use this when I am wearing light makeup.  It removes concealer (Glominerals), non-waterproof mascara (Rimmel Extra Pop Lash - awesome product), lip gloss (NYX Mega Shine) and khol liner (Lancome) easily with little residue.  Great for people who wear natural makeup and have no need for intense, long-wearing formulas.

Cleansing Mousse/Water + Eye Makeup Remover:

To get better removal of waterproof eye makeup, I incorporate a dual-phase eye makeup remover like this Clinique Take the Day Off version.  I really like this one because it's so heavy duty.  However, it does leave an oily layer on the skin afterwards.  This doesn't bother me since I follow up with a cleanser afterwards.  While it takes off most long-wear products, I don't like irritating my eyes with a cotton pad and pulling on my lashes to get all the product off.  If I am just wearing concealer and powder, the Napoleon mousse goes on the rest of my face and the two create a nice combo.

The kind of products this duo removes well are waterproof mascara (L'oreal), long-wearing cream shadow (Smashbox), liquid liner (Physician's Formula) and a light balmy lipstick (YSL).   

Cleansing Balm:

Lots of people are on the cleansing balm bandwagon and I think it's a great option for most people who wear a full face of makeup, or for someone with dry skin.  The Clinique Take the Day Off cleansing balm is the only one I've tried, but it ticks off all the boxes of a good makeup remover so I don't feel the need to branch out to others.  It takes mostly any makeup easily, but does take some time to work into your skin.  You have to massage lightly for a little while to get the balm to dissolve and then it emulsifies to rinse easily.

Here I pair this balm with a BB cream (Skin 79) and a lip/cheek stain (The Face Shop).  I like using this balm with a full face of makeup because it just feels cleaner than other products I've tried.  This is also great at dissolving long wear eye makeup, but where it stands out from a dual-phase makeup remover is that it can remove long wearing face makeup with no issues as well.

Cleansing Oil:

Some people may think cleansing balms remove more heavy duty makeup than an oil, but I think cleansing oils remove the same amount of makeup in a shorter amount of time.  You don't need to massage it into your face for as long before it removes everything.  The one above is the Garnier Nourishing Cleansing Oil.  Buying this violated a couple of my skincare rules: it contains mineral oil and fragrance.  I was just so darn curious about an US drugstore cleansing oil that I couldn't help it.  I also figured that since it's a cleanser it really doesn't stay on my face long enough to be too harmful (but that's just my guilty justification).  This is an effective product, but you get very little and the bottle leaks.  Just taking that one photo leaked product which is very frustrating.  If I can find a better alternative for a relatively low price, I would switch over.

For this product, a long wearing foundation (Lancome - discontinued sadly), super long-lasting lip (Makeup Forever) and a trusty extreme wear liner (Stila) are no match for its makeup dissolving capabilities.  It doesn't take as long to work into the skin as a balm, and is a great lazy option for those who don't want to have to buy two products to get a full face of makeup off.

An Overdue Empties 

[Everything was purchased with my own hard earned dollars]

Without launching into a big reason for how long I've been away, let's get on to the reviews!  There are some good things in this empties, and a lot of hopeful repurchases.

Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Milk
This was not particularly "whitening", as I expected because I think products marketed as whitening usually end up more with brightening capabilities.  I bought this mainly to hydrate due to the hyaluronic acid, but wanted to see if it could help me fade some pigmentation as well.  I noticed it doing a great job of hydrating, but no brightening was visibly detected.  It's a very runny, milky lotion that feels very light and I believe is even less heavy than the original line.  Since it's kind of a strange step to incorporate into my routine (I initially used it at night but then moved it to a daytime moisturizer under sunscreen), I don't know that I would repurchase, but I can recommend this entire line because I think the quality and hydration claims are solid.

Clean and Clear Advantage Daily Soothing Acne Wash
Mainly purchased for the foaming dispenser, I bought this for breakouts around my collarbone area, not for use on my face.  It smells good, but that also means its highly fragranced.  The dispenser didn't dispense a large amount of foam, and instead had very thin amounts of foam with each push.  I think it did a good job keeping breakouts away, but is not something I would repurchase because it was so inconvenient to use.

Kate Somerville Oil Free Moisturizer
A good, super basic, non-fragranced and light moisturizer that I think a lot of people would like as an easy daytime moisturizer for under a separate sunscreen.  It has a nice texture that blends in with the ease of something I'd usually associate with a primer (looking at the ingredient list, dimethicone is listed which makes sense).  It's only main result is moisturization and I don't think I will ever buy the full size.  This came with the Kate Somerville cleanser in a Sephora point perk.  It retails for over $60 and for that, there are better moisturizers on the market for sure. It actually reminds me of the Boscia Oil Free lotion and that one is more afforadable and contains a little SPF.

Kate Somerville Detox Daily Cleanser
Scented like citrus, this cleanser felt very nice and gentle.  It contains some mild acids in here but I didn't notice any irritation at all and I used it regularly in the morning.  This didn't foam up a lot, which I liked for mornings but I don't think it'd be very effective at removing makeup.  The packaging dispenses out the bottom when you twist the cap, but you can't remove the cap entirely.  While this is innovative, it means you are resting the opening of the product on a counter where any residue will rub off.  I think using this in conjunction with the moisturizer, this line contains some very nice, non-irritating, basic products that would appeal to a wide range of skin types.  Given the price, however, there are other options out there.  I'm a fan of what I tried, but can't recommend everyone to run out and buy these products if I personally feel the price is exorbitant for what you get, which isn't necessarily visible results.

Bareminerals Renew and Hydrate Eye Cream
Not much to say here.  I never notice a lot of results with eye creams and am really starting to think the whole thing is a scam.  This had a balmy texture so it was thick and moisturizing.  It was nice, nothing life changing.  Would not buy the full size.

Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence
Supposedly a dupe of SK-II, I enjoyed this.  It has the same texture of water so it can feel like you're just splashing your face, but it seemed to slightly refine my skin texture.  Towards the end of this, I started using my Clarisonic regularly again and realized that the Clarisonic gave amped-up results in a shorter time.  This isn't super overpriced, and I think it is a good product so I may repurchase.  If you notice the cap looks grubby, it's because the top layer of metal started peeling off towards the end.  I am not a fan of the packaging and would probably buy the aerosol version next.  Not something I will buy immediately, it's just one of those products I'll always keep in mind.

Ok let's try to ramp up to faster reviews since skincare took so much of this post.  That's just the nature of the products I guess because skincare has so many relevant aspects to discuss.

Caress Daily Silk Body Wash
Absolutely loved the scent of this.  It is powdery and floral, which will not be everyone's cup of tea, but I thought it was richly scented and lathered well.  Would I repurchase? Yes.

Bath and Body Works Sensual Amber Creamy Body Wash
I preferred the old formula that actually came out like a dense body lotion. This is a pearlescent foam which isn't super moisturizing, but is very frangranced.  I love amber scents, so I would rebuy this if the mood strikes me.

Body Shop Grapefruit Shower Gel
This smells great, very bright and citrus, but is a regular shower wash.  I would only buy another Body Shop shower gel if I enjoyed the scent as I don't think it does anything special.

Chloe Body Lotion
This came in a scent with my Chloe perfume.  If you like the scent, obviously you'll like this, though it smells a little different.  This was light and not very moisturizing.  Don't buy this on its own unless you need Chloe to last all day (which it already does and I am not someone who can get scents to last on me).

Bath and Body Works Carried Away Lotion
This smells good.  Nice travel size.  Probably got this in a deal of some sort.  Would not buy on its own.

Moving on to makeup!  Not everything is an empty, but things that I am purging from my collection.

Claires Mood Nail Polish in Peaceful/Confident
I just don't wear this shade of blue often and it has a matte finish that chips easily.  Also the mood effect isn't very apparent on this as opposed to the pink/purple shade in this range. PURGE!

OPI Miss O Leary's BBQ
I thought this was a different shade when I bought it, so I was disappointed that this isn't a true berry, but had deep brown tones.  I love the formula of all OPI polishes, but this was just getting old.  PURGE!

Wet n Wild Party of Five Glitters
The glitter particles were not dense and I feel like it came with something else.  PURGE!

Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in Oscar Fish and Stargazer
These two came in a set for the holidays and they are probably my favorite high end eyeliner.  Both were pigmented, smooth and very long lasting.  Since neither was matte, I didn't use this too often in the waterline for fear of irritating my eyes, but they can last a very long time, even on my oily eyes.  I would definitely repurchase these in a heartbeat and am so glad they came out with a bunch of new fun shades.

Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara
My favorite mascara of all time.  I got a little tired of the removal so am trying L'Oreal Butterfly mascara currently but this one is still the best.  Would repurchase in a heartbeat.

Jordana Mascara in Navy Blue
This didn't show up at all and was very dry (maybe I got a bad tube?).  The limited edition Rimmel ones are much better and the light blue shade is a fave.  I would not repurchase this.

Current Favorites

[All purchased by me or given to me by generous friends]



It's been a long time since I updated this blog, which I will blame entirely on my own laziness.  It's not like I've slowed down my beauty product consumption in the past couple of months, it's just a matter of getting down my thoughts into words.  There's a list of posts that I really should be getting around to soon, but a current favorites seems like a good way to segway into posting again.

I received the Laura Mercier Body Souffle sampler quartet from a friend for Christmas and oh my gosh are the scents amazing.  Most of the time, I'm not very prone to want to smell like a dessert but these scents are the overly sweet kind of dessert scents but more like a fresh fruity or creamy grouping of scents.  Being on the pricier side means I'll cringe when I use one up but I can definitely see myself picking up a full size when these are all gone.

The Etude House blush is in Grapefruit Jelly and also a gift from a friend.  If you watch Korean makeup tutorials (in particular Pony's makeup tutorials on the channel insitetv), then this blush pops up a lot.  It's matte, light yet super flattering.  I never used to have patience for lighter toned blushes, but this one is very nice.

Jane's Water-Resistent liner in Brown has surpassed my Marc Jacobs liner that I bought during Sephora's VIB sale.  It lasts about the same amount of time, if not longer, is creamy and pigmented and super inexpensive.  I can see why people like the Marc Jacobs one, but to me, the packaging is very light and cheap and it isn't as smudge-proof as I expected.

I fell for the hype and out the Nars Radiant Creamy concealer, which is pretty much worth the buzz if you're looking for an easy concealer to just throw on without too much effort.  Other concealers might have even better lasting power and opacity, but this one is just so swipe and go and seamless that it's become an everyday staple.

I got the Naked 3 palette for Christmas.  It's an interesting mix of pinky toned shadows that creates a very pretty look every single time I use it.  Whereas I think the original Naked palette creates a very glam look, the Naked 3 always comes off as light and girly.  My one complaint would be that since all the colors are in the same tone, there's not enough contrast to get a wide spectrum of looks, but just know that every look you create is going to be pretty.

Oh, Shu Uemura blush.  I bought two during their sale around the holidays and I enjoy using them.  I'm not super fussed about the texture but they are easy to work with and wear.

TheBalm Instain blushes came in a trio at Kohls and I picked it up hoping to finally find a blush that doesn't fade and also offers a good amount of pigmentation.  This fulfills both those categories and is a great choice for days that you'll be out and about for long hours.

Becca Ever Matte Pore Perfecting primer is my ultimate, oil-control, long-lasting wonder product.  It's the strongest mattifying product I've ever used and is full-on amazing for oil control.  However, it is still a little too strong in harsh weather and is only recommended for those with very oily skin (like mine).

The Real Techniques sponge has been my choice to use for blending foundations.  I like to adopt Pony's technique of dotting many small amounts of foundation on an area of my face and blending it in with this sponge.  It's so soft and blends product easily with no fuss.  

On the Hunt: Laura Gellar Face Products

[Purchased by me}


For some reason, I was struck with the NEED to try Laura Gellar's Balance and Brighten face powder.  After encountering some disappointments during the onslaught of recent friends and family sales (and one very failed Hautelook attempt), I was happy to run into this little kid at Ulta.  The price tag said $25 but it rung up to be $20 (yay!), even though the retail value is over $80(???? seriously??).  It has a face powder, setting powder, blush, brush and primer.  Here are some first thoughts:

The primer is the only thing I haven't tried, but I'm not one to notice a big difference after using a primer (besides the Hourglass one, mentioned in a previous post).  If this does wow me, I'll be sure to note that.  The brush is also kind of a throwaway since it shed like crazy initially. After washing it, it seems a little better but nothing too amazing.

On to the really good stuff...

Matte Maker Invisible Blotting Powder, Balance and Brighten in Medium and Blush and Brighten in Boysenberry

The matte translucent powder is very nice.  It's very smooth and really mattifies the skin without any feeling of layering the skin with an additional product.  It takes away the shine but doesn't add any heaviness to the skin.  The Balance and Brighten has so far impressed me in the wear.  It creates a demi-matte finish that looks very natural and the Medium shade is a good match for my skin because this product doesn't have very intense coverage.  I would say it's on par with a light mineral foundation with better staying power.  It won't cover any dark spots but I think it makes for a nice setting powder for a light foundation as well as over just concealer for lazy days.  The blush has very nice pigmentation but kicks up a lot of powder when you tap it.  It's a great product for the colder weather and I really am pleasantly surprised. 

Overall, this is an inexpensive and cute little kit for people who are interested in trying the line.  I think I will continue to play with all these and keep an eye out for more sets going on sale in the future.   Keep your eye out for some empties and a Shu Uemura order coming in soon!

Masks, masks, masks
Freeman, My Beauty Diary and Clinique

[All purchased by me]



I think some people wouldn't be willing to invest in a variety of masks because they have a reputation for having only short term effects.  If you have a working rotation of good masks on hand that you use throughout the week, however,  I think you can start to see some long-term results that are really visible.  In my mind, there are three main types of masks I like to keep on hand: clay, paper and overnight.  

Clay Masks:

The most famous would be the Queen Helen Mint Julep mask, which is a cult classic.  I think it's also one of the more intense clay mask offerings, but one which I do like.  The one I'm currently using is the Freeman Avocado and Oatmeal Clay Mask, which has a lighter texture and isn't as drying.  I'm also using the Freeman Charcoal and Black Sugar Polishing Mask, which is more of a mask/scrub hybrid, but I like traditional clay masks better.  I wanted to incorporate more charcoal into my routine, with Boscia and Origins on my wishlist (go figure high-tech skincare involves rubbing coal all over the face).  Clay masks should instantly calm down your skin in terms of redness and inflammation.  It should also draw some smaller pimples or existing blemishes to the surface to speed it's healing.  I find that both of these masks have that effect, but a pure clay-based mask should be more calming than one that doubles as a scrub.


Paper Masks:

These are my emergency go-tos when my skin is really acting out and I don't want to keep irritating it.  Paper masks adhere a lot of serum on the skin for enough time and then sleeping with the serum on instead of washing it off means you wake up with glowing skin.  The My Beauty Diary masks are pretty popular and for a good reason.  They're inexpensive but they get the job done.  It's the texture of these masks that set them apart from ones you can find in stores in the US.  My favorite ones are the Natto and Arbutin versions, but most of them have solid ingredients.  Try a few to see what works for you.


Overnight Masks:

I love gel masks for cold weather.  If you find your skin drier during the winter (who doesn't?), these are a good option to try.  I've tried the Body Shop Vitamin E version and a Naruko version, but this Clinique one is the best by far.  It's non-scented and has a cream gel texture that sinks into the skin and keeps skin plump.  I have a sneaking suspicion that this could be used as a night cream by those with dry skin.  


I keep these masks on a rotation.   I reach for clay masks once or twice a week around the days I am most stressed, which is usually mid-week.  The paper masks are on hand for once a month (or less recently since I'm rationing these) or every other week is needed.  Overnight masks are a twice a week occurrence at least when the weather is cold.  

Things I Bought in a Week : Zoetik Jewelry and Random Beauty Stuff

[All purchased by me]


Some weeks you kind of just buy things to buy things.  I suffer from this once in a while and sadly, this isn't everything.  I have something from Clinique coming in the mail but in the meantime let's get on to the first impressions for these things.  

I have been on the hunt for reasonably priced, nice quality jewelry that's also fashionable and not so "formal" like a lot of things department stores sell.  My hunt for an independent jewelry line that makes affordable jewelry led me to Zoetik, a really new brand that does gold-plated jewelry in cute, trendy styles.  I picked out two bracelets and I got the green braided bracelet for free for being one of their first customers.  I thought it was a pretty sweet deal and with the purchase they send you a coupon code for 20% off that activates if someone you recommend buys from the site. Everyone gets this code and I'm not affiliated with the company in any way.  Click this for the discount (I make zero dollars from this it just gives me 20% off if someone decides to use it): Link

I haven't worn it long enough to know how well these will hold up over time, but from a first impression I think that this brand is worth checking out.  Nothing is overly expensive at all and I think the materials would be especially good for people with sensitivities to certain metals.  If I could change one thing it would be to make the hardware heavier, since I like a chunkier look on the wrist.  

 
This is the random things I buy when I am left to m own devices.  The blush is from Wet n Wild and called Mellow Wine.  I bought it with the lipgloss.  Since I liked the NYC Liquid Lipshine in Wine n Dine so much I got the Midtown Mulberry shade to see if the glosses were all as good.  This shade isn't as opaque as the wine shade but it's still medium coverage.  It leaves a beautiful blush tone on the lips and feels smooth and non-sticky.  The blush is intensely pigmented and leaves a great flush on the cheeks.  I would apply with caution and also be prepared for some powder to kick up when you tap your brush.  Otherwise, it's highly recommended.

I bought the face mask after liking the avocado clay version from the line so much.  I've been trying some activated charcoal products that seem to be doing well for my skin and this does come off more as a scrub.  It does warm up on the skin due to the activated charcoal and smells awesome.  I've only used it once so no long-term effects can be reasonably noted.  The Yu-be moisturizing cream was on my wishlist for a very long time.  I'm glad I got it because it's so light and heavily moisturizing.  It leaves no greasy residue even on the hands.  My only dislike about it is the camphor smell, which doesn't last too long.

The "Wet Brush" was totally random but I was curious about it.  It isn't as gentle as a Tangle Teezer type product, but I haven't used it extensively.  I just really missed having a hairbrush with a handle on it because a Tangle Teezer felt like I was using a dog brush on my hair.  I don't even have a full idea if I like it or not, but my first impression is a little "meh". 

Some swatches!

NYC Midtown Mulberry, Wet n Wild Mellow Wine, Freeman Sugar and Charcoal Mask, Yu-Be Cream