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Tuesday, April 22, 2014

L'Oreal Extraordinaire Gel-Lacque - Elegance Is Innate, All Shine On Me, Meant To Be




I gotta say even though the L'Oreal nail colors packaging don't look that fancy, they do have a nice flair to them and rather nice for being a drugstore product. These new Extraordinaire Gel-Lacque run about $8.00 and almost you just at much as OPI and Essie so with that said, my expectation would be a little higher.

The formula of the Extraordinaire Gel Lacque is supposed to give you the look and finish of a gel manicure without having to use a UV lamp. L'Oreal also sells a set of base coat and top coat to be used for these special polishes. I have not tried them and I don't know if they make a difference.

Formula-wise, I find them a little thick and tricky to apply. I would advise that you use a generous amount on your brush and spread them carefully and quickly because they tend to create bald spots in some areas and they dry fairly quick. They are quite pigmented. 2 coats should do the work but sometimes 3 was needed for the bald/uneven spots. Definitely works better if you wait a couple minutes between coats. There was also the occasional bubbling so do not shake but roll the bottle if you must. I was rather surprised at how dull they looked without a top coat. I was expecting them to look a lot shinier but I guess that's what the top coat is for.

I didn't get a chance to test all the shades but I did with one of them, which is All Shine On Me. I used it like I would any nail polish. I started with a base coat from my stash, 2-3 coats of nail color, and then a clear top coat from my stash. It wore well for 4 days with minor tip wear and started chipping on the 5th day.

My final thought is that they are just ok. They look and last just like a typical nail polish. If I was going to spend $8 on a nail polish, I'd rather skip these but if you can get them on sale then why not.



Elegance Is Innate is a dark blue black, slightly dusty, with a cream finish.






All Shine On Me is a dark grape purple with a cream finish.





Meant To Be is a medium raspberry red with a cream finish.






St. Ives Even & Bright Pink Lemon & Mandarin Orange Scrub - Review


Hey yall! Gosh I am beat and stressed out. This is a rough month and I can't wait to get it over with. Fortunately for my blog, I managed to work on some posts over the weekend because I knew I wouldn't be able to focus during the week because I wouldn't have any energy left in me at the end of the day. With that said, let's just move on to the review...I hope you're having a much better month than I do.

Packaging
  • I think the bright orange and pink sort of caught my eyes and judging from the packaging, my initial thought was I wonder how that smells like. 
  • It comes in a stand up squeeze tube, which is practical and just the way I like it. 
  • 6 oz or 170 g


Product
  • So the first thing I notice about it is the scent. It has a bright and refreshing citrus scent. It also has a softer light floral scent to it. It's rather strongly fragranced so if you are sensitive to strong scents, you may find it overwhelming but for me I like it so it doesn't bother me. 
  • It contains 100% natural exfoliant
  • The consistency of the scrub is thick so you'll need to wet your face first. 
  • I thought it was kinda cool that they printed the exfoliating factor on the packaging so you can get an idea of what you're getting. Even though this scrub is labeled as moderate, I find it still kind of gentle. 
  • The scrubbing beads are tiny but dense, which is why the scrub is thick. The friction is gentle and painless. Unless you have sensitive skin, you could probably use this every day if you wanted to. 
  • Once you're done rubbing the scrub, you can rinse it off with warm water. The scrub feels slippery when rinsing off and the tiny scrubbing beads tend to cling a little so you will need to rinse more vigorously in order to get them all off. 
  • I'd definitely recommend that you especially be careful not to use the scrub too close to your eyes or be very careful not to get any in your eyes while you rinse.
  • My skin felt maybe just little dry after my face dried but my skin didn't feel tight. 
  • Honestly, I didn't notice that my skin got any brighter or even toned after use. 

Final Thought

So well, I like it but I don't love it. It's not a miracle worker and I didn't notice that it did anything fabulous for my skin. It smells nice and does a decent job with exfoliating and cleansing. It's gentle enough for daily use if you don't have sensitive skin. I normally use it at night but it's also great in the morning because the bright citrus scent wakes me up.

Rating: 8/10

Price: $4-$5
Availability: Wal-Mart, CVS, Walgreens

Tried it? What do you think of it or what is your favorite facial scrub?






Sunday, April 20, 2014

Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color Pink Rave - Swatches and Review






Happy Easter and I hope you're having a wonderful weekend. The weather has been really nice and the birds seem to really enjoy it. I can hear them chirping all day, lol. 
I went to see God's Not Dead yesterday and enjoyed the movie. It's probably not a movie everyone will like but if you are one of those who wonders about the existence of a higher being or have lost some faith, you might like it. 

Otherwise, let's move on to the review. I've had this product in my stash for a few weeks now and finally got around to testing it. 

Packaging
  • I think the packaging looks kinda cool and the shape is different. It's nice that the packaging matches the color inside and it comes with a doe foot applicator.
  • .20 oz or 6 ml


Product
  • Pink Rave is a medium fuchsia with a cream finish. 
  • My first impression when I swatched it was WOW. It is so richly pigmented! Definitely has that liquid lipstick quality to it. 
  • It feels and applies really smoothly on the lips. Another thing I was really pleased with is that it doesn't feel heavy at all. It's lightweight yet really packs a punch in pigmentation. 
  • I didn't find it very moisturizing but it's not drying either. It does feel very comfortable though. 
  • I was able to get 4 hours of wear before it started to fade. I also noticed some bleeding as it was fading. This shade stains a bit and the stain last for a few more hours. 
  • It has a subtle coconut scent to it. 


Final Thought

The smooth, lightweight, and richly pigmented formula was a hit for me, especially for a drugstore product. There are only 4 colors to pick from and I really wished they had more and also included a nude color. Pink Rave would be great for the weekend or parties. It's a bit too bold for the office, which is why it took a while for me to test it out. 

Rating: 9.5/10

Price: $6.49
Availability: Milani, Wal-Mart, Walgreens

What do you think? Would you try these out?








L'Oreal Liya's Nude



Liya's Nude is part of the new and limited edition Collection Privee, which came with a set of nude nail polishes and nude lipsticks. I gotta say I was very tempted to grab one or two of the lipsticks. I thought the packaging was really nice and fancy-looking but I just can't stand the scent of the lipsticks so that ended up saving me a few bucks.

Nude nail polish isn't really a color I'd wear often, simply because it looks too simple and boring. And when I do wear nude on my nails, I usually prefer to top it with some glitters or stamping some designs on top of it.
The Collection Privee had some pretty nice nude colors but I decided to just get Liya's Nude and that's probably because I was able to get it on sale.

Liya's Nude is a medium taupe with a slight purple undertone to it and a cream finish. I really like these L'Oreal nail polish brush, they similar to OPI's, not too big or too small and a bit flat for easy application. I thought the formula was excellent. Applied very smoothly and only needed 2 coats for full and even color pay off. I also find that the formula dries fairly quickly.

This is probably not a very unique nail color but if you do like and don't have a similar color, it's definitely worth a pick up because the formula is just perfect.






Thursday, April 17, 2014

Orly FX Gravity Bound



You may still be able to find this nail polish at Sally Beauty. I got it from the clearance rack for $3.99 and I believe it was released like 2 or 3 months ago.
Gravity Bound has a sheer dark blue base with blue shimmers and purple and white glitters. Two coats is enough for full coverage. The issue I had is that the formula is thick and difficult to spread the polish evenly. Highly recommend you thin it down with nail polish thinner cause it's just annoying having work with it as it is.
It's a fun glittery color though.

On the swatches, I have two coats of Gravity Bound and clear top coat.






Wednesday, April 16, 2014

L'Occitane Fleur D'Or & Acacia Soap Review




Hey there everyone!

How about a soap review for a change eh? Been too tired to work on reviews lately.

Packaging

  • Comes packaged in a pretty but simple cardboard box
  • 1.7 oz or 50 g. It is pretty small and fit right into the palm of your hand. 


Product

  • I find this soap strongly fragranced. It has a floral scent and a scent that reminds me of jasmine tea. Can't say that I'm crazy about it but it does smell rather nice. The scent lingers for a few days in the bathroom and for a few hours after I've used it. 
  • It feels smooth and buttery but doesn't lather as much as I would like. 
  • I find the soap a hard to use in the shower because it's so small, it slips out of my hands easily. 
  • I feel squeaky clean after I use it. Didn't find it moisturizing though. 
  • The soap lasted me about 2-3 weeks with daily use.


Final Thought

Feels weird to review a soap, lol, but hey I felt like I had to give it a shot cause it's L'Occitane, yah know.
This soap probably would work better as a handsoap rather than a body soap because it's quite small and hard to keep a good grip in the shower. Ultimately, it'll come down to whether or not you like the scent and if you're ok with heavily scented soaps. So whenever you're checking out L'Occitane, just give it a sniff and see if you like it. It's not too pricey so won't break the bank.

Rating: 9/10

Price: $5.00
Availability: L'Occitane

Have you used any L'Occitane soaps?



Monday, April 14, 2014

NYX Infinite Shadow Stick Rose Gold - Review and Swatches



We had snow today. I have never seen snow in April for as long as I've lived in Wisconsin so this is the first. Secondly, I just learned today that one of my co-worker resigned. She called in sick last week. Then she was scheduled to be off on vacation. Then she called again when she was supposed to be back from vacation and said she had surgery while she was on vacation. She was a no show today again and when we asked HR if they heard anything, they told us she decided to quit. I didn't see that one coming. Then we realized that she had cleaned up her desk before she went AWOL on us so yeah, don't even try to make up a sob story and try to make me believe that it wasn't planned ahead. I was pretty disappointed that she didn't have the courtesy to give us a two weeks notice or even mention that she was thinking about quitting for personal reasons. So unprofessional. Now, I'm down another staff and a manager. My desk is a mess. I have no room for the extra work and I'm annoyed cause this feels so unfair and it sucks.
Anyways, on the bright side, I did my taxes and I'm waiting on a fat check. What do you do with yourself when you're overworked?

With no further ado, here's my review of the new NYX Infinite Shadow Stick I tested out.

Packaging
  • This cream eyeshadow/liner comes in a jumbo pencil packaging. I wished they made these retractable or used wood. The packaging is made out of plastic and you need to use a pencil sharpener. I didn't have too much trouble sharpening it but you do need to apply a bit more force/pressure than you normally would if it was made of wood.
  • .19 oz or 5.27 g
Product
  • Rose Gold is a pretty good name for this shade because it does remind me of rose gold. 
  • The first thing I noticed about this shadow stick is that it isn't as creamy as their jumbo eyeshadow pencils. It felt a bit dryer. It does tug a bit when I try to apply it all over my lid but not as much when I use it as a liner. 
  • It swatches beautifully on my arm but on the lid, it's different because the skin in the eye area is more sensitive and flexible so it doesn't go on as smoothly and as pigmented on the eye due to the drier formula. 
  • It last fairly well. I wore it for 10 hours and noticed a bit of fading but didn't experience any creasing even without a primer 

Final Thought

I'm rather disappointed in these new Infinite Shadow Stick. They look really cool in the packaging and most of the shade they had available looked appealing. Sadly, I wished the formula was creamier and applied smoother on the lid.

Rating: 7.5/10

Price: $9.00
Availability: Ulta, NYX Cosmetics





Saturday, April 12, 2014

NYX Butter Gloss Raspberry Tart - Swatch and Review



Hello beautifuls,

I had a rather busy week so I've been also slacking from blogging but I'm back and trying to get through a couple of reviews at least. I have been testing and using this new NYX Butter gloss for a few weeks now and here's what I think of it.


Packaging
  • I think the packaging is pretty standard and comes with a doe foot applicator. I find that the color is misleading, at least with this particular shade 
  • 0.27 oz or 8 ml

Product
  • Raspberry Tart is a medium fuchsia with a semi-sheer finish. So as you can see the actual color of the gloss is lighter and brighter. I was expecting a darker berry shade similar to the packaging.
  • Even though the gloss is a little sheer it is still fairly saturated and offered medium light coverage. It has a nice consistency I think. Not too thick or too thin. Non sticky or slippery.  It just hugs your lips with comfort. 
  • I think it's just slightly moisturizing and I get about 2-3 hours of wear before it starts fading.
  • I detect a sweet sugary scent. Didn't find it offensive.

Final Thought

I do like this gloss even if I feel there's nothing to write home about.  Packaging color is misleading since I find the actual color to be lighter and brighter. It is pretty comfortable. If you don't mind a sheer gloss with a bit of color and average wear, I think you'll like these.

Rating: 8/10

Price: $4.99
Availability: Ulta, NYX Cosmetics

Tried it? Let me know if you liked it.






Sunday, April 6, 2014

My Latest and Bestest Haul This Year So Far




I stopped by Sephora the other day to take advantage of my VIB 15% off coupon. I was rather disappointed that they did not have the OCC Lip Tar Primary Colors set in store. So I figure I would order it online later. Well, come to find that the set already sold out! I guess I can't feel too bad, considering all the new stuff that I hauled here.




So I grabbed this Algenist Eye Gel ( $68) because I needed a treatment for my eyes. You know at my age, you have to be conscious about skincare and I believe taking good care of yourself and your skin really helps prevent premature aging. It's very thin, lightweight, and absorbs quickly. I like the pump dispenser and the fact that it doesn't smell funny. 




I picked up my birthday present. As you know, the perk of being a Sephora beauty insider is that you get a free gift on your birthday. This year they have a mini Make Up Forever liptick and mascara.






I redeemed 100 points for this Benefit Big Easy foundation. I swatched it in store and it reminds me of a BB cream/foundation hybrid. 



Also redeeming another 100 points for the Algenist Firming & Lifting cream. I figured since I'm trying out the eye gel, I figure why not also get the moisturizer.



Got this free cute makeup bag with some free goodie samples.




We stopped by Forever 21 and I was hoping to find their new makeup collection but didn't had that luck with that store. I scooped these two Confetti nail glitter for $3.80 each. 



I redeemed my $10 birthday coupon for these two nail polishes at Victoria's Secret. I circled the store a few times and didn't find anything I was interested in so in the end, I just decided to go with the nail polishes. These are regularly 2 for $15.00.




Yesterday, I was in Chicago visiting my sister and the new baby. It just hit me how long it has been since I drove down that road. I just found out that the toll fee increased. We only saw the baby for like 5 minutes and the nurses had to take her to another hospital to run some test and treat the baby for jaundice. Drove my family around running some errands and on our way back home, we stopped by the outlet mall and the CCO store. As you can see, I grabbed a few things.



MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Clearwater and Stormy Pink. I don't know which collection they came from but I likey. $14 each.


I got two Estee Lauder Pure Color Eyeshadow Paint in Neon Fuchsia and Steel. I don't have any color like these so I had to grab. These were $17.00 each. 



I scooped up the Estee Lauder Pure Color Cheek Rush in X-Pose Rose ($19.75). I thought the product was interesting so had to give it a try.


Lastly from the CCO, the Estee Lauder Pure Color Vivid Shine in Mirrored Orchid ($21). I know I have a lot of berry colored lipstick but something about this color and finish that just make me want to take it home plus I love the gorgeous packaging. 



Across from the CCO was the Bare Minerals outlet store and of course I stopped by too. There was some pretty good deals but I had my heart set on these Prime Time Primer Shadow sets. When I took them to the cash register, they told me the sets were only $9.50 each! I was excited! I have so many colors to play with.





And lastly, my daughter wanted to stop by Rue 21 and I spotted this ring and glitter polish that I thought was cute. Plus we got a 40% off coupon so the discount was pretty awesome. 

So that's it. Definitely went way over my budget but oh well! I used coupons and discount and it's my birthday month so it makes me happy to spend, lol. Hope you had a lovely weekend. 

What do you splurge on for your birthday? See anything you want me to review first?


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