Rocaille

Review: Milani HD Advanced Lip Color in Sweet Grape

2012-02-08T16:11:00.000-08:00

Just some quick thoughts today about this Milani HD Advanced Lip Color in Sweet Grape which I picked up in my Milani Cyber Monday Haul a while back. I was quite hesitant about posting this, simply because... I'm really not sure what to make of this product.

The brand says 'Milani introduces 3-in-1 lip color that nourishes, hydrates, and delivers a sheer wash of color with clarity and perfect radiant shine. It instantly comforts dry, chapped lips, and provides long-term moisturization.'. This type of tinted balm seems to be the bee's knees these days, with Revlon, L'Oreal and many other brands releasing their versions of the same concept, which I'm quite happy about, since I'm not a huge lip gloss wearer but like a bit of shine and transparent color to my lips.

The Milani HD Advanced Lip Color comes in a sleek tube with a twist-up, clickety-click mechanism. The formula has just the right amount of color to it (sheer but not invisible, and buildable), doesn't slip around too much and isn't overly glossy, and is also quite heavily fruit scented. It feels non-drying on the lips, but I wouldn't say it 'comforts chapped lips'; if your lips are chapped, the shimmery shades in particular will emphasize those dreadful flakies.

I think my biggest issue with this product is actually the shade I picked up. I loved the concept of a wearable purple, but I'm not sure Sweet Grape is all that, at least on me. It's a very cool, almost lavender purple infused with lots of golden shimmer that sits comfortably on the lips. The problem is, with my pale cool coloring, this looks too much like I've been outdoor for a very long time in extreme cold, or swimming in a mountain river, or snowboarding in a hail storm, or whatever. It just looks COLD. And the gold sparkle doesn't help.

I will revisit this shade when the weather gets warmer around here and I start using more bronzer again; for now, I've relegated it to the back of my drawer. Have you tried these Milani HD Lip Colors? What is your favorite brand of those tinted lip balm kind of products?

Rocaille Swatches: Seven NYX Powder Blushes

2012-02-06T07:30:00.000-08:00

Seven!!! I've managed to accumulate seven shades of NYX Powder Blushes already! One for every day of the week, huh? Anyway, I feel that you deserve a little warning: this is a mammoth post heavy with photos, including mug shots, that even I was reluctant to go through, so proceed with caution.

It probably comes as a no surprise that I like NYX Powder Blushes a whole lot and have been steadily collecting new shades whenever I felt like I needed (wanted?) an inexpensive but good quality blush fix. Some of the greatest advantages of these blushes is that the shade range is just exquisite for a drugstore brand, most shades are extremely pigmented, and they last all day on my skin.

Here are the arm swatches in all their glory:

Now, let's proceed to the cheek swatches, shall we?

NYX Powder Blush in Spice

NYX Powder Blush in Pinky

NYX Powder Blush in Angel

NYX Powder Blush in Peach

NYX Powder Blush in Mauve

NYX Powder Blush in Raisin

NYX Powder Blush in Taupe (as contour, Laura Mercier Nectarine on the cheek)

If you were to really press me for favorites, I'd say that they change seasonally and daily, for example, I loved Mauve for early fall, always reach for Pinky at the beginning of spring, don't hesitate and go for Raisin whenever I need a neutral blush and happily slap on Peach when I feel like my skin is a little dull. If some of the pans look much more loved than the others, it's just because I've had some of the shades like Angel for nearly 3 years now. That doesn't help much, does it? What are your favorite NYX blush shades?

Shopping My Stash, Pretty Boxes and a Tea Party

2012-02-03T06:32:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe it; the sun actually came out today for an hour or two and I had the unique opportunity to take some blog photos without digging out my light box! So now for something completely different... I just wanted to quickly show you how I've been trying to shop my make-up stash recently, maybe that'll be somewhat inspiring? If not, there are pretty boxes to look at further down and also some Valentine's Day info for local readers :)

After coming back home from our Christmas trip, I decided my vanity table needed a little reorganizing; yes, that's also when I realized just how much unused make-up I have. So in an attempt to rotate my stuff regularly, I purchased this little basket ($.3.99 from Cost Plus World Market) and have been putting my everyday products in it ever since. I don't really change my face products out a whole lot (because I'm desparate to use them up!), but I try to pick out a different eyeshadow palette and blush every week, and I also rotate my lip products even more often. Here's what's in this week's basket:

This way I not only feel that I get much more use out of my products, but it also pushes me to try some new looks once in a while. The result can be seen below - I did a one-eyeshadow smokey eye using a beautiful blue/grey from Sleek's Oh So Special palette. To be honest, I still can't quite decide whether it brings out my eye color more or I just look like someone punched me in the face, but it is fun to shake things up a bit sometimes.

I also purchased two more pretty boxes at Marshall's. I use the black wooden box with an 'M' initial (yep, my real name is not actually Rocaille... sorry to disappoint) at my bed-side table for all my medicines, because I don't really like looking at them. I still haven't found a purpose for the Paris photo/shoe box, but having spare boxes never hurt anyone, right?

Lastly, for all my local readers looking for fun girly things to do over the Valentine's Day weekend, there's an awesome trunk show coming up on February 11 (Sat) at Sweet Anthem Handmade Perfumes atelier in West Seattle. From 12-4pm, you'll find flowers, perfumes and candles by Meredith Smith of Sweet Anthem and Nikki Sherritt of Gabriel's Aunt/Rebel & Mercury, as well as chocolates and truffles by Anne Dowell of Garden Bon Bons and Lydia Love of Chakralat. There'll be tea, gifts with purchase and an opportunity to chat with local artisans. Perfume and sweets? Sign me up, please! Learn more and RSVP at the event's FB page here.

Have you found any new storage solutions for your make-up area? What are your plans for Valentine's Day? Please let me know in the comments!

Review & Swatches: Sephora Collection Nano Eyeliner

2012-02-01T05:58:00.000-08:00

You know the feeling of desparate browsing the Sephora website after having realized your order is just a couple bucks short of qualifying for the free shipping (ing, ing...)? Yeah, that is what prompted me to get these Sephora Collection Nano Eyeliner pencils in Azur Blue (no. 16) and Nuage (French for 'cloud', no. 14) on two separate occasions - they have decent reviews on their website and fit the bill perfectly, being just $5 each.

This is what Sephora claims about the product: 'A highly pigmented eye pencil. Sephora Brand Nano Eyeliner glides on smoothly and comfortably, creating a lovely line of color. Shea butter and rosemary extracts make this formula soft and easy to work with.'

What I like:
- the wide selection of shades and finishes (25 in the range) makes it easy to find exactly what you're looking for
- the end of the pencil is marked with the shade of the eyeliner, and it even matches the finish of a given shade (cream vs. shimmer)
- the formula is quite soft and smooth; I was especially impressed with the shimmery Nuage, which had a much better consistency than Urban Decay's Gunmetal, a possible dupe (see swatches below)
- the reasonable price

What I dislike:
- the amount of the product you get is quite small (but I cannot find any information on exactly how much you get, strange); after all, Nano is just a marketing strategy driven way of saying 'mini' or 'travel-size'.
- the size of the pencil doesn't fit into two of my sharpeners (I learnt that the hard way by ruining 1/3 of an already small pencil) - so now I'm forced to buy a Sephora Nano Sharpener for another $3. How. very. annoying.
- the pigmentation is not the best; I need at least 3 swipes to get my line saturated enough.
- the patchiness: the pencil somehow seems smudged and faded in the outer corners of my eyes; however, it doesn't get any worse throughout the day.

Will I repurchase? No, thank you (although the necessary investment in the sharpener might change my perspective). Honestly, I believe there are better eyeliner pencils at the drugstore with a comparable price and shade range (another eyeliner review coming soon!), and if you ever need something to bump up your order total, please add that Jack Black lip balm to your cart - the additional $2.50 is really worth it.

Have you tried the Sephora Nano Eyeliners? Any inexpensive liner favorites you'd like to share?

Make-up Haul: The Best Things Come in Twos

2012-01-30T13:39:00.000-08:00

I've been doing a little bit of damage recently; nothing major, but shopping in Poland over Christmas and some minor drugstore purchases have managed to accumulate enough for me to post a small make-up haul - just to make up for that recent empties post, right?

Setting up those multi-product photoshoots is always a lot of fun - I like to play with colors, shapes and textures (that short sentence should come with a warning 'confessions of a beauty blogging nerd').

First up, I picked up two of Sephora's Nano Eyeliner pencils in 'Azur Blue' (no.16) and 'Nuage' (no.14) for $5 each - a review with swatches is coming up very soon.

Then, a long while ago (in October!), I purchased these two Sleek Make-up Mineral Eyeshadow palettes in 'Au Naturel' and 'Oh So Special' from a Polish online beauty retailer Alledrogeria.pl and had them shipped to my parents' address; I had no problems whatsoever with my order and can safely recommend it if any of my Polish readers are looking for a good source of Sleek products.

I was also craving another nude blush, and after successfully resisting Tarte's Exposed, I settled on NYX Powder Blusher in 'Raisin'; but buying just one on eBay is so not effective cost-wise that I had to get another one, 'Spice'. So, by paying more, I actually saved more - a typical case of female logic, my husband would undoubtedly say. Again, photos and swatches of my entire collection of NYX Powder Blushers coming soon.

Obviously, I could not ignore the hype any longer and gave into Revlon Lip Butters; this is 'Peach Parfait' and 'Berry Smoothie'. I don't think I'll spam the blogosphere with another review, so my quick thoughts are that these are not moisturizing at all, but they have a nice shine, good selection of shades and are very wearable. If you manage to find a good deal on them and like the colors, you could definitely do much worse.

And lastly, two odd ones out: a Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation in the shade Light Vanilla (no.51) and an Inglot Freedom System eyeshadow no. 467 Double Sparkle; fortunately, not overly shimmery/glittery at all. I was impressed with my make-up restraint in Poland - I got some cute clothes and accessories (would you like to see my favorite purchases?), but in the make-up department, nothing really caught my eye. I think I might be maxxed out when it comes to Inglot shadows now.

There you have it! Overall, I'm starting to feel a bit saturated with make-up shopping for a while (says she after getting a few more things in the last week...). I think I'd maybe like to focus more on clothing/ accessories for some time; so many things in my make-up collection are not getting enough love while I sport the same outfits over and over. What are your thoughts on make-up hauling? Are you lusting after the Spring releases or are you done for a while?

Review & Swatches: Wet'n'Wild Silk Finish Lipstick in 'Dark Wine' 522A

2012-01-26T11:20:00.000-08:00

This is probably the last dark and bold shade of lipstick I'm posting about this winter; to be honest, after last week's snow storm, I'm feeling a bit over the cold season (snowboarding excluded). I've posted about the Wet'n'Wild Silk Finish lipsticks before (swatches of the summery 'Hot Paris Pink' shade here), and for $.0.99, I really do think they're the perfect drugstore pick-me-up. I just wish Wet'n'Wild came out with more cream finish shades!

As you can see, the packaging really does look quite cheap, and I've never been brave enough to just throw these in my purse for a longer time - the bullet is a bit wobbly inside the tube. I'd also prefer Wet'n'Wild put the name of the shade instead of number on the bottom of the tube. I like however how they come packaged in this protective plastic film, no unsanitary surprises here (hello, Rimmel!).

The formula is creamy and comfortable on the lips, and doesn't feel too drying at the end of the day; Wet'n'Wild states these are enriched with conditioning ingredients such as Vitamins A&E and Aloe Vera. Without eating and little drinking and a more thorough application (working the lipstick into the lips, blotting, applying again), it lasts about 4-5 hours on my lips - or more, I cannot really go without eating for more than 5 hours, even for the blog testing reasons :)

The shade 'Dark Wine' 522A is actually not as dark as I'd expected, it's more of a darkened, slightly dirtier pink with red/brown tones. I think this would be a good choice for someone just venturing into the world of bold lips, even more so because the investment is really minimal. For me, a bold lip lover, it's all right - a bit less bright than I would like, somehow it doesn't lift my face the same way Sleek Make-up Cherry does, for example.

As you can see below, the lipstick can be also lightly worked into the lips for a pretty yellow-toned pink stain; below is the full-on opaque lip swatch for comparison. For swatches on a different skintone, check out Citrine's review here.

I really like these Wet'n'Wild Silk Finish lipsticks, the value for money just cannot be beat. I have my eye on two more shades, but honestly can't justify the purchase right now - my lipstick drawer doesn't close anymore! Have you tried these lipsticks? What are your favorite shades?

New Year's Empties!

2012-01-23T06:35:00.000-08:00

Oh, another empties post - it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside (guilt-free would be another way to call it). While I've broken my loosely imposed no-buy from November, I've actually managed not too accumulate too much crap, plus I'm still working hard on using up a lot of my stuff. I think I like that way of reducing my spending more than a very strict and regulated ban; I just find that if I really want something and think it's unique enough that my collection could still expand to include it, I'd rather go for it than torment myself with thoughts of beautiful things escaping my greedy fingers. I don't impulse buy at all anymore, so I think I'm not doing too bad in general!

Back to my empties. These have been collected over a couple months now, gathering in this paper Bath & Body Works bag under my bathroom sink. As a sidenote, Mr. helped to empty some of these as well, like the shampoo and hand creams! Also not depicted, I've managed to use up two half bars of soap and two facial cleanser deluxe samples. I deserve a golden handshake :)

Hair and bodycare. As stated above, the shampoo was a collective effort; the Alaffia Body Milk and an exfoliating body wash from a Polish brand Joanna that authentically smells of strawberries are all my own. Actually, the body lotion is only half empty - it started to give me a burning allergic reaction, so in the bin it goes.

Hand creams. 4 hand creams!!! Ok, one is a mini. This just shows how indispensable hand cream is in our household of two. I won't recommend the Aveeno or that weird Philosophy rip-off I bought in New York, but the Neutrogena and Ahava both worked quite well.

Skincare and perfume. Alas, two are only samples; but I swear it takes me at least two weeks to use up a regular perfume sample, what the heck? That La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo was kicking for such a long time that in the end I used it up on my elbows and knees, and the Mario Badescu Special Cucumber Lotion worked ok for drying up more pimply areas when I had bad skin days. I won't repurchase either of the skincare bits, but really liked that Tocca Cleopatra perfume...

Used-up make-up. Two deluxe mascara samples - YSL Faux Cils and Lancome Hypnose Drama, won't repurchase either. Also, my eternal pot of MAC Studio Finish concealer; I loved it, but it was nearing 3 years (sic!) since I started using it. I used that stuff almost every day for those 3 years, and see, there's plenty of it still left. Unbelievable.

Tossed make-up. Some very, very old make-up items from my collection that I hadn't even touched for over a year and that simply needed to go. A cheapie and awful no name lash curler, a Bourjois loose powder that smells very old school, some Avon chocolate-scented lip gloss, a Coastal Scents gloss/lipstick in a pot, NYX glitter liner, a Victoria Secret loose eyeshadow I got in a swap and hadn't used a single time... I won't miss you.

I have a lot more products that are literally on their last legs, so I hope there'll be another round of empties to show off to you rather soon. How are you doing in terms of reducing your make-up collections/ bathroom clutter? Any victories to report? I'd love to know!

Diaries of an Obsessive Compulsive Picker: Month 2

2012-01-21T07:55:00.000-08:00

I can't believe so much time has passed since I started my fight with picking! Time really must magically fly faster toward the end of the year... But anyway, enough procrastinating, I guess if you're reading this, you do want to know how I'm doing with trying to combat my compulsive skin picking.

Well... I think I'm doing really well! I'd say I've managed to cut back about 80% of my picking :) In other words, I still occasionally pick, but mostly whiteheads that look like they could be easily extracted; I'm more capable now of letting my skin do its own thing and I also don't seem to mind every tiny bump or clogged pore anymore. Yay!

Not to let this post turn into a lenghty public display of patting my own ego on the back, I decided I'd share some things that I (retrospectively) think have helped me come closer to my goal of stopping the skin picking.

1) Getting away from it all. I definitely believe that our Christmas trip back home helped me gain some perspective and shift the focus away from my appearance woes. Being home, surrounded by my family, always busy doing things together didn't leave much time on my hands to obsess over every new pimple. However, I did relapse one or two times, and I could clearly see how strongly stress-related my picking is.
2) Addressing built-up tension. Being away and talking to my family also helped me realize some issues here at home that were making me unhappy but which I didn't know how to face. I think I was feeling like I had no longer any control over some aspects of my life, and was trying to regain that by forcing control over my own skin. Addressing those problems and releasing the tension just made me a bit happier and calmer all around, so that I don't feel the urge to pick as often as I had in the past.
3) Getting dermatologic help. Truth be told, my trip to the dermatologist was a direct result of an awful hand eczema flare-up I've been experiencing this winter, but I decided to discuss my acne with the doctor as well. I'll be writing a separate post devoted to my treatment and all that jazz, but just knowing that you're under professional care and things should be improving from now on is a vast relief and a huge source of hope.

And there you have it! I'm not exactly sure how often (if at all) I'll be posting new updates on my fight with picking, just because I'm pretty sure I don't have that many more refreshing thoughts and tricks to share that could be helpful to fellow pickers; there have been some amazing suggestions in the comments to previous 'Diaries' posts though, so go check these out if you're looking for inspiration!

Before I let you go, I'd just like to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for your amazing support, gracious comments and crossed fingers. They all helped tremendously and I'm really grateful for having such a fantastic bunch of readers and blogging friends as you, ladies. Thank you!!!

Review & Swatches: Physicians Formula Nude Eyeshadow Palette

2012-01-19T07:15:00.000-08:00

In all honestly, I'm really glad that drugstore brands jumped on the Urban Decay 'Naked' bandwagon and started coming up with their own versions of neutral eyeshadow palettes. See, I prefer my eye make-up quite boring, and then I like to play up my lips & cheeks a bit more, which is why I'm always looking into new neutral shades to add to my collection.

Hence this Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Nude Eyes palette ($10.99 for 0.26 oz). I just couldn't resist, it's so tiny and cheeky with that lace overlay, meow.

As you can see, the palette is not much bigger than a tube of Revlon lipstick, and comes with 9 shades of eyeshadow in one single pan. I'm not a huge fan of this solution, because the individual strips are rather narrow so it's difficult not to mix shades when picking them up with a brush, but I can still live with that for the price of portability. Physicians Formula suggest these 9 shades are in fact split into 3 trios, Natural, Playful and Dramatic, for achieving different looks. Personally, I just like to mix and match.

In terms of formulation, these are definitely not my favorite. They seem a bit bumpy under the brush and after swatching with a (clean!) finger, it looks like there's a bit of a greasy film left on the surface, which makes it difficult to pick up pigment with your brush. It's almost as if they're too hard, but creamy. As a result, the pigmentation is not the best, but can be built up for more intensity. Physicians Formula also claim these can be used wet, however I personally never bother to do that.

I still really enjoy using this little palette for its shades - I'm sorry the swatches are not the best, I couldn't get them to show up exactly right. The shadows perform best over primer, here they're swatched on top of Benefit F.Y.eye base.

Overall, Physicians Formula Nude Eyeshadow Palette is definitely an interesting foray into the world of neutral palettes from a drugstore brand, but the shadows themselves could be better formulated. Does it replace my Urban Decay 'Naked' Palette? Hell, no, but I think I actually enjoy the 'Nude' palette shade selection better; I mean, look at those taupes, people. If you're a neutral palette collector and prefer cooler shades, I do recommend it, but if you're looking for a 'Naked' alternative, look elsewhere.

What are your favorite neutral eyeshadow palettes?

The Battle of Chemical Exfoliants: AHAs vs BHAs

2012-01-17T16:43:00.000-08:00

Ever since I'd started watching Dr. Neal Schultz's DermTV YouTube channel, I've vowed to replace all my manual/physical exfoliating products with a good chemical exfoliant I could use regularly. Dr. Schultz and many other dermatologists/ skincare experts seem to agree that while physical exfoliators (scrubs containing granules/ particles such as walnut or apricot shells, silica crystals and so on) are quite irritating to the skin, causing teeny tiny tears in its surface, chemical exfoliants (products containing fruit acids/enzymes/retinoids) provide all benefits of exfoliating such as removal of dead skin cells, diminishing the hyperpigmentation and stimulating collagen production, without causing any damage.

I will say that this makes quite a bit of sense to me, plus, having more acne-prone skin, I was often recommended to use products containing some sort of chemical exfoliating agent. Which is why I purchased these two very different chemical exfoliants: M.D. Forte Glycare II For Oily Skin ($19-24 for 2 oz./60ml) and Paula's Choice 2% BHA Gel For All Skin Types (now called Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant, $18.95 for 3.3. oz./100ml).

Let's talk about M.D. Forte Glycare II first. It's a clear liquid that contains mostly water, alcohol, glycolic acid and eucalyptus oil, and that should have been my first warning sign; both alcohol and essential oils are known irritants, so this not only stings, but also stinks. Secondly, Glycare II supposedly contains 20% glycolic acid (alpha hydroxy acid), which is one of the highest concentrations I've come across in a non-prescription product. However, I've said 'supposedly' - I've also found some information that in fact it's a 20% concentration of 'glycolic compound', which acts more like 8% concentration of your normal glycolic acid. I was also unable to find any information on the pH level of this product, which is something that affects the effectiveness of the acid on your skin. As you can surely deduce, I'm not too smitten with this - I don't feel like it did anything good to my skin such as the promised reduction in oil production or diminished imperfections, and using it is certainly unpleasant.

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Gel is a clear runny gel containing salicylic acid (beta hydroxy acid) with some antioxidants such as grape seed extract and green tea extract. It's fragrance, paraben and oil-free and claims to calm redness, build collagen, unclog and diminish enlarged pores and create radiant, clear, even-toned skin. Generally, BHAs are preferrable to AHAs for people with acne-prone skin, because BHAs not only exfoliate the top layer of your skin, but are also capable of penetrating the pores and loosening the debris collecting there. I can personally vouch that the Paula's Choice BHA Gel did in fact work a lot better for me than the MD Forte Glycare, whether it's because one contains BHA and the other AHA or because the former is just a better formulation all around. Paula's Choice BHA Gel was gentle enough for me to use every night (and my skin is rather sensitive too), didn't feel drying at all, seemed to fade some of my hyperpigmentation marks and somewhat helped control my breakouts. The pH level of 3.2-3.6 also guarantees the effectiveness of the acid. My only gripe with the gel is that it feels incredibly sticky on the skin, no matter how much or how little you use; on top of that the bottle tends to spill when travelling, but that's been improved on since I bought mine. All in all, I wouldn't necessarily repurchase this exact same product from Paula's Choice, but I might try her BHA liquid next time I'm on the market for a chemical exfoliant.

I hope this has been somewhat useful, at least to those of you whose skin might be similar to mine. Speaking of skincare, I will be posting an update on my fight with picking very soon, and I've also recently been to a dermatologist and wondered whether you, my lovely readers, wanted to hear about my experience. Other than that, please let me know in the comments your favorite exofliants, be it chemical or not!

December 2011 Favorites

2012-01-12T13:41:00.001-08:00

I'm still digging through a mountain of photos I'd taken before I left for Christmas, and this was one of the posts I meant to publish last year (sounds very dramatic, har har). There are some goodies here too, so it'd be a shame to let this go to waste!

I guess most of these will come as a no surprise, and some that I haven't talked about yet might also deserve their separate posts; well, it's kinda like a collection of the most interesting things I've gathered throughout the last month. Let's start with make-up:

1. Milani One Coat Glitter nail polish in 'Red Sparkle' (521): The perfect Christmas nail varnish. Unfortunately, an awful eczema flare-up prevented me from wearing it on my fingers, but I've been sporting it on my toes and even my dad was impressed. Simply gorgeous, a bit better on two rather than one coat, and decently long-wearing. It's love.
2. Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment in 'Honey': One of the very few warm nude shades that I can actually wear, plus a great moisturizing formula. For lip swatches, see my last post here.

3. Estee Lauder Double Wear Light in 'Intensity 1.0': I know I've promised a full review on this one, but my initial impression is that I rather like it. The shade I have is spot on, the finish not too matte, and it really does last on the skin. The light coverage evens out the skin, still looking very natural. I'm slowly converting back to liquid foundations!
4. Milani Color Perfect lipstick in 'Berry Rich': My Christmas and New Year's lipstick of choice this year. For a full review with swatches, click here.

5. Milani Baked Blush in 'Berry Amore': What's up with me and the berries?! Anyway, this is not a berry at all; rather a pink tan with slight golden shimmer that adds dimension instead of sparkle to the face. Smooth, pigmented, blendable, I tell myself it just goes with everything. If you'd like to see a cheek swatch, this is the blush I was wearing in the recent Lipstick Bandits post.
6. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on eyeliner pencil in 'Stash': This is definitely one of my favorite shades of the UD 24/7 pencils - a dark olive with golden shimmer, which adds just a bit of interest to an otherwise everyday make-up look. Swatches here.

Now, onto skin and body care:
7. Paula's Choice 2% BHA Gel: Since repackaged, this is a great staple for anyone struggling with imperfections such as blackheads, clogged pores or post-acne hyperpigmentation. This is basically a salicylic acid treatment that doesn't irritate but is still effective. My only gripe with this is that it leaves your skin incredibly sticky, so it's better for a night-time use. A more in-depth review/comparison coming soon.
8. Lush Three Gold Rings bubble bar: Bubble bars are my favorite bath product from Lush, and Three Gold Rings (Limited Edition for Holiday 2011) does not disappoint. If I recall correctly, this is supposed to smell like the Creme Anglais body lotion, which is rich vanilla and myrrh. A delicious sweet treat for the hectic pre-Holiday days.
9. Luxury Lane Soap in 'Love Knot': Pictured here is obviously my mum's bar, mine is already reduced to next to nothing. Great winter soap for more sensitive skins, a full review here.

And that's it! I realize that I usually also publish a 'Best Beauty Buys' yearly favorites post, but I don't know, somehow this year I wasn't feeling very inspired - which is not to say that I haven't discovered some fantastic products! Anyway, let me know in the comments your greatest end-of-year discoveries; also, are you excited for all the New Year product launches?

Review & Swatches: Fresh Mini Sugar Kissing Trio

2012-01-10T14:33:00.000-08:00

I'm back, lovelies! Our Christmas trip was amazing, on top of stuffing ourselves silly with all kinds of Polish deliciousness we had some fantastic time with our families, hiked, snowboarded and even played tennis. Obviously, I had this grand scheme about posting throughout our visit, but an awful cold, family obligations and sheer laziness kept me from actually making it happen (as always, ekhm). Anyways, I'm back with a short but image-packed review of a little Christmas present I got myself: Fresh Mini Sugar Kissing Trio, which comes with Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment mini balmy things in Honey, Passion and Plum.

I will confess that I took a lot more photos of that cardboard box, but refrained from posting. Happy?

I'd prefer if we just didn't mention how ridiculously overpriced these are for a tinted lip balm, because we all just buy them regardless. That's a pretty cute packaging for a tinted balm though, no? Especially on these mini ones; the metal casing kinda gets some scratches in your purse, but the marks can be wiped away with a licked finger (or a baby wipe, if you must).

I would also appreciate if we just didn't comment on the fact that I couldn't even test them at first because the tubes have a screw-on cap and I tried to rip them open. How classy. Apart from the fact that I made an ass of myself, this is obviously a good idea for just throwing the tube in your purse.

What I didn't like when I first opened the tubes in my box was the fact that the bullets seemed a bit wobbly inside, and the top looked as if it was smashed against the cap. See?

Now, packaging woes aside, I do like these. The formula of the balm itself is surprisingly thick and a bit waxy, which makes it stay on the lips for a long time, giving them a soft, hydrated, cushiony feeling. I think that these are not only non-drying, but actually moisturizing to a degree; I even wore them snowboarding and still felt like my lips were well protected against the elements. The pigmentation is quite impressive for a tinted balm, and while they sometimes do go on a bit patchy, the sheerness of the formula is still forgiving enough.

I swatched the shades next to Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey (did you hear they're coming out with more shades?), which in comparison feels a bit more solid and less creamy and is also more sheer than the Sugar Tinted Lip Treatments. As you can see, the shade Plum differs quite a bit from Black Honey as well.

Passion swatched...

Honey swatched...

And Plum swatched too. So far, I got the most wear out of Passion, but I honestly think all these shades are beautiful and can be worn across different skintones. I'm very glad I got myself this little set and would highly recommend it if you can still get your hands on it; if not, maybe at least my swatches are somehow useful. Let me know your thoughts if you've tried them in the comments below!

I hope you all had amazing holidays wherever you were and whatever you were up to and I'm happy to be back in the swing of things!

Happy Holidays from the Lipstick Bandits!

2011-12-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

It's five more days till Christmas! Well, five for me - as some of you may know, in Poland the biggest holiday celebrations actually take place on Christmas Eve, when we sit down for a no-meat dinner just after the first star appears on the winter sky. We're flying to Warsaw on Friday and I'm super excited (as well as praying for no snow so that we can in fact make it to our family dinner in time)!

Just in time for the Holidays, Lipstick Bandits bring to you another lip-obsessed post, this time the theme being red and sparkly! No, I don't think it gets any better than that...

Well, other than I have a little confession to make. I kind of struggle with sparkles on the lips - anything bigger than tiny shimmers and I feel like I'm back at highschool. I know however that I was not the only one secretly bitching about the sparkles! Anyway, so I cheated a little bit; I just layered a nude gloss with a very fine shimmer for a bit of oomph. Not that my lipstick of choice actually needed any more oomph - just take a look!

I posted a little sneak peek of this beauty in my Milani Haul; it's a Milani Color Perfect Lipstick in Berry Rich. Does the shade name remind anyone of the Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry? No? Well then, it's just me...

Here are some shade comparison swatches for you; MAC Cockney is a good example of a 'true' red, Berry Rich just looks pink next to it! Sleek Cherry is definitely darker and a bit more purple, with Inglot no. 58 being the closest match. However, I find Inglot to be a bit more of a raspberry pink, whereas Milani is leaning towards strawberry; does it make any sense to you or are you just picturing a fruit salad now?

The top lip swatch is for Milani Berry Rich dabbed onto the lips and worked in with a finger for a light stain; how different! The middle one is Berry Rich applied opaquely from the bullet with no lip liner, and the bottom is Berry Rich topped with Michael Todd lipgloss in Natural. See, I told you it was red!

And some full face shots - if Larie can do it, I can do it too!

Are you positive no one's watching and I can eat my Christmas cookie now?

As per usual, check out other Lipstick Bandits' picks for the season :)

Arianne (Glitter Geek)

Danielle (Bloomin' Beauty Blog)

Jen (My Funny Valentine)

Larie (Eye Heart It)

Makeup Morsels

Paris (My Women Stuff)

Rae (theNotice)

Tracy (Beauty Reflections)

Xiao (Messy Wands)

I will also take this opportunity to wish you all a fantastic Holiday season, with lots of beautiful gifts, delicious homemade food and of course amazing time with your friends and families. Wesołych Świąt!

*EDIT* I'm sorry about publishing a slightly outdated post - I didn't have time to edit before I left! Anyhow, links are uploaded now, so go peruse gorgeous wintery reds, lovelies :) More posts coming soon!

Santa Tracy, slip a blusher under the tree...

2011-12-20T08:35:00.000-08:00

For me! Been an awful good girl... Ok ok, you get the idea! Tracy from Beauty Reflections slipped something amazing in the mail for me - just look at these beauties!

A couple weeks ago I met up with Tracy, who was visiting her brother, and Larie (who wasn't, ha) for some much-needed blogging gossip, coffees and make-up shopping. While at Sephora, I mentioned that I was thinking of picking up NARS 'Douceur' blush, and Tracy was kind enough to send me her unloved one... together with this beautiful Laura Mercier 'Nectarine' blush!

Aren't they both a blushing dream come true? Even Mr commented how nice the NARS packaging looked compared to other brands (which was promptly followed by a remark that the inside wasn't as impressive - what does he know, huh?).

And a quick swatch swatch for you, because I couldn't stop myself.

Tracy, you're an absolute angel, thank you so so much! Now, I'll be putting together a little package to send all the way to Canada...

RockEye: Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Mascara Review

2011-12-17T07:34:00.000-08:00

The more accents circonflexes the better, right? This little sample tube of Lancôme Hypnôse Drama was included in the Parisian Sultry set with the Coral Crush palette I reviewed a while ago, and I decided to crack it open just in time for the Holiday travelling.

Here's what it promises to do:
'Get instant lash drama in a single coat with this ultra volume-boosting mascara that’ll take lashes from so-so to show-stopping. The full contact brush, with its S-shaped curve, grasps and loads lashes for a fanned out, full body fringe. Lancôme’s luxe Texturizing Complex features highly saturated waxes and intense black pigments for maximum lash volume. The triple coating system delivers a fluid and creamy application to quickly and easily build big, battable lashes that won’t clump or flake.' (from Lancôme's website)

The mascara retails for $25. As you can hopefully see in the photos, the brush indeed has an interesting shape - it's curved and the bristles are a bit longer on the sides, making for a more challenging application; in fact, almost every time I manage to smear some on my lids, which is easily remedied by a quick swipe of a q-tip. Here are the pros and cons:

What I like:
- the black shade is definitely black enough
- I can get long, full and defined lashes with one coat
- the brush design makes it possible to reach the outer corner lashes
- it holds the curl nicely
- it's quite easy to remove at the end of the day
- it has that mascara scent which I remember Bourjois mascaras used to have and yes, that's a plus for me :)

What I dislike:
- it does flake on me; you can even see it in the photos, which were taken 5 minutes after application
- it also does start to clump after more than 1 coat
- the stopper on the tube is quite loose so that the brush gets overloaded with mascara and the excess needs to be wiped off
- the formula is quite wet, which makes it easier to smear
- it tends to stick to the very tips of my lashes, which makes for a 'spidery' look
- the writing on the sample tube wears off very easily (not sure if the same issue applies to the full-sized tube)
- a word about the marketing blurb: why on Earth is this shade of black 'excessive' and the volume you get with it 'indecent'? It's a freakin' MASCARA, not striptease.

Will I repurchase? Unlikely. Overall, I think it's a decent enough mascara; I especially like that it makes my lashes nice and full and holds the curl very well. However, I'm not impressed with the flakies, and wielding that brush is a bit of a challenge. Well, onto the next one...

Have you ever tried Lancôme Hypnôse Drama? What is your favorite Lancôme mascara?

Review: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in 'Dollface'

2011-12-14T08:14:00.000-08:00

...or, as I secretly refer to this post, 'A Cool Pink Blush Extravaganza'. You may intepret the word 'cool' both ways here and it'll still be relevant, by the way.

Not so long ago, as a result of browsing through Sephora's brightly-lit shelves with Tracy from Beauty Reflections and Larie from Eye Heart It, I came in possession of the much talked-about Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in the shade 'Dollface'. The decision was facilitated by Tracy's expert opinion and the words 'It's lavender-based, very pretty', to which my happy retort was 'Oh, I don't have anything lavender!'. Ekhm... or do I [suspenseful background music]?

Well, let's discuss the blush first. As everyone and their dog knows, the blusher is housed in a pearlized plastic compact reflecting the shade of the blush inside (sort of). I'm actually not a huge fan of this packaging; I see that it's practical, but also a bit... juvenile? Given that the blush retails for $25, I'd be much happier with something more elegant. With that being said, the mirror inside is a very decent size and I like the Amazon river embossing.

'Dollface' is a matte, cool-toned light pink. It's quite a pure shade of pink, but it applies softly and blends quite easily without, in fact, giving you a bad case of doll cheeks. It's just brightening enough to naturally compliment cooler skintones such as mine and the perfect shade of light pink for the winter season.

It is not, however, very unique. Just take a look below... Eeek! Have I really managed to accumulate 4 exact same shades of pink from 4 different brands?

No, not exactly [fans herself]. While you can already see subtle differences in the pans, the true differences come through in the swatches. No. 7 Natural Blush in 'Soft Damson' is definitely warmer and a bit more tawny than 'Dollface'. NYX Powder Blusher in 'Angel' is plummier and has a different finish - it's more satin with tiny silver shimmers. But... Inglot blusher no. 72 is pretty darn close; maybe a touch cooler and a bit deeper. Not different enough to warrant keeping 'Dollface' though; so, I was a good girl, and returned it :(

A word about longevity - it's impossible for me to verify whether the Tarte Amazonian Clay blush really lasts 12 hours. Or else, I think it did, but almost all my other blushers do last just as long on me as the Tarte one. And... the Inglot blush was MUCH cheaper. Just saying.

What's your experience with the Tarte Amazonian Clay blushes? What are your favorite cool pink blush shades?

Milani Cyber Monday Haul

2011-12-12T21:55:00.000-08:00

I normally try to be a bit more interesting (or less boring, depending on your point of view) and not publish two of the same type of posts in a row, but I've lost my blogging mojo somewhere between buying Norwegian-sweater leggings and cooking dinner today. So, this will have to do for now.

I was actually convinced that I was not going to receive my Cyber Monday haul at all because I made a typo in the billing information; much to my surprise, a week later the little package was already waiting for me at home. I'm so glad that it came through, I'm loving everything I got! The Cyber Monday 50% off sitewide sale was a bit of a pain to navigate due to heavy traffic, but so worth it in the end, especially that Milani is very difficult to come by here in WA.

I'm not posting any swatches just now on purpose, I actually have a couple more comparison posts planned featuring these products. Let me know though if there's something you're dying to see!

Also, how many shots of the exact same thing can you fit into one small post? Apparently, THREE.

What have you got during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales?

'I die of cuteness!' aka Luxury Lane Soap Haul

2011-12-06T18:56:00.000-08:00

There's not going to be much to read in this post, but plenty to gawk, squeal or even flail; yes, Rae, I'm talking to you!

A couple weeks ago I found Luxury Lane Soap's online shop via Kylee Lane's, the owner's, blog, where she posted her response to the Ivory soap commercial - you all go watch that video, it's amazing! Anyway, back to the soap: I found the website, spent a blissful morning adding every single product to my basket, then I came to and subtracted most of it, and that's how I ended up with what you can see here. Hey, some of these are stocking stuffers, no pointing fingers at your poor soap hoarder!

I mean, really? REALLY?! Tiny smelly colorful dinosaurs?! These were a gift with purchase, by the way. Cami, are you dying of cuteness too?

Can we all please take a moment to ponder the perfection of *pink* Hello Kitty and Sugar Cupcake soaps WITH SPARKLES?! I'm so bummed that I don't get to keep these for myself; they're a Christmas gift for my sisters-in-law, aged 14 and 16. Sigh.

These in turn are for my mum and mum-in-law; they each came in a pack of two, so I get to keep one, of course... Both the scrubby snowflake and the Love Knot are part of the Holiday Collection, and on top of being beautiful they smell amazing too!

A little pile of cuteness all together...

I also decided to try two of the half-bar samplers from Kylee's Organic Artisan soap line (clearly, because I have a problem); I got half of Cafe Mocha regular-sized bar and half of Goldilocks mega-sized bar. I haven't tried either yet, but again, they smell amazing and seems to me that the scent on these is a bit stronger than the other soaps. Also, Goldilocks really reminds me of Lush's Snow Cake scent-wise!

So far, I've only opened one bar - the three-tiered Love Knot. I haven't had the occassion to use it a whole lot just yet, but from my initial impressions, I've never used a soap that lathered that well. A couple swipes through my loofa and I get a mountain of fluffy, incredibly creamy goodness, delicate enough to use on the entire body. I have a rather sensitive skin, and haven't had any problems; also, my skin seems less dry than usual. Also, the bar itself is very soft and creamy; it sorts of melts in your fingers just a little bit. The scent is rather subtle, but lingers a bit on the skin so that my husband comments on how good I smell after a bath. What more could you possibly need from a soap? :)

Dry Hands Rescue: Moisture Jamzz Moisturizing Gloves

2011-11-28T21:49:00.000-08:00

Many a time on this blog I have gone on and on about how awfully dry my hands are and how virtually nothing's been working to moisturize these horrendous eczema blisters and scabs I developed on my fingers over a year ago (don't worry, there won't be any photos of those in this post... or ever!). I've tried numerous hand creams and I'm still purchasing more, but to be honest, they do very little indeed to effectively moisturize and provide a bit of a barrier to lock in the moisture.

If you read my previous posts on obsessive skin picking, you also know that I've started wearing cotton gloves to prevent myself from touching and scratching my face. However, the pair that I got at the drugstore turned out to be simply ridiculous: way too loose, too short in the wrist area, and not as soft as I would like. As a result, I turned to Amazon, and after a bit of browsing, came up with this: Moisture Jamzz Love Ultimate Moisturizing Gloves ($10).

These gloves are 90% cotton mixed with some Lycra/Spandex fibers to fit your hands snuggly without stretching too much in the wear. I chose the 'Love' print, which I think looks much cuter than just plain white, and they arrived in this clear plastic box with a little sample tube of Malcolm's Miracle Hand & Body Hydrate that I've yet to try. As far as I understand, the company Moisture Jammz no longer sells their products, and Malcolm's Miracle distributes them instead - the product also qualifies for free shipping on Amazon, which is always a plus.

Let me tell you, compared to standard cotton gloves, these are simply amazing! They fit my small hand with long fingers like a glove (LOL), do not stretch or fade in the wash, and are made of a very soft and comfortable fabric. They really do lock in moisture much better than using just hand cream on its own, and seem to keep my anti-eczema steroid cream in place. Best of all, they also keep me from picking my face (or fingers!) but are snug enough for me to be able to perform a lot of things while wearing them; and they never, and I mean never, fall off when I am asleep.

If you experience any problems with dryness on your hands, I highly recommend you look into these moisturizing gloves. Now, onto finding my perfect hand cream... Any suggestions?

Darn you, deathly nudes!

2011-11-25T18:22:00.000-08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I've fallen into the nude trap again! Let me elaborate: a couple weeks ago, I decided that the only shade of nail polish I was truly missing in my collection was a good nude. So, like any sensible beauty blogger, I perused some reviews and got myself this: Essie Topless & Barefoot. Oh, I should have known better!

The application's a breeze, the formula just right, the brush easy to manipulate... But, the result is obvious: corpse fingers!

While we're on the subject of deathly nudes, let me present to you two other mistakes I've committed in the past lip-wise: Gosh Darling lipstick and Rimmel Mirror Shine lipgloss in East End Snob. These two clearly don't do it for me on their own, but I can make them work when layered with darker and/or more vibrant shades - I'm desperate to use them up!

In my modest experience, all universally acclaimed nude shades look quite horrible on me; having porcelain skin, I'm just too 'nude' myself. There isn't enough contrast between the skin and the nude color, and it just makes me look... yep, I'll say it again, quite dead. However, if you're pale like me and looking for a good everyday shade, I recommend you take a look at my '3 Neutral Lipsticks' post - these work for me nicely!

What are your favorite nude nail polish and lipstick shades?

P.S. No nude polishes were harmed in the writing of this post; in fact, Essie Topless & Barefoot has just found a loving home today.

Diaries of an Obsessive Compulsive Picker: Week 2 & 3

2011-11-16T09:46:00.000-08:00

I've been dreading writing this post for a very simple reason: I haven't had much success in the not-picking department these past two weeks. I've been having some trouble breaking away from the vicious cycle of picking: I pick, feel very guilty indeed, promise not to do it anymore, I give my face a break for a couple days to heal and it looks better and better, I pick again because I spy some clogged pores or a whitehead that's begging me to be squeezed. Most of the time, I manage to stop fairly quickly, but twice I definitely overdid the picking and gave myself some more trouble spots in the process. Right now, the challenge definitely feels quite daunting - but I have a couple ideas for improvement to incorporate into my routine.

1) Crochet. To stop my fidgeting fingers from roaming in the vicinity of my face, I picked up crocheting - for realz! I used to do a lot of needlework as a teen, and while at the university, I stopped completely. I believe it's important for me to start doing it again; firstly, it keeps my hands busy, secondly, the repetitive patterns have a very soothing effect, and lastly, it proves that my fingers are capable of doing some good for once. I've started an infinity-scarf project in the shell pattern, which you can see in the photo - I recommend that book too, very easy to follow and lots of ideas/patterns to try!

2) No mirrors. I really, and I mean really, need to stop checking my face in the mirror every time I go to the bathroom. Because, when I'm standing there in front of the mirror, I lean closer, and when I lean closer, I can see every single enlarged pore and tiny pimple that I immediately want to do something about. So, no looking into the mirror for me! (Plus, it gives me a back ache to lean over the sink).

3) Treats. I think one of the main reasons for my recent lack of success is that I've set a bar very high without any sort of external encouragement to motivate myself. I'm on a general beauty and fashion no-buy, plus I'm trying to use up some very unloved items from my collection; it's almost as if I'm punishing myself in the process. So, I've decided to treat myself to something lovely from the top of my make-up wishlist if I manage to at least diminish the picking - I think I deserve a reward!

4) Words of encouragement. I cannot stress enough how much your support and the experiences you've shared mean to me; I would just throw in the towel without you! I seriously need to re-read your comments on the original post more often, they help so much! I've also been collecting some inspirational quotes to put me in the good spirit. Here's one my favorites:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God; your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
*EDIT* by Marianne Williamson, used by NELSON MANDELA on May 10, 1994

I'll leave you with these amazing words for now and check back in 2 weeks to hopefully report some more progress. I hope some of my tips and tricks might help you too - please let me know in the comments if you have any of your own!

Favorite November Lip

2011-11-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Or maybe November Favorite Lip? Who knows... probably some lazy leprechauns laying down at the end of the rainbow, getting drunk on rain drops. Anyway, what was I saying? Yes, favorite lip product for November.

Now that I'm with the cool kids, by which I mean that I was accepted into Lipstick Bandits, we're bound by an eternal oath involving blood and chocolate chip cookies to all post at the same time, on the same topic - this month the subject line being favorite fall lipstick. I feel like I shot myself in the foot twice; firstly I posted an overview of my fall favorites last year, secondly I'm on a no-buy (I know, I know).

BUT! I did overlook a true gem last year, the fall ruby in question being the Sleek Pout Polish in Plum. I posted about it numerous times, though never in this context - lovelies, it's simply a genius fall shade which one wouldn't suspect given its slightly drab appearance in the pot. Keep reading for swatches!

As you can see, I've managed to accumulate three of these beauties thanks to the kindness of my fellow UK bloggers, Cami and Franky. My favorite of the bunch is still Plum, an amazing darkened red with a tinge of brown, perfect for everyday when patted lightly onto the pout as well as fantastic for evening when layered for intensity. If that wasn't enough, it's also amazing blended out on the cheeks!

I've swatched it together with a couple similar shades; first from the left is Sleek Pout Polish in Plum, second is Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey, third Ophelia's Apothecary Chai Latte Lip Tint in Caramel. Clinique would do in a pinch as a possible dupe, although it's much less pigmented, a bit more brown and not as long-wearing, so that's something to consider if you (like me) can't get your hands on Sleek easily.

Before I wave goodbye to you for today and go snuggle under my faux sheep skin blanket to crochet a couple rows, I urge you to go check out favorite fall lipstick posts from other Lipstick Bandits:

Beauty Reflections

Bloomin Beauty Blog

Call It Beauty.

Eye Heart It

Glitter Geek

Makeup Morsels

Messy Wands

My Funny Valentine

My Women Stuff

theNotice: a beauty blog

What is your favorite lip product for November?

Haul and Review: Ophelia's Apothecary

2011-11-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about Heartsy, lovelies? It's a voucher website that features handmade goodies, from jewelery, stationery, home decor to bath and body products; I found out about it at the beginning of September, got super excited (who doesn't love an awesome deal?) and prompty purchased my first voucher ($19 for $41) to Ophelia's Apothecary, an Etsy shop with bath, body and cosmetic products - my Haus of Gloi stash was running low and I wanted to give a chance to another company.

I placed my order on Sep 2 and the shop clearly stated their turnaround time was 'at least' 14 days - I didn't mind waiting a bit longer, I still had other things to use up. On Sep 28 I received a copy and paste convo saying they were aware that they'd surpassed the stated turnaround time, but that 'all orders through the 7th (Sep) would be shipped out by the 1st (Oct)'. By this time I had to go and purchase something else to use in the shower. Finally, my order shipped out on Oct 15, with a note apologizing for the delay and thanking me for my patience. What I'm trying to say is that this is a REALLY long TAT; while I understand the shop owners had their difficulties (there were so many of them that they started to seem more like excuses) due to the move to a different state, I don't understand why they'd decided to run a Heartsy deal at such a time when obviously they would be getting slammed with orders. All right, rant over; you probably want to know whether the products were worth the wait...

I purchased a Whipped Cream Soap (4 oz) in the Vanilla Noir fragrance ($8.25), a No 9 Sea Salt and Sugar Body Buff (4 oz for $18) and a Caramel Chai Latte Lip Tint ($7.75). I'll start with my least favorite product - the salt & sugar body scrub. I've used it once so far, and won't be able to use it again for quite a while; basically, it really hurts my eczema covered hands. It's more of an oily formulation compared to other scrubs I tried and it's also rather abrasive, I guess way too abrasive for my tastes. The scent is a strong rose with a touch of glycerin; more on the grandma-ish than the sexy side.

The whipped soap is a nice, smooth, creamy consistency, it doesn't feel drying on the skin and I was quite pleased with my choice of scent, although I suspect Ophelia's Apothecary uses readymade fragrance oils instead of their own in-house blends (like most sellers on Etsy). The soap is definitely comparable to Haus of Gloi's whipped soap formulation.

My favorite from the bunch is definitely the Lip Tint - it's a silky smooth moisturizing formula that melts onto the lips, with a very fine and delicate gold shimmer running throughout. The shade 'Caramel' is a reddish brown, very natural and a perfect everyday color for the season. It hasn't left my purse since I got it and I live under the impression it just goes with everything :) The scent is subtle vanilla, maybe with a touch of spice - I wish it was a bit more like chai latte, but I still really like it.

Overall, I'm not sure whether my order with Ophelia's Apothecary was worth the looong wait; there was just one product that I'm really loving, and the price points are significantly higher than other sellers', including my beloved Haus of Gloi. Have you ever tried anything from Ophelia's Apothecary? What are your favorite indie bath & body companies?

Review: Personal MicroDerm

2011-11-07T11:55:00.000-08:00

Personal MicroDerm (PMD) device has received a lot of attention on beauty blogs and YouTube as of late. A couple weeks ago I was also sent one to try out and review for you, so here's my two cents.

First of all, PMD is an electric device with which you can give yourself an at-home microdermabrasion treatment. It features a rotating head (in two different sizes, smaller for face, larger for body) covered in aluminum oxide crystals, which are used in the professional microdermabrasion machines, as well as as a sucking action so that the device has a better contact with the skin, but also to sweep away the dead skin cells that are being polished off. The device needs to be plugged in when in use (it doesn't have a rechargeable battery like, say, Clarisonic) and comes with the cord, two each of the small and big heads in the sensitive and more abrasive variety (blue and green respectively) and an instructional DVD.

As of today, I've tried the device for the total of 4 times on my face, roughly once a week. I only used the sensitive head, which is recommended when you're first starting out. Before using it on my face, I tried it on the back of my hand, just to get used to the feeling. I usually start around my forehead, then do the nose and cheeks and finish with my chin. The whole process probably takes around 3 minutes. Also, I had a professional microdermabrasion once, and to be completely honest, I wasn't too impressed with the results.

I will say that the sensation is not exactly pleasant, especially towards the middle of my face; the skin is quite pink and sensitive for the next 24 hours or so. Also, right after using the device, I still notice a whole lot of dry skin around my face that was invisible to the naked eye before. It definitely does remove a lot of dead skin - the flakies gather inside the device, so that's a visible proof of how much you're polishing off. However, in terms of noticeable general skin improvement, I haven't noticed that much of a change. Serums and treatments seem to absorb better afterwards and the skin feels softer, but my pores are still exactly the same size and the number of breakouts has not diminished either; I'm also still as oily as before, even more so in the first day or two after using the device. I will continue to use PMD once a week, because I believe it deserves a longer trial period, especially because there's a number of variables that might be influencing my skin right now - I tried my best not to introduce anything new besides the device, but still.... To sum it up, for now, it doesn't work miracles on my skin and I would hesitate to purchase considering the price ($179).

Have you tried PMD?

Disclaimer: The device was provided to me for review consideration by PMD. I am not compensated to feature it on my blog nor am I affiliated with the brand. All opinions are my own and 100% honest, as always!

Diaries of an Obsessive Compulsive Picker: Week 1

2011-11-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

Remember that November holistic skincare challenge thing I posted about? Well, it's time to let the first part of the secret unveil, and to be honest, it's a rather dirty little one - and talking about it is very difficult and personal for me. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm an obsessive compulsive picker, and I hereby vow to stop picking on myself from now on - forever.

Image source

Let me explain: I'm not just your usual Mary who picks a bit of dry skin here and there or squeezes out a particularly unsightly whitehead. No... Almost every day I scratch my face, dig out any clogged pores, pick at even the smallest bumps until I look like a prisoner of war against my own body. Not only that - I pick at my cuticles, I scratch my eczema, I bite my lips until they bleed. Until a couple days ago, I lived in denial; I knew that what I'd been doing was wrong, but then my skin is pretty crappy anyways, so what difference does it make if I pick?

Then, following Fran's suggestion (I'm signed up for her newsletter, very inspirational!), I read the online book 'Stop Picking on Me' and promised myself never to do it again. If you're a fellow picker, I highly recommend it; it's eye-opening. Picking is so much more than just a bad habit, it really is an illness of the mind and the body. I've also decided to document my progress here week by week to keep myself on track, and hopefully help some of you who might be suffering from it as well. It might not be pretty, so if you're of a delicate disposition, I suggest you skip these posts altogether. Anyways... read on to find out about my struggles during the first week of not picking.

Day 1 (Oct 27): I've just started reading 'Stop Picking on Me' and, a couple pages in, decide to try to do my best and STOP. Many passages in the book ring very true to my experiences, which is making me emotional; I'm starting to realize that my picking is not so much about the acne on my face, but personal insecurities that have been impeding my happiness. I really want to start the recovery, even if it proves very difficult. I don't want to hate my body anymore, I don't want to feel the shame and the guilt, I just want to start loving myself, skin and all, a bit more.

Day 2 (Oct 28): Still reading the book; I'm now on the part where the author recounts personal stories of other pickers. It brings tears to my eyes, and I want to give a big hug to all the pickers - myself included. I've also noticed how many times a day I touch my face with my fingertips, looking for bumps and imperfections to work on - I've decided to avoid touching my face at all. I also decide to tell my husband about my habit (well, he probably knew anyhow) and my decision to stop picking, just to have someone to keep me in check so that I cannot go back. I'm proud of myself for overcoming the shame, but I lose focus for a couple minutes and voila, I just picked a cuticle.

Day 3 (Oct 29): I'm being positive that I can do this, I keep on repeating little affirmations to myself, like 'Your body is smarter than you think, it can and will heal', 'Let it be', 'You already are that unique, beautiful person, acne or no acne'. We're driving to Tacoma for a blacklight bouldering competition Mr. signed up for; I'm taking a white scarf with tassles so that my hands have something to play with on the way. The day is rather busy, luckily I have little time to obsess over my face as my hands are full taking photos.

Day 4 (Oct 30): I get into a bit of a bad mood in the morning and I'm not so sure anymore if I can do it; even if I don't go stand in front of the mirror to pick away, it's so difficult to resist touching my face or scratching at my bacne. I feel like a bad person, I hide under the blanket and bite down hard on my lip, and there's a cystic bump starting to appear on my chin. I wear cotton gloves while watching a TV show on Hulu; that's when my idle fingers usually start inching toward my face. Mr. calls me Michael Jackson. I manage to get over myself, we run a bunch of errands and also pick up a few supplements at Whole Foods; I'm feeling a tinge of hope that maybe they'll help in clearing my acne a bit as well. I do an at-home microdermabrasion at night to get rid of some of the flakies that I can no longer pick (but I still did pick a couple).

Day 5 (Oct 31): I feel a bit better and try to work on my positive thinking. I start jutting down some inspirational quotes in my agenda to reread when I'm feeling especially low. I'm also thinking about starting a craft that would keep my fingers occupied and channel that nervous energy; maybe beading or crocheting? A crochet scarf with little flowers would be super cute for the season :) I look in the mirror and see some of the old breakouts healing nicely, but the cystic bump is looking quite angry and it feels itchy, which is driving me mad... Will it really heal on its own?

Day 6 (Nov 1): After being really good for the whole day, I start picking again while doing my night-time skincare routine - the yesterday's spot has also been joined by a friend right next to it. I'm feeling pretty disappointed in myself and even want to withdraw from the whole challenge, but decide to wait until the morning. I also realize I should absolutely not lean in closer to the mirror in the bathroom; there is always going to be something I'd be tempted to pick!

Day 7 (Nov 2): Fortunately, none of the spots I picked yesterday became inflamed, so now I just have to wait until the little wounds dry up. The cystic bump of the week is slowly shrinking and going away, so I guess this answers my question, yes it does really heal without my poking around it (I left this one alone during yesterday's picking session). I forget to wear my cotton gloves, so some back scratching ensues, but not too bad overall. I've just posted about my November skincare challenge, so it's official now and there's no turning back - and have also got some awesome comments, I'm feeling very grateful for my blogging friends. Fingers crossed I can pick less (or even not at all!) next week :)

Let me know if this is of any use to you - I might just post another short update at the end of the month if this is too gross/personal/difficult to understand, or I could write in the same weekly format with more tips and tricks I'm picking up along the way. Just let me know in the comments, lovelies!

November Holistic Skincare Challenge

2011-11-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

I think I'm a glutton for punishment: this month I have not only promised myself not to buy any more beauty or fashion related things, but I've also decided to make November the month of holistic skincare here at Rocaille Writes.

Image source

Holistic approach to skincare means taking into account all aspects of a being: its physical, psychological, emotional, social, environmental and spiritual needs and imbalances. To put it simply, I will focus my attention not only on the skincare products I'm using, but my diet, habits and attitudes towards my skin, with the ultimate goal of helping my skin (as well as the whole organism) become more happy and healthy.

I will devote each November challenge post to a different aspect of my treatment, and I will update this introductory post with links when the posts go live, so that you'll be able to navigate the whole series more easily. Throughout the months of November and December, you can expect posts on:
- emotional/ psychological changes I've been introducing (more on that coming very soon... I'm actually a bit hesitant to write about it, but it's part of the challenge!)
- my diet and supplementation
- changes in my skincare routine

I'm hoping that my little series might inspire some of you to try a different approach to skincare - let me know in the comments if there's anything you've been doing differently that helped your skin!

Lipstick Bandits!

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hold on to your lippies, ladies - a new gang is plundering the blogosphere, ready to snatch away an unattended lipstick. We're... Lipstick Bandits!

I had to join the Bandits as soon as I'd learnt of their existence; firstly, remember how I kidnapped that poor Rouge Coco Chanel in the woods? Secondly, I'm from Seattle, and we have a great superhero tradition going on in the city - so there must be some supervillains as well [insert evil cackle]. Lastly, I might just be a bad person...

So, I'm officialy joining forces with Arianne, Dani, Danielle, Larie, MM, Tracy, Rae (the original bandits), and the new bandits: Danielle - Bloomin' Beauty, Jen - My Funny Valentine, Xiao - Messy Wands and Paris - My Women Stuff, the lipstick musqueteers of the blogging world. What it means for you is that once in a while, we'll be picking up some make-up related topic, and posting about it on a specific date on our respective blogs; kind of a like a simultaneous tag, if you will. And we might snatch some lipsticks in the process.

Enough of that! The photos you're seeing are my membership application; we were all required to present a mask make-up with obligatory red lips. I wouldn't be myself if I didn't reach for Sleek Make-up True Color lipstick in Cherry, a dark, blue-based red beauty of a lippie. The mask was penciled in using GOSH Waterproof Eyeliner in Black with matte black eyeshadow on top and a selection of three loose pigments: Barry M Winter Berry, Barry M Petrol Black and Jesse's Girl Pure Pigment Eye Dust in Secret Weapon; how fitting, right?

Now... hide your lipsticks, my dears!

Review: Madame Scodioli's Solid Perfumes

2011-10-27T15:39:00.001-07:00

One of occupational hazards of working at a perfumery is certainly trying more perfume, which in turn leads to buying more perfume. Case in point: Madame Scodioli's set of 3 Solid Perfume Wee Samples (yes, ironically, they're actually called that - just look at the photos comparing to other brands!) I purchased at Madame's Etsy shop for $16.

Let me start by saying that I just love the image and design of the brand. The travelling circus troupe vibe with its imaginative characters, including Madame herself (the bearded lady) is fun, unique, and certainly a bit geeky. We like.

For my set, I chose the following scents: Dust Shaker (mahogany and sandalwood), Cloven (amber, sandalwood, vanilla) and Boheme (vanilla oak) - isn't the woodsy theme quite obvious here? The scents are ordered, coincidentally, from the most to the least favorite; let me tell you why.

Dust Shaker is a gorgeous, faintly masculine scent in the pot; a bit reminiscent of mahogany-panelled cigar room with opulent volumes on the shelves, and a touch o' travels to the East by way of elephant figurines and plush carpets. The mahogany is almost reminiscent of tobacco here for me, whereas the soft, sweet sandalwood that the fragrance settles into on the skin brings images of flowered temples and monsoon weddings. I like this a whole lot and find it layers beautifully with other fragrances as well (like my classic Burberry EDP).

Cloven is a beautiful, grown-up, non-gourmand vanilla with a touch of feminine woods. This almost feels like a femme fatale kind of fragrance: one that requires a dark lipstick, seamed stockings, high heels and lots and lots of confidence - which, let's be honest, I don't really have. That's why I can't wear it all that often; it just isn't very me and sometimes even feels a bit cloying.

Boheme, unfortunately, is the black sheep here; it reminds me too much of a cheap old-fashioned cologne. The scent is quite pungent, more refreshing than soft, and the vanilla is almost imperceptible to me. Interestingly enough, I know there's a ready-made fragrance oil named Vanilla Oak that many independent perfumers use - I'm not saying this is what Madame used herself, I'm saying Boheme might need something extra for me to like it.

Moving forward, the formulation of the solid perfumes is lovely: they're very solid in the pots, but quickly melt to an oil with the warmth of your fingers and spread on the skin beautifully. I'd say they last good 2-3 hours on the skin, but somehow managed to perfume my dress for full 2 days!

Something to bear in mind: due to the beeswax content, these are not suitable for vegans :)

Compared to other solid perfumes in my posession, they're much easier (softer) to apply than Lush's solids and quite comparable to Sweet Anthem's new formulation (without the coconut oil). I literally have to use my nails to scrape some of Snow Fairy out from the pot; it's certainly not the case with Scodioli's scents. Overall, I think Madame Scodioli's perfumes are definitely worth a try and outstanding quality for the price; I'm thinking of picking up Laudanum (tobacco + black tea) some time soon.

Have you ever tried Scodioli's solid perfumes? What are your favorite scents in the solid form?

Review & FOTD: Lancôme Color Design Palette in Coral Crush

2011-10-22T08:32:00.000-07:00

The sky is shrouded in clouds and grey today in Seattle (or rather, as Tom Robbins has put it, 'resembling cottage cheese that had been dragged nine miles behind a cement truck'*), so obviously I've decided to review a warm coral eyeshadow palette for you, just to saturate my vision for a little while.

Some very lovely and even more thoughtful people got me a Nordstrom giftcard back in September for my birthday, which is why I went looking for a good value make-up set to spend it on - and Lancôme had a GWP going on at the time, which pretty much blew all other options out the water. Cue: Sultry Eye Look Set ($48), including Color Design Eye Brightening All-In-One 5 Shadow & Liner Palette in Coral Crush 200 (phew!), travel-size Hypnôse Drama mascara, Aquatique eyeshadow primer and Le Crayon Khôl (I promise the French don't spell everything with the accent circonflexe over every 'o') black eyeliner pencil. Pretty good, huh?

This review is just for the palette, especially that I haven't even started using everything else in the set :) First off, I have to say that I enjoy Lancôme's packaging a lot: the palette is sturdy, pleasantly heavy, simple and elegant - at least, whenever I can keep my fingerprints to myself.

I was quite surprised with how shimmery the eyeshadows appeared at first; as you can see though, it seems like the first layer of sparkle fades away, revealing a lovely satin finish. The shadows are soft, blendable and with pigmentation on par with MAC Frost eyeshadows. They also smell faintly of crayons.

One of the reasons I enjoy using this palette a lot is that you can create both warm and cool neutral eye looks with it; in the photos below, I'm wearing the light taupe highlighter shade all over the lid, the dark brown liner diffused softly in the crease and the all-over pink base in the inner corners. As you can see, these eyeshadows are definitely not overly sparkly. I think my favorite shades have to be the peach and the taupe in the second row, both slightly more unusual but still very wearable daytime options.

If you're looking for a great value set for everyday wear, it's truly a fantastic palette. I cannot wait to try these other products that came in the kit! Oh, I'm also wearing a Lancôme Color Design lipstick in 'Trendy Mauve', which actually is a lot more brown than mauve on me. Have you ever tried Lancôme eyeshadows?

*quoted from Tom Robbins' Jitterbug Perfume

Finally...! Some Empties

2011-10-19T19:41:00.000-07:00

I've been hoarding a collection of empty pots and bottles to silence my guilty conscience by visibly proving that I actually do use up my products - if very slowly. I'm a very strange woman indeed, empty cosmetic packaging makes me happy...

Here's a little round-up of some make-up and skincare bits I've used lately, together with mini reviews for your enjoyment:

1. Haus of Gloi Vice Soft Bubbling Scrub - I gushed about this before, and I still stand by what I said earlier. A deliciously soft scrubbly goodness smelling of hazelnut ice cream - I do miss it now actually that it's gone, but (shock horror!) I veered from the righteous Haus of Gloi path and ordered some bath goodies from another indie company - a review coming soon.
2. Haus of Gloi Spring LE Milkmaid Whipped Soap - I do like HoG's whipped soap a lot and this was a very nice, feminine, musky floral scent that left me feeling clean and refreshed. A little too clean smelling, maybe, but it's just me; I think I prefer gourmand for the bath.
3. Haus of Gloi Spring LE Lassi Bubbling Scrub - I'm glad I only got a sample pot, because I swear to you, this smells of gummy bears. I do love gummy bears, especially biting of their heads first so that they don't suffer unneccesarily (told you I was strange!), but not so much in my bath.
4. Haus of Gloi Madcap Garden Perfume Oil sample - I surprised myself here by enjoying a peppermint fragrance, but then got bored quite quickly, so I don't think I'll repurchase. Great quality though.

5. Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat - A classic, but it does go extremely gloopy after some time (I think I had this bottle for a year or so). I'm currently testing a diffrent top coat, I'll let you know my thoughts eventually.
6. Allafia Rooibos & Shea Butter Antioxidant Facial Cleanser - read a detailed review here. Awesome cleanser by a local skincare brand that deserves much more recognition.
7. Mario Badescu Ceramide Eye Gel sample - A pleasantly scented, fast absorbing eye cream that wears well under make-up, but made me break out around my eye area. I think my eyes are just very sensitive, I've had this before with different eye creams, so I wouldn't completely write it off.
8. GOSH Eye Liner Pen - Meh, it's all right, I guess. The felt tip tends to splay out though, making it very difficult to apply, plus this baby will run down your cheeks at the mere sight of water. Not very practical in the Pacific Northwest.

9. Angel Face Botanicals Angel's Balm Body Butter - I didn't get on well with this one. I disliked the herbal scent and the grainy texture, and on top of that, it wouldn't sink in well into my skin, so I just had the feeling I was rubbing it off on my bed sheets all night. You might enjoy it though if you like more oilier body moisturizers such as Lush's Massage Bars.
10. Bath and Body Works Shea Cashmere & Silk Hand Cream - Ooh, this one I did like, we've used every last drop with the husband, and even my dad liked it. I am aware that the silky feeling upon application is due to a crap load of silicones, not the silk proteins; that said, silicones form a barrier preventing moisture loss from the skin, which is important if you have severely dry hands/ eczema.
11. Bath and Body Works Shea Cashmere Shower Cream - read a full review here. Nice enough, but quite pricey for what it is; therefore, I don't think I'll repurchase, unless I have an awesome B&BW coupon burning in my pocket.

Not bad, huh? I hasten to add that using up those four soaps/scrubs that I had on rotation in my bath took me good 4-5 months - quite pathetic. What have you emptied recently?

Dupe Alert: Stila Lip Glaze in 'Guava'

2011-10-17T18:34:00.001-07:00

When I got my Stila E! Live from the Red Carpet palette + Lip Glaze set back in July, I immediately knew that lip gloss shade looked familiar...

Mind you, there's a number of brands making those lip glosses with a built-in brush applicator, with Stila, Clinique and e.l.f. to name just a few, but how similar does the e.l.f. packaging look compared to the Stila?!

Do you want to know the craziest part though? I prefer that e.l.f. Hypershine Gloss to the Stila Lip Glaze - and this baby is at least 15 times cheaper (Stila Lip Glaze is $22 for 0.08 fl oz, but the one that came in the kit is 0.05 fl oz, whereas e.l.f. Hypershine Glosses retail for $1. For volume comparison, a Revlon Super Lustrous lip gloss is 0.2 fl oz, so 2.5 times bigger than those guys). The Stila Lip Glaze feels extremely thick and tacky on my lips - it even drags upon application. It also has a tendency to acccentuate any flakies, which the e.l.f. does not.

As you can see, 'Guava' is slightly darker and more muted than 'Flirt', but on the lips, they look exactly the same (see a lip swatch of 'Flirt' here). I see absolutely no reason to shell out my monies for Stila Lip Glazes and I won't be buying any in the future. Have you tried these?

FOTD: Gaultier Fall 2011 Inspired Graphic Liner

2011-10-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

Finally, I'm posting one of my favorite 'Fall 2011 Runway Inspired' looks - this time from the Jean Paul Gaultier show. The look consists of two major elements: graphic liner on the top and bottom lid and a strong matte red lip. Perfect!

As you can see in the backstage photos below, the black liner has also been emphasized by touches of white eyeshadow under the wing and in the inner corner. The look also requires decently strong and polished brows, a rather pale matte base, and a set of black false eyelashes.

I will go ahead and admit that I spent an indecent amount of time on the liner and still feel it's definitely not even on both sides - here's the practical lesson on asymmetry of the face for you. I would say the look is worth investing in a very fine eyeliner brush, which I unfortunately don't have; I still like the feathered detail at the ends of the wings, very pretty. I also added a touch of contour at the back of my cheeks, I hate how flat my face looks with such a pale high-coverage foundation.

This look is almost theatrical on me - my husband commented on this eye make-up look by saying I had 'triple eyes'. I guess what he meant is that the liner at the bottom makes the eyes appear much bigger :) I feel similarly towards the lips; you know how they say that a darker lipstick makes your lips appear smaller? Well, unless you have pretty big lips to start with - then it makes them even bigger.

Products used:
Face:Revlon Colorstay Foundation for Oily/Combination Skin in Ivory
MAC Studio Finish concealer in NW20
Physicians Formula Healthy Wear Powder Foundation in Translucent Light
The Body Shop Bronzing Powder in Fair Matte
Eyes:
Annabelle 'Vanilla Chilla' Eyeshadow
Annabelle 'So Foxy' Eyeshadow
Inglot Matte Eyeshadow in 337
Wet'n'Wild 'Sweet as Candy' trio - pearly white shade
Wet'n'Wild MegaLiner in Black
ES Clear Liner V Black False Eyelashes*
Lips:
Lancome Le Lipstique lip liner in Ideal
MAC Frost lipstick in Cockney

I have a couple more inspirational looks bookmarked and ready to recreate - I'm hoping to get them done some time soon. What was your favorite Fall 2011 runway make-up look?

Disclaimer: Product marked (*) sent for review consideration. Honest opinion as always.

Rocaille Raves: Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay

2011-10-04T19:58:00.000-07:00

Aztec Secret 100% Natural Calcium Bentonite Clay is, despite its complicated name, a very simple product: it's essentially a powder face mask that has to be mixed with a liquid before applying to the face. The only ingredient in the mask is green bentonite clay from Death Valley, containing over 50 different minerals and boasting a number of skin benefits: drawing toxins out from the skin thanks to a negative electron charge, nourishing the skin, and of course deep pore cleansing.

Now, you're probably thinking that there must be at least a hundred different clay masks on the market, you've tried a handful and while they worked ok, they're certainly no miracle product. Well, at least this is what I thought - but I've heard some recommendations and it was only $6 for this huge tub, so I gave it a go. And boy, I'm glad I did!

Let me start with the negatives (now that you know that I'm loving it): firstly, the packaging is ugly and super messy, please open it by the sink the first time you try it. Seconly, it being a powder, it requires mixing, which takes additional time - but then it doesn't contain any preservatives and won't go bad for a long time. Thirdly, you won't be able to speak, eat, drink or make any facial expressions while it's on; at least if you don't want to rip your face to pieces. And lastly, it takes a bit time and patience to remove and again, this process is quite messy as well.

Now you're thinking, that's a lot of negatives, no? Why then do I like it so much? Well... because IT WORKS. The Aztec Secret clay deep cleanses the skin fabulously and, if used regularly, keeps breakouts in check. In August/September, I was going through a nasty breakout phase with new whiteheads appearing virtually every day, and I believe this has sped the recovery. At first, I didn't notice much difference, because I believe the clay has brought most of the impurities to the surface; however, once these clogs were removed, my skin healed beautifully without any scarring. The pulsating sensation you feel when the mask is drying on your skin is a bit weird, but I take it as a sign that it's working. My face is quite red for the next 30 minutes or so after washing off, but the redness fades, revealing soft, smooth, glowing skin. It's also fabulous as a spot treatment.

If you're thinking about trying it, the best application method I've found is to place a spoonful in your palm, spritz with some raw apple cider vinegar and/or water to mix into a paste, and paint onto the skin with an old foundation brush. The vinegar is what makes the powder creamy and smooth, but should be diluted if your skin is sensitive. After about 20 minutes, I remove it with a muslin cloth soaked in warm water. The 1lb and 2lb tubs are available from Whole Foods, Vitamin Shoppe and some Bartell Drugs stores in WA for $6-$8. I really recommend it if you have problem skin like me!

What are your experiences with clay masks? Which mask is your favorite?

September Favorites

2011-10-01T08:01:00.000-07:00

I know, I know - there goes my resolution to post three times a week. But at least I can offer an excuse/update on what's been going on in here, I thought you deserve to know! But before I go into that, some favorites of the past month. I've started to enjoy wearing make-up a bit more again now that my skin is not breaking out with the speed of a machine gun, and these are my most worn products:

1. MAC 226 Tapered Blending Brush - I will admit that I got this over 2 years ago and haven't used it that much since, for no reason other than I keep it in my non-everyday brush cup. However, I picked it up recently and it really is perfect for smaller creases, it just fits right in and deposits most of the color exactly where it should.
2. Clinique Plum Eyeshadow Quad - This was part of a last year's Gift With Purchase and contains the following shadows, available separately (clockwise from top): 'Stone Violet' from 'Sunburst' duo, darker shade from 'Beach Plum' duo, 'Night Plum' Stay Matte Eyeshadow and 'Frosted Blossom' Soft Shimmer Eyeshadow. I don't think these are very unique, I've just been loving plum shades on the eyes and these are easy to grab and good quality eyeshadows.
3. Wet'n'Wild Kohl Brow in Taupe - I waxed lyrical about this before, but I'd been using a different pencil for a bit and had actually forgot how much I loved it until I started using it again. The formula is quite soft and somehow manages to look natural while defining my brows.
4. OPI Brisbane Bronze Nail Polish - My first ever OPI! I do enjoy the formula and the wide brush, very easy to apply. But the color! A gorgeous dark copper reminiscent of falling leaves and campfire.

5. Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Monte Carlo - How funny, I actually wear this one that I found in the woods more than the one I bought. This has been my shade of choice if I don't know what to wear on my lips. Monte Carlo is a sheer pink berry shade that feels comfortable and moisturizing, but doesn't last long on the lips.
6. NYX Powder Blush in Mauve - Not mauve at all, but still very pretty. It's a matte brownish rose that compliments post-summer skin perfectly and suits a variety of looks. I love how warm the shade is without making me look orange like many corals tend to do. Plus, you know how I love my NYX powder blushes!
7. Sweet Anthem 'Anton' Parfum Solide - I kind of feel like it deserves its own review, but I'm not sure if I want to draw attention to my perfume reviewing skills... Warm, spicy, smoky, striking with a hint of fruit, Anton was actually designed as a men's fragrance. Yes, I do sneak it from my husband, I just can't get enough of that perfect fall scent; plus, it's a perfect purse size.

Now, here goes my news/excuse: I'm actually busy interning at Sweet Anthem; for those of you not in the know, it's a West Seattle-based micro perfumery run and owned by Meredith Smith. So, in the spirit of transparency, 'Anton' was a gift, or as Meredith would have called it, a bribe; however, I promise to try and not pitch Sweet Anthem fragrances on the blog too often, even though they truly are beautiful and unique. But more importantly, Sweet Anthem is opening its flagship atelier on October 12 - there will be champagne, swag bags for the first 25 shoppers, and lots and lots of lovely indie perfumes to smell. Well, my lovely local readers, you're all invited to the party! You can find more info on the Sweet Anthem's website and Facebook page.

How's the month of September been for you?

RockEye: YSL Faux Cils Volume Effet Mascara Review

2011-09-29T22:29:00.000-07:00

I've been buying, testing and reviewing different mascaras here on the blog for a while now, but somehow didn't come up with the idea to compile my reviews into their own little series. So, there it is: 'RockEye' is going to be devoted purely to mascaras. Why? Because 1) I like mascara, 2) I'm still on the search for the Holy Grail, 3) I like cheesy word play, 4) At least now you know how to pronounce my blog's name. There!

This time, I got my hands on a sample tube of a cult classic: YSL Faux Cils Volume Effet in 'Noir Radical', which, as I gather, is their 'blackest black'. This is what Sephora has to say about it: 'Yves Saint Laurent MASCARA VOLUME EFFET FAUX CILS Luxurious Mascara achieves an intense, dramatic lash look in a single stroke, for lashes that stop traffic with the blink of an eye. Its secret is the Triple-Film Complex: a film-coating for intensity, a conditioning film for curve, and a fixing film for long-lasting effectiveness.'.

Top: 1 coat, bottom: 2 coats of YSL Faux Cils.

What I like about it:
- It is, indeed, a true black.
- It seems to grab every lash and defines them nicely.
- It adds both volume and a bit of length to my lashes.
- It doesn't clump much when multiple coats are applied.
- It seems to hold a curl quite well, but is not curling on its own.
- It doesn't make my lashes stiff or crunchy.

What I dislike about it:
- It is scented.
- Its formula is quite dry and heavy.
- It can be tricky to apply as the brush is quite large - I always smear it on my lid.
- It doesn't last! Sadly, this mascara doesn't last well on me. After about 6 hours, it starts flaking and transferring on the lower lid.

Will I purchase the full size? Umm, no. I guess that for $30 I'd really like to get more wear out of my mascara - but I do love what it does for my lashes and can definitely see why it has such a cult following. If you're thinking about trying YSL Faux Cils, Sephora's currently giving deluxe samples with a $25 online order; the coupon code is 'FAUXCILS'.

Have you ever tried YSL Faux Cils?

What's In My Travel Skincare Bag?

2011-09-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

... Because I bet you're dying to know - well, maybe not. I will start my discussion of the contents of my travel skincare bag by saying that I love minis; that's probably why I find Birchbox so hard to resist and always look for deluxe sample coupon codes for Sephora. So, the products featured were either part of Birchbox one month or another, or a gift with purchase of some sort.

The above skincare bag was packed for our 5-day vacation in New York this past week. You may recognize the bag from my previous post; I find it a perfect size for a shorter stay and even this excessive amount of stuff fits quite nicely in it.

Let's start with bodycare and fragrance, shall we? I decided to take St. Ives Intensive Healing Body Lotion, also to double as a hand cream - but I haven't used it even once. I was too tired to even think about putting on a body lotion, and as for a hand cream, I had to get one at Duane Reade, because I left this at the hotel and my hands had got unbelievably dry. Fail.

For showering, I took the Korres Mini Showergel in Fig, but to be honest, I'm not a fan of neither the gel itself nor the scent. I also tucked in a little sample of The Body Shop Brazilian Nut Body Scrub; now, this is deliciously fragranced and quite effective, and I'd used up the pot in 2 applications. Last but not least, perfume: my current favorite is Tocca Cleopatra, a beautifully warm and feminine 'floriental' with a touch of fruit. I've been using my sample for at least 2 weeks and it's still going strong!

Now, skincare - can you tell I'm slightly obsessed? For cleansing and removing make-up, I packed Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover and Philosophy Purity, both of which I like, but believe one can find cheaper alternatives of. For fighting pesky flight-induced spots, I took Mario Badescu Special Cucumber Lotion, which I only use on acne-prone areas after cleansing, and the Drying Cream to dab on little buggers overnight.

For every other day maintenance, I chose Yonka Alpha-Complex Wrinkle Defense Retexturizing Gel with AHA, which I will not repurchase for sure, as the stuff smells and looks like liquid glue, as well as Lift Lab Lift & Fix serum, which I can't say anything about just yet. I was also delusional enough to believe I'd have enough time for a mask (100% Pure Brightening Scrub & Mask), but no, no such luck.

I also managed to squeeze a small bottle of shampoo, deodorant and some hair putty in there; for the size of the bag, I definitely championed in the number of products I filled it with. How do you pack your skincare for shorter stays?

Estée Lauder Gift With Purchase at Macy's

2011-09-23T09:36:00.000-07:00

Hello lovelies! Just a quick note before work today: there's a great 7-piece GWP (Gift With Purchase) waiting for you at Macy's if you spend over $35 on Estée Lauder products. It's such a great deal, and I also got another full-size lipstick when I made my purchase, so hurry!

Continuing with the steals, I actually got myself a Double Wear Make-up Lesson kit, which retails for $37.50. The set contains a full-size Double Wear Light foundation (choice of 6 shades), a full-size Spotlight Skin Perfector, which is an in-between make-up and skincare product, a mini Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear concealer matching your shade of foundation, a foundation brush and a make-up lesson CD (not so great, but might be helpful to absolute beginners).

I haven't tested these products yet (I'm waiting for my tinted moisturizer to run out), but I'm very curious about how these products perform and will definitely let you know once I start using them. I think that for $37.50, it's a great buy, considering that the foundation alone retails for $35. I just love those high-end bundle deals, I wish more brands did them - well, I actually have one more coming, if you want to hear about it.

What deals have you scored recently?

My Jewelry Storage

2011-09-14T09:36:00.000-07:00

I've always loved coming up with different storage solutions; as a little girl, I had a whole collection of various size and shape boxes I used to store my trinkets (and then, piles upon piles of mess on the floor that my mum would go mad about). I enjoy looking at storage ideas on other blogs, so I thought that maybe you'd like to see how I store my jewelry - before I pluck up the courage to show you my whole vanity table/ dresser.

Here's a sneak peek at my vanity; I'm sorry the photos turned out a bit dark, but I guess that's a common problem in apartments in the Seattle area! The dresser is from Ikea Malm range in the birch veneer finish, the same as the rest of our bedroom furniture. The desk also comes with a glass top, but I didn't like the look of it, so bare wood it is. As you can see, I have the bulk of my jewelry in the shallow vanity drawer.

I hang some of the dangly/tangly necklaces and bangles on the cork pin board above my vanity. You can't see it in the photo, but the board has a white dandelions design that is pretty enough to make me feel sorry about covering it with my cards and photos. I got it at the Container Store about a year ago.

Above are two views of my jewelry drawer from opposing ends. In one end, I keep all of my eyeshadow palettes (see the stack of black palettes on the left in the first photo?), then two transparent acrylic containers filled with necklaces and earrings, a drawer organizer box with bangles and bracelets, pins, hair clips and head bands, and some travel make-up bags and brush cases (top of the second photo). All containers/organizers are from the Container Store.

This is the bigger acrylic container where I keep chunky statement necklaces, glass beads and earrings. I don't have enough space to keep everything laid out so most of my necklaces are layered on top of one another, but I can more or less remember where I keep specific pieces.

This is the smaller container where I keep silver and gold earrings and necklaces (umm, and empty eyeshadow pans for pressing?!), pearls and semi-precious stone bead necklaces. This is probably my most worn jewelry, most days I opt for delicate chain necklaces.

I keep my stud earrings in this small box. I try to pin pairs together so that they're easier to find in the morning. I wear these a lot having short hair now. Dangly earrings with short hair are a big statement!

Lastly, this is the drawer organizer with my bangles and hair accessories. My drawer being very shallow and opening only half way, this box is a bit difficult to access, but I also don't reach for most of these pieces very often - I'm having some trouble trying to figure out how to wear head bands with my current haircut.

And that's it! I also keep my more expensive jewelry in their respective boxes at the back of the drawer. I hope you liked this little tour of my jewelry drawer :) How do you store your jewelry and accessories?

Review: Love Alpha Frozen Jelly Eyeshadow

2011-09-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

Love Alpha Frozen Jelly Eyeshadow in Rose Pink is another part of my foray into the world of Asian make-up, and the possibly the weirdest eyeshadow texture I have ever come across; literally, it's a thick jelly. I don't really see the 'frozen' part, but it does feel quite cooling on the skin, and the sparkles look very icy, so maybe that's it?

I find the packaging very cute: the outer box is made of nice satin cardboard with vintage patterns and product description. The jar itself is transparent plastic with a plastic silver cap; a bit over the top, but fun nonetheless. The gel/ jelly eyeshadow inside is a sheer light pink base packed full of fine iridescent glitter, which turns gold, silver, pink and lime green in the light. Pretty!

On the skin, the eyeshadow applies as a wash of glitter particles with no base color and feels slightly tacky to the touch. The glitter seems to stick pretty well so there's minimal fallout, and when applied on bare skin, gives somewhat of a wet look. It also works well both under or on top of a powder eyeshadow.

Overall, I think Love Alpha Frozen Jelly Eyeshadow is an interesting alternative to loose glitters: it sticks well, so there's no need for an additional base/ primer. The glitter is fine enough so that it looks quite subtle, and lasts well on the eyes. What is your favorite glitter eyeshadow, ladies?

Disclaimer: The eyeshadow was provided to me for review consideration by kkcenterhk.com. I am not compensated to feature it on my blog nor am I affiliated with the brand. All opinions are my own and 100% honest, as always!

Overview: Natural Acne Remedies

2011-09-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

Do not fret, my dears, I haven't switched to food blogging! This is part deux of my spot treatments overview (check out the first part here), this time focusing on natural acne remedies. Obviously, the list is not exhaustive, these are just some of the things I've tried over the years that did and did not work for me. I hope this helps, most of these ingredients are inexpensive and easily found in any kitchen, so they might be worth a try!

1. Clay (in the photo: Pink Kaolin and Green Bentonite). Clay is a skincare ingredient that has been used for centuries, and for a good reason! It comes in many varieties for different skin types and is mostly added to various commercial face masks, but you can also purchase 100% pure powdered clay and make your own masks, knee packs or spot treatments. The common effect of many kinds of clay is tightening of the pores and smoothing the skin, some also help to deep clean the pores by bringing impurities to the surface. It's definitely an effective product that supports the results of other acne treatments, but I honestly doubt it would get rid of anything more than occassional spot or two on its own. I'll be reviewing a natural clay face mask very soon, so keep your eyes out for that!

2. Essential Oils (in the photo: Simplers Organic Lavender Essential Oil): You've surely heard about the acne-fighting benefits of tea tree essential oil, but there are many more than can help diminish blemishes, e.g. lavender, lemon, clary sage, even patchouli. In my experience, applying undiluted essential oils to the skin is not only unpleasant, but can also end up in a pretty nasty irritation. My favorite way of using essential oils is adding them to other skincare products: my cleansing oil blend, toner or homemade masks. Again, I do think they help fight acne when used in conjunction with other products, but don't make a drastic difference on their own.

3. Neem Oil (in the photo: Allafia Basics Neem Oil): I've already reviewed this product in detail here, but let me sum it up for you: neem oil looks nasty, smells nastier, and doesn't seem to do much for me. I know neem also comes in the form of leaf powder, so if you're considering trying it, that might be a better bet.

4. Plain Yogurt (in the photo: FAGE Total 2% Greek Yogurt): Apart from being yummy and nutritious, yogurt can also be an effective acne treatment; if you want to know why, read Brilliant Farmgirl's post on yogurt face packs. What I like about putting yogurt on my face is that it's so cooling and soothing, and my face looks calmer and more hydrated afterwards (this is why it's also awesome on sunburns). I feel that yogurt helps more with redness than pimples, but I still like this method a lot and use it occassionally.

5. Lemon Juice (or other acidic liquids, like Apple Cider Vinegar): Careful, lovelies! Lemon juice has the pH level just above battery acid and can indeed feel like the latter on your skin (i.e., it BURNS). I completely do not recommend putting undiluted lemon juice on your breakouts, it's painful, makes the blemishes angry, and will probably result in peeling. The citric acid in lemons can help exfoliate your skin, but better use it in conjunction with other ingredients.

6. Honey (in the photo: Wedderspoon Organic 100% Raw Manuka Honey Active 16+): Well, I'll be the first to admit that I love honey in general, but it's also a fantastic skincare ingredient. Honey, especially Manuka honey, has hydrogen peroxide antibacterial properties, on top of being a humectant (moisture-binding ingredient). It does help calm cystic blemishes, as well as heals cracked and dry skin (for example, on the lips). If you haven't tried it already, what are you waiting for?

I hope you enjoyed this little overview of natural acne remedies and maybe found some new ideas to try out. Let me know in the comments below what is your favorite natural acne fighter!

$25 Apothica Giftcard Giveaway Winner!

2011-09-06T16:35:00.000-07:00

Hello my lovelies, just a quick (and very belated) post today to let you know the winner of my Apothica giveaway! Soo, [drumroll], the winner of $25 Apothica giftcard is...

Number 14: Dee!

Congratulations, Dee! Please check your inbox for an email from me :)

Thanks for participating, everyone! I have to say I was a bit underwhelmed by the number of entries, I'm not sure whether the rules for entering were too complicated (which I have no influence on since they're devised by the sponsor) or is it simply that the blogosphere is saturated already with all the giveaways? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, I'd love your input! Have a wonderful Tuesday, dears.

Rocaille Swatches: Ten Taupe Eyeshadows

2011-08-31T20:14:00.000-07:00

Taupe is probably the shade I'm most drawn to in eyeshadow, and I have amassed quite a collection. All taupe eyeshadows that I own seem unique to me, obviously, but I guess you could find some approximate dupes below and save yourself some pennies. I've tried to make the photos as color accurate as possible for you, and I think they turned out pretty close. Enjoy!

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Skinny Jeans (on the right) is obviously not a taupe; what was I thinking?

1. Barry M Dazzle Dust in 'Mushroom' (no. 51): a frosty medium taupe purple (more photos here).
2. Wet'n'Wild Lid Shade from the 'Silent Treatment' trio: a pearly cool medium taupe purple.
3. Wet'n'Wild Lid Shade from the 'We're Blasting Off' Limited Edition 'Dream Weavers' Collection trio: a pearly light to medium taupe lilac (more photos here and an eye look here).

4. MAC Veluxe Pearl Eyeshadow in 'Satin Taupe': a pearly medium to dark purplish taupe.
5. Inglot Pearl Eyeshadow in no. 402: a pearly medium silvery taupe (more photos here).
6. e.l.f. Custom Eyeshadow in 'Moondust': a satin medium brown taupe (more photos here).
7. Accessorize Taupe Shade from the 'High Maintenance' Baked Duo: a shimmery medium to dark silvery taupe (more photos here).

8. Urban Decay Shimmer/Metallic Eyeshadow in 'Toasted': a shimmery rosy brown with a tinge of taupe (ok, maybe not really).
9. Cover Girl Eye Enhancers Single Eyeshadow in 'Tapestry Taupe': a shimmery light to medium taupe silver with silver glitter.
10. Urban Decay Eyeshadow in 'Sidecar' from the Naked Palette: a shimmery medium golden taupe with silver glitter.

Well, I hope this was helpful, or at least fun to some of you like-minded taupe fanatics! What is your favorite taupe eyeshadow?

FOTD: Temps Du Décollage

2011-08-25T17:17:00.000-07:00

I'm not being all f(r)ancy-schmancy on you, it's just that I really prefer the French name of the Wet'n'Wild We're Blasting Off eyeshadow trio from the LE Dream Weavers collection; more than that, I think it's genius. I asked you a couple posts ago whether you'd like to see a look featuring these shadows, and while there was no reply, I've decided to do it anyway. This is also inspired by the Mite Perroni for NYX look that Brunette's Heart just recreated on her blog.

I've used all eyeshadows in the trio, the matte pink on the inner half of the lid, a mixture of purple taupe and sparkly aubergine/black in the crease, and the same color as a liner on the upper lash line. I've also patted some of the taupe to transition the dark shade of the crease into the pink a bit better. For highlight, I dabbed some matte cream eyeshadow in the tearduct area and lastly finished off with a coat of black mascara and Benefit Eye Bright on the lower waterline.

On the cheeks, I swirled some Bourjois Délice de Soleil bronzer just above the cheekbone, followed with NYX Mauve on the apples; on the second thought, I would have used something more fuschia though. The lips are NYX Mega Shine Lipgloss in Dolly Pink.

I have to admit that my hands just itched to retouch the many blemishes I've been fighting this past couple of weeks, which are also the reason for a lack of posts featuring more adventurous looks. I haven't been feeling it recently on the blog front, and all in all August was a rather difficult month for me. I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel though, so fingers crossed for some progress! I also promise to announce the winner of the Apothica giveaway very soon. How's August been for you, my dears?

NOTD: Opal Frostbite

2011-08-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what came over me, but I guess that in my longing for fall shades I went straight to winter hues. Because it's what this manicure reminds me of: wintery nights with snow glistening in the moonlight. That, or a figure skater's outfit.

I've swatched China Glaze Frostbite before on this blog and it's still one of my favorite pick-me-up shades. The color is just so vibrant and perfect, I so love this shade of blue! The application's a breeze too. This time however, I've decided to jazz it up even further by applying an ombre-esque glitter effect with the help of Sinful Colors Opal Glitter (yes, the name is rather self-exaplanatory).

Indirect natural daylight

I've wanted to achieve a gradual intensity of glitter starting from none at the nail bed and a whole lot at the tip, but I guess my Opal Glitter wasn't really up for the job due to not enough glitter particles in the polish. I had to apply 4 coats, and the effect is still not very visible. Oh well, does anyone have good cheap glitter nail polish recommendations? As you can see in the photo, my topcoat was also playing tricks on me and the surface of the nail is far too uneven and not shiny enough.

Direct sunlight

I think I'll continue with my glitter explorations, this was so much fun even despite the aforementioned shortcomings. What is your favorite glitter nail design?

Rocaille Redes: Styling Short Hair

2011-08-18T17:22:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I hacked my long hair off last December was that, honestly, I could not be bothered to style it. I loved texturized beachy waves look but was never able to achieve it: my hair would get oily at the roots, dry at the ends and just lay flat on my scalp. It was just a mess I would pull back into a ponytail and try to forget about.

The situation did change with a short haircut. Most days, I was forced to style it somehow to avoid bed head (not the cute kind my husband tends to get) and it was also so much quicker than styling long hair. Through trial and error, I found some products that work really well with my straight fine, but abundant hair, so if your style is short and you're looking for something new to incorporate into your routine, stay tuned.

1. I wash my hair every day/ every two days with TIGI Bed Head Urban Antidotes Damage Level 2 Recovery Shampoo. The shampoo is aimed at dry, damaged hair, which my hair is definitely not. Here's the trick though: I don't condition my hair. My tresses being oily, the conditioner would weigh down the short hair, and with frequent visits to the salon, I've yet to see any damage to the ends. Plus, the TIGI shampoo is also a hit with the Mister :)

2. When I remember (which is not often), I spritz some TRESemme 24 Hour Body Root Boosting Spray/ massage in some TRESemme Naturals Lightweight Mousse into damp, towel dried hair. I only use a little bit, mostly at the front section to give it more body and texture for further styling. I then go on my day (or night), letting my hair air dry, which only takes about 30-40 minutes.

3. Now, the fun part: styling. My absolute favorite for styling my pixie is the Ojon Tunu Elastik Flexible Finishing Paste, partly because it smells like... chai tea. Awesome! The product contains natural latex and when you rub it between your fingers, you can see lots of tiny fibers appearing (see the photo below). After warming it in my hands, I massage it mostly onto the roots, avoiding the fringe, which gets oily the fastest. I like to have my hair voluminous on top and sleek on the sides, a bit like a fauxhawk, and this product is perfect for that without making your hair scrunchy, stiff or greasy.

If I still feel like adding more volume, I reach for Aussie Aussome Volume Maximum Hold Hair Spray and spray it directly on the roots for added lift. And, on the second day hair, I still like to use my TRESemme Freshstart Dry Shampoo, it gives a lot (and I mean A LOT) of volume and not much of a residue, provided that you brush it out well.

Here you have it! It may look complicated in writing, but really, I don't spend on my hair probably more than 10 minutes a day, including washing. I hope this helped some of you, lovely short haired gals! Let me know in the comments your favorite products for styling short hair.

Review: Bath & Body Works Paris Amour Fragrance Mist

2011-08-16T19:42:00.000-07:00

I've gone a bit fragrance crazy recently, mostly under the influence of Victoria from EauMG. While I can't really justify another serious perfume purchase given the size of my collection, I decided to make use of a Bath & Body Works coupon and basically got their newest release, Paris Amour, for free.

First of all, I really do like the packaging. Yes, the spray bottle is made of plastic, but it's quite elegant in its simplicity and the functionality is great, it fits well in my small hand for a quick spray and the lid doesn't come off when least expected, which is especially important for something you might want to carry in your (beach) bag for top-ups.

Now, onto the most important aspect: the fragrance itself. Paris Amour is described as a romantic, bubbly blend of white tulips and pink champagne. Obviously, the description conjures a beautiful image, but does the fragrance do it justice?

In a way, it does. The simplicity of the combination comes through the fragrance, and what I mostly get from the mist is a refreshing, feminine floral without much of a body. The champagne note is rather subtle, but playful, and I swear I get some red fruit from it as well, but I might be under the impression that this somehow plays off Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne. To be honest, it's a bit too sweet to convey the tulip note faithfully as it lacks some of that water green aspect, but hey, it's a freakin' fragrance mist from Bath & Body Works. In comparison to other tulip fragrances, it's much fresher and zesty than Tocca Giulietta, and much younger than Avon Incandessence, which interestingly enough I happened to love when I was 13. Paris Amour dries down to a more creamy, barely there vanilla musk sort of affair.

All in all, I do like this. I bought the mist intending to wear it on the stay-at-home days, and it does fulfill its purpose. In terms of longevity, I'd say I get around 1-2 hours wear, and the scent is quite delicate throughout. What baffles me is why BBW chose to release Paris Amour now, it strikes me as much more of a spring fragrance... but I still bought it, right?

What is your favorite scent from Bath & Body Works... or a favorite floral?

P.S. Don't forget to enter my $25 Apothica Giftcard giveaway, it ends very soon!

Haul of Sorts

2011-08-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

A couple posts back, I did mention that I picked up a few goodies in California, or, more precisely, Petaluma Outlet Stores. The CCO wasn't very impressive make-up wise compared to the one in Tulalip, but I still managed to find something I liked... and then I scored some other finds here and there as well.

Starting with skincare, I went a bit crazy for sunscreen this summer. I'm still favoring mineral, as natural and simple as possible products, so with this in mind I picked up two sunscreens to carry with me. The California Baby Sunblock Stick SPF 30+ is perfect for the areas on my body where I tend to forget to put on sunscreen, as well as for topping up. The Peter Thomas Roth Oily Problem Skin Instant Mineral SPF 30 is what I use on my face to reapply during the day.

Now that we got skincare out of the way, make-up goodies! The two Pop Beauty products in the photos, Eye Cake in Bright Greens and Tan in a Pan in Butterscotch Bronze, were kindly sent to me by Delyteful Speaks as a prize in her giveaway. I'm not a great fan of green eyeshadow on me, but this I can work with! The bronzer is fantastic and comes with a beautiful powder highlighter. I also picked up another bottle of Wet'n'Wild nail polish, this time in amazing duochrome Gray's Anatomy shade - a bit like MAC Vex in a polish form! I decided to stock up on concealer too, and ordered Becca Compact Concealer in Sherbet; can't wait to start using it!

Last but not least, my little California haul: I found this amazing Stila E! Live from the Red Carpet palette at a Saks Off Fifth Avenue store and just had to have it! It gives Urban Decay Naked Palette a serious run for the money. It came with the Stila Lip Glaze in Guava, which I have to admit I'm not a big fan of - is it supposed to be so gloopy? At the CCO, I got my first ever Lancome Juicy Tubes in Rio Mango for $5. It's practically clear, rather thick and smells more of fruit candy than mango, but I still reach for it a lot.

If you're wondering about the different background, it's another California find: a vintage Oscar de La Renta silk scarf from the 80s I bought at a secondhand store in Sonoma. This color blue is my personal favorite and I think the scarf is simply beautiful; plus, it's the first designer piece in my wardrobe! I hope you enjoyed the haul and please let me know in the comments which products you would like to read a review of. Have a wonderful weekend!

Rocaille of the Day: The Perfect Summer Dress

2011-08-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if I professed my love for dresses before on this blog, but I do love how easy they are to wear; you just throw them on, add some accessories and you're out the door. I don't wear my collection of frocks nearly as often as I'd like in this climate, but even in Washington we sometimes get sunny weekends!

I scored this number on sale at Promod, a store that I possibly miss the most here in the US. The dress is everything I love in a summer garment: beautiful light fabric, simple design, flattering and comfortable. I paired it with last year's flip flops, an H&M leather belt and my trusty purple sunglasses.

Well, there's nothing particularly special about this outfit, but I guess I just wanted to show you my favorite dress of the season. What have you been wearing lately?

Overview: Spot Treatments

2011-08-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

What a better time to give you a little overview of all different spot treatments I have in my posession than when I am particularly spotty? See, there must be at least one good thing about the mess happening on my face lately, and that is to throw in my two cents about different pimple fighters so you could choose something which actually works for a change.

Before I start, I'd like to recommend great skincare videos by the fabulous Dr. Schultz over at DermTV because I'm going to throw in some TERMINOLOGY here to make matters more ~~unnecessarily complicated~~ precise. My overview will focus on key acne-fighting over-the-counter ingredients and how exactly they work for my skin, with specific products given as examples.

1. Benzoyl Peroxide (Bioelements Breakout Control Emergency Blemish Lotion). One of the two most common anti-acne ingredients, Benzoyl Peroxide works as an oxidizing agent on the acne-causing bacteria and increases cell turnover to help prevent blocked pores. The downside is that it is fairly drying and irritating, plus once you stop using it, your acne will come right back as it doesn't increase your body's ability to fight the bacteria. On my skin, it works best for tiny whiteheads on my forehead (mostly the result of too much head scratching) and small pustules and doesn't do much more than dry the spot out on bigger hormonal cysts.

2. Salicylic Acid & other AHA/BHA/LHA acids (La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo Corrective and Unclogging Anti-Imperfection Care). Salicylic and other acids fight acne by encouraging the sloughing of dead skin cells, thus unclogging your pores. Downside, it is quite irritating and might also feel drying, in which case I would recommend switching to glycolic acid. On my skin, various acids work best on non-inflammatory acne (whiteheads and blackheads) and also help fade post-acne scarring tremendously.

3. Sulfur (Mario Badescu Drying Lotion and Drying Cream). From my research, it seems that science is still not sure how exactly sulfur helps fight acne, other than it might have a similar keratolytic effect to salicylic acid. In my experience, the MB Drying Lotion works best on inflammatory pustules (with a white head), while Drying Cream performs better on papules (no head) and cysts. Actually, both of these products are a bit more complex and contain a number of anti-acne ingredients, such as calamine, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, but for clarity's sake I bundled them up here. A little tip: don't bother buying the full-size Drying Cream, I have had this sample for 4 months and it's not even half empty.

4. Herbal Remedies (Angel Face Botanicals Blemish Soother). This here is a 75% organic serum containing jojoba oil and a mix of essential oils: tea tree, lavender, sage and bergamot. I'm planning on writing a separate post on natural acne remedies, but decided to give this store-bought concotion a little review here. This actually works quite well on bigger cysts as it soothes the inflammation without excessive dryness. I also like to put it on any marks other blemishes might have left behind. It's worth a try, but to be completely honest I do think you can make your own pimple potion at home by blending a base oil of your choice with a couple favorite essential oils.

I hope this short overview has maybe given you an idea of what could work on your skin without resorting to the trip to a dermatologist, which is recommended if your acne is anything worse than mild to moderate. What are your favorite spot treatments?

Review: CUICU Eyeshadow Palette

2011-08-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

I'd always been curious about Asian make-up with its cute designs and great formulations, but too confused really to venture out and actually get something. So when I was given the opportunity to review the CUICU Soft & Shiny Eyeshadow Palette ($6.30), I thought it'd be somewhat of a foothold for me in the great world of Asian cosmetics and I'd be able to experience what the fuss is all about.

CUICU Eyeshadow Palette is definitely a well-designed, fun neutral palette. The plastic packaging feels very sturdy, houses a small mirror inside (quite like the Laura Geller Blush-n-Brighten compacts), two sponge-tip applicators and, of course, 5 eyeshadows pressed in the diamond shape. How cute!

All shades are neutral and shimmery, with the exception of the bottom shade (it seems to have some gold sparkles running through it but swatches matte). And yes, true to their name, the eyeshadows are 'soft & shiny'. They're smooth, pigmented and quite long-lasting. No complaints on the formula front from me!

Well, ok, my only complaint would be the shade selection. Firstly, I really wish there were more matte eyeshadows in the palette, and secondly, that copper really seems quite out of place, even though the shadow itself is beautiful. I'm also not a huge fan of the pearly white highlight, I was hoping for something more subtle... Oh yes, I am nit-picking now.

See how nicely they swatch? My favorites are actually the deep olive green (similar to Urban Decay Darkhorse), the antique gold (Wet'n'Wild Dancing in the Clouds trio top shade) and the mid-tone matte brown, for which I couldn't find a dupe in my collection but kind of reminds me of caffe latte.

Here's an eye look I attempted using all five shades in the palette. While I'm not particularly happy with how this one turned out, it demonstrates how saturated and smooth the colors are. I'm actually so impressed with the quality of this little palette that I think I need to investigate Asian make-up further. What are your favorite Asian brands?

Disclaimer: The eyeshadow palette was provided to me for review consideration by kkcenterhk.com. I am not compensated to feature it on my blog nor am I affiliated with the brand. All opinions are my own and 100% honest, as always!

My Favorite Sunless Tans

2011-08-02T09:27:00.000-07:00

Since my obsession with skincare and make-up started, I've learnt to embrace my pale, freckled skin and now would never fry in the UV rays to get a dark bronzed skin like I used to. Still, each summer I crave just that subtle hint of color which goes so well with satured fruity hues of the season. In order to achieve that, I rely on my trusty sunless tanners, Yves Rocher Tiare Moisturizing Lotion and Xen-Tan Deep Bronze Luxe Weekly Self-Tan in Dark.

Yves Rocher Self-Tanner Moisturizing Lotion Face & Body with Tiare (Tahitian Gardenia) is a great gradual tanner I like to use on my body. It's a quite thin white lotion with a beautiful floral scent with a hint of coconut, perfect for the summer. The product is packed with moisturizing ingredients: glycerin, coconut oil and sesame oil as well as soothing blue agave, anti-aging mangiferin and of course tiare flower extract. It is a bit too sticky to be used on the face, but does a great job of prepping my legs and shoulders for the summer dresses. The shade of the tan is very realistic on me, quite warm but not orangey; as for the DHA smell, yes, it is there after approx. 3 hours, but I've yet to find a self-tanner which doesn't have it at all.

Xen-Tan Deep Bronze Luxe Weekly Self-Tan with Instant Color for Face & Body in Dark (sample tube pictured above) is well-known among beauty fanatics, and for a reason. This deliciously creme brulee scented lotion imparts a wonderful sunny glow without streaks or splotches and is also enriched with glycerin, hazel oil, jojoba oil and peanut oil for hydration as well as aloe vera and vitamins C & E for added skincare benefits. As lazy as I am, I have to say that the vanillary smell is a definite incentive when applying. I use this for my face mixed in with a dollop of a moisturizer to dilute the color a bit on my light complexion (thanks for the tip, Musing on Beauty!). The shade is somewhat more olive-toned than the Yves Rocher, but still works very well with my skin.

So far my only gripe with these two is that with quite intense exfoliation that my skin requires at the moment, the effect these two product gives never lasts more than 2-3 days, which practically means I don't bother with them on a daily basis, though I like having them in my stash for those times when I need them. What are your favorite sunless tanners?

July Favorites

2011-07-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

One reason for not posting my montly favorites every month, apart from my awful absent-mindedness, is the fact that I rarely amass enough goodies to show you. This time, however, I've got some pretty fabulous beauty and not beauty-related things to share, so here goes!

1. ZARA Black Peony EDT. Slightly less sugar sweet and definitely less expensive dupe to Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb. I do so love this flowery punch with a hint of black tea, I just wished it lasted longer on the skin! Still, Black Peony makes me feel very feminine with a vintage edge, you know, the kind of perfume that goes well with swishy skirts, statement lipstick and high heels. Rock on!

2. Bourjois Délice de Poudre Bronzing Powder no.52. I've already boasted its virtues in my Warsaw haul, and it's still a strong favorite even after a mishap with a greasy sunscreen ruining the top layer. This does have some golden specks running through it, but looks completely matte on the skin. Perfect when paired with Xen-Tan Dark Weekly Self-Tan.

3. Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman Buffing Brush & Contour Brush from the Core Collection set. The buffing brush is possibly the most multi-purpose brush I have in my collection: I've used it to set my make-up with powder, to apply powder foundation, to apply cream foundation, to apply bronzer and to apply blush - anything face make-up related, it does the job! The contour brush is great for precise blush placement, and both brushes are high quality and a pleasure to use.

4. Wet'n'Wild Coloricon Eyeliner in Bronzed. Really, $0.99?! It's fantastic! I love it for one-product eye looks, and this particular shade subtly defines my eyes without becoming too noticeable. It kinda matches my hair color, too...

5. INGLOT Freedom System Eyeshadows in no.142 (AMC Shine) and no.349 (Matte). I was lacking a good warm medium grey for the crease, and no.349 is exactly what I was looking for. The sparkly light neutral, no.142, could be classified as a duochrome; it looks more cream in the pan, but flashes gorgeous pink sparkles when light hits it at a right angle.

6. Sleek Pout Polish SPF15 Tinted Lip Conditioner in Pink Cadillac. There's not much else to say other than it's a handbag favorite that makes me look fresh and flirty even when I'm dead tired. There are not that many shades which can do that, huh?

7. Laura Geller Blush-n-Brighten in Apricot Berry. I received this in my June Birchbox and couldn't be happier; it's one of those bronzer-slash-blusher hybrids that look amazing on a slightly tanned skin. What's more, I can't ignore how beautiful this looks in the pan, and the packaging is rather neat too.

8. Allafia Shea Butter Body Milk in Vanilla Almond scent. I've ignored this body lotion for a good while, absorbed in other moisturizers, but came right back as soon as my eczema flared up again. It soothes, it conditions, it leaves my skin smelling of orange marzipan. Read more about the brand here.

9. AHAVA Deadsea Water Mineral Hand Cream. Again, a Birchbox deluxe sample, great for carrying around in your purse. I love how quickly it sinks in and how comfortable it makes my skin feel. I got my mum a set of AHAVA Dermud creams for her name day, and she loved them too.

10. BIODERMA Hydrabio H2O Cleansing Micelle Solution for Sensitive Dehydrated skin. I'm sorry to be such a tease, I got this on my trip to Poland. I grabbed it over the hyped-up Sensibio purely because this one was almost 50% off at the time, and it works just as great as the pink version. It also really does leave your skin feeling hydrated, if a bit sticky!

11. Isabel Allende 'Island Beneath the Sea', a novel. I've proclaimed my love for Isabel Allende's books before, so obviously I grabbed this when I saw it at my local library. I'm missing a bit of the magic from Eva Luna books, but 'Island Beneath the Sea' is still a wonderful read, however not really for the beach.

12. My Pandora bracelet. I was gifted three new charms on my visit in Poland by my family, and I wear it more often than any other bracelet I have in my possession. It is becoming a little heavy, but I like that each of the beads is linked to a different memory in my mind, it does remind me a lot of my family in Poland.

13. Target T-shirts. Is it just me, or does Target really have fantastic and inexpensive tees? Every time I'm at Target I pick one up, and I couldn't resist this peachy flowery number while on vacation in California. It's just so soft and comfortable...

Ufff, that was a long list, but I hope you enjoyed! Let me know in the comments below what you've been loving this month.

Giveaway: $25 Apothica Giftcard! CLOSED

2011-07-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

Time for the giveaway I've been working on, lovely peeps! For my first giveaway, I teamed up with folks at Apothica.com, home to many high-end make-up and skincare brands, including La Roche Posay! Given that my review on the LRP Effaclar Duo acne treatment ranks among the most read posts on my blog, I figured this might be of interest to you, especially that La Roche Posay is so difficult to find elsewhere.

La Roche Posay, a French skincare brand named after a small village abundant in thermal selenium-rich spring water, has been a hit among European beauty fanatics for a long time. It was also the first skincare brand recommended to me by a dermatologist in my teens, but my mum is also a great fan, so there's something for everybody in the line. I especially recommend their Anthelios sunscreen line, the Effaclar line for acne-prone skins and of course their Micellar Solution!

Now, the important part! All you need to do is complete one of the options listed below and let me know about it in the comments together with your email address/ Twitter account so that I can contact you if you win. Here's how you can enter:

Option 1: Facebook
1. Visit Apothica.com
2. Write on Apothica’s Facebook wall about what you think of Apothica
Bonus: Opt in to Apothica’s Newsletter (at the bottom of the home page)

Option 2: Twitter
1. Visit Apothica.com
2. Tweet about Apothica on your own Twitter Account
Bonus: Retweet Apothica’s tweet about this giveaway

Option 3: Blog
1. Visit Apothica.com
2. Write something on your blog about what you think of Apothica
Bonus: Write about La Roche Posay and link it to Apothica

You're only required to do one of the above, and if you also choose to do the bonus part, you'll get two entries. The contest is open internationally until August 18 2011, but please note that Apothica does not ship to every country. The winner will be chosen at random, announced on my blog and contacted by Apothica to verify their information before emailing the giftcard code, which can be spent on anything your little heart desires on Apothica.com, SkinCareRx.com or SkinBotanica.com. Isn't that fabulous?

You can go enter now, but remember to come back and leave me a comment :) Good luck to everyone!

WA Readers, Wet'n'Wild Dream Weavers is here!

2011-07-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post today to let you know that the LE Wet'n'Wild Dream Weavers 2011 collection is finally here! Here meaning specifically Bartell Drugs stores; I got mine at Bellevue Village and there was still a decent amount left. What's more, the full line of Wet'n'Wild is 50% off this week at Bartell's, so hurry!

I actually went looking for Dream Weavers on Monday at RiteAid, which currently has Wet'n'Wild Buy One Get One 50% Off sale. Not only I didn't find it, but I also got rained on on the way... So I was furious when Mr told me afterwards his toothpaste run out and I needed to go to a drugstore again. And so yesterday I trotted off to Bartell Drugs to find not only the entire Dream Weavers collection, but also the Gilded Age trio I've been lusting after and thought impossible to get, all of it half price! Major make-up shopping success, all thanks to my husband's forgetfulness.

A quick tip: I hate those stickers they put on those palettes, because they leave a lot of glue on the packaging after you peel them off! To remove the residual glue, use a bit of rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad and swipe the packaging clean. Works a treat!

For swatches and other locations where Wet'n'Wild Dream Weavers collection has been spotted, visit Nouveau Cheap. Also, I usually write about my sale finds on Twitter, so follow me! My initial impression is that all the three trios are absolutely fabulous, and I'm thinking of doing a look with them... Interested?

Rocaille of the Day: Alki Beach

2011-07-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

The weather gods have blessed us with gorgeous weather this past weekend and altogether, me and Mr visited three different nearby beaches; but there was no sunbathing! Of course I took the opportunity and dressed in feminine skirts and dresses for a change, and this is my Saturday outfit:

You may remember this skirt from this post last year, and as you can see, it's still my favorite. This time I paired it with a grey Promod top I scored on sale, a wide black belt from Carry (also on sale) and my sequined ballet flats. I was planning on wearing a pair of wedge sandals, but there was too much walking involved.

In other blog news, I'm still working on a giveaway for ya and it should be up very soon, so stay tuned! I'm also dying to show you my July favorites, again it's been a long time since I last posted those.

How was your weekend?

Hauling in Warsaw: Nail Polish

2011-07-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

The last part to my little Hauling in Warsaw series... But don't be sad, my dears, of course I picked up some things in California and I promise to show and tell :) Now, onto the nail polish goodness: many Polish cosmetics brands make fabulous and cheap polishes, and I couldn't resist getting some of the old favorites and trying out new ones. What I noticed this time is that Polish brands are really on top of their game, releasing trendy shades just as fast as American brands, and I haven't seen that before!

In the photo we have: 1 Inglot Nail Enamel, 2 Vipera Jumpy Nail Polishes, 2 Wibo polishes from 2 different lines and 1 Essence polish (it's a German grand, btw) which was accompanied by a teal glitter top coat, but I only grabbed the base color.

I've already used 4 of them and only didn't like Wibo Express Growth polish no. 328 (apricot) in terms of application: it was thick, bubbly and streaky, but I used it in a very hot weather and think it deserves another chance.

Just look at that shimmery gorgeousness! These mini Vipera polishes in no.145 (purple with blue duochrome) and no.120 (emerald green) were around 4 PLN each ($1.5) and their only fault is that ridiculous name. I feel like half the time Polish cosmetic companies use English names just because they like the sound of it, without knowing what they actually mean. Anyway, I've only tried the emerald green flecks so far, looked great in 2 coats and lasted pretty well too.

Onto the metallic goodness... I got Inglot no.962 (metallic grey with a hint of purple) still having in mind that Les Perles de Chanel collection from spring this year; I've got Revlon Black With Envy to dupe the Black Pearl, and I remember there being another lighter grey pearl in the eyeshadow palette that I thought would look great on the nails in the fall/winter season. The Wibo Extreme Nails no.99 is a winner in terms of ease of application (flat brush) and longevity; I had it on my nails for 10 days (sic!) and while it wore out at the tips, it still looked pretty decent. It's a rather interesting shade, with tiny flecks of silver glimmer and bigger ones of copper shimmer.

Let me know if you want to see any of those up-close on my nails. What polishes have you been hauling lately - bright summer shades or darker fall ones?

Review: Badger SPF 30+ Sunscreen

2011-07-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

Exams and parental visits over, I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things. To ease myself into the world of blogging again, I've decided to review this Badger SPF 30+ unscented natural mineral sunscreen I'd been using on my face while in California; which better place to test it out, right?

Before I purchased this at my local Whole Foods, I went back and forth between different sunscreen options, reading a lot about sun protection in general and what to look for in a sun cream. What I gathered is that to date, mineral sunscreens (titanium dioxide & zinc oxide) have proved the safest and most effective from all substances protecting the skin from both UVA & UVB rays. Another thing to remember is that those minerals should not be in nano particles, and on top of that I wanted something with a short and natural ingredients list; hello, furry little badger carrying a baby one wearing a sun hat. How cute is that?

Click on the image to enlarge and read the full ingredients list

On the pros side, it did protect my pale skin from the sun fairly well provided that I didn't touch my face. Unfortunately, I'm still having some allergies and with frequent nose-blowing, I aquired quite a bit of freckles on the center of my face. The thick cream also feels very moisturizing, smells of cocoa (probably thanks to the cocoa butter it contains) and doesn't break me out.

Now, onto the cons. This is a very thick and very sticky cream, and I learnt this the hard way: the oils from the sunscreen transferred on my brush and subsequently ruined my Bourjois bronzer by forming a hard layer over the soft powder, which I then had to scrub away. As you see, it's not great under powder make-up, and would be way too oily for me to use under a liquid base. Another thing to take into consideration is that it leaves a substantial white film behind, and while I was able to conceal it with some foundation and blush, on my darker-skinned mom it looked very strange indeed.

All in all, I think I'll save it for my neck, chest and hands, and use the Cellnique sunscreen on my face instead. Great sunscreen, but a definite no-no for the face. Which sunscreen have you been using lately?

Hauling in Warsaw: Make-up

2011-07-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

While in Warsaw, obviously I couldn't stop myself from picking up a few products... My excuse was that 1) Inglot is so much cheaper in Poland, 2) I needed some motivation to study. So here goes!

I mostly got make-up from brands which are not easily available to me in the US, like Inglot, Bourjois and Catrice. I also got a Chanel Rouge Coco... just because I really wanted one, and it was duty free.

Isn't it pretty?

I bought six more Inglot eyeshadows, 4 matte from their new range and 2 shimmery ones (AMC Shine). I used to steer clear of their matte finish, thinking it was the worst in terms of quality; but the ones from this new range of shades are super soft, buttery smooth and well pigmented. I got the square shaped pans this time, intending to put them in a Z Palette. I'll write a separate post with swatches on these new acquisitions so that you'll be able to see them in action.

I also decided to try Inglot cream blush, this here is shade no. 88. It might have sweated a bit in transit, but it's a lovely rosy brown with a satin finish. It's a cream to powder formula, my favorite for the oily skin. The Bourjois Bronzing Powder no. 52 is the result of reading too much Suka & Spice, and yes, it is amazing (both the blog and the bronzer).

Last but not least, lipsticks! Are you wondering where that third lippie came from? I got the Rouge Coco in Sari Doré (no. 76) in the SeaTac duty-free, Catrice Ultimate Color lipstick in Call the Ambulance (no. 120) at a Warsaw subway station drugstore, and the Rouge Coco Shine in Monte Carlo (no. 62)... in the woods. I found it laying on the trail in the Olympic Peninsula this past weekend, and decided to take it. It's barely used, so I guess it should be fine after sanitizing, no?

That's it for the make-up, I wasn't actually that bad. There's still the third part of my hauling in Warsaw coming, which consists of some pretty pretty nail polish. What do you usually bring home from your travels?

FOTD: Seafoam Blues & Greens

2011-07-05T18:46:00.000-07:00

I'm actually quite ashamed to say that I took these photos almost 2 months ago and haven't had time to post them since. I'm a bit of a traveller these days, posting whenever I can squeeze in an hour of me-time, so you'll have to excuse the delay. Anyways, I realized this was probably subliminally inspired by NARS Summer 2011 collection, and I think it's still up to date in this sunny July weather.

To be completely honest, it took me a good while to apply these Ardell flares of false eyelashes... I find strip falsies much easier to apply. What is your take on flares vs full strips?

I wanted to play a bit more with my Manly 120 eyeshadow palette, and I think the shades turned out very vibrant, rather fabulous if I dare say so myself. You can check the palette out in more detail in this post. I also lined the waterline with Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on pencil in Electric. The base is Graftobian HD Glamour Creme and for the blusher, I went with La Femme Pink Velvet.

I had this weird swollen upper lip thanks to a rather nasty canker sore, and to anyone struggling with one, I do recommend taking a Vitamin B supplement, it really did help mine. Lipstick is MAC Jest, sadly discontinued.

I had lots of fun doing the look, but I would still be very hesitant to rock that blue eyeshadow anywhere else other than my living room. Do you ever wear blue shades on your eyes and if so, how do you wear them?

My Experience with the Oil Cleansing Method

2011-07-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about posting about my experiences with the OCM (oil cleansing method) for a long time, ever since I started experimenting with it after reading Mariella's post back in April. For those of you who are not in the know, I'm not talking about cleansing with an oil-based cleanser which emulsifies in water like the MAC or Shu Uemura ones, but cleansing by massaging some kind of vegetable base oil on its own into the skin, such as olive oil, and removing it with a hot muslin cloth.

What I like about the method is that I can remove all of my make-up and any other impurities with just one natural simple product. With the added essential oils, it feels very smooth and luxurious, plus you don't need a moisturizer afterwards, at least if your skin is normal to oily. But what drew me in the most is that it really does remove blackheads and plugs. If you massage the oil in for a couple minutes, you start noticing little sandy granules on your fingers, and here are your nasty plugs! I got the most of them after exfoliating with some kind of chemical peel (AHA/BHA acids).

What I don't like about the whole process is that it takes a lot of time, and also I haven't really noticed my face becoming much clearer over time. I'm still experimenting with my perfect mix of oils, but with too much castor oil, which is the ingredient that draws the impurities out of your pores, my skin becomes too dry and flaky. It's very much trial and error and you're experimenting on your own skin, which is also very time-consuming until you arrive at your ideal blend.

In case anyone's interested, my current blend is 20% castor oil, 40% jojoba oil and 40% sweet almond oil. I've also added a couple drops of Vitamin E oil to prolong the shelf life of my cleansing oil, as well as ylang ylang, lemon and lavender essential oils. I put everything in the cobalt glass bottle with a pump for ease of use. Initially, I used the method every day, but currently I cleanse with my oil every 2 or 3 days.

In other news, I've been a little bit MIA because my parents came to visit and I'm busy showing them around Seattle... I'll try posting more often, promise! I've also been featured in Become's Best of the Web series, so you can check me out there! I'm also working on the first giveaway for you, lovely readers, so stay tuned :)

Have you ever tried cleansing with an oil?

After the cut...

2011-06-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

I've been to the hairdresser, finally! It took her an hour and a half to cut my hair, but here's the final result:

You can sort of see in this photo that it's quite short with longer layers on top and a longer fringe. If I really really want, I can style it into a little mohawk, but I'm afraid it doesn't look as glamorous as Ginnifer's cut...

In case you're wondering about the black neckline and pearls, I graduated on Tuesday! In Poland, a graduation day is not in fact an official ceremony, but the day of the very final exam (the so-called defense of the thesis), after which your studies are basically done and over with :) I've graduated with honors and hold the title of MA in Applied Linguistics.

I opted for a very classic make-up with a shimmery champagne on the lid (Wet'n'Wild Walking on Eggshells trio), a mixture of Urban Decay Naked and Buck in the crease, Virgin in the inner corner and Creep as a liner. Base is Graftobian HD Glamour Creme foundation in Aurora with a bit of Buff mixed in set with MAC Blot Powder in Medium, blusher - La Femme Pink Velvet, lips - MAC Viva Glam Cyndi. The photos were taken after good 8 hours of wear, and you can see that the base lasted very well on my oily skin; I think it lasts even better than my Revlon Colorstay foundation.

I wore this simple black dress from Jake's with some black pumps borrowed from my mum, outfit documented by my dad in my parents' garden.

How was your first day of summer?

Review: e.l.f. Beauty Encyclopedia Eye Edition

2011-06-20T05:03:00.000-07:00

After I've heard some good things about e.l.f. Beauty Encyclopedias and saw a heavily discounted one in TJMaxx, I've decided it would be interesting to compare it to some other neutral eyeshadow palettes I own, particularly the famous Urban Decay Naked palette. Does the e.l.f. Encyclopedia stand the test?

The e.l.f. Beauty Encyclopedia Eye Edition comes in a sturdy cardboard packaging with a magnetic closure, a plastic film over the contents and some instructions inside the cover - it would easily survive a journey, but that plastic films keeps getting in the way. I believe this particular product must have been discontinued and replaced by various Beauty Books, which retail for $5 and are quite a similar concept; see, this review might still be helpful to some people...

Inside, there's 12 powder eyeshadows, 2 cream eyeshadows, 1 black eyeliner pencil and 1 useless sponge tip applicator. I'll be straight with you: I was pleasantly surprised by the pigmentation of these shadows. Most of them are velvety smooth, apply evenly and stay on for a long time without fading. My only gripe with these shades is that most of them contain a lot of glitter, but then it doesn't seem to move much when used with a base. The cream eyeshadows are beautiful neutral colors and stay well enough on my oily lids when used with a primer and powder eyeshadow on top. The black pencil is creamy and pigmented, but again has a lot of silver glitter, which is why, I think, they call it 'brightening'. All in all, this set really does have everything you need for quite a neutral subtle or dramatic eye look, minus the tools.

The silver glitter is particularly visible in the lighter powder eyeshadow shades, so if you like sparkly eyeshadow, this is perfect. Matte lovers should probably steer clear. My two favorite shades are in the bottom right corner: a particularly buttery taupe and a creamy bronze, both pearl finish.

As you can see, the cream eyeshadow are also very shimmery, but not in a glittery kind of way. The texture is smooth and easy to apply. The two swatches on the right show the difference in vibrancy between an eyeshadow used over a cream shadow (top) and an eyeshadow alone, no base (bottom).

Here's the look created with the eyeshadows from the palette after good 6 hours of wear. I've used my regular eyeshadow primer, one of the cream eyeshadows as a base and then a glittery peach on the lid with the taupe in the outer corner. I lined my eyes with the pencil liner and smudged it in. There is some creasing visible in the photo, but no fall-out or smudging and minimal fading.

Overall, I think this palette is a fantastic value for money and would make a great purchase for someone who travels a lot and is afraid of bringing more expensive make-up, or for someone just getting into cosmetics. Admittedly, the quality and shade selection of the UD Naked Palette is much better, but it does come with a price.

What is your favorite inexpensive eyeshadow palette?

Hauling in Warsaw: Skincare & Fragrance

2011-06-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

Finally, I got round to posting the promised skincare and fragrance haul! I have to admit that I'm not 100% happy with this post because I'm badly missing my beloved DSLR. A point-and-shoot is quite all right for quick snapshots on the trip, but for me, no longer cuts it for beauty product close-ups. Well, we'll have to live with that somehow and just focus on the products rather than the pictures.

I suffered a bad case of seriously dehydrated skin after I landed in Warsaw. I'd already had some issues with dry flakes before the trip, and the flight just added to the overall bad condition of my skin, including my face, lips and the whole body, hands and feet too. I've managed to get most of my body parts under control since thanks to various products, including Avon Foot Works Intensive Callus Cream, given to me by my mum (funnily enough, I also gave her a foot cream, but this time by Ahava). Thanks to the high contents of glycolic acid and glycerin, it really does soften dry, rough patches on my feet.

I also decided I needed a new self-tanner as I was running low on my trusted Dove gradual tanner with SPF 15. I picked up this Yves Rocher Self-Tanner Moisturizing Face & Body Lotion after reading a positive review on Brunette's Heart, a Polish beauty blog. So far, I've only used it on my face either at night or during stay-at-home days; the texture on the skin is a bit sticky and shiny, but it does moisturize quite well and the tan looks very natural, not streaky, not patchy, not too orange.

Then, I found a L'Occitane coupon in my favorite Polish women's magazine, Zwierciadło, and couldn't pass up the offer. In fact, I'd never had anything from the brand before, but heard quite a lot of good things. I picked up the 100% Pure Shea Butter in a cute little tin and plan to use it mostly on my chapped lips. I also got the purse-sized Dry Skin Hand Cream with 20% shea butter content as a gift with purchase.

The most substantial thing I bought at L'Occitane was Rose 4 Reines Eau de Toilette (20ml). As the name suggests, it's a rose perfume composed of 4 different kinds of roses, the Grasse rose, the Bulgarian rose, the Moroccan rose and the Turkish rose. I wasn't a huge fan of florals before, but this is a lovely feminine scent with a powdery finish and a surprisingly good lasting power; but more on that in a separate post which I plan to write on my perfume collection.

I also couldn't stop myself from getting Zara Black Peony Eau de Toilette (100ml), known as a good dupe for Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb at a fraction of the price, discovered thanks to Pyxiee. I've wanted Flowerbomb for the longest time, but couldn't justify the pricetag, and this came to my rescue. From what I remember, it does smell a bit different then the more expensive version, lasts for a shorter time on the skin and has quite a ridiculous packaging, but I still like it a lot (and that fabric flower can be removed from the cap).

And there you have it, a very rambly skincare and fragrance haul post. Stay tuned for the make-up haul!

A Sunday Trip to Mazovia

2011-06-14T06:34:00.000-07:00

My blog's stats are telling me that not all of you, dear readers, are acquainted with Poland and Polish culture; otherwise I would probably be writing this in Polish. I don't often mention here much about my heritage, but when I've had, many of you seemed to be genuinely interested. This is why I've decided to share my Sunday trip and show you some beautiful places in Mazovia, which is a central region in Poland where I had lived before moving across the pond.

On Sunday, me and my parents first headed out to Żelazowa Wola, the birthplace of Polish pianist and composer Frederic Chopin (this is especially for you, Citrine!). We'd all been to the museum when still in school, but let me tell you, a lot has changed since then. The Chopin's family mansion and the surrounding garden are well maintained and beautiful at this time of the year, and small strategically placed speakers play beautiful music composed by Chopin as you stroll between the trees.

Then, through fields blooming with red poppies and blue loggerheads, we drove on to Nieborów to see a barocco palace and a park, which used to be owned by one of the most powerful noble families in Poland, the Radziwiłłs. The palace is unique in that it retained its original decor and furnishings and wasn't plundered during WWII, unlike most Polish historical sites. The park features many ponds and alleys, but most of all, beautiful old trees, like the plane tree in the photo below.

We then had to make a stop for dinner, which was traditional Polish cuisine, something we don't enjoy that often. I had delicious pierogi with lentil and minced meat filling, yummy!

The last place we visited was Arkadia, a romantic English garden founded in the 18th century by Helena Radziwiłłowa. The most interesting aspect of the park are faux ruins, like the aquaduct pictured below, which were all the rage at the time. Walking through the park, we managed to burn off some of that pierogi we had earlier!

The trip was fantastic and I'd recommend it to anyone visiting central Poland and especially Warsaw, since it's so different from the hustle and bustle of the capital. I was supposed to be studying for my exams on Sunday, but I'm glad we escaped to the countryside, it was lovely and peaceful.

Let me know if you liked this little peek of Poland and whether you'd like to see more, I could sneak in some photos of Warsaw if you like!

My Beauty Blogger's Code of Conduct

2011-06-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

In over two years of blogging, I've always been following my inner compass when it comes to what is acceptable and respectable in the beauty blogging world. I know this is a very personal matter and what I find dubious may seem crystal clear to you, but I just thought I could throw in my two cents here and let you know my thoughts.

taken from http://etiquetteforalady.tumblr.com/

1. Respect your readers. What I mean is that my priority will always be to you, which is why I will not join any affiliate programs or do sponsored posts on here, and I will always let you know whenever I accept products for review consideration. Additionally, I always strive for the best possible quality on my blog and will continue on improving the content, so that you'll be able to enjoy it even more!

2. Be faithful to yourself. I blog equally for myself as I do for you, and I will always post only what I feel like posting; I won't let either brands or popularity affect my writing. I accept that my readers might not find all my posts equally interesting, but I enjoy writing them all the same!

3. Don't (over)promote. I will never organize a giveaway on my blog aimed at increasing the number of readers, nor will I leave links to the website on other people's blogs. For this reason, I've debated joining Twitter for the longest time, but now really like it for the opportunity to keep in touch with my blog friends and readers. I feel that if someone would like to look for my blog, there is plenty of ways to find it without me needing to advertise my little blogging space.

4. Give back. Whenever I start watching the numbers of followers too closely, I go look for some new blogs to follow myself. Whenever I feel like my readers are being a bit silent on the comment front, I go leave some comments on my favorite blogs. Blogging is a community, and giving back is a must!

5. Support newbies. I probably do not share the love on the blog as often as I should, but I try to support newly founded blogs by following and commenting and helping with any questions they might have. I often feel like beauty blogging community is a bit like high school, where the elite is given all the attention and the outcasts are waiting to be heard. I do my best not to contribute to that status quo myself.

Pfff, here you have! I'm feeling a little bit like a Knight of the Order of the Garter by now with my Honi soit qui mal y pense attitude... What are the rules on your beauty blogger's code of conduct?

Bronzing 101

2011-06-08T02:28:00.000-07:00

Bronzers are one of those make-up products that lay neglected in my drawer for the most part of the year. Being very fair in the cold months, I just look quite odd even with a tiniest amount of anything darker on my skin. But come the sunny days, I dig out my small selection of bronzing products and make myself a bit sunkissed.

There is more to my bronzing routine than just powder bronzers. Even with a high SPF on my face, I always get a bit of natural color and a load of freckles, which I then emphasize by using a self tanning lotion on my face and body. I also mix my regular foundation, be it powder or cream, with a darker shade to adapt to my newly formed tan.

The three products captured in the photos all serve a slightly different bronzing purpose. I use the Limited Edition The Body Shop Bronzing Powder in Fair Matte in my early self tanning days on high points of my face (where the sun would naturally hit me), and when I go darker, more liberally all over. It's excellent for very fair gals, looks very natural, feels moisturizing and can't be overdone.

Benefit Hoola, a matte cool brown, serves as an ideal mix between a bronzer and a contour. When I'm pale, I use a very light hand with it and only apply it to my cheeks slightly beneath the cheek bone, blending upwards. With a bit more color in my face, I can use it more like a typical bronzer on the high planes of the face.

Wet'n'Wild Ultimate Minerals Bronzer in Amber Glow (supposedly a dupe for MAC Stereo Rose) is a mix between a blush and a bronzer. It's a lovely warm shimmery pinkish bronze color and can be of great use to anyone who struggles with regular bronzer. I apply it concentrating on the apples of my cheeks and blending outwards towards the ears, sometimes together with either The Body Shop bronzer or Benefit Hoola on the sides of my face and temples.

In the photos below, you can see my everyday summer look. I didn't take most of the products mentioned here with me on my trip, so I'm only wearing The Body Shop bronzer with a touch of La Femme Coral blush on the apples of the cheeks. You can see, however, what I like to pair it with: a neutral shimmery eye (Wet'n'Wild trio in Walking on Eggshells) and a brighter lipstick, which I'll feature in my next make-up haul.

What are your favorite bronzing products?

Another hair dilemma...

2011-06-03T04:34:00.001-07:00

The time for my next hairdresser appointment has come again, and I've found myself at my wits' end: what haircut should I get?! Ok, I know it's not exactly a life or death decision, but this time I really struggle with choosing a short style that would suit me and I need your help!

For years, my hair idol was Keira Knightley with her long, choppy bangs, then I turned to the fabulous classic and opted for Audrey Hepburn's soft cut. While the former worked quite well for me (on days I could be bothered to style it), the latter doesn't read well on my mass of fine straight hair. What to do now?

I scoured the interwebs and came up with three options:

1. A mohawk-inspired style. This is similar to my Keira Knightley style from a while back, and I feel these egdy cuts work well with my regular features. I've always had a soft spot for mohawks...

2. Ginnifer Goodwin's pixie cut. Again, a variation on the rocker chic theme. Quite a fabulous one, and I love how versatile it seems to be... It's like at least three different styles in one!

3. Emma Watson's uber short style. I think it looks amazing with her young face and makes her features more interesting. But I've already been called a gentleman in a restaurant by some standing at my back, so maybe that's a bit too extreme?

Which one do you like the best? I'll be making an appointment in a couple of days, and your opinion is much appreciated!

FOTD: Summer Sunset

2011-05-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

Warm oranges and corals are very much in right now, so I thought I'd share my going out make-up from a couple weeks ago. Most of the time, I tend to mix warm and cool shades on the eyes to introduce a bit of a contrast. Orange and purple are a divine combination which reminds me a lot of a beautiful summer sunset, hence the title of this post!

I even managed to color coordinate my nail polish, which is by Essence by the way. I also used my favorite matte coral lipstick, Wet'n'Wild Hot Paris Pink that I wrote about earlier, and La Femme blush in Pink Velvet. I was struggling with a lot of dry bits, so I just stuck to my regular mineral foundation.

On the eyes, I used MAC All That Glitters all over the lid, Inglot purple shade no. 439 in the outer corner and slightly into the crease, Inglot matte orange/red no. 366 to blend the purple inwards and NYX Ultramania Pearl pigment in Oro right above my pupil. Oro and that Inglot glowing purple are simply to die for!

You can see the warmth of the coppery shades making my dark brown eyes appear more hazel.

In other news, excuse my less frequent posting these days; I'm mostly busy studying, translating, and trying to settle everything at my faculty. Thank you for all your lovely wishes! My skin is taking the toll a bit at the minute, but I'll be posting more looks soon, together with some Polish cosmetics hauls and maybe outfits of the day. Does that sound good?

Rocaille Raves: La Femme Blush on Rouge

2011-05-23T11:58:00.000-07:00

There are those days in the life of every woman when she feels a strong craving for a new blush. For some, these probably just come about every couple years, but for me, they occur more often than not. A couple of weeks ago I was feeling particularly peckish, watched another Wayne Goss' video and promptly decided I needed some La Femme in my life.

As you already know from the title of this post, I cannot find a fault with these beauties. Retailing for the bargainous price of $2.50, these beauties are one of the most pigmented, smooth and long-lasting blushes in my collection. The pan holds a generous 5.5 grams of product and is slightly bigger than a Stila eyeshadow/ blush pan. The shade and finish selection is immense, and so far I have managed to accumulate six.

Clockwise from top: Pink Velvet, Coral, Mocha, Flamingo Pink, Orchid Ice, Mandarin Red

Pink Velvet is a matte bright pink; it has slightly more warm than cool tones and would probably suit all complexions.
Coral is a matte orangey red; compared to Benefit's CORALista, it's much deeper in hue and has less pink. Still, it looks great even against cooler undertones and is possibly my favorite with a tan.
Mocha is a rosey brown with slight golden shimmer, quite beautiful in a very understated way.
Flamingo Pink is a very cool matte pink, almost leaning on purple. It's very brightening, but would possibly look a bit odd against warmer undertones or on deeper skins.
Orchid Ice is a berry pink with blue shimmer, quite similar to the NYX Mega Shine gloss in African Queen, but in a blush form. The shimmer does translate quite well on the skin, giving the blush a lot of dimension. Such a unique shade!
Mandarin Red is a corally/ peachy pink with golden shimmer, again very beautiful on the cheeks and probably wearable for most complexions. It's perfect for the warm season and I reach for it whenever in doubt.

(L-R): Pink Velvet, Mandarin Red, Coral, Orchid Ice, Flamingo Pink, Mocha

In fact, I love these babies so much that I took only them with me on my month and a half trip to Poland! I stuck them in my Z-Palette and I'm reaching for them every day. So far, I'm still not bored.

As you can see in the swatches, the colors look quite beautiful on the skin. Some colors are slightly more pigmented than the others, with Pink Velvet being possibly the least vibrant of the bunch. However, this still means you need to tap off the brush on the back of your hand if you want to avoid extremely dolly cheeks! The matte shades are also a bit less smooth and more powdery than the shimmer ones, but still very blendable and easy to work with.

Have you tried La Femme blushes? Which colors are your cup of tea?

Review: Manly 120 Eyeshadow Palette

2011-05-19T07:38:00.001-07:00

I've torn myself away from the books (ok, and my garden chair bathed in sunshine) to review this beautiful new gem of a palette for you, which includes so many bright and juicy colors it'll make your head spin! It did mine anyway, and I was happy to play and come up with some vibrant looks, like the chartreuse and brown Elie Saab inspired make-up.

Although the packaging states 'eyeshadow and blush', I wouldn't use the palette for blusher due to the size of the pans, unless you have very small cheeks (and blush brushes). It's one of those double-stacked palettes, which comes with two inserts, 60 shades each, housed in a solid black plastic case. I like this solution, because it saves a lot of space without compromising the size of the eyeshadows, which is approximately 1cmx1cm.

Bottom insert

Top insert

But what about the pigmentation, I hear you ask? Well... it's good and it's bad. Some shades, especially the darker ones with a pearl finish, perform amazingly well with a strong and smooth shade application. Others, like the light colors with a matte finish, need a couple layers to build up the instensity, and seem a lot more powdery and dry than the frosts and pearls. It is not very surprising to me, given that most of my matte shades perform worse than the shimmery ones, which I'm sure has something to do with the ingredients.

Dry swatches of shades across the palette, no primer, including matte, satin, glitter and pearl/frost finishes.

The palette retails for $23.46, which is comparable to other similar palettes on the market. Compared to my Coastal Scents Eyeshadow and Blush palette, I feel it is just as good in terms of quality, but lacks a wider selection of neutral shades. This makes it perfect for the more adventurous looks I like to create for the blog, but not that useful for everyday wear. If you're a fan of brights, I feel this is worth investing in, otherwise I would probably look for something else.

What is your favorite palette for the more colorful looks?

Disclaimer: The eyeshadow palette was provided to me for review consideration by kkcenterhk.com. I am not compensated to feature them on my blog nor am I affiliated with the brand. All opinions are my own and 100% honest, as always!

Ins & Outs: Travel Edition

2011-05-14T10:21:00.000-07:00

I haven't done of these in ages, and thought it'd be a good way to give you a little update on my life in the next 6 weeks...

Ins:
- winning two giveaways! I won a copy of Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm? book from Katie's blog, and a surprise package from Delyteful Speaks (who, btw, deserves way more subscribers, so go show her some blog love!). How cool is that?
- subscribing to Birchbox! If you're not familiar with the idea, it's a monthly $10 subscription service where you're sent deluxe samples of different high-end beauty products. I've just received my first box, and will be reviewing its contents in due course.

- Spring cleaning! I've cleared out our hallway closet from winter coats, snowboarding jackets, knee-high boots, hats and scarves to make some room for spring and summer clothes and accessories. It looks so much more organized now!
- homemade fruit smoothies! Into this one went a slush of orange juice, frozen strawberries and mango. Yummy...

- Haus of Gloi Milkmaid Whipped Soap: I use it every other day in my bath and absolutely love the subtle, clean floral scent. It's very feminine and perfect before bedtime, so relaxing. I like the texture a lot too, it reminds me of a meringue.
- shopping at TJ Maxx and DSW. Me and Mr. managed to score some amazing deals, including a gorgeous yellow genuine leather handbag. Unfortunately, not for me; nearly all of the things we bought were gifts I'm taking with me to...
- the big news: travelling to Poland again, for a month and a half. I can't wait to meet my family and friends, taste my mum's delicious cooking, enjoy the warm sunny May weather (unlike the rain and cold here in Seattle) in my parents' luscious green garden, haul some Polish make-up, including but not limited to Inglot... As you're reading this, I'm probably already scouring some duty-free make-up counters at Sea-Tac.

Outs:
- travelling to Poland. The reason for my trip is that I'm taking my finals and defending my MA thesis at Uni, and the stress of that long stretch of exams is not making me happy. In fact, I had a slight panic attack Sunday morning, which I spent trailing tears into my scrumbled eggs. I'm better now though and believe I CAN do it.
- less and less time to myself (see above). I hope that my trip won't disturb my blog too much, and I've already got a couple posts scheduled ahead for when I won't be able to sit down to write, as well as a tonne of photos that need editing. However, should any irregularities occur, please bear with me; I'm graduating! Also, I'll return home together with my parents, who'll stay for another 3 weeks, so that might influence regular posting as well.
- the flight. I really don't like these 17-hour transatlantic journeys; luckily, this time my Polish friends have booked the exact same flight, so I'll feel less lonely in their company!
- skin woes. My skin went a bit haywire these past two weeks, going from extremely dehydrated to broken out, but I believe I'm already on the mend.

What are your Ins & Outs this week, my lovelies?

FOTD: Elie Saab SS 2011 Inspired Chartreuse

2011-05-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

Another Spring/Summer 2011 runway inspired look for you, this time based on Elie Saab's bold chartreuse and brown smokey make-up. I totally loved this look and found it a very wearable way to rock some bolder yellow and green hues (and yes, I went grocery shopping in it as well).

I used a new 120 eyeshadow palette from Manly for the look, which I'll be reviewing in detail later this month. But it's not bad, right? I've kept the cheeks and lips very neutral, with a touch of my Stila 'Hint' blusher and NYX Megashine lipgloss in Beige lightly patted on.

I couldn't keep myself from posting this cheeky shot - plus you get to see the eye make-up quite well here.

Do you ever incorporate chartreuse into your looks?

Disclaimer: The eyeshadow palette was provided to me for review consideration by kkcenterhk.com. I am not compensated to feature them on my blog nor am I affiliated with the brand. All opinions are my own and 100% honest, as always!

Review: Graftobian Hi-Def Glamour Creme Foundation

2011-05-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

Graftobian Hi-Def Glamour Creme Foundation seems to be all the rage these days and has been rumoured to be worn by Kate Middleton on her big day. I actually ordered it some time before the Royal Wedding on Wayne Goss' recommendation and have been testing it for a while now to see whether it lives up to the hype.

Grafotbian claims this foundation is 'arguably the number one HD creme foundation on the market [...] being used and loved by professionals throughout the makeup artist industry across the globe'. It promises ultra-light application and there are 64 shades in the range to cater for every shade and skintone. The foundation comes in a compact 1/2 oz. dish with a clear screw-on top ($9-$14.99), as well as undertone-coordinated palettes ($19.99-$23.99).

I ordered mine, along with some La Femme blushes (review coming soon) from MakeUpMania, who seem to have the lowest prices on Graftobian and La Femme products online. Initially I was very happy with the customer service, who responded promptly to my request to alter the order and include something extra. But then... I waited 2 weeks and my parcel was still not shipped. No one replied to my message. Just when I started thinking my order might not be happening, it was shipped with a tracking number and arrived a couple days later along with some freebies to (I guess) make up for the wait. I also got a follow-up message from the company saying they were sorry for the delay and giving me a discount coupon code for my next purchase, which I used soon after. My second order was shipped within 2 days. What I'm trying to say is basically that while there were some issues with my order, I'm happy with how the company addressed and resolved them. All in all, I can definitely recommend their website.

Online ordering aside, I really like the Graftobian Hi-Def Glamour Creme foundation. It has quite a dry consistency that melts upon contact with the skin, making it very easy to apply - no streaks and even coverage that can be sheered out to almost nothing, which I enjoy since I don't like wearing foundation on the sides of my face. The finish is semi-matte and the coverage medium but buildable. Set with powder (MAC Blot Powder), it lasts extremely well on my oily skin. I wore it for over 12 hours yesterday and by the time I removed it around 1 am, my nose was a bit shiny, but the rest of the face was basically intact. It's the longest wearing foundation I've ever tried and the best at controlling the oils, though it's not waterproof. Although it makes my skin look a bit drier than it really is, it still looks and feels very much like healthy, smooth skin and not at all mask-like.

On that last note, its biggest drawback is the fact that it WILL accentuate every bit of dryness you might have on your face. It will cling to dried out blemishes and unexfoliated skin, making them more prominent. I've tried it with a primer, I've tried applying with a damp sponge, I've tried setting with a hydrating mist - the dryness is still there. For this reason, I would not recommend it to people struggling with dryness and dehydration or active breakouts (but then, my dry bits are being pretty nasty at the moment).

I initially ordered Buff, the lightest cool shade they used to make before the introduction of extremely light shades. Buff is slightly too pale on me, which makes me think it must be somewhere around MAC's NW10 range. Since then I also got Aurora, which is 2 steps up and somewhere around MAC NW20-NW25. The mix of predominantly Buff with a touch of Aurora is perfect for me this time of the year, and I love how easy it'll be to customize my shade throughout the summer. While Buff is a very pink based shade, Aurora seems to have more peachy tones, which makes sense as it's exactly the color my skin tans to naturally. Here's a shade comparison for you:

Overall, I'm very happy with the product and will most probably repurchase. You'll see me wearing the Graftobian HD Glamour Creme very soon in an upcoming bright make-up look, so stay tuned for that!

Etsy Find: Edor Jewelry

2011-05-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

Whenever I have some spare funds in my PayPal account, I go browsing on Etsy for cute jewelry. In the past, I'd had mixed luck with my purchases; while some pieces looked beautiful in the photos, in person the craftsmanship was far from perfect with different shades of metal and a rough finish.

Not so this time! When I came by Cindy's shop, I instantly fell in love with her pieces. Subtle, dainty, well-designed - it was exactly what I was looking for! After a lot of thought, I ordered Sentiment Hammered Gold necklace and impatiently awaited the little parcel. When I finally opened it, I was blown away by the beautiful workmanship and ordered two more necklaces, another Sentiment for my mum and silver Pure for myself. Just look how lovely they are!

Sentiment necklace with hammered gold fill ovals

Pure silver necklace with a clear quartz gem

As you can see, the packaging is also very nice and elegant, Cindy's customer service was helpful and shipping prompt and secure. I believe that if you're ordering more than one piece, Cindy ships your parcel with signature confirmation to make sure it reaches you safely.

I can't recommend Edor enough and surely will be back for more of her designs - I'm wearing my two necklaces in constant rotation, yet there are no signs of wear. If you like delicate everyday pieces in the spirit of Dogeared, you'll love her store... and it's reasonably priced too!

What's your favorite piece of jewelry these days?

Review: L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara

2011-05-04T09:40:00.000-07:00

Another one in my quest for the Holy Grail mascara... L'Oreal claims this little gaudy tube will "millionize your lashes" with a "millionizer brush for a fanned out effect" and "excess wiper for no overload, no clumps" - someone at L'Oreal got a bit too happy with neologisms. Silly marketing blurb aside, let's see how it performed on my lashes.

Pros:
- The packaging. I actually really like it and don't find it that tacky compared to some other offerings... The tube is sleek, has a unique shape and looks quite elegant on my vanity.
- The brush; I usually prefer the rubber bristles as I find them to be more separating than the classic ones. The shape and length of the bristles allows to grab and coat even the baby lashes and the corner lashes.
- The color. I think the shade I picked out is called The Blackest Black or something like that, and I do find it sufficiently dark without fading.
- The application. One coat looks nice and voluminous without clumping and doesn't require a lot of time or effort. There's also some lengthening action, which I appreciate.

Cons:
- On the second coat, you can see some clumping action appearing at the very tips of my lashes, which is something I hate and find myself picking at whenever there's a mirror in sight.
- It flakes. Oh boy, it does. When you remove it by the end of the day, it also comes off in little flakes, quite similarly to a tubing mascara. Interesting.
- The "excess wiper" is nothing else than a fancily named stopper, and there's still some excess product at the tip of the brush, which has to be scraped off on the sides of the tube.
- The smell. As far as I remember, all L'Oreal mascaras have this particular scent, which I personally don't mind but would prefer a non scented version due to possible irritations.

Top: one coat of mascara, bottom: two coats.

Would I repurchase? From the L'Oreal family, I think so far my favorite's been the Telescopic and Volume Million Lashes hasn't managed to overthrow it. It's a very decent product, minus the flaking, but still not nearly a Holy Grail material. So, no, I wouldn't repurchase for now. The quest continues.

Which mascara would you like to see reviewed next?