Sephora Haul: May 2013

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all are having a great week so far!

I was really excited to get my new Sephora order in the mail because I had run out of day moisturizers and really wanted to get something new for the summer months.

I got the Tarte Maracuja Oils on clearance or something like that.  This was a huge thing during the Christmas shopping season, I think.  I figured I'd give it a try because I love the idea of rolling stuff onto my face then blending it out.  Haha.  I'm so lazy!



I remembered Gummy saying she really really really liked Koh Gen Do.  I figured I'd give this brand a try, especially when I saw that they have gel moisturizers, which will be perfect for summer.

I also got some freebies.  I'm not sure if I will try out the retinol eye cream by Dr. Brandt just yet.  I'm not in the mood to have a complicated skincare routine in terms of moisturizers for the cheeks, and other moisturizers for the eyes, etc. etc.  It's in the summer that I like to go simple too.

I am interested in trying out the Koh Gen Do Spa Gel!  It seems like it's going to be a great exfoliator.  I also think there's enough in there for 3 usages!

The two colognes at the top are for Mr. P.  He's tried the LaCoste before and liked it.  I'm not sure how the Jean Paul Gaultier will turn up on him.  The scents I like best on Mr. P are light and crisp, like Aqua di Gio or Bvlgari Marine.

Then Sephora sent a fragrance sampler.  I haven't opened it yet.

That's it for my short haul.  I'm really proud of myself for not going crazy and buying up other limited edition makeup!  It was in my shopping basket, but at the end of the day, I'm still trying to hit pan on blushes I bought back in 2008!!!

Have a great day!

Finished! April

 

If I finish something on the morning of May 1st, does it still belong to May?  Well, I will have a bunch coming up in May.

For the month of April, I finished this little bottle of Bio-Oil.  I liked to use it after my showers on my body, rather than my face.  It did a good job of moisturizing my skin through the night and into the next morning.  I can't say that it provided 24 hour hydration, but that's to be expected with most things.

I wish I had more, but it's okay.  This gives me plenty of reason to explore other oils too, or go back to my organic and DIY kicks.  :-)

I hope you all had a great week!

Finished! March

Hi Everyone! 

Sorry I've been away for a while.  It's been really busy and I'll give an life update later (if anyone still reads this blog).  

Anyways, I thought I'd send up my first post in a long time.  These are the products I finished in March.  I don't foresee any other products being finished this month.  (I didn't finish anything in February.)

First up, an Einstein Lip Therapy.  Loved this stuff!  It made my lips feel nice and tingly and it worked great a conditioning my lips.  I've noticed that my lips have become more chapped lately after running out of this lip balm/conditioner.

Next, Jurlique Balancing Cleansing Lotion.  This stuff is great!  I'm not sure if I love it more for the effects, the method of cleansing my skin, or for the smell.  But I was really sad to finish it.  I even used my pinky finger to scrape what I could off the sides of the bottle.

Lastly, Wen Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner.  This is good stuff.  I'm still iffy about the price.  I won't kid you, this stuff is expensive!  However, when I review this product based on its performance as a regular type of conditioner and how you're supposed to use it, I have to admit that I love this stuff.  It has literally restored the appearance of health to my hair.  I don't have the frizz that I had before.  My hair shines like Goldilocks' and there's a QQ bounce and softness to my hair that not even Salma Hayek's Nuance Leave-in Treatment could give me.  I'll write a separate updated review on this product later.

That's it for my Finished March Products, aka March Empties!

I hope everyone has been in good health and are enjoying life to the fullest!  

Have a great day!

Finished! January is Early!

Hi Everyone!

I thought I might as well post up my Finished! products early for January because I don't foresee myself finishing anything else this month.  I've got the LA Clippers vs. Phoenix Suns on and getting a great laugh out of Shaq and crew making fun of Charles Barkley's comment that he waxes his eyebrows.  Did anyone else see this?

Anyways, here are the products I've finished this month!  Get your smiles on, my fellow beauty lovers!

 

This was a sample size that came with my Clarisonic Mia.  I finally used it.  It's ok.   Don't have anything good or bad to say about it.

 

 Finished a couple of hair care products, mostly conditioners.  The Neutrogena conditioner on the left was actually pretty good to use when I had virgin hair.  But I had to use a larger than normal amount due to the damage my hair sustained and it started weighing my hair down.

The hair mask on the right was "meh...."  Again, I had to use a lot to deal with my damaged hair and it weighed my hair down.  

Tangent: I recently went in to get my hair cut and the stylist tried to color the lighter damaged part darker to match my natural hair color.  He promised that he wouldn't get the dye up into my new virgin hair but his assistant brought it up to my scalp!  ARGH!!!  So, even though I left the salon with a great hair style that I can't reproduce on my own, I'm only calculating in my head the amount of time it will take for my hair to grow out again.  Does anyone else get annoyed by this??

OK.... back to the main show.

 

This moisturizer was something I kept in my office at work to use after washing my hands.  It only took TWO YEARS but I finally - FINALLY - finished it!  It's okay.  It did it's job but I was ready for a change.  

 

On the left is a toner I got from Sasa.com in August of 2011.  I had it put away for a while.  It's an okay toner.  It had a very strong perfumey fragrance, which I wasn't too crazy abount.  I'm glad it's done.

The Nuance leave in condition (Salma Hayek's line) was great.  Apparently, I can NOT use it alone.  It worked better for my hair if I also used a rinse out conditioner in the shower prior to using this one.  I'd still repurchase this though!

 

 

On the left, body wash.  It's okay.  It did its job.  

On the right, a Clarisonic brush head, the softest and most gentle brush head.   I put this through the wringer by using it for more than the recommended 3 months, but it still did its job!  I have a backup already!

OK, it looks like I'm ending this post before the game is done.  Phoenix Suns are up, so if the Clippers are going to win, they'd better pull out a massive spurt of 3-pointers in the next 3 minutes!

GO CLIPPERS!!!

Have a great evening!

 

Best of 2012!

Hi Everyone!

How's everyone's 2013 shaping up?  I hope you're still going strong on your New Year's Resolutions!

 

Thanks to GummyVision for being curious enough to ask me to put up my favorites from 2012.  If you haven't already, check out her blog.  I think her blog is great because she talks about a lot of products I haven't had the opportunity to try and she gives her take on how they would react to people with sensitive skin.

 

Without further ado, here are my favorites from 2012.

 

You've heard me say it before, Johnson's Head-to-Toe Baby Wash is my go-to cleanser.  Go-To sounds too weak for how this ranks in my life.  This baby wash is as important and as steady to me as the sun rising in the East and setting in West.  A day without it just cannot be!  It's cheap, it comes in huge quantities compared to regular cosmetics and skincare, and it removes everything off my face and eyelashes.  It doesn't contain soap so it's great for people with sensitive skin, too!

 

Jurlique is new to my life but I love it so much!  It smells so good, like flowers, herbs, and spices.  It's so earthy.  I love using this as a morning cleanser because I just slather 4 pumps of this onto my face, massage for about 3 minutes, and wipe off with a hot towel.  This is my favorite method of cleansing my face in the mornings.

The Sisley Emulsion is one of those lotions/moisturizers I love to use because it smells like the Jurlique cleanser, earthy and natural.  It hydrates well without leaving my skin greasy or dry afterwards.  Same for the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide moisturizer with SPF 15.  It goes on smooth, absorbs well, and is a good base for the rest of my morning routine.

Here are a mish mash of my other favorites.  The Einstein Lip Therapy works well if I use as directed.  I also love its cooling sensation.

Neosporin is a staple.  It's like the Johnson's baby wash.  It handles everything from cuts and scrapes to post acne scarring.  Same for the T&J Acne Cream but it has one up over the Neosporin - the T&J Acne Cream has the power to lighten or whiten skin temporarily!

I consider the Salma Hayek Nuance leave-in hair treatment to be my special discovery.  This has been the only thing that has been able to tame my hair after going through some serious color damage.  It makes me sad to say this but I used to have silky soft hair.  It's right now coarse, rough, dull, and straw-like after getting it colored last year. 

 

Here are my favorite makeup items.  First up is the UNII Palette.  I use it every day and it's my default travel makeup palette.  Since I depotted most of my makeup, I can just switch out my shadows, blushes, brow powder, etc., as I want and pack it in my carry on.  It has a nice big mirror too!

Inside the red UNII Palette are my default eyeshadows.  These are the depotted Stila Contouring Trio shadows that can be used to contour, highlight, and define.  The contour shade on the left actually shows up more orange on my cheeks, so I've found a better use for it as an eyeshadow.  The matte cream shade on top is the natural highlight, and the shimmery light taupe shade is a great all-over eyelid color.

And finally, my favorite high end palettes.  On the left is my first ever Lancome travel palette, purchased en route from Taiwan to Los Angeles in 2009.  Obviously, I tried and failed to depot the lipstick, which is why it looks like a crater in the palette.  The eyeshadows are among the most long-lasting eyeshadows I've ever tried and that's with and without eyelid primer.  The blush, however, is the star of the show.  It's such a beautiful mauve pink color and is just as long lasting as the eyeshadows.

Finally, the Dior palette!  I love the eyebrow wax/color in the palette.  It matches my skin and hair perfectly.  The reason I got it was because it matched most closely what my makeup artist used on my eyebrows for our engagement photo shoot.  The eyeliner is not as exciting because it smudges and isn't black enough.  Maybe I'll begin using it as an eyeshadow base this year.  The eyeshadows are really nice and long lasting.  This palette has come in really useful when Mr. P and carpool to work and I'm still putting on my face.  :-)

Thanks again to Gummy for tapping me to do this post and to everyone who stopped by!

Have a great day and year!

Finished! December Products

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a great Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year!  Mr. P and I celebrated a very quiet Christmas with a second Thanksgiving feast with family and friends.  I got to meet my brother's girlfriend and I so hope she becomes my sister-in-law!  *fingers crossed!*

Okay, back to business.  :-)  I finished TWO products this month.

Tony Moly Eggpore Blackhead Out Oil Gel

I already did a product review on this product, which you can read about here.  Anyways, long story short, this product failed to remove or reduce any of my blackheads without extra help from other products.  What I discovered was that this product works really well as a makeup remover and massage oil.  It smelled like oranges, too.  

Bioderma Crealine H2O Makeup Remover

Linh from Blushology sent me a sample of her favorite makeup remover a while back.  And the product did not disappoint.  This has been one of the best makeup removers I've ever used and it never irritated my eyes!  I think I'm just going to have to use this from now on!

That's it.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful New Year!

Finished! November

Hi Everyone,

I feel like I just woke up after a long sleep that lasted the last couple of weeks.  It took a while, but with the help of my family, Mr. P, and wonderful friends like Linh (Blushology), I've started to "wake up" from this sleep.  I really thank my friends who helped me through this time and Mr. P for muscling through it with me.

Even though I was on autopilot for the month of November, I still managed to finish some things.

I've talked about my need to alternate skincare products between fancy (multiple ingredients) and simple (as few ingredients as possible).  I LOVE Dickinson's Witch Hazel because it's natural and it only has 1 ingredient in it.  It's a natural and gentle astringent and is incredibly cooling when I spray it on my skin.  Also, witch hazel on a cotton pad will catch a lot of residual makeup and leave clean skin behind.  

 

Autumn finally arrived and thankfully brought cooler weather to Southern California.  As a result, my skin needed extra moisture.  I really love using Aura Cacia's jojoba oil right after a shower.  I just squeeze a teaspoon amount of oil into my palms, rub them together, and start massaging it into my skin all over my body.  A little goes a long way.  It absorbs into my skin without leaving a sticky feeling, oily feeling, or that "little grime in my finger print ridges."

I also managed to finally finish the Mentholaturm Acnes Medicated Clear & Whitening Wash.  I filled mine up with a little bit of water and shook it up for some really great foam cleanser for its last leg.  I really like this Mentholatum product but I was getting antsy to finish it because I wanted to try something new.  :-)


That's it for my November's Finished!  I feel like every day I'm waking up all over again.  It's a beautiful day!

New China Airlines Collection and New Skincare Routine

Hi All,

Sorry for the long lapse in time between posts.  I have a lot going on in my life right now and I'm trying to work through all that other stuff.

Well, I promised you that I would eventually post on the beauty products I got on my latest trip to Asia.  I like to call these my China Airlines new buys because I buy them during the flight.  I mean, there's nothing to do for 11-13 hours, and you pick up the Sky Boutique Magazine... and then... you're a couple hundred bucks lighter.  But I was good, I only bought 4 items.  Here are the 2 Kate Lorraine products I got.




Kate Lorraine Placenta Serum is supposed to help your skin's suppleness and elasticity through collagen, placenta, and vitamins.

Kate Lorraine Collagen Vitamin Cream is supposed to help your skin maintain its moisture levels through collagen, elastin, vitamins, and placenta.



So far, I like these two products.  They actually do work very well together as an anti aging skincare program.  When I used it (for 3 weeks following our return to the States), I felt as if my skin was becoming younger, brighter, softer, and more bouncy, or as the Taiwanese like to call it, "QQ."  These did not make me break out either.

The reason why I stopped was that I was getting bothered by the "placenta" ingredient in the products.  Placenta is a tissue that is part of the whole baby and birth process.  It's really big in Asia and touted as a miracle ingredient in anti-aging skincare.  Anyways, it got to a point where I felt like I was going to go to hell for using these products so I just stopped.  The placenta ingredient in these products are bovine, but still, that didn't really make me feel better.

Now, I have two really potent skincare products sitting on my shelf.  I don't know what I'm going to do with them.

So that leads me to my current skincare routine.

Yep, I am only and just using these two products.  I use the Sisley Ecological Compound day and night, and the Diorsnow UV Shield in the mornings.  I don't wear foundation or powder anymore, and I feel so liberated!  My skin isn't perfect, but I love how free my skin feels!  It can breathe and I haven't had any breakouts either.

I dunno.  Maybe I'll pick up the ole foundation and powder again and be astonished by the magic it can do for my face, but for right now I'm pretty content.  ^_^

I hope you all are having a great day, week, and month.  I will reply to your comments soon!  And thank you again for reading, and commenting!

Dior Eye Designer - China Airlines Beauty Collection

Hi All!

Mr. P and I just got back from our trip last night but I couldn't wait to blog about this palette!  I also have some pretty exciting news and very special pictures to share, which I will upload separately a little later on.  This post is going to be on the Dior Eye Designer palette.  :-)  When I saw it on the China Airlines Sky Boutique magazine, I just knew I had to have it.  Why?  Because it has parts to groom eyebrows!

When we were in Taiwan, we took some professional photos and had to have hair and makeup done.  After going through that, I realize how amateurish I've been with my makeup, especially brow grooming.  I also believe I need to invest in double eyelid tape now, too!  It's not because I feel any different about having single lidded eyes, but I've seen my own transformation through the "power of makeup" and really wish to be able to recreate the look my makeup artist did.

Anyways, above is the little booklet that came with the palette that shows you ways to put on this makeup.

The looks pulled off with this look end up being smokey eyed.  I can pull the look off with monolids and I can probably do better when I have double eyelids.  The shadows are really long lasting even without primer.  The darkest shade in the shadow trio is a little powdery.  The best way to use that one is to layer it on the outer V.

The eyeliner is in a wax/cream form.  It smudges when you rub it, so it's not waterproof or smudge-proof at all.

The brow wax is just perfect!  I'm trying to recreate the perfect brows Jade (my makeup artist for the photo shoot) did.  My rendition still needs work!  It's pigmented, can be layered on, and the wax helps hold my little brow hairs in place.

The palette and Diorshow Extase mascara comes cutely packaged in this pouch.

Overall, I'm really happy with this purchase.  Haha...  I'm having too many makeup items that I can't get through, but this was the one and only makeup item I bought.

I saw several new comments on previous posts, which were preset to publish at certain times, so I'll start replying to those comments in a little bit.

Stay tuned for the China Airlines Beauty Collection on Skincare!!

XOXO!

Carol

Finished! August and Product Review: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

Created using Pic Collage. http://pic-collage.com

Sent from my iPad


Heh..... yeah.  I sent the picture from my iPad, but I can't edit this post from an iPad.  Anyone else having technical issues with that?

Anyhow, I'm making slow progress with finishing up things in my collection.  Let me present the 2 items I finished in August!

Fairydrops Scandal Queen mascara.  As a $24 mascara, it really sucked, and you can read why in my Battle Mascara post here.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel.  A definite sleeper hit with me.  Please continue reading for my product review.




Product Review: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

I purchased this back in August of 2011 but only started using this in August of 2012.  Yes, it's been sitting around for that long.  Anyways, I am not hugely crazy about the Clinique brand even though I know they have good products.  Maybe it's because their product packaging all look like Easter eggs...  Oh, well.  Never judge a book by its covers, right?

Product claims:

The oil-free moisture "drink" developed by Clinique's dermatologists to maintain optimal moisture balance for skins comfortable in the cheeks but oily in the T-zone or oily all over. Oil-free formula softens, smooths, improves.

As always, my product reviews are based on the claims the product makes and are 100% my person thoughts.  Let the product review begin!!

Maintain optimal moisture balance
Yes, it did it's job.  It never felt too dry or too greasy on my cheeks and T-zone.  The only inconvenience was the area around my eyes being not hydrated enough, but it's ok because it never said it was supposed to be used around the eyes.

Softens, smooths, improves
Yes to all three.  I believe that just by keeping the hydration level so high without feeling oily has helped to make my skin appear softer and smoother.  And believe me, that is an improvement from before when my skin had flakey areas.

Other
One of the other things I like about Clinique is how the products seem to be hypoallergenic.  I don't believe I've ever had a reaction to any of Clinique's moisturizing products.

There's no SPF in it, so the lazy person looking for a day-time all-in-one moisturizer to end all moisturizers will probably be disappointed.

Would I recommend this product?
Yes, I would!  People who are cautious about putting anything on their skin might want to give this a try.  It's a great everyday, go-to moisturizer and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  If you're a person who likes super-high-end products but are currently in-between brands, you might want to give this a try.

Thanks for reading and have a great month!

T & J Pure & Natural Acne Control Cream

Hi All!  I very briefly mentioned this acne cream in my Ann Karen Spa post a couple days ago.  I wanted to share this product with you today.  However, please note that this is not product review post.  I've only been using it for about 2 weeks now but felt like it warranted an introduction.

Behold...  T & J Pure & Natural Acne Control Cream!

I use a cotton swab to dip into the product and apply on problem areas.  Problem areas are defined by active acne that are red, lumpy, and painful.

It smells like herbal, sulfur-ish medicine.  I don't mind the smell cos it disappears after a while.

For the 2 weeks that I've been using this on my acne, I have noticed several things:

1.  Inflamed and cystic acne calmed down and disappeared over the course of a few days.

2.  Hyperpigmentation faded faster, as if I had used Neosporin over the scars.

3.  It seemed to reduce redness wherever it was applied, even over my natural blush, resulting in a very oddly shaped natural blush on my face.  LOL.

Anyways, I'll update this post again later for a proper product review.  Right now, I'm just really excited about the fact that I can use this on my skin without my skin turning dry and flaky.

Thanks for stopping by!

Finished! July 2012

Hi Everyone!

Another month has come and gone so fast, yet this one Clinique Moisture Surge Extra Refreshing Eye Gel is all that I managed to finish.  This is the sample size.

Introspection time:  I have to admit that I just don't get as excited about buying "Clinique" as I do about buying SK-II or Sisley Paris or any new brand that catches my attention.  So it's always surprising how much I enjoy using Clinique's products, especially the Moisture Surge line.  I guess I can consider this brand a sleeper hit.  LOL!

This eye gel product has been especially helpful to me as we moved from Spring to Summer and my oily skin went into hyper-drive.  It's moisturizing without adding anything heavy or greasy to the eyelid and under eye area.  I wouldn't recommend using this when your skin starts to slow down its oil production in the Autumn and Winter, as it won't provide enough hydration to the eye area.

There's no fragrance, the gel is completely light weight and absorbs completely into my skin.  There's no SPF in it, so I have to remember to layer on some SPF after this.

I hope that my August Finished! post will be more populated with skincare products!

Do you have any sleeper hit skincare items?

Have a great day!

Swap with Linh (Blushology)

Hi Everyone!

I hope everyone is coming to the middle of the year just as motivated as you were at the beginning of this year.  I have to admit that my weight loss journey is going backwards, not forwards!  While I'm completely upset at my continuing weight gain, I really have no one to blame but myself.  Laziness, procrastination, and making excuses for the smallest of things, i.e., my toenail hurts.  <--  Yes, things of that nature.  >_<

So, Mr. P and I had a serious, short, and firm discussion this morning about being strict with ourselves to hit the gym every day and eat right.  That means, I need to find a way to give myself that boost of energy in the mornings, to find time in the evenings to cook, and to cook healthy and fit meals for us. 

Anyways, that's the goal.  This should have gone on my Fitness Journal page, but I figure I'll be more accountable if I put this on the main page.  I have all of you to keep me in line!  ^_^

Sorry for the ramble. 

Without further ado, here are the products I got from my swap with Linh last month. 

 

Mr. P and I have already eaten the Hello Kitty marshmallows.  Actually, he had one, and I the rest!  

I can't wait to try the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream.  From what I can gather, it is a rather fancy hand/body cream for extremely dry skin.  This will be perfect in my office!!!

The Sephora + Pantone Universe lipstick and eyeliner are kind of intimidating to me because of the bright orange color, but hot damn!  They do look very very nice, don't they?  I've already swatched the eyeliner.  It's goes on like butter and stays put like a stain!  If I can pull off this color, I will definitely upload it on a FOTD!

I've never had a Make Up For Ever product before, so I can't wait until I get to open up the Smoky Lash mascara.  Maybe I'll do a Battle Mascara on it.  :-)

The NARS cream stick blush looks so gorgeous!  I have to wait until the summer months pass.  My skin is getting very oily these days.  It already sucks that my makeup slips around when I wear my sunglasses (they rest on my cheek, not my nose!), so I don't want that happening when I try this product!

I think the MAC Cremesheen Glass is what Linh calls "my lips but better."  I will definitely open this up in September before I go on my Taiwan trip.  The reason?  I want something secure to take with me on the plane and to Taiwan.  The glosses I have right now are all in pans, which I'm trying so hard to use up!

Oh, my God!  Where do I even start with these Stila palettes?!?!  Inside, I'm just a quivering mass of excitement! 

Thank you again, Linh!

I hope everyone is having a great week!

 

Finished! May 2012

Hi All!

Another month another Finished! post.  After last month's dismal Finished! report, I bounced back this month with more than twice as many Finished! products.  Enjoy!

 

L'Oreal Go 360 Clean was a cleanser that I liked for its smell and exfoliation.

Another Stila Lip Glaze finished!  I don't remember which one it was though.

Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate.  I got this from Linh of Blushology in a swap.  It's a sample sized so I can't do a product review on it based off the number of uses I got out of it.  It didn't break me out and I thought I saw some small improvements in the fine lines under my eyes.

Sisley Paris Celluli-Pro.  Another sample sized product for the improvement of the appearance of cellulite.  It smells herbal and medicinal, something that I've developed a liking for!  I know I'm weird.  ^_^  I don't know if this really works on a long-term basis, but for the few uses I got out of it I thought I saw some improvement in my cottage cheese thighs and butt.  :P

Mandarin Shower Gel.  A citrusy shower routine and cheered up my spirits after a long day at work.  This was a gift from my Kindred Spirit up in San Francisco.

 

Finished Mizuno Tenshi Flower Moisture Gel.  Nothing too special about it.  It's a decent gel moisturizer that is good for hot weather.

 

 

Finished a Dior Addict High Shine lipstick!  It was so smooth and buttery and moisturizing!

 

 

 Finished my Mentholatum Acnes White cleanser.  A little goes a long long way.  I've been working at this tube since January!  I'm going to restock on this when I next go to Taiwan.

SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion.  This does a lot of good things for my skin as it picks up makeup residue.  I do feel luxurious using it!

So, there it is!  I'm so happy that I was able to finish so many products this month!  It gives me a huge sense of accomplishment.

Do you feel the same way when you finish something, too?

Kirkland Signature 10 pc Deluxe Brush Collection w Designer Bag

 

Hi Everyone!

Mr. P and I live fairly close to this local outlet store that gets discounted items from Costco.  We passed by an aisle filled with Costco's Kirkland Signature 10-Piece Deluxe Brush Collection with Designer Bag and Mr. P offered to get it for me. 

My lips said "no" but my eyes said "yes."  Regardless, I'm now the proud owner of this brush set! 

In this set, you get 10 brushes and a clutch bag for the brushes for about $20 or so. 

 

So far, my favorites brushes are the angled eye brush and the stippling brush.  They feel so soft on my skin!

Our youngest kid here (the kitten) was interested in the brushes too.

I don't know if these are natural fibers or synthetic.  Considering how my baby was so interested in them, I'm leaning towards thinking these are natural fibers. 

 

I'm really liking that it has a detachable bag where I can put compacts, tubes, and/or bottles.  It doesn't make the clutch bulkier, either!

 

I can't wait to travel!  I love having everything in a concise little spot for easy packing and traveling!

What makeup product do you own that excites you to travel?

Thanks for stopping by!  :-)

Finished! April 2012

 

Shower Gels

I don't know the brand but these (gifts from my Kindred Spirit) shower gels smells so good!

 

 

Stila Lip Glaze in Merry Merry

I'm a little disappointed that all I managed to finish up were these 3 items.  But I suppose it's okay because I'll have more to report on at the end of May!  ^_-

Thanks for visiting my blog! 

Surprise Gifts from Linh!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to share some surprise gifts I got from Linh last week.  We were talking a little bit of a swap because she had a DermStore Lip Quench that she didn't think she'd use, and I had an Elta Tar that I hadn't used in a long time (if ever).  I was only expecting the Lip Quench but this fantastic woman surprised me with plenty more!  What's even more awesome about this already big surprise is that most of the things she included are brand new!  Isn't that the sweetest?!

If you're reading this you should really stop by her blog and check it out.  She's got hauls, product reviews, and (my favorite) special moments with her hubby.  ^_^ 

Linh's blog:  Blushology

Read on for the I can't wait to try... thoughts!

I can't wait to try the Skin79 Super BB Triple Functions.  It says it's whitening, which I'm always interested in, and it's wrinkle free.  Wrinkle free...  sounds a little like a promise you'd see on men's dress shirts...  ...  Anyways, I can't wait to try it out after I get through my Liole bb cream.  I can't wait to write a product review on it.  I've read a couple reviews (I forgot from where) that said this brand's bb cream is gray, but you know what?  I like that it says whitening.  I can't wait to form my own thoughts on this!

I have allergic reactions to most chapsticks and lip balms.  One of the only ones I've still been able to use are the Nivea lip balms.  Unfortunately, I left mine in the car on one of the hottest days in So. Cal., and the thing melted and leaked all over one of the little compartments in my Fit.  And fortunately (or maybe it was fate?!?!) Linh's gift of the DermStore Lip Quench came just in time!  I can't wait to try that out.  I believe a product review will be forthcoming!  ^_^  I'll be smarter than to leave it in the car in the heat and sun this time.

One thing that I want to try but am afraid to try at the same time is the Murad Absolute Bronzing Boost.  I believe it came in one of Linh's MyGlam bags some time this year, I can't remember which month.  You can check out her blog and search MyGlam for this year if you want to see what else she got in the bag.  Anyways, I want to try it because I've never ever tried any product that is a liquid bronzer or a sunless tanner.  I'm afraid to because my goal is to lighten up (both my skin and my stress level, hahaha....).  If I do try it out, I'll let you know how it worked and what I think of it.  Who knows?  I might like it.  It's good to try new things every once in a while.  ^_-

Linh included a sample sized Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate.  I really want to try that out as I'm always on the hunt for something to slow down my skin's aging process.  It will seem a little bit contradictory when I add this to my skincare routine because I do KIS method skincare (Keep It Simple).  I usually have just a cleanser, toner, moisturizer, SPFer, and bb cream, which I'll talk about in detail in another post.  I hope I can see some improvements to my skin with this!

All in all I'm really happy and appreciative of everything Linh gifted me with.  It was very generous and I seriously can't wait to try everything out and post on most, if not all, of them!

Thank you for everything, Linh!  ^_^

And thanks everyone for reading!

Finished! March 2012

 

Finished!  Stila Lip Glaze in Seashell

A little bit sticky, but very long lasting.  Sheer in color, but adds a lot of shine!

 

 

Finished!  Skinfood Peach Sake Pore BB Cream SPF 20

Smells fantastic, provides excellent coverage for being a BB cream.  I will miss this one!

 

 

 Finished!  Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus

One of the best ever mascaras I have ever used!  Instant volume, instant length, retains curls like no other, and minimal smudging!  I've already told Mr. P that I'm stocking up on this when I go back to Taiwan, even if I means hitting up 5 different Watsons!!

I'm trying so hard to keep my makeup and skincare stash from ballooning out of control!