Miss Zoe's Beauty Blog

My Julep Maven Experience and Why I Canceled

2011-12-22T07:25:00.000-08:00

As a side note, the reason why I have stopped blogging is because my point and shoot camera broke. I lost the cable for my DSLR- so until I find a replacement, I won't really blog too much.

This doesn't require any pictures and I wanted to share my experience when I was a Julep Maven subscriber. If you don't already know Julep Maven is a monthly subscription service that centers on their nail brand. Julep is a small nail salon based out of Seattle, WA. It cost $19.99 a month and they promise at least $40 of goodies. They have a lot of intro deals and I got my first month for only $5.00.

It arrived fairly quickly since I live in the same state as where they ship and operate. My first box was disappointing. I got a mediocre lip gloss, okay make up bag, and the nail polish they gave me was nice- I think it was a deep purple. Not sure if it was worth $19.99 but it was fine for $5.00.

The next month choice wasn't any better- I think it was a body butter and a couple of nail polishes. I didn't like the other selections so I skipped that month. I was able to get a deal from Livngsocial for $42 worth of Julep for only $20. I choose a It Girl intro box that has 1 nail treatment and three nail polishes. I also bought "Chloe" nail polish ala cart. Now you are talking! I liked the nail treatment, the polishes in the kit were decent. The disappointment was the "Chloe" nail polish. It's really gooey and hard to apply.

I got a phone call from a Julep stating that they needed my credit card information because it's not on file. It was a voice mail message so I never bothered to call them back. I am not comfortable giving my credit card information over the phone. Esp. since I wasn't the one who called them first. I have no idea who this person really is and concerned it might be a person fishing for information. They said I could update my account online, when I tried to do that I could not find a way to update my credit card information- a little lame but whatever.

I noticed for the next month I got two emails for two different boxes but only one active account profile. I emailed them and told them I only wanted one box. They emailed me back saying that I signed up for two and if I wanted to skip one box go ahead and do in the account section on the website. I guess I signed up for an additional box when I bought my second one. I went to my account and didn't see an option that I had two membership boxes and if there was a way to skip one or both. It gave me an option to just skip the month. I wanted to call them up and have a rep. there cancel one of my subscriptions.

I called their number during regular business hours and used the option 5 to cancel my subscription. I got a voicemail- stating someone will call me back if I left them my information. Not really keen on call backs since I could be busy and we would end up playing phone tag all day. I opted to call back in a few hours. Maybe they only have one person working and they were on a break. I still got the same message and I double checked to make sure I was calling them during business hours.

I use to work in a call center and figured getting any live person is better than nobody. I choose a different option on their phone tree and got a live operator. She said she could help me but put me on hold with no explanation a minute into the call. She didn't put me on hold long but didn't tell me why. A bit of a turnoff- when I had to put people on hold for a brief moment- I would tell them why. Like I had a cough and didn't want to cough in the phone-any excuse. I feel it's bad customer service to randomly put people on hold.

After putting me on hold, I decided to just go ahead and cancel both of my subscriptions. I was surprised the rep. didn't attempt to try to save my membership. She just asked me if I wanted to tell they why, I was honest and told them no. It was easy- too easy. If they were to have offered me a deal I would have kept it for another month. I felt like they didn't really care. I did get a cancellation email and hopefully I won't be charged. Supposedly they don't have a credit card on file for me anyways- so I guess I don't have anything to worry about? I still don't trust this company 100%, I will keep an eye out.

Basically, I canceled my membership because their customer service was lacking. They told me I could do one thing and I couldn't. I was weird that I was able to sign up for two memberships under the same account but have no way to tell until they sent me two different box information emails to the same email address. I felt they gave me a runaround when trying to cancel. Felt odd that I just got a voicemail when I choose the cancel option but when I choose another option I got a live person- who was able to cancel my membership . I wonder if it's a ploy to get inpatient people not to cancel. Rationally, I just counted my nail polish collection and have about 200. I don't really need anymore. I think their products are overpriced. I can get OPI, China Glaze, CND, and Zoya for about half off retail. If I really needed a fix, I can get 4 or 5 of those for the same price as one month of Julep and actually hand pick the colors- instead of getting whatever they picked. Another issue is I tried to order a mystery box during the one of their holiday specials and got an error message when checking out. I tried two different credit cards and got the same thing. I checked my bank and I had plenty of credit. I checked Julep's Facebook page and some other customers got the same error- so it wasn't just me.

Could I recommend this company? At this point I would have to say no. I guess if you were able to get a deal- it's worth a go but expect problems.

Boots No 7 Poppy King Lipstick: Number One History, Number Two Power, Number Three Glamour, Number Five Intrigue- Pictures, Swatches, Review

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Retail- $9.99 each, I paid 50% off due to a online Boots sale

Amount of Product- 3.5 grams, .12 oz

Packaging- small rounded grayish lavender metal tube

Scent- none detected

Texture- smooth, creamy

Wear- average lipstick- a few hours

Shades-

Number One- History- wearable cherry red cream

Number Two- Power- raspberry pink cream

Number Three- Glamour- neutral leaning cool pink cream

Number Five- Intrigue- neutral medium nude pink cream

Review-

I am a huge fan of Poppy King Lipstick Queen line and had to get these when Boots had a 50% sale. These are very comparable in texture as the Lipstick Queen Saint line of lipsticks. It has a really smooth silky texture and feel comfortable on the lips. The shades I got are all very wearable and flattering. Some are a little bright but I think it's not too loud. The colors are a little sheer but buildable. Overall, I am very pleased with these lipsticks and can't wait to try out her lip glosses.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Eye Shadow Palette- Comparisons to Naked, Picture, Swatches, Review

2011-12-05T11:14:00.000-08:00

Retail $50.00-I paid full retail via urbandeacy.com

Amount of Product- 12x eye shadow pans with .05 oz of product

It also includes a double ended eye shadow brush and a small lip gloss in the shade Naked

Packaging- metal, seems sturdy, pencil case like

Shades:

Foxy- matte cream- not highly pigmented but works great as a under brow highlight

Half-Baked- shimmery warm gold ( only repeat from the first Naked Palette )

Bootycall- lightly shimmery beige

Chopper- light-medium bronze

Tease- medium pigmented matte gray taupe

Snakebite- shimmery warm chocolate brown

Suspect- shimmery brown taupe

Pistol- shimmery gray taupe

Verve- shimmery light gray taupe

YDK- shimmery neutral brown

Busted- shimmery dark brown with purple undertones

Blackout- matte black

Review-

I really like neutral eye shadow palettes and Naked 2 is awesome. Most of the shadows were highly pigmented and applied easy. The packaging is an improvement over the first Naked palette. The first one is cardboard with velvet cover that tends to look dirty. The Naked 2 is a sleek sturdy metal palette. Are they the same? Yes and no. They are both well edited neutral eye shadow palettes with high quality shadows. Some colors are similar with exception of the repeat Half-Baked, they are not exactly the same. You could do the same looks with both palettes but I favor Naked 2 due to the packaging and the slightly cooler toned eye shadows. I honestly don't think you need both, however I use my Naked palette a lot, so I didn't mind getting the second one.

Katy Perry "Purr" Perfume Review

2011-11-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

Retail- 1.7 oz $45.00- I got this super cheap via a Plum District voucher for Image Beauty- not sure exactly how much I paid out of pocket but it was at least 50% off retail

Notes-

Top- peach, apple, gardenia, green bamboo

Middle-jasmine, pink freesia, Bulgarian rose

Bottom-vanilla, orchid, creamy sandalwood, white amber, coconut, musk

Review-

This have a very cute bottle, it's a purple cat with sparking jeweled eyes. When I first use this perfume, I get a blast of peach and apple with a bit of floral undertones. It smells bright fresh and fruity. It reminds me a lot of the first Paris Hilton perfume. As it wears down, it smells less bright and more creamy, warm, and slightly floral. Not the most original perfume- it's just like the rest of the celebrity fruity, floral, vanilla concoctions out there. Not that there is anything wrong with that- I love that type of fragrance. It's a little boring and if I wasn't for the super cute bottle, I wish I did not buy it. I can dig up a few in my collection that smells pretty close.

bareMinerals READY Eyeshadow 8.0 - The Cocktail Hour- Pictures, Swatches, Review

2011-11-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

Retail- $40 ( I got this as an early Christmas present )

Amount of Product-8 x 0.035 oz/ total .28 oz. .099 grams each pan/total 7.94 grams

Texture- super smooth and highly pigmented

Wear- long lasting- over 8 hours with primer

Application- easy- little goes a long way, blends well

Shades-

Black Tie Optional- matte black

Icebreaker- light shimmery pink- applies nearly white

Swanky- shimmery plum

Spiked- shimmery copper

Elixir- shimmery pink-purple

Invite Only- shimmery gray brown taupe

Libation- shimmery champagne

Shaken Not Stirred- matte/satin based navy blue with tiny blue glitter flecks

Review-

This is a awesome set of eye shadows. Highly pigmented, easy to blend, and the colors are very versatile. The pans look tiny but they have a decent amount of product.

For comparison:

A regular MAC eye shadow has 1.5 grams of product for $15= $10 a gram

Bare Mineral Palette- almost 1 gram per pan, 8 eye shadows for $40= $5 gram

Overall, I am very pleased with the set. These are high quality eye shadows that pack a punch.

Jennifer Aniston Perfume Review

2011-11-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

Retail- 1.7 oz EDP $55, I paid around $20 out of pocket due to Plum District Voucher for Image Beauty.

Notes-

Top- Citrus Grove Accord, Rose Water

Middle- Jasmine, Violet, Amazon Lily

Bottom- Musk, Sandalwood, Amber

Review-

I am a huge fan of celebrity perfumes even if I don't like the celebrity the perfume is backed by. I am neutral towards Jennifer Aniston, I don't like or hate her. I am a fan of her father- John Aniston who plays Victor on Days of Our Lives; his character is a hoot.

Anyways, on with the perfume. I found this perfume very linear and I mostly smell jasmine with a touch of musky, beachy, sandalwood notes. I actually really like this fragrance and found it lingered on my skin and clothes for a long time. It has that light summery, cozy, comforting smell with out being gourmand or vanilla based. It smells very clean, simple, and nice. A little boring, safe, and pretty- just like Jen. This is a great office or casual scent.

TheBalm Eye Shadow Palette "Shady Lady Vol. 2" Pictures, Swatches, Review

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

Retail- $39.50, I paid $12.99 @ TJ Maxx

Packaging- slim cardboard box

Amount of Product- .6o oz.

Texture- very soft and smooth, blends easy

Wear- good with eye shadow primer or base- at least 8 hours+

Shades-

Caught in the Act Courtney- matte chocolate brown with gold shimmer- not very pigmented

Feisty Felicia-matte dark purple-blue with magenta shimmer- not very pigmented

Insane Jane-shimmery silver taupe

Bossy Bobbi-shimmery olive green

Makeout Mary- shimmery navy blue

Just This Once Jamie-shimmery light lavender taupe

Mischievous Marissa-shimmery golden peach

Tempting Tara-shimmery white

Devilish Danielle-shimmery champagne beige

Review-

Overall, this is a good set of eye shadows. I was not impressed with the matte based eye shadows. They applied chalky however, then I used them wet they applied much better. Most of these are shimmery and well pigmented. I got this super cheap @ TJ Maxx and they also had a ton of TheBalm gift sets for a reasonable price.

Jimmy Choo Perfume Review

2011-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

Retail-$70 for 2 oz EDP- I paid $30 out of pocket at Image Beauty through a discounted voucher from Plum District

Notes-

Top- green notes, pear, peach nectar, sweet orange

Middle-Tiger Orchid

Bottom-caramel, patchouli

Review-

When I first use this it's smells a a little heavy, sweet, and over powering. I can't really smell any fruit notes but you can tell there's a little something there It mostly smells like orchid, tea, and light patchouli coated with sugary toffee.It reminds me of Angel or Flowerbomb. After it settles it warms up to a sweet lightly floral, caramel with a touch of musky patchouli. This is very much a fall/winter fragrance. I like the more than Flowerbomb because Flowerbomb does not agree with my chemistry-the dry down smells like dirty dust on me.

Zoya Nail Polish "Sookie" Picture and Swatch

2011-11-23T07:04:00.001-08:00

Love this color, it's a bright cherry neutral red that has a slight jelly finish. Even though it goes on super smooth and pigmented there's still a bit of visible nail line after two-three coats.

China Glaze Strawberry Fields Layered with Barielle Budda-ful Pictures, Swatches

2011-11-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

China Glaze Strawberry Fields is a bright medium pink with gold shimmer

Barielle Budda-Ful is a milky sheer pink with opal flakies

I think they look really pretty together. Strawberry Fields was applied with two coat and there was still some visible nail line. Excuse my messy looking application- I swear it doesn't look bad in real life. Pictures seem to highlight things the naked eye doesn't see. I was too lazy to retake these pictures.

Beauty Bargain Alert!- Ross Nail Polish Finds- Sally Hansen Nail Prisms

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

I found some goodies at my local Ross-Sally Hansen Nail Prisms 5 piece set for only $5.99. I was a little hesitant because I knew these were a little old but the colors were so pretty, I had to get them. When I used them, they applied perfectly a little on the thin side but it wasn't thick and hard to use. These are the colors in the set I bought-

Ruby Diamond- magenta/hot pink holographic
Mandarin Garnet- orange based red shimmer
Diamond- silver holographic
South Sea Pearl-pearly white
Lapis Amethyst- purple with pink/blue flash

I only has a chance to do a full manicure with Ruby Diamond, I quickly swatched the rest and I didn't find anything wrong with them.

Orly Nail Polish- "Rock Solid" Pictures, Swatch, Review

2011-11-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

Retail- $7-$10, I paid out of pocket around $3 due the Plum District/Image Beauty deal

Amount of Product- .60 oz

Packaging- glass bottle, rubber textured handle/top

Texture- a little chunky- glitter bits stuck out a bit

Application- average a little sheer with one coat- covers fully with two

Wear- better than average tip wear in three days, chips in four-five days

Color- Rock Solid is a super shimmery silver dark gray with bits of holographic glitter

Review-

I think this is a pretty nice color. It's has a bit of holographic glitter to make it different than most shimmery dark gray nail polishes. It does dry a little chunky- so a double top coat is a must ( unless you like bumpy nail polish. )

M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 PA+++- #27 Honey Beige- Pictures, Swatches, Review

2011-11-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

Retail- $29.99- I paid $8.99 on sale

Amount of Product- 50 ml or 1.69 oz

Packaging- tube with a pump

Scent- highly scented- smells powdery and like perfume

Texture- thick and creamy but blends in nicely

Coverage- medium, it did a good job at evening out my skin tone and covering most blemishes

Finish- satin/matte

Review-

I tried a few BB Creams in the past and they were all too gray toned for me. What I had to do to counter act the grayness is to wear a super yellow powder foundation. When I did this it make my skin look very heavy and made up. It didn't look bad, just not the look I like to go for.

I was able to get Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream in the shade #27 Honey Beige through a promotion the company website had. It's already over but it was a free BB Cream in you choice of color, you just had to spend $8.99 for shipping or you can buy over $40 of product to get the shipping for free. I opted to pay $8.99 since it's still a very fair price for a $29.99 product. I noticed it seems to be always on sale for $19.99 and can be bought on amazon.com for a good price.

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream seems to have the best selection of shades for BB Creams. They currently offer five shades-

#13 Milky Beige- Fair
#21 Light Beige- Light
#23 Natural Beige-Medium
#27 Honey Beige- Medium-Tan
#31Golden Beige- Tan

I am guessing they are going to add more shades since there's a gap in numbers. Not very many in terms if foundation selection but in my experience with BB Creams they normally have two shade- which are often very light and gray toned or pink. #27 Honey Beige is a really good shade for my skin tone. For reference, I am a MAC NC35-37, NARS Stromboli, Make Up For Ever HD #123 or #128, and Alima Minerals foundation in Golden 4 or 5. Honey Beige blended right into my skin tone and looked natural. I found Honey Beige very close to MAC NC35.

When I use this BB Cream I only apply a primer to prep the skin. Since it already has a high SPF, I didn't feel the need to add one. I pat this on my skin and blend it out with a stippling brush. The coverage is pretty good. I found I only needed a little concealer under the eyes and on active blemishes. This seemed to really smooth out my skin and blurred out my pores. I felt my skin looked fairly good with out a lot of product. I top this off with Urban Decay Razor Sharp Ultra Definition Finishing Powder. Not sure if it was the powder or the cream but my skin was less oily looking. I found this also lasted through out the day with very few touch ups.

Overall, I am happy with this product. It delivers and works well with my skin. The only downfall is the smell is strong. I prefer a light scent or unscented for my face products.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter- Pink Truffle & Red Velvet Review and Swatch

2011-11-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

Retail- around $6-$8, I got these on sale buy one get one free

Texture- very creamy, buttery and lip balm like, glossy

Scent- none detected

Shades-

Pink Truffle- is a neutral pinky brown- a great everyday color

Red Velvet- is a pigmented neutral red- it isn't too warm or cool, should work with many skin tones

Review-

I really love these and they are great for dry lips. They go on super smooth and balm like. Red Velvet is a great fall/winter color.

Bath & Body Works "Be Enchanted" Review

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Price- $1.00 for 2oz preview size of lotion

Scent Notes-

Top Notes: Mouthwatering Citrus, Iced Pomegranate, Chilled Wildberries,
Crystallized Passionfruit
Mid Notes: Sheer Honeysuckle, Floral Frosted Bouquet, Sugared Violet,
Dewfruit, Asian Pear
Dry Notes: Whipped Vanilla, Creamy Musk, Sandalwood

Description per Bath and Body Works-

"fresh, sparkling blend of frosted florals sweetened with sugared pomegranate,
inspired by all that glitters"

Review-

This review will be for the scent, the lotion is the standard Bath and Body Works type. When I first apply Be Enchanted, it has a bright berry fruity, candy scent with a touch of perfumy florals and musk. I can tell there is juicy pomegranate and pear. The undertones of vanilla, musk, and sandalwood is definitely there when it settles in but it still has that fruity candy vibe to it. It kind of smells like a blend of Secret Wonderland, Charmed Life and Pink Sugarplum. It's a nice mix however I wish Bath and Body Works would come up with something more original.

Orly Nail Polish- "Rococo A-Go-Go" Pictures, Swatch, Review

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

Retail- $7-$10, I paid out of pocket around $3 due the Plum District/Image Beauty deal

Amount of Product- .60 oz

Packaging- glass bottle, rubber textured handle/top

Texture- very smooth and pigmented- a one coater

Application- easy, I applied it with ease no issues

Wear- slightly longer than average- 3 days tip wear, four-five slight chips

Color- Rococo A-Go-Go is a deep red based plum with intense golden/magenta metallic sheen

Review-

My first Orly and I am not disappointed. This applies so easily and is very pretty. I don't think this a unique color but the quality of this polish is great. I have two other Orly nail polishes and am excited to try them out.

SpaRitual Nail Polish " Sacred Ground" Swatch, Pictures, and Review

2011-11-15T07:40:00.000-08:00

Retail- full size .5 oz is $10, .17 oz mini is $5- not sure how much I bought this for I used a "Groupon" type deal for this.

Packaging- very nice glass bottle- love that the handle has ridges which makes it easier to use. Standard brush- with no application issues

Texture- average- not too thick or thin- it applied smooth and easy

Application- First coat was a little disappointing- it looked so sheer however it totally covers in two coats.

Wear- Average wear- tip wear in two days- chips in three-four

Application- First coat was a little disappointing- it looked so sheer however it totally covers in two coats.

Color- Sacred Ground is a medium-dark gun metal gray with flashes of gold, purple, and pink. It was really hard to capture in the pictures. It's a gorgeous color- I love it!

O.P.I Muppet's Collection "Pepe's Purple Passion" Picture, Swatch, Review

2011-11-13T17:30:00.000-08:00

Retail- $8- I paid $4 on sale

Packaging- Standard OPI bottle with wide tip brush

Texture- a little thick, dries very dull with out top coat

Application- harder than normal due to it's thick texture but it is bearable

Wear- average- I got tip wear after a few days, chips on day three-four

Color- Pepe's Purple Passion is a dark red toned plum with tiny bits of magenta glitter

Review- I love this color, hate application and how it dries. It dries matte in a bad way with chunky bits of glitter. The way to solve this is to use a thick coat of Seche Vite or three coats of Out the Door Top Coat. It is highly pigmented and you can get away with one careful coat. Not my favorite but I don't hate it.

The Body Shop Shimmer Cubes Palette 06 and 23 Review, Pictures, Swatches

2011-11-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

Retail- $22.00 ( Not quite sure how much I paid, I used a Groupon paid $20 for $40 worth of credit at The Body Shop, The Body Shop was have a 30% off sale if I bought a $5 tote, + another 20% off because I am a Love Your Body Member and I used a 4 point $15 off membership gift.)

Amount of Product- 4 grams each cube- total 16 grams- to give an comparison MAC regular eye shadow pans are 1.5 grams each

Packaging- clear plastic square cubes, each shadow is individually packaged

Scent- none detected

Texture- soft, pigmented, creamy, shimmer, does not cause a lot of fall out, easy to blend and build

Shades-

#06- set of shimmery browns

01- Honeycomb

02- Dark Chocolate

03 Marshmallow

04- Chocolate Chip

#23- set of shimmery purples/violets

01- Orchid

02-Candy Pink

03-Pearly White

04-Velvet Plum

Review-

I love both of these kits equally- they do work best wet- the colors really pop and stick well on the lids. Even dry, they work nicely. These by far a my favorite eye shadows from The Body Shop. I don't think I paid very much for these and would be glad to pay full price if I had to. Watch out for Groupons and sales, The Body Shop always has something going on.

Julep Maven American Beauty November 2011 Box - Review, Pictures, Swatches

2011-11-11T17:30:00.000-08:00

( sorry about the mess, I was in a rush!)

Julep is a Seattle based nail salon. They offer a line of nail polish, hand and feet care. Julep Maven is a nail/beauty monthly subscription service that cost $19.99 a month. I was able to to find a promotional code (intro5) to save $14.99 on my first box. So my first box was $5 plus tax, free shipping. Each month you are promised at least $40 worth of stuff. Their nail polish retails for $14. You are suppose to get a email around the 20th of each month to preview the next box. You have the option to skip it, change it, or send it to a friend. If you don't respond by the 25th, they send you the pre-selected box. As a member you are entitled to 20% off their regular line of stuff (no kits or specials) and free shipping. Even though this cost twice as much normally as Birchbox, I think it's better because you get full sized products, plus you know what you are going to get each month.

You take a quiz to find out what category you fall in. I ended up with American Beauty. The November box includes-

Nail Polish- Trina- very pretty dark purple with slight shimmer. This color is very me. The polish applied smooth and opaque in two coats. Application was a little tricky, it has a really long wand and if I was not careful, I would get too much polish on the brush from it dripping from the top. Wear is really good- it lasted about three days before I got tip wear. I can tell this a very high quality nail polish. Not sure if it is worth the full retail of $14, worth it as a part of a kit, and almost worth it after the 20% off Maven membership discount.

Plumping Lip Gloss- Arousal-A very pretty neutral pinky brown. No scent, texture is creamy but the shine is from the shimmer not the texture of the gloss. Plumping action works by irritating the lips, which was mild and did not bother me. Not a huge fan of this gloss- it was okay.

Small Black Make Up Bag- it's okay. The material is like a weird fabric that is quilted with Julep's symbol. The nice thing is there are compartments on the inside. The bag isn't something I would go out a purchase on it's own but as part of a pack- it's fine. I'd use it.

I am a little on the fence about this box. The nail polish is very small- which is good and bad. Good because I do have a lot of nail polishes, bad because if I do like the color, I will run out faster. The lip gloss is okay- the packaging feels a little cheap and the gloss is so/so. The make up bag is a little cheap feeling too. I should have picked another box with more nail care stuff. I don't think lip gloss is their forte.

They do offer a referral program- if you click on the link below and join I will get store credit of $15- which is highly appreciated!

http://www.julep.com/AP.aspx?ID=520&EID=16725251

Butter London Nail Polish Swatch and Review- No More Waity Katie

2011-11-10T19:17:00.000-08:00

Retail- $14- I got this on sale buy on get one free a while back

Texture- goes on smooth but dries with chunky glitter

Color-sheer dusty purple/gray/lavender with lavender glitter

Wear-average, a few days before it chipped

Review-

Not my favorite Butter London. It's looks so pretty in the bottle but did not deliver. It was a bit too sheer and had a chunky texture. I swatched the above with two coats of color and a thick coat of Seche Vite. I think it would have looked better with three-four coats or used as a top coat over a cream color.

Haus of Gloi- "Ghost Puffs" Pumpkin Butter, "Vice" Bubbling Scrubs, and "Satyr" Perfume Oil Review

2011-11-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

Ghost Puffs Pumpkin Butter- retail $10.00 for 6oz

“Buttery popcorn and marshmallow goo orbs, presented on a wooden stick.” (per company description)

Review-

This scent of reminds me of Rice Krispies treats with a buttery undertone. I can only detect a little bit of popcorn. It’s very soft and sweet. It last a long time on my skin and moisturizes very well without being greasy. I really like this scent, it’s fun and easy to wear.

Vice Bubbling Scrub- retail $8.00 for 6oz

“Steam billows rolling off a vessel of fresh made Turkish coffee, marshmallow goo tainted by graham cracker crumbs, toasted hazelnuts and blanketed in black chocolate.” (per company description)

Review-

The scrub is really nice- it feels really scrubby but not harsh. I like that it doesn’t dry out my skin and doesn’t leave it greasy. It rinses very clean. The Vice scent smells like those chocolate wafer cookies with hazelnuts and dunked in some coffee. It’s a nice scent for me to use in the shower but I don’t think I would like to wear it on my skin.

Satyr Perfume Oil – freebie

“Absolutely fiendish creature! And quite frolicsome: Italian blood orange drizzled with blackened vanilla.” (per company description)

Review-

This was just okay for me. It just smells like oranges with a touch of vanilla. This is not very sweet, a little tart and slightly musky. It does last a while on the skin and I have used this scent in as a scrub and I liked it better in that formulation. I don’t want to smell like it all day but it works well in the shower.

******

Per Haus of Gloi regarding Autumn Collection “ Stock on Autumn items is limited to supplies on hand and will be pulled in advance of our Yule release on 11/12/11.” I am excited to see what they have for winter scents, I researched what they had last year and it sounds good.

There are a few Autumn items on sale- their whipped soaps and bubbling scrubs are $5.00 for 6oz and the bar soap is $4. I did place another order and got Ghost Puffs and Pumpkin Eater Whipped Soaps, Saft Ernte Bubbling Scrubs, and Caramelized Apricot Lip Balm.

The Body Shop White Musk Libertine

2011-10-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Price- retails for $26.00 for 2 oz EDT, or $17.50 for 1 oz EDT, I paid full price for this but got a free bag :)

Notes-

Cruelty Free Musk, Turkish Delight, Chantilly Cream and Orchid

Review-

A very nice soft, slightly sweet musk. I have the original White Musk and find White Musk Libertine and the original stronger and sharper. White Musk Libertine is very feminine smelling. I think this a great everyday, none offensive smelling perfume. The only issue I have is that the EDT version just does not last a long time. I think I get a few hours before it fades. I wanted to try the stronger EDP version but it was not available to try out at my local Body Shop.

Pacifica "Island Vanilla" Perfume Review

2011-10-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Price- $22 retail for 1oz EDT Spray, .33 oz roller ball is $12.00

Notes- vanilla absoulte, honey jasmine, "touch of fruit" and base of tea

Review-

This is really yummy. This smells like a soft caramel, vanilla, with a slight touch of jasmine. It reminds me a little of Korre's Jasmine Lip Butter and the discontinued L'occitane Vanille perfume ( which was one of my all time favorite vanilla perfumes.) It doesn't last a terribly long time but it layers very well with other vanilla based body products. It's fairly inexpensive, so I don't mind reapplying through out the day.

The Body Shop Shimmer Cubes Palette 07 Review, Pictures, Swatches

2011-10-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $22.00 ( I paid around $9 on sale )

Amount of Product- 4 grams each cube- total 16 grams- to give an comparison MAC regular eye shadow pans are 1.5 grams each

Packaging- clear plastic square cubes, each shadow is individually packaged

Scent- none detected

Texture- soft, pigmented, creamy, shimmer, does not cause a lot of fall out, easy to blend and build

Shades-

01 Ruby- deep smoky purple
02 Dusted Silver- light silver
03 Argyle Pink- medium blush pink
04 Rich Bronze- deep golden brown

Review- I got these on a whim because I need another product to complete the buy three get two free promo. These never stood out to me and I think I might have purchased a Shimmer Cube Palette but never used it. I really like this set. These cubes are like compressed shimmery pigments. The feel really nice and soft but stick to the skin. I hardly got any fall out when using them dry. When I used them dry, it produced a nice soft blended look. When used wet, the pigment was saturated and looked really nice. Even when used wet, it blended very well. To get the best wear I like to use a eye shadow primer, apply wet and then blend out using the shadows dry. It seemed to last all day on my lids with minor fading. Even though $22 for eye shadows seem expensive, they do go on sale often and you get a ton of product. I am so impressed with these I think I will get a few more shades.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter- Cotton Candy & Berry Smoothie Review and Swatch

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- around $6-$8, I got these on sale for about $4

Texture- very creamy, buttery and lip balm like, glossy

Scent- none detected

Shades-

Cotton Candy- sheer, light blue based pink slight golden shimmer

Berry Smoothie- cream, medium berry pink

Review-

I really like these lip butters and think they are perfect for dry lip. The colors I got were not crazy pigmented but better than a typical tinted lip balm. They offer a nice smooth, moisturizing feel and look great on the lips. When these go on sale again, I will pick up some more shades.

The Body Shop Extra Virgin Minerals Foundation- Cream, Powder, Liquid "302 Golden Beige" Review, Pictures, Swatches

2011-10-24T12:02:00.001-07:00

Retail- $25.00- The Body Shop often have sales, I bought these for $9.00 after discounts

Extra Virgin Minerals Liquid Foundation

Amount of Product- 28 ml or .95 fl oz

Packaging- glass bottle with pump

Scent- there is no added fragrance but the product itself has a a slight smell- it's not bad a bit oily (olive oil?)

Coverage- light-medium

Finish- dewy

Ingredients-

Water (Solvent/Diluent), Undecane (Emollient), Coco-Caprylate (Skin
Conditioning Agent), Talc (Absorbent/Bulking Agent), Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
(Sunscreen), PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate (Emulsifier), Tridecane (Emollient),
Glycerin (Humectant), Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil (Emollient), Titanium
Dioxide (Sunscreen), Disteardimonium Hectorite (Suspending Agent), Ethylene
Brassylate (Masking Agent), Calcium Carbonate (Absorbant), Sodium Chloride
(Viscosity Modifier), Caprylyl Glycol (Skin Conditioning Agent), Tocopherol
(Antioxidant), Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil (Skin Conditioning Agent),
Phenoxyethanol (Preservative), Triethoxycaprylylsilane (Binder), Magnesium
Stearate (Anticaking Agent), Ethylhexylglycerin (Skin-Conditioning Agent),
Hexylene Glycol (Humectant), Aluminum Hydroxide (Opacifier). [May Contain:
Titanium Dioxide (Colour), Iron Oxides (Colour)].

Review-

I got this in shade 302 Golden Beige and it's a tad too dark for me. I think I will exchange it for the next shade down. It does goes go on very smooth and easy to blend. It leaves a moist, dewy finish to the skin. Before I apply this foundation, I use The Body Shop Seaweed Day Cream to combat my oily t-zone. I think this foundation would be better suited for someone with normal-dry skin. It's good for me right now because my skin is a little on the dry side.

Extra Virgin Minerals Cream Compact

Amount of Product- 8.5 grams or .3 oz

Packaging- round compact with a mirror insides

Scent- none detected

Coverage- light-medium ( the claim is medium-full )

Finish- satin/dewy ( claim is smooth matte )

Ingredients-

Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate (Emollient), Titanium Dioxide
(Sunscreen), Dimethicone (Skin Conditioning Agent), Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
(Sunscreen), Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil (Emollient), Polyethylene
(Opacifier), Isononyl Isononanoate (Emollient/Skin Conditioner), Hydrogenated
Coco-Glycerides (Emollient), Polymethylsilsesquioxane (Opacifying Agent),
Polysilicone-11 (Film Former), Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax
(Stabiliser/Viscosity Modifier), Boron Nitride (Bulking Agent), HDI/Trimethylol
Hexyllactone Crosspolymer (Anticaking Agent), Beeswax (Emulsifier/Emollient),
Aluminum Hydroxide (Opacifier), Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax
(Stabiliser), Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil (Skin Conditioning Agent), Isostearic
Acid (Emulsifier), Triethoxycaprylylsilane (Binder), Lauroyl Lysine (Skin
Conditioning Agent), Tocopherol (Antioxidant), Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil
(Emollient/Skin Conditioner). [May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (Colour), Iron
Oxides (Colour), Mica (Opacifier)].

Review-

The sales assistance at The Body Shop was using this as a concealer on top of the liquid foundation and that is why I purchased it. It does an okay job at finishing up what the liquid foundation failed to fully cover but does not provide full coverage in it's own. When I applied it under my eyes- it creased in my fine lines. I did try it out all over my face and it is a decent foundation for light-medium coverage. It's not buildable, it caked up on me when I tried to to apply a second layer on top of it. The color 302 Golden Beige in this foundation is a much better match than the liquid in the same shade name. I was matched using the cream foundation but blindly bought the liquid. I think this is an okay foundation. I don't hate it enough to return it but I don't think I will repurchase.

Virgin Mineral Powder Foundation

Amount of Product- 5 grams or .17 oz

Packaging- standard jar

Scent- none detected

Finish- radiant- satin-matte

Coverage- sheer

Ingredients-

Titanium Dioxide (Sunscreen), Kaolin (Absorbent), Illite (Anticaking Agent).
[May Contain: Mica (Opacifier), Iron Oxides (Colour), Titanium Dioxide
(Colour)].

Review-

I think this is exactly like what they had before but with a better color selection. I got this in shade 302 Golden Beige and it's a good match for me. In the picture it looks very fair but that is due to the flash. The texture is very finely milled and gives a nice finish to the skin. It's not enough coverage for me on it's own but makes a great setting powder. Even though it's not completely matte it keeps my skin from looking oily.

Final Thoughts-

Overall, I am pleased with the foundations I bought. Not sure if they are worth the $25 retail price tag but on sale, it's totally worth it. They do have a better color selection and I noticed that they have them categorized in three tone:

golden (warm)
rose (cool)
natural (neutral)

The next are the depth in shade:

ivory (fair)
vanilla (light)
beige (medium)
caramel (tan)

The only thing is the liquid foundations is darker than the the cream and powder. I heard it was because of the olive oil content but the cream foundation has olive oil too and it's lighter. When I used all three products together- foundation as a bases, cream as a concealer on redness or blemishes ( not under the eye ) and powder to set, it left my skin looking very nice and polished. I got oily breakthrough in the t-zone in about three hours. However, the actual foundation stayed put. A little blotting and touch up and I was good to go.

The Body Shop Body Butter Duo "Vanilla" and "Macadamia" Review

2011-09-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $18 each- I paid $15.00 each on sale

Amount of Product- 6.75 oz

Packaging- standard Body Shop Tub but it's spilt inside- one side is lotion, the other is body butter

Texture- the lotion side is creamy but has a lot of slip, the body butter side it thick and rich

Scent-

Macadamia- soft, sweet and nutty

Vanilla- just like their Vanilla line of perfume- it has a nice vanilla base with slight floral and fruity undertones.

Review-

I like not love these. I will use them up but only repurchase the Vanilla, since I love the scent. It is nice to have two types of creams in one tub but the lotion was too thin and can make a mess. I prefer to have lotions in a pump bottle. It would be awesome if they just has the body butter in the Vanilla scent.

Butter London Nail Polish Swatch and Review- Marrow

2011-09-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

Retail-$14.00, I got this on sale Buy One Get One Free

Amount of Product- 11 ml/.4oz

Packaging- rectangle bottle- black top comes off to reveal a easy to handle lid.

Wear- excellent- minor tip wear 5 days- beyond that I don't know, I get bored of the color and change. I use Zoya Even Out as a base, two coats of color, Zoya Amour, then I top it off with Seche Vite.

Texture- very opauge- could be a one-coater, but I like to use two

Application- applies smooth and even, dries fairly fast

Color- Marrow is a dark, dusty purple with fine shimmer- that you really can't see unless under bright lights. The picture is a about a shade lighter than in real life.

Review-

I find Marrow a great fall color. It's dark but not pitch black. Even though Butter London is expensive, I think it's well worth the splurge. I regret not picking up more shades during the crazy Ulta one day buy one get one free sale! Butter London is one of my favorite brands of nail polishes due to wear, application, and unique shades.

Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette "Saint" Review and Swatches

2011-09-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $35.00

Amount of Product- 8 pans of eyeshadow has .05 oz /1.4 grams each- approx. the same size as a full sized MAC eyeshadow. This also comes with a mini black eye liner pencil.

Packaging- black metal tin with roses embossed, spring loaded hinge- which feels a little iffy, large mirror, other than the hinge it feels high quality.

Colors-

heavens- pale shimmery vanilla

enjoy the silence- warmer shimmery champange

<3- matte soft pink base with gold glitter

downtown- shimmery golden peach

sunny- shimmery gold

pray for me- warm shimmery taupe

bookworm- satin-matte medium/dark brown base with gold glitter

caravaggio- matte dark brown

Review-I am a huge fan of netural eyeshadows and Kat Von D's make up line and had to get this when it came out. The texture of these shadows are really nice; they are super soft, pigmented, and easy to work with. A lot of people say this is like Urban Decay's Naked eyeshadow palette. They are in the same color family but different enough to own both. I think Kat Von D's eyeshadows have better texture and wear. However, both are high quality and excellent.

Side Note- I applogize for the lack of post lately. I honestly have not been buying very many beauty products for the past month or so. I have so much stuff, I really not feel the need to have more unless it's super special or on sale :).

Haus of Gloi Autumn Review- "Pumpkin Eater" "Vanilla Taffy" "Olde Cider Haus"

2011-08-23T07:13:00.000-07:00

I did a small Haus of Gloi Autumn order. I got-

Pumpkin Butter- "Pumpkin Eater" retail $10.00 for 6oz

Description per company-

"Cream, glowing pumpkin, rich vanilla bean, with the tiniest touch of nutmeg butter"

Review-

Love their Pumpkin Butter- it's one of my favorite body moisturizers. It's rich, thick but doesn't feel greasy and soaks in very fast. This cream leaves my skin super smooth. The scent "Pumpkin Eater" is awesome. On cold sniff, I can smell the cream, pumpkin, and the slightest touch of nutmeg. After using it, the vanilla comes out and it smells like a pumpkin vanilla cake. It's scented quite strong- a little goes a long way. This has got to be my favorite pumpkin scented product.

Perfume Oil- "Vanilla Taffy" retails $12.00 for 5ml

Description per company-

"Simple taffy, vanilla flavored!"

Review-

Yum! This smells so good. It smells just like vanilla taffy- vanilla candy goodness. It's not too sweet and the perfume last a long time on my skin. I got all day wear from this. It layers well with Pumpkin Eater and does well on it's own. I wish they had this in their Pumpkin Butter.

Perfume Oil- "Olde Cider Haus" sample free

Description per company-

"Old oak, sweet drying hay fields, crushed apply pulp, and vanilla bean husks"

Review-

This is not the type of scent I like to wear- it's smells like apply cider. It's a nice scent and I would like this in a candle. If I ever find my tart/oil burner I might use this to scent the house.

Overall, I am very happy with my order. I got these is less than a week, everything was packaged nice. Shipping cost were very reasonable, I think I paid like $2.90 for this order. Haus of Gloi do limited seasonal runs- I heard that they stop selling their Autumn line at the end of October to bring in their Winter line. You can find them at

Haus of Gloi. www.hausofgloi.com

Bath and Body Works Paris Amour Review

2011-08-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- Body Butter: $15.00, Body Splash: $12.00, Body Cream: $10.50- I got these buy two get one free

Notes-

Top

Sparking Mandarin, Petite Strawberry, Cassis, Pink Champagne, Apply Blossom, Dewy Freesia

Middle

Luscious Peach, Jasmine Petals, French Tulips, Water Lily, Frangipani

Bottom

French Vanilla, Coconut Milk, Amber Wood, Sandalwood, Creamy Musk

What I Smell/Review-

When I first apply Paris Amour, I get a burst of mandarin, sweet fruit, and a soft floral undertone. When it dries down, I can still smell the fruity floral but get a nice creamy vanilla undertone. It has a touch of a powdery smell. Paris Amour is a bit on the perfumy side but I like it. This scent is incredibly long lasting but still smells light at the same time. I like Paris Amour more than Charmed Life however they do smell very similar. Paris Amour also smells a little bit like Sweet Pea and Carried Away but much sweeter. I find that Sweet Pea and Carried Away has a bit of a sharper and brighter smell. I really like Paris Amour and think it's the best perfumy type of scent Bath and Body Works carries.

Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick "Pink & Proper" and "Pink Freeze" Review

2011-08-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $7.49 each- I paid $3.50 each after sales and coupons

Review-

Pink & Proper-is a medium-bright slightly shimmery blue based pink. It goes on creamy and smooth. It has a slight vanilla/play-doh scent. Average lasting power- a few hours.

Pink Freeze- is a light-medium light shimmery sheer pink. Part of their High Shine line this is a suppose to be a lip gloss in a lipstick formula. It indeed goes on sheer and glossy like a lipgloss but applies and feels more like a lipstick. It doesn't have the same scent as the regular Colorsensational lipsticks. It has a light slightly fruity scent. It has poor staying power but it is to be expected from a glossy lipstick.

Overall, I like these two lipstick and find them a great deal on sale. However, they are not anything special and I would not spend more than $4.00 each on them.

Bath and Body Works "Charmed Life" Body Lotion Review

2011-08-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $10.50 for 8 oz body lotion- I got this free due to a promo last weekend, with any Signature Line purchase.

Notes-

Top Notes:
Juicy Guava, Apple, Sparkling Pear, Red Berries
Middle Notes:
Peony Petals, Soft Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Coconut Milk

Bottom Notes:
Apricot Skin, Creamy Vanilla, Praline, Sandalwood, Musk

What I Smell/Review:

I actually like this scent. It smells just like what Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, or Juicy Couture would make. Fruity, soft floral, with a vanilla musk undertone. When I first I apply the lotion I get a burst of guava, pear, and slight juicy apple. Once it settles, it smells more floral and creamy. I like that the fragrance lingers a long time on me.The lotion itself was okay. I do prefer their body butter or body creams but it was free, so I really shouldn't complain. I believe this officially lauches in October 2011 and I will probably get other items in this scent.

Bath and Body Works "Sinful Vanilla" Body Lotion Review

2011-08-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $5.00 ( price I paid )

Review-

Bath and Body Works just released their Halloween line and I was most excited about Sinful Vanilla. I love vanilla scented products. "Vanilla bean, whipped marshmallow and vanilla cream" are the notes that Bath and Body works say that Sinful Vanilla has. When I tried it it smells like their holiday Vanilla Bean Noel but more musky and dirty. It smells nice but not what I was expecting. I was hoping for something more cake/candy like. Oh, well.

NYC Blushable Creme Stick " Plaza Pink" and "Gold Radiance" Review, Pictures, Swatches

2011-08-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $3.99 each ( I got these on sale for buy one get one half off )

Packaging- medium twist up tube

Texture- slightly powdery cream

Colors-

Plaza Pink is medium shimmery warm pink

Gold Radiance is a slightly glittery, shimmery gold

Review-

These were just okay product for me. Although Plaza Pink looks like a good color for my medium golden olive skin tone, when blended in it actually looked a little ashy. Gold Radiance was too glittery to use as a highlight for my cheeks. I did find use for these products as lip highlighters. I just put a dab on the bottom of my lips after I apply lipstick and blend it in.

Villaniess Soaps Whipped! Body Creme "Decadence" & "Paradise Misplaced" Review

2011-08-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Price- $10.00

Amount of Product- 6 oz

Packaging- standard jar with black metal lid, nice labels

Texture- Truly a whipped cream, soft and fluffy. But still feel rich and creamy. This leaves my skin soft for hours. It's a very nice cream.

Where to buy- I bought these through www.thesoapboxco.com but you can order direct via www.villainess.net. My experience with The Soap Box Company was really good. I got my order with in a week and everything was packed nicely. I even got my product in a plain white gift box with a string tied around it. It was like a little present to myself.

Scents-

"Decadence"

Per Company-

"An indulgent vanilla- alcoholic, buttery, and bittersweet with delightful undertones of tonka and coconut. "

What I Smell-

To me, it's a very nice rich vanilla. I can smell a bit of coconut and it has buttery caramel undertone. It's a great scent of layering but the problem I have with it is it's not strong enough and doesn't last long on the skin.

"Paradise Misplaced"

Per Company-

"Sweetly creamed coconut and touches of mango offset by crisp green tea."

What I Smell-

It smells just like described. Creamy coconut milk, very fresh green tea with a slight mango undertone. It's very lovely and great for summer. I have never smelt anything like this before and I love that it's unique. This one sticks around a little longer than Decadence but still not great.

Final Thoughts-

Overall, pretty good products and great scents. I know creams are not suppose to be the best thing to use when scenting the skin but when I spend $10.00 on a jar of cream, I want it to last at least a few hours. These last about 30 minutes and I can hardly smell them an hour later. I may pick up perfume samples to see if it will last longer or maybe add a little more scent to the cream. My favorite e-tailer bath and body is still Haus of Gloi. However, Villianess Soaps comes in a close second due the packaging, cream quality, and wonderful fairly unique scents.

Tarte for True Blood Eye Shadow Palette- Review and Swatches

2011-08-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

Review-

Overall, I really like this palette- it has a great variety of shades and are a good value for the money. I swatched the above with no primer and I think they they look pretty good. With primer the colors are much more intense and pop. The texture of the shadows are very soft and easy to blend. The problem with super soft shadows are the amount of fallout and it can blend too easy- to the point where it fades. These are the type of eye shadow you would want to pat on instead of swipe and apply before foundation for easy clean up. The only eye shadow I do not like is Waitress. It looks so pretty in the pan but when I applied the pigment was so/so and it had crazy chunky glitter fall out. Not pretty! These are on par with the other Tarte eye shadows I have used- the quality is good and the colors are nice.

Relvon Super Lustrous Lipstick "Primrose"

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

Price- Retail-$7.99, I paid $4.79 (40% off sale)

Texture- creamy, smooth, medium pigmentation

Wear- average

Scent- none detected

Shade- Primerose is a cream, light-medium, blue based, pink with slight lavender undertones

Final Thoughts- This reminds me a little bit of MAC's Angel lipstick without the frost/shimmer. It's almost too cool toned for me but I can make it work by applying it with a neutral pink lip liner and dabbing it on my lips instead of swiping.

Revlon Colorburst Lipstick- " Rosy Nude"

2011-07-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

Price- Retail $8.99- I bought this on sale for 40% off= $5.39

Texture- creamy smooth, well pigmented

Wear- average maybe an hour or so but wears evenly

Scent- none detected

Shade- Rosy Nude is a very wearable medium rose with a brown undertone
Final Thoughts- Great lipstick for a decent price (on sale.) This is a nice neutral everyday lipstick.

Tarte for True Blood Eye Shadow Palette

2011-07-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Just some quick pictures of the new Tarte for True Blood Palette I bought. I didn't have time to do proper swatches but will do them as soon as I can. I just love the packaging!

Inglot Eye Shadow Base and AMC Liner #75 Review

2011-07-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Eye Shadow Base-

Price- $10.00

Amount of Product- 5.5 grams

Review-

Not my favorite primer. I tried using this thin, thick, with different brushes and techniques. Nothing seem to make it better. It's better than using nothing but I feel that Urban Decay Primer Potion, Too Faced Shadow Insurance,MAC Paint Pots are superior products. Ingot doesn't do much in terms of keeping the eye shadow in place longer.

AMC Liner #75

Price- $12.00

Amount of Product- 5.5 grams

Review-

#75 is a dark, rich smoky purple/plum. It's a shade lighter than a true black. It goes on smooth and looks like at first. The problem I have with this liner is the wear. After a few hours it tends to migrate and looks terrible. I would rather have a liner fade than move all over the place. At first I thought it was just because my lids were a bit oily and I needed to set it with a powder eye shadow. That did help a little but it was still a hot mess.

The Body Shop All in One Face Base Shade 04 Review

2011-07-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Price- $20.00

Amount of Product- .30 oz

Review-

I was hoping for a dupe of MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation but this is not it. I found it did not cover well and served best as a setting powder. The powder was average, nothing bad or exciting. If you can find the right color and don't need a lot of coverage this might be something you want to give a go. Especially since The Body Shop always have sales. I believe I paid 50% due to a sale and awesome Groupon voucher I had.

The color selection is not very good. I felt the color that worked best for me was too cool toned (04.) The next shade up was too dark. Oh, well, back to MAC Studio Fix Powder I go. I have been using MAC Studio Fix Powder for over ten years and I should really stick to what I like.

Haus of Gloi- "Trokia" "Lichi Milk Tea" "Boca Chica" Pumpkin Butter Review

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

"Trokia"

Price- 2oz $4.50, 6oz $10.00

Company Description of Scent-

A trinity of soft milks, almond, oat and coconut, lashed with sweet agave nectar and the ethereal scent of clean white.

What I Smell-

I love this scent. It's a creamy, oatmeal, coconut milk, with a a soft, slightly powdery, clean undertone. I feel it's a very calming, easy to wear scent.

"Lichi Milk Tea"

Price- 2oz $4.50, 6oz $10.00

Company Description of Scent-

Tart lychee fruit and black tea met with a splash of coconut milk

What I Smell-

This has very strong creamy, fresh, true to lychee scent. I don't really smell the tea and the coconut milk is probably what is making it smell creamy but it's hard to detect the actual coconut notes. I like this much better than The Body Shop Lychee Blossom line.

"Boca Chica"

Price- 4oz $6.00 ( one size only)

Company Description of Scent-

Rich gardenia blossom, red mandarin, coconut cream and ripe banana. This sounds super fruity, but it is surprisingly not so!

What I Smell-

When I first apply it all I smell is gardenia. It smells like a creamy tropical slightly sharp white floral. It smells very true to the flower. Which is something I like however I was hoping for something a little more. After it dries down for a bit, I do notice a touch of citrus and more creaminess coming through. It layers very well with the Kim Kardashian fragrance.

Pumpkin Butter Review-

Haus of Gloi's Pumpkin Butters are my favorite moisturizer. The cream is thick but not greasy. It sinks into my skin pretty fast and leaves it super soft and moisturizing. I feel they are a fair price for what you get. The star of the Pumpkin Butters are the amazing scents they come in.

Ingredients-

Water, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) seed oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, glyceryl stearate, PEG 100 stearate, glycerin, cyclopentasiloxane, behenyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, dimethicone, phenoxyethanol (and) caprylyl glycol (paraben and formaldehyde free preservative), hydrolyzed cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) seed extract, tocopherol, tetrasodium EDTA, xanthan gum, citric acid

Green Mountain Soapworks Review

2011-07-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Price-

I got a www.heartsy.me deal- I paid $14.00 for a $45 of stuff.

The items are sold on Green Mountain Soapworks (Link)

Retail prices per item-

4 oz Whipped Cream- $12.00

Soap Bars- $5.00

Lip Balm- $3.00

4 oz Sugar Cube Scrub-$5.00

Solid Perfume- $5.00

Shipping- I don't recall but it was over $5.00 but under $10.00. I spent slight under my $45.00 voucher.

Review-

Whipped Cream- Cupcake

Ingredients-

Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Shea Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Fragrance Oil, Cornstarch

This is truly a whipped cream. In the jar it appears to be light and fluffy. When I apply it on my skin, it melts like butter and leaves it greasy for a five-ten minutes. I like to use this when my skin is extra dry or I have time to lounge around to let it soak it. It does leave my skin super soft and smooth. The cupcake scent is light but pleasant. It smells like white cake and vanilla butter cream frosting. It smells strong in the jar but when I applied it to my skin it disappears.

Solid Perfume- Cupcake

Slightly stronger than the Whipped Cream and the same scent. Very simple white cake and vanilla buttercream frosting. It doesn't seem to last very long on me either. It might be a fun fragrance for a kid.

Sugar Cubed Scrubs- Cupcake

Same scent as everything else I bought in the Cupcake scent but has a slight alcohol scent. Cute idea but I have to use one cube to get a good amount of product to scrub just my hands. I didn't feel it was gritty enough but at least it didn't leave a greasy film.

Lip Balms- Margarita and Pink Lemonade

Both very lightly scented. I could hardly smell anything on either lip balms. A little disappointed. The lip balms are okay. They have a nice slip but once the balm wears off my lips feel drier than before using them

Soap-

Margarita Sea Salt Spar Bar-

Scent- very faint- to me it just smells like a nice plain unscented bar of soap. It lathered nicely but I didn't feel like it exfoliated my skin. I tried to use it on slightly damp skin away from the running shower but that didn't help. I have to say that the soap did an nice job of cleaning my skin with out drying it out.

Lemon Cupcake-

This has a very light vanilla cake and lemon scent. Other than the lack of scent, this soap is good. It lathered nicely and left my skin clean with out over drying it.

Overall, I think these product were okay. The products themselves are decent quality, it's the lack of scent I don't like. I like my bath and body products to have nice scent to them. If I wanted unscented items, I would buy them. I don't know if these were lightly scented because I them cheap through Heartsy but I do not think I will repurchase.

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation Review

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

Retail- $7.99

Amount of Product- 1 fl. oz

Packaing- glass bottle, no pump

Review-

I choose the shade Nude- which is a decent match for me, as you can see in the comparison pictures above, it's pretty close to MAC NC37. I believe Nude appears to be the most yellow toned medium shade Rimmel currently offers in this line.

The coverage was sheer to medium. I didn't feel like it could be built up, when I did that it just got cakey.

The application was okay, I had to apply it with flat top powder brush to get the most natural finish.

Wear on this was not very good. I felt I got a good two hours before it started to oxidize to a orange shade and slide off my face. Keep in mind my skin to not very oily and most foundations not not slide off my face.

Overall, I am not too pleased with foundation.

Tarte Glow Your Way To Gorgeous- QVC Today's Special Value- 6/2/2011 Set Swatches and Pictures

2011-07-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

This is what you get in the kit-

Maracuja Creaseless Concealer- comes in Fair, Light, Medium, Tan, and Rich- I choose Medium
SmolderEYES Waterproof Eyeliner- "Fig" slightly shimmery plum
Lip Luster- "Sweet" soft pink with golden shimmer
Waterproof Cream Shadow Pot "Shimmery Taupe" shimmery brown gray
Shadow Brush
Blush Brush
Lights,Camera,Lashes Mascara in Black
12-Hour Wear Clay Blush-"Peaceful" slightly shimmery peachy pink
Mineral Bronzer- "Park Ave Princess"slight golden sheen sheer brown
Maracuja Oil Sample
Purple Patent Leather Make Up Bag

This is a quick post to show what you get in this kit. I will do reviews when I get a chance to use them for a while.

I ordered this early and paid $49.92 for this kit and it will go up in price to $60.00 - but I don't know when. Please got to QVC.com for more details.

Pink Bath Bow Boutique Eau de Parfume Spray " Fresh Apricot Cupcakes' and "Nectarine Blossom and Honey (Jo Malone type)" Review

2011-06-28T08:11:00.000-07:00

Retail- $10.00- direct from their website www.pinkbowbathboutique.com-
or $10.25 via Etsy
Shipping- Flat Rate $5.00
What I paid- I got a Heartsy VIP deal- $26 voucher for $8, I had to order from Etsy, making these two perfumes retail price with shipping $25.50.
Amount of Product- 1 fluid ounce
Packaging- glass bottle, plastic mister and lid

Scents/Review-

"Fresh Apricot Cupcakes"

Company Description-
"Fluffy vanilla bean cupcakes, stuffed with fresh apricot perseveres,topped with double-whipped buttercream frosting"

Review-
When I first use it I get a lot of fresh apricot with a very sweet vanilla cake. After it settles the fresh apricot turns to sweet apricot with vanilla cake and a slight buttercream frosting undertone. This fragrance is super sweet and should be applied with care, it will get overpowering and cloying if too much is used. I really love this scent. This also last a really long time on me, which is always a huge plus.

"Nectarine Blossoms and Honey- Jo Malone Type"

Company Description-
" A youthful fruity fragrance which was inspired by the delicious scent of just-ripening nectarines and taste of refreshing peach sorbet. Mouth watering nectarines and peach with hints of plum black current, and vetiver are combined with the sweet warmth of acacia honey in this truly seductive combination"

Review-
I tried the real Jo Malone Nectarine Blossoms and Honey, love the scent but hated the lack of staying power. Jo Malone is $55 for 1 fluid ounce and $105 for 3.4 fluid ounce. Which is expensive for what you get.

I purchased Pink Bath Bow Boutique hoping it will smell the same but last longer since they formulate their EDP with 60% fragrance oil. I am happy to report it smells just like the real thing but stronger and the dupe last all day+ on me.

This scent is pretty linear in the fact the it doesn't really change much when I first apply it. It is a very fresh and juicy nectarine/peach scent warmed up slightly with honey. It may sound weird but there's also a bit of a soapy freshness I get from this scent.

Final Thoughts-
Overall, I am very happy with my order and plan on getting some more goodies. The turnaround time was pretty quick. I believe I got my order with in one and a half weeks. I feel the quality of the products is top notch. I really liked that the perfumes sprays a fine mist and last a long time. The only nit-picky complaint I have is I wasn't too thrilled about the labels. I wish they were the waterproof kind, these were the plain matte sticker. I can see the labels getting ruined after being in my purse or due to wear and tear.

The Body Shop Lychee Blossom Body Butter and Eau De Toilette Spray Review

2011-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Lychee Blossom Body Butter
Retail-$16.00
Amount of Product- 7.05 oz
Texture- very thick but still creamy- like a cross between a cream and a body butter

Information per company
• Provides 24-hour hydration
• Leaves skin soft and smooth
• Buttery texture
• Fruity-floral scent

Review-
This is a very nicely fragrance body butter that is good for spring/summer. It feels very moisturizing on the skin but not greasy. When I first apply this body butter, it has a very fresh juicy lychee burst of scent. When it settles down it still smell like lychee with a slight guava twist, and soft floral undertones.

Lychee Blossom Eau de Toilette Spray
Retail-$17.00
Amount of Product- 1oz
Information per company-
"juicy lychee and guava with delicately floral lychee blossom, magnolia and freesia"

Review-
This smells just like the body butter. Juicy lychee with a soft floral undertone. I actually love this fragrance. I reminds me of something that Escada would bring out as one of their limited edition Summer fragrances. Combined with the body butter, it only last about four hours on me. Which is to be expected for a light fragrance that is not expensive.

I Smell Good- Perfume Oil "Vanilla" and Clean Cream "Passion Fruit and Coconut"

2011-06-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

I got these via http://heartsy.me/home- I paid $10.00 for $25.00 worth of product. The perfume oil is $10.50 and the Clean Cream is $10.00, shipping cost $6.50. Which brought my retail total to $27.00- out of pocket I paid $12.00 total.

ISmellGood is sold on Esty which is a online store that sells homemade/small business goods.
Hearsty is like Groupon for Etsy. I have found many good deals and have not had any issues with them so far.

I got a few goodies from ISmellGood and here are my reviews-

Perfume Oil- "Vanilla"
Comes in a 5ml amber bottle. Not thrilled about the packaging- I prefer to use a roller ball applicator for perfume oils.

Description per seller-
"A smooth blend of pods, extract and bakery vanillas"

Review-
When I first apply this it smells like a strong vanilla bourbon scent with a hint of chocolate. After it settles, the alcohol notes fade and it has a very sweet vanilla extract and cake scent. It isn't very strong but seems to last a long time on my skin. It's one of those scents that stays close to you. It's a very plain vanilla.

Clean Cream- "Passionfruit and Coconut"
Comes in a 7oz plastic jar

Description per seller:
Passion Fruit - An aromatic passion fruit blends seamlessly with guava and pineapple.
Coconut - This blend of coconuts makes the perfect summer coconut concoction.

Review-
Clean Cream is a whipped soap, the scents are separated, and looks pretty. It doesn't lather very well but seems to do a good job at cleansing my skin without drying it out. This works very well as a shaving cream. The scent was just okay to me. It smelt like tropical fruit salad but it wasn't anything special.

Final Thoughts-
I got my order pretty quick - I think I got this in about a week. It was packaged well and nothing leaked. The products were just okay to me. I will use them but not re-buy. I use a lot of bath, body and perfume products and these didn't seem like anything special.

Physician's Formula Correcting Pebbles Creamy Nautral

2011-06-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

This is a good highlighter for the cheeks. It gives a really soft glow that slightly shines in certain angles. I forgot how much I bought this for but it was pretty cheap due to sales and coupons. I

Revlon Colorburst Lipstick- "Fashion's Night Pout" Review & Pictures

2011-06-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Nice pale peachy beige- it's a little too light for me, I like to use a medium peachy pink gloss on top.

Revlon Nail Polish- "Black with Envy"

2011-06-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

I like this nail polish color, it's s black with a silvery pearl finish,

Haus of Gloi- Pumpkin Butter: "Honey Tree" "Beguiled" "Twice is Nice" Review

2011-06-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail-
2oz- $4.50
6oz-$10.00
(which are the prices I paid)

Packaging- standard clear jar with black lid, labels appears to be waterproof, very professional looking and attractive.

Texture-very creamy, applies very nice and only slightly greasy but soaks in fast, does an excellent job at moisturizing.

INGREDIENTS:
Water, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) seed oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, glyceryl stearate, PEG 100 stearate, glycerin, cyclopentasiloxane, behenyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, dimethicone, proprietary fragrance blend, phenoxyethanol (and) caprylyl glycol (paraben and formaldehyde free preservative), hydrolyzed cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) seed extract, tocopherol, tetrasodium EDTA, xanthan gum, citric acid

Scents-

"Honey Tree"
As Per Company-
"Quite rich! Right from the bee hive - honey amplified by seductive essence of resinous vanilla, darkened by a passing waft of mild rare wood smoke."

What I smell-
This smells exactly the way it is described, dark rich sweet vanilla honey with a smoky incense undertone. It reminds me a little of Nag Champa- so, not my cup of tea but it's not bad. I guess I was hoping it would be more honey vanilla than smokey incense.

"Beguiled"
As Per Company-
"Lemon cake made with the tang of fresh buttermilk, raspberry coulis - an otherwise innocent cake corrupted by cardamom and deceptive pink peppercorns."

What I smell-
I was afraid it would smell too much like peppercorns and cardamon but I don't detect any of those notes. To me it smells like a really yummy lemon cream cake with a drizzle of sugary glaze. I love this scent, it smells very fresh with a creamy undertone.

"Twice is Nice"
As Per Company-
"Sweetest offerings of opulence! Buttery sugar cookie, with shavings of creamy coconut and topped with toasted almond slivers!"

What I smell-
This is my all time favorite vanilla, coconut, almond scent. I love this so much, I have used half a jar in a week and am contemplating buying the perfume oil. To me, it smells just as described- it is heavy on the coconut and toasted almond but it does have a cookie base to round it out.

Final Thoughts-
I am completely obsessed with Haus of Gloi. I have ignored my big box retail lotions and creams and have been using Haus of Gloi stuff ever since I got them. The Pumpkin Butters are scented just right- not too strong or weak. It doesn't last all day on my skin but it has the ability to linger. I don't mind reapplying mid-day. Their products are top notch and reasonably priced. Shipping cost is very low-I was able to choose USPS First Class for my orders and I paid under $5.00 to ship everything. I took about a week to get my stuff, a pretty quick turn around time. I did get a sample perfume oil with each order- so that is always a plus. I highly recommend this company.

You can check them out @ www.hausofgloi.com

The Body Shop Vanilla Perfume Review

2011-06-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $17.00- I paid about half price due to sale and Groupon
Size- 1.0 fl. oz
Packaging- simple small glass bottle

Scent per company-
Top Notes-
bergamot, coconut, apricot and strawberry
Middle Notes-
jasmine, lily of the valley and rose
Bottom Notes-
vanilla, sandalwood, amber and musk

What I smell and thoughts-
This isn't quite the typical foodie vanilla. But to me it's still quite good. It has a definite velvety vanilla, sandalwood, musk undertone with a splash of warm fruits and sheer soft floral. Lasting power is average- I can only smell it midday and it fades. Which is okay since it's pretty cheap and easy to find. This isn't my favorite vanilla perfume but I really like it.

L'Oreal Infaliable Lip Stick- Forever Frappe

2011-05-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail-$9.99 ( I paid $5.00 with sale and coupon )
Color-opaque, cream, light, neutral pinky brown beige
Texture- goes on smooth but a little thick
Lasting Power- very good- sets to a semi-matte creamy finish that sticks on the lips
Ease of Use- same as any other tube lipstick
Scent- none detected

Review-
A pretty good drugstore lipstick, the retail is a bit on the high side but there are a lot of sales and coupons for this. I was able to get this for half price. This lipstick is a great everyday no fuss lipstick. The key to using long lasting lipsticks is to make sure your lips are well exfoliated and moisturized before using them. Otherwise it will look like a hot mess once it sets. Overall, I like this line of lipsticks and will continue to purchase them as long as I get a good deal.

L'Oreal Eye Shadow Duo- Bronzed Star

2011-05-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $5.48 ( I paid about $3.00 due to sale and coupons )
Color- one side is a shimmery champagne, the other is a shimmery golden bronze
Texture- fairly smooth, medium pigmentation
Lasting Power- less than average-even with eye shadow primer it faded with in three hours
Ease of Application- blended in very well, easy to apply

Review-
This eyeshadow duo is okay. The colors are beautiful but the overall performance is lacking. I am keeping this in my emergency make up kit for my car since it's so easy to apply but not a eye shadow I want to use on a every day basis.

Bellaroma Natural Skincare Boutique Review- Gourment Goatsmilk Lotion " Honey Cream Truffle" Whipped Creme "Bella Bee" " Pomegranate"

2011-05-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Gourmet Goatsmilks Lotion "Honey Cream Truffle"

Retail $9.50

Amount of Product- 8 oz

Packaging- amber plastic bottle with black pump

Texture- medium feel, velvety, not greasy

Scent Description- per site
"Hey Honeycakes! This divine creme is oozing with real Golden Cremed Honey and dripping with heavy Vanilla Essential Oil. Honey Vanilla heaven all packaged up into a luxurious whipped body creme!"

What I smell-
Very light natural creamy vanilla honey scent- I like it not love it. I wish it was a tad stronger.

Review-
This lotion does an okay job moisturizing but it's to be expected since it's a lotion not a body butter or cream. I don't think I would repurchuse but I like it well enough to use it.

Whipped Body Cream "Bella Bee"

Retail - $6.00

Amount of product- 2oz

Packaging- plastic jar

Texture- between a lotion and a cream, decent job moistering with out feeling greasy

Scent Desciption per site-
"A moisturizing milky blend of Almond Cream Vanilla and pure golden Honey make for a comforting bee-utiful aroma!"

What I smell-
powdery honey vanilla with a lot of almonds- not sure if I like this scent, it has a dusty-bitter undertone

Review-
Due to the scent, I am not a fan of this cream. It has a bit of a bitter almost vomit like undertone. It makes me a little sick when I use it.

Whipped Facial Creme "Pomegranate"

Retail- $6.00

Amount of product-2 oz

Packaging- double walled plastic jar

Texture- same as the body creme

Scent- pomegranate

Review-
I have been experiencing really dry skin lately and wanted to give this try. This did a pretty good job at keeping my skin well moisturized but the scent is a bit gross. It has the same bitter undertones as the Bella Bee- so I wonder if made from the same base and that is causing the scent.

Final Thoughts

The shipping was really fast, I got my products with in a week, the packaging is nice and the prices are reasonable. I only really liked one out of the three products I bought but it was just okay and not a repurchase. Not really impressed with what I got. I really wanted to love what I go but I just didn't.

http://www.bellaromaboutique.com/

Sinful Colors Nail Varnish- "Savage"

2011-05-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $1.99- I paid $.99 on sale
Shade- "Savage" in real life it's has more green- it's a blue/green teal
Texture- matte finish, smooth, easy to apply, opaque in two coats
Review- I am surprised how nice this nail polish is, it could rival high end brands. Dries pretty quick and applies like a dream. Not sure how durable it is since I like to switch colors often but for the two days I did wear it I only go minor tip wear

Physician's Formula Light Bronzer Comparison and Review- Bronze Booster, Happy Booster, Healthy Wear, and Cashmere Wear

2011-05-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

With all the sales and coupons for Physician's Formula, I have accumulated a nice collection of bronzers. If you don't already know, it seems like their main focus are bronzers so they have like a gazillion different ones. I mostly have them in the light shade because I use my bronzers mainly for contouring and don't need a super deep bronzer.

Here's a quickie description of the bronzers I have:
#1- Bronze Booster- "light-medium" matte based warm bronzer with hints of shimmer, not noticeable on the skin once blended in

#2 Happy Booster- "light bronzer" slighly shimmery pink based bronzer

#3 Healthy Wear- "light bronzer" matte light brown based bronzer

#4 Cashmere Wear- "light bronzer" netural light golden bronzer- slightly shimmery if you swipe the middle bright gold part, can be matte if only using the brown matte side

My favorite for contouring is the Cashmere Wear, if using the matte side. It provides the most natural look. All these bronzers are very nice and high quality.

Physicans Formula Mineral Wear Correcting Concealer

2011-05-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail-$8.95- I paid around $4.00 on sale with coupons
Packaging- Cute! They are rectangular cubes that stack together, applicator is a doe foot.
Review- A bit of a meh product for me. First off I think it's too light for me, second the color correcting things end up highlighting my blemishes hence being to light for me. The actual product itself is pretty good, the texture is light and smooth. The coverage is a light-medium. I have used it on my eye lids as a primer and it does a decent job.

Bath and Body Works Shea Cashmere Body Cream, Fragrance Mist, and Shower Cream

2011-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Shea Cashmere products are part of Bath and Body Works True Blue Spa line. All of the products I bought in this line have a sweet, warm, buttery, caramel, vanilla musk scent to them. I am sure due to ingredients, each product scent is slightly different. If you are a fan of vanillas, I would give this a try.

The running sale is buy two get one free. I also had a $10 off $30 survey coupon, making my grand total $24.00 for all three items.

Body Cream
Retail-$17.50
Amount of Product- 7oz
Packaging-wide heavy clear plastic jar

per BBW-

"Revolutionary spa formula combines rich, moisturizing African shea butter with luxurious cashmere extract to envelop skin in supreme silky softness. Creamy vanilla fragrance evokes warm, soft, luxurious comfort"

Review-
This is my favorite moisturizer that Bath and Body Works has to offer, the Signature Line Body Butter is a close second. Shea Cashmere Body Cream feels more refined, less greasy but still does an excellent job at moisturizing. The scent of the body cream is a very sweet, buttery caramel vanilla rounded off with musk. It not a plain vanilla. It's almost like a mix of Vanilla Bean Noel and Warm Vanilla Sugar. I love it but when I sniff it straight out of the jar, it's almost too sweet, when I apply it it my skin the musk is more present.

Fragrance Mist
Retail-$16.50
Amount of Product-3.4 oz
Packaging-slim tall frosted glass bottle

per BBW-

"Love the scent of Shea Cashmere? Spritz all all over your body and wrap yourself in a warm blend of frothed milk, golden butterscotch, and Tahitian vanilla musk"

Review-
This smells a little bit stronger and less sweet than the body cream. It smells slightly more milky and musky. I think a fragrance mist is in between and EDT and Body Spray/Mist. It's not a heavy fragrance but does linger all day on me.

Shower Cream
Retail-$15.00
Amount of Product-8oz
Packaging-tall plastic tube with screw off lid

per BBW
"Revolutionary spa formula combines rich, moisturizing African shea butter with luxurious cashmere extract to envelop skin in supreme silky softness. Leaves skin unbelievably hydrated and ultra-pampered, even after rinsing. Creamy vanilla fragrance evokes warm, soft, luxurious comfort."

Review-
I love this stuff- it's an amped up version of the Signature Line Triple Moisture Shower Cream. It doesn't produce much lather but it leaves my skin feeling clean and soft. The scent of this seems to be slightly more buttery than the body cream.

Physicians Formual Heathly Wear Powder Beige and Sand Beige Comparison

2011-05-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

I picked up the shade Beige to see how it compares to Sand Beige. Beige is a shade lighter and slightly more neutral than Sand Beige. In my opinion, in MAC terms Beige is close to a NC/NW30 and Sand Beige is close to a NC35-NC37.

I hope this helps!

Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc Free Pressed Powder in "Sand Beige" Review

2011-05-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $12.95- I got this on sale buy one get one half off, $4.00 off coupon- total paid about $6.00 for this powder.

Amount of Product- .30 oz

Packaging- clear top, bottom has mirror, and a spot with a brush

Shade- I got Sand Beige- which is warm medium shade- suitable for my skin tone which is a MAC NC37, since I am nit picky- I would say this powder is a slightly too dark and a touch too neutral/cool.

Texture- very creamy and smooth for a powder

Coverage-light-medium

Ingredients-
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: TITANIUM DIOXIDE 6.0% (AVE.), ZINC OXIDE 4.2%. INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: MICA, SQUALANE, SILICA, BORON NITRIDE, LAUROYL LYSINE, KAOLIN, RETINYL PALMITATE, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, METHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN. MAY CONTAIN: IRON OXIDES, ULTRAMARINES.

Review-
This is my all time favorite pressed mineral foundation. I used this years ago and recall hitting the pan. This foundation gives my skin a really velvety, soft matte finish without looking heavy. My skin is a little dry these days and this powder did not make my skin look ashy. The other thing I love about this foundation is it does not make me break out.

Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne Perfume and Bath and Body Works Dark Kiss

2011-05-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne
Retail- $85 for 3oz EDP and $40 6.6 oz Body Lotion, I paid $45 for both, it was part of a gift set that retailed for $90 but I got it half off when Sephora JCPenny had it on clearance.

Top Notes- Cranberry, Blackberry, Vinyl Accord
Middle Notes- Damask Rose, Violet, Peony, Powdery Notes, Leather
Base Notes- Patchouli, Vetiver, Musk, Sandalwood

What I Smell-
I feel like I am in a rose garden, drinking blackberry sage iced tea. It does have a slight dirty- like fresh earthy dirt smell. When it settles into my skin, the top notes are still there but it has a musky, floral, powdery, earthy scent. It smells very grown up but not too mature. I love it!

Bath and Body Works Dark Kiss
Retail- Hand Cream- $10, Body Lotion- $10.50, Shower Gel- $10.50, I got these on sale buy three get three free and had a $10 off survey coupon, so I paid about $4 each.

Top Notes- Bergamot, Incense, Mirabelle Plum, Black Raspberry
Middle Notes- Amber, Burgundy Rose, Geranium, Peony
Base Notes- Dark Vanilla Bean, Labdanum, Vetiver, Sensual Balsam, Musks

What I Smell-
The floral notes take a backseat in Dark Kiss. It smells like a mix of blackberry, musk, smoky intense with a slight vanilla undertone. This also smells very grown up but not too mature.

Why I Am Reviewing These Together?
I love to layer my scents. When I heard that Dark Kiss and Parisenne go good together, I had to get them. They do smell different but share enough of the same notes that they compliment each other. Parisenne normally retails for $85 for a 3 oz bottle of perfume and $40 for the 6.6 oz Body Lotion, it's nice to find alternatives to something a lot cheaper. I also heard that Britney Spears Midnight Fantasy go well with these scent too. I do have Midnight Fantasy and think that it is much sweeter and has more of a blueberry vanilla scent.

Bath and Body Works- "Warm Vanilla Sugar" Intense Moistrure Body Butter

2011-05-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Scent Review-

Fragrance information per Bath and Body Works-

Top Notes: Sheer Florals, Vanilla Absolute
Mid Notes: Basmati Rice, Coconut, Vanilla Absolute
Base Notes: Vanilla Absolute, Heliotrope, Musk, Veltol, Sandalwood

What I smell and thoughts-
To me, this smells vanilla extract, with a touch of floral, coconut and sandalwood. It's not exactly a true foodie sweet bakery vanilla scent. It's a bit boring but I love it. It smell no offensive ( to me ) and easy to wear.

Intense Moistrure Body Butter review-

Product information per BBW-

"Our Intense Moisture Body Butter is proven to provide moisture for over 24 hours, taking hydration to the extreme with Shea and Murumuru butters and nourishing coconut oil. Ultra-conditioning and non-greasy, this formula is supercharged with an advanced blend of Pro-Vitamin B, CO Q10 and antioxidant vitamins C & E to leave skin feeling noticeably softer."

Retail $15.00 for 7 oz - often on sale, I think I paid like $7.00
Packaging- large wide plastic tub
Texture- thick and creamy, applies slighly greasy at first but soaks in after a few minutes

I love this body butter, it's my favorite moisturizer that Bath and Body Works carry. I like that it moisturizes really well and the scent is really infused well in the cream. I am not apposed to using petroleum based products, but it's nice to find a mass market cream without mineral/petroleum in it.

Victoria's Secret Aloha Pink- "Vibrant & Beachy" and "Wild & Breezy" Review

2011-05-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail-
8.4 fl. oz Body Mist $15.00
16.9 oz Body Lotion $12.00
10.1 oz 2 in 1 Body Wash and Scrub $12.00

Often on sale for 2 for $22.00 or 3 for $30.00- of course I got it on sale.

Availability- The Aloha Pink line is limited edition. The product selection is a bit tricky. All three scents (Vibrant & Beachy, Wild & Breezy, and Tropical and Juicy ) and all forms of it ( full sized and travel sized Body Mist, 2 in 1 Body Wash and Scrub and Body Lotion ) are available at Victoria Secret. While Vibrant & Beachy and Wild & Breezy is sold at Bath and Body Works but they only carry the Body Lotion and Body Mist.

To get the most bang out of your buck, if you have a $10 off $30 Survey Coupon, Bath and Works is the least expensive route to go. Making it $20 for three products. Victoria Secret has Survey Coupons too but it's $10 off $50 and it expires in 30 days. Bath and Body Works Survey Coupons do not have a expiration date. I do know that periodically Victoria Secret and Bath and Body Works have different coupons and sales during the year. So you may be able to get a better deal. This is the best deal I could find right now.

I like to layer my fragrances so I did branch out and bought the 2 in 1 Body Wash and Scrub at Victoria's Secret . However, I did have a free panties coupon so I still got a good deal. Also, the full Pink line is not available at Bath and Body Works. I was able to pick up a few goodies I really wanted to try out.

Scent Review

"Vibrant & Beachy"
Description of scent per VS-
"Smells so beachy with vibrant tiare flower and coconut water. "

What I smell and thoughts-
Vibrant & Beachy is the perfect summery, beachy, sunny smell. When I first sniff it I smell a really faint coconut sunscreen scent with a undertone of soft tropical flowers. It later dries down to a fresh, soft, coconut, woodsy,slight tropical floral scent. What I love about this scent is it is not very strong but last a long time on me. I can see this working very well when it is hot and humid. This is my favorite out of the two I purchased.

"Wild & Breezy"
Description of scent per VS-
"Smells so breezy with wild red guava and pink passionflower."

What I smell and thoughts-
This smells very fresh, fruity and slightly floral. It's a very nice summery scent. I can definitely smell the guava. It almost has a that familiar lotion scent. Although very generic smelling, very pleasant and easy to wear.

Product Review

Body Mist- Basic alcohol based body mist. It's very light and it is okay to be liberal with this product. On it's own it doesn't last a long time but when you layer it, it last all day. Packaging is a bit bulky but seems sturdy.

Body Lotion- Love this! You get a ton of product ( over 16 oz ) and it comes with a pump. The lotion has a nice medium consistency ( not too thick or thin. ) It does a good job at moisturizing my skin and soaks in fast. I do have to admit, when I first apply it is does feel a bit sticky but that goes away after a minute.

2 in 1 Body Wash and Scrub- Another winner. I did not get a ton of lather from this product but I like the little scrubby beads. I felt it left my skin well exfoliated and smooth. The tube is a little annoying, it leaves a bit of product inside the lid. I wish this came in a pump bottle.

Bath and Body Works Secret Wonderland

2011-05-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail Price- $12.00 for 8 fl. oz Body Spray, Triple Moisture Shower Cream and Triple Moisture Body Cream- I got this trio on sale buy three, get three free + I had a $10 off $30 survey coupon- making these about $4.33 each.

Notes per Bath and Body Works-

Top Notes: Luscious Strawberry, Wild Goji Berries, Ripe Raspberry
Mid Notes: Gardenia Petals, Jasmine, Peach Nectar
Base Notes: Coconut Musk, Creamy Vanilla, Sandalwood, White Amber

What I smell and thoughts-
Honestly, this smells like a less woody, slightly more fruity Twilight Woods. I am beginning to notice a trend in a lot of the newer Bath and Body Works fragrances. I do like Twilight Woods but it's a little bit annoying to have a company come out with slightly tweaked versions of the same scent. If I had to choose between Twilight Woods and Secret Wonderland, I like Secret Wonderland a bit more. But for the most part they smell the same.

I like to layer my fragrances and I am thrilled that the Secret Wonderland has the Triple Moisture Shower Cream. Not all the fragrances in the Signature Line has this product. If you don't already know, it's a very creamy low lather cleanser. It does a decent job of cleaning and moisturizing my skin.

Overall, I think this is a good scent, but I wouldn't miss if if it went away.

Inglot Eye Shadows "Cool/Purple Shades"

2011-04-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

352- matte, light peachy pink

440- pearl, light lavender

441- pearl, medium blue toned purple

439- pearl, slightly darker blue toned purple

434- pearl, medium-dark gray purple

431- pearl, light icy pink

399- pearl, light rosy pink

420- pearl, medium taupe silver purple

446- pearl, medium red based purple

65- "amc", matte black with silver glitter

Retail - If you buy

Inglot Eye Shadows "Warm/Brown/Netural"

2011-04-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

351- matte creamy ivory

397- pearl- icy light peach

402- pearl- light-medium neutral brown

454- pearl- light-medium silvery taupe

451- pearl- medium-dark charcoal silver

34- shine- light shimmery gold

430- pearl bright yellow gold

409- pearl medium warm brown

444- pearl- medium silver taupe

53- "amc" matte neutral brown base with glitter

Inglot Haul & Information

2011-04-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

I was very excited when I was able to order Inglot via their website ( www.inglotusa.com ) Previous to this, you had to do a phone order or visit a store. I am not a fan of ordering over the phone and there are no stores near me.

Pros-

I did not have to pay for shipping even though my order was under $150, it was $137 but I think it was due to the system not picking up the discounted price for the palette.
No Tax

Cons-

Hard to pick out shades per website, I had to do a lot of research
Even though I ordered 20 eye shadows from the Freedom System and order two ten pan palettes I only got a discount on one palette. Each set of ten should be $50 including the palette, instead I paid $50 for one set and $65 for the second set. However, if I wanted to get a big 20 pan palette they would have only charged me $5 for that palette and $90 for 20 eyeshadow pans. I did not notice this issue until after I placed my order. I tried to email them about this because it seems like an error but I did not get any response from them. I guess I am OK with this since I they did not charge me for shipping even though my order fell below the $150 threshold for free shipping. Essentially, I paid for shipping due to them not discounting my second palette.
Shipping took a little longer than I expected, I ordered on March 25th, 2010 and did not get my order until April 5th, 2010. Not a terrible amount of time but I am super spoiled and get most of my orders with in a week.
Bad packaging- for the amount of money I spent I expected much better packed cosmetics.
I am not sure if I would ever reorder from them. I think I have all the eye shadows I would want from this company. If they were more responsive to my inquiry regarding the palettes not being properly discounted, I would be happier with them. Even if I was totally in the wrong, please respond to me!

What I got-
20x Eye Shadow Pans. 1 eye shadow is $7.00 each , 3-9 eye shadows are $5.00 each, and 10 or more are $4.50 each. They each have 2.7 grams or .09 oz each pan. MAC pans have 1.5 grams or .05 oz each. To break it down, Inglot cost between $2.60- $1.67 per gram, while MAC cost $7.33 a gram ( MAC pans are $11 each. )

There are five different eye shadow textures-

Matte- is well, matte, no shimmer or shine
Pearl- shimmery smooth no glitter chunks
DS- or Double Sparkle- satin-matte base with glitter
AMC- or Advanced Makeup Component- these are suppose to be highly pigmented. The AMC's I got were #65 and #53, I noticed that they had a nearly matte base with glitter.
AMC Shine- shimmery smooth like Pearl but with a metallic sheen

2x Square 10 Pan Eye Shadow Palettes- they are suppose to be $5 per 10 eye shadows, making a filled 10 pan palette $50. But they only gave me a break on 1 palette and charged me full price ( $20) on the second one. I did a mock order and choose a 20 eye shadow pans and 1 20 pan palette- they only charged $5.00 on the 20 pan palette, instead of $25 full retail. f I have know that, I would have just order the 20 pan palette instead of 2x 10 pan palettes.

Eye Make Up Base- $10.00, which is a eye primer like Urban Decay Primer Potion but in a cream form in a jar.

AMC Matte Gel Eye Liner$12.00- in #75, a dark eggplant.

Bath and Body Works Bubble Bath vs. Shower Gel Comparison

2011-04-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Bubble Bath
Retail- $12.00
Amount of Product- 10 fl oz

Per BBW-
"Bathe yourself in fragrant luxury with our ultra-pampering Signature Bubble Bath. Nourish your skin and your senses with this vitamin-rich, soothing bath experience."

Shower Gel
Retail- $10.50
Amount of Product- 10 fl oz

Per BBW-

"Our Signature Shower Gel is supercharged with benefits that make it the world's best daily luxury. It has been formulated to provide the ultimate shower experience, pampering you with luxurious lather, moisturizing Aloe Vera and nourishing Vitamin E that gently clean, soften and fragrance your skin."

I always wanted to know what the difference was between the bubble bath and shower gel. The bubble bath is $1.50 more than the shower gel, so is it worth the extra buck and a half? There are slight differences between the two products:

Bubble Bath- thicker consistency, shimmery cloudy appearance, produces slightly more foamy bubbles that last longer, a tad more fragrant, not all scents have the bubble bath product.

Shower Gel- a little thinner, clear gel, still produces a rich fragrant lather, when used as a bubble bath the bubbles don't seem to last as long but it works, comes in more scents.

Final Thoughts-
Both products are interchangeable, unless you are super picky go with the shower gel. The only thing is if you are doing a buy three get three free deal, it may feel like a better value to get the bubble bath if you are have other items $12.00 or more. If I has to choose, I prefer the bubble bath.

shu uemura Face Architect Smoothing Fluid Foundation 974 and 934 Review

2011-04-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Per shu uemura website-"Smooth and refined texture with control. Just the right amount of coverage allows skin to look flawless, yet natural. The gliding formula fits lightly on the skin.Recommended for customers who:- prefer a fresh and natural look with comforting fit- prefer sheer to medium coverage- prefer semi-matt finish, but hydrating sensation "

I got these super cheap for $10.50 each, they retail for $44.00 each. A quick run down on shu uemura's face numbering system, since it's a bit confusing. First number tells you the undertone- 3 very cool, 5 netural, 7 netural/warm, 9 very warm/yellow. The second number tell you how dark the foundation is. the higher the number, the lighter it is. For example, #974 tells you the foundation is yellow and fair, #934 tells you the foundation is yellow and dark.

I chose shades #974 and #934 because they were the only ones left that were considered the yellowest. #974 would be like a MAC NC15-25 and #934 would be like MAC NC45. I am about a MAC NC37. If the full range was available to me, I would have choose #964 or #954. When I mix about half and half, I get the perfect match for my skin.

The texture of this foundation is very light and fluid. Very easy to blend and sets to to a semi-matte satin finish. It looks like skin better better. The great thing about this is it does not make my dry spots look bad. I do not need to set this with powder. The coverage is light-medium. It does have a slight floral scent but that does not bother me. It has average lasting power, I would say it starts to fade after 3-4 hours.

Overall, I think this is a good foundation and it would be worth the full retail . It's a shame that you can only get this online.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Balancing Foundation- Medium

2011-04-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- I have no idea, I got this as part of a kit offered by QVC- I paid a total of approx. $60 for 7 items. I am guessing that this foundation would retail for around $30.00
Amount of Product- 1.7 fl .oz.
Shades- Fair, Light, Medium, Tan, Deep- I choose Medium which is suppose to match the likes of Gisele Bundchen as per Tarte suggested celebrity skin tone guide. I compared it to MAC NC37, and it looks a tad lighter, so in MAC terms would be around NC30.
Texture- slighly whipped mousse texture, very nice and applied very smooth
Coverage- medium- to me it's not a true full coverage foundation

Review-
Right now my skin is really dry and flaky due to a new acne treatment I am using called Ziana. This foundation is suppose to work for all types of skin, normal, dry, or oily. Due to the Amazonian Clay adjusting accordingly. This did not work on my skin when it was super dry. It made my flakes worse. Every bit of foundation clung to it and I did not like it. When I prepped my skin with Cera Ve AM, Embryolisse, and Illamasqua Satin Primer- my skin took to this foundation a lot better. I think this would be better suited for someone with slightly dry, oily, or combination skin.

This foundation is not really full coverage, it's more of a medium coverage foundation. I it covered minor redness, blemishes, and even out my skin tone. I still needed to use concealer for under the eyes and pimples. The good thing is, it does apply very easily and blended like a dream. It left my skin with a satin-semi matte finish. Since my skin a dry, I did not set it with any powder.

I am disappointed in the shade selection, I guess I am spoiled by companies who have at least 10 choices. Medium, was OK for me. It matched my natural face skin tone which is lighter than my neck. It's looks alright but not a 100% perfect match.

I think if my skin was less dry, I would have loved this foundation. Hopefully, in the summer my skin will be more normal and I could use this foundation more.

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish- " Blue -Away"

2011-04-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- around $4-$5 ( I paid $4.50 at Target )
Amount of Product - .31 fl oz
Shade- "Blue-Away" is a creamy opaque pigmented sky blue, the first picture is closer to real life
Application- very easy to use, could be a one coater if careful, it truly dries fast
Wear- average wear, about three days with no chips, minor tip wear. I prepped my nails with CND Stickey, Gelous Nail Gel Coat, applied two coats of color and a final coat of Seche Vite.

Cover Girl Nature Luxe Review- Gloss Balm " 210 Thisle" & Silk Foundation "350 Oak"

2011-04-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

From left to right- Cover Girl in Oak, MAC in NC37

Nature Luxe Gloss Balm- "210 Thistle"-
Retail-$6.49 ( I got this for free through BzzAgent.com)
Shade- "210 Thistle" is a sheer frosty cool toned light to medium pink
Texture- smooth, silky, very much like a lip balm, feels very comfortable on the lips
Review- I thought that this was OK, nothing special but it did look decent on the lips

Nature Luxe Liquid Silk Foundation- "350 Oak"
Retail- $11.99 ( I got this for free through BzzAgent.com)
Shade- "350 Oak" medium-tan slightly cool toned- I would say this might be like a MAC NW35
Texture- very smooth, silky feeling, moisturizing, sheer, leaves a dewy finish, not suitable for oily skin.
Review- Even though the color was slightly too dark and cool for me, I got it work by using a drop of liquid yellow foundation corrector. I believe that most of the Cover Girl foundations are cool toned, I have never came across one that really matched my medium yellow olive skin tone. This foundation did not WOW me. It was just okay. I gave sheer coverage and it is not buildable. I tried to layer it and it got extremely cakey. The other issue I have with this foundation is it oxidizes like crazy. After an hour my skin was an odd shade of orange. I thought it might be the color corrector, so I tried it with out, still same thing. It could be that the foundation is too dark for me and there is nothing I can do about it. It still should not shift shades that dramatically.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush "Dollface"

2011-04-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $25.00
Amount of Product- 5.6 grams or .20 oz
Shade- "Dollface" light matte pink
Texture- highly pigmented, soft, smooth, long lasting
Review- love it, A+, no rants

Fresh Face Luster Powder "Sandy Lane"

2011-04-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $45.00 ( I got this on sale for about $12.00 from familymeds.com )
Amount of Product- .28 oz
Packaging- silver and round, the top screws off, has a nice sponge applicator
Scent- none detected
Texture- soft and smooth, leaves a noticeable sheen/glow/pearl to the skin
Shade- "Sandy Lane" is describe as medium with dark yellow undertones- I would say this is correct, it is one of the most yellow toned pressed powders I have ever use

I think this is a nice powder if you are looking for something that will give a slight sheen to the skin. It doesn't do much in terms of oil control but it does leave the skin a nice soft polished look. I loved that it's very yellow toned, it helps makes some of my slightly too pink for me foundation match better. I am not sure if it's worth $45.00 but I did like it enough to buy two more back ups for $12.00.

Josie Maran Fresh-Faced & Romantic Sephora Beauty in a Box

2011-04-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retails for $52.00 ( price I paid )

What you get and my thoughts-

- 0.5 oz Argan Illuminizer- very shimmery liquid highlighter, I like to mix a drop with my foundation to give my face a 'glow"

- 0.28 oz Blush/Bronzer Duo- Blush side a the standard ( but pretty ) peachy pink with gold shimmer, Bronze is warm slighly shimmer brown- I like them well enough, it's not a must have product for me.

- 0.55 oz Argan Color Stick in Rosy (dusty rose)- I thought that this was OK- it smell very medical, which bother me. The color is great though.

- 0.14 oz Argan Natural Volume Lip Gloss in Soledad (sheer light apricot)- love the color, but hate the scent. I use to be able to tolerate it. Now, it makes me nauseous and sick. It has a popcorn, sour milk scent. The brush splays on this one too. It's a shame, such a nice color.

- 0.11 oz GOGO Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara in Black- average mascara

- 0.17 oz Hair Serum- works pretty good- comes out a little weird- it has a glob of thick serum with an oily pool. Not a big deal since I rub it in my hands before I apply it to my hair. It's a bit of a turnoff. I like Moroccanoil better.

- 0.5 oz Organic Argan Oil- I love argan oil, moisturizes, doesn't smell, and isn't greasy.

I am on the fence about this set, it's a good value but over half of the product I though were okay.

Tarte Blush Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush- Amused"

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

Price- $25 ( price I paid)
Amount of Product- .20 oz or 5.6 grams
Packaging- slim round mirrored compact- colored similar to the blush
Shade- "Amused" bright blue based hot pink
Texture- highly pigmented, smooth, soft, blends easily

My new favorite line of powder blushes. The colors are beautiful, apply nicely, highly pigmented, and best of all really last on the skin. Most blushes fade after a few hours on me, this actually last about 6 hours on my skin. Amazing!

Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Lipstick #30

2011-04-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $19.00 ( price I paid )
Amount of Product- .12 oz
Packaging- standard black tube Shade- #30 described as a satin light rosewood
Texture- highly pigmented- you truly only need one swipe to get full coverage, slightly dry but it does apply smoothly
Scent- very faint floral- doesn't bother me

Josie Maran Tinted Moisterizer- "Butter"

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

Retail- $38 ( price I paid )
Amount of Product- 1.7 oz
Shade- "Butter" described for ivory/light complexion
Coverage- sheer-light
Texture- slightly thick cream, applies and blends easily

I got the shade Butter because Sephora did not have anymore of the medium shade "Linen" in stock and the tan shade "Desert" was way too dark. Butter surprisingly enough, works for me. It blends in really nice and doesn't look funny. I am afraid that when I tan, it might be too light for me. I bought this partly because I wanted a tinted moisturizer for summer and my skin had been wicked dry the past month. I am happy to say that it do a good job at keeping my skin feeling and looking moist without looking greasy. My looks very natural but polished.

Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick - #18 Pearly Beige

2011-04-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail-$19.00
Amount of Product- 3.5 grams
Packaging- sleek, sturdy black plastic tube- clicks when you close it
Texture- highly pigmented, slightly dry texture- but not hard to apply, it still is very smooth
Scent- faint floral

#18 is described as being a pearly beige and that is what it is. It's a great nude for my MAC NC37, medium, yellow, olive skin tone. I love it!

Britney Spear Radiance Perfume Review

2011-04-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Information per Elizabeth Arden Website-

Luscious berries and dewy petals unfold to reveal a radiant heart of luminous pure white flowers, lit from within by the glow of precious amber, woods and sexy musk. Key Notes: Alluring – Top notes of luscious wild berries and soft dewy petals convey a feeling of unparalleled allure.
Sensual – In the radiant heart, a pure white bouquet of tuberose, jasmine, orange flower and iris exudes an unforgettable feminine aura.
Captivating – Captivating cashmere woods and luminous amber are wrapped in the sensual glow of skin musk.

I just got the 1.7 oz midsized bottle for $49.50 but I kind of wish I pitched in a extra $10 to get the large 3.4oz. The smaller size is nice because I can carry it around with me in my purse, plus I have a gazillion of perfumes and I really do not need the big size.
What I smell and thoughts-
When I first use this I smell a slight grape, berry with a splash of citrus. After it settles into my skin I still smell the top notes with a hint of floral- tuberose and jasmine. After about and hour or so, it smells very fresh floral, soft, warm and musky. This perfume isn't strong smelling but lingers nicely all day on me.
I really love this perfume, I also have Britney Spears Fantasy and Midnight Fantasy. They don't smell the same at all but I am a big fan of celebrity fragrances. The packaging is a bit gaudy and tacky but I love it. It's fun. This smells a lot like Couture Couture by Juicy Couture. If like like that one, I would give Britney Spears Radiance a try.

Bath and Body Works Berry Vanilla

2011-04-02T08:00:00.002-07:00

Description per BBW-
"A juicy kiss of luscious berries and cool vanilla. Key Fragrance Notes: Wild Summer Blueberry, Madagascar Vanilla, Raspberry Sugar."

What I Smell and Thoughts-
This smells like yummy fresh strawberry vanilla ice cream to me. This is my favorite out of all the Signature Vanillas I have tried. It's a shame that they are going to discontinue it. The only good thing about being discontinue is that it should be heavily discounted when they have their semi-annual sale. I got this in the body cream and shower gel. But may have to go back and get the body splash and lotion.

Bath and Body Works Cherry Vanilla

2011-04-02T08:00:00.001-07:00

Cherry Vanilla is the newest of the Signature Vanilla Line, it's so new that I could not find any infomation on it on Bath and Body Works website. I found this in the middle of the store not in the same section of the other Signature Vanilla stuff. They only had this in the lotion, shower gel and body splash...for now. I am sure they will have a body cream. I just bought the lotion and shower gel. I got these buy three get three free and a $10 off $30 survey coupon, so about $4 each is what they ended up costing me.

Cherry Vanilla is suppose to be the replacement for Berry Vanilla, which they are going to discontinue shortly. The only description of the scent was it's a "luscious burst of fresh cherry and creamy vanilla"

What I Smell and Thoughts-
When I first applied the lotion, it had a very bright fresh cherry sorbet, Popsicle type of scent. When it settles into the skin, the vanilla comes out and smells like a cherry vanilla cup cake. A lot of people complained that this smells like cherry cough syrup, I don't get that out of this but it's not the most sophisticated fragrance out there. I could see a lot of young people liking this scent.I think this is a fun fresh scent and perfect for spring or summer.

Bath and Body Works Forever Sunshine Review

2011-04-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

** Since Bath and Body Works is having their stock up sale, buy three get three free, I though I would review the rest of my haul**

Per BBW Description-
"Our exclusive Forever Sunshine captures the romance of warm days that linger into cool autumn. Experience this fragrance whenever you crave the essence of summer. Key fragrance notes: golden apricot, pink peonies and a hint of praline"

What I Smell-
When I first use Forever Sunshine, it has a very strong mandarin citrus scent with a soft woodsy undertone. After it settles on my skin it smells like a mix of Twilight Woods and Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy. I do like this scent very much, it's very much up my alley.

I got this in the body cream, body splash, and shower gel. All are heavily scented and last a long time. The body splash on it's own it as strong as some as my perfumes. I got this set on sale buy three get three free plus I had a $10 off $30 purchase survey coupon. So I paid like 60% off retail.

Bath and Body Works Vanilla Apricot

2011-04-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

Retail-
$12.00- I got this on sale buy three get three free- which is going on right now ( 4/1/2011-sale ends on 4/3/2011 )

Scent Description per BBW website-
"A mouthwatering blend of juicy apricot and cool vanilla. Key Fragrance Notes: Juicy California Apricot, Tahitian Vanilla, Sugared Honeysuckle"

What I Smell-
Peachy, slightly tart apricot goodness with a warm creamy vanilla base. I love this scent, it's very sweet but I am a huge fan of vanillas so it works for me.

Triple Moisture Body Cream Review-
The fragrance is quite strong in their creams and it lingers for a long time on my skin. The cream is more like a thick lotion to me. It feels a bit thin after you rub it into your skin but it did leave my skin adequately moisturized with out feeling greasy.

Final Thoughts-
I am sure Bath and Body Works will discontinue this line, as they do with everything else. If you are a fan of fruity vanilla scents, I would give this a try. I love it so much, I bought a back up cream, a body spray, and shower gel. I find with Bath and Body Works products ( and with anything else ) to get the most lasting power out of scents, it's best to layer. This stuff last all day when I layer it.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Matte- 011 Stormy Pink

2011-04-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

This retails for $7.99, I paid $3.75 on sale. Stormy Pink is one of Revlon's matte Super Lustrous Lipsticks. It's a bright hot blue based pink. A bit weak on pigmentation, but since the color is so bright, it works. The texture is dry and matte but it did not look chalky.

www.familymeds.com Haul- $530 Of Stuff For Only $110

2011-03-31T09:20:00.000-07:00

Smashbox Hi-Def Healthy FX Foundation M1 retail $38.00, I paid $9.50
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil, Honey retail $18.00, I paid $3.75
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil, Ozone retail $18.00, I paid $3.75
Mineral Fusion Olive Sheer Tint retail $30.00, I paid $ 8.00
shu uemura Face Architect Foundation 934 retail $44.00, I paid $10.50
shu uemura Face Architect Foundation 974- retail $44.00, I paid $10.50
shu uemura Drawing Lip Pencil Pink 310 retail $20.00 I paid $4.75
shu uemura Eye Shadow IR PINK 150 retail $21.00, I paid $5.00
shu uemura Drawing Lip Pencil Red 192 retail $20.00 I paid $4.75
shu uemura Drawing Lip Pencil Wine 260 retail $20.00 I paid $4.75
shu uemura Powder Foundation Refill 964 retail $33.00, I paid $8.13
Paula Dorf Sweep Away Clean Up Stick retail $12.00, I paid $3.00
Fresh Sugar Lip Gloss Sugar Fairy retail $18.00, I paid $6.25
Fresh Face Luster Powder, Sandy Lane x3 retail $45.00 each, I paid $11.25 each
Jane Iredale Pure Pressed Minerals Fawn retail $49.50, I paid $12.00
Jane Iredale Lip Pencil Crimson retail $9.00, I paid $2.25

Retail total $529.50
Subtotal sale price $130.63
-$20 ( coupon codes- $10 off new registration coupon, and a $10 off 10CSD coupon for out of stock items )
No tax, free shipping with orders over $45 after discount codes
Grand Total $110.63

I totally hit the jackpot with these orders! www.familymeds.com is having a crazy sale of high end make up. Very random stuff but really good prices. If you register with them, they will email you a coupon code for $10 off any $20 order. Free shipping with orders over $45 after discount, so you have to have $55+ of stuff before the $10 off to get the free shipping.

My experience with www.familymeds.com......

Both of my orders arrive in about a week via USPS First Class or Priority Mail. I actually ordered twice as many items as I received but they do not regularly update their site for out of stock items and will not email you to tell you. You will just get your order with the updated invoice ( or rather items out of stock crossed out ) and they will only charge you for what you actually get. Even if your updated order falls below $45 for free shipping, they will not charge you for shipping ( or at least they did not do that to me. ) It's a bit of a gamble what items you get. It's a little annoying but for these prices and fast shipping, I can tolerate it. My items arrived in good shape despite not being well packed.

Disclaimer- I am not affiliated with this company, I am just reviewing the services and experience I received from the company. I am not responsible for anything the company does. Your experience may vary.

Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lip Gloss- M16 and S24

2011-03-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Retail- $18.00

Amount of Product- .09 oz

Packaging- standard rounded lip gloss tube with brush applicator

Texture- not sticky, very smooth, good amount of shine

Scent- very heavy tropical peachy scent/flavor

Shades-
M16- is described as chrome frozen pink- it's not very pigmented but give a nice boost to other lipsticks
S24-described as pearly coral- good amount of pigmented, it pulls more pink on me

Review-
I absolutely love these lip glosses, I think they are a fair price, high quality and the brush applicator does not splay. They feel, smell, and look nice on the lips. What's not to love?