What's in my purse? Well, not messy anymore

I haul a lot of things into my purse. I am the type of person who would rather have too much than not have enough. I usually have a minimal amount of makeup as I don't like to reapply makeup throughout the day. Just the usual lipgloss and lipsticks and a powder is enough for me. I like to grab things from my purse when I am stopped at traffic lights. Grabbing a piece of gum or candy. But most of the time, I cannot find anything in my purse.

I got a purse organizer a while ago but it is not very good quality. I like the idea of putting things in the organizer and whenever I change my purse, just take the organizer out and put it in the new bag. I put most of my things in the purse organizer except my phone, car and house key. As those are the items I need access to and don't want to flip my purse upside down to find them.

I saw the PurseN purse organizer at a store earlier. It is of much better quality than the one I have but cannot justify in paying $60 for that.

I look on ebay and finally found one which is much affordable at a fraction of the suggested retail price.

PurseN purse organizer in size medium

this is the only color the seller offers. It is a nice pink. But if I can pick, would have picked the silver/grey color.

on the inside of the packaging

Pretty embarrassing to show my purse as you can tell it is hard to find anything in there

This is the cheap purse organizer I got a while ago. It was in much better shape before. Guess if this comes with a bottom which is sturdier, it would have worked much better. So many times the whole organizer flip upside down inside my purse and I have to flip the whole bag upside down to find things. What a headache!

Now, it is organized and can stand up straight

No more flipping upside down or collapse inside my purse to make it a disaster zone

Perfect Dupe for UD's Naked Palette

Ever since I got the Urban Decay's Naked Palette 2, I have been using it almost daily. I love it so much that I want to get the Naked Palette as there are more matte shades which I prefer. But do I want to spend another $60 on that? 

Over the weekend, I read from 99Raina99's blog that Quo has just released a new palette which is almost identical to Urban Decay's Naked Palette.

I believe Quo is a brand which is only available in Canada and it is readily available in most Shoppers Drug Mart.

I ran out to my local Shoppers Drug Mart and it was sold out in my store. But I managed to find it in another store 20 minutes away.

Quo's Back to basics palette CDN $25

Even the layout looks almost identical. What a super-dupe!!

This is the packaging

Quo's Back to Basics Palette

Urban Decay's Naked Palette

From what I can see, the only main difference between the two is of course the price. Quo's is going for CDN $25. Of course, there are some minor difference between the shades. The 4th and 5th shades from the left are a bit different from the original. 

There are so many dupes for Urban Decay Naked Palette in the market and what are your alternatives?

**just updated with a couple of pictures with swatches in case you are wondering about the pigmentation. I find the pigmentation pretty good especially with the darker colors. Only two shades (the third and fifth one from the left of the palette) are not pigmented and require triple swatches.

Fortune Cookie Soap Fall Box 2012

Since my addiction to bath and body products with Lush, I suddenly developed an intense interest in finding new products. Besides Lush, I recently discovered Fortune Cookie Soap.

Like Lush, Fortune Cookie Soap uses all natural ingredients. They claim no parabens, no sodium laureth sulfate, no synthetic preservatives, no sodium lauryl sulfate and no animal testing. Knowing all the ingredients are natural attract me the most.

They have quarterly subscription boxes. I wanted to subscribe in the summer but they were not available until just a week ago. For US, $19 for each box. In Canada, it is a bit more, $28 for each box. I have wanted to try their products but the shipping cost is quite expensive. So by subscribing, I can try out their new products a couple of weeks before they are released. What a great way to try out new products! I like the idea of subscription to a soap box much better than to beauty boxes. For soap boxes,   they send out bath and body products which I 100% more likely to use, rather than beauty products. Sometimes the shades of the lipsticks are just not my color at all. 

Last week just before their subscription opened up again, their fall soap boxes were available for sale. I quickly placed my order and it came in the mail already. 

Comes with a product information card

Next is a $10 discount coupon to be used online. This will come very handy when I place an order as I mentioned before, the shipping is quite expensive to Canada.

Even got a leaf in the box. So appropriate for a fall soap box

Snickerdoodle Whipped Cream

It is thicker than regular lotion but not as thick as body butter. The scent is just so nice. Just like a cinnamon sugar cookie. It is quite moisturizing but yet not overly to leave a greasy feel to your skin. It comes in a pretty generous-sized container.

OCD Ripe for the picking hand sanitizer

This hand sanitizer smells delicious. Reminds me of apple cider. 

Something Nutty Milk Bath

It is a mixture of vanilla, hazelnut, maple syrup, banana, coconut, lime, orange, grapefruit, bergamot and clove. Wow, what a mixture of goodies. Cannot to wait to try this in my bath! So excited.

A Roll in the Leaves Bath Fizzy

I guess their bath fizzy is similar to Lush's bath bomb. How cute is this? Shaped just like a leaf. It smells  earthy and reminds me of the Bath and Body Works' Leaves candles. It is quite crumbly as you can see in the little bag it comes in. I will dump the leaf together with the crumbs when I run my bath so I won't waste anything.

Cram Your Face in My Sweet Pumpkin Pie Mask

This is interesting. I guess you will have to mix it with either water to make it a thick paste to apply to your face. I'm not a big fan of pumpkin pie though. Will see how it is when I prepare the mixture.

Pumpkin Coconut Crunch Itty Bitty Gritty Lip Scrub

Lip scrub in a lip balm tube. Very interesting. I guess it makes sense to apply it right on your lips just like a lip balm. 

Figs & Berries Eco Suds

Blend of figs, currants, cranberries, acai berries and raspberries. Put a tablespoon or two into your washing machine. The scent is amazing. I have always love berries scent. What a nice way to make your clothes smell like that too! I will play safe on this by first trying it on towels and bed sheets. Guess hubby won't appreciate it if he smells too "fruity"! haha

Roast My Marshmallow Fortune Cookie Soap

Last but not least is their signature soap. Shaped just like a fortune cookie. What a cutie! This one smells just like Bath and Body Works' Marshmallow Fireside candle which is my absolute favorite of the whole fall collection. I have a feeling I may be purchasing lots more of this in the future.

Overall, extremely pleased with my fall box. Of the 8 products I got, the only product I am not totally thrilled to try is the pumpkin pie mask. But the rest, I'm beyond excited to try. Have been a while since I have been so excited to try out subscription box. If you like to try out new bath and body products, strongly recommend to check out their website.

Gap Leather Lace-up Booties Review(J. Crew MacAlister look-alike)

Did a post on the Gap leather lace-up booties a couple of days ago. I was so excited to find an almost exact dupe for the J. Crew MacAlister high heel boots. I knew I should not have high hopes for these for the price. 

I got the order within 2 days which is always impressive with Gap/Banana Republic/Old Navy. The leather is ok quality. But it is a combination of the height of the heels and the stitches on the side of the boots which disappoint me.

Gap leather lace up booties (buy here)

I size up to 8 (I'm a 7.5) since they don't offer half sizes. The size feel ok with a pair of thick socks. Fit alright overall. Sometimes with lace-up boots, may feel upper part of the feet tight. But not in this case.

The heel height is the main factor I am sending these back. It may not seem that high in the pictures but it is 3.5 to 4 inches tall. I hate the fact that it wasn't stated on the website. I knew I was taking a chance in these. 

I don't like the front of these booties at all. Look very bulky and they are quite heavy as well.

Also, the side stitches (just between the upper leather part and the bottom rubber sole) are very messy. I could also see some dried glue on the side which totally turned me off.

So as much as I want these to be perfect dupes for the J. Crew MacAlister high heel boots, these one fail and sadly they are going back. 

Another Lush Haul.... Christmas and Halloween items

Another Lush haul? Yes, you heard me. I cannot control myself but placed another order.

A couple of weeks ago when I visited the Lush store in Toronto, their Halloween or Christmas items were not released yet. So I didn't have a chance to sniff their limited edition of goodies.

It is not a huge order. I placed the order on the UK website and stocked up on fresh face masks. This is just easier for me that way so I don't have to drive 2 hours to my nearest Lush store. With the cooler weather, I think it is ok. I decided to freeze them as I checked with a few Lush SA and they should be fine. I will just thaw it out in the fridge the day before I use it. Ever since I started using them a couple of months ago, I have noticed significant improvement on my skin. I usually break out after that time of the month. But for the past 2 months, I haven't and my skin is much softer.

2 x Love Lettuce fresh face masks

2 x Catastrophe Cosmetic fresh face masks

Snow Shower (shower jellies)

Snow Cake soap

Enchanter bath bomb

Cinder bath bomb

Besides the fresh face masks, all items are from the Halloween/Christmas collection.

I was most excited about the Snow Shower jellies. The Lush Canadian website is currently sold out. But hopefully will replenish soon as I plan to  buy more. The UK website sells it in a smaller size which is perfect for me to try out before buying the larger tub size. It smells like an orange creamsicle. I have tried a few of their shower jellies and Sweetie Pie is still my favorite. Most lathering and scent linger on in the shower for the whole day.

Here is the description from the website:

Snow Shower - Our snow-white winter jelly returns this year to showers everywhere. For a super invigorating winter wash, keep it in the fridge or freezer. When it's time to shower, take it out and bring it under the hot, steamy water for a refreshing, skin-softening lather. Sweet orange, lime and cognac oils combine for a bubbly, citrusy, champagne scent to wake up your sleepy senses.

Snow Cake soap is the one I tried already and absolutely in love. It is the creamiest soap I have ever used and it just smell so good. Hard to pinpoint what it exactly smell like. But when I first used it, it reminds me of a soap I used when I was a kid. Can't remember what soap it was but it just brings back childhood memories. It is extremely moisturizing. I don't have to apply lotion after shower. 

Snow Cake - Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a festive cake. So this holiday we brought back our customer favorite, Snowcake! This almond icing and marzipan scented confection is just what you need during the season of sweet indulgences. Its rich, creamy lather and rose absolute infusion make it a gentle treat for dry winter skin. So what are you waiting for? Grab a slice of this holiday treat before it’s gone.

Haven't tried the 2 bath bombs yet but they smell awfully nice.

Cinder - Heat up your holidays with this sweet and spicy bomb inspired by fireside gatherings with family and friends. We combined crackling vegan candies with stimulating cinnamon leaf oil to recreate the warmth of the hearth. This spicy soak also has hydrating almond oil to keep your skin super soft and smooth. With a bathtub so inviting, you can skip the open fire and curl up with this fizzer instead.

Enchanter - As the days begin to get dark pop this citrus stunner into your tub and watch as it turns your bathwater shades of tangerine then pink. This enchanting fizzer is the perfect way to remember those long summer days and gorgeous evening sunsets. A zesty potion of lime oil and delicate neroli work overtime to cleanse, tone and take you back to brighter times.

Have you tried any Lush Halloween/Christmas limited edition products this year? What is your favorite and am planning to stock up on ?

J. Crew MacAlister High Heel Boot lookalike

When I saw fellow blogger, Ina post about her J. Crew MacAlister high heel boot lookalike, I was on a mission to find my alternative to the fabulous boots. Just when I started my search, of course, J. Crew has to tempt me with the extra 30% off final sale promo(use code OURTREAT).

J. Crew MacAlister high heel ankle boots (buy here)

Currently on sale for CDN $184, with the 30% off, it comes to $128.80

I wasn't too crazy about it being suede as we get a lot of snow here and the salt gets really nasty on suede even if I pre-treated the boots with protector. 

Was browsing on the Gap website and came across these:

Gap leather lace-up booties (buy here)

Regular priced at CDN $99.95. They are running a promo until Thursday for 30% off, making this $70

Doesnt' these look exactly like the J. Crew ones? I was so excited. Yes, I know, the quality won't be nearly the same. But it is almost half price of the real deal. And it says it is 100% leather, making life much easier for me. I ordered half size up as they don't come in half sizes. 

Nail Polish Organization

As my nail polish collection is starting to grow, I need to organize them so I won't run out and buy similar shades of polish.

A great and easy way to do it is to get some nail wheels so you can see all your nail polish in one shot.

Next, I went to the dollar store to get some storage boxes with handles to organize my polish by shades. For me, it is fairly easy as I mostly have pink/purple polishes.

As you can tell, I don't have an absurd collection. But I thought if I organize it as my collection grows, it will be much easier as it goes.

This box is for my pinks and purple. If I am super-organized, I would have labelled the color on the nail wheel with the name of the polish. 

This way, I can see what I have and won't go out and buy similar shades.

This is more of my nudes/grey/green colors. Lots of room to grow as I'm more adventurous in trying out new colors.

I got a set of 10 nail wheels from ebay. These can also be found in beauty supply stores.

More Sigma Brushes

Ever since I was introduced to Sigma makeup brushes, I have been slowly building my Sigma collection. The quality of the brushes is really impressive and very affordable, making it an easy purchase for me every time.

From top to bottom: F88 Flat Angled Kabuki, P86 Precision Tapered, P88 Precision Flat Angled

All 3 of the brushes are from the Sigma synthetic essential kit collection. I have 7 of the 10.

I just love how amazing the quality of these synthetic brushes is. Very soft and durable. No fallout.

Flat Angled Kabuki

I use this to apply foundation and bronzer on my cheekbones. See how dense this brush is. It is super soft and I find it extremely easy to apply bronzer on cheekbones. Very precise.

Precision Flat Angled

Tiny version of the flat angled brush. I use this to apply my cream eye shadow. The brush is perfect for applying my new favorite cream eye shadow, Chanel illusion dombre(post here). It comes with a little brush but I find it quite hard to apply the shadow evenly. With this precision flat angled brush, I swipe it twice on the shadow and it applies so easily and evenly on lids. What a time-saver in the morning!

Precision Tapered

I have the tapered kabuki and love it. But I need something in a smaller scale to apply my concealer and highlighter-concealer underneath my eyes. This is not as soft as the tapered kabuki for some reason. But other than that, I am loving this as it is perfect for what I use it for. Very precise in applying the undereye concealer and highlighter. I mentioned in my previous post(see post here) about the Maybelline dream lumi touch highlighting concealer. Now that I have changed to a shade lighter than my usual concealer(I use the shade radiant) and apply with this brush, I can see a big difference. Really brightens up my under eye area and see that highlighting effect that so many people rave about.

J. Crew Short-Sleeve Sweatshirt

Got a few other tops from my last J. Crew order. One of them is the short-sleeve sweatshirt I have been waiting for a popback for months.

Back in the middle of summer, I saw the sweatshirt online. But who would be thinking of wearing a sweatshirt when it was 35 degrees outside? 

Story always goes likes this, when you want to get it, it is sold out and nowhere to be found.

Short-sleeve sweatshirt in size M (here)

The only size popback was a medium and I grabbed it before it is gone again. The fabric is a very soft and thicker cotton/linen. In the cooler months, I am planning to layer it with a plain white shirt underneath.

Are you a "stalker" on online merchandise items? I am definitely a stalker, especially during J. Crew sales. Yesterday, they had a pretty decent rollout. I was this close on placing another order the day before on the stovepipe pants in wool check. It was on sale from $188 to $118 and I still have one 20% off mail-in coupon left(burning in my pocket since it will expire on Oct 31). But surprisingly, the pants and a few other items I have been watching mysteriously disappeared online. And they have the free shipping promo going on until Oct 21(Sunday). Think they will have another big promo next Monday and they are pulling a lot of their promo items back. At least this is my speculation. 

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer

When you have dark circles under your eyes, you look like you never have enough sleep.

Unfortunately, I am one of those. For some reason, my eyes look extra tired and puffy when I have a good night sleep. How weird is that?

Heard so many good reviews about the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer. Decided to give it a try.

I got it in the shade honey

It comes in a tube with a brush applicator. If you have used the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind eraser dark circles concealer, it is very similar. You need to twist the bottom to control the product coming out. You don't need to twist it every time you apply. I usually twist it and it has enough for a few applications.

Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting concealer is a combination of highlighter and a concealer. You apply it by brushing v-shapes underneath your eyes to get the highlighting effect underneath eyes and on the cheekbones. I use this together with the Instant age rewind eraser concealer. 

I have only used this for the past week. Not overly impressed as I expect this product will do. I find it quite cakey after application and typically the underneath the eye area, it tends to be dry and when this is cakey, your fine lines will show up.

Not sure if I apply it incorrectly or maybe apply it too much, making this cakey on my eye area. Also, I think I got this in a wrong shade. I thought I would get the shade close to my concealer so they will blend in well. So the shade honey may be too dark for me. I went out to get another shade, Radiant, which is a lighter with a pinkish tone. Maybe as a highlighter, you need to get a shade much lighter to get that illuminating effect. Will keep you posted after I try out my new shade. 

Have you tried this and what are your thoughts?