August Empties

Another month passed and we are closer to fall :(

This month, I did pretty good in finishing a lot of products, including some of my staples and a few new ones.

Bath & Body Products:

LaVanila Healthy Deodorant in Vanilla Grapefruit
Glysomed Hand Cream
Off Botanicals lotion
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunscreen SPF 60
Lush Sweetie Pie Shower Jelly

I am allergic to mosquito bites and throughout the summer months, I have to make sure I apply insect repellent before I go out. Have been using the Off Botanicals lotion for years. Just like a light-weight lotion with pleasant scent. Works great for a few hours but make sure you reapply after a few hours if you stay out all day long.

Have been using the LaVanila Healthy Deodorant for a few years. Unfortunately, this would be my last one as Sephora has discontinued this(in Canada). Maybe they still carry them in stores but for online orders, they are not available anymore. I have switched to other natural alternatives and found them equally good if not better.

Skincare Products:

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate
Oz Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum
La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF 60
Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil

Oz Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum was sent to me for PR review and I am so pleasantly surprised of how well this natural serum works. It is all natural and it works so well for my skin. Will continue to buy this.

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Oil was a deluxe sample size I got with purchase at Sephora. With all the hype about this product, I could see why it become so popular. You just get a few drops, rub it between your palm and apply to your skin by patting it on gently before you go to sleep. The "magic" would work its way throughout the night while you sleep. You really do see results almost within 1-2 uses. However, it is very pricey. I am still contemplating on whether to purchase the full-sized one. Honestly, Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate works equally well and only a fraction of the price.

Makeup Products:

Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Honey
Liole Auto Eyebrow #1

Candles:

DW Pineapple Mint Candle
Everyday Luxe Green Tea & Bergamot Candle

I got both of these candles at Winners. So happy with Everyday Luxe Green Tea & Bergamot. I love Bath and Body Works London Calling so much and stocked up on so many last summer. But so sad to see they didn't bring it back this summer. It is a nice mixture of lemon and tea and the aroma is just perfect for summer. This Green Tea & Bergamot is very similar to that scent and I got a couple of these as I love it so much.

What have you managed to finish this month?

Irresistible Me Hair Clip-in Extensions Review

I have always love long hair. My hair is usually kept at a little longer than shoulder-length. Once it gets past that, it gets a bit hard to manage. So when I was approached by Irresistible Me to try their clip-in hair extensions*, I was very excited. First, I have never tried hair extensions before. Second, having longer luscious hair without the extra effort to maintain just sound the perfect solution.

I received the package within 2 days after I received shipping and tracking info. I am very impressed.

The hair extensions are nicely packed in a secure pouch. There are two sections of the pouch. The left side consists of all the hair extensions. The right side contains a small section of the hair extensions you picked. Open the right side first to make sure the color is right for you. If this is not the right shade, send the package back for easy return. If you are happy with the shade you picked, you could open the left pouch. Once it is opened, you cannot return it.

The hair extensions are put in a hair net.

Once you take them out from the net, they are neatly-tied into a bundle.

There are different kinds of hair extensions to choose from. First is to pick the right shade. That is easy for me as I have black hair and I picked the Royal Natural Black (#1b).

There are 2 types: Silky Touch and Royal Remy which is the one I chose. Royal Remy is from their deluxe line. 

You can pick exactly how you would like your extensions. You could customize to how you would like them from how long to how full you want to be. I pick 16 inches and 140 g which is the medium weight. 

My set includes: 1 pc of 4 clips, 3 pcs of 3 clips, 2 pcs of 2 clips and 2 pcs of 1 clip.

So depending on how full or how minimal you are going for, you could create the looks accordingly.

As I mentioned earlier, this is my first time using hair extensions. Surprisingly, they are very easy to manage. Just have to open the clips first from the pieces. Then I brush them out. And all ready to go.

Before

I parted my hair at the bottom half, clipped my hair up. Then clipped on the 4 piece on. The clips are very secure and I don't even have to tease my hair at the parting line to hide the clips.

After

I clipped on the 4 piece at the lower part. Then a 3 piece in the centre. I also clipped the 2 pieces on the sides and that's it. Took less than 3 mins for the whole process. Then brushed it out to make sure own hair blended in well with the hair extensions.

The weight is just right for me. I thought with so much hair extensions, would weigh my hair down but didn't at all. The clips are also very secure and I don't have to worry about pieces falling out.

Overall, I am very happy with Irresistible Me Clip-in extensions. They are of very high quality and easy to manage, even for first-time users like me. Customer service is excellent with super-fast shipping and package arrives in perfect condition. I would highly-recommend if you are looking for hair extensions. 

**PR product sent for review

Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lip

Sephora has a new Give Me Some Lip set. It has 6 products in which one of them is a full-sized product. I love lip products and love it more when I can try a whole bunch of them in different shades. 

This set consists of:

- 0.08 oz Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment 
- 0.10 oz Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lip in Lolita 
- 0.10 oz Make Up For Ever Artist Plexi Gloss 202 
- 0.03 oz Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Crème in Je T'Aime 
- 0.068 oz Sephora Collection Rouge Infusion The Neutrals in 19-Peony 
- 0.1 oz Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Coral Blossom

from L to R:

Kat Von D Lolita

Tarte Coral Blossom

Marc Jacobs Je t amie

Fresh Sugar Lip Tinted Lip Balm

Sephora Rouge Infusion 19 Peony

MUFE gloss in 202

I got the full-sized Kat Von D famous Lolita back in Dec, thinking it would be the mauve pink. But it wasn't, it was more of a brownish pink. So I am excited to get the new Kat Von D Lolita in this set as the full-sized one is always out of stock.

from L to R:

Kat Von D Lolita(in this set)

Kat Von D Lolita(from their Dec batch)

Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Marvelous Mauve

I am loving this set as it is rare that I can use all the products in a set as the shades are all down my alley. It is CAD $30 which I think is quite a good deal. Perfect for lip junkies. 

Laneige Two Tone Lip Bar

I like the new Korean gradient/"bitten lip" look and I have been searching all over for the perfect lip products to create the look effortlessly.

When I saw Laneige released a new product called two tone lip bar, I knew I had to try it. Laneige is not easy to get here in Canada, especially lip products. So I got mine from ebay and it took a while to be shipped from Korea and I am so happy I finally got it.

#2 Red Blossom

It comes in a sleek tube, with the top half a mirror reflection for easily touch up when you are out and about. Also has a little tab on the side. You push it down to push the product up and the other direction to twist the product back into the tube.

The shade I picked is #2 red blossom. I picked this shade because I want the dramatic gradient/ombre lip so this is perfect. You need two shades from the opposite spectrum to create the look easily.

The "red" shade is more of a cherry pink and the nude shade is more of a brownish nude.

To create the ombre lip, I want the red shade in the centre of my lips and the nude shade on the outer lips. Just have to position the lipstick(with red shade up, nude shade down) for my bottom lips and vice versa for my upper lips.

The formula is very creamy and the red is very pigmented. It does take a few tries to get the pigmentation right thought and it is not as easy breezy as it seems. I still have to use a q-tip to clean off excess product to make a clean cut edge.

Here is how I apply very light-handed. I was just experimenting with how it shows on lips.

A little bit more product and I had more product on my bottom lips than my upper. I did not smack my lips to even out the product and maybe I should.

From different lighting and the actual lip shade look much more pigmented in person than in pictures.

I applied to lips and smacked my lips pretty good to even out the product and it gives a very pretty blended color.

This product, in concept, is a genius one. One product, two shades, and off you go with a pretty ombre lips. In reality, it is not as easy as it sounds. You apply the product too much, the red shade kind of " overtake" the nude shade. It does not create the clear distinct line for that gradient effect. I still have to go in an fix my lips by using a q-tip to wipe off excess red shade. I had to re-apply it while I am out today and let me tell you, it is not easy. Wipe it off a few times to make it right and who has the time to do that when you are in a hurry.  I only have this for a few days and maybe I need more time to experiment with it some more to see if it gets any easier in terms of application.

So far, the easiest product I have used to create the ombre lip is the Maybelline Color Blur Cream Matte Lip Pencil(see post for review and swatch). It is a creamy pencil and you can apply where you want the product to be sitting exactly and blur it out as much or as little as you could. 

My Bronzer & Highlighter Collection

My makeup collection is growing steadily, which I am not too proud of. I have spent so much money and with each new season, brands are releasing new products which is making the temptation greater every day.

One of my 2015 New Year Resolutions was to cut down on makeup purchases and not buying anything new which comes to sight. Compared to my previous years' purchase, I am happy to say I have done pretty good overall so far this year. Whenever some new products come into my radar, I try to shop my stash to find anything remotely similar and decide. 

In order to keep my memory fresh of what is in my stash, I want to be better organized so I am doing this mini series of what is in my collection.

I am starting with my bronzer and highlighter collection which is quite manageable. These products I keep them in my bathroom vanity. So these are mostly used on a daily basis or I do rotations.

My favorite bronzers are matte and quite similar in shades. Chanel Universal Bronzer & Les Beiges Multi-Color Glow are my most-used products. Yes, they are pricey but I have them for a couple of years and still got a long way to go. Too Faced Chocolate Solei, Benefit Hoola are next in line as my all-time favorite bronzers. Too Faced Chocolate Solie is simply divine in scent. I am almost hitting pan which I am proud of. 

Almost forgot to include this in my collection: MAC Pearlmatte Face Finish (In for a Treat) from Baking Beauties Collection in 2013. I use this daily and the picture shown above is what it looked like when I first got it. Now the outer pearl white rim is all gone. I don't like wearing too much highlighter for every day and this one is subtle enough but still pretty and noticeable that I have highlighter on. 

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Palette is such an awesome palette. There are 3 shades in it and the most loved is dim light(the left one). I use that as an overall setting powder. It gives skin a beautiful glow without making it look flat and dull. Balm Lou-Manizer is a newly rediscovered product while I shop in my stash a while ago. You only need a tiny bit of product on your cheeks to give the most beautiful highlight. Also it is a drug-store product and very affordable. I have had it for years and it still looks like I haven't made a dent in it.

These products are in stored in my extra makeup storage in another room. So clearly these are not used very often. I used to just toss products if I haven't used them in a few months. But I always have regrets so I decided to keep them a little longer until I am totally convinced that they need to go.  I got the two Physician's Formula bronzers a while back. I got them mostly because of the cute packaging and the mail-in rebates. I literally got them for a few dollars so I thought why not. 

I got the ELF bronzer/blush duo and I used it quite a bit at the beginning. It was said to be a dupe of NARS' Laguna/Orgasm duo. I have both of them in deluxe travel sizes and to be honest, they are quite similar. Pixi Bronzer is barely-touched. I can't recall where I got this. Either from one of my beauty subscriptions or from Target close out sales. MAC Aquatic Collection Extra Dimension Bronzer in Aphrodite's Shell was purchased last summer. The shade is great but I just find the formula on their Extra Dimension collection is just hard to work with. It is probably best to apply with fingers as that's when you can get the product out. With a brush, I find it hard to get the pigmentation. But just because it is in such a pretty limited edition collection package, it is hard to part with.

Do you go through your makeup collection often to keep your mind refreshed before running out to buy more? Do you declutter to make room for more?

Jeulia.Com :Affordable Online Jewelry Review

I enjoy shopping online and from make up, clothes to fashion jewelry. I recently came across Jeulia, an online jewelry store. It is a husband and wife team who started the company with deep passion of jewelry design. They have a variety of rings, necklaces and bracelets with affordable prices.

I like simple necklace designs and this heartbeat necklace is calling my name. I love layering necklaces and this seems like a good piece to do that either with another gold or silver necklace.

Isn't this one cute? A gem inside a cube. Simple and yet elegant. You could either dress it up or down with this. For me, I always have simple plain colored tee and with a simple design and dainty necklace, it could instantly brighten up the whole outfit.

Here is another one which caught my eye.

They also have  uniquely-designed engagement rings which include ring sets like this black diamond set. Black diamonds are quite eye-catching. Add a special touch to the beautiful design.

The sets are very reasonably-priced and different from other stores. They are not as common as designs you see everywhere else. Also, they have special promotions quite often and if you sign up for newsletter, you get a 10% off which is making the deals even sweeter.

They have quite a number of rose gold pieces which I find very hard to find these days. I love rose gold pieces and I find them very suitable for my skin tone.

Unique jewelry pieces could make simple outfits so much special. Just simple tees and jeans paired with these jewelry accents could change your whole look. What are your favourite pieces ?

*** this is a sponsored post ***

Worth Splurging on YSL Lippies?

YSL make up products are very luxurious to me. From packaging to quality, they certainly impress. I don't have a lot of YSL purchases mostly because of their price tags. 

I have a few of lip products from YSL and reason I keep buying is I like the formula and shades. I tried to find dupes from drug store but always end up buying more from the brand.

I got the YSL Volupte Tint-in-Oil in Cherry My Cherie a few months back. Volupte Tint in Oil is such an innovative product. First oil in a lip product is new to me. Oil moisturizes lip so well and yet still give enough color payoff and leave behind a stain is just music to my ears. I love the shade I picked which is a very pretty cherry pink. At CAD $35, I want to get more shades but stop myself until I find a good deal.

You know it and I know it that luxurious make up brands rarely have deals or discounts. Last week, I found a good one with Hudson Bay(like Nordstrom and Saks). They had a promo of buy a YSL lip product and you get a lip tint for FREE. Yes, for free. How can I not take advantage of that?

I picked another shade of the Volupte Tint-in-oil and I got a lip stain in this pretty gold pouch.

I got the Rouge Pur Couture  Vernis A Levres in 7 Coral Aquatique for free

I have always wanted to try YSL glossy stain. But just couldn't want to spend that much. I have tried the drug store dupe which is the L'oreal Caress Wet Shine Stain. They are of similar packaging and even the applicator is similar. I have a few of those and have used them quite a bit. Once I try this one from YSL, I know it is so much better than the L'oreal one. The pigmentation is better and it applies better. Also the staining power is better.

Left: Coral Aquatique

Right: Drive Me Copper

Coral Aquatique is a muted coral shade. This is how it looks on me. The shade is very natural and the unique applicator makes it a breeze to apply. You don't even need a mirror to apply and it is beautiful.

Since I already have a bright pink shade from the collection, I picked a lighter shade to try. I picked Drive me Copper. I have swatched these in stores before and the light shades are all very similar. If you are thinking of getting a lighter shade, just pick one and don't get a couple which are near in shades as they look almost identical swatched and on lips. Drive Me Copper is a nude pink shade first applied and dries to a slightly brown-toned pink shade.

Even though it is an oil lip product and you would expect the hydration to last for hours and hours, it is not the case. Wear time on me is probably 3 hours. Since it stains a bit, I don't want to keep re-applying to change the impact of the shade. I just apply some lip balm on top.

To me, these YSL lip products are certainly splurges. I have tried drug store dupes which are not even close. So to me, they are totally worth the splurge but I would only buy when there is a great deal on it.

Do you splurge on luxurious make up products? What is your must have?

Dewy skin? You got to try Chosungah 22 C&T Blender(Round 3)

When it comes to latest makeup trend, Korean brands are very innovative. Very often, we see new products pop up in the Korean market and a few years later, they would slowly come to North America.

Chosungah 22 is a brand started by Korean first generation famous makeup artist, Chosungah. This is her second line as she sold her first one and this one branches out to both skin care and makeup products.

This C&T Blender is a product which has both skin care benefits and coverage as a makeup base. Doesn't that sound like a dream?

What it claims:

• plumping effect
• density of derma improvement
• moisturizing with dewy finish
• face volume

Main ingredients:

• Persea Gratissima(avocado) fruit extract
• Palmitoyl Isoleucine
• Helianthus Annuus(sunflower) seed oil
• Lupinus Albus seed oil
• xylitylglucoside
• Punica Granatum fruit extract

Isn't the packaging interesting? It comes in a sleek silver container. There is a push button and you just push and twist the bottom at the same time to dispense the product. The product comes out through a flat round sponge and you just dab the product and gently pat into your skin.

 In real life, the product does not come up in a perfect twist combination like shown in the ad picture. It comes out mixed with foundation and serum.

There are only 2 shades available and I picked the darker of the two shades: 02 Sand Beige.

I heard about this product from my sister-in-law, who is always on top of Asian makeup trend. She said this product is very popular in Korea and Taiwan. Perfect if you love the beautiful Korean dewy, glowy, luminous skin. It also blurs out imperfections and still gives a natural finish. With all that said, I knew I would "HAVE" to try that.

The product is quite hard to get a hold of. My sister-in-law is getting hers from a friend in Asia who is shipping it to her. I tried to find mine online and fortunately found a Korean ebay seller who just happened to have the last one with the shade I want.

Bare skin 

with Chosungah 22 C&T blender applied to high points of cheeks, blended out

As you can tell from the picture, my skin immediately looks dewy, not greasy or oily. It also evens out my skin tone. You only need very little product. When I first tried using the product, I made the mistake of twisting up too much product and apply to my whole face. It not only look heavy and cakey. Plus my whole face looks too oily. I then learnt I only have to apply very little and just dab it on my cheeks and a little on my forehead. It does give a very light coverage. You can wear this product alone or apply a light foundation on top.

with Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation serum, Kat Von D Shade & Light Bronzer, Dior Rosy Glow blush 

I have tried a few of Korean makeup base to achieve the dewy skin but I have no luck until I tried this. This doesn't make my skin look oily and the dewy skin stays on all day long. Dewy skin gives the youthful glow and still very natural. It is perfect for summer or all year round.

Do you like dewy skin? What is your favorite product to achieve the look?