Best of 2013.

12:21 PM

I am spending the day before New Years at home, relaxing and cleaning my room. I thought I'd spend a few hours in the morning to film my Best of 2013 Beauty Favorites video while I could, so that I can post the video by tonight. Filming a video takes longer than one would think, and editing it is just a whole heck of a chore! But now that I've got it done, I feel I can concentrate more on finishing this day with a more reflective note.

As always, it's pretty difficult to pick and choose "the favorites" of the entire year. I am one of those people that buy something after much research and review-reading. Once I decide to keep it in my collection, that means I love it. To choose the best from all the ones I love is seriously difficult. So, I just gravitated towards picking the ones I "used" the most instead.

I divided it up between skincare and makeup bits. Watch the entire video here:

I realize that there are so many products that I love but couldn't mention. I also realized that in the video, I forget to talk about two things that are actually right there! That's what happens, I guess, when you just wing things through. The first one is a hand cream: Rose of Bulgaria Hand Cream and the other is Nars Laguna Bronzer.

I also want to do a special mention to NEOM Candles because I enjoyed them so much this year. Although I wanted to stock up when I went to London, I just couldn't find them anywhere in the department stores I visited. I may have to just order it online! But really, NEOM candles have been just amazing and I highly recommend them as well.

On a final note, I wish everyone a Happy New Year! 2013 has been one heck of a year. Thank you to all my subscribers, readers, and followers. I truly appreciate all of your feedback! I hope to continue blogging next year with better content and format on both my blogs and Youtube channel.

I hope all of you the best in 2014 :)

Discovery Product #4 BOURJOIS Healthy Balance Matte Unifying Powder

2:48 PM

picture came out a little saturated. the picture below is more true to color

The best finishing powder I've tried thus far. This is a recent purchase from a Paris drugstore called Monoprix and I talk about this in my French Drugstore and Pharmacy haul here.

I've tried many a high-end products (Kevyn Aucoin, Hourglass, MAC, Benefit, Chanel, etc.,) but for the price and result, I'm going to place the crown on this gem. The Bourjois Healty Balance Matte 10hr Unifying Powder is an amazingly fine-milled pigmented finishing powder that gives you a natural and matte finish without looking even the slightest bit cakey. The coverage is light, but buildable. I suggest it as a finishing or a touch-up powder, and not intended for coverage.

I love this to finish up my makeup. It seriously ends off all your makeup with a final note. Then, as a touch-up, it just keeps you looking fresh and matte. I love the velvety kind of makeup for the winter and colder days, and this does the job.

swatch. can you see how finely milled it is? love! love! love!

Bourjois is a bit hard to get in the States. Not impossible, of course. So, if you are ever across in the UK or Paris, go pick this up. You honestly won't regret it! There isn't that many color choices, but I found one that works just perfectly. You can get away with not getting the exact shade anyway because it blends so beautifully with the skin. The shade I bought is 53, Light Biege.

This has followed me around all over my trip in Europe and even back home. It's a hand-bag essential for days I'm out for more than 8+ hours! Has anyone tried this? x

Leave a Comment bourjois, discovery product, drugstore, finishing powder, monoprix, paris, powder, setting powder

2013 Ciate Advent Calendar

11:20 AM

The Ciaté Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar was the first advent calendar I had bought. Unlike the purpose of an advent calendar (counting down the days 'till Christmas), I ended up opening all the little trinkets the day I bought the box. I had never bought or tried Ciaté nail polish before, but I always thought their colors were lovely.

I'm all for mini nail polish sizes. For all the options and nail polishes we buy, I wonder how many of us can finish the whole bottle before it goes all icky and gooey? And the collection of nail polishes keep piling up and soon, you start feeling guilty for spending and buying so much before even finishing them! Bleh. So, I suggest a smaller sized nail polish which allows consumers to buy more, try more, and spend less. Voila!

So, this Ciaté mini nail polish set was ideal for me. The price was affordable ($58) for 24 nail polishes you get to try. I've tried about six or seven of them already. I've picked my favorite four of them (going left to right):

Tweed and tails - a perfect military khaki green
Main Stage - plum, plum, plum is all
Snow Globe - best extra layer of sparkle texture/ it looks like glass in your nails
Boudoir - the reddest of the red, the truest of them all/ reminds me of Marilyn Monroe
follow my Instagram and you can see how the colors look on my hands aka swatches

The box also came with the little filter looking plastics so you can use the caviar pearls without spilling them all over. I still haven't mastered how to wear them and make them look good, but they are pretty to just look at!

Ciaté in general has lasting-power (like really long lasting-power), great easy to use brush (by far, one of the best), and lovely colors. It is pricey, but if you get it as a set like this, I think it's quite worth the money.

I am sure to pick another one of these for next year! It probably is also a perfect gift idea to give to a friend :)

Ellie goes to London PART I. Drugstore Haul

10:34 AM

Ellie goes to London, PART ONE is going to be a beauty/skincare haul. I did a bit of affordable skincare and makeup shopping when I was in London. There aren't too much you can't get in the States, but there sure are price differences in some. When I first saw the BOOTS store in the airport, I was thrilled. For all you British readers, you'd think I was joking! It would be the same if any of you Brits thought CVS or Duane Reade was thrilling. But seriously, I was just way too excited for Boots. I soon learned however, that depending on which store you go to, it's quite different.

I stayed right around Portobello Road, which was such a cute quaint town. I bought a few bits from the Boots store there, but I mainly bought mine from a Boots around Covent Garden.

This haul also has products bought from John Lewis which seemed like a Macy's here, and bought the Antipodes mask from Selfridges, and finally a Nude skincare from SpaceNK.

Watch my video here to see what I have to say about the products. It's only a haul video, so I have yet to form an opinion about all of the products. I did, though, forget to mention a Pixi product that I bought at Convent Garden. It's the Pixi Glow Tonic that bloggers have been raving about. I still have to see how it works out on me. Review will be up soon :)

2 comments antipodes, collection 2000, drugstore, lifestyle, liz earle, london, nude skincare, rimmel, sleek, soap and glory

When in Paris... Drugstore and Pharmacy Haul from CityPharma and MonoPrix

12:20 PM

I came back from my trip to London, Paris, and Strasbourg last night and the first thing I knew I had to do was find some way to organize the blogposts I will be posting about my trip, experience, food, and haul. Since I am mainly a beauty blogger, I thought I'd get right on to blogging and filming my haul videos.

Watch the Youtube video of the Haul: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y79r2nM8AqA

The first one up is my French Pharmacie and Drugstore haul. This is mainly from Paris, and mainly from two stores. One is from a place called CityPharma on Rue du Four which seems to be one of the best bargained pharmacy in Paris. From far, I could see the huge crowd in the store and I knew it meant business. The other store is a store called Monoprix which is where I mostly bought my makeup bits.

Although I wanted to buy Bourjois when I was at Boots in the UK, my sister convinced me it'd be cheaper in Paris. So, I waited and as soon as I walked into Monoprix I filled it with a Happy Light Foundation, Healthy Balance Matte Unifying Powder, Mineral Radiance Pressed Powder, Black Jack Clubbing Mascara, Chocolate Bronzer.

Here are the pictures of the makeup as promised in my video.

Bourjois Mineral Radiance 02 Vanilla

Bourjois Happy Light foundation in Light Beige

Healthy Balance Powder in 53 Light Beige

By far, one of the best touchups I've used for such an affordable price!

Here is also the perfume from Nuxe that I mentioned in the video but forgot to show. I have been chucking this in my bag and spritzing it to feel fresh, ladylike, and pretty! It's quite pricey but this smaller sized deluxe size is perfect for me.

The rest of the CityPharma haul is all the same as is the video. The reviews of some of the products will soon follow. But until then, this will have to do! Also, look out for my UK Drugstore Haul coming soon :) I'm also going to do a lifestyle post and recommendations of where to stay, go, and eat in London, Paris, and Strasbourg.

4 comments bioderma, bourjois, cleanser, french, french pharmacy, french pharmacy haul, la roche-posay, lifestyle, london, nuxe, parfum, paris, pharmacie, strasbourg, toner, vacation, zinc

Life Update #4 . Life in Instagram Pictures

6:01 PM

Sorry I've been away for so long! It was FINALS week, and it's been a stressful and tough month but it's all over now and in celebration, I thought I'd give you a little update on what's been going on. Also, wanted to give you a little heads-up on what to expect on my blog from now 'till the end of the year. Can you even believe it's almost the end of the year?! Yikes.

Anyway, I thought I'd share with you some bits of my life. First, it's been 95% of this no doubt:

Of course, I made sure to put on a lovely candle by Diptyque so that I can ease into studying. I took the "study 'till I die" method the last year and came to the conclusion that I wasn't going to study that way. That's why I gave myself more pamper time and relaxing time than before. By pampering, I also mean eating delicious things like:

A delicious well-brewed vanilla cappuccino is an instant wake-me-up! It's my favorite drink, and I get my little heart-drawn coffees from either Starbucks or SweetLeaf :)

And, of course the sweeties that bring a source of jolliness into life. These brownies and blondies are SO GOOD. They are from a company called "Fat Witch", and I highly recommend y'all try it out! I am a brownie mania, and so when I see a company get it right, it makes me happy! I recommend the original Fat Witch Brownie. It always seems to be sold out when I try to get them... That's the only downfall.

And yes. Eggs Benedict. Delish, delisssh, delicious! Just look at it, won't you? I recommend the one at Cafe Henri for one of the bests I've tried :)

And before I knew it, it was Christmas season. I still haven't got a proper tree up in the living room, but I did put one up in my study room. It's small, and I can't find any fairy lights! Grr. So, it's just there with its bobbles and not much glamor to it, but it'll have to do for now. You can read my blog post from last Christmas season and the tree I decorated here. I also had to take a picture of these alleys/streets that sell freshly cut fraser firs! Goodness, how christmasy they made me feel :)

Oh, and never forget candles for the holiday! Candles are just 100x better in the winter, and 10000x better during the holidays. I've been liking the sweet and cozy kinds, like Bath & Body Works' "Marshmallow Fireside" and their "Winter" scents.

And because I'm a beauty girl, and I love makeup so much, I did make some recent purchases that I'm excited to blog about. Also, if you didn't know, I'm a huge Catbird fan and recently they had a crazy 4-hour flash sale of one of their new ring: Black Onyx Teardrop Ring. 50% off. That's just crazy, and of course I bought and by far, it's actually my favorite ring from all the gzillion rings I've acquired over the past few years. I love it THAT much.

And, yes. I did jump in the crazy for the Naked 3 palette by Urban Decay. They just go home run on these palettes, don't they?

So, that's pretty much my life update. You can follow me on Instagram username: EtherealEllie. I love the feedback I get on Instagram :) Here's me dwindling in peace after the finals were over! #PEACE

And for further exciting news I want to share! *drum roll**********

I am leaving for Europe tomorrow! I am planning to go to London and Paris for two weeks, and I just can't wait. I've been counting down the days, minutes, and seconds for this very day and I can't express just how happy I am to be going to the UK and France. I've been to both countries before, and did stay mainly around the cities, but I just never get tired of them. Nope! I'm also visiting Strasbourg for a day or two. *THRILLED*

I would love it if anyone had recommendations of places to go, things to eat, and whatever! I'm all open to recommendations :) I've been stalking my favorite UK bloggers for places to go eat and visit. If any of my followers are from UK or France, let me know! And I will definitely be picking up GOODIES (as in BEAUTY PRODUCTS) while my stay there. I'm going to try to blog every moment I have in Europe. Look out for nice pictures (and VIDEOS on Youtube) *hopefully*!

Leave a Comment bathandbodyworks, candles, catbird, catbirdnyc, christmas, coffee, england, food, france, holiday, life update, lifestyle, Naked, naked 3, travel, Urban Decay

Beauty Progress Report #4. Missha's Night Repair Serum

7:16 PM

I received this Missha Time Revolution Night Repair serum a few months back and I took the pleasure of taking some time to see how I would find this serum. Missha is a Korean brand beauty line that has both affordable skincare and makeup. I especially love their Signature BB cream and Signature Concealer so I was excited to try their skincare line.

Before receiving this, I tried their Time Revolution line with samples I picked up while my stay in Korea. I loved using it. I felt my skin really hydrated, especially on my flight back and from NY. You know how your skin gets quite dehydrated up in the high skies? Well, I relied on my little samples from Missha, so when I received a whole bottle of their night repair, I expected just as good results.

I used this at night, after I tone my skin and before I apply my night cream. This rich liquid sinks deep into the skin and helps with the tight feeling you get in the winter. I found that it helped hydrate my skin and also do a little tightening and lifting. It promises to help the skin renew overnight. Considering the richness of the serum, it doesn't break you out or clog your pores, which is always a good thing.

I am still seeing how it is working on my skin. Because I have so many serums to try out daily, I use this at random nights. So far, I give it a 3/5.0 ranking.

This quite decently sized bottle retails at about $50 but Missha is always doing some kind of sale year around so keep out on the lookout.

Leave a Comment korean skincare, missha, skincare, time revolution

Beauty Progress Report #3. NARS Liquid Eyeliner

7:28 PM

2013 has been about liquid eyeliners. I've been obsessed with them a bit, and went through several styles but recently I've fallen in love with the Nars Eyeliner Stylo selling for $27 which is a bit hefty compared to something like Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner selling for $16 which I also enjoyed a lot. But, I wanted to mix it up a bit and try something new. I already went through two stylos of the Eyeko one.

After more than two months of trial, I have to say that this pen is quite worth the money! After having had a horrible experience with the Marc Jacobs liquid eyeliner, I was quite happy that this Nars one was worth the money! It draws on very well with an intense black that doesn't have this fake glossy metal finish. The tip is on the thin side, allowing versatility with the shape of your line.

My rating for this eyeliner so far is: 4.5/5.0

I just hope this lasts as long as my Bourjois liner feutre eyeliner lasted!

Leave a Comment beauty progress report, bourjois, eyeko, eyeliner, eyeliner stylo, liquid eyeliner, marc jacobs, Nars, stylo

The Sweetest Facial Masks. HONEY!

5:09 PM

I just may have discovered my favorite facial mask. H O N E Y . Real organic honey. But not just the honey that you find at any supermarket but honey that does more than what honeys already do for you. I've got two on my list: Pro Baccari-x Amazon Honey and Manuka Honey

Honey itself is amazing for your skin. It hydrates, moisturizes, and calms the skin. But these two honey jars I've picked up also focuses on killing the bacteria on the surface of your skin. For sure, Manuka Honey is already quite famous as the world's best honey, coming from New Zealand. I first heard of it when I started using the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask. Loved that mask, and then after I finished that whole tube, I discovered that way before I even heard of this mask, my mother was already collecting jars of manuka honey.

My mother has a nice storage of honey. She's known about the benefits of eating honey, but also for the skin. Though she's never used it on herself, she's always told me to try it out. Why I never listened, I don't know! But once I was done with my Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey mask I was compelled to give the real Manuka honey a go.

Another honey jar that's blown me away was the Pro Baccari-x Amazon Honey. Again, these are actual honey jars meant for eating but I found that they help the skin just so much that I've taken these two jars up to my room for my own personal dermatological use!

The Pro Baccari honey really focuses in on killing bacteria. Unlike the Manuka it is a bit coarser with beads of solid honey that is hard to break down. I take half a table-spoon of the honey. Try to melt it with my fingers and spread it very gently all over my face. I keep the honey mask on as long as I possibly could. I would go about an hour with the mask on, until I have to go wash it off because the honey is melting!

And of course, honey washes off so easily.

But goodness, the aftermath is really visible. Skin is so much softer (I mean, real soft). Skin has calmed down. The overall skin tone has brightened. Itchiness (if there is any) dies down. It's just... wonderful.

I have been trying to use this mask everyday, but with my busy schedule I find it use it maybe three times a week. Each time I use it, I love it more and more. The makeup application the next day is made so much more enjoyable when skin has been prepped with such organic luxury the night before!

Sometimes the best things are closer than we think... maybe even in our kitchen cabinets!

Leave a Comment amazon, amazon honey, antipodes, facial masks, honey, manuka, pro baccari

Beauty Progress Report #2. JOUER Matte Moisture Tint

4:45 PM

I've been using Jouer's "Matte Moisture Tint" for several months now. This product definitely took the beauty world by storm, and so I joined the crew to find out what the hype was all about. It definitely took me months of trial to come to any real conclusion to even write a review.

Even now, I write a review on this product under my Beauty Progress Report series because I'm still trying it out and seeing how it works in different situations. You can check the last beauty progress report here.

So far, my score on this product is a 4.0/5.0

In terms of the tinted moisturizers I've tried, this is one of the best I've tried. The only reason why I can't score it a full 5 is because I'm generally not a tinted moisturizer kind of gal. I like a good coverage foundation at all times. I don't like risking showing my naked skin around.

However, considering that this a tinted moisturizer, this definitely has one of the best coverages I've seen. What I love is how lovely it glides on the skin. It almost feels like whipped cream. It's so soft and it feels absolutely velvety. I bought the shade 03 Nude and it seems to be a decent match to my skin.

The lasting power is pretty good for a tinted moisturizer as well. When my skin is on the good side of things, I do like to put this on instead of a foundation. It lasts a good half-day. When my skin is excellent, it can last all day. Because it is oil-free and a matte moisture tint, it's perfect for the oily-skinned people like me.

It's nice to have these things around for when you want to slap something on but don't want to fuss so much. I find that this is just a great on-the-go product! For the flawless-skinned gals, I'm totally jealous. You can go so far with just this and not having to wear any heavy foundation.

Sells for $38. Join mailing list and you'll get a 50% off!

Leave a Comment beauty progress report, jouer, matte, tinted moisturizers

Beauty Progress Report #1. Hourglass Ambient Lighting

5:54 PM

Yet another series. But, I think these series are better than random beauty reviews. In the "Beauty Progress Report" series, I'll be talking about what I think about a certain product(s) since I've bought it. It's not a conclusive beauty review with a large BAM at the end, but more like, "hey, I'm trying to figure it out and so far..." kind of post.

left to right: Dim, Incandescent, Radiant (palette comes with a face primer)

The Hourglass Ambient Light Face Powder has been on my want-list for quite some time. I am coming to an end with my MAC Studio Fix that I've used for a little more than a year now, and I thought it was time to search for my next good face powder. Because the Hourglass Ambient Lighting has been such a hit, I was always curious to try.

The whole concept of the Ambient Lighting face powders is that without much concealing and caking, it brings a certain lighting glow to your face. Depending on the shade you get, you'll always have this lighting on your face wherever you go. So, depending on the kind of glow you want to reflect, you choose your shade. That also means that these shades are supposed to be fairly sheer, only to cause a certain effect and not necessarily "in-your-face".

Of course, I ended up buying a face palette rather than one shade that I wanted, because those girls at the beauty counters always get to me! I went into SpaceNK thinking I wanted the face powder in "Diffused Light" which is a pale-yellow powder that helps contrast the redness in skin and the oilyness. It's the less shimmery of the other shades. But upon trying it out at the store, I found it to be really pale yellow. It almost looked too pale on my skin.

My eyes was set on the Dim Light which is a more neutral beige without too much red or yellow. It seemed to match my skin quite well.

The limited edition palette that I bought came with three shades: Dim Light, Incandescent light, radiant light

Because it came for a bargain of $58 and since I had a $10 off at SpaceNK, I thought I'd invest.

So far my rating is a 2.5/5

Pretty low you say? Well, here's why.

I have yet to figure out what the hype is about. I found that besides Dim Light the other two shades work as either a highlighter or a bronzer. The shade Radiant Light is much too dark to be a finishing powder. The Incandescent Light is much too pink to be a finishing powder. Both the Radiant and Incandescent lights have much too much shimmer.

And although I knew they came with very little coverage, I felt that all it was doing was adding this shine to my face that did not look natural. And, I have to say that if you do put a lot on, it will look cakey. It isn't those finely milled powders that no matter how much you dust on your face, it'll look natural. It will build.

And for the oily-skinned, I'm not too sure how much of this shimmer looks flattering. For the price that it is, the "subtle effect" that it gives doesn't add up. Not yet, at least. If you do dust on only a little, it looks minutely nice but again, not enough for the price.

Yet, I don't want to give up just yet. The idea seems wonderful and there was one time that I wore Dim Light and received compliments for looking radiant and glowing. So, I will continue to experiment and find a way to fall in love with it. Otherwise, I might have to return this.

Has anyone tried them yet? What have been your experiences so far?

Leave a Comment ambient lighting, face, hourglass, palette, powder, setting powder, spacenk

Discovery Product #3 BioFresh Rose of Bulgaria Nourishing Hair Mask

7:41 PM

I have enjoyed this mask for awhile, but never got around to blogging about it, partly because it was already just a mess- like all products are when you leave them in the shower!

This is one of the products my sister picked up for me when she went to Bulgaria a few months back. Never knew but when she went there, people told her that Bulgaria was quite famous for their rose valley. So, naturally, she picked up these wonderful all organic, paraben-free rose products.

This nourishing hair mask from Biofresh is made with rose water, rose oil, macadamia oil... and a whole bunch of other intensely nourishing products.

I use it like a conditioner because I find it does not weigh down my hair at all. And goodness, it makes your hair feel so strong and healthy, it's just wonderful. In effect, since it makes your hair healthy, it brings the shine back to your hair. In fact, I found it to be so nourishing for my hair that when I went to curl my hair after I dried it, it was so hard to curl it!

It's wonderful, really. And the price is quite doable, although I'm not quite sure where you can get it in the US. I use it for about 15 minutes after squeezing the water out of my hair. I'm sure you can leave it on for longer, as I have, and it again does not weigh down your hair.

Here's further deets from them:

Description: Nourishing mask specifically designed to meet the needs of dry, damaged and split ends, damaged as a result of external aggressive mechanical and chemical influences - discoloration, perm, strong brush sunlight.

Active ingredients:- Macadamia oil that nourishes and restores damaged structure.- Natural rose water, incredibly rich in substances that promote regeneration and enhancing the security features of the hair.- Wheat extract and D-panthenol, restoring its natural softness, smoothness and shine.The mask is suitable for professional use.

Leave a Comment biofresh, discovery product, hair care, hair masks, rose

Antipodes. Aura Manuka Honey Mask

9:37 PM

This is rising to the level of a must-have, staple skincare for me. Again, if you've read my recent blogpost, you'll know that I am going through some severe skin journey. Sigh. But, that aside. Let me tell you about this amazing mask that has been saving me the past few weeks.

It is the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask. I actually bought this months... I mean, months ago. But, after using it once or twice, I decided it really wasn't worth all the hype (amongst British bbloggers, mostly).

How wrong I was, because when I picked this up again a few weeks back, I was taken aback by how amazing the results were!

Antipodes is a New Zealand certified organic and natural skincare line. This Aura Manuka Honey Mask can be used all over the face after cleansing and dried, or as spot treatment. I prefer to use this as a proper mask.

The results of using this was most definitely all of the following: brightening, calming, hydrating, and spot treatment. All four results were really obvious.

This really creamy smell glides on beautifully on the face. It doesn't set like some clay masks, but remains somewhat cream-like. You can then rinse it off with warm water and voila!

Here's what it says on their website:

The facial mask delivers a deeply moisturizing, cleansing and anti-oxidizing treatment. Fragrances of vanilla pod and mandarin linger to bring peace and balance to your aura – meaning you’re tending both your skin and your spirit.
Elements of Beauty: Manuka honey remedies skin by attracting moisture, premium pohutukawa antiozidants treat skin, fragrant vanilla pod and mandarin pacify and balance your spirit
Daily Ritual: Smooth thick layers of this creamy mask over your face and neck twice weekly. Leave for 15 minutes and rinse with warm and pure water. Also ideal for treating spots and blemished as they may arise.

I highly recommend this mask! So in love with it :) And I will restock for sure.

Leave a Comment acne, antipodes, brightening, honey, mask, natural, organic, treatment

ByTerry Soyeux Waterproof Mascara. The Best Curling Wand

12:32 PM

Thick straight lashes. Add volumnizing mascara to that, and any curling efforts you've done will soon turn to nothing. I always go for lengthening mascaras because they are excellent for keeping the curls and non-clotting effects. I find that volumnizing mascaras really weigh down the curls to the lash.

However, I never found any mascara that actually kept the curls all day. I've finished all of my sample mascaras like: Benefit "They're Real" and Laura Mercier mascara. I've been a fan of the Giorgio Armani Lengthening Mascara, but I'm done with that too. So, I decided to begin trying a new kind of mascara that was waiting to be tested!

It's the ByTerry Soyeux Waterproof Mascara No.1 that I had bought from Space NK in their once-a-year 80% off sale. It's not available anymore because it is out of stock, but you can check it out here: click here. It's original price is about $40 but I got it for a mere $5.85! Crazy, and so I had to put it in the basket, you know? If you're wondering, this sale was in the beginning of this year.

This literally keeps the lashes curled all day, and I'm talking all day. I take pictures and sometimes I am surprised to see the flirty lash look still on at the end of the day! It's pretty amazing since I had nothing that kept it on this well and this long.

It's also waterproof, so if you're one for those, this is great. I have to say though, that I loathe waterproof because it is such a pain to take off. Also, eye makeup doesn't budge on my eyes so I don't find waterproof necessary.

This mascara is also great for lengthening. I can't say it does a lot of volumnizing because the bristles don't get every single lashes. But, the effect of lengthening is good enough for me!

I don't know if I'd repurchase this (let alone, is it still available?) for a heft price of $40 because though it's great for curling, I mean... $40 is quite a lot. But, if I ever do find it on sale again, for $6 then why of course!

Do you have any recommendations for the best curling and keep 'em curled all day mascaras (that don't cost $40)? x

Leave a Comment byterry, mascara, space nk, spacenk, waterproof

NEOM luxury organics candle.

9:47 PM

I have been wanting a NEOM Luxury Organics 3-wick candle for the longest time, even before it took the beauty world by the storm. I first saw it on Tanya Burr's blog a way back when she first mentioned it. It seems that thereafter, people started talking on and on about them! Unfortunately, it was no way available to the US during that time. A patient 2-year waiting and finally, they ship to the US! Ever since I got a whole slew of their products, I have been using them endlessly, only falling in love with them a little bit more each time I use them.

What I love so much about NEOM candles, especially, and what they pride themselves for is that unlike most other candles, their candles do not burn with that black soot adding up on the rims and sides of the candle. It is made of pure essential oils and 100% natural vegetable wax. They burn cleanly and evenly. And because the scents are made of aromatherapy essential oils, they have a curing and healing effect on you!

I feel no concern when burning these candles. They are just marvelous.

The scent I am currently enjoying and loving is Refresh which is the smell of real Lemon, a fresh, juicy, non-synthetic version. It is coupled with clean Basil and it is meant to energize and enliven the body. It is said to be a perfect morning or pre-night out "pick me up". Perfect also for those overworked and over tired groggy sore-throat kind of days!

I can't say anything better about them because they are just marvelous. I do actually prefer NEOM candles over any other luxury candles because seriously, you feel the effect of aromatherapy and the way it burns, it just brings peace into this little life of mine.

They burn beautifully and you know how burning unnatural wax is quite harmful and not so great to your health? Well, you don't need to worry about that! When it burns you can see it burn like oil and I especially love the 3-wick home candles because it just looks prettier and the scent is that much stronger!

And guess what, Catherine Middleton herself is said to love NEOM products! That of course, makes everything better :)

Leave a Comment aromatherapy, candle, candles, essential oils, lemon, neom, organic

The Topshelf.

6:40 PM

Ever wondered what my Topshelf actually looks like? It's actually a double-Topshelf since a glass separates what's actually on top and what is displayed below. You can see some of my favorite items that I in fact frequently talk about. Fragrances are of course, a must. Need I mention Diptyque as my all-time favorite? Watch. It takes the largest and center position of it all! I have a few candles placed here and there, ones especially from Cire Trudon, Diptyque, Tocca, and Neom. I have a glass mirror box on the left side, holding some of my favorite jewelries from Catbird.

Below my glass cover are assortments of unopened boxes and opened treats that I like to leave on for display. A new collection piece is the Larsson & Jennings watch that I am absolutely loving right now. I also have a few grab-and-go essentials like my Tangle-Teasers and hair-curl things for quick fixes.

All of my makeup is stored in the drawers right below this topshelf. As for skincare, that's stored in another compartment. If you want to see a gist of the setup, you can watch My Makeup Collection video if you'd like! Here, I'm linking it down below:

Do you recognize any of the items?

2 comments byredo parfums, catbird, catbirdnyc, chanel, cire trudon, diptyque, jo malone, larsson and jennings, larssonjennings, this works, tocca, topshelf

My Beauty Picks #3

8:23 PM

I've decided. I'm going to call the "Recent/Current Favorites" posts I used to do, "My Beauty Picks" instead. That being said:

Recently, I have been loving a few oldies but goodies, and some new things I haven't featured a lot on my blog yet.

So here it is: Watch this video --> My Beauty Picks #3

Leave a Comment butter london, candle, chanel, current favorites, diptyque, essie, estee lauder, mario badescu, maybelline, michael todd, my beauty picks, Nars, ofra, this works

CHARCOAL = DETOX PRODUCTS

2:06 PM

My skin has been horrendous this past month. It's hard to talk about skincare products when my skin goes through so many different stages and cycles. Sometimes the products that have worked wonders at a certain period stops working at a certain time. No clue why, but things like that happen. So, I do have set kinds of products I use for different stages of my skin's craziness!

This month, I have officially fell in love with Michael Todd's Charcoal Detox Deep Pore Gel Cleanser. I went through two tubes of this but never featured it exclusively on my blog because though I liked it, I didn't really love it. That is... until now. I went off this cleanser for a few weeks, months. Then, when my skin was just hopeless I decided to do anything that would detox it and give it clarity.

Two days after I started using this cleanser, all my angry acne completely died down! Crazy, especially when I was doing so much to get my skin clearer. It was as simple as using this cleanser!

What I love about this cleanser is that it is a gel-form, not a foaming kind of cleanser. As you know, foaming cleansers aren't good for your skin. So, this gel cleanser doesn't foam as much but it does lather so well. Foaming and lather is quite different, so if you are worried that you'll need to use a lot to cover your face and wash it, don't worry about that. Really, it lathers up so well.

Also, it does a great job. Makeup and regular cleansing, without making it too parched up. It does erase my makeup, and I use it one more time after to get regular washing done. It does leave skin quite squeaky clean so I make sure to use a great moisturizer after.

In terms of detoxing the skin, I also love the Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask. Also, it is a great detoxing tool. Again, I featured this on my blog before so click here and check it out!

But in terms of which really worked miracles, it was definitely the Michael Todd's Charcoal Cleansing Gel.

1 comment charcoal, cleanser, detox, mask, michael todd, origins, skincare

Returned Products #1 . Marc Jacobs

4:10 PM

It may be another version of "disappointing products" kind of post, but I'll just call it "Returned Products" post because what's great about the beauty industry here is that they have great return services! Beauty products can really add up, and spending some few hundred dollars on them is a breeze. So, if ever I am disappointed with a product, I make sure to return them. Sometimes I miss the return term and keep them around, but that rarely happens.

The first of these series is unfortunately about a product I wanted to like. I read so many good reviews on this product, so I had hoped it would be good. I'm talking about the Marc Jacobs "Magic Marc'er Precision Pen". On Sephora it has a blooming 5-star rating, and I take those ratings seriously. Unfortunately, because Marc Jacobs beauty line is so new, all the beauty bloggers I always rely on hadn't written any reviews on their products. So, taking a leap of faith, I bought their liquid eyeliner and got a sample of their "Gel Volume Mascara".

So, in short here are the reasons why I ended up returning the item(s). Please remember that these are my preferences and opinion! They may just work for you... Anyway, to go on!

For the eyeliner:

Because it is a gel formulation (so it says on the packaging) it is so wet. Most liquid products do not smudge on my eyes, but the dry time for this eyeliner is so long. I mean, I was fanning my eyelids so that the would dry. Before knowing that, I had a thick wet line above my eyes!
The finish. Too wet-looking. It almost looks plastic on the eyes, and it doesn't give a sophisticated look because it's too shiny.
Something about the works of this isn't favorable. Perhaps it's too thin, although I've been a fan of thin brushes (CathyCat eyeliner) but the works of it is not the best of it's kind.
When swatched, it does last all day, but I asked people around me to try this one out and it had smudging going on. (Flaking, mostly)

In terms of the mascara.

Fall outs. Mascaras don't usually bother me much, but this one, by the end of the day was drying up and flaking all over and under my eyes.
Again, because it's a gel-consistency, it is so difficult to take off! I don't go for waterproof makeup because I hate taking them off.
The brush is hard to work with.
Again, that gel-formulation is just way too wet. Too much of a dry time!

Whew.

This all sounds negative, but they are my honest thoughts so I hope it helped you somehow. Again, they are purely my preferences so they may just work for you! Tell me what you think.

Leave a Comment cathycat, eyeliner, liquid eyeliner, marc jacobs, mascara, sephora

Blue Raspberry by Bobbi Brown

3:40 PM

Introducing a new (so much talked about) Bobbi Brown lipstick called Blue Raspberry with formulation of Creamy Lip Color that is actually the lipstick Katie Holmes wears in most of your photoshoots for Bobbi Brown. It's a nude slightly blue toned pink that transfers deeply yet very nudely... on the lips! It's a prettier when taken under flash or brighter light.

Pigmentation is pretty intense but since the shade of this is such a natural color, I have no problem smudging this all over my lips! So, it is a bit thick but it is almost creamy as well. If you are one for tinted "nothing on the lips" feeling, this probably won't give you that, but it definitely won't dry out your lips so you can comfortably wear them all day.

Here are a few shots of me wearing the lipstick under different lighting.

I feel I'm going to get a lot of wear out of this because it is so natural! What are some of your favorite natural your lips but better shades? x

1 comment blue raspberry, bobbi brown, katie holmes, lipstick, natural, nude, pink

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