Every girl needs some kind of red in their nail polish collection. I had only one- Illmasqua's Alarm. I loved the color until the color changed into this more orange color than anything else. So, I relied on Butter London to find me that perfect shade of red. I for one, do not like deep red color because it can make my hands look old! So, I opted for Butter London's "Snog", which is a raspberry red! So young, fresh, and pretty... yet still the classic "RED". Let the pictures say it all :)
ALSO featuring a few of my CatbirdNYC rings that I so love :)
Left to right: Grapefruit, Earl Grey & Cucumber, Blackberry & Bay, Lemon Tart, Wild Bluebell
I have finally gotten around to filming and writing up this JO MALONE fragrance collection post. Whew! What took so long you say? (Or maybe you didn't care at all :)) Well, I had weeks and weeks of dilemma of whether I wanted and needed two more fragrances added to my already 3-some collection. I had samples of these two. Sprayed them until they were gone. Went to the Jo Malone counter several times to sniff and sniff. And finally, I caved. I purchased the Lemon Tart (Limited-Edition) and Grapefruit Cologne!
The package finally came today, and so it was only until now that I could film and get on with this perfume collection series! I was so pleased to see that my first video on my Diptyque collection went so well. Sure, nothing compared to those major beauty gurus' counts, but still, enough to fill my belly! :) So, hoping y'all like my new video on just my Jo Malone fragrances, I am writing this on up! (Make sure to watch the video, it's easier than reading I'd think?)
As a short, very short brief- Jo Malone is a British fragrance brand that has fragrances, body products, room sprays, candles, and the like. I first found out about Jo Malone when I started watching Tanya Burr's videos (she's my idol, FYI). They are major in the fragrance industry today and it hasn't been that long since they started selling at Bloomingdales and such! Anyway, due to their really elegant packaging, fresh and elegant scents, they have become very popular everywhere. Though Diptyque stands in a level of its own, I can see Jo Malone rising in popularity and fame over time (though, to me, it just won't be anything like Diptyque).
So, as I say in my video, Jo Malone is a bit of a love-hate relationship for me. I fall for it all the time, even though none would satisfy as much as Diptyque does. Yet, something is very very alluring about them. However, I haven't found them to be exactly "whole" on its own. Jo Malone is very well-known for its "combining" system(?). Though each and every scent can stand on its own, they are marketed and told to be better if combined with their other scents. They have a whole chart on this if you go to their website!
This means that their fragrances aren't entirely dimensional. Some definitely are, but most I've experienced are more simple. For example, my first Jo Malone fragrance was Wild Bluebell.
Wild Bluebell is in the family of light florals, and indeed it is very fresh and light. It is not a complex scent at all. It legit smells like bluebells. There aren't that many notes to them, and so even though they are great for just spritzing all over and smelling delightful, feminine, floral, and fresh-- I'd recommend combining it with something more structured and "based". Unfortunately, all the other four fragrances I picked up seem NOT to match with my Wild Bluebell (since I wasn't going for any combining anyway), and so I just wear it on its own. It's great for days you want to smell like something, but you don't really want to be overpowered by that scent.
Blackberry & Bay cologne was next on my list. I was wanting something fruity and a bit exotic, not the tropical kind but the plain summer breezy water kind, and I found this. This is succulent blackberries mixed in with balmy woods and scent of the bay! It just sounds refreshing doesn't it? I would say this is more of a gender-neutral scent and guys would do just well with this scent just as women (not that any of these have to have any standard for such!). It's definitely fresh and fruity, but I wouldn't say it is "sweet" fruity. It's more of a really juicy blackberry without hints of some sweetness-- because you know, blackberries aren't actually that sweet in taste. It has this slight bitterness and tanginess? It has a bit of that, based with some bay wood scent.
I bought the Blackberry & Bay cologne along with this elegant thing: Earl Grey & Cucumber. Holy moly! This is definitely as BRITISH as you can get with a fragrance, and it's exactly why I love it! I mean, come on... earl grey tea? Yes, I say, yes. I absolutely love anything British, and so this completely drew me in. It is the "creamiest" out of all the Jo Malone scents I have. There is a freshness of cucumber along with the beeswax, vanilla, and musk! It's definitely the most "complex" and "dimensional" out of all the ones I own. It is such a statement scent that I can legit, only wear it on days when I want to feel that extra bit polished, refined, sophisticated, mature, and well, lady-like :) I wear this on more formal days because it just seems appropriate for that situation! Also, on rainy-days? Oh boy, my hands just reach for this! Something is truly British here. Definitely though, not a girly, fruity, sweet scent at all. It is really mature so sometimes I fear I may even smell a bit too mature. But still, there are days when it fits just right with the occasion. And besides, I found it so intriguing with the scent of earl grey and cucumber combined!
The next two I am thrilled to write about. They are most recent purchases (the ones I've been waiting for to actually get this post up and going!) and ones that I can actually combine to get them to be a better more appealing scent to me. It is the Lemon Tart (cough cough LIMITED EDITION) and the Grapefruit cologne. I have seriously been eying the Lemon Tart for so long because the whole concept was just perfect, and the packaging? Goodness. And the description was quite captivating. When I first took a sniff at the counter, I thought: whoa, very sour and "tingly"... It was definitely fresh but it felt a bit too sour?
Then, an one occasion, I received both the Lemon Tart and Grapefruit. I don't know what it was, but I thought, hey maybe these two could work together? So, I spritzed them together and layered them. And... oh my goodness, I ended up sniffing my wrist the whole day! Something made that combo so attractive! They are both citrus-y but somehow they complement each other so well!
The Lemon Tart has of course, citrus and also verbena, meringue and lemon thyme. It has this really addictive sharpness that I think is so needed in the humid summer. This will definitely awaken the senses and I just love it! The interesting thing is I've read some reviews and people say they were disappointed that it doesn't smell as sweet as "lemon tart" supposes. I have to agree. It has nothing of a pastry-like sweetness (but if it did, I'd hate it!). I actually love the sourness of it because it makes it that fresh. But that is not to say that there is absolutely no sweetness whatsoever. There is that sweet tart subtly detectable in-between the citrus notes.
The Grapefruit is a really nice one as well. This again, like the Blackberry & Bay cologne has a pretty large male followers! Though it is a fruity scent, it is based with a lot of musky notes: vetiver, rosemary, some spice, all circulated with the citrus notes! Lovely, but I can definitely detect the "masculinity" of it.
And... that's the reason why I love to combine them. Grapefruit on its own seems a bit too "guy-smelling" for my like! It's so attractive, but on me, I feel like I'm wearing a guy's cologne! (I'd like it on a guy, and not so much by itself just on me!) So, when I pair it with the rather feminine citrus of the Lemon Tart, goodness... there is this explosion of fruits, musk, herbs, spice, sweetness, citrus, on and on... It's rather lovely!
I don't know if these two are recommended in their "combining" chart, but regardless, I love pairing these two together!
My year with Glossybox has come to an end... :( I subscribed to their first box back in May 2012, and have ended with their 1st year Anniversary box this May of 2013. Whew, did that one year just fly by! I was, as always, quite content and happy with this month's box.
I received:
AmorePacific CC Cream: Color Control Cushion Compact: I have been wanting to try this out, so I am super excited for this! I received this box a few days ago but still haven't had the chance to try it out. It looks really nice, and it's in a deluxe sample size!
Être Belle Collagen & Aloe Vera Hydro Mask: again, sounds really nice. It's to provide an extreme moisture boost!
European Wax Center: yupp, summer is here! I got two packets of their body wash and the exfoliate. It's pretty small, but this box also came with a discount or a one-time free service waxing at their place!
My Prime Multi-purpose mattifying Moisturizer: the editors definitely had summer in mind :) This sounds perfect for the summer.
Nicka K New York Absolute! Perfume Stick: smells of Central Park. Not bad, pretty nice. But, would I wear it? No...
Sebastian Professional: I've been curling my hair and this volume-building spray gel might really help!
As a tribute for such a lovely service throughout the year, I will link here all 12 boxes in order! If you haven't read my previous posts, I won't be resubscribing to Glossybox. The reason being that although I really enjoyed the service and couldn't wait to get that really pretty pink crowned box every month, and also have discovered some really great products, a part of me wants to just save that some $200 and get the things I research about and really want. I realized I've been spending a lot on makeup nowadays, and I want to really spend them on things I've been eyeing- not yet for using money on just discovering.
By all means, if you want the experience, go for it! I highly recommend it :) Their boxes are lovely, and with all the empty pink boxes, I have placed and organized some of my makeup so all-in-all, nothing was a waste!
So without further ado, here are the lists of the boxes in order. And below, I will list some of the great finds from the boxes throughout the year! :) Please share your experiences or thoughts if any!
As you can see, as much as I loved Glossybox, unfortunately I haven't discovered that many amazing products. I hate to sound negative, and I'm not. Just, you really do get the money you put in but since I'm going on a budget cut for myself this year, I opted to unsubscribe! But the five I love I absolutely love.
Recently, Shu Uemura had a 20% sale and I thought it was the perfect time to get some of the things I was eyeing from Shu Uemura. I recently posted a Mini Shu Uemura Hauland spoke about how impressed I was with their products. I always knew how great they were, but never really had the chance to try them out. After trying them out, I've really grown to love them! Their lipsticks are so super moist and so brilliantly pigmented. In fact, they are so hydrating that if you were to put them on chapped lips, it actually works like a lip balm (very similar to Burberry's lip mist that I love).
excuse the chipped nails! but look at the SUKL design (a bit freaky haha!)
Shu Uemura had a few products that they collaborated with Karl Lagerfeld. I believe there were four lip products with the limited edition KL logo(?) on them. At first, this wasn't what I was going for. There were certain shades of lippies I had in mind, but no doubt, they were all sold out! So, to get a substitute for this neutral orange shade I wanted (that my sister has!) I picked something similar to it.
The lipstick is from their rouge unlimited line and the shade is the color "Celebrity Beige". The SUKL comes in its own special packaging, and it feels so extra special! It is actually pretty similar to the shade I wanted. It is this beige with an orange undertone. It has a slight pearl-shimmer to it, but very subtle so it won't look too cheap on the lips. The color is so beautiful and it's not too nude and not too orange for any day. It's just such a lovely shade, and it looks prettier I think on a medium/tan skin (I think).
Also, Shu Uemura blushes are truly wonderful! I think the shades they have work even better on yellow-undertones. Truly. It brings out just the right shade and it doesn't make you look too red or any of that. Although (again), I had other shades in mind, they were all sold out. So, I settled for this really pretty amber shade. It is called their Glow On in P Soft Amber 740.
I thought this shade would be really good for the days when you want a little something-something on your cheeks but you don't know what would fit! I know you girls have those days, because I certainly do. I thought it'd give a really nice freshness and at the same time, a little definition on the cheeks. You can go crazy with it because it is so neutral, and you won't look too overdone. There is again a slight pearl in them, but again ever so subtle.
I know it's hard to see, but I think it'll really bring a nice effect once on the face! It's on the upper part of my hand!
I have yet to try this on my cheeks, but I think I'll love it! I've swatched it and you'll see how subtle it is, but I really think this is one of those less is more kind of look-- where even though it doesn't look like a lot of color, when you actually put it on, it gives this really subtle pretty effect!
This blush wasn't part of the SUKL collection, but I thought I'd add it in with the rest of the haul. I also bought a blush brush, but I'll feature that in another post once I try it out!
What do you guys think of these? I definitely recommend trying out their lipsticks and blushes. They are just so good, and actually more affordable than some high-ends. Lipsticks are a bit expensive, but if you buy it at duty-free it's a bit cheaper! Or, like me, wait for the sale-season :) Lipsticks usually sell at $30, and blushes for $18. I think that's pretty good!
This is fast becoming my number one most loved product I bought from Korea. I know I'm doing these post in order of how much I love them, and when I first thought out these posts, this product was my #3. However, using this again and again, I keep telling myself that I really love this! (Not that I like any of my #1 or #2 any less!)
the duo: Signature BB cream + Signature Extreme Cover Concealer
This is Missha's Signature Extreme Cover concealer in color no. 23. This is a duo with their Signature BB cream that I last blogged about here. These two were selling as best-selling, and after trying it out at the store, I was impressed at how "tacky" the consistency was, so much that once I pressed it down on my blemishes, it did not budge!
It has an SPF of 30 PA++ and this concealer is meant to plump up the skin as well. Although it comes in only two shades, somehow it just works. If you are fair/light then you can go for no.21, and if you are tan or olive toned, no.23 may work just fine! Of course, this is marketed to the Koreans and so the shades are limited. As for me, it works superb!
I love that the color works so well on my skin, and mostly because it really lasts all day long! And the consistency is super creamy. It is so moist that when you put on blemishes or pimples, which means it is already a very troubled and maybe flaky skin, this cream just glides right on top of them and does not flake! It will not cling to dry spots and make you look all uneven like some concealers do. This is so moist that it just conceals and even plumps up the skin so that after you're done with the concealing stage, your skin looks really healthy and even glowing!
If you do read up on my posts, you'll know that I am not a concealer person. This is not because I don't have any scars, it is because I just don't have time for that! Finding the spots and tapping them in... goodness! But on those days I want that flawless finish, this concealer has been my absolute go-to. It is one of my fail-proof products. (I am actually planning my FAIL-PROOF products post!) Also, I don't really use this for my under-eye. I feel it may be a bit too tacky for the very thin and sensitive under-eye area, but I think it may work? I've actually never tried it! I keep to my Burberry Sheer Concealer for that (since it is really watery compared to this).
Again, this is something I highly recommend if you are ever planning a trip to S. Korea. They do sell Missha in the States though, just not sure where :/ If you do some Korean beauty shopping here in the US, tell me where's good! Some places sell for way higher than the original price. (BTW, Missha products are so affordable!)
I have finally gotten to a point where I can stand in front of my displayed nail polishes and pick and choose which of them are my "favorites" (not that this was ever my goal!). I have a new nail polish display in my room which you can't see in this post, but maybe one day. Anyway, I picked out my favorite 10 nail polishes for the Spring & Summer :)
At first, I was going to do just 5, but it ended up being all Butter London! So, I went and picked out some more and decided to just go for 10.
Thought I'd give you a view of the NYC skyline! :)
What's a Korean Beauty Haul without BB creams, right? I think I'm doing these Korean Beauty Haul posts in order of how much I love them. The first post was on the CathyCat liquid eyeliner and I gave a good thought and I thought it had to be the BB cream this time around.
I went for just two. It was hard because BB creams are everywhere. You are easily left with choosing amongst 20 different kinds of BB cream, even within a single brand. I narrowed down to these two and I absolutely love them. It's the Missha Signature BB cream and the Dr. Jart Ctrl-A BB cream.
Just to give a brief history: I used to wear BB creams all the time, however rarely on its own. I suffered from severe acne and so I would never wear BB creams on its own. So, I would wear it as a base to my foundation. Most of the BB creams I had were not pigmented like foundations and so they were more of a tinted moisturizer. Since BB creams are ideal for "blemished" skin and acne skin, I thought I could cover and heal my scars at the same time. However, once my skin started to improve, I decided to take a layer off my face and just stick to foundation only. It's been years since I've bought BB creams.
Since my skin has improved so much, I can now wear the BB creams on their own. So, these are ideal for days when I want to go out, just to the grocery or just somewhere quick. No need for foundation and brushes. This is like an extra step to a skincare because you can take a pump, spread it with your fingers and apply easily all over the face. Then you get all of the SPF + blemish balm + coverage all at once.
The Missha Signature BB cream has won so many awards. After trying it on in the store and finding it had such a smooth finish with really good coverage, I decided to give it a go. It was also 1 + 1, so buy one get one free. Usually BB creams don't come in any shades, but this one came in two. One regular light shade, and one a bit darker. Because BB creams blend in really well, you don't need it to be an exact fit. Because I am much tanner than the majority population of Koreans (seriously, they are all so fair!) I bought the bit darker one.
the one on the left is Missha, right Dr. Jart. The Missha has a white and tan swirl!
This Missha Signature has really good coverage I realized. It is no foundation, but it can easily be one of those lightweight foundations. It has a really light and natural finish, and it just feels so easy on the skin! If you look carefully, there is a swirl of a white/whitening cream + the foundation-color. I didn't realize until I took pictures to blog! You can see that when it pumps there is white and skin-color mixed together. Of course, they blend together as you apply on the face! Like all BB creams, there's SPF, and that's perfect for the summer. The whitening helps the skin look more radiant as well.
The Dr. Jart Ctrl-A is a BB cream specifically targeted for acne skin. Although I don't suffer from severe acne anymore, it is a good feeling to know what you put on your face is not only covering but also healing at the same time. It is oil-free and really, super lightweight. It feels like you are applying water on the skin. Unlike Missha, it only has one shade. That is the way BB creams normally are. But, even if it is one shade, somehow it adapts to your skin tone. At first it may apply slightly white/ashy but blend it in and you get coverage and the brightening effect! Surprisingly, even though it is super lightweight and watery, there is actually really good coverage. I would hate to make my face look like I have something on, but without any productive effect to it. This gives just that natural amount of coverage that makes my skin look clearer but also natural and radiant! Love!
So these two are my favorite BB creams and I highly recommend them to those who want oil-free, light-weight, natural finish that also gives really good coverage. No one does BB creams as well as Korean beauty products do! :)
I have been really getting into pink blushes. My favorite so far has been my Burberry Peony blush and this Benefit Dandelion Box Blush. I received a "Feelin' Dandy" Beauty kit for my birthday, and I was so excited to receive this because Dandelion was one of the blushes I so wanted to try. I don't if I've ever said it expressly, but in all honestly, I think Benefit blushes are one of the best. They surpass a lot of blushes that are more expensive then theirs, and every time I go back to them, I think. Yup. I love Benefit blushes!
So, naturally the first product I tried from their beauty kit was this Dandelion blush. It also came with their Dandelion lipgloss, high beam highlighter, and their Posie tint. Unfortunately, I ended up unboxing and breaking apart the kit so I can make it easier to carry around just the blush. I haven't tried the rest of the products in depth. I will as the occasion calls for it. But until then, let me tell you about this blush!
I put it in this really random mirror case that I found in my room. I'm not particular about this case, but it was the only case I could find! Besides, I don't have any magnetic palettes to place this in. This will have to do in the meantime.
This really soft, pastel pink is just the perfect fresh Spring blush. I love putting this even without any eye makeup because it just instantly brings radiance and life to the face. It gives you this really fresh, young, and pretty look. It is most flattering for everyone! It's just so natural without making you look like a fake barbie doll, and I find even with my tan skin, it doesn't look too pale on me.
I intend to buy the full-size once I'm through with this! That's how pleased I am, and again confirming how much I appreciate Benefit blushes!
I swear I am not nail polish junkie, but how do I explain the unnecessary amounts of "different shades of" pinks, greens, blues, reds, purples, grays, nudes? I can't. Maybe I am becoming one?
Still yet, I am nowhere near the amount beauty girls have. I can still fix all of my nail polishes into two Glossyboxes :) not that having a lot is anything to be ashamed of! However, you do have to admit that nail polishes aren't a need but a want. Still yet, when I found out that Julep gave their first JulepMaven monthly box for free, I quickly jumped on the wagon!
sorry if the filer looks dirty! I couldn't wait to try it out :)
I've seen Julep nail polishes here and there, spoken about here and there. I was and still am so very content with all my Butter nail polishes, I didn't think I had to try theirs. But hey, you can try their box for free! Then, why not try it out? (I still have to check if I have been subscribed to receive their box monthly, but I don't think so because I only paid for one box's shipping. The actual box was entirely free!)
So, briefly speaking: Julep has a monthly subscription where you pay $20 for a box of 2-3 nail polishes, and a slew of bits and bobs, things like nail polish remover, nail filer, or even hand lotions. You choose. First though, you are recommended a "type" of box. You take this mini-quiz, and you come out either: It girl, Boho glam, Bombshell, or Classic with a Twist. I came out as a Boho glam kind of gal!
But, for the free box, I chose this It-girl box only because this was the only box that sent just all 3 nail polishes. The other boxes had 2 nail polishes and hand lotions, and I didn't need the hand lotion. Besides, the It girl box had one shade that I really really wanted. It's their shade Eden.
w/out flash
Eden is a really, truly vibrant violet. It is a mix of royal blue and purple, and oh boy it is bright! I have been searching for a really bright blue. This seemed to be it. And yes! It really was what I expected! The texture is also a "creme". Anyway, the color is so pretty! I love it. It is also really opaque and one coat is enough. The only downfall is that it dries matte. You HAVE to put on a really shiny topcoat to make it shine. Otherwise, you're going to be stuck with a matte nail polish.
Abbie
As for the other two shades, though, I'm not really sure. I was excited about the yellow shade Abbie. I thought it'd be this really bright opaque sunshine yellow shade. Unfortunately, it wasn't like Eden but rather very sheer. You need at least three coats of this to get it to look nice. The green shade, Mackenzie, is also nice but something I'm not head over heels about. I still have to swatch it, but just in the case, it's not my favorite.
Mackenzie
My box also came with one non-reusable nail polish remover (that did not work well at all!) and a nail filer, which I love!
Overall, though I am so thankful for the free box and finally getting to try their polishes, I don't think I'll subscribe to their monthly service. I'd rather go on their website and just buy the ones that I actually like instead of risking $20 for nail polishes that I may not enjoy. But hey, it might be up your street :)
I don't think I'll actually get around to doing a post/video on the things I bought from my trip to Korea. I actually did buy a lot but somehow, I can't seem to find the time to sit down and organize my thoughts! So, what I'm going to do instead is pick out my favorite ones from the haul and write a review on them.
The first one up is this eyeliner that I am most impressed with! It is called the CathyCat Easy Eyeliner. It is a waterproof liquid eyeliner in black. I know my previous liquid eyeliners have all been a success (Bourjois and Eyeko) but this one is again quite different from the two previous ones.
This liquid eyeliner has a really, really amazingly fine and precise brush. The previous two cannot even compare! The brush is actually a brush that sweeps across the eye. So what happens? Zero wiggly lines! Because other liquid eyeliners have a rather stiff tip, it may drag the skin along. However, because this is like a very, very, very small and fine paint brush like brush, it is really flexible and precise!
The color isn't as jet black, so at first I thought... hmm. But when on the eyes, it is black enough! Meaning, just because it isn't JET black when you swatch, doesn't mean it looks any less black on the eye.
Also, this is a really travel-friendly, compact size. It is about 1/3rd smaller than regular liquid eyeliners. That makes it super easy to just chuck in the bag for any fix-ups during the day. Although, this just does not budge! But then again, it erases really well with a makeup remover. I honestly don't have any smudging problems with my eyes (I'm blessed!) my sister, who also bought this and whose eyes are always smudging, said that this is the very best!
Because this is a product marketed towards Asians, the very fine tip always one to get right into the lashes. Asians tend to have smaller eyes than Caucasians and so, being able to draw a finer line is quite important.
you can honestly draw a picture with this!
I don't remember the price, but if you are ever in Korea (South, duh!) then, do stop by a store called Olive Young (something like a Sephora in Korea, but not really), and pick this up! It's so worth it :)
I am so ready for summer! To bring out something wild and playful in me, I painted my nails with Essie's "First-Timer", a part of their 2013 summer resort collection! This is normally not the color I would wear. I am more of a neutral, pink, pastel kind of gal. But with the stressful upcoming week full of finals and writing competitions, I have decided to do something crazy like put on this really vibrant emerald green on my nails. It helps me feel kind of summer, even when I'm stuck in the cubicles of a library. #SIGH!
But on another note, I think putting up a whole blogpost on just plain 'ol nails is unnecessary. So, since I just opened an Instagram account under etherealellie you guys can follow me there. I'll post random tidbits but also, these NOTD will most likely be on Instagram! So, unless it's something really special expect to see less of NOTDs posts!
Living in New York, blogging about beauty to de-stress from everyday life and nurture the girl within ♥ My love for makeup and all things beauty inspired me to create this blog. Here I share my beauty trends, tips, and reviews.
