What's In The Box? Giveaway

Thank you to those who've taken the time and answered the giveaway questions. I've had a lot of fun reading them.

There are 53 days left in the"What's in the box?" giveaway, and here's what you have to do ;)

Answer the seven deadly questions below: you can either answer in the comments, on your blog, or instagram (please include links in the comments if you post on your blog or instagram).

1. Gluttony: Which beauty product(s) do you have the most of in your collection?

2. Sloth: Which makeup (or skincare) step are you the laziest at applying/doing?

3. Greed: If you could own everything from one brand, which brand would that be?

4. Pride: What item (s) in your collection are you the most proud to own?

5. Lust: What beauty product(s)/collection release are you lusting for?

6. Envy: What beauty product(s), that are no longer available, do you wish you owned?

7. Wrath: What beauty/skincare product(s) do you dislike.

Here's how is works:

You get one entry if you're subscribed to the blog via "the enablers." Long-time enablers get two entries.

Two entries if you're subscribed to, both, the blog and Instagram.

Three entries if you blog, tweet, and/or Instagram the giveaway (please include links or tag me).

Four entries for every additional blog post, tweet, or Instagram feature of the giveaway before the giveaway ends (again, please link the post in the comments, thank you!). 

What you win:

Seven ADDICTION eye shadows of your choice...plus, some surprise extras.

What's in the box giveaway ends on November 9th (1+1=2 and 2-9=7, get it!), at 11:59p.m. (GMT+9).

This giveaway is open internationally.

If you have any questions, feel free to email or message me in the comments.

I look forward to reading your answers.

Forbidden Playthings

My apologies for the recent absence, but two weeks ago, I was away on vacation. I brought my laptop along, foolishly thinking I would be able to blog on vacay...um, yeah, no, that didn't happen.

I got back into town late in the evening, had to work early in the morning, and I haven't stopped since. I've tried to blog in the evenings, but I've been so tired, I've passed out on my sofa (with my laptop) more nights than I care to admit.

ADDICTION's Forbidden blush Spring 2018 release was another mixed bag for me. I loved the collection, but I thought the color story would've worked best  as a transition into early fall. I definitely wasn't feeling it for Spring.

Left to right: Forbidden City, Suspicious. 

I was really upset when ADDICTION discontinued the Suspicious Cheek Polish several years ago. So, when I saw it was coming back, along with the equally beautiful Forbidden City, there was no doubt both would be mine.

 Forbidden City, Suspicious. 

I've written about the Cheek Sticks before (swatches here), and they are a great multitasking product that can be used on the eyes, lips, and cheeks. I love them! Although I already owned Suspicious, I purchased a backup, and was happy to welcome Forbidden city into the fold.

 Forbidden City, Suspicious.

Both, Forbidden City and Suspicions, blushes have a pigmented, velvety-smooth texture that blends easily.

From left to right: Cheek Polish Forbidden City, Suspicious, Cheek Stick Forbidden City, Suspicious, Blush Forbidden City, Suspicious. 

The Stolen Kiss Enhancer in Bitten Rose is a clear, moisturizing balm that reacts to your lip's chemistry to give them a flattering rosy-pink pout. A hydrating treatment that can be used on its own, under or over other lip products.

I loved all the products I purchased, except for one..."the" one.

I was so looking forward to the release of the Stolen Kiss lip products, I even contemplated ordering them all without first seeing them. I'm relieved I only purchased one because, between the applicator and formula, it would have been monetary suicide.

First of all, what were they thinking with this hairy doe-foot applicator?! There is no way you'll be able to get a neat, and precise application; something especially problematic with the darker shades.

Forget the fact that Double Suicide's formula is plagued with streaks and patchiness (goes with the territory of dark shades like this), within 20 minutes it felt like some kind of medieval vice-like torture device on my lips. The longer it wore, the tighter it got; thus, settling into (and emphasizing) every single line (probably making new ones), and bleed past the contour of the lips. My lips felts so restricted, I didn't want to move them. But when I did, I could feel the lipstick crack, flake, and crumble. Even wearing over the Stolen Kiss Enhancer couldn't save Double Suicide. Doing so simply exacerbated the color's unevenness and bleeding, with the same wear faults once the Stolen Kiss Enhancer had worn off.

From left to right: Stolen Kiss Enhancer Bitten Rose, Double Suicide Stolen Kiss. Even in the swatch, you can see how poorly it applies. 

Tonight, I attended a friend's punk band's performance, and that night's look was inspired by the collection's promo image. It's 2:20am, I still need get all this makeup off and go to bed. I'll list all the products used in the look above when I wake up in a few hours.

With a purchase of 10,000 yen or more ADDICTION products, you could choose between one of these Hiroshi Tanabe illustrated free compacts.

Pity in The Forbidden City...ADDICTION Nail Polish

It's raining, Fright Night is on the TV (the 1985 version not the cr@ppy 2011 remake) and the ambiance has me feeling vampy. So, I'm painting my nails with ADDICTION's Forbidden City 058C from the Jewels Colors Collection.

Forbidden city was so glossy, my camera had a hard time focusing. 

Forbidden City is a deep, rich, more purple-leaning Bordeaux, with a sickening, glass-like cream finish. Like all its other sister polishes, Forbidden City has an impeccable formula, and is perfect in two coats. For those outside of Japan (or don't have access to an ADDICTION counter), if you ever visit, you must make your way to a counter and get yourself some of these nail polishes. Trust me, they're habit-forming.

Sucking On A Lemon...Village Candle Lemon Pound Cake

Described as an "Airy, fluffy and fruity with traditional notes of Vanilla and a rich swirl of hazenut, this is the perfect mood booster!" Village Candle's Lemon Pound Cake is more of a mood buster!

The label's mouthwatering image of Lemon Bars totally bamboozled me.

Pretty, bright yellow wax.

I mean, who doesn't like lemon bars or a lemon pound cake with icing?! Satan, that's who!...again, the diet. With notes of vanilla cupcake, lemon and hazelnut, I expected a lemony, sweet bakery fragrance. Instead, both the vanilla and lemon notes were weak and artificial, with an overpowering, equally artificial pungent hazelnut.

I finished Lemon Pound Cake at the end of July, and this Village Candle is one that I won't be repurchasing! 

Leave The Gun, Take The Cannoli

Oh, how I miss cannolis. Chocolate chip cannolis are delicious and all, but my absolute favorites are the ones garnished with a candied cherry; they take me back to my first trip to Italy many moons ago.

I have yet to find a place in all of Tokyo that makes them. Wait, I lie. A few years ago, I had one at the DEAN & DELUCA in Shinjuku. I rushed to my seat ,in salivating anticipation, because I was going to finally have a cannoli after so many years. And, in one bite, all joy was dissolved. This fallacy of a cannoli was one of the most flavorless things I've ever eaten! My sense of taste was so offended that I almost demanded my money back...just kidding...or, am I?

When I was adding the labels for this post, I was dumbfounded (again) there was another nail polish brand in my collection that I owned tons of polishes, and have never posted on.

Cirque Colors in an indie nail polish brand based out of  Brooklyn, NY. All their polishes are non-toxic, 4-free, vegan and cruelty-free.

Don't Forget the Cannoli is an ivory white, with a pinch of warm beige cream. The polish reminds me of a cannoli's scrumptious ricotta filling. Everything reminds me of food...can you tell I'm dieting?

The formula is a tad thick, and streaky on the first coat, some minor bald spots on the second, and fully opaque on the third. The finish is shiny, but still benefits from a top coat. Also, Don't Forget the Cannoli wears for 5 to 6 days.

Cirque Colors nail polishes contain 0.37 fl oz/11ml and range from $12.50 to $14.00. You can purchase this brand on their website, cirquecolors.com (they do ship international), and various other online vendors. 

Baby's Got Jewel-Toned Lashes...ADDICTION Jewel Color Mascaras

These attractive, jewel-toned color mascaras were the second release under Addiction's Summer 2018 Jewel Colors Collection.

Not being one to resist a colored mascara (let alone these richly colored beauties), I had to get them all, including backups.

 Special plum-colored box for the release. 

Isn't this cute?! The plum-colored boxes match the two-toned, jewel-toned mascara tube. The top half is black, and the lower half in a blackened, plum-purple with violet and maroon shimmer throughout.

For those who would like to know if the Jewel Color Mascara's are waterproof, they're not. However,  I've worn all six mascaras on my upper, and lower lashes; thus far, no smudging or flakes.

The mascara washed off easily with my oil cleanser. I would never use a "regular" facial cleanser to remove my makeup. However, for the sake of testing purposes, used my foaming cleanser, and saw no traces of any residue. One thing I didn't count on on the day I swatched these mascaras, was how badly they would stain my skin...you can see proof of this on my instagram.

From left to right: Gipsy Girl, Green Necklace, The Blue City, Indian Summer, Lady of the Lake, Candy Darling.

01 Gipsy (not a typo) Girl: a metallic, berry-wine.

02 Green Necklace (what a name?! It invokes the image of cheap jewelry turning one's neck green): a metallic, pine green.

03 The Blue City: a dark admiral blue.

04 Indian Summer: a yellow-based, safety-cone orange.

05 Lady of the Lake: a metallic, burnt red.

06 Candy Darling: a deep, violet-based, Joker purple.

It's impossible for me to choose a favorite because all six shades are simply beautiful. They give an eye-catching, finishing touch to whatever look you pair them with.

The Color of an Indian Summer...ADDICTION Nail Polish

In my opinion, as a Summer release, the Jewel Colors Nail Polish Collection felt out of place for the season. With the exception of 053SS Serene Sky, the color story of the other nine polishes seemed more appropriate for the Fall.

056S Indian Summer is one of four nail polishes I procured from the collection...can you guess the other three?

The composition of the black and white promo image, and that gorgeous orange vertical stripe along the model's face, just lures me in. Every. Single. Time. Kind of reminds me of war paint, in the chicest sense. Wouldn't it be funny if I painted my face a la braveheart, and wore it to every counter's collection release? ...The Art of War, makeup addition.

Indian Summer is a vivid, safety-cone orange jelly. ADDICTION delivers another fantastic formula, with an amazing "glass-like" shine. I understand the finish is meant to be semi-translucent, but I like to apply three coats to mute out my nail line as much as possible.

I wasn't going to get Indian Summer; it looked very similar to another ADDICTION polish I have, Girl on Fire (loved that collection). And, you know what? They are. Both have the same formula, and finish, except Girl on Fire is a yellow-based orange. A normal person wouldn't be able to make the distinction among the two, but my hype O.C.D super power notices even the most minute difference...my little ceramic penguin in the study always faces due south.