12/31/2017

Allure Of The Eyes...Bella Diamonds Allure Blonde Colored Contacts

While I was tidying up my makeup area, I found the Bella Diamonds Colored Contacts I purchased some time ago (and totally forgot about...oops).

This is my first time trying the brand and, out of the four series of lenses offered, I liked the look of the Diamonds the most.

I don't wear colored contacts often, but when I do, I gravitate towards hazel and brown contacts. Thinking they would be a pretty hazel shade, I chose Allure Blonde.

With a base curve of 8.6 and 14.5 diameter, the Bella Diamonds are extremely comfortable, with a barely-there-feel. The only downside to these contacts is that my vision would get cloudy at times. Also, I wish the pupil holes were a little smaller.

On my eyes, Allure Blonde leans more green than hazel. A little disappointing, but pretty nevertheless.

Here's a fun fact I learns from reading the Bella Diamond Colored Contacts box: they also protect your peepers from UV rays. Neat, no?

I purchased the Bella Diamonds for $39.95 at visionmarketplace.com

12/28/2017

Blooming Fair & Fragrant...Bath & Body Works' Bright Autumn Blooms Moisturizing Creamy Body Wash

Sorry guys, I have a ton of posts sitting in draft limbo, and this is one of them. Anyway, on to the product.

A first time purchase, November's Bath & Body Works,' Bright Autumn Blooms Moisturizing Creamy Body Wash with Pure Honey, was an absolute hit...especially with the husband.

Bright Autumn Blooms Key Notes are: Warm Marigold Petals, Sparkling Bergamot, Cedar Leaf, Golden Amber, and Sandalwood.

A captivating blend of floral, cologne, and woodsy notes infused with a sharp freshness, warmth and iciness; Perfect for the chilliness of Fall and Winter.

The fragrance is long-lasting on the skin as well as in the shower. Every time I turn the shower on, the scent is invigorated throughout the space.

BBW states their creamy body wash "gently cleanses the skin with a rich moisturizing lather," and I totally agree; you only need a dime-sized amount to workup a velvety lather. However, as enamored I am with the scent and feel of Bright Autumn Blooms, I found myself using more than needed. After showering, my skin feels cleansed and soft.

I wish I had several backups of the creamy body wash, and all other products, in this heavenly fragrance. I'm not sure if Bright Autumn Blooms is a reoccurring seasonal scent or if it has been around for some times. But, I hope they bring it back next fall (in the same creamy formulation) because I will definitely repurchase it, and stock up as if they were emergency rations.

12/27/2017

Although It's Been Said Many Times, Many Ways...

Merry (belated) Christmas!

Between work, swatching products for a dear friend's beauty line, visits from three separate groups of friends, this holiday season has been exceptionally busy this year.

Thank you for sticking with me during the lack of posts this month. I'm taking the next week off, and I plan to dedicate a lot of time to post all the holiday collections I've been loving.

I hope your Christmas was merry and bright <3

Xoxo

12/07/2017

I Swam Among The Northern Lights...O.P.I Aurora Berry-alis Infinite Shine 2 Gel-Laquer

I love nail polish; I consider it the finishing touch to my makeup looks. I used to follow nail polish collection releases religiously, then I fell off the lacquer wagon. But, I've gotten back on, and in a serious way.

I fell for all the promotional images of O.P.I's Iceland Collection. I love how blue and brown centric it is/was, along with the other splashes of colored lacquers. I got 11 of the 12 shades; I wasn't drawn to I'll Have a the shade Gin & Tectonic, especially for Fall/Winter.

I liked how the silver cap and lettering on the bottle of the Infinite Shine packaging contrasted with all the Iceland shades (mainly the blues and browns). I chose to expanded my extremely limited selection of Infinite shines, and got the entire collection in this formulation. I instantly regretted this choice the moment I started taking pictures (as reflecting surfaces as a pain to photograph).

Aurora Berry-alis is a muted, medium raspberry-pink, with a lovely, glossy creme finish. The formula is amazing! The application was flawlessly smooth, and depending on how much polish you load on the brush and your application, Aurora Berry-alis can be a one coater. However, I prefer the deeper coloring a second coat gives the lacquer.

Not to be out done by the formula, I was also impressed with the wear time. Aurora Berry-alis started showing tip wear on the sixth day.

11/27/2017

I'm Not So Sure...Celvoke Sureness Eyeliner Pencils

With the exception of one shade, I couldn't get into Celvoke's Sureness (interesting name choice, to say the least) Eyeliner Pencils.

The sleek, dual-sided packaging looks, and feels, very nice.

I appreciate the brand including a spongy smudger on one end. However, the sponge material is really rough and scratchy. Additionally, not only for sanitation purposes, but for the longevity of the product, I don't understand why the product side doesn't have a cap.

From left to right: 01 Brown, 02 Red Brown, 03 Apricot.

01 Brown: a warm, bronzed brown.

02 Red Brown: a warm, browned-brick red.

03 Apricot: a golden-apricot.

I wish I could say that my only issue with the Sureness Eyeliner Pencils was with their packaging, but no. First, the pigmentation; 02 Red Brown has good pigmentation, 01 Brown is okay, and 03 Apricot requires several swipes to get decent color payoff (which was painful on the waterline).

My major gripe is with the formula. With all the oil and wax ingredients, you would think these pencils would be creamy and glide on the waterline, upper and lower lash line with the greatest of ease. Yet, wherever I used them, they felt harsh and tugged on the skin, making the Sureness Eyeliner Pencils a struggle and painful to use.

11/23/2017

Breathe In The Air...Bath & Body Works' Crisp Morning Air Deep Cleansing Hand Soap

Hello, all! I hope you're having a great thanksgiving filled with a second (and third) helping of good eats.

I'm on the second hand soap I purchased from Bath & Body Works', Crisp Morning Air. I was attracted to the contrast of the label's muted yellow and rusted red leaves print, and the hand soap's blue coloring.

A cool, refreshing, crisp blend of Pine, Juniper & Pear (I also get notes of apple with a hint of evergreen in the scent), Crisp Morning Air Deep Cleansing hand soap captures the brisk, chilly mornings of Autumn.

I love the scent, and how well it leaves my hands clean. But, I do find after using it several times throughout the day, my hands feel a little dry by the end of the evening. Nothing a little hand cream can't cure.

11/22/2017

Ducato Cut The Mustard! Ducato Natural Nail N80

After years of ogling Ducato's Natural Nail polishes, the limited edition release of shade N80 Mustard was too gorgeous to ignore.

N80 Mustard is a deep, muted English mustard cream laded with mustard and copper micro shimmers. I adore shades like this, especially for Fall. I was really impressed with the quality and performance of the polishes "just right" formula. The first coat applies sheer, but evenly. With the exception of a hint of nail line showing, the second coat is basically opaque. However, I prefer to completely mask the nails, and love the color depths achieved with the third coat. From the first coat, the shimmers are apparent on the nails, and become more evident with every layer. Also, the finish is very glossy.

I got N80 Mustard last Thursday, and I've been wearing it since Friday. So far, my manicure is incident free...pretty impressive for a 648 yen nail polish. Smitten with the shade and performance of this polish, I see myself adding Ducato Natural Nail to my "brands obsessed with" list. Even now, I'm planning on purchasing the other limited edition shade that grabbed my attention, i.e. a bordeaux red.

What mustard/ochre shades do you like wearing in Autumn?

11/12/2017

Infinite Possibilities...Celvoke Infinitely Color 01, 02, 03 Swatches

A versatile product, Celvoke's Infinitely Color has a creamy, emollient-based formula that can be used on the face, eyes, and lips.

Celvoke's semi-translucence, frosted black plastic packaging gives their products an edgy-chicness.

Depending on the method of application (brushes, sponges, or fingers), this product can be applied as a sheer wash or built-up for more intensity. Infinitely Color can be wore alone, as a base, or layered over other products.

From left to right: 01, 02, 03.

01: a dirty, coppery-gold metallic loaded with micro gold shimmer.

02: a rusty, coppery-orange metallic.

03: a rich, dark chocolate semi-matte/cream.

01 works best on the eyes and lips, But, if applied as a highlights, the micro shimmers are too excessive, making one look more of an arts and crafts project than fall fabulous. 02 (my favorite of the three) performed and looked gorgeous any which way it was applied. 03 was the problem child of the bunch. 03 applied nicely as a cream contour, and as a sheer wash of color on the eyes and lips. However, when I tried to buildup the pigmentation on the eyes and lips, the results were an uneven, muddy mess.

When worn as a base or over other products, I didn't experience any creasing, and got about 6-7 hours of wear. If worn alone and not set with a translucent powder, the Infinitely Color will begin to fade within 2-3 hours.

The Infinitely Colors contain less than 10g and retails for 3,456 yen.

11/08/2017

What is the Use of a Booklet without Pictures...Maquia Xmas 2017 book

Finally, I'm able to scan and upload Maquia's 2017 Xmas beauty booklet. Let's go through and shop the pages together.

Chanel Holiday is totally up my alley. All the reds, the splash of greens, I die! I reserved the entire collection, and it should be arriving any day now.

Another collection I was ogling, Dior Holiday. With the exception of the holiday sets, and one lipstick, I got a majority of the collection.

From YSL Holiday, the only thing that piqued my interest are the two polishes. However, when I tried them at the counter, I didn't like the gritty texture of the red. Therefore, I only picked up the gold. All other brands on this page are a skip.

If you frequent my Instagram, you'll know I'm head over heels in obsessed with Cle de Peau Holiday <3<3<3 Clinique and SK-II failed to grab my attention.

With the exception of Guerlain, all over brands are a no. It's been a while since a Guerlain collection has drawn me in; Shame because it's a brand I used to adore.

Shu's Mario Bros. collection kinda leaves me scratching my head. The exterior packaging gives me more of a summer release vibe than Christmas. Going to mosey along this entire page.

The only items I'm considering from this page are Laduree's Makeup Coffret IV in 101 and the Body Care Set (because the scent intrigues me).

Still have one more day to make up my mind on Lunasol. I totally forgot about M.A.C Holiday, and once I noticed its release, everything was gone. The Coffret D'OR is too boring.

Still contemplating on Bobbi Brown, passing on Esprique, and Addiction need to step up their holiday game. All the shades in the palette are uninspiring for a brand I love.

A big YES to everything on this page. I have everything from NARS reserved, purchased all of THREE and Suqqu.

I need to see the Armani palette in person, and Chicca is a pass.

That burgundy-red shadow from Decorte is calling my name, as well as some products from Jill Stuart and Etvos (I need to post the products I own from this brand).

Visee is a strong maybe.

Got Celvoke, and Mimc looks promising.

Need to head to my local Sabon and check out this scent.

On the fence about Kesalan Patharan.

Givenchy is one of my all-time favorite brands! I got everything I wanted from the holiday collection.

What collections are you interested in, or have purchased already?

10/31/2017

In Vampira, I Am Halloween

Inspired by China Glaze's Bat My Eyes, I thought I'd continue with the bat theme, and use either Kat Von D's Everlasting Liquid Lipstick or Studded Kiss Lipstick in Vampira for my informal Halloween get-together.

The night will be filled with loads of pizza and yummy "nom nom" munching, and tons of cinematic screams. Therefore, I decided to go with a longer lasting lip, and wore the Vampira Everlasting Lip Liner and Liquid Lipstick.

Although it wasn't worn, I included a swatch of the Vampire Studded Kiss Lipstick.

As a fun, last minute touch, I used one of my 3D Halloween nail stickers as a "batty" birthmark accent.

What did you do for Halloween?

10/31/2017

Wings, Don't Fail Me Now! China Glaze Bat My Eyes

Is anyone else experiencing problems with Blogger? I posted my Halloween mani and look before the night was over from my cell; however, when I got on tonight I saw both entries were blank. Maybe my account is possessed :P

Batty, batty, batty! From China Glaze's 2013 Monster's Ball Collection, this year's Halloween mani is Bat My Eyes.

Got some 3D Halloween nail stickers from loft.

I hoped my nail would be long enough by Halloween (I had to cut my nails after chipping the nail of my finger finger, which broke again the morning of All Hallow's Eve), as I hate how glitter polishes look on short nails.

Bat My Eyes is a murky, black jelly base, laden with various shapes and sizes of tarnished gold glitter, as well as some sparse gold and coppery-orange bar glitter. Two coats covers the nails completely. The finish is a little dull; thus, a top coat is required to resurrect that enthralling sparkle.

Looking to match the polish, I went with the red lips with exposed fangs with trickling blood sticker.

What did you wear on your nails this Halloween?

10/30/2017

What is the Use of a Booklet without Pictures...Biteki 2017 XMAS booklet

Hey guys,

I picked up several magazines over the weekend, and I wanted share all the lovely beauty images from Biteki's 2017 XMAS booklet. Hopefully, I won't blow up Blogger with the upload of this image heavy post.