Love Package from Lil Lady's Life

I’ve been very lucky on blogspot! (I wish I was this lucky in life lol)
I’m very thankful for all the bloggers :] Always so nice ^__^

& I’m very sorry that I can’t also give back to everyone with giveaways (hope you understand!)
Anyways…lol

A little while ago I won Lil Lady’s Life’s giveaway…I’m always excited about receiving prizes but this time I was jumping out of my seat with joy! :D


Why..? Because the prizes included the MAC Stereo Rose MSF (ahh!!) & Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus = Double the happiness :]

And she was so sweet and included a lot of samples (great for me since I’m still trying to find things that work best for me)^__^

Thank you! Thank you!! Thank you!!!

*Message to Lil Lady’s Life: Thank YOU for the giveaway and blogging :] And the MSF came in one piece!*


Nothing special about the package…BUT wait for the contents that were inside :]



So many samples! My collection of samples just keeps growing :P


Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus.
I can’t wait to try this out. But I’m going to have to look around for how others take it off since I heard it is very very hard to remove it >__<


Guess what’s inside…!


Tada!! (lol excuse my expressions if you think it’s too corny :X)



H20+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment (Oil-Free), Bad Gal Plum, B&BW Midnight Pomegranate Anti-Bacterial Deep Cleansing Hand Gel, & MAC Stereo Rose MSF

Thank you a bunches (again lol)!!! ^__^


I’ve only tried the H20+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment and I think it’s been really helping with my dry patches. Must go and find the H20+ store in NYC!

Is it fake?

Help! Help! Help!

Yesterday I had the time to make a trip to Chinatown to walk around the beauty shops.
I remembered seeing some of the Hada Labo range at one of the shops I usually browse around and decided to get it.

I usually don’t doubt the authenticity of products (even though it is always better to be on the safe side), I went ahead and googled pictures to compare the labels on the ones other bloggers posted and the one I had.

And…they’re different!! Ahh >__< There is Japanese the label, but there is also quite a lot of Chinese. It didn’t click to me when the SA at the store was reading it off to me in Chinese :X

I hope it is because it’s from Hong Kong (at least I think it is…), whereas most bloggers who blogged about the product were from Singapore/Malaysia.

If anyone has seen packaging like the one that I have, please let me know so I can calm myself and use this product happily :[

Maybe I'm just over thinking this?...What do you guys think?


This is the one that I got.



The only one that is closest to mine that I’ve seen.



The one that is most similar to the ones other bloggers have.


Here are the differences.

Review: Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil

Kose Softymo Speeding Cleansing Oil




Can anyone read what it says (especially the ingredients)? I would like to know if it has mineral oil or any other ingredient that might be harmful, thank you!


That’s a little less than half a pump. You can’t see the consistency but it’s pretty liquidy, not thick at all.

Price:
From ebay ~USD$11(not including shipping);
From Sasa ~USD$12.70 (Bottle with product + Refill);
I bought mine from a beauty store in Chinatown for ~USD$10.

Package: Pump bottle with 230ml. I use 1-1.5 pumps when I’m only wearing powder, blush, concealer. And ~2 pumps if I’m wearing BB Cream/foundation/tinted moisturizer.

Positives:
-Leaves my face pretty clean.
-Doesn’t have a fragrance, but the smell isn’t exactly pleasant (I can’t really describe it though, definitely isn’t a vulgar scent..)
-Can be found in some beauty stores/pharmacies in Chinatown in NYC
-Inexpensive
-Did NOT break me out!
-Can buy refills if you do like it (the beauty store that I got this from did not sell refills, but it is available online)

Negatives:
-Not available locally for some
-Might be over priced compared to prices in Asia
-My vision becomes a bit cloudy afterwards especially if I massage the cleansing oil around my under-eye area to dissolve(I think that’s how cleansing oil work..? lol) my concealer
-Made my skin feel very tight and dry after washing it off

Repurchase?: No. Like I said, it made my skin feel tight afterwards and I had dry patches. I don’t like the feeling of my face being so dry and stripped of moisture :[ I usually take off my makeup before I shower and then wash my face with a cleanser a couple of hours later after I brush my teeth (complicated but it makes sense to me lol). Moisturizing will probably help but then I’d be moisturizing 3x a day..too much for my combination skin IMO

Rating: 3/5
It’s an average cleansing oil. I like it because it is not expensive, but my skin just feels soo dry after using it. I can’t say too much for eye makeup/waterproof makeup because I don’t own/use any. It may work well for you, but everyone is different so I can say.

Recommend?: Maybe. If you can find it and would like to give it a try, sure. It is not expensive so it won’t leave a hole in your wallet, but I’m sure there are better ones out there…Again, it might work for some people. I guess I’m just not fortunate enough to find a cheap cleansing oil that doesn’t dry my skin out :\

Disclaimer: I purchased this product with my own money. I am not affiliated with the company or any other sites mentioned above. These are just my opinions so please research more about a product before buying it. I'm just trying to share the experiences I get from using certain product. I'm not endorsing it or anything. If anything this is for my own memory of what I liked and what I didn't like. Also...my skin is my skin...your skin is your skin, please don't blame me if the product doesn't work for you >__<;; After I finish this or close to finishing it, I will be looking for another cleansing oil. Anyone have suggestions? I have a few in mind & will be walking around to compare prices when I have time! lol

Upside down Kabuki?

Ahh, holidays = no school!

But, what a boring day today was. I just stayed home and did practically nothing! So unprotective I know..time is precious and I didn’t make good use of it. Even though I should have been very busy, I of course procrastinated >__<

I did, however, find time to deep clean my brushes today! :] I usually just lay them on a paper towel and let it dry overnight…but laying a kabuki down isn’t really the best idea.

A couple hours early, when I was browsing through youtube videos, I found a great tip from Enkore. It’s a really great way to dry your kabuki brush (or any other dense brush, you could probably just tie the rubber band closer to the ferule part and suspend it that way, if you don’t want to lay it down).

Click here to go to the video.





This is the cup that I usually keep the brushes that I use in. Since all my brushes are laying out to dry, it was empty. It’s a lot shorter than the cup that Enkore used, so I had to twist and turn my paper clips a bit weird in order for the bristle to not touch the cup lol :P

Just thought it would be a fun tip to share with those who didn’t know about Enkore or completely missed it like I did. ^__^

First Day of Senior Year + Products I Used

First day of school was today! How exciting…! My last year of high school. To be honest, it didn’t feel particularly different. I think a lot of the underclassmen disguise themselves very well! At least the ones that don’t look very young blend in well…
What a stressful Fall/Winter it is going to be. Who remembers going through the college process? Fun wasn’t it ^__^
*Does anyone get very annoyed when your school changes a lot of things the last year you're in the school?! Make us suffer! Lol
**Happy 4-day weekend to those you have vacation for the Jewish holidays! How lucky/strange to have only 1 day of school the whole week..Very smart NY education system!**

I’ve never done these before but I felt like sharing what I used today for school today. For those that are interested and for myself to look back to in later years :P

Last year during this time I did not wear makeup yet so I had nothing to worry about (I woke up, brushed my teeth, ate breakfast, and left the door). This year I actually got ready and “prettied myself up”, sorta…It isn’t much since I’m still in the learning process and like the natural look. Sorry there won’t be a FOTD picture to go along. I'm still self-conscious about showing my face :X


L to R: MAC Mineralize Blush in Pet Me, MAC MSF Natural in Light Medium, & sample of Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer in Nude


L to R: Everyday Minerals Long Handle Kabuki, MAC 182, Studio Tools Dual Finish Brush (from target)

Oh wow I didn’t even realize that the brushes correlate with the product I used it with LOL what a coincidence :P
A very minimal look. I wasn’t looking for a lot of coverage, just enough to cover the most of the redness on my cheeks and from various acne scars. This will most likely be more and less the same for now since it doesn't require too much time. ^__^

What kind of products do you use for school/work?

August 2010 Collective Haul

First off, thank you soo much for those that gave me tips in my last post! I’m definitely going to be trying them over the next few weekends and practice before I actually wear it out/to school :]

------------------------------

Now..onto my monthly hauls!
Believe me when I tell you this, this haul is going to scare some of you :X
I bought quite a few expensive things that I normally do not buy.
But!! It shouldn’t be as bad once school starts next week (hopefully) hehe


L to R: Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF15 in Natural Beige & Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream For Face SPF55 PA+++
I was running low on my Lioele sunscreen so I got this one after hearing so many good things from bloggers and YouTubers. I’ve been using it alternately with the remaining Lioele sunscreen that I have left and it’s pretty good. Don’t want to say too much until I use it for a longer period of time.


L to R: Dolly Wink Pencil Eyeliner in Black, Dolce&Gabbana l’eau the one, Amore Pacific Natural Protector SPF30/PA+++, Givenchy Hot Couture, Etude House Collagen Moistful Trial Kit (Didn’t notice that it was upside down..sorry!)
The first pencil eyeliner that I purchased! I thought it would be very hard but it isn’t = no tugging! The rest were freebie samples that the soompi seller included for me. I LOVE buying from that seller. She lives within walking distance from me so I could save on shipping :P


L to R: Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover & Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes
I would say this was an impulse buy, but it only half true. I wanted to get an eye makeup remover so I could start practicing using the pencil eyeliner. But CVS was having a BOGO 50% off and I felt if I didn’t buy a second item it wouldn’t be worth it (terrible I know because I only needed 1) >__< Who else has this weakness? lol


L to R: MAC 182, Rimmel Eyeshadow Trio in 624 Lynx, some sponge tip applicators
My first MAC brush :] I had been eyeing the brush for the longest time! It is the special/limited edition version with the cube-like bottom. It is sooo soft!!!! Ahh! (Despicable me moment :P) And the best part is, I got it for $28 from a soompi seller. She included the freebies. More makeup to play with!


L to R: MAC Mineralize Blush in Utterly Game & MAC Mineralize Blush in Pet Me
My first MAC blushes/mineralized blush. When pictures of these came out I was debating whether to get them or not. But after I read the description I really wanted them. I missed out on Stereo Rose MSF, Petticoat MSF, and By Candlelight MSF, but these are really pretty and smooth too. It isn’t as glittery-shimmery as I thought (which is a good thing because I like the natural look). Anyone recommend any specific brush to use with these and isn’t expensive (keep in mind I’m only a student with no income of my own). I even called in the morning to ask them to hold these for me..very nerve-wracking because it was my first time calling a store let only about holding MU for me in the morning :X


L to R: Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer in Nude & Sephora Professional Slim Pencil Sharpener
I’ve gotten a sample of the tinted moisturizer before but I think in Sand(?) and it was too orange for me. The sharpener of course is for my pencil eyeliner!

Tips?

No tips from me lol I'm a MU newbie.

Any one have any tips for a first time pencil eyeliner user? ^__^

I've been wanting to try using pencil liner and finally got one (will be in the next haul post).

But I find it hard to line my eyes. I can line my left eye better than my right eye.

I was trying for the first time today and I found that when I brought the pencil liner towards my right eye it would twitch. Also...I can't keep my right eye closed while my left one is open (but I can vice versa)

Note: I am aiming for natural lined look & bigger eyes. Not really winged out. Just the top lined? And no tight lining yet because I'm too afraid of poking my eye :X

Thank you in advance! I have no one to ask for help. So what better place to get tips than here? ^__^

Oh no!

It finally happened...

My Blushable Creme Stick in Plaza Pink (thank you Blair for reminding me i forgot the name :X) that broke by itself a couple of weeks ago, fell on the floor >__<



I can’t even salvage it if I wanted to...

How did it even break? I don’t twist it up all the way when I use it since its brand new...

Hello Riteaid/Duane Reade, here I come! :P

I really liked this shade, thankfully it isn’t LE (at least to my knowledge it isn’t).

When blended out it gives a nice glow, if layered a little bit more it’ll give a pretty flush. Pretty natural so = I like (possible love hehe).

It looks like a corally-pink (I’m pretty terrible at describing colors sorry!).


Both are done with a pretty heavy hand. Top=blended & Bottom=unblended

Depending on the weather and what activities I’m doing, it can last pretty long or not very long. I don’t carry makeup around so I do not touch up, but you can if you want to.

I’m not sure how this would look on darker skin types, and it doesn’t really hurt to try since at most drugstores that I’ve been to it is USD$3.99 (it might be different depending on where you live and from store to store)

Has anyone else tried it? What do you think about it? ^__^

Did anyone else’s come apart like that?


Disclaimer: I bought this product with my own money and these are my honest opinions based on the experience I've had with the product. I'm not affiliated with the company.

Review: Lioele Fresh Sun Screen SPF45/PA++

So here goes everybody…after a year of sporadic blog posting *drum roll please! :]*
My FIRST review post! Yay!! *clap clap ^^;*
It isn’t something that anybody asked for a review for, nor is it something I’ve posted a haul for on this blog.
But I’m about almost done with it and I’ve come to really like this product so I thought I’d share my love with others.

It is the Lioele Fresh Sun Screen with SPF45 PA++
(will post pictures first)




I’ve used it quite a lot! Almost finished ^__^


Here’s the back in case anyone understands Korean and would like to know what it says :P


The ingredients are on the box in English (a major plus for anyone who is cautious of the ingredients in their products and a big YAY for a Korean company with English on their package!)


This is all that I use for my whole face (just enough for face, I use a liquidier one for my neck).


Isn’t liquidy but also isn’t super duper thick and hard to spread either..so somewhere in between. Don’t really need to tug at your face and have patchy sunscreen. I apply by patting it around so it covers the area I want it to then lightly spread.


Half blended


Fully blended

Price:
From ebay ~USD$14.95-$19.95 (not including shipping);
From Gmarket ~￦11,500(on sale)-￦23,000 (not on sale);
From Pretty & Cute USD$28.
I bought mine from a seller on soompi in a set with the Lioele Beyond the Solution BB Cream for ~USD$30 shipping if I remember correctly. I found the same exact set on Gmarket for ￦25,000.

Package: Squeeze tube. Pretty hygienic. But when it gets to the very end, it is kind of hard to get every last of the product out. But with this kind of formula, it would be pretty hard getting the product out of a pump bottle unless it was an airless pump bottle anyways.

Positives:
-Leaves a matte finish
-My face feels pretty soft after it sinks in a bit (or maybe because of the silicones…)
-No white case
-High SPF
-Has PA++ (blocks UVA & UVB rays)
-Has 80ml
-Slight sunscreen scent but not as strong as others and it is more of a fresh scent (sorry hehe I can’t really describe scents that well :X)
-Lasted for a long time (with daily usage…a little more than a year and it hasn’t gone bad)
-Is a physical sunscreen
-Wore to the beach and my face did NOT tan, whereas my other body parts without it (such as my neck, chest, arms, legs, etc) did get darker
-Did NOT break me out!!

Negatives:
-Not available locally
-Can be pricey if you can’t find a good deal for it
-Is ever so slightly greasy (nothing a little powder can’t fix..or just leave it alone for a while to sink it and no more greasy feeling)
-Have to wash your hands after applying (it leaves a slight residue..but it could also be me because a lot of products that I use leaves a residue on my hands after I apply them)
-Have parabens, silicones, talc (the parabens and talc scare me a bit now that I know what it can do but I didn’t know about them when I bought a little over a year ago >__<) Repurchase?: Maybe. Since this was the first sunscreen that I used daily for my face…I’d still like to try others that are out there. Even though I like it a lot…after googling about parabens & talc I got a bit scared >__< Rating: 4/5
1 point altogether for not being available locally and the parabens/talc situation. Before I googled it I was ready to give it a 4.5 lol :X

Recommend?: If you aren’t bothered by the parabens and talc & can order online, do try it. If you have already tried it let me know how you liked it ^__^

Disclaimer: I purchased this product with my own money. I am not affiliated with the company or any other sites mentioned above. These are just my opinions so please research more about a product before buying it. I'm just trying to share the experiences I get from using a certain product. I'm not endorsing it or anything. If anything this is for my own memory of what I liked and what I didn't like. Also...my skin is my skin...your skin is your skin, please don't blame me if the product doesn't work for you >__<;;

Question to other bloggers who do reviews...is that all I need to write for the disclaimer? I don't want to get in trouble ><;; Do I need a disclaimer if I bought the product myself? (This is one of the reviews that put me off reviewing products...don't want to get into any legal troubles :|)

So..after all that, how was it? My first review? Please critique all you want! I will toughen up and use it to get improve ^^;

July 2010 Collective Haul

I’m proud of myself this month. I spent less and my haul post this month is considerable smaller ^__^ I hope that stays that way for a while..


American Apparel Nail Lacquer in Office


L to R: Lioele Blooming Pop in Pinky Tint & Lioele Essential Donut Glo-Stick in Milk Pink
I’ve been looking for an easy to blend lip & cheek tint and I think I’ve found it. I really like the gel consistency (must easier to use then my Tony Moly lip tints). And a lot of bloggers/youtubers had been talking about the Donut Glo-Stick so I got one to try.


N.Y.C. Blushable Crème Stick in Wild Berry

I finally found one of the LE colors for this range! And I love it ^__^ I tried it out over the weekend. It looks scary in the tube but when blended it gives a nice pink flush, very natural (I blend it out with the ELF Flat Top Powder brush so it makes it not as harsh/bright looking). Also…I don’t know what others are talking about when they say that these last only a couple of hours but mine lasts 6+ hours >__> Maybe different people and climates react differently to it…

I’m still on the hunt for Pink Flash. The bright colors looks so pretty now…ahh!

Giveaway alert!

Jen's:
500+ Followers Giveaway!

(click on image to go to her blog)



The winners will be selected randomly and privately contacted. Giveaway ends August 16, 2010 11:59 PM PST. Open to international followers. In order to enter, please follow a few simple rules. Invalid entries will not be accepted. She will not accept entries from blogs that were created solely to enter giveaways. (She will be checking.)

Giveaway rules:
- Must be a follower of her blog. Please leave a comment in her post telling her which upcoming makeup collection you're looking forward to. Don't forget to leave your email address as well. (1 entry)

Additional entries:
- Post about this giveaway in a blog post or on the sidelink of your blog. Must link to her giveaway post. Your post must include grand prize picture (the one with MAC prizes). (4 entries)
- Follow her on Twitter and tweet about her giveaway. (2 extra entries)

Giveaway alert!

Lil Lady's Life:
100+ Followers Giveaway!

(click on image to go to her blog)



RULES
1. Must be a follower of her blog

2. On the bottom of her post please post a comment stating one summer make up, or skin essential you swear by
1 entry

*The first 103 followers on her blog get 2 entries automatically if entering for being amongst the first followers*

3. Post a link of her give away on your blog, and link back on to her post -1 additional entry

She will be choosing a winner randomly to make this fair using random.org

Give away ends on August 30th 12:00am Eastern Time

World Wide, anyone can enter

My MU Stash as of July 2010

A blogger friend, Jennifer, asked to see my MU stash a while ago (sorry I didn’t post it until now :X). I took the pictures, edited, and even uploaded it and forgot all about them LOL…shame on me.
It’s probably not a lot compared to others, but for me…a student with no income and doesn’t wear MU often…it is a lot. As I started to follow more and more blogs, and subscribe to more and more YouTubers…I get more and more interested in MU. Call me vain but…inside I want to look pretty too :] (I’ve never been an attractive girl appearance-wise..nope…and yes my self-confidence and self-esteem are pretty low) It’s my secret from my friends, since (except maybe a couple) none of them are interested in MU/skincare, and family (my mom isn’t even into skincare >__<


Skincare Products that I keep in the bathroom
Nothing much has changed here.


Miscellaneous products sitting on my bookshelf.
I believe the container is from Target (purple=love!)
Nothing much has changed here.


Top drawer of a 3-tier storage system. Sits on my writing desk.
Very sad draw LOL The only fake lashes that I own and a brush that came in a product but I don’t use it.
Now it also has my extra bag of MUJI cotton in there.


Middle drawer of a 3-tier storage system. Sits on my writing desk.
Some makeup samples/foundations/lip products/eye products that I don’t reach for as much.
My Hiaruronsan Hyaluronic Acid Gel is also sitting in there waiting for the winter time :]


Bottom drawer of a 3-tier storage system. Sits on my writing desk.
My lotions from B&BW. I use to be obsessed with their lotions until I realized I couldn’t use up the ones I have so I stopped. Pretty proud of myself…haven’t bought anything unnecessary from there in a long time! And the lush soap that I haven’t brought myself to use yet…but might use it soon since I have a very bad tan and I’m hoping the grainy bits can help me exfoliate my tan away.
**This storage system is from Target.


Brushes. Some skincare. and Miscellaneous items that I used often in the morning and nighttime.
It’s on a 6-tier storage system (it has wheels! lol)
This is from Staples if anyone was wondering :]


First drawer (from top). Full of bb creams/foundations/primers/concealers/powders/blushes.


Fourth drawer (from top). My masks drawer and brushes drawer.


Last drawer. Miscellaneous drawer (I have a lot of these drawers LOL)


Last but not least…my samples box :]
Maybe it’s my most prized possession hehe because I made it all by myself (with a little help from my woodshop teacher of course).

Giveaway alert!

Pretty as Peaches:
125 Followers Giveaway!

(click on image to go to her blog)



Rules: You must be a subscriber to enter. This is NOT open to blogs made for the sake of entering giveaways. She will delete your entry if this is the case. The winner will be chosen using random.org and notified via email.

There are four ways to win:

1. Mandatory (1 entry)- Leave her a comment on her post letting her know what is your favorite cleanser or moisturizer for your face. Let her know in the comments what option you chose to follow Pretty as Peaches Blog. (example: I follow via Google Friend, Blogger, Google Reader, Bloglovin’, Feedburner, etc or I subscribe via email). Don’t forget to leave a valid email address.

2. Optional (4 entries)- Make a blog post about her competition (please link her to your blog post in the comments).

3. Optional (2 entries)- Link her giveaway in your sidebar (please link her to your blog sidebar post in the comments) .

4. Optional (1 entry)- Follow her on Twitter and RT the following message (please link her to your RT in the comments):
Follow @prettypeachblog and RT to win MAC's Stereo Rose MSF http://bit.ly/cTW5Bf

The winner will be picked at random amongst the people who entered by 16th August 2010, 11:59 PM PST

Open worldwide. Not responsible for lost or stolen goods. Good luck to everyone!

Swatch: American Apparel Nail Lacquer Office

I got this a few Saturdays ago when best friend and I went to Soho for a shopping day :]

I haven’t posted the haul post yet but I couldn’t wait to try it.

It’s very different from what I usually wear and a lot of people had been trying out these minty/jade-y nail colors. I got sucked in :X

If Best Friend didn’t say she wanted to go to American Apparel to look for nail polishes, I would have never known they even had lol So this was a pretty impulse buy.

When we went they sold for $6 each (if I remember correctly) and 3 for $15. So the prices are about the same as Essie and OPI if you can get them at nail/beauty supply store prices.

The color I got is in Office. I only saw a couple of the names and they are pretty…unique? I wonder why they chose office for this color.

It is a pretty thick yet slightly liquidy and opaque formula. I believe I only put 1 coat of this on and it turned out pretty well. With this sort of formula, I like to apply it towards the center and leave some space from the outer edges so it makes my nails look slimmer lol


Anyways…no more babbling. Swatches down below! ^__^




Taken with natural light & flash


Taken with natural light & no flash


Taken with artificial light & flash
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