Recently Finished Products

Happy November! Long time no post (nearly a month!) and I only have the same excuses: too much work lol.

NYC has been hit pretty hard with hurricane Sandy and I know of people who are still without heat/electricity/water.  Fortunately, I was exempt from this ordeal since the hurricane did not hit my area that hard but I am dealing with the aftermath of the hurricane as well.  Classes/work was cancelled all week, my most-used train is still not running, and buses are HEAVILY delayed or not coming at all.  My dad waited 3 hours to fill up his gas and many restaurants are not getting ingredients delivered to them because there is no gas in NYC right now! My mom and I drove around all over trying to find an open gas station but all the ones we passed by had a "NO GAS" sign up. Very troubling... I truly hope things get better.

Anyway, today's post will be about the products I have finished recently (some time in October) and my thoughts about them.

(left to right):

1. Organix - Nourishing Coconut Milk Conditioner

2. Ole Henriksen - Truth Creme Advanced Hydration Moisturizer

3. Murad - Hydro-Dynamic Moisture (for eyes)

4. Clinique - All About Eyes

5. Ole Henriksen - Truth Serum Collagen Booster

6. FAB - Face Cleanser

1. Organix - Nourishing Coconut Milk Conditioner
     I bought this conditioner some time in January (I think) and it lasted a really long time! I have soft hair naturally but I do dye my hair so I like to use a hair conditioner.  It smells absolutely delightful but I'm still not sure if it did anything for the "hydration and balance" of my hair.  I did repurchase but only because I'm still a complete noob in the hair-care field and as long as it doesn't damage my hair, I'm okay with using it.  I feel that this product works even better when I leave it in for about 15 minutes.  It almost works as a hair mask! I love the results after that but most days, I cannot afford to leave this in my hair for 15 minutes so this is left for the weekends.  In short, I do not love or hate this product.  But for ~$7-8 dollars, I am willing to repurchase (especially since I was able to use it for months). 

2. Ole Henriksen - Truth Creme Advanced Hydration Moisturizer 

     I was able to try this through "The Naked Truth" package, which included this moisturizer (0.25 fl oz) and  their famous serum (0.5 fl oz) for $22.50.  I know serums are really expensive and that the 1 fl oz serum alone goes for I think $48.  So this wasn't a bad deal at all. But still, compared to the price - I thought results weren't that great.  I really don't mind paying for beauty products as long as the products deliver.  This didn't break me out or anything - but it didn't do anything but moisturize.  I can get the same results with my clean and clear moisturizer.  It smells like orange cream ice pops to me - which was a good thing, I loved them as a kid! But I guess for the people who do not like scented products, this may not be for you!  

3. Murad - Hydro-Dynamic Moisture (for eyes)

     I received a small sample of this eye cream from Sephora a while ago.  I suffer from dry skin in general  and my eyes are no exception.  When I was younger, I used to just use the same moisturizer for all over my face but as I got older, I needed eye creams that were targeted specifically for the dryness on/around my eyes.  I started to use eye creams when I got in high school and eye creams are the only things that work my eye area! It really sucks because eye creams are really expensive so when I get the chance, I snag these freebies! It lasted a really long time so I was happy.  In terms of the actual product, this isn't so much a cream as it more like a gel.  It left a bit of an oily residue but nothing too serious.  It hydrates very well but my eye area looks kind of funky when it's oily looking so I do not think I will repurchase.  It's really great for the night though! In general, I find it difficult to find an eye cream that is really moisturizing but not oily at the same time.  Still on the hunt for the perfect one! I do not know how this performs in the wrinkle area because I don't have any to test on, sorry! 

4. Clinique - All About Eyes
     Same story as above but I actually purchased this (this was the second time repurchasing) and this was my first eye product.  My dryness isn't always so bad which is good because this product does not hydrate enough for me.  Well, I can get enough hydration when I apply a lot of it on but I feel that that's a waste.  I highly doubt it will do anything for lines and wrinkles. I don't know why I repurchased this but it certainly is not happening again.  But on the brighter note, this product is not scented at all (most Clinque products aren't) so you're in luck if you don't have a dry eye area! 

5. Ole Henriksen - Truth Serum Collagen Booster

     I enjoyed this serum because I felt it evened my complexion a bit (blotchy redness around my cheeks).  The only problem I had with it was that it felt quite sticky.  I've tried serums in the past and I didn't really feel that serums were sticky overall.  Aside from that feeling, it's a good product.  It also smells like the moisturizer it came with, which was a plus for me! I wish I could repurchase but the price tag is a bit too much for me ($48 or $72 for their biggest bottle) considering that the results weren't mind blowing.  It's a nice treat to have, but definitely not a necessity.  

6. FAB - Face Cleanser

     Last but definitely not least, my FAB cleanser! My previous post was about this cleanser so you will know that I love this cleanser to bits.  I've already repurchased it and they now come in a slightly different packaging but the same old great product.  Hehe, the back of the bottle in the picture is actually cut so I could get out every last product.  Truly a treasure for me!

What products have you guys finished lately? Or want to try? 

Review: FAB Face Cleanser

Hi guys! I hope you all enjoyed my previous food post, haha.  Still makes me hungry :X So last night I was washing my face as usual and I looked at my cleanser thinking, "hmm, I'm almost done with this again.  Oh well, better repurchase".  Then it crossed my mind that I should post about it! I have repurchased this cleanser twice, soon to be third time repurchasing! (Four bottles total)

FAB stands for "First Aid Beauty" and it is sold at Sephora.  This particular cleanser is $18, a bit expensive for a cleanser but I like it so much it justifies the price.  The brand, I think, primarily focuses on skincare rather than makeup.  What made me buy this cleanser? I was looking for something that was not a gel or a foam cleanser, as those types tend to dry my already dry skin out.  I stumbled upon this cleanser and I thought why not? My skin is not that sensitive but I like to use "for sensitive skin" products, because that never hurts!

Typically, I remove my eye makeup with my Lancome bi-facil eye makeup remover and remove my face makeup with Ponds makeup remover.  Whatever residue left over, I use this cleanser.  Since most of the cleansing is done with other products, I too, wondered how this cleanser performed on its own.  I kind of found out through this post!

Please forgive the lighting in the pictures! I had to take them in the bathroom and well, not the best lighting at all.

Pretty generously sized I think.  Simple packaging, nothing fancy. 

Okay, I'm not so sure about the "antioxidant booster" part but it does leave your skin with that "glow" after washing.  Keep scrolling! 

Voila! Ingredients. Nothing really rings an alarm, thank goodness. 

My favorite kind of dispenser.  What I usually do when there is very little product left is cut the tube in half.  Then I can get about 5 more uses.  I like the pump dispensers too but I find it wasteful when I know there's product left over but not enough to actually pump out.  And pump dispenser products have too hard a packaging for me to cut through. 

The airy cream texture.  Man, I can go on and on about the texture.  I bet clouds feel this way! It does not have any scent that I could tell of, which is ideal for cleansers targeted towards sensitive skin.

I wish I showed how little I used to get this much lather but I forgot to take a picture of that.  Anyway, it was really little.  Another reason why I love this product: It lathers up really nicely! Probably not the same kind of lather you would get from a foam cleanser but foam cleansers are too icky for me. 

DA DA DDUUUUMMM.  For the final test! I was actually curious about the results as well! Here are the products I used for the test: NYX cream rouge blush, Clinique gel liner, Kat Von D tattoo concealer, Loreal Voluminous Million lashes (water proof), TheBalm Staniac lip stain. 

From left to right:
Clinique gel liner, TheBalm Stainiac lip stain, Loreal Voluminous Million lashes (water proof), Kat Von D tattoo concealer, and NYX cream rouge blush

This is the amount of product I used.  I don't know why it looks like so much on camera.  I really used a small amount!!!

*cleanse cleanse cleanser*

The results!
I really do think my arm looks a bit more 'glowy' than it did prior to cleansing!

It got rid of the lip stain and concealer completely.  The cream blush - almost but not quite completely.  The gel liner and water proof mascara left the most behind after the cleansing.  I found this a bit disappointing, but I guess this is why they make a separate eye makeup remover.  I'm glad it got off all the concealer, considering how "heavy coverage" it's supposed to be.  So there you have it.  My favorite cleanser (still).

Remember ladies, thorough cleansing (especially if you wear makeup) is extremely important.  You want all that gunk OUT before going to sleep.  I recommend using actual makeup removers (for both eyes and face) then follow up with a gentle cleanser to get rid of anything left behind.  And once or twice a week, throw in a mask or exfoliator to give your skin that extra glow.  Masks and exfoliators work best when the skin is as clean as can be!

Tell me about your favorite cleanser! 

No beauty... Just food

Hi everybody!
I am pummeled under work so I haven't been able to take pictures of beauty-related things but I wanted to post something today.  So I thought I'd share with you some foooooood pictures.  Looking at these make me hungry again haha.  I'll see you guys later!

P.S.: Why is real life so hard ?!?! I miss blogging! Feels like I haven't blogged in forever.

Recent Favorites

I know there are "monthly favorites" or "_____'s (insert month) hits and misses" but I decided I'd do a "recent favorites" post.  This is because I always have new favorites since I'm always trying new products/returning to previously loved products.  Having said that, I've used these products every day in the past 10 days. Like most other people, mine consist of both drugstore and higher end products. I've actually done reviews for some of the products, in which case I will link :)

1. Maybelline - The Falsies (flared) waterproof mascara

2. Revlon - Colorstay Blemish Concealer "Fair" [Click here for review]

3. Make Up For Ever HD Primer #1

4. Benefit High Beam  [Click here for review]

5. Urban Decay The Revolution Eyelash Curler  [Click here for review]

6. Lancome - Blush Subtil "Rose Doucer"

7. Cargo - blu_ray Pressed Powder #10

8. ELF - Eyebrow Kit "Medium"

Maybelline - The Falsies (flared) waterproof mascara

Bottle

Wand

I got this mascara for $5 I think. It was on sale and I thought "why not?". I'm glad I got it because I really am enjoying this! The wand is standard in length but "flared" out to give that falsies look for your lashes. Since it is waterproof, it does hold my curls quite well. I don't have trouble removing it and while it's not mind blowing, it does do a good job.  A down side is that it can clump but if you're careful, you will have gorgeous clump-free lashes! 

 Make Up For Ever HD Primer #1

Pump

Not blended

Semi-blended

Fully Blended

Make Up For Ever makes tons of face makeup products and I've only tried two but I'm pleased with both I've tried.  Back in December, my friend got me a $30 giftcard to Sephora and I spent it on this.  I suffer from some redness around my face, especially my nose area but in general, I am a very pink-toned person.  Not in a very flattering way either! So I use this as my primer.  Since it's green, it neutralizes the redness but there are several other colors, including a transparent shade (#0) which is also quite nice if you do not want any color in your primer.  I like it because it's hydrating and it does not have that silicone feel to it.  Not to mention the sanitary pump dispenser! 

As you can see in the last picture, even after it is fully blended, there is some green tinge in it.  The key is to use only the amount you need.  Too much product will leave that green tinge.  But if you are using a foundation on top, it shouldn't matter.  Lately I haven't been in the foundation mood but I'm using this primer, a concealer, and a pressed powder for my face.  It's working pretty well for me! It gives me that "makeup but no makeup" look lol.  In the future, I would love to try the blue shade! 

Lancome - Blush Subtil "Rose Doucer"

No flash

Flash

Swatches 

This blush is from my last Lancome haul and I've been loving it! The color is more like the color without flash.  I was looking for something peachy-pink and I think this fits the criteria well even though it's a bit more on the pink side.  So far, definitely worth the splurge.  I'm surprised by how long it lasts (although I do use a makeup setting spray, sometimes blush is gone by the afternoon) and the shimmer is not as noticeable on my face.  This could be a good or bad thing but I usually prefer only a little shimmer for my blushes.  Too much shimmer can make you look oily!  

Cargo - blu_ray Pressed Powder #10

Back a few weeks ago, I was at the Sephora inside JCPenney's and I saw the entire Cargo line on sale! From my knowledge, Sephora doesn't even carry Cargo so I was so confused as to why this brand was there and on sale! I snagged this HD pressed powder (for $17!) because I've seen so many people rave about this and they're absolutely right! It's feels lovely on my face, with just the right amount of coverage.  So thrilled because I got it for nearly half the price. It's probably going to last me forever too! 

 ELF - Eyebrow Kit "Medium"

I ADORE this brow kit! I got it from Target for $3 I think and I have it in the shade "medium" which matches me perfectly.  I don't know how many other shades they make though, I only saw this shade at my local Target.  Anyway, it comes with a small dual ended brush which I thought was cute! lol. It's actually not as flimsy as you'd think.  But more importantly, the left is a gel to set your brows in place and the right is a powder to fill your brows with.  It's working so well for me and it's only $3! The lasting power is also great.  I can see myself buying this over and over again! 

And lastly... 

My mother made these brooches (among other things) about 25 years ago and she gave them to me when I was really little.  These were my favorite pieces from the ones she had given me, even as a little girl! I had forgotten about these but I rediscovered them a few days ago and I fell in love with them all over again! The color is still the same, and I thought the details were so amazing.  I think I'm going to pass these on to my own children! 

Anyway, what products do you guys use everyday?! Or are you like me? Hopping around from product to product? :p 

Beauty Haul

Hi guys! I've been so busy this past week... it was pretty hectic for me! I hope everyone is well :) I now have a blog sale going on, do check it out!

I spent the day with my mom today and I did some damage :( I didn't plan on spending money at all and I spent nearly.. $120! I couldn't resist it. No excuses. My mom wanted to pick something up from the mall and I tagged along to eye shop at Sephora. It ended up being a lot more than that lol. And then we went to the department store so my mom could exchange something. I passed by the Lancome counter and the SA stopped me to tell me about their promotion. If you spend $39 at Lancome, they give you a free 7-piece gift.  The SA was so good at her job, I wanted to buy everything! I wasn't so excited about the promotion but I fell in love with all of their blushes. I couldn't leave without buying one :(

So here is my small beauty haul!

Sephora:

Tokidoki Rollerball Perfume: Siberia ($7)

Tokidoki Rollerball Perfume: Adieu ($7)

Hello Kitty Rollerball Perfume ($7)

Ole  Henriksen: The Naked Truth ($22.50)

Lancome:

Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover ($27)

Blush Subtil: Rose Douceur (it's a peachy-pink) ($30) 

Ahh I couldn't resist the perfumes! They smell so good (fruity lol) and they were on sale! Look at how cute they are! I can always count on Tokidoki and Hello Kitty to have the cutest packaging... I'm probably giving away one of the Tokidoki perfumes. Maybe a small giveaway in the near future! 

Despite the mixed reviews, I always wanted to try some Ole Henriksen products and this kit includes both the truth serum collagen booster and the truth creme advanced hydration moisturizer.  But I am a bit disappointed with the amount of product I get... especially for $22.50! These better be good.. please be good :( 

More interestingly.. my Lancome freebies! 

2 cosmetic pouches

1 High Resolution Refill-3X SPF 15 moisturizer

1 Absolute Premium BX-cream SPF 15 moisturizer

1 Genifique Serum 

1 Blush Subtil in Shimmer Pool Pink

1 Color Design Lipstick

2 Hypnose Mascara

2 Cils Booster XL Mascara Base

These are more than 7 pieces and the SA was very generous with me. I think it's because I said I'd come back and I really did, haha. She told me not to stand her up and I didn't! I also came back with my mom who was wondering where I was and I told her about the promotion. She knew I was hesitating so she told me to purchase everything. The SA gave a few extra things so my mom and I can share them.  I gave my mom the serum, both moisturizers, the lipstick, and the pouch. I kept the mascaras and the blush because she doesn't use them.  I feel like I paid too much for the eye makeup remover but I really do love it so I'm in for a treat. And, well, I will always love blushes so I don't feel that I wasted any money on the blush. I can't wait to review some of these items! I'm very excited to try the blush in Shimmer Pool Pink, I think it's from the same line I bought the full sized blush from. 

Do any of these items tickle your fancy? :)