Glymm box: December 2011

So sorry to be late at posting this, but I was leaving for vacation the day I received this. I will be brief with my Glymm box this month, as I am sure most people have already posted theirs up and the products received are the same (or very similar)~

December Glymm box 2011

Sula Beauty Natural Lip Gloss in Mesmerizing

YSL Parisienne Eau de Parfum

I was very happy to see a mini perfume collectible in my Glymm box this month. I have been collecting them as a kid and since have over a hundred bottles ^_^

Ahava Mineral Hand Cream

Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream

It's a cute box this month, however I am not too impressed with getting 2 hand cream... I mean you can't exactly try out both at the same time to see results... but I guess you can always use extra this time of the year as it is ubber dry outside! This month's box is a B-. It's got some nice sized deluxe sample, but it is not as well rounded as the boxes from previous months. I'm still happy about the jelly beans ^_^

Loose Button Luxe Box: December 2011

It seems that Loose Button won the race, because I received my luxe box on Friday ^_^ Here's what I got...

This is what the box looked like when I opened it...

the card and the chocolate, there was another card that I forgot to take a picture of XD

Everything in plain view

Current product: Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm

I love(d) my EOS lipbalm and had been using them since September of last year... Back in June I finally got a hold of one in Sweet Mint one and had been using that until the end of November when my lips cracked and peeled... This painful (and ugly) condition went on for an entire week, and whenever I apply my EOS lipbalm on my lips, it got worst so I decided to just not put anything on my lips. There is very slight improvement but at least it did not get worst. Luckily, when I went to spend my $20 gift card at Sephora I was introduced to this miraculous product by one of the awesome CSR~ (Thank you so much Christina!)

First off... I know that Jack Black is a brand designed for men but this lipbalm fits the bill and does its job well! The first thing you notice about this is that it is very thick. After you apply it on your lips they instantly feel softer and is surprisingly not sticky. The two choices for flavor were mint and the flavor I picked: Lemon and Chamomile which is sweet and lightly scented. I've been using this for two weeks now and my lips are so much better, still slightly tender because the skin peeled so badly, but it is recovering nicely~

Overall Rating ***** / 5 (1 = worst 5 = best)  
Price ****/5 (1 = soooo cheap! 5 = pricey!) This is pricey for a lipbalm, but because of the condition my lips were in and how much it helped, it's really worth it!
Packaging Quality ****/5 (1 = worst 5 = best) 
Scent **/5 (1 = no smell 5 = overwhelming)
Would you buy this product again? Yes! Yes! Yes!!

Eyeshadow Primer: Lasting power test

I was bored so I decided to play with some e/s primers that I have and find out how they compared to each other. The 4 subjects are: Too Faced Shadow Insurance, MAC pot paint in Painterly, Estee Lauder's touch base for eyes in Canvas Deep and ELF eyelid primer (can't rmb if it's from the regular line or studio line...) Let's take a look at my playful experiment!

Just the primer on my inner arm: Too Faced(it's clear, can't see or describe... my arm colour?), MAC(light pink), EL(gold shimmer), ELF (slightly peachy)

I didn't realize that there were colours for all the primers... except for the Too Faced one which dried to be colourless.

For this experiment I used the MAC e/s in Prussian and swatched it as evenly as possible on my arm with an e/s brush... the GAPS really surprised me as I was not expecting bare skin to pick up so little products... It was also interesting to see how the different colours of the primer affected the look of the e/s...

At 6pm

at 1am

After 7 hours, the colour was gone from the EL primer, followed by the ELF... MAC was able to retain very little colour (although the pink itself was still obvious... Even though the colours faded for all 4 products, the e/s on the Too Faced primer was still there after after I showered (and I scrubbed that arm!)

This concludes my little experiment, thanks for reading!!~ ^_^ have a great weekend~

Original Penguin FAIL

The first time I order something on Hautelook.com that is NOT cosmetic and there is a problem :( Order was placed on the 6th and on the 15th I was informed that I won't be getting them. The worst part is, they are part of my fiancé's Christmas gift :( At least Hautelook reimbursed me the money and gave me a credit. *sigh*

Race: Loose Button vs Glymm

Both of these boxes were shipped out today. Loose Button is coming from T-dot and Glymm is in Brossard... Would be so funny if Glymm arrives first ^_^

Looking forward to see my December boxes~~

Estee Lauder and MAC warehouse sale December 2011

I was so excited that the charity bags were back this time around so I got a Sunday ticket to the EL and MAC warehouse sale, but after I got my baggies I realized they were the same charity bags from June... Here are my bags:

Charity Bag #1   (x 2)
MAC e/s in Sea & Sky Duo
MAC Prussian Pro Pan e/s
MAC Pro Longlash Mascara in Pitckblack

no flash

with flash

Charity Bag #2
MAC Plush Lash in Brownette
MAC  Kissable Lipcolour in Temper Tantra
MAC Cremesheen Glass in Partial to Pink

Charity Bag #3
MAC Mineralize SPF15 Foundation/Loose in Medium Dark
Sponge
MAC  Plush Lash in Brownette
MAC Kissable Lipcolour in Temper Tantra

Anyways... I felt like doing things backward this time so here is my MAC haul...

Lip products were $15 for two:
Glimmerglass in Blackware, MAC Surf Baby Naturally Eccentric, Dazzle Lipstick in Liquid Lurex and Glaze Lipstick in Out-Minxed

E/S was a whopping $12 each:
Pigment in Gold, single shadows in Silverthorn, Hypnotizing and Paintpot in Let me Pop

Quad palette was $25 each:
MAC quad in Notoriety (containing e/s Skintone 1 and 2, Rich & Earthy and Notoriety)

The deal is about the same as me crossing the border to go to a nearby CCO minus the tedious border crossing and long drive... I will most likely never buy a ticket to go to this event again... but it was still a fun experience, shopping by myself :)

Oh and free gift I got was a MAC nail lacquer in Norturnelle

I got it!!

Last minute, I got a ticket for the MAC warehouse sale tomorrow... I heard the charity bags are back! XD Can't wait! Will share pictures of haul... (although it seems the prices are just as bad...)

Sample Review: November

I realized that I have collected a lot of samples since becoming a MU junkie... so I decided that I should start using some... this is what I tried this month~

Stila e/s in Kitten... I was surprised at how much I liked this colour! This sample lasted me 4 days! It was great to use for day time look with just the right amount of sparkly-goodness or as a nice blending medium for two otherwise pretty different colours! I am thinking about purchasing the full size! (can you see how excited I am about this with the amount of exclamation marks I have in this paragraph?!) Since I wear glasses most of the time, this really helped brighten my eyes and make me look less tired... it's a must-have!

Next product is the Benefit Stay don't stray primer. This was another sample that I was very satisfied with. The product is smooth to apply and doesn't dry out too quickly. It was able to keep both my eyeshadows and concealer to 'stay put.' Also the sample had enough products to last me a few applications, so very little products goes a long way. Planning to get it :) 

Caudalie Premiew Cru la Crème. I got a sample of this in my October Glymm box. (Click here to see what else I got in my Glymm box ^_^ ) this was a decent sized sample that took me about 2 weeks to finish. It helped moisturize my face without it becoming oily (although I only put this on area of my face that is dry as the rest of my face is oily.) This cream has a soft grape-like scent which I find quite pleasant and not overwhelming. The texture is light and the product is absorbed quickly without the sticky/greasy feeling. This product is not a miss, but I am iffy in forking out $150 on a product that only had mediocre results for me (mind you, I've only used this for 2 weeks on/off and results for any skin care usually takes about 3 to 4 weeks.)

That's it for now, thanks for reading~~

Clean-up

I hate wasting things... but if it's expired or you think the product has gone bad... it's better to toss them out just in case... Here are some things that I may not want to get rid of but I must...

• Too Faced Lash Injection Mascara, Blinc, Lancome Hypnose + Cils Booster,  - expired... opened in June 2011
• ELF Mineral face primer - used a few times, thought it smelled weird and left my face feeling clogged up...
• Clinique Up-Lighting Liquid Illuminator x 2- also used a few times since December 2009... Probably should have tossed it out earlier... did not like the finish of the product (too shiny)
• Skin79 Hot Pink BB cream - I love, love, loved this product... but my skin does not... The colour is right for my skin, and I don't need to apply powder as often as other foundations or BB cream. Sadly, my face breaks out pretty badly after several use... Although, I'm not sure if the product I bought was real or not... the consistency of the product is also very suspicious but everything seemed to match the site's...
• Mary Kay Satin Lips lip balm - had this product for way too long and don't think I should keep it since it's really quite old...
• Clinique Super Rescue night moisturizer - a sample I've had for almost 2 years... I thought it's time I toss it out... the consistency changed...

Are you doing a winter cleanup?

NOTD: RGB Oxblood

I'm scared of using red nail polish because I was scared that it doesn't really complement my skintone... However, I was quite surprised that this deep red worked so well on me~

Here on my ring finger is Oxblood by RGB. With the flash the red comes off as a pretty cheery red, but it is in fact a red that is almost black in natural light. TBH, when I got this bottle in my November Glymm box I was a bit disappointed... why red?!?! But now I'm glad that I got this colour, otherwise I wouldn't have tried it and wouldn't have realized that I liked it so much. Thank you Glymm, for making me become more adventurous! :)

How about you? are there any colours that you are scared to wear?

FOTD: the Blues with Lise Watier Bleu Ocean

I was getting ready for a Friday night out with eM, but he was too occupied with Deus Ex, so I decided to play with my makeup while waiting for him... I end up using my Bleu Océan duo for the first time! :)

Close up of my left eye

a note: I have very uneven eyes, and when I do my liners and shadows, they never look even~ now if I make funny faces... then they are not as noticeable ^_^

Guilty Pleasure

R&R eyeshadows

I patiently waited for these to arrive... Rock and Republic eyeshadows!! They are from two separate hauls that I got from Hautelook.com. Each shadow came in its own pretty box that I had to toss out because they were way to bulky... My impression of them was that "I'm paying way too little for such gorgeous packaging." The quality of these shadows are excellent and for 7$ each I could not resist... Unfortunately, I could not get a hold of some colours that I wanted... Anyways, I just wanted to share one of my indulgences~ :D

Smashbox Haul + FOTD

The past Sunday we made it to Lisa's Cosmetic 2011 Christmas Warehouse Sale at around 2pm. The first surprise was the long lineup~ Second was the fact that all these women tried to bring their kids and crying babies inside the warehouse even though the flyer states that "No strollers or children under 12" were allowed... anyways, here's some pictures~ Enjoy!

the 1.5 hour lineup at Lisa's Cosmetic Warehouse sale

The haul: I got a few hair products by Schwarzkopf (all hair masks + hair gum), a brush (2.99), and a hair conditioner by Joico ($7.99). The rest are makeup from Smashbox and a blush by Canadian brand Marcelle :)

Loose Button Luxe box: November 2011

My November luxe box :)

I love the little detail on the card. Last month they also had shadows of the products at the bottom :)

Mini Haul: Makeup + lipbalm + skincare

I was on my best behavior this weekend when it came to shopping... This was all I purchased from a 2 day shopping spree. I would have spent less if I didn't get the Lancome Génifique concentrate while I was at Sephora. 

So how well did I do? $155USD (that's saving about $90). Here's my haul ~\

So happy I got the tangerine flavor EOS lipbalm!!!!!!!

YSL Gloss Volupté in 6 Vanilla Pink, this lip gloss smells like watermelon and has a lovely  light pink tint to it. Gorgeous gloss :)

YSL Blush Variation in #2 Pink Bloom

MAC Digi Pops Green - Both Shroom and Club are on my MAC e/s want list and at the the price of $26USD I get Steamy and Sunny Spot as bonuses. It's a Win-Win :)

Wet N Wild Blue Had Me At Hello

Wet N Wild Comfort Zone, I have been looking all over for this palette ever since I saw it on  Jen's YT vid... but they were either out of stock or the rare one that I found were broken~ I hope it's worth it! 

A pretty bracelet from Banana Republic

--------

Update: 24/11/11

It appears I brought the same colour twice! Meet Club from MAC and this beautiful shade from my Wet N' Wild Palette! From the pan they look almost identical, but the colour in the WNW palette has a bit more bluish green sparkles in it... Will do swatches when I finally use either palettes! :)

My Go-to products

Most MU addicts (like myself) own a lot of makeup... however, only a select few are used daily... Here is my list:

• Anastasia Go-To-Brow: quick and easy, I don't have to go hunting for a brush to apply it on and the highlighter on the other end :)
• shu uemura eyelash curler: one word, L.O.V.E! no pinching and beautiful curls for people with short lashes~
• eos lipbalm: my current fave is the mint one, because of it, my lips have never been softer! 
• Maybelline Line Stiletto in brownish black: so easy to use in creating clean thin lines, a product I will definitely repurchase~
• Almay one coat nourishing mascara: the mascara shows my curls beautifully and on most occasions does not leave me with raccoon eyes, but at times it might... I wish my eye area was less oily -__-
• Urban Decay Naked palette: the colours are neutral, which is perfect for work, yet there are colours you can use if you want a bolder look 
• Too Faced Shadow Insurance: this is a very important product for people with oily eyelids as myself, although I must say that I prefer the UD primer over this...
• Clinique mirror: it's a simple mirror that is slightly bigger than your palm, it does its job and it was free :)

My 'dailies.' Lately I've been using my October Luxebox as a tray to hold  frequently used MU

Due to hygienic reasons... I have to switch out my eyeliner and mascaras at the 3-6 months mark ( it really should be 3 months... but I pushed most to almost 6)... I feel that they were still okay, but I don't want to risk getting a stye... so here are the products I'm switching up with: 

Warehouse Sale

Just wanted to let everyone know that Lisa's Cosmetics Christmas Warehouse sale starts November 19th!

I wish I could go on opening day, but that Saturday my company is doing inventory count plus I got tickets to the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo~ So I might settle going on the 20th with a girlfriend~ Will put up a haul post if I end up going :)

Oooh... if you want the schedule or more info about the warehouse sale, you can check out their website at: http://lisascosmetics.com/main.htm

Let the shopping begin!

Glymm box: November 2011

I have to start off saying that I had spoiled my surprise this month by looking at other blogs before arriving home to my own... oh well~~ here's my November Glymm box!

As expected, we get very pretty packaging...

product info sheet as well as the generic card for every subscriber...

lots of samples!