Beauty Chic

January Luxebox!

2012-01-30T21:03:00.000-08:00

I finally got my Luxebox for the month of January! I was really debating on whether or not I would cancel my Luxebox subscription. I'm just trying to cut down on things that I don't really need and while Luxebox is a great way to try out different products that I otherwise wouldn't use, it's not really something that's essential for me.
And then I received this month's Luxebox.
I received 2 boxes instead of just 1. The complimentary Bath & Body Box contained the new Schick Hydro Silk razor and samples of the Fekkai Advanced Brilliant Glossing shampoo and conditioner. I also received a small sample bag of different perfumes to try out.
The Luxebox for this month contained another hair product, this one for curly hair, which I have; 2 NYX products, including my favorite jumbo eye pencil in Milk; and a bonus sample bag of Seattle's Best Coffee, which is kinda random. :)
Ok, so I guess I'll be keeping my Luxebox for a little while yet. Again, not something that's necessary for me, but each month is better than the last!

Weekend Links

2012-01-27T23:24:00.000-08:00

-How to eat healthy for clear skin - - - the beauty department

-5 ways to keep your beauty routine fresh for winter - - - Bella Sugar

-Love this fresh-faced, glowing makeup look! - - - Keiko Lynn

-Make this simple spiced steamer on a cold day - - - Joy the Baker

-How to apply BB Cream - - - From Head to Toe

-Sweet! The Body Shop's Chocomania products - - - Beauty Crazed

February Wishlist

2012-01-23T20:35:00.000-08:00

These are items that are currently on my wishlist to buy next month, both beauty-related and not.

-Maybelline 24 HR Color Tattoo Eyeshadows

-MAC Mineralize Blush in Fresh Honey

-Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Glisten

-Clarisonic Mia

-Makeup For Ever Mat Velvet + Foundation

-Canon Powershot ELPH 310HS

Coastal Scents Camo Concealer Quad

2012-01-22T20:38:00.000-08:00

I bought this Camo Quad recently from Coastal Scents because I heard good things about it, and I thought it would be a good product to use when I practice doing makeup on other people. It's perfect to use for a customized concealer shade - there's a lighter shade for under the eyes, and then 2 darker shades that you can mix to conceal other areas.

The formula is super creamy, making it really easy to blend. As you can see from the swatches, the colors are really opaque so you don't have to keep layering to conceal properly. The white is perfect to use for highlighting, either on the inner corner of the eyes, on the browbone, or as a base for shadows. So far I'm really pleased with this product.

January Favorites

2012-01-21T21:37:00.000-08:00

These are the products that I'm currently using on a daily basis. I didn't include my foundations since I never really use the same one everyday; I like to switch it up depending on what I'm doing that day. But I'm planning on doing an updated makeup collection post soon. :)

For eyes, I'm really loving the Warm palette from Coastal Scents. Full review on that coming soon. I like to use the Estee Lauder Double-Wear Shadow Creme as a base to help my shadows stay longer. For eyeliner, I'm loving the Jane Mineral Gel Liner in Black. It doesn't smudge at all, which I love.
For face, my 2 favorite concealers now are the Garnier Anti-Dark-Circle Roller for undereyes, and the Stila Perfecting Concealer.
And for lips, I like this NYX Sheer Gloss in Hot. It's a nice raspberry color but sheer enough that it's perfect to wear during the day.

Weekend Links

2012-01-20T20:13:00.000-08:00

-Check out China Glaze's Spring collection: Electropop - - - Makeup and Beauty Blog

-Tips for reducing winter frizz - - - the beauty department

-The difference between eye creams and moisturizers - - - Beauty Snob

-How to style long hair short - - - A Beautiful Mess

-Why exfoliate before cleansing? - - - Bella Sugar

-Check out these cool literature-inspired nail art - - - Flavorwire

-10 cute winter accessories under $50 - - - FabSugar

Have a great weekend!

Maybelline Illegal Lengths Mascara

2012-01-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's been soooo long since my last post!! December and January have been super busy months for me but hopefully I'm back on track with this blog. I have a lot of new things to post about so I should be pretty regular from now on. Hopefully.

Anyways, I decided to try out this new drugstore mascara: Maybelline Illegal Lengths in Blackest Black Waterproof. I like using waterproof formulas, especially during the day, to reduce smudging. I have very
oily skin, so my makeup tends to smudge easily underneath my eyes. Wearing a waterproof mascara really helps, so I don't have to worry about it throughout the day.

This mascara promises to give instant lash extensions using tiny fibers in the formula to coat each lash with no flaking. I really like fiber mascaras for giving length and they don't smudge!
I find the formula for this mascara to be pretty wet, so be careful when applying it, it can be pretty messy! Other than that, it applies easily and layers well. It did give me a lot of length, but not a lot of volume. So if you like lengthening mascaras, then you'll really like this one.
I also found that it kept the curl of my lashes throughout the day; it looked pretty much the same at the end of the day as it did at the beginning.

Dramatic Teal Eyes

2011-12-23T23:02:00.000-08:00

Products Used:

-NYX Black E/S (as a base)
-NYX Chrome Loose Shadow in Lagoon (on top of the black e/s)
-NYX E/S in Dallas (blended in crease)
-NYX Ultra Chic palette (middle pale gold color in inner corner)
-Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Zero (tightline and waterline)
-Clarins Turquoise Liner (on upper lashline and also middle of lower lashline)
-Lise Watier glitter liner (on upper lashline)
-Red Cherry Lashes in 747XS
-L'Oreal Million Lashes Mascara

December Luxebox!

2011-12-23T22:53:00.000-08:00

Oh my...it's been over a month since my last post! So sorry about that. December has been a super busy month for me. I'll try to get a few posts out before the end of this year! :)

But for now, I recently got my December Luxebox. :)

As I mentioned last month for my last Luxebox, they sent me an expired product and promised to send me a replacement plus an additional product to try. So I received samples of the Moroccanoil shampoo and conditioner and hairspray. I haven't tried them yet though. I did try the perfume sample which I actually liked!

November Luxebox!

2011-11-24T22:12:00.001-08:00

I finally got my November Luxebox!!
This month's Luxebox had a nice bonus of a mini tea kit. I love tea and I've never tried tea from this particular store, so I'm excited to test it out. I've also wanted to try the toner from Benefit Cosmetics, so this is perfect for me to try to see if I like it.
I just received an email from Luxebox saying that the Moroccanoil product that was in this month's Luxebox was actually an expired product. :( Not that it would be bad for you, but they did suggest to throw it out. And they will be sending me another product from that brand as well as a bonus in next month's Luxebox.
I definitely think that Luxebox's customer service is amazing. They're always following through to make sure you received your order and that you are satisfied with it. They also send out regular surveys to see how they can keep improving on their service.

Rock & Republic Eyeshadows and Swatches

2011-11-23T22:24:00.001-08:00

Ok, so I was bad and bought more makeup from Hautelook.com. :) But I've heard a lot about this brand of cosmetics from FrmHeadtoToe and from Holly Ann-AeRee.
So I thought I would try out a few of their shadows. And I'm glad I did! The packaging and the product itself is amazing! The shadows are very smooth and give great color payoff. The pictures taken don't do it justice but I'll be doing a couple looks using these shadows so hopefully you'll be able to see how pretty they are. :)

From Left to Right:
Brink (really pretty light blue that also has green and gold reflects depending on the light)
Ammo (medium brown with some shimmer)
Fiend (deep matte blue)
Envy (deep forest green)

Swatches from the top:
Envy, Fiend, Ammo, Brink

Easy Smokey Eye Using NYX

2011-11-22T22:55:00.001-08:00

Products Used:
- NYX e/s in Eucalyptus (shimmery olive-grey - packed all over the lid)
- NYX e/s in Eggplant (medium purple - on the outer v in the crease, and on lower lashline)
- Jane black gel liner (thinly line the upper lashline and slightly wing out; also line the outer third of the lower lashline and connect with the top liner)
- L'Oreal Million Lashes Mascara

Review: Garnier Anti-Dark-Circle Eye Roller

2011-11-22T22:31:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately! November has just been a very busy month for me, but I'm back to hopefully continue my routine of posting regularly.
So, this has been a long overdue review. This has been the first under-eye roller that I've ever used. It also comes in a non-tinted version, which is great for reducing puffiness around the eye area. This tinted version does that and also provides concealer-like coverage.

For the eye-roller part, it feels really cool and refreshing to use around the eyes. I don't have much puffiness around my eyes; I'm mainly using it for the concealing part. The first time I used it, the cooling feeling was a bit too strong. I guess my eyes were a little sensitive and they were watering. But I'm used to it now and it doesn't bother me.
For the concealing part, it's very easy to blend and the color works well on my skin-tone. It goes on a little sheer but you can always layer more product on. It doesn't cake on me; the formula is not thick. This product is great if your dark circles are not too bad but you would still like coverage underneath your eyes. It really brightens up my eye area and makes me look more awake, which is perfect on days when you didn't get enough sleep the night before.
The concealer un-blended:

The eye on the left has the product underneath, and the one on the right has nothing.

Hautelook Collective Haul!

2011-10-30T15:47:00.000-07:00

This is a collective haul with everything purchased from Hautelook. I just want to say I did not buy everything at the same time; I bought everything throughout September and October.

First from Urban Decay:
-Liquid Liner in Ecstasy
-Tinted Moisturizer in Bodyguard
-Cream Shadows in Whipped and Mushroom

From Jane Cosmetics:
-Be Pure Mineral eyeliner in 01 Onyx
-Oil-Free Foundation in Soft Beige
-Be Pure Mineral Gel Eyeliner in 04 Black
-Tinted Moisturizer in Medium w/ SPF 30
-Be Pure Mineral Foundation in 04 Natural
-Shimmering Blush in 03 Peony
-No Show Oil-Free Concealer in 02 Light

From Mario Badescu:
-Drying Lotion
-Hyaluronic Eye Cream
-Collagen Moisturizer in SPF 15 (free gift)

And finally, from Crown Brushes:
-7-piece Ultra Soft Synthetic Travel Set (these brushes are incredibly soft!)

So, after all these makeup purchases, I am going to try to not buy any more makeup for the rest of this year at least! I really don't need anymore for a while. I'll do an updated makeup collection post soon! But I will start focusing more on improving my skincare routine and finding one that works really well for me. I will still continue to do reviews on my collection, but I'm going to try to not buy anymore for the next few months.

Weekend Links

2011-10-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

-How to choose the right cleanser for your skin type - - - The Fashion Spot

-An easy way to create cute, beachy waves - - - Hair on the Brain

-Check out the Nicki Minaj for OPI Limited Edition Collection - - - Beauty Snob

-The most popular haircut this Fall is... - - - InStyle

-Make a cute fabric-covered button ring - - - Wild Olive

-A yummy dessert to make on a cold autumn day - - - Love & Olive Oil

-How to create the perfect modern matte lip - - - the beauty department

-Ideas on wearing one of Fall's color trends: Orchid Hush - - - Stylelist

Have a great weekend!

Petal Pusher Smoky Eyes

2011-10-26T20:44:00.000-07:00

Products Used:

-Urban Decay Cream Shadow in Mushroom (base)
-Wet 'n Wild Color Icon Palette in Petal Pusher (the right side of the palette - colors used as directed)
-Jane Black Gel Liner
-L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara

LOVE this palette! The colors are super pigmented, easy to blend, and are perfect for creating a purple smoky eye. You also can't beat the price. I think I bought this at Walmart for around $5.

Mini Reviews

2011-10-24T22:29:00.000-07:00

Today's mini reviews are for 2 Maybelline products: 24HR Super Stay Foundation and Lash Discovery Mascara.

This foundation claims to last the entire day, up to 24 hrs wear if needed. It is formulated to withstand heat, sweat, and humidity and is not supposed to rub off.
I have to say that it does live up to its claim of lasting a long time. It does not wear out throughout the day; although the longest I've worn this foundation would probably be about 10 hours. I don't think I've ever worn any makeup for 24 hrs on my face, so I don't know about that part, but it is long-lasting. The color is also good with my skin tone and has no problem blending.
My only problem with this foundation is that it's not mattifying. Yes it stays on long, but my face gets really oily and I'm constantly having to blot my face throughout the day. My ideal foundation is a mattifying one, and this just isn't it.

I have never used a mascara brush this tiny before, so this was definitely something I had to get used to when using this mascara. It's perfect for defining each lash, especially on the lower lashline. This would be great if you like a more natural everyday look for your lashes, without a lot of volume or drama.
I've compared the Lash Discovery brush to the L'Oreal Million Lashes Mascara so you can see the difference in their size.

I prefer a little more volume for my lashes, but for just a day look, this mascara is fine. I love using it on my bottom lashes; it's much easier to use and the waterproof formula takes care of any smudging problems.

Weekend Links

2011-10-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

-Watch this amazing commercial for Dermablend concealer - - - Bellasugar

-Try these full-coverage drugstore foundations for Fall - - - Makeup and Beauty Blog

-A cute way to use nail polish - - - A Beautiful Mess

-Read up on these famous authors' surprising hobbies - - - Flavorwire

-Miss Piggy gets her own makeup line from MAC - - - NY Mag

-DIY your own cute fall coasters - - - Wild Olive

-These neckwarmers/cowls look sooo comfy :) - - - paper n stitch

Have a great weekend!

October Luxebox!

2011-10-19T22:50:00.000-07:00

This month's Luxebox came in a new redesigned box. I love the sleek look of the box.

Opening it revealed a personalized pamphlet with descriptions of the items included in the Luxebox, as well as a $25 off coupon for use on Dealuxe.ca.

I love that they included a full size nail polish! I would have to say that this month's is my favorite Luxebox so far!

Mini Reviews

2011-10-18T23:04:00.000-07:00

I'm starting a new series where I review 2 or 3 new items that I've just started trying out and give my initial thoughts on them. At least one of them will be a miss for me and the other will be a new favorite.
First is the Eve Pearl Anti-Shine Mattifying Gel.

When you apply it to your skin, it goes on pretty smoothly and is transparent. It's best to apply a thin layer otherwise it can dry your skin out a little. So, my main problem is that, even though it is an anti-shine mattifying gel, it does not mattify my skin! I apply it where I get oily, which is mainly on my T-zone, and I don't see any difference compared to not using it. So again, another product that I thought would be able to control my oiliness but has failed. :(

Next is the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer.

I love this concealer! I mainly use it for covering dark circles, which it is perfect for. The formula is really blendable and is also great for brightening the entire eye area. The coverage is quite opaque and you only need a small amount.

Target Haul

2011-10-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to the States to do a little bit of shopping. :) I love going to Target; they have way better prices than here and they usually have 2 products for the price of 1.

-Sonia Kashuk eye makeup remover - it came with a mini size makeup remover. read my review.
-Sonia Kashuk brush cleanser
-Garnier Anti-Dark Circle Roller, tinted version - I've been wanting to try this for soo long
-Vaseline Cocoa Butter Vitalizing Gel Body Oil - heard about this from emilynoel83 on youtube
-Maybelline Lash Discovery Waterproof Mascara
-e.l.f. Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara
-Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer
-Vaseline Deep Moisture Jelly + Lip Therapy

Review: St. Ives Cleansing Cloths

2011-10-07T22:04:00.000-07:00

I love using cleansing cloths to remove my makeup. I like seeing all the makeup come off and know that my face is clean.
I usually use the Balea brand cloths from Shoppers Drug Mart (see my review here), but they were sold out, so I am trying these St. Ives Cloths.
These come with 32 cloths for around $7. The package is a good size to take with you if you are going on a trip; it's very travel-friendly with the plastic lid.

The cloth is pretty average in size and, as you can see, has a smoother texture than other cloths I've used. It's very gentle to use, not irritating at all, especially around my eyes. It removes makeup fairly well; there have been times where I've had to use it on a certain area more than once though.
I don't have any other complaints about it. I just wish that it came with more cloths in a bigger package so that I wouldn't have to keep going out to buy refills!

New Haircare Products

2011-10-05T20:22:00.000-07:00

I've been using these Kerastase products that I received in my last Luxebox off and on since I received them. I really like the smell and I think that it really makes my hair soft and manageable. I've never tried Kerastase products before, but I know they are really good quality and are great for reviving dry, damaged hair.

I recently ordered this Macadamia Natural Oil Travel Set from Hautelook. It comes with 5 travel size products, a wide-toothed comb that is infused with the macadamia oil, and a handy little travel bag.
Items included are the Nourishing Leave-in Cream, Healing Oil Treatment, Deep Repair Masque, Moisturizing Rinse, and Rejuvenating Shampoo.
If you've read my blog before, you know that I've recently been trying out natural products for my hair, such as argan oil. I wanted to try out Macadamia Oil to see if it would bring the same results for my hair. I've tried everything except the Deep Repair Masque. I really like these so far; they have a nice smell (definitely a plus), and my hair feels so soft! I've been blow-drying and straightening my hair a lot lately, and after using the healing oil treatment especially, I haven't seen any significant damage to my hair. I think it really moisturizes and smooths my hair.
I like the wide-toothed comb; I think it's cool that it is infused with the natural oil so whenever you comb your hair you're still getting the benefits from the oil.
I would definitely consider repurchasing some of these products. My favorite so far would probably be the healing oil treatment, just because I don't like using too many products on my hair, so just a small amount of the oil treatment on my ends really helps to keep them moisturized and healthy.

Bright Turquoise Liner

2011-10-05T19:58:00.000-07:00

Items Used:

-light champagne e/s as highlight for inner corner and browbone
-NYX Dallas e/s in crease
-Clarins Eye Shimmer Pencil in Turquoise Flash
-MAC Shimmermoss e/s - to set eye pencil
-Maybelline Unstoppable eyeliner in Onyx on upper and lower waterline
-L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara

Depotting my MAC eyeshadows

2011-09-24T16:24:00.000-07:00

I was recently given a MAC eyeshadow palette and so I decided to depot my 2 MAC eyeshadows that I own. I was also able to use it to keep my NYX eyeshadows in; the trio eyeshadows are the right shape for the palette.

I already depotted Shimmermoss. My NYX eyeshadows on the left are from the Lake Moss trio.
Next, I'm going to be depotting Shroom. I learned this technique from Youtube. :)

Take a tweezer or sharp object and gently pry apart the top pan from the bottom of the container.
You should have something that looks like this:

Next, you'll need a pair of wire cutters to cut the plastic away from the metal pan. You have to be really careful with this part so you don't damage the actual eyeshadow.

Yeah I messed up on this one. I dented the pan and damaged a little of the eyeshadow. =( But basically you want to see the side and bottom of the metal pan. Take some rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip and press it into the bottom edge of the pan so that it goes underneath the pan and can eat away at the glue holding it in. You can then take your tweezer and very carefully pry the metal pan away from the plastic.

Ta-da!
Now, you can either write the name of your eyeshadow on a sticker and put it on the back of the pan, or you can use the original MAC label.
Light a candle and hold the plastic container with the label on it as close to the flame without burning it. The label will peel off. While the glue is still sticky, stick the label onto the back of your pan.

And don't accidentally rip your label like I did!
There you go, my MAC eyeshadow is successfully depotted and in my new MAC palette. I'm not sure if MAC would accept the empty containers for Back-to-MAC, or if they need to actually be used completely. If you know another way of depotting your eyeshadows, please leave a comment below!