Beauty Blog, Makeup Reviews, Hair Tutorials, Fashion How to | xoxo, Emmy

Switching from Blogger to Wordpress

2013-07-18T23:15:00.001-04:00

In about 7 days, XoxoEmmy will be switching from blogger to wordpress. The site will be going through major construction work so please pardon our dust while we make our way over.

love you all!

xoxo,

Emmy

Urban Decay Fall 2013 Face Chart / How to Looks

2013-07-17T16:56:00.000-04:00

Urban Decay has revealed 2 new looks for the Fall 2013. These two new looks compose of their new products, including Naked Flushed.

Get The Urban Decay F-Bomb look:

Apply Verve eyeshadow (From Naked2 Palette)
Line eyes with Perversion 24/7 Waterproof liquid eyeliner
Apply Naked Flushed to cheeks
Line lips with Venom Glide-On Lip Pencil
Apply F-Bomb Revolution lipstick to lips

Get The Urban Decay Shame look:

Apply Verve eyeshadow (From Naked2 Palette)
Line eyes with Perversion 24/7 Waterproof liquid eyeliner
Apply Naked Flushed to cheeks
Line lips with Venom Glide-On Lip Pencil
Apply Shame Revolution lipstick to lips

Special Note

All the products/shades (Verve, Perversion, Naked Flushed, & Venom) are the same except for the lipstick, which means that this look is probably compatible with any lipstick from the Urban Decay Revolution lipstick line.

xoxo,

Emmy

did you try the tutorial? Post your finished look below!

The True Cost of Your Nail Polish

2013-07-17T01:18:00.001-04:00

Nail polishes often come in various sizes though the standard size appears to be 0.5 fl oz (Opi, China Glaze, Essie, etc). When Julep averages at $14 for 0.27 fl oz and MAC $16 for 0.34 fl oz, do you know which brand is more expensive? We are going now going to pretend that every nail polish brand comes in the exact same bottle with the exact same size (1 fl oz or 29.5 ml).

Here is the list by price (image):

FINDINGS

Did you know that Julep at $14 (0.27 fl oz) is actually more expensive than MAC at $16 (at 0.34 fl oz)?
- China Glaze, Opi, Zoya, and Essie all cost the same. The same with Estée Lauder & Givenchy.
Butter London might be cheaper in sticker price compare to illamasqua but overall illamasqua is cheaper cause the bottle provides more nail polish
Overall low end brands will cost you around $10 per 1 fl oz, mid range $30, high end mid range $50 and high end brands $70
High end brands are tiny! They are typically only around .30 fl oz. Oddly, mid-range brands offer the most nail polish at around .50 fl oz (low end brands typically are around .40)
If you're going "high brand", Tom Ford offers the most nail polish.
Forever 21 and H&M may be each other's competion, but not in nail polish prices! Forever 21 is significantly cheaper than the H&M branded nailpolish
Wet N Wild is overall the cheapest brand, by Terry is the most expensive (significantly more expensive than the 2nd most expensive brand Yves Saint Laurent)
If you're all about who provides the MOST nail polish, Orly does at .6 fl oz. Lancome & Le Metier (Both considered high end) offer the least in terms of actual nail polish fluid.

For those who may find the image tiny

Brand	Price (Average $US)	Size (Fl oz)	True Cost per Fl Oz
Wet n Wild	$1.99	0.45	$4.42
ELF	$2.00	0.34	$5.88
Forever 21(Love & Beauty)	$2.80	0.47	$5.95
NYX	$2.99	0.5	$5.98
NYC Color	$1.99	0.33	$6.03
Rimmel London	$2.99	0.4	$7.47
Revlon	$4.99	0.5	$9.98
Cover Girl	$5.00	0.5	$10.00
Claire's	$5.00	0.5	$10.00
ULTA	$4.00	0.33	$12.12
Sally Hasen	$3.99	0.31	$12.87
Maybelline	$2.99	0.23	$13.00
Orly	$8.50	0.6	$14.16
H&M	$4.99	0.33	$15.12
L'Oreal	$5.99	0.39	$15.35
China Glaze	$8.00	0.5	$16.00
Essie	$8.00	0.5	$16.00
Opi	$8.00	0.5	$16.00
Zoya	$8.00	0.5	$16.00
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics OCC	$10.00	0.5	$20.00
POP Beauty	$10.00	0.5	$20.00
Sparitual	$10.00	0.5	$20.00
the Balm	$10.00	0.5	$20.00
nails inc	$9.50	0.33	$28.78
NCLA	$15.00	0.5	$30.00
Deborah Lippmann	$16.00	0.5	$32.00
Rococo	$16.50	0.5	$33.00
Ciate	$15.00	0.45	$33.33
illamasqua	$17.00	0.5	$34.00
Butter London	$15.00	0.4	$37.50
Inglot	$14.00	0.37	$37.83
Nars	$19.00	0.5	$38.00
Clinique	$12.50	0.3	$41.66
Lynnderella	$22.50	0.5	$45.00
MAC	$16.00	0.34	$47.05
bobbi brown	$18.00	0.37	$48.60
Laura Mercier	$18.00	0.35	$51.42
Julep	$14.00	0.27	$51.85
JINsoon	$18.00	0.33	$54.54
Anna Sui	$15.00	0.27	$55.55
Dolce & Gabbana	$24.00	0.37	$64.80
Estée Lauder	$20.00	0.3	$66.66
Givenchy	$20.00	0.3	$66.66
Chanel	$27.00	0.4	$67.50
Guerlain	$23.00	0.33	$69.69
Le Metier	$10.00	0.14	$71.42
Lancome	$15.00	0.21	$71.42
Dior	$24.00	0.33	$72.72
Tom Ford	$30.00	0.41	$73.17
Yves Saint Laurent	$25.00	0.34	$73.52
By Terry	$30.00	0.33	$90.90

Like how many cookies you get in a box, its important to know how much nail polish you get in a bottle. Because size bottle determines how many manicures, now you know your nail polish true cost.

And for kicks and giggles, here are the brands in order of size rather than cost:

Brand	Price (Average $US)	Size (Fl oz)	True Cost per Fl Oz
Le Metier	$10.00	0.14	$71.42
Lancome	$15.00	0.21	$71.42
Maybelline	$2.99	0.23	$13.00
Julep	$14.00	0.27	$51.85
Anna Sui	$15.00	0.27	$55.55
Clinique	$12.50	0.3	$41.66
Estée Lauder	$20.00	0.3	$66.66
Givenchy	$20.00	0.3	$66.66
Sally Hasen	$3.99	0.31	$12.87
NYC Color	$1.99	0.33	$6.03
ULTA	$4.00	0.33	$12.12
H&M	$4.99	0.33	$15.12
nails inc	$9.50	0.33	$28.78
JINsoon	$18.00	0.33	$54.54
Guerlain	$23.00	0.33	$69.69
Dior	$24.00	0.33	$72.72
By Terry	$30.00	0.33	$90.90
ELF	$2.00	0.34	$5.88
MAC	$16.00	0.34	$47.05
Yves Saint Laurent	$25.00	0.34	$73.52
Laura Mercier	$18.00	0.35	$51.42
Inglot	$14.00	0.37	$37.83
bobbi brown	$18.00	0.37	$48.60
Dolce & Gabbana	$24.00	0.37	$64.80
L'Oreal	$5.99	0.39	$15.35
Rimmel London	$2.99	0.4	$7.47
Butter London	$15.00	0.4	$37.50
Chanel	$27.00	0.4	$67.50
Tom Ford	$30.00	0.41	$73.17
Wet n Wild	$1.99	0.45	$4.42
Ciate	$15.00	0.45	$33.33
Forever 21(Love & Beauty)	$2.80	0.47	$5.95
NYX	$2.99	0.5	$5.98
Revlon	$4.99	0.5	$9.98
Cover Girl	$5.00	0.5	$10.00
Claire's	$5.00	0.5	$10.00
China Glaze	$8.00	0.5	$16.00
Essie	$8.00	0.5	$16.00
Opi	$8.00	0.5	$16.00
Zoya	$8.00	0.5	$16.00
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics OCC	$10.00	0.5	$20.00
POP Beauty	$10.00	0.5	$20.00
Sparitual	$10.00	0.5	$20.00
the Balm	$10.00	0.5	$20.00
NCLA	$15.00	0.5	$30.00
Deborah Lippmann	$16.00	0.5	$32.00
Rococo	$16.50	0.5	$33.00
illamasqua	$17.00	0.5	$34.00
Nars	$19.00	0.5	$38.00
Lynnderella	$22.50	0.5	$45.00
Orly	$8.50	0.6	$14.16

xoxo,

Emmy

Sephora by Opi: Let's Plié & Julep Fireworks Swatch & Review

2013-07-16T16:30:00.003-04:00

Let's Plié is a opaque metallic light beige color. I added Mattnificent Matte Top Coat but it did not matte the shade so it is not worth mentioning (Mattnificent Matte Top Coat is part of the Chalkboard Manicure which might have its own separate review later on).

Swatch Gallery

As you can see, the metallic-ness slightly remains despite Ciate Mattnificent Matte Top Coat.

I added Julep's Fireworks as a glitter to coat on my 3rd day.

Middle fingers have 1 coat of Julep Fireworks, thumb and pinky have 2 coats

all fingers have 2 coats of Julep Fireworks (see top picture for 1 coat)

In the first picture, middle fingers have 1 coat of Julep Fireworks, and the thumb and pinky have 2 coats. In the 2nd picture, all fingers have 2 coats of Julep Fireworks (see top picture for 1 coat).

My Review

Sephora by Opi: Let's Plié

This is such a pretty nude shade, and its a shamed the entire Sephora by Opi line is being discontinued, to be replaced by a more expensive in-house brand (Sephora by X). I added the Ciate Mattnificent Matte Top Coat to my nails on my first day to get a more matte look. It did nothing! It did not matte this shade at all (though it lost some of its metallic feel, but its still pretty much the same shade).

Julep Fireworks

Julep Fireworks is a Red, white and blue multi-dimensional glitter top coat. Like most glitter top coats it takes forever to remove but it looks great by itself or as an accent or overlay for just about any color, especially lighter, neutral shades like Sephora by Opi's Let's Plié.

Availability

Sephora by Opi: Let's Plié

This shade was originally sold by Sephora but the entire Sephora by Opi line has been discontinued.

You may find this shade at Sephora if its still available as well Ebay & Amazon.

Julep Fireworks

Available on Sephora, Ebay & Amazon.

xoxo,

Emmy

Disclosure: I bought this formula and I am not affiliated with Sephora by Opi nor Julep.

Glee' star Cory Monteith found dead at 31 in hotel in Canada

2013-07-14T02:28:00.002-04:00

Its been announced that Cory Monteith had died from a drug overdose at the Vancouver's Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel on Saturday. He was 31.

Cory Monteith has been troubled for some time. He stated he started drug use at a very early age, 13, and he had gone to rehabilitation twice already for treatment, the last time being in April.

While his death may not be in any relation to makeup or nail polish, its important to realize how fragile our lives can be and how important it is to support our loved ones if they are battling addiction, be it drugs, alcohol or other vices.

xoxo,

Emmy

RiRi Hearts MAC Fall Collection (October 3, 2013) Preview

2013-07-09T19:40:00.002-04:00

Credit: letstalkbeautyx

Photo By John Aquino

Riri Hearts MAC Fall Collection has been announced and it will premiere on October 3rd in all locations. This collection will have Special Packaging.

Lipsticks

Riri Woo - cool toned red

Ttt - dark plum

Who's that chick - mid-tone orange with frost

Nude- cool nude cream

Lipglass

Riri woo - Cool toned red

Prolongwear Lip Pencils

Riri woo - cool toned red

Ttt - dark plum

Eye Quads

Her cocoa quad:

Bright bronze gold

Soft peach

Warm antique gold

Chocolate bronze

Smoked cocoa quad

Muted mid-tone grey

Mid-tone cool champagne

Black w/silver pearl pigments

Black charcoal

Veluxe brow liners

Deep brunette

Deep dark brunette

Mascara

Extended play gigablack mascara

Cream Colour Base

Diamonds - Soft pink beige w/gold pearl pigments

Blush

Bggg - Warm copper (s)

Blush Duo

Hk - No official shade listing as of yet

Lashes

Brushes

187SE

282SE

Source

xoxo,

Emmy

How to Look Like Rihanna: MAC Rihanna Face Chart

2013-07-09T19:27:00.000-04:00

don't you just hate when MAC face charts disappear off their website/social media sites to appear never again? Just in case it happens with this one, here is the Rihanna MAC Face Chart. Face Charts are illustrative diagrams featuring a look and the associated products to get that look. You can use a dupe to get a similar look. Here's Rihanna!

How to get Rihanna's look:

Face

M·A·C Wipes:
to clean and prep face

Prep + Prime Natural Radiance and Studio Moisture Fix SPF 15:
to hydrate skin

Prep + Prime Highlighter in Light Boost:
applied as needed to highlight

Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 in NC43:
applied over skin to even and tone

Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer and Pro Longwear Concealer in NW35:
applied only where needed to perfect

Medium Deep Mineralize Skinfinish Natural:
blended under the contour and over the apple of cheeks

Powder Blush in Pinch Me and Blunt:
applied over the apple of cheeks

Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish:
blended under the contour and over the apple of cheeks

EYES

Deep Brunette Veluxe Brow Liner:
used to shade and fill brows for a full, but natural look

Antique Diamond Paint Pot:
a sheer wash applied from the lash to the brow

Eye Shadow in Copperplate mixed with Print Eye Shadow:
applied to the crease for definition

On the Hunt Superslick Liquid Eye Liner:
applied through the upper lash line to define eyes

Extended Play Giga Black Lash:
swept through the lashes

1 Lash and 36 Lash:
applied to the upper lid to add depth and definition

LIPS

RiRi Woo Lipstick:
applied over the entire lip

Vino Lip Pencil:
to perfect lips

Lipglass in Rebel:
applied over lips (for Act 5+6)

Now if you are wondering where did this look come from, this is Rihanna's Diamonds Tour makeup look broken down by MAC.

This is the MAC face chart for her backup singers:

Singers' Look

Face

M·A·C Wipes:
to clean and prep face

Prep + Prime Natural Radiance and Studio Moisture Fix SPF 15:
to hydrate skin

Pro Longwear Foundation:
applied over skin to even and tone

Pro Longwear Concealer:
applied only where needed to perfect

Studio Careblend/Pressed Powder:
applied as needed to set and perfect skin

Powder Blush in Blunt:
applied over the apples of the cheek and Margin Powder Blush to highlight

EYES

Deluxe Brow Liner:
used to shade and fill brows for a full, but natural look

Arena Eye Shadow:
used to highlight

Amber Lights Eye Shadow:
applied all over lid

Bamboo Eye Shadow:
used to crease to contour and define

Penultimate Eye Liner in Rapid Black:
applied through the upper lash line to define eyes

False Lashes:
several coats added for depth and definition

LIPS

Prep + Prime Lip:
applied all over lips to hydrate and prep lips

Half-Red Lip Pencil:
to perfect lips

Crosswires Lipstick:
applied all over the lips

Love Nectar Lustreglass:
applied to finish the lips

These looks were designed by Christopher Del Castillo, Senior Artist, M·A·C Cosmetics

xoxo,

Emmy

OPI 4th of July Fireworks Mani How to Tutorial

2013-07-03T21:18:00.001-04:00

This is a manicure tutorial designed by OPI to mimic the color burst of fireworks.

You can use any red, white and blue nail polish you like. Just be sure to include your disposable eyeshadow wand. A base coat will strengthen your nails and prevent staining often caused by long term polish use. A top coat will ensure your mani lasts. The color recommended by OPI are from the Euro Centrale collection (My Vampire is Buff, My Paprika Is Hotter Than Yours, and I Saw...You Saw...We Saw...Warsaw.). The design is freestyle done with the wand.

xoxo,

Emmy

Julep: July Secret Store (For Julep Mavens)

2013-07-02T14:11:00.000-04:00

The Julep May Secret Store has open. This special store is only available for Julep Mavens who have not skipped their monthly box in the month selected. The store is only open for 72 hours and can be found by logging into your account, and click the "Secret Store" tab under "Monthly Maven Activities".

If you are not a Julep maven, and are thinking about becoming one, this is the secret store for the month of July:

Secret Store Prices

Nailpolish sets are $15.99 (2 sets $11.99)
nailpolishes are $6.99
lip glosses $6.99
dry shampoo $11.99
nail polish case $20.99

xoxo,

Emmy

Sephora by Opi has been discontinued, New Sephora X Line to take its place

2013-07-01T14:27:00.000-04:00

Sephora is amping up its nail polish game in a big–make that a really big–way. The mega-beauty retailer is launching its own line of over 200 (!) nail polishes. It’s quite possibly the biggest nail polish collection we’ve ever come across, and it’s certainly Sephora’s biggest foray into the category yet.

The collection, called Formula X, officially launches in September at all Sephora stores and online. The lacquers will sell for $10 to $12.50, and treatments for up to $14. Which is all pretty damn reasonable in this crazy world of $30 nail polishes.

Sephora has left no glittery stone unturned. Every possible color/effect has been incorporated into separate groups. There’s the “Colors” group which includes 94 classic colors and neutrals. It gets really fun when you delve into the “Effects,” which includes all the effects and various textured top coats. I tried out an amazing neutral-flecked-with-pastel matte glitter top coat, called Demolition, which caused multiple other editors at the preview event to go scampering to try some. From sheer translucent colors to neons, if you don’t find a color you like, then you probably just hate nail polish.

In addition to the colored lacquers, there’s a supporting team of nail treatments–like an erasing pen for when you goof and get color all over your fingers, quick dry products, cuticle oil, and strengthener, to name a few. Sephora’s Formula X “System” includes a base coat, top coat, and something you don’t see very often–a nail cleanser. This is that first step that you’re supposed to do to get all the oil off your nail beds, which helps the base coat stick better. In salons they usually use alcohol or nail polish remover for that task, but this one you just brush on and it evaporates, leaving a dry base.

There will also be seasonal and holiday collections, and colors in the permanent collection will be retired as trends come and go. The current Sephora by OPI line will be discontinued, and a Sephora rep told us they are kicking out a few other nail polish brands (though they were coy on which ones) to make room for this massive collection.

More pics @ source

xoxo,

Emmy

Free Julep's Fireworks with Any Purchase

2013-06-28T14:54:00.003-04:00

Julep has an ad that says if you stock up on any 4th of July colors (such as America the Beautiful for example), you can then add Fireworks and type in "FIREWORKS" in the promo code and get it for free!

However, I have verified that this code is working with ANY nail polish (as well as any nail-related product such as cuticle oil and freedom polymer coat), essentially a 2-for-1 deal with Fireworks for free. So if you're looking for a free glitter top coat, there you have it!

xoxo,

Emmy

My Purchase

Sephora by Opi: Three Way Mirror Swatch & Review

2013-06-27T19:45:00.000-04:00

Swatch Gallery

My Review

Three Way Mirror is a tawny pink brown and a gorgeous office appropriate color. One coat is enough to make this shade opaque, and like most Sephora by Opi formulas, it is relatively long lasting and chip resistant compared to other brands. This is a nice shade to wear to prom and clubs as it is on the classy side.

Sephora by Opi describes itself as "a line of 54+ trend-setting shades, puts the final touch on fingertips and toes with a top-quality formula you have come to expect from OPI. The long-lasting, chip-resistant polish ensures flawless results with each application, and its green ingredient list excludes DBP, toluene, and formaldehyde. Sephora by OPI combines the quality and color expertise of OPI, the world leader in professional nail color, with Sephora's reputation for the latest in beauty and sophistication."

Not too bold, and not too subtle. I am really happy to have bought this shade! :)

Availability

Sephora, Ebay & Amazon

xoxo,

Emmy

Disclosure: I bought this formula and I am not affiliated with Sephora by Opi.

Drew Barrymore Stars In Her Cosmetics Line Tutorials

2013-06-23T21:07:00.001-04:00

Sonya Leebenham for Babble writes:
Have you heard of Flower? Maybe I’m behind the curve, but I just learned of this cosmetics company yesterday. Perhaps it’s because Flower doesn’t advertise. That’s right – they don’t advertise. At all.

The concept behind the Flower cosmetics line is simple: eliminate the advertising budget and pass the savings along to consumers. This strategy allows them to offer luxury-quality makeup at drug store prices. In fact, Flower is exclusively found in Walmart stores and on Walmart.com.

So how does Flower publicize their product line? Well, it doesn’t hurt that Drew Barrymore is one of the owners. The actress uses her star power to help promote the line and even stars in video tutorials on the website.

Barrymore helped develop the line in collaboration with beauty product manufacturer Maesa and Walmart. Flower consists of 181 cosmetics including products for face, eyes, lips, and nails. Prices range from $4.98 to $13.98, making high-quality makeup accessible to a much wider demographic.

Better quality for less money sounds like a win-win to me.

BB Cream:

Petite Fleurs Pocket Triplets - Eyes

Lip Butter:

Nail Polish:

Blush/Bronze Duo:

Source 1 | 2

Julep: Maven Selection Boxes (July 2013)

2013-06-20T12:05:00.000-04:00

Julep's July Boxes bring focus to Julep's California Coast Collection. If you are considering joining Julep Maven, these are the June selections (for $19.99, You may only pick one box, and you can skip any month if you hate the offerings).

The focus of July Julep Maven's Box is the Julep's Beach Tonic Dry Body Oil:

The boxes are:

Modern Beauty Box:

Sea Salt Texture Spray
Beach Tonic Dry Body Oil

Boho Glam Box:

Karen (Peach Bellini Frost)
Faye (Liquid bronze shimmer)
Beach Tonic Dry Body Oil

Bombshell Box:

Joanna (lilac frost)
Blakely (Purple & green molten)
Beach Tonic Dry Body Oil

Classic with a Twist Box:

Cassie (soft coral sheer)
Alaina (driftwood taupe creme)
Beach Tonic Dry Body Oil

It Girl Box:

Nadia (sun-kissed golden frost)
Angela (deep sea blue molten)
Tracy (sparkly ocean blue) sea salt finish

The featured add-on are:

Adele - a reflective top coat to any nail color to create a multidimensional holographic effect.

Fireworks - a patriotic glitter top coat

or you can upgrade to the entire collection as well:

My Selection

~~I haven't decided yet but I am always leaning to 'it girl' ;)~~

EDIT: I UPGRADED AND TOOK THE ENTIRE COLLECTION!

xoxo,

Emmy

Disclosure: I paid for the July Julep Maven box. If you decide to become a Julep Maven and would like to use me as a referral, my invitation code is 13290431 :)

One Direction release Nail Polish range for Anti-Bullying Campaign

2013-06-18T13:59:00.001-04:00

One Direction have launched a range of nail varnishes and stationery to raise money for an anti-bullying campaign in the US.

The boyband have teamed up with Office Depot to design products including notebooks, pens and stickers, aimed at raising funds for an education program in schools across America to stamp out bullying.

Niall Horan said: "We're really excited to partner with Office Depot and help spread the anti-bullying message with our fans and students in schools across America.

"And you know we're not long out of school ourselves so we can relate. It's a problem that's fresh in our minds and we're eager to raise awareness on this subject."

"We hope the [video] will help raise awareness, especially since it will be played at our concerts across America."

Five nail polishes will be released next month as part of the 1D + OD Together Against Bullying campaign - blue for Harry Styles, lime green for Zayn Malik, purple for Horan, navy blue for Liam Payne and orange for Louis Tomlinson.

Source

Indroducing: Sailor Moon Cosmetics' Transformation Stick Nail Polish!

2013-06-11T12:28:00.000-04:00

The transformation sticks in the magical girl anime Sailor Moon R are inspiring the Nail Collection in the Miracle Romance line of Sailor Moon cosmetics from Bandai's cosmetic branch Creer Beaute. The tops of these transformation sticks are reimagined as a set of nail polish bottles slated for release this October. Pre-orders open on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on Bandai's official shopping site, Premium Bandai.

The collection includes five colors: pink for Sailor Moon, blue for Sailor Mercury, red for Sailor Mars, green for Sailor Jupiter, and orange for Sailor Venus. Pink, blue, and green have a pearl finish while red and orange are matte (Sailor Moon does not transform with a stick in the series but her color is represented nonetheless.)

Creer Beaute revealed the Shining Moon Powder as the first item in its Miracle Romance line to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Naoko Takeuchi's original manga and anime. The "presto powder" item draws inspiration from Sailor Moon R's Crystal Star Brooch, complete with its mirror frame and Silver Crystal design.

The Sailor Moon R Miracle Romance Nail Collection will retail for 5,250 yen (about US$53).

The Premum Bandai website offers Creamy Mami's Magical Stick Lip Cream, Urusei Yatsura's "deliciously scented Lovely Darling Fruit Tubes" and other cosmetics, and an entire line of Rose of Versailles beauty products.

Via Anime News

Dior Delice 433 Swatch & Review

2013-06-09T20:02:00.002-04:00

Swatch Gallery

Review

433 Délice is a limited edition sparkling bright coral shade and is part of the Dior Summer 2013 Summer Nails collection. There is a corresponding gloss in the Dior's Addict Gloss Collection as well. Delice is slightly cool toned and will come accross more peachy-orange on cool toned skin, and more red on warm toned skin (I lean on warm). The actual nail polish formula a lot darker than the stock photo. It is very cheap resistant, typically lasting about a week. Be sure your nails are completely free of acetone as I find that I get very tiny superficial bubbles on my nails whenever my nails aren't completely dried before I apply Delice. This doesn't happen too much with the other Dior shades.

LIMITED EDITION

Yes

xoxo,

Emmy

Disclosure: I bought Dior Vernis Nail Lacquer in Delice.

Disney Ariel Collection Coming Soon To Sephora

2013-06-07T10:23:00.001-04:00

About the Disney Ariel Collection

In the third chapter of Disney's Reigning Beauties by Sephora, Ariel invites you to be a part of her world in a daring journey of curiosity and discovery. Her tale is proof that true love is beyond words and you should always chase the life you desire. So dive in with your favorite Little Mermaid as she makes her Sephora debut with a stunning collection of treasures, beyond your wildest dreams. Find your voice. Be true to yourself. And dare to dream

The Ariel Collection will be released later this month in June at Sephora.com & in August in stores.

From Instagram user ahhh_mazing:

xoxo,

Emmy

Julep: Avery from "Classic with a Twist" Swatch & Review

2013-06-04T18:35:00.000-04:00

Swatch Gallery

Video Review

Nail Polish Review

This shade is true Barbie. If you have grown up with Barbie, then you will know what the signature bold pink Barbie shade is like. Avery is a perfect replica of that shade. Its very opaque and you only need 1 full coat. Julep is very chip resistant, and I kept this shade chip free for about 4 days without a top coat. Julep describes this shade as a Hot pink crème nail varnish. It is very bold, almost neon like. I love it, and its the first Julep shade that I truly LOVE as opposed to just like :)

Official Color & Brand Description

Color Description
Hot pink crème

What makes Julep Nail Color so great? Julep Nail Color is “4-free” and does not contain formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, or DBP. Our professional chip-resistant formulation is fast drying and highly pigmented. Julep nail color is a fun way to make the season’s latest shades accessible to everyone. And because we’ve tested our trend-setting toxin-free colors and products in over 100,000 manicures and pedicures in our parlors, we have a good idea of what works and what our clients love.

via Julep

Ingredients

Butyl Acetate, Ethyl Acetate, Nitrocellulose, Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol/Trimellitic Anhydride Copolymer, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, BIS (Glycideoxyphenyl) Propane/Bisaminomethylnorbornane Copolymer, Isopropyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Bentonite, Acrylates Copolymer, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Benzophenone-1, Silica, Aluminum Hydroxide, Trimethylpentanediyl Dibenzoate, Red 28 (CI 45410), Red 22 (CI 45380), Hexanal.

Availability

Sephora, Amazon, & Ebay

Disclosure: I bought this nailpolish.

xoxo,

Emmy

Beauty.com Lela Rose Designer Bag with Samples, Complimentary Gift with Purchase

2013-06-03T20:11:00.001-04:00

Lela Rose has teamed up with Beauty.com to create a Lela Rose Designer Bag filled with samples which is given to all customers free of charge with a $125 purchase.

This is the bag being offered:

and this is the bag that I received with my purchase of items:

Bag Review

The bag is true to what I expected it to be. There is a small zipper pouch in the front to put your cards in and your items inside are secured by both a zipper and a magnetic closure.

The samples advertise were:

it included a $10 off $40 coupon (its advertise as a gift card, but gift cards don't require a minimum value, this its a coupon) and a FULL SIZE Stila product.

Here is the list for all the samples:

Should you get this?

If you are already planning on making a purchase, YES. Especially if you were planning on buying either butter london, urban decay, or any other brand with another company like Sephora. Sephora has a beauty insider program, were $1 equals $1 point. You can get a deluxe sample for 100 points (or $100), but the deluxe sample is ONE item. These are VARIOUS items, including a full size Stila product. There is more stuff here than Sephora's 500 gift points items (which is usually 3 deluxe samples from 1 brand). The bag is great for holding makeup, if only it had straps so it could double up as a purse.

The previous Gifts with purchases bags from Beauty.com required only $100 (a $25 increase), and previous bags included a blue Richard Chai Bag and a mixed orange Lela Rose Spring Beauty Bag.

xoxo,

Emmy

Disclosure: I made a $125 order purchase to receive this bag. It was not given to me for free by Beauty.com

Lacquerous: Rent Monthly 3 High End Nail Polishes for $18

2013-05-31T18:19:00.001-04:00

Heard about Rent the Runway? Why not Rent the Nailpolish. There is a monthly nailpolish box still in beta stage called Lacquerous. The premise of Lacquerous is to rent 3 high end nail polishes for about $18. The price tag of $18 might increase or decrease once Lacquerous is out of the beta stage but that is the current price.

Rent you say?

Yes. You pick from a few selections and they sent you three. The bottles can be previously used or new. You promise to apply the nailpolishes a total of 3 applications maximum, and then you return the nail polishes in 30 days.

The brands are:

Channel, Dior, Tom Ford, Dolce & Gabbana, MAC, Deborah Lippmann, Nars & Butter London

Should you get this?

Now with Julep, I get 3 nail polishes for roughly the same price (Julep is a little bit higher with $19.99), and with these nailpolishes, I get to keep them, even gift them to a friend by imputing their home address. If you REALLY love high end nail polish, or one to try a month so you can see what they are like, then this is a good program for you. High end nail polishes' formulas tend to be superior and more chip resistant. For 30 days, you get to try 3 nailpolishes up to 3 times. This gives you a week and 3 days to wear each manicure. That's pretty of time to wear 1 nail polish 1 time, with touchups on the 5/6th day so that it lasts a little longer, or you can simply just reapply and start over.

Here's how Lacquerous describes their site:

1. JOIN

Request an invite to join the Lacquerous Community and share luxury lacquer with other members.

2. SELECT

Log in and pick your favorites to add to your Lust List. Pick from this season's hottest colors and brands. Your choices will help inform us of your tastes.

3. ROCK IT

For only $18/month (less than the price of one luxury lacquer) you will receive your selection of THREE designer lacquers available at Lacquerous. Take them to the salon or use them at home. Snap a pic & share it with your friends (and us!).

4. SHIP BACK

Your box of 3 lacquers will be sent to you with pre-paid return packaging. Remember: treat your nail polish as you would want to receive it. Keep other Lacquerous members in mind. Once we receive your return package, we will ship you a new selection. Easy!

From Lacquerous's FAQ:

What is Lacquerous?: Lacquerous is the first online nail polish sharing service for luxury nail lacquer. It is free to request membership.
Is the nail polish new?: Lacquerous works like a nail polish club. Nail polish is reused similar to the way polish is reused at a salon or at a department store. Therefore it can be either a new bottle or a used one (we'll never send you anything that is less than half-full). After the nail polish is returned it is inspected (for quality and cleanliness) and sent to another member.
Is it unhygienic to reuse nail polish?: Due to the cocktail of chemicals found in nail polish, no bacteria, fungus or any living microorganisms can survive in it. In fact, it dies within minutes. According to scientific research (and our friendly microbiologist), "The cocktail of ingredients in nail polish is really tough to be resisted by microorganisms including bacteria or fungi. Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, toluene, isopropyl alcohol, tosylamide/formaldehyde are organic solvents and in combination they are the toughest to be resisted or tolerated by microorganisms. Therefore nail polish is safe to share." Lacquerous inspects all nail polish for cleanliness and quality. Nail polishes are sealed for at least 2-3 days in transit and brushes are cleaned upon return. If you would like to read more information on the science of sharing nail polish, please click here.
How many times can I use the nail polish?: You can use it on yourself for up to approx. three applications throughout the month. Why three, you ask? While testing we found most women - when presented with three color options in a 30-day period - used the lacquer twice (at the most). Lacquerous also monitors the amount of nail lacquer in each bottle to ensure there is no abuse of club policies. We trust our members to abide by our guidelines but they are just that - guidelines. We want you to enjoy your lacquer.
Can I cancel my subscription at anytime?: Yes. You can cancel at anytime and return the lacquer after the 30-day period.
What happens if I keep my shade for longer than 30 days?: Delays happen and life gets busy. We understand reasonable delays. However, please notify Lacquerous immediately otherwise you may be charged the cost of the nail polish and return shipping after the 35-40 day period.
What if I ship it back before 30 days?: You're definitely a nail addict like us! Your next package will be shipped out after 30 days from original ship dat
Why is my bottle half full?

Membership is free but its still at beta stage so they are only allowing in a certain amount of members in at a time. I requested an invite to try out the program, but at time of writing, am not a member.

If you are a member, tell us what you think about the service below!

xoxo,

Emmy

How to Create Showstopper Eyes

2013-05-31T11:23:00.000-04:00

Allure's lastest magazine issue has Zoe Saldana on the cover, and this lovely page on how to create showstopper eyes.

This smokey blue eye was created by makeup artist Linda Cantello for the Giogio Armani show.

The key to getting a precise line is to make one swift, continuous stroke - don't pause, or it will look jagged. Cantello achieved this soft slate hue by blending both gray and blue powders together. A deep gray shadow in the crease creates a slightly smokey effect.

How to Create Showstopper Eyes

1. Using a soft gray pencil or chubby shadow stick, draw a thick line along the crease, winging it past the outer corners. Smudge the line with your finger to make it soft.

2. Sweep gray-blue powder all over the upper lids, then top the pencil the crease with a slightly darker shade of gray shadow for emphasis.

3. Trace the upper lashes with a black felt-tip linger, closely following your natural lash line. With a sky blue pencil, stack a thicker line directly above the black.

and you're all set!

xoxo,

Emmy

Zooey Deschanel's She & Him-Inspired Nail Decals

2013-05-30T20:19:00.001-04:00

File this under: It's about time!

Nail art enthusiast Zooey Deschanel is getting her own nail decals. The New Girl star and one half of band She & Him (her bandmate is M. Ward), is collaborating with Rad Nails for a set of limited edition nail stickers that match the pair's newest album cover.Unsurprisingly the decals fit Zooey's signature cute, retro style. The mod designs feature pastel bows and squares. Can you say adorkable?!

But the best part? The decal set is free when you buy the album from Merge Records using the coupon code NAILS. Which is a total steal and way easier than trying to DIY the actress' famous tuxedo nail art.

Source

Julep: Audrey from "Classic with a Twist" Swatch & Review

2013-05-29T17:54:00.001-04:00

Swatch Gallery

Video Review

Nail Polish Review

This is a pretty shade. Its very light and somewhat sheer. Even with two full coats, you can see the outlines of my nail. I guess its going to take 3 full coats to make it completely opaque. I don't mind that you can see the outlines of my nails, but I know some of my readers do. The soft light pink lends itself to a baby pink, and the micro-shimmer lets the nail shimmer from every angle. Like with most Julep shades, you have to be careful with strokes since you this nail polish dries pretty quickly and you can see uneven stroke lines if you are not careful. This is a nice bridesmaids color, but a little bit too shimmery pink for the office.

Official Color & Brand Description

Color Description
Soft light pink micro-shimmer.

What makes Julep Nail Color so great? Julep Nail Color is “4-free” and does not contain formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, or DBP. Our professional chip-resistant formulation is fast drying and highly pigmented. Julep nail color is a fun way to make the season’s latest shades accessible to everyone. And because we’ve tested our trend-setting toxin-free colors and products in over 100,000 manicures and pedicures in our parlors, we have a good idea of what works and what our clients love.
via Julep

Ingredients

Ingredients: Ethyl Acetate, Butyl Acetate, Nitrocellulose, Isopropyl Alcohol, Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol/trimellitic Anhydride copolymer, Triphenyl Phosphate, Trimethyl Pentanyl Diisobutyrate, Stearalkonium Bentonite, Ethyl Tosylamide, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Benzphenone-1, Citric Acid, Dimethicone, Tosylamide/Epoxy Resin, Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate, Diacetone Alcohol.
May Contain: Aluminum/Calcium/Sodium Silicate & Silica & Iron Oxide (CI77491), Isophorone Diamine/Isophthalic Acid/Tromethamine Copolymer & Yellow 8 (CI 45350), Synthetic Fluorphilogopite &Titanium Dioxide(CI77891) & Tin oxide, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate & Silica & Titanium Dioxide(CI77891) & Tin Oxide, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate & Silica & Titanium Dioxide(CI77891) & Tin Oxide, Mica (CI 77019), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red Iron Oxide (CI 77491), Black Iron Oxide (CI 77499), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), FD&C Yellow #5 Aluminum Lake (CI 19140), D&C Red #6 Barium Lake (CI 15850), D&C Red #7 Calcium Lake (CI 15850), D&C Red #30 Lake (CI 73360), D&C Red #34 Calcium Lake (CI 15880), Aluminum Powder (CI 77000).

Availability

Sephora, Amazon, & Ebay

Disclosure: I bought this nailpolish.

Taylor Swift debuts new fragrance "Taylor"

2013-05-29T16:52:00.000-04:00

Between the world tours, Keds partnership, awards show sweeps and Instagramming her cat, we don’t know how Taylor Swift finds time to come out with new fragrances.

And yet, she does. The singer follows up her Wonderstruck and Wonderstruck Enchanted scents with Taylor by Taylor Swift, a scent which Swift calls “a mix of a lot of things: It’s sweet, it’s sophisticated, it draws you in. It’s really my way of translating classic, yet modern, into a perfume.”

Swift says that each of her fragrances has reflected a time in her life, so this one is a little more grown up. “My first two fragrances were more about fairytales,” she says, “but this fragrance is more about my own style, so I wanted the name to be more personal.”

The bottle was designed to reflect Swift’s “retro with a modern flair” style and features a ring of pearls as a nod to her favorite jewelry. “Pearls are the one fashion accessory that never seems to go out of style,” the singer shares. “I keep a strand in my purse, and throw them on whenever I need to dress up my outfit.”

Ultimately, Swift says, she wants her fans to be able to channel her style wherever they go, with the help of the perfume’s mix of fruits, florals and woodsy scents. “I hope that wearing this fragrance makes fans feel that any look can be classic and chic,” she says.

Taylor by Taylor Swift will be available in Ulta stores and Ulta.com in late June.

Tell us: Are you excited to try Swift’s newest fragrance?

source

xoxo,

Emmy