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Well, Yes This Blog is Still Active

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 20:12:00 +0000

Hiiiii I haven't posted a draft in awhile.

A lot has happened in the past few years and without getting into all that in one post, I wanted to come back to this platform and say officially that I will be resuming activities with this beauty blog! So many cool opportunites have come from the establishment of this space something like a decade ago, and I want to come back to the place that made all that possible and share my journey so far with everyone whose here again.

The blog is probably going to start looking different in a few weeks as I update, remove, and migrate things over, but all posts going forward will still be topically related to beauty products. I have,,, over 400 different reviews I could share here. I could really write a book with all the content I've created in just the last four years 😅 Don't worry, I wont flood anyone's blog roll with back to back updates; I'll post up to two times per week and try to recommend only the best, just like I used to. I hope you'll enjoy and find value in the uploads going forward, and let me know if something I publish here really resonates!

Talk Soon,

Autumn

Good Things Happen When Youre Naked.

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 10:30:00 +0000

20190919 CloudNineKollektiv

Good Things Happen When You’re Naked.

Urban Decay x Influenster

The Experience:

So I’ve had this review in my bag for a little over a month while figuring out whether it should actually be shared; now that I’m filming and working with Influenster, it’s taking a loooot of tinkering to find a process for filming, editing, writing, and testing that feels natural and genuine but with all the deliberation I've come to the conclusion that it’s better to learn by doing- seriously, I’m running a blog that where all I do essentially, is test products. The way I do that should be pretty much be expected to change with time and practice (especially by myself). That being said, Influenster sent over two shades of foundations from Urban Decay’s most recent launch. The two shades, named 60WY for and 61NN, both medium deep tones, were sent to me complimentarily for testing purposes and I’m required to tell you so I’ll also add that these are 39USD per one ounce and it’s my first time ever wearing an Urban Decay foundation!

This new foundation launch, fittingly titled ‘Stay Naked Weightless Foundation’, was released over a month ago and features a whopping fifty shades, each with its own undertone crafted to compliment the wearer’s natural features. Being that this complexion product is a medium coverage offering with upward mobility, . I have to stress that I am not someone who uses medium coverage foundations, like period. Thats just my choice as I prefer foundations with higher pigment saturation and coverage and I want to use as few pumps as possible. I’m also partially to two skin finishes (plastic and something that looks vaguely like skin), and it’s attainable with with a medium cover foundation but it take me way to much time. Like, a full face is a forty minute activity most days with with either finish, I can easily imagine spending twice that time if I tried to used a foundation that its suited to those types of looks.

Amateur hour aside, I’ve used both of the shades sent to my, alone ad separate, and I’m unsurprised to find the warm one is more complimentary to my skin than the other. It could just be that I’ve knowingly been using the wrong undertone for years, it could be pigment mixing protocols improving drastically on a short period of time- it could be anything to be honest. Though I distinctly remember mentioning that the peachy hues in neutral foundations always look and feel safer than skewing pale gold, as many warm foundations tended to be, the last three or four times I’ve used warm foundation this year yielded pleasing results, and this time too is included in that count.

The foundation definitely lives up to it’s name of being weightless. Both in look and feel, it wears so light that and a few points throughout my testing days I just thought my skin looked that good. The only con for me is that it takes the skin finish at its range very seriously. I’m a girl with dry combination skin, so the foundation applies well and have good color, and the skin like finish isn't bad at all! It’s just not my taste. But it looked natural enough that strangers were complimenting my skin instead.

Maybe I’m alone in this, but the packaging reminds me of L.A.M.B. from back in the day. It’s glam, sleek, shiny, and practical. The product amount you see is what you're getting; because it’s UD I figured the tune would be full, but because of my curiosity, I had to open it to find out how full. Each of the two tubes was filled to just below the threads, a surplus of product if you’re just testing things most of the time, but pleasant if it’s staple in tour routine- I also appreciated having a full size on hand just because it just looks better when I’m taking photos for social media :).

The Verdict:

Pretty good! I exclusively use full coverage non SPF foundations and have not previously been a fan of this brand’s complexion offerings but that might have just changed with the stay naked line. I got it complimentarily for testing purposes and It’s very light both right out of the pump and on the skin- dries down with a my skin but better finish that doesn’t mute facial features/detail, it just works with what you have going on naturally. I have been testing this product alongside 61NN for about two weeks, here’s the application I’ve been doing: one application with color correcting/concealer underneath, one application with just primer/powder. The photo above is the powder application, the one below is the concealer as plication. I personally like the concealer application best- I prefer a plastic finish but the latter was also nice because it was complimentary to what my skin already had going on. Overall, I was able to get a good 12 hours of wear from one pump of each shade before having to blot- they still looked good 24 hours later as well. Although I can not recommend wearing this medium coverage foundation that long as a dry skin girlie, you can technically do it. So for that I’m rating this item four of five stars. Excellent work!

Rated: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So I Finally got my First Acryllic Mani.

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Mon, 11 Jan 2016 08:42:00 +0000

After years of following aesthetic blogs on Tumblr for the... aesthetic, I finally bit the bullet and got what bf affectionately refers to as "Thot Nails". Not the pseudonym I would have opted for since they've got a proper name, but for humor's sake I'm gonna roll with it. SO, I've never had my nails maintained professionally; this all came about one morning when my girlfriend text me. She was on my side of town and invited me on her appointment with her. Normally I would have declined; when I hear the word 'Salon', I naturally don't dare to walk in unscheduled. It's just rude, or so I thought: she took me to a place that accepts walk ins (and is open twenty-four hours). There weren't more than two guests already seated so we didn't have to wait long before that magic happened.

Now, when I say I've never had my nails professionally maintained, what I really mean is that aside from the NOTD posts you all get to see almost bi-weekly, I've never had any professional help to get my nails to look like they do; not even to get them shaped, which I heard is like, a big deal. Anyway, our appointments took less than an hour even with all the extra stuff we got done: acrylics, gel, shaping, and then my friend got stencils over her last coat, which didn't last long but it looked good the first day so we didn't think much of it, since the design wasn't extra. Over time, I think I had consistent problems with the middle and index finger on both hands; the rest of them pretty much held up for three months.

I know, I know. You're not supposed to keep acrylics that long. Not only did I have an obvious amount of space between my new growth and the color, but the nails started to grow out from underneath. So I caved and got them redone at the same place with a regular lacquer. Gel is nice and doesn't chip (very easily) but it cost more and my nails basically grew out eleven minutes after my appointment ended, every time. So standard varnish quite literally saved me.

I had the color redone that morning. The space between my install/cuticles = mani meltdown.

Would it have been easier to just have the nails removed? Yes (and no), for one thing even getting them removed cost money; aside from that, my nails grew out as they normally do underneath the acrylics and I didn't want to cut them... Until I went to get one or two nails refitted. My technician clipped the nail off too close to my skin and lifted the rest off with her bare hands. Painful and had I known better at the time, my cue to leave. once they were on I paid and left. One nail salon didn't sour the magic of the whole, entire ordeal for me, but it was enough of a wake up call so that I went on to maintain the nails on my own so that no more would break until I was ready to take them off.

Don't get me wrong; having nice, 400 likes-worthy nails was nice, and having someone else do it all for me was even nicer. But it was a habit I couldn't really keep up with considering the fields I work in (and not sanitary probably. My boss would have a fit). I think I was able to throw on about four different shades in between all the maintenance, not that I remember what their called. None of them were me, but when you're trying something new, it's gonna be a little uncomfortable. A little wiggle room and voila, suddenly if felt fresh as hell. I'm not gonna lie, they did make me feel like everything I wore for those three month was gram-worthy. In the future though, I'm gonna stick with gel over my natural nails, and that's assuming they ever grow in the same.

This is what I like to call 'PSL'. I'm sure that's what it's actually called, OPI churned this one out.

20150518 FOTW

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Wed, 20 May 2015 10:29:00 +0000

Guess who just got a contouring palette. I'm gonna be completely honest: there isn't a whole lot of differences between a contour palette and a matte eyeshadow.. Which I usually use to contour instead. The one I got was ULTA brand and created for light to medium skin with a neutral/cool tones. What I liked the most was the size of the pans, and the handy little shading guide that came with it.. That, I also didn't use. I just didn't need it, looking at the diagram and then looking at my bare face, I probably would have looked like pennywise in drag.. maybe. Anyway, I just want to point out that adding contour extended my routine by an hour! Blending everything and correcting the tone? Not a fan of it, but I'll take the teachable moment with a grain of salt, gotta remember not everything in store is made *just for me* haha. Here's what I'm working with:

ULTA CONTOUR PALETTE
ESSENCE SUPERFINE EYELINER PEN
ESSENCE EYELASH FIBRES
WET N' WILD EYELINER PENCIL, GREY
Rimmel ScandalEyes Rockin' Curves Mascara, Carbon Black
NICKA COSMETICS LIP COLOR, BLACK
RIMMEL LIP LINER, CLEAR
IMAN COSMETICS FOUNDATION STICK, CLAY 3
SEPHORA MATTIFYING COMPACT, D55
MAYBELLINE THE NUDES EYESHADOW PALETTE
FLOWER BEAUTY SKIN PRIMER BY DREW BARRYMORE

I felt like I had a wet blanket on my face, but you know what they say about beauty being a pain. Anyway, I'm pretty satisfied with this look, I feel like I properly channeled the late nineties grunge aesthetic I grew up on. It's funny how little things like that make their way back into your life, I had no idea how affected I was, and it feels like it just crept over me while I was working on this look. This is definitely going into my look book, I am so with it.

Shany Cosmetics Vibraint 120 color Palette Pictoral

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 07:41:00 +0000

This is my favorite palette so far. It's Shany cosmetics 120 color vibrant palette, I bought it specifically for the row of reds when I was on my red kick. Actually, I haven't even touched the other half of the palette (pictured last, on the right). I like eyeshadow trays with an array of color that stay the matte course, but this is good because each pan is tone specific and the concentrated pigment shows up well on deeper tones of skin without the use of primer ( which I don't recommend). It was nineteen dollars via the wish app, regular retail varies.

This is one of the looks I created with this palette; I'm working up the gumption to use the greens this summer with some copper shimmer. So far I like every color I've used, and I'm looking forward to exploring the other products That Shany has to offer, including the lipstick collections!

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Underage Red

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 01:54:00 +0000

Okay so this is my first ever liquid lipstick. I was trying to hold off on buying one until Jeffree Star's line took off, but it took like a year and my patience wore extra thin so, I bought this as an interim. It's not bad, in fact I even like the other colors this line comes in, but since I don't frequent sephora anymore, that means I'm gonna have to kiss this line goodbye. But first, a review:
Continued »

LIME CRIME ALTERNATIVES

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 05:25:00 +0000

So I’ve been seeing a lot of people post about how they want to try Lime Crime but like not really considering their CEO’s rapsheet and general messiness and it seems like it’d be great if there were some other brands with comparable products of equal or greater value. There are!

SHANY COSMETICS

They have a line of liquid lipsticks that come in quite a few web trending shades and they’re selling for $7.00
Recommended Shades:
Corset, Time Warp, Pop Culture, Bold Spirit
ColourPop Cosmetics

At $5.00 per tube these colors meet and exceed expectations. These aren’t liquid formulas, but with the depth of color and durability this brand boasts it’s kind of a non-factor
Recommended Shades: Pitch, Leather, Creature, Feminist
Anastasia Beverly Hills , $20.00

Recommended shades: Sad Girl, Heathers
Coloured Raine Cosmetics , $16.00
Recommended shades: Electric Raine, Soul, Mars
Makeup Academy , $4.42

Recommended Shades: A Flush, Atomic

Jeffree Star Cosmetics , $18.00
Recommended Shades: I’m Royalty, Unicorn Blood
Dose of Colour Cosmetics, $18.00

I would personally buy them all, I don’t have any color recs here.

Impulse Cosmetics, $6.99

Recommended Shades: Dhalia, Medusa, Melancholy, Agent X
Sleek Makeup, $7.49

Recommended Shades: Fandango Purple, Birthday Suit
3 Concept Eyes, $17~21.00

Recommended Shades: 701 , 702 , Dubious, 807 (All matte with some as crayons)
Makeup Forever HD, $24.00

Recommended Shades: 08 Red, 11 Dark Raspberry
! If you can try it in-store, please do it, colors in some computer monitors may not reflect actual color of products.
bITE Beauty (@ sephora only so far)
Recommended Shades: Port, Crush
Clio Cosmetics, $17.59

Recommended Shades: Tension Red, Rumor Coral, Toxic Pink
and also there’s a huge pictorial for Sample Hime if you’re looking to buy from overseas

Else, you can direct any questions to my twitter handle, @cloud9kollektiv. Cheers!

Valentia Skincare Even Glow Serum 20 Percent

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 08:57:00 +0000

Good evening lovelies, hope you've been staying warm, safe and hydrated. It's officially Winter in sand land so I'm bundled up to my ears in itchy sweaters. I love the cold weather but I was definitely not built for it. Speaking of things that have made their debut, my Winter skin is here. I'm not excited for flake-y and cake-y to get together on my dime, but I am excited for all the great products I've been trying to combat the duo. Recently, I've become a fan of microdermabrasions, bentonite clay facials, raw nut butters, and vitamin C serums. I've taken a liking to C serums in particular because the help balance my complexion in the colder months when my skin would be more susceptible to breakouts and inflammation. The one pictured above is from Valentia Skin care, and I'm very excited to share it with you!
I have been using this serum for three weeks, and I just about swear that there is a second bottle in my future. Since I've used C serums in the past that did not give me anywhere near the results I wanted, I was skeptical about whether or not this product would live up to its acclaim. Not only does it have a five star rating on the market place (the first heads up), it has a great blend of ingredients like sea buck thorn, rose hip oil, and green tea, all great for trouble skin that still needs the kick of vitamin c without the side effects. After reading a directory's worth of positive reviews, it was time to take a leap of faith with this one. I was able to start using it almost immediately since it shipped in two days flat, which is impressive for standard shipping. The carton it came in was a big sell for me, I'm such a sucker for product design; the golden foil borders and minimalistic typeface just make the whole product seem that much more polished.
The smell was not my favorite, I'll admit it. A lot of the reviews I read had people raving about how good it smelled, how it was a 'pleasant surprise'. I mean, I do get it, the last vitamin c serum I used smelled like fish skin; I am just not into the smell, very reminiscent of orange starburst. The consistency reminds me more of an emulsion than a serum. Its viscosity is a bit low to be in the serum category, but that's the more accepted terminology, am I right? Anyway, it still absorbs into the skin very quickly so I don't have to massage it in too much, unless I just feel like rubbing on my skin (and it most cases, I do). I can wear this day or night time and it really does give my skin a healthy glow. I didn't get that impression immediately, but even my esthetician complimented me on my complexion after the first week. With two weeks of use, I noticed that the tone and texture of my skin had improved so much that I didn't find using my toner or extra moisturizers to be a necessity in my routine. I still had a few acne clusters in my brow and chin area, but they weren't as easily irritated and I could even have them extracted without worrying about post-acne discoloration.
Tomorrow will officially be three weeks of using this serum, and I have to say it's definitely become a staple in my skincare routine. It's thirty-five dollars a bottle on Amazon, and it ships prime if I'm not mistaken. I love this stuff but if I can't convince you guys to give it a try then maybe some of the lovely reviewers on amazon can, I know how much you love reading those (just kidding, some of them really are funny). If you've tried this product already, what did your think of it? Let me know in the comment box below.

Cheers,
Autumn.

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My Skin Care Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 08:51:00 +0000

In the past, I had trouble with oily t-zone and foundation that didn't lay so velvety-smooth to my skin because of my combination skin type. I was really frustrated because I felt like I couldn't figure out when was the best time to moisturize, how often to do soap free cleanse, should I be combining these two products, and so on, and so forth. Lately However, I've found a happy medium in my post-cleanser skin care routine. I'm not completely satisfied with the results, but they are much, much better than what I was dealing with beforehand. My routine has about twelve steps now, which is much more than my work or work-out routine, is that bad? Well for the sake of the results, it's a 'no' from me!

My first step is a cleansing oil, and it depends on whether or not I have makeup on. My favorite things to use are extra virgin olive and coconut oils because they champion even the toughest smudge-and-budge-proof formulas. Using just my first three fingers, I massage the oils lightly into my face and neck area, ears too! It helps the start with a little dab of oil on each area and then add more as I need it too. The best part about this step is that it's the pre-moisturizer that stops my facial washes from stripping my skin of what little natural oils it has. I use a dampened cloth to take the rest off and then go straight to a cream based or exfoliating cleanser.

This step cleanses the rest of my debris and oils away and give me a totally clean canvas to work with. Exfoliating three times a week is enough for me, I like to use scrubs or peels that has mild debriding agents like SKIN79's Crystal Peeling Gel, or a rice enzyme peel. My go to cleansers are Tony Moly's Tomato Complexion bar and the Baking Powder BB Deep Cleansing Foam from Etude House. They are great for thin/dryer skin types that are prone to break outs or inflamed acne. I feel I achieve the best results if I used an automated exfoliation device or extension, but they work all the same when applied the regular way. Sometimes the complexion bar can be a bit drying, so I tend to use if I've been wearing heavy makeup and religiously using cleansing oil.

The hardest part is doing my moisturizer routine in a way that ensures that all the products I put on my face work in harmony, so I've been pretty flexible about what I will put on my face and how much. Right now, I do three drops of oil on my damp skin and then layer the serums according to their density and benefits. I use to try to do them all and once and my face was a hot mess of gunk, some runny and some so thick it stuck to my fingers while I was trying to massage it in. If you're familiar with the new turn therapy line, then you probably know the correct order to apply these products in. Please tell me, I have no idea :). I start with the White-C serum, then the Wrinkle-tox, and leave the Amino Acid Repair serum and oil for last; I just go by how thick the serum is. That tiny jar all the way to the left is an anti-inflammation gel by The Skin House that I bought like a month ago. I only use it when I'm experiencing a severe breakout or after I've steamed my face. It's cool to the touch and reduces the redness and swelling associated with breakouts. I bought this in person and a hole in the wall shop and I will say for as much as the shop person talked it up, it was worth it. HOWEVER, it is not useful underneath makeup, that's the only point I disagree on. This is what I'm working with right now:

The Routine:

Cleansing Oil*
Tomato Complexion bar or BB Cleansing Foam
Crystal Peeling Gel or Powder*
White Serum
Wrinkle Serum
Amino Serum
Three dabs of oil for extra conditioning
Soothing Gel on any local breakouts*
A face mask to set the products
Regular facials
Actually going to the dermatologist.

Can I just say that I cannot stress the last step enough? I've had problematic skin all my life but I knew I would, just like I have always known that self diagnosis is not all that helpful for problematic skin. A doctor will be able to pinpoint the source of your acneiform problems and walk you through short and long term treatment options for what ever your troubles are. There's probably not a magic pill or something that will stop us from ever having a zit again, but there are other great alternatives and they are all at the butt of a formal examination and consultation. In the long run, it's much better than spending ten grand a year just for skincare and cosmetics, and it won't put you out of business. Well, it is officially one in the morning on my end so I'll stop here for now. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below or send an email. Cheers!

Wet n' Wild Coloricon Eyeliner in Mink Brown!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 06:12:00 +0000

It's officially the best time of year to be a tourist in Vegas: Summer. It's officially the best time to sight-see and be seen, get in to all the good sold out shows on both ends of the infamous Las Vegas strip, and bar hop 'til you drop a'la lifted vip passes to the most stuck-up kick-backs in the country. It is also the best time to get a great five minute tan, if you catch my drift. Well in the midst of all that, we still have to find time to get our look in gear, and the buzz word of the season is brows. Whether we're filling, contouring, or completely reconstructing them, they have got to be on point. For myself personally, this is the first time I've experimented with my brows; I've always had a turbulent relationship with them because a) they're not congruent in shape, and b) any attempt to tame or maintain them is met with opposition (yes, they've got their own security clearance). If you've been hanging out with me on Instagram, then you know that I have been a good two months at work on my technique, and I'm not open to too much experimentation. While plucking, threading, waxing, or otherwise removing a single hair from my brow line are options I've carefully considered, I don't think they'll be viable options for my perfect eyebrow look in the near future! BUT, I do think I can achieve a happy medium by contouring with a filler. Powder and gel are popular in colder weather, so for Summer, it looks like brow pencils and mascaras are a good option. They are waterproof and add great weight to your brows without the worry of having them smudge or run (from you know, sweat and other saboteurs).

Color.

   I see a lot of people use a really, really dark color to fill and shape their brows. To each their own, I have forever and the day after said; it looks good on them but I have dark skin and non-black facial hair, so the oh-so-covet-able Cara Delevigne brows that work for others is only passable for me on rare occasions(like New Year's Eve of 2013. yeah). The color I chose from WNW is a dark brown that is more of a happy medium between true brown and brown-black. I like it because is adds low-light to my face without my having to do very much contouring and directs attention to my forehead first.

    Durability.

Yeah, since this is a dual-wield brow and eye liner pencil being used strictly for it's intended purpose; still, it stands to reason that you may encounter some issues with durability. This stuff smudges if you lay it on heavily, so it's best to opt for the less is more look with a fixative. Makeup setting spray or a swipe of food-grade starch works for me, but if you are a face sweater then a professional fixative is a great place to start!

    Price.
It's very affordable, retailing at 0.99USD to start and available a most major drug-store chains. You'll hear it often that Wet n' Wild cosmetics is a cheap brand; and that's in reference to the prices only in most cases. What you get with their products is often more than what's paid for it, and they are a great place to start for beginning artists and enthusiasts alike.

    Ingredients.
      Ricinus Communis Seed Oil (Castor), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax (Candelilla), Petrolatum, Beeswax, Ozokerite, Isopropyl Myristate, Hydrogenated Soy Polyglycerides, C15 23 Alkane, Zinc Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, May Contain (+/-): Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Mica, Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Manganese Violet (CI 77742)

Overall.

I'm gonna say it's a 5 star buy! I'm pretty satisfied with the look I was able to create too. It's a subtle yet simultaneously striking. Later on, I want to try black eyebrows or some highlighting on my brow bone but for now I really love how this came out!

What do you use to add that wow factor to your brows? Lem'me know on Twitter:@cloud9kollketiv

NEW Interactive map for Beauty & Fashion Bloggers!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 03:53:00 +0000

Hey guys; first of all happy new year! I hope you've already accomplished some of your new year's resolutions, but with special consideration to the idea that we're setting goals in the first place; if not, that's good too, means we know ourselves well enough not to set up for failure. Anyway, in the past year a lot of great ideas and opportunities have landed in my inbox from a lovely evening at the Titanic exhibit in my area to co-hosting opportunities for other great channels! Now, I want to share with you another project that I'm working on and that I hope you'll be elated to jump in on:

Above is an interactive world map that I'm using to show where I'm from and I'm hoping to have a lot more beauty and fashion bloggers add their own pin to the board. You can include as much or as little information as you want, but it'd be nice if you all could include a picture and a link at the very minimum. It doesn't matter where you are from so as you include at least a zip, you'll be able to drop a pin. I have already included my own pin and a little snippet about my zine, would you guys like to join me? If so, the link to the map can be accessed here, or by clicking the image above. Thank you again for your support and let's make this year great!

Missha Super Aqua Snail Renew Cream + Sleeping mask!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 04:42:00 +0000

Finally, back to the grind! In my absence, I've been lucky enough to do quite a lot of active sampling. Not being here for five months sucks, but hey, I've come back with a bulk of things to share, feeling festive, and ready to rumble with the reviews! First off, I want to thank those of you who stayed with this publication for the duration of my absence. Second, I've got a great product to share hot of the press. SO, as you may have seen me mention here, this is Missha's Super Aqua snail renewal cream. I got it earlier this year and used it religiously for about four months. I got about half way before I was willing to part with the remaining gel, but we'll get to that later; for now, let's get this review started:

Packaging.

While I must admit that I'm not a fan of the color yellow, there is something very attractive and well-to-do about it where the presentation of this product is concerned. It's a gradient-mapped foil that fades to silver on the other end with a type face that seems to me too simple to be called 'elegant'. Also, since Missha is a Korean based company, I was delighted to find that the drug facts and abstract for this product were provided in English as well, something I've found is either an uncommon practice or improperly executed (by the reseller).

Application.

The jar.
The main piece of this set is more like a gel than a creme. I say this on accounts of its consistency, opacity, and absorption rate; It's near-to-clear, on the thick side of serums, and is pulled in almost immediately by your skin.
The mask.
This is the one that will have more of a creme feel to it. It's thick, white in color, and has to be rubbed into the skin quite a bit before completely dissipating. This product is actually and add-on but it's good to have because it works well in conjunction with the other 'creme'.

Smell.

I don't really know how to describe this. It's good, I will say that, it definitely has a bit of a blended citrus/linen-esque aroma to it.

Results.

After using this product once before going to sleep, I noticed that my skin felt a lot smoother the following morning, even after having washed the product off of my face. With continued use, I noticed that discoloration from newly formed acne was significantly reduced as well. Its a great moisturizer for underneath thick foundations and I would recommend it as a new part of a problem skin regimen in the colder months, when skin tends to be more dry. I don't recommend this if you've got oily skin, however.

Price.

Buying it directly from Missha has its benefits, and it rings in at 49.99USD before shipping and taxes. Or, you can try with Amazon; it's half the price but be forewarned: there are counterfeits afoot.

Ingredients.

Snail Slime Extract, Methionine, Glycerin, Ethanol, Baobab Tree Extract, Bis-PEG-18methyl Ether Di methyl Si lane, Arbutus, PEG-11 Methyl Ether Methionine, Deep Sea Water, Photocopier Acetate, Adenine, Centennial Asiatics Mesmerism Cell Culture, Ethylene Nonattendance, Hydrothermal Lacerate/Sodium Calorimetry Tau rate Co polymer, Carbonate, Methamphetamine, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-26-Buckteeth-26, Capillary Glycol, Nitroglycerine, Di sodium EDTA, Xanthippe Gum, Perfume

Tips.

The directions on the package say that you should use it after other products. Do that if your skin is dry; if not, and I mean if you have a normal, oily, or combination skin type, do not use anything before this. You may have an adverse reaction, especially if you have sensitive skin.

Overall.

I'm giving this product five stars. It's well worth the money and worth the reinvestment! Plus, I love that there are no parabens or mineral oil in this, we don't need any more of that stuff in my pores.
That's a wrap for this review! If you have any questions or comments to make about this product, please feel free to share them on Twitter (@cloud9kollektiv). Thanks again for tuning in!

Hydroxatone SPF 15 Anti Wrinkle Cream!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 18:17:00 +0000

It's finally, finally here! After a three week trial of Hydroxatone's AM/PM anti-wrinkle complex, we're just about ready to dish the deets! The product arrived three weeks ago and has been on a test run ever since; I don't like to do reviews for such products with out giving my skin at least a week to react to it. For makeup, I don't worry so much about this considering it doesn't sit on my skin for very long, but skincare is meant for this very purpose so I always give my skin three weeks at most to either adapt or reject a product. That being said, Let's get started with the latest review:

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Revlon Super Lusterous Lipstick in Va va Violet!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 10:43:00 +0000

Pat on the back to me, I've finally done it.. I've finally tried purple and I liked it! It's a very flattering color considering that the undertones both in my own skin and in this lip color are complimentary. If you've been plugged into our instagram, then you know that this review has been a week underway. Pleasantries aside, we should get right to it! I'm really excited to cover this lip color because it performed well beyond my expectations.

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The Liebster Award.

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 20:37:00 +0000

I am doing this now and I hope that Jennifer from +Golden Tresses, who nominated my blog in the first place knows how much I appreciate the nomination! I say that because the nomination took place months ago and I only just saw it (this is what becoming a no-reply blogger gets you; don't be me!). For anyone who still may not know what exactly a Liebster award is, it's a token of recognition that bloggers award to fellow bloggers who they think deserve more recognition. The terminology "Liebster" roughly translates to "Dearest" from German, and the guidlelines of this award are as follows:

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iPad Mini Giveaway: Enter for a Chance to Win!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Wed, 29 May 2013 05:43:00 +0000

Welcome to the iPad Mini Giveaway!

Organized by GoPromoCodes.com and With a Side of Thriftiness.

Hosted by Work Money Fun & Susie QT Pies Cafe.

The iPad Mini is the newest addition to Apple’s iPad family with all of the features of the iPad but at a smaller and more convenient size. With a 7.9-inch display, fast and fluid performance, FaceTime and iSight cameras, thousands of available apps, and a 10-hour battery life, the iPad Mini has quickly become one of the most popular tablets on the market.

The smaller version of Apple’s tablet is great for students, commuters, travelers, busy parents and anyone who is constantly on the go. With its lightweight design, the iPad Mini can easily be slipped into any laptop bag, backpack, or purse, so you’re connected wherever you are.

BuyVia is excited to sponsor this giveaway and partner with our friends at GoPromoCodes. The BuyVia app and website store your shopping searches and preferences in the Cloud and deliver the best online/local buys to all your devices. With BuyVia’s app you can hand select a mix of products you would like to see deals on, and select where you regularly shop. BuyVia keeps these preferences securely in the cloud and delivers the most relevant and personalized deals available to ensure you’re always getting the high quality products you want, at the best price, both online and in store. All of your shopping preferences and history will be automatically populated across all of your devices (tablet, smartphone, or computer) so the information is available to you wherever you are.

BuyVia is awarding a free iPad Mini to one lucky reader! Just enter the contest below. This giveaway is available to all residents of the US and Canada, age 18 and over. It will begin at 1:00 am PST on May 27, 2013 and will end on June 18, 2013 at 11:59 PST. The winner will be picked at random from all of the entries using the Giveaway Tools application below.

Entry -Form

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Cloud Nine Kollektiv is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact the organizer of this giveaway with questions or to have your business or blog featured in the next big giveaway event.

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipstick 245 Smoky Fume!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Mon, 27 May 2013 05:17:00 +0000

This another little milestone on my journey into a brave new world of lip color. It's a striking brown hue that, in my mind, hails complimentariliy to royal hues. It's none other than Covergirl's Lip Perfection Lipstick, I picked up as a gift actually. The person who gave this item to me was dismayed at what they perceived to be their inability to flaunt earthy lip tones (they muddle her complexion, her words not my own), and in so believing, gifted the item to me. A very lucky acquisition on my part! I've secretly been very curious about the whole line, but not without noted reservation. New lip color always makes me nervous, especially anything that isn't red or pink; still here we are with this lip color:

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[PICTORIAL] Avon Ultra Color Rich Lip Lacquers!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Mon, 20 May 2013 06:29:00 +0000

So this would be the pictorial that I promised in my Avon beauty review from this week. I apologize but I was outside of my service range and none of the blogger modules would publish my post with any styling rich media! While that ordeal is over, I am considering finding a new service in general for publishing because the ones I'm using right now (powered by blogger) aren't working and I can seem to debug them myself or find any source of solace among the volumes of help documents. I will be posting her as per my usual habit but I will be even slower than usual so please bear with me. That being said, please also enjoy the rest of this pictoral!

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20130519 Face of the Day!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Mon, 20 May 2013 05:16:00 +0000

Hey lovies! It's the end of the week therefore we are due for another look of the week! This look was created using some new items that I'm both please with and excited to share with you guys; continue on after the jump!Continued »

Avon Super Lustrous Lip Lacquers!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Sun, 19 May 2013 23:08:00 +0000

Here's this weeks beauty review! Now, I'm going to abridge this review because I'm literally en route to Reno ( but I'm not driving though; gotta conserve that precious battery life). That being said, I'd like it if we could all take a walk down memory lane: did you have a relative or neighbor who sold Avon? and if you did, do you remember what your favorite products were? Maybe you, much like myself, were still fairly young and only just beginning to show interest in makeup. Whatever the case, one thing is certain: We all have at least one item that sticks out in our mind from the beginning of our relationships with cosmetics (that's what throwback Thursday is for, right?). For me, it was the ultra color rich lip lacquers. Each hue in the set represented the different statement, they were perfect, in so many words. That's my way of saying that I hope to do these lipsticks the justice they deserve!

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Senna Stardust Face and Body Bling!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Mon, 13 May 2013 00:06:00 +0000

I was lucky enough to receive these while working with Sindulge for this post, so I want to get a review out while it's still fresh in my mind! I have been fiddling with these items for a hot minute because a) I'm new to using highlighter and b) I seldom touch lip gloss to my lips. I don't think I did too bad a job on the highlighter, and I do mean what of it I actually applied and not my naturally glowing T-zone (a joke). This is my second time trying products by Senna, and I'm completely hooked! The powder is smooth and the gloss is complimentary with out being too overwhelming. Read all about it after the jump!
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20130512 Sunday Face of the Day!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Sun, 12 May 2013 10:50:00 +0000

Well now I do believe that is has been quite awhile since I last posted for face of the day, and with a kinda lame reason, but it's my own and I, uh, own it: I hit a briar patch in my good skin game and didn't want to bog down my skin with product. My skin is finally coming out of it, so I was feeling brave enough to do a post!

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Sindulge.com is on our Lips!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Sun, 12 May 2013 09:52:00 +0000

Hey lovelies, we hope that you have been having a wonder spring and celebrating another new year with felicitous resolve, especially since we are drawing nearer to the half way mark already! If you’ve had a good go for 2013 like I have in regards to knocking things of your New Year’s resolution list, then I’d like to extended a virtual five-up to ya! If you’re at the end of the rope, and you love an extra challenge, then I have a pitch: Try some eco-conscious beauty brands and see how they stack up against your faves. Usually, these product can be located at your local green grocer, farmer’s market, or specialty store. Let’s say nothing jumps out for you, and should that be the case, we’re delighted to present a solution: Sindulge.

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Join the iPad Mini Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:31:00 +0000

iPad Mini Giveaway Event!

BA Star cosmetics [REVIEW + PICTORIAL]!

noreply@blogger.com (CloudNineCollectiveMedia) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 12:54:00 +0000

If you've been in tune with the chatter around the blogosphere for the past month, then you know that BA Star is the phrase that's on a lot of lips, and in a few hands. Now, before I say anything else, I want to give a little background:

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