Favorite Product of the Month: Kate Somerville Quench Oil-Free Hydrating Serum
Posted by Latoya in Anti-Aging, Favorite Product of the Month, Kate Somerville, Moisturizers, Serums, Skincare on May 31, 2012
Ok, so I’ve totally been holding out on you guys (not on purpose, I promise!) regarding an absolutely stellar product I’ve been using for the past month: Kate Somerville’s Quench Oil-Free Hydrating Face Serum. I’ve begun packing for the move (which is a month away, but I get excited! and I’m nothing if not prepared), and while cleaning out old boxes from products I’ve purchased, I came across the box for this and realized that I NEED to tell you all about it!
Kate Somerville’s Quench line is all about providing intense hydration in order to rejuvenate and reveal healthy, glowing skin. The original Quench Hydrating Face Serum is touted as a ‘red-carpet favorite’ designed for normal to dry skin – since that’s not my deal, I picked the oil-free version to check out. My original reason for trying the serum was because it contained retinol, which if you recall I’m hoping to incorporate into my regime. However, the oil-free serum does not contain retinol, unfortunately – however, I’ve still been reaping the major benefits from this product!
The description of the Oil-Free Hydrating Quench Face Serum states that it is ‘a lightweight antiaging serum that delivers an incredible glow without looking shiny’. I’d say that is bang-on – I use this all over my face and neck (including the eye area) and my skin looks luminous and healthy, feeling very hydrated without adding any extra greasiness to my skin. During these warmer months, I can use just this as my moisturizer (I use it in the evening) and I don’t require any other hydrating product. I also like to use it before going out for an occasion, as it is water-based and gives me a little radiance and a hydration boost without any added shine.
This is just one pump above – I find two pumps are required to cover my entire face and neck. As it contains peptides, I’ve noticed a big improvement in any dryness around my eye area, which was a problem earlier in the year and was causing me to look older than I’d like. It also has collagen in it, which firms the skin – though admittedly I don’t notice the benefits of that.
The formula contains no parabens or synthetic fragrances, and high levels of glycerin which I think is what helps keep the skin moist. I still want to add some sort of retinol product to my regime, so I might switch to the original version in the Winter, and then just add a retinol serum in the Summer and use this oil-free version as my ‘moisturizer’. I really don’t want to stop using it, I can’t tell you how much I love it! It’s been the difference-maker in my regime of late – my skin hasn’t looked better!
The oil-free serum retails for $65CAD (online – in-store I paid $78 for whatever reason, which is the same price as the original).
Have you tried any Kate Somerville products? What is your go-to serum?
My First Aqua Polish: Zoya’s Wednesday
Posted by Latoya in Aqua/Teal, Nail Polish, Summer 2012, Zoya on May 30, 2012
Ok, I know that sounds highly unlikely – someone who has over 100 bottles of polish (yes, I’ve passed that mark now!) somehow doesn’t own an aqua shade?! But seriously guys – I’ve purposely avoided that color for a long time. I just don’t think it looks that great on me! The one polish that I have that could probably be classified as a teal/aqua, LA Colors in Atomic, is kind of an fabulously ugly shade that probably doesn’t look good on most people, yet it draws the eye anyway. I’m not counting it because it’s just not what I envision when I think aqua. You know, shades like China Glaze For Audrey, Chanel Nouvelle Vague, or more lately, Dior’s St. Tropez (which I desperately wanted to jump on the bandwagon for, but couldn’t bring myself to pay $23 for a polish I might hate on my skintone). These shades are what come to mind for a fabulous aqua-blue Summer polish. But until now, I had nothing of the sort.
Zoya’s Wednesday, from the Beach & Surf Summer collection, somehow got under my defenses against aqua polish. It was a bit more dusty – while still retaining it’s Summery goodness – and not quite as bright and glaring as some of the other offerings; it seemed like if I was finally going to take a chance, this should be the polish I choose to do it with.
Zoya takes AGES to arrive here in Canada, which makes me absolutely crazy as it’s one of my favorite polish brands. To wait for it to *maybe* arrive in salons here (as not all collections do), it takes probably two months – as it was, it took well over a month for it to arrive on Nail Polish Canada, at which time I instantly ordered it sight unseen.
Indoor lighting
Once it arrived, with a little trepidation I did a full manicure with the shade. At first, I was unsure how I felt – it still seemed to obvious on my skintone, and it doesn’t fall within the pale/bright/dark category of polishes – tones that I find look best on me. It’s a mid-range shade that leans slightly green – also not a great color on me – but the slightly muted quality of it tones down any potential harshness.
With flash
I’m just wrapping up day two with this polish on, and I can now confidently say that I love it. Within the hour of application it grew on me – the creaminess, the pop of color against my skin that can only make me think of the sea and sun…it really can’t be beat! And the formula itself is quite good – two thin coats to opacity, and it’s self-leveling so any slight lumps and bumps get smoothed out to glossy perfection.
I’m loving this on my hands, but I think I will absolutely adore how this will look as a pedicure – bliss! I’m just so happy that I’ve found an aqua shade that I feel comfortable and confident sporting – yea for joining the rest of the population! 
I know I’m fussy when it comes to finding colors I feel are flattering, but if you’re not feeling good in what your wearing, then that sort of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?
What do you think of Wednesday? Can it join other aqua hall-of-famers? What’s your favorite aqua shade?
The Beginning of a New Decade!
Posted by Latoya in Burberry, Just for Fun, Musings on May 28, 2012
I confess that I don’t really understand the ‘terrible’ implications some people seem to feel turning 30 has (or 40, or 50, or any milestone age, for that matter!). I feel exactly the same today at 30 as I did yesterday at 29, and the number itself harbours absolutely no negative feelings in me whatsoever. I actually much prefer the even number to the odd, ugly number of 29 (though 28 – my ‘golden’ year – was my favorite ). Anyway, mostly I just think it’s pretty cool to be entering a whole new decade of my life, and I’m really looking forward to what it is going to bring. I can’t imagine anything but new and exciting times to come!
In order to fully celebrate making it successfully into my thirties, I’ve decided to do compile a list of 30 things I’d like to do this year, starting today till my birthday next year. I’m sure many of you aren’t surprized, since I do so love a good challenge and an opportunity to make yet another list!
The list is comprised to items of varying nature – some are quite grand events and goals I hope to endeavor upon (run a full marathon; buy a piece of designer jewelry or a pair of designer shoes; participate in a protest; travel to New Zealand – which has been on my ‘bucket list’ for ages and is the only thing that’s officially set in motion!), while others are much more moderate in nature but things I’ve always wanted to do nonetheless (learn how to play poker; read 12 classic novels; have a technology-free weekend; go to a new restaurant every month). I divided them into categories – 10 for life-based goals (like learning how to shoot a gun *just because, not for any scary reason!*), 5 for Halifax-themed (go on the local Ghost Walk tour), 5 for travel (take a spur of the moment flight somewhere!), 5 for ‘fabulous’ things (like attending a real fashion show), and of course – 5 for beauty-related items!! Which I am now going to detail below:
1) Learn 3 new hairstyles
My curly mop of hair is fun, to be sure, but there’s really not a whole lot I can do with it – or at least that I’ve taken the time to learn, anyway! So this year, I vow to stop doing the same old (which just means wearing it down as is) and trying out new ways to work with it to have some fun with it! I’ll say it right now: I am welcoming suggestions!!!!
I’m particularly loving this!
2) Attend Cosmoprof or IMATS
I’m fairly certain attending one of these events would be like my own private Utopia, so attend I must 
It’ll depend on the timing and location to determine which I’ll go to (and I’m not even sure if a layperson can go to Cosmoprof?), but I probably should start saving my pennies now, eh?
3) Go makeup-less for a week
Gotta throw in a good challenge of course! Even though I tend to not want to stop wearing makeup for the mere fact that that means I’m not using it up faster, I think going makeup-less for a week will be a wonderful way to make sure I remember thatit’s just makeupand that as fun as it is, it’s not the be-all end-all. I don’t think this is going to be that hard as in, being uncomfortable without it per se, but obviously makeup plays a huge part in my life, and I think going without for a period of time will strengthen my character. And when I say without, I mean nothing. Nada. Not even concealer for my racoon eyes. Who am I kidding? It’s gonna be a scary week. But also majorly liberating!
4) Try 12 new-to-me beauty brands
I’ve already got my list drawn up for the brands I’d love to try! I’ve made some headway this past year with checking out Le Metier de Beaute, and Burberry (oh yes I did! Keep reading for the scoop ), but there are still a handful which I’d love to try and am going to make a point to do so. I think this year will be a good one for restraint on the number of products I pick up, and more of a focus on what I’m getting instead. I’m pretty stoked for it!
5) One Month Beauty Challenge
I have to explain this one because it’s a little convoluted, as my schemes usually are What I want to do is this: Choose 10 makeup items only (this includes staples like foundation or mascara) and then allow myself to wear only those 10 items for the entire month. Of course I will have to be extremely selective and make sure I have the best products to allow me to create a variety of looks. I have a vague idea of what I’ll use; when the time comes I’ll make the final decision. I’m tempted to cheat and do this while I’m traveling for five weeks in New Zealand – because I’ll be bringing VERY minimal makeup along with me then – but I think I’ll do this as a separate challenge for my day-to-day life. I don’t know the month yet, but of course when I decide I’ll be posting all the details here!
So that’s what you can expect to see at Beauty Obsessed over the next year! I’m pretty excited for all of the goals I have to work toward, beauty or otherwise. I love having things to look forward to, and I like getting a fire under my butt to get things done. No time like the present!
Now, I’m not going to leave you with just a bunch of my ramblings today, of all days! I’ve got a little bit of photo porn to show you from my Burberry haul first – of course full reviews will be forthcoming over the next little while!
Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base
Burberry Light Glow Blush in Russet, Sheer Eye Shadow in Trench
Burberry Lip Cover in Rosewood and Cameo Pink
Oh yea, I forgot to mention – these photos were taken with my BRAND NEW CAMERA!!!!!! My delightful boyfriend gave it to me for my birthday gift (along with planning a surprize super-fun photo scavenger hunt/pig roast/party for my celebrations this past weekend!). Best gift ever! I can’t get over how much better my photos are and how much less work I have to put in to get a good result! Old camera is getting the boot lol. I hope you’ll enjoy the much better quality photos moving forward! 
Now I’m off to relax and enjoy my day (going for a massage later – heaven!), I hope you all had a fantastic weekend!!!
Birthday Manicure!
Posted by Latoya in Aqua/Teal, China Glaze, Just for Fun, MAC, Nail Art, Nail Polish, Pink on May 26, 2012
Good morning everyone! I’m up and at ‘em this morning, as today is the official celebration of my 30th birthday (which isn’t actually until Monday)! I’m pretty pumped – my bf has planned the whole thing and it’s a total surprize, I have no idea what we’re doing! You can be sure to hear all about it next week 
In the meantime, because I’m not sure what’s going on – which means I don’t know how to dress – I did a birthday celebration manicure, since fun nails work in any situation!!! I thought about it all day yesterday (even during work training – oops), trying to think about what I could do special. I was keen on the idea of another gradient/ombre manicure, as I love how they look and they’re so eye-catching. I decided to do contrasting pastel-type shades, and I LOVE how it turned out. Take a look!
China Glaze Pink Plumeria & MAC Mischievous Mint
My technique has improved since the last time; I made sure to use only one shade on the tips, and mixed the edges of the dollops of the two shades together on tinfoil to ensure a softer gradient (in the last one, I just had a splash of the tip shade on the foil which I picked up with the sponge), a tip which I learned from this tutorial. MUCH better than before, though I could still use some practice. You can see on one of my pointer fingers that the pink is a little more saturated than the rest. Oh well, I’m determined to get this down pat – it’s one of my favorite nail looks right now!
I’m off to enjoy the day now, I hope you all have a lovely weekend – it’s pretty full for me but I’m off on Monday so you can be sure I’ll be posting a little something then
China Glaze Summer Neons Collection: Part II (Swatches and Review)
Posted by Latoya in Blue, China Glaze, Coral, Green, Nail Polish, Pink, Purple, Summer 2012 on May 23, 2012
You remember how yesterday I talked about my admiration of those fabulous bloggers who were in the business of swatching full collections of nail polish on the regular? Well today I’m in admiration of anyone who buys a home!! Holy moley, let me tell you – it is SUPREMELY exciting to buy your first home (I guess, any home really!) – but there is so much to learn and info to absorb, wowza!!! It’s a lot for a brain to handle. Thankfully we’ve had absolutely stellar people working with us to find the condo and get our financing in order, but its been a relatively consuming pastime for the last few weeks. Well worth it, but mindblowing all the same!!
Anyway, we spent some time at the bank tonight wrapping things up, then come home to make dinner, then talked numbers some more…suddenly my evening has gone *poof* and I’ve hardly even done anything! I really wanted to get the second part out for the Summer Neons collection from China Glaze though, so here I am! The second half is just as eye-popping as the first, so get ready!
I’m With the Lifeguard is a ‘glimmering lime green,’ and while I love this shade in theory – makes me think of lime koolaid! – I’m not liking it on my skintone at all, though it is lovely to look at. The last picture is the most accurate for how bright this is. I found 3 coats was best to even out a bit of streakiness, and it had a similar formula as most other shades – thicker but fairly easy to work with. This dried semi-matte.
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight (different setting)
The description of Ride the Waves - a ‘dark ocean blue’ – is so terribly enticing to me. Due to the sheer, thin, jellyish formula, it really made me think of the deeper waters of the Caribbean! To avoid any VNL, 3 coats is absolutely necessary. I really like this shade – it reminds me of Nails Inc. Baker St. (which Beyonce was apparently wearing shortly after she had Ivy Blue, hence everyone wanted it) but it’s not quite as electric, though it’s still really very eye-catching. It’s darker and not as cool-toned in real life, and the squishy nature looks like you could just drink it up. As I was wearing it as my mani this week, I realized it would be perfect as a base for Lippmann’s Across the Universe!
Indoor lighting
With flash
Natural light
Sunlight
Just as juicy and ripe-looking as the fruit to describe it, Under the Boardwalk, a ‘fluorescent raspberry’, has almost the same formula as ‘Ride the Waves’, but not quite as jellyish. Again, 3 coats best, though 2 is workable here, and it’s deeper in tone than it looks in photos. I feel pretty ‘meh’ about this shade – it’s quite nice but nothing stand-out to me in any way.
With flash
Sunlight
Sunlight
Love’s A Beach, a ‘sizzling hot pink’, is slightly warmer than ‘Hang-Ten Toes’, but the differences are slight and I personally wouldn’t feel it necessary to own both. If I had to chose, I think I’d pick this shade, as the blue-leanings are less pronounced. Formula was good; it applied easily without fuss. 3 coats were used here for good measure.
With flash
Natural light
Sunlight
In theory, Surfin’ For Boys would be the ultimate shade: a ‘glistening bright coral’? Sign me up! However, there’s something off about this color for me; I think it’s the shimmer which looks almost purplish in certain light, and just feels a bit gaudy to me. It’s actually remarkably similar to another shade I own, LA Colors in Magnetic Force, except I think I like that polish better (well, at least the color). However, I think this is still a great shade for summer, and definitely a perfect pedi shade. It went on very easily in 2 coats, and dried semi-matte.
With flash
Sunlight
Sunlight - different setting
Last but not least, we have Flirty Tankini, a ‘shimmery strawberry smoothie pink’ with a particularly good formula. I could have done 2 coats with no problem but I did 3 to be nitpicky. I really liked the sweetness of this shade and though it went particularly well with my skintone. The shimmer was understated (as it didnt’ contrast with the base color) and I’m looking forward to wearing this as a full mani very soon!!
With flash
With flash
Sunlight
That wraps it up for the China Glaze Summer Neons collection! I liked this half equally as well as the first, and I have my faves – Ride the Waves, which grew on me, and Flirty Tankini, which is just too darn pretty! Though I enjoyed the formula of most shades as a whole, it was a bummer to apply 3 coats for almost all of the polishes here. A suggestion was made that I could layer these shades over a white polish to let the neon qualities really pop, and I think I’ll take that recommendation to heart. Every single shade was majorly bright, and to enhance that aspect would only serve to make this collection that much more special (and allow less coats of color overall!).
As a whole, I found a few of the shades in the collection not as unique as I’d like – some seemed to replicate shades I already have in my stash. However, I chose those shades for a reason, so what’s not to like? lol One complaint I have about the collection as a whole is that there are a fair amount of shades that are quite similar to each other – there are no dupes, but they’re close enough that I personally wouldn’t feel like I needed to own both/all. However, in person the differences between them are more obvious, so you may refute me there and I would be OK with that Really, this collection is the epitome of fun, splashy shades for Summer, and if you want them all, who am I to argue?
What is your idea of the perfect Summer polish shade(s)? Would you try out a neon polish?
*Product samples were provided to me by the PR company/brand for my unbiased consideration.
China Glaze Summer Neons Collection: Part I (Swatches and Review)
Posted by Latoya in Blue, China Glaze, Coral, Nail Polish, Orange, Pink, Purple, Summer 2012, Yellow on May 22, 2012
Before I begin, I just want to give some serious accolades to any bloggers out there that have swatched an entire nail polish collection for our viewing pleasure. O.M.G. I’ve done maybe 4 swatches at a time, which was still quite a task, but 12 shades!?! Good grief! I spent most of my day Saturday and part of my day Sunday painstakingly applying each of the 12 shades of the Summer Neons collection from China Glaze, fearful that I was going to lose my sun, waiting between coats, hydrating and rehydrating my cuticles, and taking shot after shot of my nails to capture each shade as accurately as possible. Man Oh Man. It was truly exciting to have the opportunity – receiving the big box in the mail and knowing I’d never otherwise have such a chance – but I just wanted to give a shout out to the more established bloggers who are used to this sort of thing. You rock!! It’s quite a job, and I will forever have a different appreciation for collection swatches moving forward. Thank you, my lovelies
Ok, with that out of the way – let’s get to the polish, shall we? Today I bring you the first part of my swatchapalooza; there really wasn’t a defined split between the shades, so I just kind of put them together in a way that made sense to me. The collection as a whole was a surprize hit for me. In promotional shots, I was unsure how I felt about a bunch of neon shades with shimmer – typically odd colors like electric green and eyeball-searing yellow do NOT do it for me, and I’m not a fan of shimmer overall – but somehow they made it work in a big way with this collection.
First up, we have Sun-Kissed, described as a ‘hot highlighter yellow’, and it was exactly that! I would never in a million years imagine I’d like a shade like this, but consider me converted! Somehow, this super-bright shade won me over, and I definitely see a full manicure with this in my near future. Obviously, I don’t have much experience with yellow polishes, but from what I hear they can be tricky to work with – this shade, while slightly streaky, was relatively painless to apply; you can get away with 2 coats but I applied 3 for the best opacity. Like many shades in the collection, it dries semi-matte.
Indoor lighting
With flash
Sunlight
Sunlight
Next up, Orange You Hot? - a ‘bright orange with attention-grabbing gold glimmer.’ I find the shimmer particles very fine, and the gold tone is lost in the base shade, but it’s still lovely. I liked it but didn’t love it on my skintone – I think it’ll be more of a pedi shade in my rotation than anything else. I felt similarly about the formula; it was good but not great. I applied 3 coats to get the smoothest application possible.
Indoor lighting
With flash
Sunlight
Sunlight
~Ah~ Pink Plumeria. My personal favorite of the whole collection. A ‘light pink with gold shimmer,’ it came out more like a coral-pink on my nails, and was soo flattering. It retains quite a neon look but in a way that’s tasteful and eye-catching rather than gaudy – it’s actually brighter in person than I was able to capture in these photos. The gold shimmer really gave it an extra-pretty sheen. Application was pretty good – 2 coats was sufficient, and how I wore it as a full mani, but I think 3 would probably be better, as it had a hint of patchiness on a few nails.
Indoor lighting
With flash
Sunlight
Sunlight
Hang-Ten Toes was actually the first polish I tried on from the collection; a ‘bubblegum neon pink with iridescent purple shimmer’, it looked and sounded far too enticing to pass up. In person, this shade is searingly bright – I found it difficult overall to capture the true neon nature of most of the polishes in the collection, this one in particular (I took about a million shots of this polish, and I’m still not satisfied!). Easy flowing with good consistency (you don’t need too much on the brush), it dries to a semi-satin finish. At an angle, the shimmer is somehow both obvious and elusive, which gives it mysterious depth. 2 coats is enough to reach good coverage, but 3 erases any VNL. I found the drying time of this shade was slower than I’m used to – which I found for a handful of shades in the collection (perhaps because I was applying 3 coats for many of them).
Indoor lighting
With flash
Sunlight
Sunlight
On of the best formulas of the bunch, Beach Cruise-r is a ‘glimmering fuchsia grape’, which only required two smooth coats to full opacity. On the nail, it reminds me a lot of American Apparel’s Neon Violet except with shimmer. This kind of color is a bit unexpected in Summer I think, because it has a deeper jewel tone that makes me think more of Fall, but the brightness makes it appropriate and fun for the warmer months too. Like Neon Violet, I’m slightly ambivalent toward it as a mani, but quite like it as a pedi shade. It’s brighter and more richly hued in person – closer to the last shot, below.
Indoor lighting – looks so purple!
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Finally, we have Splish Splash, a ‘bright sky blue shimmer,’ also with a great formula, though 3 coats is still best. This is not at all my kind of shade, but is an absolutely glorious color on it’s own – I want to own other things in this shade (just not wear it on my nails). Looking at these photos, I’m mesmerized by this color; but with my skintone, it looks a bit garish. In person it’s much more blue than aqua like it looks in these photos – closer to the last shot, below.
Indoor lighting
With flash
Natural light
Sunlight
Sunlight
And so we conclude Part I of the Summer Neons collection! Overall I felt that there were some beautiful shades, even if they all didn’t ~go~ with my skintone. While many of the shades required 3 coats to look best to my liking, I still felt that the formulas overall were quite good; they didn’t dry too quickly and cause dragging, and applied very easily for the most part, with an excellent consistency in formula. Mostly I found that they were just a touch sheer and just the slightest bit patchy, but applying 3 coats cleared any of those issues up with ease. I also normally do a fast-drying top coat, whereas I used none in the swatches above (nor base coat), which could be why they seemed to take longer to dry than normal. In any case, I liked some of the shades so much that I’d be more than willing to put up with the extra coats. They all scream Summer to me, and just make me happy looking at them!
What are your thoughts on these shades from the collection? Are you into neon brights? Would you prefer them with or without shimmer?
*Product samples were provided to me by the PR company/brand for my unbiased consideration.
Beauty Low-Buy Update: Month Four (aka The Month That Rocked)
Posted by Latoya in 2012 Beauty Challenge, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Korres, Ole Henriksen on May 21, 2012
I’m just gonna get right to the point here: I kicked ASS this month in the low-buy. Whooped some major butt. And once I got on a roll, it just kept getting easier! Dudes, I only bought TWO THINGS – and not even fun stuff. Check it out:
Purchased (Apr. 20-May 19):
Life Brand Skin Relieving Moisturizing Lotion, Compliments Nail Polish Remover (Lemon Scented)
NARS Desire
Unfortunately, my little spree at Holts will run my monthly budget right back up to where it normally is, despite my frugality lol…Oh well! You only turn 30 once
Sadly however, my empties are fairly modest this month too, to match my purchases. I have a handful of products that are *thisclose* to being finished, but I just couldn’t get there. How annoying. I find when I’m down to the dregs of a product, I’m just dying for it to be over and done. Blah. However, there are a couple makeup items that I just couldn’t justify hanging on to any more – I know I’m never going to wear them and I don’t think I can pawn them off on anyone either – so out they go.
Used Up (Apr. 20-May 19):
So what’ve we got here? A defiled tube of Aveeno’s Moisturizing Body Lotion – gotta get every last drop! I stopped buying the big pump containers because it’s harder to get it all out. I also think I’ll stop buying the Aveeno version and go with the knockoff one I bought above – it’s a couple bucks cheaper and the ingredients are identical.
I can’t quite remember why I switched from TRESemme’s conditioner to Infusium23 Moisture Replenisher Conditioner – likely because TRESemme’s bottle was HUGE – but I know I grabbed it for the lower levels of ‘cones, and because fragrance is one of the last ingredients listed. I quite liked this actually – it’s no frills but I kept my hair hydrated and smooth.
I kept Glysomed Hand Cream (fragrance free) by my bed and applied it every night. Super basic but kept my hands moisturized without any worries of irritation. Snoozeville, I know, but it works!
MAC’s Cleanse Off Oil, which I picked up in a swap like two years ago, and only used when I wore heavier makeup. Works fairly well, and smells heavenly but I won’t repurchase for that exact reason.
I keep getting these sample bottles of Clinique’s Take The Day Off makeup remover in the GWP’s, and I keep using ‘em up – it’s great for removing heavier eye makeup for if you’ve got major lipstick going on. This size is actually perfect for me too because I use it infrequently – anything bigger would be too much.
Another defiled tube…I LOVE Clinique’s Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief, and hoard samples of this like mad. I like it even better than the newer version, which actually repairs your moisture barrier (whereas this is basically a fancy aloe gel and offers just a temporary fix). And every customer I have that comes in for it feels the same way – we don’t *need* it exactly, but gosh darn does it ever feel great! Its perfect especially for oilier skins that still crave hydration but hate the greasy feel. I use this often as my base before any occasion, as it makes my skin super-soft and plump.
I’m disappointed that they no longer make Korres Yogurt Velvety Moisturizing Mask – this was great for oily skin to hydrate and smooth, and I used it once a week to great results. It’s tough to find hydrating masks for oily skin. I guess I could recreate my own yogurt mask to similar effects, but…I wanna pricey mask in a fancy jar! *pout*
My second bottle of Ole Henriksen’s Truth Serum. I do still like this but I read more infomation on it after it and realized I could be using something much more effective for about the same price.
Mario Badescu’s Glycolic Foaming Cleanser was fine, though I didn’t notice that my skin was extra smooth (exfoliated) after use. I was considering buying a wash with glycolic acid to get my exfoliation that way, since I no longer use scrubs, but the system I have going now is working really well so I’m putting that on the backburner for now. I wouldn’t buy the full-size of this wash anyway, it was filled with sulfates, which I avoid – especially on my skin.
I received Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair as a sample when I bought the Shimmering Sands gelee. I’ve tried it before and my thoughts are still the same – it may work but I’m not seeing the fruits of it’s labour. That’s no fault necessarily of the product, as I don’t have visible damage to see improvement upon, but I also don’t notice any benefits like softer, smoother skin – which I DO experience from Clinique’s Repairwear Laser Focus – so for me it’s a no-go at this stage. It’s also got a sticky texture which is a bit of a turn-off (though if it worked miracles, that’d be my last concern).
When I bought the Sephora + Pantone kit for my giveaway, everyone at Sephora was so excited since I was the first to buy it, that they threw in a little treat for me too – a Bare Minerals kit with the Flawless Definition mascara, along with a hydrating powder, and a lip color. You recall my review on the mascara when I purchased it a few months ago? Yea, thoughts haven’t changed. It still has a funky smell – which I now realize is just the mascara itself, not that it’s gone bad – and it’s just plain dry!! It’s soo tough to put on, blah. It’s too bad, because the brush itself is great, and with the right formula I think this really could be quite volumizing, but alas that’s not the case.
This is Bring on the Bling by OPI, from the 2010 Burlesque collection. Gorgeous shade, but 1) glitter is a PITA, as we all know, and 2) it got thicker than molasses after only a handful of wears. I tried thinner and it didn’t do a darn thing. This is completely unwearable, so I’m not sure why I’m hanging on to it. Bye bye!
I’ve been hanging on to this lippie in the hope that I’ll make it work one day, but the fact is that Revlon’s Raspberry Mousse Colorstay lipstick is just not for me. It’s just a too TOO blue-leaning hot pink, and also has a shimmer finish, so it’s bad all around. If it were matte, maybe I could work this somehow, but its not and I’m just not keeping it any longer. I’ll find a rockin’ pink to take it’s place that WILL get a lot of love.
OK. So, let’s look at this month’s tally – 6 full-size skincare products, 5 samples, 1 makeup item and 1 polish. Meh. Next month will be better Though…next month I’ll also have a lot more purchases, so….
Now. It’s been an absolutely beautiful weekend, and I am finding it impossible to stay indoors. So I’m gonna end this here so I can get back out there! I hope everyone’s having a great long weekend (in Canada)/had a great weekend, and I hope anyone else participating in a low/no-buy had a good month – can’t wait to read all about it!!
Blink-And-You’ll-Miss-It-Post: Gradient Manicure
Posted by Latoya in Just for Fun, Nail Art, Nail Polish on May 17, 2012
May continues to be a busy month, and I haven’t had much time to sit down in front of my computer much (at home at least…work is another story, but that’s not fun time)! I just came back from seeing ‘La Cage aux Folles’ at the theatre here, it was FANTASTIC. What an excellent cast! We usually go to see 3 shows at the Neptune theatre per season, and we’ve been doing this so long now that most of the cast members feel like old friends They really outdid themselves with this particular performance!
Anyway, I still have a little bit of pep left in me to show you something *sorta cool* I did a couple weekends ago. I was dying to do a mani but none of my polishes were inspiring me. I honestly looked through my stash for the better part of an hour before I decided on a look! I decided to try out a gradient manicure (also known as ombre – though that can be considered another style altogether too! Confusing!). I am by no means a nail art expert or even much more than a novice, so please forgive my poor skills – though I think this is something I’d like to practice more often, as it’s not too hard that I can’t eventually get the hang of it!
I used LA Girl’s polish in Hyper, a near-neon pink, and then sponged on first a coat of OPI’s Dutch’ya Love OPI? (medium grape), and then a bit of a-England’s Lady of the Lake (violet prismatic polish) on top. I was hoping the shimmer would do a lil something extra, but it just kinda fell flat – lesson learned! 
At a glance, my handiwork doesn’t look too bad, but up close…
…you can see it’s not ideal – a little uneven, and the sparkly bits should have been avoided altogether. But I LOVE the color combo, and even though it annoyed me to see the irregularities, I still admired my work often – though it chipped within a day, which has been happening a lot lately to my mani’s! I think my nails are a bit damaged so I’m trying to keep them short and hydrated as much as possible for the next while so they can grow out healthy – I’m all for changing my polish, but more like every few days, not every day!
Anyway, this was a fun little thing to do to mix up the normal *same-old* mani, and actually fairly easy – I just snipped a makeup sponge in half and dipped it in the darker polish and sponged it on the tip after the base shade had TOTALLY dried (this tip is a must). There are great tutorials on this process that I highly advise you checking out if you’re interested in trying it – I was too lazy to bother watching them all but I probably would have done a much better job if I had! *MEH*
Have you done any nail art lately?
Review: Katy Perry Lashes Created by Eylure
Posted by Latoya in False Lashes on May 15, 2012
Well hello there! Miss me? Sorry for being a bit delinquent in the posting, I’ve been very busy this past week/weekend….buying a condo!! My boyfriend and I have been looking for a couple weeks, and lucked out on Saturday. We move into our new home in just over a month. I can’t wait! It’s just perfect and in a great area, a nice neighbourhood with a lot of trails – which will make up for the fact that I won’t be able to walk to work anymore *sad face* But, it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make for the right home! So, the past couple days has been filled with calls and paper signing and appointments etc. I feel like a big girl now
Anyway, I really wanted to take some time to get this post up as I’ve been meaning to for ages. I have quite a few items that I’ve taken photos of but haven’t posted yet, shame on me. At least this is one of the list! Earlier last month, I received two sets of the new Katy Perry Lashes, created with Eylure, the award-winning British lash specialists. I used to wear false lashes ALL the time back in my ‘downtown’ days (aka University); I loved the dramatic effect they’d create, and I’d even amp it up and draw a couple on my bottom lash line sometimes for extra pizzazz. As I got older, I started wearing individual lashes when I wanted to go big, which I found looked more natural and I could wear for days at a time without having to remove them.
The lashes Eylure sent are strip lashes, and each set varies in the amount of drama they impart. First we have ‘Oh Honey,’ which are full yet demure, with quite a bit of length and a fair bit of volume, and textured for a more natural finish:
I thought these looked pretty good, like your very typical false lashes, and I liked that they curled nicely and come with their own lash glue. The glue has a really handy applicator wand that makes applying the glue to the lashes a snap – far easier than anything else I’ve tried.
I applied the glue to the lash line of the lashes and waited for about 20 seconds (for it to get tacky) before applying the lashes to my own lash line. These were a touch long and probably could have been trimmed a tad, but overall the fit was OK. They are quite flexible so you can mold them to your eye shape fairly easily. I held them in place until they adhered and then checked out my handy work.
I sort of want to say ‘Oh Honey NO’ when I look at these. They’re not terrible, granted, and in photos I’m sure they look fine, but in person there was just something about them that did NOT sit well with me. They just looked too fake for my liking, I think. The nice curl I liked initially seemed too much, and the lashes themselves just looked gaudy – I probably could have trimmed the length of the lashes down, but honestly? I know I won’t take the time. It’s like getting pants hemmed (not taken in – different altogether!) – I just can’t be bothered. I want it to fit properly the first time or never mind. UNLESS those pants my my booty look rad, then I’ll be all over it. If these lashes otherwise wereawesomeI’d go the extra mile. As it were, they just kind of fell flat for me.
The next set I checked out was the ‘Oh My’ version: a big, bold lash with a layered effect with major texture. These were a bit intimidating in the box, yet still piqued my interest. As my big 3-0 party is coming up, I thought these would be a perfect addition to my going-to-be-fabulous outfit.
(Please forgive me, I took photos of these after I had already trimmed one set – oops!) These also came with their own glue, and I used the same application method as I did with the ‘Oh Honey’ lashes above. Wanna see the result?
Again, looking at these pictures makes it look pretty darn good. I’m even second-guessing my feelings on these – they look va-va-voom here! However, again I just felt like these were too crazy for me to even consider wearing anywhere, and I am NOT a shy gal when it comes to makeup. And these particular lashes were hard to apply – the double effect makes them particularly stiff, and they don’t shape around the eye well at all, and to get them to stick you have to hold as much as the lash down as possible as it wants to spring up from the tension. As I mentioned, I did trim these ones on the edge a bit, as they were far too long for my eyes – and even still I feel like I could get rid of even more length. A whole lotta WHOA here for me.
Of course, my reaction to these lashes could be because I don’t wear false lashes a whole lot nowadays, and am unused to how they look and feel. I certainly can understand why these are a collaboration with Katy Perry, because they are TA-DOW! lashes and definitely made for show, which is just like her (at least on-stage) persona. If that appeals to you, then I think you’ll probably love these (though the ‘Oh My’ lashes are a bit tricky). But if you’re looking for a more natural, wearable false lash to add a little oomph to your look, I’m not sure these two are for you.
All Katy Perry by Eylure lashes retail for $6.99 at ULTA Beauty Stores nationwide and on www.ULTA.com.
Do you wear false lashes at all? What brand is your favorite? Do you prefer strip lashes or individual?
*These products were provided for my unbiased consideration by the PR company/brand.
Best Bang for Your Buck Series: Nail Polish
Posted by Latoya in Best Bang for Your Buck, Nail Polish on May 11, 2012
Welcome to the ‘Best Bang for Your Buck‘ series! Each week for the next few months, I’m going to tackle certain types of beauty products, and list the offerings from popular department store brands and their sizes vs. costs. At a glance, you’ll be able to see which items are most cost effective in that category, and get a better idea if your money is being well spent, or if you’re being, well – a little ripped off! Also, if you’re hedging on picking up a certain product because of the cost, this will give you an idea of the true value of the product and if it’s worth your hard earned cash.
Many of the sizes and dollar values of products are taken from online websites; please let me know if anything is listed incorrectly and I’ll be sure to fix it! Also, for products which we don’t have here in Atlantic Canada, or for items that are more difficult to find overall, I’ll note in green where they’re located for your reference – though I tried to mostly include products relatively accessible as a whole.
Week Nine: Nail Polish
Yay! Everyone loves nail polish, right?! It’s the greatest cheap beauty thrill ever I’ve actually had this list created for AGES, it was one of the first I did just to keep track of all the polish brands I wanted to try, and I added the extra info just because…well, you guys know I’m anal LOL. There were a few other brands I wanted to include but I couldn’t readily find the info about the sizing/price since they aren’t sold around here and are tricky to find. For the most part these are fairly well-known brands, and most of which I’ve tried, but there still a handful I’d like to check out!
Best Value
China Glaze ($13/oz)
Worst Value
Estee Lauder ($83.33/oz)
Most Product
Orly (0.60oz)
Least Product
Estee Lauder (0.30oz)
Best Picks (0.50oz+ and less than $16/oz)
China Glaze
Orly
Color Club
Worthy Splurges (0.40oz+ and $15-$20)
Deborah Lippmann
butter London
Rescue Beauty Lounge
I just realized that the price I quoted for the MAC polish is TOTALLY outdated…I remembered Christine from Temptalia mentioning that they keep raising their prices all the time, and HOLY MOLEY did they ever!! The new cost of their polish is $19 – less than two years ago I picked up a polish for $15.50. WTF!?! So, the new cost per oz is now $55.89/oz – which places it at fourth worst economically. Gawd damn. I can assure you that unless the formula improves exponentially and they come out with some stand out shades, I won’t be purchasing a MAC polish anytime soon. Shoot.
Also note that Estee Lauder’s nail polish isn’t the *smallest* on the market – Le Metier de Beaute carries a polish that’s 0.14oz for about $10 ($71/oz), and Glitter Gal polishes are 0.3oz for $14 ($47/oz).
Though I’m not terribly upset if a polish is smaller than normal, because goodness knows I’m probably never going to finish a polish (and there are very few that I love so much that I want it to last forever), I still get frustrated when I realize just how much they’re charging for such an itty bitty product. It’s particularly worse when, as in the case of MAC’s polishes, the formula isn’t up to snuff either, so you’re essentially throwing away your money. I’m really disappointed in the size of the Lauder polishes, because it turns me off from ever buying one – unless the shade rocks my world. Additionally, it irritates and confuses me to no end that the Sephora by OPI polishes (and Nicole by OPI polishes as well) are actually priced higher than regular OPI shades. Does that make sense to you? Maybe I’m missing the point here – it just seems to me that Sephora Brand, which overall typically runs cheaper than most other lines in the store, should be like the more affordable brand of polish. And as Nicole is found in drugstores, I would assume the same about that line as well. However…I am incorrect in my assumption. So.
I’m winding down on the ‘best bang’ posts…I may have only a few more posts left to do, I hope you enjoyed them! If you have any particular type of beauty product you’d like me to research, let me know!! I’d certainly like to accommodate
Are you willing to shell out more money or sacrifice size for a great formula/shade? What polish brand is your favorite and why? Are there any brands you’ve yet to try?
I WANT!!
