{Empties} Collective!!!

1. NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder-I was very surprised how fast I went through this powder. I used it just about every morning for less than 6 months, but I've had loose powders last me for eons and eons because I didn't use them very often. I love this powder. It is a good cheap, no-frills, just-does-the-job powder.

2. Shiseido White Serum-This I actually got as a gift from a friend. I don't think I saw much lightening or evening, but it felt really moisturizing. I used it underneath my night moisturizer. I do have to say that at a pump a night I went through it in less than a month and a half. Given by how much this serum must have cost, that's a bit unacceptable to me.

3. Mary Kay Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover-This makeup remover did the job. It removed the eye makeup, but honestly I can't say I will repurchase any time soon. Or ever. Because of the method of dispensing I wasted a lot of product. It lasted me less than two full months while the Almay one I usually use lasts me almost a full year and costs less than half. And I hated having to rub a lot when removing my eye makeup. If you are still interested click here for the full review!

4. Stila Pressed Powder-Although it is expensive, this is probably my favorite pressed powder ever. It is soooo soft and gives my skin a very air brushed look. I really like how you can just repurchase the pan of powder and not the full case. I probably will repurchase later, but only when I finish the powders I've got now.

5. Caswell-Massey Revitalizing Cool Cucumber Eye Pads-These I'm a bit mixed on. I liked putting them on my eye and relaxing at the end of a long day, but to be honest I didn't see any effect. They felt nice and moisturizing, but nothing that my regular eye cream wouldn't have done. For less than a dollar though, I'm ok with the disappointment.

6. Stella McCartney 5 benefits Moisturizing Cream (sample)-This was a sample I got at Marshall's for a couple of dollars in a set. I actually really liked it. It is a day cream (I think), but I used it at night because even in the winter it was a bit too rich for my very oily skin. It is wonderful on any dry patches though. My only complaint (well other than the price of the full size bottle) is the smell. I don't mind an herbal scent, but the smell of this stuff is overwhelming.

7. Boots No. 7 Radiant Glow Concealer-While this isn't an exact dupe of the YSL Touch Eclat, for $12.99 it is a very good illuminating concealer. It really isn't a high lighter like the YLS version, but more of a true concealer. My only complaint about this item is the lack of shades. It comes in two very similar very light shades. If you are deeper than say NW 25 or 30, then this product will not work for you. And it is very warm undertone. If you have a cooler, bluer undertone this will look too yellow on you.

8. Pixi Lash Boosting Mascara-I love this mascara for thickening. I was a bit hesitant about spending so much on a mascara at Target, but this mascara is really good for everyday volume. It is very very black too. My only complaint with this product is that although it isn't marketed as a waterproof mascara but is an absolute pain to get off. I mean, it is impossible to remove. On the one thing it's good because it doesn't budge during the day, but my eyes feel raw sometimes after I remove it.

9. Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara-I really like this mascara. It makes my eyelashes look longer and thicker. I didn't really see any drastic improvement in my lashes without this mascara, but it's still a good day mascara. The wand, I think however, is a bit unnecessarily large and the formula just a little too dry, but other than that it is a really solid mascara. If you're interested click here for the full review!

10. Lancome Waterproof Eyeliner-I am on the fence with this liner. On the one hand, it does a good job of subtly defining lashes, but on the other hand I could just as easily get the same effect with a drugstore liner. I know that Boots No 7 has liners that look almost exactly the same, from the colors to the design of the pencil, complete with a smudger. It's a good waterproof liner that lasts all day, but I just don't think it's worth the price.

11. Lancome Definicils Mascara-And finally, the mascara I've bought more of than any other mascara. I keep coming back to this mascara time and time again because it really is a good all around mascara. It gives decent volume, length, and definition, and has never once failed me. I don't usually use this as my daily mascara which is why a tube of this lasts me forever and I will definitely repurchase in the future.

That's it for now! More to come soon!

{Review} Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Black Pearl

Hi everyone! This is going to be a review for the Chanel Le Vernis Nail Color in Black Pearl. Although I do have other Chanel nail polishes, this is going to be my first review of one on the blog. I just had to do a review on such a pretty and unusual color!

The shade I got is Black Pearl, from the Chanel Spring 2011 collection. I think you might be able to still find it in a few stores, but I would hurry. The color is a blackened, metallic teal/green, with blue and green glitters in it as well.

One thing I really love about Chanel nail polishes is that the big square cap comes off. I really like Lancome nail polishes too, but they can sometimes be very difficult to use because the cap is so large and as far as I've tried, isn't removable.

And finally, swatches:

It's a blackened metallic muted teal/green with blue and green sparkles in it.

On the nail it is very very metallic, but honestly my nails look atrocious right now lol! I don't have anything like this in my collection. I have things that have a similar finish, but not even close on the shade so I fell in love! As far as dark colors go, this one actually isn't too bad on the nail which I like. It is very very metallic so it reflects light. You will need two coats to reach full opacity and they dry fairly quickly. If you don't like any streaks in even metallic polishes then I would stay away from this polish. Although it looks stunning, it takes a bit of work to apply it evenly. I don't mind the effort as I quite like metallic polishes. That's the only negative (well, other than price) that I can think of. I love Chanel's unique colors and this one is no exception.

Info:

Price: $25

Ingredients: (to be posted)

{Haul} Chanel

L to R: Chanel Le Vernis in Black Pearl, Inimitable Intense Mascara in Noir, and Stilo Yeux Waterproof in Rose Platine.

Hi! Just thought I'd share a recent special haul! Now, I don't normally indulge this much on a single shopping trip. I'm the kind of shopper who browses for an hour and buys jus tone thing because buying a lot of makeup especially at one time makes me feel a bit guilty and wasteful since I've got so much makeup at home. And it's been a loooong times since I've indulged in Chanel haha, and lately I've really been craving. So I gave in and bought three things.

I got the Inimitable Intense mascara in Noir. Now, I've never had luck with those plasticy applicators, but somehow, this applicator works on me. I think until this point I had lost confidence in all mascaras with the bendy plastic applicators, instead opting for traditional wads. I will post pictures because honestly, I've been bowled over by how much I like this mascara.

I also got the nail polish in Black Pearl. I love Chanel nail polish. I think Chanel and Lancome nail polishes have the best formulas I've tested, better than OPI and Essie. I will post swatches soon!

The final item I got was the Stilo Yeux Waterproof in Rose Platine. This was a purely indulging purchase. I don't usually purchase high end eyeliners because, since I don't use eyeliners much, they tend to dry out on me and go to waste. This color just suckered me, sooo pretty! I will post lots and lots of pics in the reviews so stay tuned for those!

{Review} MAC Date Night Dazzleglass

Hi! Hope you all are having a good weekend and I thought I'd do a review. I know, Dazzleglasses from MAC aren't exactly a new thing, but when they first came out I had been on this super matte everything kick and I've just recently been getting back into shimmer and glitter. I stopped my MAC a while ago and although I don't usually buy a lot from MAC, this gloss caught my eye.

The shade I got was Date Night. Although it looks very very dark and opaque in the tube, it does apply sheerly, especially if you wear it the way that I do, over lip balm. I got this shade specifically because I had recently run out of my fave lip gloss, my Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire, and I wanted something sheer and plummy and shimmery, which is what I got with Date Night.

I really like the packaging compared to the regular lip glosses from MAC. These seem more sophisticated and definitely prettier.

Can you see the pretty shimmer?

Date Night is a plummy shade with yellow and blue and purple glitter in it.

A swatch:

And another, cause its soooo pretty:

And a lip swatch:

I applied a very small amount over lip balm, and this is what I came up with. I love that the blue and gold glitter still is visible. A lot of times the glitter tends to disappear but not in this shade. You can certainly apply it darker if you wish, but I quite like this effect. And it is also very glossy too. It gives my lips that lacquer shine that I love so much.

The brush:

Sorry for the blur :( Although I am a die-hard doe foot fan, I am ok with this brush. Like other brush applicators it does tend to apply a bit more than I'd like, but definitely not as bad as other brands that I've tried that have even longer bristles.

Formula wise this gloss is ok. I like a thin gloss and although Dazzleglasses aren't as thick as other glosses from MAC this one is still tackier than I would like. Another high point for this gloss is that the glitter doesn't feel gritty at all when I applied it. When it starts to wear off it does feel a bit gritty, but not as bad as other glosses I've worn, especially the ones from Smashbox. I really bought this gloss because of the shade. As far as moisturizing goes and all the added bonuses other companies put into glosses, this one is ok but nothing special really. It has MAC's signature vanilla scent, which I am not a big fan of. And as far as the shade goes, the shimmer in it is surprisingly noticeable on the lips, so much so that it is often too much for daytime wear. In addition, this gloss only lasted about an hour and a half on my lips. I like the shade, but honestly, it isn't worth the price to me.

One thing that I just realized a week ago is how little gloss is actually in the tube. When placed next to a regular gloss (C-Thru) it looks larger.

However, a Lipglass has 0.17 oz or 4.8 g of product. That's TWO AND A HALF TIMES MORE than what you get in a Dazzleglass and a Dazzleglass costs more.

MAC's Dazzleglasses come with 1.92 g of product cleverly disguised in a larger package.

In general, it's an ok lip gloss, but I don't think I would repurchase. I don't think the increased price is justified given the severe decrease in the amount of product. And although the shade is very very pretty the shimmer in it is sometimes too much for day time wear. All that, combined with the lacking lasting power, is why I cannot really recommend this gloss.

Info:

Price: $18.50

Ingredients:Polybutene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Triisostearyl Citrate, Silica Silylate, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Calcium Aluminium Brosilicate, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Tin Oxide, Silica, Vanillin.

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was purchased by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions regarding disclosure don't hesitate to ask!

{Put To The Test} Noxema Deep Cleansing Cream

So if you've been reading my blog for a while now, you've probably heard me talk about using Noxema to remove my face makeup (foundation, blush, NOT eye makeup) prior to cleansing. I've been doing this for several months now and I can't tell you how much better my skin looks. I still break out every now and then, but on a day to day basis my skin looks and feels cleaner and clearer. I know that using cold cream type products is "old fashioned," but I can honestly say that this has helped my skin and hopefully it can help your's too. And at about 5 bucks a jar, it certainly won't hurt the wallet to try!

If you've never heard of Noxema before, it's just like a cold cream, only thicker. It is a hard white paste in the jar that, when you rub in, thins out, dissolving any makeup in the process. It is oil based (but noncomedogenic) so it gets just about everything. I use a plastic tongue depressor like stick to scoop it out, put it all over my face, rub it in, and then wipe it off with a baby wipe. If my skin is dry, I sometimes leave this on for a few minutes because it is very hydrating. I then use my regular facial cleanser to wash my face. In all, it is a lot more effective at cleaning my face. And I even take it part way down the neck, an area that a lot of people forget but nearly always apply either foundation or bronzer.

I used several eyeliners and a long wear lipstick to test it out. In all, I think my Maybelline gel liner has been the most stubborn thing to remove. It is thick and waxy and really does not budge, so I was curious to see if Noxema would be able to remove it.

IMPORTANT: Noxema is not an eye makeup remover. It contains camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus oil which can irritate the eyes. I'm just doing a demonstration to show how well it can remove makeup. DON'T USE NOXEMA ON YOUR EYE AREA.

I used a q-tip to apply the product and gently rub it in.

I forgot to take a before shot, but here's what it looked like during.

And I just toweled it off with a cotton round. It got off just about everything. Ignore my creepy veins lol!

I then used a Neutrogena makeup remover wipe to try and remove the rest of the makeup and it didn't work well on the gel liners, the waterproof pencil liner, and it didn't even begin to remove the long wear lipstick. I usually use Mac wipes for comparison when doing this, but I've run out and not repurchased. All in all, if Noxema works this well on eye makeup it is bound to clean your face really really well too!

{Review} New Haircare Routine (Paul Mitchell)

Paul Mitchell The Detangler (L) and Instant Moisture Daily Shampoo(R).

I'm back! A few weeks ago I ran out of not only my shampoo, but also my daily conditioner and my heavy duty treatment conditioner, so I went and picked up a couple of new goodies. Now, I've never really been into high end hair care. Personally, I've never really found a high end hair care product that I couldn't find a drugstore equivalent of, excluding special treatments of course. Shampoos, for instance, really are all the same to me. I've yet to come across a shampoo that just wowed me. Conditioners, however, I really love, especially the super rich ones that make my hair feel like I've just come back from the salon. That's how this conditioner, Paul Mitchell's The Detangler, makes my hair feel, so I'm glad I spent some extra money!

Paul Mitchell The Detangler (Top) and Instant Moisture Daily Shampoo (Bottom).

And I love how the caps are different colors! When I'm in the shower super late or super early and my eyes are barely open, I can instantly tell the difference between the shampoo and conditioner, lol! One time, I was so tired that I started to use my conditioner as a body wash haha!

Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Shampoo

Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Daily Shampoo

Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Daily Shampoo

According to the Paul Mitchell website, this shampoo is supposed to clean, deeply hydrate, repair, plump skinny strands, offer UV protection from the sun, and be color safe. Really? All that in one little bottle? I'm sorry, but no. Basically, I found that this cleaned my hair. I actually used this shampoo for a week on it's own without the conditioner just to see how well it works. I found that this shampoo was moisturizing, but nowhere near as moisturizing as my favorite shampoo of all time, Head&Shoulders Classic Clean. Classic Clean is my go to in-a-hurry-have-no-time-to-condition shampoo because it makes my hair feel like I've shampood and conditioned. Instant Moisture just makes my hair feel not as stripped. Personally, I don't think this shampoo is worth the $17 I paid for it. It's not a bad shampoo, just not as moisturizing as I would like it to be.

Paul Mitchell The Detangler

Paul Mitchell The Detangler

Paul Mitchell The Detangler

Paul Mitchell The Detangler

I actually really like this conditioner. I think the texture of it really surprised me. It's not as thick and oily as other conditioners that I've tried. It looked initially like it would be very thick, but it actually spreads really easy. I know the first couple of times I used this I used too much simply because I wasn't used to using so little. You need very little of this to be effective. This made my hair feel amazing. It was conditioned, soft, shiny, and just overall, healthy feeling. My hair doesn't really tangle much so I can't speak about it's detangling abilities, but other than that, this is a great conditioner. The only thing I really don't like so much is the scent. It's got a scent that is a mix of chemical and herbal, that's the only way I can describe it. It's not horrible, but I like nice scents that linger in my hair and make it smell good for a few hours. This didn't. Other than that, great all around conditioner, and well worth the price.

Info:

Price: $17 ea (10.4 oz bottles, at the salon)

Ingredients: Instant Moisture: Water, Sodium Myreth Sulfate, Cocamide MEA, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Dimethicone, Laureth-4, Laureth-23, Dioctyldodecyl Fluoroheptyl Citrate, Dimethicone Bisamino Hydroxypropyl Copolyol/Hedychium Coronarium/Dimethicone Copolyol, Dimethicone Bisamino Hydroxypropyl Copolyol/Algae/Aloe Barbadensis Leaf/Anthemis Nobilis/Henna/Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba)/Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary)/Dimethicone Copolyol, Glycol Stearate, PEG-150 Distearate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Fragrance, Tetrasodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride.

Ingredients: The Detangler: Water, Isododecane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Bisamino PEG/PPG 41/3 Aminoethyl PG Propyl Dimethicone, Algae (Seaweed) Extract, Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile) Flower Extract, Lawsonia Inermis (Henna) Extract (Henna), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Extract (Jojoba), Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract (Rosemary), PEG 12 Dimethicone, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Leaf Extract (Carrot), Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil (Grape), Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Magnesium Nitrate, Fragrance (Parfum), Hexylcinnamal, Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Orange 4 (CI 15510), Red 40 Lake (CI 16035) (CI 16035)

Disclosure: The items featured in this post were purchased by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure don't hesitate to ask in comments!