Review - Cosmagic Sweet Deco Cheek in peach pink with swatches

Hey Lovelies!

I hope everybody has been having a great new year so far! It tends to be relatively busy during the first month of the year at work, so I have been putting in extra hours every week to keep afloat. -_-

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That being said, I am glad to be back with reviews aplenty! Today, I'll be reviewing Kose's Cosmagic Sweet Deco Cheek in 02 or pink peach.

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Backside:

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The packaging is super cute as expected - just check out the built-in adorable plastic jeweled heart!

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The lid is cut like a giant diamond and screws off easily. So princess-y!!!

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The set contains a minuscule blush brush which feels soft but doesn't serve any real purpose. Perhaps it might be good for contouring? There really is no place in the blush packaging itself that holds the brush securely so I stuffed it into my knick-knacks box where it will probably remain.

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...Finally, a big dandelion-like puffball on a stick...

...Much like the Puffy bird on my windowsill :) ...

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If you open up the inner insert, there are some instructions on how to use the blush to achieve different looks...

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The blush itself in different lighting. The heart-shaped area is a shimmery coral cream blush, and the lower two compartments house a peachy-pink blush with golden shimmer and a lighter pink highlighter.

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*Swatches* With an without flash

The cream blush reminds me a lot of NARS "Torrid" while the darker blush shade reminds me of a pinkier NARS "Orgasm"! Needless to say, very pretty colors and universally flattering IMO! I was surprised that the blush wasn't super shimmery and if used with a light hand, you could wear this to work on a Summer's day.

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The other color is perhaps the more popular blush of the two - 01 in Strawberry pink. I can see the strawberry color looking great on fair-skinned beauties, but I am willing to give it a a whirl in the future sometime!

Price is $145 HK dollars or around $18.61 USD at Adambeauty.com
(Both colors are in-stock)

Overall

Pros
♥ Pigmented and pretty color
♥ Lovely packaging
♥ 3-in-1 blush - versatile!
♥ Extras = 2 freebie brushes
♥ Universally flattering colors

Cons

♥ Must be used with a light hand otherwise can be too shimmery/bright
♥ Hard to find - overseas orders or e-bay


Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ (4.5/5)

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My LOTD

...Some randomness from this past week...

Wore my H&M sweater dress with leggings and F21 "Love" necklace





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I wanted to share the beautiful Hello Kitty purse from Loungefly that I won as a giveaway prize from the ever-sweet RINA!

Super cute dustbag



The pattern is crazy kawaii with bows & hello kitty's face printed all over



The details on the purse are amazing! Even the hardware is Hello-Kittied out!



Delicious hot-pink lining



Thank you so much Rina! Your gift really made my month! :)




Giveaway, reviews and more coming soon!

♥ Irene

Hello Kitty for Sephora - Review and Comparison

Hello Kitty for Sephora - Review & Eyeliner Comparison

My package from Sephora arrived right before Christmas last week! Amidst all the hustle & bustle of the holiday season, I didn't get around until opening anything...until today!

The packaging -as expected- is SUPER adorable...the perfume box is topped with a silver bow sticker...

...and the "sweet gloss" packaging is imprinted with Hello Kitty's famous mug



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Cuteness aside, here is my review.



*Perfume*

This 1.7 oz perfume is decently sized - but I definitely took a gamble on ordering it without ever sniffing. The description sounded just perfect for me! The mysterious unnamed Japanese fruits and green apple made it sound like this would be a fresh & sweet scent.

I was disappointed - it doesn't smell BAD - just extremely generic. The "wink" of vanilla is more than just that and the apple scent is nonexistent. That or my nose might be a little stuffy. The pretty bottle is now doing just that - prettying up my vanity.

*sigh*

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*Sweet gloss*





Equally sweet blogger Rina also purchased this and has some good swatches of Peachy up on her blog

I purchased "Peachy" for my sister and kept "Pink Bow" for myself.

The fruity scent is really nice and the consistency is more of a balm than a gloss in my opinion. I like the color, though it is just a tint.



The packaging is nice, sturdy, and cute!

I was overall very pleased with this purchase, though I'm not sure I would shell out $16 for another one.

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*Penpal Eyeliner*



I am always on the hunt for a great eyeliner. I have tried different felt-tip liners before, without much success. I just recently opened my Dolly Wink Deep Black eyeliner and was pleased with the precise tip and the staying power!

As Rina mentioned, the cap on the Hello Kitty Pen-pal eyeliner is super tight - which I suppose is nice because it will prolong the life of the product. This cap is a bit too tight though, and you have to put a little bit of muscle into tugging it off. :P The problem with felt-tip eyeliners is their tendency to dry out quickly, so I'm hoping the cap at least keeps it fresh. For all that work, it'd better! :O

The tip itself is not nearly as fine as the Dolly Wink tip...



Here are my swatches of the liners - see the whiskers on the Hello Kitty heart-shaped swatch? :3 (Don't ask about the Dolly Wink one, it was supposed to be winking with a bow T_T)



The eyeliner isn't disappointing...but it definitely is NOT waterproof so save this one for a sunny day! The pigmentation is decent, but I would use it over regular pencil liner for more contrast. I don't think it would be dark enough for my liking on its own! That or it might have to be layered on.

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All in all, I bought into the hype! The novelty of this line is reason enough to get excited but the quality of the makeup itself is nothing to write home about. I still might browse again mid-January when the line officially launches - if anything, I *might* pick up the brushes or the mirror. Maybe.

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My LOTD was decidedly Princess-y. :)

Pink fuzzy top from Yesstyle.com

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Sparkly "tiara" headband

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The Yesstyle model rocking it



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I can't believe the year is about to END!!!

I'm so excited to start another year- thank you all so much for your continued love & support throughout all of 2010. I really and truly feel so blessed - and I have a nice way of thanking you coming up next month!!! :D

I hope the new year holds bigger and brighter things for all of you! Take care and have a safe & Happy New Year!

♥ Irene

Hello Kitty Sephora Event - last day!

Hey Ladies,

The blogworld has been abuzz with the Hello Kitty collaboration with Sephora - anything with Hello Kitty actually MADE for adults (such as previous collaboration with MAC) is just plain awesomeness in my opinion. :D I'm going to cling to my semi-adulthood as long as possible!

*My haul*

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Hello Kitty Perfume

I was suckered into buying the perfume - how could I resist? Something that looks like THIS...

...and is pink, sparkly, and smells of green apples & Japanese fruits with "rich floral accords and a wink of warn vanilla" - I hope I'm not wrong about this one, I only wear sweet & semi-fruity scents. I also love the pink atomizer and crystalline bow!!! Even if I end up hating the scent, I'll keep that bottle forever!

It was out of stock Saturday, but is now back in stock (10:04 am in Dallas)

Notes:

Cassis Sorbet, Italian Mandarin, Apple, Magnolia Blossom, Freesia, Orange Flower, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Musk.

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Pen-pal liquid eyeliner

I liked the novel idea of the pen-pal eyeliner - it is a liquid in pen form housed in an adorable, sleek Hello Kitty-stamped case. According to the site:

"The Pen Pal liquid eyeliner marker contains an inventive formula with pure pigments that dry quickly and allow extreme, all-day wear with no stain effect. The expert marker tip ensures tremendous precision and intensity in one stoke"

The words "ultra-precise" helped, as I am a helpless klutz when it comes to application of liquid eyeliner. I still have yet to try out the DollyWink liquid eyeliner, but from what I have heard, I hope this compares! I purchased in "Goodnight Dreams"

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Sweet Gloss

I really adore the packaging - it looks adult, not "kiddie" - All these glosses were back in stock after being out of stock on Saturday.

I love the look of "peachy" and "pink bow" - these promise to provide long-lasting hydration (must have, especially in the Winter!) with a hint of color.

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I would have purchased these items, but all sold out ;_;

Bling Mirror

Brush set with collectible case

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All the makeup seems to be infused with "apple, grapeseed and strawberry oil" which promotes hydration, softer skin, and powerful antioxidants

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SUNDAY (today), December 19th is the last day to get your paws on this collection until its official release in mid-January - so pounce on over if you haven't already :) - If you're not a "Beauty Insider" just sign up online to get access to the private event! This would also make a fabulous gift for the Hello Kitty enthusiast in your life (read: Purrrfect Christmas gift!)

There is a 2-day shipping deal too, so guaranteed Christmas delivery - Couponcode - UPS2DAY

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Finally, had a rare opportunity to go out a little while ago - my LOTD + my new favorite Betsey Johnson jewelry (I know, time to clean the mirror!)

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend filled with adventure, glamour, charity, & last-minute holiday shopping!!! Aaaaah!

Kim Kardashian-esque look - light edition

Happy September everybody! The last month or so has been a whirlwind of uncertainty, job changes, and LIFE getting in the way of everything...

Despite all the turmoil, it really does feel like God has been watching over me - I feel so blessed & very lucky. It feels like another chapter is opening in my life and I am just brimming with anxiety and excitement!

I am glad to be back - so much to catch up on! I missed the blogging community, but I can't reiterate how difficult it is to jump back into things after a period of (my self-inflicted) blog famine.

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After a good week or so of junk television, I have concluded that Kim Kardashian (and by extension, her full-blooded sisters & Mother) wears too much makeup. She looks fabulous - a sex Bob-bomb! but she also looks equally, if not more, gorgeous without.

I decided to do a "lite" version of her look...smoky & smoldering purples, charcoals and pinks with a light lip and false lashes.

I used my favorite NYX Caribbean Collection palette in "I dream of Barbados" - these colors are smooth and pigmented with some gentle non-overpowering shimmer. Also, be pretty with a clean conscience as all NYX products do not test on animals! :)

One of the keys to Kim's look is a strong, sculpted brow. One of my favorite brow pencils is N.Y.C. - the kind you can pick up at just about any drugstore for ~99 cents. They come in tons of shades - I chose a 922A, "Dark Brown"

After the eye makeup, I dusted bronzer on my temples and underneath the cheekbones. (Fresh, here comes the sun palette) A pop of pinky gold blush on the apples of the cheeks and a sweep of highlighter (Tokidoki in Kabuki) later...

Finished with NYX black label lipstick in "Nude". (LOVE these lippies by the way, will have to review soon)

Tip: Don't forget comically large sunglasses & body-hugging ensemble!

Hope everyone had a lovely labor-day weekend! See you soon ~ promise ;)

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**Side note - I swear the wind/rain combo outside is going to bust the windows out my house right now. O_O

Birthday ♥ + Awesome giveaway!

Another year passes, another reason to look/feel/act younger than I actually am...

I hate having to feel this way as a woman...instead of the distinguished, mature, desirable aging of a man, time is every woman's mortal enemy...

In reality, I'm not too bummed out by turning 27. ;) Thanks for all the words of encouragement from you lovely ladies! ♥ I know age is just a number...it's just that sometimes I feel a lot younger than I actually am... I might have once thought that I would be married with kids at 28 but sometimes, life doesn't go exactly as planned - the unpredictability is what makes things so beautiful though. You never know what's around the corner!

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Just thought I'd share a few photos from my b-day weekend with you :)

EOTD





Used Maybelline Eyestudio Color Plush silk eyeshadow Quad in Taupe Temptress (new favorite quad! Review soon)

FOTD



Foooooood of the day!!!

Yummy fatty tuna & surf clam at my favorite sushi joint!

*Spoilage*













New Kicks.
Time to get my butt in shape!!! (literally)



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Hello to all my lovely new readers! ♥ You all make me feel spoiled! :D And I know I have been bad about getting back in comments and in general, but I really love reading your comments and suggestions. I will be responding to some requests in my inbox so look out for new posts soon!

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Finally, I just found out about Bang Bang She Shoots via Serena! Nic Nic is a lovely blogger that lives in Tokyo and has started up an internet business to give us ladies access to Japanese Cosmetics!!! It's called A Pop of Kawaii ~ Check it out!!!


She is having a giveaway...with SIX winners! Ends June 6th!