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



***

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*

***

*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.

***

*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.

***

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.

*****

My LOTD was decidedly Princess-y. :)

Pink fuzzy top from Yesstyle.com

***
Sparkly "tiara" headband

*****

The Yesstyle model rocking it



***

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

Dolly Wink Lower Lash Review - No. 5 Real Nude

Feeling rather lazy today, but thought I would share something I have been meaning to post for awhile...

♥~♥~♥

I think I would have never even known lower lash falsies existed if it weren't for the lovely ladies of the blogging world! (i.e Malaysian Blogger Cheesie, the always beautiful Eki, and Fuzkittie just to name a few!)

It's one thing if you have lower lashes. It's another if you have absolutely ZERO. Zilch. None! Okay, maybe I have a few stray lashes here and there, but it's pretty desolate. [insert picture of desert]

Enter - DOLLY WINK to the rescue!

***

Backside

***

Up close

***

Of course, first spread a thin layer of glue on the backside - all the lashes come with a cute little tube or you can buy it separate on SASA.com if you run out.

Use tweezers to place as close to the lashline as comfortable ~ gently use fingers or tweezers to press into place!

***

Clean the area gently with cotton swab

***

Please don't laugh, I know it's amateur! Also, don't be like me, please use an eyelash curler on upper lashes! T_T

***

Both eyes!

***

Verdict - It does wonders!!! Subtle wonders at least - it is nice for girls who have zero bottom lashes and even nicer for girls who have plush lower lashes. ♥

***

♥ Dolly-wink style ♥

***

I'm surprised that I didn't end up looking silly - the Real nude lives up to its name - not fake-y but makes an impact!

I just really REALLY love the glue too - it is gentle enough, has a non-offensive smell and lasts and lasts.

Thank you Dolly Wink! ;)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ (5/5)

***

If you need these lashes STAT and live in Dallas, Super 99 Ranch has them in a variety of styles for $16.99 - Sasa.com has the best price but they are oftentimes sold out of the popular styles.

They also sell My Beauty Diary & a variety of asian and Japanese skincare/beauty products

***

I also used...

Red Cherry Lashes - A favorite of Kim Kardashian's and apparently quite popular in Hawaii - the shelves were stocked with hundreds! I used the #1s - very good for everyday wear!

***

Some of the eye-makeup trends

Military style

Girly Folklore - lol

Naturally Jessica-Alba-like pretty

???

Sweet & Dolly

***

I'm going to try to get my paws on some Diamond lashes too - apparently they are of high quality as well and come in packs of 5! :D

***

Hope you enjoyed - almost the weekend again! Time for some Christmas shopping!

Review: Laniege BASIC LINE eye designer cream

So the number one thing I have been concerned about as I age, is well...wrinkles. Protective measures aside (sunscreen, hats, limiting outdoor exposure, drinking tons of water) there are limited options to protect yourself from the inevitable. I haven't had the best of luck in the genetic lottery - at 27 I have noticed fine lines under my eyes which make frequent rude appearances. My loving but ever-critical mother would point this out to me constantly. I needed help - Stat!

I have tried a menagerie of different products to lackluster results - Oil of Olay (gave me Milia, or those tiny little bumps underneath the eyes), Dior (no results whatsoever), and Dove (also nada). After Sasa.com decided to turn me into an online shopaholic, I decided to give the skincare experts of the East a go - and to my delight, I discovered Laneige!

Review

Laneige BASIC LINE eye designer cream

Description (from Sasa.com)

Water-based moisture system means your skin receives fresh supply of water, not oil, meaning that you will not get milia or trapped/clogged pores in your delicate eye area!

• Moisture care system exclusive to LANEIGE, water pump system prevents dryness around the eyes with an intensive moisturizing effect.
• Mineral complex and fungus extracts give resilience, moistens the delicate surface skin around the eyes.
• Blueberry and raspberry extracts clear away dark and dull spots around the eyes, brightening the tone and clarity around your eyes.

The sheer size of the actual product was impressive! The jar is 30 mL and will last even the most indulgent of users for a good few months. (me) It has a really clean, fresh, scent. I use a Q-tip for each dip into the jar to avoid contamination and dot a large amount of the product both right under, around, and on top of my eyelids.

The product is smooth and though initially, it feels a bit thick, it absorbs quickly and feels great! It isn't greasy or sticky in the faintest. I was worried it was going to be too rich for the summer, but it actually works perfectly on my combo (dry/oily) skin.

Most importatly, RESULTS! I noticed that I do need to use this nightly for the type of results I prefer. I don't believe the eyecream has any anti-aging properties, but the water-pump system actually seems to work quite nicely and leaves my under-eye area refreshed, plumped and significatly less wrinkly!

Before use at night - fine lines, wrinkles

After use, in the morning - fresh and wrinkles are less defined

Pros

♥ Non-greasy, fast absorbing formulation

♥ Unique water-pump system

♥ Did not cause milia

♥ Fresh, clean non-overpowering scent

♥ Large amount of product

♥ Decreased appearance of fine lines/under-eye wrinkles

Cons

♥ May be hard to find, online availability for most

♥ Packaging susceptible to contamination

♥ Moderately priced (~$30/jar)

♥ Everyday use necessary for desired results

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ (4.5/5)

From what I have seen so far, I LOVE Laneige products...it is a Korean brand so whether or not they test on animals is unknown, though I certainly hope they do not. I have purchased but have yet to try the strawberry yogurt peel which has received rave reviews and I am very curious about the Water Sleeping Pack. I have a feeling that my love affair with this company will continue. :)

*~*~*~*

I'm just about ready for a vacation right about now - as some of you know, I have been working for days and days at a time. I think cumulatively, I have had a grand total of 1 day off in the last 20+! I need to keep a handle on myself before I turn into a work-obsessed zombie. x_x On the brighter side of things, I'm excitedly planning my next 2 vacations - I might as well live by the motto "work hard, play hard!" Except playing for me is more like relaxing on the beach sipping juice from a ripe pineapple. :)

The beautiful resort in Hawaii that may be a part of my next dream vacation!

*~*~*

Off to work again! Only 3 more days until my next free day!

Happy Friday! Have a safe & wonderful weekend!

Review: Coastal Scents 88 Palette & Glam Sparkle and Pop!

Happy Sunday Beauties!
Thought I would share my LOTD from last week plus my thoughts on the Coastal Scents 88 makeup Palette!

***

Coastal Scents 88 Makeup Color Palette

Purchased from Amazon.com for around $19 USD



As you can see, there are a million (well 88 haha) different colors to choose from! Note that this palette comes in 2 different 'styles' - the normal makeup palette (which I purchased - has mixture of matte & shimmers) and the "ultra shimmer" palette (all shimmery colors). For those who want less crazy colors and more neutrals, there is the "warm palette" and the new "metal mania" palette.

** "Regular" Makeup Color Palette **



**Ultra Shimmer **


**Warm/Neutral **


** Metal Mania **
Images from Amazon.com

The palette came packaged nicely in bubble wrap and I did not have any problems with breakage. However, the cheap shadow applicator slot was a broken so the applicator kept falling off. Not really a problem since I don't use them anyway! The palette itself is thin and lightweight - careful with the latch since I hear it can break easily!

The size of each shadow is pretty small - smaller than a dime! Chances are the variety of colors will be so vast that you are too busy experimenting to run out. I already have a few favorites, but for the most part, I just kind of swatch whatever catches my fancy :)



Color payoff is variable. Some of the shadows are highly pigmented and apply with ease. Others look promising but are actually disappointing. There was no crazy odor and for the most part, the texture was pleasant and blended well.

I attempted to do a rainbow type gradient on my arm. I used MAC's paint in "Untitled" as a base and then swatched some of the colors using my ELF brushes.



I know this palette has been hyped for ages - I think it's a good deal for the price. Quality wise, the shadows have great staying powder and there are quite a few colors that impressed! However, if you're not into experimentation, I would go for the warm/neutral type palette. This one is fun, but I don't find myself reaching for it very often. It's just a bit bulky and I know I won't be traveling with it!

Overall

Pros:

♥ Affordable (sells for ~$19 on Amazon.com)
♥ TONS of color choices & finishes
♥ Some colors are heavily pigmented and pretty!
♥ Smooth texture, glides on easily (with primer)
♥

Cons:

♥ Packaging is bulky & cheap
♥ Pans are relatively small
♥ Requires a shadow primer
♥ Not travel-friendly
♥ Some colors are a bit 'chalky' and crumble easily

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ (3/5)

This palette is not a "must-have" in my book, but something that every adventurous girl might want to have around just in case! Lots of possibilities for 'fun' looks but I think I will never really use about 30-40% of the colors just because they are too crazy bright! >_< ***


LOTD using Coastal Scents palette

*Tools*



Swatches of Colors used - pretty neutrals in shimmery sea-shell colors



Final look:



***

My Glam Sparkle & Pop order came in the mail a little while ago - and I am SUPER pleased! A huge thanks to JULIE for the gorgeous hand crafted jewelry and sweet little extras!

I was so excited about this necklace, titled "Key to My Heart"




Each necklace is packaged so lovingly in a little organza pouch - so cute!



What a surprise! Little note & a beautiful NYX lip gloss!!!



I love the snowflake necklace - I might end up wearing it year round LOL! The AB quality of the swarovski crystals is so amazing - you can see how amazing it looks in different lighting!






*~*~*
♥for Natalka, Aubrey, Bayrta, Renay, Pixyela, Miih, Sara, TzeYien, Angela, Dementia, & Beauty and the beast, Momo, Lavender, 409, Vanessa & Carmen!

*~*~*

Already have so much to do this week! :) Correspondence (Sorry to all the lovely ladies for my laziness, I will be getting back this week!), more post lovin' to catch up on, crafting, and of course, work!!!

Please take care & have a great week!!!

SALE ALERT - Kma Darkness lashes on sale again on Daybeauty.com!

Just a quickie update!

My FAVORITE brand of Korean lashes, DARKNESS, is on sale yet again on Daybeauty.com! Regular price is $4.95 but they are now on sale for $2.95 a piece! Again, the Kma series includes 2 sets of lashes and 2 types of glue so it's quite a bargain! :)

I think I have some new favorites - the Darkness KMA5's they are criss-cross style and flare out at the ends...very pretty and more natural than the KMA8s and KMA9s! (which I also love!)

I will be reviewing them in my upcoming post - here's a sneak peak of them + the Ardell 109's! (which can be purchased at most drugstores in the US).

I am also wearing MISSHA Perfect Cover BB cream in No. 23. Also a review in the next post :D (My skin isn't perfect by a long shot, but I am trying out a host of BB creams to find something that works!)

***

♥ for Sidney Son, Damla, Sandra, Sarra, ambzxo, & Labellover! :)

***

Good night! Hope you all had a Happy Star Wars Day! (May the 4th be with you!!!)