Review: Harajuku Lovers Fragrances

I've slowly become a fan of Gwen Stefani, although initially I didn't like her first album. However, her second album drew me in with The Sweet Escape, and 4 in the Morning. She looks gorgeous in this video, especially because her makeup emphasis here is on the eyes rather than her trademark red lips.




Anyway, last year or maybe the year before she released her first fragrance, L.A.M.B. It was a nice fragrance, and I liked it a lot. I didn't buy it though because I thought the scent was a bit too common...too mainstream for me to spend the $ on.

I was hoping for something more unique with her recent launch of Harajuku Lovers fragrances...and I'd say they are better in some ways, but the scents needs improvement if she wants to make something truly iconic.


Packaging
The packaging, as you can see from the pictures below, is super cute! Definitely a collectible in my opinion. Each scent has a different doll representing it. I would love to collect all 5 dolls if I could...which brings me to another point - the price.

Pricing
These scents are on the pricey side. They are available in two sizes - 10mL for US$25/CAD$33.25 or 20mL for US$45/CAD$49. Compare that to something like Ralph Lauren Romance, which is 20mL for US$36, almost US$10 less. I'm guessing its priced like that because you do get a really nice collectible bottle in addition to the perfume.

I think though that the price does not fit the target category. The marketing and packaging suits a younger crowd better (teen to early twenties), but the price would be too expensive for most people that age. If I were still a student I certainly wouldn't want to fork out that much money for such a small amount of product...

Impressions
The scents are definitely on the younger side. I could see myself getting it for friends my age or younger, but it'd be hard to imagine say my older cousins wearing scents like these. The scents are rather basic and easy to like, although couple of them were a bit too sweet and cloying for my taste.

Here's a summary of each of the fragrance notes plus a quick note on what I thought...but keep in mind I'm no fragrance connoisseur. My tastes in perfumes are quite simple (too simple!) so you should definitely try all scents anyway to see if you like them yourself. Remember too that scents will smell different on each person depending on your body chemistry.

*Pictures and info on fragrance notes courtesy of Sephora.com


Love



Notes:
Bergamot, Pink Pomelo, Peach, Bamboo Leaf, Watery Peony, Living Hydroponic Lace Rose, Jasmine Sambac, Nectarine Blossom, Creamy Paperwhites, Egyptian Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Vanilla, Musk, and Blond Wood.

This scent was okay. The top floral notes are really nice but I'm not a fan of the musk notes at the end...but thats just me. It also smells a bit powdery...which I dislike.


Lil' Angel



Notes:
Raspberry, Cranberry, Blackberry, Pineapple, Pear Blossom, Violet, Rose, Lollipop Accord, Hinoki Wood, and Crystal Amber.

This is a fruity-type of fragrance...the type I always go for so its no surprise that I liked this. Not to mention her outfit is my favourite among the 5 with that yellow headband and bows :) Very wearable scent for daytime.


Music



Notes:
Clementine, Pear, Jasmine Sambac, Sweet Pea, Honeysuckle, Vanilla, Skin Musk, and Sleek Woods.

I liked this initially ...but after wearing it a bit I think its still too sweet for me. Now that I've seen the fragrance notes I can see why. I love Pear and Clementine scents, which are the top notes, but can't stand musk and vanilla...Those usually form the bottom notes and thus wouldn't be noticeable until I had worn it for a while.


Baby



Notes:
Freesia, Bergamot, White Rose, Orange Flower, Tiare, Jasmine, White Musk, Soft Woods, Heliotrope, Vanilla, and Violet.

I'll admit I didn't like this...at all. It was a bit too sweet for my taste...probably because of the vanilla and musk notes. It would make a good scent for wearing out at night though.


G



Notes:
Mandarin, Coconut, Apple Skin, Jasmine Sambac, Freesia, Magnolia, Coconut Cream, White Sandalwood, and Cottonwoods

My favourite! The scent is smooth and coconut-y...pure love. I usually don't like oriental-type scents but this was the first scent in that category that I actually liked at first sniff! Most of my collection consists of citrus-y scents, so I'm happy to finally find something different that I still love :)


Overall, Lil' Angel and G were my favourites. Have you tried these yet? Which ones do you like/dislike? Why?

Review: Clarins Gentle Facial Peel & Exfoliating Refiner

I've used the Exfoliating Refiner for over a year now, and recently bought the Facial Peel to try out as well because some Makeupalley reviews mentioned it could clean out pores.

Firstly here is Clarins's explanation of the differences between the two:



So basically the Peel is a mask that you'd apply, then remove immediately. The Refiner is like a physical scrub with grains, similar to MAC's Microfine Refinisher.


The Peel is a bit different from any product I've ever used. The product is a silvery-grey thick paste that dries quite quickly on your skin. The SA demonstrated the removal technique, also illustrated in the product leaflet. You apply a thin layer of product all over dry skin, and then using the sides of your palms, rub the product off. This method of removal is supposed to slough off dead skin in the process.

The Refiner is quite simple, just like any other exfoliator. Its a white thin paste with super fine grains that you massage onto damp skin then rinse off.


The leaflet shows pictures of how to remove the Peel and instructions on both:

(First set of instructions is for the Peel, I accidentally cut off the heading when I took the picture.)



My experience with both:

Clarins Peel:
The product was difficult to spread due to its thick texture. I also noticed I was using a lot just to cover my face (and the tube itself is quite small at 40mL). Removal was a bit difficult for me because the method, although simple, is hard to perform effectively. As a result I still had a bit of product left on some hard to reach areas around the nose. It definitely takes practice. The first time I used this the product dried too quickly, so I had to remove the product more vigorously from my skin. That annoyed me because I really don't like rubbing my face excessively...it can't be good for your skin to tug at it like that. Also I noticed some red spots on my face were more irritated due to the tugging...

The dry bits of peel that come off when you slough off the product get all over the place too, so make sure you do it over a sink. It is rather messy.


Clarins Refiner:
The grains are very gentle as the product says and doesn't hurt my skin at all. In contrast, I noticed that MAC's Microfine Refinisher and L'oreal's Power Buff would sometimes hurt if my skin was feeling sensitive that day. Its almost gentle enough to use everyday, but that depends on how hard you scrub with the product as well. The instructions actually say not to rub the product but I do massage the problem areas around my nose and chin, otherwise the product wouldn't be able to exfoliate well. Still in my opinion, the Clarins Refiner definitely fits the epitome of a gentle scrub.

Here are the ingredients for both if anyone would like to know:

Gentle Facial Peeling:


Gentle Exfoliating Refiner:



Overall:

Clarins Peel:
Pros: Clay base and texture would probably work well for oilier skins.
Cons: Troublesome to remove. Creates a mess too. Does not exfoliate properly due to the tricky removal method.

Price: 2/5 (~CAD$35 for 40mL)
Packaging: 4/5 Good - tube form
Effectiveness: 1/5 Did not see results.
Would repurchase: No


Clarins Refiner:
Pros: Gentle but does the job well, excellent for sensitized skin
Cons: More expensive than other scrubs like L'oreal, MAC.

Price: 2/5 (~CAD$35 for 50mL)
Packaging: 4/5 Good - tube form
Effectiveness: 4/5
Would repurchase: Yes. Already on my second tube :)

Tagged: Six Things

Tagged by Rae of The Notice:

Here are the Rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

I think I may have done a similar tag before...but I'll do it again :)

1. I can twirl a pencil in both directions. I used to be able to do it with both hands, in either direction, but my left is out of practice now.

2. I'm completely hopeless at front-in parking. But I can reverse park without problems.

3. Before inserting contacts, I must have a paper towel to dry my hands with, not Kleenex or bath towels...or I just can't do it.

4. I can crack my knuckles by just clenching my fists slowly. Not very feminine I know...

5. I can't eat beef tongue if I know what it is...but if you don't say anything I will thoroughly enjoy it.

6. I do the Vulcan salute just to annoy the bf, because he can't do it :D


I'm tagging:

Angie
Faux Fashionista
Cheryl
Make Me Shiny
Sugabum
Tracy

United Colors of Benetton

I love store catalogues, especially those from clothing or furniture stores. When I was younger I used to pore over the IKEA catalogue and fantasize what I would buy and how I would arrange them in my room, haha :D

Anyway this is just a quick post on some of the things I like from the United Colors of Benetton Fall'08 catalogue. I love their suits but usually their prices are way over my head unless I get them at outlet price. I have splurged before though on a black wool coat from them because it was the absolute perfect length and cut even for my petite size.

Thats another thing too about UCB...their stuff fits me fine for most pieces, unlike Banana Republic where regular sizes are too large unless I go into their petites section.

For some reason I'm attracted to greys and plaid patterns in the catalogue:






I want that pencil skirt desperately...I see some similar pieces on Forever 21's website but they don't have my size...






This pleated skirt looks pretty good on the model, especially with the matching coat:




I love how they got to put blue lipstick on the front cover model :D




And green on the back cover model:




Coming up tomorrow - some reviews on the Clarins stuff and Harajuku Lovers fragrances!

Review: Laura Mercier Illuminating TM, Oil-free Primer

Okay I caved, I got the Clarisonic!

I still haven't opened it yet, just in case I change my mind...but I'm excited, haha :D I'll just let it sit in a corner for a few days...lol

I've been hauling quite a few other things lately so there will be some new items to play with once they arrive. Right now I should probably catch up on reviewing what I have at the moment...


***

Reviews

1. Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer with SPF20




I got a sample of this a month or so ago in Bare Radiance. The shade is sheer enough that it matches well with my NC25-ish skintone.

You can see the shimmer in the product here:




When blended it illuminates the skin:




The coverage is very minimal in this product. I barely noticed any improvement in my skin after application. The shimmer looked nice on my arm, but I found the illumination a bit too much in a face product. I have large pores around the t-zone, and the shimmer only drew more attention to the pores, making them seem larger. I didn't like the look overall as I felt it made my face look oily. I tried taking a couple of pictures, but my skin just looked bad because the shimmer was highlighting whatever skin problems I had so I deleted them lol.

When I got the sample, the SA warned me that it may be too illuminating and that I should mix it with moisturizer or foundation. I thought that sounded stupid at first but now I have to agree...It doesn't even give me enough coverage on its own anyway, so I think the shimmer would work better if it was mixed with other products.

If you are familiar with Everyday Minerals' Original-glo foundation, this product gives a similar effect. Back when I had much nicer skin, Original glo worked just fine and I was happy with the luminous glow it gave. However my skin hasn't been doing well this year so I switched to intensive and matte formulas from other brands. I noticed when I tried using Original glo again that it didn't work for me anymore, and emphasized my pores instead :(


Active ingredients:



I'm not a fan of how the SPF isn't photostable. The active ingredients shown on the tube list only octinoxate and avobenzone. I'm no expert on sunscreens but from what I've read, avobenzone is not photostable unless enough octocrylene is present to stabilize it. The SPF protection isn't going to last very long if it isn't photostable, . As this isn't a product where you can easily reapply it throughout the day, I don't see the point of trying to market SPF factor then.


Complete ingredients:

Bare Radiance:Octinoxate 7.50%, Avorbenzone 2.00%. Ingredients: Water, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Xylitylglucoside, PEG-40 Castor Oil, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hexyl Laurate, Anhydroxylitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Ascorbate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), XYlitol, Copper Gluconate, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Tribehenin, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Carbomer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate. (+/-): Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Mica, Tin Oxide.


Overall:

I think the product could still work well for people with better skin / smaller pore. I know someone else (I think it was Fuzkittie) tried it and it looked great on her. For me though, the shimmer only highlighted my pores and made me look oily when used all over. It would still make a great luminizer though if mixed in with foundation or moisturizer. Also it'd make a great subtle highlighter if applied on top of the cheekbones.


Price: 2/5 Expensive
Packaging: 5/5 Good, sanitary tube
Effectiveness: 2.5/5 Depends on your skintype. Best if you already have good skin
Would (re)purchase: No


2. Laura Mercier Oil-free Primer

I bought this back in the beginning of September because I still hadn't found a good water based primer yet. Chose this one over the hydrating primer since it was still listed as being for sensitive skin types (which seems to apply to me).




Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Stearic Acid, Isodecyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C22-20 Alcohols, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Esters, Phenoxyethanol, Boron Nitride, Silica, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Allantoin Tocopherol Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hamaelis Viginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Cucumis sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Retinyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Polyamino Sugar Condesate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Chlorphensin, Benzoic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Saccharomyces/Xylium Black Tea Ferment, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Potassium Sorbate, Green 5 (CI 61570), Yellow 5 (CI 19140).

The product does still contain a bit of dimethicone but it feels a lot lighter than silicone based primers. The consistency resembles a lotion so applying it feels like you're just applying regular moisturizer. I wouldn't recommend skipping moisturizer though if you have drier skin like me.

I used it under my mineral makeup (both Buff'd and Everyday Minerals). It didn't do anything in terms of prepping my skin for makeup. Neither did it make the foundation last longer than usual. I can't say whether it helped prevent makeup from clogging pores, as I didn't use it long enough to find out. I wasn't satisfied with the performance so I decided to return it after a few uses as it costs quite a bit (CAD$45)


Overall:

Disappointing product. A lot of hype, but it seems to be just a moisturizer, nothing more, and not even a great moisturizer at that.

Price: 0/5 Expensive
Packaging: 5/5 Sanitary tube
Effectiveness: 1/5 Moisturized somewhat...
Would repurchase: No

Disillusionment

MAC is getting more and more disappointing these days. I stopped by MAC yesterday and they had the brush sets out for people to look at. Boy was I disappointed. The promo pictures made the bags look really glossy and luxurious, but in real life the bags just looked cheap. The patent leather part looked rather fake and the rest of the bag was just regular, inexpensive-looking nylon.

The brushes themselves too were disappointing. I wanted the Face brush set because I needed a second back up of my 187SE but the brush on display looked rather sparse and of poorer quality than the version I own (which is from Novel Twist collection in '07). People have been saying the brush sets are poor quality, and I never really agreed because I find my Novel Twist brush set quite good. However I guess the quality of the brush sets have just been going down ever since.

So, now I have some extra room in my budget...which is both a good and bad thing. Good...because I can use it for other things or save it (ideally). Bad...because I went into Sephora afterwards and saw the Clarisonic brush in pink and now I'm lemming it.




Nevermind that this costs way more than what I would've spent on the brush set, haha. I had been considering it a couple weeks before and put away the idea, but now I suddenly want it again...partly because I started talking to the store manager (who is incredibly nice btw). She went on and on about how she didn't think the brush was a big deal when she tested it out for 2 weeks, but she really noticed the difference after she stopped using it.

They do have a satisfaction guarantee...so if the brush didn't do anything for me I could return it. I dunno though...the beauty junkie in me wants to try it really badly, but I still feel a bit guilty about making such a big purchase at this time. But then again, I'm the type of person who is willing to spend the money on something if it can really improve my skin to my satisfaction. I figure, after all I'm not getting any younger....and healthy skin is definitely not something that I can get back easily once its too late.

Maybe I'll just get the brush and not open it til I can decide haha. I would actually wanna wait for Sephora's online F&F sale but its one of those items that is restricted to US only (so they will not ship it to Canada).

***

I haven't been wearing makeup lately because my chin has been breaking out. Also my skin has been getting red more often than usual lately so for the time being I've switched my skincare routine to just Dove Sensitive Skin Facial Wash, Dove Sensitive Skin Day lotion, and Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Refiner. The Sensitive skin Dove products are fragrance free and claim to be hypoallergenic, non-comedogic, etc etc.

I'm not sure if I like the facial wash yet, but the Day lotion is surprisingly good and doesn't contain any ingredients that I shy away from such as dimethicone. All the other sensitive skin lotions at the drugstore contained dimethicone. Even my bf's lotion (he has eczema so he uses a special lotion) has dimethicone. I tried it and it was way too heavy for me. But the Sensitive skin lotion from Dove might just become a HG for me...its not heavy, and moisturizes well without feeling greasy. It does not contain SPF, but thats fine as I need to use up the Clarins sunscreen I bought recently anyway.

***

Here's one of my favourite outfits. Pretty basic items. I could probably accessorize more but I don't have anything else that goes with it. Also, sorry for the bad quality. I'm using the same camera, but the crappy lighting in the hallway makes everything look so low-res. I wish there was space by the window to have a full length mirror.



-G-Star Raw navy blue cotton shirtdress
-Mango metallic bronze leather belt
-B2 brown boots in a suede-like material (could be suede but I don't remember)

I curled my hair that day, surprising because I never do anything with my hair. I didn't want to wear makeup that day to let my skin recover, so I had the extra time :D

Swatches: MAC Ungaro CCB & Pearlglide Liner, Clarins Instant Light

As promised, here is a closer look at the makeup products I picked up last weekend:







Swatched:




Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector in 00 Rose Shimmer
I wasn't quite sure what this was for. Despite the name of the shade I got (Rose Shimmer), there is hardly any shimmer in it. You can barely see it in the swatch, but it gives a subtle iridescence to the area which was hard for me to capture on camera. At first I thought it was the Perfecting Touch which is a undereye concealer, but after looking at the name again, it seems this is a primer / corrector type product according to MUA. I could see this working as a subtle highlighter on top of the cheekbones too, since it has that iridescence.


MAC Pearlglide in Bankroll
The Pearlglide liner is relatively waterproof. The swatch didn't come off until I used an oil-based remover. Used it today on the lower lashline, and the staying power wasn't bad. I wouldn't use it on the waterline either, because the shimmer would definitely irritate my contacts (I got it in my eye when I rubbed my eye by accident...

My only complaint is that some of shimmer in the liner does come off a little after a while. I haven't tried it on my upper lashline so I can't say if it stays put just as well there. I picked Bankroll because I already have a purple pencil liner, and I don't see myself using any of the other colours often. Its a green colour with green shimmer that contrasts nicely with my Freshlook Amethyst contacts :)


MAC Ungaro Cream Colour Base in Crushed Bouganvillea
I find the pink colour of the CCB to be on the cool side. I have more olive tones in my skin so I'm still undecided whether I like it as a blush. It would work great for cool toned complexions though. The colour is a light cool berry pink, and the intensity can be built up by layering more product (see swatches above).

The CCB can also be used on the lips as a stain. I rather like the effect on the lips although applying the colour evenly takes some getting used to for me. My lips are naturally pigmented though, so it'll look sheerer if your lips are naturally paler.

Just a quick note to say that...

Sheer Minerals is already up on the MAC UK website!

Its supposed to release instores in North America on Oct 16. This is the collection that repromotes two very popular MSFs, Petticoat and So Ceylon. There is also a new MSF that will be released as a permanent item, Soft and Gentle.

I know I'm definitely getting Petticoat but I'll have to see at the counter whether So Ceylon would work on my skintone. I'll wait on Soft and Gentle since its permanent...need to save money to do Christmas shopping after all :)

Haul: Clarins, MAC, Neutrogena, H&M

Anonymous wanted to know if I had any codes left for the Annabelle mascara, sorry I used them up! If they send me more though I'll let you know :)

***

To anyone that owns 2N lipglass from this year's N collection, do you find it smells sorta plasticky? Maybe I'm just not used to lipglasses, but this one in particular smells very plastic. The only other glosses I own from MAC are Spring Bean lustreglass and Cult Fave from Fafi, but those seem to be a different formulation.

I just want to make sure it hasn't gone bad already...I've noticed that smell since middle of this year which is why I haven't worn it :S But it was released in January...it shouldn't have gone bad in just a few months? I only used it a few times too... :(

Please let me know how yours is like if you own it. Thanks!

***

Remainder of haul pictures from last weekend:



-Clarins Gentle Facial Peel
-Clarins UV Day Screen
-Clarins Hydrating GWP (contains Pure Melt Cleansing gel, Hydra Quench Mask, Hydra Quench Cream, and a full size Gentle Exfoliating Refiner)
-sample of Clarins Instant Light Perfecting Touch

-MAC Pearlglide liner in Bankroll
-MAC Ungaro Cream Colour Base in Crushed Bouganvillea

-Samples of some Dermalogica products from the spa I went to
-Sample of Nars aqua gel hydrator




All from H&M:
-Grey shrug
-Basic black knit tee
-Tights

Pictures aren't too exciting, I know, but I'll take pics when I wear them out :)


The drugstore near my house is moving to a new bigger location, so they have sales on lots of stuff right now. I was in there practically everyday for the past week...stocking up on body washes and razor cartridges lol :) On impulse I bought these yesterday after work:



-Neutrogena Illuminating Enzyme Peel
-Neutrogena Deep Clean Wave


However, after I went home I checked out some reviews on the Wave, and I decided that maybe I should look for the Neutrogena Rejuvenator instead. It is a bit different from the Wave, because its an exfoliator that you use 3 times a week rather than daily. It also does not have salicylic acid (which dries out my skin sometimes) but contains aluminium crystals to exfoliate. So I went back today, and I was so lucky, because there was only one left and it was half off! Plus I had the $5 coupon off from the Neutrogena website, so I ended up paying CDN$15, the same price as the Wave for something that would've usually cost CDN$40 :D So I'm going to be returning the Wave then, as there wasn't much of a discount for it in the first place (It was only reduced by a few bucks anyway...).




Its a much bigger box than the Wave and the system has a more comfortable handle in my opinion. I tried it today, so far so good :)

Guess you can tell I'm really getting into skincare right now...from all those peels and exfoliators! I'll have to remind myself not to go overboard though, overexfoliating is not good for skin either. And I know, it seems like a lot of stuff...but a lot of it was free samples or stuff on sale yay :D I also controlled myself and got more skincare rather than makeup that I'll hardly wear.

Swatches of the MAC items coming next post!

Free samples of Harajuku Lovers fragrances!

For Canadian residents:

I just got an email that you can sign up for free sample vials of Harajuku Lovers Fragrances!

Also you'll be entered in a draw to win one of 30 Shoppers Drug Mart $250 gift certificates, so why not? :)

They said quantities are limited, so sign up as soon as you can here! :D

Nars rant, MB Silver Powder and some haulage

I just found out that Nars is so overpriced in Canada! :( I've been lemming the Nars Aqua Gel Hydrator ever since reading the great reviews for it on Makeupalley. On Sephora.com, it shows the price as being around $76, so I thought okay, probably it'll be an extra $10 for Canada as most products are like that. But when I went to the Nars counter last weekend, the lady told me that it was $115! Like wtf?? Thats a markup of $40...like almost a 50% increase? Thats insane.

I double checked the prices of some of their other skincare products, and all of them range from $30 to $50 more than the US retail price. Sucks, because I was really looking forward to getting the hydrator.

Apparently the counter currently has a GWP of a highlighter and blush duo with any purchase over $125, or a GWP of a neutral eyeshadow palette with purchase over $50. That would help ease the pain somewhat....so I'm still sorta considering it in the back of my head.

Its a good thing I haven't been enthalled by anything from Nars so far...except the upcoming holiday collection that is. But if the prices are this insane here, I'll just wait for a GWP to get them as I don't think they are LE.

***



I bought the Mario Badescu Silver powder off Audrie a couple months ago. I was interested in it because I've read so many reviews that it realy helps unclog the pores especially if followed with a nosestrip after. Tried it a few times but I can't seem to get it to work for me! Does anyone have any tips?

I've already tried it two ways:
1. Mixing a bit of it with some water to form a paste, and applying that on my nose / chin
2. Pouring some out onto my hand and using a wet cottonball to pick up the powder and apply it on my nose / chin (which are the instructions on the jar itself)




Both methods don't do anything for me. It'll dry down to a white layer on my face and if I let it dry too much its difficult to get off! That happened the first time, and I had to wash my face again :S

Second time I let it dry a bit, then washed off the white stuff. Like other reviewers have said, the white stuff does stick to your blackheads, making them more obvious. I then followed with a nosestrip which is what most people seem to do. However, whatever I get off with the nosestrip seems to be about the same amount as what I get without using the silver powder beforehand....so I don't see what good the silver powder did?

Its probably just my weird skin...but I hardly seem to be able to find skincare products that work for me :S The claims products make always seem too good to be true...and they usually are for me even though they work for others :(


***

Some stuff I hauled last week:

The Body Shop



-Deep Sleep spray (for the bf because he has insomnia...)
-Lip butters in Mango and Coconut, they were a Buy 1 get 1 50% offer
-Sample of Coconut body butter, some other samples I got the SA to make

The spray smells good, sorta Aveda-ish if you know how Aveda products smell. Its a blend of essential oils supposed to help you calm down and sleep better. I don't know yet if it works as the bf has been rather lazy to remember to use it. You're supposed to spray it on your pillows/sheets before going to bed.

I'm tempted to use the lip butters, but I have so many lipbalms already I should just save and use them as stocking fillers for Christmas :)


And, I got a ton of samples from Holt Renfew...:D



- La Mer Hydrating Infusion
- Giorgio Armani Face Fabric in #4
- Cle de Peau Smoothing base for pores (primer)
- Cle de Peau Nourishing emulsion (a night lotion)
- samples from Amore Pacific, a Korean brand newly launched here

I don't even know how I got so many. There was a super nice lady at the Cle de Peau counter, and she gave me most of the samples even though I didn't buy anything but was just asking questions about the line!

I had been interested in the Giorgio Armani Face Fabric foundation so I asked for a sample. The SAs said they don't make samples from the testers, but they only had a sample tube in shade #4 so I took it anyway. From the reviews I read on MUA, I'm probably a #2 so #4 was definitely too dark. However, at least I can test out the texture and whether I have any skin reaction to it. Not in a hurry to use it now though, since I've made the resolution to stay away from foundation for a bit.

I also got more stuff from Clarins and MAC over the weekend ...to be continued next post :)

Review: Neutrogena Healthy Defense Moisturizer SPF 45

Thank you for the lovely comments about the dress :D Before I received it, I was afraid actually that the dress would've been too big for me (because I'm so short) but fortunately it just hits at my knee yay :)

I went on a bit of a shopping spree the past weekend! Will take pictures soon :) Also, I'm getting onto a bit of a skincare kick lately. My skin was acting up for the past month with lots of blackheads and congested areas, so I gave in and went to a spa to get them extracted and all. My face definitely looks a lot clearer and more glowy! Now that my pores are cleaned out I'm going to try and avoid wearing foundation/mineral makeup to see if it helps reduce the blackheads I get!

Anyways here is a quick review on the Neutrogena moisturizer with SPF which I've used for 1 month now.

I've been looking for a face sunscreen without mattifying properties since my skin tends to get dry patches often (even though it is technically combination skin). Also I wanted something that would moisturize too since I really don't have time in the mornings to apply an extra product.

After reading reviews on Makeupalley I decided to get Neutrogena's Healthy Defense Moisturizer with Helioplex. They have two different SPF levels available, I chose the higher one which was SPF 45:




Claims:




Ingredients:




The tube itself looks nice and sleek - which it should considering it costs $15 at Wal-Mart in Canada, for a mere 50 mL.




This was apparently reformulated with Helioplex technology recently. Basically they added ingredients to make the sunscreen photostable, which another reason I got this over other cheaper but non-photostable moisturizers.

Pros:
- Photostable protection, protects against both UVA and UVB
- Conveniently combines your moisturizer and sunscreen into one product
- Nice packaging for a drugstore product

Cons:
- Not lightweight, despite the claims
- Feels greasy despite claims
- Expensive for a drugstore brand (CDN$15 for 50mL)

Overall:

Price: 2/5 (costly for a drugstore brand at ~CDN$15 for 50mL)
Packaging: 5/5
Effectiveness: 3/5 (it isn't non-greasy unlike the claims)
Repurchase: No

So yes, unfortunately packaging and convenience is the only thing I like about this product. The texture of the product is way too greasy for my t-zone which gets oily easily. I'm actually not going to touch this product again, now that I've cleared up my skin, because I'm just too afraid the greasy texture might clog up my pores.

Mukomuko dress & Annabelle mascara

Sorry for the lack of posts! There just aren't enough hours in the day it seems to get all the things I want done :S

I got my dress and the tube I bought from Ling at Mukomuko Shop about 2 weeks ago...I know, I'm only posting it now because I'm so behind with my posts! I keep taking pictures of things I want to talk about but end up not blogging about them until much later...Anyway, back to the point, I love the dress! Definitely very wearable and the tube top lining I got because it suits the dress and I can definitely use it with many outfits :)

Taking pictures reminded me I really need to get myself some jewellery! I haven't bought anything of that sort since university, simply because I used to just forget to wear them when rushing off to class. Also being bundled up in winter jackets for half the year in Canada doesn't really help. But anyways, I've realised I need more grown up accessories than what I have now, lol. I'malready eyeing some things off F21 and H&M. Last weekend's planned shopping trip did not happen because I had other things to deal with, so hopefully I'll get the chance to go this weekend.

But anyways, onto pictures of the dress:



Detailing:



Inner top (this is sold separate):




I wore it with the inner white top, white kitten heels and jacquard black/silver Coach purse. A long necklace or a chunky metal bracelet would've been nice if I had them.



Back of the dress. I like lower cut backs :)




On to another topic - I requested a mascara sample from Annabelle Cosmetics a while ago, and they sent me an email saying I can email 6 invitations for samples of their volumelash.com mascara. This is for Canadian addresses only...so any Canadian reader that wants to try this, drop me a line via email, and I'll send you the code. There are only 6 uses so its going to whoever requests it first - also please don't request it if you're not located in Canada otherwise it would go to waste.

I haven't received my sample yet, but from the sound of this other review, the mascara brush design sounds interesting! I'll review it when I get mine.