Year: 2014

June Monthly Favorites & July Beauty Goals

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Aside from my Beauty Dare (20 Days of Lipstick), June was a pretty lazy makeup month, partly because I was more antisocial than usual. Here are a few of the beauty bits I enjoyed a lot the past month, though. I kept switching it up in the eye makeup department, but a quad that I went back to a lot is THREE’s Star Guitar. I also practically used a MAC Paint Pot called Groundwork on my lids as a primer when I became too dark to use Painterly. I’m still loving my NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. I have the shade Ginger and was convinced that I maybe should have gotten Custard instead but that turned out to be too light for me. For my quick face base, I was using the Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Anti-Aging Pressed Powder in Shade 2 a lot last month, though towards the end, I began using my liquid foundations and bases more. My go-to cheek has definitely been the Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Dixie. I used to …

Helen Park Jalousian Anti-Wrinkle Cream*

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The Helen Park Jalousian Anti-Wrinkle Cream* is a (seemingly) widely popular anti-wrinkle cream in Korea. I say ‘seemingly’ because all of the rave reviews that I can understand/is in English are from websites that are shilling this product. The active ingredient is Adesonine, which is “effective for wrinkle care.” Their claims for wrinkle freedom are kind of extreme, and it’s a shame that I don’t have much to show you whether or not it works to that level. Here’s some of the information I found at a Qoo10 listing for this product: I won’t even pretend I can understand that enough to attest to its effectivity. I can, however, show you how it’s worked out for me! Now, the company claims that the cream a) gives you “baby skin,” b) makes makeup stick well to the skin (“as it contains 2 types of oil”), c) keep the skin moist for a long time, and d) CAUSE JEALOUSY. Because your skin is so resilient. I suspect this is where the term “Jalousian” comes from, correct me …

Makeup Inventory + One Week Series: Rouge Bunny Rouge Long-Lasting Eyeshadows

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My Rouge Bunny Rouge Long-Lasting Eyeshadows multiplied like gremlins when I jumped on an RBR sale. Prior to that sale, I only had Solstice Halcyon and Abyssinian Catbird, which is a really pretty soft taupe, so I actually have a swatch post of these shades, sans Solstice Halcyon and Eclipse Eagle, already (click here). So I figured I might as well show how beautifully these shadows apply on my actual face. Swatched, L-R: Solstice Halcyon, Bohemian Waxwing, Eclipse Eagle, Delicate Hummingbird, Abyssinian Catbird, Periwinkle Cardinal, Tantalizing Lovebird, Bejewelled Skylark The quality and texture of these shadows are unreal—I don’t mind the price tag… much. I mean, I get why they’re so expensive: because they are phenomenal. You’ll notice that I don’t have any mattes here. While I’m sure their mattes are exceptional, I didn’t find a shade that I was willing to spend 24€ on. My favorites are probably Solstice Halcyon, Delicate Hummingbird, Abyssinian Catbird, and Bejewelled Skylark. The most obvious beautiful texture belongs to Delicate Hummingbird and Abyssinian Catbird; they truly feel like the …

Unboxing: Le Métier de Beauté Beauty Vault VIP for June 2014

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The June 2014 Box, aka the penultimate box, of the Le Métier de Beauté Beauty Vault VIP came with one product and no note. The product in question is called the Daily Refresh Tonic, which retails for $50. First of all, this box is huge, and contains 4oz. of product. Here it is in comparison with another skin care item we received earlier in the sub period, the Peau Vierge Dark Spot Correcteur, which contains a mere 0.5oz of product—my main reason for not repurchasing it. It’s a great product, but I don’t have $125 to spend on 0.5oz of product. Anyway, here is the size difference: (The Peau Vierge bottle is so grotty; I apologize!) See? Huge. Product Description: “Freshen up: this skin-invigorating tonic is an essential step in any skincare regimen prepares the skin to better receive topical restorative treatments by stimulating circulation, restoring balance to the complexion, as well as conditioning and hydrating. It also re-energizes the skin, creating a freshly-flushed appearance. How it Works: Daily Refresh Tonic, featuring the Rebalancing Complexe, …

20 Days of Lipstick: Week 3 Recap

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Hello to a late and incomplete Week 3 Recap. I only have 3 lip colors to show you this week, because there are times when a hermit just needs to be a hermit. Yesterday, I also wore a neutral lip (more on that later). Anyway, here are the lip colors I managed to wear! If you’re new (hello!), I’ve been trying to not fall into the trap of a neutral/MLBB type of lip… at least for 20 Days. DAY TWELVE feat. OCC Lip Tar in Lydia ACK, Lip Tars. I love ’em, but I don’t wear them often enough. Lydia is a purple-y mauve that translates really pink-ly on me. I love it, but it looks like I’ve cheated because it looks like a normal, not-so-bold lip color, huuu. Sorry, guys. I tried! Also, elephant in the room: my eye is really frakking red. I had to remove an eyelash, so that happened. DAY THIRTEEN feat. Tarte Glamazon Pure Performance 12-Hour Lipstick in Bold Yay, another lipstick from Laala! I love this lip—definitely a statement …

My Beauty Diary Egg White Gommage Peeling Facial Wash Off Mask*

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I’m not the biggest fan of girly, frilly packaging, so I wasn’t really expecting much from My Beauty Diary Egg White Gommage Peeling Facial Wash Off Mask* when I received it in this month’s BNT Box. Aside from the Easter-esque packaging, the name threw me off at first. What exactly does “peeling” + “wash off” mask mean? I turned to “gommage,” which turns out is a type of facial peel that was popular before the advent of all the alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) treatments. Gommage comes from the French term, “to erase,” and gommage facials involve a paste or cream (a gommage!) to be applied lightly on the face. After it drying slightly, the layer is scrubbed off, resulting in light exfoliation. In theory, gommage doesn’t need to be washed off… so you understand my confusion. This is a great exfoliation method for sensitive skin types, however, since it’s chemical-free unlike AHA peels. Apparently, G.NA, a Canadian singer based in South Korea uses this as part of her skin care routine, which you can read …

Take Two: iSOi Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum*

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Here’s another item I’ve already received previously, the iSOi Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum*! To recap, here’s the product description from EC21: Concept: Intensive, quick and effective anti-spot care Improvement of uneven skin tone, blemishes and pigmentation (whitening function): While it fills sunken area with moisture, arbutin and natural vitamins from Bulgarian rose oil, as whitening agents, even out and clear up red skin tone. Quick and gentle soothing serum (anti-trouble care): Natural anti-trouble ingredients including centella asiatica prevent clogged pores and quickly calm sensitive skin. Continuous supply of moisture (24 hour-lasting skin hydration): Ultra fine rose oil having superior skin penetration and natural skin hydrating ingredients deep penetrate through the skin and keep it soft and supple for 24 hours and increase the skin’s own regenerative power by strengthening the skin barrier. How to Use: After using a tonic, apply 1-2 pumps evenly to the skin and gently pat onto face until absorbed. The serum is formulated without parabens, synthetic colors and fragrance, PEGs, mineral oils, propylene glycoli, silicones, and EDTA Cinnamate. You can …