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Top 10 Luxury Products Under $25

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So, I saw this video over at Tati (or GlamLifeGuru)’s channel and even though it’s not exactly a tag, I thought I’d go right ahead and do it. This video basically shows you some of my favorite luxury products under $25. It’s called Top 10, but it’s entirely possible that I’ve been able to try some awesome new high-end products that are under $25 that I might like better than these… we’ll see!

For this video, though, I ended up picking some not-so-luxury brands that aren’t exactly drugstore. So, I’ve got a mix of high-end (e.g. BECCA, Hourglass, Le Métier de Beauté) and mid-range (e.g. MAC, bareMinerals, Urban Decay) products here.

To watch Tati’s original video, click here. She did it as a collaboration with Fleur (FleurdeForce) and they gave 5 products each. Heh, I got to pick all ten. 😀

// PRODUCTS MENTIONED:

1. Le Métier de Beauté Hydra-Crème Lipsticks: Cashmere, Sahara, Signature Red ($25 ea)
These are some of the easiest things to wear, I swear. LMdB’s older range of lipsticks (aka Colour Core Moisture Stain) are a bit more thicker in formula than these, and I think those have better colors. They’re also more expensive at $32 each. These ones are easier to swallow and a bit easier to wear for everyday.

Signature Red seems to be a matte version of this range, which is kind of shiny. They released a few limited edition shades in the matte version, most of which are still available at Net-a-Porter.

2. NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil: Bahama, Dolce Vita, Damned ($25 ea)
I don’t even know why I even bothered to get even one of these because now I want to get them all. Don’t be turned off by the truly inefficient packaging (who even sharpens lip crayons anymore!), the formula is honestly worth it. I like all of the colors I got, though Damned is a crowd favorite, for sure.

3. Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, 1 oz. (0.33 oz at $18)
MY FAVORITE PRIMER OF ALL TIME. Even though I am a total primer h0-bag, I always come back to this one. It is honestly the best I’ve ever tried. The other primers I have—and I have a lot—are great and work well enough, but this one is the best performing of the bunch. It really primes (ha) my face and makes it all nice and smooth for the foundation to go on. A lot of people don’t care about primers, but they seriously make a difference, especially if your skin is like mine, which doesn’t play well with foundations generally.

4. Urban Decay Primer Potion: original ($24)
Again, my favorite, holy grail eye primer. I’ve tried a few of these, too. The NARS one didn’t work for me; the e.l.f. was utter trash; the Etude House was meh, okay. This is like the Muhammad Ali of eye primers (get it? The Greatest?), at least in my life.

5. butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer: Blagger ($15 ea)
I’m a freaking lazy nail person, so when a nail lacquer snakes its way into a “favorites list,” it means something for sure. I love butter London Nail Lacquers, especially the cremes. I have a bunch of them in colors I don’t really like on my nails, it turns out, so I’ll be on the hunt for ones I’d love to own (e.g. Nude, grey, pale pink, maybe?)

6. BECCA Beach Tint: Guava, Raspberry ($25 ea)
These are great! Truly something for the laid-back person. I’m not that at all, but I do find myself in a hurry a lot of the time and this is easy-to-apply, easy to blend out and hard to over-apply. Yes, yes, and yes! These are great for travel, too.

7. OCC Lip Tars: Strumpet, Lydia ($20 ea)
I am in a love/hate relationship with OCC lip tars. Sometimes I like them, sometimes I don’t. They are on this list, however, because I appreciate their cruelty-free and vegan stance, plus their amazing color range. I am a little miffed about some of their names (i.e. Tarred/Feathered… I mean, really), and I find them to be a bit expensive for what they are, but I like them all the same.

8. bareMinerals READY 2.0 Eyehadow: The Scenic Route ($20 ea)
One of my favorite eyeshadow formulas ever! This little quad here is the reason for this love for eyeshadow blooming inside of me. For reals. I am on the lookout for more shades, but every time I look and try to pick one, I manage to always want something else more and never follow through with purchasing. I don’t even know how I managed to pick just this one when I was swatching these!

9. Sara Happ The Lip Slip ($24)
Faves lip treatment of life. Probably wouldn’t repurchase because it’s too expensive, but I’ve had this pot for a long time, and it has given me nice lips, so maybe I will elect to not suffer a yuckier formula and just repurchase. Maybe. I don’t know yet, but this stuff is good. I know some people don’t like it because of some ingredients, but I’ve been fine…? I think?

10. Rouge Bunny Rouge Long-Lasting Eyeshadow Refill Pans: Bohemian Waxwing, Delicate Hummingbird, Eclipse Eagle ($22~ ea)
Again, just amazing, buttery eyeshadows. I kind of hate that they don’t come in palettes or anything like that, because all my singles are all over the place. I don’t want to depot the singles I have because I am more of a packaging fan than a fan of organization. Anyway, truly amazing eyeshadows with a sophisticated range of shades.

BONUS! Here are 3 more things I love that are not from CF brands.
— shu uemura eyelash curler ($20)
This is just basically what I use everyday. I also have one by Le Métier de Beauté that retails for $18, but this one gives a firmer curl, which I need.

— shu uemura eyeshadow refill pan: ME medium brown 885 ($15)
OK, so this is probably my most favorite eyeshadow of all time. Probably. (More yes than no.) It is a great reddish brown that has a metallic finish and a super buttery formula that glides on smoothly and with amazing pigmentation, is easy to blend, and it is something that I love wearing on its own. Seriously, if you have a shu uemura counter near you, swatch this little baby and tell me it’s not butter.

— MAC Paint Pots: Bare Study ($ 20 ea, I think?)
Aside from the UDPP, I use these cream shadows a lot as my bases. They are freaking amazing—creamy, long-lasting and comes in a lot of various shades. My favorites are all of them. Seriously, I feel totally bad for picking any over the other because I love them all so much.

And that’s that! What about you? Any favorite luxe beauty item that won’t break the bank? Let me know… and perhaps I shall be once again enabled.

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Unboxing: BDJ Box July 2014* & Some Thoughts on “Value”

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On the last day of July, BDJ sent me the month’s box, which may explain why this is late. BDJ is one of the top subscription boxes in the Philippines, if you’re not familiar, and it only costs Php 580 (or a little over $13) each month.

Here’s what’s inside the BDJ July 2014 Box*:
BDJ Box - July 2014

To be honest, I was contemplating on not posting about this box because I didn’t really find it too exciting. Thought I’ve been sent these boxes for a few months (maybe even a year now), I was never required to write these posts. I usually find BDJ boxes to be quite OK, if not great… Good enough to post about anyway. BDJ has built a reputation for itself as a kind of reliable subscription box with thoughtful picks for boxes. This box was so dull to me that I didn’t even want to post about them, but going through each item, I had a thought (more on that later) and ended up writing up a post anyway.

Here are the contents, quickly:
BDJ Box - July 2014a

Keratin Complex Travel Velvet Care Kit (Php 459) — this shampoo and conditioner set was one of the biggest items in this box, both in heft and value. This claims to provide “gentle cleansing” for dry, chemically processed or damaged hair.

Nivea Travel Kit, incl. Nivea Pure Effect Exfoliating Wipes (Php 139), Nivea In Shower Skin Conditioner (Php 109, but the box only has a small sachet), Nivea Anti-Perspirant Invisible Spray (Php 184) — I dig the inclusion of facial wipes, I feel meh about the skin conditioner, and I have no use for the deodorant because I don’t wear it anymore.

Celeteque Back Acne Spray (Php 320) — Not sure why you’d need a separate acne spray for the back, but this one has salicylic acid, gluconolactone (removes dead skin build up).

BDJ Box - July 2014b

Hygienix & Vitress, incl. Hygienix Hand Gel (Php 45), Hygienix Hand Spray (Php 40), both useful but I am fully stocked with my Human Nature Hand Spray for my antibacterial needs; Vitress Heat Protect (Php 75), Vitress Hair Repair (Php 75), both pretty useful for hair care.

Enchanted Eyeshadow Palette in After Midnight (Php 199) — I got the same shades as I did last time (this was included in another BDJ Box some time last year) and didn’t really get on with it.

Pink Sugar Fine Fragrance Mist (Php 299 or Php 349 ea, depending on what collection) — I got the scent Be Happy (lily, white freesia, mimosa, and yellow plum) and it’s not really my cup of tea personally, but it’s a great size so I hope the scent you get if you’re subbed to this is something you like!

Envie Aestheticcare & Medspa Gift Voucher: Good for a single free service of your choice (Diamond Peel, RF Slimming, Cavitation or an IPL treatment)

OK. So, this box… seems very utilitarian. I was so unimpressed when I first opened it because a) the weight of the box excited me and I thought about what might be inside, and b) I fixated on that eyeshadow trio, AKA a repeat product and shade for me that turned out to not work so well for me.

Then I got over myself and thought about what “value” means to me. In the context of subscription boxes, at least.

At just Php580 or $13+ every month, BDJ manages to send an assortment of products that are fun to try and receive. When I think about value, the first question I would like to say I normally think about is this: Did you get a box that’s at least worth the number that it costs? Then I consider what items would be of actual use to me.

In reality, a lot of my reactions and impressions are influenced by whether or not the contents of this box excite me. This box did not excite me… but at least half of it is stuff I’d actually use or consider using.

(The products in question are the shampoo/conditioner set, the exfoliating wipes, the heat protectant and hair repair treatment, the back acne spray, and maybe the antibacterial gel and spray. Also maybe: the gift voucher.)

I think that’s a pretty good value, but I now realize that people subscribe to these boxes because they want to be excited. Obviously, this is not a bad box, if more half of the items are usable. But I think the “problem” (not really a problem…) is that I don’t really look for “usability,” first in a box. I don’t subscribe to what is essentially a “blind, surprise box” for things that I’d usually buy for myself as general upkeep. Come to think of it, they’re products that I would rather buy for myself. I personally don’t mind not getting makeup in these things, but I think the point of these things is that they open your world up to products or brands you wouldn’t normally buy but would like to try. I know I don’t subscribe to boxes anticipating myself to look over everything and say, “Well, I could use this…”

I could be wrong or am generalizing (I don’t mean to!), but those are my thoughts on sub boxes and value. Subscription boxes are always risky, however, so if you’re not into testing many different things out or if you’re super picky, they’re probably not for you. I’ve discovered a few gems with the few ones I’ve tried, though, so I think it’s a matter of picking the one that you think fits you and what you’re looking for.

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Nosy Beauty Vol. 33: Danika

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Hello, and welcome to another installment of Nosy Beauty. 🙂 Today, we’ll be peeking into the makeup life (and bag!) of one of my friends from college and church, Danika. She probably doesn’t know this, but she was one of the first people in school that I noticed wearing not-so obvious makeup and it made me want to try it back then. I was really surprised with what she sent (you’ll see!), but then again, I wasn’t because she was always going the extra mile, even when we were in school.

•

Hello! My name is Danika, 25, creative director at Classified and Nava Boutique (MNL), letterer and style blogger at Hello-Rio.com. 🙂

Dan 1

Whenever I use makeup, I always try to go for the “natural look”. Just enough is always the right amount. I don’t like putting too much on. Actually, I think I can even live without cosmetics! Cause sometimes I do leave the house barefaced and feel perfectly comfortable. But, you know, for the sake of looking presentable and appropriate for my job, I use a couple things: Read More

July Favorites & August Beauty Goals

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Hey everyone, it’s time for my Beauty Favorites this July! I made a point to pay attention and actually take note of the things I’ve been loving this month (at least for half of it), and these are the items that came to mind.

July Faves 2

— NARS Sheer Glow (Punjab): I bought a primer with a high SPF so I could keep using this (I hadn’t been since it is SPF-less) and I reminded of why I loved it so much.

— MAC Paint Pot (Groundwork): This is probably the eye base/primer that I reached for the most in July, switching out Painterly, since it looked really pale and ashy against my summer tan~

— shu uemura Eyeshadow (ME medium brown 885): One of my top 5 eyeshadow singles, this is a great all over the lid color if you truly can’t be bothered.

— Urban Decay Primer Potion: A rediscovery as I’ve been using paint pots and using up my NARS eye primer (yech). This stuff is amaaaazing, my absolute favorite eye primer.

— Le Métier de Beauté Daily Refresh Tonic: This is a recent addition to my skin care routine, displacing all my toners currently. It’s refreshing (as the name would imply) and it takes off so much more dirt and residue than my initial cleansing leaves behind.

— K-Palette 24H Real Lasting 2-Way Eyebrow Liner (G101 Grayish Brown)*: This is my favorite brow product right now. I love natural-looking brows and very rarely do I go out with a full, defined dark brow, so this is kind of perfect.

— NARS Semi-Matte Lipstick (Heat Wave): A new and awesome discovery that you are all probably tired of hearing about… Heat Wave. It is so gorgeous and really comfortable to wear. You don’t even have to reapply it as it stays put pretty much all day.

July Goals Update

✔ Wear lip liner long enough to tell if it makes a difference or not. It does.

✔ Use up as much lip gloss as you can without looking like you ate porkchops.

✖ Do another makeup purge for August Blog Sale + give away everything that doesn’t sell. Not to you, lol, that would be weird. ???

✔ Makeup Spend Sheet. For shame and posterity. Just kidding! For responsible financial uh… monitoring. CHECK, it was an eye-opener.

✔ Make more videos! Yes, kinda.

✔ Clean your brushes regularly. You filthy animal!

✔/✖ Streamline nail polish stash. Get rid of colors you don’t like wearing. Change your nail color at least 3 times this month. I haven’t decided what to part with, but in July I wore Le Métier de Beauté Cocoa Cabana, Butter London Fash Pack, Butter London Slapper and Butter London Dahling, Butter London Bossy Boots and Le Métier de Beauté Wango Tango, Butter London Blagger and Barry M Blood Orange.

✔ Change up your eye look. Use up indie samples.

August Beauty Goals:

— Pay attention to ingredients. DO NOT BUY if it contains squalene, polyethylene or palm oil.

Why? Squalene is code for shark liver oil and is usually derived from poached endangered sharks. Polyethylene is found in exfoliators and is essentially plastic microbeads that harm the environment. Palm oil is used in many cosmetics, and its extraction has caused many problems including ecological, environmental, and livelihood. Basically, it is not a sustainable industry that impacts so many factors in the areas that produce palm oil.

— Read more about ingredients and clean(er) beauty. Thinking of getting No More Dirty Looks

— Make a shopping list for upcoming trip. (I’ll be away for about a month!) Try to be thorough, ruthless (in editing), and stick to it.

— Wear more colors. At least 5 times this month.

— Clean brushes (make it a habit)

— Try to streamline skin care

Yay! I think these are… um, doable. What are your beauty favorites this month and beauty goals for next month? 🙂

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FOTD: Winging It

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Winging It

Ever since someone pointed out that my eye looks would look better with the definition of liner and mascara, I’ve rarely gone without them. Mostly because I agree. Adding a touch of eyeliner can add a world of difference to your looks, so I usually smudge some eye kohl, at least, when I don’t have the time or patience to do a wing.

Given my eye shape/s (they are vastly different from each other), I’ve had a bit of trouble doing traditional winged liner. My eyes fold differently from each other—something I rather dramatically called My Ocular Affliction—so I stayed away from eyeliner wings… until I got the hang of it.

I just begin in the middle of my eye, aligning it to the centre of my pupil. I draw a line, very thinly, and extend it to a wing that’s a little farther out than where my eye ends. The angle and incline of the wing are also quite small, so they don’t extend that far up, giving me the illusion of a more elongated eye—which I like. I used to do it this way, but I find that I’m most comfortable doing winged eye looks with a liquid liner than a gel or pencil liner. Sometimes, the difference in eye shape and fold is accentuated, but that is why I have bangs, heh.

Winging It 2

Products Used:
— Kjaer Weis Cream Foundation in Just Sheer
— K-Palette 24H Real Lasting 2-Way Eyebrow Liner in G101 Grayish Brown*
— MAC Paint Pot in Painterly
— NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Cassiopeia and Subra
— Makeup Geek Eyeshadow in Cocoa Bear
— KATE Super Sharp Liquid Liner
— Illamasqua Blusher Duo in Lover/Hussy
— Happy Skin Shut Up and Kiss Me Moisturizing Lippie in Crushing on You

Pops of Color - Gradient

I kind of really like how this turned out. Is that weird/arrogant? I don’t care! Hehe. I’m surprised that the NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows that I managed to get played so well—in my opinion—with each other. I’m still using them here and there, so I’m not sure if I’m even going to be making a post about them… All I know is that they’re stunning, even when used dry over primer:

NARS Dual-Intensity EyeShadows - Cassiopeia, Subra - Eyes

Will you be picking any of these new eyeshadows up? They’re a bit expensive, but I had a really hard time narrowing my choices down to two, because the colors were all so pretty. Not for the shimmer/glitter-hater, though!

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5 Product Face No. 1

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bareMinerals Liner Shadow (Bark) / MAC Paint Pot (Rubenesque) / Le Métier de Beauté Anamorphic Lash Mascara in (Midnight Blue) / Ilia Multi-Stick (All of Me) / Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (Mood Light)

I purchase a lot of makeup, but I don’t really like putting a lot of effort into my everyday looks, especially when I’m in a hurry. I thought I’d do a five-product face series in which I feature “full looks” using only five products.

5PF - 1 - Face 1

I used bareMinerals’ Bark for my eyebrows and my eyeliner and my MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque as an all-over lid shade. I then curled my lashes and added mascara. I used the Ilia Multi-Stick in All of Me as my blush and lip color (over a balm, as it’s a bit dry), and dusted my face off with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light… for no reason. I usually use them as a finishing powder, but I like wearing those on their own, though. I feel like they add a glow to the skin or something. What do you think?

5PF - 1 - Face 2

Haha is it weird to say that I kind of really like this look? Because I really do! What would your five product face be?

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Le Métier de Beauté Kaleidoscope Lip Kit in Gemini’s Kiss & a Beauty Vault VIP Recap

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For the last and final month of the Le Métier de Beauté Beauty Vault VIP Subscription, subscribers got a Kaleidoscope Lip Kit in Gemini’s Kiss, which features 8 lip colors (4 lipsticks & 4 crèmes or glosses) in split pans. I don’t have the individual names but I’ll email LMdB to ask then append this post if they are individually named!

I wasn’t supposed to post this until much later. I just got this yesterday and haven’t been able to play with it much yet, but I wanted to get this post up because LMdB is closing their subs soon… and I wanted to show you what they’ve sent, so far, in case any of you are interested in subscribing to them. Here’s the last shipment for the first round, which went on from August 2013 to July 2014.

Le Metier de Beaute - Gemini's Kiss - Layers copy
Le Métier de Beauté Kaleidoscope Lip Kit (Gemini’s Kiss): left pans are lipstick, right pans are glosses/lip crèmes

Le Metier de Beaute - Gemini's Kiss - Swatches copy
Swatches: Le Métier de Beauté Kaleidoscope Lip Kit (Gemini’s Kiss)

Le Metier de Beaute - Gemini's Kiss - Face - Tier 1, Tier 2
Le Metier de Beaute - Gemini's Kiss - Face - Tier 3, Tier 4Face Swatches: Le Métier de Beauté Kaleidoscope Lip Kit (Gemini’s Kiss)

Any patchiness or unevenness is completely my fault/human error/etc. Like I said, I just got this, so those are initial, try-on swatches on my stupidly dry lips. Here are some great ones at Glamorable. I wouldn’t spring for the lip kits, since they retail for the same price as the Eye and Face Kits ($95) and are more likely to be used up faster, aka I just don’t feel like there is more value here. I do like the ones I’ve gotten from the sub, though.

And now, for the recap!

Le Métier de Beauté Beauty Vault VIP 2013-2014 Recap

The LMdB Beauty Vault VIP is a luxury subscription service by the brand. Each month, subscribers are expected to receive deluxe or full-sized products (sometimes an assortment of) and some sneak peeks of new to-be-released items. The catch is you pay $348 plus tax upfront. This divides up to about $30 a month, minus tax.

AUGUST 2013 (Unboxing)

Products received: Kaleidoscope Lip Kit in Bauhaus, Hydra-Crème Lipstick in Signature Red, Precision Liquid Eye Liner in Noir, Kabuki Brush = $247

I received a lip palette. It was OK! I love lip crèmes and these were basically those in pan forms, but y’all know how much I love their eyeshadows more. So, I liked this but I was feeling a bit grinch-y, since some of the members received Eye Kits. I love the lipstick and wear it still; it’s the most gorgeous red! The eyeliner is OK, but not great. The price tag is a bit much; this was, if I recall correctly, developed with Montblanc, but I still like my Japanese liquid liners better than this. The Kabuki brush is something I use every single day. I don’t think it’s worth $85… but I have gotten my use out of it, so it’s fine.

SEPTEMBER 2013 (Unboxing)

Products received: True Colour Crème Eye Shadows Champagne Shimmer and Starry Night = $56

Everyone hated these! I actually kinda like them, though they are definitely not long-wearing or crease-proof. I like them for a glossy lid, grunge effect, which is a bit niche, I admit. And also a bit expensive considering you can just kinda smudge everything and Vaseline it up and call it a day. Oh well, I liked these a lot.

OCTOBER 2013 (Unboxing)

Products received: Peau Vierge Dark Spot Corrector = $125

I loved this shit. It’s a serum you put all over your face as a night treatment. It has a bit of retinol in it and it truly, no joke, made such a difference to my skin. I have used it all up, seeing at there is only 0.5 oz of product in this bottle. Preposterous, I say, since it retails for a nauseating $125. And it makes me sad because this was so good. I used this up earlier in the year and I still haven’t managed to repurchase it just because I don’t actually own a tree that grows money.

NOVEMBER 2013 (Unboxing)

Products received: Peau Vierge Lash Growth Serum, Eyelash Curler, Dualistic Eye Pencil in Tamarack = $149

One of my favorite boxes! I have used up the lash growth serum and this is seriously so freaking good, I wish I had $95 to blow on it. The eyelash curler is great for $18 (about $2 less than the shu umeura ones), and the Dualistic Eye Pencil is amazing. It is pretty much identical to MAC’s Eye Kohl in Teddy but less smudgey and actually works as a dark base for eyeshadow!

DECEMBER 2013 (Unboxing)

Products received: Kaleidoscope Face Kit in Cheeky Chic = $95

I love this! It’s basically the same principle as their kaleidoscopes, but for the face: Cheeky Chic has a warm-toned and a cool-toned blush, a neutral blush/bronzer, and a pretty highlighter. One of my favorite boxes for sure. I still use this quite a bit.

JANUARY 2014 (Unboxing)

Products received: Dual Action Makeup Remover = $32

LOL, this was the box where everyone was all “EH?” because this was literally the only thing in the box. No info, no card, just this dinky little bottle which someone actually found an unbranded bottle of on Amazon. (Fully story and statement here.) But you know what? Besides the price tag… This is actually pretty great. So great, in fact, that I’ve been rationing it because YOU CAN’T EVEN GET THIS FROM THEM. Shakefist! Anyway, this is the best. It’s fully effective and is so delicate and non-stinging.

FEBRUARY 2014 (Unboxing)

Products received: Nail Lacquer Cocoa Cabana and Wango Tango, Colour Core Moisture Stain Lipstick in Riviera = $68 USD

This is kind of a strange box for me, because as much as I like all of these as products, I would never have worn these shades, ever. Or so I thought. I kind of… ended up loving everything in this box. Even the carrot-y lipstick!

MARCH 2014 (Unboxing)

Products received: Peau Vierge Correcteur Concealer in Medium, Ultra Hydration Mask Duo = $132.5

I like this concealer, but I like my NARS one a bit more! This is a great one with lots of pigment and is fairly emollient, but I find that I don’t reach for it more than my NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. I think there was a shade issue with a lot of the subscribers getting weird matches for them. I still have yet to use the mask duo because it’s so freaking expensive and I don’t want to “waste it,” hehe.

APRIL 2014 (Unboxing)

Products received: Peau Vierge Anti-Aging Pressed Powder in Shade 2 = $75

Ah, I love this so much. It was a new release at the time. I use it almost everyday and any time I need to set my face. Sometimes I use this alone on top of sunscreen or primer and it performs just as well. This is something I truly loved from the sub, so yay!

MAY 2014 (Unboxing)

Products received: True Colour Eyeshadows in Goldstone and Peachy Keen = $60

I love LMdB eyeshadows, and I love these ones so much. They’re great everyday shades, so I’m happy I didn’t get a weird color I’d never wear.

JUNE 2014 (Unboxing)

Products received: Daily Refresh Tonic = $50

Love this, so much. This is a much bigger bottle than the Dark Spot Corrector (4oz. vs. 0.5oz) and it has really improved my skin. I usually use it before I put on my “night serum” and I noticed a big improvement when I started using this, so yay. Possible repurchase when I run out.

JULY 2014
Le Metier de Beaute - Gemini's Kiss
Product received: Kaleidoscope Lip Kit in Gemini’s Kiss = $95

First impressions’ed earlier in this post. I kinda really like it? Even more than the first lip kit I got, Bauhaus. This seems like the perfect thing to travel with, too, since there are lipsticks and glosses all in one, and a variety of shades.

Fin! Total retail value for the box was $ 1184.50. It’s important to note that Le Métier de Beauté products cost a lot anyway, so this may or may not be a good value for you. For my own purposes, I’ve used up/use/will use regularly products that amount to: $ 1087. Basically, everything except for the liquid liner, the eye masks, and the eyelash curler.

For me, personally, that’s a great deal so I re-subscribed. I guess go into it if you already have a love for Le Métier de Beauté products or if you would like to try more from the brand. Because the price of this is a bit steep, I’ve resolved to spend less on makeup, beginning its cycle (August 2014). I’ll be going to the States and Korea later this year, though, so no promises… except that I’ll try and be a sensible person.

You can subscribe to the Le Métier de Beauté Beauty Vault VIP Subscription here. Please note that they do not ship outside of the US, and I was able to subscribe by listing a mail forwarder as my address then paying for each shipment.

I never said I was right in the head…

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