Friday, December 20, 2013

Studio Gear Cosmetics Holiday Smokey Eye Palette





















I was recently asked to try out this palette. I love trying new brands so I jumped at trying this palette and since it was a holiday theme it is a win - win. The palette had four eyeshadow and one blush. When I swatched the colors I noticed that the eyeshadows were gritty  and bit difficult to apply; unlike other makeup that goes on smoothly and blends easy. The colors were not highly pigmented and doesn’t last very long. While the palette had a tutorial that did go in detail, the colors didn’t match up in the tutorial and in the set. The palette contains a nice tutorial, it felt a bit lacking. It promoted using their brushes, but it didn’t recommend following up the smokey eyes with mascara or  any lip product. Everyone knows, to make a good smokey eye you need layers upon  layers of mascara! Overall, this was mediocre set for the $45. The consistency and quality reminds me of those cheap drugstore gifts set they have around the holiday. If the price was lower [$10]  it would be a good set for a teen or a novice makeup user. I don’t see myself ever purchasing this again but I might give their other products a try.

Reader Discount: 10% Off
Reader Discount Code: SGHOLIDAY
Note: This code does not expire and is good for 10% off your entire order on www.studiogearcosmetics.com.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Alterna Hair Care Bamboo Smooth Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist

Photo Source - Sephora
The dry oil mist is packed with nutrients that help protects hair from the damage from heat styling tools while promoting healthy looking hair and shine. The organic bamboo and kendi oil helps extend the life of your color and protect against environmental damage. I spritz on this dry oil mist after towel drying my hair and it reduces the frizzies! [If you have wild hair like mines, you would be extremely happy too] When I use the oil while straightening my hair it gives my hair nice healthy looking sheen and many people ask where I went to do my hair.

Pura Botanica Spiced Citrus Soap


 



Photo Source  - Pura Botanica

The Pura Botanica spiced citrus soap is packed with organic ingredients and natural oils to help nourish and soften skin. It washes away impurities without stripping skin of moisture. While the sweet citrus scent reminded me of Burt's Bees Citrus Spice Exfoliating Shower Soap but this one doesn’t have the rough edges like Burt’s which I like. The creamy soap gives a nice lather but it doesn’t moisturize my skin very well. I would recommend following up with lotion afterwards.





Julie Hewett Los Angeles Eyeshadow Pan - Silverlake










The silky paraben and talc free eyeshadow is vibrant and highly pigmented. The pressed powder is concentrated and glides over my lids very smoothly.


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Lucky December 2013 / January 2014




Winter Checklist
1. A furry scarf - it’s a glamorous collar. A luxe wrap adds polish to everything - even jeans and a tee.
2. A coat in an eye-catching shade. A bright style will make you stand out in a sea of neutrals. Plus, the super-saturated color will instantly lift your mood.
3. A slouchy beanie - everyone looks adorable in a knit hat. Especially if it’s in a headturning shade, like electric yellow, emerald green or cobalt blue.
4. An army parka - it gives a tomboy feel to any outfit.
5. Classic black moto boots

Seventeen December 2013 / January 2014




New Ways to Rock Your Body!
1. Create killer curves - skip the belt! Strategic color blocking cinches you in the same way to give you a va-va-voom shape.
2. Show off long legs - you’ve got the leg power to pull of a cropped cut! Showing some ankle and adding heels flaunt your killer height.
3. Highlight strong arms - leaving you arms bare lets you really play up their definition, while a peplum adds some curves to your lower half.
4. Reveal just enough -  you flirt! An off-the-shoulder dress accentuates a full chest without moving into skanky territory.
5. Bump up your cup size - score a little oomph up top with bold, glitzy patterns. Bonus tip: a cropped cut will keep prints from overwhelming a smaller frame.

Make Your Makeup Last -
1. Prime your skin - think of primer as your secret weapon! Apply it all over your face to mattify skin so your makeup won’t slide off.
2. Use powder to set -  when you finish with a high-def loose powder. This super fine translucent powder goes on sheer over foundation to make your face look airbrushed.
3. Prep lids for shadow - eyelids are oiler than the rest of your face, which will make smokey eyes smear way before midnight. To avoid, apply an eyeshadow base to absorb oil.  Pick one with a white base so the shadow goes on more intense.

Best Hair Masks for your texture -
Straight - your thin ends get brittle fast! Prevent splits by apply a weekly two minute shower mask to the tips only. Using it everywhere just makes your hair flat.
Relaxed - chemically treated hair is already dry, which makes knots from easily. Use a mask with hibiscus extract to keep hair tangle-free.
Wavy - Don’t weigh down your waves! Brushing a gel mask into towel-dried hair once a week p twice if it’s super-frigid out!] keeps them soft and pretty.
Curly - ringlets are prone to breakage. But slicking on a deep conditioner three times a week seals moisture in, so they stay healthy and bouncy.
Super - Curly - coarser curls need love every time you wash! After each shampoo, massage in a quarter-size dollop of a deep conditioner to strengthen from roots to ends.

Pretty Bronzers for your Skin Tone -
Golden - pick a bronzer with gold and pink tones - combined they add even more warmth to your skin.
Beige  - pick a bronzer with a hint of pink in it to brighten the yellow undertone in your skin and give you an overall rosier look.
Olive - use a matte bronzer a few shades darker than your skin for the perfect contour. Swoop it right under your cheekbones to make them seriously pop.
Fair - soft, shimmery copper adds just a hint of color without looking fake on your light skin.
Bronze -  you’re naturally tan, so just use a liquid illuminator on the apples of your cheeks for dewiness.
Deep - a sheer nutmeg bronzer brightens and evens out your skin tone! Apply the loose powder with a fluffy brush to cover any imperfections on your cheeks.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil


 
Photo Source - Dermstore

Full confession - I am a notorious nail bitter and a nail polish addict. I sometimes change my polish 3 to 5 times a week, sometimes more, if the nail polish is chipping or doesn’t hold up well to wear and tear.  When taking some shots for my nail polish review, I noticed my cuticles look...well..to be nice...Ugh...eww. I scoured the web for some recommendations to see if there is anything to make my hands...well model like...pretty delusional of me, I know. I read a bunch of rave reviews of this and decided to give it a try. I should first note that I loved the applicator, it was so easy to apply to the spots that needed TLC without covering your hands with the treatment. In all honesty, I did ended up covering my hands with the treatment for a little extra TLC. I did notice that the oil was a bit greasy and took a bit of time to absorb fully. The oil is lightly scented and did a nice job of “tidying up” my cuticles. Essie recommends using it twice a day, every day -- I barely remember and have time to take off my makeup! Let alone add another step that my daily regime. I figured I will just apply this when I am doing my nails and well, I do see an improvement -- so at least that is something.

Lumene Excellent Future Deep Repairing Cream


 
Photo Source - Walgreens

The deep repairing cream is packed with apple extract and arctic white peat. The product promises to preserve skin’s appearance by promoting the skin’s ability to repair itself. The cream made my skin soft and smooth. I haven’t notice anything any improvement on my wrinkles…not that I have any..just saying if I did. Overall, it is a good cream and this probably should be use more for preventing wrinkles then helping to treat ones you have.

Lipstick Queen Chinatown Glossy Pencil in Crime



















Pencil style applicator is all in the rage right now. I came across this when shopping at the Barney's and I remember reading good things about this hybrid lip gloss / lip balm. I decided I just had to get it [I am quite addicted to lip products!]. The chubby hot pink pencil goes on sheer and silky, so no reason to be shy. The glossy pencil left my lips feel soft and smooth thanks to the enriching avocado oil. The pencil comes with it's own sharper which is good because none of my 5 sharpers fit this jumbo pencil.  So go on scribble on some fun!

Prestiche Rosechella Soap

Photo Source - Prestiche


I love the sweet floral scent of this soap. It is packed with dried plumeria, hibiscus and rose jive that you can see in the soap. The soap lathered well and left my skin softly scented. I noticed the bar doesn’t last very long. I probably got 5 uses before it got all crumbly and fell apart. For almost $18 a bar, it seems quite pricey and didn’t leave my skin soft or moisturized.




Clinical Complex Microdermabrasion Cream


Photo Source - Dermstore

The clinical complex microdermabrasion cream is embedded with diamond shaped crystals that help exfoliate and smooth wrinkles and fine lines.  The cream promises also lighten to discoloration and pigmentation. My face felt a bit tender after using this cream but following up with lotion made it better. This citrus scented creamy microdermabrasion made my skin soft, smooth and radiant.  I did notice my dark spots look less visibly noticeable.