Review: Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick

I love Soap & Glory! The names of their products are hilarious! Sexy Mother Pucker! hahahaha
Today I'll be reviewing their newest addition to the lip products, Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick ($16).  If you are familiar with their product, you may have seen their lip plumping lip glosses, Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss. I have one, but I didn't like their lip gloss.  Very tingly and thick consistency (I don't like thick lip glosses).

I saw FleurdeForce talk about this and since then I had to have it.  For the people in UK they had access to this earlier, but for the folks in the US it just hit the Sephora stores.  I pre-ordered mine from Sephora.com (I'm so impatient....) and I had it for about two weeks now and I can't put it away!

They come in three colors, Plum Jam, Nudist, Fuschia-ristic.  They remind me Clinique Chubby Sticks, or of many stain, gloss sticks from various brands (Revlon, Neutrogena, Covergirl).

What it is:
A super moisturizing lip crayon that glides on effortlessly and wraps lips in a luscious wash of creamy color.

What it does:
This buzz-free formula is packed to plump, promising fuller, more luxurious-looking lips, without the tingle of most plumping glosses. The high-pigment color stays put—no smudging or bleeding—making sure your high-gloss, shiny finish wears long into the night.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Phthalates

Research results:
- 96% of testers felt their lips were more moisturized after use
- 88% of testers agreed their lips had an instant glossy finish
- 86% of testers found their lips looked fuller after use

 I have it in Nudist which is a peachy nude color and Plum Jam which is a slightly plummy color (little bit reminds me of Clinique Black Honey).

Picture below is in the order of Plum Jam, Nudist, and Fuschia-ristic.

Swatch on my hand.  ohhhh so pretty...

On my lips.  Plum Jam

Nudist

My Thoughts:
I love this gloss stick!  It is super shiny, super hydrating, and the colors are great for everyday wear.  I can wear this all day long without reapplying and it won't dry out my lips.  While they still have pigmentation, it is still sheer and really natural looking.  I'd say that it does not feel like it plumps up my lips nor do I feel any tingling sensation (with many lip plumping products).  But it still looks plump and full due to the color and the shiny gloss.  It is a twist up and you don't need to sharpen which is very similar to the Clinique Chubby Stick, but I feel like the Clinique Chubby Stick dries out my lips a little bit if I don't reapply through out the day.

I have been wearing this everyday like a mad woman and loving every minute of it!  Definitely a lip product I could never get sick and tired of.  If you are looking for a good nude colored gloss or lipstick, I highly recommend Nudist! Also if you really enjoy hydrating lip products like Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments, you will absolutely love this (S&G Gloss stick is $6.50 cheaper). I might just have to get Fuschia-ristic as well to complete my collection. :)

Review: Shiseido Nourishing Mascara Base (Primer)

I have tried just about all the raved about mascara primers and none of them work for me.  They don't work for my straight stubborn asian lashes because they just fall straight and even though they may give me extra length and volume, they just make my lashes straight! Which is a deal breaker for me. Thought I give it last try.  I figured Shiseido is Japanese and it may cater better to asian folks.

This is Shiseido's Nourishing Mascara Base ($24)

Their claim from their website:

Description:

Create unprecedented impact by dramatically intensifying mascara finish. Enhances the volume, length and curl of every lash.

• DERMATOLOGIST AND OPHTHALMOLOGIST-TESTED.
• INTENSIFIES VOLUME, LENGTH AND CURL
• CONDITIONS AND MAKES LASHES MORE SUPPLE
• PROVIDES ELEGANT GLOSSY FINISH WHEN WORN ALONE

The packaging looks like any other mascara.  When opened, the brush is slightly slim, appears easy to work with, and the product appears to be clear (slightly gray?) gel type and not white like other mascara primer/bases are.  It reminds me of more fluid version of vaseline (but I assure you it's not).

APPLICATION
Applying was easy breezy.  I did not get it all over my eyelids thanks to the slim mascara brush, and it seemed to coat every one of my lashes. In the before after pictures below, I applied the base to both eyes, and paired it with Shiseido Perfect Mascara Defining Volume Mascara.  And it applied well over the mascara base because there was no white base to cover up like the other bases (Dior, Tarte, Lancome, L'Oreal).  Also I've noticed that the mascara glided over my lashes with the base rather well.  As Shiseido claims, this really can be worn alone if you want natural tint to your eyelashes.  If you are thinking you can just use clear mascara for that, umm sure you can, but this base has many more functions and benefits than that.  And HELLO CURL and LIFT in my lashes!  Till this day, I have yet to find a mascara primer/base that will hold the curl!

AFTER MASCARA APPLICATION
The first time I used this, I saw noticeable difference and was utterly shocked that it actually held the curls and kept it way up! Lash gods have answered my prayers! Since then, I have experimented with my favorite mascaras to unfavorable mascaras, and Shiseido Nourishing Mascara Base worked well with every single one of them, even non-waterproof mascaras! (FYI- I ONLY wear waterproof mascaras or my lashes don't stay up or hold its curl.)  But thanks to this mascara base, I can venture out to non-waterproof mascaras!!!! THANK YOU LASH GODS~!  I will also mention that it keeps my lashes really soft and supple as it claims. And it doesn't clump up like some mascara bases do.

BEFORE with only lashes curled

AFTER Shiseido Nourishing Mascara Base (one coat)

AFTER One Coat of Mascara
(You can definitely see more definition and uplifted curls in my inner lashes, which are so hard to get to for me)

MY THOUGHTS
I think you already know that this is Miloberry approved!  And I will tell you that after using it for about a month everyday, my lashes are longer and little bit fuller (it might be that my lashes are just growing) but regardless, my lashes look thousand times better and satisfying with this mascara base. 

It does everything that Shiseido claims it'll do.
Intensifies volume, length and curl - CHECK!
Conditions and makes lashes more supple- CHECK!
Provides elegant glossy finish when worn alone- CHECK!

I can't say that this is the best mascara primer/base out there in the market, because my stubborn lashes just hates the ones that can't hold the curl (which are all of them except this one).  BUT I will say this is the best primer for stubborn straight lashes like mine.  So it is the best one for me. ^____^ 

I will never ever ever live without the Shiseido Nourishing Mascara Base ever ever again.  It is a must have at all times in my makeup collection from now on.  Also this product expires in 24 months, which I doubt it'll last that long for me since I'd be wearing it everyday!

Available for $24 at Macys, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Sephora.com (Online Only).

Side note:  That's how you can tell how long make up "should" last.  Look for this symbol with Number and M on it.  Number equals the number of months it'll last from the moment you open the product.

Do you use mascara primer/base?  Do you know of any that keeps the curls?  I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Benefit's New Concealer Fake Up

I'm a big big fan of Benefit's concealers.  So when I heard that they were coming out with a new concealer for underneath the eyes, I've begun to wonder if it will beat out my beloved Benefit's Erase Paste.  It's supposed to be super hydrating, some are claiming it might be too hydrating.  They are being sold on HSN and Benefit's website, but I'm gonna wait until it hits the stores, so I can see it for myself.  They will come in 3 different shades, light, medium, and deep.  Comes in a lipstick like tube with moisturizing balm in the outside and with concealer in the middle.
I can't wait to try it and see how it compares to my beloved Erase Paste. :)  Are you excited or have you tried it yet?

FREE: Clinique Quickliner For Eyes Intense

Starting today, February 21st through March 2nd, visit Nordstrom Clinique counter for your 28 day supply of Quickliner For Eyes Intense in Charcoal, Intense Plum or Intense Ivy.  Intense Plum is my personal favorite.  No purchase necessary.  And I'll bet you can go to multiple Nordstroms (you didn't hear that from me. lol) :)

GLOSSYBOX (January 2013) The man repeller Box

It's a little late but here is the January 2013 Glossybox.  This was a special box because these were items the blogger, the man repeller picked out.  There were some exciting full size items in this box!  Even the box was different from the usual pink glossybox.

Cute note from Leandra (the man repeller)

Items in the box

There were two full size items.  Tarte natural cheek tint (available March 2013) and OPI Liquid Sand from Mariah Carey Collection.

I was mostly excited about the Tarte natural cheek tint.  In the winter I use cream blushes a lot and I've been really loving Tarte products!  I haven't really tried out this product yet, but this product is very shiny and it feels rough when I swatched it.  :(  Hope it works out better when I try it out.  It's really a pretty color though.

OPI Liquid Sand from Mariah Carey Collection.  I was really glad I got this because I was really contemplating buying this but I figured these are one of those gimmicks or a trendy phase, so I didn't bother.  But perfect way to try it.  It's supposed to be glitter bomb with a matte finish.

Sebastian Potion 9 Styling Treatment.  Deluxe size perfect for traveling.

Rest of the smaller sample size.  I know the Le Metier De Beaute is expensive, but I hate little packet samples. bleh... but the remainder of the items were good travel size.  I haven't tried Estee Lauder mascaras in awhile, so that should be fun. 

Can't wait for my next box.  I hear the theme is international style.  If you haven't signed up for Glossybox and you want to try it, please use my referral link if you wouldn't mind. :)  Also don't forget to purchase it through ebates.com where it gives you instant rebate for your online purchases including glossybox.  I have already got $145.00 back from online purchase since September! Why not save while shopping? :)

Review: Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation

Take a deep breath after reading the name of the foundation! What a long name!  I got this Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation early January and had plenty of time to test this out.  You may notice from my foundations review, that I don't really use drugstore foundations.  My biggest fear is getting the wrong color!!!   But since Revlon Colorstay Whipped Foundation, I was pleasantly surprised with drugstore foundation, so decided to give it a go.  Typically when I think of Covergirl, I don't think of foundations (probably mascaras), but you may be surprised this review and the performance of this foundation.
(if you want to get to before after pictures, just go straight to the end of this review. :)

WHAT IT CLAIMS
All-in-one foundation with a long-lasting formula that fuses primer, concealer, and foundation in one easy step! The 3-in-1 formula provides a flawless look that lasts all day long.

• All day, longwear formula
• Primer, concealer, and foundation in one
• Smooth, flawless finish
• SPF 20

COLORS
This foundation comes in impressive range of 16 different shades ranging from fair to dark. Enough colors for everyone or wide range of skin tones. From what I can tell, it does appear more pink cooler undertone, but there are few shades with slight yellow undertones. And if you are much darker skintone there is Covergirl Queen (Latifah) Collection All Day Flawless 3 in 1 version.

I picked up Buff Beige (#825). It has slight yellow undertone, and I was lucky enough to pick the right color.  It matches me really well.  As a reference, I'm about MAC NC20-25, Revlon Colorstay Whipped in Nude Beige (#220), Make Up For Ever HD Foundation #117 or #120, YSL Le Teinte Touche Eclat in B30.


PACKAGING
It comes in a glass packaging with pump and a cap.  Pump can be locked and unlocked, so if the cap comes off, you won't have any accidents.  I'm loving that fact that this drugstore foundation comes with a pump.  It is easy to control.  This packs in regular standard 1.0 fluid ounce of product.

CONSISTENCY
It is a thick liquid foundation.  It's not too fluid because it doesn't run on my hand when I pump, and thick enough that it stays put when I pump it out, yet fluid enough to blend easily. It also gives you enough time to blend and buff your foundation before it sets.

COVERAGE AND FINISH
 It claims medium to full coverage.  But I find that I get plenty of coverage with one pump and one layer.  Other than my undereye concealer, I did not use additional concealer in the pictures below.  You'll see that it has full coverage. It covered my freckles, dark spots, and my blemishes.   It really blends like a dream with slightly silicone texture. As it claims, it has a lasting power of a primer, coverage of a concealer and blendability of a foundation.  When you first apply, it doesn't set right away, so you have teeny teeny dewy finish for few minutes.  Then it sets to a matte finish.  I wouldn't say completely matte, because without powder I still see a slight glow and dimension to my face.  And as day goes by when it really sets to my skin and mixes with my facial oil, it starts to look really nice and almost natural.  It doesn't settle in my lines or pores.  It stays on really well without making my face oily or seeing any separation for about 12 hours.  I find that it looks better without powder as it's matte already.  I do use loose powder to set my concealer underneath my eyes.

Now for some before and after pictures.  As mentioned, I did not use concealer on my blemishes and you can see that it is fully covered.  Also it stayed put all day and I did not need to touch up at all up to 12 hours!!!

Close up of my blemishes on my chin. (sorry for the color change, without makeup, my face is super pale and my camera picks up a lot of light in my face)

 

 

MY THOUGHTS

I was very surprised by this foundation and major kudos to Covergirl!!! They really did a fantastic job of creating a solid foundation.  Because this foundation is matte, it'll appeal more to normal to oily skin.  I have normal to dry skin, a bit more dry these days, yet this foundation works well without drying out my face, or accentuating my fine lines or pores.  It looks good all day.  I can apply this foundation with a buffing brush or fingers effortlessly.  If you have dry skin, make sure you moisturize well before applying any kind of matte foundation.

 

You can get this foundation at CVS, Walgreens, Target, Ulta, Bed Bath and Beyond.  I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond for $9.79 which is a little cheaper.  But if you are afraid that you are going to be stuck with the wrong color, I'd suggest CVS who has a very flexible no questions asked return policy.  Bed Bath and Beyond as well if you have one with beauty department. 

 

Miloberry approved! I'd definitely repurchase.



TOTD: Curl Lashes without Lash Curler

I'm gonna see if I can keep up with this, but I'll be doing short blog post and calling it Tip Of The Day (TOTD).

Have you ever been stuck without an eyelash curler, or you curled your eyelashes and they fall flat as soon as you put on mascara?  Don't fear, you can still curl your lashes or give it an extra lift just by using your finger!

Typically our body temperature is about 97-98 degrees and this heat can help you curl your lashes!

I find this method to work better when I already have my mascara on and fully dried.
1. To give it extra heat, rub your hands, or the fingers together.
2. Place the finger below your lashes, lift them up to where you want the lift or curl, and leave it there for 15-30 seconds.
Voila! Lift off!  Hope you enjoyed my tip of the day, and I wish everyone a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Review: Garnier Olia Ammonia Free Permanent Hair Color

Couple months back, I saw Garnier was releasing an ammonia free oil based hair dye called Garnier Olia  in a magazine and I knew I'd have to try it.  I have gray hair near my bangs, so I always have to dye my hair every couple of weeks.  I was too lazy to do it myself, so I used to get them done at a salon, then it got way too expensive.  So for the last couple of months, I have been only doing touch ups at home, but saw this opportunity to change my hair color and lighten it little bit from black to dark brown.

These were on sale at CVS for $8.99 (originally $10.49) and with coupons I only paid $5.  What can I say, I'm a savvy shopper. :) In order to do my full head, I typically need two boxes, but I opted for one, and thought maybe I'll just do a touch up.

 How it works: Unlike traditional haircolor, Oila uses an exclusive 60% oil blend, with natural flower oils, in the colorant. The unique oil-based formula maximizes the coloring process to achieve permanent color results. It propels colorants deep into hair, without ammonia, for pure, vivid, long-lasting color. Olia visibly improves and restores the look of hair, as oils help to reverse roughness and dullness for softer, shinier hair with bounce.
60% oil blend with natural flower oils
100% gray coverage
No ammonia 

What comes in the box:  Unusually big color mixer, developer, colorant, conditioner, and pair of gloves.

Instructions:

When I began to mix the developer and colorant, I noticed that it was a little difficult to know if you have squeezed everything out from the developer (which felt like any hair gel/cream dispenser), because you can't see inside.  I spent good 2-3 minutes to ensure I squeezed everything out, but more product kept coming out when I tried to stop.  And the colorant comes in a aluminum tube.  So if you start squeezing from the bottom near the mouth of the tube, you are a bit skrewed, because the aluminum tube are hard to unflatten.  So that was quite a task.  I love the humongous mixer.  The gloves were not flimsy, but felt a little tight even for my regular asian hands.  LOL

Biggest seller for me was the scent.  Due to lack of strong chemicals like ammonia, or maybe because it's 60% oil, it didn't have a strong chemical scent that attacks your nose and forces you to open all windows in your home in the middle of winter.  I think I wouldn't die of strong scent even if I closed my bathroom door.  It actually smelled pleasant and flowery.  I loved it.

Now all it had to do was pass the test and cover my grays.  I picked up color dark brown, 4.0 (versus 1.0 which is black).  I typically would have gotten 2.0 (natural black) but wanted to see if dark brown would cover my grays and I wanted to lighten my hair a little bit.

While dying my hair, I dropped the bottle couple of times.  While the roundness is cute, when your hands have the slippery solution on it, and my regular sized asian hands had a hard time grasping the big round bottle with precision. The solution wasn't too liquidy or too thick.  It squeezed out like mayonnaise. :)  I concentrated on my roots and grays, and surprisingly, I had enough to cover my entire head/hair (you have to remember I have a lot of hair and it hits my waistline).  If I were to do my  entire head next time, I'd probably pick up two boxes.  I noticed that the solution on your hair start to turn a little dry and start to feel like dry oil.  I'm guessing this is normal.  But my long hair felt so stiff and stick straight.

After 20 minutes, I was instructed to massage my scalp without water with gloves on, and rinse until it runs clear.  When it hit water, it reminded me of my Shu Uemura or Shiseido Face Cleansing Oil.  The solution turned milky white and it rinsed off quite easily.  After the rinse, my hair still felt dry, so I slathered on tons of the conditioner it came with.  Left it on for good 5 minutes while I finished showering, and my hair felt normal again.  And my hair smelled gooood.

I'm happy to report that it covered my gray hair and lightened my black hair a bit.
Before and After Pictures.  (Yes, my gray hair is really bad, I got it from my Papa)

 

My Thoughts:  The results of this hair dye is fantastic.  Garnier Olia, I likey you.  After I blow dried my hair, my hair felt softer and that dry feeling went away.  My grays were covered, my bathroom didn't stink of nasty chemical odor.  Definitely a lot of Pros with this product, and definitely outweighs the Cons.

Pros:
1. Ammonia free- less harmful for your hair
2. Smells nice and flowery
3. Covers grays
4. Colors well
5. Comes with nicely conformed gloves

Cons:
1. Bottle is too big to hold (I'm being really picky here I know)
2. Tubes were not easy to squeeze out the products to mix
3. Makes your hair feel like you put on dry oil (during application)

Obviously, I'm really trying hard to list the cons here (can you tell?).  But overall, I'm happy with Garnier Olia and I highly recommend it if you are a hair dyer like me.  Finally a less harmful way to dye your hair without spending tons at the salon.  I'm definitely going to use this product to continue doing root touch ups at home.

Miloberry approved!

First Look: Flower Costmetics by Drew Barrymore

If you haven't heard or seen Drew Barrymore promoting Flower Cosmetics, I'm here to tell you that Drew Barrymore is the face and owner of her own cosmetics brand, Flower.  I saw the collection, and I was so blown away by the beautiful colors.  Flower philosophy is to keep the cost of the products down by not paying for advertising.  They also use same ingredients used in luxury makeup and some products are made of real flower.  Also they are produced in the good 'ol USA and never tested on animals.  Also this brand is sold exclusively at Walmart and Walmart.com.  I think the official launch date was January 31st, but I've seen other bloggers seeing items at their local stores (limited items) and I ordered mine through Walmart.com.  All the items were priced starting at $6.98 and doesn't go above $13.98. Apparently a lot of the items are sold out already! Goodness!  I'm so excited for this brand and Drew Barrymore! (Loooooove her!)

So here are few items I was able to get.  This is just a first impression and quick swatches.

I ordered the Flower Color Play Creme Eyeshadows, Win Some, Rouge Some, Creme Blush, Kiss Stick, High-Shine Lip Color.  The Color Play Cream Eyeshadows packaging look very similar to L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows, but they are a bit different.

 Swatches of the Flower Color Play Creme Eyeshadows. They come in a glass jar with white top.
From left to right:
Lilac You a Lot (irridescent purple), Midnight Garden (black, grayish with sparkle), Awesome Blossom (slightly metallic chocolate), Mum's the Word (rusty pink).  As you can tell they are quite pigmented, minus Lilac You a Lot.  Also the consistency of the shadows are very light and airy, so I'd say it feels like a cross between creme and mousse.  It's not like the Maybelline Color Tattoos. 

 Walmart packed my package in the most horrible way possible and these got tossed around like popcorn in a humongous bag, so it's quite messy, but this is what it looks like when you open them.  This is in color Awesome Blossom.

This is the Win Some/Rouge Some Creme Blush in Peach Blossom.  This one isn't that creamy, but I'd say a cross between cream and powder.  It definitely finishes powdery and that's their claim.  It's a very pretty peach, perfect for spring.

And last but not least, the Kiss Stick, High Shine Lip Color in Sweet Peony.  I read in an interview that Drew Barrymore said this is one of her faves, so I had to have it!  It's a peachy creamy lipstick with slight pink sheen to it.  Really pretty.  it's a bit light even for my skin, but I can make it work for the spring. lol

Swatches of the lipstick in sweet peony on the left and the blush in peach blossom on the right.  Doesn't it scream SPRING IS HERE?

So that's my first impression of the Flower Cosmetics by Drew Barrymore.  I'm going to have to try them out to do a review.