Oops!

Hello Friends!

I'm sorry guys! This is the second week that I've failed at blogging! I'm really weighed down with school right now (I'm doing accelerated courses this term so that I can begin my internship next month- yikes!), and I've been too busy to post.
To make up for it, I'm going to be posting a NARS haul post and maybe an OCC review later this week (check back Friday).

Thanks for being such loyal readers- you guys have collectively checked in about a hundred times since my last post!

There will absolutely be a new at least one new post my midnight Friday (PST)!

Always,

Nani xx

Hot Cloth Cleanser

Hello Friends!

Lately it seems like everyone is talking about the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. All the talk caught my interest, so I thought I'd give it a try. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. Apparently Liz Earle is only sold on the Liz Earle website in the states, so in order to get it, I was going to have to pay $43 plus shipping. I couldn't do it, so I gave up on the idea, until I found out that Boots No 7 (available everywhere here) had a dupe!

I've been using the No 7 Radiance Boosting Hot Cloth Cleanser ($10.49) for about a week now, and I really like it. If you've never used a hot cloth cleanser, you spread 1-2 pumps of the cleanser over a dry face, then moisten the included muslin cloth with hot water, and drape it over your face. The moist heat opens the pores, allowing the cleanser to clean inside them. After leaving it on for a minute or two (the cloth is thin, so it cools quickly), you take the same cloth and scrub it in little circles to remove the cleanser, and then rinse your face and the cloth.

After a week of using it every night, I'm not sure that my skin is clearing up very much, but it's certainly less red than it was before. I missed a day, and the next day my skin rebounded. I'm definitely going to keep using it- if nothing else, because it feels great! The combination of the heat and the clean feeling after I use it feels like a spa treatment. I love it!

There's only two things I don't like about the cleanser. First, the smell. I'm not really sure what it's meant to smell like, but it's just a little strange- although not particularly bad. The second thing is just something I need to fix myself- the cleanser only comes with one cloth. I've been looking around, but I haven't found anything similar yet, so I may end up making my own. I also recommend using a facial wipe or makeup remover before using the cleanser, since any make up you have on your face will stain the cloth.

Overall, I'm happy with this stuff, especially at a fourth of the price of the Liz Earle!

Always,

Nani xx

What skin care products can you not live with out? Leave them in the comments below!

Shout Outs! - Thursday Bonus Post

Hello Friends!

As you know, Tuesday is my upload day, but I had some time, and I thought I'd do a Thursday post! ALSO! I hit 375 views today! I only hit 300 a couple days ago, so this is super exciting! Thanks guys!

Today I thought I'd do a review on some OCC lip products I bought recently, but remember the review I did Tuesday? I still have a bunch of stains on my arms from the swatches, so I'm going to wait.

Instead, I'm going to do some shout outs to my favorite YouTubers, and a few of my favorite bloggers, as well.

Side note- most of the YouTubers I watch are British. I don't know why, but it is what it is :) Also, all pictures are borrowed from their pages or blogs- I don't own the rights to any of them.

Favorite YouTubers!

Alright, so my all time favorite is Zoe (she goes by Zoella on YouTube), whose channel can be found here. She does product reviews, favorites, and some tags and silly videos with some of the other UK YouTubers. She doesn't do tutorials very often, but I get a lot of good product suggestions from her. She also has a blog (here), where she does similar posts, as well as some lifestyle things, and a second channel, where she does vlogs (including her recent trip to Florida for Playlist Live).

Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter is Zoe's best friend (they met through their blogs!), and another beauty guru. On her channel she does similar content- hauls, reviews, favorites, etc- but she also does baby products and occasional updates with her adorable little girl, Darcy, who is about to turn two! Louise also has a blog, where she posts more lifestyle/family updates. She posts at least 3-5 times a week. She also has a second channel, where she posts vlogs, random videos, and bloopers.

This is Fleur, from Fleurdeforce. On her channel she also does reviews, hauls, vlogs, etc, but she adds tutorials. She also has a another channel where she talks about her wedding plans.

These two lovely ladies are the sister duo who make up Pixiwoo. Sam, the genius behind Real Techniques brushes (see my review here), and her sister Nic are professional make up artists (past clients include Paul McCartney, Peaches Geldof, Charlotte Church, and Ashley Tisdale). They post tutorials and occasional reviews. I love their channel. If I'm bored with my routine, I look at what their doing. They have over 500 videos, and almost all of them are tutorials, with looks pulled from celebrities, different eras (all the way back to the 1920s), bond girls, and loads more. Definitely give their page a look if you're in need of new ideas.



Definitely check all of these ladies out- I've learned a LOT from all of them!

Additionally, here are the links to a couple of my favorite bloggers who deserve some more followers!

Jenn from _Honeybeige. Jenn gets an extra special shout out, because she was my very first subscriber, plus, I love her blog. She posts mainly product reviews with a great mix of name brands and drugstore/high street.

Becky from beckyjcollins. She posts beauty and fashion reviews, and recently as taken off on an adventure to England!

Always,

Nani xx

Drug Store Lips!

Hello Friends!

Over the last few months, I've been exploring different lip glosses and lip sticks. When I first started wearing makeup, I was all about lip gloss, but slowly my focus shifted to the eyes, and i fell in to a lip product rut. That's all changed now! Here's the lip products I've been using lately. Note: My lips tend to be quite dry, and all of these products work well for me.

This is the Covergirl LipPerfection lip color in 325, Spellbound ($5-8). (Note to my UK readers- I'm sure some of you know this, but Covergirl is the US equivalent to MAX Factor) I've been seeing this color a lot, and I thought it was time to give it a try.

 It's so fresh for spring! It's so vibrant and intense. I'm very pleased with the wear and the staying power of this stuff (it's also very moisturizing).  Unfortunately, those factors add up to  lip color that stains any and EVERY thing. Here's what it looks like after it was on my arm for 10 minutes, and removed with makeup remover.

Staining that quickly, you can imagine what can happen when you've worn it for hours. The first time I wore it, I had a few dry patches on my lip, and, even after I did a sugar lip scrub, I had fuchsia patches for two days! *sigh* I also recommend applying with a brush, since it does stain, so any mistakes are hard to hide. Staining aside, I really love this product. I'll be on the lookout for a dupe that doesn't stain, though!

This is Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in 006, Pink Blush ($4.92). I think Rimmel lipsticks are such a great value for your money. They wear very smoothly! I like this shade for spring as well (can you tell it's on my mind? Spring comes slowly in the Pacific North West!)

It's really a lovely petal color. It's an eight hour wear, but I'd think it was closer to 6, which still isn't bad. My only complaint is that if you have any rough spots, it really... clumps up, for lack of a better word. Otherwise, I'm happy with it.

Kate Moss has joined with Rimmel to design a new line lipsticks ($5.19). They're 8-hour long wear (and I think that's actually accurate) and infused with black diamonds to reflect light. I really like that, since it's reflective without being shimmery.

I picked up number 008 (they're not named, as far as I can tell). It looks a lot oranger in the picture, but it's a really nice neutral. My lips are naturally quite pigmented, so it looks really natural on me. I like it!

Now, for my very favorite- L'Oreal Colour Riche Wet Shine Stain ($9.99, but I got mine on a Buy-one-get-one half off sale with a $2 coupon!) I found out recently that L'Oreal owns the YSL makeup line, and according to beauty gurus, it's almost an exact duplicate of their Rouge Por Courture Glossy Stain ($34). It even has the same applicator- almost a heart shape.

 I've been really impressed by this line. I first purchased 184 Rose On and On (the middle shade in the picture above), which I liked so well (and which Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter has also reviewed here), that I went and bought two more, 188 Coral Tattoo (top), and 183 Pink Resistance (bottom). The shades are swatched in the same order below.

This stuff is FABULOUS! The color is intense, but sheer at the same time, if that makes sense. It lasts like a stain, but wears like a non-sticky gloss- perfection. I applied this at 4 pm today, went to dinner, and now, at 11:30 pm, it has just begun to fade, so I'd say it has six solid hours of good color. Also... Remember the one above that stains? This one actually is a stain. This is after... MAYBE five minutes.

Anyway, these are my favorites! What color(s) have been you been loving this spring?

Always,

Nani xx

Ulta Haul, Part Two- The Brushes!

Hello Friends!

Here's part two of my Ulta haul, focusing on the brushes!

The first brush I picked up was the Precision Face Brush by Bare Minerals/Bare Escentuals ($28). The lady who helped me at Ulta used this when she put my new foundation on, and I really like the way it worked. The top of the brush is entirely solid, there's almost no tapering of the bristles.

The smooth top makes it so I can actual squeeze a little bit of foundation directly on to the brush (the foundation is quite thick) instead of putting it on a palette or the back of my hand, therefore wasting less that I was with my last foundation brush. It also seems to absorb less make up.

The brush itself is cut at an angle, with makes it easy to get into the contours of the face. I feel like it makes it easy to buff the makeup onto the skin, and it doesn't streak. I'm really happy with it. I am curious if other kabuki-style brushes might work the same way, but I think it was worth it. The one odd thing about this brush is that the tips of the bristles are a rosey-pink. I'm really not sure why. Unfortunately, this kind of makes the brush look dirty all the time.

I have been watching a lot of Pixiwoo tutorials lately. Sam Chapman, one half of the Pixiwoo duo had designed her own line of brushes, Real Techniques, and they use them in the videos. I've been intrigued, so I thought I'd give them a shot, since they're very inexpensive.

The Real Technique brushes are all synthetic, but the bristles are very high quality- they don't feel plastic-y at all. I was really surprised by the quality of these brushes for the price- $6-10 a brush, or $17 for a set of 3-6).  I've washed them once, and NO bristles came our. None. I was blown away. The other quality the that really sets them apart is their handles. If you notice in the pictures, the ferule (the metal part) extends down most of the length of the brush. This makes the brushes incredibly light. They're also a bit wider than a lot of brush handles. While I like those features merely out of preference, it really makes the difference for my mom, who has arthritis, and finds it hard to hold on to some smaller brushes. The ferules themselves are also color coded, which makes it easy to find what you're looking for. The gold handles are for base products, the purple are for eyes, and the pink are for finishing (powders, contours, etc). Most of their individual brushes also have flared handles (see the stipple brush below) that allow you to stand them upright "for display," should you want to do that.

The Real Techniques Travel Essentials set ($17) comes with three brushes and a padded carry case that doubles as a stand.

In this set, the gold brush is their Essential Foundation brush. I'm not a huge fan of this brush, but that's probably because I'm rubbish at applying foundation that way... I can't stop the streaks. It might be better with a thinner foundation. It works alright for concealer though. 

The purple brush is the Domed Shadow brush, and I love it! it's a nice, fluffy brush with a good taper. I like it for both base shadow and eye contouring. 

Finally, the pink brush is the Multi-task brush. It's a basic dome brush, and it really is good for multi-tasking. I've used it for bronzer and setting powder, and I like it equally well for both. It's very full, but I don't find it too fluffy for contouring.

I bought three other Real Techniques brushes.

This first brush is the Lash-Brow Groomer ($5.99). I've never really been one for eyelash combs, but this one is different to any others I've seen, since it has metal tines... almost reminiscent of a louse comb (gross, but true). I actually really like it, and it works really well. It comes with a little cover that snaps on over the tines to protect them (and you!) in your makeup bag. The brow side is is pretty average. All in all it was definitely worth what I paid for it.

The second brush is the Setting Brush ($7.99), which they recommend for a "controlled dusting of powder." Personally, I don't use it for that, since I like a big fluffy brush for powder, but one of my favorite things about the brushes is that they're all multi-use, and even the girls from Pixiwoo use them for all sorts of purposes. I mostly use this brush for highlighting or concealer. I find that using a fluffier brush gets around the blemishes better, and makes the coverage more even. 

The third, and final, brush is the Stippling Brush ($9.99). The Pixiwoo girls use this for foundation a lot, but I like a heavier application. I do, however, LOVE this brush for cream blush. It gives an incredibly even look, and it doesn't pick up too much product. It is also one of the brushes that is able to be stood up.


That's it for the brushes, and the end of my Ulta haul posts! Next week, I'll be doing a lip product haul/review. See you then!


Always,

Nani xx

Ulta Haul, Part One- The Products!

Hello Friends!

I totally failed guys! It was final exam week, and I had to choose whether to blog or pass my exams... I'm on break now, so I should be able to make up for it with a couple posts next week!

Anyway, last week I promised you guys a review from my trip to Ulta. I think I'm going to split it into two parts- products and brushes- and upload them separately, because it's just too much for one post!

If you've been following along with my blog, this first purchase shouldn't be much of a surprise to you: I bought more foundation. It turns out that the Rimmel foundation that I thought was perfect ALSO turned pink on my skin. After doing a little research, the best explanation I can find is that it has something to do with the the foundation reacting to the mix of oxygen and the pH of my skin. Whatever the reason, I've been using this new foundation for a week, and I haven't had any problems with it (fingers crossed!), and I've given the rest of the Rimmel to my sister. :)

 

This time, after explaining the pink/oxidation and my oily skin to the lady at Ulta, she recommended the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 hour Full Coverage Foundation ($38) in Light, their third shade out of eight. I have used this foundation before- I bought it for my trip to Costa Rica last summer, in shade four, Medium, but in the winter that's far to dark for me. I really the color palette this line has. Most of the shades are neutral tones, so they work wonderfully for me.

The clay in the foundation works wonders for oil control, which is perfect for me. The coverage is definitely full, but it doesn't wear heavily on the skin. It feels really nice going on, and I really don't need much of it, especially when I use my new brushes (review to come). I've definitely found that it wears for almost exactly 12 hours, just like the label says! We'll see if things change, but as of right now, about a week and a half into the use of it, I'm pretty happy with it.

I had intended to buy a Lancome mascara that Fleurdeforce recommends (Hypnose Star, $28), but Ulta doesn't carry Lancome. When I asked about it, however, one of the employees had just quit Lancome, and so she was able to recommend a similar product, Lorac Pro mascara ($23), which happened to be on sale for $10. (The sale is still available on their website... very tempting!)

Lorac Pro is a nice deep black formula that doesn't flake, but what sets it apart is the wand.

The wand is almost conical, and I think the secret to it is that the bristle length is designed to match to the length of the lashes in that area of the eye (short on the inner corner, etc), at least for me. I find that if I curl my lashes I can get away with two strokes of this stuff, as opposed to the 3-4 strokes of Benefits' They're Real mascara (which I also liked). It also separates the lashes well. I've used the plastic wands for so long that it took me a bit to get used to the spoolie brush, but I really like it. My only complaint about the mascara is that it is NOT waterproof in the least. I have to put it on after I use my setting spray, or I look like the prom queen runner-up... lots and lots of mascara all down my face.



I had heard a lot about Nyx, but I hadn't ever tried it (it's not widely available in my area), so I got pretty excited to see it at Ulta- and it was on SALE!

I picked out this eye shadow, Nyx Nude Matte Shadow in "I Have a Headache" ($4.49), to use as a base for other eye shadows, since I've found that if your put a color similar to your skin tone all over your lid, the other colors you put on blend better and wear more evenly. I've been using "Desire" from Stila's In the Moment palette, but I'm running it out, and it's not available on its own (and the palette is way too big to carry!). This is almost an exact dupe, and way better quality than I was expecting. The only downfall- the packaging. It looks a lot like the Urban Decay individual eye shadow pots, but the inner liner that holds makeup is loose- just loose enough to be annoying, and the plastic feels really cheap. For the price, though, it's understandable.

I also picked up this Nyx Concealer in Green ($4.99). With all the stress I'm under from school right now, my skin is a MESS. I've never used a red-cancelling green concealer before, but I think I like it. It's definitely working. I think I'll go with a liquid next time, but that's just because I'm not a fan of stick concealer. No complaints!



The last thing was this little set of EOS lipbalms in Strawberry and Passion fruit. These lip balms are everywhere right now! I saw the cute spring packaging, and the pastel-ness lured me in. I like them a lot, particularly the purple passion fruit one!



Ok guys, this is the end of part one! Stay tuned for part two, the brushes!

Always,

Nani


(P.S. This post was written during WWF's Earth Hour. Did you #DoItInTheDark?)

Ulta Review

Hello Friends!

I had the opportunity to go to Ulta yesterday. From what I understand, it's a fairly wide-spread chain across America, but I had never been before. Here's a little about my experience.

When I first walked in, I was surprised by the size- the store was huge. Then I was surprised by the contents of the store. I expected something like Sephora (high quality makeup, well organized, well lit store, etc.), but what I found was pretty different.

As far as I can tell, Ulta (at least the store that I visited) is divided into fourths- high quality makeup, drugstore/high street makeup, perfume, and hair/nails.

The high quality makeup selection was fairly small, I think, though they had a lot of top notch brands. The set up was very much like Sephora, wide aisles, lighted display shelves, etc. Although the selection of brands they had was limited, they had large selections within the brands that they did have, wider than Sephora carries, in some cases (Tarte, Anastasia Beverly Hills, and Cargo, for example). They also had several that are not easy to find around here, like Butter London and Iman. I was disappointed with the lack of several staple brands though, like Make Up Forever.

The drugstore/high street section was a whole other kettle of fish. In keeping with the drugstore theme, I guess, it looked a lot like a drugstore, with narrow aisles and the shelves all jumbled up and crammed together. I was happy however, to see that they carried a lot of brands that I can't find anywhere else! I've never actually found Nyx cosmetics in a store before, so that was exciting. I also was able to buy some Real Techniques by Sam Chapman (of Pixiwoo fame) brushes.

The customer service was so-so. The attendant was willing to help, and helped me find the products I was looking for (reviews to come!), but was a little distracted by her friends. Maybe I'm spoiled by the treatment I get by having friends at Sephora, but she seemed like she was trying to go fast to get back to whatever she had been doing before.

One thing I really liked, however, was that Ulta does sales! Sephora really doesn't- they'll do special sets with discounted products, but Ulta does true "buy one, get one half off" type sales. I got a Lorac Pro mascara (normally $23) for $10. Ten dollars. That would NEVER happen at Sephora.

Overall, I think I was impressed by Ulta, but not that specific store. I think, since the sales are so good, I will continue to shop Ulta for the products that might be cheaper there, but online only. Maybe I'll try another location sometime, we'll see.

Review of the products pictured above will be spread out over the next few weeks... As you can see, I took advantage of the trip!

Always,

Nani xx