Naughty & Nice List of 2011

Year 2011 definitely means a lot to me. Makeup has become my major obsession. I started a blog which I could never think of. I tested a lot of products this year especially makeup items. Most of them I enjoy, but of course there are a few dislikes. I try to keep the list short with a limit of five of each category.

Monthly Empties (December 2011)

I can not believe that 2011 is coming to an end. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.

I finished a lot but my project pan was still going strong. It is really easy for me to go through skincare and body products.

The Body Shop – Aloe Calming Toner                                 4/5                       Yes

Boots N7 – Conditioning Clay Mask                                    4/5                        Yes

BBW – Body Lotion in Apricot (3 fl oz)                              4/5                        Yes 

BBW – Body Lotion Peach Citrus (2 fl oz)                          4/5                  Yes      

     

Sally Hansen – Polish Remover (Moisturizing)                     3/5                         Yes

Up & Up – Nail Polish Remover                                         2/5                          No

Organix – Moroccan Argan Oil                                           2/5                          No

The target brand one was rather effective for glitter nail polishes, but it dried out my cuticles so much that I could not stand.   

Birthday Gifts/Haul

Happy birthday to myself! I just turned 24 for the third time. These items are on my wish list for a while and I feel really grateful to actually have them. Yes, I’m still on project pan if you are wondering. Since it is my birthday, it is OK to make an exemption I think. Besides, most of them are presents from friends and family.

bareMinerals – READY Eyeshadow 8.0 in The Cocktail Hour

This was on the top of my list. I’m so glad to have it. I think it is quite expensive for 8 shadows, but the quality is amazing. The other limited edition one called The Playlist is also quite attempting which I might pick up eventually. 

Too Faced – Sweet Dream Makeup Collection

I love it especially the cheek products in the second drawer. The packing is gorgeous but not travel friendly. 

Tips: Depot UDPP

My primer portion was completely beaten up and I could barely get anything out, so I decided to cut it open. You will be amazed by the amount of product that is trapped in the packaging. The jar I have here is a sample powder container whose size is at least equivalent to a full size cream eye shadow.

Stila Ultimate Color Palette: All the Swatches

I got a request to do all the swatches of stila’s ultimate color palette which I meant to do when I first bought it, but I was not sure about the best way to numerate all the shades. Better late than ever! So I divided the whole palette into several sections hoping it would work out.

 

NOTD: Sephora by OPI -- It’s Hippo to be Square

Today’s NOTD is It’s Hippo to be Square, a lilac creme. At first, I thought it was the same as China Glaze’s Light as Air, but it is definitely darker which makes it quite unique.

two coats, natural light

It is very opaque and one thick coat is enough for full coverage, but I always like adding a second coat.

Do you like it?

December Birchbox

Today’s post is featuring my December Birchbox. I feel like birchbox is getting less interesting as time goes by, because the samples are very tiny and the same brands keep showing up. Please let me know if you ever considered canceling it. There is another monthly subscription service called myglam bag which seems to be a better deal.

Here are the items I got this month.

I’ve wanted to try out benefit’s porefessional and Jouer’s lip gloss for a while, so I’m still grateful to have them. But the lip gloss is outrageously tiny. For size reference, I line it up with a revlon’s lip gloss.

Deal Alert: Tarte

This set has been sold out both on Sephora and Tarte’s official website, and now it is available on QVC. If you missed it and still want it, definitely check it out. (Click here)

Not so sure about the shades? Here are some swatches.

The Allure Beauty Box

I was going to do my December Birchbox post until my allure beauty box arrived. Seriously, you can not imagine how excited I am. I have not purchased anything for about two months now, because I’m on project pan. This is a part of my birthday gifts which is definitely not cheating in my opinion.

It is a $250 value for $29.99 plus tax and shipping is $10 I believe. I’m not sure whether it is still available or not, but the link I ordered through is allureaccess.com/holiday. 
I will feel very bad if you can not get it any more, but next time I will definitely post a deal alert before I actually get the package.

There are 15 full-size products. 

Aveeno – Nourish+ Moisturize Shampoo

Oscar Blandi – Volumizing Dry Shampoo Spray

John Frieda – Liquid Shine Perfecting Glosser

Joico K-Pak – RevitaLuxe

Ambiance -- Volumizing Dry Shampoo

Ambiance – Transforming cleanser

Ambiance – Wrinkle Reduction Serum

Aveeno – Daily Nourishing Moisturizer with SPF 30

Vichy – ProEVEN Total Dark Spot Corrector

Cetaphil – Gentle Skin Cleanser

Johnson’s – Baby Creamy Oil Cocca & Shea Butter

John Frieda – Full Repair Protecting Root Lift Foam

Blow – Mane Tame Soft Pomade

NYX – Fly with Me Mascara

Pixi – Silky Eye Pen

NOTD: Sephora by OPI- Metro Chic

Today’s NOTD is another nail polish from Sephora by OPI, Metro Chic, a purple taupe color.

 This kind of shade is quite popular recently, but I am not really into it that much. This polish actually reminds me quite a lot of Rimmel’s Steel Grey, also a muddy purple shade. It appears to be a really good everyday color in fall/winter, but I still prefer my darker shades better.

Will you wear it?

Tarte -- SmolderEYES Limited-Edition Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner Collection: Review & Swatch

Today’s featured product is another value set by Tarte.

There are six different shades and they are all full size pencils. It is very nice to include a sharpener.

They are all much pigmented and swatch very nicely.

silver black, smoke, espresso, violet, moss, golden beige

Besides, they glide on like a dream. I did not find it drag my eyelid by any means. The only complain I have is that it is actually quite difficult to smudge. I would say you only have at most ten seconds before it sets. On the top of that, the sponge on the other side is quite stiff which is not good for smudging in my experience.  

NOTD: Sephora by OPI- Call Your Mother

This is my very first nail polish from Sephora by OPI. It is a purple shade with a hint of grey.

natural light, 2 coats

I loved it quite a lot when I first got it. But I’ve neglected it for a long time because I have some many other polishes and I just forget about it. These days, I just don’t like it as before and wish it would be more on the grey side.

Will you wear it?

Project 10 Pan Update #2

It has been almost a month since my last update (11/12/11). I’ve finished three more, and I feel like I still need at least two more months to complete the project. I think I chose the worst time to do project pan because there were so many amazing deals going on and it became more difficult to resist. I passed all black Friday deals, which was kind of depressing. But from the brighter side, I am still able to get some birthday gifts. Anyhow, let’s jump into the update.

3. Skin 79 BB Cream & Hourglass Full Spectrum Mascara

I did not like neither of the products. The BB cream was too light for me and it gave a greyish tint which was not pretty at all. I only used it as a primer.

The mascara is really bad. It was clumpy, very difficult to work with.

4. Benefit Creaseless Cream in R.S.V.P

It is a pinky champagne shade. It is pretty on the eyelids and holds eye shadows very well. However, I’m just so sick of this color now since I’ve been applying it day after day for such a long time. 

10 Piece Deluxe Brush Collection by Kirkland: Review

Costco released this set a few months ago. I feel like I’ve tried them long enough to do a decent review. There are 6 face brushes, 4 eye brushes and a brush roll.

Most of them are made of natural hair and the bristles are very soft. I really like the handles because they are purple and feel quite sturdy. I’ve washed them several times, and haven’t had any problems with shedding except the first wash which is normal for new brushes.

Rollergirl Palette by Urban Decay: Swatch & Review

Today’s post is dedicated to my current favorite palette, Rollergirl Palette. The whole set comes with 4 eye shadows, a travel size 24/7 eye pencil and a mini lip gloss. I bought mine on Sephora. It is now on sale for $18 at urban decay’s official site. (click here)

First of all, the packaging is so pretty and I love the gold and hot pink combination. There is also a decent mirror. 

All of the colors swatch really nicely.

woodstock, verve, suspect, darkhorse

Monthly Empties (November 2011)

I can not wait for December when school is over. I was traveling last week, so there was no post up. I still feel exhausted, but I really want to post this month’s empties.  

Things I finished during my trip.

product name   (from left to right)                      points out of 5      repurchase?
Neutrogena – Make-Up Remover towelettes                 4                             Y

Befine – Night Cream                                                   3                             N

Aquafina – Lip Balm                                                    4                             Y

NOTD : Sephora by OPI -- Fiercely Fabulous

Today’s NOTD is Fiercely Fabulous, a classic red.

two coats, natural light

I wore pink, nude polishes quite a lot and never thought I would be so into reds.  It is super pigmented and one coat is enough for a solid color. But I found it difficult to remove and it left red residue behind.

I am a little bit hesitated to wear it again, but I will definitely try something similar(of course after I’m done with project 10 pan).

Will you wear it?

Target Beauty Bag

I did an online survey a while back and then received this target beauty bag a week ago. It just came with several samples and a cute makeup bag. I love the makeup bag. The pattern is so pretty and it is actually quite roomy.

I am looking for the perfect shampoo and there happens to be 3 samples. I tried them all, and I liked John Frieda’s full repair quite a lot. The Tresemme one was average and I hated the Garnier one which made my hair quite dry.

I have not tested any skincare products yet, but I am so excited about the Pond’s towelettes.    

NOTD: Sephora by OPI – Just a Little Dangerous

Today’s NOTD is Just a Little Dangerous, another polish from Sephora by OPI. This dark purple is so far my favorite from the glimmer wonderland set. I did not think too high of it, but it’s definitely a pleasant surprise. 

two coats, natural light

I love purple in general, and this one is gorgeous. Two coats are sufficient for opacity. The shimmer is a touch lighter than the base which makes the polish even prettier.

Do you like it?

Tarte -- Lip Service Limited-Edition LipSurgence Collection: Review & Swatch

I have very good experience with Tarte’s products, blushes, mascaras and so on. When I saw this set on Sephora, I did not hesitate to pick it up. This amazing value set includes five exclusive shades and they are all full size.

There are two lip tints (perky, swank) and three lip lusters (glitzy, dazzled, flashy). First of all, they are super moisturizing and they remind me quite a lot of Dior’s addict lipsticks. Also, they twisted-up lip pencils, so there is no hassle to sharpen them.

Here are some swatches.

glitzy, perky, flashy, dazzled, swank

They are not meant to be the most pigmented pencils, but they are quite buildable. 
You can either get a wash of color or build up to the intensity you would like. My favorites are glitzy, dazzled and perky. Surprisingly, Swan and flashy have very good color payoff.

The only downside I can think of is they do not last incredibly long, so if you are looking for something that clings to your lips, skip these. But I would like to say their lasting power is pretty average as far as lip products go. 

Project 10 Pan Update #1

 I started my project 10 pan on October 23, 2011 and I made a little bit change to it. I decided to swap out Boots No 7’s lifting & firming foundation, and replace it with two samples. The main reason is that the foundation broke me out when I wore it consecutively for more than three days. Besides, it is too dark for me now.

skin 79's bb cream, hourglass's full spectrum mascara

I’ve finished two items so far and have not made too much progress on the rest, but I am still trying my best. 

1. MAC Lipstick in Marquis’D (luster)

It is a pinky nude shade with gold shimmers. I’m so glad that I can finally cross out this one off my list. I know it is not completely gone, but I am not going to dig it all out because it is really old and I’m so done with it. Don’t get me wrong. I like the shade, but I have so many other lip products I want to use.

2. Buxom Lash Mascara

This has been my favorite for a year and I think I will keep repurchasing it. It works magic for my Asian stubborn eyelashes. It gives everything I expect, volume, length and you name it. The only complain I have is that it is not water-proof, so I have to avoid it on rainy days. 

If you are interested in my original project pan post, click on the link below. Enjoy!

Project 10 Pan

November Birchbox

I really like the idea of birchbox that you get the chance to test products. And there is always some surprises to look forward to each month.  

However, I feel quite disappointed this month, and I don’t find anything interesting.

The cologne smells exactly like oranges, which is so fresh and juicy. It is the only one I really enjoy, but it is too tiny. 

 I think the nail polish, Noel by Zoya, is so much prettier in bottle than on nails. The shade is not really my cup of tea. Once I painted it on, I could not wait to remove it.

NOTD: Sephora by OPI – Sample Sale

Sample Sale is a very festive shade, and I think it is perfect for holiday season. It has a red base full with very fine shimmers. 

The shimmers are so fine that you can barely tell. It is perfectly opaque with two coats. I have worn this for three days consecutively which is quite a lot for me since I always repaint my nails every other day.

direct sunlight

Will you wear it?

Cleaning Out

It’s cleaning out time!!! I always go through my collection every two months or so and toss out old or loathed products.

I hate the blink mascara so much that I have only used it once or twice. Fortunately, it is only a sample.

One Coat Dial Up by Almay is average, nothing special in my experience. It is volumizing and lengthening, but it gives spider lashes, which is intolerable for me.

NARS - Danmari All About Cheeks Palette: Swatch & Review

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NOTD: Sephora by OPI – Dear Diary

Today’s NOTD is Dear Diary from Sephora by OPI, a milky baby pink cream shade.

3 coats, natural light

I like this color a lot, but the consistence is just awful. It is very streaky, and demands at least 3 coats for a solid color. As much as I love the shade, I still regret purchasing the full size bottle because at $9.5, I would expect much better quality.

Do you like it?

NOTD: Sephora by OPI – Already Famous

 Today’s NOTD is another Sephora by OPI nail polish, Already Famous, a copper champagne metallic.

3 coats, natural light

It has a clear gel base, but it goes on quite opaque. There is silver glitter in it, but not overpowering, and on my nails it shows more bronzed. The picture above is actually more true to color. Under direct sunlight, it is more like a gold foil.

direct sunlight

It applied smoothly and dried pretty fast even with three coats (I did use Sache Vite’s top coat).

Will you wear it?