Happy Halloween! =)

Hi Everyone!

Happy Halloween! Hope you guys have lots of fun and eat candy...wisely..XD haha

Sad it's on a Wednesday, but it's cool I still dressed up and went to campus for the entire day! XP

So if you couldn't tell, I was a vampire! Pretty easy, just dressed in black and put on makeup, fangs, and jewelry, tada! (and decorated the bathroom =P, inspired by Michelle Phan)

 I got these beautiful nails from http://shop.kawaiinails.com/. They are the same place that Michelle Phan got her nails from in her Tim Burton inspired video and I really loved them!


Again, Happy Halloween everyone! And I hope you had a great day and awesome night!

Good night and I will be back later! ^_^

Review on the Aussie Split-End Protector

Hi Everyone!

I just came back from LA today, I went to visit my special person cus I haven't seen him for a month! ><

But now I'm back!

Today I will talk about the Aussie Split-end Protector

This product can be found at any drugstore like Walgreens or CVS, I think you can find it at Target and Ulta too. This is a very inexpensive product, only around $4 and it contains 150mL or 5 fluid oz.

Directions:
Place a dime-sized drop in palm and massage through wet hair, no need to rinse.

What do I think of this product?
I really liked the aussie 3-minute miracle deep conditioner, so I decided to try this! I have been using this for at least 2 months.
This is a smooth and creamy product. I love using this after I take a shower because I don't have time to blow-dry my hair everyday, and a lot of stay-in conditioners are used on dry hair. But with this product I can put it in my hair after quickly towel-drying my hair! This is great for everyday use and especially when I am in a hurry to go to school! XD After spreading it into my hair, I brush it out with a wide-tooth comb and then I'm good to go! The wetness of my hair also helps spread out the product faster and easier.
This cream does not feel sticky and has a nice scent. My hair doesn't feel greasy after my wet hair dries and it becomes so nice and smooth with a gentle shine!
A little is all you need so 1 pump is about dime size and I use it first on the ends of my hair and then spread it out to my midsection and the last residue on the top of my head. And I have a lot of hair, it reaches almost to the ends of my ribcage!
I want to grow my hair out very long so this is a great way to give an extra boost of moisture and strength to my hair, especially to the ends of my hair where split ends occur!
Just an important note, this is a split-end protector. Everyone eventually gets splits ends, so this prevents split-ends from happening earlier. If you want to seal your split ends, I am not sure if it does that, and I don't think so. Even if you want to seal split ends, it is only temporary and the split ends will re-open and split higher. It is still important to do a trim every 8 to 12 weeks.

Do I recommend this product?
So now winter is coming and so the air can become cold and dry, damaging our skin and hair. So it is important to keep your hair moisturized and strong. This is a great product for that. I love this product and I highly recommend it! =)
It will strengthen, moisturize, and give some shine to your hair! It is very affordable and easy to find.
It is long lasting and only is a little is needed for all of your hair. Of course if you have a lot a lot of hair, just add a little more.
This is also great if you are a low-maintenance person who doesn't want to deal with complicated products with lots of time and work or really busy person, who doesn't have much time to take care of your hair and like me, no time to dry it but still want to keep it soft, shiny, and strong!

So, I hope this review was helpful to you! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to write in the comment box below. ^_^ Thank you for reading and I will see you soon! =D

Review on "The Body Shop" Seaweed Iconic Clay Mask!

Hi Everybody! =D

Today I will review "The Body Shop" Seaweed Iconic Clay Mask:

This product costs $22 and contains 4.2 oz, 100 mL or 120 grams of product.
It is said to contain 100% of natural clay complex that cleanses and revitalizes skin. The negatively charged ions act like magnets to draw out dirt and impurities from the pores.

Directions: 
Apply this deep-cleansing mask treatment to clean, dry skin once or twice a week. Leave it to dry for up to 10 minutes. Use clean, warm water to gently remove the mask from your face, ensuring that all traces are removed from the creases around your nose and around your hairline.

What do I think of this product?
I bought this mask not because my favorite Queen Helene mint julep mask doesn't work as well. The mint julep mask is really great but just becomes really really cold on my face because of the drying and the mint which can feel a bit unpleasant during the winter. So I was looking for a good clay mask I can use for the winter that won't make my face feel so cold as it dries. 
I like this product except for the price haha. I would buy it more often if it wasn't that expensive.
I have heard that a lot of people really dislike the smell of this mask and that it is really bad and strong. But personally, I don't find it that bad and it is not particularly strong or sharp smelling. I think I have a pretty sensitive nose when it comes to fragrances in products and I am pretty picky about them, but this is okay. It does smell a bit weird/odd, though it is hard to describe. But the fragrance definitely does not irritate my skin or sting my nose or eyes or anything like that. 
The consistency of the mask is very thick and pasty. It is a bit harder to put on and spread out compared to my mint julep mask, but not that bad. It is not that smooth and creamy because there are particles inside the formula of the mask, so it feels a little grainy.
When the mask starts to dry on my face, it does feel a little cold but not as cold as the mint julep mask, which was like yay for me! XP However, because it is so thick, it is harder to remove than my mint julep mask which just takes more time and TLC (tender loving care) when removing it from my skin.
This works well on my oily T-zone, but when I put it on my cheeks, it hurt when I was washing it off. I wouldn't consider my cheeks to be sensitive but they are drier than my T-zone. And I tried a couple more times on my T-zone and my cheek and yup, my cheeks still hurt even when I tried to wash the mask off as gently as possible. They also got a little red and irritated afterwards. Perhaps the magnetic effect of drawing out impurities from my pores are too strong for the drier areas of my skin. Also, because I don't have acne around the dry and very sensitive areas around my mouth, I don't use this mask on it. And after the side effects on my cheeks I did not want to use it around my mouth because I'm afraid of what could happen =/.
Also, if you recently picked a pimple, don't put it on that pimple, it will rip the top skin off. If you want to put it on acne to decrease the swelling and size, go for acne that is emerging but not the kind that is too sensitive and tender because the thin layer of skin on top may be damaged.
In my oily T-zone, this is great for shrinking acne and help sucking out blackheads and shrinking my pores. I do see a difference in my pores and I am pretty happy about it. =)
However, I probably will only use this on the oily parts of my face such as my forehead, between my eyebrows, and also my nose. Which might be better because I will use less on my face and make the product last long haha. =P

Here is what the mask looks like:

I'm not sure if you can see the tiny grains in the close up picture, but there are small grainy particles. There isn't a lot so it won't be rough or anything.

Do I recommend this product?
If you do not mind the price, I recommend this mask for normal to oily skin that is not too sensitive.If you tend to have dry and/or sensitive skin, I am not sure because it may be a little irritating. Of course, if you have combination skin like me, then you can just use this on your oily to normal and not sensitive skin areas.
The biggest issue would be price, I am actually not sure if I am going to buy this mask again because it is so expensive. And I'm just a college student. If you have a stable income, I guess it may matter less to you. I think if you use it carefully and wisely (less product and less often) then this can last for a good amount of time.
Despite that, I really like this seaweed clay mask. It does visibly shrink the pores on my forehead, between my eyebrows, and on my nose. And it also helps shrink and calm down inflamed acne. And it is also not as cold when it dries compared to the mint julep mask.

So I hope you liked this review. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to write in the comment box below! Thank you for reading and have a great day!

10,000 views! Thank you!

Hi guys!

A big shout out to everyone! =D

I have reached a little over 10,000 views! XD

Thank you so much for reading my blog and my posts, it means a lot to me!

I hope I can continue to help you with skincare and makeup products and advice on your way to beautiful skin!

Also, sorry for my infrequent and slow posting! Been studying =(

 I had a midterm yesterday and I have another one on Friday. Hopefully I can write more posts after that! >o<

The wear is getting cold and dry guys so bundle up!

And don't forget to put moisturizer on your face to prevent dry skin! =P

Thanks again and I will see you later. =)

Products I Regret Buying: Nailpolish

Hi guys!

So today is kind of an unhappy post. It's an unhappy post for me because I felt I wasted $14 on some nail polishes that were really bad and crappy.
So I just want to tell you guys to not buy these! =O Or you will be sad like me. =(

ROSE Nail Cocktail Kit

What do I think of this product?
So, I'm a pretty lazy person when it comes to nail art. I usually paint clear and don't have the skill or time to do really pretty things like designs or what not. But I saw this at Marukai for about $8 and it is a kit designed to give a shimmer gradient effect on one's nails. It has instructions on the back on how to apply it to give the gradient effect. So, I've been seeing it at the store for a while and it seems to be bought often, and I decided to try it. It looked pretty simple and cute.
Omg, I was so wrong. -___-. The blue nail polishes were very thick and sticky. It was hard to apply an even coat because the consistency was so viscous. And, the brush is of poor quality, a round brush (not flat) and it was difficult to use and control.
But the worst part was the drying process. These nail polishes cannot dry! They do not dry! The white one dried because I put a very thin coat of polish on my nails but because the blue nail polishes were so thick, they were like lumps on my nails and did not dry at all! It was such a pain! And also very difficult to remove with nail polish remover.

Here are a few pictures:

As you can see, only the clear white sparkle and the darkest blue shade can be seen. The middle blue color has almost no pigmentation at all, but just has blue sparkles. However, this does not create a gradient effect.

I'm not sure if you can see, but you can see how thick and uneven the blue nailpolish is on my nails and this was me trying my best to put the thinnest coat on as carefully as possible!

Omg, such a terrible mess. Because the nail polish could not dry, it just smeared everywhere! O_O

So, if you see this, please don't buy it! Total waste of your money!

Nail Color pa

What do I think of this product?
I've seen this at a lot of Japanese stores such as Marukai and Tokyo Lifestyle. And I have always wanted to try them, they look so cute and pretty! They usually cost around $6.
So, I really really really wanted to like this nail polish. But such a disaster. T_T
First of all, the smell. I usually don't mind nail polish smells, like all nail polishes will have it, so it's okay. However, this was ridiculously sharp smelling and strong! It made me cough! And not cough on purpose, or voluntarily. My throat literally constricted from the smell and coughed reactively to the smell. It was very very strong.
The next problem was again, drying. *sigh* The consistency is smooth and normal so I was able to apply a thin coat and it looked cute with heart and butterfly sparkles. But, darn it, this nail polish also could not dry properly! I waited for at least 10 minutes and they felt fine. So I put a topcoat on. Then later, when I touched something or when my nail rubbed against something, the nail polish just slid right off. -____- I even removed all the nail polish, washed and dried my hands, and reapplied the nail polish on bare nails (with no base coat) and the same thing happened. Honestly, very disappointing and frustrating.

Here are some pictures:

So, this is what it looks like when I applied it. Cute and nice looking.

But disaster struck like 20 minutes later, with everything sliding out of place! >.<

Really, sad and depressing. Just don't buy these things okay guys. =(






So, I hope this review was useful to you. I'm just annoyed because it's not like I can give this away to a person who doesn't mind and can work with nail polishes with small problems like uneven consistency or long drying time. Because these things just don't dry at all! gr! I'll just have to throw them away....
Anyway, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to write in the comment box below! Thank you for reading and I will see you later!

Review on Maybelline Mineral Power Finishing Veil Translucent Powder!

Hi guys! =)

I just got back from my wonderful 6.5 hr ER shift =P and I so want to go to bed, but before that!:

Today I will be reviewing the Maybelline Mineral Power Finishing Veil Translucent Powder!

This product costs about $8-10 at any drugstore such as CVS and Walgreens, and at Ulta.
It contains 0.28 oz or 8 grams of product.
It is said to be 100% micro-minerals and have no oils, talc, fragrances, and preservatives. It is supposed to give healthy, natural coverage.


What do I think of this product?
 I have actually used this finishing powder for about a year now! But since I do face makeup occasionally (as in foundation and/or concealer with finishing veil), it took me a while to use this often enough to write a review.
The color is a very faint pale pink color, but applies on translucent. It has no fragrance and doesn't smell like anything.
The powder is very very fine and light, so I have to be careful when I'm using this since I'm kind of sloppy when it comes to loose powder makeup. =P
I really like this translucent powder! It is very affordable and easy to get. I do not need a lot for my face and I still have quite a lot left! This is great for setting my concealers, foundations, and BB creams and letting them last longer, preventing smudging and sliding.
And when I mean I don't need a lot, I mean it. Like, if you use it, use as little as possible! Because the particles are so fine, if you put too much, your face can look cakey or they will settling into your fine lines and wrinkles. So, less is more! =D
It came with a brush, which obviously is poor quality. That doesn't really matter to me, I don't expect much from brushes that comes with makeup. So, it's better to buy your own brush, don't use their brush it is scratchy and uncomfortable.
On the dry areas of my skin, I either don't put finishing powder on it at all, or I put it on the oiliest parts of my face first and the dry areas last! Dry skin usually doesn't need a powder to set it, because it can make the skin dry and show the dryness and flakiness.

Do I recommend this product?
If you want your makeup to stay on longer and you have normal to oily skin, then yes! I definitely recommend this finishing veil. =) This is also great for humid weather/environments so you don't look like you're the melting witch in the Wizard of Oz XP.
If you have dry skin, just make sure to exfoliate and moisturize properly before applying foundation. And try to get a hydrating foundation and maybe even hydrating primer ( I like Smashbox!) so your skin won't dry out from the makeup. Use as little finishing powder as possible and if you have very very dry skin, you may not need it at all!

So, I hope you enjoyed this review. Thank you for reading and I will talk to you later! =) good night!

Review on Dermalogica Antioxidant Hydramist

Hi Everyone!

Midterm season has come so sorry for the infrequent posting, I will try my best to keep updating my blog! XO

So today I will review the Dermalogica Antioxidant Hydramist

I got this as a mini or a travel size version a while ago so I don't remember the price but it is 1 fluid oz or 30mL. But the regular size costs about $38 and contains 5.1 fluid oz or a 150mL of product.
You can find this at Ulta or Sephora.
This product is a peptide toner that creates a hydrating, antioxidant shield over skin to help reduce fine dryness lines and prevent the signs of aging. Mist over skin after cleansing and throughout the day to help firm, rehydrate, and minimize skin-aging triggers. Formulated without artificial fragrances and colors.

What do I think of this product?
I used this product for a few weeks, until I finished it. I sprayed it on my face after cleansing every morning. It doesn't have much of a smell or fragrance, which I like. And if it does, it is not very strong. This spray does feel refreshing and does not clog my pores or irritate or redden my skin. My skin will only sting a little if I happen to exfoliate maybe a little too much before spraying, but the stinging goes away and there are no long lasting problems. It does not clog my pores or make my skin feel oily, sticky or tight.
I do find this spray hydrating, especially after washing my face. My skin tends to get dry and tight quickly after washing, so this keeps my face hydrated.
As for preventing fine lines and wrinkles, I can't say about that. And if you ask me, I'm not sure what to say. I am still young (in my twenties) and my only fine lines are the smile wrinkles around my eyes. But this spray did not make much of a difference when it comes to fine lines. First of all, I don't have much and second of all, there does not seem to be a significant improvement for the fine lines that I do have. This may work better for some skin types than others, but for reducing fine lines for my skin, I don't see any benefits.
Overall, I think this is good for people with dry skin, who want to tone and keep their face nice and hydrating after cleansing. However, I am doubtful on the anti-aging benefits. I also think that this spray is quite expensive, and if I just wanted to hydrate my skin, I could fill a spray bottle with water, and it would be the same.

Do I recommend this product?
If you are looking for a spray to help hydrate your face, I don't recommend this product, because you can definitely either buy something cheaper that works just as fine or make your own spray water bottle for $2. If you want something with antioxidant properties for anti-aging properties to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, I am unsure whether to recommend this product because it didn't really work for me.
If you are unsure if you think this product will work the way you want it, or the way it says, you can always get the travel/mini size at the stores I mentioned earlier. It will definitely last long enough for you to see if it makes a difference for you or not.
If you are looking for a good toner that is much more affordable, I highly recommend "The Body Shop" Aloe Calming Toner!

So, I hope this review was useful to you. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to write in the comment box below! =) Thank you for reading and I will see you soon!

Review on Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream and FACEit Aqua Tinted BB Cream!!! =D

Hi Everyone! =)

I know that BB creams are all the rage now, but while I own a lot of BB creams, I don't use them very often. So it takes some time and use until I feel comfortable writing a review about a product that I'm sure I know about well. Thanks for your patience! ^_^
By the way, if you are new to BB creams and want to learn more about them please click here for more information!

I have had both of these BB creams for around 1 year. But I only use them for going out with friends, dates, special events, etc.

Today I will be reviewing the Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream in No. 27 Honey Beige and FACEit Aqua Tinted BB Cream in No. 02 Natural Beige!
(I will have swatches at the end of this post to compare both BB creams before and after oxidation!!)

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream in No. 27 Honey Beige

Missha is a well known Korean beauty and skincare brand. 

Their Perfect Cover BB Cream comes in 5 shades of colors:

-#13 milky beige

-#21 light beige

-#23 natural beige

-#27 honey beige

-#31 golden beige

I bought this BB cream when I saw Bubzbeauty rave about it and decided to try it out. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Because I bought this a while ago, it seems the colors and formulas of this BB cream may have changed. When I bought it from the Missha website, there were 6 BB cream colors and the color honey beige that I have does not look as dark as it does now. I am not sure if they changed the color or not, but it looks lighter than the picture above. I will have swatches of my BB cream as well!

Because I bought this so long ago, I don't remember how much I bought it for (maybe around $40?) but it is cheaper now. On the Missha website it is about $20 and on Amazon the price varies depending on the color so $10-$23.

It contains 50mL of product and has SPF 42 +++.

It is said to be multifunctional BB cream to block UV rays, heals blemishes, has whitening properties, and wrinkle care.

What do I think of this BB cream?

This BB cream is easily buildable and I would say it goes from medium to full coverage but you can definitely sheer it out by using less product and spreading it out more!

I like that it has SPF to protect my skin from the sun and I like to use this during the summer when my skin is more tanned. You will see in my swatches that it looks quite yellow on my arm but on my face it does not look like that. It usually looks the same as my skin. A current exception, is that the skin on my face is so tanned from Hawaii (even though I put SPF 60 sunscreen twice a day!) that it makes my face a little paler and not yellower.

It does not feel sticky or heavy on my face and blends well. It does not irritate my sensitive skin and does not smear or smudge. I only need a pea size for my face and neck so a little goes a long way!

I cannot say if it breaks me out or not, because I don't wear it everyday, and I don't even wear it often, only for certain occasions. But I'm sure as long as you cleanse your face from makeup properly, it should be okay, unless you are allergic to something in the product.

Like most BB creams, this BB cream will oxidize after some time and darken; however, I don't think it becomes that dark after oxidation. It becomes a little bit darker, but there is not much of a difference.

The only thing I don't like about this product is that it has a fragrance. Luckily, it is not that strong and the smell eventually fades away, but I don't like products with fragrances, which is a bit of a minus.

Do I recommend this product?

If you don't mind the fragrance, then I recommend this as a pretty good BB cream for all skin types but for those who tend to have lighter skin and have a yellow undertone. If you do have very dry skin, just make sure to put on a moisturizer before you use this BB cream if you want to be safe. I always put on a moisturizer, and a hydrating primer before putting on BB creams, just because I do have very dry skin areas and I'm paranoid about makeup touching my skin! XP

I like how the coverage is buildable so you can apply it on for a sheer coverage or full coverage and it is pretty sweat proof. Overall, great BB cream, especially for the summer and warmer and humid weather!

FACEit Aqua Tinted BB Cream in No. 02 Natural Beige

This product is from The Face Shop, another popular beauty and skincare brand in Korea. This BB cream comes in 2 shades of color: 01 light beige and 02 natural beige.

02 natural beige

01 light beige

This product costs around $25 on Amazon. It contains 1.35 fluid oz or 40 mL of product. It says it contains 70% moisture content and has SPF 20 PA++.

What do I think of this product?
So I also saw Bubzbeauty talk about this product and I bought it as well. I bought it in 02 natural beige. This BB cream provides sheer to light coverage. It overall evens and brightens my complexion but it is not for medium to full coverage. A little goes a long way like the Missha and I only need a pea size amount for my face and neck! This is a very hydrating BB cream and great for my dry combination skin. It is also great during the winter when the air is cold and dry. It does not irritate my sensitive skin and does not feel sticky or heavy. It feels so light and so much like my own skin, even more than my Missha Perfect Cover!
Even though I have the color natural beige it is still quite pale, and I only use it when my skin goes back to its normal pale color, otherwise I would look like a ghost! And even though the picture for 02 natural beige looks kind of yellow, it is not that yellow in reality and I will show you swatches in the end as well! After oxidation, personally, I don't think it changes color or darkens at all, so maybe this is good for people who have very very pale skin.
Again, the only problem I have with this product is the fragrance, it has a fragrance, which again, isn't too strong and it does fade, but I would appreciate it more if it didn't have a fragrance. And I don't know if this BB cream causes me to break out, because I don't use it everyday or that often.

Do I recommend this product?
If you do not mind fragrance and you have light to pale skin and you just want to even your complexion, then I recommend this product! Please remember, this BB cream gives sheer coverage, it will balance your complexion and make you look even and brighter such as covering up redness and uneven skin tones, however, if you have a lot of acne or acne scars, this will not be enough coverage for you.
It is not thick or cakey and has a beautiful thin and smooth consistency which will make it feel like your own skin! I usually forget that it is on during the day.
This is great if you have dry skin that especially tends to show up when you put makeup on or if your skin gets dry from the weather or wintery seasons.

SWATCHES!
Here are my swatches of both kinds of BB creams before and after oxidation. I will point out any details or differences. Please remember that the camera and the lighting plays a part in the color of the BB cream and sometimes show the color incorrectly, so I'm sorry about that. I will point any incorrect colors out, etc.

Here are 4 pictures of swatches before 20 minutes of oxidation:

 The Missha Perfect BB cream is on the left side of my hand and the FACEit Aqua Tinted BB cream is on the right side. You can see that they both have a yellow tone to them, but Missha is more yellow.

You can see that the Missha swatch on the left looks very yellow, but that is because my hand is a more pink tone than my face and it really isn't that yellow in reality, sorry about that. The FACEit swatch on the right is quite pale even for a natural beige. 

Here I have just blended out the 2 BB creams and the Missha is still on the left side and FACEit is still on the right. Missha does create a sort of more warm and yellow tone, but that is fine with me because my skin does have a yellow undertone. FACEit in natural beige also has a yellow undertone (even though it looks so  pale) but it  is just not as strongly yellow as Missha. 

These are swatches on my forearm, on the underarm of the forearm to be more precise, since my face color is closer to that shade. The Missha is the swatch above and the FACEit is the swatch below. You can tell that the Missha yellow tone is not as strong as it was on my hand, because my hand is more pink than my face. The FACEit BB cream also does not look as pale as it does on my hand and matches my skin tone better (which is closer to the natural color of my face!)

Here are 2 pictures of swatches after 20 minutes, letting them oxidize:

So after 20 minutes (Missha is still on the left side and FACEit is still on the right side), Missha looks more like my skin tone and so does FACEit. But it isn't a dramatic change, not that noticeable. Ah, but you can probably see that it becomes a bit more opaque and covers the colors of my veins on my hand. 

So after 20 mins. I realized I probably should have blended both BB creams out a little more, because this kind of layer on my arm is not how I would put on my face. It would definitely be too thick and too much. (the swatches on my hand are fine, not that thick) But you can tell that the BB creams look closer to my skin color, especially the FACEit. I say, if you are more tanned and yellow toned (which I am now, because of summer), go for the Missha.

So, wow! haha, very very long post today! I hope it was helpful and not too overwhelming XP. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to write in the comment box below! Thank you for reading and I will talk to you later! =)

Oil-Blotting Paper under $4!

Hi Everyone!

Today I wanted to share a couple things that I bought at Marukai yesterday.

These are oil-blotting sheets that I bought at the Marukai Lifestyle store that are a little under $4 and I think they work pretty well =)

The one on the left is Callas Paris and the one on the right is in Japanese, so sorry, I can't read it.

Callas Paris is made with a special stretchable soft plastic-like material, and it has a sticky square that picks up sheets for you. Callas contains 50 sheets.

The Japanese one has a cute design of little chicks on the cover. It looks like a note pad and you can rip out paper sheets. It has 100 sheets.


So if you are interested or what to try them, you can stop by your local Marukai Lifestyle store and check them out! ^_^

I hope you found this useful and so you won't buy over-priced oil blotting sheets at Sephora or something. XP If you have any questions or comments, feel free to write in the comment box below! Thanks for reading!

Review on Smashbox Hydrating Photo Finish Primer

Hi Everyone!

I"m sorry I haven't been posting as often lately! X( I've bought a lot of products but I'm still using them and working on them before I feel confident enough to give a good review, so sorry. They'll be out soon!

Today I will be reviewing the Smashbox Hydrating Photo Finish Primer!

I have bought a travel size version of it at Sephora for I think $17 and the travel size contains 0.4 fluid oz or 12 mL of product.

What do I think of this product?
So, I have combination skin and the dry areas of my skin can get pretty dry and flaky. And I really wanted to try this primer but at the time, they didn't have travel size ones that were cheaper. So I finally bought it about a month ago and tried it. I really like this primer, it is very hydrating and my makeup lasts on all day without melting, smearing, or smudging. The consistency of the primer is light and smooth, it does not feel heavy, sticky, or oily. I like to put this on after I use my moisturizer and it does a great job of hydrating my skin and locking in the moisture! Also, a little goes a long way! You don't need a lot for your face. A pea size amount is enough for my entire face, and another pea size amount is good for my neck! It does not irritate my sensitive skin. I have worn this in 90 degree weather, when it is super hot and muggy and I feel like my makeup is going to sweat off, but it amazingly doesn't and stays perfect! =D
The only problem I have with this primer is that when I first apply it, it smells like paint. =( I don't like my makeup having any fragrance, especially chemically paint smells. However, the smell does not hurt my nose or eyes. It does go away in a few minutes and I can't and no one else can smell it on me. But if they came out with a new formula of this primer without such a smell, I would definitely buy it and choose it over this one!

Do I recommend this product?
If you don't mind the smell and the price, then I recommend this primer to anyone with normal to dry skin! This is especially great during winter when the air gets windy and dry and tends to dry our skin out! You don't need a lot of product, so I would recommend the travel-size version actually (unless you put on foundation every single day). This is a great all day foundation primer that will keep your foundation lasting all day and you looking radiant and beautiful!
I know this can be a pricey product for some, but I think it is worth it to invest more into something that directly touches your skin. A good primer not only keeps makeup lasting longer but also forms a good barrier between your skin and the makeup so your pores won't be clogged or irritated by makeup!
And if you try and don't like it, as long as you have the receipt, you can return it to any Sephora store. =)

So I hope you enjoyed this review and it helped you! Thank you for reading and if you have any questions or comments, feel free to write in the comment box below =).
Thanks and we shall meet again!

Fourth Sasa Haul and Review!! XD

Hi Everybody!

Today I will talk about my Fourth Sasa Haul and Review! =)

I bought 3 items:
-Sasatinnie Facial Cleaning Brush
-Koji Dolly Wink Pencil Eyeliner in Black
-Muraqi Konjac Facial Sponge

I have used all of these products for at least 2 months! Now onto the review:

Sasatinnie Facial Cleaning Brush

This product costs $6.40.

What do I think of this product?
I have heard all over that this is an amazing facial cleanser tool and I know that Bubzbeauty uses it. I do have a similar but much smaller pore cleanser brush for the nose area (which I got in my first Sasa Haul). After much debate (and waiting for it to be in stock) I bought this one because I didn't want my smaller pore cleanser brush to wear out and I wanted to stop buying exfoliating cleansers and use this as a good substitute for long term use.
Overall, this is a good cleansing brush. The rubber/plastic tips of the brush are very soft but firm enough to cleanse. You can vary the exfoliation depending on the amount of pressure you apply the cleansing brush to your face. I like this product but it is a bit rough on my sensitive skin areas. I do try to put the least amount of pressure there, but it can still be a little harsh there. On my sensitive areas of my skin, It feels kind of weird and tingly, like, touching too close to the nerves on my face. Don't get me wrong! This won't irritate your skin or cause like a rash or something. It just feels a little rough on my sensitive skin areas. For my other skin areas, it works perfectly fine. On my non-sensitive areas of my skin, it feels really nice, kind of like a gentle massage on my face. Overall, it does a good job exfoliating my skin and doesn't hurt or damage my skin at all. For my sensitive skin areas, I just don't use this brush on those areas as much and it is fine.

Here are some pictures of the cleansing brush!

I actually use my left hand and not my right hand to clean my face with this. But you can use it on either hand, the tail part where the right pinkie is just won't work for the left hand, but that doesn't really matter, since most of the cleaning is done by main body/area of the fish cleansing brush.

Do I recommend this product?
Unless you have very very sensitive skin I recommend this facial cleansing brush to all skin types! Overall, I am glad that I bought it, because it exfoliates my skin well and I don't have to use an exfoliating cleanser before my regular cleanser and I don't have to buy those anymore (or at least, keep on using them very often)! I am just careful on my sensitive skin areas and try to avoid scrubbing it too much.

Koji Dolly Wink Pencil Eyeliner in Black

 This product costs $10.20.

What do I think of this product?
I bought the same pencil eyeliner in brown in my 2nd Sasa Haul and I just wanted to try the black version. Compared to the same pencil eyeliner in brown, it is just as creamy and soft but not as sticky as the brown version. It glides on a little better than the brown one because it is not as sticky. The black color is just as pigmented as the pencil. It is a nice dark black color. It does not tug or pull on my eyelids and is soft and gentle. It also does not irritate my eyes at all. I still set it with a dark brown eyeshadow powder after applying to soften it out and give a more natural appearance.
I really like this pencil eyeliner. It is gentle and lasts for a long time on my eyes. It lasts even longer when I set it with an eyeshadow powder. It almost does not melt, smudge, or smear on my face. But compared to the brown-colored version, at the end of the day, it will smudge a little bit on the skin area under my lower lashline. This might bother some people but I'm okay with it. The smudging is barely noticeable and it is an easy fix in the bathroom if you are really concerned about it. Maybe because it is not as sticky as the brown version, that it smudges just a tiny bit.

This is a swatch of the black pencil eyeliner. 

Do I recommend this product?
Yep! I recommend this product =). If you want something darker, stronger, and more defining for your eyes, but you don't want it to be too sharp or edgy like a liquid eyeliner, this black pencil eyeliner is for you! If you don't live in a hot or humid environment, it should not smudge at all! If you want it to last longer or the weather is more hot and humid, just set it with black or super dark brown eyeshadow and it will last all day!

Muraqi Konjac Facial Sponge

This product costs $4.50.

What do I think of this product?
I bought this because this is cheaper than the Be Creation Facial Cleansing Sponge that I got in my first Sasa Haul. It is said to be made of the same material: Konjac (whatever that is). This sponge has the shape of heart, which is kind of cute haha. While I'm sure the material is the same (it definitely looks the same), for some reason it is not as soft and spongy as the Be Creation sponge. It is more firm and tough. This isn't a bad thing, texture and hardness depends on a person's preference, so it can be a plus or not. Because this is a firmer and harder sponge, it will probably last longer and also not get torn and damaged by my nails as easily. My old Be Creation sponge ended up getting tears and holes because of my long nails digging into them, but it lasted for a good amount of time, at least 6 months!
This sponge does not irritate or damage my skin in any way, my sensitive skin is fine and the firmness doesn't do any harm at all. So, I don't mind that it is firmer/harder than the Be Creation sponge.
However, I don't like the shape of the product very much. The heart-shape concept is fine, but the sponge is kind of flat, and I find it a bit harder to hold and use. It is a bit harder to grab and hold onto with a firmer grip.

Do I recommend this product?
Overall, not bad, cheaper, I don't mind this sponge, but I probably wouldn't buy it again. Probably try something else. I'm not saying this is a bad product, it works well and does not irritate my skin. I think it is a standard average sponge that works, but is not the best. But if you want a cheaper alternative and/or like firmer, flatter sponges, then this would be great for you and worth a shot!

So I hope you liked this haul and review! If you can't or don't want to buy stuff from Sasa online, there are other stores and places to buy these products! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to write in the comment box below! Thank you for reading and have a great day! =D