TOPBOX May 2013 - Open Box Time!

It's time to talk about the May 2013 Topbox! This month I actually had no time to check out any sneak peaks of products other people have received because the shipping time for this box was insanely fast.

The email from Topbox with the tracking number for my box was received at 7:30am, which I did not read until 10am, and at 12:25pm I received the delivery notice from Canada Post! I was pretty shocked at the speed!

And then of course I procrastinate about preparing this post until after the weekend... :( I am trying my best to be regular with these posts! I opted (once again!) for the Regular TopBox, because similarly to the previous months, the Prive Boxes just did not appeal to me. Besides, I enjoy being surprised by the products as opposed to knowing exactly what will come 2 weeks beforehand.

Here are what I received this month:

Cuccio Colour Nail Lacquer in Tel-Aviv About It!

Cuccio Colour Nail Lacquer - 13ml (0.43 Fl. Oz): "Triple pigmented colour, DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde FREE, High Shine Professional Nail Colours. Full Size: $10". I am very pleased with the colour that I received, as this is a work-appropriate nude colour, with a hint of tan undertones, that I can definitely wear everyday! I haven't tried it out on my nails just yet, but the swatch on my nail wheel proved this to really be a pigmented polish. The colour applied very smooth, without streaks, and has excellent self-levelling abilities, indeed providing a very shiny finish. The fact that this is a 3-free company makes it even more appealing! Value: $10.00

Lise Watier Haute Couleur High Coverage Liq Lacquer in Stylelista

Lise Watier HAUTE COULEUR High Coverage Lip Lacquer - 1.5mL: "INtense Colour, Extreme Shine, Long Lasting. Full Size: $23 (6mL)". A nice sample from a local Canadian Company based in Quebec, well-repected for quality products. I am pleased with the size and presentation of this sample. Lise Watier is not one to capture attention with highly innovative products or outrageous packaging, but I personally do enjoy several of their colour cosmetics. This lip gloss is a nice berry colour, that is nicely pigmented. While I do not find this to be a particularly spring-y/summer-y shade, I do enjoy having colour selections like these in my collection for night-outs, or when the colder season rolls around. This sample comes with a doe foot applicator, which I enjoy for precise application. The texture of this lipgloss is more on the sticky side, and is not esepcially long lasting, but I enjoy the overall effect and will continue to use this. However, I doubt I will purchase a full size since it is pretty much a standard lip gloss, and I can get similar effect from a drugstore selection. Value: $5.75.

Yaby Eyeshadow in ES135 Green Delicious

Yaby Eyeshadow Refill - "Highly pigmented eyeshadow with super smooth texture that blends effortlessly. Professional eyeshadow palettes from $127." I had a bit of a dejavu moment when I took this item out of the box, and then I remembered...I received 2 eyeshadows samples just like this one from Yaby in my March 2013 Ipsy Bag! Well...it does seem like Ipsy is perhaps a bit more generous? Anyway, this green colour would not be something that I would reach for on a day-to-day basis, but it is definitely fun for adding a pop of colour every now and then for a day out in the sun with friends, relaxing from work! The Texture of this eyeshadow is smooth and pigmented, but doesn't $127 for a palette sound quite steep?? I think I will stick to shopping at Sephora, The Bay, and drugstores for my eyeshadows hehe :) Value: unknown.

Deborah Lippmann Smooth Operator Buffer File

Deborah Lippmann Smooth Operator Buffer File: "An ultra-modern 4 way nail buffer. Simply follow the 4 steps to give nails a clean, polished look in minutes. Retail Price: $12". I was pretty surprised to receive a nail buffer as a "sample", and to be quite honest, I didn't know what to think when I saw this. I wasn't excited by it, but I did not dislike it either, as I know that it is definitely something useful that I will make use out of. I believe this is simply a nail buffing block in the shape of a regular nail file. I like the idea, but practically it is hard to apply pressure on the nail for the buffing motion when I'm holding a flat popsicle stick. Being able to apply pressure is really important to getting that shiny buffed appearance. On the other hand, I am an absolute nail polish addict that I don't often go without polish on my fingertips, so I don't buff often at all (plus, buffing too much thins and weakens your nails). Not something I would readily dish out $12 for, but again, I am happy that this was included in my TopBox this month. Value: $12.00

Total Value of Box: $27.75 + unknown value of Yaby Eyeshadow

I think I enjoyed this month's TopBox a bit more than a couple of the previous ones. For one, I know that I will make good use of pretty much all of the products in this box! The value is not exceptional, but I don't think the money I've put into this monthly subscription has totally gone to waste. Overall, not bad! I look forward using these products and for next month's TopBox :)

If you are interested in joining TopBox for $12+tax per month and receiving your own monthly subscription, check out their website at www.topbox.ca (this is NOT an affilated link).

Disclaimer: Monthly subscription paid for with personal funds. This post and its contents are not sponsored in anyway, and all opinions are honest and personal.

NEW! CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencils - Swatches & Review

Hi there! Today I bring you a new drugstore product that I personally did not hear about beforehand, and was pleasantly surprised to find it in a store! These are new eyeshadow pencils that are by Covergirl and the line is called "Flamed Out Shadow Pencil".

On the display I found there were about 10 shades in the range, a few staple neutrals and others fun bright colours. For myself, I picked out 4 that were my type of everyday colours that I feel like I will get quite some use out of after this review :)

These are jumbo pencils type of stick shadows, but is not the automatic type. This will require sharpening with a cosmetics sharpeners. However, these are skinnier than most other shadow pencils on the market currently, namely NYX, Rimmel, Make Up Forever, etc, so it should be easier to find sharpeners this can fit into.

Of the 4 colours I have, they are mostly all the standard frosty shade that makes excellent bases for your eyeshadows to cling onto for some extra pop of intensity. The khaki colour has some chunkier glitter flecks in it but nothing unmanagable. Overall, the texture of all these are smooth and pigmented; they feel gentle on the eyelids and did not cause any tugging.

L-R, top-bottom: Crystal Flame, Ginger Flame, Ashen Glow Flame, Melted Caramel Flame

Swatched with 2 swipes

1) Crystal Flame: A classic frosty white shade that works great as an inner corner highlight on its own, or to prime the area for a powder shadow as a highlight to increase wear-time, as the tear duct area tends to be an area of fast fading.

2) Ginger Flame: A very cute pink shade with a slight warm golden undertone. There is a small amount of sliver glitter specks in this that reflects light nicely, but not enough to cause any fallout. This is a shade that I can consider wearing alone all over the lid on days when I am pressed for time. Of course, this is an excellent powder eyeshadow base as well.

3) Ashen Glow Flame: A rather unique khaki color that is not very common for drugstore cream shadows, so I was glad that CoverGirl decided to include one in their line. This colour is the only one that I currently own that contains, relatively, larger specks of silver glitter, but it does not feel gritty after applied to the eyelids. This is a colour that I would prefter to use more as a base for my green eyeshadows to increase the intensity of the colour.

4) Melted Caramel Flame: This is a beautifully rich chocolate brown colour, and I found that this is the most pigmented of the 4 that I own. This brown could make any of your brown shadows pop with intensity, I also find it to be an excellent choice of base for a smokey neutral eye on the outer-V, or smudged upwards from the top lashline. Another way I applied this was smudged beneath the bottom lashline, to create some smokey definition for the overall eye makeup.

Overall Impression: I think these are a good addition to the selection of drugstore products as cream shadow pencils used to be a novelty that were mostly high-end products. Those that used to be available at the drugstore tends to lack wear-able shade selection and quality. That being said, the CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencils are not without faults. The colour, although relatively pigmented, does require a couple swipes for full opacity, but at least they are acceptably buildable. If worn without a primer on my eyelids, creasing did happen within a couple hours. Worn over an eyeshadow primer, creasing significantly decreased, and topped off with a powder eyeshadow, the total wear-time was excellent.

Within the range, there are several other colourful shades that may be interesting for those of you who enjoy using brighter and bolder colours for your eye makeup as those will serve as a good choice for bases. On a regular basis I enjoy using shadow pencils to outline a shape for my powder eyeshadows because I have much more maneuverability and precision with the placement of the colour using a pencil form than with my fingers from a pot, so cream shadows in a stick/pencil form are definitely my first pick with it comes to creating a detailed eye look!

Disclaimer: All products in this post were purchased by myself with personal funds. This post has not been sponsored in any way, shape, or form. I have not, and will never, accept monetary contributions for reviewing products.

April 2013 IPSY Bag

It's the pink bubble envelope time of the month! I couldn't help it and took a look at some spoiler posts prior to receiving my bag so I kind of knew the items in this bag seemed promising, it's theme being "Pretty In Pink". Nonetheless, I was still very excited with I actually had it in my hands waiting to unwrap hehe~ Let's take a look inside together!

This is April's IPSY bag, and it is surprisingly sturdy! The style is simple but still chic, the white fabric portion is quite thick and the pink pleather paired with pink zipper totally brings out the air of femininity. On the inside, the lining is pink and white striped with "IPSY...beauty by you" imprinted all over, as you can see from the following picture. Overall, I am very satisfied with this month's bag (so far the best by IPSY, in my opinion) and I am gladly transferring all my small makeup items into it as you read this to have this as my carry-around makeup bag!

This month's goodies stuffed to the brim!

So are this month's items as impressive as the bag that holds them? Let's take a look!

1) HealthySexyHair Soy Renewal Nourishing Styling Treatment - 25mL - This product is suppose to be able to speed up drying if applied to damp hair or reduce frizz if applied to dry hair. I think the sample size is quite decent and also the top is still sealed on the inside! I am happy knowing that this sample is for sure brand new and I thank ipsy for their professionalism when handling samples for their clients.

2) Two Cosmetics Duo Eyeshadow in Heartache - Full Size - This is a cute eyeshadow duo that contains two pink shades. The one on the left has a frosty finish and is a lighter pink where as the second one is more of a matte colour with a slight brownish-mauve undertone. On initial swatching, the shadows seemed pigmented but did appear to be on the more powdery side. I personally shy away from pink eyeshadows because they tend to make my eyes appear more tired than they really are. Perhaps I will give this a try on a day when I don't have to work. :)

3) Be a....Bombshell Powder Blush in Sweet Cheeks - full size (5gm) - This is the item I was MOST excited about in this month's bag! I am a total blush lover and the colour seemed pretty promising. I found the product to be of a great quality, this brand has made several appearances in IPSY bags before and so far they have not disappointed :) This blush is a wearable colour, the payoff is great and not too powdery. However, it is not totally matte otherwise I would've loved it to the moon and back. The finish has quite a strong sheen to it, so even though the colour is good it is likely that I would use it more as a highlighter-blush to top off a deeper blush colour at the cheekbones.

4) Sation Nail Lacquer for IPSY in Of Corset I'll Call You - full-size 15mL - fourth and final item in the bag is a full-size nail polish, right up my alley! While looking at spoiler posts for other peopl\e's bags, I noticed that there was another colour given and it is more of a peachy nude colour that didn't quite appeal to me. I was so relieved when I opened the box and found the pink polish because I know I would use this for sure! I haven't had a chance to give it a swatch yet but I should soon to see if this is a good quality polish. According to the box, this polish is a 3-free polish and is made in USA.

Once again, I am very satisfied overall with the value and quality of April's IPSY bag! There are 3 full-size products included and one generous sample of hair product, not to mention an uber cute bag that I will definitely be putting to work. :) I feel that IPSY actually pays more attention to what subscribers really do enjoy and seem to be working hard to fulfill our desires, thank you IPSY! I look forward (as always) to receiving my next bag in May!

TOPBOX April 2013 - Open Box Time!

Hey everyone! Another month, another TopBox has arrived at my doorstep :) I know I haven't posted about a TopBox since January, and quite frankly I was being a lazy about it..hehe Anyway, let's jump right in!

In honour of April, Earth Month, TopBox has delivered everybody's box in the EcoFriendly packaging. Actually, I think it's actually quite cute in terms of the design because it is all silhouettes of makeup items!  

I opted for the regular TopBox this month, as with my March one, because none of the Prive Box options appealed to me. If you don't know about the Prive Box option by TopBox, it is basically a chance for you to receive a TopBox that has products from just one company, and you have the option of submitting your wishlist before the TopBox ships. It is not guaranteed that you will receive what you wish for, but there is actually a pretty good chance. For April, there was an option for Elizabeth Arden, and Aveda (repeat from March).

Here is what I received in my April Regular TopBox:

Michael Todd True Organics Face Scrub

Michael Todd True Oraganics Tropical Fruit Enzyme Exfoliant Scrub - 30mL: "Unique facial scrub that refine texture and encourages skin renewal, leaving skin smooth and refreshed. Full Size: $18 (100ml)". Lately there has been so many rave reviews from blogs and YouTube videos about various Michael Todd products. Although I have not yet been convinced to purchase any products from Michael Todd to try, I am actually quite excited about trying this sample!  This is quite an impressive "sample" seeing as it is nearly 1/3 of the full size product. Thank you TopBox for being generous! Value: $5.40.

Elizabeth Arden All Gone Eye and Lip Makeup Remover

Elizabeth Arden All Gone Eye and Lip Makeup Remover - 50mL: "This two-phase formulation easily, gently removes even transfer resistant waterproof makeup. Full Size: $24 (100mL)". So an Elizabeth Arden product showed up in the regular box! This product was also given in the Elizabeth Arden Prive Box option. Another generous sample here, it is half of the full size product! In general, I'm not too overly fussy about eye makeup removers, most get the job done for me, especially because I don't use any waterproof makeup on a regular basis. As long as the eye makeup comes off in less than 3 swipes and doesn't sting my eye, I will finish it up. This sample will be a great travelling companion for me :) Value: $12.00.

KMS California Freeshape Quick Blow Dry

KMS California Freeshape Quick Blow Dry - 30mL: "For anyone who wants faster drying and heat protection. Reduce drying time by up to 50%. Full Size: $18.75 (200mL)". Sounds like the product for me! Having long hair and preferring to shower before bed, if this product performs as it claims, it would be like a dream come true for me! However, the alcohol smell in the product is quite strong and alcohol actually shows up pretty high on the ingredient list, I'm more or less concerned that this will strip my hair of moisture, and in turn damaging it. I suppose the principle of using alcohol to evaporate moisture is common across all "fast-drying" products, though. I'm not sure if I would like to give this a whirl yet. Value: $2.81.

BOXX Cosmetics Travel Size Powder Brush

BOXX Cosmetics Travel Size Powder Brush: "Brush hairs are made of the best quality European sable, super-soft goat and 3 toned synthetic Konex fibres to ensure that each application provides perfect results!" Now, if the actual full-size brushes are anything like this travel size one, then no thank you, I will not be considering your brushes, BOXX Cosmetics. This brush is pretty obviously machine made, and the hairs are not the softest stuff around. The handle is quite sturdy and I do enjoy the reflective silver colouring, but the quality of the brush is seriously lacking here. The brush head is so small, I guess it would make a so-so blush/highlight brush, or to touch-up powder on-the-go. Value: unknown.

TOTAL VALUE OF BOX: $20.21 + travel powder brush

Overall, I am quite pleased with this month's TopBox, the products included were all very reasonably sized. I am for sure much more happy about this regular box than if I were to have chosen either of the Prive Box options. I look forward to working with most (if not all **ahem-dryingspray-ahem**) of these products in the next few days. Perhaps there will some exciting options for May in terms of Prive Boxes, otherwise I'll just stick to my regular boxes :)

If you are interested in subscribing to TopBox and receive one for yourself every month, their website can be found here: www.topbox.ca

Thanks for reading! :)

Joanne

This post contains no affiliated links and all funds are personal. All opinions honest. 

 

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter - 4 NEW SHADES for Spring 2013 - Review & Swatches

Rejoice, Revlon Lip Butter lovers! :) Revlon has released 4 new shades in their The Pacific Coast by Gucci Westman Collection for Spring 2013!

L to R: Juicy Papaya // Pink Lemonade // Sorbet // Wild Watermelon

These 4 shades have very yummy names that are quite fitting for their corresponding colours, all of which appear to be excellent transition shades from Winter to Spring. I personally really enjoy the Revlon Lip Butter line of products because of the excellent colour payoff despite a relatively lightweight formula. I don't find that these lipsticks dried out my lips or emphasized lip lines much, so I have pretty high hopes for these 4 new colours. Consistent with the original line of lip butters, these 4 do not have much of a scent at all.

Let's take a closer look at each of the shades :)

027 Juicy Papaya: Juicy Papaya is the obvious coral colour in the bunch and it contains no detectable shimmer. The swatch on the arm was made with 3 swipes and the resulting colour is rather sheer, especially compared to my previous experience with the Revlon Lip Butters. When used on my lips, it managed to tone down my natural lip colour but the coral/orange colour is not too strong. The colour payoff disappointed me on this one but it still wore comfortably on my lips.

047 Pink Lemonade: Pink Lemonade has such a cute name and it appeared to be such a cute (almost)baby pink colour in the tube. However, once swatched on the skin it was obvious that this is another very sheer colour. If looked at closely, you will notice sparse specks of micro glitter in the tube but it is almost undetectable once applied on the lips. Instead, the finish is a nice glossy sheen of sheer pink. Pink Lemonade is still on the sheer end of the spectrum, but with its non-drying formula, I'd consider this a nice on-the-run, fool-proof, lip product. If you happen to have less pigmented lips than I do, the pink will definitely show up more true to colour of the tube.

053 Sorbet: Sorbet is one of the two bolder shades in the collection; it looks like a bright blue-based fuchsia in the tube. It has a slight see-through jelly-like finish to it, so although not as bright as it appears in the tube, it actually becomes quite wearable! It is a cream finish with no detectable shimmer or glitter, and once applied to the lips, not too heavily, gives a very fresh and healthy look to your lips. It's a great pick-me-up colour, and also pairs nicely with a soft eye makeup look, wonderful for Spring :)

063 Wild Watermelon: Last but not least, we have the final colour of the collection, Wild Watermelon. The name, again is quite fitting to what the colour looks like in the tube. This colour appears to be quite similar to Sorbet, especially on the swatch. Comparing the lipstick bullet side-by-side with Sorbet, Wild Watermelon is evidently more red-based. The extra hint of red is what makes Wild Watermelon appear different on the lips. The colour can also be built up to be stronger than what I have done in my photo, so that in itself makes it quite a versatile colour. This shade is also a cream finish with no detectable shimmer or sparkle.

Overall, I enjoyed these new shades although they are quite different from what I have come to expect from Revlon Lip Butters. Evident in my swatches and lip photos, these 4 shades all run on the sheer side and that was almost unheard of for the 20 original shades released. Those of you who are expecting the colours to be as bright and bold as they appear in the bullet may be disappointed with at least 2, if not all 4, of the new shades. However, I think the fact that the colours are a bit more sheer than the original releases actually made the two bolder shades more wearable and unique as compared to the old Revlon Lip Butters.

Formula-wise, these are all on par with the 20 original releases. Lightweight, glossy, non-drying, and lasts an OK amount of time. The lighter shades, Juicy Papaya and Pink Lemonade tend to be weaker on the staying power, one problem being once they fade a little bit, I can hardly tell if they are there anymore, so I'd say probably 1.5 hours tops for those. The two bolder shades, Sorbet and Wild Watermelon, lasts about 2-3 hours without eating.

Finally, I'd like to mention that as far as I know at this time, these 4 colours are NOT limited edition, as they have been spotted with its own designated slots in permanent displays in the US. Although currently these are still only found with the special collection displays, I'd expect them to reappear in the Canadian Revlon permanent wall displays soon :)

Thanks for reading! What your favourite Spring time lip product?
Joanne

March 2013 IPSY Bag

Another month has gone by and I realize that I've missed both January and February IPSY bag posts, so I am going to try to get back on track again and today we'll start by taking a look at the last IPSY bag by myGlam!

How can we forget about the signature bright hot pink bubble pack envelope? ;) Certainly draws attention!

There appears to be a nautical theme this month and the bag is titled "The Big Escape". Definitely makes me feel like leaving this windy, gloomy, chilly, and rainy Vancouver weather behind and escape into a warm paradise! The contents of this month's bag are suppose to assist you in YOUR great escape and become your best travel buddies. Let's dive right in! :)

The first item that caught my attention was the red thing..

???

Oh it's a mini depotted item holder!

So this strange object turns out to be mini-sized Z-palette-like item that can come in handy when it comes to travelling and packing your makeup items for the trip. The mini palette is cute and sturdy, and I LOVE the name, GLAMRX, I mean, how cute is that? :) As for size, it fits 2 regular pans of MAC shadows (raound, 1.5g), side by side. 

Next, I found two tiny powder eyeshadow samples from a brand called YABY and chosen for me was a beautiful hightlight shade called "Seashell" and a plummy brown colour, great for defining the crease, called "Azalea Petal". The samples are no bigger than the diameter of a dime, but secure perfectly inside the previously mentioned empty mini-palette! Well played, IPSY, I like the continuity of products here :)

Next I found a pack of 8 Makeup Remover Wipes by LA Fresh, the line is travel-lite. Very fittingly names, as makeup wipes are much easier and hassle-free to carry with you a opposed to bottles of makeup removing solutions and cleansers.I didn't open this to check out the scent, as I did not want to risk the sample from drying out before I got a chance to use it. 

 

Finally, I found at the bottom of the bag, a 30mL spray bottle of a hydrating mist by JUICE BEAUTY. I have yet to give this product a try but my initial impression of it was quite good after trying out a small spritz on my hand. I haven't detected any strong or overpowering scents from it, but it does have a light fragrance to it. Hydrating mists, provided that they work as supposed, are excellent alternatives to cream moisturizers and are very handy on the go as you can simply take it out of your purse even as you are out for the day and touch up, rehydrate your skin on-the-go!

All in all, I am quite pleased with this month's IPSY bag! Although the products may not be as exciting at first glance, they are all useful and generous samples that would surely get some good use by me sooner or later :) The bag that it came in was also super cute and a great size and I can foresee myself putting it to some good use too! I will continue to subscribe to IPSY and if you are interested too, you can sign up at the following link: http://www.ipsy.com/

Thanks for reading!

Joanne

(This post contains samples sent via a monthly subscription service provided by IPSY, which I purchased with personal funds. This post DOES NOT contain any affiliated links.)

Essence Gel-Look Topcoat Review - Dupe for Seche Vite??

Hi there! Today's post will be about a new nail polish topcoat that I recently came across from the super affordable European brand, Essence. Sold for $2.49 +tax at Shoppers Drug Mart, and promises to be a "topcoat that adds glossy shine and leaves a gel-like finish on nails", it was just too hard for a nail product junkie like myself to pass up; I simply had to try it out. The first thing that came to mind when I got home was "will this topcoat be a comparable dupe for my absolute favorite topcoat of all time, Seche Vite?"

So did I find a dupe??

Sadly....not quite.

The Essence gel-look topcoat, despite not be being an exact dupe for Seche Vite, is still a great topcoat that would not break the bank. It actually was able to deliver exactly as it claimed: a gel-like finish and glossy-ness for your finished manicure.

The biggest issue I had with it was DRYING TIME. The Essence polish simply took way too long to dry down before it can come into contact with anything, otherwise it would smudge or dent and ruin your manicure. One of the biggest winning points for Seche Vite is not only the finish it gives your nail polish, but also the amazingly short time that it requires to dry and therefore, it takes a lot less time to finish a manicure session. Sometimes I even put seche vite on top of my nail colour when I know it hasn't dried completely because I know that Seche Vite will actually help the polish dry faster.

For those of you who have a taste for nail art would probably be aware that Seche Vite may very well be the most reliable topcoat you can have for after you've done your nail art, because it doesn't create any smudges. Unfortunately, the essence gel-look topcoat caused a bit of smudging on my nail art and konad stamped designs when applied to it after it has become dry to the touch.

Overall, I would suggest giving the Essence new topcoat a shot if you either 1) have a lot of free time to sit around without moving your hands (with something to keep you from being bored) after your manicure, or 2) have a drying lamp/fan that you use regularly after painting your nails. Otherwise, the dry time maybe too overbearing for most of us who wanted to get moving quickly after doing our nails. A viable alternative to this and Seche Vite maybe the Sally Hanson MegaShine Topcoat. It gives a great shiny finish, lacks the "gel-like" finish, but much faster than Essence Gel-Look Topcoat.

Have a happy manicure!
Joanne

(Products shown and discussed are all purchased with personal funds)