I finally got my Sephora Play! box this month and I couldn’t be more excited. However, I have mixed emotions about this month’s contents. I’m a bit dismayed because I feel like Sephora keeps me sending me the same one or two products over and over again. I wanted something new for a change, so I’m quite disappointed about that. On the other hand, I’m happy with the other products that I got because they’re something new, and it’s definitely fun to explore and test a product that you would never imagine trying before.
Check out what I got
Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb ($48) – If you love Belif’s The True Cream Aqua Bomb, then there’s no reason for you not to love this Moisturizing Eye Bomb. Its got the same refreshing irresistible scent that the Aqua Bomb has, and it’s really great to moisturize the skin around the eyes. It even soothes puffiness and it’s great to layer under eye makeup. It is gel-based but its hydration can go a long way. I love that this doesn’t have a sticky residue feel once it gets absorbed by the skin. Overall, this is such a good eye cream and I really love it, so I’m planning to have this in its regular size pretty soon.
Sephora Collection Rouge Matte Lipstick in Rebel Chic (0.10 oz: $7) – I’ve tried this lipstick line from Sephora before, but I’ve never tried the Rebel Chic color. At first, it seemed too much of a dark vampy red for me, but when I applied it to my lips, I was actually quite in love with the color. It’s vampy yeah, but it’s also a sexy vampy red wine shade. It’s not too emo or too gothic and it actually works quite well with my pigmented lips. The matte texture is comfortable, lightweight, and not so drying. I also kinda love the slight berry flavor of this lipstick, on top of that, the color doesn’t even bleed or transfer. I am definitely smitten with this.
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Rose Gold (0.05 oz: $29) – I love Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick Eyeshadows (swatches HERE), I think they’re one of the best eye contouring product you can buy nowadays, but when the mini rose gold color keeps appearing in some of my Sephora Play!, I feel like Sephora could do better at curating their subscription boxes, or at least pay attention to what has already been sent to their respective subscribers. Anyway, since I already have this Rose Gold shade in its regular size, I’m just gonna give it to someone else. I just hope Sephora would send me something new and something different next time.
NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Let’s Go Crazy (0.086 oz: $27) – While I’m not crazy about this vivid pink shade, I am actually in love with the texture of this matte lip pencil. The color is so bold, so pigmented, and so staining. I love how the color remained on my lips for hours and hours and it doesn’t feather. It’s also very easy to apply and line the lips because of its pencil design. However, I don’t like the fact that I have to sharpen this all the time. It would be nice if Nars would update the packaging and make it more of a twist type at least attach a built-in sharpener at the bottom.
Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensee Cologne Absolue Pure Perfume (mini/0.34 oz: $26, 1 oz: $85, 3.3 oz: $140, 6.7 oz: $235) – This may have been a repeat product from my previous Sephora Play, though I’m not quite sure. Anyway, I’m not really a vanilla scent fan because I don’t quite like the scent of most vanilla perfume’s drydown. But this Vanille Insensee from Atelier Cologne is different. It is subtle and it’s quite fresh, which doesn’t make my nose turn up. The blend of vanilla, jasmine, and lime is enough to make this scent distinctive, warm, and sophisticated. It’s definitely not your typical sweet vanilla type of scent, but more of a sexy, elegant, and stylish type. I feel like I could wear this and not get annoyed because the vanilla tone is not overpowering, and the drydown is quite powdery.
Peter Thomas Roth FIRMx Peeling Gel (3.4 oz: 48) – I’ve never heard of this product before, so imagine my excitement and curiosity when I received this in my Sephora Play! box. This gel has a faint fresh scent that looks like any other gel cleanser in the market but once you scrub this on your face, you’ll get a different kind of impression. This literally peeled and scrubbed off dead skin cells from the surface of my face. It polished my rough skin and it makes it so smooth, and ready for any moisturizer. I also noticed some of my blackheads and whiteheads resurfacing, which makes me conclude that this product is a very good exfoliator. Oh, I’m afraid I’ll be buying this in its full size soon.
That sums up all the products that I got for this month’s Sephora Play subscription box. As you can see, there’s are interesting products that I love, but there are also a few products that I wasn’t so crazy about. What did you get for this month’s Sephora Play?
Hey! A lot has happened in the lipstick department lately. There’s all sorts of new releases in terms of balms, glosses, lip pencils and of course lipsticks. On top of that, we’ve only really just started, there will be more to come as Spring slowly approaches. Imagine all those big, bright, and colorful shades for the lips, every brand releasing their own “new for spring” lip products non-stop. It’s gonna be a fun year of lipstick hoarding. Well, so far, right now there are several new releases already and they’re worth looking into. We’re still in Winter, so a lot of these shades are of course in their typical winter tones, but they come in different textures and effects. For this review, expect a couple of mattes because these matte lipsticks, be it liquids, balms or pencils will definitely not go away. Right now, there’s a ton of mattes with really comfy textures, and they’re just getting better and better with time. Also, in this review, you’ll find innovative products like a lip gloss that adapts to your lips’ chemistry, a bunch of wear-alone lightweight glosses that are very pigmented, enough to last several hours of wear, and you’ll also find comfy lip pencils that have impressive pigments.
Here they are:
The Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil in Red Berry (0.1 oz: $26) smells and tastes delish and it’s super hydrating. The brush applicator is chubby and the texture is not only great as a gloss, but also as an everyday lip balm. It’s made of oil, but it’s very comfortable on the lips. Even though the Red Berry doesn’t show much on my pigmented lips, I still like the minimal hint of color that it has shown. The packaging is very cute and handy as well. The Cle de Peau Beaute Radiant Lip Gloss in Star Dust (0.25 oz: $36) is such a luxurious lip gloss in terms of packaging and formula. It can be used as a gloss alone or it can be layered on top of your favorite lipstick. It’s expensive but I think if you find the right colors, then it’s worth it to have at least one or two. The formula is very lightweight and makes your lips look so luscious and plumpy. Also, the brush is interesting because it’s kind of a spiral type so you can apply the gloss on either side of the brush continuously and easily without having to flip it. Additionally, this gloss has a slight floral flavor to it, which doesn’t really bother me at all. The Star Dust color, though very pink with shimmer on the tube, actually is very sheer and on my lips, it becomes a medium rosy pink, and it sort of changes tone depending on the ambient light. Becca Liptuitive Glow Gloss (0.16 oz: $25) is one interesting smart lip gloss. Similar to the Dior Addict Lip Glow, this gloss is supposed to react to your lips’ chemistry to produce that ideal pink, be it a rosy pink or a muted plum. For me, it took about 3 minutes for this gloss to show that perfect pink, and I actually quite like the effect very much. On my lips, it’s more like a muted medium pink which seems to complement my skin tone. I also love the unique blue-tinged cushiony formula, which is lightweight, comforting, and hydrating. This is also great on top of any matte lipsticks, and it brings out that lipstick’s shade even more. Try it with Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick below, and you’ll see.
Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick in Fresh (0.035 oz: $28) is a deep pink mauve. This latest matte lip product from Laura Mercier is super pigmented, so easy to apply, and so long-lasting, but it can be quite drying on the lips. It definitely needs a good lip gloss like Becca’s Liptuitive Glow above. I find that I had a hard time finding my ideal shade from this line, even though there are several shades to choose from. I think the lighter shades are too light for me, and the darker shades are too dark. However, I’m impressed by the pigment of this lipstick. It can hold a whole dinner, plus desserts, drinks, and more. And with its packaging similar to Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick Eye Colour (reviewed HERE), the application is easy, precise, and fast. It even comes with a built-in sharpener. The Fenty Beauty Mattemoiselle Plush Matte Lipstick in Spanked (0.06 oz: $18) is a very pretty dusty rose shade that is sure to work on any complexion. It is one of my favorite shade in this review by far, and I also like its cute packaging. Though a bit small and slim, it actually makes for a precise application on the lips, and even though it’s matte, it’s really creamy and comfortable. The lasting power is wonderful too, plus there’s no annoying scent or aftertaste. Another matte lipstick formula that I love is the Sephora Collection #Lipstories Lipstick in Labyrinth City (0.14 oz: $8), which is a mid rose-brown shade that is quite similar to Fenty’s Mattemoiselle Plush in terms of texture and shade. This particular lipstick is also very creamy for being matte, and the shade is very flattering for all skin tones. Longevity and pigment are great and it’s very affordable. Such good lipstick at such nice price. I just wish that Sephora will not discontinue this line, because this range has different shades and textures to choose from, and they’re good quality with good pigments that are not tough on the wallet.
If you’re looking for that perfect fool-proof lip gloss with tons of shades to choose from, then take a closer look at these Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss Moisturizing Glossimer (0.19 oz: $30). It is indeed one of the best glosses I’ve ever tried, and I’m not even a gloss type of girl. In fact, I haven’t loved a gloss lately until I decided to try this. For a long time, I have stayed away from lip glosses because I find that most formulas can be quite sticky on my lips, and they’re not that comfortable to wear. All that recently changed when I tried these Chanel Rouge Coco Glosses. They’re comfy and they almost feel like there’s nothing on the lips. They’re also staining for a gloss, so you can wear them as is, or you can gloss them over your favorite lipstick. Some shades have shimmers but are still very natural to wear, also, the brush applicator is thick and rounded, which covers the whole lips for easy application. The formula is thick and it makes the lips look a tad plumpy, so the overall effect is a natural, luscious, healthy-looking lips. The colors last a long time too. Most of all, they make me love lip glosses all over again.
716 Caramel – non-shimmery true caramel shade. complements my natural lip color and adds a nice natural shine.
722 Noce Moscata – slightly shimmery and a bit lighter than Caramel. Ideal as a gloss over your favorite lip color.
724 Burnt Sugar– shimmery copper-brown. Great to wear alone.
Matte liquid lipsticks never get old, and the NARS Powermatte Lip Pigments (0.18 oz: $26) are one of those improved and better-formulated matte liquids out there. The texture might be thin and watery, but you’ll find that all you need is really just one coat on the lips and you’re set. The colors are comfy, very pigmented and very long-lasting. There are lots of flattering wearable shades from this range as well, plus, the brush of these is very precise.
Walk This Way – rose pink, great for lighter complexions.
Save The Queen – dusty mauve, nice shade for light to medium or medium skin tones.
If you’re into balms, then you’ve gotta try the new shades of the Dior Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balms (0.12 oz: $34). There are new shades and textures released recently, and they’re awesome. They’re as great or even better than most lipsticks, simply because they’re comfy and hydrating, plus they have good pigments and staying power, so your lips stay moisturized and stained without having to reapply much. For the swatches and the complete review, please click HERE.
Matte Pink – sheer matte ballet pink, feels cushiony and non-drying, great as an everyday lip color.
Ultra Pink – sheer bright pink, a very cute mid jelly pink that gives a youthful shade to the lips, it’s very well-pigmented and doesn’t require much reapplication.
The Pat McGrath Labs LiquiLUST 007 ($38) is a nice set if you want a great wearable matte liquid lipstick plus a really stunning glitzy gloss that’s sure to wow everyone. This duo is pricey but I think for their beautiful shade and texture, the price is on point. Also, the whole set’s packaging is really unique with all its glittery sequins in it. Not really sure what to do with the sequins, but they’re cute. I find that you don’t really need to wear the two shades together, as each shade is superbly beautiful on its own. I’m impressed by their staying power, color, and lightweightness.
Divine Nude (cool mauve pink) – This shade is a wow, a perfect warm nude shade for that light to medium skin tone, so pretty, so natural, and so elegant. But that’s not the only thing that impressed me. That texture is so soft, smooth, comfy and it never dried my lips. A single coat gets the job done, and the brush is nice too with its decent size and shape. P.S. I am starting to really love Pat McGrath’s lip products because of this.
Astral Vinyl Gloss in Bronze – A real shimmer through and through. It’s blinding, it’s reflecting and it’s out of this world. Such glittery buildable shade, which can be worn over a lipstick or alone. I like that it feels light and non-sticky, but the application can be annoying though because it doesn’t have a brush in it.
Apart from the Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipsticks, here’s a really promising lip pencil to love. The Marc Jacobs Le Marc Liquid Lip Crayon (0.07 oz: $26) is the perfect lip pencil/crayon if you’re talking about texture and lasting power. It’s buttery soft, easy and precise to apply, and has good pigments overall. The only thing I don’t seem to love about this is that most of the shades have a metallic pearly sheen to them, which is not bad if you want some dimension on your lips, but I wish some shade are in true mattes.
Send Nudes – a dark metallic plum-brown shade which is kinda hard to pull off, but its bold color is beautiful. I do think that this is a great shade for darker skin tones.
Night Mauves – a soft pink pearly-sheen mauve which is very pretty and very wearable for all complexions.
Bottom line, if you’re looking for that hydrating gloss this winter, I highly recommend the Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss because they’re long-lasting and they have a nice staining power to them. I would also look into the Cle de Peau for that gorgeous array of shades. For balms, the Dior Addict Lip Glows are a must. For comfortable matte lipsticks, look into Pat McGrath, Fenty Mattemoiselle, or Sephora #Lipstories.
How’s it going everybody! I’ve got an exciting review for all you candle lovers! I’ve been into some candle testing lately and I thought I’d like to share which of these scented waxes made it to the top of my list this year. There’s a lot of awesome-smelling candles out there, but there’s a few that really registered to my senses. Some of these candles are not necessarily recently-released, some are actually quite classic with a cult following, while some are limited editions only.
Ready to see them?
Byredo Tree House (8.5 oz: $80) – If you follow my Instagram, (click HERE) you know that this is the favorite candle of my cat, LOL. This candle sports an edgy black wax with a sleek glass container. It has a pretty complex scent of something woody, a bit fruity, a bit spicy, warm, and something slightly fresh. It’s definitely a scent that reminds you of a true tree house due to its hint of tannins, leather, and tobacco. Some said this even smells like Axe, which is probably slightly true, but it’s more of a complicated version of Axe. You can tell that there’s a lot of details involved in concocting this particular candle, and with all its edgy-torial packaging, this makes for a great home decor. You don’t even have to light this because the scent of the candle itself permeates easily all around the house. I do think that this is a winter scent because it has a perfumey tone to it, even though it has a hint of freshness. This candle also comes in a 70 g container which is currently available at Byredo’s official website. The nice thing about the 8.5 oz glass is that it really takes a while to burn at least from the top part of it (about 2-3 hours), which tells me that this whole candle is going to last a long time. Overall, I love this candle’s longevity and aesthetics, I may not even burn it all the way. You know who else loves this? Clue: Look What You Made Me Do. Yes, this is Tay Tay Swift’s favorite scented candle. Hmmm, kinda surprising to me, as I thought she would be more of a Diptyque kind of girl.ย
Yankee Candles:
I was always a fan of Yankee Candles. I still am because they have a ton of scents to choose from and there are different prices for every size of candle you want, but I have limited myself to a few that I consider as my all-time favorites. I think for the price, I expect their scents to be at least strong enough to be noticed, but I’ve had several candles from them that smells great at first but didn’t really seem to register in my olfactory nerves once lighted, so yeah, here’s two of my favorites from them:
Pink Sands (Small Tumbler: $15.99, other sizes also available) – I like this candle for its pretty in pink wax. I also love its mild sandy and sweet vanilla-ish scent. It makes for a great add-on to your vanity, centerpiece or just about anywhere inside the house. The only slight problem with this is that this isn’t a whole year-round scent, it’s more like for the spring or summer only since the scent of this is too light that it’s almost unnoticeable. But if you want a candle that’s something pink, with very light non-irritating notes, you may want to look into this.
Balsam & Cedar (Large Classic Jar: $27.99)– Still my all-time favorite from Yankee Candle, and one of my favorites for Winter. This smells like pine-divine, strong but soothing, homey and very cozy. I’ve repurchased this candle in several different sizes, especially in the large classic jar which I don’t need to light, I just keep it nearby and I could smell its fresh forest scent all the time. LOVE.
Le Labo Santal 26 (6.9 oz: $65, 8.6 oz: $75) – Probably one of the most intriguing candles I’ve ever owned, and probably the one that I couldn’t quite figure out. There’s something about this candle that makes you want to love it or hate it. As far as I can remember, I had a sample Santal something from Le Labo before, I think it must have been Santal 33 and I didn’t quite like it. I couldn’t understand the appeal of the whole Santal thing. I know I love their Bergamote 22 soaps, but that was the only Le Labo I knew. Anyway, I took the plunge and got this woody, tarty, earthy Santal 26 candle, and at first, I really found it to be too strong, the scent is not necessarily bad, but it’s different. I feel like I know this scent before, somewhere in a fancy department store, hmmm. While I didn’t like this candle at first, I seem to really enjoy this now as I keep burning it. It’s kind of an acquired taste. This comes in a smaller tin can container (not pictured here), and a simple yet hefty and heavy glass container pictured here in this review. The best thing about this candle is its staying power. Once lighted, the scent will travel all over the house and it stays there for a long time, and the more you sniff it, the more you love it.
Voluspa:
I’m new to the Voluspa world of candles. I discovered them when I got lost inside Anthropology (LOL, yes I get lost in places that normal people don’t usually get lost at, that’s how bad my spatial orientation is). The Voluspa candles are love at first sight and first sniff for me. They come in several different scents and sizes, and the prices differ as well. I find them to be like Yankee Candles in that sense, but their selection is slightly better for my taste. In my opinion, that’s because they have more of that unique blend of fresh scents, as opposed to the common foodie type of scents. Also, they use a coconut wax blend in their candles.
Panjore Lychee (Petite Embossed Glass: $10, other sizes also available) – My most favorite Voluspa scent so far. I love the blend of lychee, pear, and cassis, which remind me of one of my favorite fragrances, the Burberry Blush Eau de Parfum. It has a bit of a pomegranate tone to it and it’s really pleasing to smell. I actually plan to have this in a large glass. The only thing that bothers me with this is how weak the scent can be. It’s kind of hard to notice it unless you get really close.
Goji Tarocco Orange (Petit Decorative: $9, also available in different sizes) – Because I love the Panjore Lychee scent so much, I decided I wanted another Voluspa candle to love. I found this orange, mango and goji berry blend candle to be as almost delightful as the Panjore Lychee. It’s a sweet orange scent, fruity but not too much. The scent permeates in every room and the candle burns cleanly.
Capri Blue Volcano (Tin: $14, other jar designs and sizes also available at different prices) – Here’s another candle that I couldn’t resist at Anthropologie. It’s basically the scent of Anthropologie (LOL) whenever you enter their stores. They have this candle burning endlessly that you just can’t help but wonder “What is that dreamy fresh scent?” It’s Capri Blue’s Volcano. I love this scent a lot, it’s definitely at the top 2 or 3 of my list, simply because the scent is so fresh, so blue yet so fruity, but never overwhelming. It also comes in different cute jars and glasses at different prices. I feel like this is such a good summer vibe type of scent, and oh my, summer come here fast.
Diptyque:
If you want an overall very good range of well-scented sophisticated candles with stylish glass containers that burn cleanly and evenly, well, Diptyque will give you that satisfaction. I love this brand, but not really the price, yet I will always have at least one of their candles because their candles are perfect in every way.
Baies (2.4 oz: $34, 6.5 oz: $64): Almost everyone’s favorite Diptyque scented candle and mine. This candle’s fragrance is unique. It’s fresh and fruity yet slightly warm. The blend of roses and blackcurrants is what makes this candle irresistible and different. If you could just have one Diptyque candle, this is the one to have. It’s very lovely and very perfect. Once you sniff it, you can never forget it.
Rosa Mundi (2017 Limited Edition) – Straight from last year, this warm rose-scented candle looks dreamy as it is. The fragrance is very rosy cozy and it’s pretty strong and long-lasting. Before I started lighting mine, I used to store this in one of my bookshelves and I could just smell its damask rose scent all over my house. This was almost perfect too but that wallpaper-ish wrapping on the glass, though very beautiful, is also very delicate, so you have to be really careful when burning this candle and also when cleaning it once completely consumed, or it could get wet. This particular candle and all its paper motif design is a 2017 limited edition, but you may still find this in its regular packaging.
Rose Delight (2018 Limited Edition: $68)– This year’s Diptyque Limited Edition comes in a cute pastel pink stylish wrapper glued around its glass container. It’s still a rosy scent but a lot more toned down compared to the Rosa Mundi scent last year. I find this scent to be very mild almost like a powdery rose scent. It still smells great whether lit or unlit, but I would have liked it to be stronger though. Anyways, the packaging is really pretty, it’ll make you want to stare at it all the time.
Nest Grapefruit ($40, other sizes also available) – If there’s one candle I’d like to take with me wherever I go, it’s this one. I am so crazy about this scent. It’s just unbelievably irresistible. I couldn’t stop sniffing this. What did they put in this candle? it’s so good. I know there’s grapefruit in there (of course), there’s lily of the valley, and coriander, but I also sense a hint of pineapple. It’s the right balance of floral and sweetness, and it can make the room smell fresh and clean and you can never get used to it, it’s always exciting to sniff this. I definitely think that this is the best if not one of the best-scented candles out there. In fact, I would put this at the top one of my list, slightly above Diptyque’s Baies. Yeah, that’s how good this candle is, and for its price, oh well, it’s much cheaper than Diptyque and it comes in a large glass. The only thing I don’t like much about this is the glass container itself. It’s a little too simple for me. I wish they made it like Diptyque’s or Byredo’s, and probably add a label to it or something. But anyway, I’m cool with it. Another thing I like about this candle is the fact that compared to most scented candles where I could smell the strong wax odor after burning them, this one doesn’t really have that lingering waxy smell after burning it. All I could smell is that delicious fresh fruity scent, nothing more, nothing less, and it lingers for a long time.
That comprises my top candles for now, I hope I’ve helped you decide on which scented candles to buy. The candles reviewed here are really great, but if I have to choose, it would certainly narrow down to two. Diptyque Baies and Nest Grapefruit. Okies, have fun, enjoy! and try not to burn the house ๐
