Reviews and Other Stuff

Marc Jacobs Highliner Matte Gel Crayon Eyeliner Review

August 23, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 1 Comment

Hey There! As a constant eyeliner user, it’s hard not to notice Marc Jacobs’ latest eyeliner released. The Highliner Matte Gel Crayon Eyeliners (0.01 oz for $25) are pretty much the same type of eyeliners as the cult-favorite Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Crayons, but of course, these are all in matte finishes. They all share the same amazing pigments which are vivid and they glide like butter, which makes them really easy to apply around the eyes. Most importantly, these don’t smudge because they’re waterproof.

Since I was running out of my favorite brown eyeliners from Urban Decay and also the Fineliners from Marc Jacobs which I also love and tend to use every spring and summer, I thought of trying the latest MJ Matte Highliners. I was eyeing the (Brown)ie and (Earth)quake shades. But before this particular matte finish of eyeliners were released, I had my eyes set on the Ro(Cocoa) and Brown(Out) shades, yet somehow, I couldn’t bring myself into purchasing them because they’re really shimmery, and I’m not really a fan of shimmery eyeliners. Oh well, finally, with the release of these Matte Gel Highliners, I feel like, now there are even more choices for high-quality matte eyeliners in store.

(Brown)ie 43 – Medium Brown. This is my most favorite brown of all the Marc Jacobs Highliner Matte Gel Crayons. It’s a creamy, well-pigmented, chocolate-brown that glides smoothly like butter and settles like it means business. It won’t transfer, won’t crease, won’t bleed, and it’s totally waterproof.

(Earth)quake 41 – Dark Brown. This is a dark muddy brown that also works well for my light to medium skin tone with a warm undertone. It also glides like a dream and it’s very easy to correct while applying it. Once it settles, it’s there for a long time. You’re gonna need a good waterproof makeup remover to take it off.

You can cry a million river with these Marc Jacobs Highliner Matte Gel Crayons and they still won’t budge, unless you intentionally rub them, and even then, they’re still as reliable as they’re meant to do their job. Which means that these are really good quality eyeliners and you can count on them to deliver no matter the circumstances. Because you know that whatever you’ll do, you’ll never look like Corpse Bride, LOL.

I like these eyeliners a lot, and these are gonna be my staple eyeliners from now on. I like the overall sleek pencil-type packaging and they come with a sharpener on the other end. They’re easy and practical to use by just twisting the bottom of the pencil and releasing enough product to use. While they glide very well around the eyes, you can still have enough time or room (15 seconds) for correction if you’ll ever make a mistake because these won’t dry immediately. You can even blend them to create a smokey eye makeup. Once they set, then you won’t have to worry about them moving around, and they’ll stay for at least 12 hours or more.

The Marc Jacobs Highliner Matte Gel Crayon is available at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Net-A-Porter, and MarcJacobs.com

Ciao!der

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Glamglow Gravitymud, Thirstymud, Flashmud, Youthmud, & Supermud Review

August 22, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

How’s it going Guys! I’ve been obsessing about masks lately and decided to try some Glamglow face masks since they seem to have a couple of really interesting products, and also, I was looking for something that I could use for specific skincare situations.

Masks are really fun to try and they’re such good skin preps to incorporate in your regular beauty routine. They come in different formulations and purposes, depending on your skin condition and what it needs. These Glamglow minis are so nice to try because then you could rule out which ones you’ll like and might need.

I’ve had a really good experience with their Glamglow Supermud Mask (further reviewed HERE), and I’ve been using it twice a week since then. It’s probably one of the best treatment face masks I’ve ever used, and it just clears my blackheads and whiteheads like a breeze. My pores have never been better and breakouts have been prevented. It has a strong lavender scent which you’ll get used to pretty easily and it dries fast. This is a great mask for cleaning the skin thoroughly and preventing too much oil buildup.

Since my purchase of the Glamglow Supermud, I’ve always wanted to experience some of their masks, especially during the days when I feel like I may need some hydration on my skin, or when I feel like I need a thorough exfoliation or a facial scrub after an oily sweaty day. So here are the minis that I’ve tried.

Glamglow Flashmud Brightening Treatment (0.5 oz: $22, 1.7 oz: $69) – This mask is meant to deliver a radiant and luminous skin. It also evens the skin’s texture and minimizes or prevents dark spots. In other words, its main purpose is what its name says. A brightening mask. It smells like a fusion of great tea, white clay, something acidic and something floral. It has little bits of what looks like finely- grounded leaves and the mask overall feels very gritty. It’s definitely a great exfoliating mask or a face scrub. While I haven’t noticed any brightening effects, I do like this mask. I like that it makes my face feel soft and it controls the oil. This mask has a flesh color which transforms into a semi-transparent finish after a few minutes. Glamglow suggests to leave it on for at least 20 minutes, then you can rinse it off with water.

Glamglow Gravitymud Firming Treatment (0.5 oz: $22, 1.7 oz: $69) – Of all the Glamglow face masks, this is probably the most fun to try. It smells like a yummy Piña Colada and it starts off as a metallic white cream which transforms into a silver peel-off mask. The larger size comes with a brush for an easy application because applying this mask with your fingers alone can be a slight challenge. I didn’t notice a firming sensation with this mask, but I love the fun of using it. It will transform you into either a magical unicorn or like Tin Man from Wizard of Oz.

Glamglow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment (0.5 oz: $22, 1.7 oz: $69) – This mask is meant to exfoliate, brighten, smooth, and soften the skin with antioxidant properties. It also gives a tingling sensation when applied. Somehow, I feel like this is quite similar to Glamglow Flashmud, but probably even more exfoliating and it does tingle on the face but you really have to pay attention in order to notice it, at least I didn’t feel it much on my face. This smells like herbs and something soapy, but it’s not bad. It doesn’t dry like most clay masks, but it exfoliates really well and it kinda feels firming too. The best thing about this is how my face felt so smooth and so soft after rinsing, almost like baby skin,

Glamglow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment (0.5 oz: $22, 1.7 oz: $69) – A very moisturizing mask that smells so delish like vanilla chocolate and coconut, you could almost eat it. This doesn’t dry at all, it feels more like a very hydrating facial moisturizer for the days that the skin may experience dryness or some dry patches. This is really creamy but not sticky. I like that it feels very soothing and it makes my skin soft, especially when exposed to strong ACs or this could be great for this coming winter air.

Of all the Glamglow masks reviewed here, I’d say that I like them all a lot because I can definitely see myself using each one of them. They all have a certain purpose which my skin will definitely need, but if I have to rank them, I think my first will always be the Glamglow Supermud, followed by the Gravitymud/Firming (violet container), then the Flashmud/Brightening (orange), Thirstymud/Hydrating (blue), and finally the Youthmud/Tinglexfoliate (black).

What d’ya think about these? Have you tried any of these masks before? Which one’s your fave?

These Glamglow Masks are available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Birchbox, Bloomingdales, Dermstore, Dillard’s, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, QVC

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Hermes Oran Sandals Review

August 19, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hi Everybody! I’ve gotten some questions about my Hermes Oran Sandals in the last few weeks ever since I posted them on my Instagram, so I thought, I should probably do a review about it. I know a lot of you who own this sandal surely knows the experience of wearing this, and for those who haven’t, here’s my two cents.

The Hermes Oran Sandal is a minimalist sandal that looks very chic. It has a sleek sophisticated design that is truly unique for a pair of sandals. It has a whole beach summer vibe that looks light and airy to wear, while it also has a relaxed lounging-around aesthetic. All these and more are what made this pair of sandals a versatile footwear.

My sandal is basically the basic Hermes Oran style available, which is a black calfskin with ecru stitching, hazelnut lining, and a leather sole. I purchased it in Europe about a year ago which costs me around 700 Euros, more or less, then I got a tax-free. So far, the official US price is $680. This sandal is pricey so I recommend at least seeing it in person and trying it before you make the splurge. This comes in different leathers and colors, but they all have that signature H style upper.

While this sandal may look lightweight and comfy, I find that it’s actually a bit heavy, or more like sturdy, to be precise. It is comfy indeed and you don’t really need to break it in. It even gets comfier with time when the leather stretches. I also think that it’s true to size, my feet are a true size 7 and I got mine in size 37. It fits really well. The thing about this sandal is that it has a slimming effect which makes my sort of wide elephant feet look quite elongated and slim. Even though the design looks very minimal, I never had an issue with it sliding off my feet, and ever since wearing it around regularly, like running errands and all, it still looks good even if the leather had already stretched a bit. I think these are really robust, well-made, and worth the splurge.

I don’t think you can submerge this sandal on the beach though. Sure you can go beach walking and strolling around, but just to be on the safe side, try not wet it because it’s still leather, after all.

It’s really nice to have this in different colors, especially the whites and the blue tones. There are even two-toned ones that are also pretty. Overall, it’s a nice and fun sandal to have, and I love the pair that I got very much so. It’s totally comfy, chic, versatile, and durable. It’s great with jeans, pants, shorts, and skirts. You can wear it almost anywhere, whether inside the house or out and about, plus, your feet will always look slim and sleek. Just don’t forget to put on your favorite nail polish.

For more info, you can check out http://www.hermes.com or for some cheaper but used finds, check this out, and also here.

Do you have this pair of sandals? What do you love about them?

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