Reviews and Other Stuff

Dior Vernis Review

April 13, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

This is my first time trying out the Dior Nail Polish and I honestly can say that I love their nail colors so much already. I’ve always been using Chanel for most of my high-end nail lacquers (reviewed HERE), supplemented by a bunch of OPI, Essie, and China Glaze. This time I’m venturing into other nail polishes to see if the grass is really always greener on the other side. Well, I’m happy to say that yeah, perhaps, it almost always is, except for a few caveats.

The Dior Vernis nail colors are all in a gel formula, just like the new Chanel Le Vernis. It goes on smoothly and feels very rich and creamy while fast-drying at the same time. The brush applicator is wide and very precise, which I’m really impressed at. Also, the scent of this particular nail polish is not as strong as the other nail polishes I’ve tried before, even slightly less than Chanel’s. The very best thing about the Dior Vernis Gel Shine is that the colors are extremely versatile, wearable, very classic and well-pigmented. I noticed that I seem to like most of their shades and would want to wear them all.

Incognito (257) – Definitely the best nail color if you want something subtle yet sophisticated. It’s a very corporate shade and also very casual. The best definition would be that this nail color is very versatile for everyday use. The perfect nude nail color, even more so for medium skin tones.

Cosmopolite (785) – I’d like to call this a vintage, retro-ish, washed-out red, or more of a brick rose-red. It’s classic but not boring and has an old-world feel. A muted red that is also very versatile. Great for when you’re bored of red nails or that red nails may be a bit too much for the occasion. This is definitely a unique red tone shade.

Mirage (338) – If you’re a fan of purples, magentas, plums, or violet-pinks like me, then you’ll love this shade. It’s quite similar to OPI Dim Sum Plum or Essie Big Spender, but with slightly more lasting power than the other two.

Massaï (853) – My most favorite shade of the entire Dior Vernis by far, and one of the most perfect red nail color I’ve ever seen. It’s definitely a rich deep red and slightly vampy like blood. There’s no black tone nor orange tone. It’s more of a blue-toned red and the formula goes on smoothly into the nails. This nail polish definitely complements all skin tones because of its perfect beauty.

Nuit 1947 (970) – I love vampy shades and this one is also perfect for me. It’s a deep vampy red like wine but looks almost black in low light. It’s similar to Chanel Le Vernis in Rouge Noir than Vamp. No shimmers, just plain reddish-black nail color.

Gel Coat – This is the topcoat of choice for the Dior Vernis Gel Shine. It is meant to make the gel nail colors dry fast and to make them long-wearing. Which I think is definitely true on the fast-drying ability of this topcoat, but I’m not sure about this top coat’s long-wear potential. My nail color starts chipping on the side during the 5^th day, which doesn’t happen with me whenever I use the Chanel Le Gel Coat with the Chanel Le Vernis. I don’t know if it’s this topcoat or the Dior Vernis in general, but I find this topcoat to be not as long-wearing as what it’s supposed to be. A lot of people prefer the Top Coat Abricot more than this Gel Coat, which I haven’t tried yet, but will definitely give it a go-to compare them side by side pretty soon.

Verdict: I love the Dior Vernis and will definitely recommend it to you all. The colors are great and the formula is also wonderful. I love that the scent is not too strong and it disappears quickly, and I also love the wide brush applicator for a more even application better than Chanel’s. Also, the nail colors dry very fast with the help of the designated Gel Top Coat, but it’s not as long-lasting as the Chanel Le Gel Coat (reviewed HERE). I probably get a good 7 days of wear with these Dior nail polishes, while I get almost 2 weeks from the Chanel Le Vernis. In addition to that, Chanel has a lot of colors to choose from, yet Dior Vernis’ well-pigmented pretty colors are to die for.

– The Dior Vernis retails for $27 in Sephora, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Saks, & Neiman Marcus.

– The Dior Gel Coat is also $27 in these following retailers: Sephora, Nordstrom, Macys & Saks

– While the Chanel Le Vernis nail polishes are also available at Nordstrom

Have a great day friends, stay tuned for more reviews…

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Atelier Cologne Perfume Review

April 12, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Oh Hey There! As I have mentioned before, finally, here’s my very own review of a couple of Atelier Cologne scents which are making a lot of noise in the scent department nowadays. I first discovered Atelier Colognes from one of the sample scents that was included in my Sephora Play! Box, and I fell in love with the brand right then and there.

I love colognes, eau de toilettes and anything lightly-scented during spring and summer, and the Atelier Colognes have just the perfect scents for these seasons. Be it fruit, floral or slightly warm and woody, there’s definitely an Atelier Cologne perfume for that.

I love the fact that the brand has literally lots of different fragrances to choose from, and there’s even different sets of fragrances that complements your lifestyle, makeup and personal story. For this review, I’ve chosen the Atelier Cologne Perfume Palette, which is basically a set of samples of the brand’s colognes that complements different kinds of makeup look, or should I say highlights your best makeup features. On top of that, the scents in this set are full of the brand’s bestselling scent, and there’s 8 to choose from. Isn’t that cool?

Now let’s start.

The No-Makeup Makeup Scents: (For those who likes to go Au-Naturel).

Orange Sanguine – Smells like true sweet orange and orange peel. This scent is delish and I really love it even though it doesn’t last long enough for me. A pure orange scent for those who can’t get enough of oranges and more oranges.
Clementine California – Just like freshly-squeezed clementines and mandarins, this scent is fresh and juicy. It’s slightly different from Orange Sanguine, because this scent is more green and slightly citrusy, like a fresh burst of Clementine with a hint of sandalwood. Love that this is very long lasting and it’s ideal for this spring and summer.

The Red Lips Scents: (For Retro Lovers).

Vanille Insensée – Just like a warm toasted vanilla with a hint of coriander and a bit of jasmine, this particular scent is mind-blowing and mysterious. It’s not the delicious vanilla type of scent, but more of a mature sexy vanilla tone, and the dry-down is even more enthralling. It’s like you’ve known this scent before, but you don’t really know what it is.
Rose Anonyme – Definitely a rose petal scent with hints of something earthy like patchouli and ginger. It’s pretty long-wearing and dry-down becomes powdery-rose. To me, I think it’s quite similar to a couple of Chloe Perfumes, specially the L’eau de Chloe Eau de Toilette. Mysterious, fresh and unique.

For Smokey Eyes: (What Happened Last Night?).

Santal Carmin – With bergamot, sandalwood and vanilla, this scent is slightly masculine but can also be a unisex scent and quite fresh. It doesn’t last very long on me though, and the dry-down is kinda sweet. It’s also subtly musky but still great enough as an anytime or anywhere scent.
Oud Saphir – A deep, dark, musky and woody scent. Very very masculine but dries into a soft woody-floral note. I could sense the blend of jasmine, oud and suede in this cologne. Dark, smoldering, sexy and very long-wearing.

Sun-Kissed Glow Lovers (For those vacayholics and contouring/strobing fanatics).

Sud Magnolia – A little musky, a little fruity, a little flowery. Such is the blend of this amazing and complicated scent. It comes off as musky and earthy at first, then dries down to something very pleasant, very dreamy, very green and ocean-like. A perfect vacay scent with notes of orange, blackcurrant, magnolia and cedarwood. What a beautiful blend this is and the wear time is pretty good too. Also, this scent reminds me of Hermès Garden Collection fragrances, reviewed HERE. Like a cross between Un Jardin Sur Le Nil and Un Jardin Sur Le Toit.
Cèdre Atlas – The moment I sprayed this on my wrist, I felt like I was whisked away to another world, somewhere near the pacific or near white sands and beaches. No, I wasn’t hangover or anything, heheh, I just know that the scent is simply divine and irresistible. A great aquatic scent that has lemon, bergamot, cedarwood and amber. It smells very much like Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue.

Another great thing that I enjoy about Atelier Colognes are the intriguing and uncliché story behind each and every scent. I always read them because I find them to be captivating, romantic and cute.

Of all the scents tested here, my top favorites are: Orange Sanguine, Clementine California, Rose Anonyme, Sud Magnolia and Cèdre Atlas.

This limited edition Atelier Cologne Perfume Palette Set is available in Sephora for $18.

With all the great scents that Atelier Cologne has to offer, it’s easy to find one that will become your signature scent. Have you tried any Atelier Colognes before? If so, what’s your fave?

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GLAMGLOW SUPERMUD Clearing Treatment Mask Review

April 11, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Whaddup Everyone! I have been living on Glamglow Supermud Mask samples for a few weeks and I finally bought the largest size in 1.07 oz for $69. It’s a pricey mud mask yeah, but it works wonders to my skin. With 4 star reviews in Sephora, this mask is definitely worth a try and to keep in your vanity.

I first got a sample of this mask from my monthly Sephora Play! box subscription and immediately tried it on my face. It has a strong eucalyptus and charcoal scent that may be too much at first, but you’ll get used to it after a few seconds. It doesn’t really smell like mud or most mud masks though, I’d say, the Glamglow Supermud smells much fresher and much better than that. I actually kinda like the smell, it’s invigorating and relaxing, a bit like those pain-relief gels or creams. But what I like most about this mask is that it helps to suck in excess oil from my skin and it definitely goes deep down into my pores to help control my whiteheads and blackheads. I’ve never seen a mask like this before.

The mask coats into the skin and dries within seconds. Only a thin layer of it will do the job, and as it dries, you’d feel your face tightening like you’re turning into a stone hehehe, like most masks. And yet this particular mask feels tighter on the face than the others. It makes you feel like you have botox all over your face and you can’t move it nor speak. Oh I love the feeling, it’s like you’re trying to talk but your entire face feels paralyzed, and then you struggle to pronounce the words, hmm, there’s just something funny and challenging about that, I don’t know why, but perhaps I’m just crazy. When the mask dries, you could see that your face transformed into a world map full of small and large pores, it looks scary and slightly gross. For those with Trypophobia, goodluck staring at your face while on Glamglow Supermud, LOL!

You can let the mask stay on for 5-20 minutes and then rinse it off. Actually, when I first tried this mask, I was kinda disappointed because my skin broke out the next day. So I stopped it for a while and tried it again later on. Since trying it for the second time, my skin never had any issue with it. You might feel a tingling sensation the longer the mask sits on your face. The magic happens right after washing off the mud, and in my personal experience, I noticed that my face looked thoroughly cleaned even down to the smallest of pores. My blackheads and whiteheads disappeared like they were just a nightmare, and my pores looked tighter. In fact, my entire face looks brighter, as if a shadow was casted out and I became one shade lighter or something. The oil and shine were obliterated and it even took out my acne scars and some other blemishes. All of it happened after every use of the Glamglow mask. I love how my skin felt soft and renewed afterwards, even after applying my serum and moisturizer.

I think Glamglow Supermud truly works specially if you have oily or combo skin with some problems like blemishes, blackheads, whiteheads, etc. however, the price of $69 for 1.07 oz jar is a bit too much, but it works, and if you’re on a budget, this mask also comes in 0.5 oz for $22. One thing I noticed is that some of the masks tend to dry up with time even while in the jar, so might as well seal the cap tightly after every use. With AHA and BHA acid plus Activated-X Charcoal, there is a lot to love in this pricey but very effective mask.

P.S. Can’t wait to try other Glamglow masks soon. I have my eyes set on the Flashmud and Powermud.

What’s your favorite mask of all time?

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