Reviews and Other Stuff

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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Samples of The Week: Clinique, OleHenriksen, AmorePacific, Smashbox & Tarte

April 7, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hiya Everybody! Let’s talk about some samples today. I know we all love samples and you must have some in your stash right now. Don’t cha just love them? It’s so nice to try something in a miniature size before finally pulling the trigger to purchase the real deal. Most makeups or beauty products nowadays can cost quite a lot, and it’s really better to try them first to see if they’re worth the dollah. Speaking of samples, today, I have a few samples to share with you since I really like them a lot and had been testing them recently. These are the samples I usually obtain from Sephora Rewards Bazaar, or from other stores that gave free samples as part of your purchase.

Let’s take a look:

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water – A makeup primer spray and a makeup setting spray at the same time. What an interesting blend this hybrid spray does. It’s devoid of any scent and doesn’t seem to cause any allergies or break out. At least my skin did not. I tried this as a primer, but it didn’t seem to work very well. In fact, I didn’t notice anything at all. It was as if I didn’t use any primer on my face. I found myself still using the original Smashbox Primer to prep my face prior to my foundation. As a setting spray, I thought this was just ok. Didn’t see much difference. However, as an everyday spray to hydrate and refresh the face, I find that this particular product works really well. It’s also great for oily skin because it’s non-sticky, lightweight and makes your face look slightly dewy. Comes in two sizes: 1 oz for $16 and 3.9 oz for $32.

Amorepacific Moisture Bound Refreshing Hydra-Gel Oil-Free – A lightweight gel moisturizer that smells like a light floral perfume. I love how it gets absorbed by my skin so easily and my face felt supple after using it. It seems to keep my skin moisturize even after several hours and had calmed down some redness around my cheeks. I even love how cute and practical the container is, because it has a tiny mirror on top, ideal for quick touchups. The only downside is the price. The regular 1.7 oz size costs $100.

Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight – Got this from Sephora rewards bazaar. I was surprised by the size of this sample. I thought it looked more like a full size product because the tube is thick and quite large, but much to my surprise, there’s really not much product in it. Anyway, I’m impressed with this highlighter. First, it’s so easy to use. Just swipe and blend, then you’re set. Second, I love the soft pearl shade because it doesn’t look over the top. Third, the creamy formulation is so easy to work around the face. So far, there’s only one shade and one size of this particular highlighter. I would love to see more colors in the future because I really like this product. It’s $23 for 0.21 oz.

OleHenriksen Counter Balance Oil Control Hydrator – A heaven-sent menthol-scented moisturizer that’s perfect for anybody with an oily skin or prone to it, like yours truly. It’s also good for any skin type and it really works very well to control the oil. In fact, it keeps my skin mattified for 6-8 hours. I love this already, I swear. It’s also very lightweight and feels very refreshing. Love the eucalyptus coolness on my face whenever I put this on. Also, this doesn’t dry my skin, but just well-balanced and prevents my makeup from melting. Comes in 1.7 oz for $34.

Tarte Rainforest of The Sea Marine Boosting Mist – I may have discovered another great face mist. Yep, it’s this one. It was love at first spray, though the spray seems to deliver large mists, but I am so in love with the scent of this product. It’s so irresistible, like a fresh tangerine or citrus. It smells just like Tarte Drink of H20 Hydrating Boost Moisturizer which I also like a lot. This mist is very hydrating and very refreshing. I can see myself using this for the winter and also this coming summer. 2-3 sprays give a long lasting effect and my face looks refreshed and glowy. It can also be used as a primer and a setting spray. I just love how versatile this mist is, plus it’s vegan. Available in 2 sizes; 1.01 oz for $12 and 2.5 oz for $25.

Verdict: I love all these samples that I’ve tried, though I might skip on the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water. I will definitely purchase the Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight, OleHenriksen Counter Balance Oil Control Hydrator, and Tarte Rainforest of The Sea Marine Boosting Mist in full sizes.

Have you tried any of these samples yet?

T.G.I.F

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