Reviews and Other Stuff

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

Follow on Instagram: @reviewsandotherstuff

NARS Audacious Lipstick Review

April 6, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hola Everyone! If you’re looking for a new lipstick to try, here’s a few from Nars Cosmetics that I discovered lately. Well, actually, it all started with Emma Stone’s lip color at the Oscars. I love the La La Land film and I’ve been a fan of Emma ever since Easy A and Zombieland. So of course, when I saw her makeup at the Academy, I thought she looked really good on it, not to mention her beautiful vintage-inspired dress. But what struck me the most was the shade of her lipstick. I don’t know why, but whenever I meet people, I always tend to look at their makeup, and I’m always fascinated by the color of their lipsticks. The same thing is true when I saw Emma Stone’s lipstick on TV. And obviously, I searched online and discovered that she was wearing the Nars Audacious Lipstick in Mona shade.

I’ve had a couple of Nars Lipsticks in the past and I really love them. I think I may have had the satin finishes like; Niagara, Roman Holiday and Dolce Vita. They were relatively easy to wear, non-drying and quite long lasting. I’ve also tried the Nars Velvet Lip Glide (reviewed HERE), the Nars Lip Gloss, and the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, but I’ve never tried the Nars Audacious Lipsticks before. So, off I went to Sephora and decided on 4 shades that I really love, and one of them is Mona of course.

Jane – Terracotta Rose. A true blend of orange and brown, just like the terracotta stoneware. It’s a very versatile shade that adapts to the lighting and skin tone and can be worn day or night. Though the color tends to be on the muted and warm side, this shade is very unique and versatile enough for everyone.

Anita – Antique Rose. A muted light mauve-pink that is just simply pretty. It’s so great as an ideal everyday lipstick and it works really well for light to medium skin tone. Could even be the best pink-nude shade if your skin tone is on the warm side. This shade gives the right amount of flush on my lip’s natural color.

Barbara – Tan Rose. I really love this shade when I swatched it in Sephora, but when I started wearing it, it just seems a bit too nude for me, like a little washed-out or a little “walking dead”, LOL, jokes. I think this would look really great for lighter skin tones, but if your skin tone is on the warm side, might as well try another shade. This shade is the kind of shade I would reach for when I want to rock a heavy drama eye makeup, or for a casual yet edgy chic look.

Mona – Mahogany. Absolutely the best shade among the Nars Audacious Lipsticks in my opinion. No wonder it’s still sold out in Sephora. It’s vampy but different. The blend of red, brown and berry makes this shade very interesting and very versatile. It works on all skin tones, just like the way it looks really good on Emma Stone. It also looks good on my medium skin tone and my friend who has a darker tone than mine looks really good on it as well. I love dark shades of lipsticks, and most that I have are either red-browns or red-berries, but it’s rare to find one that seems to have it all, like Mona. So smile like Mona, from now on. Ohs?

The Nars Audacious Lipsticks are all satin finishes and they are audaciously pigmented. The colors last about 6 hours on me, give or take, and there are no discerning scents. Just a standard lipstick scent that smells slightly waxy and nothing else. It’s buttery smooth upon application and is non-drying throughout. This Allure Best of Beauty winner lipstick also feels weightless and comes in bold array of colors. Each costing $34 for 0.14 oz tube.

Happy Thursday Everybody!

X.O.X.O

Follow me on Instagram: @reviewsandotherstuff

Hermès Garden Collection Coffret Set Review (Un Jardin en Mediterranée, Un Jardin sur le Nil, Un Jardin sur le Toit, Le Jardin de Monsieur Li)

April 5, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Good day guys! Ready for some fragrance review? I’ve got just the perfect spring scents to feature in this review and they’re the Hermès Garden Collection Eau de Toilettes. I love this collection of scents so much, in fact, I’ve been alternating two of the four scents since last Spring and Summer. I usually go for lighter and brighter scents during warm seasons because I find some Eau de Parfums to be too much around these times. Sometimes, I even opt for some colognes. Speaking of colognes, I’m currently testing some Atelier Colognes and a review will be coming up pretty soon.

The Hermes Garden Collection with 4 unisex scents will suit anybody with a thing for unique fragrances that spark an atmosphere of curiosity. Just like that unforgettable stroll into a magical garden. The scents are mysterious and irresistible, so don’t be surprised if people will stop you one day, asking about what scent you’re wearing.

There are only 2 standard sizes available for these scents; The smaller 1.6 oz for $99 and the 3.3 oz for $137. They’re pricey compared to most Eau de Toilettes, but they’re so worth it. I can only wish that Hermès will someday soon sell a designated travel size bottles for these.

Un Jardin sur le Nil – Ever wonder what it smells like strolling around the Nile River? This particular scent is inspired by it. This scent is fresh, clean, crisp, refreshing and sparkling. Probably the most loved scent of all the Hermès Garden Collection, this fragrance is citrusy with a blend of tangerine and some other lemon-ish scent. It’s an interesting blend of allureness and freshness. Very distinctive and long-lasting. This is my second favorite scent of all the Garden Collection.

Un Jardin sur le Toit – Inspired by the garden of feasting and joyfulness. This scent smells like unripe apples and pear and something else. A little too strong at first, almost slightly alcohol-like while being very green and grassy at the same time. It also has a slight magnolia scent and is definitely not fruity, but quite spicy. I’d say it’s more of a manly scent at first spray, but it fades softly and becomes quite feminine later on. It doesn’t stay very long, but two sprays are enough to make it last for a couple of hours.

Un Jardin en Mediterranée – Just like the Mediterranean garden, this is an earthy-woody scent that is long-lasting with a musky tone. The blend of fig and cedarwood is very bold and clean. It smells fresh and slightly masculine. A very sexy scent that can be worn even in winter or fall.

Le Jardin de Monsieur Li – Reminiscent of a Chinese garden that inspires meditation and fantasy. What can I say to the scent that brings back a lot of memories and countless imaginations? Well, a lot, but I’ll try to narrow it down. This scent just blends well on my skin’s chemistry and it’s the one that strikes my olfactory senses very well. Though I didn’t really like it at first, but the more I use it, the more I love it. It’s the one I keep reaching at as my go-to scent. The blend of Kumquat, Jasmine and Grass notes is just elegant and divine. It’s slightly fruity, slightly citrusy, slightly musky, but mostly green but never sharp and never heavy. It’s the perfect blend of whatever you want in an Eau de Toilette or Cologne. That might be why it’s an Allure Best of Beauty award winner. There’s just something different and sophisticated about this scent.

Overall, I love all 4 of the Hermès Garden Collections Scents, but if I have to rank each of them, I’d say, the 4^th place would go to Un Jardin sur le Toit, 3^rd place – Un Jardin en Mediterranée, 2^nd place – Un Jardin sur le Nil and the 1^st place goes to Le Jardin de Monsieur Li.

The Hermes Garden Collection Coffret Set is a limited edition at Sephora. Each small bottle is 7.5 ml. The set costs $50, which is a very good deal.

Have you tried any of there? What’s your fave?

Follow me on Instagram: @reviewsandotherstuff