Reviews and Other Stuff

Two Poetry Books To Read At Bedtime

October 23, 2018 / OTHER STUFF / 0 comments

Hey There! I’ve been reading some poetry books lately and thought that I would like to share two of my favorites with you guys. I have a thing for reading inspirational poetry books at bedtime since they always seem to put me at ease, and reading at night, in general, is perfectly conducive for sleep. The poetry books that I’m about to review and recommend to you all are not only inspirational, they also speak volumes. Meaning, these two books can put you in different emotional states, be it being sad, happy, lonely, or the kind that puts you in a dreamy mood. I usually read a few pages every night of these before I go to sleep and I love it. The chapters found in these books may cater to what you’re feeling for the moment since each line or each poem speaks from the heart.

I Wrote This For You By Ian S. Thomas (Hardcover: $18.56) – I discovered this book at Costco, and I was really drawn to its catchy front cover, however, I didn’t purchase it from there, I got mine at Amazon after reading all the good reviews. This is a beautiful book of poetry blended with photography. The poems here are dark, sad, and gloomy, yet they’re also full of hope and longing. There are poems about life, death, love, beauty, and pain along with some somber and dreamy photographs to match the whole mood and scene. So if you’re the type that likes photography and poetry, then this is the book for you. There is a paperback version of this book which is also nice and is a lot easier to carry, but it doesn’t seem to contain as many poems as this hardcover version which also makes for a beautiful side table book.

Pillow Thoughts by Courtney Peppernell (Paperback: $12.99) – This is an inspirational poetry book for those who are in love, longing to be loved, getting over a love, or even to those who are not in love, LOL. The poems in this lightweight suede-like feel book are just beautifully inspiring that it makes you fall in love for no reason. Some lines are tragic, some are truly heartbreaking, while some are just purely spoken from the heart. There is a poem for all kinds of love here, whether you’re a member of the Broken Hearts Club or are simply looking to be inspired. Now, I can’t wait to read Pillow Thoughts II.

Are you also a poetry fan? Have you read these books before?

The Pillow Thoughts and I Wrote This For You books are currently available in Kindle, Paperback and Hardcover format at Amazon.com

* Satin/Silk sleep mask in this photo is by Mary Green, similar style HERE.

* Byredo Tree House candle is available HERE, reviewed HERE.

* Nars Monoi Body Glow II can be found HERE, reviewed HERE.

Viktor&Rolf Magic Collection Discovery Set Review

October 19, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hello There Friends! This season may be full of the latest releases in makeup and all things beauty, but for me, this is also the time to discover new and exciting scents. It’s been a while since I’ve tested and ventured into finding another signature scent, that’s because finding that one fragrance that will blow your mind away doesn’t always come easy for me. Usually, it happens by chance. Luckily, several weeks ago, I happen to sniff a sample of one of the latest fragrances from Viktor&Rolf called “Liquid Diamonds” (0.30 oz: $30, 2.5 oz: $190) from their Magic Collection and the scent is truly magical.

I was never really a fan of Viktor&Rolf fragrances before (now I am), and their Flowerbomb scent is just too much for me, but I decided to check out their latest Magic Collection Eau de Parfums to see if there are other scents I might like apart from Liquid Diamonds, and true to my intuition, indeed, there is a lot to like and fall in love with this Magic Collection Discovery Set (6 x 0.3 oz/ 9 ml: $135.00).

The Viktor&Rolf Magic Collection Discovery Set has six magical and well-curated travel-size fragrances housed in a beautiful box with the signature black Viktor&Rolf seal. They are all Eau de Parfums and each has a distinctive and evocative impression.

Magic Lavender Illusion: This is a very feminine scent that is mild, sweet and a tad earthy. It’s a blend of lavender and citrus and it will remind you a bit of that light ocean air.

Magic Dirty Trick: This a warm and intense scent that is leathery, musky and spicy. It has Iris accord and it’s also quite a masculine scent.

Magic Dancing Roses: Smells like a fresh rose bloom in the early morning. This is a very intriguing and enchanting scent that has the perfect blend of rose essence and cherry. It is mild, fresh, fruity, and floral. Definitely irresistible as a rose.

Magic Sparkling Secret: Has exciting first notes of orange and fizzy accord. This is a refreshing scent that is hard to ignore but is also a reminiscent of Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue.

Magic Sage Spell: This has strong and complex top notes. It is musky, woody, a bit spicy, and quite masculine. The dry down is really good and it becomes mild, yet it lasts a very long time.

Magic Liquid Diamonds: This is the scent that captured my heart, body, and soul, lol! There is something special and beautiful about this scent. It is simple yet complicated, it is fresh and mysterious, it is clean and alluring. It has a delicate floral powdery scent that smells like fresh clean clothes and in a way soapy, but it’s also very feminine, romantic, elegant, and sexy. Wearing this is just exciting from the first spritz down to the last remaining notes. I definitely found my signature scent for all seasons in this one.

The Viktor&Rolf Magic Collection Discovery Set gets a huge thumbs up for me. The scents are unisex and all the fragrances in this new collection are well-curated and you’ll definitely find a signature favorite for all seasons and for all occasions. With that being said, I do have my top Favorites: Liquid Diamonds, Lavender Illusion, Dancing Roses, and Sparkling Secret.

Have you tried any of these scents already?

The Viktor&Rolf Magic Collection Fragrances are currently available at Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue, Selfridges, and Harrods

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Review (New Shades)

October 17, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Howdy, All! As you guys know, I’m really loving the latest lipstick releases from Chanel this Fall and I highly recommend them. You can see my review of the Chanel Liquid Powder and the Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme HERE and HERE. Now, for my final Chanel lipstick review this season (hopefully, LOL), let’s talk about the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet ($37) and some of its new shades. This lipstick is what Chanel describes as luminous matte, and it has a lightweight comfortable feel with a very good color payoff. As soon as I found out that Chanel expanded the color range of this reliable lipstick, I got really excited since I’ve been a fan of this particular lip product for a very long time.

This lipstick is one of my go-to matte lipsticks ever, and I always keep the Libre shade in my purse, simply because I like that shade a lot. However, with all the new shades added recently in this Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet lipstick line, I feel like I might have another one or two favorites to keep inside my purse. You might be wondering why I like this lipstick a lot. Well, first, it’s matte, and I love mattifying or matte finish lipsticks. Second, this is a very comfortable matte lipstick that doesn’t dry the lips even after hours and hours of wearing it, and though it says it’s luminous, it just has a very subtle luminous effect. It’s not exactly satiny, and it doesn’t move around since it’s not overly creamy, yet it glides on the lips effortlessly. Third, the pigment is superb and it doesn’t transfer much. This lipstick lasts a long time on me even without reapplication. Fourth, there is no strong scent, and lastly, I love its click-case casing that looks classic, timeless, and elegant.

Here are three of the new shades added in this classic Chanel matte lipstick line including the limited-edition Chanel No.5 shade.

Abstrait – nude coral-rose, a beautiful complex nude shade that adds a nice flush of color on the lips. My new go-to everyday lip shade for the whole year.

No. 5 – online this gave me the impression that this is meant to be a true red lip color, but in reality, this is actually red and orange-tinged, and it’s a little too bright and too much for me. My skin tone can’t pull off red-orange colors and this shade seems to draw most of the attention to my lips.

Unique – wine-red. A pretty dupeable shade, so it’s not really unique, but I love this! Can never have too many burgundies, vamps and any other deep shades this Fall.

I absolutely recommend that you try this Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick, if you haven’t already, and at least take note of the new shades which are timely for this season and even for the whole year round. You will not be disappointed with its color range, pigment, and comfort especially if you’re a matte lover. This is a reliable lipstick to keep forever.

The Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet and its new shades are currently available at most Chanel Beauty Counters, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Barneys New York, Harrods and at Chanel.com