Lush Product Review || The Comforter Bubble Bar & Avobath Bath Bomb

Hello my blooming buds!

Last week I went into Lush for the first time after doing some research on what I should choose as my first purchases. First purchases are important since they make the first impression of everything else for me. I decided to go with a bubble bar and a bath bomb. I don't take baths that often since my tub is small, but I do enjoy bubbles, especially if it comes with benefits. 

I got the Comforter bubble bar and the Avobath bath bomb here. You can see that I've used a chunk of the bubble bar. I have since used the bath bomb as well.

The Comforter: This is the most popular bubble bar that Lush has and I can see why. I decided to get this one since it was more bang for your buck. I can get four baths out of this.  I thought it was just going to be a lot of bubbles, but it comes with benefits as well. I crumbled the bar slowly  under running water and watched as it bubbled magnificently with such a lovely smell. It's good enough to eat. I was tempted to lick the water. As I soaked in the pink bath water amidst the bubbles, I felt so relaxed. When I came out of the tub, my skin was so soft! Not only that, the dry patch on my left elbow was gone! I kept touching it to make sure it was really gone. Needless to say, I will be repurchasing this.

Avobath: The sales associate at Lush recommended this one since I was looking for a bath bomb that didn't leave big chunks of glitter or seaweed in the drain. I loved the smell of the lemon grass and green that it turned my tub. It was very pleasant to soak and smell the lemon grass. It felt moisturizing as I was in the tub, but after I came out, my skin didn't feel as soft as after I had used the Comforter bubble bar. That was surprising to me since the bath bombs are supposedly more "treatment" than the bubble bars. I wont be repurchasing this particular one for a while. I'll have to try the more flashy bath bombs first.

I did receive samples of the Dream Cream body lotion and Coconut deodorant powder. I really like the Dream Cream, but the smell is just bearable. The Coconut deodorant powder on the other hand smells funky, in a bad way. I dislike coconut already, but this smells like the shell of the coconut after you scrape out the coconut meat. I have not used it and probably will not.

I'm looking forward to visiting Lush again to try out another bubble bar when I run out of the Comforter!

What's your favorite product from Lush?

Buh-bye xo

Lipstick Review & Swatches || The Collection So Far

Hello my blooming buds!

I've got a small collection of lipsticks so I thought I would share all of them with you in one go. It's still image heavy so get ready for this!

From right to left and bottom: NYX Matte Lipstick in Strawberry Daiquiri, Shiseido Advanced Performance Lipstick in 108 Mauve Breeze, Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in 070 Airy Fairy, Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss in 109, Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 750 Kiss Me Coral, NYX Slim Lip Pencil in 824 Orange.

These are my bare lips. Dry, uneven, chapped, dead skin covered, mismatched colored, and all.

NYX Matte Lipstick in Strawberry Daiquiri

I've heard many raves about NYX lipsticks and decided to give it a try with a matte one. This is a strawberry pink that is more flattering with those that have lighter skin. I find this color to be great for an everyday look, but it's also very drying. My lips are already dry so this accentuates them. However, it looks great with a lip balm under it. I'm not a fan of the packaging on these. It has a really cheapy feel. I'll have to try the NYX black label and round lipsticks in the future.

Shiseido Advanced Performance Lipstick in 108 Mauve Breeze

I found this gem in my mom's make up cabinet of forgotten-ness. This isn't so much mauve as it is pink, but this shade is my perfect natural color so it's great for everyday wear. This is also incredibly moisturizing and is light weight on the lips. Sadly this is a discontinued line for Shiseido so I will be using it with care!

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in 070 Airy Fairy

This is another discontinued lipstick from Rimmel. Airy Fairy is a shimmery pink nude which looks best on lighter skin folks. I personally don't like the formula of this since it accentuates the dead skin and dryness of my lips, but I do love the color.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss in 109

I've been eyeing this one for a while since I heard that it was supposed to be a close dupe for Revlon's Matte Lipstick in Strawberry Suede. This is a brighter version of the NYX's Strawberry Daiquiri, though more coral. This isn't as matte as the NYX lipstick, but this is more moisturizing. I really love coral colors and the packaging of this lipstick. It makes it feel like a high end lipstick.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 750 Kiss Me Coral

This is my all time favorite lipstick that I own. It's a bright orangey coral with a creme finish. I've been wearing this out a lot lately on it's own or mattifying it (I'll do a little tutorial on that soon). This picture doesn't do it justice on how bright and fun of a color it is. Even though the fall is fast approaching, it's always a summery weather in Hawaii so pulling off this color is a breeze!

NYX Slim Lip Pencil in 824 Orange

I was wondering whether or not to bother with a lip liner, but I decided to try it out since I have some bright coral lipsticks that need a bit more precision. This is a perfect match to Revlon's Kiss Me Coral and goes well with Rimmel's 109. It applies smoothly and has a matte finish. This is not an automatic liner so you will have to sharpen it. I'm glad I got this lip liner because I can wear it on it own for a super light weight feeling.

There goes my lips! They're a bit red and swollen from all these swatches. If you've got suggestions of coral shade lipsticks, let me know! I'm always on the lookout!

Buh-bye xo

Nail Polish Swatch & Review || Maybelline Color Show Nail Laquer Polka Dots in Blue Marks the Spot

Hello my blooming buds!

I finally got my hands on Maybelline's new polka dots nail polish in one of the colors I wanted! They've been sold out at my nearest Walmart, two CVS stores, and a Walgreens. The only colors they had left were the orange and clear ones. I'm still on the look out for the pink and green one. I'm kind of jealous that the UK versions of this nail polish have darker shades, but I would rather have the US version over the UK version. 

Blue Marks the Spot has black and white matte glitters in different sizes in a sheer milky blue jelly base. This is my first jelly type of nail polish and I really love the "glitter sandwich" look. I put on three coats of this to achieve this opacity. The only gripe I have with this polish is that I wish that it didn't catch so much of the glitter per coat so that I can build up the color without have a mass amount of glitter. But if you like having a lot of glitter applied per coat, this is for you. I bet it would be great as a top coat on white polish.

What do you think about the glitter sandwich look on nails?

Buh-bye xo

Tag || This or That

Hello my blooming buds!

I saw this fun tag on The Face of Grace's blog so I thought I'd share it, although I wasn't tagged. :P

Makeup:

Blush or Bronzer- Blush. I've never tried bronzer yet as I'm afraid of looking like I have dirt on my face. I will do a bit of research for drugstore bronzers before trying them out.

Lipgloss or Lipstick- Lipstick. I love wearing minty lipglosses, but when the wind is blowing at my hair touches my lips, it gets on my glasses. ):

Eye liner or Mascara- Eye liner. Again, because of my glasses I don't like to wear mascara since my eye lashes tend to touch my glasses when I wear it.

Foundation or Concealer- Foundation. I don't like the heavy feeling so I just wear foundation. Luckily, my skin is horrible so I don't have much to cover up.

Neutral or Colour Eye Shadow- I wear mostly neutral/natural eye shadows, but I love bright colors. I just wish I could pull them off more.

Pressed or Loose Eyeshadows- Pressed. The only semi loose eye shadow I like are the Loreal Infallible ones. Other than that, I would much rather pressed or cream.

Brushes or Sponges- I like using sponges for applying foundation, but for everything else I use my finger or brushes.

Nails:

OPI or china glaze- OPI. I've never tried a china glaze polish yet, but I love the brush and application of my OPI polishes. 

Long or short- Neither. I like having my nails at a medium length. If it's too short or too long, it hurts to do everyday things and I end up scratching people by accident. xD

Acrylic or natural- Natural. I can't justify shelling out that kind of money for something I can't wear more than a couple days because my part time job prevents me from wearing polish to begin with.

Brights or darks- Both. I love bright colors for solid color nails and dark colors to put special effect top coats on.

Flower or no flower- Flower. When I have the time, I love the look of simple daisys.

Body:

Perfume or Body Splash- Perfume. They last longer and have a more adult smell to them. However I do use body splashed more since they are a bit cheaper. My body splash has great staying power since it was on the pricier end.

Lotion or Body Butter- Lotion. I don't use lotion as much as I should though.

Body Wash or Soap-  Both. I use body wash for my body and to shave with, but I always have my trusty Dove soap for gently cleansing my face. I also really want to try Lush soaps when I can afford to splurge a bit.

Lush or Other Bath Company- Lush! I tried them out for the first time recently and looove it!

Fashion:

Jeans or Sweat Pants- Jeans.  I really dislike seeing people in sweatpants out in public unless it's for going to the gym. I do own sweatpants, but they are super skinny ones that look like leggings. Even then I don't wear them out.

Long Sleeve or Short- Short sleeve. Not like tank top cut, but like a regular tee length sleeve.

Dresses or Skirts- Skirts. I love to wear them, but I don't have many tops to wear with them. Dresses now days are cut so short (I'm 5'8") that I feel like I have to wear shorts under them.

Stripes or Plaid- Both! I have more stripes, but I absolutely love plaid!

Flip Flops or Sandals- Flip flops. In Hawaii, we call them slippers. No one says flip flops here unless you're a tourist. xD It's easy to find cute slippers and they're easier to slip on in a rush.

Scarves or Hats- Scarves. Although I never wear them, I look better in a scarf than in a hat.

Studs or Dangly Earrings- Studs. I don't like dangly ones getting caught in my hair.

Necklaces or Bracelets- Both. Necklaces don't get in the way as much as bracelets do, but I love jingly bracelets. 

Heels or Flats- Heels. Even though I look like a giant with heels on, they make my calves look nice and transform a casual look to be girly.

Cowboy Boots or Riding Boots- Cowboy Boots! I don't own any, but I love the way they look.

Jacket or Hoodie- Hoodie. It's usually too hot to wear a jacket so a hoodie is better for the rain. My favorite hoodie is like a thicker fabric plaid button down with a giant hood. It's a mens hoodie, but I love it so much.

Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe- Forever 21. They have more variety in styles so there's something for everyone.

Abercombie or Hollister- I much rather Gilly Hicks (Biased since I work there). Gilly is the cheapest brand in the company. I hate the stereotyping of people who shop here. People automatically assume only preppy/attractive/skinny people can wear their clothes. Absolutely false. I'm a size 12 and I'm not even the biggest female employee there that can wear the clothes.

Saks 5th or Nordstrom- Nordstrom. Their outlet stores have such great deals on high end make up like Urban Decay, Stila, Anatasia, and more!

Hair:

Curly or Straight- Straight. I've got the typical black, thick, straight, Asian hair going on.

Bun or Ponytail- Ponytail. I cannot make a decent bun for the life of me.

Bobby Pins or Butterfly Clips- Butterfly clips. I normally don't wear anything else besides a hair tie, but butterfly clips are great for those half up do's.

Hair Spray or Gel- Hairspray, although I don't use it.

Long or Short- Long. I stupidly cut my hair extremely short, like a guy, twice in high school. Now my hair is pretty long and I love it. 

Light or Dark- Dark. I have black hair. I wouldn't might getting highlights, but my job doesn't permit unnatural looks.

Side Sweep Bangs or Full Bangs- I would like side swept bangs, but I have a middle part and grown out bangs.

Up or Down- Up. I look a lot prettier with my hair down, but I cannot stand the heat with it down unless I'm in air conditioned rooms.

Random:

Rain or Shine- Rain! It's so comforting to snuggle in my couch my the window and read a book while hearing the rain.

Summer or Winter- Winter. This is Hawaii's rainy season. I have never seen snow in my 21 years of living. ):

Fall or Spring- Fall. I like the cooler months.
 
Chocolate or Vanilla- Both. I like eating chocolate, but I would rather vanilla ice cream.

East Coast or West Coast- Neither! Pacific over here! I do rather like Miami though.

_________________________________

That was interesting to do! I tag everyone who wishes to do this. It took a while to fill out so my fingers are cramping.

Buh-bye xo

Palette Review & Swatches || Urban Decay Naked2 Palette

Hello my blooming buds!

This past Christmas, I received a Naked2 palette from one of my besties that works at Sephora. I was pretty excited since I did not own any Urban Decay eye shadows at the time and saw all the hype with the Naked line. 

It comes in a nice metal case with a mini sized Lip Junkie in the color Naked. The case feels very solid and durable, unlike the original Naked palette which is a cardboard material. There's a nice size mirror, like usual, and dual ended brush with soft bristles. The brush that comes with this palette is my go-to brush.

Here's some palette to swatch comparisons. These were swatched without primer.

Foxy: Matte light cream. Good brow bone highlight.

Half Baked: Shimmery golden bronze.

Bootycall: Shimmery beige. Another good brow bone highlight and for inner corner.

Chopper: Metallic copper with a bit of silver micro glitter. Darker than Shag from the Deluxe Shadow Box.

Tease: Matte mushroom brown. I really like this color for an everyday look. Probably my favorite color in the entire palette.

Snakebite: Metallic dark bronze. A lovely crease shade.

Suspect: Metallic muted gold.

Pistol: Metallic gray brown.

Verve: Shimmery muted grayish beige.

YDK: Metallic cool toned bronze.

Busted: Shimmery dark brown.

Blackout: Matte black. This is just as black as Make Up Forever's eye shadow in Black 4. As you can see it has broken due to someone bumping into the table my palette was on. The whole pan has come off, but I put it back in to take pictures. 

 The Naked2 palette retails for $50.00 USD. Looking at the original Naked palette and this one, I do like the Naked2 better, but having both palettes would make a complete set for natural/neutral colors. I personally would not pay the $50 it costs since I'm a broke university student and it kills me to spend that much money at one time. But if you have the money to spare, I would recommend it. Urban Decay eye shadows are always so pigmented and long lasting, even without a primer.

Which do you like better? The Naked or Naked2 palette?

Buh-bye xo

Face of the Day #2

Hello my blooming buds!

Just heading to Walmart to have a look around for snacks and decided to throw on a face! (:

I was dying to try out a color combination of Fishnet and Peace from the Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box from my last post. This is how I came to mute it a bit for a more wearable look.

I did a wash of Fishnet, concentrating the color at the outer half and then blended in Peace at the inner corners. Finally, to mute it, I added Zero at the lower half like a smudged liner.

Face

Sephora Instant Radiant Foundation in Medium

Eyes

Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box in Fishnet, Peace, and Zero

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero

Lips

Shiseido Advanced Performance Lipstick in 108 Mauve Breeze

With played up eye shadow, I used a lipstick that is my perfect natural lip color to balance it out. My acne scar is slowly fading away. I get a nasty cystic pimple every once in a while and I don't really like to use concealers so it shows through my foundation.

Buh-bye xo

Palette Review & Swatches || Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box

Hello my blooming buds!

I took my mom out shopping after her birthday lunch earlier this week and we popped by Nordstrom Rack to look at some goodies. I've never been there in a long time so I hit immediately hit up the cosmetics area to see if there was anything worth getting. There were so many high end palettes there for so cheap! I stuck with just getting one since I didn't know how much stuff my mom was picking out. 

The Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box is an older palette with nine shadows, two dual ended sponge applicators, and a travel size primer potion. I will probably never use the sponge applicators, but it's nice for emergencies. I already have a full size of the squeeze tube primer potion so this mini size will be saved for a trip. (;

The palette is make like the Naked palette, cardboard covered with velvet, but with the added mesh. The inside has a nice sized mirror and lovely floral detail.

Here's some swatches next to the palette for comparison.

Fishnet: Duo-chrome fuchsia with a hint of blue sheen. One of my favorites from this palette, although it'll be hard to figure out how to wear.

Honey: Metallic yellow gold. Really lovely shade of gold.

Ransom: Chrome blue tinted purple. This is almost duo-chrome looking. It can flash blue to purple at different angles.

Graffiti: Chrome jade green. It's a great wearable green that isn't too neon-y or too bright.

Zero: Matte black with very minimal sparkles. I thought this was just like it's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil counter part, but there were some subtle shimmers.

Peace: Chrome robin's egg/turquoise. Another one of my favorites. This is the shade that made me choose this palette over the Ammo palette. 

Shag: Metallic copper. I have a feeling I have something similar to this on my Naked 2 palette. 

Scratch: Metallic rose gold. I don't have a metallic shade like this so I'm excited to use it!

Underground: Metallic burnt taupe. Another one where I think I have something similar on my Naked 2 palette.

This palette is super fun and great for spontaneous looks while still having natural colors for toning it down. At $9.97 at Nordstrom Rack, it was a steal compared to it's regular price of $38! You can also get it for $10 on the Urban Decay website, but you'd have to pay for shipping.

What kind of eye look would you create with this palette?

Buh-bye xo

Face of the Day #1

I've been on a coral kick lately... I paired some coral lips with a simple winged eyeliner. 

Face

Sephora Instant Radiant Foundation in Medium

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Peach Satin

Eyes

Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum in Deep Brown

Lips

Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss in 109

Of course with my monolid eyes, it's hard to see eyeliner and since I wear glasses, it's a pain to wear mascara. It bothers me to have my eye lashes touching my glasses. It's going to be a summer of coral lips!

What do you think of the summer coral craze?

Buh-bye xo