Month: March 2016

REVIEW ::Dr Brandt Time Reverse Cream

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Dr Brandt’s Do Not Age Time Reverse Cream was another deluxe sample I tried. I am looking for a good anti aging cream to wear at night, and I received this sample to try out. I have stated before I won’t spend a lot of money on things unless I had the opportunity to try them out for 2-3 weeks first. So I was able to make this sample last about 3 weeks and I have some feelings about it.

The Low Down (taken from Sephora’s website)

What it is:
A nourishing, age-defying cream.

What it is formulated to do:
Powered by the skin transforming system, Juvenesscence+ Complex, and infused with an energetic blend of essential oils, this incredible cream helps reduce the look of aging skin. Developed with hydrating babassu oil to provide the ultimate sensorial experience and delivered in an exclusive lamellar formula, the cream melts at skin temperature to moisturize while delivering the power of Juvenessence+ Complex.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
– Parabens
– Sulfates
– Phthalates

What else you need to know:
This product helps promote smooth, supple, youthful-looking skin and acts as an amazing age-defying duo when used in conjunction with the Do Not Age Transforming Pearl Serum.

Research results:
In a consumer study lasting 30 days:
– 100% of subjects reported that their skin felt replenished and hydrated after 1 day
– 100% of subjects reported that their skin had become firmer and tighter after 2 weeks
– 96% of subjects reported that their skin looked plumper and smoother after 1 month
– 96% of subjects reported that the contour of their face looked redefined

My Thoughts

I saw no real noticeable results. Like nothing! If anything the product when applies made my face feel slightly cool, and super greasy. It has really good reviews but it just did absolutely nothing for my skin. Nothing at first, and definitely nothing after 3 weeks of use. I got much better results from the Dr Brandts Dream Night Cream, but even those were lackluster. So far Dr Brandt’s products don’t seem to do anything for me, so I will probably steer away from them. They do get really good reviews so they must work for some people, but this one did nothing for me….whoooomp whoomp.

Grade D

Haul :: ETUDE House Goodies!

~ Beauty Meow ~ 2 Comments

Today has been an excellent day of packages for me. Not only did I receive my beautiful Kashoen Brush set from Tatcha, my SK-II Facial Treatment Essence (I was almost out) but I also got my order from ETUDE House!!!!!

Let me share my goodies! ❤

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I got the limited edition set of the Pink Cherry Blossom items

  • Play Pencil 101 in 5 colors
  • Perfumed Hand Cream
  • Pink Cherry Blossom Eau De Toilette (this smells amazing) Not to sweet, with hints of violet, cherry blossom, peach and amber.
  • Pink Cherry Blossom all over spray
  • Pink Cherry Blossom Pouch (THIS WILL BE PART OF A GIVEAWAY)

I also got…

Wonder Pore Freshner- I have wanted to try this, and have heard really good things.

Snowy Dessert Ginger Cookie Blusher – Look at how cute that packaging is!!! He is in a little oven. 🙂

Play 101 Contour Duo Stick

Zero Sebum Drying Powder- not in the picture, he was hiding in the box

Precious Mineral Magic Cushion– In Pink and Mint

Pure Water  Baobab Moisturizer

Baby Choux Base #2 Berry Shoux

Dear My Enamel Lips  Talk – Color #12, very pretty coral color

Big Cover Cushion Concealer – in illuminate, OMG so shimmery and pretty (also was hiding in the box when I took this picture)

I also got a snow globe pen, and a sample set of their moistfull collagen skincare line!

Can’t wait to try these guys out!

 

Oh OOOOH, I will be doing a giveaway soon, will have items from etude house, 3 concept eyes, and more. stay tuned for more information! ❤

 

 

 

Unboxing – My Kashoen Brush set from Tatcha

~ Beauty Meow ~ 2 Comments

Ok ok, I think its safe to say I positively adore Tatcha products. I also LOVE makeup brushes and cleansing brushes. So when I learned about this limited edition set from Tatcha that features a Kashoen cleansing brush I was so there!

For those of you unfamiliar with Kashoen brushes, they are handmade brushes from Japan, that have been being made since 1883. Their brushes are divine, and I got to feel one (my friend has one) and i have been dying for a few ever since. I could go on and on about them and their brushes, but you can visit their site to learn more. I had ordered a few from Japan (just a small order) and I wanted to get an additional cleanser because I heard they are also perfect for loose powder. so when I saw this set from Tatcha I was so excited!

I also ordered a travel size of their Dewy Mist because I wanted to try it out, and they also sent me a freebie of their rice enzyme powder, which is amazing for cleansing (and perfect use for this brush!)

I love getting their packages because everything is so pretty. They put this pretty purple tape on the outside, so I always know which package is theirs!

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Their invoices are always so beautiful. They print it on beautiful rice paper.

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Another nice touch, a handwritten thank you letter on the bottom of every invoice. ❤

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Love this stuff, very nice freebie!

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So excited to try this out! I threw it straight into my purse!

I also got some samples too. One of the Indigo recovery cream. I like having samples of this because they are perfect for travel. Especially if I am only going out of town for 2-3 days. A sample lasts me that long. I also got their eye cream, and cleansing oil.

OK onto the Brush set! They call it Polished, and I think it is such an appropriate name!

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This is a REALLY  nice box

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OK first, excuse my messy kitchen counter, but if I tried to unbox this anywhere else my cats would get in the way….remember the last time. Also here is a picture of the instructions, and that tiny little hand knotted package is the brush. How beautiful!!!!

Also did I mention how nice the box is, its so nice!

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OMG you guys, this is the prettiest, sweetest, softest brush! I can’t wait to use her! Those Bristles are like the soft belly hair of kitten angels!

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The Lacquered bowl. This is made to be used with the Rice cleanser, which is so fun they made this set for that!

And Finally…….

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The set put together. How PRETTY!! I am in absolute LOVE!!

I need to clean off a space on my counter, so for right now I put it back in its sturdy box, but I should have this set up in the next few days!

I am so in love! I will write a proper review once I really get to using this brush. And I can’t wait for my other brushes to arrive as well!

❤

Skincare Tips :: Busy Morning Routine

~ Beauty Meow ~ 2 Comments

I know some mornings I have an appointment to get to or I wake up way to late and just want to start my day with little fuss. But it is never good to skip your morning routine. Rather amend it. I have several products lines up for when I am feeling super lazy about my skincare. Using these in the am, still gives me a fresh, clean, and moisturized face, without the 12 steps.

Heres my quick routine and the products I use

  1. Cleanse once – I use either a cleansing cloth or Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam from Innisfree
  2. Toner – I am still using and loving Aloe BHA Skin Toner by Benton
  3. Essence – Currently using SK-II Facial Treatment Essence 
  4. Eye Cream – Moistfull Collagen Eye Cream by Etude house
  5. Moisturize – Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion

This routine takes me no longer then 5 minutes or less, and leaves me with a clean fresh face. If I am super rushed I usually slather some BB cream, powder, blush, and mascara and run out the door. I can get ready in under 10 minutes, and still look put together, and not sloppy at all!

This routine is also a great way to jumpstart  a new skincare routine, especially if you want to go to 10-12 steps. Get used to this first, and find the right products for you then you can experiment with new steps and products, and have a good core regime down!

Good Luck ❤

Skincare Tips :: Improve your Routine with an Essence

~ Beauty Meow ~ 2 Comments

So when I jumpstarted my skincare routine I spent a lot of time looking into what products would be worth adding (in matter of time and money spent) and what might be overkill. I remember learning about essences and thought that it might not be important, so I skipped it for a few months. I got an essence to try as a deluxe sample and decided to give it a whirl, and oh buy was my mind changed! Now it is an integral part of my skincare routine, and I kinda kick myself for thinking it wasn’t important.

What is an Essence?

An essence is a concentrated treatment that is usually liquid or gel (can be in other forms but rarely)  that works to help revitalize complexion, decrease/minimize fine lines and wrinkles, and helps with uneven skin tones. They work really well because they address the issues on a cellular level.

When do I add it into my routine?

I would recommend applying your essence after your toner and before your serums, or moisturizer. I have heard some people add it before their toner, but I use it after my toner.

Should I see a difference right away?

That depends on you and your skin, and what essence you are using. Generally Id say you should see real results within 28 days (when you have newer skin) but for all the essences I have used I have seen results in as little as 3-4 days.

 

I love essences, I am practically obsessed with them. Its one of the skincare products I have no problem dropping huge bucks on. I love and adore my SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. But by no means do you have to spend a fortune on them. I listed below some popular essenses and links to where to buy them. I recommend giving them a shot!

  • Missha Time Revolution Essence – Available at certain beauty websites, and Amazon!
  • SK-II Facial Treatment Essence – Sephora
  • Hera Cell Essence – KoreaDepart.com
  • Innisfree Soybean Energy Essence – Amazon

There are so many other essences out there, give them a shot! If you have a favorite, comment below. I’d love to check out different ones! ❤

 

Review :: A’Pieu Air-Fit Cushion Blusher

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Today I am reviewing the A’Pieu Air Fit Cushion Blusher, in Color CR02. I initially got this from my Koreadepart haul and have wanted to try it out. I used it yesterday, and thought a review might be fun.

First can we talk about how adorable the packaging is? I mean, C’MON!!!

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First Impressions

The pigment in this is so saturated. I mean I put the teeniest bit on my cheeks and it looked so dark. So a little definitely goes a long way. The color I got is a really beautiful shade of coral as well, so after applying it and blending it in (which it had amazing blend ability) I was able to get a very soft rose coral cheek, which was very flattering.

 

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and a swatch, looks darker on the cushion, but lovely tones on skin.

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It also had a very slight dewy finish to it. I really like dewy looks, but this obviously wouldn’t be for everyone.

Overall Impressions

At the end of the day this lasted very well. It faded little, but wasn’t blotchy and just got little fainter so closer to evening just looked like I had a light application of blush on rather then blotchy hell.

Overall I really loved this. The color was very nice the application was easy (the little cushion is so cute). It blended well, and lasted a long time. So yeah. I freaking love this!

Grade  A-

Review :: Lindsay Luxury Magic Mask – Charcoal

~ Beauty Meow ~ 4 Comments

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OK so I love a good mask, especially after I feel like I have put my skin through Hell (a lot of high fat and sodium foods, alcohol, tons of makeup) so today being a Holiday was one of those days (LOTS of wine). So I decided to try out this mask again I got from Lindsay, that is a charcoal peel away mask!! I used it once, but wanted to try it at least twice before I made up my mind about it.

Let’s review!

When you first get this mask you have to mix 2 components together, I believe all sets come with a collapsable bowl and spatulas (mine did) so you just add step one and step two together and mix away

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step one is really pretty!

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step two mixed into step one…

I don’t know if it is supposed to be super smooth, I tried to mix it as well as I could.

Applying this mask is sort of easy with the spatula, impossible with fingers so don’t do that. For the mask to peel off you have to put a thick layer around your face.

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frightening I know…

You have to wait 20-30 minutes in order for it to dry before you peel it off. At first I was wary, but this mask feels so good on. Really its nice and cooling, and it starts to set up quickly so it doesn’t run down your face. So I really loved having it on.

Pulling it off was so easy. And my skin felt so soft and nourished.

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I should save this for Halloween. Its terrifying!

Impressions

Ok, I LOVE this mask.  My skin feels so nice, to was easy to use, and a pleasure to wear. The only downside is it is a little expensive ($30 for a set of 5 masks) But If I save these for days I really need a pick me up I don’t think the price would be that bad. A little to pricey for twice a week use though).

I spent $30 on them at memebox.com > Link to masks!

I wanted to wait to use this mask at least twice before I reviewed so I could give a really proper grade for it. Overall when I run out of these I will be buying them again, and if you have sebum, oil, or pore issues this mask could be awesome for you!

Grade  A-

My Favorite Face Primers

~ Beauty Meow ~ 2 Comments

I love me some good base makeup. But since its so hot, sticky and humid in florida, all my makeup will melt off if I don’t have a good primer. Over the years I have tested out dozens and these are some old, and new favorites. I am only listing 3 but I have a couple more I really love as well. I choose which to use depending on the type of makeup I am wearing, to how fancy the event or place I am going is.

in no particular order

Face Blur from Etude House

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This is my go to, especially on days I don’t wear a lot of makeup. Leaves a flawless finish (no pores OMG), has nice SPF, and more importantly helps my makeup last perfectly most of the day. However if it is STUPID humid outside I might not go for this one, but thats because it gives me 6 hours of wear on my makeup rather then 8, so its still pretty nice! Also inexpensive!!! ❤ love that

 

L’Or Pure Radiance Face Primer from Guerlain

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It’s no secret Guerlain is one of my favorite brands for makeup and skincare. I could gush for days about all the things I love from them, but I will just gush about this for now. THIS PRIMER IS EVERYTHING. Like E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G! Its firming, minimizes pores, glides on smooth and makes my makeup look spectacular all day! It also gives a nice glow to my face. The only reason I don’t slather this all over myself everyday is the price tag. So I save this for when i am using more expensive makeup, or do a super full face of makeup. still so good!

Pro-Prime Light Optimizing Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 15 from Nars

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I love this one because it is so good for everything. Nice SPF, gives me the illusion of not having huge pores, makes my makeup stay on nice and long, and has a nice lightweight finish.

Those are my favorites but I do have a few more. But I usually go with these! They all work extremely well, and I would recommend any one of them!

MemeBox Haul

~ Beauty Meow ~ 2 Comments

Weeeee, so happy I got my Memebox order in! I was stocking up on some things I was almost out of and I am also trying some new things as well!

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Also Look at that Panda Bear! TonyMoly has the CUTEST packaging! ❤

The Goods!

Dinoplatz UFO Multibox from Too Cool for School – I have wanted to try this forever. the cushion has a little compartment on then bottom that has blush, concealer and a pore balm! I wanted this to throw in my small purses so I don’t have to lug around a lot of products.

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JeJu Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam from Innisfree – I LOVE this cleanser, makes my face feel so fresh and clean! This is a refill because I am almost out! ❤

Panda’s Dream White Magic Cream from Tony Moly – I wanted to try this to see if it helped brighten my completion. I am plenty pale, but having my complexion be brighter has always been something I try to achieve, make my skin look luminous and not dull. So we will see how this works!

Green Tea Cleansing Water from Innisfree – I have wanted to try out this cleansing water, so I am super excited!

Green Tea Moisture Cream from Innisfree – Another product I have wanted to try!

Proof 10 Eye Primer from Etude House – I was almost out so I grabbed another little jar of this. If you want a good eye primer TRY THIS! Seriously it is amazing!

Pig Nose Clear Blackhead 3 Step Kit from Holika Holika- I LOVE these, I was out so I picked up another little kit of them!

I am really excited to try these things!!!! So yeah, woohoo!

Review – Stella McCartney POP Perfume

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One thing that can make me almost instantly buy any perfume is to use the words Tuberose. I LOVE Tuberose, it’s one of my favorite scents,and its hard to find any perfume that really carries it it. So when I heard about Stella McCartney’s Perfume POP, I had to go out and buy it.

This scent is very unique. With notes of Tuberose, Violet, Musk and Sandalwood you would think it would have a nice deep complex floral fragrance, however it initially has a very cheap smell.

First Impressions

When I first put it on and for about 45 minutes afterwards it smelled similar to so many other cheap perfumes. To much musk, not enough delicate notes, and it almost needed a touch of brightness. I didn’t get any notes of tuberose, and that left me feeling a little dejected.

Longer Wear Impressions

After awhile of wearing it, I started to pick up the middle notes of Tuberose, and even a faint smell of violet. It got a lot more delicate smelling, and sweeter the longer it wore. The musk smell was finally playing nice with the other scents, which was exciting but….

At this point the perfume was wearing away. The length it lasted on me was about 3 hours before I had to reapply. I can usually get 5-6 hours from certain perfumes. So I had to deal with the cheap smell of the perfume all over again.

Final Thoughts

I know each and every perfume smells and reacts differently for each person. So this review is purely based on how it smelled on me, my initial expectations, and opinions.

Overall it’s ok. I was hoping for more tuberose, and after I finally got to it, I had to reapply because the scent was so faint it was like I was barely wearing anything at all. PLUS the perfume didn’t last long on me at all!

I will be using this, because once you get through the overtly musk cheap perfume smell its really quite divine, so maybe, mayyybbbeee I can find that sweet spot to be able to get the smell I was promised (and I know it can achieve) without having to reapply 3 times a day

Grade – C