Kirkland Borghese Brush Set from Costco and NOTD

Hi lovelies! First I want to show you my NOTD since I haven’t done one of those in a while. I picked up Essie’s Mint Candy Apple from the winter 2009 collection. It’s a pretty minty jade color & I absolutely love it. These unique colors always put me in a good mood. I got it from ULTA for around $6. You can also get it from Essie.

 

Every year Costco puts out a brush set around the holiday season. I miss it every year but this year I finally got my hands on a set! I’m so excited. The Kirkland Borghese brush set is only $19.99! These brushes are super soft! It includes 8 full sized brushes in a bag, 4 travel size brushes & an eyelash curler. It is made of synthetic hair that is anti-microbial & cruelty free. My only complaint so far is the eye shadow brush isn’t as dense as I’d like it to be. It’s too fluffy so it doesn’t pack on the color as intensely as my other brushes but other than that the other brushes in this set are great.

Click on the pics to make them bigger.

Full size set:
• Powder brush
• Flat top bronzer brush
• Angled contour brush
• Eye shadow brush
• Blending brush
• Smudge brush
• Flat eyeliner brush
• Angled eye shadow brush with spoolie

Travel set
• Blush brush
• Eye shadow brush
• Blending brush
• Flat eye liner brush

LUSH Herbalism Cleanser

In my last HAUL post I forgot to mention I picked up Herbalism Cleanser.  This stuff is amazing!  Here is the description blurb from the website: LUSH. 

"Detoxifies and exfoliates oilier, problem skin


Herbalism has China clay to remove excess oil, ground almonds and rice bran to exfoliate away dead skin cells, sage, chamomile and marigold to soothe inflammation and rosemary and sage to banish nasty microbes. As well, the combination of the clay and rice bran leaves a matte finish to the skin. Some people who have used the Angels On Bareskin and found it too rich, find the Herbalism to be lighter. If you persist and use this cleanser every day, we guarantee results that are well worth the bother."

It smells earthy & clean and my skin feels so smooth after each use.  I take a pinch of the cleanser, place it in my palm, add a little bit of water and crush it up into a pulp.  Then I lather it onto my face & I can feel it exfoliating.  I inquired about the Dark Angels Cleanser however the lady that works there told me it can be too harsh for my skin since I have sensitive problematic skin. 
 
Because the ingredients of this cleanser are fresh it only has a shelf life of 3 months but I think I can use this in 1 month.  Lately I've been showing signs of irritation around my eye area when I wash my face and Herbalism is a vegan/organic product so this has been a warm welcome to my cleansing routine.  :)

BB Cream

<3
I found my HG (Holy Grail) Foundation

I’ve recently changed my foundation routine since I don’t want to be tan in the fall and winter months. In the spring/summer months I would use MAC Studio Fix Fluid NW 35 or Revlon ColorStay in Natural Tan but lately I’ve been using BB Cream (Blemish Balm Cream).

BB Creams are the latest rage in Asia and the two that I use are L’EGERE products which is a Korean brand. I usually buy all of my Korean cosmetics from a local Korean store called Cinderella but you can find these products online here (click me!). I use the White Multi Blemish Balm Cream & L'EGERE SPF34 UV Whitening Blemish Balm Cream.

Both of the BB Creams I use are whitening, conceals dermal blemishes, evens out the skin tone & gives me a smooth, flawless coverage. It’s like a tinted moisturizer with light to medium coverage. It’s easy to blend so I just use my fingers to apply this product. BB Creams are especially good for sensitive, peeling or irritated skin. While serving the purpose as a base and foundation it also works as a treatment to minimize wrinkles, treat pimples and lighten blemish scars all in one! They have a reputation for being a miracle cream because they are gentle enough to use on skin that recently underwent laser procedures.

After I apply this my skin is illuminating & has a beautiful glow. I’ve fallen in love with this product and I don’t know if I’ll be able to go back to MAC’s SFF. I believe I have found my HG!

Thermal Masks - a drugstore alternative

Within the makeup community everyone has been raving about MAC's Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask from the recently launched Style Black collection.  Here is the description of the mask from http://www.maccosmetics.com/

"Formulated with Volcanic Ash and natural oils, this ash-black facial mask simultaneously deep-cleanses and treats the skin. When water is added, the mask heats up and the oils instantly lubricate the skin, leaving it feeling soft and clean. Helps keep skin moist, clean, soft, and evenly-textured. Limited edition."

This mask went flying off the shelves within days of the release and is sold out online.  It was $19.50 for a 3.4 FL tube.

I however, have been using a drugstore version of a thermal mask for a year now and I am glad I didn't rush out to the MAC counter to grab this mask.  I've been using the Biore Purify Self Heating Mask. 

The box contains 8 packets for around $7.99 and can be found in any drugstore that sells Biore products.  It isn't the traditional mask that you apply and let it dry on your face for 10 min then rinse off.  First you moisten the face, apply mask, massage for about 1 minute then rinse off.  The mask instantly heats up on contact with water and it feels amazing.  It removes pore-clogging dirt & leaves my skin smooth and radiant. 
So if you skipped out on the Style Black Collection or you didn't get a chance to pick a Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask before it was sold out, you always have this alternative. :)

Have you tried any other thermal masks out there? 

Coastal Scents Italian Badger Buffer Brush Review

For two months I’ve been using the Coastal Scents Italian Badger Large Buffer Brush to apply my liquid foundation. For reference I’m using MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid in NW35 & Revlon Colorstay. This brush came highly recommended by my friend Amanda. Here is a link to Amanda’s Blog.
This brush is awesome! Not only did I buy it for $11.95 but I prefer it to my Sephora High Definition #55 Airbrush brush. The handle is made of wood & it’s nice and thick. It is super soft, blends & buffers like perfection. I absolutely love it! It did shed a few hairs during the first few times I used it but it doesn’t shed anymore.
So if you’re looking for a new foundation brush I highly recommend this brush.

You know you love me!
        XOXO

Hahaha sorry to be so daft but the most recent episode of Gossip Girl with Hillary Duff was too cute.  Love that show.
Happy hump day bitches!

I'm back!

Hello lovelies! I’m sorry it’s been so long since my last post but I’m back! Work sent me up to Eatontown, NJ for the week. I came home on Friday and I just want to do a quick update about what I’ve been up to these past few days. While I was up in Jersey one of the locals suggested we eat at Bobby’s Burger Palace. My coworker and I are huge Food Network fans and we adore Bobby Flay so we couldn’t pass this opportunity. I believe there are only four Burger Palace’s and they are in NJ, NY & CT.

I thought it was a sit down restaurant but it’s more of a casual dining deal. This was my burger and the locals were staring at me like I was crazy for taking a picture of my food. It was delicious with a side of sweet potato fries. I ended up buying a few jars of Bobby Flay’s burger rub, jalapeno sauce & fry sauce for the huz. Yum-o!

After work and dinner we’d go back to our hotel rooms and keep working. On our last night there we drove out to the beach & walked along the shops. When we got back to the hotel I was able to relax and do my nails while watching Grey’s Anatomy. :D
I used OPI’s new Suede Collection for Fall 2009. I used Russian Navy Suede. It’s ahhmazing! I can’t get enough of the matte finishes but now there is a suede finish as well! It’s smooth & it dries fast. OPI’s Suede line has such a unique finish and I can’t get enough of it. I used two coats on my nails but you could definitely get away with one.

Last weekend I stopped by ULTA to pick up dry shampoo. I’ve always been curious about it and I wanted to experiment with the options that are out there. I picked up TIGI’s Rockaholic dry shampoo & Big Sexy Hair’s Volumizing Dry Shampoo. I was determined to find out which one has more bang for your buck. I can only provide a partial review since I’ve only been using Big Sexy Hair for a week. This week I promise to use TIGI.
Here are a few differences so far:
Big Sexy Hair is 3.4 oz and I bought it for $16.95. It is a mineral & clay based dry shampoo that absorbs impurities, excess oil & product build-up while creating additional volume.
TIGI Rockaholic is 6.3 oz and I bought it for $18.95. The bottle only says that it will “absorb excess oils, make hair smell fresh & keep it rockin’ one more night”.

Here is my before & after pics. I used Big Sexy Hair. It smells great, it gave a fair amount of texture & volume. You can’t really tell from the pictures but I could definitely see a difference. I like it so far and I’d definitely purchase this again however it’s half the size of TIGI and it’s only $2 less. I’ll let you know next week which one I’d repurchase.

So while I was away I was desperately missing my bathtub time with LUSH. For those of you who don't know about LUSH it is a store that makes vegan products for the bath, shower, hair, face, body etc. Their soaps are all natural and doesn't contain any preservatives or harsh ingredients to irritate the skin.

I’ve already used a lot of what I hauled & unfortunately I didn’t snap any photos of what I hauled. Here is what I have left. I didn’t take any pics of the freebee’s I got from the events. I also didn’t take pics of the chunks of soaps because I want to leave that for another post.

I think this is called the French Kiss Bubble Bar? It smells amazing!

This is the bubble bar I used last night. It smells like roses & after you crumble it under the water there are little rose petals floating around.

Sunny Side Bubble Bar. This has a lot of citrus scents like orange & tangerine. It has a lot of gold glitter so I'll be using this on the weekends only. :) I mean seriously, who doesn't want to take a bath in glitter?

This is the Comforter Bubble Bar which has a lot of decadent berry scents. The description on the LUSH website is, "Velvety berry and cream bath parfait softens skin with lavish bubbles. Comforter bubble bar is perfect for pampering yourself after a long work week. Cypress and bergamot oils soothe skin while cassis adds a mysterious and seductive aroma."

I'm not sure what the name of the bubble bar on the left is but it smells amazing. The one on the right is Pop in the Bath Bubble bar. I love this scent. This is my second bar. It has a flowery & citrus scent & it makes your skin silky soft.

Bath Bombs "Pop one in a pre-run bath and watch it erupt in a mass of fragrant fizzing, gently scenting the water with natural essential oils."

On the left is the Sex Bomb Bath Bomb which smells like jasmine.

On the right is the Butterball Bath Bomb. It smells like vanilla & turns the water to milky white. This is supposed to be very moisturizing for the skin.

Massage Bars

After a shower or bath I usually like to use their massage bars to moisturize. It is made with moisturizing cocoa, coconut & shea butters.

On the left is Soft Coeur (The Honeymooner) Massage Bar. It is made with milk chocolate & honey.
On the right is the Heavenilli Massage Bar which smells like vanilla & jasmine.

When you purchase two massage bar you get a massage bar tin for free.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! What are your favorites from LUSH? Do you have any recommendations of products I should try?

Zoya Matte Velvet Collection Fall 2009

The new trend this fall is matte nail polish. Many brands are launching a range of colors that come in a matte finish. Other brands like Essie have designed a top coat which you can use on top of any nail polish formula to create a matte finish. Personally I am falling in love with Zoya’s Matte Velvet Collection for Fall 2009. These colors are gorgeous! There are three colors in this collection:

Loredana (matte gunmetal shimmer)
Posh (matte ruby shimmer)
Dovima (matte black shimmer)

This formula dries extremely fast compared to regular creamy varnishes. It is also advised not to use this in conjunction with a base coat, top coat or speed dryer. It doesn’t last that long and it chips easily however I am so in love with this finish that I don’t mind only wearing it for 3-4 days. Zoya is also coming out with 3 more colors in their Matte Velvet Winter 09 collection. There is a matte purple, a matte plum & a matte forest green. They look gorgeous! You can buy them on their website here: Click me!
xoxo
PS: I apologize for the blurriness & the sloppy swatches. I wanted to swatch all three colors real fast so I could post this.

Bare Escentuals Natural Sunscreen Review

September 1, 2009
Hello lovelies! I’m writing this review from Myrtle Beach, SC. My husband and I came down here for a few days to play golf and relax on the beach for his birthday. I’ve been using Bare Escentuals SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen every day so far on our trip. I cannot write enough good things about this product. It is a mineral powder sunscreen that is super easy to apply. I love how I can apply this to my face and body with ease and it doesn’t spill all over my luggage! All you have to do is take the cap off the top then spin the bottom of the tube and a brush pops up. Lock the brush into place and swirl/blend onto your skin. It comes in 3 different shades: light, medium, & tan skin tone. I use the medium skin tone shade. It doesn’t clog your pores or cause breakouts. It protects against UVA/UVB rays and it has Aloe Vera extract & antioxidants. Another reason why I love this product is it’s all natural. It doesn’t have parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dye, preservatives, petro-chemicals & it’s oil free. Since it comes in a powder form your face is matte & not shiny whereas if you use a lotion sunscreen you’re left with a shiny face. I love love love this product and I wish I wrote this review at the beginning of summer instead of the week before Labor Day lol. Go to your local Sephora and buy this. Seriously, go now! It’s awesome and I give this product 5 stars.
Hope you lovelies are having a great week!