Saturday 28 February 2015

♡ February Wishlist ♡

1. 3CE Lip Lacquer in Backstage
2. 3CE Lip Lacquer in Pink Boom
3. 3CE Lip Lacquer in Desert Flower
4. 3CE Lip Lacquer in Dahlia
5. Nikon COOLPIX S9700 Digital Camera
6. 3CE Pink Lip Color in XXX
7. 3CE Pink Lip Color in Bella
8. BANDAI Sailor Moon Proplica Moon Stick
9. SHO-BI x Disney Japan Romantic Daisy Eyelash Set
Thanks for reading!
xoxo

♡ Makeup Revolution Vamp Lipsicks & Iconic 3 Eyeshadow Palette ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

Makeup Revolution is one of those brands that everyone seems to be talking about at this moment in time, and I can understand why. After /f i n a l l y/ getting my hands on a couple of products, I can now see why everybody raves about this brand so much because the pigmentation of the eyeshadows and lipsticks are just... superb!

Iconic 3 Eyeshadow Palette

First off; the Iconic 3 palette. Now, everyone I've seen that has purchased this palette has said about it being a dupe of Urban Decay's Naked 3 palette and I can certainly see the similarities on pictures shown. As someone who doesn't own the Naked 3 palette (yet) I am quite comfortable using this particular palette for my dusty pinks fix whenever I fancy it. The lightest of the shadows, sadly, doesn't show up on my arm swatch but it is a perfect colour as an inner corner highlighter and I've even used this lovely pearly pink colour to create an "eye bag" which seems to be a rage at them moment? One final thing about this palette, the colour stays on all day without a quick touch up which is such a major plus for me, as someone with oily eyelids I'm always paranoid about colour fading/smudging away during the day so thus needs a touch up but these shadows are just... wow.

Pros;
↑↑ gorgeous colours
↑↑ buttery shadow which makes it easier to apply and blend
↑↑ stays on all day without a touch up
↑↑ can suit any skin tone as the colours are versatile
↑↑ a bargain steal for £4

Cons;
↑↑ errr....... none!!

Amazing Lipsticks Vamp Collection

Secondly, I purchased two lipsticks from the Vamp collection and at £1 per lipstick, I must admit that I was slightly dubious overly the quality of it but in the end, that dubiousness was quashes almost immediately. The formula for these lipsticks, I don't even know how but they are super creamy and lovely to put onto my lips, they barely show the cracks/lines on my lips compared to other cheaply priced lipsticks and the colour last a pretty long time before needing a top up.

100% Vamp

When you look at this lipstick on the website, and then compare it in person, it is certainly a deep purple colour instead of a wine red but that's ok because the colour is still lovely to handle/use. The colour also sticks with the berry/dark colour tones used in Autumn/Winter for make-up and a word of warning, you will need to use a lip liner and lip brush for this lipstick as it smudges super easily and it a sore pain when you get it on your lovely face base... cries as it happened to me. Another thing I tried with this lipstick was a gradient lip and this lipstick works easily to create that particular look so there is certainly another bonus for this lipstick.

Rebel With A Cause

Now see, this lipstick is more heading towards the wine red side of things and this shade is such a beautiful colour that I have fallen head over heels for it. I think I'm more in love with this colour as it reminds me of my favourite MAC lipstick 'Diva' - only just a little less.... diva-ish? Again, this colour smudges as easily as 100% Vamp so it works better with a lip liner and being applied with a lip brush to get those lip lines down to a perfect art. I didn't try this colour as a gradient lip as, personally, this colour suited the block colour look but maybe with the darkened ombre corners look this colour would be perfect for that style.

Pros;
↑↑ creamy formula
↑↑ doesn't stain lips when dry
↑↑ can be used for different lip styles and not just as a block colour
↑↑ amazing value
↑↑ comes in a wide variety of colours from nudes to bold

Cons;
↑↑ need to use a lip liner as these smudge easily

Overall Verdict; 
At the end of the day, I give all these products a five out of five for the wonderful prices and the fact that you'd never think that these were a cheap, drugstore type of make-up line. I really cannot wait to get some more products from the superb line-up that is already available online and in store, it's like a make-up heaven in all honesty!

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

Friday 27 February 2015

♡ MEMEbox My Cute Wishlist #4 // Unboxing ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

I rrreeeaaallllllyyy want to apologise from the bottom of my heart about how late this post is... literally three months late as that is when I actually received this box in the post D'OH. There will be a slight snail mail push out of blog posts over the coming months so pretty please (with a cherry on top) bear with me! 
Now, I have heard some pretty mixed feelings about past Memebox Cute Wishlists and I have to say, I was slightly apprehensive about purchasing but you just never know until you go for it right? Luckily I feel that I may have made a right decision in getting this particular box... even after a few months the jury is still out on this one!

#1 TonyMoly Apple Red Tox Honey Cream
Product description; made from vitamin-rich red apple and deeply nourishing honey, Tonymoly’s famous Red Appletox Honey Cream is a daily facial cream with a unique honey-like texture. The bouncy, hydrating gel cream stretches when patted on, giving the skin a massage effect as well as a silky finish
First impressions; yyyeeesss! This is a product that has been on my "to purchase" list for-like-ever and I finally have my hands on one! I do love this product, it helps with my combination skin so much that it's one of the best facial creams I have used to date. 

#2 Etude House Sweet Recipe Candy Stick
Product description; enriched with bilberry, sugar cane, sugar maple, orange and lemon extracts, the Sweet Recipe Candy Stick is a gloss type lip tint that moisturises and plumps up your dry, chapped lips for a long-lasting radiance.
First impressions; it doesn't surprise me that there is something Etude House in this box as this particular brand is the ambassador of cute things... I'm quite happy to receive the orange version as I'll just use this as a typical lip balm to combat my dry lips. 

#3 Yadah Vita-Whitening Aqua Gel + Puregreen Moisturizing Cream
Product description; the most perfect pair of facial creams to pop into your pouch for travelling. The Vita-Whitening Aqua Gel is made from vitamin-rich rosehip extracts for softening and firming, niacinamide for brightening, and cactus extracts for moisture boost. The Puregreen Moisturizing Cream, on the other hand, is enriched with royal jelly extracts, cactus extracts, bean oil complex, sea buckhom berries, and birch tree sap for delivering rich moisture surge deep down into the skin.
First impressions; how much for a travel sized product?! Slight heart attack-like feelings happened at the sight of the pricing in all honesty... and the creepy pictures on the packaging doesn't exactly scream "cute"... miss, miss, super miss!

#4 ddung Liquid Eye Liner
Product description; a liquid eyeliner with a formula that offers a remarkably defined, feminine eyes with a long-lasting, waterproof and non-smudging wear.
First impressions; errr... how is this doll thing cute exactly? The liner seems quite usable and easy to apply so this would be a good back-up in case I run out of my favourite liquid eyeliner at any given time.

#5 Holika Holika Pig-nose Clear Black Head Steam Starter
Product description; this gel type starter helps to open your pores while reduces dirt from the pore. Its pink clay ingredients helps absorb excess sebum and soften stubborn blackheads.
First impressions; YYYAAASSS! This particular line from Holika Holika is another thing I've had on my list for absolutely ages! I haven't used this one yet as I'm going to get the sugar scrub one as well... and maybe all the others from this particular line also!

#6 Pure Smile Choosy Lip Pack Milk
Product description; pamper your chapped lips with Pure Smile’s Choosy Lip Pack abundant in milk protein extracts for strengthening the moisture level and reviving the juicy glow of your lips. This easy-to-apply lip patch will help maintain healthy, silky smooth lips!
First impressions; interesting... I looked up about Pure Smile and I never knew that the brand is made in Korea yet it is Japanese... so technically it does count as a Korean product? I have used this lip mask and it, honestly, the weirdest thing I have ever used.

#7 Pure Smile Snail Hand Cream Milk
Product description; this moisturizing hand cream is literally packed with nourishing natural ingredients such as snail mucus extracts, milk protein extracts, grape seed oil, olive oil, macadamia seed oil, shea butter, green tea extracts, aloe vera leaf extracts, and even collagen extracts! Plus, it has a very nice nutty, milky fragrance.
First impressions; another Pure Smile item, this time a hand cream (which is something I have desperately needed for the winter) so I am pretty chuffed with getting this in the box. 

#8 Tonymoly Egg Pore Nose Pack
Product description; this blackhead removing Egg Pore Nose Pack is made from charcoal and egg complex which effectively treats enlarged pores and excessive blackheads and whiteheads, smoothing out uneven skin texture to resemble the rounded smooth surface of an egg.
First impressions; the smell is overpowering on this, I could smell the product without even taking it out of the box. Blurgh. But I have heard good impressions about this particular item and hopefully it should work on the blackheads on my nose (constant bane of my life)
At the end of the day... this box is certainly not cute. The items sure are useful and are at the lower budget end of pricing - for a payment of $23.99 + $6.99 for shipping the whole box of products comes to a total of $69 which seems like you don't really get your moneys worth but... if you need to purchase things on a budget then it is certainly helpful. Cute though? No... not at all. Part of me is disappointed with this box because I was expecting a little bit more and I know that there are cute budget items on the market but another part of me isn't as disappointed as I got items that I have been meaning to get for ages, so it was partially a win but partially a lose at the end of the day.
Thanks for reading!
xoxo

Saturday 21 February 2015

♡ Tohato Caramel Corn Mont Blanc Halloween Edition ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

Tohato Caramel Corn is a recent discovery in my life, by taste not by knowledge as I have seen it around at snack stalls at conventions in London but never risked to try it until, give or take, a year ago. I have to admit, I always adore the cute packaging they bring to the table for each individual flavour - the summer ones have summer themed packaging whilst as this is a Halloween edition so therefore has an adorable Halloween theme! I wonder if there are any Christmas flavours / themes floating around......

Tohato Caramel corn is a snack that has been made in Japan since 1971 and at first glance, it reminds me of knobbly cheese puffs we get over here in the UK but the taste most certainly does not resemble the cheese dust coated crisps I am most definitely familiar with. There is always a quick snap followed by a crunch as soon as you bite into a puff, followed by a burst of flavour it really does help satisfy your sweet cravings.

Now; I have tried a Mont Blanc cake before so I know what the taste should be like but... this particular snack didn't have a real strong taste of it. It certainly had that caramel after taste which wasn't overly sweet like you find in some sweet snacks over in the UK but... does the taste resemble a Mont Blanc cake at all? No... not at all. I am ever so disappointed that it doesn't have a stronger taste of Mont Blanc where as other flavours I have tried previously (Salted Vanilla, Coffee, Chocolate and Rich Peach) you can, most certainly, tell the flavours you are eating.

Another problem I have found with Tohato Caramel Corn is that once you open the packet, you have to eat them pretty much as soon as possible otherwise they turn stale very quickly and trust me, you do NOT want to eat them once they've turned stale... ick. This problem does not help with the diet but luckily I have a family as a back up on the eating of things and getting rid of it to stop me eating an entire bag to myself. All in all though, I still love this snack (not this particular flavour though bleh) and will always look out for different flavours in the near future! Has anyone else tried Tohato corn? Which flavours have you tasted and which one stands out for you the most?

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

Sunday 15 February 2015

♡ Box Swap from Japan ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

YAY! My parcel from Renn finally arrived the other day ahhhhhh ♡ I, honestly, cried with happiness, joy and sheer gratitude from the amount of goodies I received as well as being a tiny bit mad at her overspending on me and finally, I was a bit in awe at how she managed to tetris all the stuff into one small box... madness. I did give a small, sneaky preview on instagram as soon as I received it but if you didn't see the picture, tah dah!
I really didn't know how to "attack" this box to get everything out... in the end I just dived in a pulled everything out as gently as I could because I didn't know if there were any breakables and, of course, I didn't want to destroy anything oh my goodness. 

Rilakkuma Chocolate Box
I wanted to show this off in a section all by itself! I loved that, as it's almost Valentine's Day, there was a box of chocolates included! I saw this box on Jlist but I never got around to purchasing it myself... then again I do have my eyes on the Sailor Moon chocolate box instead oops! There are two big chocolates of Rilakkuma's head and a scatter of small chocolates underneath. In all honesty, it looks like the perfect amount to enjoy in luxury - like watching a film or being a bit cliche and soaking in a hot bubble bath

Selection of Edibles


Oh my goodness where to begin... there is food all the way from Halloween here! Pumpkin puree kitkat, Halloween edition pocky and even Mont Blanc flavoured Tohato... heaven! Also I had received; creme brulee and white chocolate Oreo bars, my favourite Mitsuya cider candy, a bag of Cola no Tane sweets and a small selection of umaibo... this lot will certainly keep me going for a while sfhsfjkdsahlfdjlkdhsal *dies*

Cosmetics / Beauty Products


Normally, Renn and I discuss certain products that we'd like to try and what colours we'd prefer them in but this time we just gave each other our skin type, colour tone, and a single colour we'd prefer to receive - mine were combination, pale neutral and red. I have to admit, receiving a stock up on my Holy Grail liquid eyeliner and eyelash glue as well as my favourite style of eyelashes made me cry with joy! It's like she knew that I needed those items to most without me telling her that I was running low. Also, I'm looking forward to trying the eyelash tape as I have one eyelid more hooded than the other and it always frustrates me because, to me, it looks like my make-up is odd so hopefully the tape will sort that problem out.

Misc Products


eeeeeeeeeee~ My favourite music magazine and a Popteen in one parcel!! This Popteen magazine is one of the first copies I actually own... all I have is make-up scans from the internet but it just doesn't compare to an actual hard copy? SHOXX is such a massive win for me and luckily, I didn't have this particular one! I've already scanned through both magazines and can't wait to read them/look at the pictures properly! I also loved how Renn included a cute Little Twin Stars letter set and some Disney nail files!

All these random items just made me love the entire parcel more in all honesty, she knows me so well that... it's hard to describe but it's like we're the same sometimes?! I also don't know where to start or what route to take with reviews... but slowly and surely I will get there, I promise! And I, legit, cannot wait to start getting pieces for our next box swap, the theme this time being "Favourites" and, even though it's only February, I may have a load of pieces already planned out / in the process of getting for her as I may have a list longer than both my arms put together... oops! Anyway, I hope you all liked this little blog post! If there is anything you'd like the see be reviewed then leave a small comment down below and I will get onto it as quickly as possible!

Thanks for reading!
xoxo