OPI Katy Perry Mini Nail Lacquers

This new OPI collection just very recently released in stores so I'm trying to get the swatches out as fast as I can and give you my first impression. Unfortunately, I was not able to get Shatter because it was sold out. It's actually the one I was looking forward to the most because of the cracked effect it gives to your nail polish.

Anyways, instead of buying a full size bottle, I opt for the mini set, which is perfect if you want to try all the colors like me but don't want to spend a fortune. However, if you can see yourself using a particular shade a lot, you should definitely get the full size bottle. I purchased this set for $12.50 at Trade Secret because I was at the Mall the other day. Each mini bottle contains 3.75 mL or .125 oz. Oh yeah before I get into the details, forgive my uneven nail because it broke on me last week.

Not Like the Movies - this nail colors gives you a trio-chrome effect of silver, purple, and green. It has flecks of silver shimmers that adds a little bit of sparkle. It's very similar (if not a dupe) to the new Wet N Wild Gray's Anatomy's nail polish. I will do a comparisson on a separate post. This color reminds me of a pearl or the inside of an oyster shell. It applies sheer so I had to do 3 coats to reached a more desirable opacity. Not too crazy about this one but I still like.

Last Friday Night is a very sheer blue nail polish with teal and silver glitters. I would have to say, this is my least favorite color from this collection. As a matter of fact, I don't like it at all! Perhaps if I apply it on top of another nail polish, I will find a better use for it but on its own, it looks very boring. On this swatch, I did 3 coats.

Teenage Dream is a sheer pink nail polish with pink and holographic glitters. I like this one a lot better than Last Friday Night. This can actually be worn on its own and still look pretty. 3 coats.

The One That Got Away is a deepened raspberry color with blue undertone and bright pink shimmers. It looks a lot more shimmery in person. I think this color is very bold and gorgeous! My favorite color out of this collection. I did 2 coats.

Overall, the formula of the glitter polish felt goopy and thick. You'd probably need at least 2 to 3 coats to get a decent amount of glitters. The drying time is average.
The formula of the shimmer polishes are smooth and apply evenly. They don't take too long to dry either. Not like the movies runs a bit sheer but The One That Got Away is pretty pigmented. This collection doesn't impress me. I think I would have been happy with just Shatter. Even if I don't have it yet, I've seen swatches of it and it looks pretty awesome. 

Do you plan on getting any of these?

Beauty Haul - Sephora, Ulta, CVS, Walgreens, Trade Secret

Oops I did it again...I went to the store and bought more makeup!
Ok, I didn't get all these in one day but within the week in case you're wondering. Beside, I got paid last Friday and I do work overtime so I need to reward myself, hehe.

>>From Walgreens<<

I really wanted these new Revlon Colorburst Lipglosses. They were on sale for BOGO 50% off. I got the color Peony and Papaya. $7.49 for one and the second was $3.74.
Secondly, I can't believe I've never seen these until now! OMG...I picked up two Jordana Pretty Shine lipglosses and they are amazing! Review and swatches will be up soon. $1.99 each.


>>From CVS<<

I can't get over those sales. I went back to CVS again to see what else I didn't get last time.
- L'oreal HIP pigments in Valiant and Rebel. $3.19 each
- L'oreal HIP Kohl Eyeliner in Gold and Teal. $3.45 each
- L'oreal HIP Lip Color in Euphoric. $3.25
- Physicians Formula Bamboo Silk Bronzer Refill. $2.49
- Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen in Gold. $2.25
- Revlon Colorstay Mineral Bronzer in Golden Bronze. $3.49
- Revlon Colorburst lipgloss in Fire. $7.49

Join the CVS beauty club and take an additional 10% off your entire order. I didn't know they had that until the clerk mentioned it to me! Arghh I could have saved on all those other stuff I previously bought! With the beauty club you earn points/coupons towards your future purchase whenever you meet the requirement. With that said, I got 10% off my purchases, received a $5.00 coupon for the Revlon Colorburst lipgloss so I literally got this lipgloss for $1.74. I only need to spend $2.51 on a Revlon product to get $4.00 coupon for my next purchase! I'm loving this. Make sure you join the CVS beauty club!!! It's free and the reward is awesome!
In total, I saved $67.60!!! AMAZING! :-O


>>From Ulta<<

I was being good, lol. I returned the Revlon CustomEyes palettes that I hated and a L'oreal HIP gel liner because I found it for cheaper at CVS. In return, I bought...

- Orly Cosmic FX nail polish in Out Of This World. $10.00
- 2 new Cover Girl Lip Perfection Lipsticks in Kiss and Entwined. These were on BOGO 50% off. $6.59 regular price.

I had a 20% off coupon and with the BOGO sale, I saved $7.28! and got my money back :)


>>From Trade Secret<<

- Nioxin Scalp Therapy Conditioner. I got it on sale for $23.50. This will last me a while. Too bad they didn't have the shampoo cause I would have been set for the next 6 months.
- OPI Katy Perry Mini Pack, $12.50. I think the mini nail polishes will do. I don't think I can ever finish a full size bottle. I wanted the Shatter polish really bad but that was sold out! Grrrr
- OPI Ladies & Magenta-men nail polish. This was on sale for half off, so $4.25.


>>From Sephora<<

I returned the YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick because it looked too similar to some shade I already have. Speaking of that, I wished I did a swatch comparison for you before returning it! Dang it! Anyhoo, if you are curious, it's a pretty close dupe for MAC Rebel, except that the formula feels glossier but color-wise it's 99% dupe. I figure I might as well get my $32 back and use it for something else.

I purchased the Make Up Forever Waterproof Eyebrow Corrector in shade 3, which is a dark brown. This cost $19.00. I'm excited to fill my brow with this and see how it looks. I like the fact that it's waterproof thus long wearing. Will do a review once I get a chance to use it a few times.
With my 100 point perks, I was able to redeem them for this cute Hello Kitty perfume. Hello Kitty just very recently launched at Sephora so be sure to check it out if you are interested.

That's it for my most recent beauty haul! It may look like I spent a ton of money but I did return a few products and with the sales and coupons, I didn't brake and arm and a leg for all these goodies! Yaye me!

Today's Shopping Haul

I went to the mall, mainly in the intention of returning/exchanging a lipstick I had bought from Sephora. I decided to check out a couple places before heading to Sephora.

Bakers is having a sale and their shoes are being marked down up to 75% off. I definitely wanted to check that out. Ahhh I'm so happy I did cause I got 2 pairs that I really like.

These boots were on sale for $29.90. I'm not sure if the fabric is suede but the look and feel is similar to it. The heels are not too high, which is nice so that means I can wear this to run errands with pair of leggings or skinny jeans. I love love the bow in the back, it's super cute and adds more oomph.

Style name: Bow, Color: 65 ICE, Style number: 613.

The moment I tried these flats on my feet, I was instantly in love. I thought they were gorgeous not to mention comfortable! But guess what, these were on sale for $10.90!!! Amazing!
Style name: Brielle, Style number: 1784, Color 72-NTRL.

My other pit stop was by For Love 21, which I believe is a sister company of Forever 21. This store sells mostly accessories.

I immediately fell in love with these colorful feather earrings. Super cute and I don't have anything like it. Each cost $3.80.
The hair bows are attached to small clips and I just love bows so I had to get these. They cost $1.50.

Stay tune for my beauty haul. I figure I'll do it separately.

FOTD - Neutrals Featuring UD Naked Palette

I decided to go shopping today. Since I barely use my Urban Decay Naked Palette, I decided that this would be a good time to pull it out and make use of it.

1. Sin (shimmery light pink)--I used this all over my lids
2. Smog (shimmery bronze)--I used this on the crease and lower lash line over NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil French Fries
3. Hustle (dark purpleish brown, semi-matte) --I used this on the outter V
4. Virgin (shimmery white)--I used this on the browbone

Other product used

Eyes--Lorac Front of the Line liquid eyeliner black, NYX jumbo eyeshadow pencil french fries, ELF eyebrow kit dark, Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara.

Face--Coastal Scents Camo Quad, Lancome Teint Idole, Revlon Colorstay, NARS Orgasm Illuminator, MAC Hang Loose.

Lips--Revlon Colorburst lipstick Blush

Voila! That's my face of the day. Hope you like...Stay tuned for my shopping haul :D

How to Fix a Broken Nail Featuring Sally Hansen Insta-Fix Nail Repair Kit

So it eventually happened. I cracked my nail. Not a big shocker cause my nails crack all the time. I have very weak nails so I can't grow them too long. If you have any tips on how to make nails harder, let me know.
With that said, at least I found a solution on how to fix it.

I purchased this Sally Hansen nail repair kit from my CVS haul, not too long ago and got it on sale for 75% off so I ended up paying only $2.49. Definitely check your local CVS for sales cause you may find this product marked down like I did.

Here's what you'll need: the Insta-Fix nail repair kit and a nail buffer.




One side contains the glue and the other end contains the bonding powder



Step 1 - crack your nail...not intentionally of course, lol
Step 2 - brush on the glue over the cracked area
Step 3 - add the powder over the glue immediately. Wait like 30 seconds and with your other finger gently press on the surface you applied the glue and powder.
Step 4 - once the powder and glue have set and dried (probably about 5 -7 minutes), use a nail buffer to even out the area. You may apply nail polish or a clear top coat over it.

Packaging

• Practical
• Portable

Product

• The glue side smells like super glue but it doesn't dry as fast as super glue. It basically look like a clear top coat but with a thicker consistency.
• The powder is white and very fine. Once it comes in contact with the glue, it sort of melt and then solidifies.

Verdict

This stuff works and does a really good job too! After I fixed and buffed my nail. It looks like it never cracked. The whole repair process takes less than 10 minutes. The area that I patched feels slightly thicker and definitely stronger and blends with my natural nail. I'm very happy with this product and would absolutely repurchase. I'm shocked that I never heard anyone rave about this product! Highly recommended! My rating 10/10.



Revlon Superlustrous Lipgloss - Firecracker

I honestly wouldn't have picked this up if it wasn't for the 75% off sale from CVS, which brought the price down to $2.25. You may still be able to get it for that price at your local CVS if it's still in stock.

Packaging

• Rectangular shape, simple, and practical.
• Doe-foot applicator
• 5.9 ml or .2 oz

Product

• The color is a sheer reddish orange that adds a little bit of tint to my lips.
• Applies smootly and doesn't feel sticky
• Has a slight synthetic scent that I don't particularly find offensive. No funny taste.
• Doesn't last very long 1 - 2 hours at the most.

Verdict

I'm not a big fan of sheer lipgloss but I really love how juicy and plump it made my lips look. It added a sheer wash of color that looks flattering. For the price I paid, I can't complain. I'd recommend it if you don't mind sheer glosses. This particular shade is nothing spectacular but good for every day wear and on days you don't want to think too hard about which colors you want to put on your lips. My rating 6/10.

Milani Glitzy Glamour Gloss - All About Me

I picked up this lipgloss from CVS a couple weeks ago. I thought the color looked very interesting in the package and since it was on BOGO sale it also gave me another reason to get it. It retails for $6.99.

Packaging

• Cute and sturdy packaging
• I like the doe-foot applicator
• Net weight is 3.48 g / .12 oz

Product

• The first thing that caught my eyes was the color. Gorgeous metallic reddish copper with fine pink shimmers. Not a typical lip color you see in drugstore, IMO.
• Applies smoothly but not quite evenly. Doesn't feel sticky.
• Pigmented. Almost opaque coverage.
• It has a sweet fruity smell. I don't love it but don't hate it either.
• Last about 2 hours

Verdict
I'm pleased with this lipgloss. The quality is good. The packaging is cute. The scent is not offending. It's affordable and easily accessible. This particular shade is soo pretty. It will complement warm and dark skin tone more but I think fair skin can rock it too. Definitely would repurchase. My rating 8/10.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil - Binge & Mildew

You may or may not already be familiar with the infamous Urban Decay 24/7 liners. The main reason why I never really bothered is because they are pretty expensive. You can get them on their website, as well as Sephora and Ulta for $17.00. Luckily, I was able to dish these out of ACW for almost half the price so I was pretty excited about that.

Binge is a gorgeous shimmery dark cool blue

Mildew is a gorgeous shimmery hunter green

Packaging

• Air tight cap to keep the product fresh
• The outter color of the pencil repesents the actual color
• 1.2 g or .04 oz
• Simple, practical, and looks nice.

Product

• Glides on smoothly without tugging
• Pigmented
• Long-wearing
• May smudge a bit depending on how oily your lids are.
• Great range of colors to choose from

Verdict

I prefer the colored 24/7 liners as opposed to the 24/7 Zero liner. They seem to stay on better (at least for me). They are very easy to apply because they won't tug or pull your skin. I also like the fact that their staying power are good but could have been better if you ask me. Overall, a decent buy if you don't mind the price tag and find a color you really like. For the record, I don't know any other places aside from ACW that can offer you these product for almost half price. So definitely check them out if you are interested. Stock comes and goes so get them while you can. My rating would be 8/10.

My Circle Lenses Arrived! Come and Take a Sneak Peak :D

I'm super duper excited. I placed my order for 4 pairs of circle lenses from Pinky Paradise on Monday night and I already received them today! OMG fastest shipping ever!!! And all the way from Malaysia too!
I chose express shipping, which cost me $15 and was supposed to take about 5 to 7 days so I really didn't expect them to show up at my door so soon. Regular shipping is $9 and suppose to take about 2 weeks.

Anyhoo, the contents came inside this large bubblewrap yellow envelope. Each pair is wrapped inside a foamy pink thingy. I received 4 cute animal cases and a surprise travel case, which is super cute because it includes a little mirror, a mini travel solution bottle, a tweezer thingy specially made to handle your lenses, and something else I'm not sure what it's for, lol.

 

With that said, I just opened them and soaked them into regular contact solutions. I will wear one of them tomorrow...ahhhh I don't know if I can decide which one I'm going to pick first.
If you are curious about which ones I ordered, I have the Big DM23 violet, Shinny grey (aka puffy 3 tone), Geo Fresh brown, and Geo Tri Color Green.

I will let you know what I think about them once I get a chance to wear them all a few times. So look out for more pix and a review.
Meanwhile, if you didn't get a chance to read my previous circle lenses review, feel free to check it out here.

Coastal Scents Camo Quad Light & Color Corrector

I purchased these concealers from Coastal Scents about a month ago. At that time they were having a sale, I think 20% off. The regular price is $7.95 each, which isn't bad in my opinion. I was thorn between the light and the medium so I decided to go with the light. I must say that the pictures of the concealer quads on CS's website is not true to color. They appear lighter on the website. My pictures are pretty close to the real colors.

On the Light Camo Quad, you have 4 different flesh-toned colors to choose from to match the area you want to conceal. The white is suggested for highlighting and brightening your eyes. I particularly like to use the darker shade, which kinda looks like a salmon color to cover my under eye circles. FYI, these apply lighter than they look in the pan. See the swatches below.

The Color Corrector Quad may seem more complicated to understand if you are not familiar with how they are supposed to work and the theory behind color counteracting. Basically, each color there has a specific purpose. When used accordingly, they will even out your skin tone.
- Green helps counteract with redness such as pimples and rosacea.
- Yellow helps counteract with blueish and purple discoloration such as bruises and under eye circles.
- Lavender helps counteract with yellow discoloration such as uneven skin tone.
- Blue helps counteract with orange discoloration such as tanning.

Packaging

• It's approximately 3 inches in diameter but it's pretty thin
• 4 different colors in each quad for different purpose and usage
• Easy to open and close
• Made of plastic. Pretty cheap-looking but feels sturdy.
• Very good amount of product.

Product

• It's not as emollient as my other concealers. The consistency leans on the drier side
• It needs a little warmth so you will need to use your fingers to apply. Make sure your fingers are clean before dipping in.
• Even though it feels like a drier paste, I do not experience cakiness because it applies pretty thin and evenly once you blend it on your skin
• It's very pigmented and offer full coverage

Verdict

Overall, I do like this concealer. I have pretty normal/combination skin so I did not experience any problem when using the product. It last all day and works best "under" liquid foundation. It may not work as well for you if you have problematic skin such as dry patches or severe acne. I believe it works best on a smooth surface and give pretty good coverage. You may not need to make use of all the shades and probably will use one or two more than the others but at least you have options if you needed them. I'm still unsure of how long they will last before they dry out. I don't know if I'll repurchase since I like to try out new products but it's definitely worth a try if you are looking for a concealer. I'd give it a 8/10.

Revlon CustomEyes - Metallic Chic & Party Pops



Metallic Chic



Party Pops


I have been eyeing these Revlon palettes since I first saw them at Walgreens not long ago because they just recently surfaced on the market along with the new Colorburst lipglosses, which I'm also dying to try out more colors. On the side note, I have the Colorburst Lipgloss in the shade Bordeaux, which I reviewed a little while back so if you missed out on my review, feel free to check it out by clicking here.
These CustomEyes palettes were on BOGO sale at Ulta last week, so I picked up two of them. The retail price is around $8.99. Definitely, look out for the sales if you want to try these.

Packaging

• I like the fact that it's sleek and compact and has a view window.
• It comes with a sponge tip applicator, which I don't particularly care for.
• It doesn't include a little mirror but that's ok because I normally rather use my large mirror.
• I don't like that it open on the wide side (personal preference). It just feels odd.
• There is a diagram on the back of the palette to show you where to place the eyeshadows. I didn't notice that at first but when I saw it I thought it was neat.

Product

• You get 5 different shades. They all have pretty much the same texture and are shimmery, if you ask me.
• I really like the quilted pattern of the shadows. I think it's cute.
• I am sooo DISAPPOINTED. This product did not live up to my expectation. Major lack in pigmentation, GRRR! I don't know if you can tell from the swatch. They look nothing like that on my eyes.
• I tried to create a look with this palette and the colors look pale and ashy. That is a major turn off for me. No matter how much I try to pack on the colors, it just doesn't show up like I want it to.

Verdict
Don't buy this! The pigmentation is just horrible. I wished the colors had different textures and finishes. I'll give it a 2/10. Two points for the packaging, the rest is a disaster. I am definitely going to return these.



Makeup look done by using Metallic Chic



Nubar 2010

I received this nail polish topcoat about a week ago. I ordered it on Ebay for $7.70 because of the free shipping deal but if you like you can also order it from Nubar's website. I have been anticipating this for a while after seeing swatches of it. Apparently, this is the dupe for Sally Hansen's Hidden Treasure which was limited edition. In the bottle, it looks like a cloudy clear coat with lots of holographic flakies that look like shaved diamonds. It's actually a lot sparklier in real life and SO pretty! Take a look at the close up pic to see what I mean.

I was experimenting with Nubar 2010 the other day and came to the conclusion that the reflection of the holographic flakies looked best and are more noticeable over a matte dark color. Over the black and blue polishes, you can see the flakies turning orange, gold, and green. On the pink and red polishes, the flakies mostly looked gold. It's such a nice way to jazz up your nail polish IMO. It's a lot easier to remove as compared to glitter.

CCO & Bare Escentuals Haul

I decided to go back to the Outlets today to return a few items that I had bought there few weeks ago, including the Bobbi Brown Night Sky Eye Palette. I ended up coming home with new stuff, lol.

From the CCO/CCS (aka Cosmetics Company Store)
If you are not familiar with this store, they sell high-end beauty products at reduced price. A lot of them are discontinued but some are still available in department stores. You save about 25-50 % off the retail price.

- Estee Lauder Pure Color Eyeshadow in Emerald Metallic, $12.25. This color looks gorgeous! I don't have anything quite like it, at least I don't think so from first glance. I will have to compare with other similar color to see if there is any dupe.
- MAC Lipglass - A different Groove, $10.25--original price is $14.50This was part of the Liberty of London collection which came out last summer.
- MAC Holiday pigment set, $22.75--Original price is about $32.50 I think. These came out in Holiday 2009 collection. I was mostly interested in Copperized.
- MAC Mattene Lipstick Semi-Mat in Night Violet, $10.25--original price probably was around $14.00. I think I've found the perfect plum lipstick! :D These are probably discontinued. I don't recall seeing them at MAC.

From the Bare Escentuals Outlet
I'm not sure if you guys have seen it in your local outlet mall but this recently opened here and they have really great sales.

- Brushes were on sale for buy 2 get one free. I decided to buy some. I was in need of a retractable face brush so I got this pretty one in the green packaging for $9.50.
- The orange Eye Buki Brush cost $9.50. I think it's too big for the eyes but I wanted it for highlighting my cheeks.
- Soft Sweep Cheek Brush, $6.50. Because this one was the cheapest, it ended up being the free item.
- Brush Roll, $6.50. I thought this was pretty cute and it was on sale for 30% off. It also came with a little angle brush. This will come in very handy when traveling. You can store 8 brushes in there.

That's it! I will try my very best to not haul so much stuff in a week.

CVS Haul (AGAIN!)

Yes, I went back to CVS yesterday again to see what else I may want and missed out on my last visit, lol. Ughhh, this is the life of an addict. But seriously, the sale is soooo damn good that you'd be crazy not wanting to buy anything.

- Milani's products were on BOGO 50% off. I purchased a Glitzy Glamour Gloss in 06 All About Me for $7.79. Lipflash in 06 Flashy for $3.89
- L'oreal HIP Cream Eyeliner in Eggplant, Teal, and Midnight Blue. These are originally $12.99. I got them for $3.25 each. AMAZING! I've always wanted to try these and finally this was my chance. I never wanted to buy them at the full price because I thought they were too expensive for drugstore product. I'm super duper excited I got these on sale. The discount didn't show up when I was at the register even though they had the sale sticker on so I had to tell the cashier that they were supposed to be 75% off. He had to manually adjust the price. So be sure to check for the price when they scan your items that are supposed to be on sale. You don't want to pay more than what you have to.
- Sally Hansen Insta-Fix Nail Repair Kit. I hope this thing works. My nails are always breaking and chipping. I got this on sale for $2.49. Original price is $9.99.

I don't plan on going back to get anymore goodies, unless I see someone post an interesting product on sale that I feel I should get.

I don't know when I'll get to review these but hopefully as soon as possible. I have so much stuff in my review basket.