TheBalm/The Balm Cosmetics Review

The Balm Cosmetics has been a brand that I've heard loads about but just never got around to trying because it wasn't in available at Sephora, Ulta, or any drugstores. However, some time ago, there was a site wide 50% off sale on their online website so my sister and I jumped on it and picked up a few goodies we'd been eyeing for ages. So now that I've gotten to try out the products and put them to the test, I thought I'd do a little review and give you my thoughts on them!

I think it's only appropriate to start with Mary-Lou Manizer ($24 off the Balm site) because this was the first the Balm product I heard of. It's definitely a cult favorite and has been tested by many others and I have to say, I agree with the hype. It's a really beautiful light beige highlighter (not too warm and not too cool) with a beautiful fine shimmer that doesn't make you look like a disco ball but definitely makes you stand out. The packaging is quality and the mirror is huge so it's perfect for travel or on-the go makeup. You can double it for eyeshadow or highlighter too which is awesome. Definitely no complaints here. If you want to try out their other shades of highlighters though, they have a trio package with all 3 shades that they have in a mini/deluxe size which I semi wish I got because I bet they all would have looked really nice!

Next up is Bahama Mama ($20), a warm bronzer that hits the spot. I've been using it daily since I got it and absolutely love it. It has ZERO orange tones to it so it won't make you look like an oompa loompa (is that how you spell that..?) and blends in so easily. It's not SO pigmented that you get too much pigment when you swipe your brush into it (which is a good thing, I dislike products that are so soft that you get way too much product even with the lightest touch) but it definitely has color so don't be too hard with it. Like the highlighter, you can double this as an eyeshadow as well and it'll contour your eyes flawlessly. It is a bit small for $20 but since I got it half off, I'd say $10 is a good deal. I have Hoola by Benefit and the NYC Sunny Bronzer (really amazing for the price) so I'd say the NYC Sunny has a bit more orange than Hoola or Bahama Mama and Hoola is just a touch lighter than Bahama Mama. I love both my Hoola and Bahama Mama though so can't really say which I'd choose if I had to choose one. Maybe Hoola since it does come with a brush that is excellent for contouring but I think Bahama Mama's color is just SLIGHTLY better for my skin tone. Also keep in mind Hoola by Benefit is $29 so if price is a deciding factor, think on that (NYC's bronzer is like.. less than $5 by the way).

When picking out which products I was going to get, I had the hardest time choosing between Nude Tude (the original neutral palette) and Nude Dude (released after Nude Tude with more pinky tones). I ended up choosing Nude Dude ($36) because I wanted the rosy-dusty shades it had while Nude Tude had other warmer golden shades that I already had with my Naked by Urban Decay palette. I'm completely satisfied with my Nude Tude palette and have been using it basically daily since I got it. I love the wide range of colors it has and they're all really well pigmented and blend so easily. I don't get any patchiness with them and there's a really good amount of shimmery shades and matte shades. Beware that the dark colors are very pigmented so you don't want to be heavy handed (whereas the lighter shades you can get away with being heavy handed because they'll blend in more easily). The highlight shade is so good for the inner corners and underneath the brow bone and even all over the lid if you're doing a look that calls for that. I love the two dusty rose shades though because those are totally my style right now (one is shimmery and one isn't, 3rd column from the right) and they pair so well  with the darker browns next to them (2nd column from the right). While $36 isn't exactly cheap, it IS cheaper than the many other neutral palettes out there (ie. the Naked palettes are $54, Smashbox Full Exposure is $52, Too Faced The Chocolate Bar is $49) and I would say the shadow shades and quality are on par with all of those other brands so don't be afraid to try it even if Sephora doesn't stock it!

My sister wanted to try Meet Matt(e) Hughes ($17) in the shade Honest so we picked that up and lemme say it is super pigmented, matte, and creamy. The color is a bit more peachy that it appears in my photos and is described as a warm coral. It seems like it would be good on all skin tones and is very wearable. I think it lasts for a reasonable amount of time and fades well when you eat/drink/do stuff that would make it come off. The applicator is standard like most others though to be honest I prefer the heart shaped applicator tips with a pointed tip which really helps you get the edges of your lip without mistake. Definitely make sure you use a lip liner with this because mistakes are not easily forgiven. I think $17 is a bit up there in price especially since I've recently discovered the wonders of ColourPop (I know I'm late to the bandwagon) which has amazing liquid lipsticks for only $4-5 (they have sales a lot so you can usually get it discounted) and they're just as good, if not better, than this TheBalm liquid lipsticks.

How 'Bout Them Apples ($32) is a cream blush (well technically cheeks and lips) palette that is so pigmented and the color range is super wearable and versatile for all occasions. The packaging is cute (as are all of The Balm products, and as you can see in the photo below, the palette opens up vertically and on the top half, there's a HUGE mirror. Super great when you're traveling, on the go, or just not in a location where a full mirror is at easy access. Application works well with a beauty blender or dense brush but a normal powder brush would do as well. Gotta say this is a big hit and would definitely recommend it if you can pick it up on sale since full price is edging it a bit if you're like me and don't use blush that often.

I don't have a close up shot of the Time Balm ($28) foundation (my apologies) but it was definitely super orange-y/oxidized when my sister tried it out. I got the shade Medium (for my sister's Asian skin tone which I would say is about a Mac NC30 but maybe a little darker) and it just had a strong orange undertone that wasn't super flattering for the neutral undertone Asian skins generally carry; I'd say this foundation is better suited for Caucasian individuals. The puff that comes with the foundation isn't the greatest but that's expected so not a huge deal breaker really. This is one of the downsides of not having TheBalm stocked at Sephora or Ulta because you can't try out the foundations to make sure the shade fits you. So if you're not 100% sure if the shade will match you, I'd say save your money and spend a bit more for one you know matches you (aka one you can sample in store) since you can't return used/open items to TheBalm (understandably so).

All in all, I'd say I'm pretty pleased with this The Balm haul. I've wanted to try out their products for so long so I was really excited when I saw they had a 50% off sale! At full price, they're definitely a bit on the pricier range but they do go on sales periodically and some products can be found on sites like HauteLook for discount so look out for those if you're interested. The only product I'm iffy/so-so about is the Time Balm foundation but everything else I'd definitely recommend!

Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer Haul + Review and Swatches!

If you didn't already know, Ulta had this special event called  "21 Days of Beauty Madness" where each day (since March 16th all the way till April 5th), they had one or more "Beauty Steal(s) of the Day" with certain products discounted or on sale for a pretty good price. They also had a different in store events every day where they either teach you beauty tips and tricks or share new products! It's pretty cool and the nice thing is, they released all the specials of the day that they'd have on their website so you didn't have to keep checking back or checking your email to find out what items might be on sale that day. Click this link if you want to check out what goodies they had on sale so the next time it come around, you have sort of an idea what to expect! :)

From left to right: Sprog, Rosie Lee, Kerfuffle, Goss, Bit Faker, and Lucy in the Sky

Anyways, why am I mentioning Beauty Madness at Ulta - besides trying to save you some bucks? Because on March 20th, the Beauty Steal of the Day was buy one get one free for Butter London nail polishes. Say whaat?? Yea you heard me. Those polishes that sell for $15 a piece for only $7.50?! Woot woot, count me in! Unfortunately, that week was my finals week for school so I was locked up in my room studying that day and knew I wouldn't be able to go in stores to get the polishes so I decided to purchase them online.. which I wouldn't say was a bad thing because (1) all of the nail polishes were in stock and available and (2) I was "forced" to buy more than just two polishes since I wanted the free shipping which required a purchase over $50 haha. I ended up buying 6 polishes and a toner that cost about $6 which got me just barely over $50 and the free shipping! I'm planning on returning the toner to my local Ulta though since I don't exactly need a new one and I might actually be returning one of the Butter London nail polishes just because I realized I have a color similar to it already (but who knows!).

Top to bottom and Left to right: Rosie Lee, Sprog, Kerfuffle, Bit Faker, Goss, and Lucy in the Sky

Below is a photo of how the polishes came in their bundled original bubble wrap packaging. Thought I'd just share this to show how nicely packed the polishes were to avoid breaking during the shipping process. I commend Ulta for their shipping services as I received the tracking ID in a timely manner via email and my package arrived in about 4 business days (it was supposed to take 2-5 business days). My order came in a nicely packed cardboard boxed that was filled with air bags and bubble wrap to keep everything secure and safe :D

All nicely bundled up to protect from injury during the ship!

The polishes I purchased are Goss, Lucy in the Sky, Sprog, Bit Faker, Rosie Lee, and Kerfuffle. Goss and Lucy in the Sky are from the Boho Collection, Bit Faker is from the Summer Collection, and Kerfuffle is from the Spring Collection. Rosie Lee and Sprog are part of the permanent collection. Sprog is a beautiful pond blue cream shade with no sparkles and is quite opaque (you can get away with one coat but two is always advised). Kerfuffle is also another cream polish that comes in a peachy-coral-pink shade. It's not exactly the type of pink I've been searching for (I'm on a hunt for the perfect pink base shade that I can do nail art and designs on) but it's definitely a really pretty pink with warm undertones. 

If you want, I can do a shade comparison to other pinks I have to show the difference as many pinks can be too cool or too orange and this is definitely a nice different shade from anything I have. I also am quite pleased with Kerfuffle in it's opacity and non-streaky nature (I only needed one coat of it and it looked fantabulous!). Rosie Lee and Bit Faker are both dense glitter packed polishes and I know they're going to be a pain in the butt to get off, but they're soo gorgeous. Rosie Lee has pink glitter specks while Bit Faker has a mix of gold and bronze glitter specks giving it a really nice multidimensional look. Because they're both intense glitter polishes, they dry with a textured rough finish because of all the glitters but that's not a problem for me (especially since I always top with my Seche Vite top coat)

Goss is one of the most unique polishes I've ever tried since it's a foil or metal finish meaning it's SUPER glossy and shiny and makes it look like you have metal on your nails! It's absolutely stunning and actually might be my favorite polish from this haul because of it's unique look. It reminds me of my Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish in Silver Sweep (click here for a swatch of it) which also has a metallic/foil finish but Goss is a rose gold color which makes it extra special. The only downside to Goss is that it is a bit less forgiving to any bumps or lines on your nails as they WILL show up through the polish and I would advise 2-3 coats to get an even finish (in addition to a base coat and buffed&smoothed nails). When I was deciding if I should purchase Goss or not, I was reading reviews and quite a few people had mentioned the streakiness and how you could see "brush strokes" when using Goss. I agree that it is a bit more difficult to use than other normal polishes, but nothing that can't be fixed with multiple coats of polish! And last but not least, Lucy in the Sky! It is a beautiful glitter top coat with gold and silver glitter particles. These glitters are different from the ones in Rosie Lee and Bit Faker because they're just a tad bit larger and there are less of them which makes it better as a top coat than to be worn by itself. Because it has less glitters and the glitter particles are slightly larger, Lucy in the Sky has less of a rough finish.

I paired Rosie Lee by itself (two coats) on my left thumb and found it to be quite a glitter packed polish. While it can look nice over another solid polish, it definitely can be worn by itself since the glitter flecks are so densely packed. On my right thumb, I did one coat of Kerfuffle and topped it with two coats of Lucy in the Sky. I'm not sure how much I like the pairing but I do like both nail polishes separately! Lucy in the Sky is really pretty and layering one coat vs. two coats can create very different effects.

Picture taken indoors with flash.

Photo taken indoors without flash. From thumb to pinky (left to right): Rosie Lee (two coats without redipping brush into bottle), Kerfuffle (one coat!), Lucy in the Sky (one coat all over the nail) and Bit Faker at the bottom half of the nail (one coat), Goss (two coats), and Lucy in the Sky (two coats all over the nail) with Bit Faker at the tips.

Index finger to pinky (top to bottom): Goss (one coat so you can see some brush lines), Bit Faker (two coats but without redipping brush into bottle), Rosie Lee (one coat) over Kerfuffle (one coat), and Lucy in the Sky (two coats with redipping back into polish bottle)

Overall I'm extremely satisfied with all the nail polishes so far. They all apply super smoothly and evenly and look amazing! I'll post an update later on how long they last before chipping so I won't apply a top coat. I'll also post pictures of Sprog once I get to testing it out but I hope this post was helpful to any of you guys thinking about purchasing one of these Butter London shades! They're all quite unique in my opinion and I'm glad I purchased them when they were on sale :)

Makeup Academy (MUA) Heaven and Earth Palette and Undress Me Too Palette Review

Today I'm here to share my thoughts on two Makeup Academy, more commonly known as MUA, palettes. Unfortunately they don't sell MUA products at drugstores or any retail shops in the US, but I wanted to try out the shadows from MUA so badly so I ordered them directly from their website. You can purchase the palettes from Ebay but the two exact palettes I wanted weren't any cheaper than they would be if I purchased them directly from the site. Plus, I was looking to buy two palettes so if I had to buy them both separately on Ebay, it'd actually be more expensive. The total cost with shipping and tax for the two palettes ended up being $26 (and some cents) so about $13 for each palette which was still quite cheap (though not as cheap if I didn't have to order it online!).

The original Undress palette by MUA has been compared to the original Naked palette from Urban Decay while the Undress Me Too (love the name haha!) palette is said to be similar to the Naked 2 palette. However, I already own the original Naked palette and though it would be fun to get the MUA Undress palette to compare, the two palettes did look similar and I really was looking for more different shades of neutral shadows for creating different everyday looks so I decided to get the Undress Me Too palette (in place of getting a $50 Naked 2 palette!). I also chose the Heaven and Earth palette because that seemed to be the most popular palette from MUA and all the neutral shades from it looked nice and different from anything else I had.

Price: $6.62 each, if purchased directly from the site (on Ebay they sell for $5 - $11 not including shipping)
Amount: Each palette contains 12 eyeshadow pans, each about the size of a nickel and come with a double sided sponge applicator.
Packaging: I love how you can see the shadows from the outside of the palette due to the clear front plastic top and the closing clasp is very secure and tight so it won't just open up easily like some other palettes. The palettes are also a great size for travel or everyday traveling as they aren't too bulky or fragile to carry around.

I'll start with the Heaven and Earth palette, and let me say, I love it! I've been using it everyday for the last week because I love the neutral shades so much! I like how it has so many different shades of brown because I love creating new brown smokey eye looks for every day wear and don't really wear greys or blacks as often. The palette has a perfect balance of light shades and darker shades - there's one light beige shadow (top most left) that's perfect for highlighting the inner corners and browbone, 4-5 (depending on your skin tone) shadows that work really well as transition or crease shades, and the rest are different darker shades of brown that are perfect for the outer corners. Unlike the Urban Decay or Smashbox eyeshadows that I have, these MUA shadows aren't exactly the soft and crazy pigmented type but for they still work really well. You don't have to "tap off the excess" (which I've always thought was a huge waste of product) or be super careful so that you don't get one super dark spot from your initial application where all the shadow got deposited (admit it, we've all had that happen!). Even though these are more firmer/packed shadows, they transfer really well onto my lids in a smooth and seamless way.. it's hard to explain but I really love how easily the shadows blend. It makes creating natural looks even easier and more natural haha!  Another plus (for me at least)  is that all of the shadows in the palette are matte or have very little shimmer so that it doesn't show up when you apply it. I was quite pleased with this because I was looking for a palette that had less shimmery/glittery shadows as most drugstore palettes contain mostly shimmery shadows (I think it's because those are easier to formulate than matte ones but I don't really know why). Matte shadows are perfect for blending out harsh edges which is what I've been especially using this palette for.

Now onto the Undress Me Too palette! I think this palette must be quite popular too because on the website, it's sold out (sorry folks!) but you can subscribe to get a notification when it gets back in stock if you really want to get it bad! I can see how people would compare this to the Naked 2 palette but don't think it's THAT similar. As I mentioned before, it has mostly matte shades/shades with little shimmer while the Naked 2 palette has shadows in the same shade that are contain more visible shimmer. Don't get me wrong, there definitely are shades with visible sheen that work well especially for all over the lid (the shadows on the top row second and fourth from the left are both very nice colors with glitter flecks in them and look really nice) but I like the variety of lots of shimmer to less visible shimmer to completely matte. Like the Naked 2 palette, there is a matte highlight and matte black shade (top row most left and bottom row most right) and let me say, that matte black is REALLY matte and really pigmented too so be careful! I had the misfortune of dabbing my brush in about 2 times and getting way too much of that black shadow and had trouble blending it out (haha). The entire bottom row of the palette leans more towards the cooler shades of brown meaning they have more grey undertones and are more of a taupe color. Overall though, I do enjoy the palette and think it IS a good substitute for the Naked 2 (at less than 1/4 of the cost!). The colors aren't exactly the same but they're pretty close and though the Urban Decay shadows are softer and more pigmented, you still get really good color pay off and blendability with the MUA shadows.

 

My only negative thoughts about both the palettes I got are that I've seen slight creasing in the shadows after a day's wear (about 12 hours) but that was without a primer. With a primer (I use the Urban Decay original primer or the ELF $1 eye primer - both work equally well!), the shadows stay all day though so it's not too big of a deal in my opinion.

The two palettes I purchased are the only products I've ever tried from Makeup Academy but I have to say I'm very pleased and would definitely want to try out some more of their products. I just wish they would make them available in the US! Both palettes are great for beginners looking for a good amount of eyeshadow shades to play around with and experiment that are affordable and still good quality. The Heaven and Earth palette contains warmer shades of brown along with a few highlight shades while the Undress Me Too palette has cooler shades and contains a matte highlight and matte black shade, perfect for any makeup look. The Undress Me Too is agreeably similar to the UD Naked 2 although it doesn't come with a real brush and only a sponge tip applicator one. The shadows are a different constituency/formula than Urban Decay shadows as they are firmer/more pressed shadows which can reduce the amount of fallout you get when applying the shadows. However, they still have great pigmentation and blend very well and I would highly recommend all of you to check out these palettes if you can.

I hope this review was helpful and encourages you to try MUA if you haven't already. I know I'm glad I did! If you guys want to see any makeup looks using either of these two palettes, please feel free to leave a comment below! I've been feeling lazy and lacking of inspiration for videos or blog posts! >__<'

Shiseido White Lucent Intensive Spot Targeting Serum Review

Who knew having nice skin took so much time and effort.. and not to mention money. It makes me regret not taking better care of it when I was younger and had the perfect baby soft, clear, and untouched by pimples and scars face haha. But anyways, today's review is going to be on the Shieseido White Lucent Intensive Spot Targeting Serum (wow that was a mouthful) and if you're trying to decide whether or not to slap that grand of money on the table for this product, well read on~!

 

Price: $170 for 50 mL

What it claims to do: "A super brightening serum created to diminish stubborn dark spots in 10 days and prevent future pigmentation from appearing." 

• Formulated with smoothing and re-texturizing ingredients to enhance clarity and radiance for flawless, perfectly even-toned skin
• Developed with advanced Shiseido Multi-Action Brightening System+, targeting all types of hyper-pigmentation and their causes: dark spots, age spots, acne scars and uneven skin tones. 
• Contains ME Complex (Yomogi Extract and Angelica Root Extract) to accelerate cell turnover and diminish and eliminate melanin pigment.

"The recommended replenishment cycle for 30mL is 1 month and 50mL is 2 months."

Okay all of that above was taken straight from the site so I'm sure you've read it before, but let me point out that last sentence.. the "recommended replenishment"?! I started off with the 30mL bottle and it lasted me a year. Maybe it's because I was super sparing with the product or that I stopped using it as consistently as I maybe should have? Who knows but regardless, I'm pretty sure it'll last longer than it says there so don't be too freaked out by that last sentence. 

I originally bought this serum hoping that it would help fade my dark spots and acne scars that I had gotten from my college breakout experience, but as time went by and I continued to use this product, I realized it wasn't really doing much for my dark spots and rather I preferred to use it to "brighten" my skin. I noticed that the mornings after I had applied the product (I usually only put it on at night), my face looked more luminescent, like it had nice radiant glow to it which helped my complexion look nicer. However, when I looked close to see any removal or decrease of my dark spots, I didn't notice any notable or incredible difference. For a product that costs $170 for the full size, I was definitely not impressed by the results. Sure it does make your skin look nice, but you have to continually use it to get that effect and really, who has that kind of money to spend on something that doesn't actually improve your skin? While I'll admit this product does meet the first bullet point in that it does "enhance radiance", I don't think it gives you even skin because I can still see my discoloration from my scars and I don't think that counts as "even"! Personally, I prefer my Aloe Vera gel lotion - which I swear by in treating acne and scars - as well as a Pond's dark spot treatment which I might review if you guys would like (it's less than $10 and I can say it works better than this $170 Shisiedo "intensive" serum. I'm now also trying out an Olay dark spot serum and will let you know how that goes once I've used it long enough to determine it's effectiveness but so far it's going well!

Anyways, back to this review ...Would I repurchase this? No, definitely not because it is way too pricey and did not get rid of my dark spots. Therefore, I can't say I would recommend it to you guys to purchase. Sure it makes your skin look brighter but there are a ton more products out there for less than half the price that do the same job so I'd say save your hard earned money and go for those! So tootle-loo for now, I'll be back with another review soon (hopefully!) ^__^

SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion Review

 

Today I wanted to share my opinion on the SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion because I've been using this skincare product for a bit more than a year now and I have to say, I absolutely love it! I knew it was worth the money in about the first month's use, but I guess I never got around to blogging about it till now. Looking online, I realized there aren't too many reviews for this product so I hope I can add my thoughts to the "pot" and help out some of you deciding whether or not you should spend your money on this toner. 

Price: $60 for 5 oz (update as of 11/26/2014: I went to Sephora's website and apparently they've raised the price to $70!! If you are in Asia or have someone visiting Asia, I would definitely suggest you go ask them to buy it for you as it is about $60 USD or less depending where you go)
What it claims to do: This effective toning lotion with a mix of AHA and Pitera™ exfoliates dead skin cells and impurities. Its clarifying formula prepares the face for the rest of your skincare regimen.

I guess I should start off with the reason why I bought this toner in the first place - I'll admit, it's quite pricey - but if you've been following me on my Youtube channel, you'll know already. My first year of college, I started breaking out like crazy, and for someone like me who had previously rarely got pimples except the occasional one that I would freak out over, it was a pretty big deal. When people say that having acne really hurts your confidence, I understand - it really does. It's strange because you shouldn't have to care so much about your outer appearance but when you just have red dots and bumps all over your face, it's hard not to feel embarrassed or wonder if everyone's staring at them. To this day, I'm not 100% sure why I had that "mid-life skin crisis" but I'm guessing it was a combination of the cafeteria food I was eating (probably a 100% increase in my fat intake since back home, I ate a healthy balanced Chinese meal of rice and vegetables and some meat), the air environment (it is much drier in my college town than in my hometown), and the Missha BB cream (strange that I'd say such a specific item right? But I'll explain!). When I realized my breaks out weren't subsiding, I took action and began eating much healthier (only salads and low-fat foods) because I thought my diet was what was the cause. After about a month or two and no improvement, I was at a loss of what to do. Around that time, it was Christmas break and I went home and even my parents were shocked and a bit distressed at my skin condition. My mom decided to take me out and buy some skincare products to hopefully help my acne and we decided to purchase the SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion. The reason we chose this specific one was because I had seen Raeview (if you haven't heard of her, check out her Youtube videos or her blog - TheRaeviewer - she's writes really great reviews on lots of high end luxury products as well as drugstore makeup products!) talk about her daily skincare routine and she had mentioned using this toner and how well it worked for her. The lady who we purchased the toner from recommended I get the matching Facial Treatment Essence to go with it but I passed (though I did get a sample to try out). I began using the clear lotion that night and within a week, the redness in my pimples had decreased significantly and by two weeks, most of them had cleared away. It took about a month for them to all disappear but within that time, my skin improved so much and it was amazing. 

This toner did wonders for my skin and continues to do so. I would say this toner is just average if it just got rid of my acne, but it's better than that because it actually prevents me from getting any more breakouts. Now I practically NEVER breakout, like even less than I did originally and even if it's "that time of the month", and I'm really not exaggerating!! I really hope I don't suddenly get a pimple tomorrow morning (haha) but I absolutely swear by this toner. Before I got this toner, I used some random "hydrating toner" my mom had given to me by some random unknown brand and I didn't feel like it did anything for my skin. But using the SK-II Clear Lotion, I really can feel a difference. I like to just tip the bottle over two times with half a cotton pad (I like to use the CVS rectangle ones and cut or rip them in half) covering the opening. Because the opening is just a small hole, the toner can't really "spill" out because it'll just drip out. I only need two "tips" of the bottle to soak the cotton pad enough before swiping it all over my face, but I know for my boyfriend, he needs at least 4 so it's really up to you and how much you feel you need to wipe your face down. I like to start from the right side of my face and move downwards getting my jawline down to my neck and avoiding the delicate eye area. I like to concentrate mostly on my nose area because that's where my face oils tends to accumulate. I apply quite a bit of pressure when I'm wiping my face because I like to really make sure I'm wiping away any dirt or oil residue that my cleanser didn't wash off. (If I didn't say this before, I use my Philosophy Purity made Simple cleanser before I use the facial treatment toner). The fun thing is looking at the cotton pad and seeing the dirt or dead skin cells that come off my face haha! 

If I were to say how long this toner would last most people, I'd say maybe about 8 months to a year? I suppose it depends how often you use it because I first started off using it day and night but then as my skin cleared up and I realized I didn't need to use it so often, I started only using it at night. Now, I just use it every other night or even less, it just depends how my skin is looking that week. Because my skin has been doing so well, I've been able to focus more on my acne scars/dark spots and trying to fade them rather than having to fight off pimples and I know it's because of this toner that my skin has been doing so well. The SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion really helps to get rid of any leftover dirt or oil that could clog my pores, and I feel like it helps my skin absorb my other skin care products better. I know the Facial Treatment Essence that you're supposed to use with it would probably also help my skin, but I don't think it's really necessary because of what great results I've gotten with the Clear Lotion alone. While I understand that the price is quite up there, I would definitely suggest this to anyone whether you have extremely severe acne or just moderate to light acne. I think one of the reasons this toner works so well is that it helps balance out your skin so that if you had oily skin before, somehow, it makes your skin produce less oil so that you'll have less oil clogging your pores. I know this is true because for my skin, I previously had combination skin with my T-zone getting quite oily some days, but now, my skin stays nice and healthy and hydrated without getting oily.

Would I repurchase this product? Yes and no. Right now, I haven't even finished my bottle as I have about 1/3 left, but even though I absolutely love this product, I don't think I actually will buy it again once I run out. The reason for this is because I feel like the Clear Lotion has really helped balance out my skin and because my skin is doing so well, I don't see too much of a need for the toner. Basically, the toner has worked so well that I feel like I don't need any toner anymore at all! Of course I know that's not true because toners really help your skin absorb the skincare products you use afterwards much more, but I think I might start experimenting around and try and find a less intense and cheaper alternative that will just keep my skin in balance and in check.

Would I recommend this product? Yes yes and yes! If I haven't drilled it in your head enough, I love this product and think it'll work wonders for anyone's skin. It doesn't just get rid of acne, it prevents it and corrects your skin so that you don't have to worry about it so much. Yes $60 is a lot, but you get a good amount of product and it lasts for quite a while. Plus, it goes against the laws of all business companies in that it works so well that you don't NEED to repurchase it! (Because we all know companies just want us to keep buying their products).


If you want to purchase this toner, you can find it at a local SK-II shop (that's where I picked up mine) or at Sephora - click here! I hope you guys enjoyed this somewhat lengthy review and found it helpful. If you have any questions about my personal experience with this toner, please leave a comment below and I'll answer it ASAP~! :) Hope you all have a lovely day <3

NYC New York Color Big Bold Gloss Review

Woohoo, once again Influenster swoops in and let's me try a new awesome product. Or well somewhat awesome. I received my Varsity Voxbox a little while back but didn't get to fully try out all the products till now. One of them that I got was the lip gloss by NYC called "Big Bold Gloss". The shade I got was 467, Pleasantly Plump Pink which was a nice peachy pink with some coral hints and shimmer in it. The first thing I noticed when I opened it was how big the applicator is. It's definitely not your average lip gloss doe shaped or footed applicator but more like one you might see on the concealers that are slanted foam brushes that have the product come out from the middle of the applicator? Does that even make sense haha. Anyways, the large applicator isn't too big of a problem for me and my medium sized lips but I can see some problems for people with less full lips. It distributes the product well, but I think I would prefer a typical doe shaped applicator like the Loreal ones as those are better at staying in the lines and precisely outlining your lips.

The product itself is actually quite decent. Normally I'm iffy about NYC makeup products since I had a bad experience with one of their mosaic palettes, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. It is a bit gloopy in the tube, but when you apply it on, you can get a nice color coverage without it being too sticky. You definitely need to be careful about putting on too much (which is pretty easy with the large brush) and it's better to smooth everything out by spreading the product around using your lips or fingers (hopefully that doesn't sound too weird -_-). There is also actually a nice sweet vanilla scent that I really liked, but if you're not into fragrances then I wouldn't recommend this. The lipgloss has a nice glossy finish that makes your lips look fuller without being disgusting and sticking to everything and I would recommend ya'll to give it a shot if you're looking at trying a new lip gloss product on the market!

Skin 79 Hot Pink Super Plus Beblesh Balm Review

If you've seen any of my videos, I am either wearing this, using this, or talking about this product. Know what it is?! (Well I would hope so since it does say right there in the title haha!) ...Okay I'll pretend someone responded to me, YES YOU GOT IT. The Skin 79 Hot Pink Super Plus Triple Function Beblesh Balm cream! Wow that was a mouthful and I just realized it's called "Beblesh Balm" (yes that's what it says on the North American Skin79 website!) not "Blemish Balm" ... Is Beblesh even a word... *feeling confused* Wow I've had this product for 4 years now and I've never noticed that.. this is kind of sad. Oh well, hey I guess it just goes to show you learn something new everyday! And back to the matter that most of you guys came for - the review!

From the website: 

TOTAL SOLUTION BB CREAM WITH 10-IN-1 EFFECTS. Moisture based triple function BB cream takes care of the base as well as colour makeup and allows the skin to look bright and natural without greasiness or feeling tight.

Click here to see the full page of specifics and details on the product :D

This BB cream was the first BB cream I ever bought and tried and let me tell you something, I did my research before I chose this one which is why I got it right on the first time. I read up on practically every big name [Asian because American brands hadn't started getting into the whole BB cream craze yet] BB cream there was before I decided which one I wanted. Once again, I can not stress the importance of reading or watching reviews from other girls because they will seriously save you money and time.

I don't want to go into too much detail on what BB creams actually are, because I'm almost positive that everyone already knows, but for the few of you living in a shell (jkjk ;P), BB creams are basically tinted moisturizers but with a bit more foundation like coverage and a lot more beneficial properties for your skin! Many BB creams contain lightening components to fade dark spots or acne scars, help to even out uneven skin tones, claim to fight wrinkles, and much more. All BB creams contain some amount of SPF (or at least I haven't come across one that hasn't had SPF!) and most Asian BB creams contain few shades that range only in the lighter skin tone ranges (sorry my tanned or darker-toned girls! D: ). Even American BB creams have few shades, though more than Asian BB creams, but I still prefer my original Asian BB creams over American ones because American BB creams tend to have less coverage and are more of a tinted moisturizer.

The Skin79 Hot Pink BB cream is definitely my favorite BB cream that I've tried - and trust me, I've tried a lot of them! - because of its matte finish, medium coverage, and natural look and feel. BB creams range from dewy to matte finishes, but I definitely prefer the matte look because dewy can sometimes come off as oily. This BB cream doesn't have SO much of a matte finish that it comes off as dry looking or unnatural which is certainly a plus. I started off using this BB cream when I was in high school on the days where my skin was looking a bit blotchy or uneven and this product was perfect for such occasions. It's great at smoothing over redness, covering small active acne spots, and concealing old acne scars or dark spots without being SO full coverage that its obvious you're wearing face makeup. Of course, as it isn't full coverage, there will still be some spots that will show through, but that adds to the natural look since, hey, no one has perfect skin! I used this BB cream a lot when I was breaking out at the beginning of last school year (Fall 2012) and it helped out a lot. While I can't 100% support the claims of it whitening your skin, fighting wrinkles, and fading dark spots/acne scars, I can say I do feel like I see lightening of my acne scars/hyper-pigmentation when using this product. Furthermore, this product has NEVER caused any breakouts on my skin - unlike the Missha BB cream (maybe I'll write a review on that in the future). The packaging of this BB cream is also a nice bright pink, simple round plastic container, and convenient for travel. It is 40g, which is about 1.35 fluid ounces (more than the typical foundation amount of 1 fl. oz), and comes with a pump that doesn't dispense too much product in one squeeze. I have taken this BB cream with me when traveling/flying and it hasn't exploded on me yet, so fingers crossed!

The downsides about the Skin79 Hot Pink BB cream is first, and foremost, the gray cast that can appear when too much is applied. Most, if not all, Asian BB creams have this downside of a gray-ish color that can look a bit strange at first. From what I've read, this is due to the ingredients like SPF and others that are meant to improve your skin. To avoid this, I only use one thing layer of the BB cream and then go over the areas that need a bit more coverage with gentle dabbing motions with only a little bit of the product. You can also get rid of the gray cast by going over with another light-weight foundation, setting with a powder that has some coverage, or mixing in a regular foundation with the BB cream. Mixing or layering another foundation on top of BB creams are great ways to still get the beneficial properties of the BB cream without the gray cast or for use if the BB cream doesn't come in a shade that suits you. Specifically about the Skin79 BB cream, it only comes in the shade Beige which usually matches my Mac NC30-35 skin tone throughout the year. It can appear a bit light at first (as with most other BB creams) but then it will set and darken a bit to match your skin tone. Another downside to this product is that you don't ever really know how much product you have left because of the opaque pink plastic container. You also can't "scrape out" the last bits of BB cream that might be left in the container which means there could be a lot of product wasted and left on the sides of the container. 

As for pricing, you can get most Asian BB creams off of Ebay for much cheaper than the actual branded sites. For my Skin79 BB cream (and practically all my other Asian BB creams), I got them off of Ebay or when I went to Hong Kong/Japan for vacation. If you have any friends who might be going to Asia on vacation, try and see if they can pick up some BB creams for you because they are definitely much cheaper in Asia than America or Ebay (where you usually have to pay shipping). You can still get Asian BB creams from Asian super markets but they are generally way overpriced there so if going to Asia/getting a friend in Asia isn't an option, definitely check out Ebay or other Asian product selling websites (though I would still be wary of some sites as they generally rack up the prices too!). On the North American Skin79 site, the Hot Pink Super Plus BB cream retails for $30 (which I would consider on the pricier side), but I got mine off of Ebay for about $12 if I remember correctly. I also went to Hong Kong last year and picked up another bottle for about $10 too.


All in all, my final comments would be...

1. Yes I fully support any of you who might be interested in purchasing this BB cream. I really do think it works well for those who need a decent amount of coverage, but are still okay with some imperfections peaking through. While it does stink that there is only 1 shade, it does match a good range of skin tones/colors and can be layered over or mixed with to reach a more appropriate shade. 
2. It is great for travel, on-the-go, younger girls who don't need so much coverage, everyday looks and can be applied in a rush with just your finger tips if a brush isn't available (or you're too lazy :P).
3. If you are interested in this, or any other Asian BB cream, make sure you look online to buy it as it can be hard to find them for a reasonable price in America and you never know, there's always some good deals online!

Hope you enjoyed this review and found it helpful and I hope to be writing another post soon! Leave a comment if YOU'VE tried this BB cream and your thoughts or what other BB creams you're also interested in! And don't forget to check out my Youtube or Instagram if you want to get an awesome big virtual hug from me :)