Review: DHC Mild Lotion (Natural)

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I was and still am amazed by how WONDERFUL this toner is. This is by far, the BEST toner I’ve ever used to date. Prior to using this, I was told that this toner is VERY good for moisturising.  In addition, I won’t have to apply a moisturiser after during the summertime. After completing the entire bottle, I can confirm that it is indeed true. There is nothing about the product itself that annoys me at all. Even the packaging is beautiful!

Fragrance: Little to none.
Ease of application: Applied using cotton pad.
Target: Moisturising.
Key Ingredients: N/A
Packaging: Beautiful frosted glass. A little heavy.
Price paid: N/A.

PROS
J Moisturising
J Barely any fragrance
J Gentle on skin
J Beautiful packaging
J Can be used a long on a hot summer day

CONS

L Difficult to find
L Can be pricey

OVERALL

 I give this a 4.5/5.

WOULD I REPURCHASE/PURCHASE FULL SIZE/PURCHASE MORE?
I will definitely repurchase. 

Review: DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

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I’ve always thought cleansing one’s face with oil was DISGUSTING. It seemed like a recipe for BREAKOUTS. On top of that, when my mother got this for me, I was horrified as to how close the resemblance was to the extra virgin olive oil I used to cook my food! I was very hesitant on using this until I started researching the benefits of cleansing oils. Apparently, they are one of the BEST DEEP CLEANERS. They are thin enough to reach down to the pores, but rich enough to leave the skin MOIST. I honestly feel like a baby after using this every time. In addition, I now think it is NECESSARY for me to use a cleansing oil every time I remove makeup because, for someone who wears makeup daily, I can’t afford to leave any of it behind.

Fragrance: None.
Ease of application: Easy to use, just simply wet it a bit with water and massage on to face.
Target: Deep cleaning.
Key Ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil?
Packaging: Not fancy, but practical. Has a pump for easy dispensing.
Price paid: N/A

PROS
J Does not break me out
J Very gentle
J Deep cleans

CONS

L None

OVERALL

 I give this a 4.5/5 J.

WOULD I REPURCHASE/PURCHASE FULL SIZE/PURCHASE MORE?
I would definitely repurchase. 

Review: Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips in 480 I Love Lacey

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I’ve never actually thought about trying these strips because I thought they were not very economical. They are a single use product with a price equivalent to a bottle of nail polish. In addition, the nail polish strips don’t always match the same size of your nails and can be a pain in the butt! The reason why I made the purchase was mainly because it was on sale AND I was with someone who bought them as well (very reasonable, I know :P).

This product came with 2 packs of nail strips (one for each hand), a double ended nail filer and a wooden stick with a flattened end to help during the process.

Color: Very unique lace effect using a black and red shade.
Quality: Very good quality in comparison to traditional nail polish.
Durability/longevity: Lasts approximately a week and a half, which is not bad.
Packaging: Very inexpensive, low quality
Price paid: ~$7.99 CAD (+ 13% HST)

PROS
J Does not require waiting time to dry
J Pretty effects

CONS

L One time use
L Not economical

OVERALL

 I give this a 4/5.

WOULD I REPURCHASE/PURCHASE FULL SIZE/PURCHASE MORE?

I would not repurchase this item. Not practical. 

Review: Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara in Black

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This is one of my favourite mascaras for my upper lashes. It is able to hold up my lashes without drooping down by midday. The reason why I only use this on my upper lashes is because this is NOT a waterproof formula. For a non-waterproof formula, it is quite strong and impressive. The only bad experience was when it rained.

Quality: Moderate-high
Durability/longevity: Long lasting (without humid/rain)
Ease of Application: Easy to apply
Brush: Great size
Waterproof: No
Packaging: Decent
Price paid: N/A (sample)

PROS
J Long lasting
J Easy to apply
J Holds curl
J Great brush

CONS

L Not waterproof

OVERALL

Like! I give this a 4/5.

WOULD I REPURCHASE/PURCHASE FULL SIZE/PURCHASE MORE?

I would definitely purchase the full size in a waterproof formula (if it exists). 

Review: Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in 0L, 7L and 14L

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These are my favourite pencil liners! I usually prefer liquid liners and do not line my lower or upper waterline. However, if I had to choose a pencil liner, it would be these. They are long lasting, waterproof and are not difficult to sharpen.

Color: The black and white are generic for everyday use. The turquoise is perfect for the summer!
Quality: Very pigmented and bold!
Durability/longevity: Lasts for the majority of the day
Ease of Application: A little difficult to apply on my upper lids, but easy to apply on waterline.
Packaging: Decent
Price paid: N/A

PROS
J Waterproof (I even tested it out in the shower LOL)
J Great quality
J Does not break when sharpening
J Great colors
J Long lasting

CONS

L A little difficult to remove due to the intense waterproof ability
L Pricey
L Difficult to apply on upper lids

OVERALL

 Great liners! I give this a 4/5.

WOULD I REPURCHASE/PURCHASE FULL SIZE/PURCHASE MORE?

I would definitely purchase more colors if they release more bright and bold ones. 

Review: B. Kamins laboratories Acne Wash

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As I have mentioned in prior posts, I have very acne prone skin. I try my best to use cleansers that have some sort of acne fighting ingredient. As I was at Sephora, I noticed this product when I was lining up for the cashiers and I decided to try it out because this company is quite well-known for acne products.

Fragrance: Smells awful..kinda like feet L
Ease of application: Very thin texture
Target: Acne
Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid
Packaging: Easy to use pump
Price paid: $10.00 CAD (+13% HST)

PROS
J Cleans skin very well
J Great for those with acne

CONS

L Smells bad...
L A little difficult to apply due to the thin formula

OVERALL

 I give this a 3.75/5.

WOULD I REPURCHASE/PURCHASE FULL SIZE/PURCHASE MORE?

I would repurchase this in the future.

Re: Review: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

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This is going to be a brief review post simply because I have reviewed this product before. However, I would like to share my opinion on the change in terms of packaging. There are several PROS and CONS to the change, but to make this post brief, they will be summarized below.

PROS
J More product is given
J Decrease in the chance of wasting product at the bottom

CONS

L Packaging is less unique
L Application is a little more difficult without the “wand” as I used to depend on it to determine the amount of product to use

If you would like more info on the product or to see the comparison of the original packaging, please go to http://vvnprincess.blogspot.ca/2011/06/review-urban-decay-eyeshadow-primer.html

Review: Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Hardener in 2106 Natural Tint

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I’ve always had weak nails that were thin, chipped and broke easily. I find them hideous on their own and try to cover them with more nail polish. I understand that it is definitely not helping my nails get better but it’s the best I can do! It wasn’t until recently that I was ALMOST fed up with my nails. I was so annoyed that I decided to simply try something out, ANYTHING! I picked this to try because many people online have been recommending this.

After using this a few times, I’ve noticed that it DOES make my nails stronger AS LONG AS the “hardener” does not chip off (like any nail polish). If my bare nails are exposed, they will simply be how they usually are.

Color: Sheer peachy color
Quality: Pretty good as a strong base coat
Durability/longevity: Lasts for about a week
Brush: Glides product smoothly on to nails
Packaging: Decent
Price paid: N/A (Sorry I forgot!)

PROS
J Makes nails stronger/thicker
J Easy application

CONS

L Its more like a GOOD base coat rather than something that TREATS your nails

OVERALL

 I give this a 3.50/5.

WOULD I REPURCHASE/PURCHASE FULL SIZE/PURCHASE MORE?

I would repurchase this product. 

Review: Nails Inc. London Polish in Westbourne Grove

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-Without top coat

-With top coat

-After a 2-3 days....

I’ve seen this booth in Sephora for quite a while now, but I haven’t really gone to try these polishes out. As I was browsing them, I thought this neon orange shade was the most eye-catching and made the purchase. I was very excited about this that I tried it on right away when I got home. I applied my base coat first on to my bare nails and then applied two coats of the Nails Inc nail polish. As I waited for the two coats to dry, I noticed that it was becoming a darker matte shade of orange. I was shocked because it claimed to be a NEON shade which I expected a BRIGHT orange. After it dried, I applied my top coat on my nails and then it became a gorgeous neon orange.

Unfortunately, I was once again disappointed when my nails began chipping the next day...and more the day after..and so on. I was so frustrated because it was HIDEOUS by the end of the week L.

Color: Beautiful color, but only shows after top coat is applied
Quality: Not even as good as my drugstore polishes
Durability/longevity: Chipped the next day
Brush: Worked well with application and did not leave streaky lines
Packaging: Pretty nice packaging. Looked very high-end.
Price paid: $11.50 (+13% HST)

PROS
J Pretty color (after top coat is applied)
J Nice packaging

CONS

L Chipped fast
L Had a matte and dull finish prior to top coat application
L Pricey

OVERALL

 I give this a 2.5/5L.

WOULD I REPURCHASE/PURCHASE FULL SIZE/PURCHASE MORE?

I would not repurchase and I am still willing to try other shades. 

Review: Stila Jewel Eyeshadow in Golden Topaz

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First off I would to say that this is one of my favourite eyeshadows! It is a beautiful color AND it has glitter! It really reminded me of high quality Japanese makeupJ.  Unfortunately, this is definitely a splurge purchase. Even though I really want to collect EVERY color in this collection, it would be VERY expensive to do so and therefore, I’ve gotta start saving for my next one!

Color: A gorgeous glittery golden bronze color with a tad bit of peachy-ness to it.
Quality/Pigmentation: Sheer but buildable coverage.
Durability/longevity: Long lasting
Ease of Application: Easily applied with fingers
Packaging: Nothing too fancy, but decent for a single eyeshadow
Price paid: $26 CAD (+13% HST)

PROS
J Beautiful color
J No fallouts
J Buildable color

CONS

L Expensive!

OVERALL

 I give this a 4/5J.

WOULD I REPURCHASE/PURCHASE FULL SIZE/PURCHASE MORE?

I would definitely purchase more colors in the future!

Review: e.l.f. Brightening Eye Color in Punk Funk

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I’ve never tried anything from e.l.f. prior to this experience; however, I’ve been told that this brand is extremely affordable and decent in terms of quality. I was shopping with a good friend of mine and we came across this product in a DOLLAR STORE, yes, DOLLAR STORE. LOL! When we saw it, we thought. Why Not? It was definitely affordable and we both wanted to try it out.

Color: Very bright and bold colors!
Quality/Pigmentation: The pink was the most pigmented, followed by the blue, white and then purple respectively
Durability/longevity: The eyeshadows were not as pigmented at the end of the day as they were at the beginning. The colors tend to “dull out” after a few hours.
Ease of Application: The pink shade applies easily compared to the rest, which were a bit chalky.
Packaging: Very low quality packaging which makes up for the price paid.
Price paid: $1.50 CAD (+13% HST)

PROS
J Very Inexpensive
J Bright and bold colors

CONS

L The majority of the colors were chalky
L Fragile packaging

OVERALL
 I give this a 3/5.

WOULD I REPURCHASE/PURCHASE FULL SIZE/PURCHASE MORE?
I would definitely like to try out more colors for fun!

Review: K-Palette Real Lasting Eyebrow 24hr in 01

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I first purchased this when I saw Eki from www.ekiblog.com using it in one of her Gyaru tutorials. At the time, I thought it was very interesting as to how easy it was to use this type of eyebrow pen. In addition, I tend to be a sucker for cool Japanese makeup and this was no exception. It didn’t hit me till afterwards as to how much MORE I was paying for this than I should have! From what I know, K-Palette is a Japanese DRUGSTORE brand, but unfortunately, I seem to have paid the price of a department store product. The product itself is great, but the price was not too amazing L!

Color: This was the closest to my previous dark brown hair color and it matched pretty well
Quality: Great quality and I was told it was a waterproof formula!
Durability/longevity: Lasts throughout my day, even on a hot summer’s day
Ease of Application: Very easy to use, probably the easiest out of all my eyebrow formulas
Packaging: Very decent
Price paid: ~$28.00 CAD (+13% HST)

PROS
J Easy to use!
J Long lasting

CONS

L Pricey

OVERALL
 I don’t regret the purchase, I do blame myself for not paying attention to the price I was being charged for. I give this a 4/5J.

WOULD I REPURCHASE/PURCHASE FULL SIZE/PURCHASE MORE?
I would probably repurchase in a lighter shade if it becomes available to me at a lower cost!