Review: Lancome's Hypnose Doll Lashes Mascara

Hello friends! Hope your mid week blues have been manageable -

Lately I've been very into nail polishes and grooming my nails. After all the inspiration from so many blogs, I think I've also accumulated quite a few polishes o_o This started a month ago! Yikes.

So I'm here to talk about a mascara that I've been using on rotation. It's really one of my first "high end" mascaras because I normally feel like drug store ones are of superior quality as it is and because you have to replace them so often, I don't see the logic in spending $20+ every few months. That's like 1/3 of my phone bill! ;) 

But in any case, I still lust the luxeness of high end mascaras, even if using this simply confirms what I already knew - superior marketing. 

I like the shape of this mascara - the hourglass shape is pretty and feels very girly to hold, even though most mascaras are girly anyway. Maybe it's the cursive or the word 'doll' ;) It feels supremely girly. 

The wand and brush part is quite elongating. Very simple brush with the idea of coating every little lash.

I noticed that the mascara is very soft and did not make my lashes brittle. The formula is conditioning and very nourishing. It didn't clump for me and definitely defined my eyes. I used a few coats desperately trying to get some color out of it. I didn't feel it was that pigmented compared to my other mascaras nor did it give me any wide-eyed effect. But it defined my eyes in a very subtle way without the shocking pigment or clumpy look. It's a really nice mascara for everyday use however, I usually prefer something a little more dramatic to make up for the lack of lashes i have.  Even after 9+ hours of it on, it did not slip or slide nor did it smudge. In terms of that, the formula was spot on. 

(btw, I am wearing circle lenses - Lucky Clover Brown see here)

It's my first time wearing circle lenses! O_O

Pros

+ Conditioning Formula

+ Pretty Packaging

+ Defines Naturally

Cons

- Expensive 

-  Didn't hold curl for me

- Not as Pigmented and no "dolly" effect

Overall, I think this mascara is pretty and does a basic job. It's definitely more conditioning than all of my drugstore ones and the formula feels more gentle. This mascara retails for $26.00.  

What are your thoughts on high end mascaras? Are they worth it? 

Seriously Nude Nails with Butter London's All Hail The Queen

Butter London  nail colors were first introduced to me by some of my favorite bloggers. The pretty square-angular bottle is charming and structured, the word 'butter' is printed so neatly across. Everything from the packaging to its formula is enticing to say the least. I think I've become a Butter London convert o_o

For this manicure, I used All Hail the Queen - It's a pretty nude taupe shade that's unique and elegant. I love neutral colors, wedding, pastel-like shades. It makes my fingers look more delicate than they seem.

That was about 2 coats. I love the formulation! It dries so quickly and the liquid is sheerer than most of the nail polishes I own. In two coats, it's pretty opaque and covers well. I love, just love, this particular color. I think it's elegant, it's pretty and very earthy. I have a few more I have yet to manicure! 

....and here is another polish that's getting one last wear before Fall kicks in - one of my all time summer favorites, Revlon's Coral Heat. 

Lusting Over Warby Parker!

Have you gals heard of Warby Parker specs? I've seen a lot of bloggers sporting them recently and I was really thinking of trying on a few pairs. Awesome thing is that they have a show rooms in big metropolitan cities - I could pop into their SF one. 

Their retro styles are really drawing me in. A few months ago, I ordered a pair of glasses from coastal.com and it was okay. While I liked the styles, I only ordered to claim the first free pair. I could do a review on that if you guys are curious!

Here are some of the styles from Warby Parker that I've been lusting... a lot.

Beckett Stiped Evergreen

Modern librarian nerd chic. Right?  Would be a great addition to your office drawer - looking smart and sharp.

Chandler Olivewood

The bright yellow and contrasting oak colors make the glasses look unique and interesting. I love the sleek wayfarer design, retro frames and simple style. A person wearing this would look nerd chic and enjoy banned books, good coffee and the urban lifestyle. 

Clyde Blue Marblewood

Cozy and retro fitting - a bit of a cat eye and a swirly color wheel.  This would be awesome for casual outings with friends, or novel writing at place of choice.

Most of their specs are $95, and that includes the frames, anti reflective lens and a 30 day return policy. The cool thing is that you can try it on at home ;) You pick 5 pairs of frames and they send it to you at no cost. It comes with a return label so you can ship it back. You have no obligation to purchase but it works out all the better if there is a frame you love. Pretty reasonable, me thinks! :) 

Off to choose my frames! Have you gals every bought or tried anything from Warby Parker? One of my favorite bloggers, Laura from Worldly Delights recommended them to me awhile back. She sports them a lot on her blog and looks ridiculously awesome all the time!

Awesomely cool, awesomely retro :) 

All About Them Lashes: Rapid Lash and Wet N Wild Lash Serum.

Today's post is going to be all about lashes. I have two products to share with you gals today and I think both have significantly worked wonders for me. First, I want to start off by saying that my lashes are quite sparse and short and atypical of most Asians. I didn't really jump onto the lash boosting bandwagon until Groupon (My referral link here) had a deal for Rapid Lash at half off. After some research, I decided that $25 wouldn't be much of a loss if it didn't work out. I

Rapid Lash is a lash treatment that's supposed to enhance and boost your lashes to make it look fuller, longer and healthier. In a lot of instances, your lashes will actually grow. The key ingredient in it are the bioengineered peptides that are essentially the amino acids (proteins) that nourish the lashes. There is also hyaluaric acid, biotin and other goodies in it that promotes lash growth.

Rapid Lash

They claim that it takes about 4 weeks or so to see results. I saw results in 2 or so weeks... I've never done anything to my lashes aside from wearing or not wearing mascara s but it was really effective for me. Once you stop using Rapid Lash, the results last for about 2 months, according to their claims.

The application was really easy. It  looks like your simple eyeliner but the serum is clear and does not dry or cake on top of the lash roots. I didn't experience any stinging or tingling but they do warn on their site that some people have reported a tingling sensation. You just swipe it over your lashes at night only and only  one application per night is needed. No more than that. One tube lasts 2-3 months. I only applied on the top lashes. There were days I forgot so I applied it on the following night before bed.

Here are some before and after photos.

FOTD with Canmake Nudy Glow Lip Gloss

Hello my lovely friends!

How was your weekend? I flew home to see my family for Labor Day and it was a nice quick vacay before starting work again. Going back home is like a whole different world. When I come back to the Bay Area, I'm constantly thinking what a world of a difference it is in LA. Do you ever get those feelings? 

Anyway, I've been obsessed with the Nudy Glow lip glosses from Canmake since last year when I saw them at a Japanese supermarket. I love the pretty look of nude lips with a slight pink glow. It's so classy and sophisticated for any day of the week and I think it makes a person look youthful, and carefree ;) See prior review here.

This is the shade 01 - Rose Macaron 

no lip product on - taken under dim lighting

one coat of nudy glow lip gloss

Isn't it a lovely milky pink? It's my favorite MMBB gloss. It feels really nice on my lips, and lasts about 2-3 hours. One coat completely changes my lip color! That's pretty pigmented, right? o_o

Here's the rest of the makeup I used:

MUFE Face & Body in #20 (reviewed briefly here) 

Milani HD concealer - This concealer is actually quite good! I'm surprised I don't use more often. It brightens dull areas and has a nice dewy finish.

Guerlain blusher in Rose Du Primps - Such a elegant quad! I love the soft colors. They are subtle and give a nice sculpted glow. 

Anastasia Beauty Express Brow Kit (see review here) - I pretty much use the brow kit daily. I feel the shades are so accurate. The powder is consistency is just right - less pigmented than an eye shadow but subtle enough to make my eyebrows look fuller in the most natural way.

Side note: I've been using Rapid Lash on my lashes! They've made a big difference. I have to show you guys before and after pics and a full review! 

And that concludes it! That's pretty much a look that I like to do whenever. The point of this was supposed to be centered on the pretty pink lip gloss, which I think is still dominant in the overall look :)

Do you gals use any products from Canmake or any other drugstore Japanese cosmetics? And in price to quality, how do you think it compare to drugstore makeup from the US?