Guerlain Maxilash Intense Volumizing Mascara Review

This mascara is amazing to say the least. 

The very black Guerlain mascara has enough pigment to thicken the lashes. The brush makes my lashes look voluminous and separated. I am in love.

The scent of the mascara is also really pretty. It has a nice light scent of roses! 

This mascara is also really conditioning and does not make my lashes feel dry or brittle. Also really easy to remove, which is a plus. Easy removal + really incredible volume = perfect mascara. 

This is the first time I've tried any Guerlain mascaras and I'm really impressed. 

What I like about it is that the formula is lightweight and doesn't weigh the lashes yet pigmented enough to give a vibrant bright black. Usually those 2 qualities are never hand in hand. It's one or the other. 

This gorgeous mascara is on the pricier side and I have yet to find a drugstore variety. The closest one would be the Loreal telescopic mascara which is slightly heavier but has a similar brush head.

Favorite Things of The Moment

Some of my favorite things of the moment happen to be the simplest. Beside the hot cocoa, the festive lights and holiday candles, these are also wonderful.

The Glam Glow Hydrating Cleanser is so super nice. I am dealing with dry skin and this is the perfect luxurious cleanser that works so nicely. It's so refreshing and even with the exfoliating beads it still is hydrating and creamy. Definitely will consider purchasing the full size.

The Sephora  Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover is amazing. It's just like their more expensive counterparts and works just like it if not completely identical. A cotton round has removed stubborn JAPANESE waterproof mascara perfectly, which I love. It's easy and gentle, and not too oily.

Because I wear heels a lot, the Dr Scholls Balls of Foot cushions are a godsend! These things are squishy and comfortable, compact in size and provides enough support for hours. 

I've been loving this Ciate London polish in Mistress. The most alluring true red, and the perfect seasonal color for a bright pop of red and coral. The formula is so amazing - dries quickly, very opaque, creamy and this is just one coat on my nails. Absolutely gorgeous!

The most practical and useful thing in my vanity is the Q-Tips Precision Tip Cotton Swabs. I don't think there is anything else more awesome. These q-tips have the extra point in the swab that helps with everything! I use these for cleaning up mistakes when I get mascara marks on my eyelids, erasing nail color mistakes that get outside of my nails, precision defining my lips for the perfect red lip, touching up eyeshadow fallout and so much more. I love the little box it comes in so you can use it for traveling. Keeps it all nice and tidy. #organizationalperfectionprobz 

My NEW favorite mascara. I'll do a proper review of this in the next post...stay tuned for that :)

The Nars Audacious Mascara is really really amazing. It adds lift and volume to my short lashes. The wand really helps amplify the lashes but the only downfall is the hard plastic bristles which can be painful if you poke your eye! Other than that, it is really effective, and I must say I am surprised because this is HARD to find. The only other high end mascara that's given me similar results is the Lancome Hynose line.

The Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Balm is the newest lippie I have in my collection. This balm/pencil combo works amazing as a nude lip filler on bare lips. This is in the shade Heaping Hazelnut. It defines the lips beautifully and has a nice creamy feel to it. Doesn't dry out my lips and keeps it very natural looking with a subtle sheen. I would love to try other shades such as Super Strawberry. Not surprised it made it into 2015 Best of Allure :)

What are your favorite things of the moment? :)

What Did You Buy With Your Sephora VIB Giftcard?

I was on the fence about this one because I made three prior orders from Sephora (LOL...bad planning on my part). So my fourth and final order of the year, I wasn't sure what I actually wanted. Until I did. It's back to basics with a new foundation and some concealers.

I'm actually quite excited to try this foundation because Clinique is one of my trusted brands when it comes to skincare. This foundation doubles as a concealer and comes in a ginormous concealer packaging, which is a first I've seen. I like wands a lot, and I think it definitely helps with convenience and precision. We shall see.

I've only heard great things about the Tarte concealer. It's supposed to be non-creasing! Super excited to try it! 

I also added this to my cart because a lot of people said it is comparable to the Nars concealer. I've tried the Nars concealer, and many others like it, so we'll see how the Sephora one lives up.

Have you tried any of these? :) 

Urban Decay Naked Smokey

My recent acquisition of the Naked Smokey palette from Urban Decay. 

Just wanted to post some lusty photos!

Birthday Haul Pt 2

This is my second Sephora order - this time with the F&F discount. I just repurchased the Philosophy Purity Made Simple facial cleanser. A few years ago, I got a sample from Sephora when this brand was new. I fell in love with their Purity Made Simple line. After trying so many cleansers, this is still my favorite one of them all. It has a nice lavender scent, and it cleanses without stripping the moisture from my skin. I'm eager to try the cleansing oil and the deep clean mask! 

I also ordered the Sephora Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover .

I'm excited to try this one because it is a lot less expensive than the Lancome and Clinique varieties! I'll be putting it to the test with my waterproof mascaras. Yay!

I also purchased the Best of Clinique set. This set contains some of their most popular items.

- 1.7 oz Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief 
- 1 oz Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ 
- 1 oz Moisture Surge Overnight Mask 
- 1 oz Foaming Sonic Facial Soap 
- 0.21 oz All About Eyes 
- 0.04 oz Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Super Strawberry

 My favorite item is the Moisture Surge Extended Cream Gel . This is honestly an HG item that everyone needs to have. It is unscented and provides a really nice hydrating layer on the skin. My skin completely absorbs it by morning and it's just beautiful! I truly love this. A repurchase well made. I'm also excited to try other items in the set like the overnight moisture surge mask, and the chubby stick! YESSS.

Mostly my purchases here are re-purchases. I'm back into skincare, and trying out nice products for the skin. I didn't buy any new makeup this year besides the Naked Smokey palette and a few lip products here and there. Truly, the best makeup is healthy skin :)

In other purchases, since I came home to visit my family on Thanksgiving, I decided to make the splurge and get a new camera. Soon, you'll be seeing my photos taken with a better camera!

After much internal debate and scouring the web for reviews, Youtube videos and opinions from friends, I decided to get the Samsung NX500 . I won't go into too much details with the specs but it's a very nice well-rounded camera for bloggers and vloggers and amateur photographers. What sold me is its compactness, the powerful ACS-C sensor and the visual aesthetics. Who doesn't love a retro looking camera with modern upgraded technology?! :) Great for bloggers and vloggers because of the flip up screen, and smart phone remote viewfinder. 

The lenses are interchangeable, it's got a flip up screen for selfies, fully immersed touchscreen technology, and 28MP with 4K video recording and WIFI. What really sold me is the fully immersed touchscreen because similar cameras from other brands like Canon and Sony have very limited touch mode, and it doesn't feel as intuitive. This one feels very nice and the touch commands are liquid smooth. It uses the same technology as their smart phones, which I think is a major plus! 

I tested out a few cameras before choosing this one - i had the Sony A5100 and A6000 as well as the Canon G7X. The Canon G7X is a gorgeous camera but it is a digital camera. The NX500 has interchangeable lenses so in the future if I do decide to buy extra lenses, it would be more catered for that. Also, i read a lot of comparisons and this one seems to be the most comprehensive: Canon G7X vs NX500

The Sony A-series were nice as well, and probably the most similar to the NX500. What I didn't like is that the A6000 is not touchscreen at all, and has only a 90 degree flip screen. The A5100 has very limited touchscreen which I didn't like. So the choice ended up being very clear. I was looking for camera in the $500-$600 range that is portable and not bulky. I can't wait to use this on vacation!