Review: Rainshadow Labs LBBC Organic Smoothie Creme

'ello all!

Sorry about my abrupt hiatus. I am back now and i hope you're all well. I can't believe this year is nearing its end. Where has all the time gone?! The holidays are coming up, which means a lot of socially awkward conversations and small talk and utter uncomfortableness, although, it can be fun after a drink or four. Right? For me, awkwardness is not actually in the workplace but my extended family - relatives and the like. It's always this time of the year when Chinese people get together and feast on anything fatty and the older folk will ask about nosy things like marriage, boyfriends, children, comparing jobs with their children who are the same age as me... GAH. Note to self: get wasted.

Anyway, on a sweeter note, I've been trying out a new hand creme. The lovely people at Rainshadow Labs sent me one of their lotions called the Organic Smoothie Creme to use and so far I am very much loving it! The ingredients are so great - lots of natural oils from fruits and nuts and various kinds of organic herbs.

This 2oz sample packs a lot of nutrients. I'm actually very impressed with the smooth texture and how fast this cream absorbs into the skin. Since I am in the office and always typing or doing something involving my hands, it is really great when a lotion is fast drying and nourishing and actually feels nice without the slick oily substance.

You can sort of see the texture here - it's not thick or heavy in any way. It's very lightly scented and smells really clean. I actually really like the scent - it reminds me of something that H20 would have - just a very clean and minimal scent.

My hands feel really soft and smooth - sort of like when you first wake up in the morning and you're just like a jello all over but your hands are exceptionally soft :) It really mimics all that, and I think it's partially due to the aloe vera.

I really highly recommend this cream if you're in the market for something lightweight and full of good ingredients. I'd highly compare this cream to my H20 seaweed cream, which is my HG hand cream that I cannot live without! 

Ingredients: Organic Herbal Infusion, Organic Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera), Isopropyl Palmitate (Palm Oil), Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Organic Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower Oil), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond Oil), Cetearyl Alcohol, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin Seed Oil), Carica Papaya (Papaya Enzyme), Organic Passiflora Incarnata (Passionflower), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Triticum Vulgare (Wheat Germ Oil), Persea Gratissima (Avocado Oil), Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil (Macadamia Nut Oil), Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower Oil), Aleurites Molaccana Seed (Kukui Nut Oil), Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil), Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexyl Glycerin, Ceteareth-20, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, p-Hydroxy Benzoic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Wildcrafted Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea), Citric Acid**updated January 31st, 2012

You can check out the Organic Smoothie Cream here! And the rest of their stock here. 

I think these make really great gifts for the holidays because the ingredients are high quality, and it's quite inexpensive so you can totally splurge!

Disclaimer: A 2oz sample was sent to me by Rainshadow Labs for consideration.

Review: Missha M Signature Radiance Foundation and Concealer

Happy Thursday, beautes! I hope you're all having a good week so far. Mine has been unseasonably busy, but I think of all the holiday cheer coming our way and I feel like I should be working 100x harder o_o 

I have yet again another foundation review.  This time I'm reviewing a set - foundation and concealer from Missha - a Korean brand very much known for their range of bb creams. 

First of all, I must say that the packaging is absolutely gorgeous! Both the foundation and concealer jar is made of glass so it's quite heavy and carries that bit of luxury you'd expect from high end cosmetics. The signature gold cap is so pretty and it reflects the image of what I really like from a makeup brand - elegance and sophistication. 

Missha Signature Radiance Foundation in Shade #21

The texture of this foundation is very creamy, but on the drier side. It feels thick-ish, compared to sheer foundations so I'd say this one has medium coverage with room for heavy coverage. 

It has a semi-matte finish that dries quickly. You can already see it drying out around the edges where I massaged it in. 

This foundation is also heavily scented. It has a very floral/musky smell that's pleasant but can be overwhelming. Honestly, it doesn't bother me too much but I'd much rather prefer something lighter like Bourjois. 

My experience with the foundation has been good. I think the coverage is suitable for nights out when you want something heavier. Your skin needs to be at its maximum hydration levels otherwise it might appear too dry or powdery or it might accentuate dry patches on your face. I always moisturize with something underneath just in case my skin dries out throughout the day because of office AC. 

It appears very yellow-ish. It's a heavily pigmented foundation so it's definitely much denser even in color. I found it to have a very strong yellow undertone, sometimes too much because my skin tone is neutral-ish. 

I think the coverage appears kinda heavy-ish. When I look at myself in a mirror, I can tell that I'm wearing foundation. It's not something I always go for because sheer foundations are my favorite but this one covers better and gives a really polished look. Probably best for corporate photos or photoshoots in general, hah. 

Lasting power is very long. It's made to withstand the cold and heat! Holds up for hours. 

And now...the concealer!

Like its foundation counterpart, this concealer is also very heavy duty. I actually really like this a lot. It has a very nice neutral base, and the coverage is fantastic. Perks up even the most tired of faces ;)

For example:

My bare face with just a tad of concealer being applied. Right side has concealer on already. The difference it makes is pretty incredible and i love how you only need so little!

Texture is on the dry side but opaqueness is top dollar here. It's very heavy duty! 

There is also a very strong scent (same as the foundation). You really have to pat this concealer on well, otherwise you'll see very uneven blotches. Since it's so opaque, the best is to start off by using as little as possible and building up. With my more water based concealers, I just put on a ton and blend but you have to beware with this one.

Overall, I would recommend this foundation for long nights out. It has incredible lasting power, both the foundation and concealer. This is not something I'd wear on a daily basis but on occasion, it's very nice. The packaging is lovely and the effectiveness of these two products work together seamlessly. 

Here's the rest of the products i used to complete the look :)

My Jill Stuart blush! :) I won this in a giveaway, I think. Gorgeous shades of coral and pink.

One of my FAVORITE lip products - OCC Lip Tars! The one I used is called "Vintage". 

My Favorite Blush Brushes

Blushes and highlighters are a delight to collect but like millions of makeup lovers, I also love brushes! It's a two-fer, like how cake is always good with tea. Blushes are nothing without its brushy counterpart :)

I am pretty open minded to try any brand, as I've collected and given away more than I can count. For blush brushes, it's all about the fit. I prefer the angled ones because they contour to my face better and is easier to apply without me worrying about unevenness. Ones that are smaller are even better because you can control the amount of product better.

Here are my picks!

Bare Escentuals Angled Blush Brush (see it here) 

 I believe it is the one that came with the foundation starter kit :) I've had this one for years and years, and works as nicely as when I first got it. It's also nice because it's travel sized and slightly tapered so the control is better. I can bring it with me when traveling and fits snugly in my gym makeup bag. From their website, they say it's made of goat hairs, and of the finest quality. The quality is there, and it's certainly lasted me over 5 years. 

Borghese x Costco Angled Contour Brush

I bought this in a set from Costco during the holidays. Every year Costco partners up with a makeup brand to sell brushes. I think for the past few years, it's been Borghese. This angled brush is probably my favorite out of the four. It has a long handle and the shape of this brush is really sturdy. 

 I'm not sure what hairs it's made of but I know it's a very natural hair, probably goat. It has a tougher texture but the quality of the brush is amazing. It picks up color so well and transfers it gorgeously. It fares well after a cleaning and has never shed. I've had this for well over 3 years!

MAC 168SE Brush

This MAC blush came from a holiday set. I have nothing but love this brush. Like the Costco one, it seems to be made of the same fibers but is much less dense and more softer. This brush applies very softly and gives a very soft focused glow. Blends amazingly! Perfect for blushes that are opaque and high pigmented. 

Sonia Kashuk Round Brush

My only non-angled one of the bunch. This brush is great for applying color on just the apples of my cheeks. I usually use this for a touch of highlight. It's a fantastic brush, and I got it at Target for a great price. I think Sonia Kashuk brushes are some of the best in the market, especially because they have such a broad range. The bristles are soft, and very springy. This would be great for mineral blushes as well.

Those are my picks, and all four of them have lasted me for years. I think investing quality brushes really make your blushes stand out. I have so many drugstore blushes that look amazing because of good brushes. I guess it can be debatable but honestly, brushes are still a great investment nonetheless! 

Do you think quality of brushes change the effect of blush and/or other cosmetics like eyeshadow and lipsticks?

Mini Review on Korres Cherry Oil Lip Gloss

A few of my blogger friends recently ordered from All Cosmetics Wholesale and purchased a ton of goodies. It's a site catered to discontinued (and heavily heavily discounted) cosmetic products. I made a small order recently and am happy to say that it's legitimate :D I kind of stayed away from it because I thought the prices are too good to be true but it's actually well received and reviewed. YAY for that!

Anyway, a few years ago I used to own a bunch of Korres lip glosses but the one I really liked and used up was a discontinued color but I actually found it on ACW for... $2.99 (here) :)

Korres Cherry Oil Lip Gloss in Plum (27)

This is one of the most gorgeous lip glosses I've ever owned. It's a gorgeous cream texture in a very opaque shade. The current range of the cherry oil lip glosses are still on the market, but with slightly different shades. Plum was replaced by Mauve Plum which is very similar in color but this one is slightly darker and leans toward a red tone.

I love the way this gloss feels. It's a bit more heavier but I suppose cream glosses have that effect. It's also very moisturizing and feels very nourishing on the lips. The cherry oil ingredient that it contains feels extra cushy and luxe. I truly think the oil's component makes a world of a difference in lip products. I also enjoy the slight cherry scent. It's beautiful! Smells amazing. I love when lip glosses smell great :)

You can see the bit of shimmer in it. It's very subtle and has a gorgeous brightening effect. I feel like it makes my smile brighter. 

I am a big lip gloss lover and the Korres range is one of the absolute best that I've tried. Since this color is slightly darker, it fades to a very pretty red stain. Lasting power is quite good because of the staining effect but I'd say it stays glossy for a good 2-3 hours if you don't eat or drink. Very standard for most non-drying lip glosses.

I apologize for the poor picture. It was taken on my phone in less than stellar lighting :P

I'll post more on my ACW haul in another post... =) 

Hope you're all having a wonderful week so far! 

Bold

According to the blog, this is my 300th post! Yikes. This blog has gotten so much love from so many people in the past few years and I'm amazed I kept this up for so long!

So, in spirit of my 300th post, it only makes sense to go back to my first and only true love, LIPSTICK. Over the years, I have acquired quite a few (hundred. I'm shameless.) and I love them all. Every hue belongs to its own artistic family and there is nothing better than to play around with creating shades I don't own with the lip colors I have.

I depotted/melted these awhile ago and kept them in little containers. I use a lip brush to apply.

Revlon's Love that Red, and Revlon's Black Cherry

Love that Red is a coral-red and doesn't look particularly flattering on me by itself. Black Cherry is a gorgeous plum that's a bit too dark on me my itself. The combination of them together is a nice balance of both worlds. It's still bright, but with a bit of plum. 

I love the texture of Revlon's Super Lustrous lipsticks. They are moisturizing and highly pigmented. 

I dusted my cheek with Plum Attraction from Chanel. 

That's the completed "bold lippie" look using Revlon's Love That Red and Black Cherry.

What do you gals think? Do you mix lip colors for intensity, for different shades or just for fun?