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A long while back, sometime at the beginning of this year, I chanced upon a new Wet 'N Wild Color Icon eyeshadow palette. This new line of palettes now come in a 5-pan palette and will be part of their regular line. I purchased the Floral Values Bouquet Floral palette.
Lilac, pink and purples are colors that I like and this palette is so pretty.
I finally pulled this palette out to use and here's my EOTD.
Products used:
Urban Decay Orginal Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Wet 'N Wild Color Icon Floral Values Bouquet Floral Eyeshadow Palette
K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner 24h WP
Sephora Crayon 12 hr Waterproof Jumbo Liner in 14 Violet
The medium purple color is applied to the eyelid, pink to middle of eyelid and dark purple to outer corners of eyelid. Lined upper eyelid with K-Palette eyeliner. Lined the lower outer corner of eyelid with Sephora Crayon Jumbo Liner and used a brush to blend it inward toward middle of eyelid. Lightly applied the dark purple eyeshadow over the jumbo liner.
It is disappointing but I found this palette difficult to work with. The eyeshadows were quite hard, not well pigmented and difficult to blend the colors easily. Wet 'N Wild eyeshadows have been a favorite drugstore eyeshadow line for me because it is nicely pigmented and of a softer consistency. Recently I had been reading more comments from other bloggers that the Wet 'N Wild eyeshadows that they have been using recently are on the hard side and not nicely pigmented. The only good side to this is that these eyeshadows are inexpensive so one doesn't feel badly about having purchased a product that isn't going to be used.
A couple of posts ago, I did a review on Angfa Scalp-D Beaute Pure Free Eyelash Conditioner/Serum here. Unfortunately, I hadn't taken any pictures immediately prior to starting using the product, which I started using about 2 1/2 weeks ago. I went back through some of my older pictures and found one from September 2013. I decided to use it for the comparison picture with the picture that I took this morning. In neither picture, am I using any mascara.
The top picture is the one from 2013 and the lower one is from this morning. What do you think? Do you notice a difference? I think that while my lashes do not look longer, it does look thicker.
EDIT NOTE: I forgot to add that the recommended usage is twice a day, morning and night. I've been using it only once a day at night before going to bed.
It's a new week. Have a good week everyone!
*Kat*
I try to deep cleanse my brushes once a week, although I haven't been very successful doing that these past couple of months. I love using brushes that have been freshly cleaned although it can be somewhat of a trial to go ahead and actually wash them. Laying them out to dry is something that I sometimes find to be a challenge.
How many of you dry your brushes laid on out a towel? It's been my main way of drying them--a towel spread out across the top of the dresser.
Usually I have the long side that is deeper into the dresser top rolled a bit so that the brush can lie at a slight angle with the end of the handle on the roll. I tend to use quite a bit of brushes so my washed brushes can spread the length of the towel, which actually takes up quite a bit of space.
I have recently started to slow down a bit at work, leaving me with some free time and so I wanted to wash my brushes. I laid out the towel and started gathering everything to begin washing. When I turned around, lo and behold, there was my cat lying on the laid out towel and she wasn't planning on budging. In the next several days, she made that her spot so I decided that I needed to find another area with enough space to lay out the brushes or think up something else.
While mulling things around in my head, one thing that I thought would be ideal is if the brushes had air flow, not just from the top of the brushes but from the bottom too. In my mind, it would seem that they would dry a bit more quickly. If I could, it would be great to be able to hang them so that they are vertical with the brush heads facing down but I couldn't figure out an ideal way to do that. While I was in Don Quijote in the $1.99 section (which would probably be 100 yen section in Japan or available in Daiso or other 100 yen stores in Japan), I came upon these stacking plastic racks.
It looks like you could buy separately, the little poles that would make it stack higher up but there were no poles for sale. I did find that just stacking them on top of each other gave enough space for the purpose that I wanted. I like that there is aeration on the bottom. It is also wide enough for even my longest brushes and yet compact in size that it takes up less space than the laid out towel.
I use two lightweight cotton towels on each rack, one to cover the bottom to soak up any excess water and the other one is used rolled up in the center to provide the angling of the brushes that I like to have when they are drying.
So far, I have had to use only two stacked trays and the spacing was perfect.
I'm happy with this new method of drying my brushes. So is the darned cat! What do you think of this?
*Kat*
As I mentioned in my previous post, while departing from Hawaiian May 2014, I was given a mini of Angfa Scalp-D Beaute Pure Free Eyelash Conditioner.
Made in Japan, it is an eyelash beauty serum that is applied to the lash line where the root of the eyelashes are. The application of it is similar to other products that I have tried. The good points to this eyelash conditioner is that it is silicone free, oil free, alcohol free, antiseptic free, artificial color free and synthetic perfume free. It also has a new ingredient called "Widelash" which is supposed to strengthen eyelashes and make them last. It is good for damaged eyelashes because it helps to provide nutrients and moisture retention. It is also delicate enough to use on sensitive eyes and those people who have eyelash extensions.
It has a doe foot applicator, which is similar to lip gloss applicators so I originally thought that it might be a clear lipgloss until I looked it up.
The soft doe foot is supposed be gentle on your eyes and lashes so that you can apply it without damaging your eyes.
To use, apply it twice a day after washing your face. Apply it generously to the roots of your eyelashes. You can apply eyeliner and mascara after the serum has dried. For best results, use it daily.
I've been using it for just about 2 weeks now. Unfortunately, I didn't take any before pictures and I think it's too soon to be able to see any significant difference. I do feel that it is helping a bit as I do notice my lower lashes, whereas I didn't before. It could also be because I am more consciously looking at my lashes though. I will continue to use this product and do another review in a month.
*Kat*
Towards the end of the 3 months of working long hours, I took off early one Friday, thanks to my workers who knew I needed a break. I was fortunate to have received an invitation to the Hawaiian May 2014 event. In its 2nd year, Hawaiian May is a fashion event that showcases the latest in Hawaiian resort wear. This is an invitation only event.
The fun thing is that it features local models as well as famous models from Japan as well as special Japanese guest models. This year many of the special guest models were from the J-Pop girls' group, E-girls. They also had some surprise guests show up on stage. It was a fun event that kept you guessing as to what would happen next.
The featured design lines were:
Angels by the Sea Hawaii, Aloha Aina Boutique, Fighting Eel, MUSE by RIMO, Muumuu Heaven, Pualani Honolulu, San Lorenzo Bikinis, 88 Tees, Matt Bruening, Issa de' mar, Unibazar, as well as a few other local brands. Most of these I haven't heard of before. There were a couple of Japanese brands as well, Double Standard Clothing and Samantha Thavasa. I've heard of Samantha Thavasa, but mainly because one blogger has blogged about picking up some items.
Some of the more well-known Japanese models that participated were, Yuri Ebihara, Moe Oshikiri, Natsuki Kato and Angelica Michibata.
Eiji Wentz was a surprise special guest model for Samantha Thavasa. I know him from J-Pop music and dramas although I haven't seen him doing anything recently. He looked quite cute trying to model showcasing a bag.
When you first walk in, everyone was given a cute tote bag imprinted with Hawaiian May 2014 on one side and 88 Tees on the other. Inside the bag was a lot of promotional material and some bags included secret items. If your bag had a secret item, then you won a surprise gift! None of this was known until it was announced mid way through the show. Of course, we didn't win anything.
The real highlight for me was the short, live performance by popular J-Pop group, E-girls. They sang only 3 songs, but it's probably the songs that they are currently most known for.
As we were leaving, the women were given a mini of Angfa Scalp-D Eyelash Serum. I wasn't sure what it was at first because the little tube doesn't really say much. It has a doe foot applicator so at first I thought it might be a clear lipgloss although it smelt a bit funky. It's a good thing that I did some research before using it. (I was going to do a quick review of it here but since this post has gotten a bit lengthy, I'll do it in a separate post.)
It was a fun afternoon/evening and a much welcome and needed break from work.
*Kat*
As I was out yesterday running some errands for work, I happened upon a Milani display of their different liquid eyeliner pens. I picked up the Eye Tech Extreme Liquid Eyeliner.
There was a LE mini fine eyeliner. I'm still not quite sure why it was called "mini" as the pen itself was the same size as the others. I decided to skip it because the only color they had was black while this one that I got was in Blackest Black. What appealed to me was the fact that according to the packaging, it looked very much like my long-time HG favorite, K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner 24h. It also says that it's waterproof and non-feathering.
I decided to try it out today. Let's first take a look at both eyeliner pens:
Side by side, K-Palette's tips is shorter than Milani. Otherwise, it looks quite similar. When applying the eyeliner, K-Palette's brush tip is much softer while Milani's is a little stiffer. I think that for someone who hasn't used a pen-type eyeliner before, Milani's stiffer tip will apply easier than K-Palette.
Applied, both look the same on as far as thickness of the line and intensity of the color.
I can't tell the difference between the two.
After I got home, I decided to apply it to my arm and do a smudge test. This is after I rubbed it with my dry fingers.
Nothing smudged.
I then ran my arm under cool water.
Although you can't see it, the K-Palette side did run very slightly.
The next test I ran it through was rubbing my wet arm. I was surprised by the result.
K-Palette held up better than Milani!
As a last test, I rubbed my finger at my inner eyelids, where my tear ducts are. I happen to touch this area of my eyes during the day and the result isn't very pretty. Again, with this test, I was surprised by the result. I was expecting the Milani side to smudge much more badly than the K-Palette side does to me on a daily basis when I do happen to touch my eyes since it faded with the water test.
As you can see, the K_Palette side smudged while the Milani side stayed intact.
So, with this one day test, I've discovered that there are some great things about Milani's eyeliner. On my eyes, it seems to not smudge, while K-Palette does. It applies just as nicely as K-Palette. The biggest plus is that it's something that I can buy in the store here while the K-Palette I have to order online or ask someone from Japan to CP it for me. The Milani eyeliner was only $6.99 while the K-Palette is at least double that price. Surprisingly, while Milani didn't smudge on my eyelids, it didn't seem to be as waterproof as it says it is. The one thing that I'm not really pleased about is the cap. It doesn't snap/click on tightly like K-Palette does. I can see where the cap may come off if you are transporting it in a makeup bag that you carry in your purse.
Thank you for reading!
*Kat*
First of all, I would like to start off with an apology for the total and complete absence from this blog since the beginning of March. So many different things flew at me from all directions at work that I ended up working 6 days a week, 10 - 12 hours a day. I was totally exhausted in the evenings that I had no energy to do much of anything. Hopefully things will have settled down that from here on out I will have my regular working hours back.
Here are the items that I used up during the past 3 months:
Cleansing Products
Sephora Daily Makeup Brush Cleaner. This is a staple in my stash and I use it every day. Shiseido Honey Cake Translucent Soap. A kind person gifts us with this a couple of times a year. I haven't used this facial soap in many years. I have decided that facial soaps that I don't care to use as a facial soap, I will use to bathe with. Since it's gentle enough to be used as a facial soap, it's gentle on your body too.
The green tea soap was gift and is supposed to be very good for your skin. I'm quite sure that I did a review on it before but I can't find it to link it. To me, it's an okay soap, nothing that wows me. I understand that it's a little bit pricey. I know that even if I had access to buy it, it's not something that I would feel a need to buy.
Nature Republic Fruits Peach Shower Gel. This is a nice shower gel but I definitely prefer Naive Body Washes.
Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser mini. This was okay but still prefer Naive facial cleansers. I will be doing a post as to why I like to use minis.
Tony Moly Cherry Blossom Hand Wash. I will definitely not be purchasing this again. The scent was very fake. It reminded me of these scented dolls that I played with when I was little. The cleaners itself was very goopy and slimy.
Skin Care
Noevir Raysela Body Protector sunscreen. It's one of my staples in my stash.
Nature Republic Snail Therapy Mask. This was a good face mask. I still have so many different masks in my stash to use though.
Missha All Around Safe Block. This was decent but again, Noevir's Raysela line is easily accessible and my favorite. I do really like the Hada Labo one too but can't find it here.
DHC Q Face Milk. I really liked this product and may consider getting it in the future.
Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, trial size. This was okay. I didn't really notice any difference while using it though.
Clarins Double Serum. I actually really liked this. The only thing is the price point is quite expensive. I have also recently read some negative reviews on this product because the ingredients used are rather inexpensive and don't equate to the high price of it. I am going to try to find another serum to use.
Clarins HydraQuench Cream. This was just okay for me. I mainly got it because it wasn't too expensive and I needed another skin care product to purchase to qualify to get the GWP. Not something that I would consider buying again unless I need it to qualify for a GWP that I really want.
Innisfree The Green Tea Serum sample. This was so tiny that I couldn't form an opinion of it.
Makeup
Coffret D'Or Beauty Essence Liquid. This I had purchased from a blog sale a long time ago. The color ended up being too light for me and so much time has passed that I decided it was time to dump it.
DHC Base Makeup sample. I have discovered that I really like this foundation. I have already purchased a bottle but the color is a little too dark for me so I am considering purchasing the shade lighter and mixing the two. I like it that much.
K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner. This is my all time HG eyeliner and I do have several back ups.
Not Pictured is NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder. I can't believe that I used up a loose setting powder! I've had the Cle de Peau one forever and still have barely scratched the surface, it seems. I liked the NARS powder but I want to use up the Cle de Peau and also try another powder. I don't have a picture of the empty container because my mom took it, wanting to use it for something.
Hair Care
Bumble and bumble Thickening Shampoo and Conditiioner trial set. I really liked the shampoo but didn't care much for the conditioner. I bought the shampoo in the regular size.
Forgotten Item
One more skin care item that I had forgotten to include above. It is DERMAdoctor Poetry in lotion, an intensive retinol anti-aging, dark spot corrector. I started using in in June of last year and used it quite regularly. While I did see some lightening of the big dark spot on my cheek, it wasn't lightened as much as I would have liked. I will be testing something else out as a last resort and hopefully it'll work. Will report back on it later.
Thank you for reading this and for sticking with me despite not having posted anything in a while.
*Kat*
