Using My Stash February - June 2015

It's been so long since I last did a "Using My Stash" post! I'm pretty sure that there might have been more items used but I couldn't find the containers.

Skincare

Skincare items is what I used up the most.

Rodan + Fields Reverse Line Deep Exfoliating Wash, Toner and Skin Lightening Treatment. I gave this line a good run and it didn't do what I wanted it to do, which was to remove freckles and dark spots.

Kose Hyaluronic Face Lotion. I'm not extremely particular about my face lotions as long as they are moisturizing. This one worked well and I believe isn't too expensive. I have several different face lotions in my stash that I need to use so I don't believe that I'll be making any purchases in the near future.

Nivea Soft Moisturizing Cream. I used this as an extra lotion. I really liked it and it was quite inexpensive. Since summer with high humidity has hit, I will not be using an extra moisture lotion for a while. I will most likely pick this up again but I have to admit that I have other heavier moisturizers in my stash that I need to use.

Naive Facial Cleansing Foam. I love Naive cleansers! I have several others as backup in my stash.

DHC Q10 Face Cream. It's a nice cream. Not sure if I'll repurchase as it didn't stand out as compared to other face creams that I have.

Nature Republic Argan 20 Mask Sheet. I have so many masks in my stash to use that I don't have to buy any for a long, long time. This was a nice mask to use and I think that I do have more in my stash.

Makeup

Bare Minerals BareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation. This is my HG foundation! I really love it. I think that I am almost done with a 2nd bottle.

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre. This is a moisturizer and primer in one. I was using it mainly as a primer and really liked it. I am currently using it as only a moisturizer and it works very nicely that way too. A little goes a long way and although I have only recently started using a 2nd tube, I think that I need to buy another one to put into my stash.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. This is another HG product for me. This tube took me a whole year to use up so I was thinking of replacing it with a smaller tube, thinking that I will be using fresher product even though it's more cost effective to buy the larger tube. I happened to find the larger tube in my stash as well as a smaller tube so I'm set for over a year.

K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner 24h. This has also been a HG product for me. I have a number of these in my stash. I was recently given a Dolly Wink eyeliner. It works exactly the same as K-Palette but I think that the tip is a little narrower so I like the way it lines my eyelids.

Sunscreen

Hada-Labo UV Whitening Emulsion is one of my HG products. I love Japanese brand sunscreens as it doesn't feel or smell like sunscreen. It also has high SPF, which I like. I have many of these in my stash.

Brush Cleansers

Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner. I like to use this everyday. This new formulation is great in that it cleans the brushes well and is so quick drying. Brushes stayed damp when using the old formulation.

Daiso Puff and Sponge Detergent is my all-time favorite for deep washing my brushes on a weekly basis. Or at least I try to wash them on a weekly basis. Very inexpensive and effective as a brush cleanser.

Not very many items considering that this is for 5 months. I still have so many items in my stash that need to be used and loved. It is slowly whittling down though and I'm happy that I've been doing this.

*Kat*

Purchase Review: Rohto Hada Labo Perfect UV Gel

I love Japanese sunscreens. For some reason, Western brands and I do not do well together. The Japanese brands (and Korean brands) that I have used, all are like milk/moisturizer as far as texture and feel. The Western brands have a feel and scent that is, to me, typical of sunscreens.

My all time favorite is Rohto Hada Labo UV Whitening Emulsion.I have at least 5 backups in my stash. Recently, though, I learned of a new sunscreen that intrigued me and I knew that I needed to try it. Rohto Hada Labo Perfect UV Gel.

The reason why it intrigued me because it has 5 beneficial properties to it. It is a lotion, emulsion, essence, makeup base and sunscreen all in one. You can cut down using all those various products and use only this one product. It's a time saver!

I've been using this for nearly a week now and I really like it! The texture isn't milky and runny like the other sunscreens but comes out in a soft gel or cream texture. Unlike the other emulsion formula, this one does go on feeling a little less like a moisturizer since when you apply it and massage it in, eventually there is some "pull" to it. Sorry, I'm not sure of the word that I should use. I believe that this is the makeup base/primer element to it. 

My skin feels moisturized enough although the weather here has become quite hot--definitely feeling the tropical climate. Despite the fact that the humidity has risen and I'm finding myself perspiring more, my foundation seems to stay in place and not melt off or fade. I'm really glad because nothing looks worse than melting foundation. This is a keeper and I'll definitely be getting more.

This sunscreen is fragrance free, color free and mineral oil free.

What's your favorite sunscreen?

*Kat*

Using My Stash--June & July

I still haven't even looked into replacing my desktop computer but I have some free time so decided to do a blog post from a laptop. I'm really sad that I had a whole bunch of pictures all set up and ready to be able to do blog posts on my desktop but they are now inaccessible.

I haven't used up much in the last couple of months and there are a couple of products that I wanted to do blog posts on but will have to wait until I can retrieve my pictures from the dead PC hard drive or take new ones.

Cleansers:

 

Naïve Body Wash and Naïve Facial Cleansing Foam. Both are my favorites although I have to admit that right now I am using Dr. Brommer's liquid soap for bathing.


Skin Care:

Hada Labo UV Whitening Emulsion, Noevir Extra Moisture Cream and DHC Q Lotion. I REALLY liked the Hada Labo sunscreen. It didn't feel like a sunscreen but felt like a lotion. I'll have to look into getting more of this as I like it as much or perhaps even better than Noevir Raysela. Noevir Extra Moisture Cream is something that I can't do without in colder weather conditions. Right now it is so hot and muggy that I don't have a need for it but will definitely be picking up a new jar in a month or two. DHC Q Lotion (toner) is something that was picked up from Japan for me. I really like it a lot and will consider getting more but I do have other lotions in my stash right now.


Makeup:

Wunderbrow, Super Quick Eyebrow--WP, Dior brush and MAC eyeshadow pro palette in Electra. Wunderbrow is one of the items in which I wanted to do a review and have pictures on my defunct PC. I really like it and am using my 2nd tube. I threw away the packaging for the eyebrow so I'm not sure what brand it is but it is from Japan. I was using it in conjunction with Wunderbrow but think (at least I hope) I've mastered Wunderbrow that I don't need the eyebrow pencil. I've had the Dior eyeshadow brush for a few years now and the tip of it is all ragged. I guess that it's time to give it up. Don't think that I'll buy a Dior replacement as I have other brushes that function just as well. MAC Electra has been a staple in my everyday makeup. I've had this pan for years. Although I haven't replaced it yet, I will definitely be doing so. Just wish that I could use my Back-To-MAC items to pick up pro palette pans.

How is everyone's summer going so far? Mine has been wonderful since family is all together.

*Kat*

Party FOTD

Have you ever done your makeup and then wished you remembered what you used so that you can recreate it? Unfortunately, this is probably one of those where I don't know if I'd be able to recreate.
Yesterday was the husband's birthday and I spent the day running around trying to figure out what I was going to get him for his present. My first choice is not available any more due to the disaster in Japan. Hopefully after everything is rebuilt, it'll become available once again. My makeup for the day was a bit on the brighter side with muted cheeks and lips.

We had a birthday party to attend in the evening (we attended a birthday party on husband's birthday and it wasn't his party--haha) and I was planning on doing a gold and black EOTD. Unfortunately, I ended up not having time to completely wash my face and redo my makeup so I had to improvise with what was already on. As a result, I do not know how many and what colors are on my eyes.

Products used:

Face: Dermablend Cover Cream
          Lioele Dollish Veil Vita BB Cream in Natural Green
          Hada Labo BB Moist Cream in Natural Ochre
          Guerlain Meteorite Perles in Teint Rose

Eyes: Mezaik Double Eyelid Stretch Fiber
          Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden
          Sephora, Urban Decay and MAC eyeshadows
          K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner
          Fairydrops and Gokubuto Mascara

Cheeks: Canmake Loose Cheek in 01
              NARS Laguna Bronzer
              YSL Touche Blush in 5
              Maquillage Face Creator

Lips: The Face Shop Color Shimmer Lipstick in RD302
         Noevir Natural Code Lipstick in PK22F

For my face, I only had to touch up a bit using Hada Labo BB Moist Cream and powdering over those areas with Guerlain Meteorite Perles as my face makeup stayed pretty much intact. I haven't mentioned using Lioele Dollish Veil Vita BB Cream before as I had recently received a sample of this from a wonderful person who reads this blog. I will be doing a review on it soon.

During the day, I know that I used Sephora and Urban Decay eyeshadow palettes but I was just playing around with colors so I don't know what I used. I had actually done a similar look using similar colors once before but a much more muted look. I wanted to try the brighter look because I was inspired by Jenn of From Head to Toe and her recently uploaded tutorial. If you haven't read her blog, please check it out. She has an awesome blog and great YouTube videos.

For the evening party look, I decided to smoke it out more and added darker colors on the outer "V" using MAC's Contrast and blended it in. I didn't need to do much at all thanks to UDPP. Even with the hot weather and running around all day, nothing creased or faded.

I also added mascara to my lashes as I didn't use it during the day. What I didn't do and should have was to curl my lashes. NOTE: Colors are darker and more intense on real life.

During the day I had Canmake Loose Cheek in 01 on my cheeks. For the evening, I wanted to glam it up a bit so I bronzed with NARS Laguna and dabbed on YSL Touche Blush in 5 on apples of cheeks and blended it outward toward hairline.

I softened it up a bit by highlighting using highlighter colors from Maquillage Face Creator.

On lips I used The Face Shop Color Shimmer Lipstick in RD303, which is a beautiful deep red color. It's a bit too intense for my liking so I topped it with Noevir Natural Code Lipstick in PK22F, which I find a bit too light when used alone. Together, they work to form a beautiful color that I like.

Together they work to form a beautiful color.

The party was at a beautiful hotel in one of their lovely ballrooms. I'm glad that I decided to go with a more glamorous look for the party.

*Kat*

2011 Half Year Favorites

I'm trying to catch up with a lot of my posts. This one is a little late but better late than never--right?

As I did last year, I'm doing half-year favorites. I know that many bloggers do monthly favorites but I don't think that I could manage doing a post like that every month.

What I haven't included are my staples. Since they are my staples, it's pretty much understood that those would be favorites. I'll list my staples but no picture: K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner, NARS Orgasm blush, Mezaik Double Eyelid Stretch Fiber, Neutrogena Makeup Remover Towelettes, Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion and Noevir Raysela Sunscreen.

Hair Care:

Neuma Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner and Alterna Bamboo Luminous Shine Shampoo and Conditioner. I had been using both but preferred the Neuma Line before I cut my hair. My hair was pretty damaged so it was helpful in taming down the frizzies and providing much needed moisture to my dry, damaged hair. This line includes using Argan Treatment and Moisture Cream. I would alternate with Alterna because it would help to give my hair some volume. Now that I have cut my hair into a shorter length, I prefer having more volume with this style and I also cut off most of the damaged hair so I pretty much stick with the Alterna line. This line includes Dry Kendi Oil Mist and Brilliance Cream. I love the scent too! Pictured here is the travel size bottles

Skin Care:

Three of these items were gifts--Mannan Peeling Gel, Naive Aloe Foaming Face Wash and Face Q Mask. The fourth item is Shiseido Bio-Performance Super Corrective Serum.

Mannan Peeling Gel really makes my face feel nice and smooth. It's a great exfoliating gel and following up with a mask is a perfect combination. Naive Aloe Foaming Face Wash is one of those face washes that don't make my skin feel really taut after washing. It smoothes out my skin and feels great. I got two different "flavors" of Face Q mask. I used one and loved it! I recently put in an order with Sasa, which will arrive soon. Since I put in an order with Sasa, I guess that I don't have to hoard this one mask any more. Shiseido Bio-Perfomance Super Corrective Serum has collagen in it. I think that it makes my skin feel nice and hydrated and seems to really smooth out my skin. I'm going to have to purchase a full-sized bottle of this when I use up on of the other serums that I using now.

Brushes:

Featured in this picture are brushes all from Sonia Kashuk. Thanks to K of cosmeddicted, I discovered this line of brushes. It's pricing is mid-range if you compare it between e.l.f. and MAC. It has really nice quality and I'm thinking of adding to my collection. (This isn't all of the brushes that I have from SK but I didn't include the few others that I have.)

Makeup:

Most of these were acquired either at the end of last year or within the first half of this year. Pictured above is Missha BB Boomer, Hada Labo BB Cream (gift), Lise Watier Concealer Wheel (gift), Dermablend Cover Creme, Puff de Cheek blush (gift), Meteorite Peals in Teint Rose 01, Physician's Formula Eye Booster, Maquillage Face Creator (I have two different ones although only 1 is pictured), and Visee Brilliance Forming Eyes A-1 (gift). As you can see, just about half of these were gifts.

Missha BB Boomer is a really nice primer and relatively inexpensive too. Hada Labo BB Moist Cream--I love, love, love this BB cream! It's hydrating and provides excellent coverage. Lise Watier Concealer Wheel has different concealers for different problem areas. I was so glad that this works out nicely in covering some of my stubborn dark spots. Dermablend Cover Creme is a heavy duty concealer and works well in covering my stubborn dark spots. Puff de Cheek is a blush that I'm really liking. It's not too heavily pigmented, which is good because I have a heavy hand and the color can be built up nicely. I actually bought Meteorite Pearls at least a year ago only because I thought that it was so pretty. Only recently have I started using powder to set my foundations again and find that is a fine powder and doesn't seem to settle into and bring out fine lines. Maquillage Face Creator is really a nice product that helps to subtly sculpt your face and bring out your cheekbones for when you want more definition. Physician's Formula Eye Booster. I actually have two of these, one in black and one in clear. It's an eyeliner pen but has lash-boosting ingredients which help your eyelashes become fuller and longer. I prefer the clear since I can put it on at night before I go to sleep (if I remember). The black one I would use during the day as an eyeliner but really do prefer my K-Palette. Visee Brilliance Forming Eyes has been a palette that I had been reaching for often lately. A nice neutral palette. I feel that the colors run on the cooler side, which works out better for my skin tone. (Warmer brown colors tend to make me look tired.)

Shoes:

I know that this sounds a little weird to be putting in this post but there's a connection to beauty and health. These are Sketchers Shape-Ups. If you don't know what Shape-Ups are, they are shoes that have a curved bottom. The purpose for this is to burn more calories, tone muscles and improve posture.  It is also supposed to improve posture, improve circulation, reduce joint stress, strengthen the back, firm buttock muscles, tone and firm thigh muscles, firm calf muscles. Sounds too good to be true, right? I started wearing these shoes almost 3 years ago. At first it felt strange but I got used to it and it did seem to help a bit with toning my muscles. Of course over the past 3 years, the shoes have been replaced as I use them every day at work and I don't sit unless I'm driving. With the last pair that I got, my feet started hurting, especially my ankles and heels. At first it would happen when I woke up in the mornings and then it started after I got home and took the shoes off. (The pain isn't a constant pain, only after I've not been on my feet and then I get up to walk--perhaps the beginnings of plantar fasciitis?) What I didn't realize (and it could be something that was released after I first started wearing them) is that there are extended fitness shoes in which it is designed for those who are on their feet for long periods of time. I believe that the bottom of the shoe is less tall. Well, at the beginning of this month, I decided to switch back to regular athletic shoes. My feet hurt less after getting home and waking up in the morning, so I was pretty satisfied with the switch--until yesterday. Over the course of the last week, I've noticed that my weight seemed to be picking up, which actually is a bit normal for me during the summers. Yesterday, I had trouble getting my jeans on and it really bothered me and made me start wondering why because I haven't been eating much and I had been doing a bit more walking. The most noticeable was that it was tight in the thigh and abdomen areas. It then dawned on me that the only real change that I made recently is to stop wearing the Shape Ups and that perhaps it was really working more than I thought. I decided that I needed to go and get me a pair of the extended fitness shoes, which is what is pictured above. I'm hoping that I won't have the pain problems that I was having with the regular Shape Ups. I guess that even if I do, it'll still be better than me being less toned. Although I purchased these new shoes just yesterday, which would make it fall into the 2nd half of 2011, I put it into this post because I had been using Shape Ups from way earlier.

I hope that you found this interesting. Next post will probably be half-year disappointments.

*Kat*

Gift Review: Nanoce BB Moist Cream

My friends were in Japan about a month ago and brought back the Nanoce BB Moist Cream in Healthy Ochre for me. Nic Nic had been raving about this BB cream and I was certainly curious about it.

Healthy Ochre is the darker of the two colors that are available.

Nanoce applied to half face

Nanoce applied to whole face

Face makeup fully done

After 12 hours of wear, only nose touched up by powder

When I first opened my package (it was fully sealed), my first thought was that the tube isn't fully filled. A lot of air came out when I tried to squeeze the product out.  It is a 1.4 oz/40 g tube. It comes out rather thickly but applies nicely. Some people have complained about the scent but I think that it's okay. It reminds me a bit of Noxema cream (really aging myself here). It mentally makes me feel that it's sanitizing. The scent dissipates almost immediately. It is quite moisturizing and I feel that I have to set it with powder. I use Guerlain Meteorite Pearls. The coverage is quite good and lasting power is good as well. I think that it does fade a bit but I know that I'm asking a lot to have foundations last 12 hours or longer. I think that the color match is a good one for me. It does oxidise ever so slightly.

In comparison with Hada Labo BB Moist Cream in Natural Ochre, I find both BB creams to be very, very similar.

The Hada Labo cream is does not come out quite as thick as the Nanoce but I think that despite it being less thick, it does cover better than Nanoce. I also think that Hada Labo is a slight bit pink whereas Nanoce is slightly more yellow. After 12 hours of wear, Hada Labo holds up better than Nanoce. I really like both BB creams a lot. If I had to rate them, then I would say that Hada Labo is #1 and Nanoce is #2. It is really a close call though and I'm happy using either one.

*Kat*

Wedding Day Makeup

It was a very exhausting day but everything went very well. It was a beautiful ceremony and a small, intimate reception. We couldn't have asked for more, except for perhaps less wind at the ceremony. My son's in-laws are so down-to-earth and sweet and our new daughter-in-law looked gorgeous.

I thought that I had most of my makeup planned for yesterday but ended up changing it around quite a bit. I was originally going to use my Temptu for my base makeup but after using it in a trial run the day before, I decided to change and use the Hada Labo BB Moist Cream instead. I think that it gave a nicer, more dewy look whereas the Temptu ended up being quite matte.

So here's my makeup lineup:

Base Makeup

Dermablend Professional Cover Cream Concealer
MAC Motif Eyeshadow to set concealer
Hada Labo BB Moist Cream
Cle de Peau Translucent Loose Powder
Coffret D'or Powder Foundation (on nose)
Maquillage Powder Foundation (on spots)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Greed

Eye Makeup

Visee Blossom Eyes BR-5 (peach shadow in middle)
Visee Brilliance Forming Eyes A-1 (Pink shadow upper right corner)
Stila Artist's Inspiration Palette (golightly--taupe brown shadow lower left corner and ebony--upper middle)
K-Palette Real Lasting Liner
Koji Eyelash Curler
Shiseido Mascara Base
Fairydrops Scandal Queen Mascara and Gokubuto Mascara (on upper eyelashes)
Gokunobi Mascara (on lower lashes)

Cheeks and Lips

NARS Laguna
Lunasol Contrasting Cheeks N 11 Coral Pink
Chanel Rouge Coco Shine 57 Aventure

I wore a light pink outfit and it was a morning wedding with a lunch reception which is why I decided to go with a more neutral smokey eye. I really thought that I was going to use NARS Orgasm for my cheek color but I'm really liking my Lunsol blush right now. I had a selection of lip colors to choose from but in the end, decided on Aventure since I really like the color.

I will be spending the rest of the week and weekend taking the new in-laws around. At least we now can really relax and not worry about wedding plans.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

*Kat*

Gift Review: Hada Labo BB Moist Cream--Picture Heavy

I was recently gifted the Hada Labo BB Moist Cream in Natural Ochre by the very lovely and generous Nic Nic of bang bang she shoots.

I seem to have a love/hate affair with BB Creams--as much as I love the concept of them, I find them not the right color for me--either too light or most of them are a gray/ashy color, they oxidize too much, are not hydrating enough. I recently wrote about how I loved the finish and glow that I got from Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream but it was way too light for me. I managed to get a sample of the same BB cream but in the darker shade and it definitely didn't work out for me. It ended up being too dark and oxidizing to the point where I looked almost ashy orange. Prior to that I had been using Missha M Signature Real Complete BB Cream in #23 one of the darker shades. I liked it although it oxidized quite a bit and is a gray/ashy color. I tried it in the lighter shade as well and it's a bit too light. So how did the Hada Labo BB Moist Cream fare? Let's take a look at the color comparison chart that I did first:

Sorry, that one picture got rotated automatically by blogger. Don't know why it does that. You can click on the picture to view it at a larger size.

 This picture was taken after several hours to show how much each one oxidizes. The only one that doesn't seem to turn ashy is Hada Labo.

So we'll start with my scary naked face which has only been prepped and primed.

I conceal using Lise Watier concealer wheel. I mainly conceal the darker, more prominent spots.

Next I set the concealer using MAC Motif eyeshadow. Strange but true. Why? Well, I found that when I set the concealer using powder, the large area concealed on my cheek would show up as a white spot after I applied foundation and blush. One MUA told me that they use orange cream or an orange lip pencil to conceal spots when doing photo shoots because it covers the spots more effectively. I started using Motif because it's in the orange color range and yet more of a skin-tone color. I think that it ends up looking much more natural.

Next is Hada Labo BB Moist Cream on half of my face. While slightly lighter than my natural coloring, it's not extremely noticeable.

Here I've fully covered my face with the BB cream. It does look a little whiter than my normal coloring.

Makeup fully done with the face/neck comparison as far as coloring goes. Again, there is a slight difference but not shockingly noticeable.

This is the last picture, I promise! This is taken after more than 10 hours of wear with no touch up. It has faded a slight bit. I have to admit though, that this day wasn't hot and humid at all.


I have to say that I LOVE this BB cream. The color match is as good as I can get, almost perfect. It does oxidize a slight bit but it oxidizes nicely and ends up matching my skin tone better. It is definitely hydrating, which is a big plus for me. It does stay a bit sticky after applying so it's best to set it with powder. I haven't been big on setting with powder since it tends to bring out my fine lines. I have been using Cle de Peau loose powder and applying it sparingly on my face with an even lighter application on the under eye area. This BB cream gives me a really nice finish in which I think that my complexion looks brighter and glowy. It also has really nice coverage, a bit heavier than most BB creams. It is also unscented.

From what I could read, it has SPF 32+ PA+++, comes in a 45g squeeze tube and is available in two different shades, Natural Beige and Natural Ochre.


I've been using this every day since I received it from Nic Nic.


*Kat*