Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Thymes Classics Fig Leaf & Cassis Body Lotion

The Fig Leaf & Cassis Body Lotion ($33) is part of Thymes' Classics range and is now back by popular demand. Its a clean, fresh, crisp scent that is extremely pleasant and very lush. ** Press Sample





The Body Lotion is a fantastic formula. It comes packaged in a pump bottle and has the perfect consistency for a light, summer body lotion. It is quite thick, but spreads pretty well, sinks in super fast and leaves absolutely no residue behind. The scent is extremely refreshing, slightly soapy,  yet light for just about anytime, especially summer. It lingers on for a few hours and isn't too much even for my sensitive nose. The lotion itself is quite nourishing and keeps my skin feeling comfortably soft, but in the winter, I would prefer something a little more heavy. Overall, its a fantastic lotion to have for summer and perfect if you like fresh, green scents with just a hint of citrus. The Fig Leaf and Cassis range also includes a shower gel, cologne and a home fragrance mist!




Have you tried any of Thymes' Classic Fragrances?

mark. Glossworks Longwear Lipgloss SPF15

mark. Glossworks Longwear Lipgloss SPF15 ($12) comes in eight gorgeous shades ranging from shimmery, pinky nudes to bright summery coral and purples. It combines sun protection and long wear in a very emollient, moisturizing base. **Press Samples




Glossworks has a slightly thick formula in a very opaque base. It feels thick going on, almost like a liquid lipstick and is a tad sticky. Good thing mark. included a brush applicator for this gloss. It makes it much easier to apply - its almost like using a lip brush, so the color can be sheered out or layered on. It does have a very strong plasticky scent, which combined with the SPF gets a little too strong. As for the colors, there's not one color I do not like! Every color is beautiful and there's loads of shine and glossiness with extremely finely milled shimmer. These lasted about 4 hours on me and left behind a slightly tacky residue which I quite din't like. Its very moisturizing, but would have been much easier to work with if it was a tad more thin. That said, if you do like SPF in your lip products, the Glossworks range has some pretty fabulous colors to choose from.





Have you tried the mark. Glossworks Longwear Lipgloss SPF15?

Giveaway - Win a L'Occitane Verbena EDT | L'Occitane's New Website! (CLOSED)

****This giveaway is now closed & the winner is Laura Baker. Winner has been contacted!****

Here's a chance for one of you to win a L'Occitane Verbena EDT(1.7oz; $42) ! The folks at L'Occitane are giving away one of these to one blog reader! Verbena is a zesty, fresh citrus and perfect for anytime of the year, especially summer. L'Occitane's website got a major revamp with a few cool new features and to celebrate that, the folks at L'Occitane have decided to giveaway one Full Size Verbena EDT to one of my blog's readers. Scroll down for more.




L’Occitane (http://usa.loccitane.com/presents a fresh and modern look through a NEW wide-screen responsive design, which adapts seamlessly to all screen sizes including tablet and mobile.

Website Updates Include:

L’Occitane Skincare Diagnosis and Fragrance Finder
Videos which describe the brand’s inspiration behind each collection
Botanist’s Glossary featuring over 200 Mediterranean ingredients found in L’Occitane products
A simplified checkout process to help complete a flawless shopping experience
L’Occitane “About Us” section, where consumers may immerse themselves in Provence with articles about gastronomy, culture and more
Boutique Locator, which now provides helpful directions
Provencal VIP sign-up to receive special offers and invitations from L’Occitane throughout the year

Onto the giveaway...

Giveaway is US only and open until Aug 14th, 2013 11:59 p.m PST. I will pick ONE random winner on the 15th and contact you! Winner will have 48 hours to respond, failing which I will pick another winner.

How to Enter :

Leave a comment below on this post - comment anything & also how you follow my blog! All comments are moderated and may not show up immediately. I'll approve them as soon as possible. To enter, you'll have to be a subscriber through Google Friend Connect (or) Facebook (or) Twitter!  You can do all or just one! Each one counts for an entry.

Good Luck Entering! :-)

*Verbena EDT sponsored by L'Occitane

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Smashbox Always Sharp Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner in Raven

Smashbox's new 'Always Sharp' Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner ($20) is a smooth and easy to way to get kohl rimmed eyes without the hassle of sharpening your pencil tip every time. Its self-sharpening, so the tip always remains sharp and there's no need to twist up the pencil. The cap (which I'm assuming has a built in sharpener), when twisted everytime to open, manages to keeps the tip sharp!! Pretty unique and amazing for travel. **Press Sample






I tried out the color Raven, which is a deep, dark black with a nice, semi matte finish. I love the color and the finish. The formula is great - it glides on the lash and waterlines (Smashbox specifically mentions its safe for the inner rim), does not make my eyes watery and stays put for a good 6-7 hours. Its waterproof, but doesn't set too fast, and is quite forgiving to mistakes. It smudges out beautifully too. My only gripe though, is that there's no way of knowing how much product is left as it cannot be twisted up. That apart, its a great liner. I love the concept of the always sharp tip and will definitely be checking out the other shades from the range!






Have you tried Smashbox's Always Sharp Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner?

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Monday, July 29, 2013

Bath and Body Works Summer Chill Collection

Bath and Body works summer Chill collection features three new light and fresh summer scents. Honestly, I can never keep up with the very many limited edition items BBW puts out seasonally. Summer Chill is in stores now & features fragrance mists, body lotions and shower gels. **Press Samples




White Mango Chill - Its a sweet and fresh scent with notes of White Mango, Jasmine, Orange Blossom, Strawberry and Creamy Musk. It is a tad too sweet, but I quite like it. It does seem a little unique compared to other BBW scents that I've tried. Citrus Orchid Chill - Fresh, Crisp and very feminine. It is a little too strong initially, but completely fades after a couple of hours. Notes include Jasmine, Blue Orchid, White Amber and Musk. Its not extremely unique, but if you like florals, you'll like this one too. Coconut Water Chill - has notes of Sweet Lemon, Pineapple, Watermelon, Coconut and Jasmine and comes off very light and refreshing. Its not very concentrated and the scent fades pretty quickly, which seems to be the case with pretty much any reformulated fine fragrance mist I've tried from Bath & Body Works.  I was also sent a cooling shimmer mist from this collection, but I haven't tried it out yet. Overall, the summer mists are nice, but very light, so don't expect them to linger on beyond 3-4 hours, especially on a super hot summer day. My favorite among these is the White Mango Chill.





Have you tried any of these from Bath & Body Works?

Sunday, July 28, 2013

AVON Flor Violeta Eau de Parfum

Flor Violeta Eau de Parfum ($28) is a light, fruity floral fragrance by AVON, with notes of green apple, violet blossom and soft musk. Packaged in a pink and purple ombre bottle with floral lace detailing, it is one very cute looking perfume in my collection. **Press Sample




For an an EDP though, Flor is quite light - the crisp green apple and the soft floral notes combine to create a very feminine, playful summer scent. There's a hint of warmth from the creamy musk, not too heavy, just enough to balance the other notes quite well and to keep it from turning cloyingly sweet. Flor definitely is a more of a youthful scent, in my opinion. It is light and fresh, slightly sweet and definitely nice for spring/summer than any other time of the year. I do wish it lasted longer though - I get about 5-6 hours before which most of the fragrance dissipates.


What are your thoughts on AVON's Flor Violeta Eau de Parfum?

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Dior Diorshow Mono Eye Shadow in Velvet

Dior Diorshow Mono Eye Shadow in Velvet ($29) is a murky, blackened plum with hints of warm brown. Its a gorgeous neutral to me, with just the right amount of shimmer that doesn't stand out too much, making it very wearable on a day to day basis.

Dior Diorshow Mono Eye Shadow in Velvet

Dior Diorshow Mono Eye Shadow in Velvet Review, Photos & Swatches
Dior Diorshow Mono Eye Shadow in Velvet Review, Photos & Swatches


The core collection of the Diorshow Monos have some very beautiful neutrals. Velvet is a complex shade that leans more plum or brown depending on your skintone. On me, it leans plum with hints of brown. It has multi colored, extremely finely milled shimmer that translates to a gorgeous sheen. Velvet feels smooth to the touch and has a super soft texture, but it can get a tad dry while blending - this seems to be the case with the few monos I have tried. They can be used both dry or damp, but I prefer using it dry. It seems to blend better that way. But if you want to pack on a little more color, I would recommend using it over a damp base, rather than taking a wet brush to the pan. Velvet is pigmented enough to show up as it is and sheers out quite well for a soft wash. Overall, amazing color, beautiful, luxurious packaging and nice texture - I wish it was just a tad less dry while blending out.

Dior Diorshow Mono Eye Shadow in Velvet Review, Photos & Swatches

Dior Diorshow Mono Eye Shadow in Velvet Ingredients

Dior Diorshow Mono Eye Shadow in Velvet






Have you tried the Dior Diorshow Mono Eye Shadow in Velvet?

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Anastasia Beverly Hills Hypercolor Brow & Lash Tint in Ultra-Violet

Anastasia Beverly Hills Hypercolor Brow & Lash Tint ($18) is a 2-in-1 product that can be used to add a pop of color for lashes and brows. The flake-free formula, conditions brows when used as a brow gel and keeps lashes curled without smudging. Also included is a mini "Lash Genius" by Anastasia, a clear, waterproof coat that seals color and keeps the pigment from smudging. **Press Sample.





Ultra Violet is probably one of the most subtler shades in the Brow & Lash tint range. It is a deeper blue based violet that looks amazing as a mascara. I have very dark, quite thick brows naturally, so I'm not brave enough to step out with something colorful on my brows, but I do love the subtle hint of purple on my lashes. It says what it does - curls lashes, adds a tad bit of length and the Lash Genius, is fabulous for sealing the color and holding the curl - it works with any regular mascara and is perfect if you don't want to go in for waterproof mascara as such. I don't see much of volume when using Hypercolor Lash Tint as a mascara, but it doesn't clump very much. Without the lash genius though, the formula can flake a little. I haven't tried the other colors from the range, but they do have some bright pinks and bold blues. As for me, I like Ultra Violet - it has the perfect amount of color for me to experiment wearing colored mascara without having to go in for something extremely over the top & crazy!





What are your thoughts on the Anastasia Beverly Hills Hypercolor Brow & Lash Tint?

Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick in Fortune (Nordstrom Exclusive) | Mystic Metallics Fall 2013 Collection

Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick in Fortune ($31) is a Nordstrom Exclusive, part of Dior's Fall 2013 lineup. Fortune is a gorgeous rosy nude and a very flattering mlbb on my skintone.



I absolutely love the formula of the Dior Addict Extreme Lipsticks and this one is just as creamy, smooth and quite glossy. There's a certain slip to the texture, so it can cling onto lip dryness a bit, which is my only qualm.  Fortune has just the right amount of pigment to show up as a pinky nude on my pigmented lips. It has just a touch of brown and is a great, effortless everyday shade, perfect for work too. Its a shade that goes with just about anything and is something I can wear all year round! The glossiness starts to fade after about 2 hours and the color lasts about 3-4 hours on me. I wish these were long wearing, but that's how long most lipsticks with a slick texture last on me.








Overall, I love everything about Fortune and think its even worthy of a backup. Its a beautiful shade that would work on most skin tones and is something I can see myself reaching out to quite a lot!

What are your thoughts on the Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick in Fortune?

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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Mineral Fusion 3-in-1 Color Stick in Terra Cotta

Mineral Fusion 3-in-1 Color Stick in Terracotta ($19.99), is a multitasking, instant color stick for eyes, cheeks and lips, formulated without Parabens, Artifical Colors or Talc. It is a lightweight formula infused with White Tea and Aloe Vera. ** Press Sample




The Color Stick is a rather small, twist up chubby stick that works similar to NARS' The Multiple. I can't speak for the other colors in the range, but Terracotta is a cool toned, shimmery, peachy pink - it has quite a bit of gold shimmer in a light pink base. The texture is cream to powder, and it blends beautifully with fingers! On my skintone, the color isn't too obvious, the shimmer stands out more, so I like it more as a highlight than on the eyes or lips. On lighter skin tones, it would translate to more of a healthy glow. The shimmer is finely milled, but it does enhance large pores quite a bit, so using it as a highlight works out well for me than by itself. It does stay on a really long time and doesn't fade much throughout the day, when used over a good primer. Overall, good formula, but I wish they went a bit easy on the shimmer - it would have been perfect for eyes, lips and cheeks then!







Mineral Fusion is available at all Whole Foods stores.

What are your thoughts on the Mineral Fusion 3-in-1 Color Stick in Terracotta?