Monday, September 30, 2013

Bite Beauty Contour Lip Liner in Chestnut and Nutmeg

Bite Beauty's Contour Lip Liner ($24; sephora.com, Select Sephora Stores), is a new launch for fall and comes in five gorgeous shades of neutrals and pinks. The retractable, slanted tip provides great definition and keeps creamy lip products from bleeding outside of the lip lines. *Press Sample



I tried out Nutmeg, a nude, fleshy pink and Chestnut, a bright pink. Both are great colors and will flatter most skintones. Nutmeg is a perfect neutral to even out my pigmented lips and Chestnut is nice for a subtle pop of color. I find these to be great for filling my lips with just some gloss on top. They do a nice job of keeping super creamy lip products from bleeding or smearing. The slanted tip takes some time getting used to, but its really convenient once you get the hang of it and defines precisely. There's a slight minty scent and taste, almost undetectable, unless you have a super sensitive nose like mine & the scent dissipates really fast . There's absolutely no dryness - it feels a tad waxy, but that also helps lip products stay on longer. Overall, Bite's Contour Lip Liners are pretty amazing and do the job extremely well. I wish they'd add a few more shades to the range in the future.


L-R : Chestnut, Nutmeg


Have you tried the Bite Beauty Contour Lip Liner?

Friday, September 27, 2013

BOSS Jour Pour Femme Eau de Parfum

BOSS' newest scent for fall, Jour ($78 for 75 ml, $65 for 50 ml; hugoboss.com), is a light, white floral - an elegant, feminine, sophisticated fragrance. With notes of Freesia, Lily and Creamy Musk, it sure is one amazing floral composition. The bottle design is sleek, stylish and the crystal cap lends it a modern, yet elegant touch. *Press Sample












Unlike a lot of heady, white florals I've tried, Boss Jour is softer, more clean and crisp with hints of musk as it dries down. I wouldn't call it a very grown up scent though - just the right balance that anyone can wear, just about any time of the year. I particularly like such fragrances from fall though spring and something a little more lighter than this in the summer. As an EDP, it really is long lasting on me - lasts the whole day as the scent fades to a lighter, pleasant floral. Overall, Boss Jour is the perfect floral for anyone looking for something feminine, not too heavy, yet modern and sophisticated for the daytime. Boss Nuit (the same bottle design in black) is more of an evening scent - also quite sophisticated, but a tad heavy and one of my favorites as well!






Have you tried Boss Jour Pour Femme? 

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

MoroccanOil Moisture Balance Shower Gel

The Moisture Balance Shower Gel ($26; moroccanoil.com), is one of many body care products from Moroccanoil. I've tried some fabulous hair care from the brand and love the scent of the products more than anything else. The shower gel too has the same great scent and is a nice little treat to have in your shower for when you want some added hydration. *Press Sample




Enriched with Argan Oil, the shower gel claims to leave skin balanced and smooth. I do find it to be very moisturizing - it leaves behind a light film of moisture, not greasy but more like a light, oily film. The scent is quite strong and lingers around for a few hours, so if you aren't too fond of strong fragrances in your bath products, you may not like it. I love the scent most Moroccanoil haircare products have, so I have no problems with it, although it is a tad strong. The only qualm though, is that the shower gel doesn't lather up so well and needs quite a bit of product to cleanse thoroughly. Considering it is quite pricey, a little more product in there would have been nice. That apart, its a great shower gel that leaves skin feeling soft, fragranced and very moisturized!




Have you tried any of Moroccanoil Body Products?

Sunday, September 22, 2013

L'Occitane Aromachologie Repairing Oil

L'Occitane's newest addition to the Aromachologie hair care line is the Repairing Oil ($26; usa.loccitane.com), a reformulated version and a blend of 5 essential oils to nourish, protect and tame unruly hair. Its a slightly thick, leave in serum/oil that protects and maintains vibrancy, also safe for color treated hair. *Press Sample


I quite like L'Occitane's Aromachologie line, and the oil is just what my unruly hair needs. I've tried it on wet and dry hair and like it so much more as a finishing product than as a pre-styling treatment. A little goes a long way, and does a fantastic job of calming down frizzy hair, without the heavy feel. Its not sticky or greasy - just the right consistency between that of an oil and a serum. The scent is amazing too - a little herbal and not overpowering at all. L'Occitane also recommends using it as a pre-shampoo treatment, but I always prefer something a little more heavy for that. It also is one of the few ones that doesn't make my scalp oily the next day!






Have you tried anything from L'Occitane's Aromachologie Lineup?

Thursday, September 19, 2013

BITE Beauty Cashmere Lip Cream in Sancerre

BITE Beauty Cashmere Lip Creme in Sancerre ($28; Sephora.com) is a new launch from the brand, for fall. Available in six bright, bold colors, the Lip Creme is a full coverage lip color with a super lightweight feel. *Press Sample



Sancerre is a medium pinkish red that looks like a more cool toned red on my very pigmented lips. Its a gorgeous color for anyone wanting a bold pop of color without the shimmer/glitter. Since its a full coverage lip color, you only need a swipe or two and to cover uneven pigmentation, if any. As for the texture, its a whipped consistency that dries to a matte finish, without the drying matte feel. Its quite comfortable, even on my dry lips and Sancerre leaves behind a strong stain that takes a while to completely fade. My only complaint is the slightly wobbly applicator - its not the most easiest to work with and needs a lot of patience for even application. That apart, it definitely is one amazing lip creme for anyone who loves a bright, bold pop of long lasting color!





Have you checked out Bite Beauty's Cashmere Lip Creme?

Burt's Bees Sensitive Facial Cleansing Towelettes With Cotton Extract

Burt's Bees Sensitive Facial Cleansing Towelettes With Cotton Extract ($6; Drugstores, burtsbees.com) is my current favorite, quick cleansing wipe that my sensitive skin loves. A pack comes with 30 soft, pre-moistened wipes and is great for having in your bag for quick and easy cleansing. *Press Sample




I don't rely on wipes as my only, proper way to cleanse and neither do I recommend them to get a full face of makeup off on a regular basis, especially when you are home. But, these are really handy to have when you are traveling or anytime you need a quick fix. These wipes feel extremely soft, almost as soft as a cotton washcloth, only less exfoliating. It gets most makeup off, with the exception of waterproof stuff like stubborn mascara and long wear liner. It does leave a light film and doesn't irritate or give me any redness issues. There's just a very mild scent that doesn't linger around for long. If you do have sensitive skin, this is an amazing makeup wipe to have!





Have you tried the Burt's Bees Sensitive Facial Cleansing Towelettes?

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Elizabeth Arden UNTOLD Eau de Parfum

UNTOLD Eau de Parfum ($59 for 1.7oz; elizabetharden.com) is a new sophisticated, feminine fragrance for fall from Elizabeth Arden. Notes include Pink Pepper, Bergamot, Pear, Blackcurrant, Egyptian Jasmine, Patchouli and Amber. *Press Sample




The bottle design of UNTOLD is gorgeous, very classy and luxuriously made. The scent is definitely great for fall - a little heavy and great to wear on a cold fall/winter evening. It is a complex floral composition with a hint of musk as it dries down. The heady notes from Jasmine can be a tad overpowering, but it settles down well to a soft, feminine, sensual fragrance. UNTOLD is definitely more of a grown up scent, yet quite modern and I definitely don't mind that. There's no cloying sweetness, but the fragrance can be a little too much for summer. I do, however, think its an amazing scent for fall and the colder months ahead. If you like sophisticated florals with just a touch of sweetness and warmth, UNTOLD is a great fragrance to try!




Have you tried Elizabeth Arden's UNTOLD?

Monday, September 16, 2013

gud From Burt's Bees Red Ruby Groovy Natural Body Lotion

gud Red Ruby Groovy Natural Body Lotion ($7) is a zesty, light body lotion formulated without parabens, pthalates or petrochemicals. Its also enriched with Wild Thyme and Grapefruit and skin softening Shea Butter. *Press Sample







I've tried quite a few stuff from gud and absolutely love everything so far. Red Ruby Groovy is by far the most freshly scented from the range, that is a great scent for just about any time of the year. The lotion is light weight, not the most quick absorbing, but its not too thick and doesn't leave a greasy film. The scent does linger on forever on me. It is quite moisturizing for a lotion and doubles up as a nice hand cream too. Overall, Red Ruby Groovy Body Lotion is a great, affordable, body lotion, formulated with some nice ingredients and a lovely fresh burst of fragrance to boot!




Have you tried the gud From Burt's Bees Red Ruby Groovy Natural Body Lotion?

Le Couvent Des Minimes - Eau des Missions Botanical Fragrance

Le Couvent Des Minimes is a brand new to me - its a natural skin, hair and fragrance brand with formulas inspired by centuries old therapeutic recipes. I got to try a couple of products from the brand and have been absolutely loving whatever I've tried so far. The Eau des Missions Botanical Fragrance ($38, 3.4oz), is a cologne that blends Vanilla with exotic plants and fresh flowers with warm notes of Benzoin and Virginia Cedar to promote a feeling of well-being. *Press Sample





Packaged in a glass bottle, this Cologne is sweet, comforting & warm - everything you'd expect of anything that is Vanilla based. Its sugary sweet without being extremely cloying and is quite strong. It definitely is more of a fall/winter fragrance to me. Fragrances like these may appeal to quite a few age groups and the richness from the vanilla makes it quite delicious smelling, just like the Ambre Vanille Eau Gourmande by Laura Mercier. Overall, an intoxicating, sweet smelling cologne in a perfectly comforting, warm vanilla base. A spritz or two on a cold, fall/winter evening will leave you smelling divine!




Available online & in-store at Ulta and online at usa.lecouventdesminimes.com.

Have you tried anything from Le Couvent Des Minimes?

Friday, September 13, 2013

New From Origins | No Puffery, Smarty Plants, Drink Up!

Origins' newest launches for fall include the Smarty Plants CC SPF20 Skin Complexion Corrector, Drink Up Hydrating Lip Balms and the No Puffery Cooling Roll On.  **Press Samples




The Smarty Plants CC SPF20 Skin Complexion Corrector ($35) comes in two shades - light/medium and medium/deep. I tried out light/medium - its a a tad light as it is, but since its a very sheer, balmy texture, it blends well without being streaky or looking cakey. I love the scent of this CC cream - a very light, pleasant, refreshing scent that dissipates pretty fast. Smarty Plants is a really nice, lightweight CC Cream that covers minor blemishes and evens skintone. It has the perfect finish that isn't too dewy or too matte. Really like it for my combination, dry sensitive skin!





The Drink Up Hydrating Lip Balms ($17) are glossy, hydrating lip balms with a very sheer hint of color. Both colors I tried, Pink Guava and Plum Punch look pretty much the same on my pigmented lips and they both feel great on dry lips.  It is quite pricey for a sheer gloss balm though. The texture is a tad thick - its hard to get out of the squeeze tube and I prefer just a dab, best applied with my fingers. Too much can get a little heavy and sticky. Its a nice lip balm for dry lips, very glossy, but the texture could be a tad more thinner just so it will sink in faster, so I can use it during the night as well.



Top to bottom : Pink Guava, Plum Punch


No Puffery Cooling Roll On for Puffy Eyes ($25) - I don't have a problem of puffy eyes, so this is just a refreshing roll on I like for when my eyes feel tired. It does a fabulous job of cooling the under eye area and hydrates to an extent. I've tried it under makeup too and it doesn't make my concealer/foundation slide off. The metal roll-on tip is very refreshing and the massaging action feels nice on the under eye area. It also claims to lessen dark circles, brighten the eye area and reduce redness, if any. I haven't tried it so long to see any difference in my dark circles, but if I do, I'll be sure to report back! Also great to have during a long flight!






Have you tried any of these new launches from Origins?