My Must Have HG Skincare Product

Hello ladies!

I know it's been months since my last post but school has really taken up all my time :[. It sucks being a student sometimes, especially since stress and lack of sleep can cause some major skin problems such as breakouts and dark circles. However, I've found my absolute holy grail product for breakouts! It is by the brand Alpha Hydrox which uses alpha hydroxy acids in many of their products. I know, acids sound like scary things to be putting on your face right? No worries, these are usually derived from fruits containing glycolic acid and are used as gentle exfoliants for the face. They can reduce wrinkles, remove dead skin cells, and even out skintone. The product I will be raving about today is the Enhanced Lotion with 10% Glycolic AHA.

10% is a pretty high concentration of AHA so if you have sensitive skin, it might be in your best interest to find a product with a smaller concentration. My skin is tough, however, so I can handle 10%. This particular product is specified for those with dry skin, but I did not pay much attention to that part and bought it anyways. It still works fine for those of us with oily skin because I just use it at night so any stickiness does not really bother me. They do have other AHA products for other skin types. I would suggest using the Oil Treatment 10% Glycolic AHA if you have oily, acne-prone skin. Now I'll start raving about the benefits of this product.

It has really helped tame my acne-prone skin. Within a week of using it, the number of pimples disappeared, and even during that time of the month, my acne is still relatively under control. It has lightened and evened out many of my acne scars, especially those on my chin. There are still many areas around my forehead that still have noticeable hyperpigmentation, so I might try out the skin lightener by the same brand. It has helped to make my face soft and smooth, and it really let my skin glow. I do warn you that it does take a while to absorb and will be sticky which is why I use it at night. VERY IMPORTANT!!!! Use sunscreen during the day because AHA's make your skin more susceptible to sun damage, so do not forget to protect your skin! Although, you really should be doing that everyday anyways ;).

I use this at night, after I cleanse my face and use my toner, then I apply my serums and moisturizer. I highly suggest this product to anyone with acne scars, dark spots, acne-prone skin, or uneven skin texture. I can't say much for the anti-wrinkle purposes of this product since I don't really have wrinkles yet (haha), but I am using this as my wrinkle prevention. Stay pretty girlies!

Urban Decay Vegan Palette Review

Hey there girlies!

I finally received my order of the Urban Decay Vegan Palette which is what I'll be reviewing for you all today! The biggest reason why I purchased this palette was because it cost $13.00!!!!!!!! Go check out the Urban Decay website! This palette is part of their huge sale and even with shipping it's $19.00 compared to the original price which with shipping would be $40.00! It's such an amazing bargain, so I couldn't help myself. Anyways, moving on with the review.

The packaging of the palette is absolutely adorable. It has drawings of cute little animals all over the box and for those of you who are vegetarian or vegans, this palette is perfect for you because the eyeshadows and the eyeliner are completely vegan. As for me, I don't really care too much about that aspect of the palette. I do really like the cute packaging, though.

The palette also comes with a mini version of the Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Sin. Unfortunately, this primer is not vegan, but like I said before, this doesn't really affect me. I just thought it'd be best to mention this for any of you vegan readers. I love the primer potion. It's a beautiful champagne color that can be used as a primer to accentuate metallic/shimmery eyeshadows and make them really pop. It can be used by itself if you're in a rush in the morning. It looks amazing used by itself on my eyelids. It can also be used to highlight underneath your brow bone or in the inner corners of your eyes. So it's a very versatile primer potion in my opinion.

So the box opens up like this. There is a mirror and underneath there are 6 eyeshadows. They are (from left to right, top to bottom) Minx, Urb, Gunmetal, Twice Baked, Smog, and Half Baked. In the center there is a mini 24/7 Glide On Eyepencil in Zero.

Here is a close up of Minx which is a beautiful turquoise/blue-green color. It has very large silver particles of shimmer. In fact, all of these are either shimmery or metallic, and they are also very pigmented. This is a beautiful, bright, summery color that can really brighten up the eyes and add a cute pop of color. But keep in mind, it is very shimmery.

Next up, we have Urb which is almost an olive green color. It is really gorgeous though. It's so beautiful, but it wouldn't look good on my yellow-toned skin, sadly. It really is an amazing green color that can be used for a simple, natural look.

This is gunmetal which is a dark gray, metal (obviously) color with almost purple undertones (I think?). This is great for using in the outer v to contour the eyes and it's perfect for a nighttime party look.

This beautiful, chocolatey brown is Twice Baked. It's a very rich, dark brown that works perfectly to add drama and dimension to the outer third of your eyes. This is my absolute favorite color to use to emphasize the outer v and really helps add drama to my boring Asian eyes.

This color is Smog. It's a gorgeous dirty gold/bronze color. It's great as an all over lid color or you can blend it with Twice Baked and Half Baked for an amazing golden/bronze eye look. Smog, Gunmetal, and Half Baked are colors in the Naked Palette. I just love this color. It's so pigmented and goes on so smoothly.

The last color, Half Baked, is my absolute favorite eyeshadow in this palette. It's just a beautiful gold color. It's so metallic and opaque and it really just adds a gorgeous golden touch to your face. I think this would be suitable for pretty much any skintone. It really brightens up the eyes and I'm sure you've all heard amazing things about Half Baked.
Like I've said before, the eyeshadows are all very shimmery and I do experience some fall out, but that can easily be fixed by applying foundation after doing your eyes or by using post it notes underneath your eyes. The colors are so pigmented and beautiful and they're almost creamlike. I love to use the bottom three colors for a more neutral everyday look because they go so well together.

So this is a swatch of the Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Sin and the 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Zero.
The primer potion doesn't last quite as long as the original primer potion, but it still lasts for a fair amount of time. The original one is pretty much transparent once it's on your eyelids but Sin has a gorgeous shimmery champagne color to it. It's great by itself or used under shimmery/metallic colors to really make them pop. As for the eye pencil, I honestly don't care for it at all. It smudges horribly and it really doesn't last very long. I have oily eyelids so maybe it'll work better for those of you with drier skin, but for me it transferred instantly after I applied it. If I used it on my waterline, it'd smudge everywhere under my eyes. If I used it on my upper lashline or tightlined with it, it'd transfer to my crease. It was just a horrible experience and I really don't think I'm going to be using this unless I want a smokey eye look where smudged eyeliner would be appropriate.
Conclusion: I love this palette. The decorations are absolutely adorable and the colors are outstanding. The primer potion is also amazing and I might love it more than the original just because of the wonderful champagne color it has. The eyepencil is just meh in my opinion, but who knows, maybe it'll work for you. If you have any questions or requests, feel free to leave a comment below. Thanks for reading, ladies!

MAC Mineralize Duo Eyeshadows & Eyeshadow x4 Review

Hiya there!
Today, I've taken all of the MAC eyeshadows that I own and swatched them for a review for all of you. 3 out of 4 of them aren't sold anymore, but I thought I might as well show you them in case you own them but haven't really given much thought to them or if you were just curious as to what the eyeshadows are like. I received the Tone: Grey Eyeshadow x4 as a gift along with the Mineralize Eyeshadow Duos in Under Your Spell and Midnight Madness. I purchased the Water & Ice duo a few months back for around $20 USD.

So here we have the Under Your Spell duo, then on top is the Water&Ice duo, underneath is the Midnight Madness duo, and on the right is the Tone: Grey x4.

This first eyeshadow duo is Under Your Spell. To be honest, the metallic lilac color on the right is my absolute favorite eyeshadow color ever. It's super creamy and pigmented. It applies easily with fingers or with a brush. I usually just use my fingers because it's so easy to do and it blends extremely well. The color shows up very shimmery and metallic. It's a very light pinkish/lilac color that is gorgeous. I don't really experience too much fallout with this eyeshadow duo so I love it, and I wear it to school occasionally. As for the staying power, with Urban Decay's Primer Potion (the regular), it usually lasts for around 8-9 hours and then it'll start to crease or fade. For formal events, I usually include the orange/copper color along with the lighter lilac/lavender color. I use the orange/copper color on the outer corners of my eyelids and on my lower lashlines. The copper color is less pigmented and it's more glittery than its paired color. I actually notice some fallout when I use this color because the shimmery pieces are large and they fall off easily. However, if you're going to a party then it doesn't really matter because your face will just look sparkly. The pink/purple color is more opaque whereas the orange/copper color is more sparkly and glittery. I just absolutely love this duo.

Next is the Midnight Madness duo. I rarely use this because I'm not really sure how to use the super dark blackish/purple color or the gold color. Like the Under Your Spell duo, the dark color is opaque and pigmented while the gold color has sparkly pieces and fallout. The darker color is really pretty, though, and I think it'd be great for a night out makeup look or a smoky eye look. These two duos are better suited for young women for formal events like dances, parties, night outs, etc.

Next up is the Water&Ice duo that MAC still sells for around $20. The design of this duo is different than the previous Mineralize Duos. For starters, there is the same amount of both colors instead of one color being larger than the other. The silver color has great pigmentation and it looks very metallic/shimmery. It is opaque and beautiful. The lower color is a peachy pink with blue veins. I usually swipe my eyeshadow brush over it a couple times to get a full blend of the colors. The result is a gorgeous silvery, light blue color. It is equally as metallic/shimmery looking as the silver color, but it has a bluer color. It has less pigmentation than the old Mineralize Duos which saddens me because while the pigmentation is decent, the old eyeshadows have amazing pigmentation. However, both colors are beautiful and they suit each other better than the other duos do.
There are other shades called Sage&Wisdom(forest green/light green), Joy&Laughter(dirty pink/icy light pink), Fresh&Mint(silvery white/frosty green), Sweet&Sour(dirty gold with green-blueish veins/warm gold).

Lastly, we have the MAC Eyeshadow x4 in Tone:Grey. The colors are (from right-left, top-bottom) A Warmer White, Tone:Grey, The Right Smoke, Waft.The white color is completely matte and can be used as a highlighter. The gray color is not heavily pigmented, but it can be layered to be more opaque. It's sort of an elephant gray color. The third color is a beautiful, almost electric dark blue. This one has a very slight bit of shimmer in it. It's honestly a beautiful color when swatched, but on my skintone, it looks like I have a black eye or something. So this color isn't flattering on yellower skintones which makes me sad because it's such a beautiful color. The next color kind of reminds me of Urban Decay's Gunmetal eyeshadow. It's a dark gray, slightly metallic looking, with a dark blue hue. It's also a gorgeous color, but like the dark blue color, it just makes me look like I got into a fight with my eyeshadow brush.

Conclusion: I really wish they still sold the old Mineralize Eyeshadow Duos because the larger colors are so pigmented and gorgeous while the smaller colors add an exciting pop of color. The current duos are still good, but nothing has changed my affection for the Under Your Spell duo. As for the quad palette, I don't really use it at all because of the aforementioned result on my eyes. Sorry for the extremely long post. Haha, it was actually a bit tiring to write all of this. If you have any suggestions about how to improve my blog or about what products you'd like me to try out, please leave a comment below. Like always, be confident, ladies!
** These shadows were swatched sans primer.

Deep Conditioner Rave!! -- Aussie & Neutrogena

I'm going to start off reviewing the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeeeeep Conditioner($3).
What it claims: Deeeeeply intense conditioning, accented with Australian aloe, penetrates dry or damaged hair. Sure, it's really deep and super intense. But Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deeeeep Liquid Conditioner, accented with natural Australian aloe and jojoba oil, has a playful side too. Quick and easy for no-worries hair. Deep conditioning for damaged do's. Super deep conditioning for a seriously simple fix to dry, damaged hair. It's your own little miracle.
What I think: The texture of it is really thick and it comes out of a strangely shaped bottle. The opening of the bottle is upside down but there is a little filter than only lets product out when you squeeze the bottle. It's very convenient because all you have to do is squeeze, and it's easier to get every last bit out this way. It smells very strongly of coconut and the scent lasts for quite a while, so if you're not a huge fan of coconut then you might not like the scent of this deep conditioner. I applied it to my hair after squeezing out excess water from my hair after shampooing. I tucked my hair under a shower cap and continued to shower while it sit for about 5-7 minutes. It claims to only need 3 minutes to work, but a little extra time doesn't hurt. It's a very moisturizing deep conditioner and you can tell right when you rinse it off. My hands just slip right through my hair and my hair is completely tangle free. After i blow dry it, my hair is really soft, silky, and shiny, just the way I like it. As an added bonus, the bottle only cost $3!!! It's such a great bargain for people who want beautiful hair but are on a budget. It lasted me quite a while. I used this about 1-2 times a week just to keep my hair in good shape because my hair was damaged by my use of heat styling and as a result, became very dry.

So next is my review of the Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask($8.49)
What it claims: Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask rehabilitates extra dry or over-processed hair with intense moisturization. This weekly treatment is so concentrated, just a small amount is needed for hair to become soft, lustrous and shining in minutes. Three naturally derived extracts work on the hair strand to defy dryness. Olive penetrates to the center, Meadowfoam Seed helps moisturize the middle and Sweet Almond wraps the surface. Treat your hair to intense moisture with this once-a-week conditioning mask.
What I think: If you thought my review of the Aussie deep conditioner was extremely positive... wait til you read this review. It completely lives up to what it claims. I've heard so many people rave about how fantastic this deep conditioner is, so I was pretty much expecting it to do some magic on my dry, heat damaged hair. And boy, it did magic. It comes in a little tub which is absolutely great for getting out every last bit of product. It is extremely thick, so thick I would compare it to hair pudding. It has a bit of a soft, fruity/almondy scent. A lot of people like the scent, and a lot of people don't. It's really just up to personal preferences. After I rinsed this deep conditioner out, I was so amazed. My hair was just so silky and smooth and my fingers seriously just slid right through my hair. However, do be careful in the shower because it makes the bathtub very slippery. After I blow dried my hair, the results were even better than the Aussie Deep Conditioner. It's that amazing, no joke.
Conclusion: If you are someone with damaged, over processed, dry hair, then both deep conditioners will be perfect for you. In fact, it's perfect for normal hair, too. It might be too thick for people with fine hair though. If you are on a budget, then the Aussie Deep Conditioner is the way to go, but if you have a few extra dollars to spend, then I suggest you purchase the Neutrogena one. Hopefully you guys will acheive the same results I did! I love how my hair feels now. Keep rockin' that hair, ladies!

St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub

I purchased this scrub about 2 weeks ago for a low, low price of $0.97!!! It's only the travel size, but the amount (1 fl oz) is plenty for me to use for a while and it costs less than a dollar! I'd say that's a pretty good deal ;].

About this product: This claims to reduce redness and fight free radicals. It has 1% salicylic acid and 100% natural green tea. It also claims to fight acne. So green tea is a wonderful natural thing that is so good for your health and your skin. I love drinking it and I especially love using green tea skin products, so this scrub is absolutely lovely. Green tea has lots of antioxidants that fight free radicals which can age skin and produce wrinkles (no one wants that!). This scrub also has olive oil and olive leaf extract which provide moisture and gentle cleansing. The exfoliating beads are silica which is from sand.

What I think: This scrub is really amazing for such a low price. It gently exfoliates my face and it really does clear the redness. I had minimal breakouts due to hormones and this product really helped reduce the redness around my nose and forehead. The green tea smell is really nice and it smells so relaxing and natural. The salicylic acid doesn't really do much to help my acne, but that's because I need some strong benzoyl peroxide in order to notice a change in my acne. It's a bit too rough to use everyday. I tried that and when I used my normal AcneFree facewash, it burned my face a little :[. So if you have sensitive skin, then I suggest using this every once in a while. It has really helped with clearing out blackheads on my nose. I barely have any now! It doesn't dry out my skin. Instead, it leaves it feeling so soft, refreshed, clean, and smooth. I love this product and I suggest it to pretty much everyone! Stay gorgeous girlies!

Mario Badescu-Free Samples

I was just searching through the Mario Badescu website looking for products that I liked when I decided I might as well take the Skin Care Analysis so I could narrow down my search. The analysis can be found here http://www.mariobadescu.com/questionnaire.aspx If you take the quiz and answer according to your skin type, then they will send you an e-mail a few days later asking you if you would like for them to send you free samples. Obviously, I chose to receive the free samples ;]. Shipping took about a week, and you could imagine how excited I was to have Mario Badescu samples to try.

So inside the package there is a product guide with a list of all their products, product descriptions, and prices.

Along with that there is also a product application guide which has a list of the samples they sent you and a description of how to use them.

I received (from left to right, top row to bottom row) the Special Cucumber Lotion, Botanical Facial Gel, Oil Free Moisturizer, Orange Tonic Mask, and Strawberry Face Scrub. According to the product application guide, I was also supposed to receive a drying lotion, but I think they can't send it because it's in a glass container.

Oil free moisturizer

Special Cucumber Lotion

Botanical Facial Gel

Orange Tonic Mask

Strawberry Face Scrub
About my skin: I have oily skin, especially around my T-zone, that is extremely annoying. I can't really wear makeup during the summer without having it melt and smear everywhere. Because I have oily skin, my pores are rather large and noticeable and also get clogged easily. I also have mild acne on my forehead, but it's mostly because of my bangs. I've been using AcneFree for about two years now, and I must say, it's considerably improved my acne problem. So I've been searching for products that will help keep my face matte during the day and also help my skin to secrete less oil (I get so shiny! :[ ). If anyone would like to suggest any products, that'd be greatly appreciated! I'll post a review of all the samples after I try them during the next few days. Stay pretty!

L'OREAL HiP Studio Secrets Professional Metallic Duos- Energized

I just recently purchased this eyeshadow at my local Wal-mart. I've been wanting to get my hands on these eyeshadows after hearing about how great their pigmentation is. What do I think? The eyeshadow duo that I bought in Energized has a champagne, neutral, but slightly sparkly color. It is extremely pigmented and shows up well on my eyelids. The color on the right is a rich dark brown that would be used on the outer V and the crease. It also has wonderful pigmentation, so I'm very thrilled with my purchase. On the L'OREAL website, the picture for energized looks different that what I purchased, but the eyeshadow label says Energized, so I'm guessing that it is, in fact, Energized. I think there used to be an old HiP duo called Energized that had a gold/champagne color on the left and a dark purple color on the right. In my opinion, this is a wonderful duo for neutral eyes, and the colors show up very nicely on the skin. Here are some swatches:

As you can see, they're very sparkly and rich in color on my hand. On my eyelids, however, they are more matte but still equally well pigmented. When I used them on my eyes, I didn't use my Urban Decay Primer Potion (which is amazing <3) just to see how the color would turn out. It works just fine without primer, and I'm sure it would look even better with primer. Opinions about the container: The contained had a lid on top that opens and reveals the eyeshadows. On the bottom, there is another lid that opens downward and reveals a compartment that holds the applicator sponge. I honestly feel that this is a waste of space because I use my E.L.F eyeshadow brush instead and all the applicator sponge serves to do is make rattling noises whenever I pick up the container. Conclusion This is a really beautiful duo to purchase if you're interested in neutral shadows. I absolutely love neutral shadows and I keep purchasing different brands because I just can't afford the Naked palette :(. Hopefully this color will show up just as well on your beautiful eyes as it did on mine. Stay beautiful, ladies!