BHCosmetics Order!

So, I somehow stumbled upon an online cosmetics retailer. bhcosmetics. Have you heard of them? Their stuff is *so* affordable. Page after page of glowing reviews, comparing their makeup to MAC. I wasn't sure, but I knew I liked the prices as there was a great sale! Even their non-sale prices are great. That said, everytime I have gone to their site they are having some kind of sale! Shipping to Canada was rather reasonable; I believe 9.05$. They have free shipping offers if you are in the States.

This is what my bundle of makeup looked like. The palettes were wrapped very well, even the inside was wrapped in bubble wrap!

I ordered these two brushes. The one on the left is a precision eyeliner brush. I've tried it and it's fabulous!!! I'm terrible at putting on eyeliner and this is a miracle for me, yah!!! The other brush is the angled definer brush. I got it with the intention of using it with eyeliner, but I'm not sure if that's what it's for. I'm not up on brushes. ;) I payed $2.67 for each of these brushes but they're on sale right now for $2.96.

This is a mini kabuki brush. They sent it to me free. It seems they have a little code pop up sometimes while you're shopping to get an item free. This brush is super duper tiny. It's about 2 inches tall. The bristles are not as soft as I would have liked, but of course I'm comparing that to the kabuki brush I got in my glossybox. That's not really a fair comparison. ;) This is on sale on their blog right now for $3.07.

If you read my first post ever, you saw that putting on lashes was one of those things I really wanted to learn. I love the look of false lashes. I got two different sets, one is more dramatic than the other. I thought at the price I would have them to play around with. The ones on top are flirt and the bottom set is baby doll. I payed $4.95 for each set. Both are on sale for $3.71.

Next, I picked up some gel liners. I'm not very good with a pencil, so when I first tried gel liners I was amazed at how much easier it was to apply. Up until now I only had black. So, I picked coffee (on the left) and storm (on the right). I'm sure you can see they are brown and purple. The consistency is very soft and creamy. Creamier than my regular loreal gel liner! I tried the purple with my new precision liner brush and it looked an went on a-maz-ing-ly! Very happy! I payed $4.65 for each colour. They are on sale right now for $5.17.

I tried my best to get a closeup, but by the time I took this it was getting dark and I was tired. (I also received a large e.l.f. order I photographed, which I'll blog about when I have time!)

My favouritest product in the world is lip gloss. You can call me a lip gloss hoarder. I have favourites that I use, but I also love to switch them up, on a whim. I got 5 colours of the lipgloss. They have 10. The colours I got are: office queen, plain jane, studious, 80's diva and classy gal. I tried 80's diva. One word: Amazing! The quality is top notch. It goes on beautifully, is highly pigmented, not sticky and lasts quite a bit...if you're not a lip licker. ;) I'm really impressed. I'll own all of their colours eventually. ;)

The other thing I have to say, is that the colour you see in the tube is the colour you'll see on your lips. As you know, a lot of lipglosses look really pretty in the bottle or when you swatch them on your hand but once you put it on, it's really sheer. Not so with these! At least not the colour I tried, but I am confident I'll be just as impressed with the others! I bought the glosses for $3.21 each and you can get them for $3.87 at the moment.

Next up...eyeshadow palettes! These are what drew me in to the site, because of the great sale! This is the 88 colour tropical shimmer eyeshadow palette. I bought it for $16.03 and it's currently available for $15.96.

Just look at these colours! Don't they look like candy! I tried the 6th one in the top row and it was gorgeous! I'm pretty conservative with my colours, so I tried a colour I didn't think would look good...but it's a tangerine type colour with a gold shimmer and I just can't wait to wear it out. I'll play with these on my weekends off. If I try it in the morning before heading to work, I know there will be some bad results. ;)

Finally, I got this 5th edition 120 colour palette. I chose this one becuase it has a lot of neutrals. It contains both matte and shimmer colours. I got mine for $22.02 and currently it's on sale for $24.47.

The top palette has all the colourful shadows. SO, pretty!

The bottom palette has lots of neutrals, yay! :)

The palettes come stacked inside the case, but I have them spread out here so you can get an idea of the colours! It's just so pretty!

Have you ever shopped at BH Cosmetics? What did you think?

~A

Nail Friday! Ciaté - Headliner

So one day, I was surfing trying to find online beauty stores in Canada and I came across ebeauty. They have 100s...1000s? of beauty products! A lot of high end names and a lot I've never heard of. That's how I came across Ciaté paint pots. First of all..how cute is it that they call it paint pot??? Secondly...just LOOK:

Is this not super cute? I love that little bow. This colour above is Headliner. It's a teal blue creme. It's fairly matte, just a hint of gloss. Just gorgeous! They describe it:
Turquoise, an extraordinary cocktail of blue and green and a marriage made in fashion heaven! If you love to colour clash, this is a perfect mix to your colour scheme by adding a unique blue tone to your collection.

The product itself is made in France and it's distributed in London. I'm not sure if you would be able to find it in a store in Canada. Thank goodness for online shopping, right? The bottles contain 13.5ml which is the same amount as an essie nailpolish. However, the design of the pot makes it look a bit bigger. They retail for $14 on ebeauty.

This is what the colour looks like on my nails...sorry for the mess, it was late and I didn't tidy them up until the next day. ;) The bottom row of nails has a matte top coat on it. It's hard to tell the difference because the colour is not very glossy to begin with.

(click to enlarge picture)

This is another view and more true to the colour. The angle here has the matte topcoat on the top row of nails. I did finish the rest of the nails, I just wanted to capture the nails with the matte coat on them.

I've only tried an OPI matte topcoat before this essie one. The essie "Matte About You" is hands down the best. I wasn't able to find it in stores anywhere, so I had to get it on ebay. I did get a huge order from elf yesterday (I'll do a post) which included a matte topcoat. I figured it was only $2 so I have nothing to lose by trying it out!



What do you think? Do you like the colour? Too bold? Have you ever heard of Ciaté?



Have a great weekend!

~A

Glossybox - Algemarin review

In the March glossybox we all received a bonus item of the algemarin original foam bath. I don't think I've ever heard of this product. However, the scent is *very* familiar to me for some reason.I suppose the packet is a one time use, however as I ran my bath I found I only needed about a third of it, so I'll be able to use it a couple more time. It may depend on how big your tub is or what not. The colour is a gorgeous royal blue pearl. You can almost imagine it as a nailpolish. If you get it on your hands it looks teal. Which is interesting. If you've ever used algae in a powder form for nutrition purposes, you'll know it as a tealy green colour. This does in fact contain algae extract.

The scent I think will be a love it or leave it. I love my bubble baths...I usually get pretty floral scents. This scent while not offensive is pretty strong. It reminds me of what bubble bath would have smelled like in the 70's. I know that's so much help to you! ;) It's almost a man's cologne or after shave smell to it. It doesn't smell as strong after you run it through the bath.

When you use it in the water, it changes a beautiful teal colour. The bubbles don't last a very long time, but they don't disappear right away. Your skin does feel soft while you're in the bath but it's not a drastic difference.

All in all, it's an okay product and I'll use it once or twice more. Whatever the remainder of the packet allows me. I'm not 100% sold on buying the product. I think I would actually have to use it a bit longer to see if I loved it enough.

I poked around the net a bit and I did find a main link that is a .ca address. On the back of this sample though it says it's a product of Germany. The prices are 120ml $4.95, 300 ml $10.95, 500ml $15.95, 750ml $21.95. So, it is quite pricey. You can find it at Shopper's Drug Mart, Pharmaplus and Superstore among a few others.

This is the info from their site:

"The Health and Beauty secrets of Sea Algae, known by the best Ocean Spas for centuries, are yours to discover at home with Algemarin. Pamper yourself and let the luxury of an Algemarin Foam Bath transform your bath into a private Spa Experience.

Algemarin Foam Bath does more than merely cleanse the skin.The carefully chosen Sea Algae extracts in Algemarin gently moisturize the skin and rejuvinate the body with essential marine nutrients. the soothing fragrances, created by European Aromatherapists, calm and relax the mind helping to restore your feeling of well-being."

This is a cruelty product.

Have you had a chance to try it out? If so, what did you think?
~A

Monthly Subscription - Julep Maven

Hello girls! My April Julep Maven has arrived in Canada!! Winnipeg to be exact. I found that my orders from Julep come *really* quick. 10 days on average, which is fabulous. They are in Seattle! This is a bit more of a pricey subscription and it took me awhile to try it. But, with the first box being a penny, I couldn't resist..now I just really enjoy the colours and quality. I was buying an Essie every week anyways!

I'm a "Classic with a Twist." If you're not happy with what you are getting you can switch to another grouping such as It Girl, American Beauty, Boho etc. The nice thing about this beauty box is you see what you are getting every month. With nail polish and a club that's a bit more pricey, it's a really good thing.

The first colour (above) is Mandy. It's described as a fresh, bright, deep coral-pink. A favorite for summer pedicures, but surprisingly fetching on manicures, too. Now, the picture shows up like a hot pink, orangey, bright red here. But it's really not. I find it more in the pink family. Like a pinky colour. I swatched it and I love it! It's a cream and you can get away with just one coat. The colour makes me think of watermelon.

The second colour I received is Susie. It's described as a delicious mint green creme. I'm a little on the fence on this colour. It's definitely spring, but it may look a bit better if my skin were a bit darker. It does need at least two coats and maybe if you have ridges (and mine are minor) you may need to use a ridge filler or a good base coat first. If I could describe the colour it makes me think of those light green 1950's appliance. Which is a great colour, really! I think I'll try it on my toes and maybe once I get a bit of colour try it again on my hands.

Also, my 3rd product was "The Best Pedi Creme Ever!" I've heard *really* good reviews on this, so I can't wait to try it... I'll be trying it asap! Just yesterday I spent an hour working on my pedicure getting my feet summer ready. I find my heels get dryer in summer more than winter, since I'm always wearing flip flops. This tube retails for $22 on their website. Just a side note, if you're an "It Girl" you get 3 polishes instead of the extra product. I actually really enjoy getting the other product! They have some GOOD stuff!

Lastly, as a new sign up I received their makeup bag. This was for people who were receiving their first month in April after receiving their intro box. The bag is interesting. It's soft but it's made of the same fabric that most of the reusable bags you get at the store...almost like a papery canvas. I think of my Canadian Tire black reusable bag that says "This bag is green" on the side of it. :)

There are 3 compartments inside that fit the Julep polishes perfectly and a slightly larger pocket that fits the pedi creme, almost perfectly..and lots of room for extra stuff. This would be great for travel where you pack a few polishes with you! It was a nice little bonus! It retails currently for 14.99 on their website.

Oh, I almost forgot! They also included foam toe seperators. My husband said, "Are those foam knuckles or something?" Heheh! As well, since it was Easter there were 5 chocolate eggs in there. :) Notice..I said "were" haa!

Are you signed up for Julep Maven? Have a great night!

~A

Monthly Subscription - Glossybox

Out of all the subscriptions I signed up for, Glossybox is the one I was most excited about! My first box is actually the 2nd since it started in February. It came last Monday. I have only seen really good things about it. Compared to some of the other boxes it had nicer samples. This box is a little more expensive; it comes in at $15 a month. I believe when I checked my credit card statement it was $15 exactly. With taxes built in.

This is what the box looks like. A pretty pale pink. It's also bigger than the other boxes. Was wrapped really nice with black tissue and a pink ribbon.
These were the contents! I couldn't believe how much was in there!

This little packet was an extra. It is made from extracts of seaweed, algae and mineral salts which give the body a tonal quality that previously was only obtainable from hydrotherapy or sea bathing.

I'm happy with this little extra because I generally take 1-3 baths a week. I love my baths!

Next is the Aveeno daily moisturizing lotion. It contains natural colloidal oatmeal blended with rich emollients and is clinically proven to moisturize 24 hours.

I was really happy to receive this. It's actually quite a large sample! I've always wanted to try it, but haven't got around to purchasing because I have *so* many lotions that I need to use up. I've cut myself off at this point! I've been doing good. I'm guilty of buying pretty lotions and often buy them for the scents. Curse you B&BW!

Next is the Evian Facial Spray. It rehydrates dull, tired skin, and is great for setting and renewing your makeup throughout the day, keeping you looking fresh, healthy and beautiful.

I am curious about this product and also perplexed. It's so strange! Is it just water in a can?? If it is, how can it possibly set and renew makeup? I'm thinking makeup running all down my face. But, of course I'll try it. If it feels good, I'll keep it in my purse for those super humid days.

Next is Sebastian Re-Shaper Hairspray. Brushable, strong hold hairspray for all hair types. Bends any movement into shape with long-lasting hold and humidity protection all in one.

So, I'm not really big on hairspray. I generally wear my hair straight down (I have to flat iron it's a frizz ball) or curled on occassion. However, I'll try it next time when I curl my hair. I use a wand which holds my curl all day anyways, so I never feel the need to use hairspray. If it works to help control frizz...then bonus. Bring on summer so I can test out this product!

Up next is a Kabuki brush by Bailey Cosmetics. The luxurious brush is made with sheared goat hair.

Wow! I don't really know what a kabuki brush is and how it differs from my other brushes, but the quality is definitely there! I'm not exactly where to use it yet and truthfully because of the cost of it, I'm scared to!

Here is a bit of a closeup so you can see how beautiful this brush is...and incredibly soft!

Last but not least, Pandora's blush in St. Tropez. It's a beautiful pink blush that can be used all year around and added to any bronzer. This brand was designed for professional use and are pigmented so they will last all day long.

I need blush, I don't have blush..I'm thrilled! The packaging came like this..a little cutesy...upon further research of the company, I learned their packaging is meant to resemble makeup in the 50's.

This is what it looks like after you take the cardboard "ribbon" off. That's a little gem in the centre. The cover opens up and is held down with an invisible magnet.

This is the colour. It really is a gorgeous colour and will be flattering to most skin tones! The blush is also magnetized to the bottom.

I know this is a little hard to see, but this is a swatch on my hand. It's about 3 coats, as I was trying to get it to show up on camera.

The package also came with a 40% off online for glossybox clients! I'll definitely use it because I love a good deal!

There was also a product mini catalogue for Sebastian. I know some people also received a flyer for Bailey, but I didn't. There were 4 different products you could have received from Bailey.. the kabuki brush, a lipgloss in one of 2 colours, antishine powder and pressed powder foudation.

Guys...I was *thrilled* with this box!! I'm happy to have a sub to glossybox and I'm not letting it go! If you're interested in signing up here is my referral link:

http://www.glossybox.ca/invitation/MjM5MA==?utm_source=Customers&utm_medium=link&utm_term=MjM5MA==&utm_campaign=Refer-a-friend/

(I have to add it this way, because it won't hyperlink. :()

Hope you had a nice Easter weekend! :)

~A

Monthly Subscription - Beauty Box 5

I am bringing to you the unboxing of my Beautybox 5 box! I actually got it last week but, I've started a new career with a steep learning curve so it's taking me some time to get to my posts!

Beautybox 5 is actually an American sample box that ships to Canada. It's actually the only one I'm aware of that does ship to Canada. How awesome is that? I'm hoping that this will have some different things in it that you wouldn't get in the Canadian boxes! This is my first box and the 2nd one since it's inception. It's $12 a month or $10 a month if you sign up for 3 months or $100 if you sign up for 12 months. The last deal is a pretty sweet deal! It's $44 savings.

So, this is what the box looks like. I kinda went all vulture on it trying to get in as fast as I could. ;)
I was actually surprised at how small the box was. Here is BB5 sitting on top of a Glossybox.

Here is another view that shows it's about 1/2 the size of Glossybox. This had me wondering what could possibly fit into this box!

This is what it looked like inside. All tied up in a little organza bag. This wasn't really a huge deal for me. I did notice it didn't have a product/info card, which I wish it did. However, the products were pretty self-explanatory. It did have all the crinkly paper as the other boxes do.

This is what all the contents look like:

1. "Priti NYC's Soy Nail Polish Remover Wipes are 100% biodegradable. They are non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, and contain no petroleum ingredients. Derived from farm crops and infused with organic lemongrass essential oil." 10 wipes for $10. Sample size value $1.

I'm excited to try this nail polish remover. I don't know if I'd be willing to buy it for a 10 time use. The wipe is 12.7cm x 10.16cm (5"x4") and 1 is supposed to manage all your nails. I try and change nail polish twice a week so it's not something that would be very cost effective for me. Of course, my opinions change if something blows me out of the water!

2. "Get a natural-looking tan with Comodyne's Self-Tanning Towelettes - no salon appointment required! In just three hours, you'll have an even, clean tan with no side effects or streaking. Their special formula contains a moisturizing complex to keep skin feeling soft without artificial aromas or parabens. While the tan tone depends on your individual skin type, the self-tanning towelettes adapt to provide natural results for both fair and dark skin types." 8 pack $17. Sample size value $2.13.

I'm not gonna lie here. I'm *terrified* to try self tanning products. If the stars can't get it right, how will I?! I envision horrible streaks making me look like an orange candy cane. That said, after reading the description above. I will at some point brave the product and give it a try. That's why I signed up for this service, right?

3. "Our skin is too important to be left in the care of artificial ingredients. The all-natural Iris Hydrating Day Cream from Weleda is a nutrient-intensive treatment that works with your skin's own moisture. Put your best face forward with the help of Biodynamic iris root extract, which draws natural moisture to the surface, hydrating your skin evenly. The versatile organic shea butter wraps fatty acids, carotene and vitamins A, E and F in one skin-strengthening package. Finally, organic cocoa seed butter nourishes skin into a touchable state. Iris Hydrating Day Cream pampers your dermis naturally, giving you that early-morning look all day. Discover the all-natural way to give your skin beauty and strength."

30 mL (1 oz) $20. Sample size value approx. $3.33.

It's a daycream. It's important I'll try it. I would have preferred to be able to wait to use it since I just started a new full size container of my current product...and I don't like constantly switching back and forth. I think for the rest of the month I will...and hopefully be able to use it up. It actually has an expiry date of 04/2012. I'm not sure if this was an oversight on BB5's part.

4. The night cream description is basically the same as the day cream. My opinions are the same as the above, sadly the expiry date is also for this April. 30 mL (1 oz) $21.00. Sample size value approx. 3.50.

5. "Give your skin a fresh start every day with pūr~delicate from pūr~lisse. Their special blend of soy milk, soy proteins, white tea and whole oat leaves your skin caressably smooth without removing natural oils. pūr~delicate will soothe your skin, not irritate it. Soap-free and non-foaming, pūr~delicate is strong enough to remove dirt and makeup, yet gentle enough to preserve and enhance your skin's natural beauty." 166 mL (5.6 oz) $36. Sample size value approx. $10.93.

These seems like a really nice product. It has a nice light scent and I like that it's dual purpose. A cleanser and a makeup remover! I can't wait to try this one. My current eyemakeup remover, although natural has aloe, which makes my eyes burn a bit. It's a really nice size sample!

5. "For true color and easy application, look no further than Lavera's Silver Trend Eyeliner. Organic beeswax and palm oil gives eyes smooth texture without any irritation. All shades are completely mineral-based, instantly giving your eyes that natural, striking look." 1 eyeliner $10.80. Sample size value = full size!

I'm happy to get a makeup item. I'm *really* happy the eyeliner is brown. A really nice brown, too! I have actually made the switch to gel liners and applying them with a brush because it's one thing I'm really not any good at. However, since I've had more practice because of using gel I'm a little more confident in trying a pencil liner again.

Here are some quick swatches. A fine line, a thicker line and a smudged line. Just to note I rubbed it 5 minutes later and there was minimal colour fading, but it didn't budge. I even wet my finger and smudged gently and just some colour fading but no smudging. I'll be trying this soon, hopefully. ;)

Total value of March's BB5 is approximately $31.69.

Well, there you have it! That's my first Beauty Box 5! If you're interested in signing up the link will take you to the page with my referral link! Have a great night!

~A

Beauty Review - Boots No7 Moisture Quench

Very rarely, do I ever finish a product. Does anyone else do this? Yet, I hoard and hoard and hoard. One thing I'm trying not to do is hoard creams. They really do expire. ;) I've been trying my best to buy minimal moisturizers and try using them up. Finally, through winter I did. I have been using this day cream for normal/dry skin. It's Boots No7 Moisture Quench. I actually won it in a basket at Shopper's Drugmart when I went for one of their free makeovers. Of course, I probably walked out with $150 in makeup anyways..so it was a nice bonus to win a very generous basket!I have combination skin, dry cheeks, oily t zone. Well, mostly the forehead gets oily. Therefore, using it on my forehead made it shine like a bowling ball. So, I had to use oil absorbing tissue to remove the excess. My cheeks, however really did look radiant in combination with my skin care routine. But, I need ONE cream to do all the work, I don't have time to apply 10 different products to my face, I only have time for 9. ;) It did appear to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and pores. Very minimal but obvious to my own critical eye. ;)

The cream is pretty thick...almost paste like. It's not a bad thing, it's just a different texture. The smell is very minimal. It's a light cream smell..actually it's the scent of vitamin e. That said...I have insane, superhuman abilities to sniff stuff. It's bizzare.

It contains a natural blend of elderflower, vitamin E and oil of evening primrose. The cream is hypoallergenic and it's good for 24 months after you open it. Perfect for people with skin sensitivity.

I probably wouldn't repurchase this particular cream again, however I would try other Boots No.7 products. I do also have a night cream I'll review.

**Review is my own opinion of the product**

Stay tuned for posts on Beauty Box 5 and Glossybox sample boxes!

~A