December 2012 birchbox

Merry (post-)Christmas and Happy Holidays! I hope everyone enjoyed Christmas day, all nice and snuggly with their loved ones :)

Great news! My December bb came before January.. what a pleasant surprise! To be exact, it came on the 22nd but I just didn't have time to post until now.. tehe.

Another pleasant surprise was that they completely made-over the products of my initial bb. I'm not one to complain, especially since the previous box had 4 out of 5 items I knew I wouldn't even bother trying.

So here is my December bb.. I don't know what # box this is, sorry! 
Nonetheless, enjoy :)

So yes.. I was highly disappointed by the fact that I didn't get the holiday box which is all nice and festive and reminiscent of candy canes :,(

Oh well, gotta deal.

You can already see 3 of 5 products..!

And here it is! My December bb included (from left-to-right):

1. amika Obliphica Nourishing Mask - 500 mL
2. ModelCo SHINE Ultra Lip Gloss in Berry Pink - Full size
3. Juice Beauty Stem Celulluar Repair CC Cream - 5 mL
4. Emily's Chocolates Chocolate Covered Fortune Cookie
5. Juicy Couture by Juicy Couture - 3.4 oz

I'm yet to try the amika mask (for conditioning hair), but I tried the other 4 products and here are my two cents..

ModelCo lip gloss -- 5/5

• Great texture and scent
• Tasteless
• Non-sticky 

Juicy Beauty CC Cream -- 2/5

• (detailed review below)

Emily's Fortune Cookie -- 4/5

• Quality chocolate and cookie
• Great crunch contrasted by bitter dark chocolate
• Subtle peppermint taste

Juicy Couture eau de parfum -- 3/5

• Floral and very (cloyingly) sweet
• Heavy scent is suitable for fall/winter

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Here is a more detailed review on the Juice Beauty CC Cream --

CC, abbreviations for "color correcting" or "color control", cream is a 12-in-1 multitasker much like the BB cream but better (or so they say). Currently there are only two shades made by Juice Beauty which are Natural Glow and Warm Glow. I got the sample in Warm Glow.

First of all, it was nice to know that Juicy Beauty was an all-natural, organically rooted company with certified organic products. After all, who would want to slab pesticides on their face?

I opened the product and was overwhelmed by the fruity-earthy scent of the CC cream. I'm very particular about fragrances in make-up or skin care, even more so if it's a face product. Immediately I knew I wouldn't want to put this cream on my face because of the strong fragrance (and it's not even pleasant! I know it's odd, but the scent reminds of Froot Loops).

I tested a tiny dallop of product on the back of my hand, as you can see below:

 

 

I blended out the product and found that the tint Warm Glow was a bit too orange and dark for my light yellow-toned skin. Natural Glow may be more suitable for my skin tone. Also, I noticed the coverage was quite sheer as you can still see my blue veins through the CC cream. Consistency-wise, the product was not too easily spread out (non-water based I think). Think BB creams but a tad thicker. It wasn't drying, but it wasn't hydrating either.

All in all, I gave the CC cream 2 out of 5 due to it's off putting scent, small range of available shades, too-sheer of a coverage, and thick consistency. Would I use it on my face? Unfortunately, I don't think I'd risk it.

Here is the card of the product list, in case you wanted to read the descriptions.


Overall, I was content with this bb and thought it was worth it with the full-size lip gloss and fortune cookie alone. I was also glad I got to try out CC cream (though Juice Beauty disappointed me).

How was your December bb? I'm jealous of those who got the mini-vaporizer this month! I could really use one of those..

Stay warm and beautiful 0:)
xo Karries

December 2012 ipsy (birchbox delayed)

Ladies!!!

It's that time of the month! No, I'm not talking about mother nature's gift -- I'm talking about ipsy and birchbox! *insert applause*

But before anything, bad news.. birchbox fooled me and said my box was shipped around a week ago. Then 2 days ago, they send me a second e-mail apologizing for a delay on my December birchbox :(! Though I was compensated with +100 bb points (the equivalent of $10 credit when purchasing full sized items from birchbox), I must say I'm pretty disheartened as I was looking forward to trying the Juice Beauty CC Cream.. (yes, I took a peak at my box. nothing else I'm really excited for, unfortunately).

I did, however, get my ipsy bag around a week ago. I didn't post earlier, thinking my birchbox would come sooner..

Here's everything straight out from the pink bubble package! + my Christmas themed vase :)

This month's theme is "Haute Holiday". The glam bags (yes, ipsy still calls them glam bags) from the past 2 months were both holiday party themed -- I personally don't go out enough to wear such bold looks on a regular basis but I guess they're fun additions to my growing makeup collection :)

Here is a list of the products (left to right):

1. Mai Couture Highlighter Papier
2. NYX Loose Pearl Shadow in Mink (LP19) "Pale Gold"
3. Mirabella Prime for Face and Eyes
4. Be A Bombshell Lipgloss in Hot Mess
5. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil in Zero

I just had to share this, as December's ipsy makeup bag is my favorite thus far. It lacks the narrow structuring of the previous bags, the gray color is highly versatile, and the material is very nice and of high quality (feels like silk)! I just might make use of this month's bag after all :)

I'm excited to use this highlighter product! It seems very convenient (compared to liquid or compact formulations) as you use it once and discard it. I'll be going out next week after finals, so I'll see how this product looks on camera :)!

I received the color Mink Pearl (described as "pale gold" from the NYX website) in my glam bag, and BOY WAS I GLAD! My skin has heavy yellow undertones, thus pink or silver pearly products don't necessarily flatter me. This product is great as inner corner highlights for the eyes. It's highly pigmented and the powder is so fine that it actually floats as opposed to falling.. how cool is that!

I haven't used this yet as I already have face and eye primers that I use regularly. While I'm content with the products I use currently, I'll give the Mirabella Prime a try whenever I'm feeling more experimental with my makeup :).

Can you say this lipgloss is BOLD much?! It's a gorgeous true red color, but I'm not your typical bold lip type of gal... so I may use it like a tint, but all over the lips would be an overkill (for me, that is).

Ah. The most anticipated product in this month's glam bag! The Urban Decay 24/7 liner is well spoken of in the beauty industry. I already had the full-size product from a previous purchase, but won't complain about a lil' extra! The one ipsy sent was a "deluxe" size liner (0.8 g), as you can see the size difference between it and the full size (1.2 g) from the picture above.

Overall Rating: YAY IPSY! You've completely won me over 3 months straight!!! I'll be honest, I'm not the easiest person to impress. BUT I'm highly impressed by both the quality and quantity of product we receive from ipsy for just $10/month. I promise you, whatever you're doing now, you're doing right ipsy.


My next post will be when my December birchbox finally arrives (I'm afraid it could be as delayed as much next year)..

In the meanwhile, keep warm and beautiful!
XO Karries

Skincare Tips & Tricks

This post has been inspired by the considerable interest my Rosacea Treatment/Skincare Routine post has gotten in the past few days!

Here are just some tips & tricks I use throughout my skincare routine:

While I use only a dime-size amount of facewash, I make it worthwhile and really clean my face inch-by-inch, pore-by-pore! I invest a good 3-5 minutes every morning/night rubbing the goodness into my face. 









I try not 'touching' my face when washing off the facewash; rather, I shape my hands like a bowl, collect some lukewarm water (be warned: hot water is VERY bad for the skin -- has aging effects), and gently sweep off the bubbles with the water and minimal touching.






I always rinse my face with very cold water at the end. Not only is it invigorating, but it's also great at constricting pores!







 Air dry your face if you can! If not, pat dry with a face-only towel.

Take a piece of ice cube (you may want to hold it with a tissue as it can get very cold), and glide it all over your face till it melts. You will literally feel your pore constrict to nothingness. This apparently is a Korean celebrity-favorite skincare secret!







Immediately trap the moisture with a facial spray (I use the Eau Thermale Spring Water by Avene).







When applying products, take a 30 second break between each product, allowing for full absorption of each in the order you apply.







Face-oil is the 'it' item in the beauty industry today for its cleansing and hydrating properties -- though I don't use one (yet), you can mix a tiny droplet with your foundation for a cleaner, flake-less finish!

November 2012 ipsy & birchbox

WOOT WOOT two posts in a day!

I received my ipsy bag last night and bb this morning -- and, of course, couldn't wait to share them with you! I already took a sneak peek at this month's items -- while ipsy got me totally hyped, bb was a HUGE letdown. I now truly understand what people mean about bb being a hit or miss.. October's box was awesome, while November's box I wouldn't have missed even if it got lost in transaction.

Anyways, to start, here are my November ipsy goodies! This month's theme is "Party Perfect" - quite appropriate with all the upcoming holiday parties!

This month's bag is a dark brown nylon fabric bag with a patent trim and gold-toned zipper. It's extremely cheap looking/feeling (you hear paper crackling when you open the bag.. so odd), so I won't be using it. It also has a pungent chemical odor that I find appalling. Fortunately, I don't care much for the bag -- just the content inside of it!

 November ipsy goodies!

  Intense Eyeliner in Black by Starlet

This is the first of two full-sized products in this month's bag. It's a classic wooden eyeliner - well pigmented but has a dry consistency (I'm a bit hesitant about using this on my eyelids, as my skin is extremely sensitive).

Defining Eyebrow Gel by Chella

The "or" item I received was the eyebrow gel by Chella, which I am utterly ecstatic about! Being the mascara fiend that I am, I really didn't need another added to the collection. Eyebrow gel, on the other hand, is a totally new product for me. This eyebrow gel is clear and works quite well at maintaining loose strands here and there -- so far so good!

Nail Lacquer in Millionaire by Nailtini     

Adorable packaging and name! The color is also a big plus as I don't own anything like it - a clear base with rectangular blue-green hologram strands, rectangular gold strands, and gold microglitter. The polish is literally chock full of glitter and holograms that one layer is enough to get the appropriate effect on your nails. My only issue with the polish is the vapor it emits - it's a lot more acrid and harsh than that of higher-end polish brands like OPI and Essie. In fact, the 'flammable' sign proves unnecessary as it clearly smells volatile! :(

 

 

 

Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss by bareMinerals

The bareMinerals lipgloss definitely lived up to my expectations and beyond -- I got it in the shade "Dare Devil" and it's absolutely scrumptious looking for the fall! I just dab a bit on the inner part of my lips (almost like a tint) to get a subtle color and gloss. Though not mentioned, I feel it has a plumping effect on the lips. At contact, it feels tingly and tastes mint/berry-like.

 Meet Matt(e) Eyeshadow in Matt Batali by theBalm

How adorable is the name and packaging? I just oo-ed and aw-ed at this tiny shadow pallete :) The color is a dark matte brown with purple undertones, so it'll work well for a smokey eye look (I would presume, since I don't wear much eyeshadow all together).

* * *

And here's November's birchbox -- I won't talk about it much (if at all) as I was highly disappointed. For reference, I got box #3.

 

The items list for my November birchbox

Four teeny tiny samples and one food item..
OH, THE DISAPPOINTMENT!

mm... I don't want to talk about my November bb, it's too depressing.

I won't unsubscribe from bb as of yet (it's only my second box), but I no longer anticipate the December bb. If I do, I'm afraid I might be let down again! :(

If you're a fellow bb subscriber, I sincerely hope your box was better than mine!

Stay warm and beautiful,

xo Karries

Keeping Rosacea at Bay! (My Skincare Routine)

Ladies!

So sorry -- it's been long overdue! I've finally come about to share my trick to rosacea "treatment" as well as my day-to-day skincare routine!

First off, let me start by identifying my skin tone/type: I'm of Asian (specifically, Korean) descent and have a light to natural beige skin tone. I have a combination-oily skin type during the spring/summer and a true combination during the fall/winter (oily T-zone, but extremely dry elsewhere). I also have a very common skin condition called rosacea (hereditary in origin). Though I don't suffer from any blatant or acute symptoms - like pustules or a bulbous nose - I have frequent flare-ups of flushed cheeks often accompanied by minor cystic acne and small "skin-bumps". Moreover, the condition makes my skin extremely sensitive to, well, EVERYTHING.

All in all, my skin doesn't love me nor do I love it.

Till recently, I've only used certain Korean mid/high-end skincare products that I found to work on my skin type. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Korea is very well reputed in the beauty industry in creating quality and affordable products.

Unfortunately, I reside in the States where it's difficult to gain access to the products I need when I need them! So I did some research on the web, trying to figure out if there were products made in the US (or elsewhere) that also may work for my sensitive, unruly skin.

Through trial-and-error (and much sorrow on my wallet's end), I finally constructed a daily skincare routine that not only works for my skin type, but also treats my rosacea to a certain extent!

Best of all, I could purchase any of these products whenever I please (unlike my Korean skincare products.. which I still love)!


I'll go in day-to-night order, explaining the product details throughout:

Care Zone "Clarifying Foam Cleanser" by Isa Knox

Alright, so I lied. This is the only product in my routine that I can't repurchase in the States even if I wanted to. It's a mild acne foam facewash that I had my mom buy all the way from Korea. It smells awesome and doesn't contain any strong astringents (which my lovely rosacea harshly acts up to). I honestly don't know which facewash I'll be getting after this product, but that's a worry for later. Fortunately, I'm not too particular about facewash.

 "Lotion Tonique" Toning Lotion for Combo/Oily Skin by Clarins

Toners are a different story. I am very particular in choosing a toner, and rightfully so because I can't use those that contain alcohol. Through trial-and-error, I found that this toner works best for my skin type. After a thorough washing, I put a generous amount of toner on a round cotton pad and wipe my entire face.

Prosacea

After prepping my skin with toner, I relax my irritated rosacea with this miracle gel. This product is the true hail mary to my rosacea woes! It immediately soothes the texture of my skin (significant improvement with the "skin-bumps") and decreases the overall redness of my cheeks, nose, and forehead. I wear the gel both day and night.

 "Be Bright" Gift Set by Origins

Once the gel settles in, I use either of two sets of products - the first set consists of my Origins Mega-Bright serum, followed by Brighter By Nature SPF 35 moisturizer, and GinZing eye cream.

 "Idealist" Even Skintone Illuminator and "DayWear" SPF 15 Creme by Estee Lauder

Whenever I'm not "feeling" the Origins line, I switch it up with my Estee Lauder daycare products. Though I whole-heartedly adore both companies (slight tangent: they're sister brands I believe!), I must say I generally prefer my Origins day wear for two reasons:

1. I prefer the light, more natural scent of the Origins products over the more mature and heavily fragranced Estee Lauder products.
2. Both serums 'brighten' and 'illuminate' to my liking, but the Origins moisturizer is a lot lighter and less oily feeling than the Estee Lauder day creme (to be fair the EL is a "creme", not a regular moisturizer).

 "Span" Tone Correcting Base and "Face it" Primer by The Face Shop

Both of these products are used to prep my face for any type of make up. The correcting base is a green color that helps conceal my 'flushed' complexion and the primer is, well, a primer. I could live without the correcting base, but the primer is much needed on an oil-controlling basis. The primer does consist of silicon (which some people are put off by), but no parabens. And neither products irritate my sensitive skin, despite the heavy floral fragrances (it's a signature scent of The Face Shop).

 Cold Cream "The Cool Classic" by Pond's

After a long day of make up, school, work, and errands, I need a good cleansing as a pick-me-up. Whilst relaxing and watching TV, I'd pop this bad boy open and rub it into my face until the cream turns clear. I then wipe the oil off my face with Kleenex and give it a thorough wash with the Isa Knox facewash.

IMPORTANT: Don't forget to close your pores with ice-cold water!

 My Nightcare Products

After a pat-dry, I repeat my morning routine of toning my face with the Clarins toner and applying Prosacea gel. Once the gel is absorbed, I use the very well known brown miracle-in-a-bottle that is the EL Advanced Night Repair serum. I use the serum with its synchronized Night Repair eye cream. Though I've been using the ANR serum for only 3 months or so, I can already promise by it -- I'd never ever go to bed without this generously slathered on my face. That just cannot and will not happen!

Ultra Facial Cream by Kiehl's

I wait a good 5 to 10 minutes for all the serum and eye cream goodness to settle into my skin. Afterwards, I'd hydrate my skin with this ultra skin-quenching cream by Kiehl's. This is another very well known product, though admittingly some people dislike it for the parabens it contains. I personally feel the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to this cream. Though it can be used for both day and night, it's a bit too heavy for daytime use.

Using all these products on a day-to-day basis proves to work for me.. And honestly I'm glad I finally settled with a routine, especially after all the testing and money-spending I've done in finding the perfect skincare products!

What do you think about my skincare routine for rosacea? I'd love to hear about your skincare routine! Leave comments below :)

Stay beautiful,

xo Karries

October 2012 ipsy & birchbox

Hi there!

I'll be delaying my rosacea treatment and skin care post I've been anticipating to share..

Because I've received my first ipsy and birchbox orders (monthly beauty sample subscription boxes for those of you who don't know) and I am totally psyched that I signed up for both companies!!

I received my ipsy box first (around 2 days ago) so I'll be reviewing that first --

Seeing the bright pink bubble package made my heart skip a beat, only because I wasn't expecting it so soon (I've heard most people receive their bags later in the month)!

The brainchild and collective effort of many YouTube beauty gurus (including Michelle Phan), myglam is a well known beauty sample subscription service ($10/month). Perhaps due to it's somewhat notorious(?) rep in terms of customer care and quality control, it recently had a makeover to ipsy, but I feel the content is kept practically the same...

In any case, this month's theme is "Hello, bombshell"! Side-note: Couldn't help but realize it's a familiar phrase I've heard a lot from Victoria's Secret when they released their bombshell bra.. lol

I got a total of 5 beauty items and an adorable black-and-white zig-zag patterned makeup pouch! The products weren't a total surprise, as most ipsy bags are pretty much the same...

1. Couture Colour Pequi Oil Treatment (15 mL/0.5 fl oz)
2. Coastal Scents Eyeshadow Sample Set 4 (2 g/0.07 oz)
3. Mirenesse Lip Bomb Glossy Laquer Stain in #9  (FULL SIZE 3.1 g/0.11 oz)
4. Be A Bombshell Eyeliner in Onyx (FULL SIZE 3 mL/0.1 oz)
5. The Balm "The Body Builder" Mascara (3.5 mL/0.11 fl oz)

I have to say.. I'm honestly impressed with my first ipsy bag. No product really disappointed - in fact, I'm excited to try all of them! The laquer stain color I received, to my luck, is quite flattering on my skin tone (Asian medium-light skin), but I think it's more of a spring/summer type of color... But all in all, YAY!

The October birchbox was also an unexpected surprise (my birchbox didn't even have tracking info) which I received earlier today!

The box itself was a normal birchbox box, though I opted for the goop + birchbox collaboration.

But alas! The inside is filled with goop must-try goodies!
Again, I'm quite content with my birchbox this month. Here is a list of what I got (for reference, this is Box 1):

1. Essie "Power Clutch" Nail Laquer Vernis (FULL SIZE 13.5 mL/0.46 fl oz)
2. Joanna Vargas Daily Serum (5 mL)
3. Kiehl's Orange Flower and Lychee Body Cleanser (65 mL/2.2 fl oz)
4. Naked Princess Luscious Lip Gloss in Barely Coco (0.25 g/0.008 oz)
5. LUNA Fiber Chocolate Raspberry (FULL SIZE 7 g)

The Kiehl's body cleanser is a deluxe sample size, which I am delighted about! It smells very pleasant as well - floral with bright citrus and sweet undertones. I'm willing to try this, though I would've preferred the body lotion sample over the cleanser (just sayin').

The Essie nail polish was definitely what put me head-over-heels this birchbox! Not only is the color an absolute stunner green-gray that is perfect for the cold weather (which I lack in my nail polish collection), but it's a full size product! YAY for quality nail polish that I'm actually going to use!

I couldn't help but be (just a wee bit) disappointed by the sizes of these samples.. but again, I've come to realized they're called samples for a reason. Though I've never heard of Joanna Vargas, I'm willing give her serum a try as it claims to brighten and glowify your skin. The lip gloss I'm a bit iffy about, only because the color (Barely Coco) isn't suitable for my skin tone... OH WELL!

Lastly, the LUNA Fiber bar.. I'm looking forward to trying it as I've never tried before (I'm not a big believer of meal substitutions). Sounds like it'd taste good - chocolate raspberry? YUM!

Though I would've LOVED a sample of a Chantecaille lip or eye product (a new collabo with birchbox I was looking forward to).. I'm pleased overall that I took the initiative in trying both services. Both boxes were an absolute hit for me and I'm psyched to try all these new products! And all of this for $20? If that's not a steal, I don't know what is!

Stay beautiful!
xo Karries