August 2015 Empties/Mini Reviews

Whaddup guys!

Trying to be good and not let things accumulate. Let's go =D

1. Paul & Joe Powder Compact Foundation

So I basically bought this from P&J cuz I REALLY wanted something from them, but at that time there wasn't any limited edition cute blushes or lipsticks... bascially I bought this because I didn't know what else to buy LOL. Bought it purely for the packaging. Now that I have used up the foundation... I kind of feel stupid for buying this for the packaging... er... should I keep it? -_- it's unlikely I will repurchase. Keeping it for now but it's highly likely that it's gonna end up in trash one day.


My shade is 103. It matches pretty good... but it has VERY STRONG YELLOW TONES.


To be honest I didn't use it all the way up... I was 95% done when the remaining power shattered on me. I just tossed out the shattered bits


There's still a bit left around the edges but I didn't bother... why try so hard  ╮(￣▽￣)╭  next powder foundation! LOL.



Since I did have a bit left, here's a swatch. Can you even see it? LOL


It's a good powder foundation. Pretty finely milled. Decent oil control. Good coverage. Overall a good powder foundation but didn't blow me away. I liked it (obviously, since I used it up) but it's like a lukewarm-like, haha. It has a very distinct scent though... not sure if that's the P&J signature scent. I think it's supposed to be floral but I don't like it haha. Jill Stuart has much better floral scents.


I've actually shown my face in this foundation on my blog multiple times over the last year but just never mentioned it. Pretty much if my face looks matte or not overly dewy/glowy... then I'm wearing this powder foundation (except for my Mulberry wallet review-- was wearing a different powder since I already ran out by that time).

Just to give an example of what this powder looks like...


Powder foundation is pretty much my go-to. Especially in the summer because it's just too hot/heavy to wear anything else. And it's quick. As much as I love liquid foundations, if I have to live with one foundation for the rest of my life... I'd totally go for a powder xD


2. Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion

Cheap and cheerful, have repurchased :D sometimes I use it alone and most of the time I use it as a medium to dilute my heavier creams. But I do want to say at one point I was kind of missing my Skin MD for a lighter feel... but since autumn is upon us, I didn't go for it. Haha


3. THREE Balancing Cleansing Oil sample



I forgot I had this, but when I did remember, I was BEYOND excited to try it! Every Taiwanese blog I read all said it has the most amazing, luxurious, comforting, relaxing citrus scent (ooh all the words they used to describe it XD)  Um O_O I guess my expectations were different lol. I was expecting more of a fragrant citrus scent, if you know what I mean? This one actually smells very aromatherapy. So I can definitely see the appeal. Maybe I'm just not there yet so while I appreciated it, I didn't love it. I did read that since this oil is essential oils, once it's oxidized the smell changes with time. Don't know about that but just want to throw it out there. I did notice when I massaged my face with this oil whilst taking my makeup off, it heats up. Quite unlike any other cleansing oils I've had. Actually felt really good. Other than that, it's pretty effective in makeup removal as well-- no problem with my waterproof eyeliner/mascara!


4. Origins Dr. Andrew Weil Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Soothing Face Cream




If you've been reading my blog for a while you'll know I'm a big fan of the Mega Mushroom line since it calms my skin during my bouts of eczema/atopic dermatitis/allergic flares. Actually I haven't had a single flare during the entire time I was using this O_O haven't had another episode since I finished this either (knock on wood!). Maybe it did strengthen my skin?! You guys know I won't always have this on hand, but I for sure will repurchase the Mega Mushroom line here and there in the future :) I still have the cleansers and since the moisturizer is very pricey, I'm gonna stick with the face wash for now. By the way I highly encourage you guys to wait for the discounts at beauty.com or Sephora since this is expensive.


5. Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne samples

I blew through these like within a week xD I have the full size ^.^ my current perfume obsession hahaha. I wear it during the day, I wear it before I go to bed... I wear it whenever I feel like it lol. Does anyone else do that? Put perfume on before going to bed? Puts me in a really good mood :D it takes forever to finish a bottle of perfume anyway lol (so far... never finished a single bottle).

I will say though, this particular scent is NOT long-lasting at all :(  in fact, it disappears super fast. The only time it stays is when some get into my hair when I spray the perfume behind my ears. Where do you guys spray your perfume??


6. Kose Sekksui White Washing Cream

Pretty sure this is Japanese 7-11 exclusive. I adore the formula but the smell is meh. I enjoyed it while it lasted but I'm not crying about it after it ran out haha.


7. CONI Infinity Hydra Super Moisturizing Overnight Mask

Ehh... didn't use it on my face, cuz I'm not a fan of overnight masks. Plus the scent is so... detergent-y -_- I used it as a body moisturizer. It's a free gift with purchase anyway hehe. To be fair though I love it as a body moisturizer. But the smell omg. ICK. CONI is a Taiwanese brand.


8. Aveda Invati Scalp Revitalizer Spray

Sad that I'm done with this small bottle. To be honest, between the shampoo and the spray, I think the spray works better. Kind of wish I bought the spray system instead of a 1L shampoo. Oh well. That said, don't expect a ton of volume from it-- it works, but only to a certain extent. I do notice my hair falls out a lot less when I use this though. Volume boost-wise, there was a noticeable difference but nothing too impressive. BUT!! I didn't follow the instructions-- didn't use it twice a day and I didn't use 16 sprays (this is the travel size by the way). I can only imagine if I use it as directed I'd get even better results. Although it does have a distinct scent O_O not sure how I'm gonna like that if I were to use it in the morning.


9.

Y'all already know what it is.




Okay, bed time for Frances ^_^ Hope you all have a nice day <3



<3 Frances

Taiwan Haul 2013

Hi guys!

Long time again! XD I can't believe summer was already over and school has started again (I'm a P3 now OMG cases cases cases). I also just moved into a new apartment with a new roommate =D My roommate is Korean and I've never lived with a Korean before and so far it's been interesting :P So far I'm loving this new apartment and new roommate; I used to have 3 other roommates and it got quite hectic sometimes lol. It's so quiet and peaceful here in my new apartment. Although the lighting sucks =/ That and with Maryland's gloomy weather... I just hope I can find a way to upkeep my photo quality. I had to adjust all of my photos for this post so they're more true to color. Anyway since school isn't too hectic yet, I decided might as well update my blog (it's now or never buahaha). So today I want to share with you the stuff I got from Taiwan =D

Looks so massive... haha. But really a lot of them are samples/free gifts with purchase lol.

1. Bourjois Color Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick

These look exactly like the Revlon lip stains! But they are not lip stains. They are pretty glossy and more moisturizing (Revlon kissable lip stains has a drier formula). Left to right are #2 Fuchsia Libre and #4 Peach on the Beach. They don't really last... just like any other moisturizing lipstick. Sometimes I layer this over my Revlon lip stains to give my lips a more juicy look :P

2. Za Ever Brows Brow Pencils

I've seen Bubbi use this multiple times in her tutorials so I wanted to give it a try! I love my Anastasia eye brow powder but I feel like eye brow powders gives a very made-up finish (I don't understand when ppl say use brow powder if you want natural looking brows??? I mean yeah they look softer... but also more powdery) so anyway I wanted to try pencils for less powdery look and I opted for these. I do like it (haha bought a backup). I do notice they don't last as long or well as my Anastasia brow powder, but it's acceptable. The brush on the back of the pencil is pretty awesome! Smooths out the pencil really well. After these I think I will try the Anastasia brow pencils. I got mine in #3 Natural Grey cuz my hair is black now.

3. Za Plumper Lips Lipstick

Read about these on a Tawainese blog and decided to give it a try. I originally only bought the color #8 and after trying it out I went back and bought 3 more XD It's a very moisturizing formula, I like! I think people who enjoy Revlon lip butters will enjoy these too ^_^

4. Majolica Majorca

Majolica came out with a new formula/new comb again! So of course I had to get one. Also stocked up on two mascara primers. I'm sure you guys have already seen this... Majolica Majorca is my favorite mascara brand, been using them since high school (buy the ones with comb, don't buy the ones with regular brush heads because the formula tends to flake).

5. D.U.P Wonder Eyelid Tape

You guys have seen this before too... for the days when my eyelids are swollen/when my double eyelid decide they want to move places, I use this to correct them.

6. My Beauty Diary Arbutin Whitening mask

My favorite whitening mask from My Beauty Diary. The packaging has changed. I also noticed in the ingredients that they no longer use parabens! =D thumbs up for that. I haven't tried this new formulation but I'm confident that it will be good ^_^

7. Naruko Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Hydrating Mask 

Also a repurchase. This mask is really hydrating, and brightening as well! Really like this for the hydration

8. Naruko Raw Job's Tears Supercritical CO2 Brightening Mask (what kind of name is this??? LOL)

Since I'm impressed with the rose mask, I wanted to give other Naruko masks a try, I have to say I'm disappointed. Somehow I feel like this mask doesn't absorb as well for some reason??

9. Naruko Taiwan Magnolia Brightening and Firming Mask

This mask is one of those lifting masks that cover your chin and you hook to your ears to give your face a V-shape lift. Another disappointment. Conclusion: I only like the rose mask from Naruko, the other products are just meh.

10. Loofah & Aloe Vera Hydrating Mask

Er not sure what's the name of the brand... 豐, 台灣?? LOVEMORE?? lol. First time trying this brand, and I was pleasantly surprised! The mask is made of this very thin material so it fits really well to the contours of my face, also the cuttings are very delicate so very suitable for girls with small face/features! Best fitting mask I've tried. The formula is pretty nice too. I like!

11. Wine Yeast Whitening Mask

Haven't tried this yet.

12. CONI Exfoliating Gel

I've been dreaming about these for the last year! My favorite exfoliating gel. It's more like an enzyme exfoliant, you rub it on your face and dead skin cells will come off.

This one is supposed to contain gold liposome. Both of them are good but I do like this one just a bit more :P

Okay the rest of free gifts from CONI... I know it's kind of ridiculous how many gifts they gave us. I think it's because CONI isn't a really well-known brand in Taiwan so they're really trying to get ppl to try out their products to get the name out there, who knows? I'm not the one to turn down free skin care :P

Supposed to be a lifting mask. Haven't tried


Travel set for sensitive skin. Haven't tried either.

Eye masks. These I have tried and I really like them! They're so comfortable I often just fall asleep while still wearing them... and would wake up and find them completely dried up and shriveled lol. I didn't purchase my own set cuz it's quite pricey. 

Moisturizing overnight mask. I guess something like Laneige's sleeping pack?? Honestly wasn't so interested in these cuz I don't tend to like overnight masks... we'll see how these perform.


Random travel size conditioner, makeup remover and exfoliating gel.


More skincare, foundation, and BB cream samples


Jelly mask. It is very moisturizing, I do enjoy it but not something I'd purchase on my own.

13. Paul & Joe Powder Compact Foundation

I was running dangerously low on my Lancome Blanc Miracle powder... I actually wasn't even planning to get P&J, but I was playing at the P&J counter one day and the MUA was so patient with me (I kind of wish she would leave me alone LOL cuz I wasn't planning to purchase) and the powder is so finely milled I decided to give this a go. I don't know if P&J's foundations have ever been reformulated but it's different from what I remembered! The last time I tried P&J I thought the finish is so heavy and mask-like. Maybe it's because the last MUA who helped me last time used a very heavy hand... who knows lol. I didn't notice at the time of purchase but I did realize later that this powder is extremely fragranted, so beware if you dislike strongly fragranted cosmetics. 

14. Lancome Teint Miracle Powder Foundation

My skin was very unstable while I was in Taiwan (allergies and rashes)... and I wasn't sure if the fragrance in the P&J irritates my skin (I couldn't really tell if my face was itchy from allergies or if it was from P&J). I purchased this at duty-free because first I do love it, and second if the P&J does irritate my skin, at least I will have something to fall back to. I was debating between the Blanc Miracle and this but in the end I bought this... Even though Blanc Miracle is for oil control... I look oily at the end of the day anyway no matter which product I use XD I decided to go with this one cuz the powder is ever so slightly finer and looks less powdery. If you're interested in seeing comparison swatches of Lancome Blanc Magique and Teint Miracle, see my old post here. 

15. Vaseline afer sun aloe vera gel

I got sunburned when I went to a water park in Taiwan =_= I did reapply sunscreen religiously but got burned anyway =___= will talk about it in the next post. But anyway got this to soothe my skin. It's meh... kind of sticky. Will try to use them up (bought two of them cuz it was buy one get one half off) but will not repurchase. Why is there Korean on there??? lol


16. Brow scissors

My other ones are kind of old. This is my second pair from this brand and I really like them! But honestly I don't even use the comb LOL. I think any brow scissors will work well... I just happened to like my last pair that I want to stick with this brand :P

17. Olive Oil Skin Care Company Handmade Pure Olive Oil Soap

So this brand of soap was originally started by an Australian professor who wanted to create a very mild and natural soap that is suitable for his wife, whose skin suffered from eczema/psoriasis. You can read about it here. I've been using it to wash my face and it is pretty mild but effective. Some ppl might find it drying but I don't (I happen to like the squeaky clean feeling). I wouldn't say it helps improve my skin yet but at least it doesn't exacerbate my conditions. However I still find oatmeal the most gentle way to clean my skin when it's problematic.  

18. Etude House

There was a new Etude House store where I live =P However I think the price is tripled when it's in Taiwan =_= Maybe just doubled.... but I think close to tripling. Still affordable compared to brand makeup. But you guys should know that Etude House is an extremely affordable brand in Korea and you should never pay too much for it.

Since I love my #2 Strawberry Choux Lovely Cookie Blusher, I decided to pick up another one-- #10 Peach Parfait, which, implied by its name, a more pinky peach color. Both #2 and #10 are matte blushes.

I once read somewhere that the Oh My Eyeliner is pretty good so I decided to give it a try. When I swatched it in store the consistency felt a lot like my MAC Liquidlast eyeliner. However when I tried it at home on my eyes the consistency is a lot thinner and more liquidy. I also have difficulty using my own brush to apply this eyeliner because it applies quite thin and uneven. But when I used the applicator it comes with it applies fine. But I don't like the flimsy applicator =( I will figure something out. As for lasting power, not quite as good as my MAC liquidlast, but I was impressed! For one thing it's rare that a liquid eye doesn't make my eyes tear. For another it doesn't smear or run, but rather it fades, and it's nothing too bad either. Will have to test it out more before I can give a final verdict.

I wasn't going to purchase the mascara cuz I had zero interest in it, but the SA told me it was buy the mascara and get the eyeliner for free and they are the same price. So basically I bought the eyeliner and got the mascara for free XD Will have to test it out... later.  


Gel eyeliner brush. It's very soft, which I like. However I did find this eyeliner brush sometimes wipe off the eyeliner I just applied when I went back and forth with it. So it's not the best, but not too bad either. The bristles are synthetic.


I had to get these hair ties because they're simply too adorable! But they do pull out my hair when I try to undo my hair -_-a


What's this called??? Like a head wrap?? It's a towel with velcro so you can use it to secure your hair out of the way when you wash your face. It's alright... my hair is short now so even when my bangs are out the way, the rest of my hair still fall forward when I wash -_-a am I using it wrong??


Free gifts. There's a cord hair tie thing that I'm really excited that I got! =D I've always seen girls wearing cord hair ties and I thought it's cute.

Other samples I got. These shall go on my blog sale since I'm not interested in using them lol.

19. 廣原良 Loofah water

Got a bunch of these so I can give them to friends as well. It pretty much just feels like water, but more moisturizing (as opposed to if you just spray water your face can feel quite dried out after the water evaporates). It can also be used as toner. I do like the spritz bottle since it dispenses quite evenly. What's up with the little creepy guy on the packaging?? It reminds me of PSY. LOL.

20. YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in #15 Corail Intuitive, and Etude House Dear My Jelly Lips-talk lipstick in JPK004

So these I didn't buy in Taiwan but I thought I'd include them anyway. I tried the YSL lipstick randomly one day and was immediately in love with the baby pinky peach nude color. Luckily I had a Sephora Wrapp gift card so I was able to get a little discount off it XD and the Etude House lipstick I got as a gift from a friend. The funny thing is, these lip colors kind of look similar when worn on lips... haha.

Okay, that's the end of my massive haul. I know I didn't include any swatches, but that's because there are simply too many things and I don't want to make this post busier than it already is. The swatches and reviews will come later. Is there anything you guys are particularly interested in???

Coming up next will be another empties post =D

Until then, I hope everyone had a fantastic summer ^_^ and if you're starting school, have a great school year! By the way my roommate "bullied" me into watching the Korean drama "I Hear Your Voice," has anyone seen it? I'm usually not that into Asian dramas (more of an American TV series girl), but it's pretty good! Been keeping my at the edge of my seat lol. Dang my roommate for making me start a drama at the beginning of the semester >.< must NOT be distracted. But for now... I'm gonna go watch another episode LMAO.

Talk to you guys later!

<3 Frances