Monday, April 22, 2013

eve lom cleanser.


We need to have a little chat. I had planned on taking a break from blogging due to the recent Boston Marathon bombings (I live about a mile away from the finish line) and my upcoming finals, but I needed to come to you guys with a recent purchase. 

Have you heard of the Eve Lom Cleanser yet? Vogue has raved about it. Nordstrom is now carrying it in their beauty department. It's all the rage, you guys. I am a sucker for an overhyped skincare product, mostly because I know they're hyped up for a reason. My skin tends to drink up any goodness I put on it, and it responds fairly well to new products. 

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

what's in my shower?



It's about to get very intimate up in here, you guys. Care to know what's in my shower? Well, you're about to get a detailed tour! 

Thursday, April 11, 2013

haul: i have no excuse for this.


I have sinned. That damn 15% off coupon got me. 15% isn't even that much of a discount? But look what happened, you guys. I couldn't have been in the store for longer than 30 minutes, and this is what happened. Sephora, we're now officially on a break. I've only used the Nude ProGenius Treatment Oil, since I wanted to photograph the others before I actually used them. The likelihood of that happening is slim to none. Here's what I got...

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

nail talk: the reds.


Meet the classic beauties of my nail polish collection: the reds. As I so often am, this post was inspired by Vivianna Does Makeup. That manicure killed me and sent me to nail polish heaven. I split the wheel between deeper and textured reds, then on the right side, more classic and bright reds. I have to say, I don't have a berry that quite fits the bill for me yet. Not to mention the berry colors I own have shimmer. Someone stop me now... I already bought six new Essie polishes from CVS earlier this week because I had a ton of coupons. Yes, you read that correctly. Six. Don't judge me.

Below the cut, you will find the colors listed from the darkest shade of the wheel, moving counterclockwise.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

don't miss this deal!


Hey! Hey you! Yes, you! Have you heard about Cult Beauty's goody bag deal yet? Because I placed my very first Cult Beauty order yesterday because of this tempting goody bag offer. If you spend £50 and enter OhGoody in the gift code box during check out, you get all of the beautiful items pictured above. The goody bag includes...

NCLA Limited Edition Nail Wraps Peter Som Collection
Tammy Fender Bulgarian Lavender Oil 5ml
Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax 3ml
Ginerva Marvel Green Gel 10ml
Elemis Pro Collagen Body Cream 50ml
Anastasia Covet Noir Pencil (full size)
Alpha H 5ml Liquid Gold
Dr Lipp Original Balm 3ml
Astalift Make Up Remover Oil 30ml

Pardon my French, but holy shit? This is amazing? I have been dying to try out some Aromatherapy Associates Oils ever since I saw the holiday gift set floating around last December, and I am dying over the rest of the deluxe sized samples. These items are not cheap. I think the total of samples you receive amount to greater than the required amount you need to spend in order to get the goody bag. 

This is my first experience ordering with Cult Beauty, and it certainly won't be my last. Their customer service was so sweet to me after I made a rookie mistake of forgetting to enter the promo code after placing my order for the Alpha H Liquid Gold (£31.50) and the Clarins Flash Beauty Balm (£28). I have been dying to try both of these products out. The Flash Beauty Balm is a few dollars cheaper than what I would've spent at Sephora anyway. Not to mention, free shipping! But back to how amazing their customer service is. After I sent an email to their customer care department, a very nice lady got back to me within hours and informed me that she called their warehouse to insure I would receive the goody bag. Crisis averted. 

Also, I should mention, I completely blame Vivianna Does Makeup for tempting me in to these purchases. Not only do I watch her videos religiously, but I stalk her blog daily! I couldn't recommend her advice and picks more. 


Also, for you Sephora junkies out there like me, you may have received something similar to this in the mail the past few days. If not, don't worry, I got an email as well! Chic Week begins on April 11th and continues until April 22nd. If you present the card you were mailed at the store or enter the code CHICWEEK during check-out, you will receive 15% off your entire order! You must be a Sephora V.I.B. for the code to work online. 

It might be time for me to finally purchase Diorskin Shimmer Star in Amber Diamond ($45), and everyone has been raving about Clinique's new Chubby Stick Shadow Tint For Eyes ($16). I don't need anymore eyeshadow though! Do I? Maybe? Perhaps? Yes. Definitely. Knowing me, I'll walk out of there with more skincare than necessary for one little Filipino girl, but I'm coming for you, Origins. Get ready. 

Do you have your shopping list ready for Chic Week? Any recommendations? I'm always down for a new foundation! Is Clinique's CC Cream out yet? I have too many ideas happening right now. I should end this before I have a list of ten items. 

xx

Monday, April 8, 2013

face of the day: spring fling.



Good morning, world! On Saturday night, I went to, what we call in the law school world, Spring Fling! I'd insert a full-length photo of my outfit if I had a decent full-length mirror to take pictures with. I'm working on it. My dress is from Topshop though! It was on sale on the Nordstrom website a few weeks ago, so I'm not too sure if it's around still. I know, I know. Florals? In the Spring? How groundbreaking. 

Friday, April 5, 2013

mini haul.


I placed an order at Whole Foods for the evanhealy Rose Cleansing Milk ($28.99) last week, and I finally found the time to pick it up this morning. Let's get this out of the way now, so I don't ramble on and on about it. It smells like an absolute dream. It smells like a mixture of rose, aloe, and lavender. I don't think there's any lavender in it though. Obviously I'm not the best with scents, but it reminds me of the smell of massage oils and lotions at a spa. The claims are as follows, "Rose Cleansing Milk pairs the creaminess of a planet-milk with the lightly lathering action of natural yucca root creating a nourishing, effected and deep cleansing product. This skin-balancing formula effectively draws impurities out of tiny dermal pores leaving skin exquisitely clean. Daily use softens and loosens the hardened waxy deposits that are blackheads. Adding plant oils and floral waters to the skin restores vitality, balances hydration and refines pores resulting in skin that is soft, supple and resilient." Well, this sounds like a dream product. Other than a rich charcoal or clay mask, I have never really found that perfect product that really reduces blackheads for me. I have very stubborn pores along and surrounding my nose, so I tend to use blackhead removing products for other reasons. I can tell you, however, that the texture of the product is creamy, almost a heavy lotion. And the bottle is a lot smaller than I thought it was going to be. But I am trying to keep an open mind about this little guy. I'm sure a review will come soon enough! 

Thursday, April 4, 2013

no make-up thursdays.


Today, I realized how much I love Spring. The sun hangs out to play for a little longer at the end of the day, and the warmer weather becomes familiar against my covered, dry skin. Everything feels as if it is coming back to life; springing back to life, if you will. I feel as if there is a new bounce in my step since it isn't miserably cold outside. The winter has departed, and my new love, Spring, has arrived. 

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

nail talk: spring picks.


Well this is the most fun I've had with nail polish... since the last time I painted my own nails (see: Saturday night)! Before I dive in and gush about all of these colors, I have to talk about an honorable mention. Essie 'Play Date' is by far my favorite color. BUT AT THE MOMENT, IT IS MISPLACED. Possibly lost. Forever. Until I run down the street to CVS and buy another bottle. I'll make bedroom eyes over at Butter London 'Knackered', and tell you the story about Chanel 'Nouvelle Vague' and how it started this nail polish obsession eventually, but Play Date takes the cake. Stop reading this right now and go google swatches of Play Date, then you'll understand why. 

Monday, April 1, 2013

march favorites 2013.


Introducing the all-star line up for March! Most of these products are fairly new additions to my collection. They're no more than one to three months old, but they have definitely made an impact. If you want a more thorough review of any of these items, do let me know in a comment below!

Saturday, March 30, 2013

first impression: mac pro longwear paint pot in 'vintage selection'.



Welcome the latest edition to the family! This is MAC's Pro Longwear Paint Pot in 'Vintage Selection' ($18.50). The only other Paint Pot that I have is in Painterly, and I mostly use it as a base so less pigmented shadows have something to adhere to once I apply it over my lid. Paint Pots help eyeshadows from creasing, at least on my lid. My lids are not especially oily, nor is creasing a big issue that I have, but it's always better to be safe than sorry when you don't have all of your make-up within reach to fix or touch up. 

nail talk: the last four times.


I don't know how I kept this from you guys for so long. I feel like it's my dirty little secret, but also, no secret at all. I am willing to admit it, possibly scream it from the rooftops... I love nail polish. It is an addiction, but not a problem. 

These are the last four colors I have worn on my nails, and coincidentally, they are the last four I have purchased. From left to right, please welcome to the family: Butter London "Muggins" ($15), Nails Inc. "Kensington Palace Gardens" ($9.50), Butter London "Fairy Lights" ($15), and Flower "I Lavendare You!" ($4.98). 

Thursday, March 28, 2013

let's talk moisturizers.


I realize this isn't the best photograph ever taken, but I'm working with my iPhone 5 and this is about as good as it's going to get for awhile, until I can look in to a decent DSLR. But in any event, welcome to my collection of moisturizers! What's that? I have five? Is that overkill? Each serve a different purpose, and if you have ridiculous skin like I do, you're going to want options. You might want to invest in a day moisturizer that works well under make-up, and you absolutely want a good night moisturizer to lock all of that water in to your skin after a good cleanse. 

Going from left to right, I'm going to try to be as short and sweet as possible. (It's not possible.)

first impression: apocalips by rimmel london.


I'll admit it. I made a naughty asos.com order last week. I may have ordered a few dresses and decided to throw these puppies in to the order because I can't get them in the United States and I have been hearing people rave about these new Rimmel products for a couple of weeks now. Let me introduce to you, Rimmel London's Apocalips Lip Lacquers! I believe they retail for around $7.00, but since they aren't available in the States yet, who knows? 

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

kiehl's midnight recovery concentrate.


Good morning, lovelies! I was going to feature this in my March Favorites post, which is taking forever to put together, but honestly, this beauty deserves its own ramble. I have heard about Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate ($46) for a long time now. But with having such problematic skin like I do, I nearly gave up on finding the miracle product for my skin and knew it would just be a long process of having the proper routine with the right products every day. (Though, as a side note, I have been eyeing Alpha-H's Liquid Gold for an exceptionally long time. Have any of you tried it? Let me know!) 

Monday, March 25, 2013

face of the day + mascara talk.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector SPF 25+ in Opal ($41); NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny ($2.99); Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed ($26); Nars Concealer in Ginger ($23); Boxom Sculpted Lash Mascara ($19); Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Ebony ($23); The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser ($18); Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Barcelona ($44); Stella Eau de Parfum Purse Spray ($50).
 
Having only one class in the late afternoon on Mondays are always a toss-up when it comes to make-up and laziness. On one hand, I have the time to get fancy with my make-up and try something new, but on the other, why waste a perfectly good product for only going out for a handful of products? Nevertheless, I wanted to highlight a newbie today. 

zara, office city bag.


I can't sleep, so here's a little insomniac thought to put out there in the world (in hopes that if I can talk about it enough and wish hard enough, it'll come true). I have been lusting over Zara's Office City Bag ($89.90) for longer than any normal human being. Truth be told, I probably don't need it. Being a student means there is a backpack attached to my poor spine or I stuff a bunch of stuff in to a Longchamp tote, because I guess that's just something people do in the East Coast. But wait! What's that? There's a 17" padded laptop case in the centerfold of the Office City Bag? Call me a sucker, but that's simply ingenius of Zara. Good for you, Zara. 

The worst part about this love affair isn't that it's unrequited, but rather, I haven't even seen the bag in person yet. Yet. 

I'm trying to convince myself that I don't need it, especially since there's a slot for an iPad that I absolutely cannot utilize without an actual iPad. 

But wouldn't it look so posh of me to have a purse like this? To carry around my folders and sort my pens and highlighters? Surely, I could use it for work... for that job I assume I'll have in a few years? 

Fact of the matter is, is I have to carry around textbooks. Large textbooks. Even if the Office City Bag comes with a shoulder strap, my shoulder isn't made for weight of that magnitude. 

I'm conflicted.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

review: aesop parsley seed cleansing masque.

 

I need to start with a disclaimer again. I am not a beauty expert. I can't tell you much about individual ingredients and the effects of said ingredients on your skin, but I can tell you what makes my skin feel nice and what has worked for me. With that being said, I should also mention that I have always had problematic skin. It's a mixture between a handful of genes, completely disregarding proper skincare while I was going through my teenage years, and mostly, laziness. I would identify my skin as oily, though it has transitioned in to more normal/combination now that I have a few things under control and dry patches from wintertime. I am acne prone, and sometimes, my skin is fairly sensitive to certain products (see: Korres Wild Rose + Vitamin C Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial).

But feast your eyes on this beaut! Aesop is an Australian brand with products for the skin, hair, and body. Their site claims that they're "committed to using both plan-based and laboratory-made ingredients of the highest quality and proven efficacy -- particularly those with the greatest anti-oxidant properties." I mean, that's all fine and dandy, but can we talk about how aesthetically pleasing this product is? I know, I know. I've had this tube for about three months now, so the cap is looking a bit busted, but other than that, the clean lines and the simple font, lending itself to something out of a swanky pharmacy, makes me drool. If you ever have a chance to go to a Aesop store, I highly recommend it. I wish I had pictures of the Boston store to share! Maybe next time when the wind isn't trying to blow me away! 

face of the day.

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Barcelona ($44); Nars Concealer in Ginger ($23); Maybelline Instand Age Rewind Eraser  Dark Circe Treatment Concealer in Medium ($8.99); Lancome Hypnose Drama Waterproof Mascara in Excessive Black ($27); Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey ($8.99); Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder in Medium ($9.99); Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner ($20); Nars Bronzing Powder in Laguna ($36); Milani Minerals Blush in Luminos ($6.49).


Before we get to the good stuff, I realize there are three First Aid Beauty products in the background of this terribly positioned picture. So while we're on topic, First Aid Beauty's Ultra Repair Cream and Ultra Repair Concentrate saved my legs this winter season. I have never had a dry skin problem before, but boy, moving from coast to coast will do that to you evidently. So I know you can go to CVS and shell out a couple of bucks for Eucerin, but I swear by First Aid Beauty's Cream and Concentrate. 

On to the good stuff! 

Today's going to be an ever-so-exciting day with friends and Target adventures, so I wanted to keep it as simple and quick as possible. A few of these are every-day products as well, so get used to seeing them. 

Starting with my face, I used Nars' Sheer Glow Foundation ($44) in "Barcelona". I am trying to steer away from typical beauty phrases like "holy grail", but I have to admit, if I had an HG list, this would be sitting pretty at number one. I discovered this foundation about a year or two ago, and although I am always testing out new foundations, I make note to always keep this product stocked and ready for whenever I need a reliable foundation. The name of the foundation is a little misleading; there's nothing sheer about it. It is most definitely a medium coverage foundation. What I love most about this foundation is the color match. It's not too yellow or pink on my skin, and it blends like a dream. With Revlon's Nearly Naked Pressed Powder ($9.99) on top, it lasts about a good six hours. The only downside of the foundation, like many others, is that it transfers. It doesn't slip and slide on the skin, but I wouldn't recommend rubbing your face against someone's fresh white shirt either. You've been warned.

I'm not going to review every item I used today, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention my love for Stila's Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner ($20). I have always been a black eyeliner girl, whether it be in the form of a pencil, gel, or felt tip. I have gone through various drugstore options and tried a lot that MAC has to offer, but nothing beats the convenience, lasting-power, and blackest black the Stila eye liner has. Not only does the pen last for 3-5 months, but once it sets, it stays. I have never had a creasing problem unless it was due to my own error. If you're on the market for a new eye liner that is a little more on the high end, but well worth the money, I would highly recommend this one. 

beginnings.


This is how the day started, and it ended with a blog. 

It would be nice if I had a specific focus for what you can expect from me in this space, but in all honesty, it will be a mixed bag of tricks. But I should start off by attempting to introduce myself. Hey, hi, hello. My name's Nicolle, with two L's because my parents wanted me to overcome adversity the minute I popped out of the womb. I am 24 years old and currently reside, surprisingly by choice, in Boston, MA. But I am forever a West Coast girl at heart. I am in the middle of my second year at law school, and I assure you, this blog will be about everything but, except for the occasional stress reliever.

I might as well come out and say it -- the first step in an addiction is to admit it anyway -- I am a product junkie. I love all things related to beauty. I love using one of the five face masks I have sitting in my bathroom shelf a couple times a week. I love the feeling of freshly cleaned and dried face brushes. Sephora is my heaven on Earth. Don't even get me started at the newly remodeled make-up counters at various department stores, which, by the way, Boston is severely lacking in. (Hey Nordstrom! Step up your game and open up in the city!) I love nail polish, and own far more bottles than any one girl should. I love finding a new, yet perfect foundation. So, as you can see, it is officially my addiction, and this blog will be me facing it straight on.

Sit back, relax, and make sure your nails aren't chipped.
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
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