Petit Vour August Beauty Box - "Beauty School"

August edition of the Petit Vour beauty box featured a brand I was always interested to try , but so far never got around to it, cos of the high price - Beauty Without Cruelty. So woot woot!! :)

The theme is Beauty School and as per PV, the items you need to become your own beauty expert are:

- BWC's Eyeliner  [i think its full size]

- Earth Body Beauty Mask

- Harvey Prince Journey perfume - mini 

- Me Me Lip butter

- Rosemira body butter

So that's eye-skin-scent-lips-body covered...hmm..pretty nifty right?

Earthbody's Brighten Cleanser and Mask is an interesting 2-in-1 product. The only thing is it needs to be mixed with water and/or honey - which for me means some extra effort!

Also, the price in the sheet that PV send is $34 - but in their website, the price is listed as $24! 

 

The 2 products I can definitely think of having a use for are the eyeliner and the lip butter.

BWC's mineral eyeliner looks sleek and needs to be sharpened but in the 2 occasions that I tried, worked pretty well.

I need to test it again for staying power, but so far I like it. 

I cannot yet judge whether its worth its $18 price tag...lets see!

Winter is on its way.. another 4 months of cold and dry chapped lips... so a lip butter is always always welcome :)

As for the other 2 products,  

           body butter- again, useful in winter but this is a small jar. I like the scent, so may be it will be useful for travel.. i guess!

           perfume - I am not expert on perfumes.. I like this one.. but I am never going to buy it...so yeah!

OVERALL: I like this month's PV, mainly because 3 out of the 5 items - the eyeliner, the mask and the lip butter are pretty useful and looks nice.

Jason Normalizing Tea Tree Shampoo [for days when you've snowfall in June!] :)

I didn't take any snapshots for this review - cos I don't think it makes much difference. I mean, there is nothing to swatch and the product looks like a 3D version of the image below:

Courtesy: Jason website

You can read about the product details here: Jason official website link

My Review on this..

Yes - unfortunately I suffer from dandruff and it gets worse during winter.
I have just one question here - Do you have dandruff or itchy scalp ? If so, this is an awesome frequent use shampoo.
Most of the other anti-dandruff shampoos I've used, dries out my scalp or increases my hair loss.
This one works pretty nicely.

This shampoo has a very medicinal scent - I like it. It lathers well and significantly reduces the dry itchy scalp problem.
I am not sure if it completely removes dandruff - I've been using it for past 4-5 months and nothing is eliminated as such.
However, it brings it under control - and thats good enough for me.

You shouldn't buy this if you have a normal healthy scalp and is just looking for a way to keep it clean.
The reason is - this can be a bit drying for your healthy scalp.
If you're looking for something to keep your scalp clean and fungus-free, I would suggest using a tea tree oil mixed with your regular hair oil.

Overall: I like this and this is one of my staple shampoos. I use this twice a week and its going good. To increase the efficacy, I combine using this shampoo with a tea tree oil-hair-oil mix once a week.
So far its doing good and I am happy :)

If you've found anything to completely get rid of your dandruff without going very chemically - let me know !

Essence 3D Eyeshadow in Irresistible Caramel Cream and How to Use It

Do you have an eye primer?
Do you like using eye primers?
At least, do you use a concealer as an eye shadow base?
If you answered Yes to at least one of the above questions, skip to Section on Using This Eyeshadow.



If not..... hmmm...

Are you okay with medium pigmentation for cheap pocket friendly price?
Are you okay with an eyeshadow that lasts for 1 hour max on a normal-to-oily lid in Summer?
Are you okay with an eyeshadow that can flake a bit if you apply dry and doesn't blend well if you apply wet?
If you answered Yes to at least one of the above questions, skip to Section on Using This Eyeshadow.



If not.... well, then eyeshadow is not for you. Cos it flakes, it has an average pigmentation and a low lasting power if applied without primer. With a primer, it performs much more decently - at least the copper shade of this duo does.

Irresistible Caramel Cream from Essence Cosmetics is part of their 3D Eyeshadow range - I think the design is similar to M.A.C's Extra dimension eyeshadow. Price is around $3 and they have mostly neutral and pastel shades.

This duo comprises of a vanilla-cream champagne shade [highlight] and a brownish Copper shade [lid color].
Of the 2 shades, I like the copper one better, as its more smoother to apply and is more pigmented.



Using This Eyeshadow

 Unless you don't mind a smudgy lid, you got to choose from either one of the below applications:

Using it with a primer - Allow the primer to set before you apply. The champagne shade has a lot of fallout, so look out for that. 

Using it Wet - I would not suggest using the flaky cream shade wet. It doesnt apply very well, unless you really put in some effort. 
However the copper shade looks really beautiful if applied wet. I would suggest going for a mono-color effect if you are applying this wet.
Also, applying it wet doesn't guarantee really long stay; I would suggest layering the wet shadow, with some dry shadow once it is set.



OVERALL: If you are okay with the pigmentation and application issues or if you [like me] are looking for nice colors that fit your pocket, you could give this one a try. However, I'd suggest you take a look at the single eyeshadows from Essence cos I think they have some great shades in there.

My 1st Memebox [and why I got addicted [a saaad saaaad story] ] - Superbox #40 Pomegranate

I have to thank Renu from MyBeautyJunction for getting me hooked onto this insidious chappies called Memebox. Her reviews on these goody boxes are so enticing that I had to buy one...and another..and then one more... then just this last one...and hmmmm again....the dashed stuff is like potato chips, you can never have just 1!!!!

Since then, my bank account has been taking a steady hit :( :( 

But I am happy..cos these are so worth every penny I've paid so far. 

The 1st one I got was the Pomegranate Super Box. Pomegranate has been a much sought after fruit in my place, famous for its health benefits and use in skin & hair treatments. So I decided to pick this one as the 1st Memebox.

Just check out all these 6 full size products worth $60+. I paid just $23 and I also redeemed some Meme points.

Even with a shipping cost of $6.99 per box, this is so worth the money I paid.

Looking at all the products in the box, I feel its very much a well-rounded box - a cleanser, face pack, massage cream, lip balm, face essence and a night cream..... 

And everything looks so pretty in the pink box and the great wrapping....its like a gift each time I pick it up from Post Office.

This is not a review of the products... Considering these are all skincare products, I need to try it out before I review.

However, considering these are all from renown brands, I think even if I am not awed, I may find some decent products.

Joe Fresh Lip Tint in Crush/Orange

I'd already reviewed Joe Fresh's lip tint here in shade Berry .

Crush is a true orange shade - very much like a concentrated orange soda drink!

The difference I found between the darker Berry shade and this shade in Orange, is the level of pigmentation.

 Not that this one doesnt stain...it does.. but it ends up looking like I was sipping on an orange ice lolly for too long.. not very sophisticated right?

I guess, if you have non-pigmented lips that lean more to white, then this would show up better  and will look more coral-orange. 

But on pigmented lips like mine, this gives an 'ice-lolly' effect - which makes this one, not a very desirable buy for me...

OVERALL: I like the product, but I am not sure if I will ever buy the same color again!

Ipsy September Bag - Street Style

I am not sure that I get the connection between Ipsy bag for this month and the products featured... except for the silver grey bag it came in.

 

Not a fan of this bag - really not! It looks cheap and tacky... ugh...

 

 

The products I got in this bag are:

Crown Brush Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet Brush   

Pacifica Natural Water-Proof Eye Pencil   

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair!™ Deep Conditioning Mask   

CAILYN Art Touch Tinted Lip Gloss   

Nourish Organic Moisturizing Cream Face Cleanser

 

 

The lip gloss I got is in shade  "Love Affair" - it is a cherry red shade that looks much deeper in the tube than on application. 

I tried this once or twice - its your average lip gloss with a slight staining effect, nothing you'd call a lip stain.

However, since I didnt have to pay the full price of $19, I am happy cos I like the shade and it works decent enough.

I am never going to buy this at full price though!

 

 

This cleanser - smells nice, works nice, cleans nice... its a nice cleanser. 

Nothing to sing a song about, but a handy one to keep in your makeup bag.

Don't expect this to be a makeup cleanser though!

 

I am happy with anything that has the word "mineral" in it. Dumb eh? May be..

But I liked how this applies and it looks pretty.

I just wish I'd received the black one.. the chocolate brown shade I received is nice enough, but it doesnt suit my skin tone!

I think it may work better as a brow pen.......

 

I couldn't get a decent shot at this brush. I sure I am always happy to get a good makeup brush, cos its something that lasts much longer and I don;t have to feel guilty about stashing it away :) which I do, with all these subscription box stuff!

 

I tried it once.. it smells nice, works nice.. 

I am not sure if I can judge this by using this small sample alone. But from what I saw so far, its giving some good moisture to my hair and thats nice.

 

For $10, this bag however is sure a good value.

If you're interested in subscribing for IPSY, here is my referral link

Fall Colors: NYX Butter Gloss in Devil's Food Cake

I've already reviewed these awesome affordable range of lip glosses here - LINK , so I am not repeating myself again.

Devil's Food Cake is described as a "Deep Plum" and I agree. This is a dark berry shade that leans more towards red than purple.

Which makes this a great comfortable lip color for Fall :)

Don't expect a very pigmented effect from these glosses - if you're looking for dark vampy lips for fall, I would suggest layering this over a darker lipstick. 

A Vegan Love: Petit Vour Beauty Box for July "Summer Loves"

I wasn't very much impressed with the June beauty box from Petit vour [Check Review here]. 

I mean - it was nice, but well.. 

So I was really happy when I found some interesting stuff in the July box.

The theme of the box is "Summer Loves" and its a collab box with Logical Harmony.There were 4 items - 2 full size and 2 samples. 

The products I received were:

- LVX Nail Lacquer in shade Lolli - full size

- Modern Minerals Eyeshadow in Lola - full size

- Pelle Beauty Luxe oil - sample

- Schmidt's deodorant in Bergamot + Lime - travel size

Pelle Luxe Oil - is something I am keeping aside to try for Winter, when my skin will start howling for oil and moisture. 

I read some good reviews, but I am not sure if I can test this effectively considering the small sample.

 

Of the 4, I am loved LVX's nail polish the best. Its a creamy formula and I'd read some good reviews about the brand online.

The cost is $16 USD and its said to be free of the 4 nasty stuff in nail polishes and its cruelty free. 

Lolli is a pastel pink shade - it's a universally appealing feminine shade; nothing unique but the formula applies nicely, so me LOVE!!!

Schmidt's Bergamot + Lime natural deo is a great idea executed in a stupid way. 

I mean - who wants to dig into a tub for deo? It is so unwieldy!

Considering its not creamy or gel-like but similar to other deo-s it is also waxy, I wish they had the sense to put this in a stick format.

Also, I am sure some people may prefer smelling like floor polish or dish washing liquid, but unfortunately I am not one of them - so this is a no no for me.I wish I'd got the lavender version - I'd have enjoyed it much better!

 

Modern Minerals Eyeshadow in Lolli - is a very very common shade. So common that I can find around 25 dupes in my current eyeshadow kit.

Being a mineral eyeshadow, I am sure it has a wonderful formulation; but since I've so many dupes, I am definitely not opening this one now. 

OVERALL: I am not awed or stunned by this edition but it has some nifty products. Except for the deo, I think I like everything else and can find a use for it. 

For the deo, I think it has a more manly kinda scent - so may be my husband can take a sniff at it!

If you're into Subscription boxes or if you're a vegan beauty lover - you can check Petit Vour here

Essence Dark Romance Collection - Blush, Highlighter and Lipstick

I usually don't review a collection. Most of the collections I've seen so far, had may be 1 or 2 interesting pieces which I'd buy - which to me, doesn't justify it as a "review" of the collection.

However, when I saw this new collection from Essence - Ahh!!!

How can I resist a collection called Dark Romance, espl when Fall is on the way????

The collection had some nail colors and some nail strips and some other stuff, which I cant recall right now. 

However, this is Canada - so don't expect to see the entire collection! 

You can see the entire collection here - LINK

 

Here are the swatches. This is not a review as I've not used it much.  More like, 1st impressions really.

 The one lipstick that was displayed is the shade "Red Romance". Though the packaging is similar to their long lasting lipstick range, they make no claim with this one.

 

This is the highlighter - a very unusual one actually. 

It has a duo-color effect .. like cream and some tints of red & pink.. it looks awesome especially in daylight.

I hope it works as well as it swatches.

 

The blush is "Painted Love. Its has a very custard-like texture.

As this is a bright shade and gives a very "winter-cold-red-cheek" look, application must be very careful to avoid a clownish effect.

Again, since I didnt try, I cannot really say how it works. 

It looks like a nice fun product to try, especially for fair complexions in Winter.

Out of the 3, the one that disappointed me was curiously enough, the one that I was most excited about - Life, huh??

The lipstick applies beautifully, has a creamy-satin semi-sheer finish and is a gorgeous color.

No complaints there. 

But, this is not the vampy or gothic red color I expected with a range called "Dark Romance" and a lipstick called "Red Romance".

This leans more towards a  cherry-pinkish shade. 

I would say its a comfortable red - nothing you'd pick for a night-out; more like a comfortable day time wear.

Again, I've not tested the wear time, so cant really comment on that.

Considering the cost of each product , I always find Essence Limited Editions so much fun. Such variety, for pretty good quality and price!

I'd say - if you find it, grab it. 

Even if you didnt like the colors or the product, it would look nice for Fall and Winter :) :)

What not to buy - NYX Retractable Eye Liner in Deep Purple

I'm shocked - at my self, cos I'm dissing a favorite brand of mine; NYX needs no introduction, its famous for its affordable awesome range of great quality products. I love so many of them - but then, occasionally you get Lemon-ed!

I got this NYX eye liner mainly cos of the color. I was after a good purple eyeliner and when I saw this on sale at my local Rexall, I didn't hesitate much. 

NYX is one of the few drugstore brands here, that has got the concept of "fun and attractive" packaging - like this pencil that is cased in a plastic sturdy purple packaging. 

 

As its retractable, you don't have the hassle of sharpening this pencil. The cost of this eyeliner here in Canada is around $5 CAD.

 

When I got this pencil, I was under the impression that this would be a close match for Revlon's Colorburst Matte balm in Shameless. But its not. Shameless is more fuschia-ish purple while NYX Deep Purple leans more towards deeper blue. 

BUT........................

Here is where my problem starts - you can see that it does not apply very well on lids. Its a drier formula, even on my slightly oily lids, it didnt go smoothly. 

The application, as you can see, gave a very patchy result. It doesnt look very good on its own. 

My next option was to see how this worked if I tried to smoke it out as an eyeshadow. 

 

Surprisingly that looks like the best use for this pencil - to create an easy purple smoky effect.

Caution - don't use this on its own, use it with a black or cream-color eyeshadow to create a good effect.

Lastly, I tried this as a lip color - as you can see, it sucked big time!

 

Overall: It fails in the main use of it - as an eyeliner. Only use I can think of is as a base for a black liner or eyeshadow. 

Even so, there are so many other better products out there, so why try so hard!!!

NYX's Slide On eye pencil range has some rave reviews, so thats my next target. 

But this one - goes to the far away Land of Makeup Up Bought But Never Used Cos It Sucked & I Couldn't Return The Bugger !!!