Tweezerman Eyebrow Tweezers

I have yet to find better tweezers. I am a very frugal person and I don't like to spend more money than I have to. Therefore, I always tweeze my own eyebrows and don't spend money on getting them professionally waxed or tweezed for me. Because of this, I have been on the hunt for some good tweezers. I actually bought my Tweezerman tweezers from bed, bath, and beyond (I know, really random)however I know that Sephora sells this product too.

This is a wonderful product to purchase because it gets the tiniest eyebrow that pops out. I like to get every last one because I never like looking in the mirror and seeing that one little black speck on my brow bone from where I couldn't get that tiny eyebrow hair. There hasn't been a piece of hair that these tweezers couldn't reach or get out. They are so precise and accurate in their plucking ability. It's the best tweezers I have ever used.

I tell you all this information because I'm sick and tired of all my friends complaining about not having a good tweezer. GET TWEEZERMANS! Now that you know, you have no excuse not to get one for youself. My friends are constantly borrowing my tweezers to pluck their eyebrows, but don't be that friend who always has to borrow. Go purchase your own and use it. I love these tweezers and will never convert to another kind.

-Lina

NARS Orgasm Lipgloss

I love this lipgloss. This is a coral-pink lipgloss with gold shimmer to it. It makes your lips look very glossy and paired with the NARS Orgasm Blush it is perfection. If you've been keeping up with my blog, you know that I love anything with gold in it and I had already known about the Orgasm Blush, so when I saw the lipgloss I got really excited.

The packaging looks just like every other NARS lipgloss and has a translucent case to show the color inside. The texture of the lipgloss is very smooth and not sticky at all. I love love love this product. Lipstick isn't even needed under it. The color is very pronounced and not sheer like most lipglosses. The gold sheen is wonderful to give your lips a nice sunkissed looked especially for the summertime. It looks wonderful in pictures and takes to the camera very well.

The only complaint I would have about this product is that the scent and taste aren't nice. It kind of smells medicinal and it's not pleasant when you accident taste it. It lasts a long time on the lips however and the scent tends to fade after a while. Reapplication is necessary after about an hour or so because it is a lipgloss and tends to slip around. The gold glitter in the lipgloss also bleeds onto the outside of the lips so when wiping off the lipgloss, be careful not to get it all over your mouth or else you'll have gold shimmer all over the place.

Overall, I love the color and will be repurchasing.

-Lina

Sephora Supports Breast Cancer

In light of the month of October being Breast Cancer Awareness month Sephora has taken steps to help support Breast Cancer Awareness.


Some products that are being featured as "pink products" to help support Breast Cancer Awareness:

-Clarisonic Plus for Face and Body “Cleanse for Hope” 
-SEPHORA COLLECTION BCA Pink Eyelash Curler
-Clinique BCA Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion Luxury Size
-Philosophy Shower For The Cure Shampoo, Bath & Shower Gel

 Sephora's main target audience is women. Whether those women are in high school or retired, Sephora can relate to women of all ages, races, and statuses. Sephora brings together women and stands up for Breast Cancer Awareness which plagues 200,000 women a year. As women, we need to support and stand up for each other. Sephora has great deals and products and these four featured items are raved items that can help reduce that number of women diagnosed with breast cancer per year. Check it out and help make our futures brighter.

-Lina

StriVectin-SD Intensive Concentrate for Existing Stretch Marks

COUPON CODE ANNOUNCEMENT:
When you enter the code FADEAWAY at checkout when purchasing a product on the sephora website you will receive a free sample of the StriVectin-SD lastest anti-wrinkle concentrate. That is a $20 value you get for free!

I have been using the StriVectin-SD Intensive Concentrate For Existing Stretch Marks and can see gradual difference in the appearance of my stretch marks. I have a few stretch marks on my inner thighs and have always been too embarrassed to wear shorts or bathing suits in public because of this reason. However, my mom bought this product and told me to try it out. I was skeptical at first because I've had them for so long that I didn't think some topical lotion could help it at all. However, to my pleasant surprise I saw a difference.

The product is very concentrated and doesn't need to be caked on. I only use a small amount and lather it on after my shower and let it soak into my skin before putting on my clothes. I have been using it for a year now, and I can see that the stretch marks have gotten lighter and the skin has become more firm.

This product does have a slight medicinal scent to it, however it's not too terrible after a while. I got used it to it and didn't mind it after a while of using it. It was a really pricey product and that's why I would hesistate to repurchase this product. Because it didn't get rid of my stretch marks completely and I would still be wary of putting on a pair of shorts or a bathing suit in public. I think that once I use this product up, I won't be repurchasing just because the price is so high. The good thing though is that you don't need a lot for each use because it is such a concentrated product. I trust StriVectin-SD products and I recommend everyone to use the coupon code to receive their free product.

-Lina

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

I feel like every girl should own this eyelash curler. I never knew my lashes could curl the way they do when I use Shu Uemura's Eyelash Curler. I have been blessed with asian eyelashes which means that they are normally shorter than most people's lashes and they are stick straight. I have tried every drugstore eyelash curling product, however I gave up and thought that my lashes would forever be straight as a arrow. Then my friend introduced me to Shu Uemura's eyelash curler and I immediately fell in love with this product.

I have made my mom and my sister believers too. They were skeptics because they also inherited the impossibly straight eyelashes and used every product in the drugstore world to try and curl them in the slightest. However, as soon as I purchased this product I made them try and now they all own their own Shu Uemura eyelash curler. My eyelashes are very stubborn and while the Shu Uemura eyelash curlers will curl them nicely I have to apply waterproof mascara to keep them curled throughout the day.

It was only $19 at Sephora and it comes with two pads. It was worth every penny and I am sharing the good news to all my fellow straight-lashed ladies out there who are having a hard time curling their lashes. The sephora website recommends the pad be changed every 3 months, however it you are careful to sanitize and wipe it down after every use, it works perfectly and lasts much longer than that. I have had mine for well over a year and the first pad is still going strong. However, when I run out of both pads and need to repurchase the padding for the eyelash curler, I will not hesitate to do so because this product works wonders. I love this product and it will be my best friend forever.

-Lina

NARS El Dorado Cream Eyeshadow

I am obsessed with anything and everything gold and shimmery so when I saw El Dorado I thought I was in heaven. I swatched the color and found it to be very pigmented with great color payoff. I wasn't surprised though because it is a cream shadow and I find that cream shadows tend to be very pigmented, especially when applied with the finger. The packaging was just like any other NARS eyeshadow so I didn't realize it was a cream eyeshadow until I felt the texture of it. It comes with 0.1 oz. which may not seem like a lot but because it is so pigmented, you really don't use much for every time you appy it.

I normally apply this cream shadow with my finger because I find that the heat from my fingers warms the product up which helps blend it on my eyelid better. Be careful not to tug on your eyelid when applying the shadow because that could cause fine lines and wrinkles. I always use my ring finger because that applies the least amount of pressure on your eyelids which causes less tugging. This cream shadow is a nice base for other eyeshadows because the eyeshadow sticks the cream shadow nicely and evenly. I also found the cream shadow to be a nice color for the inner tear duct of the eye because it is so vibrant and bright.

This color really brightens up the eyes and looks wonderful in the sun, however it does not look flattering alone on the eyelid. Unless it is applied very sheer, this cream shadow can wash out the eyelids and make them look very naked and bare. I recommend neutral and warm colors such as brown or beige to blend around with this cream shadow.

Overall, this is a beautiful color with great color payoff and will be a repurchase for me.

-Lina

NARS Orgasm Blush

This Youtube makeup guru talks about the famous NARS Orgasm Blush. She gives a decent review of the product and I thought I'd share her thoughts here on Sephoraity.

NARS is a nice coral pink color with gold flecks in it. I love gold glitter and shimmer in everything so when I say this blush I immediately had to have it. When I swatched it at Sephora it came out really pigmented and a lot of the color transfered onto my finger, however when I opened the new blush at home and swatched it, it came out very sheer and light. I was confused at first and thought I had the wrong blush, but then I realized that the blush at the store had a lot of oil build up from so many fingers dipping into it.

After using the blush a couple of times, I realized that the Orgasm Blush was better when it was sheer with the gold flecks because my cheeks are already pretty pigmented so when I apply blush on top of it, it could look a little clownish. However, because the NARS Oragsm blush applied sheer with a slight flush of coraly-pink, I was able to get the pretty gold flecks on my cheeks to highlight as well as a slight pink tone to my cheeks. It didn't look too overdone and it was perfect. When I first tried to apply the blush, because it came out so sheer I kept patting it on until I realized I went overboard with it and it looked gross. NARS Orgasm is definitely better when applied sheer.

This product had no negative side effects on my skin which was good because I have really sensitive skin. It added a nice glow to it and made my skin look rather healthy after application. I love the color and the finish of the product and will be repurchasing this product again.

-Lina

Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream SPF 55 PA+++

Shiseido has been my holy grail for sun protection and this sunscreen lotion delivers. The Shiseido website recommends this lotion to be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure and gives othergreat sun safety tips.

This sunscreen has a very high SPF of 55 but also has PA +++ which protects against premature wrinkling and fine lines. Although the high SPF is great and the sun protection is a great plus, what I love most about this product is it's non-greasy feeling. I love that it is non-sticky, non-greasy, and not thick. A little bit goes a long way and although the product comes in a small bottle, I've had mine all summer and I'm still using it with a lot more to go. It applies so smoothly and soaks in right away. It does not leave a shiny finish and rather leaves your face feeling matte and the texture, more even.

I use this sunscreen as a primer for my foundation because it keeps my oil at bay and keeps my foundation in place. After I've washed and moisturized my face I will apply this sunscreen lotion and then put on all my makeup. It doesn't cake up at all and feels very light weight on my face. I have really sensitive skin and have tried multiple sunscreens that broke me out, however this sunscreen is not only effective, but also gentle on the skin. It is formulated with Rose Apple Leaf Extract which prevents in vitro and creates a antioxidant effect. The fragrance from the sunscreen could also be from the Rose Apple Leaf Extract, however it quite nice. The fragrance is slight and very elegant. I like it smells more mature rather than sweet and fruity.

Overall, this product leaves an amazing finish, delivers well and I will be repurchasing this product again.

For those who dont like the feel and texture of sunscreen on their skin I have a review on a powder foundation that has SPF in it.

-Lina

Shiseido Sun Protection Compact Foundation SPF 34 PA+++ Review

I have been really into sunscreen lately and taking preventative measures against the harmful rays of the sun. UVB and UVA rays are very harmful to the skin and not only burn the skin but also cause premature wrinkling and fine lines. To read more about sunscreen and the effects of UVA/UVB rays visit:
http://www.skinacea.com/sunscreen/how_choose.htm

http://www.aad.org/media/background/factsheets/fact_sunscreen.htm

I used to always wach my mother apply powder foundation and swore I would never take that route however, to my surprise the Shiseido Compact Foundation looked really really nice on my skin. I have become a believer and I never feel like it looks caky or flaky. The plus side that really gets me is the fact that this compact foundation seems to keep my oil at bay. I have combination to oily skin and am always looking for good matte foundations, and not only does the result of this foundation look matte, but it also keeps it matte for a while. I normally don't have to touch up for a couple hours before I see any shine or oil build up on my face.

Another plus for this foundation is that the coverage level is good with a natural finish. It evens out the skintone and does a good job of covering redness and slight dark spots. Concealer is still needed for severe discoloration, however the foundation does a good job of muting out some of the color. The way I apply is usually with the sponge that it comes with and I just pat it on rather than swiping it across my face. Sometimes I use a big kabuki brush for better coverage. And the foundatoin is buildable all the while still looking very natural.

Last, but certainly not least, the SPF in the foundation is the best part of all. I'm normally rushing out the door to get to class and I don't have time to put on sunscreen and foundation separately, which makes this all-in-one foundation handy. I can just pat on this foundation and go right out the door and know that I'm still protected from the harmful rays of the sun. This is also nice to carry around and touch up with instead of lathering on sunscreen lotion over your makeup throughout the day. Sunscreen should be reapplied throughtout the day for best protection and I found this powder foundation works best. This is definitely going to be a repurchase for me.

-Lina

A Youtube makeup guru talks a little about this compact foundation.

Sephora Brand "Tricks of the Trade" Anti-Shine Primer Review

For all my oily-skinned ladies out there, our prayers have been answered.
I am all for things that make my face appear matte, so when I came across Sephora's Anti-Shine Primer I was thrilled at the results.

Normally I start with my face lotion after I've washed it and then I go over it with sunscreen. On a normal day, I would just put on foundation and run out of the door however, I found myself constantly wiping off excess sebum from my face throughout the day. That is why I now apply Sephora's Anti-Shine Primer over my sunscreen before my foundation. Not only does this primer keep your face matte for hours, it also hold your foundation in place so it doesn't melt off or rub off on clothes easily. I found this primer dries rather quickly so you have to be quick when applying it. This is my holy grail for primers and I will be repurchasing this product once I'm through with it. I also have very sensitive skin. This makes me very hesitant when purchasing new face products, however, I am happy to report that this primer does not break me out.

The downside to this product is that it doesn't last all day. It will last for a good couple hours depending on the level of your facial sebum production, however I found that at the end of the day I will see some shininess. It also has a strong fragrance that some people may not like. This product does contain alcohol as one of its ingredients and can be very drying for combination skin.

Overall, I like this product enough to repurchase and it will be a part of my daily skin regimen! :)

-Lina

A Youtube makeup guru compares this anti-shine primer with another sephora oil-controlling product and gives a detailed review of the product.