Jill Stuart 101 Smoky Quartz Palette Review, Swatches, FOTD, Tutorial

This limited edition Jill Stuart 101 Smoky Quartz palette is a thing of beauty. It was a Taiwan exclusive but was also found in Hong Kong at some point. Pink Sith had tweeted about the palette which sent me looking. I was lucky enough to find it on Imomoko, the palette is supposedly sold out at counters across asia.

Jill Stuart eyeshadow palettes are usually too shimmery for me, but not this one. The Smoky Quartz palette has a good mix of shimmer and sheen, it's very modern chic. The four shades are wearable and they work well with each other. The texture is soft and easy to blend. It's a versatile palette, one where you can create a few looks with. It's also a great day to night palette to have in your makeup bag.

I hope Jill Stuart makes more palettes like this in the future. I didn't fancy any of their eyeshadow palettes until this one. I do recommend this palette if you can still find it.

Here are some more product photos, swatches, and video tutorial...










XOXO, M

EOS Candy Brown Dolly Wink Lenses Review

Ilovecirclelenses.com kindly sent me a pair of Dolly Wink brown lenses for review. Their webstore have a decent selection of lenses available at reasonable prices all withing the $20-$25 range. The lenses came with a contact case as well as a pair of lashes. The lashes are currently a promotional item that gets included with purchases over $50.

Tsubasa Masuwaka wears the EOS Brown lenses to promote her Dolly Wink cosmetics range hence, the Dolly Wink nickname. The lenses have a thick outer ring and a light brown gradation effect towards the center. They give you the cute innocent big eyed look that's very popular amongst gyarus. They are very cute, great for going out but definitely not for the corporate scene.

These are not the most comfortable circle lenses.I find them more drying than the GEO Nudy and Angel series. The specs are the same as the GEO Nudys and Angels: 8.6 base curve and 14.5 in diameter. I can wear them for about 6-8 hours before they start irritating my eyes. I like the way they look but dislike how drying they are.

Here are more pictures and the video review:





XOXO, M

Kose Visee Glam Shade Eyes Review and Swatches

Visee released the Glam Shade Eyes as part of their Spring 2011 collection. It's priced pretty high at around $21 USD per palette. I decided to try the something pink and ordered the PK-1 palette off Adam Beauty.

The palette is small with a nice layout and pretty case. The shades are neutral with a shimmery finish. The highlight shade on the very right is extra shimmery while the one to the left is more of a satin finish. The shadows are soft but not as pigmented. The second and third shade from the left appear too similar when applied and blended on the eyes.

This palette was just a tad too shimmery for my personal liking. I find the price point high for what it offers. While the packaging is pretty, the shadows are not as nice as the older Visee palettes that I love.

More pictures and swatches below:





Visee recently released the limited edition Glam Shade Eyes in BR-9 Gypsy Gold and BR-10 Nostalgic Bronze. The packaging is even more attractive (seen here on Ichibankao). I'm tempted to try Gypsy Gold even though I wasn't so keen on the pink palette. What do you guys think?

XOXO, M

Essie Sand Tropez Review, Swatches

Essie Sand Tropez looked boring in the jar. I thought it was simple and dupe-able, yet, I couldn't find anything in my stash quite like it. I ended up really liking the shade after applying it, talk about not judging a book by its cover. It's a opaque sandy beige that's rather unique, wearable, and chic. I'm not too fond of the consistency which is on the streaky end but the shade is worth working with.

Sand Tropez is part of Essie's Spring 2011 French Affair collection. Did you try the shades from this collection? Do you have a favorite from the set?

XOXO, M

Wet 'n Wild Color Icon 8 Pan Palette Review, Swatches and Beauty Ambassador!

I've been searching high and low for these Wet 'n Wild 8-pan palettes ever since their release. I don't have access to a Walmart (none exist within Manhattan) so I'm limited to stalking the Walgreens in the area. I had no luck. I owe it all to Diana (xmayaarix) for tracking one down for me.

These 8-pan palette are just as smooth and pigmented as their 6-pan (reviewed here and here), 3-pan (reviewed here), and single color icon shadows(reviewed here). It's also just as delicate so you'll have to be very careful not to drop it. My palette got a little messy in transit but did make it in one piece. I'm loving how wearable the shades are in this palette.

If you can actually find these in your area totally give them a try. They're under $10, a great budget purchase. There are currently three variations of the 8-pan palettes available.

Here are the swatches...




Have you tried these 8-pan palettes? Were they easy to find in your area?

In other Wet 'n Wild news, I signed up to become a Wet 'n Wild Beauty Ambassador and was recently accepted! I'm super excited and couldn't wait to share the news with you guys. It'll be announced on the official Wet 'n Wild website later this week.

If you're interested in signing up to be a Wet 'n Wild Beauty Ambassador yourself, you can find the details on the left hand menu bar of their site.

XOXO, M

Inside The Free Target Beauty Bag...

I received my free Target Beauty pouch about 2.5 weeks after I signed up for it. The pouch came with a few small samplers and a coupon book for future purchases. The pouch, to me, was the highlight. The pattern reminds me of designs by Tory Burch or DVF and is very Spring and Summer. It's not big but rather chic.


Did you sign up for this pouch? I'm wondering if they packed the same items for everyone.

XOXO, M

Incoco Dry Nail Polish Strips Review

Dry polish strips sounds so appealing doesn't it? All you have to do is apply it onto your nails, there's no mess and no drying time.

The Incoco french manicure dry polish set comes with one layer for the base polish and another for the french tip. The kit also includes filer/buffer, cuticle tip, and polish removal cloth. You apply the french tip first then the base tip over it to get that french manicure look, file off any excess and you're set. It seemed easy enough but so not the case in reality. I had problems finding a good size that fits my nails, it was either too big or too small. It was hard to get a smooth application and often ends up wrinkly. My nails are very curved and it was particularly hard to get it to conform to the curve.

All in all, I probably could have done my own French manicure given the amount of time I spent trying to apply then re-apply these strips. I wouldn't recommend this polish based on my experience with it. I followed the instructions provided and couldn't really get it right. If you've tried the Incoco dried polishes and have some tips please let me know.

See more pictures below:





XOXO, M
*This post contains a product that was provided by The Shimmer Network for review consideration

Ahava Intensive Hydration Mask Review

This is a bummer. This post features something that was recently discontinued. AHAVA went through a major revamp and relaunched with all new products complete with new packaging. I'm still writing about this mask because I like it so.

The Ahava Intensive Hydration Mask is a cream based mask. You apply it directly to freshly cleansed skin and you'll skin should absorb it pretty quickly. You won't see the mask on but it does feel a little heavy. You can leave it on for about 15 minutes and rinse it off or leave it on overnight for intense therapy. I've done both but prefer leaving it on overnight since it's easier. It makes my skin feel soft, smooth, well hydrated and moistured by the morning. I use it about 3-4 times a week alternating with my sheet masks. I'll probably use this mask less come Summer time since it's on the heavier end. It's really done my skin well over the bitter cold Winter months.

This mask is good for dry to regular skin. I wouldn't recommend it for oily skin. This mask is no longer on the AHAVA site after the revamp but is still available on Amazon. I'm sure you'll be able to locate it elsewhere if you run a search for it.




XOXO, M

Hourglass Visionaire Eye Shadow Duo Review and Swatches

Neutrals never go out of style, especially amazing neutrals like this one.

Hourglass Visionaire Eye Shadow Duo is a gem. The texture is luxuriously soft, smooth, pigmented, and easy to blend. I have the shadow duo in Gypsy and while it appears simple in the pan it's actually rather unique. The darker of the two shades is a warm but not too warm brown. Both shadows have this sophisticated sheen quality to it, it gives you dimension without looking glittery or shimmery. They made it so that the two shades are really all you need.

The case is a swivel top compact with a mirror and comes with a small applicator brush. I kind of wish it had been a classic compact. The swivel top moves around too much and I almost nicked the shadow because of it. At $38 per duo you really don't want to damage the shadows.

I'm kind of in love with this duo. I have it in my makeup bag and pretty much shoved aside the others for now. It's just so flattering and easy to use. There are currently only 5 duos available so the color range is limited. I'd personally love to see a quad from them.

Believe me, you want this. I'll leave you with the swatches and more pictures (including a look of the day):





On my cheeks and lips is my other current obsession, Becca Lip and Cheek creme in Tuberose which I reviewed earlier here.

XOXO, M

OPI The It Color

OPI The It Color is a darker bright yellow with a hint of orange, it reminds me of the cabs in the city. The shade makes me happy and adds a pop of color to the dreary "Spring" we have going on here in the Northeast. The formula is a tad streaky but that fixed itself quickly with 2-3 coats and left a lovely finish.

I can't wait for real Spring/Summer! It's been a painful and long Winter.

XOXO, M