the Xmas set cave: Addiction Tokyo Jazz

Geehh, I've been missing this blog. It gotten almost as far that I wanted order things for the mere purpose to review it over here. Ok, eventually I ordered from narcisistic cravings but I was tempted on altruistic spending for review's sake only...

This year I'm slightly more about palettes than last year. I've already caved on Laura Mercier, a brand I seldom use...And I just couldn't resist Addiction Tokyo Jazz: Purple??? Mustard??? and my first powdery highlighter from them??? Yes, bring it on!

leather-look clutch: Addiction;  catmask: my own from Venice ❥❥

I would love to show you some swatches today, but somehow they went a bit weird on my arm. My
 instinct was like...darn, crappy quality. However, they seem to blend better on my eyelids. Though it's not as finely milled as Addiction's usual quality.

I don't want to draw any conclusions yet as I swatched the palette directly from the icy cold box it came from. The colours do look like a funky mix. 

The highlighter:

I'm not that keen on the highlighter blush: it swatches irregularly and it's quite sparkly: I'll compare it with my superbly textured Surrat highlighter soon.

And not on the pictures is their Eyeliner Pencil in Blackjack. This one knows how to draw an inky-black line: and that for a pencil:

First impression:  

I'm not too exhilarated about this set.  I'm normally quite a fan of Addiction (see earlier reviews) and I like their single eyeshadows for the combination of a buttery texture with a fun/original dimension of colours. Tokyo Jazz palette: The sparkly whitish eyeshadow is purely gritty, the mustard is as sheer as you can find and the purple is not a beautifully multi-dimensional one. Neither is the Eggplant/grey colour.

The only thing I'm really liking right now is the Eyeliner pencil in Blackjack. 

I hope my luck will get better with swatching the colours later...

Pencil-Perfect with Marc Jacobs Sky-liner

It's a bit early for Xmas giftsets.

 Then again, it isn't that early yet. So I have been so nice to do some research into makeupsets and get the Marc Jacobs Sky-liner set; purely for the aforementioned altruistic purpose, ofcourse.

Like last time with the Dreamer palette, I had a back-to-school feeling when opening the box:

 It would be a sandwich-box for one-slice-only people, but as far as I understood bread is sooo non-fashionable?

This lunchbox is more of a feast for the eyes:

It contains 7 pencils in mini sizes: five are from their permanent line and the hottest two are limited editions to this set. Ohhh...

And with names:

Time for swatches; at 1st sight:

Closer:

•  [O]vert is that dark-khaki colour that looks either dark-brown or -grey from a distance. Up close it looks like a moody green that will make hazel eyes appear more green. Also, a soft colour for natural redheads & blondes. It has less sparkle than the others but is still lustruous
• Brown[out] is a vivid & sparkly darker brown with a mix of warm & neutral tones. 

 

• Sunset [LE] is a brick orangy colour that will make blue or green eyes appear either brighter or perhaps a bit rabbity (depends on your natural lightness & whether you tightline). It will bring out a soft glow in brown to darker eyes. It has a metallic formula
•  Midnight in Paris [LE] is a navy colour with a lightblue sparkly overlay.

 

• [Th]ink is a deep blue-based purple with a soft metallic glow (slightly pink-purple). Absolutely gorgeous!
• [Plum]age is a purple with a red base with a fleck-like pink metallic overlay.

As for Blaquer: it's just as matte & velvety as the 1st photo so I will not show different angles of it.

I really love the quality of the pencils, but this is a personal preference. It's a softer formula which makes it easier to blend and apply to more mature eyelids. It stays on me for about 8 hours before I get some wear. It does not flake or merges on my cheeks.

Also, the easy twist-up shape is wonderful for people who don't like to sharpen like every day:

Hence, travel-friendly.

Generally, I really adore my new pencils and I have some brilliant new colours I did not have in my collection. They remind me of Pixi Endless Silky Eyepencils, in both quality as colours. The sizes are quite big for mini-sizes, but small enough to tote around. The glossy overlay over the pencil protects it from denting, hence I have a feel they will stay pretty for longer. It will make a perfect gift for any girl or even an edgy boy-mate: IMO, even the most makeup-shy women seem to wear a bit of pencil every now and then.

CONCLUSION: The sky is not the limit with these adorably beautiful and functional eyeliners.

Available at Sephora for $45.00

November Empties & December Full's

My empties of November: 

1. Inner Me Pretty Locks haircapsules:

The cute packaging of a Zoe Deschanel look-a-like in animation + the promise of bountiful hair = purchase. I'm not sure if I repurchase as similar ingredients come cheaper in other formulas.

2. REN F10 Smooth and Renew Mask: 

I really liked the thicker texture of this mask/exfoliator and it removes enough skincells without going overboard. I'll consider repurchasing as REN is easily available in Holland and it works quite well.

3/4. Intelligent Nutrients Body Elixir in Attune & Restore

I bought both on sale and I liked both (review here). They are oils with a slightly sticky texture, so it works wonderful as an evening oil. I prefer Attune's fragance as Restore is a bit too pepperminty. They're both smaller sizes 50 ml so I'm not sure if I'd repurchase when full priced.

5. Sophyto Exfoliating Treatment

Yes, another exfoliator and another good one as well: I often exfoliate more after a holiday and during autumn. The texture is so much thinner as REN: a lotion-like substance that gives a bit of a tingle after 10 minutes. It works just as adequate as REN in exfoliating terms and is slightly cheaper, but I have to order it online.

6.  Neil George Indian Gooseberry treatment for hair (the whole package of 6)

I once received a free sample and liked it a lot. I love it for my dryer (highlighted) hairs close to my scalp: it adds moisture and seems healing without making it loose volume.  I think it is an expensive set so I tried the pure Amla (Gooseberry) oil but that version was so intensely fraganced and quite heavy & oily in the pure form. So I'd repurchase but only after payday.

6. Aveda Invati Exfoliating Shampoo

A wonderful & slightly herbal scented shampoo. It adds a certain degree of 'thickness' and it never feels stripping. I use it in combination with their Revitaliser so I cannot tell how it works on itself. But my hair on top looks a lot healthier these days.

7.  Pai Echium Eyecream

My second bottle used up (1st review here). I am not sure if I got this one for free or that I bought this one and got something else for free. I love this thicker eyecream but curiosity made me buy the similar looking Nourish RevitalEyes with Kale.

8. RapidLash Eyelash growth Serum

I've gotten eyelash extensions during summer and for my last holiday. They're handy for the beach but at a certain moment I get tired of them: as they feel unnatural after 3 weeks and the constant refreshing is expensive and time-consuming.  I think they slightly wreck your own eyelashes so I'm trying to recover them by RapidLash. It worked lovely the last time as they grew normal and even more sensually long after a month: wonderful!

Those have been my empties, so I bought myself a Ciate Mini Mani Advent Calender to surprise myself every day:

It's really a good value if you like Ciate with a couple of newbie colours too. 

I already 'cheated' and added day 13 to my nails (spoiler: it's Ferris Wheel).

But as a good girl I added day 1 on top today: Snow Globe, a gorgeously greenish-silver holo flecked goodiness:

And that will absolutely not be the only newbie beauty product for December: I'll keep you updated : )

Xmas Tingies

Some Chrismas presents update and other tingies...

1. My little golden Seahorse:

I love underwater life even though I haven't been diving for ages. When I was 16 I did my Padi course on holidays, and I saw a seahorse for the first time: 

Magical! 

Did you know that seahorses are really feminist? The males are the ones getting pregnant and delivering their babies. 

Some other new babies: 

2. Laura Mercier Eyeliner Set

This year I was quite underwhelmed by most Christmas sets, or perhaps I have bought too many Lunasol and other sets in the years before because I wasn't really tempted.

I went for the Laura Mercier kohlliner's set after seeing some excellent swatches on makeupguru Karen: she tries out a lot so if she likes a kohlliner it must be something. Also, her cat approves...so, in her words "how cool is that?".

Some Used ups

I finally got the cultstatus SK-II Facial Treatment Repair C and finished it. I really like it for it's neutral value and I think I'll repurchase.
Phytospecific Night cream for hair: Meh...


Japanese Liese Hairdesigning jelly in I: I actually like this for keeping my do less frizzy. My hair is straight but with some broken strands that can frizz up during winter. This one tames them a bit.
Madara Deep Moisture cream: Yummy for daytime in winter and not that greasy-feeling for a Deep Moisture cream, quite light. Perhaps a repurchase too but I'll try the products in the winter set first.

Chrismas Presents 'research' (read: new lovelies)

After this semi-preachy talk about appreciating the well-functioning products in your beauty-robe, I bought  some new products.

My excuse besides being a beauty-a-holic was "research for Christmas Shopping for my friends and family" ;P. (write that one down)

1. Burberry Eyeshadow Palette in 06 Plum Pink

I was already itching to buy the single eyeshadow in Dark Sable that was released this fall, untill I saw the incredibly accurate swatches over here, here and here. I was convinced that I needed a full-on palette this time.

Totally buttery silky, like you can expect from Burberry Beauty. I have been playing with them this weekend and totally love them.

I will not review them as it has been done so perfectly at the earlier mentioned blogs, just to say I love the harmony of the colours combined and it's one of those better pink/purples/mauve blends that actually does not look like I've been crying or having a night-of-partying.

2. Cire Trudon candle in Mademoiselle de la Valliere

Yay, I was so happy to found a Dutch adress that basically sells all of the candles that I bought the one I was most attracted to at the time being. It smells really happy and actually quite like spring with all it's flowers (more precise ingredients here)

Mlle de La Valliere burning beautifully

For this one I will do a review soon. I probably combine a post with more candles so to get a clearer idea of having a beautiful fragance in your home or as a present for your loved ones.

3. Sampling Argentum Apothecary La Lotion Infinie cream

I've read about them in some Glossy magazines, one of them the latest ElleUK December edition. Their website gives you the opportunity for a free sample, and the ones not living in the UK only have to pay for shipping (about $3).

I liked the sample, but I have to say that I disagree with the claim that it's really suitable for sensitive skins: It has a high fragance level, being quite masculine or like those 1990s unisex Calvin Klein One's. However, I loved it's effect: I only tried the sample but it has a fluffy and matte consistency which really makes the skin looks better after a couple of days.

I will sample another sachet during spring to how my skin likes it when it's not too sensitive, because the full jar will set you back a whopping £147.00 and that's quite the cash.

Sample them here.

4. Inner Me Beautify Me

Inner beauty...or the supplements are often the things that make my skin go calmer when flaring up.

 

Ingredients such as MSM, Silica, Marine Collagens and Vitamin C are perfect to calm and perk up skins. I was especially thrilled about their MSM as I used it before and it helped calming my pre-winter sensitive skin. Their box is so cute and they have this days-of-the-week system that can help you reminding to take them regularly. 

Only downside is that they're not so cheap for a supply of 28 pills for only 2 weeks for 18 euro. I think I will buy separate MSM supplements with a higher degree of MSM for the next time, but with the Omega 3 and the Collagen Supplement I feel it has been helping my skin.

Find them here on the original site.

Lunasol Xmas Coffret 2011 part 2: eyeshadow quad EX01

Let's start with some sunday vanities with the last part of the review of the Lunasol Xmas Coffret 2011.

Probably the part most beauty people would be most interested about: the eyeshadow palette. The full name is the Kanebo Lunasol Three-dimensional eyes in EX01 Tender Glow Beige Brown. I already found my title long enough so I just put down the things I placed above ;D

Lunasol Three-dimensional eyes in EX01 Tender Glow Beige Brown (flash light camera)

Lunasol has been releasing different variety of their eyeshadow quads or quintets for a long time. They launched the octed one (that's 8, I had to look that one up too ;D)  this year. I hadn't been buying them yet, because my place is flouded with eyeshadow everything, but I was glad to receive it in this set.

Lunasol Three-dimensional eyes in EX01 Tender Glow Beige Brown: outdoor light no sun

So you get 8 colours with the latest release. Some of them are quite tiny, and the most useful ones/the ones you probably use the most of are full compact colours. I already reasoned that the tiny strips do not bother me at all, because I have to see the first time I will finish an eyeshadow in a normal size..

Lunasol Three-dimensional eyes in EX01 Tender Glow Beige Brown: Camera Flash

Swatch time: (feel free to click on the pictures for a better view)

Lunasol EX01 Tender Glow Beige Brown EX01: swatches -> lighter top row

The colours:
1 is a glittery colour with a hint of a cool-white base. To me, this is the most useless colour because I don't do glitter, unless it is on my nails during the holiday season (hello glitter nails right now). For women/girls who like a bit of glitter, it is quite a grown up glitter and perfect for that eye-opening effect in the middle of your eyelids or anywhere you like that bit of flash.

2 is a bit chalky white, but looks better when blended. It is not so visible in the picture, but this white has a pinkish undertone you can see in different lighting. Quite subtle and really fresh.

When I was younger I used to LOVE to put white eyeshadow and white eyeliner on, even though everyone else recommended the smokey eyes. There was this brilliant quad from Christian Dior composed of all kinds of white with different hues, green/pink/blue I used....so gorgeous (around 1996), they should relaunch that quad again. When younger you do not always go for obvious beauty (at least I didn't) but sometimes you want to look freshly different...the whites of the Dior quad were perfect for that.

Ahhh, makeup nostalgia

3 is another white with a slight purple undertone. It looks chalky but blends like a dream. Lunasol really pigmented this selection of quads but their blendability is still excellent.

4 is the perfect mushroom neutral that almost every makeupliking person would appreciate (and being familiar of). That's why this one is in the big formula.

Continuing with the browns:

.

Lunasol EX01 Tender Glow Beige Brown Swatches the darker bottom row

5 is a warmer hued brown with a dash of glitter...yeh, not too hyped about the glitter. I hope I can use this one. Still, a beautiful neutal in a big formula as well.

6 is a cooler, darker brown with a shimmery base and a hint of gold. Ohhh, so lovely.

7 is darker than 6 so perfect for the 3-dimensial effect and gradually creating a smokey-brown eye. It has that lovely golden sheen as well and the glitter is small enough for me to tolerate ;)

8 is a blackish brown that I will probably use as a sort of eyeliner or close to my lashbase. A bit more glitter than 7 and 8 but for an eyeliner I do not mind because it makes it more alive.

Overall, the pigmentation is stronger than their previous ranges but they still blend easily so you can make it as deep or sheer as you like.
 It is also the perfect neutral palette, colourwise. You cannot go wrong with a set of browns. The whites make it quirky enough to do something different (see  nostalgia story of mine) if you wear them alone. So I really like the versability of the palette.
My only gripe is the glitter. It could have toned down on the glitter, but it is made for an Asian market and most girls do like a bit of sparkle.

If you want to see the review I made on the rest of the set, click here and you can see the other items included in the set.

Review: Kanebo Lunasol Coffret Xmas 2011

Hello, it's here!

Hold tight, because I will have pictures and swatches of almost everything, that is a lot for one post but I decided to keep it in one post.

The only thing I won't be swatching is the eyeshadow palette. (I'll keep that one for later).

I already had high expectations based on the promotion pictures I saw (talked about it here). I have been slightly enamourated with the clutch and I know from previous Lunasol Xmas editions that they seldom dissapoint...sometimes they repeat the best-sellers, but for me that is not such a problem because that has given me the opportunity to (finally) have one of the bestsellers that are always sold-out.

The shine on that clutch is already amazing.

But eventually I bought it for the shiny thingies inside, right?

Lunasol provides its coffret with 4 full sized products:

1. the Skin Contrast Face Powder in 01 Glow
2. Full Glamour Gloss in EX19 Tender Glow Pink
3. Cream Cheeks in EX 04 Tender Glow Pink
4. Eyeshadow palette in EX 01 Tender Glow Beige Brown

So let's look at everything in the same order!

1. Skin Contrast Face Powder in 01 Glow

I was most curious about this: I wondered if it would be an overly shimmery/glittery powder or a powder for blotting/diffusing the face. I hoped for the last.

And YES! It's mainly a face powder for setting makeup:

Still, if you click on the pictures you can see a tiny glitter/fleck appearing. I don't really mind. One of my favourite face powders is from Jill Stuart and they are based on the same principle -> with a tiny hint of shimmer to make the powder feel less flat on the face.

Blended in the skin:

I really like the soft-diffusion effect...I think you can see the difference between the powdered part and the non-powdered parts: but in a good way because the powdered parts have that softly-lit or airbrushed finish.

I think it holds away the oilies for a good couple of hours. It is also non-scented and that is brilliant. It doesn't irritate my skin as well and it feels soft on the skin.

That's my temporary review: I will have to road-test it for a couple of days more to give out a definite review :D

2. Full Glamour Gloss in EX19 Tender Glow Pink

 

It's a clear pink gloss without any shimmers. The foot on the applicator is slightly bended for a better reach on the lips.

The colour:

I do not think it changes the lip-colour a lot, but it is perfect for that glossy finish without a tacky feeling. It almost feels like a high-end lip treatment. The pink/rosiness gives the lips that bit of extra.

Overal, a safe colour as an extra over lipstick or for a slightly fuller pout on its own.

3. Cream Cheeks in EX 04 Tender Glow Pink

I have seen a lot of raves blogwise so I was really glad this product is included in the set. I could finally get my hands on this blogger's favourite.

The colour is a warm but light pink, infused with flecks

 

I am somewhat surprised that it is quite light. I am already such a pale-face but this one looks more light a pink-toned highlighter than a blush. 

I might be used to liquid blush that has a bit more coverage/pigment in it, such as my By Terry liquid blush and my Inglot liquid blush/highlighter (here). But it is still perfect for creating a sweet highlight.

4. Eyeshadow palette in EX 01 Tender Glow Beige Brown

So I haven't swatched this one yet. But it looks so versatile and promising in the pan. I can already distinct 8 colours in a handy size!

As for the tiny strips? I don't mind. I cannot remember if I ever finished any eyeshadow in my life: I'm just too fickle for that and I like to vary my eyeshadows (or days I don't wear them at all).

I will swatch it as soon as possible ;D

The best surprise has been the clutch and the quality of that one!



It is of marvelous fake-fur quality: I love the taupe tones and the velvet brown ribbon:

The inside is such an ON-TREND velvet.

It truely can double as a fashion-item for toting around.

But it is not only beautiful: it has been zippered on both sides so you can divide your makeup/mobile/money safely and handily:

Lunasol's label is displaced on one side of the zippered compartments:

I sound like I am completely hired by Lunasol to pimp out their new Coffret, but I honestly have to say I am superenthousiastic by myself and it is probably the best Xmas palette from Lunasol ever, perhaps even the best Xmas set ever.

There are items inside that are normally $60 on its own (the eyeshadow palette) so the whole set is such a bargain.

I hope my pictures and review has helped you to make a decision. If you decide to buy it, adambeauty still have it up for $92 (here).


EDITED: I swatched and reviewed the eyeshadow quad in this post over here