Brushlove Hairbrushes Review

Today I'll be reviewing some products I've received from the generous PR reps at Brushlove.com! As a disclaimer, I do not get paid to do these reviews and this review is 100% my honest opinion. Thanks!

I received a total of four brushes: two round barrel brushes, a plastic bristle brush, and a wooden boar hair/nylon bristle brush. (Please click on the retailer picture of the brush to see the link)

Brushlab Orange Ceramic Thermal Jumbo Hair Brush

I used this brush to blowdry my hair while it was partly damp and partly dry. The brush did a very good job of getting a hold of my hair and did not tangle any hair at all. I've tried boar bristle round brushes in the past and all of them did not adequately grip my hair without tangle. The bristles do not scratch my scalp and are for the most part gentle. It's a great brush for achieving volume and straighter locks. The grip is also very comfortable due to the tiny nubs! This brush gives me a little static hair but it's nothing a little patting down can't fix.

Retail Price: $12.98

Brushlab Ceramic Flow Thermal Round Hair Brush

This brush is great for shorter hair as the barrel is smaller. I think these bristles are even softer than the orange brush! The bristles are also treated with tourmaline to break up moisture molecules and target odor-causing bacteria. I also used this for blow drying on damp/half dried hair. The grip doesn't have any nubs on it, but it is still easy to use. The bristles also didn't pull at my hair too much, so I didn't have massive hair fall-out for this brush. Causes me a little bit of static, but not a big deal.

Retail Price: $11.98

Brushlab Pretty Pink Dual Mirror Brush Combo Hair Brush

This brush is more like the ones I use for everyday, I normally use a nylon bristle paddle brush. The best feature in my opinion for this brush is the mirror in the back. The mirror is very nice quality--sometimes cheap mirrors can appear somewhat cloudy, not clear. Although this is described as a travel brush, I feel like the size is still a little big for travel, but I think I will bring this along for my next trip! The bristles on this brush are very gentle as well.

Hana K. Diamond Wood Oval Cushion Hairbrush

I own a similar boar bristle brush but that one gives me tons of static although it states Anti-Static. This one doesn't give me much static at all! It really smooths my hair down, I love the sleek effect. My only gripe about this brush is that the nylon bristles are quite scratchy and a gentle hand is needed or else the scalp might be irritated.

Overall: I am very satisfied with the Brushlove hairbrush line! The items are very high quality and are mostly sold in beauty supply stores such as ULTA. Some little qualities of the brush were not the greatest but no item is perfect. All of these brushes and more hair supplies (flat irons, blow dryers, curling irons) can be purchased at Brushlove.com.

Score: 4.5/5

Note: Some of you asked me for swatches for the Urban Decay 24/7 liners, I will do so and post sometime this week or next week! By next month (January) I will have more time to update, my college apps are due by January 1st... Wish me luck! Thanks to everyone for continued support, I'm sorry I am not always available to answer questions! If you need something answered, always feel free to email me, my contact email is to the left.

I've also received my Mario Badescu samples yesterday, I will make sure to review them! I'm in the process of trying everything out now.

Review: Kose Clear Turn Hyaluronic Acid Mask

Today I will be reviewing a product! It's another mask... Yeah I know I've been only reviewing masks these days but I haven't been applying makeup lately due to stress induced acne (so sad right?)

Also I've been having some ear piercing infection problems since last week. I first got my earlobe pierced in August so my piercing is not that old yet. I wear all 14-18k gold/white gold earrings so not a problem with the metal allergy. Last week I had some yellowish puss, redness and swelling but I did a hot water sea salt bath for my ear everyday for 1 wk. I shouldn't have stopped but this week my ear seemed to be normal so I stopped. However now it's getting itchy again and my earlobe is still swollen (no redness though). I don't think it's really necessary to go to the doctor since there's no puss or bleeding. Right now I'm doing the salt bath again and using the solution from the piercing place. What do you all do when you get piercing infections?

Anyway on to the review!

Kose Clear Turn White Hyaluronic Acid Mask

This mask is sometimes available in Mitsuwa but I would recommend checking Sasa out

Instructions and some details about how hyaluronic acid works. Read more about Hyaluronic Acid in my review for the Hada Labo Facewash.

When you open the package

On my face

Pros:

- Very, very moisturizing! A+

- Mask fabric is thin but liquid solution is gel-like and very concentrated

- Mask fabric reminds me of a paper towel, sticks so well to my face and fits my face well

- After I pat residue on my face, my face is very smooth

- No scent, no irritation

Cons:

- Leaves a slight stickiness but goes away immediately after patting in residue

Overall Rating:

5/5 :)

For my Japanese class I had to make a Kyaraben or Character Bento. Bento is a very big cultural aspect of Japanese life, bento is basically a lunch box or box food. There are varieties of bento from cheap convenience store bento to very deluxe and high quality bento with gourmet food (some cost 100 dollars or more...).

A kyaraben was originally a creation made by mothers for their children to make food appealing to eat. Also the kyaraben was made to combat picky eaters or other problems that some children have such as the dislike for vegetables. In general, the kyaraben is just so fun to look at and eat!

So this is my kyaraben...

Isn't it kind of scary and cute at the same time?

It's actually supposed to be Totoro but I'm not very good at making kyaraben to look exactly like the character so this is my best.. Haha. I'm going to try to make bento for myself at least once a week and maybe improve my cooking skills. Most kyaraben use cute cutters to make shapes and various accessories like decoration toothpicks. I have these little rice shaping molds that make rice into cute animals like rabbits, frogs, and bears but I don't know where those molds went!

Review: My Beauty Diary Lavender Mask + Lookbook

Wow it's already been a week since I've last updated!
How time flies so fast...

Today I will do another mask review (I've been really into masks lately).

Product Review: My Beauty Diary Provence Lavender Mask

Out of the Package: Folded

On my face!

Pros

- Very soft and thick fabric! Not cheap material. Packaging is cute and compact too.

- Non sticky liquid, absorbs quickly into the skin and doesn't leave sticky residue

- Relatively cheap (but I received this from a friend. Thanks Penny!) Sold on Sasa, etc.

- Left my face very cool, soft and moist. Left it on for 25-30 minutes

- I hate artificial Lavender smells but this one didn't smell bad at all!! Smelled mild too :)

Cons

- Stung a tiny bit after the mask started drying in the end of 30 minutes

- The shape of the mask doesn't perfectly fit my face so I often have to fold over the sides

Overall Rating

5/5 - Can't wait to get more!

Lookbook of Last Week

Wednesday

I'm very grunge these days. Plaid shirts, leather jackets, studded and embellished accessories, skinny jeans, converse, beat-up sneakers. Maybe it's a phase or just my style in general?

Outfit Info

Leather Jacket: Zara

Long sleeve Tee: Zipia :)

Jeans: Hudson Jeans

Flats: Dolce Vita

Close up of Zipia shirt

It's a baby with a red lightning bolt... haha

Newest Acquirement

Dolce Vita studded flats!!! They were on sale on Freepeople.com for $49.95 :D

The only bad thing... they are those bendy flats so they hurt a little when I walk (esp. ankle and toe area)

Thursday

My mickey/skull sweater :) Look up literary theory of Deconstruction that explains the duality.

Outfit Info

Sweater: Disney Vintage

Jeans: Zipia!

Flats: Dolce Vita

Will try to update more outfit posts since I'm being very lazy with makeup... Also the jeans, long sleeve tee, and plaid shirt were all of my purchases from Zipia. Small I know! But I shared the order with other people so that's a good enough amount for the first time.

Hope to update again later this week if I get the chance! Thank you for new followers and old, I've reached 250+! :)

Review: Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick + Outfit

Happy Wednesday! (I'm still in Tuesday mode however).

I had the day off yesterday due to Yom Kippur Jewish holiday, my school is mainly Jewish and Korean so the majority wins and we had a day off :)

I'm going to be reviewing the Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick today. It's been popular in the blog world lately because it's a new release and it's also a new favorite!

Here is the lipstick on my lips - the shade is Pink Me Up.

Close Up (Flash)

I forgot to do a swatch so I'll save that for later but one thing that I'd like to say is that this lipstick is pretty pigmented!!

Here are my thoughts in condensed form so it is easier for all of you to understand.

Pros

- Easily available in most drugstores

- Affordable price (around $7-8)

- Not too creamy, buildable pigmentation (vary from light to heavy application)

- Smell is not offending like European brands (Chanel, Dior, Bourjois, etc.)

- Can achieve watery look if desired

- Variety of colors available (4 categories: Nude, Pinks, Reds, Purples)

Cons

- Some batches of these were bad (smelled bad and tasted bad) Be careful! Sniff before buying.

- Packaging is a little annoying to remove entire plastic cap (but not that big of a deal)

What I think:

This is my first drugstore lipstick purchase in a LONG LONG time. I was hesitant to buy any lipstick from the drugstore after I experienced bad smelling, bad tasting stuff. This lipstick totally changed my perception of Maybelline lip products because it wasn't as nasty smelling as some other stuff in drugstores. I personally don't like lipsticks or any lip product that smell like roses or the "old lady smell." I am very sensitive to scents and I get nauseous if something too fragrant is on me for too long. This lipstick smells a bit like coconut or some buttery smell. It's not too bad but if you apply a lot it might be a tad strong. And as I stated above, BE CAREFUL, some batches were not good and the smell was terrible (like chemical).

I like this lipstick a lot, the color is buildable and I personally like a light hand for my lips. Usually I apply a lipbalm beforehand and then use this lipstick. Or if I want more shine, apply lipbalm, lipstick, then lipgloss.

If you have pigmented lips, I believe this lipstick can cover the color of your natural lips if applied with a heavy hand. Try it out! :)

Outfit/Clothes Update

I was fortunate to be able to order some articles of clothing from Zipia.net in a joint order with one person who I've been emailing back and forth (Thanks Davlyn!!) It came out successfully and this is one of the plaid shirts that I ordered that I love! It's very light and soft, perfect for those fall days that seem to be imitating summer.

I will post an outfit/lookbook post soon on some of the things I got from Zipia!

Outfit Info

Plaid shirt: Zipia

Tank top: Aerie by A&E

Jeans: Zara (3 yrs old skinny jeans.. love them!)

Camera: Olympus E500 DSLR hehe

Sleepy... Still in love with that shirt :) Also wearing the lippie!

Sidenote: Hating the red tint in my hair... Experimenting with purple Kool-Aid to get rid of brassy tones. Will update on how that works out!

Nails of last week:

Zoya - Flora

Review: Etude House 02 White Mask Sheet

How is the week going for everyone?

I haven't been totally absent from the blog world (I somehow still find time to comment sometimes... haha) but I've been negligent with my blog posts. FOTD is kind of out of the question since I don't have time to take a picture in the morning and most times the makeup has faded a bit by the time I come home. But I'll try one day!! :)

Product Review: Etude House 02 White Mask Sheet

So this post will cover a review on the Etude House O2 White Mask Sheet. I got this mask from Millie (Miu Miu) in a love pack back in July in return for some hair care things I sent her. I read somewhere that this mask is not actually a store product and is only offered as a free sample with purchase. The real product is called Etude House 02 White Mask and it comes in a big tub. You can read full reviews on the original product here at Ning*Star and Amynaree.

I didn't know what to think of this product when I first looked at it. I wasn't sure whether it was supposed to make my face "breathe" better or whiten it. Then I just guessed that it would be a whitening mask, after all, the WHITE is rather capitalized. Also I'm not able to read Korean so I didn't know what its main features were.

Scary Mask Pic:

Pros

- Whitened my face! A lot! Noticeable difference. I had uneven skin tone because I had gone scuba diving and got a weird uneven tan on my face... This mask improved the overall appearance of my skin tone

- Very soft and velvety mask material -- definitely not cheap material. It was thick, moist, and fit very well to my face.

- Scent was not overpowering and pleasant soapy/flowery perfume scent

- Liquid smoothed my skin and did not leave a sticky residue

- Slight tingly feeling when applied on my face

Cons

- This product is not sold in stores (I believe). Comes only in a tub, which is the original product. I received this as a gift and I read on some other blog that it was only offered as a GWP or something. However original tub product is available on Etude House USA website.

- It was scented -- I like unscented products. Sometimes I get scared that perfumes will irritate my skin but this scent was neither powerful or irritating! :)

Final Result

My skin is glowing!!! :) I like to use masks at least once a week or so. I used this one last week and prepared photos for a blog entry but didn't get to do a post last week. I wish this product was sold in stores because I really like it. Some people said that the original product that comes in the tub is not as pleasant smelling - like somehow chemical smelling? Not really sure... But now I want to get my hands on the tub product since I like this one so much. I have one more of this mask that I got from Millie so I'm going to save it when I really need it.

Overall Rating

5/5 - hope to purchase in tub form

Hopefully this week I will be able to update again. During the weekend it is harder to update nowadays because of my part time job. I can't even wear nail polish... T_T So what I do is I apply polish either on Sunday night after I finish my job or Monday and then remove on Saturday night. Other than that I'm busy with school work and college applications (ugh my god. Help me! lol!)

Hope the review was helpful and the next review should be the Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick! :) Let me know if you have any questions and I'll try to answer them for you.

Review: Hada Labo Hyaluronic Face Wash + Giveaway Winner

Today's review will be about the Gokujyun Super Hyaluronic Face Wash by Rohto. Phew, long name!

I got this in Japan because I forgot my facewash on my trip. I paid 732 yen in the drugstore, which is not too expensive.

This can be purchased online at these places for a reasonable price:

Sasa - Gokujyun Face Wash - $7.50 <-- cheaper!!

Imomoko - Gokujyun Face Wash - $12.00

So what is Hyaluronic Acid?

- It is a very common ingredient in skin care products and plays an integral role in maintaining and regulating moisture. Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in all body tissue, with the highest concentration in the exterior matrix of the skin.

But we all lose the concentration of hyaluronic acid in our bodies as we grow older so it is important to replenish it with our skin care products! :)

This is how the face wash looks, it is a pure white color. The packaging says that there is no scent, no color, no alcohol and oil-free. This is great because I don't really like scented products, I'm very sensitive to scent and I get nauseous if they are too overpowering.

Spread out onto the skin, of course if you had more water it will become a little bit more foamy but I don't think this has sulfates so it doesn't foam up that much at all. The consistency is milky.

Here's the back of the tube with more information, basically it's explaining what Super Hyaluronan is, there's also a diagram that explains how there is a lack of hyaluronic acid on the surface of the skin, and if you use this face wash, it will increase the number of (molecules? lol idk what word to use). The first picture on the left is regular Hyaluronic acid, then the next picture is Super hyaluronic acid, which is 2x as more hyaluronan.

Pros

- Really moisturizing, no flaky spots at all. When I did a portion of my hand, only that spot was soft and the other areas were not as soft.

- No strong scent (maybe very mild soap scent), no colorant, no alcohol, no oil

- Not that expensive

- Hada Labo line includes many other products like moisturizer, face mask sheets, toner, and more (same Hyaluronic Acid type or others like AHA/BHA and etc.)

- Easy dispenser, tube

Cons

- Not enough product, when I bought mine it was like 75-80% full, now I only have like 50% left

- Japanese product so not readily available in the States but accessible through online retailers

Overall

I really love this face wash, it is very moisturizing, it doesn't strip any original moisture on my face. Also I love that there is no strong scent! The consistency is not that watery, more like thick milky texture. I have another facewash that I love, it is the DHC one. That one foams up more like regular soap but it is as moisturizing but it has an herbal scent (rosemary-ish).

Rating

4.5/5: 1/2 point off for not enough product

Giveaway Results:

Wow this giveaway was really fun, I liked everyone's answers to my questions and got a feel of what you all want to read about. I received 48 valid entries!

Like I said before, I'm going to try to answer everyone's questions in an About Me post.

Thank you to all old and new followers, I've now reached over 200. Hope to continue this great blogging experience for the future!

Sadly some people had to be disqualified because they were not followers and did not follow rules completely. Hopefully next time those will have a chance to win... :(

So as you can see, I used Excel to write all of the entries and if they were a follower or not, those who were not followers were deleted and I got a person who entered after it closed so that was not valid.

Also the winner was randomly picked by Random.org, you can see which number won!

The winner is Lisa from Shop n' Chomp! I'm going to emai you so please send me your address info before Saturday so I can send the package before I go on holiday... again... haha

Thank you for all who entered!! Hope you can win next time :D

And to all that tried guessing my age, only 1 person got it correctly.

Today is my birthday, I'm turning 17 years old... -_-

I'm always embarassed about my age because many people think that high school students do not have the capacity to associate with older adults in the same way. But thank you to all of you who like to read my blog, even though I may be a little younger than most.

REVIEW: DHC Q10 Liquid Foundation + FOTD: Peachy Bronze

I was asked to do a review on the DHC Q10 Liquid Foundation quite a while ago by IchigoBunnie, sorry to keep you waiting!

I briefly reviewed this product in the past but never took any pictures of the product on my face. Also I reviewed it in the winter, not summer so the results may be different.

The shade I have is Pink Ocher 02, I was not matched by a SA. I actually received this from a family member who did not match this shade so I don't know if this shade actually is that perfect for me. So far it is pretty good match I suppose?

The bottle is not that big and it contains 1 fl. oz of foundation fluid. There is a nozzle so it is hygenic, you do not have to keep dipping fingers into a jar or anything like that. This is one of the features that I like about this foundation.

Site description: "Sheer and glowing. Not too heavy, not too light--sheer, moderate SPF 15 coverage that's just right. Enriched with age-defying coenzyme Q10, hydrating olive oil, and UV damage--fighting olive leaf extract, help even out skin tone and give yourself a beautiful glow. Non-greasy texture feels weightless on skin."

There's more info on the DHC site, access the link here. There is a variety of shades that match shades for all ethnicities, not only Asian complexions. The cost of this foundation is $17.50 USD.

Texture is quite runny, look at it dripping along my palm. This means that it provides sheer coverage. The coverage on me is sheer, does not cover any dark freckles I have (or beauty spots, whatever you want to call them).

Here it is blended a little on my hand. I got a little tan on my hand so it might not match perfectly on the hand...

Haha scary face~ No foundation, just moisturizer on the face. I am facing a window just in case you were wondering.

So you can see that it didn't really cover much. But it did even out my complexion a little. The finish is not exactly dewy but it is glowy. It is a little on the matte side? This foundation is not very moisturizing so it seeps into lines or dry skin. You might want to avoid that by putting on a primer beforehand. In this picture I did not use a primer and I did not use a finishing powder.

A little bit more closeup on the face.

Overall

After about 6-7 hrs I blotted around nose, cheek and forehead area. I get the most oily around the nose, other areas don't get that oily.

Pros:

- Sheer if you like light coverage

- Glowy but not overly dewy

- Natural finish

- Light for humid weather

- Lots of shades to match different skintones

- Easy access in US - order from DHC US website

- Nozzle application, not messy

Cons:

- Runny formula

- A little drying in the wintertime

- Settles into dry skin, need to use primer

FOTD of the day, Peachy Bronze look. I attempted a tutorial and I have the pics but didn't get to cropping them just yet... Hopefully I will post them tomorrow.

Eugh my cheeks are so chubby -___-;

Products Used:

Face

- DHC Q10 Liquid Foundation

Cheeks

- Canmake Cheek Gradation 3 Cheek & 1 Highlight in 02

Eyes

- Visee Brilliance Forming Eyes in A-1 Pink

- Sisley Phyto-Khol Perfect Eyeliner in Brown

- Clinique High Definition Lashes Mascara

Lips

- Maquillage Lip Essence EX

- Laura Mercier lipgloss in Petal Glace

Kose Clear Turn White Mask Review + Haul + Reminders

Finals week has finally arrived, I have my first final tomorrow! Wednesday I don't have anything because that was an AP class and Monday is double final for my double language (Spanish & Japanese<--should be easy hehe).

Anyhow I'm going to be reviewing the Kose Clear Turn Essence White Mask today. This is the description of the product on Sasa: Essence with Vitamin C conductor soaked the whole box of mask. It penetrates throug horny layer to whiten your skin with transparent feeling.

HAHA horny layer?? Gotta love "engrish" descriptions...

I purchased this mask box of 22 masks at Mitsuwa market in Edgewater, NJ. The box was on sale for $15.99, I'm not sure what the original price is. Somehow on Sasa this mask box is only $8.50, maybe it's on sale? However at the moment it is sold out on Sasa. This mask sheet box comes in three other kinds: Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen, Q10. I really want to try the Hyaluronic Acid one...

These masks have less serum in them so you can use them everyday, or 2-3 times a week, depending on your preference. Even though they might have less serum, I think they're pretty effective. The recommended time to leave this mask on is 10-15 min, I like to leave it for 15-20 min.

I've used this mask every other day for the past week and it's very refreshing! The previous week I was having problems with hydration around my eyes; the skin was flaking and red due to allergies (I was scratching my eyes). After I started using this mask, all of the flaky skin went away gradually and my skin was really hydrated.

Pros

- No sticky residue left over

- Product claims to fit nicely on the face -- I agree, it's better than the DHC fitting

- 22 masks for $16 is a good deal

- I like to use this almost everyday because masks are refreshing to me

- Hydrates my face without causing any breakout/reaction/oiliness

- Slight brightening after removal

Cons

- Packaging is a little flimsy: reseable flap sometimes doesn't seal securely

- Serum doesn't dry quickly after removal: need lots of patting

- The mask sometimes dries up quickly on one side and flaps around my face

Overall rating: 4/5

How the mask fits on my face:

How the box looks like:

What it looks like when opened:

Weekend Update/Haul:

So remember how I told you that I was going to the Estee Lauder/Aramis Warehouse sale on Saturday June 13th? Well... That was a disappointment!! I was hoping to find some huge MAC sales going on since it is after all, Estee Lauder warehouse. I woke up at 6AM and left the house at 6:45 AM to pick up two friends and go to Oakland, NJ. There was a small line of people when we got there are 7:15 AM. Then as time passed the line got longer and longer. Most of the people there were the hispanic workers that I think worked at the warehouse, since they seemed to know the employees at the warehouse sale. There were some younger people who seemed like they were interested in MAC products (like me) and maybe watched those Youtube videos of people buying lots of stuff at the Toronto MAC warehouse.

I went into the warehouse and browsed through the whole place and didn't find anything! The stuff they had were like Aramis/Estee Lauder perfume sets, Clinique set bags, Estee Lauder set cosmetic pouches, and one little Bobbi Brown set pouch. None of the things were that enticing or "rare items" like the MAC finds that people get in the Toronto warehouse T-T

Anyway, so here's how the process goes with these warehouse sales:

- Line up (make sure you go early before it opens or you will not get the good stuff)

- Enter, check ID with pass, then grab a box with a string on it

- Follow a line and keep moving while grabbing stuff (if you find anything.. haha)

- Get a mix bag if you want surprises and good deal

- Better to pay with cash because sometimes the credit line is long

- Ask the employees for product info if you don't see a specific brand! The Estee Lauder warehouse I went to had a Company Store in the back that had MAC, Clinique, Estee Lauder, and Bobbi Brown makeup products (similar to CCO)

I went into the Company Store in the back that was a lot like CCO but I feel the CCO in Woodbury had more stuff! There was a limited selection and I only purchased 2 MAC eyeshadows: Lotusland and Top Hat (pretty colors, price is meh (not bargain cheap that you would expect in warehouses) $10.25). My mom got two Bobbi Brown e/s.

My friends and family were so disappointed that we went to the nearby town called Ridgewood, looking for some place to eat at. We were originally planning to eat some dimsum but it was closed.. So then we found this great pancake house that is specialized in JUMBO pancakes for cheap price! It comes with two large size pancakes or 4 medium size (which looks like large to me). Each large pancake was the size of a small pizza! It was so large... We also ordered french toast and belgian waffles which were both gigantic as well.

Then we stopped by the Container Store for some organizer for my kitchen and I picked up these two travel shampoo bottles for 79 cents each. They look okay :)

Reminders:

I'm still having a blog sale right now -- please help support my trip to Japan! All purchases come with samples and next day/day after shipping! Thanks everyone who has previously purchased from me! CLICK HERE TO BROWSE

Whit is having her first giveaway sponsored by a Korean ebay seller: Click here to win an eye mask pack!

Lulu is also having her first giveaway: Click here to win a Korres watermelon body scrub, cute keychains and UD lippie!