HELLO KITTY GRAFFITI PALETTE

pigments are somewhat sheer and light

An item left almost forgotten in my beauty review basket for weeks finally now is getting it's moment in the sun for todays' review- Limited Edition Hello Kitty Graffiti Palette. You know as a New Yorker I had to get this and maybe I'll go back for another design cover because the cases come in various prints. My palette case has purple, yellow, pink and blue hues with the word Kitty graffiti sprayed on it. Oh yeah, it also has BK on the cover. For you non NY-er's that's short for Brooklyn. I love this palette so much not only for it's fun print but because the shadows are semi-sheer and naturally looking. If you prefer color on your skin or heavily loaded pigments you might not appreciate this so much and if your pale skinned like me you will love how the colors look natural especially with the blush giving you just  a hint of wash. The new Hello Kitty graffiti line is available for sale now only at Sephora and includes palette's, cosmetic cases, mini notebook, rollerball perfume, compact mirror and a mirrored hello kitty brush holder with brushes all in the graffiti print.

Hello Kitty Graffiti Eyeshadow & Blush Palette.  

What it is: 

A two-tier compact featuring four eye shadows and a blush duo.  

What it does: 

Hello Kitty shows off her street style with this graffiti-inspired palette. The striking visual language of street art always gives her a little surprise and a big smile. This compact's design pays tribute to the daring artists who decorate Hello Kitty's favorite downtown sidewalks. 

This palette contains- 

4 eye shadows in shimmery gray, soft pink, charcoal, and grayish teal  

2 powder blushes in dusty pink and bronzy peach

Pro: natural color palette, natural blush shades, collectible compact, travel friendly, cruelty free, decent pigment wear (primer is a must), decent amount of product fill weight, well constructed material, limited ed.

Con: color range may not be suitable for all, semi-sheer pigmentation, pricey

My results: I'm completely in love with this palette even though it has it's flaws and this review and my ratings are based on how the colors work with my skin tone. I also reviewed the hello Kitty Memoirs Of A Geisha Palette which is linked on this blog and I'm glad that when making this second palette they decided not to add lip gloss but blush instead. Lip gloss in palettes are somewhat useless to me and I prefer getting my moneys worth with something I will actually use such as the blushes. I like that no matter what age you are Hello Kitty is loved by all making it an ageless collectible cosmetic. If your not a HK fan you probably will skip this as the colors are not heavily pigmented and if your a fan like me you will love it for it's fun design and natural looking color range although it probably works best on fair to medium skin tones.

Packaging: This palette is two tiered with the 4 eye shadows and mirror on the top level and two blushes with a printed artwork top on the second level. It's pretty thick in size at a little over 1/2 inch. The case itself is about 4 inches all around. The outer compact is drenched in graffiti artwork from artist POSE and comes in a couple of different cases. The top case has the usual HK bow in a faux mirror material while the entire case is a well constructed plastic all tucked in a fabulous artwork box which I will be keeping.

Formula: The shadows are very lightly pigmented and semi-sheer. You will definitely need a primer on your lids yet the shadows are buildable for more color impact. The highlighter is the lightest color and was not easy to capture with a camera making it appear invisible but you will get more color when you apply this on your skin. The blushes are natural looking and have more pigmentation than the shadows. I have to mention the beautiful blue gray shades have more pigmentation to them and are stunning in person. The color range in this palette probably works best with fair to medium skin tone. I don't understand why they just didn't do two palettes and allow everyone to actually wear these. You can easily use this palette for daily use as there is no glitter in the formula just a nice sheen to the shadows.

I might have given this a higher rating than another product because I'm in love with it and it suits my own skin tone personally but I hope the info I provided helps everyone decide if they would like to purchase it or not. If the palette isn't for you then maybe you might like something else from the new line. It is rather pricey but like I said the ratings and review are based on my personal experience with this product and I enjoy having, using and collecting it. I think for the skin tone range it's suitable for makes my 4.5 starfish rating fair. The reason for the high rating was based on this and the fact that it's a collectible item. I do feel they could have improved on the pigmentation and had released another palette color choice for women of every skin tone to wear. Could it be that they market this brand heavily in Asia making it work well with the majority of women? I don't know but they should look into offering more of a varied palette in the future. What item will you buy from this collection? Stay beautiful! XOXO

Availability: Sephora $35

1 RATING=WORSE 5 RATING=BEST SUPER STAR=SUPER PRODUCT!

PIGMENTATION:: 4 stars

PACKAGING:: 5 stars

COLLECTIBLE:: 5 stars

COLOR PALETTE CHOICE:: 5 stars

PRICE & VALUE:: 4 stars
OVERALL PRODUCT:: 4.5 stars

Boscia Luminizing Peel Off Black Mask

product test kit

 

Luminizing Black Mask

product out of the tube and after peeled from your skin

Happy Friday my gorgeous readers! Before I get into today's post I want to wish everyone living here on the East Coast in the path of Hurricane Irene a very safe weekend! Especially you guys in Long island, New Jersey and The Rockaways. I'm actually kind of freaked because Mayor Bloomberg evacuated residents of Coney Island in Brooklyn into city shelters if they didn't have relatives they could stay with. Although I'm away from that area it's not far from the water. First an earthquake, a tornado in New York this past winter and now this! What's up Mother Nature??? So here's hoping I'll be around next Monday if Me and Toto aren't blown away to the Land of Oz! Fingers crossed XOXO

I was recently given the opportunity to test out a full size product line from the Japanese natural skin care brand Boscia. Publiicty sent me a variety of skin care cleansers, moistuirizers, exfoliators, etc. as well as some other natural brand lip care products and sanitaizing sprays. I'll get to all of them as soon as I can but for now I'm ready to review Boscia's Luminizing Black Mask Peel Off.  This mask is outrageously fabulous! I never tried Boscia before and am gratfeul fro the opportunity so I can pass along my results to my subscribers. Product info below before getting to my results.

Boscia Luminizing Black Mask-Peel Off: 

What it is: 

A groundbreaking, mineral-rich mask that peels off to deliver powerful detoxifying, purifying, and brightening effects.  

What it is formulated to do: 

This jet-black, mineral-rich mask creates a unique peel-off effect that delivers powerful detoxifying, purifying, and brightening results. Made with a premiere-quality clay, its deep-cleansing properties draw out dirt and oil. Other natural ingredients go to work exfoliating skin and refining pores. Powerful antioxidants shrink pores, firm skin, and reduce inflammation. Once dried, the mask strips away dead skin, impurities and excess oil to reveal immediate and visible results.

Pro: cruelty free, vegan, natural, very exfokiating, cleanses skin, softens skin, clears skin of debris, non irritating, travel friendly, skin glowing qualities, pore size appears to reduce, neutral scent, skin feels nice  and firm and skin redness appears lessened, helps with ingrown hairs

Con: pricey! you need a large amount of product to cover your skin allowing a thick layer to form or it will not peel properly, this tube should have double the amount for this reason.

My results: I have to say hands down this is the best peel off mask I tried so far! When I removed it from my face I found all the debris and dead skin peeled away! It unclogs the ingrown hairs trapped under your skin as well. The only fault this product has is it's size and price. It's 2.8 ounce and normally that's not bad for a mask since you need a little to cover your face but with this mask you need a large quantity of product which I found out the first time around. Since this is a peel off mask you need a lot of product to form a thick layer so you are actually able to peel it off  your skin. If you don't apply the right amount when it dry's on your skin you can't peel it off in one sweep. You have to sort of crack a smile and allow it to peel on your face then grab layers wherever you can and peel away. The rest that does not come off you can just wash it with warm water. I stopped adding product when I realized I was emptying out the tube but I did need to add more. Next time I use this I will add a super thick layer allowing me the ability to peel it off in one swoop rather than bits and pieces. You can see from my photo swatch that it peeled of in little bits rather than a whole mask because I didn't apply more product. For this reason the product might last you 4 uses if your lucky, that's awfully expensive even though it's a amazing product.

Packaging: This is packaged in a sleek black plastic tube and is a travel friendly container. I feel this is more of a sample size than an actual full size because you need so much product to form the mask properly.

Formula: What is unique about this mask is that it is black, not green or mud like the typical peel offs on the market. The formula has a creamy gel like consistency and is a little sticky. It dry's up fast so you have to work fast with this. You need to apply loads of the product on your face especially around the top of the forehead , under the chin and on all the corners that will serve as the peel away spots. Avoid around the eye area, around the lip and the nostrils. The box includes a picture showing exactly how to apply it and in what areas. It has a neutral scent which is nice and does not irritate at all. Your skin will feel refreshed, cleansed, exfoliated and very soft. And your pores appear to be minimized. It's an amazing formula!

The only fault for this mask is it's price and size. It should be twice the size or larger which would make the price more valid. I think for this size this price point is way to high and even if you splurge on it the tube will not last you a month if you use it weekly. It's too bad because I need to use this every week or even bi-weekly, it's that great! I'm hooked on it. I really hope Boscia improves on this in the future because people would try it once and keep coming back for it. I think the price may affect that. Of course if you can afford to splurge then you probably wont mind. I can't splurge on this but I will save up for it and use it less because it's that wonderful on your skin. You have to try it for yourself to understand what I mean. I would definitely recommend this product as promising what it says to do but giving it a little lower rating because of the price.This gets a fabulous 4.5 starfish rating for quality, cruelty free, vegan ingredients and it's overall ability to exfoliate and soften your skin. Any try this? Opinions? Stay beautiful! Stay safe this weekend  XOXO

Availability: Sephora $34 2.8 ounce 

1 RATING=WORSE 5 RATING=BEST SUPER STAR=SUPER PRODUCT!

EXFOLIATING QUALITY:: 5 stars

PACKAGING:: 5 stars

CLEAN & SOFT SKIN:: 5 stars

FORMULA:: 5 stars

PRICE & VALUE:: 4.5 stars
OVERALL PRODUCT:: 4.5 stars

Purple Moon-Fantasy Nail Art Tutorial From Sephora

HAPPY FRIDAY!  Today's post is all about the latest trend-Fantasy Nail Art. While I'm not big on nail's these days due to my own kitty claws always being quite brittle and short, which is why I love wearing them slightly shorter as not to fuss because high strung people like myself don't need the added aggravation of maintaining claws on a weekly basis. But after checking out the latest fantasy art from Sephora and one look in particular-Purple Moon, I just may be swayed to jump on this fabulously fun trend. And it's purple! By the end of this year when I do a blog roundup of my likes, I will calculate how many purple products in my possession and post about them.

If your not a fan of this look, Sephora has other options for you to choose from that best reflects your individual style. There's the Giraffe & Pink Cheetah for you wild animal lovers. Distressed Metal for you industrial fashion night owl party goer's. Cherry Blossom for the romantics and Glitterati for all you divine diva's.

For every style you love Sephora has a handy Get The Look Guide to help you DIY as well as video's and all the nail colors/products you need available to buy all on the site.

Love The Purple Moon Look

Sephora's Guide Get the Look:
1.Starting at the base of the nail, paint on SEPHORA by OPI Nail Colour in Iris I Was Thinner, making a symmetrical crescent shape that goes one-third of the way up your nail. Let dry.
2. Apply two coats of SEPHORA by OPI Nail Colour in Domestic Goddess from the top of the moon to the tip of the nail, and let dry.
3. Seal with SEPHORA by OPI Top Coat, and let dry.
4. Place SEPHORA by OPI Nail Designs in Gold Metallic Flowers just above the half moon, following the curvature of the shape.

Or you can get inspired and be creative with your own designs but hurry up and enjoy it because the trend for Fall 2011 Nails are super short, minimalist clean and with the boldest pop of color. What fantasy nail art style are you?  Have a great weekend!  Stay beautiful! XOXO

Note: You guys still have 3 days remaining to enter my Hold Me Bag Giveaway, click link below. Thank you to all of you who have already submitted a photo, I love them and appreciate you participating with your private beauty stashes. I also want to mention there are more recipes which will be updated on my foodie blog either later tonight or tomorrow-visit Project Lucania. Next week's post will be filled with reviews on skincare, mineral makeup and more fashion merchants who have sent me some great cruelty free products to review. And I still have the Tarte Trueblood Cheek Stain I haven't gotten around to swatching so that will be featured next week as well. Have a great weekend.

Availability:Sephora Nail Polish & Trim $5 to $22

ENTER MY HOLD ME BAG VANITY CASE ORGANIZER GIVEAWAY! CLICK HERE 

Tarte For Trueblood Limited Edition Palette

 palette top mimics a leather corset with strings & grommets complete with an eye look guide chart

 secret compartment with liner,mascara,primer can be pulled out to hide your goodies underneath the red case when the cosmetics are used up. It's shallow enough for small jewelry or whatever ;)

 the shadows have a clear film with each color name printed out

sexy open after dark message printed on the side of secret compartment pull out

  shadows up close

 embossed name near palette mirror and floral printed background

6 inches wide and 1.5 thick height palette

 primer-mascara-aqua gel eye liner in bottom pull out drawer

SHADOW NAMES BELOW LEFT TO RIGHT

the light-dawn-fairy-werewolf-charmer-bayou

dusk-waitress-glamour me-telepath-moss-noctural-stake

the true death-legend-immortal-V

It's finally here! My review for Tarte For Trueblood Limited Edition Eye Palette. I have had this since it first launched but due to having gone away for a week and being busy I just now have had a chance to swatch all the colors for you, my apologies for the delay. Soon to follow this review is Tarte For Trueblood Natural Cheek Stain. And I'm hoping I can grab the lip stain as well before it vanishes. Some product info below before posting my review.

Tarte for True Blood™ Limited-Edition Palette ($331 Value)
Inspired by the hit HBO® series True Blood™, Tarte's limited-edition palette is packed with 17 eye shadows, a full-size emphasEYES™ Aqua-Gel Eyeliner in black, a deluxe Lights, Camera, Lashes! clinically-proven natural mascara and a deluxe Lifted™ Natural Eye Primer with Firmitol™. Get glamoured with this limited-edition palette packed with 17 killer new eye shadows and more. Each richly pigmented shadow is softly milled and infused with Amazonian clay for pure color payoff, silky application and long wear. From ethereal goddess to vampy vixen, you can create countless looks using these shimmering, matte, and smoky shades. Open after dark: Buried in this palette's pull-out drawer is a full-size EmphasEYES™ Aqua-Gel Eyeliner in black, a deluxe Lights, Camera, Lashes! clinically-proven natural mascara and a deluxe Lifted™ Natural Eye Primer with Firmitol™ to help you complete your look. Turn into a real truebie using the four 'get the looks' included with each palette, created with the help of True Blood™'s award-winning lead makeup artist Brigette Myre-Ellis. Tune in to the new season of True Blood™, Sundays at 9/8c. Only on HBO®.

Pro: great collectors palette, secret compartment for extra storage, eye look chart, primer, mascara and liner, well constructed, good size mirror, decent pigments, cruelty free, some natural ingredients

Con: some shades look more colorful in palette but appear dark smoke on eyes without the shift showing up, a couple matte shades are a bit dry, a little pricey

My results: I was so excited when this first arrived at my doorstep and although I'm pleased with the palette overall there are a few gripes I have with this set mainly with the formula of some shades. The palette is impressive on it's own and a must for the serious collector of the hit series or just a fan of all things Gothic such as myself. I really love this for the fact it's more sexier than all the cutsy girly palettes I own and this is one of the few palettes that is more daring. The covering of the box has thick strings wrapped into the case with grommets to mimic a leather corset which is really gorgeous and even the side secret compartment has this message "open after dark" imprinted on it which is fun as well. You get 17 eye shadows, an aqua eye liner, mascara and a mini primer along with a style guide for creating various eye looks.

The packaging: The palette size is about 6 inches by 1.5 inch in height making it chunky and well constructed of durable cardboard yet it's still compact enough to travel with.You get a full mirror under the top cover and the background is printed in black floral pattern overall. And I love the secret compartment which opens up to reveal the primer, mascara and eyeliner on the bottom row. The red case that houses these can be removed and you can store small items underneath it such as jewelry, notes, coins, whatever you like. I have to say it's a pretty decent package over all and unique just for the fact it's styled for  vampire, Gothic feel to it inspired by the hit series TRUE BLOOD making it pretty unique because I haven't seen to many vampire themed palettes out there.

The Formula: This is the area I'm a little upset about as some of the matte shades feel dry and flaky and I love Tarte shadows so I don't know why just a couple feel that way. Using the primer is a must and does help in regards to this so it's not a major deal still would have been nice if they were silkier. Also some of the prettiest looking shades in the set such as Noctural ( indigo with blue shimmer shift) and Glamour  (deep shimmer purple) come up really dark on your eyes without the shift showing up at all. They look too dark like smoke and almost similar which is annoying to say the least. And the top three shades are very very light you need to apply a few layers and must use primer underneath. The most gorgeous colors in this set are Moss, The True Death, V and Charmer. I like some of the others too but these shades are amazing with THE TRUE DEATH hands down being the most beautiful silver leaf shadow I have ever seen! It is fabulous! As for the eye liner and mascara, I have yet to use it and will review it when I get a chance. The primer I did use and it's pretty decent without flaking and keeps the pigments on long er than without it.

I'm glad I purchased this kit and would recommend it as a buy for serious collectors or women who might prefer it to all the more girly palettes out on the market and the shadows are good enough for day to evening wear without being over tacky or childish. I'm going to give this product a 4 starfish rating which is pretty decent for the quantity of items in the set, the over all package, the collectability factor and for being cruelty free. Better pigments and more unique shades along with a lower price would have given this a higher rating. Still if your a true die hard fan or love the dark and mysterious this palette is for you. Stay beautiful! XOXO Availability:Sephora, Tarte.com $52 Limited Edition

1 RATING=WORSE 5 RATING=BEST SUPER STAR=SUPER PRODUCT!

INGREDIENTS:: 4.5 stars

PACKAGING:: 5 stars

CRUELTY FREE:: 5 stars

FORMULA:: 4 stars

PRICE & VALUE:: 4 stars

OVERALL PRODUCT:: 4 star

   ENTER MY HOLD ME BAG VANITY CASE ORGANIZER GIVEAWAY! CLICK HERE  

Jurlique Balancing Foaming Cleanser

Up for review today is a deluxe bonus of Jurlique Balancing Foaming Cleanser I received as a gift with purchase from Sephora. Deluxe size samples are much easier to test rather than those packet samples that aren't even good for one try allowing me a couple of weeks at best to use the item before talking about it or committing to a full size version. This bonus size is a decent 1 fluid ounce and it lasted me all week with day to night use. As you can see I didn't even hit the half mark so a little goes a long way with this cleanser. I'll post some product info below before adding my results.

Jurlique balancing Foaming Cleanser 

Balancing Foaming Cleanser  

What it is:

A complexion balancing cleanser.

What it is formulated to do:Jurlique's Balancing Foaming Cleanser harnesses the living energy of calendula, daisy, and peppermint to gently lift away surface impurities, leaving the skin balanced and hydrated. 

What it is formulated WITHOUT:

- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petro-Chemicals
- Phthalates

Pro: naturals botanic, lasts long, cruelty free, skin feels cleansed, good price for large size

Con: burns eyes!!!, doesn't  foam unless you apply more than a dime size

My results: I love that this cleanser is cruelty free and has a nice citrus essential oil scent to it but it burns my eyes! I have sensitive eyes and try to avoiding getting it around my eye area but can't be helped when the foam action starts. This totally kills the product for me! It's a great value but my poor little eyes are always burned with my makeup testing so alas I will have to say I won't be purchasing this item again. If you don't have eye allergies or are prone to sensitivities in this area then maybe you will enjoy it.

Formula: A fresh citrus essential oil scent with the consistency of a light gel. The scent is nice but it is a strong essential oil, if you are not familiar with essentials oils you may not like it but it is natural. It foams if you are generous with application but it burns and stings the eyes if any gets in there. Your skin is left with a clean feeling and no residue.

It's too bad that I will not be purchasing this item again due to the pain, irritation and burning sensation on my eyes but for those of you who are lucky you will enjoy how squeaky clean your skin feels and it's also a good value for a super large bottle at 6.7 ounces. This item gets a 3 starfish rating from me due to the irritation it caused to my eyes and I wish it didn't burn so much. Eye allergy sufferers skip this one. Stay beautiful! XOXO

Availability: Sephora 6.7 ounce $34

1 RATING=WORSE 5 RATING=BEST SUPER STAR=SUPER PRODUCT!

INGREDIENTS:: 4.5 stars

SENSITIVE EYE USE:: 2 stars

CRUELTY FREE:: 5 stars

FORMULA:: 3 stars

PRICE & VALUE:: 4.5 stars

OVERALL PRODUCT:: 3 star

 

Sephora Ojon ShampooTrade In Get Free Shampoo!

 

Calling all Sephora Beauty Insiders-You can bring any brand of empty shampoo bottles and Sephora will trade them in for one full size Ojon Shampoo and one full size Ojon Conditioner. How great is that! Free stuff! Trade in is for Sephora Beauty Insiders only in stores starting today until the end of May or until limited supplies run out. Hurry in and grab some. Stay beautiful! XOXO

Hair Care + Earth Care

Come in to any Sephora store during the month of May for a free sample duo of the new Ojon™ damage reverse™ Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner. While supplies last, no purchase necessary.

Beauty Insiders Only!
Bring in any empty full-size shampoo or conditioner on May 12, 2011 and receive one full-size set of damage reverse™ Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner for free. While supplies last.*

*Offer available in select locations only, please check your Sephora location for details.