[Review] November Vanity Trove

I bought this as a birthday present to myself, though I have to say that my reaction to this box was a little neutral; I wasn't really disappointed, but my excitement kind of fizzled as I unveil my box.

November's box goes by the theme 'Dream Girl', and I guess that kind of goes for the idea of having a perfect, natural appearance.

Taken from the official site.

These are the items in my box:

All the items in the box

SkinC's Pure Happy Hand Dew. The only full sized item in the box.

Items from BRTC. 5 BB cream samples (Jasmine Water in both
sachet and sample tube) and one moisturiser.

Ichikami shampoo, conditioner and hair treatment samples

Tamarind Facial cleanser

ADORE sanitary pads.

ZA Total Hydration Amino Mineral Refreshing Gel

Uriage Hydration Gel

The total list as below:
- SkinC Pure Happy Hand Dew (full sized at 50ml, priced at SGD$29)
- Tamarind Facial Cleanser with Organic Tamarind and Honey (15ml sample)
- Ichikami Shampoo and Conditioner sample sachet (12ml sample), Ichikami Hair Treatment sample (15g sample)
- BRTC BB cream samples (x 4 different kinds:Whitening & Reparing, Jasmine Water, Gold Caviar, Aqua Rush Water), BRTC Jasmine Water sample in tube (5g) and BRTC vitalizer white gel
- ZA Total Hydration Amino Mineral Refreshing Gel (5g)
- Uriage Hydration Gel (5g)
- SGD$5 voucher at Sasa and 20% Discount off the Tamarind Facial Cleanser

Overall, it seems like there's so many things but they're all in really small sample sizes for 1-2 uses, except the  ones in a tube and the full size hand moisturiser. I'm not exactly thrilled because I am more into make-up than skin care, but hey, Vanity Trove usually has more skin-care and few make-up products so I did expected this.

Other possible items are:
- Ujene Puriste Collagen Eye Gel (full sized, worth SGD$70) [you either get this or the SkinC Hand Dew]
- Neogence Pore-reducing Serum sample
- Laline Body Cream in Vanilla (full sized)
- Vitacreme B12 Sample

I do really like the SkinC hand dew and the Tamarind facial cleanser. I've used the former a few times and the latter, once, and while I'm not sure of the effects thus far I do kind of enjoyed it. The smell~is so pleasant!

But comparing with boxes that have the Ujene Puriste Collagen Eye Gel, I feel that the disparity in the box's actual value is really huge. While I did enjoy the hand dew, the full size product is only worth SGD$29, and the other products did not seem to make up for the value difference.

I'm quite diappointed by the Ichikami samples too -- I'm currently using Daenggi Meori for my routine and it works really well for me that I'm not really hyped out to try Ichikami. Likewise for the BB cream samples because BB cream just never really seem to oxidise well to match my skin tone that I prefer using foundations.

I really do not think I'd go for another Vanity Trove box yet. If only there's more make-up samples than BB cream!

What's in your November box? Which should I review first? :)

[Review] Etude House Mini Me Perfumed Stick - Ms Cutie

L-R: Ms Twinkle, Ms Hot, Ms Cutie, Ms Lonely, Ms Ever

Coming in 5 different fragrances, Etude House's Mini Me Perfumed Stick is a portable-sized, stick perfume with cute packaging and lovely fragrances that would bound to suit your preferences. Using the idea of a 'love coach', the different perfume sticks have a different theme: Ms Cutie (Sparkling Citrus) is a college student waiting to meet her love at first sight; feisty Ms Hot (Tropical Fruity)  is a sexy woman that commands your attention; preppy Ms Lonely (Green Floral) wants to be in love again; feminine and romantic Ms Twinkle (Sweet Fruity Floral) is waiting for her prince to get down on one knee; and  elegant Ms Ever (Floral Bouquet) is looking to write happily ever after in her own fairy tale.

Basically, acquiring all 5 mini me perfume sticks would entitle you a trip from a blooming young lady to reach her very own fairy tale ending. Fantasy, cute and definitely appealing to Etude House's primary audiences: young females looking for affordable cosmetics with adorable packaging!

Official info on Ms Cutie

With the tagline 'Make him fall in love with me at first sight', Ms Cutie has a sweet fruity citrus scent that makes for a light, friendly and girly atmosphere. At the top right, below step 1, Ms Cutie takes on its coaching duties as it shares advice (Attract one with fresh perfume and a bright smile), key point (appeal with a fresh look) and lucky items (apply lip balm with natural make up comeplete with a girlish frill skirt) for a first meeting (much like how the perfume stick actually looks).

Amongst the five scents, I personally preferred this citrus one. I just love the slightly sour scent of lemon! It's so refreshing! I do have to say that the scents don't last long on the body, sadly. I do think that the newer one might actually last longer, so do check it out!

This perfume stick works just like your average lipstick. Screw it up, and go ahead to apply it on desired areas. I personally like to apply it near my collarbones and also on my wrists, but its really up to you. It also comes with a plastic cap for additional protection; you'd need it, because the cap isn't as tight as it seems. When you place it in your bag with the other cosmetics, the cap sometimes falls out, and you don't want your perfume stick to loose a chunk or chip here and here do you? 

I would also add that it's a little pricey for its worth when you buy it at retail stores, since it is a pretty small. It does last for quite a while, but if you really want to smell of the fragrance for long you have to constantly apply it. 

I am reaching the end of this perfume stick soon, which one should I get next?

Anyone else liked the perfumed sticks? 

Pros:

[o] Easy to bring about without worries of spill.

[o] 5 different scents for different tastes

[o] Very cute packaging

Cons:

[x] Scent is not long lasting

[x] Cap becomes loose after awhile

[Review/Swatch] Arezia Crackle Nail Polish Set #17 and #18

"Arezia Crackling Top Nail Polish Set differ from the conventional nail polish--- it has a unique 3-D feeling and it takes a short time to dry. The set contains three bottles of nail polishes which are of various colours and functions.

It helps to create a variety of appearance, apart from decoration on clothes and accessories it also provides some brand new eye-catching nail colors. The colour of the nail polish from Sexy to Blink and Cool style brings a unique personal style, which can brighten up your daily mood and enhance your attractiveness."

Ingredients may contain: Titanium Dioxide, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Butylphenyl, Methylpropional, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene, Carboxaldehyde, Red 6 Lake, Black 2, Blue 1 Lake, MICA, Manganese Violet, Yellow 5 lake, Red 34 Lake, Black Iron Oxide, Red 7 Lake, Violet 2.

The two sets

I haven't been a huge fan of crackle polish. I think it looks a little weird and not to my taste, but my friends have both two mini crackle polish sets as a souvenir from Hong Kong I thought I should just go ahead and try them out. So yes, they are my first ever crackle polishes!

Arezia is a brand from Hong Kong I believe, that sells pretty inexpensive nail polish. They also sell cosmetics, and you'd probably heard the name if you wander around Sasa. (I think it is about SGD$6 - 8 in Singapore?)

The little bottles out of the plastic covers

Size comparison with the 15ml OPI

The nail polishes are 5ml each, really small (but handy) and cute. Each set comes with a base color, crackle top and a top coat. The brushes are small, obviously but I find them easy to work with (pretty much like the canmake polishes), though I would rather if they used a better cap cause the rounded bob isn't great at providing a comfortable grip.

Set #17 is in a glittery silver with white crackle (base color #639, crackle color #07)

The 3 polishes

Final work

Final Work (2), under white light

Personally, I preferred the white one to the pink one, just because I'm more into cool colours. :)

Set #18 is in a orangey-gold base with pink crackle (base color #636 Startling Gold, crackle color #04)

The 3 polishes

Final work

Final Work (2), under white light

I have to say that the base colour gold, is not as sheer as the silver one, with an average of 1-2 coats to leave an orange-gold hue. The silver base though had to be applied rather thickly for a couple of times 2-3 coats to leave an obvious silver coat. I do have to say that the colour takes time to flesh out; when you first apply it, it can look a little too sheer but when it dries the colour turns out to be more solid than expected. The hot pink and white on the other hand, is really pigmented (as expected of crackle polish). The silver polish also has visible glitters (that you can not only see with naked eye but feel it by touch)

Crackle polish might be a little difficult to apply for first timers, because the formula is going to be very different. What you do is to apply thinly with fast swipes. Don't worry about filling the whole nail -- they are going to dry matte, and 'shrink', thus forming patches aka cracking patterns on the nail. Try not to re-apply another coat on top of the first swipe -- the coat will become too thick to crack.

Oh, and I believe that if you apply the crackle by swiping it in different directions, crackle will appear in different patterns too. Large, rectangular, straight patches appear if you swiped it in an upward motion, but it will look a little slanted if applied in diagonal swipes. Anyone that tried it with this Arezia crackle polish could tell me it it works the same way? :)

And for those that tried, what's your favourite colours? Any thoughts? :)

Pros:
[o] Small brush makes it easy to work with.
[o] Small in size, allows it to be finished earlier (and also allows one to try more shades)
[o] Relatively cheap!

Cons:
[x] Chips easily, even with top coat.

[Review] Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Combination Watery Cream

I'm not an expert in the moisturiser field, and as someone with oily-combination (a little prone to the oily side), I am not very keen on buying moisturisers unless I've tried and tested them so that I don't oil up. 

Currently I'm using two moisturisers daily, one for day and the other for night, and they fit quite well into my routine so I've got another excuse not to buy other moisturisers. But this sample has been sitting on my samples pile for months and I thought I'd just use it. Why not, right?

Sample pack

Gel-like cream.

See the moisture? It'd get adsorbed after awhile,

This cream is gel-like and goes on your face smoothly, leaving you a non-sticky and cooling sensation after it's been even out. When I first apply it, the first thought that came to my mind was that this cream reminds me of The Face Shop' Ice Flower Aqua Water Drop Pack -- the difference lies in the the other one is a mask that upon massaging, transform into water droplets that gets absorbed into your skin. Naure Republic's Super Aqua Max instead leaves a velvet like, soothing sensation on your skin that makes you feel that your skin is moisturised and smooth. And I like it! It moisturises just like having water splashed on your face. 

Bare in mind that my review is based on this one small sample pack! However, if I were to buy, I'd probably go for the one with oily skin for my skin type.

Pros:
[o] Not sticky at all
[o] Leaves cooling sensation
[o] There is a slight fragrance, a little like fresh dew but I actually love it. It's a pleasing scent!

Cons:
N / A - no comments

[Review] Etude House Collagen Moistfull Smoothing Ampule Primer

Etude House Moistfull Collagen Smoothing Ampule Primer is a hydrating moisturizing primer that lifts and tightens complexion to promote a radiant glow prior to foundation makeup application.

The Collagen Moistfull series has been around for quite some time, and this Smoothing Ampule Primer has been my first ever face primer. It comes in a tube, and the full size is 30ml -- which is pretty lasting because you don't need a whole lot each time. Despite being in a tube, it's rather easy to control the amount you want with a light squeeze. I do recommend putting it in a upright position as shown below as it is easier to squeeze the primer out this way without splattering everywhere due to the air pressure (if you lay it flat parralel to the table).

Full size at 30ml!

Pink blob with little shimmers!

As you can see, the primer is pink with little shimmers in it. This helps you to achieve a dewy finish with 'ampule' shine. Basically you apply it before putting on your BB cream or foundation to allow smoother application. It blends really well and settles nicely into any skin shade, with minimal shimmers visible.

Comparison under natural, sunlight

Close-up of shimmer

Comparison under white light

As you can see, the shimmers are only visible under the white light (as compared to being under the sunlight), and since you will be adding either foundation or BB cream on top, you don't have to worry about the shimmers -- they are definitely not over-bearing!

Comparison: with and without primer

As you can see (even though the 'after' picture is a little blur) that the shimmers are minimal, gives a pink-toned glow and also cover some of my wide pores. The coverage is light and cover some of my scars and tiny hairs and it does make foundation application smoother, easier but it does not truly fill in the wide pores. It brightens up complexion as well!

The only thing I have against it is the oil-control. I recommend giving it some time to let it set on the face before applying the foundation for better oil-control. Still, my face (especially nose) starts to shine after 3-4 hours in the humid weather. 

Pros:
[o] Brightens complexion
[o] Dewy finish with no over-bearing shimmers
[o] Formula is not too sticky and glides on the skin easily, allowing it to blend into different skin shades.
[o] Hydrating formula, but recommended for people with dry-combination skin
[o] Creates a smoother canvas for foundation

Cons:
[x] Oil control could be improved. Oils up in 3-4 hours.
[x] Doesn't really even out skin tone, especially in red areas around my nose, or the dark eye circles beneath my eyes.
[x] Coverage is so-so, minimizes pores but doesn't actually fill them or totally cover them

Will I buy it again? Probably not. It's not really suited for my skin type, and there are some other brands I'm looking to try (Banila Co., anyone?) so I'd skip out on this one the next time. :)

[Review] China Glaze The Hunger Game Series in Stone Cold

China Glaze Hunger Game Series is a collection of 12 different nail polishes that aims to represent the 12 different districts. This time I picked up the matte shade Stone Cold, a shade that gives a graphite-like, grainy finish, truly representative of District 2.

I do like the shade, both in matte and glossy (with top coat). It's really different, and gives a pretty solid, dark grey base with light shimmers for that cold-toned stone finish. 

I actually thought that it's a fun colour to play with. In matte, it turns out to be a grey tone, but with a top coat the colour looks closer to black, and the grains looked a little shimmers under the light, and is a totally different shade altogether (it looks more like lead than graphite with a normal top coat). I usually go with the glossy, top coat for that extra shimmer. 

I know it's not a popular shade in the series, but I do love it. I also have to say, for some reason, I liked it better on my feet than on my hands. It's a little tricky when applying though, especially for beginners (like me!): apply with a thick layer, and be quick for a smooth finish. It takes one coat on the average, about two for the thumbs, and like any other matte polishes it dries really quickly. 

Pros:
[o] One-two coats is all it takes
[o] Two different shades when in matte and glossy
[o] Dries fast (due to matte formula)

Cons:
[x] Matte formula makes it difficult (and even messy) to work with, especially for beginners.

Anyone else liked this shade? :)

[Review] Etude House Precious Mineral All Day Strong BB Cream #02

I've tried this BB cream for a couple of days (don't underestimate the power of this sample pack, since you only need a little BB cream for each use) and here's my final review of this.

My really tattered sample.
I forgot to take a photo before using! >///<

Using this much~

Ta daa~
Comparison; under natural, sunlight

Comparison, away from direct sun light

As you can see from the above picture, the side with the BB looks more dewy and slightly whiter than the one on the left. Coverage is not too bad, it kinda covered the colour of my veins; the cream looks darker than it actually is on my skin.

Even though #02 is suppose to be a natural-beige kind of colour, which is my usual shade range, especially in summer (and the first few months following it) it actually brightens up my face when I apply it, and sadly doesn't seem to oxidise well because I look a little too white at the end of the day. The formula feels a little sticky, but spreads out well when applied, and allows for a little layering (but not too much, I feel that it actually cakes up a little when too much is applied).

Comparing it under the sun and in a room, this BB actually don't look that bad when faced away from direct sunlight. It blends into my skin pretty well, not being a tad too bright, while still giving it that little shine, dewy kind of finish.

Pros:
[o] All day long is as suggested, pretty much long lasting. BUT! it does makes my face looks alittle too ash-white at the end of the day.
[o] A little bit goes a long way.
[o] Pretty much waterproof unless wiped under running water (unless you wipe your face with a towel under pouring rain, it probably won't come off)
[o] It gives a dewy kind of finish.

Cons:
[x] Does not oxidise well on my face -- I look really white at the end of the day under the sun!
[x] Oil control is so-so: Oils up about 3-4 hours.
[x] Could cake up a little/feel heavy if too much is used

Will I purchase again:
No. The formula isn't something I'm looking for, especially the oiling up part. I'm not too fond of looking too white either, sadly. I'd probably be looking into their newer BB cream formulas, which I hope had made adjustments to suit combi-oily skin like mine.

Samples, samples and more samples!

Samples!

I just realised I've accumulated a series of samples, along with the ones I just bought the other day.

BB creams

Cleansing Foam

Mask/massage Pack

Shower Gel

Moisturizer

Samples come from Innisfree, Missha, Nature Republic, Tony Moly, The Face Shop, Skin Food and Etude House~Guess there's reviews I can do with these samples. :)

[Review] Nature Republic Red Clay Konjac Sponge

About: Nature Republic Vegetable Konjac -- Red Clay Cleansing Puff
            Konjac 90% & Red Clay 10%
            Korean Red Clay helps with sebum absorption, and oil control, maintain balance               of oil and water (pH levels, basically)
     1. Red Clay Control Sebum O.K.
               Excellent sebum control helps skin balance water and oil.
     2. All skin type O.K.
              Vegetable product can be applied for all skn types.
    3. After washing face, moisture retaining O.K.
              Cleans contaminant and helps to keep skin moisturized for a long time.

Nature Republic Red Clay Konjac Sponge

This is not my first konjac sponge; I previously used one from a Taiwan brand, which I bought at Watsons, but I thought I'd try this red clay one from Nature Republic (through GMarket) since oil control is one of my biggest problems.

I would say that it is definitely a good cleansing tool for the face because of its shape. These konjac sponges are half a sphere in shape, where the round side is good for the cheeks and the flatter side for the areas around the eyes and the sides of the face, and is gentle on the face.

I think Nature Republic's konjac sponge was slightly better than the one from Taiwan because of its high moisture content. This one locks water content better to allow better foaming of the soap for cleansing, and while I'm a little sceptical about the oil control part, I'd say that it does exfoliate lightly, and my face feels smoother after using this. And moisturised too! Definitely going to be part of my cleansing routine. :)

Pros: 

[o] Great cleansing tool -- especially when cleaning areas around the eyes due to its special shape.

[o] Gently exfoliate skin for a smooth finish

[o] A little oil control

Cons:

[x] You'd have to change this every 3-4 months

Military Caps/ Vintage Army Caps!

So recently I've purchased two of these military caps on Gmarket, thinking that I could gift one of them to my cap-loving brother as his birthday present (and give myself a reason to get my own cap, :D). I certainly did not regret my purchase.

This seller [FORPURE] had a really pretty good rating, and upon receiving my order, I think that the caps are worth every penny spent. With a relatively fast delivery time, the caps came in great condition and I couldn't believe that I can get it at this relatively low price of SGD$9. You hardly find these kind of prices in Singapore!

The above pic is my cap, model no. AH077. I love the denim-blue (sadly, not clearly visible due the the sunlight) and the metallic buttons along the side of the visor/bill of the cap. It's not too flashy while adding on a nice touch to the other-wise plain cap. Love the words along the side of the cap too! Some k-pop fans would know that these caps are getting pretty popular with K-entertainment recently (Lee Minho, Tiffany and Micky Yoochun were spotted with these kind of caps recently) and I've been meaning to get one because it makes a pretty good accessory while serving its purpose in the hot, sunny weather of Singapore. :)

[Review] Canmake Colorful Nails: no. 53 Peppermint Cream

I just went to Watsons the other day, and I found that Canmake Colorful Nails series are having a sale at 2 for S$12.90 (Otherwise, it'd be S$17.80 for 2), and recently being infatuated with nail polish, decided to snoop them into my basket. The two colours I picked are no. 53 Peppermint Cream (this review!) and no. 52 in Sandy Brown. The Canmake official descriptions are given below:

These are my very first Canmake nail polish, and I was pretty excited to grab them. Canmake has a pretty good reputation amongst the Japanese drugstore brands, and I certainly wasn't disappointed. Took me about 2-3 layers to get the following effect:

No. 53 Peppermint Cream is a pretty pastel emerald colour. While the official site used a rather pastel sky blue icon, the colour's as you can see in my picture above, has a greenish undertone. Under sunlight, and to some people, the colour actually does seems to be closer to a shade of pastel blue than a paster green, but with comparison, it is pretty clear that the green undertone stands out.

Pros:

[o] Jelly like texture provides not just extra shine, but also ease of layering.

[o] The brush cap might be a little small, but the brush is just nice for me. Not too hard, not too soft, and picks up a good amount of polish.

[o] Small, easy to keep with it's square design.

[o] Once completely dry, not prone to chipping.

Cons:

[x] Rather expensive for a small bottle if it's bought at usual price (S$8.90). I can easily top up to get a much bigger O.P.I or China Glaze.

[x] Take note: the more layers you have, the longer it takes for it to be completely dried and fixed; if you're not careful, the layers could slide if you press too hard on it, and you'd have to start over again.

[x] I heard that the bottle dries up pretty quickly? I'm not sure since it's my first purchase, but you might want to keep that in mind.

Overall:

As a relative beginner, I think this nail polish is pretty good, for the brush makes it easy not to go out of the boundaries (or rather, not too much anyway). And I love this pastel colour! If you're fond of easy to layer kind of nail polish, or just want to try a certain colour, you can consider this nail polish for it's small size and easy to glide on liquid formula. :)