Review - Cosmagic Sweet Deco Cheek in peach pink with swatches

Hey Lovelies!

I hope everybody has been having a great new year so far! It tends to be relatively busy during the first month of the year at work, so I have been putting in extra hours every week to keep afloat. -_-

***

That being said, I am glad to be back with reviews aplenty! Today, I'll be reviewing Kose's Cosmagic Sweet Deco Cheek in 02 or pink peach.

***

Backside:

***

The packaging is super cute as expected - just check out the built-in adorable plastic jeweled heart!

***

The lid is cut like a giant diamond and screws off easily. So princess-y!!!

***

The set contains a minuscule blush brush which feels soft but doesn't serve any real purpose. Perhaps it might be good for contouring? There really is no place in the blush packaging itself that holds the brush securely so I stuffed it into my knick-knacks box where it will probably remain.

***

...Finally, a big dandelion-like puffball on a stick...

...Much like the Puffy bird on my windowsill :) ...

***

If you open up the inner insert, there are some instructions on how to use the blush to achieve different looks...

***

The blush itself in different lighting. The heart-shaped area is a shimmery coral cream blush, and the lower two compartments house a peachy-pink blush with golden shimmer and a lighter pink highlighter.

***

*Swatches* With an without flash

The cream blush reminds me a lot of NARS "Torrid" while the darker blush shade reminds me of a pinkier NARS "Orgasm"! Needless to say, very pretty colors and universally flattering IMO! I was surprised that the blush wasn't super shimmery and if used with a light hand, you could wear this to work on a Summer's day.

***

The other color is perhaps the more popular blush of the two - 01 in Strawberry pink. I can see the strawberry color looking great on fair-skinned beauties, but I am willing to give it a a whirl in the future sometime!

Price is $145 HK dollars or around $18.61 USD at Adambeauty.com
(Both colors are in-stock)

Overall

Pros
♥ Pigmented and pretty color
♥ Lovely packaging
♥ 3-in-1 blush - versatile!
♥ Extras = 2 freebie brushes
♥ Universally flattering colors

Cons

♥ Must be used with a light hand otherwise can be too shimmery/bright
♥ Hard to find - overseas orders or e-bay


Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ (4.5/5)

♥***♥

My LOTD

...Some randomness from this past week...

Wore my H&M sweater dress with leggings and F21 "Love" necklace





***

I wanted to share the beautiful Hello Kitty purse from Loungefly that I won as a giveaway prize from the ever-sweet RINA!

Super cute dustbag



The pattern is crazy kawaii with bows & hello kitty's face printed all over



The details on the purse are amazing! Even the hardware is Hello-Kittied out!



Delicious hot-pink lining



Thank you so much Rina! Your gift really made my month! :)




Giveaway, reviews and more coming soon!

♥ Irene

Hello Kitty for Sephora - Review and Comparison

Hello Kitty for Sephora - Review & Eyeliner Comparison

My package from Sephora arrived right before Christmas last week! Amidst all the hustle & bustle of the holiday season, I didn't get around until opening anything...until today!

The packaging -as expected- is SUPER adorable...the perfume box is topped with a silver bow sticker...

...and the "sweet gloss" packaging is imprinted with Hello Kitty's famous mug



***

Cuteness aside, here is my review.



*Perfume*

This 1.7 oz perfume is decently sized - but I definitely took a gamble on ordering it without ever sniffing. The description sounded just perfect for me! The mysterious unnamed Japanese fruits and green apple made it sound like this would be a fresh & sweet scent.

I was disappointed - it doesn't smell BAD - just extremely generic. The "wink" of vanilla is more than just that and the apple scent is nonexistent. That or my nose might be a little stuffy. The pretty bottle is now doing just that - prettying up my vanity.

*sigh*

***

*Sweet gloss*





Equally sweet blogger Rina also purchased this and has some good swatches of Peachy up on her blog

I purchased "Peachy" for my sister and kept "Pink Bow" for myself.

The fruity scent is really nice and the consistency is more of a balm than a gloss in my opinion. I like the color, though it is just a tint.



The packaging is nice, sturdy, and cute!

I was overall very pleased with this purchase, though I'm not sure I would shell out $16 for another one.

***

*Penpal Eyeliner*



I am always on the hunt for a great eyeliner. I have tried different felt-tip liners before, without much success. I just recently opened my Dolly Wink Deep Black eyeliner and was pleased with the precise tip and the staying power!

As Rina mentioned, the cap on the Hello Kitty Pen-pal eyeliner is super tight - which I suppose is nice because it will prolong the life of the product. This cap is a bit too tight though, and you have to put a little bit of muscle into tugging it off. :P The problem with felt-tip eyeliners is their tendency to dry out quickly, so I'm hoping the cap at least keeps it fresh. For all that work, it'd better! :O

The tip itself is not nearly as fine as the Dolly Wink tip...



Here are my swatches of the liners - see the whiskers on the Hello Kitty heart-shaped swatch? :3 (Don't ask about the Dolly Wink one, it was supposed to be winking with a bow T_T)



The eyeliner isn't disappointing...but it definitely is NOT waterproof so save this one for a sunny day! The pigmentation is decent, but I would use it over regular pencil liner for more contrast. I don't think it would be dark enough for my liking on its own! That or it might have to be layered on.

***

All in all, I bought into the hype! The novelty of this line is reason enough to get excited but the quality of the makeup itself is nothing to write home about. I still might browse again mid-January when the line officially launches - if anything, I *might* pick up the brushes or the mirror. Maybe.

*****

My LOTD was decidedly Princess-y. :)

Pink fuzzy top from Yesstyle.com

***
Sparkly "tiara" headband

*****

The Yesstyle model rocking it



***

I can't believe the year is about to END!!!

I'm so excited to start another year- thank you all so much for your continued love & support throughout all of 2010. I really and truly feel so blessed - and I have a nice way of thanking you coming up next month!!! :D

I hope the new year holds bigger and brighter things for all of you! Take care and have a safe & Happy New Year!

♥ Irene

Hello Kitty Sephora Event - last day!

Hey Ladies,

The blogworld has been abuzz with the Hello Kitty collaboration with Sephora - anything with Hello Kitty actually MADE for adults (such as previous collaboration with MAC) is just plain awesomeness in my opinion. :D I'm going to cling to my semi-adulthood as long as possible!

*My haul*

***

Hello Kitty Perfume

I was suckered into buying the perfume - how could I resist? Something that looks like THIS...

...and is pink, sparkly, and smells of green apples & Japanese fruits with "rich floral accords and a wink of warn vanilla" - I hope I'm not wrong about this one, I only wear sweet & semi-fruity scents. I also love the pink atomizer and crystalline bow!!! Even if I end up hating the scent, I'll keep that bottle forever!

It was out of stock Saturday, but is now back in stock (10:04 am in Dallas)

Notes:

Cassis Sorbet, Italian Mandarin, Apple, Magnolia Blossom, Freesia, Orange Flower, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Musk.

***

Pen-pal liquid eyeliner

I liked the novel idea of the pen-pal eyeliner - it is a liquid in pen form housed in an adorable, sleek Hello Kitty-stamped case. According to the site:

"The Pen Pal liquid eyeliner marker contains an inventive formula with pure pigments that dry quickly and allow extreme, all-day wear with no stain effect. The expert marker tip ensures tremendous precision and intensity in one stoke"

The words "ultra-precise" helped, as I am a helpless klutz when it comes to application of liquid eyeliner. I still have yet to try out the DollyWink liquid eyeliner, but from what I have heard, I hope this compares! I purchased in "Goodnight Dreams"

***

Sweet Gloss

I really adore the packaging - it looks adult, not "kiddie" - All these glosses were back in stock after being out of stock on Saturday.

I love the look of "peachy" and "pink bow" - these promise to provide long-lasting hydration (must have, especially in the Winter!) with a hint of color.

***

I would have purchased these items, but all sold out ;_;

Bling Mirror

Brush set with collectible case

***

All the makeup seems to be infused with "apple, grapeseed and strawberry oil" which promotes hydration, softer skin, and powerful antioxidants

***

SUNDAY (today), December 19th is the last day to get your paws on this collection until its official release in mid-January - so pounce on over if you haven't already :) - If you're not a "Beauty Insider" just sign up online to get access to the private event! This would also make a fabulous gift for the Hello Kitty enthusiast in your life (read: Purrrfect Christmas gift!)

There is a 2-day shipping deal too, so guaranteed Christmas delivery - Couponcode - UPS2DAY

***

Finally, had a rare opportunity to go out a little while ago - my LOTD + my new favorite Betsey Johnson jewelry (I know, time to clean the mirror!)

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend filled with adventure, glamour, charity, & last-minute holiday shopping!!! Aaaaah!

Reviews, Hauls & More Mega HK MAC Giveaway!

OMG, major excitement when Susie posted this - Reviews, Hauls & More is hosting a MEGA giveaway with MAC Hello Kitty (Totally LE rare stuff!) - visit her blog now to enter!

Good luck to all!

Retro Tag, Blog Award & Surprise gift!

The gorgeous Ms. Kate Gene's posted this on her recent blog and tagged all of her following readers!

** Retro Tag! **

1. Post a picture from your childhood (less than 13 yrs old).
2. Write about the picture.
3. Tag your friends and readers.

I actually found a few photos that brought back some really good memories:


Apple orchards - a Fall standard in Michigan. The apple trees in this orchard were so low to the ground! This is right before we ran into a huge dog that freaked me out. (I'm in the pink & older sis is in blue!)


My older sis & I having a blast in the kiddie pool! I love how we are rocking "side-tie" string bikinis!!! The nice thing about Michigan was the change of seasons.


I always LOVED "Art Castle" - a pottery painting place back in MI - always had a creative side! This particular visit was for my b-day party! I painted a silver cat on a pink pillow and followed with a glitter gloss coating. Things really don't change that much lol!

Sometimes I really miss being a kid - life was so worry-free, not a care in the world!

***

♥ So happy!!! The beautiful & talented Nikki passed on this lovely award to me - thanks again hun, what a nice surprise after a long day at work! :) ♥

1. Post the logo on your Blog
2. Pass it to 12 bloggers that inspire you!
3. Link the bloggers and let them know!!

Everyone of these ladies here is equally deserving as they have all inspired me! (I didn't re-tag a lot of the other ladies that inspire me, though they deserve it all the same! (aka Sophia, Sharlene, Nikki, etc...)

1. Yumiko aka "Yumi"
2. Khristine aka "Khris"
3. Saaamage
4. Jessica Mai
5. DSK Steph
6. KoreanSushi
7. Glitteryeyesxx
8. Serena
9. For the Fierce
10. Kym
11. Anita
12. Kate Gene

♥

***

I was so surprised to see a random & unexpected package on my doorstep today! My Houston friend Le-Minh had sent me a very special love package from out of the blue! She claims it is a much belated b-day present (at this rate, it is more of an early b-day present than a belated one lol) but it was so sweet & thoughtful!!!

I love all the pink stuffing! Easter came early this year ;)



My heart melted when I saw the card (and even more when I read message inside!)



Adorable magnets!



I'm actually kind of obsessed with stickers. These are super kawaii!



Sweet, girly half-apron!



I am so excited for our girls trip in April -- Girly movies, Spa trip, Skiing, Hot Springs & pigging out are on the itinerary so far...

***

Another warm hello to Molly Tamale (love the name!!)

Happy Valentines Day & Happy Asian New Year!

Hope you all have a very Happy Valentines Day!

...and maybe more importantly, a very HAPPY ASIAN NEW YEAR!!!!

Hope all of you get to enjoy some good food & good company!

I am having a pretty good Valentines Day weekend so far...No more snow, but still cold so just a big cozy sweater and skinny jeans today:

I braved The Galleria Mall here in Dallas yesterday to see if I could spot any celebrities thanks to the "All Star Weekend" Game in town. I wasn't able to spot any stars but MAN there were A TON of people at the mall. Maybe everyone had the same idea?

I liked how they put up tons of pink, red, and white balloons to celebrate Valentines Day! You can see the 3 levels of shopping insanity and the ice rink on the bottom floor complete with pink & red lights in heart shapes!

After checking out a few stores, we decided to pop into Hot Topic to check out the cool gamer t-shirts.

I saw this t-shirt and LOLed - it's kind of rude!



I never knew how much Hello Kitty stuff Hot Topic sells! It's not just any Hello Kitty stuff -- it's unique and exclusive stuff! For example, they seem to stock a TON of Hello Kitty NERD items, which I love:

Lip gloss with her boyfriend, Dear Daniel - also in nerd form! Love how Hello Kitty is blushing!


Glitter Wallet w/ cute backside





Cute necklace I couldn't pass up -- It actually is two separate necklaces that connect so she can wear the glasses! Darren spoils me too much...

*Separate*


*Together*


Darren tends to be a little claustrophobic so we did a little light shopping before bolting home.

Oh! And btw, if you are ever looking for an AWESOME BLUSH, check out NARS in Deep Throat. If the name doesn't make you blush, at least the product will haha. I like it much more than Orgasm, much more pigment and less crazy glitter everywhere.

As for the real Valentines Day, Darren and I have a deal -- no crazy expensive jewelry or even flowers this time around -- we're both trying to pay off BIG student loans from school so we're taking it easy with gift exchange -- well -- kind of. I splurged on his gift this year because I was a horrible girlfriend and didn't get him a birthday OR Christmas present this year. For some reason, Valentines Day has always been my "makeup" day. :(

So for the rest of the night, we played with his new toy! A Wii + Zelda Twilight Princess. We may be 4 years late on the bandwagon, but 3 hours of gameplay feels like nothing! I love RPGs. :) For all the Wii fans, the Official Nintendo Wii-mote + MotionPlus comes out in limited edition PINK today!



Piiiiiink remote! From Amazon.com


Sleeeepy Hello to Ann, Martha, Jessica & Nikki :) So much for sleeping earlier hehe...