Jill Stuart Mix blush - Milky Strawberry Review

Every princess needs a decent arsenal of vanity-worthy prettiness.

If you are that type of girl, you need some Jill Stuart in your life! I don't understand why American cosmetic companies don't put much thought into developing a product that *looks* nice...I guess it's all about makeup-on-the-go or the whole fast food mentality or whatnot.

I like feeling spoiled. I LOVE Jill Stuart.

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Jill Stuart Mix Blush Review

*Milky Strawberry*

Milky Strawberry is the newest blush in the Mix Blush series launched in the Spring Collection for 2011, Innocent Sexy.

Official description

"sweet and fluffy milky pink, reminiscent of strawberry milk"

It being a brand new release, I went on pure chance, hoping the color would suit my skintone.

Like all Jill Stuart cosmetics, the compacts are princess-y and ornate albeit plastic. The little goat hair brush is attached on a metal-link chain but can be removed. The brush is retractable with a pink crystal tab!



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The blush itself with and without flash

The upper left corner is a pearly light pink highlighter, the upper right corner, a dusty rose. The bottom two colors are my favorite and add a nice punch to the entire palette - the lower left is hot pink fuchsia and the lower right is a bright pinky peach

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The brush after swirling in all 4 colors

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The blush on my cheeks with and without flash

*Also sporting Jill Stuart Jelly Eye Color N in Jewel Flash, a gorgeous shimmery light purple*

Like the collection's namesake, it really gives you an innocent pink flush of color on the cheeks - I think the peachy pink made it wearable on my Texas-tanned complexion! The shimmer is sophisticated and subtle - a great everyday blush! I was surprised that it showed up so well and am dying to try out Little Bouquet for a more peachy Summer blush.

The product is scented - a very light, pretty floral that is not at all overbearing


Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ (5/5)

If it weren't for the hefty price tag, I would own them all!!!

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On a side note, I saw the color OPI's Italian Love Affair on a co-worker and now am on a mission to purchase and share. It is the perfect dolly pearl pink! Will share soon :)

Hope you all are having a good week - very excited to meet up with fellow bloggers this weekend!!!

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. -_-

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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.

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Backside:

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

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

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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.

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

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

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

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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.

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*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.

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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)

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My LOTD

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

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





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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

Jill Stuart Spring 2011 Cosmetics Collection

Jill Stuart's Spring 2011 Collection - Innocent Sexy

Jill Stuart sure knows how to make super girly, sweet, and princess-y products - This upcoming Spring, she's rolling out a line that is lovely & elegant with colors that are feminine and delicate.

♥ New Blush Blossom duo* - Blush Blossom in Little Anemone ♥
(Anemone is a type of flower as well as the type you find underwater :D)

Image from http://www.fiftyflowers.com

I absolutely ♥ the ornate detailing on the compact casing and the included goat-hair brush with the PINK Swarovski crystal and little bow charm!

It comes as a loose powder that can be swirled together or used separately to create depth

This color is described as a "cute foggy pink combined with a girly anemone pink"

"Like the gentle blossoming of a wreath of pink flowers.
Loose powder cheek color that brings both innocence and luster to your cheeks"

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♥ New Mix blush in Milky Strawberry ♥

"Quad powder blush with pure luster. Blends smoothly and adds a touch of soft color to your cheeks"

I'm excited to try this - I have actually heard that Jill Stuart blushes are very subtle with buildable color - I'm trying to prep myself for initial shock as I know they are not nearly as pigmented as MAC or NARS. If this one works out, I think I may try the Baby blush (01) and Fresh Apricot (06)

Top two colors look like a pinky highlighter & bottom two are a warm pinky-peach

Described as a "sweet and fluffy milky pink, reminiscent of strawberry milk"
(I like that...fluffy pink!)

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♥ New Lip Jewel in ???* 12 New Colors! ♥

"For full and pure lips, as though decorated with the glittering dust of gems.
A liquid rouge for fresh and clear color"



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♥ New Jewel Crystal Eyes Palette in Angelic Topaz and Sweet Amethyst ♥

"Genuine jewel-like shine...
Eye color palette that enables eyes with deep lustrous colors and glorious shine"




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♥ New Nail Laquer colors include Dolly Bloom, Marshmallow Bonbon and Petal Shower ♥

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Oooooh I wish I could be back in Hong Kong! If you spend over $5000 HK you get a free gift. ($5000 HK Dollars = $643.31 USD and $639.06 Canadian) ;_;

It reminds me of a fancy tea set of sorts. What a perfect (and Princess-y) way to display your makeup collection!



・Tray（W:31.9cm D:13.8cm H:2.1cm）
・Cotton box（W:10cm D:10cm H:8.7cm）
・Cosmetic item holder （Φ:8cm H:8.5cm）
・Petit tray（W:10.6cm D:10.6cm H:4.5cm）

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I found a lot of these blogs helpful when looking for swatches/reviews of various products:

• Magical Complexion's blog has someswatches up from the Spring Collection!
• Eki of A Little bit of Eki also has a lot of Jill Stuart looks, hauls & reviews!
• Lisa of Makeupandlife.com has a ton of swatches and reviews of Jill Stuart products on her blog
• MusingsofaMuse has a great blog including a ton of Jill Stuart love!
• Cosmetic Candy is also a good place to find reviews & swatches
• Tummycake has a good video review and also some honest reviews/swatches
• Autumn Masquerade - *update*A GREAT blog - just found! Has side-by-side comparisons and descriptions of Jill Stuart products
  
• Lotus Palace always has a ton of Japanese makeup reviews, including Jill Stuart

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It's hard (if not impossible) to find Jill Stuart cosmetics in the States but relatively easy to find online...a few retailers:

iMomoko
Yesstyle
Ebay
Gooddealer

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I'm so excited for my first Jill Stuart Experience! I will be doing some reviews/swatches once I receive my order. (I picked up the blushes!) :)

In Hong Kong, the line will officially launch on January 10th, 2011

Are you planning on picking up anything from the Spring Collection?

Do the Pretty Girl Rock!

All you ladies should sing this song!

This video is so cute & fun :)


Happy New Year Lovelies!


* A toast to a glamorous New Year! *


♥ ♥ ♥


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



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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*

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*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.

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*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.

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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

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Sparkly "tiara" headband

*****

The Yesstyle model rocking it



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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*

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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.

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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"

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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.

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

Bling Mirror

Brush set with collectible case

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

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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

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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!