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.

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My LOTD was decidedly Princess-y. :)

Pink fuzzy top from Yesstyle.com

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Sparkly "tiara" headband

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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!

NorthPark Mall hauls, Shiseido, tokidoki, gelato +

*Very Pic Heavy Post!*

♥ *~Happy Friday!~* ♥

To celebrate a day off after and in anticipation of a busy work week, Darren and I spent some quality time together -- at the mall. :) It was actually a joint trip since we were also on the hunt for a pair of good frames for his much needed eyewear update...(unsuccessful T_T)

NorthPark is a higher-end mall in Dallas. Lots of new shops opened up in the past few years to attract a younger crowd so basically it has something for everybody now!

~ Food court has a nice airy feel ~

♥ I don't understand why they have CACTUS Gardens everywhere. Seems so dangerous!!! Darren thinks they are real. :( ♥




♥ I actually like this cactus - pretty & pink! ♥



♥ GELATO!!! ♥

♥ I like Fruity flavors more than milky flavors ♥

♥ Flavors: Papaya (Creamy & Smooth), Pineapple (Refreshing & Tart), Orange Grand Marnier (YUM) ♥

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Onto MAJOR HAULAGE

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Shiseido

I started off my journey at the Shiseido counter at Macy's they were advertising for their bi-annual gift with purchase (GWP)! With the purchase of 2 items (one being a skin care treatment product) you get a free bag with 5 additional skincare samples tailored to your specific skin type!

The lady at the counter, Yujin, was super sweet - unlike many other sales ladies, she WASN'T pushy and was attentive & super thorough. She even took out this crazy machine to test my "skin-type" -- which surprisingly was healthy and not super dehydrated as I had suspected it to be -- I just have some redness in my cheeks that has been present since I was young:

Here she is with the skin-scanner pretending to Kareoke lol!

After talking about skincare for awhile, she mentioned that she had worked for SK-II for a a few years, but has worked for Shiseido for more than 14 years - she really trusts their products as the line has been around since it was started by a Japanese Pharmacist in 1872! :D

Total haul: 2 items + Free Gift with Purchase

• White Lucent Brightening & Moisturizing gel (for nighttime use)
• My STAPLE - 34 Sun Compact Protection Foundation refill
  

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LUSH



I wanted the Strawberry Feels Forever massage bar, but decided against it last minute. I'm going to try to use up some of my regular lotions before trying out the solid type. Also, I was disappointed in being able to select things in person while inside of the store -- if you're ever trying to decide on products here based on smell, GOOD LUCK as the store is overwhelmingly saturated in one big scent! (they need more coffee beans)



Still went with the two other purchases, but was able to get one as a free sample!



Total haul: 1 item + Free Sample

• T for Toes - Dusting powder
  
• Free sample of Fresh Farmacy Cleanser
  

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Sephora

tokidoki

I remember tokidoki did a special collaboration with Smashbox awhile ago...didn't know they came back recently with a NEW LINE altogether until I heard a few other blogettes raving about it!

♥ Everything comes in a dizzying array of colors & of course, *adorable* packaging ♥

I especially ♥ the design of the lipglosses. Very unique, sturdy & CUTE. This one is called "Strawberry Latte" and smells of strawberry syrup.



The top of each lipgloss comes with a cute character topper suspended in liquid and showered in sparkly cutout confetti



The applicator wand is unconventional - a flexible silicone paddle-wand replaces the standard brush or sponge applicator



The packaging was so darn cute but all the gloss colors are designed to be sheer - since I'm not a gloss person to begin with, it can go on hold for awhile. :) I regret not at least testing it out, but I already was making a big enough dent in my wallet...

Instead, I opted for something I would use more often. The Tokidoki Luminosa Powder in "Kabuki" was calling my name! Kabuki is a pretty, buildable, subtle highlighter. It was very much an impulse buy and probably a product that is easily 'dupable' - but alas, it was on sale!


Anybody notice that the design in stores is slightly different than one featured on the website?

Sephora Brand

One thing I wasn't expecting to purchase was the Sephora Collection Color Play 5-in-1 palette - a large sign caught my eye in the front of the store and the display looked so pretty - the color selection was ginormous!

Image from http://www.honeymag.com

What got me though was the POP OUT PALETTE design...unlike the Coastal Scents 88 palette (which I own but would never dream of traveling with) - the individual 'sets' of shadows/blush/liner pop out of the case and fit snuggly in a travel-sized case with mirror:

I love the fact that each set of 10 eyeshadows, blush & 2 lippies has a "story"

- Dinner in Paris: Grays and blacks
-Coffee in New York: Browns
-Shopping in Milan: Purples and pinks
-Tango in Buenos Aires: Blues and greens
-Clubbing in Tokyo: Baby blues, pinks, and yellows

Novelty aside, when the MUA applied some of the shadows to my skin, the results were actually impressive! The trick to these shadows is using a good primer - we used Urban Decay Primer Potion! The shadows she applied were pigmented, buttery smooth, and all around gorgeous! I know people have complained about the quality of the Sephora palettes in the past - but I was thoroughly impressed with the eyeshadow quality! (The blushes are more sheer and kind of hit-or-miss)

Total haul: 4 items @ 15% off

• Urban Decay Primer Potion (I know it's 30% off F&F, but instant gratification + no shipping)
  
• Korres Lip Saver - 3 for the price of 2! (Guava, Mango, Pomegranate)
• Tokidoki Luminosa Powder in Kabuki
• Sephora Color Play 5-in-1
  

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I am officially putting a hold on any further self-indulgent purchases (on behalf of myself and my super selfless boyfriend) until May!!! XD

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More ♥ to Lisa Cristina & Wendycakes! ♥ ♥ ♥

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For some reason I am craving gummy bears. :P Have a great Friday! :)

Tarina Tarantino Line from Sephora

I have had some $$$ on my Sephora Gift card that has just been sitting lately...I really want to try out the new Tarina Tarantino line from SEPHORA -- the items are so cute and girly and hime! ^__^ She was originally a jewelry designer -- some of her pieces were on display at the HELLO KITTY 3 Apples Exhibit in LA!

Take a look at all that pink -- and the little silver bows stamped on everything! So adorable!

I'm such a sucker for cute packaging. I'll see if the line has any claws with a visit before any purchases are made. (non impulsive side of the brain kicking in lol) :)

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♥ Big Welcome to *Maickou & Liana!* ♥

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Check out the Beautiful Katie Ngo's Giveaway! I've been wanting one of these "Coastal Scents" palettes since forever! :)

xoxoxoxoxo loooove it!