My latest craze with candles from Bath and Body Works.

Hi Everyone!

Lately, I have just been obsessed with candles. I just love how candles can change the atmosphere of the room and makes you feel relaxed after a long day at work. I've talked about candles in my past blogs but they were mostly winter scents, this time it's SUMMER and that means new scented candles! I was sad to  put away my winter candles..... see ya in another 5 months! Wow.... I don't want to think about winter just yet... summer has not even arrived. I picked out four of my favorite scented candles from Bath and Body Works. In addition, I also got some cute candle holders to put it in.

I will start with my favorite: PEACH BELLINI!!! Sounds good already!
Sorry, I took off the sticker that was on the jar because it looks better without it when you place it in the candle holder. I couldn't wait to start burning it as you can see.

I love this candle so much because it burns evenly and it smells delish!!! I have a puppy and she does make my room smell like urine. She is pretty good about peeing on the pad, but sometimes she will have accidents on the carpet. I only deep clean my carpet once every 3 weeks so the smell lingers in my room.  Don't get my wrong, I do clean my carpet where she has the accident with a carpet spray, but it just doesn't clean as well as doing a deep clean. By lighting this candle, it really blocks the smell and my whole room smells like PEACH!!!!

Shown above is one of the candle holders/sleeves that I got from Bath and Body Works.
Cost: $5 - candle holder.

Here is the second one that I got. Cute little daisy prints!

Candle: $19.50 each

These candles are expensive, but when you get it during the promotion it's not quite so bad.  Currently, they are having a promotion of buy 2 for $30. I also took two surveys that was on the receipt that gave me an additional $20 off. I bought 4 candles so it was actually $10 each. YAY!!!!

My second favorite is the JUICY NECTARINE. As you can probably tell, I love the smell of peaches.

Third favorite is PINEAPPLE MANGO. The smell of this one is sooooo good in the jar, but I haven't burn it before to say it's good. Sometimes when you smell it in the jar is different when you actually use it.... so I am  actually excited to try this.

 Fourth favorite is SUMMER BERRIES. Not only does it smell good, but having this color sit inside the candle holder looks so pretty.

Yes, I love fruity scented candles for Summer and warm baked cookies for Winter.
Anything that has to do with food is all good with me. =o)

Have a nice night!
<3 <3 <3

Sephora 500 points perk!

Hello Hello Everyone!

I hope most of you were able to make it to Sephora VIB 15% discount last week. I was able to stock up on most of my daily necessities and at the same time purchase some new items to try. Walking into Sephora is like walking into a candy store..... so many goodies and you just want it all. Happy Happy Joy Joy! While I was there I took a peek to see if this month's reward is worth getting. I don't know why I never looked at the 100 points reward.... maybe because I like  to spend it on sets instead of individual samples. Sometimes in the sets, you get normal size items rather than small sample sizes. Anyways, as a beauty insider you get the Smashbox perfectly polished lids. YAY!!!! This set is made for an everyday look which I think is going to be very useful. As you can tell, I am all about trying new products and letting all of you know how I really feel about them.

Let's get this ball rolling..... this reward is still available online... but I don't know if it is in certain stores.
Here is the 500 point perk:

The first item in the box is Smashbox eye shadow trio in vanilla, champagne, and brazilian bronze.

I have tried this product for two days and it blends easily with a nice bit of sheen. I have worn it for more than 8 hours and it doesn't crease. It looks very natural.

The only con that I can think of is that the vanilla color doesn't show up too well on the eyelid.... so I would just use it to highlight my brow bone. Value: $28

2nd item in the box is the Smashbox cream eye liner in Midnight Brown. In this picture it looks kind of red, but it's actually dark brown when you look at without the bright lightening from the camera. The product is supposed to be smudge-proof, but I think my bottom lid is very oily so it last long on me. I just use this to line my upper eyelid and it works fine. I will have to say it does work better than an eye pencil.  Value: $22

3rd item is Smashbox Lash DNA mascara in Midnight Black. I have always been a fan of drugstore mascara so I am a little bit bias. The mascara in this box is a sample size and it does define your lashes very well but I will probably use this as a base and apply another volumizing mascara on top. Even though some people feel like it does clump up, that didn't happen with me. It works well with my lashes. I guess with the price of $19, I rather just spend it on buying 2 drugstore mascara that works just as good.

This wand is a bit different from all the other wands that I have seen. It has a little bit of a tilt near the neck and the brush has an usual shape which helps separate every lash. For me personally, I don't like the shape of the brush..... it's hard to tell here but it's a double helix brush.

4th item is the Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer. This is also in a sample size and it works just as well as the Two-Faced eyeshadow primer and the Urban Decay Primer potion. It just not as hyped up as the other two primers but it does do its job of being crease resistant. I would say the texture is more like the Two-Faced eyeshadow primer because they are both creamy, whereas the Urban Decay Primer potion has a thicker consistency. Value: $20.

The primer is the one located on the bottom that looks creamy and nude.

Overall, I am satisfied with my reward and these are items that I will be using as part of my everyday makeup routine.

<3 <3 <3

Nail Polish Haul

Hi Everyone,

If you have been following me on my blog, you will notice that I love nail polish. I believe I have practically every color you can think of. Most of the time when I do buy nail polish, I like to buy them when they come in a collection.... for example, the OPI Shrek collection, Essie 2011 Spring collection, etc. It's just fun to see the color combinations for each individual collection.

Recently, MAC has came out with their  Quite Cute makeup line and there were 2 colors that I was dying to get. I got the pink color called Ice Cream Cake and the green color called Mischievous Mint. Here, I am wearing Ice Cream Cake and the color just blends very well with my skin tone. I will put on Mischievous Mint in a later blog.

The camera is not picking up the brightness of this color.... it looks a bit light pink here, but it's actually bright pink.

I finally received my package for Essie New Spring 2011 collection and the color I am wearing is called Coat Azure. It is an enviable ocean blue tone. All the colors in this collection are mostly pastels which I will also show you in my future blogs. I love how this color screams Spring! Spring! Spring!

Ever since I have tossed out my OPI top coat nail polish I am on a hunt for a good top coat. The OPI top coat was good at first, but when it got closer to the bottom of the bottle, the polish became gloopy and hard to apply so that is why I had to toss it. I do not recommend buying OPI top coat for this very reason. Since then, I have tried the Sally Hansen no chip acrylic top coat. I have issues with this one. I don't know if I am applying this wrong, but every time I put this over my nail polish, and in a day I can see little lines near the tip of my nails. It's hard to describe how it looks...... I guess the lines look like little cracks. This is totally a waste of money- $4.99.

Then, a few days ago, I found the best top coat ever!!! It's called Seche Vite. They sell this at any Sally Beauty supply store for $5.99. For a dollar more, I am definitely going to buy this over Sally Hansen. It works so well. I am very rough on my nails and what I mean by that is I would use my nails to open boxes instead of a scissor or a knife. I need something strong that can last.
Pros: Dries fast, no chip for at least 4 days, makes the color on your nail look vibrant
Con: once you open the bottle the smell of the chemical is very strong. I guess that is what makes it stick.

If this product does not get gloopy towards the end like the OPI, I will definitely re-purchase it again.

Another great find and many more to come!
<3 <3 <3

Drugstore haul

Hi Everyone,

I decided to post up some of my latest drugstore purchases because I am loving some of the products that I got. The main reason I went to the drugstore is to buy a new stick of deodorant.... I don't know if I can ever leave the house without putting this on. While I was there I also picked up two other items that I have been wanting to try.

Deodorant is something everyone should have as a necessity.  The three things that I look for in a deodorant are how well it holds up, whether if it gets onto your clothes, and of course, it gotta smell good. I have been using this deodorant for about a year now and it hasn't failed me yet. Dove is known for making great moisturizers and to have a deodorant made by them you know your armpits will be damn well moisturized.
Dove Ultimate go fresh comes in a variety of scents but my two favorites are cucumber and promagranate.

Pros: good coverage, smells awesome, and very moisturizing
Con: $4.49 (a bit expensive for a deodorant)

Then I picked up the L'Oreal Go 360 clean deep facial cleanser. I saw this a while back but I never purchased it until now. What intrigues me is the little scrublet that it comes with. I like the idea that it comes with the scrub and that the scrub has a designated place on the bottle. I don't know why I love that idea so much..... I guess when I am in the shower I don't need another thing hanging or falling on the floor when it can be attached to the bottle.  I believe it comes in 5 different types and since this is my first time using it, I decided to go with the one that is for sensitive skin. I also want to try the deep cream cleanser that is in the pink packaging... maybe after I finished using this up.

I do have my clarisonic that I used every other day, but during the days I am not using it, I would like to use something a bit softer. This fits my need very well. It's gentle enough to use on a daily basis.

Pros: help removes dirt and makeup, unclog pores to make them look smaller, and my skin feel smoother
Con: It did break out my skin when I first used it, but after the 3rd time of use there are no signs of breakout.
$6.99

As I was walking to the register, I saw a shelf full of travel size items for 99 cents. I decided to take a look and I saw the Jergens Natural Glow. Since my legs have gotten pale over the winter, I would like to build up more color. Not only does it give your skin more color, it also works as a moisturizer.  Sometimes it's nice to try an item out for 99 cents in the travel size to see if you like it or not.

Pros: provides and even tan, it's not greasy, it doesn't smell like sun tanning lotions, makes my skin feel soft, and it's 99 cents.
Con: some people don't like the smell, but I don't think it's bad at all.

I am going to buy the bigger bottle after I am done using this.

It's always fun trying out new things.... and the best place to find inexpensive items is at the drugstore.

Night!

<3 <3 <3

Sephora Hello Kitty collection haul

Hi Everyone,

Sephora was promoting the Hello Kitty beauty line about a month ago and I gotta say it's pretty cute. I am not a big Hello Kitty fan, but I do like the color and the packaging. This collection is only sold at Sephora.

When I first saw this collection online, I only wanted the perfume that is encased inside a Hello Kitty bottle with a vintage atomizer. I went into the store without any expectations of how it would smell like, but I was taken back by a surprise. The smell is very good.... it has some sweet (not too overpowering), mostly floral scent..... I think on the base note there is some sort of spice/musk in it also. I can see this being worn during the long summer days.

While I was there.... I was enticed by the other beauty products from that collection. Those adorable packagings were just staring at me..... and it's hard for me to say no.
Other items that I picked up was a silver Hello Kitty compact mirror. I needed one for my bag so I thought why not pick one up. Sometimes, we need to make sure there is nothing stuck between our teeth after we eat... this mirror will definitely come in handy.

Then of course, the makeup..... I love to look at eye shadows and this one has a quad plus a quad of lip glosses. I should have tested out the eye shadows to see how pigmented they were while I was at the store but somehow I didn't.  I just saw how pretty the colors were and how easy it will be to carry this around in my bag. When I got home I swatch the colors to see how pigmented they were and I was disappointed.  It took me several times to get it to the color that is shown on the back of my hand.

Color from the left: Ice cream, airplane, peppermint, and chocolate milk.

The lip glosses are in the second tier. I am not too fond of the lip glosses either. They do smell fruity but not pigmented at all. Very lightweight, but moisturizing.

I love how compact it is.

Colors: Raindrop (gray), Sugarplum (pale lilac), Sweet plum (purple), Goodnight dreams (black)

Lastly, the shower cap. I don't like washing my hair everyday and it's not good to wash your hair everyday. I always tied back my hair while I am taking a shower, but somehow it still ends up getting wet. So, what better to use than a shower cap. I used to think shower caps are for grannys but I am starting to like them.... only if they are cute.

Now, I can take my shower in peace not having to worry about my hair getting wet.

Alright, that's it for my haul.

Oh and for those who are VIB members at Sephora, they will be giving away a gift with purchase on Thursday, April 14 at 4pm in addition to your 15% discount.
Just a FYI

<3 <3 <3

A simple black dress and a nice necklace is all it takes!

Hi Everyone,

Sometimes it's nice to just get dress for an evening out with your girlfriends or coworkers. It happens to be one of my co-worker who was retiring and we were having a semi-formal event at a hotel. I love buying dresses but there are only so many times you can wear it. Dresses that are different or that has an unique symmetry/pattern are what I like to wear.

Here I am wearing a black pleated dress with a one shoulder chiffon sleeve. This dress is very elegant and feminine. I bought this dress from a site called ASOS, an online retailer in the UK.

Because the dress is very plain, I want to pair it up with something sparkley.... so I was able to wear a necklace that I have bought from H & M. With this big of a statement, I didn't want to wear any earrings that stands out too much on top. My intention is to have this necklace stand out on its own.

This necklace was fairly cheap... I think it was $11.99.... I forget. It makes any simple outfit that much more formal.

As you can see, a nice piece of jewelry/accessory doesn't have to be expensive.
<3 <3 <3

Hits and Misses

Hi Everyone,

Just doing a quick review of some items that I bought over the last few weeks.

Even though it's been cold in the city, I enjoy the sun and it makes me want to wear a lot of bright colors. I went on the Forever 21 website and I saw these cheap colorful T-shirts for $8.80. I had to grab 3 colors: hot pink, hot lime green, and a light peach. I usually like to put on a simple T-shirt and jeans if I am just running errands like going to the bank, grocery shopping, etc. These T-shirts are see-thru so make sure you wear a light tank top underneath other than that I like the way they feel and length of them. It's all about colors! This is a hit: good price, great color, and very comfortable.

The next item I bought is from a site called Beautybloc.com and it supposed to offer exceptional deals on beauty products and services. At the time they were offering 5 mini lip gloss for $10. I thought they were the normal sample size lip gloss, however, when I opened the package... I was disappointed on how small they were. I guess that's why they call it 'mini,' but let me tell you.... these are super duper mini.

Off the bat, this item is a miss!
On the website, the packaging looks nice, but I couldn't tell how small they were at the time.

Here is how it looks when I got it. It came in a brown envelope that looks like a truck has ran over it.... and when I took the item out, the packaging was already ripped at the edge.

Besides them being so small, I don't feel like they are heavily pigmented. Here are the swatches of the different color lip glosses. When I applied them on my lips, I don't see a lot of color..... they are a bit too sheer for me. If I have a little sister, this would be something I would give her to play with.

On a high and personal note, I am loving this razor/trimmer. Summer is almost here and that means it's time to start shaving those legs. I will admit... during the winter I don't shave every day because most of the time I am covered up and those extra leg hairs will keep me warm.
From the past blogs, I talked about how I like to do a lot of my personal hygienes in the shower such as washing my face with the clarisonic, brushing my teeth, shaving and now I can also trim while I am in the shower.... that was a little too much info huh?

 Well, this is shower safe!!!

It also came with an energizer battery! Not those generic batteries, but the real thing.  

PROS: Has 2 functions in one, can be used in the shower, comes with a long lasting battery, easy to use, love the color, and you can buy replaceable razors. 

Overall, this is a hit! Great summer item to have in the shower.

More hits and misses to come!

<3 <3 <3