Ebates for Beauty Buys!

Ok if you don't have an Ebates account yet, you MUST get one!

Ebates gives you cash back on every online purchase you make with their ginormous list of participating merchants. The cashback you get can range anywhere from 1-10% of the total purchase price depending on the merchant. If you regularly make online purchases, you must sign up! Actually if you make any online purchases, you must sign up because it's free and you get some of your hard earned moola back.

I used to adore Sephora because they had a whopping 8% cashback but starting in September they dropped it to 4% cashback. I'm so pissed - Grrr! But I digress...

As long as the you have at least $5.01 cashback, Ebates will send you your cashback quarterly or every 3 months. If you have less than $5.01, the cashback just rolls over and is added to the next quarter's check. You also have several options on how to cashout. You can have a check mailed directly to you, you can have the $$ credited to your PayPal account, and they're always coming up with new ways to let you cashout (it's all explained here).

Ok this is muy importante so listen up! You must remember to

SIGN-IN TO EBATES FIRST
SIGN-IN TO EBATES FIRST
SIGN-IN TO EBATES FIRST

and go to the store you plan to make purchases at via the links on Ebates. This is the only way they can track your purchase and give you cashback. If you go directly to the store's webpage and make your purchase, Ebates won't know about it and you won't get the cashback. This sounds simple enough but I can't tell you how many times I completely forgot to sign in to Ebates first and totally missed the cashback.

If you refer a friend to join Ebates, you and friend get $5 added to your account. If you consider me a friend, I'd really love it if you'd use this link to sign up for your Ebates account.

Shu Uemura Face Architect Smoothing Fluid Foundation Color Chart (kinda sorta)

I've been intrigued about Shu Uemura's Face Architect Smoothing Fluid Foundation for a super l-o-n-g time. I've even gone to get my shade matched at the Shu counter but that's a story for another post. Lately I've been staring at the foundation shades offered online (again) but I've never been able to make any sense of it. I'm sure there are also Asia-only shades not shown online which annoys me to no end.

With all that said - Please don't be alarmed by what you are about to see next. I just had to do it to ease my troubled mind and to finally make some sense of those cryptic shade numbers! You can click on the pics to expand the diagrams and get a closer look.


Color Chart from Shu's USA website. Mine got flipped(sorry) - as the rows go from top to bottom they simultaneously progress from
dark
medium-dark
medium
light-medium
light


Color Chart modifed by yours truly. I ignored the number assigned to the shades, kept all the colors in their respective row but moved them around by the color I perceived.

Here's what I could sort out of the 3-digit numbers XYZ from the color charts:

Left digit X indicates how warm or cool the shade is.
1 = warmest shade
9 = coolest shade

Middle digit Y indicates how light or dark the shade is.
0 = darkest shade
8 = lightest shade

Right digit Z - I can't figure out. If you figure it out please let me know! There's only 4 or 5 and that's the extent of the range. Shade #164 and #165 are the only two shades that have the same XY digits and only the Z digit differs. They do appear to be different but I can't describe the distinction.

**Update** Clarisonic Plus Malfunction

Ok so I ended up taking my Clarisonic Plus back to Sephora with my receipt despite the fact that it'd been way past the 60-day limit. They were so great and let me do an exchange and said they'd send the wonky Clarisonic PLUS back to the manufacturers themselves.

I waited to post an update just to be SURE everything was ok. So 1+ month into testing my new machine and all is well! It's gone strong on the 2 minute setting has been able to hold the charges with no issues :)

Kinerase Clear Skin Treatment Serum $79 Review

This elegant, lightweight therapeutic serum contains a proprietary blend of plant based extracts to reduce blemishes and control oil while visibly calming and smoothing the skin. A professional-strength dose of kinetin also treats and prevents signs of aging.

Regular use can help prevent blemishes without the redness, irritation and peeling commonly associated with acne treatment regimens. -per Kinerase website

The Verdict
I wanted this serum to work - I really did especially since the Kinerase Clear Skin Regulating Mask worked so well. The thing is the serum did work. It has a runny consistency, is fast-absorbing and is non-oily but I did feel some slight stinging on areas of broken skin. Saw a pimple trying to set up camp on my cheek. I dabbed some of this serum right on the spot and the next morning - gone. Not even a trace of a blemish and my skin wasn't dry or peely.

Unfortunately, I just couldn't get over the funky cheesy foot smell. It's just horrible. My nostrils felt violated. If you value fresh oxygen and object to obtrusive malicious odors (cue siren and red light alarm) stay away! For the love of God stay away!

Another issue I had was the how the serum is dispensed. The best way to do it is to pump the product into the palm of your hand. I tried to pump a small drop onto the tip of my index and middle finger - big mistake! Stinky smelling goop squirted in all directions.

Frederic Fekkai + Saks Shampoo Swap

Who wants sexy hair? I do! I do! If you haven't heard yet this offer was in the Elle Magazine September Issue with Jennifer Aniston on the cover.

Celebrating the launch of the new Fekkai Advanced Collection, visit a participating Saks Fifth Avenue store on Thursday, September 17,2009 and exchange any full-size shampoo you currently use for one full-size complimentary Fekkai Advanced shampoo(a $23 value). One per customer, while supplies last.


There are 3 types of shampoo in this new line - Brilliant Glossing(Green), Technician Color Care(Pink), and Full Blown Volume(Orange) I'm not sure if you get to choose what you prefer but I'm eyeing the bottle of Full Blown Volume.

Kinerase Clear Skin Regulating Mask $56 Review

I got to try a sample of this a while back but never got around to posting a review. So here it is!

The Kinerase Clear Skin Regulating Mask ($56 for 2.8 oz) is a clay mask that treats acne-prone skin. It contains botanical extracts that draw out extra sebum and soothe the skin to minimize break outs. The mask is applied for only 5 minutes once a week and regular use will improve blemishes and conditions of acne-prone skin.

The Verdict
The sample size I had only allowed me to use the mask once but I could feel immediate changes. All traces of oil and sebum were absorbed by the mask and some of my older acne scars were diminished and less discolored.

Even though I loved the results of the mask, it's meant for oilier skin than mine. I had to slather on moisturizer in order to rehydrate the skin on my cheeks/temples but for my T-zone this mask worked wonderfully.

I really am not doing justice to how impressed I was by this mask. Just go try a sample from Nordstrom and you'll see what I mean :)

PlePle Wrap Pencil Case $16

I'm a hobby generalist. I'm interested in a bunch of different things but I never devote my full passion on any one. One of my many obsessions is stationary. I dunno why but I think it has something to do with being Asian - how nerdy right? Well it's ok because I don't take it overboard (remember I'm only a generalist :)

One of my favorite sites to surf for stationary is at JetPens. They've got pens galore. Pens you've never heard of. Pens you've never seen. And more pens than you could imagine uses for or where to store! It's hard not to covet some of them - trust me it's hard. They've also got beautiful and stylish writing pads and some very innovative pencil cases.



I would like to introduce the PlePle Wrap Pencil Case. I originally bought it to store pens because it made me feel artsy.



But then I discovered it's even better used as a brush roll. Tada!


I mean seriously! It's so different than the typical black MA brush satchel and I personally think it's cuter. I usually keep my brushes in an empty candle jar on the counter but this wrap case works great for transporting brushes.

The outside of the case is made of a thin suede and it feels leather-like. The inside is felt-lined with a polka dot pattern and the felt has a corduroy texture to it. There are also 3 sectioned slots for holding pens....er brushes.



The Verdict
As I mentioned before, I like to use this for travel since the flap on the top of the case protects the bristles from getting frayed and tugged. The length of the case comfortably fits most full-size brushes.

Since it's actually meant for pens not brushes it's hard to fit brushes with different sized handles in the same slot. If you put a fat handled brush in the same slot as skinny handled brushes, they won't lay flat and will start to roll around.

Also the slots can only fit about 2-3 brushes each. If you've got a large collection of brushes, you may have to get 2 cases to fit all the brushes. I only have a small collection of brushes and only a few that I use on a regular basis. So for me this is just the right size for travel.

P.S. If I had a reason to get a 2nd wrap pencil case...I'm eyeing this one.

NARS Bridal Palette $65 Review

I know this NARS Bridal Palette (aka Makeup Artist Palette 9945) has been out there forever but I kinda forgot about it and then re-discovered it a couple of weeks ago.

At the end of next week I'm heading to sunny Malibu to celebrate the wedding of a good friend and I wanted a simple all-in-one makeup kit. I found this to be practical for travel since I won't have to fiddle around with a bunch of little tubes of lipstick or separate little eye and cheek compacts. O and did I mention the HUGE mirror on this baby? It's gonna make on-the-go touch-ups easy peasy!

I love that this palette includes 9 of the best-selling NARS shades in neutral colors that would flatter any skin tone....but especially mine :) Below are some close-up pics of the compact.

Eye Quad

Neutral but versatile shades for the eyes that can go with any outfit or occasion. I could keep my eyes simple or do a smoky eye by adding some eyeliner and mascara.

Cheeks

I love Orgasm! It's always my go-to blush so having it in the compact just makes packing simpler for me. Albatross is a highlighting shade and complements Orgasm really well. I'm not real big on highlighters but I'm liking how the 2 shades pair up.

Lip Quad

Again neutral colors but I found them to be very hydrating and easy to apply with a lip brush.

Gripes
I don't really have any complaints about the NARS Bridal Palette. I know some may say the shades aren't colorful enough but I knew what I was getting myself into and I'm a happy camper. But I do have 1 complaint...

I ordered this directly from NARS as it's no longer available anywhere else. It was shipped super fast (under 3 days) but the packing quality was disappointing. I have this thing where I gently shake packages to see how "secure" they are. This was NOT secure at all - I could hear and feel the THUD-THUD as the compact rolled around and landed on the opposite side of the box. When I opened the box the palette was wrapped in some tissue paper but there was no cushioning to fill-in the empty space! I braced myself for the worst. I crossed my fingers and opened the cover of the palette hoping I wouldn't fine the mirror or any of the quads cracked. Well, I got myself worked up over nothing. Everything was fine and in one piece. A little dusty, but fine.


See? Everyone's alright :)

LUSH Tea Tree Toner Tab Review

I went to the salon and on the way back I tried to resist the sweet alluring smells wafting out of LUSH but I failed slightly. I say slightly because I only caved to 2 items: some toner tabs and a hair treatment tub. The other 2 are samples that the kind SA threw in :) I'll review all of these as I use them but for now I'll only be reviewing my spotlight item: LUSH Tea Tree Toner Tabs!


LUSH has 4 different types of toner tabs to address different skin conditions. I got the Tea Tree Toner Tabs to help soothe acne prone skin. They're $1.50 each (yikes!) or $7.95 for 6 tabs (smaller yikes!).

To use these, first boil a pot of water. Once the water has boiled, remove the water from the heat and drop in one of the tabs. Then place a towel over your head and let the tea tree steam seep into your skin. When the tab fizzles out the steaming is complete! Just pat skin dry and then finish with a moisturizer. The SA recommended allowing the tea tree water to cool and then pouring it into a spray bottle and to use it as a toner. I loved his idea for turning the tab into a multi-use product!



I have to admit 1 tab per pot of water seems rather wasteful to me. So I used this with my Conair Facial Steamer in my pre-masking ritual. I let the facial steamer heat up and then I just shaved off a about 1/4 of one toner tab into the water basin.

The Verdict
I know some people find the scent of Tea Tree oil to be quite pungent but I actually don't mind it. When I used it with my steamer I found the scent to be relaxing and spa-like. I'm not so sure about the effect of this for my skin though. My skin was all clammy after steaming so it was hard to gauge the benefits of incorporating the toner tab. However I'm confident all the antioxidants and tea tree oil goodness were busy working behind the scenes to beautify my skin :)

Reason for MIA

I know it seems I fell out of the blogosphere but I had to take a break from the blog to tend to some personal issues. My granny has not been doing too well in her battle with liver cancer recently. She was going strong for 10 years but recently the cancer has been unwieldy. She's still fired up and she's not about to go down without a good fight or two or three - but that's just how my granny is. She's got spunk. Sorry for the abrupt absence but I'll be returning to the Land of Blog shortly :)