Guerlain Imperiale Christmas 2009 Parcel

The Bergdorf (instant) Gift Card event is the best eva! O and as an added bonus since there is NO Bergdorf's in the Lonestar state my online purchases were tax free! Yippee!

So what did I indulge on? Why the Guerlain Impériale Christmas Collection of course!

I only purchased the Rouge G de Guerlain $45 and the Météorites Pearls Impériales $53. I also purchased the Météorites Brush $35.

I didn't go nuts with this collection but if I had deeper pockets I would've gone for the Eclat Impérial Sublime Radiant Powder $85 and the Météorites Voyage Impériale Compact $180 too. Unfortunately, I'm not swimming in dough so I had to cut the fat and with those price tags - they're fat. I'm still lemming for the Eclat Impérial Sublime Radiant Powder though...it's soooo elegant!

Freebies
My gift with purchase courtesy of Guerlain were some product samples and a faux velvet makeup bag.

Shipping Experience: A
The items were shipped as they were available and I actually got the Rouge G a couple of days ago. I could see the process of each individual item as they each received a UPS tracking number.

Everything arrived within the shipping window and all items were wrapped and cushioned with heavy butcher paper.

Shu Uemura Gloss Unlimited PK 382s $22 Review & Swatches

This is another Gloss Unlimited sample I received from Shu.

"Easy-to-wear vivid shades in vibrant color. Each shade delivers intense color fidelity and brightness, 3 dimensional shine effect in a non-sticky formula that keeps lips hydrated and soft. Sheer Coverage." ~From the Shu Uemura website.

The sample is a pink color gloss in shade pk 382s. There's a wide range of colors and shades to choose from though!

Swatches

Here's a swatch of the gloss. It's very sheer and has tiny bits of glitter throughout.

My natural lip color.

With the gloss applied.

Sample Product Packaging
Even though this is just a sample of the gloss, the tube and cap are of good quality plastic.

This lip gloss has my preferred applicator - the fuzzy applicator! I find that this kind of applicator gives me the best control around the edges of my lips. With some other applicators I end up pushing all the gloss from the center of my lips out to the edges.

The Verdict: A-
I love how the gloss is non-sticky and the glitter is so finely milled, you can't even feel it. Even though the gloss is very sheer on me, it looks great by itself or layered upon lipsticks.

Mario Badascu Sample Parcel

I really liked the results I'd been seeing using Mario Badescu's products that I thought I'd check out more of their products online. Did I mention Mario Badescu totally rocks? Look at the samples they sent me just for filling out an online questionnaire to determine my skincare concerns.

Yep, these were all free and didn't cost a penny. All the samples they sent are part of the skincare regimen they recommend for my skin type.

Light Reading
Included with the sample parcel was a MB Product Guide booklet that categorizes and explains all of the skincare products they offer and a Product Application Guide for the samples they sent me.

Below are some pics of the Product Application Guide. Click to expand any of the pictures for a closer look.

The front cover.

The pages inside. The left page lists all the products they recommend and which ones were included in the sample parcel. The right page has directions on when and how to apply each product.

And the back with a picture reference on how to properly apply skincare products.

Shipping Experience: A+
They shipped these goodies uber fast in a bubble-wrap lined plastic envelope. So all the samples were well-cushioned and shielded from moisture damage.

Shu Uemura Gloss Unlimited WNE 283s $22 Review & Swatches

I got this as a sample a little while back and just wanted to put up a quickie review.

"Easy-to-wear vivid shades in vibrant color. Each shade delivers intense color fidelity and brightness, 3 dimensional shine effect in a non-sticky formula that keeps lips hydrated and soft. Sheer Coverage." ~From the Shu Uemura website.


The sample is a wine color gloss in shade wne 283s. There's a wide range of colors and shades to choose from though!

Swatches

Here's a swatch of the gloss. See how teeny tiny the glitter is?


My natural lip color.


With the gloss lightly applied.

Sample Product Packaging
Even though this is just a sample of the gloss, the tube and cap are of very good quality and I was really impressed.

This lip gloss has my preferred applicator - the fuzzy applicator! I find this kind of applicator gives me the best control around the edges of my lips. With some other applicators I end up pushing all the gloss from the center of my lips out to the edges.

The Verdict: A
I love the color of this for the fall! I also love how the gloss is non-sticky and the glitter is so finely milled, you can't even feel it. The gloss goes on sheer and it looks great by itself or layered upon lipsticks.

Shu Uemura Parcel

I'm so excited to finally get this! I've used Shu's Face Architect Foundatation in the past but I could never get my hands on the UV Underbase. Whenever I get to the Shu counter to purchase it, it's always out of stock! What's up with that? I'm really looking forward to using these 2 together cause I always have this belief that products from the same brand are supposed to work in sync.


I also received a few samples from Shu and they're so cute! I have to say I love Shu's samples - they're so pristine and packaged beautifully!

Shipping Experience: B-
I'm usually very happy with Shu's shipping. They always cushion the items with a lot of packing peanuts and everything is secure for shipment. Who knew too many packing peanuts would be too much of a good thing?

This time they must've run out of boxes or something. They decided they would pack everything in a box that's too small and would also stuff it to the brim with peanuts. Literally. As if the massive amount of peanuts would make up for the teeny box. There were so many peanuts the box wouldn't close fully and they shipped it just like that.


The items were all squished inside and the box for the Underbase got crushed in the process. I "smoothed" out the box as best I could in the pic. None of the items were damaged but the poor choice in packaging and the crushed product box was disappointing.

Giorgio Armani Beauty Parcel

Wahoo! Guess what came in the mail today? My order from Armani Beauty!


Can't wait to try everything out - I already swiped on some of the Lip Wax and OMG. It is unbelievable. I will buy more. I will buy them all.

I also purchased a full-size Eyes to Kill Mascara after loving the sample I received awhile back and I'll be trying out samples of the Fluid Master Primer and the Luminous Silk Foundation.

Shipping Experience: A
I was very pleased with the packaging from Armani. The items were well-cushioned and there was no empty space in the box for the items to be thrown around. It passed my "Shake for Sounds" test :) Also when I opened the box, none of the products were crushed or damaged.

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.

Kose Sekkisei and Seikisho

I purchased these 2 items from Bath&Body Works recently and finally got a chance to post them! I really like Kose's products but unfortunately they are a bit hit-and-miss for me. Some of the products are bleh and some give fairly good results. Either way there is a strange hold all Japanese products have on me and I can never ignore their siren song.

Kose is one of Japan's top cosmetic and skincare manufacturers. In Japan they have several drugstore skincare lines and a cosmetic line (Softymo is a very popular one). They also have 3 higher-end lines that they distribute in Japan and in U.S. department stores: Sekkisei, Seikisho and Junkisui. All 3 lines rely on plant-based herbs and oils. To me Kose has an excellent brand but I don't think it's widely known because it's hard to find and if you do come across it the printed (English) directions and descriptions are minimal at best. Half the time I don't know if there is any additonal benefit to the product other than the fact that it's used a cleanser, toner, moisturizer, etc.

Sekkisei and Seikisho are VERY similar looking and housed in navy packaging. They also have the same scent added in their products that I can only describe as a pleasant "asian makeup" smell (takes me back to my childhood for some reason). Based on the concept of white snow, products from both lines have a whitening effect. The difference is that Sekkisei is the original product line and Seikisho is an offshoot that has an additional focus on clarifying and purifying the skin.

Junkisui is housed in distinctively forest green packaging and it's products have a "grassy" smell to me. I don't really care for this smell but it's light and not overwhelming. Junkisui is also derived from plants and herbs to address and treat adult acne specfically.

Kose Seikisho Perfect Cleansing Oil $28


When I spotted this, I knew I had to get it! I'm addicted to trying out cleansing oils. I've seen it many times before but did not have the motivation to try it out. My mother swears by baby mineral oil and that's about the only thing she uses but not me. I like variety cuase that's the spice of life!

This cleansing oil also has mineral oil as it's top ingredient and it feels a lot like baby oil but a bit more runny in consistency. Only the bottle is blue the oil itself is crystal clear. Apply this to a dry face. I put about 2-3 pumps in my palm and then rub it all over my face where I have makeup. And I should mention that I keep my eyes tightly closed during this whole process. If you peek, you end up with oil getting into your eyes. I just keep smoothing the oil over my face to give it ample time to dissolve all the eye makeup. Then I wet my palms just a little bit and rub some of the water on my face too - this turns the oil milky and gives a double-cleanse. To finish just rinse off with warm water.

The Verdict: Kose Seikisho Perfect Cleansing Oil
To me this oil is a bit on the oily side. After this my skin is not greasy but it does have a slight slippery feel to it. The box clearly states that this is "For rinse-off use only" so it must be followed with a cleanser. I just use my regular cleanser after this and my skin is squeaky clean! I will definitely re-purchase this! It is very comparable to SK-II and gives pretty much the same effect. I put a drop of each on the back of my hand to compare and the SK-II is a bit runnier than the Kose which is probably why I felt the Kose is more oily. Both spread easily over the face and both emulsify with the addition of water and rinse off cleanly. I do like the shape of the Kose bottle (not aethestically but functionally) better. The rectangle shape and taller pump makes it easy to dispense right in the center of my palm. With the SK-II one I find I have to pick up the whole bottle and hold it at an angle or else I can't get the oil to dispense in the middle of my palm.

Kose Seikisho Mask White $24


Another beauty item I just can't say no to - masks. This looked interesting enough so I picked this up too. This is a clarifying peel mask that removes dirt and skin impurities to cleanse skin and enhance clarity and radiance.


I apply this after cleansing and steaming my face for about 5 minutes. You can see from the picture above that the mask is quit goopy. I knew I would end up making a mess if I used my hands so instead I used a small concealer brush as an applicator. **WARNING** Do NOT let this touch any hair! It will adhere to hair and will become an all-in-one peel and wax session. Once it is applied it will start to dry (but fairly slowly) and you will not be able to form expressions (unless you want wrinkles!). Even when dry the mask looks shiny. It's looks and I suspect feels just like latex body paint (not that I know anything about latex body paint, but I imagine that's what it'd be like). Leave it on for 20 minutes to dry completly and then peel off.

The Verdict: Kose Seikisho Mask White
LOVE this mask! When I peeled off the mask it came off in ONE PIECE! Not every peel mask can do this. Sometimes they tear and it's removed in sections. Of course I inspected what gross gunk were stuck on the mask and there were definitely blackheads (woot! woot!). My pores were super clear! I was super impressed with the results. I was kinda at a lost what to do with the little mask bits that were left on my face. Finally decided to peel off what I could to let my regular toner take the rest off. I then followed with my regular night moisturizer and treaments.

Although I normally cannot stand any tightening effect the tightening of this mask is not that drastic. It dries slowly so the mask slowly transforms from a runny gel to a solid lining and the tightening and itching are minimal and gradual. I will definitely go back for a LOT more of this stuff (meaning whatever is in left the store inventory) before the Bath & Body Works BOGO sale runs out! It makes my skin really really clean, smooth, radiant and best of all CLEAR!

Freebies

The SA saw offered me some Kose samples that she'd tried and liked. Clockwise from top: Kose Sekkisei Emulsion, Kose Junkisui Toner, Kose Sekkisei Powder Wash, Kose Sekkisei Cream.

The Kose Sekkisei Powder Wash was something I was looking forward to. I've tried drugstore powder washes in the past and never saw any results. This one powder wash gave me a good scrub and my skin felt super clean! Unfortunately, I have sensitive nasal tissues and the powder fumes made me cough as I was trying to cleanse. I won't pick up another one as I've no complaints about my regular cleanser.

The Kose Sekkisei Emulsion is a bit milky in color and is somewhere between a gel and a serum consistent-wise. It's fairly rich and doesn't need to be followed by a lotion.

The Kose Sekkisei Cream is not really a cream at all. It's clear and is more of a runny gel but when you apply it - wow! It's so rich! Maybe that's why they call it a cream anyways? I felt it was too greasy for me but I think this would be great for mature skin or for winter use.

The Kose Junkishi Toner is alcohol-free so no stinging or drying but there was a disctinct Chinese-Herb smell. It is a nice toner but I personally wouldn't re-purchase cause of the smell.

Dior Addict Lipcolor $26

So the only reason I got this lipstick was because of the Saks promotion that came with it. If you buy a Dior Addict Lipcolor from Saks, you get a complimentary Dior Diamond Lipstick case. I learned about this from my beaeuty guru Jen at http://www.abeautyfulsentiment.com/.

Here is what I ended up purchasing. The color is Rose Lingerie #323. I wanted something neutral that would blend into my skin since I like to do a lot of dark eye makeup. I was worried that this wouldn't show up because I have pigmented lips and even the most opaque of lipsticks disappear on me.

The Verdict
This lipstick is so moisturizing! I was thinking I'd need to apply a lipgloss on top of this, but I was completely wrong. Also the color actually did blend into my natural lip color but gives it a bit more definition and a bit of a rosy color so I have no complaints.

Freebie

Here it is - the Dior Diamond Lipstick Case. Isn't it fancy? Plus did you notice the sparkles? I lubs sparkles! The case has a mirror on the inside and is the perfect fit for the lipstick. I really like that there are little magnets on the sides of the case so that it gives a satisfying "snap" when you close it. Plus it's practical cause you don't want your lipstick rolling out of the case - what would be the point of putting it in a case in the first place?

Diorshow Iconic Review $27

I was really intrigued by this mascara as it's gotten some pretty decent reviews. I really wanted to try this out because of the unique stubby brush. The more commonly seen bristle brush never felt like I was appying mascara. It felt more like I was dabbing on mascara cause the bristles are so long by time I think I'm near my lashes, I've poked my eye out. This mascara's not cheap so when I found this as a gift set at Sephora (for a limited time only) I decided to try it out.


The wand is slightly spiraled with short stubby, comb-like bristles. If you look closely at the picture you can see the bristles are actually plastic and have rounded tips so it doesn't prick if I accidently poke my eye.

The Verdict
I do like how easy it is to apply mascara to my bottom lashes due to the short bristles. The mascara doesn't clump when it's applied and it's easily layered. I find that I need at least 2 layers to fill out my sparse lashes. Although this doesn't do anything to help curl my super straight asian lashes, the formula doesn't completely undo my shu-made curl either.

Although I love the natural "look" it gives my lashes, I won't re-purchase this because the mascara takes at least 30 min to dry. While it's drying each time I blink I get a gummy feeling when my top and bottom lashes touch. Also my eyes are sensitive and when this mascara does finally dry, it dries out my eyes too.

Gift Set


With the purchase of the full-size mascara you get a zippered carrying case and a sample size of Dior Addict High Shine in Catwalk Mauve #680.


The carrying case has a mirror on the inside and is very well made. The cover of the carrying case has a soft leather feel to it. The zipper is sewn very well and zips up seamlessy from the outside. The down side is that the mirror gives a funhouse reflection and the 2 bands in the case only fit the mascara and the sample size lipstick. I tried putting a NARS lipgloss and MAC lipglass in the band but the items were too small. The full size Dior lipsticks are too big for the band.

Freebies


I also got this envelope of samples from cosmedic lines that make products from natural ingredients. I haven't had a chance to try all these yet but I'm excited because I really like to try the all-natural lines out first to see if they smell alright and if they're effective.

Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion $17

Everyone's probably pretty familiar with Mario Badescu's pink Drying Lotion. This is the same version of the pink one except it's for cyctic acne. I'm one of the unlucky few who developes cystic acne and they always show up around that time of month.

The Verdict
So this really does work - It's not a miracle worker but you do get results. I applied the lotion to a pimple and overnight the pimple was reduced and no longer red. I was impressed because even though the lotion dried out the pimple, it didn't dry out my surrounding skin. Again the downside is it reduced the pimple but did not eliminate it. It just made it less inflamed.

Freebies

These little sample bottles are so cute! The SA included 2 pairs of these with my purchase - I thought that was nice of her. I haven't tried these out yet cause I'm really happy with my Shiseido stuff that I use daily. I'll do a full review later on these.

REN Skincare Review

Recently there was an online promotion from REN to receive a free Intro Kit with any order over $80 plus you automatically get free shipping with any order over $60. I picked up a couple of items to try out since I just LOVED the REN Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask so much! On the website, REN has already grouped skincare products they recommend for combination skin so I made my choices from this pool of products.

REN Multi-Mineral Pore Minimising Detox Mask $30.73

This mask is a deep cleansing clay mask that draws out skin impurities such as sebum and dead skin cells. It also has an ingredient (Spirulina) to encourage cell renewal. The mask also claims to reduce pore size which is something that I'm always interested in.

You apply this mask to clean and toned skin and let it dry. It dries and hardens fairly quick, so I have to apply this in sections to my face. Once it is dry you're supposed to gently rub off as much as you can and then rinse the rest off with warm water. I did not like the "rubbing" part of this. I think it's supposed to help stimulate your skin in some way but I find it frustrating to scrape off a mask that is pretty much caked-on.

I don't think I would re-purchase this because although it is a good product, I'm just not WoWed by the results. For now, I'll be sticking to my Shiseido The Skincare Purifying Mask. It gives me relatively the same results if not better, feels more comfortable when applied, does not harden or dry out and it's slightly less expensive.

REN Matte Balancing Fluid $52

This mattifying fluid claims to reduce shine and restore balance to leave skin clear and beautifully healthy. It contains a smorgasbord ingredient list that you can look up on their website.

Let's cut to the chase: I was disappointed in this product. I have a history of being disappointed with anti-shine lotions. They always end up adding shine and this one was no exception. I would not re-purchase this or any other anti-shine lotion again. I put this on after cleansing and toning at 8am and by 9:30am I was already a mirror. I don't know why I continue try these things. In my teens I was very oily but I'm no longer super oily. I've now got combination skin and an oily T-zone but it's nothing a few oil-blotting sheets can't handle. For the most part my face stays pretty matte except for my nose. Cheeks matte, temples matte, forehead matte, nose oily, chin slightly oily.

Freebies
Along with my order, I was given a free REN Intro Kit $40. The Intro Kit included sample sizes of:

1. Rosa Centifolia Facial Cleansing Gel
2. Glycolatic Skin Renewal Peel Mask (love this!)
3. Vita Mineral Radiant Day Cream
4. Omega 3 Overnight Lipid Renewal Serum (wanted to try this)
5. Frankincense and Boswellia Serrata Revitalising Repair Cream (wanted to try this) 6. Active 7 Radiant Eye Maintenance Cream

I haven't had a chance to properly try out all these products as I'm too happy with my Shiseido skincare regimen. As soon as I give these a fair trial, I will provide a sufficient review.

REN Glycolatic Skin Renewal Peel Mask $55

I'm not usually a fan of peel masks. I find them annoying to remove and I hate how you have to pick at your face. I'm also not usually a big fan of natural cosmetic lines because they usually smell pretty funky and I don't find them as effective. I first saw a review of the REN Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask by Jen, my go-to beauty guru at http://www.abeautyfulsentiment.com/ (definitely check out her site because like I said - she's my beauty guru :) and I was finally motivated to try this out!

If you read the product description from the REN website there doesn't seem to be anything this mask can't do! This mask is part of the REN product recommendations for combination skin and mature skin. It claims to renew the complexion, reduce fine lines, improve skin tone, firmness and radiance. It also helps with post acne scarring, blemishes, blackheads and sun damaged skin. All concerns of mine! Can it get any better?

The Verdict
This mask is not a traditional peel mask but it gives the same effect and results. What I really love about it is the instant results. Your skin becomes so radiant and smooth and it only takes 10 minutes. This mask is a thick gel that looks, feels and smells like orange marmalade. When I apply it there is a bit of a tingly sensation. My cheeks are really sensitive to this mask and the sensation on my cheeks get to be unbearable after about 3-4 minutes so I just wipe off the mask from my cheeks but leave the rest on my T-zone. Due to this I definitely do not think this is suitable for people with sensitive or delicate skin. The good news is that once wiped off your skin doesn't continue to react (no redness, breakouts or peeling). After the full 10 minutes I just rinse the rest of it off. For now I'm using this mask once a week and I really love the results it's been giving me! I have noticed a huge reduction in blackheads and my skintone is extremely radiant!

Freebies
I also got these free samples from Sephora along with this purchase: Jurlique Herbal Recovery Gel and Bliss Peeling Groovy Facial Serum.

**Update** I 've been using this every morning under my moisturizer on my forehead and neck - but honestly not really seeing any results. It's supposed to help with any fine lines/wrinkles. Since it's a gel, it is very fast absorbing but unfortuntately it has a weird smell that is a mix of old lotion and old flowers. This sample lasted me about 1 week and I really don't think that was enough time to see the effects.


**Update** This stuff rocks! I was interested in trying this out but did not have high hopes of it giving any sort of instant results. I was completely wrong! This serum really and truly delivers! I have started to notice some fine lines on my forehead and when I apply this I feel a slight tingling and 5 minutes later - smooth! Also I have not broken out once using this. The serum is clear and quite runny but is not one bit oily or greasy. There is no smell to it either! It also claims to help minimize dark spots but I have not noticed any dramatic difference. It does however give my skin an overall radiance. I just don't notice my old acne scars lightening.

Read the full review for Bliss Peeling Groovy Facial Serum.

The Body Shop Haul

On this shopping trip I went to The Body Shop looking for a flannel washcloth that Lindi from over at http://www.bubzbeauty.com/ recommended.

Luxury Facial Flannel $6.50

I really didn't know what to expect of this thing. When I got to the store the SA helped me find this washcloth and it was packed in a ziplock baggy and was flexile and bendy. It did not look at all like..."cloth". It reminded me of a white shammy and looked silicone-like in texture. I was weirded out even more because the SAs had taken one out of it's packaging and it was dry and hard and looked like a piece of styrofoam. They assured me that once it touched water it would return to it's soft state and work just like new. But hey Lindi said it's fantastic so I bought it anyways. I was not at all disappointed by this thing. Remember I said it looked silicone-like? Well it works just like a rubber spatula for your face but it is also soft to the touch. I tried it with my normal cleanser and saw this guy in action. It wipes away all traces of the cleanser in one swoop! It's really amazing but I'd rather use it to wipe away a mask or something. I like splashing my face with water to rinse off my normal cleanser.

Vitamin C Skin Boost $26

Okay the SA told me that Vitamin C boost (one of their best sellers) would help diminish the appearance of acne scars. I really didn't have any faith in this product's claims but when she put some on my wrist I like the texture of it. It feels almost like a silicone primer. I figured if I could wear this as a primer without getting shiny and it's also doing good for my skin - why not? It also smells just like fresh cut oranges - which I happen to love. If you don't like orange citrus-y smells, it may be a bit overwhelming. Since it has that silicone feel to it, it really does help with evening out skin texture without the feeling of plugged pores.

The Verdict
I don't think this should be labeled a moisturizer. The gel texture of this sits on top of skin and is very slowly absorbed into the skin. Because of the slow absorption I'm loving it as a primer. It's weightless and does feel like it's clogging my pores. It leaves my skin silky smooth and prepped for makeup. Although it's not a cure, I find it does help smooth out dry patches around blemish so that makeup doesn't cake.

I'm not sure if it's working to diminish any dark spots- at least I can't really tell. I'm also still on the lookout for a primer as this one made me a bit shiny. I like to wear it alone when I'm in a rush just to even out the texture of my skin. I really really love the flannel washcloth though! I will definitely go back to get another one to stash away.

Freebies
I was pleasantly surprised when I went to check out and the SA added all these goodies to my bag! I received a Cloth Woven Makeup Bag filled with travel sizes of Strawberry Body Butter, Vitamin E Moisture Cream, Divine Calm Heavenly Shower Gel (not pictured), and Mulberry Hi-Shine Lip Gloss (not pictured). I gave the items not pictured to a friend before I could take these photos.

This smells just like strawberry icing! I need to be careful with this. The whole time I was wearing it I had a craving for cupcakes!


This is very fast-absorbing and non-greasy but nothing too special about it. I've been using it at night before bed.