MEMEBOX Superbox #38 Detox Care

By now, you probably know what MEMEBOX is... it's a Korean themed subscription box that varies in prices and sizes. For the month of October, I was sent the MEMEBOX Superbox #38 Detox Care ($29). 

The card in the box mentioned something about how "summer's rolling around" but it's 1 degree Celsius outside and I'm pretty sure it's more like "winter is coming". Regardless, detox beauty is  always on my mind. My pores are prone to storing lots of gunk, so a box full of products dedicated getting rid of breakouts and blemishes with skincare is a good fit. 

I haven't tried any of these products yet (*slaps self on hand*) but I'm trying to regulate my skincare routine so the purpose of this post is more to share what's inside. If there's something that's particularly noteworthy, it'll show up in a future favourites or empties post. 

Likke Detox Scalp Care Gel ($8) 

This all-natural hair product claims to scrub away dead skin cells for a healthy, clean scalp. It's to be used pre-shampoo on dry hair. My scalp gets kind of gross during the winter so this will come in handy quite soon. I'm sad that it's such a little "full-size" product. 

CNKCOS Special Day C Focus Essence ($20)

A powder in the cap is released into the liquid when you open it up. The entire bottle is meant to be used for 7 days straight and contains Vitamin C and 100% galactomyces for clear, supple skin. Again, I'm a little underwhelmed by the product sizing but if it does exactly what it says, perhaps I'm mistaken. 

Borntree Lemon Tea Tree Black Head Nose Pack ($3)

Yet another tiny product....I assume these will be like the Biore pore cleansing strips. My nose seems to be the nastiest place on my face, so I'm looking forward to trying this. 

Duft & Doft Lime Detox Nourishing Hand Cream ($12) 

Hand cream doesn't particularly excite me but it smells like limes. Yum. I feel like "detox" is just a marketing word. I don't get how a hand cream could possible have detoxifying qualities (and I don't think my hands need any detoxing). 

Vicioni Pore Minimizing Detox Essence ($29) 

I currently have 3 different pore minimizing products opened. This one in particular is very similar to the Philosophy Total Matteness Primer. It feels silky smooth on the skin and works in a similar pore-minimizing, oil-controlling manner. Plus, this single product makes up for the entire value of the box. 

 

Secret Key Lemon D-Toc Peeling Gel ($16) 

Last but not least is a peeling gel. The lemon scent is.. tantalizing. I LOVE LEMONS. Meant for enlarged pores and uneven and dull skin, I kind of sort of can't wait to try this out. Unfortunately, I tested it on my hand and it's not like a peel-off mask. Instead, your massage it around on your face until the product balls up and you wash it off. 

Overall, I really like the lemon/lime theme of the box. However, not all the products are actually detoxifying. Some are sure to be used (like the pore minimizer, hair treatment, and peeling gel) while others were kind of meh. This box is perfect for those who want more skincare. Get $5 off $30 with the code 5IKF0E. 

What do you think of this MEMEBOX? 

Press samples featured 

Facebook || Twitter || Bloglovin || Instagram

Annabelle Instaglam Eyeliner + Touch-Up Mascara in Black Star and Psychedelic

For the everyday woman, it seems as though beauty products are all about convenience. That's why there's lip/cheek tints, dual-ended brushes, and double-sided eyeliners. Now here's something interesting - how about a mascara and eyeliner all in one? Sounds convenient, doesn't it? 

Thick liquid eyeliner marker on one side and tube of mascara on the other, that's the Annabelle Instaglam Eyeliner + Touch-up Mascara ($12.95) in a nutshell. It comes in three shades - Abyss (blue), Psychedelic (purple) and Black Star (black). 

Annabelle Instaglam Eyeliner + Touch-Up Mascara in Black Star and Psychedelic

I feel like dual-purpose products can only be one of two things - either a gift from the beauty gods or a total gimmick. In this case, the Annabelle Instaglam Eyeliner + Touch-Up Mascara leans towards the gimmicky side of things. The eyeliner side is sheer and bleeds into the skin, which is a pretty look on nobody. Moreover, the mascara should be reserved for touch-ups only because it doesn't add much to my lashes. However, the purple is pretty cool (I wore it in this makeup look) and definitely shows some promise worn underneath a white primer. 

Overall, the Annabelle Instaglam Eyeliner + Touch-Up Mascara was not for me. Annabelle has much better offerings of eyeliner and mascara separately, so if you're looking to try something from the brand, skip this and be impressed by something else. 

What's your favourite dual-purpose product? 

Press sample featured. This is part of my eyeliner monday series - where I review a different eyeliner every...Monday. :) See more eyeliner reviews here. 

Facebook || Twitter || Bloglovin || Instagram

GUEST POST: Sarah's Mardi Gras FOTD

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Today, a most celebratory guest post from Sarah... :D 

Hello, I'm Sarah from Workaday Ramblings. Steph is letting me take over today with a very special Halloween guest post. I've been doing a special Fantasy FOTD series on my blog featuring Halloween looks you can create with regular makeup, and I have a fun Mardi Gras mask look to share with you today. 

Why buy a Halloween mask when a makeup one is hands-free and more comfortable? There is also an endless array of options you can do. My Mardi Gras mask has a simple shape with an easy 3 colour striped look. I paired it with matching gold lips to complete the look.  

I used mostly eyeshadows to create this look, with a few other products thrown in. I started my tracing my mask outline using The Body Shop Gel Liner in black. This is a very opaque black and by using a brush I could create crisp lines to mimic an actual mask. 

I then filled in the entire mask with a layer of NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk. This created a sticky white base for my colours to stick to. My top stripe of gold colour was done using Prestige Cosmetics Total Intensity True Metals in Gilded. My middle purple stripe was BH Cosmetics in Hollywood, and my bottom green stripe was Pure Fusion Cosmetics in Demeter. My lips were done by layering Essence Dark Romance lipgloss effects in Black Shadow under and over Prestige Cosmetics Total Intensity True Metals in Gilded. 

Overall, this is a fun and rather simple Halloween look that can be customized in any way imaginable. I went with traditional Mardi Gras colours for my mask. What would you go with? Thanks for having me, Steph!

What do you think of Sarah's Mardi Gras FOTD? 

Facebook || Twitter || Bloglovin || Instagram

HALLOWEEN: MirandaSings - Last Minute Costume Idea!

Ahhh Halloween - the perfect opportunity to dress up like your favourite youtube celebrity!  Got less than an hour to figure out a costume? Here's an idea. Overdraw your red lipstick and be MIRANDASINGS! Haterz, back off.  Plus, this costume was the perfect opportunity to take a lot of selfies with ridiculous faces for the sake of a blog post. 

To get the look, you need 5 products (3 if you've got perfect skin and lengthy eyelashes) - foundation, red lipstick, black eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara. I used my everyday base of the CoverGirl TruBlend Foundation in M3, overdrawn lips with the Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in Underage (the messier, the better), haphazardly applied black eyeshadow courtesy of the NYC HD Trio Eye Shadow in 786 Skyrise Steel and to add some definition to the eyes the Annabelle Stay Sharp Twist Up Liner in Cappucino and the CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara. 

I also created a centre part and widened the shape of my forehead using one bobby pin on each side. Flattering, right? 

 

lol, I actually look normal in this one... 

All in all, a quick look that takes under 5 minutes to recreate. Pair this look with some over-sized clothes and you're good to go.

Do you watch Miranda Sings? What are you going to be for Halloween this year? 

Press samples featured 

Facebook || Twitter || Bloglovin || Instagram

HALLOWEEN: Nails

Even if you're not one for the extravagant costumes (or makeup), you can still celebrate Halloween. Nails and nail art are the perfect way to be festive with minimal effort. Here's two easy ways to get your nails Halloween-ready! 

Dazzle Me, Pucker Up, Hollywood Satin, Treasure Island, Kiss Me Cupid 

Press-on Nail Art Designs. I've already expressed my feelings about the Broadway Nails Press-On Manicures ($8 each, see previous reviews here). In a nutshell, they're quick and easy to apply and come in awesome designs. This year,  Broadway Nails has launched six Halloween designs. From cute and festive to dark and spooky, whether you want cute nails or you're in a pinch for a Halloween party, these are designs are a great way to spice up your nails. 

The Basic Orange and Black Mani. A manicure that's totally appropriate for the entire week leading up to Halloween is a vaguely-related-by-colour manicure incorporating orange and black on the nails. I used the Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color in 150 Sunkissed as a base and topped it off with the Hard Candy Nail Color in 651 Black Tie Optional. I think the Hard Candy top coat adds dimension and interest to the solid orange. Orange and black nails are subtle but celebratory. 

Are you playing dress up this Halloween or will you only be dressing up your nails?

Press samples featured 

Facebook || Twitter || Bloglovin || Instagram

Shu Uemura #BraveBeauty Lasting Gel Pencil Eye Liners [Violet Purple and Green] // Vision of Beauty Volume 1

Fearless gazes start with these must have shades. Very soft and smooth gel pencil with a waterproof, tear proof gel formula doesn't smudge for 12 hours. requires no brush or sharpener. 

Originally in available in matte black and matte brown, two new, limited edition colours of the Shu Uemura Lasting Gel Pencil Eye Liners ($36 each) in Violet Purple and Green were launched as a part of the Vision of Beauty Volume 1 - Brave Beauty Collection. 

Firstly...Packaging, packaging, packaging, limited edition packaging. Self-explanatory. My one gripe with the packaging (despite its beauty) is that these eyeliners are not retractable. You've been forewarned, so don't over-twist. 

The Shu Uemura Lasting Gel Pencil Eye Liners are a slightly harder than something like the Shu Uemura Drawing Pencils and for a good reason...You know an eyeliner is long-lasting when... you apply eyeliner one day, you get lazy in the night, and unexpectedly, the next morning you wake up with near-perfect eyeliner. Story of my life (shame on me but it happens pretty often). These gel pencils last 12 hours and then some, no smudging, no transferring. 

Despite being coloured, these liners are surprisingly wearable. Working these pencils into the lash line for any eye look can help you inject some colour into your everyday makeup routine. 

Overall, the Shu Uemura Lasting Gel Eye Liners are a nice to have product in my books. The Violet Purple and Green might not be for everyone but if you love a subtle hint of colour and the gorgeous limited edition Shu packaging then these are a must-have. If not, the regular Shu range features the Shu Uemura Lasting Gel Pencil Eye Liners, available in your staple black and brown shades. 

What do you think of the Shu Uemura Limited Edition Lasting Gel Pencil Eye Liners? 

Press sample featured. I originally reviewed this product on BlushPretty.com. This is part of my eyeliner monday series - where I review a different eyeliner every...Monday. :) See more eyeliner reviews here. 

Facebook || Twitter || Bloglovin || Instagram

In an attempt to look like Lupita Nyong'o... (GIVEAWAY!) // Wet n Wild X #CBBStealtheLook

On of my favourite low-cost beauty brands just launched an app. The app is called Steal the Look (download it at http://stealanylook.com/) and the premise of the app is to "steal" beauty looks from any celebrity, friend or your favourite beauty blogger and the app will generate a collection of Wet n Wild products so that you can re-create it. 

It's quite simple. Choose a photo from your phone, select the colours for (1) lips (2) upper lid and (3) crease, choose your skin tone (there's 4 options), and voila! The lip colour was pretty accurate but I find that the app is not so great at matching eye products. Each look that you "steal" gets saved into a little gallery so you can access your looks later. 

Wet n Wild has some amazing (and inexpensive!!) makeup products. Gazillions of lipstick colours and some crazy pigmented eyeshadows, too. I used to love Wet n Wild eyeshadows (see review here) but I somehow I developed an allergic reaction to them. So, I used the Steal the Look app for the sole purpose of figuring out what coloured lipstick I could pick to look like Lupita. 

Okay.. so I look NOTHING like Lupita but the lipstick matching function was really helpful (it's the Mega Last Lipstick in Purity Persimon). Here's something fun for you...

Steal a look and win 1 eyeshadow palette, eyeliner, mascara, lipstick and lipgloss to recreate it! (Canadian Residents only, best of luck!) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Press samples featured 

Facebook || Twitter || Bloglovin || Instagram