Sunday, December 30, 2012

Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Moisturizing Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Moisturizing Shampoo ($13) is a nourishing, sulfate-free shampoo that gently cleanses without weighing hair down. The scent is very rich and creamy with a slight hint of sweetness. 




The consistency is a little on the thicker side and a little goes a long way. Although sulfate-free, it does foam up pretty well and washes off clean. If you have normal-dry hair and want to go sulfate-free, this is a really nice shampoo to moisturize, de-tangle to an extent and leave hair feeling soft and shiny. Like all moisturizing shampoos, this one too tends to weigh hair down after a few washes, so be sure to use a clarifying shampoo in between, especially if you tend to have an oily scalp. The amazing sweet scent lingers around for a few hours, wish it lasted longer though. 




Overall, a good, gentle shampoo that leaves my hair manageable and bouncy. It adds a touch of shine and softness too. Would definitely recommend it if you are on the lookout for an affordable and effective sulfate-free option.

Have you tried the Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Moisturizing Sulfate-Free Shampoo?

ZOYA Lovely Collection for Spring 2013 - Review, Photos & Swatches

A few quick swatches & thoughts on the ZOYA Spring 2013 Lovely Collection. Lovely features soft, pretty pastels in shimmery and creme finishes! The cremes have a slightly thicker formula when compared to the shimmers. On the plus side, the cremes are quite opaque in one coat and perfect with two. The metallics, however, need 2-3 coats to look perfect, but the formula is on the thinner side and super easy to work with.






Blu - A perfect, light pastel blue with no hint of shimmer/glitter. It is quite thick and takes a while to dry, but very glossy even without a topcoat on.



Neely - (Originally designed for Peter Som/SS13) - Light, minty green creme. Zoya has some amazing greens and Neely is no exception. It is a couple of shades lighter than Bevin (spring 2012) and much lighter than Wednesday (summer 2012). See comparison swatches below.




Jacqueline (Originally designed for Peter Som/SS13) - Light pastel nude yellow. I love Jacqueline on my toes than on my fingers. It is very opaque and a great color to have if you don't like white, but want something a little more softer. 




Piaf (Originally designed for Fashion Designer Zang Toi) - Light yellow with fine shimmer. It has a metallic finish and looks better with a topcoat. The shimmer is fine, not chunky, but tends to leave a couple of glittery particles around the nail bed. It isn't full on glitter, so it is quite easy to remove. Piaf is probably my favourite from the Lovely Collection. The formula is amazing, streak-free and dries super fast. 


Gei Gei (Originally designed for Zang Toi/SS13) - Light pink with sliver shimmer. It is quite shimmery and a perfect girly shade of pink if you like such colors. Lovely, soft shade of pink for spring/summer.


Julie (Originally designed for Zang Toi/SS13) - Icy, shimmery Lilac Purple. The color is gorgeous and quite flattering against most skin tones. The shimmer in Julie isn't very obvious when compared to Gei Gei or Piaf. If you tend to like polishes form the purple/lilac family, Julie is a must have.



Overall, Lovely is a perfect spring collection, in my opinion and has the perfect mix of wearable pastels and soft colors. The cremes are a little thicker and more opaque than the metallics, formula wise. Piaf is my favourite from the Lovely Collection, followed by Julie and Blu!

Available soon online at zoya.com. Shipping begins January 2013.

Price : $8 each

Zoya Nail Polishes are 5-free (Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Toluene, DBP and Camphor).


What are your thoughts on the Zoya Lovely Collection?

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Burberry Lip Velvet Long-Wear Lipstick in Redwood

Burberry's new 'Lip Velvets' ($30) are long-wear lipsticks with a smooth, satin matte finish. The Lip Velvets claim comfortable wear without feathering or drying lips out even after a few hours.



Redwood is a dark rosy brown with no hint of shimmer or glitter. It is perfect if you have pigmented lips as the color turns up pretty much the way it looks on the tube. Like all Burberry lipsticks, this one too has a really strong fragrance which lingers around for a long time. I wish it was a tad less strong though. The texture has a smooth slip and glides evenly without being patchy, even on dry lips. Normally, I tend to stay away from matte finishes this time of the year, but Burberry's formula is incredibly easy to wear and feels super comfortable without further drying my lips out. You could use a lip brush to sheer the color out a bit and wear it as a stain too. Even without a lip liner, Redwood stays put without migrating outside the lines and leaves behind a berry stain after fading. As for the packaging, it is very Burberry, very classy and shuts tight with the magnetic snap. The finish on the packaging is a little more matte when compared to the Lip Mists and the Lip Covers.






Burberry Lip Velvet Long-Wear Lipstick in Redwood FOTD

Overall, if you like semi-matte, satin finishes without the heavy, drying feel, the Burberry Lip Velvets are the perfect choice. I like them better than the Lip Mists as they tend to stay on for a really long time on me. The color selection is fabulous, the finish is a little more modern when compared to traditional mattes and the formula is amazing for something that is long-wearing!

Have you tried the Burberry Lip Velvet Long Wear Lipsticks?

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Sneak Peek : ZOYA Lovely Collection - Spring 2013

A little preview of ZOYA's new Lovely Collection for Spring! Lovely features soft, pretty pastels in shimmery and creme finishes!









Julie - Soft Wisteria Purple Metallic - Full Coverage (Originally designed for Zang Toi/SS13).

Piaf - Fresh Forsythia Yellow Metallic - Full Coverage (Originally designed for Fashion Designer Zang Toi)

GeiGei - Blushing Cherry Blossom Pink Metallic - Full Coverage (Originally designed for Zang Toi/SS13).

L-R : Julie, Piaf, GeiGei

























 Blu - Lucky Hyacinth Blue Cream - Full Coverage

Jacqueline - Perfect Magnolia Nude Cream - Full Coverage (Originally designed for Peter Som/SS13)

Neely - Earliest Spring Green Cream - Full Coverage (Originally designed for Peter Som/SS13).

L-R : Blu, Jacqueline, Neely

























Review, Swatches coming soon! Available beginning of January on zoya.com.

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork

Groundwork ($18.50), described by MAC as a 'mid-tone neutral taupe' is one of the more natural looking shades in the Paint Pot range. It has a lot of ashy tones that make it look more like a dirty brown on my lids. The color is a few shades darker than my lid color, so it works on its own or as a base for quite a few shadows.





MAC Paint Pots are some of the best bases/primers that I've used. They have a thicker consistency, more like that of a thick gel creme. Groundwork goes on smooth and dries to a semi-matte finish. I like to pair it with a warm brown in the crease, as it can look slightly ashy on its own sometimes. It is a fantastic base for a few other neutral eye shadows and keeps them from creasing for hours together. Eye shadows layered over Groundwork do not budge and you definitely need an effective eye makeup remover to get it all off. For a light wash of color, I usually use my fingers, but when I'm using Groundwork on its own, I like to use a flat bush and blend the edges with a fluffy brush like the MAC 217. I've had this for about a year now and it hasn't dried out except for a few cracks around the edges of the jar. The tiny pot contains a lot of product that would last you ages.






Overall, I would absolutely recommend Groundwork if you tend to wear a lot of neutrals and want a good base that will keep those eye shadows in place. It adds a deeper tone to a lot of sheer eye shadows that don't show up on me. Groundwork works just as well on its own too and is quite a versatile product for most skin tones!

Have you tried MAC's Paint Pot in Groundwork?

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas!

Here's Wishing Everyone A Very Merry Christmas! Hope you are all enjoying the Holidays!!





Friday, December 21, 2012

Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara

Maybelline's new launch for Spring 2013, The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara ($8) is available at stores now. This claims to deliver explosive lashes with mega volume and length with a smooth, even finish and zero clumps! The pink and blue packaging is super nice and very Maybelline!






The brush is a very fancy looking plastic wand that doesn't look extremely huge, but the short spikes look like they'll do a great job with lengthening. I picked up 'Blackest Black' which indeed is an extremely intense, slightly glossy black. Although washable, I had a little trouble getting it all off, even with an oil based remover. The brush is great for length & volume as it pulls lashes up, gently giving them a lift, which in turn adds more length. In terms of volume, my short stubby lashes were quite plumped up and much thicker. There's quite a bit of clumping, but nothing you can't work with and far less compared to a lot of other Volum' Express mascaras from Maybelline. The formula can make lashes slightly stiff, which is something I don't like here. I always curl my lashes and this one holds the curl very well. There's very minimal smudging or flaking even after a good 8 hours.





Overall, a good mascara for volume & length, especially if you have practically non-existent lashes like me. Again, the formula needs a little patience to work with, if you want your lashes to look natural and not spiky. Probably one of my favourite mascaras among the ones Maybelline has put out recently.

Have you tried the Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara?

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Crabtree & Evelyn Mini Botanical Treats

The Crabtree & Evelyn Mini Botanical Treats ($28) is a wonderful little holiday gift set that comes with six mini sizes of shower gels & skin quenching body lotions packed in a red & gold festive box. The box comes with three of their most amazing smelling treats - Citron, Honey & Coriander, Pomegranate, Argan & Grapeseed and Avocado, Olive & Basil.




Citron, Honey & Coriander Skin Cleansing Bath & Shower Gel and Skin Quenching Body Lotion - A  very fresh, clean smelling duo that is perfect for summer. The zesty scent is perfect for lazy mornings.




Pomegranate, Argan & Grapeseed  Bath & Shower Gel and Skin Quenching Body Lotion - More of a sweet smelling duo that is perfect year round. The scent is quite strong and lasts all day when layered.



Avocado, Olive & Basil Skin Revitalizing Bath & Shower Gel and Skin Quenching Body Lotion -  A luxurious, moisturizing shower gel & lotion, perfect for winter. It is very nourishing and the scent is just divine!





The shower gels have the perfect consistency and lather up pretty well. The Pomegranate, Argan & Grapeseed contains SLES while the other two don't. None of them dry my skin out or leave them craving for lotion afterwards. It does leave my skin feeling very clean, soft and amazingly scented. One qualm I have is with the packaging, that makes it extremely difficult to get product out. I had to screw open the whole lid to get some product out since the gel is quite concentrated and the bottle is terribly hard to squeeze






The Skin Quenching Body Lotion is a quick absorbing, nourishing lotion that can be used all year round. It is great for winter to quench dry skin and doesn't need to be re-applied until about the end of the day. I can see myself using it in the summer too, as it isn't greasy or tacky and doesn't leave a film on the skin. I found the Avocado, Olive & Basil  to be the most moisturizing of the three. Again, these smell just as awesome as the shower gels and the scent lingers on for a long, long time!





Overall, a perfect set for anyone who loves bath and body care products! The selection of scents is fabulous and the sizes are extremely easy to travel with.

What do you think of the Crabtree & Evelyn Mini Botanical Treats Holiday Gift Set?

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.