Review: TheBalm Stainiac in Beauty Queen

This one was another gift from a friend as I think she knew about my growing obsession with stains. Although admittedly that "growing obsession" is slowly subsiding because they can't replace my obsession with lip balms. Anyhow, I was kind of intrigued by this one since it seemed so different from the L'Oréal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stains, which was my first real foray into lip stains.

Stains by nature only exist to temporarily dye your lips (or cheeks) and are supposed to be [somewhat] waterproof. They are buildable as well, so even though they come off sheer, you should be able to build the colour over time. The only caveat with them is that they really are just dyes meaning that they don't offer much else in terms of moisture. If you happen to get one that does offer moisture then you've probably struck gold. Additionally, sometimes it takes a few coats to get the right coverage -- which is actually something Devi and I have discussed. It's blotchy and time consuming to get an even distribution for the colour.

But let's really get down to the brass tacks about Stainiac (but just keep in mind that this might apply to lip stains in general). The formula itself is good and is the wand for application so no complaints there. As with other stains, the first coat on me is barely noticeable. But before you rush to put on another coat, wait a bit. I generally waited a few minutes to let the coats dry before applying another. While the first 2-3 coats were a bit splotchy, by the fourth or even fifth, the colour evened out to give a nice reddish hue. While it comes off a bit too loud (albeit complementary to my skin tone, it comes off exactly as red as it is in the tube after 4-5 coats), so keep in mind that there's no moisture so you can tone it down with lip gloss.

Although I can get it to be quite red, I follow up with Lancôme Juicy Tubes Smoothie in Simmer which brings it back down to a pinkish hue. This addition of the lip gloss also helps to disperse the stain in case there are any small pockets that didn't fully dry.

My reservations about this product boils down to two things:

1. There is a lot of time spent to get the correct hue. In between 5 coats I was looking at at least 10 minutes to just get the colour evenly distributed. If I did it too fast while it was still wet then the splotchy appearance would occur. This is inherent in all stains though -- what is problematic for me is simply that I have to wait so long till I can finally follow up with either a lip balm or lip gloss to get that moisture. 
2. It simply didn't last long. I think at most I got 3-4 hours (and that's being gracious since it was more like 3 hours). And during this time it's not like I had anything to drink or that I did anything that would require removing it. I put it on then went for a walk, did a few hours of stuff in between that and getting on a train, and when I checked on it, it was gone. 

It seems as though it would be great for special occasions but this is not something I could see myself doing everyday. After all, if I'm going to spend a long time prepping when it doesn't even last, I might as well just grab a highly pigmented lip gloss or balm that could easily achieve what this is trying to do. So while I do like the colour, this is not something that I'd keep around.

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Product: TheBalm Stainiac in Beauty Queen
Price: $17.00
Stars: ★★☆☆☆
Takeaway: While it functions entirely like a stain, the longevity is lacking so for someone like me who needs to apply several layers at a time, it ends up being more work than it's worth. The colour itself is quite nice, but it's also something I feel as though I can achieve with a lipstick instead.

Review: Tatcha Aburatorigami

Oil blotting sheets have become a staple in my makeup bag (and makeup kits) for wherever I am. But the one thing I can say is that I'm no loyalist when it comes to them. From generic to Boscia, and everything else in between, I'll use whatever I can get my hands on for the simple fact that I go through them so quickly (as quickly as one goes through a bottle of vitamins). 

When my friend overheard that I was grabbing another pack of the e.l.f. blotting sheets, she handed me a pack of Tatcha Aburatorigami. On first glance, it seems quite the luxurious blotting tissues because it's packaging is a bit refined and when you open the pack you have these large sheets (3.74" x 3.74") that have little gold flecks distributed throughout the pack of 30. The sheets are made of 100% Abaca leaf and gold flake and does not contain mineral oil, synthetic color, fragrance, powder or pulp.

So as someone who switches freely between different brands, I do like them. I think their size it great and it makes it easier to use. The only thing that is annoying though is that they seem to be almost too thin and their absorbency is a bit low. While the directions say that you can use both sides, the oils get through the sheets really quickly and render the other side useless. That in itself isn't much of a deal breaker since you can always just grab another sheet to blot. But that's where there's a slight problem for me.

If I used 2-3 sheets of e.l.f.'s blotting sheets or even the generic ones I got from Hawaii, it's not a huge deal. My skin can get pretty oily so I don't expect a blotting sheet to magically change the issues with my skin and stop the oiliness so I do expect to use it frequently. With that being said it makes it a bit hard to justify using more than one sheet a day when Aburatorigami is $12 for a pack of 30 sheets compared to e.l.f.'s which are $1 for 50 sheets. Now I've read the reviews around the web and I know that e.l.f. isn't well received at times, but I think I've been using it so long along with others that I just don't mind? (Strangely though, it has high ratings on MakeUp Alley). Either way, every time that I had to use the Aburatorigami, I had to follow up shortly after with another sheet (whether that is the generic brand e.l.f.).

Is it bad? I wouldn't say that. But it's not satisfactory for my oily skin woes. These are a bit pricey which normally I wouldn't mind if they got the job done in the first place. For those will very oily skin, I'd probably stay away from this unless you enjoy the novelty of it. If you don't have skin that is super oily, then this might be right up your alley.

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Product: Tatcha Aburatorigami
Price: $12
Stars: ★★★☆☆
Takeaway: While the sheets work the way that they should, they are thin and do not absorb that much which requires multiple sheets. Given how much they cost, how oily my face is (and how little they help that issue), and how much I have to use, it doesn't really seem worth it to me.

Pawalla March 2013 Box

So when the box arrived, it was by the front door and I had the hardest time getting Shiva to stay indoors while I retrieve it and he's normally really well behaved. Anyhow... February's box was a hit with the minions so I (and the kittens, apparently) were looking forward to their next box.

Shiva was already attacking the catnip toy. Each time we open up this box, we have to hide it so we could take pictures before they come up and drag the toy out. 

So first up is the food -- I was surprised to see two large cans instead of the regular 4 small cans. The cans are from Canine Caviar and it's the Green Venison Tripe. At first I was a bit wary since this looked like it was just for dogs, but with previous Pawalla picks, cats can eat it as well. Since the kittens eat periodically throughout the day, I split it up into three servings. As I write this now, they are on their second helping gulping it down. It's been a hit! 

In this section, there's the Bench & Field Holistic Natural Feline Treats, Pet Greens Crunchy Cat Treats, and Natural Balance Perfect Bites Salmon Treats. I haven't opened them yet since they are still getting through the treats they got last month. I am familiar with the Pet Greens from living with cats previously so I was quite happy with what I got.

Finally we got a can of catnip which I was really happy to get because we actually don't have any catnip right now. I especially like that it comes in a tin which means we can easily reuse it. 

A Variety From Lucky 13 Lacquers

As I mentioned earlier, I recently got my haul from Lucky 13 Lacquers so I present some of the manicures that I've had over the last few weeks. Due to my violin lessons, I can't really grow my nails out anymore which makes me a bit sad since there isn't a lot of surface area to work with. However, violin lessons are going well and nail polishes are fun to work with. With that being said, here are some of the manicures!

All Lucky 13 Lacquer manicure: Two coats of  "Wibbly
Wobbly Timey Wimey", one coat of "Faerie Wings," and
two coats of "Hey, Who Turned Out the Lights?."

"Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey" is one of my favourites (even though I couldn't quite get a shot of the moons and stars in this lacquer). I love the deep blue hues and it works great on it's own. To temper down the shine I decided to toss on a coat of "Faerie Wings" which is a flakie nail polish (you can't really see it as it was hard to capture but it is gorgeous and happens to be the bottle I am holding in the picture above). I decided to throw on two coats of "Hey, Who Turned Out the Lights?" but was sadly unable to get a picture of it glowing. It was awesome.

Two coats of Sinful Colors "Let Me Go" and one coat of
Lucky 13 Lacquers "Ragdoll."

I decided to go with a very light gray base for this manicure as it was a homage to Sally. Truth be told I should have gone with a slightly darker gray but lesson learned. Overall, I think it is a great representation of Sally since it executes her dress well.

Two coats of Sinful Colors "Let's Talk" and  two coats of
Lucky 13 Lacquers "Zelda."

This is one of my favourites because every time I looked at it, I feel like I found new colours in Zelda. The purple square glitter matched the Sinful Colors perfectly so it kind of faded away except for moments in the sun where I'd get this bright purple. The gold glitter was predominant but I had completely forgotten about the rainbow flecks which meant that when I was in the sun I could see so many different hints (red, especially) which made it so much fun.

Two coats of Zoya "Ibiza" and two coats of Lucky 13
Lacquers "Oh Yes!" 

Oh Yes! is inspired by the Tenth Doctor's pinstripe suit; it's a brown jelly base with blue glitters (bars and squares). Zoya's Ibiza is a bit on the darker side so it was harder to capture the awesomeness that is this nail polish especially since the layering made it come off as dark brown. I tried to take two shots of it so there's a slight close up below.

Closeup of "Ibiza" and "Oh Yes!" 

Two coats of Urban Outfitters "Mystic" and
one coat of Lucky 13 Lacquers "Link."

I recently got the UO Mystic in a swap so pardon the thinness of it. It was a bit hard to work with -- while the flakies are great, they sometimes hinder this jelly. I do wish I threw on a third layer of it but I had a headache. Link looks fantastic pairs with this one; it's a clear base with emerald green, brown, gold, and blue glitters. Together they are great, even if the picture is not flattering (again, I blame the headache). 

Review: A Quiet Night

Items were received by Kara's Way complimentary.

There's nothing quite like relaxing with a good candle and getting a massage and I'm quite the fan. Especially since when I get stressed out, I find myself requesting a massage. One thing that has been slightly annoying is that we ignore the massage oils because they are in general terrible and just opt for shea butter (or cocoa butter). So when Kara's Way provided me with a traveler sized bottle of Mbeze body oil and a candle from Aloha Bay, I figured it would be great to make an event of it.

I reviewed a few perfumes from Mbeze back in December (which you can read about here), so I'm no stranger to the products. The Koko Haze is one of my favourite scents since it's coconut, hazelnut, with hints of mango tea and sweet orange essential oil.

As it's a body oil, you don't necessarily need to just use it as a massage oil (though it will likely replace any massage oils that you might have). It's great for dry skin but given that it's an oil, there will be the initial greasiness when it's first applied. The bright side is that it is absorbed quickly so it's not that you'd be doomed to a greasy state.

Ah... now for the candle. I love candles and getting one makes me happy especially since I got one of my favourite scents. These candles are made with Eco Palm Wax which is an  organic Palm Wax from Brazil and Colombia. The company itself seems to be very well informed and overall seems to care quite a bit about their product. You can check out their website to see a wealth of information about their candles and fair trade practices.

The particular candle I got was a perfume blend and I can't really find much about the ingredients but they do have the option to buy candles that are made with pure essential oils. The reason why I bring this up is that the candle is highly scented and it is a pure coconut scent (it doesn't smell like fake coconut or super sugary) -- it has the right blend which makes it wonderful to have nearby (in fact, as I'm typing this, I have it lit right now).

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These products are slated to be featured in an upcoming Kara's Way box and was given to me complimentary for my evaluation.

Product: Mbeze Body Oil in Koko Haze
Price: $5
Stars: ★★★★☆
Takeaway: A great body oil that doubles for a massage oil. I imagine that you can likely add a bit to a bath to really immerse yourself in it. I generally don't use oils aside from massages (and for that it is great) so I don't have much use outside of that.

Product: Aloha Bay Travel Jar in Bahia Coconut
Price: $3
Stars: ★★★★★
Takeaway: I love candles, but I especially adore when they are a right balance. The scent level is perfect and the company seems to have good practices. 

New FTC Disclosures

Several of the blogs that I follow have been posting about the new FTC Disclosure that needs to be included with posts because if you receive a product for free, it is considered an advertisement when you review it. That creates an interesting position for me to be in since I generally purchase all of my own products. The main exceptions being when I receive products from friends (which includes Kara's Way) or from the VoxBox program. I've always disclosed when I received a product for free which includes when friends donated them to me in order to keep the blog going. Nonetheless moving forward the disclaimers might be a bit more blatant than normal. 

You can read more about the new New FTC Guidance on Disclosing Products Provided For Review at this very well articulated blog post.

I'll also take the time to reiterate a few minor points:

• I do not use affiliate links and while I have considered them, at this point I do not think they will feasible for this blog in the near future. All of my outbound links go directly to the page and I do not gain anything from it.
• I have not made any money off of this blog (nor have I made anything off of etceteros for that matter), I have not saved any money, and I don't expect that to change in the near future. 
• While many of the products have been purchased by yours truly, some have been provided by VoxBox and Kara's Way (and I have always clearly states. 
• A few items have been donated by close friends who (admittedly, none of my past posts fit this criteria, but those I'm in the process of researching and trying out a few products which fit this criteria and the people who provided them) are not affiliated with any businesses (or blogs) and were just looking to get rid of things.

With that being said, I look forward to figuring out a seamless method of making it clear without it being too intrusive. If you've any questions about this blog and the procurement of items, please feel free to reach out and I will provide further information.

Review: Ology Soothing Baby Shampoo & Body Wash

After my bottle of Disney Baby Daily Renewal Naturals Baby Shampoo finished, I headed over to my local drugstore to find that  Garnier Pure Clean was out of stock... again. After being unable to find a suitable replacement, I went over to Walgreens to grab either Pure Clean or the Disney Baby Shampoo since they always seem to have it stock. (I always go to the first one since it's so close however with that being said, the Walgreens is really just across the street). Anyhow, as I was about to grab the Disney Baby version, I noticed the ology brand which had a lovely "No Harmful Chemicals" notice right along the front of the bottle. Ology is a Walgreens brand, so I figured that I'd give it a shot.

I grabbed the Lavender & Chamomile version since that's one of my favourite scents. On the back, it states that it has no parabens, silicons, dyes, phthalates, or animal byproducts. It also states that the bottle is made of 100% post-consumer materials. 

I've been using this for a few weeks now (and yes, in the image just behind the bottle of ology is Pure Clean) and overall, I love it. Sometimes the shampoo is a bit hard to wash out, but truth be told, I've found this with a lot of shampoos that are similar in nature. The only catch about this one versus the Disney Baby is that this one does not claim to be sulfates free. So if that's an issue for you then this is something you're going to want to pass on.

Overall, while I think it's almost on par with Pure Clean or the Disney Baby (Naturals) Shampoo, it's not quite on that level. The texture is fine, the lather is as expected, and it's performance is okay. However if I mess up and neglect to fully wash my hair out then it dries in a stringy manner which looks like it's incredibly oily (when it's not). Plus there's still the issue of sulfates, which my hair does not get along with when there is prolonged usage. I do love the scent which is wonderfully subtle and great if you have a headache (lavender is simply amazing to me). 

If sulfates were not an issue, I'd probably say this was on par with the Disney Baby Naturals (or Pure Clean) simply because with the latter I can use it for a long period of time without having to worry about switching it out. Sulfates in the past have led to considerable damage to my hair -- it is not bad in itself as it is surfactant and all it does is assist with the lather. It is particularly damaging to my hair because my hair is wurly and pretty dry so sulfates don't quite work out for me. For my mother (who has a gorgeous head of hair, I might add), this has never been a problem but she also has hair that is of a different texture. So don't be quick to write this one off unless sulfates really are a problem for you.

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Product: Ology Sooth Baby Shampoo & Body Wash
Price: $5
Stars: ★★★☆☆
Takeaway: Overall, a solid shampoo that is free of parabens, silicones, dyes, and phthalates (but not sulfates). Works well and would be a great contender were it not for the sulfates part. It is about the same level of difficulty to wash out as others that are similar and nature and good to have on hand. 

An Update on Wedges

It's been a little bit over a year now that I've made the switch from makeup brushes to cosmetic wedges so I figured I'd post a bit of an update. Almost a year later, the wedges are finally starting to show some wear and tear which has caused me to have to throw some of them out (but certainly not all). I still have half of the pack left so I imagine that it'll be a while before I need to actually go out and buy a whole new set. 

I will warn you that if you're trying to figure out if wedges (or sponges) are for you, then do keep in mind that they do tend to waste more of the product however as a result, they are able to give an even application. I love them because they seem to do more for me in terms of application (seriously, the application with a brush versus these wedges are very noticeable) but you do need several in rotation since it takes a few days for them to dry (and I tend to wash them after every use).

Soapy Hauls

I generally reserve hauls for my tumblr but I just got my haul from FizzButter not too long ago, I wanted to share since I think that the bath bombs are amazing. Since I've mentioned Bubbles Up Soap Boutique  before, I figured I'd share my previous hauls from that etsy store.

FizzButter Bath Bombs

Back in December, Kara's Way (the monthly subscription box) gave me a bath bomb from FizzButter to try out (you can read the review here). Bathtimes are generally a bit too drying on my skin but these bath bombs are amazing since they are so moisturizing since they are packed filled with shea butter and cocoa butter. After sadly having to go on vacation to Disney World without these bath bombs, I decided that I needed to stock up. So today's haul from FizzButter includes 8 bath bombs: Lullaby, Tranquil Lilac, White Chocolate Truffle, Mango Coconut, Sandalwood Vanilla, Lush Jasmine, Vanilla Butter & Pineapple, and French Lavender.

Previous hauls from Bubbles Up! (I'm actually going to be ordering pretty soon from her again so you can be on the lookout for that in the future) are as follows:

On November 11th, 2012 I received my second order from Bubbles Up! which included:

• Gingersnap Cookie
• Warm Vanilla Sugar
• Eggnog
• Witches’ Cauldron
• Candy Apple
• Candy Corn
• Chocolate Fudge Marble
• Cinnamon Coffee Cake.

I've never actually written a review about these soaps on my blog but I love them. I joke around about how I'm perpetually on a diet and as a result, I indulge in savoury and sweet scents in the shower. My skin has never been dried out by these soaps and honestly, I love treating myself during the seasons with her special limited edition soaps.

Back in May of 2012 for my first order, I got the following below. I have finished the all and I thought they were all amazing. I couldn't say that I had a favourite (have you read the name of some of these?! They are delicious [scented]!)

• Almond Biscotti Cookie Soap with Almonds and Coffee Beans 
• Blackberries and Sage Honeycomb Soap with Real Honey
• Caribbean Coconut Soap with Real Coconut
• Chocolate and Raspberry Gourmet Coffee Soap
• Chocolate Milkshake Soap with Real Dark Chocolate
• Cinnamon Coffee Cake Soap with Coffee
• Molasses and Brown Sugar
• Cup of Joe Soap with Coffee
• Going Bananas Yogurt Soap with Real Coconut
• Hot Cross Buns Soap with Crunchy Pecans
• Oatmeal - All Natural Unscented Hot Process Soap
• Oatmeal Milk and Honey Soap
• The Great Pumpkin Sugar Scrub Soap with Pumpkin Puree and Brown Sugar

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Product: FizzButter Bath Bombs
Price: $3.69 each
Stars: ★★★★★
Takeaway: I would absolutely recommend this. After trying out one (thanks to Kara's Way!), this has become something that I need for any bath. It's great for those with drier skin since it has shea butter and cocoa butter and the scents are great. (Do be careful getting out of the tub though!)

Product: Bubbles Up! by Bethie B
Price: $5 - $6
Stars: ★★★★★
Takeaway: I will be placing my third order with them soon so that should be pretty telling! I love these soaps as they have great scents and don't dry out my skin. 

Review: The Body Shop Rounded Handle Facial Brush

I was having one of those "needless spending" days and after darting around to different stores, largely unsatisfied with my findings (or rather, lack of spending), I decided to wander into The Body Shop because I recall seeing an exfoliation brush that went for $3 (thanks to /r/SkincareAddiction). Turns out they were having a sale... more on that later, but I did pick up the exfoliation brush that I intended to get.

 I've never used an exfoliation brush before so I don't have much to compare it to. My facial routine is very basic and goes like this:

1. Wash my face with a cleanser (either a foaming type or Noxzema) and rub it in with my fingers in a circular motion.
• I dry my skin afterward by wiping downward on my face with a towel.
2. Apply moisturizer and follow up with eye cream.
3. Once a week I do an intensive facial mask (at the moment I'm using a generic mint julep mask which I leave on for 20-30 minutes).
• Dry by dabbing (rather than using strokes).
• Follow up immediately with a toner.

So my routine doesn't utilize much exfoliation in it. I still get the occasional acne but in general it's not anything that is bothersome. I never really thought about getting a brush but I figured it was worth the shot especially since the instructions of use is very similar to what I already do (utilizing small circular motions and most recommend that you focus on the problematic areas and try to not to be too rough). I'm still in the process of testing it out (it's only been two weeks now and I'm keeping it down to exfoliating 1-2 times a week) so this review is based on the initial impressions.

Well, to start it's a very small brush (I missed it quite a few times when I was in the shop even though there was a whole basket filled with them). It's about the same brush size as other brushes (such as the Sephora Complexion Brush) but the handle is small which makes it seem even smaller. Nonetheless, I liked how cute it looked. Plus the container itself allows for the brush to hang in the correct way so that it can dry better.

Please note that if you have a cat (particularly kittens) they will think that it's a toy. On the first night that I got it, I walked to get my camera and came back to the two of them going to town on it. So, keep it away from them since it's small enough to register as kittens to be within the toy category.

Moving on, it was a bit small and took a bit to get used to although that didn't take too long. The bristles are incredibly soft which makes it easy to use, especially with a foaming cleanser. I have yet to try it with the Noxzema so hopefully I can follow up with an update about that.

Overall, for the value and for it does, I'm pretty amazed by it. My roommate had been exclaiming the goodness of the Clarisonic Mia Sonic Skin Cleansing System and after reading the thread about having  an exfoliation brush, I just had to give it a shot. I'm pretty happy that I did; my face felt not as tight or dry after I was done (I actually can't explain why that happened, so let's pretend it was a fluke). 

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Product: The Body Shop Rounded Handle Facial Brush

Price: $3

Stars: ★★★★★

Takeaway: For $3, you can't really go wrong with this experiment and while that might not be a huge pro, consider that exfoliation is one of those things you need to do once in a while and so long as you have that circular motion down, you're doing it lightly, and that you follow up with a toner, it's not too bad to at least try it. For me, I enjoy it once or twice a week (and never after I've done a mask because I don't need to stress my face out too much) so it's been a great "investment." 

Review: Native Touch Warrior Bear Rub Mini

Since Kara's Way May 2012 box, Native Touch has become one of my favourite brands for moisturizers. I still have the Native Touch Rooting Bear Rub because I've been hoarding it and a while ago, Maria of Kara's Way gave me a sample of the Warrior Bear Rub Mini which was part of the December 2012 box.

Like the Rooting Bear Rub, this one is very moisturizing which has been great for me (especially at work) since I tend to wash my hands a lot. This blend uses a base of shea butter and has tea tree oil, lavender oil, and rosemary oil in it which gives it that extra moisturizing boost. If you find yourself frequently washing your hands or if you have dried cracked skin this would be an amazing addition to your line up of skincare.

It can be a bit greasy and as work I tend to find my fingerprints all over after I've used it, but it's nothing that isn't too bothersome. I've somewhat gotten used to it and I'm actually okay with my shiny keyboard. If greasiness is something that bothers you, I'd recommend switching to overnight use to pack the moisture back in and likely not using this as a hand lotion during the day.

If you've been following this blog, then you might already be familiar with my never ending quest to find and use several different hand lotions. I wash my hands frequently whether I'm at home or at work which means that my already dry skin needs to have moisture packed back in (even if I'm going to wash my hands 1-2 hours later). Like the Rooting Bear Rub, I love this one and while I try to use it sparingly due to my love, I end up using it a lot because it works so well. It's pretty comparable to others that I use frequently, if not better. It's definitely worth the greasiness in my opinion but that's something you'll have to contend with if you deal with dryness and/or don't like the greasiness. A little of this product goes a long way so the miniature version is most certainly worth it.

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This product was featured in the December Kara's Way box and was given to me complimentary for my evaluation.

Product: Native Touch Warrior Bear Rub Mini
Price: $2.99 (for the Mini Size)
Stars: ★★★★★
Takeaway: I love this product though I will admit that it's a bit greasier than most that I've encountered -- it is way more moisturizing and great for dry skins (or even those that wash their hands frequently). The greasiness can be annoying if you aren't used to it but I still think it's great to have -- if even just the small version.

Quick Look: Comparison of the Sephora Cinderella & Jasmine Line

Here's a quick look of the items that I have from the Sephora Disney Reigning Beauties which so far includes Cinderella and Jasmine. 

Sephora + Jasmine, Haul

When the Disney Jasmine Collection was released and the email went out for Beauty Insiders, I jumped on the Jasmine collection. She's one of my favourite princesses (nods to Ariel, Belle, and Rapunzel) so I didn't even give it a second thought. (Especially since I lost out on getting that Disney Designer Princess doll back in 2011). My shipment arrived on Wednesday, but due to my violin lessons and a trip to the California Academy of Science (Nightlife), I wasn't able to properly compile everything till tonight.

This post is just about the haul and hopefully I'll have swatches soon. Enjoy!

The Palace Jewel Compact - $20

Closeup; there is a slight imperfection along the top
right by my ring finger.

"Shut your eyes and take a chance."

I have the Cinderella one, which I loved so I had high expectations for this one since Jasmine is my favourite. Overall, the casing (specifically the filigree design) feels a bit flimsy on the outside but it's got a good weight to it. 

The filigree design is intricate and behind it you can just make out the palace behind it. On the inside along the bottom says "shut your eyes and take a chance," which I think is adorable. 

As I mentioned in the caption, there is a slight imperfection along the side where it feels as though there's a bit too much plastic. Overall though, that does not hinder the product or decrease the love that I have for the compact mirror.

Once is Never Enough Nail Set - $24.50

I can never get enough of a nail polish collection especially one that has a few favourite colors in there. While the only colour in this collection (in terms of the pieces that I own from the collection) that is true to Jasmine is the turquoise, I do love the hues of purple. There's only one that would be a bit hard for me to work with so overall this set is a welcomed addition to my growing nail polish addiction. The colours in this set are listed below.

•  Berry Tale Romance (dark berry)
• Your Wish Is My Command (lilac)
• Fit For Royalty (pearlized purple)
• Dream Princess (clear with light sparkles)
• All That Jasmine (light turquoise)
• Aladdin's Girl (pearlized, glittery dark orange)  

Three Wishes Eyeliner Set - $42

Finally, when I saw the promotional images for this collection, I knew that I had to get my hands on this eyeliner set. If you've followed the blog for long or even if you look at the cloud of tags you'll notice that eyeliners and mascara are my mainstays. While I may not have much luck with any other makeup, those are my staples. Plus in this set, which has a liquid eyeliner, gel eyeliner, and a pencil eyeliner (which seems very kohl like), there's also that adorable little brush for the gel. I'm a little hesitant to crack these open just yet because I have so many gel eyeliners, cream eyeliners, liquid eyeliners, and pencil eyeliners open at the moment but soon... Soon, I shall crack them open for swatches.

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Image of Jasmine belongs to Disney.

Here's my feeling about this collection: While I do love it, I'm a little sad about the "artistic interpretation  of Jasmine, rather than sticking to her classic blue. My assumption is that on heels of the Cinderella collection, they didn't want to put out another blue inspired set but that makes me worry about some of the princesses down the line such as:

Image of Jasmine belongs to Disney.

• Green: Ariel, Merida, and Tiana
• Pink: Aurora, Mulan, and Rapunzel

It remains to be seen which other princesses will be selected for the Sephora honours but either way, I can't wait. The ones I'm still hoping for are Ariel and Belle. Strangely, I'd love to see Rapunzel since she's been growing on me quite a bit. Either that or I really just want to see a Pascal compact mirror. 

Anyhow going back to the deviation, you have to admit, there is a difference between the blue suit and the red suit. :)