Review: 96 Shimmer Eyeshadow Palette (ebay)

[UPDATE 06/01/2013 - ORIGINAL POST FROM 2011]

Hello Beauty Junkies ~

Since I watched several videos from different make-up gurus on youtube I wanted to buy one of those legendary eyeshadow palettes.

I checked different websites, found palettes from Coastel Scents and MAC, BH Cosmetics and finally some on ebay.
The only difference between those palettes (as far as I was able to find out) was the price. I had the choice between an expensive palette from BH Cosmetics and a cheap one from ebay. Because I wasn't sure whether or not I would really use this palette I decided to get it from ebay.

(DISCLAIMER: I never bought the palette from BH Cosmetics or another brand, so I can't compare them!)

At first sight this palette is really great. 96 different colour, from white over yellow, orange and red to lots of greens, blues and browns. You find a few neutral colours but the main aspect lays on shimmery eye shadows.

As you can see in the picture above the distribution of different colours is more or less fair even though you have a few more pinks and violet colours. The only downside: this palette only comes with one true black eyeshadow.

The quality is so-so. A few gurus on youtube as well as some bloggers claim these are the exact same palettes as the ones you can find in the shops of BH cosmetics and coastal scents , I can't say anything to this aspect since I don't own a palette from the named brands.

Now let's have a closer look. Like I said before, the quality is only so-so. Most of the darker shadows are highly pigmented, only a few disappointed me (like the black shadow). Unfortunately half of the lighter colours come with a (really) bad pigmentation, so you have to build the colour up by sweeping the colour on the lid a few times.

Nevertheless the result on the lids are vibrant colours, which won't fade away and stay all day long without creasing.
Obviously you won't wear certain shadows on a daily basis, but for me I never would have purchased pink Barbie colors on their own, but it's really nice to have them in the palette.

I swatched a few colours for you so you can see how they look on the skin (I haven't applied an eyeshadow base!)

Now as you can tell the lighter pink on the first picture is not as highly pigmented as the others, same goes for the yellowish gold shadow on the second picture. As you might also tell a few shadows are a little bit too powdery and have a lot of fallout (pink one in the second, blue in the third picture).
Here is a close-up of one of the powdery shadows:

If you are acquainted with eyeshadows from Sleek and elf, I would rank this palette inbetween. A few shadows are really amazing, others not so. But keep in mind this palette comes with 96 shadows and I am definitely satisfied with it. When you're starting to build up a little storage you should look into this palette. I don't know how much you have to pay for it right now, but I paid less than 10$ which is a total bargain in my eyes.


Pros: 
96 different colours
most of them are highly pigmented
price perfomance ratio

Cons:
the lighter colours aren't as pigmented as the others
some are too powdery and have a lot of fallouts


Given that most of the shadows are shimmery, this palette isn't for you if you prefer non-glitter shadows.

Last but not least, the packaging was pretty good, my little sister could play with bubble-wraps all day long. If you're interesting in the ingredients, you can check them on the black boxes the palettes come in with.

♥

Book Review | 1Q84

This was the first Murakami novel I read even though I knew it isn't the wisest thing to start with this work. 

The story bubbles slowly along. Depending on the edition you bought, the story which takes places in 1984 develops on around 950 pages. “David Copperfield”by Charles Dickens comes with the same amount of pages, but takes you through his entire life.

Aomame, a sport instructor and self made assassin, finds herself in a new reality with two moons and a more or less religious cult called Sagikage which receives supernatural power from “the little people”. 

While she is aware of the new environment Tengo, a maths teacher and part time author, draws slowly into this new world, or at least it takes forever until he realises something is off. 

Their lives couldn't be more different yet there are a lot similarities. Aomame gets to know the dowager, an old, merciful Samaritan, who gives women who suffered from domestic violence a new home while at the same time she orders Aomame to kill the men. 

Tengo is involved in a complicated situation after ghost writing Air Chrysalis, originally written by Fuka-Eri, a 17-year old girl which grew up in Sagikage but could escape in the young age of ten. When Aomame is assigned with the assassin of the leader of Sagikage, the lives of the two main characters get more and more intertwined.

The development, like I said before, is really slow. The first book (~ 340 pages) gives an overall description of the new world and the characters, you find out why this novel is called 1Q84 and also about the connection between Aomame and Tengo. Nevertheless, it takes the author around 300 pages until it is crystal clear that Aomame and Tengo have some kind of a deep relationship which is the main focus of 1Q84. 

During the first book I wasn't really sure what 1Q84 is about, there was no hint whatsoever it would tell the love story of the two main characters.

The last fifty pages of the first book got me, finally the little pieces fell together and everything started to make sense. I got used to Murakami's style of writing but then towards the middle (2^nd book) it begins to sag with tedious, insignificant and repetitive descriptions of nearly everything. 

For me it didn't felt true any more. The plot comes to a stop and instead the author loses himself in philosophical musings. I overlooked the bad written sex scenes and tried to concentrate on the plot, but it took another 200 pages until it was again enthralling.

The last 370 pages (3^rdbook) were the most interesting. The world with the two moons is fascinating, it is full of intrigue, supernatural power and cult rituals which let me cringe. I really loved the third part. Nevertheless Murakami could have done better while describing "the little people". I still have no idea what they are and what they are doing or why they even exist. For me they are just there, a few little umpa-lumpas doing weird stuff during the night.

Over all this novel is a bit too excessive and too repetitive which makes it sloppy. Reflective dialogues and the lack of tension in the first two books makes it wearisome yet I think about reading it a second time quite simply because I have the feeling I missed some things in between the lines.

Do I recommend this novel? Well yes I do, when you are interested in a huge mysterious love-story which takes place in some kind of a fantasy world.

Review & Swatches: Zoeva Metallic Stones Palette

I recently purchased this beautiful make-up palette. It is the Metallic Stones Palette by Zoeva and costs 16.95€ / 13,76£ / 22,31$.


What Zoeva says about it:

It’s getting metallic! Our newest creation with 28 glamorous eye shadows in metallic and diamond finish is a collection fascinated by the numerous facets of precious stones and jewels. They provide intensive effects on the eyelids; the mysterious colors are perfectly coordinated.

Let yourself become inspired and let your eyes become the highlight of the holidays.

As you can see above this palette provides you with several browns, golds, blues, purples and greyish colours. All of them have shimmer in it, so if you're not a big fan of shimmer this palette isn't for you. Over all the main focus lays on neutral colours:

• around 12 neutral colours (brownish over gold to an orange tinted shadow)
• 2 green shadows
• 3 greyish colours
• 5 purples
• 3 blues
• 1 silver
• 1 white 

Let's have a closer look. (I didn't applied an eyeshadow base!)

Most of them are highly pigmented and the overall quality is worth the money. Only two or three eyeshadows disappointed me since they are less pigmented and / or tend to have a lot of fallout while applying it on the lid because they are too powdery.
Except for these said shadows the texture is slightly creamy, it glides easily on the lid without using a lot of product. The finish is a nice, shimmery metallic finish.
You can compare the quality of these shadows with Sleek, even though the texture is different.

The only downside to this palette is a missing highlight colour. Now you might wonder because this palette comes with a white colour, but this eyeshadow is too bright and shimmery to be used as a highlight for the browbone. Except you don't mind to have shimmer everywhere.

This palette definitely meets its expectations. Whether you don't have so much shadows yet or want to expand your collection, I do recommend this product. Last but not least a few close-up pictures as well as my favourites and the least pigmented shadows.

♥

Review: Klapp X-Treme Hydra Complete

What Klapp claims:

X-TREME HYDRA COMPLETE contains low molecular as well as high molecular hyaluronic acid as its highly effective ingredient. THE moisture care with Nano- and Retard Technologies of the 21st Century. It refills the skin's moisture depots and protects it against moisture loss. The result is a smooth, firm and fresh skin. 


My thoughts:

The texture is more liquidy and gel alike so you don't need much product even when you use it for your whole face. It moisturises and hydrates really well, but for my skin it isn't enough. After applying I feel the urge to use another moisturiser on top otherwise my skin will dry out over night (I tried it). Furthermore this product contains an ingredient which irritates my skin on days when it is more sensitive. It iches and even burns so I can't use it. The criterion for exclusion is the fact that it doesn't moisturises as much as I hoped it would and I don't see a point in paying 38£ (59$, 47€).

♥

Review: Essential Ultra Honey & Shea Butter Hair Mask

What Essential claims:

Essential NUANCE AIRY Ultra Honey Hair Mask is formulated with 3X more high purity honey and milk protein to protect and strengthen. It provides intensive care, especially to the last 15 cm of hair, which is prone to dryness, tangles and split ends. Hair is left soft, elastic and easy to manage. The mask gives a scent of flower and fruit.
It is added with shea butter, a repairing and moisturizing ingredient, to make hair extra smooth. Wild rose essence leaves a protective layer to keep hair soft and moisturized.
The product leaves hair airy. It gives limp and flat hair a light and bouncy feel. It provides intensive care for severely damaged hair, without the heaviness.
Recommended for use 2 to 3 times a week. 


My thoughts:
After hearing amazing things about this hair mask I purchased it on sasa for around 9$. It is a japanese brand known for its two different hair lines: Nuance Airy (pink line) and Rich Premier (yellow line), both for damaged and dry hair.
The smell is very strong and I don't really like it that much, but it is bearable. However the mask leaves a nice scent after you washed it out. Because of the good structure it is easy to spread on your hair without using too much product.
The result is so-so. On the one hand the hair is shiny, soft and feels less dry at the ends. On the other hand my hair loses all it's structure and is left flat, I guess this mask is too rich for my hair.
Do I recommend it? Mhm I would say yes. I do like to use it even though my hair has no volume whatsoever afterwards, but I can feel the mask does moisturise very well.

♥

Review: L'Oreal Super Liner Black Lacquer

Running out of eyeliner I was forced to my gel eyeliner I bought from Hong Kong, and well, I hate gel eyeliner, it just never stays on my eyes and smudges wherever it can go.
When I saw a similiar eyeliner on Suzi's blog I decided to give L'Oreal a chance. Lately I used a lot of their products and liked them a lot so far.

What L'Oreal claims: 
Superliner is a liquid eyeliner in a special sponge tipped pen for the creation of fine lines or thick, sultry flicks. Colour is applied with precision and ease and dries without smudging. 

My thoughts:
I love this product. The tip applicator makes it really easy to line the eyes, whether you want a thin and fine line or go for a thick cat-eye look. It stays on all day long and doesn't smudge yet it's easy to remove in the night. First I was afraid of the vinyl shine but you can barely see it plus it does look really beautiful. If you look for an eyeliner right now but don't have a lot of experience try this one. This eyeliner is by far the easiest in terms of handling.

♥

Review: Nivea Straight & Easy Straightener Balm

What Nivea claims: 

Straight & Easy Straightening Balm guarantees straight, shiny hair immediately and long-lastingly. It guarantees easier and faster straightening with a hairdryer, without the need of a brush. Straight & Easy Balm protects your hair effectively from humidity and thus makes the straight effect last longer. 


My thoughts: I hate this product. I bought it because my hair isn't naturally straight yet not curly, just wavy here and there. However I don't like to use too much heat on my hair so I thought this balm might be the perfect alternative. I applied it as I should, after washing my hair I wrapped it up in a towel until it was damp, then I applied the product while combing with a wide toothed comb to distribute it evenly. Last but not least I blow dried it using a big round brush. The result was disappointing not only because my hair wasn't straight but also because it was sticky and you could feel the product in it. I only used this balm onced, I guess it will meet my dustbin soon.

♥

Review: John Frieda Thickening Blow Dry Lotion

What John Frieda claims:

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Thickening Blow Dry Lotion was John's first invention and won world acclaim for its amazing thickening results. Still loved by our consumers and the beauty elite, the formula has just got better.

My thoughts: To be honest I barely buy hair products. It is always the same story: The product seems to be (finally) the right one for my needs, I buy it, I try it... and it's awful. So I leave it in a dark edge somewhere in my drawer. Except for serum and oils I hate mostly every lotion, mousse and gel and still wonder, where the hairdressers get their magical produtcs from. Seriously, why do I have to put a product in my hair so it feels sticky when I want to have it clean and fresh?

When I saw this product I actually didn't really want to buy it. Nevertheless, deep down I wished to finally find a thickening product which wouldn't disappoint me. Who wonders it found it's way on my drawer and well, I have to say: I am honestly surprised.
This spray isn't used every day, but every now and then I spray it on my roots when my hair is still damp, using a large brush while blow drying. It lifts the roots and makes the hair look more luscious. I don't know how it turns out when my hair is longer, but for the moment this product is really nice.

♥

Review: Sigma Dry n Shape

Every now and then my brushes need a wash, I usually lay them flat on the edge of the window, so the breeze can dry them naturally. That means they won't have their usual shape afterwards, so I thought it might be time to try something else. This is were Sigma came in.

What Sigma Says: 

Tired of waiting for your brushes to dry after washing them? Wait no more! Introducing the revolutionary Sigma Beauty Dry’n Shape system! 
The Dry’n Shape was designed to completely dry and shape your most dense brushes within 4 to 6 hours, guaranteed. The Dry’n Shape provides the necessary pressure to bristles to quickly and efficiently remove water from every fibre. 
The fabric used to shape the bristles was specially engineered to accelerate water evaporation, resulting in a faster drying time for your brushes. The Dry’n Shape is an easy, quick, and effective way to quickly dry and shape your makeup brushes. Follow these three easy steps for best results: 

STEP 1: Wash your brushes using a mild shampoo or brush cleanser. 

STEP 2: Gently press the bristles to remove any excess water. Place the clean, damp brushes into the Dry’n Shape using the smallest band the brush will fit into. Make sure that all bristles are firmly compressed. 

STEP 3: Wait 4 to 6 hours and your brushes will be completely dry and ready to use! In addition to being completely dry, the bristles will be reshaped to their original form. Your brushes will be perfect for your makeup application!

To allow the excess water to free flow downwards I left the roll upside down and put a tissue under it. According to Sigma it takes 4-6 hours until the brushes are completely dry. Since this wasn't the first time I cleaned my brushes I knew larger sized brushes like the powder brush or contouring brush need some more time. After six hours they were still slightly damp in the middle.

My thoughts: Because the roll holds only 12 brushes I can't dry all my brushes in their (well, right now I only use up to 8 brushes, however this is a downside for everyone who wants to clean all their brushes.)
Furthermore the smaller eye brushes didn't fit so I had to let them dry on a tissue.
I like the idea behind it and for $29/ 47$/ 35€ it is a good deal. Moreover you can also use it as an additional brush roll or for traveling.

Purchase here.

♥

German Review: Shining Cosmetics

Hello Beauty Junkies ~


dies ist mal nur an die deutschen Leser gerichtet, die noch auf der Suche nach einem Online-Shop für Sleek Cosmetics u.a. Produkte sind.
Nachdem ich bei Suzi die Au Natural Palette von Sleek gesehen hatte, wollte ich sie vom Fleck weg kaufen. Zwar ermöglicht Sleek es auch Deutschen zu bestellen, doch bin ich etwas vorsichtig, wenn man nur mit Kreditkarte bezahlen kann. Ich bevorzuge die Sicherheiten von Paypal.
Mein lieber Freund Google präsentierte mir den Online-Shop Shining Cosmetics.





Auf der Internetseite findet man nicht nur Sleek Produkte, sondern auch Barry M, China Glaze und essie. Verwundert hat mich, dass Frauke Witzmann, der der Shop gehört, die Produkte minimal günstiger verkauft als Sleek direkt, wenn man bedenkt, dass viele andere Online-Shops horrende Preise verlangen (ich sag nur Douglas und NYX >__<).

Nun aber zur Produktauswahl: da es sich nicht um einen direkten Sleek-Shop handelt, sind leider auch nicht alle Produkte erhältlich, was mich zuerst sehr enttäuscht hat, da ich gerne noch einige andere Dinge kaufen wollte. Vor allem waren gerade die Pigmente, die schon seit Urzeiten auf meiner Wunschliste stehen, ausverkauft.
Dennoch wird dieser Shop meine erste Adresse sein, wenn ich Sleek/Barry M kaufen möchte.
Der Kontakt ist super freundlich, man wird über den Zustand der Bestellung informiert und erhält sogar einen DHL Code um sie zu verfolgen - wobei das nicht mal notwendig ist, da die Lieferung innerhalb von 24h bei einem zu Hause ankommt. Und das für sehr minimale Portokosten.

Alles in allem: ★★★★☆
Punktabzug gibt es wirklich nur für die manchmal eingeschränkte Produktauswahl, alle anderen Faktoren könnten nicht besser sein!

♥

Review: Artdeco All in One Mascara in Black

Hello Beauty Junkies,

I have another review for you guys. This time it's about the All In One Mascara by Art Deco.

Since I am a big fan of mascara I love to try out new ones and when I saw this one in my Glossybox from July I immediately gave it a try.
It contains among other things Panthenol, Hydrogenated Olive Oil and Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, so it's recommendable when you have sensitive skin or frail lashes.

This mascara is available in six different shades: black, grey, brown, blue, olive and berry. It promises to be a long lasting mascara which helps your lashes to appear longer, fuller and at the same time maintain their flexibility and curl. When you live in Germany you can purchase it at Douglas for € 12,80 (~ $19, ~ £11).







My thoughts...

... on the packaging. The design is simple yet doesn't look cheap, I like the black and silver packaging.

... on the texture, colour and smell. I can't say anything about the other colours, but this one is a nice deep black, the texture is creamy and smooth and I love the smell of this mascara. It doesn't have this average chemical smell, instead it reminds me of a moisturiser, I can't really tell, but it's really nice.

... the mascara itself. I hate it when I have to wipe of some of the product on a tissue before I can apply it and this is what happened when I used the mascara the first times. The mascara does go on clean if you wipe off the excess product otherwise your lashes will clump together. To be honest I don't really see a great difference in terms of volume, but this mascara does lengthen my lashes. It stays on the whole day and doesn't smudge (I wore it on a hot day in summer) which is a big plus.

... on the remove. It's easy to remove, I can't say whether you can wash it off with water easily because I always use a make up remover, but you won't have to rub it off.

All in all this is a nice product. I don't mind that it doesn't separate the lashes perfectly, it does lengthen them well and won't run off.
Nevertheless I wouldn't buy it. Why? Because I already have my all time favourite mascara in terms of long lashes and I need a product which is waterproof. However I can recommend this mascara, it's not as cheap as other drug store products but I think it does it job for it's price.

♥

Review: Rimmel Lasting Finish - Birthday Suit

Hello Beauty Junkies ~





I FREAKIN LOOOOOOOOOVE THIS LIPPIE!!







It's not really a nude color, it's more a dark peachy brown with some nice shimmer and a gold undertone, but it's neutral enough to wear it on a daily basis.
This lippie isn't as creamy as my YSL or the Maybelline Moisture Extreme but it doesn't dry my lips out (nevertheless I always apply lip balm first).
The pigmentation is great, the formula is quite good and it lasts some hours.
I think this tone is perfect for those pale girls out there who have a warm undertone.
But the best thing about this lipstick: The smell.
When I applied it for the first time I couldn't stop to take a smell at it. It has some vanilla scent in it, but also some cake smell, it's just gorgeous.
I paid less than £ 4,00 and it's so worth it!

♥

Review: Maybelline Moisture Extreme - Luminious Beige

Hello Beauty Junkies ~





This is one of my favourite nude lippies.





On the lips it looks natural and shiny and I love this sweet vanilla scent, it smells so delicious.
When you apply it it feels more like a lip balm than a lipstick and the moisture stays pretty long (well, for me). When you don't drink or eat it will stay on your lips forever, otherwise you need to re-apply it. All the colors are really pretty, they're light and don't feel sticky. The pigmentation is really great, so you only need 1 or 2 layers to cover your lips.
The texture remindsme of my YVS Lipsticks, it's creamy and smooth.
Well, the packaging is okay, pretty basic and nothing special. I will repurchase this as well as buying some other colors too.

♥

Review: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte # 1 Nude Beige

Hello Beauty Junkies ~





I LOVE Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Lipsticks.
The texture of those lippies is just amazing! Smooth and silky, they give your lips an adorable milky look. It feels creamy, soft and you only need to apply a small amount hence it's very pigmented. It doesn't dry out my lips and they just look rich of color and shiny.







#1 is actually a neutral beige-pink color, looks sexy and has SPF 15. Yet it's gorgeous it doesn't last that long. Unfortunately. I love this lippie, it's definitely one of my favourites, but you shouldn't wear it on a date with your boyfriend when you plan to make out.
The packaging is gorgeous too. When I apply it heads always turn to see what it is, but due to the packaging it's a bit heavy. (To be honest: The only reason why I got this lipstick was because of this amazing and outstanding packaging... shame on me~)

Moreover it's petty pricy for a lipstick, but I love it so much so I'm willing to pay for it.

♥

Review: Maybelline Color Sensational Intense Pink

Hello Beauty Junkies ~





Back then I wanted to buy me a nice Barbie Pink lipstick. I got this one, was curious yet nervous whether it would really suit me.
It's a drugstore product, so it isn't that expensive and I gave it a try.
The first thing I noticed was this light vanilla (?) scent.







The color in the tube is more pigmented than the color on my lips, I would say on the lips the coverage is average. The color somehow turns out to be a little bit frosty and shimmery, so stay away from this lippie when you're more into matte ones.
The packaging is okay, nothing outstanding but nice. Also when the texture is creamy and smooth it dries my lips out. I always need to moisturize my lips more that usual before I apply this lipstick.
It lasts a long time and I like to wear it to Smokey Eyes. I don't know yet whether I will buy some more colors or not, but the price is okay, so if you want to give it a try, go for it.

♥