[REVIEW] Zoya Gemma

So sorry for neglecting my blog, All!

If I'm completely honest, I bought this colour because of the name. Gemma is just such a pretty name! The colour itself is pretty, as well. Zoya describes it as having a bluish-purple shimmer, but I've only really noticed a purplish shimmer.

What Zoya has to say:

Zoya Nail Polish in Gemma can be best described as: Light muted olive green with an overlay of blue and violet duochrome shimmer. Unique, hip and cutting-edge yet subtle enough to suit any wardrobe.
Colour Family Greens
Finish Dual Tone Metalllic
Intensity 4 ( 1=Sheer - 5=Opaque )
Tone Cool
Original Collection Intimate

Gemma is such a gorgeous colour; it's a muted green, yet it becomes bright. I love how the way it catches the light. It is very sheer though, so it took three coats for it to cover completely, which can be kind of annoying. I like nail lacquers to cover a bit better in maybe two coats. On the bright side, it's not streaky which is nice!

Now, aside from the review, another little bit of life update. We've traded one part of the family for another, and now my grandparents are visiting! Oh well. At least it's not a ton of screaming children! Also, I have everything ready (and most packing done!), so now I'm just sitting and waiting until it's finally time to head to school! To fill the time, I've issued myself a bit of a challenge.

I want to join a couple of clubs at school, but mostly I think I want to join the Trampolining Club. It's been so long since I've bothered to do any sort of exercising, so I've started a bit of a workout plan! Hopefully I can keep keep up with it! Sometimes my laziness gets the better of me, especially when it comes to exercising!

Expect some pictures from around school and my new city within the coming month! I will be in my new home the 30th of September!

Also! Check out Sam's 100+ follower giveaway! There are some really cute items that she's put together!

[REVIEW] L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream in Fair

I have mixed feelings about BB Creams being available in drug stores. Is it being snobbish to want to completely ignore them and refuse them? I read the two reviews on the brand website and side-eyed the reviewers hardcore. One of them saying they don't see how Korean BB Cream could be better than this! Side-eying so hard. It seems like they just don't have the same benefits or ingredients as the BB Creams that I import. But hey, I could be wrong!

I was somewhat excited when I saw this in the store, and decided I wanted to try it. I had seen the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream and swatched it in my hand, and it was so sheer it's like I didn't use any product! Not only that, but the lightest colour was still darker than my skin-tone. No good.

I think the product has a good idea.

Meet the Magic all-in-one Skin Beautifier for a perfect natural finish. This multi-tasking beautifying cream delivers multiple beautifying actions: hydrates, corrects, evens and perfects. It's ultra lightweight and blends in seamlessly for a perfect natural finish. Available in 4 skin-transforming shades.

This multi-tasking cream micro-infuses skin with continuous and complete care. Offers 24-hour hydration and skin-nourishing antioxidant vitamin E. Micro-encapsulated pigments self-adjust to skin to unify skin tone and blend invisibly.

[REVIEW] Etude House Precious Mineral All Day Strong BB Cream #2

Happy August everyone!

This BB Cream is #2 Sheer Glowing Skin. I've always heard such good things about Etude House, and for the price, I'm sure it is! I got this sample through a giveaway I won held by Wild Eyes Forever.

Precious BB Cream Mineral 60g
(#2 Sheer Glowing Skin) - For Dry Skin and if you want moist and glossy makeup

SPF30/PA++, Anti-Wrinkle & Whitening + Anti-Darkening

Precious Mineral BB Cream promotes silky complexion with pearl infused sheer coverage.
Contains adenosine and arbutin for anti-wrinkle & whitening efficacies. SPF for UV protection.

To me it looks like this BB Cream has a bit of an orangey undertone. Either way, it's certainly tanner than I am and blended in there's a noticeable change. At least there is in person. I'm not sure how visible it is in the picture!

The formula is very thin. It's not so watery that it's dripping, but I barely squeezed the packet, and some of it dripped out onto my floor! It's thin and light, yet the coverage is awesome. I would probably say that the coverage is a little better than the Missha BB Cream. It's still a light coverage, a bit sheer, but it does a great job at lessening redness and the look of blemishes.

Missha Perfect Cover and Etude House Precious Mineral side by side

Comparing the two, the Etude House has better coverage. It doesn't completely cover my dark circles, but it does a better job at lessening them than the Missha does, and comparing the coverage of blemishes, the Etude House does better as well. Ah and here I thought I would never give up Missha. Putting the pictures next to each other, it looks like I'm wearing nothing in the Missha picture! I wonder if it's because it doesn't cover my dark circles as well, because you can see coverage on the blemishes, and the Etude House BB Cream is a shade darker than my natural tone.

Summary:
Texture
The texture of this BB Cream is thinner than that of the Missha, but it's not watery. It's very light when going on the skin, absorbs quickly, and leaves my skin feeling soft. It doesn't leave my skin oily either, nor does it look oily.

Coverage
Consistent, moderate coverage. It's still a thin coverage, but it does cover and lessen the appearance of blemishes.

Scent
There is a light scent with this BB Cream as well. It's a pleasant scent that dissipates quickly after application.

Benefits
The BB Cream has SPF30 PA ++. It's quite moisturising, and leaves my skin looking healthy and glowing. Like other BB Creams, it also has anti-wrinkle and whitening properties.

Overall
I really do like this BB Cream. I find the coverage to be just about what I need, and I like the way my skin feels wearing it. The texture is even better, thin but not watery. I love how it gives me a fresh, dewy look without making my face look oily. I do really want to try this BB Cream in #1 Sheer Silky Skin. That one looks more like it would match my colour better. However I read that this BB Cream made someone break out, but I only noticed one blemish pop up. While I would prefer none, one is better than a full blown breakout! But it makes me wonder if long term use would make me break out or if it would "get worse before it gets better" type thing. I'd have to use it for a longer period of time to be sure.

[REVIEW] Zoya Veruschka

Veruschka was my first matte colour. I ordered it when Zoya was having a promotion for buy 2 get 1 free, I believe. I was unsure about a matte colour and wanted to make sure I liked it before I would really spend money on more. Now I wish I had bought Savita when I had the chance! It was a gorgeous, rich purple.

I love that the matte lacquers have a matte bottle, too. It certainly makes it easy to fish them out of my lacquer box!

Zoya Veruschka is a metallic deep green matte shimmer nail polish color. From the Zoya MatteVelvet Winter 2009 Collection.
Colour Family Greens
Finish Metallic
Intensity 5 ( 1=Sheer - 5=Opaque )
Tone Cool
Original Collection MatteVelvet

Unfortunately, because Veruschka is from a past collection, there is no description for it on the website, nor is it available for sale! I hope they bring it back this winter so I can get another bottle!

When did I get so messy doing my nails?! Wow!

Matte lacquers have definitely become my favourite. Though they do show wear and chip easily, it just glides on so smoothly, and I love the way it looks. It helps, too, that it dries pretty quickly! I have the unfortunate habit of doing my nails in bed (even though I always tell myself next time I won't!), so anything that dries quickly immediately jumps to the top of my list.

What I love about Veruschka is that even though it's a matte lacquer, it still has a bit of shine to it. Not a glossy shine, but it has a metallic shimmer in it that catches the light so nicely. It's a nice understated shine. For a time I was unintentionally sporting school spirit! Veruschka matched my old uni's colour exactly! The colours were green and gold. Every time I wore this colour, I was reppin' my school!

Fortunately after some searching, Amazon makes it easy to find past Zoya colours.

[REVIEW] Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream in No. 21

Hello new readers! Lovely to see you!

I'd always been hesitant to wear any sort of face makeup. When I was younger, I would watch my mum apply foundation, and not only did I not understand how to match my skin tone, but it always looked so thick. It looked like putting paint on your face. Before trying BB Cream, I had started using foundation, and perhaps I was using the wrong one, but it did feel thick and uncomfortable. Not only that, but it dried out my skin, even if I used moisturiser first. So I began the search for something better and came across BB Cream. I did a lot of research to find the right product for me, and now that I've found it, I'm never going back to anything else! I've even gotten my mum into using it. She loves it and uses it every day.

Blemish Balm, also called BB Cream, is known to have been formulated as an after-treatment cream to help patients who have gone through laser skin surgery to soothe and regenerate the skin.

The M Perfect Cover BB Cream gives an even and natural-looking coverage with the soothing, moisturising properties of a cream. It is suitable for all skin types including acne-prone skin, and can be used as a makeup base or foundation.

Whitening + Anti-Wrinkle + UV Protection (SPF 42 PA+++)

[REVIEW] Dueba DM-23 Kira Kira Pink

Saw these on Lulu's blog and absolutely fell in love with them. I've been dying for some pink lenses, and well, I finally got them!

Power Available : 0.00 to -10.00
Life Span : 1 Year
B.C : 8.6mm
Diameter : 14.5mm. Effect up to 16mm
Origin: South Korea
This model is manufactured by Dueba and labelled under DollyEye watermark.

I think I expected the pink to reach a little further to the centre than it does, but they're still gorgeous. I love this colour so much.

In the case the pink looks pastel, but like it might still be vibrant? I have light eyes, so I hope it'll show up nicely.

And post that last sentence, I have since worn them. For a pink lens, they blend quite naturally, which is a bit disappointing. It's difficult to see the pink of the lens, and ends up making my colour look like a light natural brown (so I've been told by a friend). Not what I was looking for in a pink lens. I was really hoping for something a little more vibrant and noticeable.



Natural Light (Sunlight)


Indoor Light


Flash

Enlargement: 5/5
Very noticeable enlargement because of the thick, black limbal ring. The enlargement was one of my main reasons for buying these lenses.

Comfort: 5/5
These lenses are so comfortable. I'd go so far as saying these are almost as comfortable as my Princess Mimis.

Colour/Design: 3/5
I was hoping these would be a bit more vibrant than they are. I also thought the design would go more toward the centre than it does. Unfortunately it doesn't, and the colour isn't too noticeable.

Overall Thoughts:
These lenses are really comfortable, and they're quite enlarging; which I like. I was quite disappointed with the colour and the design, and that's something that will keep me from buying them again in the future. Unless of course my taste changes over time, and I start to like more subtle lenses. Right now, I doubt I would buy them again, but I really couldn't ask for more comfortable lenses.




Oh what is my face doing in these pictures, ha. I wanted to take a picture with my bb, but he just didn't want to stay! He jumped off my lap right after that picture.

I've also got two vials of Princess Mimi unopened and a pair of Nudys on their way to me, so I'll review those at some point, too! I ordered Princess Mimi Cafe Macchiato, too, but unfortunately they went out of stock before they could ship to me, so it got cancelled! For the best I suppose, I have enough lenses, for now!

You can buy them at Lens Village!

Also, please feel free to share tips to better my blog and reviews! They're always welcome. I took Sam's advice to use kohl and mascara on my bottom lashes, does it look better? :3

Avengers + Update + [REVIEW] Zoya Maisie

Happy Thursday! I finally saw the Avengers last week after attempting to see it twice before! The theatre kept having issues so finally the second time they issued me a readmission, I went to a different theatre and finally got to see it all the way through. Third time's the charm! I was never a fan of comics when I was younger, aside from reading a few issues of the XMen, but I love super hero movies. The Avengers was awesome and of course there's an amazing cast! I agree with what everyone is saying. Robert Downey Jr. isn't playing Tony Stark, Tony Stark is playing Robert Downey Jr.! He's so like Tony Stark; it's great. And Tony is my favourite so.... Everyone was amazing though. Especially Tom Hiddleston and Jeremy Renner. When I got home I spent the rest of last week watching some of the other Marvel movies: Thor, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 2, and Captain America, then flailing in excitement at the end when Agent Coulson would show up to each hero.

I'm starting to run out of things to do! I've been looking for a job (to no avail) and I've been home for three weeks. My stepdad is starting to get impatient that I'm home all day, and he asks every night at dinner, "Have you found a job yet?". Nobody is hiring now! It's off season. So i've been spending my time spiking and studding and sewing bows.

The case appeared on my Etsy and was there for only a day before it sold! It was so exciting. I haven't gotten feedback from my customer yet, though it's been confirmed delivered so I hope he liked it!

I also have plans to sew a red velvet circle skirt and a red velvet dress. Inspired by my need for a red velvet dress after seeing a similar dress on Metallic Paws.

I've also recently bought two new pairs of circle lenses. A pair of Princess Mimi Apple Greens and a Sesame Gray to replace the ones I had to retire last month, so be on the lookout for a review of the apple greens!

And that's an update on my boring, no fun life! Review under the cut~

[REVIEW] Lens Village

This was my first time ordering from Lens Village, and I have to say I wasn't disappointed! I've heard good things about the store, so I decided to give it a try. That and they were the only store I could find that had the lenses that I wanted. My only complaint about it was that tracking never updated. Other than that I received my lenses in the same amount of days as other places I've ordered from.

I never had reason to contact the company, and getting my lenses was such an easy and pleasant process.

I wasn't expecting to receive lens cases with my order, but it was a pleasant surprise. I'm not sure why I thought I wouldn't get any cases, but I'm glad I did. I thought it was also cute that the cases matched the lenses I received. A pink case for pink lenses, and a blue case for blue lenses!

Inside the box were carefully wrapped vials.

I actually had trouble getting the bubble wrap opened. They were wrapped so securely, there's no way they could break in shipping, and they were perfectly cushioned for safe travels.

Shipping: 4/5
I give 4/5 because tracking never updated. There was no way for me to tell where my package was and around when I would get it, but shipping took within the time I expected. It arrived on time.

Packaging: 5/5
It was so securely wrapped and in a cute little box. I have absolutely no complaint about it at all! I couldn't really ask for better packaging.

Selection: 5/5
Lens Village was the only store that had the lenses that I wanted. There's a huge selection. Every lens I like and have on my wish list, they have.

Communication: N/A
I'd love to be able to review this, but I had no reason to contact the company, so I have nothing to review! I suppose that says good things about the company! I hope I'm correct in believing that if it was necessary to contact the company, they are kind and accommodating.

[REVIEW] Dueba Puffy 3 Tones Blue

I wasn't sure about buying blue lenses, because my eyes are already blue! What's the fun in that? That said, I'm so glad I got these lenses. They're really vibrant, and that's what I've been looking for in lenses as of late.

Power Available : 0.00 to -10.00
Life Span : 1 Year
B.C : 8.6mm
Diameter : 14.5 mm
Origin : South Korea
This model is manufactured by Dueba and labelled under DollyEye watermark.

I don't know why, but when I first saw these lenses, I wasn't a huge fan. They didn't look as bright as I thought they would be when I was wearing them. I should have taken into account that it was night by the time they were finished soaking, and indoor lighting really doesn't do them justice!

Natural Light (Sunlight)

Flash

Indoor Light

Enlargement: 5/5
There's noticeable enlargement, but then again at 14.5mm it should be!

Comfort: 4/5
I give them 4/5 because after some time, I can definitely feel them getting a little dry. They're not immediately uncomfortable after putting them in, and it takes some time for them to start feeling dry. Eyedrops can cure that no problem!

Colour and Design: 5/5
They're truly electrifying in flash! I never realised how bright they could be until I looked at the photo. I'm very satisfied with how vibrant they are. I like that it's not a black limbal ring. It's a dark gray, so it's not as harsh.

Overall Thoughts:
I love these lenses. They're not the most comfortable lenses I have because they do start feeling dry, but they are comfortable. The colour is vibrant and noticeable, and there is enlargement. I want to try the pink and the violet in these lenses. Based on how vibrant the blues are, I hope I can expect the same in the pink and violet!

(My first time playing with falsies. How did I do?!)

My new favourite item

As a language major, of course vocabulary is one of the most important parts of study. After all, if you don't know the words, how can you speak or read? Fortunately, there is this awesome website for Japanese vocabulary, Renshuu. There's studying, as well as quizzes, and it has vocabulary from a variety of Japanese textbooks, as well as JLPT. While this website is incredibly helpful, of course if there's no access to internet, well then it's useless.

And what about languages that aren't Japanese? I've recently added another language to my line-up.

Beginner's Welsh (as well as my notebooks for notes and exercises)

I came across this adorable vocabulary study book on tumblr and after some searching I found a website that sells them. Cool Pencil Case has so many cute items. They carry items for stationary (pens, pencils, erasers), Desk items (pencil cases, alarm clocks), they even have phone accessories (though those are limited!). Fortunately they had the vocabulary book I was looking for.

The prices were so good, I bought two of them. When you spend more than $10 you get free shipping to the US and Canada and $4.95 flat rate international. Pretty good deal in my opinion! I was so happy with their shipping and their prices that I will definitely be buying from them again in the future. I want to buy all the cute items, and I've actually started a list of the items I want so I can start buying them up.

Can’t study from a page full of notes? Always losing your flashcards? The Spelling Bee King Vocabulary Book is an important tool for all students, from elementary school to college! Keep all of your definitions and terms in one handy book to pass your next big exam. This book features 5 different color themes in a simple, modern design to separate key terms for each of your classes. Each page has a template to effectively organize terms in one area, and definitions in another. Included is the essential study buddy-- two plastic cards with functional cutouts to hide key terms or definitions to improve memorization!

- Planners are approximately 3.25 inches (83mm) wide by 4.75 inches (121mm) tall.

Like the product description says, it's easy to organise and study from. The cards are plastic and don't feel as if they would rip easily, and they fit into the book without poking out anywhere. There is also a section of pages at the back of the notebook where you can test yourself. Each page is lined and divided into two columns. The option of being able to cover definitions and guess from the words and vice versa is really beneficial, and these books go everywhere with me. My only complaint about the book is it don't come in any other colours. I would have really liked more colours so I could have an easy way to tell the books apart. That's easily fixed though, as you can always write down the spine what language is inside. That way if you're just grabbing and going, there's no need to stop and look inside to make sure you have the right one!

So if you're studying any sort of language and are looking for a beneficial way to study, a cute vocab book like this might be the way to go!

[REVIEW] Zoya Dovima

Matte colours are my favourite at the moment. Right now, I only have two (Veruschka and Dovima), but I definitely plan to add more. Right now though, Zoya only has super bright, neon colours, which personally aren't for me, I feel.

I've been trying to rotate through colours so I wear all of my new ones at least once, but I keep coming back to Dovima (and Veruschka).

What Zoya has to say:

Zoya Nail Polish in Dovima can be best described as: Smoky charcoal-black with strong silver shimmer and a velvety matte finish. This shine-free black is the must have shade for fall.
Colour Family Blacks
Finish Metallic
Intensity 5 ( 1=Sheer - 5=Opaque )
Tone Cool
Original Collection MatteVelvet

I like Dovima. A lot. I do somewhat disagree with their statement that it's shine-free. It does have a bit of a shine, in the light, but it's not glossy. That would be the silver shimmer at work. I love the matte colours because I've found they dry a lot faster. By the time I've finished my first coat on all nails, the first nails I've done are already dry enough for a second coat. Two coats is all it takes for me to get even coverage and a solid charcoal colour.

The only thing I dislike about the matte colours is they chip and show wear easily. Fortunately, I haven't experienced that with their other lacquers. Being a matte/velvet formula, it kind of defeats the purpose to use a topcoat. Though I have heard that there are matte topcoats somewhere out there? Anyway, no topcoat makes for easy wear and chip. I'm OK with that though. I'll sacrifice having to reapply, especially because it dries so quickly, for a cool, matte look.

You can buy Dovima here: Zoya

[REVIEW] Nyx Smoky Set

I got this set from the Hautelook sale, as well. All of these colours together will make a sultry, smoky look. Of course, that's why it's called the Smoky set! The set comes with a silver, gold, black, and brown shadow. The only one that seems a bit sheer to me is the black. The others seem quite pigmented and thick to me!

Left to Right:
Silver Pearl, Mink Pearl, Black Pearl, Walnut Pearl
Pump It Up Lip Plumper in Elizabeth

Swatched Left to Right:
Silver Pearl, Mink Pearl, Black Pearl, Walnut Pearl

Product Detail:
For those who like their eye shadow to have a pearlescent, iridescent finish, this is the eye color for you. Each of these zinging 18 shades evokes Studio 54 glamour. Wear them on their own, or use as a highlighter with matte shades. It’s easy to glimmer in this shimmer.

Once again, I like the eye colours a lot better than the lip colour. The eye colours have just the right thickness to create a sexy, sultry look.

Lip Plumper in Elizabeth

Product Detail:
Boost your lips to its fullest shape and size with our Pump it Up Lip Plumper. Our Pump it Up Lip Plumpers come in 5 assorted colors and each shade acknowledges well known sensual celebrity lips such as Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johansson, along with plenty other desirable famous vixens. With one swipe of the Pump it Up Lip Pumper, your lips will begin to feel an extreme tingling sensation and the transformation from thin to full will occur instantly!

They weren't kidding when they said "extreme tingling sensation". As soon as I put the gloss on, it started to tingle. When I say tingle, I mean burn. To me, it felt more like a burning sensation than a tingling sensation. The colour is very sheer, but I don't see myself using this gloss either. It burned too much for me to be comfortable. Besides, my lips are plenty full already! I don't think I need to give them any boost!

[REVIEW] Nyx Pastel Set

So like I said in my last post, Hautelook had a sale on Nyx Cosmetics, so I picked up a couple of sets and some liners! I love the colours in the pastel set. Purple, Green, Blue, and a Pinky/Beige. They're quite sheer, but that's what I'd like to be wearing for Spring! Soft, sheer colours.

Left to Right: Lilac Pearl, Baby Blue, Pearl, Lime Pearl
Xtreme lip creme in Nude Peach Fuzz

Swatched Left to Right:
Lilac Pearl, Baby Blue, Pearl, Lime Pearl

Product Detail:
For those who like their eye shadow to have a pearlescent, iridescent finish, this is the eye color for you. Each of these zinging 18 shades evokes Studio 54 glamour. Wear them on their own, or use as a highlighter with matte shades. It’s easy to glimmer in this shimmer.

The eye colours are my favourite. They're nice and sheer, not overwhelmingly bright. They go on smooth. They are very shimmery though, so I did notice some fallout from the glitter. Other than that, after a quick clean up, it didn't budge until I rubbed at it with a make up cloth.

Xtreme lip creme in Nude Peach Fuzz

Product Detail:
Beautify your lips with this velvety rich lip cream that provides extreme pigmentation with a silky and glossy finish. This lip cream is a hybrid of lipstick, lip gloss, and lip stain with intense pigmentation all in one. Complete your head-turning look with the Xtreme Lip Cream in any of the 11 luscious colours.

I don't like the lip colour that came with it. It's a peachy colour that, in my opinion, doesn't look good with my skin tone. As you can see in the swatch, it's quite thick looking. It felt thick and dry on my lips, which I find strange for a gloss. On the plus side, it wasn't sticky at all! I couldn't leave it on though. I took it off as soon as I could. I don't see myself ever wearing it if I'm completely honest!

[REVIEW] Bison Bakkanto Rose Champagne

Updating from school!  It seems like all my professors got together and decided to all pile on a bunch of reading at once!  I'm taking a break from studying to make this review.

I bought this at the same time as the Moroccan Lava but waited until now to use it.  Sadly, the bath in my apartment isn't really ideal.  The tub is so deep that the hot water runs out before it's even full! So depressing.  Anyway, I loved this bath salt.  I loved it even more than the Moroccan Lava one.

Bison Bakkantou -Rose Champagne is a bath soak that can enhance tightening and moisturizing your skin.

While soaking in the hot bath, adding this product to your bath can increase being beautiful!

The main ingredients: carbonic acid and germanium helps to make a fluffly skin and moisturize your skin to create a flawless beautiful skin. 

The 5 Tightening Hot Ingredients:
Germanium, Hot spring mineral, Red pepper, Ginger extract, Rock salt.

Moisture Ingredients:
Rosehip extract, Rose extract, Collagen, Hyaluronic, PEG-90M. 

Enjoy the bubbly sound while soaking in the hot bath!

This one turned my bath water a nice pastel pink, and the popping was so loud I could hear it in my bedroom.  It was so cool.  It was super soothing, and the perfect thing to do when taking a breather from studying!  Such a nice scent, too.  In the bag it was kind of strong, but once mixed into the water is was less overpowering.  Nice rose scent.

My skin was so soft, and I smelt like roses for the rest of the day.  So super soothing, and definitely destressing.  I certainly wasn't sweating my exam for the rest of the day!

I definitely give it a 5/5. 

I saw a Royal Milk Honey one.  I'll definitely be trying that one next!