[Ellie's Blog] Kiss Me Heroine Make Mascaras

Occasionally, I foray into Asian beauty brands, and after hearing good things from a girlfriend and online, I ordered a couple of Kiss Me mascaras from Sasa.com to try them for myself. The ones I picked were Impact Frame & Curl Mascara and Volume & Curl Mascara.

Impact Frame & Curl Mascara:  This was priced at ~$16 CAD (before shipping) and is marketed as the brand's blackest and glossiest mascara. In that respect I totally agree, as it is indeed a very glossy black...think tar. The brush only has bristles on about 1/4 of the wand, and it is a sparse, course, bristly kind of brush. It reminds me of those shoe brushes you see on people's doorsteps. You would think that such a brush would result in excellent definition, but in actuality the tar-like consistency of the mascara itself is too thick for even the bristly power of the brush. As a result, I wasn't a fan of this mascara because of the clumping...to the point where there were large globs of product at my lash line. While I'm pretty sure this could be remedied by a nice comb-through with a mascara comb, I really can't be bothered to add an extra step to my morning routine, nor do I think it's wise that said step, performed when I'm at my groggiest, involves sharp prongs held close to my eye. In conclusion, would not repurchase, and truthfully, don't think I will use it up.

[Ellie's Blog] Bio Sculpture Gel #2025 Vibrant Violet

Last week, I tried soak-off gel nail colour for the first time, because I am a victim of expiring Groupons. But that’s a different rant.

The salon used Bio Sculpture Gel, which was first-to-market, but other brands have emerged since then such as CalGel and OPI’s Axxium. The entire manicure took 75 minutes, and features a small jar of gel polish (kind of like really thick nail polish) applied with a brush. There was a base coat, two layers of polish, and a top coat, each layer of which stayed wet until cured under a UV light. A more detailed breakdown of what I liked and didn’t like after the jump.

[Ellie's Blog] Gucci Envy Me Eau de Toilette

In addition to nail polish, something else I wear almost daily is perfume. I am by no means loyal to a single perfume; I have maybe 6 that I alternate between depending on mood. But I am not entirely fickle either, because there is a particular one I return to time and time again, and is the only perfume I own in a large bottle. Hands down my favourite perfume, today I'd like to share with you Gucci's Envy Me.

According to Sephora, Envy Me has notes of peony, jasmine, pink pepper, litchi, pomegranate, pineapple, pink musk, seringa, white tea, sandalwood, teakwood and sensual musk. Even if I were reincarnated as a German Shepherd, I doubt I'd be able to differentiate between all those scents, and my personal description is simply "a light and fresh floral". I don't like my perfume too heavy or too musky, but I enjoy a hint of floral, and this one fits the bill perfectly. It was the first perfume I ever fell in love with and purchased, so I guess it's true what they say about first loves.


Even though I'm sure you've all read or heard many tips for wearing cologne/perfume, the following are the ones that come to mind as I'm perfume shopping or spritzing myself in the morning:

• Always try a perfume on your skin before buying. The oils on your skin will react with the perfume oils, so the perfume will not necessarily smell the same on your skin vs. my skin vs. a piece of paper. 
• I don't want my perfume to knock people out like an ocean wave as I walk by; I want it to be so subtle that it doesn't register on my audience's consciousness. If a scent straight from the bottle is too strong, spray a cloud in front of you and walk through it.
• Hair holds scent longer than skin.
• Some people are highly allergic to scents; be sensitive to those around you.

What is your favourite scent? 

The smallest size (1oz) retails for $52 USD and is available from Sephora and most major department stores.

[Ellie's Blog] Rescue Beauty Lounge's Plie Nail Polish

I have a busy week coming up and don't anticipate having the time to change my nail polish.  But I still wanted to have some on because I'm so used to not showing my bare naked nails.  I wanted a neutral colour that would go with any outfit and a colour light enough such that tip wear is not immediately noticeable.  

I went with Rescue Beauty Lounge's Plie, one of my favourites.  It's a neutral, creamy pink with just a hint of grey.  I think it is aptly named because it is like the colour of ballet shoes, slightly worn.

Plie is one of my go-to's and retails for $18 USD, purchasable online directly from Rescue Beauty Lounge.  Check out the other colours while you're at it, RBL has many unique shades, and owner Ji Baek's blog is a joy to read.

 

Excuse the small photo and terrible lighting, it was the best of many takes.

Also using this busy week to road test Zoya's Color Lock system, so stay tuned for a follow-up!