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Thursday, August 20, 2015

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes Review & Swatches

During Sephora's Christmas releases last year, I was still using New Zealand Post's YouShop mail forwarding service and while I was using YouShop, my Sephora orders often gets cancelled, therefore, I was not able to get any of the Christmas goodies.

I wanted the Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Blush Palette so badly! Mainly because of the cute tin packaging, in my head I have all these wonderful ideas of things I want to store in this tin. Also I really like the idea of a palette filled with all different kinds of blushes, bronzers and highlighters. 

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes Palette
Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes Palette

Luckily, a makeup lover, like myself, was destashing her makeup collection and she happens to want to get rid of the palette that I have been wanting so long, of course I grabbed it quickly, before anyone else comes in-between us. muahahahha ~

I am so happy to finally own the Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes Palette and today I am going to tell you beauties all about this beautiful palette. *Ahem* I know this review comes a little too late since it has been discontinued and it is no longer available... But, I love sharing my excitement with you guys and c'mon, which beauty addict you know that doesn't enjoy blushes swatches?!

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes Palette

Enough blabbing, let's move on to the serious things!

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Blushes Palette comes packaged in a good quality, durable "house shape" tin, it has different shades of green all over the house design, along with a red roof and red door; the overall design is very Christmas like'.

My favourite thing about the packaging is that the products inside is not glue to the tin, I can depot the blushes and use the tin for something else.

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes Palette

Inside the palette it comes with a little tips and tricks booklet, I find it quite useful for makeup beginners as it has many tips on how to wear these blushes together and/or along.

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes Palette

The Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes Palette includes five powder blushes, one powder bronzer, one cream highlighter and one mini brush. Each of the products in this palette is available to purchase on its own, except the brush.

TOP ROW

Dandelion is described as a "sheer ballerina pink face powder that takes your complexion from dull to radiant with buildable colour". Benefit suggested that this blush can be used as a blush on the cheek, or it can be dust all over face as a brightening finishing powder. Dandelion on me is a beautiful coral-pink with hardly noticeable shimmer, I can't imagine using it as an all over highlighter on me, but it does gives my cheek that natural flush look. Dandelion is made in the USA and it is available to purchase on its own, it is part of the Box O' Powder range.

Bellabamba is described as a "watermelon-pink blush with shimmering gold undertones", Benefit claims to gives your cheek that "3D effect" which I don't really see or understand. The texture is a bit chalky and it doesn't apply as smoothly as others. Bellabamba is made in the USA and it is available to purchase only in sets (Hot 2 Trot).

Sugarbomb contains four shimmering rosy and peachy shades and it is one of my favourite Benefit blushes, it is available to purchase on its own as it is part of the Box O' Powder range. I first tried the Sugarbomb Ultra Plush lip gloss, these gloss are kind of like "the other half" for the Box O' Powder blushes. After trying out the lip gloss, I decided to try the blush as well; and as soon as I did, I fell it love with Sugarbomb, the blush is exactly like the name, it is sweet (not tasty), it's beautiful, it's perfect. Sugarbomb is made in the USA.

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes Palette

Watt's Up! Highlighter is described as a "delicate champagne glow" with a cream-to-powder finish. The original version comes in a tube style with the highlighter on one end and a sponge tip on another. Watt's Up! has a creamy and smooth texture, it gives a luminous sheen and it doesn't emphasises pores. Watt's Up! is made in Italy.

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes Palette

BOTTOM ROW

Hoola bronzer is like the God of Benefit! Almost every single makeup lover is familiar with this bronzer, if not, at least they have heard of Hoola, because it is one of the top rated products of Benefit Cosmetics. As described by Benefit, Hoola is an "award-winning bronzing powder", it claims to deliver the most healthy and natural looking tan when applied on the cheeks and forehead. The formula is pure matte and it has no sparkles or shine. Hoola bronzer is made in the USA and it is available to purchase on its own. I have previously owned this bronzer and I quite like the matte formula, I also like the fact that this bronzer is very long wearing, it stays on for hours without fading and it isn't one of those bronzers that looks orange on me.

Coralista is described as a blush that will deliver a tropical flush on your cheek, the colour is described as a "warm coral-pink" shade that is soft and natural. Coralista is made in the USA and it is part of the Box O' Powder range, which means you can purchase the blush on its own.

Rockateur looks nothing like the original one from the Box O' Powder range as it doesn't have the 3D design on the blush, I am unsure of the colour difference this one in the palette and the original as I have never tried this shade before. Rockateur is made in France and it is described as a rose gold shade, in my swatches it looks more pink with shimmer. The texture of Rockateur is smooth, but it is a little powder when I dip my finger in for a swatch, once it is applied on the cheek, it blends very well and surprisingly it's not cakey.


Last but not least, the famous Benefit blush brush that is included in every single Box O' Powder or Hoola bronzer that you buy, it is also the famous brush that I throw away every single time. What?! I'm just not a fan of it.

The brush included in the palette is a mini size and it is about half a size of the original. I dislike it not because the quality is not good, I must say the quality of the brush is pretty good, the bristles are quite soft, but because it is shaped like the NARS Ita Brush, I find it hard to blend blushes with this brush. This is good for applying bronzers as it gives you a precise line on the cheekbone.

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes Palette

Now I understand why everyone raves about this palette on Instagram, because it is truly a perfect holiday gifting set. The packaging has the holiday spirit and the products quality is top notch! When this palette comes out on Sephora, 60% of the reviews were negative and most of these people claims to have returned the palette because the quality is different from the individual Box O' Powders and the blushes are not pigmented enough that they hardly show up on skin.

After trying this palette myself, I have absolutely no regret despite spending double the retail price for this set. All the blushes show up on my NC25 skin just as how I wanted them to be, not super pigmented, but enough colours to give that natural look. Most of these textures are smooth, soft and blends nicely and each of these blushes, bronzer and highlighter wore well on me for hours and hours before fading. The overall palette also has a sweet, fresh rosy scent.

If you own this palette, let's *hi-5* for the most beautiful palette that Benefit Cosmetics has ever made! If you don't own this palette and you're drooling all over my pictures... heheheh... not to worry, It's nearly that time again, Sephora is coming out with all these cute holiday sets again this September / October; I doubt that Benefit is coming out with the exact same palette, but I am sure something similar, or better, is coming our way!

I am so excited;
and I can't wait for this year's Sephora holiday sets!

Have you tried Benefit Box O' Blushes? What is your favourite shade and which do you recommend?

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Dose of Colors Terra Collection Swatches ɞ Sand, Stone & Brick ʚ

I waited all day and stayed up all night for the release of Dose of Colors Terra Collection, abit silly, I know; even crazier I waited that long for a makeup brand that I have never tried, but I have read amazing reviews on Dose of Colors products, plus it is a limited edition liquid lipstick set and I had my eyes on Stone ever since sneak peak of this trio set has surface on the internet. 

So I bought it, I tried it a few times and I kind of have mix feelings about it. Not going to say I regret this purchase and all the time wasted on waiting for the release of this collection, I don't ever regret anything I do... 

Dose of Colors Terra Collection

Today I will be showing you the beautiful swatches of the Terra Collection. I must say, Brick has become my absolute favourite, I love it more than Stone, which was the shade I had my eyes on at first and it was the only shade that I wanted from this set.

Dose of Colors Terra Collection - Sand, Stone & Brick
Dose of Colors Terra Collection - Sand, Stone & Brick

Dose of Colors released a limited edition trio liquid lipsticks set early this year (2015), from my memory I think it was around April or May. The Terra Collection set includes three liquid lipsticks in the shades Sand, Stone and Brick; these formulas are described as "a velvety high-fashion matte finish" and it claims to "glides on smoothly and stay put throughout the day".

I can't comment on the longevity on these liquid lipsticks as the longest time I have worn them was fifteen minutes max each time. These do glides on smoothly, they are the type of "very liquid-y" liquid lipsticks and I am most impressed with the way they applied, even with its super liquid-y texture, these applies perfectly, even for darker shade like Brick, it was never a messy application for me.

As for the formula, I am not a fan of the super drying formula. It doesn't matter what brand of liquid lipstick I wear, it is a must for me to scrub my lips and apply lip balms beforehand. Dose of Colors liquid lipsticks feels heavy while wearing and they are so drying, it looks like it is cracking all over the lips.

Dose of Colors Terra Collection - Sand
Dose of Colors Terra Collection - Sand
Dose of Colors Terra Collection

Dose of Colors Sand is my least favourite of all, sadly, it looks like a concealer on me as lip swatch above. Sand is a pale beige-y nude, this shade reminds me of the good ol' Jersey Shore days. Fake tan, pale nude lips, I believe we have all been through that phase... or is it just me?!

Dose of Colors Terra Collection - Stone
Dose of Colors Terra Collection - Stone
Dose of Colors Terra Collection - Stone

Dose of Colors Stone is a pretty pink mauve shade, this one reminds me of the Kylie Jenner lip craze that everyone is talking about this year. The mauve-y tone is darker than what I have imagined when these promo pictures first came out, but it is a beautiful colour and in my opinion, it is suitable for everyday wear.

Dose of Colors Terra Collection - Brick
Dose of Colors Terra Collection - Brick
Dose of Colors Terra Collection - Brick

Dose of Colors Brick, oh ho ho ~ I love you, gosh, freaking crazy over you Brick! I didn't think I was going to like Brick when I bought the Terra Collection set, I mean, look at it, it's not a Kay-kind-of colour, but it did end up being my number one favourite! Brick is a brick red, rich burgundy shade.

Dose of Colors Terra Collection - Sand, Stone, Brick
Dose of Colors Sand + MAC Stripdown 

Overall, no regret on the purchase of the Dose of Colors Terra Collection, at least I love two out of three shades from the set; Sand may be too pale for me, but a good thing about light shade of lip product is, you can always line your lips with a darker lip liner, or mix the liquid lipstick with something else.

For those of you who are interested in purchasing the Terra Collection, sorry to burst your bubble, it is a limited edition set and it is no longer available; but don't panic, yet, last I heard, Dose of Colors will be releasing these shades individually sometimes this year, or next year.


Next time I am trying the Dose of Colors lipsticks, I heard they are lovely!
Have you tried Dose of Colors?

Monday, August 3, 2015

BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Hypnotist Lipgloss Review

BareMinerals' Marvelous Moxie Hypnotist Lipgloss is the prettiest lip product I have ever come across.  image Noh, seriously! It's like... Mermaid in a tube! 

BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Hypnotist Lipgloss

This is my first time trying out a BareMinerals product, I have heard amazing things about their mineral foundation and primer which I have yet to try. I did recently purchased the 30 Day Complexion Starter Kit from Sephora and I am really looking forward to trying it out and see why everyone raves about it.


Today I am reviewing the BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in shade Hypnotist. This lipgloss is described as a high-shine, hydrating lipgloss that is infused with natural ingredients that smooth and hydrate lips with sheer and pure colour. It claims to achieve a "fuller-lips-look"and "lasting-colour". 

Hypnotist is described as a "holographic violet peach". With the holographic effect, the lipgloss tube looks different outdoor in the sun and indoor without the sun. 

BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Hypnotist Lipgloss

In the sun it seems to create a neon, aqua, violet, pink and it seems like a colour that makes you curious about what it would really look like on the lips.

BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Hypnotist Lipgloss

Indoor without the sun, Hypnotist has a subtle, mermaid colour that mostly looks purple.


image PACKAGINGimage
BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss comes packaged in a standard lipgloss tube with silver detailing. It also has a standard doe-foot applicator.

I like that the overall material used for the packaging is not cheap-plastic-like'; and the diamond shaped tube and see-through holographic effect makes the lipgloss tube unique.

The only negative thing I have to say about the packaging is that the lipgloss leaked when it is lying down, not only does it waste products but it is also very sticky when all these lipgloss comes out, especially when you have it stored in your bag, there is no way to make sure that the lipgloss stand-up in your bag at all time!

BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Hypnotist Lipgloss
BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Hypnotist Lipgloss

image FORMULA & CLAIMSimage
BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss claims the benefits of "brilliant sheer-to-medium colour", "glistening shine", "glides on satiny-smooth" and "fabulously full, deeply moisturized lips". Also, it has the clinical claims of "100% of women experienced an improvement in lip hydrating after 48 hours" and "80% of women showed an improvement in the look of lip fullness after 48 hours".

Can't say I agree with all BareMinerals claims above, but I can say 80% of these claims are true.

As I tested the lipgloss one more time before I published this review today, I worn it to work and my colleague noticed the peachy, full on "plump lips look" straight away; She immediately asked where she can buy this lipgloss.

image COLOUR & APPLICATIONimage
Hypnotist is described as a "holographic violet peach", the colour looks nothing like it looks in the tube when worn on the lips.

In the lipgloss tube, Hypnotist has the holographic effect with different shades of purple, pink, aqua and green; and on the lips, it turns into a sheer peachy colour with the occasional holographic effect when wearing outdoor, in a sunny day.

Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss is not sticky, but application isn't smooth either. It took around four to five applications to cover the whole lips and it took another four coats to give that "fuller lips" look. The lipgloss offers the plump lips look without stings and hurting my lips, and it has a sweet minty, candy cane scent.

image LONGETIVITYimage
During the times I was wearing Hypnotist, I have eat and drink; and the lipgloss worn well for approximately two hours. I like that it doesn't have the bitter taste when eating while wearing the lipgloss.

Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss does keeps my lips hydrated, even hours after the lipgloss worn off.

BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Hypnotist Lipgloss

image OVERALL THOUGHTSimage
Surprisingly not a disappointment, even though it only worn for two hours max. I like that the lipgloss is just as BareMinerals claims, it is hydrating, comfortable to wear and it gives a hint of colour that is suitable for everyday wear.

I purchased Hypnotist from Mecca Cosmetica (NZD $29.00), this product is also available to purchase on many beauty websites and stores in America.

Overall I love this lipgloss, I love the colour, the formula and the unique concept; the only thing that I wish would change is the leaky packaging, while I adore the diamond like' packaging, I certainly don't enjoy having to clean my bag every time I have it with me.

OVERALL RATING: imageimageimageimage

Have you tried the BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss range?