I've picked up quite a few new products to try within the last couple of months. "Haul" posts can sometimes be sort of obnoxious, but I know that I get nosy and like to see what kinds of products people choose for themselves so I thought I'd do a post about the new beauty products that have recently come into my life. Not all of these were purchased by me (many were gifts) but it's still a good reminder for me to "slow my roll", as it were.
L'Occitane Cleansing & Soothing Shower Oil With Almond Oil - I haven't tried this yet, but I'm really excited about it, especially since it's apparently good for shaving your legs. It smells reaaaaaaaally amazing and almondy.
Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray - I LOVE this stuff. I used to use the John Frieda Beach Waves spray, but it made my hair so greasy. This doesn't make my hair greasy at all and gives it the nicest texture.
Caudalie Fleur De Vigne Shower Gel - I haven't used this yet as I'm trying to finish another bottle of shower gel before I use my new stuff, but this one smells sooooo good and I can't wait to use it.
Caudalie Divine Oil - This oil is really, really nice. It's not greasy, if that makes any sense, and it keeps your skin nice and hydrated and soft. I also really like that this is a spray bottle. I like to just spray a little bit in my palm and rub my hands together to warm it up and then apply it to my face or my elbows or anywhere else that feels a little dry. If I had to choose between the Caudalie dry oil and the Nuxe dry oil (see next photo), I'd probably pick the Nuxe one mostly because of the scent. The Nuxe smells more floral to me, while the Caudalie smells warmer and honey-like. Sometimes honey scents are a little cloying to me, and the smell of this stuff is just short of being too much for me. I just tend to like floral scents over sweeter scents, so it's really a scent preference issue.
Caudalie Beauty Elixir - I talked about this stuff back in October, and I still feel the same way about it. I got this full-sized bottle for Christmas! :)
Caudalie Cleansing Water - This travel-sized bottle came with a Caudalie lip-balm. I'll try it as soon as I'm finished with my bottle of Sephora cleansing water.
Klorane Dry Shampoo - The only other dry shampoo I've ever tried is one by TRESemmé and whenever I use it, it drives me crazy because it triggers a scent-memory that I can't place. The Klorane one does not do that, and it just smells better in general. I think it works pretty well.
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Between this oil and the Caudalie one, I'm really obsessed with dry oils this winter. They just feel so good on my skin and I have to stop myself from using too much because I would honestly bathe in this stuff if I could! This oil is just so, so nice. Everything about it feels really indulgent - the scent, the glass bottle, and the price haha. Thankfully, a little goes a really long way. Also, thinking a little bit more about these two oils in comparison with one another - the Nuxe might be a tad thinner/finer? That might be my imagination, but even if it is, the difference is negligible and both oils have their strengths.
Caudalie Crushed Cabernet Scrub - This was a gift and part of a set that came with the Caudalie Divine Oil mentioned above as well as a small candle. I haven't used it yet, but it smells really nice.
Nivea Creme - Did you know that the Nivea Creme that we get in the States is different from the original kind made in Germany? The ingredients are different and therefore they're pretty much two different products altogether. This is a good post comparing the two kinds. (Also, some have even compared German Nivea to the famous - and seriously expensive - La Mer Crème!) Anyway, this big tin is the German kind. I picked it up at a German market a couple weeks ago and have been using it liberally ever since. My skin suffers pretty hard in the wintertime, so sometimes I have to bring out the hard stuff!
Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub - Every beauty blogger keeps telling me that I need to scrub my lips before wearing dark lipstick and since I have noticed that sometimes dark lipstick doesn't apply as smoothly on my lips as I'd like, I finally fell for it. Lush's scrubs seemed like the most appealing ones to me, and when I popped by the Newbury Street store the other day, I was hoping they'd have the bubblegum flavored one but they only had the "Mint Julips" and "Sweet Lips" flavors in stock. Both are chocolate scented (and "Mint Julips" has the added scent of - you guessed it - mint!) which I wasn't all that jazzed about because I have some bad memories of a gross chocolate flavored lip balm I had as a kid and... yea, yuck. But Mint Julips isn't bad, it's just a bit messy. I recommend using this over the sink because little clumps of sugar tend to fall and get everywhere, including down your shirt. Oh, that's just me? Okay. Anyway, I think it helped? My lips might feel smoother? Maybe I need to give it a few more tries? Can you tell I'm not convinced? Also, the Lush Guy who helped me told me I could lick it off but I don't want to eat castor oil or whatever so I wiped it off with a paper towel.
Chloé Eau de Parfum Rollerball - I'm still loyal to Miss Dior Cherie, but I fell for this scent pretty hard over the fall and I like to switch back and forth between the two. It's such a pretty rose scent.
Caudalie Lip Conditioner - I like this stuff. It's a bit waxy, but doesn't have a strong scent or taste which makes it perfect for bedtime use. I hate when you use a strong scented/tasting balm at night and then it causes you to wake up in the morning with a gross taste in your mouth!
OPI Nail Envy - I used this as a base coat for the first time the other day, so it's still a bit early to tell whether or not it's doing anything for my nails. Will report back.
Chanel Le Vernis in "Malice" - This is my New Year's manicure! Such a pretty, deep red with really subtle shimmer. Sooooo, so nice.
ELF High Definition Powder - I guess this is an inexpensive alternative to Make Up For Ever's HD Microfinish Powder. I haven't used the MUFE one, so I can't compare the two, but this stuff isn't bad. A nice light coat works well to get rid of too much shine.
Givenchy Rouge Interdit in "Liv's Lips" - This stuff was/is hard to find! It came out one weekend when I was in NYC and was immediately sold out at Sephora but I managed to snag one when I got home. The whole gimmick is that it is suppose to change color according to your body's pH? Well here - this is the description from the Givenchy site:
Soooooo kind of like mood lipstick for grown-ups? I like the initial color, but on me, it eventually turns to this weird kind of red color that I don't really love. Maybe I'll try using it as blush and see what happens.
Urban Decay in "Oil Slick" - I came across this shade on a cool post about different black lipsticks and liked that it was "black" but wearable. However, I didn't feel like spending $22 on it at the time. I just happened to check back on it a couple weeks later and it was marked down on UD's site to $3! A sign from the universe. And I really like it! It totally is wearable.
Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour in "L'Impatiente" - I LOVE LOVE LOVE this shade. I was a bit worried when Christine from Temptalia said in her review that this lipstick formula makes her lips bleed (BLEED!) but I said eff it. I haven't had any trouble with the formula (thank you, Lush Lip Scrub and Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream!). It's such a lovely shade and I love the option of a matte finish or a shiny finish with a coat of gloss.
So all was well and good but then something annoying happened with the Urban Decay Lipstick.
See that little sword thingy? It used to be attached to the bottom of the lipstick tube, and that's what you had to pull on to get the cover off the lipstick. That was the ONLY thing to pull on to get the cover off the lipstick and it broke clean off, which means that once the lipstick is fully closed, the tube is flush with the cover and it's nearly impossible to open.
Shaking it open does not work. To open it, you have to wedge some tweezers or something pointy and flat between the edge of the tube and the cover and pry it open, which is fine at home but a pain in the butt when you're out in the world and need a touch-up. PAIN IN THE BUTT. Glad I didn't pay the full $22.00 for it, otherwise I'd be extra annoyed.
Tokyomilk Dark Femme Fatale Collection Lip Elixir in "La Vie En Rose No. 42" (Rosewater, Sweet Orange, Peach, Tahitian Vanilla) - All I can think is that this would make a really good lip protectant if you ever have to be outside in the cold for an extended amount of time, like if you ski or do winter activities things like that. Just put a thick layer of this stuff on and there's no way your lips could chap. The scent of this one is good. It's a bit on the strong side, so I have to use it sparingly.
MAC Pro Longwear Blush in "Whole Lotta Love" - Christine from Temptalia HATED the collection that this blush was a part of. I read the review after I bought it and luckily I'd managed to choose the one she hated the least. I really like this blush. The color is super nice but I do wish it would last a little bit longer.
Chanel Le Volume de Chanel Mascara - I still have to finish my current tube of mascara before I can use this one, but I'm almost there! This stuff looks really amazing. Chanel mascaras are my personal favorite.
Tarina Tarantino Eye Dream Hyperliner in "Sparkling Ammuntion" - I fell in love with this liner when I saw it in this look on Temptalia (can you tell which beauty blog is my favorite?). I bought a pencil over a year ago and it's almost gone. Lucky for me, Sephora and Tarina Tarantino have severed ties, which means that all the TT stock left at Sephora is on deep discount. There were two "Sparkling Ammuntion"s left when I checked the other day and I bought one. I went back for the other one a couple days later and it was gone! Oh well. Hopefully TT will start selling their cosmetics on their site at some point so I can get another one when I run out.
Naked Basics Palette - The perfect shades in the perfect size compact! So psyched on this palette.
M.A.C x Gareth Pugh Lipglass in "Outrage" - I meant to pick this up when the M.A.C x Gareth Pugh collection was out for Holiday 2011. Luckily, they had some backstock left at the Cosmetics Company Store, so I nabbed one at a good discount :)
OPI Nail Lacquer in "Germanicure" - Is it bad that I mostly bought this for the name? This has been compared to Chanel "Malice", so at least I'll have a dupe once that one runs out :)
M.A.C Lipstick in "Plumful" - Essie from Essiebutton spoke so highly of this lipstick that I couldn't resist. It's such a perfect, wearable shade for everyday.
Nuxe Paris Rêve de Miel Lip Balm - I'm doing everything I can this winter to prevent my lips from chapping and splitting. This stuff is nice and thick, smells good, and is also really good for overnight use.
Real Techniques Core Collection - I'm slowly trying to replace my cheapo makeup brushes with some good quality ones. This set is really nice and hopefully will last me a long time. I'm especially excited about the "Buffing Brush" (on the far right) for applying foundation and powder.
So yes, I think I've got enough new stuff to last me awhile, so I'm officially on a beauty product buying ban! Besides, I need more used items for "Empties" posts :)
Caudalie Divine Oil - This oil is really, really nice. It's not greasy, if that makes any sense, and it keeps your skin nice and hydrated and soft. I also really like that this is a spray bottle. I like to just spray a little bit in my palm and rub my hands together to warm it up and then apply it to my face or my elbows or anywhere else that feels a little dry. If I had to choose between the Caudalie dry oil and the Nuxe dry oil (see next photo), I'd probably pick the Nuxe one mostly because of the scent. The Nuxe smells more floral to me, while the Caudalie smells warmer and honey-like. Sometimes honey scents are a little cloying to me, and the smell of this stuff is just short of being too much for me. I just tend to like floral scents over sweeter scents, so it's really a scent preference issue.
Caudalie Beauty Elixir - I talked about this stuff back in October, and I still feel the same way about it. I got this full-sized bottle for Christmas! :)
Caudalie Cleansing Water - This travel-sized bottle came with a Caudalie lip-balm. I'll try it as soon as I'm finished with my bottle of Sephora cleansing water.
Klorane Dry Shampoo - The only other dry shampoo I've ever tried is one by TRESemmé and whenever I use it, it drives me crazy because it triggers a scent-memory that I can't place. The Klorane one does not do that, and it just smells better in general. I think it works pretty well.
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Between this oil and the Caudalie one, I'm really obsessed with dry oils this winter. They just feel so good on my skin and I have to stop myself from using too much because I would honestly bathe in this stuff if I could! This oil is just so, so nice. Everything about it feels really indulgent - the scent, the glass bottle, and the price haha. Thankfully, a little goes a really long way. Also, thinking a little bit more about these two oils in comparison with one another - the Nuxe might be a tad thinner/finer? That might be my imagination, but even if it is, the difference is negligible and both oils have their strengths.
Caudalie Crushed Cabernet Scrub - This was a gift and part of a set that came with the Caudalie Divine Oil mentioned above as well as a small candle. I haven't used it yet, but it smells really nice.
Nivea Creme - Did you know that the Nivea Creme that we get in the States is different from the original kind made in Germany? The ingredients are different and therefore they're pretty much two different products altogether. This is a good post comparing the two kinds. (Also, some have even compared German Nivea to the famous - and seriously expensive - La Mer Crème!) Anyway, this big tin is the German kind. I picked it up at a German market a couple weeks ago and have been using it liberally ever since. My skin suffers pretty hard in the wintertime, so sometimes I have to bring out the hard stuff!
Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub - Every beauty blogger keeps telling me that I need to scrub my lips before wearing dark lipstick and since I have noticed that sometimes dark lipstick doesn't apply as smoothly on my lips as I'd like, I finally fell for it. Lush's scrubs seemed like the most appealing ones to me, and when I popped by the Newbury Street store the other day, I was hoping they'd have the bubblegum flavored one but they only had the "Mint Julips" and "Sweet Lips" flavors in stock. Both are chocolate scented (and "Mint Julips" has the added scent of - you guessed it - mint!) which I wasn't all that jazzed about because I have some bad memories of a gross chocolate flavored lip balm I had as a kid and... yea, yuck. But Mint Julips isn't bad, it's just a bit messy. I recommend using this over the sink because little clumps of sugar tend to fall and get everywhere, including down your shirt. Oh, that's just me? Okay. Anyway, I think it helped? My lips might feel smoother? Maybe I need to give it a few more tries? Can you tell I'm not convinced? Also, the Lush Guy who helped me told me I could lick it off but I don't want to eat castor oil or whatever so I wiped it off with a paper towel.
Chloé Eau de Parfum Rollerball - I'm still loyal to Miss Dior Cherie, but I fell for this scent pretty hard over the fall and I like to switch back and forth between the two. It's such a pretty rose scent.
Caudalie Lip Conditioner - I like this stuff. It's a bit waxy, but doesn't have a strong scent or taste which makes it perfect for bedtime use. I hate when you use a strong scented/tasting balm at night and then it causes you to wake up in the morning with a gross taste in your mouth!
OPI Nail Envy - I used this as a base coat for the first time the other day, so it's still a bit early to tell whether or not it's doing anything for my nails. Will report back.
Chanel Le Vernis in "Malice" - This is my New Year's manicure! Such a pretty, deep red with really subtle shimmer. Sooooo, so nice.
ELF High Definition Powder - I guess this is an inexpensive alternative to Make Up For Ever's HD Microfinish Powder. I haven't used the MUFE one, so I can't compare the two, but this stuff isn't bad. A nice light coat works well to get rid of too much shine.
Givenchy Rouge Interdit in "Liv's Lips" - This stuff was/is hard to find! It came out one weekend when I was in NYC and was immediately sold out at Sephora but I managed to snag one when I got home. The whole gimmick is that it is suppose to change color according to your body's pH? Well here - this is the description from the Givenchy site:
More of a color enhancer than lipstick, LiV’s Lips reacts with the skin’s natural pH, creating a unique shade on every woman that wears it. Always sheer and sexy, the color payoff ranges from soft pink to rich berry that is not only great on the lips, but also imparts a fresh flush to cheeks and lids. Amazing.
Soooooo kind of like mood lipstick for grown-ups? I like the initial color, but on me, it eventually turns to this weird kind of red color that I don't really love. Maybe I'll try using it as blush and see what happens.
Urban Decay in "Oil Slick" - I came across this shade on a cool post about different black lipsticks and liked that it was "black" but wearable. However, I didn't feel like spending $22 on it at the time. I just happened to check back on it a couple weeks later and it was marked down on UD's site to $3! A sign from the universe. And I really like it! It totally is wearable.
Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour in "L'Impatiente" - I LOVE LOVE LOVE this shade. I was a bit worried when Christine from Temptalia said in her review that this lipstick formula makes her lips bleed (BLEED!) but I said eff it. I haven't had any trouble with the formula (thank you, Lush Lip Scrub and Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream!). It's such a lovely shade and I love the option of a matte finish or a shiny finish with a coat of gloss.
So all was well and good but then something annoying happened with the Urban Decay Lipstick.
See that little sword thingy? It used to be attached to the bottom of the lipstick tube, and that's what you had to pull on to get the cover off the lipstick. That was the ONLY thing to pull on to get the cover off the lipstick and it broke clean off, which means that once the lipstick is fully closed, the tube is flush with the cover and it's nearly impossible to open.
Shaking it open does not work. To open it, you have to wedge some tweezers or something pointy and flat between the edge of the tube and the cover and pry it open, which is fine at home but a pain in the butt when you're out in the world and need a touch-up. PAIN IN THE BUTT. Glad I didn't pay the full $22.00 for it, otherwise I'd be extra annoyed.
Tokyomilk Dark Femme Fatale Collection Lip Elixir in "La Vie En Rose No. 42" (Rosewater, Sweet Orange, Peach, Tahitian Vanilla) - All I can think is that this would make a really good lip protectant if you ever have to be outside in the cold for an extended amount of time, like if you ski or do winter activities things like that. Just put a thick layer of this stuff on and there's no way your lips could chap. The scent of this one is good. It's a bit on the strong side, so I have to use it sparingly.
MAC Pro Longwear Blush in "Whole Lotta Love" - Christine from Temptalia HATED the collection that this blush was a part of. I read the review after I bought it and luckily I'd managed to choose the one she hated the least. I really like this blush. The color is super nice but I do wish it would last a little bit longer.
Chanel Le Volume de Chanel Mascara - I still have to finish my current tube of mascara before I can use this one, but I'm almost there! This stuff looks really amazing. Chanel mascaras are my personal favorite.
Tarina Tarantino Eye Dream Hyperliner in "Sparkling Ammuntion" - I fell in love with this liner when I saw it in this look on Temptalia (can you tell which beauty blog is my favorite?). I bought a pencil over a year ago and it's almost gone. Lucky for me, Sephora and Tarina Tarantino have severed ties, which means that all the TT stock left at Sephora is on deep discount. There were two "Sparkling Ammuntion"s left when I checked the other day and I bought one. I went back for the other one a couple days later and it was gone! Oh well. Hopefully TT will start selling their cosmetics on their site at some point so I can get another one when I run out.
Naked Basics Palette - The perfect shades in the perfect size compact! So psyched on this palette.
M.A.C x Gareth Pugh Lipglass in "Outrage" - I meant to pick this up when the M.A.C x Gareth Pugh collection was out for Holiday 2011. Luckily, they had some backstock left at the Cosmetics Company Store, so I nabbed one at a good discount :)
OPI Nail Lacquer in "Germanicure" - Is it bad that I mostly bought this for the name? This has been compared to Chanel "Malice", so at least I'll have a dupe once that one runs out :)
M.A.C Lipstick in "Plumful" - Essie from Essiebutton spoke so highly of this lipstick that I couldn't resist. It's such a perfect, wearable shade for everyday.
Nuxe Paris Rêve de Miel Lip Balm - I'm doing everything I can this winter to prevent my lips from chapping and splitting. This stuff is nice and thick, smells good, and is also really good for overnight use.
Diptyque Candle in "Baies" - I've wanted one of these for forever, but I'm having a hard time justifying such an expensive candle. I finally decided to get the small votive size. This is the "roses and blackcurrant leaves" scent and it smells soooooo gooooood.
Caudalie candle - This little votive came in a set with the Divine Oil and the Crushed Cabernet Scrub and has the same honey-ish scent as the Divine Oil.
Real Techniques Core Collection - I'm slowly trying to replace my cheapo makeup brushes with some good quality ones. This set is really nice and hopefully will last me a long time. I'm especially excited about the "Buffing Brush" (on the far right) for applying foundation and powder.
So yes, I think I've got enough new stuff to last me awhile, so I'm officially on a beauty product buying ban! Besides, I need more used items for "Empties" posts :)
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