Julep’s August 2017 collection consists of six new—and two re-released—neutral shades for fall. And, of course, the latest addition to their 2017 Zodiac collection is a new shade for the sign of Virgo (August 23–September 22).
(If you’re unfamiliar with the Julep Maven boxes, check out this review of my first ever Julep box!)
Here are all the new shades and products:
This review is a long time coming! I’ve had a bit of a skincare misadventure over the summer, but now, I’ve finally used DECIEM’s popular “Buffet” peptide serum for several months and feel that I can give it a more detailed review.
Earlier this year, I was looking to overhaul my fairly basic skincare routine and picked up several skincare products from DECIEM’s The Ordinary, a line of pared-down products. I was never much of a serum-user, as my routine pretty much consisted of cleanser plus moisturizer, but having read a lot about serums—and about the Korean 10-step skincare routine, in particular—I was determined to expand my skincare horizons.
The first product from The Ordinary that I worked into a routine was the much talked-about “Buffet” Multi-Technology Peptide Serum, which retails at a quite low price of CA$14.80. Other peptide serums can cost upwards of a couple hundred dollars, for the same 30 mL, so I was both very curious to see how effective The Ordinary’s product could be.
For reference, here are some prices of peptide serums on beautyBOUTIQUE/Shoppers Drug Mart, Sephora Canada, and Well.ca. All prices are in Canadian dollars. For products available in multiple sizes, I used the largest, most cost-effective size.
Before I started, I didn’t realize there were so many! But hey, gotta add them all.
I started this blog ten years ago today! Many thanks to all who have been reading and supporting my blog over the years. Much love.
I don’t have much to say here…just wanted to mark the day. The only real news I have is that I’ve finally had some time to concentrate more on the nail polish tracker, so hopefully I’ll have something ready, soon!
I recently received Revlon’s new Mega Multiplier Mascara for review, and I was both excited and unsure what to expect, because throughout my twenty years of using mascara, I’ve somehow managed to have never tried a Revlon mascara. Ever.
It’s pretty odd, because I’m definitely a fan of some Revlon products. I can only assume it’s because Maybelline, L’Oréal, and CoverGirl take most of the drugstore mascara glory, and Revlon mascaras are never quite cheap enough for me to just toss in my shopping basket on a whim (like I’ve done with Annabelle, Essence, and Wet N Wild).
Anyway, their new mascara is actually a combination fiber and tubing mascara. I’ve used fiber mascaras in the past, but I don’t think I’ve tried a tubing one before. According to a cosmetics chemist: “Instead of the traditional oils and waxes used in mascaras, tubing formulas use a flexible polymer that is an excellent film former”, and works to thicken and lengthen eyelashes.
Mega Multiplier Mascara combines fibers and tube technology in one mascara, so it’s meant to seriously lengthen and thicken the eyelashes. Perfect, because my lashes are short and thin!
OPI has released their Iceland collection for Fall/Winter 2017. It consists of 12 new shades in Nail Lacquer, Infinite Shine, and Gel lines.
Aurora Berry-alis |
Check Out |
I’ll Have |
Icelanded |
Krona-logical |
Less Is Norse |
One Heckla |
Reykjavik Has |
Suzi & |
That’s What |
This Isn’t |
Turn On the |
The minis available for this collection are:
As a side note—and since OPI brought it up—I really didn’t like the first two Thor movies, but I’m somehow totally psyched for Thor 3: Ragnarök. The cast looks amazing (Cate! Karl!), and the trailer actually makes it seem fun.
[Images via opi.com]
I actually have some older ColourPop haulage to post (I’ve only posted Part I) but my newest order just arrived, and I wanted to share it since I got the new She Pressed Powder Eyeshadow Palette from the Karrueche Fem Rosa collection!
I have some comments on Canadian customs below; you can skip it if you’re not interested!
Alas, I have gotten dinged by Canadian customs on a ColourPop order for the first time. It makes sense, since this is the first time I’ve gone with free international shipping with a US$50+ order. All other orders that avoided customs were placed during ColourPop’s unlimited free international shipping promo in the spring, during which I placed several orders but kept each one around US$30 in value.
On the positive side, customs saw that since ColourPop products are all made in the USA—thanks to ColourPop for the huge “MADE IN LA” printed on the side of each box!—they are duty-free because of NAFTA, and my total customs charge consisted of Canada Post’s handling fee (CA$9.99) and sales tax (CA$8.09, 13% HST in Ontario on the US$50/CA$62.22 order value).
Now I’m starting to wonder whether it makes more sense to just keep ColourPop orders to Canada at about US$30, and pay the $10 shipping fee. The only reason not to do this is if Canadian customs doesn’t always catch everything—then it might be worth the gamble. Guaranteed US$10 fee, or chance of ~CA$18 fee? I actually have a second US$50 order arriving soon from ColourPop (the Yes, Please! palette came back in stock, and I couldn’t help myself, what with the Canadian dollar rising!), so I’ll eventually have two data points to help me make a future decision. Another option, of course, is to just make one massive ColourPop order—the Canada Post handling fee remains the same regardless of order value, and then it’s just a percentage sales tax that has to be paid.
Anyway, enough about Canadian online shopping issues!
Here’s the haulage:
Photos follow:
A happy belated National Lipstick Day (July 29) to all!
There were many sales offered on lipstick that day, but one of the best deals was from MAC, who gave away a free lipstick at their counters! This offer was valid in the US, Canada, Australia, and I presume other countries, as well. The free lipstick was generally offered from selected shades in their ColourRocker collection of matte lipsticks in a variety of rainbow-inspired hues—though some counters also seemed to include additional shades.
It didn’t appear to be the most organized event, as I heard that some counters ran out of free lipsticks incredibly quickly, and others didn’t even let customers choose a shade, and handed out random lipsticks, instead.
I was lucky, as I hit up my nearest MAC counter in a Hudson’s Bay within an hour of opening, and there was basically no line at all! (Later, I was in the mall to do some shopping at a toy store and Bath & Body Works, and saw that the standalone MAC there had a crazy long lineup! I can only assume that they were offering a better selection of colors, but still, I prefer getting a funky shade and not having to wait at all.)
The SA presented about eight or so shades, mostly from the ColourRocker collection. I think I remember seeing Blue Bang!, Breathing Fire, Flatter Me Fierce, Forbidden Sunrise, Indigo-Go, Mangrove, Uncontrollable, and a taupe neutral or two (maybe Cold Hard Cash? I didn’t really bother with it/them).
Mangrove, a vivid orange-red, initially looked good to me. But I already have similar shades, so I threw caution to the wind and picked up my first ever blue lipstick: Indigo-Go!
MAC Lipstick in Indigo-Go
Matte (cornflower blue)
I also totally lucked out, because later that day, a fab friend picked up Blue Bang! for me, which was a total surprise! I love it—and I’ve gone from having zero blue lipsticks to two! Maybe I can do some kind of ombré effect.
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