Favourite Makeup Websites!

Hey everyone!
This post's gonna be a slightly different one. Geared towards my Bajan viewers-or anyone who isn't satisfied with the availability of makeup in their country :P

Barbados isn't very good at importing the latest makeup products or having a wide variety of brands to chose from. Also, the options we do have are usually wayyy overpriced. So, I come to you with a solution!
The wonderful, worldwide web!

There are a few websites I like to order makeup from that do ship to Barbados and don't have tremendous shipping prices!

The first is nonpareilboutique.com

They carry brands like wet n wild, milani, elf (their stock is usually low on elf products), nyx, urban decay, the balm, nars etc.
This website is where I got my Naked palette from. When I bought it, they had it priced at $67 usd, but now I believe it's at $70, which is waaaayyyyy overpriced!
 I've ordered from them three times.
The shipping on this website is quite cheap, I chose the cheapest shipping option and it took around three weeks to get here. Not bad, not bad.

The second website is cherryculture.com

They sell brands like Milani, Nyx, Palladio, BeautyBlender, LaSplash, Jordana, Eyeko etc.
This website's prices are little bit more expensive than nonpareil's (roughly like 50c-$1.00 usd)
I've ordered from them once, shipping wasn't too bad either. Again, I just chose the cheapest shipping option with no tracking.
Note: I placed an order with cherry culture and nonpareil on the same day, and the nonpareil order arrived a week and a half earlier that the cherry culture one. (you can keep that in mind)

The third website is Beautyjoint.com

I have yet to place an order with this website (hopefully gonna buy some stuff next week), but I am most excited about this one! They seem to have the most variety of products - loads of brands like Elf, Wet n Wild, Nyx, Milani, China Glaze, Opi, Seche Vite and the list goes on and on and on.
I'll be sure to do an update to let you guys know how the odering process was, how expensive the shipping was and how long it took to arrive!

Also noteworthy is Sigma Makeup

There is a God. Sigma ships to Barbados!! However, it sure is EXPENSIVE.
I placed a big order for my birthday in March- I ordered 12 individual brushes, and the shipping costs were extremely high! However, if you want it, you gotta be willing to pay for it. Sigma make very high quality makeup brushes, so I thought of it as an investment. ^-^

Most of these websites from time to time will offer discounts like %20 off ...it's good to place an order then, to cut down on costs.
When ordering online, it is important to remember that shipping costs may vary due to the weight and size of the order.
Also keep in mind the fact that many countries, like Barbados may impose duties when you import something and it arrives at the post office. In Barbados, it can either be a hit or miss. All of the times I've ordered from nonpareil and cherry culture, I've only had to pay $1.50 bds in duties. However, when my Sigma order came in, I had to pay $60+ dollars in duties. That stung.

Hope this helps all my makeup lovers out there who want to try out products but can't get your hands on them!

Happy Shopping!

xx
Chloe

REVIEW: Dream Fresh BB Cream!

Hey everyone and anyone! I'm back with another Review... This one's going to be on the Maybelline 'Dream Fresh BB' Cream..

A little background on BB creams -
 - BB stands for blemish balm
 - They are meant to be an all-in-one face product (moisturiser, primer & foundation)
 - They are extremely popular and widely-used in Korea, but  generally only come in very light shades to produce 'porcelain' skin which is highly coveted in Korea.
-They are full of nutrients for the skin and some of them have skin-lightening properties.

 The Western market has grabbed onto this concept of BB cream and have tried to produce it with more shade varieties to suit most skin tones.
'American' drugstore Brands who have released a 'BB cream' are Garnier, L'oreal and Maybelline. Higher-end makeup brands like Smashbox, Clinique and Estee Lauder have also tried to tap into this market.
Widely speaking, Asian BB creams have much heavier/better coverage and have more benefits than the ones on the American market.

Now onto the Review!

Maybelline has come out with their version of a BB Cream called 'Dream Fresh BB' 8 in 1 Beauty Balm Skin Perfector and it comes in 5 shades - Light, Light/Medium, Medium, Medium/Deep, Deep.
Maybelline describes this product as:

 The 1-step wonder for a good skin day, everyday.

Packed with 8 great skin benefits for instant skin perfection

Ideal for Normal Skin. (Taken from Maybelline.com)

 For my Bajans, this product can be found at Collins Broad Street for around $15.00 (not a bad price!).

Packaging:

 The tube/bottle is 30ml/1oz. It's a pretty small product in my opinion. However, the packaging is adorable! I love the graphics on the tube, looks very cutesy and I think it goes well with the Maybelline 'Baby Lips' packaging too!

 As you can see below, they've said this product has 8 benefits:

Product :

Okay, so I got this product in shade Medium, I probably would have preferred Light/Medium, but you gotta take what you can get when you're in Barbados!!
 This product, in my opinion is nothing but a glorified tinted moisturiser. If you class it under the tinted moisturiser category, then it is a great product. However, if you class it as a BB cream, which is what it is supposed to be, then I don't think it lives up to what a BB cream actually is.
It is great for everyday - has light coverage and spf 30 - you could bump it up to medium coverage if you pack it on, but I don't think that's such a great idea, because if you have combination/oily skin your face will be extremely shiny.
I have combination skin, and when I wear this, I set it with a powder and I'm good for the day. If you are someone who likes full coverage, then this isn't the product for you.

Applied to the skin:

  This is what it looks like when it is first squeezed out of the tube onto the skin:

Blended into the skin:

 I like to apply this product with either the Sigma large Stipple Fuo-Fibre F50 or the Sigmax Flat-Top Kabuki F80 brush. As you can see above, it blends quite seamlessly into the skin, however- I think a BB Cream is meant to give more coverage than what this product gives.
 
Also, the product buildup on the cap isn't very becomming :

Grade: Packaging - 3.75/5 Product: as a Tinted Moisturiser- 4/5 , as a BB Cream- 2.5/5.

Overall if you don't have high expectations, this product will please you. If you bought this thinking it was going to be an Asian style BB Cream, you will be disappointed.

Hope you found this helpful!

xxx
Chloe

Review: Maybelline 'The Falsies' Mascara

Hey Everyone!
This one's gonna be about the Maybelline Volum'Express 'The Falsies' mascara!

Now, let me first say that this mascara confuses me. After some research, I've realised that people either love or hate this product. I'm not sure where I stand to be honest. I've worn it about 5 times and each time this mascara has applied differently. Wiiierddddd.

Let's go through the facts first :
I got the regular, washable (non-waterproof) one.
You can find this product at imart for around $20.00 (bds)
Maybelline describes this product as -

"FALSE LASH GLAM IN A TUBE, INSTANTLY!
300% MORE VISIBLE LASHES corner-to-corner, no gaps
SPOON BRUSH" (taken from Maybelline.com)

 Packaging:

 The packaging is quite cute, with the contrasting colours, and the acutal tube isnt as big as other mascaras out there, which may allow for easier packing/travelling. So far, no complaints...

The Wand:

 It has some type of curved wand, which looks innovative, but when you try to apply the mascara, it actually hinders rather than helps you. I don't find it helps with volumising at all. It lengthens quite well, but isn't too great at separating the lashes. If you love the look of spider lashes, then this is the mascara for you!!!

 The Formula: 
I'd say the formula is pretty basic, nothing to write home about.. I always find the formula of Maybelline mascaras to be a bit wet/runny, but personally I like that aspect, even though they take a bit longer to dry!

 As said above, I have had a few successful moments with this product. I find it works best when applied to clean and curled lashes. This works well as an everyday mascara if you're willing to have patience and work with it to get your desired look.
Personally, my lashes are already quite long, so I usually look for mascara which helps with volumising rather than lengthening, so this doesn't really help much in that area.

Conclusion:
  Packaging: 4/5 Product: 2.5/5

 This product, simply put, is okay. Nothing horrible or nothing great. Just okay.
Would I repurchase this product? Probably not.

Hope you enjoyed this Review!

xxx
Chloe

Face Of The Day 29/10/12

Hey everyone! This post will be a face of the day (FOTD) for Monday, October 29th, 2012!

Face:
(After moisturising)
For a base I wore my newly purchased Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer. (Review to come later, available at Cave Shepherd) For foundation - MAC Matchmaster in shade 1.5 (available at any MAC location) - I quite like this foundation, it provides medium coverage with a satin finish. I usually choose to wear this during the day, because it gives me a natural look, has SPF 15 and isn't too heavy so it lets my skin breathe. Also, I loooove the fact that it comes with a pump, and you don't have to buy one separately. Personally, I like to apply it with the Sigma Large Stipple Brush F50 (Review on Sigma Brushes to come later!) and I chose to set it with the Revlon Colorstay Translucent powder (available at Cave Shepherd) which is a very good powder, however, when it's first applied to the skin it gives off a slightly white cast, but that goes away once it sinks into your foundation.

L-R: Revlon Photoready Primer, MAC Matchmaster in 1.5 & Revlon Colorstay Translucent Powder

 

 

L-R- Revlon PhotoReady Bronzer in 'Bronzed and Chic' and Wet n' Wild Blush in 'Mellow Wine'

For bronzer I chose another recent purchase, the Revlon PhotoReady Bronzer in 'Bronzed and Chic'(available at Cave Shepherd). I don't want to say too much on this product, because I plan on doing a full review on it, but lets just say I'm extremely fond of it! ^-^ Also, for blush I used the Wet n' Wild blush in 'Mellow Wine'(available at imart) - I don't think Wet n' Wild gets the credit they deserve for some of their products- especially their more recent releases!

L-R - NYX Eyeshadow in 'True Taupe, Maybelline 'The Falsies' mascara, Revlon lipstick 'Just Enough Buff and Maybelline Baby Lips in 'Pink Punch'

For the eyes I kept it simple - I filled in my eyebrows a bit with the NYX eyeshadow in 'True Taupe' (available at Exotica Makeup in Sheraton) and applied some mascara - Maybelline Volum'Express 'The Falsies' (Review to come, available at imart locations)
The lips were also very easy, I used my new Maybelline Baby Lips lip balm in 'Pink Punch' (available at Collins B'town) which I am absolutely obsessed with and on top of that I put on some of Revlon's Super Lustrous lipstick in 'Just Enough Buff'. The combination of these two lippies makes for the perfect pinky-nude lip!


I always try to mix it up everyday and try different combinations of products to figure out which ones work best with each other! So look out for more FOTD's :)

Hope everyone is having a great week!

xxx
Chloe

Creepy Doll!

This one's gonna be a quickie! Just wanted to show everyone a Halloween look I did on my cousin Miranda earlier today ::--

She wanted to be a creepy doll, so I covered up her eyebrows to have more eye room to play with, gave her an accentuated lower lash line, applied top and bottom falsies, gave her some bright pink cheeks and freckles and finally gave her a heart shaped mouth and scars on her cheek. Overall I think it came out pretty well!

I love doing halloween looks, they're so much fun to experiment and go a bit wild ;)

Sorry about all the pictures, I got a bit excited with picfx :p

Hope everyone's enjoying their halloween! Be Safe!

xxx
Chloe

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain Review!

Hey everyone!! I'm back with another Revlon lip product review - the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains! I'm actually surprised this product has made its way to Barbados so quickly, after only being released this July! They can be found at Cave Shepherd locations and are around $25.00 local price.
Revlon described these lippies as -

 "It’s a pampering balm fused with a lightweight lipstain in an adorable chubby crayon. Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain gives softer, smoother lips with a perfect flush of color that lasts hour after hour. The gel formula comes in 12 vibrant shades that match any look or mood." (Taken from Revlon.com)

 Swatches & Review!

T-B - Cherish, Sweetheart & Honey

 I've got three colours- Cherish, Sweetheart and Honey, all of which are pink shades. Generally, these go on extremely smooth and have a slight tingly feeling on application- that can be explained by one of the ingredients: peppermint. -Some people may love or hate this aspect, personally I'm not bothered by it.
The lasting power varies on these, Sweetheart 'stains' the lips the most, probably because it is the most pigmented colour out of the bunch. The other two don't last as long.
They are all very well pigmented and true to colour.
Also, a good thing about this product is the fact that the colour on the packaging and the colour you get inside match pretty well - that can't be said about other lip products on the market, sometimes it's a blind guess when picking out colours due to poor colour reflections.

Packaging:

Sweetheart

 The packaging is also great, they remind me of the Clinique Chubby Sticks, but at a fraction of the price! They twist up to get more product. One bad thing however, is the fact that after multiple uses the point of the balm isn't as sharp so it makes application a bit more sloppy and not as precise.

 Swatches:

T-B- Sweetheart, Cherish and Honey

 As you can see, the first swatch Sweetheart is a bright pink, but very wearable - this colour reminds me of the Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart (similar names too ^-^). The second colour Cherish is a light, blue-based pink - similar to Viva Glam GaGa, although not at pigmented and the third colour Honey is a very wearable pink, definately a YLBB shade (your lips but better). I can see Honey being suitable for most skin types and everyday wear. In the picture it shows up a bit more brown than it actually is. It is more of a dusty pink. All three of these are cream finishes with no shimmer.

Overall, I think these will be a very popular product, they provide the moisturisation of a balm but the quality of a lipstick with the easy application in the form of a stick.
Final Grade : Packaging: 4/5  Product: 5/5

Chloe
xxx

Let's Get NAKED ;)

Alright guys, the next product for discussion will be the Urban Decay Naked Palette! 

 This is also an extremely popular product in the beauty community and I managed to get my hands on one about 4 months ago, so it's safe to say I've had a good go at testing out all the shadows! This retails in the US for around $50 US - and Urban Decay describes it as -

"Everybody wants to look good NAKED! Far from a group of boring beige shadows, Naked Palette's long, lean, seductive case is packed with TWELVE gorgeous neutrals, and includes our pro-quality Good Karma Shadow Brush." (Taken from UrbanDecay.com)

On the Urban Decay website there is also a more lengthy description, talking about the shadows.

I ordered mine on nonpariel boutique (review to come later), and paid $67 US for it. -Desperate times call for desperate measures! It also came with the Good Karma eyeshadow brush and a mini Urban Decay Primer Potion, however those are not the focus of tonights post...this baby is:

Swatches & Review:

Product : 4.75/5 Packaging : 4.5/5

Here we have 12 lovely neutral shades, and I have a weakness when it comes to neutral palettes, so I may be a little bit biased when it comes to this review. ^-^

The first six shades in the palette are great for everyday simple looks - Virgin and Sin are both shimmer colours, Naked and Buck are matte (perfect for blending in the crease), Sidecar is a shimmer with silver glitter (beware of fallout) and Half-Baked is a shimmer with what seems to be tiny gold glitters. The only colour that gave me any trouble was Sidecar which did produce some silver glitter fallout. Apart from that, perfection!!

As you can immediately see from the swatches, the second set of 6 colours definitely have more colour payoff, which can be said for darker colours generally. Smog, Hustle and Toasted are all shimmer colours, Darkhorse and Gunmetal are also shimmery, but are not as shimmer-ry as the first three mentioned and Creep is a black with silver glitters through it.
Some of my favourites include : Sin, Naked, Buck, Half Baked, Smog and Hustle

Packaging-wise, everything seems to be in tact so far, the velvety exterior is a nice touch, however, when i packed this palette for travel some of the gold on the 'NAKED' on the top of the palette got scratched up, which shows that it isn't too sturdy. Also, I wish the mirror on the inside of the palette could be bigger and better quality -- Guess that's why I have to get the Naked 2!

All in all, I really do love this palette, it has every colour you would want for day or night and when I'm packing makeup to take with me, this is the only set of eyeshadows I take because it has every colour and finish I need to make a complete look!

Lasting Impression : LOVE THIS

xxx
Chloe

Revlon Lip Butters are FINALLY in Barbados!

So I thought I'd start off this posting process by talking about one of the most hyped-up lip products on the market - the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters.
These were released at the beginning of this year and Revlon describes them as

 "- Buttery balm with beautiful shiny color to give you baby soft, healthy glowing lips 94% of women felt lips were softer, smoother, and instantly hydrated." (Taken from Revlon.com)

This product has only now within the last month or two reached its way to Barbados - buzzkill, I know. However, as long as they are within reach, I am happy!  They retail for $20.99 Local Price (Bajan dollar is $2 to $1 US) which personally, I think is totally worth it. They can be found at Cave Shepherd Broad Street -- while stocks last!!!
Now, onto the Review and Swatches :

Revlon Lip Butter L-R - Sweet Tart, Strawberry Shortcake

Overview of Packaging

As you can see, I have two in my possession, Sweet Tart and Strawberry Shortcake. Sweet Tart is a bright, opaque, pink with no shimmer and Strawberry Shortcake is a light, creamy pink again with no shimmer. They apply very smoothly to the lips and feel extremely moisturising. Since these are a cross between a lipstick and lip balm, their lasting power isn't that great. Packaging wise, they are overall impressive. However, when you twist the applicator to get more product and twist it back down, some of it gets caught on the silver sides.

 

 

 

Swatch - Top- Sweet Tart, Bottom - Strawberry Shortcake

 Packaging - 4/5      Product - 5/5  
 Overall, I'd say these are definitely worth the hype and if you see them, dont hesitate to buy a few, because chances are, they'll be gone in a split-second!