Review: Dior Diorshow Mascara

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I was very excited when I received this product in Allure’s December Beauty Box! I’ve always wanted to try out Dior mascaras, since many people rave about how amazing they are and how much better your lashes will look. But I also never was willing to shell-out the money needed because, what if it was just all hype ya know?

What It Is: Lenghtening/Voluminizing Mascara

Distinguishing Factors: It was specifically designed to grab the right amount of mascara product from the tube and position it on the bristles in a way that each and every lash gets coated with the same amount of product. Absolutely no clumping!

Verdict: This mascara DOES deliver, there’s no doubt about it. And I can see why many celebrities and beauty gurus swear by it. However, as much as I do love it, for the price, I don’t think it’s that amazing. The mascara does lengthen lashes and give them volume (always a bonus!). And the brush itself is the shangri-la of mascara brushes (no clumps and perfect product distribution throughout the lashes). But I don’t know if the mascara itself (meaning the actual black goop) is that revolutionary or radically different from a drugstore brand. All in all though, I would recommend this product and am enjoying it very much.

Price: 28.50

Where To Buy It: Dior.com

By: Azzurra Nox

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Review: Burberry’s My Burberry Blush Fragrance

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Burberry is as much British as high tea and the Queen, just take a look at their signature tartan packaging. Based in London, before the brand was known for their fragrances, it was originally known for its iconic trench coat as far back as 1856! This new fragrance is a homage to the iconic coat and the women of that era, that were both feminine but progressive.

Size: 1.6-oz./50-ml.

Price: $90

Fragrance Family: Floral

Top Notes: Pomegranate and Lemon

Middle Notes: Geranium, Crisp Apple, and Rose Petal

Base Notes: Jasmine and Wisteria

Time of Day: Daytime/Early Evening

What’s It Smell Like: A romantic stroll in a London park.

Verdict: I have to admit I haven’t always been a fan of Burberry’s fragrances in the past, but ever since they’ve released Body and My Burberry a couple of years ago, I’ve totally been onboard with the new fragrances. This one is exceptionally feminine, but in no way is it safe. It’s a bit flirty without being too obnoxious, and simply smells divine. If you ever wanted to smell like a sweet British garden with a hint of posh (think Baby Spice meets Posh Spice), then this fragrance is right for you!

Where To Buy It: https://www.sephora.com

By: Azzurra Nox

Review: Sugar Pill Liquid Lip Color in Trinket

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What It Is: A long-lasting liquid lipstick

Perks: Cruelty-free and made in California

Verdict: I’ve tried out several liquid lipstick brands since they’ve gotten popular over the past year or so. I was looking forward to trying out Sugar Pill cause I’ve always been a fan of the brand, plus I’ve been trying to find the perfect rose gold shade with subtle glimmer. The colour I got, Trinket is simply gorgeous! The awesome thing about this specific liquid lipstick is that when applied, the colour is a rose shade, but once you press your lips together, the gold shimmer is activated. So, the more you smack your lips together, the more gold shimmer will be visible. It’s a very flattering metallic shade, and it can be worn both casually or for an evening night, especially now with the holidays, the gold glimmer will give you that much needed holiday vibe without going too overboard. As for the formula, it is lightweight, but long-lasting (and when I say long-lasting I truly mean it! I can apply this lipstick at 7a.m. and not need to reapply even once and it stays put till I remove it around 9p.m.). Another plus is that the formula doesn’t dry out your lips, your lips actually feel uber hydrated throughout the day (a much-needed bonus during the harsh winter temperatures!). So give this shade a try, and liberate your inner sugarplum fairy!

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Price: $18

Where To Buy It: I got mine at the Dolls Kill site (https://www.dollskill.com/) or https://sugarpill.com

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By: Azzurra Nox

Review: Origins Clear Improvement

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Masks have always been my so-called beauty crack (meaning that I could never have too many stashed away!). Although face masks are all the rage lately, I still prefer clay masks overall (mostly because apparently I am extremely impatient and can’t seem to wait 10-15 minutes without doing nothing at all). At least with clay masks I can still do other beauty regimens (like painting my nails!). I’m all about multi-tasking. I may also love clay masks more because I have naturally oily skin, and always feel like this sort of mask truly combats in soaking up some of my natural oils without drying out my skin.

What It Is: Active charcoal mask to clear pores.

What It Does: Unclogs and clears pores.

Active Ingredient: China clay and Charcoal

Verdict: As I mentioned above, I simply love clay masks because they always leave my skin ultra-clean and refreshed. I’ve always been a fan of Origins products, so was very psyched to receive this product in my Sephora Play monthly subscription for November. This mask is simply A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! It will make your skin feel brighter and smoother in less than ten minutes! This mask is especially effective for those who like me have oily to combination skin, but it’s gentle enough for even sensitive or dry skins to use as well as this mask (unlike some other clay masks) doesn’t leave my skin ultra-dried out but rather it leaves it feeling supple, hydrated, but not oily. In other words, it’s the equivalent of drinking a tall glass of crisp cucumber-lime water. A more effective way of using this product is to first use a warm, wet towel pressed against your skin to help open up the pores and then to apply a thin layer of the mask all over your face, concentrating mostly on your T-zone. This mask is gentle enough to use twice a week or you can use it on trouble spots more times throughout the week.

Price: $27

Where To Buy It: https://www.origins.com

By: Azzurra Nox

Colourpop Haul & Review!

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For months I’ve been hearing such amazing things from this brand. From beauty gurus on youtube to Allure magazine, everyone has been raving about this brand. So of course I decided to take the plunge and try it out myself to see what the hype is all about.

I received 12 items in all, plus an eyeliner add-on because of the delay in shipping. I thought that was really nice of them, so kudos Colour Pop!

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No Filter Concealer in Fair 5

I was truly hoping for a miracle with this concealer because everyone raved (especially Allure) how amazing it is at masking undereye circles and blemishes. Maybe my hopes were too high for this, but I didn’t think this was an absolutely amazing concealer. The colour match was perfect, I’ll admit that, but the consistency of the product made for a somewhat stranger and cakey effect that I only managed to fix by applying another concealer (the Wet N’ Wild one) on top and blending the excess away with a beauty blender. Maybe paired with another concealer this does its job, but alone it’s not that great. Although, I must admit that the results on camera look amazing (but in person up-close you can see where it creases).

Peachy Keen Super Shock Shadows in Crimper, Kennedy, Cornelious, and Bandit

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Palette Pressed Powder in Outta Luck, Say I Do, Issues, and The News

Again, I’ve heard amazing things about their shadows and have been on the lookout for the best peach toned shadows, alas, while these shadows DO pack a lot of colour, both the Super Shock Shadows and Pressed Powder shadows wouldn’t really glide on the lid how I wish they would making for a somewhat patchy application. The consistency of these products felt somewhat chalky and I don’t know if that’s the reason why they didn’t apply as well as they should. However, they seemed to work better if I “packed on” the colour instead (which was more time-consuming for someone who’s always running late in the mornings!).

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Super Shock Shadow in Party of Five, Super Shock Cheek in High Five, Eyeshadow Brush in #11, and Creme Gel Liner in DTLA

I really love the feel of this flat, eyeshadow brush. It truly picks up lots of colour so that you can apply your shadow in one quick swoop! The blush was a gift, and whilst it wasn’t a fit for me colour-wise, it was very pigmented and blended beautifully. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I’m a eyeliner affectionado. The Creme Gel Liner glides on amazingly well, and does set like a normal gel liner. Since it was a free item, they sent me DTLA which is a dark navy shade (I would’ve preferred either brown or black) but it’s a dark enough shade that it could almost pass off as black AND it was a gift so I’m not complaining!

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Ultra Matte Lip in Take Five and Alyssa

For the past year I’ve mostly been using Jeffree Star’s Liquid Velour Lipsticks every single day. I was a bit reluctant to try a liquid lipstick from any other brand just because I really, really love his a lot. BUT…I must say that I’m truly impressed! I picked the shade Alyssa which is a pinky-nude collab that Colour Pop did with youtuber Kathleen Lights, and it’s a very flattering shade for pale or fair skin! Take Five was sent to me for free, and it’s more of a pink shade but haven’t had a chance to try it yet. Overall, I truly love how the lipstick lays on my lips. It’s not cakey, nor drying. It’s actually very hydrating for being a liquid lipstick!

This was one massive haul and I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know if you’ve tried any other products from Colour Pop or which ones are your faves! Would I re-purchase items from this brand? I’ll probably pass on the eyeshadows, but I’m going to definitely check out more of the liquid lipsticks and eyeliners!

By: Azzurra Nox