Detailed Swatches & First Impression ::: Stila Cosmetics "Eye for Elegance Set"

So, how was your Thanksgiving, folks? I am very sad that the long weekend is over. I cooked a lot over this weekend; it was tiring but I am glad that I have a freeze full of left-overs now.

Today, I have a first impression review at the Eye for Elegance Set from Stila Cosmetics! I love doing detailed review for this sort of sets but I thought I would rather share this first impression while the set is still available and is still relevant.

Price & Availability: This set is available on Sephora and Stila Cosmetics website. It includes three Glitter & Glow shades from their existing Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow line and three new Shimmer & Glow shades from Shimmer & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow line that are antiipated to launch during Spring next year; all in deluxe size. It will cost you $45. Each shade includes 0.07 oz. of products, I love the size and the price, because honestly this is more than enough product I can ever attempt to use up!

Packaging: The tube shape mimics their full-size counterparts but I believe the full-size are of glass where as these are of plastic. It feels like the golden impression on the packaging rubs off quite quickly. If you watch the picture for Twig and Next to Notte tubes, the lettering are already fading up! The applicator, however is very practical. It makes ithe application easier and fuss-free.

Shades: The swatches on the hand are two swipes over bare skin. The swatches on the eyes are over Mac Paint Pot in Layin' Low and just a bit of matte crease shades. I apologize for my extremely bushy brows, and very haphazard-unblended application. On the bright side, you can see how the shades look in real-life!

Kitten (Shimmer & Glow): Kitten is an iconic shade from Stila. Why wouldn't it be? It is such gorgeous very nude pink shade. It is also very universally flattering. It is little brighter for my taste but I think I can pull it off. 

Peachy Keen (Glitter & Glow): As the name suggests, this shade has much more peach in it than Kitten. It is of course, glittering and I love that! As you can see from the swatches, this shade seems to be a bit less dense than the other two Glitter & Glow shades.

Grace (Shimmer & Glow): I think Grace & Smoldering Satin are my most favorite shades from this bunch. They flatter my skin-tone the most :-) Grace appears to be the Shimmer & Glow version of Peachy Keen to me. I love it!

Smoldering Satin (Glitter & Glow): This shade has a lot of  taupe glitter particles on a very shiny similar shade base. The result is a very nice, glittery opaque shade. I love it; may be it is my most favorite shade. The applicator works great and it is very easy to get an even layer. 

Twig (Shimmer & Glow): This is a rich brown shade and it reminds me of Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner in Bronze. That is a liner that I typically used as one-shade shadow on my lid. My pot has kind of dried up now so I think Twig will be a very good alternative. 

Next to Notte (Glitter & Glow): This is a red/maroon shade with pink/magenta glitter particles. Even though the swatch on the hand looks perfectly opaque, the application on the eyes can prove to be a bit patchy. I had to put two layers and then also I thought it was not perfect. I love the shade though!

Quality & Formula: I have not had the chance to thoroughly use and experience these shades. On a general level, I love the Glitter & Glow shades; they are very easy to apply and lasts all day long. You get about 45 seconds with these shades before they set. There are some fall outs though which is not uncommon. But I would have liked to avoid that. The Shimmer & Glow shades are nice if you don't want the glittery look but still want to have that va-va-voom effect :-) You get about 30 seconds with these Shimmer & Glow shades before they set. The staying power is good if I apply it in even layer on my whole lid. The other day, but I applied it as a blended eye liner but it smudged and almost vanished after 3-4 hrs.

I got this set with my VIB Sale 20% off code. With that price and 6 different shades to try, I think this was a good buy. I have been very interested in the Glitter & Glow shades from the beginning. Everybody loves those at $24 each, it seemed way too expensive, so this set made sense to me. I love the color selection here but I would have appreciated a bit more variety. 

What is your favorite Glitter & Glow shade from Stila?

Love

~Arrru

Products I've Used Up/Empties Vol. 12

I have accumulated quite a lot of products that I have used up! After all, it has been 6 months since my last Empties post. So, here goes:

IT'S A 10 Miracle leave-in Plus Keratin: I absolutely love this leave-in conditioner! It’s been much more than a year since my last hair-straightening treatment and hence my original hereditary crazy waves are coming back! May be because of that its effect has not been as mind-blowing as before. But it still does a great job in managing my uncontrollable wavy hair and makes them look smooth & presentable. I will continue to use it.

Schwarzkopf Professional Bonacure Oil Miracle Shampoo: I bought this as a set with the Miracle Oil. I am not very sure if I will repurchase this, but I did enjoy using it.

Schwarzkopf Professional Bonacure Hair Therapy (Repair Rescue) Shampoo: It was suggested to me by my hairstylist after my hair smoothening treatment. I have been using this past 3-4 years. Both the shampoo and conditioner are very good to use. I feared that my hair will go back to its fizzy natural wavy self, but I am glad that the treated hair is still smooth & healthy enough and more importantly 'Straight' :-)

Schwarzkopf Professional Bonacure Hairtherapy Q10 Plus Time Restore Conditioner: I like the “Repair Rescue” ones from Schwarzkopf. This one was ok, I will not buy this one again.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Original: I love this very much. It is one of those that gives you white cast when you apply it but it is easy to get rid of it by just jazz-ing the roots of my hair. It definitely prolongs the time between I wash my hair. These days, I have been using it on my 2nd or 3rd -day hair before I go to bed, and I can survive one more day without washing my hair :-). Definite repurchase.

Jack Black Oil-Free Sun Guard Sunscreen Water Resistant: Jack black is a favorite brand on mine. I have gifted many set from them to my father and a few of my friends. I always wanted to try some product from them for myself. I was running out of sunscreen and saw that this offers a good amount of SPF and comes at a very reasonable price. I have to say I am not disappointed. It absorbs very quickly, sits well under makeup and offers me good protection. I will definitely repurchase.

Soap & Glory Hand Food: This is a decent hand cream. It is very moisturizing, takes a little bit of time to absorb. I got a few of these in a set last holiday and I think this was my last one. Will not repurchase.

O.P.I Avojuice Vanilla Lavender Hand & Body Lotion: I bought a hand-lotion set from O.P.I. I did not enjoy all od the scents, but this one was really nice. It absorbs really soon and the scent is just lovely :-)

Caudalie Lip Conditioner: I considered this my most favorite lip balm. Its silky, very hydrating. But this is the third tube that I have had problem with. It started smelling a bit off towards the last leg of the bullet. I like it but for this price I should be able to use it up before it gets bad (I typically finish lipbalms within 2-3 months). I don’t think I am going to repurchase.

Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask: I reviewed a few PTR masks including here. I use this mask whenever I think my skin needs a good cleanup and some strong exfoliation. I do feel a very mild burning sensation for the first few seconds after application; but it’s not that bad. This mask makes my skin immediately feel so so refreshing; I really ENJOY it! And I have already repurchased. :-)

Tarte Amazonian Clay Double Detox Facial: Throwing it away! It probably have expired.

Serious Skincare Glycolic Gommage Extreme Renewal Exfoliating Facial: I actually don't remember when and where I bought this. Hence, I just wanted to use this up and never really gave serious trial. I mostly use it on my neck. Honestly, I do not have any comment I am just glad that it is all used up.

Sephora Collection Algae Face Mask: I bought a set of Face Masks during this VIB Sale. I am not that big of a fan of face sheet masks, but every once in a while I get so lazy to put on an actual mask. I want the comfort and convenience of a sheet mask. This stayed on nicely and I felt good afterwards. I saw a bit of brightness :-) I will not buy this at 6$ a piece but I will repurchase if I find a good deal.

Philosophy Amazing Grace Shower Gel: I enjoyed using this shower gel. It was a good product to use but I am not sure if I will repurchase.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser: Overall, this is my very favorite cleanser by far. I love that you can really use this around your eyes without irritating them, if I were heavy eye makeup it is difficult to remove everything at one go. So, first I use a makeup remover to remove my mascara and then use Purity. I love the result. I always have one bottle as my backup.

Tree Hut Moroccan Rose Shea Body Butter: I absolutely enjoyed this body butter; it absorbs very quickly and provides me moisturization for a long time. I believe I used it during Spring and it was perfect for that time of year. The Moroccan Rose is an absolutely lovely scent and I will definitely repurchase.

Soap & Glory The Righteous Body Butter Lotion: This is my second bottle of this moisturizer that I have gone through. It is a good one but after the second bottle, I am kind of over it. I will much rather repurchase the body butter, not the lotion.

Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion: Another moisturizer that I really enjoyed. It is aimed for dry skin and I really think it worked. It is suddenly all cold & winter-y here and this provided me hydration for the entire day, the subtle smell was also very enjoyable. It is a small tube, so it lasted me only 2-3 weeks! I would have repurchased but it is way too expensive.

RE-NU Contact Lens Solution: For a contact lens wearer like me, this is a must-have. I buy it in bulk from Costco :-)

Equate Beauty Nail Polish Remover: Very basic and must-have product right? This is affordable (around 3$), easily available in most of the drugstores and gets the work done. I, of course, need a little more work to remove glitter polishes with this remover. But if you use the "aluminium foil" trick, it works wonders. I am definitely repurchasing it.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion: This is such a loved moitsurizer in the beauty community. It is very moisturizing and yet not very heavy. May be that is why people love it. A very little amount is required so this tiny bottle lasted me quite some time. Will I repurchase? I am not quite sure!

Ahava Essential Day Moisturizer: I buy so many skincare kits that I end up collecting a whole bag of tiny little jars and tubes of moisturizer. Starting this summer, I am on a mission to use them up. I almost half way though the bag :-) These were two from Ahava and I liked them while they lasted. I am not going to repurchase but this was an ok moisturizer.

Belif The True Cream - Aqua Bomb: This is also same as the Water Drop moisturizer in consistency. But it is much more hydrating and I did really enjoy it. I want to try their Moisturizing Bomb next, it seems to be more intensely hydrating. I am not quite sure if I want to repurchase the Aqua Bomb right now. The jars are so adorable and the smell is faint yet very interesting. I really like it.

Dr. Jart+ Water Drop Hydrating Moisturizer: I wanted to try it for such a long time. But I am not that impressed. It will be perfect for hot, humid weeks of summer. I have overly dry skin, so even during hot summer I felt it was not enough! Will not repurchase.

Boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil: I love Boscia products; every one that I have tried has been impressive. My mom actually used up this bottle and she liked it. I am using the second one seen in pictures and I almost have 3-4  days of use. I enjoy how light this oil is and how quickly it absorbs into skin. I can see myself repurchasing this once I finish up all the face oil I have been hoarding.

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil: So much hype around this product. I never gave in to the hype. But I did hoard 2-3 samples. I am not a big fan. However, I intend to use up the other two before making up my mind.

Clinique Acne Solutions Acne+Line Correcting Serum: It is amall bottle and I used it up a while ago. So, I dont exactly remember how I liked this. But I vaguely remember that I did enjoy.

Lancome Energie De Vie The Smoothing & Glow Boosting Liquid Care: This tiny, tiny little tube lasted me hardly for 3-4 days. I dont really remember if I liked it or not; just glad that I finished it up.

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence: I have a detailed review of this here. I did repurchase a full-size with a bonus card I got from Sephora and I am eager to see if I will still like it after I use up the bigger size.

Nude Progenius Rescue Oil: Another item that my mom used up while she was here. She told me she liked it :-)


Bvlgari Omnia Coral Eau de Toilette: Is it not such a cute bottle? I got this with three other scents and I want to display the set once I am finished with all of them. This is a nice scent but a little bit strong for me. I will not repurchase.

Kate Spade Live Colorfully Sample: It is one of my very very favorite scent and I have a full-size bottle that I am almost halfway through. It is flower-y scent, it is potent and subtle at the same time and it lasts the whole day. I hve got a lot of compliments when I wear this. I will definitely repurchase at some time.

Gucci Guilty Sample: Way too strong for me. I keep it in my purse for emergency; that's it.

Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine Cologne Absolue: It is a very potent zesty smell. I love it but I cant wear it consecutively., otherwise it gives me headache. :-) I have a roller ball too!

Benefit The Porefessional: There is so many tiny samples of this product that I will never need to buy this in full-size. I use it on my problem areas like my acne-ridden cheeks and it does a very good job in smoothening it out for foundation application.

Buxom Buxom Lash Mascara: It has plastic bristles and they are not my favorite. While I loved the humble look on my lashes, but it dried up too quickly. Will not repurchase.

Loreal Carbon Black Volumnous Mascara: This is my favorite waterproof mascara; I love how budgeproof this is. It helped me survive almost 24 hrs of hot humid weather during my sisters wedding. But I hate that it dries up within a few weeks. I dont buy this unless I really, really need an waterproof mascara.

Hum Raw Beauty Green Superfood Powder: From time to time, I get samples of this with my Sephora Order. It is not fun to drink and honestly, I dont know if does anything :-) May be I need to be consistent while trying it?

Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes: I love these wipes! They are gentle on the face and does a good job at removing a layer of heavy makeup. Although, I am trying to cut down the usage of wipes, I would still repurchase this, at some point in future.

Peter Thomas Roth Moisture Infusion Facial Bar: I don't use face bars on my face but I used it up during showers. It was ok.

This is probably the last Empties Post I will document this year. Oh, I also finished up some samples -

LOVE,

~Aru

Review & Swatches ::: NAILS INC. Unicorn Nail Polish Duo

In last 5 months I have managed to blog twice or may be thrice! Life sometimes takes over :-), I am not trying to complain nor I am here to give excuses. I am 100% sure that there are plenty of people that have busier life than me and they manage it with finesse!

Anyway, today I managed to find some time to talk about Unicorn Nail Polish Duo from Nails Inc. :-) I bought this set back in May and it is still available on Sephora Website. You get two full-size  polishes for a price of one! With the VIB sale coming up, it is going to be even a sweeter deal! Also, look at my Unicorn earrings that my mom brought for me :-)

Price & Availability: Currently available on Sephora.com and Nails Inc Website (out of stock). The set contains 2 nail polishes in "Unicorn in Dream Dust" and "Rainbow Wishes" each with 0.49 oz./14 ml of product at a price of $15.

Packaging: Currently The polishes are housed in typical Nail Inc bottles. The colors are so pretty that  the bottles look very pretty, irrespective of the shape. I like the brush too! It works just fine!

Shades: 
Rainbow Wishes: This shade is defined as "soft rainbow sheen". It is a gorgeous soft purple shade with multi color sheen. It looks brilliant under different lights. And because it is such a soft adorable color, I find it pretty easy to wear to work! I have gotten many compliments while wearing this :-)  This may be my most favorite out of the two! It is quite opaque, I always use a base coat and then apply two coats :-)

Unicorn in Dream Dust: The finish for this shade is described as 3D high sparkle and yes, it is much more sparkly and 3-dimensional than Rainbow Wishes! It is a beautiful, beautiful peachy, soft orange-y shade. It looks different in different colors; I love the shift in this shade! This is perfect in one coat, but two coats makes it more strong and vibrant. I love this shade and have been wearing it often. But it is a little more sparkly to wear to work!

Quality & Formula: I like the consistency and opaqueness of both the shades. I saw that a lot of people complaining how these chip! I always use a base coat and then apply two coats. For both the shades, chipping has not been a problem for me. It does chip here and there and I am not too concerned about it. However, vibrancy kind of wears down after 6-7 days, for both the shades! Often, I apply a fresh coat :-)

I am really happy with this set. I highly, highly recommend it; especially during the ongoing VIB Sale on Sephora! The products are fantastic and the price is even more fantastic. I don't really like the marketing gimmicks following "Unicorn" hypes! But, products are oh-so-fantastic :-) 

Love,

~Aru