Best.Hand.Cream.Ever. - Jurlique

(big thanx to lillian for introducing me to this wonderful product!)

this is by far the best hand cream ever. why? because it moisturizes VERY well and leaves your hand silky smooth, not sticky. it also doesn't have any parabens (a chemical preservative found in many well-known hand creams w/ possible links to breast cancer) and instead, is loaded w/ good natural ingredients like calendula - a flower/herb known for its soothing/healing characteristics.

the scent: i'm usually not too crazy about flower-scented lotions but this one is different. the rose is very light and... just not like what you'd expect from a "rose" scented product. this rose cream actually smells like a real rose - light and refreshing, and not overpowering like typical floral products (as in the perfumes you try to avoid @ department stores). if you don't know what i mean, just go and try it out. if you still don't like the rose scent, the hand cream also comes in citrus and lavendar, but rose is by far my favorite.

btw- this review is coming from an ex-Aveeno user (aka person w/ super dry skin). my hands get really, really dry to the point where parts of my skin turn white if i go unmoisturized for a while.

the only not-so-nice thing about Jurlique is that the cream (and every other product in its line) is quite expensive - $25 for only 1.4 ounces of product. if you're not familiar w/ ounces, this is like two travel-size tubes of toothpaste. (btw- the picture above is of the 4.3 oz, which is $46-$49!) *sigh.. but i will continue to repurchase because it is the best (imo, of course). ohhhhh! by the way, i recently came across a website that sells Jurlique products for more than 25% below average cost. *see link below*

Price: $17.86-$25.00
Where to Buy: Sephora, Jurlique.com, various beauty & health websites (cheapest @ Vitacost.com)
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
Tip: as cliché as it sounds, a lil goes a long way, so use sparingly. if you want to TRY it, get it at Sephora so you can return it if you don't like it. if you already like Jurlique and want to keep repurchasing, buy it from Vitacost.com.

*update* my HG mascara

i finally found one to call my HG! unfortunately, it's one that i've been avoiding due to mixed reviews so i feel like a hypocrite. lol ohhh well. i bought it and absolutely LOVE it. i'll keep you lashfreaks in suspense for a tiddobit. hehehee

***edit: updated**

and the HG is............

DiorShow - Black Out



okay. so i initially avoided buying DiorShow because it had mixed reviews on makeupalley, and i don't like to trust the reviews on sephora.com because i noticed they overrate every product they have on there by at least 1 point (star)... but since i got a gift certificate to Macy's i was trying to waste spend, i decided to try it out.

i opted for the DiorShow - Black Out and not the regular DiorShow mascara because the Black Out version is supposed to be super dark and give you that "false lash look," and i like my lashes to look as dark/thick as possible (since my natural lashes are a JOKE w/o help).

application was very smooth and silky. you don't need layer 10x to achieve the "thick" look either. it also gives you a wet (not dry) look and it doesn't flake throughout the day. you do need to overcurl a bit to keep the lashes up but it definitely beats Voluminous (it BETTER since it costs 4x more!). i know everyone has a different preference of what they want in a mascara, but this one does it for me -- lengthen and thicken w/o having to layer on so much. i'm in LOVE! i had it on the other day and my sister thought i was wearing fakies. wootwoot!

PROS: thickens and lenghtens, doesn't flake. super, super black so even one coat shows. gives you the 'wet' look. =D
CONS: could be cheaper.

not the best pic, but here's an example. this was one of my more natural days (no eye shadow), but i do have eyeliner on.

(btw- the line @ the end of my right eye is my liner. why are my eyes so puffy?! )

Price: $24.00
Where to Buy: almost any department store, sephora
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars!
Tip: for a more natural look, apply only one light coat. for a more dramatic look, layer a few times and remember to overcurl a lil.

quote of the day

"Only boring people get bored." - unknown

hehe =X

*update* review: sana extra large mascara

ohhhhkay. i have to admit that the cute fobby packaging was half of the reason why i decided to try out this mascara. (see why marketing is so important? you win the business of suckers people like ME!)

anyway, here is my impression of sana's EXTRA LARGE MASCARA. btw - this mascara is waterproof, and i have to warn you that my review is a bit biased because i don't really like waterproof mascaras in general, and have not tried too many of them. so this review will be my take on it in comparison to other mascaras i've tried, which includes non-waterproof mascaras.

so the name claims "EXTRA LARGE" lashes. do i agree? ummm... not really, or not as much as the name claims. i didn't find this mascara to be EXTRA thickening or lengthening but it does thicken and lengthen (and the fibers in it seem to help) - just not that much more than some of the others mascaras i've tried. application required multiple strokes to achieve good coverage, and it takes some practice to get the nice full look. overall, it's a pretty good waterproof mascara but i don't think it lives up to its name as far as giving you "EXTRA LARGE" lashes. however, when applied well (meaning, multiple layers with skillful lash separation w/ wand), it does look pretty nice.



PROS: not very clumpy, thickens moderately, keeps lashes curled better than any other mascara i've tried. (NO OVER-CURLING REQUIRED - this is the biggest "PRO" about this mascara.) very good applicator brush that separates lashes. no smudging whatsoever after drying.
CONS: goes on a bit dry - not a thick, wet application (which i actually prefer). requires multiple strokes to achieve the "full" look.

Price: $16.99 - $18.99
Where to Buy: almost any japanese market (or online on various asian cosmetic sites)
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Tip: LAYER it on before it dries; don't over-curl before application