11.24.2013

Perlier Imperial Honey Body Butter - Review

*Disclosure: This post contains a review of products sent for my consideration on behalf of a company {iFabbo}. All opinions contained within are solely my own and not influenced or affected by the receipt of complimentary product(s). No affiliate links appear in this post.*

Good day, all!
It's the afternoon here, and a Sunday afternoon at that — usually bittersweet, as it's a day off of work, but it also means tomorrow is Monday. :\
I realize I've been MIA from this blog for the past few months, and perhaps at some point I'll write a post that explains the reasons behind this absence. But in lieu of those details, I'd rather get right to the point of this post: to review the Perlier Imperial Honey Body Butter!

I was sent this product on behalf of iFabbo, and have had a few weeks now to try it out for the sake of this review. My final thoughts are going to be split into two parts: the product's performance, and the more subjective aspects like the scent.

THE DETAILS

::: Perlier Imperial Honey Body Butter — 6.7 fl. oz.
::: Sold at HSN.com and retails for $40.00 {plus shipping/tax}
::: Product features — Formulated with the honey of black bees and royal jelly; nourishes skin with moisture; leaves skin pleasantly scented with the sensual notes of honey and oriental woods; and is perfect for year-round use.
::: Ingredients — Aqua (water), butyrospermum parkii butter (butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter), theobroma cacao butter (theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter), ethylhexyl palmitate, persea gratissima oil (persea gratissima (avocado) oil), behenyl alcohol, PEG-40 stearate, stearyl alcohol, dimethicone, glyceryl stearate SE, pentaerythrityl distearate, stearic acid, mel (honey), simmondsia chinensis oil (simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil), cetyl alcohol, royal jelly, parfum (fragrance), phenoxyethanol, carbomer, imidazolidinyl urea, sodium hydroxide, tetrasodium EDTA, BHT, methylisothiazolinone, coumarin. Made in Italy.

THE PICTURES





THE OPINIONS

PRODUCT PERFORMANCE
This stuff is truly amazing. Simply from an effectiveness standpoint, the Perlier body butter nourishes, softens and lasts a *long* time on your skin. I didn't know what to expect when I received this product, as I had never heard of the brand nor had I read any reviews of the body butter in any of the blogs I follow. So this was really a new one for me. And I was really impressed with how awesome my skin felt — both immediately after applying, and six hours post application. Smooth like a baby's bottom, indeed! I tested it on my feet, since I don't really have issues with dry skin anywhere on my body. Sometimes my feet may get dry though, and I was definitely able to tell a difference after using this body butter. I would wear this all day, every day, if it wasn't for the scent. Which brings me to the second half of this review...

SUBJECTIVE THOUGHTS
I've read other reviews of this particular product and scent that have been nothing but positive, so it would seem I'm in the minority in the fact that I *hate* the scent. I can't even describe what this smells like to me — almost like honey that's been burned and tossed with garbage. Yeah. It's that disgusting to me. Hence why I only tested on my feet, where I couldn't really smell it once my socks and shoes were on. And that's unfortunate, since the product itself is so wonderful. I'd wear it day and night if it was a different scent. But this just didn't work for me. As soon as I applied it to my feet, I had to wash my hands quickly to get rid of the lingering scent, which made me slightly nauseous. I feel bad that my experience with Perlier was kind of ruined by the scent, but that's my honest opinion. However, that's why I've separated this review into performance versus subjective opinions, because I know the scent will appeal to some. If this came in a fresh, delicate scent, it would probably be a new favorite for me, hands down.

FINAL NOTES
I won't discount this product just based on scent — it's really an amazing body butter, and is probably perfect for people who love the smell of honey {and it's a strong honey scent}. The scent just isn't for me, and that's disappointing because of how much I loved the formula. I'll be keeping an eye out for similar products in different scents though! If you're a fan of honey scents, this could very well be your next favorite body product!

Have you tried this product, through iFabbo or otherwise?

*SPECIAL DEAL FOR YOU!*
Take $5.00 off your Perlier order on HSN.com by using the promo code IFABBO5 at checkout!

Stay Fabulous!

8.08.2013

My Style Picks | ModCloth Dresses



*All opinions within this post, as always, are solely my own; I was not compensated in any way for my honest thoughts.*

In an attempt at doing something a little different, I wanted to share some of my favorite things that are fashion-related. After recently making a purchase through ModCloth {and loving it}, I decided to focus on ModCloth dresses today!

First, here is a picture of the dress I purchased. It's the Dashing at Dinner Dress, and I got it on sale for $33.99, plus a 20% discount during a recent promotional event. However, I just noticed that it's currently on sale for only $23.99, with sizes small through large still available. That's a great deal!


{ModCloth Dashing at Dinner Dress}
I bought this dress to wear to a good friend's wedding, which is on August 17th, so I don't have pictures of me wearing the dress yet. It did come with a black belt {shown wrapped around the hanger in the picture} to wear at the natural waistline, which to me really brings the whole look together. I bought a pair of Steve Madden nude heels to wear with it {the Steve Madden Getta}, and I'm still looking for the perfect jewelry. I usually only wear a necklace *or* earrings {unless I'm wearing stud/small gem earrings}, so I need to find either a necklace that complements the lace details of the dress and the modest scoop neckline, or some statement earrings to kick it up a notch. I'd love to pair the dress with something in a pop of color to contrast the subdued black and nude of the dress, but I'm not sure which color would work best. Thoughts?

Quality-wise, the dress arrived in pristine condition, with strong seams and no visible snags or anything. The material and overall construction is quite nice, especially for the low price. I'm very interested in trying more ModCloth dresses after this! It was shipped in a cute box that had the words "Pleased to meet you - now let's have some fun" printed on the inside, along with a mod print on the inside of the rest of the box. Small details, but really great for branding purposes. It also reached my home in less than a week from the day I placed the order, which I always appreciate. :}

Speaking of more ModCloth dresses, I also put together a "wish list" of sorts that I'd like to share, with some dresses that I consider must-haves and would love to purchase in the future. All images are directly from the ModCloth website.


{Scenery at Sunset Dress - I love the gathered details}


{As a Matter of Refract Dress}

{Interviews at the Party Dress}

{Coach Tour Dress}

{Linger a Little Longer Dress}

{Starlight Hearted Dress}

{Color Me Glad Dress}

{Coquette in Rosette Dress}

{Cupcakes and Candles Dress}

As you can see, I'm obviously a big fan of fit-and-flare designs, along with A-line silhouettes. They seem to fit my body type the best, and in my opinion, they're rather flattering on just about anyone. My two favorites are the strapless dresses, Linger a Little Longer and Scenery at Sunset — I love the gathered bodice and gorgeous flowing skirts. They seem like they'd be extremely comfortable, and easy to accessorize. What do you think? Do you see any you absolutely love? Have you shopped at ModCloth before?

Stay Fabulous!


7.31.2013

Mint Mani Featuring I Love Nail Polish

Good Morning All!

I originally planned on posting this a few weeks ago, when the blogging world came together to honor the life of the beautiful Talia Joy Castellano. The "Mint Manis for Talia Joy" concept was started by Nicole at Nail Polish Wars, wherein people from all over the Internet - from YouTube to blogging to Instagram and Facebook - posted mint manis in Talia's memory. Since I believe it's never too late to show support for someone who fought so hard, for so long...I decided to share my mani today, as I liked how it turned out. Having said that, I got a little too impatient and took these pictures before I cleaned everything up - so please excuse any and all imperfections. :}

Products used:
:::  Seche Vite Base Coat
:::  I Love Nail Polish - A Touch of Mint {two coats}
:::  Wet-n-Wild Fergie - Flossy Flossy {glitter accent}
:::  Seche Vite Top Coat




Just a quick note about "A Touch of Mint" from I Love Nail Polish — this color is AMAZING! I wish I would have thought to take a macro shot of the color, as it has a subtle shimmer and sparkle that really makes it the perfect mint color. I'll have a full review of all the I Love Nail Polish products I recently purchased, but in the meantime, just know that I'm VERY impressed.

Stay Fabulous!


7.26.2013

Zoya Lisa NOTD and Random Swatches

Good Afternoon! It's a pretty dreary Friday here in the midwest, so I decided it was time to brighten things up with some nail polish. :}
It's no secret that I love Zoya products. I would say my entire nail polish collection is comprised of at least 65% Zoya-brand polishes. Below I have a handful of random colors that were purchased early this year, along with a mani/NOTD featuring one of my favorite red nail polishes ever: Zoya Lisa.

::: Brand - Zoya
::: Website - ArtofBeauty.com
::: Items Purchased - Zoya Lisa, Neeka, Gemma, Dharma
::: Price - Individual nail polishes are $8/each + shipping

Zoya nail polishes, as I've mentioned in past posts, are relatively easy to work with and have decent coverage {though that varies from color to color}. For these specific colors, Lisa and Neeka were virtually perfect after only a single coat! Gemma needed at least two in order to even everything out, and Dharma needed at least three to get rid of the visible nail line, though it wasn't completely hidden when you looked closely. I would buy Zoya Lisa over and over again, as it was such an easy color to use {and it lasts!}

Here are the pictures! Click to see them in all their detailed glory.

{Base Coat: Seche Vite; Two coats of Zoya Lisa; Top Coat: Seche Vite}

{Zoya Lisa, Dharma, Gemma and Neeka}

{Photographed under an OttLite for color accuracy}

{Neeka has a great scattered sparkle, while Gemma has a fantastic violet/blue shift!}

{Dharma has a delicate blue shift, and Lisa is a fabulous, shimmering metallic red}

{Another view of my Zoya Lisa mani - still working on technique :) }

Any favorites out of this bunch? Obviously Lisa is my must-have polish, but I also love the purple/blue shift to Gemma - it was definitely something I didn't have in my collection already. I'm hoping to edit and post more NOTDs in the near future, as I have quite a back-log of images to work through.

Do you have your eye on any particular nail polishes right now? I still want to grab Zoya Storm, and at least one textured polish just to give the fad a try. :}

Stay Fabulous!


7.05.2013

Four Fantastic Femme Fatale Cosmetics Swatches


*Products reviewed within this post were sent for my consideration. All opinions are my own, and nothing but completely honest.*

Today's swatches include four amazing eyeshadows from Femme Fatale Cosmetics {FFC}: Jewel Scarab, Planeshift, Wisp and Genesis.
I've done reviews and swatches of FFC in the past, but since it's been a while, here's a refresher for anyone who is unfamiliar with the company and its products.

Femme Fatale Cosmetics is an independently owned small business based in Brisbane, Australia, and is operated by Sophie {with assistance from her partner Dave}. They opened in September 2011 and specialize in hand-blended mineral-based cosmetics and 3-free nail lacquer, while also acting as one of the only stockists for top international and national indie lacquers in Australia.

Femme Fatale's selection of powder cosmetics are available in sample sizes at an affordable price of $1.10 each {with free shipping worldwide on sample-only orders}. They also offer a mini size {3g priced at $3.10 - $3.20 each} for eyeshadows and a full size of 5g {$5.85 each}. Facial products come in a 10g size {$8.25} with sifter for ease of use. All of the powder cosmetics can be shipped worldwide. The nail lacquers are available in 12ml sizing, from $9.10 - $9.85 depending on the type. At this time, FFC is unable to ship nail lacquers internationally outside of Australia. For specific shipping policies and prices, check out the website {HERE}.


THE PICTURES

*Swatched over Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, photographed under an OttLite. Click to see the images in all their detailed glory.*

{Described as: "a deep blackened teal blue with green
shimmers and turquoise sparks." Vegan. Not lip-safe.}
{Described as: "a blend of pale jungle green and teal with slight
gray tones, and striking gold shimmer." Vegan. Not lip-safe.}
{Described as: "a soft slate gray highlighted by a heavy
blue duochrome." Vegan. Lip-safe!}

{Described as: "a soft seafoam turquoise with light golden shimmer."
Vegan. Not lip-safe.}

Well holy moly! So much awesomeness packed into four colors! My favorite of the bunch is Planeshift, as it's one of the most unique colors in my collection thus far. And that's an extensive collection! The green plays off the gold shift in such a beautiful way — and as a Packers fan, I love me some green and gold! :} But seriously, it's amazing, and a must-have if you place an order with Femme Fatale {which I think you *definitely* should!}.
Not to be outdone by Planeshift, the other three colors offer just as much beauty and their own unique qualities. Jewel Scarab is a dark and almost haunting blackened teal, which would be perfect for fall/winter looks. So far I've used it foiled as a liner for a daytime-friendly look with a bit of a punch, and I received many compliments. Wisp is a stunning gray-blue shade that, to me, also appears somewhat purple with just a hint of pink depending on the light. I've worn it as an all-over wash of a single color, blended out with a lighter white/silver just to lighten it up a bit for work, and I thought it was pretty darn versatile. The last color, Genesis, is exactly as it's described with a lovely mix of seafoam and a light golden shimmer. It can easily transform a cool summer eye look, while also looking appropriate across any season depending on what it's paired with.
All of the colors lasted all day over primer {my go-to is UDPP}, and I have relatively oily lids. I usually pair eyeshadows with a base as well, like NYX Jumbo Pencils or Maybelline Color Tattoos. So far I haven't been disappointed with a single product I've received from Femme Fatale Cosmetics, and I continue to recommend the shop to anyone and everyone interested in top-of-the-line indie products!

Stay Fabulous!


6.05.2013

Summery Nail Polish from Zoya

Good morning/afternoon/evening!
A while back — a bit longer than I'd like to admit — I picked up a few Zoya nail polishes, including an LE "Pinterest Trio" that featured three {non-LE} mini polishes for FREE! So of course I took advantage of the offer and picked up two additional full-size bottles. I'll always favor pink on my nails, but I have been trying to diversify my collection in recent months. The polishes I purchased/received were Cheri, Zara, Zuza, Myrta and Kimber.


{Zara and Cheri}

{Myrta, Zuza and Kimber}








:::  Zoya Cheri looks a lot less like the color in the bottle {and on the nail wheel} than it does on my nails. It takes on an almost mauve-like tone, a dirty and deep pink. The shimmer looks gorgeous in the swatch, but it's much more subtle when actually worn. I don't hate it, but I wish it took on more of the qualities of the swatches.
:::  Zoya Zara, which is featured in a NOTD I did {HERE}, is a favorite of mine. It was one of the first non-pink polishes I gravitated toward, and I still keep it in the rotation. The golden glow of this medium lilac shade is simply unbelievable — you have to see it in person. 
:::  Zoya Zuza is described as a "deep, saturated, oceanic turquoise with gold and silver metallic shimmer and a foil-like finish." I can't disagree with any part of that description — it's right on. Very summer-appropriate!
:::  Zoya Myrta is a medium orange-ish coral that leans red. Another summer stunner, and an easy transition from all of the pinks that I usually wear.
:::  Zoya Kimber is on my nails right now, and I love it. It's pink. In fact, it's a near-perfect shade of magenta that's decorated with a gold shift, which truly makes it shine.

All of the polishes are easy to apply; I only needed two coats for complete opacity for all five of these colors. No streaking, pretty quick to dry, and almost all of them interact well with my base and top coats {Seche Vite for both}. The only exception was Zuza, which ended up with more shrinkage around the edges than usual. Could have been user error though. I also noted that all of these colors would be great for summer manis and pedis! What do you think?

Stay Fabulous!


6.04.2013

Oh Yes, More Fyrinnae | Swatches



*All products purchased by me, and all opinions {as always} are entirely my own. This post contains NO affiliate links.*

It's no secret, I love me some Fyrinnae. Prices are more than reasonable, products are amazing, and despite the posted TAT being rather long, I've never waited more than 10 days for any order. Ever.

I've done a few Fyrinnae reviews in the past, so if you want a breakdown of pricing and shipping details, I recommend heading over to the Fyrinnae website. Everything is easy to find and thoroughly explained.

This post only shows the eyeshadows, but I did purchase the Oil Control Finishing Powder as well — one of my favorites for oily skin, tied with Detrivore Cosmetics' Pallor Mortis Dehydrating Powder {I'll have to do a review of my fave powders sometime soon}.


*All photos taken under an OttLite - click to make them bigger and see details. Swatches done over Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy.*


{Described as: "A soft, satiny warm brown-taupe shade that
has subtle hues of rose. Very versatile."}
{Described as: "Intense, saturated metallic bronze-gold.
Glimmering, gleaming and rich."}
{Described as: "A flamboyant, eclectic dinosaur covered in glitter, perhaps.
Name is unrelated to shade...as usual. Dinosaur Plushie is filled with
multicolored sparkle, some of which can change hue in different light."
It's also noted that this should be used over a sticky base like
Fyrinnae's Pixie Epoxy, unless your goal is to look like a disco ball - which
could be a real possibility, I'm not judging...}
{*Important Note* - this color was renamed "Serendipity."
Described as: "A glowing iridescent copper highlight, almost ghostly, despite
how photos make it appear. A sticky base makes more color come through, but
it works well and "glows" over regular primers."}
{*Important Note* - This isn't currently part of their assortment, but I'm unsure
as to whether or not they'll bring it back. Described as: "Glimmering metallic
silver topped with pink sprinkles."}


As usual, I wasn't disappointed with my order. Every single item was exactly as I expected it to be {sometimes more}, and seemed to match the site's descriptions spot-on. Some things to note:
:::  Dinosaur Plushie is a glitterbomb, for sure. For the best payoff, follow Fyrinnae's directions by using it over a sticky base like Pixie Epoxy. If not, be prepared for a glitter fallout of mass proportions.
:::  Gilded Wings looks best when foiled, but a simple dry wash over the lid has a really interesting effect. It's probably the closest to true gold that I own in an eyeshadow. On the opposite end, Calavera Cupcakes is a stunning silver that also looks best when foiled or used over a sticky base.
:::  Snow Leopard was a last-minute addition to my order, and it ended up being a pleasant surprise in how versatile it is. Any browns that lean toward red hues, or even pink, tend to make my eyes look rather unfortunate. Despite the description for Snow Leopard mentioning a subtle rose hue, I found that the overall color worked exceptionally well with my skin tone and eye color. It didn't lean red/pink/rose on me at all. I've used this one the most after Te Amo.
:::  Te Amo {now "Serendipity"} became a fast favorite after I wore it for the first time. A coppery brown with a red-toned glow. I've seen many a gorgeous EOTD featuring this color on different blogs, and even with my apprehension surrounding red/pink tones, this did NOT disappoint. When the description has the word "glow" in it — believe it. Amazing.
So that's it for this group of Fyrinnae eyeshadows! I have one more group to get through, including a pressed shadow, which I carry with me everywhere. :}

Stay Fabulous!