Product Review: Merlot Natural Grape Seed Moisturizer

The reason why I decided to try out this new moisturizer was because I noticed my face was getting really oily and the moisturizer I was currently using was not helping with my oiliness at all! It was actually making it a lot worse. I purchased this moisturizer with the help of Christiana Divine because she also uses this moisturizer and it seems to work wonders on her skin.


The reason why I'm using this moisturizer for my oily skin is because it's not like your typical creamy moisturizers that sometimes leaves your face feeling sticky. This moisturizer has a very light consistency and it absorbs quickly. This moisturizer reminds me of Clinique's Moisture Surge which has a gel-creme like consistency.


What it is: MERLOT is made of natural red grape seed polyphenals. It offers sensational antioxidant properties thereby helping to inhibit the aging process. MERLOT is fragrance free, non-oily, absorbs quickly.


AVAILABLE AT: Walgreens
PRICE: $15 USD
SIZE: 4 fl oz (118 ml)
VALUE FOR PRICE: 4/5
EASE OF USE: 4/5
PACKAGING: 3/5
MEETS EXPECTATIONS: 3/5
OVERALL USE: 3/5


PROS:
→ Comes in a big jar with a lot of product inside it. Can last you a long time!
→ Has SPF 15
→ Has sort of a pleasant soapy smell to it which isn't horrible. (Others describe it as grapefruit but I beg to differ)
→ Non-oily which is ideal for people who already have oily skin.
→ Leaves your skin feeling hydrated, refreshed, and smooth.
→ Can be used day or night.
→ Absorbs quickly
→ Made my skin less oily.
→ Has anti-aging antioxidants
→ It comes with a travel size container when you purchase it. (15 ml)

CONS:
→ I felt that it absorbed TOO MUCH of my skin's natural oils that it kind of made my skin a little dry around my chin.
→ My nose gets the most oily and this did maintain the oiliness around there but it was still slightly oily.
→ Because it's so light and absorbs almost like water, I feel like I had to put on more to feel like I'm getting enough moisture.
→ The packaging says it's fragrance free but it's not.
→ Having to dip your finger into the jar isn't very sanitary.
→ After my first night of using this product I grew about 3 pimples on my forehead but they've subsided quickly after that.
→ More ideal for people who have oily skin. (can also be a plus!)

OVERALL:
→ I have only been using this moisturizer for about a week. So far I like it, but I don't love it. It has its up and its downs and I'm going to continue using because it does a much better job at maintaining the oiliness on my face than my previous moisturizer. The only irritation I've had with this product was the dry patchiness around my chin but I'm not sure if this is caused by the moisturizer. I also let my boyfriend use the small travel size container that it comes with because he CLAIMS he has oily skin. But he said it left his face feeling irritated.

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT? Yes only if you have oily skin.
WOULD I PURCHASE AGAIN? As much as I like this product, I have to love it before I consider repurchasing. And so far this product is just okay for me.

DISCLAIMER: The products reviewed on this blog are based on the opinions and experiences of the author. This product was purchased by the author and in no way was this review influenced by the company of the product.

Review and Swatches: Claire's Pastel Nail Polish

I recently purchased this set of six pastel nail polishes from Claire's. If you don't know what Claire's is, it's a retail store that sells accessories, jewelry, and other fashionable items typically for the younger generation. I remember as a teeny bopper I would always shop at Claire's! This set of nail polishes really caught my eye because I'm such a junkie when it comes to rainbow colored... anything! And even though these were pastel, I knew they were gonna come out looking fabulous!

Before I go on to the review I just want to say how vibrant these colors are in real life. These colors would literally glow under a UV light! My camera does not do these swatches any justice and for you to actually get the full effect, you'd have to see it in person.

AVAILABLE AT: Find a store near you!

PRICE: $12.50 USD

SIZE: 0.25 fl. oz (7.5 ml) per container

VALUE FOR PRICE: 3/5 (roughly $2 per nail polish - $12.50/6 nail polishes = $2.08)
EASE OF USE: 4/5

PACKAGING: 3/5

MEETS EXPECTATIONS: 4/5
OVERALL USE: 4/5


PROS:
→ Colors are very vibrant and they all have a cream finish except for the purple. It has a slight shimmer to it. Nonetheless, all the colors are gorgeous!
→ Nice consistency, except for the first coat. After about two coats, the colors look very opaque which is a plus!
→ The price isn't too bad. You do get a variety of six different colors which are all amazing.
→ Quick drying.

CONS:
→ The size per nail polish. You don't get a whole lot but again, the variety of colors replaces that.
→ The wand is pretty short. I like my nail polish wand to be fairly long for better control.
→ First coat is a little runny. Two coats is fine but I think three coats will be best to get the overall opaqueness of each color.
→ Not too sure yet on the lasting power but with any nail polish I recommend a good top coat.

 

  

  

  

{Each swatch was about three coats of nail polish}

TOP L to R: a toned down hot pink, a gorgeous pastel orange or better yet a peachy gorgeous color, & perfect pastel yellow!

BOTTOM L to R: Perfect pastel green! I'm surprised this one doesn't look neon green, perfect pastel blue, what more can I say!? This last one is not a cream color but it's a lovely pastel purple that looks so dreamy in sunlight.

OVERALL:

I love love LOVE each one of these nail polishes. I love this entire collection and the color choices are on point! These colors SCREAM Spring! I love the fact that it's not your typical neon colors (though I love me some neon!) But these are so perfect for the Spring season and with Easter not too far away, the color combinations are endless!

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT? Yes

WOULD I PURCHASE AGAIN? Yes



DISCLAIMER: The products reviewed on this blog are based on the opinions and experiences of the author. This product was purchased by the author and in no way was this review influenced by the company of the product.

Tutorial: Complementary Colors - Purple & Yellow (hint of green)

PICTURE HEAVY! If you guys have any ideas for me to do picture tutorials without posting so many pictures into one post, please let me know! I'm not sure if you guys would watch the video if I were to put these into a video slideshow. If you would much rather have it that way, let me know! Unless this way is fine with you too. =) Enjoy!

Start off with a base.

I used UDPP and then applied NYX Jumbo e/s pencil in Milk all over my lid.

 

Apply a yellow eyeshadow (MAC Chrome Yellow) to the inner half of your eyelid.

  

Tada! =)

  

Apply a light/bright green eyeshadow (MAC Bitter) to the outer half of your lid.

  

Blend the colors together and it should look like this.

  

Apply a purple eyeshadow (MAC Violet Trance) lightly above the crease.

  

It should look like this.

  

Take a dark blue/purple eyeshadow (MAC Climate Blue) and with a pencil brush apply it to your outer corner.

  

With the same color and brush, lightly define your crease.

  

It should look like this.

  

Take a pale lilac or light pink eyeshadow (MAC Up At Dawn) and apply it to your brow bone.

  

Lalala...

  

Take any shimmery highlight color (MAC Cloudbound) and apply it to the inner part of your eyelid.

  

Take the same color and apply it as your highlight

  

It should look like this

  

I also applied a purple pigment (MAC Viz-A-Violet) to the inner part of my lower lash line and MAC Climate Blue to the outer part. Apply eyeliner and false eyelashes!

The finished look

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Golden Smokey Eyes + What Contacts I'm Wearing

→ Please take 5 seconds of your time and vote on my poll on the sidebar. Thank you!

I get a lot of questions on my formspring and in my comments about what contacts I'm wearing. In the previous look where I'm wearing contacts, it's in the color Honey from Freshlook. In this look I'm using Sterling Grey. I purchased these contacts at an optometry center in the Philippines. It was buy two pairs get another pair free. I also have contacts in True Sapphire. I can't remember exactly how much it cost but it was about P3000 for all three pairs. I'm gonna guess and say that's around 65 dollars. Anyway, here's a look I wore yesterday. I wish I had a really pretty gold eyeshadow or pigment to wear with this look but this will do for now. Hope you like it!

EYES:
MAC Rubenesque paint pot applied as a base
MAC Cocomotion pigment applied to inner half of eyelid
MAC Gentle Fume (discontinued) eyeshadow applied to outer corner and crease
MAC Pandamonium (le?) eyeshadow applied to outer corner
MAC Shroom eyeshadow applied as highlight
MAC Blacktrack fluidline applied to upper lashline
Revlon Colorstay eyeliner applied to lower waterline
Ardell lashes #109


CHEEKS:
MAC MSF in Blonde


LIPS:
Rimmel l/s in Vintage

SAD Day

I call this my Anti-Valentine's Day look for all the single ladies out there who are celebrating SAD Day (Single Awareness Day). It's a little more edgy and badass! Definitely not your typical hot pink and red representation of how you would describe Valentine's Day to be.

PS: I hate my lip color in this look. It would've looked way better with a soft pink or nude lip. I don't know what I was thinking with this custom made color using a lipstick and pigment mixed together. Ew!

EYES:
NYX Black Bean Jumbo e/s pencil applied all over lid as a base

MAC Dark Soul pigment (LE) applied all over lid (you can use black eyeshadow)

MAC Violet Trance eyeshadow applied above crease

MAC Beautiful Iris eyeshadow applied above Violet Trance & inner corner

MAC Phloof! eyeshadow applied as highlight

MAC Silver Fog pigment applied to inner lower lash line

MAC Viz-A-Violet pigment applied to outer lower lash line

Shisem lashes

Revlon Colorstay eyeliner on lower waterline

CHEEKS:
I can't remember

LIPS:
Don't ask! It's ugly!

Nail Polishes Haul

I don't usually spend that much on nail polishes because I have short stubby nails and I could never do anything fancy shmancy to them. And I don't know if it's me but my nail polish start to chip within the next day. Maybe I'm just a "hands-on" type of person that I'm always bumping into things with my hands and working on things with them that they tend to chip. I also don't have the patience to wait for polish to dry. I get so impatient especially since I'm the type to always be doing something with my hands. For example, if I just painted my nails, within five minutes I'll end up needing something from inside my purse, inside a drawer, or I tend to do things that require hand movements and that's when my nail polish starts looking messed up and I end up with lines and chips in them.

Anyway, to make the long story even longer, I was telling Victor how I wanted to buy more China Glaze nail polishes but I never ended up buying any because I never wanted to fork out the money. Then today Victor shows up with a grip of China Glaze and some L.A. Colors and Santee nail polishes for me! And get this, they were only $1 each! And in case you were wondering this IS a store in San Diego, not online. So I'm sorry for those who don't live in the area. But for those who are in San Diego, I have to ask Victor where he bought it but he said it was in some dollar store or something. I'll let you guys know. :)

Simple Everyday Look

Here's a simple look that I've been wearing on a daily basis when I don't feel like wearing too much makeup on. It's simple considering it uses only three MAC eyeshadows: Brule all over the lid, Honesty above the crease, and Intoxicate on the outer corners. For the cheeks I'm wearing MAC Feeling and on the lips I have on Revlon Nude Attitude l/s and NYX Cafe Latte l/g.